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Running News Daily is edited by Bob Anderson in Mountain View, California USA and team in Thika Kenya, La Piedad Mexico, Bend Oregon and Chandler Arizona.   Send your news items to bob@mybestruns.com  Advertising opportunities available.   Over one million readers and growing.  Train the Kenyan Way at KATA Running Retreat Kenya.  (Kenyan Athletics Training Academy) in Thika Kenya.  Opening in june 2024 KATA Running retreat Portugal.  Learn more about Bob Anderson, MBR publisher and KATA director/owner, take a look at A Long Run the movie covering Bob's 50 race challenge.  

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A Bear Was Stuck in the Snow in Minnesota. Locals Tried to Feed It Pop Tarts.

Luckily for the bear, a wildlife official arrived and rescued it from the chilly predicament 

A Minnesota black bear became so stuck in snow that even the prospect of eating toaster pastries couldn’t coax it free.

On Monday, the Grand Forks Herald published a story about the rescue operation to free the bear, which was buried in snow near the town of Wannaska, located 25 miles from the Canadian border. According to the story, the bear had been living in a drainage culvert, and flowing water from an early thaw began flowing through its den. On Sunday, the bear attempted to dig itself out of the hole, only to become wedged between the snowdrifts.

“He tried to push himself out and kind of got wedged on some frozen water that had frozen and thawed, frozen and thawed,” Andy Tri, the bear project leader for the state’s department of natural resources, told the newspaper.

Curious locals saw the bear sticking out of the snow on Sunday evening and attempted to help. A local couple attempted to dig around the bear, but were unsuccessful in removing it. Two men then attempted to poke it with a large stick to get it moving, but that failed. Other locals attempted to feed the animal. According to Tri, they offered the bear treats like lettuce, fish, and even Pop Tarts.

“Bears aren’t eating this time of year, but their hearts were in the right place,” Tri told the newspaper.

February falls in the midst of a black bear’s hibernation period, which can last up to seven months in Minnesota. Bears find secluded dens that are protected from the cold and spend their days resting or nursing cubs. They don’t eat during this period—instead they live off of the fat stores they build up in the summer. A bear can lose substantial muscle mass during this time. The trapped bear in Wannaska may have struggled to free itself due to this loss of strength.

When those attempts failed, two local men cordoned off the area and waited for help to arrive.

“All they could do last night was keep him safe and keep folks out of the area to make sure they’re not messing with him or stressing him out by taking pictures and getting too close,” Tri said.

On Monday, Tri and other officials arrived on the scene. He sedated the bear, and then the crew dug the animal out and gave it a medical examination. They estimated the animal to weigh between 375 and 400 pounds, and it showed no signs of frostbite, Tri told the newspaper.

Tri told the newspaper that he fitted the bear with ear tags to identify it, and then drove it to the Thief Lake wildlife management area, where it was placed in a new den. “I was worried we’d have a sick bear mortally wounded or gravely injured or something like that,” Tri told the paper. “This is a happy story all the way around.”

(02/12/2023) Views: 567 ⚡AMP
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Camille Herron’s Advice: Skip the Long Run

Bones are made of dynamic tissues that need stress, just not too much, says one of the world's best ultrarunners

In January, my social media feeds were filled with the typical new year posts—year-end recaps, reflections and resolutions, and hopes for the coming year. But one tweet caught my eye.

Ultrarunner Camille Herron shared one reason why she thought she was “crushing world records” in her forties: She only does one or two long runs a month (nothing over 22 miles) and she never does back-to-back long runs. Case in point: she ran one easy 20-miler in the lead-up to the Jackpot Ultra Running Festival’s 100-mile race last year, which she won outright. Instead, she focuses on cumulative volume and running frequency.

In her words, “Long runs are overrated.”

In the world of ultrarunning, where there’s a bravado around epic big-mileage days, Herron seems like an anomaly. Among the replies to her tweet, there was curiosity tinged with a side of skepticism. How could an ultra-distance athlete—one who holds world records for 100 miles and for the longest distance covered in 24 hours—run no longer than what you’d typically do in a marathon build-up? Shouldn’t her training mirror what she’d need to do in an ultra?

Karen Troy saw Herron’s tweet too. But her first thought was, “Wow. Someone’s actually trying to do it.” To Troy, who’s a professor of biomedical engineering and the director of the musculoskeletal mechanics lab at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Herron’s training philosophy reflected what she’d read in scientific journals and seen in the lab related to mechanical stress and bone adaptation. “To me, it really aligned well with a lot of the theory,” she says.

Bone is a dynamic tissue. It changes, adapts, and gets stronger in the same way that muscles do. And in order for them to get stronger, you have to load them.

Bones have a “set point”—akin to the thermostat in your house—for the optimal amount of mechanical stress it wants to experience. Depending on the amount and rate of force transmitted through the bone, bone cells respond by either adding or removing bone. Too much force and the cells build bone to temper the load. Too little force and the cells get rid of bone so that it can sense more load.

Scientists have long been interested in finding the sweet spot between the amount of physical activity that induces adaptation and strengthens bone and the amount that can lead to injury—a fine line that many runners are intimately familiar with. What they’ve found in studies with animals like mice and rats is that, after back-to-back loading cycles, bone cells start to ignore the mechanical stress and stop adapting. Troy says it’s like when you walk into a smelly room. “It smells pretty bad for 10 to 15 minutes, and then you adapt. If you stay in the room, it stops smelling,” she says.

However, just like your nose can become re-sensitized if you leave the smelly room, bone cells do too. Studies have found that bone cells start to pay attention to mechanical stress again after a four-to-eight-hour rest period. When you spread the load over multiple sessions rather than one sustained bout, you gain more bone. (Tendons and ligaments respond similarly.)

The evidence suggests that distance running has diminishing returns when it comes to bone health. Troy hypothesizes that bone may respond to the stress of running over the first half mile or so but then become desensitized to the monotonous, repetitive loading. “You’ll get muscle and cardiovascular adaptations, but your bones aren’t paying attention anymore,” Troy says. “You’re just adding miles and potentially accumulating damage, but you’re not going to add adaptive stimulus that will help the bone become stronger.”

There isn’t a lot of data in people, making Herron an interesting case study. “Humans are made to move frequently,” Herron says. “The body responds to change and dynamic stimuli, so you need to stress the body in different ways.” It’s an approach she believes can work for runners at all levels and distances.

Her training is peppered with frequent, shorter bouts of running. Most days, Herron will run 10 to 15 miles and then doubles back for six or seven miles after a four-to-eight-hour rest period. Over a two-week period, she completes four main workouts—short intervals like 400-meter repeats; long intervals like one-to-three-mile repeats; a progression run, usually incorporated into a long run; and a hill session where she stresses both the uphill and downhill components to load her body eccentrically.

In between workouts, she runs easy and incorporates strides and drills twice a week. She likes to race a marathon or 50K a couple of weeks before a big race as a way to practice her nutrition and stress her body “just enough.”

“You can’t just look at a singular long run or back-to-back long runs. You have to look at the whole picture. Every run is like bricks that add up over time,” she says. Over the years, Herron has played around with her training formula and has cut back on her long runs, emphasizing quality over quantity and running for time rather than just distance. “I’m totally fine doing two hours as my long run,” she says.

It makes sense that Herron’s training is steeped in science. She was pre-med at the University of Tulsa before turning her focus to scientific research, studying the impact of strength training on bone and muscle. In graduate school at Oregon State, she investigated the relationship between mechanical stress and bone recovery for her master’s thesis. By studying bones, maybe she hoped to understand why she experienced multiple stress fractures in high school and college. What she learned shaped how she trains.

But she didn’t put the theory into practice right away. Early in her marathon career, she was still doing long runs up to 26 miles. It wasn’t until she started training at altitude that she began to split up her runs. Her coach (and husband) Conor Holt thought it would help her acclimate to the altitude, but she says, “It was like a rocket to the moon.” She recovered better and felt more spark in her legs.

Sabrina Little, ultrarunner and five-time U.S. National Champion, has also seen the benefits of this style of training. In college, she used to log big miles, a 30-mile run before doubling back for another 20 miles the next day. But once she graduated, she no longer had the luxury of dedicating endless hours to training. She expected to be less prepared for races but a funny thing happened—she performed better. It turns out that running multiple times a day may have other performance-boosting effects too.

“When I set the American record in the 24-hour run, my longest run was maybe 16 or 17 miles,” Little says. She would train in the morning and then come back for a faster session in the afternoon. “Breaking things into shorter blocks was beneficial. I was able to do higher integrity work instead of just long, slow distance,” she says. She thinks it helped her body absorb her training.

Now, as a parent to two young kids, Little definitely doesn’t have long blocks of time, so she practices what she calls “prepositional running”—before things, between things, and after things.

However, both Herron and Little logged many miles before happening upon their current training strategy. “I don’t want to say big days aren’t needed, but it’s hard to say what role they play,” Little says. “There’s a way in which the big races are kind of grandfathered into your legs, like you’re never too far away from your last 50-miler.”

While Herron and Little’s training mirrors research findings, it can’t be considered in isolation.

There are other factors that influence bone health and adaptation aside from mechanical loading—genetics, nutrition, running gait, and how much bone you laid down during your peak bone-building years. Hormonal health matters, too, because bone cells have sex hormone receptors. If your hormone levels are low, Troy says it tips the balance toward bone removal, leaving the tissue more vulnerable to injury.

Whether or not eschewing long, sustained bouts of running is the key to success and injury prevention, there are benefits to fostering the idea that not everyone needs big days on the road or trails.

“Most people have responsibilities and can’t spend all that time outside,” says Little. “People should know there are other possibilities. It could get a broader scope of people participating.”

(02/12/2023) Views: 555 ⚡AMP
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British Athlete Becomes First Handcyclist to Complete World Marathon Challenge

Darren Edwards completed 7 marathons in 7 days. He challenges others to “risk failure” and “dream big.” 

On February 7, Darren Edwards completed the seventh marathon in the World Marathon Challenge, becoming the first hand-cyclist to do so, according to the Canadian Running. 

The British athlete and veteran raised nearly $60,000 to support the Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team, a British organization that helps the recovery of wounded, injured, and sick military personnel and veterans, according to its website. 

Edwards was injured in a near-fatal climbing accident in August 2016, which left him paralyzed from the chest down, he wrote on his fundraising page. 

“I was incredibly fortunate to survive, but life would never be the same again,” he wrote. “I have been on a journey of rediscovery and have refused to let disability stop me from dreaming big and taking on tough challenges.” 

There is, perhaps, no tougher challenge than the World Marathon Challenge.

In order to complete it participants must finish one marathon on every continent in seven days. 

The first race took place on January 31 in the Antarctic Circle. From there, racers traveled to Cape Town (Africa), Perth (Australia), Dubai (Asia), Madrid (Europe), Fortaleza (South America), and Miami (North America). According to Canadian Running a “speed bump” caused a delay in athletes leaving South Africa, giving racers an extra day of recovery. 

Edwards completed the Antarctica race in 5:48:37 before slashing his time in South Africa, with 2:52:04. In Australia, he finished in 2:36:30, in the heat. Next, he finished in 2:23 in Asia. The travel and racing began to take a toll. Edwards completed his European leg in 3:23:05. Then, he finished the South American race in 2:36:59. 

Despite further travel issues, according to Canadian Running, athletes managed to get from South America to Miami mostly on schedule where Edwards became the first handcycle athlete to finish the challenge, completing the race in 2:31:40. 

Edwards reflected on his whirlwind of a week on Instagram: “This week has tested me and my disability to the limit. I went into this challenge knowing that there was a potential for failure, that there were elements out of my control, which could dictate the success or failure of this endeavor. But, unless we are prepared to roll the dice and bet on ourselves, we are even less likely to achieve our true potential. Bet on yourself. Risk failure. Dare to dream big. You are capable of so much more than you know.”

(02/12/2023) Views: 597 ⚡AMP
by Runner’s World
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Nuguse breaks North American indoor mile record at Millrose Games

Yared Nuguse ran the second-fastest indoor mile in history as three national records fell or were equalled in a thrilling men’s Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games. Alicia Monson also set an area record in the 3000m, while Abby Steiner claimed a US record in the 300m at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting in New York on Saturday (11).

In the infield, Ryan Crouser demonstrated his effective new shot put technique and Katie Moon returned to her winning ways in the pole vault before a roaring crowd that also cheered runners in competitions from U8 through high school and college.

As always, the men’s Wanamaker mile culminated the meeting, and Nuguse ran away with the race in a world-leading 3:47.38 to claim his second area record of the season to go along with the 3000m.

Pace setter Erik Sowinski brought the runners through half way in 1:52.99 – just as he had been asked – with Nuguse and training mates Mario Garcia Romo and Olli Hoare in the lead group. But Nuguse turned on the jets and covered the final quarter of the race in 54.23, breaking the meeting record, facility record, and crushing Bernard Lagat’s 15-year-old US indoor record of 3:49.98.

“Running that race the way we did,” Nuguse said, “all three of us right there up for the first half of the race, I felt good knowing I had my closest guys having my back. And then that last part was give it everything I had and I was able to close with something crazy and get it.”

Great Britain’s Neil Gourley ran a PB of 3:49.46 to move to sixth on the world indoor all-time list, and Hoare equalled the Oceanian record with 3:50.83. New Zealand’s Sam Tanner ran a PB of 3:51.70, while Romo’s 3:51.79 was a Spanish record.

Yuguse has now eclipsed Hicham El Guerrouj on the all-time list; only Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha has run faster, clocking 3:47.01 in 2019.

“I’m always excited to see what else I can do next,” Nuguse said. “There was definitely a nice confidence boost. After that 3000m (where he broke the US record), I was feeling pretty confident already, but to do this in the event that I love the most and the one that I feel like I’m going for at the world championships, that makes me feel even better.”

Laura Muir won the women’s Wanamaker Mile in 4:20.15, followed by Josette Andrews in 4.20.88. Muir, the Olympic silver medallist, led for most of the race, then Andrews hit the front with two laps to go. But the Briton kicked again on the final lap and went on to win comfortably.

Sprint sensations

World record-holder Christian Coleman took a bow after winning the men’s 60m in a season’s best of 6.47. “I feel like this is what I do best and I came to put on a show,” he said.

Noah Lyles was charged with a false start and ran the race under protest, clocking 6.53, although the time would not count. Lyles, the US record-holder in the 200m outdoors, admitted a little bit of movement, but said his feet never left the pad. “I got a time that I’m very happy to see,” Lyles said. “Everybody knows I’m just here to play around. I’m not a 60-metre runner, but if I can take some heads, I’m going to do it.”

Jamaica’s Travis Williams was awarded second place with a PB of 6.59, followed by Josephus Lyles, Noah’s younger brother, also with a PB of 6.59. Williams edged Lyles by .003.

Aleia Hobbs set an Armory record of 7.04 to win her fourth straight competition, having clocked a world-leading 6.98 at the end of January. Teenager Tamari Davis was second in a PB of 7.08, followed by Marybeth Sant-Price in 7.11, Mikiah Brisco at 7.13 and 17-year-old Shawnti Jackson in 7.16.

“I don’t think my start was as good as it’s been, but I was patient,” Hobbs said.

In only her second 300m, Steiner broke the US record, clocking 35.54 to easily go under Quanera Hayes’ time of 35.71 from 2017. Steiner held off a spirited challenge from Brittany Brown, who ran 36.13.

“It’s definitely one of those races I think you learn a little bit about every time you run it,” said Steiner, who set the collegiate record in her first race.

Although this 300m is her last of the season, she still wants the world record of 35.45, shared by Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Irina Privalova. “I clean up my start a little bit,” Steiner said, “and I think it’s there.”

World indoor champion Jereem Richards of Trinidad & Tobago ran a season’s best of 45.84 to avenge the previous week’s loss to  Noah Williams, who clocked 46.20. In Boston, they were separated by only .004 as both ran 45.88.

Devynne Charlton won the women’s 60m hurdles in 7.91, while Tonea Marshall ran a season’s best of 7.94 and Sharika Nelvis clocked 7.96 to edge Olympic silver medallist Nia Ali in 7.97.

 

(02/12/2023) Views: 532 ⚡AMP
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NYRR Millrose Games

NYRR Millrose Games

The NYRR Millrose Games,which began in 1908 as a small event sponsored by a local track club, has grown to become the most prestigious indoor track and field event in the United States. The NYRR Millrose Games meet is held in Manhattan’s Washington Heights at the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armony, which boasts a state-of-the-art six-lane,...

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Runners gearing up for final Mercedes Marathon in Birmingham this weekend

The countdown is on to the final Mercedes Marathon race this weekend. The race has run its course in Birmingham for over two decades.

This weekend, the marathon will bid farewell to Birmingham. Race organizer Valerie Cuddy told us in November that she’s no longer able to support the event financially. She’s put a lot of her money and her store’s money into it over the years.

The marathon expo and packet pickup kicks off Friday from 12-6pm at the Boutwell Auditorium.

“We’ve got a little surprise at the beginning. Something that I’ve always wanted to have done. Hopefully people will enjoy that. We’ve got more entertainment on the course, A little more music. A little more cheering. Some interesting stops out there that I think people will enjoy,” Cuddy said

The race weekend brings people to Birmingham from all over the country. Cuddy is grateful over the many years it’s called Birmingham home. And over the years, the race has raised more than $3 million for the Bell Center.

You can find out about all the racing events at https://www.mercedesmarathon.com/.

(02/11/2023) Views: 702 ⚡AMP
by Josh Gauntt
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Mercedes-Benz Marathon

Mercedes-Benz Marathon

The race is a Boston Marathon qualifier and attracts racers from across the nation and around the world. The race was founded in 2003 as a fundraising effort for The Bell Center, a program for developmentally-challenged children. Celebrating 18 years, we're Alabama's premier running weekend! Bring the family and stretch out your legs on Saturday with our Regions Superhero 5K...

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130 runners break 15 minutes at local 5K in Northern Ireland

Breaking 15 minutes for 5K is a feat most male runners dream of; at a local race in Armagh, Northern Ireland, a shocking 130 runners went under the 15-minute barrier. 

The Armagh 5K promotes itself as one of the fastest road races in the world, and after seeing the results, it’s hard not to agree. This year was the first time the 5K took place since 2020—when 139 runners recorded sub-15 minute times.

The winner of the 5K was Henry McLuckie of Shaftesbury, England, who recorded a course record time of 13:37. Seventeen men also ran under 14 minutes.

If you are curious about what makes the course so fast, it’s entirely flat, with less than 10m of elevation gain. Racers are required to do five laps around a large communal park in the centre of the city before finishing on the opposing side.

Athletes from all over the world make the trek to the town of 14,000 for a chance to run a fast time, and this year’s field had athletes from the U.S.A., U.K., Finland, Poland, Belgium, France, Germany, Scotland, Ireland and Wales in attendance.

According to the race, the town comes to a halt for this race, and the entertainment and excitement of elite runners draw large crowds–not to mention that a road 5K at night is also pretty cool.

(02/11/2023) Views: 761 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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Armagh 5K

Armagh 5K

This iconic event now ranked as the best and most popular road race in the world. Runners post some of the fastest times in the world.This has come about through the incredible in-depth, consistent standard of the Men’s 5K over many years. This has been highlighted by the fact that no other race brings together so many athletes running under...

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Why runners should add swimming to their cross-training schedules

As a runner, you might feel slightly disdainful of swimming. You like getting in the pool to cool off in the summer, but swimming laps just isn’t for you. Well, it’s time to change that, because swimming is a great way to cross-train as a runner. It is a low-impact sport, it’s a fantastic workout and it’s fun (we promise). There’s no reason not to at least try adding swimming to your cross-training routine. 

A full-body workout

Something that running doesn’t offer is full-body exercise. Running is great for your heart and lungs and you’ll develop some muscles in your legs, but swimming works your arms, shoulders, back, core and legs all at once (as well as being a great cardio workout). 

The full-body nature of swimming means you can still hit the pool, even if you’re injured. If you have a shoulder injury, you can grab a flutter board and do a kick workout. If you’re dealing with a leg issue, you can toss a pull buoy (a foam flotation device) between your legs and only use your upper body. Plus, since swimming is so low-impact, you’re much less likely to get hurt than you are when you’re running, which is much harder on your body. 

What strokes to use 

You can choose from four strokes: front crawl (also known as freestyle), backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. Front crawl is probably how you learned to swim, with your face in the water, your feet flutter-kicking behind you and your arms pulling the water from above your head down to your hips. Backstroke is another classic that will be familiar to anyone who knows how to swim, and it’s a similar motion to front crawl (but on your back). Breaststroke puts you on your front again, but instead of flutter-kicking, you’ll kick like a frog while your arms scoop the water in front of you. 

Those three strokes are the best options when you first enter the pool. Then, there’s the butterfly, which is a difficult to perform as a newcomer to the sport. This is the stroke that you’ve probably seen Michael Phelps swim at the Olympics; it involves a dolphin kick (both feet kicking in unison, as if they are one unit, like a dolphin’s tail) that propels your upper body out of the water so you can complete the stroke with your arms. The butterfly is fun to try, but even if you get the technique down, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to swim more than a couple of lengths of the pool before feeling gassed. 

Finally, in addition to all of those strokes, you can grab a flutter board and simply kick your way across the pool. This is, of course, not going to work your full body like the other strokes, but it is still useful for cardio fitness. 

Try a workout

Now that you’re ready and excited to get to the pool, you need a workout. Here’s a very basic one to try out. Use any or all of the strokes listed above. 

Warmup: 

200m of light swimming 

100m kicking 

Set: 

4 x 50m swim (rest 30 seconds between each) 

2 x 50m kick (rest 30 seconds)

4 x 100m (rest 45 seconds) 

2 x 50m kick (rest 30 seconds)

4 x 50m (rest 30 seconds)

2 x 50m kick (rest 30 seconds)

8 x 25m (rest 15 seconds) 

Cool down: 

Take it easy for 200m 

Total: 1,800m.

(02/11/2023) Views: 566 ⚡AMP
by Ben Snider-McGrath
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5 people runners hate seeing on Strava

Strava is a great place to follow and support other runners, and it’s always nice getting kudos from your friends and followers, but it can sometimes be annoying. Anyone who uses Strava regularly has someone they follow that just gets on their nerves. You know who we’re talking about. And if you don’t know this person, then we’re sorry to say, but you may be the annoying Strava user in your area. Don’t worry, we’re here to help you figure out exactly what not to do on Strava with this list of the most annoying runners you’ll find on the app. 

The unnecessary poster 

Have you ever seen someone you follow post their walk to the bus stop? Or maybe they’ve shared the 10 minutes that they played tennis and covered approximately 160 metres. We don’t know who needs to hear this, but just because Strava has “Walk” or “Tennis” or whatever else as a tracking option, it doesn’t mean you have to record everything you do. No one cares that you walked for five minutes to the bus stop, and 10 minutes of tennis is barely enough time to finish a couple of games. Of course, if you go on a long walk, that’s fine to post, and if you and a friend play an hour of tennis, no one will complain if you share your match data. Just make sure the workouts you post are, well, actual workouts. The watch stopper

You do realize that Strava shows two different times, right? There’s moving time, which is however long your timer was actually running during your workout, and then elapsed time, which is the entire time Strava was open. This includes any seconds (or minutes) you spent with your workout paused. Don’t be that guy (or gal) who runs hard for a kilometre or two, then pauses the run to catch their breath, then goes hard for another bout, all so your pace time on Strava will look fast. Anyone who wants to see your actual results can find your elapsed time and pace. Just tell the truth and run an honest time.The excuse maker 

Have you ever noticed that some people make excuses for what they consider to be bad workouts? They might title the run something like “Way Too Windy,” or they’ll write a description like, “I would’ve run a PB if not for [insert lame excuse here].” No one is judging you for a slow run on Strava. The only reason anyone will notice that you had a bad run will be if you point it out with an excuse-filled title or description, so skip the excuse-making and move on to the next run. The bike runner

Every now and then, you’ll see someone record a bike ride as a run on Strava. It’s an honest mistake and almost always an accident, but it’s incredibly frustrating for anyone who loses a crown to a “runner” who averaged 25 kilometres per hour over 50K. If you realize that you’ve made this mistake, be sure to edit the post so that it is listed as a bike ride. If you leave it as a run, you may get some angry runners commenting on your posts. The crown stealer 

There’s nothing wrong with stealing someone’s crown on Strava, but there’s no denying that it’s annoying to open the app and see that your hard-earned record has been bested. It’s the name of the game, we know, so you can’t get too mad about this one. All you can really do in this case is lace up, head out for a hard run and try to steal the crown right back. 

(02/10/2023) Views: 594 ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine
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High school runner disqualified for celebrating

The running world is confused after a high-school runner was disqualified from the Maryland 1A West Region meet for celebrating during his 300m victory. Catoctin High School senior Brody Buffington set out to defend his state title over 300m, but his title defense did not come without some controversy. Buffington knew he had a lead down the final stretch, and threw his arms in the air about 20 metres before the finish line, which resulted in a disqualification for “taunting.” 

His celebration cost him the victory and the chance to retain his 300m title. According to The Maryland Herald, Buffington was disqualified for “an action which brings discredit to an individual or their school, citing the NFHS rule book.”Many notable members of the running community expressed confusion on Twitter about why Buffington was DQ’d, seeing no harm in what he did:

“I’ve watched this video 20 times. What am I missing?! I see a kid running hard and having fun. I see him enjoying his moment. I don’t see any disrespect. Gah, track and field, why are we killing our own excitement?” – @KaraGoucher, U.S. Olympian and marathoner.

“That’s so stupid. Why do we keep hindering ourselves as a sport.” – @LylesNoah, reigning 200m world champion.

“Is that the celebration he got DQ’d for?” – @ReidCoolsaet, a two-time Canadian Olympic marathoner and ultrarunner.

“That’s messed up!” – @LukeMathews95, Australian 800m Commonwealth Games medallist. 

Sometimes disqualifications make sense, but in Buffington’s case, it makes no sense, as the other athletes in the race were his teammates. In my opinion, if you are winning races, you deserve the right to show off a bit of emotion.

300m, but his title defense did not come without some controversy.

(02/10/2023) Views: 921 ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine
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Want Kilian Jornet To Be Your Running Coach? Pick Up His New Watch. 

It's hard to dispute that Kilian Jornet is one of the greatest mountain athletes in the world. He's a living legend, that humble-yet-tenacious Spaniard who needs no introduction and doesn't seem to be slowing down. We've reported extensively on his training consistency, his seasonal skimo/run performance composite, the food he eats (lots of bread), how much he sleeps (8 hours average), and how much he strength trains (very little).

Last week, COROS announced a new collaboration with Jornet and his year-old footwear and apparel company NNormal, with the launch of the APEX 2 Pro Kilian Jornet Edition. This has been a highly anticipated partnership-though COROS has collaborated in the past with their athletes, including Molly Seidel and Eliud Kipchoge-ever since he parted ways with Salomon and Suunto, in late 2021, and teamed up with COROS last year.

"Working with COROS developers, I've learned a lot about creating the best tools for me to use when trail running, skimo, or out in the mountains," said Jornet. "I believe that with this special edition APEX 2 Pro, we can keep pushing how the COROS device can help me-or anyone-improve their training."

Jornet's new GPS watch is a limited offering, at 5,000 units, and it not only includes some fun personalized Jornet flare, but it also arrives with an opportunity to jump-start your 2023 training with guidance from the legend himself. Here's what we know so far:

The COROS APEX 2 Pro Kilian Jornet Edition

If you're expecting the hardware of Jornet's new watch to be much different from the COROS APEX 2 Pro, you might be setting yourself up to be disappointed. Good thing there's very little to be disappointed about because the APEX 2 Pro is a top-shelf GPS watch for any trail runner.Here's a quick look at the four main innovations you need to know about this watch that sets it apart from other GPS watches out there for trail runners:

Battery. The battery can now last up to 75 hours, 88 percent longer than the first generation. (It's cool: Jornet only took 26 hours to summit Everest. No. Charge. Needed.) 

GPS. The APEX 2 Pro has 50 percent higher accuracy with a new GNSS chipset and an "all satellite dual frequency." 

Heart rate. COROS has upgraded the advanced optical heart rate sensor with a 5-LED system. 

Recovery. The APEX 2 Pro upped its game on sleep tracking and recovery metrics dashboards.

First Impressions

We found the APEX 2 Pro to be about the perfect dimensions for a high-performance GPS watch, not terribly chunky or heavy but not too small, either. They've nailed both the watch face diameter and thickness. The navigation is seamless and quick, too. The GPS locks in mere seconds and, after completing a workout, the data zips to the COROS app, which is about as robust and intuitive as any on the market.

Sometimes the watch's interface aesthetic feels like I'm in a 90s video game, and I'm still not totally sold on the spin navigation knob, but overall, there's little to complain about. Triathlete reviewed the APEX 2 Pro favorably, though they did have a few things to say about its price-to-performance ratio and its lifestyle functions. Bottom line? The watch is an exceptional addition to any trail runner's tech gear.Takeaway

To connect our evolving trail community through a piece of high-performance wearable gear, with one of the greatest athletes alive is a unique opportunity, something that only further validates the integrity of an athlete who cares about stewarding the planet, who wishes to remain an ambassador, in contact with the many people he inspires. If you're looking to upgrade your GPS watch experience-and are willing to pay a pretty penny for it ($549)-you may be setting yourself up for a chance to gain personalized insights from Jornet himself, and that appears, well, priceless.

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(02/10/2023) Views: 633 ⚡AMP
by Trail Runner Magazine
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What is Endurance? A New Study Shows the Importance of Mind-Body Connection In Endurance Running

Do you ever have this type of internal dialogue? 

"Today, my legs were 'heavy' in the first couple of miles, but this was to be expected after a quicker run yesterday and training through last weekend's race. I know this is the last 'long' run before tapering into next week's race and freshening up - these heavy, fatigued runs are just part of the course. While I may have felt a little 'leggy,' especially in the early stages, the run was mainly on trails from thereon, thus much more forgiving on my slightly weary legs." 

This is an example of lived body fatigue and heaviness.

A recent book chapter analyzes endurance and 'endurance work' in women's cross country and trail running. What is termed 'endurance work' (in sociology) conceptualizes endurance in a specific way as cognitively, physically, and interactionally lived. The research focuses on the lived experience and social production of endurance in trail and cross-country running. 

The chapter "Endurance and the Production of 'Endurance Work' in Women's Cross-Country and Trail Running," by Prof. Jacquelyn Allen-Collinson and Dr. Patricia C. Jackman, was published in the new book, Contemporary Meanings of Endurance: An Interdisciplinary Approach. The book investigates the concepts of endurance from various schools of thought. This includes the lived experiences of mundane daily activities to physical performances.

The research utilizes a theoretical approach and analyzes data from three autoethnographic and autophenomenographic research projects on distance running. "Autoethnography is where the researcher analyzes their own experiences of the culture," explained Dr. Patricia Jackman. "Autophenomenography is where the researcher analyzes their own experience of a particular phenomenon, such as their lived experience in an activity like running." 

Autoethnography is a research approach, grounded in anthropology, and has grown considerably in the social sciences in recent decades. Autophenomenography, in contrast, is a relatively novel approach that focuses on the researcher's direct, lived experiences of a phenomenon, such as trail running, to generate rich, detailed data from the perspective of an 'insider.'

The thinkpiece explores various experiences of endurance that may differ between individuals and may manifest themselves at different times (i.e., your experience of running up a hill may vary from running 100 miles).Endurance and Endurance Work 

What is endurance? For premier female trail runner, Maude Mathys, of Switzerland, "Endurance is an ability to sustain a constant rhythm, concentration, repeated action, which sometimes seems easy, but sometimes difficult." 

The authors loosely define endurance as what it means to keep going while facing adversity, discomfort, fatigue, and pain. It is a process to be learned - and relearned - over time through effort and training. 

As mentioned, 'endurance work' conceptualizes endurance as mind-body, and interactionally lived. "Endurance work involves an approach to how mind-body-environment connections shape our sensory experiences," the authors explain. "To undertake distance running demands that physiological endurance is developed through physical training." As such, the cognitive and the physical are inextricably intertwined. Prof. Allen-Collinson emphasizes that such endurance of mind-body is never achieved once and for all, but rather is provisional, contingent, and can become eroded. The Study

The researchers analyzed two forms of running: cross-country and trail running. Cross-country encompasses multi-terrain running in rural or countryside areas, while trail running encompasses running in natural environments, including mountains, deserts, forests, or countryside, and both forms seek minimal possible contact with paved or asphalted surfaces. 

The study explores endurance as cognitively, physically, and interactionally lived and communicated through endurance work. The mind-body linkage is central to understanding endurance, as distance runners must learn to endure physiologically and psychologically.

The authors explore the direct, physical, and mental experiences of endurance as lived in their running lives.

In analyzing their experience of endurance in running, the researchers analyzed data from three research projects on running, undertaken over many years. The researchers systematically recorded their experiences through field notes, daily training logs, reflective notes, and taped daily training, and also rehabilitation, during the processes of training, and also being injured and recovering. They identified two key themes in their analysis of the experience of endurance: 1) Pain and Discomfort; and 2) Fatigue. Pain, Discomfort, and Fatigue 

Pain and discomfort are central elements of experience in endurance running. As runners, we learn and develop our own ways of knowing how to distinguish between the discomfort of niggles and the type of pain that merits medical treatment. As such, discomfort and pain are often normalized and even glorified in endurance cultures. This is often considered a given - or prerequisite - following the effects of considerable training volumes.

A key component of endurance work draws on the accumulated knowledge of different kinds of pain and injury, enabling us to identify these, and then draw on the willingness, to persist through such niggles. 

The data reveal that runners engaged in discussions, with themselves, co-runners, and the wider running community, about the nature of the pain or discomfort. Enduring the discomfort of manageable injuries is often a pragmatic and necessary strategy.

Runners learn over time and experience how to distinguish between good and bad pain. We understand how to discern and tolerate forms of pain and discomfort. Such knowledge and practice are often shared resources within distance running cultures. 

Additionally, as runners, we become more attuned to fatigue, engaging in meaning-making around the sensations of fatigue while learning how to cope and endure tiredness of mind and body. Such fatigue - of mind and body - also constitutes an essential part of the experience in the endurance work of distance runners. 

Feelings of fatigue can have favorable implications for our running. While adapting to general fatigue, it is generally accepted as routine to progress. However, expending high levels of energy can be detrimental if combined with under-fueling and can spill over into Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S).

With experience, runners learn to endure various levels of fatigue. "Part of this cognitive and corporeal knowledge encompasses the ability to detect and identify subtle, nuanced variations in the nature of our fatigue, and also to communicate these to co-runners and others, as part of endurance work," the authors explain. 

To continue running while experiencing fatigue, runners often rely on embodied memories of enduring similar experiences. The mental experience of running fatigued becomes embedded in our minds. To extrapolate this idea, the researchers portrayed analytically their fatigue levels. 

"For us, as for many endurance runners and athletes, it can seem as if the muscles themselves hold memories of this fatigued modus operandi, and somehow feel 'instinctively' that they will be able to endure, to keep going through the run," the authors explain.

'Endurance work' involves social agency, and is an active, ongoing, social, and reflexive form of work that often requires mindful engagement with both the physical and social worlds. Endurance is embedded in our consciousness. Endurance itself has to be worked at, for it is contingent, and part of an ongoing body project never achieved once and for all. Endurance can begin to decay when endurance practices start to fall out of use. Endurance must be learned over time and with experience, cognitively and physically, and sometimes it must be re-learned. Simply put, endurance is plastic, and can be learned and enhanced over time.

Theory in Practice

It is important to note that the study's authors have charted their endurance experiences over many years. Their accounts should not be seen as rigidly dogmatic, capturing the essence of endurance, unlike classical 'generalizable' results that may apply to a broad population.

Their research findings may or may not apply to your experiences. The resonance is the important thing. "We provide an account, and it may be the case that this will resonate with people," explained Dr. Jackman. "The main question we pose to readers is: does this resonate with you? Did it speak to you? Did you find yourself nodding your head (in agreement)?"

(02/10/2023) Views: 857 ⚡AMP
by Trail Runner magazine
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Two more Kenyans banned, Barsosio and Chebiwott land a two-year ban each over doping

The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) has given athletes Stellah Barsosio and Gloria Kite Chebiwott two-year doping suspensions.

The development was announced on Monday by ADAK, whose mission is to defend athletes' fundamental rights to take part in a doping-free sport in the nation.

Chebiwott, 25, received the suspension after being found guilty of violating the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules by utilizing an illegal drug called anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS).  Her sample was obtained for analysis in May 2022.

“The Tribunal notes that there’s no dispute between the athlete and the applicant that a prohibited substance S1.1. Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS)/Androsterone, Adiols, Pregnanediol11-ketoetiocholanolone, Etiocholanolone (Etio), testosterone, 5a-androstanediol, and 15 epitestosterone were present in the athlete’s body and thus resulting in an AAF,” the ruling read.

The penalty for the silver medalist in the 10,000m race at the 2019 Valencia Ibercaja has been backdated to August 12, 2022, and it will remain until August 12, 2024.

“Consequently and the discussion on merits of this case, the Tribunal imposes the following consequences: a) The period of ineligibility (non-participation in both local and international events) for the Respondent Athlete shall be for two (2) years from the date of mandatory provisional suspension that is with effect from August 12, 2022,” they ruled.

Barsosio, a former winner of the NN Marathon Rotterdam, was disqualified due to the presence of the banned chemical trimetazidine in her sample.

“Hormone and Metabolic Modulators/Trimetazidine which is prohibited under S4 of the 2022 WADA prohibited list was found in the respondent’s urine samples. This is a non-specified substance and is prohibited at all times as per the WADA Prohibited List of 2022.

"The Respondent will be ineligible (unable to participate in both national and international tournaments) for a period of two years beginning on August 17, 2022, the date of the mandatory temporary suspension, according to her decision.

Barsosio, who has five marathon victories to her credit, will have her suspension retroactively applied; it will start on August 17, 2022, and end on August 16, 2024.

The development comes exactly a month after World Athletics showered flowery words on Kenya for waging a successful war against substance abuse.

As cases of anti-doping infractions involving its athletes went overboard, member federations increased pressure on WA to enforce the rules, and the East African sports powerhouse narrowly avoided being banned.

(02/10/2023) Views: 535 ⚡AMP
by Tony Mballa
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Adidas reveals 2023 Boston Marathon jacket

Made from 70 per cent recycled materials, this is the most sustainable Boston Marathon jacket to date.

With the 2023 Boston Marathon just over two months away, Adidas revealed this year’s race Celebration Jacket design on Wednesday. For the 2023 design, Adidas focused on sustainability, and each jacket is made from 70 per cent recycled materials. This year will mark the 127th running of the Boston Marathon, and the race is set for April 17. The Celebration Jacket will be available as of Feb. 15.

Adidas has been the official manufacturer and distributor of Boston Marathon apparel for more than 30 years, and the company is constantly working to bring new and innovative ideas to the Celebration Jacket and other race clothing. In recent years, sustainability has been a key factor for the design teams at Adidas, and this year is no different. 

“As we developed this year’s iteration, we prioritized sustainable design, all while maintaining the high-performance quality adidas is known for,” said Jennifer Thomas, Adidas’s vice president of global sports marketing. “We’re proud to provide best-in-class sustainable running apparel that supports and empowers our athletes in making their dreams come true: chasing records and personal bests while participating in the Boston Marathon.”

The 2023 jacket is made in part from Parley Ocean Plastic, an original Adidas creation that the company says is “re-imagined plastic waste intercepted on remote islands, beaches, coastal communities and shorelines to prevent it from polluting [the oceans].” 

The Adidas team also notes that the jackets colours are intentional, with the “natural tones inspired by sand and stones as a twist on the traditional blue and yellow colors of the Boston Marathon.” In addition to the celebration jacket, Adidas will provide the race’s 10,000-plus volunteers with different jackets, along with official Boston Marathon participant shirts for the more than 30,000 racers. 

The 2023 Boston Marathon celebration jacket will retail for US$120.

(02/10/2023) Views: 805 ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine
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Boston Marathon

Boston Marathon

Among the nation’s oldest athletic clubs, the B.A.A. was established in 1887, and, in 1896, more than half of the U.S. Olympic Team at the first modern games was composed of B.A.A. club members. The Olympic Games provided the inspiration for the first Boston Marathon, which culminated the B.A.A. Games on April 19, 1897. John J. McDermott emerged from a...

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Olympic medalist Paul Chelimo says 5,000m “is all in the mind”

In a recent interview with the Diamond League, American Olympian Paul Chelimo said, “the 5,000m is all in the mind.” With two Olympic medals (silver in 2016 and bronze in 2021) and a world championship podium (bronze in 2017) to his name, Chelimo knows a thing or two about the 5,000m (and running in general).

This “mind over matter” mentality is widely embraced by professional athletes, but just because you’re not an elite runner doesn’t mean you can’t apply it to your training and racing, too. Here are some tips on how to improve your mental game when racing.

Be ready for anything

Alright, so full disclosure: after his initial declaration that the 5,000m is all in the mind, Chelimo went on to say the race is actually 75 per cent physical and that “the rest is mental,” but the point remains that your mind plays a huge role in your success (or failure) on race day. And that you must expect the unexpected–always. Chelimo’s races are likely much different than the ones you enter, but both can come with unexpected hiccups.

Right from the moment you wake up, it’s possible for any issues to arise. Maybe your alarm won’t go off, and you’ll have to rush to the race; or perhaps your classic race morning breakfast will burn in the toaster. Whatever the case, these speed bumps could potentially mess with your head long before the starting gun goes off. When it comes to the race itself, weather could be a factor, you could get caught up in the moment and go out too fast, or you could have digestion issues that lead you to the course-side porta-potties.

When these problems pop up, you have a choice: you either let them get to you, or you move on and forget about them. Of course, it’s easier said than done, but when things go wrong on race day, try to give yourself a few moments to be upset, then do your best to leave them in the past and refocus on the task at hand. 

Set mid-race goals

If you get knocked out of your groove, try not to worry about how that will affect the PB you were aiming for, or any other pre-race goal you set for yourself. Instead, set some mid-race goals to get your mind off the negatives. Is there a pack of runners a few hundred metres ahead? Commit to catching them by a certain kilometre marker. Maybe you can start counting the number of people you pass as you make your way through the field. Try to get back into your groove by aiming to hit a certain time for your next kilometre, or, if you’re in a longer race, for the next 5K segment. If you set these goals in the middle of the race, they’ll give you something new to chase, and when you start reaching them, your spirits will be lifted and you can get back on track.

Use positive self-talk 

When things go wrong on race day (and in training), talk yourself up. Find a mantra (something as simple as “You’ve got this” is good, just make sure whatever you pick works for you) and repeat it to yourself. Remind yourself of all of the hard work and long training hours you put into preparing for this day. If you start a positive inner dialogue, soon enough you’ll feel lighter, and chances are, that will make you faster. Also, remind yourself that it’s only a race. It’s natural to be disappointed if things don’t go the way you hoped, but remember to be grateful that we get to run.

(02/10/2023) Views: 572 ⚡AMP
by Ben Snider-McGrath
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Some of running’s weirdest world records

On Feb. 5, Edmonton’s David Eliuk broke the Guinness World Record for most T-shirts worn while running a half-marathon. Racing the Hypothermic Half Marathon in Edmonton, Eliuk donned a whopping 120 t-shirts, breaking the previous record of 111,  and crossed the finish line in two hours and 45 minutes. This record is odd, but it’s far from the only unorthodox running record we’ve seen over the years. There are so many strange feats out there; here are the top five weird–but real–running records. 

Anything joggling 

Joggling (juggling while jogging) is surprisingly popular in the running community, and there are world records from the 100m up. Unlike some Guinness World Record running feats, joggling results tend to be extremely quick, with the record breakers running times that many non-juggling runners wouldn’t even be able to hit. Take P.E.I.’s Michael Bergeron, a runner who owns joggling world records in the 5K (16:50), 10K (34:47) and half-marathon (1:17:09)–or Port Hope, Ont.’s Michal Kapral, who still holds the joggling world record in the marathon (2:50:12), which he set at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2007. 

American David Rush is another joggling world record holder, although he added yet another twist to the feat (as if running while juggling wasn’t already tough enough). In 2021, Rush broke the world record for the fastest 100m while juggling blindfolded, covering the distance in 16.29 seconds. 

10K carrying 100 lbs

American Erin Grindstaff owns what sounds like an extremely arduous record: fastest 10K while carrying 100 lbs. Grindstaff ran Las Vegas 10K with a backpack weighing 100 lbs, and she crossed the finish line in 1:26:49. If this sounds more like a military training method than a running event, it’s because that’s how Grindstaff got the idea. As she told the Guinness World Records team, she is an American Air Force veteran, and she had plenty of experience “rucking,” which is walking, hiking or running with a weighted backpack.

“I wanted to set this Guinness World Records title to show normal, everyday people that you do not have to be an elite or full-time athlete to do something physically extraordinary,” Grindstaff said. “With hard work, a solid plan, and true unwavering commitment, anything is possible.”

Backwards mile

In 2020, a Kansas man named Aaron Yoder took to the quiet country roads of his hometown and ran a 5:30 mile… while running backwards. That’s right, Yoder ran a backwards mile faster than most people can run going straight ahead. That works out to an average pace of 3:25 per kilometre, and it beat the previous world record of 5:54, which not-so-coincidentally also belongs to Yoder. 

Golf running

In 2021, Swiss athlete Jürg Randegger played a ridiculous 252 holes of golf in 12 hours, breaking the world record for the most holes in a 12-hour period. He covered 93K in this mind-boggling world record, carrying just a 7-iron for the entire day. He took a total of 1,348 strokes and managed to hit five birdies (one under par). Not bad for a sport in which calmness, patience and taking one’s time are of the utmost importance. 

(02/10/2023) Views: 631 ⚡AMP
by Ben Snider-McGrath
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Four-time NCAA champion facing six-year ban for doping violations

On Thursday morning, Athlete #2 in the Blessing Okagbare doping scandal was revealed to be her Nigerian teammate, four-time NCAA sprint champion and Tokyo Olympian Divine Oduduru. The Athletics Integrity Unit has provisionally suspended Oduduru for two potential Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs), which could result in a six-year ban from the sport.

According to a string of messages on the popular social media app WhatsApp, Okagbare (Athlete #1) sought performance-enhancing drugs from El Paso, Texas-based naturopath Eric Lira, for herself and her Nigerian teammate Oduduru. At the time (June 2021), Oduduru was dealing with a hamstring injury and was “looking for help the hamstring heal really fast.”

“Hey Eric, I just sent you $2,500, can you confirm it? And also, remember I told you (Athlete #2) had hurt his hamstring, so anything that can help the hamstring heal fast you can actually bring it as well, ok?” – (Athlete #1) Blessing Okagbare to Eric Lira on June 7, 2021.

“Hola amigo / Eric my body feels so good / I just ran 10.63 in the 100m on Friday / with a +2.7 wind / I am sooooo happy / Ericccccccc / Whatever you did, is working so well.” – (Athlete #1) Blessing Okagbare to Lira on June 22, 2021.

On July 30, 2021, Okagbare was suspended following her 100m heat at the Tokyo Olympics when it was discovered that she had tested positive for human growth hormone (HGH) in an out-of-competition test on July 19. In addition, Okagbare had tested positive for EPO on June 20, and was also charged for refusing to co-operate with the investigation.

Okagbare was later given an additional ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) to her existing 10-year suspension for doping violations, evading sample collections and tampering with the doping control process.

When the text messages were released in January 2022, the identity of Athlet #2 was unknown but many speculated it was a male training partner of Okagbare’s at Florida-based Tumbleweed Track Club.

Okagbare and Oduduru were both a part of the Nigerian national team program and trained together under now-controversial coach Rana Reider with Tumbleweed Track Club. Reider was also the coach of Canadian 200m Olympic champion Andre De Grasse until recently. 

Oduduru has not competed since Okagbare was suspended in January 2022.

Oduduru ran for Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, where he was a four-time NCAA champion in the 100m and 200m. He also reached the Tokyo Olympic semi-finals in the 200m and holds the Nigerian national record of 19.73 seconds.

(02/09/2023) Views: 616 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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Giants of track and field prepare for battle at Millrose Games

print showdowns, the world’s greatest shot putters and magnificent mile fields highlight the Millrose Games, this season’s fourth World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting, in New York on Saturday (11).

Fresh off a PB and 60m win in Boston, world 200m champion Noah Lyles takes on 60m world record holder and defending Millrose champion Christian Coleman at The Armory, which boasts the nickname ‘The Fastest Track in the World’.

Shot putters Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs open their 2023 campaigns by resuming their fierce rivalry, essentially picking up where they left off last September in Switzerland. As the women’s shot returns to Millrose for the first time since 2003, the event couldn’t ask for a better field led by Chase Ealey, the world champion and world indoor silver medallist.

According to tradition, the Rudin Wanamaker Miles cap the storied meeting, which was founded in 1908. A national record might be needed to win the men’s race, but which country will take the honours? Defending champion Ollie Hoare of Australia, USA’s Yared Nuguse, Sam Tanner of New Zealand and Mario Garcia Romo of Spain are top contenders. Great Britain’s Olympic and world medallist Laura Muir is the favourite in the women’s mile, having already claimed a New York record on the road.

Straight down the middle

Although The Armory is far from the neon lights of Times Square, it’s still a hop, step and a jump from Broadway – and perhaps no athlete enjoys putting on a show more than Lyles.

At the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix Boston, he posted a PB of 6.51, edging Trayvon Bromell by .002. Coleman clocked 6.71 in Fayetteville two weeks ago to open his season, well off his world record of 6.34 set in 2018 when he was also world indoor champion. Lyles, the Olympic 200m bronze medallist, has been working on his start in a bid to double in the 100m and 200m at the World Athletics Championships later this year in Budapest.

Lyles will also attempt to avenge an early season loss to his younger brother Josephus in Florida. Ronnie Baker, the third-fastest 60m runner in history and 2018 world indoor bronze medallist, won this event in 2018 and 2020. Ackeem Blake of Jamaica, Miles Lewis, the Puerto Rican record-holder, and Kendal Williams, who defeated Lyles in Florida but lost to him in Boston, are also in the field.

Aleia Hobbs is seeking her second straight win in the women’s 60m after exploding to a meeting record 7.02 in Boston. She also owns the world-leading time of 6.98, run in Fayetteville in late January. In Boston, Hobbs held off world indoor silver medallist Mikiah Brisco and Celera Barnes, who get another chance to defeat her at Millrose.

 

Melissa Jefferson, who edged Hobbs in the 100m at last year’s USA Championships; world indoor bronze medallist Marybeth Sant-Price, and English Gardner are also in the field. Shawnti Jackson was third at Millrose last year, setting a national high school record of 7.18, and will look to improve both her placement and her time.

Olympic silver medallist Keni Harrison, the Millrose 60m hurdles winner in 2020, will take on 2019 world champion Nia Ali, heptathlete Anna Hall, and Olympians Anna Cockrell, Devynne Charlton and Cindy Sember.

Ring rivalry renewed

The road to Budapest begins for the top shot putters on the planet. World and Olympic champion Crouser will face Kovacs, a double outdoor world champion and two-time Olympic silver medallist.

While Crouser has won at Millrose three years in a row and holds both the indoor and outdoor world records, he knows his compatriot is always in the hunt to topple him. Kovacs set the world-leading mark in 2022 while moving to second on the all-time list and winning the Diamond league final in Zurich. At the season-ending meeting for both, Kovacs won at Bellinzona with a toss of 22.19m, with Crouser next at 22.00m. Tripp Piperi and Nick Ponzio of Italy round out the field.

Ealey had a dream season in 2022, building on her world indoor silver to take the world title in Oregon and then capture the Diamond League title. Compatriots Maggie Ewen, the 2021 Diamond League champion, and Jessica Woodard will challenge Ealey for the first Millrose crown in 20 years, along with Canada’s Commonwealth champion Sarah Mitton.

The women’s pole vault features Katie Moon (formerly Nageotte) and Katerina Stefanidi, the last two Olympic gold medallists. However, in their previous meeting, the Greek vaulter was third and the Tokyo champion placed fourth in Boston, with Bridget Williams and Gabriela Leon going 1-2. All four athletes will be on the runway at Millrose.

Steiner seeks another record

The rarely run 300m has become something of a specialty for USA’s Abby Steiner. She already holds the NCAA record and is targeting the national record of 35.71 in her first indoor season as a professional. Two weekends ago, Steiner raced to a 400m victory in Fayetteville in 50.59. The world record of 35.45 is shared by Irina Privalova and Shaunae Miller-Uibo, with the Bahamian clocking her winning time in 2018 at Millrose. Jenna Prandini, Steiner’s teammate on the victorious 4x100m relay in Oregon, and 2019 world 200m silver medallist Brittany Brown offer strong competition.

The men’s 400m could be another duel between USA’s Noah Williams and Trinidad & Tobago’s world indoor champion Jereem Richards. In Boston, both clocked 45.88, but Williams surged on the inside to win by .004. Michael Cherry, fourth in the 400m in Tokyo and an Olympic and world gold medallist at 4x400m, opens his season at Millrose, along with the fourth man in the field, Bryce Deadmon, another Olympic and world gold medallist on relays.

Going the distance

The great Paavo Nurmi raced at the Millrose Games nearly 100 years ago and the distance races never disappoint. Of course, the signature event is the Rudin Wanamaker Mile.

After recently setting a North American indoor record over 3000m, Yared Nuguse is in a New York state of mind to break another continental record: Bernard Lagat’s 3:49.89 in the indoor mile. Nuguse and training partners Hoare and Romo are hoping for a fast pace to propel them into the record books. Hoare set an Oceanian record of 3:50.83 in winning the 2022 Wanamaker Mile and is the Commonwealth 1500m champion. Other contenders include Tanner, a three-time New Zealand champion; Great Britain’s Neil Gourley, whose home straight sprint led to a world-leading 3:52.84 in Boston; 2022 US indoor 1500m champion Cole Hocker, Johnny Gregorek, Sam Prakel and Kenya’s Eliud Kipsang.

Muir had a US indoor race debut in Boston, clocking 8:40.34 in the 3000m, and now is dropping back down to more familiar territory. The world and Olympic medallist in the 1500m set a course record of 4:14.8 on the road in the Fifth Avenue Mile in 2022. At Millrose, the record is 4:16.85, set by Elle Purrier St Pierre in 2020, which is the third-fastest indoor mile in history after Gudaf Tsegay’s 4:16.16 in Torun. In a deep field, Muir will be challenged by training partner and Olympic 800m finalist Jemma Reekie, and US champion Sinclaire Johnson.

In the men’s 3000m, Geordie Beamish and Cooper Teare, who went 1-2 last year, return to the Armory track where they will try to fend off Josh Kerr, the Olympic 1500m bronze medallist; Joe Klecker, Guatemala’s Luis Grijalva and Nico Young.

Alicia Monson, defending Millrose champion in the women’s 3000m, faces national indoor 5000m record-holder Elise Cranny with Karissa Schweizer’s national indoor 3000m record of 8:25.70 in their sights. Monson set a Millrose Games and Armory record last year of 8:31.62 en route to a stellar outdoor season. Katelyn Tuohy recently set an NCAA mile record of 4:24.26 in a race won by Monson; she’s primed for another test against the pros. European champion and 2019 world bronze medallist Konstanze Klosterhalfen won the Wanamaker mile in 2019 and has the fastest 3000m time in the field, clocking 8:20.07 outdoors.

Streaks at stake for Wilson

In the 600m, world indoor 800m champion Ajee’ Wilson will attempt to extend some impressive winning streaks.

Since losing to Alysia Montano in the 600m at the 2013 Millrose Games, she has won 17 straight races at The Armory, including seven at Millrose. She also has won 15 straight races indoors, most recently the 800m in Boston with a time of 2:00.45. Wilson is the second-fastest woman in history in the 600m outdoors and could threaten Keely Hodgkinson’s newly minted world indoor best of 1:23.41. The fastest performer in the field this season Shamier Little, the 2015 world silver medallist in the 400m hurdles, who clocked 1:24.65. 

The men’s 800m will be a rematch between world indoor silver medallist Noah Kibet, still just 18 years of age, and world indoor bronze medallist Bryce Hoppel, the defending Millrose champion. The loaded field includes his compatriots Clayton Murphy, the 2016 Olympic bronze medallist, world indoor finalist Isaiah Harris, Great Britain’s Kyle Langford, Mexico’s Tonatiu Lopez and Irish record-holder Mark English. Cade Flatt, the second-fastest US high school runner at this distance, is also in the field.

(02/09/2023) Views: 560 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics
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NYRR Millrose Games

NYRR Millrose Games

The NYRR Millrose Games,which began in 1908 as a small event sponsored by a local track club, has grown to become the most prestigious indoor track and field event in the United States. The NYRR Millrose Games meet is held in Manhattan’s Washington Heights at the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armony, which boasts a state-of-the-art six-lane,...

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Kenya's U20 xc champ - Samuel Wanjiru - wants to make the Olympics next year

National cross country champion at the men’s Under 20 level, Samuel Wanjiru Kibathi, says his ultimate dream is to represent Kenya at next year’s summer Olympics in Paris.

The youngster, who has been turning heads with his performance during the cross country season, said it would be his greatest pride to wear the Team Kenya singlet at the grandest stage of competition.

“In the next three years, my goal is to compete at the World Championships, Commonwealth as well as the Olympics. Specifically, if I get the chance, I would want to be part of the team to Paris next year. I would want to come back home and fight for my chance because I believe I can make the team,” the Japan-based athlete said.

In the short term, the youngster has set his sights on the Africa Under 18 and Under 20 Athletics Championships in Lusaka, Zambia where he will be specialising in the 5000m.

It has been a fortnight to remember for Kibathi who followed up his win at the national cross country championships at Kenya Prisons Training College with another first-place finish at the past weekend’s Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Tour in Eldoret.

The 17-year-old timed 0:24:20 to win the men’s Under 20 8km race, ahead of Kelvin Kiprop (0:24:40) and Gideon Kipngetich (0:24:45) in second and third respectively.

Commenting on his recent good fortunes, Kibathi said it is a product of intense work in training during which he has sealed the cracks that were apparent in his running.

“What has changed for me from last year is training. I have had to intensify my training and thanks to my coach (Stephen Njenga), I have improved on my weak areas. For example, one of the things I learnt from last year is the need to take control of the race from the start and not relinquish the lead,” Kibathi, who trains in Nyahururu whenever he’s back home, said.

The youngster will be hoping for better fortunes on the international front following a disappointing debut in which he finished sixth in the men’s 5000m at the World Under 20 Championships in Cali, Colombia in August last year.

(02/09/2023) Views: 477 ⚡AMP
by Omondi Onyatta
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

For this historic event, the City of Light is thinking big! Visitors will be able to watch events at top sporting venues in Paris and the Paris region, as well as at emblematic monuments in the capital visited by several millions of tourists each year. The promise of exceptional moments to experience in an exceptional setting! A great way to...

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This is the perfect workout to test your fitness six to eight weeks out from your marathon

There’s truly nothing like marathon training–putting your life on hold for 10 to 16 weeks to train for a three- to four-hour race. What makes the marathon intriguing is the uncertainty, and whether you can finish in the time you set out for. You can do everything right to prepare for race day, but you can’t control the events that transpire on the course–weather, fueling, an unfamiliar course, etc.

The best thing you can do is set yourself up for success by knowing your mental and physical capabilities. In workouts, you want to be sure you are running enough volume in workouts to build mileage while benefiting from aerobic gains.

It’s essential to understand that the distance is almost entirely aerobic; your heart rate (HR) will stay well below your maximum for almost the entire race, unless you find yourself in a sprint finish. This means you don’t need to do extremely fast workouts.

Workout:

Five reps of 3K at goal marathon pace or faster, with 3 mins jog rest between reps

The purpose of this workout is to simulate race day and to determine where you at in terms of your aerobic fitness. Start each of the five reps at your goal marathon pace, and subtly increase your pace on the third to fifth reps. Treat the rest as an upbeat jog, allowing your body to recover, but not completely slowing down.

This is a workout you should do in the middle of your training block–let’s say six to eight weeks out from race day. If you are training for a 3:30 marathon, you should aim to hit each 3K rep at 15:00 or faster and make sure your jog isn’t slower than 6:00/km.

The five by 3K workout can also be used for half-marathoners—but instead of doing the workout at marathon pace, half-marathoners would do it at their goal HMP. The entire workout should come out to around 20 km in volume.

Completing this workout should give you an idea of where you are in your training before your upcoming race. If you can easily hit the paces on each rep via short rest, you shouldn’t have a problem tackling more mileage or harder workouts, but if you fall off the pace, you may want to reconsider your time goal.

(02/09/2023) Views: 604 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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One of the world’s best middle distance runners will be absent from the Millrose Games this Saturday

On Monday, Olympic and World Champion 800m runner Athing Mu announced on social media that she would not be running at the Millrose Games, instead, she will be focusing on preparing for the outdoor track and field season.

“My team and I have made the decision to no longer compete at the Millrose Games this weekend,” Mu said on Twitter. “ Instead, we are focusing on gearing up to be at my optimum for the outdoor season, especially, the upcoming World Championships. Wishing everyone participating the best of luck.”

Mu was scheduled to compete in the women’s 600m, competing against some of the world’s best talent, including Ajee Wilson, Shamier Little and Natoya Goule. Mu has the third fastest time in history in the 600m and the American record, with her personal best time of 1:23.57.

Mu, who is entering her second season as a professional, is coming off of a fantastic season, which included a World Championship gold medal at the World Championships in Oregon last summer. 

She made the move to train under the legendary coach Bobby Kersee last fall. Mu holds the American record in 800m with her personal best time of 1:55.04.

(02/08/2023) Views: 546 ⚡AMP
by Dominique Smith
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NYRR Millrose Games

NYRR Millrose Games

The NYRR Millrose Games,which began in 1908 as a small event sponsored by a local track club, has grown to become the most prestigious indoor track and field event in the United States. The NYRR Millrose Games meet is held in Manhattan’s Washington Heights at the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armony, which boasts a state-of-the-art six-lane,...

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Bernard Koech leads strong Kenyan squad for Tokyo Marathon next month

Bernard  Koech leads strong Kenyan contingent for the Tokyo Marathon slated for March 5

In the absence of defending champion and world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge, the 34-year-old will spearhead the country's charge in the  Japanese capital.

Koech, who has a personal best of 2:04:09 set at the Amsterdam Marathon two years ago, will have Cyprian Kotut for the company at the event. Kotut clinched the Hamburg Marathon last year when he clocked 2:04:47.

Titus Kipruto will also be one to look out for. He finished second at last year's Amsterdam Marathon, where he posted 2:04:54. 

Koech said he is looking forward to rubbing shoulders with the top marathoners in the world.

“It's going to be a great race. My training has been good and I have another two and half weeks to work on my endurance before we depart to the event," said Koech. 

The Kenyan trio faces an acid test in the shape of Ethiopian Lemma Sisay who finished third at last year's Berlin Marathon, where he clocked 2:03.36.

Sisay will have compatriot  Gelmisa Deso at the start line. Deso has a personal best of 2:04:43 set at the Valencia Marathon in 2020.

Esa Mohammed of Ethiopia will also be in contention for the win. The Ethiopian has a personal best of 2:05:05 set in Amsterdam last year

In the women's category, Team Kenya will be led by Rosemary Wanjiru in the absence of defending champion Brigid Kosgei, who is preparing for the London Marathon in April.

Wanjiru has a personal best time of 2:18:00 set at the Berlin Marathon last year.

Joan Chelimo will be one of the favourites after winning the Seoul Marathon last year in a personal best time of 2:18:04. 

The Kenyan duo will have to contend with the threat of the Ethiopian athletes led by last year's runners-up Bekere Ashete who clocked a personal best of 2:17:58 alongside compatriot Abayachew Tigist, who has a time of 2:18:03 set in Berlin last year. 

Japan will be well represented by Kengo Suzuki of  Fujitsu She holds the Japanese record of 2:04:56.

The former Japan record holder, Suguru Osako (Nike) will also be in the mix once again. In the 2020 edition, he set a new Japanese record of 2:05:29.

Tokyo Marathon race director Tadaki Hayano said he expects a competitive race. “We have a good crop of elite runners who will be competing as well as some of the Japanese athletes and it promises to be a very fascinating event" 

(02/08/2023) Views: 644 ⚡AMP
by William Njuguna
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Tokyo Marathon

Tokyo Marathon

The Tokyo Marathon is an annual marathon sporting event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World Marathon Majors. Sponsored by Tokyo Metro, the Tokyo Marathon is an annual event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is an IAAF Gold Label marathon and one of the six World...

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Why marathoners should do sprint work, sprinting isn't just for short-distance racers

Whether you’re running a 100m dash, a 5K road race or a marathon, you should incorporate speedwork into your weekly schedule. We know that the saying is, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do some sprinting in training. Here are a few reasons why you need to add sprints to your repertoire, and a few ways to do so. 

Sprinting helps your speed 

Sprinting makes you faster. Well, duh, right? If it’s so obvious, then why haven’t you been doing sprint work forever? Sprinting in training, even when working toward a marathon, will help you get faster, not just in short bursts, but overall. If you incorporate a sprint workout into your schedule even once a week, you’ll likely see your average marathon pace improve over time. 

Sprinting increases endurance 

This one sounds a bit counterintuitive. After all, “sprint” and “endurance” seem like polar opposites. You’re not going to be able to sprint for very long, no matter how hard you train (there’s a reason Usain Bolt and Andre De Grasse only do it for 100m or 200m) but in doing so, you’ll improve your overall running form, which will help you run more efficiently, thereby improving your endurance (at least in theory). You’ll even notice your endurance improve in the sprints themselves, as you’ll be able to go fast for longer in training. 

This newfound speed and improved endurance could come in handy in competitive situations when you’re trying to drop someone mid-race. If you have the speed to throw down a quick surge, you’ll lose them, and your endurance will help you stay ahead of them until you reach the finish.

The best way to start is to introduce hill sprints to your training schedule. You don’t even have to do that many, maybe five to eight short hills (20 to 30 seconds of uphill sprinting) per session, but the benefits will be huge. You’ll be used to running fast in tiring situations, which will take you far in racing. 

Improve your sprint finish

Everyone wants to finish strong in races. If you practice sprint training, your body will know how to react when you want to kick to the finish line. To practice this, add a few strides (short sprints of 100 m or so on flat ground) to the end of your workouts. You’ll be running on tired legs, and in doing so, you’ll grow accustomed to sprinting after 20K, 30K or even a full marathon. Try six to eight strides at the end of your next long run, gradually picking up the pace until you hit about 80 per cent of your maximum speed.

 

(02/08/2023) Views: 1,024 ⚡AMP
by Ben Snider-McGrath
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Athletics Canada names five athletes for Budapest 2023 team

On Tuesday, Athletics Canada named the first five athletes that were selected to represent the country at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, which will take place from Aug. 19-27, 2023. The team is headlined by two Canadians who broke the national marathon record in 2022, Cam Levins of Black Creek, B.C. and Natasha Wodak of North Vancouver.

Levins broke his previous national marathon record of 2:09:25 by over two minutes at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Ore., where he placed fourth overall in 2:07:09. His finish was the highest ever by a Canadian male or female marathoner at a major championship. Levins will be competing at the 2023 Tokyo Marathon in the lead-up to the 2023 World Championships this March.

At the 2022 Berlin Marathon, Wodak achieved the Canadian women’s marathon record, running 2:23:12. This was not only an improvement on the previous national record, but also a three-minute personal best for Wodak.

The other three Canadian athletes joining Levins and Wodak in Budapest are the second-fastest Canadian female marathoner and the reigning national champion, Malindi Elmore, Olympic silver medalist Mohammed Ahmed, and race walking bronze medalist Evan Dunfee.

Levins, Wodak and Elmore will all be participating in the marathon at worlds, while Ahmed gained early selection for the men’s 10,000m and Dunfee for the 35 km race walk.

In Oregon, Dunfee finished sixth in the 35 km race walk in a North American record time of 2:25:02, and Ahmed was fifth in the 5,000m and sixth in the 10,000m.

These five athletes were named to the team before athletes of other events because the first selection meeting for the marathon, 10,000m and 35 km race walk took place in early February. More marathon, race walk, and 10,000m athletes could be named to the team in June as part of subsequent selection meetings.

The final selection for Team Canada in all other events will take place on Aug. 3.

(02/08/2023) Views: 549 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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World Athletics Championships Budapest23

World Athletics Championships Budapest23

Budapest is a true capital of sports, which is one of the reasons why the World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 is in the right place here. Here are some of the most important world athletics events and venues where we have witnessed moments of sporting history. Throughout the 125-year history of Hungarian athletics, the country and Budapest have hosted numerous...

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Visually-impaired athlete runs a jaw-dropping half-marathon time in Spain

Tigist Mengistu of Ethiopia, who is in the Paralympic T13 category for visual impairment, ran 66 minutes for the half.

For years, Paralympic athletes have continued to challenge the performance barriers between impaired and able-bodied athletes. On Feb. 5, at the Granollers Half Marathon in Granollers, Spain, Tokyo Paralympic T13 1,500m champion Tigist Mengistu of Ethiopia, came even closer to bridging the gap, winning the half-marathon in a blazing 66:41.

Mengistu’s time is the second-fastest half-marathon of 2023 and ranks inside the top 100 all-time. She also broke the previous course record of 1:10:24 by nearly four minutes.

In 2021, Mengistu, 22, was the first athlete from Ethiopia to win a Paralympic gold when she won the T13 1,500m in Tokyo. (T13 is the least severe of the three visual impairment categories for para-athletes.)

According to World Para Athletics Classification, an athlete in the T13 classification vision is constricted to a radius of fewer than twenty degrees and can recognize a tennis-ball-sized object at a maximum of five metres away.

To compete in the T13 category, Mengistu has to be accompanied by a guide, a task carried out by Spanish athlete and 65-minute half-marathoner Artur Bossy of Granollers.

Although she ran the fastest known T13 half-marathon time in history, the distance isn’t officially recognized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), therefore, it will only be considered a world best.

According to the IPC, athletes seeking Paralympic classification must go through several medical, visual and physical evaluations.

(02/07/2023) Views: 618 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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Granollers Barcelona Half-Marathon

Granollers Barcelona Half-Marathon

The race is organized by the Col·lectiu d'Atletes de Fons group and was first held in 1987. The course starts and finishes in Granollers and passes through Les Franqueses del Vallès and La Garriga. It is among the more popular half marathon events in Spain with around 10,000 runners taking part in the day's events. In addition to the main...

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Dubai Marathon promises fast times from leading Ethiopians

World Athletics Gold Label race takes place on Sunday in the United Arab Emirates

The Dubai Marathon returns to the sporting calendar on Sunday (Feb 12) with strong line-ups and a course that starts and finishes from Expo City Dubai for the first time.

The World Athletics Gold Label sees a mix of experienced international marathon runners with raw talent keen to make a mark in the early years of their careers.

Women’s line-up

Ethiopian elites dominate the entry list in the women’s competition with Ruti Aga and compatriots Gutemi Shone and Gelete Burka all targeting the biggest marathon in the Middle East on February 12.

Twenty-nine-year-old Aga is the athlete with the fastest personal best in the field having clocked 2:18:34 when finishing second in the Berlin Marathon in 2018. Last year, the Ethiopian – who won the Tokyo Marathon in 2019 – claimed fourth in Chicago and will certainly be one to watch.

But while Aga, with three Marathon Majors medals to her name, has an impressive pedigree, her compatriot Shone knows exactly what to expect in Dubai having finished second last time she competed in the UAE in January 2020 – the last time the Dubai Marathon was staged before the pandemic.

That runner-up spot behind champion Worknesh Degefa was achieved with a personal best of 2:20:11 and the 31-year-old, who finished fifth last year in Seoul, will be looking to use that ‘local knowledge’ to go one place better on the podium on the race’s return to the sporting calendar.

Also returning to the Middle East with experience of running in the Gulf is 37-year-old Gelete Burka. In 2018, Burka enjoyed a successful year starting off with sixth place and a personal best in Dubai (2:20:45) before winning the Ottawa Marathon in Canada and closing the year with third place and a podium finish in Abu Dhabi.

A hugely talented runner, in 2019 Burka added victory in the Paris Marathon and third place in Chicago to an impressive running CV that also includes World Championship medals and a 5000m top five finish at the London Olympics in 2012.

“Over the years we’ve enjoyed some breath-taking performances from marathon debut makers as well as experienced campaigners,” said Dubai Marathon event director Peter Connerton. “Athletes know that with the world-class infrastructure and benign weather conditions in Dubai, they can run a personal best and gain international recognition.”

Elite men’s field

As in the women’s race, it is Ethiopia that dominates the men’s elite field with a clutch of international champions set to fight it out for the title.

While Tsegaye Mekonnen, the 2014 Dubai Marathon champion, boasts the field’s personal best time of 2:04:32, he will face a number of talented and experienced rivals including 2022 Rome and Linz Marathon winner Fikre Bekele, former Rotterdam Marathon champion Abera Kuma and Gebretsadik Abraha, a winner in Marrakech, Prague, Guangzhou and, most recently, in Ljubljana.

And they face a challenging new 42.195km route that will take them from the expanse of Expo City Dubai out on to some of the city’s most modern highways, past Dubai Investments Park and Jumeirah Golf Estates, before returning to finish in front of the iconic Wasl Dome.

Still just 24, Fikre Bekele – known as Fikre Tefera until a few years ago – has competed in just six international marathons during his career, winning five and finishing fourth in the other. While his first two wins came in 2018 in Vadodara and Bilbao, the following year he was the surprise winner of the Frankfurt Marathon where he outkicked his rivals with 300m to go.

Bekele returned to action after the pandemic in 2022 with another two impressive victories winning in Rome (2:06:48) before securing his personal best of 2:06:13 in Linz, Austria – on both occasions he smashed the course records.

Like Bekele, Abraha comes to Dubai full of confidence as his most recent race was probably his best ever. In October he won the Ljubljana Marathon in Slovenia in a time of 2:06:09, finally improving a personal best he had set a decade earlier. Last year saw him run three marathons, winning two of them with that triumph in Ljubljana following on from victory in Lens in France.

Abera Kuma is another of the many Ethiopian world-class athletes who have made their marathon debuts at the Dubai Marathon. In 2014 he produced a fine performance in a top field and finished 10th in 2:09:53. He ran his second marathon in Berlin, where he improved by almost four minutes, taking third place in 2:05:56, which remains his second fastest time at the distance.

His big marathon victory came in 2015 in Rotterdam, a city where he also clocked his personal best of 2:05:50 three years later, finishing in second place just six seconds behind the winner.

(02/07/2023) Views: 627 ⚡AMP
by Athletics Weekly
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Dubai Marathon

Dubai Marathon

In its relatively brief history (the race was first held in 2000), the Dubai Marathon has become one of the fastest, most respected and the most lucrative marathon in the world in terms of prize money. Each year thousands of runners take to the roads in this beautiful city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for this extraordinary race starting...

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World Athletics approves the applications of six Russians to compete as neutral athletes

The World Athletics Doping Review Board (DRB) has agreed that the applications of six (6) Russian athletes have met the exceptional eligibility criteria to compete in international competition as neutral athletes (ANA) under eligibility rule 3.2 while the Russian national federation (RusAF) remains suspended.

In approving these six applications, the Doping Review Board noted that, according to World Athletics’ decision of 1 March 2022, all athletes, support personnel and officials from Russia were excluded from all World Athletics Series events for the foreseeable future as a consequence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Furthermore, the Wanda Diamond League subsequently took the decision to exclude Russian athletes from competing in its meetings. In addition, the Doping Review Board understands that individual organisers of the Continental Tour are not inviting Russian athletes to their meetings.

Furthermore, in December 2022, World Athletics advised the Russian Athletics Federation that the 2022 ANA process would continue until such time as the World Athletics Council decides otherwise.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the DRB considered and approved the following applications under rule 3.2 of the eligibility rules for exceptional eligibility to compete in international competitions until the World Athletics Council Meeting in March 2023 as a Neutral Athlete, to the extent such competitions are open to athletes from Russia.

Furthermore, any athlete who was granted ANA status for the 2022 season may continue to compete until Council’s decision.

The six athletes who have now met the exceptional eligibility criteria are:

Nikita Anishchenkov (high jump)Artem Chermoshanskiy (long jump)Maksim Pianzin (Pyanzin) (race walking)Nikita Kurbanov (high jump)Danil Chechela (long jump)Marina Kovaleva (long distance)

Requirements for ANA athletes

Further to the World Athletics Council decision on 1 December 2021 to approve amendments to the Authorised Neutral Athlete (ANA) programme on the recommendation of the Russian Taskforce, the Doping Review Board (DRB) reviewed and revised the process and the criteria for ANA applications.

Athletes will need to follow the procedures set out in the guidance documents and all applications must be forwarded to World Athletics through RusAF.

Applications must be submitted no later than four weeks before the entry deadline for the international competition for which eligibility is sought and the Doping Review Board may require an applicant to undergo additional testing prior to granting him or her ANA status.

2022 authorised neutral athletes who may compete until the World Athletics Council Meeting in March 2023 (73 athletes)

Announced on 22 January 2022: Dina Aleksandrova (800m, 1500m, 5000m), Svetlana Aplachkina (1500m, 3000m, 5000m), Yelizaveta Bondarenko (pole vault), Aleksandr Buyanovskiy (400m), Vera Chalaya (400m hurdles, 400m), Timofey Chalyy (400m hurdles, 400m), Alexey Fyodorov (triple jump), Ilya Ivanyuk (high jump), Polina Knoroz (pole vault), Mariya Kochanova (high jump), Aleksandr Komarov (decathlon, heptathlon), Kseniya Labygina (60m hurdles), Mariya Lasitskene (high jump), Artyom Makarenko (combined events, 60m hurdles, 110m hurdles), Polina Miller (400m), Vasiliy Mizinov (race walking), Valeriy Pronkin (hammer), Anzhelika Sidorova (pole vault), Oleg Spiridonov (60m hurdles, 110m hurdles), Natalya Spiridonova (long jump, high jump), Yaroslav Tkalich (sprints, 400m or less), Anna Tropina (3000m steeplechase, 1500m, 5000m, cross country).

Announced on 17 February 2022: Veronika Arkhipova (400m or less), Rinas Akhmadeyev (3000m, 5000m, 10,000m, half marathon), Semen Borodayev (shot put, discus), Iurii (Yuri) Chechun (marathon), Elvira Chepareva (Khasanova) (race walk), Aksana Gataullina (pole vault), Darya Golubechkova (race walk), Dmitriy Gramachkov (race walk), Konstantin Kholmogorov (800m), Stepan Kiselev (marathon), Kristina Koroleva (high jump), Mikhail Kulkov (marathon), Aleksandr Lesnoy (shot put), Denis Lukyanov (hammer), Alena Lutkovskaia (pole vault), Alena Lysenko (hammer), Kristina Makarenko, née Sivkova (50m, 100m, 200m), Timur Morgunov (pole vault), Olga Mullina (pole vault), Sofiya Palkina (hammer), Yekaterina Petrova (5000m race walk.

10,000m race walk), Mariya Privalova (triple jump, long jump), Andrey Romanov (hammer), Yelena Sborets (race walk), Nadezhda Sergeeva (race walk), Konstantin Shabanov (60m hurdles, 110m hurdles), Fedor Shutov (marathon, half marathon), Kirill Shutov (race walk), Yelena Sokolova (long jump), Snezhana Trofimets (shot put), Yuliya Turova (race walk), Matvey Tychinkin (high jump), Viktoriya Vaseykina (heptathlon, pentathlon)

Announced on 8 July 2022: Irina Baulina (400m, 400m hurdles), Arseniy Elfimov (combined events), Maksim Fediaev (200m, 400m), Ekaterina Fediaeva (200m, 400m), Dmitrii Kachanov (pole vault), Stepan Kekin (combined events), Evgenii Kunc (1500m, 5000m) , Natalya Leontyeva (5000m,, 10,000m, half marathon, cross country), Liliia Mendaeva (1500m, 3000m, 5000m), Anna Minullina (3000m), Ildar Nadyrov (steeplechase, cross country), Olga Onufrienko (800m, 1500m), Daria Osipova (sprints, hurdles, relays – U20 only), Viktor Pintusov (pole vault), Valeria Putilina (javelin), Iuliia Sokhatskaia (combined events, long jump), Elizaveta Tsareva (hammer), Anna Vikulova (10,000m, half marathon, marathon).

(02/07/2023) Views: 591 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics
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Kenya, Ethiopia dominate Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

Kenya and Ethiopia runners, dominated the eighth edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon held in Lagos.

Kenya’s Edwin Kibet Koech won the race in a time of 02:14:14 ahead of Ethiopia’s Dekeba Tarfa, who finished second in 02:14:54, while Kenya’s Bernard Sang settled for the bronze medal 02:17:14.

Koech took the lead from Obalende Bridge and maintained it to the end despite the pressure from the Ethiopian runner.

For his effort, Koech received $50,000, while Tarfa and Sang got $40,000 and $30,000 respectively.

In the women’s elite race, Alemenesh Guta of Ethiopia won the top prize. Kebene Urisa also of Ethiopia finished second, while Kenya’s Naomi Maiyo took the third position.

Speaking with journalists after the race, Kibet expressed delight in winning the contest, saying this edition was very competitive.

“It was a very competitive race and I am excited to have won it. It was not my best performance; my personal best was achieved in Europe. But like I said, I’m happy to win.

“I hope to be here next year, if invited. I’ll take three months rest and will resume training thereafter,” he said.

No elite athlete was able to achieve the 2 hours 10 minutes benchmark set by the organisers, Nilayo Sports Management, to win the additional $10,000, yesterday.

For the local marathoners, Gyang Boyi Nyango, coasted home in a time of 2:27:15, and was followed by Adamu Muazu, who crossed the finish line in a time of 2:30:52. Friday Yohana took the bronze medal and went home with N1million.

Gyang went home with N3 million for his first position, while, second placed Muazu got N2 million.

In the women’s race for the local runners, Deborah Pam showed why she is still the best Nigerian female marathoner, as she finished first in a time of 2:48:33, Elizabeth Nuhu and Dimatu Yohana finished second and third position respectively.

Meanwhile, the General Manager of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, Yusuf Alli, a former African champion in long jump, said organisers would continue to push for the Platinum Label status.

(02/07/2023) Views: 644 ⚡AMP
by Gowon Akpodonor
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Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

“The IAAF and AIMS have a special interest in the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon so if you see their top officials at the third edition, don’t be surprised. Lagos is one of the few marathons in the world that got an IAAF Label after just two editions. This is a rare feat. The event had over 50,000 runners at...

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Lohalith takes surprise win in Castellon, marking first international victory for Athlete Refugee Team

Athlete Refugee Team member Angelina Nadai Lohalith claimed a shock win at the European Champion Clubs Cup Cross Country in Castellon, Spain, on Sunday (05), marking the first time that an athlete in the World Athletics refugee team programme notched a victory in an international competition.

Lohalith, a native of South Sudan who is based in Kenya, surged from the field after four laps of the five-lap contest, clocking 27:55 over the 8.7km course to secure a five-second victory. Running confidently at the head of the pack from the gun, Lohalith pulled ahead after three laps and extended her lead to six seconds after the fourth lap before crossing the line unchallenged.

Lohalith, who was a member of the 2016 and 2021 Olympic Refugee Teams, was competing in Castellon as a guest for Tel Aviv’s Alley Runners Club, where several other Athlete Refugee Team members are based.

The 28-year-old is the Athlete Refugee Team’s most experienced runner.

Lohalith made her Athlete Refugee Team (ART) debut at the 2017 World Championships in London and in 2022 represented the Athlete Refugee Team at the World Indoor Championships Belgrade 22, the African Championships and the World Athletics Championships Oregon 22, competing over 1500m.

Lohalith's next international appearance will come at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Bathurst 23, where she will compete with an ART quartet in the mixed relay.

Her appearance in Castellon was her first over a distance longer than 1500m, boding well for her planned transition to the 5000m and 10,000m events.

"After the World Championships in Oregon I came back to Kenya and I started to work harder towards my goal to succeed as a long distance runner,” Lohalith said.

“I am training hard all week – only training and sleeping. Even during Christmas, when all the athletes in the camp travelled back home, I stayed in the camp for training alone. I don't see my son and parents too often because I have a goal to improve further at the Olympics in Paris next year.”

Lohalith fled from her village in South Sudan at nine, settled in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya in 2002 and later began taking part in running competitions at her high school in the camp. Coaches for the Tegla Loroupe Foundation spotted her talent and invited her to join a training camp in Ngong, just outside Nairobi. In 2016, she was one of 10 refugee athletes selected to compete at the Rio Olympic Games under the Refugee Team flag, a selection that set the course for her steady rise since.

(02/06/2023) Views: 548 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics
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World Athletics Championships Budapest23

World Athletics Championships Budapest23

Budapest is a true capital of sports, which is one of the reasons why the World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 is in the right place here. Here are some of the most important world athletics events and venues where we have witnessed moments of sporting history. Throughout the 125-year history of Hungarian athletics, the country and Budapest have hosted numerous...

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Relay team breaks record after collision with race official

Collegiate runners from the University of Montevallo in Alabama set a school record in the 4 x 200m relay at a race in Birmingham in January, but they took an interesting path into the history books. Moments after sophomore runner Amari Lewis took the baton to start his leg of the race, he collided with an official who was making his way across the track. Fortunately, the accident didn’t slow Lewis down too much, and he was soon back on his feet and charging around the track as if nothing had happened.

Lewis was third in line on his team, and when he got the hand-off to start his leg of the race, his team already had a healthy lead over the rest of the field. The official was ambling across the track at the first turn, and although Lewis couldn’t avoid him completely, he did manage to dodge what could have been a much worse collision for both men.

As seen in video footage of the race, Lewis clips the official, who falls down. Lewis was able to stay on his feet, and after a couple of strides to regain his composure, he was back in action. Despite the hiccup, Lewis carried his team’s lead to the line as he handed the baton off for the anchor leg. He and his teammates ultimately clocked a 1:32.89 to take the win and set the new University of Montevallo school record.

There’s no word on whether the official involved in the incident is OK. Fortunately, the athletes trailing Lewis didn’t run into or trip over the man, and by the time the bell lap came around, the track was clear, so odds are the only thing that was bruised was the official’s ego. 

(02/05/2023) Views: 639 ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine
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How Do I Run in Winter Without Getting Injured?

Running in winter can pose specific challenges: thick snow, cold rain, frigid temps, and wipe-out inducing black ice. Here are a couple things to consider when you find yourself looking out the window, unsure if you should suck it up and head outside or catch up on your latest Netflix show on the treadmill.

Running in snow and ice does increase injury risk  

As a physical therapist that works with many runners and triathletes, I see more runners in winter months with traumatic injuries due to slips and falls. This can be due to the slippery surface that  snow and ice bring, and also the uneven surface from thick snow. The resulting injuries range from  ligament injuries such as ankle sprains, to muscle strains and bone fractures.

There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing 

The most important thing to consider when running in winter weather is what to wear - even if that means taking 20 extra minutes just to get ready for your run. Having appropriate winter running gear makes all the difference to ensure your head, face, hands, and feet stay dry and warm. To avoid running on wet, numb feet, many shoe brands have Gore-Tex options which help keep your feet dry.

Should I add extra traction to my running shoes? 

When the snow starts to pile up, or when you are worried about icy spots it is best to add some  sort of traction to your shoes. This includes adding a traction cleat device that fits over the bottom of your shoe. These devices can have coils on them, spikes, or a combination of both that will help you gain traction. You can also opt for dedicating a pair of your shoes for winter running and drill small holes for screws into the bottom of your shoes. Do your research on this  though, as you need to have the appropriate shoes and screw length for it to work.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both systems and it might be a matter of trying different options to see what feels best to you. I don't enjoy the added weight and clunkiness that  the traction device brings. The spikes add minimal weight, and don't feel much different than running in your normal shoe.

Your running mechanics will change when running in winter weather 

When running on uneven and slippery surfaces you will find increasing your cadence (step rate) will help you improve your stability and reduce the risk of slips and falls. Your cadence is a measure of the number of steps you take in one minute. By increasing your cadence slightly your stride length will decrease, which will help you land closer to your center of mass and reduce the risk of your foot slipping out from under you. This is especially true when running in traction cleat devices.

Also, you will be using different muscles when running over snow/ice, and the stress on your  body might shift around a bit. It's comparable to a runner who only runs on pavement going and  doing a trail run. You might initially be sore in muscles that you haven't felt in awhile. This isn't necessarily a bad thing and may help to address weaker areas, but monitor any pains/niggles  especially if they are consistent to one area of your body and are getting worse.

Should I worry about mileage and pace on winter runs?  

Running in winter weather will slow your pace, but there isn't any specific conversion to determine how many miles run on snow/ice equals miles in favorable weather, because that varies by person and even by the conditions. If you are concerned about the number of miles you have to run in the snow, then I would switch your focus to running based on time. If a 10 mile run normally takes you 80 minutes in favorable weather, then run 80 minutes in the snow, even if that means you are doing less mileage. Also, if you find the elements are slowing you down significantly, then don't worry about your pace. Go off your heart rate or rating of perceived exertion (RPE) instead.

Hopefully this helps with your decision whether or not to head outside on your next winter run.  With the appropriate gear, plus shifting your mindset to embrace the elements, I doubt you will regret running outside in the winter.

(02/05/2023) Views: 616 ⚡AMP
by Trail Runner magazine
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How Listening to Podcasts Helped This Guy Drop 55 Pounds

Tuning in turned walking time into productive time and helped boost Daniel Tan's weight loss and muscle gain. 

I put on a lot of weight during Covid. Lockdowns were especially harsh in Singapore; the days were long and boring at home and we found that having good food and wine helped make things bearable. And working from home meant wearing a lot of t-shirts and shorts. 

When we started to go back to the office early in 2022, I realized that I couldn’t fit into my work clothes. Probably more important, I was probably in the poorest physical state I had been in my life. I was on medication for hypertension. I wasn’t happy with what I saw in the mirror and knew that I could do better. 

It was either buy a new wardrobe or make some serious changes. Ready to get myself back on track, I signed up with Ultimate Performance Singapore.

Before I got started, I didn’t have much of a diet routine. I’d skip breakfast, then eat whatever I wanted for lunch or dinner. As I mentioned, during lockdown I’d often share a bottle of wine for dinner. So I had room for improvement. 

Protein, protein, protein

My new diet kept me at a caloric deficit while still giving me enough protein to support muscle growth. Since so many of my daily calories came from protein in my new way of eating, I ate fairly large volumes of food, which kept me full all day. I never actually felt deprived or starved even when I was in the low-calorie phase. (Find out more about protein here.)

My meals were a lot more disciplined than they used to be. I hit specific portions of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. For the first month or so, I had a set of three pre-planned meals per day, which I supplemented with a protein shake. Later on, I started experimenting with some recipes from the UP Cookbook. My trainer was great about mixing up my meals so I didn’t get bored of any one thing. I generally stuck with three meals a day, no snacks. I very conscientiously drank at least four liters (1 gallon) of fluid a day. And I had vitamins and other supplements.

Weights and walking

I had in the past dabbled with weight training, but nothing very serious. My form was probably all wrong. I met with my trainer for an hour on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. Each session, we’d hit all of the major muscle groups; we’d usually start with dumbbell or barbell presses, then go on to legs, back, shoulders, and arms. I also took brisk walks every day; we started with a goal of 10,000 steps a day, which I gradually pushed up to 16,000 or more.

I’ve realized that walking as a weight-loss tool is severely underrated. I firmly believe that all the steps I put in were key to my transformation. The best part about walking is that it’s already a part of our normal lives—all you need to do is just walk farther and longer. I listened to podcasts while I walked, which made it feel like productive time. I wore out a brand new pair of sneakers in about 4 months!

In eight months I lost 55 pounds (25 kg), and my body fat percentage dropped from 35 percent to 11 percent. I’m not sure how much muscle I gained, but I am definitely much stronger than when I started!

It’s given me a real boost of confidence. I didn’t think I really had any mental blocks, but after this transformation, I have so much more belief in my physical abilities. I’ve internalized a lot of my trainer’s knowledge about form and paying attention to my body, which also makes me feel more in control. It really helped to have an expert in my corner. 

My blood pressure has also improved significantly, and my doctor has agreed to start weaning me off of my blood pressure medication. Fingers crossed that soon I’ll be able to come off it completely. I also noticed that skiing doesn’t leave me with the same muscle aches that I used to get—my core and quads are a lot stronger. 

This is still a work in progress. I have set a new goal of bulking up and packing on muscle. That means a completely different diet regimen, and it’s been interesting seeing how my body responds to this new phase. 

Diet was such an important key for me, as it really is for anyone. I had to have a sustainable, healthy diet that didn’t leave me feeling starved. And I wanted food that tastes good! Having someone who knew how to make all of that work with my workout plan and fitness goals was invaluable. Left on my own, I’d just have been shooting in the dark. Instead, I’m transformed—and I’m just getting started. 

(02/05/2023) Views: 590 ⚡AMP
by Men’s Health
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7 albums perfect for long-run listening

Every now and then, your go-to running playlists can get a little old. Fortunately, there are thousands of new songs and musicians out there, all just waiting for you to discover them. While there are many new playlists you could create specifically for your next run, there are also plenty of albums that are pretty much perfect for working out. Canadian Running spoke to runners to find out what their go-to albums are for their long runs, and while each collection is sure to have a few slower-paced songs, most are fast and energizing. There are many albums to choose from, but here are seven to get you started. 

Absolution by Muse (2003)

What better way to get into a run than some fast-paced rock music? Absolution will immediately fire you into the zone and your run will fly by, thanks to the album’s fun and enjoyable lineup of songs. There are 15 songs in total, adding up to 57 minutes, making this album perfect for a Sunday long run. 

Beyoncé by Beyoncé (2013)

Thanks to this album, Beyoncé earned herself five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. Anyone familiar with Beyoncé and her music will know that she never fails to create entertaining albums, and her album Beyoncé is no exception. At 14 songs spanning an hour and seven minutes, this album is another great way to not only get you pumped up for your run, but to keep you excited and energized right through to the end. 

Recovery by Eminem (2010)

Like Beyoncé, Eminem‘s 2010 album Recovery was nominated at the Grammys for Album of the Year, and it won Best Rap Album. Eminem is well known for being one of the fastest rappers on the planet, which is great for anyone looking to keep a quick cadence on a run. The album is 78 minutes long with 17 songs, but it will fly by, and before you know it, your run will be done. 

Currents by Tame Impala (2015)

Switching genres, Tame Impala’s 2015 album Currents is another great one to add to your running music library. Currents was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the Grammys, and its 13 songs are clocked at a total of just over 50 minutes, making it a great option for anyone eyeing sub-one-hour workouts. 

YSIV by Logic (2018)

Like Eminem, pretty much anything Logic publishes is sure to be fast-paced. YSIV came out in 2018, and it’s another great option for any runners who like rap and are looking for a quick cadence. The album is 76 minutes long at 14 tracks, but once again, it won’t feel like that long by the time you’re through. 

Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder (1976)

Throwing it back to the 70s, Stevie Wonder gives us our longest album on the list with Songs in the Key of Life. If you’ve never heard of Wonder or his music, you’re missing out, and this album is a great way to introduce you to him. The album is a great option for anyone doing half-marathon or marathon training, as its 21 songs add up to a whopping one hour and 45 minutes. Wonder’s music will never fail to get you jazzed up and rearing to run. 

Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa (2020)

Finally, we have yet another Grammy-nominated album with Dua Lipa‘s 2020 hit collection Future Nostalgia. This was nominated for Album of the Year, and it won Best Pop Vocal Album. At 43 minutes, Dua Lipa’s 13 songs add up to the perfect length for anyone looking to run longer than a 5K but still under an hour, and her constantly high energy is contagious. 

(02/05/2023) Views: 693 ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine
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Zeyituna Husan and Ibrahim Hassan Break Beppu-Oita Mainchi Marathon CR

In its 71st edition the Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon saw new course records in both the women's and men's races. On a cold and slightly windy day Japan-based Ethiopian Zeyituna Husan took advantage of the big crowds of amateur men at her pace, going through halfway in 1:14:44 en route in her debut to win in 2:31:41. Her time took 1:19 off the previous record set in 2018 by Hiroko Yoshitomi.

 

Excellent pacing that saw every 5 km split through 30 km in the men's race land in the 15:01 to 15:03 range and a big pack that rolled with it set up a tough last 12 km. Djibouti's Ibrahim Hassaninched it up a notch as soon as the pacers were done, covering the next two 5 km in 14:59 each. That gave him a short lead over Kenyan Daniel Kipchumba, but Hassan almost lost it. Deeply in the zone, he didn't notice the turn into the stadium for the track finish and ran into the back of the camera truck. Kipchumba surged to take advantage of Hassan's loss, but Hassan managed to pull it back together and hold on for the win by 5 seconds in 2:06:43, a negative split even with the lost time. Hassan's time broke the Djibouti NR, set 9 years before he was born, by 24 seconds, and was the first 2:06 in Beppu-Oita history, beating last year's CR by 1:04.

 

The main Japanese pack couldn't match that closing speed over the last 12 km, but both 3rd-placer Tsubasa Ichiyama, 2:07:44, and 4th-placer Shungo Yokota, 2:07:47, bettered or tied the old CR. The 22-year-old Yokota also had the distinction of breaking the 2:08:12 collegiate marathon record set in 2003 by current Chuo University head coach Masakazu Fujiwara. 5th and 6th-place Kento Kikutani and Shin Kimura made it under 2:08 as well, with the next three under 2:09 and another four sub-2:10.

 

Ichiyama, Yokota, Kimura and 7th-placer Tsukasa Koyama all joined the ranks of qualifiers for October's MGC Race Olympic marathon trials, with 10th-place Naoya Sakuda and 13th-place Kazuki Muramoto also making it in through the two-race sub-2:10 average option. 9th-place Yuichi Yasui, 11th-place Takashi Ichida and 12th-place Riki Nakanishi all broke 2:10 in Beppu but will have to try one more time before the end-of-May qualifying deadline to hit the two-race standard. The Ottawa Marathon should be packed with Japanese men shooting for that desperate last chance.

71st Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon

(02/05/2023) Views: 538 ⚡AMP
by Brett Larner Japan Running News
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Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon

Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon

The Beppu-Oita Marathon is an annual men's marathon race that takes place every February between the cities of Beppu and Oita on the island of Kyushu in Japan. First held in 1952 as a 35km race, the looped marathon course begins at the bottom of Takasaki Mountain and reaches Beppu's Kankoko International Port before turning back towards the finishing point...

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Pauline Kamulu and Alexander Mutiso Break Marugame Half CR

In its 75th anniversary race the Marugame Half saw new course records in both the women's and men's races and a near-miss on a new Japanese men's NR. Japan-based Kenyan Pauline Kamulusoloed a 1:07:22 CR to win the women's race by 49 seconds, 4 seconds under the old CR and her fastest time since her 1:06:56 for bronze at the 2018 World Half Marathon Championships. Rika Kaseda continued to climb the ranks among Japanese women with a 1:08:11 for 2nd, landing her in the all-time Japanese top 10. Australian duo Isobel Batt-Doyle and Sinead Diver were 3-4 just 2 seconds apart in 1:09:27 and 1:09:29.

 

In the men's race a lead sextet of Japan-based Kenyans Alexander Mutiso, Cleophas Kandie and Andrew Lorot, corporate leaguer Tomoki Ota, and collegiate runners Kotaro Shinohara and Reishi Yoshida went through 10 km together in 10 km before splitting into two groups. Lorot fell off the front group before 15 km and Yoshida off the back group by 15 km, leaving Mutiso and Kandie head-to-head up front and Ota and Shinohara on NR pace. In the last kick Mutiso got the win 30 seconds under the old CR in 59:17, the fastest time ever run in Japan, with Kandie 1 second behind him. Lorot was a distant 3rd but only 7 seconds over the old CR in 59:54.

 

Ota and Shinohara couldn't hold it together over the final 5 km and faded just off the 1:00:00 Japanese NR, Ota taking 4th in 1:00:08. Shinohara, who runs for 2023 Hakone Ekiden champ Komazawa University, was 5th in 1:00:11, the fastest time ever by a Japanese-born collegian. Yoshida hung on to take 6th in 1:00:31, also under the old JPN collegiate best of 1:00:40 set by Shinohara's teammate Chikara Yamano last February. Along with Ota, the Toyota corporate team put two others, Minato Oishi and Kazuya Nishiyama, inside the top 10, both under 1:01:20, and one more, Yusuke Nishiyama, under 1:02 in 1:01:56 for 19th. All told 56 men were under 63 minutes, one of the better years in Marugame's 75-year history.

75th Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon

 

(02/05/2023) Views: 574 ⚡AMP
by Brett Larner Japan Running News
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Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon

Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon

The Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon is an annual road running competition which takes place in early February in Marugame, Japan. It currently holds IAAF Silver Label Road Race status and the professional races attract over 1000 entries each year, and hosted by the Sankei Shimbun, Sankei Sports, Okayama Broadcasting, BS Fuji. The race in Marugame was first held in 1947...

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Ruth Chepngetich says her next focus is on defending her Nagoya Women’s Marathon title

World Half Marathon record holder Ruth Chepngetich says her next focus is on defending her Nagoya Women’s Marathon title in march after clinching the National Cross Country title at the Kenya Prisons Training College.

Chepngetich clocked 0:32:56 in first place, ahead of the 2016 Africa 5000m champion Sheila Chepkirui (0:32:58) and Zena Jemutai (0:33:06).

“The race was not easy but I am happy I managed to hold on and win. I am preparing to go and defend my title at the Nagoya Marathon in March and running in this competition today was a good way to prepare myself,” the 2019 World marathon champion said.

The two-time Chicago Marathon champion, who was competing on behalf of Kenya Prisons athletics team, spoke of how she has become a better athlete by running in cross country races.

“It is my favorite race because it sharpens me physically and psychologically prepares me for more battles ahead. It is never easy, I admit…and you will always feel a lot of pain,” she said.

On the other hand, Chepkirui, who made her debut in the 42km races in December last year, is preparing for a shot at the Boston Marathon title in May – to improve on her third-place finish at Valencia Marathon.

“My eyes are on Boston…it will be my second ever marathon race and I want to do well. So, it means going back to the drawing board to intensify training because it will not be easy battling against other elite athletes,” the Kenya Defense Forces athlete said.

(02/04/2023) Views: 554 ⚡AMP
by Athletics Kenya
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Nagoya Women's Marathon

Nagoya Women's Marathon

The Nagoya Women's Marathon named Nagoya International Women's Marathon until the 2010 race, is an annual marathon race for female runners over the classic distance of 42 km and 195 metres, held in Nagoya, Japan in early March every year. It holds IAAF Gold Label road race status. It began in 1980 as an annual 20-kilometre road race held in...

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San Francisco Half Marathon returns for its 39th year this weekend

The San Francisco Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K presented by Pamakid Runners returns on February 5, 2023, after a renewal from title sponsor, Kaiser Permanente. This year marks the race’s 39th year running through the streets of San Francisco, and Kaiser Permanente’s 19th year as title sponsor. 

The San Francisco Half Marathon started in 1983 and has become one of the city’s largest road races, with over 100,000 runners having crossed the finish line. Over the years the race has raised over $1 million which goes right back into the community.  Registration numbers have rebounded to pre-pandemic levels as the race remains a long-time fixture on the Bay Area running calendar.

According to club President Jerry Flanagan, “Pamakid Runners take great pride in promoting a healthy lifestyle and supporting our local community and charitable causes through our participation, volunteering, and financial support.  Through the continuing success of the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon, Pamakid Runners was able to donate over $120,000 in 2022 to many local and regional nonprofits.  More to come in 2023!”

This year, the race’s charity partners include Girls on the Run, Salvation Army Harbor Light, Running for a Better Oakland, and Support for Families of Children with Disabilities. 

Kaiser Permanente’s ongoing support has been instrumental to the success of the event.  Over 100 Kaiser Permanente employees are involved in executing the race’s medical plan, ensuring a safe race day experience for all.  “We approach the runners as if they were patients in our office. On race days, we see everything from minor injuries, such as scraped knees and sprained ankles, to hypothermia and shortness of breath. Our Kaiser Permanente health professionals work to assess and treat any issues,” says Race Medical Director, John Touhy who is a Kaiser Permanente San Francisco sports medicine physician.

The 39th annual race, produced by Blistering Pace Race Management, is Sunday, February 5th in Golden Gate Park with three distances to choose from including a 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon. Registration is available at www.sanfranciscohalfmarathon.org

About Pamakid Runners: Established in 1971, the Pamakid Runners strive to promote a healthy lifestyle, support the running community and charitable causes by organizing, volunteering, and participating in running-related and social events in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Visit www.pamakidrunners.org for more information.

About Blistering Pace Race Management: Founded in 2016, BPRM works in a variety of race management capacities, ranging from staffing to full operational oversight. Clients include the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon (10K & 5K), the Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon and Half Marathon, the Big Sur Marathon Foundation, Chicago Event Management, and the New York Road Runners. For more information, visit www.blisteringpace.com

(02/04/2023) Views: 690 ⚡AMP
by Running USA
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Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half

Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half

The Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon® is a runners’ favorite for its scenery and value. A fast and certified course through San Francisco’s scenic Golden Gate Park, the race has been selected as Road Race of the Year by the Road Runners Club of America several times. The 5K is a fast, downhill 3.1 mile course certified by USA...

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Bigfoot Is Probably Just a Black Bear, According to Recent Research

Data of Sasquatch sightings in a new preprint finds a strong correlation with bear population density

“If Bigfoot is there, it may be many bears,” concludes Floe Foxon, a researcher who just published a preprint analysis of Bigfoot sightings. Their findings suggest that there’s a high correlation between documented Bigfoot encounters and dense populations of black bears.

Previous studies of the Pacific Northwest have identified that most Sasquatch sightings occur in areas with large numbers of black bears. But Foxon extended that analysis across the entire United States and Canada. Using a geographic database of sightings compiled by the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization, Foxon compared entries with local black bear and human population densities.

“Sasquatch sightings are logically a function of the number of people in each state/province available to make a sighting, and the size (land area) of each state/province (because interactions between humans and animals are less likely when each populate an area sparsely),” explains Foxon in the analysis. “Consequently, models were implemented which investigated the possible association between sightings and bear populations while also adjusting for the potential impact of human population and land area.”

Foxon applied several regression models to the data sets in an effort to find out if changes to one variable were associated with changes in another.

The result? “Black bear population was significantly associated with Sasquatch reports such that, on the average, every 1,000 bear increase in the bear population is associated with [about] a 2.7 percent increase in Sasquatch sightings,” writes Foxon. “Thus, as black bear populations increase, sasquatch sightings are expected to increase also.”

Foxon does note that Bigfoot sightings have occurred in places without black bear populations. “Although this may be interpreted as evidence for the existence of an unknown hominid in North America, it is also explained by misidentification of other animals (including humans), among other possibilities,” Foxon writes.

Still, the association between the presence of black bears and Sasquatch sightings is strong enough that Foxon is able to draw a direct correlation between the two. The researcher concludes in the preprint, “One sasquatch sighting is expected for every few hundred bears in a given state or province.”

(02/04/2023) Views: 810 ⚡AMP
by Outside
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Transgender Runner Makes History with Women's Magazine Cover

Marathon runner and activist Amelia Gapin is the first transgender woman to appear on the cover of Women's Running

When Women's Running hits newsstands tomorrow, for the first time, you'll see a transgender woman on its cover. Marathon runner Amelia Gapin, 33, who was first named a finalist last fall for the magazine's cover contest, agreed to be featured in the July issue when she realized the impact her decision could have on the larger trans community.

"For me to be on the cover of a women's magazine is kind of a sense of validation that other people are seeing transgender women as women," Gapin told People.

"Running has literally saved my life time and time again. When I was transitioning, running was a safe place to deal with all of the things going on in my life and process both the ups and downs of it all. There is no way I would have survived transition without running," Gapin says in her Women's Running contest bio.

She goes on to explain how outside of transitioning, running has served as an escape for her during her battle with depression. "It's brought me peace and bliss when I most needed it. I've started runs feeling on the verge of suicide and by the end had a huge smile on my face and saw nothing but the beauty in the world. I wouldn't still be here if I didn't have running in my life." (Gapin isn't the only one. Another woman shares: "Running Helped Me Overcome Depression and Anxiety.")

As People reports, Gapin started transitioning four years ago with hormone treatments, and after a long debate ultimately decided to undergo gender reassignment surgery in order to qualify for the Boston Marathon as a woman (something she couldn't do without the surgery). 

Gapin, who is a software engineer, activist, and co-founder of MyTransHealth, an organization that connects trans people with trans friendly doctors and quality health care, hopes that the cover will help others who are facing similar doubts by proving transitioning can be a "very positive thing"' and you can be successful-and even land the cover of a magazine while you're at it.

"I'm hoping that it shows people that are thinking about coming out, or want to transition and are afraid, that you can transition and things can go well," she says. "It's really scary to be a trans person right now with everything that's going on, and I know that a lot of people who were thinking about transition are reconsidering that."

In light of the mass shooting at an Orlando gay club this weekend, Gapin emphasized that sentiment by tweeting, "It's weird timing for this, but I hope it can be some positivity for trans people today" and "It's a scary time to have any visibility, let alone visibility like this, but I refuse to hide myself or ever stop fighting for trans people."

(02/04/2023) Views: 495 ⚡AMP
by Shape Magazine
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Do Super Shoes Give Regular Marathoners a Performance Boost?

Research shows economy gains at slower paces, but they’re smaller and not guaranteed.

It’s no coincidence that running records have been falling in droves in the era of super shoes. While researchers still may not be able to fully explain how the technology works, they have shown that the ultra-compressible foam, curved carbon-fiber plate, and rockered geometry that first appeared in the Nike Vaporfly 4% in 2017 provide competitive runners a 2.7–4.2 percent boost in running economy. In other words, thanks to these shoes, runners need 2.7-4.2 percent less energy to run the same pace—meaning that they can conserve that energy to run farther or expend it to run faster.

One caveat is that, until now, super shoes have been tested only at running speeds of 7:26/mile or faster. Translated into marathon times, that means the science is applicable to someone who runs a marathon in 3:15 or faster—a feat accomplished by only 21 percent of the 2021 Boston Marathon field.

However, new research has finally emerged that looks at whether the majority of runners get an edge from super shoes. The answer: probably yes, but less.

Research for Non-Elites

Dustin Joubert, Ph.D., a kinesiology professor at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, likes to do research, in his words, “for the people.” This is how he came to conduct a study looking into whether super shoes, specifically the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2, confer the same running economy advantage to athletes who run at slower paces.

“There’s a lot of people who don’t fit under the umbrella of the speeds that have been tested in all this laboratory research, and a lot of people are asking: Should I spend my money on this? Do they work for slower people?” said Joubert. “That was the next logical question to me.”

To answer the question, Joubert and his colleagues recruited 16 runners—eight men and eight women with prior-year 5K PRs averaging 19:06 and 20:18, respectively—and had them complete two sets of four 5-minute running reps on a treadmill. Each runner ran one set at a 12 kilometers/hour pace (8:00/mile, which would be marathon pace for a runner with a 5K PR of 22:15), and the other set at 10K/hour (9:40/mile, which would be on the slower end of easy pace for that same 22:15 5K runner). Within a given set, the runners tested two different shoes: they ran one 5-minute rep in an experimental carbon-plated shoe, the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2, and the other rep in a control shoe, the Asics Hyper Speed. Then, the runners repeated the reps but reversed the order in which they wore shoes (e.g., Asics first, then Nike).

The researchers chose the Asics Hyper Speed as the control shoe because it lacks the technology of the Vaporfly (carbon plate and advanced foam) but matches its mass. This was an important variable to match because mass affects running economy; a heavier shoe will require more energy to move and could therefore confound results. One earlier study compared the Vaporfly to runners’ everyday training shoes, but most regular training shoes are more than 100 grams (3.5 ounces) heavier—the equivalent of about 40 pennies. Imagine lifting those pennies 55,000 times (the average number of steps in a marathon, for men; women take about 63,000 steps). That would require quite a bit more energy!

Economy Advantages for 3:30–4:15 Marathoners

The new study found that, on average, running economy was better in the Vaporfly than in the Hyper Speed. However, at these slower speeds, the improvements were smaller than at faster speeds: runners gained just 1.4 percent in running economy at 8:00/mile pace and 0.9 percent at 9:40/mile pace, compared to the 2.7–4.2 percent advantage runners gained at speeds of 7:26/mile or faster. (And, as we’ll see below, even those improvements came with a caveat.)

Joubert speculates that the reason for this difference comes down to how the foam in the shoes is working. Much of the running economy advantage comes from compressing the compliant/resilient foam in the shoes and then having that energy returned as the foam springs back. A faster runner who is generating larger ground reaction forces will compress the foam more than a slower runner who, because of their speed, isn’t generating as much ground reaction force. 

“The shoe is not creating energy for you; it’s only giving back what you put into it,” explained Joubert.

Not Everyone Benefits

Before you decide “an advantage is an advantage,” there is one other finding from this study that should give runners pause. While the results from the 16 test subjects showed a 0.9–1.4 percent average improvement in running economy, one third of the participants actually showed worse running economy when they ran at the 9:40/mile speed in the Vaporflys, compared to the control shoe. This finding diverges from the results of testing done on the Vaporflys at faster speeds, where runners experienced varying degrees of running economy improvement, but no one saw a detriment.

One possible reason has to do with the Vaporfly’s carbon plate. Research has shown that increased longitudinal bending stiffness, or the rigidity of a shoe underfoot, helps to improve running economy at faster speeds by reducing the amount of energy your foot requires as you land and push off from the metatarsophalangeal joint (where your foot connects with your toes). Joubert hypothesizes that, at slower speeds, the stiff carbon plate might stop saving runners energy and instead create a need for more energy in order to get “up over” the plate.

“If the plate’s really stiff, maybe at these slower speeds that’s an impairment to economy,” Joubert said.

Nathan Brown, a doctor of physical therapy at Pineries Running Lab in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and senior contributor at Doctors of Running, said that this finding in particular helps to reinforce the shoe selection guidance he already offers his patients and the runners he coaches.

“If your goal of picking a shoe for race day is to get faster, but there’s a 30 percent chance that you get worse, I care more about finding the shoe that you like to run in than the shoe that may or may not give you a benefit,” said Brown.

So, Should You Wear Super Shoes?

If you’re an 8:40-9:00/mile marathoner, what should you do? Do you gamble on being in the 66 percent of responders and plunk down your cash for a pair of super shoes? Or do you stick with what you have?

Footwear is ultimately a personal decision, so here are a few more points to consider.

Choose a shoe that’s comfortable. 

If a super shoe feels uncomfortable, that might be an indicator that the shoe won’t help you make the economy gains you’re seeking. Joubert guesses that the comfort of your shoes could affect biomechanical aspects of your race-day performance, including economy. “I think if a shoe is uncomfortable, it’s probably not going to be economical,” he said.

Brown emphasizes focusing on comfort and confidence in a race-day shoe rather than “carbon [plate] or no carbon.” To determine whether it’s comfortable, Brown recommends trying your racing shoe in a few workouts and, if your goal race is a marathon, a few long runs in advance of race day.

“You want to feel comfortable [in the] shoe and confident psychologically,” he said. “To know what to expect on a long run from your race-day shoe can be a big deal for performance.”

Don’t wear a super shoe (or any one shoe) for every single run.

Heather Knight Pech, a decorated masters runner and coach for McKirdy Trained and Knight Training, tells every one of her athletes, from high schoolers to masters runners, to invest in a minimum of three pairs of running shoes: a trainer (e.g., Brooks Ghost), a lightweight trainer (e.g., New Balance Rebel), and a race-day shoe (e.g., Nike Vaporfly Next%). She then has them rotate among these shoes for several reasons. First, it decreases injury. Research has shown that runners who rotate their shoes decrease their injury risk by 39 percent compared to runners who wear the same pair for every run.

“Running is a repetitive motion, so you avoid overloading any one muscle, bone, or tendon,” said Pech. “And on the flip side, you’re simultaneously strengthening other structures by rotating your shoes.”

In his physical therapy practice, Brown has found that super shoes tend to reduce the loading on lower leg structures like the Achilles tendon and calf. As a result, he’s noticed a trend in repetitive stress injuries further up the chain, to the hamstrings and hip flexors, in runners who wear that shoe for most or even all of their runs.

The second reason Pech advises runners to rotate shoes is that it forces them to decide between shoes for a given run, which helps them gain a better sense of self-awareness. “We should be very dialed in to how we feel—that’s part of running training and racing,” said Pech. The saying she repeats is: different shoes for different runs for different days.

Look at a variety of styles and brands.

The Nike Vaporfly was the first high-stack carbon-plated shoe on the market, and as a result, it is arguably the most well known. Most brands now have a similar shoe, and while research shows they’re not yet up to par when it comes to running economy, that doesn’t mean different shoes won’t work better for certain runners based on foot anatomy, running stride, and even pure preference.

Pech points out that the Nike Vaporfly is a very high, very narrow, very bouncy shoe. The Saucony Endorphin Pro, on the other hand, she describes as “more stable underfoot, with firmer foam. It’s great for runners who want to feel the ground.” Meanwhile, the Asics Metaspeed, which is also slightly wider underfoot than the Nike Vaporfly, offers two versions between which runners can choose based on their running style: cadence (increasing their turnover) or stride (increasing their stride length).

“I think they’ve all caught up, in that, now, there are different shoes for different people,” said Pech.

Remember: economy isn’t everything.

While running economy does influence running performance, it’s only one small part; how well you eat and sleep, your level of anxiety, how consistently you trained, how well you tapered, and numerous other factors have an equal, if not greater effect on the time you ultimately run in any given race.

Therefore, if you’re a 3:30–4:15 marathoner and don’t want to shell out the money or risk finding yourself in the 33% “anti-responder” group, double down on some basics like pre- or post-run nutrition or even just sleep. Plus, when you beat your Vaporfly-wearing counterparts, you’ll never have to ask, “Was it the shoes?”

(02/04/2023) Views: 665 ⚡AMP
by Runner’s World
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Nike Sues Lululemon for Alleged Patent Infringement

Nike claims it suffered “economic harm and irreparable injury” as a result of four Lululemon shoes.

The shoe giant Nike is once again suing Lululemon Athletica for patent infringement related to four of its shoes, according to a CNBC report. The complaint was filed Monday in Manhattan federal court.

This is not the first time Nike is suing Lululemon. In January 2022, Nike filed a lawsuit against Lululemon for patent infringement on its Mirror workout technology, according to KGW8. 

According to reports, Nike claims it has “suffered economic harm and irreparable injury” as a result of Lululemon’s shoes, Chargefeel Mid, Chargefeel Low, Blissfeel, and Strongfeel shoes. 

Nike said its three patents focus on “textile elements, including knitted elements, webbed areas, and tubular structures on the footwear,” according to CNBC. One patent addresses the footwear’s performance. 

Lululemon, an apparel company, launched its first shoe, the Blissfeel, last March. 

“Nike’s claims are unjustified, and we look forward to proving our case in court,” a Lululemon spokesperson said in a statement, according to CNBC. 

Nike’s 2022 lawsuit against Lululemon claims the company infringed on six patents over its Mirror fitness device, which Lululemon bought in 2020, and its related mobile apps, according to CNBC. The company is seeking triple damages in that case.

Nike, according to the CNBC report, says it invented (and filed a patent in 1983) a device that “determined a runner’s speed, calories expended, distance traveled, and time elapsed.” The Mirror platform leads users through cardio and other workouts. The lawsuit claims similarities between the technology enabling users to compete with others, record performances, and target certain exertion levels, per CNBC. 

At the time, Lululemon said, in a statement: “The patents in question are overly broad and invalid. We are confident in our position and look forward to defending it in court.”

In September 2022, Lululemon settled a lawsuit with Peloton, after it claimed the fitness equipment company stole sports bra designs from Lululemon, according to CBC. 

(02/04/2023) Views: 3,483 ⚡AMP
by Runner’s World
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Is Running in Shorts in the Winter Bad for Your Knees?

Gear editor Amanda Furrer learns that running like it’s summer year-round can actually be harmful.Always one to resist the call of running tights, I’ve been donning shorts for every run. Lucky for me, we’ve managed to have a relatively mild winter. However, it’s a sure thing I’ve become that crazy lady about town, exposing her knees running in below-freezing temps like it’s 55 degrees. I am the symbol of forever spring, the promise of summer, the speed demon reassuring worried friends and strangers, “If I get cold, I’ll just run faster!”

While charging down the snow-dusted path in denial of the changing seasons, I can’t ignore the dull ache I feel in my knees every run. It started as a small bother and morphed into a full-blown, “But am I actually doing irreparable damage by running in shorts in this bone-chilling cold?”Cold Tolerance Is a Factor

According to Davis, who is a physiatrist of non-operative medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, the definition of “cold” and if it’s safe to run outside without your legs covered is relative. Besides low air temperature, other conditions to consider before suiting up and heading out are wind chill and precipitation. Individual characteristics also come into play, including a runner’s body composition and how hard they’re exercising—“the more energy you expend, the more you’ll heat your muscle tissues,” said Davis to RW on a phone call, proving my quip that running faster is keeping me warmer. But that doesn’t mean you should start sprinting right out the gate. 

Davis compared cold’s effects on tissues to the elasticity of a rubber band. Just as stretching a rubber band in the cold will cause it to snap, this lack of flexibility can lead to performance decrements or even potentially a slightly increased risk of injury if you’re not adequately warmed up and protected. Skin coverage factors in, as well. “Shorts versus pants or tights will certainly affect the warmth of the tissues themselves,” said Davis. “Tissues, when they’re exposed to cold, particularly at greater levels, lose some of their ability to do certain things. You’ll have decreased muscle force, decreased ability to contract, decreased velocity so the nerves will fire slower, and decreased pliability of tissue.”

Arthritis and Aging Could Be Culprits

Runners with arthritis may notice joint pain as the weather changes due to decreased blood flow. The change in barometric pressure, said Davis, can also cause tissues to swell and increase pressure in certain areas. Other pre-existing conditions, such as tissue damage, can lead to increased wear on the joints, higher risk of pulling a muscle, “or even falling or twisting something just because you’re not able to react as quickly,” said Davis. Appending that to my list of hypnic jerk nightmares. 

Continuing to dash my dreams of wearing shorts year-round, Davis named the offender that will eventually come for us all: time.

“As we age, we lose cushioning on our cartilage over time,” he said. “This ‘wear and tear’ doesn’t necessarily mean that you have some advanced arthritis—it may be something you can’t even detect on an X-ray or MRI. But as with everyone, things are kind of stiffening up as we age.” 

There is a chance your body will acclimatize to the cold, but warming up with dynamic stretching, starting slow, and wearing the right outfit will decrease your risk of injury. When considering apparel, runners should look for sweat-wicking material. Davis warns against fabrics like cotton that become damp with sweat, eventually causing increased heat loss. 

Warm Up, Stretch, Repeat

Updegrove, a physical therapist at St. Luke’s North Medical Center in Bethlehem, PA, recommends these three dynamic stretches. Do any or all of these exercises for two to three minutes, or longer. “The goal is to raise your heart rate and get your muscles warmed up,” said Updegrove. 

High knees: Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms bent at 90 degrees at sides. Drive right knee up toward chest, driving left arm forward and right arm back, elbows still bent. Step foot back down and repeat on opposite side. Build speed so you're running in place, knees driving up as high as you can without leaning back. Go for 30 to 60 seconds.Toe and heel walking: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Lift heels off floor so you're on toes. Walk forward on toes at regular walking speed for 30 to 60 seconds. Then, drop heels and lift toes off the floor. Walk forward on heels for 30 to 60 seconds. 

Frankensteins: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Kick left leg straight up, foot flexed and knee straight, reaching to touch toes with right hand, or as close as you can reach. Keep chest tall and core tight. (Don't bend forward or round shoulders to touch toes.) Step left foot back down. Repeat on other side. Continue alternating for 30 to 60 seconds.What to Do if Your Knee Pain Is Caused By a Fall

For actual knee injuries (those not caused by running in shorts in freezing temps), wait until your skin temperature goes back to normal before applying ice at home.

Said Updegrove, “If you feel that there’s a need to ice something, wait until your skin temperature goes back to normal. Make sure there’s no more redness, no more odd sensation [from being outside in the cold].”

Taking an ibuprofen or any other type of anti-inflammatory before a run may seem like a safeguard, but Updegrove warns against it.

“Generally we try not to have people running if they need to take ibuprofen or an anti-inflammatory during it,” he said. “If there’s some kind of injury and you just keep running on it, it’s going to get worse.”

Will I Change My Ways?

As I write this, the temperature is 22 degrees, with a 7-degree real feel. Despite Davis and Updegrove’s advice, I’m chafing at the mere thought of putting on running tights. 

Which has me turn to plan B: Dreadmill, here I come!

(02/04/2023) Views: 553 ⚡AMP
by Runner’s World
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Why you should run in nature, there are numerous benefits to getting outside in nature for your run

There’s something dreamlike about running along a quiet, country road or through a park with grand, overarching trees. The gentle sounds of a babbling brook or sweet birdsong can sweep away the pain during a long or tough run. Whether you’re new to running outside or enjoy an occasional jog through your neighbourhood, here’s why you should embrace the outdoors and explore some new, nature-filled routes on your next run.

Running outside isn’t always a pleasant experience. Rain, snow, gusting winds, and sweltering or freezing temperatures can make your workout much more challenging. You may have to look out for trip hazards or icy patches that aren’t present while running indoors. But would I swap this for a run on a treadmill in a temperature-controlled gym, watching a movie? Absolutely not.

Surrounding yourself with nature can be refreshing and motivating

Choosing a running route with some greenery or natural scenery can improve your mood and potentially motivate you to step outdoors for a run more often. A survey of 1,581 Dutch novice runners published in Environment and Behaviour found that runners preferred to run in parks or out of town. Running in spaces with greenery made runners feel mentally refreshed, reflecting growing evidence that exercising in natural areas helps reduce stress. It’s possible that elements of these routes (e.g., the absence of cars) also make runners feel safer, which may increase motivation to run.

Running outside can build mental toughness

Running outdoors on a rainy, cold, or windy day may not appeal to some, but these runs may make you mentally tougher. A study in The Sport Psychologist interviewed 12 ultrarunners about their perceptions of mental toughness. Ultrarunners race events of 50K or longer, which can take several hours or days to complete, so these runners need to train and prepare well.

According to this study, an important component of mental toughness for ultrarunners was the ability to work through tough and unpredictable environments. Running in the elements can make you feel powerful and build self-confidence. And if you’re training for an event, occasionally embracing suboptimal weather conditions can help mentally prepare you for whatever conditions are present on race day.

You can “flex your muscles” and get stronger by running outside

There are some differences in how your leg muscles respond to running outdoors versus on a treadmill. Some muscles activate more or at different times to help absorb the greater impact from running on harder outdoor surfaces. Some outdoor running surfaces, like trails, get your stabilizing muscles working harder to help keep you balanced on an uneven surface. Without a doubt, training on a variety of surfaces helps strengthen various muscle groups and makes you a stronger runner.

Try running with nature

To reinvigorate your running routine, next time it’s a little snowy or rainy, consider embracing nature and running outside through a green or natural area As always, put safety first. Dress appropriately for the weather, listen to your body, and ensure that others know where you are going and when you expect to return.

(02/03/2023) Views: 711 ⚡AMP
by Lauren Moretto
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Sifan Hassan to debut in stacked women’s London Marathon field

Aday after releasing the men’s start list for the 2023 London Marathon, race organizers have announced the women’s field, and it is jam-packed with stars. The race will feature marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei, reigning Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir and Sifan Hassan, who will be making her highly anticipated marathon debut. The race is April 23, and with so many amazing runners set to toe the line in London, it will be incredible to watch.

Who to watch for in London 

Kosgei has the fastest seed time of the women’s field–by a long shot. (Her 2:14:04 world record is a full minute and a half faster than that of Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa, who owns the fifth-fastest marathon in history at 2:15:37.) However, Kosgei isn’t necessarily a lock for the win, as there are far too many other extremely successful athletes in the mix. Jepchirchir has had an incredible string of marathons, winning the last five she has entered, including the Tokyo 2020 Olympic marathon, Boston and New York. She’ll be a heavy favourite to make it six in a row (and grab yet another World Marathon Major) in London. 

Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw is another must-watch athlete; not only is she the 10K world record holder, but she also won her debut marathon in Hamburg last spring. Just a few months later, she followed up with a win at the London Marathon and is the defending champion.

Like Hassan, Great Britain’s Eilish McColgan will be running her debut marathon. She’s coming off an amazing season in 2022 that saw her win Commonwealth Games gold in the 10,000m and silver in the 5,000m and set three national records, including her 1:06:26 half-marathon best. Canadian marathon record holder Natasha Wodak is also set to race in London. 

Hassan’s debut

Hassan is one of the fastest runners in history. She is the reigning Olympic champion in the 5,000m and 10,000m (she also won bronze in the 1,500m last Olympics) and the owner of two world championship gold medals, plus she has multiple Dutch, European and world records to her name. What’s so impressive is not simply that Hassan has so many world records, but also the breadth of her success. Her shortest record is over 1,000m (her time of 2:34.68 is the Dutch record). Jumping up to the 1,500m, she has the European best of 3:51.95, and her mile PB of 4:12.33 is the world record. The European records in the 3,000m, 5,000m, 10,000m and half-marathon all belong to Hassan, and she owns the one-hour world record, too. 

With so much success over so many distances, she will likely do something amazing in the marathon. It shouldn’t be a surprise if it takes her a race or two to get into the marathon mindset (going from the half to full marathon is a big jump, even for the world’s best runners), but it also won’t be a surprise if she ends up running one of the fastest marathon debuts in history on April 23. 

(02/03/2023) Views: 527 ⚡AMP
by Ben Snider-McGrath
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TCS London Marathon

TCS London Marathon

The London Marathon was first run on March 29, 1981 and has been held in the spring of every year since 2010. It is sponsored by Virgin Money and was founded by the former Olympic champion and journalist Chris Brasher and Welsh athlete John Disley. It is organized by Hugh Brasher (son of Chris) as Race Director and Nick Bitel...

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Ethiopia’s Worku Leads World-class Runners to 2023 Lagos City Marathon

Ethiopia’s Hayla Bazu Worku will be leading the team of foreign world-class runners that will compete at the Gold-label 8th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon on Saturday,  February 4th.

Worku, is one of the fastest full marathon runners in the world, having ran six world-class marathons in less than 2hours 9 minutes.

The 2014 Houston Marathon winner, ran his fastest time of 2:05:25 when he finished third place at the Berlin Marathon in 2010.

He ran a time of 2:06:16 when he finished second place at the Paris Marathon in 2009, ran 2:06:47 when he placed 6th at the Zurich Marathon in 2020.

Another world-class foreign runner ready to burn the route at the February 4 Gold-label Access Bank Lagos City Marathon is Kenya’s John Komen, a 2019 Athens Marathon winner  at a time of 2:16:34.

The 42-year- old Komen had recorded better time in past races; 2:07:13 in 2011 when he won the La Rochelle Marathon, 2:08:06 in 2008 at Reims Marathon, 2:08:12 at Paris Marathon and 2:08:13 when he won the Vanezia Marathon in 2009.

Kenya’s Barmasai David is another worldclass foreign runner with the biggest chances to prove a point at the Gold-Label 8th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.

David, has a personal best of 2:07:18 when he won the 2011 Dubai Marathon, the same year he placed fifth at the World Marathon Championships.

The 2020 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon winner has a very rich resume and the brightest opportunity to stay tops following his familiarity with the Lagos City Marathon route, having won the 2020 race at 2:10:23 and placed second in 2022, at the 7th edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon at 2:13:37. Its the same route and same weather.

In the women class, the top leading world-class foreign runners include; Tinbit Didey, former champion of the Marrakesh Marathon, Esther Macharia, a former winner of Graz Marathon and winner of Bregenz Marathon. She has a personal best of 2:27:15 recorded in 2022 at the Grandma’s Marathon in USA.

Kenya’s Mercy Jerop Kwambai, is yet another world-class runner, with the most recent performances that may change some expectations at the Gold-Label 8th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.

A total of 76 foreign runners were invited by the organizers, Nilayo Sports Management Limited, for the Gold-Label 8th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, made up of 47 men and 29 women world class runners.

(02/03/2023) Views: 549 ⚡AMP
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Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

“The IAAF and AIMS have a special interest in the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon so if you see their top officials at the third edition, don’t be surprised. Lagos is one of the few marathons in the world that got an IAAF Label after just two editions. This is a rare feat. The event had over 50,000 runners at...

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Olympic 100m champion Marcell Jacobs signs with Puma

On Feb. 2, German sports brand Puma announced they have signed the reigning Olympic 100m champion, Italy’s Marcell Lamont Jacobs, to a long-term contract.

In 2021, Jacobs sprinted onto the scene by winning a series of big races, including Olympic gold in the 100m and the 4x100m relay. He is also the reigning European 100m champion and the world and European 60m indoor champion, two titles he won in 2022. His personal best over the 100m is 9.80 seconds.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jacobs, as Usain Bolt’s successor, to the PUMA Family,” said Pascal Rolling, head of sports marketing at Puma. “With Jacobs, Andre de Grasse, Shericka Jackson, Elaine Thompson-Herah and many others, PUMA has an incredible lineup of sprint athletes ahead of some very important track and field events this year and next.”

Last summer, Jacobs pulled out of the World Championship semi-final in Eugene due to an injury he suffered to his biceps femoris (part of the hamstring). His injury also resulted in him withdrawing from three Diamond League meets earlier in the season.

Jacobs has over one million followers on Instagram, where he is known as “crazylongjumper”, a reference to the event he first competed in as a pro—the long jump. Jacobs was previously with Nike during all four of his major championship wins.

“The combination of his athletic success and his great personal style makes him an ideal ambassador for Puma,” said Rolling in a press release.

Jacobs will make his season debut this Saturday in Poland, wearing Puma’s new exclusive evoSPEED Tokyo Nitro spikes, which offer the ultimate combination of power and propulsion for maximum speed.

(02/03/2023) Views: 606 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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Five ways to stay motivated in the middle of your training build up

When it comes to training, the end goal of your A-race is sometimes so far in the future that it can be easy to lose focus and motivation. At first, reminding yourself of why you started working so hard may be enough to kick you into gear, but soon enough, you may find yourself feeling less and less motivated as the weeks drag by. If you don’t do something to nip that in the bud and climb out of that rut, then you may make it to race day grossly underprepared. To avoid crashing out before your big race, here are five ways to stay motivated in your training build. 

1.- Add another race or a TT to your schedule 

Your A-race may be your main goal for the season, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add more to your schedule. If you find your motivation waning, signing up for another run could be just what you need to revamp your competitive drive and desire to train. You don’t even have to sign up for a real race. Instead, you can run a time trial. The key here is to act like your individual time trial is an actual race. Pick a date and work toward it.

The morning of, go through your normal race-day routine. Tackle the time trial like you would any other race. By the end of your race or time trial, you’ll likely be hungry for more, once again motivated to work toward your ultimate goal.

2.- Try different types of cross-training

You should be doing some cross-training anyway, but if you’re not, adding some non-running workouts to your schedule is a great idea. Cross-training will not only help you stay fit while relieving your body of some of the physical stress caused by running, but it is also a great way to break out of the monotony of your everyday training schedule. Hop on the bike, go to the pool, try out a rowing machine at the gym—whatever you choose, it will be a welcome break from running your same old routes around town while still helping you improve your fitness.

3.- Get a training partner 

Lots of runners work out solo, but if you find yourself lacking motivation, getting a training partner or joining a running group may be a good way to fall back in love with running. When you have a set running date with a training partner or a group, you’ll feel obligated to get out of bed and get to work. This feeling of obligation will soon turn to anticipation and excitement, as you’ll look forward to joining your friend(s) for your weekly run meetup. 

4,- Set incremental goals 

Setting a long-term goal is great, but they’re not the only goals you should consider for yourself. With a long-term goal, the payoff is months away, but if you set incremental goals that will help you reach that ultimate objective, you’ll give yourself regular validation throughout training. Aim to hit PBs in training, to get faster at specific workouts and to lengthen your long runs. Whatever the goals may be, they will give you something to chase in the moment every day. 

5.- Update your listening library

Sometimes your lack of motivation will be due to boredom, and that might be cured by adding to your music or podcast library. You’ve already been training for months, and if you’ve been listening to the same music or shows day in and day out, you’re probably getting sick of them (even if you might not consciously realize it). Look for a new playlist, a new album or a new podcast to keep you entertained next run. It may just be the key to you getting re-energized in training. 

(02/03/2023) Views: 537 ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine
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Should I increase my distance or speed?

New runners are often confused about how to set goals for speed and distance. If you are a beginning runner, you may wonder if you should improve your distance first or if you should train to get faster. The short answer: Train for distance first.

It's better for you to start by building an endurance base. That means that you increase your aerobic capacity first. You increase your mileage so that longer runs are more comfortable. As you build up your endurance, your speed will also improve.

Once you have established some strength and stamina for going the distance, you can train for distance and speed at the same time. Varying your routine by mixing distance runs with shorter, faster workouts can actually help ensure that you are getting the most out of your training and minimize your chances of injury.

Distance vs. Speed for New Runners

As a new runner, you may be tempted to get faster first. Certainly, better race times are satisfying. But if you participate in speed training before you build a strong endurance base, you put yourself at risk for injury.

Gradually building your distance as you begin your training is a good way to ensure that you are building the strength and aerobic capacity you will need to start training harder and faster. And if you want to prepare for a race such as your first 5K, it makes sense to go for distance before you start to build speed. After all, it doesn't matter much if you are fast but lack the stamina to finish the race.

When you are ready to add speed, begin with some basic speed training via high-intensity intervals. You might do 200-meter, 400-meter or longer repeats that require you to run at paces faster than your current pace.

It's important that when you do these drills your form is good and that you have the aerobic capacity to avoid injury. If you have spent time building an endurance base, then these speed drills will be more effective.

Distance Training for New Runners

To build your endurance base, follow these guidelines to make the most of your training time.

Use a Run/Walk Strategy

Don't put pressure on yourself to run the entire length of your desired distance. By doing a run/walk combination, you'll be able to cover more distance and you'll still get a great workout. And you'll build the fitness—and confidence—you need to run longer without walking.

Run at a Conversational Pace

One of the most common reasons why beginner runners stop running before they reach their goal distance: They're running too fast. When you first start running, you should be running at a conversational pace. That means that you can very easily talk in complete sentences while running. If you're gasping for air, you're definitely going too fast.

Some beginning runners are actually physically fit enough to run a certain distance, but they don't have the confidence or mental strength to push themselves farther. In many cases, it's simply "mind over matter." Try to distract yourself by playing mind games, choosing new running routes, or running with other people.

Add no more than 10% of your current distance per week. So if you are currently running five miles per week, you might add about a half-mile to your weekly run until you feel comfortable running that distance. Then add slightly more.

Speed Training for New Runners

Once you have established a solid endurance base, you can start incorporating more speedwork into your training routine. But as with adding distance, it is important to ease your body into speed training gradually.

Running is a high-impact sport. Adding distance or speed to your routine puts a lot of strain on your muscles, joints, and bones, as well as your heart and lungs. If you start tackling too much too soon, you run the risk of getting hurt, fatigued, or burned out.

How do you know when you are ready to start speeding things up? If you are a new runner, you should train consistently for four to six weeks before you start building up your speed.

After you've been running regularly for four to six weeks and have a nice base, you can start by adding strides into one of your weekly runs. You can also try picking up the pace towards the end of one of your runs. After three to four weeks of this, you can start to add tempo runs, fartlek runs, or interval workouts.

Fartleks

One of the best ways to start increasing your speed, fartleks involve running slightly faster for about two minutes before easing back to your normal pace to recover for about four minutes. Repeat these intervals several times throughout your run.

Tempo Runs

This type of run involves starting at an easy pace to warm up, then moving into a speed that is about 10 seconds slower than your race pace for the next 20 to 25 minutes of your run. The goal of this pace is to increase your anaerobic threshold, a critical component for boosting your speed.

Interval Runs

In this type of speedwork, you add short bursts of faster running with recovery intervals at an easier pace.

Mile Repeats

These are a standard for improving your run time and are easy to do. Start by running a mile at a fast pace, then slow down for a recovery period. After about a half-mile at a recovery pace, pick back up for another faster-paced mile. Always be sure to include a warm-up and cool-down before and after your run.

Adding speed work to your runs is a great way to improve your fitness, strength, and aerobic capacity. If you are new to running, it is essential to start by building a solid endurance base before you start working on your speed. Eventually, you can incorporate both speed and distance training, which can be a great way to make your runs more fun and rewarding.

(02/02/2023) Views: 670 ⚡AMP
by Christine Luff
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Kenyan Charles Lokir said he is now preparing for the World Championships in Budapest

Fresh from winning his maiden national cross country championships title, Charles Lokir said he is now preparing for the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Lokir said he plans to use this weekend's Sirikwa Classic World Athletics Cross Country Tour at the Lobo Village in Kapseret, Uasin Gishu County.

Lokir, who also won the North Rift Athletics Kenya region title during the regional championships in Maralal, Samburu County  said: "I want to register better results this year."

"I know it will be a very competitive race but I have been training well for the race. I was fifth during last year's edition and I want to improve on this by finishing in the podium places."

Speaking during Sunday's Discovery Kenya Cross Country Championships at the Eldoret Sports Club, Lokir said winning the national title was a good thing but he cannot celebrate for long.

Instead, he said this will only serve as inspiration to train harder.

“Winning the national cross country for the first time was a motivation for me and my career. This means I will have to work harder to remain at the top and i am certain this is possible," he added.

Lokir said his mission is to represent the country at the World Championships in Budapest to atone for his failures at the 2019 World Cross Country in Aarhus, Denmark, where he finished a disappointing 15th.

“I ran very well at the national trials, finishing third, but I could only manage a 15th-place finish in Denmark. It was disappointed but that in the nature of competition,” said Lokir, who was accompanied by his coach Daniel Ng’eitch..

He observed that Sirikwa Classic will test him accordingly as he targets a slot in the Team Kenya 10, 000m category.

“I want to compete in 10,00m at the world championships in Budapest. It has been a while since Kenya won gold in this race and I want to try my luck,” he concluded.

(02/02/2023) Views: 572 ⚡AMP
by Emmanuel Sabuni
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World Athletics Championships Budapest 23

World Athletics Championships Budapest 23

From August 19-27, 2023, Budapest will host the world's third largest sporting event, the World Athletics Championships. It is the largest sporting event in the history of Hungary, attended by athletes from more than 200 countries, whose news will reach more than one billion people. Athletics is the foundation of all sports. It represents strength, speed, dexterity and endurance, the...

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Defending champion Kipruto to take on Bekele, Kamworor, Farah, Tola and Kiptum at London Marathon

The 2023 TCS London Marathon elite men’s field will be a landmark occasion when, for the first time in history, two men who have run inside 2:02 will be together on the same start line at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on 23 April.

Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele, the second-fastest man ever with a PB of 2:01:41, and Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum, the winner of the 2022 Valencia Marathon and the fastest marathon debutant in history (2:01:53) have both been confirmed for the race.

With Ethiopian duo Birhanu Legese (2:02:48) and Mosinet Geremew (2:02:55) also in the field, it means this year’s London Marathon will have four of the five fastest men in marathon history on the start line.

In addition, the defending champion Amos Kipruto of Kenya and world champion Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia will also return to London, along with multiple world and Olympic champion Mo Farah and two-time New York Marathon winner Geoffrey Kamworor.

Kipruto’s win at last year’s London Marathon was the biggest victory of his career and his first Abbott World Marathon Major triumph. “Winning last year’s TCS London Marathon was an incredible experience for me,” said the 30-year-old, who was second at last year’s Tokyo Marathon behind world record-holder Eliud Kipchoge and third in the 2019 World Championships. “I am now preparing hard for this year’s race and I can’t wait to return to London as the champion.

“London always has a really strong field and this year is the same so I know I will face a battle to defend my title, but I’m confident and looking forward to it.”

Tola, who won the world title in Oregon last year, will be one of several men aiming to prevent Kipruto from winning back-to-back titles. Tola, 31, is in a fine run of form over the 26.2-mile distance, winning the 2021 Amsterdam Marathon and finishing third at the 2022 Tokyo Marathon (behind Kipchoge and Kipruto) before winning his world title last summer.

Also in the field is last year’s runner-up Leul Gebresilase of Ethiopia, and the second-placed finisher in London in both 2020 and 2021 Vincent Kipchumba.

The new holder of the Oceanian marathon record Brett Robinson, who ran 2:07:31 in Fukuoka last year, returns to London after finishing eighth in 2022. Japan’s 2018 Boston Marathon champion Yuki Kawauchi is making his London Marathon debut in what will be his 114th marathon. By finishing in London, Kawauchi will be eligible for his Abbott World Marathon Majors six star medal for finishing all six major marathons: London, Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York.

The elite women’s field will be announced tomorrow.

Elite men’s field

Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:01:41

Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) 2:01:53

Birhanu Legese (ETH) 2:02:48

Mosinet Geremew (ETH) 2:02:55

Amos Kipruto (KEN) 2:03:13

Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2:03:39

Kinde Atanaw (ETH) 2:03:51

Leul Gebresilase (ETH) 2:04:02

Vincent Kipchumba (KEN) 2:04:28

Seifu Tura (ETH) 2:04:29

Mo Farah (GBR) 2:05:11

Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 2:05:23

Yuki Kawauchi (JPN) 2:07:27

Brett Robinson (AUS) 2:07:31

Dewi Griffiths (GBR) 2:09:49

Rory Linkletter (CAN) 2:10:24

Chris Thompson (GBR) 2:10:52

Tom Gröschel (GER) 2:11:03

Ben Connor (GBR) 2:11:20

Joshua Griffiths (GBR) 2:11:28

Frank Lara (USA) 2:11:32

Luke Caldwell (GBR) 2:11:33

Weynay Ghebresilasie (GBR) 2:11:57

Emile Cairess (GBR) debut.

(02/02/2023) Views: 783 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics
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TCS London Marathon

TCS London Marathon

The London Marathon was first run on March 29, 1981 and has been held in the spring of every year since 2010. It is sponsored by Virgin Money and was founded by the former Olympic champion and journalist Chris Brasher and Welsh athlete John Disley. It is organized by Hugh Brasher (son of Chris) as Race Director and Nick Bitel...

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Yalemzerf Yehualaw, Brigid Kosgei headline stellar women's London Marathon field

Ethiopia's Yalemzerf Yehualaw will defend her London Marathon title in April, with world record holder Brigid Kosgei and Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya also set to run, organisers said on Thursday.

Reigning Olympic 10,000m and 5,000m champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands will make her marathon debut at the age of 30, with 1,500m world record holder Genzebe Dibaba, 2016 Olympic 10,000m champion Almaz Ayana and Berlin Marathon champion Tigist Assefa also taking part.

Home hopes will be carried by Britain's Eilish McColgan, the Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion, who will also be making her marathon debut.

"My victory at last year's TCS London Marathon was a day I will never forget. I can't wait to go back to London and be part of this amazing team," world 10km record holder Yehualaw said.

Hassan said she was considering both track and marathon options ahead of next year's Olympic Games in Paris.

"I need to test myself over the marathon distance... I'm really excited to be making my marathon debut. It will be a step into the unknown in many ways for me but I'm looking forward to it," she added.

Race director Hugh Brasher is delighted with the strength of the field.

"This is quite simply the greatest women's field ever assembled for a marathon – arguably the greatest field ever assembled for a women's distance race," he said.

"We have two reigning Olympic champions, three world record holders and multiple national record holders, in addition to an incredibly strong British contingent led by Eilish McColgan."

(02/02/2023) Views: 738 ⚡AMP
by Reuters
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TCS London Marathon

TCS London Marathon

The London Marathon was first run on March 29, 1981 and has been held in the spring of every year since 2010. It is sponsored by Virgin Money and was founded by the former Olympic champion and journalist Chris Brasher and Welsh athlete John Disley. It is organized by Hugh Brasher (son of Chris) as Race Director and Nick Bitel...

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