James Grindon to run in Swiss Ultra

A DOLLINGSTOWN man is breaking all kinds of pain barriers for a huge challenge in July.

James Grindon is taking part in an ultra marathon in Switzerland in aid of the Northern Ireland Hospice.

The Davos Ultra is a gruelling 48 mile run and James is hoping to complete the run in eight hours.

James ran an ultra marathon in Connemara last year for the Hospice.

He supported the cause after his work colleague Peggy Smith lost her 18-year-old son, Christopher, to cancer last year.

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Bill Allen makes US National 24hr team

For years, Bill Allen dreamed of earning a place on the United States national 24-hour run team. But he knew he’d have to run a real, real, real long way and a real, long, long, long time to do so.

But dreams sometimes have a way of coming true and the Prince Frederick resident’s dream was realized May 3-4 when he completed 140.97 miles to win the Cornbelt 24-hour race held in Eldridge, Iowa

For the rest of the story

3100 mile race is underway

Rather belatedly for me to report, but the 3100 mile race is underway in New York.

For daily reports go to:

http://multidays.com/category/multiday-news/

and hopefully they fix the broken link from here:

http://www.srichinmoyraces.org/

Olsen and Barnett to start EPIC journey around the world

FOR  RELEASE on 28 JUN 08

Modern day Adventurers to run the World

· 1^st July 2008, Danish Ultrarunner, Jesper Olsen and Australian Ultrarunner, Sarah Barnett will commence a 40,000km run around the world

· The run will commence from the Nordkapp Visitor Centre in Norway after a Press Conference. The Press Conference commences at 12.00 midday and finishes at 12.45pm

· The run is scheduled to end on the 17^th September , 2010 at Port Aux Basques in Canada.

· In between the two runners will run through Europe to the southern tip of Africa.  They will then fly to the southern tip of South America before commencing their run north. This will involve running through 29 countries enroute.

· Jesper Olsen and Sarah Barnett are both accomplished ultrarunners who have completed with success in Ultra races around the Globe.

· They are aiming to set a new World record for the “World’s Longest Continuous Run” and will be maintaining strict record keeping procedures throughout the run.

· The run is being sponsored by ECCO, LifePilot, ABC – Kids  and Planet Ultramarathon.

· More information about the Run is available about the run at http://www.worldrun.org

· Further information can also be obtained from Jesper Olsen on +4530637688  or Phil Essam on +407830263

· Attached are photos of Jesper Olsen and Sarah Barnett.

· http://planetultramarathon.wordpress.com/2008/06/04/ecco-sponsors-worlds-longest-run/ is a ink for the recent press release released by ECCO about the run.

If you would like to attend the Press conference at Nordkapp Visitor Centre in Norway, please could you advise Erik Nossum on erik@kommunikasjonsverkstedet.no or +47 975 26 031 by 27 June with numbers.

Phil Essam

WORLD RUN LOGISITCS CO-ORDINATOR

0407830263

Run for Lupus – 2008

Family and friends,

First, I would like to thank all of you for your support of my run against lupus in 2007. We raised $5,000 to fight a disease impacting 2 million Americans and I successfully completed the North Country Trail Ultramarathon well under my goal of 10 hours. Unfortunately, they didn’t cure lupus in the past year. We gotta to do it again. I’m willing to up the ante and will run 100 miles <http://www.ouser.org/races//hali.htm> as part of the Haliburton Trail 100 Mile Ultramarathon on September 6-7. I need to ask all of you to step up too and donate again. We going to raise $10,000 this time.

Really. We raised $5,000 last year and I know that we can do it again.

We’re going to do it slightly differently too. I’ve been contacted by several people who either know someone with lupus or have lupus themselves and are runners. We’ve decided to join together to raise money as part of a group we are calling the Lupus Runners.

Do you want to help? Enter your email address in the box to the top right of my website (www.lupusrunner.org). That makes you a Lupus Runner too. Sign up for a race, a walk, a stroll, or anything. Call your friends, family, co-workers, hell suck it up and call people you don’t like, and ask them to donate to here:

http://www.firstgiving.com/lupusrunners. All the money goes to fight a disease that afflicts around 2 million Americans. 90% of people with lupus are women and it disproportionately impacts Asian and African-American populations. This is a problem that too few people know about. I do take it personally as I have a close relative with lupus.

Yassine Diboun <http://runforyourlife-yassine.blogspot.com> has stepped up and is a Lupus Runner from New York who will also be running a 100 mile run in 2008. Bill Buress <http://www.lupusrunners.org> is a Lupus Runner running his first marathon in 2008. We’re all raising money here http://www.firstgiving.com/lupusrunners to further the cause. We need your help to reach our goal.

P.S. We already have 31 people who have joined our group of Lupus Runners on Facebook. Spread the word to everyone that you know!

–

Fighting lupus one mile at a time.

http://www.lupusrunner.org

New running forum

I just launched a new running forum at http://www.runnershangout.com and I would really appreciate it if you could give me a link on your site.

Thanks!!

Sincerely,
Roman Young

Western States cancelled for 2008

Link

Dear Western States Runners,It is with deep regret that we announce today that the 35th running of the Western States 100-mile Endurance Run has been canceled, due to the unprecedented amount of wildfires that have struck
northern California in recent days and the health risks that have been associated with these wildfires. The Board of Trustees of the Western States Endurance Run has consulted with many of our local and
state race partners, including the U.S. Forest Service and the Placer County Air Pollution Control District, in coming to this decision. We apologize to our runners for any inconvenience this decision has created.

The race’s organizers are currently working on a revised schedule of runner activities for Thursday and Friday in Squaw Valley, and these details will be made available soon. Although there will be no race
for the first time in our 35-year history, we still wish to make this experience as meaningful as possible for our runners. Activities will include annual events such as runner check-in for goodie bag pickup on
Friday morning, the pre-race briefing and raffle on Friday afternoon, the showing of Western States documentaries on Friday night, and a special gathering of runners commemorating the race’s start on Saturday.

Since the beginning of more than 840 wildfires statewide, 312 wildfires in northern California and more than 3,200 lightning strikes in the Tahoe National Forest alone on June 21, the race’s organizers have
worked closely with a variety of local, county and state agencies in determining the best course of action for our race. It has become apparent that given our race’s paramount concern – the safety or our
runners – holding this year’s race would pose too great a risk to our runners, to our aid station personnel and to our volunteers. Given the close proximity of at least two fires that are within two miles of our
race course and a critical access road, as well as the deteriorating air quality stretching from our start in Squaw Valley to Auburn, Calif., the board has determined that cancellation, rather than postponement
or the use of an alternative course, represents the safest and most prudent decision for our 2008 event.

Our decision was based on three factors:

1. Proximity of the fire to the race course, which has the potential to impact the safety of runners, aid station personnel and volunteers at any point during the race.

Fire projections indicate that the Westville Fire has the potential to reach the Foresthill Divide Road by the weekend; in addition, the Peavine Fire could reach Last Chance and Mosquito Ridge Road, possibly
compromising access in and out of these areas. In a statement, Jan Cutts, District Ranger for the American River Ranger District, said, “In addition to the potential direct impact by the fires, (the race’s cancellation)
is based on safety concerns surrounding the increased number of vehicles on the road and congestion associated with the Run. We see hundreds of vehicles on the Foresthill Divide Road and Mosquito Ridge
Road for this event each year. That’s just too many additional vehicles when we’ve got fire-fighting equipment and personnel using the same roads for fire suppression operations. … Safety is our overriding
concern and we felt we could not provide a safe environment for this year’s Run because of the unprecedented fire activity in the area.”

2. Air quality deterioration.

Placer County Air Pollution Control District officials have issued an air-quality advisory. Air quality specialists with Placer County are advising individuals to reduce their exposure to the unhealthy air, and that
includes vigorous outdoor activities. Medical representatives from the Western States Board have consulted with several physicians regarding their expert opinion on running a 100-mile trail race through
rugged country through such unhealthy air; the consensus has been that such an activity would not be recommended, with the potential for serious health risks – even for the most highly trained of athletes.
As a point of reference, a high level of pollution is 35 micrograms of material; in Auburn on Wednesday the level was 10 times that amount, according to figures from Placer County. In addition, Placer County
Air Pollution Control District officials have characterized the air conditions as extremely hazardous and the worst recordings the area has had in more than 10 years.

In a statement, the Placer County Public Health Officer, Air Pollution Control Officer and Director of the Office of Emergency Services, all concurred with the decision to cancel this year’s run:

“The current situation in Northern California with respect to poor air quality and active fire danger is unprecedented. Within Placer County there are three active fires burning in the American River watershed,
two of which have potential to impact the Western States Trail directly. These fires, as well as ones burning outside of the American River watershed to the west and north are creating unhealthy smoke
concentrations throughout the foothills. This has necessitated county public health officials to issue advisories recommending a curtailment of voluntary outdoor activities that include strenuous physical
exertion. These recommendations include reducing exposure to smoke.” Added Tom Christofk, Placer County Air Pollution Officer: “The widespread smoke throughout Northern California is forecasted to
remain as long as the wildfires continue to burn and the weather conditions do not substantially change. The poor air quality conditions being experienced in Placer County are expected to persist through
the weekend and impact elevations from the valley to Tahoe. High particulate matter concentrations affect respiratory and cardiovascular systems negatively, and I concur with the decision to cancel the Run
from a public health perspective as we have been issuing health advisories recommending the limiting of outdoor physical exercise until conditions improve.”

3. Safety of our runners.

For 35 years, the Western States 100 has been predicated on our runner’s safety. As stewards of the race, the Western States Board has always recognized that running 100 miles over snow, through high
elevations, into infernal canyons and through the dark of night can pose great challenges for even the most skilled of runners. Couple the challenging nature of our run with the existing combination of close
proximity of wildfire, potential volatile fire activity that could cut off key access points to the course as well as some of the most unhealthy air the region has seen this decade, and the decision was made in
recognition of our preeminent goal – the safety of our runners.

For all of you, today’s news is disappointing. Since the lottery was held in December, you have trained with remarkable diligence and focus to get to this day. You have dreamed big and made countless
personal sacrifices to prepare for one of the greatest days any trail runner can ever have. As a group, the Western States Board would like to commend you for your dedication and devotion not only to the
preparation that is required for our race, but to the community of trail runners of which we are all a part. You are members of a special group, one that relishes challenge, constantly strives to improve the
limits of what is believed possible, and seeks the special kindred spirits of others who revel in the beauty of our sport. We have been honored to have your name as part of our race’s start list this year.

We would be remiss if we did not publicly thank the men and women of the American River Ranger District, particularly Jan Cutts and Ed Moore, for their consultation and constant flow of updated information
regarding this very challenging fire situation. The City of Auburn, City Manager Bob Richardson, and officials from Placer County, in particular Tom Christofk, Placer County Air Pollution Control Officer, and
Dr. Richard Burton, Placer County Public Health Officer, have also been invaluable sources of information and advisement. Thanks to all of these trail partners.

In the coming days, we will announce details regarding entries for next year’s race, which will be determined in a fair and equitable manner. It should be noted that per our race rules, all race entries are
non-refundable.

Thank you again for your participation and interest in the Western States 100. We hope that we will see you in 2009.

Sincerely,

Tim Twietmeyer
Western States Board President

Greg Soderlund
Race Director