Running News Daily

The stage is set for one of the most decisive nights in British distance running, as this year’s UK Athletics 10,000m Championships are scheduled to unfold at the Loughborough International Athletics Meeting on May 17. More than just a national title race, the event carries added weight—serving as the official selection trial for the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.

In what promises to be a fiercely competitive contest, the nation’s top endurance athletes will converge on Loughborough with everything on the line. Championship medals will matter, but qualification for Birmingham will be the ultimate prize, raising the stakes to extraordinary levels.

Loughborough has long been a breeding ground for elite performances, and its fast track is expected to produce a race of both tactical brilliance and raw speed. Athletes will need to strike a delicate balance—managing pace, positioning, and endurance across 25 laps—while remaining sharp enough to respond to inevitable surges in the closing stages.

With European Championship places at stake, the race is likely to attract a deep and ambitious field. Established names will aim to assert dominance, while emerging talents will see this as a golden opportunity to break through on the national stage. The result could reshape Britain’s long-distance hierarchy heading into 2026.

Beyond the competition itself, the event symbolizes a critical step on the road to Birmingham. Every lap run in Loughborough will echo with intent, as athletes push their physical and mental limits in pursuit of continental glory.

As the countdown begins, anticipation continues to build. On May 17, Loughborough won’t just host a race—it will host a defining moment in British athletics, where dreams of European success are either realized or left just out of reach.

Alex Yee Set to Chase 10,000m Personal Best at UK Championships in June

Alex Yee, one of the world’s top triathletes and a former track standout, is returning to the oval. He will race the UK 10,000m Championships on June 14 in Birmingham, marking a rare and exciting return to the distance that first brought him national attention.

Now 26, Yee holds a personal best of 27:51.94, set in 2018 when he was just 20 years old. Since then, he’s become a global force in triathlon, but this appearance signals his desire to test himself once again in pure distance running—and possibly lower that mark.

Still a Triathlon Star—But Reconnecting With His Roots

Yee is not stepping away from triathlon. He remains a dominant force on the international scene, with his sights still set on future Olympic medals. However, this race shows his continued respect for the track and his belief that he has more to offer in the 10,000 meters.

His triathlon résumé is among the best in British history:

• Olympic Gold Medalist (Mixed Relay, Tokyo 2020)

• Olympic Silver Medalist (Individual, Tokyo 2020)

• World Triathlon Series Champion (2022)

• Multiple WTS race wins from 2021 to 2024

A PB in Sight?

Breaking 27:50 would place Yee among the UK’s all-time elite. With improved aerobic strength from years of world-class triathlon training, he has every reason to believe he can surpass his 2018 mark.

The UK Championships—often held as part of the electric Night of the 10,000m PBs—promises perfect conditions: a deep field, strong pacing, and a roaring crowd lining the track. All signs point to fast times.

His marathon debut

Alex Yee made his marathon debut at the 2025 London Marathon, finishing 14th overall with a time of 2:11:08. He passed the halfway mark in 1:04:19, maintaining a strong pace before facing challenges in the latter stages of the race.   

Despite not meeting his goal time, Yee described the experience as one of the best moments of his life. He expressed immense pride in completing the race, highlighting the emotional significance of running in his hometown.

Yee’s performance was notable, especially considering the transition from triathlon to marathon running. His debut showcased his endurance and determination, setting a strong foundation for potential future endeavors in long-distance running.

The Big Picture

For Yee, this is more than just a 10K—it’s a statement that his range as an athlete is still expanding. Whether or not he breaks his personal best, his presence adds prestige and intrigue to an already stacked field.

Can one of Britain’s greatest endurance athletes set a new benchmark? We’ll find out June 14 in Birmingham.

It wasn’t obvious from the start that he was going for the Canadian record, but Ben Flanagan made a move halfway into the Canadian 10K Championships at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend (also known as the Ottawa 10K, putting distance between himself, marathoner Rory Linkletter and Jeremy Coughler, and held on for the win, squeaking past his Canadian record by two seconds, to finish in 28:09. (The previous record, held jointly with Canadian marathon record holder Cam Levins, was 28:11.)

“I wanted to stay on the gas and in that final kilometre I gave it everything I had,” Flanagan told Canadian Running post-race. His final kilometre was a split of two minutes and 38 seconds. Linkletter finished second in Ottawa, in 28:40 (a new personal best) and Coughler third, in 28:55 (also a personal best).

It was overcast and about 18 C in Ottawa Saturday–slightly warmer than ideal for racing, but less hot than it has been in recent years, which was a relief for the runners and made fast times possible. The race began with a fairly sedate 2:57 split, but got progressively faster (the third-kilometre split was 2:45). Flanagan took advantage of the hard downhill turn where the race crosses the canal, to make his move. It was a $6,000 payday for Flanagan, who will get $5,000 for the win and an additional $1,000 bonus for the national record.

Linkletter will be disappointed not to take the national championship, something he has yet to accomplish in his career; he is Canadian, but lives and trains in Flagstaff, Arizona, under former American marathoner Ryan Hall. Linkletter has been named to the Canadian marathon team for the Paris Olympics, along with Levins. Flanagan is also qualified for the Olympics (in the 5,000m), but has not yet been officially selected.

Coughler won his third consecutive Spring Run-Off 8K in Toronto’s High Park in April; in 2023, he won the Canadian 10,000m Championships. 

For Flanagan and Linkletter, Saturday’s race was almost a repeat of the 2022 event, which Flanagan also won (in 28:40), with Linkletter finishing second. 

For the past nine years, the last weekend of May has been a significant date on the calendar for many of Canada’s top distance runners, who head to Ottawa to battle it out on the roads for the Canadian 10K Championship. Last year, Moh Ahmed came close to beating Ben Flanagan’s national record on the banks of the Rideau Canal, surging past Canadian record holder Cam Levins in the final kilometre to win his first national title on the roads.

Two-time Olympian Natasha Wodak dominated from gun to tape to win her second consecutive title on the women’s side. Now, Wodak is aiming for a third straight Canadian 10K title, which would put her in a league of her own and make her the only woman to three-peat in championship history.

Wodak is coming off her third marathon build in the last 12 months. Four weeks ago, she took her final shot at the Paris Olympic standard of 2:26:50 (at the Hamburg Marathon), but came up three and a half minutes shy. After a few days off, Wodak returned to training in hopes of winning her third consecutive 10K title. “It feels like my training for this has been brief,” laughs Wodak. “I’m hoping there’s some residual fitness in the legs.”

The Canadian record holder in the marathon has competed at the last seven editions of the 10K and won on four occasions. “It’s our national championships and I come here every year to compete,” says Wodak. “I have no false expectations of winning, but I know I’ll fight hard for a top-five spot.”

The women’s field this year is deeper than it has been in recent years, with (soon-to-be) three-time Canadian Olympian Malindi Elmore also dropping down in distance to challenge Wodak for the national title. Elmore made it clear at Friday’s press conference that she’ll be racing on a full week’s training load and using the race to kick off the next stage of her Olympic marathon build.

Outside of Elmore and Wodak, former national champion Lanni Marchant returns to Ottawa, coming off a solid performance at the Night of the 10,000m PBs in London last weekend, where she ran 33:24. Marchant last won here in Ottawa in 2016. Eliyah Brawdy of Smithers, B.C., could also be a surprise winner. Two weeks ago in Coquitlam, B.C., Brawdy won her first national title over 10,000m (on the track), clocking an impressive 33:37.

Rory Linkletter vs. Ben Flanagan

Calgary’s Rory Linkletter had two goals for his 2024 season, and he’s already accomplished one of them: punching his ticket to the Paris Olympic Games (his second Olympics). Now, he aims to achieve his second goal: winning his first career Canadian national title. Linkletter came close two weeks ago at the Canadian 10,000m Championships in B.C., finishing second to Toronto’s Andrew Alexander in a wild sprint finish, but now he’ll get that chance once again on Saturday night in Ottawa, with only a few men standing in his way—including one of Canada’s best road racers and the 10K record holder, Ben Flanagan.

These two men know each other very well, having competed against one another for the last 10 years (dating back to their collegiate days in the NCAA). Being just one year apart in age, their careers have taken different paths. Flanagan has racked up several national titles over 5K and 10K and found success on the track over 5,000m. In contrast, Linkletter jumped up to the marathon, lowering his personal best by eight minutes since his debut in 2019. “The Ottawa 10K will be a good test of where I’m at,” says Linkletter. “I look forward to racing more than anything, and I love doing it—I always want to win.”

Flanagan has won the Ottawa 10K in his last two appearances and dominated the race from start to finish when he won two years ago in 28:39. “This is my first road race of the season before gearing up for the Canadian Olympic Trials,” says Flanagan. “I’m excited and eager to see where my fitness is at. I want to put on a show.”

Wodak secures her second national in three weeks, and Coughler wins his first Canadian 10,000m title at Pacific Distance Carnival in Langley, B.C.

Three weeks after successfully defending her Canadian 10K title in Ottawa, Natasha Wodak added another national title to her extensive resume at the Canadian 10,000m Championships in Langley, B.C. Wodak won by a significant margin of 30 seconds, securing her second Canadian title of the 2023 season. On the men’s side, London, Ont’s. Jeremy Coughleremerged as a first-time national champion, crossing the finish line in 28:46.96 on a warm and windy evening at the Pacific Distance Carnival.

Despite experiencing some minor hamstring tightness leading up to the 10,000m championships, Wodak displayed her exceptional fitness by establishing an impressive lead of nearly 100 meters after the 5K mark. Assisted by 2020 Olympian Natalia Allen for 12.5 laps, Wodak maintained her position and claimed victory overKatelyn Ayers and Cleo Boyd.

Ayers achieved a personal best time of 33:11.77, securing second place, while Boyd from Kingston, Ont., finished seven seconds behind Ayers in 33:18.27, taking the third spot. This marks the second time in the last four years that Wodak has achieved the remarkable feat of winning both the 10,000m and 10K titles. She previously accomplished this feat in 2019.

Wodak will now return to training as she continues her preparations for the marathon at the 2023 World Athletics Championships scheduled in Budapest in late August. Her last representation for Canada was at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she placed 13th in the marathon.

Coughler captures Canadian crown

For Coughler, following his third-place finish at the Canadian 10K Championships last month, the desire for further success propelled him to secure his first individual Canadian national title. Representing the London Western Track Club and working as a full-time chiropractor, Coughler has been on a roll in 2023, winning multiple races and showcasing his talent. Perry MacKinnon from Sherbrooke, Que., impressed with a commendable time of 28:52.60, securing the second position.

Meanwhile, Mexican Olympian Juan Luis Barrios claimed third place with a time of 28:55.82. However, since Barrios is ineligible for Canadian championship recognition, the third-place medal was awarded to Andrew Alexander from Toronto, who finished fourth in 29:25.64.

After his disappointing season last year he talked about having one last hurrah – a big farewell race somewhere to mark the end of a career that has brought him, among other things, 10 global track titles.

But there is now speculation he could be involved in this summer’s major championships on the track. Who knows, a return to the London Marathon in October could even be on the cards too.

Firstly, let’s stick to what we know. As Farah is racing 10km on the roads of London on May 2 and Manchester on May 22, this means we can pretty much rule him out of racing in the Müller Birmingham Diamond League on May 21.

Farah does not seem afraid of putting his reputation on the line either, incidentally, as the Great Manchester Run is also set to feature Stewart McSweyn, the Australian who holds the Oceania record for 1500m, mile and 3000m in addition to having clocked 27:23.80 for 10,000m on the track.

In addition, Andy Butchart is set to race and has been in good shape recently after having run 27:36.77 for 10,000m in California this month to break Ian Stewart’s 45-year-old Scottish record.

So if Farah’s road races in May go well, what are his options? Surprisingly he has never won a Commonwealth title and with the event on home soil in Birmingham it must be tempting.

The consensus is that he would struggle on the track against the likes of Joshua Cheptegei and Selemon Barega in the World Championships in Oregon in July. But Christian Malcolm, the head coach of the British team, has suggested it is “50/50”.

Speaking as last weekend’s World Indoor Championships in Belgrade drew to a close, Malcolm said: “Sir Mo is working hard and training. We will see how he goes in the summer. But he’s at that age now where you have to take it week-by-week, month-by-month, see where you are at in training.”

On the chances of him competing in Oregon, Malcolm added: “It’s possible. We don’t know at the moment. It’s 50-50 if I am being honest with you. Hopefully we will know a little bit more over the next six weeks.

As for the Great Manchester Run, Farah last took part in the event in 2018 when he outkicked Moses Kipsiro to clock 28:27.

Farah said: “I’m pleased to say the injury problems I had last year are now behind me, training has been going well and I am happy with the shape I am showing.

“Any time I race in the UK it is exciting for me because I love running in front of my home fans and I want to give my best for them.  I had an amazing reception in Manchester when I won the event in 2018 so I’m looking forward to racing on the streets of the city again later this year.”

It will be fascinating to see if Farah’s form during May is close to his best or whether there is little improvement on last year when he struggled at the British 10,000m Championships in Birmingham to clock 27:50.64 before barely improving three weeks later to run  27:47.04 in an invitation 10,000m at the Olympic trials in Manchester.

How will he fare, too, if he comes up against the rising force of Marc Scott, who beat Farah in Birmingham last year despite not being 100% fit himself and has since won the Great North Run, clocked 12:57.08 for 5000m indoors and on Saturday won bronze in the 3000m at the World Indoor Championships?

Distance running legend returns to the roads of London and Manchester in May but what else does the summer of 2022 hold in store?

After signing up to race the Vitality London 10,000 on the roads of the British capital on May 2, Mo Farah has now announced he will be running the Great Manchester Run on May 22.

Despite turning 39 years old March 23 and enduring an injury-hit summer in 2021 which saw him fail to make the British Olympic team for Tokyo, there are signs he could be entering a surprisingly busy racing period.

Olympic champion hopes to beat the 10,000m qualifying standard for the Tokyo Games at an invitational race on the first day of the Müller British Athletics Championships

After shaking off the ankle problem which affected his performance at the Müller British 10,000m Championships and European Cup event at the University of Birmingham last week, Mo Farah will have another crack at the Olympic qualifying mark in a special invitational race on Friday June 25 at the Müller British Athletics Championships in Manchester.

Farah clocked 27:50.64 in Birmingham on June 5 as he finished second Briton home behind Marc Scott and eighth overall in a race won by Morhad Amdouni of France. But after seeking treatment for the injury, the 38-year-old is going to Sportcity in Manchester next week to attack the 27:28.00 qualifying mark.

Farah insisted in Birmingham last week that he can still get into shape to defend his Olympic title in Tokyo and rumours are he was in excellent form up until the eve of the British trials and European Cup race but the edge was taken off his fitness in the final fortnight due to the injury and slight illness.

This invitational 10,000m race will kick off a busy three-day Olympic trials meeting and will evoke memories of classic 10,000m races on Friday night at the AAA Championships from yesteryear.

Most notably, for example, Dave Bedford set a world record of 27:30.8 at Crystal Palace in 1973. Ironically, Farah needs to run just 2.8 seconds quicker next Friday too, although it is unlikely to be easy and the veteran distance runner will rely on several pacemakers to help him in his quest.

On a typical day, Farah said, he’ll have a little toast for breakfast, before going out for a 10 or 12 mile run around 9 or 9.30 am. When he has come back and showered, he might answer a few emails before taking a nap. In the afternoon he’ll go for a light jog, covering five or six miles. In total he will usually run around 17 to 18 miles, apart from Sundays when he will often do a long 20 mile run.

At the time of recording, Farah was taking part in a training camp in Flagstaff, Arizona, 7,000 feet above sea level. Farah said a handful of fellow Team GB athletes were due to join him there, including Laura Muir and Andrew Butchart.

Although he is the reigning Olympic champion, Farah still has to qualify for the games at the Müller British Athletics 10,000m Championships in Birmingham on Saturday, June 5.

Asked about his high-mileage training regime, Farah told Wicks, 'You have to be able to put in the work.' 'Anything is possible in life if you condition yourself, condition your body – you can get through it.'

He added: 'With me, I have to run that kind of distance and condition my body. I’m not just going to turn up at the Olympics and try and win off the back of one month, two months, three months – it’s the whole leading up to it. Condition your body, get yourself in the best shape that you can.'

Describing how he maintains his focus, Farah described himself as 'an addict.'

He said, 'When you go out for a run, or when you do a session, you feel that relief – that’s what drives me. Having so many people behind you and knowing you’re doing it for your country, that’s what keeps me going.'

He added, 'I think what keeps me going to this day is 2012 – what I did in 2012 and how it happened – that bit drives me every day.

'Over the years I’ve learned from races and making mistakes – it’s OK to make mistakes. If you get it wrong in a race, it’s OK! As long as you learn what went wrong, it’s easier to fix it' Farah told Wicks.

Despite being reigning Olympic champion, Mo Farah must still qualify for this summer’s Tokyo Games and on June 5 at a University of Birmingham track that is likely to be bereft of spectators he will take on the rising stars Marc Scott, Jake Smith and Sam Atkin over 25 laps.

The trio have been named as part of the British team for the European 10,000m Cup, which is held as part of the Müller British Athletics 10,000m Championships.

The event, which is also the official Olympic trial for British athletes, sees a strong domestic line up in the women’s race too with Eilish McColgan, Jess Judd and Amy-Eloise Markovc among others.

Farah’s last 10,000m on the track was at the 2017 World Championships in London where he won his sixth world title. Since then he has enjoyed a foray on to the roads and the marathon but he is returning to the track this year to try to win another Olympic track title aged 38.

Since 2017 he has only raced once on the track – in a one-hour run in Brussels last summer – but appears to have been training well and is set to face a new generation of hungry young British runners in a 10,000m showdown.

This is also the first official trial for a major championship that Farah has done since 2010 when he ran the UK Inter-Counties Cross-Country Championships.