Des Moines Register Staff Blogs » Running/Triathlons

Mile posts: Devouring Des Moines quite a concept

Lance Bergeson — Fri, 17 May 2013 05:28:18 +0000

The phrase “eat and run” has taken on new meaning in recent years. I always thought it meant eating while you were in a hurry driving your car or walking to work. Man, was I wrong. Now you are literally eating and then running. Races such as April’s Doughnut Run in Ames and Devour Des Moines coming up Aug. 3 allow [...]

Mile posts: Weekend Update … with Brogan Austin, Shelby Houlihan, Mareike Schrulle, Jason Flogel, Julius Rotich

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:24:48 +0000

The Weekend Update is fairly quiet, with not too many Iowans in action. Drake junior Brogan Austin stamped his authority on the 5,000-meter event at the Missouri Valley Outdoor Championships at his home stadium. Austin ran 14:28.53 to win by more than five seconds. He also won the Valley Indoor Championships and a Drake Relays [...]

Mile posts: Davenport man continues to run strong at age 79

Lance Bergeson — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:55:44 +0000

Every year I attend the Friendly Sons road races I enjoy running into the guy nicknamed the ‘Silver Fox.’ Davenport runner Fran Riley has withstood all kinds of troubles during a 32-year competitive running career. There is hip replacement surgery in 2000. Then two more surgeries in 2010, including a pacemaker for his heart. The 79-year-old Riley [...]

Mile posts: Weekend Update … with Betsy Saina, Meaghan Nelson, Erik Sowinski, Tyler Mulder, TJ Tollakson

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:20:39 +0000

A busy weekend of running and triathlons starts in Waco, Texas, where two Iowa State women captured Big 12 Conference championships. Cyclone senior Betsy Saina won her eighth Big 12 after taking the 5,000 meters on Sunday. The Kenya native set a Hart-Patterson Track and Field Complex record of 15:41.64 for the event while winning [...]

Lisa Uhl: Professional running a good gig, especially in Iowa

Lisa Uhl — Fri, 03 May 2013 03:50:59 +0000

To start off, I want to say thanks to Lance Bergeson and The Des Moines Register for reaching out to me to host this blog. Although I can’t guarantee my experiences and thoughts are always interesting or witty, I hope that this can be a way to give back and share my experiences with a [...]

Mile posts: The final lap with the Hy-Vee Road Races

Lance Bergeson — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:26:40 +0000

Some notebook leftovers from last weekend’s Hy-Vee races: The half marathon records for the Drake Relays road races, first called On-the-Roads and now Hy-Vee, were going to be beaten Sunday. Relays director Brian Brown brought in a field of men and women that arguably was the finest for a road race ever in Iowa. Bix [...]

Mile posts: Des Moines honored with national award and the Weekend Update

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:26:49 +0000

We’ll all known for years that Des Moines is an exceptional running community. Now, the oldest and largest distance running organization in the United States has acknowledged that fact. The Road Runners Club of America has designated Des Moines as the 2012 Outstanding Runner Friendly Community. The RRCA will honor Des Moines with a commemorative [...]

Mile posts: Breaking down elite field for Hy-Vee Road Races

Lance Bergeson — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 05:33:33 +0000

You know you have a fast road race when some of the names entered are Emmanuel, Moses and Belaynesh. A strong number of Kenyans, Ethiopians – and Americans - in Sunday’s Hy-Vee Road Races means spectators will see some of the fastest distance runners ever to race in Des Moines. Emmanuel Bett ran the fastest time for [...]

Mile posts: Final lap with Grand Blue Mile

Lance Bergeson — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:50:19 +0000

The winners of the USA Track and Field Men’s and Women’s 1-Mile Road Championships on Tuesday were undoubtedly surprises. The large crowd that braved 39-degree temperatures showed up in downtown Des Moines to watch 2012 Olympic silver medalist Leo Manzano dominate with his famous kick, as well as to see if Sara Hall could take her third [...]

Mile posts: Weekend Update … with Erik Sowinski, Bethany Praska, Mohamed Hrezi

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:53:34 +0000

We’re just a day from the start of the Drake Relays so this weekend has been the calm before the storm. Some highlights in the running and triathlon world: Former University of Iowa standout Eric Sowinski finished second to Dwayne Solomon in Saturday’s events at the Mt. Sac Relays in Walnut, Calif. Sowinski ran 1:46.05, [...]

Mile posts: Iowans still coming to grips with Boston Marathon terrorism

Lance Bergeson — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 01:32:26 +0000

Mike May was at Nollen Plaza on Saturday morning to bring closure to his Boston Marathon. The Indianola resident was on Commonwealth Avenue less than a mile from the finish Monday afternoon when two bombs went off near the finish line at Boylston Street. May and all of the runners around him were immediately stopped. [...]

Mile posts: News and notes from state of running

Lance Bergeson — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 22:27:30 +0000

Catching up on a few things in the world of running … One of Iowa’s top marathoners is essentially taking the rest of 2013 off from racing to have her third child. Erin Moeller, who was 10th in the U.S. Olympic Trials marathon in 2008 in Boston, is pregnant, with the due date in September. My current [...]

Mile posts: Boston Marathon tragedy hits close to our hearts

Lance Bergeson — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:23:22 +0000

My runner’s high quickly turned to the lowest of lows Monday. I had just finished a wonderful 13-mile run on a Des Moines trail yesterday when I rushed home to try to phone Layne Anderson. Anderson is the coach of Diane Nukuri-Johnson, a former University of Iowa all-American who took eighth in the Boston Marathon. I [...]

Des Moines solidarity run/walk scheduled Saturday for Boston bombing

Timothy Meinch — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:11:37 +0000

The IMT Des Moines Marathon scheduled a group run/walk for Saturday morning in honor of those affected by Monday’s tragic bombing at the Boston Marathon. Anyone is welcome to gather at Nollen Plaza downtown, 7:30 a.m., for a moment of silence and reflection before setting out on a memorial run/walk, according to a press release [...]

Mile posts: Relative newcomer TJ Gleason a rising star in triathlon world

Lance Bergeson — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 05:18:50 +0000

Jenny Weber knew something when she first saw TJ Gleason. Gleason, pictured, was a high school senior at Sioux Falls (S.D.) Lincoln when he was invited to try out for the Z3 High Performance Junior Triathlon Team that Weber leads and coaches. Gleason didn’t need much time to show Weber that he was more than just a viable candidate for the [...]

Mile posts: USA 1-Mile Road Championships elite field set

Lance Bergeson — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 05:08:11 +0000

The elite fields for the 2013 USA Men’s and Women’s 1 Mile Road Championships on April 23 in Des Moines will feature an Olympic silver medalist. Leo Manzano, whose strong finish earned him second place in the 1,500-meter final at the 2012 London Olympics, has committed to racing for the top prize of $5,000. Manzano [...]

Mile posts: Alex Libin turns himself into a pro triathlete

Lance Bergeson — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:51:46 +0000

Alex Libin is the first to admit he never took running or triathlons seriously when he was in high school. The same could be possibly said for his first two years in college at the University of Iowa. “I never took it seriously. I liked to have my fun,” Libin, pictured above left, said. “I did [...]

Mile posts: Weekend Update … with Lisa Uhl, Danna Herrick, Kiel Uhl, Shelby Houlihan, Randy Bill

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:51:30 +0000

The roads heated up with several excellent performances by Iowans. We start at the 35th Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago, where four-time Iowa State national champion Lisa Uhl of Fort Dodge won the title. The recent London Olympian 10,000-meter participant ran 25 minutes, 41 seconds to cruise to the victory. “I probably wanted to be [...]

Mile posts: Tanelle Berard embarks on professional triathlon career

Lance Bergeson — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 05:22:45 +0000

Tanelle Berard, pictured, was faced with a difficult decision last summer. Her options: Give up her cross country and track scholarship at the University of Northern Colorado to pursue triathlons full-time or continue to run in college alongside her many good friends. The Clive native was invited by USA Triathlon to compete in the ITU World [...]

Mile posts: Weekend Update … with Betsy Saina, Lisa Uhl, Ashley Miller, McKenzie Melander, Alec Baldwin

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:54:09 +0000

A lot of action on the track at the Stanford Invitational highlights a busy week of activity in running and triathlons. Iowa State redshirt senior Betsy Saina ran the fourth-fastest 5,000 ever for a college runner in placing second at Stanford on Friday. Saina’s time was 15 minutes, 12.05 seconds, good enough to meet the [...]

Mile posts: Grand Blue Mile takes USATF event away from Twin Cities

Lance Bergeson — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 02:32:14 +0000

The Grand Blue Mile has successfully wrested the USA Track & Field’s Men’s and Women’s 1 Mile Road Championships away from the Twin Cities. USATF officials announced Monday that the annual event that kicks off the Drake Relays and one sponsored by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield will host the races next month and [...]

Mile posts: Weekend Update … with Nathan White, Laura Sigmund, Shelby Houlihan

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:31:56 +0000

It was a slow weekend on the distance running scene, with a smattering of road races and outdoor track meets grabbing my attention. At the 13th annual Loop the Lake 8-kilometer race at Gray’s Lake Park on Saturday, professional triathlete Nathan White, 29, showed he’s in prime running form by taking the win in 25 minutes, 39 seconds. He defeated three Fitness [...]

Mile posts: The running scene with Dam to Dam, Hy-Vee Road Races, Leprechaun Chase

Lance Bergeson — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 08:19:28 +0000

Catching up on some of the significant items of interest on the local running scene … You do need to hustle a little to enter Dam to Dam this year. Registration, which began today, is being conducted on a tiered pricing structure. The first 4,000 who enter the featured 20k race will pay $35. The next 2,000 [...]

Mile posts: Iowans fare well in weekend races from New York to Des Moines

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:39:35 +0000

Several Iowans or athletes with ties to Iowa had terrific finishes on a national level over the weekend. Former University of Iowa standout Diane Nukuri-Johnson proved she can compete with some many of the world’s top distance runners at the chilly NYC Half Marathon on Sunday. The Burundi native living in Iowa City hung with [...]

Mile posts: This might be a forgettable Leprechaun Chase

Lance Bergeson — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 22:43:33 +0000

I’m like a wounded animal heading into my first race of 2013. The runner you will see at tomorrow’s Leprechaun Chase at Principal Park will be nothing like the individual who set one age-group personal best after another and even a course record in 2012. I was confident, walked with my head held high last year. Tomorrow, I’ll try [...]

Mile posts: Family, friends made Obsie Birru’s time in Iowa special

Lance Bergeson — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:04:04 +0000

Obsie Birru lived in her native Ethiopia only until she was 9 or 10 years old. Running made a huge impact on her life in that short time span. “They live and breathe running,” the former Grand View University standout told me recently. “I was excited watching all of the Olympians come back and the [...]

Mile posts: Weekend Update … with Betsy Saina, Ejiroghene Okoro, Devin Allbaugh, Meghan Peyton

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 14:36:13 +0000

Hitting the highlights of distance running and triathlons over the weekend … We start off with the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., where Iowa State redshirt senior Betsy Saina earned two All-American finishes, in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters. Saina was outkicked by Dartmouth junior Abbey D’Agostino in the 5,000 on Friday, [...]

Mile posts: Obsie Birru keeps the faith through trying times

Lance Bergeson — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 15:13:44 +0000

Obsie Birru knows there are going to be more struggles down the road. The former Grand View University and Johnston High School distance standout, however, wants her friends back home to know that she believes she will succeed in the future. Birru, pictured, is living and training in The Woodlands, Texas, a high-end young community outside of [...]

Mile posts: Weekend Update … with Erik Sowinski, Tyler Mulder, Bethany Praska, Lisa Uhl, Obsie Birru

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:36:36 +0000

The Weekend Update heats up on the indoor track, with the USA Track and Field Indoor Championships ending with a former Iowa Hawkeye taking a title. Erik Sowinski, a recent Iowa graduate, defeated a strong field that included former Northern Iowa standout Tyler Mulder to win the 800-meter title in 1 minute, 47.09 seconds. He edged [...]

Mile posts: Chris Burch shifted to direction of Grand Blue Mile

Lance Bergeson — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:11:28 +0000

A significant change in leadership has been made for the Hy-Vee Road Races in April. Chris Burch, who was hired approximately 14 months ago to direct the road races held in conjunction with the Drake Relays, has been shifted to assist Drake Relays director Brian Brown with the Grand Blue Mile. Taking over are Bill [...]

Mile posts: Even “Iron Mike” Wardian deals with injuries

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:35:20 +0000

The guy known as “Iron Mike” can get injured sometimes too. Mike Wardian, whose personal best is 2 hours and 17 minutes for the marathon and who won the 2008-10 U.S. 50-kilometer championships, said Friday that 2012 was his most trying year as a runner. Wardian, 38, said at the Capital Striders’ annual dinner and meeting [...]

Mile posts: Mike Wardian will try just about any race

Lance Bergeson — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 08:55:17 +0000

“I want to do that.” That phrase was uttered by ultramarathon and marathon standout Mike Wardian, pictured left, during the Capital Striders’ annual dinner and meeting Friday night at the West Des Moines Marriott. It also encompasses the philosophy the Arlington, Va., resident has followed since stumbling into running in 1996. The former college lacrosse player tried [...]

Big 12 track meet pushed back because of weather

Andrew Logue — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:24:02 +0000

In stead of Friday-Saturday, the Big 12 meet will be held Saturday-Sunday. Oklahoma State had problems traveling in the blizzard that swept through the Midwest Thursday. Here is the official release: BIG 12 TRACK MOVED TO SATURDAY-SUNDAY IN AMES AMES, Iowa — The Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Lied Center have [...]

Mile posts: Weekend Update … with Erik Sowinski, Kevin Lewis, Luke Demmel, Casey McDermott, Conor Wells

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 20:27:16 +0000

I’ll start the Weekend Update with a former University of Iowa All-American, who set an American record Saturday at the 2013 Millrose Games in New York. Sowinski ran 1 minutes, 15.61 seconds in the 600 meters to esclipse the previous mark of 1:15.70 set less than a month ago by Duane Solomon. Solomon was second. [...]

Mile posts: New Iowa race mentioned in Runner’s World

Lance Bergeson — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 16:34:11 +0000

A race in Iowa you might not have heard of is Runner’s World’s race of the month in its next issue. The Leprechaun Chase 10k in Des Moines is a first-year race that will debut on March 16. The St. Patrick’s Day-themed race follows roughly the route of the old Iowa Cubs Fun Run, starting at [...]

Mile posts: Now there’s a club for runners and dog lovers

Lance Bergeson — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:48:27 +0000

“Run like someone left the gate open.” No, you won’t find this sentence in a book of most popular running sayings, but it does say something about a new club being formed that brings together jogging and love of animals. The Animal Rescue League of Iowa has started a running club to help boost the ARL’s [...]

Mile posts: Weekend update … with Meghan Peyton, Obsie Birru, Edward Kemboi, Ashley Miller

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:13:25 +0000

Time to delve into the professional racing scene, and there’s no better place to start than the USA Cross Country Championships in St. Louis. Former University of Iowa standout Meghan Peyton competed and finished 13th among the women in the 8-kilometer race on Saturday. The Team USA Minnesota athlete ran 27 minutes, 26.5 seconds at Forest Park. [...]

Mile posts: Learning from a running injury

Lance Bergeson — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:11:50 +0000

The past month has shaken me to the core. I took roughly three weeks off from running after finishing the Las Vegas Marathon on Dec. 2. I did no athletic activity during that time. I opted instead to give my legs a break before starting a long stretch of training and road races that will extend all the way [...]

Mile posts: Market to Market Relay a popular social event

Lance Bergeson — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:51:51 +0000

Ben Cohoon calls his race a running reunion road show. The Market to Market Relay Iowa also might be the next-big thing in road racing in Iowa, following in the footsteps of The Color Run. The relay is debuting in Iowa on May 11. The route goes from the Bell Tower in Jefferson to Market Street [...]

Mile posts: A ‘Vanilla Gorilla’ helps run Race Monkey timing company

Lance Bergeson — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 15:11:45 +0000

It seems appropriate that a business run by Al Lorenzen is called Race Monkey. Lorenzen, pictured, was affectionately known as the “Vanilla Gorilla” when he was a basketball player for the University of Iowa during the highly successful 1984-88 seasons. He earned the nickname from recruiting analyst Van Coleman when the 6-foot-9 Lorenzen was an athletic, basket-hanging prep at [...]

Mile posts: Steve Lynn’s death leaves void in timing company

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 17:37:50 +0000

The death of Steve Lynn last week not only left a gaping hole in the hearts and minds of his family and friends. It also left a huge void in his race timing company. The former Iowa State head track coach was a managing partner of Race Monkey, which timed more than 40 road races [...]

Mile posts: Track and field loses a great coach, man in Steve Lynn

Lance Bergeson — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 18:32:49 +0000

Steve Lynn was a tremendous track and field coach. And an even better man. The former Iowa State University track and field coach, who coached 55 All-American hurdle and sprint athletes during a 30-year tenure in Ames, died Wednesday of injuries from a fall at his Ames home. He was 61. His funeral will [...]

Mile posts: More details on Drake Relays road races

Lance Bergeson — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 15:28:03 +0000

Like many of you, I’ve been curious about the expected changes with the Drake Relays road races, sponsored by Hy-Vee this year. Relays director Brian Brown was pretty forthright, as much as he could be with the knowledge he has, with his answers Tuesday. Brown indicated that the race committee was looking at a downtown [...]

Mile posts: Mike Wardian is featured speaker for Capital Striders dinner

Lance Bergeson — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 16:44:11 +0000

Accomplished ultramarathoner and triathlon athlete Mike Wardian will be the featured speaker for the Capital Striders’ annual dinner and meeting Friday, Feb. 22 at the West Des Moines Marriott Hotel. The event will be from 6-9 p.m. Wardian has completed more than 150 marathons, 60 ultramarathons, 20 triathlons and has won multiple USA Track & [...]

Mile posts: Spring training running group resumes this Saturday

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:57:25 +0000

It’s that time of year again. The Capital Striders/Fitness Sports Spring Training Group is resuming its weekly runs through the end of May. The kickoff meeting will be this Wednesday 7 p.m. at the Roosevelt High School cafeteria at 4400 Chamberlain Avenue in Des Moines. Enter Roosevelt High School on the northwest corner of the [...]

Mile posts: The 2012 racing season was one to savor

Lance Bergeson — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 08:55:20 +0000

When I was planning my 2012 running season, I figured the highlights of the year would be running in the two most prestigious marathons in the world. As it turned out, the Boston and New York City Marathons ended up being two of my least memorable races of 2012. The other road races closer to home provided the special memories that [...]

Mile posts: Do I gamble on myself or take the easy route?

Lance Bergeson — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 07:17:26 +0000

What a dilemma I’m facing. On Thursday, I received an email from the New York Road Runners offering a resolution to the cancelled New York City Marathon. I was among 37,000 runners who expected to run in the New York City Marathon on Nov. 4, only to have organizers shelve the event because of the [...]

Mile posts: Olympian Favor Hamilton has dealt with her demons for years

Lance Bergeson — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 07:15:20 +0000

Suzy Favor Hamilton’s revelation in a story at TheSmokingGun.com that she was a $600-an-hour escort in Las Vegas is disappointing and sad. The three-time U.S. Olympian and former Drake Relays great is a wife and mother to a 7-year-old. But perhaps we should have seen it coming. Those who were in attendance when Favor Hamilton was the [...]

Mile posts: Handing out a huge marathon assist

Lance Bergeson — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 16:32:38 +0000

Matt Dewald gave high praise for the high altitude training that enabled him to run a 2-hour and 22-minute marathon in a constant rain and driving wind in Sacramento at the beginning of December. Dewald also gave a huge assist to former Runablaze Iowa teammate Jason Flogel for making his fast time possible. He confirmed [...]

Mile posts: Former Iowan benefits from a Rocky Mountain high

Lance Bergeson — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:13:40 +0000

Matt Dewald feels as if he’s cheating. The former Runablaze Iowa athlete recently ran the California International Marathon on six weeks of training and finished 11th in the pouring rain and a driving headwind after running 2 hours, 23 minutes, 54 seconds. The 30-year-old Denver, Colo., resident credits his training at altitude for giving [...]