Running News Daily

Excitement is building as the Glasgow hosted European Indoor Championships fast approaches

There is now only one month to go until some of the world’s leading athletes descend on Glasgow for the European Athletics Indoor Championships.

The event will take place over three days (March 1-3), returns to Glasgow next month for the first time since 1990 and there will be 650 athletes from more than 45 nations setting their sights on glory.

The Scottish city continues to build on its reputation as a world-class sporting destination, and today at the Emirates Arena, Andy Butchart was in attendance to share their feelings ahead of the championships.

The competition will be the second major European event held in Glasgow within twelve months after a hugely successful inaugural European Championships last August. Glasgow continues to receive global recognition for this reputation with a coveted top five ranking as a sporting destination.

British 5000m runner Butchart has turned in some superb performances at the highest level in sport, most notably, at the Olympic Games in 2016 and at the IAAF World Championships in 2017.

The Stirling-born runner will have his sights set on clinching success in front of a home crowd next month as he comes off a major injury which meant the 27-year-old was forced to rule himself out of last year’s Commonwealth Games.

Glasgow 2019 will present a real opportunity for him to run to victory in front of a home crowd. 

“The Emirates Arena will be the place to be in early March,” said Butchart. “I’ll put on a good show along with the other Scottish athletes and give the crowd something to cheer about. Super excited to get on the track and race in front of a home crowd.”

Little Rock marathon will be hosting DC Wonder Woman 5K/10K

Wonder Women, Wonder Men and Wonder Children will race through downtown Little Rock dressed as superheroes May 11 when the DC Wonder Woman 5K and 10K arrive in Arkansas.

Featuring costumes for all racers and a party atmosphere, the new footraces are part of the DC Wonder Woman Run Series, a joint project of California-based promoter SON Events and Warner Bros. Consumer Products on behalf of DC.

Little Rock Parks and Recreation’s Little Rock Marathon team is bringing the series to Clinton Presidential Park.

In 2018, its first year, the series of five races in California drew more than 10,000 participants, according to a news release. This year, the organizers are booking 10 events in cities across the nation and Canada.

Geneva Lamm, co-executive director of the marathon, said the marathon team is partnering with the series in Little Rock. "We are setting it all up and we'll be running it and creating the fun. We are part of the organizing body of the event."

For its work, the marathon will receive a $10,000 fee and possibly a bit more, Lamm said Thursday.

She and marathon co-director Gina Pharis attended a Wonder Woman 5K/10K in Los Angeles in November "to see is this something we want to bring to Little Rock."

Defending champions will face a strong field at Lagos City Marathon

Almenesh Herpha and Abraham Kiprotich, the 2018 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon winners, will line up against formidable opposition when they defend their titles at the IAAF Bronze Label road race on Saturday.

Herpha pulled off a surprise victory 12 months ago, winning in 2:38:25 to finish just 33 seconds shy of the course record. But despite reducing her PB to 2:33:20 later in the year in Beirut, there will be 14 other women with faster PBs on the start line on Saturday.

With a lifetime best of 2:20:59 set when finishing runner-up at the 2017 Paris Marathon, Agnes Jeruto is the fastest woman in the field. The Kenyan contested just one marathon last year, clocking 2:27:46 to finish third at the Gold Coast Marathon and has reached the podium in her eight most recent marathons.

Georgina Rono finished just shy of the Lagos podium last year, running 2:39:44. A 2:21:39 performer at her best, the Kenyan ended 2018 on a high by winning the Riga Marathon in 2:28:22.

Caroline Kilel, the 2011 Boston Marathon champion, set her PB of 2:22:34 back in 2013. Although she hasn’t been close to that in recent years, her 2018 season’s best of 2:31:29 suggests the 37-year-old Kenyan will still be competitive on Saturday.

Janet Rono won the Daegu Marathon just 10 months ago in 2:28:01, less than two minutes shy of her PB. The Kenyan has contested 19 marathons to date, nine of which were completed within 2:30.

Emily Samoei’s PB of 2:26:52, set in 2012, remains her only sub-2:30 performance to date, but she will be motivated to improve on her fifth-place finish from last year’s Lagos Marathon.

Mestawot Tadese has represented Ethiopia in the 1500m at the Olympic Games and World Championships. Now a marathon runner, she has a lifetime best of 2:31:38 and could contest for a podium finish on Saturday.

In the men’s race, five of the top six finishers from last year return to Lagos, including defending champion Abraham Kiprotich of France.

Kiprotich has won three out of his past four marathons, ending 2018 with a season’s best of 2:10:55. The 33-year-old set his lifetime best of 2:08:33 when winning the 2013 Daegu Marathon. He may not need to replicate that time on Saturday, but he may need to improve upon his course record of 2:15:04 if he wants to hold on to his title.

Having finished a close second in 2017 and 2018, Ronny Kiboss will be highly motivated for Saturday’s race. The Kenyan’s 2:12:17 PB dates back to his marathon debut in 2014, but he is likely capable of a quicker time on a faster course.

Benjamin Bitok and Joseph Kyengo Munywoki, who finished third and fourth respectively in 2018, also return to the Nigerian capital. Bitok’s PB of 2:09:13 was set at the 2017 Rome Marathon, while Munywoki’s best of 2:10:21 came when winning in Dresden three years ago.

Michael Wardian won the Antarctica Marathon the first of seven marathons to be run on seven continents over the next seven days

Michael Wardian, 44, of Arlington, Va. has won the first of seven marathons in the World Marathon Challenge in Antarctica today. Wardian, who won the challenge in 2017 and who holds the record for the fastest average time (2:45:57), finished today in 3:16:43. Running conditions are described as “quite challenging,” though the temperature is only -2 C, considerably warmer than many parts of North America.

Petr Vabrousek of the Czech Republic finished second, in 3:39:02, and Arno Van Triest of the Netherlands was third, in 3:49:55.

Among the women, Kristina Schou Madsen of Denmark finished first, in 3:47:41. Susannah Gill of Great Britain was second, in 3:53:55 and Stephanie Gicquel third, in 4:05:11.

The most recent update mentioned the temperature was becoming cooler, and the remaining participants have been on the course for more than five hours.

The group of 40 participants gathered in Cape Town, South Africa earlier this week to prepare for the challenge. They will return there for their second marathon, which starts tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. local time.

17-year-old Calix Fattmann of Ozark Missouri, is the youngest person ever to run 100 marathons

On New Year’s Day, Calix Fattmann of Ozark, Missouri ran his 100th marathon. Which is not so unusual, except that Calix Fattmann is 17 years old. That’s right–the teenager from Ozark, Missouri, who is not yet old enough to vote (or drink) has already crossed the finish line of 100 marathons.

We admit we were skeptical at first. But his stats check out. Calix is not fast–he finished his 99th marathon on December 29, 2018 in 5:25:12–which may be why he’s been able to run very frequent marathons (occasionally as often as every few days) since he was practically in diapers.

Calix was inspired to run by his dad, Ken Fattmann, 63, who is himself a marathoner and triathlete, and who used to take little Calix with him to play by the track while he did his workouts. 

The Guinness organization confirmed that they have received Calix’s application for the title of Youngest Runner to Complete 100 Marathons (Male). There are strict guidelines on how record attempts must be documented, and the process of reviewing the application can take up to several months. If he is successful, Calix will be the first holder of this record. 

German's Richard Ringer will make his half marathon debut February 3rd in Marugame Japan

Richard Ringer wants to be careful and not commit to a time - and yet his minimum goal would be to move into the top eight on the German half marathon leaderboard.

Germany's best long-distance runner of the past few years will be at the starting line at Japan's Marugame Half Marathon on February 3rd.

Marugame is about two and a half hours drive from Kobe. Richard Ringer's new Japanese outfitter, has their headquarters in Kobe.

In the field are several runners with best times of 61 minutes. "The British Callum Hawkins won here in 2017 in exactly 60 minutes. My training has been good and there's nothing to scare me off," said the 10,000-meter European Cup winner, who also wants to test the trip to the Far East for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

He has been training in Kenya and Portugal.  "The change in training has been good for my body. Longer stretches, lower intensities, and spiked runs - a welcome change."  And the most important thing: "I trained very well, it was really great here." Although he was not spared from colds and small training breaks he thinks he is back to its previous level.

Richard can keep up with the best on the road.  In October at the Frankfurt Marathon he was a pacemaker for Arne Gabius for about 30 kilometers and in mid-November in Nijmegen (Netherlands) he clocked 43:40 minutes over 15 kilometers.  He looks confidently on his half marathon debut: "I have prepared well and must not hide," he clarifies.

Dialysis nurse Rachel Cox is training for the London Marathon after donating a kidney to a stranger

A mother of two is training for the London Marathon and raising money for kidney disease research after she went under the knife two years ago and donated her organ to a complete stranger.

Rachel Cox, 48, a nurse on the renal unit at Crosshouse Hospital in Scotland, said she was moved to help after watching her patients suffer the harsh side effects of dialysis.

“A life on hemodialysis is not easy and it’s not really a choice,” she said. “It’s something is every day and I wanted to do something to make at least one person’s life better. You can only give your kidney once."

Cox said her family thought she was “crazy,” but that it was a “personal choice and not something anyone should feel pressure to do.”

Cox had to undergo a psychological evaluation to ensure that she was donating for the right reasons, and said she wasn’t public about her decision at the time because she didn’t want to pressure any other nurses in her field.

Sarah Trainor has her focus set on the Millrose Indoor Games Coming up

The FDR-Hyde Park junior is currently ranked in the top-15 nationally in six events during the indoor track season. She holds the New York State sophomore record for the 2000m steeplechase, a mark she set last June.

Trainor holds national rankings (as of Jan. 26) in the 2-mile (2nd, 10:38.97), the 1,500m (6th, 4:34.25), the 600 (13th, 1:35.27), the 1,000 (3rd, 2:48.81) and the 3K (14th, 10:07.84) but it will be the mile, where she is ranked third (4:52.65), that she will be running at the NYRR Millrose Games Feb. 9.

Figuring out which event is her best is a wonderful problem to have if your Trainor or Brian Halling, her coach. Both, however, are in agreement when discussing what they believe to be her best events - the 1,000 indoors and the steeplechase in the spring. Yet it was the mile for which she is a Millrose qualifier and that has Trainor excited.

"It's going to be different and there is going to be good competition," said Trainer, who ran a personal record in the Millrose Trial [4:52.65] earlier this month to qualify. "The atmosphere is going to be different. It's such a big meet and I am really excited for that. I want to get a PR."

Trainor ran a personal-record 2:48.81 in the 1000m on Jan. 26 to finish second in the Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge. The time is third-best in the country behind North Rockland's (NY) Katelyn Tuohy (2:48.77) and Chandler's (AZ) Morgan Foster (2:48.10). Athing Mu, the top-ranked 1,000 runner in the country, captured the event in the Dr. Sander, running 2:44.43, the third-fastest US girls' high school time ever.

Paul Fosh from Monmouth will have to endure frostbite-threatening minus-30C temperatures in the arduous Yukon Arctic Ultra race

Paul Fosh from Monmouth will have to endure frostbite-threatening minus-30C (-22F) temperatures in the arduous 430-mile Yukon Arctic Ultra race in north west Canada, with just 13 days to finish the trek.

He’s no stranger to the Arctic Circle, having completed two previous races in the Yukon, including the Ultra 300-mile course in 2016, but this will be his longest yet.

The 52-year-old father-of-two, who runs Paul Fosh Auctions, said: “I love the challenge, both physical and mental but know that probably less than a quarter of those entering the race will complete it.”

Last year, because of the extreme conditions and the toll it takes on the body, only one person finished the 300-mile race.

And tragically, experienced ultra race athlete Roberto Zanda from Italy lost both his lower legs and his lower right arm due to catastrophic frostbite damage sustained during the race.

Property auctioneer Paul said: “Over time, you become thrilled to be part of the small percentage that have completed the race.

“I have invested a lot of time, effort and money to get myself out there and I want to do myself proud. I don’t ever want to fail at anything I do.”

All of the 441 entrants, 41 of them in the 430-mile race, are entirely self-sufficient and carry all their belongings, food, clothes, tent and other equipment on a sled called a pulk.

“A lot of people underestimate the mental challenge," says Paul.

“There are those of us that almost enjoy the pain, but if it was too easy there would be no pleasure at the end.”

He is aiming to finish within 10 days by averaging around 43 miles a day, and said: “I know my level of fitness is right to achieve this goal, I have been doing a lot of training for this one as it is the most demanding race I’ve ever done.

“Someone once told me to train hard and play easy. Admittedly, that was in the context of rugby, but I think it can apply to this too.”

Despite the 13-day time limit on the race, there will be very little time for sleep, which means that competitors will spend a lot of time walking both day and night.

“Walking in the daylight is much easier psychologically because you’ve got such fantastic scenery to look at.

“At night, you could be anywhere, you’ve just got your headtorch beam to follow.

“One of my biggest challenges is complacency."

The RAK women’s race should be as sensational as last year, being one of the world's fastest half marathons

The 2017 champion Peres Jepchirchir, in a then world record of 1:05:06, returns from becoming a mother, and while she may struggle to match the dramatic consistency of her 2016 racing year and the subsequent world record in Ras Al Khaimah, there is justifiable excitement about her return.

Equally keenly anticipated, is the appearance of reigning world half marathon champion Netsanet Gudeta of Ethiopia, whose win in Valencia last March not only gave her global gold but was a world record for a women’s-only race. She also won all three of her half marathon in 2018, and her remarkable consistency over the last four years, suggests there is more to come.

In the field as well is UAE’s own Alia Mohammed Saeed, who’s best time of 1:06:13 came in her debut and her only half marathon in Valencia last October. She was a close runner-up there and her three 10k road wins out of three last year, suggest her competitive instincts are finely honed.

Trying to stop her, from her former home in Ethiopia and only 20 last June, Zeineba Yimer ran five half marathons in 2018, each of them of high quality, and they included a fine fifth place at the world championships in March (1:08:07), followed by much faster times in September’s Copenhagen race (1:06:21 pb) and New Delhi (1:06:59).

Not having raced since that latter outing in October, should see her in fresh and ready-to-race. Throw in Degitu Azimeraw who also has just one half marathon to her name, and the challenge is clear. The winner of her first international race in Kolkata, a 25km just over a year ago, she was sixth in Ras Al Khaimah last year, her one and only half marathon ever, in a fine 1:06:47, to place just outside the world top ten for the year.

The race, traditionally one of the world's fastest half marathons, is this year to be staged partially on the brand-new man-made Al Marjan Island complex, possibly an even faster circuit than in previous years.

The World Marathon Challenge 7-7-7 starts tomorrow and Michael Wardian is set for the challenge and even beyond

I feel so unbelievably fortunate to have the opportunity to embark on the World Marathon Challenge again tomorrow.  The first stage, is Antarctica.  The weather is looking pretty good.

I am hoping to push myself beyond anything I have done before so will actually be adding three marathons in DC with Run Pacers at the end for a total of 10 Marathons in 10 days.

It is always exciting and a bit scary to start something and I can’t thank everyone enough for all the support. 

(Two years ago (photo) Michael Wardian set the record for the World Marathon Challenge.  He averaged 2:45:57 for each of the seven marathons run on seven continents over seven days.  He hopes to better that record.  

Like this would be enough for most runners, this year he is going to add three more marathons to the mix after Miami.  He is going to do ten Marathons in ten days.  We will be following his journey here.) 

Use running as a way to release stress and quiet the mind - Michael Anderson on Running File 3

Work and life balance can be stressful, so much to do everyday and it seems like there is never enough time to get it all done. We are pulled in every direction and the feeling is one of being in a washing machine.

I can say I suffer with some form of mental despair, its hard for me to shut off my brain.

I feel therapy can be extremely important and its good to have someone to talk with. My advice is not one or the other (therapy or running) but some of both.

Running is a huge form of meditation and can be a perfect way to shut off the brain and focus solely on the task of one foot in front of the other.

Running can lead you to so much beauty especially when you get out on the trails and see true love. When you use running as a way to release stress and quiet the mind you really will see a difference.

Being a recovering alcoholic. running saved my life. Before I would escape with drinks but now I put in the miles and the results are endless life.  I do have an addictive personality and I am for sure an running addict and proud of it. 

Running reliefs:

Running is the cure for when you feel down on yourself.  How can you not feel good after pounding out a mile run and giving back to yourself.

Running is the cure for when you have had a hard day at the office, you gotta release the clutter and reset and a good run gets that done.

Running is a cure for stresses at home, wife and baby (love them) but they can add stress too, running is giving back to you and solely to you.

Running is a cure for the bad habits, (drinking and smoking) running will drop the weight and is such a natural high, best high I have ever experienced.

Happy, sad, glad or mad, Running is great for all of these emotions:

Happy- damn it will feel great to open it up.

Sad- flush out the tears and shed them on the roads.

Glad- damn glad to be out here today.

Mad- put that negative energy into pounding the roads, hit the high moments and release.

ALL good and run on!  Michael Anderson on Running

(Michael Anderson has been running all his life.  He has run four marathons including Boston, Big Sur, San Francisco and Seattle and has sights on running his first ultra soon.  He has participated in all three Run The World Global Challenges and plans to do Challenge 4 starting March 1.)

Bermuda Olympian and professional triathlete Tyler Butterfield will make his debut at the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon

Tyler Butterfield will literally run his way into unknown territory when he makes his debut at the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon in Otsu, Shiga, Japan.

The Bermuda Olympian and professional triathlete is scheduled to make his first appearance in the 26.2 mile race on March 10 and is under no illusion as to the enormity of the task at hand competing against the world’s elite runners.

“That will be an elite marathon so for me it’s my first one ever outside of Commonwealth Games and its going to be a calibre way above my limit,” Butterfield said.

“I think it was won in around 2:06 or 2:07 last year so I’m going to be 15-20 minutes behind.

“But it’s a great opportunity to run with some of the best guys in the world. It’s going to be a lot of people better than me and I can challenge myself.”

The Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, a male only competition, is one of the prominent Japanese races of the year and the country’s oldest annual marathon.

Butterfield warmed up for March’s commitment in Japan with a solid display at last weekend’s Bermuda Marathon Weekend where he placed runner up in the adult mile, International 10K and Half Marathon to capture the Half Triangle Challenge title at the first attempt.

“The Bermuda Race Weekend was awesome and just a great hit out for the Lake Biwa Marathon,” he said. “It was great to come back and do the mile, 10K and the Half because I’ve actually never done that before.

Ethiopian runner Roza Dereje Bekele will attack the world record at the Mitja Marato de Barcelona 2019

Roza Dereje Bekele from Ethiopia announced her participation in the Barcelona Half Marathon, which will be held in Barcelona on February 10, with the aim of breaking the world record.

The current record is held by the Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei, with a time of 1:04:51, achieved in Valencia on October 22, 2017.

The young Ethiopian runner, only 21 years old, has run 1:07:00, achieved April 2018 in Istanbul. She had surprised most everyone clocking 2:19:17 for the marathon in Dubai on January 26, 2018.

The Ethiopian runner who is training very well has decided to try to beat the half marathon world record and then run the Marathon in London.

"I have chosen Barcelona because it is one of the fastest races in the world and has an excellent organization," Bekele explained through a statement from the organizers of the Barcelona event.

Virgin Money has extended its sponsorship of the London Marathon for another year

Virgin became the main sponsor in 2010 and has already extended its sponsorship once. In 2015 it announced it would support the event for five years.

The Virgin Money London Marathon is the UK’s biggest fundraising event, raising a record £63.7m ($83,306, 860US) for charities in 2018. This year the charity of the year is Dementia Revolution, a campaign specially created for the 2019 Marathon by Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK to support the UK Dementia Research Institute.

Next year’s partner will be Mencap. David Duffy, chief executive of CYBG Plc, the owner of Virgin Money, said: “Each year Virgin Money partners with a ‘Charity of the Year’, and we are now ready to receive applications for the year leading to the 2021 Marathon.

We hope to hear from charities working on ambitious projects or initiatives that will make a sustainable difference in the areas where help is needed most.”

Hugh Brasher, event director of the Virgin Money London Marathon, said: “Our partnership with Virgin Money has helped London to become the world’s greatest marathon and the race that everyone wants to run, with a world record 414,168 people applying through the ballot for the 2019 event.”

The NYRR Millrose Games will feature seven Olympians and 13 world championship participants

The signature event at the NYRR Millrose Games will feature seven Olympians and 13 world championship participants, including the recent addition to the men’s field of Ethiopia’s two-time indoor world champion Yomif Kejelcha.

The prestigious indoor mile race has taken place every year on the men’s side since 1926 and on the women’s side since 1976. This year’s NYRR Wanamaker Mile races will be broadcast live on NBC.

Quigley, 26, won her first NYRR Wanamaker Mile in 2018, besting fellow U.S. Olympian Kate Grace by just three hundredths of a second in 4:30.05, and then returned to New York later in the year to finish second at the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile. She competed at the Rio 2016 Olympics, finishing eighth in the 3000-meter steeplechase, and the following summer she placed third in the event at the USATF Championships.

“What better way to start a new year and a new season than taking a trip to NYC to race at one of the most prestigious and longest-running indoor track meets in the country,” Quigley said.

“I can't think of anything better, so I'm going to the NYRR Millrose Games again this year to defend my NYRR Wanamaker Mile title. I'm more excited than ever to put my fitness to the test in the Big Apple.”

Joining Quigley in the women’s NYRR Wanamaker Mile field will be last year’s runner-up, U.S. Olympian Kate Grace, along with 2017 NCAA indoor mile champion Karisa Nelson, 2018 USA Road Mile champion Emily Lipari, and new indoor NCAA 1000-meter record-holder Danae Rivers.

Kejelcha, the two-time defending 3000-meter indoor world champion who opened his 2019 season with a 3:52.61 mile at the University of Washington earlier this month, will join a men’s field that already includes Olympic medalists Clayton Murphy and Nick Willis, and last year’s world’s fastest miler Edward Cheserek.

Last year’s runner-up, Josh Kerr, will also line up, as well as U.S. Olympian Robby Andrews, who will be marking the 10th anniversary of his win in the high school mile at the Millrose Games.

The 13th edition of the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon once again promises fierce racing and quick times

Bedan Karoki of Kenya last year retained his Ra’s Al Khaimah Half Marathon title from 2017 (59:10), storming to a 58:42 and leading six others under the one-hour barrier. In the women’s race Fancy Chemutai from Kenya missed the three-month-old women’s world record by just one second with her 1:04:52 clocking in a memorable clash with Kenyan Mary Keitany.

Topping this year’s men’s line-up is Ethiopia’s Abadi Hadis, who on October 20 was third at the Valencia Half in 58:44, in only his second outing over the distance. His fabulous track times at 5000m and 10,000m plus his Cross Country pedigree, single him out as a genuine all-round racer, and if his 2018 form on road and track is maintained, he will be the one to beat.

Behind the young Ethiopian is a host of top Kenyans and fellow Ethiopians.  Jorum Okombo is one of the former, placing fourth last year (59:36) when just 20, but with a 58:48 best when runner-up in Copenhagen 2017. Despite a string of fast times over the last two years, he has yet to win a half marathon.

The experienced Alex Korio has been consistently under the magical 60-minute barrier in recent years, while fellow Kenyan Daniel Kipchumba, after winning his debut half in Italy last April, went on to win the Copenhagen Half last September in 59:06, and was again under the hour in New Delhi in October.

While not yet a sub-60 minute performer, much attention will be focused upon Switzerland’s latest road sensation Julien Wanders. Spending much of the year training in Kenya, the 22-year-old set a 27:25 European 10km record in Paris on 30 December, and with his 1:00:09 half marathon best last February, is perfectly poised to become just the fifth European ever to break the one hour mark.

Nine former champions will be running the Boston Marathon this year

2019 Boston Marathon To Have 9 Former Champions In Elite Field. The Boston Athletic Association and sponsor John Hancock officially announced the entire team of elite runners Thursday for the 2019 race.

There will be 82 elite athletes competing, including Olympians, Paralympians, world champions and marathon majors winners from 15 countries.

The returning men’s champions will be:

2018: Yuki Kawauchi of Japan  2017: Geoffrey Kirui of Kenya  2016: Lemi Berhanu of Ethiopia  2015 and 2013: Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia  2012: Wesley Korir of Kenya

The returning women’s champions will be:

2018: Desiree Linden of the U.S.  2017: Edna Kiplagat of Kenya  2015: Caroline Rotich of Kenya  2012: Sharon Cherop of Kenya

Seven Boston Marathon wheelchair champions will also return for this year’s race, including defending champions Marcel Hug of Switzerland and Tatyana McFadden of the U.S.

High Schooler Katelyn Tuohy breaks Mary Cain’s 3K record clocking 9:01

Katelyn Tuohy added to her long list of impressive high school accomplishments by breaking Mary Cain’s high school 3,000m record on Saturday at the Dr. Sander Invitational in New York City. 

Tuohy ran in her first professional field, taking down several pro and collegiate-level women to finish third in 9:01.81. Cain’s former record was held at 9:04.51.

On Instagram, Tuohy admitted she was just shy of her goal of sub-9:00, but that she “had a great time getting my feet wet and seeing what it’s like racing the big dogs! Today was a learning experience and I am so thankful for having this opportunity.” Brooks runner Amanda Eccleston took the win in 8:56.68, followed by Heather Kampf in 8:56.87. Canadian Danielle Jossinet of Guelph finished in a new personal best and U Sports second-place ranking of 9:19.93. 

Cain achieved huge stardom as a high schooler for breaking many records and qualifying for the 2013 World Championships at only 17. Tuohy has also broken countless course records, and in the fall she became only the second woman to win two consecutive Nike Cross Nationals titles. 

Kenya's Ezekiel Kipsang won the Miami Marathon clocking 2:16:34

Ezekiel Kipsang is one for one in marathons. The 22-year-old Kenyan, who lives in Ottawa, Ontario, won the Miami Marathon, running the distance for the first time Sunday. He finished in 2 hours, 16 minutes, 34 seconds to beat runner-up Jacob Chemtai of Kenya by nearly 2½ minutes.

Kate Landau of Tacoma, Washington, overcame leg cramps and nausea to win the women's race with a time of 2:37:45. Mary Akor of Hawthorne, California, was a distant second in 2:45:55.

More than 20,000 participants in the marathon and half-marathon ran in humid, windy weather.

Ethiopian Fatuma Sado won the 38th edition of Osaka International Women’s Marathon

Surging away from Rei Ohara after 38 kilometers, Fatuma Sado won the 38th Osaka International Women’s Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label road race, on Sunday clocking  2:25:39.

“I was very happy, but the time was not fast enough to be selected for the Olympic team,” said the 27-year-old Ethiopian who became just the fourth African to win the race after Lornah Kiplagat, Catherine Ndereba and Amane Gobena. “I want to run faster time in the next race.”

Rei Ohara of Japan was second, seven seconds behind the winner, with Bornes Jepkirui another 15 seconds behind in third.

“I wanted to make my move at 30 kilometers,” Ohara said, “but I could not do it right. I tried my surge again at 35K, but it was far from decisive. I wanted to win, but could not close the gap at the end of the race.”

The pacemakers did an admirable job, bringing the lead pack through five kilometers in 17:00, 10 kilometres in 33:59, and 15 in 51:02. At 15 kilometers, the lead pack consisted of three pacemakers, an Ethiopian trio of Sado, Asefa Sutume and Abebech Afework, Kenyans Jepkirui and Jeptoo and Japanese Ohara, Fukushi and Hatsuki Omori.

Between kilometers 17 and 20, Jeptoo, Afework and Omori lost contact with the leaders. By half way, the lead dwindled to the pacemakers, Jepkirui, Sado, Fukushi and Ohara. After 25 kilometers, the pace started to slow, but Fukushi began to drift back anyway. At 30 kilometers, the final pacemaker dropped out and Ohara surged ahead, followed by Sado and Jepkirui.

Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon will serve as a Canada auto-qualifier for the Olympics

Athletics Canada announced that the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon will serve as an automatic qualifier for the 2020 Olympic Canadian marathon team. 

The first Canadian man and woman across the line, provided that they have met Athletics Canada’s standard in the event, will be named to the Olympic team. While Olympic standard hasn’t been released yet, the 2019 world championship standard is 2:37 for women and 2:16 for men. 

This will be a huge draw for elite Canadian runners, and make the race within the race very interesting. The only potential issue is that the world championship marathon is only days apart from STWM, and therefore impossible for a runner to compete in both events.

Canadian marathoner Reid Coolsaet discussed the drawbacks and exciting aspects of this decision. Also, someone like Cam Levins, who should easily qualify for Tokyo may want to race Worlds in Doha (both STWM and Doha are in October). What would prepare Cam better for the Tokyo Olympics?

Another paced marathon in cool temps (he’s running London this April) or, running a championship race in hot conditions? (Tokyo is forecasted to be very hot) Otherwise Tokyo will be his first championship marathon and probably his first hot marathon.

Coolsaet jokes that he’s simply trying to convince Levins to run Doha. The past three Olympic marathon teams have been named based on time alone, taking the fastest of the runners who achieved Athletics Canada’s named standard. Creating one auto-qualifier position means that a runner who hasn’t necessarily run the fastest time, or maybe even in the top five best times, could win and make an Olympic team because they raced well on that given day. But maybe this is okay? 

Cary Guffey will compete in the Mercedes-Benz Marathon for the seventh time

After his 40th birthday, Cary Guffey woke up in the middle of the night with a new goal: to complete a marathon. There was only one problem.

“I was not a runner,” he thought. 

Despite starting with no experience, Guffey was motivated and trained for a year. He and a friend ran the Disney Marathon in January 2013.

“It was fantastic. I mean, Disney does it so well, and they keep you distracted,” Guffey said.

On the way home from Disney World, Guffey said his friend asked him what was next and decided to sign them both up for the Mercedes-Benz Marathon in February.

“So I ran my first and second marathons within 30 days of each other,” Guffey said.

He now has 33 marathons in 23 states under his belt, and on Feb. 10, Guffey will compete in the Mercedes-Benz Marathon for the seventh time. It’s a race he participates in every year.

“Mercedes is so well organized and there’s so much crowd support, that I was distracted on that course as well. The city really comes out to support that race,” Guffey said.

Two-time Tokyo marathon champion Dickson Chumba going for victory again March 3

Dickson Chumba, who also won the Tokyo Marathon in 2014, has a life time best of 2:04:32 having finished inside 2:05 in both of his Tokyo victories. He also finished third at the 2015, 2016 and 2017 editions of the race. He faces a stellar line-up that includes multiple world and Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele.

Bekele set a national record of 2:03:03 when winning the 2016 Berlin Marathon but he has struggled in some of his races since then. He failed to finish in Dubai in 2017 but rebounded to finish second in London in 2:05:57 three months later.

He then withdrew from the Berlin Marathon later the same year before returning to action at the 2018 London Marathon, where he finished sixth in 2:08:53,. He recorded another ‘DNF’ at the Amsterdam Marathon in October 2018.

Bekele’s last race in Japan was at the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Osaka, where he won the 10,000m—one of his six global titles at the distance.

He is one of five men in the field with PBs faster than 2:05. Fellow Ethiopian Birhanu Legesse ran 2:04:15 in Dubai on his debut at the distance last year and will contest his third career marathon in Tokyo.

Bahrain’s Asian record-holder El Hassan El Abbassi and Ethiopia’s Seifu Tura, both of whom recorded their sub-2:05 lifetime bests last year, are also in the mix.

Most of the local fans, however, will be focused on Suguru Osako, who broke the Japanese record when finishing third at the Chicago Marathon last year in 2:05:50.

Two sets of pacemakers are planned for the men’s race. The first set will aim for 2:57-2:58/km pace until 30km, targeting a finishing time in the region of 2:04:30 to 2:05:10. The second set will run at 3:00/km pace with a target finishing time of about 2:06:35.

Jim Walmsley said that he could beat a 2:05 marathoner if they were matched up on a trail race

Jim Walmsley ran a 1:04:00 in the Houston Half-Marathon last Sunday (January 20).  Many people have been critical of his race and returned to comparing the trail and road running scenes in a futile attempt to try and identify which discipline is more difficult. 

Walmsley is an ultra and trail runner who’s the Western States 100 course record holder, and was formerly a high school and collegiate track runner (8:41.05 3,000m steeplechaser). Walmsley was ranked 23rd male on Sports Illustrated’s Fittest 50 athletes in 2018 (marathon world record-holder Eliud Kipchoge ranked 21st) and is very well known for his accomplishments on the trails. 

His 1:04:00 at Houston qualified him for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon trials where he will run his marathon debut. As Walsmley straddles the boundary between ultra-trail runner and road runner, he’s become a focal point for the trail versus road argument.

Walmsley was a guest on the Citius Mag podcast the week following his half-marathon and was asked to address some of the comments. Here’s what he had to say regarding a 2:05 marathoner being thrown into the Western States Endurance Run.

“The way that I attack the downhills, I will break your quads and you won’t be able to jog the flats afterwards. Like, give me a 2:05 guy, a couple hours in the canyon (like at Western States) and I’ll be the first one out.”  

Prague Marathon winner Bornes Chepkirui says her campaign to win a ticket to the World Championships may depend on her performance at the Osaka International women's marathon on Sunday

Chepkirui will return to Osaka after she posted a slow time back in 2015 when she was placed in position 14, clocking 2:41:47.

She has since evolved and will be the athlete to beat having improved her best time to 2:24:19 from her Prague victory.

"It is a crucial year to me because we have the World Championships. I will run in Osaka and probable defend my title in Prague in May. But the target is to get to the Kenya team and compete at the Doha World Championships in Qatar in October," said Chepkirui.

Kenya's Eunice Jeptoo will also be back in the run after failing to finish this race in last year's contest.

The 36-year-old took more than six minutes off her best time to win the recent Eindhoven Marathon in 2:26:13. However, the two Kenyans should not expect a walk in the park.

They will be up against Ethiopian Sutume Asefa Kebede, who has the best recent time among the internationals in the field with a 2:24:00 in Dubai 2016.

Three other Africans are positioned at the 2:26 to 2:27 level, perfect to help pace the Japanese women along to marathon qualification marks.

Japan are using the race as part of its trials and qualifier for the 2020 Olympic Games. Absent are last year's debut winner Mizuki Matsuda but there will be the 2016 winner Kayoko Fukushi, who will be running her first marathon since the Rio Olympics.

There is also the duo of Tomomi Tanaka and Rei Ohara, who went head-to-end until the final meters of the 2016 Nagoya Women's Marathon.

Ohara is already in for trials for Japan's Olympic team while China will have HE Yinli, who holds a fast time of 2:30:26 from the 2017 race in Wuxi.

British runner Jo Pavey hopes to make the Olympic Team for the sixth time

British runner Jo Pavey is targeting a record-equalling sixth Olympic Games next year, when she will be 46.

That would match javelin thrower Tessa Sanderson's six Olympic appearances by a British track and field athlete.

Pavey was the oldest woman to win a European Championships gold when claiming the 10,000m title in 2014 aged 40, just 11 months after giving birth.

"I forget how old I am. I'm not complacent but I will attempt to make my sixth Olympics," she told BBC Sport.

Pavey made her first Olympic appearance at Sydney in 2000, has qualified for the British team at every Games since, and now wants to earn a place on the British team for Tokyo 2020.

"I need to get a good qualifying time this year, and really want to start racing in early spring, but I enjoy the challenge," she said.

"It's a difficult task, I'm totally aware of that, but something that's fun to try. I love the ups and downs of the journey."

The mother-of-two hopes to win a place in the 10,000m at the 2019 World Championships in Doha in September en route to going for the Games in Japan.

She entered the 2017 London Marathon with a view to qualifying for the marathon at that year's World Championships in London but had to drop out at 16 miles and then saw her bid to qualify at 10,000m ended by injury.

In 2018, she finished third at the Vitality London 10,000 behind fellow Briton Steph Twell.

The total amount raised through the London Marathon will top 1 billion pounds this year ($1,319,000US)

Thousands of charities sign up runners to collect donations at the race. Last year they raised 63.70 million pounds, taking the cumulative total to 955 million pounds since the first event in 1981.

"This is a phenomenal achievement and part of what makes the London Marathon unique. No other mass participation event comes anywhere near this kind of fundraising," Hugh Brasher, the race's event director, said.

Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer's Research UK are the race's official charities in 2019.

The men's event pits world record holder and three-time London marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya against four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah.

In the women's field, defending champion Vivian Cheruiyot of Kenya is set to take on her compatriot and New York City marathon champion Mary Keitany.

Eileen Rogers started the Buzz Marathon 19 years ago and is a prime example that one person with a good idea can make a big difference

The month of February is noted for hearts and flowers and candy, and in San Miguel, for Hornets.  The 19th annual Buzz Marathon will be held this year on February 16 on the beautiful course running through Camp Roberts.  Due to some construction the course has been redesigned. With help from Paul DiMatteo it has been recalibrated and recertified by USA Track and Field to maintain entrants’ eligibility for other races like the Boston Marathon.  

The Buzz Marathon began in 2000 as a way to raise funds for sports programs at Lillian Larsen School in San Miguel, California.  Eighth grade teacher and Athletic Director Eileen Rogers had personally funded an athletics program for some fifteen years.  In brainstorming ways to find an independent way to help the program become self-sustaining, the marathon seemed ideal. It started slowly but with much encouragement it grew. 

Since the Lillian Larsen Mascot is a Hornet, it was named the ‘Buzz Marathon’ and Eileen was dubbed the ‘Hornet Queen’, an appellation of which she is justly proud.  Year by year it became better and better until achieving its present status.

Although retired from teaching at San Miguel, Eileen keeps very busy, still greatly involved with sports. She firmly believes in exercising both mind and body.   

The course runs through San Miguel from the school to the Mission and back.  This success story certainly shows how one person with a good idea, determination and contagious enthusiasm can make a big difference!   

The Surf City Marathon and Half Marathon announced today that they are offering free entry to furloughed Government employees

Furloughed U.S. government employees can receive free entry to participate in the Surf City Marathon and Half Marathon. 

Featuring a scenic course that showcases the Huntington Beach oceanfront, the event annually attracts 17,000 runners and will take place the weekend of February 1-3, 2019.

“Our heart goes out to those government employees affected by this now 34-day government shutdown and what better time to get out and run,” said Tiffany Adams, event manager. 

“We know how running helps people get through tough situations and have allocated a limited number of our remaining entries for those furloughed employees to run the race for free this year. With our mile on the sand and 5k races, there is a distance for anyone to participate in this year.”

To take advantage of this offer, all such employees must register on-site at the event’s expo on Friday, February 1 or Saturday, February 2 and present their valid government I.D. and proof of furlough at the expo to receive an official race bib. The offer is only applicable to furloughed employees who have not yet registered for the race and entries will be limited based on availability. 

New in 2019, event weekend will feature a one mile race on the beach. Dubbed as the “Cowabunga Challenge,” the mile on the sand will take place on Saturday, February 2.  

Ethiopian Getaneh Molla runs 2:03:34 and Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich 2:17:08 at Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon

Dubai Marathon winners shattered records at this year’s race, beating tens of thousands who donned their running shoes early Friday morning to participate in the iconic sporting event.

Ethiopian Getaneh Molla and Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich broke the course records in the 19th edition of the marathon, with Molla clocking 2:03:34 or about roughly half minute faster than Mosinet Geremew’s 2:04:00 set last year.

Chepngetich emerged as the winner for the female division, finishing the race with a time of 2:17:08 shattering the course record of Roza Dereje at 2:19:17 at last year’s race.

Getaneh Molla produced the fastest marathon debut in history to win the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, while Ruth Chepngetich moved up to third on the women’s world all-time list at the IAAF Gold Label road race on Friday (25).

Molla’s winning time of 2:03:34 took 26 seconds off the course record that was set last year and puts him sixth on the world all-time list.

Chepngetich, meanwhile, took 87 seconds off the PB she set in Istanbul just two months ago to win in 2:17:08, an improvement of two minutes and nine seconds on the previous course record. It moves her from eighth to third on the world all-time list behind world record-holder Paula Radcliffe (2:15:25) and Mary Keitany (2:17:01).

They don't call it HURT for nothing, First Canadian finisher Pargol Lakhan finished top 10 female in 34:02:23

January 19 and 20 marked the 19th year of HURT (Hawaii Ultra Running Team) 100 miler in Oahu, Hawaii. Located in a mountainous tropical rainforest, the course includes five 20-mile (32K) loops with 7,468 metres of elevation gain, and a cutoff of 36 hours. The 99 per cent singletrack consists of 20 stream crossings, exposed ridges, roots, rocks, puddles and mud wallows. Rainfall on race day meant slippery conditions, falls, broken bones, and some DNFs. Seven Canadians started HURT 100, and three finished. First Canadian finisher Pargol Lakhan finished top 10 female in 34:02:23.

HURT 100 is considered one of North America’s toughest 100-milers. Picture a scene from Jurassic Park–except the dinosaurs are muddy and hungry ultrarunners. Canadians Simon Garneau (Que.), Derek Anaquod(Sask.), Karen Johansen (Alta.), Lourdes Gutierrez-Kellam (Alta.), Craig Slagel (B.C.), Lori Herron (B.C.), and Pargol Lakhan (B.C.) toed the line. Due to the weather, injuries, and unanticipated complications, only Gutierrez-Kellam, Anaquod, and Lakhan finished. 

Lakhan traveled from Vancouver, B.C. to Hawaii without a support crew. After a series of serendipitous Facebook conversations, she lucked out with pacers and a crew she had never met. From the 6 a.m. start line through to the finish, Dennis Källerteg and his parents supported Lakhan. In just over 32 hours of racing, these strangers became her friends. Källerteg, a 22-year-old from Sweden, had raced HURT 100 in 2018, but dropped out prior to the 2019 start line. The family ultrarunning vacation became a crewing adventure instead.  

Like most 100-milers, runners risk getting lost, getting injured, falling, feeling nauseous, and anything else Mother Nature throws at them. During the first 32K loop, Lakhan felt strong and was with the top ten women until she went a few kilometers off course. With somewhat fresh legs, she climbed back up the technical trails and found her way. Seeing fellow B.C. ultrarunning family Gary, Linda, and Reed Robbins cheering runners on every loop made Lakhan feel comforted. “It felt like I was running at home.” 

I can still remember my fear, my dread five years ago says Joan Chrissos who is running the Fitbit Miami half Marathon Sunday

"I ran a minute, walked a minute, Ran, Walked, Ran, Walked, For 30 minutes, says Joan Chrissos. "That was my first day of training for the Miami Half Marathon five years ago. I can still remember my fear, my dread.

"I was 58 and hadn’t run since my senior year of high school when I was one of eight girls on the boys’ track team. It was not that I loved running, but rather I was making a political statement at age 17.

"Fast forward to that October morning and my first training session with TeamFootWorks, the nonprofit running program of FootWorks, the family-owned store in South Miami that will begin its 46th year on May 15. TeamFootWorks has trained thousands of people to run a marathon, a half marathon or a 5K, people like me, who never thought they could master such a feat."

Joan has already run 10 half marathons so far. 

"I’ve run in Halloween costumes (OK, a Halloween shirt). I’ve run in 40-degree weather. I’ve run in rain (Ugh!). And I’ve chugged up and down the hills of Nashville, which are beautiful but killer on the last mile.

"Along the way, I’ve lost weight, gained muscle, eaten healthier, slept better, gotten closer to my husband Ken (who is running the full marathon on Sunday) and learned to break down complex challenges to manageable tasks, literally one step at a time.

"Most importantly, I’ve gained a rich circle of friends. We have sweated side by side, yelling “We’ve got this!” as we make our way past each mile post. We’ve laughed. We’ve cried. We’ve celebrated the birth of children, and mourned the death of loved ones.

"And every Saturday, after our runs, we treat ourselves to breakfast, dissecting our performance and the latest in our lives over eggs, grits and café con leche."

U.S. Olympian Colleen Quigley will defend her title at the NYRR Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games

U.S. Olympian Colleen Quigley will return to The Armory’s New Balance Track & Field Center on Saturday, February 9 to defend her NYRR Wanamaker Mile title at the NYRR Millrose Games. The signature event at the NYRR Millrose Games will feature seven Olympians and 13 world championship participants, including the recent addition to the men’s field of Ethiopia’s two-time indoor world champion Yomif Kejelcha.

“We are delighted to welcome Colleen back to the NYRR Millrose Games after her sensational win last year,” said NYRR Millrose Games Meet Director Ray Flynn.

“The addition of Yomif to this incredible men's field makes me think we could possibly see the very first sub-3.50 Wanamaker Mile or even a run at the world record.”

The prestigious indoor mile race has taken place every year on the men’s side since 1926 and on the women’s side since 1976. This year’s NYRR Wanamaker Mile races will be broadcast live on NBC.

Quigley, 26, won her first NYRR Wanamaker Mile in 2018, beating fellow U.S. Olympian Kate Grace by just three hundredths of a second in 4:30.05, and then returned to New York later in the year to finish second at the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile.

She competed at the Rio 2016 Olympics, finishing eighth in the 3000-meter steeplechase, and the following summer she placed third in the event at the USATF Championships.

“What better way to start a new year and a new season than taking a trip to NYC to race at one of the most prestigious and longest-running indoor track meets in the country,” Quigley said.

“I can't think of anything better, so I'm going to the NYRR Millrose Games again this year to defend my NYRR Wanamaker Mile title. I'm more excited than ever to put my fitness to the test in the Big Apple.”

Joining Quigley in the women’s NYRR Wanamaker Mile field will be last year’s runner-up, U.S. Olympian Kate Grace, along with 2017 NCAA indoor mile champion Karisa Nelson, 2018 USA Road Mile champion Emily Lipari, and new indoor NCAA 1000-meter record-holder Danae Rivers.

Judy Williams credits Gasparilla Distance Classic for saving her life

Running is a major part of Judy Williams life. She moved to Florida in 1989 and has run in almost every Gasparilla Distance Classic race since.

In 2015, she and her then 16-year-old daughter trained to run all four Gasparilla races, a total of 30-plus miles in two days.

"That year I consider and credit Gasparilla for saving my life," said Williams.

During the course of the weekend, Williams admits that she did not drink enough water to properly rehydrate after all those miles.

"So that night, I would up in the hospital because I kept throwing up. I was dehydrated and could not stop throwing up no matter how much IV they were giving me," she recalls.

In the hospital, the doctors performed a CT scan of her stomach, and that is when they found a cyst. That cyst turned out to be stage 2 ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is often called the "silent killer" because it does not have many symptoms until the later stages. Oftentimes when it's too late. Without that CT scan, Williams' cancer may have continued to grow.

"I had lost my husband about a year and a half earlier, so my daughters were facing the fact that they might lose their second parent. It was just extraordinary that they found my cancer at stage 2," Williams said.

Following the diagnosis, Williams had an operation to remove the cancer and spent 18 weeks in chemotherapy. The following year in 2016, after the treatments, she and her daughter laced back up their shoes to run all four Gasparilla Distance Classic races again.

"It was extremely emotional the year after I had the chemo and operation," she recalls.

This year, Williams' daughter will come home from college to run the races again. They will line up for the 15K race Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday. It is a new challenge from the Gasparilla Distance Classic called "Michelob Ultra Pure Gold Challenge."

South African Nolene Conrad will face some of the world’s best at Osaka Marathon

Nolene Conrad faces a defining moment in her impressive running career on Sunday when she lines up against some of the world’s best at the start of the Osaka Marathon in Japan.

Japan is right up with Kenya and Ethiopia in women’s marathon running, boasting four athletes in Sunday’s race with marathon best times faster than two hours and 24 minutes. And with several top east Africans also in the mix, a top-15 finish in a personal best time would represent an outstanding result for Conrad.

The diminutive athlete from Blue Downs has risen to the top echelon of South African distance running in recent years and led her compatriots home at last year’s world half marathon championships in Spain, where she earned IAAF gold label status for her top-25 position.

But an elite standard marathon time still eludes Conrad, although her 2:34:39 at last year’s Cape Town Marathon came close.

Her half marathon best of 1:11:44 suggests that a five-minute improvement, which will lift her into world-class sub-2:30 territory, may not be beyond her.

“I’m definitely aiming for a big improvement on my best of 2:34:39 I achieved in last year’s Cape Town Marathon,” admitted Conrad. “My coach (Ernie Gruhn) believes that I can get close to 2:30. 

I was rather cautious at Cape Town, not wanting to risk anything. That earned me a solid performance, but perhaps not quite what I could have achieved.

“I’m adopting a new fierce approach for Japan. I’m going for it - let’s see how it works out. I should be comfortable going through half way in 75 minutes, which will be a few minutes slower than my half marathon best. The course is pancake flat, so hopefully I’ll be able to hold on in the second half.”

Ethiopian Ruti Aga wants to win the title at the Tokyo Marathon

The women’s field at the Tokyo Marathon is led by Ethiopian Ruti Aga.  She has a personal best of 2:18:34 and is joined by three other female athletes who have run better than 2:20.

Aga ran her 2:18:34 PR when finishing second behind Kenya’s Gladys Cherono in Berlin last year and she’ll be joined in Tokyo by Kenya’s Florence Kiplagat (2:19:44 PR) and Ethiopians Boru Feyse Tadese (2:19:30 PR) and Yebrgual Melese (2:19:36 PR), plus world champion Rose Chelimo (2:22:51 PR) and Mimi Belete (2:22:29 PR) of Bahrain.

Kenya’s Joan Chelimo (65:04 half-marathon PR) makes her marathon debut.

Among the Japanese entries is Honami Maeda (2:23:48 PR), who was second in the Osaka Women’s Marathon last year and seventh in Berlin.

Adam Gorlitsky wants to be the first paralyzed man to complete the Los Angeles Marathon

Adam Gorlitsky believes that to continue inspiring others it’s important he consistently seeks inspiration of his own.

That’s not always easy. Gorlitsky was left paralyzed from a car accident 12 years ago but has since emerged as a leader in the community of re-enabled athletes. He’s traveled nearly 800,000 steps in the past couple of years with the help of a ReWalk robotic exoskeleton while also establishing the non-profit, I Got Legs, to help others achieve similar re-enablement.

Gorlitsky has conquered more than 20 road races spread across the nation, from his hometown Cooper River Bridge Run 10K to the Portlandathon half marathon in Oregon. He's even organized a couple of his own. He’s continuously raised the ante of his personal challenges alongside the increased momentum of his non-profit. So with so much already accomplished, what’s next?. “So there’s this re-walker, he uses the same exoskeleton that I do, and he walked the entire London Marathon. I thought it was incredible,” Gorlitsky said. “He and I have a little friendly rivalry on social media. So I decided I was going to one-up him and break his record on the biggest stage in the world.”

Gorlitsky will head to Hollywood in March to attempt to become the first paralyzed man to walk the Los Angeles Marathon. The 32-year-old former Wando athlete is aiming to beat the benchmark of 36 hours and 37 minutes that Simon Kindleysides set in the London Marathon last April. But it isn’t as much about the final time as it is about continuing forward step by step.

“If I’m going to do my first marathon, I wanted it to be on a stage like Los Angeles,” Gorlitsky said. “I like to constantly challenge myself. So Los Angeles will be a challenge for my own personal growth as human being but, in many ways, it’s the symbolic next step for the I Got Legs organization as well.”

Gorlitsky will use the Los Angeles Marathon as a public launch for I Got Legs’ Give Back Fund, which is already raising money for others with similar disabilities who seek the kind of treatment and technology that he’s received.

The Mexican Olympic Sports Center (CDOM) was selected to have an air quality monitor installed.

The Mexican Olympic Sports Center (CDOM) was selected to have an air quality monitor installed.

The monitor will collect air quality data in real time, measuring the levels of several pollutants and, with it, assessing the impact of environmental pollution on the performance of the athletes, as well as designing new policies and strategies to counteract it.

The IAAF has been conducting the pilot programme in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), National Olympic Committees, national federations and government organisations since 28 May 2018.

Mexico’s CDOM athletics track was selected by the IAAF to represent the North American and Caribbean area and it is the fourth installation of its kind following installations in Monaco, Addis Ababa and Australia.

The ultimate aim of the programme is to develop an air quality monitoring network linking 1000 IAAF-certified tracks around the world.

Kenyan´s Ruth Chepngetich will try to end the Ethiopian dominance in Dubai this weekend

Ethiopia’s winning streak of the women’s race in Dubai goes back even further than the men’s as they have won the past 12 editions. But that dominance will be under threat when Ruth Chepngetich toes the standing line Friday. 

The Kenyan surprised the running world in November last year when she successfully defended her Istanbul Marathon title, smashing her PR by four minutes with 2:18:35 and moving to equal seventh on the world all-time list.

But while Chepngetich boasts the fastest PR of the field, Worknesh Degefa is more experienced when it comes to Dubai.

In fact, the Ethiopian has contested just two marathons to date, both of which were in Dubai. She won on her debut in 2017 in 2:22:36 and reduced her PR to 2:19:53 one year later to finish fourth in a high-quality race.

Sintayehu Lewetegn Hailemichael, who reduced her PB by eight minutes to 2:22:45 in Frankfurt last year, and Rahma Tusa, who has won four of her nine completed marathons to date, add to the Ethiopian strength in Dubai.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s 2011 world bronze medallist Sharon Cherop returns to Dubai seven years after her first appearance there, and former middle-distance specialist Tigist Assefa, who has an 800m PB of 1:59.24, will be making her marathon debut.

“This will be the 20th time we have staged the marathon in its current format and I’ve no doubt the athletes will once again provide us with a race worthy of the occasion,” said event director Peter Connerton.

“Last year saw new course records in both the men and women’s races, while we had seven men finish within 2:05 and four women within 2:20. Those were both unique results in marathon history and emphasised the depth of quality in the fields we put together in Dubai. 

Beijing Olympics 10,000m bronze medalist Linet Masai will make her debut in London marathon on April 28

Former world 10,000m champion and Beijing Olympic bronze medalist, Linet Masai on Tuesday warned her rivals not to rule her out when she makes her debut in London marathon on April 28.

The 29-year-old, who has battled with poor form, injuries and maternity leave, will be seeking to make a statement when she runs in London with her eyes firmly on representing Kenya at the World Championships in Qatar later in the year.

It is by no chance that she chose to return to top flight marathon in London where she will be up against her nemesis including defending champion Vivian Cheruiyot, New York City marathon winner Mary Keitany, Berlin Marathon champion Gladys Cherono, Chicago Marathon gold medalist Brigid Kosgei and Berlin marathon bronze medalist Tirunesh Dibaba.

All the five have run under two hours and 20 minutes in marathon, not once but on several occasions.

"Getting an invite to compete in London is not easy. I am happy to have been considered because it is one of the biggest marathons in the world with a very fast course. Furthermore, it is special to me since I will be participating for the first time," said Masai in Nairobi.

It will be Masai's second marathon after she made her debut last year in Amsterdam where she clocked an impressive 2:23:46.

But the fast time will count for less when she faces her rivals, who have superior records and fast time over the distance.

"I lost two years of no competition between 2016 and 2018. But I have returned strong and will be out to reclaim my spot in the global ranking," said Masai.

To prepare well, Masai said that she will compete in a half marathon in March to gauge her speed and endurance. But for the time being she is happy to immerse herself in training in Kaptagat, Eldoret.

Registration is now open for the Chevron Houston Marathon, the Aramco Half Marathon and the We Are Houston 5K

Are you ready to go for the gold in 2020? Early registration is now open for the Chevron Houston Marathon, the Aramco Half Marathon and the We Are Houston 5K!

If you get your registration in before June 5, the full marathon will cost $140, and the half marathon will cost $125.If you're thinking of registering but haven't quite committed, decide quickly -- the full and half marathons are each capped at 27,000 participants.

The 2020 We Are Houston 5K has a cap of 6,000 participants.Another option to consider is the Run For a Reason program. HERO entries are guaranteed registrations into the Chevron Houston Marathon or Aramco Houston Half Marathon by making a one-time tax-deductible donation of at least $350 to an official Run for a Reason charity, plus the cost of registration.

Marathon participants must be at least 12 years old by race day. Half marathon and 5K runners must be at least 7 years old.

Nigerian Olude Fadekemi vows to reclaim Access Bank Lagos City Marathon title

After being beaten to the first position among Nigerian (female) runners at the 2018 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, Olude Fadekemi has vowed to reclaim her crown at next month’s race.

Olude who is the current National Record holder in the 20km Walk Race finished as the number one Nigeria woman at the 2017 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, but she dropped to second place in 2018; losing the crown to Deborah Pam.

To reclaim the number one position at the 2019 Marathon, Olude revealed that she has since stepped up her training schedule and she is equally working extra hard to ensure that she comes tops this term.

“I was not too happy that I could not defend my title last year, I only finished in second place but this year I want the first position again, “she said in a statement issued by Olukayode Thomas, Head Media and Communications for the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.

Olude who had a memorable 2018 in which she represented Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games in Australia and also emerged as a gold medal winner at the National Sports Festival among many other accomplishments said she is keen to start 2019 brightly with a win at the Lagos Marathon.

“The year 2018 was very good for me but of course I want 2019 to be better starting with the Lagos Marathon,” Olude revealed.

Switzerland's Tadesse Abraham going after European record at Dubai Marathon

Switzerland’s Tadesse Abraham has his sights set on going after the European marathon record at the 2019 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon on Friday (January 25).

Despite Farah cutting the European Record to 2:05:11 at the Chicago Marathon just three months ago, Eritrean-born Abraham is gearing up for a full-on assault on the time when he makes his debut appearance at the Middle East’s only IAAF Gold Label Marathon.

If he breaks the record, it will signify the climax of a remarkable journey for the 36-year-old. Born and raised in Eritrea, Abraham had to run 20km to school each day at an altitude of 2,400m before embarking on a running career that saw him represent the country of his birth at the World Junior Cross Country Championships in 2004.

The same year, he took the courageous step of leaving his team and moving to Switzerland to start a new life. And while it was a drawn-out affair to get Swiss citizenship, he was finally eligible to compete for his adopted homeland at the 2014 European Championships in Zurich where he finished ninth and helped Switzerland to the bronze medal in the marathon team event.

Since then he was won gold at the 2016 European Half Marathon Championships and finished fourth at the 2016 Seoul Marathon where he set his current personal best of 2:06:40.

Breaking Farah’s European Record would mean shaving more than a minute off his own PB but it has always been a personal goal and Abraham is focused on giving it his best over Dubai’s notoriously flat and fast route.

“I love my job as a runner and I treat it with great respect, which means not only strictly adhering to my training programme but also giving it my full concentration,” said Abraham. 

Prague Marathon champion Bornes Jepkirui will be heading the Kenyan runners at the Osaka Women’s Marathon

Jepkirui ran a well calculated first half of the race to take leadership from Amane Gobena of Ethiopia, who had crossed the 25km marker in 1:24.40 in Prague, clocking 2:24:19.

She crossed the finish line ahead of Ethiopians Belaynesh Oljira (2:25:13) and Amane Gobena, who finished third in 2:27:43. 

Jepkirui will be running alongside her compatriot Eunice Jeptoo.

Last year’s Osaka Marathon was dominated by Japanese women, with Mizuki Matsuda taking the title and Honami Maeda and Yuko Ando coming in second and third respectively.

Jeptoo, the defending champion of the Eindhoven Marathon in Netherlands, will be the athlete to beat at the Osaka Women’s Marathon, having clocked 2:26:13 in October in her win at the Eindhoven Marathon.

The 2019 Osaka race is also part of Japan’s Marathon Grand Championship series, a group of qualifying races for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic marathon team trial race.

There will also be Izabela Trzaskalska of Poland, who has a marathon best of 2:29:56. Japanese athletes are led by Nagoya marathon silver medalist Yuko Ando (2:21:36), Honami Maeda and Mizuki Matsuda.

Jeannie Rice missed the world record but sets a new National Record for the Half Marathon

Jeannie Rice missed her mark at the 2019 Naples Daily News Half Marathon, but a national record is pretty good consolation.

At Sunday’s race, Rice had her sights on taking down the world record for fastest half marathon by a woman 70 years old or older. It wasn’t a far-fetched goal – in October the part-time Bonita Springs resident broke the marathon world record for women over 70.

Rice finished in 1:38:41.9, missing the record by 1 minute and 3 seconds. However, her mark set the American record for the half marathon 70 plus.

"From the start, I knew,” Rice said about failing to break the world record. “It was around 70 degrees and humid. I didn’t want to die at the end, so I went at a slower pace.”

In the week leading up to the race, the forecast called for temperatures in the 50s – perfect for running. But with the temperature around 67 degrees Sunday morning, Rice knew it was too warm for her to go too fast.

The national record Rice broke technically was her own. When she set the marathon record in October, USA Track and Field used her time at the 13.1-mile mark of the race as the new record.

Rice had moral support from her friends in Cleveland, where she works as a real estate agent. Four members of her Northeast (Ohio) Running Club joined her in Naples to run the race. Rice crossed the line with NERC member Craig Pulling, who was running in the race for the first time.

“It was humid,” Pulling said. “I’m not used to running in this weather. I’ve been training all winter, and this was a lot harder and a lot slower (than running in the cold).”

Kenyan´s Cosmas Lagat and Ethiopian´s Worknesh Alemu win the Tata Mumbai Marathon

Cosmas Lagat of Kenya and Worknesh Alemu of Ethiopia surprised pre-race favorites to win the men’s and women’s crowns respectively in the Tata Mumbai Marathon Sunday (Jan 20).  They shared in the $405,000US of prize money. 

Lagat, winner of the Sevilla Marathon in 2016, made the marathon in this coastal city his own over the last 10k to storm home in 2:09:15, the second-best time in the 16-year history of the race.

The course record of 2:08:35, made in 2016, just barely survived as the long-legged Lagat’s onslaught after he left behind all his rivals.

In second place was Aychew Bantie of Ethiopia in 2:10:05 and Akalnew Shumet, also from Ethiopia, took the third spot in 2:10:14. The man with the best time going into the race, Kuma, finished seventh in 2:13:10 after he was with the lead bunch of 10 runners, including some pacers, on the sea link after 19k before the bunch split up.

The women’s race Ethiopian Alemu took charge with 12k left in the race.

She came home all alone well in front of the others, including pre-race favorite, compatriot and defending champion Amane Gobena, in 2:25:45, which was outside the course record.

Gobena came in second in 2:26:09 while another Ethiopian woman, Birke Debele, was third in 2:26:39 to mark a clean sweep for the African nation.

Significantly, India’s Sudha Singh finished on top among the Indian runners while setting at a personal best of 2:34:56, but also dipped well under the qualifying mark of 2:37:00 set by IAAF for the September-October Doha World Championships.

Singh, a 3,000 m steeplechase specialist and winner of gold and silver medals in two Asian Games, finished 8th overall, ahead of former champion Dinkesh Mekash of Ethiopia who finished in 9th spot in 2:36:31. Her earlier personal best in the marathon was 2:35:35 that she clocked while finishing 19th in the 2015 Beijing World Championships.

Uganda’s teen phenomenon Jacob Kiplimo ran to victory at the Cross Internacional de Italica

Uganda’s teen phenomenon Jacob Kiplimo and Kenya’s world steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech captured commanding victories at the Cross Internacional de Itálica in Santiponce.

Held on a pleasant and dry afternoon with the temperature about 66F (19C), the men’s 9.9km event didn’t kick off particularly fast as a large pack covered the opening two kilometers in 5:50, led by Bahrain’s Albert Rop while the main favorites ran conservatively in these early stages.

The following 1.95km circuit took a faster 5:38 with eight men still in the heading group which included Rop, the Ugandan trio of Kiplimo, world 10,000m silver medallist Joshua Cheptegei and Mande Bushendich, Kenya’s Vincent Rono, Morocco’s world steeplechase silver medalist Soufiane El Bakkali and the Spanish pair of Toni Abadía and David Palacio who were fresh from respective performances of 7:47:60 an 7:54:33 over 3000m indoors last Friday in Valencia. Morocco’s 2012 Olympic 1500m bronze medalist Abdelaati Iguider dropped out during the second lap.

At halfway Abadía moved to the front and shared the lead for a while with the top Africans but shortly afterwards it was the teen phenomenon Kiplimo who injected a brisker pace which could only be followed by Cheptegei, Rop, Rono and the long-legged El Bakkali.

Kiplimo’s relentless rhythm – a frantic 5:23 for the fourth loop – soon paid off and he only had Cheptegei for company some 18 minutes into the race and they built a huge margin on Rop, Rono and El Bakkali.

Defending champion Cheptegei, who was aiming to match his fellow Ugandan Matthew Kisorio’s achievement of back-to-back titles (2008 and 2009) could only stay with Kiplimo for four minutes as his younger compatriot unleashed a devastating kick with the clock reading 22:10 to open a sizable margin on him already inside the closing lap. To the astonishment of the assembled crowd, Kiplimo effectively ended the race in a matter of seconds as Cheptegi proved to be unable to follow in his footsteps.

A stellar Kiplimo even smiled to the crowd during the last lap, his ease suggesting he still had another gear if necessary, while Rop began to threaten Cheptegei’s runner-up place way back.

The closing lap only took 5:15 for the 18-year-old leader and he romped home unopposed to claim his fourth victory of the current IAAF Cross Country Permit series and avenge his defeat from 12 months ago. Cheptegei managed to keep Rop at bay to take the runner-up spot.

“I decided to run conservatively for the first half of the race, then I changed the pace and felt great until the end,” said an all-smiles Kiplimo. The Ugandan rising star confirmed he will contest the senior race at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships Aarhus 2019 on 30 March, even though he would be young enough to defend his U20 title.

Asked about his chances of breaking the world 10,000m record on the track after his impressive 26:41 road performance in Madrid, he said: “why not? That’s a long-term goal in my career.”

Kenyan´s Albert Korir, and Ethiopian´s Biruktayit Degefa were the Chevron Houston Marathon winners

Ethiopian women had already created their own Chevron Houston Marathon dynasty. But Biruktayit Degefa has taken this thing a step further, deciding to corner the market herself.

Degefa won Houston for the first time in her third visit in 2016, when she was 25. On Sunday, she won for the third time in four years while becoming the first woman to repeat as champion since 2010. And the one time she hasn't prevailed of late, in 2017, she crossed second, just 26 seconds back. Nor has she ever finished worse than fourth.

No wonder Degefa refers to H-town as "my hometown."

"When I prepare to come, I really get excited," she said. "On this occasion, I would like to thank Houston for the hospitality."

We, in turn, would like to thank her for her consistent excellence, although she expressed disappointment that the personal-best 2:23:28 she posted on a sunny, chilly morning run through the city's streets from downtown to the Galleria area and back fell 14 seconds short of the course record, something she very much wants to own before she's done.

"I came prepared to break it," Degefa said, "but it was colder (than I expected), and that made it difficult."

Korir didn't threaten the men's course record, but he's only 24, and who's to say he won't eventually collect a head full of cowboy hats — always awarded to Houston's winners — as well in the years ahead?

His story is an inspirational one. At 10, Korir lost his right thumb while chopping cow silage, and he soon quit going to school because he was routinely bullied. He wound up laboring for the equivalent of $5 a day to pay for food, never mind his running shoes. He'd never traveled to the United States before this weekend.

"It's good," Korir conceded, "to win on my first time."

In contrast, Houstonians who line the route have come to recognize Degefa both for her running skills and her radiance. One now-former Houstonian, Abinet Adraro, was so taken by Degefa following that first triumph that he made it a point to meet her at a dinner hosted by the local Ethiopian community. An email relationship turned into a marriage, and they split their time these days between Albuquerque, N.M., and her training grounds in Ethiopia.

Adraro, to be sure, was waiting for his wife as she crossed. Also a runner, he had completed the Aramco Half Marathon in 1:02:09.

Making a sixth consecutive Chevron start, Degefa seemed the strongest from the get-go in becoming the third woman to claim a (cowboy) hat trick. Veronique Marot (1986, 1989, 1991) and Tetyana Pozdnyakova (1995, 1999, 2000) are the other three-time winners. For the first 25 miles, however, Meseret Belete kept Gedefa's undivided attention, and should she deign to return in the future, it's a reasonable bet she'll claim a Stetson of her own.

Ethiopia’s Guye Adola, who created a sensation two years ago by recording the fastest marathon debut, is going after the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon title

Guye Adola made his debut with timing of 2:03:46 when finishing runner-up behind world record holder Eliud Kipchoge at the 2017 Berlin Marathon.

This remains the seventh fastest of all time over the classic 42.195km distance and makes him the fastest man in the elite field.

The 28-year-old Marathon Newcomer of the Year in 2017 was leading in Berlin until around the 40km before Kenya’s Olympic Champion Kipchoge finally managed to overhaul him and win by just 14 seconds.

Adola’s debut timing makes him the second fastest Ethiopian marathon runner of all time behind Kenenisa Bekele and ahead of former world record-holder and three-time Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon winner Haile Gebrselassie. “I really enjoyed everything about my marathon debut until the last few kilometers,” said Adola, who will make his third start at the marathon distance in Dubai after withdrawing from the 2018 Frankfurt Marathon due to illness in October.

In 2014, he established a 59:06 course record and personal best at the New Delhi Half Marathon. In the same year he won a bronze medal at the World Half Marathon Championships.

“Adola certainly made a name for himself in Berlin in 2017, but injury and illness have contrived to prevent him from making further inroads in the sport,” said event director Peter Connerton. “Our event has a reputation for producing fast times and this could well be the opportunity and the venue Adola needs to re-establish himself among the world’s best,” he added.