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Nedbank Running Club International team member Michael Wardian to use Two Oceans as an Olympic qualifying race.
Michael Wardian ,United States National Champion for 50 kilometer in 2009 as well as 2010 and runner up in the World 100 kilometer Championships in Gibraltar last year has more than the Two Oceans title in his sights.
Michael wants to try and qualify for the American marathon team for the American marathon championships later this year. He has to go through the 42 kilometer mark in faster than 2 hours and 19 minutes for his Olympic Trials Qualifier.
Mr. Rowyn James, Race director of the Two Oceans marathon confirmed that there will be an official result and time at the marathon mark for everybody running in Saturdays Two Oceans marathon. He also did send an official route certificate to the United States Track and Field association.
Michael who came to South Africa last year to compete in the Comrades marathon got a surprise as he only managed to finish 25th in the race. He was not well rested for the Comrades because he was racing a lot of long distance races and marathons back to back in America and Europe. This year he planned specific to concentrate on the Two Oceans and Comrades marathon later next month.
Michael did ran two marathons already this year as training runs finishing 3rd in the Miami marathon in 2 hours 23 minutes and 41 seconds and 2nd overall in the Walt Disney marathon in 2 hours and 27 minutes.
Michael Wardian
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Michael Wardian
Michael Wardian after winning his third straight National Marathon, March 2008
Personal information
Date of birth 12 April 1974 (age 37)
Place of birth Morgantown, West Virginia
Residence Arlington, Virginia
Height 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m)
Weight 145 pounds (66 kg)
Sport
Country United States
Event(s) Marathon, Ultramarathon
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s) 5000 m: 14:55
10000 m: 30:55
Half Marathon: 1:06:30
Marathon: 2:21:37
Michael Wardian (born April 12, 1974) is an American marathoner and ultra-marathoner. He won the 2008, 2009 and 2010 US 50 km championships.[1] In 2008, he won the U.S. National 100 km championship.[2] Wardian also is the 2007 JFK 50 Mile winner, and won the National Marathon in Washington D.C. three consecutive years (2006–2008), and in 2010 and 2011.[3][4][5][6]
Wardian is known for the vast number of marathons he participates in. During a 45 day span in 2006, Wardian won four out of five marathons he raced.[7] In 2007, he ran 13 marathons (not including ultra-marathons), and seven marathons in a span of nine weeks (winning three).[8] March 2008 saw Wardian win the National Marathon in Washington D.C. on a Saturday, and then finish third at a marathon in Knoxville, Tennessee the very next day.[9] In 2008, Wardian ran a total of 53 races.[10] In addition to the national and global races he participates in, Wardian can frequently be seen running in local races around the Washington D.C. area.[11]
Wardian held the world record for fastest marathon while pushing a jogging stroller from May 2007 to November 2009.[3][12] He set the record at the 2007 Frederick Marathon with a time of 2:42:21. The record was broken at a duel at the 2009 Route 66 marathon by Zac Freudenburg, whose 2:32:10 time beat Wardian's 2:34:37 time.[12]
Wardian also was a former record holder of the fastest Marathon on a treadmill.[3] He qualified and participated in the 2004 and 2008 Men's Olympic Marathon trials.[7][13] Some of the notable ultra-marathons Wardian has completed include the Marathon des Sables, the Western States Endurance Run, the Himalayan 100 Mile Stage Race and the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run.[10][14][15] The United States Track and Field Association named Wardian the 2008 and 2009 Ultra Runner of the year.[10][16][17]
In November 2009, Wardian finished third in the IAU World 50K championships held on the island of Gibraltar.[18] In 2010, Wardian finished third at the Marathon des Sables in 23 hours 1 minute 3 seconds, which was the best time ever by an American.[19] In February 2011, the International Association of Ultrarunners named Wardian its inaugural Athlete of the Year.[20]
On July 1, 2010, Wardian set the record for fastest indoor 200-meter track marathon record, with a time of 2:27:21.[21]
When asked in April 2009 why he competes in so many races, Wardian said:
A lot of people say, "Oh, you could be a 2:12 guy or a 2:14 guy if you just focused on one race a year, or two races a year and really built up." And I think the counter argument is that you could get hurt and you wouldn't have any races a year. There are so many opportunities out there and, I love to toe the line. I love to see what I can do and just push the limits and try and experiment with myself. I like that people can look at me, and say, "Wow, if that guy can do 13 marathons a year and do pretty well maybe I can do one." I think a lot of people can relate to that. Like, that guy works a real job. He's not a professional runner.[22]
[edit] Personal
Wardian is a graduate of Oakton High School and Michigan State University, where he played for the lacrosse team.[11] Wardian did not run competitively until after college.[23] He lives in Arlington, Virginia, is a vegeterian,[19] and works as an International Shipbroker. Wardian charted the cargo that was on the Maersk Alabama when it was hijacked in April 2009.[22] He is married with two children.[13]
Regards-Nick Bester National Manager of the Nedbank Running Clubs.
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I spoke to David and he replied-“It was bitterly cold for me as I came out of a sunny South Africa but I just decided to not disappoint myself and my club again like in the South African marathon championships earlier in February this year. I just keep on pushing and finished the marathon in 2 hours 15 minutes and 31 seconds. I am very happy now because this fast time that I ran can easily put me in the S. A. team for the world championships later this year.”
The interesting fact is that the top 10 positions and the 21 kilometre podium was filled with Nedbank athletes from not less than 6 different Nedbank clubs nationally with Cephas Pasipamire 2nd, Leonard Koki 4th , Samuel Ongaki 7th and Claude Moshiywa 8th from the Nedbank RC Gauteng North.
