Act Fast! Register Before the Chicago Marathon Lottery Closes

Tomorrow's not tax day. Nor is it Marathon Monday where we'll all be watching the 118th running of the Boston Marathon. But Monday, April 7, is a special Monday if you are in the market for running a fall marathon, specifically the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. It's the Monday when registration closes for the October 12 race.

Sure, it seems odd to be announcing that a race's registration is closing. Usually we're waiting in anticipation for registration's to open (hello Ironman) so we can grab one of the coveted spots before they're gone. But after last year's Chicago Marathon registration debacle where runners flooded the registration system and caused it to crash, the race turned to a lottery system to randomly select entrants who weren't running with a charity partner, had completed the race multiple times in recent years, or were fast enough to use a qualifying time to enter.

At noon central time tomorrow, the registration period will end for those runners who'd wish to enter the marathon's lottery system or register as a legacy finisher or time qualifier. Lottery entries are not guaranteed, but those entrants will be notified of their status on April 14. Time qualifiers need to have run verifiable races after Jan. 1, 2012, of sub 3:15:00 for men and sub 3:45:00 for women. Legacy finishers need to have finished the Chicago Marathon five or more times within the last 10 years (2004-2013).

While You Were Running...

While you were running Sunday's Chicago Marathon (or sleeping, spectating, avoiding it at all costs)...

• A course record could be set.
• A runner could slip at the finish line.
• A nail-biting finish could happen.
• A world record could be broken.
• A World Marathon Major title could be nearly clinched.
• A personal best--not just among the regulars but the elites--could be achieved.

So three of those didn't happen at Sunday's race. But a lot can happen while you're running the marathon at your pace--fast, slow or somewhere in the middle--and the elites are tackling the 26.2 miles at their blistering speeds. The race could be turned into a fun run of sorts--2007's scorcher of an October Sunday where race organizers halted the race and runners were either bussed back to Grant Park or asked to walk as opposed to run in the intense heat. Among the elites, the difference between first and second place could be determined in the final 200 meters on Columbus. Or Chicago's flat and fast course could make for a world record run--Khalid Khannouchi in 1999 and Paula Radcliffe in 2002. Or it could be a race with a photo finish.

Two Wins for Chicago at Long Course Nationals

Chicago's not exactly known for being an endurance sports mecca. Those titles are often saved for spots like Boulder, Colo., and San Diego, Calif. But even if Chicago doesn't have such a title--possibly because it's so darn flat unless we skip the rides that are right outside our front doors--the Windy City, and it suburbs, can lay claim to some of the country's fastest triathletes.

Take the USA Triathlon Long Course Championship held in Oklahoma City, Okla., held on September 22. The race, which included a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run, was held at Lake Hefner in conjunction with the Redman Triathlon. Who finished first and second among the women? Two Chicago-area triathletes: Elizabeth Waterstraat and Jennifer Harrison.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel Finishes the Chicago Triathlon...Again!

Maybe Rahm is somewhere among the sea of swim caps?

How did Chicago's mayor, Rahm Emanuel, spend his Sunday morning? Doing the Life Time Tri Chicago. And considering he's not slow--he finished 27th in his age group this year--he was finished with the race before many of us (OK, definitely me) got out of bed.

Mayor Emanuel is no stranger to triathlon and endurance sports. His Wikipedia profile says it, he ran the Soldier Field 10 a few years back with his son (I swear Liz mentioned it) and supposedly was at the Ravenswood 5K this past April, and his wife and kids race too though you'll usually find them on the running circuit. He's no stranger to the Chicago Triathlon; he participated last year and finished ninth in his division, and his name is listed in the race results from the Fleet Feet SuperSprint Tri in 2004 and the Chicago Triathlon in 2003. But boy does the mayor's office do a good job--and the Chicago Triathlon race organizers too--of keeping it under wraps. Emanuel stunned many Chicagoans last year, participants included, when news outlets like the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun Times reported his participation in the sprint distance event.

But trying to confirm--or even find a clue--that he'd be doing it again this year was like digging for that darn needle in the haystack. You see, I spent half of July--or what felt like it--tracking it down and ending empty-handed though suspecting that he'd be among the 8,500 or so triathletes come August 26. And sure enough, I was right when I checked the results Sunday night. 

Can You Name Rock 'n' Roll Chicago's Headliner?

I think I'll run 13.1 miles before a concert. Credit: NVitkus

You've heard them on the radio. You've probably worked out to their hits like "Good Girls Go Bad" and "You Make Me Feel." You might even use their fast-paced dance beats to power you through a run. They're Cobra Starship, the Billboard Music chart-toppers who've taken their dance-pop sound on tour with Maroon 5 and Fall Out Boy. And now they'll be headlining the finish line concert at the Xsport Fitness Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon on Sunday, July 22. 

If you've run a Rock 'n' Roll race, whether it's a half marathon in Virginia Beach or a full marathon in San Diego, you know that the event wouldn't be complete without the finish line concert. In fact, it's part of the draw--even when you're like me and my friends who slept through the Virginia Beach concert thanks to an early morning, a hotel room off the boardwalk and two half marathoners who could barely walk with leg (me) and back (my friend) issues.

I might not remember who performed at that race, but Rock 'n' Roll headliners lately have included Bret Michaels, Cheap Trick, Flo Rida, Pitbull, Sugar Ray and Switchfoot. I might be too lazy--and cheap--to hunt down tickets to see their concert performances (I'm the one who thinks about attending practically the day before they're in town), but count me in when all I have to do is stick around the finish line to watch them live, and I've heard their songs on the radio.

A marathon, a half marathon, a mini marathon that's capped off with a concert by a Billboard chart-topper? Yes, please! And even better that registration is still open for the longer (13.1) and shorter (roughly 3 miles) distances.

Photo grabbed from NVitkus at flickr.

Should've Been in Duluth

Kara runs the 2008 NYC Marathon. Credit: matt semel

It's been a while since we last broadcasted our love of Kara Goucher here at Fit-Ink, but that's not to say we've forgotten about her or loved her a little less. I admit, we missed getting giddy in January for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials when she finished third and qualified for the Olympic team. But I wasn't about to miss another Kara moment when I caught word that she'd be in Duluth for Grandma's Marathon weekend. Except, I did. Again.

Liz might be the Fit-Inker who can cheer Kara from behind like she did in Boston or interview her over the phone or spend five minutes with her at the Rock 'n' Roll Chicago expo. I'm the one who probably starts to sound like a crazy stalker (I swear, I'm not!). Suspecting that she's pregnant. Hawking the news boards to find out when Colt was born. Reading her blog updates. All because I've watched meet-and-greet opportunities slip through my fingertips at the cost of other races. When Kara ran RnR Chicago in 2009, I was pushing through some nasty headwinds at the Steelhead 70.3. And now today when Kara ran the U.S.A. Half Marathon Championships--she won and set a course record--I was picking up my packet for tomorrow's Motor City Triathlon in Detroit.

More Fast Feet Commit to Shamrock Shuffle

Credit: Uwe Hermann at Flickr

And I thought this year's Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle was going to be plenty exciting with Abdi Abdirahman running it. But it's even better than a runner could imagine--and at 33 years young, it's not even a special anniversary for Shamrock like the Chicago Marathon will be when it turns 35 in October. Liliya Shobukhova, the fast female who has won the Bank of America Chicago Marathon the last three years, signed on. And then the female field only got faster and more competitive.

Who are some of those runners? Take a read:

• Tera Moody. Originally from St. Charles, Ill., Moody is returning to the Windy City from Colorado Springs, Colo., to run the Shamrock Shuffle 8K. Moody is no stranger to the race--she's won it twice. She was also a star performer at St. Charles High School, a two-time Illinois state champion in the 1,600 meters, and placed 10th at the 2010 Bank of America Chicago Marathon with a personal best 2:30:53. Moody unfortunately missed January's U.S. Olympic Trials due to injury, but she's on the comeback trail and could find herself becoming a three-time Shuffle champion.

Look Who's Running the Shamrock Shuffle: It's Abdi!

Abdi chats with Carey Pinkowski (barely visible) on Jan. 31.

Carey Pinkowski got his wish. Or at least he sort of did. The executive race director for Chicago's Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle and the Chicago Marathon wanted three-time (soon to be four-time come the London Olympics this summer) Olympian Abdi Abdirahman to run the streets of Chicago at the 2012 Chicago Marathon. That's what Pinkowski expressed when Abdi was in town on Jan. 31 to help kick off the opening of the marathon's registration. Abdi has run the Windy City's marathon before--it's where he PR'd with a 2:08:56 at the 2006 race--but asking to do it roughly two months after running the Olympic marathon is a tall order, even for an Olympian.

But no one ever said that the marathon's sister race, the Shamrock Shuffle 8K, known by many as the race that kicks off Windy City running season and previews a small portion of the marathon course, was off the table. And according to yesterday's news, it's not.

To the Olympics (Trials) They Go

Overbeck at the Chase Corporate Challenge

I always knew the California International Marathon was fast. I once wrote it down on a list of marathons that were good Boston Marathon qualifiers. I ran it in 2008 when I desperately tried to chase a second Boston qualifying time so I could run with Liz in Beantown the following April. I may not have qualified as I had hoped--note to self: don't try to run another 26.2 after finishing your first Ironman and a hotter-than-ideal Chicago Marathon--but I ran faster than expected, given that I could barely finish 10 miles two weeks before the race.

But could California International really live up to its fast reputation when several speedy female runners needed it to as they gunned for their Olympic Trials qualifying time in what would be their last chance before the January event in Houston? (How's that for a long-winded sentence?) The answer would be a resounding yes. For some runners, December 4, 2011, will go down as a day in history, the special Sunday when they reached one tough cut-off on the road to Olympic glory. And for a few others, they'll hopefully forget that Sunday just wasn't their day. It pains me to write that, since I silently cheered for several Chicagoans after learning of their Olympic attempts over the summer. It helps to meet filmmaker Wendy Shulik, who's been chasing the women as they try to qualify and filming them for her Miles and Trials documentary, and who will get you as excited (or close to it) as she is for Trials' tribulations.

Divorce for Lindsey Vonn? Reports Say Yes

I thought it was a hoax. I read a tweet from The Ski Channel and shook my head in disbelief. It sounded too false to be true, if that even makes sense. Lindsey Vonn? Single? Soon? What am I reading?

But when you click on The Ski Channel's link, you'll realize that it actually is true. That skiing's golden girl, Lindsey Vonn, is getting divorced. Wait, what? Say that again.

Lindsey Vonn and her husband of four years, Thomas Vonn, are getting divorced according to a statement provided to The Associated Press and later revealed at The Ski Channel. Thomas Vonn wrote in an email to the AP that he filed for divorce last Monday, according to the article. The couple got married at the Silver Lake Lodge at Deer Valley on September 29, 2007, and Lindsey subsequently took her husband's surname, and the world started calling her Lindsey Vonn instead of Lindsey Kildow.

Thomas is a skier himself, also competing on the U.S. Ski Team and finishing ninth in the Super-G at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Park City. Lately he's served as Lindsey's chief adviser, helping her focus on skiing while he coordinated interviews and logistics, and provided tips on the race course. That also includes accompanying her to appearances and events as I met skiing's power couple when Lindsey threw out the first pitch at Wrigley Field (wow, was that really two years ago?).

As of right now, Lindsey isn't letting her personal life stop her skiing life. Or at least not too much. She still plans to be coached by the U.S. Ski Team and race the World Cup circuit for the season. And sure, it was tape-delayed, but she was on Universal Sports' ski coverage yesterday afternoon.

I can only wonder about celebrity status and marriage meltdowns. Like A-listers in Hollywood, maybe this marriage had too much time in the limelight?

Read more about this news at ABC News and ESPN. 


Photo grabbed from Vail Resorts and credited to Jack Affleck.

Look Who Won the 2011 Chicago Marathon

Heat, what heat? There was no stopping runners on their marathon mission this morning, from crossing the finish line to running personal bests, two feats that can often run awry is the weather is less-than-perfect for a 26.2-mile jaunt. If warm weather was supposed to slow down the runners taking to the streets for the 34th running of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon--or prevent them from toeing the line in the first place, which has happened (in say, 2007)--it never did. The weather didn't keep 35,628 runners from crossing the finish line, the second largest in event history, and with countless PRs to boot. And that personal-best pace was set early, with the elites achieving several records of their own.

In winning the men's race, Moses Mosop broke the tape in 2:05:37, breaking Sammy Wanjiru's 2009 course record by 4 seconds. And in winning the women's race, Liliya Shobukhova became the first athlete in Chicago Marathon history to win the race three consectutive times. Shobukhova accomplished some other feats with her 2:18:20 run, too: her time sets a new Russian national record, it's the second fastest women’s time in event history, and it's the fourth fastest women’s time ever run. This win also solidified her World Marathon Majors title and $500,000 prize.

Wolf Creek edges Arapahoe Basin in a Snow Battle

Arapahoe Basin's guns signal winter skiing full-steam ahead.

Some people are running marathons this weekend, sweating it out in cities--namely Chicago--that are finally seeing their Indian Summer. Others are racing at the Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, where it's always summer. But somewhere, somewhere, it's not 80 degrees and sunny--and for once, it's in just the right spot: ski country. Because while triathletes and runners compete in their A races, skiers can hit the slopes, or start to think winter at some of them.

It's all thanks to a western storm that dropped fluffy white snow instead of rain, and whose path basically ran through ski country. Snowboard Magazine showcases who's seen a dusting--or more since you can't really call 12 inches at Sierra-at-Tahoe a smattering of snow (well maybe you can in Tahoe)--in the last few days. But what its preview of La Niña round two doesn't tell you is something that could easily be surmised from the shots: that the ski season is beyond belief close to starting. Here's why:

Arapahoe Basin turns on its snowmaking machines.

• Wolf Creek Ski Area in Colorado. They've seen so much snow that they're opening their terrain on Saturday, October 8, for a weekend of skiing (and at $33 a lift ticket). Oh yes, time to start waxing.
• You know that battle between Loveland and Arapahoe Basin to be the first ski resort in Colorado and North America to open for the season? They're not the only two in the snow-making game. A-Basin turned on their snowguns at 4 p.m. October 6, but can they beat Wolf Creek? From the sound of The Basin 411, A-Basin will be making snow through the weekend before opening. 
• What about Maine's Sunday River, also rumored to be gunning for an early start? Their guns were blazing amid the fall colors, hear them roar.

Only the next 24 hours will tell. Wolf Creek can taste victory dance, but can A-Basin open overnight? Anything's possible in snow wars, right? You can't help but ask if you're yearning for turning.

Photo credit Kimberly Trembearth.

Happy Birthday to Our Favorite Fit Friends

Yesterday, I forgot to wish two people happy birthday. Oops. So rather than do that again, I'm not going to wait until the actual day of this birthday. It's always an easy one for me to remember too, I think because my wedding anniversary is on the day of their first post back on May 19, 2008. And lucky for me, the Fit Bottomed Girls don't want me to either--they've been hinting at their birthday celebration since last week, if not earlier, and started celebrating on Monday.

What that means is a week of best-of's and giveaways from the Fit Bottomed Girls of all things fitness related. So far they've had an impromptu workout DVD giveaway, two workout outfits from ALO, and other workout DVDs--and that was Monday and only part of Tuesday. Now the latest is they're offering up what they deem the perfect gym bag--and three can win. See? I told you it was good--if you have a lucky strike in you, that is (I never win anything, I swear)--and it's only supposed to get better during the week with even more giveaways.

The reason I'm getting excited about this birthday is not entirely because the FBGs are turning three--which is pretty darn cool--or that they have all of these options to at-random win something. Nor is it because I've had the privilege of meeting three of the FBGs--Erin, Jenn and Tish--at two Nike events and a Luna Chix summit. Privilege, I say, because they were nice enough to talk to me, even after they learned that I run marathons on a regular basis, did an Ironman a month before (and then had finished two when I saw Tish last October), and probably knew too many random facts about female Winter Olympic athletes (yes, the skier in me came out in Vancouver). And that I squeezed in a run before we were supposed to catch the bus to dinner--in my defense, I had a marathon to run a few days later, which I PR'd.

The answer to my excitement is that in celebrating their triumph, I feel like I have a little victory of my own. Excuse the sentimentality, but Liz and I probably never would have started Fit-Ink if we hadn't met the Fit Bottomed Girls because they proved to us, or me anyway, that this dream could become a reality. Even though they do share one word--fit--the sites certainly aren't the same, but that's a good thing. I love the Fit Bottomed Girls content because it always brings me back to Earth from my crazy endurance bubble--I'd rather read first-timer triathlon stories or conquests of the road bike before the sad state of my Facebook feed with its training ruminations.

But, I digress. Happy Birthday to the Fit Bottomed Girls and to many more! Off to read the Fitties.


Photo grabbed from synx508 at flickr.

So Long, Sammy: The Sammy Wanjiru Shocker

Wow. I'm almost wishing I hadn't just scanned my newsfeed. Because then I wouldn't have read a news report that needed a dislike button next to it. The worst part is that it's already the second time this year that I've had to be the bearer of bad news among the running community.

It was a Universal Sports report that a friend shared that caught my attention and now it's spreading like wildfire online. Sammy Wanjiru, one of the fastest distance runners in the world, has died. If that's not a shock to runners, especially marathon runners, then I'm speechless. Actually, I'm speechless anyway--Wanjiru was only 24 and his death follows on the heels of the untimely accident that killed Sally Meyerhoff in March. The cause? It's not exactly known at this time, but Universal Sports is reporting that Wanjiru died after falling from a balcony at his home.

Need more of a biographical refresher? He's the 24-year-old Kenyan runner who burst onto the running scene big time by winning gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and saw fleet feet twice in Chicago, winning the 2009 and 2010 Bank of America Chicago Marathons.

The unfortunate part about this accident is that it comes on the heels of some other troubles Wanjiru has found himself in since his sprint to the finish line to beat Tesgaye Kebede at the 2010 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. In December, he was arrested in his home and charged with three counts. In January, he was in a car accident that luckily wasn't too serious but may have been the cause behind his withdrawal from April's London Marathon.

Here are a few things we'll remember--and miss--about Sammy Wanjiru:

• His fastest marathon time was 2:05:10.
• He once held the half marathon world record with his personal best 58:33.
• He won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing with a time of 2:06:32.
• His other victories include the 2009 and 2010 Chicago Marathons, the 2009 London Marathon, and the 2007 Fukuoka Marathon.
• He led the point totals among the men for the World Marathon Majors competition for the 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 competitive cycle.
• He had a vivacious personality when speaking to a crowd. Or at least he made me laugh when he was among the elite runners interviewed during the press conferences leading up the Chicago Marathon. Wanjiru spoke at press conferences for both the 2009 and 2010 Chicago Marathons and knew how to captivate an audience with his words and race strategy explanation. If only I could remember where I stowed those notes, I jotted down during his interview.

In the meantime, I'll have to remember how relaxed he looked in front of the Chicago media crowd, almost like running 26.2 miles--and running it consistently under 2 hours and 10 minutes (and I'm low-balling)--at the front of the pack wasn't that hard. What are you going to best remember Wanjiru for?

Photo grabbed from Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

Fit-Ink, Meet FFCheer

Remember how excited I was to spread the Luna Love last spring? Probably not, because shortly after sharing my elation, the local Luna group was stopped dead in its tracks. I'm not here to gripe and whine about the long lost Luna Chix I was supposed to be a part of last year instead of the Lone Luna I actually was--I'm not going to even try to explain.

So Fit-Ink (that means you, dear readers), I want you to meet FFCheer. Call it my 2011 obsession, this is one running team that's going to exceed my expectations. I've applied and been accepted to teams that either disbanded before my eyes or were national, which really meant a lot of me doing my normal Chicago activities and then reporting back to the group. But when I read about FFCheer, before it had an official name and was simply called Fleet Feet's Cheer Team, I was immediately intrigued. On screen it sounded similar to the other teams but the first group meeting proved otherwise. And that's a good thing.

If I wanted running buddies, I found them. If I wanted to learn more about a race, I had advisers. If I wanted to hear about first-time race experiences and personal bests, I could. If I wanted to know more than two people (as I did at three Fleet Feet/Nike hosted fun runs I attended in the last year), I would. If I wanted injury recovery stories and encouragement--and get talked out of the things I'd likely attempt when I knew I should be taking it slow--I got them.

Yes, this is a shameless plug for my new running team, but it's because it's more than being about the racing. I didn't know it until recently, but Fleet Feet promotes a statement that all of us who are part of FFCheer stand for: running changes everything. As the phrase implies, running's not just about racing, besting your time on the clock and logging miles. It's finally starting to click in, or maybe I just forgot after countless races in the last decade (more if you count the 5Ks I ran before I started marathoning), that running's almost more about the social aspect and interaction. FFCheer will remind me, and likely make me better at it, too, from the roads all the way back to my computer.

So if you see me write #ffcheer on Twitter or if you stumble upon ffcheer.posterous.com, this is my explanation. Still confused? Click here to read more. Oh, and see that funky graphic next to #ffcheer in the photo? Give your best guess as to what it might be--it's emblazoned on the tees and hoodies we've sported since the Ravenswood Run on May 1. I don't know either, but your guess could help you (or me, depending on the details) win a TBD contest down the road.

2011 Chicago Marathon closes general registration

OK, so I was a off by a few hours. I woke up this morning, checked my e-mail and then read a headline in my inbox about the 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon setting a new record. I don't even need to read the start of the news release to know what that means. The 34th annual Bank of America Chicago Marathon's 45,000 spots available for registration filled early this morning, only 31 days after registration opened. That smashes the old record reached last year when the race filled in 58 days (I hope I'm right on that number, if not I'll change it).

But that's not all the news for the day. Race organizers announced that the 2010 race raised $12 million for local and global charities, also a new record. "We are no strangers to records at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon where numerous world class athletic performances were achieved over the years; but these two records are truly meaningful as they speak to the enthusiasm from runners around the world who want to be a part of our event and the thousands who use the race to make a difference in their communities," said Bank of America Chicago and Illinois Market President Tim Maloney.

Didn't register in time but still want to participate? You can still gain entry through the marathon's charity program. Several of the race-associated charities still have spots available for the race in exchange for fundraising. Check the charity section of the race website for more details. Or if that's not an option, stay tuned for other fall marathons to run--they may not be in the Windy City, but they'll get you to accomplish those marathon dreams.

So who's with me on October 9 and ready to run 26.2 miles through the streets of Chicago?

Prediction Day: Chicago Marathon might close today

If you were thinking about signing up for the 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, you might want to hurry and sign up. Running Away Multisport predicted last week that the race would close today, March 2, and the Chicago Marathon organizers sent out an email with a notice that only 5,000 spots were left as of February 28. Make that 4,999 or less as I took one of them yesterday morning. Remember the 2011 race is Sunday, October 9, and you still have more than 200 days to train--220 to be exact. Plenty of time for anyone looking to run their first or their 14th marathon. Register now before it's too late.

It's a Girl for Deena Kastor!

First it was Kara. Then it was Paula. Now it's Deena. Except this time around it's not so much playmate as it is playdate. Colt and Raphael are going to have to fight over Andrew and Deena Kastor's new addition to the family, a daughter: Piper Bloom Kastor, born February 21, weighing in at 6 pounds, 5 ounces, and measuring 20 inches. Can we expect wedding bells 20 or 30 years down the road, linking two great marathon moms?

Piper is the first child for the Kastors, and she was the reason Deena dropped out of the 2010 New York City Marathon last November. You can't run a race at blistering fast speeds when you've got a baby in tow--probably not too healthy either, unless you slow down the pace. Like Goucher and Radcliffe, the baby timing couldn't have been better for Kastor who still has plenty of time to run a 2011 marathon and perhaps set her eyes on qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics. The Chicago Marathon is still more than seven months away and Kastor has torn up that flat and fast course before. Could she...? Will she...do it again in October? It's probably too early to tell.

But in the meantime, maybe these moms can put competition aside and meet up to push the kiddos in the jogger strollers? It might be easier for Goucher and Radcliffe to do since they've charted similar race schedules in the past--like the New York Mini 10K--but Kastor won't have to wait long for a jogger stroller buddy without needing to leave Mammoth Lakes. Josh Cox's wife Carrie is pregnant with their first child, and if Josh has daddy duty, I wouldn't be surprised if it will include a long run or speed work with baby in tow. But we'll save that for next month when the 2011 baby watch (or whatever term People coined it among the celebrity set) continues.

Photo grabbed from Brian Sawyer at flickr.

Next Stop, Ski Country

Put me on the next plane to Denver, Salt Lake City or Reno. Please! I have the powder flu--that itching, burning feeling where you yearn to blow off work, make a beeline for the roads taking you straight into the mountains, click into those ski bindings, and hit the slopes for what sounds like knee-deep powder.  But there's no remedy for this ailment when you're living in the flatlands of Illinois and the Midwest's temperatures have skyrocketed to near record-setting levels--even a trip to Wisconsin on the ski bus is out of the question, at least for this ski snob.

I'm dying here in Chicago, quite literally. It's snowing, nay, dumping, in the mountains, and I'm stuck in the land of wild temperature swings, melting snow, and gale-force winds. Sure, I like swapping out my heavy layers and commuting by bike instead of by foot, but that snow is calling my name. First Lake Tahoe. Then Utah. Then Colorado. I've seen the pictures on Facebook to prove it. And the storms aren't done yet. Take a look at these snow stats:

Lake Tahoe
By Thursday morning, Northstar-at-Tahoe reported 32 inches. On the south side of the lake, Heavenly counted 21 inches. Back to the north side and Squaw Valley USA was also sporting about a three-foot snowfall. I had been taught last winter that a good Lake Tahoe storm meant at least a foot, but I still can't fathom skiing, or seeing, nearly three feet of snow falling in a 24-hour period. And for a place that had been quiet about reporting snowfalls, which tends to mean they're not coming at the levels snow-seekers are used to, this was needed.

Utah
If you don't want to be tempted by the "greatest snow on Earth," don't follow the Ski Utah Yeti. This friendly snow creature only makes the powder flu worse from far away when he tells you it's monster dumping in the mountains or warns of an impending snowfall. This time around resrots from Alta to Brighton to The Canyons sported at least 8 inches of snow with more on the way.

Colorado
Every time there's a snowfall this season, Colorado resorts post pictures, especially Snow.com (here and here). For this girl, who would trade digs in a second with anyone living in this state, those pictures make it even tougher to be stuck in Chicago. I may be heading out west to ski next week but Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Vail are already calling my name. Their storms are only starting but how in the world does it snow three inches an hour at Beaver Creek? If I-70 is open Friday morning, I'm willing to put money on the numbers ditching work for a three-day--or four-day if Monday is already scheduled off--weekend.

Jealous yet? I am. I wish I had a Presidents' Day Weekend out of town--it'd be a good one with all the snow and even better to practice those powder skills. Instead, I'll be waxing and sharpening my skis and doing my snow dance for next weekend.

Who's out there skiing?

Photo of Beaver Creek's three inches an hour grabbed from Snow.com's Facebook page.

Even the Best Runners Get Tired

Hopefully you're still not shell-shocked over Ryan Hall's announcement to drop out of October 10's Bank of American Chicago Marathon. On Tuesday, Hall cited fatigue as his reasoning for pulling out of the race where he hoped to break the American record. But while some sounded angry over Hall's decision, or disappointed that they'd no longer be sharing the course with the fast American and potentially sharing in his record-setting appearance, his justification simply makes sense. And can show us that even the best runners aren't superhuman--all the time.

Take Hall's blog posts at competitor.com. You could read his most recent entry, the one that followed the official announcement that he wouldn't be running, that essentially explains his take on the reasons behind dropping out. More political, more "hey fans, here's why I can't run in two weeks," more detailed. Deeper, if you will, provided I was asked to give a literary analysis on a blog post. Whether it's just good writing or good story-telling, Hall makes a compelling argument for postponing his next marathon until 2011. He didn't want to end up like Greg Meyer who told Hall not to make his mistake where he ran Chicago to defend his title, wasn't ready to run and he marks it as the beginning of the end for his running career. At 28, I'm sure Hall doesn't want to be done with his glory days--he has too many goals to yet accomplish.

And if you take a look at one of his older entries--or had followed all along from the beginning--it's really not surprising that he decided not to run. He's tired. No excuses about it. Just like any average runner hits the fatigue mark--after all, there is that saying that if you can survive marathon training, you can survive the marathon--so did Hall. And rather than push through it, he's a smart enough runner to know that as he ages, it becomes less and less possible to bounce back quickly from those tough sessions. He cited a 12-mile tempo run and a 25-mile long run within the course of three days. I know that's a lot for me to run--I'd be knocked up for at least a week after running 25 miles unless I walked most of it--and I'm sure it's still a lot for Hall, especially at the speeds he'd take those miles at. Or take a gander at Josh Cox's workouts, Hall's training partner up in Mammoth, which he posts regularly via Twitter and Facebook. How these guys don't get tired with double sessions, hours each, is beyond me. Sure, marathon runners can be deemed superhuman, but it's back to reality--and a little refreshing for the rest of us--when they show they need a break too.

Ryan, we'll miss you along the Chicago Marathon course, but will be looking for you supporting your Hall Steps Foundation runners and are happy you're still coming to the Windy City. And rest up so you can continue toward your American record goal. We're sure Hawaii will help with that much needed R&R--Hall and Cox will be there next week to support K-Swiss teammate Chris Lieto in his final preparations for the Ironman World Championships. 

Update: Liz just posted an awesome interview with Ryan Hall at Time Out Chicago. Check it out here.