Running News Daily

When the University of Oregon announced in early February it will have a virtual commencement ceremony for the second year in a row, the university was met with frustration from some students — not because they wanted to shirk COVID-19 guidelines, but because they believed it was a double standard.

UO's virtual commencement ceremony is scheduled for June 12. A week later, the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track & Field will be held at Hayward Field on UO's campus.

UO also announced this week it will host five collegiate track and field meets at Hayward, starting the weekend of April 2 and ending with the NCAA Championships June 9-12, the same week as graduation.

The university is not involved with the planning or organization of the Olympic trials. The trials are run by TrackTown USA, an outside party that contracts with UO for the use of Hayward Field.

Spectators are not welcome at the first NCAA meet, UO said.

While the university is unwavering on a virtual commencement, it is looking at adding some form of in-person activity for graduation.

For some students, though, it's not enough.

"I just want the (Olympic) trials and graduation to be held at the same standard — so either they both happen or they both don't," said Morgan Leone, a 22-year-old UO senior graduating in June. "And if they both don't, it's unfortunate they couldn't make it happen. (People) worked really hard for both of them, but I would love to see them both happen regardless."

Spring sports moving forward

The Olympic trials for track and field has been held at Hayward Field six times since 1972, though the first year only included men's events. The 2020 trials will be the seventh.

They are organized locally by TrackTown USA, a Eugene-based nonprofit organization that runs other large-scale track and field events. TrackTown has contracted with UO to rent space on campus for these events before, and this year is no exception.

The 2020 Olympics, which were postponed globally because of the COVID-19 pandemic, are scheduled to be held July 23 through Aug. 8 in Tokyo.

Although TrackTown consistently had to adjust plans for the trials, working with public health officials and the UO to adapt to changing policies, said CEO Michael Reilly, the organization still plans to host it in June.

"We are full-steam ahead in planning to host the Olympic trials in June," Reilly said. "We are remaining hopeful that the event is going to continue to be able to be held, and, the conditions here in Oregon and around the country continue to improve. But, if anything, we've learned over the last year we have to take things week by week."

UO sports such as softball, soccer and track and field are underway this spring. The NCAA has been regularly testing athletes for COVID-19 this year.

The Oregon track and field team will host five meets at the new Hayward Field this spring, which will "only be hosting guests of student-athletes and coaches as the meet schedule begins," and no spectators, Oregon Athletic Director Rob Mullens said.

More in-person activities will be allowed as guidelines change, potentially meaning spectators at events.

State guidelines vary standards

Lane County's risk level set by Oregon Health Authority has been dropping for several weeks. As the vaccination rate increased, the number of new cases has decreased significantly and as of Friday, the county was put in the "lower risk" category, which is the lowest category a county can be in.

"Even with Lane County moving into a lower risk category, the university’s educational and research activities are still restricted by the governor’s orders for higher education issued last June," UO spokesperson Molly Blancett told The Register-Guard in an email.

The governor's executive order notes that for research, residential and instructional activities, universities should follow what is directed from the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. It also states other activities on campus, such as athletics, need to comply with other executive orders and OHA guidance specific to the risk level of the county.

In the lower risk category, indoor classroom instruction cannot exceed 50 people, and outdoor classroom instruction 300 people, the HECC states. Outdoor recreation, including college athletics events, are allowed a maximum of 50% occupancy, according to OHA guidelines.

"These restrictions (for UO) are independent from activities organized by outside parties that have contracted to use UO facilities," Blancett said.

TrackTown's operating plans not set yet

However, TrackTown always has to comply with the policies laid out by UO on the use of the space, Reilly said, as part of the contractual agreement.

UO also will be paid by TrackTown for space used, as part of that contract. The exact dollar amount is still unclear, Reilly said, but will likely be set in the coming weeks as they come to better understand the amount of space the organization will rent from UO.

Lane County Public Health also is involved in Olympic trials planning and has been for past trials, Reilly said. When the time comes, TrackTown will present its plan to OHA.

"We fully expect a good rigorous analysis from them. We'll try to do our best to answer their questions that may evolve at that point, a need for us to adapt and change the operating plans that we're proposing," Reilly said.

"I imagine it's going to be an ongoing back-and-forth discussion with them in the coming weeks to try to arrive at a set of operating plans that they feel comfortable about," he said. "That will enable us to not only conduct a safe event for the participants there, but also do a good job of protecting the broader community."

UO entertaining in-person grad activities

The Olympic trials being contracted out to a third party doesn't change students' call for UO to seek alternatives for graduation.

"That really frustrated me in the sense that they're kind of hiding behind TrackTown," Leone said about UO. "I feel like they've been using that as an excuse.

"In a way like I feel like we signed a contract with the school, and we all paid our way through the university whether we liked it or not," she said.

"And it's frustrating to see that (UO) will be getting a paycheck out (from) TrackTown, and it seems very correlated to why they also want to keep pushing it to go on. I feel like the university tends to forget that we are also paying students and paid a lot of money to go here."

Leone is one of 1,600-plus people who have signed an online petition for UO to reconsider the decision to hold a virtual commencement and include more student input on alternatives.

The petition points out changes such as increased access to vaccines in Lane County, along with the track and field plans as reasons to reconsider.

UO announced there may be some opportunity for in-person activities at commencement, though the actual commencement ceremony will still be virtual. However, it's still unclear what these activities could be.

In a typical year, each school and college at UO (the business school, college of arts and sciences, etc.) has its own smaller commencement ceremony. This is where students actually have their names read and walk across stage to receive their degrees. Then there is a separate, university-wide commencement ceremony with speeches from UO President Michael Schill and other guests.

When asked whether these smaller school-specific ceremonies still were being considered, Blancett said UO is "actively exploring how it might add an in-person activity to complement planned virtual commencement ceremonies," but had nothing more to share at this time.

Students suggest safe alternatives

Leone set up a template email that students could fill out and send to UO leaders suggesting a way of doing in-person commencements. The program she uses shows about 200 people have used the template.

"It's basically suggesting doing many different ceremonies throughout the day at many different locations, without families, so Hayward, also at Autzen field, the EMU lawn," she said. "Everything I wrote followed the extreme risk guidelines, so it'd be 25 people outside all socially distanced ... it would be very strict, but at least families could tune in and watch."

With about 30 minutes per ceremony, following the most stringent guidelines the state has set, Leone said she calculated it would take a couple of days to get through everyone including the 2021 graduates, but it would be possible.

"I don't want anyone to think I'm disregarding COVID or trying to push for unsafe COVID activities," Leone said. "I just figured there are other universities working really hard to try and make something else safe. (UO) can absolutely do that for the seniors."

In the statement, UO's Blancett said UO is "eager to recognize students’ successes and achievements in meaningful ways."

"The health and safety of our community is a top priority, as is the ability to remain flexible while adhering to a rapidly changing guideline that may become more or less stringent over time," she said. "The safety of our campus community remains a top priority and a guiding principle as we navigate moving operations in and out of different risk levels."

The streets of Portaferry fell silent with grief as family, friends, fellow athletes and members of the community gathered to say their final goodbyes to Ciara Mageean, the beloved Irish Olympian whose remarkable life was cut tragically short at the age of 34.

It was an emotional farewell to a woman who had brought immense pride to her country, inspired countless people through her achievements on the track and touched lives through her warmth, courage and generosity.

Mageean, who represented Ireland at the Olympic Games and Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games, died on Sunday, November 1, following a courageous battle with stage four bowel cancer. She had publicly revealed her diagnosis in 2025 and was facing a likely terminal prognosis.

Her death sent shockwaves throughout the athletics community, with tributes pouring in from fellow competitors, sporting organisations, political leaders and admirers around the world.

For Portaferry, however, the loss was deeply personal. The town was not simply mourning a European champion and Olympic athlete; it was saying goodbye to one of its own.

Her funeral brought together a community united in sorrow, celebrating a life that had made an extraordinary impact both on and off the track.

One of the most moving moments came during the funeral service when Fr Martin Kelly shared a touching memory from one of his final visits to Mageean at the hospice.

He recalled visiting her approximately three weeks before her death and accompanying her on a walk. Despite the severity of her illness, the determined athlete still appeared to have enough energy to leave him struggling to keep up.

When Ciara noticed that the priest was finding the walk difficult, she offered him her arm.

"There’s still a bit of 'macho' in me, so I hesitated - linking arms wasn’t me," Fr Kelly recalled. "Then I gave in."

What followed became one of his most treasured memories of the remarkable athlete.

"One of my happiest memories is that of Ciara Mageean linking my arm as we walked back to her room, shortly before she went to Heaven," he said.

"Thank you Ciara from the bottom of my heart."

It was a simple gesture, but one that captured the extraordinary kindness of a woman whose greatness extended far beyond her sporting achievements.

Even while facing the final stages of her illness, Mageean was still thinking about someone else, offering comfort and companionship when she could easily have been the one receiving it.

Her final chapter was also filled with love and precious family moments. Just weeks before her death, she married her longtime partner, Thomas Moran, in a civil ceremony at Belfast City Hall. The couple subsequently celebrated their marriage with family and friends at Darver Castle in County Louth on October 25.

The following day, Mageean shared photographs of the celebration on social media, writing: "I hope you didn’t think we were skipping the party."

She described the occasion as an "incredible day" surrounded by "the most amazing people."

Those photographs, showing her smiling and celebrating with loved ones, have since become particularly emotional reminders of the happiness she experienced during her final days.

Moran had stood beside her throughout her cancer journey, encouraging her to seek medical attention when her symptoms changed in 2025. Mageean had spoken about the future they hoped to build together in Portaferry, including having children and eventually grandchildren.

Tragically, their dreams were cut short. The couple had been married for only 20 days when Mageean passed away.

Among those who travelled to Ireland to celebrate the wedding was British marathoner Phily Bowden, who had trained alongside Mageean in Helen Clitheroe's New Balance Manchester group.

Bowden had flown from Arizona during the final stages of her preparation for the New York City Marathon because she did not want to miss her friend's special occasion.

In a video recorded during a training session in Dublin, she explained the reason for her journey.

"A very special person in my life is getting married this weekend here in Ireland," she said. "So I couldn’t exactly miss it."

Just seven days later, Bowden found herself lining up for the New York City Marathon after receiving devastating news while travelling on the bus to the start.

Her friend had died.

Despite the heartbreak, she went on to complete the 42.195km race, finishing 17th in 2:30:45. She later dedicated her performance to Mageean, turning a day of personal achievement into a deeply emotional tribute.

It was another reminder of how many lives Ciara had touched, and how far her influence extended beyond the athletics track.

Sportingly, Mageean leaves behind an extraordinary legacy. She represented Ireland at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, competed for Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games and established herself as one of the finest middle-distance runners in Irish history.

Her greatest triumph came at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome, where she captured the women's 1,500m gold medal in 4:04.66, delivering a historic performance that secured her place among Ireland's most celebrated athletes.

But while her medals and achievements will remain part of athletics history, those who knew her will remember something even more valuable: the person behind the champion.

Her courage through cancer, her determination to embrace life, her love for family and friends, and her instinct to extend kindness even during her most difficult moments have become central to the tributes celebrating her life.

As Portaferry said its final goodbye, the streets that once celebrated one of their greatest sporting daughters became a place of reflection, remembrance and heartbreak.

Ciara Mageean's final race was not run on an athletics track. It was a battle fought with extraordinary courage, surrounded by the people she loved.

And perhaps the most powerful image to emerge from her final chapter is not one of her crossing a finish line or lifting a championship medal, but of a woman in a hospice offering her arm to someone else as they walked together.

A small act of kindness. A beautiful final memory. A lasting reminder that true greatness is measured not only by what someone achieves, but also by how they make others feel.

Portaferry has lost a daughter. Irish athletics has lost a champion. And the world has lost a remarkable woman.

 As Portaferry laid one of its brightest daughters to rest, the tears, tributes and heartfelt memories told the story of a woman whose impact reached far beyond the finish line. Ciara Mageean may have lost her final battle, but cancer could never take away the courage with which she lived, the love she shared or the countless lives she inspired. Her footsteps may have fallen silent, but her legacy will forever echo through Irish athletics and the hearts of everyone who had the privilege of knowing her story. A champion on the track, a fighter in life and a beautiful soul remembered forever. 

What happens when one of the greatest marathon runners in history meets an Olympic sprint champion in a school cafeteria?

In New York City, it made for an unforgettable evening of athletics, laughter and community ahead of the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon.

On Friday, October 30, Nike Running transformed the cafeteria at Manhattan’s High School of Fashion Industries into “Cafeteria 26.2,” creating a classic American school-lunchroom atmosphere where runners could gather, enjoy a pre-race pasta meal and soak up the excitement building around one of the world’s most famous marathons.

But the food was not the only attraction.

Among the most memorable moments came when two of athletics’ biggest stars stepped away from the competition arena and behind the serving counter.

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, widely regarded as one of the greatest marathoners of all time, joined American Olympic sprint champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden to serve pasta to runners preparing for Sunday’s race.

Wearing custom red Nike aprons emblazoned with the word “RUN,” the two champions embraced the unusual roles with plenty of energy, chatting with athletes, signing jackets and sharing smiles and photographs with members of the running community.

For the runners in attendance, it was a rare opportunity to interact with champions who represent two very different sides of the sport.

Kipchoge has built a legendary career around the marathon, winning the Olympic title twice and becoming the first person to complete the distance in under two hours in a specially staged event. Jefferson-Wooden, meanwhile, has established herself among the world’s leading sprinters, bringing explosive speed and Olympic success to the occasion.

Together, they created a striking picture: marathon endurance meeting sprinting speed, all in the most unexpected of places.

The evening also produced plenty of lighter moments. Social media users jokingly focused on Kipchoge’s seemingly careful pasta portions, turning a simple serving moment into another source of entertainment before race day.

But behind the jokes was something more meaningful.

“Cafeteria 26.2” captured the communal spirit that makes major road races so special. Before thousands of runners would take on the bridges, hills and streets of New York, they were given a chance to share a meal, meet fellow athletes and celebrate the sport away from the pressure of competition.

And with Kipchoge and Jefferson-Wooden on the other side of the serving counter, the night offered a reminder that athletics is not only about records, medals and finish lines.

Sometimes, it is simply about bringing people together.

From the explosive world of the 100 metres to the relentless demands of 26.2 miles, different disciplines may require different kinds of greatness—but they are united by the same passion to RUN.

Sweden’s Andreas Almgren has turned his marathon debut into a piece of history.

The 31-year-old produced a stunning performance at the 2026 New York City Marathon, winning in 2:06:01 and becoming the first Swedish man to conquer one of the world’s most prestigious marathons.

But Almgren’s breakthrough was about far more than a personal victory. His triumph marked the end of a remarkable era of African dominance in two of the sport’s biggest distance-running competitions.

Almgren became the first non-African-born male winner of the New York City Marathon since Brazil’s Marílson Gomes dos Santos claimed his second title in 2008. For 18 years, the race had remained without another non-African-born male champion.

His achievement also added another remarkable chapter to a career that has already produced a major global breakthrough. Almgren had previously become the first non-African man since Italy’s Stefano Baldini in 1996 to win the World Half Marathon title, ending a three-decade wait for another victory of that kind.

His New York triumph was even more unusual because it came on his marathon debut. Almgren became the first man since Ethiopia’s Gebre Gebremariam in 2010 to win the New York City Marathon in his first attempt at the distance.

For Sweden, the significance is even greater.

Almgren is now the first Swedish man to win the New York City Marathon and the first Swedish athlete to claim a men’s World Marathon Major title, placing his name alongside some of the greatest distance runners in history.

New York has long been a stage where experienced marathoners, Olympic medallists and established champions battle for glory. Almgren arrived without a marathon race on his résumé and left with one of the most remarkable debut victories the event has witnessed.

His 2:06:01 was not simply a winning time. It was the performance that transformed an ambitious first marathon into a landmark moment for Swedish athletics.

From the World Half Marathon title to the streets of New York, Almgren has now broken barriers that had stood for decades.

A new chapter in marathon history has begun — and Sweden has found its newest distance-running star.

Des Linden has officially gone where the marathon can no longer take her.

The 2018 Boston Marathon champion completed her first 100-mile race at the Javelina Jundred in Arizona on Saturday, finishing in 16:58:00 to place ninth among the women and 39th overall. It was a demanding debut over 100 miles of desert trail, but for Linden, simply reaching the finish line was another remarkable chapter in a career that continues to evolve beyond the roads.

For much of the race, however, Linden looked capable of something far more ambitious than simply finishing.

She began cautiously, gradually working her way through the field before moving from fifth place into the women's lead. By mile 45.3, she was out front in 5:53:12, and she continued to extend her advantage. At mile 56.9, Linden was still leading, carrying a gap of roughly five minutes over Katie Asmuth.

Then came the moment when 100 miles began to feel very different from 26.2.

Linden completed 60.3 miles in 8:01:12, maintaining a remarkably strong pace deep into the race. But after reaching the aid station, she needed significant assistance from her crew, including a shoe change, and the momentum that had carried her into the lead began to disappear.

The change was dramatic.

The 4.3 miles from the 60.3-mile mark to Coyote Camp took Linden 1:22:37. By mile 64.6, she had surrendered the lead and slipped back through the women's field. What had looked like a potential victory challenge had become a battle of survival, patience and determination.

Yet Linden refused to stop.

Her final 39.7 miles took 8:56:48 — nearly an hour longer than the time she needed to cover her opening 60.3 miles. The difference illustrated just how brutally the final stages of a 100-mile race can punish even an experienced marathoner.

And the conditions offered little mercy.

Rain had already affected the course, leaving muddy sections and washouts, while further storms and heavy rain made the later stages particularly difficult. As darkness settled over the Arizona desert, Linden kept moving, adding another layer of difficulty to an already punishing first attempt at the distance.

Heather Jackson ultimately won the women's race in 13:48:29, edging Carla Molinaro by just 55 seconds, with Katie Asmuth third in 14:06:34. Jackson and Molinaro secured the two women's Golden Tickets to the 2027 Western States 100.

Linden's ninth-place finish left her outside those qualifying positions, but the result hardly diminishes what she accomplished. She came to Arizona to discover what 100 miles would demand from her — and she found out the hard way.

The distance was the part that had made her most nervous before the race.

In the end, it was exactly what she feared.

But she faced it anyway.

From winning Boston in 2018 to stepping away from professional road racing and embracing the world of ultrarunning, Linden has continued to challenge herself in ways that few athletes at her level would dare. Earlier this year, she finished third at the Marathon des Sables, a brutal multi-stage desert ultra that included a 100-kilometre long stage.

Now she can add another achievement to that growing trail résumé: 100 miles completed.

It was not the victory she may have glimpsed halfway through the night. It was not the Golden Ticket she might have dreamed about.

It was something perhaps more valuable for a first attempt — a hard-earned lesson in just how unforgiving 100 miles can be, and the satisfaction of knowing she kept going when the race stopped going according to plan.

For Des Linden, the marathon may have been the distance that made her famous.

But 100 miles may be where her next chapter truly begins.

The New York City Marathon is celebrated as a day of courage, endurance and achievement — a race where thousands of runners push their limits while families and friends wait eagerly to see them cross the finish line.

For one family, however, November 1, 2026, became a day of unimaginable heartbreak.

Twenty-four-year-old Rachel Apa, a former Division I field hockey athlete at Bucknell University, was running her first marathon when she collapsed in Central Park with roughly two miles remaining. She never made it to the finish line.

Rachel had entered the race with a deeply personal purpose. She was running in honour of her late grandfather, who had battled Parkinson’s disease, while raising money and awareness for Parkinson’s research and care.

Her family followed her journey closely as she made her way through the five boroughs.

Rachel exchanged messages with her father, Steve, during the race as he monitored her progress remotely. At Mile 18, she sent a brief message: “Ow.”

One mile later, another message arrived: “Ow ow.”

Then, at Mile 23, came her final message: “Final stretch.”

Those words would become heartbreaking in hindsight.

Rachel’s mother, Michelle, was waiting around Mile 25 in Central Park, expecting to see her daughter approaching the finish line. She was preparing for a moment of celebration — to watch Rachel complete the biggest running challenge of her life.

Instead, Rachel’s tracking-app location stopped moving around Mile 24.

At approximately 1:30 p.m., Rachel collapsed near 85th Street in Central Park. Spectators rushed to help, including medical professionals who began performing CPR. New York Road Runners’ medical team soon arrived with a defibrillator, and Rachel was taken to Mount Sinai Medical Center.

Doctors fought for more than six hours to save her life.

But at approximately 9:40 p.m., Rachel was pronounced dead.

According to her father, doctors attributed her death to rhabdomyolysis, a serious medical condition in which damaged muscle tissue breaks down rapidly and releases substances into the bloodstream that can cause severe complications.

The tragedy sent shockwaves through the running community.

New York Road Runners, organisers of the New York City Marathon, expressed deep sadness over Rachel’s death and extended their condolences to her family, friends and everyone affected by the loss.

Rachel’s marathon was never simply about completing 26.2 miles.

It was about family. It was about memory. It was about honouring her grandfather and helping others affected by Parkinson’s disease.

She had already pushed through more than 24 miles of one of the world’s toughest and most demanding marathon courses. She was so close to the finish line that her final message to her father was simply, “Final stretch.”

But the finish line she had spent months preparing for would remain out of reach.

For Rachel’s family, the New York City Marathon will forever be remembered not for the finish line, but for the devastating moment when a day of hope became a night of grief.

Her mother was waiting to celebrate her daughter’s achievement. Instead, she was left facing an unimaginable loss.

Rachel Apa was just 24 years old.

She came to New York chasing a dream, carrying the memory of someone she loved and running for a cause close to her heart. She never got to finish the race, but her story will remain with the people who knew her and with a running community that mourns her loss.