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Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run: The Best Free Show In Sport

By James Raia
Published 06/20/2007
Running Features
Rating: Unrated

What a concept. There's no admission, no parking charges, no assigned seating and no parimutuel betting.

But for anyone who wishes to watch fine endurance athletes at intimately close range, the Western States 100 offers offers an arena that begins at Squaw Valley and progresses to Auburn.

And it's as compelling as any horse race, baseball game or boxing match - if you like running.

The viewing options for the country's most renowned ultramarathon begin with a 5 a.m. shotgun blast on the last Saturday in June at the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics. They begin to conclude around 9 p.m. when the winner usually arrives at Placer High School and circles the track to the finish line. In all, it's 30 hours, all packed literally and figuratively with the peaks and valleys of endurance.

Finnish Four-Time Gold Medalist Lasse Viren: Still Prideful (And Running) After All These Years

By James Raia
Published 06/13/2007
Running Features
Rating: Unrated

More than 30 years after he won the first of his four Olympic gold medals, Lasse Viren remains an integral part of Finnish lore. One of his native country's 200 members of parliament, Viren, 59, lives with his wife and two of his three sons in Myrskala, a country city with a population of 2,000 about one hour Northeast of Helsinki.

The winner of an unequaled double in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters in the 1972 (Munich) and 1976 Olympics (Montreal), Viren was hit by a car while training at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. He's recovered from the surgery he had a few years ago to finally repair the remnants of the muscle damage suffered in the mishap.

Tanned and still wearing a neatly trimmed beard and short-cropped hair (both have turned predominately gray), Viren runs for fitness and remains within 10 pounds of his competitive weight.

I interviewed Viren four years ago this month during a trip to Finland to run the Helsinki City Marathon. Viren was cordial. We had coffee in a window-dominated cafe overlooking a summer and winter sports retreat. Dryland ski jumps and lush green football stadium dominated the backdrop.

Running A Marathon: Embrace The Challenge Of 26.2 Miles

By James Raia
Published 06/11/2007
Running Features
Rating: Unrated

Completing a marathon may like a daunting task. Many who’ve accepted the challenge have been abruptly deposited on the side of course questioning their sanity and pondering a new sport.

But the accomplishment of putting one foot in front of the other for 26.2 miles is also exhilarating and satisfying, and it’s still the global standard for cardiovascular accomplishment.

Runners have myriad choices — road to trail marathons, marathons in major metropolitan cities to marathons in quaint, rural communities. But just runners of all shapes and sizes, so too are there marathons of diverse quality and reputation. Course beauty, financial bargain, prestige and convenience prompt runners to choose a particular event.

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