Running News Daily

Catching Up with Sarah Sellers, her life has changed since placing Second in Boston

The last time we checked on Sarah Sellers, she was being deluged with worldwide media requests and coping with overnight fame in the wake of her stunning second-place finish in the Boston Marathon.

More than a month later, the nurse who came out of nowhere to defeat world and Olympic medalists in the world’s most famous road race is still riding the wave she created in Boston.

She now has her own Wikipedia page, an agent, a weekly podcast and a shoe deal. She has an invitation to ride the lead float in a Phoenix parade this fall.

She has received calls from Oakley and Timex, among other companies, about endorsing their products. And the interviews continue. During the broadcast of the London Marathon, she got up in the middle of the night to do live interviews for BBC radio and TV (after performing jumping jacks to wake herself).  

Sellers has been invited to run road races on the pro circuit, and this time she won’t have to pay her entry fee or expenses, as she famously did at Boston. Her first post-Boston race will be the New York Mini 10K (all women) on June 9; her second will be Salt Lake’s Deseret News 10K in July.

She hasn’t chosen her next marathon, but she has an offer from the Gold Coast Marathon in Australia, among others. Sellers is a hot commodity in running circles and her anonymity is long gone. 

Hey, aren’t you that marathoner? According to her agent, Bob Wood, Sellers had 6.9 million Google searches for her name the first two days after the Boston race. “It’s been a life-changing thing,” says Wood.

“She’s got so many people who want a piece of her, and she’s been very accommodating.” Sellers, an Ogden native, has returned to work as a nurse anesthetist at Banner-University Hospital in Tucson, while also training at an elite level for professional road races.

She still does her training runs at 4 a.m. before she goes to work, and, if she is doubling that day, she’ll run again in the evening after work. When she isn’t running or working, she’s trying to respond to the demands of fame.

“I’m just trying to respond to all the messages,” she says. “Sometimes I feel like I’m making progress, but I’m not. It’s been good and exciting, but this is added on top of trying to work full time and train. It’s not sustainable.”

(05/22/2018) ⚡AMP
by Doug Robinson/ Deseret News

Running makes me a better mom, a better partner, a better human says Melissa Chamberlain

Melissa Chamberlain always thought marathon runners were nuts. She certainly never thought she'd become one. "I was not born to run," said Chamberlain. "I didn't like running. I didn't like sweating. I didn't like being outside." But she also was looking for a way to stay in shape. Despite the time crunch that comes with being a working mom, she started small and realized she kind of liked it. "I did the Shamrock 5K in 2010 and that was my first 5K and then I got bit by the bug," said Chamberlain. "I just do it for fun. I do it to stay healthy. I like to run to show the kids that it's important to train for something and stick with it." She ran the Cleveland half Marathon on Sunday May 20th for the seventh time since 2010. "I have always aspired to be one of those runners that has a training plan and sticks to it every single day, but life happens and kids get sick and extracurricular things happen and you just can't always get out when you want to, so you just do the best you can," said Chamberlain.  Whether it's getting a run in on her lunch break or logging some miles on the weekend at Stevens Park in Niles, she says one of the most important parts behind all of this is simply getting some "me" time. "You just have to kind of make that time for yourself. And I honestly think it makes me a better mom. It makes me a better partner. It makes me a better human because I get that time to do something that I really love and then I can get back to life," said Chamberlain. She fully admits that she's not the fastest person out there; she walks when she has to and isn't worried about competing for a win. For her, it's about the experience on race day. (05/21/2018) ⚡AMP

Will Kocken sets a world record for running a marathon with a 100 pound pack on his back

This is a follow up on the story we ran a few weeks back about a runner going after the world record for running a marathon carrying a 100 pounds on his back. Will Kocken did it at the 2018 Cellcom Green Bay Marathon. Kocken's mission was to raise awareness for the 4th H.O.O.A.H. Wisconsin, a non-profit organization supporting veterans and their families. His other mission was to break the Guinness World Record for fastest time running a marathon with a 100-pound bag. Kocken, an Army National Guard solder, crushed it. He finished the marathon in a time of 6:27:59. That easily beats the previous record of 6:47:03. The results still need to be certified. Kocken had a team of witnesses recording his journey, and he weighed his pack at the beginning and end of the marathon. The evidence will be sent to the Guinness team. "Over the last four months I told myself I needed to run 600 miles before race day," Kocken said. "And so I hit over the 600 mile marker and I know I had done the training and now it's time to go out and show what hard work does. Hard work produces results." (05/21/2018) ⚡AMP

Mary Etta Boitano's Mother smashed the world 5K record for 94-year-olds

My 94 year old mother just grabbed the women’s world age group record in the 5k for 94 year olds. She smashed the world record held by Betty Ashley from Tampa, Florida set in February of 2016. In this picture, she is nearly half way to the finish line and going strong. I am so proud to call her my momma. She will turn 95 in July and there are more distance records she can now chase. Check out the web site at ARRS.net. We are just now hoping the course was certified and from what we heard, it was.  Her time was 1:13:24.9 at the 2018 Marin Greek Festival Walk and Run held Saturday May 19th.  (Editor's note: Mary Etta has run over 150,000 miles and has been running races since she was four.  She ran 50 marthons before she was 12.  In 1973 she was the overall winner at the Dipsea.  She was 10.  She won the Bay To Breakers and many other races.  Her mother has always been so proud of her daughter and now they can celebrate this world record together.)  (05/21/2018) ⚡AMP
by Mary Etta Boitano Blanchard

Strong elite women's field set for World 10K Bengaluru 2018 on Sunday

A strong women's field with elite runners from across the globe has been assembled to challenge Ethiopias IAAF World Half Marathon Valencia 2018 winner Netsanet Gudeta at the TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2018 Sunday. Gudeta's rivals this weekend will include the Kenyan pair of Agnes Tirop and Pauline Kamulu. Tirop, still only 22, won the 2015 world cross country title and has proven herself to be a formidable competitor on the track as well. She won the IAAF World Championships 10,000 metre bronze medal in London last summer and showed she is in excellent form earlier this month when she finished second over 3000m at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Doha with a personal best of 8:29.09. Kamulu, 23, has spent several years based in Japan but this will be her first trip to India. She surprised many when she took the bronze medal at the IAAF World Half Marathon Valencia 2018. A third Kenyan, Caroline Kipkirui, doesn't have the international championships credentials of her two compatriots but has shown stunning form recently while winning the Doha 3000m in a personal best of 8:29.05 and also running a 10km best of 30:28 when finishing second in Prague last month, which makes her the fastest woman in Bengaluru and the equal-seventh fastest ever. (05/21/2018) ⚡AMP

Is Yuki Kawauchi's secret weapon doing long distance runs at a slow pace? He ran 44 mile race Sunday

2018 Boston Marathon winner, Japan’s Yuki Kawauchi, won the Yatsugatake Nobeyama 71K ultramarathon in Nagano, Japan Sunday May 20, taking more than six minutes off the course record in the process.

His winning time was 4:41:55 (6:23/mile for 44.1 miles).  He won by more than half an hour.  According to Japan Running News, Kawauchi is training for the Stockholm marathon, which is June 2. 

Yuki finished sixth place there last year. This was the longest race of Kawauchi’s career so far. Kawauchi is famously unusual in his incorporation of over-distance training at a slow pace into his training, something few world-major elites do.

Some believe it’s his secret weapon, though others are skeptical of its value in marathon training.  

(05/21/2018) ⚡AMP

Both the men's and women's course records were broken at the Lattelecom Riga Marathon

Ayana Tsedat of Ethiopia broke away from Kenyan's Silas Kiprono Too over the final two kilometers en route to his 2:11:00 victory.  The previous men's record of 2:11:45 was set in 2016.  The men's race was a three-man battle between Tsedat, Too and Joseph Kyengo Munyoki, who were all well within race record pace at the halfway point, reached in 1:05:09. They ran together for nearly 14 more kilometers when Munyoki began to drift back as they approached kilometer 35. At that point the leaders forged on nearly stride-for-stride until the 22-year-old Tsedat made his move. Too couldn't respond but held on for second, clocking 2:11:13. Rono, the pre-race favorite on the women's side, had just her pacesetter for company for most of the race, eventually winning in 2:28:22. The previous women's mark, 2:31:22, was set last year by Bekelech Bedada Daba of Ethiopia.Rono, 34, was the clear class of the women's field, building a two-second lead by five kilometers, and extending it to 11 at 10, reached in 33:47. She clocked 1:11:31 at the midway point, nearly a minute-and-a-half clear of her nearest competitor. When she reached the line, she was more than four minutes ahead of runner-up Ethiopian Tigist Teshome. It was Rono's fastest performance since 2014 and the fourth fastest of her career. Teshome clocked 2:32:46 with Pauline Nujeri Kahenya of Kenya third in 2:34:41. (05/21/2018) ⚡AMP

Bay To Breakers saw Kenya’s Cheboi win again while Jane Kibii wins the women’s race

Kenya's Philemon Cheboi repeated as the winner of the men's race at San Francisco's Bay to Breakers on Sunday morning, while Jane Kibii took home the top spot for the women.  Cheboi came in with a time of 35:41 while Tanzania's Gabriel Geay came in second (36:04) and United States runner Aaron Braun finished third (36:45). Kibii came in with a time of 40:27 and had a bit fun posing for the cameras after her run. Times were slower this year because of the headwind most of the way.  (05/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Morris Gachaga wins Cape Town 12 OneRun 15 seconds off his world best time for 12k

Morris Gachaga and Jackline Chepngeno made it a Kenyan double, taking line honours at the FNB CApe Town 12 ONERUN in dramatic fashion on Sunday May 20.   Almost 13 000 runners of all shapes and sizes finished the traditional harbourside 12km dash from Milnerton into the city centre in perfect running conditions, the colourful mass transforming the usual silent Sunday city centre into a bustling party-town.  

Gachaga crossed the finish line in Bree Street in 33:42, some 15 seconds off of his world best time from 2017. “Racing for the win was more important than chasing my time from last year,” Gachaga said after the race.

“We did start out fast, for the first three kilometres we were on record pace, but then we started watching each other and the pace dropped a bit.” Those first 3km were passed in 8:15, 5km going by in 14:02 with all the main contenders in the lead pack of twelve athletes.  Gachaga, after driving the pace to the 3km mark, then slipped back into the pack with Kenya’s Victor Chumo taking up the front running.

The South African challenge fell away just after 8km which was covered in 22:47, with only Stephen Mokoka, the 2016 Champion, still in the mix. 10km came and went in 28:25 and it was at this point that Gachaga and Chumo kicked again, dragging Mande Bushendich with them.  On the climb up Wale Street, Chumo surged again and as they entered the final 800m in Bree Street, Chumo and Gachaga had broken away from John Langat (Kenya), Abdallah Mande and Mande Bushendich, with Mokoka dropping off further.

Chumo and Gachaga raced down Bree Street where Gachaga’s knowledge of the route giving him the advantage as he timed his sprint to the line perfectly, passing Chumbo in the final 300m to defend his title. The female race saw Kenya’s Jackline Chepngeno take control after 2km. Uganda’s Stella Chesang, who was widely tipped to win the race after winning the 10 000m title at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, hung on till 9km, before she had to give way to the relentless surging of Chepngeno. For Chepngeno the victory was the perfect start to 2018 after having taken 2017 off from racing, having given birth to her son.

“The last kilometre I was worried about Stella (Chesang) after her win in Brisbane (Commonwealth Games), so I ran really hard. I did not know where she was, so I needed to race to the line,” said Chepngeno. “Winning was really good for me. This was my first race back after my pregnancy and it is a big confidence booster for me.”

(05/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Mo Farah and Tirunesh Dibaba win Great Manchester 10K Sunday May 20

Britain's Olympic and world 10,000m champion Mo Farah said he felt "tired" after his first victory in the 10km Great Manchester Run. Farah, who finished third at the London Marathon last month, raced past Ugandan Moses Kipsiro with 100 metres left to win in 28 minutes 27 seconds. Abel Kirui of Kenya finished third, 25 seconds behind Farah. Ethiopian Tirunesh Dibaba won her third straight women's race, well ahead of Kenya's Joyciline Jepkosgei.  

Farah, who was appearing in the race for the first time since 2007, took part in a minute's silence before the race in tribute to the 22 people who died in last year's Manchester Arena bombing. For most of the race, the 35-year-old looked comfortable in warm conditions as he kicked past Kipsiro with 100 metres to go. But he said he was still recovering from breaking the British record at last month's marathon - his first event over the distance since switching his focus to road racing.

"I've got great speed and I know that at the end of the races I can use it if the guys haven't hurt me enough, so today was a matter of hanging in there," he told BBC Sport. "I was pretty tired. Having competed in the marathon not so long ago, today was hard work."

(05/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Linius and Josephine train together in Kenya, they just arrived on Friday and they both won in Cleveland

Linius Kiplagat and Josphine Wanjiku train together in Kenya, and they shared the joy of victory in the men's and women's 10K races, respectively, at Sunday's Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon. Kiplagat, 24, and Wanjiku, 25, are in the United States for the first time, and will stay for the next three months. They arrived in Lansing, Mich., on Wednesday and got to Cleveland on Friday.  Kiplagat finished in 29 minutes and 4.87 seconds. He started quickly and separated himself from the field after the first 2K. He said he wasn't bothered by the light rain. "It's my second road race," Kiplagat said. "It was a nice race. I felt confident. It was cold, though. This is my first time here. There are nice people here, friendly." Isaac Mukundi (29:23.51) and Dominic Korir (29:25.53), both also from Kenya, finished second and third, respectively. Wanjiku led wire-to-wire, finishing in 36:32, ahead of runnerup Jessica Odorcie (36:37) of Perry in Lake County and Melly Watcke (37:06) of New Bremen, Ohio. "I felt good," Wanjiku said. "Rain, but the course was good. They are nice people here. "I had an advantage because I was prepared for the hills. I'm happy, because it's a win, here for the first time in America. It's a big achievement. I expect more wins." Edwin Rotich won the men's race in 28:58 last year, and Gladys Kipsoi led the women in 33:28. (05/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Third Win for Tesfaye at the Fargo Marathon on Saturday May 19

Semehar Tesfaye became the first runner to win three in a row in any Fargo Marathon event, taking the marathon in 2:39:22.  That was almost six minutes ahead of the next runner. The early challenge came from Joan Massah from Andover, Minn., whose time in front didn't last long. Jen Van Otterloo from Sioux Center, Iowa, finished second in 2:44.17 and Massah was third at 2:45.48. "It put a little doubt in me," Tesfaye said, "but I knew it was a long race and I trained well for this." She also got a helpful assist from male runner Jesse Prince, who paced Tesfaye for a good chunk of the race. "He was with me for about 16 miles and that helped me a lot," Tesfaye said. "He was going at a pace I wanted to go at and he was right on that." That pace was 5:55 per mile. Prince told Tesfaye early in the race he wanted to run a 2:36 marathon. "Which was perfect," Tesfaye said. "That motivated me to stay with him." Just like in her previous two Fargo Marathon victories, the fans on the course played a big role in her overall experience. She may have been somewhat unknown two years ago when it was her first-ever marathon. She's on a first-name basis with the marathon fans now, not hesitating to wave or smile at people she knew along the way. "They were really helpful keeping my mind off the race," Tesfaye said. Tesfaye, who lives and trains in Boston, is planning on running some shorter races before tackling a half-marathon in December. She may or may not return to Fargo next year to go for four in a row depending on the Boston Marathon, which is held in early April. "Boston is a challenging race," Tesfaye said. "If I stay fit and keep myself healthy, I'll try to do Boston. Otherwise I'll come back to Fargo and it will motivate me again." She has no plans to run professionally, instead preferring the more casual approach. "I don't try to think of it as a profession," she said. "I try to keep that pressure off of me. I just train my best and enjoy running." (05/19/2018) ⚡AMP

The 2018 Portland Marathon is back in play, details should be announced in early June

The city of Portland Oregon will select a race organizer to keep the Portland Marathon running in 2018. The former board of directors for the Portland Marathon announced last month the race would be canceled for 2018 and the organization would be dissolved. Mayor Ted Wheeler and the Portland Bureau of Transportation reported Friday that several event producers have contacted the city to express interest in hosting a marathon in 2018. The city is asking interested applicants to respond to seven questions that assess whether they have the experience, organizational capacity and financial resources necessary to successfully organize a marathon for October 2018. Response are due by May 25.  City officials want to know if organizers could recruit at least 170 volunteers to staff the barricades and whether they'd be willing to use the 2017 Portland Marathon route. Applicants will also need to prove they can provide a $25,000 deposit to host the event. Submissions that meet the qualifications will be tossed into a "blind draw," which city officials will conduct June 1. (05/19/2018) ⚡AMP

Joan Benoit Samuelson Track in Freeport Maine was officially opened today

I had the pleasure of attending the dedication of the Joan Benoit Samuelson Track at Freeport High School in Freeport, Maine this afternoon.  A well-deserved honor for America’s most loved, respected and admired female marathoner of all time!!  And kudos to Nike for donating $1.3 million to help finance the entire project…wow.   Hundred’s and thousand’s of young athletes will now be the beneficiary of this display of unselfish goodwill by Joanie, the local track committee and by Nike.  We all took a lap around the track together after Joanie “cut the ribbon” to officially open up the facility. Pretty inspiring.  (Editor’s note. Joanie won the first women’s Olympic Marathon in 1984.  David is the director of the Boston Marathon.) (05/19/2018) ⚡AMP
by David McGillivray

Eliud Kipchoge says what makes a runner dope is easy money, he wants to empower our youth

Kenya marathon star Eliud Kipchoge plans to establish lucrative road race, Speaking at a business forum organised by Rich Management in Nairobi on Saturday, Kipchoge, the Olympic champion and three-time London Marathon winner, urged aspiring athletes to be empowered to resist the urge to dope in the sport. "When I retire, I will have a 10K, 21K or a marathon race where all youth can take part and earn good money. What makes a sportsman dope is easy money. They know when they perform, they will get money. They are those who want to get a high lifestyle without working for it," said Kipchoge who bagged his third Marathon crown on April 23. In slamming dope cheats as 'greedy' the Rio 2016 marathon gold winner stressed the vice that has cast a dark shadow over the rich legacy of Kenya's distance running excellence can only be fought by sensitisation. "When you dope, you will be guilty even in your deathbed. You cannot stand and say you have done this or that in the sport. We should empower our youth to leave a legacy by training hard to win," he said.  (05/19/2018) ⚡AMP

Skyler Steinman wanted to do something more for his family than just pray

“Wisconsin will be Marathon number 41 on the road to 57. That would be the 50 states, seven continents,” Steinman explains. The seasoned marathoner has made it his goal to run a marathon in all 50 states, and on all seven continents. It started some 12 years ago, after Steinman’s father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and his brother was diagnosed with cancer. “I felt like I wanted to do something more for my family other than just pray,” he says. “I decided to take that hobby of running and grow it into something much larger.” The journey began on May 7, 2006 at the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon. “When I crossed the finish line I thought, 'I want to do more.'” Since then, Steinman checked four continents (North America, South America, Europe and Africa) and 37 states off the list. As Steinman gears up for the 2018 Cellcom Green Bay Marathon, he brings to Wisconsin the wisdom he’s found along his journey. “I encourage other people to find whatever they're passionate about,” he says. “It may not be running, it may be something else entirely. But when you pour yourself into those passions, you find an outlet to get through the difficult times in your life.”   (05/19/2018) ⚡AMP

America’s Best Distance Runner Galen Rupp is misunderstood by many other runners

Writing for Outside, Martin Fritz Huber ponders the lack of warmth some in the running community feel for two-time Olympic medalist Galen Rupp. Here is Huber's piece, which begins this way: "He's the best American runner in generation. Too bad nobody likes him." I have trouble right away with the premise because, ahem, I like him. Huber suggests Rupp's relative lack of popularity within the running community stems from media inaccessibility, a deficit of charisma and for being part of the Nike Oregon Project, which some believe pushes the boundaries of the rules.  The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, for instance, has had the Oregon Project and coach Alberto Salazar under investigation for at least three years without uncovering enough evidence to make a case. Huber cites a LetsRun.com piece which consulted six experts, including Kara Goucher, Danny Mackey, Steve Magness and three coaches who chose not to be identified, about several topics leading into the Boston Marathon. Only one was quoted as being willing to root for Rupp in the race. At the risk of belaboring the obvious, asking Goucher, Mackey and Magness whether they would root for Rupp or the Oregon Project is like asking three Fenway Park season ticket-holders if they will root for the Yankees. I don't have trouble getting interviews with Rupp, perhaps because I haven't jumped to conclusions about the circumstantial and anecdotal allegations made against him and Salazar.  I find Rupp, who starred at Central Catholic and the University of Oregon, to be very smart, very focused, very competitive, very religious, a little shy, and not all that interested in seeing his name in headlines.  And, let's face it, he and Salazar have been used as punching bags, both in the British tabloid press and on the LetsRun message boards, where anybody with an uninformed opinion and/or an axe to grind can hide behind a pseudonym and bash away. Rupp can be warm when he doesn't feel threatened, and remains exceedingly popular at Hayward Field, where he starred as a Duck and has run regularly since turning pro. (Editor note: the stories we post here about Galen are the most popular.)  (05/19/2018) ⚡AMP
by Ken Goe/ Oregon Live

Tirunesh Dibaba had to drop out of the London Marathon but is now ready to defend her title in Manchester

The Simplyhealth Great Manchester Run this weekend has a top-class women’s elite field.  Ethiopian superstar Tirunesh Dibaba (pictured) returns to an event she has won no fewer than four times and to the course upon which she was impressively dominant last year. The triple Olympic champion will be in action for the first time since being forced to stop 30km into last month’s London Marathon, however, and will Face fierce opposition. Her toughest opponent will come in the form of Kenyan multiple world record-holder Joyciline Jepkosgei, the only woman ever to run 10km in under 30 minutes. The 24-year-old initially broke the world record for the distance, as well as the marks for 15km and 20km on her way to also smashing the half-marathon world record in Prague in April last year. She clocked 30:04 for 10km on that occasion but returned to the Czech capital in September and lowered it further when she ran 29:43 at the Prague Grand Prix. Jepkosgei also improved on her half-marathon mark by a second when she ran 64:51 in Valencia last October. (05/18/2018) ⚡AMP
by Euan Crumley/ Athletics Weekly

Elite Field is set for the 42nd Bellin 10K in Green Bay Wisconsin

Three recent Bellin Run champions will headline a stellar field of elite athletes competing in the 42nd annual 10K event coming up Saturday June 9 Defending women’s champion Kaitlin Gregg Goodman will face off against the record-setting Risper Gesabwa, who in 2016 captured an unprecedented fifth straight Bellin Run title. Gregg Goodman finished a close second to Gesabwa that year (34:35 to Gesabwa’s 34:19), meaning their 2018 rematch will be one to watch. Also returning for this year’s race is 2016 Bellin Run champ and perennial crowd favorite Meb Keflezighi. Now retired from competitive racing, the 43-year-old Keflezighi has continued to run events including the Boston Marathon, which he famously won in 2014. Known to the running world simply as “Meb,” the down-to-earth Keflezighi has become known for standing at the Bellin Run finish line to congratulate runners and walkers long after his race has ended. The elite men vying for a shot at this year’s 10K title include Keflezighi’s 2016 Olympic marathon teammate Jared Ward, who placed third (30:41) in his Bellin Run debut last year. Frequent Bellin competitor Benson Cheruiyot edged Ward to capture second in the 2017 race, finishing in 30:25. Rounding out the elite men’s field will be newcomer Brendan Gregg, brother of Kaitlin Gregg Goodman. Gregg is a pro runner with the famed Hansons-Brooks Distance Project.  Over 13,000 runners are expected to compete in Green Bay, Wisconsin June 9.  Joan Samuelson, Bill Rodgers and Uta Pippig are also running. (05/18/2018) ⚡AMP

Olympian Lalita Babar to headline Indian Elite runners line-up for the TCS World 10k

The Indian elite line-up for the TCS World 10K boasts of a complementary mix of recent champions and course record holders, which include Suresh Kumar (29.49 secs in 2015) and country's poster girls Lalita Babar and Swati Gadhave. The registrations for this year's event for all other categories closed at a whopping 24,088 runners, with 15,200 participants registering for the Open 10K, which is an increase of 1,495 from last year's numbers. The TCS World 10K Bengalurum India race is the world’s richest 10k with a total prize purse of $213,000.  (05/18/2018) ⚡AMP

Love it or hate it, The 107th annual Bay to Breakers is this Sunday in San Francisco

Love it or hate it, Bay to Breakers is a San Francisco staple and is returning on Sunday — costumed runners, half-naked dance parties and all. The 12k-course, or almost 7.5 miles, goes from downtown to Ocean Beach, passing through distinct areas like Hayes Valley, Golden Gate Park, and the Sunset.

If you’re looking to get out of your usual neighborhoods with runners in tutus, inflatable donuts and dressed as a Bloody Mary along the way, this is the place to do it. Whether you’re running, participating without actually running, people watching, or just trying to avoid the madness, here are some things to know about Bay to Breakers this Sunday: 

1. Runners can show up at 6 a.m. but will make their break from the bay starting at 8 a.m. The race starts off at Howard and Main streets. The route largely uses Howard, Hayes, and Fell streets before taking up John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park and ending at Ocean Beach. 

2. The starting line just a couple blocks from Embarcadero station, where BART and Muni will be shuttling people in and out.  Because of the street closures, the SFMTA warns that there are only two options to cross the flow of runners is the Embarcadero and Crossover Drive, which is the road in Golden Gate Park linking 19th and 25th avenues. 

3. Weather - Jackets may not be feasible with some wacky costumes but it would come in handy. It’s expected to be windy, partly cloudy and with temperatures in the low 60s.  

(05/18/2018) ⚡AMP
by Ida Mojadad/ SF Weekly

Record holder Stephen Mokoka heads local charge at Cape Town 12 Onerun

The local line-up at the Cape Town 12 OneRun should be spearheaded by national 10km record holder Stephen Mokoka, who set the SA 12km best of 33:34 to win the race in 2016. After finishing sixth in the 10 000m final at the recent Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Mokoka is set to feature alongside in-form compatriot David Manja, who beat an international field to win the Two Oceans Half-Marathon in March. “If we go through 10km in around 28 minutes, we can break Morris’ record… that last 800m of the race is incredibly fast,” Mokoka said. Meanwhile, Commonwealth Games 10 000m champion Stella Chesang of Uganda was expected to turn out as the firm favourite in the women’s race. She was up against local favorite Kesa Molotsane, who recently bagged the 5 000m and 10 000m double at the SA Student Championships, and Western Cape star Nolene Conrad. (05/18/2018) ⚡AMP

Running helped Cameron Jones get his life back after being diagnosed with clinical depression

A film maker who was diagnosed with clinical depression will take part in the Great Manchester Run to raise money for mental health charity Mind. Cameron Jones, from Prestwich, said running has allowed him to get his life back on track after mental ill-health caused him to drop out of university last year. The 20-year-old, who runs OH GOSH Productions, said he felt ‘completely out of control’ when he plunged into depression in October last year, just weeks after starting the second year of his film production degree in London. He said: “I will never know the causes for sure, but I mostly think that it was my university lifestyle which rendered me unable to cope with the stress and suffering of life. “A complete lack of routine, uncertainty surrounding my career in the future, and using substances to produce good feelings, as opposed to feeling good through hard work and achievement. Keen to get his life back on track, Cameron moved home and took up running with his friend Henry Williams. (05/18/2018) ⚡AMP

Lusapho of South Africa and Kenyan Jepkirui Rono will lead the Lattelecom Riga Marathon

Lusapho April, who has a 2:08:32 lifetime marathon best, is one of the most-titled runners in the field, having climbed the podium at races throughout the world during his career. A three-time Hannover Marathon winner, April’s greatest achievement was a third place finish at the New York City Marathon in 2013 clocking 2:09:45. Several runners are prepared to pull off surprises, including Kenyan Joseph Kyengo Munywoki, the 2017 winner in Riga in 2:12:14. His compatriot Silas Too has also illustrated fine form, clocking a 2:08:26 personal best for second in Barcelona in March. Duncan Cheruiyot Koech has the credential to make an impact, bringing a 2:07:53 lifetime best to the start line. The 36-year-old ran that six years ago but has recently threatened the 2:10 barrier with a third place finish at last month's Hannover Marathon where he clocked 2:10:19. Meanwhile, Jepkirui Rono, the favorite in the women's race, has a pair of high profile podium finishes to her name, second place in Frankfurt in 2012 where she clocked her 2:21:39 career best, and a third place finish in Boston earlier that year. She can also boast of victories in Eindhoven and Hannover. More recently, she was third at the Dongying Marathon in 2017 clocking 2:28:52. Among the opposition in Riga is last year's runner-up Kikuyo Tsuzaki of Japan, whose 2:31:32 career best came on this course in 2017. Two-time Warsaw Marathon winner Nastassia Ivanova from Belarus should also be a factor. (05/18/2018) ⚡AMP

40 Years Ago the first Centipede crossed the finish line at the Bay To Breakers

Bay to Breakers features a special team division called "centipedes."  Dwayne "Peanut" Harms and Doug Peck came up with the idea and were members of the first-ever "Pede," all members of the UC Davis men's track team, ("Aggies").   A special division of the 12K race was created in which 13 runners are connected as a unit with a "Head Pede" out front which is the leader of the centipede.  An additional runner, a floater, usually the team captain, is allowed to run along untethered to pace the team or substitute for a drop out runner. Despite the novelty, the centipede race is very competitive.  The record for men which is very fast was set in 2012.  Team Linkedin (photo) clocked 36:44, which is 4:55 per mile.  The same year the Impala Racing Team posted 46:37 for the women's record.  The Bay to Breakers is the official site of the World Centipede Running Championships which is now sponsored by Saucony.  Dwayne Harms wrote, "On May 14, 1978, at the 68th running of the Bay to Breakers, the world’s first Centipede was unveiled to the public. We quickly rolled out the Centipede in front of a crowd of other runners about 30 minutes before the race.  I clearly remember how other runners and spectators that were in the area had cheered, laughed and made jokes about the Centipede once we had all gotten in our proper positions and donned our antennae and feelers. These people had no idea what this group of crazy UCD distance runners were about to do. They had never seen anything quite like it. It was not only weird, but also crazy and fun." Peanut continued, "Now, 40 years after our first UCD Aggie Centipede, I still find it hard to believe that this fun-loving group of runners I trained with, raced with and socialized with for so many years at UCD put together the idea to run in the world’ first Centipede which has now become so famous."  (05/17/2018) ⚡AMP

Uganda’s Chesang a Gold Medalist will travel to South Africa to take part in the FNB Cape Town 12 Onerun

Uganda’s Stella Chesang will travel to South Africa to take part in the FNB Cape Town 12 Onerun slated for May 20th. Timothy Masaba, the administrator at the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) confirmed Tuesday that Chesang has been invited for the event to run in the 12kn run. “It is good for her to use such runs to improve on the speed,” added Masaba. Chesang won a gold medal in the 10,000m race at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia. The Uganda Police recognized her efforts by promoting her to the rank of Inspector of Police (IP) together with Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei and Mercyline Chelangat. She made her debut in a top international event in 2013 at the World Youth Athletics Championships in Donetsk, Ukraine.  (05/17/2018) ⚡AMP

Prize Money is now going to be offer to anyone running faster than 1:10 at Bermuda Day Half

A monetary award (the amount was not announced) will be offered for any competitor running faster than 1hr 10min in the Bermuda Day Half-Marathon Derby May 25. Gina Tucker, the president of the Marathon Derby committee, confirmed that cash is up for grabs after discussions with Lamont Marshall, who expressed concerns after his 2016 victory about the lack of prize money being offered. “The idea is to encourage runners to up their game as much as possible,” said Tucker. “It was important for me to reach out to Lamont and clear it up."  In recent years only six-times winner Chris Estwanik has gone under 1:10, in 2012 he ran 1:08.49 and then in 2015 when, on the reintroduced course out of St George’s, he clocked 1:07.46. Marshall won the race two years ago in 1:13.59.  This year the race has another change, with this being the first time that Bermuda Day will be observed on the last Friday of the month. The switch was made so the holiday, which involves the Half-Marathon Derby, the Sinclair Packwood Memorial Race and the Bermuda Day Parade, leads into the weekend. (05/17/2018) ⚡AMP

Eva Vrabcova-Nyvltova is the favorite to win the Karlovy Vary Half Marathon

The sixth Mattoni Karlovy Vary Half Marathon has drawn top runners from all over Europe to the spa town. Designed to promote the development of athletics on the Old Continent, new RunCzech initiative (in cooperation with European Athletics) EuroHeroes will get underway in Karlovy Vary. Eva Vrabcová-Nývltová is the hot favorite to win the women’s race. 

She smashed the longstanding Czech half marathon record with her 1:11:01 performance at this year’s Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon. “Competing at the European Championships is my main focus for me this year, but I’m also really looking forward to running in Karlovy Vary," says Eva, who is expected to launch an assault on the Czech event record of 1:17:31 held by Ivana Sekyrová since 2013. She’s likely to face high calibre competition from Lithuanian Olympian Vaida Zusinaite.

Sekyrová will also be keen to leave her mark as will Petra Kamínková from Olomouc who has claimed victory among the Czech women for the past three years in a row. "I want to soak up the atmosphere and give it my best." Six men with personal bests under 1:04 will be on the start line. Young Spanish talent Houssam Benabbou, who recently ran a new personal best of 1:03:35, is expected to deliver a high calibre performance.  EuroHeroes is a new initiative by RunCzech to celebrate European running stars and promote active lifestyles in Europe. The initiative aims to find new sporting heroes and motivate the public to exercise.

(05/17/2018) ⚡AMP

Mo Farah Leads the All-Star Cast At Great Manchester Run 10K

Mo Farah is now a full-time marathoner, his history in the shorter distances gives him an advantage over the field. Stanley Biwott, Feyisa Lilesa, and Abel Kirui are also scheduled to race, making this a battle among some of the most accomplished marathoners in the world.  Less than a month after his third-place finish at the London Marathon, Mo Farah will return to the streets of Great Britain. On Sunday at the Great Manchester Run, the 10-time global champion will race a 10K—the distance that provided him with some of the greatest triumphs of his career. Six-time gold medalist and 5000m world record holder Tirunesh Dibaba makes up one half of a dynamic women’s field. The 32-year-old has made winning the Great Manchester Run a staple of her career. She’s won the race on seven occasions, including last year where she took the victory by over two minutes.  Winning on Sunday will be much more difficult. Waiting for her in Manchester is Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya. Jepkosgei doesn’t have the global championships like Dibaba, but she has fast times. Lots of them. (05/17/2018) ⚡AMP

Justin Gallegos has cerebral palsy and completed a half marathon but it was not easy

For many with cerebral palsy, the mere thought of running, let alone running a half marathon, would seem like an impossible dream. However, for Justin Gallegos, that dream became a reality on April 29 as he crossed the finish line at the 2018 Eugene Half Marathon in Eugene, Oregon. A huge NASCAR fan, Gallegos grew up idolizing Dale Earnhardt Jr. However, he could only dream of racing around the track and competing as an athlete. As a child, he had to use a walker to assist him until he was in kindergarten, and he went through years of physical therapy to straighten his gait. Little did he know that he would one day be competing on a race track of his own, in custom-made Nike running shoes. Gallegos, 20, was born with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects muscle coordination and body movement. For Gallegos, while he is able to walk and even run, his path to become one of the few able-bodied people with cerebral palsy to complete a half marathon certainly did not come easily. (05/17/2018) ⚡AMP

The marathon is not a young women’s game says 38-year-old Irish Olympian Lizzie Lee

Most athletes will tell you that age is only a number, and Lizzie Lee is certainly no exception. She turns 38 this week, and nearly two years after running the Rio Olympic marathon, and 11 months after giving birth to her second daughter, she’s back training at full tilt for the European Championships in Berlin in August. She’s not alone either: Lee is one of five Irish women selected for the marathon in Berlin, and not only have they an average of 38, they also have 11 children between them: another small step or perhaps even one giant leap for gender balance in sport. “Look at the all the major marathons, and the average of the top women is 33, 34,” says Lee. “ And we’ve just seen Des Linden winning Boston at age 34, in her sixth attempt.  “The marathon is not a young women’s game. Yes, you have some 22, 23 year-olds, but to me, the marathon is so mental and so physical that you only really get to know it as you get older. I’ve had two babies, and can tell you that at the end of a marathon you’re head goes to places that it will never go to at any other point. “And in endurance running, in the second half of your 30s, there’s no reason why you can’t still be improving.” Joining her in Berlin will be Breege Connolly, 40 earlier this year and who like Lee developed late in her career to qualify for Rio; Gladys Ganiel, a mother of one, is 41 and Claire McCarthy, a mother of four boys, turns 42 next month. Laura Graham is the youngest at age 32, and also a mother of four. Lee’s first daughter Lucy (now three and three-quarters) was born in late 2014, and she came back in late 2015 to run her fastest marathon (2:35:51 in Berlin), qualifying her for Rio (where she finished 57th); her second daughter Alison was born 11 months ago, and the Cork woman sees no reason why she can’t run faster again. She’s also a full-time employee of Apple and that hasn’t slowed her down either. (05/16/2018) ⚡AMP

laszlo Tabori was the third man to break four minutes for the mile

DID YOU KNOW: Laszlo Tabori was the third man in history to break the sub-four minute mile barrier, setting a new European Record with a time of 3:59 on May 28, 1955. Roger Bannister was there. Laszlo posted this on Facebook March 5th after Roger Bannister passed away.  

“One of my favorite pictures with Sir Roger Bannister... We were all chasing the sub 4 minute mile. In those days it was a feat comparable only with climbing Mt. Everest. Roger was someone I looked up to and admired.  

At the height of his running career, he stopped in order to concentrate on his studies in medicine. I had the great fortune to be one of the early ones who followed in his footsteps just a year later at White City Stadium, London.  Here Roger is shaking my hand and offering congratulations as I had quite unexpectedly just became the 3rd person to enter this very elite sub-4 min mile club,” wrote Laszlo Tabori.  

Laszlo was born in Košice. Although he had already taken up running in his youth, his serious career only started in the early 1950s under Mihály Iglói, the legendary coach. 

Among Laszlo’s many accomplishments include being an Olympian in the 1956 Olympic Games in the 1500 and 5000m races.  Mihaly Igloi and his track team were in Budapest, and saw the chaos of the Soviet invasion, but were fortunate to leave the country and arrive in Melbourne.

Understandably, the Hungarians performed poorly at the Games. After the competition, Igloi, and one of his top runners, Laszlo Tabori, made the fateful decision to forgo their return to Hungary and defect to the United States.

Tábori retired from running in 1962, since he couldn’t compete for Hungry and was not a United States citizen. Tábori returned to distance running as a coach in 1967, his training methods based directly on Iglói's, and has been the coach of San Fernando Valley Track Club since 1973.  

(05/16/2018) ⚡AMP
by Bob Anderson

Champion Alex Korio will return to defend his crown at the TCS World 10K May 27

The Kenyan, Alex Korio will have to contend with compatriot and World half marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor, whose entry had already been confirmed, as well as two-time winner Mosinet Geremew of Ethiopia. Geremew, who won here in 2015 and 2016, was among the favorites for last year’s race but slipped to 10th. However, he has been in fine form in 2018, winning both the Yangzhou Half Marathon and the Dubai Marathon, the latter in 2:04:00. The fastest man in the field is another Ethiopian in Birhanu Legese, who has a personal best of 27:34. Leading the Asian challenge will be Bahrain’s Abraham Cheroben, who finished second behind Kamworor at the World half marathon championships in Valencia, and holds the Asian half-marathon record. As many as five sub-28-minute runners are part of the men’s elite field at the TCS World 10K in Bengaluru, Indiia May 27th. (05/16/2018) ⚡AMP

Shelby Jones is running her 100th Half Marathon May 20, half of these in the last 12 months

Shelby Jones has been running half-marathons for nearly a decade. She was a sophomore at West Geauga High School in 2009 when she completed her first. Since then, Jones has kept at it. That is until the last calendar year, when she’s been in overdrive. She won’t stop until May 20. On that day, Jones is set to run the half-marathon at the Cleveland Marathon. It will mark Jones’ 100th half-marathon. For some runners, that number takes a lifetime to reach. Jones has done it in a decade.  Her last 52 have occurred in the last 12 months.  Needless to say, it was a hectic few weeks for Jones since she has run 17 halfs in the last few weeks. At one point, she ran eight half-marathons in a week, including three in a 27-hour period. The first was a 4 a.m. race in Albert Lea, Minnesota. The second was a 9 p.m. race the same day in Indianapolis. The last was a 7 a.m. race the next day in Middleville, Michigan. (05/16/2018) ⚡AMP

Gallen Rupp and Jordan Hasay have confirmed they will be running the Chicago Marathon

The Chicago Marathon announced on Wednesday that Nike Oregon Project team members Galen Rupp and Jordan Hasay will return to the race on October 7.

In 2017, Galen Rupp became the first American man to win the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in more than a decade. That same year, Jordan Hasay became the fastest American woman to run the Chicago Marathon. 

In 2018, they'll look to do it all again. Rupp and Hasay will both return for the 41st annual marathon in Chicago, being held Sunday, Oct. 7, race organizers announced Wednesday. Rupp emerged from the 40th anniversary Chicago Marathon last year as the first US winner since Khalid Khannouchi won in 2002.

Joined by Hasay, the two became the first American duo to finish in the top three since Jerry Lawson and Kristy Johnston took home a pair of second-place finishes in 1996. 

“Galen and Jordan are leading an exciting American resurgence in the marathon, and we are thrilled to welcome them back to Chicago this coming fall,” Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski said in a statement.

“Galen won in a decisive move last year and just dominated a talented men’s field. He’s a phenomenal athlete who has taken his track speed to the roads with incredible success.

"Jordan ran with pure guts and she was rewarded with a podium finish and the fastest American time ever run on Chicago’s course. She has found her distance with the marathon.”

(05/16/2018) ⚡AMP

Science has never fully backed the IAAF claims that DSD athletes have a massive advantage

The science has never fully backed up the IAAF's claim that so-called DSD athletes have a massive advantage in women's races. In 2012, Indian sprinter Dutee Chand (photo) appealed a similar rule restricting testosterone levels to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The court ruled the regulation was discriminatory and it was suspended. The IAAF was given time to come back and show that elevated testosterone levels result in a male-like advantage of 10 to 12 per cent. The track body's latest research says athletes like Semenya enjoy a "competitive advantage" but still fails to demonstrate that even a 10 per cent edge exists. And the supposed advantage is based on data from a 2018 study that has yet to be published or reviewed. So if the data still doesn't appear to be there, what is this really about? Are there other factors driving Caster Semenya's critics? 'This is a racist, targeted test' Some supporters of Semenya believe two of the factors may be race and geography. They wonder if the IAAF would have pursued Semenya for nearly a decade if she were a white runner from the global North. "All of these [efforts] seem to coincide with the recent dominance by women from Sub-Saharan Africa in certain track and field events, and that wasn't the case before," says Katrina Karkazis, a Stanford University bioethicist who was involved in the Chand case and has written extensively about intersex issues. "That is one way this is racialized. Who is winning those events? Who has won historically?" University of Toronto professor Bruce Kidd is a longtime member of the Olympic movement and was also involved in the Chand case. "They [the IAAF] have identified seven events where they think there is a correlation [between testosterone levels and performance]. Two of them are the pole vault and hammer throw and they have not made them part of this new rule, and those are events that are dominated by white women," Kidd points out. "They have targeted the mile, an event that is currently dominated by black women. And the mile isn't even part of their study. It's hard not to draw the conclusion this is a racist, targeted test." Semenya's success and physical appearance — she appears more muscular than many of her rivals — have drawn attention and doubt from track officials. (05/16/2018) ⚡AMP

Dan Buckle traded his smoking addiction to being addicted to running

A dozen years ago, Dan Buckle was a middle-aged man who smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for more than 30 years. It was a bad habit he picked up as a teenager growing up in Newfoundland and Labrador. Now living in Middle Sackville, N.S., he's traded that addiction for another one — running. Buckle and his wife bought a treadmill for Christmas in 2006. But it wasn't long before Dan was hitting the road. He had no idea it would lead to the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon. "A friend of mine was doing the 10K in the Blue Nose that year and she said, 'Why don't you come down to the Running Room?'," says Buckle. "So I went down and from that one day I've been hooked ever since." When he turned 50, Buckle decided he would run 50 kilometers at the Blue Nose to match his age. Since then he's matched that feat and added one kilometre each year. At this Sunday's Blue Nose event, he will run 58 kilometres to match his age of 58. A regulation marathon is 42.2 kilometres. He is planning to run 16 kilometres prior to the start of the race. He intends to arrive at the marathon start line just as the marathon is about to begin. (05/16/2018) ⚡AMP

How to get on the starting line For the 2019 Boston Marathon

Mark your calendars — and pray for a dry day. The Boston Athletic Association says registration for next year's Boston Marathon will open on Sept. 10. The BAA said Tuesday it will again use a "rolling" registration to give the fastest qualifiers first dibs on a bib. Athletes who've run at least 20 minutes faster than their age-graded qualifying standards will be the first to be allowed to register. Those who've beaten their standards by 10 minutes or more will follow. If there's still room left, other qualifiers will get a shot. The 123rd Boston Marathon will be run on April 15, 2019. This year's race was run in torrential rain and gusty winds. There is no reason to think that the weather could possibly be horrible in 2019 but you never know in New England.   (05/15/2018) ⚡AMP

Defending champ Tesfaye is ready to win the Fargo Marathon for the third time

There's something about the Sanford Fargo Marathon that brings out the best in Semehar Tesfaye. She's hoping her third time in the event on Saturday will be another charm. The two-time defending champion and Fargo South graduate, currently living and training in Boston, is hoping health and training issues in the past year are permanently in the rear-view mirror. Since winning the Fargo race last year, she dealt with low iron levels in her body and a job that made training and racing tough. A better diet and iron supplement addressed that issue. And she took a new position in March with an insurance firm that has made her schedule easier to deal with. It's allowed her to get her mileage up to around 90 miles per week. "The Fargo Marathon is the race that motivated me to continue running when times were harder, when I was not healthy," Tesfaye said. She won in 2016, her first-ever marathon, clocking 2:37:27.  She won last year in 2:38.09. She was rarely challenged in both races. (05/15/2018) ⚡AMP

Morris Gachaga ran the world's best time for 12K in Cape Town last year and on Sunday wants to go faster

The fastest man ever over 12K will return to defend his title at the FNB Cape Town 12 ONERUN on Sunday. Morris Gachaga, 23, stormed to a 33min 27sec win at last year’s event to set the fastest time ever recorded over the 12km distance. The Kenyan is in even better shape than before. On February 9 this year, he finished fifth in the RAK Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, clocking 59:36. That was followed up with a third-place finish in Lisbon where he covered the Half marathon in 60:17 on March 11, before heading off to London as pacemaker to Eliud Kipchoge, who won the 2018 London Marathon. The 59:36 (in the RAK Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon) places Gachaga eighth in the world this year over the half marathon and it’s a personal best for him over the distance by more than a minute. Clearly, he will be coming into the race on May 20 in the best shape of his life and could potentially challenge his own ‘record’ time if the rest of the field go with the required pace. ‘I’m looking forward to coming back to Cape Town to defend my title,’ says Gachaga. ‘I have good memories of that race and want to do well. I am in great shape. If things go well, maybe I can better my 33:27 and lower the world best.’ This will be Gachaga’s third visit to South Africa and his second to Cape Town since running that world best.  The 12km is a non-standard race and hence the time is ratified as a world best, not a world record.  More than 14,000 runners took to the streets of Cape Town last year and more are expected on Sunday.  Many run i customes.   (05/15/2018) ⚡AMP

Wilson Kipsang is going after sub 59 minutes at Gothenburg Half Marathon

Kenya's former world marathon record-holder Wilson Kipsang will have his first competitive race after almost three months when he takes part in the Gothenburg Half Marathon on May 19. Kipsang, 34, had to let his Tokyo Marathon title go without much fight after he developed problems just 15 kilometers into the race back in February.

However, he has recovered from his injury and will be trying to gauge himself against some of the fastest half marathon runners in the Swedish race on Saturday.

"During my last race, I really wanted to go fast, but after suffering from stomach problems just days before the race, I didn't have the power to run a decent race. I'm still disappointed, I was really ready for it," said Kipsang on Tuesday from Iten, Kenya.

The former world marathon record holder (2:03:23) and Olympic bronze medalist believes he has the strength to challenge his personal best time of 58:59 when he lines up in Gothenburg, the second-largest city in Sweden.

"I have done well since pulling out of Tokyo Marathon and will be keen to test my limits again," he said. Kipsang will be out to use the race in Gothenburg as part of his preparations before the latter half of the year, where he is expected to race in Berlin, Chicago or New York. 

Kipsang faces a strong line-up including Kenyan teammates Leonard Langat (59:18) Peter Kirui (59:22), Albert Kangogo (59:25), Richard Mengich (59:35) and Ethiopia's Abera Kuma (60:19). Former world 10,000m champion Ibrahim Jeilan, who has a best time of 61:47 will also compete. T 

(05/15/2018) ⚡AMP

Vitality London 10000 shaping up to be a fast event at the end of the month

Lily Partridge, who ran a personal best 2:29:44 to finish eighth overall and first British woman at the Virgin Money London Marathon in April, is set to get back to racing at the Vitality London 10000 on May 28. The 27-year-old will not be the only British marathon champion competing, with Mo Farah already confirmed for the last Monday of May bank holiday race. Partridge’s, who clocked her 10k PB of 33:27 at the 2016 event, will face Aldershot, Farnham and District club-mate Steph Twell before looking ahead to the Berlin hosted European Championships in August. “The Vitality London 10000 is great because it does bring together a range of athletes,” said Partridge. “Some people like Steph come into it in track shape and it can be fast and then there are us girls who come into it off the back of a marathon and we have to ease ourselves into it a bit more.  The Vitality London 10,000 starts and finishes in St James’s Park and uses Green Park as its assembly area. The race starts on The Mall and finishes on Spur Road opposite Buckingham Palace. Runners follow a clockwise route around the City of Westminster and the City of London. The course passes many of London’s famous sights including Admiralty Arch, Nelson’s Column, St Paul’s Cathedral, Mansion House, the Bank of England, the Old Bailey, Somerset House, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.  The race also features the British 10K Championships Men and Women. (05/15/2018) ⚡AMP

Course record holders return to Ottawa Marathon, Sara Hall top American Female

Canada's largest running event is the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon and Half Marathon is coming up May 27 in Ottawa, Canada.  Yemane Tsegay, the Ethiopian star who set the Ottawa course record with a blistering time of 2:06:54 in 2014, heads the list of marathon speedsters. Tsegay will be challenged by Eliud Kiptanui, the Kenya native who claimed last year’s title with a 2:10:14 clocking. Don’t be surprised to see three other Ethiopians joining them in the lead group, either. Haile Lemi Berhanu, who won the 2016 Boston Marathon, owns a personal best time of 2:04:33. Deriba Robi has completed the marathon in 2:05.58 and Adugna Takele Bikila owns an all-time best of 2:08.51. On the women’s side, course record holder Tigist Tufa is also returning, hoping to challenge her 2014 time of 2:24:31. Tufa also won the 2015 London Marathon. Tufa will have her hands – and feet – full with Gelete Burka, who ran a 2:20:45 marathon earlier this year. Joining Tufa in the women’s field is U.S. Marathon champion Sara Hall. Hall has improved in nearly every marathon she has run over the past year, placing sixth at Tokyo in 2017 before winning the U.S. Championships later that year.  (05/14/2018) ⚡AMP

Sir Mo Farah heads a field of superstars as the world's best go head to head in Europe's biggest 10k

British marathon record holder and four-time Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah heads a field packed with road-running superstars as the world's best go head to head in Europe's biggest 10k. The Great Manchester Run, established in 2003, is an annual 10K run through Greater Manchester in the UK. Sir Mo's greatest threat is Kenya's 2017 world marathon champion Geoffrey Kirui. The African nation are also well represented in the women's race with 10k and half marathon world record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei taking on 2015 champion Betsy Saina. But it is not just the world's elite taking to the streets of Manchester. Over 30,000 competitors line up for the 10k and half marathon routes to raise money and awareness for many good causes. One year on from the bombing, the city, united, runs together. (05/14/2018) ⚡AMP

The Amazon has a mystical appeal to Craig, it is an extremely harsh and unforgiving environment.

Former Royal Marine and self-professed occasional runner Craig likes to run a little further than most. He is taking on the Peruvian Jungle by running not just one, but seven marathons over five days. Craig Williams, 41, who co-founded internationally renowned extreme weight loss camp, TEAM Bootcamp in Eardington, UK will fly to Peru, on May 31, to join a small number of Ultra runners and adventurers in the Jungle Ultra, a gruelling 147-mile run over the Andes and deep into the Amazon between June 2 and 7. “Although the Amazon has almost always had a mystical appeal to me, it is an extremely harsh and unforgiving environment. Pretty much everything wants to bite, scratch, sting or suck your blood and the weathers can be just as hostile” said Craig. “My biggest worry is looking after my feet and managing my water intake! I completed the Marathon Des Sables in 2016, a similar race across the Sahara desert and almost fell foul to dehydration and heat exhaustion then. I don’t want history to repeat itself.” “Jaguars seem to be the biggest worry for most competitors, personally I am more concerned about the distance which culminates in a double marathon stage on the final day of 58 miles in a single day. We get limited protection from armed wildlife rangers, but the flora and fauna only add another dimension to what I know will be an amazing adventure.”  Race organisers Beyond Ultimate ensure each competitor carries a number of compulsory items including a minimum of 2.5 litres of water, 2,000 calories of food for each day, sun lotion, a sleeping bag and hammock, a head torch, a knife and venom extraction kit. (05/14/2018) ⚡AMP

74-year-old Paris man didn't start racing until 53 but has already run 100 half marathons

Paul Spinner was a late bloomer when it comes to the running scene. Running never really interested the 74-year-old Paris man earlier in his life. He was a softball player at heart but the sport came with an expiration date. "I got too old," Spinner said. "You can run forever, but you can't play softball forever." So, at 53, Spinner started registering for 5K races, 10k races, and other racing events eventually including to half-marathons and marathons. After two decades and more than 1,000 races under his belt, Spinner hit several milestones and got some acclaim in the process. Spinner was the 2009 national champion in the 2,000-meter steeplechase, a favorite event of his.  He would later win the bronze medal in 2012. And Saturday, he hit another milestone. Spinner completed his 100th half-marathon at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center's Race for All Paces in 2:19. "I am getting old; we don't like cold," he said. It wasn't his fastest run. Spinner noted he took it a little easier for future races, but he isn't expecting to break any personal records. But, it was a big achievement all the same, albeit not an out-of-the-ordinary race, according to Spinner. (05/14/2018) ⚡AMP

How Boulder Colorado became the Mecca for elite distance runners and runners of all abilities

DID YOU KNOW: Frank Shorter helped turn Boulder into the mecca for elite distance runners and hotbed for recreational athletes that it is today.

The two-time medalist, gold in 1972, silver in 1976, came to Boulder for the first time after graduating from Yale. Raised in New York, Shorter became an early believer in the benefits of altitude training.

In setting his course for Olympic glory, he chose Boulder because the University of Colorado had the only indoor track above 5,000 feet in the United States. He remembers only a couple of other post-collegiate runners in town at the time, including a hotel dishwasher who ran a crash pad for hippies.

Two years after his first training stint in Boulder, Shorter became the first American in 64 years to win an Olympic marathon.  

Shorter’s historic breakthrough at the Munich Olympics, coupled with his silver medal four years later in Montreal, helped ignite the recreational running boom of the late 1970s, and inspired subsequent Olympic hopefuls to move to Boulder for the same reasons he did.

Then-exceptional international runners, including three world-record holders, arrived in the ’80s. After that came the world-class cyclists and triathletes. Meanwhile, CU emerged as a power in cross country running, producing six individual national champions and seven team titles.

Today, Boulder teems with world-class endurance athletes and some of the country’s fastest recreational runners, and it all traces back to Shorter’s hunch about altitude training. Runners of that era didn’t know why it worked — scientific explanations would come later — they just knew if they trained at altitude, they ran faster when they raced at sea level.

“I sensed it,” Shorter said. “There was no real science you could look at. I didn’t know your blood volume increased. All I knew was that I was getting better, more on an exponential curve than even a straight line. I knew that there was something about doing it that didn’t just have to do with my increased training intensity.”

(05/13/2018) ⚡AMP
by John Meyer/ The Denver Post

Seven reasons to Swap the Treadmill for Trail Running

Twenty-nine-year-old ultramarathon runner Sho Gray keeps busy as a cross country and track coach, minister, and volunteer, but he still makes time for the occasional “3 to 6-hour jaunt” through the nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As an ultramarathoner, Gray has finished eight races of 100 miles or more. He ranked eleventh in the world last year for the men’s 12-hour race, but his ultimate goal is to hold the world title for the 24-hour race.  On average, Gray runs six days a week, and four of those days are spent on the trails. According to him, running on a treadmill or track may help you with speed, but trail running allows for more growth. As he puts it, “Treadmills teach you to build a rhythm, track workouts teach you to run fast, and trail running teaches you to enjoy the moment and build strength.” An ultramarathon runner wouldn’t choose to spend the majority of his training time on the trails if there weren’t numerous benefits. Here are seven benefits. 1. The ground is soft on your feet. 2. The uneven terrain helps you build strength. 3. You feel compelled to run farther. 4. You become a more well-rounded runner. 5. You feel freer. 6. You get to appreciate the natural world. 7. Trail running gives you perspective. (05/13/2018) ⚡AMP

Here is why the USATF reopened the bids for the U.S. 2020 Olympic Trials

USA Track & Field didn’t learn about lawsuits that jeopardized the 2020 Olympic Trials until two months after its board awarded the meet to Mt. San Antonio College in June 2017, newly revealed documents show. But by late October 2017, USATF was threatening to pull the showcase event from Mt. SAC — six months before it shocked the track world by reopening bids for the meet.  Adam Schmenk, USATF’s managing director of events and entertainment properties, on Oct. 27 demanded that Mt. SAC provide a construction timeline and a guarantee that Hilmer Lodge Stadium would be built no later than April 2020. “Should you be unable to provide the above assurance by November 17, we will reopen the bid process to secure a host city who can provide the commitments necessary to host a successful Olympic Trials,” Schmenk wrote Doug Todd, Mt. SAC’s athletic special events director. Two months later, USATF Deputy General Counsel Donald Woodard doubled down in a letter to Mt. SAC’s president. “We, and our major partners, are extremely concerned about whether the construction of the appropriate facilities will be complete in sufficient time to host a first class high caliber 2020 Trials,” Woodard wrote William Scroggins. “Therefore, we require unequivocal proof that the lawsuits have been dismissed or otherwise resolved in such a manner as to remove any doubt that construction of the stadium and other facilities will not be delayed in any way whatsoever,” he said Jan. 3, demanding a Jan. 4 conference call. Woodard said that at an August 2017 campus meeting, “we were made aware of the existence of two lawsuits filed against Mt. SAC directly or indirectly related to Mt. SAC’s preparation and ability to successfully host a first class 2020 Trials.” (05/13/2018) ⚡AMP
by Ken Stone

New course record at the 39th Annual Copenhagen Marathon

William Morwabe (KEN) highlighted Sunday’s Telenor CPH Marathon winning in a new course record of 2:11:16.  The 26-year-old Kenyan put in an effective attack after 34 kilometers, leaving the three other runners in the leading group way behind. With a previous personal best of only 2:16:00.  Morwabe’s triumph was indeed a major surprise. “I did expect to run well – but not that well. I actually had no tactics before I pushed the pace at 34K. But I’m just so proud to win here today,” Morwabe said afterwards. At first, a new course record was not in sight. A group of ten runners led the race, splitting halfway in 66:13 minutes. At 28K, Collins Kipkorir Cheboi (KEN) then pushed the pace with only three runners able to keep up with him. Six kilometers later, Morwabe then set in the successful attack, and within a short time he had established a gap of more than ten seconds.  At 35K a new Danish All Comer’s record (2:10:37) was even in sight, but the sunny and warm conditions in the streets of Copenhagen (75F) proved to be anything but optimal. Abraham Girma (ETH) was runner-up in 2:11:30 while Paul Waveru Chege (KEN) set a PB of 2:12:25 to take third spot. In the women’s race, Shasho Insermu (ETH) took a solid lead early in the race. She struggled, however, to maintain the gap of a mere 15-20 seconds. Betty Chepleting (KEN) and Tesfanesh Terga (ETH) were a constant threat all the way, but Insermu eventually held the lead to the end winning in 2:32:18 – a little more than two minutes off her PB set in Ljubljana last year. 9.000 runners participated at the Telenor CPH Marathon. Next year will see the event’s 40th anniversary. Telenor Copenhagen Marathon - May 14th (05/13/2018) ⚡AMP