Got up early this morning so that I could run before the latest snow storm arrived. No such luck. The snow began before I had gone a mile and picked up in intensity as I went. By the time I finished (4.5 mile maintenance run plus a one-mile cool-down walk), the snow had begun to accumulate on the streets. But, I got the run in without slipping and sliding and that's always a good thing. Winter is one day closer to being over and Ft. Collins (Colorado Marathon) is one day closer!
Tomorrow is cross training, i.e. a brisk 4/5 mile walk. My next long run--17 miles this time--is Sunday. Right now the Weather Service is forecasting mid-30s for Sunday. Hooray!
I got an email this morning from a friend who was visiting Houston last weekend and saw the Marathon Trials. She reported that the enthusiastic spectators--estimated at 500,000--were rewarded with two competitive and entertaining races. Awesome, indeed.
My biggest takeaway from the trials is the upside potential of women's winner Shalane Flanagan. In only her second marathon, Shalane ran an event record time of 2:25:38. Given her background at 5000 and 10000 meters and six months to prepare for London, she has a chance to surprise. And, surprise in a big way. A big golden way. As in gold medal.
Congrats to Meb Keflezighi, two-time winner of the Quad-City Times Bix 7 and local Hog Heaven favorite, on his win in the men's race. Despite Meb's win, the U.S.'s best hope among the men to medal at London is likely Ryan Hall, who finished second at the trials. Meb is now 36-years-old and his marathon PR is 2:09:08. Consider that Kenyan Patrick Makau ran 2:03:38 last September in Berlin. Berlin is known as a fast venue, but still . . .
What to watch for in London this summer besides the men's and women's marathons: 1) I'll be watching to see how Michael Phelps, the undisputed king of the Beijing Games does. He's four years older and his competition is stiffer. Has fame, fortune, and the occasional toke slowed MP down? 2) In the pool on the women's side, I'll be rooting for Centennial, Colorado, high school student Missy Franklin, a sixteen-year-old phenom. If you've seen Missy interviewed, you already know that she's a breath of fresh air. 3) Has motherhood slowed the queens of the sand: Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, 2004 and 2008 Gold medalists in Beach Volleyball. Following the Beijing Games, Kerri took some time off to give birth. Twice. I'm not much of a fan of beach volleyball, but during the Beijing Games, I found that I couldn't not watch these two dynamos. Okay. The bikinis didn't hurt. 4) Can anyone stay with Usain Bolt? Gold medalist in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 4x100 meters at Beijing, Usain holds world and Olympic records in all three events including a ridiculous 9.58 in the 100.
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