Sacramento Running News

As 2012 comes to a close, the days are short and cold and I find myself casually reminiscing over the stories of this year.

Many great things happened: two Americans won a rainy CIM, there were terrific runs at the London Olympics, ARC cross country won their second State Championship, Tim Olson and Ellie Greenwood both set new, jaw-dropping course records at the Western States Endurance Run, and Davis alum Kim Conley won our hearts with a gutsy run at the Olympic trials.

While I am inspired by the great stories, I am intrigued by the strange ones. Here are my two favorites.

Kip Litton, Marathon Man?

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About a week ago, I posted here about an article in the Wall Street Journal that indicated that we were all going to die from all this crazy running.

I remain suspicious about the science behind the article, and it appears that I am not alone.

Alex Hutchison at Sweat Science delivers the mother of all smack-downs on this story.

It’s a great piece you should read because there is no doubt that someone at one of your holiday gatherings is going to start a conversation with “I heard that too much running is actually worse than not running at all.”

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Is it the steeplechase or a marathon? (Photo courtesy of Randy Wehner Photography)

When we look back on the California International Marathon of 2012, what will first spring to mind is the Atmospheric River.

Over my decades of running, I have experienced some pretty intense weather. My one run at Boston was in the infamous nor’easter of 2007.

I ran most of the stormy 2001 CIM before crapping out and slinking away in my wife’s car at mile 17.

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If you are still struggling with what to wear for tomorrow’s Aquathon, there is at least one more option: Dressing yourself with olive oil. (Skip the vinegar.)

This is science, man!

Have a good run.

Locally, most of us are fixated on tomorrow’s weather and the California International Marathon. Meanwhile, many locals are already racing over on the coast in the North Face Endurance Challenge San Francisco Championship.

Due to the rain, the State Parks Department has mandated a course change so now it will be totally easy. (Serious about the course change. Just kidding about it being easy. Those trails–Marin Headlands–are intense!)

This is one of the most competitive ultras in the United States, and it offers $10,000 to the top male and female finishers in the 50 mile race.

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There is, apparently, some kind of road race thing going on this Sunday. (In this rain?! Even the ducks are staying indoors!)

Starting at 7:00 a.m. Sunday morning, there will be 16,000 self centered “athletes” clogging up the roads and interfering with your ability to drive your SUV to the doughnut shop.

Also, if one of your loved ones has the bad judgement to be out there, slogging their way to the Capitol in the rain, and you are planning to be out there to support them, you may need to plot a circuitous route to get your where you need to be. (But really, in this weather? Can’t you love them just as much while you are snuggled in your bed?)

Whatever.

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Sold Out!

If you are running the American River 50 next April, I look forward to seeing you out there.

If you were waiting for after the holidays to sign up, you can now join the ever-growing wait list.

The race sold out yesterday!

If you are running CIM this weekend, are you going to wear your Nike galoshes or the Asics ones?

I can’t decide.

If you are an older runner (50+), recent studies suggest that running more than 20 miles per week, or faster than 7:30 minutes per mile, is going to wreck your health.

The Wall Street Journal published a story yesterday–with the not at all hyperbolic headline of One Running Shoe in the Grave–about the research, which indicates that runners who log more than 20 miles a week lose the health benefits of running.

Most critically, some research points to extreme training damaging the heart tissue. You should not be surprised to learn that not everyone is convinced.

Critics of the newer research say that the idea that running can harm the heart is based on research showing only an association—meaning that exercise may not be the cause of the problem. They note that in any large group of runners, high-mileage and high-speed athletes may be too few in number to be statistically significant.

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Now to Portland!

The St. Francis Girls took second place at the Division I State Cross Country meet (and was scored 2nd place in California Power Merge).

The team’s top finisher was Junior Lauren Larocco, who came in 16th with a 18:10.

St. Francis has been invited to race at Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Oregon, and we’ve heard that they’ve accepted the invitation.

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