This Sunday, April 1, 2012, the Carlsbad 5000 will take to the streets of Carlsbadistan for the 27th time. And this years field promises to be the best yet. Ethiopia’s Dejen Gebremeskel, the defending champion and last year’s 5,000-meter bronze medalist will be leading the field. But there’s more:
Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, the 2011 Carlsbad runner-up who was ranked No. 1 in the world over 5,000 meters in 2010 and has silver and bronze medals in the 5,000 from the past two Olympic Games; and Ethiopia’s Tariku Bekele, a former world champion over 3,000 meters indoors and with a best of 12:54.45 over 5,000 meters.
The Carlsbad 5000 already? It’s true. On Sunday, April 3, 2011 thousands of runners will join former winner Aheza Kiros, of Ethiopia and US Olympians Christin Wurth-Thomas and Jen Rhines in a ground-pounding trot through Carlsbadistan in what is considered the world’s fastest 5K run.
“I want to get back there (World Championships) and medal this time,” Wurth-Thomas, the former Arkansas standout said. “I’m excited to run a good race at Carlsbad. My training has been going very well, so why not? I’m coming off an 11-second PR indoors. I’m pretty fit and ready to go, so the sky’s the limit. I’m looking for competition. This will be my first outdoor race (of the season).”
While the most fun comes from actually running in the Carlsbad 5000 with the civilians, there is a deep, deep elite field in this Sunday’s 25th running of the “world’s fastest 5k.” Two-time Olympic medal winner Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya will lead the field to take down Sammy Kipketer’s 13:00 road 5k record set in Carlsbad in 2000.
“Nobody has come close to Sammy’s mark since 2001,” recalls running historian Toni Reavis, 20-year broadcaster of the race. “That record has taken on a Beamon-esque stature in the ensuing years, especially Sammy’s first miles in under 4:00!”
If everything goes well Carlsbadistan’sErica Davis will be the first paraplegic woman to climb Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro, according to a story on Recordnet.com.
With the help of a specially made wheelchair and a team from the Corrective Holistic Exercise Kinesiology Institute, which will carry her about 60 percent of the time, Davis hopes Monday to be atop the tallest free-standing mountain in the world – 19,340 feet above sea level. . . “Reaching the top is showing that it doesn’t matter what it is, you can do it, because there are people out there willing and wanting to help you,” Davis said. “I think it will show other challenged athletes that you have two choices. You can lay there on the couch being depressed or look at it as a new chapter in your book of life. It will bring different things to your life. Your life is not over in any way.”
Davis was paralyzed from the waist down in 2005 when she suffered a “cavernous hemangioma.” Since then she’s competed in cycling races, triathlons, and two marathons. We’re pretty confident she’ll summit.
The girls from Lululemon at The Forum in Carlsbad are getting ready for the Rock N Roll Marathon and they want a little help. Here’s what they said on Twitter:
Think this is hot? Join our cheer squad for the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon on May 31.
The “World’s Fastest 5k” returns to Carlsbadistan on April 5th, 2009 as our streets are again taken over by thousands of ground pounders in the Carlsbad 5000. But this year there is another twist. It’s called the All Day 25k.
“We wanted to offer a new longer-distance aspect of the race that could serve as a training option for runners preparing for a marathon or half marathon later in the season,” said Shannon Davis, Event Manager. “It will make the 5K course into a challenging 25K, thus allowing our more serious runners a chance to participate in a fast, seaside training run while still taking advantage of one of Southern California’s most exciting races.”
Limited to only 150 competitors the All Day 25K will see runners racing in five of the day’s 5k runs. No thanks. Click here for photos from last year, or follow the jump for all the details. [click to continue…]
We often wonder what the Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau does. Not because we think they don’t do anything, but more out of plain, simple ignorance. For instance, where is the Carlsbad Convention Center? But we’re wandering from the point: The new Carlsbad Travel Planner has arrived.
The vibrant 40-page magazine-style Guide is filled with helpful information such as lodging accommodations, restaurants, shopping, local attractions (LEGOLAND, Leo Carrillo Park, The Village), outdoor fun, special events (Carlsbad 5K, ArtSplash, Village Faire, Carlsbad Marathon) and, of course, directions on “how to get to the beach!” Stunning photography and directional maps provide the perfect complement to this year’s Guide.
The CCVB printed 80,000 copies of the guide proving that at least in Carlsbad people still believe in the printed word regardless of the fact that most of the planners will probably sit in boxes all year. If anyone notices an increase in business based on their advertising in the planner, please let us know. [click to continue…]
This morning at 7:30 AM 10,000 ground pounders left the Westfield Plaza Camino Real and stormed the streets of Carlsbadistan in the Carlsbad Marathon. Runners representing all 50 states and 14 countries competed in the sold out event. Click the link for all the day’s photos (Double-click to see them in full size AND color).
When the 2008 Carlsbad Marathon starts at 7:30 AM on Sunday morning 10,000 runners of comically diverse shapes and sizes will be pounding the streets of Carlsbadistan.
After the starter’s gun goes off, Marathoners will head for the coast passing the Buena Vista Lagoon through the village of Carlsbad to Carlsbad Boulevard (Highway 101). You’ll head south on the 101 to Palomar Airport Road (PAR). After a 3 mile trip inland on you’ll return to the coast and again head south on 101 to a quick U-turn near La Costa Avenue back up the cost to the finish line.
We’ll be out watching along the course. If you’re running let us know how it goes.
After spending nearly 40 minutes trying to get up Elm CVD through all those dragging, lagging Village of Carlsbadistan traffic lights following the Carlsbad Marathon we’re all for any kind of intelligent traffic light upgrade that would speed the flow. The City of Carlsbad is apparently all over it.
Traffic engineers plan to replace the city’s current control system, which is limited to a small number of traffic signals, with a new system over five years. The citywide network will enable staff to observe an entire corridor and adjust signal timing to optimize traffic flow based on real time conditions. . . .“This new technology won’t improve traffic flow by itself, but it will give us a much more advanced and efficient way to make changes as needed to keep cars moving,” said Bilse. “Traffic is a big concern out there. This is a great example of using technology to make a noticeable improvement in the lives of our community members.”
Sounds great aside from the five years part. Follow the jump for more details. [click to continue…]
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