“…In the women’s race, Kenya’s Irene Mogaka broke into the lead at the 10-mile mark and never looked back en route to victory in her first race on U.S. soil. She broke the tape in 2:45:42, the seventh-best time ever run by a woman at the Quad City Marathon. Russia’s [and Foot Solutions Elite Running Team member] Larisa Mikhaylova, the early leader, placed second in 2:49:58. Rounding out the top-five were: Bethany Lewis (Iowa City, IA) in 2:58:09, Michelle Didion (Laporte, IN) in 3:08:12, and Lori Jarrett (Dixon, IL) in 3:13:43…”

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In what she called her “come back race” Foot Solutions runner Rimma Dubovik overcame a painful calf issue to win the Masters Division and 5th overall at the 2007 Rock and Roll Marathon in San Diego on Sunday.

Dubovik, who had not been able to run for some time, said it was her Chung Shi pole walking exercises that made it possible to compete and win. Pole Walking, often described as cross-country skiing without the skis, exercises the entire body encouraging an upright posture and balance without placing unnecessary stress on the muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Participants use their arms to push off from their flexible poles, engaging the entire range of upper-body muscles. The poles relieve lower body strain and tone the shoulders, arms and back. “The pole walking helped me keep fit without placing stress on my calves during the long period of time when I couldn’t run,” said Dubovik. Dubovik said Foot Solutions, a recognized world leader in specialty footwear, custom inserts and technology driven health and wellness products, introduced her to the poles and to a new kind of shoe that also helped her keep the pressure off her knee. The shoes, called Chung Shi, have a uniquely patented angled sole that allows the body to stand and walk in a more aligned position.

“The overall result of Chung Shi Pole walking is superior total body conditioning with less stress and wear and tear on the body,” said Foot Solutions San Diego owner Joyce Hess.  Harold said the activity is gaining popularity among runners at all fitness levels. “It is also great for novices because it is low impact, easy to do and allows for social interaction,” Hess said.

The poles used for the exercise do vary from traditional skis used for the slopes. They are lighter and contain straps that enclose the palm of the hand, similar to fingerless gloves. And they have removable tips. Hess said there is a specific technique used to gain maximum benefits from the exercise.

For more information on pole walking,visit www.balancewalking.com

for more information on Chung Shi Rocker Bottom Shoes, visit www.chungshiusa.com

Margaret Sue Bozgoz, a U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) and an ALL Army Marathoner and Track Runner who has coached more than ten thousand walkers and runners and who herself has completed 51 marathons is serving as the running coach advisor for the Inaugural Blue Planet Run, an unprecedented non-stop around the world relay run to raise awareness and funds for safe drinking water projects across the globe…. continue reading

Romania Claudia Colita, has won the Rite-Aid Cleveland Marathon after just winning the Country Music Half Marathon in April, placing second in the ING Georgia half Marathon in March and winning the Birmingham half marathon in February….continue reading

Two Cleveland area women are quietly changing the way people view foot health and wellness. Elsa Fritts and Debra Kilpatrick-Morris, owners of the Cleveland area Foot Solutions, a world renowned foot care health and wellness company, were recently certified as Chung Shi Pole Walking – Master Trainers…. continue reading

Proving they are a force to be reckoned with, Foot Solutions, the world’s largest franchiser focused on foot care health and wellness and relatively new on the running scene, took the Boston Marathon by storm last week when several of its runners were thrust into the national spotlight with strong appearances despite injuries and biomechanic issues.

Leading the marathon for the first 17 miles, two Foot Solutions runners attempted to do what the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team did during the 1980 Olympics in their famous upset of the supposedly invisible Russian team.

“It was our strategy from the start to run the race hard at the beginning and still finish strong,” said Foot Solutions Elite Running Coach Margaret Sue Bozgoz. “Of course we knew that the odds were not in our favor. Foot Solutions is a relatively small company and cannot afford the top runners in the business. But Jared Nyamboki, our strongest runner, is known for his quick start and with our other runner serving as the pacer, we believed Nyamboki, if he could get over Heartbreak Hill,had a chance to go the distance and win at Boston.”

The strategy conceived by Bozgoz and supported by Foot Solutions Founder and CEO Ray Margiano was one that some questioned in the days following the race.  But both Bozgoz and Margiano answered their critics by simply explaining their underdog philosophy. “Boston is the premier running event and so we thought it was worth the gamble to try something different there,” Margiano said.  It didn’t work out as planned but think about how fantastic and memorable it would have been had it worked.  Who knows, if the weather had been better he really might have been able to do it,” Margiano said. “In any case, we are proud of our runners and the race they ran.”

Nyamboki, a Kenya native who lives and trains in Fayetteville, Ga. , and the majority of his Foot Solutions team members, are literally running for their lives.  Most of the Foot Solutions team is running to escape extreme poverty in their native countries and many face political persecution. “As minor leaguers in the marathon field, we are also particularly proud of our over 40 runners who prove every day that excellence can be achieved at any age,” said Margiano…..continue reading

One’s first Boston Marathon will always be a memorable one.  With its rich history, excellent competition, and enthusiastic spectators, it’s sure to be an unforgettable event. For the 2007 Boston Marathon masters champions, it was no different.  Oleg Strizhakov, 43,  captured the men’s masters title in 2:28:55. He is a Russian citizen currently residing in Gainesville, FL,where he, along with several fellow Russian long-distance runners, normally enjoy warm and sunny days. Yet both Strizhakov and Lozano emerged as the strongest competitors in their division by wisely running tactical races. Their reward was the most prestigious masters title in the sport, a beautiful trophy, and $ 10,000 in prize money. What worried Strizhakov more than the weather was the strong masters field….continue reading

The Kenyan running machine swept into Des Moines on Sunday morning.  Runners from the African country dominated both the Des Moines Marathon and half-marathon men’s races at Nollen Plaza. Jared Nyamboki beat fellow Kenyan George Towett to win the fifth running of the 26.2-mile race in 2:23:26. Towett ran 2:25:32. Moses Waweru won the men’s half-marathon in 1:08.20.

Robyn Friedman of Lambs Grove, Ia., won the women’s race in 2:42.19.  Both marathon winners won $1,000. “I felt strong … I am happy about it,” said Nyamboki, who topped a field of 24,000 at the Army Ten-Miler in Washington, D.C., last Sunday.  “For sure I run well in the cold.”…continue reading

Alisa Harvey became the first four-time winner of the Army Ten-Miler in a masters women’s record time of 59 minutes while Jared Nyamboki coasted to the men’s victory in 48:24.  The 22nd running of America’s largest 10-mile road race started and finished October 8th at the Pentagon. There were 15,134 official finishers in the field of 16,676 runners. “It’s more than just a road race for me,” said Harvey, 41 a mother of two from Manassas, Va. “I love the military aspect when I get out there with the men who are all ‘Hooah!’  They’re excited about the race and they’re competitive even with the women.  It’s a whole new feel, so I just love being a part of all that.” …continue reading

Alisa Harvey earned her elite reputation by thwarting all competition on the track at 800 and 1,500 meters. Now she has left her mark on the Army Ten-Miler.  When the 41-year-old Manassas resident seized the lead yesterday before the sevenmile mark in downtown Washington, she was about to make race history — scoring an unprecedented fourth victory and becoming the oldest female to win America’s largest 10-mile race. “I went a little early,” said Harvey, the top woman here in 1998, 1999 and 2003 as well.

“I was a little nervous about the woman [Emily Brzozowski] who was with me.  I wanted to test her, but I committed.  I was really tired at the end.”

Harvey stopped the clock at 59 minutes flat, some 29 seconds faster than in 2003, when she entered the race with a badly injured foot. She also knocked 49 seconds off the masters record set by Martha Merz in 2002. Brzozowski trailed by 26 seconds….continue reading