Flagstaff Running News

Fasil Bizuneh Set to Race London Marathon as Step to the Olympics
(more)

Fast Times by Flagstaff Pros
At the Mt. SAC relays in Walnut, California, Anthony (FAM) Famiglietti (USA), Fasil Bizuneh (USA) and Pablo Olmedo (MEX) ran fast times to open their track seasons. In the 5K, Fam ran 13:11 (4:15 per mile) taking 13 seconds off his personal best finishing second by just six hundreths of a second. In the 10K, Pablo placed 3rd and Fasil placed 4th. Pablo's time was 28:22 (4:33 per mile). Fasil's time of 28:25 (4:34 per mile) was a personal best by 18 seconds. All three athletes live together in Flagstaff. See full results here.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!!
Registration is now OPEN for the 10th Anniversary of the Soulstice Race. The race is limited to 200 runners so enter today. You can register here or visit www.natra.org to download an entry form. Your editor will see you there!

From NATRA:
NATRA sent two twelve person teams to run the 187.2 mile Ragnar Relay (www.ragnarrelay.com) from Wickenburg to Scottsdale this past weekend. Runners leap frogged in two vans of 6 runners. Each van covered three legs. The challenge of Ragnar is staying awake. There are few opportunities to nap so both teams were sleep deprived with each runner covering 14-18 miles.

NATRA 1, consisting of 8 women and 4 men, won the mixed open category (beating 32 other teams) covering the course in 22 hours 4 minutes with the second place team an hour and a half behind. Not to be outdone, the non-competitive NATRA Pine Cone Smashers finished surprisingly in 13th place, 5 hours behind the winners.

The most exciting part of the race was that because slower teams started earlier, the anchors for the two teams met up near the end and both teams were able to cross the finish line at the same time. After the race, NATRA packed downtown Tempe and had a great team dinner at PF Chang's. Next year we hope to bring even more teams to Ragnar to join in on the fun! Pictures will soon be posted at www.natra.org so stay tuned!

Flagstaff-trained Anthony Famiglietti profiled in the AZ Daily Sun (more).

Parks in the Pines adds a 10K course to the 2007 races (more).

Trina Painter wins More Marathon Relay!! Teamed with Lyubov Denisova, Painter ran 1:19:10 for the half-marathon portion of the More Marathon event in NYC. As a team, Painter (1:19:10) and Denisova (1:16:49) ran 2:35:59 for the marathon distance to win the relay division of this women's only event.

Flagstaff resident and Flag High Coach Trina Painter interviewed on Fast-Women.com (more)

Flagstaff residents Ryan Shay and Fasil Bizuneh finish 99th and 129th at the World Cross Country Championships held in Mombassa, Kenya (more)

From the NAU Center for High Altitude Training:
FAM WINS 8K CHAMPS IN NYC
Congratulations go out to Anthony Famiglietti for winning the 8k championships in NYC on Sunday. Known to his friends in Flagstaff as FAM, this Olympian has spent many months training at altitude in our mountain town. We look forward to FAM's return to Flagstaff in a few days to continue his training. Other Flagstaff-trained athletes who did well in NYC: Abdi Abdirahman (2nd), Rod Koborsi (8th), Mike Smith (19th), Brandon Leslie (23rd).

Flagstaff-trained Peter Gilmore has a blog on Runner's World Online as he heads toward the Boston Marathon (more)

Flagstaff runners conquer the Valley of Gold Half-Marathon
Rob Krar 1:09:36
Phil Wharton 1:15:47
Ellen Strickler 36 F 1:35:41

Flagstaff-trained Runners Rock US Half-Marathon Championships, Houston Marathon and Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Half-Marathon
By Greg McMillan 

To say that Flagstaff is the new mecca for distance runners may be an understatement.  On Sunday (January 14, 2007), the US Half-Marathon Championships (13.1 miles) were held in Houston, Texas.  A quick look at the results shows Flagstaff-trained runners dominating the event.

On the men’s side, Fasil Bizuneh who has been training in Flagstaff since early December (and had recently won the Dallas Half-Marathon) had another breakthrough finishing second in a time of 1:02:20 (4:45 per mile).  Bizuneh was closely followed to the line by Flagstaff-trained Andrew Carlson (4th place, 1:02:44) and Jason Lehmkuhle (5th place, 1:02:57 – 4:47 per mile).  Recent NAU graduate, Travis Laird finished 9th overall in 1:0357 (4:52 per mile).  All four athletes set new personal bests in the event.  Bizuneh, Carlson and Lehmkuhle are all athletes training in Flagstaff through the NAU Center for High Altitude.

On the women’s side, Alvina Begay (NAU Center for High Altitude athlete and Flagstaff resident) took another step up as one of the top distance runners in the US.  Already having qualified for the US Olympic Marathon Trials, Begay ran a huge personal best to place 4th in a time of 1:12:57 (5:33 per mile).  Long time Flagstaff resident, Trina Painter, dominated the women’s masters division (over 40 years of age), taking top honors in 1:19:27 (6:03 per mile).  Sara Mitchell, also of Flagstaff, finished 42nd overall in a time of 1:28:54 (6:46 per mile).

In the accompanying Houston Marathon (26.2 miles), local runners put their stamp on the event.  Mike Smith ran 2:19:43 (5:19 per mile) to qualify for the US Olympic Marathon Trials.  Mike Friedberg who manages A Runner’s High also qualified for the US Olympic Marathon Trials with a time of 2:21:00.  Flagstaff resident Dane Mitchell ran a new personal best of 2:25:27 making it a family affair as wife Sara ran in the half-marathon.

At the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon and Half-Marathon, also held on Sunday.  Morten Bostrom of Flagstaff took top honors winning the race in 1:06:33.

Congratulations to all Flagstaff runners on their accomplishments this past weekend.

2006 Flagstaff Mountain Trail Runner Champions

From left to right, Soulstice Mountain Trail Race Director Neil Weintraub, Mark Ulm and Sara Wagner (Long Course Champions), Emy Tice and Michael Ort (Sprint Course Champions) and Flagstaff Nordic Center's Gaspin in the Aspen Assistant Race Director Tim Allen.

Flagstaff Mountain Trail Runner Champions (Fastest combined times at Flagstaff Nordic Center's Gaspin in the Aspen and Northern Arizona Trail Runners Association's Soulstice Mountain Trail Race. )

Combined Long Course Champions:
Women: Sara Wagner 2:45:22
Men: Mark Ulm 2:21:03
(Each gets $200 Cash Prize and Plaque)

Sara nudged out Theresa Holland (2:45:48) with Grace White in third (2:53:46). Mark bested Erin Hutchinson's (2:23:01) with John Bogen in third (2:31:31)

Combined Sprint Course Champions:
Women: Emy Tice 1:45:44
Men: Michael Ort 1:16:11
(Each gets $100 Cash Prize and Plaque).

Emy edged Kerri Love (1:46:59); Michael Ort won easily.

Run Flagstaff Team 4th in US Cross Country Championships!
Our new Run Flagstaff team are the 4th best club in the United States! Formed just two months ago, these local runners hoped for a top 5 team placing. With the best teams from around the US competing, 'our boys' did us proud grabbing 4th place and immediately talking about the 2007 Championships and a podium finish. Full results are here.

MCCOY VAN TRANSPORTS RUNNERS TO U.S. CLUB NATIONALS
Six runners representing "Run Flagstaff" will compete Dec 8 at the USATF Cross Country National Club Championships in Golden Gate Park. Michael Friedberg, Jared Scott, Mike Smith, Chris Gomez, Phil Wharton and Vince Sherry head to San Francisco on Thursday, traveling to the meet in the center's Olympic Training Site van donated by local General Motors dealer, LaVelle McCoy. Please join center staff in wishing the athletes a safe and successful trip as they proudly represent Flagstaff in this championship race. More on the NAU Center for High Altitude Training

Flagstaff Locals Dominate Anthem Turkey Trot (more)
A few of our local studs headed down to Anthem on T-Day to earn their dinner. And boy did they! Mike Smith continued his winning ways running 14:33 for 5K. Vince Sherry was 3rd, Masters stud Bo Reed was 4th and Phil Wharton was 6th. Tha's right. Our boys took 4 of the top 6 places. Not to be outdone, NAU coach, Erin Rodrigs took top honors in the women's race running 18:00. Congrats to all. (If I missed someone in the results, let me know so I can let everyone know.)

Flagstaff's Ian Torrence Races JFK 50-Mile UltraMarathon
Pre-Race Story
Post-Race Story

Flagstaff Runners Rock New Times 10K; Smith Is Arizona 10K Champ
The newly formed team of competitive runners from Flagstaff placed 1,2,3,5 in the 10K and 2nd in the 5K at the Arizona State Road 10K and 5K Championships. Mike Smith crowned Arizona State 10K Champion as Flagstaff placed 4 runners in the top 5 to dominate the championship race in Phoenix. In the 5K, Chris Gomez (former NAU runner) was runner-up.

East Valley Tribune Article

Arizona Republic Article

10K Race Results

5K Race Results

TEAM ALTIUS Running Club Announced
Northern Arizona University’s Center for High Altitude Training is expanding current offerings to include a year-round running club called TEAM ALTIUS. The club will be a member organization of USA Track & Field, and is open to all ages, elementary through masters.

TEAM ALTIUS is part of the center’s Community Olympic Development Program, directed by the center’s Head Distance Coach, Dr. Jack Daniels. “This is a good opportunity for runners of all ability levels to experience the types of training and testing that elite athletes are accustomed to receiving,” said Daniels.

Offerings include: weekly group workouts; off-season workouts/consulting; body composition testing; economy and VO2 max testing; opportunities to participate in research projects; racing; coaching education; informal mentoring by elite athletes in the Flagstaff Running Project; information on USA Track & Field and the U.S. Olympic Committee.

“We selected the name TEAM ALTIUS based on the Olympic Motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius which translates to: Faster, Higher, Braver, or more commonly in English to Swifter, Higher, Stronger,” said the center’s director, Natalie Harlan. “Altius promotes our location and while all runners are welcome to join the team, we are particularly pleased to serve those who live or train at altitude.”

Fees apply to join TEAM ALTIUS and to receive member benefits with USA Track & Field. Limited scholarships are available through the center’s Youth Scholarship Fund.

Interested runners may contact Natalie.Harlan@nau.edu to join the TEAM ALTIUS email list. Registration and schedule information soon will be provided at www.nau.edu/highaltitude.

Abdi Abdirahman Runs 2:08:56 For Fourth At Chicago
His goal: Run with the leaders and aim to win. Mission accomplished

Abdi Abdirahman, the 29 year old two-time US Olympian, arrived in Chicago fresh off his best year of running. He ran personal bests at 5,000m and10,000 meters on the track this summer and followed with a brilliant fall half-marathon that vaulted him to number two on the all-time US half-marathon list.

Confident from his season of racing and a final high-altitude training phase in Flagstaff, Arizona, as well as being a consummate front runner, Abdirahman had no choice but to run with the lead pack in today's LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. "I race to win so I was determined to run with the leaders," he said. On a cold and very windy day, the Arizonan tucked himself into the lead pack running at a pace well ahead of his 2:11:24 marathon best. "Coming through halfway (1:03:10), I was comfortable, everyone was there, and I knew the race was ready to begin," said Abdirahman.

As the temperatures dropped and the pace heated up, contenders fell from the pack and soon it was Abdirahman running with three of best in the world - 2006 Boston Marathon Champion Robert Cheruiyot (2:07:14 PR), 2004 Chicago Marathon runner up Daniel Njenga (2:06:13) and five-time Honolulu Marathon Champion Jimmy Muindi (2:07:50). Despite the fast company, Abdirahman said, "At 25K, I thought I had it won."

With less than 10 miles to go and a wide gap to the field behind, it was clear that the winner would come from this group of four, and this American was in it to win. As each runner took their turn at the lead and stole quick looks to evaluate the others, Abdi seemed comfortable and right at home. As the runners passed through the 35K water station, Abdirahman grabbed his bottle. His three competitors, however, bypassed the station. "After I grabbed my bottle, I looked up and they were 20 meters ahead. I knew I had made a mistake and lost the race. Before the fluid station, I thought I had it won. After the station, I was alone." he said.

Despite the cold, despite the wind and despite being alone, Abdirahman thought back to all the hard work and to all the coaches, friends and family who supported his preparation. Holding on and striding smoothly, Abdirahman crossed the line in a huge personal best (2:08:56 - 4:55 per mile) and a solid 4th place finish (first American) in one of the world's most competitive marathons. With today's performance, he leaps ahead of icons such as Bill Rodgers and Frank Shorter in US marathoning. Abdirahman is now firmly positioned as one of the top Americans heading into the Olympic Trials next November in New York. "I am very happy. I ran with the leaders and ran a fast time. I've had a long, successful year and I think this sets me up for the Olympic Trials," said the now 5th fastest American of all time (2nd fastest on a non-aided - downhill or point to point - course).

All-Time Top US Marathon Men Performers
1 2:05:38 Khalid Khannouchi Ossining, NY 30 Flora London 4/14/02
2 2:08:47a Bob Kempainen Minnetonka, MN 27 Boston MA 4/18/94
3 2:08:52a Alberto Salazar Eugene, OR 23 Boston MA 4/19/82
4 2:08:54a Dick Beardsley Excelsior, MN 26 Boston MA 4/19/82
5 2:08:56 Abdi Abdirahman Tucson, AZ 29 Chicago IL 10/22/06

Mizuno Sponsors Local Runners for USA Club Cross Country Nationals
Mizuno USA, a brand sold at A Runner's High, has agreed to sponsors a group of local competitive runners who will represent Flagstaff in the 2006 USATF National Club Cross Country Championships in December. This equipment sponsorship will provide shoes as well as apparel as these local runners do their best to represent Flagstaff in the upcoming Championships. (Team Page)