Running News Daily

Melak and Ayana win Lisbon Half Marathon

Nibret Melak and Almaz Ayana achieved an Ethiopian double at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday (12), clocking respective times of 59:06 and 1:05:30 at the World Athletics Elite Label road race.

Melak was content to sit back as his compatriot Hagos Gebrhiwet and Kenya’s Rhonex Kipruto went through 5km on world record pace, the pair clocking 13:32 for a split eight seconds faster than Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo ran at that point en route to his 57:31 world half marathon record set in Lisbon in November 2021. Melak was 10 seconds behind them.

But they couldn’t sustain that pace and the leaders reached 10km in 28:11.

Melak closed the gap over the next couple of kilometres and with Kenya’s Vincent Ngetich Kipkemoi to the fore, that quartet passed 15km in 41:47.

Kipruto, who set the world 10km record of 26:24 in Valencia in January 2020, was struggling to keep contact by 20km and as the finish line neared, Melak kicked.

Making his half marathon debut, the 23-year-old managed to hold off Olympic and world 5000m medallist Gebrhiwet, winning by one second after a sprint finish. Kipkemoi was third in 59:10 and Kipruto fourth in 59:22.

New Zealand’s Jake Robertson completed the top five, running 1:00:05.

In the women’s race, Ayana ran alongside her compatriot Girmawit Gebrzihair and behind her pacemaker, passing 5km in 15:27. They formed part of an eight-strong group at that point.

They broke away with Kenya’s two-time world track medallist Margaret Kipkemboi and Ethiopia’s Tiruye Mesfin, reaching 10km in 31:06.

The race was down to Ayana, Kipkemboi and Gebrzihair by 15km, which they passed in 46:37, and Ayana continued to move away, eventually claiming victory by 20 seconds ahead of Kipkemboi, who ran 1:05:50 for the runner-up spot.

Gebrzihair was third in 1:06:28, Mesfin fourth in 1:06:31 and Kenya’s Purity Komen fifth in 1:07:08.

 

(03/12/2023) Views: 745 ⚡AMP

Antonina Kwambai of Kenya wins TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Antonina Kwambai, 30, of Kenya, won Sunday’s TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2:23:22, a personal best and her first time racing in Toronto, after overtaking all of the leaders late in the race. 

Defending champion and course record holder Magdalyne Masai of Kenya had dropped well back and was presumed out of the race for the podium before coming back to take the lead in the final 10K of the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Sunday; but ultimately Masai ran out of gas, relinquishing the lead with less than 5 km left, and ultimately the remaining podium positions.

Kenya’s Ruth Chebitok finished second, in 2:23:58, and Gelete Burka of Ethiopia was third, in 2:24:31. (Burka set the Canadian soil record with her win at the Ottawa Marathon in 2018, which was broken by Masai in 2019; she had been hoping to run Ottawa again this year, but had passport issues.)

Kwambai’s previous PB was 2:24:20 from the Siena Marathon in 2021. 

Masai’s husband, Jake Robertson of New Zealand, ran the Amsterdam Marathon earlier on Sunday. The couple have a year-old child (also named Jake); this is Masai’s first marathon since giving birth last year.

The men’s race was won by Yihunilign Adane of Ethiopia.

(10/17/2022) Views: 859 ⚡AMP
by Anne Francis

Three global title winners ready to clash in Amsterdam

The TCS Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday (16) will bring together three winners of global titles. Almaz Ayana and Genzebe Dibaba will be making their marathon debuts at the World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race, while 2017 world champion Rose Chelimo is also in the field.

The incredibly deep men’s field, meanwhile, includes nine men with PBs faster than 2:06, led by 2016 Boston Marathon champion Lemi Berhanu.

Ayana and Dibaba, who won the world 5000m and 1500m titles respectively back in 2015, have battled injuries in recent years but have still managed to make a promising transition to the roads. Ayana, the 2016 Olympic 10,000m champion, clocked 1:07:12 on her half marathon debut when winning in New Delhi in 2017. And since returning this year after a three-year break, she has placed fifth in Madrid in 1:08:22 and third at the Great North Run in 1:07:10.

Dibaba, meanwhile, hasn’t raced on the roads since 2020, but her performances then were impressive. The world 1500m record-holder won the Valencia Half Marathon on her debut at the distance in 1:05:18, then three weeks later won over 5km in Barcelona.

The Ethiopian duo have never raced one another on the roads, but they have clashed 12 times on the track. Dibaba has the upper hand, 8-4, but Ayana won their more significant duels, including the 2015 World Championships, 2015 Diamond League Final, and 2014 African Championships.

The marathon is another beast entirely, though, and experience can count for a lot. Chelimo has plenty of experience on the roads, having won 2017 world gold and 2019 world silver, but the 33-year-old from Bahrain has always been more of a championship performer than a big city marathon runner. Her most recent marathon was in Rotterdam earlier this year, where she placed 19th in 2:44:22.

Celestine Chepchirchir is a late addition to the field, following her withdrawal from last week’s Chicago Marathon. The Kenyan set a PB of 2:20:10 in Seoul earlier this year, making her the fastest entrant for this weekend’s race.

Ayana and Dibaba aren’t the only notable marathon debutants lining up in Amsterdam. Their compatriot Tsehay Gemechu, the fourth-place finisher over 5000m at the 2019 World Championships, has a strong record at the half marathon and heads to the Dutch city in good form. A two-time winner in New Delhi and Lisbon, Gemechu recently reduced her half marathon PB to 1:05:01 when finishing second to Yalemzerf Yehualaw in Antrim.

Fellow Ethiopian Azmera Gebru will be returning to Amsterdam, following her third-place finishes there in 2018 and 2019. Compatriot Gebeyanesh Ayele also returns, following her fourth-place finish last year, while Sintayehu Tilahun could be one to watch, following her recent PBs over the half marathon (1:07:41) and marathon (2:22:19).

After nine successive men’s victories in Amsterdam, Kenya’s winning streak came to an end last year. But Cybrian Kotut hopes to kick-start the trend on Sunday.

The 30-year-old has won his past three marathons, his most recent victory coming in April in Hamburg, where he set a lifetime best of 2:04:47. The Kenyan challenge is strengthened by the likes of Titus Kipruto, who won this year’s Milan Marathon in a PB of 2:05:05, Norbert Kigen, runner-up in Amsterdam in 2017 and winner in Prague earlier this year, and Laban Korir, who will be making his sixth appearance in Amsterdam.

But 2016 Boston Marathon champion Lemi Berhanu leads a strong Ethiopian contingent. Berhanu’s PB of 2:04:33 dates back to 2016, but his runner-up place in Boston last year shows he is still competitive.

He will be joined on the startline by compatriots Tsegaye Getachew, winner in Riyadh earlier this year and owner of a 2:05:11 PB, Adeladlew Mamo, who ran 2:05:12 on his marathon debut earlier this year, and 2:05:52 performer Adugna Takele.

Other contenders in the field include Eritrea’s Afewerki Berhane, Japan’s Shuho Dairokuno, and marathon debutant Victor Chumo.

Leading entries

WomenCelestine Chepchirchir (KEN) 2:20:10Azmera Gebru (ETH) 2:20:48Gebeyanesh Ayele (ETH) 2:21:22Sintayehu Tilahun (ETH) 2:22:19Rose Chelimo (BRN) 2:24:14Fikrte Wereta (ETH) 2:26:15Almaz Ayana (ETH) debutGenzebe Dibaba (ETH) debutTsehay Gemechu (ETH) debut

MenLemi Berhanu (ETH) 2:04:33Cybrian Kotut (KEN) 2:04:47Titus Kipruto (KEN) 2:05:05Tsegaye Getachew (ETH) 2:05:11Adeladlew Mamo (ETH) 2:05:12Norbert Kigen (KEN) 2:05:13Afewerki Berhane (ERI) 2:05:22Adugna Takele (ETH) 2:05:52Laban Korir (KEN) 2:05:54Masreshe Bere (ETH) 2:06:44Abraham Kiptoo (KEN) 2:06:59Shuho Dairokuno (JPN) 2:07:12Bazezew Asmare (ETH) 2:07:13Josphat Boit (KEN) 2:07:20Godadaw Belachew (ISR) 2:07:54Yuki Sato (JPN) 2:08:17Jake Robertson (NZL) 2:08:26Akira Tomiyasu (JPN) 2:08:55Deribe Tefera (ETH) 2:09:15Bekele Muluneh (ETH) 2:09:51Khalid Choukoud (NED) 2:09:55Victor Chumo (KEN) debutHuseydin Mohamed (ETH) debut

(10/15/2022) Views: 886 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Boston Marathon Champions & National Record Holders Headline Professional Field for 2022 B.A.A. 10K

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has announced a star-studded field for the 2022 B.A.A. 10K, presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital, to be held on Sunday, June 26. Evans Chebet, the 2022 Boston Marathon men’s open division champion, will return to Boston, while recently crowned American half marathon record holder Emily Sisson will lead the women’s field on the roads of Back Bay. Four-time B.A.A. 5K champion and American 5K record holder Ben True will also make his B.A.A. 10K debut.

The B.A.A. 10K starts and finishes on Charles Street adjacent to Boston Common and Boston Public Garden, and is widely regarded as one of the fastest 10K races in the world. Registration remains open at www.baa.org, while athletes interested in supporting Brigham and Women's Hospital, the B.A.A. 10K’s presenting sponsor and exclusive fundraising partner, are encouraged to visit www.runbwh.org/10k.

“We’re excited to continue to showcase the world’s most accomplished runners at our B.A.A. events,” said Mary Kate Shea, the B.A.A.’s Director of Professional Athletes and Technical Support. “We’re looking forward to cheering on all participants as they race towards the finish.”

The B.A.A. 10K women’s race brings together Boston Marathon champions Des Linden (2018) and Edna Kiplagat (2017), American record holder Sisson, 2017 B.A.A. 10K winner Joan Chelimo Melly, 2022 Boston Marathon top American Nell Rojas, 2016 USA Olympian Marielle Hall, and USA 15K runner-up Emily Durgin.

Sisson, a Providence College graduate and 2021 Olympian, ran 1:07:11 on May 7 to win the USATF Half Marathon Championships in a new national record. She’s also the defending USA 15K champion.

“Breaking the American record in the half marathon was very exciting and I'm now looking forward to switching things up and racing different distances,” said Sisson. “The 10K is a fun and different challenge and I always love racing in Boston.”

Additional international entrants include Biruktayit Degefa of Ethiopia, who has won a quartet of American road races this spring, and Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi, who placed third at the 2022 B.A.A. 5K in April. From the B.A.A. High Performance team are Erika Kemp and Abbey Wheeler; Kemp is a two-time national champion.

In the men’s race, Chebet looks to become only the second Boston Marathon champion to win the B.A.A. 10K, joining the likes of 2011 winner and course record holder Geoffrey Mutai. Chebet stormed to his first Boston Marathon victory in 2:06:51 on April 18.

“After winning the 2022 Boston Marathon, I’m excited to return to the city to run the B.A.A. 10K with a world class field,” said Chebet. “Boston feels like a second home to me now.”

Challenging Chebet from Kenya are David Bett, the reigning 2019 B.A.A. 10K winner; Kennedy Kimutai, the fastest man in the field with a 27:09 lifetime best; Bravin Kiptoo, the 2019 African junior 10,000m champion; and Nicholas Kosimbei, winner of this year’s Cherry Blossom 10 Miler in Washington, D.C. Brothers Jake and Zane Robertson, a dynamic pair from New Zealand who have lived and trained in Kenya, will also race. Recent Iowa State graduate and NCAA champion Wesley Kiptoo will make his Boston road racing debut.

Maine-native Ben True will return to familiar territory, having won the B.A.A. 5K four times, including a national-record setting run of 13:20 in 2017.  Fellow American contenders include Olympians Leonard Korir and Shadrack Kipchirchir, Princeton, Mass.-native Colin Bennie, and a quartet of B.A.A. High Performance Team members in Jerrell Mock, Matt McDonald, Jonas Hampton, and Paul Hogan. Korir enters the B.A.A. 10K hot off a pair of national title wins at the USATF Half Marathon and USATF 25K Championships in May.

In the wheelchair division, Jenna Fesemyer, the 2022 B.A.A. 5K women’s winner, Susannah Scaroni, the 2022 Boston Marathon runner-up, and 2020 Paralympian Yen Hoang are entered. Scaroni earned a gold medal on the track at the 2021 Paralympic Games in the 5000m, and is the fastest women’s wheelchair marathoner in U.S. history. James Senbeta and Hermin Garic are the top men’s wheelchair entrants.

For the first time in race history, Para Athletics Divisions will be offered for athletes with upper-limb, lower-limb, and visual impairments. Among the entrants confirmed include Marko Cheseto Lemtukei, Chaz Davis, and Liz Willis, each of whom won Para Division titles at April’s 126th Boston Marathon. Jacky Hunt-Broersma, who ran 104 marathons in 104 consecutive days for a Guinness World Record, and local Para athlete Adrianne Haslet are also entered.

In addition to racing, top professional athletes will participate in the first-ever B.A.A. 10K Fest & Field Day on Saturday, June 25, one day prior to the race. From 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Boston Common, 10K Fest & Field Day will feature youth fitness activities, games, appearances by professional athletes, running clinics, and more. Participants will also be able to pick-up their participant shirts and bib numbers at 10K Fest. Additional details will be available on baa.org in the coming weeks.

Registration for the 2022 B.A.A. 10K, presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is currently open through the B.A.A.’s online platform Athletes’ Village. All participants who enter will receive an adidas participant shirt, unique bib number, and finisher medal. Additional participant information can be found on baa.org. The race will start at 8:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 26 on Charles Street adjacent to Boston Common and Boston Public Garden.

Brigham and Women's Hospital, the B.A.A. 10K’s presenting sponsor and exclusive fundraising partner, will again field a team of fundraising runners. Since 2016, more than 2,100 runners and 180 teams have raised $1.2 million to fuel life-giving breakthroughs at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Learn more and register at www.runbwh.org/10k.

On June 1, the B.A.A. will celebrate Global Running Day with a special pop-up location at the Boston Marathon Finish Line between 3:00-6:00 p.m. Runners can take a picture with the Boston Marathon trophy, receive giveaways, refreshments, and more! RSVP for the free event on our Facebook page, and log miles throughout the day as part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors Global Running Day Challenge. Visit https://bstnmar.org/GRD22 to sign up for free, track your miles, and print a bib to wear as you join a global community of athletes around the world logging miles.

2022 B.A.A. 10K WOMEN’S FIELD (NAME, COUNTRY, ROAD 10K PB)

Joan Chelimo Melly, Romania, 30:14^

Edna Kiplagat, Kenya, 31:06*

Sharon Lokedi, Kenya, 31:06

Mary Munanu, Kenya, 31:20

Biruktayit Degefa, Ethiopia, 31:23

Emily Sisson, USA, 31:47

Emily Durgin, USA, 31:49

Diane Nukuri, USA, 31:49

Lanni Marchant, Canada, 31:49

Vibian Chepkirui, Kenya, 31:49

Nell Rojas, USA, 31:52

Erika Kemp, USA, 32:18

Laura Thweatt, USA, 32:20

Elaina Tabb, USA, 32:40

Rachel Schneider Smith, USA, 32:47

Abbey Wheeler, USA, DB (32:53.50 10,000m)

Grayson Murphy, USA, 32:55

Fiona O’Keeffe, USA, 32:57

Katie Kellner, USA, 33:05

Des Linden, USA, 33:06*

Taylor Werner, USA, 33:35

Marielle Hall, USA, 33:36 (31:05.71 10,000m)

Allie Hackett, USA, 35:17

Jesca Chelangat, Kenya, DB (15:16 5K)

Courtney Hawkins, USA, DB (37:59.99 10,000m)

^ = Previous B.A.A. 10K Champion

* = Previous Boston Marathon Champion

 

2022 B.A.A. 10K MEN’S FIELD (NAME, COUNTRY, ROAD 10K PB)

Kennedy Kimutai, Kenya, 27:09

Bravin Kiptoo, Kenya, 27:12

Philemon Kiplimo, Kenya, 27:23

Zane Robertson, New Zealand, 27:28

Jake Robertson, New Zealand, 27:28

Wesley Kiptoo, Kenya, N/A (27:37.29 10,000m)

Ben True, USA, 27:51

Nicholas Kosimbei, Kenya, 27:52

John Dressel, USA, N/A (27:57.51 10,000m)

David Bett, Kenya, 28:08^

Dominic Korir, Kenya, 28:08

Leonard Korir, USA, 28:09

Shadrack Kipchirchir, USA, 28:12

David Nilsson, Sweden, 28:13

Tsegay Tuemay, Eritrea, 28:13

Bethwell Yegon, Kenya, 28:24

Reuben Mosip, Kenya, 28:28

Paul Hogan, USA, N/A (28:49.55 10,000m)

Johannes Motschmann, Germany, 28:51

Alex Masai, Kenya, 28:53

Colin Bennie, USA, 28:55

Futsum Zienasellassie, USA, 29:03

Matt McClintock, USA, 29:02

Jacob Thomson, USA, 29:07

John Raneri, USA, 29:19

Evans Chebet, Kenya, 29:30*

Jerrell Mock, USA, 29:36

Aaron Dinzeo, USA, 29:37

Matt McDonald, USA, 29:38

Diego Estrada, USA, 29:41

Fabiano Sulle, Tanzania, 29:53

Jonas Hampton, USA, 30:15

Tim McGowan, USA, 30:17

Connor McMillan, USA, 30:20

Josh Kalapos, USA, N/A (14:33.88 5,000m)

^ = Previous B.A.A. 10K Champion

* = Previous Boston Marathon Champion

 

(06/01/2022) Views: 1,044 ⚡AMP

Eilish McColgan sets British and European 10k record at Great Manchester Run

Eilish McColgan set a British and European 10km record as she finished runner-up at the Great Manchester Run.

Dundee's McColgan, 31, took two seconds off Paula Radcliffe's mark from 2003 with a time of 30 minutes 19 seconds, four seconds behind Hellen Obiri.

Obiri's fellow Kenyans Ruth Chepngetich (30:29) and Sharon Lokedi (31:05) were third and fourth.

Charlotte Purdue was seventh (32:55) with fellow Briton Steph Twell (33:12) eighth.

The men's race was won by New Zealand's Jake Robertson in 28:06, ahead of Australian Jack Reyner, with Liverpool's Abdulqani Sharif in fifth place.

More than 20,000 racers took part, with applause before the start for the 22 victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack, on its fifth anniversary.

(05/23/2022) Views: 1,193 ⚡AMP

Macharia Ndirangu wins Lake Biwa Marathon; Shogo Nakamura leads Japanese in seventh

OSAKA – Shogo Nakamura led the Japanese runners in the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon on Sunday, finishing in seventh place behind winner Macharia Ndirangu of Kenya.

Nakamura finished the sunny Shiga Prefecture race in 2 hours, 10 minutes and 51 seconds, while Ndirangu crossed the tape with a comfortable lead in 2:07:53.

Kenyan Albert Korir (2:08:17) beat his personal best for second, and New Zealand’s Jake Robertson (2:08:26) broke a 34-year national record to finish third. Besides Korir, Nakamura and the top three runners were all making their marathon debut.

The result earned Nakamura a spot in next year’s Grand Championship, a qualifying race for Japanese runners for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“I was desperate in the last kilometer because I didn’t want to miss (qualifying for the Grand Championships),” Nakamura said. “I was able to run with confidence since I trained hard.”

Masato Imai and Takuya Noguchi finished ninth and 10th, respectively.

(03/08/2020) Views: 1,536 ⚡AMP

Jemal Yimer, Jared Ward, Sara Hall, Molly huddle and more on Tap at 2020 Houston Half Marathon

Year-in, year-out, no American half marathon assembles better fields than Houston. In addition to being the site of both the men’s (Ryan Hall, 2007) and women’s (Molly Huddle, 2018) American records, there is always a deep list of sub-60:00 men and sub-67:00 women on the start line. Last year, Brigid Kosgei kicked off one of the greatest years in the history of distance running with a win in Houston.

The international fields in Houston, which takes place on Sunday, are strong once again. But from an American perspective, the more intriguing storyline is the impending US Olympic Marathon Trials, to be held in six weeks’ time in Atlanta. Several top Trials contenders — Molly Huddle and Sara Hall on the women’s side, Jared Ward and Shadrack Biwott on the men’s — will be racing on Sunday, and while no result will make or break their Trials hopes, it does give us one last piece of evidence to go on. 

When Huddle debuted in the marathon, placing third in New York in 2016, it looked to be the first step in a journey that would culminate at the 2020 Olympic marathon. Among Americans, Huddle was the queen of all distances between 5k and the half marathon and her grind-it-out style seemed well-suited to marathon success.

Tuliamuk, the 2018 US half marathon champ, is an option, though she’s got progressively slower in Houston the last three years, from 69:58 in 2017 to 71:41 in 2018 to 72:03 last year. She’ll need to get back to her 2017 form to crack the top two Americans on Sunday.

Katy Jermann (née Moen) and Molly Seidel both ran 70:27 last year, tied for third-fastest in the US. Of the two, Seidel, who in 2015 broke the “Foot Locker curse” to win the the 2015 NCAA XC title, is the more intriguing prospect. Seidel had never run a half before October 2019, but Houston will be her third in three months, and she plans to make her marathon debut at the Trials.

With a 2:09 in Boston and two sixth-place finishes in New York, Jared Ward has been the most consistent American marathoner over the last 18 months. Beating him on Sunday doesn’t guarantee a repeat result next month in Atlanta, but it would be a positive sign for the other Olympic hopefuls in this field.

With a high of 59, the temperature looks great for running on Sunday, though 13 mph winds mean the conditions won’t be perfect. Still, with the talent on hand in Houston, there should be competitive races up front. In the men’s race, there’s no clear favorite.

Ethiopia’s Jemal Yimer (58:33), the fourth-fastest man ever, was a close second last year after taking a wrong turn late in the race. He went on to run 59:09 in Valencia in October, where he finished two seconds behind Kenya’s Bernard Ngeno, also entered in Houston. Andamlak Belihu had a terrific 2019 (26:53/59:10, 5th at Worlds in 10k), while the last two Houston champs, Shura Kitata of Ethiopia and Jake Robertson of New Zealand, return as well.

(01/17/2020) Views: 1,623 ⚡AMP

Past winners are set to defend their title at Houston Marathon and Half Marathon

Organizers of the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon have revealed the elite fields for the World Athletics Gold Label road races on January 19.

The city’s marathon has now joined the half marathon as a Gold Label event, making Houston the only city in the world to host Gold Label marathon and half marathon races on the same day.

Defending marathon champion Biruktayit Degefa will try to become the first woman to win in Houston four times. Bahrain’s Hassan El Abbassi, the Asian record-holder for the men’s marathon, is the fastest in the men’s field.

Three former winners of the half marathon will be back in Houston to contest the 13.1-mile race: defending men’s champion Shura Kitata and 2018 winners Ruti Aga and Jake Robertson. Ethiopian record-holder Jemal Yimer and Kenya’s Caroline Kipkirui, the eighth-fastest woman of all time, have the quickest PBs of the half marathon fields.

(01/08/2020) Views: 1,591 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Jake Robertson’s wife Magdalyne Masai wants to be in the top three at Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Magdalyne Masai’s performance at the Hamburg Marathon on 28 April earned her praise from around the world given that she had run a personal best of 2:26:04 and finished second in the highly competitive race.

Moreover, it earned her an invitation to this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label road race, on 20 October.

She will arrive in Canada’s largest city privy to useful knowledge of the city and the race as her husband, Jake Robertson of New Zealand, finished fifth here a year ago.

“I want to get a personal best and finish in the top three,” she said, speaking during a video call from her home in Iten, Kenya. “That is my aim. I want to be in top three. I think 2:23 or 2:22 is within reach.”

That would challenge the ‘family record’ held by her elder sister, Linet Masai, who ran 2:23:46 In her debut last year in Amsterdam.

‘Magz’, as she is affectionately known, comes from a family of runners. Linet was the 2009 world 10,000m champion while the eldest of the 10 Masai kids, Moses Masai, was the 10,000m bronze medalist at those same championships in Berlin. Another brother, Dennis Masai, won the 2010 World Junior Championships in Moncton, New Brunswick. A younger brother, Alex Masai, is currently running for Hofstra University in New York State.

It’s not difficult to see where her influences came from as she grew up in the Rift Valley of western Kenya where the altitude is roughly 2,500m above sea level.

“We moved a lot,” she says of her upbringing. “I was born in Mt. Elgon forest. After some point we moved to Kapsogom. Currently my parents are in Trans Nzoia district.

“I met Jake in Iten because my sister Linet was staying in Iten. I had come to start training in Iten as well and was staying with her.”

Robertson and his twin brother, Zane, had arrived in Kenya as teenagers fresh out of high school. Their intention was to live and train like the Kenyan runners they admired. He and Magdalyne fell in love and, after a six-year relationship, he famously proposed at the finish line of the 2017 Great North Run. Moments before, he had finished second to Olympic champion Mo Farah and Magdalyne finished fourth in the elite women’s race.

“So far in my training not only am I looking at time but also how I am feeling,” she explains. “Mostly I judge myself when we do long intervals on the roads. We run 4km at about 3:30 (per kilometre) pace. Then for one kilometre easier at 4:00 pace. We do that five times. If I finish that feeling like I can continue that’s when I know I am feeling good and ready to go." 

Magdalyne Masai may not have the fastest time among the elite women who will toe the line on 20 October, but she certainly will be prepared to run with the leaders. And nobody could be prouder than Jake Robertson if she achieves her goal of a top three finish.

(07/26/2019) Views: 2,842 ⚡AMP
by iaaf

Zane Robertson sets new national New Zealand marathon record clocking 2:08:19 at Gold Coast Marathon

Zane Robertson was off to find a juicy steak to eat after setting a new New Zealand men's marathon record on his debut at the distance.

Robertson finished third in the Gold Coast marathon on Sunday in a time of two hours eight minutes and 19 seconds.

That time qualifies Robertson for next year's Tokyo Olympics and this year's world track and field champs in Doha. The previous NZ record was set by his brother, Jake Robertson, in March last year.

The men's race was won by Japan's Yuta Shitara in 2:07.50, with Kenya's Barnabas Kiptum second, 17 seconds ahead of the Kiwi.

"Gave it everything out there today," Robertson wrote on Instagram after the race.

"Pushed the pace and set us up to run a 2.06 sadly failed to hold it together with Kiptum in the last 5k with the headwind gusts.

"We got caught by the dropped off Yuta Shitara and he destroyed us the last 2.5km.

"91% humidity, headwinds first 16.5km and last 5k, rained on us, oh and the shoe lace came undone at 5k into the race.

"So overall pretty happy with a NR (new record).... For now I'm off to have a hot shower, lay down and some dinner at the steak house with good friends.

Zane and his twin brother Jake Robertson moved to Kenya several years ago and have been training there.  

(07/06/2019) Views: 1,999 ⚡AMP

New Zealand-born Zane Robertson eagerly awaiting marathon debut at Gold Coast

When you want to be the best at something, you surround yourself with the best. That was New Zealand-born Zane Robertson’s thinking when he and twin brother Jake Robertson shunned US athletics scholarships and moved to Kenya at age 17 to immerse themselves in one of the culture that produces the world’s best runners.

Dubbed ‘Elvis’ by the Kenyans for once dying his hair black, the 29-year-old New Zealand 10,000m national record holder and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games 5,000m bronze medallist has chosen to make his marathon debut at the Gold Coast Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label road race, on 7 July.

After a groin injury ruled him out of his first marathon at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, Robertson is hungry to make amends on the same flat and fast course.

“Missing out last year when I was in crazy shape was devastating. I watched the race from Kenya and couldn’t stop thinking about how I could have won,” Robertson said.

“By coming to the Gold Coast Marathon, I feel I can replace that loss of mine.”

Robertson, who has a half marathon PB of 59:47, is not letting last year’s disappointment faze him in the lead up to his first attempt at 42.195km.

“The mind is such a powerful thing in sport, especially in long distance races,” he said.

“If you don't believe in yourself, you've already lost. I always feel confident; if I don't, I won't race.”

Robertson is upbeat about his potential in this year’s event, despite toeing the line alongside a stellar line up in the men’s marathon including 2013 champion and 2018 Boston Marathon winner Yuki Kawauchi of Japan and three-time Gold Coast Marathon champion and race record holder Kenneth Mungara of Kenya.

“First and foremost, I always target the win. I want to run as fast as the pacemakers allow and once they step off the road anything can be possible. Perhaps a new Oceania record?” Robertson said. 

Robertson and his brother have now spent over a decade in Kenya and Ethiopia learning what makes the best runners tick and while the jury is out on whether it is nature or nurture, he’s confident the lessons learnt both on and off the track will stand him in good stead for a fast marathon time.

“I’ve learnt to live a runner’s life - which means to have discipline when you’re training, and to relax and recover when you’re not,” he said.

Twin brother Jake placed third on debut at last year’s Lake Biwa Marathon in Japan in an impressive 2:08:26, a time 16 seconds faster than Mungara’s Gold Coast Marathon race record of 2:08:42 set in 2015.

But despite his brother seemingly throwing down the gauntlet, Zane remains assured the pair have moved past sibling rivalry.

“We realised that this world is so much bigger than that and the challenge is not with each other but against ourselves to be better than we were yesterday,” he said.

(05/30/2019) Views: 2,210 ⚡AMP

Jerome Drayton's Canadian marathon record of 2:10:09 has stood for nearly 43 years

 Jerome Drayton's mark of 2:10:28 from the 1975 Fukuoka Marathon is the current national Canadian record. Drayton, who lives in Toronto, is 73 years-old now. "Two-ten is obviously a good time," remarked two-time Canadian Olympic marathoner Reid Coolsaet, who came close to Drayton's record at the 2015 BMW Berlin Marathon where he ran 2:10:28. Speaking at a press conference here this morning in advance of Sunday's Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon he added, "[But], especially after Eliud Kipchoge's record (2:01:39) we need a faster national record. With guys like Cam stepping up to the marathon, it's just a matter of time before it goes." "Cam," of course, is Cameron Levins, the 29 year-old Canadian Olympian who holds the national record of 27:07.51 for 10,000m. A former Nike Oregon Project athlete who now represents Hoka One One, Levins will be making his long-awaited marathon debut here this Sunday. He'll be running primarily for the Athletics Canada national title, but with a CAD 43,000 bonus (USD 32,800) on the line for taking down Drayton's mark, the record is definitely on Levins's mind. His 10,000m best is equivalent to a 2:06:38 marathon by using one popular conversion formula. "I'm in great shape," Levins told the media here today, looking relaxed in a hooded sweatshirt, his hands folded in his lap. "I'm ready to attack the Canadian record." Levins, who was notorious for running exceptionally high mileage during his NCAA career at Southern Utah University, stuck with a high-mileage diet for this race, too. He estimated that he averaged 168 miles (270 kilometers) per week, splitting his time between his sea level home in Portland, Ore., and the high altitude of Cedar City, Utah, where he lived and trained in college. He said he adapted well to marathon training after an uncertain start. "I was a little nervous about getting into the new kind of training," Levins told Race Results Weekly. "I mean, I'm into it now. I know I'm going to do more beyond this. I can see it becoming, just, what I do." But first, he had to get through Sunday's race. Long-time race director Alan Brookes has assembled one of his best elite fields led by two-time race winner Philemon Rono of Kenya (2:06:52 PB), 2012 Olympic Marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda (2:06:33), 2017 Seoul Marathon runner-up Felix Kandie of Kenya (2:06:03), and New Zealand record holder Jake Robertson (2:08:26). Levins, who said he will run with the second group, made sure he put enough long runs which included very specific goals. As a track runner, his long runs were mostly just for adding miles, he said, at an easy pace. (10/20/2018) Views: 1,536 ⚡AMP

Jake Robertson has been training hard in Kenya and is focused on running very fast at Canada’s Waterfront Marathon Oct 21

What an amazing year it has been for Jake Robertson, a New Zealand who has been training in Kenya for the last ten years.  Jake started off the year in Houston where he won the half marathon there in 60:01.  Many did not know him before that race and in fact he had to get himself there to run the race.  This would soon change.  At the Lake Biwa marathon in Japan he clocked 2:08:26, a new NZ national Record.  Then he won the Crescent City 10k with a very fast 27:28 blowing away the field.  Next up was the Commonwealth Games 10000m on the track.  He pushed the pace and finished in 27:32. Then there was Beach to Beacon in Portland, Maine.  In hot weather he wins clocking 27:38.  Most recently he broke one hour for the half running second to Mo Farah clocking 59:57.  Jake posted today, “I’ve trained hard, I’m ready.  I’m coming to Canada for something special on Sunday October 21st.  I am running the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. If you’re not running I hope you’re cheering us on, come down.”  Jake’s training in Kenya has been going well and weather permitting he is ready to run very fast in Toronto.  (10/12/2018) Views: 1,997 ⚡AMP
by Bob Anderson

Tsegaye Mekonnen from Ethiopia, is set to compete at Toronto Marathon

Tsegaye Mekonnen’s marathon debut four years ago stunned running aficionados across the world as the Ethiopian youngster won the Dubai Marathon in 2:04:32, the fastest time in history by an U20 athlete. Still only 23 years old, Mekonnen has confirmed he will race the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 21, thereby earning the distinction of being the fastest entrant to ever run this IAAF Gold Label event. “It’s been going well and I feel like I am in a good shape right now,” said Mekonnen. “Toronto is a big race and I’ve been preparing for it. I have spent three months in my build-up and so I hope to run a good race. “I’ve been running at a high altitude – between 2,500-3,000m – so that I could adapt myself to tough conditions and I’ve been running 180-200km (100-120 miles) per week.” Since his breakthrough performance four years ago, Mekonnen has shown flashes of brilliance such as his third-place finish at the 2016 Dubai Marathon in 2:04:46 and a 2:07:26 victory at the 2017 Hamburg Marathon. In a country where children grow up celebrating the success of Ethiopian legends such as Derartu Tulu, Haile Gebrselassie, Tirunesh Dibaba and Kenenisa Bekele, he was exposed to running very early and earned a place on Ethiopia’s team for the IAAF World Junior Championships Barcelona 2012. He finished fifth in the 5000m final there, but, unlike others who would develop their track potential, Mekonnen quickly switched to road racing. "To my knowledge there were not many track races in that time and I couldn't find the right people to bring me to those races,” he remembers. “So, I made the decision to compete in the road races. Demadonna Management encouraged me to become a marathon runner and it was the right decision for me, looking back now. Mekonnen is fully aware he will face strong competition in Toronto, including Philemon Rono, the two-time defending champion, New Zealand’s Jake Robertson and 2012 Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda, among others. He edged Kiprotich in Hamburg by a mere five seconds. (10/04/2018) Views: 1,712 ⚡AMP

John Korir whose older brother Wesley Korir won the Boston Marathon in 2012, joins elite roster at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

John Korir, 22, has announced he will join the elite roster at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 27. John is the younger brother of Wesley Korir, who won the Boston Marathon in 2012, and who represented Kenya at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Wesley is also a former Member of Parliament in Kenya. younger Korir debuted the marathon at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend this spring, where he was way out in front just a few kilometres from the finish line. Ultimately Korir was overtaken by Yemane Tsegay of Ethiopia, the course record-holder, and finished in second place with a time of 2:09:14. The two brothers have trained together in Louisville, Kentucky. Korir will be welcomed by the family of his sister-in-law, Tarah McKay-Korir, who live in southern Ontario. Tarah and Wesley are the founders of the Kenyan Kids Foundation, one of STWM’s charity partners. Korir joins two-time defending champion Philemon Rono, New Zealand’s Jake Robertson, and our very own Reid Coolsaet on the start line at Scotia on October 21. (09/21/2018) Views: 1,695 ⚡AMP

Mo Farah wins the Great North Run half marathon beating Jake Robertson by 31 seconds

Mo Farah won for the fifth time the Great North Run Half marathon in a course record of 59 minutes and 26 seconds on Sunday in Newcastle, UK.   New Zealand's Jake Robertson was 31 seconds back in second. London Marathon champion Vivian Cheruiyot from Kenya won the women's race for a second time in three years.  Farah narrowly missed out on his half marathon personal best, finishing four seconds outside it after fading inside the final 200m, having pulled clear of Robertson with about two miles to go. Robertson, who finished a close second to Farah last year, clocked 59:57, with Belgium's Bashir Abdi third in 60:43. "Training's different now as I'm not in the track season, I've been doing a lot more long runs and in terms of endurance I'm definitely fitter," said four-time Olympic champion Farah. "Just coming into that headwind it was so tough, I wasn't going smooth, I was going up and down. I honestly thought I could beat my personal best today, but those last two miles really hurt." Olympic and world champion Cheruiyot posted a personal best of 67:43 to win the women's race ahead of compatriots Brigid Kosgei (67:52) and Joyciline Jepkosgei (68.10).   (09/09/2018) Views: 1,736 ⚡AMP

Jake Robertson and Mo Farah are ready to battle at Great North Run, the duo will go head-to-head once again

The duo will go head-to-head once again on Tyneside ahead of Autumn marathons. Jake Robertson and Mo Farah will renew their rivalry at the Great North Run on Sunday, September 9. In last year’s race, the New Zealander led Great Britain’s Farah into the final 400m before the four-time Olympic champion out sprinted his challenger with a trademark kick to take the win in 60:06, six seconds clear. Robertson also memorably proposed to his girlfriend Magdalyne Masai at the end of the half marathon. Farah, who previously announced his return to Tyneside, is bidding to become the first runner to win five consecutive titles. Since last year’s race, Robertson has taken the roads by storm winning the renowned Houston Half Marathon in a personal best equaling time of 60:01, before he made his marathon debut in Japan, where he broke the New Zealand record clocking 2:08:26. The duo will hope for impressive outings at the Great North Run before taking on Autumn marathons. Farah heads to Chicago where he will face defending champion Galen Rupp amongst others, and Robertson races for the second time over 26.2 miles in Toronto. (08/31/2018) Views: 1,712 ⚡AMP

Jake Robertson primed to compete at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

New Zealand runner Jake Robertson has announced he will join defending champion Philemon Rono and Canadian Reid Coolseat at this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 21st. Robertson, 28, is having a fantastic year, debuting in the marathon on March 4 at the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon in Japan, where he finished in third place while setting a New Zealand national record with a time of 2:08:26. He has also won three prominent U.S. road races including the Houston Half-Marathon in January (where we ran 60:01), the Crescent City 10K in New Orleans and most recently, the Beach to Beacon 10K in Cape Elizabeth, Maine where he ran 27:37. Robertson, along with his twin brother Zane and his fiancée Masai, has been living and training in the town of Iten, in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, for about 12 years. He has expressed the desire and intention to not only win STWM, but to challenge Rono’s course record of 2:06:51, set at last year’s race. (08/08/2018) Views: 1,908 ⚡AMP

Jack Robertson continues to amaze, he wins B2B by nearly a minute in extreme humidity

NZL’s Jake Robertson destroyed the competition at the 21st Beach to Beacon 10k Saturday August 4.  His 27:37 is the 3rd fastest ever in Cape Elizabeth. Stephen Sambu was 2nd in 28:26, 2016 champ and Maine native Ben True was a close third clocking 28 :29. Sandra Chebet won the women’s race in 31:20, Ababel Yeshaneh (Eth) 2nd 31:25, Molly Huddle 3rd 31:40. Very humid. Jake Robertson as been training in Kenya for the last few years and continues to run some amazing times.  More than 6,500 runners participated in Maine's biggest road race, which was the brainchild of Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson. Samuelson, a Maine native, won the Boston Marathon in 1979 and went on to win it again in 1983. She took gold in the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, the first time the marathon event was open to women. She created the 6.2-mile race that starts at Crescent Beach State Park and ends at Fort Williams, home to the Portland Head Light. It follows her old training route growing up in Cape Elizabeth.     (Sat 4  (08/04/2018) Views: 1,980 ⚡AMP

Ben True was the first American to win the Beach to Beacon and wants to do it again

Ben True, who became the first American runner to win the TD Beach to Beacon in 2016 and finished second in 2017, will return to the race this year. True, a North Yarmouth native and Greely High graduate, leads the men’s elite field for the Aug. 4 race, which was announced by race officials Monday. True is joined in the men’s field by two-time Olympian Lopez Lomong, 2012 Beach to Beacon winner Stanley Biwott, and Jake Robertson, who set the New Zealand record in the marathon earlier this year. This year’s top contenders will join a field of more than 6,500 runners who will wind along the fast, relatively flat course that begins near Crescent Beach State Park on Route 77 in Cape Elizabeth and ends in Fort Williams Park near Portland Head Light. (07/17/2018) Views: 1,699 ⚡AMP

Two-time U.S. Olympian Molly Huddle will compete in Beach to Beacon

Molly Huddle a two-time U.S. Olympian, the reigning American record holder in the women’s 10,000-meter run, are among 46 professionals who will compete at the 21st TD Beach to Beacon 10K Aug. 4. Having Molly in our race this year is truly special, Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson said in a press release. Samuelson founded the TD Beach to Beacon in her native Cape Elizabeth. “But they’ve got their work cut out for them as the field is once again deep and talented and guaranteed to provide a highly competitive day of road racing on Aug. 4,” Samuelson said. Other elite runners set to take on the 6.2-mile route are U.S. Olympic gold medal triathlete Gwen Jorgenson, two-time U.S. Olympian Lopez Lomong, Ethiopian Buze Diriba, Kenya-based New Zealander Jake Robertson and 2012 Beach to Beacon champion Stanley Biwott of Kenya, as well as a host of other Olympians, All-Americans and rising stars from East Africa. (07/17/2018) Views: 1,772 ⚡AMP

Jake Robertson talks about the 10000m last night at the Commonwealth Games

New Zealand’s Jake Robertson posted this on Instagram today, “what a race last night in the 10000m. I broke the CG games record & NZ national record 27.30.90 though these four track stars showed me up, congratulations guys I loved competing with you'll”. Six runners finished in under the Commonwealth Games Record which was set in 2002. It was good to see these guys push it. “At 7000m Jake took the lead and held it for four laps,” says Bob Anderson. “This type of aggressive running is going to bring us faster times. It is not only about winning. It is about winning in the fastest time possible.” (04/13/2018) Views: 2,277 ⚡AMP

Uganda's Cheptegei pulls off double, sets Games Record and Robertson sets New Zealand National Record

The much talked about 10000m at the Commonwealth Games today was one of the best events of the Games so far. Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei (UGA) fresh off his 5000m win not only won the 10000m too but set a Games Record breaking Wilberforce Talel (KEN) record of 27:45 set in 2002. Cheptegeie clocked 27:19 running his last 5000m in 13:25, 25 seconds faster than his 5000m winning time. The 10000m was a fast race as six runners got under the Games Record. Jake Robertson (NZ) finished fifth in a new national record for New Zealand clocking 27:30. He took the lead at the 7K mark coming up from eight and lead for four laps but he could not hold it but he still ran 13:36 for his last 5000m. Canada's Mohammed Ahmed and Cheptegei battled back and forth for the lead the last two kilometers. In the end the Canadian was out sprinted placing second in 27:20. Third was Rodgers Kwemoi (KEN) in 27:28. Eight runners finished under 28 minutes. It does not get much better than this. (04/13/2018) Views: 2,140 ⚡AMP

New Zealand’s Jake Robertson could win the Commonweath Games 10000m Friday

Jake and his twin brother Zane Robertson were not going to run in the Commonwealth Games in Australia. But they changed their minds and said they would be there representing New Zealand. Most recently Jake travelled to New Orelans and won the Crescent City 10K classic clocking 27:28 March 31. Zane however was injured while getting a deep tissue massage by a massage therapist. The details are not very clear but Zane had to withdraw from the Games. Tonight Jake posted on Instagram: “Track, it's been awhile,10000m final tonight, 25 laps on the grill. It's time to burn.” “Jake has been running well,” says Bob Anderson. “There is some strong competition and it has been awhile since Jake has raced on the track but I think he can win it. He and his brother has been training in Kenya the last ten years and have been doing some impressive workouts.” The race starts Friday at 9:10pm in Australia which is 4:10am in California or 7:10am in New York. (04/12/2018) Views: 1,689 ⚡AMP

Jake Robertson sets a 10K PR and wins Crescent City for second time

New Zealand’s Jake Robertson, 28, also known as the “white Kenyan” since he has been training in Kenya for ten years, came to New Orleans for one reason.

He wanted to be a repeat winner and set a new 10k PR. He did both and more winning the Crescent City 10K in a new PR of 27:28.

Jake blew away the field winning by 50 seconds. Edwin Sol was second in 28:18. Jake’s time ties the New Zealand national record in a 10K road race, with his twin brother. "I think it is even more special than breaking my brother's record, so it's cool," he said.

"I'll keep it for one year. I really tried to change my approach today even though it didn't look like it. I did slow down at one point because I wanted to save a little bit more in the last mile. I really want to get that course record, and I keep getting closer every year." 2018 was a huge year for the Crescent City Classic as it marks the 40th anniversary.

(03/31/2018) Views: 2,734 ⚡AMP

Jake Robertson was the first non-African to Win CCC10K since 1997

Jake Robertson (NZ) last training session (photo) in Kenya before traveling to New Orleans for the Crescent City Classic 10k this Saturday. He won last year running 27:55 (PR), 15 seconds ahead of Kenya's Edwin Rotich. Jake said today, "fast time would be nice but I'll have to wait and see what the day will bring." The weather can always be a factor racing in New Orleans...Jake has been getting in some tough workouts with the "boys" in Kenya: like 10 x 2 minutes @ 2:56-2:50km pace and then 10 x 30 seconds @ 2:45km pace. Other workouts he has posted include: 12x600m with 1 minute recovery (running them between 95 and 97 seconds). "Excited about my future," he posted. "Today is another opportunity to progress on my goals near and far." With all this speed work, is he ready to tackle Sammy Kipketer's course record of 27:10 set in 2002? That’s really fast! (03/26/2018) Views: 2,150 ⚡AMP

As Jake Robertson was racing Mo Farah he had a random thought, today is the day!

New Zealand runner Jake Robertson won the hearts of the crowd and his Kenyan girlfriend when he proposed to her after finishing second to Olympic hero Mo Farah in a major race in Britain last September.

Robertson pushed Farah all the way in the Great North Race in northern England, finishing the half marathon just six seconds behind the British great.

But he quickly had all the attention when he dropped to one knee and asked partner Magdalyne Masai to marry him. She had finished fourth in the women's elite race. Masai accepted and the happy couple embraced.

"I didn't have it planned or anything. In the last mile it just randomly came to my mind that today was the day," Robertson said.

"I finished the race and asked the meeting organisers to find her. She said yes and I'm a happy man. Six years together and I thought it was due time. We've been speaking about it for a long time," he said.

(03/22/2018) Views: 2,466 ⚡AMP

Jake and Zane Robertson are the world’s Fastest Twins in the Half Marathon

Jake and Zane Robertson moved from New Zealand to Kenya to live and train ten years ago. When they arrived they found it very hard but then they found Shaheen [world record holder in steeplechase] training in Iten.

He heard their story and said, “That’s a poor life. Tomorrow I’ll get you a house next to me. You’re on me in Iten.” They moved to Iten with Shaheen’s training group. He didn’t charge then rent.

The twins lived, ate and trained like the Kenyans, who run 2-3 times a day six days per week. Running is the number one most important thing for most Kenyan runners.

Did this change of life help them become two of the fastest runners in the world? They think so. Jake has run two 1:00:01 half marathons and Zane has run 59:47.

Looks like their life in Kenya is working for them. Jake is running the Cresent City Classic 10K March 31...going for a repeat win.

Photo: Jake Robertson training in Kenya

(03/18/2018) Views: 4,595 ⚡AMP

Jake Robertson going for repeat win at Crescent City

Jake Robertson from New Zealand won the Crescent City 10k last year in 27:55. In many of past this year’s was dominated by runners from Kenya. Jake is returning this year and wants to again cross the finish line first. (03/08/2018) Views: 1,914 ⚡AMP

Jake Robertson sets the New Zealand National Marathon Record on his first Attempt

Jake Robertson broke Rod Dixon's New Zealand marathon record at his first attempt on Sunday in Japan. Robertson completed the Lake Biwa Marathon in 2hour 8min 26sec. Hamilton-born distance runner looked strong early on, and stayed in the mix as the lead pack slowly shrunk. With 11 kilometres to go, he made a surge, setting the tempo and leaving only five runners remaining at the 35k mark. With the finish line nearing, and a trio of runners left in front, Robertson was dropped, but he paced himself well to claim third place, and the national record. His time is 33 seconds faster than Rod Dixon's previous record, which has stood since Rod won the New York Marathon in 1983. Remarkably, it was Robertson's first ever competitive marathon. Robertson is set to run the 10,000m at the upcoming Commonwealth Games. When he was 17 he moved to Iten, Kenya with his twin brother Zane who is also a world lass professional runner. (03/04/2018) Views: 1,825 ⚡AMP

Jake Robertson sets a new New Zealand National Record at Lake Biwa Marathon

New Zealand runner Jake Robertson placed third at the Lake Biwa Marathon in Japan today in 2:08:26 breaking the NZ national record held by Rod Dixon (2:08:59) for over 34 years. Jake has been training in Kenya, and has been described as a “white Kenyan.” This was his first marathon. In January he won the half marathon in Houston. The top four looked like this: 1. Macharia Ndirangu (Kenya) - 2:07:53 - debut 2. Albert Korir (Kenya) - 2:08:17 - PR 3. Jake Robertson (New Zealand) - 2:08:26 - NR, debut 4. Michael Githae (Kenya) - 2:09:21 - PR (03/03/2018) Views: 1,993 ⚡AMP

New Zealander Jake Robertson Long-awaited Marathon Debut Sunday

Jake Robertson (NZ), who has been training in Kenya will make his long-awaited debut over 26.2 miles when he lines up for the Lake Biwa Marathon Sunday, but the New Zealander faces a tough field at the IAAF Gold Label road race. As well as a strong international line-up, the race has plenty of domestic interest as it is one of the qualifying races for Japan’s 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials and an approved Project Exceed Marathon. The weather, however, could be a problem for the runners on Sunday with temperatures expected to reach 68F. Robertson has a half marathon PR of 1:00:01 which he recorded twice: at the 2017 Lisbon Half Marathon and at the 2018 Houston Half Marathon. He had been planning to make his marathon debut in Fukuoka last year, but he had to pull out just weeks before race day. (03/03/2018) Views: 1,993 ⚡AMP

Japan’s Project Exceed Program has Japanese Runners hyped up...next chance to be a millionaire is Sunday

The Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon (men only) on Sunday in Japan (Saturday night at 7:30pm PST) promises to be a good one. This is a Project Exceed approved race too which means $93,000US bonuses will be paid out to any Japanese men who go sub-2:08. Defending champ Ezekiel Chebii (Kenya) and fellow 2:06 men Tadesse Abraham (Switzerland) and Abera Kuma (Ethiopia) are there to spur the fastest Japanese men on. Also running in his debut sub-61 half marathoners Jake Robertson (New Zealand) and Macharia Ndirangu (Kenya/Aichi Seiko) likely to be a part of the lead group. Warmer than usual temps may make it hard for a 2:06 race to materialize, but the best bet for a Japanese man to be in it at that pace is Kenta Murayama (Asahi Kasei), twin brother of 10000 m national record holder Kota Murayama and a sub-61 half marathoner doing his second marathon after an aggressive but ultimately unsuccessful 2:16:58 debut in Tokyo two years ago. Yuta Shitara is not running but his twin brother, Keita will be. Race info from Japan Running News (03/03/2018) Views: 1,824 ⚡AMP

The four white Kenyans..It's all in the training..sacrifice and quality...

"These four runners listed below live and spend long seasons in Kenya at altitude, training with Africans with their custom meals, sleeping in their cots, training at 6am, fasting, and eating ugali The White Kenyans.

1. Julien Wanders this morning ran 60:09 at half marathon in Barcelona, a new Swiss record

2. Zane Robertson from New Zealand ran a 59:47 Half

3. Sondre Moen 2:05:48 Marathon From Norway, European record

4. Jake Robertson 60:01 Half Marathon in Houston From New Zealand

"They sacrifice themselves like the Kenyans... they run like the Kenyans... It doesn't matter that their skin is not black. It's all in the training. It's the sacrifice and the quality."

(02/11/2018) Views: 2,418 ⚡AMP
by Gonzalo Sukunza

A decade in Kenya turned two teens from New Zealand Into World Class Runners

The plan had seemed so simple when it was hatched in their mom’s basement. But as the plane was landing in Nairobi, the scabby ground growing closer, 18-year-old Zane leaned over to his twin brother and said, “Jake, what are we going to do?”... On Jan. 14, 2018, Jake Robertson won the Houston Half Marathon with a time of one hour and one second, beating a super-deep, world-class field and earning $20,000 along the way. His twin brother Zane had posted a stellar 59:47 half marathon in 2015. They are the fastest New Zealanders ever at that distance, and near the top of the heap on a global scale. And none of that is easy—hitting 4:35 per mile for 13.1 miles? Earning a living as a runner? Becoming an Olympian? Those are laughably lofty goals...A decade of training in Kenya is paying off. (02/08/2018) Views: 2,011 ⚡AMP
Training

Scullion records new personal best standard in USA

Northern Ireland’s Stephen Scullion (Clonliffe Harriers) slashed well over one minute off his previous personal best when recording an excellent 1:03:16 for 29th place at the Houston Half Marathon in America today (Sunday 14th January 2018). Stephen’s new personal best is well inside Athletics Ireland’s qualifying standard of 1:05:00 for this year’s World Half Marathon Championships in Spain. The race was won by Jake Robertson (New Zealand) in 1:00:01 (1st place). (01/15/2018) Views: 1,542 ⚡AMP