Chicago Marathon Passes 30,000

If you don't already know this, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon registration has surpassed 30,000. A cap of 45,000, give or take a few, means this race could fill soon. The 33rd running of the Chicago Marathon is set for Sunday, Oct. 10. To sign up, go to:
http://www.chicagomarathon.com

Valpo Mini Marathon Canceled

According to our good friends at Human Race Sports in Orland Park, IL/Valparaiso, IN, the Valpo Mini Marathon has been canceled for this year, but race organizers say it will be back in 2011. The Mini, a half-marathon in Valparaiso, has been run during April the past five years. At this point, I have no reason for the cancellation. I know one thing. It is very difficult to put on a race of any distance. I know that from personal experience as co-director of the Community Bank of Elmhurst 4 on the 4th (3rd this year). If I get more information on the Valpo Mini, I'll pass it along. Here's the official word:
http://valpominimarathon.com

Great Western Half Sold Out

Speaking of races out of St. Charles, the Great Western Half-Marathon, put on by the Fox River Trail Runners, is sold out. The May 2 race has reached capacity. Boy, do we have a lot of half-marathons around here this year. Meanwhile, nothing is new on the possible full marathon previously posted.

New Fall Marathon?

Good sources tell me there is a possible new marathon planned for Sept. 19 in the Fox River Valley area (far west suburbs). Not to be confused with the Fox Cities Marathon in Wisconsin on the same day, this race would start and finish in St. Charles. I am not 100 percent sure, but it seems as though this race just might happen.

Birkie a Smashing Success

OK runners, you've at least seen cross-country ski racing now because of the Olympic TV coverage, so now maybe you understand what I do and why I do it each winter. Cross-country (also known as Nordic) skiing is a fabulous way to embrace winter. I got into it as an extension of running's endurance aspect way back in the '70s and haven't looked back. The 37th American Birkebeiner was my 30th. That meant I got to wear a coveted gold bib as I traversed the difficult course from Cable to Hayward in northwest Wisconsin. Skiing the Birkie does have some things runners don't have to worry about like proper wax on your skis (glide wax only when you skate), equipment and at least some technique. Other than that, it's a very similar mindset to running a big-time marathon. My race went very well with good pacing, nice glide and better-than-usual climbing on the many hills on this well-known 50K course. Two negatives were a ski pole malfunction that I lived with for eight kilometers until I got a replacement pole at the 33K aid station, and a bad fall at 47K, which resulted in a bruised rib or two. Still, I was smiling at the finish, got interviewed by the local radio station up there and celebrated a lifestyle I chose long ago, which, of course, also includes running. I really do encourage all of you to at least try this sport sometime. It's a blast and has its own circuits of clinics, races etc. The photo is of four locals who finished within four minutes of each other. They are (from left) Rich Scott (a former North Central runner and darned good skier) of Naperville, Chuck Zagozdon of Chicago, a strong cyclist and roller-skier in the offseason, me (golden bib) and David Fyhrie of Wheaton, a great downhill skier as well as XC buff. Obviously, we were happy campers just past the finish line on trucked-in snow in beautiful downtown Hayward. The race was won by an Italian in a record time of 1:56! Wow! Skiers from 19 countries and 47 states participated. It's been called the Boston Marathon of cross-country skiing since the mid-1980s. I wouldn't disagree.

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.