Alameda Runners – Get After It!

Ah, the power of the Internet!

American running seemingly fell off the face of the Earth as Kenya, Ethiopia and competitors from other nations persevered. Now, U.S. running is continuing to evolve for a number of reasons.  In the March 2010 edition of Competitor Magazine, Tracy Sundlun, who used to be an Olympic track coach, noted the power of the Internet:

“The Internet has been critical.  People are sharing their times and their workouts.  High school kids can watch the best runners train and listen to interviews with the best in the world.  These kids are finding out what other people are doing and then trying to do it themselves.  Seeing is believing.  When you know hard other people are working, you understand what it takes to be great.”

Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking sites have led the way, as regular athletes have a unique chance to chat with high-level pro runners and triathletes.  American 50K record holder, Josh Cox has almost 9,000 followers whom he is more than happy to interact with.

On a smaller scale, I’ve discovered a number of Alameda and East Bay runners I look forward to the possibility of running with in the months to come.  Special kudos go out to Runalameda and Powerfitness, who will hopefully make me faster.