Running News Daily

Lin Dinxiang overcame a drinking problem replacing it with running and exercising

Lin Dinxiang frequently blacked out, his hands shook and he suffered from diarrhoea and memory loss. Those were red flags from three years ago for Lin Dinxiang. Heavy drinking was almost a nightly activity for him. Since the onset of his health problems, the marketing manager has taken to exercising as a distraction from booze, despite having injured menisci in both knees during national service. The 35-year-old says, "I found a reason not to drink and to lead a healthier lifestyle. For me, the chemical release from running has become something I look forward to instead." Although he is not following a teetotal lifestyle, he no longer suffers from those debilitating symptoms. Today, Lin has completed three full marathons - including one in Chiang Mai. He also does muay thai and salsa dancing on top of his four to five weekly running sessions. His next high? Tackling the 21km half marathon at the Safra Singapore Bay Run & Army Half Marathon on Aug 26. (08/21/2018) ⚡AMP

Olympic and World champion Vivian Cheruiyot will return to the Great North Run looking for another victory

The four-time Olympic and five-time World Championship medallist won the world’s biggest half marathon on her debut over the distance in 2016, and finished second to winner Mary Keitany last year. She said: “I am looking forward to returning to England for the Simplyhealth Great North Run. “It was a magnificent race when I won here for the first time in 2016 and I want to be on top of that podium again next month.” (08/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Mo Farah aiming for high five win at Simplyhealth Great North Run

Mo Farah will look to become the first runner ever to win a fifth consecutive Simplyhealth Great North Run next month. The four-time Olympic gold medallist and six-time world track champion, who has competed in every Simplyhealth Great North Run staged since 2013, will defend his title over the world-famous half marathon between Newcastle and South Shields on Sunday, September 9. He finished second on his debut outing but has won on every occasion since and last year’s fourth win equalled Benson Masya’s record, with the Kenyan winning over the 13.1mile distance in 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1996. While Paralympic great Tanni Grey-Thompson has won the wheelchair event five times in a row, no runner has ever matched that feat. “I can’t wait to come back to Newcastle and race again,” said Farah, who is preparing to run the Chicago marathon in October. “It’s something I look forward to every year, the crowds are always unbelievable and it’s a good course for racing. “To be the best in the world you have to beat the best and it’s going to be no different here. I’m looking forward to the challenge.” (08/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Krar returned to Leadville 100 for his second win with over a hour ahead of second place

The legendary Rob Krar of Flagstaff, Arizona (originally from Hamilton, Ont.), has won yesterday’s Leadville 100, the 100-mile ultra in the Colorado Rockies. His time was 15:51:57. Krar is only the second person to have run the course in under 16 hours. Ryan Kaiser of Bend, Oregon was second, in 17:37:23, and Seth Kelly of Golden, Colorado was third, in 18:15:29. Started in 1983, the Leadville 100 is a 161K trail race through the Colorado Rockies, hitting 3840-metre peaks, earning it the nickname “the race across the sky.” In 2014, Krar ran Western States, Leadville and Run Rabbit Run in the span of just 11 weeks. He won all three. Krar came within 30 minutes of setting the course record with his 2014 win, finishing in 16:09:32. (08/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Megan Kimmel crosses the finish line at the Pikes Peak Marathon to set a new women´s record

Megan Kimmel had not run the Pikes Peak Marathon in nearly 10 years, but the 38-year-old runner out of Ridgway spent much of Sunday’s descent contemplating whether or not to go for a record-breaking time. “I took note of what my time was up top, and I was like ‘I think it’s still doable,’” Kimmel recalled thinking. “At Barr Camp, I was kinda like ‘Ah, I don’t have it.’” While she didn’t think she’d be breaking Lynn Bjorklund’s record set in 1981, Kimmel kept a solid pace to keep distance between her and the competition. Her mindset changed once more, however. “It wasn’t until I hit the pavement on Ruxton (Avenue) that someone was like, ‘You can do it. There’s time,’ ” Kimmel said. “That’s when I kicked it.” Her only remaining issue was figuring out the exact time she needed. Kimmel said she knew the record was just a little over 4 hours, 15 minutes but didn’t know how many seconds she had to work with. “Once you get closer to the finish line here, people really keep you going for sure,” Kimmel said. “But I have to say, I didn’t notice it that much because I was so focused on the time and the finish that I kinda had tunnel vision going on.” The focus paid off as Kimmel stormed through the tape in 4:15:04, good for a new record and the 14th-best overall time. Kimmel chalked up her performance to living at altitude and near-ideal conditions a day after the Ascent was shortened due to expected weather. She was able to complete the marathon in a sleeveless racing top without slowing to add or remove layers. (08/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Irish marathon champion Gary O’Hanlon wins Longford Marathon

The Irish marathon champion storms to victory in Longford, Clonliffe Harriers and St Abban’s win national league titles, while masters athletes impress in Tullamore. National marathon champion Gary O’Hanlon of Clonliffe Harriers was the runaway winner at the Longford Marathon on Sunday (August 19). O’Hanlon’s time of 2:21:00 saw him finish with over 21 minutes to spare over Raheny Shamrock’s Freddy Sittuk who finished in 2:42:52. In third place was was Peter Mooney in 2:49:27. First woman in 2:58:40 was Adrianna Melia who was also 10th overall. Paddy O’Toole won the half marathon in 1:14:07 with Adele Walsh of St Senan’s first woman in 1:24:54.  (08/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Canada’s Ben Flanagan pulls off the win in a crazy sprint to the finish at the New Balance Falmouth Road Race

It was a crazy sprint to the finish as 23-year-old Ben Flanagan (photo) wins the New Balance Falmouth Road Race this morning.  Scott Fauble (US) was second clocking 32:23, Leonard Korir was next in 32:28.  Stephen Sambu who keeps coming back to defend his men’s title in the 7.1 mile race finished fourth with 32:32.  The lead pack passed 10k at 28:50.  But Ben’s speed gave him the win.  On June 7th the University of Michigan senior won the 10000m at the NCAA Championships clocking 28:34 taking 39 seconds off his PR.  His last 400 meters there being 56.9 seconds.  Last year’s winner Stephen Sambu, from Kenyan who last year became the first man to win Falmouth four times, always sends Snapchat pictures of himself with the ocean backdrop to friends. He also spends some downtime on the beach. But above all, he said the camaraderie with the community, especially host families, keeps him giddy to return each year. “I feel like I’m home,” Sambu said during Friday morning’s media event. “They take you in like they’re your own kids. “I’ll be coming back even if I lose.” When asked about going for five straight wins and another $10,000 first prize, Sambu said he’s feeling some pressure, knowing that it won’t be easy. “Everybody is expecting me to win,” said Sambu.  “I’m ready, I’m feeling good. I don’t give up. I just fight until the end. I can lose, but I don’t lose easily.”  He was close but not close enough this year.  We are sure he will be back.  He just loves it too much!  (08/19/2018) ⚡AMP

Dave Mackey decided to have his Leg amputated in 2016 and today still runs Ultras

In 2016, Dave Mackey decided to have his own leg amputated so he could continue a remarkable ultrarunning career. On May 23, 2015, Dave Mackey went for one of his regular runs, 13 miles up three mountains that skirt Boulder, Colorado: South Boulder Peak, Bear Peak, and Green Mountain. The two-time Ultrarunner of the Year was training for the Western States Endurance Race in California, one of the premier 100-mile races in the country. His ultrarunning resume also includes several course records, and he once set the fastest known time of Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim, a run from one rim of the Grand Canyon to the other, and back, that covers 41 miles and more than 10,000 feet of elevation gain. The run is a bucket list item for many endurance athletes. Around 12 hours is considered an impressive accomplishment — Mackey did it in under seven. On that May run high up on Bear Peak, Mackey stepped on a boulder that dislodged under his foot. He fell from the ridge and the boulder pinned his left leg. Nearby hikers heard Mackey’s calls for help and were able to get the 300-pound boulder off. And though he suffered compound fractures in his left tibia and fibula, it appeared that his leg could be saved. But for the following year and a half, Mackey was waylaid due to constant pain and endless surgeries. Anxious to get back to competing, one of the world’s best runners decided in October 2016 that he would be better off having his leg amputated from the knee down. Mackey, at 48 years old, has come back strong. Since June 15, 2018, he has been competing in the Leadman — a five-event competition that includes a trail marathon, a 100-mile mountain bike ride, a 50-mile trail run or mountain bike ride, a 10-kilometer trail run, and a 100-mile trail run, all on extreme terrain and elevation that exceeds 12,000 feet. On August 18, he is running the Leadville Trail 100 Run.  (08/18/2018) ⚡AMP

Dina Pestonji overcame two strokes and ran half-marathon 10 months later

A Toronto woman has written a book about her struggles with an eating disorder, recovering from a car crash and two strokes, hoping her challenges will inspire other women. Despite having plenty of love and affection from her family, Dina Pestonji, now 35, still felt different from other girls with "pale skin and blue eyes," according to her book, Surviving Myself. The book explores her ensuing decade-long battle with anorexia, a near-fatal car crash and a pair of strokes that nearly crippled her. When asked how she went from learning the alphabet and how to walk again to running a half marathon merely 10 months later, Pestonji is humble. "I needed to be myself again and show myself I could do it," she said. "It was just me proving to myself I'm the same person.She credits having a loving family and friends and a team of physical therapists who pushed her. "I was lucky to have a supportive team. I've never thought anything I've ever done is really remarkable," she said. "I was given a circumstance and my body and mind worked together. I've learned to love myself and be kind to myself which I never was before. (08/18/2018) ⚡AMP

Michael Wardian runs fastest hundred miler ever in the state of Maine

Michael Wardian won the 2018 Great Cranberry 100 Mile today clocking 15:29:59.  An absolutely incredible run by Michael who just ran the fastest hundred miler ever recorded in the state of Maine.  Michael posted this on FB.  “Huge thank you to Gary Allen and the entire team at Crow athletics for such an incredible race.  My sister, Mariele helped me so much from crewing, recording my splits, and even running a few laps.  She kept me focused and determined. Also, I would like to give a heartfelt shoutout to all the other athletes, crews, volunteers and residents for cheering for me and each other 50 plus times. It was a battle but we did it.” (08/18/2018) ⚡AMP

Jim Miller uses a version of fartlek training to keep Running at 70

Say the world “fartlek” in a conversation and you’ll know if someone’s a serious runner, Jim Miller says. Non-runners will react with a giggle.  Fartlek is the Swedish word for “speed play.”  It is a training technique that emphasizes endurance at a faster pace. In the 1980s, when Jim Miller was an active member of the New York Road Runners, Fartlek training was the preferred workout for distance runners. He used it to train for five marathons, running a personal best of 2 hours, 58 minutes and 28 seconds in 1984. A variation of today’s popular high-intensity workouts, the fartlek mixes periods of fast and slow running with no rest in between. A 10-mile training run might alternate between 2 miles at a moderate pace, then a ½ mile at race pace. “I used to use the first mile of my run as my warm-up,” he says. “But as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized my body, particularly my back, needs some stretching and strengthening before I get going.” His 15-minute warm-up includes a series of planks, side planks, lower-back stretches and 70 push-ups—one for each year. The running portion of the Fartlek workout is a modified version of his marathon workout. It includes a 1-mile jog from his house to a community walking path, where he walks a mile before jogging another mile back home. “That walk is really therapeutic,” he says. “It reinvigorates me for my last mile.” He does the Fartlek routine a minimum of five days a week. “There will come a day when my Fartlek intervals will flip to 2 miles of walking and 1 mile of jogging, or even shorter increments, but that is the beauty of the workout,” he says. “It’s adaptable.” (08/18/2018) ⚡AMP

Galen Rupp is going to be racing the Tilburg Ten Miles before the Chicago Marathon

The CZ Tilburg Ten Miles is the the fastest 10 mile race in the world. Galen Rupp will be competing in the Sept 2 race.  Rupp has typically raced a road race about a month before a marathon. In this case, the Tilburg Ten Miles is just over a month before he will take to the streets of Chicago to defend his 2017 win. So far this year, Rupp has competed in four races. He ran an indoor 5,000 meters at Washington in January. He then won the Roma-Ostia Half Marathon, running 59:47, in March. Rupp began the 2018 Boston Marathon, hoping to improve on his runner-up finish from 2017. However, the cold and wet weather caused him breathing problems and forced him to drop out in the middle of the race. Now Galen will be running the Tiburg Ten Miles where Haile Gebrselassie ran the world record there in 2005, in the city in the south of The Netherlands clocking 44:24. Other previous winners include: Bernard Koech and returning defending champion Rodgers Kwemoi.  Kenya´s Rodgers Kwemoi won in 2016 and 2017 and will be running again this year.  His 2017 winning time was 45:03.  There has been four winning times under 46 minutes since 1988. (08/17/2018) ⚡AMP

Milind Soman ran 72K in Delhi to celebrate India’s 72nd Independence Day

While everyone celebrated Independence Day in different ways, actor, model and fitness enthusiast Milind Soman rang in the day doing what he loves the most — running. He ran 72k in Delhi, to celebrate India’s 72nd Independence Day. “I thought, why not celebrate it in a way that would make people fitter? To me, running is the best way to do that,” says Milind. He took off at 6.30 am from Lodhi Gardens and ended the run at India Gate at 4.30 pm. The idea for this run occurred to him very recently. He says, “I thought of it just two days ago, but the turnout has been great. It’s nice to see people from 44-year-olds to youngsters too, who joined the run with me. I would like to urge people to take health and fitness seriously. Running 72k is not just for Independence Day, but also to spread the message of exercising our freedom to live in a healthy way by making a choice to spend 30 to 40 minutes daily on ourselves. Age should not be a limiting factor, anyone can and must adopt fitness in their way of life.”  (08/17/2018) ⚡AMP

Former Northern Arizona runner Futsum Zienasellassie ready for Falmouth Road Race

When Futsum Zienasellassie spoke with his head coach about taking time to travel and see his family in in Eritrea, East Africa, the runner’s place of birth, it didn’t take long to get an answer. “He asked me if I was OK with him going there, and of course I was,” said NAZ Elite head coach Ben Rosario. “I think it’s important to see your family, but when you go to Eritrea, you can’t just shoot over there for a weekend, you have to stay for a while to make it worth it. And it’s a great place to train; it’s at high elevation, there are dirt roads and cool places to run. We thought that since he’s over there for two months, we might as well take advantage of the fitness, so he’s basically going from Eritrea to Falmouth.” Zienasellassie will be joined by teammates Scott Fauble and Kellyn Taylor as the trio competes in the Falmouth Road Race, a 7-miler on Cape Cod in Massachusetts set to take place Sunday. Despite being limited in how much he could communicate with Zienasellassie during the stay in Eritrea, Rosario thinks the trip will have a positive effect for the runner. Rosario said visiting home and reuniting with family was something Zienasellassie needed, and that he expects the young runner to return to the United States rejuvenated. “Typically when athletes are in a great mood, it leads to something good, so I expect that he does well on Sunday – as long as he can handle the travel OK,” the head coach said. Meanwhile, Fauble will use the race, which has been won by Stephen Sambu the last four years, as a chance to work on his training for a fall marathon.  (08/17/2018) ⚡AMP

Ultra-marathon runner, Troy Dzioba, is looking for triple crown title

It’s hard to imagine running a 100-mile endurance race throughout rocky, steep terrain in blistering heat, but for Spruce Grove’s Troy Dzioba, it’s just another day at the office. Dzioba, who has been running ultra-marathon races throughout Canada and the United States for years, is about to tackle his newest challenge, the Black Spur Ultra. Black Spur Ultra is a three-day, Kimberley, B.C.-based ultra-marathon that sees runners travel up to 108-kilometres in just 24 hours. All of this is done while reaching heights of 4,460 feet above sea level. For Dzioba, the decision to take part in the Aug. 25 race is part of his strive to earn himself a triple crown title — an honour reserved for athletes who complete the Sinister 7 ultra-marathon, the Canadian Death Race ultra-marathon and the Black Spur ultra-marathon. Thus far, Dzioba has completed both the Sinister 7 and the Canadian Death Race. 2018 marks the second time he’s completed the Sinister 7 and the fourth time he’s completed the Canadian Death Race. “In the Sinister 7, I placed second in the triple category and 11 overall in the men’s category,” Dzioba said, while taking some time off in Grande Cache. “In the Canadian Death Race, I placed second in the triple category again and was 18th overall in the men’s category.” Dzioba said he’s feeling positive about the way this season of endurance racing has been going, adding that he’s focusing on maintaining his fitness and not overdoing it in preparation of Black Spur — a course he’s never run before. (08/17/2018) ⚡AMP

Run The World Global Run Challenge 1 July 4 Start Special Awards Announced

The Run The World Global Run Challenge 1 presented by My Best Runs started July 4, 2018.  The goal was to run and log 24,901 Miles in the shortest posible time.  "The mission was to celebrate running, motivate our team, inspire others and complete the challenge," says team caption Bob Anderson. 

The team of 175 active runners finished in 36 Days 23 Hours and 13 Minutes on Thursday night August 9th at 11:13pm (PDT).  "It was an amazing event and I can not wait until the next one starting August 29," says Geoff Smith (team member and two time Boston Marathon winner). 

"Everyone on our team was a winner and deserve an award," says Bob Anderson.  "Here are our special awards just announced today.  Congrats to these winners and our entire team." 

Outstanding achievement - Frank Bozanich age 74 logged 475 miles. 

Most Inspiring - Aaron L. Salvador from the little country of Palau logged 296.4 miles and posted a comment and photo everyday. Shared with Geoff Smith who also posted a comment and photo everyday logged 240.5 miles (which is almost double what he was doing prior to the Challenge)  

Most Motivating - Grace Padilla (US) logged 327.11 miles posted a comment and creative photo everyday. Grace who is 47 placed 11th overall and was first female.  

Best Performance - Willie Korir from Kenya not only did he log the most miles (797.37) he also ran one of his workouts at 4:37/mile pace for 9.13 miles.  

Five Most Inspiring stories - based on their story posted on My Best Runs: (this award goes to the five who received the most views on My Best Runs) Michael Wardian (1,677 views), Benn Griffin (1,461 views), Swetha Amit (1,431 views), Roy Pirrung (1,241 views) and Kiranpal Singh Dhody (1,088 views)  

Most Inspiring Photo - Grace Padilla´s July 5th photo training on the track in Mammoth Lakes, California (featured photo).  

Best Youngest performance - Owen Wall age 11 who logged 34.2 miles including running 8.1 miles in one day at 9:59 pace during his longest ever run. Shared with Elliot Daniels age 14 who ran and logged 184.45 miles and ran 5:47/mile pace for six miles in the Wharf to Wharf race in Santa Cruz, California.  

Best Oldest performance - Libby James age 82 who logged 81.81 miles (rounds up to 82). Shared with 74-year-old Frank Bozanich who ran and logged in 475 miles. 

Top Fifteen Spirit awards (based on coment and photo posted regularly that appeared on the Run The World Feed): Aaron L Salvador, Grace Padilla, Shawn Whalen, Michael Anderson, Brent Weigner, Danilo Purlia, Larry Allen, Rosaura Tennant, Asya Cabral, Kati Toivanen, Lize Dumon, Roger Wright, Abbey Cannon, Geoffrey Smith, and Pulkit Singh.  

Best Single Run - Michael Wardian when we ran 100.5 miles in 30 hours 23 minutes to place 11th on July 21 at Hardrock 100.  

Notable Mentions - Dave Mcgillivray logged 164.52 miles (Boston Marathon Director), Becca Pizzi logged 226.17 miles (Holds the record for running seven Marathons. Seven days on seven Continents), Liz Dumon had never run 150 Miles in 30 days before this challenge, Boaz Kipqego from Kenya logged 588.52 miles and placed second, JR Mintz (age 52) logged the most miles by an American with 480.86 miles, Paul Shimon (age 71) logged 390.71 miles placed 6th overall and was third American, Harpal Singh Gill was first runner from India logging 331.66 miles placing 10th overall, Sam Tada was first runner from Japan logging 237.30 miles placing 29th overall. Malin Andersson co-owner of World´s Marathons logged in 77.67 miles and Will Adams who logged 51.58 miles mostly all plogging (picking up trash while running).  

Our next Run The World Global Run Challenge starts August 29.  There is a $25 entry fee to help cover expenses unless you can not afford it and then it will be waived.  

(08/16/2018) ⚡AMP

The Eugene Marathon is changing it´s course for 2019

The Eugene Marathon is changing course for 2019, with a new route, a new finish line and a new stadium experience. Registration opened Wednesday for the 13th annual race scheduled for Sunday, April 28, 2019 with race organizers unveiling necessary changes to its long-established course because of the renovation of Hayward Field, which had been the location of the start and finish line. Now the marathon and half-marathon will start just outside Autzen Stadium on Leo Harris Parkway, and end inside the stadium with the finish at the 50-yard line. “Once Hayward was gone, our dream course was Autzen,” race director Richard Maher said. “We didn’t want it anywhere else.” Of course, moving the start and finish to the other side of the Willamette River forced some reshaping of the 26.2-mile marathon course and the 13.1-mile half-marathon course. The race will now go from Autzen to the Ferry Street Bridge, crossing in the northbound lanes into downtown where it will weave from Seventh Avenue to Eighth Avenue before heading south on Willamette Street to 13th Avenue and east to Agate Street where it will pick up its former pattern to south Eugene and back. The early portion of the race through downtown is a highlight for race organizers, who envision sidewalks lined with spectators on race morning. It also means closing down some streets typically busy with traffic, though maybe not so much on an early Sunday morning. “A marathon is going to be disruptive to a community; hopefully it’s a good disruption,” assistant race director Ian Dobson said. “When you look at that course, it’s really designed with two things in mind: It’s going to be cool for runners and also, it doesn’t land lock big chunks of the community. (08/16/2018) ⚡AMP

Akron Marathon will honor Deena Kastor with their 2018 Ambassador Award

The Akron Marathon will honor Deena Kastor with their 2018 Ambassador Award as part of the events leading up to its marquee event in the Akron Children’s Hospital Akron Marathon Race Series, the FirstEnergy Akron Marathon, Half Marathon & Team Relay. The Award, given since 2008, recognizes the contributions of dedicated leaders and those who serve as an inspiration in the sport. Deena Kastor is one of the most accomplished distance runners in American history, and currently holds eight American records in distances ranging from the 5k through the marathon. A three-time Olympian, Kastor won bronze in the marathon during the 2004 Athens games – America’s first Olympic medal in the marathon in twenty years. In the USA Championships, she is a three-time marathon winner, a five-time 10k champion, and a nine-time road champion ranging in distances between 8k and 15k. In addition to her Olympic bronze, internationally, Kastor is a two-time silver World Cross Country medalist and won the 2005 Chicago Marathon and the 2006 London Marathon. Deena set five world masters records in the 10k, 15k, 10 mile, 20k and half marathon distances in 2014 alone. Her new book “Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory” was released in April and gives readers a look inside the mind of an elite athlete and how the power of positivity can give anyone a competitive edge. (08/16/2018) ⚡AMP

Defending Champion Tina Mascarenas, will face a Tough Field at Pikes Peak Marathon

Dunking both feet in a 5-gallon ice bucket and eating a pint of Snickerdoodle ice cream has become the nightly habit for Tina Mascarenas. She does the former because her ankles were hurt in a fall during a race on Mount Olympus in Greece in late June, and the latter because she craves ice cream about as much as she loves science and running. Mascarenes has a lot going on these days. She just started a new job with DNA Connections, putting to use the biochemistry degree she earned at UCCS. And she’s getting married Sept. 9. In between those life-changing events she’ll defend her championship at the Pikes Peak Marathon on Aug. 19. She didn’t expect to win last year, although she’d finished third in 2016. “I thought I was competing for top five,” she said. “I think I had the best day of my life.” It will take an even better day to win this year. The 29-year-old Doherty High graduate says a repeat victory isn’t realistic with the world-class Salomon runners who are part of the Golden Trail Series competing this year and insists that her goal is to finish in the top 10. (08/15/2018) ⚡AMP

Leslie Sexton has joined the lineup at this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Defending Canadian champion Leslie Sexton has officially joined the lineup at this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 21. Sexton is favoured to win again, as the strongest Canadian female entry. Her 2017 time was 2:35:47. Sexton stands to win $5,000 if she runs faster than 2:35:00, and she has stated her goal is to exceed her personal best, which is 2:33:33 (achieved on the Scotiabank course in 2015). Ultimately she would like to go sub-2:30 and join the likes of Lanni Marchant (Canadian record-holder, at 2:28), Krista DuChene (who is also running Scotiabank this year), Silvia Ruegger, Jaqueline Gareau and Lioudmila Kortchaguina. (08/15/2018) ⚡AMP

Ultra marathoner Matthew Porter with a life-changing of back neurolical disorder diagnosis is training for the Leadville Trail 100

A St. Charles man faced with a life-changing diagnosis will embark on a challenge that will push his body to the limit. As the sun rises over the Colorado mountains Saturday morning (Aug. 18), Matthew Porter will begin running and will not stop for nearly 30 hours. For two years, Porter has been training for the Leadville Trail 100, an annual ultramarathon that will take him on trails and dirt roads near Leadville, CO through the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Porter's journey to the 100-mile race began eight years ago. He was married with three kids and growing a new company. Porter, admittedly, was not living the healthiest lifestyle. An innocent conversation with his then six-year-old daughter about her wedding day was the turning point for the rest of Porter`s life.'She pokes me in my stomach," he said. "'You have a lot of squishy. I don`t know if you`re going to make it,'" Porter's daughter said to him. The very next day, Porter took the first steps towards changing his life, but it was easier said than done.'Wrong shoes, wrong gear," he remembered. "Got up, went to go run a mile, made it about 100 to 150 feet.' Porter walked the rest of the mile that first day. Each day after, Porter ran a little further. Then a little further. As he ran, the pounds melted away. I look back at who that person looks like, and it almost looks like a different person. Feeling good about the changes he was seeing both physically and mentally, Porter continued running. However, the long-distance runs led to some wear and tear on his body. Three and a half years ago, a doctor ordered an MRI to look into some tension Porter was feeling in his back. That is when the doctor first noticed signs of Multiple Sclerosis. (08/15/2018) ⚡AMP

Hong Kong Marathon is increasing the size of their field by 4,000 in their 2019 event

The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon will welcome 4,000 more marathon runners in 2019 as organisers seek to foster a long-distance running culture in town. The annual Hong Kong showpiece, which will take place on February 17, will cater to a record 22,500 marathon runners, while the total number of runners will remain at 74,000. “There is always a great demand for the event and most of all we want to develop a culture for marathon running,” said Hong Kong Athletic Association chairman Kwan Kee. “The annual event has been running over 20 years and it’s time we produced more runners in the marathon category.” (08/15/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenyan runners Geoffrey Kirui and Bedan Karoki are ready to battle at Chicago marathon

Kenyan runners Geoffrey Kirui and Bedan Karoki may not be the top names at the Chicago marathon, but the duo are holding their cards close to their chest as they plot a surprise show on Oct 7. Kirui, the 2017 Boston marathon champion, was pushed to second position in defense of his title in April while Karoki, who had finished third in last year's London race, was fifth in the English capital clocking 2:08:34. Now the two are relishing challenging the status quo in Chicago, albeit from an obscure position. "The pressure is no longer on me like was the case in London. I can relax and focus on running my own race and leave the top names to choke each other out," Wanjiru said on Tuesday from his training base in Eldoret. Organizers have assembled together at least 11 men who have run two hours and seven minutes or faster, including past champions Abel Kirui and Dickson Chumba. They will face off against Galen Rupp, Mo Farah, Kenneth Kipkemoi, Paul Lonyangata, Kirui, Karoki, Stephen Sambu and Augustine Choge. Executive Race Director Careyu Pinkowski said, "This year's elite field is a collection of some of the best international athletes running on the global stage today. Karoki, a two-time Olympian in the 10,000m, is an exciting athlete who made his marathon debut in 2017. “We are confident that they will continue the great tradition of memorable and record setting performances in Chicago," he added. (08/15/2018) ⚡AMP

Comedian Kevin Hart, announced he is running the Bank of America Chicago Marathon

Comedian Kevin Hart said he will run in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. He made the announcement in a Facebook video with the help of his two adorable children. “Last year I ran my first marathon, the New York City Marathon, and I ran it in four hours. And I said you know what? That’s not good enough for me. I need to do more, I want more,” said Hart. Hart said he hopes to beat his time and go on to run three more marathons. “The road to becoming a better me starts today,” he said. Just as Hart stops talking, a screen behind him lights up with a special message from two of his children, Heaven and Hendrix. “We love you and your crazy dreams. You inspire us every day to chase our dreams. We want you to inspire more kids like us to move like you. Now get running, Chicago is in two months,” the pair said through signs. “Inspire kids like us to move. If I can do that, then dammit I’m doing a completely different job that I didn’t even think I was capable of doing,” Hart says. (08/14/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenya's Geoffrey Kamworor will return to the New York City Marathon on Nov. 4th in hopes of defending his title from last year

Kenya's Geoffrey Kamworor will return to the New York City Marathon on Nov. 4th in hopes of defending his title from last year, New York Road Runners announced on Tuesday. “Racing once more in the TCS New York City Marathon means so much to me," Kamworor said in a statement. "It is my favorite race, and although thousands of miles separate my training base in Kaptagat, Kenya to New York, the event feels like home. I say that because of the friendly nature of the event, the terrific organization and also because of the warmth I feel from the many thousands of supporters lining the route.” The 25-year-old captured his first World Marathon Major victory with a 2:10:53 win that included a 4-minute, 31-second split for the 25th mile. He finished just three seconds ahead of compatriot and former world record holder Wilson Kipsang. (08/14/2018) ⚡AMP

Kara Goucher a Two-Time Olympian and World Silver Medalist Shares Her Secrets to Conquering Self-Doubt

Throughout her career, Kara Goucher struggled with confidence. Dedicating time to thoughtfully focus on the positive aspects of her running and curbing her fears became an important and powerful part of her daily training routine. Here are some excerpts from Kara’s confidence journal, a practice suggested to her by the world-renowned Dr. Walker. “Self doubt has always been tough for me and learning how to chronicle and recall the best parts of my training has had a positive impact on my running and my life,” says Kara Goucher. “I hope this gives others the keys to unlock new potentials in all aspects of life.” Kara’s most useful confidence techniques including Positive Self Talk, Mantras, Setting Goals, Enclothed Cognition, Power Pose, Visualization Techniques, Power Words, and Social Connections.  (08/14/2018) ⚡AMP

Shalane Flanagan has been toying with the idea of retirement, but her retirement will have to wait until after this year's New York City Marathon

Shalane Flanagan has been toying with the idea of retirement for several years. But retirement will have to wait until after this year’s New York City Marathon.

She was supposed to retire after last year’s New York City Marathon, where she became the first American woman to win the title in four decades.

Since then, Flanagan faced heartbreak at this year’s Boston Marathon, where she finished in a disappointing seventh place under difficult conditions. Flanagan had hoped to win the race in front of a hometown crowd, as she’s from Marblehead, Massachusetts. Many thought Boston could be her last marathoner ever.

Now she’s announced a return to the New York City Marathon this fall. "When I experienced winning New York last year, it was like when you're sitting on your couch and finally something happens that you didn't realize would happen and it excites you,"

Flanagan said. "But this was my real life! It was the outcome of always wanting it and not knowing if I was going to get it. And suddenly everything I'd worked for was validated. I got it." Flanagan currently trains with the Bowerman Track Club in Beaverton, Oregon.   

The New York City Marathon goes on Sunday November 4th, 2018.

(08/13/2018) ⚡AMP

The president of Iceland, Jóhannesson is going to run the Reykjavik Half Marathon again

The president of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, announced on his Facebook page today that he intends to run a half marathon, in the Reykjavík Marathon this Saturday. According to the Icelandic Athletic Federation, this will be the 14th year in a row that the president participates in a half marathon in Reykjavík and the 16th time he participates in the event. The president already completed a half marathon in the Dettifoss Trail Run Jökulsárhlaup, on Saturday. In today’s Facebook post, he writes, “The second part of the marathon shall be completed in Reykjavík this weekend.” In 2014 was, when he completed the distance in 1:39:58, but most of the time, he has run the distance in between 1:40 and two hours. (08/13/2018) ⚡AMP

Japan´s Yoshihiko Ishikawa wins the 100 Meilen Berlin by over an hour

The 2017 24-hour world champion Yoshihiko Ishikawa (Nichia Kagaku) won the 100 Meilen Berlin Saturday, just short of the course record but beating his nearest competition by over an hour as he finished in 13:17.41. Part of a sizable lead group in the early going, Ishikawa broke free of the competition after two hours and was on his own the rest of the way. Projecting a finish time under 13 hours well into the race, in the later stages he slowed enough to miss the 13:06:52 course record set in 2014 but was still in a different class from the rest of the field, runner-up Stephane Ruel of France coming in in 14:25:24. Women's winner Monika Biegasiewicz of Poland won with the same kind of margin, running 15:29:48 to 2nd-placer Annette Mueller's 16:37:36. (08/13/2018) ⚡AMP

Caitriona Jennings handled tough conditions to win the Ireland National Half Marathon Championship in Dublin

Letterkenny Athletic Club's Caitriona Jennings became a Ireland National Champion on Sunday. She won gold in the National Half Marathon Championship in Dublin; the race was subsumed within the Rock n Roll Half Marathon. Caitriona crossed the line in an excellent time of 1.22.25. This left her 29 seconds clear of her closest challenger. Andrea Kiloran also had a fine run and finished in 2.03.44. Meanwhile, Teenage Letterkenny AC runner, Eoin Hughes, had a superb run in Wednesday evening's 'Jog in the Bog' in Derry. Eoin claimed 2nd place, in the 342 strong field, with a time of 16.26 for the 5K. (08/13/2018) ⚡AMP

Running the trails around Estes Park helped Kelsey Persyn win her first marathon

Kelsey Persyn won the Aspen Backcountry Marathon on Saturday, her first.   "It feels pretty cool. It's something I didn't expect, but I'm really happy that it happened. It kind of fueled my fire. I really want to get more into trail racing." Persyn, 22, was the top female finisher in Saturday's full marathon, which was essentially a 26-mile loop around — and up and over — Red Mountain, finishing at Rio Grande Park. She completed the race in 3 hours, 57 minutes, 55.71 seconds, which was good for 10th overall. This wasn't Persyn's first win in Aspen, as she also won the 2016 Aspen Valley Half Marathon, a road race, in 1:24:31. She ran track and cross country at Texas A&M before graduating this past May. She has been working as a park ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park this summer, and plans to make the move to Colorado more permanent. Running the trails around Estes Park helped her adjust to the altitude in Aspen. Saturday's race also happened to be her first full marathon. She hopes to race in the New York City Marathon in November. "I was kind of nervous in the beginning," Persyn said of Saturday's trail marathon. "Knowing you can overcome something like that is a really, really awesome feeling. It was just amazing. Trail running is great because time flies by, there is amazing scenery. It's just a really cool experience." (08/13/2018) ⚡AMP

17-year-old Jakob Ingebrigtsen shocked the world when he won both the 1500 and 5000 at European Championships

The hottest middle distance Track runner right now is just 17-years-old.  Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen even makes winning look easy.  In the middle of the 5000m in the European Championships he gives his brother (Henrik) a high five.  

Jakob must have been thinking a second gold was going to happen.  Nothing was going to get in his way even his older brother.  Jakob clocked 13:17, a personal best, for the win and his brother placed second.  

It was the golden double (1500/5000) that rippled around the world, a feat of athletic mastery most could only dream of at any stage of their careers, never mind at the tender age of 17. But sit Jakob Ingebrigtsen down and ask him just how he became this good, this early, and the Norwegian is happy to elaborate and explain why his is an otherworldly talent that has not just been born, but also made.

“I’ve been a professional runner since I was eight, nine, 10 years old,” he says. “I’ve been training, dedicated and following a good structure – the same as my brothers – from an early age.  For years he has been on the radar of anyone with a finger to the pulse of junior athletics, but when Jakob completed the 1500m/5000m double this week at the European Championships in Berlin, his star truly went supernova.  

Speaking on BBC TV, British long distance athlete Paula Radcliffe said: "Jakob Ingebrigtsen just goes to the front when he wants and dares everyone else to come alongside him. Nobody dares to go past him and he's 17.

"To bounce back from last night (1500m) and all the emotion that must have come with it as well - to be able to run with that maturity and control is unbelievable."

The brothers, from the small Norwegian city of Sandnes, have all grown into world-class middle-distance runners under the tutelage of their father Gjert.

At the age of 16, Jakob became the youngest man ever to break the four-minute mile and broke the European 1500m junior record with a 3:31.18 run in Monaco last month. "In two years' time, we will be back to win four medals, not just three," added Henrik.

"We're definitely coming back to improve the stats in our family. There are no limits for us, and we have another brother who is turning five years old, and soon can join the Ingebrigtsen team."  

(08/12/2018) ⚡AMP

My Best Runs and World’s Marathons join forces to help Runners around the globe

My Best Runs located in Mountain View, California and World’s Marathons located in Stockholm, Sweden have formed a partnership.

This is exciting news for both race organizers and runners.  World’s Marathons partners will now be offered the opportunity to utilize the resources of My Best Runs to gain additional exposure for their race events.

“Runners get a new channel to discover amazing races and book their entry online through My Best Runs,” says Malin Andersson co-founder of World’s Marathons.  

“This is especially helpful when entering an international race or a race that sells out quickly,” says My Best Runs founder Bob Anderson.  

Thanks to the partnering of these two high profile running sites, who already have a tremendous hold on the marathon and running industry, My Best Runs will further enhance World’s Marathons Marketplace by offering the tools to register at a click of a button.  

The partnership creates an audience in over 150 countries worldwide. Currently, 80% of the registrations through World’s Marathons are made by international runners.

“The additional marketing is a huge asset to an event organizer’s exposure, participation rate, and bottom line,” says Malin.  This will be a big benefit for race organizer looking to increase the popularity of your race, target people outside of your niche market, and create buzz that reaches the world at an amazing pace.

Bob Anderson and Malin Andersson (photo) got together in Paris in late May for a run, to meet up with Edouard Cassignol from the Paris Marathon and to finalize plans.  Those plans are being rolled out now.  “Races like the Stockholm Marathon are already on board,” says Bob Anderson.

(08/12/2018) ⚡AMP

Being mentally tough Can Be The Difference between Reaching your Goal or Not

Mental toughness is key for racing any distance from 5km to 160km. One prime example of being mentally tough would be the feat that Yuki Kawauchi pulled off in Boston. While others let the terrible weather beat them down, Yuki stayed focused, made up 90 seconds over the last few miles and won the 2018 Boston Marathon.  World class runners have to be mentally tough but so do all of us, if we want to reach a tough goal.  A 5 km requires the ability to go outside your comfort zone for a significant amount of time. In the longer races, it’s battling the bodies desire to quit when you’ve got hours behind you and hours ahead of you. Whether you’re trying to hit a new distance or a new speed, being mentally tough can be the difference between reaching your goal or not.  Consider these three points and then put them to practice. 1. A theory (Central Governor Theory) by Tim Naokes is based on the idea that the mind will try and shut your body down before it does damage to itself, so we feel fatigue. We know it as the edge of our comfort zone. It’s usually the time we stop and walk, but in reality, we can push far past that long before we hurt ourselves. When we feel discomfort, we change it. Rarely are we in a situation where we are at our limit. When translated into running, this means that when we get to the point where it starts to hurt we tend to want to slow down or stop to walk immediately. We want to get comfortable again. Being mentally tough means recognizing this, and deciding you don’t have to listen. This takes practice. 2.  Visualization is a common performance tool in running.  We are told to mentally see ourselves running well, feeling strong, and having the race of our lives. The key, however, is to also practice the worst parts. See yourself at mile 20 of a marathon, when the pain really starts to set in and you know you have a reasonable distance left. Think about suffering up a hill, and see yourself pushing past that and keeping the pace. Make it a habit. 3. Positive thoughts and self- talk. “whether you think you can or you can't, you’re right.” Don’t just think that you can not do it, know that you can. Once the race starts, keep up the positivity speak to yourself positively. It’s that simple.  (08/12/2018) ⚡AMP

Why runners need to eat more protein!

Runners need more protein in their diet.  Here are five reasons why.  1. Hormones are chemical messengers in the body, which act as catalysts for all major bodily functions, a study in Nutrition & Diabetes, for instance, suggests a strong relationship between gut hormones and obesity. Hormones are primarily derived from amino acids and peptides, which, in turn, are derived from protein. 2. Also a type of messenger in the body, neurotransmitters are best known for passing chemical and electrical signals in the brain. Research published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry established a relationship between neurotransmitters in grey matter and symptoms of depression, and dopamine, the ‘happy chemical’ released when you go running, is a neurotransmitter. They work across the entire body, transmitting signals across spaces in cells rather than through the bloodstream and are you guessed it, derived from amino acids and, therefore, protein. 3. Protein is used to build muscle, not lose weight, surely? Well, it’s not quite that simple. A study published in Physiology & Behaviour confirmed that protein increases satiety more so than other nutrients, which is obviously handy when trying to cut a few pounds, but there’s even more to it than that. Protein has a thermic effect on your body, which means that your metabolism is increased in breaking it down. So by eating more protein, you increase the rate at which your body burns food for energy. 4. Protein’s best-documented role in the body is to repair muscle cells after exercise, helping them to recover and grow larger in response to the intensity of the work. (08/12/2018) ⚡AMP

A movie that celebrates the spiritual side of running

Documentary filmmaker Sanjay Rawal lives in Queens, New York, where, for more than 20 years, he’s seen them: Runners tracing a half-mile loop around a city block. During 52, often sweltering, days of a New York City summer, these hardy souls try to cover an astounding 3,100 miles (an average of 59.6 miles a day). The race is named for spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy, who believed running gives people an opportunity to challenge themselves and overcome their pre-conceived limitations, a state he referred to as “self-transcendence.” “I always thought there was a film to be made from it,” Rawal  said before his newest film, “3100: Run and Become,” premiered in Sedona in July. “But visually, I thought one couldn’t show this topic of spiritual running by just filming people running around the block. You had to connect it to people in cultures that have been running for thousands of years.” (08/12/2018) ⚡AMP

Galen Rupp will battle strong international field at Chicago Marathon

Last August, when the elite international fields for the 2017 Bank of America Chicago Marathon were announced, it looked like the men’s race was being set up for a Galen Rupp victory. The men’s field initially featured only two men who had ever broken 2:08 in a recognized marathon and one of them, Dennis Kimetto, hadn’t run a good marathon in over two years. Rupp did indeed become the first American-born winner of the race in 35 years, but he had to defeat a quality field to do it. After several additions to the field, by the time race day came around, the race featured seven men who had broken 2:07 in the marathon plus Zersenay Tadese. Well Friday, Chicago released its full international field for the 2018 race and it is a quality field.  Mo Farah had been confirmed earlier.  If Rupp is going to repeat as champion, he’s going to have to earn it as the Chicago field features five men who have broken 2:06, nine men who have broken 2:07, and 11 who have broken 2:11. Perhaps more importantly than PRs is the fact that many of the men in the field have displayed great recent form. The race features six guys who have won a significant marathon this year: the 2018 Dubai champ, the 2018 Tokyo champ, the 2018 Rotterdam champ, the 2018 Prague champ, the 2018 Paris champ, and the 2018 Boston champ: Geremew, Dickson Chumba, Kenneth Kipkemoi, Galen Rupp, Paul Lonyangata, and Yuki Kawauchi respectively. (08/12/2018) ⚡AMP

Ntombesintu Mfunzi, is focused now and wants to win the Cape Town Marathon

Ntombesintu Mfunzi, crossed the finish line in a time of 36 minutes and 27 seconds at Kings Beach on Thursday, to win the Nelson Mandela Bay Diva Run (South Africa).  Besides the gold medal, she also won the R10,000 cash prize ($709US).  “I am smiling now because I have won the race. Running is the only thing that makes me feel happy,” the 36-year-old Nedbank Running Club athlete said. “I enjoyed the race. I was not expecting a win because yesterday my coach said I was to do a hard 15km, because we are training for the Cape Town Marathon. “So, today it was just part of training and I told him I would accept whatever my body gave me on the day. “This shows that I am ready for the Cape Town Marathon. “This is my first ever win in the Diva Run. “I usually come second or third, but never first. “My focus now is on the Cape Town Marathon and after that I am going to take a month to relax and in December start training for Two Oceans, so there is not much rest at all.” (08/11/2018) ⚡AMP

Chris Blastland Survived a Brain Tumor and is running the Great North Run to bring more attention to the disease

Chris Blastland, survived a brain tumor, is running the Great North Run, helping to fund research into the disease.  41-year-old Chris, from Tonbridge, Kent (UK) is running to raise money for the Brain Tumor Research charity. As a teenager, Chris underwent surgery to remove a low-grade tumor. He is motivated by the fact that brain tumors kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.  Chris is also running in memory of his wife’s uncle, Mark Duffy. Despite having chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, Mark died just 11 months after diagnosis with a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) – a highly aggressive type of tumor.   Chris, a sales director, said: “Though I am looking forward to the Great North Run, completing the event will be emotional.” “Losing Mark to a brain tumor was heart-breaking and it shocks me, even now, how quickly it all happened. What happened to Mark also opened my eyes to how prevalent the disease is and I want to somehow help change this. I count myself as one of the lucky ones to have survived this disease but I know more needs to be done to prevent others going through what happened to Mark.” (08/11/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenya's Mary Wacera is ready to challenge defending champion Caroline Chepkoech at Falmouth Road Race

World half marathon medalist Mary Wacera of Kenya is ready to challenge defending champion and compatriot Caroline chepkoech at the Falmouth Road Race in Massachusetts, USA on Aug. 19. "I believe I have the necessary experience to win in Falmouth. But I have respect for the champion and others in the race. It will be hard to everyone," Wacera said on Friday. The winner of the race will take home 10,000 U.S. dollars with runners-up taking 7,000 dollars. Also keen to curve a niche for herself will be Chepkoech, who last year became the first woman to defend her Falmouth title since Dutchwoman Lornah Kiplagat won three straight from 2000-2002. (08/11/2018) ⚡AMP

Reebok Announces New Pro Running Club

This week, Reebok announced the formation of its new pro running club which will be led by former Syracuse running coach Chris Fox. The Reebok Boston Track Club’s first major signing was Justyn Knight, seven-time All-American, 2017-18 NCAA Division 1 Cross Country champion and 5000-meter champ for Syracuse University.

“Reebok has a long history in running and is a brand that has always helped athletes push the limits of performance,” said Knight in a release. “It’s an honor to be the first member of the Reebok Boston Track Club and be part of the Reebok family. I obviously know Coach Fox well and I’m excited to work with him to develop and hone my skills on the track in the years to come.” Along with Knight, Jamaican distance runner Kemoy Campbell, Former Penn State runner Tori Gerlach and former Syracuse athlete Martin Hehir will join the team’s roster. With its new global headquarters in Boston, the club will spend a majority of its training time there and part of its time training in Charlottesville, Virginia.  

(08/11/2018) ⚡AMP

Older Runners Are Best At Predicting Finishing Times

Age and experience are the key factors in predicting running times, new research at the University of St Andrews has found. Membership of a running club, as well as having run the same race several times, were also strong indicators of whether someone would be able to accurately predict their finishing time - older runners have an advantage over their youthful counterparts. Dr Akira O’Connor of the School of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of St Andrews studied data over six years from the Alloa Half Marathon, run annually in the Spring in Clackmannanshire, Scotland. He also found when comparing the predicted times, given when entrants signed up for the race, to their actual finish times, the older the runner, the more accurate their prediction was likely to be. The most accurate age group was 46-years-old and above with 65 per cent accurately predicting their finishing time, followed by the 31 to 45-year-old age group at 61 per cent.  The 16 to 30-year-old age group being the worst with just 56 per cent correctly guessing their finishing time. The research published in the journal PLOS ONE also found that those who declared membership of a running club, such as a Jog Scotland group or an athletics club, were significantly better at gauging their performance beforehand with 68 per cent accuracy compared to 56 per cent. In addition, those who had run the race several times before became more accurate with each race – with 66 per cent accuracy in their first race, rising to 72 per cent by their third attempt at the event. Another key finding was that women were slightly less likely to accurately predict their running times than men (58 per cent v 63 per cent). A surprising finding as women tend to be less overly-ambitious than men, making more accurate predictions over a range of other tasks. Dr O’Connor said: “The clearest finding is that training with other people, to the point that you are prepared to list them as your club or running group, is associated with having a better idea of what your half marathon finish time will be.” (08/10/2018) ⚡AMP

17 year-old Jakob Ingebrigtsen wins European Championship 1,500m, He becomes the youngest runner to ever win a European track title

17 year-old Jakob Ingebrigtsen won the European Championship 1,500m in Berlin on Friday evening in 3:38.10. He becomes the youngest runner to ever win a European track title. All three Ingebrigtsen brothers raced the 1,500m final, but the youngest of the siblings came out on top. The three brothers, aged 25, 27, and 17, were looking for a podium sweep in the race, but unfortunately only one made it to the medal ceremony. Second place went to Marcin Lewankowski of Poland in 3:38.14, and third place was Jake Wightman in 3:38.25. Henrik Ingebrigtsen was fourth in 3:38.50 and Filip Ingebrigtsen was 12th in 3:41.66. The brothers are coached by their father, Gjert Ingebrigtsen. 17-year-old Jakob asserted himself as a truly world class middle distance runner earlier this summer when he beat Olympic medalists Paul Chelimo and Matt Centrowitz to win the Payton Jordan 1,500m. (08/10/2018) ⚡AMP

Alexi Pappas gets set to make her marathon debut at Chicago Marathon

Following the previous announcement of defending champion Galen Rupp, Britain’s marathon record holder Mo Farah, Jordan Hasay and surprise Boston Marathon 2018 winner Yuki Kawauchi, organisers have announced further stars who will take on the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 7. Among the athletes revealed for the 41st edition of the race are past champions Abel Kirui and Dickson Chumba, 2017 runner-up Brigid Kosgei and two-time podium finisher Birhane Dibaba, while Olympian Alexi Pappas will make an exciting marathon debut. “I’ve broken tape in Chicago, paced the 26.2, I’m coming back this October to chase what I dream to do: my MARATHON DEBUT! I’ll see you on the startline. You bravies, you.” (08/10/2018) ⚡AMP

10K runners who pre-hydrate with sodium in warm, humid weather won’t run any faster, but they will stay better hydrated

A small but significant study shows that 10K runners who pre-hydrate with sodium in warm, humid weather won’t run any faster, but they will stay better hydrated throughout the race than they would by pre-hydrating with plain water. This could benefit performance indirectly, since dehydration can lead to overheating, which can be dangerous. The study followed 10 men between 18 and 40 who ran a 10K after pre-hydrating with water only, one hour before the race. One week later they ran another 10K race after pre-hydrating with water plus sodium (12 mg sodium per 5 mL water), as much as they wanted. Their heart rate, blood pressure, body mass, temperature, sweat rate and state of dehydration were all measured before and after the race, and their times compared. On both days, the temperature was 82F, and relative humidity was high (75 per cent on the first day, 77 per cent on the second day). There was no significant difference in race times between the two days.  But there were significant differences in how much they needed to drink during the race, and in their rates of dehydration after the race. Those who had pre-hydrated with sodium drank less than half as much water during the race as those who pre-hydrated with water only, but they were also more than one-third less dehydrated after the race, and their sweat rates were less. (08/10/2018) ⚡AMP

The Run The World Global Run Challenge Team Just finished logging in 24,901 Miles in just under 37 Days

The first ever Run The World team have run and logged enough miles to circle the Global.  A team of 175 strong from around the world came together and not only covered 24,901 miles but they took the time to logged this many miles in 36 Days 23 Hours 13 Minutes.  

The team ran miles in 30 different countries.  The youngest person on the team was Owen Wall, age 11 and the oldest was Libby James, age 82.  Willie Korir from Kenya logged the most miles with 797.37.  

Grace Padilla from the US posted the most for females with 327.11 miles.  The purpose of the Run The World Challenge was to celebrate running, motivate the team, inspire others and complete the goal.  

“Our Mission was accomplished,” says Run The World team leader Bob Anderson.  The next start date is August 29 and it is hoped this record will be broken.  

(08/10/2018) ⚡AMP

South African's Xolisa Tyali is ready to take on the Cape Town Marathon

You would expect Xolisa Tyali to be anticipating the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon with some trepidation. After all Xolisa is just fresh from an Achilles tendon injury that saw him fail to finish the Rotterdam Marathon earlier this year. And last year he failed in his quest to win the race. Add to that the fact that this year’s race promises to be even more competitive with local marathon king Stephen Mokoka and last year’s pace-setter Desmond Mokgobu in the running, and Tyali should be a little scared. Fear, however, is not a part of Tyali’s make up and as he anticipated Africa’s only IAAF Gold Label Status marathon, the man from Tsolo in the Eastern Cape was brimming with confidence and in no doubt he will improve on his time. And then there’s the inspiration he gets from his coach, the legendary former New York Marathon champion Hendrik Ramaala. “He motivates me to work even harder just because he is a champion. He is connected internationally and organises for us to participate in those top races all over the world. It really is a blessing to work with a running icon like him.   (08/09/2018) ⚡AMP

Andy Vernon hopes to compete with Mo Farah in marathon at Tokyo 2020

Andy Vernon, a fighting fifth in last night’s 10,000m final, is to renew his spiky rivalry with Mo Farah out on the streets. The 32-year-old was unable to replicate his silver medal behind Farah four years ago as Frenchman Morhad Ambouni raced to victory in brutally hot conditions here in Berlin. Now he is eyeing a switch to the marathon. Vernon and Farah fell out in 2015 after a very public spat but the latter’s track retirement appeared to separate them once and for all. However Vernon has decided that he too wants a shot at the lucrative longer distance and has targeted the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, where Farah also intends to compete. “A rivalry with Mo is very hard because he is very good, but if that’s where it leads so be it,” said the Hampshire ace, who does not expect their relationship to ever repair. (08/09/2018) ⚡AMP

Past champions Abel Kirui and Dickson Chumba join the elite field at this year's Chigago Marathon

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon announced today that several international running stars are joining the 41st annual Bank of America Chicago Marathon elite athlete competition. Past champions Abel Kirui (KEN) and Dickson Chumba (KEN) are confirmed, and 2017 runner-up Brigid Kosgei (KEN) and two-time podium finisher Birhane Dibaba (ETH) stand out among the women. They will join previously announced global sensations Galen Rupp (US), Mo Farah (GBR), Yuki Kawauchi (JPN) and Suguru Osako (JPN). This year’s elite field includes 11 men who have run 2:07 or faster and nine women (including three Americans) who have run 2:25 or faster. Moreover, it features five of the top eight men who placed on top of the Abbott World Marathon Majors Series XI leaderboard and two of the top seven women. “We have put together an exciting elite field, and it should be a fast race to the top of the podium,” said Bank of America Chicago Marathon Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski. “This year’s elite field is a collection of some of the best international and American athletes running on the global stage today. We are confident that they will continue the great tradition of memorable and record setting performances in Chicago.” Dickson Chumba set his personal best, 2:04:32, in Chicago in 2014 when he finished third on a historic day that witnessed three of the top five times ever run in Chicago (Chumba is the fifth fastest runner in Chicago’s history). He came back to win in 2015 and while he tried to defend his title in 2016, he came up three seconds short, finishing second to Abel Kirui. Since he embarked on his marathon career in 2010, he has finished 17 marathons and he boasts an impressive record: five wins, five runner-ups and four third place finishes. He lines up this fall after opening his 2018 season with his second win at the Tokyo Marathon. His time, 2:05:30, was the second fastest winning time in Tokyo’s history.  (08/09/2018) ⚡AMP

Global Run Challenge Profile: If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you says Ravindra G Rajput

RUN THE WORLD: Ravindra G Raput started running January 31, 2016.  He weighed close to 200 pounds (90kgs) and felt tired quiet often.  "My doctor suggested walking and jogging and I took his advice," says Ravindra.  In addition to running he also took up cycling.  He lost 14 kg (30 pounds).  "I observed that I felt fresh, energetic, active.  The spark of fitness got enlightened in me and there was no looking back after that," he says.  40-year-old Ravindra lives and works in Pune, India.  He has participated in over 100 marathons since Feb of 2016 and as his passion drew he wanted to encourage others.  "I realized that fitness is not just for an individual but for the whole society and community to take up fitness activities." he says.  It began in his home and he encouraged his wife and 14-year-old daughter to take up running and cycling.  "Next were my colleagues and slowly we had a team participating in various marathons and cycling events," Ravindra says.  "Today my family and I continue our work of spreading awareness around health, fitness and healthy living. I'm linked to multiple campaigns such as Cycle2Work which encourages people to cycle to work on a daily basis and reduce the overall carbon foot print,” he says.    "Thanks Bob Anderson and My Best Runs for organizing such an unique event for the world," he says.  "Run The World gives us precious qualities like hard work, dedication, passion, will power, tenacity and Bob Anderson has given us continued motivation," says Ravindra.     (08/08/2018) ⚡AMP
by Bob Anderson