Running News Daily

Grandma's Marathon will become one of first big races in COVID era

All eyes in the international running community are looking at Grandma's Marathon, which is poised to be one of the largest in-person races held since the COVID-19 outbreak.

Organizers of the Duluth event, scheduled for June 17-19, have teamed up with world experts on crowd control to devise a plan to safely host 9,500 runners signed up to compete in the marathon, half-marathon and 5K races.

"We're all basically looking at Duluth," said Marcel Altenburg, a crowd scientist at the U.K.'s Manchester Metropolitan University who has studied the flow of the world's largest marathons in places like London, Berlin, Chicago and New York.

The OUC Orlando Half Marathon hosted 1,700 runners in December, but planners of Grandma's Marathon believe it will be the first race of its size since the pandemic's onset.

Altenburg is using crowd science software developed around the world's biggest races to help Grandma's organizers ensure that participants and volunteers can stay socially distant. He uses technology like Google Earth and Google Maps to model the course and then inputs past results to simulate the event.

Altenburg found that if Grandma's staggers its starting line properly, each runner should be able to have at least 12 feet of separation from others at any given moment.

"All in all, it was 9.6 million calculations in order to literally check every single overtaking that happens on the course," he said.

Greg Haapala, Grandma's Marathon race director, said there are still lots of uncertainties surrounding the June event. He and others are in the midst of conversations with the state about changing public health guidelines so that races can have more than 250 people on a course at once.

"We're sort of trying to work on this math problem together so that we can bring the data to the state to help show that we think this can be done in a safe manner if all the elements are right," Haapala said.

Organizers said runners will be bused in groups of 25 to the starting line, where they will be released in waves of five. Anyone who is not actively running the race must wear a mask, and spectators will likely not be allowed.

Registrations for Grandma's 2021 races filled up in December, after organizers announced the event would be capped at half capacity. Last year's race was canceled for the first time in its 44-year history.

"We really focus on the mission of our organization, which is getting people active and keeping people healthy," Haapala said. "Events often are the motivational factor that keep people [going] after their goal."

The Duluth event is the 12th largest marathon in the country and one of the few races in the summer. Many of the most popular spring contests — like the Boston Marathon and the London Marathon — have postponed their 2021 races to the fall.

Japanese Yuki Kawauchi has become the first person to run 100 sub-2:20 marathons

Guinness World Records (GWR) has recognized Japanese marathoner Yuki Kawauchi for becoming the first person to run 100 sub-2:20 marathons. Kawauchi hit triple digits at Japan’s Hofu Marathon in December, where he ran to a second-place finish in 2:10:26, and he recently posted his 101st sub-2:20 result after running a PB of 2:07:27 at Sunday’s Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon in Otsu, Japan, where he finished 10th. 

GWR awarded Kawauchi a certificate in 2018 after he ran the 78th sub-2:20 marathon of his career and overtook American Doug Kurtis for the most in history. That same year, Kawauchi won the Boston Marathon (crossing the line in 2:15:58), and in 2019, he ran the 100th marathon of his career. At that point, he had broken 2:20 94 times.  

Due to the pandemic, Kawauchi didn’t race as much as he normally would last year, but he did manage to run four marathons (for comparison, he ran 10 in 2018 and eight in 2019). He broke 2:20 at each of his races in 2020, and he is currently on a 15-race streak of marathons in which he has broken that barrier.

Kawauchi´s last marathon over 2:20 came in October 2018, when he ran 2:27:43 at the Venezia Marathon in Italy. Amazingly, he has run a whopping 109 marathons in his career, meaning he has only failed to break 2:20 on eight of those occasions. 

"It might not to be difficult to run under 2:20 once,” Kawauchi said at an online press conference. “But even if it’s easy to achieve it once, in order to achieve that 100 times, you have to be able to continue the sport for a long time, you have to be able to participate in a lot of races, and more than anything you have to stay healthy. Otherwise, you can’t make it happen.”

He continued, adding modestly, “With that said, I’m not the fastest in Japan, I’m not the strongest in Japan. But I’ve diligently continued this since I was six years old and it’s resulted in this record.”

Kawauchi turns 34 on Friday, and although he’s getting older, he is still capable of running PBs, as he showed at the Lake Biwa Marathon. He touched on this in the press conference, and he said he is confident he can continue to run this quickly for many years to come. 

Sydney Olympics marathon gold medallist Naoko Takahashi among 12 women added to Tokyo organisers' board

Sydney Olympics marathon gold medalist Naoko Takahashi and former Paralympic alpine skier Kuniko Obinata were among 12 women added to the Tokyo Olympics organizing committee board on Wednesday, more than doubling the ratio of women on it to 42per cent.

The organizing committee said on Tuesday it would increase female representation on its board after its former president, Yoshiro Mori, stepped down last month over sexist remarks he made.

Mori, a former Japanese prime minister, resigned as Tokyo Games president after sparking a furore when he said during a Japanese Olympic Committee meeting in February that women talk too much.

Among others joining the organizing committee board were Japan Rugby Football Union executive board member Naoko Saiki, Chukyo University sports science professor Kyoko Raita and Tokyo Metropolitan Sports Association for the Disabled chair Yaeko Shiraishi.

The 12 new members bring the number of women on the 45-member board to 19.

"We selected people in order to get opinions from different angles through diversity, harmony and gender equality," Seiko Hashimoto, who replaced Mori, told reporters.

"What should we do to best tackle staging these Games amid the coronavirus concerns? I want to organize our response making use of the perspectives from various fields."

Kenyan middle distance runner Nelly Jepkosgei banned after giving fake evidence for missed test

Jepkosgei has been banned for three years after accepting a charge of tampering with evidence, a violation of World Athletics’ anti-doping rules, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Tuesday.

Jepkosgei, who is ranked 27th in the world in the women’s 800m, missed a doping test on March 18 and offered fake evidence in the form of a forged document to explain the whereabouts failure, the AIU said in a statement

The 29-year-old had informed the AIU that she missed the test because she had been at Kapsabet County Referral Hospital, where her sister had been admitted after being involved in a serious car accident.

In June, Jepkosgei’s representative sent the AIU a copy of a discharge summary document from the hospital purporting to relate her sister, which stated she been admitted on March 18 and “remained there for some days”.

The AIU then asked Kenya’s anti-doping agency (ADAK) to verify Jepkosgei’s claim, but ADAK reported there were no police records of the car accident and that the hospital had no record of her sister being admitted. The Medical superintendent of Kapsabet County.

Two Ugandan world champions, Joshua Cheptegei and Halimah Nakaayi open new track in Uganda

Ugandan world champions Joshua Cheptegei and Halimah Nakaayi recently helped open a track in Chemwania, a village in Uganda.

With the help of Global Sports Communication (the management agency that represents Cheptegei and Nakaayi) and the NN Running Team (Cheptegei’s professional team), the pair funded the development of the track, which was built with the next generation of Ugandan running stars in mind.

Cheptegai is the reigning 10,000m world champion, he owns four world records (5K, 5,000m, 10,000m and 15K) and he is a heavy favourite to win the 5,000m-10,000m double at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. He grew up in Uganda’s Kapchorwa District, which isn’t far from the new track in Chemwania.

Nakaayi, the 800m gold medallist at the 2019 world championships, grew up in Mukono, closer to the Ugandan capital of Kampala.

As reported by Ugandan news outlet the Daily Monitor, Cheptegei spoke at the track’s opening ceremony, saying that he and Nakaayi helped with its development to provide local athletes with “a more conducive environment so that the country can tap and groom more sports personalities.” 

He also noted that construction on a sports complex will soon begin in Chemwania.

The project will cost 1 billion Ugandan shillings (about C$344,000), and it will be funded by the district’s local government and Global Sports Communication (the management agency that represents Cheptegei and Nakaayi). The complex will have a pool, a basketball court, a soccer field and a tennis court, plus it will be equipped 2,000 seats for spectators.

This is not the first time Cheptegei has looked to nurture young Ugandan athletes. In 2020, his foundation (the Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation) started a kids’ run in Kapchorwa, with races open to children aged 16 and younger.

Paul Chelimo is chasing the American indoor 5,000m record this Thursday

If the Olympic silver medalist Paul Chelimo accomplishes his goal, he stands to be the first American man to run under 13 minutes in the indoor 5,000m.

The track meet is being staged by the American Distance Project with strict COVID-19 mitigation protocols, which means there will be no spectators, coaches or competitors outside the American Distance Project’s training group bubble.

The race is being held with the goal of chasing the Olympic and U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time, as well as Galen Rupp’s seven-year-old indoor record of 13:01.26.

According to a press release on LetsRun.com, the meet will consist of just a 5,000m and a 10,000m race for both men and women, and will be held on Virginia’s new 200-metre hydraulically banked indoor track.

Athletes will also be using the Light Speed Pacing System, which is a wireless LED pacing that assists runners with setting target paces. Other athletes in the impressive field include Leonard Korir (13:15.45), and NCAA Champions Lawi Lalang (13:00.95 outdoor) and Anthony Rotich (13:31.95), among others.

Chelimo is currently ranked sixth in the world in the men’s outdoor 5,000m and owns a PB of 12:57.55, which he set in 2018. Should he achieve his goal of breaking Rupp’s indoor 5,000m American record, that will put him in the top 10 in the world at the indoor event, along with world record-holder Kenenisa Bekele (who ran 12:49.6 in 2004), Haile Gebrselassie (12:50.38 from 1999) and four other men who have run under 13 minutes in the indoor 5,000m.

In order to run under 13 minutes, Chelimo’s pace will have to be less than 2:36 per kilometre, or 31 seconds per lap of the indoor track. With that in mind, the American record is certainly a lofty goal, but Chelimo must be in good shape if he’s planning on going after it.

In a short season that has been packed with incredible performances, this would be yet another record to add to the books, and the eyes of the track world will certainly be watching on Thursday to see if Chelimo gets the job done.

BAA is planning a smaller in-person Boston Marathon

The Boston Athletic Association announced Tuesday that the 125th running of the Boston Marathon this fall will be open to more participants than ever before.

However, the vast majority won’t be running the Oct. 11 race from Hopkinton to Boylston Street.

While announcing plans for an expanded virtual marathon, BAA officials revealed Tuesday that they’re planning to downsize the traditional race, which was tentatively pushed back to Oct. 11 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials said the in-person field size has not been finalized, but that it “will be smaller than previous years in order to enhance participant and public safety.”

In recent years, the marathon — which was initially postponed and then canceled last year due to the pandemic — has consisted of upwards of 30,000 participants.

BAA officials said Tuesday they will try to keep the competition of the in-person field “as close to previous years as possible, with approximately 80% of the field being comprised of qualified entrants and 20% being comprised of invitational entries, including charity program runners.”

Additional details about the in-person race, “including registration dates, COVID-19 safety measures, and participant requirements,” will be released in the “coming weeks,” the BAA said.

Road races are in the second step of Phase 4 of the state’s reopening plan, along with bars, nightclubs, and amusement parks. And it’s unclear what restrictions or capacity limits they will be subjected to when Massachusetts moves forward to allow such events (some neighboring states, such as New Hampshire and Rhode Island, have allowed smaller races with social-distancing measures in place, such as staggered start times).

Last week, Gov. Charlie Baker announced that Massachusetts will enter the first step of Phase 4 of the reopening plan on March 22, allowing large arenas and stadiums to reopen at up to 12 percent of the maximum occupancy.

The news of the smaller in-person race Tuesday came as the BAA announced that a “virtual Boston Marathon” would be open to 70,000 registrants — more than double the size of the usual in-person field — on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Alberto Salazar appeal takes place in Lausanne

Banned athletics coach Alberto Salazar's appeal against his four-year suspension will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Wednesday.

Salazar was found guilty of doping violations along with Dr Jeffrey Brown, who treated Salazar's athletes, after an investigation.

The 62-year-old's hearing will take place in Lausanne, Switzerland.

It was set for November but was pushed back because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Salazar ran the Nike Oregon Project (NOP), based in Beaverton, Oregon. It was established in 2001 and was the home of British four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah, who was coached by Salazar between 2011 and 2017.

A BBC Panorama programme in 2015 focusing on Salazar and the NOP prompted a four-year investigation by the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) and a two-year court battle behind closed doors. It eventually resulted in bans for both Salazar and Brown, announced in October 2019.

Kengo Suzuki still in state of shock after setting Japan marathon record

A day after his blistering run at the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, Kengo Suzuki was still coming to grips with his status as a new Japanese national record holder on Monday.

Suzuki surprised even himself by setting the national men’s marathon record of 2 hours, 4 minutes, 56 seconds in Sunday’s race along the shores of Japan’s largest freshwater lake in Shiga Prefecture.

“It’s slowly sinking into my head that I actually set a new national record,” Suzuki said in an online press conference.

“(The race) has done more damage to my legs than I had imagined, so I’m going to take some time to rest before I move on to my next goal,” he said.

Suzuki’s win made him the first Japanese runner to complete a sub-2:05 marathon. He was among the more than 300 men lined up to run the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, one of the country’s most prominent races.

The unheralded Suzuki finished 12th in the same race last year, but this year he chopped more than five minutes off his previous personal best of 2:10:21, set in 2018.

Now the 25-year-old has set his sights on the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“(I still lack) the physical toughness to endure high-intensity training and the mental toughness to fend off (other runners’) attempts to unsettle me,” he said. “It’s important that I work out consistently every day.”

The previous national record of 2:05:29 was set last March at the Tokyo Marathon by Suguru Osako, who secured qualification for the Tokyo Olympics.

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge holds the official marathon world record of 2:01:39, which he set at the Berlin Marathon in 2018, as well as the unofficial world record of 1:59:40 from an event in Vienna, Austria, in 2019 held under several artificial conditions.

Suzuki believes himself capable of running a sub-2:04 marathon in the near future, provided he can steer clear of injury.

“I’m getting more comfortable with my marathon training program,” he said. “If I’m able to stay injury-free and I raise my fitness levels, then that time might just be reachable.”

Spectators at Sunday’s race were asked to refrain from cheering on the sidelines as a coronavirus countermeasure.

The event, first run in 1946 in Osaka, moved to Shiga in 1962. But top runners have recently been opting to run the Tokyo Marathon, held around the same time of the year and said to produce better records.

Toshihiko Seko, who booked his berth for the 1988 Seoul Olympics by winning that year’s Lake Biwa Marathon, said, “It was a fitting finale and wonderful. It was a history-changing race.”

Eating healthy breakfasts for weight loss

We hear it on the news everyday…breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Yet so many people skip breakfast, or if they do eat it, pick wrong. But breakfast doesn’t have to mean boring and tasteless! There are many delicious breakfast dishes out there that will kick-start your metabolism and your day like never before! So check out our list of six healthy breakfasts for weight loss now.

What Are The Benefits of Eating Breakfast?

At the point when you wake up in the morning, you might not have taken in anything for as long as 10 hours. Breakfast renews the stores of energy and supplements in your body. Some benefits are:

Essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to help start your day.

The energy required to power through the day.

Breakfast helps you control your weight.

A healthy breakfast may minimize the risk of illness.

Breakfast boosts brainpower.

Breakfast aids you to make better food choices.

A healthy breakfast can do even more to ensure you are healthy. Some of the breakfast healthy options are:

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a great start to the day for many reasons. It’s extremely low in calories and carbohydrates, which makes it a great breakfast choice for those on a weight loss diet. The amount of fiber in oatmeal can keep you full until lunchtime, while also promoting heart health. Oatmeal also contains nutrients important for fighting high cholesterol, including oats antioxidants and soluble fiber.

French toast and muskmelon salad

French toast is a breakfast staple in many households. Sumptuous, comforting, and generally easy to whip up, there is very little that can beat this quintessential breakfast. Whether you prefer your French toast all spiced up with some nutmeg, served with powdered sugar, or dusted with cinnamon and sugar, French toast is an inexpensive and filling meal that’s always a hit. However, when you’re on a strict diet like a weight loss diet plan, you need to make sure that your meals are good for the body as well as satisfying the palate.

Fruit Smoothie

A fruit smoothie is rich in vitamins and a great way to start your day. The best part about this is it only takes five minutes. Any fruit can be used such as blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches, or bananas. Just add some fresh or frozen fruit to a blender along with your preferred amount of frozen yogurt. If you need inspiration on what to go with your fresh smoothie, you can find a website dedicated to such information.  Mix one of these healthy fruit smoothie recipes with skimmed milk or water and plenty of ice for a refreshing breakfast that will kick start your metabolism.

Spinach Pancakes

Spinach pancakes are a power-packed nutritious breakfast for weight loss. They are a great way of getting lots of nutrients, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and protein all into your system in one meal. And if that wasn’t enough, you will also be giving your body a natural vitamin boost! Even better is the fact that you won’t have to put up with them tasting like green eggs and ham, because these spinach pancakes taste just like your regular pancakes. This recipe makes four servings which means you can prepare a batch for the next few mornings.

Mixed Sprouts

In the morning, the ideal breakfast is something that is quick and high in protein. What could be better than low-carb buckwheat crepes and mixed sprouts? Mixed sprouts are a good source of protein that will help you feel fuller for longer. They’re also a great option if you’re trying to get more essential amino acids into your diet. Your best bet is to get good quality sprouted beans and nuts, as these will be easier to digest than ones that have been left to sprout in water for too long.

Quinoa Pancakes

These gluten-free and low-carb quinoa pancakes are a great substitute for the flour variety. Not only do they allow you to consume whole grains, but the quinoa protein helps keep you feeling full and satisfied so you can resist snacking on less healthy foods. Quinoa is also full of many important vitamins and minerals that make it a very healthy food.

When it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the first step to getting in shape is eating right. Many people tend to skip meals when they are on a diet. That’s a very bad idea – you should follow a healthy eating plan, and that involves having breakfast. Eating breakfast is the best way to get your metabolism running and burn fat.

Tokyo 2020 new president is open to spectators at Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto is open to fans being allowed to attend the rescheduled Olympic and Paralympic Games this year, albeit in limited numbers.

Organisers, the International Olympic Committee and other bodies involved in the event are reportedly due to meet at some stage next week to discuss the possibility of whether spectators will be permitted at the Games, amid ongoing concerns surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic.

Any decision regarding spectators possible attendance will be made over two stages. The first will be to determine whether to allow foreign spectators at all — expected by the end of this month — before establishing how many fans could be permitted at various venues.

IOC president Thomas Bach revealed that a final decision could be made in either April or May, just a matter of months ahead of the scheduled start of the Games, taking place from July 23 to August 8.

Hashimoto, who replaced Yoshiro Mori as head of the organising committee last month, told Japanese media that she believed the Olympic and Paralympic Games should be staged in front of spectators.

"When we think about the possibility of holding the Olympics without fans in the stands, athletes will definitely wonder why there are no fans just for the Olympics and Paralympics when other competitions are allowing in spectators," Hashimoto said.

"Everyone wants an early decision about the direction to be taken regarding fans to prepare tickets and hotel accommodations."

Meanwhile, IOC executive director for the Olympic Games Christophe Dubi said organisers "have to take the decision as late as possible but as early as needed" regarding spectators.

It has become increasingly likely in recent months that foreign fans will be prevented from attending events at the Games because of the pandemic.

Japan is fearful over large numbers of fans from across the world travelling to the country and potentially spreading the Covid-19 virus during the Games.

Capacities could also be restricted at Olympic and Paralympic events to limit the risk posed by the novel coronavirus.

Grandma's Marathon has partnered with Crowd Science Expert in Planning 2021 Event

Grandma’s Marathon-Duluth, Inc. has partnered with world-renowned crowd scientist Marcel Altenburg of Manchester Metropolitan University to optimize the event’s participant flow as part of the organization’s COVID-modified race plan.

Altenburg has previously worked with larger marathons like London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York as well as other major marathons around the world. He has developed crowd science software called Start Right, which uses a unique mathematical algorithm to help race organizers visualize, predict, and control the flow of participants throughout the entire race.

“Grandma’s Marathon is unique in its setup and all measurements of the event are very fortunate,” Altenburg said. “With the right adjustments, this race can be organized with social distance in the place at the start, through the course, and at the finish.”

Grandma’s Marathon is planning a half capacity event, including but not limited to the following changes on race day:

·         Bus Transportation – Buses to the start line for the marathon and half marathon will allow a maximum of 25 participants, and all public transit safety guidelines will be in place. Participants will exit buses in a controlled fashion to ensure there is always adequate space in the start corral.

·         Rolling Start Line – Participants will enter a start corral for both the marathon and half marathon, which will be spaced to allow for appropriate social distancing. Once in the corral, participants will immediately advance toward the start line. Participants will then be released from separated lanes in staggered fashion, five at a time, to control the flow onto the racecourse.

·         Masks & Face Coverings – All participants, volunteers, staff, and others present will be required to wear a mask or face covering at all times other than while actively participating in a race. This includes but is not limited to on the bus, in the start corral, and after crossing the finish line.

Altenburg’s analysis of the current plan, with the above safety measures included, shows a decreased density that allows for a minimum of 12 or more feet of spacing between participants at all times during the race. In general, participants will have 20 feet of possible distance to other people at most points on the racecourse.

“Start Right is an amazing tool that is helping us plan an effective race weekend with confidence,” Grandma’s Marathon Race Director Greg Haapala said. “With this analysis, we know our racecourse and the established capacity limits allow for the appropriate spacing between participants, but we will still require everyone involved to act responsibly throughout the event.”

Altenburg’s model checks the participant density and spacing at all points along the racecourse, including the start and finish lines, aid stations, or narrow sections of roadway. At one of the highest density spots, the finish line, his analysis shows the 2021 plan decreases the peak by 64 percent from 2019.

“We measured the entire course and simulated every participant based on the specific data of the event,” Altenburg concluded. “The result is that Grandma’s Marathon is uniquely equipped to be among the first marathons to come back when the time is right.”

For the second year in a row, 500 Festival Mini-Marathon cancels in-person race

For the second year in a row, there will be no runners or walkers gathering downtown for the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon.

Organizers announced Monday that the Mini and Delta Dental 5K, scheduled for May 8, will instead become virtual races because of the pandemic. Registered participants will receive more details regarding options.

A news release from the 500 Festival said after input from health officials, medical experts and community leaders, a determination was made to amend the traditional format.  

“Right now, the most important thing all of us can do is to support our local and state health officials and hospitals, as well as focus our efforts on positive community outcomes,” said Bob Bryant, president and CEO of the 500 Festival. “We will continue to work on the remaining 500 Festival month of May activities and look forward to participating in the events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway culminating with the Indy 500.”

The virtual experience is to include:

>> A package including distance-specific finisher gear and runner’s service items delivered to participants.

>> Digital bibs, finisher certificates and access to a participant-only Facebook group

.>> A new Indy Mini app that serves as a center for GPS tracking, race results, announcements and real-time spectator tracking.

>> An interactive and virtual health and fitness expo.

The Mini is the largest fundraiser for the 500 Festival, reaching children through youth education and health programming.

Athing Mu Runs 1:58.40 breaking NCAA & World U20 Records at 800 Meters

The magical freshman season of Texas A&M sensation Athing Mu hit a new high on Saturday evening as the 18-year-old clocked a stunning 1:58.40 at the SEC Indoor Track & Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., obliterating several records in the process.

Prior to tonight, no collegiate woman had run faster than 2:00.69 indoors (Jazmine Fray in 2017 for Texas A&M), but Mu went from 2:01.07 to 1:58.40 in a single race. She also took more than two seconds off the official world U20 record and 0.63 off Keely Hodgkinson‘s unratified 1:59.03 from earlier this year.

he time was also faster than Raevyn Rogers’ overall collegiate record of 1:59.10, set outdoors in 2017. And it also ranks Mu #2 on the all-time US indoor list at 800 meters, just behind Ajee’ Wilson’s American record of 1:58.29 last year. Mu is also now the 2nd fastest American U20 – just behind the 1:58.21 that Wilson ran to get 5th at Worlds outdoors in Moscow in 2013.

Mu made history by running a fearless race. With no pacemaker in the field, Mu went straight to the front, hitting 200 in 28.65, and coming through 400 in 57.96 — a remarkable split for an indoor race. Mu ran her third lap in 29.64 to hit 600 in 1:27.60, and though her final lap was by far her slowest — 30.81 — she held on for a stellar time.

This may have been the most impressive run of Mu’s young career, but it is far from the only one. Mu first made national headlines two years ago as a 16-year-old by defeating Rogers to win the 2019 US indoor 600m title, setting an American record of 1:23.57 in the process. 

After graduating high school in 2020, Mu headed off to Texas A&M — following the same path of fellow US phenom Donavan Brazier — and her first season in 2021 has seen Mu reel off a string of terrific performances. On January 23, she ran 1:25.80 to break the collegiate record at 600 meters. The following week, Mu ran one of the fastest 4x400m splits ever (50.03) to anchor her Texas A&M squad to the win at Texas Tech. And a week after that, Mu ran 50.52, which broke the world U20 record of 50.82 set by future Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross. (That’s assuming the record is ratified; Sydney McLaughlin actually ran faster as a U20 athlete — 50.36 — but McLaughlin’s time was never ratified as a WR).

Mu will compete next at the NCAA Indoor Championships, also in Fayetteville, from March 11-13. Whether she chooses to run the 400 or the 800, she will be the favorite.

How you can run in extreme weather conditions

World Athletics is just one organisation amongst many which has responded to the climate emergency by doing its bit to help secure a sustainable environment for future generations. There seems little doubt that climate change will have an impact on sport, and that sport can take steps to reduce its impact on the environment. Major running events such as the Paris and London Marathons already have commitments and policies in place on the environment.

Global warming is the major factor we associate with climate change, but extreme weather events are also becoming more common. The huge cold storm that swept across the southern USA last week, historic fires in Australia and California in recent years, and extreme flooding in the UK are just a few examples. Major and unexpected changes in the weather are something that we will have to prepare and be ready for. If you are a regular runner, how do you cope with such unpredictability? Running may be impossible in extreme weather, but if it is possible, there are a few simple ways to make it practical and enjoyable. Here are my tips: 

Adjust your pace. 

Exercising in extreme temperatures, especially hot weather, creates extra physiological load that your body has to cope with. So be ready to run slower, and use perceived effort rather than pace as your guide. Similarly, very strong winds will render your pace difficult to judge. I remember running along the Tamagawa River in Tokyo during the “Haru Ichiban” – the first very strong winds of the spring. My headwind and tailwind splits were simply meaningless. Sometimes, leave your watch at home!

Kit and equipment. 

Having suitable kit at home for extreme weather is a relatively easy win. Even if you don’t use it often, having clothing for very hot and very cold temperatures to hand when you need it will make training much more enjoyable. The same applies to self-care for after training – electrolyte drinks, shade, a hot bath, insulated clothing. Any number of these items will help you recover.

Change your warm-up.

This applies to training and racing. In very hot weather, the bare minimum will suffice for a warm-up, to avoid unnecessary increases in your body temperature. Similarly, a longer warm-up may be needed in cold weather to ensure you minimise any injury risk. I remember doing only a few minutes’ warm-up before racing marathons in summer championships. 

Use it as a dress rehearsal. 

Training in extreme weather can bring valuable learning, experience and familiarity for times when you have to race in similar conditions. I always saw races in extreme weather as positive opportunities since the playing field is levelled – if I was very well prepared, and my rivals were sloppy, that was to my advantage. You can’t easily practise for racing in extreme conditions without those same conditions being available for training, other than in a laboratory or other artificial environment. Freak weather for periods of training is a gift that can be made good use of!

Take a break.

Enforced rest can be a blessing. If the weather is so bad that you simply cannot train outdoors, sometimes just give yourself a day off rather than cross-training or running indoors on a treadmill. Now and again, being forced to have a rest can bring positive effects for recovery and long-term consistency.

Help the rescuers.

If, heaven forbid, you end up in serious trouble, life for you and anyone who helps you will be so much better if you have prepared for such an eventuality in advance. For example, always train with personal identification and emergency contact numbers; and always complete the emergency medical information on the reverse of your bib before races.

Extreme weather events make running tricky, but climate change means they will become more common. Taking even small steps to prepare for these events can make a world of difference.

Olympian Molly Seidel wins Atlanta Half Marathon

Boston-area resident Molly Seidel won the Atlanta Half Marathon on Sunday, crossing the finish line of the 13.1-mile race with a time of 1:08.29.

Seidel, a Wisconsin native who lives with her sister in Cambridge, qualified for the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics by placing second in the event last year. The Olympics were later postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are now scheduled to begin on July 23.

The  conditions were cold and humid in Atlanta, but Seidel told the Boston Globe the humidity was good practice for Tokyo.

“It was really cool to be back here a year later under different conditions, but it’s always special to return to the place that it happened,” Seidel told the Globe.

Seidel will now begin a 12-15 week training regime for the Olympics. In September, she told ESPN she traveled to Flagstaff, AZ to train in preparation for altitude, and she used the additional time to “to gain more experience, train for an extra year, nail down my nutrition and run another marathon.”

Seidel competed in the London Marathon in October. She finished sixth overall and was the second-fastest American woman across the finish line with a time of 2:25.13.

Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake says that he would rather miss Tokyo Olympics than have Covid-19 vaccine

Blake - a two-time Olympic gold medallist and former 100m world champion - made the comments in Jamaican newspaper The Gleaner.

Earlier this month, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that receiving a vaccine would not be compulsory for athletes and officials to attend this summer’s delayed Games, though they still encouraged competitors to be vaccinated if possible before arriving in Japan “to contribute to the safe environment of the Games.”

“Also out of respect for the Japanese people, who should be confident that everything is being done to protect not only the participants, but also the Japanese people themselves,” the IOC said.

Speaking over the weekend, Blake was quoted as saying: “My mind still stays strong, I don’t want any vaccine, I’d rather miss the Olympics than take the vaccine, I am not taking it.

“I don’t really want to get into it now, but I have my reasons.”

“Follow your mind, don't follow the crowd," Blake said in a video posted to Twitter on Saturday.

"At the same time, be respectful to each and every one. Don't let no one take away your choice."

The Jamaican government is expected to receive its first shipment of the vaccine next week, The Gleaner reported.

Blake's remarks came after a series of eight meets were held across the Caribbean island nation on Saturday, marking a return to large-scale sporting events that had been on hold due to the pandemic.

The Olympics, which were pushed back by a year due to the global health crisis, are set to begin on July 23 though speculation remains the event might yet be cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic.

USATF flips order of 5k/10ks at Olympic Trials. Why did they do this and who is it benefitting?

USA Track & Field (USATF), the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), and the TrackTown USA Local Organizing Committee announced the release of the updated competition schedule for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track and Field, that will take place June 18-27, 2021, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

The updated schedule, in its entirety below, slightly differs from the schedule announced in 2020 with date changes for the men’s and women’s 5000m and men’s and women’s 10,000m.

Men’s shot put qualifying at noon local time on Friday, June 18 is the first official U.S. Olympic Trials – Track and Field event at the new, state-of-the art Hayward Field. The final is later that evening, as well as qualifying for women’s discus, women’s high jump and triple jump, the women’s 1500m, along with the men’s 10,000m final to close out the first day.

The men’s decathlon bursts from the blocks on June 19, along with finals in the women’s discus and 100m rounding out the evening.

The opening weekend awaits the winner of the men’s decathlon, along with finals in the men’s and women’s 400m, the women’s 100m hurdles, men’s 100m final and field event finals in the women’s high jump and triple jump.

The events on Friday, June 25, bring qualifying in the men’s 200m and women’s 800m and the men’s discus throw and 3000m Steeplechase final.

On the final day, June 27, the women’s heptathlon champion is set to be crowned, along with a slew of other finals including the men's 200m and women’s 400m hurdles.

Tickets for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials are currently in a holding pattern due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 landscape. The local organizing committee, TrackTown USA, is working diligently with public health officials on plans for the event, and updates on ticketing will be announced as soon as possible. Changing ticket orders or purchasing tickets are not possible at this time. Ticket holders with questions may contact the local organizing committee directly at info@gotracktownusa.com.

The 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field will be broadcast on NBC and its local affiliates. Broadcast information to be released at a later date. For the full competition schedule and athlete information, see the event page here.

Here are the changes.

Women's 10k initially scheduled for day 1 moves to day 9.

Women's 5k initially scheduled for days 7 and 10 moves to 1 and 3.

Men's 10k initially scheduled for day 7 moves to day 1.

Men's 5000 initially scheduled for days 1 and 4 moves to days 7and 10.

Kengo Suzuki clocked 2:04:56 National Record to Win final Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon

Set to be absorbed into the mass-participation Osaka Marathon as its elite men's field next year the same way the old Tokyo International Marathon was swallowed whole by the Tokyo Marathon, the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon wrapped its 76 years as a freestanding event with a bang, a big one, Sunday in Otsu.

Everything was on. The conditions were good, light clouds, 7ËšC, 57% humidity and light breezes at the start. The field was good, 24 men having run sub-2:10 in the last three years and 52 sub-2:12. The pacing was good, the lead trio of pacers hitting almost every split within a couple of seconds of the target 2:58/km and the second group pacers even closer to the 3:00/km target. The shoes were good, across brands.

30 or so people went out on pace to go under the 2:05:29 national record in the first group, with what looked like about a hundred on mid-2:06 pace in the second group. Everything went smoothly and steadily, nature taking its course and whittling down both groups until there were only 12 left up front and a couple of dozen in the second group at 25 km when most of the pacers stepped off. Just past that point, Hiroto Inoue (Mitsubishi Juko), the second-fastest man in the field at 2:06:54, made a surge to break away. Lone remaining pacer James Rungaru (Chuo Hatsujo) took his time reeling Inoue back in, just five others still with him when he regained contact 3 km later.

When Rungaru stopped at 30 km past Ageo City Half Marathon winner Simon Kariuki (Togami Denki) took over with five Japanese men, Kengo Suzuki (Fujitsu), Hidekazu Hijikata (Honda), Shuho Dairokuno (Asahi Kasei), Masato Kikuchi (Konica Minolta) and Inoue, strung out single-file behind him. Kariuki slowed slightly to 2:59-3:00/km, but even so Dairokuno, Kikuchi and Inoue started to strain and lose touch. Suzuki and Hijikata, on the other hand, were even smoother and calmer than Kariuki, staying right there behind him.

The only changes until just after 36 km were the gap between the front and back trios widening and Suguru Osako's NR starting to slip out of reach. But at the 36 km drink station Suzuki made his move, one that will be studied for years to come. As they approached the #6 special drink table where Kariuki's bottle waited, Suzuki pulled out from behind him to his right. Just as Kariuki looked to his left to grab his bottle Suzuki attacked, and when Kariuki looked back up the gap was already about 5 m.

It was brilliant. And Suzuki, the 2017 National University Half Marathon champ in 1:01:36 and 2017 World University Games half marathon silver medalist and who made a similar move near 20 km in the MGC Race Olympic trials that ultimately helped his older teammate Shogo Nakamura win, was just getting going. For almost every one of the final 6 km he split in the 2:51~53/km range, bringing the NR back into sight, then 2:05:15, then 2:05:00.

With a final surge in the last 200 m of the track he stopped the clock at 2:04:56, the first Japanese man to break 2:05, 1:17 under former world record holder Wilson Kipsang's course record, and a PB by 5 and 1/2 minutes. "I didn't expect this kind of time at all," he said post-race. "In my other marathons to date I've slowed down in the last part, so the focus today was on finishing hard. I knew that was the right time to make my move." Still just 25, Suzuki's career goal is the Paris Olympics. Unluckily for him, the Project Exceed 100 million yen bonus program for a new national record has already run out. Let's hope he's got another chance to earn that kind of payday before Paris.

Behind him, Hijikata, only 23 and running just his second marathon after a 2:09:50 debut in Tokyo last year right before his graduation from Koku Gakuin University, dropped Kariuki for 2nd in 2:06:26. Likewise doing his second marathon after a 2:28:47 debut at Lake Biwa last year, 25-year-old Kyohei Hosoya (Kurosaki Harima) ran almost perfectly even splits, going through halfway in 1:03:21 to come up from the second group and run down Kariuki, Inoue, Dairokuno and half marathon NR holder Yusuke Ogura (Yakult) for 3rd in 2:06:35. Both Inoue and Ogura held on for sub-2:07 PBs, Inoue 4th in 2:06:47 and Ogura 5th in 2:06:51.

And behind them, the hits kept coming. 10 men ran 2:07. 13 ran 2:08. 14 ran 2:09. Almost all were PBs or debuts. 28 men sub-2:09, 42 sub-2:10. 174 men sub-2:20, the most ever, anywhere, by a long shot. With no Beppu-Oita, Nobeoka or Tokyo this season that may have been a factor of Lake Biwa being the only game in town, but still, can you believe those numbers, even with the usual Japanese depth? With the shoes these days times might not be worth what they used to be, but even if you factor in a couple of minutes this was about as good a demonstration of the sheer depth of quality of the marathon development system here as you could ask for.

And between that and a great race up front it was the perfect sendoff for Japan's oldest marathon before it disappears next year into the maw of Osakan modernity. Farewell, Lake Biwa. Long may you run.

The Six-Mile Central Park Loop Has Been Renamed After Running Pioneer Ted Corbitt

“The Father of Long-Distance Running” receives a much-deserved honor.

Central Park has long played a significant role in New York City’s running culture. Runners who visit the city carve out time for a few miles in the famous park. Those who call New York City home circle the loops during long runs. It is home to the New York City Marathon finish line.

And now, the most famous running loop within the 51-blocks long park is named after running pioneer and Olympian Ted Corbitt.

The six-mile route—now called the “Ted Corbitt Loop—will feature six landmark street signs commemorating Corbitt along the path, and will have a NYC Parks-branded sign at the base of Harlem Hill at 110th St. and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard in Harlem.

“As an avid runner, I am incredibly proud to commemorate the contributions of a man that inspired me and countless others to push through boundaries and live more abundantly,” NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver said in a statement. “It is an honor to celebrate Black History Month this year by shining light on Ted Corbitt’s influence and advocacy for underrepresented groups in running and beyond. May his legacy and pioneering spirit live on to inspire the next generation of runners to strive for greatness, progress, and peace.”

The move comes as NYC Parks continues to work toward ending systemic racism and providing a better representation of all races. Part of that is honoring Corbitt, a true pioneer of the sport who earned the title, “the father of long-distance running.”

In a 50-year running career, Corbitt ran 199 marathons and ultramarathons. He was the first Black American to represent the U.S. in the Olympic marathon in 1952, and he wore the No. 1 bib in the first-ever NYC Marathon in 1970. He was the founding president of NYRR and was an inaugural inductee into the National Distance Running Hall of Fame. These are still only some of his accomplishments.

His legacy is one that should be heralded in the Mount Rushmore of running. His name on the famous Central Park loop is a start.

“My father and other men and women volunteers worked tireless hours to help invent the modern day sport of long distance running,” Corbitt’s son Gary Corbitt said in a statement. “Many of the innovations in the sport were started in New York during the 1960s and early 1970s. This naming tribute celebrates all these pioneers.”

There’s New Research on Intermittent Fasting—Here’s What It Means for Runners

While it could take some trial and error, it may be worth experimenting to figure out if this eating plan works for you.

A small study of 23 runners suggests that while intermittent fasting can reduce body mass, it does not impact running performance.

That doesn’t mean runners shouldn’t give intermittent fasting a try—you just have to find the schedule that works best for you, which could take some trial and error.

If you notice your sleep quality, mood, digestive health, work focus, and overall feelings of wellbeing take a dip, this may not be the right eating plan for you.

Intermittent fasting has been highlighted for its advantages—studies show how this way of eating can affect metabolic health, cardiovascular function, and even longevity—but can it make a difference in your running performance? New research in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise suggests this type of time-restricted eating may have some benefits.

Researchers looked at 23 male runners who were assigned to either their usual dietary intake or eight weeks of time-restricted eating on a 16:8 schedule, which means they consumed all food within an eight-hour window each day. The remaining 16 hours also included sleep time.

All participants did an exercise test before and after the two-month timeframe, and also provided blood samples. Researchers assessed their running economy, maximal oxygen uptake, and glucose, insulin, and triglyceride concentrations.

They found that fasting resulted in reduction in body mass, but didn’t show differences in any other variables. Researchers concluded that the body mass loss was likely related to lower calorie intake in the time-restriction group, but that fasting didn’t change their overall running performance.

Does this mean if you want similar results, you should adopt the 16:8 strategy? Some experts say maybe—but their advice is to play around with different eating schedules first.

“There are a breadth of approaches for time-restricted eating, and you really do have to experiment to find the right fit for you,” Luiza Petre, M.D., cardiologist and assistant clinical professor at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, told Runner’s World. She does intermittent fasting herself, and recommends the tactic to patients.

For example, in addition to 16:8 there are strategies like 5:2, which involve eating normally for five days of the week and practicing significant calorie restriction or fasting on the other two (non-consecutive) days of the week. Some people do better with a 1:1 approach instead, with calorie restriction or fasting every other day, or at the other end of the spectrum, with fasting one day a week.

“Try something for two weeks,” Petre said. “Pay attention to how you feel and especially how it might affect your energy levels and running performance. Ideally, jot it down so you can begin to pinpoint what helps you.”

Also take note of other factors like sleep quality, mood, digestive health, work focus, and overall feelings of wellbeing, added Jason Fung, M.D., author of The Complete Guide to Fasting.

“If you’re really struggling, then that’s not the plan for you,” he told Runner’s World. “Remember, just because it might work for everyone in your running group doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It just means you need a different schedule.”

One caveat, Fung added, is that you need to make sure you’re eating normally within your non-fasting hours. The misstep some people make is thinking they need to “load up” during that time or eat less-than-healthy choices, which can result in a binge mentality. Instead, see it more as a tweak to your eating schedule than an overhaul, he suggested.

With that in mind, even if you decide not to do intermittent fasting at all, it’s likely the effort will make you pay more attention to what you eat and how those foods affect you, Fung added. That can be valuable intel as you continue to shift toward healthier eating habits that are tailored to your needs.

3 Key Reasons Why Records Keep Getting Broken in 2021

It’s not just the shoes. But they certainly help.

The times have been spectacular across the globe.

In Europe, four men broke the previous world half marathon record in December in Valencia, Spain. Earlier this month, Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia set a world record for the indoor 1500 meters on February 9, running 3:53.09 at a meet in Liévin, France.

Closer to home, Americans Sara Hall, Keira D’Amato, Martin Hehir, and Noah Droddy reshuffled the list of top 10 Americans in the marathon. 

On the track, Donavan Brazier, Bryce Hoppel, Elle Purrier, and Grant Holloway have set American or world records. 

High school and college athletes are in on the action, too. Hobbs Kessler set the high school indoor mile record with his 3:57.66, and Cooper Teare of the University of Oregon took almost 2 seconds off the collegiate mile record when he ran 3:50.39. Athing Mu at Texas A&M, who was thought to be an 800-meter runner, has been turning in world-class 400-meter splits and anchored her teammates to a collegiate record in the 4x400 meters. 

What’s going on with all these fast times? Yes, there is new shoe technology, but it goes well beyond that for these record-shattering runners.

Shoe technology that changed road racing is now changing track racing

Back in 2017, when Eliud Kipchoge attempted for the first time to break two hours in the marathon on a racetrack in Monza, Italy, he wore a new type of shoe from Nike, the Zoom Vaporfly Elite. The shoes promised a 4 percent efficiency benefit, through a combination of a new type of foam, which was lighter and more responsive than previous foams, and a stiff carbon fiber plate to stabilize the foam and move the foot as it pushes off the ground.

Nike’s innovative design has evolved since 2017 and has been emulated, with varying degrees of success, by other shoe brands, like Saucony and Adidas. Now the same technology—better foam with a stiff plate inside—has moved into track spikes, said Geoff Burns, a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Michigan who is researching biomechanics and sport performance.

“The absolute effect may be a little bit smaller,” he said. “But because of the controlled environment and frequency of racing on a track, it’s much more apparent.”

Burns said that although Nike’s competitors are closing the gap, he hesitates to say that they’ve caught up. He praises Adidas and Saucony road shoes, and Adidas and New Balance for track spikes. “But if I were getting on a starting line, for a marathon or a track race, I would be in the Nike shoes,” he said. 

Races are set up in near-perfect conditions

With the pandemic, the traditional lineup of road races and track meets has gone out the window, as race organizers have grappled with how to stage events safely. 

In their place, pro runners, needing to race, have turned to time trials. And many of these are set up according to exact specifications. 

Take The Ten, a track meet on February 20 in San Juan Capistrano, California. In two 10,000-meter track races, athletes—almost exclusively from the Bowerman Track Club in Portland, Oregon—were paced to try to get the Olympic standard in the event, which is 27:28 for men and 31:25 for women. 

In the women’s race, Vanessa Fraser and Courtney Frerichs (the American record holder in the steeplechase), set a perfect pace, running 74- or 75-second laps. Fraser led for the first two miles, Frerichs took over and set the pace through four miles, 16 of the 25 laps. Her teammates could turn off their brains and follow behind. In the end, Elise Cranny won in 30:47 and five women hit the standard, four from Bowerman plus Eilish McColgan of Great Britain. The results of the men’s race were similar: Evan Jager and Sean McGorty paced, Marc Scott won in 27:10, and five runners achieved the Olympic standard. 

“We are fortunate to have [teammates] who can pace a race for three or four miles,” said Marielle Hall, a Bowerman runner who finished fifth in 31:21. “That doesn’t happen that often. We’re pretty lucky.” 

The Marathon Project, on December 20 in Chandler, Arizona, was similar in some ways. Organizers picked a perfectly flat U-shaped loop. Runners went up one side of a 2.1-mile stretch of road and back down the other. Pacers for the top men and women kept a steady pace through 18 miles. In the end, Martin Hehir ran 2:08:59, and Sara Hall ran 2:20:32. Hehir is now eighth on the list of fastest U.S. marathoners; Hall is second among women.

Athletes have benefited from long training blocks—and now they’re itching to race

In a typical season, many college runners race too frequently. They compete in three seasons—cross country, indoor and outdoor track. They might travel the country every other week, chasing top-level competition and in track, qualifying marks for nationals. 

But that’s not the case this year. Last March, just as the pandemic was spreading across the country, the NCAA canceled indoor nationals. (Many athletes were already at the meet.) The outdoor season was quickly called off, and the cross-country season, which was supposed to happen in the fall of 2020, was pushed to winter. 

The result? College runners have had long blocks of uninterrupted training time with little or no racing outside of team time trials. They’re eager to race again, and they’re reaping the benefits of the extended period of training. 

Pros, too, may have benefitted from less racing than usual. And many have the feeling that finally, now that racing is back in some form, it’s time to run fast, especially in the buildup to the Olympic Trials. “The pent-up demand to have races — that definitely has something to do with it,” said Mark Coogan, coach of Team New Balance Boston, who coached Elle Purrier to a 9:10.28 American record in the two mile on February 13.

In a sense, track athletes have been forced to train as marathoners do, with long blocks of dedicated training toward one event, Burns said. “I think there could be enormous gains to track and field performances by taking the same approach: Hunker down and focus.” 

Marielle Hall said that training and limited racing through the pandemic has been “all been just one giant experiment.” Bowerman workouts, designed by head coach Jerry Schumacher, are getting harder. Splits they aim for during interval workouts are faster. They do more reps. “Those kinds of things are constantly evolving, changing to fit people’s new fitness level,” she said. “It looks a lot more effortless than it is.” 

UTMB announces stacked fields for 2021 races

The 2021 edition of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) is still months away, but the fields for the August race are officially set. After UTMB organizers cancelled their event in 2020 due to COVID-19, any race would have been exciting to watch this year, but fans will be treated to a pair of stacked lineups in the men’s and women’s fields. With six former UTMB champions and many other world-class runners set to race in Chamonix, France, later this year, the storied 170K ultramarathon looks like it will be can’t-miss action.

The women’s race

Former UTMB champs Courtney Dauwalter of the U.S. and Francesca Canepa of Italy headline the women’s race. Dauwalter is the reigning UTMB champion after her win in 2019, which was her first time running the race. She is widely recognized as one of the best ultrarunners on the planet, and she will be extremely tough to beat in Chamonix.

RELATED: UTMB adds to international race lineup with Thailand ultramarathon

Canepa won the women’s UTMB crown in 2018, and she also placed second in 2012. Other former top UTMB finishers on the start list for 2021 include Japan’s Kaori Niwa (fourth in 2017 and the winner of the 2019 Oman by UTMB 170K ultramarathon), Uxue Fraile Azpeitia of Spain (three-time UTMB podium finisher) and Beth Pascall of the U.K. (fourth- and fifth-place finishes in 2018 and 2019).

Multiple world record holder Camille Herron is also set to race in Chamonix. She has won ultramarathons around the world, including the Comrades Marathon in South Africa in 2017 and the Tarawera 100-miler in New Zealand in 2019, and she certainly has what it takes to win or place high in the overall UTMB standings.

Ailsa Macdonald is the lone Canadian in the elite UTMB women’s field. With big results like her wins at the Golden Ultra in B.C. in 2018 and the Tarawera 100 in 2020, Macdonald is another podium threat. She also has experience in Chamonix, having placed sixth in the UTMB’s CCC 101K ultra in 2019.

The men’s race

On the men’s side, there are four former UTMB winners: Pau Capell of Spain (winner in 2019) and French athletes François D’Haene (won in 2012, 2014 and 2017), Ludovic Pommeret (won in 2016) and Xavier Thévenard (won in 2013, 2015 and 2018). The past eight UTMB crowns belong to these four men, and they’re all capable of extending that streak to nine straight this year.

Jim Walmsley and Tim Tollefson are the top two American hopes on the men’s side. Tollefson made the UTMB podium in 2016 and 2017 with a pair of third-place finishes, while Walmsley has only raced in Chamonix once, running to fifth place. As Walmsley showed recently in a 100K world record attempt (he ran 6:09:26, missing the record by 12 seconds), he is in incredible shape this year, and while August is still months away, he has to be considered a favourite.

Also on the start list is the U.K.’s Damian Hall, who finished in fifth at the 2018 edition of UTMB. Hall is coming off a fantastic year of running that featured several prominent FKTs, and although he hasn’t raced in a while, he shouldn’t be counted out come August.

Finally, Canada will be represented by Mathieu Blanchard. Born in France, Blanchard now lives and trains in Montreal. He has raced in Chamonix before, running to a 13th-place finish in 2018, and in 2020 he ran onto the podium at the 102K Tarawera Ultra race.

UTMB is set to run from August 23 to 29, 2021.

Study finds 20% of people are genetically resilient to the cold

Have you ever wondered why some people can walk out in a t-shirt when it’s -15 C while others start shivering as soon as the temperature drops into the single digits? A new study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics may finally have your answer. Researchers have found that people lacking a certain protein in their muscles are more resilient to the cold, and interestingly enough, this genetic mutation may also give you a higher capacity for endurance athletics.

In the study, 42 men between the age of 18 and 40 sat in cold water (14 C) until their body temperature had dropped to 35.5 C. While the participants were submerged in the water, researchers used electromyography to measure their muscle electrical activity, and took biopsies of their muscles to observe their protein content and fibre-type composition.

The results found that people who lacked the protein α-aktinin-3 were better at keeping warm and, from an energy perspective, were better at enduring a toucher climate. This protein is found only in fast-twitch muscle fibres, and is lacking in about 20 per cent of the population. Its absence is due to a genetic mutation, and scientists believe that the presence of this mutated gene increased when humans migrated from Africa to colder climates in central and Northern Europe. According to the authors of the study, this is the first direct experimental evidence that this gene provides resilience to the cold.

“We here show an improved body temperature defence during cold-water immersion in humans deficient of the sarcomeric protein α-actinin-3 expressed in fast-twitch skeletal muscle,” they said in their report.

The participants who lacked α-aktinin-3 had a greater proportion of slow-twitch muscle fibres, and their genetic mutation allowed them to maintain their body temperature in a more energy-efficient way while their body was cooling. They also shivered less, which is a reaction activated by fast-twitch fibres, and instead increased the activation of slow-twitch fibres that produce heat by increasing baseline contraction.

What does this mean for runners?

The authors also noted that people who lack α-aktinin-3 rarely excel at sports that require explosive power or strength, likely because they have fewer fast-twitch muscle fibres. These people tend to have a greater capacity for endurance sports, which is not surprising since endurance athletes tend to have more slow-twitch muscle fibres. Of course, there are other factors that can affect your body’s ability to handle cold, so not every runner is going to thrive in cold conditions, and being a runner doesn’t automatically mean you have this genetic mutation (nor does having it mean you’ll be a better distance runner). Even if you are a dedicated runner, you still only have a one in five chance of lacking α-aktinin-3.

So if you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t mind the cold, maybe you have this genetic mutation. The rest of us will just continue to bundle up and wait for summer.

61-year-old tops Strava mileage in 2020, runs more than 12,000 kilometres

While Simon doesn’t have a decades-long run streak, he is extremely consistent with his runs, and he knocks out a 20-mile (32K) run most days. When he started running, he struggled through a couple of miles, but he quickly worked up to 15 to 20 miles a day. He admitted that he’s much slower now (his 20-milers used to take two to three hours, but today he’s on the road for closer to five), but that doesn’t deter him from getting out.

“Running truly changed my life,” he told Men’s Health. “I got fit, healthy, more confident and happier. Now if I miss a day, I bounce off the walls. It’s become my version of meditation, an escape from real world pressures.” He said he only misses days when travelling for work (he’s a retired programmer) or due to emergencies.

Simon said he records all of his runs on Strava, and he always makes sure to enter the app’s monthly distance challenges. “I’ve always been among the top runners,” he said. “I’m proud of that considering I’m also likely older than most of the other runners.” Last year, Strava told Simon that his 12,000 kilometres of running kept him on the road for 2,000 hours. That works out to more than 32K a day, a weekly mileage of more than 230K and close to 40 hours of running every week.

Simon has been an avid runner since he got started in the sport (he told Men’s Health that he’s addicted to it). He used to run marathons, and for a string of 10 years he didn’t miss the L.A. Marathon, eventually getting his PB down to 3:20. Speed or times were never his focus, though, and that’s what shapes Simon’s answer when people ask how he is still motivated to run every day (and how he hasn’t succumbed to any serious injuries over the years). “I tell them it’s slowing down,” he said. “At my age, my ‘run’ is more of a fast shuffle, but that also means less impact, so it’s good for my knees and body.”

Simon tells other runners that it’s rare he can’t talk on a run, as he goes at a pace that allows him to breathe normally and evenly. He said he recommends beginners start slow and that they avoid trying to “boil the ocean all at once” by getting too fast too soon. “Otherwise, you’ll burn out,” he said. “Running is a lifestyle, not just a training activity.”

Simon concluded by saying his only goal for the year is to continue what he has always done. He loves to run, and he said he will keep at it until he can no longer do it. “As I tell my family, when I can’t run anymore, I’ll walk. When I can’t walk, I’ll roll. And when I can’t do that, I’ll have to figure out a new activity.”

Canadian athletes have been struggling to find competition as they try to qualify for Tokyo

In early January, when COVID-19 numbers were climbing again, and Ontario had just hunkered down in another stay-at-home order, Melissa Bishop-Nriagu, husband Osi and their daughter Corinne, moved from Windsor, Ont., to Victoria.

With her Olympic participation on the line, the west coast city offered fairer weather for training and fewer COVID-19 restrictions.

Still, the world 800-meter silver medallist faces an uphill battle in securing a spot on the Tokyo Olympic team. Bishop-Nriagu, who was fourth at the 2016 Rio Olympics, should be among Canada's top medal hopes on the track in Tokyo — if she can just get there.

"It is [brutal]," said Bishop-Nriagu. "And even more brutal given the pandemic. . . Bottom line: I need races. And I need them to be fast."

Track and field isn't the only sport scrambling to qualify amid Canada's COVID-19 protocols. Canada promised to send perhaps the strongest men's basketball team to Tokyo last year, when the Olympics were originally supposed to take place. Now, the compacted NBA season conflicts with the Olympic qualifying tournament in June in Victoria.

Canada's boxing team is in quarantine less than three months from a qualifying event in Argentina after a team member tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this week.

Athletics Canada had hoped to send a team of 60-plus athletes to Tokyo, but just 24 have achieved qualifying standards, largely due to the inability to compete.

Before the pandemic, World Athletics had implemented new qualifying rules that require athletes to either achieve one very difficult standard — a fast time, a long throw, etc. — to earn an automatic berth, or be ranked in the top 48 in a complicated points system calculated over an athlete's five best major competitions.

Athletics Canada is lobbying for an edit to the stringent qualifying rules to allow for a more even playing field in Tokyo.

"It's just so unfair for Canadians at the moment, it's terrible," said Simon Nathan, Athletics Canada's high performance director. "The worry is: if I don't travel, then I can't qualify. If I do travel, there are places that are more risky [for the pandemic] than Canada. And then I come home and have to sit on my bum, literally not allowed to do anything for two weeks while my rivals are still training, they're still competing.

"So it's stress coming from every direction."

The deadline to register an athlete in any sport for the Tokyo Olympics is July 5, which is less than five months away. And the pandemic is severely impeding international and domestic competitions that ultimately determine the expected 400 to 40 athletes representing Canada in Tokyo.

"We're going to see a lot of last-minute qualification around Tokyo," Canadian Olympic Committee chief sport officer Eric Myles said.

"There will be hard stories, heartbreaking stories for sure. There are so many moving parts. We are trying as much as possible to prevent unfairness issues, but it's not simple. The virus is not making it simple."

Canada as a country has gained 99 event entries into Tokyo, which represents 239 athletes, according to Myles.

Of Canada's 35 national summer sport organizations, 28 are still in the process of choosing their Olympic athletes.

"The challenges are massive," said Own The Podium summer sport director Mark Hahto.

"It stems primarily from the cancellations, the uncertainties, the postponements of so many events on the summer calendar."

‘No Cheering’: Tokyo Olympic Organizers Release Guidelines For Torch Relay

The traditional prelude to the Olympics, the torch relay, will look – and sound – a bit different this year, as spectators are asked to avoid crowds and dampen their cheers when the torch passes by them.

Members of the Tokyo Organizing Committee announced a series of pandemic measures on Thursday, including leaving the option open for suspending portions of the relay should health officials deem it necessary.

"No shouting, no cheering. Please cheer by clapping your hands and maintain appropriate distance in case there is crowding," Yukihiko Nunomura, the vice director general of the committee, said at a press conference Thursday, according to The Associated Press.

The subdued torch relay is set to begin March 25 in Fukushima and travel through Japan until July 23, the day of the Games' Opening Ceremony. The Olympics were delayed by a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

About 10,000 torchbearers and others expected to take part in the torch relay, the AP added.

The organizing committee also released detailed safety protocols including what it calls avoidance of the "3C's:" closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings.

It also asked that spectators not watch from the roadside if they feel sick, and encouraged them to wear facial coverings.

Officials are also allowing task forces from local governments to enforce "suspension of the Torch Relay on public roads and/or the hosting of only a Torch lighting ceremony with no spectators," if such safety protocols are required.

Additionally, torchbearers are asked to follow safety protocols in the lead up to their portion of the relay.

In the two weeks prior to their leg, according to official guidelines, "torchbearers will be asked to refrain from activities that may involve a risk of COVID-19 infection, such as eating out or going to crowded places."

In the 14 days prior to their portion of the relay, torchbearers must also submit a daily health checklist. On the day of their leg of the relay, if the torchbearers feel sick or suspect they are infected, they must immediately report it to the organizing committee staff.

If they have a temperature above 37.5 degrees Celsius (99.5 degrees Fahrenheit) they may be asked to refrain from running, according to the guidelines.

The embattled Tokyo Olympic Games have faced a number of headwinds besides the coronavirus.

Earlier this month, Japan chose Seiko Hashimoto, one of the nation's most prominent female politicians, to step in as its new organizing executive.

Her predecessor Yoshiro Mori resigned on Feb. 12 after making sexist remarks saying that women talk to much in meetings.

Following his resignation, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach issued a statement saying he respects Mori's decision to step down, and looks forward to working with his successor.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, organizers are pushing forward with planning the event, a daunting task that is scheduled to bring thousands of athletes, media and volunteers from around the world.

Few people in Japan are likely to be vaccinated by the time the Games open, The Guardian reported, increasing fears the event could trigger a new round of outbreaks there.

Kibiwott Kandie shine at Athletics Kenya meet

World Half Marathon Kibiwott Kandie started his Olympic Games preparation on a high note by winning his first track competition at the opening leg of the Athletics Kenya (AK) track and field weekend meeting at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday.

Kandie’s interest in the men’s 10,000m event will give Kenya hope at an event; it last won a gold medal at the Olympics in Mexico in 1968 through Naftali Temu.

The fast-rising Kandie, 24 who picked running in 2013 while still a student at Cheberen Secondary School in Baringo County, calculated his move well to easily win the men’s 10,000m in 28:28.0 to put his Olympics dream on track. 

Gilbert Kimunyan, who led for much of the race, settled for the silver position in 28:37.7 ahead of Peter Mwaniki who clocked 28:38.7 in third place.

“Now that Africa Cross Country has been postponed to a later date, I thought it was wise for me to come and gauge myself in track because I’m keen on representing and winning a medal for Kenya in Tokyo,” said Kandie who finished second at the National Cross Country Championships two weeks ago. 

Kandie who made his breakthrough at the 2020 World Half Marathon in Gdynia, Poland before winning the 2020 Valencia Half Marathon, in a world record time of 57:32 believes teamwork in Tokyo will enable them to deliver the elusive gold medal at the Olympics in Tokyo. 

Galen Rupp: “I want to win [the Olympic marathon]. There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it.”

Yesterday, Kipyego mentioned her goal was to medal in Sapporo in August. Rupp went one step further.

“I want to win,” Rupp said. “There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it. That’s definitely my goal. I’ve gotten a silver medal in London, a bronze medal in Rio, and so hopefully I’ll be shooting for gold for sure in Tokyo. I know it’s not going to be an easy ask. It will be a tall task. There’s obviously a tremendous amount of great marathoners out there right now and the Olympics are always going to be a tough test. But I thrive on competition and I can’t wait to have the opportunity to go in there with the best in the world and really see what I can do.”

Rupp said that while gold is his aim, he wouldn’t be disappointed if he fails to win — indeed, in the last 113 years, only one American man, Frank Shorter, has accomplished the feat. Not all of his fellow Olympians shared that perspective, however.

“I’m going to be disappointed if you don’t win,” Tuliamuk joked. “No pressure.”

The one-year delay has helped Rupp more than most. Even before the pandemic, Rupp spent much of his time in his Portland home, which is equipped with a device that strips oxygen from the air to mimic the effects of high elevation. Staying home was not much of a challenge, though it did limit the amount his coach Mike Smith could visit him to oversee workouts.

From a running perspective, the extra year has given Rupp more time to adjust to Smith’s system. Under previous coach Alberto Salazar — whose appeal of his four-year ban for anti-doping violations will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport next month — Rupp would hit each rep of his interval sessions “as hard as [he] could” and take a full rest before tackling the next one. Until he trained under Smith, Rupp had never run a fartlek. When Smith, the coach at Northern Arizona University, began working with Rupp in December 2019, he asked Rupp to turn over his previous training logs. The first thing he told Rupp after examining them?

“He didn’t think I was training much like a marathoner,” Rupp says. “There was still so much track stuff that I was doing.”

Now Rupp is growing accustomed to Smith’s system. He feels he works just as hard in practice, but the workouts are different: slower, with more reps and less recovery.

“Having some new stimulus, having some different workouts that I’ve been doing, it’s been a challenge, but it’s been really fun for me at the same time,” Rupp said. “…I couldn’t be happier with the way that things have worked out and where things are going.”

The delay has also allowed Rupp’s body extra time to heal. The Trials was just the second race Rupp finished following Achilles surgery in October 2018, and though Rupp estimated he was 90-95% healthy by the time of the Trials, he had not been able to string together a significant amount of pain-free running. Rupp admitted that, even after the Trials, “it hasn’t always been pretty,” but he feels he’s in a better spot now than he was a year ago.

“I’m optimistic about where I’m at physically and I couldn’t have said that over the last year,” Rupp said. “But I was really pleased with the way the Trials went and I think that I’ve grown a lot since then.”

The one annoying thing for Rupp has been the inability to race. Since the Trials, he has run just one: 60:22 for a low-key half marathon in October on an Oregon bike path. In years past, Rupp could at least gauge his fitness by comparing workouts splits to what he’d done before, but with a whole new set of workouts under Smith, even that is impossible. So Rupp is itching to race, but exactly where and when that will happen remains uncertain.

Rupp was hoping to do a marathon this month, but that proved untenable due to COVID travel restrictions. He is considering racing some shorter distances in the leadup to the Games. Given the flat course in Sapporo, Rupp believes it is important to improve is speed, which has been a recent emphasis in training.

"We want to get back into the swing of racing again,” Rupp said. “I think it’s important.”

The Xiamen Marathon has been granted World Athletics Elite Platinum Label

The Xiamen Marathon has been rated as a 2021 World Athletics Elite Platinum Label race, according to World Athletics' website.

The Xiamen Marathon gained the World Athletics Elite Platinum Label alongside the six world marathon majors (Boston Marathon, London Marathon, Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon, New York Marathon, and Tokyo Marathon), becoming the second race to win this label in China after the Shanghai Marathon.

The "World Athletics Elite Platinum Label", the highest level of the current 3-level race rating system, signifies the world's top race certification label.

The Xiamen Marathon has run successfully for 18 years since its inception in 2003. The result of 2:06:19 made by Kenyan Moses Mosop at the 2015 Xiamen Marathon stands not only as the race record for the Xiamen Marathon, but also as the best result for men in marathons in China to date.

"Xiamen Marathon has contributed significantly to the development of marathons in China over the past 19 years," said Ruan Dunliang, director of Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Sports.

"The 'Elite Platinum Standard' represents a high degree of recognition and also a new mission for Xiamen Marathon, symbolizing a new era for Xiamen Marathon.

"Future efforts will keep focusing on improving the professionalism and internationalization of Xiamen Marathon to bring a higher-quality race to marathon enthusiasts worldwide." 

These tips will help you train for and race your best 10K.

The 10K is a popular pick for many runners. The distance attracts new and experienced runners alike. Whether you are running your first 10K or aiming for a personal record (PR), these tips will help you train for and race your best 10K.

Tips for Beginners

Build Endurance

For many new runners, the 10K is the natural next step after the 5K. If the furthest you have ever run is 3.1 miles, doubling the distance can be intimidating. Building your endurance will make the 10K both physically and mentally manageable.

It’s important to give yourself time to build up to the 10K distance. Gradually increase both your long run distance and your overall weekly mileage, so that you can run 6 miles a couple of weeks before race day. You can increase your mileage by adding an extra day—such as 4 days of running instead of 3 days—or adding a mile to each run every couple weeks.

Pick up the Pace

If you are comfortably running 15 miles or more per week, you can begin to incorporate some faster running into your 10K training. Once per week, do a run that incorporates short intervals of running at a hard effort. Speedwork benefits all runners because of its unique ability to effectively improve your aerobic capacity. Quite simply, running faster in small amounts will help you run faster overall.

Beginners do not need to hit the track or run fast mile repeats. You can do your speed work on the roads, hills, treadmill, or track—whichever you are most comfortable with. Beginners should start with shorter intervals lasting one to three minutes in duration. Try this Intro to the Track workout or this Short and Fast Fartlek once per week in the 8-12 weeks leading up to your 10K race.

Tips for Experienced Runners

Respect the distance

It’s just 6 miles! Many experienced marathoners may dismiss the 10K as a “short” race, but the truth is that running 6.2 miles at the hardest effort possible is not easy. There is a huge difference between racing a 10K and completing a 6-mile easy run. The 10K hurts—a lot. The high level of discomfort—the burning lungs, fatigued legs, and metallic taste of the last 2 miles—makes the 10K more than just 6.2 miles. Respect the distance and prepare yourself mentally for being physically uncomfortable for a significant portion of the race.

Do Race Pace Speedwork

Many experienced runners will have a time goal for a 10K race. In order to run that time in the race, you need to practice the pace in training. Experienced runners with a solid aerobic base can spend 4-8 weeks specifically preparing for their 10K with workouts such as short intervals, tempo runs, and 10K pace intervals.

You do not want to leave your race in your training. The recovery intervals in between 10K pace intervals allow you to build your fitness without breaking down your body before race day. The 10K pace intervals can range from ½ mile to 2 miles at your goal pace, progressing as the race approaches. Begin with shorter intervals covering 4-5 miles total and build up to longer intervals covering 5-6 miles.

Some 10K pace workouts include:

8-10 x 1K at 10K pace with 2 minutes easy in between

4-6 x 1 mile at 10K pace with 3 minutes easy in between

4-5 x 2K (1.24 mile) at 10K pace with 3 minutes easy in between

2-3 x 2 mile at 10K pace with 3 minutes easy in between

Tips for Runners of All Levels

Strength Train

Running is essentially a prolonged series of single-legged forwards hops. The stronger your glutes and leg muscles are, the faster you can run and the longer you can sustain that fast speed. Your core and upper body strength matter as well, since your core provides stability and your upper body contributes to good running form.

Speedwork does improve your aerobic capacity and running economy, thereby making you a faster runner, but you can only do so much speedwork. Strength training supplements those gains of speedwork by further improving your economy.  According to a 2003 study in Sports Medicine, distance runners can improve their running economy up to 8% with consistent strength training. Better running economy means more speed – which translates to a faster 10K time.

Finally, runners who strength train regularly are less likely to get injured, since strength training fixes muscular imbalances and makes muscles more resistant to the repetitive pounding of running.

Have a Race Strategy

Whether you are running a 40-minute or 80-minute 10K, proper pacing is key to running your best 10K. Starting out too fast can derail your goals and set you up for a miserable race. A race strategy keeps you from getting caught up in the excitement of the race. You can follow a race strategy regardless of your goals and experience. Aim to run the first mile at a controlled effort, the middle 4 miles at a steady and hard effort, and the last mile and two-tenths as hard as you possibly can. If you are trying to hit a certain pace, aim to run your goal pace to 10 seconds slower for the first mile, at your goal pace for the middle 4 miles, and as hard as you can to the finish line.

If you are running the 10K to complete it, you can do some dynamic stretches such as leg swings and arm swings to warm up. If you are racing for a time goal, treat the race as you would a hard workout and give yourself time to warm up before the race. You want to be ready to run fast! Jog at a very easy effort for 1-2 miles and complete your normal drills and dynamic stretches.

With these training and race day tips in mind, you are ready to run your best 10K!

Sally kipyego is focused on winning a medal in the Olympic marathon

After the 2020 Olympics were postponed last March because of Covid-19, US Olympic marathoner Sally Kipyego and her coach Mark Rowland decided to take a laid back approach to the rest of 2020 with the hope that Kipyego’s body would feel refreshed when she resumed training in earnest last fall. The time is coming, however, to return to competition.

Kipyego was scheduled to race last week for the first time since she made Team USA at the US Olympic Marathon Trials in February 2020. But the race she was planning on running, the RAK Half Marathon in the United Arab Emirates, was cancelled. Instead, she has a 15K planned for March (Kipyego could not officially announce it, but the logical assumption is she means the USATF 15K champs in Jacksonville on March 20) and a 10,000 on the track in April, where she hopes to hit the qualifying standard for the 2022 Worlds in Eugene. After that, she will shift to marathon mode and focus on building up for the Olympics.

And Kipyego is dreaming big. And for good reason. Kipyego is the only member of the US women’s marathon squad with an Olympic medal, having earned a silver in the 10,000 in London in 2012 for her native Kenya, and believes she is capable of taking home another one this summer.

“I feel like if I get good consistent training — which I have been able to do the last one-and-a-half years — proper training, I think I’ll have a chance of medaling,” Kipyego says. “That is really the objective for this season for me, is to be able to medal.”

Some may think that is an ambitious goal for a 2:25 marathoner who was only third at the US Olympic Trials. After all, it has been over five years — when she was 5th in the 10,000 at the 2015 Worlds — since Kipyego has been competitive in a global championship. But those numbers don’t tell the whole story.

For one, Kipyego, who at 35 is two years younger than Sara Hall, feels she has yet to demonstrate her full potential at 26.2 miles, going so far as to say, “I haven’t really quite gotten a good marathon in.” Kipyego was second in the first marathon she finished, running 2:28:01 in New York in November 2016, but she was way back of winner Mary Keitany who ran 2:24:26. Shen then missed all of 2017 after giving birth to daughter Emma, and it took her longer than expected to get back to top form after her pregnancy.

It was not until the fall of 2019, when she ran 2:25:10 in Berlin, that the world began to catch a glimpse of the Kipyego of old, and she is confident in the training she has stacked together since then. But that still leaves a second problem: can Kipyego possibly get into medal shape given the current state of women’s marathoning? Of the seven fastest women in history, five have set their personal bests (all 2:17:45 or faster) since the start of 2019, led by Brigid Kosgei‘s 2:14:04 world record in Chicago.

“We’re talking about championships,” Kipyego says. “When it comes to championships, they’re not the same as major marathons, for example. You can still be competitive in a championship because you’re not running 2:14 or 2:12 marathon pace. If the race is being run at 2:20, most of us can be able to put themselves there. So I believe that if I can get — and I’m trying to get myself into — 2:20 or sub-2:20 shape going into Tokyo, and I think if I am in that kind of shape, my chances are pretty good at medaling.”

Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon exits proceedings for World Marathon Majors status

The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon's (SCSM) bid to join an elite club of races is over, race organiser The Ironman Group announced on Friday (Feb 26).

The Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM) series is an exclusive set of just six of the leading marathons in the world - Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City.

The Republic had put its hand up to join the series in 2017, the same year the AWMM inked an exclusive partnership with China's Wanda Sports Group to expand the series and develop marathon events worldwide.

According to a statement on the WMM website on Friday, two races - the Singapore Marathon and the Chengdu Marathon - had been "put forth" by Wanda to be considered for inclusion. However, in March last year, Wanda offloaded the Ironman Group for US$730 million (S$969 million). 

The WMM added: "Following the sale of The Ironman Group (who operates the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon) by the Wanda Sports Group, the Singapore race is no longer a part of that candidate process. Wanda Sports Group has the exclusive right to put forward these races."

The decision, noted national sports agency Sport Singapore and the Singapore Tourism Board in a statement, was "commercial". 

The Singapore Marathon typically attracts close to 50,000 runners annually. It is the nation's largest mass participation sports event and in 2019 - the last year it was held in the physical format prior to the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic - the event saw 70,000 spectators line local streets to cheer participants on.

Despite the disappointment, the Ironman group said it "remains committed to delivering world-class race experiences and will continue its efforts in producing a signature event for the global running community". It declined to reveal how much it had invested in its attempt to attain AWMM status. 

Sport Singapore and the STB also pledged to continue backing the event and to "continue to develop the SCSM as a world-class World Athletics Gold Label race for Singaporeans and our global participants". 

Organizers call for participants to run the Virtual National Cherry Blossom Festival, March 20 – April 11 wherever they are

While this year’s in-person Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run, 5K Run-Walk and all the usual race weekend activities have been postponed until September 10 – 12, 2021, race organizers have been busy planning for the upcoming Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile and 5K Virtual Runs that will coincide with dates of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, March 20 through April 11, 2021. Registration for the virtual runs is now open, and will remain open until through Friday, April 9. Runners are encouraged to browse the virtual run information on the Credit Union Cherry Blossom website for more information and a link to the registration page.

While it isn’t possible to allow dogs to participate in the in-person 10-mile and 5K events, dog-loving runners are encouraged to register both themselves and their favorite dog(s) in the Virtual Run. Dogs run for free, but dog lovers can dress up their pups with doggie scarves and dog collars, and celebrate their achievement with “My Dog Ran CUCB VR” car magnets available for purchase on the event website by March 10. In addition, intense competition is expected in the voting to be held for cutest dog picture at the conclusion of the Virtual Run.

“Initially, we were doggone disappointed to have to cancel our in-person event for the second year in a row,” said Event Director Phil Stewart, “but we’re doing all we can to be COVID-safe while encouraging runners, notably those with dogs, to get out and celebrate the cherry blossom season and the spirit of the National Cherry Blossom Festival wherever they are. Virtual Run participants are encouraged to run 10 miles or 5K in local areas that showcase cherry blossoms at their peak, and they will be able to upload cherry blossom photos with their race results.”

The ten best photos, as judged by event organizers, will be posted on the Credit Union Cherry Blossom website and social platforms for an open-to-the-public vote for the most scenic cherry blossom locale. Prizes will be awarded to the top three vote-getters

The entry fee for the Virtual Run is $35, which includes a specially designed Virtual Run cotton t-shirt and a Virtual Run medal featuring our unique Virtual Run t-shirt art. Runners who would prefer to receive an ASICS technical performance shirt can purchase an upgrade for $20.

Both the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Virtual Run March 20 – April 11 and the in-person events scheduled for September 10 – 12, 2021, serve as important fundraising opportunities for Children’s Miracle Network—our official charity partner—and Virtual Run participants are strongly encouraged to set up their own personal pages to raise funds to provide cutting-edge health care to children in their own communities using this link.

The 2021 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Virtual Run this spring and September’s in-person events will celebrate the 20th year of title sponsorship by Credit Union Miracle Day. Since 2002, over $10 million has been raised for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, including $439,000 this year. Of that $439,000, $66,000 came from runners donating their entry fees instead of asking for a refund when race weekend in our Nation’s Capital was wiped out by COVID-19 last April.

High school indoor meet held in parking garage?

High school track teams in New York state haven’t had many opportunities to race this indoor season. Some indoor tracks have been closed this year, and the main, most famous venue — The Armory in New York City — is currently being used as a COVID-19 vaccination centre.

With few options and an empty schedule, coaches at a high school in Suffern, N.Y., about an hour north of NYC, came up with the out-of-the-box idea to host a track meet in a parking garage. Surprisingly, other teams got on board, and the Palisades Center Underground Track Series was born.

According to dyestat.com, suffern High School assistant track coach Steve Pashley came up with the idea and pitched it to Jeff Dempsey, the team’s head coach. Pashley told Dempsey about the Palisades Center, a mall in nearby West Nyack with a four-level parking garage that hasn’t been in use for several months. (The mall has remained open during the pandemic, but customers have only had access to the facility’s above-ground parking lot.) 

Pashley and Dempsey reached out to the Palisades Center staff, and although they were hesitant at first, the meet was eventually given the go-ahead. “The lot … is an enormous space,” Dempsey told dyestat.com. “You could do five 200m tracks in there.”

Dempsey and Pashley ultimately decided on a 300m loop for the races, and they included a 220m space where athletes could warm up. With the green light from the mall, final approval from the school district and a course laid out, the meet was ready to go, and four other high schools sent teams to compete.

The meet was hel on February 17, and 122 athletes showed up to race in 14 different events. There were runs as short as 55m up to 3,200m, plus boys and girls 4 x 300m relays. After the success of the first meet, a second was held on February 20, and the Palisades Center Underground Track Series was officially born. 

Pashley and Dempsey said they aren’t sure if the series will continue much longer, as their school district has voted for the indoor track season to end on February 28. Even if they can’t run any more meets this season, the Palisades Center will always be a solid backup plan in the years to come if real indoor tracks are ever unavailable. 

Victoria Marathon Flush Virtual Series will be run in addition to the in-person race, assuming it can go ahead as scheduled in October

Organizers of the Royal Victoria Marathon have announced the launch of several new virtual events. The lineup of races, dubbed the Royal Flush Virtual Race Series, will feature five distances that can be run from May to September.

The in-person Royal Victoria Marathon is still scheduled for October 10, although organizers cannot guarantee it will go ahead as planned. 

The Royal Flush includes a mile run, a 5K, a 10K, a half and a full marathon. Participants can choose to run just one of the events, two (a pair) or all five (which would be the official Royal Flush). If an individual signs up for multiple runs, they can complete them whenever they please, whether that’s all in the same week or months apart.  

"I wish we could guarantee that we were going to be at the same start line on October 10,” says Royal Victoria Marathon race director Cathy Noel. “However, we are going to be able to keep everyone moving and motivated for five months as they participate in five different event distances and collect great swag.”

The contents of each participant’s swag bag is dependent on which races they choose to run, but race shirts, medals, bags, buffs and more will be sent to runners across the country after registering for the event. Everyone in the Royal Flush will also receive a special medal for running all five races. 

Registration for the Royal Flush Virtual Race Series is open from now until the end of May. 

Kenya has banned its athletes from taking part in the Kilimanjaro Marathon in Tanzania this weekend, because of growing concerns over the spread of the pandemic in the host country

Athletics Kenya announced it would not permit its runners to participate in the event at the foothills of Africa's highest mountain "due to the global outbreak and spread of COVID-19".

But officials voiced more specific concerns about the spread of the disease in Tanzania, where the Government has been criticised for downplaying the seriousness of the pandemic and refusing to take tough measures against it.

"We have to protect our athletes," a senior official at Athletics Kenya told The Nation.

"If we allow them to compete in the Tanzania race, and they contract the virus, it will be easy to transmit it to other Kenyan runners back home."

Last week Tanzania’s President John Magufuli - who has insisted the disease can be defeated with prayer - conceded it was still circulating, revealing some of his aides and family members had contracted COVID-19 but had recovered.

World Health Organization director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus last week appealed to Tanzania to take "robust action" against the disease, after several travellers from the country tested positive.

On Monday (February 22) the United States issued a "do not travel" warning to Tanzania, due to the spread of the virus.

Kenyan male and female runners have enjoyed a clean sweep in the the last three editions of the Kilimanjaro race, which takes place in the northern town of Moshi near the border with Kenya.

Tanzania last gave case figures for coronavirus infections in April 2020, when it reported 509 cases.

Caster Semenya has filed an application to the European Court of Human Rights in a final bid to overturn rules preventing her from defending her Olympic 800m title

The double Olympic and three-time world champion last year saw her appeal to Switzerland’s supreme court dismissed against a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling in 2019 that upheld controversial World Athletics rules for female runners with differences of sexual development (DSD).

Those rules prevent Semenya and other DSD athletes competing internationally at distances from 400 meters to the mile unless they lower their levels of testosterone through medication or surgery - something Semenya says she will not do.

On Thursday, the South African confirmed an application has now been filed to the European Court of Human Rights, as she continues to try different routes to have the regulations overturned following two appeal failures.

“I hope the European court will put an end to the longstanding human rights violations by World Athletics against women athletes,” said Semenya.

“All we ask is to be allowed to run free, for once and for all, as the strong and fearless women we are and have always been.”

Semenya’s team of lawyers, who span South Africa, France, Britain and Canada, said: “While the timeline of the application remains to be determined by the court, Caster remains ever hopeful that she will soon be allowed to return to the starting line in the 800m at international competition.

“Caster’s indomitable spirit continues to be a source of inspiration to all those fighting alongside her for the equality and dignity of women throughout the world.”

Even if the court disagrees with both the Court of Arbitration for Sport and Switzerland’s supreme court by ruling that World Athletics’ regulations should be overturned, it seems highly unlikely such a decision would be made before the upcoming Tokyo Games given the short time frame.

Last year, Semenya announced her intention to try and compete over 200m - a distance for which she would not need to take any medication - in Japan, although she ranked just 165th in the world in 2020 despite many leading athletes skipping the year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking when Semenya initially announced her intention to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights last year, World Athletics said: “For many years World Athletics has fought for and defended equal rights and opportunities for all women and girls in our sport today and in the future.

“Throughout this long battle, World Athletics has always maintained that its regulations are lawful and legitimate, and that they represent a reasonable, necessary and proportionate means of ensuring the rights of all female athletes to participate on fair and equal terms.

Kenya's Olympics Marathon team has been named

The 2020 Valencia Marathon winners Peres Jepchirchir and Vincent Kipchumba have been included in Kenya’s marathon team for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Making the announcement Tuesday, Athletics Kenya senior vice president, Paul Mutwii, disclosed that Kenya will be represented by four athletes each in the men and women’s categories.

Jepchirchir, the World Half Marathon champion and Half Marathon World record holder, now joins World Marathon champion, Ruth Chepngétich, Marathon World record holder, Brigid Kosgei and multiple World champion and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic 5,000m gold medalist and 10,000m silver medalist, Vivian Cheruiyot.

Kipchumba will team up with Olympic Marathon champion, Eliud Kipchoge, World Marathon bronze medallist, Amos Kipruto and 2019 Boston Marathon winner Lawrence Cherono.

Four athletes, who were named as reserves in the original team that was named in January last year before the Tokyo Olympics were postponed owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, have been dropped.

They are Valary Ayabei and Sally Chepyego in the women’s team and Titus Ekiru and Bedan Karoki in the men's side.

Asked why they have settled on four athletes in each team, Mutwii said: "It's a decision we have made and we are certain they will deliver outstanding victories."

The delayed Summer Olympics will be staged from July 23 to August 8, but while the track and field events will be held at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, the race walk and marathon events will be at Odori Park in Sapporo, 1,167.7km from the Japanese capital.

Kenya won both the men and women’s Olympics marathon titles with disgraced Jemimah Sumgong going for the women’s gold medal at the 2016 Olympics.Sumgong has since been banned for a doping offence.

Mutwii disclosed that they will liaise with the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) on how best to prepare the team.

“The athletes can continue training individually before we roll out soon,” said Mutwii, adding that NOC-K had instructed them to prepare sprinters for an early camp.

Six former UTMB champs are on the start lists for the famed ultramarathon's comeback in August

The 2021 edition of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) is still months away, but the fields for the August race are officially set. After UTMB organizers cancelled their event in 2020 due to COVID-19, any race would have been exciting to watch this year, but fans will be treated to a pair of stacked lineups in the men’s and women’s fields.

With six former UTMB champions and many other world-class runners set to race in Chamonix, France, later this year, the storied 170K ultramarathon looks like it will be can’t-miss action. 

The women´s race 

Former UTMB champs Courtney Dauwalter of the U.S. and Francesca Canepa of Italy headline the women’s race. Dauwalter is the reigning UTMB champion after her win in 2019, which was her first time running the race. She is widely recognized as one of the best ultrarunners on the planet, and she will be extremely tough to beat in Chamonix. 

Canepa won the women’s UTMB crown in 2018, and she also placed second in 2012. Other former top UTMB finishers on the start list for 2021 include Japan’s Kaori Niwa (fourth in 2017 and the winner of the 2019 Oman by UTMB 170K ultramarathon), Uxue Fraile Azpeitia of Spain (three-time UTMB podium finisher) and Beth Pascall of the U.K. (fourth- and fifth-place finishes in 2018 and 2019). 

Multiple world record holder Camille Herron is also set to race in Chamonix. She has won ultramarathons around the world, including the Comrades Marathon in South Africa in 2017 and the Tarawera 100-miler in New Zealand in 2019, and she certainly has what it takes to win or place high in the overall UTMB standings. 

Alisa McDonald 

Is the lone Canadian in the elite Camille Herron is also set to race in Chamonix. She has won ultramarathons around the world, including the Comrades Marathon in South Africa in 2017 and the Tarawera 100-miler in New Zealand in 2019, and she certainly has what it takes to win or place high in the overall UTMB standings. 

The men’s race 

On the men’s side, there are four former UTMB winners: Pau Capell of Spain (winner in 2019) and French athletes François D’Haene (won in 2012, 2014 and 2017), Ludovic Pommeret (won in 2016) and Xavier Thévenard (won in 2013, 2015 and 2018). The past eight UTMB crowns belong to these four men, and they’re all capable of extending that streak to nine straight this year. 

Jim Walmsley and Tim Tollefson are the top two American hopes on the men’s side. Tollefson made the UTMB podium in 2016 and 2017 with a pair of third-place finishes, while Walmsley has only raced in Chamonix once, running to fifth place.

As Walmsley showed recently in a 100K world record attempt (he ran 6:09:26, missing the record by 12 seconds), he is in incredible shape this year, and while August is still months away, he has to be considered a favorite. 

Also on the start list is the U.K.’s Damian Hall, who finished in fifth at the 2018 edition of UTMB. Hall is coming off a fantastic year of running that featured several prominent FKTs, and although he hasn’t raced in a while, he shouldn’t be counted out come August.

Finally, Canada will be represented by Mathieu Blanchard. Born in France, Blanchard now lives and trains in Montreal. He has raced in Chamonix before, running to a 13th-place finish in 2018, and in 2020 he ran onto the podium at the 102K Tarawera Ultra race. 

Running has positive effects on muscle and bone health

Physical activity and exercise are important parts of the overall strategy for improving the health of your bones and the strength of your muscles. While participating in running has positive effects on muscle and bone health, it is important that we develop and maintain a strong musculoskeletal system that can provide us with support for the long run.Incorporate the following into your training routine to help keep your bones and muscles strong:

Incorporate Weightbearing Exercise

Every time our feet strike the ground, the impact causes a loading force on the bone, which encourages bone building. That’s why it’s important to engage in regular weight-bearing exercise at any age or fitness level.Moderate intensity activities such as walking and running have been found to have a positive effect on bone mass, but activities with high impact forces such as jumping, gymnastics, and a variety of ball and power sports cause a stronger bone response.

In general, you should aim to maintain a high level of weightbearing physical activity.

However, the activity selected must be appropriate to your current fitness level and safe for you to perform.

You can gradually work up to performing 30-60 minutes of weightbearing activities 3-5 times per week.

Incorporate a Strength-Training Program

Strength training is probably one of the most important things you can do for bone health and muscle strength. Strong muscles will help support your joints and bones while you are running. When the muscles are not strong enough to provide support, your joints and bones can get overloaded, which may increase the risk of injury.To get the best results from a strength training program you should consider:

Starting out by working on proper exercise technique with bodyweight exercises before adding external resistance. You can progress by gradually increasing the resistance as your muscles become stronger. Moderate to high intensity resistance training exercises have been shown to have positive effects on bone health.

Performing exercises that target major muscles groups at least 2 times per week. Allow for 24-48 hours of rest in between each resistance training session.

Including exercises that strengthen the core and hips. A strong core and strong hips will help you maintain proper postural alignment and provide you with support during the run.

Staying consistent. Improvements in strength and bone mineral density are not maintained when you discontinue to exercise.

The history of black running in America

Ted Corbitt laid the basis for measurement of road running courses in the USA and was the founding president of NYRR (New York Road Runners. He was black; and many assume he was the first black American endurance runner of historic importance.

Corbitt (1919–2007) was a formidable figure in long-distance running, but he was far from the first – or the only – notable African American long-distance runner. The history of black running in America dates back to at least the 1870s and is both rich and profound.

Gary Corbitt, Ted’s son, has spent years researching and writing about black American running and bringing many untold stories to life. He founded the Ted Corbitt Archive to preserve and highlight some of the amazing and almost forgotten stories of black American runners, coaches, clubs, teams, events, supporters and leaders.

“My dad always told me he wasn’t alone – that there were other great black American long-distance runners,” says Gary. “I didn’t know how rich the story was until I started looking into it myself.”

Using books, articles, and a huge amount of primary documents, Gary created a “Black Running History 100 years (1880–1979)” timeline that spanned 100 years (1880–1979). “The work is not finished yet,” he says. “I have probably captured 75 percent of what is known from this 100-year period.”

He was inspired by a story his father told him about a letter he received from a young black runner. “The runner wrote that he wished he had known about my dad when he was in school and the coaches steered him away from long-distance running and into sprints,” said Gary. “If he’d had a black long-distance runner like my father as a role model, things might have turned out differently. I want today’s young black runners to know that they are part of a rich history and that they have many role models.”

Here are just a few of the highlights from the Chronicle. See tedcorbitt.com for more.

Frank Hart and the marchers (pedestrian) movement

In the late 1870s the most popular sport in the United States – and a few other countries – was pedestrianism: multi-day running and walking competitions over hundreds of miles, often on covered lanes in front of large crowds. Participants came from all walks of life and one of the most successful was a young black runner named Frank Hart (above, left). Born Fred Hichborn in Haiti in 1858 he moved to Boston as a teenager, worked as a grocer, and started running long distance runs to make extra money. He changed his name when he became a professional “walker” (pedestrian).

Hart won the prestigious O’Leary Belt Six Days at Madison Square Garden in 1880 completing an astonishing 565 miles – a world record. The runner-up, William Pegram, was also black. Hart’s success earned him fame and fortune; his image was featured on trading cards (the forerunner of baseball cards) nationwide, and he likely made over USD 100,000 in his lifetime thanks to the legal gambling that was at the heart of the sport and even allowed participants to wager on themselves.

Unfortunately Hart also endured racism, including heckling and physical harassment from viewers and snubs and slurs from his rivals. In the late 1880s baseball – with its rigid racial segregation policy – ousted walking in popularity. As an excellent all-round athlete, Hart joined a “Negro League Team” for a few years.

The spirit of the march (pedestrian) era inspired Ted Corbitt, who ran (and won) many ultra runs, completing 68.9 miles in 24 hours at the age of 82. “My father talked about running 600 miles in six days and walking 100 miles in 24 hours,” said Gary. “These were milestones from the marchers’ days, the meaning of which I only fully understood much later, after his death.”

Early NYC running clubs and marathon runners

Several black running clubs in NYC in the early 1900s, including the Salem Crescent Athletic Club, St. Christopher’s Club of NY, and the Smart Set Athletic Club of Brooklyn, showcased the talents of a generation of black runners at sprint to marathon distances.

In 1919, Aaron Morris of the St. Christopher Athletic Club finished sixth in the Boston Marathon in 2:37:13, making him the first known African American to run the race. At the 1920 Boston Marathon, Morris’ teammate Cliff Mitchell finished eighth in 2:41:43. Mitchell finished 13th in Boston in 1921, and another St. Christopher runner, John Goff, finished ninth that year in 2:37:35.

The New York Pioneer Club, which was founded in Harlem in 1936 by trainer Joe Yancey and two other black men, campaigned to give everyone interested and qualified regardless of race a chance. “It was an integrated running team that preceded the integration of professional sport,” says Gary Corbitt. Ted Corbitt joined the Pioneer Club in 1947 and in 1958 he and other members formed the core of the New York Road Runners.

Marilyn Bevans

Opportunities for female long-distance runners were few before the early 1970s. NYRR always allowed women as members and in its events, but the Boston Marathon excluded women until 1972, the same year that a women’s 1500m (less than a mile) run was added to the Olympic programme.

In the 1970s Marilyn Bevans of Baltimore emerged as the first competitive modern black American marathon runner. She was the first black American to win a marathon – the Washington Birthday Marathon in Maryland in 1975. She finished fourth in the 1975 Boston Marathon with a time of 2:55:52, making her the first black American to win a marathon run in under three hours. She completed a total of 13 marathons under three hours. Bevans later became a coach and is now in her 70s.

Officials of Boston Marathon are encouraging people to run 2.23 miles in memory of Ahmaud Arbery

 A year has passed since Ahmaud Arbery was killed in Georgia and Boston Marathon officials are urging people to honor him by walking or running 2.23 miles.

Arbery was fatally shot while running in a neighborhood outside the port city of Brunswick on Feb. 23, 2020.

“We believe everyone should be able to advance their well-being by running safely & without fear or discrimination,” Boston Marathon officials wrote on Twitter.

Travis McMichael, his father, Greg McMichael, and neighbor Roddie Bryan are facing murder charges in connection with Arbery’s death.

Qualities to look for when you are trying to buy the right treadmill

When looking to buy a treadmill for your home, there are several key considerations that will impact your experience and exercise results. There are numerous treadmill brands, models, and features to choose from, but all have one main purpose: to assist you in achieving optimum fitness levels by running or walking at a comfortable speed with varying inclines and levels of resistance. 

Have you been considering purchasing a home treadmill? Go ahead and take a glance at these tips before taking the plunge.

A Strong Motor

A treadmill has to have a strong motor for all the various speeds and inclines that you’ll push it to. A motor is obviously an essential part of what makes a treadmill work. The best way to think about the quality of your motor is in terms of horsepower. Just like a car, if you have a 2 HP or 3 HP motor should be enough to enable you to walk or run.

A Deck or Belt Size

The deck or belt size of a treadmill is the distance between the inside edges of the walking surface. This measurement affects the space available to walk during workouts. Larger decks are better for taller users (while also being more expensive).

Sturdy Frame

A sturdy frame is an absolute must when it comes to fitness equipment. After all, one of the most important factors in a treadmill’s ability to run smoothly and safely is its frame. If your unit has wobbly wheels or moves around as you use it, this means trouble. It will shake, too, when it works – but that’s normal.

Emergency Stop Button

A treadmill is an effective and a medium to achieve fitness. However, this does not mean that they are all the same. Certain factors should be deliberated before the final purchase. The emergency stop button is one of the factors that come to mind when purchasing a treadmill machine. 

This will quickly stop the belt in case of an emergency, like someone snatching a towel from you while you’re running and causing you to fall. The emergency stop button will come in handy so that you don’t have to keep one hand on the treadmill to make sure the speed stays low enough to not hurt yourself when the system comes to a halt.

Easy-to-use Buttons

Who wants to spend their time trying to figure out how to increase incline? No one frankly. And if you are looking to buy a treadmill, you probably also agree that easy-to-use buttons are essential! Ideally, the treadmill you buy will have a control panel that is easily accessible and user-friendly. 

If you are looking for a treadmill in your own home, the control panel should be intuitive enough that someone who is not even into fitness can figure it out. The fitness geeks at https://fitnessmasterly.com say the best treadmills that are easy-to-use have are going to have buttons for the common things you will be using such as speed, incline, and selecting various workout programs. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Maximum Weight Rating

A good treadmill should be able to handle a lot of weight. You’re going to be on it a lot, sweating, and you want it to be able to handle your weight without wearing down too quickly. Obviously, larger people will require more support from the treadmill itself but everyone is different, and a good rule of thumb is to not have a maximum weight rating of between 200 to 400 lbs.

Easy to Maintain

Maintaining a treadmill is a must if you want it to last for years. You don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a quality machine and then have to put in hundreds more replacing parts here and there. The best way to make sure this doesn’t happen is to buy a treadmill that’s easy to maintain.

There are many factors to consider when shopping for a treadmill. One of the most important factors in choosing a treadmill that will last over time. Purchasing a poor quality treadmill will cause you to have to replace it prematurely. It can also lead to injuries caused by poor quality equipment. The best thing to do is go online and research the different treadmills that are on the market today. Always steer clear of any product that does not have a good warranty.

Natural energy boosters that you can add to your daily routine

Natural energy-boosting drinks are made from plants and do not contain artificial additives. Artificial energy boosters on the other hand contain caffeine, artificial additives, and added sugar. These ingredients can have a lot of undesirable side effects.  For instance, the caffeine in artificial energy drinks can cause anxiety and panic attacks especially if you take too much of it. Irritability, insomnia, and palpitations in the heart are other side effects that can occur due to the excess caffeine that is found in artificial energy drinks. The caffeine in these drinks is not natural unlike that in natural energy drinks.

The added sugar in the energy drinks acts as a stimulator and these drinks may contain as much as 20 teaspoons of sugar in each drink. The number of drinks in these drinks can be more than the one in a bottle of Coca-Cola. This sugar gives you a temporary energy boost but it also comes with many side effects. For instance, the excess sugar triggers your brain to release dopamine which is also produced by addictive drugs and this can make you get a sugar addiction.

Sugar is also reported to increase the inflammation in the brain and trigger the release of a stress hormone called cortisone and this can lower your moods and make you feel sadder than normal. Since sugar also affects your brain function, you may have short concentration spans, reduced short-term memory, and the ability to learn and the sugar also puts you at risk of diabetes and other lifestyle diseases. Since natural energy booster drinks don’t contain these artificial additives, they do not give you these unwanted effects. This is why natural energy boosters are becoming more popular. Given below are some examples of natural energy boosters:

Guayusa Tea

Guayusa tea is an energy drink that comes from an evergreen tree called Camellia sinensis with caffeinated leaves mostly in the areas near the Amazon rainforest. Some of the areas where Guayusa grows are in the southern part of Colombia and the northern part of Peru.  In Ecuador, there is an indigenous group called Kichwa that has used the Guayusa tea for more than a thousand years.  The Guayusa tea is brewed like the normal tea.

Some of the benefits of Guayusa tea include providing energy and strength and therefore most people take it very early in the morning so that they can concentrate at work throughout the day. The Guayusa tea has been nicknamed the “night watchman” because hunters use it before they go hunting to help them stay alert. Other benefits of the Guayusa tea include improving concentration and focus and helping you to stay calm. 

Matcha Tea

Matcha tea is also derived from the Camellia sinensis where these tea plants are covered for about 30 days to prevent direct sunlight. When the tea plants are covered, the amount of chlorophyll that they have increased, and therefore the plants get a green hue that is darker than the regular tea. This also increases the amino acid contents and these are building blocks for proteins. Upon harvesting, the leaves are separated from the stems and veins and then they are ground to make Matcha powder.

Some of the benefits of Matcha include alertness and mental focus, providing antioxidants that destroy the free radicals that cause chronic diseases. Matcha also enhances attention and memory and prevents damage to major organs like the liver and kidney. Matcha tea also reduces the risk of cancer, helps with weight loss, and boosts the health of your heart.

Green Tea

Green tea is made by pan-frying and steaming the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to heat them. These leaves are then dried. Drying of these leaves prevents them from turning brown and also preserves their green color and fresh taste. When the green tea is brewed, it can either be green or brown and it can have a toasted, steamed, sweet, or grass-like taste. The benefits of green tea include improving memory and concentration, helping with weight loss, reducing the risk of cancer, stroke, heart disease, and other chronic inflammatory conditions.

Turmeric Tea

Turmeric is a spice that is extracted from the plants of the Curcuma longa plant. Most of the turmeric supply comes from India but the plant is now being grown in many parts of the world. The turmeric powder or the grated turmeric root can be used to brew the turmeric tea.  To ensure the purity and hygiene of your turmeric tea, you can grind the turmeric tea for yourself.

Some of the benefits of turmeric tea include boosting energy especially when you combine the tea with physical exercise, and anti-inflammatory properties therefore it helps in the treatment of inflammatory conditions like arthritis. Other benefits of turmeric include boosting the immune function because turmeric has some antioxidants. The tea can therefore help to fight bacterial, viral diseases. Turmeric tea also helps in the treatment of cancer, and liver diseases.

Yerba Mate

Yerba mate is a herb that is common in South American countries like Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil. The tea is prepared in traditional gourds called “mate” where the yerba herb is grounded in. Coldwater is added to this powder to prepare an infusion together with hot water. A tea-like beverage forms when the yerba infuses into the water. The Yerba mate has caffeine which helps to stay alert and energized. Other benefits of Yerba mate include an increase in mental focus, weight loss, and enhancing performance in sports. The tea also helps to reduce inflammation.

Fresh Fruit Juices

Fresh juices are also important natural energy boosters. Some of the juices that you can take include orange juice and beetroot juice. Beetroots contain nitric acid which dilates blood vessels and improves the blood supply throughout the body while helping to reduce blood pressure. You can mix the beetroots with lemons and apples to increase the energizing effects. This is a drink that you can enjoy on a hot afternoon.

In summary, natural energy boosters do not contain the artificial additives that are in artificial energy boosters like excess caffeine and sugar. In addition to providing energy, natural energy boosters also have other benefits like reducing inflammation and free radicals in the body. These drinks have also been useful in the prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases like liver and kidney diseases. Some of the natural energy boosters include Guayusa tea, Matcha, green tea, beetroot juice, and turmeric tea.

Comrades Marathon created a Wall of Honor to commemorate the achievements of the Comrades runners

Organizers of the Comrades Marathon created a “Wall of Honor” back in 1993 as a permanent landmark to commemorate the achievements of the Comrades runners who covered the epic distance between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

Building the Wall began in 1993 with plaques being available for purchase since 1994. It is constructed from interlocking blocks such as those commonly used for retaining walls. Runners who have successfully completed the Comrades Marathon can acquire their own building blocks to last forever. These are mounted on an attractive badge, which records the name, start number and personal status of the runner, which can be updated in later years.

The plaques are bought by runners, family members or friends on their behalf in order to give them away on special birthdays, anniversaries, Comrades milestones or other occasions. The Wall of Honor memorial pads cost ZAR 550 (EUR 30) per pad. This includes the block, the plaque and the engraving as well as the maintenance and care of the block and the site for posterity.

The wall is situated close to the halfway mark on the Comrades route, just outside Drummond. On a down run it would be on the left as you make your way through the valley of a Thousand Hills.

The stretch of road beside which the Wall of Honor is located is on the municipal boundary alongside PheZulu Game Private Park and has the potential to be extended for many years to come. It forms a retaining wall which now stretches over 200m long. Covered with green and yellow Comrades plaques there are now over 6000 of them, belonging runners who have successfully completed the Comrades at least once. They have placed their names on this wall to commemorate their race achievements. Runners who have earned their Permanent number (run Comrades more than 10 times) have a green plaque while those who have run less than 10 have a yellow plaque.

A runner who already has a plaque on the wall and has achieved their green number, double, triple or quadruple green number, can upgrade their plaque on the wall to reflect their prestigious status as a green number. The upgrade of the badge costs ZAR 275 (EUR 15). Only one block/badge per finisher is allowed. Plaques can be purchased retrospectively.

The first section of the wall is set aside and contains the plaques of former Comrades winners. The Comrades Marathon Association awards these to the winners starting from the first race winner, Bill Rowan, in 1921. On average about 500 runners a year are added to the Wall of Honor. Our virtual events don’t qualify for addition to the Wall.

Aspiring Olympian, 10, Ayrton Alemao runs 9km a day to train for London Marathon

A 10-year-old boy who ran 21km in just over two hours has set his sights on the London Marathon.

Ayrton Alemao, from Gravesend, dreams of one day representing Team GB at the Olympics as a long distance runner.

After competing in two half marathons in the space of three months, Ayrton hopes his running ability will persuade organizers of the London Marathon to let him take part despite the age restriction.

The Peacock Street resident runs 7-9km six days-a-week after his training sessions with Dartford Harriers running club were cancelled due to lockdown.

In October, the aspiring athlete took part in his first 21km half-marathon and clocked in at 2 hours 15 minutes.  He participated in his second event in December, also running 21km.

Ayrton has since booked his place for another half-marathon in March, which his mum, Karen Alemao, says he can't wait for.

Ayrton has since booked his place for another half-marathon in March, which his mum, Karen Alemao, says he can't wait for.

She said: "He started practicing long distance running with his dad in March last year.  "Since then he's been building himself to work towards being able to run for about 7 to 9k, five to six days a week regularly, which he continues to do without a miss.

"Ayrton is looking forward to getting through the trials for the London Marathon, which is a struggle due to his age, but he is keen.

"He would love to train and run at the Olympics. That's his dream."

Toronto man John Yip looks to run every street in the city

When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, John Yip needed an escape from his everyday life working as the CEO of Kensington Health, a nonprofit healthcare organization in Toronto. An avid triathlete with no races to train for, Yip decided on an individual challenge, and he began running all around Toronto with the end goal of covering every one of the city’s streets.

Now, close to a year later, he has run a little over 10 per cent of Toronto’s more than 10,000 streets (he tracks his progress on citystrides.com), and although he still has a long way to go, he is as motivated as ever to carry on with this project and chip away at the entire city. 

Finding new routes

"I used to just do six set routes," Yip says. “I would choose routes that avoided traffic lights and busy roads.” This quickly changed after Yip began his every street project, and he soon found himself running in parts of the city he says he didn’t even know existed. 

"I ever started to see things in my own neighbourhood, like 1k away, that I didn’t know were there,” he says. Early on in his project, Yip ran into work every day. After knocking off all the routes from his home to work, he began driving in early and running around downtown Toronto. 

“I’m not just running the streets, but the laneways, too,” Yip says. Laneways are the narrow streets that branch off from the city’s main roads and access garages or backyards. “The laneways are named after historical figures or local people from the neighbourhood. There are Italian names, Jewish names, Asian names. It reflects the texture of the neighbourhoods of downtown Toronto.”

Yip says he tries to remember a few things from every run, like names attached to laneways, which he then looks up. He also records his runs through photography, snapping shots of graffiti he sees around the city. “The artwork stunning,” he says. “Take Graffiti Alley, for example. That’s about a kilometre-long strip of laneway near Spadina and Queen. It’s just wall-to-wall graffiti.”   

A fresh perspective  

Yip says he is part of a group of about a dozen runners working toward running every street in Toronto. “I haven’t met the bulk of these people, but we follow each other on Strava and comment on each other’s runs,” he says. “It’s created this community. We don’t care about pace, because we’re all exploring.”

Yip says he is far more interested in seeing and discovering new places than hitting a certain mileage or average pace. “I’d say 90 per cent of the routes I’ve run so far are completely new to me,” he says. “I had never seen these parts of Toronto before. Not driving, not cycling, not running — never.” 

With every run, Yip posts his route on Strava and adds the photos he took along the way. “I just love looking back at the pictures and streets I’ve run,” he says. “The last 10 months have really shown me how vibrant the city really is.” 

With close to 90 per cent of Toronto’s streets left to run, Yip’s project is far from complete, but he’s in no rush. He of course has his eyes on running the entire city, but the challenge was about giving himself a break from everyday stressors during the pandemic. “If there’s a silver lining for this past year, it’s that my world has opened up dramatically,” he says. “And as a result, it has given me daylight when it’s been dark since the pandemic started.” 

To follow Yip’s progress, head to his CityStrides profile or check him out on Strava.

From going solo on balconies to running underwater for 42.2K, people have run the wildest and amazing ever run marathons

Running a marathon is a goal held by many people. It’s a big accomplishment that requires a lot of time and effort to complete, making it a worthwhile and rewarding pursuit. While running a marathon is impressive enough as it is, some people decide to take the classic race to the next level and add twists to it. There are many races and runs out there that fall under this category, but here are five of the best out-of-the-box marathons ever completed. 

Underwater Marathon

In 2003, a British man called Lloyd Scott navigated the depths of Loch Ness in Scotland and worked through a 42.2K underwater marathon course. Prior to this run, Scott had completed several marathons on dry land wearing a 120 lbs deep-sea diving suit, and he finally decided to head underwater in 2003. Raising money to support children with leukaemia, Scott spent 12 days in Loch Ness, and he eventually made it to the marathon finish line. 

Car marathon 

In 2016, Ross Edgley (another British athlete) completed a marathon while pulling a car. In a challenge he dubbed the “World’s Strongest Marathon,” Edgley towed the 3,000 lbs Mini Countryman behind him along a Formula One race track in the U.K. The 42.2K slog took him more than 19 hours, but he made it to the finish line in one piece. 

The Everest Marathon

While Scott´s and Edgley´s marathons are possible to recreate, they would take a lot of time and planning to get organized. One wild race that anyone can run (assuming you can get to the start line) is the Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon on the world’s tallest mountain. Running a marathon is tough enough at sea level, but this race takes runners to new heights, and it starts at Mount Everest Base Camp (which has an elevation of more than 5,000m). There are also half-marathon and 60K options offered. 

Balcony marathons

Before COVID-19, running a marathon on a balcony would have sounded ridiculous, but when the pandemic hit, many runners worldwide did just that. Lockdowns and quarantines forced people to stay indoors, but runners refused to let that stop them from getting in their daily mileage. One man ran 50K around his apartment in China, another runner covered 42.2K on his balcony in France and so many other people ran marathons in their backyards.

Kipchoge´s sub-two-hour marathon

Yes, Eliud Kipchoge‘s run at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in 2019 was a regular marathon, but it was incredible, and it deserves a spot on this list. With his run, Kipchoge became the first person to break the two-hour barrier in the marathon, and he smashed it with a 1:59:40 showing. 

2021 Marine Corps Marathon offers early registration

Starting on Wednesday 24 February, MCM Runners Club members have a two-week early-registration window to enter the 46th Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) and the 2021 MCM50K.

Members of the MCM Runners Club – an exclusive group of runners who have finished the MCM five times or more – will be able to register and secure a spot in this year’s MCM and MCM50K prior to the general registration in March.

Currently, the 2021 MCM Weekend is scheduled as a virtual event with the possibility of a live version in October in accordance with local guidelines. Virtual entries are USD 55 (EUR 45) plus a processing fee and are available to runners ages 14 and older at www.marinemarathon.com.

All MCM and MCM50K virtual participants will receive the official event shirt, a stunning finisher medal, patch, socks, digital bib and collectible bib delivered in a branded Mission Accomplished finisher box.

Registration for the virtual 46th MCM and MCM50K opens to the public on Wednesday, March 10 at 17.00 GMT via www.marinemarathon.com. Ambitious runners can once again sign up for the Semper Fidelis Challenge, a two-event challenge including either the Historic Half or the Devil Dog Double in May 2021 and the MCM or the MCM50K in October 2021, as well as the MCM Trifecta.