Five Years...Ten Posts: Part 2

As we count down the days to The Two R's Fifth Anniversary, we continue to look back at some of my favorite posts.

Today, at number nine, we're not looking back at my favorite post...we're looking at yours. And frankly, it's not even close.

I've written about Jenn Shelton only a handful of times in the past five years, but those are some of the most popular posts ever. And the post below truly has no equal. A usual post at the R's attracts maybe 20-50 hits. A good post between 50-100. Anything over 100, I consider solid. As an example, my recent review of the Nike Pegasus 29 is rolling quickly toward 200 hits. That's a good post.

The Jenn Shelton Goes for the Title post, from June 1, 2010...has over 18,000 hits! Yes, 18,000.

Why? Well, the obvious reason is that swimsuit. There are a lot of guys out there on the interwebs, my friends...and they all enjoy a good swimsuit.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that Jenn Shelton is the sweetheart of Born to Run, speaks her mind ever so clearly on her Twitter feed, and is a hell of a runner.

But yeah, it's the swimsuit.

JENN SHELTON GOES FOR THE TITLE!

Yeah, that would be the title of Oregon's Hottest Runner! Well, she won the Pear Blossom Ten Miler too, but c'mon, let's focus here!

I realize that Kara Goucher is at a bit of a disadvantage here, being pregnant and whatnot, but hey, I've got nothing against pregnant women - it's just hard when you're trying to battle against Shelton's swimsuit!

That thing has got to be homemade right? I mean...it's got pears on it! That swimsuit does bring back some bad memories of Borat, but Shelton somehow makes it work.

Bonus points for the look on the guy's face that's running beside her. I'm guessing lots of guys would have been running with her...if they could have kept up.

Go Jenn!


Thanks to RaceCenter for the photo. Which reminds me...I was supposed to talk about my new article for RaceCenter, but I got distracted. Tomorrow.

2012 Olympics - A Look Back at Track and Triathlon

Lots of amazing races and competition at the just-completed London Olympics. Let's take a quick look back:

Photo gallery of the Olympic Women's Marathon - sort of cool to see Kara Goucher and Shalane Flanagan lead the pack for so long

The Brownlee's roll in the Men's Olympic Triathlon - the medal winners were exactly who you expected; no upsets here

Recap of the Men's Olympic 800 - this one was fast; Solomon and Symmonds ran well, but didn't medal

Olympic Men's Marathon produces a surprise winner - Ugandan Stephen Kiprotich crashes the Kenyan party

Photo finish in the Olympic Women's Triathlon - this one was a little more open than the men's race

Photo gallery of day six at the track at the Olympics - lots of photos of Allyson Felix winning gold

Photo gallery of the Olympic Men's 1500 - Leo Manzano grabs a surprise silver with an amazing finish

Mo Farah doubles in the 5000 and 10000 - and he made it look pretty easy against strong competition

Photo gallery of Olympic Women's Triathlon - Sweden appealed for a gold tie on the photo finish, but was denied

Ashton Eaton rolls to a gold in the decathlon - Hardee takes silver for US to go 1-2

Galen Rupp Takes Silver in Olympic 10k!

In a race that just about brought tears to my eyes, Galen Rupp showed absolutely amazing closing speed to bring home a silver for himself and the USA. It's the first men's medal in the 10k for the US since 19freaking64, when Billy Mills, yes, Billy Mills, took gold.

Read all about it at the Oregonian.

And check out a nice photo spread from the Oregonian.

Great after-race quotes from the US runners in this Runner's World article.

Photo by Bruce Ely from the Oregonian.

Kara Goucher in London - Running and Triathlon Links Monday!

As always, lots of news out there in the running and tri world. Read, learn, race - let's go.

Interview with Kara Goucher - the Oregon marathon superstar gets ready for London

Lake Placid Ironman results and recap - Andy Potts rolls yet again

Olympics Viewer's Guide - check out running previews from former Olympians

Photo Gallery from the last Tour de France TT - yep, bike porn...if you're into that kind of thing

Will the Olympic Marathon be hot? - history, and the crazy start time, say "yes"

A very interesting chat with four-time Olympian Hunter Kemper - he's as fast as ever...maybe this is the year for a medal

Rock n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon recap and results - two Olympian marathoners, the non-U.S. variety, take the wins

How to keep your speed while training for a marathon - I need to read this one closely

How much should you drink during your next run - it matters less than you might think

School boards banning Five Fingers shoes? - sure, why not?

Should you run at 180 steps per minute? - once again, it's probably not as important as people make it out to be

Interview with Chris Lieto - it's a little dated, but still a good read

Bradley Wiggins wins 2012 Tour de France - pretty damn easily, I might add

Ironman Hawaii pro starting spots to be handed out in a week - and here are the current standings!

Spokane's Don Kardong Posts Open Letter to US Olympic Marathoners

Running Times has a fantastic open letter from Spokane's own Don Kardong. If you're not familiar with Kardong, he took fourth in the Olympic Marathon in 1976, missing a medal by four seconds.

A great read, and a reminder to everyone...don't throw your water bottles!

Oregon's Jesse Thomas Comes Up 23 Seconds Short at Rev3 Portland - and Other Tri and Running Links

Richie Cunningham Edges Out Jesse Thomas at Rev3 Portland - Angela Naeth wins the women's race

How to put in proper speed work over the summer - and run your fastest races this Fall

Lance Armstrong fights back against USADA - I'm so tired of drugged athletes, yet I'm also tired of the fight against long-since retired athletes

Can a sip of Gatorade help you in a 10k...or even a 5k? - amazingly, it looks like the answer is "probably"

Wetsuit reviews to check out before your next tri - I'd recommend getting the cheap wetsuit and spending the rest on swim coaching

How to run on the beach, correctly - just in time for your Summer vacation

Some pro tips on how to swim faster - it's the tri leg that most people hate...so work on it

Where should the US Track and Field Olympic Trials be in 2016? - Not everyone loves Eugene

Profile on US Olympic Tri Team member Manny Huerta - only two guys on the US team this year

Is this the year the US comes back into its own in Olympic distance events? - there are some strong runners on the team this year

Another view of the US Track Team - I can't wait for the Olympics to get here!

And let's end it with triathletes in swimsuits - why not, right?

Photo from Competitor.com

Running and Triathlon Links Monday!

Coffee before your big race? - Yep, but time it right

Ironman stud Craig Alexander says you need to run slowly - Not always, but definitely once in a while

Do knee braces actually help your sore knees? - I'd say the question is usually: physically or mentally?

Kilian Jornet breaks more records - If it's on a mountain, Jornet is the man

Linsey Corbin wins another Ironman - The girl from Montana is really showing her stuff lately

If you're a runner, here's what you should be eating - hint: it's not 7-Eleven corn dogs and Slurpees

Liz Blatchford narrowly misses making the British Olympic Tri Team once again - and thinks maybe it's time to try something new

Can Galen Rupp bring home some metal from London? - It's possible, but the competition will be at a whole different level from the Trials

Some French steeplechase dork takes out frustrations on mascot...after he won! - can you say "d-bag"?

Healthy habits of Triathletes - Again, corn dogs are a no-no

Lukas Verzbicas Wins World Cup Triathlon and other Running and Tri Links

Lots 'o news:

First up, Lukas Verzbicas, he of the sub-4 high school mile, wins his World Cup Tri Debut - and against a couple of top-five guys

With Lance under investigation, again, Slate asks why is there so much doping in pro cycling? - there's doping in every sport; the media only cares about certain ones though

Can hard running workouts make you anemic? - literally, I learn something new every day...like this right here

Looks like Lance is indeed banned, for the moment anyway - guilty until proven innocent?

This 2:16 marathoner says he could break 2 hours - I could say it too...and be just as wrong as he is

Oregon Tri superstar Chris Bagg checks out the Rev3 Portland bike course - looks long

How to train like a Kenyan this summer - written for high school runners, but should work for anyone

Apparently, barefoot hiking is a thing now - please just stop

Here are the new US Olympic Track uniforms - I'm not crazy about the red

More on "excessive" exercise being bad for your health - so take it easy and have a Quarter Pounder with Cheese...and a side of fries...with a milkshake

Verzbicas in a Ducks uni from RunnerSpace.com.

Running and Triathlon Links Tuesday!

Don't know what happened to Monday, but here's a bunch of good stuff for you:

Biggest mistakes when racing triathlons in hot weather - as you'll see in later links, this is a theme these days

Shorter trail races - if you want to get on the trail, but don't want an ultra

What to do about a messy race course - some races, like Hood to Coast, get complaints about this around here too

England's Olympic Tri Team makes curious team selection decisions...and goes to court - this is getting more common, and these are weird decisions

Superstar Ellie Greenwood's race review from Comrades in South Africa - this is a great read

The Sports Scientists give you their take on Comrades - they were there too

Will global climate change make spring marathons extinct? - there have been a lot of canceled races in the past few years

Andy Potts and Leanda Cave win Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon - this is a bucket list race, for sure

People coming and going from the Kenyan Olympic Marathon Team - who knows what they're doing? Not me

A tie finish at Boise 70.3 Triathlon! - they shortened the bike leg because of freezing temps

Emma Snowsill Olympic protest denied - she will not represent Australia in London

How to eat and fuel up for long runs - an old article, but well worth reading

Yeah, those are the London Olympic mascots...don't ask me...I don't even know.

Running and Triathlon Links Wednesday!

Well...because we sort of missed Monday. Long weekend and all.

So let's get to it. Study up and learn something already.

The first article is about the number of deferments granted at the Boston Marathon - unfortunately, it turned it to not be the whole story

And here's The Rest of the Story on the Boston Marathon deferments - and yes, these people will be taking spots in next year's race

The misadventures of the Australian Olympic Triathlon Selection Committee - once again, why don't they just let them decide it in a race?

Another barefoot running equals injury article - I'll just be over here...keeping my mouth shut

Meet the five US Olympic Triathletes - they earned their spots out on the race course

Komen Race for the Cure news not getting better - numbers are even worse than first estimates

Turn your marathon training into PR's in shorter races - turns out that training can do wonders for your 5k's and 10k's as well

How to be a faster triathlete...on a budget - in my opinion, it's the most difficult thing about tri...being poor

The man, the business: Usain Bolt - I don't talk much about sprinters, but it's a good read

Nice photo gallery of the Cap Tex Triathlon - Hunter Kemper and Andy Potts fighting it out

Tips for happy feet and healthy running - hey, you've got to trust NPR

Interested in tubeless tires for your tri bike? - check out a comparison

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Kara Goucher Running Rock 'n' Roll Portland

Hey, if you're running the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon this weekend, be on the lookout for the R's favorite Oregon runner, Kara Goucher. Goucher is using the Half as a little training run as she preps for the London Olympic marathon, so probably a 1:08 or 1:09.

On the boys' side, Oregon speedsters Ryan Bak and Sean Canaday will toe the line. Should be a good race between those two.

If you're not already in...sorry, it's sold out. But hey, head down and cheer on Oregon's fastest anyway.

Fantastic Kara photo by Dylan Coulter. Head over to his website and check out amazing shots of runners and other athletes.

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Tracktown Tuesdays In Eugene!

So as we count down to the US Track and Field Olympic Trials in Eugene, starting on June 22nd, the local organizers are holding Tracktown Tuesdays.

The first date, tomorrow on the 31st, sounds like a good one. You'll be able to rub shoulders with the likes of Jordan Hasay, Luke Puskedra, Cyrus Hostetler and Sam Chelanga. Plus music, food, drinks...sounds like a good time.

If you have a chance, head on down, or up, and check it out.


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Olympic Marathon Trials on Saturday!

Big day for running this Saturday as US Olympic hopefuls will toe the line in Houston. Both men and women will have their Marathon Trials on the same course: men starting at 8:00 and women at 8:15.

Here are a few more links for the big event:
-A good preview of the men at Let's Run.
-And a good preview of the women at Let's Run.
-It will be on TV...but delayed, not live! If you can hold off, and not look at the internet all day, you can watch it on NBC.
-Let's Run discusses ten long shots on the men's side, including Oregon homeboy, Max King. I'd love to see Max in the top three, but there are just too many other guys that are slightly faster than him. Still, a top ten finish would be impressive for King. Go Max!
-Lots and lots and lots of Trials coverage at Runner's World.
-Great piece by Scott Douglas at Runner's World, knocking down the trend of everyone predicting a huge batch of PR times at the Trials. Really, this happens before every Trials, but when the actual race takes place, very few runners come away with PR's.
-Want to predict the winners? Let's Run has a contest going for just that.

Here are my predictions:

Men:
1)Ryan Hall
2)Dathan Ritzenhein
3)Brett Gotcher

I know Meb might be there, but I just have a feeling he'll be a step slow.

Women:
1)Desiree Davila
2)Kara Goucher
3)Shalane Flanagan

Also, throw out some big love to the Northwest Runners that have basically no chance, but are still in the Trials, which is a HUGE accomplishment...there are too many to name, but the NW is well represented. Check out a list here.

Like Meghan Arbogast, 50 years old, and running in her fourth straight trials. Meghan, you make Corvallis look good!


photo by Andy Cripe.


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Jenn Shelton Qualifies for Olympic Trials!

Hey, congrats to R's favorite Jenn Shelton, from Ashland, OR, for running a 2:45:01 at the California International Marathon last weekend.

The time qualifies Shelton for the Women's Olympic Marathon Trials!

Nice job!

Go America! And...uh...Canada, eh!

Considering I've been watching the Olympics pretty much every night since they started, there's an interesting article over here at Running Times by Jonathan Beverly.

Beverly makes the point (well, tries anyway) that the Olympics, and more specifically, the nationalistic attitudes that come about during the Olympics, are bad for sports, including running.

I'm not sure I agree. Sure, there are people that watch the Olympics solely to cheer on their own country. I'm not sure that's even wrong. But there are plenty of others that watch to see the best athletes in the world strut their stuff, no matter where they're from.

I sure don't remember too many people complaining about how boring it was to watch Usain Bolt break world records because he wasn't American!

Give it a read and let me know what you think.

Let's race!

RACES FOR WEEK OF MARCH 1st TO MARCH 7th

March 6th / Spring Forward 5k Run Against Autism / Tacoma, WA

March 6th / Honeywagon Runs 13.1 and 4 mile / Everson, WA

March 7th / King County Bar Association YLD 5k / Seattle, WA

March 7th / Red Lizard 5 Miler / Lake Oswego, OR

March 7th / Harry's Spring Run-Off 8k Against Prostate Cancer / Vancouver, BC

Thanks for the outstanding Olympic Tri coverage...

Kudos to NBC and their wonderful Triathlon coverage - I stayed up until two a.m. on the night that they had it listed in the schedule and...nothing. Apparently, since no U.S. racers won a medal, they figured "why bother?" Thanks for nothing.

Just an unbelievable number of triathlons on Sept 6th and 7th. Get out there and race one!

RACES FOR WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 1st TO SEPTEMBER 7th

September 1st / Labor Day 5k / Lewiston, ID

September 1st / Labor Day Triathlon and Duathlon / Elma, WA

September 6th / Aluminum Man Olympic and Sprint Triathlon / The Dalles, OR

September 6th / Black Hills Triathlon and Duathlon / Olympia, WA

September 6th / Palouse Sprint Triathlon / Moscow, ID

September 6th / Skamania Performing Arts 5k / Bonneville Dam, OR

September 6th / Dayton Fiesta 10k and 5k Run / Dayton, OR

September 6th / Uncle Joe 50k Ultra / Newport, WA

September 6th / The MAC Dash Triathon / Madras, OR

September 6th / Camano View Dash 10k and 5k / Camano Island, WA

September 6th / Columbia Crossing 1.5 mile river swim / Pasco, WA

September 6th / America's Vancouver Triathlon, Duathlon, 10k and 5k / Vancouver, WA

September 7th / Escape from the Gorge Triathlon / Cascade Locks, OR

September 7th / Skagit Flats Marathon and Half-Marathon / Burlington, WA

September 7th / Lincoln City Sprint Triathlon / Lincoln City, OR

September 7th / Escape From the Rock Sprint Triathlon / Seattle, WA

September 7th / Subaru Women's Sprint Triathlon / Federal Way, WA

September 7th / Bank to Bay 10k and 5k / Tacoma, WA

September 7th / Pints to Pasta 10k / Portland, OR

September 7th / Aflac Iron Girl 10k and 5k / Seattle, WA