Running News Daily

THE END OF THE YEAR IS A GREAT TIME TO reflect on your running over the past 12 months – whether your aim has been fun, achieving parkrun PBs or preparing for a marathon. 

A year-end review can help you spot trends, address setbacks and enhance your training for the upcoming year – whether that’s to boost performance or increase enjoyment. To do this, I encourage you to conduct a light performance analysis. It doesn’t require extensive data; instead, ask yourself key questions to start the new year with focus. 

Audit yourself 

Begin by reflecting on your goal-setting from a year ago. What were those goals? Are they still relevant? Perhaps you achieved several PBs or completed a couch to 5K programme and need a new challenge. Alternatively, you might need to scale back this year if your previous goals were unattainable. Remember, running should be enjoyable, and it’s normal to experience ups and downs. 

Then take a closer look at your training, racing and lifestyle over the past year. Use data, along with the self-reflection questions to follow, to score yourself from one to five in the areas identified. This will guide your goal-setting and action plan for the year ahead. 

1. Physical 

This covers your overall fitness, strength, endurance and injury prevention. If you’re more experienced, you might use data from apps such as Strava or Garmin Connect, or a detailed training log. This can include metrics such as mileage, heart rate or HRV measurements. For the performance-minded, consider lab testing such as lactate and VO2-max testing. If you’re less experienced, focus on how your rate of perceived exertion (RPE) might have changed in different training sessions and races as the year went on. 

● Endurance Review your total volume over the year in distance or time. Were there gaps in consistency owing to injury, motivation or life events? Have you included longer runs regularly? Do you feel your heart rate or effort has reduced for similar paces, or are you able to sustain your pace for longer periods?

● Speed and power Analyse improvements in shorter races compared with longer ones. Use the RW race-time predictor to see if you align more closely on longer or shorter races, or if you are well balanced. Reflect on your training: did you include a mix of long runs, intervals, fartlek sessions, hill workouts, tempo runs and recovery runs? A well-rounded training plan leads to balanced improvement. 

● Injury and strength Track how many injuries you’ve had, and their severity and causes. Has strength training supported your running? Use strength and flexibility tests such as knee-to-wall tests and sit-and-reach tests to benchmark yourself against norms for your age. 

2. Planning and performance 

This section looks at your approach to training plans and race performance. 

● Race pace vs training pace Are you performing consistently in races compared with training? Do you feel you underperform or overperform in competitive situations? 

● Variety Did you include races of different distances and on various surfaces throughout the year? Or did you stay in a comfort zone with your favourite or strongest type of race? 

● Splits Evaluate how you pace yourself during races. Do you start too fast and fade, or do you

3. Mindset and wellbeing 

Your mindset and emotional wellbeing play a significant role in your running performance, as well as in maintaining your motivation and consistency. 

● Motivation and enjoyment Did you maintain enthusiasm for running or were there periods of low motivation? Identify factors that contributed to any highs and lows. 

● Anxiety and pressure Did you regularly feel stressed or anxious about your running or performance? Consider your goal-setting and whether you have the right balance between process and outcome focus. 

● Race nerves and focus Evaluate how you handled race-day pressure. Did you feel confident and focused or did nerves affect your performance? Assess your mental approach to tough runs and races – did you stay positive and push through challenging moments? Did you explore any mental techniques such as positive self-talk or mantras for key moments in races? 

● Consistency and commitment Look at how disciplined you were with your training. Did you skip runs or stay consistent? What external factors affected your behaviour and how well did you handle those disruptions? 

4. Recovery 

You can follow the perfect plan with a good mix of training, but if you don’t recover, your fitness gains will be limited and you’re more likely to pick up injuries. Various pieces of data can help you monitor recovery, such as sleep tracking, heart-rate variability and the ‘recovery’ metrics from most GPS watches. Often, however, you’ll know if improvements are needed by answering some key questions: 

● Sleep and rest Assess how well you prioritised rest, including sleep quality and duration. Poor recovery can lead to fatigue, injury and decreased performance, so reflect on how (or if) you balanced your hard training with adequate rest. 

● Nutrition and hydration Did you fuel properly before during and after runs? Did you hydrate adequately, especially during long runs and races? Have you noticed patterns between nutrition and performance? Did you effectively plan and practise your race-day nutrition? 

● Health and vitality Did you frequently catch colds or infections? In the run-up to key races, did you keep doing the simple things, such as using hand gel and taking any supplements you might need? 

● Injury recovery Did you give yourself enough time to heal, follow rehab exercises and ease back

Write these down as a simple action plan with up to five priorities. Create objectives that are realistic and motivating, balancing short-term achievements – such as improving your pace or increasing weekly volume – with long-term ambitions, such as completing a marathon or getting a personal best. 

Lastly, remember that running isn’t just about performance. Think about how to add enjoyment to your running, such as participating in races of different distances or on various surfaces. Consider joining a club or training group to maximise the social and mental health benefits of running. 

Combining all of these lessons will help you get more from your running in 2025, whatever your goal may be. Good luck! 

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.