LIFE (& other news)

"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans!"
(John Lennon)

After watching the livestream of the Toronto Marathon this morning, I went to Twitter to see what was what before beginning my newest post--which had been my plan!
There, I was blasted by the most tragic news imaginable---the death of an innocent child!
100's of tweets abounded about the death of Tyson Gay's 15 year old daughter---Trinity Gay---from a stray bullet in a gunfight between people in 2 cars outside a Lexington KY restaurant today!

I didn't even know he had a daughter!
Nothing---NOTHING!---is more tragic than the loss of a child.
Made even worse---if that's possible--is that she was an innocent bystander---caught in the middle of more ugly violence!

I will get to my "normal" material soon----Cross Country results, recent marathons---but first I'll continue with more "off-track" news.

Familiar with Suzy Favor Hamilton's story--as written about in her memoir called "Fast Girl"?
One of the greatest runners in American history, she was "outed" as a Las Vegas escort, and as a victim of Bi-Polar disorder.
Since then, she's salvaged her marriage---and as much happiness & strength as possible--even though she'd lost almost everything due to her year in Vegas!

Well, a blog by her turned up yesterday, in which she said a recent episode of the TV show "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" had used HER story for ITS plot in this episode!
I watched it, and it DOES follow SFH's story---almost to a T!
The main differences---the ONLY differences!--are that "Jenna Miller" is a Pole Vaulter (the WR holder!!), and she was brutally raped by one of her clients!!
Other than that, it's Suzy's story, as SHE told it in her book!
Being a star T&F athlete, who's a part-time escort, who's afraid of losing her fans and her contracts if she's outed, and is Bi-Polar!
Watch it---Season 18, Episode 4--and see why Suzy was so upset about it!
(BTW, I highly recommend her memoir, and the particular episode---even though I hadn't watched the show for several years!)

Four more brief items--
Evan Jager got married (!!) to a Swedish beauty, Sofia Hellberg Jonson (sp??)--IN Sweden last week!!
She apparently had an okay track career at Ole Miss, running the 400, 400H, and the 800!!
Elise Cranny and Allie Ostrander are both injured--with Allie O being redshirted for the season, and according to one report, Cranny being seen on crutches at her team's recent XC meet!
Jessica Ennis-Hill has retired early---and will not be in London's World Championship next summer!
And HS star Kate Murphy tweeted she's signed on to attend the University of Oregon next year!!
(About Murphy--a new TV show called "Better Things"--about a single mom of 3 daughters--has a character--that of the teenage daughter--played by an actress whose face---especially her eyes!--strongly resembles Ms Murphy!!)

Okayyyyyy!!
This XC season's finale is being forged at a rapid pace by the results of key early meets, including this weekend's Wisconsin and Pre-Nationals!
Meaning, it appears that ALL of the NCAA meet's Top 20 or so---maybe even the Top 10---are becoming highly predictable through the above meet's results!

Look for Ed Cheserek to do battle with Justyn Knight for the win, with sub-4 HS milers of 2015--Grant Fisher and Matthew Maton in close--with Futsam Ziensillassie in the lead pack!
Add "newcomer" Jerrell Mock, plus Levi Thomet, John Dressel, and maybe MJ Erb to the mix!

For the Women, it should be a dogfight between Erin Finn, Anna Rohrer, Brenna Peloquin, and maybe Alice Wright and Erin Clark.
Add Charlotte Prouse and Amy Eloise-Neale of Washington, Courtney Smith of Harvard, and Lauren LaRocco of Portland!
(The Women's Collegiate elite list is much longer than the Men's!!)

The Wisconsin Men's race was won by Justyn Knight in 23:53.
Ziensellassie was 2nd, just 2 seconds back.
Stanford's Grant Fisher and Sean McGorty took 4th and 6th, both within 5 seconds of the winner!
Jerrell Mock finished only 29th!!
NAU took the team battle with 78 points, beating Stanford's 118!

Brenna Peloquin won the Women's race in 20:00, just one second ahead of Alice Wright, 3 in front of Anna Rohrer, with the U-Dub duo Neale and Prouse running 4th and 5th!
Courtney Smith took 6th, but Sarah Collins was just 16th, while Angel Piccirillo was 19th.
Ryen Frazier---once a rising star--ended way back in 96th place!!
UW won the meet with 124 points over North Carolina State's 166, Providence's 170, and New Mexico's 207!

The Pre-Nats meet on the Terre Haute course is where Oregon's Men--led by King Ches's 22 second win in 23:34 --prevailed!
Frankline Tanui's 23:56 took 2nd, with total unknown Amos Terer (of Campbell, wherever THAT is!!) 3rd two seconds behind Tanui!
Matt Maton was 4th, but 33 seconds behind Cheserek!
Levi Thomet, John Dressel, and Ben Saarel were 26th, 27th, and 28th, all back at least 55 seconds from Ches!
Sam Prakel was just 36th.
Brenna's brother--Tristan Peloquin of Portland--finished in 59th, while Lopez's younger brother---Alex Lomong---was back in 162nd!!

Erin Finn made it 3 of 4 on the season---her only loss to Ms Peloquin at the Griak meet---and her 3 wins by HUGE margins!!
Her 19:44 finished a full 24 seconds in front of Erin Clark (who led the Colorado team victory!).
Remember me mentioning a high place in an early season race by one Peyton Bilo of Cal Poly?
I said I'd never heard of her, and that she's a Soph!
Well, she's NOT so unknown now!!
She happened to take THIRD, just 3 seconds in back of Clark!!
(Add her to my above list of NCAA contenders!!)
Katie Rainsberger---who seems to be the top Collegiate Frosh runner this year--was 6th, but LED the UO team to its 2nd place podium spot!!
The vaunted Stanford Freshman class---Christine Aragon and Ella Donaghu--ended well back in 41st and 47th, respectively--well over a minute behind Ms Finn!!
Matt's sister--Ashley Maton--was 98th, while Hannah DiBalsi was just 113th!!

The Penn State meet saw Tessa Barrett (20:06) and MJ Erb (24:49) win.
Destiny Collins--now a Texas Frosh, formerly of the Great Oak distance factory--finished 35th in what I believe was her first Collegiate race!

The Chicago Marathon--minus professional pacers!!--was another slow one for the Men--Abel Kirui's 2:11:25 winning by 6 seconds over Dickson Chumba.
Diego Estrada was 8th in 2:13:56--in his initial 26.2 race!!

The Women's race---also no rabbits--was faster!
In a battle of the Kiplagat's, Florence's 2:21:32 prevailed over Edna's 2:23:28.
American Serena Burla was 7th in 2:30:40, while Sarah Crouch ended in 9th in 2:33:48.

The Eindhoven Marathon in the Netherlands was WON by the PACER!!!
Kenya's Festus Talam---designated rabbit--stayed in the race, winning it in 2:06:26!!
A prior credential was a Half-Marathon in 60:56!
He's 21 years old!

The Twin Cities race saw the Course Record being broken---and it dated from 1985!!--by Dominic Ondoro, his time being 2:08:51.

I watched TWO full Marathon livestreams this morning--the Amsterdam race and the earlier-mentioned Toronto race!

Daniel Wanjiru's 2:05:21 took the Amsterdam affair, his time a PR of around 3 minutes!!
Sammy Kitwara's 2:05:45 was 2nd, two seconds in front of Marius Kimutai!

Meselech Melkamu's 2:23:21 prevailed for the Women over Aselech Afework's 2:24:27.
Priscah Jeptoo took 4th, 2:35 behind the winner!

Toronto's race was won by the 2:08:28 of Philomon Rono!
Shure Demise's 2:25:15 took the Women's race!

The Women's Tufts 10K was won by Emily Sisson, who is having a GREAT end of 2016 on the roads!!
Her time of 31:47 was a full 44 seconds in front of Sarah Pagano's 32:31.
Lauren Paquette was 3rd, with ageless Jen Rhines finishing 6th in 33:31.

Finally, the Twin Cities 10 Mile race saw a "shock" winner!
Ms Jordan Hasay crushed the field with her time of 52:49!!
Aliphine Tuliamuk was 2nd some 12 seconds back!
(Former??) Triathlete Gwen Jorgensen---training for her 1st official marathon in New York---was a strong 3rd in 53:13!!
She finished some 20 seconds ahead of Sara Hall!!
Watch for her in the Big Apple!!

Sam Chelanga won the Men's race in 47:25, with Noah Droddy 3 seconds back.
Andy Bumbalough was 8th in 48:13!!

Again, sincere condolences to the family of Trinity Gay, Tyson's 15 year old daughter, killed early this morning!!