Boston Elite Field Announced

You'll recognize some names familiar on the Chicago scene with this announcement of the elite field for this year's Boston Marathon on April 19. Meanwhile, as you can imagine, I'm in full cross-country ski mode as I head to northwest Wisconsin for Saturday's 51K American Birkebeiner. This will be my 30th in a row, so it's extra-special. They have a record field of more than 8,000 from more than 20 countries for the Birkie and the 23K Kortelopet, so it will be quite the spectacle on snow. Marathon skiing has its parallels with marathon running. You ought to try it sometime. Hasn't the XC skiing been great during the Olympics? American viewers never have been given this much coverage before. It's been nice. OK, on with the Boston elites:

Men’s Open Field Personal Best
Deriba Merga, Ethiopia 2:06:38 (London, 2008)
Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Kenya 2:07:14 (Boston, 2006) CR
Ryan Hall, USA 2:06:17 (London, 2008)
Abderrahim Goumri, Morocco 2:05:30 (London, 2008)
Gilbert Yegon, Kenya 2:06:18 (Amsterdam, 2009)
Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot, Kenya 2:06:23 (Frankfurt, 2009)
Evans Cheruiyot, Kenya 2:06:25 (Chicago, 2008)
Chala Dechase, Ethiopia 2:06:33 (Dubai, 2010)
Elijah Keitany, Kenya 2:06:41 (Amsterdam, 2009)
David Kipkorir Mandago, Kenya 2:06:53 (Paris, 2009)
Benjamin Maiyo, Kenya 2:07:09 (Chicago, 2005)
Tekeste Kebede, Ethiopia 2:07:52 (Fukuoka, 2009)
Gashaw Asfaw, Ethiopia 2:08:03 (Paris, 2006)
John Kipkorir Komen, Kenya 2:08:06 (Reims, 2008)
Samuel Mugo, Kenya 2:08:20 (Beijing, 2009)
Stephen Kiogora, Kenya 2:08:24 (Frankfurt, 2008)
Mebrahtom Keflezighi, USA 2:09:15 (New York City, 2009)
Moses Kipkosgei Kigen, Kenya 2:10:12 (Nairobi, 2009)
Abdellah Falil, Morocco 2:12:37 (Turin, 2009)
Jason Lehmkuhle, USA 2:12:54 (New York City, 2007)
Cutbert Nyasango, Zimbabwe 2:13:19 (Berlin, 2009)
Alejandro Suarez, Mexico 2:13:33 (Torreon, 2009)
Josh Rohatinsky, USA 2:14:23 (New York City, 2008)
Antonio Vega, USA 2:15:45 (Minneapolis/St.Paul, 2009)
Mohammed Amyn, Morocco Debut

Women’s Open Field Personal Best
Salina Kosgei, Kenya 2:23:22 (Berlin, 2006)
Catherine Ndereba, Kenya 2:18:47 (Chicago, 2001) NR
Madai Perez, Mexico 2:22:59 (Chicago, 2006) NR
Teyba Erkesso, Ethiopia 2:23:53 (Houston, 2010)
Dire Tune, Ethiopia 2:24:40 (Houston, 2008)
Lidiya Grigoryeva, Russia 2:25:10 (Los Angeles, 2006)
Weiwei Sun, China 2:25:15 (Beijing, 2002)
Bruna Genovese, Italy 2:25:28 (Boston, 2006)
Albina Mayorova-Ivanova, Russia 2:25:35 (Chicago, 2003)
Yurika Nakamura, Japan 2:25:51 (Nagoya, 2008)
Agnes Kiprop, Kenya 2:26:22 (Turin, 2009)
Nailya Yulamanova, Russia 2:26:30 (Rotterdam, 2009)
Koren Jelela Yal, Ethiopia 2:28:41 (Venice, 2009)
Waynishet Girma, Ethiopia 2:29:50 (Amsterdam, 2009)
Tatyana Pushkareva, Russia 2:30:30 (San Antonio, 2009)
Meseret Legese, Ethiopia 2:31:37 (Padova, 2009)
Michelle Frey, USA 2:35:51 (Minneapolis/St. Paul, 2006)
Mestewat Tufa, Ethiopia Debut
Chaofeng Jia, China Debut

Shamrock Shuffle Entry Still Possible

As you probably know, registration is closed for the March 21 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle, the big 8K that gets the season rolling in the Windy City. It will be crowded out there with 36,000 registered runners, meaning 29,000 or 30,000 might actually show up. If you aren't signed up and want to be, you can doit via a charity. Here's how, taken from the race newsletter:
Entry into the 2010 Shamrock Shuffle 8K can still be obtained through our official charity program. If you are interested in running for charity . . . you can run on behalf of the American Cancer Society, American Red Cross of Greater Chicago, The Chicago Diabetes Project, Imerman Angels, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – Team In Training, or Team World Vision. These charity programs are building fundraising teams for this year’s race. Each group has a limited number of entries that are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Go to www.shamrockshuffle.com for more information.

Bareinis, Cicero Win Frosty 5M

The Frosty 5 Mile in Channahon was indeed frosty but still drew a field of 303 finishers on Sunday. Arturs Bareinis, 23, of Oak Forest, was the overall champion with a time of 27:36.6. Nathan Kerschner, 31, of Plainfield, was second in 28:27.4, and Charles Wiegand, 31, of La Grange Park, was third in 28:33.0. A familiar name from the past, Maria Cicero, 27, of Elmhurst, was the women's winner in 32:30.2. Tamera Munch, 33, of Joliet, was second woman in 34:16.0, and Stephanie McCollom, 29, of Channahon, was third in 34:28.9. Some of the big names in local running were in this race in an early tuneup for the season ahead.

Borling Second at Austin

Jeremy Borling knew he had his work cut out on Sunday in Austin. The 29-year-old Chicagoan ran an excellent 2:30:23, just off the time he won with last year, and took second place at the Austin Marathon. Victory went to Keith Pierce, 29, of Cedar Park, TX, in 2:20:35. Third was taken by Nichola Roosa, 24, of Orangeburg, NY. On the women's side, the winner was Elle Pishny, 24, of Durham, NC, in 2:53:16. Congrats to Jeremy on a job well-done. Pardon my late posting on this. I was in my alternative universe, participating in the 58K Mora Vasaloppet cross-country ski marathon 90 minutes north of the Twin Cities.

Frosty 5M, a Valentine Delight?

I'll admit I'll be way north in Mora, MN, for the famed 58K Vasaloppet cross-country ski race, but for those of you closer to home and with an ounce of common sense, the 31st Frosty 5-Miler in Channahon awaits you on Sunday. As the race promoters say, "Bring your Valentine and join us for an invigorating winter run at the 31st Annual Frosty 5 Mile. Runners of all ages are invited to brave the cold." Race location is at the Pioneer School, 24920 Sage St., in Channahon. Check-in begins at 11:30 a.m. Race time is 1 p.m. Best of luck to all who make this race!

All Systems Go for Borling at Austin

Chicago's Jeremy Borling won the Austin Marathon last year in a nice 2:30:05. This year, the Texas locals know who he is, and from what Jeremy says, they want to keep the title from heading to Chicago again.
"I've heard there is a group of Austin locals who are determined to not let me win," Borling told me in an e-mail. "That's a good thing. It would be fun to win again, but I just hope there is a group to run with and share some of the work and hopefully run a good time. One of the guys just ran a 1:06 half at the Austin 3M race, so he looks like the class of the field to me."
Borling, who works for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, added that he's as ready as he can be. Look for him to be in the lead pack, maybe in front of it when it counts.

Nancy Rollins Wins National Title

I guess we shouldn't expect anything less from Nancy Rollins of Evanston. She won the women's 60-64 age group on Sunday at the USA Track and Field Half Marathon Masters National Championships in Melbourne Florida. Rollins, 63, won in 1:36:37, easily beating runner-up Catherine Wides, 60, of Durham, NC, who ran 1:38:13. Susie Simms, 60,of Boca Raton, FL, was third in 1:47:29.

Frank Lloyd Wright 10K Added to CARA Circuit

If you read your CARA Newsletter, you already know this. Sadly, as we hinted here earlier, the Westchester Veterun will not be staged this year. It is being replaced on the CARA Runner's Choice Circuit by the Frank Lloyd Wright Run in Oak Park on Oct. 24. That's two weeks after the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, which also is on the Circuit. I personally will miss the Veterun. It was a great event with a great purpose, to honor veterans. Veterun: R.I.P.

Chicago Winner Marathoner of the Year

All-Athletics.com, one heck of a Web site for running and track that is based in Europe, has announced its Marathon Runners of the Year for 2009, among other honors it bestows. They are (male) Samuel Kamau Wanjiru of Kenya and (female) Irina Mikitenko of Germany. Wanjiru won the Bank of America Chicago Marathon last year in 2:05:41. Mikitenko was second woman here with a 2:26:31. And who beat her, you ask? Do you remember Liliya Shobukhova of Russia? I confess I couldn't remember without looking it up. She won in 2:25:56.