Running News Daily

Two-time Canadian Olympian Lucas Bruchet hangs up his track spikes

On Feb. 14, two-time Canadian Olympian and multi-time national champion Lucas Bruchet announced on Instagram that his journey in track and field is over. The 31-year-old schoolteacher and third-fastest Canadian over 5,000m will retire from competitive racing–but he has plans to stay in the sport.

Bruchet posted on Instagram:

“It’s been no secret to many, but to everybody else that’s followed my journey in athletics it’s time I tell you it’s over. I mean it’s not totally over, I’ll always run, but it’s no longer the thing that drives my life.

The goals will be different and I hope to continue to inspire the Canadian running community and explore ways to continue growing this awesome sport. I am looking forward to connecting everything I’ve learned to teaching and coaching.

Much love and thank you to my team of people who guided me and helped me achieve every goal I ever set. To all those who have supported me over the years, I appreciate y’all, these were some damn good times.”

Bruchet represented Team Canada in the men’s 5,000m at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he finished 19th in his heat. At the 2021 Harry Jerome Classic in Vancouver, Bruchet ran a 12-second PB to become the third-fastest Canadian of all time, which earned him a spot on the Tokyo Olympic team alongside Moh Ahmed and Justyn Knight.

Bruchet ended up placing 12th in his 5,000m heat in 13:44.08. He also collected several national championship titles over the 5,000m, 10,000m and cross-country. Until 2022, Bruchet never finished lower than fourth at the Canadian XC Championships (ACXC), and he is the only male athlete in the last decade with more than one ACXC win.

He finished his career with personal bests of 3:58.60 (mile), 7:46.89 (3,000m), 13:12.56 (5,000m), 27:56.12 (10,000m) and 63:12 for the half-marathon.

Many icons in the Canadian running community paid homage to Bruchet in the comment section:

“Congrats on a great career Luc. Had a lot of fun races lining up next to you and was inspired by all the times you stepped up with big performances when you needed them. All the best moving forward!” – Cam Levins (Canadian marathon record holder and Olympian)

“You’re an inspiration man… congrats on an exceptional career. Good luck on your next chapter!” – Ben Flanagan (Canadian 10K record holder)

“Mudtruck, we love ya! what a career. Now let’s go coach some athletes and ride some bikes.” – Rob Watson (Mile2Marathon Coach and Olympian)

Bruchet plans on continuing to coach with Mile2Marathon’s Vancouver group, which offers services and training communities to runners and endurance athletes of all abilities.

High school cross-country runner disqualified for swearing

Michigan High School Cross-Country Championships, a runner was disqualified after cussing in disbelief at his second-place finish.

Parchment High School’s Garrett Winter passed a competitor during the final 100 metres of the race and celebrated by yelling “Holy f@#king s^*t, let’s go” as he crossed the line. You can check out the video below. Winter is the second runner to cross the line.

His disqualification has caused a stir online, but according to the National Federation of High School Sport (NFHS), the governing body for U.S. high school sports, states that “Unacceptable conduct by a competitor, failing to follow the meet rules and directions of a meet official, or using profanity that is or isn’t directed at someone will result in disqualification from the event.”

According to his Twitter, his coaches appealed the ruling, but it was upheld. Winter ran a 22-second personal best in the 5K race for a time of 15:27 – a time that he didn’t think was possible. He issued a Twitter apology on Monday night.

Many runners on Twitter are in disbelief over the ruling, as Shalane Flanagan once yelled a similar term after winning the 2017 New York City Marathon and no one batted an eye.

Since Winter’s disqualification, an online petition has gained traction to change Rule 4-6 of the NFHS rule book, to reinstate Winter’s second-place finish. The petition was tweeted out by Canadian marathoner Rob Watson, who recalls saying similar words during his collegiate days at Colorado State University. 

Kenya´s Philemon Rono will be looking for another title at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Philemon Rono of Kenya has won the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon twice–the first time in 2016, and the second time in 2017, when he set the Canadian all-comers record of 2:06:52 (also his personal best).

Rono, who trains with NN Running (marathon world record-holder Eliud Kipchoge’s group), was dealing with a calf injury and didn’t have a great race in 2018, finishing ninth in 2:13:36, but the diminutive runner they call Baby Police is healthy and will be back on October 20, hoping not only to win, but to lower his Canadian soil record.

Rono raced at Boston in April, finishing eighth, in 2:08:57–which he was happy with. He is currently running about 200K per week with the NN Training group in Kaptagat under the direction of coach Patrick Sang.

Kipchoge has a big influence on the training, Rono says. “We watch everything he does.” Many accounts of Kipchoge’s training make note of the fact that while living in camp from Monday to Saturday, he takes his turn mopping floors and scrubbing toilets like everyone else. When not working out, the group loves to watch soccer on TV. Like Kipchoge, Rono travels home to his farm on weekends, where he spends time with his wife and young son, and tends his cattle.

Rono’s stiffest competition so far announced will be Abera Kuma, who has a personal best of 2:05:50, and Benson Kipruto, who won last year’s marathon in 2:07:24 (which was seconds off his PB).

The race will also serve as the Canadian marathon championships and unofficial Olympic trials, with the top Canadian male automatically qualifying for Team Canada at Tokyo 2020 (provided he achieves the Olympic standard of 2:11:30 within the qualifying window). 

Reid Coolsaet, Dylan Wykes, Rob Watson and Canadian marathon record-holder Cam Levins will all be on the start line on October 20.

Canadians Reid Coolsaet, Dylan Wykes & Rob Watson will return to the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Three very familiar faces will be among the outstanding Canadian entries for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon October 20th, all lured by the Athletics Canada National Championship which runs concurrently in this IAAF Gold Label race.

Moreover, this year’s event also serves as Canada’s Olympic trials with the ‘first past the post' earning an automatic spot on the team bound for Tokyo provided he or she has achieved the Olympic standard (2:11:30/2:29:30).

Two-time Olympian Reid Coolsaet will seek a third berth, Dylan Wykes a second and Rob Watson, a three-time World Championships performer, relishes the challenge of earning another podium finish. The ‘three amigos’ between them have won twenty-one national titles.

Coolsaet turned 40 on July 29th and acknowledges his best days are behind him - he is Canada’s third fastest marathoner of all time with a 2:10:28 personal record - but believes he has the experience to make the team for Tokyo. "Yeah, it is my goal, I am totally focused on making the Olympics," said Coolsaet, who has run under 2:11:30 six times in his career. "It’s definitely my main motivation for training as hard as I do in the marathon.

"If it wasn’t for the 2020 Olympics, knowing I am not really looking for a PB anymore, I think I would have moved to the trails last year. I am happy to train this hard knowing the reward would mean a lot to me."

With Cam Levins (2:09:25) also returning to the site of his dramatic Canadian record-breaking performance, Coolsaet realises that something would have to go seriously wrong for Levins to miss the automatic place. Still, he remains optimistic he has a chance.

"I know what it takes to run the level I need to run to potentially qualify for the Olympics," Coolsaet says believing a 2:12:30 might be good enough to earn a place through the IAAF ranking system.

"Although I don’t want to get hurt, I don’t want to sell myself short and think ‘what if?’ I am going to be smart about my training and listen to my body. "I am not going to run quite as much mileage as in the past. But I know I can’t let being 40 be an excuse to back off my training because I can't handle it or something like that. Although there will be some slight changes, they are going to be very slight."

Wykes who was Canada’s top finisher in the 2012 Olympic marathon (20th in 2:15:26) has a personal best of 2:10:47 making him the fourth fastest Canadian of all time. Many were surprised by his return. After failing to make the Rio Olympic team he effectively retired to focus on his family - he and his wife Francine have two young children - and his coaching business ‘Mile2Marathon’.

Coach Richard Lee had once declared that he doubted Wykes would ever want to put himself through the disruption which ultimately led to his place on the 2012 London Olympic team. He made three attempts to achieve the standard sacrificing much in the process. His 2:10:47 came at the 2016 Rotterdam Marathon. Reminded of this the now 36-year old laughs.

"It’s certainly taken a few years to wrap my head around things and realize I am probably not going to do it again if it’s like the buildup was to London," he admits. "I would be lying if I said Tokyo wasn’t in the back of my mind. But I think I am trying to see things less ‘big picture’ and trying to focus on staying healthy and getting to the finish line in Toronto.

"If Cam Levins is on his game he’s in a different stratosphere. But I guess guys like Tristan Woodfine, Reid, Trevor Hofbauer, these kind of guys, if I am going well, I will mix it up with them.That is kind of what I am most excited about."

Following the 2012 Olympics, Wykes’ motivation was at a peak. The London experience had left him excited with endless possibilities to set about achieving. But there were obstacles that cropped up along the way. "I was as focused or more focused after London as any time in my career and the years between London and Rio were going to be my best," he reveals. "But a lot of that was injuries and kind of biting off more than I could chew.

"Some of that had to with the buildup to London and having to run so many marathons. And I made the silly mistake of trying to chase down (Jerome Drayton’s Canadian record). After London that became my focus. And, when I didn’t make Rio, I was kind of done."

A year ago Wykes and his family moved east from Vancouver after Francine received a post-doctoral position at Carleton University. Together with Rob Watson he coaches runners of all abilities through their company ‘Mile2Marathon’. With over 200 clients and ten coaches it is a thriving business. Somewhere along the way he rediscovered his own love for disciplined training. At his peak Watson achieved a personal best of 2:13:29 at the 2013 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

Yuki Kawauchi will race on Canadian soil for the first time at this year’s BMO Vancouver Marathon

2018 Boston Marathon champion Yuki Kawauchi will race on Canadian soil for the first time at this year’s BMO Vancouver Marathon, to be held on Sunday, May 5, the race organization announced today. The marathon is less than three weeks after Boston, which Kawauchi has said he will also race again in 2019.

Kawauchi, who says he will become a full-time professional runner in 2019, was the first Japanese man to win the Boston Marathon since 1987. 23 elites dropped out in appalling weather conditions that featured driving rain and freezing winds.

Fans speculate Kawauchi may even contest the Vancouver course record of 2:18:37, set by Kenya’s Luka Chelimo in 2015. (Kawauchi’s personal best is 2:08:14.)

2018 winner Zheng Zhiling of China and second-place finisher Margarita Quintero of Mexico have said they will also be back this year. 2018 winner Rob Watson indicates he will “probably” return also.

A Japanese man has not won the Vancouver marathon since Atsunari Saito’s victory in 1999.