What’s New

Big News! Prince William and Kate Middleton Are NOT Running the London Mile

I love celebrity running news – or not-news, which is what you call all those stories that come out until an actual reporter checks the facts.

“Kate Middleton to Run the London Mile with Prince William”

“Prince William and Kate Middleton To Run Sports Relief Mile”

“Prince William And Kate Middleton To Jog Through London For Sport Relief”

“Kate Middleton and Prince William set to run Sport Relief 2012 mile”

“Prince William and Kate Middleton ‘set to run London Mile for Sport Relief’”

“Kate Middleton set to run Sport Relief Mile, we anticipate her glam workout wardrobe”

“Kate Middleton and Prince William’s Royal run for Sport Relief”

“Kate Middleton and Prince William to do a charity run for Sport Relief”

Just one problem. No one bothered to check with the Prince or Kate or their representatives at Clarence House, which is where they reside. That is, until royal correspondent Victoria Arbiter did:

Just had confirmation from Clarence House that William + Kate are not participating in #SportRelief and so are not running a mile.

— Victoria Arbiter (@victoriaarbiter) January 19, 2012

Oh well, we all know that Pippa is the runner, anyway.

Starlet Wears Vibrams With Evening Gown at Golden Globe Party

Twenty-year-old actress Shailene Woodley, one of the stars of the acclaimed film The Descendants, is a runner and a jogger. After attending the Golden Globes ceremony in the traditional gown and heels, she changed for an after-party into a black floor-length gown and… Vibram Five Fingers.

This caused the celebrity media to go berserk, as dozens of publications dissected her decision.

Fashionista was generally supportive, but suggested ”a chic flat would have done the job, too.”

Crushable opined: “They don’t look particularly comfortable and they definitely don’t complement fancy gowns.”

Jezebel thought the critics were overreacting, but did refer to the Vibrams as “those hideous ‘barefoot’ running shoe contraptions your dad wears on vacation.”

And, as you might imagine, Twitter also exploded.

Ms. Woodley seems unperturbed by the attention. She posted the accompanying photo on her personal web site.

A ballsier move would have been to wear a pair of Brooks Beasts.

The Amazing Wardian

The elite runners who made our 2012 Olympic marathon team deserve all the accolades they get, but one marathoner who didn’t come close to making the team deserves a moment in the spotlight as well.

Michael Wardian is a talented distance runner, but he is better known on these pages as the guy who holds the world record for the fastest marathon run in a superhero costume (a 2:34:56 dressed as Spiderman), and the former record-holder for the fastest marathon while pushing a stroller (occupied by his son, Grant).

This weekend Wardian did something worthy of a superhero. On Saturday, he ran in the Olympic marathon trials, finishing in 62nd place with a 2:21:50. On Sunday, he ran in the Chevron Houston Marathon, finishing in 16th place with a 2:31:17.

“I just like to show people you can do more than you think you can do,” Wardian said. “That’s a pretty neat thing. I have all the responsibilities that everyone who’s not a professional runner has. I have to go to work in the morning. I have a family. And I can still come out on the weekend and make a good effort and run a marathon.”

Still Flogging the Nog Story

Upset about being scooped by Channel 3 on the egg nog jog story, Channel 8 in Cleveland went to the streets and the Internet to provide its own take on this crucial local issue:

 
Once this all blows over, you can use that nog to wash down some doughnuts.

Absolutely Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Disney Races

Courtesy of Karla Bruning. As with everything else Disney does, race organizing is bigger than life. Not too many other road races have to account for the sleeping habits of lions and rhinos.

Coach Under Fire for Egg Nog Mile

There is no outrage like that expressed as the lead story on the local news, as WKYC-TV in Chardon, Ohio, “investigates” an egg nog mile run at the local high school. The assistant cross country coach shot video of the run and is heard laughing at the inevitable puking.

In what looks like a bad episode of Glee, someone (from Finland!) sends the video to the local news station, which corners the school principal (who declares himself “appalled”), and then sends a reporter to stand in a gazebo in the middle of the night for some reason to broadcast his ”exclusive” report on the “disturbing” video, after which the coach is apparently suspended from her job.

Judging by the comments accompanying the story, the Chardon community is appropriately outraged… at the TV station for running such a breathless report.

If you’re unfamiliar with egg nog miles, then you’re not a regular Running Is Funny reader! Shame on you!

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Somewhere Else

Winter weather got you down? Already having trouble with your fitness New Year’s resolutions?

The Outrigger Hotel chain has come up with a way to solve both problems – an athletic event calendar for the entire year of 2012 and you’ll never have to leave the state of Hawaii!

You can warm up with the Great Aloha Run, work your upper body with the Battle of the Paddle, forge yourself into an IronMan, and cool down with the XTerra Trail Run.

Sure, it’s expensive, but think of all the money you’ll save on gloves, hats and scarves.