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.

0 Days to Boston Marathon: Podium Finishes

What a race! At least I can say that about the televised portion that I was watching on Universal Sports this morning. The final stretches down Boylston Street literally had me staring dumbfounded at the screen, watching and wondering who might pull ahead and when and how it would happen. Would it be a year for the Americans? Would Kara Goucher be the first American woman to win since 1985? Would Ryan Hall live up to the hype and beat the favored Robert K. Cheruiyot?

Talk about a lot of surprises among the men and women. Between Colleen De Reuck, 45, leading the women's elite pack early on to Kara Goucher making a break and pulling a four-pack toward the finish, I'm wondering who can take the race. Is Goucher holding out or is a surprise awaiting her on Boylston? Unfortunately it was the latter and I felt so awful when Dire Tune and Salina Kosgei pushed ahead and Goucher couldn't counter--oh how I was hoping she'd coming sprinting by at even more blistering speed--and I felt worse when I saw the disappointment on Goucher's face after she crossed the line and was being consoled by her husband. So close and yet so far in such a closely contested race--the top three were only seconds apart with Kosgei topping Tune by one second and Goucher only eight seconds back.

As for the men, I have to admit I didn't see much aside from Ryan Hall leading near the beginning and then Deriba Merga, the eventual winner, pulling away from the pack and striding into Boston. Hall was only 22 seconds back at one point--and running with Robert Cheruiyot--but from the camera angle it looked like there was no catching Merga. Merga looked so at ease running those sub-five minute miles as he won the race. And try as he might, Hall couldn't catch second-place Daniel Rono, but he did take third. It's amazing how they were able to motor toward the finish line with intense winds blowing right at them, and make those paces look so effortless.

Want to see how the final miles of the marathon unfolded? Check out this youtube video from user71323.


To view results, check out this list of top finishers. And cheers to Goucher and Hall for putting up two great finishes for the home crowd--and Liz too! Photo grabbed from Boston Marathon and Photo Run. Posted by Kate

Kara Goucher's Nutrition Tips

Obsessed much with Kara Goucher? We are! We've admitted our love for this runner since before Fit-Ink existed (I couldn't wait to watch her run in Beijing and then was impressed by her third-place finish at the 2008 New York City Marathon). And you've probably read more than your fair share of Kara-related news over the years from what she's wearing at Boston to being pregnant to giving birth to son, Colt. But now we have one more. Here's some advice from this marathoner who recently clocked a personal-best at the 115th Boston Marathon, wrote a book titled Kara Goucher's Running for Women: From First Steps to Marathons (man do I want to read that for some motivation and inspiration), and was named one of the ambassadors for Dick's Sporting Goods National Running Month in May alongside Ryan Hall and Dean Karnazes. Goucher shared a few of her favorite nutrition tips--via press release--just in time for Nashville's Country Music Marathon, which is on Saturday, April 30.

1. Fat Can Be Your Friend. The good fats, that is, like from nuts, avocados and olive oil. Healthy fats, mainly the unsaturated fats in plant foods, are a critical part of a healthy diet.
2. Make Caffeine Work for You. Consuming caffeine before exercise can lower your perception of how hard you're working, enabling you to train harder for a longer period. About 1.3 mg of caffeine per pound of body weight is recommended.
3. Stay Hydrated All Day. Drinking H2) is not just for when you're training. Nothing will deplete your physical and mental performance faster than dehydration. Drink at least 40 to 48 ounces of water per day.
4. Snack, Snack, Snack. Eating a small 150- to 250-calorie snack between meals helps sustain blood sugar, keep your central nervous system working well and helps you avoid breaking down muscle to supply the needed fuel for the brain.
5. Supplement as Needed: It's extremely difficult to get from your diet all the nutrients your body needs, especially when it comes to fruits and veggies. So sometimes a supplement can help your body get its fill of all those nutrients. My go-to? Nutrilite Double X, a really potent multivitamin that helps my body get its needed nutrients, even if I have an off day for eating.

"I love connecting with other runners and feel fortunate to be able to share what I've learned along the way about good nutrition and more," Goucher says. And we'll gladly take her advice--even if only one of the tips can help develop Kara-like abs, legs or arms.

Want to see Goucher this weekend? She'll be at the Country Music Marathon expo signing autographs at the Nutrilite booth. Or simply find copies of her book for sale. Not a bad way to score some pre-race tips without even trying, or double-checking your menu choices for the night before the race.

Photo and information courtesy of amway.com.

Chasing an Olympian: Kara Goucher is hard to catch!

I swear that's Kara Goucher's back side.

Chasing an Olympian is tough work. I know, I just returned sweaty, thirsty and a little achy from a run where I did exactly that.

That Olympian was Kara Goucher, who happens to be in Colorado Springs with Shalane Flanagan, Alan Webb, Lopez Lomong and a few other Olympic-caliber runners. They're training in and around the Olympic Training Center for three weeks--or so I learned from John at the Colorado Running Company (tip: befriend your neighborhood running store. They are pools of information.) and later confirmed by reading Innovation for Endurance.

I ran right by her at first. But there was something about the magenta top, capri tights and Nike Frees (at least I thought that's what she was wearing) on the ponytail-bobbing, sunglass-wearing runner that made me do a double take. This wasn't just an anonymous runner. This was Kara Goucher trying to be anonymous--or maybe simply running. It had to be her. The ponytail swinging. The dark hair. The build. The Nike outfit and Free shoes. Sure it took a few seconds to piece it all together, but when I did, I aborted my run route to follow her. After all, it's not every day you can run with, er behind, an Olympian. If you've followed Fit-Ink for a while you know how big of fans we are (I knew it was bad but I didn't realize we had all these Kara mentions), and you know how excited we'd get at the prospect of being that close to one of our running idols--and semi-running with them. And that's especially true when you've missed literally every other opportunity to run with her from Chicago media visits to running Boston in 2009 and sharing the same course (all stuff Liz has been lucky enough to do while I, in turn, could grow more green with envy).

We Want to Know All About Baby Goucher

At Fit-Ink, we're super excited to hear that Kara Goucher is pregnant. After all, we've admittedly been obsessed with this hot-to-trot marathoner since her debut at the 2008 New York City Marathon and have blogged about her since she prepared for the 2009 Boston Marathon. With baby's expected arrival in September, it got us thinking what others were thinking of baby. And who doesn't love playing baby guessing games? Check these polls out for Baby Goucher, and share your guesses and comments.

poll by twiigs.com

And this one...

poll by twiigs.com

And one more, I promise...

poll by twiigs.com

The Due Date poll closes on September 15, so get those guesses in--add your exact date choice to the comments section (if you're having trouble, e-mail it to contactfitink@gmail.com). We just might have to do a giveaway--our first to date--for this baby pool. Details will follow, as I could be getting in over my head, but I'll come up with something as it wouldn't be a baby pool without some sort of contest involved. Let the guessing begin!

P.S. My husband thinks I'm nuts for going gaga over this Goucher baby--"Why does everyone get so excited over babies?" he asked. I think he freaked that I wanted one--with an Ironman coming up that's so far from the truth--but I answered, "Why not? We get excited over anything about Kara Goucher!"

Fit-Event: Run for Water Brings Goucher, Lewis and Fletcher

Last year on April 18, Kara Goucher was prepping for one of the biggest run-downs of her life at the 113th Boston Marathon. But when April 18 rolls around this year, she won't be in Beantown prepping for the infamous race. She'll be running but for a difference cause: the Dow Live Earth Run for Water. Goucher joins nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis and model Jenny Fletcher as the latest famous faces to latch onto the largest global water initiative to help solve the world's water crisis. The trio will be participating in the April 18 events, which include several 6K run/walks--the average distance women and children travel daily to fetch water--and concerts and water education activities.

“I am honored to be taking part in the Dow Live Earth Run for Water event,” Goucher says. “As a woman, I find it distressing that millions of women and children around the world walk six kilometers each and every day to fetch safe, clean drinking water for their families. As a runner, I’m privileged to be able to share my talent and passion to raise awareness for such an important issue.”

It's easy for you to participate in the day's events and help the cause, too. Register to run through The Active Network and 10 percent of the registration fee goes directly to the NGO selected for their country. Participants receive a free ActiveTrainer plan to prepare for the race. Or you can step up and organize a Friends of Live Earth event in your community if one isn't already available, save water through conservation efforts at home and in the community, donate to water projects, or sign a petition to add water as a basic human right to the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights.

Even if you're going to miss Goucher's prowess in Beantown, she and others world wide will be making a difference that weekend. And the concerts in conjunction with the event--Rob Thomas, Collective Soul, Melissa Etheridge and Sam Moore are a few performers--will also be legendary.
Photo grabbed from Live Earth.

The Daily Feed: Sites We're Surfing on 4/21

On the Boston course. Credit: Rob Larsen

I really should be titling this entry Boston Sites to Surf as I have officially become obsessed with all of the post-marathon hubbub. I thought it'd be over after yesterday, but alas I'm still psyched to be reading about the race, checking out the photos and finding interviews.

So rather than regurgitate information here and put a Runner's World story into my own words and the like, I figured I'd just send you directly to the source to check out the info for yourself. Happy reading!

• Universal Sports not only televised the race, but they also scored an interview with Kara Goucher available at their website universalsports.com. Check out her post-race thoughts, what's next on the schedule and overcoming her fear of the marathon distance. They also have a recap story about Marathon Monday and the video section is packed with segments of the race to watch.
• Yes, we're Goucher obsessed, but with good reason. Check out this read about her run at the Boston Herald.
• Paul at runboston09.com was lucky enough to be at the Finisher's Celebration at Niketown Boston yesterday. He tweeted and blogged about much of the event, which you can read about here and here.
• Runner's World offers just about any piece of information an internet-roving runner could ask for. Pictures from the race, interviews with Kara Goucher and Ryan Hall, Bill Rodgers' return-to-the-race run, race recaps and more. Find it all at bostonmarathon.runnersworld.com.
• Two more fun reads: check out the sprint to the finish by Goucher and Hall at the Back Porch and Flotrack is stocked with interviews, videos and stories related to Boston.
  

And in other news...

• If yesterday's race got you motivated to run a marathon, read some of these tips from TeamOCRun.com to help you reach the finish line of your first 26.2.
• I know I should quit it on the skiing, but I was too excited over this deal: a pass to Copper Mountain and Winter Park, plus six days at Steamboat and free Friday afternoons, as part of the Rocky Mountain Super Pass. The price tag? $399 until Friday, April 24, and you only have to pay $49 with the rest due in September. Check out the deal at skicolorado.com.
• Same goes for the Epic Pass available for Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Breckenridge, Heavenly and Arapahoe Basin. Good news is you only have to pay $49 now for the $599 pass that grants you unlimited access to these resorts in the 2009-10 season, and the rest of the payment is due in September.
  

I'm sure there's more, but my eyes are tired from reading at the moment. Well that and staring at the computer screen after online video watching--I definitely would have taken a day bundled up watching the race outside over at my computer. Photo grabbed from Rob Larsen at flickr. Posted by Kate

It's a Boy! Kara and Adam Goucher have their baby

And baby makes three for elite runners Adam and Kara Goucher (one of our Fit-Ink faves). Kara gave birth to a boy early in the day on Saturday, September 25. Talk about a surprise find for me--thank you, insomnia--especially considering I was still engrossed by last Monday's Runner's World interview with Kara and Paula Radcliffe, and considering her due date was September 29. I should know better that a fast runner would more than likely have an early delivery...and two running parents would more than likely breed a little speed-racer.

The New York Road Runners were the first to tweet the news, which was in turn spotted by Runner's World and announced on their Facebook page. But it was the Duluth New Tribune, the paper in Kara's hometown, that had all the news. According to this article, the Gouchers named their son Colton Mirko, the middle name after Kara's late father, and the little Colton weighed in at seven pounds, one ounce and measured 19.5 inches. 

Here's a little recap on how we've followed Kara's pregnancy--or tried. Baby news didn't break until she was already far enough along to be showing a baby bump and knew the baby's sex. Back in early May, it was announced that both Goucher and Radcliffe were due on September 29. In June, the two made appearances and ran the New York Mini 10K, and then Goucher spoke at Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minn. But news on these two stayed pretty low-key during the rest of the summer, especially after Deena Kastor announced her pregnancy. That is, of course, until early last week when Runner's World released that video interview. But did I really think the baby would arrive four days early? No way!

Congrats to the new family! Do you think it's safe to say there might be an Olympic hopeful in that household? And who guessed the baby would arrive on the 25th?

It's a Rockin' Rollin' Goucher-Filled Weekend

Liz and I can hardly contain ourselves. In fact, I was on the edge of my seat ready to post this information as soon as I found out a few weeks ago but was afraid it wasn't official yet and I could be spilling the beans on news that wasn't quite ready to be spilled. But nevertheless, the release is out and most people know that we have a reason to be getting excited in Chicago this weekend. Kara Goucher is coming! And for once we won't have to do any double takes when we see runners who remind us of Kara hitting the Lakefront Path because she'll be here in person, headlining Sunday's Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon (yes, to us at Fit-Ink this far eclipses the bands along the course and blues singer Susan Tedeschi post-race).

Remember our obsessions back in April when she ran Boston? We battled over the Kara love with Paul at runboston09.com and sported Kara tees. Liz got to interview her twice (lucky girl; click here and here to read) and Kara's wardrobe secrets were uncovered (maybe not so secret but we thought they were special). Maybe we'll see those flag barrettes and LunaRacers again--thank goodness the arm warmers and gloves can be stashed in the Windy City. Or will she be sporting some new gear? Tune into the action either online through a live webcast at competitor.com beginning at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 2, or along the course on the streets of Chicago or the Lakefront.

Thank goodness she didn't hang up her running shoes just yet for a baby break...I'm hoping for Kara domination on Sunday. She already won the 5,000m at Nationals in June and is preparing for the World Championships in Berlin later in August, but a win would be sweet. I sound like a sap but I couldn't bear to see a heartbreak at the finish line as we all saw in Boston.

But before the big race day, I've turned on the radar, armed for any Kara sightings. Here's to only being so lucky. Go Goucher go! Photo grabbed from zenkerf at flickr. Posted by Kate

Those Are Some Fast Legs

Not that I should be at all surprised, but sheesh...Kara Goucher is a speed demon at the half marathon distance. She didn't even need padding--like those starts at the NYC Marathon in years past or the SkirtChaser 5K where the women have a head start on the men--to be the first person across the finish line at Sunday's Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon. If you were lucky enough to be in Grant Park Sunday morning to watch the finish--I missed it unfortunately, cooling off after a debacle of a race at Steelhead (more to come on that one)--you saw Kara Goucher sprint to the finish line in 1:08:05 mere seconds ahead of male overall winner Chad Ware (1:08:24).

Not only did the win keep Goucher undefeated at the half-marathon distance--she won in Lisbon earlier this year in 1:08:29 and debuted at the distance in 2007 at England's Great North Run running 1:06:57--but her 5:12 per-mile pace set her 13 minutes ahead of the female finishers. No question they were fast too, with second and third finishing in 1:21:50 and 1:22:28, respectively (I only wish I could hold paces like that). These guys and girls make running look easy. I'm jealous! For more results click here. Photo grabbed from Stewart Dawson at flickr. Posted by Kate

6 Days to Boston Marathon: The Fast Pack

The Boston Marathon website has been updated with all things related to race day. Runner's World has enough Boston information to keep runners and lusters--me included--visiting 24/7 until Monday with weather reports, interviews and blogs. And I'm convinced that searches are starting to pick up online related to this famed race. So with all the talk surrounding this marathon that has kept people training all winter, slogging through snow, ice, chilling winds and subzero temperatures, just which elites will be toeing the line come Monday morning?

With the marathon Olympic Trials being held for the U.S. women the day before Boston last year, the home-soil talent was a little shallow, which makes this year even more noteworthy to have Kara Goucher gunning for a victory lap. I know it probably sounds like we're ga-ga for Goucher, but how can you not be when she has a chance to win a race that an American woman hasn't won since Lisa Larsen Weidenbach in 1985? Aside from Goucher, some other names to note among the women's field include another American, Elva Dryer from Colorado, and 2007 winner Lidiya Grigoryeva of Russia. Dire Tune, the 2008 winner, is back as the top seed, along with two other female runners who hail from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Bezunesh Bekele and Atsede Habtamu.

When it comes to top runners on the men's side, especially foreign runners, you're either a Cheruiyot or from Addis Ababa. Tekeste Kebede and Deriba Merga round out the Addis Ababa crew. Robert K. Cheruiyot is back to defend his title while Evans and Robert are the Cheruiyots trying to topple him. Meanwhile Olympians Ryan Hall and Brian Sell will be vying to bring the Boston title into U.S. hands.

On a side note, I was hoping that last year's top U.S. female would be back to race, but I didn't see Ashley Anklam's name among the entrants. I say this because Anklam ran a blistering 2:48 last year and finished in 15th place overall thanks to both her fast feet and many of the Americans too sore from Trials to run the following day. And I had the luck of meeting Anklam briefly last year although it was really our mothers who carried on the small talk. I was cleaning up postrace in a room set aside for runners at the Westin and Anklam used the shower after me to clean up for a press conference. I'm not as lucky to run with Deena Kastor so this was my glory moment, especially since it was by chance. OK, enough already....

Look for some of these names come Monday. One of them should be leading the race at least at some point, maybe even running away as the victor. We shall see. Photo of 2008 winners, Dire Tune and Robert K. Cheruiyot, grabbed from sports.gay.com. Posted by Kate

Update on Kara Goucher's Baby

Here's a big old faux pas on my end. As the news trickles out about Kara Goucher's pregnancy and I'm getting excited over the guessing games and baby banter that typically explode after hearing "I'm pregnant," I'm even more out of the loop than I thought I was. Yes, I missed Friday's New York Times article. Yes, I missed Saturday's Runner's World tweet. But I thought by Sunday--and even Monday morning that I was all caught up. So. Far. From. The. Truth.

I received a comment this morning in response to the baby news (and for some unknown reason it can't be viewed live at Fit-Ink) that left me wondering how I could miss the most obvious baby news of all and left me hunched over in shame for getting so excited to create baby polls without researching more for the story. As Kate shared: "I hate to ruin two of the polls, but Kara and Adam are expecting a little boy! I'm a fan of her's on facebook, and her sister sent out an announcement to all the fans about the news!"

That's odd. I'm a fan on Facebook too, unless there's a hidden page that I just can't seem to find. Thanks Kate for correcting the error of my ways! Much appreciated! And sure enough, when I went to read my morning Runner's World headlines, an awesome interview was published late last night confirming the boy on the way and talking about some of the reasoning behind the pregnancy's hush-hush early on. It's a great read--check it out here.

So with two polls basically irrelevant now with all the news that's unfolded in the last 72 hours, there's still one in the running. And it can potentially be the most fun: guessing the day Boy Goucher is born. Here's a re-post of the Due Date poll (as I called it) created yesterday. The rules are still the same: Guess the date range of when you think this baby will make his grand entrance and click the appropriate box. Then in the comments section, write the actual date you're thinking. And while you're writing in your date, feel free to include your take on the name Kara and Adam should give to their son. Granted with all of the planning that has gone into this pregnancy, they might already have a name, too. But birth dates and name games never get too old for opining.

poll by twiigs.com

Photo grabbed from Etsy Ketsy at flickr.

We Heart Kara Goucher

Kara runs in lead pack at the 2008 NYC Marathon

It's Kara Goucher mania all over the web. There's the video of Kara doing a training run of the last 20 miles of the Boston course at flotrack.com that has officially gone viral. There's the latest issue of Runner's World, with the slim and sculpted Kara gracing the covering and dishing on her training secrets inside.

She has serious wheels, folks...she just won the Libson Half and will compete in the Boston Marathon in two weeks. And she's got a sparkly personality and happy vibe about her that lights up every time she's captured by the media. She's like the Anna Kournikova of running...but she's from the Midwest and she wears Nike tees around! Lately I've been Googling her name just to see what fun interviews I can dig up.


I think it all started back in November, when Kara stole all of our hearts with her second place finish at the NYC Marathon--her first ever. I loved reading in an RW interview that she painted her nails black and told her Mom to give her water bottles some "tough" decorations (skulls and crossbones--equal parts morbid, cute, quirky...totally cool!!). I hope she wins Boston, I will be rooting for her from the back of the pack! Photo by Tom Thai [CC-BY-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Posted by Liz

What Goes Through Your Mind the Night Before a Marathon

Tomorrow marks my fourth start at the Boston Marathon. Hopefully it ends with my fourth finish, but honestly, one can never be too sure, especially under the conditions I faced in the last few weeks--all winter if I'm being completely truthful with myself. Too much skiing over running: good but maybe not the best use of my leg muscles with 26.2 miles within sight. Feeling more in shape a month ago than I do right now: a result of February boot camp, quality workouts (even if they were on skis) and all that skiing. A cold that crept into my system almost a week ago and completely sidelined me--when my workouts come to a halt because I can't drag myself out of bed, you know something is wrong. A soreness in my left leg, my trouble leg as I like to call it thanks to shin splints and knots and an overused calf muscle, that randomly appeared nearly two weeks ago and has worried me to the point of spending hours online looking up tendinitis, stress fractures, tenderness, massage techniques and more. I sound like a walking nightmare, don't I?

So why am I still running? I wonder that myself sometimes. But the problem is you don't know if you're feeling these things because you're nervous about the race--remember Liz's seven days of taper trauma--or if you really are down and out. The other issue is that everyone who knows you're running thinks you can do it and still boosts your spirits, says you're in shape so you know you can finish, and assures you that the race will be fine. And then you walk over to Boylston Street, see that finish line that you're supposed to be crossing in less than 24 hours (likely pose to take a picture, too), feel all the energy that arises among all those other runners, talk to complete strangers about the sport--it makes you want to run even more. Oh, it probably doesn't hurt to have my parents among the crowd, especially since my husband had to stay home, and knowing that they're going to be cheering just before the Newton hills and again in that final stretch. Hopefully I won't let anyone down, including myself. I'll just have to put on that determined face, that look we know so well from watching elites like Ryan Hall and Kara Goucher, when they're trying to maintain, or take, a lead. And oh how I want to sport that signature adidas Boston Marathon jacket, yellow long-sleeve shirt, and medal around my neck tomorrow afternoon.

Good luck to all the runners out there tomorrow! If I wasn't running, I'd be tracking you in addition to some leader favorites like Hall and Goucher, plus Desiree Davila and Joan Benoit Samuelson. Yes, I was excited when I heard they were all running, to share the course with these famous fast feet. But if I don't get to sleep soon, or at least try harder to sleep, I'm going to be even farther from fast--my kinda fast--in the morning. Like the title of a George Clooney film, good night and good luck!

Kara, Bring Boston Home: Nike Distributing Free Kara Goucher Tee At Monday's Boston Marathon

Did we really need anything else to fuel our Kara Goucher obsession? No, but we're happy to have it. Nike, who has a few Boston-themed shirts for sale at the Expo today, also gave Fit-Ink a sneak peek of a spankin' new tee honoring Kara (at left) that will be distributed on the streets of Boston--free of charge--on Marathon Monday. Awesome! Posted by Liz

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.

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.

Kara Goucher's Comeback Marathon Announced

When we talked to Kara Goucher a couple of days after the Boston Marathon, she revealed she was considering a summer race. After a heartbreaking, almost-first-place finish in Beantown, Kara wanted one more crack at racing 26.2 miles before taking some time off to think about starting a family with her husband, Adam. And now Track & Field News is reporting that Kara has officially made her decision: She'll run the marathon in Berlin at the World Championships on August 23. Go Kara! We'll be rooting for you again, and hoping you have an awesome summer of training. To read the full article, click here. Posted by Liz

Kara Goucher's "Awesomely Obnoxious" Boston Marathon Outfit

Are you ready for Kate and I to re-title this blog KaraGoucher-Ink.com? Please indulge us a bit longer! She may not have had "the kick" she hoped for in the final mile, but Kara Goucher still smoked that hilly, windy Boston Marathon course yesterday and we are totally thrilled for her and proud of her amazing effort. She took third place on the podium and was only 9 short seconds behind the winner. Go Kara, go!

I tried to finagle an advance description of what she'd be wearing, but Nike wasn't melted by my charms. It wasn't until after I crossed the finish line that I was able to find out more about the "awesomely obnoxious" outfit--her description in a pre-marathon press conference--she wore during the race. Yeah, the outfit rocked. Here are the details (find the apparel at a Niketown near you).... Photo courtesy of Nike. Posted by Liz

LunaRacers Kara's standard gray and pink racing shoes were souped up with black with pink trim. FYI: Sorry to report, Nike won't be selling this made-specially-for-Kara pair.

Race Day Brief It may have been in the 40s and windy, but the elites warm up fast thanks to their super-speedy pace. This pair of briefs is Kara-specific, thanks to her sponsor. She let her strong legs brave the elements.

Race Day Airborn Top Nike made Kara's version especially for her. I'd wear it under a tee, but Kara is so ripped--even after a week of tapering and carbs--that she looks amazingly athletic and fit in this short top.

Arm Warmers She ditched these with a mile to go, but they kept Kara toasty for the first 25.

Gloves She struggled as she reached for her water bottles in New York and so in Boston Kara opted to wear gloves studded with rubber tread on the palms for extra traction. "She wore Nike football gloves we got the day before," says Jacie Prieto of Nike. "They were receiver gloves that were tacky on the palms so it made it easier to grab her water bottles." Alas, after the race Kara laughed about her butterfingers. "I missed a bottle again," she said. "Apparently I have no athletic skill at grabbing a water bottle."

Stop watch Kara just wears "a basic stopwatch," she told Runner's World back in November. "A lot of people say 'oh I just go and run how I feel.' And I’ve never been one of those people. I want to know how far I went, I want to know how long did it take. Sometimes I run longer or shorter based on how I feel, but when I’m done, I want to know how I did."

Phiten Titanium Necklace The inspiration for wearing one of these came from Paula Radcliffe. (It supposedly helps athletes recover faster.) Kara explained to Fit-Ink why she never races without it: "At this point it has become a bit of a good luck charm, or safety blanket. I just believe that it will help me take more pain and so I can't be without it. It really is the only good luck charm that I have. I wouldn't dare run without it now!"

American flag barrettes "Those barrettes were actually given to me by a friend who’s a really good runner herself—Carrie Tollefson," Kara told Runner's World. "She gave them to me when I made my first World Cross Country team [in 2006]. So I wore them at World Cross Country, and I wore them last year at Osaka, and I wore them in the Olympics. And so they’re kind of good luck on the big, big days. I love my little barrettes."

Patriotic tattoos "For Boston I am going to be a tough American girl. You can expect pink, skulls, and American flags," Kara told Fit-Ink.

The Daily Feed: Sites We're Surfing 10/24

Long weekend away from the computer? That's my excuse for some intense screen time this Monday. I know I should be pounding away at the emails in my inbox (sorry, people who I owe a reply) or writing up a storm (ahem, race reports that are long overdue), but instead what am I doing? Reading and tiring my eyes at the sight on online text. But hey, at least it's informative and/or insightful. Right?

• Here's the skinny on a new company making yoga tees from sustainable materials from After5Detroit.com. Cool factor: this might just be my one and only chance--beside the Motor City Triathlon and the Detroit Marathon--where I show a little Detroit pride. The founder hails from the "Mitten" and took over my editing duties at our high school's newspaper (if memory serves me correct) when I graduated.
• It almost wouldn't be a feed without something on one of our faves, Kara Goucher. And no, it's not the news bit that shocked me: leaving coach Alberto Salazar. It's Goucher's explanation for why she left Alberto Salazar and the Oregon Project.