joel's jog blog

My jogging and everything related to world of running.

[joggingandrunning]

Jess and KJT

A few weeks ago at the European Indoor Championships a disappointed Katarina Johnson-Thompson sat on the track. What was her reason for such disappointment? Had she been disqualified? No. Had she lost? No. The reason for such disappointment was her failure to break the world record. Winning gold in the pentathlon wasn’t enough, beating Jessica Ennis-Hill’s British record wasn’t enough, a Championships record wasn’t enough. No KJT wanted the world record. A day later while being interviewed on BBC TV she looked less disappointed, since she was able to look back on what she had achieved. But her initial reaction revealed her attitude. An ambitious attitude, a strong desire to be the greatest. For this very reason Jessica Ennis-Hill should be concerned. Jess returns in a few months time, but really will she be up there with Katarina? Now don’t get me wrong I’m not expecting her to return with her very best. It will take time for her to adjust. But when she does I don’t think it will be enough. Ennis-Hill is a mother now. I believe motherhood surely has affected her physically and emotionally (and still does). It would say she could get back on top, if there was no one was doing anything special in pentathlon right now, but Johnson-Thompson is, and she hungry for more. London 2012 belonged to Jessica Ennis, but Rio 2016 will be Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s.

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Monaco

With countless Diamond League meetings taking place in quick concession, I have not had time to write up my thoughts on each meeting (since Eugene). So with Monaco being the last Diamond League taking place before the Commonwealth Games; I thought I better do a write out on the standouts of the track and field, in the French Riviera. Really there were two standouts, and it was all on the tracks from athletes who have remained consistent on the Diamond League circuit. First off Tori Bowie continued her dominance of the Women's 100m Diamond race as she ran to victory. Secondly Pascal Martinot-Lagarde stormed away to victory in the Men's 110m Hurdles. I would never be too eager to praise a French athlete, but you have got to hand it to Lagarde. He was way ahead of the rest of the field, (that included the Olympic and World champion). He also smashed the French record. Plus he is the Diamond race leader (with thirteen points ahead of his nearest rivals). Surely we must expect Pascal to win gold in the European Championships next month.   So that is it for the Diamond League until the end of the August. We now look forward to the Commonwealth Games and the European Championships. 

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Sainsbury's British Championships

Last Saturday it was the Sainsbury's British Championships in Birmingham. The highlights for me were: Men's 100m: Despite running against young up and coming athletes, Dwain Chambers wins his eighth British Championship title. Women's 5,0000m: The young Emelia Gorecka beating the experienced Jo Pavey. Women's 800m: After a terrible illness Lynsey Sharp comes away victorious.   Also it was nice to see all these different athletes representing all these different clubs throughout the country. It's a shame we don't see more club athletics on the TV.  

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One massive Shock in Eugene

The shocks continued when the Diamond League came to the United States for the first time during 2014 season. I said shocks, well maybe I should of said shock. Because there was only one shock during the meeting. And that shock came in the Women's 200m. So the 200m lined up with the likes of the Diamond League and World Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Olympic Champion Allyson Felix. You would think one of those ladies would come away with a win. If not there were top athletes Murielle Ahoure, Blessing Okagbare and English Gardner all competing. But not one of the women mentioned won! No not one! Tori Bowie (who mainly competes in Long Jump) came away with the victory. Not only was I shocked by Bowie winning, I was also taken by surprise that Fraser-Pryce finished last (she admitted to the Jamaica Gleaner News that her last place finish was due to a 'left leg problem').  Other personal highlights were: Kirani James just about beat LaShawn Merritt in Men's 400m, and normal service resumed as Emma Coburn was unable to repeat her Shanghai shock, as she finished 3rd behind Ethiopia's Sofia Assefa and Hiwot Ayalew.  

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I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast! And when I run I feel his pleasure.

Eric Liddell

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Diamond League Returns

I meant to write about the first Diamond League meeting in Doha (09/05/14), but due to computer problems I couldn't. From memory the stand out event was the womens 300m - where favorite Genzebe Dibaba failed to win (in fact finished sixth).  But now on to Shanghai. While the first Diamond League meeting provided us with one shock, the Chinese meeting gave us three. First off was USA's Emma Coburn victory in the Women's 3000m Steeplechase. The race was bizarre. Emma led from beginning and won with a seven seconds gap. As I watched I thought the American was perhaps last and close to being lapped (since the cameraman was mainly focusing on the group behind her). Maybe he was so use to an African leading the Steeplechase that he didn't know what to do with Coburn. It was an unbelievable, awesome race. The most memorable Steeplechase race I've ever seen Ihab Abdelrahman shocked everyone watching by throwing 89.21 in the Men's Javelin. His winning throw seemed to unsettle his opponents as well. Since some seemed unable to throw their best after seeing Abdelrahman. The last shock came at the very end in the Men's 110m Hurdles. China's Xie Wenjun stunned everyone by beating the favourite David Oliver to clinch first place. Xie seemed to come out of nowhere, yet the iconic Chinese Hurdler Liu Xiang offered his applause, (he was a spectator at the meeting). The unfortunate thing was many of the Chinese spectators left before Xie ran, so they missed this extraordinary race. I should also make a note of Blessing Okagbare. She won the Women's Long Jump and 200m. Not really a surprise there, but I was surprised by her new hair colour and thought it looked cool on her.

[joggingandrunning]

Running Apps?

So with my jogging season is fast approaching and I'm sorting out my running app. Last season I used RunKeeper. My Android phone doesn't have much space, so when I discovered Nike+ takes up less space (than Running Mate) I installed it. However I found out not all the features work (on my phone), so I switched back to RunKeeper.

But my question is what's the best running app? Nike+, RunKeeper or another app? 

[joggingandrunning]

My Season Restarting Soon

From next month I will start my jogging again. Decided to take a break due to the weather conditions. Looking forward to getting back out there.

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Athlete of the Season: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce The outdoors season is over now and Shelly- Ann Fraser-Pryce is my athlete of the season. Winning gold in the Women's 100m, 200m and 4x100m Relay, at the World Championships. She also topped the Women's 100m and 200m Diamond League table. Yet the thing I love about Shirley is she's always has a smile on her face and is always quick to acknowledges and thank God after she competes in a race.

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Newcastle

So there was plenty of athletics taking place during the weekend, in Newcastle, with the 2013 Great North City Games and the 2013 Great North Run.

I think it's fair to say most were looking forward to Sunday, as Mo Farah made this Marathon debut in the Great North Run. As in the photo above, Farah tried to case down Kenenisa Bekele, but was unsuccessful in his quest for victory and had to settle for 2nd. 

Despite his lost I believe one day we will see Farah winning a Marathon. Next years London Marathon might be too soon though.

The Women's Great North Run was so fast and just plain crazy. Priscah Jeptoo won and almost beat Paula Radcliffe's record. The pace of the Marathon was too much for Tirunesh Dibaba who finished a distance 3rd.

On Saturday it was the Great North City Games. The highlight for sure was hurdler Sally Pearson. After winning in the Women's 100m Hurdles, Pearson went on to win the Women's 150m.

[joggingandrunning]

In the Dark, Down a Hill

So on Tuesday I got back from work a bit late, but that didn't stop me from going out for a jog. I thought it would be nice to run along side a road that the bus, I sometimes catch, goes along.

I was reminded that we're in September now because it was getting dark earlier. So I was running in the dark (with the street lights on obviously). As I turned around I realised that I had been running up a hill. I really had no idea (since it wasn't steep). Before when I've caught that particular bus, it had never occurred to me it was a hill. It was quite deceptive really.

But as I returned to run back home I was very aware of the hill (since my my pace had increased greatly). It was so awesome. I think I'll run there again.

[joggingandrunning]

IAAF Diamond League: Brussels

It was the final Diamond League meeting of the season. Not only was there races and events to be won, there was also the final league tables to be decided. For some athletes it wasn't necessary to win, they just had to finish in the top 2 or 3. 

The photo above shows Natasha Hastings beating her rivals in the Women's 400m. Amantle Montsho final position was the same as her World Championship place in Moscow (2nd), yet the World Champion, Christine Ohuruogo came in 5th place. It made me think that maybe Ohuruogo was slightly lucky with her victory at the Worlds. Now I know this was the Diamond League. But the reality is, Ohuruogo was only victorious then, because she dipped and Montsho didn't. Of course it takes a great athlete to be in the position to win by a dip (against a defending champion) but luck played it's part. And Brussels was a rather disappointing performance from Christine.

Montsho won the over all Diamond League table.

Unfortunately Tiffany Porter could only come in 4th as Dawn Harper-Nelson not only won the race, but also won the over all Diamond League for the Women's 100m Hurdles. She rounded off her performance with an awesome celebration.

In the Men's Martyn Rooney prevented the home crown celebrating a Belgium win by beating Jonathan Borlée 

Renaud Lavillenie won the Men's Pole Volt (on the night and over all) with a 5.96 vault.

So that's it for the Diamond League this season. So until next season...

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Inspiration

[joggingandrunning]

Being Lazy and Getting Injured

I started week 3 and I have to confess that it didn't go all that well. It was a bank holiday on Monday, so that kinda messed up my schedule for the week. So instead of running on Tuesday, I went for Monday. Yet I felt lazy (on the Monday) and didn't go. I thought that was ok, I could run on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Now, on the program they recommend you have a days rest between runs, so running 2 days in a row was going to be tough. Thursday went well. But on Saturday I hit a problem. While running extreme stony roads in the country I slightly sprained my foot, so running on the following day was impossible.

Since I didn't complete last weeks program properly I decided to do it again this week. Felt lazy on Tuesday but have done it today.

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My stand outs from the IAAF Diamond League meeting on Thursday from Zürich: 

Meseret Defar beat her fellow Ethiopian and world record holder Tirunesh Dibaba in the 5000m.

Yarisley Silva finished 3rd in the Pole Volt. 

Kirani James could't get the better of LaShawn Merritt in the 400m. James did better than in the World Championships (he finished 2nd rather than 7th) but Merritt was a way ahead of him. Seems to me Kirani chance of winning is when LaShawn is not running. 

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Breathing

I'm finding that my breathing is improving. When I first started (the program) by my first 2 minutes my breathing was heavy (they said that would be the case in the program) but now I hardly struggle.

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Here's the link to the programme I am taking part in. I recommend it to anyone who is not running, but wants to.