Running News Daily

Ugandan Stephen Kiprotich, the 2012 Olympic and 2013 world champion, will take on Bidan Karoki and defending champion Yemane Tsegaye at the 71st annual Fukuoka Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, on December 3 in Fukuoka, Japan.

Andreas Almgren didn’t just make history on the streets of New York — he also gave the running world an early glimpse of Nike’s next generation of marathon technology.

Making his marathon debut at the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon, the Swedish star produced a remarkable performance to win the men’s race in 2:06:01, becoming the first Swedish athlete to win the New York City Marathon. He pulled away from Italy’s Yemaneberhan Crippa in the closing stages to claim a sensational victory on one of the sport’s toughest marathon courses.

But there was another story unfolding beneath his feet.

Almgren raced in the Nike Apex, Nike’s newest elite marathon racing shoe — a model that has not even reached the market yet. His victory in New York marked the shoe’s first World Marathon Major victory, giving Nike an immediate headline moment for a product that runners will not be able to buy until January 2027.

The Apex is built around an aggressive 40 mm platform, right at the maximum stack height permitted under World Athletics competition regulations. It also features a rare zero-drop design, meaning the heel and forefoot sit at essentially the same height.

Its most distinctive feature is hidden inside the midsole: four Air Zoom units arranged in two stacked pairs beneath the forefoot. Nike has combined that system with ZoomX LT foam and a redesigned carbon-fibre Flyplate in an attempt to create a racing shoe capable of delivering exceptional propulsion while remaining remarkably light.

Nike says the Apex delivers up to 40% more energy return than the Alphafly 3 in its testing and weighs more than 10% less. Those are manufacturer claims, but Almgren’s New York victory has already given the shoe a spectacular introduction on the biggest stage.

And the timing makes the story even more intriguing.

The Nike Apex is scheduled to go on sale in January 2027, meaning Almgren won one of the world's biggest marathons in a shoe that most runners cannot yet purchase. Nike has positioned it as its top race-day option for athletes chasing every possible second.

While Nike celebrated a breakthrough, adidas continued its extraordinary run of success in the women’s marathon.

Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui captured her second New York City Marathon title in three years, winning in 2:24:36 after pulling away from defending champion Hellen Obiri in the closing stages. American Jessica McClain surged past Obiri to finish second in 2:24:42, while Obiri was third in 2:24:43.

Chepkirui raced in adidas’ Adizero Adios Pro 3, adding another major victory to a remarkably successful season for the shoe.

So, while Almgren’s breakthrough was the headline, New York also offered a fascinating snapshot of where elite marathon footwear is heading: Nike’s unreleased Apex has already won a Major, while adidas’ proven Adizero platform continues to dominate the biggest races.

The marathon super-shoe battle is clearly not slowing down.

And with the Nike Apex still waiting to hit store shelves, Almgren may have just shown the world a glimpse of the future — before the rest of us even get the chance to lace it up.

From enjoying roasted maize in Kenya to standing on the podium of one of the world’s most iconic marathons, Yemaneberhan Crippa’s 2026 season has become a remarkable story of preparation, perseverance and belief.

The Italian distance-running star spent part of his marathon preparation in Iten, Kenya, the legendary high-altitude town in the Rift Valley that has produced and attracted some of the world’s greatest distance runners.

But Crippa’s time in Kenya was about more than simply putting in the kilometres.

He immersed himself in the local running culture and embraced moments away from training, including a memorable encounter with roasted maize, one of Kenya’s popular street foods. It was a simple glimpse of the lighter side of life in a country where running is deeply woven into everyday culture.

Behind those relaxed moments, however, Crippa was engaged in demanding altitude training designed to develop the endurance and strength required to compete over 42.195 kilometres.

Training in Kenya gave him an opportunity to experience an environment where distance running is a way of life. Surrounded by athletes, coaches and runners pursuing similar ambitions, Crippa continued building the foundation for what would become a breakthrough marathon season.

The results soon began to speak for themselves.

In April, Crippa produced one of the biggest performances of his career by winning the Paris Marathon in a personal best of 2:05:18. The victory established him as a serious contender over the marathon distance and provided a major confidence boost for the challenges ahead.

But New York would offer an even greater test.

On November 1, Crippa lined up for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon alongside a world-class field, ready to measure his progress on one of the most demanding and prestigious marathon courses in the world.

He did not disappoint.

Crippa fought his way into a thrilling battle for victory and remained firmly in contention deep into the race. When the decisive moments arrived, Sweden’s Andreas Almgren produced a powerful late surge, pulling away from Crippa inside the final 400 metres.

Almgren crossed the finish line first in 2:06:01, while Crippa secured an impressive second place in 2:06:14.

For Crippa, the silver medal represented far more than another strong marathon result. It was the best performance by an Italian man at the New York City Marathon in 30 years and another significant step in his transformation into a world-class marathoner.

His New York performance also gave fresh meaning to the months he had spent preparing in Kenya.

From the high-altitude roads of Iten, where he trained alongside runners immersed in Kenya’s legendary distance-running culture, to the packed streets of Manhattan, Crippa carried the lessons of his preparation onto one of the biggest stages in the sport.

There was a time in Kenya for hard workouts, altitude adaptation and building endurance. There were also moments to experience the culture, enjoy the simple things and appreciate the environment around him.

Now, those memories are part of a season in which Crippa has firmly announced himself on the marathon scene.

And after achieving his New York breakthrough, Crippa struggled to put the magnitude of the moment into words.

Reflecting on his performance, the Italian shared an emotional message that captured the significance of the silver medal.

“Yesterday I spoke about a dream, today it is reality… New York,” Crippa wrote, celebrating his second-place finish in the city that had become the setting for one of the biggest moments of his career.

He added: “I gave it everything, until the end.”

The emotion of the experience was still fresh for the Italian, who admitted that he was not yet sure how to fully describe what he had lived through.

“I still don’t know how to describe what I experienced yesterday. I only know that it is an emotion I will carry with me for a long time.”

Those words perfectly capture what New York meant to Crippa. The result was not simply a number on the clock or another podium finish—it was the reward for months of preparation, sacrifice and belief.

From the training grounds of Kenya to the world stage in New York, Crippa has shown what can happen when ambition is matched with relentless work.

His message was simple but powerful: “There is nothing you cannot achieve.”

From enjoying Kenyan culture to conquering the streets of New York, Yemaneberhan Crippa’s journey has been extraordinary.

A dream became reality. A demanding season produced a major breakthrough. And a young man who embraced Kenya’s running culture returned to the world stage with a New York City Marathon silver medal around his neck.

Kenya builds champions, and the world comes to train.

One year ago today, Eliud Kipchoge added another remarkable chapter to an already extraordinary marathon career.

On November 2, 2025, the Kenyan marathon icon completed the TCS New York City Marathon, becoming a member of the exclusive Abbott World Marathon Majors Seven Star Hall of Fame after racing all seven of the sport’s major marathon events.

It was more than simply another marathon finish. It was the culmination of a journey that had taken Kipchoge across the world, from Tokyo to Boston, London to Berlin, and from Sydney and Chicago to the streets of New York.

Each race represented a different challenge, but together they formed a remarkable collection of experiences that reflected the qualities that have defined Kipchoge throughout his career: consistency, discipline, patience, humility and an extraordinary commitment to excellence.

For more than a decade, Kipchoge has transformed the marathon landscape. He became the first man to break two hours over the distance in a controlled exhibition in 2019, established himself as one of the greatest marathoners in history and built a legacy that extends far beyond his victories and records.

Completing all seven Abbott World Marathon Majors added another prestigious milestone to that legacy.

The Seven Star Medal is reserved for runners who have completed the full World Marathon Majors series, and Kipchoge’s achievement carries particular significance because of everything he has accomplished on those same iconic courses.

A year later, the significance of that journey has not faded. Instead, it stands as another reminder of the extraordinary longevity and determination of a champion who has spent his career proving that limits are often only the boundaries we place on ourselves.

From the roads of Kenya to the biggest marathon stages on the planet, Eliud Kipchoge has continually inspired generations of runners with one simple philosophy:

NO HUMAN IS LIMITED.

One year on, his name remains firmly etched in marathon history — not only as a champion, but as an athlete whose journey has helped redefine what is possible in distance running.

Eliud Kipchoge — seven majors completed, a lifetime legacy secured. 

There are few better examples of marathon longevity than Edna Kiplagat.

At 46, the Kenyan distance-running legend continues to compete with the world’s best, proving that age does not necessarily diminish an athlete’s ability to perform at the highest level when experience, discipline and an enduring passion for competition remain intact.

On Sunday, November 1, Kiplagat lined up for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon and produced another remarkable performance, finishing fourth in 2:25:42 against a world-class women’s field.

While the podium eluded her, the result once again underlined the extraordinary durability of a career that has spanned more than two decades at the elite level.

Kiplagat is a two-time World Athletics Championships marathon gold medallist, winning the world title in 2011 before successfully defending her crown in 2013. She has also built an extraordinary résumé on the world’s biggest marathon stages, claiming victories at the New York City Marathon in 2010, the London Marathon in 2014 and the Boston Marathon in both 2017 and 2021.

What makes Kiplagat’s latest performance even more striking is not simply the time on the clock, but the level of competition she continues to embrace. At an age when many athletes have long stepped away from elite racing, the Kenyan veteran is still willing to test herself on some of the sport’s biggest stages, sharing the starting line with runners from a much younger generation.

Born on November 15, 1979, Kiplagat is just days away from celebrating her 47th birthday. Yet rather than stepping away from elite competition, she continues to line up alongside athletes considerably younger than her, showing that experience can remain a formidable weapon over 42.195 kilometres.

Her fourth-place finish in New York was more than another result on a long list of achievements. It was another reminder of the consistency, resilience and professionalism required to remain competitive at the highest level of marathon running for so many years.

Kiplagat’s career has been defined by major victories, championship success and remarkable staying power. Now, well into her forties, she continues to add new chapters to a legacy that has already secured her place among Kenya’s most accomplished marathoners.

For Kiplagat, the marathon has become more than a collection of victories and medals; it is a story of extraordinary longevity. Every appearance adds another page to a career built on patience, toughness and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Her presence in New York was another powerful reminder that while time moves forward, champions with the right mindset can continue to write their own rules.

At 46, she is still racing. Still competing. Still challenging the best.

And perhaps most importantly, Edna Kiplagat is still proving that greatness is not measured by the number on a birth certificate, but by the standards an athlete continues to uphold.

What began as an ordinary morning run ended in tragedy for 47-year-old Thelma Candelaria, a mother from Eloy, Arizona, who was killed by a train while out running on Thursday, October 15.

Candelaria had recently embraced running as part of a new chapter in her life. She had begun recording her runs and sharing them online, documenting what she described as a fresh start. Less than a week before her death, she had also been baptized, and she had told her followers that she was becoming increasingly committed to running.

Shortly after 6 a.m., Candelaria reached the railroad crossing near Sunshine Boulevard and Frontier Street. According to her daughter, Alaisha, she stopped to record a train passing through the area.

But while she was focused on the train in front of her, another train was approaching on a separate track from the opposite direction.

Alaisha said her mother was wearing noise-canceling headphones and apparently did not hear the approaching train. She described her mother as being completely absorbed in the moment during her run.

Eloy police said both trains sounded their horns. The second train also activated its emergency braking system, but there was not enough time or distance to prevent the collision.

Candelaria was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said their vehicular crimes unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident. Her family had already become concerned and reported her missing after she failed to return home from her morning run.

For those who knew Candelaria, the tragedy has left behind far more than the shock of a sudden death. She was a mother, a caregiver and a woman who had recently begun documenting a renewed commitment to running and a new direction in her life.

Her daughter has asked that her mother's death be remembered as a heartbreaking accident rather than anything intentional. The family has also established a GoFundMe campaign to help support Candelaria's children as they navigate the difficult days ahead.

A morning run that was meant to represent a fresh beginning instead became the final chapter of a life remembered by her family, friends and followers.

Her story is also a painful reminder of the dangers runners can face around railway crossings, particularly when approaching trains may be difficult to hear or see.

Candelaria left home for what was supposed to be another ordinary run. She never made it back.