Big Weekend in US Endurance Sports

US Olympic Trials in the Triathlon
This is a BIG weekend in US endurance sports events. First, tomorrow we have the second of three Olympic Trials for the US Triathlon team in Tuscaloosa, AL. Here is a good story in Inside Triathlon that explains the qualifying and the favorites.

The third and last of the Olympic qualifying races is the Hy-Vee Triathlon in Des Moines, June 22. I will be there, although only racing against the other age-group competitors (they keep us well separated from the pros).

Patriot's Day in Boston
Then of course Monday is the third Monday in April, which in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is Patriot's Day. It is the celebration of the Battles of Lexington and Concord in the Revolutionary War. Traditionally the Boston Red Sox play a home game at Fenway Park and the granddaddy of all running races, the Boston Marathon, is run. I will get to the marathon in a minute, but of note with the Red Sox... every year since 1960 they have scheduled the game so that it ends about the time the runners are running through the area (so the fans can leave and cheer on the runners in Kenmore Square). Sounds like both the coolest thing ever for the runners, and a logistical nightmare.

The Boston Globe has a great overview of this weekends events, with include the 112th running of the marathon on Monday AND the US Olympic Trials for the women on Sunday. You might remember they ran the men's Olympic trials in the marathon in November the day before the NYC Marathon.

Very exciting stuff.

Here from the Boston Globe is a story of marathon runner who runs and incredible amount of races, at a very good pace. His name is Michael Wardian and he runs a sub 2:30 marathon, but he does it almost every week! Makes you wonder if this guy learned how to train for a specific race, just how fast he could be. On the other side of it, it is pretty cool that he just likes to go out and race. He will be lining up next to my fellow blogger Donald at the Western States.

So enjoy the weekend, it is a good one for endurance sports fans. Between watching some of these event on tv I am looking forward to a rainy Cubs game tomorrow here in Chicago. Hopefully they will bounce back from a tough loss yesterday. Go Cubs!