Running News Daily

The gear shop owner is the new president of the Prezzies

It was already 9:15 P.M. on August 8 when Andrew Drummond and his friend, Matt Hart, set out along the Appalachian Trail from Madison Spring Hut, a small shelter in New Hampshire’s Presidential Range. The two men had two goals for their outing. The first was to serve as support crew for a thru-hiker attempting an FKT on the 2,198-mile trek. The second was to climb six miles to the top of 6,288-foot Mount Washington, to fulfill Drummond’s own goal. 

The minutes ticked by as they picked their way through rocky terrain in the fog with only headlamps for light. It was impossible to make out cairns and faint trail signs. Hart’s pole snapped, further slowing their progress. Drummond was checking his watch constantly, both for navigation and to check that they were going to make it before midnight. 

“There’s really no reason I should have been pushing it that close,” said Drummond. “I was pretty concerned about making the summit in time.” 

It was the 79th consecutive day that Drummond, 42, had set out to reach the peak’s summit, and this was the closest he came to falling short of reaching it. His overall goal was to ascend Mount Washington 100 times in as many days. The two men hurried up the mountain in the dark, trudging through wind gusts that reached 71 miles per hour. Eventually, they tapped the summit sign with half an hour to spare.

Drummond had a pretty good idea of the size and scope of the challenge when he decided to take on the project earlier this year. He grew up in Conway, New Hampshire—New England’s tallest peak was basically in his backyard. Drummond moved back to the area in 2014, and estimates he hiked the peak approximately 50 times before embarking on his challenge.

Drummond got the idea earlier in the spring talking with Todd Nappi, a friend and local crusher who had just this summer made his 250th summit of Mount Washington.“Anything I do, I can rationalize that there’s always someone crazier,” Drummond said, naming the positive feedback loop that inflates the baseline level of intensity in many mountain towns. 

Drummond began his challenge on May 22 with a round trip on skis—the only ascent that wasn’t on foot. “I don’t think it was until I was 10 or 12 weeks in that my body finally got a handle on what was going on,” said Drummond. “And then I could start turning it up a little bit—if I wanted to run some sections uphill, I could. I had some really good hikes where I was able to push it, and feel like I was moving a lot more efficiently.”

The 100-ascent challenge appealed to Drummond for several reasons. He was running a trail marathon in Switzerland in September, so the challenge seemed like perfect preparation for the race. Plus, the mountain sits ten miles from his house, making the trek “a manageable distance and elevation gain.”

Climbing the peak that many times appealed to him for other reasons. “Seeing all the natural phenomenon of the weather, the wilderness experiences, and just being outside—I gravitate towards that, and it lived up to expectations. It’s one of the most beautiful places in the world,” he said.

The trails up Mount Washington are rugged and rocky, making for arduous climbs and tricky descents. In the first week, Drummond developed a neuroma (a painful lump on the ball of the foot) and had to swap out his shoes to better protect his feet from impact. “It’s like every rock wants to kill you,” said Drummond. He also rolled his ankles and fell “more times than I’d like to admit.” His worst injury came a month in, when he slipped while descending and cut his palm on a rock—the injury required an emergency room visit and 22 stitches.

But as the weeks ticked by, Drummond’s body held up to the wear and tear, as well as the early wake-ups and occasional midnight climbs. “When I felt overuse pains coming on I’d push a hike into the evening and take a 36 hour break. That would help,” he said. Usually, though, he was at the trailhead first thing in the morning. 

New England’s tallest mountain is famous for having some of the most intense weather in the world, including gale-force winds. This summer was the wettest on record, and Drummond often trekked in conditions that would keep most people inside, including 80 mile-per-hour gusts and snow into early June. “The really memorable days are the hardest ones,” he said. But Drummond also recalls beautiful moments that were equally as intense. “I had some days where I could just see straight into Vermont, and all the way to the Atlantic Ocean while a full moon was rising,” said Drummond. 

Drummond isn’t a professional athlete—he owns a gear store in Jackson, New Hampshire, called Ski the Whites, and keeps active in the area skiing, biking, and running local trails. For years, he’s supported other athletes who go for big records in the Whites, and over the summer he crewed for thru-hiker Kristian Morgan during his southbound Appalachian Trail FKT attempt.

“He’s definitely the hub of the community here,” said Nappi, who attends weekly runs and other events Drummond puts on. “His shop is directly on the main road. You can go in there anytime and there’s like, five people on his couches hanging out,” said Nappi. According to Nappi, Drummond’s achievement of 100 summits in as many days fits in the spirit of competition in the area, where instead of race results, “everyone’s dreaming up something big, something interesting and a little niche,” said Nappi. 

Drummond’s friends often kept him company on his daily trek. “I probably had almost 50 unique people come out with me over the whole thing,” reflected Drummond. “And you know, a lot of them wouldn’t have come out on those days either. So I’ve gotten other people out there, and that feels good.”  

On August 29, Drummond reached the peak for the 100th time. He kept the celebration pretty low-key—a few friends accompanied him to the top, and he took some time to reflect on the achievement. “It was a Tuesday morning, so I didn’t want to make an event out of it,” said Drummond. “But I had taken a video every time I touched the summit sign, and so I went through my camera roll and made a little reel and sort of re-lived everything. I just feel very proud I got to have all those experiences.” 

Drummond recommends athletes pursue a local challenge—even if it doesn’t involve climbing a peak 100 times. “It’s your backyard—that’s meaningful,” he said. “Something right out the door, easy access—whether it’s your bike commute or a local trail, you’ll certainly look at it in a new light. And that will probably make you better as a result.”

So, has climbing Mount Washington 100 times satiated his appetite for the peak? “I felt a little bit of a draw to go back up today,” Drummond told me on August 30, the day after completing the challenge. There are other trails he’s excited to check out, on his upcoming trip to Europe and elsewhere in the Whites, but he still hasn’t had his fill of Washington. “I was in such a rhythm, so it’s really strange to stop. I think that I need to take it easy for a bit, but yeah, I’ll be going back up. Probably pretty soon.” 

Jakob Ingebrigtsen brought his remarkable 2026 season to a fitting close on home soil, winning the men’s street 1500m at the inaugural Runfest Norway in Sandnes on Friday.

Competing in front of an enthusiastic hometown crowd, the Olympic and world champion took control of the race from the early stages and maintained his authority through the finish, stopping the clock at 3:40.7.

Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen followed in second in 3:43.3, while Sigurd Tveit completed the podium in 3:47.8.

The unusual street race added another dimension to the occasion, with 273 runners taking part on the same road and sharing the course with one of Norway’s most accomplished distance runners. For the recreational participants, it offered a rare opportunity to compete alongside Ingebrigtsen in an event that brought elite athletics and mass participation together.

The victory also provided a fitting final chapter to a season that began with significant uncertainty for Ingebrigtsen. After undergoing major Achilles surgery in February, the Norwegian was forced to miss a substantial portion of the summer campaign as he worked his way back to full fitness.

His return, however, quickly developed into another championship-winning chapter. In Birmingham, Ingebrigtsen captured European 5,000m gold before adding another major title at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, where he won the 5,000m.

Those performances transformed what could have been a disrupted season into another year defined by championship success and a determined return to the highest level.

Now, with the Sandnes victory added to his 2026 record, Ingebrigtsen closes the year exactly where it began in spirit — overcoming adversity, rebuilding his form and once again competing at the front.

From Achilles surgery in February to major championship victories and finally a 1500m win before his hometown crowd, the Norwegian has given his 2026 season a memorable final scene.

Olympic 100m hurdles champion Masai Russell has announced her engagement to longtime partner Robert “Robbie” Springfield, adding a major personal milestone to the remarkable journey of one of America’s leading track and field stars.

Russell shared the news with her followers, revealing that Springfield had proposed and that she had accepted. Reflecting on their relationship, the Olympic champion described him as her best friend and expressed her excitement about spending the rest of her life with him.

The couple’s relationship dates back to their college years at the University of Kentucky, where both were student-athletes and competed in track and field. Russell established herself as a standout hurdler, while Springfield competed in the long jump, giving them a shared understanding of the demands, sacrifices and pressures that come with pursuing success in athletics.

Springfield has since transitioned from competition into coaching. A former collegiate long jumper, he is now part of the coaching staff at Morehead State University, where he works with the programme’s sprinters and jumpers.

Their relationship has developed alongside Russell’s rise to the top of the sport. The defining moment of her career came at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she captured gold in the women’s 100m hurdles, securing her place among the sport’s Olympic champions.

Away from competition, Springfield has remained a familiar part of Russell’s journey, sharing in the demanding periods of training and competition that accompanied her pursuit of Olympic success. Their connection has consequently grown from a college athletics relationship into a long-term partnership.

The engagement now marks another significant chapter for Russell, this time away from the track. After reaching the pinnacle of her sporting career in Paris, the 100m hurdles champion is beginning a new phase of her personal life alongside a partner who has been part of her journey since their university days.

From competing on the same collegiate stage to building a future together, Russell and Springfield’s story has evolved alongside two careers shaped by track and field. The Olympic champion will now balance this new personal chapter with her continuing ambitions in athletics

The women’s race at the 2026 TCS Amsterdam Marathon is shaping up to be one of the most competitive editions in recent years, with a deep international field set to take on the fast Dutch course on Sunday, October 18.

At the centre of the contest will be four Ethiopian athletes who have already broken the 2:20 barrier, creating the prospect of a fascinating battle for victory and a possible assault on the course record of 2:16:52.

Defending champion Aynalem Desta will return to Amsterdam looking to retain her title after producing the biggest performance of her career at last year’s 50th edition. Desta won in a personal best of 2:17:37, establishing herself among the leading marathoners in the field and setting the benchmark for this year’s contenders.

Standing in her way will be fellow Ethiopian Meseret Belete Tola, a former Amsterdam champion who knows exactly what it takes to succeed on the course. Belete Tola captured the 2023 edition in 2:18:21, and her return adds another layer of experience and proven quality to an already formidable lineup.

The field also includes Mestawut Fikir Truneh, who arrives with an impressive marathon pedigree. Truneh finished runner-up at the 2024 Berlin Marathon in 2:18:48, demonstrating her ability to compete at the highest level on one of the world's major marathon stages.

Completing the quartet of sub-2:20 Ethiopians is Buze Diriba, whose personal best of 2:19:34 places her firmly among the leading contenders. With four athletes possessing credentials below 2:20, the race is likely to develop into a tightly contested battle from the opening kilometres.

The depth extends well beyond the leading quartet. Desi Jisa Mokonin, representing Bahrain, Yeshi Kalayu Chekole of Ethiopia and Nazret Weldu Gebrehiwet of Eritrea have all established themselves as serious marathon competitors with performances approaching the 2:20 mark.

Another major name to watch is Abeba Aregawi, the former 1500m world champion representing Sweden. Aregawi has successfully transferred her talents to the marathon and made headlines earlier this year by setting a Swedish national record of 2:23:12 on her debut. Her presence adds another intriguing dimension to an already high-quality field.

Amsterdam’s marathon course has consistently provided an opportunity for elite athletes to produce fast times, and this year’s women’s lineup has the depth to turn the race into a genuine test of both championship racing and outright speed.

With four athletes already inside 2:20, two former Amsterdam champions returning to the start line and several other accomplished marathoners ready to challenge them, the battle is expected to remain open deep into the race.

The ultimate target will be the Amsterdam women’s course record of 2:16:52. Whether the leading contenders can threaten that mark remains to be seen, but the quality assembled for October 18 ensures that the record will be firmly in the spotlight when the race reaches its spectacular finish inside the Olympic Stadium.

The 2026 Valencia Half Marathon is shaping up to be a thrilling contest of speed, endurance and tactical brilliance, with some of the world’s finest road runners set to converge in Spain on October 25.

Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo and Alex Matata will be among the leading contenders, facing a formidable Ethiopian challenge spearheaded by Jemal Yimer and Tadese Worku. The field also features Rodrigue Kwizera, who boasts the fastest personal best among the leading entrants at 58:16.

Ebenyo arrives with a personal best of 59:04, placing him firmly among the athletes capable of sustaining a demanding pace over the 21.1-kilometre distance. Matata, who owns a 59:11 best, adds further Kenyan strength, while Andrea Kiptoo brings another sub-60-minute credential to the race.

Yimer has already established himself as one of the fastest athletes in the field with a 58:33 personal best, while Worku has clocked 58:35. Kenya’s Owen Korir, with a best of 58:58, further underlines the remarkable depth of the men's lineup.

Valencia Half Marathon 2026 Entries

1. Rodrigue Kwizera (Spain) — 58:16

2. Jemal Yimer (Ethiopia) — 58:33

3. Tadese Worku (Ethiopia) — 58:35

4. Owen Korir (Kenya) — 58:58

5. Daniel Ebenyo (Kenya) — 59:04

6. Alex Matata (Kenya) — 59:11

7. Andrea Kiptoo (Kenya) — 59:11

8. Thierry Ndikumwenayo (Spain) — 59:42

9. Said Mechaal (Spain) — 1:00:24

10. Adel Mechaal (Spain) — 1:02:30

Kwizera, who finished second in Valencia last year, leads the field on paper and will be seeking another standout performance on the famously fast Valencia course. With several athletes carrying sub-60-minute credentials, the race has the ingredients for an aggressive battle from the opening kilometres.

Beyond the headline names, the men’s field is deep and highly competitive, bringing together a strong collection of experienced international athletes with proven ability over the half-marathon distance. With so much quality packed into the lineup, the race promises an intriguing battle in which tactics, endurance, positioning and finishing speed could all play a crucial role in determining the eventual champion.

Yet personal bests will count for little once the gun goes off. The title could ultimately be decided by patience, positioning and the ability to respond when the pace begins to rise in the closing stages. Every surge, every tactical move and every second saved could prove decisive on the road to the finish.

With Kenya, Ethiopia and Spain represented by athletes of exceptional quality, Valencia promises a high-octane men's showdown in which the leaders are likely to be separated by only a handful of seconds. The final kilometres could provide the defining moments of a race packed with speed, ambition and anticipation.

On October 25, the question will be simple: who has the strength to command the streets of Valencia and claim the coveted half-marathon crown?

April 19, 1982. The Boston Marathon unfolded under unusually warm, sunny conditions, and by the closing stages, the race had become a private battle between two very different American runners: Alberto Salazar, already one of the biggest names in distance running, and Dick Beardsley, the Minnesota runner who had emerged as a serious marathon contender.

For roughly nine miles, from the Newton Hills toward the finish, Beardsley did much of the leading, with Salazar tucked close behind. Neither man could shake the other. They ran deep into Boston locked together, trading surges and refusing to surrender an inch as the crowds along the course grew louder.

Salazar finally made his decisive move with less than a mile remaining. He opened a small gap, but Beardsley refused to disappear. The Minnesota runner chased him through the final streets, closing again as they approached the finish.

Then came the final sprint.

Salazar held his form and reached the finish first in 2:08:52, with Beardsley only two seconds behind in 2:08:54. It was an extraordinary result: both men broke 2:09 in the same Boston Marathon, and both shattered the previous course record.

The race became known as the “Duel in the Sun,” and it remains one of the most celebrated head-to-head battles in Boston Marathon history. Beardsley had not won, but his performance established him as one of America's elite marathoners.

For Salazar, however, victory came at an enormous physical cost. Immediately after crossing the finish line, he collapsed and required emergency treatment, including several litres of intravenous saline. The combination of heat, dehydration and an all-out effort had pushed his body to the limit.

Salazar's marathon career would never again produce quite the same kind of performance. His celebrated 1981 New York City Marathon victory had produced what was initially considered a world record, although the course was later found to be short. His Boston triumph therefore became one of the defining victories of his career.

Beardsley's story would take an even more difficult turn. Injuries disrupted his career, and after returning to the highest level, he suffered a devastating farm accident in 1989. Further accidents, surgeries and severe physical pain followed, eventually leading to a long battle with painkiller addiction.

He eventually overcame that struggle and transformed the darkest chapters of his life into a story of recovery, resilience and redemption.

That is what makes the 1982 Boston Marathon more than a two-second victory.

For one extraordinary afternoon, Salazar and Beardsley produced a marathon duel in which neither man was willing to give way. One crossed the finish line first. The other finished only two seconds behind him.

Two seconds separated them at Boston. Decades later, their legendary duel remains one of the greatest chapters in marathon history.