Sacramento Running News

This morning, I took a run through Discovery Park to see if the trail was clear of water at last.

There was still the carcass of a large salmon, somewhat worked over by scavengers, lying on the grass near the archery range. It seemed an ominous sign.

Between the 0.5 and 1.o mile marks, there was a large, smelly pond lying across the trail–but there was a narrow strip of asphalt showing along one edge of the trail.

Bicyclists could pass easily, but would be happiest with fenders. Runners could jump across with maybe one shoe getting soaked with dank water.

By tomorrow, I expect there will be a ribbon of dry pavement to run across.

That being said, the county is stating that Discovery Park will remain closed until April 30th so the parks folks can clean things up. (The park itself is still a disgusting mess.)

Other than that, the parkway is now clear, for runners and cyclists, all the way from downtown to Folsom Lake. Start running!

The world of sports lost one of its true champions today in the passing of marathon great Grete Waitz.

I can’t think of a runner today who enjoys the stature of Grete Waitz in her heyday. Only in the rarest of individuals does one ever find her combination of incredible talent, indomitable spirit, and humility.

In 2007, I had the pleasure of hearing Grete speak at the Boston Marathon Expo. She told of her first run of the New York City Marathon. She was warm, engaging and funny. She charmed the audience with a tale, not of the unbreakable champion, but of the incredible naif. Out of her depth. Overwhelmed by the experience, and difficulty of the marathon, she somehow emerged an unlikely champion.

In 1978, Greta Waitz was the world record holder in the 3000 meters and, as she told the story, her husband thought they should use that to get a free trip to visit America from their native Norway.

The race director of the New York Marathon was the first race to take them up on this, thinking that she would make a good rabbit to help speed the elite women to a fast time.

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