Running News Daily

Tola and Obiri lead elite fields for New York City Marathon

Organisers of the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon have revealed a world-class line up for this year’s World Athletics Platinum Label road race on 3 November, led by defending champions Tamirat Tola and Hellen Obiri.

Since winning last year in a course record of 2:04:58, Tola won the Olympic title in Paris in a Games record of 2:06:26. What made his feat all the more impressive is that he was only drafted into the Ethiopian team two weeks before the Games, having initially been named as a reserve.

“I’m excited to defend my title in New York, especially coming off an Olympic-record marathon performance,” said Tola. “The hilly course and crowds in Paris definitely prepared me well for the bridges and spectators in New York, where maybe I can go even faster this year.”

Two-time Olympic medallist Bashir Abdi will also be one to watch; the Belgian earned silver at the recent Olympics, having taken bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and at the 2022 World Championships.

Three past winners – all from Kenya – are also in the field: 2022 champion Evans Chebet, 2021 winner Albert Korir, and 2019 and 2017 victor Geoffrey Kamworor. Chebet has twice won the Boston Marathon, and has finished first or second in 13 marathons. Kamworor has made it on to the podium in all four of his New York Marathon appearances.

Fellow Kenyan Abel Kipchumba, who won this year’s NYC Half Marathon, will be making his New York City Marathon debut.

The US charge is led by Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, who finished eighth and ninth respectively in the Paris Olympic marathon.

Women’s Open Division

Obiri is a three-time Olympic medallist and seven-time world medallist. Last year the Kenyan became the first woman in 34 years to win both Boston and New York in the same calendar year. So far this year, she retained her Boston Marathon title and went on to earn bronze in the Olympic marathon.

“There’s no place like New York, and I am so ready to defend my title,” said Obiri. “I have been racing very well on the roads in the US, and I hope I can have another good day that sees me in contention once we enter the final stages in Central Park.”

Fellow Kenyan Sharon Lokedi, the 2022 NYC Marathon winner, will return after finishing third last year and fourth in the Olympic marathon in Paris. The Kenyan delegation will also include 2010 champion Edna Kiplagat, four-time Olympic medallist Vivian Cheruiyot, and Sheila Chepkirui, who owns the fastest personal best in the field.

Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba will make her New York City Marathon debut and is one of the world’s most accomplished long-distance runners as a three-time Olympic and 16-time world champion. She will be joined by compatriot Senbere Teferi.

Dakotah Lindwurm, the top US finisher in the marathon at the Paris Olympics, will lead the US contingent.

Elite field

WomenSheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:17:29Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) 2:17:56Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 2:18:31Senbere Teferi (ETH) 2:19:21Dera Dida (ETH) 2:19:24Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:19:50Eunice Chumba (BRN) 2:20:02Sharon Lokedi (KEN) 2:22:45Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:23:10Fatima Gardadi (MAR) 2:24:12Kellyn Taylor (USA) 2:24:29Fabienne Schlumpf (SUI) 2:24:30Aliphine Tuliamuk (USA) 2:24:37Dakotah Lindwurm (USA) 2:24:40Lily Partridge (GBR) 2:25:12Jessica McClain (USA) 2:25:46Des Linden (USA) 2:25:55Tristin Van Ord (USA) 2:25:58Khishigasaikhan Galbadrakh (MGL) 2:26:32Maggie Montoya (USA) 2:28:07Katja Goldring (USA) 2:29:01Savannah Berry (USA) 2:29:13

MenEvans Chebet (KEN) 2:03:00Gabriel Geay (TAN) 2:03:00Bashir Abdi (BEL) 2:03:36Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2:03:39Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 2:04:23Abdi Nageeye (NED) 2:04:45Addisu Gobena (ETH) 2:05:01Abel Kipchumba (KEN) 2:06:49Albert Korir (KEN) 2:06:57Conner Mantz (USA) 2:07:47Clayton Young (USA) 2:08:00Rory Linkletter (CAN) 2:08:01Callum Hawkins (GBR) 2:08:14Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (MGL) 2:08:50Elkanah Kibet (USA) 2:09:07Noah Droddy (USA) 2:09:09Jonny Mellor (GBR) 2:09:09Jared Ward (USA) 2:09:25Colin Bennie (USA) 2:09:38Futsum Zienasellassie (USA) 2:09:40CJ Albertson (USA) 2:09:53Nico Montanez (USA) 2:09:55Yuma Morii (JPN) 2:09:59

(09/08/2024) Views: 216 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Manchester stage set for speedy 10km contests

Mo Farah set for penultimate race while Hellen Obiri returns to defend her crown on city streets.

Mo Farah will tackle what is set to be the penultimate competitive race of his storied career as the 20th edition of the AJ Bell Great Manchester Run is staged on Sunday (May 21), but it won’t just be the multiple global track champion who will be attracting attention on the city streets.

Last year’s 10km event produced a spectacular women’s race as Hellen Obiri surged to a brilliant win in 30:15, four seconds ahead of Eilish McColgan’s British record-breaking performance.

The Kenyan returns to defend her title this year, fresh from winning the Boston Marathon last month, but the former 5000m world champion and 2022 Great North Run winner won’t be joined by McColgan who is continuing her recovery from the knee problem which prevented her from making her marathon debut in London.

Instead, the strongest challenge is set to come from Peres Jepchirchir, the Kenyan Olympic marathon champion who was third in London, and Ethiopia’s 2015 5000m world championships silver medallist Senbere Teferi.

Steph Twell will lead the home charge as part of a British contingent which also features the likes of Mollie Williams, Monika Jackiewicz, Lily Partridge, Rose Harvey and Natasha Cockram.

On paper, the fastest man in the men’s field is Callum Hawkins, though how close he can come to his 10km road PB of 28:02 remains to be seen following his injury problems in recent years. The Scot, who has twice finished fourth over the marathon at the World Championships, will be looking to make more progress back towards top form.

Fellow Brit Marc Scott, the winner of this event in 2021, has a PB of 28:03 and will want to make his mark in his first outing since coming 12th in the Istanbul Half Marathon at the end of last month. Farah can expect plenty of support again, having last been seen in action when coming ninth in the London Marathon, where he confirmed his intention to retire at the end of this year. The four-time Olympic champion also clocked 30:41 for 10km in Gabon last month.

The home athletes will be up against the Australian duo of Jack Rayner – runner-up in Manchester last year and the current national 10km record holder – plus Stewart McSweyn, the national 1500m and 3000m record-holder who has an identical road PB to Scott.

Last year’s Osaka Marathon champion, Japan’s Gaku Hoshi, plus Uganda’s Commonwealth marathon champion Victor Kaplangat, add to the strength of the international field.

The men’s wheelchair race should be a tight contest, too, featuring Sean Frame, Johnboy Smith and Commonwealth marathon bronze medallist Simon Lawson.

As well as the popular 10km, the event schedule also features a half marathon plus the Mini and Junior Great Manchester Run.

(05/19/2023) Views: 827 ⚡AMP
by Euan Crumley

Running couple Lily Partridge and Ben Connor take wins at the Great South Run

Pro long-distance runner Lily Partridge and partner Ben Connor, an Olympic marathoner, both took victory in their respective women's and men's races at the Great South Run on Sunday.

Partridge, who was the first British woman at the London Marathon in 2018, crossed the finish line of the 10-miler in 54:29, while Connor won the men's race in 47:19.

Welsh athlete Natasha Cockram was just behind Partridge in 54:35, while Steph Twell, who has competed at three Olympics including the marathon in Tokyo 2020, took third in 54:51.

Afterwards, Partridge said: 'It was a great race, the three of us were together up to about eight miles. I hit the front at about six miles.'

'It wasn’t really planned, so I thought I’d just try and make it a hard run race. It was a good opportunity for me to put myself under pressure and gain some confidence and it really paid off.'

In the men's race, Ellis Cross, the Aldershot, Farnham & District runner who beat Sir Mo Farah at the London Vitality 10,000 earlier this year, came in second in 47:32, while Birchfield Harrier’s Omar Ahmed took third in 47:49.

It's Connor's third time running the Great South Run, having finished third and then second in the past. Afterwards, the Tokyo 2020 marathoner said: 'I’m really pleased. It’s my thirtieth birthday tomorrow, so I’m off to Barcelona tonight and will be celebrating the win.'

In total, 20,000 people took part in the event in Portsmouth on a gloriously sunny day.

(10/17/2022) Views: 1,263 ⚡AMP
by Jenny Bozon

Hellen Obiri and Eilish McColgan will renew rivalry at the Great Manchester run

Last September Hellen Obiri beat Eilish McColgan by six seconds in the Great North Run and this Sunday (May 22) the duo renew their rivalry over the shorter distance of 10km at the Great Manchester Run.

McColgan has been in brilliant form, with a UK 5km record at the start of this month followed by victory in the Vitality London 10,000 where she missed Paula Radcliffe’s British record of 30:21 by only two seconds.

Obiri’s achievements make her the athlete to beat, though. As well as winning two world 5000m titles on the track, the Kenyan is the reigning Commonwealth 5000m champion and world cross-country gold medalist.

McColgan chose to give last week’s Night of the 10,000m PBs in London a miss in order to focus on training in the French Pyrenees. She will hope to push Obiri close again but the quality fields assembled for Manchester mean this won’t just be a two-horse race.

Ruth Chepnegetich defied horrendous heat and humidity to win the world marathon title in Doha in 2019 and the Kenyan has clocked 64:02 for the half-marathon, which was a world record when she ran it 13 months ago but has since been beaten by Letesenbet Gidey.

Sara Hall of the United States will be familiar to British fans after her runner-up performance at the 2020 London Marathon. She also held the US half-marathon record until recently, has a marathon best of 2:20:32 and is looking for a strong run in Manchester on Sunday.

Gerda Steyn, the South African ultra-marathon specialist, is also set to test her speed over 10km.

In addition to McColgan there are of course a number of other Brits in the elite women’s race. They include Jess Piasecki, the Stockport Harriers athlete who went No.2 on the UK all-time marathon rankings earlier this year with 2:22:27.

Steph Twell, the Tokyo Olympic marathon runner, is racing in Manchester ahead of the European Cup 10,000m in France a few days later.

After finishing ninth in the Boston Marathon in 2:25:26 in April, Charlotte Purdue also lines up in Manchester. Look out, too, for Lauren Heyes, Lily Partridge and Calli Thackery, the latter of whom is also racing at the Diamond League in Birmingham 24 hours earlier.

Like Thackery, Stewart McSweyn is also racing in Birmingham the day before the Manchester event as he continues to try to race himself into shape following a bout of Covid. He is joined by fellow Australian Jack Rayner plus New Zealand brothers Jake and Zane Robertson and Spaniard Antonio Abadia in the men’s 10km.

Sadly Mo Farah pulled out of the event following his under-par run at the Vitality London 10,000 earlier this month. But the winner that day, Ellis Cross, is set to race in Manchester and all eyes will be on him to see if he can repeat his form.

Mo Aadan, the Brit who finished third at the Vitality London 10,000, is in Manchester too. Further British contenders, meanwhile, include Ben Connor, Chris Thompson, Adam Craig, Josh Griffiths, Ross Millington, Phil Sesemann and Andrew Heyes.

(05/20/2022) Views: 1,303 ⚡AMP
by Jason Henderson

Star-studded field 2021, announced for Antrim Coast Half Marathon

With over 100 runners in the International elite race, over 400 in the sub-elite and with record numbers entering the mass race, this year’s Antrim Coast Half Marathon will be arguably one of the best half marathons in Europe, and one of the greatest ever in the United Kingdom.

The men’s race has seven men confirmed who have run under the 60-minute barrier.

Headlining the African contingent will be Jemal Yimer – winner of the Valencia Half Marathon in 2018. The current 6th fastest man of all time, Ethiopian record holder and ranked second in the world for the last two years, with a PB of 58:32 will be looking to better his own personal best on the super-fast route.

Joining Yimer will be fellow countryman Tesfahun Akalnew, the 21-year-old sensation, with a personal best time of 59:22 from the New Delhi Half Marathon will also look to better his time at this year’s event.

Shadrack Kimining, one of three Kenyans confirmed in this year’s race, twice breaking 60 minutes last year, placing third in Houston and running a PB in New Delhi with a time of 59:27 is also a confirmed starter.

Abrar Osman the Eritrean Olympic finalist and bronze medallist is looking to better his personal best of 59.47 set at the Lisbon International Half Marathon. A former winner of the African Games, he was seventh in the World Half Marathon championships in Cardiff in 2016.

Kenya’s latest star Daniel Mateiko, part of the postponed 2021 Kenyan World Cross Country team will be competing in his first ever half marathon after his world-class 10,00m debut in Hengelo last month, recording a time of 27:03, the fastest ever debut 10,000m.

With hopefully one global superstar still to announce, the British challenge will come from last year’s second place finisher, two-time European record holder and second fastest Briton all-time over 10,000m Marc Scott, looking to break the 60-minute barrier for the first time, returning fresh from the 5000m/10,000m double at the Tokyo Olympics.

British Olympian and Berlin Marathon fifth placer Scott Overall will also return to this year’s race.

The Irish contingent in the men’s race will be headlined by four Olympian’s young and old.

Belfast native Paul Pollock, post Tokyo Olympics will be looking to better his 62:09 and reclaim his Northern Ireland record broken at last year’s race by Stephen Scullion.

The women’s race will be headlined by Ethiopian sensation and third fastest ever Yalemzerf Yehualaw targeting the World Record on the super-fast course, a feat only ever achieved by Khalid Kannouchi and Paula Radcliffe in the UK, on both occasions set at the London Marathon.

After posting personal bests earlier in the year over the half marathon distance in Istanbul, with a time of 64:40 and running her first ever 5,000m in Paris last month, in a sensational debut of 14:53 her preparation has been perfect for an assault on the women’s world record.

Ethiopian stablemate Tsehay Gemechu will arrive fresh from her assault at the Olympic 10,000m in Tokyo, where she will be looking to better her two fourth place in the World Championships and sixth in the World Cross Country.

Gemechu will attack her own personal best of 66 min 0 sec, which she set winning the New Delhi Half Marathon in 2019.

Two-time World Half Marathon medallist Mary Ngugi is also confirmed and will look to get back to her form of 2016 which saw her take the silver medal at the World Half marathon championships in Cardiff, before targeting one of the major city marathons in October.

The British contingent will be headlined by last year’s fourth placer Becky Briggs, Tracey Barlow, and Ellie Davis with Irish distance stars Ann Marie McGlynn and Marie McCambridge also confirmed to start.

Last year’s winner Lily Partridge has had to pull out of defending her title due to an operation on her ankle, but has confirmed she will still make the journey to the province to support on the day.

(07/02/2021) Views: 1,101 ⚡AMP
by The Newsroom

Chris Thompson (2:10:52) and Stephanie Davis (2:27:16) Win British Olympic Marathon Trials

It has been a momentous week for veteran distance runner Chris Thompson, and it’s only Friday.

On Monday, the 39 year-old Olympian and his wife Jemma Simpson celebrated the birth of their son, Theodore, their first child. Then today, in a perfectly timed effort at the Müller British Athletics Marathon and 20km Walk Trials, he ran his way on to his second Olympic team in dramatic fashion, coming from behind to win in a personal best 2:10:52, comfortably under the Tokyo Olympics qualifying standard of 2:11:30. According to statistician Jon Mulkeen, Thompson has now made 25 British national teams since qualifying for the World Junior Championships in 1998 in the 3000-meter steeplechase.

“I’ve never felt so much emotion in my life,” a teary-eyed Thompson told commentator Tim Hutchings in his post-race broadcast interview. He continued: “Everything fell into place in the last couple of laps.”

At today’s race, held in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew in southwest London, the top-two men and women could earn automatic selection for the Tokyo Olympics if they left the finish area with the Olympic qualifying standard under their belts. Only one man and one woman, Ben Connor and Stephanie Davis, possessed those respective standards of 2:11:30 and 2:29:30 coming into the race. So Thompson had to hit the time today, plus finish in the top-2 to gain automatic team selection.

In the first five kilometers Thompson, Connor, Dewi Griffiths and Mohamud Aadan (making his marathon debut) ran close behind the pacemakers Callum Hawkins and Jake Smith. Hawkins, who finished fourth in the 2019 World Athletics Championships Marathon, had already been pre-selected for the Olympic team and ran today to “show fitness” as required by British Athletics selectors and also to help his compatriots fulfill their Olympic dreams. Through 10-K (30:51) they were all together running at a 2:10 pace, but over the next five kilometers Thompson would drift back. The 2010 European Athletics Championships 10,000m silver medalist decided that the pace was a little too ambitious.

“After 30 minutes I realized I’d worked the course out,” Thompson explained. “Listen, you can’t keep pushing like this. The turns, everything, was just building up and I thought, I need to check back. These guys need to be in very, very good shape to keep this going.”

At the halfway mark (about 1:04:42), Thompson was about 20 seconds back. Because the Garden’s paved paths are narrow and the primary 3.3-kilometer race loop had 11 turns or bends, Thompson was hidden from his rivals. Indeed, it seemed to the broadcast audience as if he was completely out of contention.

Between 25 and 30 kilometers, the leading men only put up a sluggish 5-K split time of 15:43. Thompson was a whopping 36 seconds behind, and was still out of sight. But over the next five kilometers –after pacemaker Hawkins had dropped out at around 32 kilometers– Thompson made up that entire deficit, while Griffiths dropped back (the Welshman would finish fourth in 2:13:42). At 35-K (1:48:32) it was a three-man race and they were running at about a 2:11 pace. Thompson took stock of his position.

“I’ve either messed this up royally or it’s going to turn around very quickly,” Thompson said.

After running briefly with Connor and Aadan, Thompson left his rivals and forged ahead on his own. By the 40-kilometer mark (2:04:07) he had a commanding 44-second lead. He checked his watch a few times to make sure he was going to make the time, then in the final meters to the finish he started celebrating, nearly stopping at the finish tape as he punched his fists in joy. His official time of 2:10:52 put him well under the standard and on his second Olympic team in nine years.

“I was in dreamland,” Thompson marveled. “The last two laps, I’m like nothing’s stopping me now.”

Behind Thompson, Connor and Aadan battled for second right through the final kilometer. Connor finished a clear second in 2:12:06, and since he already had the qualifying standard from the Virgin Money London Marathon last October where he ran 2:11:20 he locked up his team spot. Aadan got third in 2:12:20, a solid debut.

“Satisfaction, relief. Whatever you want to call it,” Connor said when asked to describe his emotions He was impressed with how Thompson managed his effort today. “I could hear him breathing about ten seconds before he came by,” Connor said. He added: “Smart running from him. Fair enough.”

Women’s Race

The women’s race, which used two male pacemakers, was dominated by Scotswoman Stephanie Davis. Davis, 30, was the only woman who started today’s race in possession of the Tokyo Olympic qualifying standard (she ran 2:27:42 in Valencia in December, 2019). She ran a smart race, following the pacers closely through halfway in an honest 1:14:05. That whittled the lead pack down to five: Davis, Sarah Inglis, Natasha Cockram, Lily Partridge and Charlotte Arter (making her debut). By 25-K Davis had just a four-second lead. Over the next five kilometers that cushion mushroomed to 52 seconds and the race was over. Davis cruised to the finish in a personal best 2:27:16 booking her first Olympic team berth.

“I can’t believe it,” Davis said in her post-race broadcast interview wearing a surgical mask. “I’m smiling so much underneath this mask, and I’m just so delighted. I knew I was in good shape, but anything can happen in the marathon.”

Natasha Cockram finished second in a personal best 2:30:03, but her performance was 33 seconds outside of the minimum required time for Tokyo so she did not earn a team berth. Third place went to Rosie Edwards in 2:31:56, also a personal best. Inglis finished sixth in 2:34:09 (she had run 2:29:41 at The Marathon Project last December in Arizona), and both Lily Partridge and Charlotte Arter dropped out.

With today’s race in the books, British Athletics selectors will have to fill the other two places on the women’s team by going through the remainder of their multi-step selection process. Three women who did not race today —Jess Piasecki, Charlotte Purdue, and Steph Twell-– all have the qualifying time and could be considered for team selection.

Today’s race was the first stand-alone British Olympic Marathon Trials since 1980. The Virgin Money London Marathon, typically held in late April, is usually used as the primary selection race, but that event won’t be held in 2021 until October because of the pandemic.

Full results with 5km splits can be found here. The full race broadcast is here.

Talk about the race on the LetsRun.com messageboard.

(03/27/2021) Views: 981 ⚡AMP
by Let’s Run

Mo Farah set to defend Antrim Coast crown as Half Marathon granted elite world status

Sir Mo Farah will be back to defend his Antrim Coast Half Marathon title - that is the bold prediction of elite race organiser James McIlroy after the contest was granted elite world status.

Former Olympian McIlroy is confident the four-time Olympic gold medallist will return for another crack at the title he won in stunning style last September - hopefully with gold No.5 in his back pocket if the Tokyo Games go ahead.

"Fingers crossed Mo will be back this year. The 2021 race really will be amazing when you think we will have the best runners in the world running on one of the most beautiful roads in the world while also welcoming the masses back, who not only will get to race with some of their heroes returning from the Tokyo Olympics but, due to the out and back nature of the course, they'll also get a great view of the elite race - which we hope will be a record-breaking race like last year," said McIlroy, close friends with Sir Mo - who is coached by Larne man Gary Lough - since their time together in Team GB.

"We also should be in a position to welcome the American and African competitors confirmed for last year's race but who unfortunately, due to restrictions, were unable to travel."

The race is the first in Ireland to be elevated to the prestigious series of IAAF Road Race Label events, and only the third in the UK - joining the London Marathon and Cardiff Half Marathon.

The Antrim Coast Half Marathon now sits alongside events in Barcelona, Rio, Houston, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Seville, Valencia, Dubai, Istanbul, Naples and Shanghai on the prestigious roster. The IAAF have already indicated they will be sending a delegate to the race.

Sir Mo won the first ever Antrim Coast Half

Marathon - a revamped version of the long-running and highly-successful Larne Half Marathon - in a time of one hour and 27 seconds, while Lily Partridge took the women's race in 71.36, both all-comers records.

Larne man McIlroy is sure the race will be the first ever sub-60-minute men's and sub-70 women's half marathon in Ireland.

The event, which starts and finishes in Larne, had been scheduled to take place last March but due to the pandemic was postponed until September - with no mass participation race and spectators urged to stay away due to Covid - and this year's showdown will take place on August 29. Around 10,000 runners are expected to take part.

(01/22/2021) Views: 1,536 ⚡AMP
by Frank Brownlow

Antrim Coast Half Marathon has been added to World Athletics' Road Race Label series

This year's Antrim Coast Half Marathon added to World Athletics' series of Road Race Label Events.

Won last year by Sir Mo Farah, which will take place on August 29, it is the first time an Irish race has been included in the series.

It joins the London Marathon and the Cardiff Half Marathon as the UK's only three races on the global schedule.

Four-time Olympic champion Farah won in one hour and 27 seconds last year, with Lily Partridge the women's winner.

Farah headed the entry over a scenic course in and around Larne in last year's inaugural event which had to be confined to elite athletes because of the Covid-19 pandemic, .

Race organiser 2000 Sydney Olympian James McIlroy said this year's race promises to be an "amazing" event.

"We will have the best runners in the world running on one of the most beautiful roads in the world, whilst also welcoming the masses back," said the former 800m star.

"We also should be in a position to welcome the American and African competitors confirmed for last year's race but unfortunately due to restrictions were not able to travel."

Other cities to have a race on the Road Race Label Events calendar include Dubai, Tokyo, Istanbul, Barcelona, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires.

(01/21/2021) Views: 1,240 ⚡AMP
by Athletics

Mo Farah and Lily Partridge were the winners at Antrim Coast Half Marathon

Mo Farah takes first as Marc Scott, Ben Connor, Stephen Scullion and M60 Tommy Hughes impress, while Lily Partridge enjoys women’s win

Mo Farah was first across the line in the Antrim Coast Half Marathon on Saturday (Sept 12) in 60:31 but the most eye-catching performances came from those following in his slipstream.

Runner-up Marc Scott was close behind with 60:43 on his debut at the distance to go No.3 on the UK all-time rankings. In third, London Marathon-bound Ben Connor took 16 seconds off his PB with 60:59 to go equal fourth with Steve Jones in fourth on the UK all-time lists.

Stephen Scullion, in fourth, smashed the Northern Ireland record by a big margin with 61:12. Like Connor, the Belfast man is set to run the London Marathon on October 4 too as the popular local athlete took more than two minutes off his best.

Lily Partridge, another London Marathon-bound Olympic hope, impressed as well as she broke away from Sam Harrison to win the women’s race in a Northern Ireland all-comers’ record of 71:36 – around a minute outside her PB but 23 seconds ahead of Harrison (71:58) as Clara Evans was third 72:21 and Becky Briggs, in fourth, ran a UK under-20 record of 72:54.

Perhaps most impressive of all, though, was masters sensation Tommy Hughes, who broke Martin Rees’ world half-marathon record for an M60 with 71:09 (even quicker than the 71:26 originally publicised shortly after he finished).

An Olympian in the marathon back in 1992, the Irish runner Hughes has been on a record-breaking spree recently and continued his great form here.

Ordinarily Farah and others might have been racing in the 40th Great North Run this weekend but with the event cancelled due to coronavirus he came to Northern Ireland instead to run in an event organised by his old friend and fellow athlete from his student days, James McIlroy.

McIlroy put together a fine domestic field for the event and Farah certainly did not have it all his own way as he only broke away from the in-form Scott in the final mile.

Scott has broken the UK 5km road record this summer and took the British 5000m title last week. He was leading in the closing stages but had no answer to Farah’s breakaway surge in the final mile.

A lead quartet of Farah, Scott, Connor and Scullion broke away early and ran together for much of the distance. Behind, Kevin Seaward was fifth in 63:09 followed by Josh Griffiths (63:12), Tom Evans (63:19), Adam Craig (63:28) and Adam Hickey (64:37).

There had been talk of Farah potentially attacking his UK record of 59:32 from Lisbon in 2015 but during media interviews on Friday he said winning the race was the main goal and he did not want to underestimate his rivals and treat it as a time trial.

Runners in this elite-only event, which was sponsored by P&O Ferries, enjoyed decent weather on a picturesque course that proved a great advertisement for athletics in Northern Ireland. The only frustration for fans was the poor quality of the live stream, which made following the race difficult after organisers had, ironically, encouraged spectators to stay at home instead of supporting from the side of the road.

(09/12/2020) Views: 2,415 ⚡AMP
by Jason Henderson

London Marathon releases race day schedule

A series of elite events will take place in St James’s Park on October 4

The race schedule for the elite-only Virgin Money London Marathon has been announced, with a series of events taking place throughout the day on Sunday October 4.

The action will kick off with the elite women’s race at 07:15 before the elite men’s race at 10:15 and the wheelchair races at 13:10.

As announced earlier this month, the 2020 London Marathon will not feature a mass race and the elite racing will take place within a “secure biosphere” in St James’s Park.

As recently confirmed by World Athletics, the times recorded in London will be eligible for Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualification.

ELITE RACE SCHEDULE

07:15 – Elite women’s race

10:15 – Elite men’s race

13:10 – Wheelchair races

The elite men’s field features distance running greats Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele in a highly-anticipated clash, together with Mosinet Geremew and Mule Wasihun, who placed second and third in 2019.

Britain’s Mo Farah will be a pacemaker to athletes looking to achieve the Olympic marathon qualifying standard of 2:11:30, with his compatriots Jonny Mellor, Chris Thompson and debutants Ross Millington and Ben Connor all set to run.

World record-holder and defending London Marathon champion Brigid Kosgei leads the women’s field and is joined by five other women who have run inside 2:20: Ruth Chepngetich, Roza Dereje, Vivian Cheruiyot, Valary Jemeli and Degitu Azimeraw.

Among the leading British women confirmed to race are Steph Twell and Lily Partridge.

In the wheelchair races, both Daniel Romanchuk and Manuela Schär will defend their titles.

Athletes will cross the same traditional finish line on The Mall after each completing 19.8 laps of the St James’s Park course, while mass runners will take on their 26.2 miles from home or anywhere in the world as part of the event’s first virtual edition.

(08/28/2020) Views: 1,469 ⚡AMP

London Marathon Elite Fields Released, 2020 elite field will be the best in years

Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele face battle from six more sub-2:05 runners in elite men’s race.

World record holder Brigid Kosgei among six sub-2:20 athletes in elite women’s race.

The Virgin Money London Marathon today confirmed the full fields for the historic elite men’s and women’s races on Sunday 4 October.

The elite men’s race – headlined by the greatest marathon runners in history, Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) and Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) – will include eight athletes who have run sub 2:05 marathons, including Mosinet Geremew (ETH) and Mule Wasihun (ETH) who were second and third respectively at the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon.

Sisay Lemma (ETH), Tamirat Tola (ETH), Marius Kipserem (KEN) and Shura Kitata (ETH) are the other men to have run inside 2:05 while Sondre Nordstad Moen (NOR), who broke the European hour record in Norway earlier this month by running 21.132km, is also included.

The news that World Athletics will lift its suspension of the Olympic qualification system for marathon races from 1 September means there will also be a clutch of athletes racing with the ambition to achieve the Olympic standard of 2:11:30.

Adding yet further superstar quality to the event, the Virgin Money London Marathon can also announce that Sir Mo Farah will be a pacemaker for this group of Olympic hopefuls.

Farah, the four-time Olympic champion, said: “The London Marathon has been so important to me since I was a schoolboy and when they asked me to do this I thought it would be great to help. I am in good shape, I’ll be in London that week and it fits in with my training.

“I’ve been training here in Font Romeu with some of the British guys who are going for that Olympic qualifying time and they are good lads. I know just how special it is just to compete for your country at an Olympic Games and it would be great to help other athletes achieve this. With the current global situation and lack of races, the Virgin Money London Marathon in October is the best chance for athletes to run the Olympic qualifying time.”

Hugh Brasher, Event Director of the Virgin Money London Marathon, said: “This is the greatest Olympian in British track and field history coming to run as a pacemaker to help others achieve their dreams of making the Tokyo Olympic Games. It is a wonderful gesture of togetherness from Sir Mo and I’m sure his presence and support will inspire the athletes chasing that qualifying time on Sunday 4 October.”

At present only two British athletes other than Farah have run inside this time: Callum Hawkins, who has been pre-selected for the Olympic Games marathon, and Jonny Mellor who ran 2:10:03 in Seville in January. Farah himself has opted to run on the track at the Olympic Games.

Mellor is one of a number of British athletes running the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon – The 40th Race – on Sunday 4 October. Other British men joining Mellor on the Start Line are Chris Thompson and debutants Ross Millington and Ben Connor.

Among the leading domestic women confirmed to race are Steph Twell, who ran a personal best (PB) of 2:26:40 in Frankfurt last year to go sixth on the British all-time rankings, and 2018 British marathon champion Lily Partridge.

The elite women’s field is headlined by world record holder Brigid Kosgei (KEN). Confirmed today are five other women who have run inside 2:20: current world champion Ruth Chepngetich (KEN), 2019 Valencia Marathon champion Roza Dereje (ETH), 2018 Virgin Money London Marathon champion Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN), 2019 Frankfurt Marathon winner Valary Jemeli (KEN) and 2019 Amsterdam Marathon champion Degitu Azimeraw (ETH).

Ashete Bekere (ETH), the winner of last year’s BMW Berlin Marathon, Alemu Megertu (ETH), the 2019 Rome Marathon champion, plus Sarah Hall (USA) and Sinead Diver (AUS) are also included in a star-studded race.

(08/21/2020) Views: 2,218 ⚡AMP

Great Britain´s Tish Jones has endured injuries, a bike crash and a kidney stone problem but remains focused on the London Marathon

Since running a marathon PB of 2:31:00 in London last year to qualify for the World Championships in Doha, luck has not been on Tish Jones’ side and she has endured injuries, a bike crash and a kidney stone problem among other things.

Speaking from her training base in South Africa, she says she has had “a bumpy road” in recent months – and she is not exaggerating.

The build-up to her first GB appearance in Doha went well, with much of her training done in Colorado, but just before going to the holding camp in Dubai her carbon fiber bike was stolen in Teddington – a blow for an athlete who enjoys mixing cycling with running.

She was then forced to pull out of the marathon in Doha in October with a leg muscle injury.

Then just days later she came off her mountain bike while riding along a trail and broke a bone in her arm and cut her face badly in the crash. This led to her arm being in a sling for a while but she battled on training with Tokyo selection in her sights.

However, 2020 then began with her father suffering a major heart attack and her own training has been troubled by a kidney stone problem.

“It’s been a bit physically and mentally exhausting lately,” she says with some understatement.

Based in Cape Town and covering several hundred kilometers every week on her bike, in addition to running, Jones is used to taking the unconventional route. In her younger days she was not a keen runner at school and instead spent more time horse riding before eventually coming into running after impressing in obstacle course racing.

She has faced plenty of obstacles during recent months of training too. On her bike crash in October, she says: “I’d ridden the trail many times but my front suspension didn’t take kindly to this one chunk of wood that I tried to go over. My wheel planted into it and stuck and my arm collapsed on the handlebar. I landed on my face and my elbow, so I broke my radius.

“I think I was mildly concussed but I got up, checked that I had everything in my pockets and that my teeth were okay because there was blood everywhere. My helmet was crushed on one side and my ear was cut up with gravel. I thought my arm was sore but didn’t realize it was broken. I was at a high point on the mountain so had to ride down, although I realized I couldn’t brake properly so I got off occasionally and carefully made my way back to the gym in the end, where my stuff was.

“When people saw me, they were shocked. I didn’t know how bad my face was. When I got to the emergency room, I ended up being there for six hours until midnight. Although I was fine after that. It was just annoying that all that stuff (bad luck) happened at the same time.”

On her current kidney stone problem, she says: “The doctor didn’t seem too concerned about the size of it so I think I just have to wait and it’ll go of its own accord and I’m keeping myself as hydrated as possible in the meantime.”

The 34-year-old had an injury-hit build-up to London last year, though, but she came good in the end to finish second Brit behind Charlie Purdue and ahead of Lily Partridge, Hayley Carruthers, Tracy Barlow and Sonia Samuels. Jones was unable to run during January but kept fit with cross-training and then packed lots of work into the final two months before taking two minutes off her PB in the big race itself.

“I was devastated not to run in Doha,” she says, adding that the British Athletics team were brilliant in helping her throughher preparations and subsequent difficulties. “The hot climate didn’t matter to me. I wanted to run and I would have dragged myself to the finish. But my coach says it was a blessing that I missed it because I could have come out of it in a bad way.

“I was so upset not to race there though as it was my first British vest. I was in bits. It was like being in mourning afterwards. But with the injury there was no way I could have run it – that was the problem.”

“I don’t have much patience for most things. I lose my temper so easily. But I have patience for running. Everything goes into my running.”

(03/11/2020) Views: 1,368 ⚡AMP
by Jason Henderson

Stephanie Davis and Sarah Inglis are part of a ten-strong Great Britain and Northern Ireland team that will travel to Poland for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships

The event will see Davis, who runs for Clapham Chasers, make her GB debut and her selection is just reward for the impressive run of form she has been on.

Since running her first marathon in September 2018, Davis has propelled herself into Olympic contention having run under the qualifying time when she clocked 2 hours 27 minutes 40 seconds in the Valencia Marathon, propelling herself to ninth on the British all-time list.

The 29-year-old then followed that run up with a half-marathon personal best last weekend in the Big Half in London, clocking 71 minutes 15 seconds to finish third in the British team trials for the World Championships.

Inglis, of Lothian Running Club, will add this GB vest to the couple she won on the track last summer.

The 28-year-old, who is based in Canada, moved to thirteenth on the British all-time list when she clocked 70 minutes 24 seconds at the Houston half-marathon in January.

They are part of the British team led by former European Championship medalist, Chris Thompson, and Lily Partridge.

Ahead of the championship, team leader Chris Jones said: “The full squad of 10 for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia showcases some of Great Britain’s most in-form athletes over the distance, exemplified by the performances at the trials and the form we have seen already this season.

“The team we have selected shows a good range of previous British international experience and features new names to the international scene and I hope this strength will be reflected in the overall outcome.

“The championships will serve as an excellent opportunity for athletes to continue their upward trajectory on the roads and I hope that we can achieve a strong team position overall.”

(03/04/2020) Views: 1,525 ⚡AMP
by Susan Egelstaf

Chris Thompson and Lily Partridge lead the British team for World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020

Thompson was a shade outside his personal best as he took the British title at Sunday’s Vitality Big Half in 1:01:07, finishing second to Kenenisa Bekele having disputed the lead for the first five miles, and the 38-year-old Briton earns his first British vest on the road, 22 years after making his track debut at the World U20 Championships.

Fresh from lowering the British Under-23 record for the half marathon to 1:02:00 in London, Jake Smith will also represent Great Britain & Northern Ireland on the roads for the first time, having made his British track debut at last year’s European Under-23 Championships in Gävle, Sweden.

Having finished as the third and fourth British athletes home at the trial, both Ross Millington and Mohamud Aadan declined selection for the championship.

With the selection policy stating that automatic selection can be offered to the next eligible athlete if declined by auto-qualifiers, 2017 British Marathon gold medalist Josh Griffiths earns his first British vest in almost three years courtesy of his eighth-place showing at the trials.

Doha team member Ben Connor, who has already clocked 1:01:34 for the distance in 2020, will look to improve on his individual 64th place finish at the 2018 edition of the championships in Valencia, while Matt Leach, who has twice run for Britain in the European 10,000m Cup, completes the senior men’s team.

On the women’s side, Partridge earns her first British vest since the 2018 European Championships in Berlin and will look to better her 1:10:31 personal best clocking, set in 2015, when she takes to the start line in Poland. Sarah Inglis, who moved to 13th on the all-time British list with a strong run in Houston in January, also gains selection.

British debuts are handed to Samantha Harrison and Stephanie Davis, who clocked respective personal bests of 1:11:01 and 1:11:15 for second and third-place finishes at the Big Half, with fourth place finisher, Hayley Carruthers, also earning her first British vest.

(03/03/2020) Views: 1,712 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Kenenisa Bekele breaks Mo Farah's course record at the Vitality Big Half

Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele broke Mo Farah's course record in the men's Vitality Big Half race in London with a time of one hour and 22 seconds.

Bekele shaved 1:18 minutes off the record set in 2019 by Briton Farah, who missed out with an Achilles injury.

Britain's Lily Partridge won the elite women's race for the first time with a time of 1:10:50.

Two-time marathon winner Shelly Woods made a successful return to the capital in the women's wheelchair race.

Brent Lakatos won the men's wheelchair event with six-time Paralympic champion David Weir in second.

Britain's Christopher Thompson finished second in the men's race, with Jake Smith in third.

The full London marathon will take place on Sunday, 26 April.

Bekele's victory sets up an exciting head-to-battle with Eliud Kipchoge, as the two fastest marathon runners of all time line up for April's race.

"The new course record is a great bonus. I wasn't focused on time today, I just wanted to win," said Bekele.

"I'm on schedule in my preparation for the London Marathon in April. There's no question about the crowds in London being great.

"They were cheering all around the course and it felt like a great place to be."

Partridge - running in her third London half-marathon - cruised to victory in the women's race.

Her compatriots Samantha Harrison and Stephanie Davis finished second and third respectively.

"My coach said to me before the start that the goal was to win," said Partridge.

"It wasn't about the time today. It's my fastest ever half marathon during a marathon build-up."

 

(03/01/2020) Views: 1,624 ⚡AMP

London Marathon Events is offering $453,000US of funding to 30 elite athletes as they prepare for the Olympics including Alex Bell

World Championships semi-finalist Alex Bell is one of 30 British athletes who have been offered funding from London Marathon Events (LME) for the 2020 season as part of LME’s extensive and longstanding support of British endurance running.

Bell, who reached the semi-finals of the 800m in Doha last year, was one of eight athletes on last year’s inaugural LME funding programme who represented Great Britain at the 2019 World Championships.

Three others – Marc Scott, Ben Connor and Zak Seddon - continue on the LME programme for 2020 while another four – Charlotte Purdue, Steph Twell, Aimee Pratt and Neil Gourley – have progressed from LME funding to British Athletics’ Olympic Podium Potential Funding after hugely successful performances in 2019.

The athlete programme is part of a larger £350,000 ($453,000US) funding commitment from LME to British endurance running that includes support of the World Class Performance Programme (WCPP) and training camps for British endurance athletes.

Bell said: "I am extremely grateful to receive another year of help from London Marathon Events. I had a memorable year on the track last year reaching the World Championships semi-finals and now I have the Tokyo Olympic Games as my big motivation for 2020. This funding will be crucial to help and support me in a year that could be the biggest of my career to date."

LME has worked with British Athletics to select the nominated individual athletes and the funding is designed to provide a bridge for endurance runners to the WCPP and to improve the standard of British endurance running across all distances.

In addition to the 15 athletes who are continuing on the funding programme, 15 new names have been added to the list including Rosie Clarke (third photo) and Elizabeth Bird, who both ran the 3000m steeplechase at last year’s World Championships, Piers Copeland, 1500m silver medallist at the 2019 Under-23 European Championships, and Stephanie Davis, who last year ran the ninth fastest marathon time in history by a British woman.

The athletes were shortlisted by a panel of British Athletics and London Marathon Events endurance experts and range from middle-distance runners to marathon specialists. No athlete currently funded through the British Athletics WCPP is eligible to receive London Marathon Events individual funding.

Hugh Brasher, Event Director of London Marathon Events, said: “We are passionate about effectively supporting British endurance running and the first year of this new initiative of funding individual athletes has produced good results. Eight of our funded athletes were selected for the World Championships and now four of those have progressed onto the British Athletics Olympic Podium Potential Programme. The aim of this funding was to provide a pathway for talented endurance athletes and these results show it is working.

“We wish this year’s funded athletes every success and we hope to see a number of them in Team GB at the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer.”

The full list of athletes to be offered London Marathon Events funding is:

Mohamud Aadan (Thames Valley), Charlotte Arter (Cardiff AAC, Alexandra Bell (Pudsey & Bramley), Elizabeth Bird (Shaftesbury Barnet), Emile Cairess (Leeds City), Hayley Carruthers (Birchfield Harriers), Rosie Clarke (Epsom & Ewell), Natasha Cockram (Micky Morris Racing Team), Jamaine Coleman (Preston), Ben Connor (Derby)

Piers Copeland (Wimborne), Stephanie Davis (Clapham Chasers), Nick Goolab (Belgrave Harriers), Derek Hawkins (Kilbarchan AAC), Jake Heyward (Cardiff AAC), Sarah Inglis (Lothian Running Club), Tish Jones (Belgrave Harriers)

Matt Leach (Bedford & County), Jonny Mellor (Liverpool Harriers), Amy-Eloise Neale (Wakefield District Harriers), Jennifer Nesbitt (Cardiff AAC), Verity Ockenden (Swansea Harriers), Chris O'Hare (Edinburgh AC)

Lily Partridge (Birchfield Harriers), Marc Scott (Cambridge & Coleridge), Zak Seddon (Bracknell AC), Jake Smith (Cardiff AAC), Jenny Spink (Bristol & West), Chris Thompson (Aldershot Farnham & District), Alice Wright (Worcester AC)

(02/11/2020) Views: 1,972 ⚡AMP

Stephen Sambu of Kenya and Leonard Korir of the U.S., Sara Hall and Des Linden will return for the 47th running of the New Balance Falmouth Road Race

Stephen Sambu of Kenya and Leonard Korir of the U.S., who together staged an epic battle to the finish line in 2017, and Americans Sara Hall and Des Linden will return for the 47th running of the New Balance Falmouth Road Race, organizers announced today.

The fields for the Wheelchair Division presented by Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod and the Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile will be announced next week.

Sambu won the New Balance Falmouth Road Race every year from 2014-2017, becoming the first four-time winner of the men’s open division in race history. The runner-up in two of those victories was Korir, a 2016 Olympian at 10,000 meters who will represent the U.S. this fall at the IAAF World Championships. In 2017, Korir nearly denied Sambu his place in the history books in a fight to the finish that saw both athletes awarded the same time.

Sambu and Korir will be challenged by a tough international field that includes Thomas Ayeko of Uganda, who finished seventh in the 2019 IAAF World Cross Country Championships; David Bett of Kenya, who won the B.A.A. 10K in June; and Silas Kipruto of Kenya, winner of the 2019 Cooper River Bridge Run. Massachusetts native Colin Bennie, who was the top American at the AJC Peachtree Road Race on July 4, and Scott Fauble, a top contender to make Team USA at the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials in February and runner-up here last year to Canadian Ben Flanagan, should be in the hunt.

Flanagan’s season has been cut short by injury, but he will return to Falmouth to speak on a Past Champions panel at the Health & Fitness Expo, hand out gift bags at bib pickup and run with a group of local youth.

In the women’s open division, Hall – who finished second here in 2015 – comes in as the reigning USA 10K champion, and in her long career has won U.S. titles at distances ranging from the mile to the marathon. Fellow American Des Linden, a two-time OIympian and the 2018 Boston Marathon champion, will make her Falmouth competitive debut after running with the pack here last year in celebration of her Boston victory.

“It’s beautiful,” said Linden of the course after her 2018 run. “It helps you forget it’s really hard. Some really impressive things have been done on this course. It’s cool to cover it, and it would be really fun to race it.”

They will face a deep women’s field, highlighted by a trio of Kenyans: 2012 New Balance Falmouth Road Race Champion Margaret Wangari, 2018 NCAA 10,000-meter champion Sharon Lokedi and Iveen Chepkemoi, who recently finished second in the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, N.Y.  Also challenging will be two athletes from Great Britain: Lily Partridge, the 2018 national marathon champion, andTish Jones, who will compete in the marathon at the 2019 World Championships. 

Allie Kieffer, who finished fifth in the 2015 TCS New York City Marathon; Melissa Dock, the top American woman here last year who competed for Team USA at the 2019 Bolder Boulder;Molly Seidel, the 2015 NCAA 10,000-meter champion; and Nell Rojas, winner of the 2019 Grandma’s Marathon and daughter of Ric Rojas, who competed for Harvard and at one time held the 15K world record, round out a solid American lineup.

Three-time winner Caroline Chepkoech of Kenya will not return to defend her title.

First prize in the men’s and women’s open division is $10,000, part of a total $126,000 prize purse for Race Week events, which include the Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile the evening before the 7-miler. In addition, the men’s and women’s winners will seek to prevail in “The Countdown.”

A beat-the-clock handicap race, “The Countdown” features a finish-line clock that starts when the first woman breaks the tape, counting down the number of minutes and seconds the winning man has to beat, according to a pre-determined formula. If the clock runs out before he crosses the line, the victorious woman wins a $5,000 bonus; if it doesn’t, the winning man takes home the money. The time to beat this year is 3 minutes and 35 seconds.

(08/08/2019) Views: 2,469 ⚡AMP

Callum Hawkins is running the London Marathon and Andy Vernon will be making his marathon debut in London

Callum Hawkins is to run the Virgin Money London Marathon this weekend, returning to marathon action for the first time since his collapse when leading the Commonwealth Games race last year.

In terms of British elite men’s entries, the world fourth-placer will be joined in the UK capital by the already-announced Mo Farah, Dewi Griffiths, Jonny Mellor, Tsegai Tewelde, Andy Davies, Josh Griffiths, Robbie Simpson, Matt Sharp and Andy Vernon, who will be making his marathon debut.

Hawkins clocked 2:10:52 when running the London event for the first time in 2016 and improved to his current PB of 2:10:17 when finishing fourth as the city staged the IAAF World Championships the following year.

Racing on the Gold Coast last April, the Scot had looked set to claim a dominant Commonwealth victory but collapsed with just two kilometres of the race remaining. He was entered to compete in the Fukuoka Marathon in December but withdrew due to a hamstring niggle.

His latest performance saw him impress over 10km as he ran 28:55 in Valencia last weekend – a time which is an official PB, though the 26-year-old has clocked faster 10km splits as part of a half-marathon.

Fans will also be interested to see what Vernon might be able to achieve as he steps up to race over 26.2 miles for the first time.

The 2014 European 10,000m silver and 5000m bronze medallist, who also claimed individual European Cross Country Championships bronze in 2013, missed last year’s edition of the Euro Cross through injury but returned to race at the Simplyhealth Great Stirling XCountry last weekend.

“It felt like the right time in my career to move up to the marathon,” said the 33-year-old.

“I feel like I am getting a little bit slower on the track. It’s tough to make teams, it’s tough to do well at championships, especially over 10,000m. For that reason, I thought if I don’t do it now, I won’t ever do it.”

The London Marathon doubles up as the GB team selection event for the IAAF World Championships in Doha, with the British women’s field also looking competitive.

After a year hampered by injury and illness, Charlotte Purdue will return to race in London, as will her Aldershot, Farnham and District club-mate Lily Partridge, the current British champion, who was also forced to drop out of last year’s European Championships marathon with stomach cramps.

Just one second separates Purdue’s marathon PB of 2:29:23, set in London in 2017, and Partridge’s best time of 2:29:24, which she ran to finish eighth in her first London Marathon last year.

“I want to make the world championship team for Doha and I want to run a PB at the Virgin Money London Marathon because I think I can go a lot faster than I did in 2017 and I think my world championship performance proved that,” said world 13th-placer Purdue.

“I just haven’t had the right race yet so I’m hoping the London Marathon will be the right race for me.”

(04/25/2019) Views: 2,049 ⚡AMP
by Athletics Weekly

London winners Daniel Wanjiru and Wilson Kipsang will give Farah a tough race in the Vitality big half next month

The Vitality London Big Half on Sunday, March 10, which serves as a tune-up race for the Virgin Money London Marathon, is shaping up as a fine event as defending champion Sir Mo Farah takes on 2017 London Marathon champion Daniel Wanjiru and two-time London Marathon champion and former marathon world record-holder Wilson Kipsang. 

Farah won last year in 1:01:40, just three seconds ahead of Wanjiru, who finished in second place. The Vitality Big Half doubles as the British Half-Marathon Championships and will feature a number of strong British elites besides Farah.

All three of last year’s female podium finishers, Charlotte Purdue, Lily Partridge and Charlotte Arter are returning also. 

The women’s race sees all three of last year’s podium finishers returning. Charlotte Purdue was last year’s winner, running 1:10:29 in cold conditions, while runner-up Lily Partridge and third-placed Charlotte Arter are also back. In addition, Steph Twell will be making her debut in the event, plus Tracy Barlow, Gemma Steel and Sonia Samuels.

(02/21/2019) Views: 2,389 ⚡AMP

Callum Hawkins, Lily Partridge and Dewi Griffiths are among the latest wave of British athletes named for the Virgin Money London Marathon on April 28

Callum Hawkins and Dewi Griffiths will also be running the London Marathon in April. 

Great Britain international marathoner Hawkins has fond memories in the UK capital after running 2:10:52 in 2016 before clocking 2:10:17 to finish fourth at the 2017 World Championships, while Griffiths memorably ran 2:09:49 at the Frankfurt Marathon in 2017.

British marathon champion Lily Partridge will join the women’s field along with previously announced Charlotte Purdue, Tracy Barlow, Sonia Samuels, Hayley Carruthers, Tish Jones and Natasha Cockram.

Just one second separates Purdue’s marathon personal best of 2:29:23, set at the 2017 London Marathon, and Partridge’s best time of 2:29:24 which she ran to finish eighth in her first London Marathon last year.

The British field in both the men’s and women’s races at the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon which will be used as the selection race for the World Championships in Doha. 

(01/19/2019) Views: 1,646 ⚡AMP

Commonwealth marathon champion Mike Shelley will make his debut at the Great north Run

Commonwealth marathon champion Mike Shelley will make his debut at the world’s biggest half marathon on Sunday, while British interest will come in the shape of Great Britain’s Olympian Andy Vernon and Jonny Mellor. Daniel Wanjiru, who won the London Marathon in 2017, will take on Farah and Robertson on Tyneside, while 2012 New York Marathon winner Stanley Biwott has also been added to the field. Just as Farah aims to strengthen his hold over the competition, Vivian Cheruiyot is pursuing her second victory at the race in three years. Joyciline Jepkosgei, the world record holder over the half marathon distance, is, on paper, her main rival, although Betsy Saina, fifth in last year’s race, could pose a challenge. Lily Partridge, Gemma Steel, Charlotte Purdue and Aly Dixon are also in the line-up. (09/06/2018) Views: 1,786 ⚡AMP

Joyciline Jepkosgei and Vivian Cheruiyot set for battle at the Great North Run Sunday

Joyciline Jepkosgei and Vivian Cheruiyot lead the entries as Britain’s best Lily Partridge, Gemma Steel, Charlotte Purdue and Aly Dixon battle. The world’s fastest ever woman over the half marathon will be looking to spoil Vivian Cheruiyot’s plans to make it two Simplyhealth Great North Run wins in three years on Sunday September 9. Joyciline Jepkosgei, the world record holder over the half marathon, has been added to the field for one of the world’s biggest half marathon this weekend and will be the main competition for Olympic champion Cheruiyot in the iconic race. Kenyan Jepkosgei clocked her record time of 64:51 in the Prague Half Marathon last year where she also broke the world 10km, 15km and 20km records. She went on to beat her own 10km world record time back in Prague three months later when she clocked 29.43 to become the first woman to ever break 30 minutes over 10km. Betsy Saina, who finished fifth in last year’s race which was won by Mary Keitany, will also be in contention, with British hopes lying with Lily Partridge, Gemma Steel, Charlotte Purdue and Sunderland athlete Aly Dixon. (09/05/2018) Views: 1,757 ⚡AMP

British marathon champion will return to the streets of London

Lily Partridge, who ran a personal best 2:29:44 to finish eighth overall and first British woman at the Virgin Money London Marathon in April, is set to get back to racing at the Vitality London 10000 on May 28. The 27-year-old will not be the only British marathon champion competing, with Mo Farah already confirmed for the last Monday of May bank holiday race. Partridge’s, who clocked her 10k PB of 33:27 at the 2016 event, will face Aldershot, Farnham and District club-mate Steph Twell before looking ahead to the Berlin hosted European Championships in August. “The Vitality London 10000 is great because it does bring together a range of athletes,” said Partridge. “Some people like Steph come into it in track shape and it can be fast and then there are us girls who come into it off the back of a marathon and we have to ease ourselves into it a bit more. (05/24/2018) Views: 2,124 ⚡AMP

Vitality London 10000 shaping up to be a fast event at the end of the month

Lily Partridge, who ran a personal best 2:29:44 to finish eighth overall and first British woman at the Virgin Money London Marathon in April, is set to get back to racing at the Vitality London 10000 on May 28. The 27-year-old will not be the only British marathon champion competing, with Mo Farah already confirmed for the last Monday of May bank holiday race. Partridge’s, who clocked her 10k PB of 33:27 at the 2016 event, will face Aldershot, Farnham and District club-mate Steph Twell before looking ahead to the Berlin hosted European Championships in August. “The Vitality London 10000 is great because it does bring together a range of athletes,” said Partridge. “Some people like Steph come into it in track shape and it can be fast and then there are us girls who come into it off the back of a marathon and we have to ease ourselves into it a bit more.  The Vitality London 10,000 starts and finishes in St James’s Park and uses Green Park as its assembly area. The race starts on The Mall and finishes on Spur Road opposite Buckingham Palace. Runners follow a clockwise route around the City of Westminster and the City of London. The course passes many of London’s famous sights including Admiralty Arch, Nelson’s Column, St Paul’s Cathedral, Mansion House, the Bank of England, the Old Bailey, Somerset House, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.  The race also features the British 10K Championships Men and Women. (05/15/2018) Views: 2,093 ⚡AMP