Tanser.Org


**New Refugee camp video** It saddens me so much when i go to the camps. You meet people who have lost everything; landowners, farm owners, who now through circumstance have nothing, and no future to look out for. These people are surviving off one meal a day because the charity has dried up, these people are the ones who have no relatives to go and live with, they have no option. I have the actual race on video and it was so nice when they were running the people were laughing and all full of cheer. Mothers ran with their babies on their backs!

I am really happy that Pamela Jelimo did it! Fantastic news tonight that Pamela Jelimo, the new star of athletics, won the $1-million dollar jackpot. It could not be more deserving, and it is really a fantastically wonderful story. having just returned from Kenya and spending a day with her family, and her first coach makes this news so special.

Pamela Jelimo will be the athlete of the future, and she has just begun to show the immense talent of the nandi women. Y'see people are wondering where did she come from, how come she is running this fast... Well, prior to her African Championships gold nobody wanted to help Jelimo bar a coach from the Kipsigei's tribe. She ran a world class 1:58 800m at 2800-meters altitude as a complete unknown smashing the speculation that she is nothing less than a supreme talent. As she returned home from the African Championships that is when the attention, coaches, agents, pazazz fell her way.. and ANY athlete who runs 1:58 in Addis Ababa on an old worn tartan track, with stifling heat and no air to breathe, can run a 1:54 in the luxurious settings of Europe.

How poor was Pamela Jelimo & family before that Ethiopian date? You can not hope to understand the story, the struggles this family, nine siblings, no father, family undertook. Where food was hard to find, and nobody, spare one poor man who lied to help her, reached out. read more in MORE FIRE... coming in one month!

Y'know I had terrible toothache tonight, in fact it was curbing me eating. I am waiting till December though to go to the Dentist as that is the next time I leave the country and can afford to sit in a dentists chair... but anyway I started downloading my pictures from Kenya and looking at pictures of people who have never even been to a dentist in their whole life... and then I remembered one quote from one of my fave athletes in Kenya, "Better that God takes me home than I go back to where I came from..."

To be an African athlete nobody loves you, nobody, until you appear on the scene as a winning prospect. This quote was not from Pamela, but Pamela -- it is simply fantastic that this reward has come to you!

09/05
We had a meeting in mid town with a great PR person from a big company that looks like it will be a big step in the right direction. Then I sniffed out a Starbucks before we went to meet Jeanine who was buying plants on the next street. I did not realize that 28th ST is plant row, shops upon shops just of plants. Who would have guessed.

Then do you recall me telling you of a great Thai restaurant that nobody knew about? Well now they do, we went there for lunch and it was supercrowded. Great food though; Land on Second Ave at 82nd. As it was so hot we had a couple of beers too before editing the hospital film. Shoe4Africa's office is Tony's office, the good news it comes with a cook -- she made dinner and then we played dare with the kids which involved drinking olive oil, vinegar, and throwing cherry tomatoes across the table into people's mouths.

Anyway, running news -- Britain at the Olympics; another prediction came true, I said that Britain would 'pardon' Christine to run in the Olympic team as it would be the only track and field gold that they would get.. twas right. I don't think changing the staff is going to reap more than a couple for 2012... but anything is worth a try. They should buy a base in Kenya and build a winter trainign camp because as the old duck says, "If you can't beat them, join them.." and that is two cents worth of advice for free.

Still no Dell and thus my Kenya sagas are still coming...

09/04
back to usual habits - had a long breakfast with Tony, next week he is going to Hollywood to do some filming. I drank loads of coffee and had some great bread with raisins in. Tomorrow we have some meetings with getting the Hospital project into September gear. But on that note, Thanks to Doctor Dan for a $200 donation given to Don who is running Chicago Marathon for us -- I shall be hitting Doc Dan up again for me!
Dell sagas continued! Buy a Dell laptop? So yesterday they say, "Simple problem, you need a Cmos battery replacement (even though it is a new computer!). They suggest sending me the part, but instead send a rep to put the battery in.

So I arrange my afternoon to be here so he can come. He arrives and works for 2 1/2-hrs on the job! Only, get this, only to discover that Dell have sent him the wrong size battery! Un-Flippin believeable! Buy a Dell laptop... this is a comedy of errors. So can't use my laptop -- still! Lucky I have two apples; have you ever heard me moan about Apple computers?? There is a lesson for you.

Down at the track; Dedication points for Chris who gave her Venus Vs Serena tickets up to come to the track! Luiz arrived late but finished fast. The opposite for AmexChris, Abs ran a stormer for once, and Commander Kevin is no shrimp anymore, Deidra was full of smiles, Bill was on the money, two guys ran well whose names I don't know, Katie was full of power, Ben was flying, Gene was in his drummin' groove, Rick is... ready to lose 8-lbs.

Chucky was, as always, in the gear ready to get to the next gear, Irish John was pushing and got the eye of Alec's wife, "he's lost a good few pounds!" Good to see Joanne, sad to see her leg problem, Monikah runs with More Fire! Lissy was on her planet in lane eight, Danielle & Don the likeable twins, and Stuart looking much better, Trackman dave hearing too many whistles, James - his first workout, all 51-minutes of it! Diane the Queen was zooming like a zooter.

Jill was smiling too much, Joya was smooth, and Abs was soaring round the track frightening people. A very successful night I must say!

I am working on the final edits of More Fire -- the book that is endorsed by half the Kenyan running community! I can not wait to see it in the flesh, it should be released in October,a nd remember 100% of the author royalties go to S4A's hospital!!
Photo's from the Kenya trip coming soon,a nd I have some classics!
09/03
VOTE for a NYRR director. If you are a NYRR member that is!

Diane Dixon, World Champion, Olympic Gold n Silver, Malaak Shabazz (Malcolm X's youngest daughter), and Jackie Joyner Kersee - otherwise known as the Golden Girl of USA track and Field (three Olympic Golds?) as the Shoe4Africa Angels.

Kenya was more than it could have been -- so many great stories, fun happenings, and events - it was a blast from A to Z. The downfall? The Dell laptop -- Oh my goodness am I cursed? I fired it up, and it would not start. Now back in the USA was on the phone for an hour and they again can't fix it. So I asked the tech to look up my service tag, "Goodness, you have had a lot go wrong with this laptop haven't you!" And that helps me how? Mr. Michael Dell you have sold me a lemon, your staff agree, and let me tell you I will never ever take this piece of crap to Africa again thinking I would have a laptop to work on. buy a dell and inherit problems!

Coming soon -- the scoop from Pamela Jelimo's mum, Rhoda. Wait till you see the views from her home! A quiz; what did Sammy Wanjiru do following his Gold medal win and before the medal ceremony? Which murderer is Nancy Lagat married to? And a hundred and one other stories.
08/13

Lornah Kiplagat & Hilda Kibet. So it is here, the final of women�s 10,000m. 24-hrs away � you�ll watch it NBC at 10:45(?) but myself I will be in the air flying towards Kenya (ironically towards Starbucks & Simba's Nairobi apartment). Kenya the country of birth for Lornah & Hilda.

Lornah who I first met in 1995 as a meek and silent person who was starting out as a senior runner� a runner who as a little girl had run the 1500m, the 5000m, eaten lunch, ran the 10,000m thrown up, won the districts and started off to be the true legend that she is today. A woman who listens, then talks with her feet, a woman who has been consistently brilliant with her career who trains so hard she goes through training partners like formula one drivers go through tires, and that is male training partners. Lornah nearly did not qualify for the 10,000 this year. She was injured, then sick with food poisoning, but when she needed to run a qualifier, on the last week before the cut-off date, she went to the track, knocked out a training run, almost one minute slower than her sublime PR to make sure she had a qualifier with 31:04� She ran, and lives, with More Fire.

Hilda Airlines Kibet � a runner who proves that through perseverance and consistent hard work you can make success � not every Kenyan runs like the wind, and it took Hilda many many years to make it. She had to battle, and when nobody believed she would make it as a runner, and only she and her sister Sylvia had faith, she pushed on, and trained hard. Nobody expected it in Kenya � the young girl who had trailed off the very back of the training groups was now the leader. Now Hilda is the top ranked 10k runner going into Friday�s finale.. she has arrived!! Hilda's youtube is one of the most popular Kenyan videos.

Going back to the retirement conversation � here are some properties to buy in Ethiopia�
�Swimming sensation Michael Phelps has an Olympic recipe for success - and it involves eating a staggering 12,000 calories a day. "Eat, sleep and swim. That's all I can do," Phelps, who won two more gold medals today, told NBC when asked what he needs to win medals. "Get some calories into my system and try to recover the best I can.�
At the track � Jo anne � nice to see you down there, a newbie called Katie, Sir Alec looking much smoother, Chris was back from her Jamaican vacation, Will looked very much improved � the training is paying off, Anil pulled out a good one, Erika (for once) used her legs more than her mouth, Suneet � good to see him back, two weeks before his I do day, Jill escaped early grr, Andrew the rugby player was the night�s ringer, John the Orish charged well, Michelle L was back but sans Lucy, Abs was finally flying again � 62.9! Morgan was back too, but missing one cylinder, or two. Gene is a defo improve! Diane Queen of the Harriers is the one person I really really want to get focused in 2008 and do what she can do, Deidra did another great session, Bill was silently killing the lanes, So pleased to see Terence coming down and running smooth, Monikah � the woman that can�t get run down � more energy than a power pack, and Diane Lynn looking more toned by the week!
Meanwhile at the Olympics � the men�s 100m freestyle � they swim faster than I can run!! Wow, awesome.
08/13

Sammy Wanjiru--Beijing medal contender.

I ate like I was going to the electric chair last night � I tried a variety of rolls at PT 212, my new fave, that you have to try is Sakura. And the chocolate flourless cake there is sublime. I love the way the wait staff bring me a new beer when one empty�s, and the Chef Thai Salad is a great way to strt the evening. We were talking about where we are all going to retire � the popular table choice was France or Italy.. Geez, the way my finance is going, earning zilch and no pension plan, I am looking at countries that hover at the base of the GDP � currently looking �hot is Somalia, Mozambique, and Ethiopia.
The biggest running news of the Olympics, a top three contender for the marathon, Noguchi the defending champion, is out of the competition due to an injury and likewise the alternate Tomo Morimoto, so Japan, a powerhouse has only two athletes running � Nakamura & Tosa.
News from the Olympic Village, from Starbucks, �There is no starbucks in the village and Mc Donalds have a MrCoffee with all kinds of coffee, it is not even that bad.�
On the BBC: �Lead author Professor James Fries, from the University of California at Stanford, said: "The study has a very pro-exercise message. If you had to pick one thing to make people healthier as they age, it would be aerobic exercise.
Smart Move.Com� In order to alleviate congestion at the start, along the course, and at the finish; reduce waiting time prior to the start; and enhance runners� overall race experience, there will be three wave starts to begin this year's ING New York City Marathon.
08/12
Once, every four years, I find myself shaking my head and realizing I am watching stuff like Synchro swimming, and beach volley, listening to some dumb commentary, �They did the same dive but got less points than the Germans!� And watch Mc D & coca-cola being touted as the King sponsors of the games. Anyway, awesome underwater shots of the swimming turns. Sitting here drinking beer, swilling swigs, eating an entire cinnamon babka and � a gallon of full fat ice cream� meanwhile, on the other side Catherine Ndereba slips out of her apartment, as light as a feather, as ready as ever, off to airport to fly to Beijing! Good luck. Good luck to the Simba and Airlines who compete on Friday in the 10,000 � the first time Holland has had two world class women in the 10,000m that is for sure! Have not heard from Starbucks in a couple of days. The big competition is a woman who has been suffering, every time she runs over 8km, with a bad stomach. The Baby Faced Assassin.

Update on the hospital � We have $158,000, looking for $159,000 � can you help? Every dollar is going to make this happen! Check it out on facebook. Please get on the wall of fame.
Chen Yibeng � he rocks, un flippin believable. Michael Phelps ditto� wow.
08/11
Buy a Dell � continued. I flipping can not believe it. I fire up the laptop that I hardly use, but am going to use it in Kenya so I check it still works (months old their flagship model). Up pops �Your Windows Vista is not an authorized version.� I call tech support � 45, 45, I kid you not, 45 minutes later having gone through a disconnect, and two mistaken departments (and it is so tedious giving out all the info each time before they transfer you), I finally get to a technition who tells me, and am I so happy to hear this? �I�ve never had this before.� 15-minutes later, �Sir, have you anything you want to keep on your computer?� I tell her this is the third time, I have had to wipe the Hard Disk, and wonder if it is true that I might have a lemon. �We;�� Sir, it is unusual.� Gosh, make me feel better why don�t you.

The killer, she can�t fix the problem, so she hangs up!!

As I say, Buy a Dell at your peril. Single handily Dell have made me into a huge Apple supporter, as my apples are fab. HP are also awesome, why, oh why, did I buy a Dell?

So I have been busy creating a facebook after the advice of friend after friend that I should do this to market Shoe4Africa � I mean I want 15-million people to donate $1, well not really, I would prefer 150,000 to donate $100�. Well I got a $10 donation this weekend� we are still hovering around the $150,000 mark, but will kick into a bigger gear I hope, I hope, in September. Who knows?
Kudos to Tadesse Tola and Ageless Edith Masai win the 2008 CIGNA Falmouth Road Race. Edith is a rock n roll star, and at 41 or 42 or whatever she happens to be these days, she is an inspiration -- I mean she won the Kenyan national 10,000m champs this year! Like a Leah Malot story if you ask me. Jon Rankin won the men's mile, and he is a really nice guy doing some great stuff on this globe, all kudos to him too!
Boos to the Olympic TV commercials, If you have had a coke in the last 60-years blah blah, is that the best multi million dollar advertising can do.
How old are these gymnasts? I feel like I am watching 12-year old girls in out dated harlem globe trotter outfits.
Went out with Global � always a hoot, my bagel appetite is shrinking � only managed one with lax, one with fatty spread. Then we went to Starbucks and came up with a fab book idea.
Talking of going out, on Sunday I went out with Michelle for brunch � we went to Popover on Amsterdam & 87th. Had a lovely brunch there, and I discovered Popover�s. There should be a Popover East� there is a franchise idea. The place was full too.
I was really sad to read that Seb Coe�s father, Peter, died. There is apiece of my childhood. I met Peter Coe the first time when I was twelve, I went to Seb�s house in Sheffield with a friend of mine called Andrew after we�d run with Seb � Seb was a grown up, and his father answered the door � he was most friendly, and really nice to us (As was Seb too).
Whole Foods (supposedly the �good place� in NYC to get your foods) is recalling beef. How long before people realize that eating meat is paramount to eating human flesh, and it is simply not good for the body. I promise it will happen, probably 100-yrs from now though. I mean think about it, squint your eyes a little, look at the leg of a pig and imagine a human arm, not much difference right? The thing that gets me is imagine how many hormones are shot into meat� then you put it into your body, it sits there for up to 48-hrs going through your intestines, eating its way onto the walls.. yuck.
Heard from Tony, who is on the West Coast. Everyone is out there, even Smelly Kelly! I can�t believe it, it is like, �Smelly Kelly�s just walked in with a cold beer�� Tony is coming over to Kenya, so I�ll see him for breakfast in a week from now. Funny to think of.. Kenya is coming.
I updated the name on my face book � I had Toby Ta as I hit tab without checking I had spelled my name correctly � pretty dumb huh, well if it had been Tan I would have left it as Toby Tan sounds better than Toby Ta.
08/08/08
A momentous day in history � the start of the Olympics, but more so, three eights!
All you read in the press is not necessarily true � I always think it very strange how we read things and think they are true. A recent article on Sammy Wanjiru � averaging 120km per week, yeah right, and Sally is in the training group.. yeah right. She�s not even in that town.
On Thursday, August 28th, on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, Barack Obama will officially accept the Democratic nomination for president.
From a 2:07 marathoner, and his first visit to America: "I'm enjoying meals like cheese steak, pizza and others which i have never had them before."
The spirit of the marathon! Coming to NYC-- Show times: 3:15 and 8:30 daily (Aug. 8-14) IFC Center 323 Sixth Ave. New York, NY 10014 (212) 924-7771 Tickets can be purchased online or at the theatre box office.
"Do not underestimate how fit someone can get being in the pool." Dame Kelly, but when you put the name Paula in there you realize that anything is impossible.. she may not run for Adidas but Paula embodies that saying on this globe.
Yesterday afternoon I went out for lunch at Novecentro, an Argentine street caf� on West Broadway. I had the salad with walnuts and beets in the title, forget what it was called, but it was very good. The wine was an Argentine wine starting with the letters Ta again very nice, well bodied, not full, fruity but not an imposing taste, very good � the first Argentine wine I recall drinking. The flourless chocolate cake was alright, pretty NYC standard, and the coffee was excellent.. the place was super relaxing, in fact we were there till 6pm! So it gets a big thumbs up for a great place to whittle away an afternoon in NYC.
In the evening I went to York Avenue (thanks Lori & Urs, especially for the dark Swiss Chocolate) for a Flyers party. So nice to catch up with a lot of people I had not seen for a long time. I never got the chance to go out on the high rooftop because I was yapping so much, but thems the breaks!.

�It is as difficult to win it for the second time,� Defar says (understatement of the Games). �I know the world will be watching and everyone will be preparing to peak in these Games.� It will be the distance match up of the track for many � Dibaba Vs Defar! If Defar does win she�ll the first ever to repeat in the women�s 5000m � nobody has repeat won in the women�s 10,000m either although Super Tulu has won two Gold in 1992 & 2000, with a bronze in 2004, that should have been a silver -- Xing Huina won gold and as she was coached by Wang Dexian who was the drug injector (or so it was said of Sun Yingjie), it is highly suspect that household name (not) Xing may have been injected by Wang too�. Anyroads Tulu is a goddess, and a nice one too!

08/07
Went running yesterday morning with Ethelie on the Bridle. It was wet, wet, wet and we got soaked times twenty. But the one thing that is great about the rain is it sure does empty out the park! But, Alem was out there, and more of which we hear he is off to Ethiopia next week, to watch the Olympics and see more of the distance runs than he'l see here in the USA. Speaking of which the Kenyan Coach, Warm-ups emailed today to tell me that Kenyan television is hsoing everything live 24/7!
Brad Pitt�s Kids � they make more before the age of One week that I will ever make in a lifetime a few times over. That is America my friend, where newspapers will pay $15-million to get a photo of a newly born and yeah, I won�t even go there. In your face as the magazine industry would say.
Kudos to US1camera.com for great post sales customer service.. the thing where so many people fail � buy your supplies with confidence from these guys
Zaytoons in Brooklyn � a middle east eatery(?) near Cobble Hill? Well it was near a road with a bank on it that I know, because after we went to the bank and Scyld pulled the old �I�m English� to get assistance, always works.

Why are taxi�s so expensive compared to other cities? Is not the price of gas the same all across America?

Wanna watch a great documentary on the Steroid issue? Look no further on the clvere documentary done by Chris Bell � Bigger�Stronger�Faster, very, very good. But I will never believe that Carl Lewis was taking drugs, no way. But Arnold S� of coursssse.
Down on the track: Jules rolling like Thunder, OZChris, Luis starting out on the haul, Erika, Deidra great session, Lissy, Diane two cents from calling me out, Anil needing the next stop, Chucky going smooth, Will needs pilates, David trackman, Sir Alec like he�d never faded away, Bill the consistent, Kevin no longer Bubba, Heidi earning her brownies, Abs running well, John back in gear, AmexLee tuning it up, Jenn! Long time no see from FIT, and Monikah on Fire!
And the athlete of the week�Go Allyson!!
08/06
I checked my credit card and noticed my Verizon billing went up. So I called them up, �Why was I not informed of this?� Sir, we sent you an email to your verizon.net email account. �I don�t use a verizon email, I told you this the last time you put a price increase on me.� Well Sir, this is the only way we can guarantee a safety delivered message to you. �Well you have it on my records that I did not want to be informed by email.� Pause� pause.. so I continue, �Well you are a phone company, what about phoning people to inform them you are now changing their credit card automatic billing.� No Sir, we can�t do that. Yeah right, you are a phone company, I forgot. Glad I waited on hold for 45-minutes, being transferred twice to get Ms. Etheridge on the phone lines.

A burger place in Kenya

A great colorful description of Beijing from ESPN�s Justine, �It�s vast and vibrant and visually rich, architecturally brash. air is horrible. Runners must be flipping.�
After the Flyers I went down to PT 212 for a biz dinner wit h Diane and Jason. Diane didn�t know the food sharing rule and stole 2/3 of my avocado, I had to make extra sure that she did not go fot he main course � Jason, on the other hand, was offering his food out like Gandhi, �Have some of mine, eat�� Making me like the capitalist food hoarder I really am, nothing wrong with that. As usual I started with the Thai Chef Salad, minus the avocado. The main course was two rolls of Manhattan roll, and one roll of Sakura roll. Luckily the flourless chocolate dessert was safe � I got them two talking and ate as fast as I could, and all washed down by a few bottles of Amsterdam�s finest. Jason was asking everyone where he could buy HGH for some bizarre reason, and our waiter was out on cloud nine, although I must say he was savvy with the Heineken refills. Out in the street I met John, who is a NYC triathete and a regular runner in Central Park.
Nice postcard from Bali, it seems Cynth is not working in the rice fields as earlier rumored.
Running news? It is the cucumber season.. all�s quiet before the Olympics.. a couple more Russians busted, tip of the iceberg type stuff, people excited. Starbucks tells me he is training and is as skinny as a toothpick, he�s very happy as he is in a hotel with nothing to spend money on, hence nobody can go shopping�.
For myself I am off to Brooklyn today wherever that is � I never get out to the outer boros, it is so far, and everything is here right?
08/05
Big Thanks to Metrosports � your friendly local free sports newspaper, a mag that relies off advertising but were kind enough to run a free AD for More Fire � the book that is being written TOTALLY to support building a hospital in the hot bed of the running epicenter of the world � Eldoret. At this time I would like to thanks TRACK & FIELD NEWS, RUNNER�S WORLD, RUNNING TIMES, ATHLETICS WEEKLY, RUNNER�S WORLD SWEDEN, ATHLETICS WEEKLY BRITAIN, BEYOND RUNNING � who have all volunteered to do the same.
Last night to Nick�s � again, this is the best pizzeria on the UES � you should go; I was not a pig this time, house salad and & pizza with sun dried toms & mushrooms � as always the pizza was sublime; you should check this place out, on 94th and 2nd AVE, unless you like grease dripping soggy dough pizza � then stay away.
One month away from my comeback race, well the one race I am going to run and it is a relay, so basically I don�t want to let my team down, so I went jogging in the park today, my legs felt like they were carrying a two tonne truck. I always liked relay�s � I remember running the 4 x 1500m in the Swedish Champs, I could always run well when in a team situation.
Running in Falmouth and the fave for the win Edith �Ageless� Masai (right) here with Susan Chepkemei who also had an ageless career until a drugs ban last year. She is now a mother in Eldoret. But that is another story. Edith is a legend of the sport who took up running because she became a single mother and needed some $$ to pay the bills; a true person of iron who looked at adversity, and spat it out. I might go up to Falmouth this week end myself, if for no other reason than to say hello to Edith � a super star!!
Shock n rocks � I was reading an article I wrote in 2003 (clearing out the bookshelf) and I was tipped Martin Lel and Margaret Okayo to win the NYC Marathon � what a great tip! Those were in the days before people became interested in those two as realizing what legends they are.
Nice email today, �Do you remember me? My name is Freya, I am 15 years old and I live in Australia. I emailed you earlier this year and told you I wanted to collect 1000 pairs of shoes to send to Shoe4africa. Well you will be pleased to that I am well on my way to collecting 200 pairs of runners. (I have had to revise my target down from 1000!). My best friend Rani and I have organised a competition at school (Newhaven College) to see which �house� can collect the most pairs. (There are 4 houses at school.) We have also had a �crazy shoe day� with a gold coin donation from each student.
�The �shoe collection drive� finishes this week. Then we will sort through the shoes, discard the ones that are no good, clean the others and then send them off to you. Freya Scott.� Thx Freya.
Read on Peter Gambo�s Gumbo on RW: �ATF CEO Doug Logan Wants Current USA 4x400 Record Removed. Logan is asking that the record - a 2:54.20 by Jerome Young, Antonio Pettigrew, Tyree Washington and Michael Johnson in 1998 ran � be wiped out and the American 4x400-meter record would then be 2:54.29 that Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Butch Reynolds and Michael Johnson ran to win the 1993 World Championships. Yet was not Butch involved in drugs?
08/04

photo: mike kobal

At Caf� du Soleil with the Russian Rocket, a while since I have seen him. �Tob (he drops the Y) we drink pink lemonade, it�s French restaurant, they must have good lemonade.� Well they did not, and neither of us particularly wanted to drink, as a) he announced he�d stopped drinking, and b) for me it was way too early (lunch). But somehow the waiter brought two Duvels, which is a nice Belgium beer. The Caf� is a street open place on Broadway on the upper West after upper becomes �uppest� at 104th. Next came the gazpacho soup with a heavy tomato and avocado taste (by this time I had gone through two baskets of table bread)�yow it was gut, then the main course I went for the Salmon salad, and a generous portion of fresh salmon was appreciated. Can�t remember how the mini-parts were. More beers, including the waiter giving us some (thanks), then the desserts � we ordered four, and I ate three of them, so they must have been good. To finish off, coffee, and it was coffee befitting of a French restaurant. So all in all, if you are looking for a good place to eat on the Upper-Upper West Side look no further than this place!
Kenyan news of our Eldoret release later this month. From *Shoe4Africa Press releases*! And the continued launch of the Hospital.

After the US 4 x 400m disqualifications, the medal upgrades: Nigeria finished second in the men�s 1,600-meter relay, with Jamaica third and the Bahamas fourth� and the quotes.. �That�s such a shame, especially for the ones who were clean, and it�s most important for the athletes who were second,� Sanya Richards, who won gold on the 1,600-meter women�s relay in 2004, said from training camp in Dalian. �You lose that opportunity to stand on top of the podium and feel the joy of winning the race. Those are the people who hurt the worst when there are cheaters ahead of them. Giving back the medals is just a technicality because you can�t repair the hurt feelings and the hard work that went into it.�
Usain Bolt to double in Beijing, big bets for a double gold.
08/01
Over in Kenya the Prez gets involved� �Kibaki more than doubled the reward for the gold medallists, offering Sh750,000 for winners in Beijing, a big increase from the previous reward for Olympic champions that stood at Sh300,000. Silver medallists will pocket Sh500,000 while bronze medal winners will take home Sh250,000, up from the previous Sh300,000 and Sh200,000 respectively.
Along with the Russians, �Romania have dropped Elena Antoci and Cristina Vasiloiu from their Olympic team because of suspicion of doping. The pair are both 1500m runners and they follow in the footsteps of fellow 1500m competitor Liliana Popescu, who was dropped from the country's Olympic team under similar circumstances earlier this month.� Pamela Jelimo is back to #1 this year!! Paula told the world Olga Yegorova was a cheat, the tests proved it back in the day, and it has been proven!
Kenyan Reserve dilemma at the camp. And you can understand the coach�s concern.
Meanwhile here in NYC we continue to have it hot. I am stuck at my desk writing letters, emails, etc, projects, ideas, writalitus.

photo: mike kobal
This weekend it is the long run for Central Park, BUT is it still many weeks from the marathon, and I am not sure if I would be advising to do the full monty right now, maybe 16 is sweet.
The price of food in Manhattan, for an average grocery bill has gone up 15-25% this past 12-months. Wow.
I woke the Russian Rocket up with the news below, and he was glad to hear that non of the names were any of his athletes -- big news inthe athletics world, but an amazing thing I find is still the IAAF is doing urine tests instead of blood tests. Secondly the country should get a hefty fine to support more testing...
07/31
Catherine Ndereba - brief Chat on Runner's World.
Huge Russian shake-up!! All formally suspended for urine test manipulation!! Svetlana CHERKASOVA � 800m Yulia FOMENKO � 1500m Gulfiya KHANAFEYEVA � Hammer Throw Darya PISHCHALNIKOVA - Discus Throw Yelena SOBOLEVA � 800m / 1500m Tatyana TOMASHOVA � 1500m Olga YEGOROVA - 1500m / 5000m
ROSA MOTA joins Shoe4Africa! How great is Rosa? In her first marathon ever she won the European Championships! Lest we not forget Olympic bronze in 1984,and Gold in 1988!
Over in Kapsabet, Kenya, Martin Lel is training hard with More Fire, for Olympic glory. He is flying and mentally as strong as the hills he runs upon. 20km away is the home of Robert Cheruiyot, yet Cheruiyot is not there. Over in a valley in Italy, pushing, and pushing each training run like it is a race Robert also runs, for Olympic glory.

Ms Catherine Ndereba. Photo: Mike �Global� Kobal.

�Paula Radcliffe will board the plane bound for Great Britain's holding camp in Macau, raising hopes she will be fit enough to take her place on the start line of the marathon�� The most feared name in women�s marathon running when fit and firing.
Back to Iceland: the last day begun with a run round Reykjavik � for the first time in my life I took a cell phone on the run, part in the way that I thought just in case Tony got into trouble we could call for a taxi, but mostly because I was expecting a call from Shell. Running down Laugavegur Shell did call, and we met up for a long breakfast. Then we drove out to the famed Blue Lagoon. Luckily, due to the Minister of Health�s wife, thanks Augusta, we got the VIP treatment � a separate wing of the lagoon to ourselves! Food, a private pool a living room with an expresso bar and more � it was the bees knees. Blue Lagoon at night. Following which we drove to the airport to end a superb vacation.
Although Yusuf Saad Kamel lost to Yuriy Borzakovskiy in Monaco on Tuesday, both were timed at 1:42:79, he did actually win the title as the fastest Konchellah. Kamel, son of Billy Konchellah, the two time world champion 1987-91 (1:43:06), improved his own PR of 1:43:11 to not only bypass his father (who now lives in Kilgoris Kenya and is a political campaigner for his brother Gideon who was recently elected to be a member of parliament) but also his uncle Patrick, 1:42:98, the 1994 Commonwealth Games Champion. There�s more! Word on the street is that Felix, the son of Patrick who is still a junior, will be the best of all the Konchellah�s!
07/29

photo: mike kobal

Giving my two cents to the US-news. Deena�s session is a great one for marathon running.

Buy a ram? This is the site run by the Icelandic woman who ran across the river.
At Monaco: �Yelena Isinbayeva at her third attempt made a fine clearance at 5.04m, so improving her World Pole Vault record* by one centimetre. Close 800m in the men�s -- Yusuf Saad Kamel lost to Yuriy Borzakovskiy 1:42:79 for both.
Iceland continued.. the next morning was l-a-z-y� in fact we were just hanging around, looking at the beautiful surroundings before heading off to Thingvellir where the world�s oldest parliament was held back in AD 892 or something. First we went to the Thingvellir restaurant where they cook a trout for you caught from the lake of the same name. I was not too impressed by the horse skins hanging on the walls. After which we walked around the old stones where the old Vikings used to meet to settle scores and make laws. I spoke to my friend Chris Rooke over in England as I was missing his huge birthday bash (the only regret). Then we drove to Gullfoss to see Iceland�s second biggest waterfall � it was amazing to see the power of the water. Then it was on to the Geysir, which we saw erupt a couple of times � really freaky and what aqua colors before the eruption.

Next we drove back to Reykjavik to get ready for dinner in the famous Perlan revolving restaurant. I ate seven rolls and chatted with the Russian waitress as the food took a long time coming � designer cuisine, it is one of Iceland�s best restaurants. The highlight for me was my Uncle Asgeir Halldorsson dropped by to say hi. Here�s a pic of rReykjavik from th Perlan�s galss dome. Click here.

Coaching last night in Central Park � Nery told me she ran a 1:36 in the NYC Half! Great stuff. She had wanted to break her PR of 1:43 and aim for a couple of minutes, but I told her, run with more fire � she was setting the bar too low, so I was super happy to hear of a 7-minute PR!
07/28
Back from Iceland: Well we raised more funds, I think a minimum of $30,000, but not sure till we get the cheque next month. Thanks to Leppin for hosting the event. The fund raiser was on the first night � it was fun because a lot of my old friends came along. Late at night we went to downtown Reykjavik as it was someone�s birthday (the wife of the coach of the club I used to run for over there) so we had a fun time till the wee small hours when I found the street life so packed you could hardly get down the main street! It was with some bewilderment that I went for a jog a few hours later. After breakfast an enormous monster jeep came to pick us up and we drove two hours to a glacier.

At the foot of the glacier we stopped for lunch. Tony did this incredible trick where he turned a glass upside down and tried to pour water into it� did not work. Esmee stuffed bread rolls up her shirt sleeve to give her muscles, the waitress told us the French fries were in the pot, and pushed the soup.

Back on the road� (Small drive) Then we donned wind proof suits, from the mother of Barcelona�s FC Eidur Gudjohnsen (who scored the first goal the night before) before setting off on a snowcat up the glacier. Finally we came to a line of snow scooters where we all got off and onto this the little zap mobiles.

We drove around the glacier looking at certain views for quite some time. After which we came down and then drove for another couple of hours till we came to a place in the middle of nowhere that had a riding stable.

So we jumped on some Icelandic horses (mine was called dreamer, and I was super glad I did not get Frisky � the woman who was leading us had that one). Luis (Cristiano Ronaldo�s manager) had never ridden a horse before but boldly volunteered to try it out, and off we went. Easy going slowly, fine galloping, but every time we slowed down it was really bumpy in the saddle when the horse changes gate. It was sublime. We rode along deserted beaches with amazing skies, and incredible vistas. We rode through rivers, along tracks�. For an hour and a half. Following which we drove to what must be Iceland�s best West Coast getaway � Hotel Budir for a 7-course dinner (with some superb wine) in a place I was thinking if (when) I go mad it would be the place to go to, to get away from the real world.

The front view from the Hotel

The back view from the Hotel.

After the amazing meal Jeanine went up with the kids and I was having a beer with Tony in the garden and this group of crazy Icelanders came out, this girl ran and jumped in the river (which must have been freezing) and she swam across! In the pitch black! A beer later we were in the bar sitting there discussing whatnots, and the girl came in and sat down right next to me and started talking � I could not believe it, she was really warm � it was as if she had not been in the water at all! Let me tell you though, the weather then (12:24-am) was very cold, but during the day we had the best weather Iceland has had since 1991! To be continued�

07/26
Over in Iceland still -- Horse riding, snow mobiles, eating to the power of ten, visiting geysirs, waterfalls, etc.

Meanwhile back in New York City - Catherine Ndereba runs with MORE FIRE!!


photo: mike kobal
**Marathon Madness � Footwear is 20% off minimum al this week!! That is at Urban Athletics running stores in NYC � 1291 Madison & WFC Winter Gardens. Free raffles, food drinks, clothes etc in the down town store after the Half on Sunday!! You would be crazy not to check it out. As it is meters from the finish line.
07/25
What happens? Y'see Baby Faced and Meseret are killing in the 5000m. Posting times like a minute faster than another race is usually won in. Are the 12-loops owned by Africa? Well one person answers, She runs with More Fire. She runs a new European record of 14;23 and says, 'Don't count me out!' What would you do? Would you run with More Fire too?

07/24
Ottey 28/100th of one second, fails, at the age of 48 to make a record 8 Olympic teams! Wow, watch out in 2012 that is all I can say � Go Merlene! Jamaica�s finest.
Down on the track with the angry Frisbee throwers � Lissy who hit a 26 4-miler well done, Ben who�s studying in and out and running well inbetween, Jules who has really stepped things up and is improving in chunks. Will who really needs to get quickly to that next gear. David Trackman having a good night, Gene looking like a leader and never stops smiling thru the pains, Doz proving his salt n leather, Bill � well could have given a bit more to be honest, Kev nearly redeeming his Bubba, still a bit shrimping, Anil not as hot as the last few weeks. Stuart was firing well, Abs was his usual strong self and did great. Nancy was not home tonight. Jill did ace, and looked well churning lap after lap. Ditto Deidra. AmexLee has a gear he is not using, but AmexChris got the scholars award for effort. Suzanne came for her second effort getting some bonus points, D�ior showed the form of tomorrow, and Diane showed she ain�t lost it.
So today I am off to the North Pole. Well near enough; we are off to Rackajack City

Great story on the IAAF about a new great star, �I made about ETB 2.50 (USD 0.30) a day,� he says. �I would buy bread and some tea and would have only one meal a day. After that, I had nothing left in my pocket. I had to wake up the following morning to go back to work in order to survive. If I didn�t, there would be no food.� So many of the wonder athletes come from tough lives, just goes to show!
Team (women) Russia: very strong -- 800m Soboleva, Andrianova, Kluka 1500m - Soboleva, Tomashova, Fomenko 5000m - Shjbukhova, Galkina - Samitova, Zadorozhnaya 10.00m - Abitova, Konovalova, Aryiasova
07/23
Wow, the power of blogging huh � I had ten people email in yesterday to agree that they thought the best thing to do, and what they were going to do, was cancel their NY-er subscription to show they did not approve of the Obama cover. Who would have guessed!
What you weight. Weight � for some reason people always keep asking me my weight, from in the gym to the coffee shop. I never ask anyone theirs, but it seems to come up in a topic of conversation, �You look thin, what do you weigh?� Not just women, though mostly. Most of the time I can guess my own weight, and rarely weigh myself. The other day I jumped on the scales to do a summer check in, thinking I was around 154, and was pleased to see 148! Cool. I thought it might be the scales were wrong, so I re-weighed after a jog in the park at the gym, and 146! Albeit with water loss).
Stockholm DN Galan � Hey, I ran at this meet, a long time ago. Great 1000m kaki 2:13, from Kamel (Son of Konchellah) 2:14, from Yurij 800-Gold Sky of Russia in 2:15, the men�s 100m was a rocket affair with Asafa P coming back to beat the Bolt 9:88 to 9:89, with Jamaica 3 & 4 too � there�s your Olympic relay gold team� "I'm really looking forward to the Olympics." Said Asafa echoing the world. Also let me tell you this track is not fast for sprinters, it was designed for distance runners with a thick tartan. Special mention in the men�s 400 to Thomas Nikitin running 46! Who is he? Well his mother was a world record holder & his father is the coach of SPARVAGEN � the world�s best running club.

Craig Mottram was back in great form holding off the best Kenyan finisher in the business Songok (the man who beat Bekele in a sprint) � Buster looks like he might have timed things right. Dayron Robles another amazing hurdles win in 12:91! And Stefan Holm � what can you say, the man of the High Jump � and this guy is the salt of the earth, so let�s hope he wins (Another) Olympic Gold. Sanya Richards showed she is the top 400m runner by putting Allyson back into third� but the result of the meet was Meseret�s reply to the Baby faced Assassin.

Okay she did not get the record but to run 14:12 sets up the most anticipated Olympic domestic distance challenges ever seen since Coe vs Ovett! Second place in that race, Zackia, 14:58, who trains in Iten, but comes from Tanzania. Carolina Kluft is struggling in the Long Jump, and could only manage third � I still think she should have gone for the heptathlon because there she creates magic, form or no form.

Back to NYC I went to Nick�s Pizza on Second Ave & 94th last night with Rapido. Great pizza as usual, arguably the best pizza on the Upper East Side, unless you like things washed in oil. The Brooklyn Lager was great too � all things were super fresh (the house salad is great) but the food does come a bit too quick. I had not started the bread when the salad arrived, the pizza came quickly after.. or was it that I was chin wagging?

Speaking of which � I was doing that earlier at Ess-a-Bagel (only three bagels � One with lax, one with raisin cream cheese, one plain -- actually took half the excess cream cheese) all on Cinnamon raison.. at the Lower East Side�s best bagelry chatting with GlobalKobal. NYC�s most talented photographer. Check out his web site!!

07/22
Nice story sent in by Tattooed Terry. Costa Rica 400m runner.
Quickly returning to action after the U.S. Olympic Trials earlier this month, Adam Goucher will make a rare road-racing appearance at the NYC Half-Marathon Presented by NIKE on Sunday.
The Simba is training very hard over in Kenya� if the pace is hot, if the track is hot, if the weather kills.. then it is Simba Time!!!! After hard training comes rest

Da Simba time� Beijing we are coming.

PENINAH ARUSEI IS READY FOR OLYMPICS
Steenwijk, The Netherlands � On Friday evening, 18th of July, the Kenyan athlete Peninah Arusei proved to be in great shape. She was running in a track meeting, at Steenwijk in The Netherlands, on 10.000 meters a personal best of 30.57.8 minutes. Since 2005 (Edith Masai, 30.30.26 minutes, and Irene Kwambai, 30.55.67 minutes) no other Kenyan athlete was faster than this time. On the world ranking for this year she is taking now position 5.

During the race Arusei started fast. The first 2 km she run in 5.55 minutes, 4 km in 12.08 minutes, 6 km in 18.24 minutes and 8 km in 24.43 minutes. The fastest lap was 69 seconds and the slowest lap was 76 seconds. From begin to end she was running on her own, no other athlete could follow her. Peninah Arusei had come especially for this race from Kenya.

Peninah Arusei finished during the Kenyan trials for Olympics as second (32.19.3 minutes). She lost in that race the final kick from Lucy Kabuu (32.18.6 minutes). The first two athletes of the trials would qualify automatic for Olympics and the third athlete would be chosen by Athletics Kenya. Because Arusei was not having a Qualification time (faster than 31.45 minutes) Athletics Kenya selected beside of Lucy Kabuu (first at the trials), Grace Momanyi (third at the Trials) and Lineth Masai (sixth at the trials).

With her new personal best and qualification time Arusei showed Kenya that she is ready to represent her country at the Olympics and hopes Athletics Kenya / Kenyan National Olympic Committee will still include her in the Kenyan team.

Yesterday I went out to one of my fave local restaurants, as long as I don't go there too often that is, Beyoglu on Third at 80th. The Turkish place. I went there with Cara who is doing great and was close to a couple of big breakthru roles recently. She also back from a trip to Kenya where she was way north and down south, so far south she was driving into Tanzania.. doing lots of great stuff over there with water projects.
07/21

Just back from a relaxing holiday out on the Hamptons, Southampton actually. This was no ordinary place where I was staying, the house belonged, until last year, to the Kennedy Family. The siblings of the (real) famous generation � it was a mansion. The living room was like a ballroom, oh, that was the first of the living rooms. It took me about 5-miles to find my bedroom, okay, slight exaggeration but the head on view does not do this place justice� I had a fun time out there. Hanging out at the pool, at the beach...

We went out to dinner one night to Shelter Island, Sunset Beach restaurant was it called? It was a beautiful place, but the staff and the food left something to be desired � the starter Wild Calamari in a ginger salad.. the calamari was cold, and tasted like it had been in a waiting room for a Polish train. I could not taste any ginger to save my life, and the salad was on par with a Broadway truckstop. For the main course seared scallops � now they were good, and fresh, but the sauce that smothered the accompanying sweet corn tasted right out of the packet, which is fine, but best that you know it first. The chef was most generous, unfortunately, with the said sauce. The dessert, ice cream pistachio was fab!

Who is Lilyia Shobukhova? Read more but she won the Russian 5000m champs in 14:23 this past weekend!!
We are soon kicking off the Hospital fund � get your name on the wall! See here.
Eunice Jepkorir, 9:18 Steeple, and Moses Masai 12:55 ran great in Barcelona� mind you I did get a shock when I saw that Masai is supposed to be 22-years of age. C�mon. I really think this guy can get among the Ethiopians in Beijing, it would be a dream for Kenya if he could get the win. He lives & trains in Iten, has the most beautiful stride � you can see him a couple of times in the Train Hard, Win Easy video on youtube.

Fun picture from Kenya, we were going up a steep hill! Little trivia the turnoff is to the road that lads to Moses Tanui's old house, and where you can find Patrick Sang, and also an old Ondieki house.

From the mailbag: �Please be advised that I am rallying my friends, family and staff together to Silently Protest the New Yorker magazine cover, dated July 21, 2008. This cover titled, "Politic of Fear", poorly depicts Senator Obama and his wife. It is illustrated by Barry Blitt. CALLED POLITICAL SATIRE, I FEEL THAT IS POLITICAL SABOTAGE.

I saw the cover of the NY-er and thought it really was in bad taste. Almost as if someone paid big bucks for it to be put up there? I think the subscribers are the ones who should decide if they want to endorse this propaganda� and if they are offended, then go and cancel your subscription -- let your $$-talk. (They are rallying 1pm Times Sq outside the NYer offices if you are around)

In the track meet at Brussels, Levy Matebo, Kenya, second in the 5000m goes from a 13:31 to a 13:03 PR! Qatar had 5 athletes under 13:16... Kenyanites now running for Qatar of course� Hats off to Eric Sjoqvist of Sweden who clocked a 13:27! He has been a round for a while and a half�

In the men�s steeplechase Paul Koech, 8:00, wins by 19-seconds! And Jenny Barringer, USA, won the women�s in 9:22� back to Barca, Veronica Campbell clocked 21:98 in the 200m there, which was one of the classiest results of the weekend � Veronica is an out and out nice person � too bad her and Allyson Felix are going head2head in the Olympics as I want them both to win.

Also over in Europe we hear from team Volare Peninah Arusei ran a fab 30:57 to clock an Olympic qualifier for the Kenya team! Well done, awesome running�. Also watch out for Geoffrey Mutai from Team Volare too � a huge name for the future currently he is killing everyone in Holland!

07/17

A shot from 11-years ago! The Simba, Lornah Kiplagat on the phone!

--One of Jimi Hendrix's favorite guitars, set alight on a London stage more than 40 years ago and thought to have been lost forever, is to be auctioned later this year.�Going for around a million, but I guess it will go for more than that! Things to spend the toothfairies on. Also, �Ronnie Wood entered a rehabilitation facility Wednesday for help with alcoholism�time of the year�
Today I am off to the Hamptons � nobody got FloJo�s nickname, on that note I read the article on ESPN.com about why track is not �big� anymore. Who are the characters of the sport today? For myself�in the men�s 100m there has not been a name to match Carl Lewis, for the women�s 100m FloJo, for the 200m Merlene Ottey, for the 400m Valerie Brisco, Michael Johnson, 800/1500 � has any match up been as glam as the Coe-Ovett? 5000m � here�s where it drifts as the average TV viewer�s attention span does not go past a couple of minutes. I mean I was not running in the 80�s but you have to say that 90% of the memorable names come from that era, or at least it is my vote. I can not think, from season to season, who are the big rivals � I mean we have Haile G., and Paul Tergat � that was a classic matchup, or Komen & Geb, but Kenenisa is seriously missing a bolt. Speaking of which maybe Bolt is the new name.. but there needs to be a name that crosses over the boundaries of talking track.. in the way Coe/Ovett, FloJo, Michael Johnson, and certainly Carl Lewis was able to do. Reminds me of one day in Nairobi when everyone I asked had never heard of Tergat, but when I said �Who have you heard of?� well 100%, and that is no exaggeration, could name both Ngugi and Kip Keino. In the same vein people know who Seb Coe & Steve Ovett are today- even though one of them lives in Oz land is way out of the media umbrella.

World Champion: Janet Jepkosgei runs with More Fire � 1:56 for the 800, she can run from the back, the front, or kick � with More Fire! Wait till she moves up to the 1500!

Meanwhile over in the IlN offices: The US Anti-Doping Agency has confirmed a life ban on former elite coach Trevor Graham for breaking anti-drugs rules. Graham is the ex-trainer of disgraced American sprinters Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery and Justin Gatlin.
Down on the 6th ST track � at first we were not going to have a workout, but then I decided to, because it was supposed to herald the return of the Queen of the NYH; she did not show! Diane, whazzup? Meanwhile Anil, with rockets in his pockets blasted a time trial that showed he can easily complete 50% of the task in hand � a bet that runs throughout 2008 against Deadman Todd from the store. Chances are Todd is going down again. Abs was hoppin fine as the workout rolled on, the hotter he got the faster his feet went. Commander Levin gotr the Bubba Shrimp Award, but Jules stepped it up a notch. Herb the Verb honored us with a visit, �I am just waiting for one of those Frisbee ponces to say one more word before I knock their teeth out�� That�s the verb for ya. ChuckyChina was rocking andf rolling, and like Abs warmed up. Gene � still coming, we have not discouraged him yet! Chris from the NY Flyers doing great, looking zapper; she is racing every race possible as usual! Jill camre and ran superdooper�great dedication. Nance the Grapefruit is looking ready to that big breakthrough like she had last year, it is coming! Don was rocking along like a demon. A la Trackman Dave, also cool to see CAmila come down. Erika was not so lippy this week; she is learning a mouth gets more repeats; she�ll be mute by the end of the summer. Will � needs to stretch!! And Heidi � cool beans and congrats on the PR � looking great.
�World 100m record holder Usain Bolt has promised �something very special� when he competes over his preferred distance, the 200m, at next weekend�s Aviva London Grand Prix.� We bet it is 19:45. With good weather!
07/16
On a Tuesday in Manhattan. I went out to meet a city legend, Ms Diane Dixon, the only runner to win 10-national indoor 400m titles, Queen of the Boards, World Champion, double Olympic medalist, Gold n Silver.

We met uptown at 86th ST, and whilst I was standing on the corner #11 came by, She had run 15-miles the other day, then started personal training with a client, who then wanted to run� Anyway, when Diane came we walked, and then we walked, and the stories she was telling me, �Oh yeah, I used to take my pet snake (8-foot long) to the track meets�� Diane was also the best friend of FloJo, she has some beautiful FloJo stories -- here's a trivia question -- what was Flojo's nickname prior to that one, and for a bonus, what was her registration plate on her Datsun? She can also explain why Valerie BH wore shorts in the Olympic finals, what Gwen Torrence is doing now, Calvin, Carl, Leroy, Michelle etc etc, and so many funny stories that we laughed across the streets of Manhattan for seven hours. Of course we had a visit to Starbucks, and to TGIF.

One thing we were talking about is characters in the sport, �In my day you did not say, �I hope she runs well, or I�m going to do my best. You said, �I�m gonna be number one, you�ll be two. I�m gonna beat your ass. Hell yes I�m going for the world record.�

The sport needs personalities with a fast moving tongue and rivalries, it makes for TV viewing, and it might make for getting T&F shown on the TV over here. Anyway, it was a fun day.

The highly anticipated team for Beijing from Ethiopia. As we announced last year Kenenisa does have every intention of trying to emulate Miruts Yifter & doing the double. 5000m: Kenenisa Bekele, Tariku Bekele, Abraham Cherkos, Ali Abdosh 10,000m: Kenenisa Bekele, Sileshi Sihine, Haile Gebrselassie, Ibrahim Jeylan Marathon: Tsegaye Kebede, Deriba Mergia, Gudisa Shentema, Gashaw

In the women the Baby faced assassin goes for the double, and may well get it! The 5000 may be a great classic, and let�s hope Sleepy Sylvia can sneak in there!! 1500m Geleta Burka. 5000m: Tirunesh Dibaba, Meseret Defar, Meselech Melkamu, Belaynesh Fekadu 10,000m: Mestawet Tufa, Tirunesh Dibaba, Ejegayehou Dibaba, Wude Ayalew Marathon: Gete Wami, Berhane Adere, Bezunesh Bekele, Dire Tune .

07/15
So it is time for Indian � The Russian Rocket and I go to a great Indian on 103rd & Broadway (highly recommended for authentic Indian food!!). I never found out the name although I asked a few time, but the main course was Fish Masala and is was 110% from the Mojave Desert & back � go there if you like ethnic that is all I can say. We drank a few Taj Mahals, so much so the wait staff adopted us, but instead, we moved on. I mean I wish I could remember what we ordered as it was great food�the food was flowing over the table�they brought extensions!

It was Bastille Day of course, so we went to Soleil (which sounds like a Jean Gaultier shirt I have, or two of because of coloring). Anyway, all we wish to do is have a couple of swift ones and move on. But this woman at the bar tries to make the moves, she is American and keeps on asking �When is this going to be Bastille night? I want to sing the national anthem.� So I say in French, Maybe it is wise just to let the evening go as is.�. She says, �Oh wow, A French person on Bastille night!� Meanwhile I am thinking, if you think I am French with my crappy French god help whatever.. Meanwhile The waitress is Ukrainian (Iliana) she sees what is going on, she smiles looking upwards, so we take the hint (She mentions some word in Russian that seem to explain a lot) We order Tira Misu. The drunk Woman, with an empty glass, looks at me, shaking her glass, and says, �I wonder what I am doing tonight?� Two beers later, I palm her off with a 15-year old, she does not look amused.

However now we are talking Bastille with a Frenchwoman & with another wait staff who acts as a vodka sell-out salesperson whilst waiting for her green card, and a also tall person paid to promote some drink that looks like vodka also (I don�t try it). It is all over the bar in front of us, but since I�ve drunk a gallon and a half and the Rocket has two 6-packs in his pack for when we get back I decide to save it all for another evening.. but more than anything, I remember this is simply just another NYC evening.

Running news--"I'm going back to continue my training - but yes, it is going to be a race against time," Radcliffe said.
�Don�t buy a dell � don�t buy a dell.� I heard it, I ignored it. I suffer. Every frigging time I start this stupid DELL XPS M1530. I was told today, �Maybe you loaded it with too much memory.� This to why it won�t start up. I did remind them it was �them� that loaded it up. Then a break in the tech help as the technician had a problem with his head set (I kid you not). Every flipping time I start this computer there is a problem, the last time the sound did not work, so a technician came to my house (yes luckily I bought support) and changed the speakers. Buy a dell, as salad girl would say, �You are holding a lemon.�

Three minutes later, �Sorry about that�� disappears again!! Comes back again, �What is your express service code?� Now there is a joke. I explain the problem after giving him the problem. Another �hold� where I can hear him talking in the background to another customer (!!) Gets back on the phone to me. �Actually Sir, I am an Inspiron (or whatever), I do not know about the xps mode.�
So why did you ask me for all the info?
�Of course Sir I will pass this on to the next technician.�
Do you think he did?

I estimate since using (and I must have used it about 10-times) I have spent at least 4-hours with Dell technicians in person, and at least that amount of time on the phone fixing this piece of junk � as I say, I was warned.. not for the first time I did not listen.

Team GB is expected to consist of approximately 300 athletes and a further 200 officials. Click here to view all currently selected Team GB athletes�Hoping for 5-medals?
07/14
Africa El Brutal�sad to hear that Jeroen got attacked in Nairobi. He is lucky to be alive. I spoke with him yesterday, basically what happened was he was walking along at 7pm near Uhuru Highway, and he got hit hard on the head � he was out for about four hours. Someone got him to hospital. He was released after four days and still has a little disorientation, but he has regained sight (he lost it in one eye) and is on the mend.
Athletics�a fab performance by Allyson Felix in the 400m, what a shame she is not going to the Olympics at that distance with the 200m. Pauline still dominating the 800m, and then really good to see Ezekiel Kemboi win in Athens on Sunday! Shaheen was in that race trying for his comeback � the two time world champ has Olympic Gold as his ultimate dream. Ezekiel has that gold, and is gunning for #2! In my humble opinion the biggest challenge for Ezekiel would have come from Paul Koech, but he is just a reserve in the Kenyan team such is the standard of their squad.

Arrived via the text message; hanging out in Eldoret with Jamjar.

Starbucks has flown back to Kenya, flights there are fully booked these days as they have really cut the number flying over there.
We read��Veteran Spanish rider Manuel Beltran was kicked off the scandal-ridden Tour and was taken into police custody to be questioned Friday after testing positive for EPO� TBC->
Enough of sport � eating, it was planned to go to Beyoglu on third ave at 81st, which remains a steadfast fave even if Turkish beer tastes more wonky than a wrenchnut monkey�s bladder leakage (yup I always forget till I order it).. anyway, that place is hopping these days � never used to be so popular, don�t know what has caught on, but one does feels sorry for Gobo over the street that looks like a stage set for a scrooge chapter in its bleakness (and yes once upon a time I did eat there when B. was full). So this time we went to Tira Misu, which is also over the road but on another corner. Y�see that is the delectable donut of Manhattan� not like when you live in the nether regions of Happaranda and you leave the restaurant because there is a reindeers head (I kid you not) on the next plate only to realize you are now left with the choice of eating at the Gas Station, or hunting (and we are now geographically ten miles from the artic circle)� so anyway over top Tira Misu:

The beer was Stella thanks to a tip from the waiter to forget the Italian beer on offer. The beet salad was actually very good, had some nice components in there that made the plate colorful and actually was good to eat. The pizza, for which this place is famed, and many Italians dub as the best pizzeria in NYC fell a huge way behind Nick�s on Second Ave at 94th St, a long way short� Toppings were ok, but the crust and sauce were secondary.

In Runner�s World magazine this month, looking like it is on page 64 (Thanks Centuryman for the scan!)

Continued� A strong climber, Beltran helped Lance Armstrong win the Tour in 2003, 2004 and 2005, often pulling the Texan up the steep climbs. Beltran is the fourth former Armstrong teammate to test positive for doping; the others were Floyd Landis, Tyler Hamilton and Roberto Heras. Beltran tested positive on July 5 after the first stage of the Tour.� Bad news for a bad tour.
I meant to do the race on Sunday morning, only to run in to my friend Scyld. But as luck would have it, and as I was still awake at 4:30-am the night prior I decided to not run� I am going to run in the Beach Relay, or something Beach on September 7th. Good job I did not turn up as I told my friend that we�d meet on the finish line and he would run 7-min mile pace so I could time it exactly so we would not have to wait to go for breakfast.. he did 7:11 I would have never waited...
Other joys? My manuscript was 500-pages, I got it down to 350-pages, and this weekend had to chop it again. It is very, very tough to do.. and there are times when you want to throw all the pages out the window. More Fire On Fire.
Speaking of which I met Liz who has her NYC Marathon book coming out soon. The cover is virtually identical to the last book that came out on the NYC marathon� which happened to be mine. A head on shot of runners coming straight at you with the Verazzano Bridge structure up above. I did not really realize till I came home and put it on my desk and thought, hm, that looks very very familiar. So I put the two books together and thought zippety zipped up!
The RAK International marathon sent me their video and program from Dubai � what a great event, Nathan does a fantastic job over there.. and we had a really beautiful poster (that they designed) for Shoe4Africa�thanks!
And to close out a big clap to the Running Gov david Paterson who finished the Boilermaker. Catherine More Fire Ndereba ran 50:40 in her marathon preps, her next race will be NYC Half.. but remember all the people that go �ooh she did not win Utica she can�t win the Olympics�� I remember oh so well at the NYC Half last year when Hilda Airlines won and all the journalists were saying �Doesn�t look good for Osaka..� and I was thinking.. �Looks great for Osaka�� I mean, the difference between the people who win the medals and the ones who don�t is all about timing, and do you think an athlete tapers for any race apart from the Olympics if they have a chance of a medal? They run straight through these races.. like cheese n cheddars, chess n chequers.
07/11
�PAULA RADCLIFFE is still in Font Romeu in the French Pyrenees training for the Olympic marathon. Her recovery from a stress fracture of the femur has gone better than expected - she is back running and bolstering her fitness levels with daily bouts of cross training.� A legend of our lifetime.
Owen Slot argues in today's The Times that it is exceedingly likely Christine Arron, a French sprinter of particular elegance, is the fastest woman of all time � all very subjective. How do we know that Christine is clean? Now Miss Ashford�
Heard from Michelle today down in Oz-land�. She is running great, and is focused on Melbourne -- a couple of years ago she used to be winnign loads of races round here. I coached her for Chicago where she did ace, 15th, and we do have our fingers crossed she'll visit again soon. The last time she did I ended up in the weirdest bar in midtown with ladies dancing on the bar and worse -- blame it all on 'Shell!
Meanwhile I am working 100% on �More Fire� the book � I hope you all buy it (pls) because personally it will not benefit me one penny but it will help Kenya and its people.
#1 hate of the day � people sit in their cars depressing their horns � if I was Green berg, Bloomberg, whatever, I would make a law that the horn sounds inside the car � that would shut up NYC in an instant!
I ran with Ethelie yesterday in Central Park � the only person I run with when I can never remember how far I have run with because we start talking, then the run is run.
Josphat Kipkoech Bett Titus Kipjumba Mbishei 27:30 & 27:31 take Gold & Silver in the world juniors! Then 1-2 in the steeplechase�17-yrs old from the birthplace of Benson Masya: Christine Kambua Muyanga & Elizabeth Mueni 9:31 & 9:36
07/10
At the world juniors� 16-year old Nelly Chebet was third clocking 16:17.96 in the 5000m final dominated by Ethiopian athletes. The last two laps was a close battle between 18-year-old Sule Utura and World Cross Country junior champion Genzebe Dibaba both from Ethiopia.� I am hoping that Genzebe will make the senior team.
Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein to Test Olympic Fitness at NYC Half-Marathon Presented by NIKE�a boon for the race.

Sally Barsosio, one of the world�s most outstanding athletes. She is the only ever Kenyan woman to win a major 10,000m championship on the track � that�s not going to change in Beijing, well that�s my two cents.

Abraham Chepkirwok (UGA) another junior--1:43.72�800m sensation.
07/09

$125,000!!!


WE are off and running! Weeks before the official Shoe4Africa Hospital Campaign is even launched we have the first bricks! Way to go! $14.8 million to go, and change...

In related news Shoe4Africa Ambassador Ezekiel Kemboi today emailed and is running with More Fire! Ezekiel has the chance to be the first ever man in history to win back2back Olympic Steeplechase titles � Go Ezekiel!!

Coaching last night in Central Park with the NY Flyers � hot, hot, hot in the city, but I have a nice group, so it is fun running.. speaking of which I was running myself earlier with Tony (who left today for England) and Jonathan, the boyfriend of Lucianne, thw ife of the man who did the �Saw� movies. At breakfast, with Smelly-Kelly, we met Cynthia who is building a school in Bali � we had problems finding a grinder for the coffee, so had to put the beans into a blender �it worked!
Kenyan press � the Fire is coming� �ATHLETICS: Kenyan juniors land in Poland breathing fire�
Kaki, who is the currently fastest man this season in the two lap race with a time of one minute, 42.69 seconds, however, noted that he is not under-rating the Kenyan challenge. �Although the champion (David Rudisha) is not here, Kenyans still pose the greatest challenge. � amazing that the top two 800m runners on the globe are both juniors, as I say watch out for Felix Konchellah to rock the world in a few years from now.
I went to the bank today to do some business. Beyond my ID they asked for my ATM card, so I gave it. "What is your PIN number?" I told them I had not a clue. They said, "Well, what (pause) number (pause) do (pause) you (pause) put (pause) in (etc) when you withdraw money from an ATM?" I told them I did not use the ATM. They asked how long I have had the account, I said since 2001. "And you have never used the ATM?"
"Do I have to repeat myself?" I could not do the transaction, because I had not done a an ATM transaction, the mind boggles!
07/08
British 10k results: women finishers in italics 1 Stefano Baldini 30:06 Italy 2 Hugo Van De Broek 30:24 Netherlands 3 Lornah Kiplagat 32:13 Netherlands 4 Ben Hope 32:19 5 Glen Saqui 32:29 6 Kasse Tadesse 32:34 7 Hilda Kibet 32:41 Netherlands 8 Huessin Ahmed 32:57 Egypt 9 Ali Hammad 33:14 Egypt 10 Peter Downie 33:27 11 Catherine Ndereba 33:33 Kenya

Allyson Felix and Muna Lee make the Olympic team at the 200m! Great news for clean sprinting � two athletes of the new generation. Funnily enough I was just reading an Olympic thing from 2004 with Justin whatshisname who won the gold� looking at that guy�. Looking at these two gives hope!

Went to the flicks last night �after dinner at PT212 where I tried a new sushi roll called Suku or something, and it was ace. Luckily although I have forgotten the waitress always remembers what I ordered the last time� in fact there is an open Heineken bottle at my table as I sit down.

The movie was about the life of Ghengis Khan and a testament to what can be done without a blockbuster budget� we went to the 11pm showing.. I was wishing there was a bit more editing. Nevertheless a nice story and one that leaves you more endeared to the tyrant than before the curtains rise.

MORE FIRE is now available for pre-order � see the link above!!
07/07
The whole weekend belonged to one person � SLEEPY SYLVIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! On Saturday I got a text from Sleepy over in Kenya, �More Fire I am in the Kenya team!!� More of Sylvia�s story to come as the Olympics draw closer, but as any regular knows I have been touting Sylvia for an Olympic medal for a while now, and she made the Kenyan team in the HOTTEST track discipline; the women�s 5000m. You rock Sylvia!

Women�s Sprinting: I was so happy to see Muna Lee won the US trials. She has always been my fave since the Great Gail Devers stepped down. Over in Jamaica, my Jamaican fave did not make the 100m team(!) � as Kerron Stewart (100m, 200m, 4�100m), Shelly-Ann Fraser (100m, 4�100m), Sherone Simpson (100m, 200m, 4�100m), did, but Veronica Campbell-Brown (200m, 4�100m), is in the greatest 4 x 100m team ever assembled!

I went away Thurs till Sunday night to Tony�s house out in the country.. where I met another Tony (Tony Bill) From� IDMB; �Tony wanted to become a filmmaker, however, and made the transition to producer in 1971. In 1973, his feature The Sting (1973) became one of the highest grossing films in history and brought him an Academy Award for Best Picture.� Tony Bill drives a 1954 Chevrolet with only 50k miles, and an original beautiful paintjob.

Also up there was J Lindberg from the fashion world:

�NEW YORK � Justin Timberlake and Johan Lindeberg are ready to duet. The pop star has signed up the Swedish designer, best known as the founder and creative director of fashion label J. Lindeberg, to a three-year contract to design a full-scale contemporary collection under the William Rast label. To be launched at Coterie and Project Las Vegas this winter for fall �08 retailing, the new men�s and women�s lines will move William Rast beyond its core five-pocket denim business. Lindeberg will design the men�s sportswear collection, while his wife, Marcella, will design the women�s wear component. The husband-and-wife team moved to New York this past summer and set up an independent design firm, Paris68 (named after the student revolts in that city in May 1968), while Lindeberg continues to oversee creative direction of his namesake label. William Rast is Paris68�s first client."

Marcella was up there too.. and let me tell you in the football match (Soccer) Johann was a rock in defense; it was impossible to get a ball past him! I had two goals disallowed because I was �An adult� � they also had three goalkeepers.. it was an odd match.. Earlier on that day we went running in the woods, got lost and spent two hours running on random roads out in the middle of who knows where� nevermind that I ate so much I restocked the calorie need of a marching army. We watched wimbledon at breakfast, over lunch, then we took a limo bus back to NYC, that was like something out of Las Vegas � it was a 28-seat pleasure bus(see picture!) Then continued to watch wimbledon over dinner (the game took the whole day!)

I was super happy that Venus (my fave) won the women�s title, and that was fantastic tennis too.

Got a txt from Starbucks, The Simba won the British 10k and came a stunning third overall with Baldini winning (not got the times as yet). Wow.
07/03
Well as the NYC summer comes one drag is the influx of tourists, people that meander round the city in a purely atypical fashion. I mean you can spot the rental drivers a mile off, Hey, three lanes aren�t going to open up Mr. Naples Florida! Either pull out now, else you�ll be stuck there holding up the traffic for another half hour.

But it was business as usual downtown, and as I just received this mid town picture from Global, let�s post it!

Anyway as the week closes off for July 4th Rick scoffing food on the strands, Danielle with a watchful Boss, Don missing his Xtraining, Bill turning into Mr. Consistent, Kevin fa-a-a-ding, Abs on form, Jill all smiles, Gene his first & probably last ever track session � he goes from never having done a track session to walking into one of my sessions � we warmed up (he he) with 10-laps of sprinting 300m jogging 100, then it was a 2000-meter flat out repeat, then a one-mile repeat, then 10 x 200m flat out, with 200m jog.. in fact the whole work out was flat out! Erika was giving me lip before the session begun, Nance did not have her underwear issues this week, David Trackman had his 4th of July shoes on, AmexChris is adding, adding.. and AmexLee pulled the shut down.. The Frisbees throwers were out in force, and by that I mean they spent half of the time huddling up in a circle, hugging each other and chanting something that sounded like �Wonder dogs� � for the way they were playing there was a lot of generous applause� At least this week they did not need an ambulance to stretcher them off the field, they must be getting fitter�
Talking ambulances� Yesterday working on chatting with an Italian firm about hospitals, emailing an Italian charity, researching and finding YES this will be the largest children�s hospital in Africa, writing to the people in Kenya to get them to send things and confirm dates, finding 15 compelling S4A photos to use for the presentation, etc � this is what my life is these days. We had talks with the Foreign Ministry in Iceland when we there� Today going to the bank to deposit checks, working on cutting a little film. Typing stuff out for a web page, collecting (more) photos. Talking with my friend who I am trying to get to design the banner top. Today I have a meeting with the KPR people about the presentation, then as soon as it is over I am jumping on a train to go on holiday for the July 4th getaway up to Tony�s country mansion for a few days). Good news from him to do with some ER stuff that will be happening, but more than that I am already looking forwards to when this hospital is a done deal and I can start another new project!

Even in the evening hours it is discussing architects with ChuckyChina!

Good to hear that Justine from ESPN is lovin� Iten, Kenya!

Talking Running, I had a nice run this morning with Ethelie; nice to run with someone, especially since I had gotten used to running with Tony before he scooted up to CT.

07/02
The STORY of all the Olympic trials. A young man, 20-years old, walks to the track one morning in Nairobi. He has taken a communal �matatu� taxi bus down from Eldama Ravine, his home in the Rift Valley. He dreams to make the Olympic team. Not only the Olympic team, but the Kenyan Olympic team, and not only that, the Kenyan event. He, as an unknown, wants to make the Steeplechase team. An event where Kenya has ruled at every single Olympic Games since 1968 barring their boycotted years.

This unknown man looks at the starting list, he knows as an unknown he has only one chance to guarantee him a spot on the team; this is not first three over the line, he must win the trials.

To do this he must defeat the reigning Olympic Champion who stands on the start line; Julius Kariuki, he must also defeat Peter Koech, Koech holds the World record at the steeplechase and is the reigning Olympic Silver medallist, he must also defeat the reigning World Champion Moses Kiptanui who has been unbeatable all year. He must run out of his skin, then add some more as virtually every runner in the field is ranked in the world�s top ten performers.

�I ran with More Fire!!� Matthew Birir.

Read the story of HOW Matthew Birir not only trained to make the team, but how he then went on to win the Olympic Gold medal. Today Shoe4Africa is super proud to have Matthew as one of its ambassadors.

Iceland � wow, you think NYC has waiters/waitresses with bad attitudes! Ivar and I were at Victor Caf�, a nice outdoor spot in downtown Rackajack. We asked the waiter, he walked away, we called out the next time he came back, he ignored us, we yelled, he did not flinch. Ivar chased after him to ask, and he swore! The beer is very good in the city. Other places visited � The English Bar in downtown too (excellent for watching the Euro Championships), speaking of which I was out with Frida Run who used to live in Georgia � she is now in the Kenyan countryside judging a horse show!

Heard from Sleepy Sylvia today � Good luck Sleepy, make the Kenyan team!! Go!

Happy Birthday to the Flash, a man who used to hold the American record in the 90's! And happy birthday Matthew Birir!
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