Sell is training for what might be his last competitive marathon as an elite runner -- the New York City Marathon on Nov. 1. But this morning, he plans on being a spectator, cheering on Chad Johnson, at the Freep Marathon in downtown Detroit. Johnson and Sell are training partners with the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project in Rochester Hills.Here are five things to know about Sell:
Sell, 31, recently became a father for the second time. His wife, Sarah, gave birth to a boy, Levi, on Oct. 6. "Unfortunately, he has his father's hairline," Brian Sell said. The Sells also have a daughter, Lily, 2, who was born six months before the 2007 U.S. Olympic team trials at NYC's Central Park, where Brian captured the third and last Olympic spot behind Ryan Hall and Rockford native Dathan Ritzenhein for the 2008 Beijing Games.
Sell has a marathon-best time of 2:10:47 (2006 Chicago). He took 22nd at the Beijing Olympics in 2:16:07 and was 14th at the Boston Marathon last April in 2:16:31. The effort in Boston was his most disappointing race yet, and it affected his training for New York, he said. "From after Boston until mid-August, things were going really rough," Sell said. "My hips were bothering me, and my back. From late August to the beginning of September, I was close to calling the NYRR (New York Road Runners) to tell them that I was not going to run (the NYC Marathon). But then, Sept. 10, I hit a workout, and I began turning the corner."
The NYC Marathon also serves as this year's men's U.S. marathon championships and offers a separate prize purse of $150,000. Along with Sell -- who's running the NYC Marathon for the first time -- other top Americans include Hall, Meb Keflezighi, Abdi Abdirahman and Rochester Hills' Nick Arciniaga, who also runs for Hansons. "I hope to be right around 2:14," Sell said. "That would be great for me, and I hope it would be in the top 10 for the U.S. championship. Considering a month ago I didn't think I'd be able to compete there, I'd be happy with that time."
Sell's future racing plans are in doubt because he's pursuing a career in dentistry. He has applied to several top dental schools, including the University of Detroit, but says: "I'll be definitely running through August 2010."
Sell will be pulling for Johnson to win today's men's race at the Freep Marathon. "I'm really hoping and praying for him to win it," Sell said. "He's been a good training partner for me, and he deserves it."
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