It’s been a slow month.
Training’s been bland.
Track season’s over.
Waterfront race this weekend and my head is elsewhere.
Wait, is that…? Yep.
Joan Benoit Samuelson running towards me.
That gait is unmistakable.
We pass each other.
…head nod.
…easy-going smile.
Nice.
Say what you want, but here’s a woman who made a difference.
Benoit Samuelson double take
Sep 24th, 2009 by blisterpopper
Sully speaks
Sep 15th, 2009 by blisterpopper
Flotrack’s Chris Kelsall had a lengthy chat with Kevin Sullivan recently.
It’s exciting to hear Sully is “fully committed to the 2010 season” at age 35.
Reed throws down
Sep 12th, 2009 by blisterpopper
Hilite: Gary Reed rips through the last 200m for 2nd place and a 1:45.23.
World Athletics Final
Sep 11th, 2009 by blisterpopper
The summer track season will, for the most part, wrap up this weekend at the IAAF World Athletics Final in Thessaloniki, Greece.
The usual suspects from the Great White North will be spiking up in Gary Reed, Nate Brannen, Dylan Armstrong (shot), Megan Metcalfe and Sultana Frizell (hammer).
The biggest story coming out of Canada’s track season, for me at least, is in the 100m hurdles. Priscilla Lopes-Schliep will be back at the start line tomorrow with the glare of the gladiator. (Now, I realize sprinters are a focused bunch and starting-line focus is a critical part of the puzzle. But, if you’ve never seen Lopes-Schliep slap down and get ready to go to work, it will be worth tuning in — the meet starts at 11:15 a. m. — to see an inspiring display of mental preparation.) Perdita Felicien will be joining her in the red and white in a deep friggin’ field.
Jamaican Brigitte Foster-Hylton will no doubt be in the mix after a neck-and-neck fight to the finish with Lopes-Schliep in Brussels – a race that produced a 12.49 PB for the Priscilla in crummy weather, but alas, a second place result. It will be a battle field again, for sure, in what will likely be the last race of the season.
Jamaican Delloreen Ennis-London will also be looking for a victory.
It will be anyone’s race over the barriers tomorrow. This one will come down to a measure of desire.
NOTE: Here’s one gender bending athlete that certainly won’t be racing this weekend. Ugh.
World Triathlon Championships – Canada style
Sep 11th, 2009 by blisterpopper
It’s go time in Aussie land and a 20-year-old warrior from Edmonton decided to start the weekend right.
Paula Findlay opened the Triathlon World Championships with a bronze medal in the U-23 division on the Gold Coast of Australia — breaking up a British sweep of the podium and notching a (youthful) career high after battling some injury.
“It was pretty much nearly a perfect race for me today, and it couldn’t have happened at a better time,” she was quoted.
The men’s elite race — where savvy veteran Simon Whitfield will be looking to douse the fire youngster Alistair Brownlee (21) of Britain has set with four world series wins — is promoting live coverage on cbcsports.ca tomorrow at 12:05 EST.
The same is true for the women Sunday at 12:35 a.m. EST.
Live coverage will also be here and apparently will available on demand, also.
Find full race results here.
Cameron Levins gathering steam
Sep 8th, 2009 by blisterpopper
Here’s a great interview from a west-coaster heading into the NCAA scene with full force: Cameron Levins.
Ending with a bang in Brussels
Sep 4th, 2009 by blisterpopper
Both Gary Reed and Priscilla Lopes-Schliep finished off their Golden League seasons with impressive runs at the finale in Brussels today.
Lopes-Schliep blasted a PB in crappy conditions for a 12.49 in what was an extremely gutsy run. She closed hard to put on a sweet show for an enthused Belgium crowd in a neck-and-neck battle with Brigitte Foster-Hylton. The photo finish showed a win for Foster-Hylton, out leaning Priscilla for a 12.48.
Gary Reed also closed hard to kick for a third place finish in 1:46.82 after a slow early pace.
Bekele (in a race that seemingly included some dodgy tactics), Isinbayeva and Richards shared the Jackpot cabbage (1,000,000 bucks) three ways for totally dominating the sport in which they compete.
How much is an entry-level contract worth for NHL hockey players? Right. Hmph.
Speaking of totally dominating, Usain Bolt made the 200m look like a lengthy stride while his competition watched the Jamaican side show hit a 19.57 in rain, etc.
Brussels Golden League jackpot finale
Sep 3rd, 2009 by blisterpopper
This is it. Friday night lights. All the marbles. Bragging rights galore: The final day of Golden League action from Brussels, Belgium.
Three remain in the hunt for one. million. dollars.
Yelena Isinbayeva, Kenenisa Bekele and Sanya Richards need to close on top one more time to clinch a perfect six-meet sweep.
There will be no Bolt vs. Gay battle. (Although I’m not sure it would, ever, be much of a fight no matter how you spin it.)
Bekele will be blazing, no doubt. Especially after being hailed: “The Bolt of distance running” and getting some mad props from the Jamaican himself.
* Priscilla Lopes-Schliep and Gary Reed are expected to line up.
* Apparently, the meet will be live on CBC.ca Friday night. Universal Sports will also likely have live coverage, but will be conveniently blocked out in Canada.
* This site, however, has never let me down in my perpetual hunt for live track and field.
* Here’s the meet sked. The fun starts at 1:50 p.m. EST.
Run Reckless DVD is worth it, I guess
Sep 2nd, 2009 by blisterpopper
I was pumped to see Anthony Famiglietti’s new DVD Run Reckless stuffed in my mailbox. Considering how much inspiration I drew from his filmmaking debut, Run Like Hell, I was ready to start shaving seconds immediately upon opening the package.
Now before I start rambling, it’s important to note that I am a huge Fam fan and I really, really, wanted to love this movie. And for the most part, I do. Because it’s a legit running film that held my interest. There aren’t too many such things in the world, so I’m grateful to have this flick in my running library (which, outside of the the above two mentioned films, includes one other: Showdown).
nostalgia
Sep 1st, 2009 by blisterpopper
This, friends, should keep us going for weeks.
