Running News Daily

Getting to run by all those historic spots requires some epic climbs and descents.The final weekend of the 2024 Paris Olympics will host back-to-back days of thrilling marathons. These prestigious races, set against the backdrop of two of France’s most iconic landscapes—Paris and Versailles—will weave through a tapestry of history, culture, and breathtaking scenery. They begin on August 10 with the men’s race, and then, in a nod to the 40th anniversary of the first women’s Olympic Marathon in Los Angeles, the Paris Olympics will conclude on August 11 with the women’s race for the first time in history.

Here are some of the key details you’ll want to know:

What sites will the runners pass?

It’s not a bad way to tour the area, and it’s quite different than the Paris Marathon that is held each April. Athletes will find themselves tracing a route that dances through nine arrondissements (neighborhoods) of Paris along the banks of the Seine. The runners will begin at the Hôtel de Ville, or city hall, and then pass landmarks such as the Palais Garnier opera house, Place Vendôme, the Louvre museum, and past the Trocadéro. 

Next, they will leave the city to run through historic French towns, including Sevres, on their way to Versailles. The return to the city is a different route and will take them through the Forêt Domaniale de Meudon, a forest. When back in the city, they will be on the Left Bank and run past the Eiffel Tower as well as Parisian neighborhoods. The race ends at the Esplanade des Invalides, in which Napoleon is buried.

This route is based on significant French history. In October 1789, between 6,000 and 7,000 Parisian women, joined by men, marched from the Hôtel de Ville through the city to Versailles. It was because of that march that Louis XVI agreed to ratify the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens. The marathoners are symbolically running in their footsteps. 

How tough is the course?

Unlike some more recent Olympics and U.S. Marathon Trials races, this course isn’t a circuit of repeated loops. Instead, it’s a full loop starting in Paris and loops down to Versailles outside of the city. 

While the elevation profile for the first nine miles looks fairly tame, once the runners are past the halfway mark the landscape changes. The most notable course feature is the three uphill stretches—they’re incredibly steep and very long. 

The first big hill comes just before the 10-mile mark, and it climbs at a 4 percent grade, which is roughly the same as Boston’s famed Newton hills. The difference with the Paris version is that it ascends for about 1.25 miles before it levels off for a bit. (Boston’s longest hill is less than half a mile, according to Sean Hartnett, emeritus professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, who specializes in marathon routes and other running competitions.)

The next hill at the 12-mile mark is at 5 percent, steeper than anything on the Boston course and 900 meters long. But those two are just appetizers for the real challenge. That hits just after the 18-mile mark. 

Runners will have to climb for 600 meters, at an average grade of 10.5 percent. Yes, picture putting your treadmill at 10 percent and trying to run up it at marathon pace. Hartnett calls it a “doozy” and struggles to find courses to compare it to. The Bix 7 in Davenport, Iowa, perhaps? Then he gives up. “It’s unlike anything in any competitive road marathon,” he said. (You can view a detailed description of the 15K-33K section as mapped by Hartnett here.)

In total, the route will include 1,430 feet of elevation gain. Possibly more challenging is the 1,437 feet of descent. The make-or-break point for the route might be just after that final brutal uphill, when they are bombing downhill—at some points at a gradient of 13.5 percent. Runners will have to be efficient going down, without pounding so much they trash their quads before the final flat stretch before the finish. To put the course into some more perspective, the World Marathon Majors that are considered the hilliest—Boston and New York City—each have an elevation gain of a little over 800 total feet. And for one final nugget, the average grade of the Mount Washington Auto Road Race is 12 percent. The course record for that 7.4-miler is at around 8:00 pace. 

This course will make the fastest marathoners in the world look almost human at times.

How do the marathoners feel about the course?

Pat Tiernan, an Olympian for Australia who is running the marathon, made two trips to Paris from his training base with Puma in North Carolina to examine the course. His first trip, in early April, was just to get a feel for the course. The second, in late May, was to train on it. 

“The first thing you notice,” Tiernan said in a phone call with Runner’s World, “is that it’s going to be a brutal course. There are going to be people walking.” 

If you look closely at the official Strava route, you can spot some U.S. Olympic marathoners on the leaderboards of the course’s toughest segments.

On April 10, U.S. team member Clayton Young did a 12.80-mile run on the hilliest section of the course, where he “pushed the uphills, chilled the downhills.” During the steepest climb—right before the mile 18 split—Young tackled a .44-mile segment in 3:09, giving him a modest average pace (for a world-class marathoner) of 7:01 per mile. But if you look at Strava’s “grade adjusted pace,” which factors in elevation, that 7:01 converts to 5:03 mile pace. His average heart rate was 179 beats per minute.

Dakotah Lindwurm, a U.S. team member for the women, also previewed the course in April in a run she called, “Tour de La Olympic hills ?].” She racked up an impressive 16 “course records” during her 10.87-mile workout, and on the same steep segment that Young ran, she averaged 7:43 pace with a grade-adjusted pace of 5:21 per mile. 

Emily Sisson, the U.S. record holder in the marathon, has been training for both the hills and the flats. “We’ve been doing a lot of stuff on hills, because [we] want to come out of the hills into the last 10K feeling good,” she says. “That’s also why you don’t want to slack on 10K work, because it could be quite fast at the end. So kind of trying to do it all.” 

Tiernan agreed with Sisson on the unique challenge. If marathoners go too hard through the hills, they could struggle at the end, he said. If they go too easy through the hills and subsequent descents, they might be out of touch by the final 10K. He said the Paris course is as “if you were to do a 10K road race, then go and run a hard 10K hill cross country course, then a 10K road race.” 

If nothing else, it could make for some surprises on the podium.

When exactly are the races?

The men’s event happens on Saturday, August 10. If you want to watch live, get your favorite espresso ready. The event begins at 2 a.m. ET/11 p.m. PT in the U.S. The following day for the women’s race, the 2024 Paris Olympics fully conclude in honor of the 40th anniversary of the first women’s Olympic marathon event, won by Joan Benoit-Samuelson. The start time is also at 2 a.m. ET/11 p.m. PT.

Who are the major names in each race?

Both races are packed with star power in the form of returning Olympic champions, world record holders, and World Marathon Majors winners. The biggest storyline in the men’s race is whether Eliud Kipchoge, the two-time Olympic marathon gold medalist who many consider to be the greatest of all time, will be able to retain his crown in what may be his final Olympics at age 39.

The women’s event is even more stacked and should make for quite the event to cap off the 2024 Olympics. Newly ratified world record holder Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia will have to match speed and strategy against the likes of Hellen Obiri and Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya and the Netherlands’s Sifan Hassan, who is running the marathon after racing in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters on the track. 

Men’s Marathon Contenders

Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya (2:01:09)

Kenenisa Bekele, Ethiopia (2:01:41) 

Benson Kipruto, Kenya (2:02:16)

Tamirat Tola, Ethiopia (2:03:39)

Conner Mantz, USA (2:07:47)

Clayton Young, USA (2:08:00)

Women’s Marathon Contenders

Tigist Assefa, Ethiopia (2:11:53)

Sifan Hassan, Netherlands (2:13:44)

Peres Jepchirchir, Kenya (2:16:16)

Emily Sisson, USA (2:18:29)

Hellen Obiri, Kenya (2:21:38)

Rose Chelimo, Bahrain (2:22:51)

Fiona O’Keeffe, USA (2:22:10)

Sharon Lokedi, Kenya (2:22:45)

Did you know there is a mass participation race?

If not, now you do. It’s called the Marathon Pour Tous, and we’re pretty jealous we can’t run this one. There will be a full marathon and a 10K on the same route as the Olympic marathon on the evening of August 10. Yes, a night race in the City of Lights. More than 20,000 participants are expected for each event.

Ethiopia’s Fotyеn Tesfay Haylu delivered one of the most remarkable women’s half-marathon performances ever seen on American soil on Sunday, powering to a commanding victory at the 2026 Buenos Aires Half Marathon in Argentina in 1:03:57.

Running with exceptional confidence and strength, Tesfay took control of the race and produced a superb solo performance to rewrite the event record. Her breathtaking run also carried historic significance, as she became the first woman to break the 64-minute barrier for the half marathon in the Americas, producing what is being celebrated as the fastest women’s half-marathon performance ever recorded on the continent.

The Ethiopian star was in a class of her own, crossing the finish line more than a minute clear of Turkey’s Nevin Can, who finished second in 1:05:06. Another Turkish athlete, Selin Can, completed the podium in third place with 1:05:11, as the leading trio all produced strong performances on the fast streets of Buenos Aires.

Kenya also featured prominently in the top positions, with Irene Jepchumba Kimais taking fourth in 1:06:04, followed by Sheila Chepkirui in fifth with 1:06:13. Magaret Akidor Ngathike finished sixth in 1:06:46, while fellow Kenyan Deborah Samum claimed seventh place in 1:08:32.

Brazil’s Nubia de Oliveira Silva was eighth in 1:11:13, while Argentina’s Sofia Luna and Dahyana Juarez rounded out the top 10 with times of 1:11:21 and 1:11:28, respectively.

Top 10 Women – 2026 Buenos Aires Half Marathon

1. Fotyеn Tesfay Haylu (Ethiopia) – 1:03:57

2. Nevin Can (Turkey) – 1:05:06

3. Selin Can (Turkey) – 1:05:11

4. Irene Jepchumba Kimais (Kenya) – 1:06:04

5. Sheila Chepkirui (Kenya) – 1:06:13

6. Magaret Akidor Ngathike (Kenya) – 1:06:46

7. Deborah Samum (Kenya) – 1:08:32

8. Nubia de Oliveira Silva (Brazil) – 1:11:13

9. Sofia Luna (Argentina) – 1:11:21

10. Dahyana Juarez (Argentina) – 1:11:28

For Tesfay, it was far more than a race victory. Her 1:03:57 performance was a statement of extraordinary quality, combining speed, endurance and remarkable solo running to produce a landmark result in Buenos Aires. In a race that will be remembered for years to come, the Ethiopian did not simply win—she redefined what was thought possible for women’s half-marathon running in the Americas.

Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha produced one of the most extraordinary performances in road racing history on the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina, reclaiming the half marathon world record with a sensational 56:51 performance at the 2026 Buenos Aires Half Marathon.

The former world record-holder delivered a breathtaking exhibition of speed and endurance to take 29 seconds off the previous pending mark of 57:20, set by Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo and takes a huge chunk from his own former official world record. Kejelcha's new performance is pending the standard ratification procedures, but if officially ratified, it will return the world record to the Ethiopian star and mark another remarkable chapter in the evolution of the event. 

Kejelcha's achievement is particularly significant because the 57-minute barrier had already been broken before. Jacob Kiplimo had previously run under 57 minutes, clocking 56:42 that was not ratified demonstrating that the once-unthinkable barrier was possible. Kejelcha, however, has become the second man to run under 57-minute barrier who now returns to the top of the all-time rankings with another historic performance in Buenos Aires.

The Ethiopian's race was remarkable not only for the final time but also for the way he built his performance. He covered the opening five kilometres in 13:44 before reaching 10km in 27:18. Rather than slowing, Kejelcha accelerated through the middle stages, passing 15km in 40:39 and 20km in 54:02 as he continued to push the limits of elite road racing.

By the time he reached the finish line, Kejelcha had completed the race at an extraordinary average pace of approximately 2:42 per kilometre, producing one of the most astonishing sustained efforts ever witnessed in distance running. His stunning run sent a powerful message to the athletics world and further strengthened his status as one of the most formidable distance runners of his generation.

Behind the record-breaking champion, Ethiopia completed a dominant clean sweep of the men's podium. Tadese Worku Gebresilase claimed second place in 59:18, while Bereket Nega Batebo secured third in 1:00:17, giving Ethiopia a memorable one-two-three finish in the Argentine capital.

Kenya’s Jonathan Kipkoech Kamosong finished fourth in 1:00:20, followed by compatriot Simon Maywa in fifth with 1:00:55. Argentina’s Ignacio Erario gave the home supporters plenty to celebrate with an impressive sixth-place finish in 1:00:57, breaking the one-hour barrier in front of an enthusiastic local crowd.

Dillon Kipyeko of Kenya finished seventh in 1:01:07, with Robert Kiprop Koech eighth in 1:02:01. Mexico’s Julio Ortiz Ponce took ninth place in 1:03:17, while Colombia’s Jimmy Gómez completed the top 10 in 1:03:34.

The Buenos Aires Half Marathon will now take its place in the history books as the scene of a truly extraordinary breakthrough. For Kejelcha, this was more than just another victory. It was a spectacular return to the top, reclaiming a world record he had previously held and once again rewriting the limits of the half marathon.

The 56:51 performance remains pending ratification, but Yomif Kejelcha's run has already delivered one of the defining moments in the history of road racing.

Kenya delivered another commanding display of distance-running excellence at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon, with Isaia Lasoi leading a memorable Kenyan clean sweep of the men's podium in a race packed with world-class performances.

Lasoi emerged victorious after a thrilling battle at the front, crossing the finish line in a superb 58:26 setting a new course record. His winning performance underlined his strength and speed over the half-marathon distance, but he was made to work all the way by fellow Kenyan Daniel Mateiko, who finished just three seconds behind in 58:29 after an electrifying duel for the title.

The contest between the two leaders produced one of the standout moments of the race, with both athletes pushing deep into elite territory as they fought for victory. In the end, Lasoi found just enough to secure the win, while Mateiko's narrow defeat highlighted the remarkable depth and quality of Kenya's leading distance runners.

Vincent Kipkorir completed the Kenyan sweep, taking third place in 1:00:38 to ensure that all three places on the podium belonged to Kenyan athletes. Samwel Chebolei added further Kenyan strength to the results, finishing fourth in 1:01:01, while Amos Langat was also among the leading finishers.

The international field featured several prominent names. Australia's Jimmy Whelan produced a strong run, while Ethiopia's Yismaw Dillu featured among the front group. American marathon star Galen Rupp also delivered a notable performance, clocking 1:01:29 in another competitive outing for the experienced distance runner. Former world-class track and road athlete Edward Cheserek was also among the top finishers.

Lasoi's 58:26 victory, however, was the defining performance of the day. Together with Mateiko and Kipkorir, he gave Kenya a perfect podium and another emphatic reminder of the country's extraordinary strength in elite road running.

The Antrim Coast Half Marathon once again provided a fast, competitive stage for some of the world's finest distance runners, but when the decisive moments arrived, it was Kenya that owned the podium.

One of the most iconic milestones in the history of ultramarathon running is drawing closer, with entries for the historic 100th edition of the Comrades Marathon set to open on Tuesday, 25 August 2026.

The Comrades Marathon Association has officially announced a detailed entry process for the 2027 race, which will unfold in three stages and give runners around the world the opportunity to secure their place in what promises to be one of the most significant editions ever held of The Ultimate Human Race.

The announcement followed the official launch of the 2027 Comrades Marathon on Wednesday, 19 August, when the centenary campaign, “The Greatest Story Ever Run,” was unveiled alongside a special logo created exclusively for the landmark 100th edition.

The launch also revealed several major highlights for the Centenary Race. The historic event will take place on Sunday, 13 June 2027, and will be a Down Run, with 28,000 places available. The entry process will include a ballot, while the race will offer a record R8.919 million in prize money. Organisers have also set an ambitious goal of raising R10 million for the Amabeadibeadi charities, adding an important charitable dimension to the centenary celebrations. One of the defining moments of the launch was the unveiling of the special Centenary mark, created to commemorate this extraordinary milestone in the history of the race.

The entry process begins on 25 August at 10:00 a.m. SAST, when entries open for Green Number runners, Yellow Number runners and Amabeadibeadi charity entrants.

The next phase follows on 2 September at 10:00 a.m. SAST, when entries open for Comrades Marathon Association members. This window will remain open for 72 hours or until the available entry allocation is filled, with places offered on a strictly first-come, first-served basis.

For general entrants, the process will move to a ballot system. General entries open on 9 September at 10:00 a.m. SAST, with runners able to enter the ballot until it closes on 22 September at 4:30 p.m. SAST. The ballot draw is then scheduled to take place on 23 September.

Several other crucial dates will shape the road to the historic race. The substitution period will run from 15 to 31 March 2027, while 3 May 2027 is the final deadline for runners to submit their qualifying performances, seeding information and other required entry details.

To qualify for the 2027 Comrades Marathon, runners must complete a 42.2km marathon in under five hours between 15 June 2026 and 3 May 2027.

The journey will finally culminate on Sunday, 13 June 2027, when thousands of runners are expected to line up for the historic 100th edition of the Comrades Marathon.

The 2027 race will represent a remarkable moment for the legendary South African ultramarathon. For more than a century, the Comrades Marathon has captured the imagination of runners and spectators with its extraordinary test of endurance, determination and human spirit. Its centenary edition will celebrate the generations of athletes who have faced its demanding roads, conquered its challenges and helped build one of the world's most respected endurance events.

For runners dreaming of becoming part of this historic occasion, the road to Comrades 2027 is now clearly marked. From the opening of entries in August 2026 to race day in June 2027, every deadline will matter.

The Greatest Story Ever Run is preparing for its most historic chapter yet.

American sprint standout Sam Blaskowski is taking steps toward an international future with Poland after uncovering a powerful connection to his family's ancestral homeland.

The 23-year-old sprinter, who has established himself as one of the fastest Americans of his generation with a personal best of 9.89 seconds in the 100 metres, has begun the process of obtaining Polish citizenship with the aim of eventually representing Poland in international competition.

Blaskowski's connection to the country traces back through his great-grandparents, Franciszek and Julian Błaszkowski, who emigrated from Poland to the United States in 1905. Their journey more than a century ago has now opened an unexpected new chapter for their descendant, whose athletic ambitions could soon carry the Błaszkowski name back onto the international stage under Polish colours.

The sprinter has already received support from the Polish Athletics Association as he works through the citizenship and eligibility process. Should his transfer of allegiance be completed, Blaskowski could become a significant addition to Poland's sprint programme.

His credentials certainly make the prospect an exciting one. In addition to his sub-10-second speed over 100 metres, Blaskowski owns a personal best of 19.93 seconds in the 200 metres, demonstrating the kind of versatility that could prove valuable both individually and in Poland's 4x100m relay squad.

For Blaskowski, however, the move is about more than simply changing national colours. It represents an opportunity to reconnect with his family's heritage while pursuing his ambitions at the highest level of the sport.

With his sights set on becoming part of Poland's international sprint team and competing for relay medals, Blaskowski's journey from discovering his Polish roots to potentially representing the country of his ancestors could become one of the most fascinating allegiance stories in world athletics.

A century after Franciszek and Julian Błaszkowski left Poland for America, their family's story may now be coming full circle—this time at full sprint.