Nike Women's Marathon

Nike Women S Marathon, Shalane Flanagan has a simple goal for his first marathon. The ambition of the athlete 29 years of Nike in the ING New York City Marathon on Nov. 7 is neither more nor less than to cross the finish line.

“If I told most people that my goal was to finish,” she explains, “they said,” Well, you’re an elite runner; Of course, you should end “But I do not look at it this way. I’ve never run a marathon. I want to finish. That in it is an achievement. ”

If you think this means that the American record holder at 3,000 meters and 10,000 meters will jog across the five boroughs, think again. “I know my competitive side can catch fire very easily,” she said, “I am focusing only on the ability to go the distance, and then my competitiveness out on race day. ”

Flanagan was letting out its competitiveness on the day of the race since the primary school in Marblehead, Massachusetts, where she used to beat the boys in the annual school aptitude test, a race of a mile. “I liked the fight, but I also liked the attention I’m beating them,” she said with a diabolical laugh.

What the boys who finished behind mortified young Flanagan may not be known is that the blonde girl had a certain advantage. She was born in Mecca Endurance Boulder, Colorado, as the daughter of two world-class runners: Cheryl Treworgy (nee Bridges), who had previously held the world record in the marathon, and Steve Flanagan, who represented the States U.S. world cross country championships. More importantly, it was not only giving, but also the passion for racing that Flanagan had inherited from his parents. “I knew it was me,” she recalls. “I enjoyed running, and I knew it was my calling.”

In his high school years that the combination of talent and passion pushed Flanagan at three securities Massachusetts state cross country championship, a national school indoor championship title track in the mile (with a time of 4:46), and a victory in the junior United States Cross Country Championships. On the basis of these curriculum vitae, she could continue to operate at one of the powers of collegiate women running Villanova, Colorado, Stanford, but instead she chose the University of North Carolina.

Flanagan remembers clearly the decision. “I had my heart on Villanova,” she said. “They have a great legacy, really good university, a really good package. And then on a whim I took a visit to North Carolina, and when I am there, I fell in love with her. So I had this dilemma: Should I go with the obvious choice, which was Villanova, or take a different path and go to a great university and I hope I could be part of creating something new and particular?

Flanagan choose UNC because, she says, “I knew I’d be happy at the University of North Carolina, even though I was hurt and could not run. There is more to life than running. ”

It was the right decision. Flanagan has thrived under the relatively light training loads prescribed by coach Michael Whittlesey UNC. She won the 2001 and 2002 NCAA Cross Country Championships and then forfeited his last year of eligibility to turn pro and try to make the 2004 Olympics, where she managed to do, which represents the states United to 5,000 meters in Athens.

Then disaster struck. Flanagan developed a pain in his left foot became worse and worse as she continued to turn, and soon returned after a leave. It has claimed more than half a dozen specialists, none of whom were able to diagnose the problem, even until Dr. Amol Saxena, podiatric surgeon in Palo Alto, California, discovered an additional bone in his foot and removed it.

This saga has been pathetic Flanagan away from racing for 17 months, but it was not without a glimmer of hope. “He forced me to evaluate if I maximize my potential,” she said. “I realized that I was not put in the time and effort as I should. I need someone to show me how to improve it. ”

Flanagan has hired a new coach, John Cook, under whom she trained harder than she had ever known she could. In February 2007, healthy, clean and fueled by a renewed motivation, Flanagan returned to competition in style, setting a new American record of 8:33.25 for meters within 3000.

This was only the beginning. Since then, Flanagan has collected six national championships, set a new American record at 5,000 meters, and as its crown, she won a bronze medal at 10,000 meters at the 2008 Olympics, setting a new American record in process. In a word, she was on a roll. So why did she change coaches again last year, moving across the country in Portland, Oregon, to train with coach Jerry Schumacher Nike?

“When I was little, my father always told me to dare to be different,” explains Flanagan. “Sometimes when you make choices, they are not always popular, but I always thought that if I am my instinct and my instinct, it will take me to great places. ”

Flanagan continues to trust her gut as she prepares to expand its repertoire of racetrack to road. “Most of all I am focused on training simply enjoy the marathon,” she said at the beginning of a block of six weeks to high mileage, altitude training in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. “The more I’m passionate about training, the better I race. ”

When was the last time at the Rock ‘n’ Rock Half Marathon Philadelphia in September, Flanagan reported that it was indeed enjoy his marathon buildup, and feel good about his new coach and the environment training. “Jerry and I probably have a connection,” she said. “It’s more than just training. I knew what kind of connection could take us farther than the mile repeat workouts or something.”

(source:usspost.com)