Awesome Runners

The following is a list of totally awesome runners. 

Ryan Hall

This dude is by far my favorite distance runner.  His first ever half-marathon he set the American Record.  He then went on to win the Olympic Trials and represent the USA in Beijing.  Yesterday he ran the Boston marathon, got fourth place and ran the fastest American Marathon ever.  Hall is sponsored by the best shoe company ever-Asics.  The best part is he runs for the Lord and acknowledges that Jesus is his strength every step of the way.  http://ryanhall.competitor.com/

Geoff Roes

If you think running a marathon (26.2 miles) is nuts-then Geoff Roes is really going to make you dizzy.  He is currently the best ultra-runner in competition.  The races he has won include the Western States Endurance run (100 miles) which he set the course record last year (15 hours and change).  He has a long list of other wins (American River 50 mile, Susitna 100 mile, and just two days ago he won the Zane Grey 50 in 8 hoursish).  I like to think of Roes as an unofficial Toilet-Runner because he often crosses the finish line and proceeds to throw up 3 or 4 times. http://www.akrunning.blogspot.com/

Ryan Sandes

Sandes is a South African beast of a runner.  He is currently the only person in the world to have won every race in the grueling 4 deserts racing series.  4 Deserts consists of four races through the worst desert conditions on the planet (Atacama, Gobi, Sahara and Antarctic deserts).  At each race you run for 7 days and have to carry all of the food and water you need and are only allowed a tent to sleep in.  Sandes won every desert last year by a gigantic margin easily crowning himself the 4 deserts champion.  Not even Dean Karnazes (who only won 3 of the deserts) was able to do what Ryan Sandes did.   http://www.ryansandes.com/

“Retired” Runners of Note

Scott Jurek-Easily the greatest Ultra Marathoner of all time (won Western States 7 years in a row)and countless other Ultra Marathons.  http://www.scottjurek.com

Hunter Kemper-3 time Olympic Triathlete: upon investigation I learned he is NOT retired-and won Gold 2 days ago at a World Cup Triatholon.  http://www.hunterkemper.com/