Running News Daily

Jake Robertson’s wife Magdalyne Masai wants to be in the top three at Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Magdalyne Masai’s performance at the Hamburg Marathon on 28 April earned her praise from around the world given that she had run a personal best of 2:26:04 and finished second in the highly competitive race.

Moreover, it earned her an invitation to this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label road race, on 20 October.

She will arrive in Canada’s largest city privy to useful knowledge of the city and the race as her husband, Jake Robertson of New Zealand, finished fifth here a year ago.

“I want to get a personal best and finish in the top three,” she said, speaking during a video call from her home in Iten, Kenya. “That is my aim. I want to be in top three. I think 2:23 or 2:22 is within reach.”

That would challenge the ‘family record’ held by her elder sister, Linet Masai, who ran 2:23:46 In her debut last year in Amsterdam.

‘Magz’, as she is affectionately known, comes from a family of runners. Linet was the 2009 world 10,000m champion while the eldest of the 10 Masai kids, Moses Masai, was the 10,000m bronze medalist at those same championships in Berlin. Another brother, Dennis Masai, won the 2010 World Junior Championships in Moncton, New Brunswick. A younger brother, Alex Masai, is currently running for Hofstra University in New York State.

It’s not difficult to see where her influences came from as she grew up in the Rift Valley of western Kenya where the altitude is roughly 2,500m above sea level.

“We moved a lot,” she says of her upbringing. “I was born in Mt. Elgon forest. After some point we moved to Kapsogom. Currently my parents are in Trans Nzoia district.

“I met Jake in Iten because my sister Linet was staying in Iten. I had come to start training in Iten as well and was staying with her.”

Robertson and his twin brother, Zane, had arrived in Kenya as teenagers fresh out of high school. Their intention was to live and train like the Kenyan runners they admired. He and Magdalyne fell in love and, after a six-year relationship, he famously proposed at the finish line of the 2017 Great North Run. Moments before, he had finished second to Olympic champion Mo Farah and Magdalyne finished fourth in the elite women’s race.

“So far in my training not only am I looking at time but also how I am feeling,” she explains. “Mostly I judge myself when we do long intervals on the roads. We run 4km at about 3:30 (per kilometre) pace. Then for one kilometre easier at 4:00 pace. We do that five times. If I finish that feeling like I can continue that’s when I know I am feeling good and ready to go." 

Magdalyne Masai may not have the fastest time among the elite women who will toe the line on 20 October, but she certainly will be prepared to run with the leaders. And nobody could be prouder than Jake Robertson if she achieves her goal of a top three finish.

Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya and Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba are ready to compete at the Bogota Half Marathon

The favorite in the Bogota Half Marathon women’s race is Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya, who started the year with a win in the Dubai Marathon, setting a course record with the No. 3 performance of all-time, 2:17:08. And just three months before that she shattered the course record at the Istanbul Marathon with a 2:18:35 performance.

Those performances elevated the Kenyan to No.1 in the IAAF’s world rankings in the marathon. Also an accomplished half marathoner, Chepngetich won the Istanbul Half Marathon this April in another course record, 1:05:30, making her the 11th fastest woman of all-time to rank her No.3 currently over that distance.

The main challenge to Chepngetich is likely to come from Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba, the marathon bronze medalist at the Rio Olympic Games and world champion over the distance in 2015. Also expected to feature at the front of the race are 2:21:37 marathoner Visiline Jepkesho of Kenya, recently announced as a member of the Kenyan squad for the Worlds Championships (along with Chepngetich), and Helalia Johannes of Namibia, who is undefeated in six major international competitions, all of which have seen her lower her own national records at 10km, the half marathon and full marathon distances.

Unlike the women’s race, the men’s competition doesn’t have one overwhelming favorite, and instead should see a tight battle between several evenly-matched competitors. The Ethiopian delegation is led by 20-year-old Betesfa Getahun of Ethiopia, the defending men’s champion, who last year became the youngest champion in the race history.

Next to him will be Feyisa Lilesa, the silver medalist at the Rio Olympic Games marathon and a former winner of this race and Tamirat Tola, a silver medalist in the 2017 World Championships marathon and a bronze medalist in the 10,000m in Rio.

The Kenyan challenge to this Ethiopian trio will be led by Lawrence Cherono, a 2:04:06 marathoner and the No. 5 athlete in the world presently at that distance. He is joined by two strong half marathon specialists, Wilfred Kimitei (59:40) and John Lotiang (1:00:09).

And rounding out the likely lead pack are Eritrean Samuel Tsegay, a past silver medalist at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, and Ugandan Abdallah Mande with a 1:00:14 lifetime best whose strong current form was illustrated by a 27:22 10,000m run just eight days ago.

Geoffrey Kamworor said that he is aiming to win gold at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar in October

After winning the 10,000m title at the Kenya Police Championships, Kamworor disclosed that he was eager to make it to make the cut for the national team for the World Championship.

"I have only one mission, to clinch my first ever gold at the World Championships. I have been longing for a gold medal in the track competition and when I won silver at the Beijing worlds in 2015, I thought I would step up to gold in London in 2017.

"However, it was never to be and Kenya still searches to break Ethiopia and Mo Farah's strong grip in the race. I am still motivated to go a step further and win gold," said Kamworor.

Kamworor, the two-time World Half Marathon champion, won in 27:50:65, followed by Josephat Bett 28:40:58, Joseph Kitum 28:40:74 and Mathew Kisorio 28:44:63.

Then he relinquished his title at this year's World Cross Country championships in Denmark. Kamworor went on to win the 10-mile Grand Prix race in Bern, Switzerland in May clocking 44:57, but has resumed training with the track competition in focus.

"Winning a bronze at the World Cross was a disappointment but I did my best. The event gave me good endurance for the season and I hope to reap maximum going to the World Championships. Today, I was gauging my strength to see whether I can return to track for the World Championships," said Kamworor.

Kamworor hinted that he will only compete at the Copenhagen Half Marathon in September in Denmark if he fails to make the team to World Championships.

Veteran runner Joe Ryan will run his 47th Tely 10, he won this race in 1969

““On Sunday, I will run my 47th Tely 10 — and 44th consecutive race — joining thousands of other runners and walkers in the morning as we journey eastwards from Octagon Pond in Paradise to Bannerman Park in the heart of St. John’s,” says Joe Ryan.

“I have witnessed many changes in the classic road race, the most obvious being the tremendous increase in the number of participants in recent years.

“On a recent Sunday morning, as I led a training run for a group of Tely participants over the Topsail Road course, a passing comment from one of the runners got me thinking back to my first Tely 10 so many years ago.

“The year was 1969, the date Oct. 12, much later than our now standard fourth Sunday in July. And instead of lining up in starting corrals on McNamara Road, as we will do for this year’s race, all seven or eight of us toed the starting line on King George V Track near Memorial Stadium.

“Yes, that’s right. The Telegram 10-Mile Road Race was held on an oval track — for the second consecutive year.”

At the age of 20, Joe Ryan won the 1969 Tely 10. Since then, he has run 46 Telegram 10-Mile Road Races, 21 of them under 60 minutes, with a personal best of 51:33

In addition to running the race, Ryan chaired the Tely 10 organizing committee for 10 years, from 1997-07, and authored a book, “The Tely 10 — A History of Newfoundland’s Premier Road Race” in 2002.

A provincial track and field Hall of Famer, Joe Ryan is a noted marathoner, having run 70 marathons to date, including Boston (12 times), New York (twice), Ottawa (five times), Honolulu (twice), Dublin (three times) and Athens, Prague, Reykjavik, Edinburgh, Bermuda, Paris, Vienna, Rotterdam and Toronto.

He is a retired teacher, and is now teaching and coaching runners.

Mumbai Marathon registrations for the 2020 marathon will open on July 26 and close on November 29

The Mumbai Marathon, in its 17th year, is scheduled to be held on January 19, 2020, the race organisers announced on Wednesday.

Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao signed up as the first participant for the marathon, which was first held in 2004 and since then has been an annual affair in the megacity.

Maharashtra ministers Sudhir Mungantiwar and Ashish Shelar were present on the occasion at the Raj Bhawan.

The registrations for the full marathon would open on July 26 and close on November 29, while registrations for the half marathon are to begin on August 1 and conclude on August 30, according to race organisers Procam International.

Rao, while making a mention of sprinter Hima Das who recently clinched five gold medals in various international meets, said that since coming to Maharashtra he has attended all editions of the Mumbai Marathon.

“The journey of Mumbai Marathon for the past 16 years has been truly spectacular. First and foremost, Mumbai Marathon has created health and fitness consciousness among the people. The Tata Mumbai Marathon has importantly created a level playing field for all,” the governor said.

Shelar, on his part, said that people can see from the marathon that Mumbai actually runs, in reference to the popular saying that Mumbaikars are always on their toes.

Shelar, who recently took charge as the sports minister, assured that there will be more participants for the coming marathon.

The organisers are aiming to get 50,000 participants for the race.

Three-time Bix 7 men’s champion Silas Kipruto is coming back to the Quad-City Times Bix 7 in hopes of making a little more history

The three-time Bix 7 men’s champion will be joined in the 45th annual race through the streets of Davenport by a deep women’s field that includes two former champions, the second fastest female runner in the race’s history and a world record-holder in two events.

Kipruto already is among the most successful runners in the history of the race, which is scheduled this year for July 27. The 34-year-old native of Kenya not only won the Bix 7 in 2011, 2012 and 2016, but he has finished in the top five on three other occasions.

His half dozen top-five finishes equal the most ever by a male runner in the race, tying Meb Keflezighi, Bill Rodgers, John Korir and Lazarus Nyakeraka.

Kipruto is one of 17 African runners in the preliminary men’s elite field assembled by elite athlete coordinator John Tope — 13 from Kenya and two each from Eritrea and Tanzania.

Besides Kipruto, male runners to watch include Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay, who won both the Lilac Bloomsday 12k and the Bay to Breakers 12k in May; Kenya’s Edwin Mokua, a top-three finisher at both Bloomsday and Bay to Breakers; Kenya’s Leonard Barsoton, who was first in the African Cross Country championships in 2014 and second in the African Games 10,000 meters in 2015; and Emmanuel Kiprono, Kenya’s 10,000-meter champ in 2013.

The opening ceremony for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games is just one year away

The last time that Tokyo hosted the Olympic Games is now 55 years ago, but the next time is just 365 days away as the Japanese capital commemorates one year to go to the 2020 Games opening ceremony.

When the Games came to Tokyo in 1964, 82 countries competed in athletics, no man had broken 10 seconds for 100m, the high jump was won with the straddle (men) and scissors (women) techniques and the longest women’s event was 800m. Abebe Bikila became the first man to win two Olympic marathon gold medals, Al Oerter won the third of his four consecutive discus gold medals and Betty Cuthbert won the first Olympic women’s 400m title to add to her 100m and 200m titles in 1956, completing a still unique sprint treble.

More than half a century later, athletics has changed and so has Tokyo but the Japanese city is preparing once again to welcome the world’s best athletes.

In the heart of Tokyo, the reimagined 1964 Olympic stadium, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, is almost complete.

Swathed in greenery and featuring wooden lattice screens reminiscent of traditional Japanese temple design, the three-tiered stadium will become the stage for the world’s finest athletes to perform at their very best.

Like almost every aspect of the preparation for the 2020 Olympic Games, it will feature the characteristics of both tradition and regeneration. The Games venues are divided into two main zones in the Japanese capital: the Heritage zone (where athletics will take centre stage) and the Tokyo Bay zone, which represents modern Japan and will host the athletes’ village, the Main Press Centre and International Broadcast Centre, and an urban sports venue.

The Japanese intend to break with tradition in one respect, by placing the Olympic cauldron, not at the main stadium, but on the waterfront at the Yume-no-Ohashi Bridge, near the urban sports cluster.

A second temporary cauldron will be in place at the stadium for the opening and closing ceremonies.

The 1964 Olympic stadium which originally stood on this site and which borders the wooded gardens of Tokyo’s spiritual home, the Meiji Shrine, has been gutted and rebuilt as a modern, sustainable 60,000-seat stadium.

Fans and misting systems have been installed to cool the covered stadium by as much as 10C from  the outside temperature, the last seats are going in, the Mondo track is about to be laid and the Japan Sport Council is planning a grand opening with a full house on December 21 this year.

The stadium test event will be held on 5-6 May next year to ensure that the venue and officials are ready to welcome athletes from more than 200 countries.

By the time of the Games, the stadium will be a vertical garden, with plants fringing the covered walkways that encircle the building.

That will be the view of the stadium that the marathon runners will have as they approach at the end of 42 gruelling kilometres that will take them through both historic and modern Tokyo.

The marathon route starts and finishes at the stadium, passing the landmarks of Kaminarimon (the Thunder Gate, which is guarded by the deities of wind and thunder), the Imperial Palace, home of Japan’s new emperor Naruhito, Tokyo Station, the Zojoji temple, Tokyo Tower and the Nihombashi bridge.

Canadian record holder Rachel Cliff switches from marathon back to the track

Rachel Cliff has had an amazing 2019. The 31-year-old set a Canadian record in the marathon in March, running a 2:26:56 in her second-ever 42.2K.

She followed that race up with a very impressive track season, just missing out on the 10,000m world championship standard at Payton Jordan but hitting the 5,000m standard on Saturday at Heusden.

Cliff has always said that she wanted to have a proper track season this summer, and she’s making it happen. But it hasn’t been easy: “Changing from the track to the marathon, I did notice a difference in my strength and my speed,” she says. “The marathon gives you real confidence in your strength, but your speed can suffer. It’s been a lot tougher than it used to be to go fast. I can’t go out too hard any more, but I am very confident in my ability to hold a pace.”

The Canadian record-holder also says that while the marathon training has made speed a little more difficult, it has helped with her patience.

Cliff turned down the spot she was offered on the World Championship team earlier this year to compete over the marathon distance, hoping to be able to make the team on the track.

“The marathon is a big build and it would’ve meant that I couldn’t have the summer season on the track. It was kind of sad to say no to a world team, but it was the right decision for me.”

She continues, “I was really hoping to qualify in the 10K [for worlds], but those fast races are tough to come across.” Cliff was just shy of standard in the 10,000m but achieved standard just last week over 5,000m. She says if given the opportunity to run at worlds over the shorter distance, she would love to run. “In the short term I’m focusing on Pam Ams, but then we’ll see how nationals goes–if I end up making the worlds team or not.”

The Canadian women’s 5,000m is extremely competitive right now. Andrea Seccafien has been so consistent around 15:11 and looks like she’s ready for a big breakthrough, and Jess O’Connell is a very strong championship racer who always finds herself in the mix. Throw in Cliff, fresh off a great race in Europe, and you’ve got a very competitive field.

Cliff has traveled a ton this year. She ran her Canadian record in Japan and has also been to California and Europe for track races. She said flying is a real phobia of hers, but she’s getting better at unwinding. “My advice for pre-race travel is to try not to stress about the little things, for example, food.

Food is something that can really stress out an athlete, but long as you don’t have anything too extreme, you can really eat anything. For me I find that tofu and rice are two things you can get about anywhere in the world, so I’ve gotten used to eating those two foods.”

She says she takes the same approach with sleep. “Sleep when you can, and try and sleep enough, even if it’s at strange times. The only thing that matters is that you’re not sleep deprived.”

For this weekend’s championship, Cliff is really excited to watch the women’s 1,500m and 800m. “It’s been awesome watching Melissa [Bishop-Nriagu] come back from having a baby and also exciting to see the new crop of 800m runners come up. Lindsey Butterworth is running so well–that’s a race I’m really excited to watch.”

As for her own championship goals, she’s happy with where she’s at and excited to compete against a strong group of Canadian women. “Running the [world] standard in a track event after the marathon is something I’m very happy about. I’m so glad I can come back to the track after the marathon and still find my speed.”

Mo Farah wants to become the first runner to win six consecutive Simplyhealth Great North Run titles

The 10-time global gold medallist will return to the Great Noeth half-marathon in September.

Like last year, the 10-time global gold medallist will again use the event as part of his preparations for the Chicago Marathon, where he will defend his title on October 13.

At the 2018 edition of the Great North Run, Farah clocked 59:26 before breaking the European marathon record with his winning time of 2:05:11 in Chicago.

“I’m going to be giving it my best shot,” said Farah, on targeting a sixth victory. “Winning it once was special enough, to win it for the sixth time would be unbelievable.

“It was a massive part of my preparations for Chicago last year and it will be as important this year.

“The Simplyhealth Great North Run is one of my favourite races, it’s something that I always look forward to and I can’t wait to be back on that start line in Newcastle in September.”

Farah has a winning record dating back to 2014 on the famous 13.1-mile course between Newcastle and South Shields.

Only Farah and Tanni Grey-Thompson have won five consecutive Great North Run races in the event’s 39-year history, with Grey-Thompson’s last victory in the wheelchair event claimed 20 years ago.

The design of the medals for Tokyo 2020 has been unveiled

With one year to go until the opening of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the design of the medals has been unveiled.

The medals not only represent the greatest honor for the athletes who win them, but also an opportunity for Japan to showcase its culture and charm to the rest of the world.

To produce these valuable medals, Tokyo 2020 invited Japanese citizens to send in any small electronic devices, such as used mobile phones, to be recycled and used in the manufacture of the approximately 5000 medals.

Tokyo 2020 also launched a medal design competition, inviting the public to submit design ideas for the medals. From the procurement of the metals to the development of the medal design, the entire country of Japan was involved in the production of the medals for the Tokyo 2020 Games.

The medals resemble rough stones that have been polished and which now shine, reflecting the concept that in order to achieve glory, athletes have to strive for victory on a daily basis. The way the medals reflect patterns of light symbolises the energy of the athletes and those who support them.

“An Olympic medal is one of the most coveted items in existence,” says two-time Olympic decathlon champion Ashton Eaton. “People spend decades, often agonising ones, working to obtain one. The life stories of so many are defined by the pursuit of these metal medallions, and those same stories are what inspire and bring millions of us together.

“The weight of a medal around your neck is always a good weight. And when an athlete at Tokyo wins a medal, the weight of it will not be from the gold, silver or bronze; it will be the weight of a nation. The awesomeness of this project makes me want to come out of retirement and compete for one.

“I have always been a fan of people who do things differently; of those who try to move the needle in a positive way. I am a fan of Tokyo 2020.”

Ethiopia´s Almaz Ayana hopes to be successful in Doha on September 28

The ability to overcome challenges appears to be part of Almaz Ayana’s DNA.

By working hard to climb to the summit of global distance running, despite hailing from a modest rural background, to triumphing in the 10,000m on her season’s debut at the IAAF World Championships London 2017, no challenge appears beyond the capability of the world and Olympic 10,000m champion.

Yet the latest task to return to full fitness after undergoing surgery on both knees is, arguably, Ayana’s greatest obstacle to date as she builds up for what she hope will be a successful defence of her world 10,000m title in Doha on 28 September.

Born the seventh youngest of nine siblings in western Ethiopia, Ayana first engaged in running when registering for a school race at about the age of 13 or 14.

Having no clue as to how she would perform, she recalled finishing “second or third” over 1500m but faced a significant obstacle to her progress.

“When I started racing there was a girl at my school who always finished number one,” explains the quietly-spoken and unfailingly polite Ayana. “I was afraid of that girl but somebody told me that I have to beat her. I listened to that person, beat that girl and later joined a project (a training group for beginners) in my local area.”

Encouraged by how hard work could reap rewards, she moved to Addis Ababa and joined the Defence Force Club. A coach there advised her to try the steeplechase and she quickly advanced to the international level. In 2010 she placed fifth in the steeplechase at the IAAF World U20 Championships in Moncton, Canada and later that year shattered the world U20 record with a stunning 9:22.51 for third in Brussels.

African and Continental Cup 5000m victories followed in 2014 but it was the 2015 campaign when Ayana emerged as a world-class star. In Shanghai she ran a blistering 14:14.32 performance to climb to third on the world all-times list – behind Dibaba and Defar – with the kind of fearless front-running performance which has become her signature.

Then at the World Championships in Beijing later that year, a blistering final 3000m of 8:19 enabled Ayana to quell the considerable threat of compatriot Genzebe Dibaba to bank 5000m gold inside the crucible of the Bird’s Nest Stadium.

In 2016 the Ethiopian then entered another realm by obliterating the 23-year-old world 10,000m record by more than 14 seconds with a jaw-dropping time of 29:17.45 to claim the Olympic title in Rio.

Rwandan runner Felicien Muhitira defended his French Marvejols-Mende half marathon title for a third consecutive time clocking 1:13:14

Rwanda international long distance and cross country runner Felicien Muhitira defended the French race Marvejols-Mende half marathon for a third consecutive time.

The Mountain Classic Athletics runner Muhitira, clocked the fastest time of one hour thirteen minutes and fourteen seconds ahead of Ugandan Ezekiel Chepkorom and Kenyan Bett Bernard in second and third position respectively.

Muhitira the Mountain Classic Athletics club athlete put on an impressive run to defend the title at the 47th edition of the annual event over the weekend in the men’s category, which he had won twice since last year.

The 22.4-kilometer race was contested by over 2,000 athletes from around the world.

It did not go well for the other Rwanda long-distance runner Gervais Hakizimana who finished far in the 18th position with a time of one hour twenty minutes and fifty-five seconds.

From France, the athlete will be heading to Japan where he will link up with other Rwandan for the preparations for Africa scheduled in Morocco.

Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has confirmed that she will be doing the sprint double at the IAAF World Championships of Athletics in Doha from September 28 to October 6

Shelly-Ann  be running the 200m at the 2019 Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru that starts this weekend.

The 32-year-old, seven-time world champion, was speaking with the British media after she destroyed a talented field of women in London on Sunday to clock her 14th time under 10.8s, the only woman to accomplish the feat.

She blazed to 10.78 to defeat Dina-Asher Smith, who ran a season-best 10.91 and Marie-Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast who was third in 10.96s. In was Fraser-Pryce’s third time under 10.8s this season having run a world-leading 10.73 at Jamaica’s national championships on June 21 and then 10.74 in Lausanne on July 5.

However, come the Pan Am Championships in Peru, she will turn her attention to the half-lap sprint.

“Right now I am just focused on the Pan Am Championships. I think I am running the 200s there so I am looking forward to that. I haven’t run a 200 in the longest time, the last time was at my national championships, so I am looking forward to getting because I am doubling at the World Championships,” said Fraser-Pryce who won the 200m as part of a three-gold medal outing at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow.

Back then, she became the first woman in history to win gold medals in the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relay since the World Championships began 36 years ago.

USA Olympic Trials Marathon has achieved the IAAF Gold Label Status

USA Track & Field (USATF) announced today that the 2020 USA Olympic Trials Marathon, scheduled for February 29, in Atlanta, has been granted IAAF Gold Label status. That's a critical development because it means that the top-5 male and female finishers will automatically achieve 2020 Olympic Games qualifying marks, regardless of their finish times. As part of the Tokyo Olympic Games qualifying program unveiled by the International Association of Athletics Federations earlier this year, top-5 finishers at Gold Label marathons are given automatic Olympic Games qualifiers. As such, the six-athlete USA Olympic team in the marathon can be named with certainty on the day of the Trials with the top-3 male and female finishers nominated for the team.

In a press release, USATF said that "the announcement of the Tokyo 2020 Qualification System in March presented challenges to USATF and its partners as planning for marathon trials had begun well before the changes to the qualification system were announced." Those partners include the not-for-profit Atlanta Track Club, which will host the Trials, as well as NBC the network which will broadcast them. The Trials would be devalued for both of these parties if the team could not be named that day.

Right now only a handful of USA athletes have achieved the Olympic Games qualifying standards (2:11:30 for men and 2:29:30 for women since January 1, 2019). On the men's side, there are only two, Scott Fauble and Jared Ward who ran 2:09:09 and 2:09:25, respectively, at last April's Boston Marathon (they also finished in the top-10, which also confers qualifying status at any Abbott World Marathon Majors event). On the women's side there are nine: Emily Sisson (2:23:08), Jordan Hasay (2:25:20), Kellyn Taylor (2:26:27), Molly Huddle (2:26:33), Aliphine Tuliamuk (2:26:50), Des Linden (2:27:00), Nell Rojas (2:28:06), Roberta Groner (2:29:09), and Lindsay Flanagan (2:30:07/9th place at Boston). Those athletes lose the relative advantage of having a qualifying mark in advance of the race.

But, for most of the 181 men and 340 women who have qualified, according to a tally done by MarathonGuide.com, this announcement will be good news. Athletes can now approach the trials in the traditional way, with their focus only finish place and not on time. That's particularly important considering the difficulty of the Atlanta course which has a number of challenging hills.

"Hilly is an understatement," said Brogan Austin who won the men's division of an 8-mile test event held on part of the course last March. "I definitely have a new respect for this marathon. I only ran eight miles. I can't imagine doing four times that distance."

Amy Cragg, the winner of the 2016 Trials in Los Angeles, agreed. "It's going to be really, really tough," she told Race Results Weekly after winning the women's division of the test event last March. "We're going to send a good women's team, a really good women's team (to Tokyo). If you can get through this course, you're going to be ready."

Ethiopian quartet have set their sights on breaking the recent Kenyan dominance at the BMW Berlin-Marathon

Guye Adola, who finished second in an unofficial world record debut two years ago in Berlin, as well as Leul Gebrselassie, Sisay Lemma and Birhanu Legese all possess the potential to win the BMWBerlin-Marathon.

Gebrselassie, Lemma and Legese have each triumphed over the marathon distance in the past ten months, running top-class times and all have personal bests in the region of 2:04.

“We expect a men’s race with top performances. There’s not much likelihood of a world record attempt but the times are likely to be very fast. In addition, the battle for victory could be a thrilling one that may well last until the final few kilometres,” said the race director Mark Milde, who is still recruiting more top performers.

In the past ten years Ethiopian runners have only won the men’s title in Berlin on two occasions. Haile Gebrselassie won in 2009 and Kenenisa Bekele in 2016. Otherwise Kenyans have dominated, breaking the world record four times. The most recent occasion was last year when Eliud Kipchoge ran a sensational 2:01:39 but he will not be running this year.

Birhanu Legese is the one runner among the Ethiopian quartet who has won an Abbott World Marathon Majors race this year. The 24-year-old took the title in Tokyo in March with 2:04:48 in only the third marathon of his career. In 2018 he made a spectacular debut with 2:04:15 in Dubai which put him straightaway among the marathon world-class. Even so, his time was only good enough for sixth in an extraordinarily fast race. Legese has already won one big race in Berlin, emerging as the surprise winner of the city’s Half Marathon with 59:45 in 2015.

Two more of the quartet for Berlin on September 29 were in action in Dubai 2018 and ran their personal bests there: Leul Gebrselassie and Sisay Lemma. Gebrselassie is not related to the former marathon world record holder and multiple Berlin winner Haile, but has strong credentials of his own, finishing runner-up in 2:04:02 in the race in the United Arab Emirates 18 months ago. In December the 25-year-old confirmed his ability in setting a course record of 2:04:31 to win the Valencia Marathon. In April this year he finished eighth in London’s traditionally highly competitive field.

Sisay Lemma improved his best by a big margin to 2:04:08 to finish fifth in Dubai in 2018. At the end of last October the 28-year-old produced another fine performance to break the course record in Ljubljana with 2:04:58. Three years ago he was fourth in the BMW Berlin-Marathon with 2:06:56. He marked 2015 with victories in Vienna and Frankfurt marathons.

Guye Adola has every reason to have fond memories of Berlin on his return to the race. Two years ago the 28-year-old ran an unofficial world record debut to finish second in 2:03:46 – official world records for marathon debuts are not given. He even managed to put a superstar such as Eliud Kipchoge under pressure, leading until just before 40k from the Kenyan. Since that debut the Half Marathon World Championship bronze medallist in 2014 has struggled with injuries but Adola intends to put all that behind him at the BMW Berlin-Marathon this year.

Taking care of your feet is one of the most important things a runner can do

Here are some preventative measures you can take to prevent swelling in your feet as you rack up the miles.

Finding the correct form for your body while running is very important for keeping your run as low impact as possible. There is much debate about what type of strike on the ground is best for your foot and body when you run, but a lot of the conversation has resided on the agreement that it depends on your gait and body type what will work best for you.

If you are a beginner start out with an easy pace until your body becomes more used to the regular motion can help you to control the impact of your run on your body. Practicing different form techniques to see what feels best for your feet and body can help you learn what foot strike causes the least amount of discomfort for you during and after your run.

Wearing proper shoes is very important.  Make sure they fit your foot correctly. There are many types of running shoes out there that are suitable for varying needs. Going to a running shoe store and having a representative assess your gait and foot strike as you run can help to determine what the best shoe for you.

Finding footwear that is breathable and allows for your feet to remain cool as you run can help prevent foot swelling as well. 

Staying hydrated is without question one of the most important things you can do for all of your bodily functions. Our bodies are mostly made of water, and dehydration can occur easily when we’re spending our days sweating it out on a run. The average person needs anywhere from 2 to 2.5 liters of water daily, and if you’re an avid runner, chances are you need more.

Maintaining a balanced diet is essential to healthy living. As a runner, your food is your fuel, and keeping your energy up is important. If you are exhausted, so is your body, and so are your feet. Eating food that is low in sodium can help you to reduce swelling and bloating in your body overall. This includes your feet, which are the furthest point from your heart and need good circulation to stay happy and healthy.

Sodium rich foods are usually processed, and the salt is sneakily hidden amongst the ingredients in the nutrition facts section. Staying away from processed food will help keep your sodium intake low. Try snacking on nuts, fruits, and vegetables instead of grabbing a bag of chips and you’ll notice a difference in how your feet respond to your run.

Your feet have muscles groups like the rest of your body, and they must be properly strengthened to prevent injury and swelling. Using resistance bands or doing toe raises can strengthen weak feet, making them more resistant to the impact of your foot strike when running. Strengthening your feet will also help you improve your gait.

Rest is also important. Marathon running is something a lot of runners enjoy, some like to jog only, or participate in trail running through parks and mountainous areas. No matter where it is you like to run, making sure to take the time to rest your body can help prevent swelling and other complications from running.

Massaging your feet or foot soaks with Epsom salts are excellent ways to care for your feet. Taking the time to raise your legs after you run for 15 to 20 minutes can help improve circulation after a run, helping to prevent or reduce any swelling that might set in after a day of pounding the pavement.

Dathan Ritzenhein won the 2019 Humana Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon

Nearly 13,000 registered runners from age 12 to 81 took to the streets of the Windy City this weekend to participate in the 11th running of the Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago Half Marathon.

With a renewed focus on the core pillars of great music in a community environment, runners of all athletic levels enjoyed the sights and sounds of Chicago.

The best-in-class running event kicked off on Sunday morning. The half marathon and 10K hosted runners from all 50 states and 38 countries taking off on a tour of Chicago. Both courses started in Grant Park taking runners on a scenic tour of downtown Chicago with epic views of the Chicago skyline, Lake Michigan, Chicago River and more. 

In the half marathon, Dathan Ritzenhein (Grand Rapids, Michigan) won the race with his first-place effort clocking a time of 1:04:27.

Colin Mickow (Naperville, Illinois) was second with a time of 1:05:22. Noah Corbett (Columbus, Ohio) followed in third place finishing in 1:11:03.

Kaylee Flanagan (Louisville, Illinois) was the women’s champion with a final time of 1:18:14 with Elizabeth Northern (Fort Worth, Texas) with a time of 1:21:44 and Kelley Gallagher (Buffalo Grove, Illinois) rounded out the podium in 1:24:02. In the 10K, Ryan Duffy (Chicago, Illinois) won the race with his first-place effort time of 37:11, Lucas Creek (Mapleton, Illinois) finished second at 37:19 and Scott Kandelman (Chicago, Illinois) finished third at 38:05.

Margarita Masias Guineo (Temuco, Chile) finished first for the females at 39:20, Marissa Lovell (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) at 42:25 and Allison Lampert (Indianapolis, Indiana) finished with a time of 42:33. Due to the continued excessive heat warnings which had been issued in the Chicago area over the past week and athlete safety being paramount, race officials made the decision to cancel Saturday’s 5K race which was a part of the Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago Half Marathon event weekend.

Eight life lessons from one of America's best marathoners - Shalane Flanagan on How to Achieve Peak Performance

In 2017, on November 5, I watched the end of the New York City Marathon on television. I got chills as Shalane Flanagan crossed the finish line, becoming the first American woman to win the race in 40 years. I could only imagine the years of dedication, passion, and resolve behind that extraordinary moment.

(Editor Note - Shalane almost did not run the 2018 New York City Marathon because of pain in her patella tendons.  But she was glad she did run placing third.  Since then she has had surgery and her recovery is coming along well.  Brad spoke with Shalane in 2018 and her advice then is still very timely.)

Trust Your Training

“In the 24 hours prior to the New York race, I had a general calmness about me. I was equipped with fitness and a level of training I’d never achieved before. I didn’t feel worried because I knew deep down inside how prepared I was. I’ve always tried to get so fit that I can’t make a bad decision in my racing because my fitness literally won’t allow me to—it will just carry me. I guess what I’m saying is that the more confident you are in your training, the less nervous you’ll be on race day.”

Motivation Is Contagious

“My job is enhanced 100 percent if I’m surrounded by other like-minded athletes who are going to challenge me and hold me accountable to my goals. My teammates inspire me, and I thrive off their energy. I can literally look to my right and left and say to myself, ‘This woman is such a badass.’ I don’t think I’d still be running if not for my training partners. These women support me through both highs and lows.”

Age Is Only a Number

“Even though I’m 36, I decided to come back after New York because I finally felt the accumulation of all the work I’d put in over the past two-plus decades paying off. It’s like I was finally getting to the good stuff, coming around to the type of endurance runner I’d always wanted to be. I feel like I have more to give, and I’m excited by that. I’m in a major competition with myself. I want to explore my limits, to see what I’m fully capable of—and I think I still have a few special performances in me.”

Drive from Within

“When I was a kid, running gave me something to be good at, to build confidence and fit in. I liked the attention that came along with it. However, that’s not at all why I run now. I feel confident in who I am, and I run because I love it and want to pursue self-mastery.”

Skip the Diet

“People think eating healthy is bland and boring, but I want to crush that notion. You can eat exceptionally well, and it can be awesome and enhance your life. There is lots of disordered eating with young women. I want to show that, yes, you should try to eat very healthy, but you also need fat and you should derive enjoyment from great-tasting food. I’m not about diets or counting calories or measuring nutrients. That’s too obsessive.”

Don’t Overcomplicate Recovery

“Recovery, to me, means sleeping and eating well. If I’m not feeling recovered, I’ll sleep and eat more, and that usually does the trick. Maybe I’ll get a massage, but that’s it. I don’t use any fancy gadgets or anything like that.”

Go All In

“I like to go all in on one extreme for a period of time and then shift to another extreme. For me, this means going all in on running, and then taking a vacation where I go all in on things like family and other pursuits. It’s too hard—physically and mentally—to try to do everything at once.”

Have an Outlet

“Though I just said I like to go all in, I do think it’s important for all serious athletes to have a nonathletic outlet, too. For me, that’s cooking, which is like my therapy. It calms and relaxes me. I was an art major in school, so perhaps cooking is how I express that.”

Australian Sinead Diver says Never let others decide your fate

I was very sporty as a kid, but never dreamed I’d run at an Olympics for Australia. For a start, I’m Irish, and when I first came here it was on a one-year working-holiday visa in 2002.

I stumbled into running nine years ago, aged 33. And now, after a seventh placing in the London marathon, I’ve run a qualifying time for the Australian team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

I’m from a small town on the west coast of Ireland called Belmullet. At my local primary school, the focus was on academics. Sports just didn’t feature. However, outside of school I was very active.

I grew up on the coast and, although we didn’t have any organised sports in our town, I was constantly running around, cycling, swimming, climbing cliffs or playing soccer and basketball with friends.

Unfortunately, the secondary school I attended had the same outlook. Academics was the focus and sports were seen as something you did in your spare time.

The school was run by nuns and they discouraged girls from being involved in sports. We were, however, allowed to play basketball at lunchtime, so that became my passion for the next few years.

I studied PE and Irish Teaching at university. I was surrounded by so many sports but, at 17, the expectation was that you should already have discovered your sport.

There was very little opportunity to try other sports, as you were expected to be at a certain level already. The irony of this (given the age I started athletics) doesn’t evade me!

So my college years were spent socialising, partying, trying to make the basketball team (I was never really that good) and a little bit of study thrown in. It was fun and I made a lot of close friends but unfortunately athletics never featured.

I was vaguely aware of Sonia O’Sullivan, as I’d seen her race on TV a few times, but I had no appreciation of how phenomenal she really was.

Not being in the sport, her times meant nothing to me. I only realised after I started running how fast she actually was. One of Ireland’s finest ever athletes, who I am now lucky enough to call a friend and mentor.

After I completed my degree I went on to do a post-graduate in computing, as I wasn’t sure I wanted to be a teacher, and I’ve worked in IT ever since. 

I can understand how, after a long career in athletics, someone might lose that motivation especially after having achieved their goals.

There are so many parts of your life that are put on hold when training as an athlete. It can be a tough grind and there comes a time when athletics needs to take a back seat and the rest of your life continues.

I guess I’ve kind of done things in reverse, so I’m still 100 per cent motivated and absolutely loving it!

My age isn’t an issue with people I train with. That’s one of the reasons I love training with them. It just isn’t a factor.

They’re all a lot younger than me but they show me the same respect as anyone else in the group.

The 2019 Yuengling Shamrock Marathon Weekend generated a total impact of over $21 million for the local Virginia Beach economy

The 2019 Yuengling Shamrock Marathon Weekend was hosted in Virginia Beach on March 15-17. The Yuengling Shamrock Marathon, Anthem Shamrock ½ Marathon, TowneBank Shamrock 8K, and Operation Smile Shamrock Final Mile welcomed participants from all 50 states and multiple countries.

In total, there were over 45,000 runners, walkers and spectators that took part in the festivities.

“Events such as the Shamrock Marathon Weekend drive visitation to Virginia Beach during our shoulder season and boosts the local economy considerably while raising awareness that Virginia Beach is a year-round destination with many activities and experiences to enjoy,” said Brad Van Dommelen, Director of the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The economic study conducted by San Diego State University also determined that the event created over 14,000 total hotel room nights. It also generated $800,000 in taxes and fees and contributed $150,000 for its charity partners.

“Absolutely hands down the best race weekend ever! From the start til the after party, well organized! Our group of 20 will definitely be back,” said a 2019 participant.

The Yuengling Shamrock Marathon Weekend returns for its 48th running on March 20-22, 2020

Margaret Kuras of Vanuatu wins half-marathon in socks, no shoes

Margaret Kuras, 20, of Vanuatu, a nation of Pacific islands between Australia’s eastern coast and Fiji, won the XVI Pacific Games half-marathon yesterday wearing white athletic socks without shoes. Her time was 1:29:55.

According to the Pacific Games News Service, she had won all the distance events in Vanuatu in bare feet before competing at the Games, which were held in Samoa. Kuras finished 15 seconds ahead of Dianah Matekali and Sharon Firisua of the Solomon Islands, in second (1:30:10) and third place (1:32:36).

It seems Kuras felt some pressure to wear footwear for the race, but donning socks was as far as she was prepared to go. “Wearing socks is a personal decision that I made because I had never run with shoes on before, so I didn’t feel comfortable running in shoes at these Games,” she told the news service. “When I tried the shoes on, my feet felt too heavy and I didn’t like it.

“I was nervous to run without shoes on, because I could see everyone else with shoes on, but I knew that wearing shoes was not an option for me if I wanted to win, so I chose to run with socks on instead. I know there are a lot of young people back home who have never run with shoes on, just like me.

“I would like to tell them that shoes and other gear are only there to help us be more comfortable when running, but they are not the reason why we win. Our talent, determination and hard work are the reason why we win.

“So I would like to encourage them not to be afraid to expose their talents so they can have the same opportunities that I was given.”

Kuras said her brother Sam, who was also running the half-marathon, slowed down to run with her and encourage her in the final metres of the race, for which she expressed gratitude. (No word on whether Sam was wearing running shoes.)

Kuras also won silver in the women’s 10,000m on Thursday.

How high-tempo training with elite Ethiopians helped Briton Tom Evans to place third at the Western States 100 this year

Tom Evans spent two months in Ethiopia training with elite marathon runners to prepare for this year’s Western States 100 mile ultra marathon. The training paid dividends as he finished third with the fastest ever time by a non-American runner of 14 hours, 59 minutes and 44 seconds.

“The slowest runner [in the Ethiopian running group], except for me, was a 2:08 marathoner,” the Briton said. “That made it very interesting. Their tempo runs were on dirt tracks with rolling hills, so were perfect for Western States.”

“They would run until they dropped and we were being followed by a car so they’d be picked up,” Evans said. “At first, because of the altitude, I was the first to drop out but I began to get used to the elevation.”

WSER100 is one of the most prestigious 100 mile races in the world. It takes place in California, starting at altitude before descending into deep, hot canyons. Jim Walmsley won this year’s race in a record 14:09:28.

The brutal tempo sessions in Ethiopia were fuelled by fierce rivalries, with runners motivated by the hope of being picked up by foreign agents and given the opportunity to race and earn money abroad.

“It’s almost becomes survival of the fittest,” Evans said.

The “sag wagon” that accompanied the runners was always a tempting respite from the sessions.

“You can drop out when ever you want,” he said. “So, it’s about how much you want it. It was really good mental strength training as they were always going fast and furious.”

Being in a new environment forced the former soldier to be more flexible in his attitude to training.

“You had no idea what was going to happen. I had kids throw rocks at me one day,” he said. “It was such a culture shock. I just had to deal with what was ahead of me day by day.”

Evans said he had learned from them the importance of strong contrasts between hard and easy sessions.

He felt not all of the training was relevant to his competition goals. The other athletes in the group were all preparing for marathons or half marathons, so their longest run was just two hours. Evans would sometimes head out for eight hours at a time.

“They thought I was absolutely mental,” he said. “They couldn’t get over how much volume I was doing. But they were fascinated. They really respected what I was doing.”

There were no coaches on hand to force runners on to the track or trail, but the total immersion experience meant they were not necessary.

“I became so attuned to my body. I was making decisions to drop out of sessions all based on feel,” he said.

Evans, who has won the CCC event at the Ultra Marathon du Mont Blanc (UTMB) week, could feel the effects of his training when he ran WSER100.

“I just felt so much more efficient,” he said. “So, at the end, I was still able to run hard.”

“For me, coming third in my first 100 miler was a best-case scenario,” Evans said. “I knew it was possible, I just didn’t know if it was probable.”

For now, Evans is going back to shorter races of about 50km to 100km, but he said the experience had “lit a fire” in him. 

“I definitely want to come back and see if I can improve my place, if not my time.”

Time for Runners to Reconsider Glucosamine?

A new study shows the inflammation-reducing supplement might benefit the heart as well as joints.

Many runners have used glucosamine and/or chondroitin supplements for decades, hoping to avoid or alleviate knee pain and other arthritis symptoms. Many stopped about 10 years ago when studies cast doubt on its effectiveness. Now a new study has determined that glucosamine sulfate may lower risk of heart disease and stroke by 15 percent or more.

Does that make glucosamine a two-fer? It’s too soon to know for sure. But what runner doesn’t want stronger joints and a more resilient heart? The two form the very foundation of any successful training and racing program. You need both.

The new heart study, published in the British Medical Journal, was conducted with British citizens enrolled in that country’s impressive U.K. Biobank database, which is being used in more and more health studies. Biobank allows epidemiologists to take a deep dive into data from a large number of subjects, and also to “slice and dice” groups while controlling for potentially confounding factors.

As Tulane University obesity researcher Lu Qi notes: “Biobank is one of the largest cohorts with sufficient power to perform analysis on the relation between glucosamine and disease outcomes.” Qi was senior author of the new report looking into cardiovascular issues.

His paper looked at nearly 500,000 healthy adults who were followed for an average of seven years. During that time, those who took a glucosamine sulfate supplement were 15 percent less likely to have a heart attack or stroke than those who did not. Risk of fatal heart attack or stroke dropped by 22 percent.

Why? That’s not known for sure. However, Li speculates that it could be related to glucosamine sulfate’s anti-inflammation properties. Chronic inflammation contributes to arthritis, and many heart experts now believe it’s an important factor in cardiovascular disease as well. “Previous studies have suggested that glucosamine may affect inflammation status,” notes Li. “Of course, the evidence is preliminary and needs to be verified by more studies.”

Runner enthusiasm for glucosamine may have cooled since 2006–2010 when a series of papers based on GAIT (“Glucosamine condroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial”) found no convincing evidence for a lessening of arthritis pain. While the GAIT results produced no significant reduction from arthritis pain in the entire subject group, a subgroup with moderate to severe pain did gain a statistically significant degree of pain reduction. These subjects with more pain might be analogous to runners who subject their joints to heavy pounding week after week.

More recent Japanese studies continue to support glucosamine for joint health. A group from Tokyo’s Juntendo School of Medicine has been investigating glucosamine sulfate (alone, without chondroitin) in college athletes. One experiment followed 41 soccer players, half taking glucosamine sulfate, half a placebo.

After 12 weeks, the researchers compared the collagen health of the players. Those taking glucosamine exhibited no “type II collagen degradation” such as that often seen among endurance athletes. The authors concluded: “This confirms that glucosamine exerts a protective action on cartilage metabolism in endurance athletes.” Collagen is a fibrous, flexible protein that adds structure and strength to the joints.

Sure, soccer ain’t running. But it bears similarities, and forces the knees to stop and go, and torque, much more than running.

At any rate, it’s probably glucosamine’s safety profile that has made it so attractive to so many runners through the years. There seems little risk in trying glucosamine sulfate—at 1500mg to 2000mg a day—when your joints begin to protest your running program. (Several studies indicate it might take three months or so to feel the results.) And if glucosamine lowers chronic inflammation and makes your heart stronger, too, what’s not to like about that?

Russian track and field athletes are still the most tested for doping

Russian track and field athletes were the most tested for banned performance enhancing drugs in the first six months of this year compared to other sports, the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) said in a report on Wednesday.

The report states that in the period between January and June included, a total number of 675 Russian track and field athletes underwent doping tests.

Russian track and field athletes remain to be in a particular focus of RUSADA since the All-Russia Athletics Federation (RusAF) is still trying to reinstate its membership status with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

According to RUSADA, Russian champion in 800m running Sergei Dubrovsky is the most tested athlete for doping in the country based on the results of doping tests of the first half of the year, according to which the 24-year-old runner underwent nine doping tests procedures within the stated period. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) still has not granted Dubrovsky a neutral status that allows one to participate in international events. 

The world’s governing body of track and field athletics suspended RusAF’s membership in late 2015 following a wave of anti-doping rules violations and put forward a host of criteria, which the Russian ruling body of track and field sports was obliged to implement in order to restore its membership in the global federation.

The IAAF, however, permitted clean athletes from Russia to participate in international tournaments under the neutral status of Authorized Neutral Athlete (ANA) until the membership of the RusAF was reinstated. IAAF’s previously issued neutral-status permissions for Russian athletes expired on December 31, 2018.

On December 18, 2018, the IAAF Doping Review Board approved an updated version of the Guidance Note for Authorized Neutral Athlete (ANA) status applications and sent the document to the RusAF.

The RusAF started accepting neutral status applications from the country's track and field athletes on December 19, 2018. The world’s governing athletics body has already granted neutral-status permits to 118 Russian track and field athletes.

Plenty of runners are qualifying for the 2020 Boston Marathon even though the time standards are five minutes faster across all age groups

Even With Tougher Standards, Plenty Of People Are Qualifying For Boston That makes it likely that not every applicant for the 2020 race will be accepted into the marathon during the annual September registration period.

Instead, runners will be facing what’s become an annual rite: guessing the “cutoff” time—how much faster than their qualifying times they had to be in order to gain entry into the race, because the race field is filled by the fastest runners first.

Last year’s cutoff was 4 minutes and 52 seconds. In all, 7,384 people who qualified were unable to get into the race.

For the past six years, as interest in qualifying for Boston has skyrocketed, not everyone who has qualified for the race has gotten in. The race accepts only about 24,000 time qualifiers. (Another 6,000 run for a charity or have another connection into the race that doesn’t require a qualifying time.) Tom Grilk, the BAA’s chief executive officer, told Runner’s World in February that the field size is unlikely to change soon and would require the cooperation of the eight cities and towns that the race passes through on its way from Hopkinton to Boston.

Race organizers had hoped that by tightening the qualifying times, fewer runners would be in the frustrating position of hitting the time needed for their age and gender but not gaining entry to the race.

“We adjusted the times last year, because we wanted to respond to runners and put more stringent qualifying times in effect for 2020, rather than wait longer and have even more runners achieve the standard but then be unable to be accepted due to field size limitations in 2020 and 2021,” a BAA spokesperson wrote in an email to Runner’s World.

Instead, the stricter time standards seem to have motivated potential Boston runners to train better and race faster. Some of the bigger qualifying races in the first half of 2019 have produced nearly the same number of qualifiers as they produced in 2018. Here’s a look at how some of the biggest feeder races into the Boston field have played out.

At the Boston Marathon this year, which every year qualifies the greatest number of people for the following year’s race, 8,883 bettered the time they needed for the 2020 race, according to data the BAA gave to Runner’s World. Last year, 9,254 hit the standard at Boston for the 2019 event. The decline is less than 4 percent.

Japanese Nozomi Tanaka missed the national record by miscounting her laps just misses national 3,000m record less than four seconds

This track season has seen a strange amount of mishaps. It started with Hagos Gebrhiwet miscounting his laps at the Lausanne 5,000m and was followed by Jonathan Jones missing the false start at the Monaco 400m and finishing the race.

The latest is from Japanese runner Nozomi Tanaka, who miscounted the laps in her national 3,000m record attempt on Wednesday. Japan Running News reported that with 800m to go (two laps) Tanaka broke away and opened up a sizable lead.

The runner said post-race, “It’s kind of embarrassing, but I lost count of the laps and thought I was on the last lap when I kicked. I didn’t have anything left after that.”

Tanaka finished in 8:48.38, under four seconds off of the national record of 8:44.40 set in 2002.

Jenny Simpson, one of the all-time greatest American runners, made a similar mistake in 2014 when she miscounted the laps in an indoor 2-mile, but still managed to come close to breaking the American record in the event.

World Championship finalist Lopez Lomong also fell victim to the lap miscount in 2012 at Payton Jordan, when he kicked too early but still held on to take the win in 13:11 over 5,000m.

Long Distance Legends Michael Wardian and Dean Karnazes are set for the inaugural MCM50K

The MCM50K is the first of its kind, an urban ultra in Arlington, Virginia and the nation's capital with all the same on-course benefits of a marathon. Event registration sold out in under one hour, attracting enthusiastic runners from all over the US and big names in running. When the runners cross the MCM50K finish line, it will make the event the largest ultra in the United States by nearly double the current record.

“More and more people are looking for what’s next after they’ve run a marathon, and I think this is it,” shares Wardian.

Wardian is hoping to add the MCM50K top finish to his already impressive resume, which includes finishing over 400 marathons and ultras with dozens of top finishes, three 50K and one 100K titles from US Track and Field championships. Wardian is known for outlandish running feats and being a positive character in the running community, most recently running the entire 90-mile Capital Beltway.

“It's an opportunity to put myself out there, have a great experience, get a chance to see even more of beautiful Washington DC, but also to try to get on the podium.” With over a dozen MCM finishes, Wardian hopes this is his time to grasp the lead sharing, “I’m super excited. The Marine Corps Marathon was my first big city marathon I ever did in my life and it’s been a really important part of my career. This is my opportunity to have another chance to win the event, especially with inaugural 50K, a distance I’m quite comfortable with.”

As a northern Virginia native, Wardian hopes to pull from his hometown advantage. “I have a lot of friends and fans who are going to be taking part in the event with me and family that'll be out on the course supporting.”

Standing next to Wardian at the start line will be friend and competitor, Dean Karnazes. “Dean and I have worked and traveled together for nearly a decade. I’m looking forward to hanging out and experiencing this together,” offers Wardian. “I’m sure he’ll be inspiring people to get out there and put their best foot forward.”

Karnazes is known for being a New York Times bestselling author, named one of TIME magazine’s “Top 100 Most Influential People in the World,” one of the fittest men on the planet according to Men's Fitness, and for accruing a wild list of incredible running accomplishments including running 50 marathons in all 50 states in 50 consecutive days.

“The two of us have a really interesting and very close relationship. It’ll be great to see him on the start line,” shares Karnazes. “Mike and I gravitate towards the same type of events, and from a competitive standpoint it’s unbelievable what he’s accomplished.”

Runners will get to interact with Karnazes during the ultra event. He looks forward to enjoying the ultra at a comfortable pace, taking in the inaugural event and connecting with his fellow runners. On the eve of the MCM50K, runners will have a special opportunity to interact with Karnazes and hear motivation from him at the Carbo Dining In. 

Runners will get the chance to interact with Wardian and Karnazes at the MCM50K start line and during their 30+ mile journey. Running an inaugural event is special, and running alongside a few of running idols makes it unforgettable.

An ultramarathoner won the Badwater 135 race through Death Valley, then proposed. (She said yes.)

Moments after he finished the 135-mile run from Death Valley to Mount Whitney, setting a record in the Badwater 135 race, Japanese ultra runner Yoshihiko Ishikawa dropped to one knee. The reason wasn’t fatigue or relief over the accomplishment. He was asking his girlfriend to marry him.

Ishikawa finished the race Tuesday in 21 hours 33 minutes 1 second, breaking Pete Kostelnick’s 21:56:32 mark, set in 2016.

The Badwater race, one of the most prestigious and grueling ultras, started Monday at Badwater Basin in Death Valley, the lowest elevation in North America, and ended at Whitney Portal, the trailhead to the summit of Mount Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous United States.

The race covers three mountain ranges, with 14,600 feet of cumulative vertical ascent and 6,100 of cumulative descent, according to its website. An ultra is anything longer than the traditional 26.2-mile marathon.

After Ishikawa’s memorable finish and proposal (she said yes), there were plenty of tears.

Last year, Ishikawa, a 31-year-old engineer, won the Spartathlon, tracing the 153-mile route that Pheidippides ran before the battle of Marathon, in 22:54:40.

Patrycja Bereznowska of Poland was the women’s Badwater winner (and second to Ishikawa overall) with a time of 24:13:24 that was more than 90 minutes faster than the record set by Alyson Venti three years ago. Bereznowska also won the Spartathlon, in 2017.

German Katharina Steinruck will return to run the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on October

For the 29-year-old her marathon comeback after an operation on her heel is the chance to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. The qualifying time is 2:29:30.

The organisers of the Frankfurt Marathon expect up to 14,000 runners to take part in the race, and places are still available.

Katharina Steinruck – still better known to many under her maiden name Katharina Heinig – is the first prominent female runner to be signed up for this year’s Mainova Frankfurt Marathon.

“We are very pleased that Katharina has decided to run in the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon again and we will offer her the best possible conditions to run an Olympic qualifying time,” says race director Jo Schindler.

“I am happy that we can present a top German runner who is also a local champion. Many Frankfurt citizens will identify with her, as she lives and works here in the city,” he adds.

“It is always something special to be able to run the marathon in your home town,” says Katharina Steinruck, who belongs to the police sports team of the state of Hessen. “I have lived in Frankfurt for 15 years and of course I have many friends and colleagues here who will come to cheer me on. I am already looking forward to the awesome atmosphere.”

In the previous two years Katharina Steinruck made a strong showing and achieved time of slightly under 2:30. In 2017 she unexpectedly became German women’s champion in 2:29:29 and came eighth. Despite a short training time after starting the Euro championship in August, in 2018 she reached the finish line in the Frankfurt Festhalle in 2:29:55.

After an operation on her heel last November Steinruck returned to running to win the 7.9km city run in Aschaffenburg in May. Looking forward she is now preparing for the race in her home town on 27 October. Currently she is training in the pre-Alpine Allgäu region of Bavaria.

Victoria Ferreira will run the Napa-Sonoma Half Marathon to honor her Mom

For Cupertino's Victoria Ferreira, entering the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon on Sunday is more about the mental than the physical. Sure, it takes much athleticism to complete 13 miles at a runner's pace.

But Ferreira expects to be moved by a higher power — the love and inspiration of her mother, Carmen Ferreira, who died of endometrial cancer last December at the age of 64.

After all, the matriarch named her daughter Victoria because it stands for victory. It must have been a sign. Ferreira is also running for the American Cancer Society Team DetermiNation.

Ferreira, 31, moved from her home and left her NetFlix job last October to spend time with her mother at her parents' home in Miami — with her husband, two dogs, her brother, sister-in-law and their baby, along with her father's dog, cat and bird. It was quite the household.

She started running to relieve stress.

"I dove back into running, and it helped me through the most difficult thing my family has ever gone through," she told Patch. "You always live for that hope. My mom was my best friend."

Ferreira admitted running was an outlet that helped her escape the harsh reality of the demise of someone she loved so much.

"It's funny how I came upon the race," she said. "I'm running for her. So many people loved and cherished her."

When she runs, she imagines her mother flying over her and giving her wings.

Ferreira registered for the Napa to Sonoma race almost by accident. She had already committed to a July 28 half-marathon in San Francisco. Moved with the running spirit, she surfed the Internet, looking for another 13.1-miler. She came across the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon, which winds through vineyards and unfolds in the beautiful scenic countryside.

But the race was sold out.

The only way to earn an entry was to raise money for a charity. Ferreira saw that one of the charities was the American Cancer Society.

"Yes," she said at the time. "I want to do it for them."

Six runners clocked a sub 27 minute 10000 with Hagos Gebrhiwet leading the way with 26:48.95

Twelve days after his lap-counting error in the 5000m at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, Hagos Gebrhiwet made no mistakes in Hengelo on Wednesday (17), winning the men’s 10,000m in a world-leading 26:48.95.

The races doubled as the official Ethiopian trial races for the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019. And, based on tonight's results, Ethiopia will field two strong trios for the men's and women's 10,000m in Doha.

In a race of staggering quality – the best ever in terms of depth for one nation – the top six men finished inside 27 minutes with the first three finishing inside 26:50.

The women’s 10,000m, won by Letesenbet Gidey, was of a similarly high standard with the first 10 women – nine of whom are from Ethiopia – finishing inside 31:00.

On a still night with temperatures around 19C (66F), the men’s race set off at a steady pace with the first 2000m covered in 5:25 and 3000m reached in 8:07. The large lead pack of about 14 men was strung out but all appeared to be running comfortably.

After passing through half way in 13:31 – just outside 27-minute pace for the full distance – Kenya’s Vincent Kiprotich Kibet moved into the lead, tracked by Ethiopia’s Andamlak Belihu, Guye Adola and Abadi Hadis.

Belihu and Kiprotich were still at the front through 6000m while Yomif Kejelcha was positioned near the back of the lead pack. Hadis then took a turn at the front and, followed by Jemal Yimer Mekonnen, pushed the pace.

Eight men remained in the leading pack with 2000m remaining as Hadis still led while Kejelcha was still ominously biding his time. Selemon Barega and Gebrhiwet moved closer to Hadis with three laps to go, then Belihu hit the front of the pack – now down to six men – with 800 metres remaining.

Kejelcha finally made his move at the bell and started his 400-metre kick for home. Barega and Gebrhiwet went with him and moved past him with half a lap remaining. Barega and Gebrhiwet kicked hard down the final straight but Gebrhiwet proved to be the stronger in the closing stages, winning in 26:48.95.

Barega, competing in just his second 10,000m race, finished second in 26:49.46, moving to second on the world U20 all-time list. Kejelcha was third in 26:49.99, the second-fastest debut 10,000m in history behind Eliud Kipchoge’s 26:49.02.

Belihu (26:53.15), Mekonnen (26:54.39) and Hadis (26:56.46) were next to finish. In ninth place, Julien Wanders broke his own Swiss record with 27:17.29, moving to seventh on the European all-time list.

Like the top finishers in the men’s race, Gidey bided her time in the women’s contest before making a move in the final kilometre.

World half marathon champion Netsanet Gudeta and 2015 world 5000m silver medallist Senbere Teferi did most of the leading, taking the field through 3000m in 9:18 before reaching half way in 15:30.69.

Twelve women were still in the lead pack at that point. It was only with 10 laps to go that Commonwealth champion Stella Chesang of Uganda drifted off the back of the pack, leaving 11 women to contend for top honours.

Gudeta still led with four laps remaining but Gidey was starting to make her way through the field, which was now operating at sub-31-minute pace.

Gidey then struck with 1000 metres remaining, immediately breaking up the pack. Gudeta was the only woman capable of sticking with the two-time world U20 cross-country champion and within the space of a lap they had opened up a gap of about 15 metres on the rest of the field.

Still together at the bell, Gidey’s superior speed enabled her to pull away from her compatriot over the final 300 metres and she went on to win in a lifetime best of 30:37.89. Gudeta followed three seconds later in 30:40.85.

Teferi was third in 30:45.14 with Zeineba Yimer taking fourth place in 30:46.24. World cross-country silver medallist Dera Dida (30:51.86) and Tsehay Gemechu (30:53.11), the 10km world leader on the roads, followed in fifth and sixth respectively.

In eighth place, Girmawit Gebrzihair broke the Ethiopian U20 record with 30:53.53. Tsigie Gebreselama, ninth in 30:57.54, also finished inside the previous Ethiopian U20 record which had stood since 2000.

In other events, the previously unheralded Lemecha Girma made a huge breakthrough to win the men’s 3000m steeplechase in 8:08.18, winning by six seconds and moving to fourth on the Ethiopian all-time list. World U20 champion Diribe Welteji won the women’s 800m in 2:00.51.

Joan Benoit Samuelson Is Aiming to Go Sub-3:00 in 2020

In a stack of running resumes, Joan Benoit Samuelson’s sticks out like a neon sign. The running legend, now 62, has won Boston twice (in 1979 and 1983), became the first woman to win gold at the first women’s Olympic marathon in 1984, and set the U.S. marathon record at the time (2:21:21 at the 1985 Chicago Marathon), which still ranks as the fifth-fastest time ever run by an American woman.

What she’s done beyond her prime, however, is really what sets her apart. Last year, at age 61, Samuelson completed the Chicago Marathon with her daughter, Abby, in 3:12:13, averaging 7:20 pace per mile.

Shortly after that race, she announced an ambitious goal for 2019: finishing Boston within 40 minutes of her winning time 40 years ago, when she broke the tape in 2:35:15 in 1979. Samuelson conquered that goal with plenty of room to spare in April, finishing Boston in an even 3:04—just a few minutes shy of the 60 to 64 age group marathon world record (3:01:30 set by Bernardine Portenski in 2010).

Samuelson, who holds the marathon world record for the 55 to 59 age group (2:50:33, which she set in Boston in 2013), has been eyeing her current age group record since last year. After narrowly missing it in Boston, she recently told the Quad City Times that she’ll attempt to break 3:00 at a spring marathon next year—most likely Tokyo on March 1, 2020, or London on April 26, 2020. If she accomplishes her goal, she will be a member of an elite class of runners who have gone sub-3:00 for six decades.

[Smash your goals with a Runner’s World Training Plan, designed for any speed and any distance.]

This won’t be the first age group wall Samuelson has attempted to bust down. At age 50, she placed 90th in the 2008 Olympic Trials, running 2:49:08. Then three years later, when she was 53, she set a record for her age by clocking 2:47:50 at the 2010 Chicago Marathon.

Though Samuelson has never been one to back down from a challenge, she’s not immune to the fact that staying healthy and springing back from injuries gets tougher with age. Despite entering Chicago with lofty aspirations in 2015 and 2017, she was forced to withdraw a few days before the race both years, due to a stomach bug and a knee injury, respectfully. In Boston this year, she competed on a strained calf muscle, she told Runner’s World after the race.

In order to duck under 3:00 in the marathon next year, she’ll need to be diligent—as all runners do—about injury prevention.

“I’m up against the aging process,” Samuelson told the Quad City Times. “I just need to stay injury-free. That’s a hard thing to do these days.”

oollee says ditch plastic wáter bottles will be the oficial wáter sponsor for the Golden Gate Double 8K and Golden Gate 10k/5k August 4

Everyone has a right to clean water, no matter what you look like, how much money you make, or which political party you favor. In America, that right is enshrined in law.

oollee water purifier equips homes and businesses with a high-tech reverse osmosis device. Ditch Plastic Bottles Today!

oollee Water Provider will be the official water supplier for the fifth annual Golden Gate Double 8K, UjENA 5k and Golden Gate 10k events being held August 4 in Crissy Field across from Sports Basement in San Francisco.

oollee Water Provider located in Menlo Park, California says "Drink your water clean, fresh and free of harmful additives and impurities using oollee services.  Limitless clean water in your home every single day."

"We are excited to welcome oollee as our official water provider," says race director Bob Anderson.  oollee will also be awarding the male and female 10K winner one of their water purifier system valued at $2199 each. 

The Golden Gate 10K, UjENA 5K and DOUBLE 8K (5K+3K) courses offer unparalleled views of the Golden Gate Bridge for more than 80% of the course! The course will begin on historic Crissy Field near the Presidio in San Francisco.  Runners will enjoy the gorgeous vistas of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

These races sponsored by Sports Basement are competitive and fun events.  A special Golden Gate finishing medal will be awarded to all 10K and 5K finishers. The featured event is the Golden Gate Double 8K.  Participants will race a 5K at 8am, take a break and then race 3K at 9:15am.  Times are added together for scoring. 

"Double Racing was started in 2010 and nearly 100 events have been staged already," says creator Bob Anderson. 

"If you have not done a Double, you need to experience it," says Lisa Wall social media director for My Best Runs.  "I have run several and I really like the unique aspect of the event."

The event is almost sold out and most likely will be within the next few days. 

Kenya´s Benson Kipruto will Defend his Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Title in October

"If I can defend my Toronto Marathon title it will be very good for me and for my marathon career," he declares with a smile. He remembers well the joy his 2:07:24 performance brought him and the festivities which followed upon his return to Kenya.

"I started the celebration at the (Eldoret) airport with my family, my friends and my training mates and also my coach," he recalls of the celebration which included drinking fermented milk called Mursik in the Kalenjin warriors’ tradition. "We extended the celebration to my camp. We feasted on some goats with my friends and training mates.

"This year I would like to run my personal best in Toronto. Hopefully, if the weather will be good and also, if the pacemakers do a good job, I am hoping to run maybe 2:06 and maybe try to run a course record."

Kipruto’s best is 2:07:11 set in finishing third at the 2018 Seoul Marathon and he also ran 2:07:21 at the 2017 Gongju Dong-A Marathon in Korea. With three recent 2:07 results he is clearly on the verge of another major breakthrough which could see him tackle the current Toronto course record held by his compatriot Philemon Rono (2:06:52 in 2017).

Asked what his greatest impression from last year’s five day visit to Toronto was he is quick to credit the organizers.

"The people I met, they are friendly like the first one, Alan Brookes the Race Director, he is very friendly," he reveals. "The course itself is good. And also, I think the weather that day was not so good."

Last year runners awakened to temperatures hovering near freezing point and also encountered a strong headwind coming off Lake Ontario. Still, winning this IAAF Gold Label race caught the attention of the world’s marathon running aficionados.

"I would say it opened doors to my future," Kipruto explains. "I was invited to the 2019 Boston Marathon because of Toronto. So my name has grown. (Toronto) was my first victory.

"Boston was a good performance for me; I managed to finish, first of all. I was injured during the race."

Kipruto’s feet were badly blistered during the race. But his coach Claudio Berardelli offers another explanation saying that he pushed Kipruto perhaps too much over the final three weeks of his preparation and so he was also over-trained. Ultimately, he finished a respectable 10th in 2:09:53 within two minutes of the winner Lawrence Cherono, also from Kenya.

Performing at this level has paid dividends for Kipruto. First place in Toronto earns CAD $30,000 while a course record is worth another CAD $40,000. In a country where the per capita income is less than $2,000 it is a lucrative business. He sees it as an investment for the future.

Though he was born in the village of Tolilet he recently bought some land 40 kilometres away in Kapsabet and moved his wife and one-year old daughter, who is called Princess Camille Chemutai, to the place.

Now his family is nearer to the training camp where he resides during the week and where he trains with such elite athletes as Amos Kipruto (2:05:43 personal best), Vincent Kipchumba (2:06:56), Solomon Yego (2:06:23) and Barselius Kipyego (2:07:57). He goes home on weekends.

Roy Englert, 96, added yet another world record to his collection at last week’s USATF Masters Outdoor Championships

96-year-old Roy Englert runs 42-minute 5K to shatter age-group world record, running the 5000m in 42:30.23 to shatter the existing age-group mark by nearly eight minutes at the Cyclone Sports Complex in Ames, Iowa.

The Virginia native, who already held the 95 to 99 age group records for the 800m and 1500m and is a member of the world record 4x100, 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams, broke Frank Levine’s decade-old record of 50:10.56.

The new mark is still pending approval by USATF.

According to a Run Washington profile, Englert lives at a Lake Ridge retirement community and does most of his running on a treadmill: two to three miles for three days a week, or upping the mileage if a competition is nearing.

“It’s fun. It’s not fun while you’re doing it, but it’s fun when you’re finished,” he said. “It’s hard work, actually.”

Englert, a retired attorney, credits his late-career success to not to any natural gift but dogged persistence.

“I don’t consider myself that much of an inspiration. I’m a slow runner,” he told Run Washington. “But I guess I’ve outlasted almost everybody. It gets easier to win when there’s not as much competition around.”

Registration for the 37th Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon, 10K & 5K is now open

The 37th annual event will take place on Sunday, February 2, 2020, showcasing Golden Gate Park and the Pacific Ocean while treating finishers to a lively post-race expo.  A fixture on the Bay Area running calendar, participants in all three race distances will test themselves on scenic, net-downhill courses, offering runners of all abilities the opportunity to achieve a personal best. Each year, the race donates $100,000 to four designated local charities.

Owned by the non-profit Pamakid Runners, the 2020 event will feature a one-time prize purse and course record bonus in the half marathon for elite athletes tuning up for the U.S. Marathon Trials in Atlanta, GA.  With over 30 Northern California athletes already qualified for the Marathon Trials, the race will offer an expanded elite program designed to attract a deep field of athletes seeking a fitness benchmark one month out from Atlanta.  

The prize purse will be tiered based on the number of elites entered, with the total purse doubling from $3,000 to $6,000 if more than twenty qualified elites are entered.  In addition, a $500 bonus will be offered to the first runner breaking the existing course records (Men: 1:04:08; Women: 1:15:07).

“We are thrilled to offer an opportunity for our regional elite athletes to use the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon as a target race prior to the U.S. Marathon Trials,” said Michelle La Sala of Blistering Pace Race Management, producer of the event.  

“By offering a prize purse and course record bonus, our region’s best athletes will be able to test their fitness without having to travel. We are looking forward to a deep and exciting race on February 2nd!”

"The Pamakids are excited to present the 37th Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon along with our long-time partner, Kaiser Permanente," added Pamakid Runners president Andy Chan. "Our race is positioned four weeks before the Marathon Trials, which makes it an ideal tune-up race.

It's also a great opportunity for the Bay Area running community to meet and support the elite runners who could be representing the U.S. in the 2020 Olympics."

New routes for Canada Army Run 2019

Canada Army Run presents some fantastic opportunities to see our national capital while honoring and supporting our men and women in uniform. Along with the new start/finish location at the Canadian War Museum, the race has just unveiled brand-new routes for the 5K, 10K and half-marathon. Everything happens on Sunday, September 22.

All three of the new courses travel some distance east from the Canadian War Museum on Wellington Street, past the Supreme Court of Canada and the Parliament Buildings. And all three routes cross into Gatineau, so runners get to enjoy the beauty of the National Capital region on both sides of the provincial border.

“Our new location at the Canadian War Museum is an ideal fit for our uniquely military-themed event,” says communications manager Michael Timmermans,  “and Canada Army Run has forged a partnership with the CWM which will help ensure the success of our event for the foreseeable future.”

If you’re running the 10K or the half-marathon, after passing the Chateau Laurier you’ll make a left on Sussex Drive, passing by such renowned Ottawa landmarks as the National Gallery and 24 Sussex Drive (the traditional residence of the Prime Minister and where Justin Trudeau grew up, though during his tenure as PM he and his family have been living at Rideau Cottage, on the grounds of Rideau Hall, the Governor General’s residence).

The 10K and half-marathon routes cross the Alexandra Bridge into Gatineau, Que., passing the iconic Canadian Museum of History along the way.

The half-marathon route encircles the tony Rockcliffe neighbourhood and includes the National Military Cemetery of the Canadian Forces, returning along the Sir George Etienne Parkway beside the beautiful Ottawa River.

For those who want to really push themselves, consider upping the ante with the Normandy Challenge (5K plus 10K) or the Commander’s Challenge (5K plus half-marathon). The challenges are both almost sold out, so register soon to avoid disappointment.

JUST Water cartons will replace 19,000 plastic botles at London´s Asics 10K race

Taking place this weekend, the Virgin Sport ASICS London 10K race (organized by Richard Branson’s Virgin Sport company) will be plastic-bottle free thanks to a new partnership with JUST Water—a sustainable water brand owned by father-and-son team Jaden and Will Smith.

In lieu of 19,000 plastic bottles, runners will receive cartons of JUST water at the finish line this year. During the race, all aid stations will be equipped with recyclable cups, eliminating the use of 40,000 plastic bottles.

In addition to this weekend’s race, Virgin Sport aims to eliminate all plastic bottles—approximately 500,000—from its events this year.

“JUST is incredibly proud to join efforts alongside Virgin Sport at the ASICS London 10K to reduce plastic at the event,” the water company said in a statement.

“Together, we aim to inspire and show that a small change, such as changing your bottled water to a more sustainable option, is something we all can do to create a positive impact on our planet.”

Jaden Smith was only 12 years old when he launched the brand with his father and has been a prominent advocate for providing those in need access to clean water, including in Flint, MI where he installed a JUST mobile water filtration system this year to aid with the water crisis in the region.

On his 21st birthday earlier this month, Jaden Smith debuted the first pop-up of his I Love You Restaurant on Skid Row in Los Angeles, a food truck serving vegan food to people experiencing homelessness—the first of many, according to the young activist.

Strong men´s field runners is expected for Cape Town Marathon

While Stephen Mokoka won last year’s Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in record time, the men’s top 10 was once again dominated by east Africans.

Apart from Mokoka, two other South Africans - Benedict Moeng (sixth) and Desmond Mokgobu (10th) - made the top 10.

With the race organisers expecting more international elite athletes for this year’s race taking place on September 15, it would appear the challenge for South Africans to dominate will be all the more tougher.

The organisers are hosting a ‘50 Days To Go’ Countdown event in the Mother City next Wednesday where they are set to announce "the finest elite marathon field ever assembled on African soil".

Expectations are that Mokoka will be back to defend the title he won in fantastic style. Mokoka, participating in a local event for the first time in years, lived up to his star billing when he got home in a fast time of 2:08:31.

But Mokgobu is going to miss this one out as he will be racing the Doha Marathon around that time while Moeng is likely to participate. Mokgobu’s teammate Pharson Magagane, who finished 21st last year will be back in the race.

An interesting participant this year will be Impala’s TK Moshwetsi who came to the fore during the Comrades Marathon. New to the scene, Moshwetsi surprised most when he held the lead in the ultra two and a half hours into the race and looked to be doing well and seemed strong only to stop after the halfway mark at Drummond.

According to his coach Dave Adams, Moshwetsi was never at Comrades to race or even complete it but was rather using it as preparation for the Cape Town Marathon.

No doubt this year’s race will be a hotly-contested affair what with the organisers also looking to impress the IAAF in their application to have the race upgraded from Gold Label Status to Platinum.

Mekhi Gammons (13) runs 47.86 at the 2019 AAU National Club Championships to break the world age group 400m record

Getting under 48 seconds in the 400 meters is not an extraordinary time for a professional runner but it is for a 13-year-old boy. Mekhi Gammons, an American kid born on July 26, 2005, won his AAU Club Championships race last weekend with an incredible record of 47.86.

To understand the stratospheric record of this teenager, the world record set in 2016 by South African Wayde van Niekerk is 43.03 and the best this season, run by American Michael Norman, is 43.45, so Gammons is just a little more than four seconds slower.

Gammons, runs for the team Miami Gardens Xpress Track and Field Club. 

Mekhi Gammons was very close to the U-18 world record, which since this season belongs to the American Justin Robinson with 44.84.

Amy Cragg Puts Trust in Her Team, and now she’s back training for the 2019 Chicago Marathon after 18 months away from racing 26.2-miles

Cragg, 35, is a member of the Bowerman Track Club, based in Portland, Oregon, under the direction of coach Jerry Schumacher. And now she’s back training for the 2019 Chicago Marathon on October 13, after 18 months away from racing 26.2-miles. The last time was the 2018 Tokyo Marathon, where she placed third in 2:21:41, a personal best by more than five minutes, making her the fifth-fastest U.S. woman at the distance.

In the past year, the overriding goal, Cragg said, was doing whatever was best to ultimately make the 2020 Olympic team. The Olympic Trials are set for February 29 in Atlanta, where the top three finishers who have the Olympic qualifying standard will be named to the team. Cragg still needs to achieve the Olympic standard within the specified window—either by time (2:29:30) or by placing in the top 10 in Chicago. Those are her primary goals for the October race, but as her training tells her more about her fitness in the months ahead, she’ll likely target a few more ambitious secondary goals.

“In training and everything we’re going to protect that goal of the qualifying standard for the Olympics—that’s what we’re going there to do,” she said. “But at the same time if things go well, we’ll narrow the focus of what I want to achieve on race day.”

The Chicago Marathon may serve as a good preview for the February Trials, too. Jordan Hasay, the second-fastest U.S. woman in the marathon, is also planning to compete—her personal best of 2:20:57 was set at the 2017 Chicago Marathon, when she placed third. Hasay has indicated she’d like to set the American record in October, currently held by Deena Kastor in 2:19:36.

Although she was upset to not compete last year, not all was lost for Cragg after she withdrew from the marathon. She started focusing on shorter distances and was thrown into workouts with her teammates, all of whom are Olympians specializing in middle-distance events—and are rather good at them, too. Like Shelby Houlihan, American record holder in the 5,000 meters (14:34.45) and Colleen Quigley, national indoor mile champion.

“It was really hard. It’s a different stimulus than I’m used to,” Cragg said. “They’re the best in the world at what they do. There were a lot of tough moments, putting my head down and hanging on in practice.”

As a result, though, Cragg took third in the national road 5K championships in November and fifth at the U.S. cross-country championships in January. And she believes the focus on quicker cadence will help her in the marathon, too.

“It’s so important to go back to that faster stuff because your legs can almost go kind of dead after all that marathon training—if you’re just running 130 or 140 miles a week, day-in and day-out, all of a sudden those regular runs just naturally start slowing down,” she said. “You need to throw in that extra speed to keep the quality high. There will be five-minute miles thrown into a marathon—it’s not the speed that kills you, it’s the faster turnover.”

The Bowerman women’s group has plenty of members to keep things moving. In the past year, the group has added to its roster, including Karissa Schweizer, a six-time NCAA champion from the University of Missouri; Vanessa Fraser, a nine-time All American at Stanford University; and Elise Cranny, an 12-time All American at Stanford.

70-year-old Sandra Brown produced a sparkling performance to break two world records at 10th Energia 24h ultra in Victoria Park

The Dorset woman firstly broke the 100-mile mark in just 21 hours, 15 minutes and 33 seconds - the 204th time she had gone over 100 miles in a race - before going on to beat Shirley Young's long-standing world age-group record for the 24 hours.

By the time the race had finished, Brown had travelled nearly four miles further than Young's record, hitting just over 113 miles (182km), and amazingly she didn't run once, walking the entire distance.

Defying her age, Brown's performance saw her finish in a very impressive 24th place in the overall standings in a field that had 225 runners set off from the starting line.

In all, Brown's record-breaking feats mean that four world records have been set at Victoria Park in the last three years, which has put the Energia24 into the Guinness Book of Records.

At the top of the field, it was an absorbing battle for the three podium places, with three Cork men in the running until the very end.

The women's race there was plenty of drama as Therese Falk of Norway had led for substantial parts of the contest, only to see Finnish competitor Paula Wright finish strongly and take the victory at 136 miles (218km).

Falk did take silver at 135 miles (216km), while Newtownabbey's Louise Smart came home in third at 132 miles (213km).

Rosslare's Lorraine McMahon also eclipsed the 130 mile mark (210km), meaning four women finished in the top-10 of the overall standings.

Meanwhile, the Willowfield quartet of Tim Brownlie, David Proctor, Gary Morrow and Neil Weir smashed the previous team relay record of 193 miles.

The Dublin Bay Running Club record, set at the Mary Peters Track back in 2015, proved no match for the four as they added another 15 miles onto it, finishing at 208 miles (335km), which will likely not be broken for a long time.

Chelsea Benson qualified for the Olympic Trials set for February 2020 in Atlanta

Chelsea Benson qualified for the Olympic Trials in December when she turned in an impressive performance at the California International Marathon in Sacramento. 

She clocked 2:42:27, which qualifies under the “B standard” set at 2:45:00. 

“Obviously I was pretty excited,” Benson, 36 and a mother of 5-year-old twins, said. “I put in a lot of miles and missed out on some family stuff here and there, so I was excited to be able to convince my body to do something I set my mind to, it felt like my hard work paid off.” 

She had set the goal after running the Philadelphia Marathon in a time of roughly two hours and 50 minutes. A friend of hers told her she could shave that time off with some hard work, and after consulting with a coach, she set a plan with the goal of qualifying for the Trials. 

Benson is no stranger to success in the sport. In high school she qualified for the state meet in both cross country and outdoor track, and then qualified for the NCAA Division 3 National Meets in both sports while running at Allegheny College. 

“I got into running because I wasn’t great at any other sports, to be honest,” Benson said. “I tried softball, soccer and basketball, and I was always okay but never really good. So, I found that I was pretty good at running.” 

With that in mind, Benson joined the Kane High cross country and outdoor track teams, and participated in a club indoor track team during the winter. 

“That allowed me to gain a lot of confidence, and I had coaches who pushed me to do my best,” Benson said. “And then, of course, being from Kane, we knew Amy Rudolph made it to the Olympics, so we had it in the back of our minds while we ran.” 

Now, almost 25 years to the date since Rudolph first qualified for the Olympics, Benson will get her shot in the Trials, but expectations are a little different. 

“A lot of this is about the experience. About 300 of us qualified for the Trials, but only the top three go, and they’re professional athletes,” Benson said. “But to be among the pool of the fastest marathoners in the U.S. is fun and exciting.”

That said, don’t expect Benson to just roll over, either. 

“I’m really competitive, so I’ll go down there to race knowing I won’t make the team, but just to see how I do against the best,” she said. 

She hasn’t set a preferred finish time for herself, in large part because the marathon course in Atlanta is hilly, which yields slower times. 

Kenya has eliminated the wildcard selection criteria for its elite athletes seeking to make the team to the IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar in October

Athletics Kenya (AK) president Jack Tuwei, however, said that reigning world champions and Diamond League Trophy winners would be exempted from the national trials set for Nairobi from August 20 to 22.

"Unlike previous editions, this year only athletes finishing the trials in positions one to three will be assured of an automatic ticket to the World Championships. The criteria is simple; it will be 1, 2 and 3 across the finish line," said Tuwei on Tuesday in Nairobi.

Kenya hopes to send a huge team to Doha, with over 70 athletes expected to make the cut. However, to be considered for selection, every athlete must have achieved the IAAF-mandated qualifying standard in each event.

"Currently, only a few athletes have attained these conditions and therefore there is a need for the coaches and athletes to check their status with Athletics Kenya," said AK competition team leader Paul Mutwii.

Two years ago, Kenya amassed 11 medals - five gold, two silver and four bronze - to finish second behind the United States in the medal standings at the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London. Mutwii believes the team has the capacity to recapture the overall title they claimed at Beijing 2015, and wants every athlete to study the championship program to decide if it is possible to double up in certain events.

"We will not deny any athlete who intends to double up at the World Championships as long as the program allows," said Mutwii. "But they must focus more on their traditional event before considering other races."

World 5,000m and 1,500m champions Hellen Obiri and Elijah Manangoi have already hinted at doubling up in Doha.

Along with athletes from Ethiopia, Morocco, Ukraine and Russia, Kenya will also be subject to strict anti-doping measures, and athletes will have to undergo three separate anti-doping tests to be eligible to compete in Doha.

"All athletes must fulfill the anti-doping requirements by the AIU (Athletics Integrity Unit) of the IAAF. It requires the selected athlete to have undergone three out-of-competition and same number of in-competition anti-doping tests before the selection date," said Tuwei.

So far, six athletes have tested positive this year as the AIU and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) tighten the noose on Kenya in an effort to curb doping and have a clean championship.

Kris Carroll and her family have unforgettable memories at the Bix 7 Miler race

My father was born and raised in Davenport. His brother and his family have lived there all of their lives. My dad started running in his 40's, and the Bix has always been his favorite. I think this year is his 30th year running the Bix. I have only run it six or so times, but each time I have run it with him, and I have the best memories.

Seeing my family, running the hilly course in the usually oppressive heat, and staying the rest of the day to enjoy a well-earned Bloody Mary and a few beers while listening to my dad and my uncle reminisce about their days in high school, attending St. Ambrose, their car clubs, and stories about my grandparents.

This past March my Dad was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer. Despite being hospitalized twice in the last couple weeks, he's still training! He knows he can't run the 7-mile course, but he is doing the Quick Bix.

My brother lives in Utah and I live in Massachusetts. We are both coming in and will be proudly walking with him, and who knows, maybe even racing a bit.

He taught us to be runners. He was the 27th U.S. person to run marathons on all seven continents. He took my brother to Antarctica for his first marathon, and took me to Spain for my first. As a family trip, he took us to Madagascar for the most unique and beautiful marathon--which I ended up winning for the women's!

My dad is the most amazing person, and the strongest person I know. A couple weeks ago, he was very weak due to the immunotherapy treatments. It's the first time he's ever been negative. He said that my brother Keith and I would have to push him in a wheelchair in order for him to "run" the Bix.

Today he proudly walked two miles. I'm grateful to run another Bix with him, and that this race is giving him the motivation to keep going and fight to overcome cancer! 

Geoffrey Kamworor, Augustine Choge and Selly Chepyego will support Eliud Kipchoge at the 1:59 Ineos Challenge in October

Three-time World Half Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor says their mentor and leader fully believes in the project dubbed INEOS 1:59 Challenge, which will be staged in Austria's capital Vienna on Oct. 12.

"The challenge is a golden opportunity and we really believe in him. There are many elements that make Eliud special. Firstly, he is very disciplined and secondly he is very humble and he values everyone the same," said Kamworor on Tuesday from Eldoret.

Kamworor, the bronze medalist at New York Marathon, says Kipchoge is hard working and focused in training and nothing will distract him.

"As we train with him and know him well I believe he can run a sub-two-hour marathon. Since the Breaking2 Project in 2017 he has run faster and faster and with the support and passion of others around him and because of his own self-belief I believe he will do it," added Kamworor.

In 2017 in a mission dubbed Breaking2 Project, Kipchoge ran 2:00:25 in Monza, Italy.

Last September, he lowered the world record by an astonishing 78 seconds when posting 2:01:39 in Berlin and underlined his pedigree by clocking the second-fastest time in history when winning the London Marathon in 2:02:37 in April this year.

Augustine Choge, former Commonwealth 5,000m champion and World Indoor 3,000m silver medalist, has trained with Kipchoge for over 15 years and has been selected as a pacemaker for the INEOS 1:59 Challenge.

"Anything is possible. I am extremely confident because I have seen the focus in his training and his form is better than ever. If Eliud is successful it will be a success for all of us. Should he achieve a sub-two-hour marathon, it will show us nothing is impossible," he said.

Selly Chepyego, who will be competing in marathon at the World Championship says Kipchoge's discipline will be the key in Vienna challenge.

"Can he do it? It is possible. When we look at him in training we are in the best position to judge. Surely, it is possible," she said.

RAM Racing and its Allstate Hot Chocolate 15k/5k series are proud to set up a partnership with Asdeporte in Mexico

As part of the partnership, Asdeporte will be producing three Hot Chocolate 15k/5k race events in Mexico in the coming months. Following the success of the inaugural Hot Chocolate 15k/5k Mexico City in 2019, Asdeporte is launching new Hot Chocolate 15k/5k races in Guadalajara and Monterrey plus returning to Mexico City.

Established in 2008 by RAM Racing, the Allstate Hot Chocolate 15k/5k is an annual favorite on runners’ calendars. Each year over 200,000 participants run for chocolate, making it the fastest growing race series in the U.S. More than one million people have run in a Hot Chocolate 15k/5k race since its inception, with races in 22 U.S cities and Mexico City.

In 2019 the Hot Chocolate 15k/5k race series went international with the inaugural Hot Chocolate 15k/5k Mexico City, the third largest race ever in Mexico with 15,437 finishers. The first-year event sold out weeks before race day with 17,500 registrants.

The Hot Chocolate 15k/5k series combines industry-leading production, technology, and safety standards with award-winning swag bags, finisher’s medals and mugs filled with hot chocolate.

Asdeporte produces world-class endurance events for the largest community of Spanish-speaking athletes in the world, with more than one million active participants. Asdeporte and RAM Racing are committed to delivering best-of-class event experiences to all participants. The production partnership comes at a time of exponential growth for both companies.

“We’re excited to be producing three Hot Chocolate 15k/5k running events in Mexico this coming season,” said Wilbert Moguel, Asdeporte’s Director General. “Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey are all vibrant running communities.”

Jessica Mautner is running the 16th annual Napa To Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon to fight cancer

The piles of ribbons a Napa woman has accumulated from running two marathons and nearly 20 half-marathons are probably enough to supply a gift shop during the Christmas rush.

But of all the races 44-year-old married mother of two Jessica Mautner has trained for, the upcoming Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon touches a special place in her heart.

That is because the featured charity partner of the race Sunday, July 21 is the American Cancer Society — a cause that has become important to Mautner as her mother-in-law, Elizabeth Mautner, undergoes treatment for the stage IV breast cancer she was diagnosed with earlier this year.

"I'm doing this for her," Mautner said. "I've told her, 'I'm so proud of you. You're so strong.' The least I can do is raise money to find a cure or make treatment easier."

Born and raised in Napa, Mautner could serve as a tour guide for Sunday's race.

"It's beautiful," Mautner said. "Very scenic. The finish in Sonoma Square is a lot of fun. Sonoma is a darling little town, a great end point."

Not unlike other long-distance runners, Mautner still needs a push to get out of the door — even with the course taking place in her beautiful, native North Bay wine country.

Yuta Shitara said after running 2:07:50 and winning the Gold Coast Marathon, If We Ran the Trials Right Now I'd Win

Former marathon national record holder Yuta Shitara (27, Honda) returned to Narita Airport on July 8 after scoring his first-ever marathon win at Australia's Gold Coast Marathon.

Shitara won clocking a course record time of 2:07:50, lending momentum to his buildup for the MGC Race 2020 Olympic marathon trials just over two months away.

During the race Shitara suffered a mishap, bleeding from both nipples early on. "It rained right before the start," he said, "and once I started running it started chafing. I was a little worried about it, but if you want to compete at the top of the game then there are no excuses."

Shrugging it off, even as his uniform soaked up the blood Shitara kept up his fast pace. "My training paid off in this result," he said with obvious satisfaction.

"Winning gives me confidence, and I want to make good use of that after this."Up to now Shitara has followed his own training program, never running longer than 30 km. But, having had problems maintaining his speed in the second half of the race, this time he increased his longest runs to 35 km starting in June. The results paid off on the Gold Coast as he was tough over the last stage of the race, pulling away for the win in the final kilometers.

"In the training camp for this race I had the feeling that I could go 2:07," he said.In the buildup to the MGC main event Shitara plans to begin training together with his twin brother Keita Shitara (Hitachi Butsuryu) in Hokkaido for ten days starting in late July.

Keita, who starred at the Hakone Ekiden alongside Yuta during their days at Toyo University, didn't qualify for the MGC Race. But he will still play a valuable role as Yuta's main training partner like when the two of them were in university, dreaming of someday going to the Olympics as a pair.

"We're going to win this together, the two of us," Yuta said. "At the MGC Race nobody's going to be able to say our training was a waste.

"At the MGC Race Shitara will face the man who broke his national record, Suguru Osako (Nike Oregon Project) and other tough competition. But, he said, throwing down an intimidating challenge to them all, "I've got nothing but confidence that I'm going to win. Even if we ran it right now I'd win."

Cancellation of 2019 Hardrock 100 because the trail is not in good shape because of heavy snow during the winter doesn’t deter ultra community

There may not be a 2019 running of the Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run through the San Juan Mountains, but there will be plenty of trail running events that will provide ultra-running enthusiasts a chance to interact with some of the world’s best athletes.

A week of activities kicked off Sunday in Durango, as running stars Anna Frost, François D’haene, Dakota Jones and Hardrock 100 director Dale Garland will gather at the Durango Outdoor Exchange for a public meet and greet and run.

“I think everyone loves talking about Hardrock and running,” said Frost, a two-time Hardrock 100 champion originally from New Zealand who now also calls Durango home. “It’s a great opportunity for us to have these world-class athletes right here in Durango as well as having the race director of Hardrock here.”

D’haene was one the favorites to win this year’s Hardrock 100 but will have to wait until next year to run for his first chance to kiss the rock, as this year’s run was canceled after a winter of heavy snow that resulted in avalanche debris making many sections of the 100.5-mile loop from Silverton to Telluride, Ouray and Lake City and back to Silverton impassable. There was also big concern about high water with a late runoff from the melting snow.

France’s D’haene, a four-time Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc champion and UTMB course record holder, had planned to spend time running in the San Juan Mountains to prepare for this year’s Hardrock, and he still traveled to Southwest Colorado despite the race cancellation that was announced June 10.

“François D’haene, in my mind, is probably the best runner on the planet in terms of consistency and skill at ultra-running,” Frost said. “He has so much experience. He had a baby boy and was coming for Hardrock and decided to still come anyway. He’s pretty dedicated to his commitment to coming for Hardrock.”

Garland has yet to meet D’haene in person and is eager for him to join the Hardrock community this weekend.

“It does mean a lot when somebody of his stature and with his prestige in the ultra-running community says, you know what, it’s worth it for me to not blow this thing off and rearrange my schedule, I’m still going to enjoy the San Juan Mountains and still gonna be part of the Hardrock community,” Garland said.

Durango’s Jones also will be in attendance along with representatives from Salomon running. Frost said there will be several gear giveaways as well as a donation box to benefit the Silverton community and help mitigate the economic impact of there not being a race this year.

“I know Salomon is doing a special work day on Monday, so they are giving back and being part of the community, which I think is really cool,” Garland said.