Happy New Year!

I've been running around a lot lately. Sorry for not posting so much. That is about to change. I hope you all have great New Year's celebrations. Stay safe, and I'll see you in 2009. Best of luck to New Year's Run participants.

March Madness in December!

As we all know, the March Madness Half-Marathon in Cary always fills in a day or two. This year, registration opens on Dec. 31 for the cultish event that is scheduled to be run on March 15, four weeks-plus before Boston. It is a perfect tuneup in many ways for the Patriots Day run. However, it also can beat you up and leave you flat. So do I run it or do I not run it? Complicating things is the possibility the race will be named to CARA's new Runner's Choice Series, which is replacing the CARA Circuit. The problem with that is the new Series likely won't be announced until the first week of January, which means the race could be filled before the Series is even announced (there usually is a 1,000-runner limit). Nothing is ever simple anymore! What's a crazed runner to do? I guess I'll eat some holiday chocolate and head out into the ice and slush for a run!

Marathoner Might Switch to XC Ski Racing

Most of you know I love to run, but I also love to cross-country ski, and when I'm healthy, I do several XC ski marathons each winter. So, as a bit of winter lust, I pass along this story from the Times of London. It's about British marathoner Mara (nice name!) Yamauchi seriously considering switching to cross-country skiing. As background, I point out to all you young runners that Grete Waitz, Joan Benoit and Ingrid Kristiansen all were strong cross-country skiers. OK, here's the story:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/athletics/article5315934.ece

Want to try a local XC Ski race? Try the Northern Illinois Nordic on Jan. 10. Here's the skinny:
http://www.signmeup.com/62824

No B.A.A Humbug Here!

Well, after some consternation because of an ongoing rotator-cuff injury that is wreaking havoc with my cross-country ski season, I signed up for the B.A.A. Boston Marathon today. There's no turning back now, and I have good incentive to be running out in the snow to build my base. If all goes well, this will be No. 5 for me at Beantown. My last time there was 2003 when temps hit 86 degrees. It was not pretty. That race is all about hills. I have been working out on the streets of Glen Ellyn, where there are plenty of ups and downs. You know I'll be doing some XC skiing as well, probably with one arm. Have a great week!

Favela Blows 'Em Away in Vegas

Thanks to a tip from fellow writer and blogger Brenda Barrera (Chicago Running Examiner), I can report (belatedly) that Cicero's Emisael Favela, 31, won the Las Vegas Half-Marathon Dec. 7 in a swift time of 1:09:48. Second place was Jake Puzey, 26, of Hermiston, Ore. in 1:12:38. No contest! Emisael topped a finishing field of 11,260. Way to go!! Now, he can run in the slop again with the rest of us winter warriors! That's Emisael in the photo, but not in Las Vegas. He is shown at last summer's Xtreme 10-miler.

Flanagan 9th at Foot Locker

Chicago Sun-Times-Tina Akouris

Lake Park's Lindsay Flanagan, the Class 3A state champion, finished ninth on at the 30th annual Foot Locker Cross-Country National Championships Saturday in San Diego. Flanagan ran the three-mile course in 17:50. In the boys race, Neuqua Valley's Danny Pawola was 13th in 15:46, and York's Steve Sulkin finished 23rd over three miles.

Jonaitis Comes Up Big

Jeff Jonaitis, 27, of Tinley Park won the Memphis St. Jude Marathon on Saturday, posting a 2:19:47. What a great effort from a dedicated Chicago-area runner. He was first in a field of 2,213 finishers. This is proof we can produce great runners in the Chicago area. It just takes some work. Hats off to Jeff.

Elmhurst (York) Boys Second, Geneva Girls 17th

I'm on a library computer in Eagle River, Wis., so I have no time. York (Elmhurst XC Club) ran second to North Spokane XC Club, 134 to 151 on Saturday at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Ore. Naperville XC Club was third at 195 -- not a bad showing for Illinois schools! York"s Jordan Hebert was 8th in 15:28.60 and Steve Sulkin was 14th in 15:36.2. Geneva's girls placed 17th on the girls side. Lake Park's Lindsay Flanagan was 5th girl overall. Congrats to all!

CARA Circuit Voting Ends Dec. 5 (Today!)

Do you care about which races are on the CARA Circuit? Voting for the 2009 Runners' Choice Series (replacing the "Circuit") ends on Friday. If you are a CARA member and haven't voted, I encourage you to vote. People have no right to complain about which races get on if they don't exercise their right to vote.

Break Out The Yak-Traks!

I absolutely love winter running, and specifically, running in snow. So I really enjoyed my little three-miler tonight on the Prairie Path in Villa Park. I did NOT have any Yak-Traks on, so I took it slowly but surely. All the Christmas trees were lit up along the path, the snow was fresh and clean, and there was no upcoming race to worry about. What a great day to run! Hope you all enjoy the winter outdoors as much as I do.