In Case You Missed It...

There's a great piece in this week's issue of the New Yorker (which, incidentally, is probably my favorite magazine) about a Michigan dentist named Keith Litton. Why on earth would I post about a dentist, especially one from the Wolverine State? Well, this dentist has been accused of cheating in tons of distance events from 5ks to marathons, including the Boston Marathon.

The article, "Marathon Man," by Mark Singer is behind a paywall on their website so you'll have to head to a newstand to read the whole the thing. What's interesting about this article is that it really represents the culmination of years of internet chatter about this man. Sites from Runner's World to Let's Run have long forums discussing his supposed race results. There's even an entire blog devoted to exposing him as a fraud.

Unlike some famous marathon frauds (remember Rosie?), Litton never burst onto the national scene with a major marathon win. He just posted a long serious of impressive times. Others began noticing when they discovered Litton had "finished" towards the front but somehow escaped check-points and course photographers.

Stories like this are extremely interesting, but they're also sad. Running is supposed to be about seeing what you can accomplish physically and mentally. This man may not have stolen any large prize purses, but he did cheat other runners out of honest competition and he cheated himself out of a real opportunity to perform.

Hope you all check out the article and please feel free to post any reactions.

Olympic Heartbreak, Marathon Style

Even though the Olympics officially got underway Friday with the opening ceremonies, the first track and field events don't begin until this Friday (August 3rd). Nevertheless, there's still been plenty of drama in the world of running, mainly in the women's marathon.

Over the weekend two stars purportedly dropped out of the race, Britain's Paula Radcliffe and our very own Desi Davila. While sources now report that Desi is still in, Paula's withdrawal has been confirmed. The final days before any marathon are obviously stressful--you put in month's of effort only to have it come down to one day, but in the Olympics the stakes are obviously much higher.

Unlike races that happen every year, the Olympic marathon happens only once every 4 years and even the world's best racers risk not getting in to their preferred event. I really hope Desi makes it to the start but at least she (theoretically) will have another shot at Olympic glory. Unfortunately, at 38, Paula Radcliffe's days of dominating the sport are over and her chance to dominate the podium in the city where she set her world record has been dashed.

If things are this exciting now, just wait until the actual events begin!

Beer Review! Heady Topper

I haven't done a beer review since April and I'm not sure anyone reads them, but once in a while I get bored with writing about running--not for long, though, the Olympics should provide plenty of fodder! Anyway, without further ado, a beer review.


When it comes to rares, sought-after brews, there are generally two types. The first type are limited release beers, ones that only come out once a year or so. These beers appear only fleetingly and if you miss them, you have to wait a whole year for another chance. If you're a beer geek you know plenty of these like Pliny the Younger, Sexual Chocolate, and Canadian Breakfast Stout. The second type are beers that are produced by smaller brewers with limited distribution. This second type is the kind I'm talking about today with the Alchemist's Heady Topper.

Photo credit: http://brewyorknewyork.com/

The Alchemist is a tiny Vermont Brewery that rarely distributes outside of its home state. In fact, New York City only received a shipment of the beer for the first time in May and ever since it's been all but impossible to get ahold of. So before I get to my review, how did I come across this tough-to-find brew? Easy, I visited the cannery in Waterbury, Vermont. On a quick side note, the cannery is just down the street from the Ben and Jerry's factory and I guarantee you a visit to the former is much more pleasant than a visit to the latter.

Okay, that's more than enough background--what about the damn beer?!? Here's my executive summary: it's delicious.

Now for the more detailed review. Heady Topper is a double IPA and weighs in at 8% ABV. It's pretty much only available in cans and that's how you're supposed to drink it--straight out of the can. As soon as you pop the top you're hit with the strong smell of tropical fruit. I wish my olfactory sense was good enough to pick out individual fruits--all I can say is I was immediately transported to Tahiti (I've never been there, if you have and that metaphor sucks, pick your favorite tropical paradise and put that in your nose).

As for taste, the biggest initial flavor is grapefruit but that is soon joined by pine, and--not that I know what it tastes like but--maybe a little bit of pot (which makes sense given that canibis and hops are related), er, let's say earthiness? It starts out slightly sweet but finishes dry with just a hint of bitterness. The carbonation, like almost every aspect of this beer, is just perfect.

The bottom line is this beer is excellent. If you're ever in Vermont it's definitely worth a detour to Waterbury and if you ever see this beer in a bar outside the Green Mountain State YOU HAVE TO ORDER IT! Even if you're not a huge IPA person it might just turn you.