Running News Daily

Making his debut Colby Mehmen, was the winner at BMW Dallas Marathon

It was over halfway through Sunday’s BMW Dallas Marathon, and not much was going right for contestant Colby Mehmen, who was making his marathon debut.

The problems started days before the race, when Mehmen, a 24-year-old, Princeton, Texas, native aiming to earn an Olympic trials qualifying standard got sick, contracted a fever and started having issues with his asthma.

Then, though Mehmen managed to jump out to a commanding lead within the first 10 miles of Sunday’s race, he started hurting around Mile 16. Gage Garcia, the only other runner nearby, took advantage, chipping away at Mehmen’s lead before narrowly pulling ahead by Mile 20.

And quickly approaching was what Mehmen considered the toughest and most important part of course: the Winsted Drive Hill. But somehow, the very immensity of that challenge spurred Mehmen to victory: Mehmen fought hamstring pain, the daunting hill and a formidable opponent to regain a solid lead by Mile 22, catapulting him to a first-place finish in the Dallas Marathon with a final time of 2:22:40.

“When we hit that hill, I just tried to... take the lead and see what happened,” Mehmen said. “Around Mile 21 or 22, I finally got loosened up again, and just brought it home...I got a little bit of a gap on him and then tried to pull away.

“That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, with my hamstrings tightening up, to really pull away at the point.”

(12/10/2018) ⚡AMP

America’s Camille Herron sets a new world 24-Hour track record

Camille Herron set the women’s world 24-hour track record today December 9 at the Desert Solstice Invitational Track Meet in Phoenix, Arizona.  She ran 162.8 miles in 24 hours and broke the previous record of 161.55.

Camille also set a new American women’s 100 mile track record (13:25) and American women’s 200k track record. She also won the race outright. Hard work and believing in herself paidoff.

Camille is exhausted but is already talking about running 170 miles in her next 24-hour race! She ran sub 9 minute pace for five consecutive 50ks.  And she was still smiling every lap.  

The Desert Solstice is a pure endurance challenge.  Only 30 of the top American endurance runners are invited, and in order to qualify, runners must have run at least 124 miles (198.4K) in 24 hours, or 100 miles in under 17:30.

The race is a qualifier for the 24-hour national team. According to the iRun4Ultra site, 11 world records and 60 US national records had been set here before this weekend.  

Camille won a $2000 and a $1000 bonus for setting the records and hopefully a lot more from her sponsors. But she does not do this for the money. 

(12/09/2018) ⚡AMP

No Japanese Women Runners qualify for Olympic trials at the Saitama Marathon

Marie Imada finished fourth for Japan's best performance in the Saitama International Marathon on Sunday, failing to meet the qualifying standards for the Marathon Grand Championship, 2020 Olympic trials. 

In the race won by 20-year-old Dalila Gosa of Bahrain in 2 hours, 25 minutes, 35 seconds, Imada clocked 2:29:35, neither making the top three and running under 2:29:00, nor finishing in the top six under 2:28:00 to earn a place in next fall's MGC Race.

Only eight women have met the qualifying standards so far for the MGC Race to be held Sept. 15 next year in Tokyo. The MGC is a race that will determine two of the three members for both the men's and women's marathon teams for the Tokyo Olympics.

On Sunday, Imada and Saki Tokoro fell behind the leading pack around the 23-kilometer mark, while the IAAF Race turned into a duel between Gosa and fellow Bahraini Shitaye Habtegebrel down the final stretch.

"I was able to win because I trained hard. I'm very happy," Gosa said. "I'd like to work more on speed and endurance, and be able to maximize my performance." Habtegebrel crossed the finish line at the Saitama Super Arena four seconds after Gosa, and Kenya's Sylvia Jebiwot Kibet took third in 2:28:38.

Mao Kiyota, who competed in the world athletics championships in London last summer, finished fifth in 2:31:07, and Tokoro came home sixth.

(12/09/2018) ⚡AMP

Joshua Kipkorir wins in style at the Singapore Marathon today

Kenya’s Joshua Kipkorir took the top honors at the 36th edition of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon that was held on Sunday (9) in Singapore, Malaysia. Kipkorir who carried a personal best of 2:09.50 that he got at the 2017 Mumbai Marathon where he was finished insecond place upset big names that included race favourite Paul Lonyangata, the winner of the last two Paris Marathons, but he did not even feature in the top 20.

The 24 year-old took charge of the lead group by the halfway mark and opened up a 300m gap on the chasing pack and it was a lead he never relinquished. The 2016 and 2014 Nairobi marathon led 1-2-3 Kenyan podium finish as he to cut the tape in 2:12.20.

“This is my first time here. I like the course, it’s very nice. I have no problems with the heat,” said Kipkorir.

He was followed by 2016 winner, Felix Kirwa of 2:13.43 with Andrew Kimutai closing the first three podium finishes in 2:14.29. Cosmas Matolo and Felix Kiprotich finished in fourth and fifth place in 2:16.06 and 2:16.28 respectively.

(12/09/2018) ⚡AMP

Priscah Cherono takes the Singapore Marathon title under very hot conditions

Former World bronze medallist champion, Priscah Cherono won the 36th edition of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon that was held on Sunday (9) in Singapore, Malaysia. The 38 year-old who faced a stiff challenge from her fellow country-mate led a Kenyan 1-5 podium finish as she took the top honors when she cut the tape 2:32.12. “I was worried about the weather yesterday because it was not so good (it rained overnight on Saturday) but today, the conditions were good,” said Cherono. Stella Barsosio took the second place in 2:33.23 while Jane Jelagat sealed the podium three places in 2:35.38. Agnes Kiprop and Naomi Maiyo both from Kenya took fourth and fifth place in 2:39.14 and 2:39.58 respectively. (12/09/2018) ⚡AMP

Ethiopian Ababel Yeshaneh Marathon inaugural winner, will return to Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon in 2019

Ababel Yeshaneh has said a return to the Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon next year will be one of her top priorities after the Ethiopian won the inaugural title in spectacular style on Friday. Yeshaneh, 27, claimed the women’s title with a time of two hours, 20 minutes and 16 seconds, smashing her previous personal best of 2:33:10, set at the Milan Marathon in 2013, by nearly 13 minutes. Yeshaneh won the race in the capital by 38 seconds over runner-up Eunice Chumba, and three minutes and 51 seconds ahead of third-placed Gelete Burka. Yeshaneh’s performance is even more remarkable for the fact that she is more of a half-marathoner.  Her only marathon since Milan five years ago came in Dubai earlier this year, but she did not finish that race. While largely running half marathons, Yeshaneh plans to return to Abu Dhabi in 2019 having been impressed with her experience of the inaugural race. “My coach decides on my races and I’ll leave it for him to decide, but the marathon in Abu Dhabi will be a priority when we discuss the plan for next year,” she says.  “This time my coach pushed me to do the marathon.  Obviously a lot of preparations were made and the end result has been really amazing.”  (12/09/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenyans swept the Singapore Marathon as 30,000 plus runners battled the sweltering heat

Kenyans swept both the men’s and women’s elite categories of the 4th Annual Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) held Sunday December 9.  Some ran in superhero costumes in the sweltering heat, some ran to raise money for charity, some wanted to beat the clock and some, well, just love running. Regardless of their reason, the SCSM held against the backdrop of the city’s waterfront, remains a colourful and vibrant fixture on the Singapore calendar. Over 30,000 participants pounded the streets in the downtown area. The two-day event saw 50,000 participants in total. Joshua Kipkorir won the men’s race in 2:12:20, while Priscah Cherono was the first woman clocking 2:32:12 – both just missed the championship records. (12/09/2018) ⚡AMP

Meb Keflezighi has fond memories of the Carlsbad 5000 and teamed up with a group to purchase it

Meb Keflezighi teamed up with San Diego-based Groundwork Endurance to purchase The Carlsbad 5000 race as we reported earlier this week.  Since its founding in 1986, the Carlsbad 5000 has attracted top talent to the coastal roads of Carlsbad, less than an hour north of San Diego. In fact, the so-called “World’s Fastest 5K” hosted the standing world records for both men and women in the event. Sammy Kipketer of Kenya posted a 13:00 WR in 2000, and Meseret Defar of Ethiopia set the women’s record of 14:46 in 2006. Fourteen additional world records and eight U.S. records have been set there, among other records. At 43 years old, Keflezighi has deep roots in the region.  He recalls watching the Carlsbad 5000 as a young runner before racing it as a professional. The first time Keflezighi attended the Carlsbad 5000 was in high school, when he went to watch Steve Scott race, the then-holder of the American Record for the mile. Later, he chased the 5K American record there as a pro. In 2001, he took it out on the heels of Kipketer (who ran 3:59 for the first mile). Keflezighi recalls thinking during his 4:08 first mile split, “Oh no, what have I done?” but held on to finish in 13:34. In 2002, his pacer ran too slowly through the first mile, so Keflezighi hammered the next 2.1 miles to finish in 13:34.  Meb grew up with the Carlsbad 5000 and is excited to now be part of the ownership group. (12/08/2018) ⚡AMP

Olympic steeplechaser Donn Cabral is going to make a Surprise Marathon Debut In Honolulu tomorrow

Through the mud and over the hills, Donn Cabral pressed forward along the trail at Reservoir #6 in West Hartford, Conn. The Olympic steeplechaser was in the middle of a workout that consisted of 22 miles with 18-19 of them at 5:20 pace, a monumental training session for a marathon runner. While most track athletes wouldn't even think of attempting such a challenging run, Cabral felt like he was home. "It just felt great. I wasn't able to get into a rhythm because of the course, but I just knew that I was so strong and my body was working the way it was supposed to. This is the way running is supposed to feel," Cabral told Race Results Weekly over the phone on Thursday. He went on to complete the early November workout with 19 miles run at 5:15 pace which, if maintained for 26.2 miles, would equate to a 2:17 marathon. The workout is one of many that have given Cabral confidence heading into his surprising marathon debut at the Honolulu Marathon here on Sunday. At this point in the 28-year-old's career, he has accomplished a great deal in the steeplechase: two eighth-place finishes at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, two NCAA titles, and a 10th-place finish at the 2015 IAAF World Championships. While Cabral still feels that he has unfinished business in his primary event, the decision to run a marathon now came as a result of listening to his body and the training that he responds to. "A big reason that I wanted to run a marathon was that I think it's the best way for me to run my best steeplechase," Cabral said. "I look back at my training in 2015, the year that I ran my 8:13 personal best, and I think it was a week before the USA prelims, I did a hard 10-mile run at 5:15 pace in really humid weather and I ran 90 miles two weeks before. Nothing about that is crazy, it just shows that I do run well with that type of work."  (12/08/2018) ⚡AMP

Colby Mehmen will make his marathon debut at Sunday's BMW Dallas Marathon

Colby Mehmen hopes to earn an Olympic trials qualifying standard and capture his hometown marathon title in the process. "I think they go hand in hand," Mehmen said of needing a sub-2-hour, 19-minute finish. "I'm probably going to have to hit the standard to win it." Mehmen, 24, has spent the last five months living and working in Boulder, Colo., training at altitude to put himself in position to run well. He's been living in his camper van and working at the Boulder Running Co. He considers two-time defending champion Keith Pierce the favorite. "He has so much experience," Mehmen said. "He's the seasoned veteran. Speed doesn't always translate into the marathon. I might have it in the shorter races, but the marathon is a whole different game."   (12/08/2018) ⚡AMP

Courtney Dauwalter is one tough Ultra runner and wins many that she enters

Courtney Dauwalter specializes in ultras.  But her success in winning them has opened a debate about how men’s innate strength advantages apply to endurance sports.

At 1:40 in the morning, running through the woods near Lake Tahoe, Courtney Dauwalter began hallucinating. She saw live puppets playing on a swing set on the side of the trail. Trees and rocks turned into faces.

She was on her second night without sleep, 165 miles into a 205-mile race through the mountains, pushing her body to levels considered physically impossible not long ago, and seeing very strange things in the night. Dauwalter had been on her feet for almost 40 hours and was leading the field of 215 runners as she set her sights on a course record for September’s Tahoe 200, one in a series ultramarathons.  

Their hero is Dauwalter, a 33-year-old with a reputation for outrunning men and shattering course records. She has won 11 ultramarathons and finished second in seven other endurance races.

This weekend, she will try to break the women’s world record for the most miles run in 24 hour track run, at the Desert Solstice competition in Phoenix. She will have to run more than 161.55 miles to do so. She already holds the American women’s record, 159.32 miles.

This fall, she ran 279.2 miles in what’s known as Big’s Backyard Ultra, a grueling race of attrition during which runners have to complete a 4.16667-mile loop each hour. If they want to put their feet up, eat, go to the bathroom or close their eyes for a few minutes, they have to earn the time by running faster.

The last person standing wins. After tracking Dauwalter for two days in Tahoe, Kyle Curtin passed her at Mile 182. Forty-nine hours 54 minutes after starting the Tahoe 200, Dauwalter crossed the finish line in second, twenty-seven minutes behind Curtin.

The two set a new course record by almost 10 hours. “Courtney was definitely the person to beat,” Curtin said. 

(12/07/2018) ⚡AMP

Defending Guangzhou Marathon champion Dickson Kipsang Tuwei wiil not defend his title this year

Defending Guangzhou Marathon champion Dickson Kipsang Tuwei has ruled out defending his title at this year's event in the southern Chinese city on December 9. The 26-year-old says he has not recovered in time after competing at the Shanghai Marathon where he finished third, clocking 2:09:21. "I am still resting and recovering from the grueling Shanghai Marathon. I love running in China and my plan was to win in Shanghai, but unfortunately, I was not strong enough to compete for the victory and had to settle for the bronze medal," he said on Saturday. However, Tuwei believes Kenya will have a strong representation in Guangzhou, with Edwin Kipngetich Koech hoping to win on his second attempt at the distance, while veteran Georgina Rono will be lining up in the women's race. 26-year-old Koech, who set an Italian all-comers' record with a time of 2:07:13 in the Milan Marathon, took third place in Guangzhou last year, clocking 2:10:27. "I have always dreamed of representing Kenya at the World Championships," said Koech. "I know I have a long way to go because Kenya always has strong runners. Winning in Guangzhou may be one step closer for me to attain my goal. But I have to be the best for me to stand any chance of gaining entry to the Kenya team." Koech says he will target the course record of 2:10:01 set three years ago by Morocco's Abdellah Tagharrafet, which Tuwei came within two seconds of last year. (12/07/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenya’s Marius Kipserem smashed his PR and won the inaugural ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon clocking 2:04:04

Kenya’s Marius Kipserem and Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh smashed their PBs to secure victories at the inaugural ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon. In a close race, Kipserem won in 2:04:04 to take more than two minutes off the PB he set when winning the 2016 Rotterdam Marathon, moving him to 12th on the world all-time list. During the week in which his recent world half marathon record was ratified, compatriot Abraham Kiptum finished second in 2:04:16 to also enter the top 20 on the world all-time list. Yeshaneh, meanwhile, won the women’s race in 2:20:16 to finish comfortably ahead of Bahrain’s Eunice Chumba, who clocked 2:20:54. As was the case in the men’s race, the top two finishers set lifetime bests. (12/07/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenya’s Moses Mosop will lead a quality field at the Guangzhou Marathon this weekend

Five sub-2:10 runners will toe the line in the men’s race targeting the course record of 2:10:01 set by Morocco’s Abdellah Tagharrafet in 2015. 33-year-old Mosop owns the fastest PB of this year’s entrants with his 2:05:03 clocking from the 2012 Rotterdam Marathon. He also holds the Chinese all-comers’ record of 2:06:19, set at the 2015 Xiamen Marathon. The Kenyan, however, hasn’t raced since placing third at the 2016 Dongying Marathon in 2:09:33 so there is a question mark over his form ahead of this weekend. Compatriot David Kemboi Kiyeng, 35, is perhaps the most experienced marathon runner in the field, having won in Reims, Seoul, Chuncheon Sao Paulo, Daegu and Kosice over the past 12 years. But the 35-year-old’s best recent performance was a 2:17:59 clocking in Taiyuan three months ago, more than 11 minutes shy of his PB. Fellow Kenyan Cosmas Jairus Birech – not to be confused with the steeplechaser with the similar name – is arguably the most in-form runner in the field. The 32-year-old improved his PB to 2:08:03 to take his first title over the classic distance in Rome eight months ago. The field also includes Birhanu Teshome of Ethiopia, who has a PB of 2:09:03, and Kenya’s Mathew Kipsaat, whose lifetime best of 2:09:19 was achieved in Rome last year. Despite the absence of defending champion and course record-holder Rahma Tusa, Kenya’s Flomena Cheyech could challenge the course record of 2:25:12 in the women’s race. Cheyech, the fourth-place finisher at the IAAF World Championships London 2017, set a PB of 2:21:22 in Paris last year. Her season’s best is 2:33:01, set at the Nagoya Women's Marathon in March. Ethiopia’s Zinash Debebe is another title contender. The 22-year-old cut nearly three minutes off her PB to finish fourth in Seville in 2:27:47. It will be Debebe’s third marathon of the year and she is still chasing her first career victory over the distance. (12/07/2018) ⚡AMP

High School runner Katelyn Tuohy has set her sights on the 2020 US Olympic trials

The high school junior, Katelyn Tuohy just 16 finished another undefeated season at Nike Cross Nationals and announced her intent to focus on qualifying for the 2020 US Olympic trials.

Everything I do is impacted by my decision to want to make it to the Olympic trials. That’s definitely my big picture goal for the future.” She continued, “I think I’m more of a 5K runners because of my stride, but I also love the 3,000m and 1,500m. Unfortunately there’s no 3,000m at the trials so I think the 5K is my best shot right now.”

The qualifying standard for the trials was 15:25:00 for the 5,000m in 2016. Tuohy is only 16-years-old but she will be 18 by the time 2020 rolls around.

This is young for a runner to try and make an Olympic team, especially in a distance like the 5,000m, but not unheard of.

Newly signed New Balance Athlete Sydney McLaughlin had a similarly stunning high school career and made the 2016 Olympic team at only 16-years-old, and turned 17 just before the games.

(12/06/2018) ⚡AMP

Millinocket Marathon expected to draw more than twice as many runners as last year’s race

Just four years after it started, a race that was meant to breathe some new life into a former mill town continues to balloon, with this weekend’s Millinocket Marathon and Half expected to draw more than twice as many runners as last year’s race.

Some 2,600 runners are slated to run the mountainous course on Saturday, up from about 1,200 who came from across the country to run it last year. The races, which are 26.2 and 13.1 miles long, will start at 10 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in Millinocket. re than twice as many runners as last year’s race.

Racers don’t need to pay a registration fee; instead, organizers have urged them to support local restaurants, shops and hotels. They started the race in 2015 with the goal of bringing economic activity to a region that was battered by the closure of two paper mills.

Like last year, a number of local establishments are stepping up to feed and entertain the runners and their fans, offering spaghetti dinners, a variety show, an artisan fair, an ugly sweater party and other events from Friday afternoon to Saturday night.

“Everything that’s happening is just being done better,” said Gary Allen, the race’s founder.

“The town is becoming more and more actively involved with dinners and breakfasts and dances, and actively looking at it as an opportunity to welcome people to their town. Just as runners train for competitions, I think the town is becoming an expert in hospitality and welcoming people.”

(12/06/2018) ⚡AMP

Vibram Hong Kong 100 was elevated to Series in the Ultra-Trail® World Tour

Vibram® Hong Kong 100 is delighted to announce its elevation to “Series” level in the Ultra Trail® World Tour (UTWT). This confirms Vibram® Hong Kong 100’s place among the eight most prestigious trail races in the world and as the only Series event in Asia. This further increases the race’s allure to athletes competing for top rankings in the UTWT, the world’s premier trail racing series. The 9th edition of the Vibram® Hong Kong 100 will be held on 19 and 20 January 2019. The race was first held in 2011 and has quickly become one of the most popular events in the global trail running calendar, attracting over 7,000 applicants from 60 countries for just 1,800 places. Hong Kong hosted the UTWT 2017 awards ceremony in January this year, the first time the celebration has ever been held outside Europe. Janet Ng, the Vibram® Hong Kong 100 Race Director, said the race’s elevation was “a tribute to the Hong Kong trail running community, which provides incredible support for the race, along with roughly 1,000 volunteers, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, St. John Ambulance, the Emergency Services, the sponsors and the Hong Kong Tourism Board. It’s great to see all this hard work and enthusiasm acknowledged, and we are looking forward to welcoming everyone to the festivities here in Hong Kong in January”. (12/06/2018) ⚡AMP

Marathon champion Joyce Chepkirui is returning to reclaim her crown on Sunday at the Honolulu Marathon

Former marathon champion Joyce Chepkirui said she is returning home to reclaim her crown on Sunday when she lines up on the streets of Honolulu, Hawaii. The 30-year-old has chalked up podium positions in New York, Boston and Amsterdam this year, and finished fourth at the Istanbul Half Marathon clocking an impressive 1:09:18. "I am comfortable now with the distance," she said on Wednesday. "I am not looking for a fast time, I just want to win." Chepkirui, however, will not be running against the clock alone. She is up against two other Kenyans (Vivian Kiplagat and Sheila Jerotich) as they work out a formula on who will retain the title that was last year won by compatriot and Chicago Marathon champ Brigid Kosgei. "I love it there. The fans, the streets, the whole atmosphere. I'm happy to be going back to Hawaii," she added. Chepkirui has not finished a marathon since November 2016 when she was fourth at the New York City marathon. This year in Boston in April, she was among the many that fell by the wayside owing to strong winds and rainy weather. But she believes her return to United States will be fruitful. "My coach and husband Erick Kibet has helped me get back in shape. He understands me well and he helps me in training. Now I want to see how fast I can run," she said. Chekpirui rued the withdrawal of compatriot and world half marathon record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei, who was all set to debut in marathon, but missed her step to twist her ankle in training last week. (12/06/2018) ⚡AMP

Sarah Mulcahy fractured a hip in January 2017 and was told she´d never run again qualified for US olympic trials at CIM

A hip fracture suffered while 31 weeks pregnant in January 2017 left Sarah Mulcahy uncertain about her distance running future. But surgery and successful childbirth soon were followed by a return to the roads, and on Sunday she capped off that comeback by qualifying for the 2020 U.S. Olympic women’s marathon trials. Mulcahy, 33, earned a berth in the Trials, to be held in Atlanta on Feb. 29, 2020, by achieving the Olympic “B” standard of 2 hours, 45 minutes, with her time of 2:44:28 at the California International Marathon in Sacramento. “My whole goal had been the 2020 Olympic Trials,” said Mulcahy, who with her husband Jon, 4-year-old daughter Olivia and 20-month-old son Isaiah, moved back in August to the St. John Valley where she works as a math teacher at a High School. “I felt so defeated when I broke my hip; I thought I’d never get that chance,” she said. “It looked like my one shot was CIM because once 2020 rolls around my kids will be so busy there won’t be time to train."  Mulcahy said she was aided by the quality of the field at the California International Marathon, which for the second straight year served as the USA Marathon Championship. “It was unreal always having so many fast people around me,” she said. “I’ve always run races in Maine where I was pretty much alone, so this was awesome.” Mulcahy began running competitively in 2009 while working as a teacher in Westbrook and soon established herself as one of the state’s top distance runners. She is a two-time Millinocket Marathon women’s champion and a four-time winner of the demanding Bay of Fundy International Marathon in Lubec. Her 2:49:53 clocking there in June was good for second place overall and her personal best for the 26.2-mile distance until Sunday’s effort.  (12/06/2018) ⚡AMP

The magical Kenyan Diet and training at altitute are two keys factors why Kenyan runners are having so much success

One unique and interesting thing about Kenyan runners is their daily diet. 

A diet that gives them energy to run for a long time and fast.  Many wake up at 5am and eat something like a slice of bread or ugali with tea to provide energy. 

Some prefer going for their morning run on an empty stomach but after training they take tea with rice or ugali. This is common in Kenya as well as drinking at least two glasses of tea in the morning.

The most important meal of the day for many Kenyan runners is lunch.  Most eat a heavy amount of ugali, rice and beans/potatoes or stew depending on the athlete. 

For example super stars like Eliud Kipchoge and Wilson Kipsang, love ugali with traditional vegetables like spinach accompanied by milk called mursik (sour milk).

Mursik is sour milk that taste so sweet.  It contains enough proteins to help build and repair muscles due to tearing during daily training and competition. With daily intake it helps the runner be more energetic, strong and more able to be tough.

The Mursik Factor has been making headlines when an athlete wins a race or breaks a record because Mursik never disappoints. Mursik and ugali are both key. The ingredients of ugali itself is such a secret and many keep wondering where the energy of Kenyans comes from.

Ugali is a carbohydrate but has amazing ingredients. Ugali is a type of cormeal porridge and is made from maize four. 

It is cooked in boiling water or milk until it reaches a stiff or dough-like consistency. 100g of maize flour contains folates 0.6mg, vitamin A 0.5mg, vitamin B1 3.0mg, vitamin B2 2.0mg, vitamin B3 14.9mg, vitamin B6 2.0mg, vitamin B12 0.007mg, iron 21mg, and Zinc 33mg.

In addition the roughage helps in digestion. On top of this energizer, the high altitude helps the body produce a lot of hemoglobin due to less oxygen giving runners an easy time to run fast in low altitude outside Kenya.

This is the magical Kenyan diet that propel Kenyan runners like a space ship going into the universe. 

How can you doubt anything that Eluid Kipchoge does to run a 2:01 marathon?

(12/05/2018) ⚡AMP
by Willie Korir reporting from Kenya

Ming Chen ran the 1989 Boston Marathon for fun, now is ready to run her 65th marathon

Chen started running in 1989 as a first-year student at Harvard, when two of her college girlfriends, who were planning to run the Boston Marathon, casually asked if she would like to join them. “I had no idea what training for and running a marathon was like. I thought, What’s the big deal? and said yes,” Chen recalls. “We trained for six months, running along the Charles River while chatting. It was fun. For me it was a way to hang out with my friends,” says the 47-year old, who grew up in New Jersey, played tennis in school, and hated track and field sports. Chen says she loves the training process. It gives her life structure and focus. “The crowd support and the energy from the runners is amazing in a race. There is something wonderful about running with thousands of people, of varying ages, ethnicities and athletic abilities, all focused on finishing. Chen is not obsessed with her times and likes to run at a pace that she feels comfortable with. She could probably improve her race times with more intense training, but wants running to be fun and not feel like boot camp. “I think of marathons more as long runs rather than races. For me the process of training is as much fun as the race, if not more. And keeping it fun has sustained my interest in running,” says Chen, who is also an ambassador for Sweaty Betty, a yoga and running gear brand. She credits weekly Pilates practice and yoga three times a week with keeping her mostly injury-free. “Aside from the benefits of strength and flexibility, yoga has helped me focus on my breathing, which relaxes me while running.” Chen is certainly on her way to her goal of running 88 marathons; she is getting ready to run her 65th, the China Coast in Hong Kong, in January. (12/05/2018) ⚡AMP

John Wayne Walding a former Green Beret, who lost a leg in battle is running his first marathon at BMW Dallas

Sunday's BMW Dallas Marathon is an opportunity for Staff Sgt. John Wayne Walding, a former Green Beret Special Forces soldier from Frisco, to achieve what he once thought was impossible. "Any time I tell myself I can't do something, I like to prove myself wrong," said Walding, a below-the-knee amputee. "No matter what, put your mind to it, and you can overcome pretty much any obstacle." Walding says he learned the meaning of "I can't" when he lost his lower right leg on April 6, 2008, in the battle of Shok Valley in Afghanistan. The Dallas marathon serves as a colossal challenge to remind him and to show his four children that there's little in life he cannot do. "John didn't think he could run 13 miles when we started this, and he definitely didn't think he could run a marathon," said his coach Mo Brossette, who has worked with Walding for two years. "Once he changed his mind-set and understood that that was the limiting factor, everything became possible." Walding has spent the past decade preparing to tackle a full marathon. He couldn't have endured this most recent 16-week build-up without years of training, mentally and physically. "It's going to be one of the hardest things I've ever done," said Walding, 37. "I'm a glutton for punishment. You don't become a Green Beret because you don't like to sweat a little bit and exert some energy." (12/05/2018) ⚡AMP

Paris Marathon champion Paul Lonyangata is back in action and wants to win the Singapore Marathon

Paris Marathon champion Paul Lonyangata is back into action and will showcase his hunger for a win to compensate lost time through injury at the Singapore Marathon on Sunday. The 2018 and 2017 Paris Marathon winner headlines the entries for the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon this weekend. Around 50,000 runners are registered. The 25-year-old had started the year with promise, but a late injury in his training forced the former Lisbon Marathon champion to bide his time as he missed out on his debut on United States soil when he pulled out of the Chicago Marathon in October. But now with his knee injury healed, he is optimistic ahead of his start at the humid and hot Singapore city course where the winner will take home 50,000 U.S. dollars. "The plan was to compete in Chicago, but I then sustained an injury that has made it hard for me to train. Doctors advised me against putting it under pressure in training so I had to ease off," said Lonyangata on Wednesday. "I'm back in training and fit to run. Singapore will be real test, a good idea. I want to go and win," he added. Apart from his win in Paris in April, Lonyangata has not competed again on the international scene. With the 2019 World Championships just around the corner, he needs to chalk up wins to boost his resume and force the selectors to give him the nod for the Doha, Qatar competition in October 2019. "You can't live off one win. You must build on it and that is what is pushing me, inspiring me to work hard to overcome my challenges to be the best in the sport," he said. The Singapore Marathon has maintained the same script since 2002, with Kenyan athletes dominating. (12/05/2018) ⚡AMP

Eliud Kipchoge and Caterine Ibarguen were named World Athletes of the Year at the IAAF Awards

Kipchoge underlined his status as the world’s most dominant distance runner. The 34-year-old Kenyan won the London Marathon in April in 2:04:17 to finish comfortably ahead of one of the deepest marathon fields in history.

Five months later, he won the Berlin Marathon in 2:01:39 to smash the world record. His time in the German capital was 78 seconds faster than the previous world record, representing the biggest single improvement on a men’s marathon world record since 1967.

Not content with being the best triple jumper in the world, Ibarguen also tested herself against the world’s best in the long jump this year – and consistently came out on top in that too.

The 34-year-old Colombian won both horizontal jumps at the Central American and Caribbean Games, the IAAF Continental Cup and at the IAAF Diamond League finals – winning the latter two titles in two different cities within the space of 24 hours.

She was unbeaten in all eight of her triple jump competitions, ending the year with a world-leading mark of 14.96m in her specialist event and a national record of 6.93m in the long jump.

(12/05/2018) ⚡AMP

New ownership has been announced for the Carlsbad 5000 being held April 7th

San Diego-based Groundwork Endurance, LLC announced this week that it has acquired the iconic Carlsbad 5000 road race from IRONMAN, a Wanda Sports Holdings company. Under the leadership of local runners, including U.S Olympian Meb Keflezighi, Groundwork Endurance will welcome participants from around the world to Carlsbad, California April 6- 7, 2019 for the 34th annual Carlsbad 5000.

“I am delighted to join the local ownership team in building upon the legacy of the Carlsbad 5000. There is no better place than the San Diego coast to celebrate the sport that has meant so much to me,” said Meb, the only runner in history to win the NYC Marathon, Boston Marathon and an Olympic Marathon medal.

“I raced the Carlsbad 5000 twice during my professional career and both experiences were unforgettable. Having the opportunity to now help shape the direction of this amazing event for future generations is truly an honor. My wife and I are excited to watch as our three daughters run in their first Junior Carlsbad and we can’t wait to get more kids throughout the area to join in on the fun.” Known as the “World’s Fastest 5k”, the annual road race attracts amateur, competitive, and professional runners from around the world.

Since the inaugural edition in 1986, the Carlsbad 5000 has seen 16 World records and eight U.S. records, as well as numerous national and age group marks. The event is the home of the current female and male World 5K road records: 14:46, Meseret Defar (ETH), 2006 and 13:00, Sammy Kipketer (KEN), 2000.

“First and foremost, we want to thank the incredible running community that has made this race so special for more than 30 years,” said Ashley Gibson, the founder of Groundwork Endurance who spearheaded the effort to return race ownership to its local roots.

“The Carlsbad 5000 is not only a showcase of world- class talent but a celebration of family, friends, and community. Our team has a great appreciation for the unrivaled history of this race and we are committed to producing a fantastic event in 2019. April can’t get here soon enough!” Race weekend promises a fast oceanfront course, healthy competition, and energetic atmosphere for participants of all ages and paces. The event features multiple age-group races throughout the morning leading up to the legendary pro women's and men's races.

The popular Junior Carlsbad, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2019, also features multiple races designed for children ages 12 and under. Kids distances range from a one-miler to the always entertaining 50-yard Toddler Trot and 25-yard Diaper Dash.

“The Carlsbad 5000 is truly one of the world’s great events and holds a special place in the hearts of the runners and longtime event staff alike,” said Dan Cruz, the race’s longtime Head of Communications.

“Few events can match the Carlsbad 5000’s tradition, spectator friendly course, electric race day atmosphere and I couldn’t be more pleased to continue working with the new ownership team.”

My Best Runs Director Bob Anderson has run the Carlsbad 5000 for 25 consecutive years.  

(12/04/2018) ⚡AMP

Eliud Kipchoge feels that Geoffrey Kamworor will surpass what he has done in running

This evening, the IAAF will name their Athlete of the Year and Eliud Kipchoge discussed how he sees the future of running. The IAAF reported that Kipchoge was asked to evaluate the prospects of his training partner. He responded, “I think Geoffrey, in future will surpass what I have done in this sport.” Now that’s humility. Kamworor responded that he’s interested in continuing his half-marathon and cross-country career for now. Kamworor has won three World Half-Marathon titles and two World Cross-Country titles. He was also the 2015 World Championship silver medallist over 10,000m and the 2017 New York City Marathon Champion. As far as Kipchoge’s future plans are concerned, he’s not rushing to reveal his winter or spring schedule. But he is the feature runner in a newly published book, which he signed copies of today. The book is called, “Eliud Kipchoge 2:01:39.” The other athletes in the running against Kipchoge for Athlete of the Year are: Christian Coleman, Timothy Cheruiyot, Armand Duplantis, Emmanuel Korir, Noah Lyles, Luvo Manyonga, Kevin Mayer, Abderrahman Samba and Tomas Walsh. The award will be presented this evening in Monte Carlo, Monaco. (12/04/2018) ⚡AMP

BMW Dallas Marathon defending champ Chandler Self wants to win again and run across the finish line this year

Through 24 miles, Chandler Self felt great, on pace to set a personal best and win her hometown marathon. She had more than a two-minute lead on her competition. But in the 25th mile, her quads locked up. "I remember thinking: 'This hurts so bad. The pain won't stop until I cross the finish line,'" recalled Self, a psychiatrist with the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. "I kept pushing, willing my body to keep going." With the finish line in sight, her legs buckled. They wouldn't budge. She tried to get up but collapsed again. And again. And again. A fellow runner gave her a hand up. Self's body was so depleted that she needed a lift and a forward shove to reach the tape. She fell forward across the finish line in 2 hours, 53 minutes, 57 seconds. "It was like getting the wind knocked out of my sails," Self, an avid sailor, said. "And sailing with no wind is no fun. You can't move forward." Video of the finish garnered international attention. People were captivated by one runner's compassion toward another. For Self, who will again be among the elite women next Sunday in the marathon, last year's race represents her most notable career achievement and one of her most humiliating experiences. "The main takeaway for me is that I can fall, and I can get back up again," Self, 33, said. "I'm going to get up and try to run the Dallas Marathon again and cross the finish line strong." Added Self's dad, a marathoner and competitive sailor: "That was a huge learning moment, to sit there 200 yards from the finish line and have your body just collapse on you. It's huge to realize that every once in a while, everybody needs a hand up. Even in winning, you didn't do it all yourself." (12/04/2018) ⚡AMP

81-year-old C.K. Murthy, will run the Singapore Marathon for the 29th straight year

In his own words, C. K. Murthy "extends the lives of buildings" for a living. So perhaps it does not come as a surprise that he knows a thing or two about active ageing and living life to its fullest. Next weekend, at the age of 81, the engineering consultant will take part in the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) for the 29th straight year. The chairman of CKM Consultants, who has overseen restoration projects of iconic Singapore landmarks like the Capitol building and Stamford House, told The Sunday Times that running has been a part of his life since he was a child. "From a very young age, I was running all the time," he said. "My uncle used to take me running up a hill near our place, at Chitradurga in Kartanaka state in India, where I was born." He arrived in Singapore in 1967 to take up a job in the faculty of architecture at the then University of Singapore, where he later became an associate professor. He became a Singapore citizen in 1985. Even in Singapore, he kept running. He frequently took his wife of 52 years, Suma, and their four sons - Arun, Abhishek, Ashvin and Anil - on jogs and runs at the Botanic Gardens, which is near their home. But the catalyst for his marathons was in 1988, when his two younger sons, Ashvin and Anil, said they wanted to run from home to Changi Airport - which was 25km away. The family completed the one-way run, and decided they enjoyed the literal cross-country journey. The following year, they decided to register for the Singapore Marathon, which was into its eighth edition then. "At the time, I had never even heard of a marathon," said Murthy, with a chuckle. "But since then, I've taken part in it, every single year." (12/04/2018) ⚡AMP

World record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei is not going to be running the Honolulu Marathon due to injury

World half marathon record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei, who was to make her marathon debut at this weekend’s Honolulu marathon, now has to wait longer to realise the dream after she picked up an injury. The 24-year-old, who was lining up for her first marathon race after a brilliant show in the half marathon, twisted her leg during training while preparing for her debut. “I will not be running on Sunday because the injury I sustained means I could not have finished,” said Jepkosgei. “My preparations were going on well and apart from the small injury, I would have made history. It's a new race for me because I have not participated in a full marathon but I believe in my training,” added Jepkosgei who trains under the guidance of her husband Nicholas Koech. Jepkosgei further said that she will continue training once she heals as she looks forward to taking part in other races next year. “I look forward to running one of the marathons maybe early next year once the injury heals,” she said. Her withdrawal leaves former Honolulu Marathon champion Joyce Jepkirui, Vivian Kiplagat and Sheila Jerotich to battle it out for the crown won by Brigid Kosgei last year. (12/04/2018) ⚡AMP

John Muritu improved the course record at Kumamoto Kosa 10-Mile Road Race to 45:56

The Kumamoto Kosa 10-Mile Road Race produced two of the fastest Japanese times ever, two national records, and record-setting depth. Up front, a larger-than-usual contingent of Japan-based Kenyans and top-level Japanese talent including Chicago 2:07:57 man Taku Fujimoto, Jakarta Asian Games steeplechase bronze medalist Kazuya Shiojiri and others pushed through a 14:10 first 5 km despite warm and humid conditions and a light headwind. The lead pack gradually whittled down to five by 15 km, where John Muritu, Fujimoto and Cyrus Kingori attacked at the base of a short downhill. In the last sprint Muritu got away to take 1st in 45:56, with Fujimoto next in 45:57 and Kingori 3rd in 45:58. Fujimoto's time was one second better than last year's winning time by half marathon national record holder Yuta Shitara and landed him at all-time Japanese #4. Following his 10000 m PB last weekend in Hachioji it looks like Fujimoto, a teammate of Fukuoka winner Yuma Hattori, has recovered well from his surprise sub-2:08 in Chicago. Shiojiri and three-time Kosa winner Jeremiah Thuku Karemi were left behind by the top three's final attack, Karemi taking 4th and Shiojiri 5th in 46:06 to position himself as all-time Japanese #10. Veteran 2:07 marathoner and former Hakone Ekiden uphill king Masato Imai had a surprisingly good day, taking 13 seconds off his 11-year-old PB for 9th in 46:22. (12/03/2018) ⚡AMP

I would rather drop dead running a marathon than die in a hospital bed says 85-year-old Moon Fahel

A retired mechanical engineer, Moon Fahel was the oldest runner this year at the Humana Rock ’n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon. “Another 26.2 Mile Run by Mr. Moon at Age 85.5” read the back of his running shirt, perhaps offering inspiration to weary stragglers. Fahel didn’t break any records. But he has been in the news lately as the marathon’s oldest runner.  As Fahel warmed up Sunday among the thousands of other runners, strangers stopped by to chat. “I’ve seen him somewhere. He’s very encouraging. I just started about a year ago, and this is my second race,” said Jody Steinman, 53, of Fort Worth. Also on hand Sunday was Lee, Fahel’s wife of 61 years, who is torn by her husband’s late-life passion. “We all have our fingers crossed. I worry about him every time he leaves the house,” she said. Moon, however, runs without fear or worry about how the grueling race may end. “I’d rather drop dead running a marathon than die in a hospital bed,” he said. Born in Syria, educated at the University of Texas at Austin and an executive for H.B. Zachry Co. Fahel started running about five years ago. Before that he was a speed walker and did some kickboxing. In 2013, he ran his first and only half-marathon and was hooked, despite hot weather. “People were falling like dead flies,” he recalled. He now runs more than 1,000 miles a year in training and does only full marathons. Over those same five years, he has been treated for three kinds of cancer. “Cancer survivors can draw some strength from my story. I am a three-time survivor. I enjoy a full and healthy life, and running is part of it,’ he said. Standing 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing about 140 pounds, Fahel has a runner’s build. By running marathons, he has come to know his body better. “Usually, around mile 19 to 21, your mind begins to wonder why you are doing this. Your body starts asking, should I continue or stop,” he said. “At that point you should take some nourishment, typically a small bar of candy and some salt pretzels to prevent cramping,” he added. Fahel said that thinking about those he loves also gives him strength to continue. “I say, ‘I need to finish. They are waiting for me. They will greet me with joy.’ And that will get me through the next few miles, and then it’s a joy ride to the finish,” he said. After the race, Fahel usually goes out for dinner with his family, and the next day he wakes up feeling good. “I do not run for anyone else or to compete with anyone else. My objective is to have that moment of inner silence. And when I finish, sweating, gritty and tired, it feels good,” he said. (12/03/2018) ⚡AMP

IAAF announced it plans to honor some of the most highly accomplished runners in history

The first runners on the list of those to be honored are American sprinter Jesse Owens, Finnish distance runner Paavo Nurmi, Czech distance runner Emil Zatopek, Dutch sprinter and hurdler Fanny Blankers-Koen, British distance runner Emil Voigt, Australian sprinter Betty Cuthbert, Ethiopian marathoner Abebe Bikila, Polish sprinter Irena Szewinska and American Mildred “Babe” Didrickson Zaharias, who won two gold medals in track and field at the 1932 Olympics. IAAF president Sebastian Coe made the announcement in Monaco yesterday.  (12/03/2018) ⚡AMP

The Reggae Marathon was Japan's Daichi Okano third marathon and first win

Okano, 26, despite being autistic, has been running competitively since the age of 15. However, this is his third competitive marathon and his first win clocking 2:47:17. He expressed that he enjoyed running the marathon, although it got a bit hot near the end. "My body felt light, I felt good this morning, so I was just able to keep my form and composure. It was my first time, but I had a really good run and I enjoyed it," said Okano, who was speaking through an interpreter. "It was hot, got pretty warm, but (it was) nothing too much out of the ordinary, so I was able to enjoy myself and have a good run," he added. Okano, who was running outside of Japan for the first time, said he is looking forward to competing in Jamaica again next year.  (12/03/2018) ⚡AMP

Emma Bates Won the California International Marathon in her debut

On a near-perfect day for marathon running with sunny skies and comfortably cold temperatures, Brogan Austin of West Des Moines, Iowa, and Emma Bates of Boise, Idaho, won the USATF Marathon titles at the California International Marathon on Sunday Dec 2. Austin, 27, who entered today’s race with only a 2:24:39 personal best, was a surprise winner, while Bates, 26, was one of the favorites, despite making her marathon debut. Austin clocked 2:12:38 while Bates was timed in 2:28:18. Both athletes earned $20,000 in prize money plus a $1500 bonus for achieving USA Olympic Trials Marathon qualifying times. Emma Bates said in her pre-race interview on Friday that she had one simple goal for today: to win. When the gun went off, she paid no attention to the other 98 elite women and pounded aggressively through the opening stages of the race. She split 10-K in 34:41, a 2:26 pace. She slowed only slightly through halfway (1:13:24), but later admitted that she had started too fast. “I just felt so good,” Bates said with a laugh. “You get wrapped up in it, and there’s so many people running around you, all the guys, everybody cheering. The adrenaline is really hard to keep at bay. I went out a little too aggressive, I think. I definitely wanted to run the second half a little bit faster.” Like Llano, Bates had a big lead through the halfway point. The number-one seeded woman in the field, Stephanie Bruce, was a full 83 seconds back. Was Bates worried about getting caught? “I wasn’t,” she said. “I didn’t know where the other women were behind me, but I knew I was keeping a decent pace, a solid pace. So, I wasn’t worried at any point. I just wanted to run a fast time. At the end of the day, I just wanted to do my best.” Bates was never challenged. She cruised through the final miles and looked remarkably fresh at the finish line. Her time of 2:28:18 made hers the eighth-fastest USA marathon debut for a woman. It was also her first national title at any distance. “I said that I wanted to win,” she said.  (12/03/2018) ⚡AMP

Boston Marathon Director Dave McGillivray first run since his heart surgery

I “snuck” out the door this afternoon (Saturday) with a lot of nervousness and trepidation.  It was such a nice day and I was feeling anxious so I laced on the running shoes for the first time since October 11th.   I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do or where I was going...I just went.  I walked for about 2/10 of a mile and then started running (maybe shuffling).  Legs good.  Chest a little sore and sensitive but good.  Breathing a little labored but not too bad.   I ran for about a half mile and then I walked again for about 2/10 of a mile.  Then I ran again for about 1-mile and walk for 1/10 and then ran again.  In total, I “ran” about 3-miles and walked 6/10 of a mile.  I didn’t set any speed records but it was just good to “get back out on the road”.  I took it nice and slow.  While out there, my friend Steve Cooper from Ch. 7 Boston happened to be driving by and saw me running and pulled over to say hi and take a picture.  Great guy.  After a brief chat, I went on my way with another friend who was out for a run and coincidentally had quadruple bypass surgery 8 years ago!  All and all, I’m please with my “first day back running on the road” since my surgery 7 weeks ago.  I wonder if I will be sore tomorrow? (Dave McGillivray posted this on Facebook) (12/02/2018) ⚡AMP

Leul Gebrselassie wins the Valencia Marathon clocking an outstanding 2:04:30

Leul Gebrselassie smashed the Spanish all-comers Record at the Maraton Valencia Trinidad Alfonso, an IAAF Gold Label road race, in the eastern Spanish city on Sunday December 2. Running for just the second time over the distance, the 25-year-old Ethiopian clocked 2:04:30 to finish almost a full minute inside the previous Spanish all-comers record set at this race last year. In a race of exceptionally strong depth, the top-three athletes dipped below 2:05 and no fewer than six men ran under 2:05:30, a figure only bettered in the Dubai marathon this season. In the women’s race Ethiopia’s Ashete Dido obliterated the course record and her previous best in 2:21:14 to take a commanding victory ahead of Kenya’s Lydia Cheromei, the leader for much of the race. Boosted by five pacemakers, the men’s opening splits were quite fast with the large heading group going through the five and 10-kilometer points in 14:48 and 29:47 respectively. By then, all the main favorites – Gebrselassie and the Kenyan pair of Mathew Kisorio and defending champion Sammy Kitwara – ran close together in ideal weather conditions of 55F (13C) and very slight wind.  Leul’s time is the fifth fastest winning time of marathons run over the last 12 months according to My Best Runs.  Only Berlin (2:01:39), Dubai (2:04:00), Amsterdam (2:04:06) and London (2:04:17) were faster.  2018 is clearly the best marathon year ever. (12/02/2018) ⚡AMP

Yuma Hattori wins the Fukuoka Marathon the first Japanese runner to win in 14 years

25-year-old Yuma Hattori from Japan PR for the marathon before today was 2:09:46.  On the other hand the favorite,Yemane Tsegay from Ethiopia had run much faster.  But it was Yuma’s race today has he won by over a minute clocking 2:07:27 at the 72nd annual Fukuoka Marathon held today Dec 2 in Japan.  Yemane finished second clocking 2:08:54. Yuma is the fifth Japanese runner to break 2:08 this year.  2018 Boston Marathon winner Yuki Kawauchi finished tenth clocking 2:12:03 adding another sub 2:20 performance to his list of many.  Breaking away from Yemane Tsegay and Amanuel Mesel at 36 kilometers, Yuma Hattori cruised to victory. “It is close to the time I had hoped for,” said Hattori, whose performance elevated him to eighth on the Japanese all-time list. Mesel finished third with 2:09:45. The race progressed on an even pace with 15:00 five-kilometer segments through 25 kilometers.  The first casualty of the relatively fast even pace, considering the unseasonably warm weather was Vincent Kipruto, former World Championships silver medallist who fell behind before 5km. Yuki Kawauchi began to drift back after 11km and Kentaro Nakamoto after 15km and Ghebreslassie at 17. Both Kipruto and Ghebrselassie dropped out before reaching the midway point. Bedan Karoki finished his pacing duties at 25km; the two remaining pacesetters forged on but the tempo slowed to 15:36 over the next five kilometers, by far the slowest of the day. The leading pack of nine was reduced to three by 35 kilometers, with Hattori, Mesel and Tsegay reaching the mark in 1:46:12. But at the water station one kilometer later, Hattori broke away. “I did not feel like I made a move,” Hattori said. “It was more like my competitions dropped off, so I decided to go.”                   (12/01/2018) ⚡AMP

Shifaz Mohamed from Malvidez will train in Kenya to break his national marathon record at the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon

Shifaz Mohamed will aim to break his national marathon record at the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon slated for January 25, 2019, in Dubai. Shifaz Mohamed, departed on Tuesday to Kenya for a two-month training course. The training club, which Shifaz is visiting said that they are happy to welcome the national half-marathon and marathon champion, and that it is an honor for the club to train Shifaz. The club added that Shifaz's daily training and improvements will be directly monitored by their head coach.  (12/01/2018) ⚡AMP

Beth Thorp suffered a brain seizure that paralyzed her right side but on Sunday she plans to finish the Tri-City Medical Center Carlsbad Half-Marathon

Thorp, 57, is one of the “Lucky 13,” a baker’s dozen of former Tri-City Medical Center patients chosen each year for six months of free fitness and race training and free entry fees for the 13.1-mile race. “Lucky 13” trainer Paul Carey hand-picked this year’s 13 team members from about 40 applicants. The team includes men and women ages 34 to 69 recovering from heart attacks, cancer, back and leg injuries and obesity and diabetes-related health problems. But a sad back story isn’t enough to make the team, Carey said. “The common thread among this year’s team members is gratitude and joyfulness,” he said. “They’re all fighters and team players. They’re ready to transform and change their lives by pushing themselves to find out what they’re made of.” Thorp’s brain injury wasn’t the first time she and her husband, Brad, had dealt with great adversity. In November 2008, the couple buried their 18-year-old son, Mitchell, after an excruciating five-year medical odyssey that maxed out their insurance, emptied their bank account and led them to specialists all over the country. The cause of his illness was never diagnosed. To find purpose in their grief, the couple gave back to the community that had supported them during Mitchell’s long health battle. In 2009, they launched the Mitchell Thorp Foundation, which each year provides more than $250,000 in support and counseling to the families of children with life-threatening illnesses. (12/01/2018) ⚡AMP

AIMS World Record Award has been presented to Ethiopia’s Netsanet Gudeta

AIMS is delighted to announce that the AIMS World Record Award has been presented to Ethiopia’s Netsanet Gudeta in recognition of her “women-only” Half Marathon World Record of 1:06:11 set at the IAAF/Trinidad Alfonso World Half Marathon Championships Valencia 2018 on 24 March 2018. Netsanet beat the previous record of 1:06:25 set by Lornah Kiplagat (Kenya), a record that has stood since 2007. Ermias Ayele, Race Director of the Great Ethiopian Run presented Netsanet with her award as part of a pre-race media event in advance of the Great Ethiopian Run on Sunday 18 November. The time of 1:06:11 has been officially recognised as the world record by the IAAF and by AIMS. AIMS set the world record criteria for performances on the road later adopted by the IAAF and have been awarding athletes in recognition of world record breaking performances since 1985. Netsanet Gudeta commented: “It is very special for me to receive this award in Ethiopia.” Ermias Ayele, race director of the Great Ethiopian Run, said: “We are very proud, on behalf of AIMS, to welcome Netsanet to our race and host her presentation here. Netsanet is an inspiration to women and girls in Ethiopia and the entire world.” (12/01/2018) ⚡AMP

Gary Allen, founder of the Mount Desert Island Marathon and the Millinocket Marathon named race director of the year

Whether he’s designing race courses or participating on them, running has taken Gary Allen all over the country. This month, the Great Cranberry Island resident has had to make travel arrangements for a different reason. Allen was named the MarathonFoto Road Race Management Race Director of the Year on Thursday and inducted into the Maine Running Hall of Fame on Sunday. The two ceremonies took the founder of Crow Athletics and the Mount Desert Island Marathon from one end of the Eastern Seaboard to the other in just a matter of days. “It was definitely a tremendous honor to receive both awards, and it was even more humbling to be at both ceremonies in the same week,” Allen said. “Going from place to place for those few days was definitely a very busy time — I almost missed by connecting flight [back to Maine] — but it was worth it because it was a fun and special week.” Early last week, Allen made the trip to St. Petersburg, Fla., where he was named Road Race Management Race Director of the Year. In a press release prior to the ceremony, Road Race Management President Phil Stewart cited Allen’s work directing the MDI Marathon, which has received national attention from both Runner’s World and New England Runner for its scenery, design and atmosphere. The award, four-time Boston Marathon winner and 1976 United States Olympic team representative Bill Rodgers once said, is essentially “the gold medal of race directing.” Allen was nominated by friend O.J. Logue. He had no idea he was being considered, but the committee of directors, athletes, media members and others in the running community deemed him worthy. “The running community and the state of Maine have greatly benefited from [Gary’s] tireless energy and vision put forth into action,” Stewart said. “Gary has the extraordinary ability to create a concept and act upon it in a meaningful way. … His accomplishments and energy are legendary in Maine.” Three days later, Allen was named to the Maine Running Hall of Fame at Governor’s Hill Mansion in Augusta. The MDI Marathon itself was also included among the 10 inductees. In addition to his work with the MDI Marathon, Allen has received notoriety in recent years for his creation of the Millinocket Marathon. He created the race as a way to boost the Katahdin region’s local economy.  Gary is also going to be sharing his insights and knowledge  in his regular writings for My Best Runs in Running News Daily under the Marathon Man banner.   (11/30/2018) ⚡AMP

Yemane Tsegay of Ethiopia returns to regain the title he won in 2016 at the 72nd Fukuoka Marathon

Two years ago, Tsegay stopped Patrick Makau from winning a third straight title at this race. Last year he finished a distant 26th in 2:18:05, slowed by a sudden back problem that hit him after five kilometres. In May he won the Ottawa Marathon with 2:08:52, has a personal best of 2:04:48 set in Rotterdam in 2012 and took silver at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing. He trains with this year’s Chicago Marathon runner-up Mosinet Geremew and Shanghai winner Seifu Tura, boding well. The man who beat Tsegay in Beijing, Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, is also in the race. Ghebreslassie was fourth at the 2016 Olympic Games and won the New York City Marathon later that year. He set his personal best of 2:07:46 earlier that year, at the London Marathon. However, he’s failed to finish the last three marathons he started: New York, Dubai and London. He said he was hampered by injury in 2017 and early 2018, but is back on track now. “My training after London is going well,” he said. Vincent Kipruto, the runner-up at the 2011 World Championships, is also in the field. His best of 2:05:13 dates back to the 2010 Rotterdam Marathon, but more recently clocked 2:06:14 at the 2017 Berlin Marathon. Amanuel Mesel of Eritrea has run well here in the past, finishing fifth at both the 2016 and 2017 editions of the race. Although not an invited runner, Brett Robinson of Australia, a pace maker last year, is said to be in strong shape and ready for a fast performance in his debut over the distance.  2018 Boston Marathon winner Yuki Kawauchi is also running and posted this on FB.  "I will run Fukuoka international open marathon Sunday. I ran this race 8 times( include 3 times of sub 2:10). I love this race and this city and people of Fukuoka. I believe I can end my bad flow of marathon since this summer," Yuki posted a few hours ago.  (11/30/2018) ⚡AMP

A strong elite men´s field is set for the Valencia Marathon this Sunday

Five men in the Valencia Marathon field have previously run better than 2:06:00 on at least one occasion headed by Ethiopia’s Leul Gebrselassie. The 25-year-old boasts a 2:04:02 lifetime best clocked last January in Dubai on his debut over the distance, barely three seconds slower than his illustrious countryman Haile Gebrselassie’s career best. He finished tenth at this year’s World Half Marathon Championships held in Valencia and holds a 59:18 personal best for the distance clocked in Valencia last year. One of his stiffest opponents should be defending champion Sammy Kitwara, who turned 32 years earlier this week. The Kenyan clocked the 2:05:15 course record last year, his second ever behind his 2:04:28 career best set in Chicago in 2014. Kitwara has only raced once this year, finishing 15th in Lisbon over the half marathon when he clocked 1:01:12. He will be joined by his fellow Kenyan Norbert Kigen, who clocked 2:05:13 in Amsterdam in 2017. He will be making his second appearance of the season after dropping out in Boston last April. Mathew Kisorio, who clocked 2:06:36 in Paris earlier this year and ran a 1:02:18 time for the half marathon in the altitude of Eldoret last month and Solomon Yego (2:07:12) will also be in contention. Eritrea's Yohanes Gebregergis, a creditable seventh at the World Championships last year, should also be tipped as one of the main favorities.  The Madrid-based 24-year-old ran 1:00:16 for the half marathon in Lisbon earlier this year and holds a PR of 2:08:14. Ethiopia’s Deribe Robi, third last year in 2:06:38, might also be a factor on Sunday in his fourth marathon this year, his best effort being 2:08:51 in Seoul. (11/30/2018) ⚡AMP

Caryl Smith Gilbert has been named 2018 Nike Coach of the Year

Caryl Smith Gilbert whose University of Southern California’s Track & Field women’s program won the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Championship has been named 2018 Nike Coach of the Year. Smith Gilbert (Los Angeles, California) will be honored during the USATF Night of Legends event on Saturday, December 1 in Columbus, Ohio. In her fifth year as Director of USC Track & Field, Smith Gilbert led the Trojan women to the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship, the second in program history. The women claimed the title with a thrilling come-from-behind win in the 4x400m in which USC scored 52 of their 53 team points. The Trojan men saw stellar performances at the NCAA Outdoor Championships from would-be professionals Michael Norman and Rai Benjamin, in which they set three collegiate records en route to a fourth place team finish. In winter, Smith Gilbert’s men’s team finished second at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Championships and the women finished seventh after winning the Pac-12 Indoor title. "Caryl has become one of the world’s greatest coaches, and the consistent success of her athletes is a testament to that fact,” USATF CEO Max Siegel said. “USATF congratulates her on this richly deserved honor.” "This award is not about me; it's about allowing the world to have a preview of what women can do,” said Smith Gilbert. “This is a testament to all the years of hard work, but most importantly, it's about changing lives and helping people along the way. I've been fortunate to do that in my career." (11/29/2018) ⚡AMP

Jenny Hitchings is on a roll breaking four national age-group records in four months

Fifty-five-year-old Jenny Hitchings of Sacramento, Calif. has been on a roll, breaking no fewer than four national US age group records since turning 55 on July 1.

Most recently, she took down Joan Benoit Samuelson‘s 55-60 10K record at the Sacramento Food Bank’s Run to Feed the Hungry 10k, clocking 37:29–almost a minute faster than Samuelson’s record of 38:20, set in 2014. But this was only Hitchings’ most recent accomplishment. Starting in August, she has broken no fewer than three other US age-group records. 

On August 11 she took down Shirley Matson’s 5K record, set in 1997 at the Carlsbad 5000, with an 18:05 finish at the Susan B. Anthony Women’s 5K. In early September she broke the 10-mile record held since 1998 by S. Rae Baymiller, with a 1:01:20 finish at the Buffalo Stampede in Sacramento. And in early October at the Urban Cow Half Marathon, she set her third national age-group record of the year clocking 1:21:18 beating Shirley Matson previous record. 

When Jenny was 47 she ran a 2:46:10 marathon and she won her age-group at the 2015 Boston Marathon at age 52 clocking 2:52:51.  In 2015, she broke a 30 year old Age Group course record at Cal International Marathon (CIM) clocking 2:49:49.  

(11/29/2018) ⚡AMP

Running is better at reversing signs of ageing in comparison to other types of exercising

While the health benefits of running are widely known, such as helping you to build strong bones and strengthen your muscles, regularly going on leisurely runs could also slow down signs of ageing. A study published in the European Heart Journal by researchers from Leipzig University in Germany assessed the impact that different forms of exercise have on the human body, comparing the effects of endurance, high-intensity training and resistance training. Over the course of six months, the team studied 266 healthy volunteers as they took part in three workouts a week, each randomly assigned one of the three forms of exercise or put in a control group. All of the participants were described as being “previously inactive”, thus creating an even playing field for the study. Endurance training involved going on long runs, high-intensity training consisting of doing a warm up followed by running intervals, and the resistance training involved doing a variety of exercises such as crunches, chest presses and leg curls. The researchers analysed the white blood cells of the participants at the beginning of the study, a few days into the study and then at the end of the six-month period. The team noted a greater increase in telomerase activity and telomere length in the white blood cells of the participants who did endurance and high-intensity training in comparison to those who did resistance training or no exercise at all. Telomeres are stretches of DNA that can be found on the end of chromosomes that affect the way in which humans age. “Our main finding is that, compared to the start of the study and the control group, in volunteers who did endurance and high intensity training, telomerase activity and telomere length increased, which are both important for cellular ageing, regenerative capacity and thus, healthy ageing,” says Professor Ulrich Lauds, one of the authors of the study. (11/29/2018) ⚡AMP

Britain’s UTMB CCC winner Tom Evans will make his Western States 100 debut next June

Tom Evans is among a top line-up of confirmed elite runners for next year’s Western States 100. The world trail bronze medallist is one of 10 runners invited by organisers of the Ultra Trail World Tour, which includes the Western States 100.  Also due to take part in the world’s oldest 100-mile trail event on June 29, 2019, is Italy’s Francesca Canepa, who won the main UTMB race this year, and Spain’s Jordi Gamito Baus, who was second on this year’s UTWT standings. Britain’s Beth Pascall, who was fourth in this year’s UTMB, is another who will be heading Stateside. Evans wrote on Twitter: “So excited to announce that I will be racing Western States 100 next year! It will be my first 100 mile race. I can’t wait for the highs and lows of training to get to the start line. It’s going to be one big journey." The race from Squaw Valley to Urban along the Western States Trail was established in 1977 and has since become one of the world’s toughest and most prestigious trail running contests. (11/29/2018) ⚡AMP

19-year-old Sydney McLaughlin who is one of the biggest track stars will be coached by Olympian Joanna Hayes

Sydney McLaughlin, who turned pro this past summer and signed with New Balance last month, has chosen a coach. The 19-year-old McLaughlin, one of the biggest track and field stars in the world, will be coached by Olympic gold medalist Joanna Hayes, Sydney's mother Mary confirmed on Tuesday night. Hayes, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist in the 100 hurdles in Athens, is currently a volunteer assistant track and field coach for sprints and hurdles at the University of Southern California. This past spring, Hayes helped the USC women capture its second NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship. McLaughlin, who graduated from NJ's Union Catholic High School in 2017 and now lives in Los Angeles, became the youngest U.S. track and field athlete to compete in the Olympics in 44 years when she advanced to the semifinals of the 400 hurdles in Rio in 2016 when she was just 17 years old. Then after compiling one of the greatest high school careers in U.S. history, McLaughlin turned in one of the most remarkable seasons by a freshman in NCAA history at Kentucky this past year. At the NCAA Championships on June 9th, McLaughlin won the women's 400 hurdles in 53.96 and followed that up about an hour later by splitting 50.03 on the fourth place 4x400 relay to help the Wildcats finish fourth in the final team standings. After the NCAA Championships, McLaughlin announced her intention to forego her remaining three years of college eligibility and turn pro. In addition to her NCAA title, McLaughlin ran 52.75 when she won the 400 hurdles at the SEC Championships on May 13, which is an NCAA record, a World Junior record, and the No. 1 time in the world for the season. She also ran personal bests of 50.07 in the flat 400, 22.39 in the 200, a wind-aided 11.07 in the 100, and ran three sub 50 splits this past spring. (11/28/2018) ⚡AMP

Millinocket Maine needed a boost, sure. But not a handout. So Gary Allen started an entry free marathon to help the town

Long-distance runners have a reputation for being as wacky as they are driven. Gary Allen is proof positive of both.

As coach of the Mount Desert Island Middle School cross-country team, he trains his squad mostly by playing zombie invasion games behind the school. He has a screaming-loud stocking hat for every occasion. 

He’s ebullient and sometimes long-winded but knows how to affect reticence with an authenticity that would make any fellow Mainer proud. He treats everyone like his new best friend and begins each conversation with, “Hi. I’m Gary Allen.”

Allen has run a hundred marathons and won his age group in more than a few. In fact, he is one of a few worldwide who have run a sub-three-hour marathon in five different decades. 

He’s the founder of the Mount Desert Island Marathon and the Great Run, a six-hour ultramarathon where competitors simply run back and forth on Great Cranberry Island as many times as they can.  But none of that means much to the 4,500 people who call Millinocket, Maine USA home.

When they talk about a marathon, they’re talking about the one Allen first organized last year — the one that put the town on the long-distance map after Runner’s World picked up the story. The one that has more than 1,000 people clamoring to fly across the country for the opportunity to run here on December 10.

Like most of Allen’s schemes, this one started on a whim. Around Thanksgiving last year, he read yet another newspaper article characterizing Millinocket’s economic woes. 

“It’s not like I set out to find a little town to help. It’s more like a little town found me.” There’ve been a lot of those articles since the Great Northern paper mill closed here in 2008. In the years since, Millinocket has become a symbol for the failure of America’s manufacturing monotowns.

That doesn’t sit well with locals here. And it rubbed Allen the wrong way last fall too. Millinocket needed a boost, sure. But not a handout.

So Gary Allen decided to do what Gary Allen does best: he organized an impromptu marathon. This race was open to all and charged no entry fee. Instead, Allen suggested that participants take the money they would have spent on registration and spend it in Millinocket.

He didn’t advertise any of this except to post it to his Facebook page. Nonetheless, about 50 of his friends agreed to show up for what may well have been America’s first flash-mob marathon. Allen mapped the course on Google Earth.

It’s a gorgeous one: a lazy loop with lots of views of Katahdin and several miles on the iconic Golden Road, a 96-mile stretch of gravel connecting Millinocket and the Canadian border, before it drops back down into town for a finish at Veterans Memorial Park.

Allen warned participants that they’d need to be totally self-sufficient during the race. He printed out slips of paper detailing how to stay on the course. After they were done running, he figured they could have lunch or do some holiday shopping, then fuel up their cars and head home.

Millinocket might not even realize they’d been there. But word got out around in close-knit Millinocket. By the time Allen rolled into town, local businesses had emblazoned signs welcoming the runners. Locals set up a water station around the 5-mile mark and stood for hours guiding runners on the course and directing traffic. A cheering section assembled at the finish.

In other words, the marathon flash mob got flash-mobbed by the town they were supposed to be helping. And in that moment was born an unlikely love affair between one of Maine’s most charismatic runners and a town looking to get back on its feet.

After last year’s race, townspeople asked Allen if he’d organize another one. He agreed. And he said he thought he could make it bigger, better.

Earlier this year, he returned to Millinocket with a surveyor who could certify the course as an official Boston Marathon qualifier — the only one in the country without an entry fee.

As it turned out, Allen’s hastily drawn loop on Google Earth was less than 50 yards off the exact required distance. While Allen and the surveyor were in town, a total stranger offered the two men a house to stay in for as long as they needed.

That, says Allen, is the spirit of Millinocket — and Mainers in general, for that matter. For decades, the town was known as the “Magic City,” a nod to how it seemed to have sprung up overnight in what had previously been untrammeled wilderness.

Millinocket, founded in 1901, is but a blip. And like the Greek goddess Athena, it seemed to emerge fully formed from the mill itself — first as dozens of tar-paper shacks and rooming houses; soon after, as an Anytown, USA, with a bustling main drag and orderly blocks of houses. (Photo by Michael Wilson)

(11/28/2018) ⚡AMP
by Kathryn Miles

Chris Weir has been training in a produce plant in Dallas as he gets ready to run the Antarctic Ice Marathon

Christopher Weir, is an avid marathon runner, among many other athletic pursuits. Chris, a successful Dallas businessman, has run the Dallas marathon four times and the New Orleans marathon once during the last few years. Running and finishing a marathon is special but after you’ve done it again and again, with thousands of others at each event; what do you do for an encore? Well, leave it to Chris to transcend from the mundane to the extraordinary. On December 13, the fourteenth Antarctic Ice Marathon will take place just a few hundred miles from the South Pole at the foot of the Ellsworth Mountains, the highest mountain ranges in Antarctica. Chris Weir will be on the starting line this year.  He has been training by running in the ice-cold environment of a produce plant in Dallas.  For Chris, the journey begins by flying to Punta Arenas, Chile on December 10. During the next 24 hours he, and the 54 other competitors from 14 countries around the world, will undergo a briefing about the marathon and the conditions under which it will be run. On December 12, the entire group will be transported by private jet for the four hour flight to Union Glacier, Antarctica, the icy location of the marathon. Union Glacier Camp is only accessible by air and the aircraft will land on a naturally-occurring ice runway on the Union Glacier, where competitors will take their first steps in Antarctica. Then, they will climb aboard a specially adapted van for a five mile ride to camp, where final preparations will be made for the epic event the following day. (11/28/2018) ⚡AMP