Houston Running

One of the leading sources for the discussion of Houston-area (and Texas as well) road racing. Focus and attention will be given to Houston-area runners, specifically HARRA members, that compete in outside-of-the-area events as well as those who do interesting things that aren't captured in the various media outlets, such as Inside Texas Running, Runner Triathlete News and Roberta MacInnis' Running Notebook in the Houston Chronicle (all fine publications and columns but with limitations too).

Name:
Location: Spring, Texas, United States

I'm a mid-to-the back of the pack runner who probably enjoys promoting runners more than I do running myself ... I've completed 21 marathons (with a 4:47:32 PR! in Austin) and 52 half marathons (with a 2:09:58 PR! in Oregon) since November 2003 ... I've done a marathon in 12 states, half marathon in 23 and an event in 30 states and one Canadian province ... I have a 13-year-old daughter, Waverly Nicole, who completed her first half marathon in January 2006, made only two B's each of the last two years, was the only sixth grader to sing a solo (Carrie Underwood's Don't Forget To Remember Me) in their choir program (adding Taylor Swift's Tim McGraw in '08) and scored a 19 on the ACT in December 2007 as a seventh grader ... Waverly and I are members of the following clubs -- the Seven Hills Running Club, HARRA and The Woodlands Running Club ... I'm Marathon Maniac #308 ... I edit HARRA's Footprints in Inside Texas Running and write a column for Runner Triathlete News called, "Talking the Talk" ... I'm also the running columnist for the Courier of Montgomery County ... I'm a three-time winner of TAPPS' Sportswriter of the Year Award as well as TABC's Golden Hoops Award.

Monday, September 26, 2005

Japan's Noguchi joins sub-2:20 club in Berlin

Japan's Mizuki Noguchi becomes just the 6th woman ever to post a marathon of under 2:20 by winning the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, September 25, 2005.

2:15:24.6 - ( 1) Paula Radcliffe (ENG) - 17 Dec 1973 13 Apr 2003 London ENG
2:17:17.7 - ( 1) Paula Radcliffe (ENG) - 17 Dec 1973 13 Oct 2002 Chicago IL USA
2:18:47 - ( 1) Catherine Ndereba (KEN) - 21 Jul 1972 07 Oct 2001 Chicago IL USA
2:18:56 - ( 1) Paula Radcliffe (ENG) - 17 Dec 1973 14 Apr 2002 London ENG
2:19:12 - ( 1) Mizuki Noguchi (JPN) - 03 Jul 1978 25 Sep 2005 Berlin GER
2:19:26 - ( 2) Catherine Ndereba (KEN) - 21 Jul 1972 13 Oct 2002 Chicago IL USA
2:19:39 - ( 1) Ying-jie Sun (CHN) - 19 Jan 1979 19 Oct 2003 Beijing CHN
2:19:41 - ( 1) Yoko Shibui (JPN) - 14 Mar 1979 26 Sep 2004 Berlin GER
2:19:46 - ( 1) Naoko Takahashi (JPN) - 06 May 1972 30 Sep 2001 Berlin GER
2:19:55 - ( 2) Catherine Ndereba (KEN) - 21 Jul 1972 13 Apr 2003 London ENG

Source: http://www.arrs.net/AL_Mara.htm

Organisers confirm Noguchi's two Berlin World record splits
Monday 26 September 2005

At this morning's post-race press conference it was confirmed by the race organisers that on route to a new Asian record of 2:19:12 in the real Berlin Marathon on Sunday (25), the split times were accurate, and consequently Mizuki Noguchi has broken world records at 25k and 30k. The 27-year-old Athens 2004 Olympic champion passed these marks in 1:22:12 and 1:38:48 hours.

The previous best times were held by fellow Japanese Naoko Takahashi, the Sydney 2000 Olympic champion at the marathon who had also run the records during the 2001 Berlin Marathon 2001. Then Takahashi clocked 1:22:31 for 25k and 1:39:02 for 30k, times which Mizuki improved the by 19 seconds and 14 seconds respectively.

The race referees at 25k and 30k still have to approve the time and of course it has to be ratified by the IAAF. But even if the official split times will be one or a couple of seconds slower, both times will of course still be World records. Britain’s Paula Radcliffe had been faster in the London Marathon 2003 at 30km. But the course is going down more than allowed at that point (1 metre per km).

“I did realise that I broke the 30km record when I passed the mark,” said Noguchi. “I looked at my watch and was happy about it. My personal best for this time had been 1:39:09. But I did not know about the 25km record. That came as a surprise today during the press conference. I know that Paula Radcliffe has been running faster split times in a marathon, but may be I am lucky to have run the Berlin Marathon.”

At a marathon normally there is no full set of judges on the course. But as in 2001 race director Mark Milde was aware of the possibility of two world records, and so judges were placed at 25km and 30km.

“On Sunday I felt like dreaming. It was only today that I realised what I have achieved,” said Noguchi said during the press conference.

Asked about a possible start at the World Championships in Osaka 2007, Noguchi said: “I have not decided yet about this. I will talk to my coach, but it is much to close after the Berlin Marathon now to say anything about it.”

And once more asked about a possible race against Paula Radcliffe before the Olympics in Beijing, the winner replied: “Again I can not say now because I have not planed anything yet. But should I be in a race and Paula will also enter this one, then it would be okay for me. But first of all I am very happy and proud of what I have achieved in Berlin. I will take home all the records as a souvenir.”

30,584 runners and walkers finished the real Berlin Marathon. But this figure might rise a bit since some runners probably did not fix their timing chip properly on their shoes.

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