EverymanTri: News Views and Interviews of Great Endurance

The largest marathon field in the sport's history

Editor's Note: The New York Road Runners put out this recent story detailing all of the facts and figures from this year's race. Take a look at the number of starters vs. the number of finishers. Pretty interesting that all but 266 runners completed the 2009 race.

 The 40th ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 1, 2009 was a memorable and historic event with the first U.S. race champion since 1982 - Meb Keflezighi and the largest marathon field in the sport's history - 43,741 runners and 43,475 finishers (a 99.4% completion rate). Below is a summary of fast facts for the flagship marathon in 2009:

In 2010 three ways for triathletes to escape from Alcatraz

Besides the Ironman World Championship, perhaps the hardest triathlon to get into is the long standing and highly popular Escape from Alcatraz race in San Francisco, California.

Not only does the race have its own qualifying set of races (just like the Kona Ironman race) but there is also a lottery that fills up every year with triathletes eager to Escape from the "The Rock" in the Bay. 

But that was so 2009.

In 2010 triathlete will have not 1, not 2, but 3 ways to escape from Alcatraz during the summer.

Boulder Ironman Champion Dave Scott sues over recent bike collision

In May of this year six-time Ironman Champion Dave Scott was riding his bike back home when he collided with a 61-year-old driver in a BMW.

Witness at the scene of the accident report that Scott was conscious and talking after being struck, and that it looked to them like the car accident had potentially broken Scott's collar bone or separated his shoulder with other multiple cuts on his legs and arms.

According to a lawsuit filed in Boulder County District Court, Scott sustained "bodily injuries" and medical expenses because of the illegal U-turn by Ramona Sands.

Video: Jamaican Triathlon Vacation

How can you combine a luxurious Caribbean vacation in one of the most scenic location in Jamaica (Montego Bay) with about as much fun as you can take, and mix all that together with the sport of triathlon?

We sent our man Ben Greenfield to Jamaica see if he could (in a few short days) do all of the above, and still compete at the WATA Rose Hall Triathlon & Wellness Festival.

The fine folks at the Jamaica Tourist Board graciously paid to send our intrepid reporter to the race in Jamaica, and it seems to see how much fun he could have and still race an International distance triathlon.

You you'll be surprised by what Ben was able to accomplish. Just watch the video below.

Ironman Champ Chrissie Wellington is all about pushing the big gear

Lance Armstrong is famously known for not only winning the Tour de France, but by doing it by "dancing" up the big climbs in a small gear.

In other words, unlike his long time rival Jan Ulrich, Armstrong prefers to push a small gear at a higher cadence vs. a big gear in a lower cadence.

Now you would think that what's good enough for Armstrong is good enough for 3X Ironman World Champion Chrissie Wellington, but in a recent interview with Bicycling.com, Wellington says all that small gear stuff is just a bunch of nonsense.

Video: 3000 miles across the Pacific Ocean by pedal power

Editor's Note: Our friend Greg Kolodziejzyk is getting close to realizing his dream of pedaling a human powered boat across the Pacific Ocean. He just uploaded this new video to youtube about his on going efforts to design and build a human powered pedal boat that can cross the from North America to Hawaii.

The video along with his description of the adventure is below:

Edward Norton fastest celebrity to run NYC Marathon

Every year a small number of celebrities run the New York City Marathon and this year was no different.

In the battle of the fast and the famous it was actor and now marathon runner Edward Norton who set the fastest mark over the 26.2 mile distance.

The Incredible Hulk star ran the race in a time of 3:48:01.

He beat Alanis Morissette who finished her NYC marathon with a time of 4:28:45.

"Edward completed the run to raise money for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, which promotes conservation, education and health services in southern Kenya, and he had the opportunity to train with the warriors in Kenya ahead of the marathon.

California Physician convicted of injuring two cyclists by slamming on his car’s brakes

It may have been a case of simple road rage, but when the incident involved a car driven by a California physician vs. two cyclist, the story gained national momentum among the those who bike.

On Monday Dr. Christopher Thompson stood in the court room with his head bowed having just been convicted of assault with a deadly weapon, mayhem and other serious criminal charges.

Lance Armstrong auctions old bikes: raises 1.3 million for LIVESTRONG

Who would have thought that the 'finale' Trek Madone Tour de France bike ridden by Lance Armstrong at this year's tour and designed by Damien Hirst would sell for a half a million dollars?

Perhaps it was the fact that the bike is covered in real butterflies that drove up the Sotheby's auction price.

In total Armstrong's formal garage sale raised just about 1.3 million for his foundation according to Armstrong.

Triathlete Desiree Ficker finishes 10th at New York City Marathon

You probably already know that Meb Keflezighi became the first American to win the New York City Marathon since the 1980's.

But did you know that professional triathlete and exceptional runner Desiree Ficker finished in 10th position with a time of 2:39:30.

Ficker was the second American women in the race and finished just behind 2008 Olympic marathoner Magdalena Lewy Boulet, who crossed the line 6th in 2:32:17.

Ficker was the 2006 runner-up at the Kona Ironman World Championships and has recently switched her focus from triathlon to running.

Zen and the Art of Triathlon: Brett completes self-supported Ironman in 13:15

Click HERE to listen.

Join in for the biggest ZenTri episode of the year - The IronBaby self-supported Ironman!  I take you along for the ride as I swim 2.4 miles at a local pool, bike 112 miles around my town, and then finish it off with 26.2 miles of running around my neighborhood. 

That's right, a self-supported Ironman!  It's an amazing experience and I encourage you to try it yourself. This is my third and each is better than the last.

Video: Chelsea Handler on how she got fit for her Playboy pictures

On tonight's Jay Leno show comedian Chelsea Handler reveals her secrets to getting fit for the cover of the December issue of Playboy.

When asked by Leno how she got ready to bare it all for Playboy Handler quipped:

"I quit drinking for like a day and a half," she said.

"And I worked out -- but I always work out. So it wasn't anything major."

But what does her workout routine entail.

Would you be surprised if it included running.

New York City Marathon: the top men and women to watch

You probably know that Brit Paul Radcliffe holds the world marathon record at 2:15:25.

But did you know that she also holds the current world record at nine other running distances?

This fact alone has got to make her the greatest female runners of recent times, and of course one of the women (if the the women) to watch at this weekend's New York City Marathon.

But who are the other female runners that have a shot at beating Radcliffe in New York in just a few days?

Video: Snow, snow go away....

Harvest Moon-Without Limits Productions from Fenix Studios on Vimeo.

Boulder, Colorado---the triathlon Mecca of the world is currently under a two foot blanket of wet, heavy, cold, and slippery snow.

For all of our Colorado athletes, here's a fun video from this year's Harvest Moon Triathlon which was contested about two months ago---but which now seems like a distant warm memory.

So does Madonna plan to run the 'toughest footrace on earth'?

You probably know Madonna for her music, or perhaps her much publicized love life, or perhaps for her rigorous daily exercise routine.

In other words, you probably know Madonna for her body.

But now the pop Diva has decided to take her fitness to the next level---the Ultra-level.

According to Brisbanetimes.com:

"Madonna is in training to run the 243 kilometre, six-day Maraton des Sables in the Moroccan desert next April.

Lance Armstrong to auction 7 bikes including stolen and recovered TT bike

Do you recall the big news from the Tour of California?

No, not the return of Lance Armstrong to cycling in the United States, but instead the theft and eventual recovery of his one-of-a-kind time trial bike.

Well now that bike can be yours and all of the money goes to Armstrong's LIVESTRONG cancer foundation.