Running News Daily

I am alarmed by how the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is policing our sport. It's disheartening to see athletes win races only to be stripped of their titles months later due to delayed doping allegations. This approach undermines the integrity of athletics and, in the long run, does more harm than good.​

Having dedicated my life to running—I ran my first mile on February 16, 1962, and I discovered my passion for our sport after clocking a 2:08.5 in a 880-yard race JUne 1, 1963—I've witnessed the sport's evolution firsthand. As the founder and publisher of Runner’s World for 18 years and, since 2007, the editor and publisher of My Best Runs, I am concerned about the professional side of athletics.

The Flaws in WADA's Zero-Tolerance Policy

WADA's strict liability standard holds athletes accountable for any prohibited substance in their system, regardless of intent. This has led to controversial sanctions, such as the four-year ban of American runner Shelby Houlihan. She tested positive for the steroid nandrolone, which she attributed to consuming a pork burrito. Despite her defense, the ban was upheld, raising questions about the fairness of such rigid policies.​

Overhauling the Banned Substances List

The extensive list of prohibited substances maintained by WADA includes compounds with minimal or no performance-enhancing effects. By focusing on substances with proven performance benefits, we can prevent athletes from being unjustly penalized for trace amounts of inconsequential substances.​

The Problem with Retroactive Disqualifications

Delayed disqualifications due to retroactive positive tests cause significant disruptions. Athletes are stripped of titles months or even years after competitions, leading to uncertainty and diminished trust in the sport. Investing in faster, more sensitive testing methods is crucial to detect violations promptly, ensuring that competition results are reliable and fair.​

Rethinking the "Whereabouts" Requirement

WADA's "whereabouts" rule mandates that athletes provide their location for one hour each day to facilitate out-of-competition testing. This constant monitoring infringes on athletes' privacy rights and imposes an unreasonable burden. Reevaluating this policy could help balance effective anti-doping measures with respect for personal freedoms.​

Understanding Blood Doping and Its Implications

Blood doping, which involves increasing red blood cells to enhance performance, poses significant health risks, including blood clots, stroke, and heart attack. While it's linked to deaths in sports like cycling, there is no documented case of a runner dying directly from blood doping.

Interestingly, many doping violations involve substances like erythropoietin (EPO), which, despite health risks, haven't been directly linked to fatalities among runners. In contrast, alcohol—a legal substance—is responsible for approximately 3 million deaths worldwide annually. This disparity raises questions about the consistency of current substance regulations in sports.​

The Business of Anti-Doping

Established in 1999 with an initial operating income of USD 15.5 million, WADA's budget has grown significantly, reaching USD 46 million in 2022. This increase reflects the expanding scope of WADA's activities, including research, education, and compliance monitoring.

Funding is primarily sourced from public authorities and the sports movement, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) being a major contributor. Notably, in 2024, the United States withheld over USD 3.6 million—about 6% of WADA's annual budget—due to disputes over the agency's handling of doping cases.​

EPO's Prevalence in Doping Cases

Erythropoietin (EPO) has a history of abuse in endurance sports due to its performance-enhancing capabilities. For example, Kenyan marathon runner Brimin Kipkorir was provisionally suspended in February 2025 after testing positive for EPO and Furosemide. This suspension adds to a series of high-profile doping cases affecting marathon running, especially among Kenyan athletes.​

Adapting Governance and Policies to Maintain Trust

High-profile doping scandals have exposed flaws in the governance of athletics. The case of coach Alberto Salazar illustrates the challenges in enforcing anti-doping regulations. Salazar, who led the Nike Oregon Project, was initially banned for four years in 2019 for multiple anti-doping rule violations, including trafficking testosterone and tampering with doping control processes.

In 2021, he received a lifetime ban for sexual and emotional misconduct. His athlete, Galen Rupp, never tested positive for banned substances, yet his reputation suffered due to his association with Salazar. This situation underscores the importance of independent and transparent governance in maintaining the sport's integrity.

The banned drug list

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) maintains a comprehensive list of substances and methods prohibited in sports to ensure fair competition and athlete health. This list is updated annually and includes categories such as:

·       Anabolic Agents: These substances, including anabolic-androgenic steroids, promote muscle growth and enhance performance.​

·       Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, and Related Substances: Compounds like erythropoietin (EPO) and human growth hormone (hGH) that can increase red blood cell production or muscle mass.​

·       Beta-2 Agonists: Typically used for asthma, these can also have performance-enhancing effects when misused.​

·       Hormone and Metabolic Modulators: Substances that alter hormone functions, such as aromatase inhibitors and selective estrogen receptor modulators.​

·       Diuretics and Masking Agents: Used to conceal the presence of other prohibited substances or to rapidly lose weight.​

·       Stimulants: Compounds that increase alertness and reduce fatigue, including certain amphetamines.​

·       Narcotics: Pain-relieving substances that can impair performance and pose health risks.​

·       Cannabinoids: Including substances like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which can affect coordination and concentration.​

·       Glucocorticoids: Anti-inflammatory agents that, when misused, can have significant side effects.​

Additionally, WADA prohibits certain methods, such as blood doping and gene doping, which can artificially enhance performance. It's important to note that while substances like alcohol are legal and widely consumed, they are not banned in most sports despite their potential health risks.

In contrast, substances like EPO, which have not been directly linked to fatalities among runners, are prohibited due to their performance-enhancing effects and potential health risks. This raises questions about the consistency and focus of current substance regulations in sports..

Regarding the percentage of doping violations involving EPO, specific statistics are not readily available. However, EPO has been a focal point in numerous high-profile doping cases, particularly in endurance sports. For detailed and up-to-date information, consulting WADA's official reports and statistics is recommended

 Blood Doping Across Sports

Blood doping is prohibited across various sports, particularly those requiring high endurance. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned blood doping in 1985, and since then, numerous sports organizations have implemented similar prohibitions. Cycling has been notably affected, with many major champions associated with or suspended for blood doping.​

In conclusion, while the fight against doping is essential to maintain fairness in athletics, the current methods employed by WADA may be causing more harm than good. It's imperative to develop more nuanced, fair, and effective anti-doping policies that protect both the integrity of the sport and the rights of its athletes.

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.