In the minutes before leaving their hotel to start the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, a group of elite Ethiopian runners watched online as their compatriot, legendary distance runner Haile Gebreselassie, sliced 27 seconds off his marathon world record in Berlin.

A few hours later Mulu Seboka had a record of her own, finishing yesterday’s race in two hours, 29 minutes, 5.9 seconds, eclipsing by more than four minutes the course record set last year by Asha Gigi, a fellow Ethiopian and yesterday’s bronze medallist.

The time was also nearly a minute faster than Seboka’s previous best race.

Though it happened the same day Gebreselassie became the first runner to run a sub-2:04 marathon, Seboka’s confident her triumph in Toronto will cause a ripple back home.

"This is my personal best," the 22-year-old said through an interpreter. "It will be big news in Ethiopia for sure."

Organizers had hoped for another record in the men’s race, where last year Kenya’s John Kelai ran 2:09:30, the fastest marathon ever run in Canada.

But any chance for a world class time blew away with the wind in the last quarter of the race.

Kenyan Kenneth Mungara finished first in 2:11.00, just two seconds ahead of Peter Kiprotich.

The pair were two of eight Kenyans among the top 10 finishers in the men’s race, while 11th-place finisher Dylan Wykes was the top Canadian.

And they all said the weather bothered them as the race progressed.

Wykes and other Canadian runners said the warm weather and humidity sapped some of their strength, while a stiff wind slowed down the elite runners up ahead, who had been on pace for another course record.

"At around 30 kilometres the wind was so strong we couldn’t keep the time," Kiprotich said.

Top Canadian woman was Suzanne Evans in ninth, more than 15 minutes behind the winner, and 35 seconds ahead of Canada’s Nicole Stevenson, who placed 10th.

Race organizers said nearly 15,000 runners participated in marathon events, including a half-marathon and 5K run.

Race director Alan Brookes said roughly 3,100 people registered for the main race, which covered 42.2 kilometres along Toronto’s waterfront.

Though Mungara finished in the slowest winning time since 2005, organizers are pleased with the event’s progress over the years.

From 2003 to last year the winning time of the men’s race had improved by an average of two minutes each year, and the 2007 race was one of only three in North America that featured three sub-2:10 finishers.

The reason for the steep increase in the quality of the Waterfront Marathon’s top runners?

Brookes says it’s money.

Three years ago Scotiabank signed on as the title sponsor, which led to more prize money, which in turn made the Waterfront Marathon a destination for runners with world class aspirations.

This year organizers budgeted $350,000 for prize money, including $20,000 to the two winners and cash prizes to the top eight finishers.

The payouts don’t match the New York Marathon, which spends more than $2 million (U.S.) on appearance fees and prize money, but Brookes says a strong performance in Toronto can vault a runner on to the sport’s biggest stages.

"People are starting to come to our race, where they can get a fast time," Brookes said. "And maybe they’ll get a start place in London next spring."

To buttress his point, Brookes pointed to Daniel Rono, who parlayed a silver medal in last year’s race into spots in elite European marathons.

In April, Rono ran 2:06:58 to finish second in the Rotterdam marathon.

The Saint John native finished the 21.1-kilometre course in one hour, 13 minutes and 25 seconds, breaking Paul Morrison’s record of 1:14:28 by 1:03.

"It would have been nice to have someone with me,’’ said Coffin, who’ll turn 40 in November. "My best running was always cross-country, so I’m very used to running in a pack.’’

Coffin already holds the course record for the full-marathon portion of Marathon by the Sea, posting a time of 2:35:02 back in 1998.

"I want to set the record in the 10-k next year,’’ he said. "I think time goals are important. When my wife Connie wanted to try to qualify for the Boston Marathon, she just got so motivated.

"I’m not saying everybody has to try to qualify for Boston, but it’s important to set a goal and then it feels so good when you make it. I think the thing that hurts people is that a lot of the time their goal moves, and as soon as they get into better shape, sometimes they’re harder on themselves.

Sometimes they forget what their original goal was.’’

Maggie Johnson of Quispamsis was the first female to cross the finish line in the full marathon, recording a time of 3:27:52 and winning the tough women’s 30-39 age division in the process

"I didn’t really have a plan because I thought the weather was going to be worse,’’ Johnson said. "There are a lot of hills out there.’’

Sunday marked Johnson’s 10th full marathon, but she’d never done the full marathon at the Marathon by the Sea.

"This one is tough,’’ she said. "There are a lot of ups and downs and when the wind is (against) you, it’s hard. But it’s OK, and I would do it again for sure.’’

Leo McCosham was the overall winner of the full marathon, posting a personal best of 2:50:59. The 44-year-old from Charlottetown plans to run another 26.2 miles next month.

"This is a warm-up for the P.E.I. Marathon coming up in three weeks,’’ McCosham said. "I just wanted to see where I was at. I knew this course was tough and I just wanted to see what condition I was in, and I’m pretty happy.’’

Sunday was the latest evidence that McCosham was born to run. He ran a half-marathon just two weeks ago in Montreal and his running resumé includes two trips to the Boston Marathon.

"I only started running about two-and-a-half years ago,’’ McCosham said. "I think there’s a bit of genetics involved and a lot of training. I’ve been running around 80 miles a week.’’

Suzanne Doucet of Quispamsis was the top female finisher in the half-marathon, clocking a personal best time of 1:32:06. That was an improvement over the 1:34:32 she posted at the half-marathon portion of the Fredericton Marathon back in May.

"I’ve been working a little bit harder and hopefully a little bit smarter,’’ said Doucet, who’ll turn 46 in November. "I did other runs this season.

"When this one came around, I was less nervous because I’ve done shorter races this year and they all went well.’’

Meanwhile, there was lots of local flavour in the rest of the races. Saint John’s Evan Arsenault won the 10-km run with a time of 37:31, while Rothesay’s Allison Smith won the women’s division in 45:37. Saint John’s Matthew McNeil won the 5-km race in 18:06, while another Port City runner, Katie Robinson, was the first female finisher at 21:19. Bob Bardsley of Rothesay finished first in the Nordic walk half-marathon (2:37:16), while Jennifer Palk of Saint John was the first female to cross the finish line in the event (2:53:39).

TORONTO, September 17^th. Defending champion and course record holder, Asha Gigi of , is confirmed to head up the strongest women’s field to date at the 9^th annual Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on September 28^th. She’ll be joined on the start line by fellow Ethiopians Atsede Bayisa and Mulu Seboka. Together, they will face a tough Kenyan challenge from Irene Mogaka, Caroline Cheptonui and Winifredah Kwamboka. Ukrainian Olena Shurkhno is expected to round out the lead pack, which is likely to give the event its first sub-2:30 women’s finish. The 34 year old Gigi ran a solo 2:33:16 last September in Toronto for a new course record.

“This is the best, deepest women’s field we’ve had so far,” said Race Director Alan Brookes. “It’s shaping up to be the first time we’ve really had a women’s race, with a pack. Asha has been very consistent lately around 2:28/2:29, and her experience, pitted against some exciting, young talent promises a gripping contest.” For the first time, the women’s prize purse is identical to the men’s at $61,000 plus time bonuses, with money down to 8^th place.

When Gigi recorded her 2:33:16 at Waterfront ’07, she did so running entirely on her own. Despite a highly injudicious start that saw her go through 10K in 33:35 and half way in 1:12:13, she hung on to hold off a charging Malgorzata Sobanska by a minute. Since then, she has run 2:28:24 for 6^th in Dubai in January, then 2:29:28 for 3^rd in Hamburg in April. Her career best of 2:26:05 came 4 years ago in Paris.

As the IAAF Silver Label Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon has lowered it’s men’s finishing time from 2:17 to 2:09:30 over the past 5 years, it has gained a growing international reputation for providing talented, young up-and-comers with the opportunity to secure a fast time on the flat, Lakeshore course. This year, this is carrying over into the women’s race also. At just 21 years old, Atsede Bayisa won a hilly Istanbul Marathon last October in 2:29:05. Coached by Hussein Shibo, the head coach of the Ethiopian Federation who coached the 5000m/10,000m athletes in Beijing, she is hoping for a major improvement. Similarly, 24 year old Mulu Seboka defended her title with a 2:30:04 PR clocking in hot, humid conditions in Mumbai in January, and is expected to improve that time in Toronto. Kenyan Irene Mogaka, 2^nd to Seboka in Mumbai in 2:32:51, is just 22 years old; Kwamboka is 26, and Cheptonui 27 years. Shurkhno, coming off a PR of 2:33:37 and 2^nd place at hilly Country Music Marathon in April, is a relative veteran at age 30.

Behind this lead pack, the International Team Challenge between Team , Team and Team promises a highly competitive second group of 10 women between 2:36 and 2:48, led by ’s Judith Ramirez and Alicia Rodruigez, and ’s Nicole Stevenson. The Canadians will be battling to get at least the B standard of 2:43, to claim one of the 5 places on the Canadian team to the World Championships marathon in Berlin next August.  

GIGI, Asha [ETH]                                       2:26:05 (2004)                 F1

BAYISA, Atsede Tesema [ETH]                 2:29:05 (2007)                  F4

SEBOKA, Mulu [ETH]                                2:30:04  (2008)                 F5

CHEPTONUI, Caroline  [KEN]                   2:31:10 (2006)                   F6

MOGAKA, Irene [KEN]                              2:32:51 (2008)                  F7

SHURKHNO, Olena [UKR]                         2:33:37 (2008)                  F9

STEVENSON, Nicole [CAN]                      2:32:56  (2004)                 F10

EVANS, Suzanne [CAN]                           2:45:38  (2007)                 F11

HARVEY, Lisa [CAN]                                2:48:48  (2007)                 F12

KWAMBOKA, Winifridah [KEN]                2:36:30  2007)                  F13

FAWKE, Kim [ENG]                                 2:42:08  (2008)                   F14

HAZLITT, Karen [ENG]                             2:43:30  (2006)                   F15

DECKER, Helen [ENG]                             2:47:43  (2008)                   F16

WOODVINE, Andrea [ENG]                      2:45:49 (2008)                   F17

NATOLI, Karen [AUS]                              2:45:15 (2007)                   F18

RODRUIGEZ, Alicia [MEX]                       2:36:16 (2004)                    F19

RAMIREZ, Judith [MEX]                           2:36:43  (2007)                   F20

Alex’s notes:  The field was very international with the top 10 all from outside Canada. Makono from Kenya gradually pulled away from his two compatriots Moiben and Teklu for the win with all 3 finishing under 2:20 in wet conditions. Defending women's champ Kryza of Poland came through the halfway with Ethopian Esayyas but the challenger ended up 4 minutes ahead at the finish line with a steady second half. Canadian Myriam Grenon was third for the women. I think the standout performances in the other races was Nicole Stevenson and Josiane Aboungono finishing 3rd and 4th overall in the 10K. Check out the results on sportstats!!

Photo: The Montreal Marathon took place in Montreal Sunday, September 14, 2008. Lamech Makono (far right), from Kenya, won the men’s race with a time of 2:17:07. THE GAZETTE/Dave Sidaway

Did you know that Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay ran marathons? Three, to be precise.

"I was in the Montreal Marathon in 1984, 1993 and 1994. I wanted to beat 3 1/2 hours but my best time was four hours and nine minutes in 1984," Tremblay said. "I don’t run any more because of my knees."

These tidbits emerged yesterday at a launch of Sunday’s Marathon Oasis de Montréal, the 18th time this city has hosted a premiere road race.

Organizers are ecstatic that 9,500 people have signed up for the full marathon, many of them international elite runners.

"Running is back," crowed Bernard Arsenault, president of the marathon.

"We have runners from 28 countries, 30 of the United States and every province in Canada. Montreal is back on the international map for running."

Sunday’s events cater to the whole family and not just diehards who can tough out a 42.1-kilometre race.

More than 17,000 people will be participating in the marathon, half-marathon, 10-kilometre run, 40-kilometre cycling course, 10- kilometre wheelchair circuit, five-kilometre student challenge and a one-kilometre race for children.

The marathon, half-marathon and bike race will start on the Jacques Cartier Bridge. The shorter events will be staggered along the route and all participants will finish inside the Olympic Stadium.

It costs $1.4 million and requires 2,000 volunteers to stage Sunday’s events including street closings and security.

Wioletta Kryza of Poland was the fastest woman in Montreal in 2006 and 2007, running in two hours, 43 minutes and five seconds and 2:43.25, respectively.

Kryza is back, trying for three wins in a row, and Sunday’s forecast of showers doesn’t faze her.

"Light showers are okay but I don’t like heavy rain," Kryza said over a buffet lunch .

For the second consecutive year, Amanda Froehlich set a Queen City Marathon record.

Froehlich, in only the third marathon of her life, smashed the record she set last year by more than five minutes Sunday. She ran the 42.2-kilometre course in three hours two minutes 51 seconds.

"It was a good running day," said Froehlich, who is from Marquis.

The reigning champion felt the pressure of wearing the No. 2 bib -- awarded to the defending women’s champion -- before the race. She surprised herself by exceeding her target of running one minute faster than last year.

"Last night, before I went to bed, I set out where I need to be to finish a minute faster and I guess I just beat my plans," she said.

Although she was able to reach her goal of running seven-minute miles, Froehlich was worried when she pulled away from the pack after the two-mile mark.

"I said to the lead biker, ’I don’t want to be here right now’ because I knew I had to hold it for that long," she said. "There was a guy in front of me who had a good pace and I just kept up to him."

Froehlich wasn’t the only person to set a record. Robert Ritchot of Brandon lowered the men’s marathon mark by 1:26, posting a time of 2:42.12.

"Really, I couldn’t ask for much more," he said. "I broke the course record, got a personal best and won the race. I’m pretty lucky today."

Ritchot, who beat Dale Kirk’s mark of 2:43:38, gives credit for his time to Brendan Lunty (the defending champion, who finished second in 2:43:32) and Clyde Van Caeyzeele (who finished third in 2:43:38).

Ritchot played cat and mouse with the two runners, which helped slow him down early in the race. This helped him stick to his plan of running the second half of the race faster than the first half.

Lunty gave the group credit for his run as well.

"If I wasn’t chasing Robert and Clyde there’s no way I’d have been in that good of time," said the Camrose, Alta., runner. "It’s great, they pull you along and you pull them. It works for both guys. It’s just awesome."

Although he also beat the course record but isn’t the new record-holder, Lunty is happy with his performance.

"This is my best time and I would rather have this time and be second than win with a slower time," he said. "I’m just happy to do the best I ever have."

While Ritchot is proud of his accomplishment, he is also impressed with the rest of the approximately 3,300 runners who competed in various events at the marathon.

"A marathon is just so difficult to finish," he said. "Anyone who gets through that finish line deserves a congratulations. We all deserve one."

© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008

SCOTIABANK TORONTO WATERFRONT MARATHON CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF ‘GOING THE DISTANCE’

Canadian connection to ‘marathon mania’ to be showcased at this year’s race

(TORONTO, August 27, 2008) One hundred years ago, through a twist of historical fate, the official distance of the marathon was set at 42.195 kilometres and the world’s first ‘marathon mania’ was born. Toronto, alongside major cities like London and New York, was at the epicenter of this mania and at its heart was Native Canadian Tom Longboat, a marathoner hailed as one of the greatest distance runners in the world.

A century later, as Toronto prepares for this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on September 28, Torontonians are invited to learn more about the fascinating history of the distance and Toronto’s place in early marathon fever. In advance of the marathon, a pre-race Expo (the only one of its kind in North America) will feature a display of historical photos and artifacts. Special guests John Bryant, author of ‘Marathon Makers’, and Prof. Bruce Kidd, will also capture the public’s attention with the drama of the 1908 race, the birth of the distance and the characters of ‘marathon mania’, including ‘Longboat’.

 “One hundred years ago, through the great Tom Longboat, Toronto and were consumed in the excitement that set the distance of the marathon at precisely 42.195 km”, said Race Director, Alan Brookes. “We’re proud to be dedicating the 2008 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon to the ‘celebration of the distance.”

Canadian Legend, Tom Longboat

Tom Longboat, a relatively unknown 18-year old from the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford won the Boston marathon in 1907, smashing the previous record time by almost five minutes and turning himself into an international celebrity. The Boston Globe said that he was “the most marvelous runner to have sped over our roads”. Returning home, Longboat was engulfed by fans when he arrived at Union Station. As the champion he was taken to City Hall in a torchlight parade where the Mayor pinned a gold medal to his chest and awarded him a gift of $500 from the City.

Longboat went on to win the Toronto “Ward” marathon in 1908 and represented at the London Olympics games. It was this 1908 Olympic marathon and its twist of events that led to the creation of the unique distance that is run by all marathoners in the world today.  

The distance:  Why 26.2 miles? (42. 195km)

Prior to 1908, a marathon could be any distance from 15 to 25 miles.  However, at the 1908 London Olympics, the course was laid out as 26 miles 385 yards [42.195km]. The additional one mile, 385 yards ensured the marathon could begin at Windsor Castle East Terrace, and conclude at the White City Stadium, directly in front of the Royal family’s viewing box. John Bryant, author of the Marathon Makers said of the events of 1908, “this is an important, perhaps the most important, moment in the history of the marathon.  The drama and the characters of a hundred years ago guaranteed the distance a place in the hearts of runners and spectators everywhere.”

The Drama of the 1908 Marathon

Besides the birth of the distance, it was the unprecedented drama that unfolded in the London race that captured the world’s imagination. Longboat was centre stage, along with the “little Italian” Dorando Pietri (from Carpi, ) and New Yorker, Johnny Hayes. On a sweltering July 24^th, and over the next year, these three men became the “kings of the marathon”, and their “near-death” duels created a “marathon mania”.

 “I will win or I will die!” Dorando was heard to whisper at the Start line at Windsor Castle. Longboat held the lead in the early miles but was eventually forced to drop out at 20 miles with cries that he was “got at”. Dorando entered the Great Stadium first, to almost 100,000 spectators. He collapsed five times before being helped across the line by officials-- captured in perhaps the most famous historical marathon photo of all time -- to be disqualified for being assisted. American Johnny Hayes who’d paced himself well, crossed the line 2^nd and was subsequently awarded the gold medal. Dorando was such a huge crowd favourite that Queen Alexandra awarded him a special cup and called him the “de facto winner”. Back home in New York, Bloomingdales decorated their entire Manhattan store in honour of their most-famous employee, Johnny Hayes, and promoted him to Manager of the Sporting Goods department. Longboat came home to Toronto and turned professional.

The world was in awe, and wanted more. And they wanted more over the exact distance of 26 miles 385 yards. It was the high drama of London, and the 15 “match” races over the next 15 months that set the magic distance, consistently at 42.195 km.

Event Details

What:              The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Expo-

• Visit the Expo display – the only chance in North America to see photos of the race;  Dorando’s Queen’s Cup, Longboat’s 1907 Boston trophy, Hayes’ original 1908 gold medal
• Listen to John Bryant re-tell the drama of the 1908 race that set the world on fire and set the distance, on the stage at the Expo on Friday and Saturday!
• Run in the Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon, along with 9 “Longboats”, 2 Dorandos” and 3 “Hayes’” (on September 28^th) to celebrate the distance!

When:             Friday September 26, 2008 (11am-8pm) and Saturday September 27, 2008 (10am-6pm)

Where:            The Metro Toronto Convention Centre

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The marathon attracts participants from over thirty-five countries and aims to raise $1 million for over sixty small but significant neighbourhood charities. Participants first and last kilometer will be between Old City Hall and Union Station, where Longboat was paraded and celebrated a century ago. Visit www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com for further event information, including a special section “Celebrating 100 Years of the Distance”, with historical photos.

For further information on the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon please contact:  Narrative Advocacy Media - Julia Wall-Clarke 416-922-2211, ext.: 3281 Julia.clarke@narrativeadvocacy.com

From CBC website:

With a smile on his face and enough strength in his legs to sprint to the finish, Sammy Wanjiru won Kenya's first gold medal in the men's Olympic marathon in record time.

Wanjiru, 21, set a searing pace in the final athletic competition at the Beijing Games, obliterating the Olympic record with a time of two hours 6.32 minutes on Sunday morning.

The previous record of 2:09.21, owned by Portugal's Carlos Lopes, had stood since 1984.

"It feels good to make history here," said Wanjiru, who informed officials afterward that his name was misspelled as 'Wansiru' on the official results sheet.

"It feels good to make history for Kenya and win the gold." Wanjiru pulled away from Moroccan contender Jaouad Gharib with 15 minutes remaining, and entered the National Stadium unchallenged and to a standing ovation.

The jubiliant Kenyan raised his arms in triumph, and, with the crowd cheering him on, proceeded to sprint around the track and break the tape in record time.

"I had to push the pace to tire the other runners," Wanjiru said. "I had to push the pace because my body gets tired in the heat when I slow down."

It was just the third full marathon run by Wanjiru, the world half-marathon champion, and the first Olympic gold in the event for Kenya — a nation defined in the sports world by its excellence in distance running.

"In Kenya, we have many medals," he said. "But I'm glad I have this one."

Gharib, a two-time world champion, took the silver medal in 2:07.16, and Tsegay Kebede streaked past a spent Deriba Merga, his elder Ethiopian teammate, with 200 metres left to claim the bronze in 2:10.00.

No Canadians competed in the event.

Defending champion Stefano Baldini of Italy placed 12th in 2:13.25, despite nursing a tender thigh that doctors ordered him to rest for three days just prior to the Games.

"In the last 10 kilometres, it was unbelievable what the Africans were able to do under these conditions," Baldini said.

Pleasant conditions at outset

Runners were treated to pleasant, less humid conditions and a soft breeze at the outset, but the temperature rose from 21 C to 30 C by the time it concluded.

Most importantly, Beijing's notorious air quality was surprisingly good, leaving observers to wonder whether world record holder Haile Gebrselassie should have competed after all.

Gebrselassie, who set the world mark of 2:04:26 last September in Berlin, competed in the 10,000 metres at Beijing, but the legendary Ethiopian withdrew from the marathon because he feared the city's poor air quality would harm his health over the long haul.

Ninety-eight runners lined up at Tiananmen Square for the start of the race, which meandered through the streets of Beijing, past the fabled Forbidden City and historic Temple of Heaven before looping back to the square and through the city's financial district toward the stadium.

The 42-kilometre route was exposed but relatively flat, with a gradual incline of four kilometres over the first half and a gentle downward slope the rest of the way.

As the marathoners competed outside the Bird's Nest, the performers inside rehearsed for the closing ceremonies (CBC, 6 a.m. ET), much to the delight of fans eagerly awaiting the arrival of the marathoners.

Martin Lel of Kenya set a brisk pace over the initial 15 kilometres of the marathon, covering the distance in 44:36.

Lel posted the swiftest time this season in winning the London Marathon in 2:05.15.

Reigning world champion Luke Kibet, Lel's teammate and a late replacement for injured Robert Cheruiyot, stuck with the chase group before being forced off the course with stomach cramps at 1:25.46.

Lel began to wilt by the halfway mark and relinquished the lead to Wanjiru and Merga, who ran side-by-side with Gharib trailing by 0.04 seconds.

Wanjiru pulled ahead of Merga by two strides at the 1:45.00 mark, with Gharib trailing by 0.01 and Eritrea's Yonas Kifle lurking just 1.28 back.

Editor's note: Time to practice your french. It looks like it was hot and three time defending champ Nathalie Goyer dropped out with less than 10K left. Alma's Suzanne Munger ran a fairly even split in the heat to win with only a minute and a half to spare on Valerie St-Martin who ran almost the same exact pace as Suzanne over the second half. Kenyan Michael Njordge was able to cruise in  for the overall title as Amor Dehbi and Fethi Oukid let him go in the second half. This is a great event!! I have never heard a bad comment from anyone who has made the trip!!

Alexandre Noël

Le Soleil

Québec

Après trois sacres consécutifs au Marathon des Deux Rives, Nathalie Goyer n’a eu d’autre choix que de céder son trône. Poussant la machine à fond sous un soleil de plomb, elle s’est évanouie avec moins de 10 kilomètres à faire. La table était mise pour la première victoire de Suzanne Munger, d’Alma.

«À sept ou huit kilomètres de l’arrivée, une femme m’a dit que la meneuse s’était effondrée et que j’étais en tête», a expliqué la gagnante, qui en était à son cinquième marathon à Québec. Et lorsqu’interrogée sur l’émotion qui l’a envahie à ce moment, le visage de la coureuse de 47 ans s’est illuminé d’un large sourire malgré les 3 h 10 min 7 s d’effort : «J’étais contente!»

«C’est le plus dur, mais le meilleur (de mes 12 marathons)», a-t-elle continué après avoir reçu les félicitations de son mari et de sa sœur, émue aux larmes. «C’était assez difficile avec la chaleur. J’ai couru tout le temps toute seule. Mais il y a tellement de monde qui nous encourage, c’est formidable! C’est au-delà de mes espérances», s’est exclamée celle qui a terminée quatrième en 2006 et en 2007.

Un peu moins de deux minutes plus tard, Valérie St-Martin, de Québec, franchissait la ligne d’arrivée, améliorant d’un rang son résultat de l’an dernier. «Ça a très bien été. Comme il faisait très chaud, je suis partie lentement, deux minutes plus lent que l’an dernier. À la fin, il me manquait deux kilomètres pour aller chercher Suzanne», a raconté la mère de deux enfants, qui, à 39 ans, en était à sa quatrième participation au Marathon des Deux Rives. Quand à Goyer, elle a terminé l’épreuve loin derrière.

Njordge chez les hommes

Suivant l’exemple de son compatriote Samuel Wansiru, vainqueur du marathon aux Jeux de Pékin, le Kenyan d’origine Michael Njordge a survolé l’épreuve en 2 h 23 min 46 s. À l’instar du premier, qui a abaissé le record olympique, le second aurait bien voulu améliorer le meilleur temps de l’épreuve québécoise (2 h 23 min 5 s), mais le soleil de plomb et l’humidité l’ont ralenti.

«Quand je l’ai vu (Wansiru) à la télé, malgré la distance, il m’a donné le moral. Je me suis déjà entraîné avec lui dans mon pays, à Nairobi», a-t-il expliqué après avoir relégué le tenant du titre, le Montréalais Amor Dehbi, à près de huit minutes.

«Laissez-moi vous dire que c’était ardu parce que c’était très humide. La température était très chaude, s’il avait fait plus frais, j’aurais pu faire sous les 2 h 20. L’organisation a bien réagi à la température avec les douches sur le parcours», a dit celui qui réside maintenant à Hamilton (Ontario) et qui compte bien venir défendre son titre l’an prochain.

Détenteur du titre 2006, Fethi Oukid a complété le podium, qui regroupait les vainqueurs des trois dernières présentations du Marathon des Deux Rives. «Ce n’était pas facile, c’est très chaud et j’ai mal aux jambes», a déploré l’Algérien d’origine. Il a d’ailleurs dû abandonner le Championnat canadien, en mai, à Ottawa, à cause du même mal.

Le président du Marathon des Deux Rives, Denis Therrien, parle d’un succès sur toute la ligne pour cette 11e course. «On a eu plus de 6700 inscrits comparativement à 4500 l’an dernier. Il y a définitivement l’effet 400e pour expliquer cette hausse, il serait malhonnête de ne pas le reconnaître.»

BEIJING - In the sweltering heat, Simon Whitfield roared from fourth place to the front of the pack on the final lap of the men’s triathlon on a stunning day in the mountains just outside Beijing.

Germany’s Jan Frodeno overtook the Victoria-based Canadian triathlete in the final 100 metres to whip through the tape and capture gold in 148:43.

Whitfield, the Olympic gold medallist in 2000, raced across the finish line just five seconds back of the winner to capture silver.

"I’m having trouble remembering," Whitfield said, sunglasses perched on his head and the medal around his neck. "I kind of fought my way back in there, and I thought there was no time like the present.

"I tried to make it a battle of pure will power. I gave that everything I had, and Jan just kept coming. That was a spectacular performance by him."

Whitfield, who lives in Victoria, punched the air on the podium and pointed at his teammate, Colin Jenkins, who finished dead last in the 50-man field.

"Simon has done a lot for the sport, and a lot for the country," Jenkins said. "A medal for the country? Come on, what more can you ask for?"

The sport of triathlon - a gruelling combination of a 1.5-km swim, 40-km bike ride and 10-km run - is traditionally considered an individual pursuit. But Whitfield, 33, and Jenkins, 25, worked together to bust through the pack.

In fact, Jenkins, of Hamilton, Ont., made the Canadian team with the sole purpose of serving as domestique - similar to a blocker in football - for Whitfield in his quest to hit the podium.

With his superior speed on the bike, Jenkins jumped out of the water in the middle of the lead pack and then roared to the front, taking Whitfield with him.

Does Jenkins deserve part of the medal?

"Maybe just 1/100th of it," he said. "Simon put in so much work over the last four years. You could see with his swim, he improved it tremendously. I came to train with him three years ago. And the work we did together? It just shows, team work, works.

"Everyone who says it doesn’t, they’re in denial, for sure."

Javier Gomez, the defending world champion, finished in fourth. Edmonton’s Paul Tichelaar finished eighth.

"I tried," said Whitfield. "I tried hard. I’m very happy with the silver . . . I have a sense of ever so close.

"For a moment there, I thought I had it. But I’m very proud."

Vicki Hall is in Beijing as part of the Canwest News Service Olympic Team

- - -

Germany’s Frodeno wins gold in Olympic triathlon

Catherine Bremer

BEIJING, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Germany’s Jan Frodeno, who took up triathlon because a girl he fancied did it, won the Olympic gold medal on Tuesday in a dramatic sprint to the finish.

Close behind him, Sydney gold medallist Simon Whitfield of Canada won the silver in the baking hot Beijing swim-bike-run event, and New Zealand’s Bevan Docherty the bronze.

Frodeno, a former swimmer and surf-lifeguard who took up triathlon eight years ago while living in South Africa, battled

with Docherty and 2008 world champion Javier Gomez of Spain, both heavily tipped for gold, for front position in the last two laps.

But the German, whose nickname is "Frodo", strode ahead at the final bend, overtaking all of them and leaving Gomez in fourth place, a full 20 seconds behind his finish time of one hour, 48 minutes and 53 seconds.

"It was a moment I had dreamed of so many times in my head. During the race I told myself: ’Boy, be greedy - it’s champagne or fizzy water’," an overwhelmed Frodeno said afterwards.

"I tried not to think that the others behind me were the fastest guys and the most famous triathletes.  he said, adding he had learned his lesson from losing a lot of sprints this year.

The all-round fitness event came down to a running race, as the best sprinters held back and then surged past the winners of the swim and bike sections in the four-lap final section.

Frodeno, whose gold medal surprise came a day after his 27th birthday, punched the air triumphantly after breaking through the ribbon at the Ming Tombs reservoir course north of Beijing.

EXASPERATED RIVALS

Gomez has dominated his sport this year despite an abnormal heart valve that kept him out of competitions for several years.

The 11-times world cup winner, who prefers racing in cooler weather, said he tired himself out when he bolted ahead and ran the first two laps in a spectacular 14 minutes 10 seconds to make up for lagging badly coming out of the bike transition.

"I just had a not very good day on the run," said Gomez, adding that it had been hard to run fast in the 31 degree Celsius (88 degree Fahrenheit) heat and 84 percent humidity.

"I got tired. I did train well but today there were three athletes better than me," he told Reuters.

Whitfield said Gomez’s exasperated rivals decided ahead of the Games that the way to beat him was to join forces and all run against him. "We all raced today watching him. Everywhere he went in the pack, we all knew where he was and paid attention."

For Docherty, beating Gomez was not quite enough, however.

The mop-haired New Zealander has gained a tiresome reputation for always coming second or third.

"I’m super happy to get another medal. I’m slowly building up a collection. Unfortunately I’ll have to go to London to get the gold," he said.

(Additional reporting by Erik Kirschbaum and Annika Breidthardt; Editing by Nick Macfie and Alex Richardson)

EDMONTON - David Corbett, 38, of Sherwood Park won the ING Edmonton Marathon for the third year in a row this morning, with a time of 2:35:27.

Corbett was the favourite to win the 42.2-kilometre race, which began and ended in Sir Winston Churchill Square and wound its way down Groat Road south to 51st Avenue, before looping back through downtown.

After the race, Corbett said the hometown fans helped him along the course, especially in the final seven-km push to the finish line. "There was a lot of cheering. I heard my name everywhere. It was very inspiring and kept me focused," Corbett said.

The next fastest man, Tom McGrath of Edmonton, was almost 20 minutes behind Corbett with a time of 2:52:18. Ian Blockland of Camrose, Alta. took the bronze with a time of 2:52:23.

On the women’s side Joylin Nodwell, 38, from Calgary, Alta., took the gold for the second year in a row with a time of 3:11:02. The 38-year-old mother of three said she has completed more than 15 marathons, but this marathon was dedicated to her father, who died earlier this year.

"He was here with me, he was," Nodwell said after the race, as she placed her hand on her heart. "I know he is up above, watching me." Carmen Thiessen of Drayton Valley, Alta. finished in second place with a time of 3:27:12 and Jill Stein from New Territories, Ont. came in third with a time of 3:31:12.

In the 22.1-km half marathon, Kip Kangogo from Lethbridge, Alta. won gold with a time of 1:05:52. On the women’s side, Lisa Harvey of Calgary took won with a time of 1:19:42.

esenger@thejournal.canwest.com

© Edmonton Journal 2008

Kip Kangogo knew that if he could run the first 10 kilometres of the half marathon at the HSBC Calgary Marathon in 30 minutes, he could shatter a record that has stood since 2006.

And in a sport where shaving even one second off your run can mean a win, Kangogo sped through the tape at the finish line more than two seconds faster than Abel Ondeyo did two years ago.

Kangogo completed the 21.1 kilometre run in 1:05:08, defeating Ondeyo’s record of 1:07:10.

"It feels good," says the 28-year-old Lethbridge resident. "It’s a good feeling to win with a lot of people running."

Success is not something Kangogo is a stranger to. He won the HBC 10K July 1 and the Mother’s Day 10K in Calgary, and also ran both the 1,500 and 5,000 metres in Victoria in June.

Sunday morning was his first time competing in the Calgary Marathon, though, and only his fourth half marathon ever.

Kangogo, a native of Kenya, is the assistant coach of the cross-country team at Lethbridge College, but continues to compete. Road races throughout the United States as well as competing internationally in Europe next summer are the next things to check off his to do list.

While Sunday’s half marathon was Kangogo’s first in Calgary, it was the very first event for others.

Calgary’s Maggie Finlayson is one for one after placing first in the women’s division of the half marathon, crossing the finish line in 1:24:31.

"This is my second race since high school," says Finlayson, who is 15 years past her high school graduation. "It was really good though, I didn’t know what to expect."

Just over 6,000 people came out to participate in the 44th Annual HSBC Calgary Marathon -- a 10 per cent increase from last year’s crowd.

The half marathon was the biggest event, followed by the 10K and then the full marathon. A 4X10K was showcased, as well as a kid’s marathon.

Lisa Harvey is someone who runs the 10K quite frequently and has definitely won her share of titles. She didn’t disappoint on Sunday, running away with the top women’s 10K spot in 35:05.

"I was in second until halfway through," says the 38-year-old. "I haven’t won this race in about five years so I’m pretty happy about that."

Harvey, a former Olympian, has had an outstanding 2008, placing first in the Vancouver Half Marathon as well as the Harry Spring Run-Off 8K.

She placed first at the Times Colonist 10K in Victoria before coming to Calgary to compete in the 10K on Mother’s Day.

Harvey and Edmonton’s Aster Demissie are always battling for top spot during 10K competitions and Sunday was no different, as Demissie placed second behind Harvey with a time of 35:44.

The main attraction of the day was the full marathon.

A course 42.2 kilometres long was run by many and fastest by Sherwood Park’s David Corbett.

"I went out at a comfortable pace and as everyone spread out I started picking them off," he says of his 2:32:37 finish.

Corbett won a marathon in Edmonton last August and in Red Deer in May.

"I was expecting to come in fifth . . . . About five kilometres in, I was lasting and keeping up with everyone until 22 (kilometres). That’s when I picked off the last people."

Calgary’s Bernard Onsare was ahead of the pack at the split, but was walking by the 22 kilometre mark.

"His calves were cramping," says Corbett. "By that time people were complaining . . . their stomachs hurt and they were tired."

Corbett placed second in the Calgary Marathon a couple of years ago and definitely intends to build on his win this weekend as he has his eye on Berlin for the 2009 World Championships.

David Corbett from Sherwood Park celebrates as he wins the HSBC Calgary Marathon...

More of the story coming tomorrow.......

Alex Hutchinson draws on the latest research to answer your fitness and workout questions in this biweekly column on the science of sport.

The question

Will running ruin my knees?

The answer

This is a fear that stops many would-be runners in their tracks and lurks in the back of the mind of even the most experienced runners. Running and injuries go together like shin splints and ice, so it's entirely reasonable to wonder about the prospects of long-term damage.

These fears should be put to rest by a pair of long-term studies due to be published this year.

In next month's Skeletal Radiology, a team of Austrian radiologists presents knee MRIs of seven runners who had taken part in a previous MRI study before running the Vienna marathon in 1997. The use of MRIs offers a significant diagnostic advantage compared to earlier studies that relied on X-rays.

The results were clear: no new damage in the knee joints of the six subjects who had continued running in the intervening decade. "In contrast, the only person who had given up long-distance running showed severe deterioration in the intra-articular structures of his knee," the authors note.

An even more long-term study at Stanford University has been following 45 runners and 53 non-runners since 1984. All had been taking regular X-rays. The latest results, which will appear in a future edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, show that after 18 years, 20 per cent of the runners had developed osteoarthritis in the knee, compared with 32 per cent of non-runners.

These studies raise a possibility that several earlier studies have proposed: Running may help preserve the joints. But that's not a conclusion that can be drawn at this point, says Eliza Chakravarty, lead author of the Stanford study.

"I don't think I would strongly recommend running for the purpose of protecting the knees."

One drawback with both studies is selection bias. The runners in both cases were committed recreational runners who had a history of being able to run without serious problems.

Data for non-runners who are considering taking up running are harder to come by - a gap that was partly addressed by a large-scale study that appeared last year in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism, involving 1,279 subjects from the famously long-running Framingham Heart Study.

Rather than studying "runners" versus "non-runners" the researchers examined the general study population, looking for associations between exercise (including running) and the development of knee osteoarthritis over a nine-year period. They found no link, suggesting even overweight non-runners can start exercising without putting their knees at risk.

In sharp contrast, though, the American College of Sports Medicine recently reported that each additional pound of body mass puts four extra pounds of stress on the knee, so packing on a pound a year for about a decade increases your chances of developing arthritis by 50 per cent - a fairly powerful argument for running to keep off weight and protect your knees.

Of course, the decision doesn't have to be strictly utilitarian. As one of the Vienna study participants (who was preparing to run his 37th marathon) put it in a recent e-mail to lead author Wolfgang Krampla, "Even if minor aches and pains occur over the years, the gain in joie de vivre far outweighs them."

Alex Hutchinson is a former member of Canada's long-distance running team, and has a PhD in physics.

*****

Go the extra mile

A long-term Austrian study of long-distance runners revealed that runners were less likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knee than non-runners were.

jockology@globeandmail.com

Florence Jepkosgei was never challenged in the women's race, leading from start to finish. The second-youngest of 9 children from Eldoret, she was pleased to have an easy win for her 10th and final outing of her Spring season in North America, before returning home on Wednesday. The $1500 she takes with her from Vancouver, will go towards school fees for her sisters' children.

Behind Lisa Harvey Milton in second, Ontario's Josiane Aboungono and Whistler's Kr