Running News Daily

Don Jans clipped the curb with his car as he pulled into a rest stop in Texas. It was a minor incident that likely stemmed from the exhaustion of a solo, 2,000-mile drive home to Florida, after completing 127 miles at January's Across the Years in Phoenix.

Inspecting the damage, the 90-year-old Florida man was relieved to see none. So, he hopped in his sleeping bag for a few hours before waking up around 3 A.M.  to get back on the road. A few miles later, the car rebelled.

"The temperature gauge was at the max, so I pulled off the interstate and shut it down," Jans said. "Around three or four in the morning, I get towed to a mechanic in Ozana, Texas, which is in the middle of nowhere. When I got there, I climbed back in my sleeping bag and the mechanics arrived around 7 A.M. and found me there. Unfortunately, they didn't do radiators."

Jans received another tow to another mechanic in town and was back on the road the next day after sleeping in that mechanic's lot that night. He would make it home a day or so later.

In a way, it's a fitting description of Jans as runner and person. At 90 years old, Jans finds ways and reasons to keep moving in his 10th decade on Earth, and his  fifth running.

If he can do it, he'll do it. It might take a little longer than it used to, or, using  one of Jans's many sayings and mottos, "Don't be getting in a hurry." 

"I have no explanation for why I should keep running, but I highly recommend it to everybody," he said. "It's just great to be out there on the course, in the fresh air, and the training isn't a burden. I mean, if it's something you like to do, it's not punishment. If it's punishment, you need to find something you like. That's what we're here for right? To have fun."

A Wife, a Man, and a Van

Endurance goals have been top of mind for Jans since 1980. Then 48, he started running to lose weight. Realizing he enjoyed the challenge, he became a triathlete. One race turned into another, and he eventually qualified for and ran Kona in 1987.

The same happened when he transitioned to trails in the 1990s. He found new challenges and a community in running.

"The people in the ultra and running community are such a wonderful bunch to be around," Jans said. "Everybody helps everybody. They're just the salt of the earth. I said to myself that this was the place to be."

With the help of his wife Dorothy, they packed into the family van and found races to run and volunteer at all over the country. Though never a runner herself, Dorothy became the "ultimate crew chief" for Jans. She took extensive notes, took pictures of what Jans wore so he had a reference for future races, and  stocked the van like a mini aid station on wheels for other runners in need.

"She was a super mom," said Sharon Jans, 67, Jans's daughter. "I have three brothers and three sisters, and caretaking people out was kind of her life. She just extended that to runners. She helped a lot of people here and there at so many races. Whatever they needed, she had it somewhere in that van. She loved it. It kept her busy."

While they mostly stuck to the Southeast near their Clearwater, Florida home, Jans racked up multiple ultra finishes a year after 1990, including the Umstead 100 (eight times), JFK 50 (also eight times), and Ancient Oaks 100, to name a few. He was in his 60s and 70s for the majority of these. 

Then, it all came to a halt in 2009.

They first noticed it at a race. Jans came into an aid station and found Dorothy asleep in the van. She had never missed him or been asleep at any aid station before.

Soon after, Dorothy was diagnosed with lymphoma. When that seemed to be cured, another diagnosis followed. 

"We went through a battle for five to six years," Jans said. "You lose track of time, and I'm not blaming the medical people. Once you think you're over one hurdle, there's another one. There's a continual series of disappointments, if you want to call it that. You just do it. We had been married for 60-some years, and for these next years, I was a full-time caregiver. Nothing else. You just do it."

When Dorothy passed away in October 2015, Jans didn't know what to do. He hadn't run in years while tending to his wife and best friend. He had a hip replacement and had done some swimming and walking, but nothing near what he used to. He wasn't sure if he'd ever run like he did.

A Comeback Story

Looking for something to occupy his mind and time, one conversation led to rediscovering his goals through discovering a new race.

Depending on who you ask in the family, you'll get a different story. Jans goes with his version in which one of his daughters, Marilyn Jans Schupbach, 69, alerted him to the existence of A Race for the Ages (ARFTA). The Tennessee-based race is essentially a timed, multi-day race but with a couple twists. Everyone 40 and younger gets to run the final 40 hours of the race. Anyone 41 and older is allotted a number of hours equal to their age. In 2018, that meant Jans, who was 85, got 85 hours to run.

"I was just trying to recoup mentally from losing my wife, so it was a distraction, get your mind onto something worthwhile," Jans said. "Marilyn told me, 'Why don't you try this and see how it goes?'"

Intrigued by the concept, Jans signed up, training around the roads in his new home in The Villages, Florida. He was also motivated by having someone to race with: Marilyn. 

Jans had inspired her and Sharon to get into ultras in the 1990s, and Marilyn wanted to see if she could catch her dad. I signed up with him," Marilyn said. "That was my first and last time. I'm so much younger and he started 21 or 22 hours ahead of me. I never caught up with him. He ran 120 miles and I had 104. He was like 85 at the time, by the way."

While Marilyn hasn't returned, Jans has become a fixture at the event. He's run every single one since 2018, including 119 miles in 2022. He's also been able to convince his other daughter, Sharon, to join him for the last two.It may help that he pays her race entry and signs her up.

"I didn't think I could ever do that race," Sharon said. "Then, he just paid for my race entry and told me, 'You can do it. Give it a try.' I had done some 50Ks, but I had never tried anything like it. Since then, I've done a couple 100 milers. I even did Long Haul 100 in January with Marilyn. Dad missed it because he was tired from the drive home [from Across the Years]."

"I beat him by one mile," Sharon said. "He's 25 years older than me, and it took me until the final hour to catch up. He rests, but he never stops."

Most recently, he added Across the Years to his annual race calendar. At his inaugural run at age 90, he ran 127 miles during the six-day race. Rainy weather and cooler temperatures caused some hiccups, like a "frog strangling downpour," he said, leading to him "being old in a 1010 dome tent with wet clothes and cold weather." 

Despite the conditions, he said it was one of his favorite race experiences. He said he'll just have to "come back next year with a different plan," which includes not driving home right after the race ends.

Going Further

Not everyone is blessed with mobility later in life. Genetics, previous injuries, and the wear and tear of life can build up.. For Jans, his abilities at 90 are a blessing, and he recognizes that.

Though not as fast as the people who, quite literally, run circles around him, he gets out there everyday anyway. Most importantly, he shows up on race day. 

"Truth be told, you don't feel like you're 90," Jans said. "It's just a number. Even though you can't perform like you did 10, 15 years ago, I still feel the same way. When I wake up in the morning, I do. I don't say, 'Oh golly, I have to train.' I say, 'I want to go train.' It's a delight, not a punishment. I'm sure it's the same way for the guy who won the last-person-standing race at ATY. We wake up and say, 'Oh boy! We get another to go for a run.'"

His biggest opponent right now is cutoffs. The standard 30 to 36 hours aren't conducive for runners who need more time to hit their goals. While events can't go on forever, we are seeing more events that tailor to these needs.

In fact, Jans is seeking out his first 10-day race, and not because he wants more time to hit 100. His next goal after that?

"I'd like to do a 200-miler," he said. "I think I'd need a 10-day race to do it, which I don't think that's in the cards. A lot of races keep talking about doing a 10-day event, but I don't know if that's just scuttlebutt. I'll just keep trying to do my best if I can't find 10-day events. Just keep going."

Long before he became the fastest man in history, before the Olympic gold medals, world records, and global superstardom, Usain Bolt was simply a gifted teenager with extraordinary speed and limitless potential. In 2002, on the track at Kingston's National Stadium in Jamaica, the world witnessed the first chapter of a story that would forever change athletics.

At just 15 years old, Bolt lined up for the men's 200 metres at the World Junior Championships with the weight of expectation resting on young shoulders. Competing before a passionate home crowd, the Jamaican prodigy produced a performance that instantly captivated the athletics world. Crossing the finish line in 20.61 seconds, he became the youngest athlete ever to win the men's 200m title at the championships.

It was far more than a gold medal. It was the moment the world realised that a once-in-a-generation talent had arrived.

Bolt's victory in Kingston marked the beginning of one of the greatest careers in sporting history. Over the years that followed, he rewrote the record books, dominated the Olympic Games and World Championships, and transformed sprinting into a global spectacle through his breathtaking speed, infectious personality, and unrivalled confidence. His legacy continues to inspire young athletes across the globe, many of whom dream of following the same path he once began as a teenager.

This week, that dream comes alive once again as the World Athletics U20 Championships take centre stage at the iconic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. The venue has already witnessed the birth of future superstars. In 2014, it was where Britain's Dina Asher-Smith and Uganda's Joshua Cheptegei captured their first global titles, launching careers that would later produce world championships, Olympic medals, and lasting legacies in athletics.

Twelve years later, another generation arrives in Eugene hoping to create its own defining moment.

Among the brightest young talents is Great Britain's Jake Odey-Jordan, the 200m bronze medallist from Lima who now owns the European U20 100m record after an astonishing 10.01-second performance. He enters the championships eager to build on his growing reputation as one of Europe's most exciting young sprinters.

The United States will look to Tate Taylor, who has already made history as the first American high school athlete to break the 20-second barrier for the 200 metres. Fresh from a Diamond League victory in a sensational 19.75 seconds, he arrives in Eugene carrying the momentum of one of the most remarkable junior seasons ever recorded.

Jamaica, the nation that introduced the world to Usain Bolt, will once again have high hopes through Shanoya Douglas. The talented sprinter has established herself as one of the championship's leading contenders after producing lifetime bests of 10.98 seconds for the 100m and 22.11 for the 200m this season.

History has repeatedly shown that the World U20 Championships are far more than a junior competition. They are often the first chapter in the careers of future Olympic champions, world record holders, and global icons. Every generation arrives with ambitious dreams, but only a select few leave having announced themselves to the world.

No one can say with certainty whether the next Usain Bolt will emerge this week. Greatness cannot be predicted, and legends are never manufactured. Yet every legendary career begins with a single breakthrough performance.

For Bolt, that defining moment came in Kingston in 2002.

Now, under the famous lights of Hayward Field, another group of gifted teenagers stands ready to chase history. Somewhere among them could be the next athlete whose name will inspire the world for years to come.

"An athlete cannot run with money in his pockets. He must run with hope in his heart and dreams in his head." More than seventy years after those words were spoken, they remain among the most powerful messages ever shared in distance running. They are often quoted as simple motivation, but behind them lies a remarkable story of sacrifice, courage, conviction, and an unwavering belief that true greatness is never measured by financial reward.

Few athletes have left a legacy as enduring as Emil Zátopek. Known around the world as "The Czech Locomotive" for his relentless determination and unmistakable running style, he redefined what was possible in endurance racing. His legendary performance at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki still ranks among the greatest achievements in athletics history. In the space of just nine days, he captured Olympic gold in the 5,000 meters, the 10,000 meters, and, incredibly, the marathon—a race he had never attempted before.

Yet the world in which Zátopek competed was vastly different from today's professional athletics landscape. During the 1950s, elite sport officially operated under strict amateur rules. Olympic athletes were forbidden from accepting prize money or earning a living directly from competition, although unofficial financial arrangements existed in many sports. Zátopek himself never raced for appearance fees or lucrative prize purses. Instead, he served as an officer in the Czechoslovak People's Army, receiving a military salary while representing his country. Running brought him glory, but not personal wealth.

It was within that environment that his famous words carried genuine meaning. For Zátopek, success was never driven by the promise of money. He believed the greatest performances were fueled by hope, ambition, discipline, and the courage to pursue dreams that seemed impossible. Those qualities, rather than financial incentives, formed the foundation of lasting excellence.

With the benefit of history, his words carry even greater significance. In 1968, during the Prague Spring, Zátopek openly supported democratic reforms in Czechoslovakia. When the movement was crushed, he paid a heavy personal price for standing by his principles. He was stripped of his military rank, removed from public life, and forced into years of manual labor. The man who had once stood proudly atop the Olympic podium found himself performing physically demanding jobs, far removed from the stadiums where he had inspired millions.

His story reminds us that the values he expressed were not empty words crafted for public admiration. He lived by them, even when doing so came at enormous personal cost. His belief that hope and conviction mattered more than material rewards became evident not only in the races he won, but also in the hardships he endured with remarkable dignity.

Distance running has changed dramatically since Zátopek's era. Today's elite athletes compete in a fully professional sport where prize money, sponsorship contracts, appearance fees, and endorsement deals can be worth millions. Success on the track and roads now offers opportunities that were unimaginable during the age of amateur competition. Professionalism has transformed the sport, allowing athletes to train full-time, access world-class coaching and sports science, and build financially secure careers.

Yet despite these changes, the essence of Zátopek's message has never lost its relevance.

Every elite runner naturally hopes to earn a good living from years of dedication and sacrifice. There is nothing wrong with financial success, and the rewards available today have elevated the standard of competition across the world. But history consistently shows that money alone is rarely enough to sustain greatness. The athletes whose careers endure the longest are often those driven by an inner passion to improve, to test their limits, and to chase excellence for its own sake. Financial rewards become the result of that commitment, not the reason for it.

When competition is motivated solely by wealth, its deeper purpose can fade. But when an athlete races with genuine belief, relentless determination, and an unwavering dream, extraordinary performances often follow naturally.

That is why Emil Zátopek's words continue to resonate across generations. His legacy extends far beyond Olympic medals and world records. It lives in every runner who laces up their shoes with a goal that cannot be measured in dollars, every athlete who refuses to surrender when the race becomes painful, and every competitor who understands that the greatest victories begin long before the finish line.

The economics of distance running may have evolved beyond recognition, but the heart of the sport remains unchanged. Every athlete still arrives at the starting line carrying something far more valuable than money—hope in their heart and dreams in their head. Those invisible qualities have always been, and will always remain, the true fuel of greatness.

Winning a major championship is never just about crossing the finish line first. Behind every gold medal lies a carefully crafted race plan, and Josh Kerr's unforgettable Commonwealth Games triumph in Glasgow was a perfect example of tactical brilliance meeting extraordinary finishing speed.

While the final time of 3:54.12 for the mile will be remembered as the official result, the split times reveal a much deeper story—one of patience, precision, and devastating acceleration when it mattered most.

Kerr resisted any temptation to force the pace from the gun. Instead, he settled into a controlled rhythm, allowing the opening stages to unfold naturally. His first four 100-metre segments—14.9, 15.1, 15.3 and 15.1 seconds—brought him through 400 metres in 60.4 seconds, a measured opening that conserved valuable energy while keeping him firmly in contention.

The second lap remained equally composed. Passing 500 metres in 15.3 seconds before recording splits of 15.7, 16.2 and 15.4, Kerr reached 800 metres in 2:03.0. The pace had eased, but that was exactly where the Scottish star wanted to be. Rather than chasing early speed, he was setting the stage for a decisive finish.

Everything changed after halfway.

Kerr gradually increased the tempo with smooth, controlled acceleration. His 900-metre and 1,000-metre splits of 15.2 and 14.9 seconds signalled that the race was beginning to stretch. He then surged through 1,100 metres in 14.3 seconds before covering the next 100 metres in just 13.4 seconds to reach 1,200 metres in 3:00.8.

From there, the home crowd witnessed championship running at its finest.

Instead of fading, Kerr became even stronger. He reeled off three consecutive 100-metre splits of 13.4, 13.4 and 12.8 seconds, dismantling the field with every stride. His final 100 metres were covered in a stunning 12.5 seconds, sealing an emphatic victory and sending the Glasgow crowd into celebration.

The progression of his race was remarkable. After opening with relaxed 15-second splits, Kerr transformed the closing stages into a demonstration of world-class speed endurance. His ability to accelerate continuously over the final 600 metres highlighted not only exceptional fitness but also supreme confidence in his race plan.

Championship middle-distance racing is rarely about producing the fastest possible time from the start. More often, it rewards athletes who understand when to conserve energy and when to unleash everything they have left. Kerr executed that philosophy to perfection.

His split chart paints the picture of a runner who never panicked, never wasted effort, and saved his greatest weapon for the closing stages. It was a textbook display of patience followed by relentless aggression—a combination that turned a tactical race into a memorable Commonwealth gold medal performance.

For aspiring middle-distance runners, Kerr's Glasgow masterpiece offers an important lesson: the strongest finish often belongs not to the athlete who runs hardest from the gun, but to the one who knows exactly when to make their move. On home soil, Josh Kerr timed that move to perfection, producing a performance that will stand as one of the defining moments of the championships.

At just nine years old, Oliver Smith has achieved something extraordinary—not by chasing records or medals, but by proving that determination, compassion, and consistency can create a life-changing impact.

Hailing from Wombwell, on the outskirts of Barnsley, Oliver set himself a remarkable challenge at the beginning of the year. Rather than attempting a single marathon, he decided to complete the equivalent distance of nine marathons over several months. From January 1 to April 26, the young runner covered an incredible 380 kilometres, breaking the distance into manageable daily runs suitable for a child his age.

His routine was built on dedication. Saturdays were reserved for parkrun events, Sundays for junior parkrun, while the remaining kilometres were steadily accumulated throughout the week. Averaging approximately 3.3 kilometres each day, Oliver never lost sight of the goal that inspired every step.

The challenge carried deep personal meaning. Last summer, Oliver's father, Tom Smith, suffered a devastating health setback after losing most of the vision in one eye. Medical examinations revealed a 4-centimetre meningioma wrapped around his optic nerve, leading to a complex 12-hour operation at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield.

Throughout the family's difficult journey, The Brain Tumour Charity provided invaluable guidance, support, and reassurance. Grateful for the help his family received, Oliver decided he wanted to give back in the most meaningful way he could. He launched a fundraising campaign with an initial goal of raising £2,000 to support others facing similar challenges.

What followed exceeded everyone's expectations.

Oliver brought his incredible fundraising challenge to a memorable conclusion at the Mini London Marathon, finishing on the very same day his mother, Hannah Smith, completed her first-ever London Marathon. It was a fitting family celebration of courage, resilience, and perseverance.

By the time Oliver crossed the finish line, donations had soared beyond £16,500—more than eight times his original target. His remarkable achievement captured the hearts of supporters, demonstrating how one young boy's determination could unite an entire community behind an important cause.

For Oliver, however, the journey is far from over. Inspired by the overwhelming support and the difference his efforts have made, he has already begun working toward his next fundraising challenge.

His story serves as a powerful reminder that age is no barrier to making a meaningful difference. Sometimes, the greatest acts of courage are measured not by speed or distance, but by the willingness to take one small step after another for the benefit of others.

Oliver Smith's inspiring journey is more than a fundraising success—it is a testament to the strength of family, the power of kindness, and the extraordinary impact that can begin with the simplest decision to help.

Sometimes the smallest opportunity creates the greatest triumph, and Jamaica's Navasky Anderson proved exactly that with a stunning performance to capture the men's 800m title at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Less than 24 hours after scraping into the final by the slimmest of margins, Anderson produced the race of his life, surging to victory in 1:45.33 to complete one of the most remarkable comeback stories of the championships. His gold medal was not only a reward for exceptional talent but also for courage, determination, and unwavering belief when everything was on the line.

The journey to the top nearly ended in the semifinals. Locked in an intense battle with England's Max Burgin for the final qualification place, Anderson threw himself across the finish line in a dramatic dive, stopping the clock at 1:45.38. That desperate effort earned him the last available place in the final as the fastest non-automatic qualifier, keeping his Commonwealth dream alive by the narrowest of margins.

With another chance in his hands, the Jamaican made sure it counted.

In a fiercely contested final, Anderson displayed outstanding tactical awareness and patience throughout the opening stages before unleashing a devastating finishing kick down the home straight. His perfectly timed acceleration left the rest of the field with no answer as he crossed the finish line first, securing a memorable Commonwealth crown and one of Jamaica's standout victories of the Games.

Australia's Luke Boyes delivered an impressive performance to claim the silver medal in 1:45.93, while Kenya's Wyclife Kinyamal battled strongly to take bronze in 1:46.12 after another highly competitive championship race.

Anderson's unforgettable triumph will be remembered as one of the defining moments of Glasgow 2026—a powerful reminder that championships are not always won by the fastest qualifier, but often by the athlete who refuses to surrender. From a fearless dive that kept his hopes alive to a brilliant gold-medal performance less than a day later, the Jamaican wrote one of the most inspiring chapters of these Commonwealth Games.

Men's 800m Final Results

1. Navasky Anderson (Jamaica) — 1:45.33

2. Luke Boyes (Australia) — 1:45.93

3. Wyclife Kinyamal (Kenya) — 1:46.12

Navasky Anderson arrived in the final as the last man to qualify, but he left Glasgow as the Commonwealth champion—a remarkable transformation that perfectly captures the unpredictable beauty of championship athletics.