Running News Daily

Who is Sisay Lemma, the winner of the 2024 Boston Marathon?

Sisay Lemma was born in 1990 in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. He is the winner of the 2024 Boston Marathon, with a time of 2:06:17.

Sisay Lemma is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon. He is the winner of the 2024 Boston Marathon, with a time of 2:06:17.

This was his first victory at the Boston Marathon, but he has previously won other major marathons, including the 2021 London Marathon and the 2023 Valencia Marathon. Lemma is also a three-time bronze medalist at the World Athletics Championships.

Lemma was born in 1990 in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. He began running at a young age, and quickly showed promise. He made his international debut in 2013, and won his first major marathon in 2018, when he won the Rotterdam Marathon.

Lemma is known for his strong finishing kick. He has often won races by coming from behind in the final stages. He is also a very consistent runner, and has never finished a marathon outside of the top 10.

Lemma is a rising star in the world of marathon running. He is still relatively young, and has many years of good running ahead of him. He is a strong contender for medals at the major marathons, and the Olympic Games.

Here are some of Sisay Lemma’s career highlights:

Winner of the 2024 Boston Marathon

Winner of the 2021 London Marathon

Winner of the 2023 Valencia Marathon

Three-time bronze medalist at the World Athletics Championships

Winner of the 2018 Rotterdam Marathon

Personal best of 2:01:48 for the marathon

The Boston Marathon: The King of Marathons

The Boston Marathon is an annual foot race held in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is considered to be the most prestigious marathon in the world, and is one of the world’s oldest continuously run sporting events. The race is traditionally held on the third Monday in April, and it follows a 26.2-mile (42.2 km) route through the streets of Boston and the surrounding towns.

The Boston Marathon was first held in 1897, and it was inspired by the success of the marathon race at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The race was originally intended to be a qualifier for the 1897 Summer Olympics, but it quickly became a popular event in its own right. The Boston Marathon has been held every year since 1918, with the only exceptions being in 1918 due to World War I, and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Boston Marathon is known for its challenging course, which features several hills, including the infamous Heartbreak Hill at mile 20. The race is also known for its large and enthusiastic crowds, which line the streets throughout the course to cheer on the runners.

The Boston Marathon has been won by some of the greatest marathon runners in history, including Dick Hoyt, Bill Rodgers, Joan Benoit Samuelson, and Kathrine Switzer. The race has also been the site of several world records, including the first sub-2:00 marathon in 1978 by Geoffrey Hirt.

The Boston Marathon is more than just a race; it is a tradition and an institution. The race is a symbol of Boston’s resilience and spirit, and it is a source of pride for the city’s residents. The Boston Marathon is also a major fundraiser for charity, and it has raised millions of dollars for local charities over the years.

(04/15/2024) Views: 165 ⚡AMP
by Laura Islas

Rob Gronkowski named grand marshal for 2024 Boston Marathon

New England Patriots great Rob Gronkowski has been named grand marshal for the 2024 Boston Marathon, the Boston Athletic Association announced Tuesday.

Gronkowski will also receive the 2024 Patriots' Award, presented to a person or organization who is "patriotic, philanthropic, and inspirational, and fosters goodwill and sponsorship." In addition to his athletic achievements, Gronkowski founded the Gronk Nation Youth Foundation, which donated the funds to build Gronk Playground on the Charles River Esplanade.

"Giving back has always been a priority in my life," Gronkowski said in a statement. "When I first got to New England, Mr. Kraft and the Patriots Foundation ingrained in the team the importance of giving back to the community that gives back to us. And this community has supported me throughout my entire career. Now it's time for me to give back to help set others up for their own journey, especially the youth. This is why the Gronk Playground project is close to my heart. My family and I are honored to be able to give kids an awesome new space to play in the city.”

“We are honored to have Rob Gronkowski as part of our Boston Athletic Association's long-standing traditions and celebrations this year. The work that he has done and continues to do for the Boston Community exemplifies what we look to recognize with our Patriots’ Award," B.A.A. Director of Development Nicole Juri said in a statement. “Having him also serve as Grand Marshal on race day will bring a lot of added joy and excitement for the thousands of spectators who will be lining the streets from Hopkinton to Boston.”

Gronkowski will be honored at the B.A.A. Gives Back Celebration on April 13. In his role as grand marshal, he will be driven along the marathon course from Hopkinton to Boston, delivering the tropy to the finish line ahead of the athletes on race day on April 15.

Past recipients of the Patriots' Award include Robert and Myra Kraft and the New England Patriots, Red Auerbach and hte Red Auerbach Youth Foundation, the Boston Red Sox Foundation, Rick and Dick Hoyt, Joan Benoit Samuelson, David Ortiz, Tim Wakefield, Tedi Bruschi, Adrianne Haslet, Marty Walsh.

(03/12/2024) Views: 164 ⚡AMP

Joan Benoit Samuelson captures World Majors six-star medal at Tokyo Marathon

On Sunday morning, running icon Joan Benoit Samuelson claimed her sixth and final Abbott World Marathon Major star, clocking 3:42:18 at the Tokyo Marathon. The American distance running legend added another remarkable chapter to a storied career that includes wins at the 1979 and 1983 Boston Marathon and the 1985 Chicago Marathon.

The Abbott World Marathon Majors include the Tokyo Marathon, Boston Marathon, London Marathon, Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon and the New York City Marathon. In 2022, Benoit Samuelson checked her fifth major off her list, winning her age group at the London Marathon in 3:20:20; her daughter Abby ran as well, finishing just under three hours.

From Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Benoit Samuelson first gained international acclaim when she became the inaugural women’s Olympic marathon champion at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Her groundbreaking victory set the stage for a career defined by trailblazing achievements. Benoit Samuelson held the fastest time for an American woman at the Chicago Marathon for 32 years after her 1985 victory, and her time at the Boston Marathon was the fastest time by an American woman at that race for 28 years Her personal best of 2:21:21 is still eighth on the U.S. all-time list.

Benoit Samuelson is the only woman in the world to have run sub-three-hour marathons in five consecutive decades, her first in 1979 and her most recent in 2010. At the 2019 Berlin Marathon, she ran 3:02, nearly becoming the first woman to clock a sub-three in six consecutive decades. In 2019, she ran the Boston Marathon to celebrate her then 40-year-old victory from 1979, wearing the same outfit she had worn four decades before—a backward ball cap and a Bowdoin College singlet (she won her age category, finishing in 3:04:00, only 28:45 minutes slower than her time in 1979).

Beyond her accomplishments on the road, Samuelson has been an advocate for women’s participation in sports and has played a pivotal role in advancing opportunities for women athletes. After the 2022 London Marathon, Benoit Samuelson told the media: “I’m blessed to have longevity in this sport. It doesn’t owe me anything, but I feel I owe my sport.”

(03/05/2024) Views: 199 ⚡AMP
by Keeley Milne

Molly Seidel withdraws from Olympic Marathon Trials due to injury

Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel announced she is withdrawing from Saturday’s U.S. marathon trials for the Paris Games due to a knee injury.

Seidel, 29, said in a video posted Thursday that she suffered a knee injury a month ago, couldn’t run on it and got an MRI that revealed a broken patella and a partially torn patella tendon.

“I have done everything in my power over this last month to try and get myself to the (starting) line,” she said. “I’ve had just the most incredible physios and doctors doing everything in their power to help me. I’ve been cross-training my (butt) off, but ultimately I got to this week, and my knee had not healed up enough, and I knew that I could not race a marathon hard on it in its current state without really, really injuring myself.”

The trials are Saturday at 10 a.m. ET from Orlando, airing live on Peacock with coverage on NBC, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app at noon.

Four years ago, Seidel placed second in the trials in her marathon debut to make the three-woman Olympic team.

After the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the Tokyo Games by one year, Seidel finished third in the Olympic marathon held in Sapporo.

She became the third U.S. woman to win a marathon medal after Joan Benoit Samuelson, who won the first Olympic women’s marathon in 1984, and Deena Kastor, the 2004 bronze medalist.

After Tokyo, Seidel dealt with a hip injury and anemia, plus took time to focus on mental health after an eating disorder relapse.

Then last Oct. 8, Seidel finished a 26.2-mile race for the first time in two years. She was the second-fastest American woman at the Chicago Marathon, running a personal best and re-establishing herself as a prime candidate to make the Paris team of three at trials.

Seidel is the second contender to withdraw in the lead-up to trials.

Emma Bates, the third-fastest U.S. female marathoner of 2023, bowed out Jan. 7, saying then, “There’s just not enough time to be where I need to be.”

The field still includes three of the four fastest American women in history — American record holder Emily Sisson, former American record holder Keira D’Amato and Sara Hall, No. 4 on the all-time list.

Plus, former Iowa State teammates Betsy Saina (the fastest American in 2023) and Aliphine Tuliamuk (Tokyo Olympic Trials winner).

(02/01/2024) Views: 188 ⚡AMP
by Olympic Talk

Ethiopia’s Addisu Yihune, Kenya’s Hellen Obiri win Beach to Beacon 10k

Ethiopia’s Addisu Yihune and Kenya’s Hellen Obiri won the men’s and women’s titles at the 2023 TD Beach to Beacon 10K on Saturday morning.

Yihune crossed the finish line in an unofficial time of 27 minutes, 56 seconds. Conner Mantz of Utah was second (27:58) and Muktar Edris of Ethiopia was third (28:06).

Obiri won the women’s race in an unofficial time of 31:36, followed by Ethiopia’s Fotyen Tesfay (31:38) and Keira D’Amato of Virginia (31:58).

Matt Rand of Portland was the top finisher among the Maine men in an unofficial time of 30 minutes, 44 seconds, followed by Grady Satterfield of Bowdoinham (30:52) and Ryan Jara of Gorham (30:55).

Ruth White, who will be a senior this fall at Orono High, was the top finisher among Maine women in an unofficial time of 34:56. Alexis Wilbert of Cumberland placed second (35:46) and Veronica Graziano of Falmouth was third (36:15).

Hermin Garic of Utica, New York, won the men’s wheelchair division in an unofficial time of 23 minutes, 20 seconds. Yen Hoang of Vancouver, Washington, won the women’s wheelchair division in 28:24.

In the men’s race, Mantz, 26, was visibly upset when he finished the race. He said Yihune, 20, twice pushed him in the final quater-mile, both times causing him to break stride and bang into the fencing that separated the runners from the crowd. Yihune, through the translation of countryman Edris, said he did not push Mantz. Yihune, competing in his first road race, said he was merely closing the lane to block Mantz’s path. Mantz, who had a fresh abrasion on his upper left arm, said that possibly the first incident with about 400 meters could have been accidental or unintended.

The second time, with about 200 meters to go, “The second time I tried to pass him there was plenty of room. Enough for two people to pass on his left. The second time I hit the fence pretty hard. I hate this because there’s a part of me that feels like I got gypped but I also don’t want to go out and protest and like make it into somebody else’s bad experience.”

Yihune won $10,000 for the victory. Mantz also earned $10,000 – $5,000 for finishing second and another $5,000 as the top American.

“I feel like I had first in me today and when you lose by just that much and you lose your momentum, it’s easy to get upset,” Mantz said.

Beach to Beacon, founded by 1984 Olympic women’s marathon champion Joan Benoit Samuelson, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. More than 8,000 people registered for the event, Maine’s largest road race and one of the premier road races in America, with over 6,400 finishing.

(08/05/2023) Views: 597 ⚡AMP

Kenya’s Hellen Obiri highlights field for Beach to Beacon 10K

Kenya’s Hellen Obiri highlights field for Beach to Beacon 10K on Saturday

Obiri, the 2023 Boston Marathon winner and the only woman to win world championships outdoors, indoors and in cross country, will compete at Beach to Beacon for the first time.

Hellen Obiri of Kenya won the women’s division of the Boston Marathon in April. On Saturday, she’ll compete for the first time in the TD Beach to Beacon 10K in Cape Elizabeth. Charles Krupa/Associated Press

Kenya’s Hellen Obiri, the 2023 Boston Marathon champion, highlights a group of elite runners who will compete Saturday in the TD Beach to Beacon 10K road race in Cape Elizabeth, race officials announced Monday.

Obiri – a two-time Olympic silver medalist and the only woman to win world championships outdoors, indoors and in cross country – will compete at Beach to Beacon for the first time. She’ll be joined by fellow Kenyan and two-time Boston Marathon champion Edna Kiplagat.

The women’s division also will feature Keira D’Amato of Virginia, who set an American marathon record (2 hours, 19 minutes and 12 seconds) last year, and Sanford native Rachel Schneider Smith, who competed for the United States in the 5,000 meters at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and placed fifth at last year’s Beach to Beacon.

A trio of Ethiopians – Addisu Yihune, Amedework Walelegn and Muktar Edris, a two-time world champion – are expected to contend for the men’s title. Top Americans in the field include Utah’s Conner Mantz, a two-time NCAA cross country champion, and Biya Simbassa, who placed third at the 2022 Beach to Beacon.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Beach to Beacon, founded by Cape Elizabeth native and 1984 Olympic women’s marathon champion Joan Benoit Samuelson.

(08/01/2023) Views: 549 ⚡AMP

TD Beach to Beacon 10K founder and Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson offers tips ahead of race

The TD Beach to Beacon 10K is happening on Saturday, August 5,and it's celebrating a major milestone: 25 years. It was founded in 1998 by Olympic gold medalist and Mainer Joan Benoit Samuelson. 

The race draws top athletes from around the world to Cape Elizabeth.

TD Bank sponsors the race and, this year, the beneficiary is Valo, a nonprofit organization that offers free programs to help Maine teens with their emotional wellbeing.

Benoit Samuelson said a diverse mix of people run the race, which makes it even more exciting for all.

"The kids run came along shortly after the 10K, and now the high school mile, which is very competitive, so there is something really for everybody," she explained. "

And my favorite part of the race is the fact that we've pulled many runners off the sidelines; those people who have come to cheer the runners on and then asked themselves, 'Do you think I might be able to cover the distance?' and they come out and they cover the distance. And I love being at the finish line for the invited runners, the professional runners, and I like being at the finish line when the stragglers come in, those people who never thought they could do the distance."Race day includes the wheelchair division, elite women, and the general public. The competitive high school mile and the children's 1K race will take place on Friday, August 5, at Fort Williams.

Benoit Samuelson said she founded the race as a way to give back to her community and promote the importance of a healthy lifestyle. This year, more than 6,500 runners and 800 volunteers are expected to participate.Larry Wold is the president for TD Bank in Maine. He is a legacy runner, meaning he has run the race for the past 24 years.

"To be able to run in the same race at the same time with world class athletes, with world record holders, with Olympic gold medalists, and know that you are in the same event they are, [it] has a fun attraction to it," he explained. "We know there are families that have now established sort of family routines around this event."

Wold offered some tips for everyone participating.

"Don't go out too fast. Make sure you are well hydrated, let the crowd bring you along, run a nice steady comfortable pace, and you are going to be great," he said.

Of course, Benoit Samuelson also gave some advice for runners. 

"Just make sure your buildup is gradual. Don't try to build room over night. It's important to stay fit at some level throughout the year, and then a lot of people go out and run the course, some people have never gone 10K in training and they hope that they can go the distance after maybe running 3 to 5 mile runs on a regular basis," she said. "Don't try anything new race week, meaning don't change your diet in any significant way and don't try the newest and latest item on the market that might improve your performance. Make sure you have double knots in your shoe laces."

Race day is usually hot and humid, so Benoit Samuelson said to wear at hat and clothes that are light in color.

(07/27/2023) Views: 435 ⚡AMP
by Hannah Yechivi

When Will Eliud Kipchoge Slow Down?

What we can learn from the world’s greatest distance runner of all-time while he’s still in his prime

Eliud Kipchoge has expanded the universe of what’s humanly possible in the marathon, and he will forever remain a legend in the sport of long-distance running.

Not only for himself, but especially for those who have come after him. That includes everyone, both elite and recreational runners, who are preparing a marathon this fall or some distant point in the future. His current 2:01:09 world record and his barrier-breaking 1:59:40 time-trial effort in 2019 are legendary feats, both for the current generation of runners and for all time.

The 38-year-old Kenyan marathoner is a once-in-a-lifetime athlete, but time waits for no one, and especially not a long-distance runner. Like all elite athletes, his time at the top is limited, but fortunately, there is still time to immerse in the inspirational examples he’s providing.

Kipchoge recently announced he’ll return to the Berlin Marathon on September 24, where, last year, he won the race for the fourth time and lowered the world record for the second time. It is most likely what will be the beginning of a grand denouement as he goes for another gold medal at the 2024 Olympics next summer in Paris.

Given that he won his first global medal in the City of Light—when, at the age of 18, he outran Moroccan legend Hicham El Guerrouj and Ethiopian legend-in-the-making Kenenisa Bekele to win the 5,000-meter run at the 2003 world championships—it would certainly be one of the greatest stories ever told if he could win the Olympic marathon there next year when he’s nearly 40.

Certainly he’ll run a few more races after the Olympics—and maybe through the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles—but, realistically, it is the start of a farewell tour for a runner who will never be forgotten.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not at all writing Kipchoge off. In fact, I am excited to see him run in Berlin and can’t wait to watch next year’s Olympic marathon unfold. But just as we’ve watched Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Serena Williams, Shalane Flanagan, Usain Bolt, Allyson Felix, and other elite athletes succumb to the sunsetting of their peak performance level, so too will Kipchoge eventually suffer the same fate.

What I’m saying here is that we still have time to watch and appreciate Kipchoge eloquently working his magic and continue to be inspired in our own running and other pursuits in life. Remember how we marveled at Michael Jordan’s greatest in “The Last Dance” more than 20 years after his heyday? This is the start of the last dance for Kipchoge, who, like Jordan, is much, much more than a generational talent; he’s an all-time great whose legacy will transcend time.

Running has seen many extraordinary stars in the past 50 years who have become iconic figures— Frank Shorter, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Ted Corbitt, Carl Lewis, Steve Jones, Paul Tergat,  Catherine Ndereba, Paula Radcliffe, Haile Gebrselassie, Kenenisa Bekele, Mary Keitany, Brigid Kosgei, and Kilian Jornet, to name a few—but none have come close to the body of work and global influence of Kipchoge.

Not only is Kipchoge one of the first African athletes to become a household name and truly command a global audience, but he’s done more than other running champions because of he’s been able to take advantage of this advanced age of digital media to deliberately push positive messages and inspiring content to anyone who is willing to receive it.

Kipchoge has won two Olympic gold medals, set two world records, and won 17 of the 19 marathons he entered, but he’s so much less about the stats and bling and more sharing—to runners and non-runners alike—that “no human is limited” and also that, despite our differences, we’re all human beings faced with a lot of the same challenges in life and, ultimately, hard work and kindness are what put us on the path to success.

How can an average runner who works a nine-to-five job and juggles dozens of other things in daily life be inspired by an elite aerobic machine like Kipchoge?

He is supremely talented, no doubt, but many elite runners have a similar aerobic capacity to allow them to compete on the world stage. What Kipchoge uniquely possesses—and why he’s become the greatest of all-time—is the awareness and ability to be relentless in his pursuit of excellence, and the presence and good will of how beneficial it is to share it.

If you haven’t been following Kipchoge or heard him speak at press conferences or sponsor events, he’s full of genuine wisdom and encouragement that can inspire you in your own  running or challenging situation in life. His words come across much more powerfully than most other elite athletes or run-of-the-mill social media influencers, not only because he’s achieved at a higher level than anyone ever has, but because of his genuine interest in sharing the notion that it’s the simplest values—discipline, hard work, consistency, and selflessness—that make the difference in any endeavor.

This is not a suggestion to idolize Kipchoge, but instead to apply his wisdom and determination into the things that challenge you.

“If you want to break through, your mind should be able to control your body. Your mind should be a part of your fitness.”

“Only the disciplined ones in life are free. If you are undisciplined, you are a slave to your moods and your passions.”

“If you believe in something and put it in your mind and heart, it can be realized.”

“The best time to plant a tree was 25 years ago. The second-best time to plant a tree is today.”

Those are among the many simple messages that Kipchoge has lived by, but he also openly professess to giving himself grace to take time for mental and physical rest and recovery. It’s a simple recipe to follow, if you’re chasing your first or fastest marathon, or any tall task in life.

Kipchoge seems to defy age, but his sixth-place finish in the Boston Marathon in April proved he’s human. As much as it was painful to watch him falter, it was oddly refreshing and relatable to see him be something less than exceptional, and especially now that he’s tuning up for Berlin. He has nothing left to prove—to himself, to runners, to the world—but he’s bound to keep doing so just by following the same simple, undaunted regimen he always has.

 

There will be other young runners who will rise and run faster than Kipchoge and probably very soon. Fellow Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum—who has run  2:01:53 (Valencia) and 2:01:25 (London) in his first two marathons since December—seems to be next in line for Kipchoge’s throne of the world’s greatest runner. But even after that happens, Kipchoge’s name will go down in history alongside the likes of Paavo Nurmi, Abebe Bikila, Emil Zátopek, Grete Waitz, Shorter and Samuelson because of how he changed running and how he gave us a lens to view running without limits.

Berlin is definitely not the end of Kipchoge’s amazing career  as the world’s greatest long-distance runner. I fully expect him to win again in an unfathomable time. But the sunset is imminent and, no matter if you are or have ever been an aspiring elite athlete at any level, a committed recreational runner, or just an occasional jogger trying to reap the fruits of consistent exercise, his example is still very tangible and something to behold.

(07/16/2023) Views: 1,105 ⚡AMP
by Outside Online

Chepngetich, Hassan and Sisson to clash at Chicago Marathon

Ruth Chepngetich returns to defend her title at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, and will face a field that features London Marathon winner Sifan Hassan and US record-holder Emily Sisson.

Chepngetich won last year’s race in 2:14:18 – just 14 seconds shy of the world record and the second-fastest women’s marathon performance of all time.

Kenya’s 2019 world champion will be back in Chicago on the hunt for her third consecutive victory on October 8, following her inaugural win in the US city in 2021, when she ran 2:22:31. 

“I am planning to defend my title and improve my time,” said Chepngetich. “There's no better race in the world than the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.”

To do so, she will have to defeat double Olympic gold medallist Hassan of the Netherlands. Hassan made her marathon debut in London in April when, despite stopping to stretch twice, she closed a 25-second gap on the leaders to win and set a national record of 2:18:33.

Hassan plans to compete on the track at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, less than six weeks before returning to the roads to race in Chicago.

“At the moment, my focus is on the World Championships in Budapest, so my marathon preparation will be very short, but as most people know, I like to be challenged,” said Hassan.

“I will see how my body responds and how my mind handles it. The good thing is that I have the experience from London so I'm looking forward to Chicago, to see what the marathon can teach me this time.”

Unlike Hassan, Sisson will skip the track season to focus on getting ready for Chicago. Last year’s runner-up, Sisson finished in 2:18:29, demolishing the US record by 43 seconds. Sisson, who also holds the US record in the half marathon, said the deep field improves her chances of running even faster this year.

“Chicago is where I set the American marathon record last year,” said Sisson. “I am really looking forward to coming back for another great race in October.”

Legendary matchups have long made for thrilling finishes in Chicago.

In 1985, a gruelling duel between Olympic champion Joan Benoit Samuelson and then world record-holder Ingrid Kristiansen saw Benoit Samuelson outlast her Norwegian competitor and set a US record.

In 2002, British world champion Paula Radcliffe defeated Kenya’s Catherine “The Great” Ndereba and shattered Ndereba' world record in the process. And in 2017, three-time Olympic gold medallist Tirunesh Dibaba took down rising star and future world record-holder Brigid Kosgei.

Chepngetich and Hassan have clashed once before, in the 2018 Copenhagen Half Marathon where Hassan broke the European record with 1:05:15 in what was her first serious attempt at the distance and Chepngetich finished fifth in 1:07:02.

The sole clash between Chepngetich and Sisson so far came at last year’s Chicago Marathon, while Hassan and Sisson have raced each other on four occasions, in the 5000m and 10,000m, with the record so far 4-0 in Hassan’s favor.

(07/04/2023) Views: 473 ⚡AMP
by William Njuguna

Chepngetich, Hassan and Sisson in Chicago Marathon clash

Ruth Chepngetich returns to defend her title at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, and will face a field that features London Marathon winner Sifan Hassan and US record-holder Emily Sisson.

Chepngetich won last year’s race in 2:14:18 – just 14 seconds shy of the world record and the second-fastest women’s marathon performance of all time.

Kenya’s 2019 world champion will be back in Chicago on the hunt for her third consecutive victory on 8 October, following her inaugural win in the US city in 2021, when she ran 2:22:31. In 2023, she hopes to run her fastest time yet.

“I am planning to defend my title and improve my time,” said Chepngetich. “There's no better race in the world than the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.”

To do so, she will have to defeat double Olympic gold medallist Hassan of the Netherlands. Hassan made her marathon debut in London in April when, despite stopping to stretch twice, she closed a 25-second gap on the leaders to win and set a national record of 2:18:33. Hassan plans to compete on the track at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, less than six weeks before returning to the roads to race in Chicago.

“At the moment, my focus is on the World Championships in Budapest, so my marathon preparation will be very short, but as most people know, I like to be challenged,” said Hassan. “I will see how my body responds and how my mind handles it. The good thing is that I have the experience from London so I'm looking forward to Chicago, to see what the marathon can teach me this time.”

Unlike Hassan, Sisson will skip the track season to focus on getting ready for Chicago. Last year’s runner-up, Sisson finished in 2:18:29, demolishing the US record by 43 seconds. Sisson, who also holds the US record in the half marathon, said the deep field improves her chances of running even faster this year.

“Chicago is where I set the American marathon record last year,” said Sisson. “I am really looking forward to coming back for another great race in October.”

Legendary matchups have long made for thrilling finishes in Chicago. In 1985, a gruelling duel between Olympic champion Joan Benoit Samuelson and then world record-holder Ingrid Kristiansen saw Benoit Samuelson outlast her Norwegian competitor and set a US record. In 2002, British world champion Paula Radcliffe defeated Kenya’s Catherine “The Great” Ndbera and shattered Ndbera’s world record in the process. And in 2017, three-time Olympic gold medallist Tirunesh Dibaba took down rising star and future world record-holder Brigid Kosgei.

Chepngetich and Hassan have clashed once before, in the 2018 Copenhagen Half Marathon where Hassan broke the European record with 1:05:15 in what was her first serious attempt at the distance and Chepngetich finished fifth in 1:07:02. The sole clash between Chepngetich and Sisson so far came at last year’s Chicago Marathon, while Hassan and Sisson have raced each other on four occasions, in the 5000m and 10,000m, with the record so far 4-0 in Hassan’s favour.

(06/22/2023) Views: 497 ⚡AMP

Emily Sisson sets a new American record in the marathon today in Chicago. clocking 2:18:29!

Three days shy of her 31st birthday and with only one previous marathon on her resume, Emily Sisson took to the streets of Chicago and lowered the American women’s marathon record by 43 seconds, becoming the first American woman to run a marathon in less than 2 hours 19 minutes.

Conditions on the Chicago Marathon’s relatively flat course were ideal, with Sisson — who won the 10,000 at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials last summer — finishing second to Ruth Chepng’etich. The Kenyan repeated as the Chicago champion with a time of 2:14:18, fractions of a second off the world record of 2:14:04 set by Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei in the 2019 Chicago Marathon.

Sisson finished in 2:18:29, taking 43 seconds off the American record set by Keira D’Amatoin January in Houston. Before D’Amato, the record had stood for 16 years; now it has been lowered twice in 10 months, something D’Amato expected.

“There’s a number of American women that are also gunning for that record, so I think if I don’t lower it myself, it’s not going to be mine for very much longer,” she said before the Berlin Marathon two weeks ago. D’Amato, who did not run in Chicago, joined Sisson at the finish line, along with Deena Kastor and Joan Benoit Samuelson — women who held the American record before her.

“It’s amazing,” Sisson said, according to NBC Chicago. “I mean, the women standing here today, they’ve all accomplished so much, so just to be amongst them is an incredible honor.”

Sisson said she wasn’t aware that the record was in reach until very close to the finish line.

Emily Sisson (born October 12, 1991) is a professional runner for New Balance in Phoenix, Arizona. Emily Sisson was 9th at the 2017 London IAAF World Outdoor Track and Field Championships for 10,000 meters, and won the USATF road 10k Championships in 2016 and 5k in 2018. In the 2019 London Marathon, her first try at the distance, she placed 6th in a time of 2:23:08.

In December 2020, she ran the Valencia Half-Marathon in 1:07:26, narrowly missing the American record set by Molly Huddle in Houston on January 14, 2018. Sisson subsequently qualified to compete at the 2020 Olympics in the 10,000 m run, by coming in 1st place at the US Olympic Trials; she finished 10th at the event. On May 7, 2022, clocking in at 1:07:11 she broke the USA woman's half marathon record at the 500Festival Mini-Marathon in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

On October 9, 2022, she broke the American women's marathon record at the 2022 Chicago Marathon, running 2:18:29 to finish 2nd

(10/09/2022) Views: 984 ⚡AMP

Some running quotes to inspire you

It can be hard to maintain your zest for running when the temperatures soar.

We dug up some running wisdom from some great athletes and minds to get you out the door. When your workout motivation wanes in the face of weather or whatever comes your way, read a few lines and consider it your calling to rise up and run.

You are a runner, no matter your distance, pace or natural ability

“All runners are tough. Everyone has to have a little fire in them, that even in tough times, can’t be turned off.”

— Shalane Flanagan

“If one could run without getting tired I don’t think one would often want to do anything else.”

– C. S. Lewis

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”

–Steve Prefontaine

“I just wanted to come out today and, I don’t know, get up in it, stick my nose where it didn’t belong, and just see what I could come away with. I guess that’s a medal.”

–Molly Seidel

“The advice I have for beginners is the same philosophy that I have for runners of all levels of experience and ability: consistency, a sane approach, moderation, and making your running an enjoyable, rather than dreaded, part of your life.”

— Bill Rodgers

Remember why you do it

“Why do we do this? To feel something. To move ourselves, to ensure that we don’t get stuck. And most of all, we do this to be a part of something. To insert our individual effort into a sea of human energy and force out the other side, hopeful that somehow we’ll be different. Changed in some way.”

–Peter Bromka

“Because during every run, for a few seconds or a few minutes, you have a moment where it feels really good. You forget about the discomfort and you find rhythm, maybe some grace, and a feeling of strength and confidence as you move as well as you’ll ever move doing anything. And that’s one of the best reasons to run.”

― Brendan Leonard

“Keep moving. You’re still here. We all are. As long as you’re moving you’re still here.”

–Tommy Rivers Puzey

“…For me there has always been a place to go and a terrible urgency to get there.”

—Joan Benoit Samuelson

“The reason we race isn’t so much to beat each other… but to be with each other.”

–Christopher McDougall

(08/13/2022) Views: 803 ⚡AMP

Defending Champions Set to Return to the 2022 Bank of America Chicago Marathon

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon announced today the return of its defending champions as the event continues to build on its comeback to global racing. Ruth Chepngetich (KEN), Seifu Tura (ETH), Tatyana McFadden (USA) and Daniel Romanchuk (USA) will be at the helm of this year’s elite field with a strong contingency of the world’s best athletes vying to dethrone them. The stage will be set for a fierce competition up front, highlighting Chicago’s long tradition of record chases, fast times, and gripping finishes.

“We’re thrilled to welcome our defending champions back to Grant Park this fall,” said Carey Pinkowski, Executive Race Director of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. “Chicago has a storied history of head-to-head competitions, world records and some of the best elite racing in marathon running. This year’s competition, which also includes American half marathon record holder Emily Sisson and American half marathon champion Conner Mantz making his debut, is going to bring much energy and enthusiasm to fans and spectators. We are ready for October 9.”

Defending Champions Return

Chepngetich, the 2019 World Marathon champion and the fourth fastest woman in the history of marathon running, started on a world record pace at the 2021 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, dropping her pacer eight miles in while racing against the clock. She decelerated over the second half of the course but had enough to take the crown in 2:22:31. Chepngetich, who is self-coached, kicked off her 2022 season with a win and a course record at the Nagoya Marathon (2:17:18). She recently dropped out the of the World Championships Women’s Marathon due to health issues but is ready to take to the streets of Chicago and defend her title.

Unlike the fast pace set by Chepngetich, Tura ran a controlled strategic race last fall in the elite men’s race, waiting until 38K to pull ahead and win the biggest race of his career so far. Tura, who holds a 2:04:29 personal best, clocked 2:06:12 to win last year. His 2022 season includes a personal best in the half marathon, 58:36, and a second place finish in the Paris Marathon. Following last year’s victory, Tura noted that he was not prepared for warm weather, but that he was “determined to fight to the very end.” Tura’s determination may make him just the fifth man in Chicago’s history to win twice in a row.

In the wheelchair competition, McFadden, whose nine titles make her the most decorated athlete in Bank of America Chicago Marathon history, returns to contend for her 10th win. McFadden boasts 20 Paralympic medals, including eight gold medals, 24 World Marathon Major wins, including four consecutive Grand Slams (first place in Boston, Chicago, New York City and London in the same year) and has broken six world records in track and field.

Romanchuk, a two-time Paralympian, completed the Bank of America Chicago Marathon hat trick with a victory last fall and returns to pursue a fourth title. Romanchuk rose to the top of road racing in 2018 and his campaign continues today. At the 2020 Paralympic Games, he took home a gold on the track and a bronze in the marathon.

Sisson and Mantz Headline Strong American Field

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon has a long history of welcoming America’s best runners across its finish line, stretching back to Joan Benoit Samuelson setting the American record en route to her victory in 1985. Khalid Khannouchi dominated at the turn of the century with four victories, including both world and American records, Deena Kastor clutched the win in 2005, and Galen Rupp stole the show in 2017. Last October saw five American men and seven American women finish in the top 10, a feat that highlights the strength of U.S. distance running. This year’s field includes several top American runners, including Emily Sisson and Conner Mantz.

Sisson, a six-time national champion and the American half marathon record holder (1:07:11), could put the American Marathon record (2:19:12) in jeopardy as she races to break the tape in Chicago. Sisson stands out as one of the most dominant American women on the track and the roads, making her Olympic debut in the 10,000m at the Tokyo Olympics and her marathon debut in 2019 in London. Sisson ran the fastest ever marathon debut by an American on a record eligible course (2:23:08), and she set an Olympic trials record in the 10,000m on the track (31:09) in 2021, breaking a record that stood for 17 years. This October marks Sisson’s first appearance in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

Mantz, known for his front-running style and capacity to handle pain (referred to as the “Mantz pain chamber”), made a splash on the collegiate level, winning the NCAA Division I Cross Country championships in 2020 and 2021, and earning his first U.S. title in the half marathon in 2021. Mantz’s time in the half marathon, 1:00:55, ranks him ninth on the all-time American list of half marathon performances. Mantz, an exciting newcomer to welcome to the marathon distance, could conquer the American marathon debut record, 2:07:56, set in 2019. Mantz is coached by 1994 Chicago Marathon runner-up, Ed Eyestone.

The Elite Fields

In addition to Sisson, Celestine Chepchirchir (KEN), Vivian Kiplagat (KEN) and Haven Hailu (ETH) are among some of this year’s elite women hoping to prevent a repeat victory from Chepngetich. Chepchirchir, winner of the 2019 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, enters this year’s race fresh off a personal best, 2:20:10, set at the Seoul International Marathon. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon marks her Abbott World Marathon Major (AbbottWMM) debut. Kiplagat, winner of the 2022 Milan Marathon in a personal best, 2:20:18, ran valiantly in Chicago last year, attempting to stay on Chepngetich’s heels before fading to fifth place. Like Chepchirchir, Hailu will be making her first appearance in an AbbottWMM. Hailu made her marathon debut in 2020, set a personal best, 2:20:19, in 2021 to take third in Amsterdam, and claimed her first marathon victory in Rotterdam this past April.

Laura Thweatt (USA), Sarah Sellers (USA) and Sara Vaughn (USA) lead a strong delegation of American women. Thweatt holds a marathon personal best of 2:25:38, and finished eighth in both Chicago (2019) and New York (2021). Sellers initially turned heads in 2018 when she finished second in the Boston Marathon while running from the open field. Sellers smashed her PR to finish second at this spring’s Grandma’s Marathon in 2:25:43. Vaughn, a versatile runner who started her career on the track as a 1500m runner, made her marathon debut in 2021, winning the California International Marathon in 2:26:53. Vaughn’s time stands out as the fifth fastest debut ever by an American woman.

The women’s field also includes Diane Nukuri (USA), Ursula Sanchez (MEX), Carrie Verdon (USA) and local favorite Kristen Heckert (USA).

In the men’s competition, Tura will be chased to the line by compatriots Herpasa Negasa (ETH), Dawit Wolde (ETH), Asrar Abderehman (ETH), Ugandan Olympian Stephen Kissa and Kenyan Benson Kipruto.

Negasa had a career breakthrough in 2019 when he subtracted nearly six minutes from his marathon PR in Dubai to run 2:03:40. He comes to Chicago after a strong second place performance in Seoul, clocking 2:04:49. Wolde initially made a name for himself as a junior competitor on the track. His transition to the roads started in 2014, and he boasts a marathon personal best of 2:04:27, set in 2021 to finish third in Rotterdam. Abderehman made headlines in February when he broke the course record at the Zurich Seville Marathon, taking three minutes off his PR to run 2:04:43. Chicago marks his first appearance in an AbbottWMM.

Kissa, a 2020 Olympian in the 10,000m, stands out as an exciting athlete to watch. He brings years of track speed to the road, recently debuting in the marathon in 2:04:48. In addition to the Olympic Games, he also represented Uganda at the World Championships Half Marathon. The Chicago Marathon marks his first time racing in the United States and his first time racing in an AbbottWMM. Kipruto’s 2:05:13 personal best may not be the fastest in the field, but he has performed well at the marathon distance, winning the Boston and Prague Marathons in 2021 and finishing third in Boston this April. He also finished seventh in London in 2020 and won the Toronto Marathon in 2018.

The men’s field also includes sixth place finisher in 2021 and local elite Colin Mickow, Hiroto Fujimagari (JPN), John Korir (KEN), Frank Lara (USA) and making his debut, Patrick Tiernan (AUS).

(08/12/2022) Views: 813 ⚡AMP
by Running USA

Running motivation: running quotes to inspire you

It can be hard to maintain your zest for running when the temperatures soar.

We dug up some running wisdom from some great athletes and minds to get you out the door. When your workout motivation wanes in the face of weather or whatever comes your way, read a few lines and consider it your calling to rise up and run.

You are a runner, no matter your distance, pace or natural ability

"Love hard. Live hard. Keep moving forward" –Tommy Rivers Puzey

“All runners are tough. Everyone has to have a little fire in them, that even in tough times, can’t be turned off.” — Shalane Flanagan

“If one could run without getting tired I don’t think one would often want to do anything else.” – C. S. Lewis

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” –Steve Prefontaine

“I just wanted to come out today and, I don’t know, get up in it, stick my nose where it didn’t belong, and just see what I could come away with. I guess that’s a medal.” –Molly Seidel

“The advice I have for beginners is the same philosophy that I have for runners of all levels of experience and ability: consistency, a sane approach, moderation, and making your running an enjoyable, rather than dreaded, part of your life.” — Bill Rodgers

Remember why you do it

“Why do we do this? To feel something. To move ourselves, to ensure that we don’t get stuck. And most of all, we do this to be a part of something. To insert our individual effort into a sea of human energy and force out the other side, hopeful that somehow we’ll be different. Changed in some way.” –Peter Bromka

“Because during every run, for a few seconds or a few minutes, you have a moment where it feels really good. You forget about the discomfort and you find rhythm, maybe some grace, and a feeling of strength and confidence as you move as well as you’ll ever move doing anything. And that’s one of the best reasons to run.” ― Brendan Leonard

“Keep moving. You’re still here. We all are. As long as you’re moving you’re still here.” –Tommy Rivers Puzey

“…For me there has always been a place to go and a terrible urgency to get there.” —Joan Benoit Samuelson

“The reason we race isn’t so much to beat each other… but to be with each other.” –Christopher McDougall

 

(08/09/2022) Views: 764 ⚡AMP
by Keeley Milne

Matthew Kimeli (28:38) And Fentyea Belayneh (32:06) Win Beach To Beacon 10k

Beach to Beacon returns after 2-year absence: ‘It’s great to be back!’

A carnival of calves, quads and cowbells came back to this seaside town Saturday, after an absence of 1,099 days.

More than 5,000 runners paraded over the roads of Cape Elizabeth on a warm and cloudless morning in the 24th edition of the venerable TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race. Because of the pandemic, the race was canceled in 2020 and held virtually in 2021.

“It’s great to be back!” said Joan Benoit Samuelson, the race founder who grew up in Cape Elizabeth and went on to win the inaugural women’s Olympic marathon in the Los Angeles Games of 1984.

Along the route, which winds onto Old Ocean House Road before returning to Route 77 and continuing onto Shore Road until entering Fort Williams for the finish along a well-watered strip of green grass in sight of the lighthouse, spectators were abundant if not as thick as in past years.

The folks near the Mile 5 marker who grill bacon were back, enticing runners with mouth-watering scents of breakfast. (Beach to Bacon, reads their sign.) Bands and music added merriment and encouragement.

“It was so fun,” said Amy Davis, a Wisconsin native who placed fourth among all women. “The crowds get into it and the community, and it propels you forward. You feel like you’re never alone. That was really cool.”

Davis, 25, is the daughter of Nan Doak-Davis, a former national marathon champion who competed alongside Samuelson back in the day.

Befitting the 50th anniversary of Title IX legislation that opened doors long closed to female athletes, the women’s field on Saturday featured a dramatic race led for long stretches by Standish native Emily Durgin, a graduate of Cheverus High in Portland and the University of Connecticut.

The 28-year-old Durgin, now living and training in Flagstaff, Arizona, was runner-up by nine seconds to Fentaye Belayneh of Ethiopia. In her American road-racing debut, the 21-year-old Belayneh covered the 6.2 miles from Crescent Beach to the Portland Head Light in 32 minutes, 7 seconds.

No American woman has won Beach to Beacon. The only American man to do so is North Yarmouth native Ben True, six years ago. On Thursday night, True decided for health reasons to remain home in New Hampshire.

True’s absence paved the way for Mathew Kimeli, 24, of Kenya to run away from the men’s field. Hampered only by a brief entanglement with yellow caution tape after he turned onto Shore Road in Mile 4, Kimeli crossed the line with arms upraised in a winning time of 28:39.

Belayneh and Kimeli each received $10,000 for their victories. Durgin took home $5,000 for second place and another $5,000 as the top American finisher.

Because her connecting flight was canceled Thursday night, Durgin rented a car with her boyfriend and drove to Maine from Philadelphia on Friday, stopping at her favorite Connecticut diner (in Vernon) along the way.

“It was less stress because I knew I was coming to a familiar place,” said Durgin, whose parents picked up their luggage from the Portland jetport. “If I was going anyplace else, I probably would have gotten back on the plane and gone back to Phoenix.”

Once on the course, Durgin said she was surprised by the relatively pedestrian early pace – the first mile passed in 5:12 – until she realized her competitors were playing it safe amid hot and humid conditions.

“Then I found myself leading the whole race,” she said. “This is the first time that I’ve seen myself in the lead. It was not a super-familiar feeling.”

Kimeli’s time was the slowest for a men’s champion in race history. Belayneh’s was the slowest winning women’s time since 2011.

“The race was humid, and a lot of slopes,” said Kimeli, who was forced to stop to remove the tape from his leg when he couldn’t shake free from it. “Thank goodness we were not in a group. Maybe I would fall down if we were in a group.”

Twenty seconds passed before the surprise runner-up, Athanas Kioko, passed beneath the final banner. A recent graduate of Campbell University in Georgia, the 27-year-old Kioko registered for the race on Monday, picked up his four-digit bib number Saturday morning after a travel nightmare rivaled only by that of Durgin, and picked off two runners in the final mile to beat every invited elite athlete save Kimeli.

Two flight cancellations Friday morning in Atlanta forced Kioko to accept a diversion to Chicago, endure a four-hour layover, and eventually wind up in Manchester, New Hampshire. After a brief night in a motel, some Kenyan friends from Boston picked him up at 4:30 a.m. on their way to Maine. He got his bib at Cape Elizabeth High School less than an hour before the race, hopped on a bus to the start and enjoyed a 10-minute warm-up before the gun fired.

“Due to traveling, my lower back was a bit painful,” Kioko said. “But right now, I’m not tired.”

The Maine resident category saw a pair of first-time winners. Biddeford native Sam Mills, 21, whooped with joy before crossing the finish line in 31:09. Aly Ursiny of Yarmouth, 34, a mother of two who moved here from Boston last winter, was the fastest Maine woman in 36:17.

(08/08/2022) Views: 916 ⚡AMP
by Glenn Jordan

Americans Hall, Bates, D’Amato Shine in World Championships Marathon A team effort pushed the Americans to three top-eight finishes

Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase ran the fastest, but Sara Hall, Emma Bates, and Keira D’Amato got the biggest cheers from the crowd at Monday morning’s world championship marathon in Eugene, Oregon.

Running in front of the home crowd, Hall, Bates, and D’Amato smartly hung back in the chase back for the first half of the race and then began to work their way up as some of the runners in the original lead pack began to blow up.

Hall (39, Crested Butte, Colorado) was the best of the bunch, surging throughout the final 8 miles of the race to place fifth in a season-best 2:22:10. She passed Kenya’s Angela Tanui (6th, 2:22:15) in the final mile but ran out of room in her pursuit of fourth-place finisher Nazaret Weldu of Eritrea (2:20:29). Hall’s finish was the best showing by an American woman in the world championships marathon since Amy Cragg earned the bronze in 2017 in London.

Bates (29, Boulder, Colorado) followed a similar strategy and wasn’t far behind in seventh in a new personal best of 2:23:18. D’Amato (37, Richmond, Virginia), who originally had gone out a bit harder only to get stuck in between the first two packs, eventually settled in with the chase pack alongside Hall, Bates, and British runner Jess Piasecki and Uganda’s Immaculate Chemutai.

Hall, Bates, and D’Amato received roaring cheers from the crowd along the course that sent runners between Eugene and nearby Springfield, especially along the finish chute on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. None had represented Team USA at a global outdoor championship before.

They were greeted at the finish line by American running legend Joan Benoit Samuelson, who won the 1984 Olympic marathon and served as the official starter of the women’s world championships race.

(07/18/2022) Views: 912 ⚡AMP
by BRIAN METZLER (Women's Running)

At 64, marathon age group world record-holder Yugeta Mariko still has a dream

The only woman over 60 to complete a marathon in less than three hours, the Japanese runner is defying age in her lifelong pursuit of becoming even faster.

Most people in their mid-60s are thinking of words like retirement, pension, grandkids.

Not Yugeta Mariko. She thinks about breaking world records.

In the marathon.

Yugeta celebrated her 64th birthday on 13 May. It was only three years ago that the Japanese runner became the first - and only - woman in the world over 60 to run a marathon in under three hours. She competed the 42.2km (26.2 miles) distance in 2 hours, 59 minutes and 15 seconds in the Shimonoseki Kaikyo Marathon.

And just last year, Yugeta blew away that time in the Osaka Women’s Marathon, running a 2:52:13.

She was 24 when she ran her first marathon in 3:09:21, good for 34th place in the Tokyo International Women’s Marathon. At the time, a sub-three race seemed beyond reach. But 40 years later, she's getting faster.

There’s never giving up, then there’s Yugeta.

“After my first marathon, my goal was to run a sub-three some day,” Yugeta said in an interview with the Mainichi Shimbun.

“And it took me 34 years to achieve it. Being a teacher, the job took up a lot of my time and I couldn’t train the way I wanted to. My times stalled.

“Then I got married at 25. Had my eldest daughter at 26 and I was blessed to have two girls and two boys in all. But trying to raise them, I had to take a step away from marathons at one point.”

The awakening for Yugeta Mariko

The dream for Yugeta began back in 1979.

“I was on the track and field team from junior high to university. In my third year of university, I went to watch the very first Tokyo International Women’s Marathon.

“I watched the runners cross the finish line in the soaking rain and they were drenched. But they were glowing as well - absolutely shining. It was a sight I simply could not forget.”

The mother of four had to take a long timeout from running but started hitting the pavement again as she approached 40.

Yugeta, a PE teacher from Saitama Prefecture, found inspiration from British long-distance runner Joyce Smith, the winner of the inaugural Tokyo International Women’s Marathon (as well as the second) that Yugeta watched as a college girl.

Smith had sustained success beyond 40, winning the London Marathon twice. Her second win (1982) came at 44 years, 195 days - an age record that stands to this day.

She was ninth in the marathon of the inaugural 1983 World Athletics Championships. And at the time of the Los Angeles 1984 Games, Smith was the oldest female Olympian ever at 46, finishing 11th.

But even though Yugeta ramped up the work, she was far from breaking three hours.

The turning point arrived when Yugeta turned 50. That’s five-oh.

“When I became 50, my youngest son started high school which freed up a lot of my time,” she recalled.

“I joined a running club in Tokyo to train more seriously. I was a little worried at first because of my age but my teammates were telling me I still had plenty left in my 50s and urged me to keep going. So I did.

“The training paid off and when I was 58, I ran my first sub-three. Then at 60, I set a world record of 2:59:15 in the Shimonoseki Kaikyo Marathon.

“I’ve run 114 marathons. I’m past 60 but I’m still improving my time.”

Marathon No. 115 for Yugeta was this year's Boston Marathon on 18 April. Yugeta clocked a 3:06:27, relatively pedestrian by her standards, but enjoyed a tearful moment meeting the race’s two-time winner Joan Benoit Samuelson - who also happens to be the first female Olympic champion in the marathon.

These days, Yugeta’s goal is to break the 2:50 mark, more than two minutes off her personal best.

It would smash her own world record for her age category.

But don’t bother telling Yugeta she can’t because she believes, she does, and she wills.

Asked what has driven her for four decades, Yugeta said, “I think the most important thing is to find something you can be passionate about.

“You can’t give up. Don’t use age as an excuse. The secret is to believe in yourself, that you can do it.

“I first dreamed of a sub-three when I was 24. It took me 34 years, but I made it happen and after that, I set a world record.

“I want to keep dreaming - no matter how old I am.”

(05/31/2022) Views: 891 ⚡AMP
by Shintaro Kano

Multiple U.S. record holder Molly Huddle and partner Kurt Benninger welcome their first baby

On April 26, Olympian and American-record holder Molly Huddle and her husband, Kurt Benninger (who is Canadian), welcomed the birth of their first child, Josephine Valerie Benninger. The couple met during their undergrad years at Notre Dame University in Indiana. 

Huddle’s pregnancy was extremely well documented. Returning to elite competition after pregnancy remains poorly understood, and Huddle wanted to do her part by giving other women a peek behind the curtain. Huddle posted weekly updates to her Instagram, letting her followers know what she’d done for training and how it made her feel.

“Week 31: A lot of track and treadmill. It’s easier to stay flat and I can keep a water bottle nearby. Modifications are the name of the game at this stage. Made some adjustments to the core routine to avoid “the doming” happening on exercises that were fine only a few weeks ago,” she writes. 

Beyond keeping followers up to date with her training, Huddle also provided tips and outlines things that, in retrospect, she wishes she’d done differently. 

This year, Huddle, along with NCAA champion Sara Slattery, co-wrote their first book, How She Did It. The two women wanted to outline their paths from high school to becoming NCAA champions, to Olympic start lines.

Beyond detailing their own stories, they compiled advice from more than 50 female runners, to help demystify the process for the next generation. The book features runners as diverse as Joan Benoit Samuelson and Raevyn Rogers, and shares their insights on the sometimes winding route to success.

Huddle and Benninger relocated from Phoenix, Ariz. to Providence, R.I. in 2021. 

(04/29/2022) Views: 1,120 ⚡AMP
by Madeleine Kelly

Joan Benoit Samuelson teaches a MasterClass on running

Your mind is just as important as your body when you’re running, but developing a healthy, strong mindset is not always easy. Just like it takes time, dedication and practice to train your body for a race, it requires equal amounts of effort to train your mind, and who better to coach you through that process than America’s running sweetheart, Joan Benoit-Samuelson?

Her class, Joan Benoit Samuelson Teaches the Runner’s Mindset, is available now as part of the popular MasterClass series, and will no doubt help you crush your goals in 2022.

“After 50+ years of running, I’m delighted to partner with @masterclass to share my lifelong passion for running,” Samuelson said on her Instagram. “I invite you to join me in this class and make your miles count, on the road and in life. Run on in good health and with fire in your belly.”

For the uninitiated, Benoit Samuelson is one of the most accomplished runners in history. She won the Boston Marathon twice, in 1979 and 1983, and was the winner of the first-ever Olympic women’s marathon in 1984.

Now in her mid-60s, she is also the only woman in the world to have run sub-3 hour marathons in five consecutive decades, her first in 1979 and her most recent in 2010. At the 2019 Berlin Marathon, she ran 3:02, nearly becoming the first woman to clock a sub-3 in six consecutive decades.

Her new MasterClass will cover a range of topics, including goal setting, balancing the runner’s mind, stretches and strength training, running your first marathon and navigating injury. She also shares interesting anecdotes about her early days of running. “When I first started to run, I ran inside the confines of an old abandoned Army post,” she says in the opening remarks. “And there wasn’t any vehicular traffic allowed in that area at the time, so I would walk from our house to the fort and I would run to my heart’s desire. And then I’d walk home, because I was embarrassed to be seen running on the roads.”

She talks about being the underdog at that first Olympic marathon, the pressure of being an Olympic champion, how running has shaped her life and her desire to give back to the sport. This MasterClass is a unique opportunity for runners to level up their training. For more information, visit the Masterclass website.

(01/30/2022) Views: 783 ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine

America's greatest distance runners Joan Benoit Samuelson teaches a MasterClass on running

Your mind is just as important as your body when you’re running, but developing a healthy, strong mindset is not always easy. Just like it takes time, dedication and practice to train your body for a race, it requires equal amounts of effort to train your mind, and who better to coach you through that process than America’s running sweetheart, Joan Benoit-Samuelson? Her class, Joan Benoit Samuelson Teaches the Runner’s Mindset, is available now as part of the popular MasterClass series, and will no doubt help you crush your goals in 2022.

“After 50+ years of running, I’m delighted to partner with @masterclass to share my lifelong passion for running,” Samuelson said on her Instagram. “I invite you to join me in this class and make your miles count, on the road and in life. Run on in good health and with fire in your belly.”

For the uninitiated, Benoit Samuelson is one of the most accomplished runners in history. She won the Boston Marathon twice, in 1979 and 1983, and was the winner of the first-ever Olympic women’s marathon in 1984.

Now in her mid-60s, she is also the only woman in the world to have run sub-3 hour marathons in five consecutive decades, her first in 1979 and her most recent in 2010. At the 2019 Berlin Marathon, she ran 3:02, nearly becoming the first woman to clock a sub-3 in six consecutive decades.

Her new MasterClass will cover a range of topics, including goal setting, balancing the runner’s mind, stretches and strength training, running your first marathon and navigating injury. She also shares interesting anecdotes about her early days of running.

“When I first started to run, I ran inside the confines of an old abandoned Army post,” she says in the opening remarks. “And there wasn’t any vehicular traffic allowed in that area at the time, so I would walk from our house to the fort and I would run to my heart’s desire. And then I’d walk home, because I was embarrassed to be seen running on the roads.”

She talks about being the underdog at that first Olympic marathon, the pressure of being an Olympic champion, how running has shaped her life and her desire to give back to the sport.

(01/24/2022) Views: 923 ⚡AMP
by Brittany Hambleton

Next up is the Boston Marathon and here is everything you need to know

Wow,  so many big time marathons being held over just a few weeks.  Next up is the Boston Marathon.

This year’s race on October 11 will be the first fall edition of the Boston Marathon, and first time the race is held outside of its traditional Patriots’ Day date in April. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the race was postponed from its usual third-Monday-in-April date to October 11. This will be the first in-person Boston Marathon in 910 days, as the 2020 edition was held as a virtual experience in September, 2020. This year’s race falls on October 11, which is International Day of the Girl and also increasingly recognized as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in cities and towns along the marathon route.

Here is everything you need to know:

COMPOSITION OF THE FIELD

18,252 total entrants of the in-person 125th Boston Marathon

3,492 entrants from Massachusetts 

16,441 entrants residing in the United States of America 

104 countries represented by participants in the Boston Marathon

All 50 U.S. states represented by participants in the Boston Marathon

Youngest entrants: 18 years old, Enchee Xu, Conor Beswick, Rachel Calderone, and Angel Robles, all of Massachusetts

Oldest entrant: 84 years old, Volkert Bobeldijk of Canada

28,612 total entrants of the Virtual 125th Boston Marathon (October 8-10)

HEALTH & SAFETY

This year’s field size has been reduced by 36% compared to recent years (from 31,500 entrants to 20,000) 

In an effort to enhance social distancing and minimize wait times, Athletes’ Village has been eliminated in Hopkinton this year and a rolling start has been introduced for the first time in race history.

95% of all Boston Marathon volunteers are vaccinated.

100% of Boston Marathon medical volunteers are vaccinated. 

All participants are required to provide proof of a WHO-recognized vaccination OR a produce a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of bus loading. 

A health and safety bracelet will be provided after proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test results are verified. The bracelet must be worn throughout race weekend and through the finish line. 

Masks are required indoors, on event transportation, and within the start area until participants cross the starting line. 

BY THE NUMBERS 

$876,500 in prize money will be awarded to top finishers by principal sponsor John Hancock. Included among the prize awards is $27,500 for Para Athletes. 

8,500 B.A.A. volunteers will contribute to this year’s Boston Marathon and race related events

26.2 miles (26 miles and 385 yards; 42.195 kilometers) will be run through eight cities and towns (Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline, and Boston)

An estimated $20 million (USD) will be raised through the 125th Boston Marathon for charities as part of the B.A.A.’s Boston Marathon Official Charity Program and the John Hancock Non-Profit Program

FACES IN THE FIELD

13 Boston Marathon champions will be competing as part of the John Hancock Professional Athlete Team: Des Linden (USA/MI), Geoffrey Kirui (KEN), Edna Kiplagat (KEN), Lemi Berhanu (ETH), Lelisa Desisa (ETH), Atsede Baysa (ETH), Caroline Rotich (KEN), Daniel Romanchuk (USA/IL/Won the Chicago Marathon on Sunday), Manuela Schär (SUI), Marcel Hug (SUI), Tatyana McFadden (USA/MD/Won the Chicago Marathon on Sunday), Ernst van Dyk (RSA), and Joshua Cassidy (CAN). Additionally, 1968 winner Amby Burfoot will be running and serving as an official starter in Hopkinton.

Five 2020 Tokyo Paralympic gold medalists will be competing in Boston: reigning men’s wheelchair champion Daniel Romanchuk (gold in the 400m); two-time Boston winner and wheelchair course record holder Marcel Hug (800m, 1500m, 5000m, marathon); reigning women’s wheelchair champion and course record holder Manuela Schär (400m, 800m); five-time winner Tatyana McFadden (4x100m Universal Relay); and Japan’s Misato Michishita (T12 marathon).

Danica Patrick, NASCAR and Indy Car driver, will run for the Matt Light Foundation

James Develin, former New England Patriots fullback and Super Bowl champion, will run as part of the Joe Andruzzi Foundation 

Chris Nikic, the ESPY-award winning Ironman triathlete who in 2020 became the first person with Down syndrome to finish an Ironman triathlon, will race his first Boston Marathon.

Brian d’Arcy James, Broadway star in Shrek the Musical and Hamilton and actor in Spotlight, will race his first Boston Marathon. 

Ceremonial 125th Boston Marathon Grand Marshals include Boston Marathon champions Sara Mae Berman, Bill Rodgers, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Jack Fultz, and Meb Keflezighi, as well as healthcare workers from members of the Boston Marathon Official Charity Program and John Hancock Non-Profit Program. Frontline workers being honored include Meg Femino of Beth Israel Lahey Health; Martha Kaniaru of Spaulding Rehabilitation; Loren Aiello of Boston Children’s Hospital; Eric Goralnick of Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Christopher S. Lathan of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Mark Mullins of Tufts Medical Center; Anely Lopes of Boston Medical Center; and Susan Wilcox of Massachusetts General Hospital. The Grand Marshals will be driven the entire 26.2 miles in two Boston DUCK Boats, Back Bay Bertha and Catie Copley.

(10/10/2021) Views: 992 ⚡AMP
by BAA

Molly Seidel Shocks the World With Bronze Medal, as Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir and Brigid Kogei Go 1-2 in 2020 Olympic Marathon

In one of the most remarkable and unlikely runs ever by an American distance runner, Wisconsin native Molly Seidel earned a bronze medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic marathon, running 2:27:46 in the heat of Sapporo on Saturday morning. Seidel established herself near the front of the race early, and remained there throughout. Late in the race, Seidel was in a battle for bronze with Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, but with three miles to go, Salpeter stopped running, leaving Seidel in bronze-medal position, which she protected to the finish line.

Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir, the world record holder in the women’s-only half marathon, pulled away from teammate Brigid Kosgei, the marathon world record holder, in the final two kilometers to take the gold in 2:27:20. Kosgei settled for the silver in 2:27:36, her first loss in her her last five marathons.

The story for American distance running fans was Seidel, running in only her third marathon of her life (her first was the Olympic Trials marathon in 2020 to get here). Seidel beat five sub-2:20 women. She entered the race with a 2:25:13 personal best and yet was in the conversation for the gold until the final 2k. She joined American running legends Joan Benoit Samuelson (gold in 1984) and Deena Kastor (silver in 2004), as the only American women to medal in the Olympic marathon.

The race

At race time, it was sunny and 76 degrees with 87% humidity, despite the race being moved up an hour because of the heat to start at 6 a.m. local.

As a result, the race went out slow, with 5K and 10K splits of 18:02 and 36:16 for the leaders (2:32:50 marathon pace at 10K). The lead pack remained about 40 or 50 women strong at the 10-kilometer split, but the effect of the heat was unmistakable, with women applying ice bags on themselves and running wide to get into the shade. By this point, US champion Aliphine Tuliamuk had fallen off the pace (she would eventually drop out).

From there, as the race advanced north on a slight downhill, it picked up. Honami Maeda of Japan took a few turns at the front, as did Americans Seidel and Sally Kipyego, but it was mostly shared. The next two 5K splits (17:31 and 17:41) were quicker and reduced the lead pack to less than 20 women by 20K. Zeineba Yimer, a 2:19 woman from Ethiopia, dropped out at the 17K mark.

The lead group went through halfway in 1:15:14, and the lead group was whittled down to 11 with Ethiopian contender Birhane Dibaba falling off the back.

Americans Seidel and Kipyego remained in the lead pack of 12 at 25K (Volha Mazuronak of Belarus rejoined the lead pack between halfway and 25k), which the women went through in 1:28:51 (2:29:47 pace). Ethiopian Roza Dereje Bekele (2:18:30 pb) and Salpeter (2:17:45 pb), along with the three Kenyans, were pushing the tempo slightly.

After that split, as the women continued to weave through the north Sapporo suburbs and Hokkaido University, racers started dropping off the lead pack like flies: first Kipyego, then Mazuronak and then a big casualty — Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya, the reigning world champ, falling back around the 29K mark.

Meanwhile at the front, Seidel led the entire 18th mile in around 5:26. The lead group of nine went through 30K in 1:46:03 (17:12 previous 5K, quickest of the race). The Japanese spectators pulled for their countrywoman Mao Ichiyama, who was still there.

The 30-35K split was the quickest of the race (16:54) and those five kilometers caused the biggest carnage: four women, including Ichiyama and Dereje, the final Ethiopian, dropped off the lead pack.

Now with the group down to five and less than five miles remaining, and Seidel continuing to run with confidence and share the lead with the two remaining Kenyans, the curiosity surrounding Seidel turned into a real possibility…could she snag a medal?

Bahrain’s Eunice Chumba dropped off just after the 35K mark, making it a four-woman race for three medals: Kosgei, Jepchirchir, Salpeter, and Seidel. Women with personal bests of 2:14, 2:17, 2:17, and 2:25. But in the summer Japan heat, the strongest women would win, not the fastest.

In the 24th mile, the Kenyans finally struck, Jepchirchir throwing in a surge and Kosgei covering it. They opened up a small gap on Salpeter and Seidel immediately, and Salpeter had a few meters on Seidel.Before one even had time to process whether Seidel’s fairytale quest for a medal was coming to an end, her fortunes changed drastically. At the 38-kilometer mark, Seidel caught Salpeter, who was still less than five seconds behind the leaders, but slowing slightly. Salpeter, however, was broken. Within a span of seconds she slowed to a walk and Seidel was into the bronze position, with the leaders still in her sights, Jepchirchir in front and Kosgei sitting on her.

At 40k, Jepchirchir and Kosgei were still together with Seidel only six seconds back, 31 seconds ahead of fourth place, comfortably in bronze position, barring a blowup. Seidel appeared to be closing on the leaders. Could she even get the silver or the gold?

Not quite. Jepchirchir had one final gold-medal move, dropping Kosgei just after the 40K split and quickly opening a 10-second gap. She would extend her winning margin to 16 seconds by running the final 2.195 kilometers at 5:23 pace.

Kosgei was fading slightly but so was Seidel. Both held their positions through the line, as Seidel could not quite summon the finish to get back to Kosgei and finished 10 seconds behind her in the bronze medal position.

Seidel yelled in delight as she crossed the finish line, while Kosgei looked slightly disappointed with the silver. The third American, Sally Kipyego, finished 17th in 2:32:53.

The temperature at the finish was 84 degrees with 67% humidity.

 

 

 

(08/07/2021) Views: 1,154 ⚡AMP

New research shows that you may prevent age-related decline in your race times with consistency and motivation

No matter how long you’ve been running and how many miles you log each week, it’s not uncommon to see your race times start to slow as you age. However, runners who can finish a marathon in under three hours showed reduced age-related decline in performance, according to a new study in Frontiers in Physiology.

The question on all of our minds: Do these findings apply to those of us who aren’t lining up in at the front of the field?

Researchers analyzed the marathon performances of 40 runners who have hit that sub-3 mark in five consecutive decades. The group consisted of 39 men and one woman, 1984 Olympic gold medal winner Joan Benoit Samuelson.

The researchers concluded that, with consistent training and racing regimens, it is possible to limit significant performance drops, at least until age 60. And although Samuelson was the only woman in the study—she’s the only woman to have achieved this mark, after all—Lepers said there’s no reason the results should not be true for female runners in general.

“The takeaway message could be that it is possible to limit the age-related decline in performance to less than 6 percent per decade, at least between 35 to 60 years old, if you keep training hard and stay motivated for that,” study co-author Romuald Lepers, Ph.D., a professor at the Université de Bourgogne-Franche Comté in France, told Runner’s World.

While the researchers still need to learn more about the running economy, specific training regimens, and recovery time of these top runners that make their performance so unique, Lepers believes their motivation is at the heart of their achievements.

“In the end, it all comes down to motivation. No one can perform at a top level without the motivation to train and race hard. They might be chasing personal records, or maybe world records. But they need very high motivation,” he told Podium Runner.

In terms of whether the results might also hold for runners with slower race times—say, a sub-4 marathon—Lepers said too many people are in that category to perform a full study. However, he would expect that whatever level you might be at as a runner, keeping your training volume and intensity strong could limit age-related decline in performance to less than 10 percent per decade.

(04/01/2021) Views: 1,143 ⚡AMP
by Runner´s World

Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race has been Cancelled for 2020 with Refunds for all Participants

 Due to ongoing concerns regarding the impact of COVID-19, and recent guidelines announced by the Maine Governor’s office, the board of directors of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K road race voted on Tuesday to cancel the 2020 race scheduled for August 1.

“COVID-19 and its impact on our state, the nation, and the world is unprecedented and after significant review and in partnership with our medical partners we have made this very difficult decision. We know this will be disappointing for those of us who look forward to the race each year but the health and safety of our runners, volunteers, spectators, staff, and community remains paramount,” said David Backer, President of the TD Beach to Beacon 10K. 

The $55 race entry fees will be automatically refunded to all registered runners over the coming weeks. Additionally, given demand for registration, race organizers have announced that all 2020 registrants will have an opportunity for early entry into the 2021 race. Race organizers will release details about the early entry process when finalized. 

The 2020 race beneficiary, JMG, will remain the beneficiary for the 23rd running which will be held, as is tradition, on the first Saturday in August of 2021.

“This has been a heartbreaking decision for all of us but is the right and only decision to be made at this time of uncertainty and unknowns”, said Joan Benoit Samuelson, Race Founder and Olympic gold medalist. “The TD Beach to Beacon 10K will return next year, consistent with the enduring nature of our sport, team and community.”

Samuelson continued, “As we run apart, we gain new strengths and appreciation for those who keep pace with us in our daily lives, especially those who have been on the frontlines of this pandemic with selfless endurance and courage.”

Race organizers will share updates in the coming weeks on plans for how the TD Beach to Beacon 10K community can stay connected during this time. 

(05/01/2020) Views: 1,434 ⚡AMP

The Runner Statue-COVID-19 Mask Movement

Over the weekend, famous runner statues from Boston to Boulder donned a new look to support solidarity in slowing the coronavirus.

Runners are among the healthiest people. We prize and appreciate our good fortune, and want to encourage the same in others. We’d like everyone to be health—to follow federal guidelines, both for exercise and for disease prevention.

That was the thinking behind the Runner Statue-COVID-19 Mask movement. It began Saturday morning in Mystic, CT. By Sunday afternoon, it had spread to Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Central Park in New York City, Davenport, Iowa, and Boulder, Colorado.

In each location, a well-known runner statue is now wearing a low-tech protective face mask. The message: Do your part to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Boston Marathon course has three such mask-wearing statues. In Hopkinton, “The Starter” George V. Brown wears a mask immediately adjacent to the Boston Marathon start line. Nearby, the statue of Rick and Dick Hoyt shows off their colorful masks.

Near the Marathon’s 19-mile mark in Newton, the double statue of “Old John” Kelley and his younger self shows them both wearing bandanna masks. These were fashioned by Ray Charbonneau from recycled road race t-shirts.

Born on a Morning Run

The story starts, like many, with a morning run. On Saturday morning, my wife, Cristina, and I met my brother, Gary, for an easy 3-mile jog on the banks of the meandering Mystic River in Connecticut. We had barely begun when Gary said, “You know what might be cool—to put a COVID mask on the Kelley statue.”

Mystics’s statue of John J. Kelley, 1957 Boston Marathon winner, has been a favorite local landmark for about five years now. It has a sparkling location in a tiny parklet that overlooks Mystic Pizza, made famous by the 1988 Julia Roberts movie. Before our biggest annual road races, Kelley is often attired in that’s year’s t-shirt.

Gary’s idea seemed so perfect that Cristina and I rushed home post-run to complete the mask project. To be honest, I merely “supervised,” since I have no sewing or crafting skills. Fortunately, Cristina is one of those creative types. She was even smart enough to realize that a statue mask would have to be larger than the bright masks she had already turned out for family members. Most statues are literally larger than life.

We rushed back to downtown Mystic to give Kel’ his new facemask. It was made of green shamrock material to honor his Irish roots. No one asked what we were doing, though several families strolled by and gave us an enthusiastic “thumbs up.”

Back home a few minutes later, I was ready for a nap. Then it hit me. I knew of a half-dozen other runner statues, and I knew runners who lived in those communities. What if I could get all those statues to wear covid masks?

Idea Runs Across the Country

Honestly, it took little effort on my part. A handful of friends, both new and old, “ran” with the suggestion. In Central Park and Cape Elizabeth, police quickly descended on my mask-placing co-conspirators. Moments later, having heard an explanation for the masks, the very same officers volunteered to help.

My buddy in Cape Elizabeth needed it. Marty Clark was struggling on crutches to give Joan Benoit Samuelson a facelift. Now we’ll let you in on one of Joanie’s secrets: She has no ears. (Makes you more aerodynamic.) Or maybe she just has hair over her ears. In both Cape Elizabeth and Davenport, IA, where the Bix-7 has erected statues of Samuelson and Bill Rodgers, my friends had trouble keeping the mask in place.

But Bix race director Michelle Juehring persisted until she achieved success. “I love the solidarity of this project—the way it says we’re all in this together,” she observed.

Rodgers was a big fan from the get-go. “I’m so glad to be wearing a mask next to Joan Samuelson in Davenport,” he said. “If others see us, and then they wear a mask also, we’re going to beat this disease in America.

At Central Park’s reservoir, thronged with walkers and runners, a socially-distanced crowd gathered around the Fred Lebow statue. When the onlookers realized what was going on, they broke into applause. “I was stunned,” said Scott Lange, who once worked for Lebow at New York Road Runners.

In Boulder, Rich Castro got a mask onto Frank Shorter only a couple of hours after we began with Kelley in Connecticut. Castro had already worn a mask around town on his morning errands. “I hope more people help us spread the message,” he said. “There are too many nonbelievers around.”

Shorter concurred. “Any and all expressions of solidarity are a good thing,” he said.

In Hopkinton, where the Boston Marathon begins, Tim Kilduff found a talented high schooler, Emily Karp, to make masks and corralled a Hopkinton Board of Selectmen member (John Coutinho) and photographer (Bruce MacDonald) for the effort. Today, Monday April 6, this team plans to mask 1946 Boston winner Stylianos Kyriakides at the marathon’s 1-mile mark. (Look hereto see why this requires a special effort.)

“This has been fun,” Kilduff said. “It’s a good thing. I think it might really catch on.”

(04/06/2020) Views: 1,638 ⚡AMP
by Amby Burfoot (Podium Runner)

15 Mind-Blowing Race Moments From 2019-From Kipchoge to Kosgei and all of the upsets, records, and victories in between, 2019 was a major year for running.

1-Kosgei Shocks Everyone in Chicago-On October 13, Brigid Kosgei made history when she won the Chicago Marathon in 2:14:04. The Kenyan ran almost perfectly even splits to achieve her goal in the Windy City, passing the halfway mark in 1:06:59 before clocking 1:07:05 for the second half.

2-Eliud Kipchoge Dips Under 2-Hour Marathon Barrier-In his second attempt at breaking the two-hour barrier in the marathon, Eliud Kipchogeof Kenya accomplished the feat with a stunning run of 1:59:40 on the streets of Vienna in October.

3-Joan Samuelson Crushes Her Goal 40 Years After Boston Victory-In 1979, Joan Benoit Samuelson set a national and course record when she won the Boston Marathon as a 21-year-old college student. Forty years after her historic victory, Samuelson, 61, set out to run within 40 minutes of her winning time at the 2019 Boston Marathon. On April 15, the 1984 Olympic champion wore a similar Bowdoin College singlet to honor her 1979 win and shattered her goal, crossing the finish line in 3:04. “To be here, 40 years later and being able to run, let alone being able to run a marathon, I feel blessed,” she said.

4-Jim Walmsley Obliterates His Own Western States Record-Ultrarunning star Jim Walmsley maintained his Western States winning streak when he obliterated his own course record in June. Navigating 100 miles from Squaw Valley to Auburn, California, Walmsley broke the tape in 14 hours and 9 minutes, which broke his own course record by more than 20 minutes

5-Donavan Brazier Breaks 34-Year-Old American Record-Donavan Brazier had the race of his life when he broke one of the oldest American records on his way to winning gold in the 800 meters at the IAAF World Championshipsin Doha, Qatar. With 250-meters to go, Brazier ran away from the field to secure the first 800-meter world championship gold medal for the United States in a time of 1:42.34. 

6-Dalilah Muhammad Sets World Record Twice-Dalilah Muhammad made history twice this season when she broke the 400-meter hurdles world record and lowered it once again on her way to winning the world championships.

7-Sifan Hassan Wins Unprecedented Double at Worlds-At the IAAF World Championships in Doha, Sifan Hassan won two gold medals that no man or woman has achieved in the history of the world championships or Olympic Games. The Dutch runner, 26, kicked off the competition by winning the 10,000-meter final in a national record time of 30:17:33. 

8-Maggie Guterl Becomes First Woman to Win Backyard Ultra-For 60 hours straight, Maggie Guterl ran the same 4.2-mile trail loop to become the last runner standing in the Big’s Backyard Ultra race. The Durango, Colorado, native ran 250 miles on her way to becoming the first woman to win the brutal race that rewards the person who can run for the longest amount of time.

9-Geoffrey Kamworor Breaks Half Marathon World Record-Holding a 4:25-mile pace, Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya shattered the world record at the Copenhagen Half Marathon in September, running 58:01. The performance, which was 17 seconds faster than the previous record, took place in the same city where the 26-year-old won his first of three half marathon world championship titles in 2014.

10-Joyciline Jepkosgei Debuts in NYC Marathon, Beats Mary Keitany-In her first marathon, Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya secured a title in a major upset. The half marathon world record-holder raced like a veteran in the New York City Marathonto beat four-time champion Mary Keitany in a winning time of 2:22:38, only seven seconds shy of the course record.

11-Kenenisa Bekele Wins Berlin Marathon 2 Seconds Shy of World Record-One year after Eliud Kipchoge set a world record that many believed would be untouchable for at least a few years, Kenenisa Bekele nearly surpassed it at the Berlin Marathon. The 37-year-old Ethiopian won the race in 2:01:41, just two seconds shy of Kipchoge’s record. 

12-Freshman Sha’Carri Richardson Shatters 100-meter Collegiate Record-In her first ever NCAA Outdoor Championship, Sha’Carri Richardson made history. In the 100-meter final, the LSU freshman sprinted to victory in a collegiate record of 10.75.

13-Drew Hunter, Athing Mu, and Colleen Quigley Win First Pro Titles-The USATF Indoor Championships brought out exciting breakthroughs for three young athletes. In the men’s 2-mile, 21-year-old Drew Hunter won the crown out of the “slower” heat by running a world-best time of 8:25.29. The women’s 600 meters was won by 16-year-old Athing Mu who defeated world silver medalist Raevyn Rogers in an American record time of 1:23.57.

14-BYU Snaps NAU’s Winning Streak at the NCAA Cross Country Championships-The Brigham Young team had a banner day at the NCAA Cross Country Championshipsin November. Battling muddy conditions, the BYU Cougars secured the team victory over three-time defending champions Northern Arizona in the men’s race. With a team total of 109 points, BYU beat NAU by 54 points to win the program’s first NCAA cross-country championship in history.

15-Joshua Cheptegei Sets 10K World Record After Winning Two World Titles-Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda capped off a banner year when he set a world record in the 10K on December 1, running 26:38 to win the 10K Valencia Trinidad Alfonso in Valencia, Spain. Earlier this year, he won the world cross-country championships and the world championship 10,000 meters in Doha, Qatar.

 

(12/15/2019) Views: 1,522 ⚡AMP
by Runner’s World

Gwen Jorgensen announces move to track for 2020

The 2020 US. Olympic Marathon Trials on Feb. 29 were marked on Gwen Jorgensen’s calendar since her Nov. 2017 announcement that she was leaving the triathlon to pursue running full time in hopes of winning the 2020 Olympic gold medal in the marathon.

But now, less than three months out from the event, Jorgensen announced that she will not run the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and instead focus on making the U.S. team for the Summer Games on the track in the 10,000 meters.

“It’s a multitude of emotions,” Jorgensen, 33, says. “I’m disappointed. At the same time, I’m also excited. I’m at a point where I’m running 70 miles per week and training is going well. I just know that if I went to the trials, running 70 miles per week, I’d be hoping that I made a team. That’s not what I want to do at an Olympic Trials.

I want to go in confident and knowing that I have the ability to make a team. My goals in the marathon aren’t changing. My timeline is.”

Heel surgery forced Jorgensen, who converted to distance running after winning the Rio Olympic triathlon, to pass up the Feb. 29 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and focus on the track and field trials in June in the 10,000m and, probably, the 5000m.

She made the decision after recent talks with her coach, Jerry Schumacher, following a difficult recovery from late May surgery to correct Haglund’s deformity.

“I could get bent out of shape and sad about it, but at the end of the day, I’m excited because I know this path that I’m on will not only be a successful route, but I also think it will lead to success long term in the marathon," she says. "I’m confident in my abilities on the track."

Jorgensen’s goal was a lofty one from the onset. No American woman has won gold in the marathon at the Olympics since Joan Benoit Samuelson’s victory in the 1984 inaugural running. The 2020 trials, where the top three finishers qualify for Tokyo, are shaping up to be one of the most competitive races of the year, as American women’s distance running is at its highest level with recent World Marathon Major victories by Shalane Flanagan at the 2017 New York City Marathon and Desiree Linden at the 2018 Boston Marathon.

Even after giving birth to her son Stanley in Aug. 2017, Jorgensen could have returned to the triathlon and arguably been a contender to become the first woman to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals. But she and her family decided to move to Portland, Ore., and once settled there, Jorgensen signed a professional running contract with Nike and joined the Bowerman Track Club.

Jorgensen worked her way to the marathon by racing on the track in the spring of 2018 and ran a few U.S.A. Track and Field road race championships. She says her training went well, nailing all but one workout in 12 weeks. But in the three days before she was set to compete in the Chicago Marathon, Jorgesen battled a fever and underestimated the effects of running while sick. She finished in a disappointing 2:36:23 in her professional marathon debut.

Now fully healed, healthy and recovered, Jorgensen is working her way back to train with her Bowerman teammates. Her day sometimes includes a hill sprints, a track workout, pelvic floor therapist treatment, physical therapy exercises for her achilles and then an evening workout before returning to her family.

“I think it’s important not to be afraid when you need to admit that your goal needs to change,” Jorgensen says. “I’m not going to say that I’m failing because I still want to have my marathon goals, but the timeline has changed. It’s still important to have big goals and to share those goals. It holds everyone accountable.”

(12/05/2019) Views: 1,773 ⚡AMP
by Chris Cahvez

Gwen Jorgensen has set her sights on winning the gold medal in the marathon at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo

Gwen Jorgensen knows how to attack a challenge.

The 33-year-old Waukesha native has set her sights on winning the gold medal in the marathon at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. She wanted a new goal after winning the triathlon at the 2016 Rio Games.

No American woman has claimed Olympic gold in the marathon since Joan Benoit Samuelson in 1984. Jorgensen is trying to do it two years after giving birth to her son and while dealing with a recent injury setback.

"It’s been  an uphill battle, I’d say," Jorgensen said. "But one that I like. One of the reasons I switched sports, I wanted that challenge. I wanted something that keeps me motivated."

She had been bothered by pain in her right foot, especially after finishing 11th in the 2018 Chicago Marathon. Jorgensen was diagnosed with Haglund’s deformity.

"It's basically a bone overgrowth in the heel," she said. "And then every time you take a step, the Achilles and the bursas and everything rub against the bone overgrowth. And it causes pain. It causes damages to those things."

Just putting on socks was excruciating. Jorgensen did everything to avoid surgery, including platelet-rich-plasma therapy, cortisone shots and changing her running form. But she finally went under the knife in May.

“For me that pain is gone, which is so good," Jorgensen said.

It's been a slow and steady comeback since then.

"I’ve been able to run a little bit now," Jorgensen said. "I would love to increase a ton but I’ve put a lot of time and energy into getting healthy and that’s my main goal right now."

She has gotten up to running 40 minutes every other day. 

“That probably sounds like a lot for a lot of people," Jorgensen said. "But I’m used to an hour-and-a-half in the morning and an hour at night."

(08/19/2019) Views: 1,827 ⚡AMP
by Ben Steele

Joan Benoit Samuelson Is Aiming to Go Sub-3:00 in 2020

In a stack of running resumes, Joan Benoit Samuelson’s sticks out like a neon sign. The running legend, now 62, has won Boston twice (in 1979 and 1983), became the first woman to win gold at the first women’s Olympic marathon in 1984, and set the U.S. marathon record at the time (2:21:21 at the 1985 Chicago Marathon), which still ranks as the fifth-fastest time ever run by an American woman.

What she’s done beyond her prime, however, is really what sets her apart. Last year, at age 61, Samuelson completed the Chicago Marathon with her daughter, Abby, in 3:12:13, averaging 7:20 pace per mile.

Shortly after that race, she announced an ambitious goal for 2019: finishing Boston within 40 minutes of her winning time 40 years ago, when she broke the tape in 2:35:15 in 1979. Samuelson conquered that goal with plenty of room to spare in April, finishing Boston in an even 3:04—just a few minutes shy of the 60 to 64 age group marathon world record (3:01:30 set by Bernardine Portenski in 2010).

Samuelson, who holds the marathon world record for the 55 to 59 age group (2:50:33, which she set in Boston in 2013), has been eyeing her current age group record since last year. After narrowly missing it in Boston, she recently told the Quad City Times that she’ll attempt to break 3:00 at a spring marathon next year—most likely Tokyo on March 1, 2020, or London on April 26, 2020. If she accomplishes her goal, she will be a member of an elite class of runners who have gone sub-3:00 for six decades.

[Smash your goals with a Runner’s World Training Plan, designed for any speed and any distance.]

This won’t be the first age group wall Samuelson has attempted to bust down. At age 50, she placed 90th in the 2008 Olympic Trials, running 2:49:08. Then three years later, when she was 53, she set a record for her age by clocking 2:47:50 at the 2010 Chicago Marathon.

Though Samuelson has never been one to back down from a challenge, she’s not immune to the fact that staying healthy and springing back from injuries gets tougher with age. Despite entering Chicago with lofty aspirations in 2015 and 2017, she was forced to withdraw a few days before the race both years, due to a stomach bug and a knee injury, respectfully. In Boston this year, she competed on a strained calf muscle, she told Runner’s World after the race.

In order to duck under 3:00 in the marathon next year, she’ll need to be diligent—as all runners do—about injury prevention.

“I’m up against the aging process,” Samuelson told the Quad City Times. “I just need to stay injury-free. That’s a hard thing to do these days.”

(07/20/2019) Views: 1,464 ⚡AMP
by Hailey Middlebrook

Shelter Island 10K is celebrating it's 40th year this weekend honoring some of the country's Best Runners

Over the course of 40 years, the Shelter Island 10K has stood out from the ever increasing number of summertime charity road races on the East End, and this year, as it marks a milestone, it will be even more special. Some of the biggest names in long-distance racing will be on hand, along with recreational runners of all ages and abilities, to commemorate the 40th year of the race, which raises money for several local charities.

The 10K and 5K run/walk are set for this Saturday, June 15, at 5:30 p.m. It promises to be as popular as ever, with 1,000 runners signed up to participate. The Shelter Island 10K is an event that has always paid homage to the history of road running and will certainly have the star power to prove it this weekend. The race always attracts top talent, with some of the best young Kenyan and Ethiopian runners making the trek to participate, but race organizers also made a special effort this year to honor older runners, many of whom were in the prime of their careers during the race’s inaugural season 39 years ago.

Some of them have become Shelter Island 10K regulars over the years, including former Olympian Bill Rodgers, a four-time winner of both the New York City and Boston marathons, and Joan Benoit Samuelson, an Olympic gold medalist and first-ever women’s Olympic marathon champion.

Veteran marathon runner George A. Hirsch, who is the chairman of the board of the New York Road Runners and previous publisher of Runner’s World, will also be on hand, along with Amby Burfoot, an author, motivational speaker and winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon.

Jon Sinclair and his wife, Kim Jones, are scheduled to attend, along with Keith Brantley. Sinclair is one of the winningest long-distance runners in the country’s history, and Jones is a former elite marathon runner.

New to the race this year will be Benji Durden and Kyle Heffner, and their presence is a nice homage to what was going on in the running world at the time the Shelter Island race was created. Heffner and Durden both qualified for the U.S. Olympic team in 1980 but were unable to compete at that year’s games in Moscow because of the U.S. boycott.

Race director Mary Ellen Adipietro said the tradition of honoring world-class runners has been part of the Shelter Island race since it was founded by Cliff Clark, John Strode and Jack Faith, who were all collegiate runners. Adipietro and her husband, Frank, continued and built on that tradition when she became the race director in 2000, taking over for longtime director Jimmy Richardson.

In keeping with the theme of honoring older runners, this year’s race will include a Masters category, with prize money for men and women in the 40-and-over age group. Anyone who finished the race in less than 40 minutes will receive a complimentary “I broke 40 at the 40th” T-shirt sponsored by Harry Hackett, of Merrill Lynch.

(06/12/2019) Views: 2,171 ⚡AMP
by Cailin Riley

Joan Benoit Samuelson and Gene Dykes clocked outstanding times at this year's Boston Marathon

There were many outstanding performances at the 2019 Boston Marathon.  Two that really stand out are: Forty years after her first win at the Boston Marathon, Joan Benoit Samuelson scored a victory of a more personal nature during Monday’s 123rd edition of the race.

The Cape Elizabeth native and Freeport resident met her stated goal of finishing the 2019 race within 40 minutes of her winning time in 1979, completing the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to downtown Boston in an even 3 hours, 4 minutes while running much of the marathon with her daughter Abby (photo).

The effort not only enabled the 61-year-old Samuelson to place first in her age group (women 60-64) and 249th among all the women in the 30,000-runner field, but she also finished just 28 minutes and 45 seconds behind the 2:35:15 she ran to win Boston in her first-ever attempt at the distance as a college student four decades earlier.

“I did and I’m really happy about it,” Samuelson said during a postrace interview near the finish line with WBZ-TV.

“To have our daughter in this race with me meant a great deal to me. She’s as passionate about the sport as I am, and to be out there with everybody cheering us on and the weather backing off to maybe coming on a little too warm, I can’t complain,” she said.

On the men's side: 71-year-old Gene Dykes of Bala Cynwyd broke his own age-group record on Monday, posting the fastest course time for a 70-to-74-year-old at 2 hours, 58 minutes, 50 seconds.

Dykes set the previous course record for that age group in 2018 at age 70, posting a time of 3:16 in driving rain.

(04/15/2019) Views: 2,350 ⚡AMP

Ethiopian Worknesh Degefa took command of the women's Boston Marathon race by the 7 mile mark and built it to over two minutes by half way and held on to win as America's Jordan Hasay finished third

Worknesh Degefa, 29, built up a commanding lead and even through Kenya's Edna Kiplagat closed the gap in the last few miles Degefa went on the win clocking 2:23:31 at the 2019 Boston Marathon.  Edna Kiplegat of Kenya started to break away from the rest of the chase pack at about 30K, trying to run the Ethiopian leader down, but the gap was too wide. Edna Kiplagat finished 44 seconds back clocking 2:24:14.  Jordan Hasasy from the US finished third clocking 2:25:20.    

Going into the race Degefa was ready to run well.  This January in Dubai, Worknesh Degefa set an Ethiopian national marathon record with her 2:17:41 second place finish. With that result she became the fourth fastest women’s marathoner in history.

Historically a half marathon specialist, Degefa’s top ten half marathon times (2013-2016) were run with an average time of 67:30. Her personal best was recorded at the 2016 Prague Half Marathon where she finished second in 66:14. She earned the silver medal at the 2015 All African Games Half Marathon. Degefa made her debut in the marathon in 2017 with a win at the Dubai Marathon, which she says is her proudest accomplishment. 

Degefa trains in the Oromia region of Ethiopia in Arsi and Assela because of its altitude and good weather for training. Her coach is Gemedu Dedefo. Her favorite foods are rice and pasta and she enjoys traveling in Europe.

Jordan Hasay finished third again this year.  Choosing Boston to make her debut in 2017, Jordan Hasay ran 2:23:00 to finish third. She set an American women’s debut record by three minutes and recorded the fourth fastest time ever run in the race by an American woman behind Shalane Flanagan, Desiree Linden and Joan Benoit Samuelson.

After Boston, Hasay ran the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and once again finished third, but improved her time to 2:20:57, becoming the second fastest American woman marathoner of all time. Besides making the podium in both the Boston and Chicago Marathons, Hasay set a half marathon personal best time of 67:55 with her sixth-place finish at the 2017 Prague Half Marathon.

During the race she set a 15K personal best of 48:21 and a 20K personal best of 64:32. She also won the 2017 U.S. national titles in the 20K, 10 Mile and 15K. Hasay was injured during 2018, but after surgery on her foot has made a complete recovery.

Hasay has been running since she was 12 years old and grew up in Arroyo Grande, California. 

Last year's winner Desiree Linden finished fifth clocking 2:27:00.  The weather was not a factor this year unlike last year.  

(04/15/2019) Views: 2,621 ⚡AMP

John Hancock today announced its Elite Athlete Ambassador Team for the 2019 Boston Marathon

Boston Marathon champions Meb Keflezighi, Tatyana McFadden, Bill Rodgers, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Greg Meyer and Uta Pippig will join Shalane Flanagan, Ryan Hall, Deena Kastor, Becca Pizzi and Team Hoyt as ambassadors for this year’s race.

“As Patriots’ Day nears, we welcome our 2019 Elite Ambassador Team for the Boston Marathon,” said John Hancock Chief Marketing Officer Barbara Goose.

“Through their mentorship and inclusiveness, these accomplished athletes inspire runners of all ages and abilities during race week and throughout the year at John Hancock sponsored events.

The team has become an integral part of our community.”

Ambassadors will cheer on the 30,000 participants racing from Hopkinton to Boston on Patriots’ Day and attend media, community and race week events, including making appearances at the Runner’s Seminar at the Expo, surprise “meet and greets” near the finish line, and at the John Hancock Elite Athlete press conference on April 12 at 10 a.m. at the Fairmont Copley.

(03/28/2019) Views: 1,884 ⚡AMP

Two-time champion and Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson plans to run the Boston Marathon again at age 61

The Boston Athletic Association says the two-time champion and Olympic gold medalist will be in the field on April 15.

Benoit Samuelson was a 21-year-old Bowdoin College student in 1979 when she set an American marathon record and a women’s course record. She finished in 2 hours, 35 minutes, 15 seconds, wearing a Red Sox cap.

She returned in 1983 to set a world best of 2:22:43. She won the first Olympic women’s marathon at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

Benoit Samuelson says her goal next month is to run within 40 minutes of the time she clocked in her Boston debut 40 years ago. She last ran the Boston Marathon in 2015.

(03/15/2019) Views: 1,903 ⚡AMP

He hopes to be the only man on earth to run a sub three hour marathon in six consecutive decades - Marathon Man Gary Allen introduction

Gary Allen is going to sharing his thoughts and knowledge here in MBR’s Running News Daily under the banner “Marathon Man Gary Allen.”

In his first column I sent him some questions so we all could get a flavor of what makes this incredibly creative and talented man tick.  I know I am looking forward to his writings here and I hope you are too!

So Gary, how did you discover running?

”I wanted to be a hockey player,” wrote Gary “but there weren’t enough kids on the small Maine Island I am from for a team. Then in 1972 I saw a skinny guy named Frank Shorter run into a stadium in Munich and I was like cool, you can win a gold medal just for running.”

How important is running to you?

“I have been involved with running for my entire life so assigning importance to who and what I am is like trying to describe how big the universe is to an ant. It is impossible for me to adequately portray how all encompassing running is to me as a part of my life,” says Gary. 

Does being an accomplished runner help you put on first class events?

“Absolutely! The races I direct are direct reflections of what and how I expect races to be run. I would never ask anyone to do something I haven’t done so I merely apply my expectations and my creativity to every race I help to organize.”

What one race you have run stands out as number one?

“Ahhhhh I can’t narrow it down to one race. However, Boston is always high on every list. I have one more to run to make a quarter century of unicorn chasing. The Burning Man ultra (photo) is a race I love beyond words. It helped change my thinking about how races run.

“A combination of an other worldly environment and no entry fee helped to expand my thinking. NYC (19 finishes) is where I was inspired to become a race director after watching Fred Lebow in action in 1980. It is reality true, if you can make it there you can make it anywhere! 

Tell us about your coaching?

“I have coached at the HS level and coached many individuals over the years but my current team is at Mount Desert Elementary School where I have been the XC coach for the past 12 years.

“My philosophy is pretty simple, make running fun and kids will want to run more and the more they run the better they get at running which is of course even more fun for them!

“One of of our key workouts is called, zombie tag. We run in the surrounding Maine woods and trails and I assign a few zombies and the rest of the team tries to run away and not get caught. 

“I also love to hide pizzas in the woods and have the kids run around and find them! Apparently my methods work cause in the past decade plus we have won almost every meet we’ve run!”

What are your personal goals as a runner?

“As a race director: I want to leave our sport better than I found it.

”As a coach: I want to inspire the next generations of runners to think about running for their entire lives. Rather they run or not matters little, but I want them to always remember and to love running knowing some will go on and be involved in our sport as competitors, coaches or even as race directors.

”As a competitor: I have accomplished pretty much every goal I’ve set for myself. Of late I struggle some with the naturally selfish nature of being a long distance runner.

“The single dimensional, ‘I’m training for,’ ‘Look at me’ has become less and less appealing to me over the years.

“As you know one of my proudest achievements is joining the five decades Sub 3 hour marathon club. At this point nobody on earth has run a sub 3 hr marathon in six consecutive decades so maybe it’ll give it a shot in 2020!

“Incidentally Joan Benoit Samuelson is the only other Mainer on the list and the only woman who has done this and I wouldn’t count out Joanie to run a sub 3 for her 6th decade.

Can you give us some background info?

“For Work: Lobsterman, Boat Builder, Carpenter, Yacht captain, Farmer, Auctioneer, Coach, Inspirational speaker.”

”Some Personal Records: Marathon 2:39:10, Half Marathon 1:13:20, 50 miles 6:21.

”My family settled on Great Cranberry Island in the 1670s.  I am 12th generation. It’s a small offshore Island off the coast of Maine. It’s probably the most unlikely place to become a runner as the main road is only two miles long. I built my own house by hand from trees growing on my land. I dug my well with a shovel figuring they used to do it that way so why couldn’t I?”

(12/16/2018) Views: 2,770 ⚡AMP
by Bob Anderson

Jenny Hitchings is on a roll breaking four national age-group records in four months

Fifty-five-year-old Jenny Hitchings of Sacramento, Calif. has been on a roll, breaking no fewer than four national US age group records since turning 55 on July 1.

Most recently, she took down Joan Benoit Samuelson‘s 55-60 10K record at the Sacramento Food Bank’s Run to Feed the Hungry 10k, clocking 37:29–almost a minute faster than Samuelson’s record of 38:20, set in 2014. But this was only Hitchings’ most recent accomplishment. Starting in August, she has broken no fewer than three other US age-group records. 

On August 11 she took down Shirley Matson’s 5K record, set in 1997 at the Carlsbad 5000, with an 18:05 finish at the Susan B. Anthony Women’s 5K. In early September she broke the 10-mile record held since 1998 by S. Rae Baymiller, with a 1:01:20 finish at the Buffalo Stampede in Sacramento. And in early October at the Urban Cow Half Marathon, she set her third national age-group record of the year clocking 1:21:18 beating Shirley Matson previous record. 

When Jenny was 47 she ran a 2:46:10 marathon and she won her age-group at the 2015 Boston Marathon at age 52 clocking 2:52:51.  In 2015, she broke a 30 year old Age Group course record at Cal International Marathon (CIM) clocking 2:49:49.  

(11/29/2018) Views: 2,004 ⚡AMP

Everything you need to know about the 2018 Chicago Marathon

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is happening this Sunday October 8...Galen Rupp who lives in Oregon won the 2017 race clocking 2:09:20, will return to battle four-time Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah of Great Britain.

The two have raced against each other 22 times, with Farah winning 21 times...Mo Farah has been training over 120 miles per week and has only one thing on his mind, to win...There are five men in the field with faster personal records than Rupp, who clocked his 2:06:07 PR winning the Prague Marathon on May 6... among the other elite men in the field include two-time world champion Abel Kirui, Geoffrey Kirui, reigning world champion and 2017 Boston Marathon winner, and four-time Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah, Rupp's former training partner...Plus Mosinet Geremew (2:04:00 personal best) and Birhanu Legese (2:04:15), both of Ethiopia, also lead the international field...

In the field of approximately 45,000 runners Sunday, 47 percent will be women...The top American women include Laura Thweatt, Sarah Crouch, Taylor Ward, Katie Matthews and Gwen Jorgensen leading the pack.

Joan Benoit Samuelson, 61, who won the 1984 Olympics gold medal and Chicago in 1985, also will be running, and her goal is to break three hours.  No woman over 60 has ever run that fast...

Top elite women include Roza Dereje and Birhane Dibaba of Ethiopia; Brigid Kosgei of Kenya; and fellow Kenyan and two-time champion Florence Kiplagat...

Chicago is one of the flattest and fastest marathons in the world. The only thing that gets in the way of more fast times is sometimes hot weather...The weather forecast for this year is 60 degrees with humidity at 75%.  Not ideal but it has been worse...

Four world marathon records have been set in Chicago. Dennis Kimetto of Kenya holds the Chicago Marathon men’s record with a time of 2:03:45 set in 2013. Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain set the women’s record in 2002 with a time of 2:17:18...

Yuki Kawauchi, from Japan, holds a record for running 79 marathons in less than 2:20. In April, he won the Boston Marathon in 2:15:58. He has won 30 marathons in his career with a personal best of 2:08:14. He has competed in 20 marathons so far in 2018 and is running...

The female and male Chicago winners each get $100,000. The total purse distributed among all the money winners is $803,500. There are bonuses for course records: $75,000 for men and women...

Twenty-three percent of the field are from outside the US. The largest group is from Mexico, with 2,225 runners. Then: Canada (1,777), United Kingdom (1,741), China (1,347), Brazil (1,209), Germany (566), Hong Kong (481), Costa Rica (471) and Italy (453)...

Rupp's 2017 victory was his first in a marathon major. He said it compares to his two Olympic medals, silver in the 10,000 meters in 2012, and marathon bronze in 2016. "Nothing can really replace the Olympics," he told Oregon Live. "But winning a major in Chicago, a city I love, was right up there."...

Rupp said he is fully recovered from nagging Achilles and ankle problems that complicated his buildup. "I'm feeling good," he said. "I've been healthy the last five or six weeks."...Rupp's father grew up in Maywood, Illinois and Galen spent a lot of time in the Chicago area during his childhood. 

"I'm so excited to be returning to Chicago to defend my title," Rupp said. "I couldn't be more thrilled to be heading back to the Windy City."  First wave start time is 7:30am Central Time on Sunday.

(10/04/2018) Views: 3,700 ⚡AMP
by Bob Anderson

The Chicago Marathon was not always a first class marathon like it is today

The annual marathon in Chicago is one of the biggest and most competitive marathons in the world, but in its early years, the event was a far cry from the glamorous and star-studded race it is today. Held on Sept. 25, 1977, Chicago’s first modern-day race was originally named the Mayor Daley Marathon. It drew some 4,200 participants who paid $5 to run in the inaugural event—which got off to a rocky start when a ceremonial cannon misfired, injuring two spectators. Meanwhile, the race’s top marathoners struggled to get around slower runners on the out-and-back course. These days, race officials and lead vehicles clear the way for the fastest runners, but that wasn’t the case four decades ago. The men’s winner Dan Cloeter recalled in a 2002 Chicago Tribune article. In 1978, organizers changed the start time from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and doubled the entry fee to $10, prompting uproar from runners. To protest the changes, many wore black armbands on race day. Concern about the later start and warm temperatures rang true when scores of runners wound up being treated for heat-related illnesses. The next year, organizers moved the marathon to October when the weather is typically cooler. But race day turned out to be hot and humid, and Cloeter, the 1977 champion, collapsed from dehydration after winning the race a second time. The race gained prominence in 1982 when organizers began awarding prize money to the men’s and women’s champions, who each took home $12,000 that year. One of the most exciting performances in the event’s history came in 1985 from American Joan Benoit Samuelson. Not only did the 1984 Olympic marathon gold medalist win and beat the marathon world record-holder at the time, she also set an American and course record in The Windy City. But the marathon would soon face hard times. In 1987, after losing its title sponsor, Beatrice Foods, the event was changed to a half marathon. The marathon returned the next year with Old Style, a beer brewing company, as its new financial supporter, but that relationship would fizzle out by 1990. The event lost its key sponsor, but gained a new race director. At 33, Carey Pinkowski took the helm of the struggling race in 1990, making him the youngest marathon director in the U.S. at the time. Pinkowski, 61, has been the race director ever since. The race also attracted the world’s best marathoners, including Khalid Khannouchi, who would win the race four times with record-breaking performances between 1997 and 2002. Great Britain’s Paula Radcliffe would also deliver a stellar performance that year, running 2:17:18 to smash the women’s world marathon record and win the race.  Fast forward, this year's race could produce the fastest marathon time run on US soil this year.  A sub 2:06 is very possible depending on the weather.  US's Galen Rupp (last year's winner) is set to battle some of the best runners in the world including Mo Farah.   (09/26/2018) Views: 2,186 ⚡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: 1,972 ⚡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: 1,765 ⚡AMP

Deena Kastor is the honored guest at the 12th annual Missoula Marathon weekend

Deena Kastor started running at age 11 in 1984, after witnessing Joan Benoit Samuelson, the first American to ever win the Olympic marathon, and she ended up breaking Benoit Samuelson’s American record at the London Marathon. Kastor is here this weekend as the honored guest of Run Wild Missoula for the 12th Missoula Marathon weekend. She described her start in running at a very young age. “I set the American record 15 years ago at the London Marathon, and it was Joan Benoit Samuelson’s record,” said Kastor. “She is a hero and mentor of mine for many years. The year she won the first ever women’s Olympic Marathon in 1984 in the L.A. Olympics.” Kastor recently completed a book about the true challenge in running, the mind. The book is titled ‘Let Your Mind Run’. “It’s a memoir of my running life, but it only takes place in my head,” she said. “It reveals the mental twists and the great qualities of the mind that we get to cultivate over time. We just fall into habits of thinking, but it’s our job to create the right habits of thinking. So, I like to think of it more of an instructional memoir and the feedback I’ve gotten has proven that I’ve done a good job of doing that.” (07/13/2018) Views: 1,742 ⚡AMP

Napa Valley Marathon has added a New Half Marathon Distance event

Half the distance, that’s a new option for runners flocking to Napa on March 3, 2019, for the 41st Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon and new this year Half Marathon. Registration opened on June 13, 2018. The 13.1-mile race will start on the Silverado Trail at Conn Creek Winery, which is the halfway point of the 26.2-mile route. The half marathon takes off at 7 a.m. and the marathon starts at 7:30 a.m. All finishers end up at Vintage High School. “With the half marathon also comes a host of updates, including a new logo, website, and exciting new partner in Conn Creek Winery,” said Michelle La Sala, Napa Valley Marathon race director and president of Blistering Pace Race Management. “We have been working hard to enhance the runner experience while maintaining our long-standing commitment to the runner.” Runners will enjoy not only the new half-marathon option, but also the same long-time perks that the Napa Valley Marathon is known for—participant shirt, bag, medal, a boutique expo with free wine and beer tasting, VIP guest speakers, and tasty cooking demonstrations. The Napa Valley Marathon has garnered a loyal following on a beautiful point-to-point course through the nation’s most scenic wine country. It’s indeed an inspiring setting and has become known as the “biggest little marathon in the West,” and attracts the legends like Joan Benoit Samuelson. (06/14/2018) Views: 1,780 ⚡AMP

Joan Benoit Samuelson Track in Freeport Maine was officially opened today

I had the pleasure of attending the dedication of the Joan Benoit Samuelson Track at Freeport High School in Freeport, Maine this afternoon.  A well-deserved honor for America’s most loved, respected and admired female marathoner of all time!!  And kudos to Nike for donating $1.3 million to help finance the entire project…wow.   Hundred’s and thousand’s of young athletes will now be the beneficiary of this display of unselfish goodwill by Joanie, the local track committee and by Nike.  We all took a lap around the track together after Joanie “cut the ribbon” to officially open up the facility. Pretty inspiring.  (Editor’s note. Joanie won the first women’s Olympic Marathon in 1984.  David is the director of the Boston Marathon.) (05/19/2018) Views: 1,936 ⚡AMP
by David McGillivray

Ethiopians Yimer And Diriba Cherry Blossom Ten Mile winners but the wind slowed down everyone

On his first trip to America, 21-year-old Jemal Yimer broke away from a dwindling lead group in the last mile of Sunday's Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run to win the race in a time of 46:17. His compatriot Buze Diriba won the women's race in 53:45 after finishing second here the past two years. In a race full of stories, another highlight was 60-year-old Joan Benoit Samuelson's single-age and 60-64 age group record for women of 1:07:56. Given the dire weather forecast of snow on Saturday night earlier in the week, runners and race organizers were delighted to awake to clear blue skies and peak cherry blossoms this morning. While it was a cold 35 degrees at the start, conditions were ideal for racing, though it was a bit too windy for really fast times up front. (04/09/2018) Views: 1,825 ⚡AMP

Boston narrated by Matt Damon on the big screen April 12-19 in Boston

BOSTON is the first ever feature-length documentary film about the world's most legendary running race, the Boston Marathon. A special one-week only engagement is taking place April 12-19 at the Boston Showplace ICON Theatre at Seaport. Narrated by Academy Award winner Matt Damon, produced with The Kennedy/Marshall Company and featuring an original score by Jeff Beal recorded by members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, BOSTON chronicles the story of the iconic race as it evolved from a workingman's challenge to welcoming foreign athletes and eventually women, becoming the stage for many firsts and in no small part paving the way for the modern marathon and mass participatory sports. The film features many of running's greatest champions including Shalane Flanagan, Meb Keflezighi, Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter and Joan Benoit Samuelson. (04/04/2018) Views: 1,707 ⚡AMP

The Cherry Blossom Ten Miler has a lot of exciting things Planned

Joan Benoit Samuelson, Meb Keflezighi and Deena Kastor highlight race and Health & Fitness Expo lineups. The 2018 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile and 5K Run-Walk, to be held on April 8, will truly offer something for everyone with an interest in distance running. In addition to hosting the 2017-18 Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO) Championship, and the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) National 10-Mile Championship...America’s three most highly decorated marathon runners will be making appearances and signing autographs leading up to and including race day. “We are pleased to have true American marathon royalty appearing at our Health and Fitness Expo this year,” said Event Director Phil Stewart. “Joan, Deena and Meb have been the dominant names in American marathon running going back to the 1980s when Joan won the gold medal in the first women’s Olympic Marathon in 1984”. (03/28/2018) Views: 1,941 ⚡AMP

Benoit Samuelson going to run 5K at 40th Annual Napa Valley Marathon

Runners from 16 countries and 44 states will gather in California’s Napa Valley for the 40th Annual Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon and Kiwanis Club of Greater Napa 5K Run on Sunday, March 4, 2018. American running icon Joan Benoit Samuelson (Freeport, Maine), a member of the Running USA Hall of Champions, will be a special guest and will be running the 5k. It was 34 years ago when Joan Beniot won the inaugural U.S. Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials race in 1984 and then winning the gold medal in Los Angeles at the first women’s Olympic Games marathon. (02/15/2018) Views: 1,879 ⚡AMP
Olympians