Ethiopians Take Mens and Womens Carlsbad 5000 Crowns
Dejen Gebrsemeskel may no longer be best known as the guy who lost his shoe and still won the 3000 at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston. 
On Sunday, the 2010 Carlsbad 5000 beat defending champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, sprinting ahead in the final 100 meters to prevail by three seconds in 13:11. I knew I would win, said Gebremeskel, who is 21. I thought following him (Kipchoge) was best for me . He’s a strong guy, he’s a tough guy. I like running on someone’s shoulder because of the wind. In the womens race, Aheza Kiros, a Carlsbad winner in 2009, swept past Kenyas Pauline Korikwiang in the final 15 meters to take first place by one second in 15:13. Americansactually, two Villanova graduatestook third in both races. On the mens side, Bobby Curtis was third in 13:48, and three-time Olympian Jen Rhines was also third in 15:37. The masters winners were Californians Christian Cushing-Murray (15:04) and Tania Fischer (17:24), who had the same time as runnerup Kathleen Jobes (hey, we know her!). In the upper age groups, Anne Garrett set a U.S. womens 75-79 group 5K record of 25:59 and Lenore Montgomery of Canada established a new world 80-84 group best of 29:16. (photo of Dejen Gebremeskel by Victah Sailer) More
Lukas Verzbicas Will Return to Dream Mile in NYC
The amazingly gifted and accomplished Verzbicas will be back at this featured high mile school at the adidas Grand Prix at Icahn 
Stadium in New York on June 11. Tickets for the meet, which will feature Tyson Gay and Jeremy Wariner and many other athletes yet to be announced, are now available at the event website,.
Verzbicas, one of the greatest scholastic distance runners in U.S. history, won three events at the 2011 New Balance Indoor Nationals and set a U.S. high school indoor 5000 record of 14:06.78. The two-time Foot Locker Cross Country titlist from Illinois won the Boys Dream Mile at the adidas Grand Prix last year in 4:04.38. His rivals on June 11 will include Jantzen Oshier of Mission Viego, California, who has already run a 4:07.78 mile this season. (photo of Lukas Verzbicas by Lisa Coniglio/Photo Run)
In the Girls Dream Mile, Maddie Meyers of Seattle is the defending champ; she ran 4:41.93 in 2010. Alli Billmeyer of Torrey Pines, California, another entrant, has run a 4:50.53 this year. The adidas Grand Prix now adds a Boys’ Dream 100 and the Girls’ Dream 100. The first confirmed entrants for the Boys 100 are Florida speedster Marvin Bracy and Californian Remontay McClain. (photo of Maddie Meyers by Victah Sailer)
Micah Kogo Runs a Dutch Road 10K in 27:15
Kogo, the 2008 Olympic 10,000-meter bronze medalist, held the road 10K world record of 27:01 until his Kenyan countryman Leonard Komon smashed that with a 26:44 in September. But Kogos 27:15 in the Parelloop (Pearl Run) 10Kin Brunssum in the Netherlands on Sunday is the fastest time for the road distance in 2011. Fellow Kenyan Mike Kigen was the runnerup, 11 seconds back. Anyone who imagined two-time London Marathon titleist Irinia Mikitenko of Germany was yesterdays news might want to reconsider. Her 32:06 in the Parelloop made her the womens champion by 39 seconds over second place Elizeba Cherono of Kenya. More
Webbs Decision to Leave Salazar Was Nothing Out of the Blue
Coach Alberto Salazar reveals that U.S. mile record holder Alan Webbs decision to part company with the Oregon Project came about in a five-to-six-week period and that he understands
Alan feels the need to be in a more traditional middle distance-based program. Salazar stresses my friendship with him is paramount. I want what is best for him. If he feels this is what he needs to do to have a chance to be 100 percent successful, I endorse it. Salazar affirms youre either all-in, or all-out. Otherwise, its not doing him any good or me any good. Webb is still always welcome at the Nike campus, Salazar makes clear. More
Kenyan Teenagers Win at Berlin Half Marathon
On a warm day in the German capital, Geoffrey Kipsang, Kenyas World Junior Cross Country champion, took first place in the Vattenfall Berlin Half Marathon in 1:00:38, with Eliud Kiplagat 14 seconds back in the runnerup spot. The womens winner, in 1:10:12, was Valentine Kipketer, who, like Kipsang, is just 18 years old. She was running outside of Africa for the first time. Germanys local favorite, Sabrina Mockenhaupt, dropped out after 12K. It was simply not my day today. Somehow I had a blackout and nothing worked, she explained.
Sheri Piers Prevails at More| Fitness Half Marathon
The nurse practitioner and mother of three (and stepmother of two more) completed the hilly Central Park course at Sundays 
More Magazine | Fitness Magazine Women’s Half-Marathon in New York in 1:17:27. Piers will compete in the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 18. She earned the inaugural Meyerhoff trophy named in honor of the races 2010 champion Sally Meyerhoff, who died in a cycling accident accident last month. Piers received the trophy from the Meyerhoff parents, who also watched their youngest daughter Samantha, running in memory of her sister, finish fourth. Every mile, I thought about Sally, said Samantha. “I knew she would want me to keep pushing harder. This race was amazing.(photo of Sheri Piers courtesy of NYRR)
Course Records at Prague Half Marathon
Philemon Limo of Kenya, who reportedly has only been running 
seriously for two years (but still managed a seventh-place finish at the recent World Cross Country Championships), joined the ranks of the sub-60:00 half marathoners with his 59:30 triumph at the Hervis Prague Half-Marathon in the Czech capital on Saturday. He broke the mens course record by 37 seconds. I think I can do even better than that, insists Limo. His compatriot Lydia Cheromei, a World Junior Cross Country titlist 20 years ago at age 13, was the womens champion in Prague in 1:07:33, which took a minute and a half off the course mark and is the second fastest womens 13.1-miler on 2011. (photo of Lydia Cheromei by Larry Ryan/Photo Run) More
Sergio Sanchez Is Ashamed of Spains Image
Sanchez, the 2010 World Indoor silver medalist for 3000 meters, pulls no verbal punches and is all too aware of the number of Spanish runners linked to 
doping allegations. He declares Im ashamed to wear the Spanish jersey. Competing in an event with a Spanish shirt harms my imageIm even thinking about not competing in the Worlds. Sanchez also asserts that Spanish Sports Minister Jaime Lissavetzky is responsible for awarding grants to athletes implicated in a doping scandal while others, including himself, have no state funding. I only hope I can win an Olympic medal so that Lissavetzky comes to congratulate me, says Sanchez. Then Ill smack him in the face with the medal and tell him that thats the thanks he gets for all the (expletive) help hes given me, which is nothing. Viva Sergio! (photo of Sergio Sanchez by Giancarlo Colombo/Photo Run) More
This Is What I Was Made For, Tyson Gay Says of His Sprinting
This is why I am here, the religious Gay explains of his gift for speed. But being the second swiftest human on the globe doesnt
suffice for the American ace. Being No 2 in any sport doesn’t sound good, Gay believes. It’s not really a burden it’s just the way it is. In America it’s hard to accept No 2. It’s the pride of the United States . I am the second fastest man in history and getting to No 1 is what keeps me going. It keeps me humble. Tyson Gay also insists I have fun. I chill. But for me track is all I have. It’s all I know. I’ve been running track since I was 14 and from that point it was everything. He affirms this is all I have. I’m going to put everything into it. I can’t put my energy anywhere else.(photo of Tyson Gay by Victah Sailer) More
Frankie Fredericks Feels Sorry for Usain Bolts Rivals
The Namibian is well-equipped to speak on this matter. He did win a gold medal in the 200-meter sprint at the 1993 World Championships, but hes better-known for his four silvers at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics (and three more Worlds silvers). There are some great challengers out there but I feel sorry for them a bit growing up and being born in the same era as Usain Bolt, he observes. Speaking in London, site of the 2012 Olympic Games, Fredericks said of the tall Jamaican 100 and 200-meter world recordholder he is a phenomenal athlete and its difficult to think he can be beaten. But this is the Olympics and everyone will be gunning for him. I think Asafa Powell will be a threat and Tyson Gay but who knows there could be someone come out of the woodwork this year. But Fredericks adds Usain pushes himself very close to his limits and the danger is when you go over that. I hope Usain can manage himself over the next few years and enjoy a long career. More
I Have a Lot on My Plate These Days, Observes Carrie Tollefson
The effusively upbeat and energetic 2004 Olympic 1500-meter runner is a multimedia presence these days. I realized early on in my life that being well-rounded is crucial, Tollefson explains, who actually started doing radio commentary while she was winning NCAA titles for Villanova. I love to run, but things happen and 
really, an injury can end a career fast, so I always wanted to stay in tune with the real world as well. Tollefsons a mom, a wife, a still aspiring athlete, a busy speaker, a running camp operator, a web site entrepreneur (CTolleRun.com), an advertising pitchwoman, and a commentator on all manner of media (notably and recently on the Internet for the New York Road Runners). In her NYRR shows, we wanted to show the public that elite athletes are normal runners and people just like everyone else, and we like having fun as well, Tollefson explains. Sometimes I think people have no idea who we are except when we are running really fast. Click on More for Jim Ferstles complete interview with the indefatigable and charismatic Tollefson. (photo of Carrie Tollefson by Victah Sailer) More
Elliott Heath Thrives Thanks to Brotherly Advice
The Stanford seniors older brother Garrett was a 2010 World Indoor Championships 1500-meter finalist. Elliotts been benefiting from some advice my brother gave me when he was a 
junior: ‘Speed kills, no matter what distance you’re running. If things get tactical, it never hurts to have one more gear. Having what writer Jon Gugala refers to as an unanswerable kick lifted Elliott Heath to an NCAA Indoor 3000-meter title this winter. That came a day after his third place 5000 finish had set a Stanford record. Older brother Garrett observed the last few championships, he’s been ready to do something big. It was really cool to see him finally feel good and have things come together. Garrett Heath has been serving as a volunteer assistant coach at Stanford while he works to finish his PhD. He’s been there for so much advice, and whether he knows it or not, guidance along the way, explains Elliott. There’s no person that helps me out more. (photo of Garrett Heath by Victah Sailer) More
Australias Sally Pearson Triumphs Three Times in Perth
At the two-day Australian Athletics Tour final in Perth, Sally Pearson, the 2008 Olympic 100-meter hurdles silver medalist, won the hurdles in 12.85 seconds, the 100-meter dash in 11.20, and the 200 (into a slight headwind) in 23.22. But the 100 time didnt make her happy.I got out of the blocks strong and I expected a little quicker tonight to be honest, Pearson declared. I know I can run quicker than I did tonight and it’s just a matter of making it happen. The 800-meter winners in Perth were Jeff Riseley (1:47.95) and Tamsyn Lewis 2:01.44. More
Sharif Webb Sets a Kentucky 800-Meter Record
Webbs victory at the Florida Relays in Gainesville in 1:47.19 is a new University of Kentucky best for the 800; it also broke a 25-year-old Florida Relays standard. Webbs own previous best was 1:47.64. Sharif finished very strong and that was very encouraging, affirmed Florida Coach Don Weber. More
Heres Todays Running Song of the Day
This ones ideal for masters runners from the Midwest who encounter headwinds. Its a genuinely touching tune by a guy who used to be a very big deal but is all but forgotten now except within about a 100-mile radius of his hometown. More
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