Running News Daily

Emily Sisson wins Reebok Boston 10K in record time but course was 380 meters short

Update: When we first reported this story it was thought that an American Record was set today in Boston as reported by the Boston Globe.  However, the course was 380 meters short, somehow the cones got moved just past the 5k mark. Most likely she still would have run sub 32. Emily Sisson separated herself from the competition early, at the Reebok Boston 10K for Women Monday afternoon. The 26-year-old from Rhode Island pulled away from Buze Diriba of Ethiopia at the 3-mile mark and held on to her lead down the stretch to claim victory in 30:39 — a comfortable 33 seconds ahead of the second-place Diriba. The time at first was thought to be an American record breaking the record set by Shalane Flanagan (30:52) in 2016 in the same event. But the course was short and the race director is trying to find out why cones were moved...The win is Sisson’s second in three years, as she also won in 2016 in 31:46. She becomes the first repeat winner since Huddle, who won the event four times, including three straight from 2008-10. Diriba’s time of 31:12 also broke the benchmark set by Huddle but was not good enough to beat Sisson. Formerly known as the Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women, the race is the largest all-woman running event in New England and has been a Columbus Day staple in Boston since 1977. Running through the Back Bay and into Cambridge, competitors make their way along the Charles River before finishing on Charles Street between the Public Garden and Boston Common. Other finishers: Diriba, Erin Clark of Arizona (32:19), Dylan Hassett of Rhode Island (32:28), and Holly Rees of the United Kingdom (32:46) rounded out the top five finishers in the open division.   (10/08/2018) ⚡AMP

Jack Rayner of Australia and Uganda’s Juliet Chekwel win at the Cardiff Half Marathon

Rayner took pride of place as he beat off a Ugandan and Kenyan challenge in the race of his life to take the men’s title in a 1:01:01. That gave him a seven-second cushion over Fred Musobo, with a second Ugandan in third a further nine seconds back. Uganda took the team title with Australia second. In the women’s race, Uganda’s Juliet Chekwel took the title in 1:09:45 with Australia’s Celia Sullohern coming home in the silver medal position in a six-minute PB time of 1:11:04. Uganda won the team event and Australia second. “I knew it would be tough after looking at the start list because a lot of them had run 62, 61 and even 60 minutes," Rayner said. "I knew I was in at the deep end and I’d have to do something special to win." “I felt I could run a lot faster than my PB and I did that. It is just amazing and it makes the win even better than this is the first time they’ve held the Commonwealth Championships.” Looking down the list of competitors the night before the race, the 28-year-old Juliet Chekwel admitted she was unsure if she could win the title. But she dominated the race from the one-kilometre mark to win by a massive 79 seconds. (10/08/2018) ⚡AMP

Elisha Barno crosses the finish line to win the men's title at the Twin Cities Marathon on Sunday

A familiar name finally claimed victory at Sunday's Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. After finishing as runner-up the past three years, Elisha Barno broke through and won the men's title with a time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, 58 seconds. Sinke Biyadgilgn won the women's marathon title with a time of 2:33:04. Race officials reported that more than 6,800 runners finished the 37th annual marathon, while a record 10,896 runners finished the accompanying 20th annual Medtronic TC 10 Mile race. Runners took to the two course on a cool, calm morning, with temperatures in the 40s. Barno, who is from Kenya and trains in New Mexico, also has won the past four Grandma's Marathons in Duluth. On Sunday he finished 14 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher, fellow Kenyan Boniface Kongin. Race officials reported that Barno took the lead at Mile 25. "I tried to push and I saw Boniface was very strong," Barno said in a post-race news release. "Boniface put on a surge and I was right with him. I feel very happy and feel like I want to cry — to be a champion is not easy." Biyadgilgn, of Ethiopia, won the women's marathon title with a time of 2:33:04. That's six seconds ahead of second-place finisher, Ethiopia's Serkalem Abrha. (10/08/2018) ⚡AMP

Natasha Wodak broke the course record for Women at 39th annual GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon

With nearly 8,000 athletes participating, the 39th annual GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon was another huge success in the capital city. The wet weather was more of a help for the runners than a disadvantage, cooling off the athletes as they tested their endurance in three different races. In the half marathon, Victoria’s Natasha Wodak broke the course record for females, finishing with a time of 1:11:45, breaking a record she set herself back in 2012. In the full marathon, all eyes were on Kenya’s Daniel Kipkoech, who has won the last four years in a row. The 31 year old, who now calls Lethbridge home, took home another victory on Sunday, his fifth consecutive win, tying the Victoria Marathon record for most wins and most consecutive wins. Kipkoech finished with a time of 2:22:39. (10/08/2018) ⚡AMP

Some runners at the Portland Marathon were delayed by as much as 22 minutes due to a train crossing the course

The Portland Marathon returned Sunday under a new name. It may be running into complications out of the gate though as some participants were delayed by a freight train downtown.  The race is under new management after it was initially canceled in April when the company Next Events disbanded. The group RunWithPaula Events and Portland Running Company founders Paula and Dave Harkin took over the marathon in June, rebranding it the “Portlandathon.”  The race got underway early Sunday morning, with runners in the full and half marathons competing on a similar out-and-back course as previous Portland Marathon routes. Videos posted on social media show dozens of runners waiting on Naito Parkway at the Steel Bridge as a freight train crosses the Willamette River -- a few miles from the finish line at SW Salmon.  The course is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, and is approved by the USA Track and Field Association. However, finishing times for first and second place vary by 20 minutes, which could be attributed to the train delay. That delay could also impact qualifying times for the Boston Marathon. RunWithPaula Events tells KATU news that they reached out to Union Pacific when organizing the race to request that trains would not be running across the bridge during the race. Paula Harkin also tells KATU that the longest the delay could have been would be about 22 minutes. KATU News reached out to Union Pacific and they said, “Mechanical issues on a prior train resulted in a train crossing the tracks during the Portland Marathon. Unforeseen delays can affect Union Pacific’s efforts to accommodate community requests, and we apologize to those who were impacted by this situation.” (10/07/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenya's Chebii and Chelimo Win 18th Annual B.A.A. Half Marathon

The winners of the men's and women's 2018 B.A.A. Half Marathon are Daniel Chebii and Joan Chelimo respectively. Chebii, a Kenyan has run the half marathon twice and won the B.A.A. 10k twice, won the men's race in 1:03:08. "To be a champion is something very great," he said. "So I am happy to be in Boston." To prepare for the half marathon, Chebii ran 21, 25 and 30ks. He says he is happy to be back in shape. Chelimo, also from Kenya, won the women's race in 1:09:34. She said her three-year-old daughter Ariana motivates her to keep going. "When I get tired in the race I just think about her," Chelimo said. “She was the one who keeps me going, being a mother actually,” she said. “So I’m so happy “It’s so amazing to win again in Boston, as I say Boston is my legacy. All the time I come and win, so for today I just feel so good to win again in Boston,” Chelimo said (photo).  It was an especially close race for the women. Through most of it, there was a group of 5 to 6 women vying to win. According to officials, 6,530 runners from 40 states and nearly 90 countries participated in this year's event.Many of the runners are raising money for cancer research. The race's director, David McGillvray, says charity is central to this race. "It's a combination of raising the level of self-esteem and self-confidence of people.” (10/07/2018) ⚡AMP

Brian Reynolds is a double amputee and Runs 3:03:23 at the Chicago Marathon

I am so proud of Brian Reynolds, he ran a new personal best, 3:03:22 at the Chicago Marathon this morning.  He is a double amputee and I think this is an American record.  We didn’t make his ultimate goal of going sub 3 however.  We battled Mother Nature all day, a fall(that was on me, I thought I was close enough, I was not) and some cramps but he never wavered and fought till the end. It was inspiring.  During the 22nd mile, though, Reynolds fell, suffering a concussion and knocking his time down significantly. Always one to finish what he started, 30-year-old Reynolds went on to finish.  Brian said, "Despite not reaching my goal today I have still run a personal record in every single one of my marathons," said Reynolds moments after the race. "Even on my worst day I have the motivation, determination and grit to dig deep and get to that finish line.” If you ever have a chance to guide I highly recommend it.  Not sure I will be hired again but if given the chance I am there.  Editor’s note: Michael Wardian is an international know marathoner and ultra marathoner.   (10/07/2018) ⚡AMP
by Michael Wardian

Nearly 35,000 runners participated in the 34th annual Army Ten Miler this morning

Roughly 35,000 people were up bright and early Sunday outside the Pentagon, ready to run the 34th annual Army Ten-Miler. The race draws people from all 50 states as well as those from other countries who want to run from the Pentagon into D.C. and back again. Runners took off promptly at 8 a.m. as a cannon fired in the distance. The last waves of runners were still waiting for their turn to start as the fastest elite runners made their way across the finish line. Frankline Tonui was this year’s winner, crossing the finish line in a time of 50:23. Right on the heels of the soldier stationed at Fort Sam Houston in Texas was Evans Kirwa, who is also stationed there. Seven seconds behind them, Girma Mecheso finished in third place. Susan Tonui was the fastest woman, finishing in 56:33. In second place was Julia Roman-Duval of Columbia, Maryland, at 57:17 and in third was Emily De La Bruyere who finished in 59:07.  Greg Mandeville, 64, of Cumberland, Rhode Island, told wtop why he has been running this for the last ten years. “The challenge, the course, the athletes, the city, everything,” he said when asked what he liked about this particular race. “This is one of my favorite races.” (10/07/2018) ⚡AMP

Japan's Suguru Osako wins nearly one Million Dollars in placing third at the Chicago Marathon

Japan's Suguru Osako placed third at the 2018 Chicago Marathon clocking 2:05:50, a new national Japan record.  

This beats the record of 2:06:11. The Japanese Corporate Track and Field Federation (Project Exceed program) will pay him a 100-million-yen bonus ($879,465 U.S. dollars) for setting a new national record.  

Before the race Suguru Osako said, ““I want to try to break the national record, but the most important thing to me is to be competitive with the other runners.  IÂ’ am really excited and proud to run with Mo and Galen. I’m going to enjoy the challenge.”” 

Osako trains in Oregon and is part of the Nike Oregon Project.  Osako was born May 23, 1991.  He won the 10,000 meters gold medal at the 2011 Summer Universiade in Shenzhen and holds the Asian junior record for the half marathon. Born in Machida, Tokyo, he attended Saku Chosei High School and began to establish himself nationally in 2010.  

Suguru Osako made his marathon debut at the 2017 Boston Marathon, landing on the podium in third in 2:10:28. At the time, he was the first Japanese man to finish among the top three since Seko won Boston in 1987.

He closed out 2017 with an impressive personal best and third place finish at the Fukuoka Marathon, 2:07:19.  He becomes the first Japanese man and just the second non-African-born runner to break 2:06. 

(10/07/2018) ⚡AMP

Mo Farah sets European Record to Win The Chicago Marathon

This was Great Britian's Sir Mo Farah's first marathon win in three attempts today October 7.  He looked smooth the whole way and took control of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon over the last few miles when he stepped up the pace to 4:35 per K.

The lead group had passed the half way mark in 1:03:03.  At the finish Mo Farah clocked 2:05:11 winning his first US marathon and setting a new European record.  (Breaking Sondre Nordstad Moen record of 2:05:48 set in Japan Dec 3, 2017.)   

24-year-old Brigid Kosgei from Kenya running her ninth marathon and second place finisher last year ran the last miles by herself to clock an outstanding 2:18:35, making her the 10th fastest women's marathon time ever. 

"I like the rain," Brigid said after winning. "I enjoy the rain and I swallowed the pain, no struggling," she said. Roza Dereje (Eth) was second cocking 2:21:18.  First American was Sarah Crouch finished sixth with 2:32:37.  

"Amazing to come across the finish first," Mo said after he finished.  Ethiopia's Mosinet Geremew Bayih finished second clocking 2:05:24.  Suguru Osako from Japan finished third in 2:05:50 setting a national Japan record winning 100 million yen (almost one million US dollars) in doing so. 

In fourth was Kenneth Kipkemoi from Kenya clocking 2:05:57.  Galen Rupp who fell off the pack at around 22 miles came back strong and finished fifth with 2:06:21 just 14 seconds off his PR.  Boston Marathon winner Yuki Kawauchi (Japan) finished 19th clocking 2:16:26, his 82nd sub 2:20 marathon. Mo, a  two-time Olympic champion in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, native of Great Britain finished third in the London Marathon earlier this year. 

The men’s field include three former champions and 11 racers who have registered times faster than 2:08.  In the end 11 men ran faster than 2:10, nine under 2:08.  The temperature was 58 degrees at the start with light to heavy rain most of the way. Of more impact were the north-northeast winds coming off Lake Michigan as runners headed north from the start.  

Mo is the most successful British track athlete in modern Olympic Games history, he was the 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medalist in both the 5000m and 10,000m. Farah is the second athlete in modern Olympic Games history, after Lasse Virén, to win both the 5000m and 10,000m titles at successive Olympic Games. 

Mo moved from the track to the roads after the 2017 World Athletics Championships.  61-year-old Joan Samuelson clocked 3:12:13 not reaching her sub three hour goal. 

(10/07/2018) ⚡AMP

Ethiopian Hagos Gebrhiwet was added to Delhi Half Mararthon Field

Dibaba’s compatriot and fellow Ethiopian Hagos Gebrhiwet has been added to the men’s elite field of the Delhi Half Marathon set for October 21. The winner of two World Championships 5000m medals and an Olympic bronze medal will head to Delhi in fine form for his half marathon debut. In his last race, at the IAAF Diamond League 5000m final in Brussels on 31 August, he ran 12:45.82 for second place and moved up to fifth on the world all-time list for the event.  Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM) is an annual half marathon foot-race held in New Delhi, India. Established in 2005, it is both an elite runner and mass participation event. It is an AIMS-certified course and is listed as a Gold Label Road Race by the IAAF.  The 2009 event attracted around 30k runners who competed in one of the four races.  The men's course record is fast.  Guye Adola (Eth) clocked 59:06 in 2014.  Mary Keitany (Ken) holds the women's record clocking 1:06:54 in 2009.  Both men's and women's races have been won by Kenya or Ethiopian's runners over the last ten years.  (10/07/2018) ⚡AMP

Mo Farah has confirmed that he wants to be a competitor at the Tokyo´s Marathon 2020

Mo Farah, Britain’s most successful athlete, will have one more crack at winning another Olympic title after confirming his intention to compete in the Tokyo 2020 marathon. Farah, a four-time Olympic and six-time world champion on the track, had tiptoed around the subject of ever representing his country again after moving to full-time road racing last year. However, speaking ahead of his third career marathon in Chicago on Sunday, Farah confirmed he had made his mind up about donning a British vest at the 2019 World Championships and 2020 Olympics, when he will be 37. “I am definitely going,” he said. “As long as my body can hold up, I am definitely going to Tokyo. I know from my training that I am definitely capable of getting a medal. I don’t know what the color is going to be, but I want to continue through 2020. (10/06/2018) ⚡AMP

Leesa Drake is living proof that no matter how fast or how far someone runs, nobody can outrun a cancer diagnosis is running Chicago

Leesa Drake has completed 102 marathons over the last 25 years.  Running this year's Chicago Marathon will be a special day for her after she received a life-threatening cancer diagnosis last year.  "I did as many as 17 marathons in one year," said Drake.  After turning 50 last year, Drake prepped for yet another marathon. Then she was diagnosed with breast cancer in the Spring of 2017.  Ethan Hixson, a physician assistant, delivered the news to Drake.  He was amazed at her positive attitude.  "She just took it in stride and was determined to beat it," said Hixson.  Drake had her sights set on completing the Chicago Marathon last October, but first she had to go through surgery.  She elected to have both breasts removed. Then came chemotherapy and radiation. She experienced nausea, fatigue and hair loss."I was like well, I'll keep doing what I can as long as I can and see how I tolerate the treatment," Drake said.  The medical team was aware of Drake's dedication to running, so they advised her to stay hydrated and take in enough calories to keep her energy levels up.   "We encouraged her to continue to train but be aware that she may be more tired than usual. She may not run as fast as she used to run," said Dr. Nora Hansen, surgeon.  Last year, in the middle of treatment, Drake completed the marathon.  "It was a very social marathon for me. I had friends who hopped in and ran stretches," said Drake.  She was declared cancer-free last December. The 2018 Chicago Marathon will be her first as a survivor. (10/06/2018) ⚡AMP

Fast times are expected again in Eindhoven and the race director wants his race to be the most innovative marathon in the world

The Eindhoven Marathon is an annual marathon held in the city of Eindhoven, Netherlands.  The first race was held in 1990.  Every year since 2003 the winning time has been under 2:10.  The men's course record was set by Dickson Chumba (Ken) in 2012 when he clocked 2:05:46.  The year before Georgina Rono (Ken) set the woman's record (2:24:33).   Last year Felix Kiptoo Kirwa (Ken) set his PR of 2:06:13 in Eindhoven and will be back. The Ethiopian Deriba Robi will also be running.  Robi already clocked 2:05:58 in 2015 on the fast Eindhoven course. That year the victory went to Kenyan Stephen Chebogut 2:05:52. In 2011 and 2016, Robi also chose Eindhoven as his fall marathon.  Belay Asefa from Ethiopia ran his best marathon time 2:07:10 four years ago in Hamburg will also be running. On a good day the course record can be broken.  Besides the elite racing up front the race director wants his race to be special.  "A marathon is a marathon, it is 42,195 km long, there are a start and a finish, a course and runners," Edgar de Veer says. "Seems very simple but there is a lot to innovate."  At least that’s what Edgar de Veer, organizer of the Eindhoven Marathon, thinks. “We have the ambition to become the most innovative marathon in the world.”  This is how the idea of Switchsprinter.com, a system that allows participants to hear voice messages from family via an earbud, came about.  Prior to the marathon, people can record messages and if the participant is having a hard time, such a recorded message will be heard.   (10/05/2018) ⚡AMP

Six Ideas to help you Get Ready for Your First Ultra Marathon

An ultra marathon is defined as anything longer than a marathon, although many ultra runners would argue the distance starts at 50K.  Here are six ideas to help you get ready for your first Ultra. 1) Do Back to back long runs, estimate your time for finishing the ultra and build up to running those total hours over two days. You want to run the full distance (combining back-to-back days) at least three or four times before the race. 2) Practice your nutrition during training and find out what works best for you. Start drinking before you get thirsty. 3) Practice running efficiently, with as little wasted motion as possible. Try to keep your head as still as possible and raise your feet as little as necessary. However, if the trail is extremely technical, it may be necessary to raise your feet quite a bit to avoid stumbling and tripping. Try to always run quietly. 4) Find socks, clothes and shoes that you love for training and racing. You want to be comfortable.   5) Train on the terrain you'll be racing. If it's a hilly technical trail, train on hilly technical trails. If it's a flat ultra on pavement, train on that at least some of the time. Do a 10K tempo run once a week at a faster pace. Run hills once a week to get strong. 6) If you need them, take recovery days. A typical week could be: Monday - Off Tuesday - 10K tempo Wednesday - Off Thursday - 1 hour hill workout Friday - Off Saturday - 3 hour long run Sunday - 3 hour long run (or a four hour and two hour, or five hour and one hour) Let's say your ultra is at the end of June. You want to be able to run your distance, over two days, by the end of April. Give yourself time to work up to that.   Be sure to enter early, many of the best ultras sell out fast.  One Ultra coming up is the Thailand Ultramarathon set for Nov 17th.  (10/05/2018) ⚡AMP

Just having their healthy boy back is something that can never be repaid but Sarah Byrne would at least like to try

Thousands of children in the United States are diagnosed with some form of cancer each year.  There is a lot of research dedicated to the disease with a goal of finding a cure. Sarah Byrne had seen the emotionally devastating toll such a diagnosis can take on a family — but never could she imagine it happening in her family. Then, just two years after her and husband Seamus welcomed their second boy, Cian, into the world, they were given that news that no parent wants to hear: "Your son has cancer." "For us, it was kind of a mixed experience," said Byrne. "We had a former classmate and friend of ours have a son pass away from cancer, and then months later our son had it. So for us it was like, 'This is reality, this is happening to us.' During the process we met some amazing other families, many of which lost their children. It was very difficult." Thankfully, this story has a happy ending. Thanks to the tremendous treatment and tender compassion from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Cian, now six years old, has fully recovered. That dedication and around the clock care their son received is something Sarah and her family will never forget.  Just having their healthy boy back is something that can never be repaid — but Byrne would at least like to try. That's why she decided to run this Sunday's Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) Half Marathon in an effort to raise money for the foundation that saved her son's life. (10/05/2018) ⚡AMP

Adam Gorlitsky sold T-shirts that said I Got Legs is going to run the Portland Marathon

This weekend the Portland marathon kicks off a new era with a new name—the Portlandathon. Thousands of people will participate and among them, is Adam Gorlitsky. His goal? Improving the lives of the disabled community one step at a time. Gorlitsky flew into Portland from South Carolina to walk the half marathon, even though he’s paralyzed from the waist down. “It's going to be an awesome day,” he said. “I used to run track and cross country in high school.” That was before a car accident in 2005 turned him into a paraplegic. Gorlitsky never thought he'd race again until a doctor's appointment two years ago and new technology that changed everything-- the robotic exoskeleton. “Honestly, from the second I stood up I was like, ‘I gotta do road races!’,” Gorlitsky said. To help afford the $85,000 exoskeleton, Gorlitsky sold T-shirts that said: “I Got Legs." Last year, he turned that slogan into a non-profit with the same name. “Our mission is to improve the lives of the disabled community,” Gorlitsky said. (10/05/2018) ⚡AMP

Former African champion Davis Kiplangat will lead this year's Singelloop Utrecht 10km road race

Former African junior 10,000m champion Davis Kiplangat will lead a huge East African contingent to this year's Singelloop Utrecht 10km road race in Netherlands on Oct. 7. Kiplangat, seventh at the World Indoor Championships in the 3,000m race, has failed to showcase the huge potential he exhibited as a junior and moving up to the road race will help him rekindle his career, which had been plighted with injuries. "I want to see how I will react to the road race in Netherlands," Kiplangat told Xinhua on Thursday. "I still want to excel in the track and I know the competition there is stiff. That is what makes me train hard and target victory in each race I take up." The former world junior silver medalist will be joined by Dutch favorite Khalid Choukoud, who has run 28:44 on the roads. Kenya's Albert Rop, who was 13th at the World Half-marathon Championships this year, will be a strong threat. Ugandan junior Kevin Kibet, Uganda's Joel Ayeko and Eritrea's Kokob Gebru will also be present for the 68th edition of this event, where the current world best was set in 2010. Another sub-29 runner from the home nation will be Roy Hoornweg. "This caliber of races has top athletes and I seek to run my own race and see how fast I can go. But Kiplangat will be a good motivation to me," said Rop. The Dutch will have hopes of a home win in the women's race, thanks to the appearance of Maureen Koster, who was eighth over 5,000m at the European Championships this year and has run 32:15 on the road. (10/05/2018) ⚡AMP

Everything you need to know about the 2018 Chicago Marathon

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is happening this Sunday October 8...Galen Rupp who lives in Oregon won the 2017 race clocking 2:09:20, will return to battle four-time Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah of Great Britain.

The two have raced against each other 22 times, with Farah winning 21 times...Mo Farah has been training over 120 miles per week and has only one thing on his mind, to win...There are five men in the field with faster personal records than Rupp, who clocked his 2:06:07 PR winning the Prague Marathon on May 6... among the other elite men in the field include two-time world champion Abel Kirui, Geoffrey Kirui, reigning world champion and 2017 Boston Marathon winner, and four-time Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah, Rupp's former training partner...Plus Mosinet Geremew (2:04:00 personal best) and Birhanu Legese (2:04:15), both of Ethiopia, also lead the international field...

In the field of approximately 45,000 runners Sunday, 47 percent will be women...The top American women include Laura Thweatt, Sarah Crouch, Taylor Ward, Katie Matthews and Gwen Jorgensen leading the pack.

Joan Benoit Samuelson, 61, who won the 1984 Olympics gold medal and Chicago in 1985, also will be running, and her goal is to break three hours.  No woman over 60 has ever run that fast...

Top elite women include Roza Dereje and Birhane Dibaba of Ethiopia; Brigid Kosgei of Kenya; and fellow Kenyan and two-time champion Florence Kiplagat...

Chicago is one of the flattest and fastest marathons in the world. The only thing that gets in the way of more fast times is sometimes hot weather...The weather forecast for this year is 60 degrees with humidity at 75%.  Not ideal but it has been worse...

Four world marathon records have been set in Chicago. Dennis Kimetto of Kenya holds the Chicago Marathon men’s record with a time of 2:03:45 set in 2013. Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain set the women’s record in 2002 with a time of 2:17:18...

Yuki Kawauchi, from Japan, holds a record for running 79 marathons in less than 2:20. In April, he won the Boston Marathon in 2:15:58. He has won 30 marathons in his career with a personal best of 2:08:14. He has competed in 20 marathons so far in 2018 and is running...

The female and male Chicago winners each get $100,000. The total purse distributed among all the money winners is $803,500. There are bonuses for course records: $75,000 for men and women...

Twenty-three percent of the field are from outside the US. The largest group is from Mexico, with 2,225 runners. Then: Canada (1,777), United Kingdom (1,741), China (1,347), Brazil (1,209), Germany (566), Hong Kong (481), Costa Rica (471) and Italy (453)...

Rupp's 2017 victory was his first in a marathon major. He said it compares to his two Olympic medals, silver in the 10,000 meters in 2012, and marathon bronze in 2016. "Nothing can really replace the Olympics," he told Oregon Live. "But winning a major in Chicago, a city I love, was right up there."...

Rupp said he is fully recovered from nagging Achilles and ankle problems that complicated his buildup. "I'm feeling good," he said. "I've been healthy the last five or six weeks."...Rupp's father grew up in Maywood, Illinois and Galen spent a lot of time in the Chicago area during his childhood. 

"I'm so excited to be returning to Chicago to defend my title," Rupp said. "I couldn't be more thrilled to be heading back to the Windy City."  First wave start time is 7:30am Central Time on Sunday.

(10/04/2018) ⚡AMP
by Bob Anderson

Kenyans Betsy Saina and Wilson Chebet are the latest entries for the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon

The addition of these top flight athletes completes the event's elite entries, ensuring that a high quality field will once again be on the start line beside the River Main on the last Sunday in October for the 37th edition of Germany's oldest marathon. Twelve men on the start list boast sub-2:10 personal bests while 10 women have broken 2:25. With a strong personal best of 2:05:27, Chebet is now the fastest on the Frankfurt start list as unfortunately Guye Adola of Ethiopia had to withdraw due to a health issue. The 33-year-old Kenyan, who achieved a hat-trick of wins at the Amsterdam Marathon from 2011 to 2013, is aiming to regain top form on Frankfurt’s fast course after a period short of his best. One of Chebet’s rivals is Ethiopia’s Kelkile Gezahegn, who has a PB of 2:05:56 and was second in Frankfurt last year. As previously announced, a woman with a personal best of sub-2:20 will be on the start line for the first time in Frankfurt, with the presence of the 2015 world champion Mare Dibaba. The Ethiopian showed good form last Sunday in winning the Glasgow Half Marathon in 1:09:15 and has a marathon best of 2:19:52. Although a group of world-class Ethiopians with personal bests under 2:22 will pose a strong challenge, Saina should also be a contender. The 30-year-old finished fifth in the 10,000m at the 2016 Olympic Games and in April this year achieved her marathon breakthrough with victory in Paris in 2:22:56. Her target is now to break 2:20. Given good conditions, the women’s course record of 2:21:01, set by Ethiopian Meselech Melkamu in 2012, should come under pressure. (10/04/2018) ⚡AMP

Tsegaye Mekonnen from Ethiopia, is set to compete at Toronto Marathon

Tsegaye Mekonnen’s marathon debut four years ago stunned running aficionados across the world as the Ethiopian youngster won the Dubai Marathon in 2:04:32, the fastest time in history by an U20 athlete. Still only 23 years old, Mekonnen has confirmed he will race the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 21, thereby earning the distinction of being the fastest entrant to ever run this IAAF Gold Label event. “It’s been going well and I feel like I am in a good shape right now,” said Mekonnen. “Toronto is a big race and I’ve been preparing for it. I have spent three months in my build-up and so I hope to run a good race. “I’ve been running at a high altitude – between 2,500-3,000m – so that I could adapt myself to tough conditions and I’ve been running 180-200km (100-120 miles) per week.” Since his breakthrough performance four years ago, Mekonnen has shown flashes of brilliance such as his third-place finish at the 2016 Dubai Marathon in 2:04:46 and a 2:07:26 victory at the 2017 Hamburg Marathon. In a country where children grow up celebrating the success of Ethiopian legends such as Derartu Tulu, Haile Gebrselassie, Tirunesh Dibaba and Kenenisa Bekele, he was exposed to running very early and earned a place on Ethiopia’s team for the IAAF World Junior Championships Barcelona 2012. He finished fifth in the 5000m final there, but, unlike others who would develop their track potential, Mekonnen quickly switched to road racing. "To my knowledge there were not many track races in that time and I couldn't find the right people to bring me to those races,” he remembers. “So, I made the decision to compete in the road races. Demadonna Management encouraged me to become a marathon runner and it was the right decision for me, looking back now. Mekonnen is fully aware he will face strong competition in Toronto, including Philemon Rono, the two-time defending champion, New Zealand’s Jake Robertson and 2012 Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda, among others. He edged Kiprotich in Hamburg by a mere five seconds. (10/04/2018) ⚡AMP

Sandy Bodecker One of the most influential behind-the-scenes figures in the sports world has died at the age of 66

One of the most influential behind-the-scenes figures in the sports world, Sandy Bodecker, has died at the age of 66. Bodecker was Nike’s V.P. of Special Projects, the most famously special to runners being 2017’s Breaking2, which also led to the creation of the Vaporfly and Zoom Fly shoes. Though media reports were not specific, Bodecker had battled cancer in the past. According to Nike, Bodecker was obsessed with the marathon’s 2-hour barrier, so much so that he had 1:59:59 tattooed on his left wrist. “The sub-two-hour marathon is the last big, once-in-a-generation barrier,” he said at the time. “It will impact the way runners view distance running and human potential forever.” The athlete who came the closest, Eliud Kipchoge, paid tribute to his friend in a tweet. Bodecker had been with Nike for more than 35 years. He started as a shoe wear-test co-ordinator and was deeply involved in football and action sports before becoming the brand’s first head of global design. (10/03/2018) ⚡AMP

My Best Runs helped tell the world about the photo finish at the 2018 Illinois Marathon

The top two finishers at last year's Illinois Marathon were both clocked at 2:21:03.  The finish line judges gave the win to 22-year-old Tesfaalem Mehari and 39-year-old Wilson Chemweno second. 

My Best Runs helped tell the world about this exciting finish.  My Best Runs published the leader board results just as soon as they were official. 

Race director Jan Seeley had decided to have the Illinois Marathon featured and followed by My Best Runs (MBR) months before.  

"We only feature the best, most interesting and unique races," says MRB founder Bob Anderson, "the Illinois marathon is the type of race we want to share with our over 600,000 unique annual visitors." 

MBR is supported by races.  "Jan recently signed up for another year and we appreciate her support along with our many other race directors," says Manuel Juarez, MBR sales manager.  

MBR was started by lifetime runner Bob Anderson, the founder and publisher of Runner's World Magazine (from 1966 to 1984).  Bob, now 70, is still running 35 miles weekly and racing at sub 8 pace.  

"My Best Runs is for runners who love races," says Bob Anderson. "We are helping race directors publicize their race, and our website helps visitors find races from around the world without having to spend hours searching the Internet.  It is now in one place. This is much more than just a race listing," says Lisa Wall, MBR social media director. 

MBR features Photos, Videos, Course Maps, registration link, Leader Board Results, prize money, race write ups, background info, current race stats and promote discount codes if you do this. "Our editorial team will put this all together for you and post your results as soon as they are official, keeping your race updated every step of the way," says Michael Anderson, media director. 

As news becomes available, your race will also be featured in our column Running News Daily and in our weekly newsletter.  "We want to tell more people around the world about your race," says Bob.  Contact Manuel Juarez for more details at 650-209-7820 or write manuel@mybestruns.com 

"We appreciate your support. This is a win-win situation and we can have your race up within 24 hours at a reasonable cost," says Jamie Sanchez, MBR content manager.

(10/03/2018) ⚡AMP

Abdi Nageeye, Michel Butter and Kenenisa Bekele will compete for the national title at the TCS Amsterdam Marathon on October 21

Especially the arrival of Nageeye (Photo) is striking. He started this year in two marathons (Boston and European Championships in Berlin), but says he has recovered well. Last year Nageeye ran to the title in a Dutch record of 2.08.16. Butter said due to pains for the European Championships in Berlin and therefore wanted to run an autumn marathon. He does not aim at a sharp time, but wants to enter into the fight with favorite Nageeye. Nageeye and Butter have been the best marathon runners in the country for years. Racedirector Cees Pronk is therefore pleased that the two opt for the capital. ,, I am proud that both gentlemen have chosen Amsterdam again, they feel at home here. "Earlier, the arrival of the Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele was already announced. The world record holder on the 5000 and 10,000 meters and man with the impressive personal record on the 2.03.03 marathon will get competition from Lawrence Cherono, who won the Amsterdam last year. (10/03/2018) ⚡AMP

Valencia Trinidad Alfonso race earns its fifth IAAF label for road races in the Spanish city

In a year in which it hosted the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, Valencia has confirmed its strategic concept as a ‘city of running’ by earning its fifth IAAF label for road races in the Spanish city. The IAAF certifies the standard of the world’s best road races with gold, silver and bronze labels, which take into account various sport and organisational aspects of the events. Achieving bronze labels for the 10-kilometre Valencia Ibercaja Race and the 15-kilometre Valencia Banco Mediolanum Night Race in June has brought the number of IAAF labels held by the city’s races to five. The two latest IAAF labels come in addition to the bronze label held by the 10-kilometre Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Race and the gold labels held by both the Valencia-Trinidad Alfonso EDP Marathon and Half-Marathon since 2016. With five label road races in total, no other city in the world holds so many international distinctions. “The journey started with the Valencia Half-Marathon and Marathon being the first road races in Spain to be awarded an IAAF gold label,” said Paco Borao, President of SD Correcaminos running club. “They are now joined by other IAAF label events in the city, further strengthening Valencia’s positioning as a top world destination for road-running.” The awarding of the two new IAAF labels was achieved thanks to the support of Fundación Trinidad Alfonso. The foundation backed Valencia’s ‘The Running City’ brand and helped in getting the Spanish Athletics Federation to include the two races in its national calendar. (10/03/2018) ⚡AMP

Olympic Champion Joan Benoit- Samuelson now 61 wants to break the world 60 plus record at Chicago Marathon

Now, 61-year-old Joan Benoit-Samuelson is returning to the site of a past victory with a new goal.

Samuelson won the Chicago Marathon in 1985, in a then-American record of 2:21:21, still the fifth-fastest U.S. time on record. This year, race organizers said she hopes to break the world record for the 60–64 age group, 3:01:30, set by New Zealand’s Bernie Portenski in 2010. 

If she succeeds in conquering a new category this year, the victory would likely feel extra sweet. Circumstances have kept her from Chicago’s streets on several of her recent attempts.

In 2015, she aimed to run within 30 minutes of her winning time 30 years prior, but she was forced to drop out the day before due to a stomach bug. Last year, she set a goal of running the first sub-3 ever by a woman older than 60, but a knee injury intervened.

Once again, she withdrew four days before the race.  Joan was the first-ever women's Olympic Games marathon champion, winning the Gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Benoit Samuelson still holds the fastest times for an American woman at the Chicago Marathon and the Olympic Marathon.  Her time at the Boston Marathon was the fastest time by an American woman at that race for 28 years. She was inducted into the Maine Women's Hall of Fame in 2000.

(10/03/2018) ⚡AMP

Debbie Zockoll ran the first St George Marathon back in 1977, and hasn´t stopped in 42 years

Debbie Zockoll has run the St. George Marathon as an inexperienced 21-year-old. She has run St. George while seven-months pregnant. She has run it fast and slow, in good weather and bad, while receiving breast-cancer treatments, and recovering from appendix cancer. In fact, about the only thing Zockoll hasn’t done at St. George is not run the annual Utah event that cascades through spectacular red-rock canyons. Her 41-successive finishes is believed to be the world-record “marathon streak” for women. On October 6, Zockoll, 62, takes aim on St. George number 42. This time she’s battling cancer in her lymph nodes. She had surgery just six weeks ago, but don’t bet against her. (10/02/2018) ⚡AMP

Dickson Chumba will return to run the 2018 Bank of America Chicago Marathon

Dickson Chumba, the fifth fastest runner in Chicago's history, will return to run the 2018 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. He set his personal best, 2:04:32, in Chicago in 2014 when he finished third on an historic day that witnessed three of the top five times ever run in Chicago. He won in 2015 and while he tried to retain his title in 2016, he came up three seconds short, finishing second to Kirui. Chumba returned to Chicago in 2015 to take the crown in 2:09:25; it was Chicago’s first race without rabbits in more than two decades. He tried to defend his title in 2016, but he came up three seconds short, finishing second to Abel Kirui. Prior to becoming a professional runner in 2008, Chumba worked as a gardener. He embarked on his professional marathon career in 2010. (10/02/2018) ⚡AMP

Strong elite women´s field is set to run the Chicago Marathon this weekend

American elite’s Gwen Jorgensen and Alexis Pappas will both run this year’s Chicago Marathon.  While Jorgensen has run a marathon before (after deciding to retire as a triathlete), this will be her first marathon since committing to professional running full-time. Jorgensen is the 2016 Olympic triathlon gold medallist. Pappas is a former track runner who competed at the 2016 Olympics in the 10,000m, running for Greece. She’s a Dartmouth and Oregon alumna with a creative side. The runner directed the film Tracktown with her husband Jeremy Teicher, and helped cover the 2018 winter Olympics with comedian Nick Kroll. Pappas is reportedly hoping to run the marathon at the 2020 Olympics for Greece. Roza Dereje of Ethiopia has the fastest incoming women’s seed time, having run a 2:19:17 in Dubai this January. At only 21 years old, Dereje has already made a strong mark on the road running scene. The second-fastest entry is Florence Kiplagat of Kenya. Kiplagat’s personal best is from the 2011 Berlin marathon, and she hasn’t come close to it since the 2014 London marathon. The veteran’s most recent time in the event is a 2:26:25 from the 2017 London marathon. Birhane Dibaba, who comes in third, broke the 2:20 barrier at the 2018 Tokyo marathon, running 2:19:51 to take the win. Dibaba will surely challenge Dejere this weekend. Dayna Pidhoresky and Melanie Myrand are the only two Canadians on the Chicago elite women’s list. Pidhoresky, the Vancouver native has run several half-marathons this summer, along with a 10K. She broke the tape at the Scotiabank Vancouver half-marathon in June, running 1:13:04. Her marathon personal best is 2:36:08. Myrand of Lachine, Que. is a nurse practitioner in primary care who decided to give this running thing a chance after a breakthrough in 2016. Her personal best is 2:39:07 from the 2017 Scotiabank Waterfront marathon in Toronto. (10/02/2018) ⚡AMP

Elísabet Margeirsdóttir becomes world's first woman to complete Gobi desert Ultramarathon race

Elísabet Margeirsdóttir yesterday became the first woman in the world to complete the Gobi Desert Ultramarathon race in under 100 hours. The race is 409 kilometers and Margeirsdóttir was ninth out of 50 contestants to reach the goal. The run was even harder this year due to the fact that the course went up to an altitude of 4000 meters. Her assistant, runner Birgir Sævarsson said that there was a lot of cold at that altitude. "She had to cross a river with a strong current and got wet and then her clothes froze." There are ten pitstops on the 409 long run where runners can rest and eat, but the race is a 400 km single-stage, self-navigated and self supported race traversing inhospitable terrain in the Gansu Province. (10/02/2018) ⚡AMP

Jim Spisak Wins 41st Annual Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race

At the 41st running of the Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race, two-time winner Jim Spisak, 27, from Pittsburgh and Samantha Bower, 28, from Greensburg, PA were the 10K champions in 28:16 and 35:31, respectively. In the 5K race, Kenny Goodfellow, 29, from Oakmont, PA, and Lisa Burnett, 35, of Chagrin Falls, OH, took the titles in 15:17 and 17:20, respectively. Spisak, who also won the Great Race in 2013 and 2014, took the lead early on and continued to widen the gap as he neared the finish line, beating second- and third-place finishers Max Petrosky and Alex Archer by more than three minutes. The three-time race champion was living and training with NE Distance in Providence, RI, for the past three years but recently returned to Pittsburgh to serve as the cross county coach at Point Park University. “I wasn’t aiming for a certain time today, but the weather was about as good as you could hope for. And it’s a good course to run fast on because it’s mostly downhill,” said Spisak. “I came out faster during that first mile than I thought, and I ended up running so well that I set a new 10K personal record.” But the race wasn’t just special because of his great performance. (10/01/2018) ⚡AMP

Run The World Challenge 2 Profile: Boaz Kipyego is training so hard to make his life better and to help kids

Boaz Kipyego (26) started running in primary school.  "I used to ran from home to school to and fro everyday which was almost 12km per day," says Boaz.  He then started running at school and they discovered his talent.  "I was the best runner in my school. When I finished primary school I got into the secondary school but my parents could not pay my fees and that was the end on my study."  Boaz runs two or three times almost every day.  In his second Run The World Challenge he has already run and logged 586 miles in 33 days which is ahead of what he did in the first challenge.  "My best race was in Des Moines, Iowa in USA in 2016.  I successfully won my first race in USA."  The local newspaper the next morning wrote, "Boaz Kipyego crossed the finish line of the IMT Des Moines Marathon and just kept running. The Kenyan was so excited about winning his first marathon that he wanted to celebrate in front of many of his new American friends at Cowles Commons. So, draped in a Kenyan flag, he did a victory lap back toward the finish line.  "America is fantastic — this is my first time in the U.S.  This is my biggest win," Kipyego said after running 2:16:36.  Boaz comes from a humble background.  "I am training so hard to make my life better and so I can help other kids," he says. "Run the World gives me focus," Boaz says.       (10/01/2018) ⚡AMP

Vitamins for runners that improve performance and body´s recovery

Since vitamins perform hundreds of tasks for your body, they are hugely important for health and wellbeing. Tiredness, poor digestion, brittle bones and memory problems are just some of the problems linked with vitamin deficiency. Vitamin D is essential in helping calcium build strong bones. The vitamin also helps regulate the immune system and neuromuscular system. Vitamin B12 is rare in plant-based foods, this type of deficiency is particularly common in vegetarian and vegan diets. B12 helps with energy, by contributing to the production of red blood cells. It also aids in digestion, and deficiency can lead to symptoms like fatigue, a sore red tongue and yellowing of the skin. Vitamin A contributes to normal vision and skin health, and is important in bolstering the immune system. However, consuming too much vitamin A can lead to brittle bones. Good sources of vitamin A include oily fish, liver products milk and eggs. The body can naturally convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, so consuming plenty of yellow, red and green vegetables can provide enough vitamin A, too. Potassium helps your heart, nerves and muscles to work properly. You can become deficient in potassium due to a brief stomach illness, or due to longer-term conditions like eating disorders and kidney disease. Your body uses vitamin B6 every day, for movement, memory, energy conversion and blood flow. There is even some evidence to suggest B6 can ward off Alzheimer’s disease and act as a natural pain remedy. The best food sources include turkey breast, pistachio nuts, avocado and grass-fed beef. You can also take supplements to prevent many common maladies and optimize health and help you as a runner.   (10/01/2018) ⚡AMP

David Metto and Beatrice Cherop were the victors at the PZU Warsaw Marathon on Sunday

David Metto and Beatrice Cherop were the victors at the PZU Warsaw Marathon on Sunday, winning the IAAF Bronze Label road race in 2:12:44 and 2:35:22 respectively to achieve just the second Kenyan double in the 39-year history of the race. Metto formed part of the lead pack through five kilometers, reached in 15:49, before opening up a gap on his opponents to lead by 13 seconds at 10 kilometers. Ethiopia’s Ayele Woldesemayat soon re-joined him, though, and they passed through the half-way mark together in 1:06:48. France’s 2012 European 1500m silver medallist Florian Carvalho, making his marathon debut, was 20 seconds adrift at this point, forming part of a three-man chase pack. Tsige started to struggle over the course of the next 10 kilometers and was eventually caught by Carvalho before 30 kilometers. Metto had a 35-second lead over Carvalho at this point and it grew to exactly one minute at 35 kilometers, reached in 1:50:03. Having covered the second half quicker than the first, Metto won in 2:12:44 to secure his second marathon victory on Polish soil this year, following his triumph in Debno back in April. (10/01/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenya's Bedan Karoki needs to secure a few wins and he wants to start Oct. 7 at Chicago Marathon

Kenya's Bedan Karoki hopes he will finally break the duck and win his first marathon on Oct. 7 when he lines up at the start of this year's Chicago marathon. Karoki, 28, will be making his fourth attempt at the distance with his best effort having come in 2017 at the London marathon where he clinched the bronze medal on his debut in the race won by compatriot Daniel Wanjiru. He went on to finish fourth at the Fukuoka marathon and settled for fifth spot in a star-studded London marathon this year timing at 2:08:34. But that is about to change should the tail wind continue pushing him as he debuts in America. "It is down to what I have learnt in the three previous races. That experience is critical and I know the field in Chicago is a strong one. It is something I am used to because I have run London twice and my performance was not bad despite missing a medal this year," said Karoki on Monday. The Kenyan, who has pitched camp in high altitude areas of Nyahururu for the last one month since returning from his training base in Japan, feels he will be ready on Sunday to wrest the first marathon title in his career. Karoki who this year won the Ras Al Khaimah International Half Marathon in United Arab Emirates clocking 58:42 in February and later finished second at the Buenos Aires Half Marathon (59:50) in August believes tactics will be critical for the eventual winner as he guns for the trophy to boost his chances of selection to Kenya team to the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. "I need to secure a few wins to my name. I believe Chicago will be good to me and that is why I must give it my best shot," said Karoki, who is trained by coach Francis Kamau. (10/01/2018) ⚡AMP

Former world champions Linet Masai and Ezekiel Kemboi of Kenya plan to break into the marathon elite runners after retiring from the track competition

Masai, a former World 10,000m champion, will reignites her rivalry with former Olympic champion Meseret Defar at the Amsterdam marathon in Netherlands in Oct. 21. Masai has not been active for the last two years since her baby was born.  "I am ready for the marathon," she said. "My management has been able to get me a race in Amsterdam and I want to see how my body will react to it. I have hopes of doing well, but am also not certain how it will go. It is my first marathon race." In Amsterdam, Masai will face twice Olympic 5,000m champion Meseret Defar, with whom they have dueled a lot on the track and at the 2007 World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa. Both Masai and Defar will be making their marathon debut in Amsterdam on Oct. 21.  The Ethiopian has run several half-marathons with a best of 66:09 for second in the Great North Run in 2013. Compatriot Tadelech Bekele, who won last year in 2:21:54 and went 14 seconds quicker for third and a personal best time at the London Marathon in 2018.  Masai, the 2009 world 10,000m champion who has run 68:11 for the half is also keen to break the 42km jinx. Other athletes to watch out for include Meseret Belete, who set a world junior record of 67:51 in Copenhagen this year and was eighth at the World Championships. Former world junior cross country bronze medalist Jackline Chepngeno will also be eyeing victorious debut in marathon. Ethiopia's Guteni Shone, who has a PB of 2:23:32, could also challenge. (09/29/2018) ⚡AMP

Japan's Yoshihiko Ishikawa wins the Spartathlon ultra-marathon

Japanese runner Yoshihiko Ishikawa was the winner of the 36th Spartathlon, one of the most challenging and historical ultra-marathon races hosted in Greece. Ishikawa reached the finish line first early Saturday after covering non-stop 246 kilometers from Athens to Sparta in southern Greece in 22 hours, 55 minutes and 13 seconds, according to the International Association "SPARTATHLON" which organizes the event each year. The Japanese runner ranked fourth last year in his first participation in the event. Czech Radek Brunner ranked second in 23:37:15 this year, as in 2017, while Portuguese Oliveira Joao was the third runner to reach the statue of ancient Spartan King Leonidas in the center of Sparta. Hungary's Maraz Zsuzsanna won the women's race, ranking 17th in the general division. The 36th Spartathlon race started at the foot of the Acropolis hill on Friday morning and was conducted amidst adverse weather conditions this year, as a cold front with strong winds and storms is sweeping across the country this week. This year 381 runners from 51 countries and regions competed, following the footsteps of ancient Greek soldier Pheidippides from the Greek capital to the southern Peloponnese peninsula city of Sparta. In 490 BC, ahead of the battle of Marathon against the Persian forces, according to historians, the Athenian messenger who inspired the Classic Marathon was sent to Sparta to request support, making the journey on foot nonstop within two days. (09/29/2018) ⚡AMP

Michael Wardian wins the first ever full marathon held inside a NFL stadium

On Friday evening, 17 runners participated in the first full and half marathon around the home turf of the New England Patriots. 

It was also the first marathon run entirely inside a NFL stadium. Participants in the half marathon ran just over 59 laps on the warning track surrounding the turf, while the full marathon participants ran 118 laps.

The course is USA Track & Field (USATF) certified and a Boston Marathon qualifier.  Runners enjoyed special appearances by Patriots cheerleaders and the end zone militia, in-stadium music, motivational videos on the HD video boards and other entertainment throughout the evening.  

“We are thrilled to be hosting our first marathon inside Gillette Stadium,” said Josh Kraft, president of the New England Patriots Foundation.

“This is a really unique opportunity and this event will help us raise critical funds for the New England Patriots Foundation to benefit homeless shelter programs throughout the region.”  

The race was directed by Dave McGillivray who also is the Boston Marathon race director.  44-year-old Michael Wardian placed first clocking 2:49:26.  Michael had also won the marathon held inside Fenway Park a few months ago.  

Becca Pizzi was the first woman clocking 3:49.  Both are also participating in the second Run The World Global Run Challenge and these miles bring Michael’s total to 384 miles run and logged since August 29.  He is currently in 7th place.  The team is running and logging enough miles to circle the globe (24,901 miles).     

(09/28/2018) ⚡AMP

Former Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross was named the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon International Event Ambassador

Airtel Delhi Half Marathon keeps getting bigger and better every year as Procam International today announced American track and field legend Sanya Richards-Ross as the International Event Ambassador for the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon 2018 scheduled for 21st October. Considered by many to be one of the most graceful sprinters in recent history, Sanya Richards-Ross is the fastest American woman in the history of 400m with her time of 48.70 set when winning at the 2006 IAAF World Cup. Expressing her excitement to be a part of the 2018 Airtel Delhi Half Marathon, Sanya said, “It is an honour to be the ambassador of one of the world’s most prestigious half marathons. Running a half marathon is so much hard work, remaining disciplined and determined, the same mentality one can use to achieve other goals. The city has shown tremendous affinity to the race, which is evident with the increasing participation numbers every year. I’m pretty excited about this role and will be happy to share my experiences and hope I can inspire everyone starting the race that day. She further added, “This is my first visit to India and I have heard only wonderful things about the country. I look forward to soaking in all the local flavours and feel the magic of this colourful city!” After a 400m silver medal and 4x400m gold at the 2002 World Junior Championships, Sanya made a big impact in the senior ranks during the 2003 IAAF World Championship where, despite being just 18, she anchored the USA to the 4x400m title. From there on, she went on to dominate the world stage over one lap of the track, winning the 2009 400m world title, three world championships 4x400m gold medals (2007, 2009, 2011) as well various other major championship medals. Sanya’s meteoric rise also saw her win three consecutive 4x400m gold medals at the Olympic Games (2004, 2008, 2012) and – after bronze in Beijing four years earlier – she become the first American female runner to win an individual 400m gold medal in 28 years as she was crowned the champion in 400m at the London 2012 Olympic Games. (09/28/2018) ⚡AMP

Haftamnesh Tesfay is expected to attack the 2:20 mark at Frankfurt Marathon

The 24-year-old Haftamnesh Tesfay made an impressive debut to her marathon career in Dubai this January with fifth place in 2:20:13, the fourth fastest time ever by a female marathon debutant.

That performance should whet the appetite for what she can do in Frankfurt. Two places behind Haftamnesh Tesfay in Dubai came another Ethiopian debutant, Dera Dida and her impressive showing also makes the 21-year-old’s appearance in Frankfurt highly anticipated following her 2:21:45 in the United Arab Emirates.

Tesfay and Dida were soon in action again and distinguished themselves at the prestigious Rome Ostia Half Marathon two months later. They dominated the Italian race, Tesfay winning in 69:02 and Dida runner-up, 19 seconds behind. Meskerem Assefa has had previous experience of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon.

The 32-year-old from Ethiopia finished third in 2:24:38 last year. She made a solid improvement on her lifetime best in winning the Nagoya title in Japan in mid-March, running 2:21:45.

Another returning to the race beside the River Main is the American Sara Hall after her fifth place a year ago in 2:27:21. She improved further with 2:26:20 this spring for third place in Ottawa.

And no marathon would be complete without Kenyan presence with Nancy Kiprop, twice winner of the Vienna City Marathon title, running in Frankfurt. After winning Vienna last year she improved her best to 2:24:18 to retain the title this April.

(09/28/2018) ⚡AMP

Man Kaur a 102-Year-Old Runner, shares her secrets as she is still running and racing winning gold medals

At 102, Man Kaur is still running — and winning gold medals. The phenomenon from India just nailed the gold medal in the 200-meter race for the 100-to-104 age group at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Malaga, Spain.

She finished in 3 minutes and 14 seconds. Kaur has a message for younger folks: Keep away from junk food and stick to an exercise regimen!

Her own routine is impressive for any age. She wakes up at 4 a.m., bathes, washes clothes, makes tea, recites prayers until about 7 a.m. Sometimes she goes to the Gurdwara, the place of worship for Sikhs, other times she prays at home. And then she goes to the track for an hour of sprinting practice.

The diminutive Kaur hasn't been a lifetime runner. Far from it. She started running in 2009, when her son, Gurdev Singh, who's now 80, urged her to take up track and field.

Singh, the second of her three children, is her coach as well as cheerleader. He also a long-time track competitor: "I was on my college track team and in school, I ran track and I played on the [soccer] team. I have been running in the master level for the last 25 years."

Singh has amassed more than 80 racing medals since 1992. What made him take his then 93-year-old mother to the track? It was mainly a whim, he explains — but also a desire to keep her fit.

"She was very well, with no health problems, and she moved fast. So I took her to the university track with me and asked her to run 400 meters. She did it, slowly, and I thought 'Yes, She can do it.'

"Kaur enjoyed it enough to want to return. She liked running, she said. And quickly she started to improve. Two years later, given how well she was doing, her son registered her for international events he was participating in. Kaur agreed with no hesitation. And she hasn't stopped running.

(09/28/2018) ⚡AMP

Here is the latest 2019 Boston Marathon News, thousands did not make the cut

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today continued its notification to applicants of their acceptance into the 2019 Boston Marathon®. In preparation for the 2019 Boston Marathon, the B.A.A. implemented the same registration process for qualified runners as it used in the 2012 through 2018 Boston Marathons, allowing the fastest qualifiers to register first. The 123rd Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 15, 2019 and will mark the 34th consecutive year that the event will have John Hancock as its principal sponsor. Qualifiers who were four minutes, 52 seconds (4:52) or faster than the qualifying time for their age group and gender have been accepted into the 2019 Boston Marathon. A total of 23,074 qualified applicants have been accepted to date or are in the process of being accepted, pending verification of their qualifying performance. A total of 30,458 applications were received during the registration time period for qualifiers, a significant increase from recent years. With the increase in applications received, 7,384 qualifiers were unable to be accepted due to field size limitations. In cooperation with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the eight cities and towns along the Boston Marathon route, the B.A.A. has set the field size for the 2019 Boston Marathon at 30,000 official entrants. (09/27/2018) ⚡AMP

Run The World Challenge 2 Profile: Romance got Carmen Gair hooked on running

Romance got Carmen Gair interested in (and eventually hooked on) running! "At school I was a bookworm, the academic type, not the athletic type and certainly not the running type," remembers 34-year-old Carmen.  "That was until I met my high school sweetheart, a very experienced runner.  I started tagging along to races with him just to have the chance to socialize with him afterwards."  At first she just entered 10K fun runs but that soon changed.  "I was soon bitten by the running bug and progressed to the half marathon. The high school romance is now long forgotten but I am still very much in love with running," she says.  This love for running is why Carmen Gair entered the Run The World Challenge 2 and has already logged 94 miles in 30 days.  Lize Dumon (pictured with Carmen in the white hat), the South African Run The World Challenge team leader told her about the challenge and Carmen signed up right away.  Carmen pledged to run and log 25k (15.5 miles) weekly and at this point she has been doing 22 miles weekly.  "I wouldn’t dream of not reaching the amount of k’s I pledged," she says.  "The Run The World Challenge is fun. I love the social aspect, the people taking part, posting and commenting in the runner feed. And it is very motivating, I’ve certainly increased my usual mileage due to the challenge," says Carmen.  Running is a very important part of her life.  "At university I discovered just how much I needed regular running to clear my head and keep stress levels in check. To this day I cherish this precious me-time," Carmen says.  "I also love the social aspect and the wonderful friends and connections I have made through running."  Running keeps her fit, healthy and happy and she says she will continue to run for a long time!  Asked about her goals?  "At the moment I have got my sights set on running my first full marathon. The Run The World Challenge has contributed to that a lot by significantly increasing my mileage."  Her husband and Carmen live high up on a beautiful mountain in a small village near the world famous Kruger National Park in South Africa. "I am a dietitian by profession and like most dietitians I love all things food-related, including cooking and eating," Carmen says. (09/27/2018) ⚡AMP
by Bob Anderson

João Oliveira will run the Spartathlon this Friday, and this year he hopes to win again

The ultra-marathoner has already won the Spartathlon  in 2013, and returns to participate this year after placing 11th in 2017. Joao of the Chaves Running Team left last Wednesday for Greece. The race starts at 7:00 local time on Friday.  This year Joao Oliveira is one of the candidates that could win this race, "the first time I kiss the feet of Leonidas was in 2009" in the position number 64 he said, the following year he was fourth! In 2013, his time was 23:29:08. In 2011 and 2014 he also managed to complete the 246km course. "Hopefully this year, could be mine," he says. (09/27/2018) ⚡AMP

Mimi Belete from Bahrain will debut at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

As marathon debuts go, Mimi Belete’s might have gone unnoticed in Hamburg last March but for the fact she earned herself third place in this world class event in a very good time of 2:26:06. No one was more surprised than her coach Getaneh Tessema, as she had battled a flareup of a nagging hamstring injury for much of the race and would have been well served to drop out. What could she have run if not for her impediment? The world is about to find out as the 30-year-old, who now represents Bahrain, has turned her attention to the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, October 21st, an IAAF Gold Label race. “For a long time I was training for the short distances and now I want to get a good time in the marathon,” she explains. “I have been with Getaneh almost one year and he advises me after training to rest well as well as to keep working hard.” “I was happy with my performance in Hamburg. I could have run faster but I had a hamstring problem. I want to get my best time in Toronto.” Belete’s path to Canada’s largest city has been a circuitous one. Though she was born in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, she and her younger sister Almensh left their homeland and sought political asylum in Belgium while still in their teens. (09/27/2018) ⚡AMP

Registration for the 43rd Grandma's Marathon Weekend opens October 1

Registration opens for the Grandma's Marathon, Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and the William A. Irvin 5K at 7pm Central Time October 1.  Entries will be taken on a first come, first serve basis until the full marathon 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. The entry process for the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon will no longer include a lottery. Registration will also be first come, first serve until the cap of 7,500 participants is met. Registration for the half is expected to reach capacity very quickly, as last year's registration closed in approximately four hours. The William A. Irvin 5K is limited to the first 2,000 participants. All finishers of the 3.1-mile race will be awarded with a medal and finisher shirt. (09/27/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenya’s Caroline Kipkirui and Ethiopia’s Worknesh Degefa, will go head-to-head in the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon 2018

The two fastest women in the ADHM elite field, Kenya’s Caroline Kipkirui and Ethiopia’s 2016 ADHM winner Worknesh Degefa, will go head-to-head again after a memorable duel in the Prague Half Marathon back in April. Kipkirui – who set a personal best of 65:07 in Ras Al Khaimah in January – prevailed by just one second on that occasion to take second place in the Czech capital and it’s certain that Degefa will have that in mind ahead of her fourth ADHM appearance. Two other highly-rated Ethiopian women will also be on the start line in Delhi: Yeshaneh Ababel and Senbere Teferi. Ababel was second at the ADHM 2017 and has since been victorious at the Istanbul and Yangzhou half marathons while Teferi, who will be making her half marathon debut, has won world championship medals on the track and at cross country in the past and will arrive in Delhi fresh from setting a 3000m personal best when representing Africa at the recent IAAF Continental Cup. All the leading runners will also have in their sights first prize cheques of US$27,000 with a total prize money purse (combined men and women) of US$280,000. “We have two outstanding races in prospect for this year’s Airtel Delhi Half Marathon with Eric Kiptanui and Caroline Kipkirui leading the field,” commented Vivek Singh, joint managing director of race promoters Procam International. “Once again, we brought some of the best distance runners in the world to India with the aim of entertaining, thrilling and inspiring the Indian distance running community. ADHM’s standards and popularity is well-established across the globe, something we are very proud of, and with fields of this calibre 2018 edition should be no different.” he added. (09/26/2018) ⚡AMP

The Chicago Marathon was not always a first class marathon like it is today

The annual marathon in Chicago is one of the biggest and most competitive marathons in the world, but in its early years, the event was a far cry from the glamorous and star-studded race it is today. Held on Sept. 25, 1977, Chicago’s first modern-day race was originally named the Mayor Daley Marathon. It drew some 4,200 participants who paid $5 to run in the inaugural event—which got off to a rocky start when a ceremonial cannon misfired, injuring two spectators. Meanwhile, the race’s top marathoners struggled to get around slower runners on the out-and-back course. These days, race officials and lead vehicles clear the way for the fastest runners, but that wasn’t the case four decades ago. The men’s winner Dan Cloeter recalled in a 2002 Chicago Tribune article. In 1978, organizers changed the start time from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and doubled the entry fee to $10, prompting uproar from runners. To protest the changes, many wore black armbands on race day. Concern about the later start and warm temperatures rang true when scores of runners wound up being treated for heat-related illnesses. The next year, organizers moved the marathon to October when the weather is typically cooler. But race day turned out to be hot and humid, and Cloeter, the 1977 champion, collapsed from dehydration after winning the race a second time. The race gained prominence in 1982 when organizers began awarding prize money to the men’s and women’s champions, who each took home $12,000 that year. One of the most exciting performances in the event’s history came in 1985 from American Joan Benoit Samuelson. Not only did the 1984 Olympic marathon gold medalist win and beat the marathon world record-holder at the time, she also set an American and course record in The Windy City. But the marathon would soon face hard times. In 1987, after losing its title sponsor, Beatrice Foods, the event was changed to a half marathon. The marathon returned the next year with Old Style, a beer brewing company, as its new financial supporter, but that relationship would fizzle out by 1990. The event lost its key sponsor, but gained a new race director. At 33, Carey Pinkowski took the helm of the struggling race in 1990, making him the youngest marathon director in the U.S. at the time. Pinkowski, 61, has been the race director ever since. The race also attracted the world’s best marathoners, including Khalid Khannouchi, who would win the race four times with record-breaking performances between 1997 and 2002. Great Britain’s Paula Radcliffe would also deliver a stellar performance that year, running 2:17:18 to smash the women’s world marathon record and win the race.  Fast forward, this year's race could produce the fastest marathon time run on US soil this year.  A sub 2:06 is very possible depending on the weather.  US's Galen Rupp (last year's winner) is set to battle some of the best runners in the world including Mo Farah.   (09/26/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenyan team is set to run the oldest marathon in Europe, the Kosice Peace Marathon in Slovakia

Founded in 1924, the Kosice marathon is Europe's oldest, this year celebrating its 95th edition. The course records - Lawrence Kimaiyo's 2:07:01 men's mark set in 2012 and Ashete Bekere Dido's 2:27:47 women's standard set in 2013 - may not be under imminent threat, but the solid fields attracted to this eastern Slovak city promise strong head-to-head battles. Kerio will be keen to improve his best time and clinch the course record. Speaking in Eldoret, Kerio said he has gone through three months of training without any injury concerns or any other problems and believes he will be in peak form to defend his title. "It will always be hard as a champion to defend your crown," he said Wednesday. "But that is why we train hard and it will be down to my own tactics and strength to carry me through the distance and hopeful retain my title." Kerio, 24, holds a best time of 2:08:12, which he clocked in 2017 in winning the marathon. He will be accompanied by compatriot Nicholas Kipchirchir Korir, who will be making his first run in the full marathon distance. Korir holds a best time of 59:50 in the half marathon distance. Ethiopia will be represented by Birhanu Bekele (2:09:41). Since its inception just five men have managed to secure back-to-back wins in Kosice. The last man to achieve the feat was David Kariuki winning in 2001 and 2002 winner.  On the women side, Kenya's Alice Kibor, third at the Rome Marathon this year with best time of 2:28:19 will be the athlete to beat. She will be up against Ethiopian Mestawot Tadesse (2:31:38).  (09/26/2018) ⚡AMP

Chris Thompson will return to Glasgow to defend his Bank of Scotland Great Scottish Run half marathon title on Sunday

The 37 year-old took a memorable victory on the streets of the city last September as he rolled back the years. In a career which has been dogged by injuries, Thompson has enjoyed a purple patch over the last two years, following up his win at the Great Scottish Run with victory in the Great South Run three weeks later. This return to form saw Thompson put in strong performances over the winter including a third-place finish in both the Doha Half Marathon and NYC Half marathon and achieving the qualifying time for a call-up to the European Championships, where he represented Great Britain at a major competition for the first time since 2012. He will take on the half marathon in Glasgow this weekend as he prepares to compete in November’s New York City Marathon. (09/26/2018) ⚡AMP