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BREAKING NEWS: Teacher breaks clown marathon record

When I read this story, I knew I had to post it.  This is big running news ;-)

Paul Fernandez, 34, completed the Gloucester Marathon in full costume in two hours 50 minutes, more than half an hour faster than the previous record.

The biology teacher from Oxford finished second in the overall field of 250 on Sunday, despite his brightly-coloured one-piece outfit, clown's wig and face paint.

His time will now be verified by the Guinness Book of Records.

This was not Mr Fernandez's first attempt at getting into the record books. An earlier effort – a relay triathlon that involved running from Newcastle to Dover, swimming the English Channel and cycling to Gibraltar – was rejected because of the difficulty potential challengers would face in retracing his exact route.

He says that he was inspired to attempt quirky world records after browsing the bizarre feats of other title holders.

"I was looking through world records and I saw that some kid had got one for putting 14 snails on his face or something like that and I thought 'if he can do that, I want to get a record," he said.

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Body says no to the idea of a marathon

This is a pretty funny article.  Enjoy!

I took my second training walk across the Ravenel Bridge on Friday, the second in two weeks, and the body is not happy about it.

The body, you see, thinks we get enough exercise sitting in our anti-gravity chair watching McClellanville's oak trees grow.

The body constantly tells me our walk to the library two houses down is pushing it, pal.

So the body could only groan when I explained that I have registered for the Feb. 14 Myrtle Beach Marathon.

I told the body we've been out of the loop too long and it's time, old buddy, to jump back in, feet first.

That little pep talk didn't impress. And the body only smirked when I mentioned that we would only be doing the half marathon, just 13.1 miles instead of a full 26.2 miles.

I thought it would soothe the body's feelings.

It didn't.

The body's answer is not exactly printable in a family newspaper, so I'll have to paraphrase:

"What an idiot you are! We're 69 years old and for us 13.1 is the new 26.2! Give it a rest already."

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Denver Marathon to become "Rock 'N' Roll" race

The company that owns the growing list of "Rock 'n' Roll" marathons around the country has acquired the Denver Marathon with plans to transform it into the Denver Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in 2010.

The Competitor Group, which owns the San Diego Rock 'N' Roll Marathon, the Phoenix Rock 'N' Roll Marathon and the Country Music Marathon in Nashville among others, believes Denver is a natural fit.

"We studied the Denver market and that had a lot of appeal for us as a growth opportunity," said Peter Englehart, president and chief executive of the Competitor Group. "Timing-wise it worked well with our schedule of rolling out some additional national events."

Anton Villatoro, executive director of the Denver Marathon, will remain with the race and join the Competitor Group as a vice president. The Competitor Group also acquired the Rocky Mountain Half Marathon.

"Rock 'N' Roll" marathons have 40-70 bands along the route to keep runners inspired and entertained. Englehart said it was too late to introduce the music component for this year's race, which will be run Oct. 18, but he expects it to be implemented next year.

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What do you think: Is flat Coke good for runners to drink?

I found an interesting post on OregonLive.com today.  It asks if flat Coke is good for runners to drink.  You get the sugar and caffeine but without the carbonation. 

What do you think?

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Josh Cox chases marathon title, 50K record

Josh Cox is a highly credentialed runner, although that's not necessarily a good thing.

He admits that being the youngest qualifier for the 2000 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, then finishing 10th later that year at the Chicago Marathon has been a "monkey on my back for a long time." The main reason: He hasn't improved on the 2 hours, 13 minutes, 55 seconds he ran in only his third marathon.

The monkey got heavier with each ensuing crack at 26.2 miles, including at the 2004 and '08 Olympic Trials. Plus there was the additional burden of his father's struggle with cancer. Donald Cox died in July 2006 after reconciling with Josh, who lost close to two years of serious training to spend time with his father before and in the aftermath of his death.

Cox was forced to ask himself: Does running really matter?

"It does because it's a gift that's been entrusted to me," he concluded. "My dad said to be faithful with your gift that God's given you. I know I have a better race in me."

The 33-year-old hopes that race comes Sunday in what will be a two-pronged challenge.

Cox will try to win the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon, which likely will require bettering his long-held personal record. Then he'll run an additional five miles on Arizona State's track, trying to better the unofficial 50K world record (2:43:38) that has stood since 1988.

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Check out a training video of Josh

Runners: The ultimate in GPS creativity

What to wear when running

Thanks to @cyberpenguin on Twitter for sharing this link

How do you want to feel when you run - do you like to be toasty or chilly in the winter? Cool in the spring? Find the right running clothes to wear for the current weather condition.

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Super Dave sells running shoes

Thanks to @simpsoka for posting this video on Twitter.

Getting running legs back isn’t easy, especially at 30 below

It’s an hour past high noon on New Years Day, and my butt is getting kicked by a group of five 50-plus-year-old runners as we make our way to the top of Ester Dome.

If anything, “butt kicked” is an understatement. The five of them — Steve Bainbridge (who turns 60 this year), Ed Debevec, Andy Holland, Jane Lanford and Wayde Leder — are nowhere in sight as I neared the Henderson Road cutoff. My fear at this point was that I would see them — heading toward me as they made their descent, leaving me to slog solo to the summit, my only companion being my breath which was freezing in the air in the 30 below temperatures.

The good news is that they didn’t pass me. The bad news is the reason they didn’t pass me is because they added on more distance past our turnaround point at the chute, and, upon returning to the turnaround point, they waited for me, jogging in place to stay warm.

“Way to go Scott!” they exclaimed, as I breathlessly approached them.

“You do realize you are the youngest of us by quite a bit?” one of them offered up. And before I could come up with a decent smart-aleck reply (which I was unable to do because I clearly left my brain at home that day), they were cheerfully and energetically off and running back down the hill, en route to the finish line at Ann’s Greenhouse.

Sighing, I took after them. Four miles down, four more to go.

Happy flippin’ new year.

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Small world of winners at Disney Marathon

Forget anything you believe about the World Showcase just being inside Epcot Center. On Sunday morning, the World Showcase took a 26.2-mile jaunt through all four of Disney's theme parks before kicking up its tired feet for a celebration just outside Epcot.

They billed it as the 16th annual Walt Disney World Marathon, but by the end, it was a showcase for the world as Adriano Bastos won for the fifth consecutive year and sixth time overall to put an exclamation point on Brazil's traditional stranglehold on the event. Not to be outdone, Japan can hail Lisa Mizutani, a 23-year-old medical student who won the women's title on what allegedly was a casual stop en route to Miami to visit her aunt and uncle.

''It was a miracle,'' said Mizutani, who finished in

2 hours, 46 minutes, 27 seconds. ``I didn't believe my eyes when I came in.''

Just the opposite was true when Bastos, 30, finished in 2:20:38. If you want to know how Brazil can now claim 11 men's or women's Disney marathon champions, you had better be all ears. Preferably, Mickey ears, because that's what Bastos has tattooed all over his arms and legs, having added a new tattoo with each successive win.

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