Running News Daily

.The government has warned there may be no vaccine until 2022 and it may be the death of trailrunnning companies

Is there a storm brewing as more trail users could mean more clashes between runners and hikers when racing returns?

Trail races have been cancelled for most of 2020 because of Covid-19 Social distancing restrictions. The lack of income is taking a toll on trail race organizers’ bottom line, and as the Hong Kong government has said it will be “lucky” to get a citywide vaccination by 2022, there is a long road ahead.

“Many organizers and those supporting the sport are really struggling,” said Janet Ng, a founder of Trail Runners Association of Hong Kong (TRAHK) and organiser of the Vibram Hong Kong 100.

“Some organizers have now seen two years of their events being cancelled – last year because of the political unrest then followed by Covid-19. No organiser can afford to keep their staff and pay rent for this long without the ability to hold any events, big or small.

“There has been no indication from the government as to when events might be able to restart, adding to the financial uncertainty. I don’t think many events can survive another year of cancellations.”

She added that charities and NGOs that depend on an annual trail race to raise funds will also suffer.

There is the Employee Support Scheme (ESS) available for Hong Kong companies to cover salaries, but other than that there is no specific support for trail race organisers. Ng said TRAHK has proposed safety guidelines to the Home Affairs Bureau and the Food and Health Bureau but the responses have been negative. They include Social-distancing, masks and hand-sanitising.

“The guidelines follow those recommended by the International Trail Running Association (ITRA, the international trail running body). This contrasts with the approach in other territories, where events have been allowed to restart with safety protocols in place.

“The reasonableness and logic here is obviously questionable. Trail running is non-contact, doesn’t involve a ball which all the players touch, takes place outdoors and can easily embrace social-distancing. So it is much safer than many other sports from the perspective of transmission of disease. It makes no sense that riskier sports have been allowed to resume, but trail running has not,” Ng said.

he wider implication of another raceless year is a loss of status for Hong Kong. The area is a running mecca for trail lovers across Asia and it may cede its desirable status to another country in the region, costing much-needed tourism dollars, Ng said. Not to mention the affects on mental health when thousands of runners do not have goals to work towards.

Micheal Maddess, race director at Action Asia, is deeply frustrated by the government’s lack of action. He has a group of full-time staff and warehouses for kayaks, bikes, ropes and other equipment for his races. He has been rejected for the ESS and other grant applications and blames an insurance company mix up with their MPF. He continues to pursue action to rectify the issue. His warehouse landlords have refused to reduce rent.

“It’s frustrating that there are so many Covid-19 loopholes. There’s so many people who can come over the border untested, or walk in and out the hospital without being tested. The fitness community is asking, why should we suffer because of the government?,” he said.

Maddess pointed to Benjamin Cowling, an epidemiologist with the University of Hong Kong’s School of Public Health, who was recently quoted by RTHK saying evidence suggests the virus does not spread as quickly outdoors.

“Trail running relieves stress and improves mental well-being. I just wish our government can realise this as fitness is so beneficial to mental wellness, and in the tough times Hong Kong is facing now, what better industry to invest in?,” he said.

Steve Carr, a founder of RaceBase, is in a less tight spot. The company has little to no overheads and his income comes from teaching. But he is still frustrated. He has reached out to the government, and the only helpful responses he receives are from the police. Unfortunately, all they can say is that there will be no races for a while.

A lot of organisers have turned to virtual races, giving people a set window to run a course or distance and upload their time. Carr worries the government may even restrict this form of income.

“People are going to get annoyed before long. The sheer volume of virtual races that are appearing, and saying you have to complete it over a weekend, then you have 300 people running that weekend. It’s just 300 people running a race,” Carr said.

Martin Cai, founder of The Green Race, has gone from three to one employee over the course of the pandemic. However, he does give credit to the government.

“They haven’t just handed the money out, but if you’re paying attention they’ve put in opportunities to expand, improve and gain some capital,” he said.

Cai was given a Cyberport grant, designed for tech ideas. He pitched innovative ideas for timing and interactive running apps to a “Dragon’s Den” style panel. His business is in an incubation lab, with mentors and funding to help realise the plans.

“How long can we last? If we are just sitting waiting, then not long. The advice I’ve had from mentors in the programme is very quickly make your plan B your plan A,” Cai said.

“Our plan B is virtual events, which is a distant plan B. People want to meet up, race together and enjoy the community. Running virtually doesn’t compare, but this funding has given us an opportunity to make something that is as interactive and exciting as possible on a virtual scale.”

There is a danger that by the time it is ready, races will be back on and the work will have become redundant. But, it will lay foundations for other innovations.

“This pandemic has really shaken business models. Take timing – a lot of traditional timing methods are ’80s methods. It works so there hasn’t been a need to change. But this pandemic has turned the business models on their heads and we all hold the timing methods in our hands.

“I think there is going to be a quite a shake up in terms of how races are done with the technology available. I think for the better. Things stayed static, and the price too, but it should make races more affordable if we leverage technology,” Cai said.

An offshoot of the travel restrictions, and indoor venues being shut, is there are more hikers on the trails than ever before. Each of the race organisers said they were happy to see so many Hongkongers discovering the joys of the outdoors. But, there may be unintended frictions on the horizons.

Even before the pandemic, there were clashes between hikers and trail runners. Trail markers were tampered with or removed as hikers became annoyed with crowds of runners.

Cai worries the boom may limit race organisers’ creativity. They will be forced to run the same routes time and again in different directions, as the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) try and restrict clashes between popular races and popular hiking routes.

Maddess has been banging the drum for a while to be allowed on less busy routes. The AFCD only permit races on “named trails”.

“The AFCD need to look at ways to reduce the stress on some of the busier trails by either building new trails or encouraging use of lesser used “no name” trails by upgrading them or opening them up for events,” he said.

Racing is not the only aspect of trail running. You can run for free, any time, anywhere. There is a huge community of supportive runners and each trail organiser mentioned that it gives them hope.

“For me, it’s been really hard, because my thing is hanging out with people, it’s about mental health,” Carr said. “People recognise that race directors are being hit, so they want to support in whatever way that is possible, even if that is just running the course. It’s going to be a long slog, but the community will get around.”

Cai added: “It’s a really difficult time, and everyone is going through it in one shape or form. The community has stepped up, so many times people have offered their time. It really has helped and it has been amazing. I know we will get through this. It doesn’t mean it’s not difficult, but we will get through it together.”

Most Olympic marathoners spend their youth focused on running. They join track clubs, compete in national championships, and pursue the sport from an early age.

Julia Mayer’s journey was very different.

Today, Mayer is Austria’s marathon record holder, a multiple national record holder on the roads, and an Olympian. Yet for much of her athletic life, running was not her primary sport.

For 16 years, she played soccer.

Then she discovered something that would change her life.

“I noticed that I was really fast in the fun runs and that it was really, really fun,” Mayer said when reflecting on her transition from soccer to distance running.

What began as curiosity quickly became a passion. She eventually made the bold decision to leave soccer behind and focus entirely on running. It was a move that surprised many people around her, but Mayer believed she had found her true athletic calling.

The decision proved to be the right one.

Within a few years, Mayer developed into one of Europe’s top marathon runners. Her steady improvement carried her from local races to the international stage, where she began rewriting Austria’s record books.

She now holds Austrian records in the marathon, half marathon, and road 10K. Her marathon best of 2:26:08 established her as the fastest female marathoner in Austrian history. Her performances in the half marathon and 10K have further cemented her place among the country’s all-time great distance runners.

Her rise culminated with qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Competing in the Olympic marathon represented the realization of a dream. On one of the most challenging marathon courses ever used for the Olympics, Mayer ran courageously against the strongest field in the world and finished 55th in her Olympic debut.

Behind the scenes, success has come through extraordinary dedication. During marathon preparation, Mayer trains twice a day and covers approximately 200 kilometers, or 124 miles, each week. The workload demands discipline, patience, and a deep commitment to continuous improvement. 

What makes her story especially inspiring is not simply the records or the Olympic appearance.

It is the fact that she found her greatest talent later than many elite runners.

In a sport where athletes are often identified at a young age, Mayer’s journey serves as a reminder that potential does not always reveal itself early. Sometimes it takes years of experience, a willingness to try something new, and the courage to follow a different path. 

The former soccer player who once chased a ball across a field is now chasing history on the roads of Europe.

And according to those closest to her, her best performances may still be ahead.

For runners of every age and ability, Julia Mayer’s story delivers a powerful lesson: it is never too late to discover what you are capable of.

From soccer player to Olympian, her journey proves that remarkable achievements can begin when least expected.

Megan Keith produced the performance of her career in Oslo on Thursday night, shattering one of Scotland’s longest-standing distance running records and cementing her place among Britain’s greatest female 3000m runners.

The 24-year-old clocked a sensational 8:28.35 over 3000m, breaking the Scottish outdoor record that had stood for nearly four decades. In doing so, Keith eclipsed the previous mark of 8:29.02, set by Scottish legend Yvonne Murray back in 1988, ending a record reign that had lasted 38 years.

Keith’s breakthrough run was more than just a national record. The performance also propelled her to third on the UK outdoor all-time list, placing her behind only two of Britain’s most celebrated distance runners — Paula Radcliffe, who leads the rankings with 8:22.20, and Laura Weightman, whose 8:26.07 remains the second-fastest outdoor mark by a British woman.

The significance of Keith’s achievement is amplified by the calibre of athletes she now joins in the record books. For decades, Murray’s mark stood as one of Scottish athletics’ most untouchable records, surviving generations of elite competitors. Keith has now succeeded where many outstanding runners have fallen short, announcing herself as one of the leading distance talents in British athletics.

Her time also compares favourably with the best performances produced indoors. Olympic medallist Laura Muir ran 8:26.41 indoors in Karlsruhe in 2017, underlining just how exceptional Keith’s outdoor effort in Oslo truly was.

The run continues a remarkable rise for the Scottish star, whose progression over recent seasons has transformed her from a promising prospect into a genuine force on the international stage. Running with confidence and composure against elite competition, Keith demonstrated both the speed and endurance required to challenge the very best in Europe and beyond.

With the World Championship season gathering momentum, Keith’s record-breaking display sends a powerful message. Not only has she etched her name into Scottish athletics history, but she has also established herself as a serious contender in one of the sport’s most competitive events.

In Oslo, Megan Keith did far more than break a record. She ended a 38-year wait, climbed into the upper echelon of British distance running, and delivered a performance that may prove to be a defining moment in her career.

British middle-distance talent Phoebe Gill took another significant step forward in her return to top form, producing a determined victory over 800 metres at the Meeting de Marseille in France on Wednesday.

Competing in challenging, wind-affected conditions, the 19-year-old demonstrated both resilience and composure as she held off a late charge from Switzerland's Veronica Vancardo to secure the win in 2:00.81. Vancardo finished just three hundredths of a second behind in 2:00.84, underlining the fiercely contested nature of the race.

While the margin of victory was narrow, the result represented another encouraging milestone for Gill as she continues to rebuild momentum following her injury setback. The young Briton showed impressive race awareness and strength in the closing stages, maintaining her advantage despite the difficult conditions that made fast running a challenge throughout the evening.

The Marseille triumph adds to a growing body of evidence that Gill is steadily progressing toward her best form. Earlier in her comeback campaign, she clocked 2:01.50 for 800m in Bydgoszcz before demonstrating her versatility with a strong 4:05.53 performance over 1500 metres at the BMC Grand Prix meeting in Trafford.

Those performances have highlighted not only her improving fitness but also her ability to compete across multiple distances as she carefully builds her season. The Marseille victory now provides further confirmation that the European junior star is moving in the right direction.

Gill emerged as one of Britain's most exciting middle-distance prospects through a series of breakthrough performances as a teenager, earning widespread recognition for her fearless racing style and remarkable maturity. Injury temporarily interrupted that upward trajectory, but her recent results suggest she is steadily rediscovering the form that made her one of the sport's brightest young talents.

With each race, the signs of progress become increasingly evident. Winning in difficult conditions and under pressure from a quality field is often a stronger indicator than a fast time alone, and Gill's latest success demonstrated exactly those qualities.

As the summer season gathers pace, the Marseille victory offers another confidence boost for the British teenager, whose return continues to gain momentum. If her recent progression is any indication, Gill could soon find herself back among the leading names on the European middle-distance circuit. 

The NCAA Track and Field Championships delivered a moment few could have predicted as Ja’Kobe Tharp produced one of the most astonishing performances in the history of sprint hurdling, rewriting the record books in spectacular fashion.

Competing in the opening round of the men’s 110-meter hurdles, the Auburn star stunned the athletics world by clocking an incredible 12.75 seconds, becoming the first athlete ever to break the 12.80-second barrier. In doing so, he eclipsed the long-standing world record of 12.80 set by Aries Merritt in 2012, a mark that had stood as one of the sport’s most revered achievements for more than a decade.

What makes Tharp’s breakthrough even more remarkable is the scale of his improvement. Entering the championships, the defending NCAA and U.S. champion had recorded a season-best of 13.05 seconds. Yet under the brightest spotlight, he unleashed a performance that exceeded every expectation, slicing an extraordinary 0.26 seconds from his personal best in a race that instantly became one of the greatest ever run.

The achievement sent shockwaves throughout the track and field community. While Tharp arrived in Eugene as one of the leading contenders for the NCAA title, few envisioned a performance capable of redefining the limits of the event. Instead, the American hurdler delivered a race for the ages, combining flawless technique, explosive speed, and impeccable rhythm from the first hurdle to the finish line.

The historic run not only secured his place in athletics history but also transformed the outlook of the championship. With the world record now in his possession, Tharp advances to the final as the overwhelming favorite, carrying momentum that could make an already unforgettable weekend even more extraordinary.

For years, the 12.80 barrier appeared untouchable. On a stunning day at the NCAA Championships, Ja’Kobe Tharp proved otherwise, producing the kind of performance that reminds fans why sport remains so unpredictable. In a matter of seconds, he turned a routine qualifying round into a landmark moment that will be remembered for generations.

The world record no one saw coming is now a reality—and Ja’Kobe Tharp is the man who changed history.

A new chapter in middle-distance running may have begun in Oslo after American teenager Cooper Lutkenhaus produced one of the most remarkable performances of the season, narrowly defeating reigning Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi in a thrilling men's 800m contest at the Diamond League meeting.

The 17-year-old sensation shocked a world-class field by crossing the finish line first in a race that came down to the smallest of margins. After an intense battle over the final metres, Lutkenhaus held off Wanyonyi by just one hundredth of a second, producing a dramatic finish that left the packed stadium in disbelief.

From the opening lap, the pace was relentless as the leading contenders positioned themselves for a fierce showdown. As the athletes entered the home straight, Wanyonyi appeared poised to unleash his trademark finishing kick. However, Lutkenhaus refused to be intimidated, matching the Olympic champion stride for stride before producing a perfectly timed lean at the line to secure a historic victory.

The result marks a breakthrough moment for the young American, who continues to establish himself as one of the brightest talents in global athletics. Defeating an Olympic champion at a Diamond League event is a feat many athletes spend entire careers pursuing, yet Lutkenhaus achieved it before reaching adulthood.

For Wanyonyi, the narrow defeat does little to diminish his status as one of the world's premier 800m runners. The Kenyan once again demonstrated his exceptional class and competitiveness, pushing the race to a world-class standard and forcing his young rival to deliver the performance of a lifetime.

Beyond the result itself, the race offered a glimpse into what could become one of the sport's most exciting rivalries in the years ahead. With established stars and emerging talents now pushing each other to new heights, the men's 800m continues to evolve into one of athletics' most captivating events.

On a memorable night in Oslo, the spotlight belonged to Cooper Lutkenhaus. At just 17 years old, he stood toe-to-toe with an Olympic champion and emerged victorious, announcing himself to the athletics world in spectacular fashion.