As of today I've owned a house for exactly two weeks. This, along with workstuffs, has demanded every free ounce of attention that I have been able to muster. I move this weekend, which means that I care none about anything except the move -- so excuse my incoherence; it can't be helped. Here are some thoughts about running that I've been able to muster thoughts about running recently:

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Is Kip Litton a Marathon Fraud? | The New Yorker

I'd imagine that you guys have read this story already, about a Michigan dentist who has been attempting to run a sub-3:00 marathon in all 50 states. Except it seems as though he's gone through with an incredibly elaborate ruse to 'accomplish' the task. The psychology behind this all is really interesting (also: I am not a psychologist).

My Unexpected Connection to The Kip Litton Marathon Fraud Story | Runblogger

It so happens that Pete over at Runblogger was filming one of the races of Litton's in question, and the lack of visual evidence at Pete's filming locations doesn't verify much, but supports the idea that Litton didn't run the race.

Paul Ryan Has Not Run Sub-3:00 Marathon | Newswire

Speaking of lies, maybe it's not a good idea to lie about your best marathon time when you're under a national microscope. I know my first marathon time to the second, and I know my PR to the minute. I also know my other two marathon times to the minute, along with a couple of half marathons that I've run.

Mental Stress vs. Mental Fatigue | Sweat Science

I found that last part quite interesting: the stressed people "reported greater displeasure" (i.e. moaned more) at the same relative effort level.

This explains both my increased groaning as of late (that, and I'm suddenly super old) and why I've been exhausted: buying a house and then moving into said house is stressful.

Recommended Zero Drop, Barefoot-Style, and Transitional Road and Trail Running Shoes: Runblogger’s Virtual Shoe Wall | Runblogger

Pete talks, we listen.

Another week of horrid humidity, finally breaking here in DC in Sunday. How'd the week's training go for y'all?

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It’s with great pleasure that I unveil the first step in the next evolution of Stride Nation.

In the next month SB Nation will be undergoing a dramatic upgrade to our platform and our editorial process. There will be much more detail to come but for now, the new logo below is just a first taste of what is coming for Stride Nation.

This is a small, but important sample of what is coming when our network undergoes its most exciting and radical transformation in the eight-year history of the company. A new visual identity here and across the network is only one step we are taking to unite our network of sites. United through individuality is the underlying theme of this project.

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Sorry everyone -- no warmup lap from me today/yesterday. Really busy weekend. Lots of running though, too.

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(L to R: Brook Adrenaline GTS 10, 11 and 12)

I went shopping for new shoes last weekend. I went with a plan this time: to get something different than Brooks Adrenalines. So, of course, I left with a new pair of Brooks Adrenalines.

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Stylish.

That there is the Marathon Finish Line Poncho for the New York City Marathon, "a water-repellent, hooded, and fleece-lined garment to be handed out to every finisher." That's just one of the changes the organizers have made following their announcement that they will be doing away with bags for this year's race.

For 2012, under a new policy designed to ease finish-line congestion, runners will no longer check baggage at the start of the race, and there will be no baggage retrieval after the finish.

Speaking of the NYC Marathon ... the race just added a few more big names Wednesday morning.

Meb Keflezighi, who finished fourth in the London Olympic marathon, and teammate Abdi Abdirahman will join Ryan Hall at the New York City Marathon, along with Brett Gotcher, Andrew Carlson and Jason Hartmann.

And speaking of Ryan Hall ...

Documentary Without End | The Trailer

Tim Jeffreys, director of The 41st Day, a documentary about Ryan Hall, found himself in a tough spot after the Olympic Marathon. That was supposed to be the movie's dramatic conclusion, but Hall pulled out with an injury. So he's decided to extend the project to cover the NYC Marathon.

Are Americans Running Better? Or Europeans Worse?

American distance runners seemed to run well at the London Olympics. But this stems in part from the disappearance of European and other runners.

DC Rainmaker: Garmin Forerunner 10 (FR10) GPS watch In-Depth Review

Today Garmin announced the new Garmin FR10 GPS watch. This watch has one purpose, and one purpose only: To compete with the onslaught of $100 GPS watches. From features and functionality to sizing – everything is smaller than other Garmin watches. But, for those looking for a low-priced GPS watch that’s more durable than a cell phone – this line definitely opens up new options.

As always, DC Rainmaker brings the most thorough reviews on the Internet.

Lance Armstrong Skips Trail Marathon

He'd planned to run the Aspen Backwoods Marathon one day after competing in a mountain bike race in Aspen.

I Can Eat Anything… | Run Luau Run

The truth is that I can run the way I do because I eat healthfully; I don’t regularly eat the fried chicken, cheeseburgers, pizza, fries, beer, wine, bourbon, tequila, soda, pumpkin pie, candy, pastries, pasta, white bread, ho-ho’s, twinkies, sticks of butter, and a tub of crisco – and BECAUSE I generally eat healthfully, I can occasionally indulge in a ridiculous meal without having to pay the price for it on my waist.

I find this to be depressing, but true. Over the past few months I've lost ~5 pounds, but could stand to lose a few more before my race in November. I've been consistently stubborn about changing my diet up until now. I've got ten weeks or so to really get down to it.

Study: Impact Loading Rate in Running Reduced by Adopting a Midfoot Strike | Runblogger

This stuff is right in Pete's wheelhouse -- you'd be well-served to drop by and see what he has to say about a recent study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology.

Leadville 100 – 2012 | Anton Krupicka

It was really satisfying to finish this one, but the shortcomings in my preparation were obvious. Namely, I wasn’t ready for so much continuous running and this destroyed my legs. Turns out, specificity has some validity.

This is a really good race recap, with a lot of depth and detail.

Crash diets and good habits | Seth Godin

[T]he reason they don't work is that they don't change habits, and habits are where our lives and careers and bodies are made.

If you want to get in shape, don't sign up for fancy diet this or Crossthat the other thing. No, the way to get in shape is to go to the gym every single day, change your clothes and take a shower. If you can do that every single day for a month, pretty soon you'll start doing something while you're there.

Yup.

One last weekend of running that isn't interrupted by college football. A shame, except not at all because we're gonna have football again!!!!

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The California International Marathon is now full, having reached capacity on Thursday. Last year, it didn't fill until October 15. The race is slated for December 2. There are still $250 charity entries and some spots for performance-based entries -- you can get in during a window in October if you have a time within five minutes of your age/sex group's Boston qualifier. This window is apparently available for those using CIM specifically as a Boston qualifier who have proven they are close.

Last year, CIM closed open registration on October 1 to allow these folks to get spots. When the race opened registration back up with a few leftover spots, they were immediately scooped up. They won't get there this year.

CIM is a popular Boston qualifier because it's a net downhill (though it does open with some rollers that are not nothing) and it tends to be cool and usually dry. It's run from near the Folsom Dam to downtown Sacramento, with the finish line sitting in front of the state Capitol. The course record is 2:10:27; some 360 of the 5,756 finishers in 2011 went under three hours.

Welp!

Lance Armstrong Ends Fight Against Doping Charges

There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, "Enough is enough." For me, that time is now. I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999. Over the past three years, I have been subjected to a two-year federal criminal investigation followed by Travis Tygart's unconstitutional witch hunt. The toll this has taken on my family, and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today - finished with this nonsense.

So there's that!

The USADA is expected to strip Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles (apparently they can do that?) and ban him for life (... from a sport he retired from two years ago, but ok, sure). Also, this would make ineligible to compete in (most) triathlons.

On to more pressing matters, like Nick Symmonds' beer mile!

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A lot of things get put into motion largely due to fear. A lot more things never get started because of fear. Running, like just about anything else, can be put in motion or halted because of fear. This post is largely a result of a somewhat recent episode of the 5by5 podcast Back To Work titled 'Scream, Poop, and Run', which is in turn a discussion of a piece at Transom.org by Radiolab's Jad Abumrad. A few links, and lots of fantastic (and certainly more coherent/useful) things to read/listen to as a jumping off point.

"For some reason, at the beginning, every decision DID feel like life or death. Like I would literally die if a story didn’t work. There was a kind of existential dread that hung over the entire endeavor, even though we were just making a radio show…heard…by no one." - Jad Abumrad, "The Terrors & Occasional Virtues of Not Knowing What You’re Doing"

I've spent a lot of time the past few months thinking about my attempt at a fifty mile race this November. It will to be my first attempt at running an ultramarathon, and that intimidates me; ultramarathons are understandably intimidating things -- I haven't finished one, but I'm guessing that it's going to be quite difficult. Ultramarathons are also 100% voluntary. This notion in particular has been weighing heavily on my mind.

I signed up for this race completely of my own volition. I'm terrified of the race that I signed up for.

I'm also terrified what'll happen if I stop running.

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Ryan Hall has written about his experience in London on his blog. It's a short piece, but not lacking.

I don't believe there is such a thing as a "bad race" for me, unless the experience fails to inspire, direct, and guide me to my next goal. Running at the very basic level is all about breaking the body down so that it adapts and builds itself stronger for the next challenge.

A few photos from London are also included. It'd be nice to hear more from Hall, but it's clear that the DNF hasn't been easy to accept.

2012 Leadville 100 Results | irunfar

Leadville 100 was this weekend. iRunFar has things covered. Thomas Lorblanchet won the race in his 100-mile debut, covering the 100 mile course in 16:29:28. Tina Lewis won the women's race in 19:33:45.

Why You Get Sick After Long-Haul Flights | Sweat Science

Interesting stuff that effects us when we travel for races -- especially ones far away from home.

What are Strides? | dailymile community blog

Info about a not-so-commonly-understood training technique: strides.

New Balance MT1010 Review

The heat broke. It finally, finally broke. That's the good news. The bad news is I ran like poo even with good weather. How'd y'all do?

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At the beginning of this year (2k12), we started this here website. Early on, I mentioned a few tips ostensibly for new runners (hint: they were mostly for myself). For me, the most important was the following:

The way to get running to really, finally take is to do some adjusting of your routine in order to give yourself the greatest probability of getting your ass out of the door. If you run in the morning, set your gear out the night before, and get your shoes on within a minute or two of getting out of bed. If you run after work, lay your clothes out on the bed before you leave for work – or leave your running shoes on the passenger seat of your car so that they give you the stink eye on the way home.

Eight months later, maybe it's time to revisit this.

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Pretty fun three weeks in London, at least from my vantage-point on the couch. This past weekend some cool stuff happened in London, like Stephen Kiprotich winning the marathon, and then getting his medal at the closing ceremony. There were a whole lot of races that were really, really fast -- like the women's 4x100 meter relay. Also, the men's 4x100 meter relay.

Sadly the Olympics have now come to a close, which means I now will be breathlessly following DC/Baltimore's attempt to make a bid for the 2024 games. No bigs, just the kind of thing that could be really, really neat to see in person twelve years in the future. Hopefully the end of the Games will mean me spending more time writing and less time on the couch. Will it? We'll see.

Best Trail Running Shoes of Outdoor Retailer Summer 2012 | irunfar

Here's a really, really good trail shoe roundup if trail shoes are your thing.

Alcohol Slows Post-Exercise Recovery (and Cognition) | Sweat Science

Here's some bad news if you are a person who likes to run but also kind of likes to drink sometimes.

The thing about training is you go through shoes a lot faster than when you're not training. Almost have 500 miles in my shoes that I got in May. Meet the new kicks - same as the old kicks.

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Add Sacramento's California International Marathon to the list of races which are selling out faster and faster every year. The Sacramento Running Association, which puts on the race, told members on Friday that CIM is 88 percent full on Thursday. Last year, the 8,000-runner race sold out on October 15. It appears likely to sell out by September this year. It'll be run on December 2, 2012.

CIM is considered a good PR bet and it's a popular Boston qualifier due to its calendar placement, predictable weather (cool, dry) and net downhill profile. The other major Northern California marathon that is selling out crazy fast these days is the Big Sur Marathon. The 2012 race sold out in 29 days. The 2013 race sold out in 26 hours. (I'm still bitter.)

CIM doesn't include a half as an option, but does have a relay component. The 2012 race is the 30th anniversary, which may be boosting its popularity.

Everything about the Olympics has been marvelous so far except for [insert NBC gripes here]. Andy Murray put R-Fed on notice, Serena got her walk on, US rowing teams have been doing well, and the world's first ever double-amputee Olympian is competing in the games. A few nifty things have happened since the track events started last Friday! What are they, you say?

There was a photo finish after nearly two hours of the women's triathlon.

Sanya Richards-Ross finally won her gold in the 400 meters.

Tiki Gelana held off three other women over the course of the last mile to win the women's marathon in an Olympic record 2:23:07.

Usain Bolt won the 100 meters and then did Usain Bolt things.

Matt Centrowitz and Leo Manzano qualified for the men's 1500 meter final.

Britain's Jessica Ennis won the heptathon, finishing the 800 meters first to close out her win. She then held up a British flag and made everyone on the earth ever jealous of her abs.

Two American-trained runners placed 1-2 in the men's 10k after years and years of coming short. They're teammates, both training with Alberto Salazar, and the British absolutely loved seeing their first ever 10k winner run at home.

In non-Olympic reading, a painful race recap to read from the Katcina Mosa 100k:

In order to get a ride back to the Start/Finish area, I had to retrace my steps to Big Springs, which is the closest vehicle-accessible Aid Station. That’s additional 6 miles. All downhill. On one good leg. The pain was so excruciating that the sweat streaming down on my face could just as well be tears.

But there I was. On a beautiful course surrounded by majestic mountains and their rugged terrains, no doubt the result of thousands of years of skillful sculpting by glaciers. You couldn’t help but realize that you were just an inconsequential speck of dust in the scheme of evolution. For the first time since I started the race, I was taking in the sceneries that stood in front of me. By the time I reached my destination, after numerous breaks and 2.5 hours later, I was proud and thankful of what I had accomplished.

Another month down, another one begins. How was your training last week?

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Lately I've been making an effort to observe and learn on each run. Sometimes I just observe dumb things that make me laugh, other times I re-learn how difficult it can be running in the heat. I've also found that recently I've been gleaning little bits from other runners who are out. I rarely if ever actually talk with anyone else out on the roads -- but that doesn't mean that I can't learn from them.

The people that stick in my mind the most are the ones who are visibly forcing back the discomfort that they're experiencing. They almost always look like they're new to running, and often they're overweight. Their knees shuffle along more than they rise. Their footfalls are heavy, their faces red. Some will wave back at me. Others won't.

Most importantly they care. That much is readily apparent. In that moment, running isn't easy for them and they aren't shying away from that. I find that sort of honesty to be rather inspiring, really. Their genuine effort in turn reminds me to work harder -- not out of competition, but because their focus is contagious. They're finding greatness, so to speak -- and maybe I can too.

Sometimes you just don't want to go out the door. Just because there's money down on a race and plans in place doesn't always mean that you're mentally dedicated to training. It's far, far easier to not go. It's hard to care -- sometimes far harder than the actual running part -- and maybe that's why caring is so damned important. If others can care, so can I.

Did you see the newest Nike "Find Your Greatness" ad Tuesday night during the women's gymnastics team final? It's one of my favorite ads from Nike in recent memory, which is saying something. Let's watch it together:

The YouTube description reads:

This is Nathan. He is 12 years old. He's from London, Ohio. Greatness is not beyond his reach, nor is it for any of us.

And I think that's why I like it so much. And why I like running, or swimming, or exercising so much. I'll never win a race, or do anything truly noteworthy. But that's not what being "great" is about, right? Beng great is whatever great means to you. Good work, Nike!

Hit the jump for some links about running.

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Olympics: Teammates Kara Goucher, Shalane Flanagan push each other - TwinCities.com

Theyre joined at the hip, Kara Goucher and Shalane Flanagan. Since last October theyve traveled hundreds of miles together on foot, within inches of each other, as training partners with a common goal of running in the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Paula Radcliffe's London Olympic dream was an agonising step too far | guardian.co.uk

For those running the marathon the stakes are high, especially with the pain lasting much longer than most other athletic disciplines. With most coaches sticking to the simple line that "the more training you do, the better athlete you become", high levels of physical and psychological stress is hardly surprising.

Usain Bolt vs. The Cheetah: Olympians of the Animal Kingdom | Summer Olympics 2012 | LiveScience

Olympian vegetarians: the elite athletes who shun meat | guardian.co.uk

How Many Olympic Runners Dope? : The New Yorker

Olympics awash in Twitter, for better or worse - The Associated Press

At London Olympics, technology tries to stay a step ahead - The Washington Post

Maverick who set a record that will never be beaten | Manchester Evening News

91-year-old runner remembers 1948 London Olympics | Toronto Sun

Man, that San Francisco Marathon is something. The marketing campaign is based around the slogan "Worth the Hurt." There's a reason for that: this race hurts, but the incredible scenery, conditions, event organization and the tag of pride that comes with conquering the course makes it all worth it.

I wish the San Francisco Marathon got more talk and consideration in the California running scene. I see why it doesn't, but I think it has the makings of a "must-do" that hasn't come close to hitting that level of attention. I mean, you run over the Golden Gate Bridge ... during a marathon! That's pretty awesome!

Most of this report will be about the race, not my race. But indulge me for one paragraph.

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Radcliffe's Olympic dream is over | London 2012 Olympics

Sad news out of London: Paula Radcliffe has withdrawn from Sunday's Olympic marathon due to injury.

Olympic Athletics Schedule & Results | London 2012

But more excitingly, track and field starts on Friday. Yay! More coverage is over at the mothership, where Ryan et. al have been 'crushing it'.

HFMR's Summer Running Tour - Volume 1 - Black Heart Gold Pants

I somehow missed this, from a few weeks ago. Read it. Enjoy it. You'll be better for it.

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