You are here: Home / News / News / Events

The Mature Runner: Runners Who Made Us Proud

/in , , /by

By David Summerfield

I have to start with Dakotah Lindwurm, who I wrote about after her surprising 3rd place finish at the February Olympics qualifying race in Florida. I had a great picture of her utter disbelief at the finish line, when she realized she was going to Paris! A relative unknown, she became the USA’s least known qualifier, but exuded such genuine amazement and thrill at getting onto the Paris Olympics team.

Dakotah knowing she’s on her way to Paris via teamusa.com.

A few words summed up her elation and determination to make us all proud. She wrote three words on her left hand: “Strong, fast, and last.” That needs interpretation! To her, this meant “I am strong,” “I am fast,” and “My speed will last.” I read that her coach had her push a sled on an uphill course, where she acknowledged her body felt like it was parallel to the ground—and she could barely walk the next day. Over time, it made her incredibly strong. Knowing the Olympic marathon course had been judged to be among the most difficult/challenging of all the Olympics, her coach knew she needed strength.

I listened to a podcast after the race, with Runner’s World’s Sarah Lorge Butler (from Aug. 11). It had to do with Dakotah recounting what it was like in the middle of the race. She stayed up with the lead pack, and at one point found herself in the actual lead, which was not her intention! But she definitely ran her own race—staying as even-paced as possible. One issue I had forgotten about while racing in Europe was that the course only had kilometer markers—no mileage markers. And of course her “pace” was using mileage numbers. So, around the mid-race area, a young boy ran onto the course to run along beside her, yelling “Go Dakotah”. She said it was so inspiring—and she put a call out to find this boy, an obvious American, about 10 years old. It lifted her spirits and after the race she put out the call to find him. But that’s when, her boyfriend (named Montana) found her and gave her an engagement ring, and she said “yes”—so finding the 10-year old boy was put on hold!

Dakotah ended up being the 1st American across the finish line, in 12th place. Someone is in definite heaven. When asked why she attended the opening ceremony on the USA river boat on the Seine river, she said that even though most of the long distance runners opted out, trying to reserve their energy (the marathon was 3 weeks away) – she was there with her family, in an airbnb and wanted to “rub elbows” with the more famous Americans and she did mention she wanted to indulge in as many croissants as possible.

Dakotah finishing 12th in Paris. Photo via Kevin Morris @kevmofoto, Citrus Magazine.

And this brings us to the 1500 meter race, which had been billed as a match-up of Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr—who both openly taunted each other leading up to the race. Jakob took the lead early in the race and kept himself in the lead—looking like he was daring everyone else to catch him. This race is usually run more conservatively, with the all-out sprint during the last straightaway. Unfortunately for Jakob, he just plain ran out of steam, and faded in the last 20-30 meters, allowing Josh Kerr to secure the silver medal and while no one saw it coming, an unheralded American, Cole Hocker, snuck up behind everyone, and captured the gold! That’s a race worth looking at! I don’t think Americans are accustomed to winning Olympic gold in these races—the Ethiopians or Kenyans have always scooped up the Olympic medals for these races. So, with Cole in 1st place (3:27:65 – Olympic record), Josh Kerr in 2nd (3:27:79 – British record), then America Yared Nuguse was 3rd (3:27:80 – personal best). A crowded 1-2-3, all within 15/100ths of a second apart. Ingebrigsten was 4th (3:28:24), which was only 59/100ths of a second off 1st place.

Final 10 seconds of Paris 1500m final – see the order of runners….Jakob still in 1st, Kerr in 2nd and closing, Cole sneaking up behind, and Nuguse a distant 4th, who will pass Jakob in a few seconds! Photo via nbcolympics.com/videos/

Then, right after the Paris Olympics, the next big international track meet was held in Lausanne, Switzerland. What? I know that place. Here comes David tooting his horn once again! I was a student at the University of Lausanne (1978-1981) and they had just completed building a world class track right next to Lake Geneva (Lac Leman in French). The public was invited to run on the track – with the latest in artificial, spongy brightly colored surface. We all felt like world class runners. European universities don’t pay for/sponsor athletic teams – that’s for the local clubs to do. But….Switzerland did have an “all-comers” yearly track meet for all Swiss university runners. I entered the 10,000 meter race which was one of the early meets ever held on this track. As I remember it, there were something like a dozen runners. I took 1st place in (around) 34:04 as my memory tells me. It was a “non-event” – no publicity, no mention in any publication—just great memories. We students had organized our own “club”—we ran together twice a week – usually about 2-3 of us. Pretty low-key, right?

Anyway, back to the just invented Ingebrigsten/Hocker rivalry…since Cole had run down Jakob the week before, it was time for Jakob to get his “revenge,” something the press loves to tout. So, Jakob had his “redemption” and beat Cole in Lausanne. This time he ran a 3:27:83 (to Cole’s 3:29) to rack-up points in what’s called the “Diamond League” after the Olympics. Each weekend, track types travel around Europe to get points, and then the “final” is in Brussels in September. The next week in Selisia, Poland, Jakob did set a new world record in the 3000 meter – a “non-Olympian” distance, but he did break Daniel Komen’s WR set in 1996 – the longest standing running record. Jakob ran a 7:17.55, 3 seconds faster than Daniel.

So, that’s about it for my Olympics wrap-up. I trust many of you were able to follow your favorite events. Now, back to training for the Colter Run, and all that the Bozeman area has to offer—non-Olympic type!

Congrats to the 2024 BSWD scholarship recipients!

/in , , /by

Each year, Big Sky Wind Drinkers present 3-4 scholarships to promising young athletes in the Gallatin Valley. Big congrats to this year’s winners: Emma Konen (Twin Bridges High), Nomi Friedman (Bozeman High), Hannah Giese (Belgrade High) and Kimball Smith (Park High). Big thanks to our scholarship committee, Kristin Harbuck, Patrick Hatfield, Mark Genito and Ethan Brown.

Each student has given us permission to publish their personal essay below – enjoy!

Nomi Friedman – Bozeman High

As my alarm goes off and I shift my eyes from side to side I can feel a deep, throbbing pain inside my head. It’s four in the morning and I’m huddled inside my sleeping bag, the only thing below me is a damp tarp and the only thing above is the stars still in the sky. I take a deep breath in hopes of halting the welling tears from pouring out. ‘Nomi. Do not be such a baby,’ I chide myself. I kick out my legs, feeling my muscles twinge as they make contact with the cold part of my sleeping bag that’s been denied any body heat. I slowly sit up, gulping in frigid air. Today is day 3 of the Headwaters Relay, a 220 mile running relay through the Gravelly Mountains. In the days prior I had logged 18 miles all at paces faster than I’d run so far that summer. My legs hurt to touch, my arches are home to two incredibly tender blisters, and my mental fortitude is being tested like never before.

I pull myself from my sleeping bag and put on my shoes so I can walk a couple hundred feet to go to the bathroom. I squat down in time to hear a crack in the branch I had placed my foot on. My foot falls to the ground and my entire body follows suit. Tears well, my head pounds, and it takes absolutely everything in me to keep my eyes open. ‘Nomi, you’re okay. You got this. Get up,’ the internal voice instructs me. I place my palms on the cold dirt and push myself back up, go to the bathroom, and head back to camp.

We fold up the tarp, shovel cinnamon apple oatmeal into our mouths, and pile into the truck, heading to the start of my leg. As we rumble down the road I can just barely see the sun poking up from behind the hillside. I watch the light trace its way through the clouds and a smile creeps across my face. I try to put into perspective what I’m doing. I get to wake up next to my best friends, run all day through the mountains, and be lulled to sleep by the hush of a quiet wind. I have a body that is strong and a mind that’s even stronger and here I am doing what I love.

That day I ran ten and a half miles and finished the relay with my team. That weekend showed me how strong I could be in the face of both an extreme mental and physical challenge. It pushed me deep into the pain cave, secluded me to just my thoughts, and allowed me to see how truly capable I am.

To me, that’s what running is all about. No other activity pushes you to your absolute limit while still allowing you to do what you love the most. Running has given me my favorite sport, my best friends, and an unbridled appreciation for being alive. I know when I show up to practice I will be greeted by the smiles of my teammates, a witty joke from Coach Casey, and just a couple anxious butterflies as I start to warm up for hard intervals.

So, when asked what running means to me, I believe it’s not the times, the races, or the splits, but rather the community, the grit, and the smiles that are direct results of the time we spend pushing ourselves to be stronger. I will forever cherish the memories I’ve made during my career as a Hawk, and I will never stop pursuing the joy I get from going out on a run.

Kimball Smith – Park High

Running holds a special place in my heart, far beyond just putting one foot in front of the other. To me, running is a way of life, a journey filled with challenges, pushing yourlimits, triumphs, self-discovery, and connecting with a community. It all began as a littlechild; in my family we have a tradition called the Smith Family Marathon. Every year since I was two years old my dad has run an independent self-supported marathon from out thefront door of our house. Our job as kids was to cheer for him as loud as we could along theway. We always had a finish line across our driveway and made him a finishers metal. AsI’ve grown older and began to run alongside him, I’ve noticed how much commitment thistradition has required for my dad. Over the years the family marathon has evolved toinclude most of the family for some distance of the run. One memory I have was when mydad and I drove 26.2 miles up a dusty dirt road in the farm hills above our ranch and ranback to the cabin. At the end of the run, I asked him why he does it. He said, “the reasoncontinue to do this tradition is to show you kids that you can do hard things.” This struckme as he is nearing 50 years old. My dad has always led by his example and has inspiredme to do hard things.

The sport of running is very individual and has taught me valuable lessons about discipline, perseverance, and goal setting. Throughout my running career, I’ve learned to embrace discomfort, to push through pain, and to never give up, no matter how challenging the path may seem. As a dedicated runner there is a feeling of pain that isunexplainable. Pushing through the unbearable pain, legs are on fire, mind is screaming“stop!” is where the lessons are learned. The best way I can explain it is as an out of body experience as if you’re looking at yourself from above. Although it may be miserable in themoment, as I look back upon all the times this pain has overwhelmed me, I am proud ofmyself for doing something hard, it makes me feel as though I can do anything I put mymind too. This mentality has encouraged me to apply these valuable lessons to manyaspects of my life. I must attribute this attitude of never giving up to my dad, coaches, and teammates that went to great lengths to help me and the team achieve the goals that we set. Running has helped me recognize that with patience, resilience, and support fromthose I surround myself with, I can overcome any hurdle that stands in my way. As I soon begin a new chapter in my life attending Utah State University pursuing a business degree, I can use these lessons to be successful. Business is never easy and takes a lot of grit,getting knocked down is bound to happen, but getting back up is guaranteed because of the lessons I’ve learned through running.
Running is more than just a physical exercise or pushing myself; it is a mental and emotional endeavor as well. When I lace up my shoes I leave behind the worries anddoubts that weigh me down. Running for me can be therapeutic, in the solitude of a longrun I find clarity and peace of mind. Thoughts flow freely, without being distracted by thenoise of the outside world. I can confront my fears, problems, failures, and doubts head-on, making myself stronger and more determined than before. Equally as important, running has connected me with a community of like-minded individuals who share my passion for the sport. Whether it’s cheering each other or pickingeach other up at the finish line, I have found camaraderie and support among fellowrunners that extends far beyond the finish line. Together, we celebrate our victories, lift each other up in times of struggle, and inspire one another to keep chasing our dreams. Belonging to a team and community has nurtured social skills such as leadership abilities, which I foresee extending well beyond the realm of running. These skills encompass pushing others around me to be the best version of themselves, taking accountability, humility, and making selfless choices.
Throughout middle school and high school athletics, I’ve experienced both triumphs and setbacks while pushing myself to excel. From sixth grade to junior year, I’ve been dedicated to Cross Country, achieving notable successes such as an undefeatedseason and winning the Mountain West Classic in seventh grade. In 2018, some teammates and I qualified for the Junior Olympics in Reno, NV. High school brought even more accomplishments, including winning the state championship as a junior. I competed in Track and Field from seventh grade through senior year, earning placements at the state level in pole-vault and the 4×400 relay. Running required a significant commitment throughout my schooling.
In essence, running is not just a hobby or a form of exercise—it is a way of life with valuable principles that I plan to continue applying throughout my adult life. It is a journeyof self-discovery, knowing the power of perseverance and mental fortitude, a source ofstrength and inspiration, and a community of belonging. Running will always be a reminder that no matter how far the road may stretch before me, if I have the courage and determination to keep moving forward, one step at a time, anything is possible.
Hannah Giese – Belgrade High

What Running Means to Me
It was the day of the time trial. I warmed up with the rest of the girls’ team, and found that I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I might be. After all, I was just a freshman. No one expected anything from me, there was no pressure to perform well. I lined up, closer to the back of the pack, at the makeshift start line. Our coach gave us the “Go!” command, and we took off. Instantly I felt like I could go faster, so I squeezed through the group in front of me and found myself directly behind a couple of seniors who were in the front. I knew I could run faster than this, but I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to pass the upperclassmen. After a few seconds, I decided to pass them and ended up finishing the time trial in first place. I was shocked! At most, I had been hoping to run in the sixth or seventh varsity position at the first meet, but here I was leading the team!

By the middle of winter freshman year, I was putting in more mileage than I thought possible, and I was loving it. Then I lost it all. I suffered a severe partial tear in my right calf due to overuse. For weeks I could barely walk, let alone run, and by the time track season rolled around (almost 3 months later) I still was unable to run. Running was something that I had always taken for granted, until it was suddenly stripped away. My mental health began to suffer severely, and I realized that running had been a form of therapy as much as it was a sport. Running was an escape, it gave me freedom. It also allowed me to push the limits of my determination and perseverance as I strove to recover in time to race at the last few meets of the season. I held a new appreciation for every run and every step in my recovery.

Over the next two years, I lost sight of running as a form of freedom. I became blinded by my goals and the pressure that I felt from everyone around me. It came from my parents, my coaches, my teammates, my teachers. But most of all, it came from myself. I was expected to continue leading the team and PRing in races, and so I did, until at the end of my junior year I earned All-State Honors at the AA State Cross Country Meet. Of course, I was thrilled. But at the same time I knew I couldn’t race another season the same way I had the last three years. I was mentally exhausted, and each race caused an immense amount of anxiety that I would let people down. For a while, I stopped running entirely. I didn’t attend winter training or participate in the next track season. I was scared to run again. Running had changed from something that lessened my anxiety and had become the main source of my anxiety. I missed the freedom that running had once brought, but I was afraid that if I started running again it would no longer bring the same freedom that it once had.

Finally, during the summer before my senior year, I decided that I didn’t want to give up on running. It had been one of the biggest parts of my life for seven years, and I didn’t want to lose it forever. I started running again, with the sole goal of developing a lifelong love for it. I went on countless trail runs, and decided to return for a final cross country season. Although I didn’t race much due to injury, I will never regret that I came back to running. I am learning to appreciate running without any pressure to PR or to set ambitious goals. To me, running is a way to escape, to find new adventures, and to discover more about myself. To me, running is freedom.

Emma Konen – Twin Bridges High

Growing up on a small ranch as the youngest of five siblings, I was constantly running. I loved the feeling of the wind against my face as I chased my brothers through the fields or as I played with the cow dogs and pigs. As I got older this love continued as sports engulfed my life, every day I was running down the basketball court or around the track, it was something that I found a passion for and put all of my efforts into until everything changed. Junior year at the State Track meet, I charged down the final stretch as the anchor of the 4x400m relay, pushing my body to its limits. As I was fighting to get a breath of air into my lungs, darkness encroached on my vision, but I willed my legs to carry me forward until I collapsed across the finish line. This episode wasn’t an isolated incident; it was just the climax of a struggle that began months earlier.

It all started in November, during basketball practice, when I noticed a disturbing feeling when doing basic conditioning, a feeling as if I breathing through a straw. Hoping for a quick fix of an inhaler, I sought help from a local doctor, only to leave with a note banning me from exercise and no answers. As a three-sport All-State athlete with hopes of competing at the college level, this was dream-crushing news. I sought help from many other doctors around the state who were also unable to give me a diagnosis and waved it off as long-term COVID-19. After returning to sports, the mental toll of being unable to compete at my full potential weighed heavily on me, but I refused to surrender to these negative thoughts that wanted me to give up on my dreams. Determined to find answers, I embarked on a journey that led me to The National Jewish Hospital in Denver, Colorado.

There, amidst rigorous physically and mentally demanding testing, I received a diagnosis that explained my problem: Exercise-Induced Laryngeal Obstruction (EILO), a rare condition that makes breathing nine to sixteen times more challenging during exertion, taking precious energy and oxygen from my lungs, muscles, and brain. After my diagnosis, while still at National Jewish, I began the meticulous process of relearning how to breathe efficiently while maintaining high levels of activity.

As I approach my Senior year of track, I am filled with gratitude for EILO. Despite the setbacks caused by EILO, I’ve embraced the challenge and signed to run collegiate track and play basketball at Montana Tech. My perspective on running has undergone a profound transformation. What was once perceived as punishment or a dreaded chore has become a source of profound appreciation. EILO has taught me not to take anything for granted, especially the simple act of breathing. Through adversity, I’ve discovered resilience and a deeper connection to my faith.

Running, to me, embodies freedom—a liberation from the burdens that weigh me down. With each stride, I feel the weight of my worries lift, leaving me empowered and invigorated. I am reminded of the verse from Isaiah 40:31: “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” My journey with EILO has strengthened my faith and reaffirmed my belief that I run not just by my own strength, but by the grace and faithfulness of God. I know that every time I step into my blocks, with the power of God in me, nothing can stop me, not even EILO.

The Mature Runner: The 2024 Paris Olympics

/in , , /by

While Stacy and I have been living in France these past five weeks, I just realized the August 2024 Paris Olympics are just a few hours away from where we’ve living. And here’s some interesting info I found about what will happen this coming July.

The theme is “Olympics for Everyone” and includes a wild marathon course said to be the hardest one so far. I need to look up the Rome 1960 Olympics, which was mostly on cobblestone streets and had to negotiate the “Nine Hills” of Rome. But for the Paris Olympics, they start on the Ile-de-la-Cité, go past Notre Dame, then the Louvre, and wind through town/over the many bridges over the Seine river, and head down to Versailles and back. Interestingly, the Louvre had been the palace for the many kings, and then the royal household moved to Versailles (rumor has it the hunting was much better there than along the Seine River). A bit of history, Abebe Bikila (Ethiopia) won the Rome marathon running barefoot in 2:15:16, which was then a world record, and is still a barefoot marathon WR. Oh, this race started the world record holders coming from Africa. And they have dominated ever since. Rome was the 1st to start and finish outside the Olympic stadium, and the same is true for the Paris Olympic marathon.

Abebe Bikila winning in Rome, 1960, barefoot centralmente.com

The women’s marathon race is the very last race of these Olympics, and the three USA runners who qualified have quite the story. The current rule is that each country gets three entrants, but there is also a qualifying standard as well. A rather unknown, Dakotah Lindwurm had only a 15 seconds cushion before not making the team. The look on her face as she finished in 2:25:31 says it all – she was SO excited – it’s great to see such overflowing emotion on her face. It was not showboating. It was pure elation.

Dakotah Lindwurm squealing with delight fox9.com

Here are a few of the gems I got from perusing the online interviews with her, after she got on the Olympic team. It was so obviously a dream come true, and her honesty is so welcomed. After the race, she was in a restaurant and spied her idols at a table (Fiona O’Keefe and Emily Sisson, who had come in 1st and 2nd), and told herself to just go up and say “hi.” As she got near, they both jumped up and started screaming at her; she was the talk of the town, and it hadn’t yet sunk in I guess. She grew up in St Francis, Minnesota, and of course was a decent hockey player in high school. She wasn’t that good, but realized she kept beating all the other girls while running in gym class. She had tried to run on the JV team, but kept coming in last, and said that motivated her since she didn’t like to fail at anything. Then she discovered she was pretty good at running, but realized she wasn’t good enough to get a scholarship or anything. She went to Northern State University (South Dakota) a Division II school, and was a “walk-on” with the cross-country team as a sophomore. Then she realized she preferred running with the guys since they went faster – instead of like the girls who would often sneak out and hide behind the bleachers to avoid certain workouts. Her rise to be an Olympian had become a dream, and she really kept pushing herself. One account was about her coach (she finally had a coach with the Minnesota Elite Runners, Chris Lundstrum) asking how she was feeling with her 120 mile/week workouts. This was in preparation for the Orlando Olympic Trials marathon. She said she kept feeling stronger and wanted more miles. So he agreed to crank it up to 135 mile weeks, and that suited her fine. So, while working away out of the limelight, she came into the Trials unheralded. Between now and the August 11 Olympic race, she’s planning on doing her 3rd Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth on June 22, which she has won twice and she loves to support them, even though the race of her life will only be 50 days later. She says she’s not

worried, a good race before an important race has always worked for her. Here’s to the trio Fionna, Emily and Dakotah!

Fiona O’Keefe, Emily Sisson, and Dakota Lindwurm ready to go runblogrun.com

The Mature Runner

/in , /by

By David Summerfield

I just can’t not keep talking about those three Ingebrigtsen brothers. Looks like they haven’t stopped running yet. That TV series they were featured in several years ago (Team Ingebrigtsen?) well, here’s the next version. I didn’t realize that the past series was just documenting their preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. So, of course, they’re doing the same now for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Jakob (the youngest) set another world record since I last looked, the indoor 1500 meter, in 3:30:60. He still holds the WR for the 2km (4:43.13) and the outdoor 2 mile (7:54:10). And I found out there are 4 other siblings: Kristoffer, Martin, Ingrid, and William.

Here they are in Düsseldorf, Germany showing how to block the lanes! via worldathletics.org

In reading about these amazing Norwegians, I couldn’t help but smile about Jakob getting married recently to his longtime girlfriend, and to celebrate, he went for the WR Beer Mile record. I’d forgotten about the event. I highlighted it many years ago, and here it came back into the spotlight.

Beer mile regulations: at least one 12oz bottle of beer per lap, minimum of 5% ABV, and off you go. So, Jakob took off as part of his bachelor party. What amazed me was this story was written up by his “other” elder brother Kristoffer (how many are there??). Anyway, Jakob ran a 5:22, far off the official record of 4:28. And it was a party on the track. Other family members did the same beer run. Their choice of beer included Corona and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. The WR holder (Canadian Corey Bellemore) gave away his secret – you’ve got to get rid of the burps in the 1st 100 meters of each lap after downing the beer, but not “deep” burps – those lead to puking. So, there’s a worthy challenge, oh BSWD’ers.

Start of a Beer mile runningmagazine.ca

To finish off this article of world records, the next article online showed how an AI robot also ran a WR. What? You’ve got to look it up to believe it. A Chinese start-up created a robot called H-1, who can “run” 3.3 meters/second. His (its) specks: height – 5’11”, weight – 104 pounds. So, it is a lightweight, but my height. My calculation is it can run a 440 yard track in 2 minutes (8:00 minute mile). If you watch the video of this guy/metal thing running, it does sorta give me this weird feeling. It can also dance, walk up and down stairs, and luckily for now – it really looks like a hightech robot – nothing close to being human….yet. With that – happy running, and just think you have a training partner just waiting to challenge you on the track 🙂

Just think, you might meet one of these Unitree robots as you walk down the street someday. therobotreporrt.com

Mature Runner

/in , , /by

The Norwegians Have Arrived!

By David Summerfield

In scouring the internet for interesting world records, I landed on Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s 2-mile world record (last year). This Norwegian has amassed so many world records, starting early as a 15-year-old, and getting faster each year. The Ingebrigtsen family boasts three fast brothers: Jakob, Filip and Henrik, all coached by their father Gjert.

Here’s Jakob winning the 5000 meter race final in Eugene, OR in 2022 (13:09) via wikipedia.

Jakob was the 1st 16-year-old to run a sub-4:00 mile (3:58), and he lowered that each year. His two older brothers (Filip at 24 and Henrik at 26) were in the same meet, and ran a 3:56 and 3:53, respectively. What caught my attention most was his 7:54.10 2-mile time last year in Paris. That’s averaging a 3:57 mile back-to-back. He beat the 25-year old record set by Daniel Komen (7:58) in 1997. His other amazing achievements include the mile at the Prefortaine Classic in Eugene, OR, where he ran a 3:43:73. The world record of 3:43:13 still stands (held by Hicham El Guerrouj). Enough stats for now. Of interest (to me) is that Norway has a TV reality series called “Team Engebrigtsen”, which ran for 5 seasons. In it the three middle-distance runners shared the trials and tribulations of their lives as runners.

While Norwegians are more known for their winter sports heroics, now they can add an amazing trio of brothers who all run faster times than any other group. Of course I am interested in knowing the specifics of how the three were coached at such early ages.

I grew up being inspired by another Norwegian, Ole Einar Bjørndalen, who has won more Olympic gold medals (8) than any other Winter Olympian (13 total medals). He’s a biathlete, carrying an eight-pound rifle on his back, skiing three 3.3km loops, and Ole prefers the standing shot. He has five shots at a target (penalized an additional 150 meter loop for every missed shot) and shoving back on his skis to repeat the process over and over. Somehow he has managed to keep his throbbing heartbeat from making him miss the mark more than any other athlete. Any of you readers who know how to skate ski should understand. Just carrying the rifle is enough of a distraction. So, I’ll just finish with a picture of Ole Bjørndalen doing the impossible. (Oh, and he just turned 50, and he is the same height as me, and we both ski on Madshus skis, and of course I wear the signature Bjørndalen jacket).

Ole Einar Bjørndalen in competition via delfi.ee.

Oh, and he has now retired, but I discovered that promising Norwegian athletes (like other nordic countries) attend “sports schools” – in their teens – so they train year round and that explains in a small way why Americans (and me specifically) can never enter their world of super-athlete-dom.

Hmmm, his skis look just like mine….the comparison ends there! Via sportyzive.cz.

The Mature Runner

/in , , , /by

Watch Why You’re Trying To Break Records

By David Summerfield

I keep scanning the news to see who else has broken world records. Records fall every month. It’s a constant. So now (instead of feeling frustrated that I’m not on a record list) I’m looking into why people all over the world are specifically doing everything possible to get that “World Record,” or simply to get a substantial recognition from others.

Let’s start out with David Goggins, because he has accomplished so many incredible physical feats. Besides being the only human to be a retired Navy Seal and completed SEAL training, and the Army Ranger School, and the Air Force Tactical Air Controller training (get my drift?) but he also holds the World Record for the most pull-ups (4030) in 17 minutes. Bet you can’t do that! And he says he “broke” his arms in the process. Of course he has his own website so you can see all his achievements: davidgoggins.com/athletic-achievements and he’s not shy about tooting his own horn. That’s fine, but it does show he wants publicity and to be seen and recognized. All right, there’s nothing wrong about that. But it sorta smacks of something that makes me uncomfortable. One could say I’m just jealous and wish I could do all the things he has done. Well, you’re wrong.

I have to admit that David’s accomplishments are definitely aimed at motivating others to tackle life head-on, and to be tough in every sense of the word. He stresses that personally he has overcome all kinds of obstacles, and is quite proud of his physique, which is all part of his image (you too can look like me) just knuckle down and push yourself through all adversity. And that is his livelihood. OK. There you have it. Some records are for personal gain, and others are for helping others, pure and simple. I try to reserve judgment, though you could probably intuit where I really stand on all this.

Here’s the “Toughest Man Alive”. Enough said. via turbomind.com

At this point in my life, I want to find the real intent behind all these strivings for breaking records. Is the cause a good one? Let’s see. First off is Kate Jayden, a 35-year old from Derbyshire, England. She is a classic person out to make a difference, raising money ($50,000) for a charity. And she specifically set out to earn a Guinness World Record, needing to beat the current record of 95 consecutive daily marathons. She got to 100, and found out someone had already done that, so she kept going. She ended up with 106 daily marathons, and then found out there were two other Scottish ladies from Aberdeen who did the exact same number (106). So she shares the record with them. The other two (Fay Cunningham and Emma Petrie) raised $46,000 for several charities. While going after the world record, Kate did the same as Fay and Emma, all three just kept running another marathon everyday, hoping to surpass the other. Fay and Emma felt their effort was more substantial since they ran outside for every marathon, while Kate occasionally used an indoor treadmill. But they all got the nod from Guinness to be world record holders!

Via runnersworld.com/news/a40868973/guinness

Here’s Kate Jayden, a bundle of enthusiasm. The Rnners World author was Stephanie Hoppe, published Aug 11, 2022. This picture shows her holding the “baton” in a relay race called the Queen’s Relay in the Commonwealth Games.

Kate Jayden worked full-time during those 106 days, completing her 6+ hour runs after work. Somehow, those ladies weren’t doing it all for fame, but to accomplish something substantial. Fay and Emma both lost a parent “too soon” and wanted to help others “do it while you can”. Kate felt something wrong in a knee during the 46th marathon, but ran/walked the other 60 anyway. She got an MRI afterwards and found out she had a fractured knee needing surgery. Of course, she said she might have to switch to biking or rowing, but she’ll be back!

Fay Cunningham and Emma Petrie on their 106 quest. Via canadianrunning.com Article written by Marley Dickinson on June 2022.

Fay (35) and Emma (25) are both physical therapists and are dedicated to helping others lead healthy, active lives. Their purpose in taking up the marathon challenge was to raise money and awareness for 2 charities. Both ladies lost parents, one to Lou Gherig’s disease linked to ALS, which claimed Fay’s father’s life and Emma’s mother died of cancer (the charity was Macmillan charity for cancer support). “We both know that life is short and the ability to run or walk doesn’t stay with you forever… My father was fit and active and he inspired us to tackle this challenge,” Fay said.

A little trivia: the 106 marathons covered 2,777 miles, which just happens to be the distance from Scotland to Istanbul, and they each went through seven pairs of running shoes. So these runners are accomplishing a rather arduous task, all on their own dime. There was no “profit” involved, they weren’t running to earn a living, as is true for David Goggins. Anyway, here’s a story about the 4th person to take a stab at the same Guinness record:

Jacky Hunt-Broesma joining the crowded field of record-breakers via runnersworld.com – article written by Cindy Kuzma, published April 29th, 2022.

Jacky’s story is certainly as compelling as the other three. At 26 years old, a tumor in her left leg led to an amputation. Not being an athlete of any kind, she had many decisions to make while recovering. She found out the standard running blade cost over $10,000 and wasn’t covered by insurance. Her husband was an ultrarunner, so why not? After figuring out how to take care of their two grade-school children, she started running, many of the miles were around the school in Gilbert, Arizona, where she could put up a table with refreshments. The 5K led to a 10K, then a 1⁄2 marathon, and on she went. Learning about the current world record of 95 consecutive marathons got her going. She did use a treadmill when the stump couldn’t fit comfortably into the socket – too much jarring. So the treadmill was more comfortable for running. Her story is very compelling, you should look her up. And like the other three, she has raised nearly $200,000 for Amputee Running Blades, a nonprofit which supplies blades to those in need. And yes, she too thought by 104 consecutive days, she should have garnered the Guinness record, not knowing that Kate, Fay and Emma went on to #106! Of course Jacky has the record for running 104 on only one leg, plus one blade 🙂

I’ll finish off with a little inspiration coming from Kate Jayden: “My heart has always longed for a kinder world and country that welcomes people from all walks of life, especially those facing adversity. In the current climate with a hostile environment being created for asylum seekers and those fleeing war, it’s only the fact we happened to

be born here that we have such privilege.” –K

I wish you all well in developing your own motives for doing what you do!

The Mature Runner

/in , , /by

This Is Why We (BSWD’ers) Are Not Setting World Records!

By David Summerfield

Some of you might remember a runner who set World Records many years ago. At the time he was called the greatest marathoner of all time: Kinenisa Bekele. An Ethiopian, he started winning every race he entered. He became the folk hero of a generation of runners back in the early 2000’s. Eliud Kipchoge followed in his footsteps and became his replacement. If you go back far enough, you’ll remember Haile Gebrselassie, who set the standard for both of those runners. To better Haile’s world records was an amazing achievement. Kenenisa Bekele is in the news again, not for the open marathon world record, but for setting a world record for men over 40 – they are called “Master” runners. Get this: Kenenisa Bekele ran a 2:04:19 as a 41 year-old (in Valencia, Spain – this December – he came in 4th, imagine that!).

Mo Farah, Kenenisa Bekele, and Haile Gebrselassie in a tight pack! Via athleticsweekly.com

I just realized that these three runners I’ve admired over the past 25 years have some other interesting statistics. For example, their weight and height are so similar:

Haile Gebrselassie: 5’5” 119 pounds Ethiopia born 1973 marathon record: 2:03:59 (2008)

Kenenisa Bekele 5’5” 123 pounds Ethiopia born 1982 marathon record: 2:01:41 (2 seconds behind Eliud Kipchoge’s WR

Eliud Kipchoge: 5’6” 115 pounds Kenya born 1984 Marathon record: 2:01:09

Kelvin Kiptum: 5’11” 143 pounds Kenya born 1999 Marathon record: 2:00:35 – current world record

So, from that picture above, I had to look up Mo Farah’s stats, and this guy is 5’9” and 143 pounds and is 40 years old. He’s also setting world records. So, he’s an anomaly for sure. But his story is just as riveting as the others: he was born in what is now Somaliland, and was “trafficked” into England, where he was treated as a slave when he was 12. He eventually gained his freedom (in present day England), and his real running talents were recognized. He rose quickly to national prominence, gaining citizenship and then appointed the Commander of the Order of the British Empire. And he currently holds most of the British distance records.

What do we learn from these stats? The obvious: the swift runners have to be small people (around 5’5”) and not weigh too much (119 pounds average). I guess that’s not all: you need to have grown up in either Kenya or Ethiopia (or Somaliland for Mo) and run something like a 10km to school every morning and evening, in your grade-school years. And barefoot. And eat a very simple diet (no sugars and lots of grains). And for Mo, a strong dose of hardship was also his essential ingredient in becoming a world class runner. As for Kelvin Kiptum, well, he breaks all my rules for running fast … we’re the same height and weight. So there.

I must give credit to Eliud Kipchoge as I have in a previous article. He did run the 1st ever marathon distance in under 2 hours (1:59:40.2) so we know it is humanly possible. For certain humans, at least. Well, specifically one human on the planet so far. Anyway, this wasn’t an “official” race, since a whole army of elite runners were waiting in line, ready to jump in the loop to take their turn as robotic rabbits. Remember the truck that drove in front of the pack, shooting back laser beams on the ground, and driving at the exact sub-2 hour finish pace? Sheesh. Anyway, his achievement is good enough for now, and he does hold the unaided marathon world record in 2:01:09. He’s also the youngest of the lot! So, there you have it. Kenenisa Bekele earned a world record for being over 40 and running a 2:04:19. And he had to settle for 4th place. I still shake my head in disbelief. Haile Gebrselassie’s world record (2008) was a ho hum 2:03:59 (and 20 seconds later along comes Kenenisa).

To finish off this article, I can’t help but reveal a huge fact about Kenenisa’s achievement. From many different sources, it turns out he comes off as a rather shy person, not flamboyant or soaking in the admiration of “his” public. He is much more little known, even though he holds (held) just as many world records as the rest of the gang. They’ve all mastered the art of running fast on all types of surfaces (grassy x-country courses, asphalt, spongey tracks, cobblestones, etc.). But look at the faces of the others as they finish a race, and their arms go up in triumph, they love giving interviews, they relish the attention. Kenenisa doesn’t do that. Kipchoge, Gebrselassie, and Mo are good at self-promoting. That’s why I admire Kenenisa all the more.

With that, dear Wind Drinkers, I wish you all the very best of accomplishments for 2024. May the race gods and goddesses treat you well. And if you prefer the anonymity of self-effacing running achievements which go unnoticed, may those important accomplishments fill you with all the self-esteem and pride you deserve.

Kelvin Kiptum made it look easy. Via world-track.org

Oh dear, while finishing up this article, I got chastised. I totally forgot Kelvin Kiptum. This October in Chicago, the “upstart” Kelvin, born in 1999, as a 24 year old, jumped into the fray, and came up with this USA soil WR. 2:00:35. Sigh. And he’s the tallest of them all, wow.

The Mature Runner: Get Inspired To Do Something Epic

/in , , /by

This article will hopefully send you into the New Year with some ideas to do something epic. Something unique. Something doable, and something you’ve never dreamed of doing. Here is my current inspiration: her name is Jane Dotchin. She’s an 82 years old (maybe 83 by now) British lady who just followed her passion, no matter what the odds. Here’s her story.

Jane Dotchin with her pals on the yearly trek to Inverness, Scotland positive-info.com.

The Daily Record headline read “Pensioner rides pony 600 miles to Scotland every year with beloved dog in saddlebag”. What? I had to open it up, and read a very British rendition of the adventures of one Jane Dotchin. The pictures show her Jack Russell Terrier Dinky as seen stuffed in a saddlebag (Dinky has deformed front legs and can only walk on grassy surfaces). Jane is riding atop her 13-year old “poney” Diamond (who we’re told is an Irish cob mare). She has developed quite a following, having done her long 7-week ride for over 50 straight years.

Here are some specifics to whet the appetite we all have for a truly epic adventure of our own making. She lives in Hexham, Northumberland and rides up and back to Inverness in Scotland, over 300 miles away. She has a patch over her right eye, which doesn’t bother her much, since she knows the route by heart. She doesn’t take maps, and if there’s stormy weather, she’ll just switch her route to avoid the higher passes. She carries an old cell phone, which is rarely turned on – she keeps it to phone ahead when she’s nearing some acquaintances so she can stop by for a chat. She normally sleeps in a tent (which is tied onto Diamond) and Dinky cuddles up to keep her warm inside at night. This year she took off on August 31st (my birthday – so we’re related in an odd way, right?) and will travel throughout September and October. Her mainstay (which she purchases along the way) is nothing but porridge (the British word for oatmeal), oatcakes (look it up), and cheese -all of which she shares with Dinky. Diamond has the luxury of spending the night on a long tether to graze on grass to her heart’s content.

Her main complaint has nothing to do with the rigors of a long trek, but rather negotiating the unbelievable amount of trash along the route. Sometimes when Diamond can’t avoid stepping on pizza boxes or other trash (“single use barbeques”), Diamond will spook and quickly leave the path. I loved one picture which shows how Jane likes to mount her pony – she likes to have a park bench near where she gets off, so it’s easier to get back on that way.

Park the horse near a picnic bench! azviral.net.

A good source of information came from Bhupinder Singh, writing in the India Times (Dec. 20th, 2021). The public has taken notice of her rigorous adventures, and the British Horse Society awarded her the “Exceptional Achievement Award” a few years ago. As one can imagine, she called this attention totally uncalled for 🙂 She’s definitely my type of adventurer. She’s doing it for the sheer joy of being on the road where she’s calling all the shots everyday…and just being outside for long periods of time. Isn’t that why a lot of us love to do looooong treks – the longer the better? Ask our 100-mile weirdos in the BSWD club…Megan DeHaan, Franklin Coles, Ed Anacker, and I’m embarrassed to say I’m forgetting all the others that do that kind of stuff. I fall apart going out that far, so I’m happy just going on long walks. But, I’ve never gone out for over 9 hours, so the goad here is to go out for 7 weeks! I’d say my main inspiration has to do with the simplicity of Dotchin’s plan. Just get out there, and not be worried about how far you go everyday, in other words – forget about TIME, my big bugaboo! Evidently, riding atop an Irish cob horse has something to do with it. These horses are the national breed of Ireland. They are extremely friendly, gentle, and independent – they have a knack for figuring out problems on their own. They’re perfect for taking trail rides (or road rides) and they’ve learned how to take care of themselves. Dotchin says she averages between 15 – 20 per day, but I guess it makes no difference how far she goes each day. And her joy is finding friends she’s made on her treks to stay with along the way.

Out on the road, and close-up of Dinky and Jane indiatimes.com.

I also found out she has written a book about her adventures, but I could only find it on “Abebooks.com”. It has 94 pages and is entitled “Journey Through Britain On A Pack Poney 1985-1987”. If it would help, the cover does show the Foreword is written by Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall! So, you’ll be in great company if you purchase this book, and it just might be the convincer to go plan your own adventure. 2024 could be the year you graduate from your “same ‘ole same ‘ole” workouts, and go do something out of the ordinary!

Mature Runner: Two New Marathon World Records

/in , , /by

By David Summerfield

The Winddrinker Newsletter must let you all know about last month’s amazing development in the marathon. I keep thinking marathon world records are going to be harder and harder to break. Not any more! Here’s the simple story of 2 very talented runners who made their mark on history.

Jubilant Assefa! via capitalethiopia.com

First there’s Tigist Assefa, an Ethiopian who won last year’s Berlin Marathon (2:15:37) and came back with a 2:11:53 this year. The narrative of how it happened was breathtaking. She went out on WR pace, and pulled a dozen runners with her. Her splits were all on-pace, and realizing there were no more runners around her, she blitzed across the finish line, knowing the last few kilometers she would easily break the record. She basically never slowed down, and had negative splits. The 2nd place runner (Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui) was 6 minutes back! Oh what a way to break a world record. One article focused on her shoes (which has become slightly controversial). They are Adidas, and were not publicly for sale yet (yes, an advertising gimmick). They are called the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 and are purported to be 40% lighter than any other racing flat. And of course they have a “first of its kind” forefoot rocker which is lab-tested to promote forward momentum and increase running efficiency. Don’t they all claim that? Wasn’t that Nike’s Vaporfly model? Anyway, Tigist said after the race that they were incredibly comfortable. I guess we all need to go get a pair now…. I must apologize that I couldn’t find a compelling story for Tigist. I still think the men get better coverage/interviews. Now let’s move on to the new men’s WR in Chicago. And surprise, it wasn’t Eliud Kipchoge. He did run a 2:01:39 in Berlin (in front of Tigist), and 9 men runners all got under 2:05 – yikes. That was a “fast” race. But Eliud’s world record of 2:01:09 was not broken, even though he has won 5 Berlin Marathons in a row now.

The big news happened at the Chicago Marathon – where Kelvin Kiptum ran a 2:00:35 – getting oh so close to that magic sub-2 hour mark. Both Kelvin and Tigist ran their world record marathons on their 3rd ever marathon. Kelvin in one calendar year ran a 2:01:53 in Valencia, Spain and then a 2:01:25 in London. His 1st marathon (2:01:53) is the fastest “debut” marathon for any runner.

New WR for Kiptum! via bignewsnetwork.com

Kiptum’s story is really remarkable. The best article was written by Celestine Karoney – the BBC Sport Africa-Nairobi reporter, published October 20th, 2023. Symbolically, as he got ready for his 1st local race in Kenya, he had to borrow a pair of running shoes. He couldn’t afford a pair of his own. That was just 5 years ago! Today, he sports a Nike pair of what are now called “super shoes”. Being interviewed at the finish line, Kiptum admitted “My life has now changed”. I love the fact that he was inspired to start running because of his cousin who was a pacemaker for my hero Haile Gebrselassie. And, according to tradition, Kiptum grew up herding his families’ animals, barefoot, of course. And he didn’t go the normal route for beginning Kenyan runners – by training on the track. He had absolutely no money, and couldn’t afford the shoes. His father wanted him to study to be an electrician, but gradually saw a very motivated youngster. And he’s only 23 years old (Eliud is 38!). Kiptum’s coach wants him to slow down a bit, since this intense running will wear out his body in just a few years. Kiptum is clearly fearless, restless, impatient. He wants to be the one to break the 2 hour barrier, and next year is the Olympics in Paris. He desperately wants to make the Kenyan team, and will be competing alongside Eliud. I read that Kiptum went 4 years without a significant win, but kept pushing. His father did end up supporting his efforts, and said after the WR run, “I praise him as an obedient son who has stayed true to his upbringing.”

The Whole Kiptum’s Family bbc.co.uk

Kelvin’s father is on the left, holding his grandson. Next to Kelvin is his coach Gervais Hakizimana.

This makes me all the more focused on the Paris Olympic Marathon now. Won’t you watch it with me next summer??

You Must Know Who Courtney Dauwalter Is

/in , , /by

“You are fine…everything is fine…Keep moving!” These are Courtney Dauwalter’s mantras as she navigates all the challenges of long mountain races. She is so refreshing, simple and almost naive! She also says it works great, and I don’t think she was joking! Here’s a familiar photo which shows her undaunted enthusiasm!

Beer and Tailwind …a winning combination? Via runninginsight.com

I have to make sure every reader of this newsletter knows about Courntey, if you don’t already. She is such a positive development in the long distance running community. She’s unaffected by all her success and this encourages me to get back in shape to “go long” once more. I’m basing much of this article written by Brian Meltzer, who I too often mistake for Karl “Speedgoat” Meltzer. Brian is the founding editor of Trail Runner Magazine and “invented” the Speedgoat HOKA trail running shoe, which was named after him. He’s also known foe his amazing string of winning 100-mile races; he’s won at least one a year for over 20 years, and for your information, wearing my own Speedgoat HOKAs does not make me 100-mile material!

Courtney smiling as she runs the 240 mile Moab race via gearjunkie.com

Back to Courtney: what first caught my eye was her winning Western States 100 (going 77 minutes faster than the record, she ran a 15:29:34) and Hardrock 100 (setting a new record there as well) three weeks apart from each other. After that, she signed up for the Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc on September 2-3. And that she won, setting a women’s course record as well. At 38 years old, she’s broken just about everyone’s records wherever she goes. I can’t help but be impressed with her Western States 100 record; her time would have beaten all the overall winners (meaning men) going back 20 years.

Courtney thanking the crowd at the UTMB via scmp.com

So, how does she do this – a question asked by mane others as well? She has no coach and just does what she “feels like” every morning she wakes up. I love that. Heck, that’s exactly what I do too (okay, I’ll stop trying to compare myself with her). She’s been living in Leadville, CO near where I spent 20 years running up 14-ers. Living above 10,000 feet can’t hurt it seems. She almost brags about her diet, eating stuff I thrive on too (ooops, stop it David): pastries, pizza, beer, jelly beans, Mike ‘n Ike’s, Snickers, gummy bears, nachos, pancakes. And along came Tailwind, the drink Megan DeHaan championed for the Ridge Run. I tried drinking it, and it just tasted awful. But Courtney swears by it. Maybe I’ll try it again.

The best part about Courtney is her simple lifestyle and simple joy shown in all interviews. She keeps saying that she just loves running, and keeps figuring out ways to make it happen. When she crosses a finish line, she’s thinking “Wow, I really finished this” “boy that was fun” and goes around thanking all the support crews. I mean, that’s exactly what I do whenever I finish a race.

What Courtney drinks at aid stations! via pinterest.com

A list of Courtney’s accomplishments, via Wikipedia.

Yes, Courtney uses poles in the tricky parts of the UTMB! Via runandtravel.pl

I can’t help but include our own Nikki Kimball’s accomplishments as she won three Western States 100 (2004, 2006, 2007) and won the UTMB in 2007 as well. She was undefeated in seven years of competition. And she held the BRR record for many years, constantly encouraging Kristina Trygstad-Saari to beat her record (which did eventually happen!).

And speaking of former BRR winners, there’s Jim Walmsley who won BRR several years ago, had some foot soreness and wore a pair of HOKA’s at the last minute. Then his UTMB attempt; he came in fourth last year, and true to his dedication to winning, he moved to Arêche-Beaufort, France, near the start of the UTMB in Chamonix, so he could train to his heart’s content. I did read he ran into some problems with his Visa – you can’t stay longer than 90 days without being asked to leave. I believe he had to solve some issues so he could continue training this year! Anyway, he did win this year, and established a new record (19:37:43) – way to go Jim 🙂

I can’t stop this article without mentioning that there is a new USA mile record by Yared Nuguse, who ran a 3:43:97 to erase Alan Webb’s 3:46:91 set in 2007. That record stood for 16 years! The new record happened at the Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field, Oregon. The current world record is still held by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco (3:43:13). So Americans are now only 0.84 seconds away from mile glory.

Nuguse is on the left, winner Ingebrigtsen (Norway) is on the right and won in 3:43:73. Via runnersworld.com/news/a45172962/yared-nuguse-breaks-mile-american-record