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A respected Japanese virologist said that Tokyo Olympics probably couldn’t be held now, under current circumstances, but things could improve by July

A respected Japanese virologist, Hitoshi Oshitani, on Wednesday said if the Tokyo Olympics were tomorrow, the games probably couldn’t be held because of the fast-spreading virus from Wuhan, China.

“We need to find the best way to have a safe Olympics,” Dr. Hitoshi Oshitani said, speaking at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan. “Right now we don’t have an effective strategy, and I think it may be difficult to have the Olympics (now). But by the end of July we may be in a different situation.”

The local Tokyo Olympic organizing committee and the International Olympic Committee have repeatedly said over the last few weeks that they are following the advice of the World Health Organization and that the games will go on.

But with every passing day, the impact of the virus seems to spread, and so does the fallout: Olympic qualifying events are canceled or postponed, travel gets difficult, and athletes and families are left wondering. Not to mention sponsors and broadcasting networks that have invested billions of dollars in the Olympics.

The modern Olympics dating from 1896 have only been canceled during wartime, and in 1980 and 1984 they went on with boycotts.

Oshitani, a former adviser with the WHO who worked on the SARS outbreak almost 20 years ago, was hopeful but sowed some uncertainty about the July 24-Aug. 9 Olympics.

“I’m not sure of the situation in Japan at the end of July,” he said, answering in English. “But probably we will not have large outbreaks in Japan in July.”

Oshitani said he was most concerned about a “Wuhan-type” of outbreak taking place in Africa or other parts of Asia and having cases imported into Japan. He said if that happened “it may get difficult to have” the Olympics. But he also suggested Japan might be able to handle it.

“So what we have to do now is try to prevent such a thing from happening,” he added, saying the Japanese government should support countries so they don’t have “that kind of situation.”

The viral outbreak has infected more than 75,000 people globally. China has reported 2,004 deaths among 74,185 cases on the mainland, mostly in the central province of Hubei. Only one death in Japan has been attributed to the virus.

Earlier in the week, Shigeru Omi, a former regional director of the WHO and an infectious disease expert from Japan, also said he could not be sure about the Olympics.

“Whether the outbreak will last until the Olympic date or not depends upon the virus and the societal effort and joint international community,” he said at a news conference. “Nobody can predict whether we can contain the virus or put an end to this outbreak before the Olympics start. That’s anybody’s guess.”

He added it was not a “big question mark, but there is a question mark.”

In the spotlight are 19 test events that Japan is to hold beginning next month, a chance for organizers to practice in competition mode and an opportunity for potential Olympic athletes to check out Japan.

In a cancellation Wednesday, the Kyodo news agency reported that Mongolia’s archery team had pulled out of a training camp in Japan’s central Aichi prefecture.

Dozens of sports events have been called off around Asia in the wake of the outbreak, including the indoor world track and field championships next month in Nanjing, China, and the Formula One race in April in Shanghai.

Organizers announced last week that next month’s Tokyo Marathon will be limited to elite runners and wheelchair athletes. About 38,000 runners had been expected to participate in one of the world’s largest races.

2020 Nike Vapormax is set To Debut At Tokyo Olympics

February 2017 marks a pivotal notch in Nike’s innovation timeline as this was the very instance that Vapormax technology made its retail introduction to the globe.

Since this moment, the segmented Air unit is still considered to be one of the Swoosh’s significant creations of last decade and has spawned an entire generation of new Sportswear models designed equally for performance and lifestyle purposes.

And while many of its releases in the past year have delivered compelling colorways and hybrid silhouettes such as the recent Vapormax 360, it’s ready to turn the page to its new chapter, and what better event to do so than at the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The Vapormax 2020, a brand new silhouette that keeps most of its traditional DNA, but modifies its constructions with elements more aligned with futuristic proportions.

Engineered with a more sustainable approach, this new model’s Flyknit upper is comprised of 75% recycled manufacturing waste, and features multi-colored threading inspired by a bird’s eye view of piles of waste (We didn’t know trash could ever look this good either). In addition, the heels have been upgraded with a much sleeker shape with curvy molds plastered to the rear which, for these initial launch colorways, arrive in an icy blue hue set with scrap speckles on the USA edition, and an oceanic marble for its GR colorway. 

However, perhaps the component that reflects its evolution the most, is the addition of Flyease – Nike’s laceless technology system that allows users to slide in and out of the shoe while still providing a flexible and secured fit.

The translucent outsole is also altered slightly with the arrival of an “S” shaped mold that separates the forefoot and heel, as well as more chippy recycled accents pasted onto its borders. You can expect to these to make their debut on the Olympic podiums via this Summer’s medalists, as well as see a public release sometime during Summer/Fall 2020.

Taku Fujimoto and Kaena Takeyama will lead Japanese team at the World Half Marathon Championships

The JAAF has announced the Japanese team for next month's World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland. Six of the ten men and women are fresh off PBs at the Marugame Half and National Corporate Half earlier this month, with three of the other four having set new bests since December.Set to be elevated from runner-up to winner of December's Fukuoka International Marathon after the bust of Moroccan El Mahjoub Dazza, Taku Fujimoto (Toyota) leads the men's team with an all-time Japanese #2 1:00:06 in Marugame.

Three other men on the team including amateur Takahiro Nakamura (Kyocera Kagoshima) broke 1:01 at the National Corporate Half two weeks ago. The only man on the the team not to have cleared 1:01 yet is 2020 Olympic marathon trials winner Shogo Nakamura (Fujitsu), who ran a PB 1:01:40 at January's Takanezawa Half.National Corporate Half winner Kaena Takeyama (Daihatsu) is the top-ranked woman with a 1:09:12,  followed by Sara Miyake (Tenmaya), 3rd at December's Sanyo Ladies Half in a 1:09:23 debut.

Takeyama's teammate Mizuki Matsuda won January's Osaka International Women's Marathon in 2:21:47 and Miyake's teammate Honami Maeda just set a 30 km national record at Sunday's Ome Road Race, so you know where they're coming from. Rui Aoyama (Univ. Ent.) was just over 1:10 in Sanyo behind Miyake, with Ayumi Hagiwara (Toyota Jidoshokki) the only athlete on either team with a PB over two months old. 

Toshika Tamura (Hitachi) is a surprising addition, having run only 1:11:13 for 11th at the National Corporate Half.

Valencia Marathon sells out ten months ahead of the 2020 event

The Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso EDP has sold all 30,000 race bibs for the next edition of the race, which will be held on December 6, 2020.

Thus the ceiling on runner numbers has been reached 10 months before the event and within just three months of opening entries for the race.

Like last year, the organizers will open a waiting list in a few days time so that those without entries can take up places, if and when these become available as entered runners drop out for whatever reason.

To mark its 40th anniversary, the Valencia Marathon raised the number of bibs available to 30,000 (5,000 more than in 2019), split into three equal tranches priced at EUR 60, EUR 80, and EUR 100 respectively. The first tranche of 10,000 bibs was put on sale on the day following the previous race. The bibs ran out in under 48 hours. The second tranche ran out just nine days later.

Last year, race bibs ran out almost six months before the race date. This is why the organizers – SD Correcaminos running club and Valencia City Council – decided to ditch the 10K Valencia Trinidad Alfonso so that they could offer more places for the Marathon. For the third year on the trot, race bibs have run out for the race which the Spanish athletics federation RFEA ranks as Spain’s best marathon by far. The race is also the first one to obtain World Athletics’ Platinum Label.

Those who have missed out on a race bib so far have one last chance to take part in this special, 40th anniversary of the Valencia Marathon. This chance takes the form of the hundred Platinum Bibs put on sale to celebrate the award of the World Athletics Platinum Label. This is a new way of taking part in the trial and includes a special charity quota for Save The Children — the Official Charity for 2020 — and many extras such as access to the VIP area, a post-race thermal poncho, participation in the Breakfast Run and so on.

The 20,000 bibs for the Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso EDP (which will be held on October 25, 2020) are selling like hot cakes. The first tranche of 10,000 was sold out in December. Right now, there are still some 1,500 bibs available before we hang up the ‘sold out’ sign.

The Valencia Half Marathon is now part of the new Super Half circuits, which brings together the best international trials over this distance.

Caster Semenya has run her first public race in eight months, breaking the national 300m record at a low-level meeting at a South African university

Caster Semenya runs first public race for eight months in 300m before proclaiming: 'Track and field, you will still see my face'.  "I'm here to stay."

The Olympic 800m champion is currently banned from competing in her favored event at major meets, and any distance from 400m to one mile, unless she follows World Athletics rules that require her to medically reduce her natural testosterone levels to compete in women's competitions.

The regulations were designed for female athletes with differences of sex development like Semenya and have been severely criticized.

The race at the University of Johannesburg on Friday night, which also featured high school students, was Semenya's first appearance since June last year when she won an 800m race at the Prefontaine Classic in America.

"Track and field, you will still see my face," Semenya said after winning Friday's 300m race in 36.78 seconds. "That is all I can say for now."

It's not the first time Semenya has guaranteed a comeback. The Olympics are just five months away and it's doubtful if Semenya will be able to defend her title in the 800m. But maybe she has another plan.

Semenya, who turned 29 last month, has twice appealed against the regulations. She lost her first appeal at sport's highest court. Her second legal challenge at the Swiss supreme court is still being considered. Her chances of winning that second appeal are seen as slim.

Semenya has repeatedly refused to adhere to the testosterone regulations and her decision to open the Olympic year with a 300m race might be significant.

The rules do not apply to races below 400m and Semenya could compete in the 200m at the Olympics without having to reduce her hormone level.

Semenya didn't indicate if that was her intention when she stated that her track career was not over. The South African has rarely run the 200m and her personal best is 24.26 seconds. Semenya would have to improve that by nearly two seconds to meet the qualifying standard of 22.80 seconds for the Tokyo Olympics.

Asian Games silver medalist Hima Das has moved to the 200m category from 400m ahead of 2020 Olympics

The 20-year-old was asked to move to 200m because she has struggled with illness and does not have basic conditioning level she needs for a longer race.

Asian Games silver medalist Hima Das has moved to the 200m category from 400m for the upcoming season, thereby putting her chances of qualifying for an individual event at this year’s Tokyo Olympics in major doubt, reported The Indian Express.

The report added that Das will switch back to 400m only next season as she has missed on training due to illness during the back end of last year and won’t be physically ready for the longer distance. Das had missed out on the World Championships after suffering a debilitating back injury and then struggled with a recurring fever.

“It does not make sense to focus on the 400 meters this season because she does not have the basic conditioning level she needs,” Athletics Federation of India’s high-performance director Volker Herrmann was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

The German added: “And in the 400 meters, you need a decent amount of endurance and considering that now there is only four and a half months till the end of the qualifying period for the Olympics, we didn’t want to make similar mistakes of last season and we didn’t want to force anything.

“If we put her into 400 meter competitions again there would be a lot of pressure. She is still young and and we don’t want to rush anything.”

Das faces an uphill task trying to improve on her time in the 200m event. To qualify for the Summer Games, the cut-off is set at 22.80 seconds. The Assamese sprinter’s personal best in the 200m is well below the qualifying mark at 23.10 seconds.

Herrmann stated that Das was asked to move to 200m because of the endurance levels needed to run a longer race, and was confident that she can make the grade for the Olympics.

“Hima’s main limitation now is her speed for a 400 meter runner, so this year as far as individual events go, Hima will focus more on the 200 metres,” Herrmann said.

“The goal is to improve her personal best, and from 2021 onwards with better speed base and hopefully with more endurance as well, she can focus on improving her 400 meter performance.”

Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei is set to make his half-marathon debut at the upcoming world championships

Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda ran a world-record shattering 5K on Sunday in Monaco–a 12:51, the fastest 5K time run on the roads or track in the past year. He did this just a few months after a monster 2019 season, where he became both the cross-country and 10,000m world champion.

Next up for Chepetegi is a half-marathon debut at the upcoming world championships in Gdynia, Poland.

It’s not typical to run a distance debut at a world championship, but when you’re a former 10K and current 5K world record holder, you’re not a typical runner. Cheptegei told World Athletics that he would like to make history at the March 29 race and become the first person to win consecutive world titles in cross-country, the 10,000m and the half-marathon.

The runner also told World Athletics that his usual mileage is between 120 and 140K per week when he’s training for track events, but since he’s stepping up to the half, he’s increased it to roughly 160K. The most important session of the week is a 30 to 35K long run, over rolling hills, at 1,800 meters of elevation.

The world half-marathon championships always draw a strong contingent, but especially this year.  The new world ranking system gives points to runners based on their placing at national and international championships.

The half-marathon championship is an event where a strong finish could nearly guarantee a spot on the Olympic start line. Also, runners who typically float in between track and road events no longer have to chose as the World Indoor Championships, also scheduled for March, were postponed due to coronavirus.

Federations will finish announcing their world championship teams in the coming two weeks, but spectators can expect to see strong fields including South African national record-holder Stephen Mokoka (59:51).

Nagoya Women's Marathon Considering Canceling Mass Participation Race

In the wake of the Tokyo Marathon's cancelation of its mass-participation race, on Feb. 17 it was learned that the Mar. 8 Nagoya Women's Marathon, which like Tokyo features a format combining an elite selection race for the 2020 Olympic team with a mass-participation race, is examining whether it will be possible to still stage the mass-participation component of its event.

Following the Tokyo Marathon's announcement earlier in the day that it was canceling its mass-participation race over concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, Nagoya's organizers were inundated with inquiries from the media and amateur runners entered in the race.

The organizers say that they hope to reach a decision and make an announcement as soon as possible.

The largest women-only marathon in the world, as of Feb. 13 Nagoya has 24,002 entrants total this year, 137 in its elite division and 23,865 in its general division.

Along with Nagoya, organizers are also examining the feasibility of staging the Mar. 29 Toyohashi Half Marathon and Apr. 26 Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon.

Defending Champions Tadu Abate and Dibabe Kuma will return to the Haspa Marathon Hamburg

Defending champions Tadu Abate and Dibabe Kuma will return to the Haspa Marathon Hamburg. Fellow-Ethiopians Ayele Abshero, who was runner-up last year, and Meseret Belete will be among their rivals on 19 April. This was announced by the organisers of Germany’s biggest and fastest spring marathon during a press conference. So far 12,000 entries have been registered for the Haspa Marathon Hamburg, which is a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race.

"It is always a good sign when athletes like to come back to challenge and to possibly produce thrilling races once again. We are proud that both winners from 2019 will return,“ said chief organiser Frank Thaleiser. With regard to the entry figures he said: „Compared to the same time last year we have 400 more entries for the marathon, which shows the trust the runners have in our event."

At the age of 22 Tadu Abate is still a youngster in marathon running. After his biggest career victory in Hamburg a year ago, when he clocked 2:08:25 in wet and cold conditions, the Ethiopian improved his personal best to 2:06:13 last autumn in Amsterdam.

On 19 April he will renew his rivalry with Ayele Abshero. The two Ethiopians produced a thrilling finish last year, when Abate was just one second ahead of Abshero. Back in 2018 Abate had left his experienced rival behind him as well, when the pair finished second and third in Hamburg behind fellow-Ethiopian Solomon Deksisa. 29 year-old Abshero, who features a world-class personal best of 2:04:23, will be eager to be quicker than his younger rival this time.

The women’s field will be headed by defending champion Dibabe Kuma. The 23 year-old Ethiopian caused a surprise last year, when she produced a great solo run in the poor conditions, winning in 2:24:42.

"This is a very good course,“ said Kuma afterwards, indicating that in more suitable weather she could have improved her personal best of 2:23:34. Fellow-Ethiopian Meseret Belete will be one of her main challengers on 19 April. Just 20 years old Belete was sixth in the World Half Marathon Championships in 2018 and holds a marathon PB of 2:24:54.

Breaking the Olympic qualifying times on Hamburg’s fast course will be the major goal for the German elite runners. Philipp Pflieger, who has a personal record of 2:12:50, intends to go for the 2:11:30 Olympic standard.

He showed fine form just two days ago when he improved his PB in the half marathon to 62:50 in Barcelona. Two other Germans who recorded personal bests in the Spanish half marathon two days ago also have Olympic ambitions: Twin sisters Deborah and Rabea Schöneborn will run a marathon together for the first time. While Deborah won the Cologne Marathon last autumn - though without proper competition - in 2:31:18 in her debut, Rabea will run her debut in Hamburg. Preparing for the marathon it looks that the 25 year-old twins are currently at the same level.

Deborah clocked a PB of 71:37 in Barcelona on Sunday while Rabea crossed the line immediately behind her in ninth place with 71:40, a PB as well. It seems that both can achieve the Olympic qualifying time of 2:29:30 in Hamburg.

World marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei set for first race of the season

World marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei is among elite athletes who will compete in Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in the United Arabs Emirates slated for Friday.

The Kapsait-based athlete will line up in the race alongside her compatriots, former World Half Marathon Championships title holder Peres Jepchirchir, Joan Chelimo, Rosemary Wanjiru and third fastest woman over the distance, Fancy Chemutai. World Half Marathon champion, Netsanet Gudeta, from Ethiopia will also compete in the race.

Kosgei, who is one of the most sought-after athletes at the moment, has predicted a competitive race in the Gulf.

“Friday’s race has attracted a competitive field and promises to be tough. My target is to run well, and to possibly register my personal best in the race,” she told Nation Sport Monday.

The reigning world marathon record holder who resumed training in December after a long break will have Geoffrey Kipsang for a pacemaker. Kipsang helped Kosgei break the world marathon record last year in Chicago Marathon.

“I have trained for the last few months and I will stick to my game plan in the race,” she said.

The 2020 Chongging International Marathon has been postponed

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the 2020 Chongqing International Marathon, which was originally scheduled for March 22, is to be postponed, organisers said on Monday.

Organizers in southwest China's Chongqing municipality said that they will retain the qualification of the runners who successfully registered. Runners who quit the race can get an unconditional refund and keep their qualifications alive until the next marathon race in 2021.

The event, an IAAF race, is sponsored by the China Athletic Association and Chongqing Municipal Sports Bureau.

2020 Tokyo Olympics organizers says there is no Plan B for summer games amid coronavirus fears

Tokyo Olympic organizers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said there is no 'Plan B' for the upcoming summer games despite growing fears that the coronavirus could impact the event, which are set to begin in July, the Associated Press reported.

Speaking at a press conference Friday, the organizers took 11 questions, all of which were related to the virus, athletes and fans coming in from China, and the continuation of the planned events. 

"Certainly the advice we've received externally from the WHO (World Health Organization) is that there's no case for any contingency plans or canceling the games or moving the games," IOC inspection team head John Coates said during the news conference, CBS Sports reported.

Coates also claimed he is "100% confident" that the Olympic games will continue as scheduled.

"It is meaningless to predict a timing when the coronavirus may come to an end,"  former regional director of the WHO and an infectious disease expert from Japan Shigeru Omi told the Associated Press separate from the news conference on Thursday. "We should assume that the virus has already been spreading in Japan. People should understand that we cannot only rely on border controls to prevent the spread of the disease."

However, CEO of the Tokyo Olympics Toshiro Muto said on February 4 at a meeting with International Paralympic Committee officials that he was "seriously worried" about the impact the coronavirus could have on the "momentum towards the games," the Associated Press reported.

Several qualifying events have already been canceled or moved because of the virus, CNN reported. Asia and Oceanian region's qualifying boxing event has been canceled, and the Asian Football Confederation's women's football qualifiers has been moved from Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, to Nanjing.

China is expected to bring in a team of about 600 athletes to the Tokyo games this summer.

 "We continue also to monitor, particularly the Chinese that will be coming here," Coates continued. "You'll find that the Chinese teams are mostly out of China. That's the athletes and officials."

As of now, there has been one coronavirus-induced fatality in Japan, making it the second death outside of China, the Washington Post reported. To compare, 1,380 deaths have occured in China. 

Kenyans Benson Kipruto and Lucy Cheruiyot reign supreme at Guadalajara Half Marathon

Benson Kipruto and Lucy Cheruiyot began their 2020 season on a high note by taking the top honors at the 34th Electrolit Guadalajara Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label road race on Sunday, although the course records set one year ago remained intact.

With ideal conditions for long distance running, clear skies and temperatures hovering at 10 C, a pack of over dozen men covered the initial 5km in just under 15 minutes. As they hit the 10km mark in 29:40, it signaled the course record of 1:01:48, set by Kenya’s Mathew Kisorio last year, would be hard to beat.

Thirty-five minutes into the race, the lead group was reduced to five: Kenya’s Jeoffrey Kimutai, Kipruto, Cosmas Birech, Peru's Ulises Martin and Mexico’s two-time winner and two-time Olympic finalist Juan Luis Barrios.

Barrios remained with the three Kenyans at 15km, but Kimutai left Kipruto soon after. As they entered the home stretch, Kimutai moved to the front but Kipruto bided his time and launched his sprint in the last 20 meters to secure the victory in 1:02:13, a personal best over the distance for the 2019 Toronto Marathon champion. Barrios completed the podium with 1:02:27 as he prepares for the London Marathon.

In the women’s race, a Kenyan quartet soon made a statement as they moved to the front in the first kilometers. Cheruiyot was joined by her countrywomen Winfridah Moraa, Margaret Agai, Visiline Jepkesho and Ethiopia’s Belaynesh Oljira.

The group remained compact until the 15km marker, when Cheruiyot and Oljira moved away for good, setting the stage for a battle to determine the 2020 winner.

Cheruiyot launched her attack in the last 400m, but Oljira could not respond and was content to settle for second. The 23-year old Kenyan crossed the finish line in 1:10:52, four seconds ahead of the Ethiopian. Moraa completed the podium with 1:11:14.

The course and Mexican all-comers’ record of 1:08:53, set by Ethiopia’s Afera Godfay Berha in 2019, remained intact.

Vianey De La Rosa was the first Mexican to cross the finish line in sixth in 1:12:52, her fastest time in four years, guaranteeing a spot on her national team for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland, on 29 March.

The 34th edition of the race, powered by Granvita, drew close to 14,000 runners in celebration of Guadalajara’s 478th anniversary of its foundation.

The 2020 Great Wall Marathon has been cancelled due to the coronavirus

The safety of our runners is our top priority. We have thus decided, in coordination with our local partners in China, that it is in everyone's best interest to cancel The Great Wall Marathon 2020 due to the situation with COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. 

We are deeply saddened to make this decision, but due to the World Health Organization's declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and resulting travel restrictions imposed by many countries, we believe that the right course of action is to cancel for this year. 

We offer a heartfelt apology for any ensuing disappointment – we are equally disappointed, but we hope to see you at one of our other races in 2020 or back in China in 2021. 

If you have already booked, you should have received a separate email detailing your options.

Olympic triathlon gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen runs first race since 2018

Gwen Jorgensen ran her first race since 2018 on Friday evening at the Dempsey Indoor Facility in Seattle, Washington. She finished in 15:47.20 for sixth place in the 5,000m.

The last time the 2016 Olympic gold medallist toed the line was in 2018 at the Chicago Marathon. That was the runners first real crack at the 42.2K distance (when it wasn’t within a triathlon or run on a whim). Jorgensen ran a 2:36:23, which for her was a disappointing result.

She had announced in a YouTube video in December she had decided to try to qualify for the 10,000m and possibly the 5,000m on the track for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, since her extended recovery from heel surgery has temporarily derailed her marathon plans. It was only in the fall of 2019 that Jorgensen was able to resume a full training load.

Jorgensen’s time from Friday is a good start to her season, but still a long way from the Olympic 5,000m standard of 15:10.00. Canadian Regan Yee won Friday’s race in a new indoor personal best of 15:33.17 which is only a second and a half behind her outdoor personal best of 15:31.62. Yee represented Canada in the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2019 World Championships.

Tokyo Marathon Canceled for General Runners

The Tokyo Marathon Foundation said it will cancel the running event for non-professional runners as the coronavirus outbreak pressures cities and institutions to scrap large events.

Some 38,000 runners have registered for the race scheduled on March 1, according to the Tokyo Shimbun, which reported on the cancellation earlier.

“The cancellation is disappointing,” said Akari Terrell, who was planning to compete on the day. “This time, it can’t be helped.”

Competitive races will still be held, as the Tokyo marathon is an Olympic trial race for professional runners. Last week, residents from China were asked to refrain from running in the race.

Major events have been called off or postponed in recent months due to the virus, including the Hong Kong Sevens international rugby tournament, as well as the annual Singapore Yacht Show.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in February had repeatedly said the 2020 Olympics would not be canceled or postponed despite fears about the novel coronavirus that has infected tens of thousands and cast a shadow over travel and tourism in Asia.

Joel Mwangi won the 13th Edition of the Verona Italy half marathon clocking a personal best of 1:00:40 the fastest half in Italy over the last year

The Kenyan Joel Maina Mwangi and Valeria Straneo are the winners of the 13th edition of the Giulietta & Romeo Half Marathon staged in Verona Italy on Sunday February 16 2020. 

The men's race was fast with Mwangi crossing the finish line in 1:00:40 preceding the compatriots Solomon Koech (1:00:56) and Ishmael Chelanga Kalale (1:01:26) who dropped after the 15th kilometer. In fourth place was Sounder Moen, former European marathon record holder, clocking 1:01:28; in seventh was the German record holder Arne Gabius (1:03:23).

This was the fastest Italian half marathon of the last 365 days.  After the race Joel Mwangi who is training at the newly opened (January 19) UjENA Fit Club Training Camp in Thika, Kenya said: "Despite a lot of corners, I took the lead from 18km.  I was well prepared for any pace.  Any time they tried to push I pushed back. At 10k I push for 1km (2:40) to break the group of four.  We remained two, Solomon and me.  At 18k I took over and he was not able to resist."

This was a personal best for Joel by 39 seconds.  His pace was 2:50 per k.  Third photo is Joel training with his Ujena Fit club team in Thika at an altitude of 5351 feet.  

The Italian title goes to the policeman Daniele D'Onofrio in 1:93:15 (7th place and personal best) ahead of Neka Crippa (6th) and Xavier Chevrier (1:03:25).

In the women's race, Valeria Straneo, who took over at 2km from the finish, got rid of the Kenyan Lenah Jerotich, who finished second in 1:11:43, Straneo clocked 1:11:34. Giovanna Epis also did well placing third clocking 1:12:13. 

Yamanishi cruises to national 20km title in Kobe, secures Olympic team spot

It was an island of dreams for Toshikazu Yamanishi at the 103rd Japanese National 20km Championships as he roared home to gold and a place in the Japanese Olympic team.

The world champion triumphed ahead of a stellar field to celebrate his 24th birthday the day before - and by a distance.

Previous editions in Kobe had been mostly cagey affairs, usually won by a grudging inch or two. But on a new 1km loop around Rokko Island at the southern end of the city, walkers spread out and saw times dip fractionally on previous years.

It probably owed a fair bit to the weather.

A slate grey rain demanded heavy coats and umbrellas on the sidelines. Many spectators wore medical masks, presumably to ward off the threat of Coronavirus.

‘Fresh’ said the forecast - decidedly chilly was nearer the truth. Walkers shivered on the start line, and many wore arm warmers.

However, the pace was white hot from the gun, incidentally kept inside a plastic bag by the starter until the last second.

Defending champion Eiki Takahashi, Koki Ikeda, Yamanishi, Isamu Fujisawa, Hirooki Arai, Tomohiro Noda and top Swede Perseus Karlstrom quickly established themselves at the front of the 84-strong field, and ticked off 5km in 19:18.

They were lapping the back markers very soon, and by lap nine, the pack was halved to just three.

Yamanishi, Takahashi and Ikeda had clearly decided to take the race by the scruff of the neck.

Halfway saw 38:50 on the course clock, with Karlstom already 17 seconds down, desperately trying to get on the coat-tails of Noda and Ikeda.

On Lap 12 Yamanishi shook off his two shadows in an almighty rush.

In fact, his leg speed over the next circuits was phenomenal.

The hot favourite for the Olympic title in Tokyo appeared a blur through the mist and rain. But Takahashi with a slightly longer stride refused to panic.

He halved a 20m lead over the next 2km, and closed the gap entirely by three-quarter distance reached in 58:10.

However, the bespectacled Yamanishi wasn’t finished.

A lap later, and with a second wind, he stretched another lead over Takahashi to around 15 metres even though he had to lap back markers on the outside - and this time the gap proved decisive.

The leader had the luxury of looking round at every 500m turn over the last 3km to see all opposition disappearing in his wake as he splashed though a sizeable puddle at the end of each lap.

He took the tape just as he did in Doha at the World Championships, this time in 1:17:36 but in very contrasting conditions.

Yamanishi has lead World Athletics rankings for an incredible 47 weeks, and despite a lack of opposition and the cold, was only marginally outside his personal best, 1:17:15, set in the Asian Championships at Nomi last year.

He’s also the only walker to have gone under 1:18:00 on four occasions.

Behind him, Ikeda moved through the gears in the closing stages to come home a surprise second.

Karlstrom paid the price for a fierce early pace to finish overall third, nearly two minutes down on the winner - and a long way outside his PB, 1:18:07.

No doubt the Doha bronze medallist and 2019 Race Walking Challenge winner will reflect and adjust come the Olympics.

Poor Takahashi looked forlorn as he crossed for fourth, and third in the Japanese Championships. There was to be no sixth win in a row in a city where he has been unassailable.

Okada takes women’s 10km crown

In the women's 10kms, Kumiko Okada moved up from overall second in 2019 to take the title, and unlike the men’s race where the result was in doubt until 16km, the 28-year-old reigned supreme from the start.

Walking smoothly and wearing glasses like the men’s champion, Okada did justice to the gold number handed to the reigning champion.

She was exactly a minute ahead at halfway of the only two who might passably be called chasers, which Okada clocked in 44:33.

A distance behind, Kaori Kawazoe and Nadia Gonzalez were battling of the minor medals, but by 15kms the Mexican, walking as a guest, had to give way and slipped back through the field.

Okada was an encouraging sixth in Doha, and boasts a 1:27:41 national record set at La Coruna last year.

She crossed the line in 1:29:56, the only woman under 90 minutes, and was already giving interviews by the time Kawazoe battled the last 500m for a deserved second to finish in 1:33:15.

Behind her, it was anything but a grey day for Nami Hayashi.

The Japanese looked totally spent with head tilted and mouth open as she collapsed over the line, but equally shattered was her 1:38:55 PB, and by more than three minutes to take bronze just ahead of Serena Sonoda in fourth.

Cheptegei shattered the world 5km road record in Monaco

Joshua Cheptegei shattered the world record in the 5km, clocking 12:51 at the Monaco Run 5km in the Mediterranean Principality today (16).

Running alone from the start, the 23-year-old Ugandan smashed through the event's 13-minute barrier, clipping a massive 27 seconds from the previous record of 13:18 set by Kenya's Rhonex Kipruto en route to his 10km world record in Valencia on 12 January.

Quick from the outset, Cheptegei blitzed through the first kilometre in 2:31, the fastest split of the race. He followed up with 2:35, 2:36 and 2:35 kilometre splits before sealing his record with a closing 2:32 kilometre.

“Wow, this is a really great," said Cheptegei, the 2019 world 10,000m champion, who was making his 2020 racing debut.

"I had sub 13 minutes in my mind today so when my legs felt good during the race I decided to really go for it. To take this many seconds off the record makes me very happy and is a great first test for me in an important season.”

Jimmy Gressier of France was second in 13:18, to break the European record of 13:29 set by Julien Wanders in this race last year.

Nick Goolab of Great Britain was third in 13:27, two seconds clear of Morocco's Mohamed Amine El Bouajaji.

Cheptegei's command performance not only eclipsed Kipruto's pending world record and the most recently ratified record of 13:22, set by Robert Keter in Lille on 9 November, but also bettered the fastest time ever recorded for the distance, Sammy Kipketer's 13:00 clocking in Carlsbad, USA, in 2000, well before the 5km became an official world record event in November 2017.

Liv Westphal won the women's race in 15:31, a French national record.

Shelby Houlihan & Josh Thompson Complete Bowerman TC Sweep of 1500s at 2020 USATF Indoors

The Bowerman Track Club has owned the women’s distance events at USA Indoors in recent years, sweeping the 1500 and 3000 (or the equivalent mile/2-mile) every year since 2017. Well, more accurately, Shelby Houlihan — who earned seven of those eight titles — has owned the distance events.

Today, a Bowerman TC man finally got into the act as Josh Thompson (3:44.07) held off defending champ Craig Engels (3rd, 3:44.62) and the surprising Nick Harris (2nd, 3:44.57) in the 1500 to earn BTC’s first men’s indoor title since 2016. Coupled with another dominant Houlihan victory, it gave BTC a sweep of the metric mile at this year’s USATF Indoor Championships and capped off a successful weekend that saw Jerry Schumacher’s outfit sweep the top three spots in both the women’s 1500 and 3000.

Mens Race

Thompson, who was trying to make it as a steeplechaser this time last year, announced himself as one of the country’s best milers by placing third in the 1500 at USA outdoors last year. Now, after his first national title, there’s no doubt about his best event.

Thompson ran a tactically perfect race, which began by putting himself in ideal position on leader Garrett O’Toole’s shoulder at 400 meters. Once Willy Fink took the lead shortly thereafter, Thompson followed along, content to stay in second as Engels moved behind him into third.

The pack was still tightly bunched when Thompson made his move to the lead at 300 to go, with the Oregon Track Club’s Vincent Ciattei following along into second. But with Olympic bronze medalist Clayton Murphy a scratch, this was always going to come down to Thompson vs. Engels, and that’s what happened once Engels passed Ciattei into second at the bell. Engels made a concerted effort to get around Thompson on the back straight, but Thompson would not yield, fighting him off and forcing Engels to run wide around the final turn. Engels, spent from the effort of trying to pass Thompson, had nothing left in the home straight, and he faded to third, nipped by unsponsored Harris at the line, as Thompson powered away to win in 3:44.07 with a 26.86 final lap.

Womans Race

he women’s race wasn’t quite as dramatic, especially once American mile record holder Elle Purrier was announced as a pre-race scratch following her 4th-place finish in last night’s 3k. The racing began in earnest when Karissa Schweizer took the lead with three laps to go, and it was the BTC show from there as Houlihan and Quigley followed her into second and third. It would remain that way until just over 200 to go, when Houlihan moved to the front, and, as usual, no one could match her top gear as she closed out national title #13 in 4:06.41 with a 29.87 final lap (non one else could even break 31 seconds). Quigley barely held off the impressive Schweizer for second, 4:08.30 to 4:08.32

Chumo and Bekere take Barcelona half marathon wins

Kenya’s Victor Chumo and Ethiopia’s Ashete Bekere took their respective titles at the eDreams Mitja Marato Barcelona, a World Athletics Gold Label road race, on Sunday (16). On a perfect day for running, the 33-year-old Chumo succeeded after a thrilling sprint finish in 59:58 while Bekere was an overwhelming victor to smash her career best by exactly four minutes to 1:06:37.

Paced by the Kenyan pair of Cornelius Kiplangat and Boniface Kibiwot, the men’s race kicked off at a moderate tempo as the large main group went through the opening 5km in 14:18. The rhythm then heated up over the following kilometres, with the lead pack reaching 10km in 28:04, well on schedule to attack the course record of 59:44 set in 2018. Six men remained in contention: Kenyans Chimo and Moses Koech, Uganda’s Stephen Kissa and Mande Bushendich, and Eritrea’s Abrar Osman and Ethiopia’s Tesfahun Alkanew.

Once the pacesetters dropped out the six athletes took turns with the pacing duties. First Chumo took command, then Osman, the only athlete with sub-60 minute credentials, pushed hard. Even Kissa moved to the front on his first ever try over the distance.

By 15km, the clock was reading a promising 42:24 with six men still battling it out. But the speed decreased a bit over the following kilometres with a 54:14 19km split eliminating any chance of a course record. Over the closing kilometre, Chumo, Koech and Kissa proved to be the strongest and pulled away targeting a sub-one hour run.

Chumo prevailed at the tape in 59:58, clipping five seconds from his previous best with Kissa and Koech next in 1:00:00, an interesting debut for the Ugandan and a career best for the 22-year-old Kenyan by 11 seconds.

“I have been looking for an under 60 minute time for so long so I’m very satisfied with my win and my clocking today,” Chumo said.

Bekere dominates women’s race, Dereje falters

Held simultaneously with the men’s race, the women’s contest began conservatively as the four-woman leading group went through the opening five kilometres in 15:51. That pack included pre-race favourite Roza Dereje, her fellow Ethiopians Ashete Bekere and Asnakech Awoke plus Kenya’s Dorcas Kimeli. Always paced by Daniel Feyisa, the quartet passed 10km in 31:32 for a 15:41 5km split, but not fast enough to threaten either the world record or the course record set by Florence Kiplagat in a then world record of 1:05:09. By then, Britain’s Charlotte Arter travelled in fifth (32:390 alongside Ugandan Rachael Chebet while Germany’s Alina Reh ran 22 seconds behind that duo.

After another 15:51 5km section for an overall 47:23 15km split, the big surprise came when Dereje simply could not live with the pace and began to struggle leaving behind any chance of a podium finish. Simultaneously, Bekere, the winner at the last Berlin marathon in a PB of 2:20:14, began to push hard and Kimeli soon lost ground. Awoke managed to keep up with her compatriot for some 1200m, Bekere’s relentless pace proved too fast. She broke from Awoke with three kilometres remaining and finished unchallenged in 1:06:37 for a massive PB. Awoke’s 1:07:04 was also a lifetime best by over three minutes. Kimeli completed the podium six seconds behind Awoke in 1:07:10 also a career best for the Kenyan. As for Dereje, she finished two minutes behind the winner in 1:08:38.

Arter managed to hold off the late challenge by fast-finishing Reh to finish fifth in 1:10:01, seven seconds ahead of the German.

Organizers of the Tokyo Marathon on Friday asked Chinese residents who have registered for the March 1 race to voluntarily defer their entry until next year

Organizers of the Tokyo Marathon on Friday asked Chinese residents who have registered for the March 1 race to voluntarily defer their entry until next year due to concerns about the ongoing outbreak of a new coronavirus.

Registered runners from China who defer entry will have their fees for next year’s race waived, said the organizers, who earlier announced they would grant automatic qualification for the 2021 event.

The organizers had previously said a separate entry fee would apply, but decided to remove the additional cost following a request from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

“With the change of our condition for deferring entry, we would like to sincerely request all registered runners residing (in China) to defer their entry voluntarily,” the race organizers said in a statement.

The deferred entry will be offered to 1,820 runners of various nationalities based in China, where the coronavirus outbreak has caused more than 1,300 deaths and led to restrictions on travel in and out of the country.

Jemma Reekie wins 1500m in Glasgow to continue fine start to 2020

Jemma Reekie continued her sensational start to 2020 by winning the 1500 metres at the Muller Indoor Grand Prix in Glasgow.

The 21-year-old had already broken three British indoor records this month and produced a blistering final lap to overtake Ethiopian Dawit Seyaum on the home straight and finish in four minutes and 4.07 seconds.

The time did not threaten the British record she set last weekend – it was about three-and-a-half seconds out – but the Scot showed impressive determination and composure to make her move down the inside.

Reekie admitted she feared she might be boxed in at one stage but she forced her way through.

"A few points I had to get my elbows out," she said. "That's middle-distance running for you. I am just learning so getting the confidence that I can do that was good.

"I was hoping I was going to beat my own British record but it's OK, I will take the win."

Jamaican sprinter Akeem Bloomfield won the men’s 400m at the Muller Indoor Grand Prix Glasgow

Akeem Bloomfield, who said he will be focusing more on the 400m this season, took the event in 46.20secs. He beat American Obi Gbokwe 46.11 and Yousef Karam (KUW) 46.49.

Nathon Allen, the other Jamaican in the field, finished at the back of the field in 47.89.

In the women’s 400m, Jamaicans Janieve Russell ran 60.87 for 5th and Stephenie-Ann McPherson, who didn’t finish.

Jessie Knight of Great Britain took the top spot in 51.57.

Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei goes for 5km world record in Monaco

The World Cross-country and 10,000 meter champion will be making an attempt at a third world record when he runs in the 5km Herculis race. The record stands at 13.22 minutes.

Joshua Cheptegei, who left for Monaco on Wednesday, will on Saturday be seeking a rare triple in the city state of Monaco.The World Cross-country and 10,000 meter champion will be making an attempt at a third world record when he runs in the 5km Herculis race.

The record stands at 13.22 minutes. Uganda Police coach Benjamin Njia is confident Cheptegei will set a new mark.“He is on form. That record should fall,” said Njia from Cheptegei’s training area of Kapchorwa.

Cheptegei first rose to world record form in 2018 when he shaved eight seconds off the 15km world record record at the NN ZevenHeuvenloop race in Holland.

Cheptegei goes into Saturday’s race just two months after breaking the 10km road race record in Valencia. He clocked 26 minutes 38 seconds.

Cheptegei's average pace was two minutes and 40 seconds per kilometer in Valencia, passing through 5km in 13 minutes 24 seconds."What a year it has been," he said. "I can't believe it." I knew that Valencia was going to be a really fast course, one of the fastest in the world.

So to get to achieve what we came here for is something really special."Saturday’s race will be his first competition of a season where he is ultimately eyeing Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games in August.

Cheptegei is the only Ugandan to set three world records. John Akii-Bua is the only other Ugandan world record holder. Akii-Bua shot into the headlines when he became the first man to run the 400m hurdles under 48 seconds.

He clocked 47.82 seconds to win gold at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

An amateur Chinese marathon runner under coronavirus lockdown ran 31 miles in his living room to pass the time

A Chinese amateur marathon runner who has been under lockdown during the coronavirus outbreak has been keeping active by running 31 miles around two tables in his living room.

Pan Shancu, a Chinese medicine health therapist from Hangzhou, managed to complete 6,250 laps around his apartment in just under five hours, the South China Morning Post reported.

In a viral post on Weibo, which included a video of himself running, Pan said: "I have not been outside for many days, today I cannot bear sitting down anymore! Let's run laps around the two massage tables in the room, then!"

He even shared proof of the feat by adding screenshots of his running app results, writing: "Yes, one lap is about 8 meters (26ft) — I ran 50km (31 miles), and did it in 4:48:44, sweated all over, feels great!"

Pan is one of many millions of people around China who have been confined to their homes for weeks as authorities struggle to crack down on the spreading coronavirus, which originally came from the city of Wuhan, around 370 miles from Hangzhou.

Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, was placed on lockdown on February 5 in an effort to contain what the World Health Organization has now called Covid-19, according to The Guardian.

The reported amateur marathon runner is not the only person getting creative with indoor exercise.

According to SCMP, one woman even wrote a lengthy "commentary" of her "one-person race" at home on Weibo, saying: "I swipe my race card and start in the kitchen, go through the living room, turn into my daughter's room, the less than 20m-long racecourse has beautiful scenery and on my left, my husband's snoring is cheering me on.

"This is a silent battle. I put in bust of speed and power on to the balcony. My husband's verdict is that I have psychological issues," she continued.

Currently, more than 1,600 people have died of the virus in China and more than 45,000 cases have been confirmed globally.

How Japanese-Style Training Inspired Jim Walmsley’s Olympic Trials Approach

The Western States 100 record holder has been putting in 175-mile weeks to prepare for Atlanta.

For Jim Walmsley, the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials will be less about outcome and more about process.

Walmsley, 30, is well-known for his success in ultrarunning as the Western States 100 record holder and four-time Ultrarunner of the Year honoree. On February 29 in Atlanta, he’ll carry that distinction into the championship with the goal of bridging the gap between ultra and marathon runners.

“In a lot of ways I feel like I’m bearing a torch for ultrarunners,” Walmsley told Runner’s World. “The stereotype of most trail or ultra races is that it’s all really slow and you can either take them on for fun or after you’re really done running. [Training for Trials] feels like a responsibility [to show] we work pretty hard and we can hold our own as well.”

By embracing an incredibly high-mileage approach, competing in a variety of races, and being transparent about the highs and lows of training on Strava, Walmsley hopes to shift the conversation.

“I think there’s a lot of mutual respect that can be gained,” Walmsley said. “Getting ultrarunners to watch the marathon and marathoners to watch ultrarunning, [we’re] making it about running rather than distance.”

The Flagstaff, Arizona, native started his running career on the track, where he honed his speed in the steeplechase at the U.S. Air Force Academy. As a senior, he finished 12th at the 2012 NCAA championships. In the NCAA semifinal, he ran a personal best of 8:41.05—nine seconds slower than the Olympic standard—and just missed qualifying for the 2012 Olympic Trials.

After graduation, Walmsley said he went through a difficult time in his life. He was charged with a DUI and later discharged from the military when his unit was caught in a cheating scandal. The events caused Walmsley to sink into a deep depression. Eventually, following the advice of his therapist, he began ultrarunning to feel like himself again.

“Ultrarunning doesn’t take special talent,” he told Runner’s World in 2017. “It takes motivation and the will to achieve something extraordinary. A lot of people are sparked to get into the sport when they are in a low spot.”

His breakout year came in 2016 when he shattered course records at the Bandera 100K and the Lake Sonoma 50 miler. After two missed attempts at winning the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, Walmsley finally accomplished his goal in 2018, when he broke the course record with a time of 14 hours and 30 minutes. That same year, he logged nearly 5,000 miles on Strava.

In the fall of 2018, Walmsley shared a surprising goal: He wanted to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials. Rather than try to OTQ in the marathon—which seemed like a more natural fit for the ultrarunner—he decided to aim for the standard in the half marathon (1:04). Many admired Walmsley’s bold aspiration, especially given he had to average 4:53-mile pace to qualify.

At the 2019 Houston Marathon on January 20, Walmsley finished 27th overall in exactly 1:04:00. Afterward, he told Runner’s World that his performance gave him confidence to work toward his goals in the marathon.

“I have some plans up my sleeve to give myself a chance to do something exciting [in Atlanta]—to really push the envelope for myself and make things exciting for people to watch and cheer for an ultra guy,” he said in Houston.

Walmsley carried his momentum from Houston through the rest of 2019. He set the world best in the 50-mile distance (while averaging a 5:48-minute mile), shaved more than 20 minutes off his Western States 100 record, and won the World Mountain Running Championship 14K race.

“It’s probably been my most versatile year of different types of races I’ve tried to take on,” he said.

The families of three female high school runners have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block transgender athletes in Connecticut from participating in girls sports

The families of three female high school runners filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday seeking to block transgender athletes in Connecticut from participating in girls sports.

Selina Soule, a senior at Glastonbury High School, Chelsea Mitchell, a senior at Canton High School and Alanna Smith, a sophomore at Danbury High School are represented by the conservative nonprofit organization Alliance Defending Freedom. They argue that allowing athletes with male anatomy to compete has deprived them of track titles and scholarship opportunities.

“Mentally and physically, we know the outcome before the race even starts," said Smith, who is the daughter of former Major League pitcher Lee Smith. “That biological unfairness doesn't go away because of what someone believes about gender identity. All girls deserve the chance to compete on a level playing field.”

The lawsuit was filed against the Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference and the boards of education in Bloomfield, Cromwell, Glastonbury, Canton and Danbury.

“Forcing girls to be spectators in their own sports is completely at odds with Title IX, a federal law designed to create equal opportunities for women in education and athletics,” attorney Christiana Holcomb said. "Connecticut’s policy violates that law and reverses nearly 50 years of advances for women.”

The Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference says its policy follows a state anti-discrimination law that says students must be treated in school by the gender with which they identify and the group believes the policy is “appropriate under both state and federal law.”

The lawsuit follows a Title IX complaint filed last June by the girls' families and the Alliance Defending Freedom with the U.S. Education Department's Office for Civil Rights, which is investigating the policy.

The lawsuit centers on two transgender sprinters, Terry Miller and Andraya Yearwood, who have frequently outperformed their cisgender competitors.

The two seniors have combined to win 15 girls state indoor or outdoor championship races since 2017, according to the lawsuit.

The three plaintiffs have competed directly against them, almost always losing to Miller and usually behind Yearwood. Mitchell finished third in the 2019 state championship in the girls 55-meter indoor track competition behind Miller and Yearwood.

“Our dream is not to come in second or third place, but to win fair and square,” Mitchell said. “All we're asking for is a fair chance.”

Yearwood, a senior at Cromwell High School, and Miller, a senior at Bloomfield High School, issued statements vehemently defending their right to run in girls events.

“I have faced discrimination in every aspect of my life and I no longer want to remain silent," Miller said. “I am a girl and I am a runner. I participate in athletics just like my peers to excel, find community, and meaning in my life. It is both unfair and painful that my victories have to be attacked and my hard work ignored.”

Yearwood said she also is a girl and has been hurt by the efforts to “tear down my successes.”

“I will never stop being me!" she said in her statement. "I will never stop running! I hope that the next generation of trans youth doesn't have to fight the fights that I have. I hope they can be celebrated when they succeed not demonized. For the next generation, I run for you!”

The American Civil Liberties Union said it will represent the transgender teens and defend the Connecticut policy in court. Attorney Chase Strangio, deputy director for Trans Justice with the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project, said transgender girls also are protected by Title IX.

“The idea that the law only protects the individuals with XX chromosomes as compared to individuals with XY chromosomes is found nowhere in the legislative history of Title IX, in any implementing regulation or in any other aspect of the interpretation of Title IX over the last 50 years by the courts,” he said.

The attorneys for Alliance Defending Freedom is asking the court to prevent the transgender girls from competing while the lawsuit moves forward. No hearing date on that request had been scheduled Wednesday, the day before the state's indoor track championships begin.

Connecticut is one of 17 states that allowed transgender high school athletes to compete without restrictions in 2019, according to Transathlete.com, which tracks state policies in high school sports across the country. Eight states had restrictions that make it difficult for transgender athletes to compete while in school, such requiring athletes to compete under the gender on their birth certificate, or allowing them to participate only after going through sex reassignment procedures or hormone therapies, according to Transathlete.

Yearwood and Miller have said they are still in the process of transitioning but have declined to provide details.

Air quality levels ready to be monitored in Nairobi ahead of World U20 Championships

The World Athletics U20 Championships Nairobi 2020 will be the first global track and field championships where air quality will be measured and analysed.

As part of World Athletics’ continued pilot programme to measure air quality at sporting venues around the world, a Kunak air quality monitor was recently installed at the Kenyan capital’s Kasarani Stadium, the venue for this year’s World U20 Championships.

With the support of the local organising committee, World Athletics’ health and science department will measure both clinical and environmental data. The Kenya Urban Road Authority and Nairobi City Council have also shown interest in how the data is collected and analysed.

“We are happy that World Athletics has installed the air quality monitor in Nairobi,” said Lt General Jackson Tuwei, Athletics Kenya President and Chairman of the World U20 Championships organising committee. “The equipment will not only help in the area of sports, but also the city of Nairobi and other Government of Kenya agencies involved in environmental issues.”

“We are delighted that World Athletics has installed the first air-quality equipment in a sports facility in Kenya,” added Michael Rabar, CEO of the World U20 Championships Nairobi 2020. “The equipment will help measure and enable assessment of the air quality and be able to determine the effects on the residents of the city of Nairobi. It will be a great study to help sensitise all parties on the importance of clean air and be part of the event legacy.”

It is the second air quality monitor installed in Africa by World Athletics, following the installation of a monitor in Addis Ababa at the end of 2018.

“Our pilot programme was mostly a feasibility study to better understand the possible challenges of installing and maintaining high-end air quality devices in remote places and countries,” said World Athletics Health & Science Department Director Stéphane Bermon. “We are also keen to draw the attention of some of our member federations and competition organisers on the growing importance of air quality for people who exercise, both mass and elite.

“In addition, we want to fine-tune our air quality network prior to and during World Athletics Series events,” added Bermon. “In Nairobi we’ll replicate the study we conducted in Yokohama correlating air quality, performance and respiratory symptoms.”

An air quality monitor was installed in Yokohama ahead of last year’s World Relays. The data collected from there has recently led to a peer-reviewed scientific publication.

Air quality will be monitored at all future World Athletics Series events, including this year’s World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia and the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Minsk. A device will also soon be installed in Oregon ahead of next year’s World Athletics Championships.

The data collection and analysis will help event organisers to design safer timetables, while also providing insights to the ongoing research into the correlation between air quality and the performance of athletes.

World Athletics is also developing a customised service for organisers of road races, offering a portable air quality device that can be installed a couple of days before the race or fitted to a bike or electric car. The set-up enables World Athletics to produce an air quality map with high temporal and spatial resolution while also providing race organisers with advice and recommendations on how to mitigate the air pollution risks.

Kenya's Fancy Chemutai targets fast time at Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon

Two years ago, Kenya's Fancy Chemutai narrowly missed out on breaking the world record at the Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Half Marathon.

However, as she returns to the United Arab Emirates city for the Al Khaimah Half Marathon on February 21, only one thing rings in her mind, win the race and prepare for her transition to the full marathon later this year.

"I had problems with my leg last year and it was the reason I did not post good results. But I have overcome it and I am looking forward to doing well in at the Al Khaimah Half Marathon next week," said Chemutai on Thursday.

Chemutai came just one second shy of the world record in February 2018 when she won in Ras Al Khaimah in a stunning 64 minutes 52 seconds.

Last year in January, Chemutai ran off an ankle injury to finish second at the Houston Half Marathon in a time of 66:48.

Now she believes she will be strong enough to challenge the course record in UAE, currently held by compatriot Joyciline Jepkosgei in 64:52.

Chemutai will, however, be up against a strong challenge from compatriots Brigid Kosgei, who was seventh at 66:49 in 2018, Joan Chelimo (65:04), Peres Jepchirchir (65:06) and debutante Rosemary Wanjiru as well as Ethiopia's reigning world half marathon champion Netsanet Gudeta.

"I have plans to run the full marathon, but the injury slowed me down," she said. "Now that I am back in action, I will discuss with the coaches and see how fast I can move to the marathon." 

A refugee athlete has been selected as an elite runner for the Tokyo Marathon for the first time in the event’s history

Yonas Kinde, who currently lives in Luxembourg, will take part in the Marathon on March 1 2020.

Yonas participated at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 as a member of the first-ever Refugee Olympic Team created by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He continues his training as an IOC Refugee Athlete Scholarship Holder and will compete as part of his efforts to secure selection in the IOC Refugee Olympic Team Tokyo 2020.

He comes from Ethiopia, the country of the famous “barefoot runner” Abebe Bikila. Abebe is known for winning gold medals in the marathon at two consecutive Olympic Games, including the Olympic Games Tokyo 1964. For Yonas, it has been a dream to run in Tokyo, as he deeply admires Abebe – an Ethiopian hero.

“Growing up, Abebe was an inspiration to me and I am delighted to be able to run in Tokyo, where he achieved so much”, Yonas says. “Through my participation, I hope to send the message that, if supported, refugees can unlock great potential.”

Those who participate at the elite category are runners who meet specific requirements set by the Japan Association of Athletics Federations (JAAF).

Yonas received the elite runner status following an initiative of Japan for UNHCR (J4U), the national partner of the UN Refugee Agency in the country. 

It will be Yonas’s first visit to Japan. During his stay, he will train at the Tokorozawa Campus of Waseda University.

The refugees’ participation at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 gave courage and hope to millions of people who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict and persecution. It also testified to the enormous strength of refugee athletes, who strive to do their best despite facing adversity.

Yonas Kinde is a marathon runner and Ethiopian refugee, who arrived in Luxembourg five years before he was selected for the IOC Refugee Olympic Team Rio 2016. He threw himself into life in Luxembourg, taking French classes regularly, and working as a taxi driver to earn a living, all the while pushing himself to become a better runner. Yonas began running in Ethiopia as a teenager, and after fleeing to Luxembourg he competed and won several titles in Luxembourg, France and Germany.

Course and Mexican all-comers’ records under threat at Guadalajara Half Marathon

Kenya’s Geoffrey Koech, Shadrack Korir, Lucy Cheruiyot and Perine Nengampi lead the Kenyan contingent aiming to rewrite the course and Mexican All-comers’ records at the 34th Electrolit Guadalajara Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label road race, on Sunday.

Almost a month after running personal bests under 60 minutes in Houston, Korir (59:27) and Koech (59:36) will now target the course record of 1:01:48, set by their countryman Mathew Kisorio last year. The fastest half marathon run on Mexican soil is 1:01:27 by Simon Biwott in 1999.

Two more Kenyans, Benson Kipruto, a 2:05:13 marathoner, and Cosmas Kipchoge, who boasts a personal best of 1:00:06, are also top contenders for the podium. 

Ethiopia’s Haymanot Alewe will try to spoil a Kenyan medal sweep. A 1:00:26 runner over the distance, the 22-year-old showed his fine early season form with a 28:17 10km in Thailand on 26 January. 

Two-time Olympic finalist and two-time winner Juan Luis Barrios (2015-2016) carries the Mexican hopes in the elite race. He finished fifth in 2019.

In the women’s race, Lucy Cheruiyot is well positioned to threaten the Mexican all-comers’ and course record of 1:08:53, set by Ethiopia’s Afera Godfay Berha last year. The 23-year-old has run faster six times in her career, twice in 2017 when she set her personal best of 1:07:23 and more recently last October when winning the Cardiff Half Marathon in 1:08:20.

Her fellow Kenyan Perine Nengampi, a 1:08:04 half marathoner, will join her in trying to regain the top spot on the podium for the country, but Abeba Gebremeskel, who shows a marathon lifetime best of 2:22:29, will try to keep the trophy in Ethiopian hands. 

Three other sub-70 minute Kenyans, Margaret Agai (1:09:43), Visiline Jepkesho (1:08:12) and Winfridah Moseti (1:08:44) should also feature prominently on Sunday.

Mexico’s Madai Perez, the fastest Spanish speaking woman over the marathon distance (2:22:59), returns to Guadalajara after missing the 2019 edition. The 40-year old has stepped on the podium seven times, including wins in 2003 and 2006.

The 34th edition of the race, powered by Granvita, celebrates Guadalajara’s 478th anniversary of its foundation. A Marathon Parade with 21 sculptures representing the race’s 21 kilometres, will also grace the 34th edition. This urban art exhibit will be displayed throughout a month, before moving to other Mexican cities.

Ethiopia’s rising star Roza Dereje is the one to beat at the Barcelona half Marathon

The 22-year-old Roza Dereje won last year with a 1:06:01 lifetime best and seems ready to improve on that performance. She also bettered her marathon career best thanks on  December 1 to 2:18:30 to win the Valencia Marathon. That time placed her among the top-ten on the all-time world list.

“I want to run as fast as possible on Sunday,” Dereje said. “I have my own dream and a clear goal in terms of clocking but I need to see how I feel on the race day. If the weather is fine I hope you all can enjoy something special.”

The world record is 1:04:51 set by Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei in Valencia in 2017. Dereje will be paced by her compatriot Daniel Feyisa.

Her stiffest opponent should be fellow Ethiopian Zeineba Yimer who holds the quickest time among the entrants, 1:05:46 for third at Ras Al Khaimah exactly one year ago. The 21-year-old made a remarkable marathon debut in Valencia last December clocking 2:19:28 for fifth, the same place she managed at the last World Half Marathon Championships also held in Valencia. Yimer enjoyed a fine 2019, clocking a 10,000m career best of 30:46:24 in Hengelo and a winning 46:52 time at the Valencia 15km in June.

Kenya’s Dorcas Kimeli should also be a factor. The 22-year-old belongs to the exclusive sub-30 minute 10km club, breaking that barrier in Prague last September when she ran an impressive 29:57 to finish second. More recently, Kimeli finished second in a cross country race in Thika where she beat world half marathon record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei by a couple of seconds.

Germany’s Melat Kejeta will try to give a scare to the theoretical podium placers. The 28-year-old Ethiopian-born runner boasts a 1:08:41 best for the distance and made a solid marathon debut in Berlin last September clocking 2:23:57.

Two other women have dipped under 70 minutes, Germany’s Alina Reh and Britain’s Charlotte Arter. Reh, a multiple European U20 and U23 champion with a 1:09:31 best, will contest her third race over the distance while Arter, 28, returns to the setting of her 1:09:41 best.

A look at the latest from Adidas, Adizero Pro carbon-plated shoe

Adidas has announced the release date of its commercially available carbon-plated shoe. The Adizero Pro is made of a Carbitex carbon-plate, a Lightstrike midsole (padded by a bit of Boost at the heel) and a Continental rubber outsole.

The shoe will be available to select markets on April 1, 2020 and worldwide on May 15, 2020.

Prototype versions of this shoe have been seen on the feet of four-time New York Marathon Champion Mary Keitany, 10K world record-holder Rhonex Kipruto, and even in 2008, on the feet of the former marathon world record-holder Haile Gebrselassie.

This is the first time the company is using Lightstrike in a running shoes (a TPU foam that made its debut in basketball). Adidas believes Lightstrike’s combination of stability and energy return will be appreciated by runners, especially over the full marathon distance.

The Adidas prototype that debuted at the 2020 Houston Marathon isn’t the shoe that was announced today. The all-white shoe had very subtle markings, with huge stack height and a line through the midsole, that presumably sandwiches a carbon plate.

While this isn’t the prototype that is hitting the market this spring, it could be a version of the carbon-plated shoe that we’ll see in available commercially in the fall.

Adidas joins Saucony, New Balance, Hoka, Under Armour, Brooks and Nike, which all have announced the release of their latest carbon-plated shoes this spring.

Boston Marathon dream becomes reality for cancer survivor

When Amber Bell was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016, she thought her days of running marathons might be over. But this mom of three refused to accept that and has persevered, continuing to run while undergoing nearly four years of cancer treatment. This spring, Amber will be among the thousands of people running the Boston Marathon while raising money for charity.

Amber began running in college as a way to relieve stress and to feel good mentally and physically. Her running evolved into a love for training and racing. During a charity run benefiting cancer research in the summer of 2016, Amber realized something wasn’t right with her body.

“I just didn’t feel well the entire time I was running. I knew something was wrong, and I attribute that to being so active and physically aware of what was happening,” Amber says.

Devastated to learn she had stage 4 colon cancer, Amber worried about what that meant for her future and for her family. She also worried that cancer might take away her ability to run. After talking with her oncologist at Willamette Valley Cancer Institute, they mutually decided that she could still run if she felt up to it.

“He said whatever my body has the ability to do—do it, that it’s only going to help me, not harm me.” After a long recovering from surgery, she went on her first post-diagnosis run, which was a day she will never forget.

“I remember just sobbing and thinking, ‘I’m back to me. I have my body back. I can still do this, and it hadn’t been taken from me.”

Like many marathon runners, Amber dreamed of running the Boston Marathon. Qualifying for the race is difficult for runners at peak performance—for Amber, it now seemed impossible. Then she heard about another opportunity to participate in the race. Amber teamed up with Boston Medical Center, one of the Boston Marathon’s 43 official charity teams raising money for nonprofits, and began training to run the renowned 26.2-mile marathon on April 20.

The Boston Athletic Association’s Boston Marathon Official Charity Program was established in 1989 and provides entries to nonprofit organizations. The organizations then recruit runners, who fundraise and, in exchange, receive a marathon entry. In 2019, the Boston Marathon broke a record, bringing in $38.7 million for nonprofit organizations.

Amber has raised about $9,000 for her charity team. She’s also working hard to prepare for the race, but it’s not without its challenges. Every other week, she receives chemotherapy to treat her cancer.

“I don’t feel well for several days following treatment, which prevents me from running,” Amber says. “So, it’s kind of like a week on and a week off, and I’ve just had to deal with that. It’s frustrating because it feels like I’m taking two steps forward and one step back. But I have to focus on the fact that I’m still taking steps forward.”

Prices for Air Force Marathon will rise March 2

Organizers are encouraging participants to register before prices go up March 2.

“This is the time of year when runners are making decisions to participate in fall races and begin their training.” Brandon Hough, marathon director, said in a release.

Prices for the marathon and half marathon will rise by $10 — from $85 to $95 for the marathon, and $75 to $85 for the half — March 2 while the cost of the 5K and 10K races will increase by $5. (The 10K race will rise to $45 while the 5K will rise to $30.)

The new prices will be in effect until May 3.

The price for the Fly! Fight! Win! Challenge Series, in which runners compete in the 5K, 10K and either the half marathon or marathon, will increase by $10, and the Tailwind Trot 1K Kids’ Run will increase by $3.

Active duty, reservists and guard members may receive up to $10 off registration costs.

New this year, a virtual option is also available to allow runners from all over the world to join in from afar. Runners will choose between the half marathon or marathon and will need to run their selected distance between Sept.12 to 27.

All registered runners receive a race shirt, virtual goodie bag and optional complimentary commemorative patch. Everyone who finishes also receives a medal celebrating this year’s featured aircraft, the HH-60G Pave Hawk. Medals are presented to participants at the finish line by Air Force senior leaders.

All races begin and end at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, except the 5K and Tailwind Trot which take place on the campus of Wright State University.

Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir will be back for another shot at the Ras Al Khaimah half marathon title on February 21

Peres Jepchirchir will be up against women’s marathon world record-holder Brigid Kosgei while the men’s race will see Benard Kimeli, battle with Mosinet Geremew – one of only five men to complete a marathon in under two hours and three minutes.

European half marathon record-holder Julien Wanders of Switzerland is also in the line up.

A prize purse of Sh32.9 million (AED 1,219,000) will be distributed among leading elite runners as well as the UAE national and age group categories. Registration will close on Saturday.

The annual premier road race hosts a variety of race categories including elite runners, club and recreational runners, people of determination and juniors.

This year, it will also introduce a new relay race category for the first time, while a 1km fun race designed for children will allow families to enjoy themselves as well.

Jepchirchir, who set the then world record of 65.06 at the course, is keen to bounce back to victory this year.

“I have prepared well. I just want to run a good time on the course,” she said.

Jepchirchir, the Lisbon Marathon winner, broke Florence Kiplagat’s mark before Joyceline Jepkosgei slapped a new record.

She is still fresh from winning winning Saitama Marathon in Japan, the Lisbon Half marathon champion is optimistic that despite the classy line-up, she is not worried to take on the world-beaters in a race set for February 21 in the United Arab Emirates.

Kosgei, the world marathon record holder at 2:14:0 set at 2019 Chicago Marathon, will carry his 64:28 personal best, to the quality field.

Women’s defending champion Fancy Chemutai (64.52), Joan Chelimo (65.04), a former world half marathon silver medallist Mary Wanjiru as well as world half marathon champion Netsanet Gudeta of Ethiopia, are also hungry for glory.

But the stars must be at their best to stop the 25-year-old Kosgei, who will compete in her first race this season -and still enjoying a 10-race winning span since 2018 Chicago Marathon.

Six Scots have been confirmed in the field for the Muller Indoor Grand Prix at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow on Saturday

Laura Muir spearheads the Scottish contingent as she lines up in the 1000m, where she will attempt to break the world record.

She will be joined in Glasgow by her training partner, Jemma Reekie, who has been in extremely impressive form in recent weeks, breaking three British indoor records as well as beating Muir last weekend.

Reekie will race the 1500m, the event in which she broke the British indoor record last weekend when she clocked 4 minutes 0.75 seconds in New York last weekend.

Also in excellent form is Nikki Manson who will compete in the high jump on the back of breaking the Scottish record last weekend with a leap of 1.93m.

In the 800m, Josh Kerr and Guy Learmonth will go head-to-head but they will face stiff competition as also in the field is reigning World Indoor champion, Adam Kszczot, of Poland

Completing the Scottish entries is Heather Paton in the sprint hurdles, who is another athlete who has been on record-breaking form in recent weeks having broken her own indoor record over 60m this season. Jake Wightman, who broke the British 1000m record a fortnight ago was due to appear but has withdrawn after illness disrupted training.

The Scots will be in good company at the Emirates, with a star-studded field having been lured to compete.

GB heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who is the current world champion, will compete in the long jump while Shelly-Anne Fraser-Pryce will line up in the 60m. The Jamaican is a two-time Olympic gold medallist and returned to the sport last summer having given birth to her son.

Also in action is man of the moment, Mondo Duplantis, who broke the pole vault world record last weekend.

28-year-old Megan Youngren will be the First Openly Transgender Athlete to Compete at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials

Megan Youngren became one of 63 women at the California International Marathon to officially qualify for the 2020 U.S. Olympic marathon trials, the race that will determine the team for Tokyo. Her 40th-place finish in 2:43:52 came as both a relief and a reward, after four months of intense training. But it also marked another significant moment: With her qualification, Youngren is set to make history on Feb. 29 as the first openly transgender athlete to compete at the U.S. Olympic marathon trials.

“I’m open to talking about it to people because that’s the only way you make progress on stuff like this,” says Youngren, who first started taking hormone medication as a college student in 2011. She came out publicly as transgender in ’12 and finalized paperwork for her transition in ’19.

“To my knowledge, and that of other staff who have been with USATF for many years, we do not recall a trans competitor at our Marathon Trials,” spokesperson Susan Hazzard says. Just last month, Chris Mosier was interviewed by The New York Times as the first transgender athlete to qualify for and participate in an Olympic trials in the gender with which he identifies. Mosier is the first trans man to compete with cisgender men at the 50-kilometer race walk in Santee, Calif. “For me, it’s all about making a pathway for all the trans athletes that come after me,” he told the Times.

In 2013, Youngren started running to lose weight and boost her health after transitioning, and now she primarily races on trails and runs up and down mountains for fun. Youngren says that running helped alleviate any lingering symptoms from a case of shingles. By 2014, she was running consistently, but with little structure to her training. An Alaska native, Youngren ran her first marathon at the 2017 Equinox Marathon in Fairbanks in 4:48, on a course with an unforgiving 3,285 feet of elevation gain and loss. Despite the difficulty and cramping, she credits that race as the one that got her hooked on the 26.2-mile distance.

At the 2019 Los Angeles Marathon, Youngren managed to get her time down to 3:06:42, which propelled her to seek out a sub-three-hour goal for the first time. At the time, she was working at a bakery and her job required a lot of manual labor, but she still managed to fit in runs after work. When the bakery closed in September, it freed up some time in her day to run more, and Youngren’s mileage eventually reached 85 per week, with the majority on trails.

“I thought that if I worked incredibly hard and took some huge risks that I could run a 2:45,” Youngren says. “People will try to put it down by saying, ‘That’s too easy because you’re trans.’ But what about the 500 other women who will qualify? There’s probably someone with the exact same story. I trained hard. I got lucky. I dodged injuries. I raced a lot, and it worked out for me. That’s the story for a lot of other people, too.”

Before the California International Marathon, Youngren’s previous PR was a 2:52:33 set in August at the Anchorage RunFest’s Humpy’s Marathon, where she battled heavy winds and was on qualifying pace through 18 miles.

“I’ve had multiple times this year when I thought I was going to hit that time but then fell apart,” Youngren says. “This time, it was really hard but I made it through. The race itself broke me mentally.”

The 35th Annual Los Angeles Marathon will be the biggest field ever

The experience of running from the ‘Stadium to the Sea’ has never been more popular. The 2020 Los Angeles Marathon presented by ASICS will welcome the largest field in the 35-year history of the event on Sunday, March 8.

With less than 30 days until race weekend, the marathon team notes that the event continues to build on its strong legacy of being Southern California’s most popular running event and is on track to sell out well in advance of race day.

“Our goal in celebrating this milestone 35th edition is to raise the bar of the marathon’s positive impact on the Los Angeles community,” said Murphy Reinschreiber, Chief Operating Officer of The McCourt Foundation (TMF).

On January 1, 2020 Conqur Endurance Group merged with The McCourt Foundation (TMF). The combined entity with offices in Los Angeles and Boston, produces a portfolio of events including the Los Angeles Marathon presented by ASICS, Pasadena Half Marathon & 5K at the Rose Bowl, the Santa Monica Classic 5K/10K, the LA BIG 5K, Boston Waterfront 5K Fitness & Wellness Festival, Tour de South Shore and the Educational Update.

Reinschreiber continued,“With incredible neighbourhood support, exciting competitive wheelchair and elite races, amazing charity partners and compelling athlete stories, the marathon continues to deliver experiences and life-changing moments unmatched by any other event in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

“Now operated by a non-profit, the increased size of the marathon is a strong initial indication of our intention to grow the marathon’s charity, community and economic footprint. This year we will surpass our previous registrant record of 26,054 and can’t wait to deliver another world-class experience.”

To celebrate its 35-year history, the Los Angeles Marathon launched a ‘35 Reasons’ campaign featuring the stories behind the event. The 26.2-mile road race is a community tradition, taking runners by several major LA landmarks from Dodger Stadium to the finish line, just a few steps from the Santa Monica Pier.

Marathon weekend kicks off with a two-day Health & Fitness Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center starting on Friday, March 6. The free expo is open to the public and features interactive exhibits, live entertainment and the official Los Angeles Marathon Merchandise Store, where all runners pick up their race packet.

The running begins on Saturday with the BIG LA 5k. The course starts and finishes at Dodger Stadium and runs through Elysian Park. This family-friendly event starts at 08:00 PT and is open to participants of all ages and abilities, including kids races for children from kindergarten to seventh grade. All participants will receive a race shirt, finishers medal and post-race refreshments.

On Sunday, the 35th Los Angeles Marathon will commence with the wheelchair start at 06:30, and the elite women scheduled to start at 06:45. Runners enjoy a ‘one-of-a kind pre-race starting line venue’ at Dodger Stadium.

Los Angeles is a global destination event with runners from all 50 US states as well as 69 countries registered to participate. Nearly 32% of the 2020 field will be participating in their very first marathon.

The marathon’s charity platform educates and empowers 74 local and national charities to raise awareness for their causes and increase fund-raising efforts. Since 1985, the Los Angeles Marathon has helped charities raise over US$54 million for a variety of causes and non-profit organizations.

The 35th running of the event also welcomes 125 legacy athletes who have competed in all previous 34 editions of the race.

It is tough but I just keep going as I battle colon cancer head on

A little past 7 on Christmas Eve morning, about 15 minutes before sunrise, I headed out for my Tuesday morning four mile run through Central Park. I’ve done the same thing, at the same time on 19 Tuesdays since late spring. It wasn’t easy this time.

Lately it has gotten a lot harder. The hills in the park seem to have gotten a fair bit bigger. In spite of having run six days a week since Memorial Day my fitness hasn’t improved in a typical way.

I start my run at home and finish near a diner at Columbus Circle. Kristen leaves the apartment a little after I do and takes a duffel of dry clothes on the subway to meet me. We’ve gotten the timing down so we arrive at about the same time.

I towel off and change clothes in the restroom of the diner. A quick coffee and a bagel and off to Mt Sinai for my weekly chemo treatment.I haven’t really kept it a secret that I was diagnosed with colon cancer in March. A fair number of friends know.

I have made a point of not talking about it much; choosing not to allow myself to become a victim of the diagnosis or to have “C” as a new middle initial or for any of it to become an unintended and unwanted new identity so....a lot of folks might not know.

I seek no pity, no attention nor to raise money to cure anything. You should know I share all of this only in an attempt to get it out of my head and move on.

At the same time, if this encourages anyone to stay active in spite of a health condition or more importantly to listen to your body and when something feels off, see a Dr, get a colonoscopy as I did, good.

Tuesday wasn’t meant to be my last run to a chemo appointment but it will be. The side effects have gotten increasingly more difficult and unmanageable. My Dr. said that I had already realized the benefits of the treatment and continuing would be more harmful than helpful.

He gave me the best Christmas gift ever by agreeing it’s time to stop. I’ve managed to cover about 800 miles since I recovered enough from surgery to begin running in late May.

My Dr. supported my attempt to try and run through my treatments. He seemed to intuitively know that after 50 years as a runner that it would be good for me both mentally and physically.

I’m not sure he initially thought I could keep it up. In time I think he began to think I might. I never doubted It. The nurses in the infusion suites were endlessly supportive and maybe even amused (or maybe bemused) by what I was trying to do.

All of my runs each week fell into a nice predictable pattern. Tuesday’s morning run to the hospital was always filled with intent; to be of good cheer about where I was headed and why. I always intended to minimize dread by running to the treatment, to take it head on.

Wednesday was a day off from running because I had no choice. I’d wait until late day to get out on Thursday to give myself as many hours as I could post-chemo. It usually worked.

I’d be a little gauzed over from the lingering effects but a gentle run in the woods seemed to wash it away. Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday were life as usual, as much as possible, with a daily run of 4-7 miles, mostly in the Connecticut woods.

It was all combined with slowly building anxiety as the days crept toward the next Tuesday. And so it went through the summer heat & humidity, the crisp lovely days of fall and the darkening cold days of early winter.

My Dr. said that the effects of the chemo would be cumulative and therefore more difficult as time went on. It was steadily getting harder over the months but with a certain amount of guile it was manageable, at least until early December.

Over the last few weeks there were new side effects weekly; amplified and lingering. I kept my routine, running every day but one each week.

My Tuesday run through the park had the intent I always meant it to have but coming as my 6th run in a row and over the hills of the park, it began feeling as difficult as the last 4 miles of a marathon.

Christmas week the side effects reached a point where quality of life was being impacted; sleep, eating, GI distress, weight loss and profound fatigue. It was hard to imagine continuing the treatment until early February.

My Christmas Eve morn run to the diner was a real beast. I struggled but made it. Big body chills, afterward a real doubt that I could get through the day without being hospitalized if I had my scheduled treatment.

I couldn’t eat after changing into my dry clothes. I wasn’t able to get warm no matter what I did. I felt crummy to say the least.

As Kristen and I talked about what to do, we both recalled a meeting with my Dr. back in June in which he said in my case chemo was optional but that research said a good outcome was slightly more likely if I did it. It made sense to take advantage of every opportunity presented to us and we quickly agreed to the 6 months of chemo.

I knew, we knew, that I’d reached a point where I needed to ask my Dr. what I could or should do. When I saw him mid morning he told us there was no statistical difference in the effectiveness of my particular treatment lasting 3 months vs. 6 months.

I’d made it 4.5 and he agreed that I had reached a place where stopping made sense. He shared with us that he had seen my decline and nearly recommended stopping a week prior but decided to wait and see if I bounced back.

I clearly hadn’t....and just like that I was done. What’s next? Beyond Christmas morning with my still sleeping family, it’ll be the beginning of a few weeks of getting the residual drugs metabolized out of my body and my blood counts rebuilt to normal levels.

I will have a lot of follow up blood tests and CT scans in the months and years ahead. I’m a really lucky one in that I caught this early, it hadn’t spread into my lymph nodes or anywhere else. The expectation is that I will be ok.

I’ll continue running six days a week. I might even run through the park to the diner on Tuesday mornings. I’m not sure my dear night owl of a partner would be quite so enthusiastic about continuing to leave at 7am with a bag of dry clothes. Maybe I can get her to keep doing it if I try to go at a more civilized hour...

Updated Feb 12 - I have continued running 6 days a week since Christmas. I’m still rebuilding my strength from the damage done to my blood from 4.5 months of chemo.  

It’s slow but I’m gaining some strength. I managed my first 30 mile week recently and have gotten pace back down into the 8s per mile and my long run to 8 miles a couple of times.

In March I’ll go in for my first round of post chemo tests and my first colonoscopy (which will be necessary annually from here on). As a runner my body has done a very good job of keeping me informed of where I am and where I’ve been through all of this.

It was intolerance to normal running that led me to be a persistent pest with my Drs and led to the early (and luckily timely) diagnosis, running through the chemo kept me in touch with what was happening to my blood count.

I had blood tests every week prior to treatments and I was often able to tell my Dr what I felt like the blood test would show just from how different or difficult the running had been in the week prior.

Accordingly I’m pretty optimistic about what the tests in March will show, just as a result of how I’ve felt putting in a few more miles and even doing so a little more quickly...

Photos were taken Feb 2019 during a run in Central Park with MBR editor Bob Anderson.  

Chen Huang of China and Denmark's Kristina Madsen both claim fourth wins in race five of World Marathon Challenge

Chen Huang of China and Denmark's Kristina Madsen continued their domination of the World Marathon Challenge in Madrid, Spain on Tuesday (February 11) with their fourth victories out of the five marathons held so far.

"Well, I ran the course last year, I did a 3:12 last year, my personal best last year, so I knew what was coming. Embraced all the hills, I like the uphills and I like the downhills, so it's just a perfect course for me, perfect." Says Madsen.

The athletes are attempting to run seven marathons in seven days which began last week in Cape Town (Africa), followed by Novo (Antarctica), Perth (Australia), Dubai (Asia), Madrid (Europe), Fortaleza (South America) and Miami (North America).

In Madrid, Chen completed the marathon held on the Jarama motor racing track in a time of three hours, 14 minutes, 32 seconds, finishing almost four minutes ahead of Frenchman Olivier Thiriet.

Madsen won the women's race in 3:18:25, crossing the finish line alongside Thiriet and almost five minutes clear of American Jessica Jones in second place.

Chen's only finish off the winner's podium was in Antarctica where he was fourth, while Madsen's only defeat so far was when she took second place behind Jones in Perth.

Immediately after the race, the athletes travelled to Fortaleza in Brazil for race six on Wednesday (February 12) with the concluding race in Miami in the early hours of Thursday (February 13).

Autistic runner Jack Knight is ready for his first full marathon

Jack Knight (Left) may not be able to tell you he wants to run a full marathon, but he does, and will run his first on Sunday at the Mercedes Marathon.

Jack has autism, and has limited communication skills, but he has a goal and that is to run 26.2 miles. He has trained with running partner Kevin Burke for almost three years.

“He’s accomplishing his goals and motivating others,” said Burke. “When we first started to run, he smacked the pavement, now he’s a smooth runner and we have watched him change physically, mentally and emotionally.”

Jack has completed four half-marathons with Burke and will have the support of his parents, Diane and Greg Knight, along with 50 or so other runners who will support Jack by running the full, half-marathon or in the marathon relay as part of Kulture City, which promotes inclusion, acceptance and awareness for autism.

Chicago Marathon champion Lawrence Cherono will replace injured Farah, to battle Bekele in London Half Marathon

Chicago Marathon champion Lawrence Cherono has been drafted in to replace injured Mo Farah and battle Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele in the March 1 Vitality London Half Marathon.

Cherono, one of the world's most successful marathon runners, will take on Bekele as part of his training ahead of his title defense on the streets in Boston in April.

Cherono, who has been selected to represent Kenya at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, is the reigning champion of both the Boston and Chicago Marathons and has an incredible record of eight wins in 11 races over the 42km distance.

"I am really looking forward to going to London to run in such a high-quality race. I'm thankful for the opportunity. It is exactly the test I was looking for as I prepare for the Boston Marathon and I am sure it will be a great race," Cherono said on Wednesday.

The London Half Marathon, which starts close to London's iconic Tower Bridge, will offer Cherono a stern test gauging his fitness against Bekele, he is to fight at the Tokyo Olympic games later in August.

Bekele is the current world record holder for 5000m and 10000m and the second-fastest marathon runner in history having clocked 2:01:41 in winning Berlin race in 2019.

Both men will use the London Half Marathon as crucial preparation for upcoming marathons.

Bekele is working towards a mouth-watering match-up between himself and marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge on April 26 while Cherono will defend his Boston Marathon title six days earlier on April 20.

As well as Cherono and Bekele, the reigning Rotterdam Marathon champion Marius Kipserem from Kenya and a host of leading British athletes including Chris Thompson, Dewi Griffiths and Ross Millington will race in this year's event.

Mo Farah withdrew from this year's race due to injury and is still in Kenya to continue with his training.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The reigning 800m world champion Donavan Brazier sees an NFL career in his future

For most people, winning a world championship and racing for an Olympic medal would be enough to satisfy them. Donavan Brazier wants to try for more, but not in running. He wants to take a shot at making it in the NFL.

The 22-year-old 800m world champ and American record-holder has his sights set on Olympic gold, and he is the obvious favourite to win in Tokyo. At the 2019 world championships in Doha, Brazier won in an American record time of 1:42.34, which was over a second ahead of silver.

In an interview with Reuters before his win at the Millrose Games this past weekend, Brazier expressed his interest in an NFL career.

“When I’m in practice and I’m going through a lot of pain and training, I start thinking about anything else I’m good at so that I don’t have to do track,” he said. “The first thing I think of is NFL wide receiver.” Apparently this is not just a dream—he might really act on it, saying that he will consider trying out for an NFL team in the next couple of years.

This wouldn’t be the first time that a track star has transitioned into another sport. In 2018, Usain Bolt joined the Central Coast Mariners, a professional soccer team in Australia. He played for the club for two months (he even scored two goals in a friendly match) but ultimately walked away from the sport in November 2018.

It will be interesting to see if Brazier follows through with these plans, and if he does, to see how far he can go. If he does make it in the NFL, it will be a tall order for him to match the success of his track career. On Saturday at the Millrose Games, he took the win in the 800m in 1:44.22, a new U.S. men’s indoor record.

Brazier told Reuters that he sometimes get “too ahead of myself” in competitions. Hopefully he doesn’t look too far ahead to his NFL goals until he reaches a few more of his dreams on the track first.

The true test of the newest Nike shoe will be in under three weeks' time at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials

Last week Nike released their newest line of shoes which includes the Air Zoom Alphafly Next%, complete with a 39.5 mm stack height, falling just under World Athletics’ new ruling of a maximum of 40 mm. Since the release of the so-called super shoe shoe (that conveniently follows all of World Athletics’ new rules) there has been heavy speculation that Nike was tipped off, but WA claims that’s not the case.

World Athletics told The Guardian last week, “We spoke to several shoe companies, including Nike, a few days before we released our new shoe regulations to let them know what we were planning. But that was the extent of it.”

Alex Hutchinson has written extensively on this topic (including in the current issue of Canadian Running Magazine). He spoke to Nike and claimed on Twitter that according to the company, the commercial version of the Air Zoom Alphafly Next% isn’t all that different from the shoe Eliud Kipchoge wore to break the two hour barrier in October.

Here are the major takeaways from the thread: 1.- Kipchoge’s Alphafly prototype was legal, and basically identical to the upcoming consumer version. 2.- World Athletics measured a size eight as 39.5 mm [stack height], which is their reference size (WA rules actually say size 42). 3.- Heel-toe offset will be 8 mm in commercial shoe.

If the Kipchoge shoe was, in fact, nearly identical to the consumer version (available February 29 in limited release), then perhaps World Athletics’ assertion that no shoe company had advance notice is credible.

When asked last week about what the future holds for running shoe technology, Hutchinson points out that we don’t actually know how good the Alphafly is yet. He wrote in an email, “Seeing Kipchoge run sub-two in the earlier prototype was obviously impressive, but there was a lot going on in that race. With the original Vaporfly, we had actual external lab data telling us how good it was. But for subsequent models, we’re just guessing. Just because it looks crazy doesn’t mean it’s substantially better than previous models. I guess we’ll find out—but for now, that knowledge gap makes predictions about the Alphafly’s impact difficult.”

The true test will come at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials when the shoe will go head-to-head against other companies’ carbon-plated creations for the first time. That event will have spectators watching shoes just as closely as the runners.

Beatie Deutsch from Israel wins Miami half-marathon

An ultra-Orthodox mother of five won the half-marathon at the 18th annual Life Time Miami Marathon and Half Marathon event.

American-Israeli Beatie Deutsch, 30, finished with a time of 1:16:4 to win in the women’s category on Sunday, the Miami Herald reported.

It was Deutsch’s first race in the United States. She is working to qualify to represent Israel in the marathon at the Tokyo Olympics this summer. That race currently is scheduled for a Saturday, however, and the Sabbath-observing Deutsch would be unable to compete even if she can reach the Olympic qualifying time.

Deutsch, who moved to Israel from New Jersey in 2009, is known for running in a skirt, sleeves that fall below her elbows, and a headscarf.

In May, Deutsch was the top female finisher in a 13-mile half-marathon race in Riga, Latvia, reportedly becoming the first ultra-Orthodox woman to win an international athletic competition.

This year, for the first time, the Miami Marathon offered kosher-certified meals for athletes at the finish line, the Miami Herald reported.

A look at who's got a shot at making the American Olympic marathon squad

The U.S. Olympic Trials are less than three weeks away. The fields are finalized, the tapers are starting soon and runners and fans are anticipating one of the most exciting trials yet.

Here’s a look at which runners we think are most likely to place in the top three and be named to the U.S. Olympic squad after the February 29 race in Atlanta.

Women’s field.- The favorites to make this Olympic team are Sara Hall (Asics), Des Linden (Brooks), Molly Huddle (Saucony) and Emily Sisson (New Balance). Hall has been extremely consistent over the past year, running personal bests in both the marathon and the half (a 2:22:16 in Berlin and a 1:08 in Houston just a few weeks ago). Linden is a gamer and someone who shows up no matter the conditions. She’s also an Olympic marathon veteran.

Huddle and Sisson are training partners who have helped each other improve over the marathon distance. Huddle has been a staple on the American distance scene for years (she’s a multi-time American record holder) and Sisson is the rising star who has flourished alongside Huddle. The pair own 2:23:08 (Sisson) and 2:26:33 (Huddle) marathon personal bests and know how to show up on race day. But the knock on Sisson is that she’s only run one (albeit, fantastic) marathon, and inexperience could be her downfall.

Our best bet for the top three, in order, is: Hall, Huddle, Linden.

The dark horses.-  Jordan Hasay (Nike) and Amy Cragg (Nike) are the dark horses. We just haven’t seen enough to know where these two runners are at. Hasay’s most recent result is a DNF from the Chicago Marathon. Admittedly, her training group had just folded and her former coach was charged with doping infractions, so her racing conditions weren’t ideal. But Hasay hasn’t even gotten on a start line since then.

As for Cragg, she’s the 2017 World Championship medallist and 2016 Olympian over the distance. Cragg’s results are few and far between over the past two years, but she put it all together at the Tokyo Marathon in 2018 to run a 2:21:42–one of the fastest American times in history. Both Hasay and Cragg boast the best personal bests of the bunch, but with no indication of fitness, it’s impossible to predict where they’ll end up in 20 days’ time.

Men’s field.- The favorites in the men’s race are Galen Rupp (Nike), Leonard Korir (Nike), Scott Fauble (Hoka) and Jared Ward (Saucony). Rupp was almost a dark horse, due to his poor resume from the past year, but on Saturday he clocked a 1:01:19 in a tune up half-marathon in Arizona. So he’s in good shape.

As for the other three, all hold personal bests from 2019 around the same time. Korir’s is 2:07:56 from Amsterdam and Fauble and Ward’s are both from Boston 2019 at 2:09:09 and 2:09:25. Among these three it’s really a toss-up, based on past performances, as to who makes the team.

Our best bet for the top three, in order, is: Rupp, Ward, Korir.

The dark horses.- The dark horses in this event are the masters men: Bernard Lagat (Nike) (45) and Abdi Abdirahman (Nike) (42).  Like in women’s marathoning, the men are also proving that age is just a number on the race course. Lagat and Abdirahman have both recently clocked 2:11 and 2:12 marathons and are in the conversation for the team if they have a good day in Atlanta.

Jackie and Melissa Williams will honor their late mother by running the Boston Marathon April 20

The running duo, along with their father, Mike Williams, held a fundraiser Saturday night at the Holyoke Lodge of Elks.

The sisters also set up a donation page in the hope of collecting $15,000 for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where their mother, Sue, underwent treatment in 2015.

Jackie Williams, who lives in East Boston, will run her fifth Boston Marathon this year. She sat out last year’s race after enduring a windy and rainy trek in 2018. “It was a monsoon the whole time,” she said.

Training with her sister has made the grueling runs more bearable, logging dozens of miles weekly over Boston’s streets.

The Williams sisters, along with runners from Dana-Farber, are coached by Jack Fultz, who won Boston in 1976. “I feel better with where I’m at then in past years,” she said. “I feel good about it.”

The Dana-Farber team requires runners to raise a minimum of $7,500 apiece. The proceeds will benefit the Claudia Adams Barr Program, which supports cancer research at the institute. Sue Williams underwent treatments at Dana-Farber, including an experimental course.

So far, the sisters raised $4,000 in donations, with the goal of exceeding the $15,000 minimum. “When you’re not thinking about running, you’re thinking about the numbers to the fundraising,” Jackie Williams said. “I’ve been lucky in the past years and raised about $50,000 in total.”

The Holyoke fundraiser brings together family, friends and former Holyoke High classmates. “It’s a nice time to get all the people who loved her together and celebrate her life,” she said. “I feel like this fundraiser is the fun part of the season.”

Jackie William 32, recalled a photo taken of her and her mother at mile-24 in the 2015 marathon.

“The first year I ran, my mom was a patient at Dana-Farber undergoing a clinical trial. She passed away the summer after that,” she said. “It was my first marathon, and I had never run that far in my life. I hugged her, and I just started sobbing.”

The site of her mother inspired her to cover the final two-miles.

In high school and college, Jackie Williams was a cheerleader. “It took my parents by surprise that I was doing this,” she said. “They thought I was a little bit crazy. I called her after all my long runs.”

Though she ran track and cross-country in high school, the Boston Marathon is a first for Melissa Williams. “It’s going a lot better than I expected. It helps to be on a good team. A lot of people from Dana-Farber get together,” she said.

Melissa Williams takes tips from her sister about pacing, how to run hills, and to enjoy the experience. “I’m such an optimist that in my head everything is going good,” she said. “I’m a positive thinker. It’s going according to plan.”