Missouri Runner and Triathlete - April-May 2009

April-May 2009 Volume 8, Number 2$2.95

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2009 SpringShoe Review

Bass Pro SetsStage for MVCChampionships Hitting the

Training PaceSweet Spot

Photo by Victah Sailor/PhotoRun

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Group EditorChristine Johnson

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Founding EditorGina Sokolich

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Managing EditorD. M. Strauss

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Group PublisherLarry Eder, Shooting Star Media, Inc.P.O. Box 67, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538

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Fax: 920.564.7298

AdvertisingShooting Star Media, [email protected]

608.239.3785

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Volume 8 Number 2April-May 2009

4 MISSOURI RUNNER AND TRIATHLETE APRIL/MAY 2009 www.morunandtri.com

TTABLE OF CONTENTS

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CopyeditorMarg Sumner [email protected]

ContributorsLarry Eder, Cregg Weinmann, Mike Arenberg, James Henry,

Brenda Kimberlin, Ben RosarioVictah Sailor/PhotoRun

Mark Coffey/Action Sports Images

Special ProjectsAdam Johnson Eder

[email protected], 608.957.2159

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Missouri Runner and Triathlete is producedand published by Shooting Star Media, Inc.,P.O. Box 67, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538.Publisher assumes no liability for matter print-ed. Publisher assumes no responsibility or lia-bility for content of paid advertising andreserves the right to reject paid advertising.Opinions expressed are those of the authorsand not necessarily those of the Publisher.

Copyright ©2009 by Shooting Star Media, Inc.All Rights Reserved. No part of this publicationmay be reproduced in any form without thewritten permission of the Publisher.www.morunandtri.com

6 Publisher’s NoteBy Larry Eder

6 OOffff tthhee WWiirree......Oldest Road Race in KC Welcomes Missouri Sports Hall of Famer

7 Bass Pro Sets Stage for MVC ChampionshipsBy James Henry

13 2009 Spring Shoe Review

19 Hitting the Training Pace Sweet SpotBy Mike Arenberg

22 BLAZING TRAILSGO! St. Louis Marathon’s Nancy Lieberman Wins ‘Trailblazer Award’By Brenda Kimberlin

28 2009 Missouri High School Track PreviewBy Ben Rosario

30 OOffff tthhee WWiirree......Record Field Turns Out for Endurance Events

30 Sports Medicine Resource Guide

On the Cover: All American track and cross country athlete Emily Sisson.


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Off the Wire…

Oldest Road Race in KC WelcomesMissouri Sports Hall of FamerTop athlete, Mark Curp, joins Hospital Hill Run’s Board of Directors

KANSAS CITY—The oldest road race in Kansas City, Hospital Hill Run, welcomes Mark Curp,member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, to its board of directors. Curp set a half marathon worldrecord of 1:00:55 in Philadelphia in 1985, was ranked #1 American Road Runner by Track & FieldNews, and completed the Indianapolis 25K, 4th in 1:14:45, 40 seconds under the previous worldrecord.

“I’m excited to be affiliated with a race that is striving to keep up with the changing running com-munity by altering the run’s distance, adding premium goody bag items, and prize money in the halfmarathon. In addition, I’m pleased to promote the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. Running,no matter how fast or slow, can be rewarding both physically and mentally,” Curp said.

The Hospital Hill board of directors was established in 2006 to oversee and support the race organ-ization. The board maintains a not-for-profit status, which focuses on efforts that create awareness andgenerates funds to support local charities.

“We are delighted to have Mark Curp join our board of directors,” said Rod Murrow, board pres-ident. “Mark lends an invaluable perspective of an athlete who has competed at the highest level.”

First held in 1974 with a field of 99 runners, the 2008 Hospital Hill Run hosted its largest fieldwhen over 4,200 athletes took to the streets. This year Hospital Hill expects over 5,000 athletes to par-ticipate in this historic event.

The 36th Annual Hospital Hill Run, 10K and UMKC School of Medicine 5K will be held onSaturday, June 6. For more information or to register for this event go to www.hospitalhillrun.com

The 2009 Hospital Hill Run is sponsored by Saint Luke’s Health System, UMKC School ofMedicine, Crown Center, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City, Kaufman Foundation, Shook, Hardy& Bacon LLP, Sports Radio 810, Hot Talk 1510, Saucony, Garry Gribble’s, Garmin and SoftVu. ▲

Stars Shine in the ‘Show Me’ State The “Show Me” State continues to remind the rest of the U.S. that innovation, hard work and cre-

ativity aren’t lacking in Missouri. Consider these exceptional individuals in our wonderful state:Nancy Lieberman—One of the true innovators in our sport, she was presented with the Trailblazer

Award at the Running USA Conference. I’ve been lucky enough to watch Nancy and her team growGO! St. Louis from a dream to one of the top marathon weekends in the country.

Beth Salinger—Hospital Hill Run has a reputation in Kansas City for fun, innovation and surpris-es. Beth, one of the top race directors in the Midwest, continues to challenge the running community,both here and elsewhere, to grow and have fun.

Garry Gribble—With three stores in the greater Kansas City area, Garry is a member of the IRRARunning Hall of Fame. A true character if there ever was one, Garry’s laugh can be heard before he runsby, and his love of the sport is evident in how he treats his customers and staff.

Christian Cantwell—The Silver medalist pulled the medal out in his last throw in Beijing. Talkabout pressure! John Godina, one of the great shot putters of all times, considers our homegrown star tobe one of the best, ever. Watch Christian in Berlin.

Matt Tegenkamp—Placing 4th in Osaka, be sure to keep on your eyes on Matt this summer as heraces toward Berlin 2009 and the IAAF World Championships!

And then, some people just like to live here for awhile. Congrats to Rob Myers, who lived inChesterfield for 2 years and went on to win the U.S. Indoor Championships in the 1500m the firstweekend of March.

Remember, get out, walk, run, throw a shot, train for a triathlon—do something! It’s good for theheart and the soul—and good for Missouri!

Larry EderPublisher, Missouri Runner and TriathletePresident, The Running Network, LLC

PPUBLISHER’S NOTE


APRIL/MAY 2009 MISSOURI RUNNER AND TRIATHLETE 7www.morunandtri.com

By James Henry

Following the lead of individual championJeff Shirmer, the Southern Illinois menclaimed the team title at the Missouri ValleyConference Championship on Nov. 1, 2008.Wichita State earned the women’s title overrunnerup Missouri State, which boasted theindividual champion Pasca Cheruiyot, whoscorched the field by 55 seconds.

While the runners and their accomplish-ments usually get the most attention, thisyear’s MVC Championship hosted byMissouri State University was unique andlooks to be just a glimpse into what the futureholds for cross country in Springfield.

Hoping to draw the NCAA Division ICross Country Championships to Springfield,Missouri State saw the MVC Championshipas an opportunity to show just how capabletheir running community is. With that inmind, Greg Hipp, Missouri State’s head crosscountry coach, set out to form a partnershipbetween Missouri State and the now-2-year-old Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Fitness Festival,whose events were set to take place simultane-ously. That partnership culminated in one ofthe most unusual conference cross countrychampionships ever produced.

“Bass Pro helped us create a championshipexperience really only seen at the biggest run-ning events around the country,” said MSU’sHipp. “We wanted to give the runners and thefans the experience they deserved.”

While Hipp stresses that the most impor-tant part of a championship is about whathappens between the start and finish lines, healso makes the point that when it comes tohosting a great championship, there is more toit than that. “Our goal was to capture theattention of our community and create achampionship atmosphere rarely seen in crosscountry,” said Hipp.

“The atmosphere was really done in a first-class manner,” said MVC senior associate

commissioner Patty Viverito. “Missouri State,and Greg Hipp in particular, had a vision forwhat the MVC championship could become,and it reached far beyond what I could haveimagined.”

Missouri State gave the crowd big-timesound and play-by-play announcing not usu-ally afforded by cross country events. “Thesound system was so good we actually wereasked to turn down the volume!” said a smil-ing Hipp. At “half time” nationally knownjoggler (running while juggling) Chris Essickperformed an exhibition between the racesand award ceremony to keep the fans enter-tained.

However, Hipp contends that the most

important part of building a championshipatmosphere is getting a great crowd. “That iswhere connecting with the communitybecame crucial.” One such way Missouri Stateset out to connect with the people ofSpringfield was with several youth cross coun-try programs. Aside from those programs serv-ing to promote the MVC Championship,Missouri State and its runners hoped theycould do their part to improve their sportsstanding in southwest Missouri, a regionwhere distance running has not always been amainstay in the area’s youth sports culture.

Bass Pro Shops gave Missouri State theplatform and funding to develop a youth crosscountry training program through the areaSchools, Parks and Reaching Communitiesprogram (SPARC). Elementary and middleschools students at 10 schools in theSpringfield area participated in a 6-week crosscountry training program. Missouri Statecross country runners, along with SPARCcoaches, led the aspiring runners through run-ning, strength, and flexibility training. “Of allthat went on with this championship, theyouth programs that started may have beenthe most rewarding,” said Hipp.

Immediately following the MVCChampionship races, hundreds of young run-ners from grades 1 to 8 ran side-by-side withcollege athletes from Missouri State in differ-ent races—1, 2 and 3 kilometers—based ontheir grade levels. Even a 150-meter kidssprint for kindergarten age and younger run-ners was held. Bass Pro Shops provided everyrunner an Under Armour Tech Shirt and a fin-isher’s dog tag to commemorate their achieve-ment.

“After the races, watching the kids ask thecollege runners for autographs and seeingthem take pictures with them showed that allthis sport needs to grow is some good rolemodels that are willing to step up and connect

Bass Pro Sets Stage for MVC Championships

Courtesy Action Sports Images

Courtesy Action Sports Images

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with these kids,” Hipp said.The fun was not limited to the kids, thanks

to 600 volunteers who came together to give3,400 community runners themselves theopportunity to compete in a wide variety ofevents from Oct. 25 to Nov. 2 as part of theBass Pro Shops Outdoor Fitness Festival.Included were 25K and 50K trail races at near-by Dogwood Canyon and four road races atthe Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World rangingfrom 5K up to the marathon.

For Missouri Valley Conference athletesand their families, the competition was not theonly part of Missouri State’s championshipexperience. Just outside the Outdoor FitnessFestival’s running expo, Bass Pro Shops treatedMissouri Valley Conference runners to a pre-championship banquet that included appear-ances by running greats Dick Beardsley, JeffGalloway and Jason Pyrah, a welcome byFrank Shorter and a keynote address by BillRodgers. “The entire weekend felt more spe-cial than usual,” said Missouri State’s JamieVest who earned all-MVC honors at the cham-pionship. “When we have been to other placesit always seemed like just another meet, buthaving Bass Pro and the Springfield commu-nity take part really took the race to the nextlevel.”

After the banquet, the college runners weregiven time to interact with all the distancerunning greats Bass Pro Shops had assembled,which brought back memories for Shorter. “Ireally enjoyed being a part of the banquet,with all those runners there, all at the sameplace, it was truly a special treat, as well as anacknowledgment of where we all started, andthat’s cross country.”

Initial Concerns Led to Great Partnership

Initially, Hipp worried that having two sig-nificant running events scheduled to takeplace at the same time in Springfield wouldmake the conference championship back-pagenews. However, he soon realized this was thechance he had been waiting for to pull togeth-er the community for the championship hehad always envisioned. “It really all startedwith coach Greg Hipp contacting Bass Proand expressing his desire to further the sport inSpringfield and in the region,” says CarolHodson, one of the lead coordinators for theBass Pro Shops F itness Festival.

“Bass Pro has a sincere interest in improv-ing the running culture in this area,” saidHipp. “As we both began planning we foundwe had a common interest and that this wasgoing to be a great opportunity to reallyinvolve the community and to make all theevents even stronger.”

As the event approached more and morepieces fell into place, giving the event higherstanding in the community and even nationalattention. “Bass Pro has had a long relation-ship with distance great Frank Shorter, but aswe got closer to the event more and more ofhis friends kep-t calling wanting to beinvolved,” said Hodson.

How the event developed into the uniqueevent that it did may have been a surprise to afew of the coaches and athletes from aroundthe MVC, but it was no surprise to the MVC’sViverito. “Missouri State has a history of put-ting on top-notch championships and this onewas no different.”

As the event approached, Hipp relished the

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opportunity to put Missouri State and Springfield’s best foot forward.“Anytime one of the coaches here at Missouri State has the opportuni-ty to host an event we truly take pride in it,” Hipp said. “We’re not outto show up other schools, we just believe that if you’re going do some-thing, then you should do it right.”

Just the Beginning for SpringfieldWith the Missouri Valley Conference Championship complete,

Hipp was quick to point out that “we’re not done yet.” Missouri Stateis slated to host the NCAA Division I Midwest Cross CountryRegional in 2009. The regional will bring as many as 33 Midwestschools to Springfield—all of which will be seeking berths to theNCAA Championships. Missouri State will be seeking somethingmore.

Bringing the 2010 NCAA national meet to Springfield is on theminds of many at MSU.

“I have spoken to people at Indiana State and they have told mehow great it is to host the meet, to bring an event of that magnitude toSpringfield would be so, so special,” said Bill Rowe, Missouri State’slong-time athletic director.

Mike Scott, USA Track & Field’s executive cross country councilchair, said he’s familiar with Springfield and is excited about MissouriState’s potential. “The NCAA has found that championships tend toget lost in major cities. This wouldn’t be case in Springfield. The city isa lot like Terre Haute (the current NCAA national site) in that theywould roll out the red carpet for an event like this,” Scott said.

The open arms treatment by Springfield to MSU’s conferencechampionship vision is likely proof that the community is ready tojump on board. “Springfield is a great area for major championships,we’re a family-oriented community and really buy into events that ourcommunity players host,” said Bass Pro’s Hodson.

“Without exception, the MVC schools take exceptional pride in

hosting events,” Viverito said. “That being said, Missouri State andSpringfield have something extra to offer.” That something extra mayhave the most to do with what other recent NCAA championship sitescannot control. With a population of nearly 200,000 and a metro areaof over 400,000, Springfield would be the largest city to host an NCAADivision I Cross Country Championship since Tucson in 1991.

“Springfield is the perfect size city for an event like the NCAAChampionship,” said Hipp. “We’re big enough to support the event ata high level but not so big that no one would fail to notice what wasgoing on.” Hipp goes on to say “With our population and central loca-tion, we could see some huge crowds at an NCAA championship inSpringfield.”

Continued on page 12

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John Citron, Springfield’s sports commissioner, is a former trackcoach and hurdler at Florida State University and is confident in thecity’s ability to handle the travel demands of the NCAA’s teams andfans. “In Springfield we have close to 6,000 hotel rooms. We feel veryconfident we could accommodate an event as large as nationals. It’salso nice to have an airport 15 minutes away from the course.” Citronalso expressed his excitement, saying, “Anytime we can associate withMSU and the NCAA, we are always excited and we’ll be looking for-ward to the next opportunity.”

With the most recent NCAA cross country sites being in smallercities such as Terre Haute, IN (Indiana State), Cedar Falls, IA(Northern Iowa), Bloomington, IN (Indiana) and Lawrence, KS(Kansas), Springfield would be the first NCAA host city with a capa-ble airport since Greenville, SC (Furman University). In fact,Greenville, which hosted last in 2001, has been the only host city withan airport that participating teams could fly into in the last 10 yearsof NCAA cross country championships.

The CourseWhat may be holding back other capable cities like Springfield

from going after the NCAA cross country championships, is the needfor an adequate course. Specific requirements are in place for thecourses at host sites bidding for the NCAA championship. At theMissouri State University cross country facility, the starting line canaccommodate up to 40 teams, has a 610-meter straight before the firstturn, is 100% rolled grass, is at least 15 meters wide throughout andhas a final straightaway of 300 meters before the finish. All these char-acteristics meet, and in some cases exceed, the NCAA standards.

“I like a European-style course with loops, and Missouri State givesthat to us,” said Rodgers, the 1976 Bronze medalist at the IAAFWorld Cross Country Championship. “It really makes for a fair raceto all styles of runners. You got your flats and you’ve got your hills, ittakes strategy.”

With the ambition of hosting major meets—and possibly anational championship one day—Hipp kept these requirements inmind as he selected the land to design his course.

Four years ago while at a July 4th festival—on land otherwiseknown as the Springfield Underground because it’s on the surface ofa 2-million-square-foot underground industrial development—Hippfirst realized the potential. “Walking around at the festival, I immedi-ately thought to myself that this land was made for cross country.”Fortunately the Greismeyer family, owner of the SpringfieldUnderground, was supportive of Hipp’s plans and soon developmenton Missouri State’s new course was underway.

Hipp didn’t go at the task of designing the course on his own.With the help of several coaches and alumni, Hipp sought out theadvice of friend Mike Scott, whom Hipp says, between NCAA, USAand world championships has as much experience as anyone pickingout a championship course.

On his initial review of the course, USATF’s Scott felt confident inthe land. “As far as the plot of land is concerned, it is very similar tothat of Terre Haute,” said Scott. “Speaking of the course, it lends itselfvery well to a championship-style event.” In designing the course,Hipp and Scott took into account the NCAA course requirementsand how to accomplish different racing distances, as well as spectatorsite lines and viewing areas.

“That’s one of the nice things about the Missouri State course—you can literally stand in one spot and see 80% of the race,” said Scott.

Rodgers agreed, saying, “The course is a beautiful piece of land. It’sso spectator friendly. The course really gives the sport back to the fan.”

Hipp and Scott also spoke of the logistics of everything from“starting lines to airlines.” Thinking well into the future, the two alsodiscussed the details of where to put a video display and ensured thecourse’s design could accommodate the demands of a TV crew.

“Indiana State has changed how cross country meets are held,” saidHipp. “Our goal all along has been to learn from all the things theydo well. If we do that, and then throw in a city like Springfield, wethink we’re offering a great product.”

Some Critical of MSUFor all the positive energy that’s going toward Missouri State’s

efforts to host an NCAA championship, there have been some criticswho say Springfield should not get to host. Missouri State Universitydoesn’t have a men’s cross country or track & field program. Due tofinancial and Title IX concerns, MSU’s administration cut their men’sprogram after the spring of 2006.

Bill Rowe, Missouri State’s long-time athletic director, admits, “Iunderstand how the move can be perceived.” However, he went on tosay, “It’s my hope that we’re not judged based on that decision,” onehe calls the toughest he’s had to make in 47 years at MSU.

The program cuts have led to some in the online community toquestion Missouri State’s commitment to the sport, but Hipp con-tends hosting the event is a way for MSU to better the sport.“Through the entire process I’ve only gotten positive feedback fromthe NCAA,” Hipp said. “Having the NCAA Championship inSpringfield will give us the platform to improve the sport at our uni-versity and in our community.”

Bringing the NCAA meet to Springfield, Rowe said, isn’t related totheir former men’s program; however, Rowe does see potential benefitfor the lost program as a result.

“If the meet brings [cross country] heightened attention andbrings in some benevolent resources to support the program we willcertainly take a look at that situation,” Rowe said.

Despite the one noticeable shortfall Missouri State seems to havethe support of many.

Scott says he has all the confidence in the world in Hipp and isintrigued at the potential in Springfield. “Greg, despite his youth, isvery experienced at hosting big-time events. He has been involved inrunning and planning major meets since the day I met him,” saidScott.

The idea of changing venues is shared by Louie Quintana, ArizonaState University’s cross country coach and the West region coaches’representative to the United States Track & Field and Cross CountryCoaches Association. “I really enjoy what Indiana State does, but if aschool can bring together a similar setting I think all the athletesinvolved would be open to a change,” Quintana said. “As a formerNCAA athlete myself I loved when nationals was at different venues.”

If the NCAA is willing to make a change, NCAA athletes andcoaches will not have to wait much longer to find out. The NCAAtrack & field committee, which determines championship sites forcross country, is expected to determine Missouri State’s fate at its 2009summer meetings. Until then Hipp say’s he and his staff will keepworking. “If the NCAA wants to make a change we will be ready andwaiting in 2010.”

If Missouri State gets the call it looks like they will not be in italone in their preparation. “Bass Pro was truly honored to be a part ofthe MVC championship and we hope to work with Missouri Stateagain,” Hodson said.

Scott says he is confident in Springfield’s potential. “Terre Hautehas done very well and Springfield has the same pieces that makeIndiana great. Can Springfield do better? I think it will be interestingto find out.” ▲

For more information on the Bass Pro Fitness festival or the 2009NCAA Midwest cross country regional hosted by Missouri State, you cango to www.basspro.com/fitness and www.missouristate09.com, respec-tively.


SHOE REVIEWS:

Neutral iii

Motion ivStabilizing

Performance vi

Two trends are in the forefront this season: gender and money. A fewseasons back, some brands attempted to market to men and womenseparately—even with different names for the same shoes—with less-than-successful results. This season, the shoes carry the same namesand attempt to provide the same kind of running experience for runnersof each gender. More than one-third of the shoes in our Review havebeen modified to account for differences between male and female run-ners. Men generally weigh more than women and have more musclemass, which means they can more easily flex running shoes. They alsoland a little harder than women do. Designers adjusted their shoes toaccommodate these very real differences. For men, the landing area isa bit larger and firmer, while the women’s models are, in comparison,softer and more flexible.

The second trend has been a noticeable jump in prices. This may havebeen some time in coming, as the world economy is shifting. Workerseverywhere expect higher wages, the costs of resources and transporta-tion have increased, and the bottom line is the bottom line—runningshoes are not what they used to be. While they’re not rocket science,running shoes are technical, and technology, research, and deliveryhave very real costs associated with them.

Both trends coincide with the continued push to make running shoesbetter able to handle the idiosyncrasies of the human foot and, byextension, make your daily run more beneficial.

Shoe Review2009 SPRING




Welcome to the Running Network’s2009 Spring Shoe Review!

If you’ve been a longtime reader of our Reviews, you may notice that the review is nowpart of each Running Network magazine partner’s regular pages. We have done that,quite frankly, in response to the challenging economic times. Our focus is the weartest-ing and review of running footwear and providing that information to you, the runningconsumer, in a timely fashion. We publish two large reviews a year (in the spring andfall), and additional shoe features in the May, July, September, and November issues. Inaddition, we are excited to provide you with an expanded version of this Review—withreviews on an additional 10 shoes— online at www.runningnetwork.com in April 2009.

Please remember that our reviews are only the starting point on your personal journeyto find the best running shoe for you. We urge you to visit your local running store formore help. If you don’t know where to find one, visit our website and we’ll help youlocate your local running store.

Happy (and Healthy) Running and Walking!

Larry EderPresident, Running Network LLC

American Track & Fieldwww.american-trackandfield.com

Athletes Onlywww.atf-athlete.com

Athletics (Canada)www.otfa.ca

Austin Runnerwww.austinrunner.com

California Track & RunningNewswww.caltrack.com

Club Runningwww.rrca.org/clubrunning

Coaching Athletics Quarterly www.coachingathleticsq.com

Colorado Runnerwww.coloradorunnermag.com

Get Active!www.getactivemagazine.com

Greater Long Island RunningClub’s Footnoteswww.glirc.org

Latinos Corriendowww.latinoscorriendo.com

Michigan Runnerwww.michiganrunner.net

Missouri Runner & Triathletewww.morunandtri.com

New York Runnerwww.nyrrc.org

Running Journal & RacingSouthwww.running.net

RunMinnesotawww.runmdra.org

RunOhiowww.runohio.com

Track & Field Newswww.trackandfieldnews.com

USATF’s Fast Forwardwww.usatf.org

USATF/New England’sExchange Zonewww.usatfne.org

The Winged Footwww.nyac.org

The Winged Mwww.themac.com

Youth Runnerwww.youthrunner.com

Reviewer: Cregg Weinmann ProjectCoordinator/Editor: Christine JohnsonDesigner: Kristen Cerer Proofreader:Marg Sumner, Red Ink Editorial ServicesShoe Photography: Daniel Saldaña,Cregg Weinmann Advertising Sales:Running Network LLC, Larry Eder, President,920.563.5551, ext. 112, [email protected]: Larry Eder, 608.239.3785 Website: www.runningnetwork.com For a Media Kit, please visit our website.

This 2009 Spring Shoe Review is produced inde-pendently by Running Network LLC for its partnerpublications. All shoes reviewed were tested byexperienced, competitive runners who werematched to the biomechanical purpose of eachshoe model.

Copyright © 2009 by Running Network LLC. AllRights Reserved. No part of this publication maybe stored, copied, or reprinted without prior writtenpermission of Running Network LLC.

Running Network LLC and its partner publicationssuggest that, as with all fitness activities, you meetwith a healthcare professional before beginning orchanging your fitness regimen.

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adidas Supernova Glide—$100The Supernova Glide is as good as the best neutral shoes in the adidas line. The name is new (it was previously the SupernovaCushion), but the other changes seem cosmetic until closer inspection. The changes, though slight, do improve the shoe. Theupper features better breathability and reduced weight, thanks to a change in the mesh that doesn’t sacrifice comfort. The GeoFitmemory foam ankle collar still provides a cozy fit around the ankle. The midsole sports slight changes to the molding andretains the ForMotion cassette, so the ride is still the same. Subtle changes in the outersole’s appearance improve its flexibil-ity, and adidas has kept the carbon heel-and-blown rubber combination that has worked well for the Supernova series. If theadidas fit and the neutral Supernova shoes have been your cup of tea, drink up.

“Fits great, very comfortable, and wraps around the foot nicely. They felt light weight and felt great while running. The cush-ioning was very noticeable—almost bouncy, but protective. The shoes are very comfortable, but I think a little overpriced.”

Sizes: Men 6.5–13 (whole & half sizes), 14–20 (whole sizes only); Women 5–12 • Weight: Men 12.6 oz. (size 11); Women 10.2 oz. (size 8)• Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, adiPRENE+ Strobel board (heel) • For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutralbiomechanics to very mild overpronation

Diadora Mythos 280 GB—$100The Mythos series displays the best Diadora Running offers, and the 280 GB is a nod to Olympic Marathon champion GelindoBordin, longtime brand icon and one of its key developers. The Mythos 280 improves the ride by adjusting its Axeler technol-ogy. The threadlike titanium wire is unchanged, but Axeler WI5 adds angled thermoplastic elements to absorb shock by flex-ing and then springing back to shape, providing an energetic toe-off. The upper is open airmesh with synthetic leather over-lays to support the foot, and accommodate a range of foot shapes. Reliable Elaston foam means that the midsole is well cush-ioned and durable. The shank is vented, providing support and breathability.The outersole is Duratech 5000 and Flexoft (car-bon rubber heel, blown rubber forefoot) because it works. New cushioning technology, fine-tuned fit, cushioned ride, and flex-ibility have earned the the Mythos 280 GB our Best Renovation award.

“The fit allows good heel fit and support with a good amount of toe room. I was impressed with the cushioning and fore-foot flexibility, though they were heavier than other Diadora shoes I have tried.”

Sizes: Men 6–13.5; Women 5.5–10 • Weight: Men 13.8 oz. (size 11); Women 11.1 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction:Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board • For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics

New Balance 1063—$125The 1063 stays true to the mission of its predecessors: providing great cushioning for low-arched, neutral feet. The upper hasbeen upgraded for a bit more support, with a full rand, redesigned and repositioned overlays in the saddle and the toe, and alittle softer mesh to go with the same smooth interior. The midsole sports a new configuration of DTS (Dynamic TransitionSystem): a crash pad that improves the lateral release on touchdown and better smooths the foot’s transition through the foot-strike. The forefoot cushioning has been enhanced with a little more Abzorb SBS, but, almost magically, the weight has beenreduced (by almost 3% in the men’s shoe), which means less work for runners, and a little faster time on the watch.

“The shoes felt supportive and fit quite well. Excellent cushion, especially for long training runs. The support and cush-ion were better than expected, and this is a good step forward for NB.”

Sizes: Men 7–13,14,15 (B,D,2E,4E); Women 7–11,12 (B,D) • Weight: Men 13.2 oz. (size 11); Women 11.0 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved• Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, Abzorb Strobel board • For: low- to medium-arched feet with neutral biomechanics

Reebok Premier Ultra KFS VI—$120If there were an award for best aesthetic improvement, the Premier Ultra KFS VI would certainly be in the running. Reebok hasraised the bar to a new height, gaining ground in both fit and performance. The upper has received improvements to fit, sup-port, and comfort. The KFS inserts have been repositioned nearer the instep, which opens the stretch mesh across themetatarsals, and the overlays have been enhanced from the midfoot to the heel to better secure the shoe to the foot. The mid-sole is still responsive, but a little better cushioned than version 5, thanks to minor tweaks to the DMX Shear and the shank.The outersole features new flex grooves for better flexibility, and a noticeably more energetic toe-off. Runners looking for highmileage performance will do well to slip their neutral mid-arched feet into the Premier Ultra KFS VI.

“Good fit, snug on the heel, and comfy toe box. Bit of a lift (roll up) at the tip of the toe box, which fosters a natural toepush-off. Definitely durable. After 100+ miles, no noticeable wear and tear—shoes still feel like new.”

Sizes: Men 6.5–13,14; Women 5–12 • Weight: Men 14.0 oz. (size 11); Women 11.2 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction:Strobel slip-lasted, DMX Foam Strobel board • For: medium to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics

Saucony Triumph 6—$125 The Triumph epitomizes the Saucony commitment to producing quality running shoes. The sixth edition, like other updatedshoes in this review, requires close inspection to see the changes. The upper is much the same, but the tongue is better padded(though a good deal thinner), and the overlays have been trimmed back or repositioned to provide more open space across themetatarsal area, making the shoe bunion-friendly. The midsole appears largely untouched, though the shank reveals a bit moreof the thermoplastic than the Triumph 5 did. The ride is responsive, with cushioning befitting the Triumph legacy. As with manyof the shoes in this review, the Triumph 6 will cost a little more, but it’s worth it. The overall feel, craftsmanship, and ride wereresponsible for the Triumph 6 earning our Best Neutral Shoe award.

“The shoe felt light as I ran, probably from the comfortable fit through the arch. I liked the supportive stable feeling, andthe good measure of cushioning. There are tiny differences [but] the shoe is very close to the last few versions I have used.”

Sizes: Men 7–13,14; Women 5–12 • Weight: Men 12.7 oz. (size 11); Women 10.4 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction:Strobel slip-lasted, HRC Strobel board • For: low- to medium–high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics

BEST SHOENeutral

S P R I N G 2 0 0 9

BEST RENOVATIONSPRING 2009

NEUTRAL



NEUTRAL/MOTION STABILIZING

Under Armour UA Apparition—$110 Under Armour is new to running footwear, but its development team is not. The UA Apparition, flying a bit under the radar, isactually the best shoe in its new line. The upper utilizes FootSleeve technology, which is similar to the gusseted tongue con-struction or monosock used in other running shoes. Like all such construction, whether it fits you is largely dependent on theshape and volume of your foot, so it really requires a try-on to tell if it works. The midsole is a combination of EVA and rub-bery inserts—ArmourBound, ArmourLastic, and Cartilage—which make for quite a comfortable ride. The flat sole, which keepsthe foot in contact with the ground during transition, and good flexibility permit the foot to move naturally. The carbon rubberoutersole is unremarkable, except in its durability and good traction.

“This shoe fit very well. The more that I wore the shoe, the better it fit, but it had a lengthy break-in period. The cushionfelt about right; it felt stiff at first, but broke in with running. Fairly comfortable shoe, I was pleased with its overall feeling.”

Sizes: Men 8–13,14,15; Women 6–11,12 • Weight: Men 13.9 oz. (size 11); Women 11.6 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction:Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board • For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics

adidas adiStar Salvation—$140A new name for the old adiStar Control isn’t all that’s new about this shoe. The last (new about a year ago) has been dialed into maximize the fit for as many runners as possible—a little to either side of a medium arch. The strength of the Salvation isthat it fits well and has outstanding cushioning and stability. The upper switches to EVA in the tongue for better protection, adifferent open mesh, and repositioned overlays that reduce the weight. The midsole features a minor extension of the Pro-Moderator support and a full-length adiPrene Strobel board for seamless cushioning. Small reductions here and there add upto almost half an ounce shaved off the weight of the shoe. The cushy ride and reliable stability earned the adiStar Salvation ourBest Motion Stabilizing Shoe award.

“It fits very well. I feel that it gives very good arch support and toes have enough room. Very good cushion—almost likeslippers underfoot. Foot felt stable and secure with no rolling. Pleased with the overall capabilities of the shoe.”

Sizes: Men 6.5–13,14,15; Women 5–12 • Weight: Men 13.3 oz. (size 11); Women 10.8 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction:Strobel slip-lasted, adiPRENE+ Strobel board (heel) • For: medium- to high-arched feet with moderate overpronation

ASICS GEL–1140—$85The GEL-1140 has a lengthy heritage in the ASICS line. Runners looking for effective stability on a budget have always respond-ed to this model. The 1100 series has been the beneficiary of a generous trickle-down of ASICS’ experience and technology.The upper is little changed from the 1130, even using what appears to be the same mesh, with the expected minor tweaks tothe overlays. The tailoring has been adjusted for a better heel fit and more room in the toebox. The midsole is time-provenSpEVA (ASICS’ preferred foam prior to its introduction of Solyte), and this configuration gives the 1140 a stable, well-cush-ioned ride. The outersole is classic ASICS fare: AHAR (carbon rubber) heel with a blown rubber forefoot. The combination ofthe fit, stability, ride, and—most of all—price earned the GEL-1140 our Best Value award.

“From the first time I tried the shoes on they fit my foot perfectly. I felt like my foot was supported and cushioned. It's likerunning on a gel pack. It seems to help my pushoff. My foot feels well balanced and secure in the shoes while I’m running.”

Sizes: Men 6–13,14,15,16,17 (D), 7–13,14,15,16,17 (2E,4E); Women 5–12 (B,D) • Weight: Men 12.8 oz. (size 11); Women 10.5 oz. (size 8)• Shape: semi-curved • Construction: slip-lasted • For: low- to medium–high-arched feet with mild to moderate overpronation

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 9—$105Over time, the Adrenaline series has been very consistent; the overall visual impression is one of gradual change. But it alsoretains the familiar, and that’s a strength of the Adrenaline—it fits and works for its audience. The Adrenaline GTS 9 is “one ofthe boys,” but with a few tricks up its sleeve. The upper is the same Element mesh, with slightly larger holes to better handlemoisture from the foot. The midsole, added this season, is BioMogo, which does a great job of cushioning and, when you’redone with the shoe, it doesn’t last forever in a landfill. The ride is very stable with enough cushioning to keep runners comingback. The HPR carbon heel and blown rubber forefoot are effective and familiar—a known commodity. Runners who swear bythe shoe will be pleased, and those looking for stability, fit, and cushioning, have another option to try.

“These shoes fit very well. I didn’t have any break-in period, right out of the box [they] fit. I like that. There were severalpluses in these shoes: they were comfortable, durable, and stable. A good training shoe, not too heavy, not too light.”

Sizes: Men 7–13,14,15; Women 5–12,13 • Weight: Men 12.5 oz. (size 11); Women 10.5 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction:combination Strobel lasted, Texon board (heel), S257 Strobel board (forefoot) • For: medium- to high-arched feet with moderate overpronation

Etonic Jepara 3 SC—$110The strength of the original Jepara was its combination of cushioning and effective stability. The Jepara 3 has outdistanced theearlier versions by tackling their weakness: weight. The upper is a uniform open mesh, with stretch mesh and HF-welds acrossthe metatarsal region to provide a forgiving, yet supportive fit, and a much plusher feel. The midsole features redesigned flexgrooves for better forefoot flexibility, an adjusted second density of foam for better stability, TPR inserts only in key impactareas, and a redesigned shank—all of which save weight while providing better stability and support. The effectiveness of thepolyurethane innersole and EVA Strobel board combine to enhance the ride, just as they have in other Etonic shoes. The totalweight saving is almost 1.4 ounces, testament to the role judicious use of materials plays in a quality running shoe.

“On the first few runs, I thought [it] was relatively stiff, but after a little break-in [it] fits well and is comfortable. The footfeels slightly controlled, but it does produce a comfortable footstrike. Compares well with the major brands I have tried.”

Sizes: Men 8–14; Women 6–12 • Weight: Men 13.4 oz. (size 11); Women 11.0 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobelslip-lasted, EVA Strobel board • For: medium- to high-arched feet with moderate overpronation

BEST SHOEMotion

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Karhu Strong Fulcrum Ride—$140

Karhu’s shoes over the past few seasons were appreciated for their low profile and responsive feeling. The Strong Fulcrum Ridefeatures Karhu’s Fulcrum technology (think “mini teeter-totter”) to improve responsiveness by pivoting the foot forward aftertouchdown. Shortening the time on the heel also reduces overpronation. The upper is a well-supported airmesh, but with fewoverlays and a bunion-friendly open forefoot. The interior is plush and accommodating. The multi-part midsole features aneffective heel crash pad and a stable configuration of the Fulcrum element with a flexible forefoot. The polyurethane memoryfoam innersole adds an extra measure of comfort. The durable, full-length carbon rubber outersole provided excellent traction.

“Great, low-profile fit, one of the most comfortable pair of shoes I’ve ever put on. The cushion is very comfortable, butstill bouncy. Strong lateral control, great on the ankles. Have really enjoyed these shoes on runs of 10 miles or shorter.”

Sizes: Men 8–13,14; Women 6–11 • Weight: Men 12.6 oz. (size 11); Women 10.5 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction:Strobel slip-lasted • For: medium- to high-arched feet with mild to moderate overpronation

K-Swiss Run One miSOUL Tech—$125

K-Swiss demonstrates its commitment to running with its new miSOUL (Modular Interchangeable Sole Technology), a midsolestructure designed to accommodate different snap-in innersoles. The Run One comes with two options: a Cushion innersolewith resilient rubbery inserts and a Light configuration. By changing them depending on your workout, they don’t get com-pressed as quickly as the traditional innersole. (You can also purchase replacements.) The combination-lasted design adds sta-bility, along with the dual density midsole and shank supports of the miSOUL components. The upper is open airmesh withcooling perforations through the toecap and the perimeter of the heel, and rubbery thermoplastic overlays give a snug but for-giving midfoot fit. The outersole is traditional carbon rubber in the heel, blown rubber in the forefoot. The combination of thefamiliar and the innovative earned the K-Swiss Run One our Best New Shoe award.

“Quite comfortable, nestles my foot nicely, no signs of blistering or hot spots. I preferred the feel of the Light insole, itenveloped my heel much more snugly. I liked this shoe and the idea of two insoles.”

Sizes: Men 7–13,14 (D); Women 6–11,12 (D) • Weight: Men 13.2 oz./14.0 oz. (size 11, with each insole); Women 11.1 oz./11.9 oz. (size 8,with each insole) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel combination lasted, Superfoam (forefoot) and thermoplastic (heel) Strobelboard • For: medium- to high-arched feet with mild to moderate overpronation

Nike Zoom Structure Triax+ 12—$100

Gender specificity, championed by the Structure Triax+ in the Nike line, is evident in this version, which is precisely tuned for menand women. This version features the unchanged midsole chassis that worked well for the Structure Triax 11: Phylon, an articu-lated second density with TPU, and a decoupled crash pad that curbs overpronation while allowing the foot to effectively transi-tion. As a shoe that’s largely on target, the upper features only minor changes. The mesh has a better feel to it (smaller holes feelless coarse) and the overlays have been replaced with HF-welds wherever possible to reduce seams. The outersole is almost thesame, with a slightly thicker Duralon layer in the forefoot providing extra protection. Devotees will find the Structure Triax+ 12 totheir liking, and runners looking for a stable, supportive shoe with a roomy forefoot would be advised to give it consideration.

“The first few miles had a soft footfall and I wondered how many miles the cushion will hold up—it hasn’t quit yet. Theshoes performed well, and overall I think they are as solid as the other shoes I’ve tried in the category.”

Sizes: Men 6–13,14,15 (D,wide,narrow,4E); Women 5–12 (B,wide,narrow,4E widths) • Weight: Men 13.3 oz. (size 11); Women 11.4 oz. (size 8)• Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board • For: medium- to high-arched feet with moderate overpronation

Pearl Izumi SyncroPace III—$115

The evolution of Pearl Izumi’s SyncroFrame shoes has taken a stable technology and adapted the ride to increase the comfort,finally dialing in the combination of stability and cushion. The ride has been softened with a combination of Skydex and foam.The major change is in the outersole, which has been segmented into pods to improve transition and flexibility. The cushionedfeel up front is achieved by a new Skydex bag in the forefoot (effectively used in last season’s award-winning Streak), combinedwith a better midsole foam. The strength of the SyncroPace continues to be the stability of the SyncroFrame. A dual densityinnersole feels soft on top, but has a supportive, dense layer underfoot. The seamless upper offers a snug fit with a plush inte-rior, a fan favorite. Several testers have a newfound respect for the shoes, which is testament to sound design.

“I love the fit of these shoes! They are comfortable the moment you put them on. The cushioning is the first thing younotice. They ride a little firmer than they feel, but I didn’t develop any problems/injuries elsewhere in my leg, hips, etc. I

was impressed with it as an excellent, light shoe with a surprisingly long-term cushioning feel.”

Sizes: Men 7–13,14; Women 5–11,12 • Weight: Men 14.2 oz. (size 11); Women 11.9 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction:Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board • For: medium- to high-arched feet with moderate overpronation

Under Armour UA Revenant—$120

After several years of development, Under Armour rolls out its running shoe line. The experienced development team guaran-teed that every detail of the technology and function of the shoes was attended to. The upper is open airmesh with a close-fit-ting, gusseted tongue that Under Armour calls “FootSleeve,” tying its shoes to its compression apparel. The midsole employsArmourGuide, a cradle that offers stability and support. A rubbery material called Cartilage is designed to improve the cush-ioning between the cradle and the EVA. The EVA formulations in heel and forefoot—Armourlastic and ArmourBound—con-tribute to the responsive ride. The articulated heel curbs overpronation by lateral release, stabilizing and smoothing the transi-tion. Relying only on the strength of its own technologies, Under Armour has done a very good job right out of the gate.

“Good fit, no blisters, lots of toe room. The tongue could be a bit longer; it just kind of hits into the top of my ankle. I likethe bouncy feel, not too squishy. Great stability, my foot was nice and straight, staying right on top of the shoe.”

Sizes: Men 8–13,14,15; Women 6–11,12 • Weight: Men 13.8 oz. (size 11); Women 11.2 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction:Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board • For: medium- to high-arched feet with moderate overpronation

MOTION STABILIZING

BEST NEW SHOESPRING 2009



ASICS GEL-DS Trainer 14—$110 ASICS has refined the three key areas of the GEL-DS Trainer: upper, midsole, and outersole. The upper is still open mesh withBiomorphic Fit inserts, but by adjusting the asymmetrical lacing to restore the familiar sizing and support, the upper fits bet-ter. The overlays sport new tailoring that gives a better fit through the heel and midfoot. The midsole features a shorter medialsecond density, which may be partly responsible for the slightly softer feel. ASICS reports that the midsole is a millimeter thin-ner and the outersole is 2 millimeters thicker, making the forefoot a little more responsive. That extra millimeter has been addedto the blown rubber in the forefoot, improving the ride and helping to cradle an insert of high-traction rubber called Wet-Gripthat has been added to the forefoot. Fans of the shoe will like the adjustments—it’s still stable, responsive, and light.

“I really like the snugness of these shoes; they fit around my feet very well. Great feel, lighter than average, good cush-ioning. The flexy region [Biomorphic Fit inserts] of the uppers is fabulous.”

Sizes: Men 6–13,14,15; Women 5–12 • Weight: Men 11.4 oz. (size 11); Women 9.1 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction:slip-lasted • For: low- to medium–high-arched feet with mild to moderate overpronation, for faster-paced runs

Mizuno Waverider 12—$100 The Waverider alternates between being a performance shoe and a midweight training shoe. Version 12 has slimmed down toa Performance weight (under 340 grams). A quick glance at the upper reveals a more open mesh, with overlays that are a bitmore substantial and supportive. Trying them on reveals a snugger fit and a softer step-in feel, thanks to the addition of theOrtholite innersole. The midsole is noticeably thinner. The ride is more responsive, which is good for lighter runners and short-er runs, but on longer runs, testers noted that it seemed a bit less cushioned than earlier Waveriders. In a development new toMizuno, the shoes have been designed for gender differences, with the women’s version featuring more flex grooves to accom-modate less body mass to flex the shoe, while the men’s version has a broader flare in the sole for a better landing area.

“I like the lower cut on the back, many shoes are too high on the Achilles tendon. Need more support and cushioning,though they did fine for mid-length runs. Light compared to what I normally run in—hardly know I’m wearing them.”

Sizes: Men 7–13,14,15,16 (D,2E); Women 6–12 (AA,B) • Weight: Men 11.9 oz. (size 11); Women 9.4 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved •Construction: Strobel slip-lasted • For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics, for mid-mileage runs

Nike Zoom Start+—$88 The Start was conceived as a shoe for those who want to begin running. No matter what level you are, all runners need goodshoes and the Start is a good shoe. The aim was to begin with the Vomaro and create a little sibling. The upper is airmesh infront and closed mesh from the midfoot to the heel. Then Nike minimized the overlays and threw on some Flywire for “tech”appeal. The midsole is Cushlon (thinned a bit to reduce price and weight, and improve flexibility), with a Zoom bag in the heel,and gender-specific design reflected in varied flex grooves and crash pads. The outersole is the Waffle design of the Bowermanshoes, Nike’s best multi-surface traction. The ride is well cushioned and responsive, which is the hallmark of the Cushlon foam.The price tag is perhaps the best surprise—the value here is outstanding.

“I liked the way these shoes feel from the first time they went on my feet. The cushioning and flexibility in the forefootmake them very comfortable to run in. Overall, I am very impressed with this shoe. Comfortable, light, and stable.”

Sizes: Men 6–13,14,15; Women 5–12 • Weight: Men 11.8 oz. (size 11); Women 10.0 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction:Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board • For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics

Puma Complete Concinnity III—$95 With its unique look, the original Concinnity charted a new design direction for Puma. The Concinnity III makes a few well-considered changes. The upper is an open airmesh with a well-finished interior. A traditional lacing system replaces the asym-metrical lacing of the I and II, giving this version a secure, but roomy fit. A deeper throat and a reshaped toe also help. Themidsole is reconfigured with a smaller second density, a slightly more flexible forefoot, and a lower profile feel. While the cush-ioning is good for a lightweight runner, some of our testers found that it was not substantial enough for longer runs or heavierrunners. The outersole features EverTrack carbon rubber throughout, with blown rubber in the lateral forefoot for durable cush-ioning. Overall, the improvements succeed in providing a solid stability alternative in the Performance category.

“I really liked the snug fit. The comfort and bounce were great for short fast runs, but would not recommend them for any-thing long.”

Sizes: Men 6–13,14,15,16; Women 5.5–11.5 • Weight: Men 11.9 oz. (size 11); Women 9.5 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved •Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, full-length EVA Strobel board • For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to very mildoverpronation, for faster-paced runs

Zoot Ultra TT 2.0—$135 Zoot’s Ultra footwear line is geared to triathletes. The 2.0 offers better cushioning while shaving weight from a very light shoe.The upper has more open mesh, an exposed neoprene insert for a snug-but-forgiving fit, and a DryLex moisture-wicking lin-ing combined with antimicrobial silver nanotechnology. The midsole offers a more generous layer of Z-BOUND, and an extend-ed shank for better stability. Thermoplastic overlays and large holes in the tongue and heel improve the grip and help you getthe shoe on fast. The outersole has been upgraded to a tougher carbon rubber in the high-wear areas and combined with blownrubber and TPU to lighten it and improve the ride. All these features meet the needs of triathletes, while providing all runnerswith low profile, efficient performance. The upgraded materials, design, and performance earned the Ultra TT 2.0 our BestPerformance Shoe award.

“Fit like a second skin, very minimal. Great light weight. I like it when shoe companies understand that a shoe doesn’thave to be beefy to be good at what it does.”

Sizes: Men 8–12,13,14; Women 6–10,11 • Weight: Men 9.9 oz. (size 11); Women 7.7 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction:Strobel slip-lasted • For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics, for faster-paced runs

BEST SHOE

S P RI N G 2 0 0 9

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PERFORMANCE

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CCOFFEE WITH THE COACH

Hitting the Training Pace Sweet SpotBy Mike Arenberg

Not so long ago VO2 was the physiological measure that wasconsidered the best indicator of running performance. If you readenough training articles, you’ve seen the term VO2 about a thousandtimes. VO2 is simply a measurement of your body’s ability to deliv-er and use oxygen. VO2 max then is the maximum amount of oxy-gen your body can process in the production of energy. Factors thatinfluence this are your cardiovascular and muscle capacity. VO2 maxis quantified in milliliters O2/kilogram body weight/minute, orml/kg/min.

For runners without a personal exercise physiologist and human-performance lab readily available, this number is not very helpful.However, just knowing your running pace when working at VO2

max, can help you to structure a training program to make the bestprogress in speed and endurance with the least danger of over-train-ing. This pace is known as vVO2, the running velocity that you pro-duce when you are at your VO2 max. It has come to be regarded asnot only the best indicator of your racing fitness, but also one of themost accurate ways to determine ideal training intensities for specif-ic workouts. This is because different athletes who can process thesame amount of O2 might have different muscular strength or run-ning economy. vVO2 factors in cardiovascular and muscular capaci-ty and running economy, and gives you a practical number you canuse every day to guide your training.

Recently I attended a clinic where the keynote speaker was Dr.Joe I. Vigil, exercise physiologist and three-time Olympic distancecoach. One of his primary topics was the SAID principle (SpecificAdaptation to Imposed Demand). The idea here is that an athlete’sbody will make specific adaptations to the demands placed on it. If,for instance your goal is aerobic development, then your trainingmust focus on that adaptation. The problem has always been accu-rately calculating training intensities to accomplish specific goals.That is where accurately establishing your vVO2 comes in—it turnsout that the best way to ensure optimal results from your training isto base your running pace on your vVO2.

You don’t need a laboratory to accurately calculate your vVO2.You can do this by going to your local track and running a mile timetrial. The pace at which you run this distance hard is your velocityat vVO2. Because maximum velocity at VO2 max for most athletescorresponds closely with race ability, we use this to determine train-ing paces for aerobic training, lactate threshold development andVO2 max development. This time trial should be done when you’rerested, feeling good and not adversely affected by weather condi-tions.

Do some simple math with this number (your mile time trial)and you can calculate your ideal training intensities for every kindof session from aerobic running to tempo training and VO2 maxtraining. For aerobic development, simply stick to a pace between65–75% of your vVO2. A more fit or advanced athlete will runtoward the upper end of this range. If you’re a beginner, start at thelower end. Calculate this range by taking the time in seconds divid-ed by the desired percent of pace. For example, using a 6:00-minutemile time trial performance.

6:00-minute mile = 360 seconds

360 ÷ 65% = 643 seconds or 9:13 pace360 ÷ 75% = 480 seconds or 8:00 pace

This athlete’s aerobic training range thus becomes 8:00–9:13minutes. Continuous runs at this pace range for this person from 20minutes to several hours will train your aerobic system to use fattyacids as your primary fuel source and allow your body to conserveglycogen. In addition, training in this pace range will develop 0moreand lar ger mitochondria, as well as further capillary development.

For lactate threshold development (anaerobic threshold) there is awide range of literature out there indicating a wide range of runningintensities (and terminology) for the development of your lactatethreshold. We use tempo runs, or tempo intervals, to bring aboutthis adaptation. The ranges I prescribe and terminology I use maybe different than what you read in other articles. One tempo run weuse is called an aerobic threshold run and it’s run at 75–80% ofvVO2. This is closely related to marathon pace. The second temporun we use is called a threshold run, and is run at 85–88% of vVO2.Both of these tempo paces will help develop a tolerance to accumu-lation of lactic acid. Using our 6:00-minute mile time trial result weget the following pace ranges

For aerobic threshold pace (75–80% of vVO2)


360 ÷ 75% = 480 seconds or 8:00 mile pace360 ÷ 80% = 450 seconds or 7:30 mile pace

For threshold pace; (85–88% of vVO2)


360 ÷ 85% = 423 seconds or 7:03 per mile pace360 ÷ 88% = 409 seconds or 6:49 per mile pace

Threshold runs are of shorter duration than aerobic thresholdruns. The duration of tempo runs also depends on the race distanceyou’re targeting. If you’re training for a 5–10K, then take 20–30minutes for threshold runs and 30–40 minutes for aerobic thresholdruns. For the half marathon to the marathon, use 25–40 minutes forthreshold runs, 40–70+ minutes for aerobic threshold runs. Thegreat thing about tempo runs is they can be done year round. Theyare an effective training tool for races from 800 meters to themarathon.

The rate of O2 consumption during aerobic training, and evenduring lactate development training, is too low to fully develop yourVO2 max. For that, a higher training intensity is needed, and it, too,can be calculated accurately based on your vVO2 pace. The bestreturn on investment is to run repeats of 3–6 minutes’ duration at94–98% of vVO2, with rest periods of 2–3 minutes between repeats








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EXPERIENCE MORE...

By Brenda Kimberlin

As president and co-founder of the GO! St.Louis Family Fitness Weekend, NancyLieberman is used to handing out medals todeserving runners. But this winter, Liebermanwas on the receiving end when she accepted the2009 Trailblazer Award, presented by Women’sRunning Magazine at this year’s Running USAconference in La Jolla, CA. The award, whichhonors women who are leaders and pioneers inthe sport, is a perfect fit for Lieberman, a for-mer teacher who is a passionate advocate forcommunity wellness and health.

Missouri Runner’s Brenda Kimberlin caughtup with Lieberman in the busy weeks beforeGO! St. Louis’ 9th annual marathon andFamily Fitness Weekend, taking place April18–19 within view of the city’s famous Arch.

Brenda Kimberlin: Congratulations! Wereyou surprised to be chosen?

Nancy Lieberman: I was totally surprised.As a member of the selection committee, wecommunicated about nominees in lateDecember and January, but had little contactprior to the conference. I was actually sittingnext to Dawna Stone, the publisher of Women’sRunning Magazine during the luncheon andshe didn’t mention anything. When it was herturn to address the conference luncheon, I wasonly half listening until the background historysounded very familiar. I was shocked andspeechless.

BK: You’ve received a lot of recognition overthe years ... but what does this particularaward—being singled out as a “trailblazer”—mean to you?

NL: Any award extended by your peers isvery special. As individuals, we are an accumu-lation of our life’s experiences. Surroundingyourself with a variety of professionals allowsyou to collect information, gain insight fromothers, gravitate [toward] energy and creativity,and develop the courage to formulate your ownpath. My peers were instrumental in the growthand development of GO! St. Louis.

BK: Many people don’t realize that youentered marathon running later in life. How dowomen react when they find that out? Are theysurprised? Inspired?

NL: That’s an interesting question. I [ran]my first marathon at 47 and have been hookedon endurance events ever since. I often hearpeople say, “I am too old for that,” and I havetwo responses: “You can never play the age card

with me,” and “Who says you have to run amarathon?” Running or walking a marathon isnot for everyone, but everyone should select areasonable goal and stick with it. Crossing a fin-ish line is the ultimate experience. The majorfeeling of accomplishment is overwhelmingand while they may not pat themselves on theback, inwardly they are beaming with pride.The medal may represent an athletic achieve-ment that many never thought they couldendure.

BK: GO! St. Louis is one of the few eventsof its kind to include children’s and family fit-ness events. Why is that so important to you?Has it become a model for other fitness eventsacross the country?

NL: When we began in 2000 our approachwas different from the traditional marathonenvironment. The GO! St. Louis directionfocused on fitness for everybody, not justrecruiting elite runners to [run in] our city.Over the years, the organization developedmore than 10 events for the weekend to recog-nize all accomplishments, from the DiaperDash to the Mature Mile and everything inbetween—5K, Marathon, etc.

In the past several years in the U.S., thenumber of marathon finishers has leveled off toabout 410,000 participants, while the numberof half marathon and 5K finishers has increasedsubstantially. The statistics from 2007 illustratethat out of 8.9 million finishers, only 4.6% rana marathon, 7.3% completed a half marathon,and 38.6% accomplished a 5K event.

[So] yes, GO! St. Louis has been ahead ofthe curve. Our job is to create awareness of theimportance of fitness, to help people set appro-priate fitness goals and to make them feel good

BLAZING TRAILSGO! St. Louis Marathon’s NancyLieberman Wins ‘Trailblazer Award’




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(less for fitter athletes). This is a standard approach to further devel-op your vVO2, although the exact lengths of the runs and percentagesof vVO2 can be varied in consideration of personal factors (runningprograms, genetics, general fitness levels, goals, etc.). For some begin-ners running as low as 90–94% of vVO2 max can bring about sub-stantial gains in vVO2 development. The key here is accuracy.Running too slowly will not elicit enough stimulus, while runningtoo fast may overload the system and miss the desired adaptations—and render you burned out, injured or susceptible to niggling illness.

A major physiological benefit of this training is the enlargementand strengthening of the heart (left ventricle), improving its ability totransport blood and oxygen to working muscles. Another benefit isfurther development of lactic acid buffering capacity of the muscles.Again, using our 6:00-minute mile time trial we can calculate the fol-lowing workouts of various distances:

For VO2 max development (94–98% vVO2)


360 ÷ 94% = 323 seconds or 6:23 pace360 ÷ 98% = 367 seconds or 6:07 pace

For various repeats distances the following paces would be used:

600m repeats = 2:17–2:23 with 2 minutes rest (8–12 repeats)800m repeats = 3:03–3:11 with 2–3 minutes rest (6–8 repeats)1200m repeats = 4:35–4:47 with 3 minutes rest (4–6 repeats)1600m repeats = 6:07–6:23 with 3 minutes rest (3–6 repeats)

Nothing is written in stone when it comes to running a goodrepeat workout. You can start out with an even lower number of repsthan are listed. As I’ve stated in many columns, be careful about try-ing to do too much too soon too fast. Small steps.

Calculating training intensities using vVO2 is one of the bestmethods to determine training intensities. It’s simple, accurate andflexible. It can be altered over time based on your current level of fit-ness. You can do a mile time trial at various times during the year andmake changes to the training intensities. If you want to hit the righttraining paces-those sweet spots-go to the track and get to know yourmile time trial. ▲

— Coach Arenberg

Coach Michael Arenberg has an M.B.S. in exercise physiology fromthe University of Colorado. He has been a competitive distance runnerand triathlete for 39 years, completing 25 marathons and 13 Ironmantriathlons, including 3 times qualifying for the Ironman WorldChampionships. He has coached U.S. men’s and women’s Olympic Trialqualifiers in the marathon and two top-10 finishers in the U.S. Men’sMarathon Championships, as well as multiple Ironman WorldChampionship qualifiers.

Coach Arenberg is available for coaching and can be contacted [email protected].

If you have a training question for Coach Mike, send him an e-mailat the above address. While he is unable to personally respond to everyquestion, answers will appear from time to time in upcoming issues ofMissouri Runner and Triathlete.

about their accomplishments. By expandingour mission, the organization now offers sever-al unique, year-round programs, including ourcorporate wellness initiative—GO! St. LouisMile by Mile Marathon.

BK: Any advice to women who want torun a full or half marathon but think theycan’t?

NL: People can accomplish most goalswith a positive attitude. Mental toughness canbe as important as physical fitness. Following atraining schedule is a must, but surroundingyourself with an upbeat, supportive group is[also] essential.

My advice:• Select a realistic distance to walk or run—

aim high, but don’t be unreasonable. • Find friends who share similar goals and

train with them. Peer pressure is an impor-tant component to get outside in less-than-wonderful weather conditions.

• Decide on a training program and stickwith it.

• Celebrate the minor goals along the way.After a long training run, enjoy breakfastwith your partners.

• Bring the family and/or friends to the fin-

ish line. They may not have understoodwhat the training was all about, but theywill comprehend it when they experiencethe contagious energy.

• Relish the accomplishment. No one canever take it away from you!

What Makes a Trailblazer? The Trailblazer Award is presented to the

woman who has been a leader and pioneer inthe sport and has served the sport with dis-tinction. After spending 20 years working inhealthcare, Nancy established GO! St. Louis in1999 to provide fitness events and programsfor all ages and abilities. Past Trailblazer Awardwinners include Sharon Barbano (Saucony),Carol Lasseter-Rice (Running Times Magazine)and Julia Emmons (Atlanta Track Club).

Nancy is president and founder of GO! St.Louis, which was formed in 2000. Over thelast 8 years she has guided the organizationfrom an upstart marathon weekend event toan organization that today is a year-roundcommunity wellness leader. Her vision to cre-ate a weekend event that included fitness activ-ities for all ages and abilities has helped theevent grow 700% since its inception. In addi-tion, Nancy has created innovative programsand events that have received national acclaim,while inspiring thousands of people to get fit.

Programs, such as Read, Right & RunMarathon®, Mature Mile and Mile-by-MileMarathon, continue to support the organiza-tion’s overall mission.

Her past volunteer experiences include:race director for Race for the Cure and eventdirector for Senior Olympics. Now Nancytrains young women to run at Girls, Inc.,where she serves on the board of directors. Inaddition, she is a member of St. Louis Forumand is a founding member of a new organiza-tion, St. Louis Partnership for Girls & Womenin Sports affiliated with Women’s SportsFoundation.

When not encouraging others in their pur-suit of fitness, watch for Nancy on the roads.She has completed six marathons and dozensof triathlons, including an Ironman. Sheenjoys traveling to places where she can hike.In Nancy’s own words, “Hiking allows me toenjoy beautiful scenery and breathe fresh air.It’s a great way for me to clear my head.” Mostrecently she fulfilled a dream by summitingMt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania with her daugh-ter Elissa. Prior to starting GO! St. Louis,Nancy spent 20 years working in healthcaremanagement in St. Louis. She was born andraised in Pittsburgh and received a bachelor’sdegree from Penn State University. She hasbeen a teacher and social worker. ▲

Coffee with the Coach, Continued from page 19

Blazing Trails, Continued from page 22


G L O B A L P E R S P E C T I V E S

The great relay carnivals of April and May are uniquelyAmerican. There’s nothing like them anywhere else inthe world.

And perhaps the most uniquely American of all is…

Drake.

Lolo Jones

Proud presenting sponsorof the Drake Relays

brought to you by ASICS®

DRAKE RELAYS:Layout 1 3/16/09 3:49 PM Page 1


The great athletes who compete here every year–world and American record holders, Olympicchampions, world champions, and national champions–are only part of what makes these Re-lays so special. Equally important are the thousands of high school and college runners, jumpers,and throwers who provide four days of exciting, nearly nonstop action.

The setting is perfect: an attractive university campus in a friendly, medium-sized Midwesterncity smack in the center of the nation’s grain belt. The jewel-box of a stadium puts fans intoseats just a few feet away from the athletes–even closer than many indoor meets.

But perhaps most of all, it’s the Drake fans, the enthusiastic hometown crowds that have pro-duced Saturday sellouts for decades, sometimes with three generations–parents, grandpar-ents, and sons or daughters–sitting together, often in the same seats, year after year.

The athletes who compete here love the knowledgeable Drake crowds, their closeness, andtheir enthusiasm. And the athletes respond with great performances.

First-time visitors can’t believe how compact the stadium is, how handy everything is. There’sno need to bring sandwiches. Just outside the stands there’s a huge food court offering hotdogs and hamburgers, cotton candy and popcorn, and lots of other food choices, including twoIowa specialties: pork sandwiches and jumbo turkey legs. And if you like the discus, hammer,and javelin, you can stroll half a block away from your seat in the stadium and get a closerlook at the throwers than you can at any other major meet.

For the winners, whether they’re a world-leading distance medley team or a girls’ high schoolfoursome with pigtails and braces, there’s another unique Drake tradition: they get to take avictory lap, carrying blue-and-white Drake flags and exchanging high-fives with the spectatorsas they circle the track.

The Relays have come a long way since 1910, when Major John L. Griffith decided that Philadel-phia’s Penn Relays, the only other major relay carnival, was too far away for Midwestern col-lege athletes. (For many, the train trip took more than 24 hours, each way.) With Des Moinesalmost in the center of the Midwest, what better place than Drake for a meet?

That first Relays, run in a blizzard, attracted only 82 athletes, mostly from nearby colleges,and a few hundred shivering spectators. High school teams joined the action in 1911, andthe same year saw the fledgling meet’s first world record, 1 minute, 31-3/5 seconds for the880-yard relay, by a University of Illinois quartet.

In the 1920s, Olympic champions and world record holders began to make regular appear-ances: Californian Charley Paddock, 1920 Olympic 100-meter champion and the first “World’sFastest Human”; 1924 Olympians DeHart Hubbard, who won the 1924 Relays long jump andwent on to win the event in Paris that summer and become the first African-American goldmedalist, and Illinoisan Harold Osborn, 1924 gold medalist in the decathlon and the highjump; Clarence “Bud” Houser, Olympic shot put champion in 1924 and 1928.

Since then, hundreds of great athletes have won Drake Relays watches and gone on towin well over 100 Olympic medals, including Jesse Owens, Al Oerter, Wilma Rudolph, BobHayes, Bruce Jenner, Carl Lewis, and Michael Johnson, who among them have won 29gold medals.

ASICS is proud that some of the most outstanding athletes in Drake Relays history haveperformed in ASICS gear. Among them are sub-3:50 milers Steve Scott and Jim Spivey,high jumpers Amy Acuff and Dwight Stones, and most recently, Des Moines native LoloJones, currently ranked No. 1 in the world by Track & Field News in the women’s 100-meter hurdles.

Scott and Spivey were two of the best American middle distance runners of the 1970s,1980s, and 1990s; both had long and successful careers at distances from 800 meters to5000 meters.

Steve Scott first came to Des Moines in 1979 and, wearing his “Sub-Four” singlet, promptlyproduced Drake’s first sub-four-minute mile, a 3:55.26 meet record that stood until 2007.Scott also won the Drake 800 in 1980, the mile again in 1981, and the 5000 meters in1982. Perhaps the hard-running Californian’s most remarkable achievement was his total of136 sub-four-minute miles, more than any other runner in history.

Jesse Owens

This edition of Global Perspectives is brought to you by ASICS®



Jim Spivey, a high school star in Illinois, won his first Drake Relays watch as anchor ofIndiana University’s winning distance medley relay teams of 1981 and 1982. Althoughperhaps most famous as a miler (his best was 3:49.80 in 1986), Spivey’s record atDrake included three victories in the 5000 meters (1984, 1993, and 1996) and a 1985win at 800 meters.

Perhaps Spivey’s greatest Drake moment came in that 1996 5000-meters race, at age36. He started off slowly and at 3000 meters he was half a lap behind the leader. Butfeeling strong, he picked up the pace. “There was a real strong wind in the homestretch,”he recalls, “and I figured the only way I could win was to surge down the backstretchwhere the wind would help me and then stay close behind another runner on the home-stretch to break the wind and save energy.”

When he made his first surge, with five laps to go, people in the stands along the backstretchbegan to nudge their neighbors and say, “Hey, that’s Jim Spivey. Go, Jim!” and lap by lapthe cheers grew with each surge. With one lap to go, Spivey had moved into second, perhaps30 yards behind the leader. As he came into the backstretch and surged again, the packedstands stood up and screamed encouragement. The margin grew smaller and smaller, andSpivey sprinted down the homestretch, passed the leader, and won.

Says Spivey of the Drake fans, ”They’re the most knowledgeable and loyal fans of any Re-lays crowd in America.”

Successful high jumpers have long careers, few longer than ASICS stars Dwight Stones andAmy Acuff. Stones sandwiched his two victories at Drake, in 1973 and 1975, between thetwo Olympic bronze medals he won in 1972 and 1976. During his career, he raised theworld record three times–7-6 ½ in 1973, 7-7 and 7-7 ¼ in 1976–and won an amazing19 national championships indoors and out from 1984 to 1984. These days, Stones worksin television, equally adept as a host, a play-by-play announcer, or an incisive expert commen-tator/analyst.

A slender blonde from Corpus Christi, Texas, Amy Acuff’s equally long and distinguished ca-reer includes Drake Invitational high jump victories in 2001, 2004, and 2007, and she holdsthe meet record at 6 feet, 4 inches, set in 2007. Nationally ranked since 1993, when shewas 17, Acuff has been the No. 1 or No. 2 U.S. high jumper for 12 of the last 14 years, andin March of this year, at age 33, she won her eleventh national championship at the USATFindoors with a 6-4 clearance.

ASICS’ newest star is 100-meter hurdler Lolo Jones, the perfect person to represent thefuture of the Relays, and indeed the future of the sport of track and field. At 26, Lolo hasalready won four straight Drake hurdles titles (2005–2009) and is ranked No. 1 in theworld by Track & Field News.

Although she is currently most famous for clipping the ninth hurdle in the 2008 Olympic finalin Beijing (she was two meters ahead and on her way to the gold medal and possibly a worldrecord), her behavior after that race brought her worldwide admiration and popularity for hergraciousness and sportsmanship in adversity.

Born in Des Moines and a graduate of the city’s Roosevelt High School, Jones has never for-gotten where she’s from. “I love to compete at the Relays,” she says. “It gives the fans whohave supported me throughout my career another opportunity to see me race.”

A year ago, she returned to Roosevelt High and gave $3,000 to help the track team andASICS joined her effort by donating a new pair of track shoes to each team member. And lastJuly, she gave her $4,000 Olympic Trials prize money to a family left homeless by the floodin Cedar Rapids–a gift which ASICS was also happy to match.

ASICS is proud to salute 100 years of the Drake Relays and athletes like Steve Scott, JimSpivey, Amy Acuff, Dwight Stones, and Lolo Jones, who have made Drake truly America’s Ath-letic Classic!

Writer/Editor: James Dunaway; Design/Layout: Alex Larsen; Proofreader: Christine John-son; Photos Courtesy of PhotoRun.net; Special Collections at Cowles Library, Drake Univer-sity. © 2009 by Shooting Star Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may bestored, copied, or reprinted without prior written permission of Shooting Star Media, Inc.

Lolo Jones

Jim Spivey

Steve Scott



By Ben Rosario

“Out with the Old. In with the New.” Ifthis track preview were a prom in need of atheme, that would certainly be it. Missouri lostsome of its best athletes in State history tograduation last spring and 2009 is the year forthose who sat patiently in the shadows ofAlishea Usery, Maurice Mitchell and others tostep up and deliver more of the jaw-dropping,national-level performances we have becomeaccustomed to over the last few years.

SprintsWith Usery (Florida) and Mitchell (Florida

St.) tearing up the track in the Sunshine State,the door is wide open for new champions inthe sprints. The girl most likely to grab theheadlines in 2009 is Villa Duchesne seniorLauren Hollingsworth. Hollingsworth wasrunner-up in both Class 3 short sprints a yearago, clocking 12.12 in the 100 and 24.61 inthe half-lapper. Challenges for sprintingsupremacy on the girl’s side could come from aslew of sophomores who all made their way tothe State finals a year ago. Ekate Lyon fromWaynesville, Fox’s Shawntanay Johnson,Crystal Harris from Summit and Normandy’sEileen Williams are all ready for super sopho-more years. Also keep your eye on ParkwayCentral senior Raequel Jacobs who’ll be look-ing to score big points for the Lady Colts intheir bid for a State team title.

For the boys, it may come down to a cou-ple of running backs to see who gets crownedthe State’s fastest young man. McCluer North’sDamonte Bell and SLUH’s Ronnie Wingo areboth seniors, both highly recruited footballplayers and both lightning fast. Bell clocked10.98 and 21.99 a year ago at the State meetand garnered 3rd-and 5th-place finishes in the100 and 200. Wingo was 4th in the short dashfor the second time in his career. He finishedthere as a freshman in 2006, helping SLUH toa team championship. Others to watch in theshort sprints include Jennings senior MarcusBennett and West Plains junior Joey Meyer.

We can’t mention the sprints without pre-viewing one of the toughest events on thetrack, the 400 meter. Seven female returnersbroke 58 seconds at last year’s State meet led byBerkeley junior Kianna Ruff who was the Class3 runner-up in a sizzling 55.80. Others towatch include McCluer North’s Kendra White,Lynette Atkinson from Ladue and in Class 2Stephanie Essner from Scott City. For the boysthe field appears wide open with Lafayette sen-ior Ian Moore the only returner who broke 49seconds at last year’s State meet.

HurdlesIf the 400 is one of the toughest events on

the track, then the 300 hurdles may be thetoughest. Not only are athletes sprinting all outfor nearly a full lap but they also have to maketheir way over eight hurdles in the process. Atlast year’s State meet, it took Washington sen-ior Kerwin Stricker just 37.71 seconds to com-plete that task on his way to a State title.Stricker leads the boys returning hurdlers, butwill have to exact revenge on McCluer North’sRalph Watson and Waynesville’s SolomonWilliams in the 110 hurdles if he wants twochampionships in 2009. Watson and Williamswere 2nd and 3rd in Class 4 a year ago, respec-tively, with Stricker in 4th. Also keep your eyeon Class 2 where junior Nic Ford took the 110championship in 15.1.

For the ladies it’s all about Class 2 when itcomes to the hurdles. Crystal City seniorPrecious Selmon posted the best time in anyclass at last year’s State Meet in the 100 hur-dles, but was bested in the 300s in Class 2 byPenney sophomore Lindsay Vollmer. Vollmerand Selmon are two of the nation’s top younghopes in the heptathlon as both were ranked inthe top 11 in the country. They should battleagain this year in all sorts of events but overallhurdle supremacy could go to Pembroke Hilljunior Tiffani McReynolds who was the Class3 champ in both hurdle races in 2008 and ranfaster than Vollmer and Selmon in the 300s.

ThrowsBack to the boys for the throws and back to

the theme of out with the old and in with thenew. We can’t mention the boys throws with-out first saying goodbye to two-time defendingState champ James Coleman of Marquette. Hisgraduation finally allows for a new top dog inthe Class 4 discus, and Blue Springs senior GusToca could be the one to grab that title. Tocawas 2nd a year ago with an impressive mark of173 feet, 8 inches. Without question though,the current star in the throws in any class, maleor female, is Boonville senior Corey Jones.Jones launched a 66 footer to win last year’sshot put title; setting a new State Meet recordand earning himself 5th place on the year-endnational list. Others to watch include Lee’sSummit West senior Brooks Mosier who wasthe Class 4 shot champ and finished 3rd in thediscus.

The girls throws contingent loses last year’sClass 3 double State champ Brittany Bormanof Festus, but returns top contenders JasmineBoyer of Fort Zumwalt West and Jackson’s JillRushin. Boyer, a senior, won last year’s Class 4shot title and was runner-up in the discus.Rushin, a junior, was 2nd to Boyer in the shot

and 3rd in the discus. Others to watch includePutnam County senior Katie Evans, wholaunched the disc more than 140 feet at the2008 State Meet.

JumpsThe jumps are events often dominated by

great all-around athletes. Think Jackie Joyner-Kersee, perhaps the best heptathlete of all time,and one of the best long jumpers, as well. It’sno different in Missouri this year as two of itsbest jumpers are Lindsay Vollmer and PreciousSelmon, probably the two best all-around trackathletes in the State. Vollmer tops the list ofreturning high jumpers along with Moberly’sMorgan Whitson and Oak Park’s AshleyTaylor. The Penney sophomore is also topsamong returning long jumpers from last year’sState Meet where she leapt 18 feet, 7 inchesand bested Selmon by 2 inches. The bestcombo jumper in the long and triple might beRaytown South junior Jade Nalls, as she is thedefending Class 4 State champ in both events.Another defending champ to look out for isRockwood Summit’s Bethany Buell, whotopped all classes in the pole vault last yearwith a mark of 11 feet, 9 inches.

The boys are led by Sikeston senior CalLane who took home Class 3 State titles in thelong, triple and high jumps a year ago.Raytown South senior Derek Blevins is thedefending class 4 champ in both the long andtriple jumps and has the best returning markfrom the 2008 State meet in the long jump at24 feet. Besides Lane, other high jumpers tolook out for include Grandview’s James Whiteand Poplar Bluff ’s Chris Kilgore who eachleapt 6-8 at last year’s State meet. The polevault is wide open with four boys returningfrom 14 foot marks at the 2008 State meet.

2009 Missouri High School Track Preview

Alyssa Allison and Emily Sisson

Courtesy Tracy Rollins



DistanceThe out with the old and in with the new

theme is back once again, and perhaps mostprominently in the distance events. Graduatingin 2008 were multiple-time State championsAimee Bonte, Lauren Borduin, Eric Fernandezand Darwin Price, as well as U.S. Junior 800meter champ Cydney Ross and Kickapoostandout Rick Elliott. But no one fits the “new”bill as well as the reigning cross country Statechamp and Nebraska transfer Emily Sisson.Sisson, only a junior, is already a many-timeAll-American in track and cross country, andher list of accomplishments includes being athree-time Foot Locker finalist and a U.S.Junior champ in the 5000. Look for Sisson tochallenge the overall State records in the 1600and 3200, and perhaps run a leg on what couldbe a very formidable 4x800 relay for the LadyColts. Sisson’s teammate Diane Robison, her-self a Foot Locker finalist and the 2007 Statecross country champ, should challenge in thesame events.

The Parkway Central duo could be out-done, however, by Festus senior Alyssa Allison.Allison was a double State champ a year ago,running an outstanding 10:48 for 3200 and aneven more impressive 4:51 for 1600. Thenthere’s Berkeley junior Kianna Ruff who’ll like-ly challenge the State meet record of 2:09.78 setin 1992 by Hazelwood Central’s Ann Heffner.

Ruff ran 2:09.89 a year ago, losing by just1/100th of a second to Ross at the State Meet.Others to watch in the distance races includeEureka’s Chelsea Chrisman, Oakville’s KatOberle and Liberty’s Megan Yohe.

The boys distance races lose the excitementof last year’s successful triple victory byNormandy’s Price, but should make up for itwith a wide open field that should producesome very close finishes. The top returning dis-tance ace is without question Potosi’s JacobSwearingen who won last year’s Class 3 State3200 title only weeks after suffering a brokenjaw. Swearingen won the State cross countrytitle this past fall and should be the favorite totake home at least one more State champi-onship on the track and maybe as many asthree. Others to watch in the longer distanceraces are Lee’s Summit West’s Kevin Colon,Chaminade’s Matt Estlund, Francis Howell

North’s Nick Happe, College HeightsChristian’s Caleb Hoover, Potosi’s NickNiggeman, Raytown South’s Stephen Saylorand Lee’s Summit’s Adam Volkert. In the 800look for Ozark’s Sam Jones, Oak Parks’ HansPitia and Hazelwood East’s Banjo Jaiyesime topost top marks.

Teams The final out with the old and in with the

new reference might be the most intriguing ofall, as this could be the year that someone final-ly ends the Jefferson City Lady Jays’ strangle-hold on the Class 4 girls team title. Watch forParkway Central to go point for point with JeffCity in a 2-day-long battle that could comeright down to the end. Jeff City will score in alot of events, as it always does, but ParkwayCentral will likely counter with somewherebetween 40 and 50 points from the distanceevents alone. Berkeley will be a force on thegirls side in Class 3, but the loss of Usery makesthem a little less formidable than in previousyears. The boys team battle is wide open asRaytown South loses 40-point man MauriceMitchell, leaving the door open for a numberof teams to try and grab the title away.

There will be lots of fireworks in JeffersonCity on the last two weekends in May. If you’rea fan of the sport make the trip and check themout! ▲

SLUH Ronnie WingoCourtesy Tracy Rollins


SSPORTS MEDICINE RESOURCE GUIDE

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performance• Customized nutritional supplementation• School Sports Physicals• Wellness care plans• Referrals for diagnostic imaging & medical specialist

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL—In what isbecoming an extraordinary Walt Disney WorldMarathon tradition, Adriano Bastos of Brazil cele-brated another Disney Marathon victory Sundayby coasting to his fifth straight win and sixth over-all. Lisa Mizutani won the women’s title.

Bastos, 30, led a Disney record field of 22,000runners virtually from start to finish around the26.2-mile course which traced through all four ofDisney’s theme parks. He crossed the finish line in2:20:38—roughly 7 minutes ahead of 2nd-placefinisher Aaron Church (South Riding, VA), whowas followed by Matthew Fecht (Warren, MI) in3rd. Bastos’ time was 20 seconds faster than lastyear when he posted a time of 2:20:58.

Mizutani of Japan easily outran the womencompetitors. The 23-year-old, who made the trans-pacific trip specifically to run in the DisneyMarathon, broke away from the pack early, partlybecause of the enthusiastic cheers from spectatorsalong the route, and ran unchallenged virtually theentire 26.2 miles. She cruised to the finish in2:46:27, comfortably ahead of Melanie Peters (St.Petersburg, FL), who was last year’s women’s cham-pion, and Christa Benton (St. Petersburg, FL), whofinished 3rd a year ago.

In the wheelchair division, Krige Schabort of

Cedartown, GA crossed the line first (1:37:19).Among the women, Shirley Reilly of Tucson wonthe title (2:09:51).

The victories by Bastos and Mizutani capped aweekend of endurance events at Disney, includingthe Disney Half Marathon, the Circle of Life 5K,Disney’s Kid Races and a Health & Fitness Expo.David Jankowski of Rochester Hills, MI andElizabeth Chelagat of Las Cruces, NM won theDisney Half Marathon men’s and women’s titles,respectively. In all, more than 45,000 runners com-peted in events throughout the weekend, makingthis the largest Disney Marathon Weekend sincethe event’s debut in 1994. ▲

Registration for the 2010 Disney MarathonWeekend began Jan. 12. To register for the marathonor for any Disney endurance race, visitwww.disneyworldmarathon.com.

Off the Wire…

Record Field Turns Out for Endurance EventsCongratulations to these top Missourifinishers at the 2009 Walt Disney WorldMarathon Weekend in Florida.

Half MarathonMenJason Lind, 40, Dardenne Prairie – 1:22:31Todd Glass, 37, Clayton – 1:24:29Matthew Hanford, 37, St. Louis – 1:37:19

WomenChristina Bologna, 26, St. Louis – 1:42:10Tricia Reese, 37, Imperial – 1:50:28Susan Schremp, 38, Chesterfield – 1:51:57

MarathonMenAndy Emerson, 40, Columbia – 2:58:12Thomas Wiese, 19, St. Louis – 3:11:30Dan Sitar, 38, Columbia – 3:15:35

WomenAndrea Mcgehee, 40, Lee’s Summit – 3:11:15Christina Bologna, 26, St. Louis – 3:35:53Anne Altorfer, 27, Kansas City – 3:55:24

Photo by Victah Sailor/PhotoRun


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Documents

Missouri Runner and Triathlete - April-May 2009