Running News Daily

Improving your mental focus with meditation can help you when running, so you are able to keep pushing and hit your splits

Sitting motionless in a room for an extended period of time might seem like an odd way to improve your running, but meditation is a tool used by some of the world’s best runners to take them to the next level.

Two-time Western States champion Timmy Olhsen uses meditation as a central tenant of his training. Two-time OCC champion Ruth Croft has gone on week-long silent meditation retreats.

Here are some ways to get started:

Why meditate?

There are a number of benefits for runners. Firstly, it can help you concentrate or to “stay present”. This is particularly useful if you have a specific split or pace in mind. Over the course of a 5km, 10km or even a marathon it can be easy for your mind to drift and for you to unwittingly slow down. But if you are “present”, you can focus on keeping your legs spinning.

Conversely, mediation can distract you. If you are battling through a low point on a 100km race, you can use meditation techniques honed at home to focus on your breathing rather than your ailing body. You can refocus to the moment and forget about what is to come and the negative thoughts circling in your head.

Meditation lowers anxiety in general. Being less stressed will help your training in general because you will find it easier to stick to a routine and waste less mental energy so you can push yourself during the session. It will also help you relax and sleep, so your body can recover in full.

Where to start?

It can be hard to know where to start. Do you just sit down with crossed legs and float away in your mind’s eye to distant peaks? There are loads of meditation apps for beginners and you can plug in and listen to instructions for short five-minute bursts and build from there.

Meditation is surprisingly hard. You will find your mind wandering after just a few seconds. Start small, just a few minutes a day, and do not beat yourself up if you have to constantly refocus as you get distracted over and over.

Breathing

Meditating is not just about the mind. There are a number of breathing techniques which supplement the practice, like single nostril breathing, focusing on your breath, long deep breaths, and short fast breaths.

Sit in a comfortable position, shut your eyes and focus on each breath – in, out, in, out. After a few breaths, begin to deeply inhale. Concentrate on where the air is flowing by expanding your belly and not just lifting up your rip cage. Do this five times and then return to regular breathing.

You can repeat this as many times as you like. It is an easy beginners’ routine, but it will allow you to practice refocusing on the moment and staying present when you are getting anxious. When running, if you are getting negative thoughts or experiencing a low, you will then be able to bring yourself back to the moment by focusing on your breath and continuing to push your body.

Meditation while running

You should practice the techniques you learn at home out on the track or trail. It will improve your running and you will be better equipped to call on what you have learned when you need it during a race.

Try staying present by counting your steps. It might sound easy, but you will find your mind drifting to other things after just a few steps. Even if you are counting, you will probably be simultaneously thinking things like, “I wonder how many steps I can get to before I lose count”, but in time you will be able to fill your mind with the numbers only.

Another technique is to focus on body parts, not just legs. Really concentrate on your arms, feel them swinging and brushing against your shirt or body, for example.

Practice gratefulness. Think explicitly about how lucky you are to be able to run and go outdoors and your mood should improve, and your performance with it.

Set intentions

Every day does not have to be a personal best run. But energy flows, where energy knows. If you know what you want out of a day, a session or a race, it will help with mindfulness – an offshoot of meditation.

Write down your training day’s intention. It can be a heart rate, a time, a feeling, a thought. It can even be “rest, today’s training is to rest and not feel guilty about not training”.

And on days you do not meet your intention, think about why but do not get bogged down in it. Tomorrow is another day.

Can Running With a Weighted Vest Improve Your Performance?

Most of us want to boost our speed, but can adding heft to our miles help slash splits?

Earlier this year, the coronavirus outbreak forced gyms and fitness studios to close, which forced us all to get creative with our running and training routines. One popular running add on: a weighted vest.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where the idea of working out or running with a weighted vest originated. The military and firefighters have long used weight vests in training to mimic the load of equipment they carry during duty. But the trend became more mainstream when CrossFit incorporated weighted vests into certain memorial Workout Of the Days (WODs) to make them more challenging.

But can adding heft actually improve your running performance? We asked running and fitness experts to break down the benefits, risks, and everything in-between.

The Benefits of Running With a Weighted Vest

Wearing a weighted vest while walking or running essentially increases the load on both your muscles and connective tissues. “That weight increase brings a challenge and a new stressor on the body, and change only occurs when the body is stressed,” says Mat Forzaglia, certified personal trainer and founder of Forzag Fitness in New York City. “By adding stress, you can improve your overall fitness.”

Sure, you can add stress by doing speed intervals or lifting weights, but “the idea is that by increasing weight while walking or running, the athlete is making weighted training as specific to their sport as possible,” explains Jason Fitzgerald, USATF certified coach and creator of Strength Running in Denver, CO.

When it comes to boosting endurance and increasing speed, it’s possible to move the needle when done safely and progressively. “Running with a weight vest has the potential to make you faster by reducing your injury risk so you can train long-term, and by increasing your aerobic fitness,” explains Fitzgerald.

Even if you’re not initially running at the same speed or intensity that you usually can (and you probably won’t be able to!), you can still reap the benefits. “Weighted walks or low-intensity running are more challenging than the same activity without a vest, so respiration will be higher at lower intensities, and that can help boost endurance while reducing an athlete’s risk of injury,” says Fitzgerald. “Plus, added strength gains will help mitigate injury risk—and staying healthy is one of the best performance enhancers possible.”

Can Running With a Weighted Vest Build Muscle?

While running with more weight on your body will help you build some muscle, it will be marginal compared to other forms of resistance training. “It won’t be like if you were to squat or deadlift,” says Forzaglia. “It can help you learn to endure heavier weight for longer periods of time.”

What About Weight Loss?

Just like with all other forms of exercise such as walking, running, cycling, and weight lifting, running with a vest is one method that burns calories. But your diet and lifestyle play important factors as long-term weight loss is more complicated than simply: Calories in need to be less than calories out.

“Adding weight and stress to your runs will help burn more calories, but how quickly you lose weight will vary depending on your body composition, nutrition, and other factors,” says Kenny Santucci, NASM, personal trainer and creator of STRONG New York in New York, NY.

“The extremes of exercise will always be more productive, such as high-intensity, long-duration, and very frequent exercise,” adds Fitzgerald. Follow these science-backed tips if you’re interested in running for weight loss.

How To Properly Run With a Weight Vest

If you’re going to try it, it’s important that you’re ready and capable to do so in order to prevent injury. “One of the most important things to consider when it comes to training is being prepared to train,” explains Santucci. If you’ve never run before, or you don’t typically use weights to train, Santucci doesn’t recommend running with a weight vest as the joints won’t be prepared to handle the load.

“Running with extra weight does increase the stress of running, so it can be an injury risk,” explains Fitzgerald. “I’d advise that you begin by hiking [or walking] with a weighted vest, and once that feels good, reserve only very slow running for the vest.” In other words, strap on a weight vest for your shorter, easier running days, or try hiking or walking with a vest on cross-training days. You don’t want to slot this in on recovery days as the extra load will not allow your body to fully recover.

Fitzgerald also points out that it’s not smart to wear a weighted vest during any kind of speed workout. “The goal is speed, and a vest will slow you down,” he says.

Forzaglia suggests using a weight vest during the off-season. “It’s a tool you can utilize in the strength training block, early in the off-season,” he says. “It’s not something to try as you’re leading up to a race.”

How to Choose The Correct Weight

Training with a weight vest adds a whole new load onto the body. In order to not end up too sore—or worse, injured—you should start light, with a weight possibly even less than you think you can handle so your body can get used to this new load. “Err on the conservative side and wear enough weight that you just notice it at first,” says Fitzgerald. “You can always add more later.”

Santucci recommends starting with 10-pounds and then gradually increasing from there. “You’ll work up to the standard weight vest amount for women, which is 14 pounds, or men, which is 20 pounds,” he says. “Your goals will determine how much weight you add.”

Forzaglia recommends vests that have individual single pound or two-pound weights that you can progressively add in or on to the vest as you get stronger and feel more comfortable with the vest.

How Often Should You Do It?

This really depends on your goals. In the beginning, all experts agree to start slow as your body gets used to the additional weight. Doing too much too often may end up sidelining you. Once you’re comfortable with it, you can work it into your routine.

“The frequency with which you wear a weight vest does depend on the race you’re training for but in general, a few times per week will work well for most runners,” says Fitzgerald.

The 13 Best Pieces of Running Gear to Fend Off Winter’s Chill

Reach for these accessories to survive the season’s coldest days.

In much of the country, the “-ber” months see reduced daylight, warm temperatures, and a runner’s motivation. Let’s admit: It’s hard to drag yourself out of bed when it’s pitch black outside and your breath crystalizes the instant it escapes your lips. Or, if we do gear up for a run, it’s often on a treadmill at the gym, avoiding any wintry slop outside.

But with the right attitude and tools, you can make it through. Being equipped with the proper winter accessories—like the selections below—that fend off all but the worst Mother Nature delivers will help bring back the joy of playing outside.

Gloves Before Sleeves Before Pants

As the temperature begins to slide, you’ll see runners sweating buckets beneath windbreakers and running pants. Resist that temptation to bundle up because, as soon as you’re moving, you’ll quickly overheat. If you’re unaware what you should be wearing given the conditions, you can always turn to our What to Wear tool. And take our advice: The first thing you should reach for is a pair of thin gloves to wear with shorts and a T-shirt because fingers often get chilly first. As the winds pick up and the temperature dips further, swap the tee for a long-sleeve shirt, then progress to pants and a jacket when the conditions worsen.

Layering Is Wise

Smart runners know to dress in layers. A thin jacket can be tied around your waist easily if you find yourself too warm. Beneath that, look for a synthetic base layer that will wick sweat away from your skin or wear a half-zip top that you can use like a window—open it to dump heat quickly so you don’t get too clammy.

You can apply the same concept to your hands. As the temperature gets too low for lightweight gloves, slip a mitten over top to boost your warmth and comfort. Modern materials even allow you to operate your smartphone or watch without taking your hands out of the mittens.

What about your head, where you lose the most heat? Unless you’re bald, you might find a hat to be too warm on any days when it’s not cold enough to snow. In that case, consider pulling on a headband or Buff, which you can use to shield your dome from the cold wind relentlessly pounding your forehead.

Dr. Jill Biden is a runner and in fact has run a marathon

The Second Lady is still active in the Komen Race for the Cure.

It was a charity race that got you started running, wasn’t it?

I started running after Joe and I were asked to kick off a Komen Race for the Cure in the early ’90s. After sounding the horn, we ran to get out of everyone’s way, and I got so winded that I said, “I’m going to start running.” My first run was around my neighborhood in Delaware—about a third of a mile. I kept increasing the distance until I got the bug.

What did you like about it?

It was such a feeling of freedom. I love running outside. It was a good feeling. I mean, I felt good about myself, and so that’s why I continued. I started when I was, what, 40, so I’ve been running almost 20 years. And I’ve been pretty consistent with it. I mean, I’ve had things in my life happen where I’ve had to slow down a little bit, but I’ve always gone back to it.

How many Susan G. Komen races have you participated in?

Oh, I’m not sure about the exact number—probably a handful or so. Over the years I’ve also completed several 5K, 10K, and half-marathon races for other cancer charities.

Why are you participating in the Komen race this year?

This year, I am serving as the Honorary Chair for the Washington D.C. Race for the Cure along with Joe. It’s the second year in a row we’ve done this, and we are honored to continue the tradition. On the eve of race day, Joe and I will host breast-cancer survivors for a special reception at our home. It’s a really special event and gives us a chance to spend time with survivors and their loved ones before the race. We’re really looking forward to it.

In addition to your work with Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure, you’ve been very involved in breast-cancer awareness. Why is it such an important issue for you?

Back in the early ’90s, I had several friends who got breast cancer. One died. I felt like I had to do something, and I couldn’t just sit by. Being an educator, I thought, Well, maybe there’s something I could do in education. So I started the Biden Breast Health Initiative, and I have health-care professionals go to high schools in Delaware, and we talk to them about good health practices, breast self-examination, and early detection. So not only is that awareness created for them, but they take that message home to their moms and grandmoms, and they start a dialogue. We’ve reached more than 10,000 young women.

What’s typical for a daily workout? Where do you usually run and how many miles?

Well, you know, my goal is five miles at a nine- to 10-minute pace five days a week. But between teaching and administration responsibilities, I barely make that any more. Like, for instance, this morning I had a breast-cancer event here [at the house, the Vice President’s Residence at the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C.] at breakfast. I knew I was limited for time, so I did a little over four miles on the treadmill. I try to adapt my workout to where I am—I could be in another city or country—so it often depends on what I’m doing. I also try to incorporate a little bit of weight training, because I think that’s really good for your bones. That’s my basic workout.

How do you change your training when you’re preparing for a race, as you are now?

When I’ve done races, I’ve been pretty disciplined about setting up a plan for myself and then following that plan on a daily basis. That’s how I got ready for the 1998 Marine Corps Marathon, which is the only one I’ve done. I’ve done several half-marathons and 10-mile races. In the next couple months, I would love to train for the Army 10-Miler [in Washington, D.C.], and so I feel like I could work up to that.

You’re pretty close to the race in the beginning of June, so what are you aiming for now? Are you still doing five miles or are you trying to ramp it up?

Usually because of time, I can’t go over five miles—sometimes maybe I could do six or seven, and sometimes I could just do three. Because, you know, my days are pretty filled, so I have to run in the morning or whenever I have time, and then I’ve got to build in that time to get back and showered and changed and read my briefing for an event. I have to factor all of those things in.

So what’s your best time?

My best time was my only time [the Marine Corps Marathon]. I finished in 4:30:32. My goal was 4:30, so I feel like I met that goal and I was ecstatic. I have to say it was one of the highlights of my life. I saw my family at several spots along the way. And I tell you, at the end of that race, I felt like I could run five more miles. My adrenaline was through the roof.

Would you consider running another marathon?

I always said I only wanted to do one marathon, but I’ve also learned to never say never!

So now do you run with the Secret Service?

Oh, yeah. That’s another big change in my life now—I usually have someone ahead of me and someone behind me. But they’ve been great. I just say to them, “I need to pretend you’re not here,” because I love to run by myself, and they’re pretty respectful of that.

Are the Secret Service in cars or are they actually running?

No, these guys are runners. I mean, these guys are fit, and they’re good runners.

You said you love to run by yourself. Why is that? Is it because you use that time to think or is it meditative for you?

I think that running creates a sense of balance in my life. And it really calms me down. It’s a great feeling to just get out and lose myself in a run. I think that’s why I continue to run because, as you know, once you get that, you kind of crave that time for yourself.

So I guess you don’t exercise with your husband?

Sometimes Joe runs with me, but he’s not a runner. He’s an athlete, and he does a lot of exercise. Like last night, he was playing football out on the front lawn with our granddaughter who loves to play football. So he likes to do a lot of sports, but I think once you’re a runner, you really stick with it.

But I have heard you do run with some of your staff.

A lot of people on my staff run, so that’s nice. If we get time and we’re in a different city, we’ll go out and do a run.

Obviously this is a very fit administration. Is it motivating? The President and First Lady are known for it. Do you ever run with either the President or First Lady?

You know, I really love what Michelle is doing with Let’s Move! Let’s face it, we really did need something like this in this country to fight childhood obesity. I see Michelle at events or we pass one another on the way to meetings, but life is a little too hectic. I mean, that would be great, but it just isn’t reality that we would have time to do that.

So do you feel more pressure to perform well as a runner now that everyone knows you?

Well, when I’m out running, people don’t recognize me, which is great. I don’t feel pressure; I’m not out to beat anybody or hit a certain time. I just do it for the enjoyment of it. I’m doing it for myself.

How do you make the time to run? How do you carve that time out?

Well, I definitely make it a priority. That’s not always possible, but my office knows that it goes first on the list. It’s really an important part of my life, and I try to be pretty true to it.

Do you have a preferred workout outfit?

I don’t have a workout outfit. The usual, you know, black pants and a T-shirt.

Do you listen to music when you run?

Oh, yeah, I do.

Can I ask what’s on your iPod?

What’s on my iPod? Well, certainly Bruce Springsteen. [Biden was born in New Jersey.] I don’t know what else. My kids are runners, by the way. I have two sons and a daughter and two daughters-in-law, and they’re triathletes, my two sons and their wives. So if they hear something good, they’ll say, “Oh, Mom, let me put this on your iPod.”

2021 Nagano Marathon to Happen April 18th With Field of 8,000 But No International Entries

The 23rd Nagano Marathon will go ahead as scheduled on Apr. 18, 2021, employing trial coronavirus countermeasures. To comply with government directives on crowd density the field will be limited to 8,000 participants.

On a first-come first-served basis priority will be given to runners who entered the canceled 22nd edition of the race.  All entrants are asked to monitor their health closely and to stay home if they feel unwell in the time leading up to the race.

This event cannot be held without the help and cooperation of every participant in the field in making sure it goes off smoothly. Thank you for your understanding. 

We are sorry to inform you that the Nagano Marathon Organizing Committee will not accept foreign entries for the 23rd Nagano Marathon, considering that the future for the relaxation of immigration restrictions is uncertain due to COVID-19. We sincerely apologize to those who were looking forward to the race.

Priority entry for foreign runners entered in the 22nd Nagano Marathon’s priority will be carried forward to the 24th Nagano Marathon.

Modern pentathlon set for new format for Paris 2024 Olympics

The Executive Board of the International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) has approved a new format for the Paris 2024 Olympics, which will now feature a 90-minute event.

This 90-minute modern pentathlon will have an elimination system designed to reduce the overall length of the competition and create a more dynamic approach to the sport.

All five disciplines will take place in 90 minutes within a compact field of play.

Equestrian would feature first for 20 minutes, before a 15-minute fencing event, ten minutes of swimming and 15 minutes of the laser run. 

Breaks are accounted for in between events too.

This new format also intends to be more broadcast-friendly, making it easier for viewers and spectators to understand the event in one sitting.

There is also a focus on making the Games more sustainable and efficient in future, making it compatible with the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Olympic Agenda 2020.

Modern pentathlon was first introduced into the Olympic Games in 1912 in Stockholm by the co-founder of the IOC, Pierre de Coubertin.

Now, the IOC Executive Board will decide on December 7 whether to approve this new format proposed by the UIPM, as well as a proposal to add the mixed relay as an event for Paris 2024 too.

"We stand once again on the brink of a momentous landmark in the long history of our beloved core Olympic sport," said UIPM President Klaus Schormann.

"The modern pentathlon was originally a five-day competition at the Olympic Games. 

"In Atlanta 1996 it was condensed into one day, and in London 2012 we combined laser shooting with running to produce a more exciting climax. 

"At Tokyo 2020 we will have all five disciplines within one pentathlon stadium.

"Now, after two years of detailed exploration and discussion between all parts of our community, the IOC and Paris 2024 and Olympic Broadcast Services, we are ready to present something very special: a modern pentathlon lasting 90 minutes.

"We have presented our global community with a summary of the exciting new Modern Pentathlon format, which we hope will have a transformative effect on the profile and popularity of our Olympic sport.

"As UIPM President I am grateful to all parts of our global community for buying into this vision. 

"The UIPM Executive Board has again demonstrated its commitment to innovation and we greatly look forward to presenting the IOC with our application for a new modern pentathlon competition format and an additional mixed relay category for the Paris 2024 Olympics."

The UIPM Executive Board made this decision following a vote in January in support of the format.

In September 2020, test events took place in Budapest in Hungary and Cairo in Egypt and received positive feedback.

Ethiopia's Hailu Zewdu and Diana Chemtai lead their respective fields for the Istanbul Marathon as the World Athletics Gold Label road race series resumes in Turkey's largest city on Sunday

Zewdu made his marathon debut at the Dubai Marathon in January, clocking 2:06:31 to finish 10th. He'll be joined by compatriot Tsegaye Getachew, the next fastest in the field with a 2:06:50 career best, set at the Valencia Marathon last year where he finished eighth. Earlier in the year Getachew won the Dalian Marathon in 2:11:25, his first and to date only international victory over the distance.

Felix Kimutai, with 2:09:23 credentials, leads the Kenyan contingent. The 31-year-old won here in 2018 and finished third one year ago.

Cosmas Birech, who clocked 2:08:03 to win the Rome Marathon in 2018, is also in the field, along with Edwin Soi, the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist over 5000m, who'll be making his marathon debut.

Local hopes will rest with Yavuz Agrali, who set his 2:10:41 lifetime best in Seville in February.

Chemtai, who made her marathon debut last year, leads the women's field. The 26-year-old Kenyan clocked 2:22:07 at last year's Ljubljana Marathon, finishing third. She has a 1:07:07 half marathon best from 2018.

She'll face a pair of formidable Ethiopians, Hiwot Gebrekidan and Yeshi Kalayu Chekole. Gebrekidan has a 2:23:50 career best set in Guangzhou last year while Chekole, 23, has a 2:24:28 best set in Abu Dhabi, also one year ago.

Strict safety measures in place

Organisers have put several measures in place to ensure the safety of all runners, beginning with a cap of 3000 participants.

The start and finish area was moved to a massive open space to ensure a safe distance between the runners both before and after the race. The area will be secured, barring entry to anyone without a clearance code provided by Turkey's Ministry of Health. A negative test for Covid-19 was required to enter the race.

All participants, including the elite athletes, will be required to wear face masks at the start, and will be able to dispose of them in designated boxes at 20 metres, 200 metres and one kilometres from the start.

The gun will sound the start of the elite race at 9am. The mass race will follow with groups of four runners starting every five seconds.

The change in course means that this year, instead of starting on the Asian side of the city and finishing on the European side, runners will first cross from Europe to Asia and then back again. With the change to a much more difficult course, organisers don't expect the race records - Daniel Kipkore Kibet's 2:09:44 set in 2019 and Ruth Chepngetich's 2:18:35 from 2018 - to be under threat.

The accompanying shorter races that regularly attract up to 70,000 participants were cancelled this year.

Publix Atlanta Marathon Weekend Moves to Atlanta Motor Speedway

 Runners who participate in next year's Publix Atlanta Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K won't have to climb any of Atlanta's famous and relentless hills in 2021. This year's temporary course will be pancake flat. With the uncertain future of events in Atlanta due to COVID-19, Publix Atlanta Marathon Weekend will move to Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2021 and be held as a series of by-appointment races to allow for safe social distancing.

Traditionally held at Centennial Olympic Park, the weekend will remain on its scheduled date of February 27-28. The 5K will be held under the lights of the Atlanta Motor Speedway's NASCAR oval on Saturday night. The half marathon and marathon will be held the next day utilizing the 1.5-mile track, its infield, concourse, miles of service roads and large parking lots. The Publix Atlanta Kids Marathon will be held across both days allowing parents to schedule their children's races in conjunction with their own.

"We know runners and walkers are making their winter and spring plans now," said Rich Kenah, Executive Director of Atlanta Track Club. "By making this decision and announcement now, we are able to provide some certainty in this uncertain time. We are building out a unique, safe experience that is not dependent on public permits."

Atlanta Track Club has consulted with infectious disease experts and followed guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control to implement safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at its events in 2020. The 2021 Publix Atlanta Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K will be a contactless experience. All participants, spectators, staff and volunteers will be required to undergo a health screening prior to entering Atlanta Motor Speedway. Masks must be worn by all except during the race itself. Participants will start in waves of up to 50 people with up to five minutes between each wave. The marathon and half marathon will be capped at 5,000 combined participants and the 5K will be capped at 3,000 participants.

All participants will be required to carry their own hydration and fuel with touchless refill stations available on the course. Post-race snacks, refreshments and medals will be prepacked and available to all finishers before exiting the race area.

Registration fees are currently $100, $80 and $20 for the marathon, half-marathon and 5K respectively. The Publix Atlanta Kids Marathon has a dash option for $10 and a mile for $15. Registration includes a participant shirt and finisher's medal. Participants can sign up and choose their time slot at atlantatrackclub.org. Previously registered participants were offered the option to move to the new location or a full refund. If the event is canceled due to COVID-19, refunds will be offered.

Due to the uncertainty of COVID impacts on indoor gatherings, the Publix Atlanta Marathon will not offer an expo in 2021. Race number pickup will happen on site at Atlanta Motor Speedway on your respective race days. There will also be opportunities for participants to purchase official race merchandise and safely interact and engage with race partners including Publix and Mizuno. The expo had been scheduled at the Georgia Aquarium for the first time. Those aquarium plans will be pushed back to 2022.

Located just 25 miles south of Atlanta in Hampton, Georgia, Atlanta Motor Speedway encompasses 840 acres of private property. It holds two premier NASCAR events each year, one of which will be just three weeks after the Publix Atlanta Marathon Weekend.

Atlanta Track Club has successfully held five in-person events following the race-by-appointment format since July including the three-race Publix Summer Series which was held at private venues throughout the summer and the PNC Atlanta 10 Miler & 5K at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on November 1.

How the latest lockdown affects UK athletics

Track and field training this month will be challenging during English lockdown, whereas restrictions on what is allowed are varied and ever-changing across the UK

Athletics club activity has gone into limbo in England as the month-long lockdown begins. Group sessions and all competitions have been suspended but athletes are still able to train with one other person or enjoy one-to-one coaching in an outdoor public space if they maintain social distancing.

Sports minister Oliver Dowden has urged people to try to stay as fit and healthy as possible during a lockdown that is set to last until at least December 2, but what exactly can athletes and coaches do?

England Athletics say the following is allowed:

» Training with your household or one other person in a public outdoor space.

» One-to-one coaching in a public outdoor space following social distancing, although the governing body is still looking for clarity regarding under-18s and para-athletes.

» Virtual training sessions delivered by qualified coaches and virtual competition.

What is not allowed:

» Indoor and outdoor club group coaching activity.

» Indoor or outdoor competitions.

» Face-to-face coach and officials’ education.

Attempts by England Athletics together with British Cycling and British Triathlon to lobby the Government for exceptions to the lockdown rules failed this week. Many have argued that sport and fitness is vital for physical and mental wellbeing but the Government has refused to buckle and Dowden says: “As soon as we’re in a position to start lifting restrictions, grassroots sport will be one of the first to return.”

In Scotland the situation is complicated by a five-tiered system of coronavirus restrictions. Outdoor competitions, for example, are still permitted in levels 0-3 but not in level 4. Indoor competition, meanwhile, is allowed in levels 0-2 for all age groups and in level 3 for under-17s, but not level 4.

Training group sizes in Scotland are also limited with under-11s allowed a maximum number of 30 athletes, for example, in areas that are levels 0-3 whereas athletes over 12 can train in groups of up to 15 with a varying coach-athlete ratio numbers depending on the age of the athletes. In level 4 areas, under-11s can only train in groups of eight and over 12s in a maximum group size of eight.

In Northern Ireland the maximum group size for both training and competition is 15 with that number including coaches and volunteers.

Wales has been in a 17-day ‘firebreak lockdown’ since October 23 with no athletics clubs or groups allowed to meet together to train and no face to face coaching permitted outside of your own household.

However Welsh Athletics encourages people to keep active. In Wales you can leave your house as often as you like to do exercise and an update is expected from Welsh Athletics after November 9.

Linked to the restrictions, many athletics tracks will now become inaccessible if they are part of leisure centre complexes or run by local councils. Plans by parkrun to return in the UK have also been put on hold, while the Great Run Local events have been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus.

Elite athletes will be frustrated by international travel problems, but their training should otherwise not be affected too much because they are exempt from restrictions. The British Indoor Championships is also set to go ahead in the new year, in addition to the British Olympic marathon trials in March.

Those two events at least appear relatively corona-proof although elsewhere the athletics calendar has been decimated with the small number of grassroots meetings that had hoped to happen in England this month being called off.

You can read more about athletics guidelines in England here, Scotland here, Wales here and Northern Ireland here.

Do poles make ultra trail running more difficult?

Using poles can increase cardiovascular output

Many trail users have seen fellow exercisers running, walking and hiking with poles. Beyond recreational use, these poles can be seen at major ultra-endurance events like UTMB or the Hardrock 100. Poles are much lighter and more affordable than they used to be, and they’re becoming more prevalent in the trail and hiking communities. While pole usage is truly up to the runner, there’s some research that suggests they could make you work harder – which is fine during training, but not ideal on race day.

Note: some races don’t allow poles, so double check before making them part of your race plan.

Who should use poles?

A 2020 literature review found that hikers who used poles had an increase in cardiovascular output, but a lower rate of perceived exertion. A runner’s rate of perceived exertion is basically a subjective indicator of how hard they feel they’re working at any given time. This makes sense, as the poles incorporate a person’s upper body more than their natural arm carriage would. If you’re looking for a better whole-body workout, poles seem to be an asset. However, if you’re looking to use as little energy as possible, the poles could be making you work harder to travel the same distance.

Even better news for those looking for a good overall workout (as opposed to a race victory) is that using poles made the subject’s effort feel easier. In a 60-minute uphill trek, pole users saw a significant decrease in their RPE, however, in the downhill trail they saw no difference. So for runners looking to work harder while feeling like their exercise is easier (which is basically everyone’s dream), poles are a great idea. However, if the goal of the day is to win a race, leave the poles at home.

Other considerations

While the research suggests that using poles is more taxing on your cardiovascular system, trail racers should consider the balance assistance that poles can provide. In a study looking at pole usage and balance, it was found that poles improved runners’ stability. While more research needs to be done on long-term pole usage, occasional use seems to help performance.

If you’re considering a particularly gnarly trail race, poles might be to your advantage. For example, in the Hardrock 100, most runners uses poles throughout the race. However, if your race has mostly fairly predictable footing, you can probably go without.

Meet the runner who set the Guinness World Record for distance run while juggling

Five hours, 21 minutes, and 23 seconds. 117 laps around a track. Zero balls dropped.

David Rush is no stranger to Guinness World Records. He’s been going after them for years as a way to boost his efforts promoting STEM education in schools—he thought kids would be inspired if they saw a world-record holder.

Rush, a longtime juggler, holds records in things like fruit sliced in the air by juggled knives and the most Oreo cookies stacked in 30 seconds. However, joggling—running while juggling—was always at the forefront of his mind after going to school with longtime joggling record-holder Zach Warren.

'The main purpose of these records is to show kids that if you believe in yourself, you can accomplish anything,' Rush told Runner’s World. 'Even though some records still stand, you shouldn’t give up if you miss it. You can become anything you want.'

He started running around 2005, when he got competitive with his brother, who was doing a Thanksgiving half marathon that year. Since 2014 though, he really picked up his running efforts, especially when he started to get into joggling more.

Knowing he didn’t necessarily have the speed to capture various speed records, he decided to focus on the joggling distance record—which meant he had to run 15.5 miles while juggling without dropping a single ball.

Most joggling records—which are generally the fastest time covering a certain distance—are fairly lenient when it comes to drops. As long as a joggler returns to spot of a drop before continuing, the record is valid. But the distance record is different. If there’s a drop, the attempt is over, whether that’s one mile in or 20 miles in.

Another tricky element of this attempt is that a runner cannot accept outside assistance, including being given food or drink, during the attempt. And when your hands are occupied with juggling, nutrition becomes tricky.

'I figured I could go 20 miles without food or water,' Rush said. 'My goal, though, was a marathon if I could do it, so I had to think of a way to get something without breaking the rules.'

With this in mind, Rush opted to wear a Camelbak for the duration of the run, and he tied the tube to his face so he could drink the mix of Gatorade G2 and water he had without using his hands. That meant the straw was in his mouth for the entire run.

Rush’s record attempt, on October 10, went off smoothly. With a camera filming the action and two friends watching as witnesses, he made his way around and around the Centennial High School track in Boise, Idaho.

The juggling didn’t slow down Rush; instead, the bouncing of the Camelbak forced him to shorten his stride and average a 11:19 mile. Still, he cruised through the distance record in 2 hours and 32 minutes, and he just kept going from there.

After over five hours and more than 100 laps, Rush started to wear down. He passed the marathon distance, but a few miles later, a ball finally hit the track, ending his attempt.

Not only did Rush complete his first ultramarathon, but he also crushed the world record by running 29 miles in 5 hours, 21 minutes, and 23 seconds.

'This is one I would consider doing again,' Rush said. 'I was thrilled with 29 miles, but now I’m wondering, How much farther could I go?'

Rush ended up with only one wound from the race. As he ran, the Camelback straw repeatedly bumped into his mouth, causing a blister to form in his mouth that bled a bit during his run.

Despite the usual soreness from running such a distance followed, Rush has since attempted two more world records—the number of times spitting a ping pong ball at a wall and catching it in his mouth, and fastest blindfolded juggling. He also has plans for more joggling attempts, potentially before the end of the year.

9 ways to run safely in the dark

How to ensure you stay safe while out running after dark.

Although wintertime, or evening running has its perks including sparkly lights and invigorating temperatures, with the fading light comes a new set of concerns for runners. As dusk arrives at 4pm it effectively halves our key running times, leaving many regular routes in total darkness. So how can we ensure our runs remain safe without impacting on our fitness routine during the second coronavirus lockdown?

1. Light up

The first rule of safe winter running is high-visibility reflective gear. Being seen after dark is imperative not only so that other runners and pedestrians can spot you dashing past, but also vital for oncoming traffic. From remote country roads to busy city intersections, in the absence of reflective kit, runners are effectively invisible to other road users and just like cyclists you need to be seen to be safe. High-vis clothing will also deter potential predators.

Most running brands release kit during the winter months featuring reflective touches to aid your night runs. But if you're reluctant to invest in a whole new outfit, there are a few simple tricks you can do to light up your evening runs. From LED lights to attach to your clothing, to the Zephyr Fire 100 Hand Torch which comes with a handy strap and a built-in personal alarm, plenty of running brands have come up with a few clever ways to light up the night. Alternatively most running shops stock reflective jackets and bibs to wear over your normal running gear.

2. Run in familiar areas

It may sound obvious, but when you’re out running it’s all too easy to get lost in your thoughts and veer from your usual path. As tempting as it may be to track a new route, if you’re running solo after dark, stick to main roads and well-lit areas.

Having said that, if you run several times a week, it is also easy to slip into a routine and this comes with its own set of dangers. If you run exactly the same route every day, an individual who might be seeking a victim will quickly be able to deduce when and where you’re going to be alone. Stick to routes you know, but mix them up to avoid repetition.

For personal safety, if you're alone it’s also best to steer clear of parks. ‘Think about changing your route during the dark months so you don't leave yourself at risk running through quiet or dark places,’ says ex professional British Boxer and Sporting Performance Coach Cathy Brown. ‘Predators are cowards and hide in dark places.’

3. Stay alert

If you are alone, resist the urge to run with headphones, as it's vital that you remain alert at all times after dark. When your vision is impaired, you need your ears all the more. If you're on a busy street or a cycle path, if you can’t hear cyclists or other runners coming up behind you the results could be disastrous.

'Don't listen to music,' says Cathy. 'I know it keeps you motivated and in stride but you can't hear anyone who may be behind you, so it takes away one of your primary alert senses.'

If you rely heavily on music to keep you motivated, consider hitting the treadmill where you can pump up the volume and run to your hearts content without fear.

4. Run with friends

Despite lockdown, you can still run with one other person at a safe social distance outside (or run at lunchtime to avoid going out alone). Not only is it much safer to run in numbers, but you’ll find your run all the more enjoyable if you have someone to share it with. Running clubs are also a great motivation to push yourself further and improve your fitness, and arranging to meet friends works as a great incentive to get out the door on dark winter nights.

5. Tell a friend

It's frustrating that in this day and age it's still risky to be out after dark alone, but it's always best to err on the side of caution. If you really must run alone, tell someone where you’re going, what route you're taking and the approximate time it will take you. 'If you live alone, choose someone to call when you get back from your run and tell them to expect your call,' says Cathy. 'It's better to be over cautious and safe than sorry.'

6. Get the app

For solo runners, there are lots of great apps available to keep you safe on your runs. Kitestring checks up on you after a period of time, and if you don’t respond, sends a customised emergency message to your pre-selected contacts. Triggered by your inactivity, this can make a huge difference in the case of a serious emergency that prevents you from pulling out your phone. Getbsafe.com includes a panic alarm, shares your location with your friends and family and you can even run with a friend virtually to make sure you get home safe.

7. Make some noise

If you do come across someone that makes you feel uncomfortable, make lots of noise. ‘Scream loud and shout with confidence,’ says Cathy Brown. ‘Predators don't want to attack anyone who is going to bring attention and cause them problems, as they don't want to get caught; remember they are cowards.’

8. Call the police

If you spot anything suspicious or someone makes you feel uncomfortable, call your local police station as soon as possible and warn other runners in the area. Even if you're not in imminent danger, your actions could save someone else from potential harm.

9. Worse case scenario

Although we don't condone violence, if in the worst-case scenario you are attacked during your run, use force where necessary; ‘If you are in the unfortunate circumstance of being attacked, grab their head and push your thumbs into their eye sockets hard; they will definitely loosen their grip.’ Says Cathy. ‘It may seem a bit harsh but if you’re under attack, anything goes.’

Here's why you feel faster when running in the dark

Sadly you’ve not turned into Mo Farah – it’s about spatial awareness say scientists.

If you’re looking for a tiny silver lining about the winter months closing in, it’s that when you go running in the dark you can feel as though you’re running faster even though you’re not making any extra effort. (The downside is that you’re actually not going quicker but let’s not focus on that.)

When we run at night our perception of pace changes because some of our spatial cues are taken away and our impression of where we are in space in comparison to our surroundings changes. Scientists call it ‘optic flow influence’.

A study in the Journal Of Sport And Exercise Psychology conducted trials with subjects on a stationary bike, and discovered that when the riders’ surroundings went past them quicker they felt like they were both working hard and going faster. The reverse was true too: when the passing scenery in the test was slowed down, the test subjects felt they were working less hard.

A similar thing happens at night because, unless you’re a bat or a superhero, you can only see objects when they’re closer to you. This makes it feel as though the landscape is passing by quicker, making you think you’re running faster. Getting home and feverishly checking your training stats can therefore be a slightly underwhelming experience but you can’t win ‘em all.

Another study published in the Medicine & Science In Sport And Exercise journal outlined a different test where runners completed three 5K time trials using different ‘optic flow rates’. The results were interesting, showing that the runners’ ability to judge distance was impaired. When things came at them quickly - as it does at night - they stopped running short of 5K (on average 400m short) thinking they’d already completed the distance. And when the passing scenery slowed down they overran by an average of a whole kilometre thinking that’s when the 5K was up.

What’s the lesson from all of this? Firstly: if you need to run at a specific pace during your night-time training, take a GPS watch with you. Secondly: darkness is not a performance aid.

Joshua Cheptegei and Karsten Warholm headline nominees for Male World Athlete of the Year

World Athletics released its list of 10 nominees for Male World Athlete of the Year on Monday, and six of the finalists are runners. The list consists of 10 incredible athletes, each of whom have had amazing 2020 seasons despite having limited opportunities to compete, and it includes the likes of Joshua Cheptegei and Karsten Warholm.

Here are the six runners who have been nominated, along with their accomplishments in 2020 and why they deserve to win Male World Athlete of the Year. 

Noah Lyles only raced a handful of times this year, all in July and August, but he finished his season undefeated. He had one second-place finish in a 100m race in Florida, but that was in a preliminary heat. Later that day, he ran 9.93 seconds in the finals to take the win. He also has the world-leading 200m time of 19.76, which he ran at the Monaco Diamond League. 

Donavan Brazier, Like Lyles, Brazier went undefeated this year. He kicked the season off by setting an American 800m indoor record with a 1:44.22, and he also ran the outdoor 800m world-leading time in Monaco, where he won the race in 1:43.15. Racing in 600m, 800m and 1,500m events throughout the season, Brazier showed off his speed and endurance, often cruising to wins. On top of all that, after his final race of the year, news came out that he had been dealing with plantar fasciitis during these races, although he certainly didn’t let it slow him down too much.

Karsten Warholm, Once again, we have an undefeated athlete nominated. Warholm not only won all six of his 400mH races this year, but he also ran the six fastest times in the event in 2020. He’s the only athlete who ran sub-48 seconds this year (a feat which he accomplished five times), and he also ran the second-fastest 400mH time in history with a 46.87 in Stockholm in August. This was just 0.09 seconds off the world record of 46.78, which has stood since 1992. Finally, he also set the 300mH world record at a meet in Oslo, where he ran 33.78 seconds.

Timothy Cheruiyot, didn’t have an undefeated season, but he did remain perfect in his preferred event of 1,500m. He won each of his three 1,500m races in 2020, and he also set the world-leading time of 3:28.45, which he ran in Monaco. He also stepped out of his comfort zone with a 5,000m run in March. He recorded a time of 13:47.2, and while this result doesn’t even put him in the top 700 all-time among Kenyan runners, it’s still cool to see him broadening his horizons. We don’t expect to see him making the jump to longer races anytime soon, but if a 5,000m every now and then helps him with his endurance for the 1,500m, then all power to him. 

Joshua Cheptegei, has had the year of his life. He raced four times in 2020 and broke three world records. He opened the year with a 5K road world record in Monaco, where he ran 12:51, but before he could continue his season, COVID-19 hit and put everything on hold. His time away from racing didn’t seem to faze him, though, because in his return to competition, he set the 5,000m world record (once again in Monaco) with a time of 12:35.36. Two months later, he followed that up with a 10,000m record of 26:11.00. He ran his season finale at the World Half-Marathon Championships in Poland, and while he didn’t win (he finished in fourth in 59:21), it was his debut at the distance, and he still has plenty of time to chase that world record in the coming years. 

Jacob Kiplimo, only raced three times in 2020, but he won each event, and he showed impressive range as he performed well across three different distances. He opened his season with a 5,000m, which he ran in 12:48.63 (the second-fastest time in Ugandan history, behind only Cheptegei). A little over a week later, he ran a 3,000m in 7:26.64 to set the Ugandan national record and world-leading time in the event. Finally, he won his first world title when he ran to victory in 58:49 at the World Half-Marathon Championships, setting another Ugandan record along the way. 

Japanese races start to edge back towards normality

While distance running in Europe struggles through a second lockdown (but with elite sport continuing) Japanese races had already, with a few exceptions, been cleared from the winter season right through to April.

However, the popular Ekiden university and corporate team relay events, reaching a climax in the National Championships on New Year’s day, have marked out a path back towards greater normality.

Regional qualifying for the January 1, New Year Ekiden corporate men’s national championships got started on the November 3, holiday with the Kyushu Corporate Men’s Ekiden in Kitakyushu and the East Japan Corporate Men’s Ekiden in Kumagaya.

Starting from last year Kyushu had already switched to a loop course and, as a measure against the coronavirus crisis, East Japan was also held on a loop course in a park instead of its usual road course.

Regional qualifying for the New Year Ekiden continues on November 15, in the Chubu, Kansai, Chugoku and Hokuriku regions.

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.