Running News Daily

A group of Canadian sport specialists are developing a tool to predict risk and prevent RED-S and overtraining

In 2014, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) first introduced the term Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), which refers to low energy availability resulting from a mismatch between energy intake (i.e. fuel in the form of food) and energy expenditure from training.

While the term is now widely recognized by the endurance sport community, there remains a gap in its assessment and treatment. A group of Canadian researchers is trying to close this gap by developing a diagnostic tool for athletes. 

Rachel Hannah is on the development team, alongside Austen Forbes and Alex Coates who both have a background in elite triathlon. As a marathoner and registered dietitian, who has had personal experience with RED-S, Hannah says she is excited about the project. “RED-S is a condition that can prevent athletes from competing due to its negative health and performance issues, even forcing some into early retirement,” she says.

“There is currently no solution to the problem, because it is a relatively new area of study that reveals the difficulty in capturing all of the components that go into an athlete’s health and performance. We are collaborating with AI Endurance, which was founded by Markus Rummel in 2020, to create a diagnostic tool.”

In order to develop this tool, Hannah is asking runners to help. “This software would provide a predictive and diagnostic tool that could enable an athlete to understand their risk levels for developing RED-S or overtraining.

We are currently looking for athletes to fill out a diagnostic questionnaire in order for us to collect data. We are particularly looking for athletes who are currently diagnosed with RED-S or overtraining or have experienced RED-S or overtraining in the past.”

To take the survey, or for more information go to oneathlete.ca.

Researchers at the University of Calgary found that running can boost mental acuity

You’ve always known running is physically good for you, but a recent study out of the University of Calgary found that it has cognitive benefits, too. The study was published by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), and it showed that running and performing other aerobic exercises on a regular basis for just six months can boost brain function by 5.7 per cent.

The study suggests that new runners of all ages should experience at least some improvements after adding consistent exercise to their weekly schedules. 

Marc Poulin, one of the authors on the study, said in an AAN press release that “even if you start an exercise program later in life, the benefit to your brain may be immense.” Poulin works at the Cumming School of Medicine at U of C. “Sure, aerobic exercise gets blood moving through your body,” he said. “As our study found, it may also get blood moving to your brain, particularly in areas responsible for verbal fluency and executive functions.” Poulin said these findings could help in future research regarding Alzheimer’s and dementia.  

The study looked at 206 adults over a six-month period in which they exercised at least four days a week. At the start of the six months, the subjects — who had an average age of 66 — underwent thinking and memory tests, and they also had ultrasounds to monitor the blood flow to their brains. Physical tests administered again after three months and then six months, when the subjects were also given thinking tests. 

The study participants worked out in a supervised group setting three days a week throughout those six months, and they were asked to exercise at least once more on their own each week. Their aerobic exercise program started at 20 minutes per day and was eventually bumped up to 40 minutes. After the six months, subjects showed a 5.7 per cent improvement on tests of executive function, as well as a boost of 2.4 per cent when it came to verbal fluency, which pertains to the ability to retrieve information. 

Blood flow to the brain also improved after the half-year of training, jumping from 51.3 centimeters per second at the start of the trial to 52.7 at the end for an increase of 2.8 per cent. “Our study showed that six months’ worth of vigorous exercise may pump blood to regions of the brain that specifically improve your verbal skills as well as memory and mental sharpness,” Poulin said.

What does this mean for runners? Well, if you exercise regularly already, you’re doing yourself a favor, even if you didn’t realize it before. If you’re new to running, though, the study shows that you can still boost your mental acuity if you stick with the sport and work out consistently. 

Work your core like champion Mo Farah

As every runner knows, core strengthening is an important aspect of your training schedule, but many of us are guilty of skipping core workouts on a regular basis. You know who doesn’t skip core sessions? Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah.

Yes, we know core hurts and it’s not nearly as fun as getting out on the roads, trails or track, but it will help you improve as a runner and all-around athlete. So drop what you’re doing, get on the floor and try Farah’s quick and easy core routine, which he says has helped him achieve his goals in the sport.

Russian twist — 20 reps

Start off with a classic — the Russian twist. Farah uses a medicine ball for this exercise, but you can use a dumbbell or anything else you have at your disposal. If you find it too difficult to perform this exercise with a ball or weight, you can also do it without holding anything. Start by sitting on the floor, lifting your feet off the ground and crossing your legs. Making sure to keep your legs as still as possible, twist from side to side, moving the medicine ball to either hip. Farah notes that it’s important to “lean in and squeeze your core” while performing this move, and it’s also key not to rush it (even though you might want to just get it over with).

Oblique crunches — 20 reps

Next up is oblique crunches, which will have you lying on your back. With one leg bent and your foot resting on the floor, bring your other leg up and rest it against your opposite knee. Then, with your hands behind your head, twist and lift upward toward the knee of your elevated leg, making sure that your shoulder blade comes off the floor and your elbow touches your knee. Once complete, repeat 20 reps on the opposite side. 

Bent-leg crunches — 10 reps

On your back once again, bend both legs and lift them so they’re at a 90-degree angle. Keep your legs open and about hip-length apart, then perform a crunch, again making sure to get your shoulder blades off the ground. 

Hand to foot stability pass — 10 reps

You’ll need a Swiss ball for this workout. Start flat on your back with the ball in your hands, then simultaneously lift your arms and legs and let them meet in the middle, above your torso. When they meet, place the ball between your feet and lower your limbs back to the floor before repeating the motion and trading the ball once again. Farah says to exhale as you crunch and inhale as you extend, also adding that you should focus on keeping your lower back flat to the floor. 

Lower-abs pulse — 10 reps

This exercise also requires a Swiss ball, but if you don’t have one, you can place your legs on a chair. With one leg outstretched straight beneath you and resting on the ball, extend the other into the air above you. From there, lift your pelvis off the floor, pulsing up and dropping down repeatedly for 10 reps on each side. 

Swiss ball opposite-arm and leg-lift — 5 reps

Resting your torso on the Swiss ball, place your feet and arms on the floor. Extend one arm out while also lifting the opposite leg, then repeat with the other pair. Be sure to keep your head in line with the rest of your body and also remember to engage your glutes when lifting your legs. 

Lower-back extension — 5 reps

In the same position on the Swiss ball as the previous exercise, lift your upper body up, extending straight up, then to either side. Take care to do this slowly, otherwise you’ll gain too much momentum and lose control of the motion. 

The Oldest Continuous Road Race In The World, YMCA Buffalo Turkey Trot 8-K, Will Be Held For A Record 125th Straight Year This Year

Each year on Thanksgiving Day more Americans participate in running races than on any other day.  According to the running industry trade group Running USA, about 1.2 million Americans ran in a “turkey trot” in 2018, up 71% from 2011 when the organization first began tracking participation.  It’s the perfect activity before families sit down to their Thanksgiving feasts and hours of watching football.

“As the popularity of turkey trots grows, we increasingly see them as healthy activities for the whole family on one of the biggest holidays of the year,” observed outgoing Running USA CEO Rich Harshbarger through a statement in 2019.  “The vast majority of participants are running with partners, children, other family members, friends, and even multi-generational branches of their family tree.”

But the pandemic will put a huge dent in race participation on Thanksgiving this year which falls on Thursday, November 26.  Out of a representative sample of 39 well-established turkey trots tracked by Race Results Weekly, only six plan to stage in-person races this year.  The rest will be held virtually, or have simply been cancelled.

Among those six, are two of the nation’s oldest road races, the YMCA Turkey Trot 8-K in Buffalo, N.Y., founded in 1896, and the Run for the Diamonds (9 miler) in Berwick, Pa., founded in 1908.  Remarkably, the Buffalo race has been held for 124 consecutive years without being cancelled, making it the longest running public road race in the world.  It was actually founded one year before the Boston Marathon.

So when the pandemic struck last March, race director Rick Streeter quickly began thinking about how to put on the 125th edition as a safe, in-person race.  Streeter, a vice-president at Leone Timing, the event management and timing company which oversees the operation of the race, felt strongly that the streak should continue.  He and Leone Timing’s president Pat Leone started to look for a way forward.

“We knew that we needed to do something live,” Streeter told Race Results Weekly in a telephone interview earlier this week.  “Obviously, with some of our success with virtual racing in the spring, we were going to have that component, regardless.  But to preserve the record, the streak, we needed to do something live.”

Working with leaders at the YMCA Buffalo Niagara Association, the not-for-profit organization which owns the event, Streeter and Leone proposed a hybrid race with most athletes running virtually, but 125 –one for each year of the race‘s tenure– could run in-person.  YMCA officials, with support from Erie County and the City of Buffalo, liked the idea but how would the 125 be selected?  The race is extremely popular, and had almost 12,000 finishers last year.  After a lot of discussion, they decided to select the runners randomly out of the pool of virtual entrants.

The traditional point-to-point course allowed the event to accommodate a large group of runners, but it also meant that runners had to be transported to the start.  Streeter wanted to eliminate that requirement.

“We had to create a new course because we didn’t want it to be point-to-point,” Streeter explained.  “We wanted to eliminate the transportation factor, so everybody is in charge of their own transportation.  It’s not a common start/finish (line), but the start and finish are very close.”

Of course, many runners may show up on the traditional course to do their virtual races on Thanksgiving, something that Streeter and Leone have anticipated.  They made sure that the special 2020 course isn’t in the same location as the traditional course.

“I think the idea is getting the in-person race onto a different course and getting them out of the way of what may happen unofficially on the regular course,” said Leone.

“Actually, it was the one thing we talked about right from March when everything locked down,” Leone said.  “I said, if I’ve got to gather five or ten people we’ve got to have the 125th… if we have to run them one at a time down the sidewalk into downtown to the convention center.”  He continued: “We felt like we are stewards of it, something that survived world wars, all the world wars, and whatever else.”

Leone and Streeter noted that the race came close to cancellation a few times, including in both 2000 and 2014 when early snowstorms hit the city hard just before Thanksgiving.  The city, and race officials and volunteers, were up to the challenge.  In 2000 the race recorded 3452 finishers, and in 2000 there were 12,280.

Eliud Kipchoge's 2021 Ambitions, Undecided About London Return

Olympic champion and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge says his main focus for 2021 will be defending his Tokyo Olympic title, but is uncertain whether he will try and reclaim his London Marathon title.

If all goes well, Kipchoge will look to retain his Olympic title in Tokyo in August while the London Marathon is scheduled for just over two months later, on October 3.

With the short turnaround between the two events, Kipchoge is uncertain whether he will go for the two, but is already assured that he will be at the start in Tokyo.

"I will be chasing the Olympic gold in 2021. I am praying that this pandemic will go away and we resume life as normal. I want to try and grab a marathon to test myself before then and see where my body is. As for London, I don't know yet but time will tell," Kipchoge told Capital Sport.

The world record holder suffered rare defeat at this year's London Marathon, finishing sixth for only his second loss over the distance in 14 races.

The cold weather coupled with a problem on one of his ears that troubled his equilibrium saw him suffer the shock loss that left everyone dumbfounded.

People should know that I am a human being just like them and anything can happen in a marathon. I don't want them to be disappointed but rather take positives and get inspired. They should take positive vibes of all the beautiful victories over the last seven years and not complain," Kipchoge noted.

The Marathon king says he has already moved on from the London loss and is plotting on his next assault; the Olympic crown.

"The words injury you can get is an injury to your mind. If the mind gets a puncture, you are done. The mind plays a big role in understanding what sport is. The defeat is now behind my back and I have learned lessons from it. Now the only thing is to look ahead," stated Kipchoge.

While he continues to focus on his next stream of athletics success, Kipchoge is busy rolling the wheels of his foundation as he looks to not only inspire the world with marathon running, but charitable works as well.

My heart felt gratitude and appreciation to those who have given my foundation a helping hand. Together we were able to feed vulnerable athletes and the wider community during these difficult times.

2020 Airtel Delhi Half Marathon gets a new logo

The new identity for Airtel Delhi Half Marathon is designed by Locopopo, a Mumbai-based boutique design studio. The logo showcases the ever-evolving spirit of ADHM and has successfully created excitement within the running community and the runner being the hero of the new identity.

The Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM), a world athletics gold label race, has inspired all to #GoBeyond — go beyond convention, go beyond what’s expected and push the boundaries of what’s possible.

The Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM), a world athletics gold label race, has inspired all to #GoBeyond — go beyond convention, go beyond what’s expected and push the boundaries of what’s possible. 

Be it active lifestyle, women empowerment, philanthropy or a platform to be inclusive and bring society together — the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon has energised the community at large.

This changing landscape paved the foundation for a fresh identity. With the 2020 edition, the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon entered a new phase, a new beginning. The campaign has kick-started with a contemporary modern identity for the event logo.

The runner and the spirit of every participant is at the heart of ADHM. A showcase of their own unique story of grit, determination, success and failure; inspiring to create history and not just be a part of it.  This very ethos is echoed in the logo which is representative of a new, forward moving and fitter Delhi.

The runner symbol at centre of the logo works as a strong visual identity and can be used innovatively as an element across mediums. The use of modern typeface, gradients and combination of grey and red colour evokes the energy of the sport and enhances its identity.

The new identity for Airtel Delhi Half Marathon is designed by Locopopo, a Mumbai-based boutique design studio.

Lokesh Karekar, founder, Locopopo Studio, said, “The story of the runner has always been the soul of the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon. The new logo celebrates the host city and the remarkable journey of every runner; embodying every participant of an event that has shown the #GoBeyond spirit of Delhi to the world.”

The event has consistently aimed to offer runners an unforgettable experience. Keeping in mind the affiliation of runners with the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon, they were a strategic choice to unveil the new identity. A detailed, personalised outreach was initiated with various run clubs and runner influencers across the country.

The runner symbol in the logo was shared by the running fraternity, on their social media platforms a day prior to the launch. This created intrigue on something new coming up. On October 30, the runners shared a film capturing the 16-year journey of the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon and how it had become a part of the fabric of the city and built an everlasting bond with runners across the country. The new logo showcases the ever-evolving spirit of ADHM and has successfully created excitement within the running community, and the runner being the hero of the new identity.

Vivek Singh, Jt. MD, Procam International, said, “When we launched the event 17 years ago, little did people believe Delhi would take up running as a lifestyle. Today, the event is synonymous with the city and this has been possible only with the support from all stakeholders. Our runners give life to ADHM and this has been beautifully translated into the new logo of the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon.”

The next Bay to Breakers held in San Francisco is now scheduled for August 22, 2021

Bay to Breakers, which had optimistically been rescheduled from May to September this year and then cancelled, has now been conservatively pushed well past its usual spring running time to next August. 

"Straight Pride," as SFist has always liked to call the annual costumed footrace across the city, was one of many casualties of the pandemic, but being an outdoor activity, organizers thought maybe it could still happen this fall — kind of like organizers of Coachella did back in the spring, and we know how that turned out.

Registration recently opened for next year's Bay to Breakers, which, at present, is scheduled for Sunday, August 22, 2021 — a couple of weeks after the currently scheduled Outside Lands weekend, and right around the time people will be collecting and dusting off costumes for a very different event, Burning Man.

And as organizers reminded fans on Facebook on Monday, today is actually the last day for an early-bird special — if you register for Bay 2 Breakers by midnight, you'll get 50% off the regular price. Individual runners can register for $39.99 today, and "centipede" tickets for 13 to 15 runners are going for $519.87 — but runners will have to be attached by bungee cords or some other "safe" mechanism.

Unstoppable, Ruth Saunders, 104-year-old woman crosses marathon finish line for charity

A 104-year-old woman has completed a marathon walk for charity, with her family describing how the “unstoppable” great-grandmother is looking at her next fundraising challenge.

Ruth Saunders, from Newbury in Berkshire, crossed the finish line of her 26.2-mile walk at Newbury Racecourse on Wednesday, a day before England goes into a second national lockdown.

Following in the footsteps of Captain Sir Tom Moore, Ruth had originally set herself the goal of walking 104 laps of her block – around 21 miles – to match her age when she set off on the challenge on September 8.

Her granddaughter Kate Saunders, 50, described the moment Ruth made it across the finish line on a bright, sunny morning.

“She said ‘is that it? Have I done it now?'” Kate said.

While slow and steady may win the race, Kate said there was no stopping her grandmother.

“She definitely paces out her laps quite quickly,” she said. “I kept telling her to slow it down.”

Ruth has so far raised more than £31,000 for Thames Valley Air Ambulance, surpassing her original target of £500 on JustGiving.

She had previously held coffee morning fundraisers for the charity but these had to stop due to the pandemic.

Kate said her grandmother has inspired people young and old to join her on a socially-distanced walk to keep her going, including her two daughters Gemma, 16, and Hannah, 14.

She described how a four-year-old in the neighbourhood had joined Ruth on the walk one day and donated money too.

She added: “Everyone’s really proud of her, she’s so independent, lively and energetic, she puts younger people to shame.

“Donations are still coming in daily, even from around the world.

“My eldest daughter’s friends from school were saying ‘your great-grandmother is so amazing’, all ages are feeling so inspired by her, in the local area and beyond.”

Ruth joins the likes of Sir Tom, the 100-year-old veteran who raised millions for the NHS during lockdown, and 100-year-old Islam Choudhury, who raised more than £420,000 for various good causes while fasting during Ramadan.

As England is set to go into a second national lockdown from Thursday, Kate said the family will be supporting Ruth throughout the month as part of her bubble.

She added: “The first lockdown was difficult for everyone.

“She (Ruth) gave me a shopping list one day asking for specific things and I couldn’t get them for her because there just wasn’t anything left in the shops.

“Coming into the next lockdown we are looking at how we can support her and keep stock of what she needs, all of her family are there for her.”

With a new taste for adventure, Kate said they have already been talking about Ruth’s next challenge.

“She said ‘I can swim the English Channel? Do a parachute jump?’ When she puts her mind to something there is no stopping her,” Kate added.

The Kenyan trio of Hellen Obiri, Faith Kipyegon and Peres Jepchirchir are among 10 nominees for the 2020 World Athletes of the Year- Female Award

The winner will be declared during the 2020 World Athletics Awards to be held virtually on December 5.

Obiri, the World 5,000m champion, remained undefeated in three races over 3000m and 5000m during this season's Diamond League and ran a world-leading of 8:22.54 over 3000m at Doha on September 25.

Kipyegon also had a great year undefeated in five races over all distances and also ran world-leading performances over 800m (1:57.68) and 1000m (2:29.15) in Doha.

Peres Jepchirchir twice broke the world half marathon record for a women-only race (1:05:34 and 1:05:16) at the Prague Half Marathon and at the World Half Marathon Championship. No Kenyan woman has ever emerged the World Athlete of the Year winner despite their dominance in long distance races.

On Monday, Kenya's Timothy Cheruiyot was shortlisted for the men's award.

World Athletics disclosed on Tuesday that the list of 10 nominees for the Female World Athlete of the Year were selected by an international panel of athletics experts comprising representatives from all six continental areas of World Athletics.

“The nominations reflect the remarkable range of exceptional performances that the sport has witnessed this year, despite the challenges that the global Covid-19 pandemic presented,” said a statement on World Athletics website.

The trio of Kenyans will definitely face stiff competition from Muir, Gidey, Ababel Yeshaneh and Ethiopian-born Dutch European 10,000m record holder, Sifan Hassan. Also to watch out is Jamaican sprinting queen Elaine Thompson-Herah.

Olympic medalist Irina Privalova nominated for RusAF Presidency

Four-time Olympic medallist Irina Privalova is to stand for the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) Presidency later this month.

Privalova has been nominated for the post by the Moscow Athletics Federation, Russia's state-run news agency TASS reports.

New RusAF elections have been scheduled for November 30.

Until then, Yevgeny Yurchenko - who resigned in July - is the organisation's Acting President.

Regional federations are able to nominate candidates for the RusAF Presidency, and Privalova is not the first to have their name put forward.

Sports manager Mikhail Gusev - who was a candidate in February, before withdrawing late on as Yurchenko became President unopposed - has been nominated by the Athletics Federation of the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

Privalova won 400 metres hurdles gold and 4x400m relay bronze for Russia at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

She also won 100m bronze and 4x100m silver at Barcelona 1992, running for the Unified Team of former Soviet nations, and six medals at various World Championships.

RusAF is currently suspended by World Athletics, with its Reinstatement Commission given a March 1 deadline to present the global governing body with a reinstatement plan.

It avoided expulsion in August by paying World Athletics a $6.31 million (£4.8 million/€5.32 million) fine, stemming from an anti-doping rule violation by world indoor high jump champion Danil Lysenko and subsequent cover-up.

Seven RusAF officials - including then-President Dmitry Shlyakhtin - were charged by the Athletics Integrity Unit with obstructing an anti-doping investigation by forging documents to explain Lysenko's missed tests.

Russia has been banned from international competition since November 2015 following allegations of state-sponsored doping, but some athletes have been able to compete under the Authorised Neutral Athlete (ANA) programme.

The ANA scheme is currently suspended for Russian athletes, but is due to be discussed at a World Athletics Council meeting in December.

If the Russian Anti-Doping Agency's appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against a four-year package of sanctions which includes a ban on the Russian flag flying at the Olympic Games is unsuccessful, the only way Russian track and field athletes will be able to compete at Tokyo 2020 next year is if the ANA programme is resumed.

2020 Istanbul Marathon is set to be run despite coronavirus crisis

Are you ready to be one of the 4,000 marathon runners that challenge all odds?

The Istanbul Marathon, which is the only intercontinental marathon in the world and is in the Gold Category, was among the organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that left its mark in 2020 with many mandatory changes from participation conditions to the track.

In 2020, when many major marathons were canceled or run only by elite athletes, we meticulously completed all the preparations for the Istanbul Marathon, which we organized for the 42nd time. In this direction, we decided to run the N Kolay 42nd Istanbul Marathon on November 8 with only 4,000 42k runners on the “pandemic special track”!

The Istanbul Marathon, where tens of thousands of Istanbulites come together with Public Run every year and turn it into a feast, will be run in 2020 with just 4,000 marathon runners who won’t give up and go forth, even without spectator support!

Instead of the track that started with an intercontinental run on the 15th of July Martyrs Bridge on the Anatolian side, this year it starts from the Yenikapı Event Area, which allows all participants to take full health and hygiene measures.

The 42K runners who will participate in the N Kolay 42nd Istanbul Marathon started in Yenikapı for the first time this year and toured the Historical Peninsula, and after Dolmabahçe and BeÅŸiktaÅŸ Barbaros Boulevard, the Bosporus from Europe to Asia and from Asia to Europe will mark a first by passing!

So, are you ready to run this special year and proudly carry the medal that only 4,000 people can have?

Double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes Shares her experience of coronavirus

Double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes says she has tested positive for Covid-19 after returning from holiday in Cyprus.

Holmes, who won 800m and 1500m gold at the 2004 Athens Games, detailed her symptoms in an Instagram post and said she has been left drained by the virus.

"Smiles one day, the next day Covid," said Holmes, 50, on social media.

She added she has "officially been corona(ed)" and has "never laid down so long".

Holmes, who returned from holiday on 20 October, has been updating the post with how her symptoms have progressed each day.

"Day 1 - sore throat, bad headaches," she said.

"Day 2 - above + aching body, tight chest.

"Day 3 - above worse + test.

"Day 4 - bad headaches, lost smell.

"Day 5 - above, positive result plus loss of taste.

"Day 6 - drained, tight chest, headaches. Really dizzy.

"Day 7 - headaches, dizzy, tired, slight cough, still no taste or smell."

She added that "you know you have coronavirus when toothpaste, stilton cheese, peanut butter and Marmite all taste the same - like nothing".

Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot makes the cut for Athlete of the Year

World 1,500 meters champion Timothy Cheruiyot has made the 10-man shortlist for the World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year.

The Kenya Prisons officer ran world-leading 3:28.45 over 1,500m and was undefeated in three races in his speciality.

Cheruiyot faces a herculean task to bag the award with Uganda's Joshua Cheptegei the front runner for the award after a stellar season.

Cheptegei broke world records at 5,000m (12:35.36), 10,000m (26:11.00) and 5km on the roads (12:51)  and was fourth at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships on his debut over the distance.

His Ugandan counterpart Jacob Kiplimo won World Half Marathon title in a championship record of 58:49 and ran a world-leading 7:26.64 over 3,000m—the fastest time in the world since 2007.

Donovan Brazier of the United States of America has also made the cut after running a world-leading 800m times  of 1:44.22, North American indoor record and outdoors (1:43.15). He also won all seven of his races over all distances.

World 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm of Norway is also in contention for the coveted award. He has a world-lead of 46.87 in the 400m hurdles, the second fastest performance in history and was undefeated in nine 400m/400m hurdles races. He also set world best of 33.78 in 300m hurdles.

Others in the mix include USA sprint sensation Noah Lyles, who was undefeated in five finals and ran a world leading time of 19.76 over 200m

World javelin bronze medalist Johannes Vetter, of Germany, USA's shot put specialist Ryan Crouser and Swedish duo of Daniel Stahl and Mondo Duplantis also made the cut. A three-way voting process will determine the finalists.

The World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family will cast their votes by email while fans can vote online via the WA social media platforms. Individual graphics for each nominee will be posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram this week; a 'like' on Facebook and Instagram or a retweet on Twitter will count as one vote.

The World Athletics Council’s vote will count for 50 per cent of the result while the World Athletics Family’s votes and the public votes will each account for 25 per cent each of the final result. Voting for the World Athletes of the Year closes at midnight on November 15.

Police in Nandi County are searching for Olympic champion Conseslus Kipruto after he allegedly eloped with a Teenage girl

Police search for olympic champion Conseslus Kipruto for allegedly eloping with a form two girl.

The teenager had been reported missing but she was found a few days later with her parents claiming that Kipruto was staying with their daughter at his home in Chesumei.

The girl declined to disclose where she had been but after going through her phone, her parents learned she was in communication with Kipruto, 25.

They claim the world 3,000m steeplechase champion defiled their daughter and have since been taken her to the hospital for examination.

Mosoriot OCPD Bosita Omukolongolo said police are looking for Kipruto whose whereabouts remain unknown.

“A report was filed at Mosoriot Police Station by the girl’s parents, who are complaining that Kipruto defiled their daughter. We cannot immediately confirm whether the girl is a minor or an adult. However, we are looking for the athlete whose whereabouts remain unknown,” Omukolongolo said.

“Upon arresting the suspect, we shall record his statement and thereafter conclude investigations into the defilement allegations,” he added.

Britain’s Laura Muir and Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei among World Athletics awards nominees

Britain’s Laura Muir is among the nominees for the female world athlete of the year honor, while Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei is on a shortlist for the male prize at the World Athletics Awards.

This year the global governing body’s awards event will be held virtually on Saturday December 5.

Muir clocked 1500m times of 3:57.40, 3:57.86 and 3:58.24 to lead the world rankings and set a British 1000m record of 2:30.82 in 2020, while Cheptegei broke three world records throughout the year – running 12:51 for a road 5km, 12:35.36 for 5000m on the track and 26:11.00 for 10,000m on the track.

Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey, who set a world record of 14:06.62 over 5000m, and Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan, who recorded a world record distance of 18,930m in the one-hour run and broke the European 10,000m record with 29:36.67, are also among the female nominees.

The men’s shortlist also features Sweden’s world pole vault record-breaker Mondo Duplantis and Norway’s Karsten Warholm, who ran a world-leading 46.87 in the 400m hurdles and was unbeaten in that event.

Female world athlete of the year nominees: Femke Bol, Netherlands; Letesenbet Gidey, Ethiopia; Sifan Hassan, Netherlands; Peres Jepchirchir, Kenya; Faith Kipyegon, Kenya; Laura Muir, Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Hellen Obiri, Kenya; Yulimar Rojas, Venezuela; Elaine Thompson-Herah, Jamaica; Ababel Yeshaneh, Ethiopia

Male world athlete of the year nominees: Donavan Brazier, USA; Joshua Cheptegei, Uganda; Timothy Cheruiyot, Kenya; Ryan Crouser, USA; Mondo Duplantis, Sweden; Jacob Kiplimo, Uganda; Noah Lyles, USA; Daniel Stahl, Sweden; Johannes Vetter, Germany; Karsten Warholm, Norway

A three-way voting process will determine the finalists. The World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family will cast their votes by email, while fans can vote online via the World Athletics’ social media platforms.

As well as male and female athlete of the year honors, the World Athletics Awards will include the president’s award, coaching achievement award and athletics photograph of the year, as well as a Covid inspiration award, athletes community award and member federations award.

Last year Eliud Kipchoge and Dalilah Muhammad were named world athletes of the year, while the 2018 winners were Kipchoge and Caterine Ibarguen.

Molly Huddle broke three American records November 1

On Sunday night, two-time U.S. Olympian Molly Huddle broke three American records in one run at a high school track south of Boston November 1. 

Huddle ran for 60 minutes, breaking, in order, the national 15,000m, 10-mile track and one-hour records. Before Sunday, each of these records belonged to former Ottawa Marathon champion Nancy Conz, who in 1981 ran all three on the same day (just like Huddle), also at an event in Massachusetts. With her big result, Huddle added to her long list of accomplishments in the sport (which already includes the American 5K and half-marathon records, among others).

The conditions on Sunday night were far from ideal for Huddle, and she spent her hour of running in the rain. That clearly didn’t affect her too much, and she cruised to her three new records, smashing each of Conz’s previous marks. 

In her 1981 record-breaking race, Conz’s first big result came after 15,000m of running, when she posted a time of 53:06. On Sunday, Huddle ran a blazing-fast 50:07.82, just shy of a sub-50-minute result. This works out to 3:20 per kilometre up to that point, and she still had just under 10 minutes and two more American records ahead of her. Back in ’81, Conz ran a 10-mile split of 55:58, which, once again, Huddle shattered, running 53:49.9. Finally, six minutes later, Huddle set her third record of the night, covering 17,930m in 60 minutes to beat Conz’s 39-year-old record of 17,273m. 

NCAA women’s team won´t race for their school until the men's team can do the same

The College of William & Mary women’s track and field team are refusing to represent their school unless the men’s team is reinstated. According to The Virginia Pilot, 26 members of the team signed a letter stating that the women wouldn’t wear their school’s uniform to compete.

As of now, the school’s men’s team will be axed at the end of this academic year. The letter was reportedly taped to school president Katherin Rowe‘s office door on Saturday night. 

Why are more men’s running teams getting cut?

In the NCAA, several universities and colleges have cut track and field and cross-country programs due to revenue losses from COVID-19. Many schools have cited Title IX as the reason for these cuts. Title IX is an NCAA-wide rule that ensures equal opportunity for both male and female athletes, proportionate to enrolment. The policy states, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” 

This means that across the entire athletic department (meaning all sports), there has to be equal opportunity for men and women to compete, which includes an equal amount of scholarship money. A sport like football, for example, draws lots of money out of the men’s scholarship pool. Without a football team (or a team of equivalent roster size) in the women’s sports, their track and field athletes reap those rewards, but the men’s running programs can suffer.

The letter

While the men’s track team was cut due to budget deficits, the cross-country team (which is one of the school’s most successful teams) remained in place. However, as all distance runners know, the distance side of track and cross-country are essentially one entity. If you cut one, you basically cut the other. 

In the letter, the women were critical of both the athletic department’s actions but also the level of transparency. The letter read, “We watched the leadership of the college retreat into hiding while the emotions were raw. We waited for the level of honesty that we’ve come to expect from our faculty, just not our leadership.”

Interestingly, the women’s boycott of their own program could now cause Title IX issues for the university. It’s unclear how a roster of non-competitors would be assessed by the NCAA, especially when many of these women compete in three seasons (cross-country, indoor and outdoor track) which, according to The Richmond Times-Dispatch, counts three times for compliance purposes. For now, the women don’t have any competitions scheduled until next semester, but come the new year their refusal to compete could present big issues for the university. 

Paul Chelimo is set to race at XC Town USA Meet of Champions in Terre Haute on Nov 14

Paul Chelimo, who thrilled American distance running fans with his silver medal-winning performance in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games 5,000-meter run, has been confirmed as one of the top entries for the Men’s Elite 8K field at the XC Town USA Meet of Champions, Presented by The Garrett Companies, Nov. 14-15 at LaVern Gibson Championship XC Course in Terre Haute, Ind.

Chelimo, who competes for Nike and is based in Colorado Springs, also was the meet-record-setting victor in the USATF Men’s 5,000m at the 2017 USATF Championships, then followed that with a bronze-medal finish at the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London. He was the top-ranked USA 5,000m runner each year from 2016-19 (Track & Field News) – world-ranking in the top 4 for three of those years – and has clocked PRs of 12:57.55 for 5,000m and 27:43.89 for 10,000m on the track.

The Men’s Elite/College/Open 8K race will take place Saturday, November 14 at 11:15am at LaVern Gibson. It’s the second of the two races of the meet that will take place Saturday, with the Women’s Elite/College/Open 6k race starting the day at 10:30am. A full day of competition follows on Sunday, starting with the Middle School races and finishing with the Boys and Girls High School Championship races.

“Obviously, we are thrilled to have Paul Chelimo compete in the Men’s Elite/College/Open Race in our meet,” said NSAF Executive Director Jim Spier. “As one of the world’s best distance runners, his presence elevates an already great event.”

Italian man wins 3,100-mile ultramarathon after 43 days of running

Andrea Marcato averaged 114K per day for six weeks to win the arduous race in Salzburg, Austria

On Monday, Italy‘s Andrea Marcato won the 2020 Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3,100-Mile Race in Salzburg, Austria. Marcato was one of five runners entered in the 4,988K run, and he took the win after 43 days and 12 hours of running. This was his first time running the 3,100-miler, and according to the event website, he became the fastest first-time runner in the race’s history. He is also just the fifth person to finish the race in fewer than 44 days.

Sri Chinmoy race

The Sri Chinmoy 3,100-miler is normally held from June to August in New York City, but due to COVID-19, organizers had to find a new venue. They ultimately decided to relocate to Salzburg, where the race started on September 13. In past years, the race has had very limited fields of 10 to 15 runners, but this year the group was even smaller, and just five men were chosen to run. Marcato was joined by Ireland’s Nirbhasa Magee, Slovakian Ananda-Lahari Zuscin, Milan Javornicky of the Czech Republic and Ushika Muckenhumer, who got the chance to race in his home town of Salzburg. Of the five men, all but Marcato and Javornicky had run the 3,100-mile race before, but Marcato’s winning time is days quicker than the PBs of his competitors.

Runners in the Sri Chinmoy ultra have 52 days to complete the run, which means they have to run at least 96K per day to make it to the finish line before the cutoff. A daily race schedule makes things even more difficult for runners, since they may only run from 6 a.m. until midnight each day. This mandatory rest period of six hours per day is certainly helpful for the athletes, but not being allowed to run as often as one would like certainly adds to the pressure of meeting that daily quota of 96K, because once midnight hits, runners can’t make up for lost time until the next morning.

Marcato’s big win

Marcato won the race handily, and his competitors are still on the course in a battle for second place. As if running 4,988K wasn’t enough, shortly after he crossed the line for the win, Marcato got back on his feet and continued to run until he hit 5,000K. As reported on the race website, Marcato ran the first 1,000 miles (1,609K) of the race in 14 days, five hours, which is an Italian record. He ran his second 1,000-mile stretch even quicker, covering the distance (and re-setting the national record) in 14 days, one hour, and he closed his third and final round of 1,000 miles even faster, posting an amazing 13 days, 23 hours. While Marcato has had a couple of days to rest, the remaining four men are still running, and they have less than a week to complete their races before the 52-day cutoff.

Minnesota man runs cross-state for LGBTQ+ community

Mikah Meyer ran 200 miles across Minnesota to raise awareness for the Outside Safe Space program

Minnesota’s Mikah Meyer recently completed a 38-day, 209-mile (336K) run across his entire state, from the border of South Dakota to the border of Wisconsin. He averaged about 10K a day and spent his nights in a van, all to raise awareness for his project called the Outside Safe Space, a program he created to support members of the LGBTQ+ community. His run didn’t break any records, but it did garner a lot of media attention for the cause, which is extremely important to Meyer (himself a member of the LGBTQ+ community).

Meyer’s run

In an interview with Fox 9 in Minneapolis, Meyer said he only picked up running a couple of years ago when his doctor said he needed to lose some weight. During the pandemic, though, he said “running has been a godsend” for him, as it was one of the only activities he could keep up when everything in the U.S. was shut down. It was on these early-pandemic training runs that he came up with the idea for a cross-Minnesota adventure. He was actually inspired by Terry Fox, which he noted while talking with Fox 9.

“I thought, ‘Maybe I can use my profession, my privilege and my platform to do something to help other people.'” Like Fox, he decided on a long run, and although he didn’t run as far as the Canadian icon did in his Marathon of Hope, the run across Minnesota was still a big project. Meyer said he wasn’t used to running as much as he did while on the road, and his daily average of about 10K was far more than his usual 11K every couple of days when at home. Still, he added that “the easiest part of my journey is the running.” The hardest part was the planning, he said, including where he would park his van to sleep each night, organizing each day with his support crew and promoting the Outside Safe Space. After 38 days on the road, Meyer completed his run on October 11.

The Outside Safe Space

“So often when LGBTQ people leave urban centres,” Meyer told Fox 9, “places where we are often accepted and appreciated, we go out into rural areas, we go out into the outdoors, and it’s less likely that we feel safe or we feel welcome.” After a years-long journey across America to visit all 419 of the country’s national parks in one trip, the outdoors are a big part of Meyer’s life, so he wants to help make these rural areas feel more welcoming for LGBTQ+ people. His plan to make this possible comes in the form of a rainbow-coloured tree, a symbol he donned throughout his run.

As he writes on his website, “The Outside Safe Space tree represents welcome to LGBTQ+ people. Whether you’re an ally or identify as LGBTQ+, wearing or displaying this symbol nonverbally communicates your support for folks being their authentic selves in rural and outdoor places, and outside traditionally welcoming spaces.”

To learn more about Meyer and the Outside Safe Space program, click here.

Competition updates for some of the best races around the world

Here is a round-up of updates relating to international competitions, from cancellations to postponements and confirmations.

This page covers announcements made since the start of July. Up until the end of June, most other significant announcements were incorporated into our 'new normal' reporting pages.

If you're a competition organiser and have news to share regarding the staging of your event, please share it with us.

Boston Marathon (was 19 Apr 2021, now autumn 2021) - postponed

The Boston Athletic Association announced that the 125th Boston Marathon, traditionally held on the third Monday in April — Patriots’ Day in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts — will be postponed until at least the fall of 2021 due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.Announcement (28 October)

Tokyo Marathon (was 7 Mar 2021, now 17 Oct 2021) - rescheduled

The 2021 Tokyo Marathon will be held on Sunday 17 October 2021 with the intention of having an elite and mass race. Further details will be released in due course.Announcement (9 October)

Cross Internacional de Soria (22 Nov 2020) - cancelled

“The current situation in our territory, although much more favorable than in recent times, makes it impossible for us to stage the Cross Internacional de Soria. This Soriana Athletics Delegation, fully supported in its activities by the Soria City Council and the Soria Provincial Council, has therefore decided to cancel the 2020 Cross Internacional de Soria."(8 October)

Athens Authentic Marathon (8 Nov 2020) - cancelled

"Even by following a strict manual of rules and regulations - staging only the marathon race and not the shorter races, reducing the number of participants and having all participants to go through a Covid-19 test before the race - it was not enough. It seems that such measures would not secure the absolute safety of runners’ health, which is and will be the top priority in our minds."Announcement (1 October)

Cross de Atapuerca (15 Nov 2020) - cancelled

“Given the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic and the impossibility of guaranteeing the safety of participants and the general public, it has been decided to cancel the Cross de Atapuerca for this year. We look forward to enjoying this outstanding sporting event again next year."(23 September)

European Cross Country Championships (13 Dec 2020) - cancelled

European Athletics has confirmed the cancellation of the European Cross Country Championships that was due to take place in Dublin, Ireland, on 13 December. As a part of an Executive Board meeting held in Lausanne, European Athletics spoke with the Fingal-Dublin 2020 local organising committee concerning the current Covid-19 situation in Ireland and the impact that this may have on the 2020 European Cross Country Championships. It soon became clear that, due to the overall uncertainty on hosting mass sporting events, the existing sanitary restrictions in Ireland, and the travel restrictions imposed across Europe due to the coronavirus pandemic, it would not be possible to host the event as scheduled.

Valencia Marathon (6 Dec 2020) - UPDATE

Update: The mass race has been cancelled, but the elite races will take place. 

World Mountain Running Championships (13-14 Nov 2020) - cancelled

"Together with our friends in the organisation team (Arista events), the local Haria government on Lanzarote and the Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA), we have decided that this is the best action to take. It is regrettable that our mountain running community and family can not meet and share the experiences together that we have grown to love over the past 36 years of WMRA competitions."Announcement (4 September)

Meeting Città di Padova (12 Sep 2020) - cancelled

"With the impossibility of guaranteeing a competition programme with the presence of a sufficient number of international athletes, due to the global continuation of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are forced to cancel the event."Announcement (31 August)

Amsterdam Marathon (18 Oct 2020) - cancelled

"The 45th edition of the TCS Amsterdam Marathon scheduled for Sunday 18 October 2020 has been cancelled. Despite the significantly modified programme, the Municipality of Amsterdam has decided not to grant a permit to the organiser, Le Champion, in light of the rising numbers of coronavirus infections in the capital. The international nature of the marathon and increasingly complex travel options have also been deciding factors behind the decision."Announcement (21 August)

IAU 50km World Championships (27 Nov 2020) - cancelled

"Following the development of the coronavirus situation in Jordan and across the region, it is with regret that we have to inform you of the cancellation of the 2020 IAU 50 km World Championships that was planned for 27th November in Aqaba, Jordan."Announcement (15 August)

Marathon des Alpes Maritimes Nice-Cannes (29 Nov 2020) - cancelled

"Unfortunately, after having tried everything to keep the race going, we find ourselves obliged to cancel the 2020 edition of the Marathon des Alpes Maritimes Nice-Cannes. To stem the spread of the coronavirus epidemic which is currently affecting France, the Mayor of Nice, Christian ESTROSI has just decided to cancel the sporting events which bring together more than 300 competitors scheduled in Nice on the calendar for this end of year 2020."Announcement (15 August)

Paris Marathon (15 Nov 2020) - cancelled

"Faced with the difficulty that many runners, especially those coming from abroad, had in making themselves available for the 14th / 15th November, it was decided that it would be better and simpler for those concerned if we organised the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris in 2021."Announcement (12 August)

Frankfurt Marathon (25 Oct 2020) - cancelled

The race organisers have decided to cancel the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon 2020. The 39th edition of Germany’s oldest city marathon was to have taken place on 25 October. "We have not taken this step of cancellation lightly and have done our utmost to find solutions and alternatives," says race director Jo Schindler. "Now we have to face the cold reality that cancellation is inevitable."Announcement (11 August)

Nairobi Continental Tour Gold Meeting (was 26 Sep 2020, now 3 Oct 2020) - rescheduled

The Kip Keino Classic, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting which was moved to 26 September, was rescheduled once again and will take place on 3 October.

Doha Diamond League (25 Sep 2020) - rescheduled

The 2020 Wanda Diamond League today announced a further change to its 2020 calendar, with the date for the Doha Diamond League brought forward by around a fortnight. The fifth meeting of the season was scheduled for 9 October after it could not be held as the traditional season opener in April, but will now take place instead on 25 September. The plan is to stage 12 disciplines. A list of athletes who will compete in the Qatari capital will be announced in due course.Annoucement (3 August)

Valencia Half Marathon 2020 - cancelled

The 2020 Medio Marathon Valencia Trinidad Alfonso EDP, scheduled for Sunday 25 October has been cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. In a statement, the organisers said: "SD Correcaminos (running club), the organiser of the Valencia Half-Marathon Trinidad Alfonso EDP, after fully appraising the health situation and consulting all the authorities involved, hereby announces the cancellation of the 30th edition of the race. The results of the appraisal and consultation showed that it was impossible to go ahead with the race, which was scheduled for the 25th of October 2020."Announcement (30 July)

Great Ethiopian Run (15 Nov 2020) - postponed

"The 20th edition of TOTAL Great Ethiopian Run International 10km was scheduled to be held on 15 November 2020. However, due to the current situation of Covid-19, we are forced to postpone the race. We will announce the new date on a later date. Please bear with us while we work through the details to deliver the 20th edition of our flagship race."Announcement (27 July)

Nanjing Continental Tour Gold Meeting 2020 - cancelled

Following the decision taken by China's National Administration of Sports to suspend all international sporting events until next year, organisers of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Nanjing have announced that the competition will not go ahead this year.Announcement (25 July)

Shanghai Diamond League (19 Sep 2020) - cancelled

Following the decision taken by the National Administration of Sports to suspend all international sporting events until next year, we are sorry to announce that the 2020 Shanghai Diamond League will not go ahead as planned on 19th September. The meeting will return next year, taking its traditional place as one of the early-season events in the Diamond League calendar.Announcement (24 July)

Müller Grand Prix, Gateshead (12 Sep 2020) - cancelled

The Wanda Diamond League today announced a further change to its 2020 calendar. The Müller Grand Prix in Gateshead, UK, scheduled for 12 September to have been the fifth competitive meeting of the season, has been cancelled.Announcement (23 July)

ISTAF (13 Sep 2020) - confirmed

“With 3500 spectators instead of 45,000, the ISTAF will certainly be different this time, but it may be a first small step back to normal," said meeting director Martin Seeber. "We want to set an example for sport and be a beacon for athletics."Announcement (21 July)

Hamburg Marathon (13 Sep 2020) - cancelled

Major sporting events in Hamburg, which have been postponed until late summer and autumn 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic that has been raging since spring 2020, will no longer take place this year, but will be postponed until 2021.Announcement (21 July)

Madrid Half Marathon (4 Oct 2020) - cancelled

"The organisation of the Movistar Madrid Half Marathon and the ProFuturo Race announce the cancellation of the 2020 edition, originally scheduled for 29 March and which, due to the coronavirus health emergency, was postponed to 4 October. The circumstances are still not ideal for the celebration of these two sporting events with a joint participation of close to 20,000 people, and the prospect for the coming months does not offer security guarantees for participants, spectators, volunteers and the organisation team either."Announcement (21 July)

Rotterdam Marathon (was 24-25 Oct 2020, now 10-11 April 2021) - postponed

"With pain in our hearts we have decided to reschedule the event due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. The NN Marathon Rotterdam is now scheduled to take place on the 10th and 11th of April 2021. Every individual runner with a place in the 2020 edition will be able to use their place in the rescheduled event."Announcement (20 July)

Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon (7 Feb 2021) - cancelled

"The 75th anniversary running of the Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon scheduled for 7 February 2021 will not take place. After careful consideration we determined that, with no visible end to the coronavirus crisis in sight, for the health and safety of participants, volunteers, staff, medical and rescue personnel, fans along the course and everyone else involved with our event, our 75th running must be postponed for one year."Announcement (20 July)

Meeting Liege (9 Sep 2020) - cancelled

"There will be no 19th edition of the Meeting International d'Athlétisme de la Province de Liège this year. The applicable corona measures meant it is not possible to organise the event properly later this summer. The 19th edition can take place in July 2021 and we are also looking forward to the 20th anniversary of this international event in 2022."Announcement (16 July)

Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2022 - postponed

Senegal and the International Olympic Committee have mutually agreed to postpone the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2022 to 2026. This postponement meets the requirement of responsibility and the concern for efficiency imposed by current circumstances.Announcement (15 July)

Great Birmingham Run (11 Oct 2020) - cancelled

"There’s no option to stage the event as planned, or at a later date in the year."Announcement (15 July)

Chicago Marathon (11 Oct 2020) - cancelled

Event organisers and the City of Chicago announced the decision to cancel the 2020 Bank of America Chicago Marathon and all race weekend activities in response to the ongoing public health concerns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.Announcement (13 July)

Toronto Marathon (18 Oct 2020) - cancelled

Working closely with the City of Toronto and Mayor John Tory, event organisers Canada Running Series have made the decision to cancel the event due to Covid-19 related health and safety concerns. "We are pleased to announce that we will be transitioning to a virtual event this year, to continue to offer the best possible running and fundraising goals in these challenging times."Announcement (13 July)

Seiko Golden Grand Prix Tokyo (was 10 May 2020, now 23 Aug 2020) - postponed

Originally set to take place on 10 May, the Seiko Golden Grand Prix – a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting – will now be held on Sunday 23 August. “Only domestic athletes will participate,” read a statement on the meeting’s website. “We are also considering allowing high school athletes to play a role. Details will be announced once they are confirmed.”Announcement (13 July)

Prison inmate helps Utah woman finish marathon

When prison inmate Fidel Ybarra saw Carrie Kelley struggling at the Beaver Canyon Marathon, he ran with her for the next 35K

At the Beaver Canyon Marathon in Beaver, Utah, on October 3, Carrie Kelley started the race looking to finish her 68th marathon. A little later, though, not even 7K into the run, she had already hit a wall, and she was thinking about dropping out. Before she could act on this impulse to quit, a man named Fidel Ybarra appeared from behind Kelley and started to run with her. Ybarra is a prison inmate who was helping out at the marathon that day, and although he was hardly dressed for a run (he was wearing work boots and shorts over long johns), he ran with Kelley for the next 35K.

Amy Albrecht, the race director for the Beaver Canyon Marathon, spoke with KSL.com after the race, and she said there were several inmates from the Utah Department of Corrections on-site that day to help set up ahead of the run and tear down after. Ybarra had been following behind the racers to clean up the course with the rest of the crew, and his decision to run with Kelley—who was in last place and clearly struggling—surprised everyone.

“Watching the two of them cross together had everyone in tears,” Albrecht said. “It was so moving, and one of the neatest things I have ever seen. I don’t know his past mistakes, but what he did showed his true character.” Albrecht added that the Beaver Canyon team found the address of Ybarra’s mother, and they’ve sent her his medal. “He deserves it for what he did that day.”

After the run, Kelley took to Facebook to explain what had happened during the race. “Without Fidel’s help, I wouldn’t have been able to finish,” she wrote. “I was that broken and injured.” Kelley wrote that Ybarra “isn’t a runner, but he’s one of those people who is a true athlete,” noting that he had no prior training ahead of his spontaneous 22-mile run. “I saw how much pain Fidel was in, but he wouldn’t quit because he didn’t want me to run alone.”

The communications director of the Utah Department of Corrections released a statement from Ybarra, who wrote, “While walking and talking with the deputy that was supervising us, a name came up of a dedicated marathon runner, Carrie Kelley, who was running in the Beaver Canyon Marathon, but due to some injuries she was having a hard time running. She was the last runner and we eventually caught up to her. I am not sure why I began running with her, but I think maybe I saw a little bit of myself and other inmates in the situation. We are normally left at the back and left to our own devices. I could tell how much she enjoyed running, and I felt like I could not let her finish the marathon alone.”

Ybarra said he didn’t plan on running the rest of the marathon with Kelley, but 35K after joining her, he was crossing the finish line by her side. “I feel like by the end I was in more pain than her,” he wrote, “but the feeling of accomplishment was more than I can describe in words.” Kelley and Ybarra finished the race in 6:36:23.

Kagawa Prefecture Qualifier for National High School Ekiden Moved Due to Invasion of Wild Boars

On Oct. 30 the Kagawa Prefecture High School Sports Association announced that the prefectural qualifying race for December's National High School ekiden, originally scheduled for Nov. 1 in Bannosu Park in Sakaide, has been moved to Yashima Rexxam Field in Takamatsu and rescheduled to the 3rd due to an invasion of wild boars at Bannosu Park.

The prefectural qualifying ekiden is held every year on a course starting at Bannosu Park, but on Oct. 28 city officials closed the park when the boars were discovered there. The Prefecture High School Sports Association made the decision to move and reschedule the race in order to ensure the safety of the participating athletes.

The rescheduled race will be run on the 400 m track at Yashima Rexxam Field. Each stage will have one start for all its runners, with the team's time being determined by the sum of the individual times. Girls will run five legs totaling roughly 21 km, while boys will run seven legs totaling approximately 42 km. Due to coronavirus restrictions, only team officials and family members of athletes will be allowed into the stadium to watch the race.

Takaku, Hattori and Kawauchi lead Fukuoka Marathon entries

Organisers of the Fukuoka International Marathon have announced their elite field for the World Athletics Gold Label road race on 6 December.

Given the restrictions on international travel, the line-up is predominantly domestic but it includes some of the top marathon runners in the country, along with a few Japan-based internationals.

Ryu Takaku, who set a big PB of 2:06:45 in Tokyo earlier this year, is the fastest in the field. The 27-year-old is the fourth-fastest Japanese runner ever and will be making his second appearance in Fukuoka, having raced there in 2018.

Yuma Hattori, winner of the 2018 Fukuoka Marathon, will be back in the Japanese city looking for his second victory there. His last race over the distance was at last year’s Marathon Grand Championships, where he finished second to gain selection for Japan’s Olympic team.

Yuki Kawauchi, the 2018 Boston Marathon champion, will be making his 11th appearance in Fukuoka in what will be his 104th career marathon. A prolific racer, Kawauchi's last race over the distance was nine months ago – his longest break between marathons since 2010.

Taku Fujimoto finished second in Fukuoka last year and will be looking to go one better this time round. He set his PB of 2:07:57 when finishing eighth in Chicago in 2018, while earlier this year he clocked 1:00:06 at the Marugame Half Marathon, moving to second on the Japanese all-time list.

Six other men in the field have PBs faster than 2:09.

Leading entries

Ryu Takaku (JPN) 2:06:45

Yuma Hattori (JPN) 2:07:27

Taku Fujimoto (JPN) 2:07:57

Yuki Kawauchi (JPN) 2:08:14

Yuya Yoshida (JPN) 2:08:30

Naoki Okamoto (JPN) 2:08:37

Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (MGL) 2:08:50

Tsukasa Koyama (JPN) 2:08:53

Satoru Sasaki (JPN) 2:08:56

Naoya Sakuda (JPN) 2:08:59

Michael Githae (KEN) 2:09:21

Hayato Sonoda (JPN) 2:09:34

Jo Fukuda (JPN) 2:09:52

Kento Otsu (JPN) 2:10:01

Yoshiki Takenouchi (JPN) 2:10:01

Shohei Otsuka (JPN) 2:10:12

Koki Yoshioka (JPN) 2:10:13

Asuka Tanaka (JPN) 2:10:13

Daichi Kamino (JPN) 2:10:18

Yuichi Yasui (JPN) 2:10:19

Junichi Tsubouchi (JPN) 2:10:19

Ryo Matsumoto (JPN) 2:10:32

Derese Workneh (ETH) 2:10:52

Natsuki Terada (JPN) 2:10:55

Taiga Ito (JPN) 2:10:52

Paul Kuira (KEN) 2:11:58

Silas Kingori (KEN) debut

At the age of 37 Sara Hall says that she is enjoying her sport more than ever

She says running has "broken my heart a hundred times," but each moment of heartbreak would have seemed worthwhile as Sara Hall moved into second place on the final straight of this year's London Marathon.

The dramatic finish saw a surging Hall overtake Ruth Chepngetich in a sprint finish having made up 40 seconds in little more than a mile by her husband's calculations.

Her time of two hours, 22 minutes and one second improved her previous personal best by 15 seconds, and her second-place finish made her the first American to mount the podium at London in 14 years.

The performance would have gone some way to atoning for the disappointment of pulling out of the Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta earlier this year -- likely one of the heartbreaks she had been referring to as she took to social media after the race.

"This is the highlight of my career so far," Hall tells CNN Sport as she reflects on her London Marathon performance.

Hall crosses the finish line in second place at the London Marathon.

"I feel so, so grateful to be enjoying the sport the most I ever have at age 37. It's been kind of a surprise to still be improving at this age, and I just feel so grateful that I got the opportunity to race.

"It was just a long year of training and faith that there would be an opportunity at the end of it. I put in a lot for this race and to have it all come together and have the race of my life that was just a dream come true."

Running 'completely alone'

The circumstances surrounding this year's London Marathon, which was moved from April to October and staged only elite races due to the coronavirus pandemic, were unique.

Competitors were tested multiple times before traveling and also upon arrival in the UK.

Wearing social distancing devices that would sound if they got too close to another person, athletes stayed in a bubble in a hotel the week leading up to the race with "a little, tiny grass loop" to train on, according to Hall.

For the race itself, each athlete had their own Porta Potti -- "every runner's dream," says Hall, rather than waiting in a long queue before rushing to the start line.

Rather than start in Greenwich in south London and finish in The Mall in the center of the British capital, the course was also altered to 19.6 laps of St James's Park and no crowds were in attendance -- something that posed a significant mental challenge.

"There were times I could just hear the echo of my footsteps out there because I was running completely alone," says Hall.

"I really just had to self-motivate a lot out there because it was a lonely, very quiet run without spectators.

"And I just tried to remember how grateful I was to be competing and (to) have an opportunity in Covid ... and it was really that gratitude that kept me moving forward and then eventually catching people."

Semenya and Van Niekerk among Athletics South Africa preparatory Olympic squad

Olympic champions Caster Semenya and Wayde van Niekerk are among 43 athletes included in Athletics South Africa’s preparation squad for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The preparation squad for the rescheduled Games features 32 men and 11 women, while a further 15 sprinters are in consideration for relay teams.

"We believe that we have assembled a very strong squad and we are confident that all the athletes are capable to be part of the final team, but that will be dependent entirely on them," Athletics South Africa President Aleck Skhosana told SuperSport.

"But they will have to stay focused to achieve that as they train in their various disciplines.

"Given the current global challenge caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we encourage athletes to take advantage of every available opportunity for competition because we don’t know what the future holds in terms of the fight against this virus.

"Whether it will get stronger or whether it will be defeated, we don’t know.

"So, we urge athletes to use opportunities at club, provincial or national level to prepare themselves."

Semenya is among the most well-known athletes in the squad.

The double Olympic champion last month lost an appeal to the Swiss Supreme Court over a World Athletics ruling which means she must take testosterone-reducing medication in order to be eligible to compete.

The current rules force athletes with differences in sexual development (DSD) to take drugs to medically reduce their naturally-occurring testosterone if they want to compete in women's events ranging from 400 meters to a mile.

She had previously appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the policy, but was unsuccessful.

The ruling means Semenya is unable to defend her 800m Olympic crown at the postponed Tokyo 2020 Games unless she takes medication.

Earlier this year Semenya expressed an interest in competing in the 200m at Tokyo 2020, an event not covered by the regulations.

Van Niekerk also features in the squad.

He set the 400m world record of 43.03sec when he earned Olympic gold at Rio 2016.

He competed in his first international race in more than three years last month.

Van Niekerk had been recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury picked up in 2017.

The preparatory squad also includes long jumper Luvo Manyonga and javelin thrower Sunette Viljoen, who both won silver medals at Rio 2016.

Manyonga won the men’s long jump world title in 2017.

Reigning Commonwealth Games men’s 100m champion Akani Simbine has been touted as a potential medal contender next year and also is included.

Galen Rupp breezes to victory in a popup half marathon in Lane County

Galen Rupp Runs 60:22, Suguru Osako Runs 61:15 In Half Marathon

Galen Rupp cruised to victory in a special half marathon Friday near Row River in Lane County.

The former University of Oregon star and two-time Olympic medalist finished in 1 hour, 22 seconds, well in front of Japanese Olympian Suguru Osako, who crossed in 1:01:15.

This was Rupp’s first competition since he won the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta last February.

“It’s been a challenging year for everybody because of COVID,” Rupp said. “I’m so thankful and grateful to have this opportunity just to race. That was my whole mentality coming in here -- get a race in. If it happened that I ran really fast, great.”

The race was set up by the Eugene Marathon. The precise location and start time were kept secret to discourage spectators and stay within Oregon’s coronavirus protocols.

The lack of reliable internet service at the scene prevented the race from being live-streamed. Few details of the action were available while the runners were in the course.

Rupp’s winning time was well short of the U.S. record of 59:43, held by Ryan Hall since 2007. But Rupp’s 10-mile spit of 45:53 betters the U.S. 10-mile record of 46:13 held by Greg Meyer since 1983.

Ian Dobson of the Eugene Marathon said Rupp’s 10-mile time met all record criteria.

“Any time you set a record, it’s a great day,” Rupp said. "I think this technically is my PR (personal record) for a half marathon too. I ran a little quicker in Rome a few years ago, but that wasn’t a record-eligible course.

“Technically I came out with a PR. So, it was a great day. Any time you can do that, you can’t leave disappointed. I would have loved to go faster. It just wasn’t in the cards today.”

Are carbon-plated shoes causing wipeouts?

After several women went down at the half-marathon world championships, people are wondering if it was the course or the shoes

Two weeks ago, the World Half-Marathon Championships saw a number of wipeouts. In the women’s race, two major contenders went down. First, Joyciline Jepkosgei, one of the fastest women ever over the distance and a favourite to win, tangled shoes with her group of runners and took a fall she couldn’t recover from. She went on to finish sixth in 1:05:58. Defending champion Netsanet Gudeta also fell just before 10K and finished eighth in 1:06:46. Falls happen in running very occasionally on the track, but it’s extremely rare on the road. While some are suggesting the spills can be attributed to the winding course, others think it might be the shoes.

Of the runners who participated in the world championships, 93 per cent of the field was wearing a carbon-plated shoe. While stack heights vary in carbon shoes, across the board they stand taller than historically (except possibly for Hoka One One). Nike stands 40 mm tall, Adidas at 39 mm and New Balance (which is relatively short compared to the others) is 30 mm. 

The course was certainly curvy, with several hairpin turns along the 5K loop, but it’s undeniable that the race would have looked different if Jepkosgei and Gudeta hadn’t fallen. Many have pointed to the fact that these carbon-plated shoes are less stable, particularly on tight turns. 

Outside of price and availability, runners thus far hadn’t had a reason not to buy a pair of carbon-plated shoes. They’re well-designed race footwear that have been touted as aiding running economy and improving recovery, making them highly marketable as the perfect marathon shoe. But what if your perfect marathon shoe didn’t feel stable on a winding course – would you still wear it?

Runners have been wearing carbon-plated shoes for two years now, and we’ve never seen a race with this much stumbling, suggesting that it was, in fact, the course and not the shoes that caused the falling. However, if you’re someone who has poor ankles and you’re racing on a course with some switchbacks, either practice taking these shoes around tight corners to see how you feel, or go for something that feels more stable. 

Mo Farah's preparations for the rescheduled 2020 Olympics next summer could be hampered by a rumoured appearance on a reality TV show, says UK Athletics

Accoridng to reports in the UK media, Farah is set to go in to isolation this week so he can join the cast of the ITV show, before travelling to Gwrych Castle, north Wales, where the latest series is being filmed next month.

The reports also suggest Farah has accepted a £300,000 fee to appear in the show, but UK Athletics are more concerned about how it will affect Farah's training.

“It’s a knife-edge decision,” the UKA chief executive, Jo Coates, said. “For me as a marketer, to have athletes in mainstream TV shows is just perfection. We worked so hard to get netballers into these shows. However – and a big however – you would never want to do that to the detriment of performance.

Farah would join a long list of athletes who took part in the show. Former sprinter Linford Christie, who took home an Olympic gold medal in the 100m in 1992 took part in 2010. Silver medal javelin star Fatima Whitbread, 59, came third in 2011 with hockey star Samantha Quek, 32, coming 4th in 2016.

Swimmer Rebecca Adlington, 31, who won two golds at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, appeared on the show in 2013.

Airtel Delhi Half Marathon on Nov 29, organizers will provide bio-secure zones for elite runners

Some of the world's top runners are expected to take part in the prestigious Airtel Delhi Half Marathon on November 29, with the organizers promising to provide bio-secure zones to ensure a COVID-19 free race for the elite runners.

While the international and Indian elite runners will be at the start line at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here, the amateur from across the globe will join them via the exclusive Airtel Delhi Half Marathon Mobile App.

Their participation this year will be from a convenient location, wherever they are.

The World Athletics Gold Label race, recognised by the Assocciation of International Marathons & Distance Races (AIMMS), will have a total prize purse of USD 233,270.

One of the first global sporting events to be hosted by India during the COVID-19 pandemic, Airtel Delhi Half Marathon wa during the COVID-19 pandemic, Airtel Delhi Half Marathon will maintain all mandatory protocols in line with the advisory issued by the Government of India.

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said sport has always been a symbol of optimism and he is looking forward to the event.

"We extend our full support to this event that is India's prde and welcome the world's best athletes to our capital city. The Airtel Delhi Half Marathon is representative of a healthier and fitter nation and reinforces the vision of the Fit Fit India movement," he said in a release.

"I would encourage each and every one of you to participate from the safety & security of your own surroundings."

One of the first global sporting events to be hosted by India during the COVID-19 pandemic, Airtel Delhi Half Marathon will maintain all mandatory protocols in line with the advisory issued by the Government of India.

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said, “Over the years, the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon has become an integral part of Delhi’s sporting calendar and an enduring symbol of sporting excellence, philanthropy, health & fitness.

“To watch the finest runners in the world compete on our home ground, will certainly be a boost for the citizens of Delhi and across India. That along with the thousands of amateur runners who participate in this event give us a great opportunity to come together as a community to celebrate the joy of running.”

CAS proceeds with Russian doping case despite COVID-19 spike in Switzerland  

The ADHM is being supported by the Sports Ministry, the Delhi government, Sports Authority of India and Athletics Federation of India.

For this edition, the amateur participants will have the option of running through the race week of November 25 to 29 using ADHM App. A participant would be allowed to run and complete his run any time in this time frame depending on his convenience.

This specialized event App will be launched exclusively with an array of features, including timing and distance tracker, for an enhanced running experience.

A body was found in search for missing GB mountain runner Chris Smith

The British international athlete was last seen on Tuesday when he left to go running in Perthshire

A body has been found in the search for GB international mountain runner Chris Smith, who went missing while on a run in Perthshire, Scotland, on Tuesday (October 27).

Police Scotland said that formal identification has yet to take place, but the 43-year-old athlete’s family has been informed.

Smith had left from Invervar to run Meall nan Aighean, Carn Mairg, Meall Garbh and Carn Gorm on Tuesday at 3pm but did not return as expected a couple of hours later.

The discovery of a man’s body was made near to Meall Garbh in the Glenlyon area at around 11:50am on Thursday (October 29).

Thames Valley Harrier Smith has raced at multiple world and European mountain running championships, finishing eighth at the European event in 2013 and 10th at the world event in Wales in 2015.

Police Scotland had been working with local mountain rescue teams, with assistance of the Coastguard helicopter, in the search.

“Enquiries remain ongoing and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal in due course,” a Police Scotland statement added.

On Thursday a fundraising page was created by Smith’s fellow GB international athlete Marc Scott, raising money for Scottish Mountain Rescue.

200 Eversource Hartford Marathon raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity at their virtual event

The Eversource Hartford Marathon & Half Marathon typically attracts tens of thousands of runners from around the world.

This year, it was held virtually because of the pandemic, but the event still raised $420,000.

On Wednesday, organizers presented a check to local charities, who need that money now more than ever.

About 5,000 runners took part in the virtual marathon this year.

The top fundraising organization was the Healing Meals Community Project, which raised nearly $170,000.

2021 Lake Biwa Marathon to Go Ahead Feb. 28

With race after race canceling or postponing, this week the organizers of the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon announced plans for next year's 76th running to go ahead on Feb. 28, 2021.

A week earlier that its traditional date due to the Tokyo Marathon's move to March, the planned date comes with the caveat that, "depending on the future situation with regard to COVID-19, there may be changes to the race's operation, including the possibility of cancelation." 

But with that said, it looks like the organizers plan no additional restrictions on their event's field beyond the normal qualifying times and requirement for national federation approval.

In that past that has typically meant a field of under 200 finishers from Japan and abroad. For the domestic field, with no Beppu-Oita or Tokyo Marathon there's sure to be record-setting depth. as between Beppu-Oita, Tokyo and Lake Biwa this year 29 men went sub-2:10 and 50 sub-2:12.

For international men, if it actually happens Lake Biwa will be one of the only elite spring marathons in the world. In contrast to the 2020 Fukuoka International Marathon and 2021 Nagoya Women's Marathon, both of which restricted their fields to those already in Japan, Lake Biwa appears to be open to any internationals who meet the standards, have federation approval, and are willing to make the trip. 

At the moment immigration restrictions would prevent that from being an easy option for most nationalities, but as it works on its athlete COVID protocols for the Tokyo Olympics it's quite possible that changes to Japan's policies could open the door to a legit international field at Lake Biwa. With the race's application deadline standing at Dec. 31 there's just over 2 months for those changes to happen one direction or the other.

Major Japanese marathons still scheduled to happen in 2020 and 2021 marathon announcements to date:

Dec. 6: Fukuoka International Marathon (370) - scheduled with limited field size.

Dec. 20: Hofu Marathon (2,724) - scheduled with limited field size.

Michael Githae will spearhead Kenya's hopes for victory at the Fukuoka Marathon scheduled for December 6 in Japan

Githae has a personal best of 2:09:21 and will have Paul Kiura (2:11:38) and Silas Kingori, who is making his debut, for company.

Kenya has a superb record in the event with former world marathon record holder, Patrick Makau winning twice and Martin Mathathi, Joseph Ndambiri and Samuel Wanjiru winning once each.

Japan will be well represented by Ryu Takaku, who set a big PB of 2:06:45 in Tokyo earlier this year. He is the fastest in the field. The 27-year-old is the fourth-fastest Japanese runner ever and will be making his second appearance in Fukuoka, having raced there in 2018.

Yuma Hattori, winner of the 2018 Fukuoka Marathon, will be back in the Japanese city looking for his second victory. His last race over the distance was at last year’s Marathon Grand Championships, where he finished second to gain selection in Japan’s Olympic team.

Yuki Kawauchi, the 2018 Boston Marathon champion, will be making his 11th appearance in Fukuoka in what will be his 104th career marathon. A prolific racer, Kawauchi's last race over the distance was nine months ago— his longest break between marathons since 2010.

Taku Fujimoto finished second in Fukuoka last year and will be looking to go one better this time round. He set his PB of 2:07:57 when finishing eighth in Chicago in 2018 while earlier this year, he clocked 1:00:06 at the Marugame Half Marathon, moving to second on the Japanese all-time list. Six other men in the field have PBs faster than 2:09.

Kenya's Amos Kipruto focused on Valencia Marathon

The 2019 World Athletics Championships marathon bronze medalist Amos Kipruto is intent on improving his personal best time even in a season adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

He will get another chance to attempt on lowering his personal mark of 2 hours 5 minutes 43 seconds when he races in the Valencia Marathon on December 6.

Kipruto has been fine-tuning for race in Kapsabet, Nandi County for several months now after his 18th placed finish in the Tokyo Marathon in March in a time of 2:08:00.

In an interview with Nation Sport, Kipruto said he was in good shape when he went to Japan for the Tokyo race but complications arose as he was running which slowed him down.

“It has been a challenging year and for me it started when I competed in the Tokyo Marathon. I had some calf muscle problem. I was disappointed to finish 18th,  but that is now gone and I am focused on doing well in Valencia and also going for a PB.”

“Being selected for the race is humbling and I must say I’m lucky because many athletes are at home and have not been able to compete,” said Kipruto.

According to Kipruto, the lineup looks tough with many Ethiopian athletes in the mix who have registered faster times than him.

Galen Rupp and Suguru Osako are aiming for a fast half marathon on Friday near Eugene

Olympians Galen Rupp and Suguru Osako have signed on for what is expected to be a blazingly fast half marathon Friday at an undisclosed location in Lane County.

Eugene Marathon has set up the course and ensured it is certified. Organizers are declining to reveal the course’s location or time in deference to the coronavirus pandemic. All participants have been tested for the virus.

Rupp won the men’s race at 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials last February in Atlanta. The former University of Oregon star is the 2012 Olympic silver medalist in the 10,000 meters and the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist in the marathon. He holds the U.S. record for the 10,000.

Osako is the Japanese record-holder in the marathon, as well as the 3,000 and 5,000 meters.

The two runners are former teammates with the now defunct Nike Oregon Project. Both are based in Portland, although Osako has been training in Flagstaff, Arizona.

“Galen called me maybe a month ago,” said Pete Julian, Osako’s coach. "He asked if Suguru would be interested in throwing down somewhere in Oregon in this time frame.

“I was like, ‘Galen, you called at the perfect time. That’s exactly what we want to do.'”

Rupp has not raced since winning in Atlanta. Osako was active with Julian’s group in track races over the summer. He had begun training for December’s Honolulu Marathon before that was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I think they’re pretty lined up,” Julian said of the two runners. “Galen hasn’t raced in a long time. But he is old enough and wise enough now that if he says wants to run a good, hard, fast half marathon, you have to believe he is ready to go. I know Suguru is ready to go. It will be cool.”

The course is said to be flat. And if the race is fast, well, the U.S. record for a half marathon of 59 minutes, 43 seconds has been held by Ryan Hall since 2007. The Japanese half-marathon record is of 1:00.00 was set earlier this year by Yusuke Ogura.

Julian wouldn’t call Friday’s race a record attempt.

“Hey, man, 13.1 miles is a long way to go,” Julian said. “It’s almost foolish to say we’re targeting something because I know nothing about the course. My assumption is if the weather is nice, it’s warm enough and it’s not windy, and you have two guys like that, running around an hour for a half marathon is certainly within their capabilities.”

Eugene Marathon will be posting more details on its Twitter and Instagram accounts as the race nears. On Friday, organizers will use those platforms to provide updates on the progress of the competition.

Joshua Cheptegei's world 5000m record of 12:35.36 set at the Wanda Diamond League in Monaco on August 14 has been ratified

The Ugandan, now 24, took two seconds off Kenenisa Bekele’s mark of 12:37.35, set 16 years earlier in Hengelo. Amazingly, it was Cheptegei’s first race since setting a world 5km record on the roads on 16 February, also in Monaco.

Paced through the early stages by Roy Hoornweg (2:31.87 at 1000m) and Matthew Ramsden (5:03.77 at 2000m), Cheptegei, the reigning world cross country and 10,000m champion, took up the running at half way and continued the metronomic pace, churning out 61-second laps. He passed through 3000m in 7:35.14 and then upped the pace slightly with a 2:30 fourth kilometre.

Having left the rest of the field way behind, he maintained his tempo and eked out another 2:30 split for the final kilometre, bringing him to the finish line in 12:35.36 after a 59.64 final lap.

With his season cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic, Cheptegei made no secret of his ambitions to take down's Bekele's record which had stood since the rising star was seven years old, and targeted precisely that in Monaco.

After the race Cheptegei revealed: “It took a lot of mind setting to keep being motivated this year because so many people are staying at home but you have to stay motivated. I pushed myself, I had the right staff with me, the right coach. I'm also usually based in Europe, but being based in Uganda with my family was actually great.

“If you believe in something, anything is possible," he continued. "Breaking a record was something really difficult, but when you know the right way, it’s not difficult anymore. So, the next challenge is to go chase one or two more world records. I would be the happiest person in the world.”

On 7 October in Valencia, in his third race of the year, Cheptegei shattered the world record in the 10,000m, clocking 26:11.00, a performance which is now awaiting ratification.

The 2021 Boston Marathon will not be held in April but hopefully in the fall

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has announced that the 125th Boston Marathon, traditionally held on the third Monday in April—Patriots’ Day in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts—will be postponed until at least the fall of 2021. The B.A.A., which has been meeting regularly with its COVID-19 Medical & Event Operations Advisory Group to determine when and how the Boston Marathon can be held again, will begin working with local, city, and state officials, sponsors, organizing committee members, and other stakeholders to determine if a fall 2021 date is feasible.

“With fewer than six months until Patriots’ Day and with road races prohibited until Phase 4 of the Massachusetts reopening plan, we are unable to host the Boston Marathon this coming April,” said Tom Grilk, C.E.O. of the B.A.A. “By shifting our focus to a fall date, we can continue to work with stakeholders to adjust the in-person experience for runners and supporters alike. Prioritizing the safety of participants, volunteers, spectators, and community members, we continue to assess all elements of the race including a potential reduced field size or weekend date.”

No 2021 date has been selected, however, the B.A.A. will work with local, city, and state officials and members of its COVID-19 Medical & Event Operations Advisory Group to establish under what conditions the next live, in-person Boston Marathon can occur. Before the end of the year, the B.A.A. seeks to announce a new date. Other details such as when registration may open and the field size, pending local regulations and the event plan, will also be forthcoming. Information regarding other 2021 B.A.A. events, including the B.A.A. 5K, B.A.A. 10K, and B.A.A. Half Marathon, will be announced at a later date.

“We are optimistic that the Boston Marathon will continue its tradition of celebrating the spirit of community and athletic excellence next fall. We know there will be many questions and we will look to address them in the coming months ahead,” Grilk said.

The 2020 Boston Marathon, originally scheduled for April 20, was held as a ten-day Virtual Experience after being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020 Grandma’s Marathon race t-shirts were donated to people in need

Grandma's marathon has managed to take a not-so-great situation and use it for good.

The organization has donated More than 150 boxes full of race t-shirts that didn't go to runners. That's about 10-thousand items that will be heading to Haiti to benefit those in need.

"Wow I was just surprised. Here we are at Advantage Emblem and they have all these t-shirts that they are giving to Orphan Grain Train," said Pastor Tom Brinkley of St. Matthews Church. "They were so nice and I realize how difficult that is not being able to run the race and having this stuff but what a blessing it's been to us."

"When we ship stuff, we don't just ship it randomly. There has to be an organization in place," said Eugene Pasche of Orphan Grain Train. "So it doesn't just go to a port there and sit there like when there is a natural disaster. With a destination and a person there to get it, it moves quite fast."

The donation was made with help from "Orphan Grain Train" and St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Esko.

Adidas' ownership of the Reebok brand may be coming to an end, according to a report from Manager Magazine today

According to the German publication, the Three Stripes has already assembled an internal team to potentially reach a deal to sell the company by March 2021.

Two names have emerged as potential suitors of acquiring the brand:  China's Anta Sports and the VF Corporation, the latter of which owns outdoor apparel and footwear brands including Timberland, Vans, and The North Face.

Since taking over as CEO of Adidas in 2016, Kasper Rorsted has repeatedly stated that the brand has no intention of selling Reebok off, despite demands from investors to do so in 2017.

In Adidas' Q2 2020 earnings report, the company reported that Reebok revenues were down 42 percent due to its large presence to the U.S. market in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Adidas bought Reebok in August 2005 for $3.8 billion.

When reached for inquiry, Adidas cited its company policy to not comment on market rumors. 

Kolt Codner runs his first marathon around hospital for 4-year-old son with cancer

There were two thoughts pushing Kolt Codner forward in his first marathon race: his 4-year-old son Andrew's fight against cancer and the hospital that provides him care.

Codner, of Poland, Ohio, ran 26.2 miles around Akron Children's Hospital on October 17 to raise money for the hospital treating his son, who has 26 months left in his treatment.

In early May, Codner and his wife Tristan received a phone call that Andrew had a bed waiting for him in the hematology and oncology unit of the hospital.

A day that began as a visit to the pediatrician for Andrew's swollen face had resulted in a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a common childhood cancer.

Codner's run served to show his appreciation to the hospital staff that has turned a traumatic experience like cancer treatment into one his young son faces bravely, Codner says.

"The folks at Akron Children's have taken something that should be scary and terrifying and made it this amazing badge of honor to recognize the superhero that he is," Codner told CNN. "We couldn't think of a better thing to contribute to and spend time trying to help raise funds to ensure that all kids have access to the same amazing experience as Andrew has had at Akron Children's."

Codner participated in the race as part of the virtual FirstEnergy Akron Marathon, Half Marathon & Team Relay, which replaced the hospital's yearly marathon due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to the virtual marathon guidelines, runners can race at any location or pace, and Codner decided to run his marathon around the hospital to spotlight their work.

On the day of the race, Codner wrote Andrew's name on the top of his running shoes to keep him motivated. Friends and family were stationed outside the hospital to cheer him on, in a course that took 5 hours and 35 laps to complete. His son was even able to run with him across the finish line and award him a medal.

"To see him running and doing that last lap with me was just incredible," Codner said.

By the end of the run, Codner had raised 10 times more than his initial goal of $1,000, according to a hospital press release. The fund has reached over $13,000 in donations and has expanded its window until November 30.

Dr. Megan Sampson, a pediatric oncologist who has treated Andrew at the hospital, praises the Codner family.

"It just amazed me that during this scary time that he was thinking about doing this," said Sampson, referring to Codner's run and the attention he has drawn to the hospital's work.

Andrew's prognosis is good and he's responding well to the treatment he has received, but he still has a long way to go, Sampson says.

Former world half marathon champions Geoffrey Kamworor and Paul Tergat have said fast-rising Kibiwott Kandie could be the next big thing in distance running

Kandie claimed silver on his maiden appearance for Kenya in the World Half Marathon Championships on Saturday in Gdynia, Poland, losing the battle to Uganda’s teenager Jacob Kiplimo in the last kilometers.

“Kandie has a better and bright future. All he needs to do is to remain consistent and to observe self-discipline,” Kamworor who did not travel to Poland to defend his title owing to injury from a road accident, said. He said Kandie did well in Saturday’s race and was perhaps let down by inexperience.

He said Kandie, who looked strong in the race, could have easily won had he made a decisive move after the 15km.

Kamworor returned to training late, having recovered from injuries sustained from a freak accident on June 25 this year.

“I have recovered well and will be back soon. I really wanted to be in Gdynia but I couldn’t,” said Kamworor, who won the 2014 (Copenhagen), 2016 (Cardiff) and 2018 (Valencia) editions of the World Half Marathon. 

Kiplimo won in 58:49, erasing Kamworor’s championship record time of 59:08 from Valencia.  National Cross-country champion Kandie finished second in 58:54.

Peres Jepchirchir recaptured the women’s title she won for the first time in 2018 Valencia not only in a championship record but also women’s only half marathon world record of 1:05:16.

Tergat, who became the first man to successfully defend his World Half Marathon title, said running below one hour in three races in a year is a sign of a great athletics potential.

Tergat won the 2000 Veracruz event in Mexico after his previous exploits in 1999 in Palermo, Italy.

“Kandie ran a good race, occasionally pushing. We could have missed out on the podium if he didn’t do that. I really don’t know why his colleagues faded away in the race,” said Tergat, who was impressed by Jepchirchir’s fighting spirit. He said the performance points to a good performance by Kenyan women at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Tergat cautioned Kenyans about the threat posed by Ugandan athletes, whom he referred to as ‘brothers from another mother.’

Christian Coleman will miss the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year after the world 100m champion was banned for two years after two missed drugs tests and a filing failure in 2019

Coleman had disputed one of the missed tests, saying he had been out Christmas shopping but had returned during the one-hour window required to be tested. But an athletics disciplinary panel rejected the sprinter’s explanation and banned him until 13 May 2022.

The 24-year-old American earns close to a seven-figure salary from his sponsors at Nike and in July issued a lengthy defence of his actions, saying he was Christmas shopping “five minutes away” and should have been telephoned by testers “who didn’t even bother to call me”.

“I think the attempt on 9 December was a purposeful attempt to get me to miss a test,” he said. “I’ve been contacted by phone literally every other time I’ve been tested – why would the AIU tell him not to call me?”

However, the disciplinary panel ruled that testers were under no obligation to “invite an athlete to come for testing”.

“The athlete’s evidence was that he was out Christmas shopping, though he stated that he arrived home shortly before the end of the one-hour period because he recalled watching the kick-off of the Monday night football game, which starts at 8.15pm.

“His case was that the doping control officer must have left slightly before the end of the 60-minute time slot and he must have just missed him.”

Shopping receipts show that the athlete was shopping at least from 7.13pm, also purchased a Chipotle at 7.53pm and finally purchased 16 items from a Walmart Super Centre at 8.22pm. “The athlete’s evidence was that he returned home briefly some time between 8 and 8.10pm, ate his Chipotle while watching the kick off and then went out again. We do not accept the athlete’s evidence.”

The tester was there at his gated community residence from 7.15pm to 8.15pm, also taking a picture at 8.21pm to confirm the time.

A statement from the Athletics Integrity Unit, posted on social media, said: “The disciplinary panel has upheld the AIU’s charge and banned sprinter Christian Coleman of the USA for two years for three whereabouts failures in 12 months.”

Coleman is yet to comment but has always insisted that he has never used performance-enhancing drugs.

World marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge says that he will be back in big way

Olympics marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge is still recovering from the London Marathon setback in which he finished eighth on October 4.

“I will take time to recover from the London Marathon loss. I’m healing, I want to move on and focus on the future,” he said on Thursday after touring the Isuzu D-Max Pick-up assembly line in Nairobi.

The world marathon record holder, who had won 10 consecutive marathons since 2014 before this year's London debacle on October 4 in which a blocked ear thwarted his bid for a fifth title, signed a new partnership agreement with Isuzu East Africa that will run until after 2020 Tokyo Olympics that were postponed to next year. 

Kipchoge has been the Isuzu D-Max Pick-up ambassador for the last three years.

On Thursday, Isuzu East Africa hosted the legendary athlete who affirmed his commitment to making a comeback in the races ahead.

“If you despair, you lose what you have built over many years and miss future opportunities to come back stronger and better. If you train harder and build strength, you go to the track and run another race and rely on the strength you have built to propel you to another victory,” Kipchoge, who turns 36 on November 5, said.

He enjoys the use of a fully serviced luxury automatic Isuzu D-Max Pick-up in addition to two other vehicles that he was awarded for winning the 2018 Berlin Marathon in a world record time of two hours, one minute and 39 seconds, and for running under two-hours at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria last year.

Isuzu East Africa Managing Director Rita Kavashe said that Kipchoge has been a reliable and dependable Isuzu D-Max brand ambassador. 

“Through his record setting exploits, he has inspired a lot of people to believe in themselves and pursue their dreams,” she said.

Kipchoge thanked Isuzu for its demonstration of confidence in his capabilities and for supporting his dream.

Under the new deal, Isuzu East Africa will work with the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation to uplift the well-being of community through access to education, sports talent development and environmental conservation.

Olympic and world medalist Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria, linked to gym bag of drug paraphernalia

Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria is being investigated for ties to a gym bag filled with drug paraphernalia found at INSEP, a French track and field training center.

The four-time Olympic medalist and, most recently, 2019 world championships silver medalist in the 1,500m had personal documentation found in a sports bag filled with syringes and products for injection.

He’s now being investigated by French authorities to see if the bag is connected with him and if his possible possession constitutes an offence. Makhloufi rose to running fame in 2012 when he broke onto the scene by winning the Olympic gold medal in the 1,500m.

At the time, he was coached by Jama Aden, who was at the centre of a 2016 drug raid in Barcelona, which found EPO at the hotel he and his athletes were staying in. Makhloufi had left the group by the time the raid occurred. 

According to the CCES (Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport), runners can be banned for the presence, possession or use of a prohibited substance for two to four years. Makhloufi hasn’t recorded any results in 2020. His last result on the track was his 1,500m final in Doha. 

2020 Cardiff Half Marathon postponed again, until October 2021 due to coronavirus pandemic

The Cardiff Half Marathon - already postponed from this October to next March - has been put back again.

The next edition of the race will now take place on Sunday, October 3, 2021.

Organizers had hoped to hold two half-marathons next year - the postponed event in March and then another as usual in October.

However, they say rising Covid-19 cases and new lockdown restrictions mean it will not be possible to hold an event like this in March.

The initial decision to move the race from October 2020 to March 2021 had been taken in June.

The next two races will now be in October 2021 and October 2022.

Organizer Run 4 Wales said it had been closely monitoring the ongoing coronavirus situation and the guidance issued by the Welsh and UK governments, whilst making arrangements to try and deliver a Covid-secure event in the spring of 2021 but that this was no longer a viable possibility.

"We had watched with optimism over recent months as lockdown restrictions had eased and successful pilot events across the UK have demonstrated that it is possible to safely deliver mass-participation events," said a statement announcing the latest postponement.

"It is now clear, however, against a backdrop of rising cases, freshly imposed lockdown restrictions and a turbulent winter period ahead that it will not be possible to deliver an event of this size and scale by March of next year."

Run 4 Wales now plans to deliver a number of smaller events with additional hygiene and social distancing measures in place, as it builds to the return of the Cardiff Half Marathon in October 2021.

"The health and safety of our runners, volunteers, event team and the wider population is of the utmost importance to us. We have therefore been working closely with the Welsh Government and other mass participation event organizers across Wales and the UK to chart a safe return to events."

Since its foundation in 2003, the Cardiff Half Marathon has become the UK's third biggest race after the London Marathon and the Great North Run.

It typically sees more than £4m raised for charities and last year 27,500 runners and 100,000 spectators attended the race.

Ryu Takaku, Yuma Hattori and Taku Fujimoto Headline Fukuoka International Marathon

With strict limitations on immigration still a reality in Japan, the Dec. 6 Fukuoka International Marathon has announced an almost entirely domestic field of less than 100 that includes only five Japan-based foreign-born athletes plus an all-Japan-based Kenyan pacing crew led by Bedan Karoki (Toyota).

Not that the field is hurting for quality. Ryu Takaku (Yakult), 2:06:45 in Tokyo this year, 2018 Fukuoka winner and Tokyo Olympics marathon team member Yuma Hattori (Toyota), and Taku Fujimoto (Toyota), a bump up to the 2019 Fukuoka winner's position pending after the subsequent suspension of the Moroccan who crossed the line first for biological passport violations, make up the front end of a field that includes eleven current sub-2:10 men and seven of last year's top ten.

Hattori has said publicly that he'll be going for Suguru Osako's 2:05:29 national record, and with pacing support from teammates Karoki and Fujimoto, his former Toyo University teammate Takaku there with him, and no dirty athletes to effortlessly tear him in half at the end, if the weather is good his chances will be too.

Shizuoka-based Kenyan Michael Githae (Suzuki) is the top international in the field with a best of 2:09:21 from Lake Biwa in 2018, but sub-60 half marathoner Paul Kuira (JR Higashi Nihon) still has potential to improve on his 2:11:58 best, and likewise for former Takushoku University ekiden team captain Derese Workneh (Hiramatsu Byoin). Workneh's teammate Cyrus Kingori (Hiramatsu Byoin) looks promising in his debut with a 1:01:31 for 4th at last year's Gifu Seiryu Half. 

One promising name for a breakthrough in the Japanese field is Taiki Suzuki (Raffine), 9th last year in 2:12:09 in his marathon debut. It'll be interesting as well to see if Yuya Yoshida (GMO) can build on his inspiring at-the-time-career-ending 2:08:30 debut at Beppu-Oita this year, and it still feels like Olympic team alternate Shohei Otsuka (Kyudenko) has more waiting in him than his 2:10:12 best from Beppu-Oita two years ago.

Toyo fans will be hoping the same for Keita Shitara (Hitachi Butsuryu), twin brother of former NR holder Yuta Shitara.

Uganda´s Joshua Cheptegei to rest for a month before chasing Olympic dream

Joshua Cheptegei will rest for a month before he starts preparations for the next season."It has been hectic. I want to rest a bit before I prepare for what could be an even more challenging 2021," stated Cheptegei.

The cross-country season begins next month climaxing in March before the track season whose highlight will be the Tokyo Olympics in August.

Rest makes a lot of sense after a season where the Ugandan star has broken three world records.But there are signs of an equally tough upcoming season where Cheptegei will be eyeing a historic 5000 and 10000 meter Olympic double.

"Of course I will be going for double gold in Tokyo," stated Cheptegei from Kapchorwa today.

For now, Stephen Kiprotich is the only Ugandan to have won gold at both the Olympics and World Championships.

Should Cheptegei realize this dream he will become the first Ugandan to soar to such heights.

2016 Olympic 5000 and 10000m gold medals.

Olympic gold is the only medal so far missing in Cheptegei's now rich collection.Victory in Tokyo will not only make Cheptegei one of Africa's greatest athletes,  but also Uganda's most successful ever.

Triathlete Richard Murray runs 28:04, third-fastest 10K in South African history

On Saturday, Olympic triathlete Richard Murray of South Africa ran a solo 10K time trial in a blazing-fast time of 28:04. This is not only the 13th-fastest time of 2020, but it’s also the third best in South African history.

The run is unofficial, so Murray’s name won’t be added to any record books, but if he ever chooses to drop the swim and the bike and focus solely on running, it looks like he would have a good shot at officially breaking some South African records. 

Murray’s 10K 

Running in the Netherlands, Murray had the perfect course for a flat and fast 10K time trial. The weather was not on his side, though, and he had to endure heavy winds throughout the run. In a YouTube video documenting his time trial, Murray said he hoped to run 2:48 per kilometer for the two-lap 10K course, and he ended up hitting that pace goal right on.

Later in the video, Murray’s wife and fellow Olympic triathlete Rachel Klamer said she wasn’t sure if her husband would be able to meet his low-28 goal, but she added that if he did, she would encourage him to “go and train for it properly” next year after they race at the Tokyo Olympics to see if he could break 28 minutes. 

His 10K time puts him just outside the top-10 for 2020, and he’s impressively close to that 28-minute barrier. With the result, he only trails compatriots Shadrack Hoff (who has a 27:50 PB) and national record-holder Stephen Mokoka (PB of 27:38) on the all-time list of South Africans. Mokoka’s 10K time is much faster than Murray’s new PB, but if Murray put in dedicated run training like Klamer suggested, he could certainly challenge that South African record. 

This is not Murray’s first noteworthy solo time trial result. Earlier in October, he rode his bike for a two-hour workout and immediately followed it up with a mile PB of 4:05, and in May, he ran a 5K PB of 13:48. Had the 5K run been in an official race, it would be good enough for second all-time among South Africans, and Murray would once again be behind Hoff, who owns the national record of 13:30.

At the Rio Games in 2016, Murray ran his way through the field after the swim and bike legs, posting a 30:34 10K for the fastest run split of the day and a fourth-place finish. He is routinely among the top finishers in World Triathlon Series events, and while he’ll have his eyes on a podium result in Tokyo next summer, we’re more eager to see how quickly he can run after a run-specific training block. 

2020 World Athletics Awards will be virtually

This year's finest athletics achievements will be celebrated at the World Athletics Awards 2020, to be staged as a virtual event on Saturday 5 December and streamed live on the World Athletics YouTube channel.

This year’s ceremony will recognize exceptional achievement in what has been an extraordinary and unprecedented year, both on and off the fields of play, and a celebration of the athletes who met the challenges of 2020 head-on to produce some of the finest performances in the history of our sport.

Once again, athletics fans from around the world will be invited to help select the male and female athletes of the year.

Commenting on the Award, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: “In a disruptive year our athletes continued to train hard and our event organizers went above and beyond to deliver four full Diamond League events and four Diamond League exhibition meetings, seven Continental Tour events, a World Half Marathon Championships and a number of innovative virtual events including the Ultimate Garden Clash. Whilst this was not the year any of us had planned for, I am proud of our athletes, our meeting organizers and the World Athletics team for their tenacity and determination. This is what we will celebrate at this year’s Annual Awards.”

Eight awards, including those in three new categories, will be presented:

Male and Female Athlete of the YearThese awards recognize the top-performing athletes of the year. A three-way voting process – split between the World Athletics Council, the World Athletics Family, and the worldwide community of athletics fans – will determine the five men and five women finalists.

The nominees for Male Athlete of the Year will be announced on Monday 2 November and the nominees for Female Athlete of the Year on Tuesday 3 November.

President’s AwardThis award recognizes and honors exceptional service to athletics.

Coaching Achievement AwardGiven to a coach who has helped athletes thrive, particularly in this difficult year.

Covid Inspiration AwardThis award will recognize an individual or group of individuals whose efforts, despite the challenges of 2020, have resulted in the delivery of a particularly inspiring athletics event or experience.

Member Federations AwardLike the Covid Inspiration Award, this honor will recognize a member federation that has managed to deliver an uplifting athletics event, development event or experience in spite of this year’s challenges.

Athletes Community AwardA special award from the athletes to a group of individuals who have helped and supported them and their communities throughout trying times.

Athletics Photograph of the YearAwarded to the best athletics photograph of 2020, as decided by an expert panel of judges.  The voting process for the Athlete of the Year awards will open next week.