THE BROOKS BLOG

Tomorrow morning (March 12th) Desiree Davila races the 3k at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar, representing the US for the second time. Here she talks about her amazing 2009 and what she’s looking forward to in 2010. Courtesy of Flotrack.

Coach Michael Sergi at Savannah College of Arts and Design recently sent us this email and these great pictures from Brian Sell’s recent visit to his cross country teams.

*****

Hey Guys,

I thought you all would like to see some of the pictures that we took this past weekend from our visit with Brian Sell. Just a quick recap: Each year our team does a fundraiser and I leave it up to the team to decide what they want to do with the money we raise. They went back and forth on many different things like a training trip, heart rate monitors, shoes, etc. I thought I could do better than that, so I promised them that if they leave it up to me that they would be happy.

Two years ago I asked the team if they could have any guest speaker in the world of running that they wanted who would it be. Without hesitation the consensus was Brian Sell. I reached out to Brian last fall, he agreed, and we began putting the trip together.

This weekend exceeded our expectations. We had a great time with Brian. In attendance were our men’s and women’s teams from SCAD, a few runners and coaches that I invited from a couple of area colleges, and a couple of runners from the area that I know along with Brooks ID runner Brian Welch.

Mr. Sell spoke of his running career from high school to the Olympics. He also talked about his key points that led to his success in running. Brian also showed us his 2008 Olympic Trials race in NYC and he took the time to answer every single question asked of him on Friday evening.

Our teams raced on Saturday at our first track meet of the outdoor season and Brian went with us to cheer on the SCAD Bees. He ran with us at practice on Sunday before I took him to the airport too. It was a great experience for the runners and one they will always remember.

Brian is more than a great runner. He is a great role model and outstanding individual. He is the perfect example of someone that my runners can look up to. Brian has proven that you can be a great collegiate runner and student. Even as important, Brian has proven that you can continue to accomplish big things in the world of running after college and live a balanced life. He was a positive influence on my team and an excellent representative of Brooks.

Take care,

Michael

Scott Jurek will be running with Team USA at the 2010 International Association of Ultrarunners’ 24-hour Run World Championship in Brive, France, on May 13-14. This is Scott’s first time running with the national team. Congrats, Scott! Have a great race!

>>Read the full USATF press release here.

Congrats to Ryan Vail! This weekend he finished 6th in the Men’s Open at the 2010 USATF Cross Country Champonships securing a place on the USA XC World Team for the 2nd year in a row. Next stop: Poland!

Video courtesy of flotrack.

We jut got this amazing email from former Brooks athlete Gary Fanelli. Thanks, Gary!

Hey!

Here is a picture of my daughter Laura a few days old.

She was delivered in a Brooks Shoe Box…at first I thought a new pair of shoes had arrived BUT it was actually my second daughter Laura.

She just loved sleeping in the Brooks shoe box. She felt safe & secure and very comfortable just like a pair of Brooks shoes.

Laura is a runner and likes Brooks. She has run 17.51 for 5k.

Cheers,

Gary

GO BROOKS!

Hansons-Brooks runner Desiree Davila chats about training for and racing the 3k in the 2010 Boston International Games.

Olympic marathoner and Brooks-sponsored athlete Brian Sell rendered in pasta:

Here we see the finer details of the pastafication: Please note the mustache.

The Brian Sell macaroni sculpture/shrine is housed in "The Beastro," our Brooks HQ employee dining area. An Adrenaline™ candelabra provides just the right lighting.

Just before 2009 came to a close, The Washington Times Communities’ online running column "Run, Karla, Run!" honored ultra runner Scott Jurek by including him in a post titled "The Best Runners of the Decade."

Runner/journalist Karla Bruning ranked Jurek 8th on the 10-person roster, which also includes Catherine Ndereba, Tirunesh Dibaba, Usain Bolt, Haile Gebrselassie, and Paula Radcliffe. Of her highly personal, yet star-studded list, Bruning notes:

"My picks are completely unscientific and subjective, and I’m sure they will incite at least a little grumbling. But these 10 runners have dazzled the world with feats of strength. . . and racked up the hardware to prove it."

About Brooks-sponsored ultramarathoner Jurek, in particular, she writes:

"There’s distance and then there’s distance. In the burgeoning field of ultramarathons, Scott Jurek is the king of the road."

>> Read "The Best Runners of the Decade" online column in its entirety here.

As a champion ultra runner, running coach, and physical therapist, Jurek was one of the experts whose opinions we sought in preparing our Perspective on Barefoot Running . Jurek was also one of the runners featured prominently in Born to Run , the bestselling book by Christopher McDougall.

In his expert section on barefoot running, Jurek states:

"Personally, I have used barefoot running before and/or after a speed workout by warming up and cooling down in 10- to 15-minute sessions on grass or artificial turf for technique training. I have also used it to prevent injury or rehab a foot-ankle injury, such as plantar fasciitis, by running on grass or sand for one to four miles. As a running coach, I have recommended running barefoot for the same reasons I have used it in my own training program. The key is proper progression and integration (i.e. avoiding too much, too soon) to allow the athlete’s body to adapt appropriately."

To see Scott Jurek’s "pros" and "cons" of barefoot running, along with the rest of his remarks on the topic, please read his expert statement.
>> See the rest of our experts’ statements
>> Read our Perspective on Barefoot Running

Woo hoo! We are thrilled to announce a multi-year partnership with Chrissie Wellington, world-renowned British triathlete and reigning Ironman World Champion, as her official footwear sponsor.

That’s right. Those Brooks T6 Racers Chrissie wore and won in during the last three Ford Ironman® World Championships ? She chose to run in them because she liked the T6 and they worked for her—and boy, did they! In 2009, Wellington set a new women’s world course record of 8 hours, 54:02 minutes in Kona.

“With that trademark smile she flashes even after finishing a grueling race, Chrissie Wellington embodies the strength, passion, and drive to succeed that we look for in brand partners,” said Jim Weber, president and CEO of Brooks. “We’re pleased to welcome her and proud to have such an inspirational athlete representing our brand.”

Wellington is the first triathlete to join Brooks’ strategic group of professional athletes.

>> Read the full press release here .

The Cascadia 5 for Men and Women is now officially available. Special thanks to Brooks-sponsored ultra runner  Scott Jurek for his insight into the design process and insider’s view on this award-winning trail shoe’s updates.

*******************************************************************************

Trails offer more obstacles and uneven surfaces than roads. How does the Cascadia 5 help keep a runner stable while staying flexible and light?
The low profile design of the midsole and outsole, base of support through footprint surface area, and the independently stabilizing Pivot Posts in the Cascadia 5 create a very stable trail shoe. The spacing in the one-piece outsole lug design, minimized outsole thickness, flexible Ballistic Rock Shield, and light BioMoGo midsole all contribute to a flexible and light ride.