Running News Daily

Expect an Ethiopian Flavor For Sunday's 50th Honolulu Marathon

After a marathon journey to get to Hawaii, a quartet of Ethiopian runners are looking forward to making the most of their first visit to the Aloha State. The group of athletes, coached by Yirefew Birhanu Derb, will line up Sunday before dawn for the 50th running of the Honolulu Marathon, America's fourth-largest marathon. The race features a more robust elite athlete roster following last year's slimmed down line-up coming off the pandemic.

Shifera Tamru and Asefa Mengstu lead the men's elite field, while Abebech Afework and Bere Ayalew are the top entrants in the women's division. After a trip that required more than 21 hours of air travel across multiple flights --from their home base in Addis Ababa to Frankfurt, then Los Angeles before reaching Honolulu-- they arrived late Wednesday. They immediately popped into a McDonald's for dinner, and have been getting acclimated to the local time zone, 13 hours behind Ethiopia.

They were all very happy to be invited to this race because they know it's a very good marathon," Coach Derb told Race Results Weekly during a photo shoot for the athletes on Waikiki Beach. "They are looking forward to racing and happy to have the chance to visit Hawaii."

Tamru, 24, is coming off October  Chicago Marathon, where he clocked 2:07:53 to finish fifth for the second consecutive year. He says that he has recovered well and is ready to go for Sunday. He has won three marathons in his career, all in South Korea: Chunchon in 2018, Seoul in 2019 and Daegu this past April. His personal best of 2:05:18 came at the Dubai Marathon in 2019.

The more experienced Mengstu --who represented Ethiopia as far back as the 2010 IAAF Half Marathon Championships-- has a resume with 13 marathon finishes, including the 2018 Dubai Marathon, where ran his lifetime best of 2:04:06. His most recent race was eight months ago, so he should be well rested. "I'm happy to be here and I'm expecting to win the race on Sunday," he said with a quiet smile as the athletes posed for photographs and chatted with the media.

The two men work well together in training, Derb says. But on Sunday, he points out, "it must be a competition." In addition to each other, they will have to watch out for a strong Kenyan, 36-year-old Barnabas Kiptum, who has a personal best of 2:04:17 (Milan, 2021). He dropped out of the Chicago Marathon this fall, but in July he proved he is still a contender by placing 15th at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon. Stanley Biwott, the 2015 New York City Marathon champion with a 2:03:51 personal best, had planned to run here but scratched.

The women race is likely to come down to a duel between Afework and Ayalew. Like their male teammates, they also have a strong friendship and symbiotic relationship. "They are happy when they are training together, and they can help each other when they compete," Derb said.

Afework, 31, is by far the more seasoned of the two. Her international racing career dates back to the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, where she placed 18th. She has 20 marathon finishes to her name, and a personal best of 2:23:33 from Dubai in 2015. "I have a lot of experiences from other races and I'm expecting to use that previous experience to run well on Sunday," said Afework, who is coming off a DNF in October's Lisbon Marathon.

The 23-year-old Ayalew is a comparative novice, with four marathons in the books, but each one has been progressively faster. The most recent, in Eindhoven, Netherlands, in October, resulted in her quickest time yet (2:22:52). "My training has been good and I expect to show that on Sunday," she said.

The women's field also includes Canadian Olympian Lanni Marchant, who won this race a year ago on a short recovery from the New York City Marathon, and Japanese veteran Mai Ito (2:24:42 PB).

Should weather conditions cooperate --it's been very windy the last several days-- both the men's and women's course records could be in play. Titus Ekiru of Kenya holds the men's standard of 2:08:00 from 2019, while his compatriot Brigid Kosgei clocked 2:22:15 in 2017. (Kosgei set the current world record of 2:14:04 two years later.) Prize money will be paid three deep: $25,000-10,000-5,000.

The forecast for Sunday morning calls for a temperature of 74F/23C when the gun goes off at 5 a.m. Most of the race will be run in the dark, as the sun will rise just before 7 a.m. on race day.

Spanish marathoner pushes manual wheelchair to world record at Valencia Marathon

Eric Domingo Roldan of Spain wanted to do something special to raise awareness of multiple sclerosis (MS) and to honour his mother, who suffers from the disease. On Dec. 4, and his mother Sylvia set a Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon while pushing someone in a wheelchair. Roldan ran 2:52:39 to break the previous record by 49 seconds.

Roldan had ambitions to go under two hours and 50 minutes, but his main objective was to raise awareness about MS, which has been part of his mother’s day-to-day life for some time.

The previous record Roldan broke was his own, which he set with his mother at the 2021 Barcelona Marathon (2:53:28). He said on Instagram that he was on pace to go under two hours and 50 minutes, but a problem with one of the wheels around the 35-kilometre mark made it harder for him to push.

Roldan conquered his goal of raising three thousand euros for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. The wheelchair used by Roldan was not the typical sport-style wheelchair designed for racing, instead, Guinness requires a manual wheelchair to be used for record-breaking purposes.

“There are no words to describe our emotions today. It was something magical,” Roldan wrote on Instagram. “My mother is my motivation! She inspires me to be a better person. We will continue to run together and celebrate life.”

Kenya’s runner, Kelvin Kiptum, 23, won the 2022 Valencia Marathon in 2:01:53 in his debut, while Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso, 31, was a surprise win on the women’s side in 2:14:58, becoming the third-fastest woman in history.

Kenya will look to criminalize doping in athletics

In an attempt to crack down on doping, Kenyan Sports Minster Ababu Namwama told BBC News Africa that he hopes to fast-track modifications to legislation and crack down on doping the same way the government does with illegal drugs.

Last week, the East African country avoided a sanction by governing body World Athletics—despite having 55 athletes currently serving doping-related suspensions. Kenya has the third highest number of suspensions behind Russia (102) and India (61) and is categorized as one of the seven “Category A” nations threatening the overall integrity of the sport.

On Dec. 2, the Kenyan government reached an agreement with World Athletics to spend USD $25 million over the next five years to combat the war on doping, which will help pay for more anti-doping personnel, increase testing and investigation and strengthen education.

“I believe we need to criminalize doping and elevate the handling of doping substances to the same level [as] narcotics,” says Namwama. “Convicted dopers should be dealt with the way we deal with drug traffickers.”

According to Kenyan law, any person who is in possession of any narcotic drug is guilty of an offense and faces a fine of five million Kenyan shillings (USD $40,000) or imprisonment for up to five years. They may also be forced into a rehabilitation program for a minimum of six months.

France is one country that outlaws doping in sports with prison sentences and fines. In 2009, the government adopted a law that penalizes the possession and trafficking of doping products in sports. Offenders can receive up to five years in jail and a 75,000-euro fine. For more severe cases, the penalty may also be increased to seven years and a fine of 150,000 euros. If an athlete is found guilty of personal use, they can be sentenced to a year in prison and a 3,750-euro fine.

During a World Athletics Council meeting in Rome in November, WA president Sebastian Coe said Kenya faces “a long journey ahead” to regain the trust of the World Athletics.

Coe told BBC News Africa that he has no problems with Kenya criminalizing the trafficking of these substances, but pointed out that criminalizing athletes can be complicated.

Previous attempts to criminalize doping in Kenya have been unsuccessful, with a motion submitted by former member of parliament and 2012 Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir being defeated in 2016. Korir and his wife Tarah Korir lived in Waterloo, Ont. for several years before moving back to Kenya. 

Kenyans Dickson Chumba and Daniel Kibet confirmed for Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon

Kenya’s Daniel Kibet, winner of the 2019 Istanbul Marathon and runner-up at this year’s Milan Marathon, is joined by compatriot Dickson Chumba, who has won two of the world's major marathons - Tokyo in 2014 and 2018, and Chicago in 2015.

The women’s race will feature 2015 marathon world champion and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia, and Angela Tanui of Kenya - who won the Amsterdam Marathon in 2021 and finished fourth and second respectively in the 2022 Tokyo Marathon and 2019 Vienna Marathon.

A record 20,000 runners are expected to line up for this year’s event, which includes a new route for the 42.2 kilometer race, marathon relay (two runners completing 21.1km each), 10km, 5km, and 2.5km runs.

The race starts in front of Adnoc Headquarters, and runners in various distances will cross a host of the city’s most iconic landmarks.

Aref Al Awani, general secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said the Adnoc Marathon has attracted interest from the world’s elite runners since its inception.

“The calibre of elites for this year’s race speaks volumes of how quickly Abu Dhabi and the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon have earned a reputation on the world’s long-distance running map,” he added.

“Attracting more than 20,000 participants is clear evidence of the event's distinguished position in the community and its ability to enhance collective efforts and encourage healthy and active lifestyles.

“The participation is still open across all distances and accessible to participants of all abilities.

“Therefore, we encourage everyone to register and join us on December 17. The 2.5 km race, named “Run Together”, provides an opportunity for people of determination to compete alongside other participants.”

Meanwhile, race organizers also revealed a new medal design. The new design incorporates the expected record number of participants set to take part in this year’s races.

The Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon Race Village will be open from December 13, and will include entertainment for all members of the family.

Registration for the marathon and its accompanying race distances are open. For details, visit https://www.adnocabudhabimarathon.com

10 years later: Pamela Jelimo to receive London Olympics bronze

Though out of the public limelight, the history-making Pamela Jelimo is still winning.

Jelimo, the first Kenyan woman to win an Olympic gold medal with her exploits in 800m at the 2008 Beijing Summers Games, is set to receive yet another medal.

Jelimo, the 2008 Africa 800m and 2012 World Indoor 800m champion, who finished fourth in one minute and 57.59 second set to benefit after race winner Mariya Savinova from Russia, was stripped of the gold medal for doping.

Jelimo, who celebrated her 32nd birthday on December 5, is set to receive her bronze medal from the 2012 London Olympic Games on Wednesday at the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) office, Gallant House, Nairobi.

Legendary Kipchoge Keino, who is an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member alongside NOC-K president, Paul Tergat, will preside over the presentation ceremony.   

South Africa’s Caster Semenya and another Russian Ekaterina Poistogova, who had settled for silver and bronze, were scaled to gold and silver with their times of 1:57.23 and 1:57.53 respectively.

Kenya’s 2007 World 800m champion Janeth Jepkosgei, who had settled eighth in the race in 2:00.19 and Hellen Obiri, who came eighth in women’s 1,500m at the same Olympics, will receive their certificates.

Another Russian Elena Arzhakova, who finished sixth in 1:59.21 in the same race was also banned for having doped too.

With Savinova and Arzhakova banned, Jepkosgei, who had settled eighth in the race in 2:00.19 was upgraded to sixth.

On November 9, 2015, the Independent Commission Investigation of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) asked for a lifetime ban for doping for Savinova, who had won gold and Poistogova, who had won bronze.

In February 2017, it was announced that Savinova was stripped of her gold medal but Poistogova was suspended in 2017 for two years, backdated to October 2014. Her London result, though, was not affected.

Alysia Johnson Montaño (1:57.93) from the United States of America and Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba (1:59.63) finished fourth and fifth in the women’s 800m final.

A record four athletes that finished ahead of Obiri, who had settled 12th, were suspended for doping- Aslı Çakır Alptekin and Gamze Bulut from Turkey, who had won gold and silver respectively, Natallia Kareiva of Belarus, who had finished fifth and Russian Yekaterina Kostetskaya, who came sixth.

Maryam Yusuf Jamal (Bahrain), Tatyana Tomashova (Russia) and Abeba Aregawi (Ethiopia) were all scaled to gold, silver and bronze.

Aregwai, who changed allegiance to Sweden was suspended for doping in 2016.

This is the second time Olympics medals or certificates are being awarded in Kenya years later.

Asbel Kiprop received his gold medal from the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Nairobi in 2011 after the winner,  Rashid Ramzi , was flagged down for doping.

82-year-old Ben Lipschuetz is targeting a world record on Dec 17 in Palo Alto California at the Double 15k

Ben Lipschuetz of Los Altos California hopes to clock the best time ever run for male runners 80 plus for the Double 15k on Dec 17 in Palo Alto.  

The Double 15k is a two stage race.  First runners run 10k and then take a break.  The second stage is 5k and it starts  one hour 45 minutes after the start of the 10k. Times are added together for scoring.  

The Double Road Race Federation (DRRF) is the governing body for Double Racing.  The first Double was held October 2010 in Mexico.  The first Double 15k held in the US took place Dec 2012.  The overall world record was set May 10, 2015.  Kenyan's Julian Kosgei clocked 29:11 for the 10k leg and then followed that up with a 14 minute flat 5k.  His combined 43:11 is the current world record.

The Women's record is held by Kenyan's Risper Gesabwa.  On Dec 14, 2014 in Pleasanton California she clocked 48:45 (32:55 10k followed by 15:49 5k).  The American record for men was set by Joe Moore in Manhattan, Kansas on Nov 9, 2013.  Joe clocked 44:48 (30:04/14:48).  Kim Conley set the record for women in Pleasanton, Ca Dec 21, 2014.  She clocked 49:24 (33:34/15:49).

The best time recently run is 44:40 (29:56/14:44). 4th best time ever. 18-year-old Joseph Njoroge clocked this time in Thika Kenya September 14, 2022.

The next two official DRRF Double 15k coming up are Dec 17 in Palo Alto California and March 25, 2023 in Brisbane California.  Both flat fast courses.  

The world record Ben has his eye on was run by 83-year-old Eddie Reyna Dec 22, 2013.   Eddie clocked 1:59:56 (1:23:02 for 10k followed by 36:54 for 5k leg).

Ben recently competed at the Trailblazer 10k Sept 24 in Mountain View,Ca.  He clocked 1:08:09 on the long 10k course.

"I met up with Ben after the Trailblazer race," says Double 15k director Bob Anderson (photo with Ben), "and told him he could smash the 80 plus world record.  This might even be an understatement."

The 80 plus world records for females was set August 23, 2014 in Pleasanton by 80-year-old Barbara Robben 1:57:26 (1:17:56 plus 39:30 for 5k leg).  

"Our Palo Alto event is nearly sold out but there are a few spots currently available," says race director Bob Anderson. There is also an open 10k, 5k and kids mile for 13 and under. 

(Second photo: Palo Alto 2021 winners.  Anthony Cortes clocked 49:26 (32:46/16:40) and Delaney Miller clocked 57:19 (38:36/18:43).  Both wearing the yellow jersey showing they won the first leg. 

(Third photo: 70-year-old Suzanne Koonce was the Victory Cup winner.  She clocked 1:18:49 (52:36/26:13).  The Victory Cup is awarded to the runner with the best age-graded score.

American track superstar Sydney McLaughlin named World Athlete of the Year

U.S. sprinter and hurdler Sydney McLaughlin was named World Athlete of the Year by World Athletics on Monday evening, alongside men’s winner and Swedish pole vault world champion Mondo Duplantis.

McLaughlin, 23, has had not only a stunning year on the track but an already remarkable career in athletics. She is the world 400m hurdles and 4x400m champion. In 2022 she broke the world 400m hurdles record with 51.41 at the U.S. championships, and then broke her own record by almost three-quarters of a second, running 50.68 at the world championships in Oregon to win the world title.

Setting four world records over 13 months, McLaughlin was the first woman to break the 52-second (June 2021) and 51-second (July 2022) barriers in the 400m hurdles.

The award “means absolutely everything,” McLaughlin said at the ceremonies, held at the Prince of Monaco’s palace. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity, first and foremost, all the glory to God. For my team, my coach, my trainers, my husband, my family, everybody,” she added. “It has been an unreal season and I’m really grateful that it has culminated in this to cap it all off.”

McLaughlin, who was born in New Jersey and is married to former NFL player Andre Levrone Jr., called the awards ceremony “an unreal experience that I will never forget.”

The track phenom was the 2015 world youth champion, and in 2016 became the youngest athlete since 1980 to qualify for the U.S. Olympic track team, after running to third place at the U.S. Olympic trials with the current world under-18 best of 54.15 seconds.

McLaughlin beat 100m hurdle world champ Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, Jamaica’s world 100m sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Peru’s Kimberly Garcia (world 20K race walk champion) and Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas, world indoor and outdoor triple jump champion, to win the award.

Men’s World Athlete of the Year

On the men’s side, Swedish pole vault world champ Mondo Duplantis was named World Athlete of the Year, after winning the world pole vault indoor and outdoor double in 2022. Duplantis improved his own world record to 6.21m and claimed the Diamond League and European crowns.

Duplantis, 23, also won the award in 2020. “Going into the year, I had really high expectations of myself and I had some really big goals,” said Duplantis. “I wanted to win the world indoors, the world outdoors, the Europeans, the Diamond League final, and I wanted to break the world record a few times,” he added.

“I was able to do that and it was a bonus–the cherry on top–to do be able to do it [break the world record] at the right times, to do it at world indoors and do it at world outdoors. I can’t complain.”

The other finalists for the men’s award were Kenyan world champion marathoner Eliud Kipchoge, American sprinter and world 200m champ Noah Lyles, Morocco’s steeple champ Soufiane El Bakkali and Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, world 5,000m champ.

Kenyan Benson Kipruto to join Eliud Kipchoge in Boston Marathon

Chicago Marathon champion Benson Kipruto yesterday confirmed he will join world record holder Eliud Kipchoge in Boston Marathon on April 17. 

Kipruto placed third in Boston last April and will be seeking to reclaim the title he won in 2021. 

Kipruto won the Boston Marathon in 2021 (2:09:51) but lost to winner  Chebet Evans (2:06:51) and Cherono Lawrence (2:07:27) who took the top two places this year.

"This year, the race was quite competitive and I had not done much in training.  However, third place was good under the circumstances,” Kiprop said.

Having had an impressive record in American races, the 2021 Boston champion said he is confident he will still make a podium finish. 

“I would like to finish among the top three if the race is hard but my main target is to reclaim my position,” he added.

The 31-year-old said he has just resumed his training after winning Chicago Marathon in October. 

“I want to focus on my training to avoid the mistakes I made in April. I have already started on my hill work and short sprints, thanks to coach Claudia Beraldelli," he noted. 

Kipruto revealed that athletics is his biggest source of income and that is why he is taking his career seriously. 

Since his marathon debut in 2015,  Kiprop has been consistent in producing outstanding performance. “Athletics is everything to me and that is why I take it seriously, " he added.

The 31-year-old has been training under the tutelage of 2-Running Club since 2016 when he officially joined the camp.  Kipruto said he is keen to follow in the footsteps of Eliud Kipchoge. “I really admire Kipchoge's humility," he noted. 

Teferi Becomes Fukuoka's First Israeli Winner.

Japan had not one but two top-level men's marathons happening at the same time today. Conditions were a little too windy at the rescendent Fukuoka International Marathon to produce the kind of times organizers were hoping for, but there was still a great race up front. Almost dead-even on 3:00/km pace the entire way despite a building headwind from around 11 km to 18 km and again from 25 km to 32 km, and a strong tailwind from 32 km to the track finish, by 35 km a lead pack of 30 dwindled down to just 2021 winner Michael Githae (Suzuki), debuting teammate Vincent Raimoi (Suzuki), 40-year-old double world champ Abel Kirui (Kenya) and Ethiopian Israeli Maru Teferi. 

Teferi didn't really break it apart as much as he held steadier than everyone else. From 30 to 35 km he clocked 15:01 and from 35 to 40 km 14:59, while the other three slowed to the 15:17~15:23 range on the way to 40 km. Teferi kept that pace all the way to the end, winning in a PB 2:06:43.

Raimoi had the final gear to drop Githae for 2nd in 2:07:01, while Githae held on to 3rd in a PB 2:07:28. "This was another step for me," Githae told JRN post-race. "I'm happy with how I did."Kirui slowed further, bringing him into range of fast-closing Australian Brett Robinson. 18 seconds back at 40 km, Robinson closed the 3rd-fastest in the field to run Kirui down for 4th in 2:07:31. That was good enough to take 20 seconds off past Fukuoka champ Rob de Castella's 2:07:51 Australian record, another piece of history from sub-60 Marugame Half winner Robinson. Kirui was 5th in 2:07:38.

Kazuma Kubo (Nishitetsu) was the last Japanese man to stay with the top group, making it as far as 30 km before dropping off. In the end the top Japanese spot went to Kiyohito Akiyama (Aichi Seiko), 7th in 2:08:43. He, 8th-placer Akira Akasaki (Kyudenko), 2:09:01, and 9th-placer Minato Oishi(Toyota), 2:09:08, all qualified for next year's MGC Race 2024 Olympic marathon trials. Kubo hung on for 10th in 2:09:19 and 11th-placer Koki Takada (Sumitomo Denko) made it five under 2:10 in 2:09:45, but both missed out on qualification. And in terms of the domestic results, Fukuoka lost out to Hofu.

Very fast times for both men and women in Valencia with surprise winners

VALENCIA, Spain — Near-perfect conditions at the 2022 Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso created an opportunity for fast times, and the elite fields answered the call on Sunday morning. Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum won the men’s race in 2:01:53, the fastest debut in history, after breaking the race open with a savage late-race move at 32 kilometers. Kiptum split 60:15 for his second half and 28:04 from 30-40k to become just the third man in history to break 2:02 after Eliud Kipchoge (2:01:09) and Kenenisa Bekele (2:01:41).

In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey was expected to challenge the world record of 2:14:04 in her debut and was on 2:14:10 pace through 30k. But, shockingly, Gidey still had company at that point of the race as her countrywoman Amane Beriso was still with her. And in the end, it was Beriso who would hold on best as she won in 2:14:58 to move to #3 on the world all-time list. Gidey would fade over the final 10k but still hold on for second in 2:16:49, the fastest debut ever by a woman.

Both Kiptum and Beriso were surprise winners and had done little recently to indicate they would challenge for the win in Valencia. Kiptum owns a half marathon best of 58:42 from Valencia in 2020, but had not finished a race over any distance since October 2021 (he DNF’d the RAK Half in February 2022). Beriso, whose pb of 2:20:48 dates from her debut in Dubai in 2016, did not race at all from January 2020 to August 2022. In her return, winning the Mexico City Marathon on August 28 in 2:25:05 at an elevation of over 7,000 feet. On Sunday, just 14 weeks later, she ran a pb of almost six minutes to become the third-fastest woman in history.

Conditions could scarcely have been better for running, with temperatures in the high-40s/low-50s, wind under 5 miles per hour, and a fast, flat course in Valencia. In the men’s race, the top four all broke 2:04 while on the women’s side, seven athletes broke 2:19 — the most ever in a single race. Also notable, 45-year-old Sinead Diver ran 2:21:34 to finish 12th, a pb by almost three minutes and an Australian record.

Will Letesenbet Gidey break the women's marathon world record in Valencia on Sunday?

The undisputed fastest female distance runner in history, Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia, will make her highly anticipated 42.2-km debut on Sunday at the 2022 Valencia Marathon.

The 24-year-old currently holds world records over 5,000m (14:06.62), 10,000m (29:01.03), and the half-marathon (62:52), plus she is the reigning world 10,000m champion.

Gidey has found success in Valencia—it’s where she set two of her world records (5,000m and half-marathon). To date, she is the only woman to run under the 64- and 63-minute barrier for the half-marathon, which predicts she is ready for something fast on Sunday.

What attracts many of the world’s top marathoners to race in Valencia is the favourable weather and flat course. In the 2020 edition, 60 athletes achieved their qualification times for the Tokyo Olympics.

The weather for Sunday couldn’t be better for marathoning—the current forecast calls for 5 C with less than 10 km/h winds. It is reported that Gidey will have three male pacemakers guiding her, and she will be trying to run fast, says her agent.

Although Gidey has not come out and said she is chasing the world record, her previous times over 10K and 21.1 km have shown that she could be capable of something in the range of 2:16 to 2:12. 

Until 2019, only one female marathoner had ever run under 2:16—Paula Radcliffe‘s 2:15:25 at the 2003 London Marathon. Since 2019, three women have broken the 2:16 mark, with Brigid Kosgei’s world record time of 2:14:04 at the 2019 Chicago Marathon leading the way. Her Kenyan compatriot Ruth Chepngetich came within 14 seconds of her record at this year’s Chicago Marathon, becoming the second-fastest female marathoner in history (2:14:18).

Letesenbet Gidey leads Sifan Hassan and the late Agnes Tirop at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar. Photo: Kevin Morris

Another time on Gidey’s mind is the Ethiopian national record of 2:15:37, which was run by Tigist Assefa at the 2022 Berlin Marathon.

Right now, Gidey is at the top of her game, and the only thing holding her back is her lack of marathon experience. Valencia offers her a chance to reach times no woman has touched, and on Sunday, we are likely to see something special.

Our prediction is something in the realm of 2:13-low, smashing the world record and achieving the title of the fastest debutante of all time. 

Kenyan Edna Kiplagat eyes second title in Boston

Former champion Edna Kiplagat is the only elite Kenyan female athlete invited for the Boston Marathon due for April 17, next year.

Kiplagat returns to the Boston Marathon course for the sixth time, having won in 2017 in two hours, 21 minutes and 52 second besides finishing second twice in 2019 in 2:24:13 and 2021 in 2:25:09.

However, the organisers of the Boston Marathon have now scaled Kiplagat to winner’s position this year after the initial winner Diana Kipyokei failed a doping test in October this year.

Kiplagat, 43, settled ninth in 2018 (2:47:14) behind winner, home athlete Desiree Linden and fourth in 2:21:52 this year where Olympic marathon champion, Peres Jepchirchir, reigned supreme 2:21:02.

Kiplagat, the 2011 and 2013 world champion, will face the reigning world marathon champion Gotytom Gebreslase from Ethiopia, Linden, who is eying to recapture the crown, and 2016 champion Atsede Baysa of Ethiopia.

Injured Jepchirchir will be missing in action.

Kiplagat set a new Masters Division record on her way to finishing fourth at the 2022 Boston Marathon in 2:21:40, and shows no signs of stopping.

While this will be Gotytom Gebreslase’s first Boston Marathon, it is far from her first time racing in Boston.

The Ethiopian world champion has finished runner-up at the Boston Half Marathon twice and has placed in the top-five three times at the Boston 5km.

Beyond winning a world title in 2022, Gebreslase placed third at both the Berlin Marathon and New York City Marathons this year.

“I am very happy to compete in the Boston Marathon 2023, as Boston is one of the most famous races in the world,” Gebreslase told the Boston Marathon website.

Gebreslasem said it has long been her dream to win the race.

" I raced many times in Boston in indoor races and then on the roads. So, I am happy to bring my career full circle as the World Champion with a chance to add the Boston Marathon title,” said Gebreslase.

European Champion Richard Ringer will run his next marathon in Hamburg

Richard Ringer will run next marathon in Hamburg.

Organizers announced during a press conference with the runner, who became Germany’s first male marathon gold medal winner in the long history of the continental championships.

The Haspa Marathon Hamburg is Germany’s major spring marathon. Online entry for the event is possible at: www.haspa-marathon-hamburg.de

“To have Germany’s first ever male European Marathon Champion on the start line next spring is something really special and makes us feel proud. We hope Richard’s commitment to our event will give the Haspa Marathon Hamburg another boost after the fantastic race we had this year,“ said chief organiser Frank Thaleiser. In April this year both course records were smashed in Hamburg. Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw clocked 2:17:23 which at that time was an unofficial world debut record while Kenya’s Cybrian Kotut won with 2:04:47.

“I made up my mind quickly after the European Championships and decided to go for a spring marathon in 2023. Hamburg and its organiser MHV are a perfect fit for me,” said Richard Ringer, who travelled from the very southwest of Germany to the north to attend the press conference in Hamburg on Wednesday.

It was just two years ago when Richard Ringer ran his marathon debut in Valencia. Since then he has established himself as a strong championship runner. In the Olympic marathon in Sapporo in 2021 he achieved a fine 26th place and this summer he stormed to the European gold medal in sensational style in Munich. However when he will come back to Hamburg in April Richard Ringer will have a different goal. This one will be about a fast time on a flat course. The 33-year-old currently has a personal best of 2:08:49. He should be able to run considerably faster than that if weather conditions are favourable.

Additionally Richard Ringer plans further ahead: “I am already looking towards the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. So it is important to me to run a good marathon time next spring.” With a fast time in Hamburg he could make an early and decisive step towards Olympic selection for Paris.

Ethiopians And Kenyans Lead Elite Field at Historic 50th Honolulu Marathon

Athletes from Ethiopia and Kenya lead the elite field for the historic 50th edition of the Honolulu Marathon, scheduled for Sunday, December 11. Founded in 1973, and historically one of the five largest marathons in the United States based on finishers, this year's race will have its first full elite athletes program since 2019, paying prize money three-deep for both men and women: $25,000-10,000-5,000. The race will be run on its traditional course starting at Ala Moana Beach Park, making a loop through Downtown, wrapping around Diamond Head, going out along the Kalanianaole Highway to Hawaii Kai, then returning to Waikiki to finish in Kapiolani Park just after sunrise.

The race was held virtually in 2020 because of the pandemic, and had only a limited elite athlete program in 2021. Organizers are excited to have athletes this year who are strong enough to challenge the course records which were both set by Kenyans: 2:08:00 (2:07:59.02) by Titus Ekiru in 2019 and 2:22:15 by now world record holder Brigid Kosgei in 2017.

"We are excited to welcome top professional athletes to attack our incredible course records for the 50th anniversary race," said Honolulu Marathon Association President Dr. Jim Barahal. "At its core the Honolulu Marathon is an athletic competition, whether against others or against oneself, and we are excited to see what transpires on December 11."

Shifera Tamru is the leading entrant from Ethiopia. The 24 year-old has a personal best of 2:05:18 (Dubai, 2019) and has three marathon wins and five podium finishes in eight starts. He won the 2022 Daegu Marathon in Korea last April in 2:06:31, and was most recently fifth at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in October in 2:07:53. He'll be running the Honolulu Marathon for the first time.

His top rival is likely to be the Kenyan veteran Stanley Biwott, the 2015 TCS New York City Marathon champion who has a personal best of 2:03:51 (London 2016). Biwott, 36, has not completed a marathon since 2018 when he was fourth at the Abu Dhabi Marathon. He returned to racing after a long layoff earlier this year, clocking a 1:01:57 half-marathon in Padova, Italy. He has completed a total of 13 career marathons with four wins and eight podium finishes. Like Tamru, this will be his first run in Honolulu.

The other top contenders on the men's side are Asefa Mengstu of Ethiopia (2:04:06 personal best, Dubai, 2018) and Barnabas Kiptum of Kenya (2:04:17, Milano, 2021). Both men are veterans. Mengstu has completed 13 career marathons with 4 wins and 7 podium finishes. Kiptum has completed 18 marathons in 20 starts with 3 wins and 13 podium finishes. Neither man has ever run the Honolulu Marathon.

Two strong Ethiopian athletes lead the women's field. Abebech Afework (2:23:33 personal best, Dubai, 2015) and Bere Ayalew (2:22:52, Eindhoven, 2022) will both be making their Honolulu Marathon debuts. Afework, 31, is the more experienced athlete. She has completed 20 marathons in 21 starts, and has racked up three wins and seven podium finishes. She is coming back from a DNF at the Lisbon Marathon in October. Ayalew, 23, has only run four marathons. However, she's made the podium at all four including a second place finish at the Eindhoven Marathon in October of this year where she ran her personal best. Both athletes will be making their Honolulu Marathon debuts.

Reigning Honolulu Marathon champion, Lanni Marchant of Canada, is also in the field. The 38 year-old, who ran both the 10,000m and the marathon at the 2016 Rio Olympics, won last year's race in 2:41:25 on very limited training after finishing 11th at the TCS New York City Marathon a month before In her long marathon career, which began in 2011, Marchant has completed 15 marathons and made the podium three times. A criminal appeal lawyer based in Denver, she is the former Canadian record holder with a 2:28:00 personal best.

"It was a struggle out there," Marchant said after last year's race. "I dehydrated quick. Those last few miles I really had to find my purpose for running. I just got myself across the finish line."

Rounding out the elite field is Mai Ito of Japan. The 38 year-old --who competed in the 2016 Olympic Marathon and both the 2011 and 2015 World Championships Marathons-- has completed all 15 marathons she has started. Her personal best of 2:24:42 was set in Nagoya in 2015. This will be her first run ever at the Honolulu Marathon.

Kenyan Jhon Korir sets target ahead of next year's Houston Half Marathon

Houston Half Marathon runners-up John Korir is determined to lower his personal best in the Armaco Houston Half Marathon scheduled for January 15 next year.

Korir clocked 1:00:27 at this year's race, behind winner Milkesa Tolosa of Ethiopia, who timed 1:00:24.

“My target is to run sub-1 hour as I also chase the top spot,” said Korir.

Korir said the weather in Houston was a major setback towards his quest for the title and is hopeful of better conditions this time around.

"I'm hopeful of a good performance now that I know what to expect in Houston in terms of the weather," he said.  

Korir, who trains in Eldoret, said he has achieved his targets during his sessions and all that is left is to translate this onto a competitive situation.

“I have been working on my fitness as well as speed training. I feel I have made some progress compared to when I started my training,” Korir said, adding that the weather conditions at his training base have favoured him.

“I do not like training during hot seasons since I am allergic to dust and may likely contract an infection,” added the two-time Los Angeles Marathon winner.

He won the American race in 2021 and 2022, clocking respective  times of 2:12:49 and 2:09:08.

In his Chicago Marathon debut this year, Korir timed 2:05:01 for third, behind winner Benson Kipruto (2:04:24) and Ethiopia's Seifa Tura (2:04:49).

Korir, who looks up to his elder brother — former Boston Marathon champion Wesley Korir — revealed he developed his interest in running when he was in Class Three.

Wesley, an Olympian and former Cherangany Constituency Member of Parliament, won the 2012 Boston Marathon in a time of 2:12:40.

In conclusion, Korir said his target is to break into the top-three in world marathon running in the next five years.

Eliud Kipchoge to make Boston Marathon debut

World record holder Eliud Kipchoge will race the Boston Marathon for the first time on April 17.

Kipchoge, who at September’s Berlin Marathon lowered his world record by 30 seconds to 2:01:09, has won four of the six annual major marathons — Berlin, Tokyo, London and Chicago.

The 38-year-old Kenyan has never raced Boston, the world’s oldest annual marathon dating to 1897, nor New York City but has repeated in recent years a desire to enter both of them.

Typically, he has run the London Marathon in the spring and the Berlin Marathon in the fall.

Kipchoge’s last race in the U.S. was the 2014 Chicago Marathon, his second of 10 consecutive marathon victories from 2014 through 2019.

He can become the first reigning men’s marathon world record holder to finish the Boston Marathon since South Korean Suh Yun-Bok set a world record of 2:25:39 in Boston in 1947, according to the Boston Athletic Association.

In 2024 in Paris, Kipchoge is expected to race the Olympic marathon and bid to become the first person to win three gold medals in the marathon. 

No ban for Kenya, says World Athletics president sebastian Coe

World Athletics president confirms east African nation will not receive a global suspension from the sport despite an alarming spate of drugs positives.

Speculation that Athletics Kenya will be barred from international competition was proved unfounded on Wednesday (Nov 30) when World Athletics president Seb Coe said the country has escaped a ban but will continue to sit on an anti-doping ‘watch list’.

Speaking at a World Athletics council press conference in Rome, Coe said the large number of top Kenyan athletes to test positive for drugs was “concerning” but the nation will not receive a Russian-style suspension due to, among other things, a pledge by the Kenyan government to plough $5 million per year into anti-doping efforts over the next five years.

“World Athletics has been concerned,” said Coe. “Kenya has been on the watch list for a few years already. 

“In one year 40% of all the positive tests in global athletics have been in Kenya and this is not a situation that World Athletics was prepared to sit and watch develop.”

Coe added that there has been “a lot of recent reportage, some of which has been correct and some not. But we have made real progress.”

As well as the Kenyan government funding, Coe said the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) will continue to work closely with Kenya to implement the plan. 

He added: “All stakeholders internationally and domestically are now aligned to resolve this situation and I am pleased we have a united response. But my instinct tells me it will be a long journey.

“This has to be collectively driven through all the stakeholders, internationally and domestically, who have a role and responsibility to solve this as quickly as possible.”

Coe said money would be spent on anti-doping education and “a deeper dive into the entourage of some of the people who surround the athletes”. 

This, he said, “allows us more horsepower to challenge some of these issues”.

Kenya aside, an update on the ongoing Russian ban was tackled by Coe and Rune Andersen, head of the World Athletics taskforce on restoring Russia to global competition.

Coe emphasised that two separate sanctions exist – the anti-doping related ban and the sanction relating to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

With regards anti-doping, good progress and cultural change has been made and Russia’s possible reinstatement into competition will be discussed again in March 2023.

Related to this, the Ukrainian Athletic Association was awarded the ‘president’s award’ as part of the World Athletics awards with Coe presenting Ukrainian AA president Yevhen Pronin with the honor during the press conference.

“I couldn’t think of anyone worthier than this for this year’s award,” said Coe. “What the Ukrainian Athletics Federation president, the coaches, and the athletes have done is just worthy of everyone’s respect and recognition.”

Elsewhere, Coe spoke about 2022 being “an immensely strong year for athletics” with four World Athletics Series events involving more than 4000 competitors from 180 countries with 554 national records and a television audience of more than one billion people.

The World Indoor Championships in Belgrade had an economic impact of $43m with the World Championships in Oregon having an impact of $273m.

The Continental Tour, meanwhile, saw 162 events with 12,000 athletes across 159 nations with 118 national records and 2400 PBs. Diamond League figures, Coe added, were not yet available for 2022.

Further council decisions included awarding the World Relays to Bahamas in 2024 as a qualifying event for the Paris Olympics. The road mile will become an official world record event from January. And the World Road Running Championships will switch from a biennial event to annual from 2025.

Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui under no pressure ahead of marathon debut at Valencia

Commonwealth Games 10,000m silver medallist Sheila Chepkirui insists she is under no pressure ahead of making her full marathon debut at the 42nd edition of the Valencia Marathon this Sunday. 

Chepkirui said she is aware of the tough competition that awaits her but insists that she is not worried.

The women’s field has attracted some of the best athletes who will be targeting to break the course record which currently stands at 2:03:00.

“I am not afraid of the competition. I am making my debut and I don’t want to put pressure on myself. My main goal is to cross the finish line,” Chepkirui said. She will be in the company of compatriots Monicah Ngige and Fancy Chemutai.

The Kenyan trio is bound to face tough competition from Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey, who is the world-record holder in 5000m, 10,000m and the half marathon.  

She is one of the women in the spotlight as she will also be making her debut over the distance after successfully ruling the track and half marathon.

Other Ethiopians in the race are— Sutume Kebede (2:18:12) and Etagegne Woldu (2:20:16). 

Chepkirui said her training is going on well and she is ready for the race.

She added that Chemutai, who is also her training mate, has played a key role in motivating her ahead of D-day. “We train together and she always encourages me,” Chepkirui said.

In the men’s field, the Ethiopian trio of Getaneh Molla (2:03:34), Tamirat Tola (2:03:39) and Dawit Wolde (2:04:27) head the field.

Kenya’s Jonathan Korir lines up as the fourth fastest with a lifetime best of 2:04:32 and will have the company of Geoffrey Kirui, Ronald Korir, Simon Kipkosgei and debutants Alexander Mutiso, Philemon Kiplimo and Kelvin Kiptum.

Recover like Kipchoge: three simple ways you can be like the GOAT

The world’s fastest marathoner knows how to take care of himself. Eliud Kipchoge, 38, lives and trains at the NN Running camp in Kaptagat, Kenya. While the athlete is constantly in demand to share his wise words and insight with the world, he knows how to say no (he calls it Vitamin N) in order to keep his focus where it is most needed.

Here are three simple ways Kipchoge makes sure he takes care of his body and mind during his downtime. Most of us wouldn’t be able to keep up with Kipchoge on a training day, but we can certainly follow his recovery plan.

Sleep is essential

Aim for a minimum of 8 hours of sleep a night. Research increasingly shows how essential sleep is to all aspects of our lives, and how detrimental spending months or years sleep-deprived can be. Kipchoge gets close to 10 hours of sleep daily.

Kipchoge follows a strict sleep schedule, heading to bed by 9 pm at night and rising at 5:45 am. He also fits in a daily nap. Sports writer and commentator Cathal Dennehy spent three days in 2021 at Kipchoge’s training camp, and writes: “Despite the many demands on his time, he’s very, very good at doing nothing.”

Hydrate well, and eat nutritious food

The exact amount of water we need to drink is oft-debated, but you’re probably not drinking enough. Kipchoge hydrates well and his diet consists largely of simple, whole foods. The GOAT has worked with a nutritionist to tweak his diet for optimal performance, including adding more protein. Many runners tend to eat less on recovery days, thinking their bodies don’t need as many calories–but we actually need to dial in nutrition on recovery days to help our bodies repair tissue damage and become stronger. Protein is essential.

Dennehy observed that Kipchoge eats simple, mainly local food: “homemade bread, local fruits and vegetables, lots of Kenyan tea, some meat, and a generous daily helping of his favourite–ugali, a dense maize-flour porridge.”

Massage and physiotherapy are fantastic (but so is listening to your body)

Kipchoge sees his long-time physiotherapist, Peter Nduhiu, twice a week for a massage. The athlete hasn’t reported any major injuries, and Nduhiu says there’s a reason for that. “He hasn’t had injuries, but he makes it easy for me, because he follows what the coach says,” he explains. “If you’re managing an issue and tell him to slow down, he does exactly that.”

Massage and physiotherapy are fabulous tools if they are accessible to you. If they aren’t, self-massage and mobility work can help. Most importantly, listen to your body: if Kipchoge slows down to help his body recover well, so can you.

Kenyan marathoner starts all-girls training camp

Kenyan distance runner Mary Ngugi, 33, shared that she often felt on high alert as she trained as a young athlete in Nyahururu, a town in the Southern Rift Valley in Kenya. Ngugi, who was third at Boston Marathon in 2022 and 2021, has created the Nala Track Club, the first all-girls training camp in Kenya. Young athletes at Nala Track Club will be guided and mentored by female coaches.

“We needed to give them a safe place where they can be themselves, where they can train without feeling they are in the shadow of men all the time,” she said in an interview with Olympics.com. Ngugi explains that while she has some fond memories of camp, she knew other girls and women didn’t share her experience.

“I was lucky. I joined a camp that was really strict. I know about girls who got pregnant while we were in camp, but it’s the girls who were sent home,” she said. “The boys continued chasing their dreams.”

Young women athletes are also manipulated by agents and administrators, Ngugi shared, and explained that the athletes feel pressure to comply or be sent away. “Most of the athletes in Kenya, like me, we come from humble backgrounds, and you don’t want to go back there.”

In October 2021, Agnes Tirop, a talented 25-year-old distance runner who represented Kenya at the Tokyo Olympics, was murdered in her home. The ensuing shock and horror prompted athletes like Ngugi to use their voices to stand up for any athletes who are victims of gender-based violence.

Ngugi initially formed the Women’s Athletics Alliance, “to help the next generation avoid the suffering that so many female athletes have gone through.” She realized that more was needed to support young women athletes: “Women’s Athletics Alliance was more about empowering women, mentorship. And then we thought, it’s not just about mentorship, it’s not just about talking to these girls,” she added. We need to do something, give them a safe place.”

The Nala Track Club was born, and currently has five athletes ages 16 to 22 with the plan to expand to 12 runners. As well as supporting them in training, Ngugi’s camp pays for the athletes’ education and encourages them to attend school, noting that many young women who train at camps have to stop school, either because their camp doesn’t support their education or their parents cannot afford school fees.

“We also want to empower them to have a voice in society, not just in matters of athletics. When they are out there, they can communicate and speak out.” Ngugi is also working to encourage women coaches and mentors; collaborating with her former coach Francis Kamau, Athletics Kenya, and the UK-based Female Coaching Network to train female coaches in her home region.

While Ngugi’s short-term goal is to have female coaches work with the girls at the Nala Track club, she also wants to inspire her fellow athletes to consider coaching once retired from the sport.

“I want to be in an Olympic team with a few female coaches, not just male coaches. I don’t want the women to be in the teams as chaperones,” says Ngugi.

2022 - the year when international road racing got back to normal

There have been big city races with mass participation, high-profile clashes between the world’s elite distance runners, and numerous records broken across a range of distances.

Road running is back in a big way.

While some World Athletics Label road races in 2022 still had to be postponed or adapted in the face of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, road running as a whole is almost back to normal.

Nine Elite Platinum Label marathons have been held already this year, with the 10th and final one due to take place in Valencia on 4 December.

World Athletics Elite Platinum marathons in 2022

Tokyo – 6 March

Winners: Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:16:02 CR, Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:02:40 CRWorld record-holders Brigid Kosgei and Eliud Kipchoge got their years off to a great start, winning in the Japanese capital with course records.Finishers: 18,272

Nagoya – 13 March

Winner: Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 2:17:18 CRAfter an enthralling tussle with Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, Ruth Chepngetich prevailed in 2:17:18, breaking the course record in the world’s largest women-only marathons.Finishers: 8698

Seoul – 17 April

Winners: Joan Chelimo Melly (KEN) 2:18:04 CR, Mosinet Geremew (ETH) 2:04:43 CREventual winners Joan Chelimo Melly and Mosinet Geremew were pushed all the way to course records in the Korean capital in two close races. Geremew won by six seconds, while Melly finished eight seconds ahead of her nearest rival.

Boston – 18 April

Winners: Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) 2:21:01, Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:06:51Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir maintained her winning streak to win in one of the world’s most prestigious races, finishing just four seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh. Evans Chebet enjoyed a more comfortable victory in the men’s race.Finishers: 24,607

Berlin – 25 September

Winners: Tigist Assefa (ETH) 2:15:37 CR, Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:01:09 WROlympic champion Eliud Kipchoge returned to the site of his last world record-breaking performance and improved on the mark by 30 seconds, setting a world record of 2:01:09. Meanwhile, Tigist Assefa smashed the women’s course record – and Ethiopian record – with her 2:15:37 victory.Finishers: 34,879

London – 2 October

Winners: Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) 2:17:26, Amos Kipruto (KEN) 2:04:39Yalemzerf Yehualaw got the better of defending champion Joyciline Jepkosgei in an enthralling duel, while Amos Kipruto made a similar late-race break to take the men’s title.Finishers: 40,578

Chicago – 9 October

Winners: Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 2:14:18 WL, Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2:04:24Ruth Chepngetich came within seconds of the world record to win in 2:14:18, the second-fastest time in history. Benson Kipruto, winner in Boston last year, added another US big city marathon win to his collection.Finishers: 39,420

Amsterdam – 16 October

Winners: Almaz Ayana (ETH) 2:17:20 CR, Tsegaye Getachew (ETH) 2:04:49Ethiopia’s 2016 Olympic 10,000m champion Almaz Ayana ran the fastest marathon debut in history to win in the Dutch capital, holding off former track rival and compatriot Genzebe Dibaba. Tsegaye Getachew made it an Ethiopian double, winning by just five seconds from Titus Kipruto.Finishers: 12,669

New York City – 6 November

Winners: Sharon Lokedi (KEN) 2:23:23, Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:08:41Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi pulled off one of the biggest road-running surprises of 2022, winning the New York City Marathon on her debut at the distance and beating many established stars of the sport. Evans Chebet added to his Boston win from earlier in the year.Finishers: 47,839

Valencia – 4 December

Elite field: includes Letesenbet Gidey, Sutume Kebede, Tiki Gelana, Tigist Girma, Etagegne Woldu, Amane Shankule and Tadelech Bekele in the women’s race, and Getaneh Molla, Tamirat Tola, Dawit Wolde, Jonathan Korir, Hiskel Tewelde, Chalu Deso and Gabriel Geay in the men’s race.Places: 30,000

For the masses

It’s not just elite runners who have been able to enjoy top-quality road racing. Events in most corners of the world have been able to stage mass races of some sort in 2022.

That looks set to continue in 2023 too, not just with Label road races but also at World Athletics Series events.

Who Wore Which Shoes at the New York City Marathon?

The running shoe hype train was high in New York City with a few fast yet-to-be-released shoes in the men’s and women’s elite fields.

For a few miles early in the New York City Marathon, Desi Linden surged into the lead of the women’s elite field. The two-time Olympian and 2018 Boston Marathon champion didn’t think she’d run away and win the race that way, but she was just trying to keep the pace honest.

However, hiding in plain sight on her feet as she was off the front of the pack was a yet-to-be-released pair of orange, white and black Brooks prototype racing shoes. A day later, no one is willing to give up any details of the shoe, except that, like all of the other top-tier racing shoes in both the men’s and women’s elite fields, it features a carbon plate embedded in a hyper-responsive foam midsole. And although it’s all in accordance with World Athletics regulations, it won’t be released in Spring 2024 … so we’ll all have to wait a bit to see what that shoe is all about.

Linden’s shoes weren’t the only speedy outliers among the top 25 men’s and women’s finishers. While Nike, Adidas and ASICS shoes were the most prevalent brands among elite runners, there were several shoes that aren’t yet available to the public.

For example, the first runner to cross the finish line of this year’s New York City Marathon, women’s winner Sharon Lokedi, was wearing a pair of Under Armour Velociti Elite shoes. That’s notable for several reasons—because it was Lokedi’s first marathon, because the shoe won’t become available until early 2023 and because it’s the first podium finish at a major international marathon for a runner wearing Under Armour shoes.

There were also three pairs of yet-to-be-released Hoka Rocket X 2 shoes on the feet of three Hoka NAZ Elite runners — two of whom set new personal best times, Aliphine Tuliamuk (7th, 2:26:18) Matthew Baxter (12th, 2:17:15). Those fluorescent yellow shoes with orange, white and blue accents and blue laces were on the feet of Hoka pros at the Boston Marathon in April and Ironman World Championships in Hawaii in October, but they won’t be released to the public until late February or early March.

Meanwhile, the winner of the men’s race, Evans Chebet, was wearing a pair of Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3, a shoe worn by four other runners in the top 25 of the men’s race and six among the women’s top 25, making it the second most prevalent model among the elites. Oddly, that was the same shoe worn by Brazil’s Daniel do Nascimento, who went out at record-setting sub-2:03 pace on his own, only to crumple to the ground at mile 21 after succumbing to fatigue and cramping.

The most common shoe among the top finishers was the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2, which was on the feet of 11 of the 50 runners among the women’s and men’s top 25 finishers. There were eight runners wearing either the first or second version of the ASICS MetaSpeed Sky.

Six runners wore Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Flyknit shoes, three wore Nike Air Zoom Alphalfy NEXT% 2. There were two pairs of On Cloudboom Echo 3 in the field, including those worn by Hellen Obiri who finished sixth while running a 2:25:49 in her marathon debut, while three runners wore Puma Fast R Nitro Elite.

And what about actor Ashton Kutcher? He wore a pair of purple Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% Flyknit shoes and finished in a very respectable 3:54:01.

Matt James, the former lead of the Bachelor, finished in 3:46:45 with Shalane Flanagan as his guide wearing a pair of New Balance FuelCell Comp Trainer shoes. Flanagan wore Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next% Flyknit shoes, as did Meghan Duggan, an Olympic gold medalist hockey player who ran a solid 3:52:03. Lauren Ridloff, actress from “The Walking Dead,” ran in a pair of Brooks Glycerin 20 and finished in 4:05:48, while Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton finished in 4:20:34 wearing a pair of Brooks Ghost 14 and Tommy Rivers Puzey (aka “Tommy Rivs,” a former elite runner who survived a deadly bout of cancer in 2020, wore a pair of Craft CTM Ultra Carbon Race Rebel and finished in 6:13:54.

Here’s a rundown of what was on the feet of the top 25 women’s and men’s finishers in the Big Apple.

1. Sharon Lokedi (Kenya) 2:23:23 — Under Armour Velociti Elite

2. Lonah Salpeter (Israel) 2:23:30 — Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2

3. Gotytom Gebreslase (Ethiopia) 2:23:39 – Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2

4. Edna Kiplagat (Kenya) 2:24:16 — Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2

5. Viola Cheptoo (Kenya) 2:25:34 — Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3

6. Hellen Obiri (Kenya) 2:25:49 — On Cloudboom Echo 3

7. Aliphine Tuliamuk (USA) 2:26:18 — Hoka Rocket X 2

8. Emma Bates (USA) 2:26:53 — ASICS MetaSpeed Sky+

9. Jessica Stenson (Australia) 2:27:27 – ASICS MetaSpeed Sky

10. Nell Rojas (USA) 2:28:32 — Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Flyknit

11. Lindsay Flanagan (USA) 2:29:28 – ASICS MetaSpeed Sky

12. Gerda Steyn (South Africa) 2:30:22 — Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3

13. Stephanie Bruce (USA) 2:30:34 — Hoka Rocket X 2

14. Caroline Rotich (Kenya) 2:30:59  — ASICS MetaSpeed Sky+

15. Keira D’Amato (USA) 2:31:31 — Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Flyknit

16. Des Linden (USA) 2:32:37 — Brooks Prototype

17. Mao Uesugi (Japan) 2:32:56 — Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3

18. Eloise Wellings (Australia) 2:34:50 — Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3

19. Sarah Pagano (USA) 2:35:03 — Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3

20. Grace Kahura (Kenya) 2:35:32 — Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2

21. Annie Frisbie (USA) 2:35:35 — Puma Fast R Nitro Elite

22. Molly Grabill (USA) 2:39:45 — Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% Flyknit

23. Kayla Lampe (USA) 2:40:42 — ASICS MetaSpeed Sky+

24. Maegan Krifchin (USA) 2:40:52 — Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3

25. Roberta Groner (USA) 2:43:06 — Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% 2

1. Evans Chebet (Kenya) 2:08:41 — Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3

2. Shura Kitata (Ethiopia) 2:08:54 — Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2

3. Abdi Nageeye (Netherlands) 2:10:31 — Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2

4. Mohamed El Aaraby (Morocco) 2:11:00 — ASICS MetaSpeed Sky+

5. Suguru Osako (Japan) 2:11:31 — Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2

6. Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Japan) 2:12:12  — Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2

7. Albert Korir (Kenya) 2:13:27 — Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3

8. Daniele Meucci (Italy) 2:13:29 — ASICS MetaSpeed Sky+

9. Scott Fauble (USA) 2:13:35 — Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% 2

10. Reed Fischer (USA) 2:15:23 — Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3

11. Jared Ward (USA) 2:17:09 — Saucony Endorphin Pro 3

12. Matthew Baxter (New Zealand) 2:17:15 — Hoka Rocket X 2

13. Leonard Korir (USA) 2:17:29 — Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2

14. Matthew Llano (USA) 2:20:04 — Under Armour Velociti Elite

15. Olivier Irabaruta (Burundi)  2:20:14 — On Cloudboom Echo 3

16. Hendrik Pfeiffer (Germany) 2:22:31 — Puma Fast R Nitro Elite

17. Jonas Hampton (USA) 2:22:58 — Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3

18. Alberto Mena (USA) 2:23:10 — Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2

19. Jacob Shiohira (USA) 2:23:33 — Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Flyknit

20. Edward Mulder (USA) 2:23:42 — Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Flyknit

21. Jordan Daniel (USA) 2:24:27 — Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2

22. Nathan Martin (USA) 2:25:27 — ASICS MetaSpeed Sky+

23. Jeff Thies (USA) 2:25:45 — Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% 2

24. Shadrack Kipchirchir (USA) 2:28:15 — Puma Fast R Nitro Elite

25. Abi Joseph (USA) 2:29:16 — Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Flyknit

Kenya doping: World Athletics urged not to ban country despite doping cases

World Athletics has been urged not to ban Kenya from the sport for violations of doping rules by a government minister from the East African country.

The nation is reportedly at risk of a sanction following a string of cases, with 55 of its athletes serving suspensions issued by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).

Kenya's situation will be discussed at the World athletics council meeting in Rome next week, BBC Sport Africa understands.

Ababu Namwamba, the cabinet secretary for the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts, has written to World Athletics president Lord Coe to assure him that Kenya's government is taking firm measures to uphold the integrity of athletics.

"We cannot allow our nation to be banned because of the actions of some greedy unethical individuals," Namwamba said.

"We will target and deal decisively with the criminals and their syndicates. We must work together to eradicate doping and cheating from athletics and sports in general."

Kenya is among seven countries deemed a 'Category A' federation - the highest doping risk - by the AIU, meaning athletes from the countries have to undergo at least three tests in the 10 months prior to a major event to be able to compete there.

Its total of 55 athletes serving bans is the third most of any nationality behind Russia (102) and India (61).

Russia has been banned by World Athletics from competing as a nation in athletics since 2015 but untainted athletes were still able to compete under a neutral flag until the country's invasion of Ukraine in February, when all athletes, support personnel and officials from the country were banned.

Seventeen Kenyan athletes have been sanctioned by the AIU this year for a range of violations, with a further eight provisionally suspended and awaiting the outcomes of their cases.

An overarching ban by World Athletics and the AIU would be a huge blow to the reputation of the East African country, which has won 34 of its 35 Olympic gold medals in track and field events.

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) welcomed the government's intervention and said it would continue supporting "all efforts and actions as a partner in dismantling all systems and avenues perpetuating the vice of doping in athletics".

A statement from the body said the country had built an "illustrious history" in the sport and that "it is not ready to sacrifice this reputation due to the greed of a few actors".

"We join our voice in pleading with World Athletics and other parties to withhold any punitive measures such as a ban and consider the multifaceted efforts of the Kenyan community, led by the government, as a positive sign and contribution towards a zero-doping environment in Kenya," NOC-K president Paul Tergat added.

Two-time Olympic champion and marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge has said the increasing number of doping cases is "worrying" and "clean sport is the way to go".

The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts said Kenya has a zero tolerance to doping and is "fully committed to ending the doping menace".

"We must defeat doping and its perpetrators. This is a serious concern and that is why the government is giving total undivided attention," Namwamba added.

"We are treating it as a matter of top strategic national interest."

Connor Mantz breaks record, Weini Kelati wins again at Manchester Road Race

Connor Mantz won the Manchester Road Race in record time.

The 25-year-old from Provo, Utah, won the race with a time of 21:04, beating the record set more than four years ago. It's a duel celebration for the runner as he is also celebrating his honeymoon.

In the women’s race, 25-year-old Weini Kelati defended her record-breaking 2021 title, handily winning her second Manchester Road Race. She was named Queen of the Hill.

Much like in 2021, Kelati began her race early and paced with some of the elite male runners. During the race, no other woman could pace with Kelani. For some pockets of the race, Kelati paced by herself, running faster than some of the elite men.

Kelati, an Eritrea-born runner, validated her world-class ambitions by winning two national championships in New Mexico. She turned professional and joined the Dark Sky Distance running club. In 2021, she met the Olympic qualifying standard for 10,000 meters. That year she came to the U.S.  

Wesley Kiptoo, 23 from Kenya, won King of the Hill, which has a $1,000 prize.

Kiptoo came in third place overall, while Morgan Beadlescomb came in second.

Over 10,000 runners were registered for this year's race. It is the final year for longtime race director Jim Balcome, who, with his team, built the race into a world-class event.

The course is a 4.748-mile loop through the town’s central streets. It starts and finishes on Main Street, in front of St. James Church.

David Rudisha mulls over transition to coaching

David Rudisha, the 2012 and 2016 Olympic 800m champion who last raced internationally five years ago, reportedly said he is considering transitioning into coaching.

“Actually I was thinking of coming back but at my age, I can’t make it in my specialty,” the 33-year-old Rudisha said, according to the Star in his native Kenya. “I have been discussing with my coach about coaching so it is an avenue I look forward to exploiting.”

Rudisha, who last raced internationally on July 4, 2017, missed time in the last Olympic cycle due to a quad muscle strain, back problems, a car crash and surgery for a broken ankle. He underwent left leg surgery last November.

In his absence, another Kenyan, Emmanuel Korir, won the 800m at the Tokyo Olympics and this past July’s world championships.

“I would have liked to shift to long-distance races, but my body is meant for short races,” Rudisha said, according to the report. “It won’t be long before I make my retirement plans public, but it’s a joy to watch the boys rule the world because that means we are still strong in the specialty.”

At the 2012 Olympics, the Maasai warrior Rudisha lowered his world record to 1:40.91, leading from the break and towing six of the seven other finalists to personal bests in arguably the single greatest highlight of those Games.

Nobody has run within .97 of a second of Rudisha’s world record since he set it.

Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey is set to make marathon debut in Valencia

The Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso announces its elite international line-up for its 42nd edition on December 4.

Some of the best athletes on the international scene will take to the streets of Valencia “Ciudad del Running” with the aim of improving the course record (2:03:00) and seeking the best women’s debut in the history of the event.

Tamirat Tola (2:03:39), the reigning World Marathon champion, heads the men’s line-up alongside his Ethiopian compatriots Getaneh Molla (2:03:34) and Dawit Wolde (2:04:27) in a preliminary list with up to seven athletes with fastest times under 2:05 over the Marathon distance.

Kenya, a world power in the marathon, will be well represented not only by Jonathan Korir (2:04:32), but also by a trio of important debutants over the distance: Alexander Mutiso, Philemon Kiplimo and Kelvin Kiptum. Attention will also be focused on another athlete who will be initiated at 42,195 metres: the Ethiopian Milkesa Menghesa, the winner of the Copenhagen Half Marathon.

In the women’s category, the spotlight will be on the long-awaited debut of Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey (currently world record holder in the 5000, 10000, 15K and half marathon, two of which were achieved in Valencia), who will make an eye-catching debut in a marathon on 4 December with the realistic ambition of beating the time of 2:17:23 (world record for a debutant), but also of getting as close as possible to the women’s world record of 2:14:04 (Brigid Kosgei, Chicago).

The Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui, also a debutant, could become the other female star of the Valencia Marathon in 2022, without forgetting some of the other runners included in this line-up with excellent times: Sutume Kebede (2:18:12) and Etagegne Woldu (2:20:16), who achieved second place last year in this marathon.

Marc Roig, international elite coach for the Valencia Marathon, assesses the line-up: “We are very proud that Letesenbet Gidey has chosen Valencia to make her marathon debut. It is a clear demonstration that we are an attractive marathon and of the very strong links between Gidey and the city of Valencia. But, as ever, the Valencia Marathon is not based on a single name: fifteen of the women have run under 2h26 and fourteen of the men under 2:07. And let’s not forget the three debutants with 58 minutes and another one with 57 minutes in the half marathon”.

Turkey’s Yasemin Can and Burundi’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo claim Italica titles

Turkey’s Yasemin Can and Burundi’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo secured respective victories at the Cross Internacional de Itálica on the outskirts of Seville in what was the sixth World Athletics Cross Country Tour Gold meeting of the season, on a sunny and pleasant Sunday (20).

While Can prevailed over Uganda's Peruth Chemutai in a thrilling clash, Ndikumwenayo unleashed a sprint victory over his training partner Rodrigue Kwizera and a star-studded line-up.

The women’s contest was held over the slightly longer distance of 10.1km, but that was no barrier for Olympic steeplechase champion Chemutai, who took control of the race from the start. After just one minute into the race, only Kenya’s Purity Chepkirui and Nancy Jepleting, Yasemin Can and Ethiopia's Meselu Berhe managed to stay close to the 23-year-old Ugandan. Berhe was the first casualty as she began to lose ground before the second kilometer.

While Chemutai made most of the pacing duties at 3:18/km pace, 2021 world U20 1500m champion Chepkirui ran closest to her shoulder with four-time European cross-country champion Can in third and Jepleting in fourth. The first serious move came just before the fourth kilometer when Chemutai's relentless rhythm began to pay off as firstly Jepleting and then Chepkirui began to falter, leaving Can as Chemutai’s only rival.

Way behind the top-five, Spain's Isabel Barreiro, the winner in Amorebieta, headed a five-woman chase pack which also included steeplechase specialists Irene Sánchez-Escribano and Olympic finalist Carolina Robles, plus 5000m specialists Marta García and Portugal's Mariana Machado.

After successive 2.5km loops of 7:56 and 7:54, Can decided to take charge of the race, moving ahead of Chemutai with Chepkirui 14 seconds in arrears. Midway through the penultimate lap, Barreiro injected a brisker pace in pursuit of Jepleting and Berhe.

Can and Chemutai, timed at 8:01 for the penultimate lap, were locked in battle as they set off on the final lap. The Ugandan, who placed fifth at the 2019 World Cross in Aarhus, tried to get rid of Can on an uphill section with 750 meters remaining, but the Turk held off her challenge to regain the lead, launch her attack some 450 meters from home, eventually crossing the finish line unopposed in 32:31 to the Ugandan's 32:34.

More than a minute further back, Chepkirui secured third place while Barreiro displayed the form of her life as she passed Jepleting and Berhe to finish fourth. A fast-finishing García was a creditable fifth as she pipped Berhe in the home straight.

At the finish line, Can expressed her happiness at the win and felt optimistic about her chances at the European Cross Country Championships in Turin on 11 December, the day of her 26th birthday.

Ndikumwenayo maintains momentum

The men's race started with Spain's 2017 European cross-country silver medalist Adel Mechaal at the front of the pack. The 32-year-old led a large group with all the main favorites such as Ndikumwenayo, his fellow Burundian Rodrigue Kwizera and the Kenyan pair of Stanley Waithaka and Levy Kibet in close attendance.

With the clock reading 11:00, the in-form Ndikumwenayo moved to the front for the first time to head a group of eight. Ndikumwenayo heated up the pace as the leading group covered the second lap in 7:09 for the opening cicuit's 7:21. By halfway, Spain's world 1500m bronze medalist Mohamed Katir was in second place ahead of Kwizera and Waithaka, but midway through the penultimate circuit Eritrea's Merhawi Mebrahtu took the lead and his frantic pace whittled down the lead group to six men. After another swift lap, which only took 7:04, Kwizera led at the bell with Ndikumwenayo and Katir closest to him.

The Castellón-based Kwizera pushed hard throughout the closing lap, setting a cadence that Katir could not maintain before entering the final kilometer. Shortly afterwards, 19-year-old Mebrahtu lost any chance of a podium place and the race became a double Burundian-Kenyan affair, a duel resolved in favor of the former as Kwizera and Ndikumwenayo managed to build a sizeable margin on the Kenyan pair some 500 meters from home.

The two leaders completed the final lap in a brisk 6:50 before negotiating the tricky final bend. Once again, Ndikumwenayo – who ran a world-leading 7:25:93 for 3000m earlier this year – produced a speedy finish and prevailed over Kwizera, but only just as both were credited with the same time, 28:51. Six seconds back, Kibet took third place after overtaking Waithaka in the closing stages.

“This is my third win a row this cross country season,” said a delighted Ndikumwenayo. “I'm surprised because I only began to train a couple two months ago after the summer break but I feel great both physically and mentally. I'll now stop competing and will do a 25-day training camp in the altitude of Sierra Nevada (3479m). My next event might be a New Year’s Eve race in Spain but it's not confirmed yet.”

Leading results

Women

1.- Yasemin Can (TUR) 32:31

2.- Peruth Chemutai (UGA) 32:34

3.- Purity Chepkirui (KEN) 33:47

4.- Isabel Barreiro (ESP) 33:57

5.- Marta García (ESP) 34:07

6.- Meselu Berhe (ETH) 34:08

7.- Carolina Robles (ESP) 34:11

Men

1.- Thierry Ndikumwenayo (BDI) 28:51

2.- Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) 28:51

3.- Levy Kibet (KEN) 28:57

4.- Stanley Waithaka (KEN) 29:00

5.- Merhawi Mebrahtu (ERI) 29:08

6.- Mohamed Katir (ESP) 29:17

7.- Nassim Hassaous (ESP) 29:27.

Amber Zimmerman captured the Philadelphia Marathon on her home course on a frigid day as Dominic Ondoro, a Kenyan who lives in Texas, won the men's race

As the sun began to light Ben Franklin Parkway and the city’s skyline on Sunday morning, spectators and competitors were warming up for the coldest Philadelphia Marathon since 1994. Hands and feet were cold, and even contact lenses froze.

Yet spirits prevailed as the city showed up for those who prepared for this day months in advance.

“I had a phenomenal group of people that last half mile before we made that turn up Kelly Drive, and that saved my life,” said women’s winner Amber Zimmerman, who recently moved to the city.

The temperature at the start was 35 degrees, but the wind made it feel like the low 20s. Eleven miles of the marathon were concentrated in Center City, blocking the wind somewhat. However, at the finish, the wind was fierce along Boathouse Row and Kelly Drive.

“The race was good, but there was a lot of wind,” said men’s champion Dominic Ondoro, who thought he was slowing down because of the gusts. “I enjoyed the course.” The Kenyan runner who lives in Texas broke away from the pack in the last few miles, finishing in 2 hours, 14 minutes, 20 seconds, followed by Gilmar Lopes of Brazil and Bernard Kiprop Koech of Kenya.

Zimmerman triumphed in 2:31:35, her new personal best. Maegan Krifchin of Long Island was second and Fantu Zewude Jifar of Ethiopia took third.

“They’re great runners and they’re brave runners,” Zimmerman said. “And I thought, you know, I’m going to try to be a brave runner to put myself in it.”

In the first half of the race, Zimmerman said she felt strong but hit a wall in Manayunk where her body started hurting. Nevertheless, she pushed to the finish, knowing that others were close behind. A regular runner since 7 years old, she posted her first win in her new city.

“I was thinking about that this week. I get a little bit teary about it,” she said when asked about her journey. “I really tailored my training. I coached myself and I played around with a lot of harder, longer runs, and that really worked out for me this time. I’ve been trying to make myself tougher.”

First-place finishers take home $10,000, plus an extra $1,000 for Zimmerman as a Philadelphian. What will she spend it on? Her blue heeler Doughnut (an Australian cattle dog), she said, pointing to her socks featuring blue doughnuts.

“He’s really sweet and I told him I was going to run this race for him and I was going to win for him,” Zimmerman, who ran at the University of New Mexico.

This year’s marathon was a notable one for the city, as a nonbinary category was added for the first time. Fifty-five runners registered in the category and race director Kathleen Titus said he believes it will grow in years to come, along with prize money for these athletes as well as para-athletes.

“You look at it and it’s a city of diversity as well as adaptivity,” she said. “... Whatever type of an athlete you are, if you’re a runner, we want you to feel that you can come to Philadelphia and participate as you are, in the ability that you are.”

The city also cheered on its first marathon long boarder, Chris Koch, who completed his 13th marathon. The 40-year-old Canadian was born with a partially developed right leg and foot. Shortly after he pedaled across the finish line, he joked, “I couldn’t feel my fingers the whole time.”

Koch completed his first marathon in 2016. “I guess I’m a glutton for punishment,” he said. “It’s a great challenge. I’m a motivational speaker and I encourage people to keep raising the bar and keep pushing themselves. I don’t want to be just talking the big talk.”

Sporting a Bobby Clarke Flyers jersey and blacked-out front teeth, Koch looked the Philly part. After visiting the city when he was speaking nearby, he decided to add it to his marathon list.

“I literally boarded out Ben Franklin Parkway to the Rocky stairs, climbed up the Rocky stairs,” he said. “... I’ve always found marathons [to be] a neat way to see the city.” Koch plans to attend the Flyers-Calgary Flames game at the Wells Fargo Center on Monday night.

Celebrations are in order for Koch and all the finishers. Runners will travel back home, rewind on the Thanksgiving holiday, and return to the grind soon enough.

When asked if she would be running on Monday, Zimmerman said she is probably going to walk. Probably.

Peter Mburu and Zachariah Kirika ruled the 15th KATA Time Trail this morning in Thika

The 15th Kenyan Athletics Training Academy Time-Trials were held in Thika Kenya on Saturday. Peter Mburu and Zachariah Kirika came first in 10k and 5k respectively. 

Peter retained the title he won in October in a time of 29:43.8 without big challenge as his would-be opponent Zachariah ruled the 5k category in 14:25.9.

Newcomer Jonathan Korir from Ngong finished second in the 10km clocking 30:19.1 with upcoming Raphael Gacheru timing 30:31.8 for bronze.

42-year-old Paul Ng’ang’a was first master clocking 34:42.

In 5Km, Erick Mutuku came second to Zachariah after crossing the finish line in 15:07.9 where Levis Kuria sealed the podium in 15:08.8.

In women, Caren Chepkemoi came first in the 10Km category in a Personal Best time of 36:49.9 followed by come-back Kellen Waithera who managed 37:53.9 while new-find Lilian Musenya led in 5Km in 21:10.9. Hannah Njeri clocked 26:30.6 to finish second.

The KATA Time-Trial, initially programmed to be held on the Track, were held on the 5Km loop after heavy rain made the track unusable.

The December trial, to be held on the track, will take place on 14th and will feature 10,000m and 5,000m respectively.

NAME                       BIB            AGE             TIME

               10Km

1. Peter Mburu       105            24                29:43.8

2. Jonathan Korir     104            28                30:19.1

3. Raphael Gacheru 217           23                30: 31.8

4. Peter Wanyoike   92              26                30:42.2

5. Eston Mugo         87              29                31:02.5

6. Boniface Mungai 100            24               31:06.7

7. Evans Kiguru         82              27               31:16.2

8. Dennis Nyaga       86              24               32:03.0

9. Anthony Mukundi 80            34             32:43.4

10. Paul Ng’ang’a     98             42          34:42.3

11. Caren Chepkemoi 94         19                  36:49.9

12. Kellen Waithera  88           34                  37:53.8

      5Km

1.Zachariah Kirika    209         21                  14:25.9

2. Erick Mutuku       443         21                  15:07.9

3. Levis Kuria            96           21                  15:08.8

4. Fredrick Kiprotich 78         23                  15:11.3

5. Alfred Kamande   90         24                   16:07.6

6. Michael Mualuko 103       18                    16:33.3

7. John Mutiso         101       18                    17:13.4

8. Samuel Muiruri   72          27                    17:22.1

9. Amos Chirchir     102        22                    18:20.9

10. Lilian Musenya   81         21                    21:10.9

11. Hannah Njeri      78         23                    26:30.6

Peres Jepchirchir named chief guest for Great Ethiopian Run

Reigning Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir is the guest of honor for this years’ edition of the Sofi malt Great Ethiopian Run International 10km road race set for Sunday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The race will see up to 500 elite athletes compete in both men and women categories with more than 40,000 participants expected to run in three waves of red, green and yellow which symbolises the Ethiopian flag.

Ethiopian athletics legend Haile Gebrselassie, who is a two-time Olympic 10,000m champion started the race 20 years ago with the first edition taking place in 2001. Local athletes have dominated all editions since then.

Jepchirchir, who is also the Boston Marathon champion, is excited to be gracing the race in what will be her first visit to Ethiopia.

“I’m glad to be invited for the Great Ethiopian Run International 10km road race as a guest of honour and I would love to meet with Haile and get some tips from him. I have not been to Ethiopia and I’m looking forward to also interact with my competitors and share one or two things concerning the sport,” said Jepchirchir.

Race General Manager Dagmawit Amare told Nation Sport the race is a symbol of unity and they are happy to host another  event.

“Every year in November, is the month that we are proud to be Ethiopians and in the past 21 years, the race has brought joy and unity in athletics. This year we expect more than 40,000 participants including 500 elite athletes from Uganda, Kenya, and Eritrea,” said Dagmawit.

According to the Runners World, the race held in Addis Ababa annually is possibly one of the best in the world where there is a mix of elite and fun runners.

The Great Ethiopian Run also organizes Hawassa Half Marathon, Women 5km race in March, Europe Day children races in May and Entoto Park Predator Run, which is held every month in Addis Ababa, IFH Relay Races and Great Bokoji Run.

Also invited for the event is two-time Boston Marathon champion Moses Tanui. He is expected to hold discussions for a partnership between Great Ethiopian Run and the Eldoret City Marathon, which is his brainchild.

Kiplimo, Waithaka and Chemutai are ready to run well in Seville

The Cross Internacional de Itálica in Santiponce on the outskirts of the Spanish city of Seville – the sixth Gold standard meeting in the current World Athletics Cross Country Tour – always boasts a mouth-watering line-up, and this year’s race on Sunday (20) is no exception.

The men’s 10.1km contest features world silver and bronze 10,000m medalists Stanley Waithaka of Kenya and Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda. The latter, who turned 22 earlier this week, is also the world cross-country silver medalist and already won here in 2019.

Kiplimo boasts an impressive 26:33.93 PB for 10,000m and enjoyed a fantastic summer season this year, winning double gold at the Commonwealth Games just a few weeks after his bronze medal at the World Championships. His last appearance came at the Great North Run in Newcastle a couple of months ago where he won against a strong field.

Waithaka finished seven hundredths of a second ahead of Kiplimo in Oregon to take his first senior global medal.

But they will face stiff opposition from the first four finishers at last weekend’s Cross Country Tour race in Atapuerca in the form of ThierryNdikumwenayo, Kenya's Levy Kibet, Burundi’s RodrigueKwizera and Eritrea's MerhawiMebrahtu.

After living in the country for eight years, Ndikumwenayo was granted Spanish nationality 10 days ago, but the 25-year-old from Burundi is not yet eligible to represent Spain in international events. He proved to be in stellar form in Atapuerca and will aim to maintain that momentum on Sunday while his closest opponent there, Kibet, will be eager to confirm his runner-up place ahead of Kwizera was no fluke.

Defending champion Kwizera reportedly resumed training for this cross-country season a bit later than usual after spending some weeks in his native Burundi for family matters, but the 22-year-old is rounding into form and he should be in contention for a podium place once again. Meanwhile teenager Mebrahtu, the world U20 5000m silver medalist, will also be a contender after his recent top-four finishes in Soria and Atapuerca.

Spanish hopes rest mainly on the in-form NassimHassaous, a top-10 finisher in all his appearances so far this cross country campaign.

Entries for the women’s race, also contested over 10.1km, are headed by Uganda's Olympic steeplechase champion PeruthChemutai. Illness prevented the 23-year-old from competing in Atapuerca last weekend, but she now seems fully recovered and ready for her first outing since taking bronze at the Commonwealth Games in August.

Despite the longer than usual distance, Kenya's 2021 world U20 1500m champion Purity Chepkirui should play a key role on Sunday following her overwhelming win in San Sebastián two weeks ago and her runner-up finish in Atapuerca last Sunday.

She will be joined by her fellow Kenyan Nancy Jepleting, winner in Zaragoza last month, while Ethiopia will be represented by MeseluBerhe, runner-up in San Sebastián and seventh in Atapuerca.

Turkey's four-time European cross-country champion Yasemin Can is also entered, as is Portugal's 2019 European U20 3000m silver medalist Mariana Machado, and Spain’s Isabel Barreiro, who finished just six seconds behind Can last weekend.

Previous winners in Santiponce include KenenisaBekele (2003, 2004 and 2007), Fernando Mamede (1984 and 1985), Paul Kipkoech (1987 and 1988), Paul Tergat (1998 and 1999), Moses Kipsiro (2008 and 2009), Leonard Komon (2010 and 2011), Linet Masai (2010 and 2012) and Paula Radcliffe (2001), among others.

Weather forecasters predict a sunny day and temperatures in the 16-18C range by the time of the event.

Kenyan Abel Kirui set to run next month's Fukuoka Marathon

Two-time former world champion Abel Kirui leads a strong contingent of Kenyan elite runners to next month's Fukuoka Marathon.

Kirui, 40, with a personal best of 2:05:05, faces stiff opposition to win the event set for December 4.

This will be Kirui's first marathon of the year having last participated in the 2021 Milan Marathon, where he finished 11th in 2:06:52.

Kirui said he has what it takes to win the race despite the competition. "Marathon running is never easy but I have had good preparations and I am looking forward to having a good outing,” added Kirui. 

Kirui will have fellow Kenyans Kenneth Keter and Silas Too for the company. Keter has a personal best of 2:06:05 set at the 2021 Amsterdam Marathon, where he finished eighth while Too has a PB of 2:06:32 posted in the Eindhoven Marathon last year.

James Gitahi, who finished third last year in a time of 2:08:25, will be aiming to go two places better this time around. Last year's winner Michael Githae will be aiming to defend the crown he won last year when he clocked 2:07:51.

Githae is upbeat about his prospects despite placing 11th at the Tokyo Marathon in March this year at 2:07:55. Githae also won silver at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last August.

“I did not do well in Tokyo but I have trained hard for Fukuoka for the past three months. It's a very good field, especially the Kenyans and Ethiopians but I'm up to the task and ready to defend my title,” he said. 

Vincent Raimoi will be making his debut in the full marathon at the event having clocked 59:51 at the 2020 Ras El Khaimah Marathon in UAE, where he finished fifth. The Ethiopian athletes in the event will be led by Teshager Yegzaw and Yemane Tsegaye. 

Obiri and Kwizera are the favorites in Madrid

The 57th San Silvestre Vallecana, a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race and possibly the most prestigious of the myriad of New Year's Eve races around the world, will return to its usual circuit (December 31) after a change last year because of the pandemic.

The women’s race on the slightly downhill 10km point-to-point course – which starts alongside the famous Santiago Bernabeu stadium of Real Madrid and finishes on the pitch of another Spanish first division club, Rayo Vallecano, in the Madrid suburbs – has Kenya’s distance ace Hellen Obiri as the athlete to beat.

The two-time world 5000m champion and Olympic silver medalist finished second in Madrid in 2018 after a thrilling battle with her fellow Kenyan and current world marathon record-holder Brigid Kosgei. Obiri’s outstanding 29:59 time then proved not enough to take the victory, but the 32-year-old will be eager to claim victory in Madrid for the first time on her opening appearance this winter.

Yet the reigning world cross country champion Obiri will face tough opposition provided by Ethiopia’s Degitu Azimeraw, 10 years her junior. Azimeraw is an accomplished road specialist, having recorded the second quickest ever marathon debut when she won in Amsterdam in 2:19:26 in 2019 to also break the course record in the Dutch city.

After another fine performance over the classic distance of 2:19:56 for sixth in Valencia in 2020, the Ethiopian moved to 11th on the world all-time list last October following her runner-up spot in London in a big lifetime best of 2:17:58. Azemiraw boasts a relatively modest 31:03.32 10,000m clocking set in Hengelo a couple of years ago. The NN Running Team athlete will be joined by her teammates Lonah Salpeter of Israel and Haven Hailu from Ethiopia.

The 33-year-old Salpeter holds the European 10km record with a 30:05 time to her credit set in Tilburg in 2019, one year after she won the European 10,000m title in Berlin. She attempted to land an Olympic marathon medal in Sapporo, remaining in a four-unit leading pack until the 36th kilometer, but some stomach problems ultimately hampered her aspirations. After that disappointment, Salpeter bounced back eight weeks later to place fifth at the London Marathon in her second quickest time of 2:18:54, not particularly far from her career best of 2:17:45 run in Tokyo in 2020 which makes her the eighth fastest woman in history.

Watch out too for the 23-year-old Hailu, as she was an unheralded distance runner until this year but clocked 2:20:19 for third in Amsterdam in October. She will compete in the company of her fellow Ethiopian Likina Amebaw Ayel, a 32:20 performer.

The men’s contest is also shaping up well as the classy cast includes the in-form Burundian Rodrigue Kwizera. The 22-year-old is enjoying a fantastic cross country season on Spanish soil, having taken victories at several prestigious events such as Soria, San Sebastian, Atapuerca, Italica and Venta de Banos. While the race record of 26:41 set by Jacob Kiplimo in 2018 seems unreachable, Kwizera should run well under the 28-minute barrier for the first time in his career.

Trying to deny Kwizera top spot will be Spain’s 2021 sensation Mohamed Katir, who broke three long-standing national records in the short space of 33 days. The rising Spaniard began his tally by clocking 12:50.79 for 5000m in Florence on 10 June, continued with a 3:28.76 1500m performance in Monaco on 9 July and concluded in style by taking the win over 3000m in Gateshead four days later, timed at 7:27.64.

In his first appearance at a major championships, Katir finished eighth at the Tokyo Olympics over 5000m. He more recently took the spoils at the Jean Bouin, a 10km road race held in Barcelona on 28 November, when he outsprinted Eritrea’s Merhawi Mebrahtu after a one-month stint at the altitude of Font Romeu. The 23-year-old’s next primary goal is the indoors, where he will try to excel over 3000m.

Kenya’s Shadrack Koech and Uganda’s Boniface Abel Sikowo should also be in the hunt for a podium place on Friday. The former holds a 27:21 10km lifetime best, while Sikowo is an 8:25.91 3000m steeplechase athlete who is tackling the road events and ran a 1:01:44 half marathon debut in Barcelona in October.

Not to be discounted is Kenya’s Emmanuel Kiplagat, as the 19-year-old clocked 28:28.02 for 10,000m last summer at the altitude of Nairobi.

In addition to Katir, Spanish hopes rest on Nassim Hassaous and Abdessamad Oukhelfen as they finished seventh and 12th respectively at the European Cross Country Championships in Dublin to lead Spain to team silver, while marathon runners Ayad Lamdassem (2:06:35) and Yago Rojo (2:08:56) will be aiming for a top 10 spot. The Tokyo Olympics 1500m 13th-placed Ignacio Fontes will also be in contention.

Weather forecasters predict perfect conditions for the race, with a mild and windless night, and temperatures between 12 and 14ºC by the time of the event.

Kenyans dominate at 2022 Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered marathon

Kenyan runners were clearly in a class of their own as they dominated the men’s and women’s open full marathon categories (42.195 km) of the 2022 Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon (KLSCM) today.

In the event, which started and ended at Dataran Merdeka here, Moses Kiptoo Kurgat, who was making his debut, won the men’s category after clocking 2 hours 11 minutes and 6 seconds.

He defeated compatriots Kiprop Tonui and Ngare Joseph Mwangi, who finished second and third respectively with times of 2’15:23s and 2’16:06s.

Kurgat said he could have recorded a better time if not for the humid weather but was still satisfied with his performance.

In the women’s category, Shelmith Nyawira Muriuki won the race in 2’44:16s, beating compatriots Sheila Jepkosgei Chesang (2’45:15s) and Eunice Nyawira Muchiri (2’49:00s) into second and third places respectively.

“I was not expecting to win because there were so many strong opponents. God was the one that helped me today.

“It also feels good to win with my compatriots. When you win, your flag is flying high for the country,” Muriuki told reporters after the medal ceremony.

S. Poo Vasanthan emerged as the champion in the Malaysian men’s full marathon after recording 2’37:56s, while Noor Amelia Musa took home the title in the women’s category with a time of 3’13:59s.

Meanwhile, KLSCM project director Rainer Biemans said he was glad that the event went smoothly as planned, especially when it had been cancelled for two years due to Covid-19.

“It’s good to be back but we still hope to improve next year as there’s always a chance for us to improve. Maybe add a few more registrations for next year,” he told Bernama. 

The 2022 B.A.A. Half Marathon returned to Franklin Park this morning as more than 6,300 athletes completed the 13.1-mile challenging course

At the front of the field, Kenyans Geoffrey Koech and Viola Chepngeno prevailed as men’s and women’s open division champions.

Despite sporadic rain throughout the morning, participants covered the challenging course through Boston and Brookline with smiles and enthusiasm. 

With a ferocious sprint into White Stadium, Chepngeno claimed the women’s open win in 1:10:40, just three seconds in front of Ethiopia’s Bosena Mulatie. Chepngeno, Mulatie and Hiwot Gebrekidan (Ethiopia) ran a majority of the race together, but it was ultimately the B.A.A. Half Marathon debutant in Chepngeno having the best finish of all. 

“I’m happy. So, so happy,” said a smiling Chepngeno. “The rain was cold. But I am happy so much!”

Gebrekidan was third in 1:11:09, with B.A.A. High Performance Team member Erika Kemp finishing as the top American, seventh in 1:12:13. Team USA Olympians Molly Huddle and Molly Seidel placed 12th (1:13:29) and 16th (1:16:22), respectively.

As a pack of a dozen runners led the men’s race through 10K, it was Koech taking the reigns at mile 9. While Tsegay Kidanu (Ethiopia), Zouhair Talbi (Marocco), and Teshome Mekonen (USA) did their best to keep close, it was Koech who stormed out of Franklin Park Zoo in front and wound up winning in 1:02:02. Kidanu and Talbi rounded out the podium in 1:02:10 and 1:02:15, while Mekonen placed fourth in 1:02:28 as the top American finisher. This was Mekonen’s first race as an American citizen. 

“The race was good, I am happy in Boston,” noted Koech, who said he came into the race briming with confidence. When did he know he had victory sealed? “The last 5K, all of the twisting [turns before the finish].”

(From Let's Run) Teshome Mekonen was born and raised in the Tigray region of Ethiopia but has been based in the US since 2020 and gained his citizenship in August (we’ll have more on his story next week on LetsRun.com). Only four Americans have ever run faster than Mekonen’s pb in the half (60:02), and while that time dates from 2018, it’s also worth noting that Mekonen raced Conner Mantz at the NYC Half in March of this year and beat Mantz by a minute.

He’s clearly one to watch for the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials, though his two marathons so far haven’t gone very well (2:22 in New York last year, 2:13 in Ottawa this year). His performance today was solid — though 62:28 is over two minutes off his pb, the hills and rain slowed most of the field. For reference, men’s winner Geoffrey Koech ran 62:02 today but 60:01 at the Cardiff Half in October.

After crossing the finish line in Boston today, Mekonen crossed his arms above his head in a similar gesture to the one made by Feyisa Lilesa at the 2016 Olympic marathon. Mekonen said his gesture was to bring attention to his home region of Tigray, which has been at the center of a civil war between Tigray and the Ethiopian federal government over the last two years. While there was positive news last week with leaders from each side agreeing to a truce, getting humanitarian aid to the area has still been a problem and Mekonen has been unable to communicate with his family and friends in the region.

“In Tigray, still everything is no food, no medicine, no bank, no electricity,” Mekonen said.

Mekonen said right now he’s already started training for his next marathon, which will come on January 15 in Houston.

“My [training] program, everything is marathon [right now],” Mekonen said. “This [race] is like time trial.”

Mekonen said he’s hoping to run 2:08 in Houston and finish in the top three.

Quick Take: Molly Seidel — “I’m just in such a drastically better place than I have been for a long time”

Molly Seidel’s time today of 76:22 was, by her standards, poor — at her best, she can easily maintain that pace for a full marathon. But Seidel was still in good spirits. For the first time in a long time, she feels she is in a good place with her body and her mental health. Today’s race was a chance to lay down a marker of where she’s at right now, but she expects to get a lot faster in the coming months.

“While it’s frustrating to come out and not be anywhere near the front pack, it’s nice knowing that I’m just in such a drastically better place than I have been for a long time,” Seidel said.

It has been a rough year for Seidel. After the high of a bronze medal at the Olympics and American course record in the New York City Marathon last year, Seidel has faced a number of challenges in 2022. She dropped out of the Boston Marathon with a hip injury that wound up as a sacral stress fracture. She has also struggled with disordered eating and was forced to withdraw from the New York Mini 10K earlier this year because she was waiting to receive a TUE for Adderall, which she had been taking to manage her ADHD (she no longer takes the drug). But, thanks to the help of her family, her coach Jon Green, and the rest of her support team, Seidel said she is feeling the best — mentally and physically — that she has for a long time.

The stress fracture sidelined Seidel until October, and even once she resumed training, it was mostly cross-training due to an ankle issue that flared up. But she is back to full training now and says she has hit 110 miles the last couple of weeks.

“I’m like one of those steaks that’s raw and you throw it on the grill and fast-sear it,” Seidel joked.

Quick Take: Molly Huddle’s comeback continues — though it’s different racing now as a mom

Molly Huddle had already raced twice since giving birth to daughter Josephine in April, both at 10 kilometers (33:59 at the Lone Gull 10K on September 25 and 33:32 at the Boston 10K for Women on October 8). Today was another step forward on her comeback and the longest race she’s done so far.

Huddle said her time of 73:29 was slower than she hoped but knew it would be tough after 10 miles — which is exactly what happened. Huddle already has another half lined up in Houston in January and hopes that with two more months of training under her belt, she will be able to feel stronger in that race.

“This [race today] will bring me along, for sure,” Huddle said. “I think the next half will be a lot faster.”

Huddle also thinks she’ll feel stronger once she stops breastfeeding Josephine — she had to pump milk today 20 minutes before her warmup.

Huddle is returning to a faster marathon scene in the United States than the one she left when she took her maternity break. The American record has been broken twice this year and now stands at 2:18:29 to Huddle’s occasional training partner Emily Sisson.

“It’s crazy,” Huddle said. “The women are running so fast and it’s so deep up front. From the 2:18 to 2:22 range, we have a lot of women. I’m just hoping to PR. Mine is 2:26 the last time I ran. That was pre-supershoe era.”

Huddle will be 39 by the time of the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials and right now would not be among the favorites to make the team — even in her prime, Huddle was always better at the shorter distances on the roads. She admitted she’d need to catch some breaks to have a shot at the Olympic team in 2024 but isn’t completely counting herself out.

“Marathons have a lot of variables, so I’d need a few to go in my favor and against somebody else,” Huddle said. “But you never know. The marathon, I think I have a shot.”

Chepngeno, Tanui lead star-studded field for Boston Half Marathon

Vicoty Chepngeno and Josphat Tanui head the line-up for the elite field for the Boston  Half Marathon set for November 13.

Chepngeno, who is the 2022 Aramco Houston Half Marathon champion, heads the list of fastest female athletes with a personal best time of 1:05:03.

Chepngeno has competed in a couple of half marathons since the year began including Istanbul in March, where she placed fourth in 1:06:58.

Ethiopia’s Bosena Mulatie lines up as the second fastest in the field with a PB of 1:05:46 posted at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in February, where he wound up fifth.

Also to watch will be another Ethiopian, Hiwot Gebrekidan, who placed fifth in 2:19:10 at the recent Tokyo Marathon. Gebrekidan also finished fourth at the Great North Run in 1:07:22.

Great Britain’s Jess Piasecki and USA’s Molly Huddle are among the top 10 fastest women and will be competing for top honours.

Piasecki and Molly have personal best times of 1:07:20 and 1:07:25 respectively. Other Kenyan women in the race include Cynthia Jerotich (1:06:04), Viola Chepngeno (1:06:48), Vivian Chepkirui (1:08:02) and Mary Munanu (1:11:56).

In the men’s category, Tanui heads the field with a personal best of 59:22, which he posted at the 2017 Ústi nad Lábem Half Marathon top place second.

Another Kenyan, Shadrack Kimining is the second fastest with a time of 59:27. Kimining placed second (1:00:34) at this year’s Rimi Riga Half Marathon back in May.

The Ethiopian duo of Lelisa Desisa and Tsegay Kidanu will also be in the race with the aim of spoiling the Kenyans’ party.

Desisa, the 2019 World Marathon champion, is the third fastest in the field with a PB time of 59:30. On the other hand, Kidanu has a PB of 59:52.  Mexico’s Jose Santana with a personal best of 1:01:11 will also be in contention.

Other Kenyans in the field include Geoffrey Koech (59:36), James Ngandu (1:01:28), Dennis Kipkosgei (1:03:23) and debutant Vincent Kiprop.

Kenyan 10,000m champion Renju earns five-year doping ban

Keneth Kiprop Renju, who won the national 10,000m title in April, has become the latest Kenyan middle distance runner to be banned for doping.

Renju has been sanctioned for five years following three positive tests this year for banned steroid methasterone, the Athletics Integrity Unit has reported.

The 26-year-old returned adverse analytical findings in competitions between March and May this year.

The first test occurred at the 10km de Lille race in France on March 20.

The second took place at the Prague Half Marathon on April 2, and the athlete was given notification of a provisional suspension on April 13.

On May 8 the athlete provided another positive in-competition urine sample at the Lisbon Marathon.

Renju was notified regarding his provisional ban on May 13 and sent the testing agency medical documents from the Uasin Gishu County Hospital to explain his first adverse finding.

"The medical documents submitted contained no information that assisted the Athlete to explain how the metabolite of Methasterone had been detected in the First Sample," the AIU said.

Renju was initially given a six-year ban based on the application of Aggravating Circumstances, but that was reduced by a year after he responded with a signed admission.

His results since March 20 2022 have all been disqualified with any titles, awards, medals, points prizes and appearance money gained.

Renju joins a list of Kenyan long-distance runners to be either provisionally suspended or outright banned recently.

Boston Marathon winner Diana Kipyokei tested positive for triamcinolone and has also been charged with tampering for allegedly "obstructing or delaying the AIU's investigation through the provision of false information or documentation".

She won the women's race in America on October 11 last year but failed a test immediately after.

Meanwhile, Philemon Kacheran Lokedi has been banned for three years after testing positive for testoerone and its metabolites "with exogenous origin".

Felix Kipchumba Korir - the winner of the 2018 Nanjing Marathon - and Emmanuel Saina have also both received three-year bans after testing positive for norandrosterone.

Sharon Lokedi's New York City Marathon won a "major" victory for Under Armour

One thing Sharon Lokedi of Kenya and her sponsor, Under Armour, have in common is they both came into the 2022 New York City Marathon as underdogs. Lokedi, a standout collegiate athlete in the NCAA at the University of Kansas, was making her marathon debut in NYC, but since turning pro in 2019, she did not have a breakthrough performance on her resume. And every major marathon since Des Linden at the Boston Marathon with Brooks in 2018 has been won by an athlete wearing either Nike, Adidas or Asics.On Sunday, the two made history together. Lokedi became only the second woman to win NYC in her marathon debut, following in the footsteps of her Kenyan compatriot Tegla Loroupe, who won in 1994. Lokedi was the first athlete to win an Abbott World Marathon Major wearing a pair of Under Armour shoes.The shoes she wore were a World Athletics-approved prototype of the new iterations of the Flow Velociti Elite—a shoe designed for 10K and half marathon distances to help you move forward with speed and efficiency.Designed as a contender to rival the top competitors in the market, the Flow Velociti Elite is for runners who need a balance of flexibility and cushioning in their racing shoes. Every stride with the Velociti Elite is amplified by a full-length carbon-fibre plate sandwiched in a soft midsole foam, which compresses and springs back for added lift and energy return, delivering an explosive lift-off.

The UA Flow Velociti Elite comes in at 212 grams and has an 8 mm offset.When Lokedi signed with Under Armour after winning the 10,000m at the 2019 NCAA Championships, they promised her top-of-the-line footwear development and innovation, to set her up for success.

“It’s an honour to be the first Under Armour athlete to win a major marathon,” said Lokedi. “I am so grateful to be a part of a brand that builds and supports their athletes to be the best they can be.”

She currently trains in Flagstaff, Ariz., under the direction of coach Stephen Haas and Pat Casey with the UA Misson Run Dark Sky Distance Project.In 2020, when the group was founded, Haas and Casey worked with Under Armour to build a team of athletes who could train with Lokedi. Although she has resided in the U.S. since 2014, she holds Kenyan citizenship and competed at Kenyan Olympic Trials in 2021 (finishing seventh in the 10,000m).

The new variation of the UA Flow Velociti Elite will hit the Canadian market with limited availability on UA.com in the spring of 2023.

Valencia Marathon elite line-up has ambitious goals for 2022

The Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso elite line-up for its 42nd edition on 4 December, when some of the best athletes on the international scene will take to the streets of Valencia Ciudad del Running with the aim of improving the course record (2:03:00) and seeking the best women’s debut in the history of the event.

Tamirat Tola (2:03:39), the reigning World Marathon champion, heads the men’s line-up alongside his Ethiopian compatriots Getaneh Molla (2:03:34) and Dawit Wolde (2:04:27) in a preliminary list with up to seven athletes with fastest times under 2:05 over the Marathon distance. Kenya, a world power in the marathon, will be well represented not only by Jonathan Korir (2:04:32), but also by a trio of important debutants over the distance: Alexander Mutiso, Philemon Kiplimo and Kelvin Kiptum. Attention will also be focused on another athlete who will be initiated at 42,195 metres: the Ethiopian Milkesa Menghesa, the winner of the Copenhagen Half Marathon.

Valencia will also witness an interesting European battle between Germany’s Petros, Sweden’s Tsegayand the Swiss runner Wanders. Overall, the final line-up includes over 150 runners with accredited times under 2:20:00 for the marathon or 1:06:00 for the half marathon.

Gidey: the most eagerly awaited debut

In the women’s category, the spotlight will be on the long-awaited debut of Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey(currently world record holder in the 5000, 10000, 15K and half marathon, two of which were achieved in Valencia), who will make an eye-catching debut in a marathon on 4 December with the realistic ambition of beating the time of 2:17:23 (world record for a debutant), but also of getting as close as possible to the women’s world record of 2:14:04 (Brigid Kosgei, Chicago).

The Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui, also a debutant, could become the other female star of the Valencia Marathon in 2022, without forgetting some of the other runners included in this line-up with excellent times: Sutume Kebede (2:18:12) and Etagegne Woldu (2:20:16), who achieved second place last year in this marathon.

Overall, the final line-up contains over 80 athletes who have run sub 2h45:00 in the marathon or sub 1:17:30 in the half marathon.

Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui to make marathon debut at Valencia Marathon

The Commonwealth Games 10,000m bronze medalist Sheila Chepkirui has expressed her excitement about making her full marathon debut at the Valencia Marathon on December 4.

Chepkirui has had a successful career on track and the half marathon and thinks it was time for her to try the 42km distance.

“I am happy to be making my debut in Valencia…I just think it’s time for me to try this new journey. I have had some great moments on the track and I am hoping I will be able to register the same in the marathon,” Chepkirui said, adding that she is praying for good health on the race day. 

Chepkirui said she looks up to 2018 London Marathon champion Vivian Cheruiyot because of her hard work and remarkable races both on track and roads. She said her body is responding well to training so far and her goal is to finish the race. 

“After the Commonwealth Games, I had a slight injury but it got better. The training has been going on well and I am happy my body is responding well,” she said.

Meanwhile, the race has attracted 11 elite Kenyan athletes with Jonathan Korir being the fastest among his male compatriots with a PB of 2:04:32 posted last year in Amsterdam, where he placed fourth. 

Korir participated in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August and placed fifth in the marathon in 2:14:06. He was a distance  12th in Tokyo Marathon in 2:08:04 back in March.

The 2017 World marathon champion Geoffrey Kirui will also be in the mix. Kirui has a personal best time of 2:06:27. He placed fourth in 2:19:28 at this year’s Juarez International Marathon.

Others in the field are 2020 Santa Pola Half Marathon champion Alexander Mutiso, 2021 Bahrain Night Half Marathon champion Philemon Kiplimo and Kelvin Kiptum. Mutiso, Kiplimo and Kiptum will be making their debut in the 42km event. 

Bethwell Kipkemboi will be returning to Valencia with the hope of improving on his 17th-place finish during last year’s edition. He has a personal best time of 2:07:41. Others in the race will be Ronald Korir (PB 2:07:29) and Simon Kipkosgei (PB 2:07:07).

This will be Korir’s third race of the season after winning the BP Castellón Marathon in February and a fifth-place finish at the Volkswagen Prague Marathon.

Other Kenyan women in the field will be Monica Ngige who has a PB of  2:22:13 posted in Boston in April and Fancy Chemutai (PB 2:24:27). 

2022 B.A.A. Half Marathon Returns to Franklin Park on Sunday

The 2022 B.A.A. Half Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, will be held this Sunday, November 13, starting and finishing within Franklin Park. The event returns to an in-person format for the first time since 2019 and features a star-studded professional field leading the charge for 9,000 entrants from the Greater Boston area and beyond.

To support your coverage of this year’s event, please find event storylines and race information below. Media interested in covering the 2022 B.A.A. Half Marathon can submit credential requests here or email media@baa.org for more information. Credential pick-up will occur at the Media Tent within White Stadium on Sunday, beginning at 6:45 a.m. Additional details will be sent in the coming days to those who’ve requested credentials.

The B.A.A. Half Marathon will start at 8:00 a.m. this Sunday, November 13, from Franklin Park. The 13.1-mile course runs along the picturesque Emerald Necklace Park System, past area landmarks such as the Arnold Arboretum and Franklin Park Zoo, before finishing at White Stadium in Franklin Park. A detailed course map can be found here.

- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund has partnered with the B.A.A. Half Marathon since 2003 as the race’s presenting sponsor and exclusive charity team. Through this relationship, Dana-Farber runners have collectively raised more than $8 million to support groundbreaking cancer research, and enabled Dana-Farber scientists and clinicians to positively impact the lives of cancer patients around the world. A team of 400 athletes will be part of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Jimmy Fund team for this year’s event, having already raised nearly $350,000 to defy cancer.

- At the front of the field, Olympic and Paralympic medalists, Boston Marathon champions, and top international contenders will square off in pursuit of finishing atop the podium. Among the notable professional athletes entered are Olympic marathon bronze medalist and former Boston resident Molly Seidel, two-time Boston Marathon champions Lelisa Desisa and Daniel Romanchuk, and USA Olympian and former American half marathon record holder Molly Huddle. 

Seven women who’ve run under 1:08:30 and nine men with lifetime bests under 1:01:30 will compete on the roads of Boston. Desisa is also a two-time B.A.A. Half Marathon champion and the event record holder (1:00:34). Romanchuk aims to become the first athlete in history to podium at each of the B.A.A.’s four signature events (B.A.A. 5K, B.A.A. 10K, B.A.A. Half Marathon, and Boston Marathon). On Sunday he finished second at the TCS New York City Marathon in 1:27:38.

- For the first time, the B.A.A. Half Marathon will feature a Para Athletics Division showcasing athletes with lower-limb, upper-limb, and visual impairments. Competitors include Jacky Hunt-Broersma (T64, lower-limb impairment), who finished a Guinness World Record 104 marathons in 104 days this year; Marko Cheseto Lemtukei (T62, lower-limb impairment), who won the Para Athletics Division at the 2021 and 2022 Boston Marathons (timing 2:37:01 in April) and Brian Reynolds (T62, lower-limb impairment), who has run a world best 1:17 for the half marathon. The B.A.A. Half Marathon course is World Para Athletics record eligible, signaling that national or world records may be in jeopardy of falling on race day for wheelchair and Para athletes.

- Among the field of nearly 9,000 participants are 257 athletes also entered in April’s 127th Boston Marathon. Participants in this year’s B.A.A. Half Marathon are from 46 U.S. states (plus Washington, DC) and 95 countries.

- 1,418 participants are aiming to complete the 2022 B.A.A. Distance Medley, a three-race series which includes April’s B.A.A. 5K, June’s B.A.A. 10K, and November’s B.A.A. Half Marathon. The B.A.A. Distance Medley series provides athletes a year-long way to experience training and racing at three different distances, with the aim of improving fitness throughout the calendar year.  

- The B.A.A. Half Marathon is a family-friendly event for athletes and spectators of all ages. Free youth events will be offered on race morning within Franklin Park, including races and medals for all. Youth track races will begin on the White Stadium track at 8:20 a.m. Registration will open at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday.

- Spectators and runners are encouraged to download the B.A.A. Racing App powered by TCS for live race day tracking, leaderboards, results, custom selfie stations, course maps, information, and more. The B.A.A. Racing App is available for free within Apple iOS and Android.

- On display for viewing at the 2022 B.A.A. Half Marathon will be an Indigenous Peoples' Day Banner, created by Boston Art Institute alum Yatika Fields (Osage/Cherokee/Creek) which honors the Boston Marathon's Indigenous runners, past and present. Following the Awards Ceremony on race day, the banner will be blessed as it is sent from Boston to its home with Wings of America in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where it will inspire young Native runners.

The blessing will be given by Hiawatha Brown (Narragansett), the longest serving Tribal Councilman, a Veteran of the United States Navy, and the nephew of two-time Boston Marathon Champion, Ellison 'Tarzan' Brown. Words will be offered from Robert Peters, a Mashpee Wampanoag artist who contributed his talent to the mural, on behalf of himself, Yatika Fields, and Wings of America Executive Director, Dustin Martin (Dine). Also in attendance will be Jordan Marie Daniel (Kul Wicasa Lakota) who is participating in the 2022 B.A.A. Half Marathon and is featured on the banner.

- A prize purse of $96,200 is available for professional athletes in the open, wheelchair, masters, and Para Athletics Divisions.

- Course records for the B.A.A. Half Marathon are:

Open Men: 1:00:34, Lelisa Desisa (Ethiopia), 2013 (Lelisa Desisa is competing in this year’s race, aiming to win his third B.A.A. Half Marathon title)

Open Women: 1:07:40, Brillian Kipkoech (Kenya), 2019

Wheelchair Men: 53:07, Tony Nogueira (New Jersey), 2008 and 2004

Wheelchair Women: 1:00:43, Katrina Gerhard (Massachusetts), 2019.

Faith Kipyegon has the marathon in mind

In the new issue of AW, the Olympic and world 1500m champion reveals that close friend Eliud Kipchoge has inspired her to tackle the 26.2-mile event in future

Many view already her as a true athletics great, but Faith Kipyegon doesn’t quite see it that way. Yet. Despite being a two-time Olympic and world champion over 1500m, the Kenyan believes she has more work to do before any such tag can be justified.

In a wide-ranging exclusive interview with Euan Crumley in the latest issue of AW, which is on sale from November 10, among other things the Kenyan discusses how she wants to leave a legacy, as well as outlining what she believes needs to happen in the fight against doping in her home country.

The 28-year-old still has more ambitions to fulfil on the track, too, but admits that the future will see her heading down a road which she hopes will lead to even more success.

Kipyegon trains at the camp in Kaptagat from which her close friend Eliud Kipchoge hones his mastery of the marathon, and admits that seeing the world record-holder at work has inspired her to tackle the 26.2-mile event in the future.

“I don’t see myself as a great, yet,” says Kipyegon who, like Kipchoge, is also coached by Patrick Sang. “I need to achieve more towards the marathon and I’m really looking forward to following in Eliud’s footsteps.

“He has already shown us the way and, training with him, I see what he does every day.

“I will work my way up towards the marathon in future and I will be the greatest.

“When you stay with marathon runners, you don’t see yourself as a 1500m athlete any more – you see yourself as a marathoner. You follow them on long runs, you follow them on fartleks and you see every day what they do. [It makes you feel like] ‘I need to do this’.

“That’s motivation from Eliud, from the whole group in Kaptagat that has really inspired me to see myself in the marathon in future.

“[When I will run one] is something I can’t predict, but I want to build myself and build my commitment towards marathon and just go step by step [through the distances] towards it.”

Kipyegon is one of the nominees in this year’s AW Readers’ Choice Awards, which launch this week in the magazine and online. This is your chance to pick which individuals, across a range of categories, you think have excelled in 2022.

Elsewhere in the issue, we take a deep dive into the state of play when it comes to officials. What does the future hold for those who make athletics tick? Paul Halford finds out, plus we feature a brilliant extract from new book Unsung, in which Alan Bell takes us into the world of the starter.

As we come to the end of the major road racing events season for the autumn, a trend of lower event entry levels is becoming all too evident. Tim Adams asks where all the runners who were expected to provide a boom for mass participation races post Covid have gone, while author Damian Hall examines the environmental impact of events and outlines what runners can do to make a difference in the climate crisis.

Elsewhere in the issue, there is also an exclusive interview with international marathon runner Callum Hawkins, who continues his recovery from injury, while our packed performance section features plyometric tips from coach John Shepherd, training insight from Amelia Quirk and running shoe guru Paul Freary tests out the best gear for off-road adventure this winter.

With coach and commentator Geoff Wightman the focus of this month’s Ask The Athlete, Richard Whitehead recalling his greatest race and columnist Katharine Merry looking at the huge impact felt when the rules are broken, there are plenty of reasons to pick up your copy.

Ashton Kutcher ran well in his New York City Marathon debut

The 2022 NYC Marathon champion, Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi, wasn’t the only runner who had a successful marathon debut in New York City; Hollywood actor Ashton Kutcher led the way for celebrities, smashing his goal of sub-four while raising over a million dollars for his charity, Team Thorn. 

The That 70s Show actor, 44, joined 50,000 other athletes to run in the prestigious marathon through the streets of the Big Apple, finishing in 3:54:01. He mentioned to the media before the race that his A goal was to finish and raise one million dollars for Thorn, and his B goal was to break the four-hour barrier. 

His charity, Thorn, is a non-profit tech company that helps prevent the sexual exploitation of children online.

Kutcher reached the halfway mark in 1:51:19, and in rookie fashion, positively split the second half in 2:02:42. He also relied on some stylish purple and pink Nike Alphafly’s to help his performance.

The former star of The Bachelor, Matt James, was the top celebrity finisher in 3:46:45, smashing his previous personal best. James was paced by 2017 NYC champion Shalane Flanagan as the pair went through the halfway mark in 1:29-high and rode the pain train over the final 13 miles.

Meghan Duggan was the only other celebrity to break the four-hour barrier, crossing the finish line in 3:52:06. Duggan is an Olympian who played hockey for Team USA at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 winter Olympics, winning two silvers and a gold. Duggan is currently the director of player development for the New Jersey Devils.

The former first daughter, Chelsea Clinton, returned to the NYC Marathon after making her debut in 2021. Clinton finished the race 20 minutes shy of her previous time, in 4:20:34. Her parents, President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, were on hand at the finish line to cheer her on as she finished. She ran the race on behalf of a food non-profit charity called City Harvest, which helps the city of New York with food insecurity.

New York Giants former running back Tiki Barber, 47, continued his streak, running his eighth consecutive New York City Marathon. He finished in 5:26:51.

Robert Kipkemboi takes honors at N Kolay Istanbul Marathon

Robert Kipkemboi obliterated a strong field to win the men’s N Kolay Istanbul Marathon in 2:10:18, missing out on the course record by 34 seconds.

In the highly contested race, Kipkemboi and Bahrain’s Marius Kimutai managed to break away from the pack of seven athletes at the 37km mark.

The two athletes seemed comfortable until the 40km mark when Kipkemboi increased the pace and never looked back.

Kimutai settled for second in 2:10:27 as another Kenyan, Sila Kiptoo placed third in 2:11:42.

Other Kenyans in the race were Moses Kemei (fourth in 2:11:55), Hillary Kipchumba (sixth in 2:12:02), Benard Sang (seventh in 2:12:10), Samuel Kiplimo (ninth in 2:12:16) and Francis Cheruiyot (13th in 2:16:57).

In the women’s race, Kenyans faltered as Ethiopian trio of Sechale Dalasa, Melesech Tsegaye and Ethlemahu Sintayehu took the first three positions in respective times of 2:25:54, 2:29:01 and 2:31:38.

The best-placed Kenyan was Stacy Ndiwa, who finished fourth in 2:31:53 ahead of compatriot Judith Jerubet (2:32:29).

Mercy Kwambai settled for seventh in 2:39:17.

The Kenyan duo won the elite races in 2:23:23 and 2:08:41 at the NYC Marathon having to make up significant ground on the long-time leaders

Sharon Lokedi displayed remarkable discipline to win the TCS New York City Marathon on her debut at the distance, while Evans Chebet’s patience paid off to win the men’s contest at the World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race on Sunday March 6.

Lokedi flew under the radar heading into the women’s race as most of the focus was on world champion Gotytom Gebreslase, two-time world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri, who was making her marathon debut, and world bronze medallist Lonah Chemtai Salpeter.

All four women featured in the large lead pack for the first half of the race as they passed through 10km in a conservative 34:24 before reaching the half-way point in 1:12:17. A few kilometres later, the pack had been whittled down to eight women, with two-time world champion Edna Kiplagat among them.

By 30km, however, three women had broken away from the rest of the field as Gebreslase, Obiri and Kenya’s Viola Cheptoo reached that checkpoint 1:42:27. At that point, Salpeter, Lokedi and Kiplagat were in a five-woman chase pack about 11 seconds adrift.

A few kilometres later, Salpeter and Lokedi caught the lead trio, then Cheptoo began to fade. It left Obiri, Gebreslase, Lokedi and Salpeter as the only four women in contention as they raced through Central Park in the closing stages.

Of those four, Obiri was the first to fall back, but she was far enough into the race to know that her debut marathon would not be a bad one. Somewhat surprisingly, Gebreslase was the next to slip out of contention, the world champion resigning herself to the third step on the podium.

It then left Salpeter and Lokedi to duel for the victory and for a moment it seemed as though Salpeter was the more comfortable. But with one mile to go, Lokedi dug deep and started to pull away from the Israeli runner.

Lokedi reached the finish line in 2:23:23 to win by seven seconds from Salpeter. Gebreslase took third place in 2:23:39 with Kiplagat, nine days shy of her 43rd birthday, coming through to take fourth place in 2:24:16 – more than four minutes quicker than her winning time in this race in 2010.

Cheptoo held on for fifth place in 2:25:34 and Obiri finished sixth in 2:25:49. Olympian Aliphine Tuliamuk was the top US finisher in seventh, 2:26:18.

“It was amazing,” said the US-based Lokedi. “I came in just wanting to be in the thick of the race. I knew I was strong and had really good training, so I wanted to go in and put myself in it and see where I ended up. I expected to run well, but it ended up being an even better outcome than I had hoped for.”

The men’s race played out quite differently, as South American record-holder Daniel Do Nascimento made an early break from the rest of the field.

The Brazilian led by 97 seconds at 10km, reached in 28:42 – just two seconds slower than his 10,000m track PB – and went on to reach half way in 1:01:22, more than two minutes ahead of the rest of the field and well inside course record pace.

A six-man chase pack – which included Chebet, Olympic silver medallist Abdi Nageeye, and 2020 London Marathon champion Shura Kitata – went through the half-way point in a more comfortable 1:03:35.

Do Nascimento continued to lead, although his lead started to wane – especially when he had to briefly take a visit to one of the road-side portable toilets. He passed through 30km in 1:29:09, now just over a minute ahead of Chebet, who had broken away from the rest of the chasers. By 20 miles, Do Nascimento’s lead was down to just 40 seconds. Not long after, and clearly struggling, he stopped running and crashed to the ground.

While medics helped Do Nascimento, Chebet cruised past. The Kenyan, who had won the Boston Marathon earlier this year, found himself with a 30-second lead over a three-man chasing group which included Kitata and Nageeye.

Despite a strong finish from Kitata, Chebet managed to hold on to the lead and crossed the finish line in 2:08:41. Kitata followed 13 seconds later, while Nageeye took third place in 2:10:31.

“The race was hard for me, but I was thankful for my team and have so much gratitude toward my coach,” Chebet said. “My team gave me motivation and I know that after winning Boston I could come to New York and also do well.”

Leading results

Women

1 Sharon Lokedi (KEN) 2:23:232 Lonah Salpeter (ISR) 2:23:303 Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH) 2:23:394 Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:24:165 Viola Cheptoo (KEN) 2:25:346 Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:25:497 Aliphine Tuliamuk (USA) 2:26:188 Emma Bates (USA) 2:26:539 Jessica Stenson (AUS) 2:27:2710 Nell Rojas (USA) 2:28:32

Men

1 Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:08:412 Shura Kitata (ETH) 2:08:543 Abdi Nageeye (NED) 2:10:314 Mohamed El Aaraby (MAR) 2:11:005 Suguru Osako (JPN) 2:11:316 Tetsuya Yoroizaka (JPN) 2:12:127 Albert Korir (KEN) 2:13:278 Daniele Meucci (ITA) 2:13:299 Scott Fauble (USA) 2:13:3510 Reed Fischer 2:15:23

2022 New York City Marathon Sharon Lokedi and Evans Chebet Complete a Kenyan Sweep

In record heat for November, Kenyans dominate the New York City Marathon.

Evans Chebet was among the runners who watched as Daniel do Nascimento separated himself from the rest of the men’s field at the New York City Marathon on Sunday. Do Nascimento, a 24-year-old Brazilian who is known for being — what is the word? — assertive, was a blur as he surged into the lead, then a speck off in the distance, and then gone from view entirely.

Chebet, a soft-spoken Kenyan who arrived in New York having already won the Boston Marathon this year, opted to exercise patience. Sure enough, as he approached the 21st mile of Sunday’s race, he saw do Nascimento again: face down by the side of the road, being tended to by medical personnel.

“I felt bad for him,” Chebet said in Swahili through a translator, “but I had to continue the race.”

On an unseasonably warm day, Chebet survived both the conditions and the competition, winning in 2 hours 8 minutes 41 seconds to complete a clean sweep for Kenyan men in all six of the world marathon majors this year. Chebet, 33, did his part by winning two of them — and two of the toughest. Of course, considering what Chebet had done in Boston, no one was surprised to see him tackle New York with great composure.

“Boston was actually harder,” said Chebet, who wore his laurel wreath to his news conference.

The women’s finish was much more unexpected. Sharon Lokedi, a Kenyan who raced in college at Kansas, was fearless in her marathon debut, breaking free from a celebrated field to win in 2:23:23.“Perfect weather for me,” said Lokedi, 28, who splits her time between Kenya and Flagstaff, Ariz., where she trains with the Under Armour-sponsored Dark Sky Distance group. “I didn’t expect to win. I expected to run well. But it ended up being a good outcome.”

Lokedi left an all-star cast in her wake. Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, a Kenyan-born Israeli who arrived in New York with the fastest time in the field, finished second. Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia, the reigning world champion, was third. Edna Kiplagat of Kenya, who, at 42, is one of the world’s most decorated marathoners, was fourth. And Viola Cheptoo of Kenya, last year’s runner-up, was fifth.

“It was hot, but I was really prepared,” said Lokedi, who was the N.C.A.A. champion in the 10,000 meters in 2018. “I picked up water at every station to pour on myself.”Do Nascimento, who set a South American record when he finished third in the Seoul Marathon this year in 2:04:51, was the story in New York for much of the morning — until it all began to go poorly for him. Easily recognizable in his lavender tights and space-age sunglasses, he built a two-minute lead more than halfway through the race. But others in the field had seen him try that sort of bold strategy before.In brutal conditions at the Tokyo Olympics last year, do Nascimento was among the leaders when he collapsed in scenes that were vaguely horrifying and was forced to withdraw.

On Sunday, his superhuman pace was beginning to slow when he pulled off the course for an 18-second pit stop at a portable toilet. He emerged with his lead intact, albeit narrower, but it was clear that he was in trouble. About six miles short of the finish, he sank to the pavement and was forced to abandon the race.

“I want to feel sorry for him when I saw him on the ground,” said Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands, who finished third. “But I was like, ‘Come on, man, this is the second time. You did that in the Olympics.’ ”

A spokesman for the marathon said do Nascimento was recovering at his hotel.

It was not an easy day for anyone. Galen Rupp, a two-time Olympic medalist who was making his long-awaited New York debut, dropped out about 18 miles into the race with a hip injury. And Shura Kitata of Ethiopia, who finished second behind Chebet, lumbered onto the stage for his news conference as if his legs were made of concrete. A race official handed Kitata a giant bag of ice, which he placed on his thighs.“It was very hot,” he said through a translator, “and that made it very tough.”

It was the warmest marathon on record since the race was moved to its traditional early November date in 1986. The temperature in Central Park was 73 degrees Fahrenheit at 11 a.m., shortly before the elite runners began to cross the finish line.

Scott Fauble, 31, was the top American on the men’s side, finishing ninth — a solid result coming the morning after he signed a new sponsorship deal with Nike. Fauble, who was also the top American finisher at the Boston Marathon this year, had been without a sponsor for months.

After agreeing to terms on a contract at dinner on Saturday night, Fauble took an Uber to the Nike store in Manhattan to pick up sneakers. The rest of his racing gear arrived at his hotel later that night.

“It’s quite a rush to get your singlet for the next day at 10 p.m. the night before the race,” he said.

On the women’s side, three Americans finished in the top 10. Aliphine Tuliamuk was seventh, Emma Bates was eighth and Nell Rojas was 10th. Tuliamuk, 33, who won the marathon at the U.S. Olympic trials in 2020 and gave birth to her daughter, Zoe, in January 2021, had not raced in a marathon since she injured herself at the Tokyo Games last year. On Sunday, she finished in a personal-best time of 2:26:18.

“I think that I excel when the conditions are not perfect,” Tuliamuk said. “I rise to the occasion, and I believe that today that was the case.”

Still, she had to overcome some adversity. In early September, she said, she experienced swelling in one of her ankles that forced her to take a couple of weeks off from training.

“In the back of my mind, I wished that I had a few more weeks” to train, she said. “But I also decided to focus on gratitude because I didn’t know that I was going to be here. And the fact that I was able to put in some solid training and had a chance to be competitive, I was just very grateful for that.”Gina Gregorio always watches the race from the corner of Warren Street and Fourth Avenue. This year she held signs that read, “Run to the Polls.”

“I love it when we’re right before the election because we can actually ask people to get out to vote, and it’s like nonpartisan, although I have had partisan signs before because I feel like it’s a great place to have your voice heard,” Gregorio said.

Kibet and Cheptegei mark triumphant day for Uganda as World Mountain and Trail Running Championships conclude

Ugandan athletes capped a successful week of racing at the inaugural World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, as Samuel Kibet, Rebecca Cheptegei and Leonard Chemutai won three of the four titles on offer on Sunday (6), the final day of competition.

Kibet and Cheptegei won the senior men’s and women’s up and down mountain races respectively, both held over 11.2km with 475m ascent. Chemutai, meanwhile, took the junior men’s up and down title and Jessica Bailey led a British 1-2 in the junior women’s race, both competing over a 6.4km course with 224m ascent.

Uganda set out their stall early in the senior men’s race as Kibet formed part of a small lead group alongside compatriots Timothy Toroitich, Leonard Chemonges and Eliud Cherop, with Mexico’s Everado Moreno also trying his best to stick with them. The rest of the field was some 30 metres behind, Friday's uphill gold and silver medallists Patrick Kipngeno and Philemon Kiriago of Kenya leading the chase.

Eight kilometres later, Kibet emerged first from the trees, holding a 19-second advantage over Toroitich and Kipngeno who were locked together in second and third. Kipngeno eventually managed to pull away from Toroitich narrowed the gap to the leader, but it wasn't enough.

Kibet swept across the line to take the title, the sixth for a Ugandan senior man in the past eight World Championships. Kipngeno was 10 seconds behind, becoming the first double medallist at the new expanded championship format. Toroitich held on for bronze ahead of teammates Chemonges and Cherop in fourth and fifth. Spain's Andreu Blanes followed four seconds later, placing sixth.

With four athletes in the top five, Uganda was a clear winner of the team competition. Spain took silver with Italy just a single point behind, both teams placing three athletes inside the top 15.

The Ugandan dominance continued in the final race of the championships as Rispa Cherop, Rebecca Cheptegei and Annet Chelangat pushed the pace from the start with only Saturday's uphill world champion Allie McLaughlin of the USA able to hang on.As was the case with the senior and junior men’s races, it soon became a question of which of the Ugandan athletes would take the title. Cheptegei, still looking remarkably smooth, flew into the race's final kilometre with a 20-second gap over her teammate Chelangat and was jubilant as she tore across the finish line, flag in hand, to become the second Ugandan woman to win a mountain running world title.

Chelangat was no less ecstatic in second and the pair had time pose for the cameras before McLaughlin came in to take bronze, the second medal in a remarkable weekend for the US runner.

Romania's Monica Florea, both knees bleeding, came in fourth, just as she did in Friday's uphill race, confirming herself as one of the most consistent performers in mountain running, as did Britain’s Scout Adkin, who finished a minute further back in fifth.

With Cherop – one of the pre-race favourites – unable to finish, it meant Uganda didn’t have enough finishers to contend for the team title, opening the door for another country. Switzerland, with three finishers in the top 15, stepped up to take the team title, adding to the two sets of team medals they earned in the uphill race on Friday. Britain took team silver, while USA capped a strong championships with bronze.

Just as they did with the senior races on Sunday, Uganda dominated the junior men's event, filling the top four places to sweep the individual medals and earn team gold. Leonard Chemutai was a dominant winner ahead of teammates Caleb Tungwet, Denis Kiplangat and Silas Rotich.

Britain’s Finlay Grant was fifth individually but helped his country to secure team bronze, while France took team silver.

The junior women’s up and down mountain race was the only event on Sunday not won by Ugandan athletes. Jessica Bailey led a British 1-2 from teammate Rebecca Flaherty, also picking up gold in the team standings.

Italy's Axelle Vicari was third individually and a comfortable second in the team contest ahead of France.

Next year the championship heads to Europe and the spectacular trails of the Austrian Alps when the 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships will take place in Innsbruck-Stubai, Tyrol from 6-10 June.

Eliud Kipchoge wants you to learn to say no

The world’s fastest marathoner, Eliud Kipchoge, says you need more ‘vitamin N’ in your life. Vitamin N, Kipchoge explains, is the ability to say no–a key part of self-discipline, something Kipchoge embodies in his athletic ability and the calm confident ease with which he speaks and conducts his life.

Kipchoge is in New York City to watch the marathon.  He is planning on running it maybe in 2023.  And of course he wants to win it as well as Boston. 

Kipchoge shared some tips on how to develop and maintain self-discipline in a recent interview with U.K.-based physician, author and podcast host Dr. Rangan Chatterjee. Here’s how to inject some of Kipchoge’s wisdom into the way you run and live.

Develop self-discipline as a practice

Kipchoge emphasizes the importance of self-discipline as a core value. “Self-discipline is doing what’s right instead of doing what you feel like doing,” the athlete explains. While Kipchoge embodies self-discipline in his training and preparation for racing, he says that fine-tuning this skill will make you not only a better runner but also stronger in your professional life and family.

The runner shares that he believes you should practice self-discipline in all areas of your life–and that by doing so, you will find freedom. “The disciplined ones in life are free,” the athlete says. “It’s the undisciplined ones who are in prison,” Kipchoge says. He explains: when you live an undisciplined life, you’re doing things that do not align with your values. “We need to be free, to walk free, to live an honest life,” he says.

Set your priorities (learn to say no)

While Kipchoge acknowledges that learning to say no is a skill that isn’t developed overnight, he shares that being able to say no in order to prioritize the truly important things in both training and life is essential. At the NN Running camp in Kaptagat, Kenya, where Kipchoge trains and lives, he has placed a huge billboard to remind athletes of their core values– a whopping 60 of them.

Kipchoge suggests focusing on three values or priorities is enough, and making the personal and professional choices that will keep you on the path to your goals should be something you practice daily. Establishing boundaries allows you to stay focused and on the path toward your goals.

Avoid complaining and stay positive

Kipchoge knows this isn’t easy. Even the champion of the marathoning world feels pain and has negative thoughts. “We can’t prevent the negative thoughts from entering into our minds–but we can keep the negativity from coming into our lives,” he says. Pivotal to the athlete’s positive mindset is community. “Group runs are crucial,” says Kipchoge. The athlete explains that running in a group makes helps time pass, forms bonds, and that a group mentality and positive mindset is contagious.

Marathon Nice-Cannes gets a new women’s event record

Fikadu runs 2:28:15 to beat previous best by over two minutes

On Sunday morning, at 8:00 am, it was under a clear blue sky that the 10,528 competitors of the 14th edition of the French Riviera Marathon Nice-Cannes set off.

They left from the Promenade des Anglais, 500 meters from the Hyatt Regency Palais de la Méditerranée in Nice, to reach Cannes and its famous Croisette, in front of one of its famous five-star hotels: the Martinez by Hyatt hotel!

“What a pleasure to have run alongside more than 10,500 athletes during this 14th edition of the Nice-Cannes Marathon! A unique race with an exceptional route, a great sporting and human gathering that conveys a taste for effort, a sense of sharing and solidarity, health through sport, and the international promotion of our region. Not forgetting ecology and environmental protection, through actions to reduce its environmental impact, in line with the Green Deal policy. I am proud that the Department has been the title partner of this event for years. I would like to thank the many volunteers who worked before and during the race throughout the 42.195km, Pascal Thiriot, President of Azur Sport Organization, the towns along the route, and all those who contributed, alongside the Department, to the success of this international sporting event. I congratulate all the runners for their participation!” said Charles Ange Ginésy, President of the French Riviera Department.

Long months of physical and mental preparation were needed to give it all today and to be in the best shape, as the long-awaited sounding of the saving shot was given by Charles Ange Ginésy, President of the French Riviera Department and José Cobos, City Councillor of Nice, Delegate for Sports Events and Hosting of International Sports Competitions.Charles Ange Ginésy took part in the relay race with his elected colleagues wearing the colors of the French Riviera Department.

As usual, the leading group led by the Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes started with a bang.

The three Kenyans John Langat, Vincent Rono and Japheth Kosgei took the lead until 30km with a pace of 2:08:30. It is only at 32km that the race becomes more tactical. Vincent Rono speeds up on the exit of Juan-les-Pins in front of Kosgei and Langat, who seems to be in more difficulty. Finally, at the 37 km, Kosgei broke down and takes the marathon wall. Rono and Langat continue the race neck-and-neck, neither of them wanting to give way to the other. It was two kilometers before the finish line that Langat took the lead to win in 2:10:25. Rono took the second step of the podium in 2:10:40 followed by Kosgei in 2:13:39. The first Frenchman and Maralpin, Lucas Gehin finished in 6th place overall in 2:30:06.

In the women’s race, the two favorites Ethiopian Zenebu Fikadu and Kenyan Sharon Jemutai ran together until 16 km before Fikadu widened the gap and took first place, setting a new record for the event in 2:28:15, beating the previous record of Radiya Roba (ETH), 2:30:37 in 2010, by over two minutes.

Fikadu was followed by Kenyan Sharon Jemutai in 2:34:12. There was a good fight for third place between the Swede Hanna Lindholm and the Frenchwoman Aline Camboulives. It is finally the Swedish woman who will take the third place in 2:39:57. Aline Camboulives finished in 5th place overall in 2:51:10.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of Sunday's TCS New York City Marathon

The world’s top marathoners have assembled in NYC for the 51st running of the TCS New York City Marathon this Sunday, Nov 6. The 2022 race returns to full capacity of 50,000 runners with a stacked field of elites in the men’s, women’s and wheelchair events. Defending champion Albert Korir of Kenya returns to defend the men’s title across the five boroughs and 2022 world champion Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia headlines the women’s field. 

How to watch:

Unless you live on the west coast, the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon will be easy to stream and follow online. The professional women’s field will begin at 8:40 a.m. E.T. and the professional men’s field at 9:05 a.m. E.T. Viewers should note that Daylight Savings Time ends in the early hours of Sunday morning, so viewers need to remember to change their clocks back an hour.

Follow @CanadianRunning on Twitter for live tweets and up-to-date news on the 2022 TCS NYC Marathon. 

Women’s elite field

At only 27, Ethiopia’s Gebreslase has achieved much success in the marathon. In 2021, she won Berlin in her debut and followed it up with a podium finish at the 2022 Tokyo Marathon and world championship gold in Eugene this past July. Gebreslase put her talent on display in Eugene, showing that she can run at a fast pace and hold her own against the world’s best marathoners. She will be the likely favourite to win NYC Sunday.

Lonah Chemtai Salpeter is the fastest woman in the field, with a personal best of 2:17:45 from the 2020 Tokyo Marathon. Salpeter was close to an Olympic medal in Tokyo 2020 but hit a wall late and ended-up 66th. She finally got her hands on a bronze medal in Eugene this summer but was bested by Gebreslase in a late surge. Since worlds and European championships earlier this summer, Salpeter has taken some downtime to prepare for a bid at her second Abbott World Marathon Major title in NYC.

Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat will also be one to watch, with the 2011 and 2013 marathon world champion hoping to extend her record of four World Marathon Major wins to five (Boston 2021, 2017, New York 2010, and London 2014). Kiplagat was awarded the 2021 Boston Marathon title after her compatriot Diana Kipyokei was disqualified due to a positive doping test. 

Many fans of the sport have long awaited the marathon debut of two-time 5,000m Olympic medallist and world champion Hellen Obiri of Kenya. She has gone through a lot of transition this year, switching training groups and moving from Kenya to Boulder, Colo., after worlds to train with On Athletics Club (OAC). It will be interesting to see how the speedy 14:18 5K runner can handle the hilly NYC course, but she could be a dark horse for the win.  

Outside of the top big names, the U.S. will be well represented in NYC by former national record holder Keira D’Amato, who ran both the 2022 Berlin Marathon and World Championships only eight weeks apart, and Aliphine Tuliamuk, who won U.S. marathon Olympic Trials in 2020 and holds a personal best of 2:26:50.

Canadian Running prediction: Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH) – 2:21:42 *CR*

Men’s elite field

Kenya’s Korir has a tough job ahead of him on Sunday as he aims to defend his 2021 NYC Marathon title. In his two trips to the Big Apple, Korir has achieved a lot of success. In 2019, he finished runner-up to his compatriot Geoffrey Kamworor in 2:08:36, then followed it up with a win and 14-second course PB (2:08:22) in 2021 for his first world major win. One thing Korir has going for him is that he is consistent. In his last six of eight races, Korir has dipped under the 2:10-mark, which is a speedy time for New York’s hilly course. 

Korir will face stiff competition from his Kenyan compatriot, 2022 Boston Marathon champion Evans Chebet, who will be hoping for a second major marathon win of the year. Chebet, 33, holds the fastest time in the field of 2:03-flat from the 2020 Valencia Marathon.

Ethiopia’s Shura Kitata will be another name to look out for, having finished second in 2018. Since his 2020 win at the London Marathon, Kitata has struggled to reach the podium in his last three races. His last race came in March, where he was sixth at the 2022 Tokyo Marathon in 2:06:12 for fifth. Can Kitata bounce back in NYC?

Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands was second to Eliud Kipchoge in the marathon at the 2022 Olympics and set the Dutch national record of 2:04:56 at the Rotterdam Marathon in April. Nageeye has shown he has the experience to be there late, but it will be interesting to see how he handles the course in his debut.

The U.S. men’s field in New York is one of its best in years, with five sub-2:09 marathoners. The 2016 Olympic bronze medallist, Galen Rupp, will make his NYC debut and lead the way for the Americans with a personal best of 2:06:07. Leonard Korir (2:07:56), Scott Fauble (2:08:52), and Marty Hehir (2:08:59) are three others to keep your eye on. Fauble had a sensational run at the 2022 Boston Marathon, where he placed seventh in a personal best time of 2:08:52.

Canadian Running prediction: Evans Chebet (KEN) – 2:07:43