What happened? Kara Goucher finishes third at the Boston Marathon

So… I’m not a runner. I never was. Actually, that’s a lie – I ran cross country my sophomore year of high school in an effort to get in shape for basketball season.

That resulted in a stress fracture in my right fibula and sheer pain that entire season. Needless to say, that was the end of my career as a runner.

So I find it hard to get excited about professional track & field events. I understand there’s an entire culture out there of people who LOVE it, and it’s one of the most popular (and grueling) sports in existence. But it just doesn’t seem as dramatic to me as some of sports that, well, let’s say… involve a ball.

Regardless, the excitement over this year’s Boston Marathon got me.

I was interested. Reason being – one Kara Goucher – who the world was watching. After only three short months after her Olympic performance, Goucher ran the New York Marathon and earned a 3rd place finish with the fastest time ever by an American woman, 2:25:53. So all eyes were on her for Monday’s race in Boston. Read more

Dysfunction Run Amuck: USA Track & Field and the Need for Change

The Final Sprint

Adam Jacobs from The Final Sprint has written a very interesting article about USA Track & Field. Titled Disfunction Run Amuck: USA Track & Field and the Need for Change, this article is a great read for those interested in investigative journalism and corruption at one of the highest levels of the sport. Hopefully this series will bring the much-needed change that Adam highlights.

From The Final Sprint:

“TheFinalSprint.com’s investigation into this matter uncovered disturbing accusations and issues of dysfunction, including infighting, power struggles, racial tension, lack of oversight, and conflicts of interest within the board of directors. While the allegations may not rise to the level of criminality, they do threaten to undermine the organization at a time that it desperately needs cohesiveness and efficiency. With the belief that sunlight is the best disinfectant, TheFinalSprint.com will publish an article each day for the next week providing an inside look at USATF and its current situation.”

Below is the schedule. I highly enourage my readers to check follow its progress.

• 11/20 – Introduction
• 11/21 – How Did We Get Here?
• 11/22 – USOC Mandates / State of Dysfunction at USATF
• 11/23 – Financial Mismanagement / “Jets vs. Sharks”
• 11/24 – Racial Tensions / Infighting / Overstepping
• 11/25 – Conflict Of Interest / USATF Pres. Election
• 11/26 – Reasons For Hope / Restructuring