Kara Goucher will stick with the 10,000m event on Thursday. Photo: www.photorun.net

She wanted to double in the 10,000m and half this week.

One thing is for sure about American distance-running ace Kara Goucher: she’s a serious competitor.

The Duluth News Tribune is reporting that Goucher had considered running the 10,000m event at the U.S. Track and Field Championships on Thursday and then lying in a van while her mother drove her the 395 miles to Duluth where she wanted to race in the U.S. Half Marathon Championships on Saturday, an event that Goucher won last year in 1:09:46.

Not surprisingly, this bold plan was shot down by Goucher’s coach, Jerry Schumacher.

“That was a career highlight and I’d love to come back rested, and put that [course] record away for good,” said Goucher of the Duluth Half Marathon.

But it appears Goucher is focusing all her efforts on the track, where she hopes to represent the United States at the World Championships this August in Moscow.

On Thursday, she will square off against training partner Shalane Flanagan.

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Brenda Martinez thinks she has a ticket to Moscow. Photo: www.photorun.net

 The 25-year-old is coached by legend Joe Vigil.

(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.

(19-Jun) — As a student-athlete at the University of California at Riverside, Brenda Martinez never imagined she’d be considered one of the top middle distance runners in America, let alone the world. Though she had good collegiate credentials, including a runner-up finish at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships over 1500m, the California native never regarded the possibilities of being a contender on the world stage.

“Maybe not even a year ago, obviously not before that,” she told Race Results Weekly today, speaking moments before flying to Des Moines, Iowa, for the USA Championships which open on Thursday.

Now, three years after graduating as the first member of her family from college, Martinez’s outlook is completely different. With the help of veteran coach Joe Vigil, the 25-year-old is primed and ready to compete this weekend, seeking a ticket to Moscow and August’s IAAF World Championships.

On Thursday, Martinez will toe the line for round one of the 800m at Drake Stadium with the mindset of a champion. Much of that can be credited to Vigil, who helped shape the career of American marathon record holder Deena Kastor.

“I think when I joined Coach Vigil it all kind of changed,” said Martinez. “When I started working with him he told me he could get me to run really fast in all sorts of events. I put all my trust in him and it’s paying off.”

It certainly has. In 2013 alone, Martinez has set personal bests at 800m (1:58.18), 1500m (4:04.86), and 5000m (15:30.89). Her 800m time ranks second in the world, only behind Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba, who has run 1:56.72.

So what has been the secret to Martinez’s success this year, aside from Vigil?

“I wouldn’t say there is a secret,” she said. “It’s just the consistency and believing in myself and the training. The way Coach Vigil has been training me –for me to have a really good range between the 800m and the 5000m– I would definitely say my strength has gotten a lot better. I want to better it every year. Definitely working hard and definitely working the right energy systems.”

Hand in hand with the hard training completed in Big Bear Lake, Calif., comes a confidence unlike any she’s had before.

“Even before the Prefontaine [Classic], coach told me ‘you could run 1:57 high to 1:58 low’ and I believed him. I was like ‘I’m going to go after it,’” said Martinez. After timing 1:58.18 and finishing second to Niyonsaba, Martinez was happy with the personal best, yet knew she could go even faster.

“I think I might have made a little mistake not going out harder, but I’m not going to complain; it was a really big PR for me,” she said.

When asked if a sub-1:58 clocking may be in her future, Martinez said yes without much of a hesitation.

“I know I can get there, it’s just a matter of time,” she said. “I’m super excited about it. I know these girls can pull me to a fast time and I have the strength to back it up. I’m going to try my best through all the rounds and see what I can do.”

Time won’t be the focus in Des Moines, though. There Martinez will focus on finishing in the top three of the 800m. Since she has the IAAF World Championships “A” standard already, all she has to do is finish on the podium and she has a spot on the starting line at the IAAF World Championships.

Without Vigil, Martinez insists that she likely wouldn’t be where she is right now, sitting as the top American middle distance runner in the sport.

“I would just say he definitely gave me my heart back for the sport,” she said, her admiration of Vigil clear in her voice. “I fell in love with the sport again. A few years ago I was very inconsistent and just wasn’t there with my heart and my mind. He pulled it out of me. It took some time, but I just believe every word he says. He has it down to a science; he can work on the training, I just have to worry about the running part. I know it’s going to pay off eventually.”

On Tuesday, Martinez completed her final tune-up workout before beginning the championships, running a set of 400, 300, 200, and 100 meter intervals in 57, 43, 29, and 11.93 seconds, respectively.

“Felt amazing,” she tweeted.

As for selecting the 800m over the 1500m at the national meet, Martinez said it came down to which event she was more keen on and where she stood in the rankings.

“I kind of was just stuck in the middle,” she said. “I think I got more excited for the 800m cause I know it is going to take a 1:56 to 1:57 to be a medal contender. I think for the 1500m it is kind of tricky; there are some East Africans who can put down a 56 [second 400 meters] or 57 in a slow race and it would take a 58 in a fast race. I don’t know if I’m quite there yet but I know I can run a really fast 1500m eventually. I think just right now I went with 800m because I’m number one in the U.S. and number two in the world.”

Doing workouts every other day, Martinez has built up a strength that she feels will help her survive the two rounds and final at the USA Championships, then eventually in Moscow.

“I’m just feeling really strong and confident going into all my races,” she said. “I’m happy the way the progression has been going. I’m going to use every race as a stepping stone”

Looking ahead to Sunday’s final, Martinez is eager to toe the line and make her first IAAF World Outdoor championships team.

“I want to place as high as I can in the final and just race smart. I have this thing I tell myself when I get on the line be as happy as you can be and have fun. I’ve been doing that year round and have really been enjoying my racing,” she said.

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Christian Williams (right) supports Caroline Reinsch. Photo: Boston Globe.

They got the happy news 16 days after the tragedy.

A touching story thanks to the Boston Globe. Caroline Reinsch took part in this year’s Boston Marathon on April 15. Sadly, she was injured in the terrorist bombing with a perforated eardrum and a hole in her thigh that went all the way to her femur.

When she was at the hospital, the X-ray technician asked Reinsch if there was any possibility that she was pregnant.

The 39-year-old hesitated. After all, she had been trying to conceive with boyfriend Christian Williams.

“Possibly. But probably not,” she replied.

After 11 days, after being released from the hospital, Reinsch got a surprise call from her doctor.

“Did they give you a pregnancy test?” the doctor asked.

Reinsch said she wasn’t aware.

Her doctor went on to say that there was a slight chance she was pregnant. “You might want to take a home pregnancy test,” the doctor said.

Sixteen days after the marathon, Reinsch found out that she was, indeed, carrying a child.

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Aaron Braun is in first place on the B.A.A. Distance Medley leaderboard. Photo: www.photorun.net

American Aaron Braun hopes to stay on top of the Distance Medley leaderboard.

Boston has always been a place for champions. This Sunday, some of the best runners in the world will convene there to compete in the Boston Athletic Association’s 10K race.

Among the typical group of elite East Africans are a few top-notch Americans, including Aaron Braun, who is in first place on the men’s B.A.A. Distance Medley leaderboard.

According to a Running USA article, the B.A.A. Distance Medley is a three-race series that awards $100,000 to the male and female runners with the fastest cumulative times.

Braun finished second in the B.A.A. 5K, which was the first race of the series. He is also this year’s Manchester Road Race Champion.

Joining Braun is fellow American ace Jason Hartmann, who finished fourth overall at both the 2012 edition of the Boston Marathon as well as the 2013 race.

Meanwhile, the women’s race is Kim Smith’s time to shine again. Smith is a New Zealand citizen who lives and trains in Providence, R.I. She won last year’s race.

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Hundreds of runners bond together in Venezuela to avoid crime. Photo: Washington Post

Caracas’ exercise community is galvanizing.

There are thousands of causes that runners don sneakers to support. However, a recent report that showed up on the Tico Times‘ website is about a group of like-minded exercise enthusiasts out to do something unique: stop crime.

The runners live in Caracas, Venzuela and talk about the old days when crime levels were under control.

One of them, Andrea Pereira, shakes her head when she talks about how dangerous it is now to run at night.

With 4,000 slayings last year, Caracas is now the official “murder capital” of the world. Pereira used to run at night, but not so anymore.

She now runs at night with a group, called Runners Venezuela, that has bonded together.

“My family, they were really worried because I was, you know, going alone running in the street,” said Pereira. “So I said, ‘Mom, I am going with a big group.’ She said, ‘A big group running at night, here in Caracas? You have to be kidding me.’”

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Nearly 30,000 people are competing in races during Twin Cities marathon week. Photo: TCM.org

Organizers expect it to sell out this month.

According to a press release from Twin Cities in Motion, the annual Twin Cities Marathon is very close to selling out. Apparently, 90 percent of the 12,200-runner field is booked.

Officials expect that the race will sell out by the end of the month. The marathon takes place on Oct. 6 and is celebrating its 32nd anniversary.

“We typically fill the marathon in June, and it looks like that will be the case this year,” said Twin Cities In Motion Executive Director Virginia Brophy Achman. “If there are runners sitting on the fence about whether to run, now’s the time to register. You’ll get yourself in the race and have time to train well for it.”

The race is billed as “the most beautiful urban marathon in America.” Runners wind their way  through downtown Minneapolis to the State Capitol grounds in St. Paul along the river, lakes, and parkways.

According to organizers, there is more to the Twin Cities Marathon than the 26.2-mile race. Runners can also take part in shorter-distance races that weekend.

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Wesley Frazier has dominated at the New Balance Outdoors meet. Photo: www.photorun.net

The 17-year-old high school phenom makes history at nationals.

(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — North Carolina’s Wesley Frazier made history on the final day of competition at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor on Sunday, becoming the first girl ever to successfully complete the long distance triple, winning the mile, 2-mile, and 5000m in a span of less than 72 hours. Frazier established herself as one of the best prep athletes ever to compete in these championships.

For the 17-year-old from Raleigh, June 14-16 will go down as one of the most memorable weekends of her athletics career. After taking the 5000m and 2-mile titles on Friday and Saturday, respectively, the Duke-bound senior toed the line at Aggie Stadium for the final time as a high school athlete in the mile here today. She was determined to make her last hurrah a memorable one.

“I’m really happy about it, I couldn’t ask for a better end to my high school career,” she said following the win.

Through halfway in 2:22.15, Frazier sat meters behind New Jersey’s Josette Norris, who had attempted to run the wheels off of Frazier. Responding to Norris’s move with ease, Frazier ran within herself as she came up on the leader’s shoulder.

Just like she had in her previous two wins, Frazier decided her time to go was at the start of the bell lap. Immediately, she extended her stride and opened up a gap on the trailing Norris.

“I wasn’t sure — having already run so hard in the last two races — if I was going to be able to win this one,” said Frazier. “I just had to wait until the last lap and go.”

RELATED: Records Fall On Day 1 At Nationals

Down the homestretch, Frazier wouldn’t slow the pace despite knowing the victory was hers. Breaking the tape in 4:39.66, just tenths off of her personal best, Frazier became the first girl ever to win the mile, 2-mile, and 5000m at New Balance Nationals. The only other person to complete the high school trifecta was Lukas Verzbicas at the 2011 New Balance Nationals Indoor meeting.

Frazier’s initial reaction to the historic feat was how painful it was. For the first time all weekend, Frazier showed fatigue just after she broke the tape, going to her knees in complete exhaustion.

“I’m happy it’s over,” she said with a laugh. “I’m pretty sore … I don’t know if I’d do it again.”

Making history roughly 70 miles from her hometown meant the world to Frazier, as many of her friends and family were in attendance. Receiving her All-American crown and medal, Frazier got a standing ovation from the crowd.

After breaking 16:00 for 5000m on Friday evening, some track fans and media members began comparing Frazier to Mary Cain, the Alberto Salazar-coached athlete who has broken high school records from 800m to 5000m. Frazier rejected the comparison.

“She’s an incredible athlete, I have a lot of respect for her. That is saying a lot,” she said with a chuckle. “She definitely has higher credentials than I do right now. She’s better; I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily on her level. But I appreciate the comparison.”

What makes Frazier’s success even more remarkable is that she runs only about 40 miles a week. Including warm ups and cool downs, she estimated that she had covered between 15 and 20 miles in the last three days alone.

Crossley, Red Tide Set Meet Records

In the boys 800m, North Carolina’s John Crossley set a meet record thanks to a patient strategy. Louisiana’s Blair Henderson took the pace out at a blistering clip from the gun, stringing the field out by 400m.

Sitting behind was Crossley, knowing the quick early pace would likely tire most of the field.

“Everybody took it out fast. I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “But I ran my race, I don’t worry about them.”

With less than 300 meters remaining, Crossley made his move, taking the lead with authority.

“I figured I’d had such a good season, I might as well leave it all out right here in my last race,” said Crossley, who would break the tape in 1:48.01, shaving .08 of a second off the previous meet record.

“It feels awesome. It’s an honor for me to be here and do the best I can do,” said Crossley, competing at his first New Balance National meet.

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Wesley Frazier wins the 2-mile title at the 2013 New Balance Nationals Outdoor. (photo by Chris Lotsbom for Race Results Weekly)

The North Carolina native won the girls 2-mile on Saturday.

(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Hometown favorite Wesley Frazier continued her quest for the elusive distance triple crown here on the second day of New Balance Outdoor Nationals, while Virginia’s Sean McGorty dropped a strong field in the boys 2-mile. Fast 2000m steeplechases and 4x800m relays made for an excellent day of distance competition at America’s high school athletics national championships.

As the gun sounded and 13 girls took off from the start of the 2-mile, no single athlete wanted to take over the leading duties. With typical front runner Erin Finn scratching from the event, it fell to Washington’s Katie Knight and New York’s Katie Lembo to pull the field along. Sitting an arm’s length behind was Frazier, Friday’s 5000m winner and meet record holder.

Things stayed relatively calm through the first mile, reached first by Lembo in 5:06.91. Behind remained the entire field, bunched up with athletes finding themselves in lanes 2 and 3 at points.

Frazier’s strategy of waiting and letting others do the work seemed to be playing into her hands, as New England Outdoor 3200m champion Hannah DeBalsi and Ohio’s Annie Heffernan took turns at the front. Still tucked in behind was Frazier.

“I don’t like to take the lead early in the race,” said Frazier moments after finishing.

With two laps to go, Frazier debated unleashing a long kick and moving to the front.

“I felt really strong about going into the last 800m. I thought it was a little too early to take the lead, so I wanted to hang on a little bit longer with the group and see on the last lap how much I could take off,” she said.

As the bell sounded with 400 meters remaining, Frazier unleashed a ferocious kick that timed 65.35 seconds for the final lap. Crossing the finish in 10:07.35, the 17-year-old now has won the first two legs of the distance triple crown: the 5000m, two-mile, and mile (to be held Sunday).

“It’s harder than I make it look,” said Frazier when responding to Race Results Weekly’s comment on how effortless she made the race look.

Frazier then turned her focus towards Sunday’s mile.

RELATED: Finn Rebounds For Nationals

“I’ll just see what I have left,” she said with a smile. Last year, Frazier placed second in the discipline.

Moments after Frazier walked off the track, it was the boys turn at 2 miles. Taking the lead from the gun was McGorty, the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships runner-up. Lap-by-lap, the senior wore out the rest of the field, which included the likes of New Balance Nationals Indoor 5000m champion Elijah Armstrong, 4:01.71 miler Bernie Montoya, and Nike Cross Nationals winner Sam Wharton.

Timing 1:02.78 for the opening 440 yards, McGorty was set on keeping the pace honest from the beginning. Even before completing his second lap, McGorty had left most of the field behind, with only Connecticut’s James Randon and Montoya chasing within five meters.

“Coming in, you always look at the field and you have to know what types of runners your running against. I know especially Bernie has a great kick, he’s shown that at multiple races,” he said. “I wanted to come in here and run the way I do, sort of going out at a quick pace from the start and trying to hold on or pick it up if I feel good.”

Hitting the first mile in 4:20.69, McGorty was confident in his positioning. Montoya had dropped back a step and wouldn’t play a factor the rest of the way. Randon would be the only strong challenger, staying within reach until 500m remained. From there, it was all McGorty.

“I tried to drop them all, just try to rely on my strengths and I was able to do that,” he said. “I wanted to finish as quickly as possible and enjoy, soak up the moment.”

McGorty’s final time was 8:45.61, just under seven seconds ahead of Randon. Montoya wound up third, with Mickey Burke and Wharton rounding out the top five.

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Race directors are trying to fill Sacramento venues like Hughes Stadium. Photo: Ballparkreviews.com

Race directors are struggling to compete with other venues across the country.

Several years ago, California’s state capital, Sacramento, was the place to go for elite track meets.

Back in 2000 and then again in 2004, the city hosted the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials. It’s also held four NCAA Championships in the past 10 years.

But according to the SacBee website, the glory days of Sacramento track meets appear to be gone.

The 54th annual Golden West Invitational kicked off this week, but it’s been struggling to maintain sponsorship.

“We definitely need to re-energize things,” commented race director Jerry Colman. “The competition has gotten a lot more intense.”

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Sometimes running is as simple as putting one foot in front of another. www.shutterstock.com

Patience, the willingness to experiment, finding toughness, and heading outside are called for.

The National Post’s Ben Kaplan has recently penned a column concerning 10 things that beginner runners can try with their training.

Counting backwards, Kaplan starts with something obvious: getting outside.

“Even if you’re only walking around your neighborhood — and a great way to start running is by walking first — it’s important to move from the gym to the great outdoors,” he writes.

Number nine: Find the right shoes.

Eight: Take it slow.

Seven: Pace your goals accordingly.

Six: Be safe, don’t chafe.

Five: Don’t run alone.

Four: “Experiment with wacky trends.”

Three: Make a plan.

Two: “One more thought about shoes.”

And finally, number one on Kaplan’s list is “The path can lead toward positive mental health.”

“In psychology, the term ‘mastery,’ is a feeling a person experiences as they notice incremental improvement,” Kaplan points out. “Not surprisingly, mastery, even at something as repetitive as running, feels good.”

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Michael Stolzenberg spoke to a surprise caller on Monday: Oprah Winfrey. Photo: NY Daily News

Oprah made a surprise phone call on Monday and donates to victims.

The world’s most famous talk show host has made a significant gesture of charity.

According to the NY Daily News, Oprah Winfrey called two Florida brothers on Monday to tell them that she would be donating $100,000 to their charity, Mikey’s Run.

Mikey’s Run is named after 13-year-old Michael Stolzenberg, who became a quadruple amputee as a result of a bacterial infection.

His namesake charity is seeking to raise $1 million for the victims of this year’s Boston Marathon bombing.

“It was really random,” said brother Harris Stolzenberg. “Michael answered and she said, ‘Hi, this is Oprah Winfrey.’ Then she told him she wanted to make the donation and he gave me the phone.”

Winfrey’s pledge is the largest single donation received by the charity.

“At first, I was shocked, but once you talk to her she’s just very nice,” admitted the 18-year-old Harris. “It was almost like I knew her.”

Harris says that Winfrey’s pledge should help the charity reach its eventual goal.

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Ashley Hicks (left) and Toni Carey have made an impact in the running world. Photo: Today

The Black Girls RUN! blog has surged in popularity since its founding four years ago.

Toni Carey and Ashley Hicks are on a mission. According to an article about the pair on the  Today Show’s website, the two runners want to encourage more African-American women to run.

Back in 2009 they started a blog called Black Girls RUN!

Carey and Hicks are African-Americans and they began the blog, because they felt under-represented at races.

“We would be the only black people there,” Carey says about showing up at some road races, “and we never got a warm welcome. It was like, ‘are you guys in the right place?’”

Their message has resonated. Since its founding, lack Girls RUN! has over 70,000 Facebook “likes.”

Additionally, their Twitter feed has 17,000 followers.

Besides trying to get more representation in the sport, Carey and Hicks have sought to use running to help African-American women combat obesity.

According to the U.S. Government, four out of five African-American women are considered to be overweight or obese.

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Martin Richard was remembered on Sunday by his friends and family. Photo: Guardian

Martin Richard would have turned nine this weekend.

Even though it’s been nearly two months since the tragic Boston Marathon terrorist bombings, the nation still pauses to remember its victims.

Especially poignant was a mass held in the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester at St. Ann church to celebrate the life of the youngest person to lose their life that day: Martin Richard, who would have turned 9 this weekend.

According to the Dorchester Reporter, Martin’s father and mother, Bill and Denise, as well as his older brother, Henry, and younger sister, Jane.

Seven-year-old Jane lost her leg below the knee during the bombing. She wheeled herself around the church and received a standing ovation from the congregants.

Martin’s father, Bill, wore a peace symbol button. He said that his son was someone who helped younger students and enjoyed settling disputes.

Additionally Martin was a curious student who loved astronomy, math, and solving complicated problems.

Martin’s mother suffered a head injury and lost vision in an eye, while his father received shrapnel wounds and burns to his legs.

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Stephanie Pezzullo isn't letting kidney stones get in her way. Photo: www.photorun.net

American runner was treated at a Charlotte, N.C. hospital this week.

(c) 2013 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.

NEW YORK — For American Stephanie Pezzullo, the days leading up to Saturday’s Oakley New York Mini 10K have been — lets just say — a bit rocky. On Monday, the 31-year-old began feeling pain in her lower abdomen. Little did she know that the pain would turn out to be four kidney stones.

“I was in pain all Monday and Tuesday,” said a now upbeat Pezzullo, speaking with <em>Race Results Weekly</em>.

Soon the irritation would travel to her lower back. That’s when it really began to gain her attention.  On Tuesday, the former Penn State University soccer player thought it could have been a tweaked muscle.

“I never really have pulled a muscle like that before, though,” Pezzullo said.

After a hard workout, Pezzullo went to get a massage. While the masseuse was working on her back, the pain became even more noticeable.

“She [the masseuse] was massaging my lower back area and something just happened,” Pezzullo said. “One of the stones had gotten loose. I didn’t know at the time though, and I drove home.”

Still pondering what the pain could be, Pezzullo eventually drove herself to a hospital in Charlotte, N.C. While in the emergency room, the news came.

“I thought maybe they’d say I had a kidney stone,” Pezzullo said with a smile growing across her face. “Well, they [the doctors] came back out and said ‘Holy! You have four!’”

Doctors had found a total of four kidney stones — which the Mayo Clinic defines as small, hard deposits made of mineral and acid salts — inside Pezzullo.

For an athlete set to race in a matter of days, having four kidney stones would seem to be a huge problem, especially considering the extreme pain known to occur when they pass through your system. But for Pezzullo, it didn’t hinder her plans to come here, the same city in which she won the 2011 Emerald Nuts Midnight Run.

“I wouldn’t want to miss a chance to be back [in New York] just because of some stones,” she said with a smile.

Pezzullo was offered strong pain killers, though she declined and chose to take ibuprofen instead. She was given an IV drip to help pass the stones; eventually, two would pass through.

“The other two, we don’t know,” Pezzullo said, again laughing. “They could still be in there. However I am not in pain so it is not going to be an excuse or anything like that.”

Though she missed a bit of training, Pezzullo is confident the kidney stones will not deter her in Saturday’s race, which takes runners around a loop of Central Park.

“It’s my last race of the season,” she said. “Really I have nothing to lose. I’ll try my best. No excuses.”

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Trish Staine gave birth to a healthy baby daughter. Photo: WIDO.com

She gave unexpected birth to a baby girl.

Runners have to prepare themselves for all kinds of surprises during their training, but the surprise experienced by 33-year-old Trish Staine of Duluth, Minn. takes the cake.

According to CBS News, Staine, a half marathoner, experienced severe back pain early this week. It turns out she was pregnant and ready to give birth.

Staine says she had no idea that she was carrying a baby and never experienced a fetal heartbeat and had not gained any weight. On top of that, her husband had underwent a vasectomy.

“I said, ‘No, no, that’s impossible,” said Staine, a mother of three after giving birth. “I definitely thought I was done having kids.”

Staine had been training for the Grandma’s half marathon.

In addition to her three children, Staine has three stepchildren from her husband’s first marriage.

“I had a sore back Sunday evening. I had taken a hot shower and was dealing with it,” Staine recalled. “Monday morning, I woke up and had more back pain, and as the day went on it got worse. I thought I should go to the ER. I thought I ruptured a disc or pulled a muscle.”

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Kara (left) and Tara Storage are eying another U.S. Olympic Trials. Photo: Dayton Daily News

Ohio sisters have a lot of things in common.

Kara and Tara Storage aren’t just twins, they’re elite distance runners.

The Dayton Daily News is reporting that the Beavercreek, Ohio competitors are both dreaming of the same thing: qualifying for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon.

They are 31 years old and have been training together since they were girls.

As high school freshmen, they played soccer, but then switched to cross country as sophomores.

Both women went on to run for the University of Dayton (cross country and track) and then in 2008 the twins qualified for the Trials in the 10,000m event, but only Tara was able to compete. Kara had sustained an injury and was on crutches.

Four years later, they moved up to the marathon and both qualified for the 2012 Trials in Houston.

In that race, Kara placed 41st and Tara was right behind her in 42nd. Both runners set PRs there.

“We have a friendly rivalry, but a positive one,” Tara says. “If you have to lose to someone, it’s best to lose to your sister.”

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Jordan Hasay is running her last collegiate race on the Oregon track. Photo: www.photorun.net

Race Results Weekly gives the blow-by-blow.

(c) 2013 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Used with permission.

Here is our event-by-event preview for the NCAA Division I Championships, which take place in Eugene, Ore. from June 5 -8.

Women

800m: Final June 7
The favorite has to be LSU junior Natoya Goule. The reigning NCAA 800m indoor champion has a seed time of 2:01.04, more than two seconds faster than any other qualifier in the field [Note: Seed times are from the Eastern and Western Preliminary Meets]. A native of Jamaica, Goule also ran 2:00.76 early in the outdoor season at the LSU Alumni Gold Meet in April. If she is going to be challenged down the homestretch, it could be from Oregon’s Laura Roesler, who will be running in front of her hometown fans. Roesler was runner-up to Goule at the NCAA Indoor Championships, and has timed a season best of 2:01.75. Roesler’s raw speed was good enough to earn her a spot on Oregon’s National Champion 4x400m team both indoors this year and Outdoors in 2012. With the famed magic of Hayward Field, an upset is always possible.

Others to watch are Goule’s teammate at LSU, Charlene Lipsey; Georgia’s Megan Malasarte; and UC Davis’s Lauren Wallace. If one was to chose a darkhorse for a podium finish, go with Stanford freshman Amy Weissenbach (veteran to the big stage having finished fourth at the 2011 IAAF World Youth Championships in the discipline), or Illinois’s Samantha Murphy.

1500m: Final June 8
When one thinks of coach Dave Smith’s Oklahoma State middle distance team, many immediately call to mind German Fernandez, the 2009 1500m NCAA champion. Though Hernandez is largely regarded as Oklahoma State’s best product in recent years, Natalja Piliusina has to be thought of in the same category. Though she hasn’t earned any NCAA titles yet, the Lithuanian has consistently finished at the top of the NCAA rankings in both the 1500m and 800m. Heading into the NCAA Championships, Piliusina is the fastest at 1500m by nearly a second over Florida’s Cory McGee. The third time should be the charm for Piliusina, who has finished second at NCAA Championships twice before in 2011 outdoors and 2012 indoors (both at 800m). If it comes down to a tactical race, watch out for her 2:03.80 800m speed.

However, a trio from Florida could play spoiler to Piliusina. At the Stanford Payton Jordan Invitational, McGee, a junior, timed 4:10.55, her season and personal best. Also from the sunshine state are Florida State’s Amanda Winslow and Florida’s Agata Strausa, boasting season marks of 4:10.79 and 4:11.27.

As mentioned in the 800m, never disregard the magic of Oregon’s Hayward Field. Senior Anne Kesselring — the 800m NCAA Champion from 2011 outdoors — could play a factor. Also don’t forget Big East Conference winner Emily Lipari of Villanova.

5000m: Final June 7
The women’s 5000m should be one of the best races of the entire meet. Here you have NCAA Indoor 5000m champion Abbey D’Agostino of Dartmouth, Oregon darling Jordan Hasay running her final race at her home track, Pac-12 foe Megan Goethals, Providence tandem Emily Sisson and Laura Nagel, as well as Kenyans Aliphine Tuliamuk-Bolton (Wichita State) and Betsy Saina (Iowa State). The favorite has to be D’Agostino, who leads the NCAA rankings with her 15:11.35 performance at Mt. Sac in April. D’Agostino is not attempting a 5000m/10,000m double, meaning her main focus will be this race. The question is will she take the pace out fast from the gun or let the contest play into a tactical affair?

Ironically, all of Hasay’s eggs are in the 5000m as well. Having failed to qualify for the 10,000m, Hasay’s final race as a collegian will be on her home track, the same track in which she was ushered in as an Oregon Duck in 2008 when she finished tenth — still as a high schooler — in the Olympic Trials 1500m. As Letsrun.com wrote in their event preview, it would be a storybook ending worthy of a Walt Disney film if Hasay could take the 5000m title. Surely that would quiet all of her naysayers, walking off the Hayward Field track national champion to a standing ovation.

Aside from D’Agostino and Hasay, there is a deep list of athletes who could well finish in the top two. NCAA Division I Cross Country champion Saina and fourth place finisher Tuliamuk-Bolton has the credentials to rightfully do so. The one thing possibly holding them back is their entry in Wednesday’s 10,000m. Also entered in both events is Washington’s Goethals.

Ray Treacy always has his Providence Friars ready for the post-season; the veteran coach has Sisson and Nagel in the event, two athletes who have shown promise throughout their careers. Two others worth noting are Columbia’s Waverly Neer and Kentucky’s Chelsea Oswald.

10,000m: Final June 5
As mentioned in the 5000m capsule, Iowa State’s Betsy Saina (NCAA Cross Country Champion) and Wichita State’s Aliphine Tuliamuk-Bolton are two favorites that are entered in both the 5000m and 10,000m. Kentucky’s Chelsea Oswald and Washington’s Megan Goethals are also entered in both distance events.

One that we didn’t mention in the 5000m but must mention in the 10,000m is Arizona’s Jennifer Bergman, who has timed 33:04.58 this season. The senior could be the next one in Arizona’s long list of recent champions (think Stephen Sambu and Lawi Lalang) to top the podium. Like Lalang, she is coached by James Li.

Last year’s fourth place finisher Meaghan Nelson will return to try and better her finish from a year ago, as will Cornell’s Katie Kellner. In 2012, the Ivy Leaguer placed 21st nearly two minutes behind the winner. But this year, Kellner has been on a roll, winning the Eastern Regional on May 23 in 33:17.39.

Not to be forgotten are Risper Kimaiyo of UTEP and Boston University’s Katie Matthews, both of whom could finish on the podium if they have a good day.

3000m Steeplechase: Final June 8
Reigning champion Shalaya Kipp of Colorado is red-shirting this year, leaving teammate and fellow Olympian Emma Coburn the easy favorite. Coburn is perhaps the best NCAA steeplechaser since Jenny Simpson was at Colorado, running to a season best of 9:28.26 in April.

While Coburn should be the easy victor (after all, she has the fastest time in the NCAA by more than 20 seconds), look for a number of sub-10:00 athletes to battle it out for All-American honors. Florida State’s Colleen Quigley, Cornell’s Rachel Sorna, Weber State’s Amber Henry, Michigan State’s Leah O’Connor, UMKC’s Courtney Frerichs, and Nebraska’s Jessica Furlan have all run under 10:00 this season.

Two names that should be in the mix as well come from the Big East in Providence’s Shelby Greany and Syracuse’s Brianna Nerud.

The post A Preview Of The NCAA Championships appeared first on Competitor.com.

Victims have just nine days left to apply for compensation from the One Fund. Photo: OneFundBoston.org

Only 20 percent of victims have applied for compensation.

The outpouring of support for the victims of the tragic Boston Marathon bombing on April 15 has been nothing short of amazing.

Thus far, over $40 million has been raised to support the victims. This money has been collecting in the One Fund since then and, according to The New York Times, victims and beneficiaries have until June 15 to apply for compensation.

“The low numbers speak loudly to our association that there needs to be an extension on the deadline,” remarked Martin Healy, who is a senior counsel for the Massachusetts Bar Association.

The administrator of funds is Kenneth R. Feinberg and he commented that he has received just 50 applications for funds.

This equates to just 20 percent of the 250 victims.

“People procrastinate,” Mr. Feinberg said. “They wait, they hem, they haw, it doesn’t matter if there is money to be made available.

“I believe if other precedents are an example that we will see over the next seven days a flood of claims, and then the last three or four days we will get even more submitted, and by June 15 we’ll have close to the 250 that we seek.”

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A smiling Arman Moodlia holds up his replacement doll. Photo: iol News.

He won’t return the Mickey Mouse doll.

This news out of South Africa is absurd: According to a report on the iol News website, Comrades Marathon runner Tshokela Maphori snatched a child’s stuffed animal during the race and took it with him to the finish.

The Mickey Mouse doll belonged to five-year-old Arman Moodlia, who was watching the race on the sidelines.

Apparently, Maphori thought the doll was a good-luck charm and is refusing to give it back.

“He just took it from my hand and ran away,” Moodliar said on Tuesday. “I am going to find another big man to get it back for me and send him to jail. It is not nice to take something that does not belong to you.”

Moodliar said that the toy was a gift from his grandmother. He reportedly “howled and howled” for hours afterwards.

“It was my good luck charm,” said the 32-year-old runner of the doll. “I held the bear right through. He gave me the power to win [finish],” he said. “Now he sleeps right next to me in my bed. I like it too much. It is like having my very own baby.”

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New studies are casting doubt on the trend.

The New York Times’ Gretchen Reynolds recently blogged about whether or not barefoot running is really all that it’s cracked up to be. Apparently, there is a series of new studies that indicate this may be the case.

The Journal of Applied Physiology looked into whether or not landing near the front of your foot (what tends to happen when one runs barefoot or in minimalist footwear) is physiologically efficient.

Researchers from the University of Amherst recruited 37 experienced runners  — 19 heel strikers and 18 who tend to land near the front of the foot.

All the volunteers were equipped with neutral running flats and put on a treadmill while being told to run as they normally do.

On the treadmill, they ran at three different speeds: easy, middle, and fast.

Throughout those runs, the researchers studied the oxygen uptake, heart rates and how carbohydrates were providing energy to the runners.

As a separate experiment, the same group was asked to switch styles.

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