Running News Daily

Jenny Simpson is Retiring after the New York City Marathon and Starting a New Adventure

After concluding a stellar, 20-year career, the Olympic bronze medalist will embark on a 50-state running-infused van-life tour of the U.S. with her husband, Jason, in 2025

Jenny Simpson will go down in the annals of American running as one of the greatest of all time. No question about it.

So as she approaches what is likely the last elite-level race of her long and storied career at the November 3 New York City Marathon, she has nothing to prove, no one to impress, and no specific performance goal that she needs to attain to secure her legacy.

As a four-time global championship medalist in the 1500 meters—including a victory in the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Diamond League title in 2014, and bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics—Simpson has long been destined to go down as one of the best runners in U.S. history.

Add to that three Olympic appearances, 11 U.S. titles, three NCAA championships, eight top-10 finishes in international championships, eight Fifth Avenue Mile victories, six NCAA records (in six different events), and two American records (in the 3,000-meter steeplechase), and Simpson will rank among American legends for decades to come.

The fact that she’s been earnestly training to finish her career with a strong marathon performance in New York City epitomizes much of what the 38-year-old runner from Boulder, Colorado, has been about during her 20-year career. She’s not necessarily going out on top—that, she says, would have entailed making the U.S. Olympic team in the marathon for the Paris Olympic Games. But she is going out on her terms: focused, tenacious, and relentless to the end. It’s an opportunity afforded to few athletes, and even fewer distance runners.

“When I say I’m feeling good, it’s that I’m really excited for New York and I feel like I have a really, really good sense about my ability to run well,” she says. “I’m not going into it saying I’m gonna set the world on fire and be the top American or run 2:25 on that course. But I just know as good as I feel and as good as the training has gone, I know I’m capable of having a good day, and, most importantly, I have peace about it all.”

But as this chapter of life closes for Simpson, another very exciting one is about to begin, and that one will include quite a bit of running, too. She and her husband, Jason, are planning to embark on a year-long tour of the U.S. in 2025 that will take them—and their two Jack Russell Terriers, Truman and Barkley—to all 50 states while living out a van-life adventure focused on immersing in America’s thriving running culture.

From participating in races and visiting national parks to running iconic routes like Rim to Rim across the Grand Canyon and discovering hidden trails, Jenny and Jason have said their goal is to capture the heartwarming and inspiring essence of the country through the eyes of runners.

“We want to experience the beauty of this country firsthand, meet the incredible people who call it home, and celebrate everything that makes the U.S. so special,” says Jenny Simpson, who has represented the U.S. on the world stage for nearly two decades. “Through this journey, we hope to show that America’s beauty is not just in its landmarks, but in its people and the unique places they live, run, and explore.”

Out of the Ashes

In December of 2021, a devastating wildfire ripped through the south end of Boulder County—including the communities of Marshall, Louisville, and Superior, where it burned more than 1,084 homes and killed two residents and more than 900 pets. Miraculously, it didn’t burn the Simpson’s house—a restored circa-1900 schoolhouse they bought several years ago that was less than a half mile from the fire’s origin—but the house did incur significant smoke damage that needed mitigating.

The Simpsons were displaced and spent several months living in an apartment with little furniture, which forced them to live a rather spartan lifestyle. While Jason was still able to work as a creative director for a design firm, Jenny’s contract hadn’t been renewed by New Balance, and she wasn’t sure what the future held.

During that time, she had been doing a weekly call with her sister, Emily, and Jason’s sister, Annie, to discuss the book Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life, a guide aimed at helping people to reimagine their professional and personal lives. It was through those discussions that Jenny came up with an idea of buying a Winnebago so she and Jason could drive around the country with Truman, who they rescued in 2020 just before the Covid lockdown. (They got Barkley about three years later.)

“My idea was that we can just drive around America and see the place that I’ve had stamped across my chest on my Team USA gear all these years,” she says. “I have been on Team USA, but I really want to know what that means. I’ve raced in some amazing places all around the world, but I really haven’t seen much of our own country. I want to go see the places and the people that I haven’t seen. And then I had this idea of doing a 50 states, 50 weeks tour.”

Jenny told Jason about the idea and he was interested from the start, but it was initially just a fun distraction while Jenny was battling injuries. Jason was so intrigued, though, that he started searching for information about vans online and indulging in YouTube content from a variety of van-life influencers. Eventually, Jenny was healthy and racing on the roads for Puma, ultimately with a quest to qualify for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon.

A year later, they were still casually talking about the enticing “what if” possibilities of owning a van.

“So by 2023, we were like, ‘What do these vans look like? What do they cost? What kind of different layouts are best?” says Jason, 40, a 20-time marathoner with a 2:18:44 personal best. “And then I got really into the travel influencer YouTube videos and at some point told Jenny, ‘Hey, let’s just go look at them.’ And that led to looking at the timelines of: if we were to do this in 2024 or 2025, what would it take? It takes like a long time to build out the vans, and we are definitely not build-it-yourself van people.”

On Her Own Terms 

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Simpson’s career has been her consistency. She qualified for every U.S. national team on the track between 2007 and 2019. Not only did she put in the work and remain virtually injury-free during that time, but she also raced fiercely and rose to the occasion every single time without a single hiccup in any of her preliminary races. (She also made it to the 1500-meter final of the Covid-delayed U.S. Olympic Trials in 2021 at age 35 after what she admitted was a rough gap in competition during the pandemic.)

For most of that time, she was coached by her University of Colorado coaches Mark Wetmore and Heather Burroughs. They continued coaching her as she transitioned to road running over the past three years and ultimately to the build-up to the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in Orlando, Florida. Although she had brief moments of success on the roads—finishing second in the U.S. 10-mile championship in 2021 and turning in a solid ninth-place, 1:10:35 effort in the Houston Half Marathon in 2023—the first injuries of her career disrupted her training and delayed her debut at 26.2 miles until the Olympic Trials.

Over the past three years, continuing to adhere to the rigid lifestyle needed to keep racing competitively was increasingly met at an internal crossroads of wondering when it would feel OK to retire and move on in life and what that would look like.

“Running the Olympics Trials and then running Boston, I would say those were not successful outings,” Simpson says. “I did the best that I could and I got as prepared as I could, but they weren’t what I had hoped for, neither of them were what I’m capable of. I’m really proud of how I ran in Boston because I ran entirely alone after mile 3, but that’s not how I wanted to end my career.”

After Boston, Jenny still wasn’t ready to retire. But she’d heard the chatter that suggested she could give up the ghost and not try to remain competitive on the roads, knowing her legacy was already secure. After she took some time off to recover and reflect, she knew she wanted to get back into training and target one more race on the biggest stage and settled on the New York City Marathon.

She parted ways with Wetmore and Burroughs in the spring and decided to train on her own, although she’s continually received subtle guidance from Jason, who qualified for and raced in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials in Atlanta. Although he has imparted bits of knowledge to help keep her balanced, Simpson has been following a training plan in her marathon buildup that she designed.

From Best in the U.S. to Across the U.S.

Casual interest in buying a van led to more in-depth investigation and, after what was an otherwise random training run on the dirt roads north of Denver last year, they passed an RV sales lot and decided to take a look. One thing led to another and they put down a small, refundable deposit that would hold a fully appointed 23-foot Winnebago Ekko during what was expected to be nearly a year-long wait until it was built and delivered.

Fast forward to 2024 and Jenny made her marathon debut on February 3 in Orlando, but it didn’t go at all as she had hoped. She had been running among the top 20 early in the race but  eventually dropped out at mile 18. She returned 10 weeks later to run a respectable Boston Marathon in mid-April (she placed 18th overall in 2:31:39 and was the fourth American finisher), and although her effort was commensurate with her inner drive—and some degree of success felt good—she still wasn’t ready to call it a career.

Finally, in April, several days before they were going to travel to Boston, the RV dealership called and told them the van had arrived and they had a week to consider buying it. At that point, Jenny was eager to run Boston to make amends for her Olympic Trials experience, but she was also physically and emotionally fried.

“And I was like, we’re doing it,” she says. “It was the perfect time in the perfect year. Because I was like, ‘I’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got to be done.’ It was killing me. I actually might perish in the middle of the Boston Marathon. I just was so burnt out, and so it was the perfect time for them to call and essentially say, ‘Do you want to drive away into the sunset?’ And I was like, ‘Yes, I do. I really do.’” 

Two days after the Boston Marathon, they paid the remainder of the balance on the van and picked it up, immediately sending them into daydreaming mode about where they wanted to go.

Although their plans are still being formulated, they intend to rent their house and hit the road with the charming dogs in January, officially starting their “Jenny and Jason Run USA” tour in Florida. Along the way, they plan to see numerous sights, host or join at least one fun run in every state, promote dog adoptions by publicizing local humane societies, and create a wide range of engaging social media content on their Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube accounts along the way. Given that their longest stint in the van so far was the six-day trip they took to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming early last summer, they know they’re going to have to learn on the fly and continually adapt. But that’s what an adventure is all about.

“I’ve been nothing but focused on running New York, but I am excited about what’s next,” Jenny said this week. “As I have been tiptoeing toward the idea of being retired from professional running, I don’t know that I’m going to be really great at it or that it’s going to come easily for me. That’s why it’s so wonderful to have a partner in life like Jason because I think he sees that, too. So our goal is to create a lot of time and space to figure that out. I think the year will be kind of interesting and fun and wild and I really don’t know how it’ll end up, and I think that’s really good.”

Approaching the End … and a Beginning

Simpson admits her post-Boston malaise contributed to her having an inconsistent summer of training, in part because she was listening to voices that suggested she should relax and not be so rigid in her approach. When she showed up to run the Beach to Beacon 10K in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, on August 3, she admits she wasn’t very fit, and, as a result, finished a distant 12th in 34:30.

“My Beach to Beacon race was just so bad that it was like validation to me that caring less and trying less doesn’t work for me ever in anything,” she said. “I’m just not that person. It works for some people, but that’s not who I am. I used to joke that when you show up to the track and someone asks, ‘How do you feel?’ I always thought to myself it doesn’t matter how I feel. It’s about doing the work. I always feel like it’s execution over emotion for me all the time and that I have a job to do. I know who I am and I know how I operate, and how I operate is great.”

Simpson got back to work immediately after that race, ramping up her weekly mileage to the 100-mile range in the high altitude environs of Colorado. She says she’s done more than half of her long runs between 8,500 and 10,500 feet, including runs on Magnolia Road above Boulder, Golden Gate Canyon State Park near Golden, and even a loop around the paved Mineral Belt Trail in Leadville.

Her return to rigidity and improved fitness helped bring mental clarity that not only convinced her that she’d be ready to run a strong marathon in New York City, but also brought the revelation that she was ready to admit it was her last race knowing it would allow her to retire on her own terms.

Two months after feeling flat in the 10K, she won the Wineglass Half Marathon on October 5 in Corning, New York, running a near-PR of 1:10:50 (5:24 per-mile pace) as she ran stride-for-stride to the finish line with Jason. (She broke the women’s finisher’s tape for the win, while he ran slightly to the side as the 12th-place men’s finisher and 13th overall.) Now she’s likely in sub-2:30 marathon shape, even though the hilly New York City Marathon course is as equally challenging as Boston in its own way. Jason, meanwhile, will race in the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K the day before the marathon, not only so he can track Jenny on Sunday and meet her at the finish line, but also because he’s running the California International Marathon on December 8.

2025 and Beyond

Simpson arrived in New York City on October 30 healthy, happy, and ready to run hard—definitely not the feeling of holding on for dear life that she felt going into the Olympic Trials and the Boston Marathon. She says she couldn’t be more excited to run through the city’s five boroughs to the finish line in Central Park that she hopes will come with a satisfying result, as well as the beginning of closure to her star-spangled career.

Who knows what’s next after that—Coaching? Law school? A corporate career with a shoe brand? The world seems to be her oyster, but for the time being the cross-country tour might be just what she needs most. She’s excited to detach a bit from the rigid schedule and identity she’s clung to for the past 20 years and enjoy the freedom of the open road. She knows it will be a complete departure from the essence of what she’s all about, and to that point, she’ll likely dig into planning and scheduling early next week even before she recovers from the marathon.

Although she admits she was intrigued while watching some of the top runners finish the Leadville Trail 100 this summer, she says she’s decidedly not interested in running ultras. (However, Jason might be, and Jenny says she’s been keen to pace and crew him.) She might get more into trail running, something she did a little bit early in her University of Colorado career. Or she might even return to road running, but she’s not thinking that far ahead. For now, she’s focused on racing in New York and then continuing to run in 2025—on the magical mystery tour that awaits—and beyond.

“I feel a lot of peace about it, but it’s not like I’m over running. I want to retire so I can do more running and to explore the beautiful country I raced for,” she says. “I wanted to be world class at the marathon, and I’m not. I gave it a good try, and now it’s time to try something else, and I just feel really good about it.”

7 Marathons in 7 Days on 7 Continents: Is There Such a Thing as Racing Too Much?

Don’t let your bucket list lead to burnout.

Setting running goals is typically a good thing. Goals keep you engaged and on track. They shape your training with purpose, structure, and accountability. However, sometimes an endless list of goals can backfire. More races. More consecutive events. More miles. It leaves us wondering: How much racing is too much racing? 

It’s healthy to test your limits and perceived boundaries, but running half marathons and marathons takes a toll—physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and financially. Finding the sweet spot between your comfort zone and the danger zone is tricky. 

So, we chatted with a few experts on setting values-driven goals, being ambitious but realistic, and using social media for support (beyond that quick hit of dopamine). Before you tackle your racing bucket list, read on.

How much racing is too much racing?

According to the experts, there’s no definitive answer to the “too much racing” question. “It depends on the person and what your short and long-term goals are and your current fitness conditions,” Raj Hathiramani, certified running coach at Mile High Run Club in New York City, tells Runner’s World. Even a series like the World Marathon Challenge, in which participants jet between all seven continents, completing a different marathon every day for one week straight, is doable if you’re prepared.

That said, training for an aggressive racing schedule requires time (for both running and recovery) and resources, like coaching, gym access, and funding to cover travel, race fees, childcare, and other family and household-related support. 

“This is where I think a lot of people get it wrong,” Todd Buckingham, Ph.D., exercise physiologist at PTSportsPRO in Grand Rapids, Michigan tells Runner’s World. “They want to do a marathon or an Ironman, but they only have, say, three hours a week to train. That’s not going to be feasible.” 

Buckingham points out that your training and race schedule needs to fit into the reality of your life and not the other way around. Otherwise, you risk overextending yourself and heading into events undertrained, which can lead to disappointment and injury. 

How do you determine how much to race?

1. Start with your why

Before you start registering for races and scheduling training runs, ask yourself this question: “Why am I doing this?” There’s no right or wrong answer, but if you’re drawing a blank, or the big pay-off is external validation (are you already mentally editing your highlight reel?), you may need to re-evaluate your goals. 

That’s because healthy, worthwhile goals should align with your personal values, according to Mike Gross, Psy.D., head of sport psychology services at Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey. “Let’s get a sense of your ‘why’ and be really clear on that,” he tells Runner’s World. “Why in your heart do you want to do this?” he asks, noting that your why can serve as a compass that guides your actions and keeps you focused and on course in the face of obstacles. 

If you don’t understand your reasons for doing something, you’re more likely to give up or follow through just for the sake of getting it done. “That’s when you’re just kind of white-knuckling it through the process. You’re starting to notice there’s no enjoyment in it, and that’s when some of the burnout symptoms start to arise,” Gross says. 

For Hathiramani, the motivation to achieve his own “big” goal of running 50 marathons in 50 states was multi-pronged. Before formalizing the goal, he’d organically completed races in 10 states just by registering for events that appealed to him. He realized that participating in a race in each state would allow him to further connect with members of his running community, many of whom shared the same ambition. 

Running in different states also gave Hathiramani an opportunity to access and explore parts of the country through the sport that he loves. “I thought it would be a really neat way to see the U.S., run some smaller races, some bigger races, and visit parts of the U.S. I’d never thought I’d be able to, whether it was the Shiprock Indian Reservation in New Mexico or a Christian camp in South Dakota,” he explains. 

Keep in mind that not every challenging goal is defined by mileage. One of Hathiramani’s most meaningful goals was committing to strength training for at least 10 minutes twice a week. “That really helped my running, especially as I was getting older and running faster, longer distances. I felt that I needed more muscular endurance,” he says. 

Buckingham encourages long-distance-oriented runners seeking a challenge to consider shorter, faster races. “A marathon, from a cardiovascular standpoint, is easy compared to a 5K or 10K,” he says. 

2. Don’t race every race

Depending on the number of races you want to do and other personal variables, such as your racing experience and fitness level, you could aim to PR some events and simply finish others, as racing is more demanding and necessitates more recovery. 

To that end, Buckingham recommends pursuing no more than two “goal races” a year—one in the fall and one in the spring—particularly if they’re longer, like a half or full marathon. “You want to give yourself several months in between to recover from the last marathon and get ready for the next,” he says, noting that attempting to “carry over” fitness in back-to-back events can backfire with injuries and other symptoms of overtraining. 

For runners doing races in quicker succession, it’s key to incorporate recovery strategies in the days (or hours) between.“You can race hard for seven days in a row as long as you are adequately trained for that and adequately recover from it,” Hathiramani says. For example, he has done back-to-back marathons several times, but puts a specific focus on recovery between those finish and starting lines. This includes intentional practices like foam rolling, proper fueling, and quality sleep.

3. Take your time

The experts caution that imposing strict time constraints on your goals can increase your risk of injury, add unnecessary pressure, and take away from your overall enjoyment and satisfaction. 

For example, Hathiramani embarked on his 50-marathon goal in 2010 when he was in his mid-20s, knowing that he wanted to finish by the time he was 40 years old. He finished “on time” in early 2024. This realistic timeframe allowed him to relish the experience and navigate unexpected obstacles, like COVID-related race cancellations. 

“It was never about trying to achieve that type of goal in a certain amount of time. It was more about enjoying the process of falling in love with running,” Hathiramani says. 

4. Be mindful with social media

It’s nearly impossible to escape the influence of the digital platforms that are now integrated into our everyday lives, but thinking about what you might do if you couldn’t share your goals with a wider audience is a useful thought exercise. That’s because it’s not exactly smart to set goals just so you can post about them. 

However, social media is part of most runners’ lives, and there are positive aspects to online engagement. “If you put your goals out there by telling your family or friends or working with a coach, you get someone else that can help keep you accountable,” Hathiramini says, noting that the support of his community was instrumental in keeping him motivated to achieve a goal that spanned more than a decade. They not only celebrated his wins but also offered support when he needed it most. “They’re also there to help pick you up from any setbacks, too.” 

Finally, with all of this in mind, don’t shy away from a big goal. “I think the mind and the body—the mind, more so—is pretty incredible in that it can expand its limits to what you desire to achieve,” says Hathiramani. 

Americans Bowman, Bareikis take first place at Pittsburgh Marathon

Two Americans topped both the Men's and Women's Division at this year's Pittsburgh Marathon. Andrew Bowman and Jane Bareikis were the first to cross the finish line in their divisions.

Bowman, who is married to 2018 marathon champion Sydney Bowman, ended the race at 2:15:52, more than a minute faster than his next two competitors.

"Anything can happen in a marathon, so surreal. But now I'm just incredibly grateful that it all came together," Bowman told Pittsburgh's Action News 4.

At 2:37:37, Bareikis became the first woman to cross the finish line. Bareikis set her own personal record earlier this year with a time of 2:29:00.

Wesley Kiptoo crossed the line for the half marathon, becoming a three time winner of the half. Kiptoo's time is marked at 1:01:32. The time is just shy of beating the course record of 1:01:25.

USA's Stephanie Bruce was the first woman to finish the half at 1:11:11.

Elite athletes, including last year's winner Tyler McCandless, took off at 7 a.m. McCandless, 37, crossed the finish line at last year at 2:16:08. This year, McCandless finished in third at 2:17:45.

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Participants from 50 states and 24 countries crossed the finish line at this year's event as over 300,000 spectators watched their run from all over the course.

This year's marathon is bigger and better than ever, bringing in new events and more people.

"There are movers from all over the world coming to move with us this weekend, whether they're walking, jogging or running this weekend," P3R CEO Troy Schooley said.

For over 43% of runners, this was their first time running a 26.2-mile marathon.

The Pittsburgh community came together to cheer on its hometown runners and support new visitors coming to the city.

"It's unbelievable," Schooley said. "And not just the movers with us, it's the spectators. Some will never take part in the event, but they know the first weekend in May, they're going to get out on the street, support the runners and help them get to the finish line."

Still running strong: Michigan woman, 73, ready for Indy Mini, her 109th half-marathon

At 73 years young, Adele Pitt is no stranger to darting through the finish line.

She's gearing up to run her 109th half-marathon in the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon on Saturday, May 4.

"I've run all 50 states and D.C, five continents and a couple islands," she proudly listed.

But the 13.1-mile trek that starts in the heart of downtown Indianapolis is by far her favorite.

"How many people get to run on the Indy 500 track? It's awesome!" Pitt said.

In fact, she loves the "Indy Mini" so much that she's made the trip from her home in Benton Harbor, Michigan, to run almost every year since 2004, only skipping 2018, after she was diagnosed with colon cancer. She skipped that year as she started treatment, but refused to stay down for long.

The diagnosis may have slowed her stride, but never stopped her in her tracks.. 

She was back the next year, not at full strength, but fully confident she'd "run the cancer away," she said.

"I had a good race that year," she said, looking at a picture from 2019. Pitt loves to look back at race day photos and is now compiling them into a scrapbook.

Now in remission, "Back and Better" seems to be one of her mottos. She's ready to lace up her running shoes, and her running dress (yes, it's a thing, she said) – as she does every year. 

"I usually put on a fake tattoo and my mantra is, 'I can, I will, I am and then one foot, one foot, one foot,'" she said. "And that applies to more than just running. It's just one foot at a time, one step at a time."

Still running strong, Adele plans to tackle many more steps, miles and milestones, taking it all in full stride.  

"When I got to my 100th race, there were people that were like, 'Well, are you done now?'" she said, gladly telling them, "No, we are never done! We just keep on going." 

Portuguese kids 11 and under are not allowed to run a mile race in their own country and Bob Anderson feels this rule should be updated

"It is not fair that kids under the age 12 can not race a mile in Portugal nor kids under 18 can not race a 10k.  These out dated rules need to be updated,"  says Bob Anderson who is setting up a KATA running retreat in central Portugal opening in June.  In 2021 he opened his first KATA Running Retreat just 45 minutes outside of Nairobi Kenya.  Bob posted this on FB: 

As some of you might know, we are setting up our second KATA Running Retreat in Central Portugal.  We are in a small village called Monforte da Beira.  There are only 310 people in our village.  It is a very cool village with cobblestone streets, olive and cork trees nearby and miles of roads and trails for running, hiking and walking.  

We bought our Anderson Manor House Feb 1 of 2024.  It is an amazing three story place of 15,000 square feet with another 12,000 feet of out buildings and caves plus two acres of land with olive, fig, orange trees and a big area of land for our garden and farm animals.  We want to be as sustainable as possible like we are in Kenya and produce at least 50% of our food.  

This is going to be our base in Europe for us personally and the location of our second KATA Running Retreat.  We are welcoming our first guests in June. 

KATA (Kenyan Athletic Training Avademy) Running Retreat Kenya officially opened in Sept 2021. We currently have 22 Kenyan athletes living, eating and training with us.  We have eight rooms for guests and already we have had bookings from England, France, Poland, New Zealand and the US.  

Our training program is Train The Kenyan Way. We currently have five accredited AK coaches on staff.  Already our top KATA runners are running world class times.  Peter, one of our top runners just recently clocked 27:54 for a 10k race in the US. We also stage kids races at KATA.  Kids of all ages.  (Third photo)

Anyway, things are going well for us and we look forward to develope our second location in Portugal.

One thing we do monthly is a time trial plus we regularly stage races.  Our Double Road Race Federation company founded in 2010 is the owner of these projects.  We stage three races in Northern California annually attracting nearly 1500 runners as well. 

One of the events we have been doing since 2010 is the Bob Anderson Kids mile.  It is an event for kids 13 and under. In Palo Alto, California last December we had over 70 kids run our mile, some as young as 2.  We let their parents decide if their child is capable of running (or walking) a mile.  

Each of our kids get  a medal, a t-shirt and a chance to win a raffle prize.  We also give out a special medal for each winner for their age.  2-3-4-5 and so on.  The kids love our event and we have had over one thousand kids participate over the years.  There has never been a problem.  

Let’s get back to the point of this post.  To celebrate the opening of our new retreat in Portugal I asked the Mayor of our village if we could stage a race in conjunction with their summer festival in June.  It would be Monforte da Beira first running race ever. The mayor thought it was a good idea and we started things rolling for our June 23rd event.  Besides the 10k we also would do a 3k hike/walk and our Bob Anderson kids mile (for kids 13 and under).  

So I hired a race director Nuno.  He said he could handle everything.  I did not know at the time that he had never put on a race before.  He said he was very connected to the running scene since he had been running for like 15 or more years.  

Things were moving along fairly well until April 5.    After paying him for a month he informed me that only kids 12-13 could run our mile race and no one under 18 could run our 10k race.  

I told him this was backward. Maybe it was too strong of a word but it reminded me of the time in the US where women were not allowed to run over a half mile and certainly not a marathon. 

I mention that in the US we have thousands of kids under the age of 12 running one mile races and beyond. Plus even more kids under 18 running 10k and beyond.

I found this story from September 2023, 

“Olivia Hawes of Blacksburg (USA) holds world records for running and when she crossed the finish line last week for a 6.15K in Virginia Beach, she topped 200 total miles in her young career. She has run more than 20 5Ks in nine different states and has a goal to run one in all 50 states. The unbelievable fact is that Hawes is only two years old. 

She has the fastest mile and most 5ks for a 1-and 2-years old along with being the youngest and second youngest competitor in the VA Commonwealth Games’ 33-year history.” (First photo)

Now this is an extreme example.  Two is young but there is even more examples of kids not only completing a mile or more race but loving every minute.  My grand kids ran races at age 4 and loved doing so.  I started running races at age 15 way back when and at 76 I still love running 

According to Nuno this is the rules of the Portugal Athletics Federation.  And since he “loves his country” he has to follow the rules.  Sorry but these rules are just not fair for kids under 18 in my opinion, 

So I told Nuno that I can’t endorse these rules.  The Bob Anderson kids mile should be for all kids 13 and under.  Nuno then said we have to follow the rules of Portugal.  

I didn’t agree and even suggested not even doing a kids race as a compromise.  But he did not want to listen to anything I was saying. So he resigned not giving any notice.  Right now I have taken over the duties of race director of our June 23 event.  I simply could not endorse this rule.  We are new to portugal but certainly not new to running.  

3 Athletes on Why They’re Running the Marine Corps Marathon

One of the largest marathons in the world to draw in 30,000 runners from all 50 states

The 48th Marine Corps Marathon (MCM)—“The People’s Marathon”—is the fourth-largest marathon in the U.S. and largest urban ultramarathon (they offer a 50K and 10K, too).

Each year, the U.S. Marine Corps holds the MCM a few weeks before the anniversary of its establishment. On October 29, 30,000 runners will toe the line in Arlington, Virginia, to follow the course as it winds through the nation’s capital. We caught up with three runners aiming for the finish line this year.

Rosie Gagnon, who lives in Berryville, Virginia, will be running the 50K MCM race in honor of her son, Marine Corps veteran, James Morris, who passed away by suicide in Ferurary 2018.

Even struggling through his mental health battles, Morris had endless confidence in his mother. Though Gagnon had been a runner for over two decades, Morris had  encouraged her to run her first marathon. And when she completed that, he challenged her to dream even bigger–a 100 miler.

Morris passed away while Gagnon was training for this ultra, but she was determined to keep running in his memory.

“I actually bonked really hard,” Gagnon says, laughing. “I quit 60 miles in. I reached a point where I hit a wall–throwing up and crawling on the ground–and felt it was symbolic of what my son had gone through, because he got to the point where he couldn’t see how he could go on.”

The pain of this first race was disappointing but also a blessing. Morris says the experience taught her that, no matter how dark life gets, you keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Shortly after, Gagnon joined Wear Blue: Run to Remember, a group that honors the service of American military members through running. You may have seen one of them at races across the country wearing their bright blue shirts and the name of a fallen veteran. Gagnon challenged herself to run 100 ultramarathons in memory of Morris, and to raise awareness about military and veteran suicide. This will be her first time running the Marine Corps Marathon, and it will be her 60th ultra.

Running has become not only an outlet for spreading awareness about the importance of military mental health awareness and resources, but it’s been an outlet for grief.

“I used to wake up everyday wondering, ‘How can I live with this pain for another 40 years?’ and the one outlet where I found comfort was through running,” Gagnon says. “I focused on one race at a time, trying to get to that 100. I thought it would take longer, but it’s been moving pretty fast. I’m more than halfway through now!”

“If all I can do is put on shoes and run for somebody,” she says. “I’m going to do that.”

Between working a full-time job, managing clients in her running coach business, and raising three kids under the age of six, Kelly Vigil squeezes in training for the MCM when she can. Originally from northern Virginia, Vigil now lives in Charleston, South Carolina, and has run the MCM four times. This year, she’s running the 50K option.

“It’s my all-time favorite race,” she says. “When you get there, everything is taken care of,and everyone is super excited to be there. The spectators are amazing, which is hard to get in a marathon unless you’re running one of the major ones. At mile 21, you still have people cheering you on.”

Her husband was in the Marine Corps for six years, which makes her particularly connected to the race. Another reason is because Vigil used to work full-time in the charity running field, working with organizations to create their race programs.

“Athletes who are running for a cause aren’t necessarily going to feel more pressure, but there’s more meaning as to why they’re doing it,” Vigil says. “It helps them push forward when their body or mind isn’t in it anymore.”

As a mom of young kids, training isn’t always easy, but Vigil gets it done. Her long runs are timed so that she has an allotted amount of time to be away training on Saturday. Whatever mileage she gets done is what it is, and Vigil is happy with that.

“I’m not very strict with my training plan,” she says. “A lot of my running includes a stroller (with my two-year-old) or I might split up my runs in the morning and evening. I’m just doing what I can.”

Also a certified running coach, Vigil is currently working with other athletes  who are running the MCM.

“Coaching keeps me in the community even when I’m not training for something,,” she says. “We’re all going after these different goals and doing what we can to stay consistent and do the work.”

For some, a commute to work includes traffic, to-go coffee, and a few swear words as someone cuts you off on the highway. But Jessica Hood’s commute to the office involves lots of marathon training.

Hood is extremely busy, so she puts in her miles by running to work. The total distance from her house to her office is about 14 miles, but depending on her training schedule, she’ll run seven or so and then hop on the metro bus for the rest of the way. Her office has a gym and showers, so she’s not taking a seat at her desk in sweaty running clothes.

“I do what I have to do and it probably takes a shorter amount of time,” Hood laughs. “You know, because you’d be sitting in DC traffic.”

Hood moved to the DC area about two years ago and works in finance, but her main passion is running. She began posting running content on social media in 2022 and developed a hearty following of 37k on Instagram and 81.5k on TikTok.

“It’s super cool how runners can get connected through social media,” she says. “I have a lot of running friends who don’t live in DC, but we all meet up at certain events and races across the country.”

Because of her influencer status, Hood is part of the MCM Social Media Influencer program, where she’s an advocate for the race. Though it’s sold out now, she spent months encouraging people to sign up through her posts online. This year will be her first time running the MCM marathon, though she’s spectated before and the energy was like nothing else.

“I thrive off of race day energy,” she says. “I love running and take it seriously, but it’s also about the fun of it and doing it with other people. So having a lot of people in my DC community running with me makes me so happy.”

Due to the race’s overwhelming popularity, early bird registrations for next year’s event opens January 1, 2024, with military members being able to register December 31. The Marine Corps Historic Half takes place May 19, 2024, and is part of the MCM series.

The 2024 Boston Marathon Acceptance Letters have Arrived. Here’s What the Data Tells Us.

A record-breaking number of qualified applicants registered for 128th running of the world’s oldest annual marathon

The 128th Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America just began informing qualified applicants of their status this morning, and the numbers are as fascinating as they are fast.

After 33,058 qualifier applications came flooding in during registration week earlier this month to run next year’s race—taking place on April 15, 2024—22,019 applicants were accepted (pending final verification).

“This year’s registration week resulted in the highest number of qualified applicants in race history, a testament to the strength of the marathon community,” said David Tyrie, Chief Digital Officer and Chief Marketing Officer for Bank of America.

To gain entry into the Boston Marathon requires each runner to have an official qualifying race prior to applying, with finishing times established by both gender and age. However, with such high demand for the race by qualified runners, the unofficial “cut-off” times for being accepted into the race are often minutes faster than the official qualifying standards.

For the 2024 Boston Marathon race, this year’s “cut-off” time needed to gain acceptance was 5 minutes, 29 seconds or faster than the official qualifying time. For example, say you are a 40-year-old male applicant. The official B.A.A. qualifying standard for this age/gender is 3 hours, 10 minutes. But in order to be accepted into next year’s race, any qualifying times slower than 3 hours, 4 minutes, 31 seconds would not be accepted.

This stout benchmark translated this year to more than 11,000 applicants not being accepted into next year’s Boston Marathon.

Looking into the 22,000-plus runners who were just notified of their acceptance—with ages ranging from 18 to 82—here’s how the numbers break down: 12,535 men, 9,440 women, and 44 non-binary athletes from all 50 states. In addition, automatic entry is offered to those who’ve finished 10 or more previous Boston Marathons, and 660 of these applicants were granted entry.

What’s also interesting is that over one-third of the entire field at next year’s Boston Marathon will be newbies—11,391 of the accepted applicants will be running Boston for the first time.

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) was established 1887, and has become a non-profit organization that manages the Boston Marathon and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round programming. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City.

Athletes interested in running next year’s race as part of a fundraising effort, affiliated with select charity programs, are invited to contact the nonprofit or organization to see what opportunities there are. Read more about the race’s charity program.

The 2025 qualifying window has already begun on September 1, 2023, and further registration information will be announced following the conclusion of the 128th race. Stay tuned—and keep training.

ALS Hasn’t Stopped This Woman from Running a Marathon in All 50 States

“The powers of hope and community propelled me forward and got me across every single finish line.”

Reason for Running: ALS takes away my ability to use my muscles, so I will be out there as long as possible to celebrate what my muscles can still do.

“Don’t worry,” my new husband, David, said in 2009 when I moved from Atlanta to Washington, D.C., to begin our married life. “It never snows here.” But then we were hit by three blizzards in six weeks! I got tired of being cooped up in our tiny apartment, so I found the treadmill in the basement. Fifteen minutes later, sweating and gasping for air, I felt awake and alive in a way I never had before. Add in the goal of training for a race just a bit outside my comfort zone and I was hooked.

My first race was the St. Patty’s Day 8K in downtown D.C. in 2010. I was so distracted by the scenery—running down Pennsylvania Avenue, crossing the National Mall in front of the Capitol—that I forgot to be nervous! After that, I used running as a way to explore my newly-adopted city, which was also useful for my job as an urban planner for the federal government.

In two years, I worked up to my first marathon: the 2012 Yuengling Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach. By then, I’d gotten into triathlons too and my first 70.3 (a.k.a. a half Ironman) was the 2013 Carolina Half at my alma mater in Davidson, North Carolina.

However, while training for the 70.3, my run and bike times were slowing down, and my hamstrings were incredibly tight. During the race, I had to walk a lot of the downhills because I felt like I was going to trip over my toes. I assumed I was overtraining or had a weird race injury, but the physical therapist I went to said, “your muscles just don’t seem strong enough for someone who just did that long of a race.” She referred me to a neurologist.

My blood tests, MRIs, spinal tap, CT, and first electromyography (EMG) all came back normal, but my symptoms kept getting worse. In just six months, I went from finishing the 70.3 to walking with a cane after falling in the middle of a D.C. intersection. My fifth neurologist re-did the EMG and diagnosed me with probable ALS in May 2014, which was confirmed in August. I was 33 at the time.

ALS is a death sentence—the average life expectancy is only two to five years. In that time, the person loses the ability to walk, talk, eat, move, and eventually breathe. The only approved drugs extend life expectancy by less than a year. 

But everyone is different. My “brand” of ALS seems to respond positively to low-impact, gradual, strength building. I am convinced that swimming, Pilates, weight machines, and riding a trike have all helped me live more than nine years with this disease. 

When I reached the fifth anniversary of my ALS diagnosis (a milestone that only 20 percent of people live to see), I realized that I was still waiting for the disease to catch up with me—which isn’t truly living. Living means making long-term plans, striving toward future goals, and believing that tomorrow will be better than today if you’re willing to put in the effort.

So I decided to set the craziest goal I could think of: a marathon on a trike in all 50 states. Through our foundation, the Team Drea Foundation, we decided to film a documentary to raise awareness and funds for ALS research. To date, we’ve raised $1 million! 

We began filming in May 2019, and I was at state number seven on my marathon list. Our plan was to film for a year, through Alaska (state 21), and get the film out as quickly as possible so people could actually run with me in some of the remaining states. Then of course, the pandemic hit. No one knew how long races would be canceled or if I would be strong enough to continue. So we decided to keep filming.

I hate to spoil the ending of the film, but yes, I made it! Go On, Be Brave follows my journey to become the first person with ALS to do a marathon in all 50 states. The documentary turned out more beautiful and inspiring than I could have ever imagined—and I was there! The powers of hope and community propelled me forward and got me across every single finish line.

As grateful as I am for the 50-state marathon journey, I am also enjoying the pressure of being off.

Over the next year, my husband David and I will be traveling to more than 50 planned film screenings and book events for my soon-to-be published (September 2023) memoir, Hope Fights Back, with co-author, Meredith Atwood. That doesn’t leave a ton of time for training, but we hope to partner with races along the way. I love exploring new places on the trike so I will be out there as long as I have the strength.

I never knew how truly magnificent the human body was until mine started failing me. When you think “I want to take a step,” there’s instantaneous signaling through your motor neurons and your muscles respond. It’s miraculous. When you are running, take a moment to appreciate what your body can do.

Because I move frustratingly slowly through the world on a walker, freedom is the best word to describe how I feel on the trike. When I’m training or in a race, I travel at a runner’s pace and it reminds me that I am an athlete. Breathing hard, working my muscles, these are all things I should no longer be able to do with ALS, but I can! I will never take for granted what my body is still able to do.

These three tips have made my running journey a success:

1. Live your life

Time will pass either way, whatever your mood. When I was diagnosed with a terminal illness, of course I went through a grieving process. But I realized that all I could control was my attitude.

2. Remember that tomorrow is not promised

Every day that I am out there is a good day. Whenever I start getting in my head about the weather or my knees hurting, I remember that, one day, I will no longer be able to do this. So many of my friends have died or no longer have the ability to move—that snaps things back into perspective really quickly.

3. Keep putting one foot in front of the other

When that’s too much—stop, rest, reset, and find the right motivation to keep fighting. Any forward progress is enough. One hard day, hope will fight its way right into becoming belief.

Andrea’s Must-Have Gear

→ Catrike Folding Trail: I couldn’t get anywhere without my Catrike recumbent trike. It’s great for people with back problems, balance issues, or other medical issues. Even runners must have other folks in their lives who could use some exercise but can’t run. It’s like Mario Kart for adults!

→ Rabbit EZ Tights in Gibraltar Sea Mountain: I may have a teeny obsession with fun, colorful leggings and rabbit’s buttery soft EZ Tights are absolutely the softest around. Also, my husband and I have to negotiate which color of their Jogalongs we’re going to wear—otherwise we’re liable to be twinning!

→ CLIF BLOKS Energy Chews Tropical Punch: My go-to fuel during a race. Six chews times 50 marathons equals 300 of these addictive little suckers I have consumed!

Kenyans take Home Life Time Miami Marathon Titles

They were nearly 8,000 miles from home in the urban center of Kisii, Kenya, but their individual pursuits for Life Time Miami Marathon titles brought them together in South Florida on Sunday. Originating from farming families in southwest Kenya, George Onyancha and Damaris Areba both secured easy victories in their inaugural appearances in Miami's signature running event.

Twenty-nine-year-old Onyancha (2:18:25) finished nearly six minutes ahead of Siraj Amda (2:24:16) of New York in the men's Marathon. Twenty-seven-year-old Areba turned in the second fastest time in Miami Marathon history (2:33:49) bettered only by fellow Kenyan Martha Akeno's course record (2:29:00) last year. Isgah Cheruto (2:36:19) of Minneapolis was second behind Areba.

Onyancha and Areba were winners of few words. "I was leading and had another runner behind me until the 25K mark," Onyancha said. "Since I didn't know what his strategy was, I thought: 'Let me take off."

Areba was more focused on the uniqueness of the course route. The U.S.TAF-certified and Boston Marathon-qualifying circuit showcased the best views of Miami's cityscape and waterways during the 26.2-mile and 13.1-mile races. "The lights on the big ships, they're so beautiful," Areba said.

It was the 21st edition of the Life Time Miami Marathon and Half, which wound through downtown Miami, Miami Beach and Coconut Grove. The event's sold-out field of 18,000 runners came from all 50 states and 69 countries – generating upwards of $50 million in economic impact to the Miami community. Colombia (1,300) and Mexico (1,100) led a wave of Latino runners, while nearly 1,000 U.S.-based runners represented the state of New York.

The Marathon began in front of the downtown Miami-Dade Arena before heading to South Beach via the MacArthur Causeway and then back downtown along the Venetian Causeway. Runners then headed south through the lush Coconut Grove community before turning north through the Brickell Avenue financial district and across the finish line at Bayfront Park.

The temperature at race start was 72 degrees and eventually settled into the mid-70s. Runners were able to experience the South Florida sunrise nearly an hour into their run, and the sparkling cruise ships docked at the Port of Miami put an exclamation point on the Event's iconic views.

Onyancha races mostly in Europe and China, and Sunday's marathon was his first in the United States. Areba has been on a tear, winning four marathons in eight months. Prior to her Miami victory Sunday, Areba won titles at the Green Bay Marathon (May), the Quad Cities Marathon (September) and the Des Moines Marathon (October). In November, she was fourth at the Philadelphia Marathon.

When Nacho Hernando-Angulo (1:08:36) arrived first to the finish line of the Half Marathon, he was almost home. The 29-year-old broke the tape just 800 meters from the hi-rise where he lives in downtown Miami. "To be home with the (2023) title is awesome," said Hernando-Angulo. "This title has to stay home, in Miami."

Veteran French triathlete, Brice Daubord (1:10:11), and 24-year-old, Alberto Mena (1:10:21) of Ecuador, were nearly two minutes off Angulo's pace to secure second and third place while event-defending-champion, Cesar Lizano, was sixth (1:14:01). The 40-year-old Costa Rican was fourth in 2012, third in 2014 and fifth in 2015 before winning last year's Miami title.

A native of Madrid, Spain, Hernando-Angulo settled in Miami in 2018 following running careers at New Hampshire Technical Institute and Southern New Hampshire University. He works as a sales director for a European importer. "I moved to Miami for work, definitely not for training," he said. "It's very tough to be an elite runner here. So we do what we can."

Ethiopia's Weynshet Ansa Weldestadisk (1:14:55) won her second career half-marathon Sunday, ahead of Ukraine's Valentyna Veretska (1:18:41) and defending champion, Lisa Brooking (1:18:50) of Canada. "It was a good course, but very windy and hot," said Weldestaisk. "The city is so beautiful. I wish I could live here. Everybody was telling me 'good job.' It gave me power."

The tall and slender Weldestadisk has been based in Washington DC for the last four months while competing in a series of U.S. races. The 26-year-old smashed the course record at the Extra Long Bronx (NY) 10-Mile Race last September and won both the Philadelphia Marathon and the Virginia 10 Miler in November.

Veretska, the women's half-marathon runner-up, continued her good results since fleeing Ukraine last year and winning the Jerusalem Marathon a month later in borrowed shoes and gear. The 32-year-old ran her first race in the U.S. in November, finishing third at the Princeton Marathon.

Onyancha and Areba each received $4,500 for their first-place finishes. Onyancha will use the funds to pay for two of his brothers' tuition payments while Areba will donate a portion to Kenyan youth developmental running programs and use the remainder to buy land to build a house. She and her husband are currently living in a rental unit. "I loved the city and the palm trees," Onyancha said about his first experience in Miami. "They look like umbrellas."

More information about the Life Time Miami Marathon may be found at www.themiamimarathon.com and on social media at Facebook.com/RunMiami, Instagram.com/TheMiamiMarathon, and Twitter.com/RunMiami. The Life Time Miami Marathon And Half operates with the tremendous support of the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority.

The Miami Marathon And Half is owned and produced by Life Time, the premier healthy lifestyle brand. It is among more than 30 premier athletic events owned by the Company, including the Chicago Spring Half Marathon, Garmin UNBOUND Gravel, and Leadville Race Series. For more information about Life Time (NYSE: LTH), visit www.lifetime.life. More information about Life Time athletic events is available at lifetime.life/athletic-events.

The iconic Miami Marathon And Half is returning to the streets

The Miami Marathon And Half is returning to the streets of downtown Miami, Miami Beach and Coconut Grove beginning at 6:00am ET on Sunday, January 29. A sold-out cap of 18,000 runners representing 50 states and nearly 70 countries will experience the majestic beauty of South Florida stride by stride.

The strong international demand for a spot in the world-renowned race generated the earliest sell-out in the event's 21-year history – a result buoyed by its USTAF-certified, Boston-qualifying, fast and flat course that showcases Miami's unparalleled cityscape and waterways.

"The event presents something for everyone who runs or walks, and they want to experience it every year," said Frankie Ruiz, co-founder of the Life Time Miami Marathon and Chief Running Officer at Life Time. "This race always has been unique because of the energy and vibe that only South Florida can provide. The Life Time Miami Marathon and all of the activities that go along with it truly present an amazing weekend of fun experiences for the entire family."

New elements in 2023 include:

The Life Time Diaper Derby for 25 babies aged 6-12 months will be held at 2:00pm on Friday, January 27, at the Miami Famous Expo at Miami Beach Convention Center. Babies will make their way across a 10-foot mat for the chance to win awards in four different categories: Speed Demon for the fastest baby on-course; Trailblazer for the baby who forges their own path to the finish; Party Pooper for the biggest crybaby on-course; and awards for the top three overall finishers.

An awards category in support of non-binary runners and gender inclusion. Fourteen non-binary runners are registered to participate.

Local artist, Luis Valle's, painted murals adorning the walls of various local shopping centers, including Sunset Place in South Miami, Midtown Shops, Aventura Mall in North Miami Beach and City Place Doral. Valle's work is also on display all over Miami in restaurants, bars, schools and businesses. Additionally, runners will be adorned with Valle's artistry on the finisher medals of both the Marathon and Half Marathon.

A partnership with The Woody Foundation, an organization formed to transform the lives of people living with paralysis, to provide prize money and travel stipends for those attending from outside South Florida and improve the race experience for pushrim and handcycle athletes.

A special Brightline train from West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale to reduce emissions from cars driving to downtown Miami – adding to the event's array of green initiatives. At 3:43am on race morning, a Brightline train will depart the West Palm Beach station to take runners to the Marathon start line near FTZ Arena in downtown Miami. (The train also will stop at the Fort Lauderdale station.) Healthy snacks to fuel up for the race are included in the $32 fare from West Palm Beach and $27 fare from Fort Lauderdale. Other environmental measures include sourcing water from fire hydrants to move away from water bottles, installing storm drain filters to prevent waste from polluting waterways, and using increased digital signage to avoid paper waste.

The Life Time Miami Marathon And Half operates with the tremendous support of the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority.

2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon Set to Welcome 45,000 Participants for 45th Anniversary Event

Today the Bank of America Chicago Marathon announced the return to 45,000 participants for the event's 45th anniversary on Sunday, October 8, 2023. Runners who entered the non-guaranteed entry drawing for the 2023 race will be notified of their selection status today. Individuals still interested in participating can secure their place in the field by joining an official charity team. Since 2002, the Charity Program has generated more than $292 million for local, national and global causes, including the event record-breaking $27.6 million raised by participants in 2022.

"We're thrilled to host 45,000 participants for the first time since 2019 at the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon," said Carey Pinkowski, Bank of America Chicago Marathon Executive Race Director. "As part of our millionth-finisher field, these participants will write their names in the event's history book during a particularly special year. We look forward to celebrating their performances, as well as the contributions of the volunteers, spectators and community members who have made the Chicago Marathon the world-class racing tradition it is today."

Runners who received an entry through the drawing will join those who guaranteed their entry into the race during the four-week application window. Guaranteed entries include Bank of America Chicago Marathon and Shamrock Shuffle legacy finishers, time qualifiers, international tour group participants, charity runners and those who deferred or cancelled entries from a previous event.

Runners who did not receive an entry through the drawing can still sign up through the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Charity Program. The 2023 Charity Program includes 180 nonprofit organizations raising funds related to 10 cause categories, including education, youth development, health care and social services. Runners who register to run with an official charity at this time are required to raise a minimum of $1,750. For a list of official charities and information on how to register by joining a charity team, go to chicagomarathon.com/charity.

For the latest event updates, registered participants and community members are encouraged to visit the Event FAQ which is available at chicagomarathon.com.

About the Bank of America Chicago Marathon

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon welcomes thousands of participants from more than 100 countries and all 50 states, including a world-class elite field, top regional and Masters runners, race veterans, debut marathoners and charity participants. The race's iconic course takes participants through 29 vibrant neighborhoods on an architectural and cultural tour of Chicago. The 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, a member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, will start and finish in Grant Park on Sunday, October 8, 2023. In advance of the race, a three-day Abbott Health & Fitness Expo will be held at McCormick Place Convention Center on Thursday, October 5, Friday, October 6, and Saturday, October 7. For more information about the event and how to get involved, go to chicagomarathon.com.

2022 Chicago Marathon Elite Field Updates

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is thrilled to welcome elite athletes from around the world to its start line on Sunday, October 9. In addition to the previously announced field, the following athletes will be competing in 2022:

Bernard Koech (KEN) – Runner-up of the 2021 Amsterdam Marathon in a personal best of 2:04:09. Koech finished fifth in Chicago in 2014.

Shifera Tamru (ETH) – 2022 Daegu Marathon champion and 2019 Seoul Marathon champion with a personal best of 2:05:18 (Dubai, 2019). Tamru finished fifth in Chicago last fall.

Guojian Dong (CHN) – Three-time Olympian (2012, 2016 and 2020 marathon); five-time national champion on the track in the 10,000 and 5000m; marathon personal best 2:08:28 (Berlin, 2019).

Jemal Yimer (ETH) – Ethiopian national record holder in the half marathon, 58:33, and the 12th fastest half marathon runner in history; third place finish in the 2021 Boston Marathon (his marathon debut); marathon personal best, 2:08:58 (Boston, 2022).

Ruti Aga (ETH) – 2019 Tokyo Marathon champion and 2018 Tokyo Marathon and Berlin Marathon runner-up; marathon personal best, 2:18:34 (Berlin, 2018).

Delvine Meringor (ROU) – 2022 Los Angeles Marathon champion, and 2022 Romanian national champion in the 5000m and 10,000m; marathon personal best, 2:24:32 (Siena, 2021); the Chicago Marathon will be her third marathon.

Sarah Inglis (GBR) – 2022 Commonwealth Games competitor in the 5000m and 10,000m; marathon personal best, 2:29:41 (Chandler, 2020).

Elisha Rotich (KEN), Abayneh Degu (ETH), Amanuel Mesel (ERI), Masaya Taguchi (JPN), Jianhua Peng (CHN), Shaohui Yang (CHN), Steven Martinez (USA) have also been added to the 2022 elite open division race. Fidel Aguilar (MEX), Jose Pulido (USA) and Hannah Dederick (USA) have been added to the 2022 elite wheelchair competition.

Previously announced athletes Jeison Suarez (COL), Jerrell Mock (USA), Colin Mickow (USA) and Hiroki Nishida (JPN) have withdrawn from the 2022 event.

Tune into the 2022 Bank of America Chicago Marathon

Watch Live

NBC 5 Chicago and Telemundo Chicago will provide complete live local TV coverage of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in English and Spanish from 7 a.m. – 11 a.m. CST on Sunday, October 9. Expert analysts Ed Eyestone, Carrie Tollefson and Amanda McGrory will join Marion Brookes and Leila Rahimi on NBC 5 Chicago, with Juan Luis Barrios, Luis Posso and Saul Mendoza joining Anabel Monge and Héctor Lozano on Telemundo Chicago.

Covering the leaders and reporting along the course will be U.S. American Marathon Record Holder Keira D’Amato for the women’s elite open division and Olympian Diego Estrada for the men’s elite open division. A talented array of NBC and Telemundo reporters will join the broadcast at the start, finish and along the course.

The 44th running of the race will also be streamed live nationally on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 11 a.m. CST, as well as on nbcchicago.com and telemundochicago.com from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. CST.

International viewers can watch the race via a variety of global broadcast partners, including Eurosport, SuperSport, ESPN Latin America, Sky New Zealand, Astro Malaysia and SMG China. Viewers are encouraged to check their local listings for timing.

Listen Live

670 The Score Sports Radio will provide complete live radio coverage of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on race day from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. CST. Fans of the sport can listen to Chicago’s Josh Liss joined by analysts Greg Meyer, Jenny Spangler, Treniere Moser and Chris Wehrman for a play-by-play of all the action. Listen from anywhere on Sunday, October 9 at 670thescore.com/listen.

About the Bank of America Chicago Marathon

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon welcomes thousands of participants from more than 100 countries and all 50 states, including a world-class elite field, top regional and Masters runners, race veterans, debut marathoners and charity participants. The race’s iconic course takes participants through 29 vibrant neighborhoods on an architectural and cultural tour of Chicago. The 2022 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, a member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, will start and finish in Grant Park beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 9. In advance of the race, a three-day Abbott Health & Fitness Expo will be held at McCormick Place Convention Center Thursday, October 6 through Saturday, October 8. For more information about the event and how to get involved, go to chicagomarathon.com.

Lucy Westlake Is the Youngest American Woman to Summit Everest—But She Was a Runner First

She uses her track and cross-country training to help her physically and mentally climb the world’s highest peaks.

After running year-round for 11 years, Lucy Westlake recently joined the track and cross-country team at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. 

In high school, she ran the 5K cross-country event and 3200-meter track distance with a few career highlights including becoming the Illinois State Team Champion in 2018 and 2019. Now, she’ll compete in the 6K cross-country event and 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter track distances.

While the direction of her adult running career has yet to unfold, Westlake, 18, tells Runner’s World that her lifelong athleticism as a runner has already helped her reach tremendous heights. 

In fact, on May 12, 2022, the Chicagoan became the youngest American woman to summit Everest, the world’s highest peak at 29,032 feet, right before her high school graduation. (Westlake was 18 years, 6 months, and 8 days old, beating out the last record holder who was 18 years, 7 months, and 9 days old.) 

Climbing Everest took 27 days, and every single step was worth it, says Westlake. 

“It was definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Looking up at the summit from Camp 4 the day before our summit push, it truly looked impossible. At 9:00 p.m., my Sherpa and I began our climb and 8.5 hours later we stood on top of the world together,” she says.

A Start in Two Sports

Raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Westlake started running with a team at age 6. In January 2016, during 6th grade, her family relocated to Naperville, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago.

While attending Naperville North High School, Westlake’s weekly training routine included one 90-minute long run, three to four strategic workout runs, like tempo workouts, which totaled six to eight miles each, and easy runs in between. She also made sure to have a complete rest day every two weeks, while hitting a weekly mileage of 40. 

Core workouts and yoga were also a big part of Westlake’s high school routine, as well as weight training for 50 minutes, four to five days a week. 

Despite growing up in cityscapes, her first-ever run was on trails—not pavement—near her family’s cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, when her grandpa challenged her to a dual to see who could first reach the top of a nearby slope. 

“I love trail running and want to explore that more after college. You get to see beautiful scenery and it’s challenging,” says Westlake, who also took a roadtrip to the Grand Canyon with three teammates this summer to run and hike the 24-mile Rim-to-Rim, which is the furthest distance she’s covered on a run in one effort. 

Prior to setting the world record on Everest, Westlake became the youngest female, at age 17, to climb the highest peaks in all 50 states. She and her dad, Rodney Westlake, completed the goal together over the course of a decade. That journey included a 21-day summer expedition to the summit of Denali, in Alaska, which was the most challenging summit to reach in the U.S., she says, due to the required mountaineering skills, weather window, risk management, and time commitment.

“I was always running on a team and in school, so my family did one or two short road trips out west to climb mountains every year,” says Westlake, who was first introduced to high altitude while visiting family in the city of Puebla, Mexico, at age 6, when she hiked the 14,636-foot La Malinche.

Climbing Everest

On April 15, 2022, Westlake, her dad, and seven friends flew to Kathmandu, Nepal, where they met their guides to trek to South Everest Basecamp. Two days later, they flew to Lukla, where they started the eight-day, 38.5-mile trek to basecamp, camping overnight at tea houses along the way. 

South Everest Basecamp is a collection of primitive campsites at the base of Everest, where mountaineers stage their ascent and descent of a climb up the southeast ridge. Westlake’s dad and their seven friends stayed one night at basecamp before returning to Lukla the same way they’d hiked in, and they all flew back to the United States. They did not continue with Westlake up Everest, which she ascended with her Sherpa guide for the next 16 days. 

On the day of Westlake’s summit, prosperous conditions quickly aligned: As mentioned, the out-and-back took Westlake 27 days (a climb that takes 40 days, on average, to complete).

“We got lucky with the first good weather window of the year, and I was one of the first people to summit,” Westlake says. “I didn’t have any unusual problems with how my body reacted to the altitude, so I didn’t need very many rest days. My Sherpa and I moved well together and had a great chemistry, so the climb was perfect.”

To help cover the cost of her climb, Westlake received a $12,500 scholarship from Grape-Nuts, the breakfast cereal brand. In March 2022, the brand donated a total of $115,000 to 10 female adventurers pursing expeditions to celebrate Women’s History Month. 

How Running and Mountaineering Go Hand-in-Hand

Westlake credits her mountaineering fitness and endurance to her lifelong running routine. 

“Running is a super cardio sport. In mountaineering, your heart rate at high elevation is naturally higher, and you’re climbing for hours on end. Running is a great way to train,” Westlake says. 

It’s not just the physical aspect of running and mountaineering that make them complementary sports for Westlake. 

“Running has taught me a lot about mental toughness—that’s the reason I’m able to summit mountains,” she says. “I’ve become used to accepting pain. You have to be able to push your body and stay focused.” Summit day on Everest was long, she adds, so being able to work through the physical and mental hardships is a crucial skill, which running helps her hone. 

In fact, Westlake says the skills she gained on the run, particularly not so good runs, helped her make it to the top of Everest. “I’ve had great races and bad races, great seasons and bad seasons. I’ve learned along the way that patience, consistency, and believing in yourself lead to long-term success—it’s the same on a high-altitude mountain. It takes patience to allow your body to acclimate, consistency of putting one foot in front of the other no matter how hard it gets, and always believing that it’s possible,” she says. 

Learning to take the rough patches as they come and continue moving forward also carries from her mountaineering adventures back to her run miles. “During tough running workouts when I was struggling and felt like finishing was impossible, I remember back to when I was climbing fixed ropes up vertical walls in the Khumbu Icefall on Everest and had no idea how I was going to reach the top. And when my wake-up call to start a summit push is at 4:00 a.m. and I am completely exhausted from not being able to sleep well at high altitude, I remember back to all those early morning running practices, and it feels like second nature.” 

Westlake’s Future Goals

Westlake’s new goal? Become the youngest person, male or female, in the world to complete the Explorers Grand Slam within the next two years. This challenge includes reaching the North Pole and South Pole and summiting the Seven Summits—the highest peaks on each of the seven continents.

“My mountaineering goals are driven to help close the gender gap in the mountains. If an 18-year-old, 5’4” 105-pound girl can climb Mount Everest, so can a lot of other women,” says Westlake. “I want the next generation of girls to see mountaineering as a sport they can pursue and strive to become the best they can be.”

In addition to her climbing goals, Westlake also has her sights set on running victories. “I want to see how far I go in college and if I can pursue a running career, especially in distance running,” she says. “I’d love to try a marathon after college, because endurance is my strong suit. My strongest aspect is my mental toughness, which marathons lend themselves toward.”

Climbing to Support Human Health and Female Athletes

Westlake uses her expeditions to raise awareness and funds through LucyClimbs, an Etsy shop with merchandise like sweatshirts and t-shirts, to support WaterStep, a nonprofit that teaches water treatment practices and provides filtration resources to communities in need worldwide. 

“I love the mountains and running for myself but need to have that higher purpose. I don’t want my gifts to be selfish, I want to give back,” she says. 

Westlake also received the 2022 Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award at the annual ESPY Awards, thanks to her summit of Everest. The award is categorized as an ESPN Sports Humanitarian Award, and was designated to five women for using their athleticism for a positive influence on society.

“Mountaineering is a sport dominated by men twice my age and size. When I’m in the mountains, I don’t see many people like myself. The mountains have shaped me into the person I am today—so has running—and together they give me purpose,” Westlake says. “My Everest climb was dedicated to promoting women in the outdoors and inspiring girls to follow their dreams not only in mountains but in any sport and aspect of life. There’s a huge gender gap in mountaineering, and the best way to combat that reality and stereotype is to see other women in mountains and eliminate the cost barrier.” 

Tim Murphy founder of San Diego Elite Racing Inc has died at age 77

Tim Murphy, founder of San Diego’s Elite Racing, Inc., the man who reinvented running, not once but three times, succumbed to pneumonia Wednesday night (August 17, 2022) passing in hospice care at his home in San Diego, California. He was 77 years old.

Today, though smaller than it once was, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series remains the largest purveyor of running events in the world, with 29 events in 16 U.S. states, Washington D.C., and seven foreign countries. But a quarter century ago, who knew what lay ahead in the wild open spaces of the first Rock `n` Roll Marathon? 

Some observers even questioned the concept of rock bands strung along the marathon course altogether. What does rock`n` roll have to do with San Diego, much less with running a marathon, the ultimate test of endurance?

Well, on June 21, 1998 the world got its answer. With the snarl of a blistering guitar solo, the tight syncopation of a snare drum, and the slap of millions of accompanying footfalls, the second-wave running boom announced its arrival in San Diego with a carnival of music, endorphins, and sweat. It’s like Tim turned over the calendar two years early to introduce the new century.

“We created a theme marathon without intending to,” said Tracy Sundlun, Tim’s long-time partner at Elite Racing. 

NEW DEMOGRAPHICS 

No new major marathon had sprung up in the U.S. or the world since the Los Angeles Marathon arrived in 1986. In its first year, LA registered 10,787 runners, making it the largest inaugural marathon in history. Instantly, that number became Tim‘s goal for San Diego to beat LA.

Even before its first steps were run, though, there was the feel of a major marathon about the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. Tim had conceived the idea years before while running the final lonely miles of the Heart of San Diego Marathon out along Friar’s Road to Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley. Wishing there were some kind of support along the road to help out, Murphy thought, wouldn’t it be great to have music to run to.

It took a long time for his idea to gestate, but the seed had been planted. 

After a decade of developing his reputation as an event innovator, beginning in 1986 with the Carlsbad 5000 just north of San Diego – the event that proved runners in a then 10k / marathon focused world would run a 3.1 mile race, while introducing “spectator running” where the professional field followed age and gender specific races over the same tight-looped course – Murphy’s idea of a musical marathon came to life, born out of two separate, but catalyzing events.

“When they opened the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland (1995), there was so much hype about it,” Tim told San Diego YuYu in 2004. “So I was running along one morning and I thought, “If I lived in Cleveland I would do a marathon that would start and finish at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and do a big concert afterwards.” 

One year later 273 San Diegans were among the record 38,000 entrants at the 100th anniversary of the Boston Marathon. 

“Afterwards, they had this get together and all they could talk about was why there wasn’t a major marathon in San Diego. And all the runners, some of them pretty important, just wouldn’t leave me alone about it. So I essentially dusted off the old idea I had for Cleveland and started.”

With the backing of a set of investors, led by Hollywood A-list producers Frank Marshall and wife Catherine Kennedy – “Jurassic Park”, “Indiana Jones” , “Jason Bourne” – along with celebrity ambassadors like basketball Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain, Tim promoted his concept relentlessly at race expos around the country, touting his new baby with posters and ads that said, ‘You missed the first Boston. Don’t miss the first Rock ‘n’ Roll!’

No longer a simple feat of speed endurance, the grueling marathon had been reinvented as a rollicking 26-mile long block party through America’s Finest City. 

Despite a 37-minute delay at the start due to some perceived traffic issues on the course –  which led to a water-dousing through the first aid station – the high-spirited music rocking the sidelines caused an immediate sensation.

Nearly 20,000 entrants from 30 countries and all 50 states passed the word, ‘You gotta try this one!” And that was before they got to the post-race concert that night featuring Huey Lewis and the News, Pat Benatar, and the Lovin’ Spoonful!

The makeup of year one’s field proved historic, as well. 50% of the field was women, far and away the largest such percentage of any co-ed road race of any distance to date, and a pivot-point in the history of the sport. Before RnR San Diego, the largest percentage of women in a major marathon had been just 23% at New York City. Most road races had only 10% to 15% women at the time.

Rock ‘n’ Roll’s runners were also slightly older than the norm, slightly wealthier, and slightly slower than the average marathon runners.

At a time when road race courses were designed to be minimally visible and impact their communities as little as possible, the initial Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon layout was designed to be an infomercial for the city, regardless of the potential inconvenience for some.

When city officials asked how long they would have to keep the streets closed, Tim based his projections on the New York City Marathon, saying, ‘we might have 50 or 60 runners who will take longer than six hours 30 minutes. But we’ll just direct them onto the sidewalk, so you can reopen the streets.’ As it turned out, 1500 runners took over seven hours to complete their 26.2 mile journey. 

But Tim Murphy wasn’t just in it for the large participation numbers, important as they were. He always had his eye on top talent, too, and urged elite athlete coordinator Mike Long to pull in a world-class field, like he did every year for the Carlsbad 5000 where so many world records were set.

Mike Long, the late Elite Racing athlete recruiter with Rock `n` Roll 1999 champs Tarus & Bogacheva

Nobody knew how fast RnR could be run until young Kenyan, Philip Tarus, busted a 2:10 opener for the men, with Russian women Nadezhda Ilyina and Irina Bogacheva battling just nine seconds apart at the finish for the women in 2:34. That told the athletes of the world, ‘This one is worth having a go,” especially after all the Suzuki products and prize money checks were handed out.

Not since the New York City Marathon’s first five-borough extravaganza in 1976 had a marathon come on the calendar with such dramatic impact: The largest first-time running event in history; the most ingenious show along the sidelines and at the finish ever produced; $18.6 million (net) raised by and for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training charity – the largest amount ever for a single-day sporting event; and to cap it off, world-class performances by its champions. 

Though the race lost over $1 million in its first year, it instantly became the number one economic impact event in Southern California, generating $39.3 million in its inaugural year, as two-thirds of its entrants came from outside the region. With Murphy’s persistence and the continued backing of his investors, Rock ‘n’ Roll eventually broke even in year three. Thus was the foundation set for what has become a global phenomenon, the so-called second-wave running boom.

Born and raised with two sisters in Denver, Colorado, Tim attended high school in Nebraska where he competed in the 880-yard run and threw the discus. He then spent the first part of his professional life toiling in the health care industry, selling hospital supplies on the road while moving across the country time and time again.  Finally, in the late 70s, he decided to abandon the rat race and settle in San Diego where his two sisters lived. 

Though he ran track in high school, he wasn’t a distance man. But once in San Diego and introduced to the area’s vibrant running community, like so many before him, he got hooked on the sport. Tim often trained up to 10 miles a day, which led him into the race organization business and the founding of Elite Racing in 1988. 

Always more of a behind the scenes workaholic than a flashy frontman, Tim did serve as interim race director for the troubled Chicago Marathon in 1989. But mostly he focused like a laser on the business side of Elite Racing. Tracy Sundlun, former head of New York City’s Metropolitan Athletics Congress, and a former collegiate and club track coach, joined as Tim’s partner in 1997, taking on  the role of political go-between and liaison with the sporting world. 

Through it all, Tim used his marketing and sales skills to build his race business from a fledgling local concern into the most successful for-profit organization in running. 

“We have lost someone who – I don’t think many of the insiders even grasp his importance, his significance,“ said Tracy Sundlun. “Besides Fred Lebow in New York City, Tim was the best retail marketer the sport has ever known. It makes me happy all the people who’ve reached out from all over the world when they heard news of his passing. Tim would’ve felt good knowing the people recognized what he built, what he reinvented.”

Beginning with the Carlsbad 5000 in 1986, Tim bucked the conventional norms of the sport. Nobody thought people would pay to run a 5K. Running at the time was a 10K and marathon trade. But Tim turned it into a 5K and half marathon business and the sport soon followed along.

Ethiopian great Tirunesh Dibaba breaks another world record at Carlsbad 2005 (14:51)

The success of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in San Diego changed Murphy’s fortunes for good. Over the next several years, Tim developed the brand into a seven event juggernaut that spread from San Diego to Virginia Beach, Nashville to Phoenix, San Jose, California to San Antonio, Texas.

Elite Racing was the first organization to stage more than one marathon in a year, and the first to put on events outside their own home city. Designed as a for-profit company in a not-for-profit industry, Elite Racing was the first organization to build a brand in the sport, though, initially they didn’t realize they were doing it. They were also the first to buy events and the first to sell to private-equity.

When the City of Virginia Beach, VA wanted to start a new marathon on Labor Day weekend in 2001, Tim made a site visit. He realized that with the heat and humidity of late summer in Virginia Beach, and not wanting to conflict with the fall marathons which had been so supportive of his races in San Diego in the summer and Nashville in the spring, there was  no way that a full marathon would work. So Tim convinced VB to create the first destination half-marathon, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon. Until then, half marathons were just local training races for marathons.

“Just like with Carlsbad in the 5K, nobody thought people would travel to run a half marathon,“ remembered Sundlun. “When we proposed Virginia Beach, we were one of Runner’s World Magazine‘s biggest advertisers. We said we were going to sell out at 12,000 for the Labor Day weekend race. People at Runner’s World said we were nuts. At the time, the largest half marathon was the Philadelphia Distance Run at 6000, the largest inaugural half marathon was on Long Island at 2900. 

“Runner’s World bet us a full, center-spread, double page ad that we wouldn’t hit our number. They didn’t even think vendors would come to a Labor Day weekend race in Virginia Beach. But we sold out by July and eventually got 14,990 entrants. Getting that check back from Runner’s World, that was really something.”

Deena Kastor headlined the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon in 2001, setting an American debut record as a prep race for her marathon debut in New York City that fall. Kenyan superstars Martin Lel and Paul Tergat both tuned up for fall marathon victories with wins in Virginia Beach. 

Records were always important to Tim. He would often have side bets with Mike Long about the outcome of races. Two-time Olympic champion and multiple-time world record holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia broke the half marathon world record at Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona in 2006 (58:55). And with 16 World Records / Bests and 11 American Records, Carlsbad was always recognized as The World’s Fastest 5K. 

“Tim felt if you created special events with a team of people who were passionate about the space they were in, the money would follow,” Sundlun told me. “He also understood that an event was only as good as its weakest link. So he was laser-focused on every aspect of the event, from the expo to the medal to the course to the elite athletes to the give-a-ways to the ads to the water stations, you name it.

“We never had a meeting about what to cut, just about how to improve. Tim understood you had to invest and promote relentlessly. He was tireless in his pursuit of greatness. Good people would join him and he empowered them and got out of their way. But he refused to take no for an answer, and had a single-minded focus.”

Tim even bought television’s Road Race of the Month from Salmini Films in 1991, the series that aired on ESPN for over a decade featuring the best races in the country and around the world. Tim understood that with television as a promotional arm, he could sell more advertising and attract more runners. 

The string of happy days ended abruptly in July 2007, however, when Elite Racing’s beloved athlete recruiter Mike Long died suddenly of a heart attack. Mike’s passing seemed to take the spark out of Tim. 

Later that year he sold the business to Falconhead Capital for more than $40 million. Elite Racing essentially became the event division of the new Competitor Group, Inc., and Tim moved on. Eventually, after Tracy also left, CGI abandoned the elite aspect of running altogether, before leaving San Diego, as well.

At times, Tim could be a volcanic boss, as his business was his life’s passion. Yet he engendered a deep dedication and respect from his Elite Racing family, out of which 17 marriages were spawned (including my own with Toya), growing families, and lifelong friendships. Tim’s final years were spent quietly, visiting with friends and his two sisters who were with him at the last.  

R.I.P., Tim. You were a true visionary who has left a legacy that moved us all both body and soul.

126th Boston Marathon Raises $35.6 Million For Area Non-Profits

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has announced that $35.6 million was raised for more than 200 non-profit organizations through this year’s 126th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 18. The B.A.A. Official Charity Program and the John Hancock Non-Profit Program have combined to raise more than $460 million since the charity program’s inception at the 1989 Boston Marathon.

The $35.6 million raised this year includes donations raised through the B.A.A.’s Official Charity Program, the John Hancock Non-Profit Program, and from other qualified and invitational runners. A total of 2,566 participants ran as fundraising athletes at the 126th Boston Marathon. Further details can be found on the Boston Marathon’s fundraising page through GivenGain.

“The non-profit community across Greater Boston is resilient, and, as a non-profit itself, the B.A.A. takes great pride in being a catalyst for more than 200 charitable organizations to raise critical funds in support of their missions,” said Nicole Juri, the B.A.A.’s Director of Development. “The return to our full field size and traditional Patriots' Day date enabled our non-profit partners to raise even greater funds for a variety of meaningful causes.”

“It is outstanding to see the funds raised by this year’s Boston Marathon participants, all in support of non-profit organizations that are a driving force for our community and carry personal meaning for so many,” said Marianne Harrison, president and CEO of John Hancock. “We are committed to making lives better by empowering sustained health and well-being, and we are grateful to help bring that mission to life through the John Hancock Non-Profit Program. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make this year’s race so inspiring and impactful.”

Earlier this year, the B.A.A. and John Hancock held the first-ever Boston Marathon Giving Day, which resulted in more than $1.1 million in donations over a 24-hour period to the 200 non-profit programs affiliated with the 126th Boston Marathon. Boston Marathon Giving Day was the second largest single day of donations to non-profits connected to the race, behind 2018 #GivingTuesday.

The B.A.A. annually provides non-profits associated with the B.A.A. Official Charity Program and John Hancock’s Non-Profit Program with invitational entries into the Boston Marathon. Each non-profit organization directly manages its own application process, athlete selection, and fundraising minimums, deadlines, and requirements.

The 126th Boston Marathon marked the first Patriots’ Day race since 2019 and featured a 98.4% finish rate, with 24,918 athletes from 111 different countries and all 50 states earning their unicorn medals.

The B.A.A. will notify non-profit organizations who have been selected to participate in the 127th Boston Marathon as part of the B.A.A. Official Charity Program in Summer 2022. More information can be found on the B.A.A. Official Charity Program and the John Hancock Non-Profit Program.

The next B.A.A. event is the B.A.A. 10K presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital on Sunday, June 26. Athletes can register online and compete with Boston Marathon champions and Olympians.

Four different ultrarunners are running across North America

Many runners have felt the silent pull of the long run, but running all day, every day, for months, takes the meaning of “long run” a step further. The passion for these gigantic physical and mental journeys seems only to be growing within the ultrarunning community, and we are aware of at least four ultrarunners (two Americans, one Canadian and one Irish) who are currently (or soon will be) crossing North America on foot–each for different reasons and causes.

Pete Kostelnick of Phoenix, Ariz. is known for breaking the trans-American record in 2016 by crossing the U.S. on foot in a record 42 days, six hours and 30 minutes. He followed that up in 2018 by completing a self-supported 8,614 km run from Kenai, Alaska, to Key West, Fla., including portions of western Canada, in 98 days. In July, he’ll begin an attempt to not only run 50 miles per day in 50 states over 50 days straight, solo, but he will then to head to Australia to become the first human to run the 3,935 km from Perth to Sydney, averaging roughly 128 kilometres per day for 31 days. 

Kostelnick, 35, writes about the Australian adventure: “In running from Perth to Sydney in the bar I’ve set for myself, that will be the most difficult and challenging one I’ll probably ever attempt.” Kostelnick will host a daily podcast throughout his journey, and invites fellow runners to join him throughout his cross-U.S. run, with his expected dates of arrival in various places posted on social media.

Fellow Hoka-sponsored athlete and ultrarunner Mike Wardian of Arlington, Va., has already begun his trek across the U.S., one the athlete says he’s dreamed of for much of his life. Wardian is currently on day 19 of the 5,100 km journey, averaging 80 km per day and supported by his father, Richard Wardian. His daily updates online include what music or book he is listening to (yesterday was Guns and Roses), among other things. Wardian is raising money for World Vision in an attempt to provide greater access to clean drinking water to people across the world, in a project he has dubbed #runninghome.

Canadian Dave Proctor of Okotoks, Alta., is making his second attempt at breaking the cross-Canada record set by Al Howie in 1991. Howie ran from Newfoundland to Victoria in 72 days, 10 hours; following in Howie’s footsteps from east to west, Proctor hopes to complete the trek in 66 days. Proctor’s previous attempt in 2018 ended in injury, and his second attempt has been delayed by the pandemic. Currently on day five, Proctor is averaging 105 km a day and is supported by a varied crew of friends (including Canadian ultrarunners Matt Shepard, Mike Huber and Myron Tetrault, among others) and family, who are flying out separately to various points on his trip and providing aid for six to 16 days each.

Irish ultrarunner Richard Donovan, creator of the World Marathon Challenge (seven marathons on seven continents in seven days), is also running across the U.S., from east to west, in memory of his friend Alvin Matthews. Donovan’s run began the day after the Boston Marathon (which he also ran). He hopes to average about 64 km per day in a scenic and circuitous journey that will take about three months; he made a similar trek in 2015.

All four athletes have demonstrated remarkable prowess at ultra-distance events, and readers and runners alike look forward to both following the athletes online and spotting them on highways on multiple continents over the next few months.

St. Jude Memphis Marathon turns 20 as 17,000 runners return to the Bluff City

For Keri Nunley, participating in the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend started as a way to honor her father, who died two decades ago after a battle with cancer. After his death, Nunley found out her father had long been donating to the children’s hospital and wanted his memorial fund to go to St. Jude. 

A friend of hers was going to participate in the marathon weekend that year, the first iteration of the annual event in 2002, and invited Nunley to join. While she had never been a runner, she signed up and walked. And the McMinnville, Tennessee, resident has done it every year since. 

Each year, more friends and relatives joined her, and the weekend became a family reunion, with Nunley’s relatives coming from as far as Pennsylvania, California, Florida and Texas. And while it remains a way to honor her father, Nunley also participates for another reason.

“I'm very passionate about the kids,” she said. “They need our help.” 

Her favorite part of the half marathon was always passing by Target House, an apartment building provided for families of St. Jude patients who are on campus for more than three months. 

“You run a little faster as you go by there with a mother standing out there with a sign, ‘Thank you for running for my kids’... It just pushes you to do more. It is a community,” she said. “There's houses along the route in neighborhoods that all of those people have gotten involved, and they're out there every year… It's amazing how much it has grown over the years.”

Over the years Nunley's team has raised about $300,000 for the hospital. 

Saturday marks the 20th St. Jude Memphis Marathon, and Nunley is one of only a few people who have participated every year, according to the organization. But over the past two decades, the event has grown from a small, local fundraiser to an international event drawing thousands and raising millions. 

Over the life of the race, it has raised more than $100 million for St. Jude. It is the largest single-day fundraiser the organization has. The goal for the 20th-anniversary race was to raise $9 million. According to ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the race is on track to raise more than $12 million this year. 

There will be more than 20,000 people participating in the marathon weekend in 2021. About 17,000 will be running or walking in person, while the rest are participating virtually. Those runners come from all 50 states and 71 different countries. 

Last year's all-virtual event raised $7.5 million. About 15,000 people participated.

The race is also more than a fundraiser for St. Jude, it's a community event, drawing area residents to the course to cheer for the runners and walkers and filling up Memphis hotels, restaurants, cafes and bars. 

Annually — with the exception of 2020, when the races were all virtual — the race has a multi-million economic impact on the city and the wider region. According to Memphis Tourism, the 2021 race is expected to fill almost 4,000 hotel rooms.

Austin Marathon, Ascension Seton Agree to Title Sponsor Extension

The Austin Marathon and Ascension Seton have agreed to a long-term title sponsor extension. The agreement will allow the collaboration to continue to grow, further benefiting the fitness community. In addition to growing secondary community events and expanding content creation opportunities, Ascension Seton will remain the Official Medical Provider. Since 2019, the collaboration has helped others establish healthier lifestyles, prevent avoidable injuries, and provide services for injured athletes to recover. The 30th annual Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour, owned and produced by High Five Events, will take place on February 20, 2022.

“Ascension Seton is excited to establish a long-term collaboration with the High Five Events team in support of the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon,” said Adam Bauman, Vice President of Orthopedics, Sports and Rehabilitation Services for Ascension Texas. “Over the past three years, our collaboration has helped encourage people to remain active in a way none of us anticipated due to the COVID pandemic. Ascension Seton remains committed to supporting our community and partners to ensure the Austin Marathon and other related events are sustainable well into the future.”

As the Official Medical Provider, Ascension Seton doctors and nurses will staff the finish line medical tent and work with Travis County EMS on course. During race weekend, Team Ascension Seton will participate in all events, volunteer their time, and have a major presence at the Health and Fitness Expo. Outside of race weekend, they’ll continue to positively impact the local fitness community, providing knowledge and insight curated by Ascension Seton Sports Performance’s Dr. Jakob Allen.

“Our collaboration with Ascension Seton has grown over the years and significantly benefited the fitness community,” said Jack Murray, co-owner of High Five Events. “With this extension we expect that trajectory to grow for the foreseeable future as we come up with new ideas and build new opportunities.”

The Austin Marathon will celebrate its 30th year running in the capital of Texas in 2022. Austin’s flagship running event annually attracts runners from all 50 states and 35+ countries around the world. The start and finish locations are just a few blocks apart and within walking distance of many downtown hotels and restaurants. The finish line is in front of the picturesque Texas State Capitol. The Austin Marathon is the perfect running weekend destination. Registration is currently open. The next price increase is scheduled for Tuesday, November 30th.

About High Five Events: Beginning with the launch of a single triathlon in 2003, High Five Events has grown to become one of the largest privately owned event production companies in the United States. High Five Events is a community-centric company based in Austin, Texas.

Retired nurse Dorothy Strand 81, reigns as only athlete to run all 25 Surf City Marathons

Dorothy Strand has never been the fastest of runners. But what she lacks in speed she makes up for in consistency.

On Saturday, Sept. 11, Strand will tackle the 25th annual Surf City Marathon/Half Marathon. It’s her 25th as well.

“She’s the only athlete on planet Earth who has participated all 25 years,” said Surf City Marathon spokesman Dan Cruz.

At 81, and battling back pain, Strand will walk this year rather than trot. And instead of completing the full marathon she will settle for half.

Strand, a retired nurse who lives in Orange, said she’s getting inspiration from the friends in her running group. “I might have opted out this year if not for them. There was no way they were letting me miss my 25th year. I felt that pressure of, ‘I’m a “legacy.” I’ve got to do it.’”

Originally known as the Pacific Shoreline Marathon, the city’s first race was held in 1997. Traditionally, it takes place the morning of Super Bowl Sunday. But coronavirus concerns pushed this year’s event forward seven months. Organizers hope to return to the usual routine in February of 2022.

Cruz said Strand will be celebrated at both the start and finish lines. “She is our celebrity runner this year.”

In normal times, the race attracts more than 17,000 participants, including some of the world’s best distance runners. But this year the lingering pandemic has cut that number to about 13,000 runners, who will participate in several different events: marathon, half-marathon, 10K and 5K. Almost all will be from Southern California, Cruz said.

John Strand, 87, came mighty close to sharing in his wife’s glory. However, about 15 years ago he missed a Surf City Marathon when he was off running in another state.

The Strands developed their passion for long-distance running in the 1980s when their two sons ran cross country and track at Orange Lutheran High. “It became a family thing,” Dorothy Strand said.

“My husband was a natural, but I’m not,” she added. “Some of my friends would run with me in the back. Gradually, I got better.”

She’s run in 46 marathons, with her fastest time (so far) 4:57 in 1999, in Dublin, Ireland. “It’s not great, but it’s great for me,” Strand said.

By then, the couple had started traveling to run in marathons. Now retired, physician John Strand visited all 50 states and seven continents chasing his hobby. He’s run in 118 marathons, total, with a personal best of 4:04.

When she started running, Dorothy Strand recalled, “I didn’t have much competition in my age group. Women weren’t really out there competing as much.”

John Strand also has health problems now, so his plan for Saturday is to stroll in the 5K.

“That’s life,” he said. “I can’t do everything I used to do, but I very much enjoyed that chapter of my life.”

Before he started running, Strand said, he was a “couch potato.”

“Running made me more outgoing, more of an extrovert,” he said. “Healthy body, healthy mind. Because of running, I’ve seen so many beautiful trails and met so many great people.”

Icing on the cake: His wife has shared his passion.

“It’s been wonderful to have a partner with me, to have something we can do together,” Strand said.

For her part, Dorothy Strand said running made her more adventurous.

Annie Hughes and Adrian Macdonald win Leadville Trail 100

The world-famous Leadville Trail 100 Run presented by La Sportiva race returned to Leadville this weekend, the pinnacle finale event of the 2021 Leadville Race Series which is comprised of more than 15 mountain bike and trail running events each year. Event owner Life Time welcomed a field of 681 runners ranging in age from 19 to 78 years old, representing all 50 states and 13 countries, who toed the line at 4 a.m. with the ultimate goal of completing the 100-mile “Race Across the Sky” in under 30 hours. Of the 681 starters, 321 finished.

“I want to extend my sincere congratulations and thank you to every single athlete, spectator, and member of the community who collectively made this event so successful,” said first-time Race Director and previous Leadville Trail 100 MTB finisher, Tamira Jenlink. “As a Leadville resident, I understand first-hand how this event changes lives. The entire Life Time team is already looking forward to 2022!”

In the women’s division, Annie Hughes, 23, of Leadville, Colo., finished first with a time of 21:06:58. Genevieve Harrison, 34, of Eagle, Colo., finished with a time of 22:06:59. Third place was secured by Blake Wageman, 36, of Conifer, Colo., who crossed the line at 22:25:20.

Hughes noted about her win, “Living in Leadville, getting to experience altitude and having access to the course year-round was really helpful. I’m so thankful for my pacers and crew, who taught me so much.”

For the men, Adrian Macdonald, 32, of Fort Collins, Colo., finished first with a time of 16:18:19. Matt Flaherty, 36, of Bloomington, Ind., secured second with a time of 16:59:38. Two-time previous winner Anton Krupicka, 38, of Boulder, Colo., placed third with a time of 17:07:55.

Describing his first 100-mile race, Macdonald noted, “I felt great all day — my legs and breathing all felt good. It’s just sort of crazy and insane. I told myself I was just going to go out and run all day and I did.”

Proving themselves to be ultra-endurance champions, three women earned the incredibly respectful title of Leadwoman and 40 men earned the title of Leadman following the event after successfully completing five events within the Leadville Race Series throughout the summer including the Leadville Trail Marathon, Silver Rush 50-mile run or mountain bike race, 100-mile mountain bike race, and Leadville Trail 10K.

The famed course brings runners through 13,000 feet of net gain, topping out at 12,424 feet. Notably, 31 Leadville citizens proudly represented their hometown, for which the race series is well known and beloved, in the participant field.

This year, 66 athletes across the 100 MTB (Aug. 14) and 100 Run (Aug. 21) have exceeded the goal of collectively raising $150,000 for the Life Time Foundation, which will be allocated to Lake County Public Schools schools to keep highly-processed food out of meals, while increasing the amount of fresh and simply prepared foods for students. Additionally, Leadville local Rodrigo Jimenez, who started the race 2.5 hours after the official start, raised more than $72,000 for the Leadville Trail 100 Legacy Foundation after passing 660 of the 681 runners on-course, receiving fundraising pledges for each.

To view all of the Life Time athletic events after August, please visit: https://my.lifetime.life/athletic-events.html

The Leadville Trail 100 Run presented by La Sportiva is owned and produced by Life Time, the premier healthy lifestyle brand. It is among more than 30 premier athletic events owned by the company, including the Stages Cycling Leadville Trail 100 MTB, Garmin UNBOUND Gravel, Verizon New York City Triathlon, Chicago Triathlon, and Miami Marathon.

About the Leadville Race Series

Started with only 45 runners as the Leadville Trail 100 Run in 1983, the Leadville Race Series now consists of seven running events and four mountain biking events, plus six events in the Leadville Qualifying Series. The Race Series stretches across three months, and hosts thousands of racers on foot and on mountain bike in some of the world’s most iconic events. Endurance athletes worldwide now make the pilgrimage to Leadville, Colo., with the single goal of competing in “The Race Across the Sky.” Visit www.leadvilleraceseries.com for more information.

2022 Austin Marathon Will Offer Free, Personalized Finisher Video For All Participants

The 30th annual Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour will provide a free, personalized finish line video for all participants who cross the finish line on February 20, 2022. This video, valued at $19, is just the beginning of numerous amazing perks being put together to commemorate the anniversary. The commemorative video will be produced by FinisherPix. It’ll include finishers crossing the finish line and commemorative 30th-anniversary designs and footage.

“Runners are ready to create new memories on the streets of Austin and this free video will be a keepsake they’ll be proud to share,” said Stacy Keese, co-owner of High Five Events. “We’re excitedly preparing to celebrate our 30th year of running Austin and building this event into one of the top experiences in the world!”

The marathon distance will return for the 2022 Austin Marathon, owned and produced by High Five Events. It was not part of the rescheduled 2021 event based on the COVID-19 Mitigation Plan that allowed running to return to Austin earlier this year. Plans are also underway to bring back many elements that make the Austin Marathon one of the top event experiences in the world. This includes the full expo, expanded beer garden, live music at the finish line, and 3-block-long finish line festival.

“Austin Marathon is a beloved and well-known event that regularly provides a memorable experience for runners from all over the world,” said Robbie Little, Vice President, Event Services at Outside. “We’re excited to produce this video that we know will be seen by friends and family around the world.”

Austin’s flagship running event annually attracts runners from all 50 states and 35+ countries around the world. The start and finish locations are just a few blocks apart. They are within walking distance of many downtown hotels and restaurants. The finish line is in front of the picturesque Texas State Capitol.

The Austin Marathon is the perfect running weekend destination. Pricing is currently $129 for the marathon, $109 for the half marathon, and $59 for the KXAN Simple Health 5K. Additional FinisherPix photo packages can be purchased at a discounted rate during the registration process. 

Meet the Texas man running 50 marathons in 50 weeks in 50 states

In November 2015, Houston’s Aaron Burros was shot five times. He was at work when he heard a commotion and went to help whoever was in distress. Burros did help, distracting the enraged individual while everyone in danger got away, but he was not so lucky. Lying on the ground after tackling one of the assailants, Burros stared up at another man, who was ready to shoot him. He now says everything slowed down in those moments, giving him a chance to wonder if he was going to die.

Fortunately, the gunman misfired his first shot, which only grazed Burros’s torso, giving him just enough time to get up and run away. As he fled, he was hit in both glutes, but he managed to get to safety without being shot fatally. Almost six years later, Burros is still plagued by the terrifying memories of that day, and a bullet fragment left in his right glute is a physical reminder of the attack, still sending shots of pain up and down his leg with each step. Despite all of this pain, both physical and mental, he continues to run, which he says gives him purpose, even in his darkest moments. 

Today, Burros is in the middle of a year-long running challenge in which he is looking to run 50 marathons in 50 weeks in the 50 U.S. states, all as a celebration for his 50th birthday. He’s using the challenge as a way to fundraise for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee, with the hope of raising a grand total of $50,000.

So far, Burros has completed 24 races this year, leaving him a little behind his goal of close to one per week. He has missed a few races, for various reasons, but he has made it to the start line of most of them, and he’s continuing to work toward his ultimate goal of raising $50,000. 

Burros’s running journey 

In 2010, years before he was attacked, Burros weighed close to 400 pounds. Looking to lose weight, he began running, slowly at first and only for 15 minutes or so each day. As any runner knows, though, with persistence comes fitness, and after a year, Burros had lost 100 pounds and gotten much better at running. By 2015, he was a seasoned marathoner, and he signed up for a 50-miler. 

“That was set for two weeks after I got shot,” Burros says now. After undergoing surgery to have the bullets removed from his glutes, Burros asked his doctor if he could still run the race. His doctor told him that it would be a brutal run, but he wouldn’t cause any further damage, so Burros decided to go for it. 

“I played sports my whole life,” Burros says. “My threshold for pain was high, so I just went out and tried to do the ultra.” He made it to about the 40-mile mark, but then he started falling down over and over again. He wasn’t tripping on anything, but he simply couldn’t stay on his feet. “There was this medic there who kept asking if I was OK. He told me to walk.” 

Burros took the advice and slowed down, but not even a mile later, he was hit with an anxiety attack. “That was when my PTSD kicked in,” he says. “The anxiety, the depression, the crying spells. I couldn’t even walk in a straight line.” Burros didn’t make it to the finish that day, and he required assistance to get off the course. Going into the race, he had figured that the only obstacles he would face would be physical, and while he encountered his fair share of those challenges, it was the mental injury he suffered that forced him to pull out of that race. 

“I had no clue what I was going through at that point,” he says. “I was facing all kinds of emotional battles.” For the next four years, Burros saw a number of specialists to help him work through the trauma, but he says his mental state only continued to worsen. It got to the point where he stopped doing pretty much everything, including running.

“I would wake up, sit at Starbucks all day, then go home and go to sleep,” he says. “I did that for four years. Unless I was going to my appointments, that was it, I didn’t go anywhere else. I didn’t know how to function.” In that time, he regained much of the weight he had lost before he was shot, until the scale eventually said 299. 

“I told my psychiatrist I had to do something, that I wasn’t going back to the 300 club,” Burros says. “For me, gaining weight back was just as damaging as being shot.” He got back into running, setting a big goal for himself: to run each of the six World Marathon Majors (WMMs). In 2019, Burros checked four of those races off his list, running in London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City.

He had plans to run the Tokyo and Boston marathons in 2020 and complete his goal in just one year, but both mass participation events were cancelled due to COVID-19. This year, he will run the Boston Marathon, and he hopes to check Tokyo off his list in 2023. (Organizers of the Tokyo Marathon have closed the race to international runners this year and next, meaning anyone like Burros has to wait until at least 2023 to cross the event off his bucket list.) 

Coming into 2021, Burros decided to celebrate his 50th birthday with a goal even more audacious than his plan to run all six WMMs. “I was turning 50 and I wanted to do something meaningful, to have some hope,” he says. “I know what running means to me, so I chose to do something with my running.” 

50 in 50 in 50 

Burros billed his event as running 50 marathons, and while most races he’ll run this year are 42.2K, he has mixed in a few 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons and even some ultras. Running 50 races in 50 weeks in all 50 states is a big goal, and it has taken its toll on Burros. “It’s been challenging, frustrating and overwhelming at times,” he says. But he has held onto hope throughout the journey, and managed to push through tough times. Two of his driving forces come in the form of children: Aiden and Gabby.

Aiden is a boy Burros met at the Chicago Marathon in 2019. He suffers from multiple illnesses, and Burros began to pray for him, but he didn’t think that was enough, and he decided to take action. After researching different causes, Burros decided to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“I know medical costs can break a family, so I wanted to do something to help them and honour Aiden and Gabby,” he says. Burros only met Aiden briefly, but he has a close connection to Gabby, who is his grand-niece. Just before starting his 50 in 50 in 50 challenge, Burros heard from his brother, Gabby’s grandfather, that Gabby had been diagnosed with kidney cancer. Her kidney was successfully removed, but doctors found tumours in her skull. 

Burros has had a tough time with his running challenge so far, and understandably so, but he uses Aiden and Gabby as inspiration to keep going. He knows he may miss a few weeks along the way, but the number of races he runs isn’t his priority, and instead, his main goal is to help as many children in similar positions to Aiden’s and Gabby’s as possible. To learn more about Burros’s journey and to follow along, click here, and to donate to the cause, click here.

2021 Flying Pig Marathon is coming back, Marathon will run this fall in-person

The Flying Pig Marathon is coming back! Executive Director Iris Simpson Bush says the marathon will run this fall over Halloween weekend.

“As of Oct. 29 through Oct. 31, Flying Pig events will be returning in person. We know that 2021 can't look exactly like the Flying Pig has looked in the past but we are so excited to be coming back in person,” Simpson Bush said.

Specifics on the race are still being worked out especially with COVID-19 guidelines changing often. Bush says they’ve coordinated with the local health departments and will stay in contact as the race gets closer.“I think that it's fair to say we have held off this long because safety measures for our participants, volunteers and the community at large is of primary importance,” Bush said.

As for the runners themselves, Bush says their expecting a lot of new faces even though they aren’t sure what their capacity will be just yet.

“The research says that the industry is likely to attract a bunch of newbies because for many people it's the only thing they could do during the pandemic,” she said.This weekend, the virtual event is set to host around 5,500 participants.

The hope is this Cincinnati staple event will be a step toward normalcy as they plan for the return of runners from all 50 states and around the world.“Call it our return to flight. This year we plan to soar,” Bush said.

If you are signed up for the virtual event, you’ll have the first opportunity to sign up for the in-person event. Registration for the public will open up on May 10.

Registration for virtual Boston Marathon opens today

Registration opens Tuesday for the 2021 virtual Boston Marathon.

The Boston Athletic Association opens registration at 10 a.m. to the first 70,000 people who register. Rules will require participants to complete the 26.2 miles in one, continuous attempt in order to earn their finishing medal.

“For the first time in our history, most everyone will have the opportunity to earn a Unicorn finisher’s medal for every B.A.A. race in 2021—no matter whether they choose to walk or run," said Tom Grilk, president and CEO of the BAA.

The virtual race will be held Oct.8 to Oct. 10, followed by the in-person race that will be held on Oct. 11, 2021, as long as state reopening rules allow.

The 2020 Boston Marathon, the 124th running of the race, was initially postponed to September before it was ultimately cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year, instead of 30,000 runners covering the course from Hopkinton to Boston on Patriots Day in April, more than 16,000 people from all 50 states and 83 countries covered the required 26.2 miles in their own neighborhoods during a 10-day period in September.

Louisiana Marathon still running this weekend with safety protocols

Like most things this past COVID-riddled year, the Louisiana Marathon will look a lot different when it kicks off this weekend.

Luckily for runners, the race is still on, with events beginning Saturday morning leading into Sunday’s full marathon. But unlike years past, there won’t be streets lined with supporters or spectators handing out waters at the aid stations.

Safety protocols have given the 2021 edition a much different look. Runners will be grouped into separate “start corrals,” where cones will be placed 6 feet apart to encourage participants to maintain social distancing. The first corral of runners starts at 8 a.m. for Saturday’s quarter marathon and 5K, and 7 a.m. for the full and half marathons, with the following groups moving to the starting line in order.

Masks are not required while running the race, but runners are required to wear a mask before starting and after crossing the finish line. Runners are also encouraged to bring their own personal hydration in order to reduce potential contact. Cups of water will still be available at the various aid stations throughout the course, but will not be handed out to runners.

Awards will be based on chip timing, and the results will be posted online after the race. Winners can still claim their hardware from the award’s table, but will be required to verify the results on their phone.

This year marks the 10-year anniversary of the Louisiana Marathon, which has grown substantially since its inception, having featured participants from all 50 states as well as more than 32 countries. The course takes runners on a scenic route through downtown Baton Rouge, the University Lakes, LSU’s campus and several historic neighborhoods along the way.

2021 Eugene Marathon has been cancelled due to the pandemic

After careful consideration, the 2021 Eugene Marathon will shift to a fully virtual event in late April of 2021. 

Over the fall and winter, the Eugene Marathon staff worked with partners at Lane County Public Health, the City of Eugene, the University of Oregon and PeaceHealth to plan for a COVID-modified, in-person event; but due to the current state of the pandemic and the projected timing of the vaccine roll out, it has become clear that putting on a safe, in-person event in April is not possible. 

“When we opened registration in the fall, we were hopeful that 2021 would be our year to return to in-person races and to our roots at Hayward Field,” Race Director Ian Dobson said. “But as we have gone through the planning process, it has become clear that our community partners and the medical support staff we rely on will still be very busy serving our community in a significant way by providing treatment and vaccinations.”

“We also acknowledge the impact that our event could have on COVID transmissions,” Dobson added. “The fact that we attract participants from all 50 states and around the globe is something we are extremely proud of, but right now it would clearly be irresponsible for us to put our community at risk by hosting an event with that sort of reach."

The Eugene Marathon, which takes place annually on the final weekend of April, consists of a Marathon, Half Marathon, Eugene 5K, Kid’s Duck Dash, and Health & Wellness Expo. All events, including a live-streaming Finish Festival will now take place virtually. A final schedule will be announced in March. All 2021 registrants have been notified by email and will be provided a week to defer their entry for free to 2022 or to stay in the virtual event.

“Life has changed significantly since we became the healthcare sponsor for Eugene Marathon in 2019. Through the challenges of the last year, it became apparent how socially conscious Eugene Marathon is as an organization. And this decision truly highlights their commitment to doing what’s right for our communities,” said Todd Salnas, chief operating officer, PeaceHealth Oregon. “We are proud to support this year’s virtual event and associated activities and look forward to the possibility of celebrating together in person at Hayward Field in 2022.”

“We are looking at innovative ways to approach the virtual race experience and make it as fun and interactive as possible,” Dobson said. “There will be multiple days of activities available throughout race weekend. “

Justin Gillette has won more marathons than most people have entered, and he's hoping to win many more

In 1999, when Justin Gillette was 16 years old and living in Ironton, Mo., he and a friend decided to run a marathon. Despite his lack of experience at the distance, the race went well and he was immediately hooked. Two years later, he won his first marathon, and he has gotten used to winning ever since. Today, Gillette — who now lives in Goshen, Ind., and boasts a marathon PB of 2:25:44 — has an incredible 114 marathon wins to his name, and he hopes to add even more to his resume. In fact, if he can hit 200, he’ll get free pizza for life at a pizza shop in his hometown called the Iron Mule. It’s a lofty goal, but with free pizza on the line, it’s well worth the time and effort to get there.

Gillette’s winning ways 

A long time has passed since Gillette won his first marathon, but he’s still winning races regularly. In November, he ran back-to-back marathons at an event in Fort Worth, Texas, called the Texas Quad, crossing the line first in both and securing the 113th and 114th wins of his career. This was only Gillette’s third time running marathons on consecutive days, and while he says “there is a steep learning curve” when it comes to back-to-back racing, he fared pretty well.

“If you run too hard on the first day then you’ll have nothing left for the second day,” he says. “I wanted to get in two quality races regardless of finish place.” Gillette says he left Texas feeling satisfied with both efforts, and getting the two wins was just a bonus. He also notes that this was his first race win in Texas, which leaves only 15 states in which he hasn’t won a marathon. He hopes to check off all 50 states at some point in his career. 

Gillette has four children, ages two up to 11, he operates a firewood business and he coaches a number of athletes. On top of all this, he still finds time to train and, of course, race. He tries to run as many marathons as he can each year, but the total number depends on two factors: his home life and how his legs feel. “I have to be a present dad and husband,” he says. In 2020, despite the pandemic, lockdowns and a calf injury, Gillette managed to win 13 marathons, noting that it will take him several more years of winning the same numbers of races to reach 200.

The pizza bet 

Before Gillette made the deal at the Iron Mule, he had a similar (although much smaller-scale) agreement with the owner of a restaurant in the Bahamas. It was 2015, and Gillette was preparing to run the Bahamas Marathon. The night before the race, he went to dinner with his wife and friends, and when the owner asked why they were on the island, Gillette responded candidly: “I mentioned that I was there to win the marathon.” The owner laughed and told Gillette that if he won the race, he would eat free at the restaurant for life. As usual, Gillette got the win, and he returned the next night for a meal on the house. 

"Not long after that I was at the Iron Mule sharing the story with Coach B,” Gillette says. Coach B is Don Barzowski, owner of the Iron Mule and coach of the high school cross-country team in Ironton. “He offered the same deal at his restaurant — free food for life, but only once I have won more marathons than anyone in the U.S.” Gillette is close, and he currently ranks second on that list, only behind Chuck Engle, who has won “around 200” marathons. Gillette isn’t sure of Engle’s exact tally, but he says he believes Engle has retired, so the total number to beat won’t be changing anytime soon. “My plan is to keep focused on myself and if I get in the 180 to 190 marathon win total, then I’ll check on the record.” 

Gillette says he eats at the Iron Mule whenever he visits Ironton, and he always makes sure to update Barzowski on his progress. “Each win, I tell him that I’m getting closer, but then he serves me humble pie and says I’m also getting older,” Gillette says. “At 114 wins, I know it’s a stretch to catch Engle, but it doesn’t mean I wont try my best. Free pizza is a motivator.” 

Atlanta Track Club will be hosting this year’s Running of the AJC Peachtree Road Race virtually for the first time in its 51-year history

With a long and respected legacy of hosting Atlanta's most prestigious endurance events, Atlanta Track Club will be hosting this year’s Running of the AJC Peachtree Road Race virtually for the first time in its 51-year history. Despite not running or walking down Peachtree Road with 60,000 other participants in 2020, race organizers are building a virtual experience that will deliver an unforgettable and authentic Peachtree.

To launch this premier virtual event to participants in all 50 states and 31 countries, Atlanta Track Club looked to their partner haku for fully unique and completely customized technology solutions. haku, the Miami-based technology company, has become the industry leader in bringing the world’s most prestigious endurance events to life, such as the recent 124th Boston Marathon Virtual Experience.

"While we all will miss the sights and sounds of the Peachtree, we are confident haku will help us keep the storied Peachtree tradition going another year," said Rich Kenah, Atlanta Track Club’s Executive Director and Race Director of the AJC Peachtree Road Race. "We saw it through haku's work with the Boston Marathon that they understand the deep-seeded rituals associated with this race and have the ability to build unique and successful virtual events for thousands of runners at a time."

Creating an immersive event app for the Virtual Running of the AJC Peachtree Road Race with haku was an important focus in bringing this event to thousands of participants around the world. The app will have many innovative features to drive a memorable and engaging experience. Participants will be able to track their progress on the course, upload and compare results, engage with their community, and much more. To stay true to tradition, the Club also worked with haku to incorporate audio cues into the app’s race day experience to simulate the sounds that a runner would typically hear during the annual road race and provide encouraging messages from Olympian Meb Keflezighi, 2017 Peachtree Champion and U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon Champion Aliphine Tuliamuk and World Record Holder Daniel Romanchuk.

"Building the app with haku was a collaborative process. There were no rigid set of features that we had to adhere to. The app is fully customized for the AJC Peachtree Road Race participants," said Kenah. "haku has been great about meeting our particular needs and the whole process couldn't have been easier."

Atlanta Track Club and haku are excited to kick off this spectacular event at the end of November, which will deliver a unique Atlanta-centric experience rooted in tradition.

"The passion and dedication that the Atlanta Track Club has shown for this event are immeasurable," said haku Founder and CEO, Carlos Escobar. "The Virtual Running of the AJC Peachtree Road Race will make every participant and spectator feel like they're truly still a part of this 50-year long tradition."

After an extensive search, ATC chose to move forward with haku as its new technology partner in late 2019 after seeing haku’s unique capability of providing truly bespoke technology for its partners. Through their partnership, the organizations are looking forward to introducing new innovative event technology that will drive significant participant engagement, streamline operations, and provide extraordinary experiences for Running City USA.

"We're excited to be able to provide a more user-friendly, clean, and elevated experience for our members and volunteers," said Kenah. "In working with haku, we’re now able to have a better understanding of the people who interact with the Club, which will enable us to deliver more unique and personalized experiences."

The Virtual Running of the AJC Peachtree Road Race will begin on Thanksgiving Day, November 26. Participants can submit their results between 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, November 26 and 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 29.

The 2020 Boston Marathon virtual experience raises $32 million for charity

The 2020 Boston Marathon Virtual Experience, held in September, raised $32.1 million for 242 charity programs, according to a joint statement from race organizer Boston Athletic Association and primary race patron John Hancock Financial. This year's haul brings the Boston Marathon's life-to-date fundraising total to $400 million since the program's inception in 1989.

"In a year when runners and supporters have faced countless challenges, all have remained determined to finish strong and make a difference within the community," said Boston Athletic Association CEO Tom Grilk through the statement. "We are immensely proud of each and every participant whose fundraising contributions will serve a meaningful purpose supporting 242 non-profit and charity organizations. To achieve the $400 million milestone in total funds raised adds even more meaning to this year's event, where Boston Marathoners brought the spirit of Boston to the world."

The 2020 Boston Marathon, traditionally held on the third Monday in April, was first postponed from April 20 to September 14 due to the pandemic, but was later cancelled when both city and race officials determined that it would be impossible to hold the race safely. Organizers switched to a virtual format, and over 16,000 runners from 83 countries and all 50 states ran their own 42.195-kilometer races between September 5 and 14. Many incorporated charity fundraising into their personal marathons.

"The Boston Marathon is a tradition in this city; it is the oldest, the toughest and the most iconic," remarked Marianne Harrison, President and CEO of John Hancock through the statement. "We're proud to be part of the race's history and community impact as part of our 35-year partnership. Although this year's race was different, runners came together to cross their own finish lines and collectively lift up each other and the non-profits they represent."

Marathon running is a critical part of charity fundraising, globally, and the staging of virtual running events has helped keep charitable contributions going during the pandemic. For perspective, the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon raised £66.4 million ($87.0 million), a single-day world record for charity fundraising. The 2019 TCS New York City Marathon raised $45 million, and the 2019 Boston Marathon raised $38.7 million.

The Virtual Air Force Marathon 2020, Sells Out Amidst COVID-19

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Air Force officials had cancelled the 2020 Air Force Marathon which would have been held Saturday, Sept. 19. However, call it foresight or a stroke of luck, ironically a virtual race option was already planned to be added this year and all seven virtual events are now sold out.

“Being an Air Force event, we initially created the virtual option so military members anywhere in the world had the opportunity to still be a part of the event if they could not be here in person,” said Brandon Hough, Air Force Marathon director. “Little did we know that our initial intention would have a whole new meaning behind it.”

The virtual race allows runners from all over the world to join in from afar. Participants will virtually complete the Air Force Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, Tailwind Trot or Fly! Fight! Win! Challenge Series race.

Runners will be required to run their selected distance during the month of September and encouraged to upload their race results online.   

“We were hopeful that we would get a good turnout but we never expected to sell out and sell out so quickly,” said Hough. “I think the appeal is that running in a virtual race allows runners to have the ability to run their event from wherever they are and have the flexibility to pick anytime to run it throughout the month.” 

With the success of the number of participants in this year’s marathon, Hough said that he is considering to continue to offer virtual events in the future. 

This year’s virtual race will have more than 11,600 athletes participating from all 50 states and 32 countries.

Once athletes complete their selected race, participants will receive their 2020 bib, commemorative patch, official race shirt, and finisher’s medal celebrating this year’s featured aircraft, the HH-60G Pave Hawk.  Challenge Series athletes will receive finisher’s medals for all three races selected in addition to a special Fly! Fight! Win! finisher’s medal and quarter zip pullover.

Along with the virtual race, there will also be a virtual Health and Fitness Expo where athletes will be able to shop their favorite expo booths and learn about new products and developments in health, fitness, and nutrition. The virtual expo will be available online Sept. 1-30 and is free and open to the public.

The 2020 Financial Monumental Marathon in Indianapolis will go virtual this year, organizers announced Friday

The marathon, which organizers say is one of the largest in the United States, typically attracts runners from all 50 states and over 25 countries, according to a news release. 

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the November event will now be all virtual. Organizers said they worked with city officials and medical providers to come to the decision. 

"Beyond Monumental is fortunate to have a significant support system in place, and we feel a deep responsibility to keep everyone involved as safe and healthy as possible," the new release states.

Registrants have the option of going virtual, deferring to 2021 or donating their entry to the Monumental Kids Movement. 

Organizers are still reviewing in-person options for the Indy Half Marathon at Fort Ben scheduled for Oct. 3. 

The 2020 Chicago Marathon has been canceled

For the second time in its history, the Chicago Marathon has been canceled before runners cross the starting line.  Organizers on Monday announced the 43rd running of the race, scheduled for Oct. 11, will not proceed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon typically draws about 45,000 runners and wheelchair athletes to the city, with a record 45,786 finishers in 2019 from 50 states and more than 100 countries. Organizers estimate about 1.7 million spectators annually line the 26.2-mile course that starts and ends near Grant Park and travels as far north as Wrigleyville and as far south as Bridgeport.

Registered participants can receive a refund for their race entry or defer their place and entry fee to the 2021, 2022 or 2023 race. Registered runners for the International Chicago 5K will have the same options.

“The Chicago Marathon is our city’s beloved annual celebration of more than 45,000 runners, as well as tens of thousands of volunteers, spectators and city residents, all of whom come together race weekend as one community here in our city,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement. “Like all Chicagoans, I’m personally disappointed that this year’s event won’t take place as originally planned; however, we look forward to welcoming all runners and their cheering squads once again when the Chicago Marathon returns to our city in full force for another very exciting race.”

Organizers are developing plans for a virtual race experience.

“Our highest priority has always been the safety of our participants and our volunteers,” race director Carey Pinkowski said in a statement. “We understand the disappointment, but when we return to the streets of Chicago, it will be a celebratory moment and an uncompromising statement about the collective spirit of who we are as a running community: We are powerful, we are persistent, and we will reach the finish line again.”

The Chicago Marathon is one of six Abbott World Major Marathons, along with Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, and New York. Only elite marathoners and wheelchair athletes were allowed to compete in the March 1 Tokyo Marathon.

Boston, originally scheduled for April 20 and rescheduled for Sept. 14, was canceled for the first time in its 124-year history on May 28. Organizers instead will make it a virtual race, giving finisher’s medals to participants who prove they ran 26.2 miles.

London was postponed from April 26 to Oct. 4. Berlin, slated to run Sept. 27, was canceled in April. New York, originally scheduled for Nov. 11, was canceled on June 24.

The Chicago race is a major fall tourist event. Organizers estimated in 2019 that the race has a $338 million economic impact annually on the city.

The only other time the Chicago Marathon didn’t start was in 1987, when sponsor Beatrice Foods withdrew its support. Organizers held a low-budget half-marathon with about 3,000 runners instead.

The first Chicago Marathon took place Sept. 25, 1977, as the Mayor Daley Marathon and had more than 4,200 runners.

In the 42nd running in 2019, Lawrence Cherono and Brigid Kosgei, both of Kenya, won the men’s and women’s races. Cherono finished in 2 hours, 5 minutes, 45 seconds. Kosgei broke the women’s world record by finishing in 2:14:04.

Austin Marathon Invites Runners from around the world to run Free Global Running Day Virtual 5K

The Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour invites runners from around the world to register for the free Global Running Day Virtual 5K. This is an excellent opportunity for everyone to come together to celebrate the sport we love and the entire running community.

You can run with anyone from anywhere during the free Global Running Day Virtual 5K! Invite friends, family, neighbors, and your running group to join you. Plus, finishers could win some sweet prizes! Registration is open until Wednesday, June 3rd.

“I’m hyped that the Austin Marathon is offering a virtual 5K to celebrate Global Running Day,” said Will von Rosenberg, who attended last year’s Global Running Day event in Austin. “It was great to see the Austin running community come together at last year’s event. I’m ready to run the Global Running Day Virtual 5K with runners from around the world!”

Participants of the free Global Running Day Virtual 5K can submit their 5K results at any time between May 20th and June 4th. Every participant will receive:

Customizable, downloadable bib that can be printed at home.

Limited-edition 2020 Global Running Day digital finisher medal.

Official digital finisher’s certificate.

Automatic entry into the giveaway to win 1 of 5 grand prizes including entry to the 2021 Ascension Seton Austin Marathon, Half Marathon, or 5K + VIP Experience

“I'm delighted to celebrate Global Running Day with the Austin Marathon. Their 30th anniversary will be the North American leg of my attempt to be the first 6-time cancer survivor to run a marathon on every continent,” said Jonathan Acott, who will participate from London. “After 6 cancers, running is the way I manage both my mental and physical health. It gives me the time I need to manage my emotions but also to celebrate my body and what it's been through and can still do.”

Austin’s flagship running event annually attracts runners from all 50 states and 35+ countries around the world. The start and finish locations are just a few blocks apart.

They are within walking distance of many downtown hotels and restaurants. The finish line is in front of the picturesque Texas State Capitol. The Austin Marathon is the perfect running weekend destination. Registration opens on June 1st.

Third Rock n Roll Virtual Series Race worldwide has registered over 15,000 participants from 87 nations

The global community of walkers and runners came together for the third straight weekend with over 15,000 people from 87 nations and all 50 states stepping up to the virtual start line for Rock ‘n’ Roll VR3, the third edition in the Rock ‘n’ Roll® Virtual Running™ (VR™) Series. Rock ‘n’ Roll VR3 gave participants the opportunity to challenge themselves with two different race distances that included 8K and 15K options.

In addition, the first ever virtual Remix Challenge was offered giving participants who took on both distances a chance to earn access to three medals through the Rock ‘n’ Roll VR Finisher Bundles. Participants were able to compete anywhere, indoors or outdoors, as long as the distance of their choosing was completed in one session between Friday, May 8 at 2 p.m. ET and event close Sunday, May 10 at 7:59 p.m. ET.

Participants in Rock ‘n’ Roll VR3 came from around the world and ranged in age from 18 to 82. The United States led the way with over 9,000 walkers and runners followed by Canada (over 700), the United Kingdom (over 650), Mexico (over 350) and Spain (over 200). Other nations represented included Australia, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Japan, and Malaysia, among others.

Of the 50 U.S. states represented, the greatest number came from California, followed by Texas, Florida, Virginia and Washington. Nations joining a Rock 'n' Roll VR event for the first time were, Barbados, Cameroon, India, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, and Uruguay, among others.

Over 8,000 participants took on the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running Club™ Challenges leading up to Rock ‘n’ Roll VR3. Participants embarked on several separate running and workout challenges with the opportunity for rewards in the comfort of their own community. The challenges included the SiS Challenge 1: Tempo Run, a 55 Minute Tempo Workout; Community Challenge 3: Aleks' "Don't Miss the Beep" Challenge, a 50 Minute Interval Run in one session; and Brooks Challenge 2: #FindSomeRunHappy II: 60 minutes of running over 2 sessions with some ideas on how to #RunHappy. Special prizes such as a pair of Rock ‘n’ Roll Launch 7 by Brooks Running Company sneakers, a $100 gift card to Science in Sport, and a Rock ‘n’ Roll Tie Dye Trio bundle were all awarded out. In total, over 30,000 runners and walkers from across the globe have joined the Rock ‘n’ Roll® Virtual Running Club platform to date, giving them access to a series of weekly races, challenges, and rewards.

This week, Rock ‘n’ Roll VR4 will offer two distances for the global community, including an 5K and 12K. Racing begins on Friday, May 15 at 2 p.m. ET and concludes on Sunday, May 17 at 7:59 p.m. ET. The virtual Remix Challenge returns for a second straight week for participants who want to take on both of this weekend’s race distances of a 5K and 12K can earn access to three medals. In addition, participants who complete each of the Remix Challenges for races RnRVR3 through RnRVR6, will have the opportunity to purchase a special RnRVR6 finisher bundle that not only includes the Remix Challenge medal, but also a celebratory ENCORE medal to commemorate their success.

More than 13,000 Participants Worldwide have been Taking Part in Rock 'n' Roll Virtual Running Series Race

The global community of walkers and runners came together for the second straight weekend with over 13,000 people from 75 nations and all 50 states taking to the virtual start line for Rock ‘n’ Roll VR2, the second edition in the Rock ‘n’ Roll® Virtual Running™ (VR™) Series. Rock ‘n’ Roll VR2 offered participants two different race distances that included 10K and Half Marathon options.

Participants have the ability to compete anywhere, indoors or outdoors, as long as the distance of their choosing was completed in one session between Friday, May 1 at 2 p.m. ET and event close Sunday, May 3 at 7:59 p.m. ET.

Participants in Rock ‘n’ Roll VR2 came from around the world and ranged in age from 18 to 77. The United States led the way with over 7,000 walkers and runners followed by Canada (over 500), the United Kingdom (over 500), Mexico (over 250) and Spain (over 150).

Other nations represented included Argentina, Croatia, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Norway, and Turkey, among others. Of the 50 U.S. states represented, the greatest number came from California, followed by Texas, Florida, Virginia and Arizona. Nearly 10,000 participants took on the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running Club™ Challenges leading up to Rock ‘n’ Roll VR2. Participants embarked on several separate running and workout challenges with the opportunity for rewards in the comfort of their own community.

The challenges included the United Airlines Challenge 1: Escape to San Francisco, which saw participants complete a 1.7-mile run, the exact distance it would take to cross the iconic Golden Gate Bridge; The St. Jude Challenge 1: 10,800 Strong, a 5-mile run in one period for the Heroes of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and a Community Challenge 2: Geena's "Oh, a Tree" Challenge a 50-minute fartlek, A.K.A “speed play”, session of consecutive running (a workout that helps the body adapt to various speeds, conditioning you to become faster over longer distances).

Special prizes such as a Rock ‘n’ Roll Hydration Backpack, Rock ‘n’ Roll Medal Display Hanger; and a Rock ‘n’ Roll by Brooks Running Company Accessories Bundle were awarded out. In total, 27,000 runners and walkers from across the globe have joined the Rock ‘n’ Roll® Virtual Running Club platform giving them access to a series of weekly races, challenges, and rewards.

This week, Rock ‘n’ Roll VR3 will offer two distances for the global community, including an 8K and 15K. Racing begins on Friday, May 8 at 2 p.m. ET and concludes on Sunday, May 10 at 7:59 p.m. ET. In addition, the first ever virtual Remix Challenge will be offered during this weekend’s races. Participants who take on both the Rock ‘n’ Roll VR3 8K and 15K can earn access to three medals beginning Friday, May 8 at 2 p.m. ET. To register for Rock ‘n’ Roll VR3, runners need to sign up for the distance they would like to do through the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running Club platform and connect to their tracker app. Runners can then complete their registration by going to the “Events” tab and clicking “Register Now” on the virtual race page.

The Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour donated Nearly $23,000 to Paramount Theatre

The Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour donated $22,780 to Paramount Theatre. The donation, in conjunction with Austin Marathon weekend, has increased annually since High Five Events took over in 2017. Nearly 2400 participants registered for the KXAN SimpleHealth 5K benefitting Paramount Theatre.

A portion of their registration fee supports the historic Austin theatre and its educational programs. The event is a part of Austin Marathon weekend and is the only 5K to run on historic South Congress Avenue.  

“We are thrilled to continue this partnership and be the recipient of funds from the KXAN SimpleHealth 5K. The funds from this event support our Education programs serving over 22,000 students each year. Performing, experiencing and learning through the arts helps all young people have the creative confidence they need to be successful in their communities,” said Maica Jordan, Chief Development Officer.

“These funds have immediate and enormous impact on our ability to serve the students most in need. Thanks to all who participated in the 5K and we look forward to seeing you all again next year.”

Inspired by the power of the arts to change lives, the Paramount Theatre strives to engage all Central Texans through extraordinary live performances and films, to ignite the intellect and imagination of our youths through Paramount Education programs, and to ensure the preservation of the crown jewels of downtown Austin. Constructed in 1915 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Paramount Theatre is one of the world's few surviving examples of a fully operational early twentieth-century vaudeville theatre.

More than 250,000 guests attend performing arts events, concerts, film, and talks downtown each year; the Paramount is a principal venue for the SXSW Film Festival, the Austin Film Festival, the Moontower Comedy Festival, and the Summer Classic Film Series. 

“The historic Paramount Theatre has a massive impact on Austin through its shows, community engagement, and educational programs," said Jack Murray, co-owner High Five Events. "We’re excited to grow our partnership and proud to continue our support for the Paramount through the KXAN SimpleHealth 5K."

The Austin Marathon will celebrate its 30th year running in the capital of Texas on February 14, 2021. Austin’s flagship running event annually attracts runners from all 50 states and 35+ countries around the world. The start and finish locations are just a few blocks apart. They are within walking distance of many downtown hotels and restaurants.

The finish line is in front of the picturesque Texas State Capitol. The Austin Marathon is the perfect running weekend destination. Registration is currently open.

The Flying Pig Marathon has been postponed to October 9-11, 2020

The Flying Pig Marathon is humbled and honored by the loyalty our participants have for all of our events. Many of you have asked if the 22nd running of the Flying Pig is still on schedule for May 1-3 and we would like to update you on our status.

We’ve prided ourselves in producing the Flying Pig Marathon as a fun event that rewards the emotions and significant accomplishments of all our participants. With that, we’ve also made the safety of all in the Flying Pig Marathon our top priority. That safety has traditionally been evaluated with adverse weather and terrorism in mind for more than 50,000 participants, volunteers and staff on race weekend. With the COVID-19 pandemic and a participant field that represents all 50 states and nearly 30 foreign countries, our ability to produce a safe event for our Flying Pig family, Greater Cincinnati community and society has been compromised.  

We have taken the time allowed to monitor and research, discuss with medical, industry and municipal leaders and taken into consideration the input from the running community and our participants. We feel it’s our social and moral responsibility to contribute to the COVID-19 solution and will adhere to the CDC’s updated guidance for canceling mass events for the next eight weeks.  

Like so many other events, businesses and individuals, this decision is one that is extremely difficult, but ultimately places the health and safety of individuals in our community, state and country above all else. This includes the more than 300 organizations that depend on our financial contribution of proceeds. It includes disappointing our loyal (and new) participants that have been looking forward to and giving so much time and dedication to training.  

With those thoughts in mind, the Flying Pig Marathon will not be held in person May 1-3, 2020 and has been postponed until Oct. 9-11, 2020. We’ve identified four options for participants to continue their Flying Pig Marathon experience: 

1. Virtual Race: Complete the Flying Pig events on your own this spring with a virtual race and receive your medal and shirt. We are working with our registration partner, Race Roster, and ASICS on providing a comprehensive virtual experience including a free ASICS Studio 3-month membership to support your training, the ability to track your race with Runkeeper and submit your results in a few simple steps on Race Roster while receiving the shirt and medal only from your respective race(s). Registration for the virtual race will remain open. 

2. Postponement: Join us for the weekend of Oct. 9-11, 2020 as we plan to co-host the Flying Pig Marathon and Queen Bee events in the fall. This weekend was scheduled for our Queen Bee Half Marathon. We’re working on solutions to include all in this weekend experience and will be reaching out to current Queen Bee participants in the coming days and updating QueenBeeHalf.com with more information on what that will look like. If you wish to complete the virtual and join us again in October, you will need to register again. 

3. Donation: As we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, you can convert your registration to a donation and receive the tax writeoff as well as 25% off a future registration to any Pig Works event in the next year (2020 FCC3, 2020 Hudepohl Brewery Run 14K/7K, 2020 Queen Bee, 2021 Bockfest 5K and 2021 Flying Pig Marathon). Each year the Flying Pig Marathon’s events raise more than a million dollars for charity and over the last 21 years the Pig has helped participating charities to raise more than $18 million.  

4. Deferral: Free deferral to any of the future Flying Pig Marathon weekends scheduled for 2021, 2022 or 2023.

We have a no refund policy. However, we realize this is an unprecedented time and the above four options may not work for everyone. Before requesting a refund, please remember we are a non-profit organization that funds a number of other non-profit organizations. Our funds are vital to the on-going health of our organization and our partner organizations.

The Boston Marathon Could Be Postponed

In an unprecedented move, the 2020 Boston Marathon may switch to the fall because of the coronavirus. Sources familiar with race planning confirmed today that there have been discussions about postponing the race.

No decision has been made about the future of the 2020 marathon, but Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has met with representatives from municipalities along the course. The Mayor's office confirmed one potential option is postponing the race to the fall. Meetings are ongoing and a sources indicated they hoped to have a decision soon.

By rescheduling the race, local officials from the towns and cities along the historic route hope to preserve as much of the event’s economic benefit as possible. An outright cancellation would likely mean a loss of hundreds of millions of dollars. The race and related events, including the marathon expo, annually inject more than $200 million into the Greater Boston economy,  according to the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Each year, the Boston Marathon welcomes more than 30,000 runners and thousands of visitors from around the world. For the 2020, race, the Boston Athletic Association accepted runners from 112 countries and all 50 states. More than a million spectators annually line the course that runs from Hopkinton to Boston.

If race organizers move forward with a fall date, it would be the first time in the marathon’s 124-year history that the race wouldn’t be held on its traditional April date. This year, the race was scheduled for Monday, April 20.

Other major road races have been altered or cancelled because of the coronavirus. On March 1, the Tokyo Marathon was limited to elite participants only. The New York Half Marathon, one of the largest races in the country, was originally scheduled for this Sunday, March 15 but officials cancelled the event a couple days ago. The New Bedford Half Marathon, a traditional tune-up for Boston Marathon runners, was also scheduled for this Sunday and cancelled.

The 44th Grandma's Marathon is three months away, but its organizers are continually monitoring the new coronavirus developments to determine if and how it may affect the race weekend

For now, Grandma's weekend June 18-20 remains on schedule, said Mandi Peterson, the marathon's marketing and public relations director.

"At this point, we're moving ahead on all planning," Peterson said. "We're keeping an eye on it."

In many areas of the world, the spread of the coronavirus has forced officials to restrict travel and limit or cancel large-gathering events, such as stadium soccer matches. The NBA's Golden State Warriors announced Wednesday that the team will play home games without fans, and other events at San Francisco's Chase Center have been postponed or canceled through March 21.

Grandma's began in 1977 with 150 participants. In 2019, more than 18,000 people competed in the marathon, the Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon and William A. Irvin 5K. Participants came from 46 countries and all 50 states. Thousands more gather throughout the city to watch the races and take in other activities.

The Minnesota Department of Health has not yet recommended a ban on large gatherings or the cancellation of events, and Peterson said Grandma's Marathon officials will monitor and follow the lead of the department and other health organizations.

Grandma's Marathon officials will soon post a statement about the coronavirus situation at grandmasmarathon.com, Peterson said.

"Right now, it's not affecting Minnesota to the point that we have to change plans," she said. "We'll continue to see how it evolves."

Despite coronavirus concerns, the L.A. Marathon will go on, officials say

As the Los Angeles Marathon approaches, some athletes and city residents are worried that the race could be a hotbed for the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The marathon, scheduled for Sunday, is one of the largest in the country. Runners traverse the city, starting at Dodger Stadium and ending near the Santa Monica Pier.

This year, roughly 27,000 athletes have registered from all 50 states and more than 78 countries, according to the marathon’s website. That total doesn’t include the thousands of volunteers and others who watch from the sidelines each year.

Many have raised questions about whether the marathon will continue given the spread of coronavirus cases in the United States. More than 100 cases of the virus have been diagnosed nationwide, with 90,000 cases around the world.

In California, the state’s first coronavirus-related death was announced Wednesday as the number of cases continue to rise.

L.A. County officials confirmed Wednesday that there have been a total of seven cases of the virus in the county, all linked to travel, and announced a public health emergency to ensure that aid from the state and other counties may be obtained if needed. Tests so far have not indicated that the virus is spreading in the community, officials said.

County officials have discussed the possibility of banning spectators from attending sporting events in Southern California, but so far, the L.A. Marathon is scheduled to proceed as planned.

The Paris Half Marathon was canceled Saturday as cases mounted in Europe. The Seoul Marathon, originally scheduled for later this month, also has been indefinitely postponed. Other marathon organizers have asked only elite runners to participate in their races in order to reduce crowds.

L.A. County’s health officer, Dr. Muntu Davis, said officials have been discussing precautionary measures with marathon organizers to make sure there are places for people to wash their hands and for medical staff to evaluate whether people are ill.

“When we look at the relatively small number of cases in the U.S., the risk of exposure for those who are here to this virus is relatively low,” Davis said at a L.A. City Council meeting on Wednesday.

Davis said the most important recommendation is that people stay home if they are sick, so as to not infect others.

Jason Redmond, 45, plans to fly from Seattle to L.A. to run his first marathon this weekend. He and a childhood friend agreed to jog the course together.

He said that he had been monitoring updates from the L.A. Marathon to see if he needed to cancel his trip. The virus is most dangerous for people who are elderly or have underlying health conditions, experts say.

“For someone like me, I’m not at great risk,” said Redmond, a freelance photographer. “I feel like in my situation, I’m OK doing the marathon, but I worry about other people.”

At the L.A. City Council meeting, Councilman Mike Bonin raised concerns about people traveling to L.A. for the marathon from other parts of the world. Major coronavirus outbreaks have been reported in China, Italy and South Korea.

Davis said that travelers will be screened at the airport. People flying in from countries such as China and Italy “probably would not, based on their risk assessment at the airport, be able to participate,” he said.

Other large events and conferences have been canceled by organizers who did not want to worry about having to mitigate the risk of spread of the virus, Davis said. In rare circumstances, health departments have shut down events because of a known risk, he said.

“Given what we’ve seen based on the screening that’s happening, based on the numbers that we understand, based on areas of community transmission in the U.S. ... the risk to the general public is still deemed as low in the U.S.,” Davis said. “I wish I had a crystal ball.”

Redmond, who used to live in Echo Park, said his goal is just to finish the marathon, and he’s looking forward to it.

“It’s just one of those things I’ve been excited to do, but I’m also nervous,” he said.

iTAB is excited to announce a new partnership with the 2020 Los Angeles Marathon presented by ASICS

Over 27,100 athletes from all 50 states and more than 78 countries will set out from Dodger Stadium, on 8th March 2020, to accomplish a personal dream by reaching the Finish Line in Santa Monica. The Stadium to the Sea course is considered one of the most scenic in the world.

The iTAB is a small engraved plate which is secured onto the ribbon with a custom-made buckle. Runners simply collect their medal at the finish line and their iTAB arrives in the mail a few weeks later, laser engraved with their name and finish time.

Los Angeles Marathon runners can order an iTAB during the race registration process or by logging into their Active.com account at any time before the race day.

“The dedication and commitment it takes to cross the finish line of the Los Angeles Marathon is something that should be celebrated,” said Steve Powell, CCO. “This year’s event will welcome the largest field in our 35-year history, and we are excited to give runners the opportunity to commemorate their personal achievement and lifetime memories with iTAB.”

About iTAB, We believe "Every Race Tells a Story..."

The iTAB is a simple, yet innovative, product which transforms a conventional finisher medal into YOUR personal finisher medal.

Founded 12 years ago, the iTAB is now enjoyed by over a million happy athletes across the globe - enabling them to personalise and commemorate their medal with their name and a unique finishing time, creating a memory that will last forever!

We've partnered with 500+ races globally, offering a seamless service to enhance a participant’s race day experience and generate income for organisers. Globally we work with the largest mass participation running event, half marathon, 12K, triathlon and fun run; along with the largest OCR race series USA, 10-mile road race and 15K road race.

In the UK we are proud to work with the largest running & swimming event series.

The Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour is making final preparations for one of the largest event weekends in its 29 years

Austin Marathon Prepares for One of the Largest Event Weekends in its 29-Year History. Highlights of this world-class event include four events for participants of all speed and abilities, two Guinness World Record attempts, and one 3-block-long finish line festival. The return of the FloSports live broadcast will highlight the elite field competition and showcase runners in their final tune-up before the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials.

More than 16,000 runners from all 50 states and 35 countries will run Austin’s streets. The 29th annual Austin Marathon, owned and produced by High Five Events, will take place on February 16, 2020.

“It’s amazing to see the growth of the Austin Marathon and I’m proud that the city of Austin continues to embrace and support Austin Marathon weekend,” said Leo Manzano, Olympic silver medalist and Austin Marathon Race Ambassador. “Everyone loves Austin Marathon weekend, from runners who travel from around the world to Austin families who complete the Manzano Mile together.”

Fleet Feet Austin will kick off Austin Marathon weekend by hosting the Austin Marathon Shakeout Run on Friday, Feb. 14th. At the Austin Marathon Health and Fitness Expo, participants can test the industry’s latest products and chat with the Austin Marathon Pacers. They can also purchase Official Under Armour + Austin Marathon gear at the Fleet Feet Store, including the limited-edition Austin UA HOVR Machina. The two-day Austin Marathon expo will take place on Friday, Feb. 14th, and Saturday, Feb. 15th. Children, families, and elites will participate in the Manzano Mile presented by Dole Packaged Foods on Saturday, Feb. 15th. The family-friendly Austin Marathon KXAN Simple Health 5K will begin at 7:45 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16th, 45 minutes after the Austin Marathon and Austin Half Marathon. Registration is still open.

The first world-record attempt is by Drake Muyinza. He will attempt to run the world’s longest fashion runway by running 26.2 miles and changing outfits every four miles. The current record is two miles. The second world-record attempt is by Vicar David Peters. He will attempt to run the fastest marathon in a cassock, beating four hours and 16 minutes. Both Guinness World Record applications are still pending. The 2020 course was designed to provide a better participant and spectator experience and allow enhanced traffic flow along the course. Participants will still finish with the picturesque Texas State Capitol as their backdrop. Tens of thousands of spectators will cheer along Austin streets. Race-course highlights include two GU Energy Labs Energy Zones, live music, and 22 aid stations with nuun performance.

Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour announced today a sponsorship deal with Camp Gladiator

The Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour announced today a sponsorship deal naming Camp Gladiator (CG) as its Official Community Fitness Partner. The agreement marks the second consecutive year in a row that CG and its trainers will be actively involved during race weekend.

CG trainers will warm-up participants on race morning and cheer for everyone at multiple Official Cheer Stations along the course. The 29th annual Austin Marathon, owned and produced by High Five Events, will take place on February 16, 2020.

“Running a marathon can be one of the most challenging, yet rewarding physical fitness experiences,” said Ally Davidson, Founder and co-CEO of Camp Gladiator. “At CG, our goal is to show up for our community and share the joy of fitness with everyone. We are excited to encourage Austin Marathon runners every step of the way as they challenge themselves to finish strong during this awesome Austin event!!” 

CG is an outdoor group fitness company whose mission is to positively impact the physical fitness and ultimately the lives of as many people as possible. CG strives to be everywhere there are people and actively partners and engages at the community level to support, encourage and facilitate people of all athletic backgrounds in their long-term health and fitness pursuits. 

“Last year’s participants were blown away by the on-course energy provided by CG trainers at their Official Cheer Stations," said Jack Murray, co-owner High Five Events. "We’re glad CG is coming back for a second year and we know they’ll energize Austin Marathon participants!"

The Austin Marathon will celebrate its 29th year running in the capital of Texas in 2020. Austin’s flagship running event annually attracts runners from all 50 states and 30+ countries around the world.

Having start and finish locations just a few blocks apart, being within walking distance of many downtown hotels and restaurants, and finishing in front of the picturesque Texas State Capitol makes the Austin Marathon the perfect running weekend destination.

Louisiana Marathon readies to welcome thousands of runners

Now in its ninth year, The Louisiana Marathon is expecting to draw close to 8,000 runners & walkers to Baton Rouge. Projections for the 2020 event include runners from nearly all 50 states and as many as 10 countries.

Starting on January 17th the expo opens at the Raising Canes River Center then continues through the weekend with two-days of running, walking, and celebrating healthy living at the Finish Festival near the State Capitol.

“It’s become the premier event,” says Pat Fellows, who helps organize the annual marathon. “People know what they’re getting—a great course and a great post-race party.” Previous studies indicate that the Louisiana Marathon weekend generates between $2 million and $4 million in economic impact each year. “We’ve sold out every downtown hotel every year,” Fellows says.

The event includes distances for every age & ability. Saturday, Jan. 18th starts with the Ochsner 5K (3.1 miles) & Ochsner Quarter Marathon (6.55 miles) and is followed by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Kids Marathon (1 miles).

Sunday features the half marathon (13.1 miles) and the full marathon (26.2 miles). This year the event has joined the second edition of the Abbott WMM Wanda Age Group World Championships in 2021 as a qualifying race.

Launching in Sept. 2018, the Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Rankings aims to raise awareness of the sport of marathon running by highlighting the achievements of age-group marathon runners, that otherwise might go unnoticed.

The weekend also hosts the Louisiana Farm Bureau Insurance Corporate Wellness Challenge creating a culture of health and wellness in the workplace. Categories include the Top 3 teams from companies of 1-99 employees, 100-999, and 1000+.

The 9thannual Louisiana Marathon will take place on Jan. 17th – 19th, 2020 in downtown Baton Rouge.

Terry Patterson says he's completed more than 10,000 miles running races

"It really keeps your heart running good, it keeps your breathing down, and it keeps your weights down," said Patterson. 

His first marathon was in 2002, the Cherry Blossom Road Race. He got the marathon bug and started looking for races in other states.

One of the most memorable races was in Disney World. 

"I was running against a lot of people and I ran with a lot of people, and they told me about the 50 states and they told me what I had to do," said the 65-year-old Patterson. 

18 years later, he completed 83 marathons, 33 half- marathons, and more than 1,000 miles in smaller races like 5Ks and 10Ks. He's completed marathons in all 50 states.

He says Little Rock, Arkansas was his favorite. He did a 5K and a marathon there.

Medals and ribbons all over his house from winning his age division at 65.

"I do get a lot of accolades for how old I am and I do brag about how fast I can run," said Patterson. 

Patterson says whenever young people see him running here they do a double take.

"It really helps me feeling good, feeling young," and Patterson. 

He ran a 3-hour, 52-minute marathon in Seattle last fall and qualified for the Boston Marathon in April.

He says his wife is his biggest helper. She runs with him and travels to his races and posts photos on his social media page..

"My wife is my cheerleader, my number one fan," said Patterson. 

He's signed for another 12 marathons in 2020 and says he hopes to sign up for his first international marathon in China.

Patterson says his next marathon will be at the museum of aviation on January 18th.

The Louisiana Marathon is expected to attract 8,000 runners over the Jan. 17-19 weekend

The projection for the 2020 event—which begins Jan. 17 with an expo at the Raising Cane’s River Center and continues Jan. 18-19 with a series of races downtown—is a significant jump from the early days of the Louisiana Marathon. It’s already a 183% increase from the inaugural event, which took place in 2012 and drew in 2,830 runners.

“It’s become the premier event,” says Pat Fellows, who helps organize the annual marathon. “People know what they’re getting—a great course and a great post-race party.”

Based on registrations to date and past statistics, runners will likely come to downtown Baton Rouge from nearly all 50 states and from as many as 10 countries. They’ll also bring with them an average of 1.75 additional people, swelling the potential economic impact even further.

Fellows declines to comment on anticipated revenues the weekend will generate. However, previous studies have shown the Louisiana Marathon generates between $2 million and $4 million in economic impact each year, spread among hotels, restaurants and other local attractions.

“We’ve sold out every downtown hotel every year,” Fellows says.

Some runners will arrive as early as the Wednesday before, while the majority will pour in that Thursday. 

Over the past couple of years, the event has steadily gained more runners after a downturn in attendance that took place at the 2017 marathon, when organizers’ marketing push was interrupted by the 2016 Baton Rouge floods. At its 2016 peak, the event attracted nearly 9,000 participants. 

In the meantime, marathon organizers are continuing a major marketing push that’s evolved over the years to include mostly social media promotions. Currently, they’re focused on getting the word out about the Saturday races, encouraging more people to register themselves and their children for the quarter-marathon, 5K and kids marathon, in particular. Meanwhile, the more publicized full- and half-marathons will take place Sunday.

The Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour, introduces the Moody Foundation as its presenting sponsor

The Moody Foundation has given nearly $1 million to Austin Gives Miles since 2016. More than 25% of that total was given to 36 Central Texas nonprofits during the 2019 Austin Marathon.

The 2020 Austin Gives Miles presented by The Moody Foundation is already working to increase those numbers and further the positive impact on the Central Texas community. The 29th annual Austin Marathon, owned and produced by High Five Events, will take place on February 16, 2020.

“The Moody Foundation is proud to partner with Austin Gives Miles for the fifth consecutive year to match funds raised for the AGM Central Texas causes,” said Ross Moody, trustee of the Moody Foundation and chairman and CEO of National Western Life Group. “This initiative is near and dear to our hearts and has been for many years. We’re so excited to support a program that gives runners the opportunity to make their miles meaningful and encourages donors to give back to the Central Texas community."

Austin Gives Miles will receive a grant from The Moody Foundation for the fifth year in a row. The money raised annually through Austin Gives Miles significantly impacts a wide array of local nonprofits. Austin Gives Miles fundraised $1,187,000, recruited more than 1200 runners, and provided 1500 volunteers during the 2019 Austin Marathon. Austin Gives Miles’ six-year fundraising total is nearly $3.2 million. 

“This is a thrilling addition to Austin Gives Miles because The Moody Foundation has meant so much to this program for so many years," said Carly Samuelson, Austin Gives Miles Charity Manager. "The Moody Foundation’s previous contributions have had a far-reaching, positive effect on Central Texas nonprofits and this announcement will allow us to further that positive impact."

The Moody Foundation, based in Galveston, Texas, has funded projects and programs that better communities throughout Texas. The grant that will match Austin Gives Miles donations will have a positive impact on the Central Texas organizations and their specific causes by matching their funds raised (up to $10,000 per Official Charity). One of The Moody Foundation’s areas of support, community development, directly aligns with the goal of the Austin Marathon: to better Central Texas. Austin Gives Miles is excited to expand The Moody Foundation relationship and knows the positive effects will be far-reaching. 

The Austin Marathon will celebrate its 29th year running in the capital of Texas in 2020. Austin’s flagship running event annually attracts runners from all 50 states and 30+ countries around the world.

Having start and finish locations just a few blocks apart, being within walking distance of many downtown hotels and restaurants, and finishing in front of the picturesque Texas State Capitol makes the Austin Marathon the perfect running weekend destination. Austin Gives Miles presented by Moody Foundation is the perfect way for runners to get involved and give back to the Central Texas community

$12 million raised to battle childhood cancer, other life-threatening diseases at St. Jude Memphis Marathon

This year, 26,000 participants from all 50 states and 17 foreign countries  gathered in the Bluff City alongside 40,000 spectators for the 18th annual St. Jude Memphis Marathon® Weekend presented by Juice Plus+®. Among this year’s participants were more than 7,200 St. Jude Heroes who raised $12 million to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®.

One such St. Jude Hero, Adam Higham, became the 2019 top marathoner. The Collierville, Tennessee resident finished first this year with a time of 2:29:17. Since running his first marathon here in 2012, Higham has steadily worked his way to the top – having earned seventh place in 2015, then working up to second place in both 2016 and 2017.

“In the 18 years of St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend, more than 250,000 runners have come from across the country and around the world to embrace our great city and provide hope for our patient families in what can be the darkest time of their lives. Watching these tens of thousands of dedicated athletes running for a reason and raising more than $90 million in since the event’s inception reminds us of the power of people of every background to unite together to change the lives of those most vulnerable: our sick children from across the globe,” said Richard Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“We offer our most heartfelt gratitude to Adam and to all of the devoted St. Jude Heroes, volunteers, partners, safety officials and supporters who helped make this year’s race weekend the best yet.”

Tia Stone of Searcy, Arkansas was the first female to cross the marathon finish line with a time of 2:58:20. Pius Nyatika of Memphis, Tennessee was the top male half marathoner, and set a new half marathon course record with a time of 1:04:20. Rebecca Robinson of Windermere, Cumbria, England was this year’s first female half marathoner with a time of 1:16:17.

The first to cross the 10K finish line was Dylan Hassett (female) of Alpharetta, Georgia with a time of 34:29. Shortly after, Owen, a St. Jude patient from Jonesboro, Arkansas finished with a time of 40:27. Tyler Pasley of Shelbyville, Illinois – 2018’s top 10K finisher – lead this year’s 5K with a time of 16:04, while Amber Douglas of Camden, Tennessee crossed as this year’s top female 5K finisher with a time of 21:13.

Since its inception in 2002, St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend has helped raise more than $90 million to support the lifesaving mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children.® Events like this help ensure no family at St. Jude receives a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

The 2019 event weekend was made possible with the support of 4,000 volunteers; more than 20 sponsors, including Juice Plus+, Landers Auto Group, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, AutoZone, Lancôme, Shaw Floors, American Airlines, Campbell Clinic, FedEx, Kroger, Mitsubishi Electric, My Salon Suite, My Town Movers, Prairie Farms and more; partners Breakaway Running, Downtown Memphis Commission, the City of Memphis, Memphis Runners Track Club and National Black Marathoners Association; as well as national St. Jude Heroes coach Kevin Leathers.

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon Runners Raised for Charity in 2019 an Event Record $27.1 Million

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon announced today that more than 12,000 runners raised an event record $27.1 million through its 2019 Charity Program. The funds raised deepen the impact of the program, which has contributed over $234 million to local, national and international causes since 2002. 

"The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a celebration of humanity and the stories that come to life across 26.2 miles of roadway," said Carey Pinkowski, Bank of America Chicago Marathon executive race director. "Today, we celebrate the individuals who continue to challenge themselves by taking on the distance and those who decide to make their race more meaningful by dedicating it to a cause greater than themselves. We look forward to welcoming a new field of competitors in 2020 as we enter another decade of racing in Chicago."

The Charity Program represents nearly 25 percent of the expected 2020 Bank of America Chicago Marathon field, which also includes runners who have secured their entries through one of six guaranteed entry applications and the non-guaranteed entry drawing. Runners who did not receive an entry through the drawing can still sign up through a limited number of entries available through the event's official Charity Program.

In its 43rd year on Sunday, October 11, 2020, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon welcomes thousands of runners from more than 100 countries and all 50 states, including a world-class elite field, top regional and Masters runners, race veterans, debut marathoners and charity runners. The race's iconic course takes runners through 29 vibrant neighborhoods on an architectural and cultural tour of Chicago. Annually, an estimated 1.7 million spectators line the streets cheering on more than 45,000 runners from the start line to the final stretch down Columbus Drive.

As a result of the race's national and international draw, the Chicago Marathon assists in raising millions of dollars for a variety of charitable causes while generating $378 million in annual economic impact to its host city.

The 2020 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, a member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, will start and finish in Grant Park beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 11. 

St. Jude Heroes celebrate 20 years of raising funds and awareness for St. Jude Children´s Hospital

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® proudly celebrates the 20th anniversary of the St. Jude Heroes® program, a nationwide alliance of supporters who help raise funds and awareness for the hospital through fitness events.

The St. Jude Heroes program began in fall of 1999 with a group of dedicated fundraisers at the Marine Corps Marathon. In just two decades, 280,000 have participated as St. Jude Heroes in thousands of events across the country and the world. These individuals, coming from all 50 states, have raised more than $140 million to support the lifesaving mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children.®

Since its inception, the St. Jude Heroes program has grown to be one of the top 30 U.S. peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, according to an annual survey by the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum. Thanks to the dedication and funds raised by St. Jude Heroes and generous donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

"I'm astounded by everything our St. Jude Heroes have accomplished – from the program's inception in 1999, to being named one of the top fundraising peer-inspired campaigns in our country just two decades later," said Richard Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "Although we have come so far since St. Jude opened more than 50 years ago our work is far from over, and I know our St. Jude Heroes won't stop until the dreams of every child worldwide become reality."

One such St. Jude Hero is Sue Kessler. Although she has been a runner most of her life, Kessler was reluctant to talk about her running until she became a St. Jude Hero and realized the impact she could make by doing something bigger than herself. In just seven marathons as a St. Jude Hero, Kessler has raised more than $63,000 for the kids of St. Jude. This December, she will run her 100th marathon in the 18th annual St. Jude Memphis Marathon® Weekend, where she plans to raise an additional $10,000.

"For me, it's not about how fast you can run, it's about using your talents to make a difference in the lives of children everywhere," said Kessler. "St. Jude is doing everything in its power to increase the odds for kids in their toughest times, and I'm proud to do what I can to help."

St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. St. Jude freely shares its groundbreaking discoveries, so that every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists can use that knowledge to save thousands more around the world.

While the St. Jude Heroes program began with a focus on running, it has since expanded to include biking, indoor cycling, swimming and more. Today, St. Jude Heroes of all backgrounds can find a fundraising event to match their athletic abilities and interests, with events ranging from spinning, 10Ks, triathlons, some of the world's most prestigious races and more.

Participating as a St. Jude Hero means receiving access to online training programs, race-day extras – from a St. Jude Hero singlet to hotel accommodations, depending on the event and fundraising commitment — and entries into some of the most exclusive races in the world.