The Beyonce of Blogging

Recently, Shepard Fairey and I threw some fundraisers for the Obama campaign. We called them “The Party for Change”. (If you don't know who Shepard is—among many other things—he is the one responsible for the image on the right).

1:59:59...will we ever see a sub-2 hour marathon?It's been just over a week now since Haile Gebrselassie ran himself into history (again) when he broke his own world record by running 2:03:59 in Berlin. More important, he also broke the 2:04 barrier, which gave even more impetus to the usual speculation that accompanies a world record. At the time, I wrote that we'd look at the future of the marathon once the dust had settled. I guess it's well and truly settled now, apologies for the delay, but here's our take on the question that has been a topic of some discussion in the last week or so - will man ever run a sub-2 hour marathon?Barrier-breaking speculationIt's quite normal for (sometimes wild) speculation to accompany any world record - it happened last year as well, with Gebrselassie predicting a 2:02 in the near future. He tempered that enthusiasm this time around, saying that he felt like a 2:03:30 was possible. Dave Bedford, the race director of the London Marathon, was not quite so circumspect, and his words last weekend were: "Without doubt I will see a two-hour marathon in my lifetime. It might be towards the end of my life. It might be another 20 years. But, yes, it will definitely happen."Dave Bedford, for the record, is 58 years old, and perhaps the best response to this I've seen is from the guys over at LetsRun, who wrote that he'll be wrong unless he plans to live to 138 years old!That's the sentiment of most - they are saying that it's a long, long way off. For example, Glenn Latimer, who oversees distance running in the USA was quoted as saying that the sub-2 hour marathon is a "far-off dream", and that "If you look at what his splits were, averaging around 14 minutes 45 seconds for each five kilometres, they're amazing. You're talking something else altogether to go down significantly below this". So he reckons it's a little soon to be excited by a sub-2 hour performance just yet.I thought I'd take a little more of an analytical look at the cha...

Owner's Manual: Pedestal Powertraining By Brian An audio interview with Coach Johnson and  video of the Pedestal exercises he describes can be found at http://runningtimes.com/apr08 Whether you're an improving 1500-meter runner or an aspiring Boston Marathon qualifier, core strength can help give your training and racing a boost. But, not only is it hard to get fired up about doing 300 crunches every morning when you wake up or the moment you finish a run, crunches aren't the only--or best--answer.With the idea of hardening some of his young middle-distance runners, Kansas State University distance coach Mike Smith incorporates a series of general strength workouts known as the Pedestal Routine into his program's daily workout regimen. It's a series of 10 quick core-building exercises that strengthen many muscle systems from mid-thigh to the bottom of the ribcage. If done regularly, the routine will build the abs, psoas muscles, hip flexors, upper hamstrings, glutes and numerous other structural systems that contribute to core stability. And that will ultimately allow a runner to exert maximal power throughout a workout or race and maintain an efficient, upright form, even when fatigued, Smith says. The bottom line is that, combined with a strong aerobic system, a sturdy structural system can help you drop race times, run better workouts and recover quicker."The concept of a pedestal is something that supports something from a strong, stable base," Smith says. "And in this case, your core is supporting your upper body and your legs. So the stronger that core is, the better we are able to sustain our power, flexibility and efficiency."For an 800-meter runner, it means creating more efficient power on a short-term basis. For a 10,000-meter runner or marathoner, it's about tolerating the impact and fatigue over a long period of time. And it can also help you avoid nagging overuse injuries and soreness that can keep you from a workout or force you to reschedule a ...

entral Park was designed for refuge, discovery and communing with society. Not for running. Yet 150 years later, its 843 acres are a paradise for runners. Learn new trails inside Central Park and listen to experienced runners describe their favorites.