The Daily Feed: Sites We're Searching 9/30

I know this is supposed to be more of a daily collection of links, but I have to go with calling this one the week of the run. As if cooler weather (in this neck of the woods anyway) didn't already have me forgoing triathlon thoughts--yes, I know I have to to finish that darn Ironman race report--and focusing more on running, this week has been almost too full of running-related headlines to preoccupy my mind.

Unsure of what news I'm talking about? Here's the running news that dizzied my eyes since Sunday.

• My late-night browsing spotted the release that Kara and Adam Goucher's baby, Colton Mirko, arrived on Saturday. Then Kara posted Colt's baby pictures on her blog. So cute!
• Joan Benoit Samuelson announced that she'll be running the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 10. Samuelson won the gold medal in the women's marathon at the 1984 Olympics and has some high goals for herself in a week and a half: to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Trials at age 53, and break her American record for the 50-54 age group. She's also celebrating the 25th anniversary of her 1985 Chicago Marathon victory where she set the course and American records and finished just 13 seconds shy of the world record.
• As if Joanie's news wasn't enough, another runner will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of his 1985 Chicago Marathon win by racing. Steve Jones, who also won in 1984 in world-record fashion, returned to defend his title and reclaim his world record. He missed by one second but had a course record that still stands as the British marathon record.
• Rather than hear about more runners entering the race, we then heard about one major runner dropping out. Ryan Hall had his eyes set on excelling in Chicago with the potential to break the American record and notch a personal best. But between fatigue and a lackluster performance at the Rock 'N' Roll Philadelphia Half, Hall put his Chicago dreams on hold, postponing until he's prepared and ready to race his best.
• With a September 29 due date, congratulatory remarks appeared online for Paula Radcliffe, whose son Raphael arrived right on time. He joins big sister Isla (3) to the Radcliffe clan. With birthdays so close, can we expect Raphael and Colt to be as close of friends as Radcliffe and Goucher?
• I'm hooked on the latest running-related articles at Master the Shift. It's not hard to grab my interest, but there are too many good topics on the site right now. Check out Ryan Hall's September 27 entry about his taper activities. Or read Rita Klabacha's tips to avoid the all-too-common taper weight gain from September 29.
• And for one more bit of news on the Chicago Marathon: Even without Ryan Hall's participation, the race promises one heck of a fast field come race day. Sammy Wanjiru is back to defend his 2009 Chicago Marathon title, but he'll be challenged by Deriba Merga, 2009 Boston Marathon winner; Feyisa Lilesa, whose best is 2:05:23; Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot, Boston Marathon champion; and Tsegaye Kebede, London Marathon champion. For the women, Liliya Shobukhova is back to defend her title. But she's going to be challenged by Irina Mikitenko, London and Berlin Marathon champion, fast American Magdalena Lewy-Boulet, Astede Baysa who's won Paris twice, Askale Tafa Magarsa who finished second at the 2008 Berlin Marathon, and Mamitu Daksa who won the 2010 Dubai Marathon.

I know I have running on the brain between reading these and planning for a marathon-related event tonight. It's just too bad I can't get my feet to pound the pavement as often as my eyes read about running.

Photo grabbed from Bowdoin Athletics.

Wow, Kara Goucher's Pregnant!

Just call me a bit late to the punch on this one, but something inside of me had a feeling that something was up. At Fit-Ink, we're not shy about our love of Kara Goucher--Liz has been lucky enough to meet her and interview her a few times, while I can only follow her races on TV and dream of being as fast as her. And we both sport Phiten necklaces like the one Kara wears when she's racing, in hopes that it'll help with our running recovery, too.

Call it intuition but Friday night had me reading random news at KaraGoucher.org. More because I was curious about what she was up to because the last news I recalled was the March cover story of Runner's World. No news there, but what I should have been reading was The New York Times. Because it was Friday's NYT that featured a story about the friendship between Kara Goucher and Paula Radcliffe. But that wasn't the most eye-appealing news; Goucher is pregnant and due in September, which also happens to be the same day Radcliffe is due with her second child, Sept. 29. Wow, congratulations, where have I been? I knew about Radcliffe's pregnancy--definitely stumbled over that this winter--but Goucher? Runner's World's news page had to share that announcement yesterday. Goucher has her baby bump, and if my math is correct, she's on the downswing of her pregnancy.

It's probably one announcement that many runners were waiting for--or Kara fans, at least. Last year Goucher was set on putting the running on hold to start a family post-Boston and post-Berlin. But there was a deadline attached: get pregnant by late April so there's plenty of time to prepare for the London 2012 Olympics. Goucher needs to be ready for marathon trials, which are set to be held Jan. 14, 2012, in Houston. Looks like that came true and with plenty of time to spare.

And the crazy part is that both Goucher and Radcliffe are still running fiends at five months pregnant. They're training together in Oregon and planning to race the New York Mini 10K race in June. Oops, not race, run for fun. But we all know that their pregnant bodies will only slow them down enough to finish with the rest of the fast pack and not minutes ahead.

I'm totally not speaking from personal experience, but after reading Erin's pregnancy challenges at Fit Bottomed Girls (and due just two weeks before Goucher) and hearing stories from two running friends who slowed to walks and eventually nothing during pregnancy, I wondered how Goucher and Radcliffe could keep up with their competitive streaks. Turns out they have a few secrets, reported by the Duluth News Tribune:

• Goucher's training on the Alter-G treadmill, which allows her to run at a lighter weight than her body weight.
• Goucher and Radcliffe are working with Oregon Track Club Elite/Portland coach Alberto Salazar.
• Goucher's ob-gyn Dr. Robin Barrett is also a runner.
• Radcliffe has advised Goucher having been through this before.

 Now that the baby's out of the bag, it seems like Goucher is getting back into the media spotlight. And oh how I wish she'd be attending a race that I was running. Goucher will be speaking at the Rock 'n' Roll marathons in San Diego on June 6 and Seattle on June 26. And she'll be heading north to Duluth to speak at Grandma's Marathon on June 19.

Wow! I can't wait to follow their 10K run in June and any other news that stems from this latest release. Thanks Runner's World and New York Times for some exciting Sunday reading and links. Check out a few more here and here--Runner's World is all over it today. Photo of Kara (left, 203) and Paula (right, 201) running the Great North Run in 2007, grabbed from Connor Lawless at flickr.

New York 09: Where the Elite Come to Race

You know there's always at least one recognizable name among the elite field at the major marathons--New York, London, Chicago, Boston start the list rolling--but never do you find a race as stacked as the 2009 ING New York City Marathon. Rather than lone rangers to watch for, you have elite armies and it's a question of who has the faster legs on November 1 that's deciding the victor. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the New York City Marathon is holding nothing back. The loaded elite field has been touted by marathonguide.com as the best elite marathon race in America, and a group of past race champions have been invited back to run a race that put them in the history annals. You can't miss these names running the boroughs of New York--most will be near the front of the pack.

• Paula Radcliffe. Radcliffe has won New York before, most recently last year, and holds the world record for the fastest women's marathon, which she set at Chicago in 2002 and lowered it in London in 2003.
  
• Ryan Hall. Hall-elujah fever hits New York and Central Park will be going crazy when Hall approaches the finish line, gunning for a winning race if all goes well.
• Meb Keflezighi. Known for his bronze medal in the Olympics marathon in Athens, Keflezighi can turn out a good run on this course as he's proven so before.
• Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot. This 2009 Boston Marathon winner has shown he's fast in the past and may have scared some of his competitors by being a late entry to New York.
• Salina Koskei. She surprised everyone by winning this year's Boston Marathon and pulling ahead of Kara Goucher and Dire Tune in the final stretch.
• Brian Sell. At one point it was announced that this 2008 Olympian would be making his NYC Marathon debut. Although most likely bothered by the heat and humidity in Beijing, Sell usually puts up impressive times, but he may have to run a personal-best if everyone runs fast on Sunday.
• Abdi Abdirahman. Abdirahman's name frequently pops up as a fast 10-miler, but he's not snail at the marathon.
  
• Past champions: Rod Dixon, Hendrick Raamala, Steve Jones, Orlando Pizzolato, Marilson Gomes dos Santos, German Silva, Gary Muhrcke. Raamala and Gomes dos Santos stand the best chance of capturing the $70,000 bonus for any returning NYC champion who wins this 40th running. Muhrke won the first running back in 1970 and returns to conquer the course again at age 69.
  
• Lyudmila Petrova. Petrova is no spring chicken, but at 41, she's showing no signs of falling to the back of the pack. Last year she finished second in NYC and broke the world's best time for women over 40 with her 2:25:43.
• Magdalena Lewy-Boulet. This 2008 Olympian ran fast enough in Boston in 2008 to make the Olympic team and stands as the U.S. hope for a top finish.
  
• Joan Benoit Samuelson. "Joanie" as she's affectionately called by friends and admirers has paced for Lance Armstrong at this race while also running it on her own. And with the 40th anniversary of the New York Marathon coinciding withthe 25th anniversary of her gold medal performance in the first women's Olympic Marathon, Los Angeles in 1984, she's back.

And for those running--to say you shared the course with this field will make many a runner jealous. There aren't many races where so many top runners past and present make a presence--maybe Boston with its rich history and qualification standards. But the eye is on New York this time of year. Photo of Paula Radcliffe at NikeTown New York at the pre-race pep rally, courtesy of Nike. Posted by Kate