Running News Daily

Course Record Holder Meskerem Assefa returns to defend women’s title at Mainova Frankfurt Marathon

Last year’s women’s champion and course record holder Meskerem Assefa will return to run the Mainova Frankurt Marathon while another world-class Ethiopian distance runner will also be on the start line on October 27.

Tsegaye Mekonnen, the junior men’s world record holder in the marathon is set to race in the men’s division.  In addition to these new recruits to the elite line-up, two more athletes will be joining them in the race for top prizes: Kenya’s Olympic bronze medallist in the 5,000m in 2008, Sylvia Kibet and last year’s German champion Fabienne Königstein.

About 14,000 runners are expected to complete the field in the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon which is an IAAF Gold Label race, the highest category in road racing.

“If weather conditions are right, we have a good chance for very fast races," said the race director Jo Schindler.

A year ago Meskerem Assefa set a course record of 2:20:36 despite windy conditions which was also her personal best. The 34-year-old has the potential to target a sub-2:20 time for her latest appearance in Frankfurt. She may well have company in this challenge since the Kenyan Valary Aiyabei has a best of 2:20:53, only 17 seconds slower than Meskerem’s course record in Frankfurt.

Sylvia Kibet can also be expected to produce a considerable improvement on her fastest time. The 35-year-old won in Rabat in Morocco in April, setting a personal best of 2:25:52. Her pedigree for the marathon includes impressive speed over shorter distances on the track which helped her win two silver medals over 5,000m in the 2009 and 2011 World Championships and an Olympic bronze for the same distance in 2008.

Another newcomer to the women’s race in the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon is Fabienne Königstein, better known as Fabienne Amrhein. The 26-year-old made her breakthrough last year, improving to 2:32:34 to win the women’s title in Düsseldorf, followed by becoming the top German finisher in 11th place in the European Championship Marathon in Berlin. 

Tsegaye Mekonnen is a runner with enormous potential. In 2014 the Ethiopian was the shooting start of the international marathon scene, running, as an 18-year-old, an unofficial junior world record in Dubai on his debut at the distance of 2:04:32 (the IAAF does not record official marathon world records for juniors).

Since then Tsegaye Mekonnen’s progress has been restricted by a succession of injuries. He also suffered misfortune when making his Frankfurt debut in 2014, recovering from a fall during the race but subsequently dropping out. 

J&A Racing is proud to welcome the BayPort Credit Union as the title sponsor of the Surf-n-Santa 5 Miler

J&A Racing is proud to welcome the BayPort Credit Union as the title sponsor of the holiday-themed race, the Surf-n-Santa 5 Miler presented by Bon Secours In Motion.

This partnership embraces all the elements that make the holiday season magical: community, wellness celebration, and lasting memories.

“Here at BayPort, we are committed to both financial and physical wellness. That is why we are excited to be the title sponsor of this year’s Surf-n-Santa 5 Miler in Virginia Beach.

With more than 4,400 race participants, this event is an excellent opportunity for us to be part of a fun and meaningful experience benefiting an important cause that is open to the entire Hampton Roads community,” said BayPort Credit Union’s President/CEO Jim Mears.

BayPort Credit Union’s purpose and philosophy has always remained faithful to people helping people. They are committed to developing long-term prosperity for our communities by committing to their members’ financial well-being.

That viewpoint and the resulting culture makes them a natural supporter of the Surf-n-Santa 5 Miler. This holiday themed race is all about the long-term prosperity of individuals and families by encouraging them to create the healthy habit of movement while creating holiday memories.

The ninth annual BayPort Credit Union Surf-n-Santa 5 Miler presented by Bon Secours In Motion will be held on December 14-15, 2019 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Kenyan Brigid Kosgei has set her sights on a second straight Chicago Marathon title

Kenya's Brigid Kosgei will on Sunday return to Chicago eyeing to be third time lucky as she battles to defend the marathon title she won last year.

Kosgei, 25, was second in 2017 on her debut, but she made an even bigger splash last year when she won the race with the third-fastest time in Chicago's history of 2:18:35.

While Kosgei, the seventh fastest woman in the history of marathon running, has been unbeatable in 2019, American marathon debut record holder Jordan Hasay and 2018 Paris marathon champion Betsy Saina should make for an exciting trio up front.

"The Chicago marathon is a tough race. I struggled up to my maximum, and then I won," said Kosgei on Tuesday ahead of her departure to Chicago.

Kosgei has literally been unbeatable in 2019, and her dominance extends to winning a 10-kilometer race, three half marathons, a 5km, and the London marathon.

"I was happy I have been able to run well this season. It has not been easy," she added.

Kosgei has won the Honolulu marathon twice and finished eighth in Boston at 2:31:48. Overall, she has finished first or second in nine of her ten career marathons. But she is aware the past record will only count on paper and her legs have to do the actual fight for her to retain her title and boost her chances of leading Kenya team to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

"I would like to compete in the Olympics. But there are hurdles to be cleared before thinking of the Olympics. For now, winning in Chicago will be important and then we will see how 2020 turns out," she added.

Saina, the former Paris marathon runner says she has returned to shape after injury concerns that limited her cruise in Boston in April. Saina, a 2016 Olympian in the 10,000m, enjoyed a flash of brilliance in the marathon when she won the 2018 Paris marathon in 2:22:56.

After spending her career on the track, she experienced a rocky transition to the marathon in 2017, failing to finish both the Tokyo and New York City marathons. However, she delivered in Paris and a few months later, she finished eighth in Frankfurt at 2:24:35.

This year, she finished 10th in Boston at 2:30:32 and defended her title at Japan's Marugame half marathon clocking the best time of 1:07:49.

The men's field includes four-time Olympic gold medalist and defending Chicago marathon champion, Mo Farah, Olympic marathon bronze medalist and 2017 Chicago marathon champion Galen Rupp and 2015 Chicago marathon champion, Dickson Chumba.

Throw in Boston marathon champion Lawrence Cherono and the quartet will certainly be spoilt for a fight as they seek to improve the course record on Sunday.

Nuns Stephanie Baliga and Alicia Torres are set to run Chicago Marathon to raise money to help the poor in West Humboldt Park

Two Chicago nuns are raising money to pay for renovations to their church building in Chicago's West Humboldt Park neighborhood.Sister Stephanie Baliga and Sister Alicia Torres are fundraising to pay for renovations to the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels School building, which provides weekly food pantries, as well as storage and distribution of clothing and household good for West Humboldt Park residents.

The sisters are leading a team of 85, which include several priests.

The nuns visited the ABC7 studio on Wednesday to talk about their fundraising drive.

“Jesus asked us to be able to help our neighbor and treat others the way we want to be treated,” Baliga said. “And we believe that’s what we’re doing here in West Humboldt Park, being able to bring the hope of Christ through the love of Christ to a neighborhood that’s in much despair and difficulty and incredibly difficult circumstances.”

“We’re trying to bring the presence of Jesus to this neighborhood that needs a lot of hope, and a lot of love,” Baliga said.

Now, Baliga has merged her passion for running with her love of God to serve her community.

When the fatigue inevitably kicks in, and the finish line beckons during the 26-mile run Oct. 14, she’ll draw inspiration from within.

“All of the work that we’re doing is for the greater glory of God, so when we’re running, and it starts to hurt, we’ll make that last charge to not slow down for the mission and for Jesus.”

The cosmic shift in Baliga’s life started with an identity crisis.

As a University of Illinois distance runner, she measured her self-importance on her running and academic achievements.

But when she broke her foot sophomore year, she was forced to reevaluate who she was.

“I started to contemplate my life,” she said. “Who am I? What am I doing? My main identity could not be running anymore.”

It took Baliga a few years to figure out exactly what God was asking her to do, she said. But soon after graduating college in 2010, she joined the Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago at the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels.

Dez O'Connor, could be banned from future events if he continues to push his daughter around in races

Dez O'Connor, 35, from Plymouth, Devon, (UK)  likes to run in charity races and for the last three years has been taking his daughter Elsie, three, with him in a specially designed pushchair.

But he has now been left seething by a letter from the organizers of a charity 10K run, Britain's Ocean City Running Series, raising safety concerns.

In the letter, they said that although no action would be taken for his previous races, he would be banned if he tried to compete with the pram again.

The letter said Dez was in breach of rules and a safety hazard to other runners and Elsie.

Hundreds of people have signed a petition supporting Dez and calling for the ban to be reversed.

Dez, a firefighter and scaffolder, said: 'They said it was against the rules of UK Athletics, but we spoke to them and they said there was no rule and it was down to organizer discretion.

'I asked what the risk was but they wouldn't tell me, they wouldn't let me look at the risk assessment. I asked if we could put in control measures but they just ignored me.

'They said it was against the rules and that's all they would say on the matter.'

Because of the letter, Dez decided not to run in the Plymouth 10K over the weekend but took part in a training run the day before.

He added: 'I have run the half marathon with Elsie three times. After I did the last half I got an email saying if I ran with the pram again I would be banned.

'If they're worried about space I'll start from the back, I've been doing this for years and most people are very receptive.'

Eliud Kipchoge and his technical team are expected to land in Vienna Tuesday for the INEOS 1:59 Challenge this weekend

World marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge and his technical staff are expected to land in Vienna Tuesday morning ahead of the “INEOS 1:59 Challenge” this weekend.

The Olympic marathon champion was Monday night treated to the affluence that one of Great Britain’s richest persons, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is accustomed to.

Kipchoge left for Vienna aboard Sir Jim’s Gulfstream G280, which was flown by two pilots from his British base to fly Kipchoge to the Austrian capital.

The jet, valued at $24.5 million, has got Kenyans on social media talking about Kipchoge's attempt to become the first man to run the 42-kilometer distance in under two hours this weekend.

"Eliud Kipchoge" is like a human machine. Pride of Kenya and the son of the Land. There is Mursik waiting for you Legend. Know that you inspire many across the board."

"The fact that Eliud Kipchoge is attempting the INEOS 1:59 record affirms his place in the annals of athletics history. The attempt alone is enough, the victory would be a bonus. He is no longer running against man, he is running against time."

"No longer running against other men, he's running against time. INEOS1:59. KENYA is proud of you Eliud kipchoge. See you on 12th Oct 2019."

Leonard Langat won the Cardiff Half Marathon clocking 59:30, taking 73 seconds off the course record for the IAAF Silver Label road race on Sunday

Langat produced a strong sprint finish to pip fellow Kenyan Shadrack Kimining, the winner in Cardiff in 2016, by a mere two seconds.

Langat’s winning time of 59:30 was just 12 seconds shy of his lifetime best, while long-time race leader Kimming was rewarded with a 10-second PB to finish second in 59:32.

There was a group of 10 athletes in the leading pack at 5km (14:06) and this was cut to four by 10km (28:05). Kimining led for much of the next 10 kilometers as he led Langat and defending champion John Lotiang through 15km (42:15) and 20km (56:34).

Kimining tried to push up the steep incline coming off Roath Park Lake up to Cathays Cemetery, but Langat refused to be shrugged off. He stayed on the shoulder of his rival before making his move coming down the finishing straight.

“I was feeling comfortable behind Shadrack and I pushed on in the final 500 meters,” said Langat. “I kept the pace up right to the finish because I was feeling so strong.

“I always feel strong when I am running happy and that is down to the fantastic training group I have in Kenya. This is a wonderful course and I am sure that someone could run faster than 58 minutes on it in the future.”

“I am happy to have run a PB and I think this is one of the fastest courses on which I have ever run,” said Kimining. “It is a bit like the event in Ras Al Khaimah.”

There was also a dramatic finish in the women’s race as Kenya’s Lucy Cheruiyot and Ethiopia’s Azmera Abreha ran side by side down the finishing straight, with another Kenyan, Paskalia Kipkoech, not far behind.

In the end, Cheruiyot’s strength carried her to victory, although both she and Abreha were given the same times, 68:20. Kipkoech was a further five seconds behind in 68:25.

Jonathan Kotter for the second year in a row won the St. George Marathon

The 43rd edition of the St. George Marathon saw a windy morning with fast breezes and even faster times.

Thousands made their way down from Central Junction and through Veyo all the way down to Vernon Worthen Park in St. George to test themselves against the elements and themselves.

Jonathan Kotter won the men's side of the marathon for the second year in a row, finishing with a time of 2:18:06, while three-time St. George Marathon winner Aaron Metler finished second in 2:19:45.

"The weather overall was great because it was very cool which is perfect for marathon running and dry which is nice," Kotter said. "There was a nice tailwind for about five minutes and then we had a headwind so it was swirly a little bit."

Kotter is no stranger to the course after winning with a faster time of 2:16:17 in rainy conditions last year.

"Winning is always super fun because St. George is arguably the most competitive race in Utah so anytime you can win is a lot of fun because there's a lot of good runners out there," Kotter said.

Metler, who won the race in 2010, 2014 and 2015, crossed the line in second place this year as the highest local finisher.

As a St. George resident, he says this race is always been special for him no matter where he finishes.

"Living in this community and being the local guy is an unforgettable experience," Metler said. "I run it every year for the crowd, the people here and the community. It's the best marathon."

On the women's side, Sylvia Bedford not only won for the second year in a row but set a women's course record in the process with a time of 2:34:18.

Bedford smashed Deeja Youngquist's previous women's record of 2:36:06 set in 2007 by almost a full two minutes.

"It felt so nice to get the course record, that was kind of my goal and I was happy that the win came along with that so it felt awesome," Bedford said. 

Bedford has improved both her times and results each year she has run the marathon, going from eighth place in 2016 to fourth place in 2017 to winning in the last two years and finishing with a course record this year.

Still, she says that this year's race was a little difficult for her coming down towards St. George for the final few miles.

Dominic Ondoro of Kenya won the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on Sunday for a record-breaking fourth time

Dominic Ondoro of Kenya won the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on Sunday for a record-breaking fourth time, unprecedented in the 38-year history of the race from Minneapolis to St. Paul.

Ondoro, who also holds the record for fastest time in the race, came in at 2 hours, 12 minutes, 23 seconds.

Two Minnesotans finished the race in the top three: St. Paul native Danny Docherty, now of Minneapolis, came in third in the men’s race in 2:15:55. In the women’s race, Dakotah Lindwurm of Burnsville placed second  in 2:32:49.

In the men’s race, Denis Chirchir of Kenya was second in 2:13:50.

Julia Kohnen of Florissant, Mo., won the women’s race in 2:31:29. Coming in third was 2014 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon runner-up Heather Lieberg at 2:34:07.

In a press release sent out by event organizers, Ondoro, who has won the marathon four times in five attempts, including 2015, 2016 and 2017, said he had hoped to break his record but his back “rebelled.”

“I was running easily, but around 20K, I felt something in my (lower back), so no record,” he said. “I hope next year I can try my best. It’s exciting. I like the way the people here interact with us. They cheer us very well.”

Kohnen was pleased to win her first Twin Cities race, saying, “It’s a really good feeling to have a fast time under my belt now. The weather plays a huge factor, and we couldn’t have gotten luckier today. It’s so fun; the neighborhoods are absolutely gorgeous.”

Kenyan runner Hillary Kipsambu won the 96th International Peace Marathon in Kosice clocking 2:09:33

This was Kenya's 11th victory in a row and the 17th triumph of a runner from this country at the Košice marathon, which is the oldest one in Europe, the SITA newswire reported.

Altogether, about 14,500 runners competed in the marathon, the regional Korzár daily wrote.

Apart from the laurel wreath, Kipsambu also received a financial reward of €12,000 since he finished the race in under 2:10 hours. However, he did not break the record of his fellow countryman Lawrence Kimaiya from 2012, who finished the race in 2:07:01 hours.

Shumet Mengistu of Ethiopia came second (2:10:50), followed by Tsegay Tuemay of Eritrea (2:11:02). African runners have dominated the marathon since 2005, Korzár wrote.

“I wanted to improve my personal record of 2:07:20 from last year’s autumn marathon in Amsterdam, but nobody could do it with such a wind,” Kipsambu said after the race, as quoted by SITA.

Several other participants complained about the weather, too. The last time there was such bad weather during the marathon was in 1998, according to meteorologists.

A record was broken in the women’s category. The winner, Ethiopian Sichala Kumeshi Deress, finished the race in 2:26:01. Last year’s winner Miliam Ebongon of Kenya crossed the finish line in 2:27:16.

“I was in good form, so the wind didn’t bother me,” Kumeshi Deress said, as quoted by SITA.

However, she added that if there hadn't been any wind, she may have been able to finish around 2 hours and 23 minutes.

Second placed Chemtai Rionotukei from Kenya (2:33:27), followed by another Kenyan, Joan Jepchirchir Kigen (2:34:05).

Kallin Khan, 22, Claims Victory At Portland Marathon on Sunday

For 22-year-old Kallin Khan, Sunday’s race wasn’t even close.

From mile five all the way to the finish line, Khan led the pack of more than two thousand runners participating in the Portland Marathon. Another 3,600 opted for Sunday’s 13-mile route.

“Everyone was telling me I had a big lead,” Khan told reporters a few minutes after being crowned Sunday’s winner. “I was confident through the finish line.”

It took Khan, a Chicago native, just over two hours, 25 minutes to finish the course, which took runners through the city’s four quadrants. A second place winner would not be announced for another 20 minutes. That’s when Kunitaka Imaizumi, a student at the University of Oregon, sprinted over the finish line.

Khan said he’s been working toward the victory since moving to Portland two months ago, running more than a hundred miles each week with the Bowerman Track Club. He hopes to soon qualify for the Olympic trials, a feat that would require him to shave six minutes off his Sunday time.

First place for the women’s division – and third place overall – went to Jamie Gibbs, an analytics director at Nike, who ran the route in two hours, 48 minutes.

There were no Olympic-level runners in Sunday’s event, according to Jared Rohatinsky, the CEO of Brooksee, a Utah-based race producer which oversaw the event for the first time.

The former race and route were scrapped in 2018 after lackluster attendance and a state investigation into the finances of the then-marathon director. A long city search for a new producer meant marathon registration didn’t open until this spring. Typically, the schedules of Olympic-caliber athletes are booked a year and a half in advance, Rohatinsky explained.

In past statements, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, a runner himself, had said he hoped the new company would energize turnout and turn Portland’s marathon into “a world-class event worthy of a host city that’s known for running.” Wheeler came in 883rd at Sunday’s event.

Runners interviewed Sunday agreed that the new course, which moved runners through some of Portland’s most beloved areas, had taken a turn for the better after decades of lingering too long in the more industrial parts of town.

The IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha attendances were a disaster and will impact Qatar's chances of ever hosting an Olympic Games

The empty Doha stadium at the World Athletics Championships has scuppered Qatar's chances of landing an Olympic Games for at least 20 years, bidding experts believe.

The tiny Middle East nation was previously beaten by Tokyo to next summer's games, and has hinted it could launch renewed bids for either 2032 or 2036.

However, one source close to the International Olympic Committee said dismal attendances for the athletics is seen a "disaster" for any potential application.

Michael R Payne, the former marketing director of the IOC, also told the Daily Telegraph that poor local interest would be a "red line".

"In terms of the Olympics, I'd go straight back to the drawing board," he said. "Clearly the first question is going to be 'why would the hosting of our championship be any different'. It's such a fundamental red line to cross. There is an issue of respect for the athletes. How do they feel having trained all their lives for this? Clearly something has gone very wrong. For an Olympics, expectation would probably be now that you would see one or other Middle East country coming forward before Qatar."

The athletics had sent a "very negative signal as to Doha's ability to host any major event", Payne added. Qatar was controversially awarded football's 2022 World Cup, but FIFA insists there is enough local interest across the region to ensure any local allocations of tickets sell out.

On Sunday night Denise Lewis was among leading figures in athletics to criticise organisers after eventual silver medalist Dina Asher-Smith ran sprint finals in front of rows of empty seats in the 40,000-capacity stadium. Payne, who now works as a consultant strategic adviser, said the athletics had illustrated the dangers of building "empty cathedrals". 

He added. "You can build the greatest stadiums, you can have unlimited budgets to do incredible ceremonies and make it all work, but you do need to have to people in the stadium," he said. "I think it is incomprehensible for athletes in any sport to compete in their world championships in front of an empty stadium.

"It sends a terrible image and I'm sure the television ratings will be negatively impacted. At the end of the day, what's the point of building big stadiums for the people in the country - it's an empty cathedral."

Speaking on the BBC,  2000 Olympic heptathlon champion Lewis said the IAAF has "let down" the athletes competing in the Qatar capital city. "I can't deny, I walked into the stadium and thought 'is this the World Championships?'' Lewis said.

Lelisa Desisa wins the marathon at the IAAF World Athletic Championships in Doha

Lelisa Desisa added a world marathon gold to the silver he won in Moscow six years ago as he and teammate Mosinet Geremew headed an Ethiopian one-two on the Corniche in conditions that were significantly more forgiving than those that had seen a slew of women marathoners pulling out on the opening day of the championships.

Desisa clocked a season’s best of 2:10:40, with Geremew four seconds back. Bronze went to Kenya’s Amos Kipruto, who finished in 2:10:51, with Britain’s Callum Hawkins clocking 2:10:57 to repeat his fourth placing from the 2017 World Championships marathon in London.

With the temperature at about 29C (84F), and humidity at about 48%, the two Ethiopians were part of a group that caught up with early breakaway leader Derlys Ayala of Paraguay just before halfway point and maintained enough energy to push on to glory in the final kilometre.

They left in their wake Kenya’s Kipruto, who had also been a part of the long-time leading group, and Hawkins, whose massive mid-race effort brought him into the lead group of three with only a couple of kilometres to go.

The effort to get there, however, cost the Briton dearly, and he had to accept his second successive fourth place in this event following the London running two years ago.

In the interim, Hawkins hit the headlines when he collapsed in the heat of the Gold Coast when he was only a mile or so away from what looked like a runaway win at the Commonwealth Games.

On this occasion he maintained his effort to the line, although that seemed little consolation to him in the immediate aftermath.

So Desisa went one better than he had in 2013, although the action that earned him most renown that year was his gesture in donating his Boston Marathon winning medal back to the city in sympathy with the bombing that took place near the finish line nearly three hours after he had passed it.

"It was hot, but I prepared perfectly for this race," said Desisa, who won the New York City Marathon last year. "I am very tired. But after I took silver in Moscow, this time I kept my power better.”

Zersenay Tadese, Eritrea’s five-time world half-marathon champion, led the lead group for much of the second half of the race before dropping to sixth place in 2:11:29.

One place above him, in 2:11:09, was South Africa’s Stephen Mokoka, who had also taken the responsibility for the lead for long periods.

Ayala, who had run a personal best of 2:10:27 only two weeks earlier in Buenos Aires, dropped out very soon after the halfway mark – one of 18 who failed to finish from the field of 73.

Marathoners are ready to sweat it out in Doha tonight and Kenyan runners should be leading the pack

If recent history is any guide, the men’s marathon title is likely to go to an African runner with Kenya entering four runners led by defending champion Geoffrey Kirui who will be out defending the title at midnight.

Despite the race starting at midnight in an attempt to avoid the brutal heat of the day, temperatures are still expected to be 30C as marathoners take on the course along the waterfront of Doha’s famous Corniche connecting Doha Bay and Doha City Centre, set against the capital city’s towering skyline.

Unlike track and field being staged in an air-conditioned Khalifa International Stadium, marathoners have to endure the unforgiving Qatari heat as witnessed on day during the women’s race where also half the field failed to complete simply because you can’t air-condition 42km of road.

Kirui who is also the 2017 Boston Marathon winner will partner with Laban Korir who has wealth of experience on the roads having won Setúbal Half Marathon in Portugal, and another followed at the 2009 Pombal Meia Maratona.

At the 2011 Amsterdam Marathon, he finished second with his run of 2:06:05 behind his compatriot Wilson Chebet. Korir then won the 2014 Toronto Waterfront Marathon with a time of 2:08:15. He holds a personal best of 2:05.05 from Armsterdam Marathon in 2016.

Paul Lonyangata is another member of the squad that holds personal best of 2:06.1.

Amos Kipruto is the fourth member of the team, he made his marathon running at the  2016 Rome Marathon with a victory. In 2017, Kipruto won the Seoul Marathon in 2:05:54, before finishing fifth in the Amsterdam Marathon in 2:05:43. He was runner-up at the 2018 Berlin marathon.  

Away from the Kenyans Mosinet Geremew tops the entry list with a PB of 2:02:55, set as he followed home Kenya’s Olympic champion and world record-holder Eliud Kipchoge as he won the London Marathon.

Mule Wasihun was one place behind in London in a personal best of 2:03:16 that places him third in this season’s list also.

A side-by-side comparison of Kipchoge and Bekele’s Berlin Marathons

On Sunday morning, Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia ran just two seconds outside of the marathon world record in a finishing time of 2:01:41. On a slightly wet and humid day, following what Bekele described as a less than ideal build, his run on Sunday was phenomenal–but not quite good enough for a world record.

Both Kipchoge and Bekele ran their times on identical Berlin courses one year apart, and when examining the splits of the race, they’re shockingly similar except for a few minor differences (but when you’re talking about two seconds overall, minor differences matter).

If you put the splits side by side, Kipchoge and Bekele ran identical times through 5K (14:24), two seconds apart through 20K (57:56 and 57:58), one second apart through the half (1:01:05 and 1:01:06) and at 40K, nearly identical times again (1:55:30 to 1:55:32).

The biggest discrepancy in cumulative time between the two runs was the 30K split. Kipchoge was at 1:26:45 in 2018 and Bekele was 1:26:55 in 2019. Ten seconds in a marathon at most levels is a blink of an eye, but when we’re talking two seconds away from a world record, it makes a difference. The 30K mark was when when Bekele was noticeably behind Birhanu Legese, who was in a comfortable lead. Over the next 12K, Bekele made up a lot of time, but not quite enough time to snag the world record.

Relative to Kipchoge, Bekele started slightly faster (5-15K) and finished (25-40K) slightly slower. It’s possible that Kipchoge’s more conservative start could have given him the edge one year ago.

n two weeks’ time, Kipchoge will line up once again in hopes of making history. The current world record holder is aiming to become the first person to run under two hours for the marathon, a mark he attempted in 2017 with the help of Nike and the creation of the Breaking2 project.

Men’s World Championship steeplechase final goes to photo finish

It was a very tight finish in the men's 3,000m steeplechase between Kenya's Kipruto and Girma of Ethiopia

he men’s 3,000m steeplechase final has been the toughest to call of any of the finishes in the World Championships thus far. The race was a battle between Conseslsus Kipruto of Kenya, Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia, Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco and Getnet Wale of Ethiopia. In the end, it was reigning World Champion Kipruto who took the title once more over Girma. They were seperated by 0.01s.

Kipruto finished in 8:01.35 which is a world lead, second place went to Girma in 8:01.36 and third to El Bakkali in 8:03.76. Canadian Matt Hughes finished 14th in the final in 8:24.78.

In contrast, Monday’s women’s steeplechase was not a close call. Beatrice Chepkoech of Kenya ran away from the field to win the World Championships and set a new championship record of 8:57.84. The Kenyan runner, who’s the world record-holder in the event (at 8:44), lost to American Emma Coburn (who finished second Monday) at the 2017 championships.

Callum Hawkins has been training in a heat chamber for Doha

The last time Callum Hawkins tried to win a marathon gold medal he went viral – with the images of him collapsing with heatstroke and dehydration at last year’s Commonwealth Games in Australia spreading around the world.

But as the 27-year-old Scot prepares to run 26.2 miles in the 32C heat and 50% humidity of Doha he has revealed a secret weapon: using a stack of heaters while on a treadmill in his shed to replicate the desert conditions at the world championships.

“I’ve been doing a bit of work in a heat chamber to prepare as well as getting the Aldi heaters,” he says. “I got it up to 39 degrees at one point. It’s a big proper shed and not a wee tiny one.”

Hawkins, who finished fourth at the 2017 world championships in London, insists he is not worried about a repeat of the Gold Coast – despite nearly half the field in the women’s marathon being forced to pull out due to the extreme conditions.

When asked what were the odds of him buying a one-way ticket back home after seeing that race, he laughed. “Never even thought of it,” he said.

“I’ve prepared well or at least I think I’ve prepared well. I learned a lot from watching it and I’ve got eight years of learning. It’s mainly about being patient – make sure I’m close enough but not doing too much or overheating.

“I’ve run well in the heat in the past – I ran decent in Rio and London in 2017 was not roasting but it was getting up there, into the 20s in the sun. Everyone is in the same boat. It’s about who prepares best and making sure your race plan matches the conditions.”

Most of the world’s top marathon runners will not be here – Eliud Kipchoge, the Olympic champion, is preparing to go under two hours in Vienna while Mo Farah will run at the Chicago marathon on Sunday week. However, Hawkins insists he is still facing a strong field.

“It’s got two Ethiopians who were second and third in London, the former world champion and the Kenyan team is always strong,” he said. “But we saw at the women’s that times don’t really matter, what you’ve done in the past doesn’t really matter. The women were 15 minutes off their best; it’s about who can get closest to their actual best. With the conditions it’s anyone’s race.”

Leah Olson will be running the Portland Marathon for her marathoner dad, who was diagnosed with Lou Gherig’s Disease

"He'd always give me the rose at the end": A Portland Marathon dream changes after an ALS diagnosis.

Leah Olson is running the Portland Marathon this weekend for her dad Marc, who was diagnosed earlier this year with Lou Gherig’s Disease, the debilitating illness most often called ALS.

While it’s been a difficult time for the family, they’ve found a way to channel their energy into a fundraiser to find a cure, and the support around them keeps growing. The 26-mile race holds emotional memories. Leah grew up watching her dad run the Portland Marathon, where every finisher gets a rose.

“He'd always give me the rose at the end,” she said.Over the years, Marc has finished 35 marathons. His personal record is less than three hour. Running is something he’s always done.

Leah's dream has always been to run a marathon with her dad, but that dream changed on February 5th of this year, when Marc was diagnosed with ALS.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis weakens muscles. For Leah’s dad, the effects started out small. “May of 2018 he began to have a little problem speaking and it was a tiny slur in his voice,” said Gina Olson, Leah’s mother. Now swallowing and speaking are difficult. Also difficult to deal with is the news that the average life span after diagnoses is typically two to five years. “Two neurologists my parents went to essentially told them, spend time with loved ones. My dad has a lot of fight in him and he wasn't ready to take -- and we weren’t ready to take -- this diagnosis as a death sentence,” said Leah. So with Leah leading the way, the family jumped into action committed to doing something positive and raising money to help researchers find a cure. “We sent over 600 mail letters that I hand signed,” said Leah of the effort to inform family and friends.

While Leah and her dad won't be running the Portland Marathon together, they're both facing marathons, just of a different kind. “I'm running a physical marathon, the 26.2 miles. But dad is running a metaphorical marathon through his fight to defeat ALS,” said Leah. Marc's marathon is his hardest yet. But he's got the support of many.

“All you can do is try and solve it and help other people, and that's what they're doing by being so supportive of me,” said Marc, whose speech is affected by the disease. But despite the scary prognosis, the Olson family is maintaining their spirit, and doing something to make a difference in not only their own lives, but the lives of others who are also suffering from ALS. They’re hoping their fight will inspire others to do the same.

Marc is currently involved in a clinical trial for an experimental drug that could help. It’s possible he could be a part of the placebo group, but the Olson family remains hopeful that he's getting the drug.

Can Ethiopian runner Tadelech Bekele win the TCS Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday October 20 for the third time

The Ethiopian runner already made history in Amsterdam by convincingly winning the last two events. A third victory would be even more significant if she breaks the course record of 2.21.09. Former world-champion Linet Masai is a formidable opponent for Bekele. The Kenyan is also in the race to win the fast autumn marathon in Amsterdam.

After achieving fantastic times in the half marathon (1.08.38) and the 10 km (30.38), Tadelech Bekele made her debut in the Berlin marathon in 2014. She put in a stunning performance over the classic distance, with a time of 2.23.02.

The 28-year old athlete from The NN Running Team then gradually upped her pace in the marathon and achieved her PB in 2018. That same year, the Ethiopian was third in the London Marathon with a personal record of 2.21.40; she then went onto win in Amsterdam.

Organiser Le Champion has a former world-champion on the start line, in the shape of Linet Masai. In 2009, Masai was 10,000 m world champion. As a junior over this distance, the Kenyan was third at the Olympic Games in 2008 in Beijing (only awarded in 2017). She is also a class apart on the roads. In 2009 and 2014, she won the Dam tot Damloop and ran the half marathon in 1.08.50.

After having a baby, she decided to make her debut in the marathon last year. In a strong field in the TCS Amsterdam Marathon, she was fifth with a time of 2.23.46. In Amsterdam, we are all looking forward to the return of this fast Kenyan runner.

New Half-Marathon to Debut in Chicago in June 2020

The Bank of America Chicago 13.1 will debut on Sunday, June 7, 2020, anchoring a three-day health and wellness festival on Chicago’s West Side, race organizers announced Thursday. The new half-marathon is described as a "running tour of Chicago’s West Side neighborhoods."

The addition adds a third premier race to organizers' portfolio, which includes the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle.

"I’ve watched Chicago running transform over the past 30 years, and one of the questions I get asked most frequently is 'when are you going to put on a half marathon,'" said Carey Pinkowsi, Bank of America Chicago Marathon executive race director, in a statement.

Registration for both the 2020 Bank of America Chicago 13.1 and the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle opens at 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 7. The registration fee for the Chicago 13.1 will start at $95, and the Shamrock Shuffle registration fee will start at $39.

"We are excited to start our next chapter by bringing a world-class half marathon to our city," Pinkowsi said, "and to further our mission to grow the sport and welcome new runners."

Paul Lambert, Bank of America Chicago market president, said the new race "has been years in the making."

"We're excited to debut our newest distance event that will take runners on a tour of the city’s West Side," Lambert said in a statement, "highlighting the dynamic neighborhoods and diversity that make our city one of the best in the world."

The group's longest race, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, is set for Oct. 13, 2019.

Registration for the 2020 Missoula Marathon weekend opened on Tuesday

Registration for the 2020 Missoula Marathon weekend of events opened on Tuesday, October 1st and runners from all over the country have already entered.  Race director Tony Banovich noted that “Registration has been strong since we opened, with runners and walkers from over 35 states and 3 foreign countries already being represented.  Registering early allows our participants to get the best possible value for one of the top rated events in the United States.”

The Missoula Marathon has been named the #1 Marathon In The US by The BibRave 100 in 2017 and 2018; and, was named as a Top 10 Bucket List Marathon by Runner’s World Magazine in 2018 and 2019.  According to Banovich “We like to think that we provide a great weekend experience for our runners. 

With great access to Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, hiking, fishing, biking, wildlife viewing and more, the Missoula Marathon can be a great anchor for your visit to the Treasure State.”  Register today and start planning your very own Big Sky adventure.

The 2020 Missoula Marathon weekend will include a Friday Social Beer Run, Friday and Saturday Runner Expo, Saturday 5K and Kids Marathon, and Sunday Marathon and Half Marathon.  Over 6,000 participants are expected for 2020.

Chris Dunn-Veale, 46, runs 856km, completed nine ultra-marathons, with one race 106km long, seven 100km long, and one 50km

Chris said it felt "really good" to have completed the challenge.

He added: "It was amazing. I still can't quite get over it."Just talking about it doesn't seem real.

"I actually ended up doing 860km, because the last race added an extra 4km due to horrendous weather!".

The feat was part of Chris' wider Challenge 10,000 - which began in 2017 - to raise cash for the charity Epilepsy Research UK, which he is a ambassador of - after losing one of his friends to the condition.

Chris began his ultra marathon challenge back in May on the Isle of Wight, and it saw him traverse some of the toughest running areas of the country, including The Jurassic Coast, parts of the Cotswolds, the Peak District, and Beachy Head.

The final race was last weekend.

Chris also wanted to give a big thanks to Matt Chappell and Charlie Blake, and Evolve Health.

He said: "They have really looked after me so well throughout the challenge, and they were absolutely amazing.

"They really kept me going, they helped me recover and stay fit, and sponsored me throughout.

"I want to thank everyone at Evolve Health, a lot".

Chris's Challenge 10,000 is still running, with the Epilepsy Research Charity Goal Challenge continuing to raise funds.

Clubs across Salisbury, and from as far as Bognor Regis to Weston-super-Mare, will donate £3.50 every time a certain player scores or keeps a clean sheet.

Nine-time U.S. champion Aliphine Tuliamuk has been added to the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon

Aliphine Tuliamuk will race her second TCS New York City Marathon and has had previous success in Central Park with three consecutive podium finishes at the 2016, 2017, and 2018 NYRR New York Mini 10K.

Earlier this year, she finished third at the Rotterdam Marathon in 2:26:48, becoming the first American woman to hit the Olympic qualifying standard for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Ethiopia’s Worknesh Degefa, winner of the 2019 Boston Marathon, has scratched from the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon after suffering from metatarsalgia in her left foot which caused her to lose too much training time.

This year’s professional athlete field will include all four previously announced defending champions: Kenya’s Mary Keitany, Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa, the United States’ Daniel Romanchuk, and Switzerland’s Manuela Schär. Keitany will go for her fifth career title in New York, Schär will race for her third consecutive crown, and Desisa and Romanchuk will look to post back-to-back victories.

In total, 13 Olympians and 18 Paralympians will toe the line, including Rio 2016 U.S. Olympians Des Linden and Jared Ward and 17-time U.S. Paralympic medalist Tatyana McFadden.

The 2019 TCS New York City Marathon will be televised live on Sunday, November 3, on WABC-TV, Channel 7 in the New York tristate area, throughout the rest of the nation on ESPN2, and around the world through various international broadcasters.

The TCS New York City Marathon is the largest marathon in the world and the signature event of New York Road Runners (NYRR), the world’s premier community running organization.

The race is held annually on the first Sunday of November and includes over 50,000 runners, from the world’s top professional athletes to runners of all ages and abilities, including over 9,000 charity runners. Participants from over 125 countries tour the diverse neighborhoods of New York City’s five boroughs—Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan. Race morning also features the Rising New York Road Runners Youth Invitational at the TCS New York City Marathon, a race within Central Park that ends at the marathon finish line.

More than one million spectators and 10,000 volunteers line the city’s streets in support of the runners, while millions more watch the globally televised broadcast. The race is a founding member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, which features the world’s top marathons—Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York.  Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization, is the premier partner of NYRR and the title sponsor of the TCS New York City Marathon.

Dina Asher-Smith wins gold in national record of 21.88, at world 200m making history for Great Britain

Not so long ago Dina Asher-Smith studied history. Now, with each thunderous stride on the track, she makes it. And on a balmy desert night she summoned up a performance of shock and awe to become the first British female sprinter to win a world championship title.

This was not so much a race as a 91-step exhibition of Asher-Smith’s staggering athletic talents. The usual rocketing start. Then a bend so geometrically perfect it could have been drawn by a compass. And, finally, grace and power right to the finish. Long before she crossed the line in 21.88 sec – a time that lowered her own national record – gold was in the bag.

Then, after a little jig of joy, the scale of her accomplishment began to hit, and her eyes began to water. “Normally I am so chatty and full of energy, but I am lost for words,” she said. “Everybody keeps saying world champion, world title, but it hasn’t sunk in and honestly I don’t think it ever will. I have dreamed of this and now it’s real.”

Such was Asher-Smith’s symphony of destruction that her nearest rivals, the US silver medallist Brittany Brown, who ran 22.22sec, and the Swiss athlete Mujinga Kambundji, who claimed bronze in 22.51, were barely in her slipstream. The champagne, however, will be put on ice until after the 4x100m relay final on Saturday.

It is 15 years since Asher-Smith was persuaded to do her first cross-country race at primary school and hated it. Halfway round she nearly stopped – only for her parents to promise her an ice cream if she kept going. She ended up finishing fifth out of 400 and a glorious track and field career was born.

After Wednesday night’s win she paid tribute to her coach, John Blackie, who has known her since she was eight – and knew, even then, that she was a little bit special. “I wasn’t the fastest when I was younger, but I worked so hard with my coach John,” she said, smiling. “That we’re champions together means so much to me.”

There were also the warmest of words for her father, Winston, and her mother, Julie, who have proudly followed her journey through windswept local athletics tracks to arenas around the world. “My mum and dad have been to every single one. English schools. National athletics league. Junior competitions. All the way through to the world championships and Olympics.”

She knows that next year’s Olympics will be tougher – especially as the world’s best 200m runner, Shaunae Miller-Uibo, was unable to compete here because of scheduling clashes with her favourite event, the 400m. But Asher-Smith’s achievements in Doha should not be played down. Her 200m time was so fast it would have won 13 of the 17 world championships.

“Obviously you want to run in front of a stacked field but at the same time a world title is a world title,” said Asher-Smith, who looked back to her first moment on the world stage when she won 200m and 4x100m relay golds at the European Junior Championships in 2013.

In 2018 the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Generated Record $378M for City's Economy

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon generated a record-breaking $378 million for the city's economy last year, marking a $40 million increase from 2017, race organizers announced Wednesday. 

The number marks the second consecutive year the marathon's economic impact exceeded $300 million, officials said. 

“The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is not only one of the largest and most prestigious marathons in world, but it is also an economic engine for our city – including a record-setting $378 million last year – that takes runners through 29 dynamic neighborhoods that together showcase our city’s diversity, history, and beauty,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement.

“As mayor and as a fan, I look forward to joining Chicagoans and cheering on runners from all 50 states and more than 100 countries for the 42nd annual Bank of America Chicago Marathon.”

The 2018 economic impact comes from a recent study conducted by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Regional Economics Applications Laboratory. The study found the 2018 race brought more than $154 million to the local tourism industry, adding 2,592 jobs and $127 million worth of wages and salary income. 

“It’s been amazing to watch our event grow year after year. On top of the economic impact the marathon has on Chicago, we saw 10,000 charity runners raise a record-breaking $22.7 million for worthy causes last year,” Carey Pinkowski, Bank of America Chicago Marathon executive race director, said in a statement.

“To see Chicagoans welcome friends and family from all across the country, and the world, to our one-of-a-kind event each year is incredibly special.”

MBNA Chester Marathon have announced important changes ahead of this weekend's race due to severe weather conditions

Active Leisure Events who put on the annual MBNA Chester Marathon and Metric Marathon said all races are still due to go ahead this Sunday (October 6) but they have had to make some changes to the start and finish lines.

To ensure the event goes ahead as planned, they have made some essential changes due to this week's 'adverse' weather conditions which has seen torrential rain that has left extremely poor ground conditions at Chester Racecourse where the race is due to start and finish.

The changes are as follows:

Change of start location - Both the MBNA Chester Marathon & Metric Marathon will now start on Nuns Road instead of the Roodee, at the planned start times – 9am for the marathon & 10.15am for the metric.

Runners’ pens will be set out along this road which runs behind and parallel to the Chester Racecourse main stands. Runners will move through the starting gantry & then turn left onto New Crane Street and from here the route will continue as planned up Southview Road, Canal Street & through the city.

Change of finish location - Both races will now finish on Castle Drive, alongside the historic Chester Walls. Due to the new finish location, runners will be routed around Chester’s historic Grosvenor Park prior to following Dee Lane to the iconic run in on The Groves. There will be a marquee at the finish, where you will pick up your finisher’s medal, t-shirt & goody bag as normal.

The new start and finish areas mean that the whole route is now on hard surfaces (no grass) so whatever the weather is on race day, your trainers should be clean, even if they aren’t dry!

A spokesperson for Active Leisure Events added: "Whether it is your first or 100th marathon we promise you an amazing race, and a memorable finale to the 2019 Chester triple.

Olympic bronze medalist Emma Coburn, Takes Silver Medal With Personal-Best Finish In Steeplechase

Olympic bronze medalist Emma Coburn, a Crested Butte native now living and training in Boulder,  ran a personal best time in the 3,000-meter steeplechase final at the IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar, on Monday, but it wasn’t enough to defend her title.

Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech took off on her own from the start of the race, opened up a huge gap and ended up setting a world championship record to win the gold medal with a time of 8:57.84.

Coburn’s personal best time of 9:02.35 took the silver medal, two years after she became the first American woman ever to win the event at either the world championships or Olympic Games. German Gesa Felicitas Krause took bronze in 9:03.30.

As Chepkoech took off on her own, Coburn sat in the front of the chase pack with Kenya’s Hyvin Kiyeng and as the race went on they were joined by Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai. The pack of six held together until Coburn made her move, opening up her own gap and looking comfortable doing it, but Chepkoech was too far ahead to be run down and ended Coburn’s bid for a repeat as world champion. Chepkoech has now won 16 out of 18 races in 2018 and 2019.

“That’s how I thought it would go,” Coburn said. “That how (Chepkoech has) been running all the Diamond Leagues. The only race she’s lost the couple years is when she ran with the pack and got out-kicked so I expected that from her. I was really happy Kiyeng pushed the pace for the chase pack and I just vowed to do no work until I was ready to make a move and with about 800 to go, I accelerated and didn’t look back.”

Coburn has a way of running her best at the most critical moments. She ran a time of 9:07.63 at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and then a championship and American record 9:02.58 in winning gold at the world championships two years ago.

“It’s important to bring your best at these championships and at the last two championships I brought my personal best in the final and came away with the medal,” she said. “Actually the last three, at the Olympics I (ran a personal best) in all those finals so I like how may body feels in these races and I’m really proud of tonight’s effort.”

World 10,000 meters champion Sifan Hassan says her career has been thrown into uncertainty by Salazar ban

Sifan Hassan says her career has been thrown into uncertainty after her coach Alberto Salazar was handed a four-year ban.

The 61-year-old American was banned by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for “orchestrating and facilitating prohibited doping conduct” as head coach of the Nike Oregon Project (NOP), a camp designed primarily to develop U.S. endurance athletes.

Salazar has denied wrongdoing and vowed to appeal and Nike said it will stand by the coach. There has been no suggestion of wrongdoing by Hassan.

Ethiopian-born Hassan, who joined the NOP in 2016, told Dutch broadcaster NOS that she was stunned by the news.

“I am always clean. I always want to stay clean,” said the 26-year-old, who won the 10,000 meters at the world athletics championship on Saturday and will also run the 1,500 meters later in the competition.

“I never thought something went wrong in this training group. Never.”

She was not sure what would happen next.

“Next year we have the Olympics, where do I have to go then? Do I have to find a new coach? Do I have to do an other training? Do I have to meet other people?,” she said.

Ad Roskam, technical director of the Netherlands athletics federation, said that Hassan would be guided by the Dutch head coach Charles van Commenee for the rest of the competition.

“We first of all are here for the world championships. That has to run smoothly for the whole team,” he added.

In a statement issued earlier on Tuesday, Hassan said the USADA investigation was focused on the period before she joined the NOP and “has no relation to me.”

She said she was saddened that the announcement was made during the world championships.

Ugandan Stephen Kiprotich is seeking to bounce back when he lines up on Saturday for the men’s marathon at the World Championship in Doha

The former Olympic champion, who is under the Global Sports Communications stable, has been training in Kaptagat, Elgeyo Marakwet County, for the last three months.

Nation Sport caught up with him finalising his training at Moi University Campus-Annex School of law track.

He said there is no love lost between him and his Kenyan training mates. "My training has been going on well. What remains is for me to apply what I have been working on for the last three months,” said Kiprotich.

"I’m ready to face other competitors globally. It will be a difficult task, but I will do my best and make sure I get a medal.”

Kiprotich said he drew inspiration from World record holder and Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge and his other training mate, Geoffrey Kamworor, who is fresh from breaking the half marathon record. He optimistic of performing well.

Kenyan Bedan Karoki said Tuesday he is hopeful to win his first marathon race in Chicago

Kenyan Bedan Karoki said Tuesday he is hopeful to win his first marathon race when he takes on defending champion Mo Farah at the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 13.

"I know top names like Mo Farah will be on parade and it inspires me to bring out the best performance. It will not be the first time I am running against Farah though. I believe the real danger is in the huge Kenyan representation in the race," Karako said.

He will be up against Farah, his British compatriots Boston Marathon champion Lawrence Cherono and Kenneth Kipkemoi, who was a close third in Boston.

Karoki, 29, will be making his seventh attempt at the distance with his best effort having come in this year where he won silver in Tokyo. He also has a bronze medal from the 2017 London Marathon. Other races he has competed in include Fukuoka and Chicago.

"I believe Chicago will be good to me and that is why I must give it my best shot," he added.

Kenya's Hellen Obiri is undecided for title defence in Doha

Defending champion, Kenya’s Hellen Obiri, is a major doubt for the first round of women’s 5000 meters race of the 2019 World Athletics Championships which goes down Wednesday evening from 6.25pm.

Obiri, who finished fifth in the final of women’s 10,000m race, indicated that she would assess her condition and consult coaches before deciding whether or not to compete in the race.

“I am yet to decide whether I will compete,” Obiri said in a brief statement on Tuesday.

On Saturday after women’s 10,000m race, Obiri said she has had a long season in which she had scaled up to the 25-lap race which had placed extra demands on her body.

“My body got a bit tired after I scaled up to 10,000m. As you know, it involves more laps than 5,000m and I think my body took a beating. It has been a long season for me and my body needs a break,” she said on Saturday.

The annual St. George Marathon is set for its 43rd run Saturday morning

The annual St. George Marathon is set for its 43rd run Saturday morning, and entrants in the 2020 race will have the option to run a half-marathon.

According to a press release issued by the city of St. George, the marathon is the city’s signature event, having received accolades for a variety of superlatives, including the course itself and the enthusiasm of its more than 1,000 volunteers.

“The marathon would not be the event it has become without the efforts and support of our great community — from the participants, to our City staff and especially the volunteers,” Leisure Service Director Shane McAffee said. “The marathon is such a beautiful reflection of our scenery and the great people that reside here.”

The event officially begins Friday with the Marathon Expo at the Dixie Convention Center. It is free for the public to attend and where runners pick up their packets. The booths, free samples, photo opportunities and keynote speakers combine to kickstart to the weekend.

At Vernon Worthen Park, the “Marathon Fun Walk Run n’ Roll” events begin at 6 p.m. Friday. Children ages 3-12 or anyone with special needs are invited to participate. After the event, (200-meter or 1-mile distances), everyone is invited to celebrate with a party in the park that will go until 8 p.m.

On the morning of the marathon, Mayor Jon Pike will lead hundreds of participants in the traditional Mayor’s Walk. The approximate 2-mile walk begins at Sandtown Park and ends at Vernon Worthen Park, where scones are provided by the Exchange Club of St. George.

“The whole day is just a wonderful tradition and a great citywide celebration,” Pike said.

Starting next year, there will be a half-marathon called the St. George 13.1. During this year’s Expo, interested runners can lock in the lowest rate for the 2020 St. George 13.1 — $60.

“We’ve noticed throughout the years that marathon runners receive a lot of support from their families. The option of a half marathon may encourage more participation within the family who are already in — or plan to be in — St. George that weekend,” said Michelle Graves, race director and deputy director of arts and events for the city of St. George. “You need not be a participant in this year’s marathon to sign up for the St. George 13.1 — but that $60 rate is only good for the day of the Expo.”

Five Nike Oregon Project athletes will be without their coach, Alberto Salazar for the remainder of the World Championships

Donovan Brazier (800m), Clayton Murphy (800m), Yomif Kejelcha (10,000m), Konstanze Klosterhalfen (1,500m and 5,000m) and Sifan Hassan (5,000m and 10,000m) all have races to run at the World Championships and will all be without their coach heading into those events.

The Nike Oregon Project athletes are all in medal contention, with Hassan claiming the 10,000m title on Saturday.

The US Anti-Doping Agency has banned Alberto Salazar, head coach of the Nike Oregon Project, for four years following a years-long investigation and secret arbitration case.

The details appear in a BBC report by journalist Mark Daly and a statement by USADA outlining the specific charges, which include trafficking in testosterone (a banned substance), illegal methods and evidence-tampering at the NOP’s Beaverton, Oregon headquarters.

Salazar is former coach to Mo Farah and Kara Goucher and current coach of marathoner Galen Rupp and the newly-crowned 10,000m champion Sifan Hassan, among others. The ban went into effect yesterday, September 30.

All five NOP athletes have had great seasons. Hassan (outdoor) and Kejelcha (indoor) both set mile world records, Murphy and Brazier have been Diamond League standouts and Klosterhalfen is currently ranked eighth in the world for the women’s 1,500m.

The IAAF has confirmed that Salazar’s World Championship accreditation has been deactivated. He’s not allowed in the Khalifa International Stadium or to have access to any of his athletes.

Both Brazier and Murphy run the 800m final this evening. The NOP athletes will now likely defer to their federations coaching staff for assistance before their races.

Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris, Repeats As 5,000 World Champion

Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris, the man who two years ago shocked the world by knocking off Mo Farah to capture the men’s 5000-meter world title, has done it again. Edris came into the 2019 IAAF Worlds Athletics Championships as a 15/2 underdog, having done nothing this year (his SB was just 13:29), but he will leave it once again with a gold medal hanging around his neck as he used a 55.07 final lap to close out a 3:59.63 final 1600 (64.62, 60.84, 58.99, 55.07) and come from behind to win gold in 12:58.85.

Edris’ compatriot Selemon Barega, who ran 12:43 last year, nabbed silver in 12:59.70. Moh Ahmed of the Bowerman Track Club made history for in third (13:01.11), earning Canada’s first-ever world or Olympic medal in an event longer than 1500 meters, after a confident run that saw him lead from 3800 until just after the bell.

Norway’s teen sensation Jakob Ingebrigtsen, 19, the youngest sub-4 miler in history and betting favorite, ended up fifth in 13:02.29 after putting forth his best impersonation of Steve Prefontaine at the 1972 Olympics. Ingebrigtsen boldly ran for gold taking the lead with just less than 300 meters to go before totally running out of gas in the last 100, which he covered in just 17.17 seconds.

Two of Ingebrigtsen’s older brothers were also in the race. Filip Ingebrigtsen was still with the lead pack with a lap and half to go and actually still ahead of the race winner Edris when he raised the white flag and stepped into the infield with 550 meters remaining, saving himself for the 1500 meters, where he won bronze in 2017. Henrik Ingebrigtsen was dropped early in the race and finished 13th in 13:36.25.

American Paul Chelimo, who had medalled as the last two global outdoor championships in the 5000, entered the final lap in 4th but ended up 7th in 13:05.27.

Kenyan compatriots, training partners and rivals Elisha Barno and Dominic Ondoro will renew their Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon rivalry on Sunday

Between them, the pair has won the last four editions of the event, with Barno entering this year’s race as the defending champion, but Ondoro still possessing the event record.  A wide-open women’s race will crown a new champion this year, with 2018 champ Sinke Biyadgilgn of Kenya racing elsewhere this fall.

Among the top women’s contenders are former Grandma’s Marathon record-holder Sarah Kiptoo of Kenya, 2014 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon runner-up Heather Lieberg of Helena, Mont., and Team USA Minnesota rising star Dakotah Lindwurm of Burnsville.

The men’s and women’s marathon favorites will be racing for $5000 winners’ checks and $25,000 course record bonuses.

In the Medtronic TC 10 Mile, set for earlier Sunday morning, balanced men’s and women’s fields will race for USATF titles, $12,500 winners’ checks and a $10,000 “Equalizer Bonus for the first champion – female or male – to cross the finish line in a competition where the women start the race ahead of the men.

With defending champions Shadrack Kipchirchir and Sarah Hall not in the field this year, attention is focused on Josef Tessema of Castle Rock, Colo., last year’s 5th place finisher, Scott Fauble, a USATF Championship runner-up at 25K and half marathon, and local favorite Tyler Jermann of Burnsville, who represents Team USA Minnesota.

The women’s field is headlined by Katy Jermann, (spouse of Tyler) runner up at the recent USATF 20K Championships, Anne-Marie Blaney of Rochester Hills, Mich., 6th here last year, and 2019 Grandma’s Marathon champion Nell Rojas of Boulder, Colo.

The Medtronic TC 10 Mile with its more than 13,000 runners will start at approximately 6:54 a.m. Sunday, with the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon and its more than 8,700 participants starting at 7:55 a.m.

Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Weekend kicks off at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 4, with the opening of the Health & Fitness Expo at Saint Paul RiverCentre. 

Alberto Salazar has been banned from coaching for four years beginning immediately for doping violations

Alberto Salazar, Nike Oregon Project coach and a Houston endocrinologist who had treated athletes belonging to the Portland-based training group, have been banned for four years for doping violations.

The decision was announced Monday by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and begins immediately. It is the result of a four-year investigation.

In a prepared statement, the USADA wrote that two, three-member arbitration panels had determined Salazar and Dr Jeffrey Brown should be banned for “orchestrating and facilitating prohibited doping conduct.”

The penalty stemmed from violations that included trafficking in testosterone, tampering with the doping control process and administering improper infusions of L-carnitine, a naturally occurring substance that converts fat into energy, the anti-doping agency said in a statement.

Salazar was notified in 2017 that he had violated doping rules, and he contested the findings by USADA, according to an anti-doping official familiar with the case who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The case was heard in arbitration last year, and the ban was imposed by an independent arbitration panel.

The British Broadcasting Corporation first reported the story.

Salazar is believed to be in Doha, Qatar, where a number of Oregon Project athletes are competing in the World Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Dutch distance runner Sifan Hassan of the Oregon Project won the world outdoor title in the women’s 5,000 meters and won the women’s 10,000 title on Saturday.

A former University of Oregon track star, Salazar has had a storied coaching career, guiding Olympic gold medalists Mo Farah and Matthew Centrowitz, as well as two-time Olympic medalist Galen Rupp.

Centrowitz and Farah left the Oregon Project before the ban was announced, Farah in 2017 and Centrowitz last year.

Salazar repeatedly has denied the charges.

Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce unstoppable taking fourth world title

Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce completed a quartet of 100m titles.

This very special athlete once again demonstrated her outrageous gift on another unforgettable night of athletics excellence inside the state-of-the-art Khalifa International Stadium.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce added title number four, a decade after winning her maiden crown – and coming just 13 months after giving birth to her son, it is surely her finest world title date.

The double Olympic champion made he characteristic bullet-like start and had already established a clear advantage on the seven-strong field by 30 metres.

The 32-year-old Jamaican superstar then simply accelerated from the opposition to stop the clock in 10.71 – exactly the same time she ran to win her second world title in Moscow and within 0.01 of her lifetime best.

Behind, Great Britain earned their first medal in this event in World Championship history as Dina Asher-Smith chipped 0.02 from her national record to claim silver in 10.83. Marie Josee Ta-Lou of Ivory Coast added the bronze in 10.90 to the silver medal she grabbed at the 2017 edition.

Registration for the 44th annual Grandma’s Marathon Opens October 1

Registration for the 44th annual Grandma’s Marathon Weekend, which includes Grandma’s Marathon, the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and the William A. Irvin 5K, will open at 7 p.m. CT on October 1, 2019.

Entries for Grandma’s Marathon will be taken on a first come, first serve basis until the race reaches 9,000 participants. Those who register to run the 26.2-mile race before December 31 will receive a free commemorative full-zip jacket. After December 31, runners will have the option to purchase the jacket.

Registration for the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon will also be conducted on a first come, first registered basis until the race capacity is filled at 7,500 participants. This year is the 30th Anniversary of the popular road race; therefore, the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon is expected to reach capacity very quickly once again.

The William A. Irvin 5K is limited to the first 2,000 participants. The 3.1-mile racecourse features a tour through Canal Park on Friday evening of race weekend.

The entry fee for the 44th running of Grandma’s Marathon starts at $110 with price increases scheduled until the race limit is met (see below for complete pricing structure). The Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon is $100 and the William A. Irvin 5K entry fee begins at $35.

Those looking for the ultimate race experience are invited to take the Great Grandma’s Challenge, which pairs the 5K with either the full or half marathon. Registration for the Great Grandma’s Challenge is limited to the first 500 individuals for each race and will also be available starting October  1.

Edith Chelimo of Kenya set a new course record to win the Great Scottish Run in Glasgow

The 33-year-old finished the half marathon in one hour, seven minutes 38 seconds after a powerful display of front running.

The men's champion, Timothy Toroitich, also led for a long way, breaking clear after seven miles.

The 27-year-old from Uganda finished well ahead of closest challenger Micah Kogo in a time of 1:01:29.

Kogo just held off fellow Kenyan Stephen Kiprop as the race concluded in Glasgow Green.

England's Chris Thompson, bidding for a third successive title, struggled with the fierce pace and finished seventh.

Nancy Kiprop was runner-up to Chelimo, with Askale Merachi of Ethiopia in third.

The name of IAAF will change to World Athletics in October at the conclusion of the World Championships

Though some countries claimed the new name does not translate well in all languages, the change will take effect at the conclusion of the World Championships.

After debating the issue at its biannual meeting coinciding with the World Championships in Doha, the IAAF Council voted on Thursday to change its name to World Athletics. This was on the heels of Sebastian Coe’s unanimous re-election Wednesday for another four-year term as president.

Though there was strong debate, with some French-speaking countries claiming the new name does not translate well into their language, Coe defended the move, saying it would make the organization more recognizable and attractive to a younger audience.

The name change is due to take effect after the conclusion of the World Championships currently underway in Doha.

The organization, founded in 1912 as the International Amateur Athletic Federation, changed its name in 2001 to International Association of Athletic Federations, which has the same initials, to reflect the fact that many of the athletes represented are, in fact, professionals and not amateurs.

The new brand identity for World Athletics is a stylized W for World, which is also symbolic of an athlete raising their arms in victory, and A for Athletics, which also represents the athlete’s focus in preparing for competition, with the purple and orange background representing the upward-sweeping lanes of a track.

Coe succeeded Lamine Diack as president in 2015. Diack has since been charged with corruption, influence-trafficking and money laundering with regard to the Russian doping scandal of 2015. His trial is expected to begin next year.

Sara Hall of Flagstaff finished fifth Sunday at the Berlin Marathon, first among American women

Sara Hall, 36, ran a personal best 2 hours, 22 minutes, 16 seconds, sixth fastest in U.S. marathon history. Her previous PR was 2:26.20 at the 2018 Ottawa Marathon.

The women’s race was won by Ashete Bekere in 2:20:14, pulling away at the end from fellow-Ethiopian Mare Dibaba, 2:20:21, with Kenya’s Sally Chepyego taking third overall in 2:21:06.

Hall’s time takes four minutes from her previous best time of 2:26:20 and moves her up to sixth in the U.S. all-time rankings.

“I’m very happy. It’s the first time I’ve run a marathon with negative splits,” Hall told Runner’s World. “When I began to catch other women after halfway, I had fun and ran some 5:15 miles. It got tough near the end, with strong wind and running alone, but I finished strong. Ryan and I knew I was ready for an improvement, and it’s good to do it well.”

Hall is among several women with Arizona ties who are U.S. contenders for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Others include Amy Cragg, Emily Sisson, Kellyn Taylor, Desiree Linden, Allie Kieffer and Stephanie Bruce. 

Hall also gave a lot of credit to her husband and coach, Ryan Hall, who is the American record holder in the half marathon. She said it was her best period of training ever, with not one day off for injury or illness since racing Boston in April.

“We knew from her training times that she was ready to move to a new level. It was a matter of getting it right in the race today,” Ryan Hall added.

The rain did not discourage the 25,000 registered at the Paris-Versailles race

The race Paris-Versailles (Yvelines), also called the classic, took place this morning. It was won by Julien Devanne and Laurie Lindekens.

From the foot of the Eiffel Tower, under a rain that left them no respite, the competitors have overcome the 16km of the course to Versailles.

As for women, it's Laurie Lindekens who won in 1h01m35s. She finished second last year, ahead of Carole Chassine and Leila Bessalem.

I improved my two-minute record, says the 24-year-old winner. I did not suffer and I managed the Guards coast well. I had a lot of fun. I like the folklore of this race. I also found how to spend a good rainy Sunday! "

On the men's side, Julien Devanne won in 52min; September 15, in Vannes, this computer consultant had been crowned French champion of half marathon. He is ahead of Faustin Guignon and Glenn Lastennet.

Three runners injured in hit-and-run at Standard Chartered KL Marathon

Three runners participating in the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon 2019 were injured after a car plugged through safety barriers before hitting them.

Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported that one of the runners was seriously injured while two others escaped with minor injuries.

A traffic police spokesperson from Ampang Jaya police headquarters told FMT that the car rammed into safety barriers set up along the Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road (MRR2) heading towards Gombak before crashing into the runners.

One of the victim’s colleagues posted on Facebook appealing for eye-witnesses to come forward and facilitate investigations.

The car driver is believed to have fled the scene, leaving the victim seriously injured. The make and model of the car is also unknown at the moment.

The victim’s colleague, who identified himself as Onizuka Rizuan, said his co-worker fractured his hip and pelvis and also suffered injuries to his head and hands.

The victim, aged 44, is believed to be in stable condition and is expected to undergo surgery. He is believed to be a constituency aide to former sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who is MP for Rembau. A photo posted on Onizuka’s page shows Khairy at the victim’s bedside.

Marathon organizers said this evening that they providing offering assistance to those affected by the incident and that they were cooperating with the authorities.

Sports minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman urged the authorities to “take swift action” and locate the driver who broke through the safety barriers.

The KL Marathon is an annual event held since 1989. More than 30,000 people took part in this year’s event, together with about 1,900 running tourists from 73 countries.

Sebastian Coe praises Tokyo 2020 marathon route after test event

International Association of Athletics Federations President Sebastian Coe has praised the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games marathon course, after a test event was held in the Japanese capital.

The warm-up races on Sunday (September 15), known as the Marathon Grand Championship, saw Japanese athletes bid to win a spot on the host nation's Olympic team.

Shogo Nakamura and Honami Maeda won the men's and women's races, respectively, and can now look forward to their home Games next year.

Second-place finishers Yuma Hattori and Ayuko Suzuki also qualified.

Runners followed the Olympic route but the start and finish, at Icho Namiki Avenue in Meiji Jingu Gaien Park, was different., as the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Stadium is still under construction.

Athletes passed by Tokyo landmarks including the Thunder Gate, Imperial Palace, Zojoji Temple and Nihombashi Bridge.

The course is mainly flat and similar to the one used at the Tokyo Marathon, part of the World Marathon Majors series.

"The marathon is a growing highlight of the athletics programme, with imaginative courses that show off the best of cities and are challenging for athletes and fan-friendly," said Coe, a double Olympic gold medallist for Britain over 1,500 metres.

"This marathon course highlights the essence of Tokyo – a blend of tradition and modernity."

The heat at the test event reached up to 28 degrees centigrade with a 75 per cent humidity.

Even warmer conditions are expected when the Olympics are held in July and August, a major headache for organisers after dozens of heat-related deaths in Tokyo.

The Olympic marathons start-time has already been moved back to 6am to avoid the hottest parts of the day.

Organisers used the test event to assess issues they may face next year.

Kenenisa Bekele wins Berlin Marathon just missed breaking the world record by two seconds

Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele won the Berlin Marathon in 2:01:41, the second-fastest time in history, on Sunday.

Bekele, 37, missed Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge‘s world record, set in Berlin last year, by two seconds.

Kipchoge skipped Berlin this year to attempt a special sub-two-hour marathon in October in Vienna, not under record-eligible conditions.

Former Olympic and world champion Kenenisa Bekele staged a thrilling comeback on Sunday, dramatically missing the world record by two seconds.  

Ethiopian Bekele, winner in Berlin in 2016 and world record holder over 5,000 and 10,000 meters, finished in two hours, one minute and 41 seconds, agonizingly close to Eliud Kipchoge's world record time despite a full sprint in the final 400 meters.

"I felt a little pain in the beginning so I dropped behind," Bekele told reporters. "After a few kilometers I started relaxing so I tied to push a little bit.

"I am very sorry. I am not lucky. I am very happy running my personal best. But I still can do this (world record). I don't give up. It is encouraging for the future."

Bekele was part of a group, including fellow countrymen Birhanu Legese and Sisay Lemma, that quickly broke from the pack with a quick pace.

Legese, winner of this year's Tokyo marathon, then gradually shook off Bekele and then Lemma after the 30km mark.

But Bekele battled back, leaving Lemma in his wake and then reined in Legese to cruise ahead but missed the world record time by two seconds despite a thrilling sprint toward the finish line.

"I was recovering (from injury) only three months ago. My preparation was not 100%. Fantastic result but I feel sorry missing marathon record by two seconds," Bekele said.

Legese took second place in 2:02:48, becoming the third fastest marathon runner ever. Lemma was third, another 48 seconds behind.

In the women's race Ethiopian Ashete Bekere beat Mare Dibaba in a sprint to the finish to win with a time of 2:20:14 and complete the Ethiopian sweep.

Migrant workers and children to pad out crowd for World Championships

Ticket sales for the World Athletics Championships in Doha are far more sluggish than expected, making it highly likely that large numbers of free tickets will be given away to migrant workers and children who will be bused in by organisers, informed sources have told the Guardian.

Organizers are already blanking off the top section of the 40,000-seater Khalifa International Stadium to make the event, which starts on Friday, look better on TV. However, even with a reduced capacity and reasonable ticket prices starting at 60 Qatari rial (£13), seats are still readily available.

Sources have told the Guardian that 50,000 tickets have been sold across the 10 days of action – and that migrant workers and children will be bused in to stop the stadium appearing more than half-empty on TV. That is a far cry from the optimism displayed when tickets went on sale, with organisers promising that there had been “registrations of interest from literally all corners of the world”.

An IAAF spokesperson accepted ticket sales had been “challenging” but said nobody could have foreseen the boycott of Qatar by other gulf states, making it impossible for some fans in the region to watch the championships.

When asked about the possibility of tickets being given away, the spokesperson added: “Surely it is a good thing that communities across Qatar will be getting tickets? We believe it will inspire a whole new generation of fans into the sport.”

More than 1,800 athletes from around 150 countries are expected to take part in the world championships, which will be held in the Middle East for the first time.

However, Doha is not one of the traditional hotbeds of the sport and the event takes place at a time of year when the season is usually over. Nonetheless, the IAAF president, Seb Coe, has insisted that the championships will help track and field expand into new territories.

Organisers have promised a raft of innovations for the event, including two miniature cameras in each starting block that will show the first pictures of athletes’ faces in the 100m moments before they hear the starting pistol, and capture the explosion of energy as the athletes leave the blocks.

Paul Chelimo qualifies for World Championship 5,000m final, who won without a shoe

In Friday’s World Championship 5,000m, American and Olympic 5,000m medallist Paul Chelimo lost his shoe in the heats but still managed to win his section and qualify with the leading time for the final on Monday.

Chelimo was clipped on lap seven of 12.5. He reportedly has several blisters, but should be fine to compete come Monday. After his cool down, he said he plans to go and find his shoe.

Chelimo ran a strong race and managed to remain on the pack despite multiple pace and lead changes during the 13 minute race. Canada’s Justyn Knight and Moh Ahmed are also both through to Monday’s final. Both Knight and Ahmed were 2017 World Championships 5,000m finalists and are poised to be serious contenders.

Knight has run a massive personal best this year, hitting 13:09 in the same race that Ahmed became the first Canadian to run under 13:00 minutes for the 5,000m.

After one day of track action, team Canada is has sent an athlete to the semi-final in every event with qualifiers. Gen Lalonde has qualified for the 3,000m steeplechase final on Monday, Lindsey Butterworth qualified for the 800m semi-finals, Andre De Grasse and Aaron Brown are both through to the 100m semi-final and now Ahmed and Knight are through in the 5,000m.

Tonight is the first final of the event with three Canadian women running the marathon at 4:59 p.m. EDT. Sasha Gollish, Melanie Myrand and Lyndsay Tessier are all lining up for what will likely be the hottest marathon of their lives this evening. The temperature at the start of the marathon is estimated at upwards of 40 degrees celsius.

Roberta Groner, 41, Finishes 6th at Worlds Championships in Doha Marathon

41-year-old mother of three Roberta Groner had already turned a lot of heads this year by running 2:29:09 at the Rotterdam Marathon in April and qualifying for Team USA for the World Track and Field Championships in the marathon.

Then she went out and did one better running 2:38:44 in brutally hot conditions to finish 6th at the World Championships early today in Doha (The race started at 11:59 p.m. on Friday to try to combat the heat.

Groner went out conservatively (she was 17th at 10k in 36:58) and said that her biggest focus was not on the clock, but on staying hydrated. Groner made ample use of the aid stations, saying she ran almost the entire race with a bottle in her hand, and also used ice in her headband to cool her head and neck.

“I felt like I was just constantly drinking or throwing water on me,” Groner said.

Working with Team USA teammate Carrie Dimoff, who would finish 13th, Groner gradually worked her way up the field, climbing to 12th by halfway, 8th by 30k (by which time she had dropped Dimoff) and 6th by the finish.

“Had three children, just wanted to get back out there a little bit for myself,” Groner said. “Do something for me. My kids can see something that I do passionately. We all do something passionately right? Could be play piano, whatever you want to be, do something. As long as it’s something you love to do with your heart, that’s all you gotta do.”

In the last few years, Groner began ramping up the intensity building toward the Olympic Trials and the results have followed. She ran 2:30:37 at CIM in 2017 — a PR of almost six minutes — then lowered her best to 2:29:09 in Rotterdam this April. 

When she got the opportunity to represent the US at Worlds, she jumped at it — even though she’s already signed up for the New York City Marathon in November.

“Once they asked me to do Worlds, I mean I’m 41,” Groner said “Absolutely an honor for me to come out here and represent my country.”

No doubt, Groner did her country proud today.

Kenya’s Gladys Cherono returns to the Berlin Marathon in search of a fourth victory on Sunday

One year on from breaking the course record at the BMW Berlin Marathon, Kenya’s Gladys Cherono returns to the IAAF Gold Label road race in search of a fourth victory on Sunday.

Cherono clocked 2:18:11 in the German capital 12 months ago, winning her third Berlin Marathon title and breaking a course record that had stood for 13 years. A fourth triumph here would give her more wins than any other woman.

“I’ve trained well and my aim is to retain my title,” said Cherono, who stands at sixth on the world all-time list. “I hope also to set a personal best.”

Although her compatriot Vivian Cheruiyot has had to withdraw because of achilles tendon problems, multiple world and Olympic gold medalist Meseret Defar could prove to be a tough competitor.

The Ethiopian won Olympic titles at 5000m in 2004 and 2012 and earlier this year clocked a PB of 2:23:33 in what was just her second marathon to date.

“I have had many injuries in recent years but now I’ve been training well,” said the 35-year-old. “I decided to run Berlin because the course is so fast.”

Another Ethiopian, Olympic bronze medalist and 2015 world champion Mare Dibaba, is keen to get back to the form that brought her to a PB of 2:19:52.

Germany’s Melat Kejeta will be making her marathon debut and is hoping to run 2:22, which would be comfortably inside the Olympic qualifying time of 2:29:30 and would make her the third-fastest German woman of all time. Compatriot Anna Hahner is also targeting the Olympic qualifying mark.

Top Israeli runner Chemtai Salpeter succumbs to extreme heat while in 5th place in competition in Qatar, hurting her chances of qualifying for 2020 Olympics

Israeli runner Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, one of the country’s leading athletes, collapsed Saturday during a marathon in the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, failing to finish the race.

Chemtai Salpeter had been considered one of the frontrunners in the race, but dropped out at around 32 kilometers (20 miles) while she was in fifth place due to excessive heat.

She was receiving medical treatment and in recovery.

Out of the 68 runners who participated in the race, 23 failed to finish, according to the International Association of Athletics Federations, which presided over the event.

On Friday, the organization told entrants that the race would be held as planned despite heat of 30-32.7 °C (86-91 °F) and humidity of 73 percent. The letter to the runners said that medical personnel were preparing for the harsh conditions. The marathon and other endurance events were being held late at night to minimize exposure to heat.

Salpeter was pushing to close a gap with the leading pack around the halfway mark of the race before she collapsed, and had closed her time difference with the leading five runners from one minute to 11 seconds.

Earlier this month, Salpeter broke a European record for the women’s 10K, finishing a race in the Netherlands in 30 minutes and 4 seconds.

The top 10 finishers in Saturday’s marathon qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Those who failed to qualify in Doha will need to achieve the qualifying time of 2 hours, 29 minutes, 30 seconds in a later race.

Last year, Chemtai won the Florence Marathon, crossing the finishing line in 2 hours, 24 minutes, 17 seconds, setting an Israeli record.

Chemtai already held the Israeli records for 1,500, 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000 meters, and the half marathon.

Born in Kenya, Chemtai moved to Israel in 2011 and fought for citizenship for years. She eventually received Israeli citizenship in March of 2016 after winning the Tel Aviv marathon, allowing her to compete for Israel in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, shortly after the birth of her son, Roy.