Run, Karla, Run!

Fifth Avenue Mile Start

Down Fifth Avenue

Men 40-49

Professional Women

Sally Kipyego of Kenya

Jenny Simpson and Morgan Uceny chase Kipyego

Jenny Simpson makes a move

The 1500-Meter Mark

Jenny Simpson Wins

Hannah England and Sally Kipyego finish third and second after a photo finish

Simpson's Victory Lap

Simpson Dressed in Star and Stripes

Here come the pro men

The Lead Pack

Lagat kicks, chasing down Laalou and Torrence

David Torrence Finishes Third

Amine Laalou Finishes Second

Bernard Lagat Wins

Lagat's Victory Lap

Call Me Kip, Lagat's Nickname

The Fifth Ave Mile Finish

Photos by Phil Hospod

Olympians, World Champions and thousands of regular runners alike barreled down New York City’s Fifth Avenue in the Fifth Avenue Mile on Saturday, Sept. 24. The professional field this year was a doozy, with eight Olympians and four 2011 World Championship medalists among them. But what is it about running a mile that keeps runners, including professionals like Bernard Lagat, so entranced? Read the rest of this entry →

There are lots of runDisney races out there—the Walt Disney World Marathon, the Tinker Bell Half Marathon, Disney’s Princess Half Marathon, the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon and many more—and thousands of people who run them. If all those Disney runners are anything like me, I’m guessing they’ve got a few Disney tunes on their iPods to help get them in the mood. What are your favorite Disney songs to run to?

In the spirit of sharing, here are mine. These are the Disney songs that have gotten me into the Disney running spirit, and made me feel like a kid again as I’ve trained for the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon. Read the rest of this entry →

Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, I was a YMCA kid. I spent countless afternoons as a child going to Mommy and Me swim classes, Swim and Gym, and then swim team when I was a bit older. I’d run on the Y’s indoor track, play Horse on the basketball court, and hang out with friends in the rec room.

Here in New York City, the YMCA wants all of our city’s kids to lead active, healthy lives. The West Side Y is sponsoring the Fit For All 5K to fund free programs for kids.

My mom was a single parent with a limited budget who couldn’t necessarily afford the swim team fees in addition to a family Y membership. But she knew the importance of getting your kids into activities, and specifically physical activities. So she took a part-time job at our local YMCA as a lifeguard in order to get free Y membership for our family. She did that on top of other jobs she held, like working as a secretary, waitress, and much else.

I have her to thank for being a fit adult now. Read the rest of this entry →

For all of us who run in New York City, the public green spaces like Central Park, Prospect Park, and the Greenway that rings Manhattan are lifesavers. But on the East Side, from 38th Street to 60th Street, the Greenway still hasn’t become a reality. As an East Sider, I have long lamented this gap and envied the West Side for their continuous esplanades and rec lanes as I’ve literally run rings around the city.

On Tuesday, September 20, we the people have a chance to make our voices heard and help finish the Greenway. New York Road Runners’ President and CEO Mary Wittenberg has written an open letter to New York’s runners to help get the job done. Let’s make our voices heard and finish the Greenway! As runners who log countless miles around the island, we’ll all benefit from this–not just the residents of the East Side.

Dear East Side Runners, You have the opportunity to affect change on the East Side of Manhattan. This Tuesday, September 20, is the final public forum for the East Side Open Space project, which could help runners, especially East Side residents, so I have to tell you about it. Read the rest of this entry →

Emmanuel Mutai won the 2011 London Marathon with a new course record. Photo by EStepnist/FLickr.

The ING New York City Marathon is the world’s biggest marathon. It’s no wonder the race attracts some of the world’s biggest names in running. Emmanuel Mutai, Martin Lel, and Jaouad Gharib will join defending champion Gebre Gebremariam and 2009 champion Meb Keflezighi in the race on November 6.

Kenya’s Lel, 33, won the ING New York City Marathon in 2003 and 2007, and will be returning to the race for the first time since that 2007 victory. He also won the Virgin London Marathon in 2003, 2007 and 2008, and placed fifth at the 2008 Olympics. After battling two years of injuries he came back with a second place finish in the 2011 Virgin London Marathon in April, losing to none other than Emmanuel Mutai. Read the rest of this entry →

Schweddy Balls, Ben & Jerry’s newest flavor.

It’s official. Someone at National Public Radio is obsessed with Schweddy Balls. And I suspect that person might be a runner.

Back in April 2010, I reported on the ACLI Capital Challenge, an annual road race in Washington, D.C., between members of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government, as well as the D.C. media. The event has been lampooning partisan politics since 1981 for a good cause, raising money for Special Olympics District of Columbia. Runners compete in teams, captained by luminaries from their respective branches of government or news agency.

Among the best parts of the competition are the awards for Best Team Name and Worst Team Name. Enter NPR. In 2010, one of their 11 teams won the coveted James B. Kenin Worst Team Name award for Team Schweddy Balls, named for the classic Saturday Night Live skit starring Alec Baldwin, Ana Gasteyer and Molly Shannon that lampoons, appropriately, NPR. I thought it was pretty funny at the time; they showed their sense of humor by picking a name that both pokes fun at themselves and tangentially relates to running. After all, running does make you sweaty, or Schweddy, as the case may be. Read the rest of this entry →

The 2010 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon. Photo courtesy of runDisney.

Disney and nighttime just go together: Cinderella at the ball running to escape to her pumpkin carriage before the stroke of midnight; Lady and the Tramp sharing a plate of spaghetti under a starry night; Peter Pan flying to the second star to the right.

It’s Week 6 of my half-marathon training schedule for the 2011 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon, and I’m jumping out of my skin. The half marathon is still five weeks away, but I’m already as excited as I’ve ever been for a race. I’ve been channeling that energy into my half marathon training with pretty good results, focusing on one of the race’s key features: the 10 p.m. start. Read the rest of this entry →