--------------
RUNNER'S NICHE
--------------
Vol. 6 No.3 May 2000
*********************
NOTES FROM THE EDITOR
*********************
I only met him once. That was all it took to show me that he was
a quality person who cared a great deal about the athletes he
coached. It was clear to me he was interested not just in
developing great runners, throwers and jumpers; he also wanted
his athletes to develop character, loyalty, self confidence and
a strong work ethic.
This coach was Art Gulden of Bucknell University. Sadly, I
learned of his death only a few days ago. My close friend Tim
Dolen, who went to Bucknell and ran distance events under Coach
Gulden, told me of his coach's passing only a couple of hours
before we were to run a road race. Tim was pretty broken up,
having gotten the news the night before. He dedicated his effort
that day to his coach, and his coach would have been proud of
his race.
Tim has written a remembrance of his coach, which appears in
this issue. It's a nice reminder to us all that track, cross
country and road racing are about much more than just athletics,
and that coaches are far more important to young athletes than
we might sometimes assume.
To Tim, all of the Bucknell athletes present and past who were
lucky enough to have Art Gulden as your coach, and Coach
Gulden's family, I am very sorry for your loss.
- WG
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
MARATHON & BEYOND MAGAZINE - Marathon & Beyond, the only magazine
that focuses on the specific needs of marathoners and
ultrarunners. M&B offers in-depth articles on training, race
strategies, injuries, nutrition, race profiles, running history,
and more. Visit their web site at:
http://www.marathonandbeyond.com
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
**************************************************
RUNNER'S NICHE / MARATHON & BEYOND TRIVIA CONTEST
**************************************************
John Clark of Christchurch, New Zealand was our winner last
month. He will get a free issue of Marathon & Beyond and fame!
Trivia contest entrants are limited to one prize per calendar
year.
When answering, email your answers with the subject "trivia
contest" and answer the questions in the order they appear below.
Mail to: woodyg3@netone.com. The FIRST person to answer all ten
questions correctly wins. If nobody answers all ten correctly, we
will award the prize to the person who answers the most questions
correctly. Good Luck!
This month's questions:
What nation did each of the following athletes compete for in
past Olympic Games?
1. Johnny Hayes
2. Kenny Moore
3. Gaston Roelants
4. Paola Cacchi
5. Seb Coe
6. John Walker
7. Lorraine Moller
8. Khalid Skah
9. Richard Chelimo
10. Nixon Kiprotich
11. Fermin Cacho
12. Hassiba Boulmerka
13. Elana Meyer
14. Derartu Tulu
15. Lidia Simon
16. Sonia O'Sullivan
Last month's answers (1972 Munich Olympics theme):
1. Frank Shorter won the Munich Marathon, of course, but what
legendary marathon star took the bronze medal? - Mamo Wolde of
Ethiopia
2. Soviet 1500 meter runner Ludmila Bradina won her two
preliminary heats and the final at Munich. What was unique about
her times in each of these races? - She set a new world record in
each race.
3. The winner of the mens 800 meter race forgot to remove his
trademark golf cap during the national anthem at the awards
ceremony. He was forgiven for his understandable forgetfulness
by his adoring nation. Who was he and what country did be
compete for? - Dave Wottle of the USA.
4. The winner of the mens 5,000 and 10,000 was, of course, Lasse
Viren of Finland. Viren collided with another runner in the
middle of the 10,000, and both fell to the ground. Viren caught
up with the leaders and eventually took the gold. The runner he
got tangled up with watched the remainder of the race from the
infield. Who was this Ethiopian superstar? - Oops! He was
actually Tunisian , and his name was Mohamed Gammoudi.
5. The same runner who fell and was out of the 10,000 still
managed to medal in another event. What was that event and what
was his placing? - Silver in the 5,000.
6. In the 10,000 meter race mentioned in question 4, second place
finisher Emiel Puttemans of Belgium ran a time of 27:39.6. Had
Viren not placed ahead of Puttemans, what significance would this
time have had to the world of track and field? - It would have
meant that Ron Clarke would have kept his world record by a scant
.2 seconds.
7. Who won the 3,000 meter steeplechase at Munich? - Kip Keino of
Kenya.
8. What was the longest distance event for women in the 1972
Olympics? - 1500 meters.
9. The winner of the womens 800 was also the first woman to break
2:00, who was she? - West German Hidegard Falck
10. The third place finisher in the mens 800 later attended
college in the United States at Eastern New Mexico. Who was he
and what is his homeland? - Mike Boit of Kenya.
--- --- --- --- ---
RUNNING DELIGHTS - all occasion and holiday greeting cards,
novelty gifts, t-shirts, bracelets and many others items.
www.ontherun.com/runningdelights
Our entire catalog is now online with secure ordering.
--- --- --- --- ---
*****************************
PREFACE LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
*****************************
Woody,
On Saturday, May 19, late at night I found out my coach from
Bucknell had died after a long battle with cancer. Rather than
be confined to bed in his last days - he willed himself to attend
the IC4A Regional Track and Field Championships. He died after
seeing his team and his son compete in the 4 x 800 relay.
After a great deal of searching and tears, I was finally able to
put down a few words to try and explain what he meant to me.
Having a coach during your formative years is a unique
experience. At one time he can be your father, another time a
tyrant.
Most people don't understand the value of a great coach. They
don't realize what athletes gain by setting goals, working with
and supporting your teammates to achieve them, and testing
themselves to their absolute limit, even if it "just a race".
The sense of achievement can last a lifetime and take on new
meaning as you progress through life. Please pass this on to
your Runners Niche readers if you can.
- Tim
*********************************
RUNNING AND RACING FOR ART GULDEN
*********************************
By Timmy Dolen (Class of 1978)
Running for Art Gulden and Bucknell was easy. The day I arrived
on campus as a high school recruit he said "you must be crazy"
for having recently run a marathon. He then introduced me to
Frank Carroll who also confirmed that we (Tom Cook and I) must
be crazy; I guess the sort of runner he was looking for. Art
Gulden routinely collected the best bunch of scholar athletes
the East Coast had to offer. I was surrounded by friends that
were committed to competing as a team - not a bunch of
individuals; never letting someone struggle alone at the back of
the pack on a warm-down. They became lifelong friends.
Racing for Art Gulden was another story. He demanded total
commitment. He asked you to push yourself, regardless of the
pain. Running alone was not an option. If teammates were close
by, you were required to join up and support them. I spent four
years hanging on to the pack, chasing after his attention.
I arrived at Bucknell frightened by the school and the program.
I knew I could run, but I couldn't manage to race with
confidence. I also suffered through four years dealing with an
illness called depression and the anxiety attacks and sleepless
nights that came with it. I showed a few brief glimpses of
promise, followed by the all to frequent "crash and burns." It
must have been maddening to Coach. He could never count on me
to be the same runner from week to week.
One of the toughest challenges for Coach came after selecting
the traveling team. He then had to tell two-dozen more athletes
why they were not selected, without draining them of their
confidence. He had to convince them they were still important
to the team. He was pretty successful at that. My senior year I
was again on the bubble for the traveling team. After finally
breaking through, I sat down and listened as Coach told me why I
wasn't "moving up" for IC4A's. I don't believe I had shown him
I could be counted on to race for him and the team. The next
week I did show him; Coach had innumerable ways of motivating
you to show him you could race. But, what I didn't do that day
was show myself.
I got my last chance at the ECC Championships that spring. On
the 25th lap of my final race for Bucknell I found the extra
"something" I had been searching for. I scored my first point,
and shared a private moment of congratulations with Coach. His
words have lasted a lifetime, I still find an extra bounce in my
stride when I think of that day. I think Art Gulden's greatest
attribute was helping you find the confidence to push yourself
to your absolute limit, and then challenge you to do even more.
Last year I was lucky to see the Indoor Patriot League
Championships. One young lady had a "crash and burn" type of
race on Saturday and was devastated. In her, I saw myself 25
years ago. The next day, she rebounded and ran a terrific race,
refusing to back down as the race progressed, and scoring needed
points for the team. I hope she realized her accomplishment,
I know Coach did.
(If you want to read more about Gulden from Bucknell athletes,
go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bucknell-xctf-alum.)
**************
COOL YOUR JETS
**************
By Woody Green
Young runners are especially prone to this problem, but even
veterans of many years battle it. Starting too fast in a race is
the most common pace error made by any runner. It is even a
problem in training runs at times. The excitement of the moment
makes the body's normal feedback system go a little haywire. We
feel good, we want to stay up with the runners ahead of us and
we are willing to go hard to get that time goal we have set.
The problem, of course, is that by starting too fast we cause
early fatigue, sabotaging our efforts. The result will be a
painful race that is slower than our potential.
Avoiding this hard push at the start of the race isn't easy, but
there are a few ways to cool your jets at the start. First, make
sure you line up at the starting line with people of your own
ability. The other runners around you will help in your pace
judgement. Next, remember that the first third of your race
should feel easy. Key in on how your body feels, and pay close
attention to it. Especially telling is your breathing. Note how
rapid and deep your breathing is and this will be a good key as
to what effort level you are at.
A great way to give you feedback as to your running intensity is
a heart rate monitor. Unfortunately, your heart rate increases
gradually at the beginning of a race, so the monitor will not
show a high heart rate early in a race even when you are going
very hard. Use the heart rate monitor to evaluate your running
intensity after the first mile or so, not at the start.
Remember that you have gotten yourself out the door to train and
prepare for the race with a good deal of dedication, patience
and mental focus. Be just as dedicated, patient and focused in
starting your race at the proper pace and improved results will
be assured.
**********
FROM USATF
**********
Five of the top American distance runners have been selected to
represent Team USA at the IAAF World Outdoor Track and Field
Championships in Edmonton Canada, USA Track & Field announced on
Friday. Named to the men's marathon team are Khalid Khannouchi,
David Morris, Josh Cox, Eddy Hellebuyck and Mike Dudley. An
alternate will be announced at a later time.
-----
Olympian middle distance runner Marla Runyan has been named as
the recipient of a $10,000 William E. Simon Olympic Endowment
Fund Grant. The grant is intended for athletes who demonstrate
financial need in order to continue training.
-----
Meb Keflezighi was named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week
after setting an American record in the 10,000 meters Friday, May
4 at the Cardinal Invitational. Keflezighi's time of 27:13.98
shattered Mark Nenow's 1986 American record of 27:20.56.
-----
2000 NCAA 5,000-meter champion Kara Grgas-Wheeler has been named
one of 58 NCAA postgraduate scholarship winners. The
scholarships, worth $5,000 each, were awarded to athletes
competing in fall sports. Grgas-Wheeler captured the NCAA
Division I cross country title as a senior at the University of
Colorado. The 2000 NCAA 3000m champ placed 8th in the 5000m at
the 2001 U.S. Olympic Trials, and ended the season ranked 8th
nationally by Track & Field News.
-----
The Susuki Rock 'n' Roll Marathon recently announced that Smash
Mouth, one of America's hottest party bands, will appear in
concert at Coors Amphitheater on June 3. The concert will cap a
unique weekend of music and running, where more than 20,000
competitors will run the 26.2-mile course in San Diego. More than
40 live bands will be on hand to entertain the competitors along
the route.
**********
MOTIVATION
**********
By Jake J
Hi, my name is Jacob. I'm 18 and a senior at Wayzata High
School. I've been running for almost six years now. I've gone
from a 7+ minute miler to a PR of 4:59.9 last track season. I've
also run cross country for 5 years. I improved greatly from a
23+ minute 5k to 17:49 this past fall. My off seasons of winter
and summer haven't consisted of anything great. I've never run
more than 250 miles in the off season which is why I've never
jumped way down greatly in time for my PR's.
I come from a school with a great tradition of running and a lot
of talent. I've never run in any big invitations as a varsity
runner. I did get a chance to run in a few varsity meets this
year, however. With all of these nevers this is probably
starting to sound pretty depressing, but its not meant to be. You
see running has been one of the best things in my life. It gives
me a chance to stay in shape and exercise. It has also given me a
chance to challenge myself and push myself to the limits.
One of the most important things that running has given me is
friendships. I've meet more friends and become closer with some
of my fellow runners than any other group that I'm involved with.
This year was one of the best cross country seasons because of my
friendships. We had 13 seniors on the team this year; most of
them started CC 5 years ago just like me. We've shared fun
times, sad times, hard runs, long runs, and runs through the
woods. We share parts of our lives that each other while on runs
that most other people don't even know about us.
The sense of pride when I run a race and see a group of my
teammates either in front or behind me charging towards the
finish line with me is an experience I'll never forget. The best
part to top off my high school as a CC runner was an outstanding
finish to the year. We won the Minnesota Section 6AA meet and
went on to win state. It was amazing. I have such a close
relationship with each one of my teammates that I'll always keep
as a part of my.
Even though I didn't run as one of the top 7 in the varsity state
meet I did know each one of them in a way that emotionally felt a
part of them as they raced. What I want to leave everyone with
is that you can improve and running can be a great escape from
the normal run-around in life (pun intended). You can only come
away from running with good things like health, pride,
dedication, and friendship. Make running a part of your day,
your life and your soul. It's become a part of mine.
*************
THIS AND THAT
*************
*The International Museum of Cultures "Run for the Hills" 5k
run/walk, benefiting Children's Day Camp will begin at 7500 W.
Camp Wisdom Rd., Dallas TX at 7:30 a.m., October 20th. Call 972-
708-7537 for details.
* International City Racing, LLC was awarded a permit from the
City of Long Beach, CA to stage a marathon. The new marathon,
renamed the Long Beach International City Marathon, is
Scheduled for November 11, 2001.
* The Farmington Hills Police Dept. (Farmington Hills Michigan)
will be hosting its annual 10K.Cops for Kids run for Muscular
Dystrophy on Sat June 9, 2001.
*********************
WEB SITES OF INTEREST
*********************
*Orthotic devices at:
http:www.gait-aid.com
*OurFootDoctor.com indicates that they are the only site on the
Internet that is operated by a board certified podiatrist:
http://www.OurFootDoctor.com
*Running in Hawaii:
http://www.hawaiirace.com
***********************
LETTER FROM OUR READERS
***********************
*WHY?
Dear Runner's Niche,
The reason I am writing is to ask a simple question, After
finishing my fourth Boston marathon this year I have to ask the
question "Why do we punish ourselves by running marathons." I may
be wrong but I not so sure god created our bodies to run 26.2
miles. But the hardest thing to come to terms with is the fact
that two days later I am ready for another marathon. Are we
runners insane or what?
I had the pleasure of talking to Bill Rogers right before the
start of the marathon this year (class act) he said with
excitement, there's so much energy here I just love this stuff!
I guess thetas the answer; it's the love of the sport.
-M Panasuk
*RUNNING TOUGH
Dear Runner's Niche,
Thanks for the nice review of "Running Tough" in the March/April
issue. Woody Green picked up on what I was trying to do with the
book and was very insightful with his comments. The only problem
I have now is that I am worried that Woody has been seen down at
the track doing some fast intervals. Word on the street is that
he is doing some of Adam Goucher's secret 500-meter intervals and
will soon be passing me by!
-Michael Sandrock (author of Running Tough.)
Sports Writer
Daily Camera
P.O. Box 591
1048 Pearl Street
Boulder, Colorado 80302
Phone: (303) 473-1318 Fax: (303) 447-0517
E-Mail: sandrockm@thedailycamera.co
--- --- --- --- ---
Fine 14K and Sterling Silver jewelry for runners. Call/write for
catalog. Creative Sports Jewelry, 6525 Gunpark Dr. #150-422,
Boulder, CO 80301. 303/527-1130 or 800/606-8887. E-mail
SprtJewlry@aol.com Website: www.ontherun.com/sportsjewelry
--- --- --- --- ---
********************************
LEGAL STUFF / SUBSCRIPTION INFO.
********************************
"Runner's Niche" is free, but its contents are copyrighted.
Nobody may use the content without permission of the author and
"Runner's Niche."
SUBSCRIPTION IS FREE. Just write via e-mail to:
woodyg3@netone.com.
Include your e-mail address. We'll send you an issue via e-mail
every month or so.
If you don't want to continue receiving "Runner's Niche", simply
mail with your e-mail address and ask that your subscription be
stopped.
Article Submissions are always welcome. Unfortunately, there can
be no monetary reimbursement for material used in Runner's Niche.
It is normally best to send a query letter to the editor before
sending finished articles.