Running News Daily

Sara Hall sets course record at Gasparilla half as she gets ready for Boston

Stephanie Bruce returned Sunday to defend her title at the Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic half-marathon. She ran a blistering pace, shaving 50 seconds off her time from last year to finish well under the course record. Still, it was not enough to maintain the record or her title. Running by her side throughout the race was Sara Hall, a veteran distance runner. Hall surged ahead in the last 200 meters to win in one hour, 12 minutes, finishing one second ahead of Bruce. Hall used the Gasparilla half-marathon as a tuneup for the Boston Marathon on April 16. She has run in a series of races, from half-marathons to marathons, all while logging 120 miles a week. The volume of miles is part of the preparation, mentally and physically. "Part of the marathon buildup is you're running on tired legs," Hall said. "You have to always convince yourself there's more there. In a marathon, the first half tires you out and then you have to tell yourself there's another gear there." (02/25/2018) ⚡AMP

The Malta Marathon is the biggest athletic event on the Island

The Malta Marathon is the biggest athletic event on the island and now in its 33rd edition, saw thousands of athletes compete. A total of 3,700 people registered for the races with 960 for the marathon. Malta is located in the center of the Mediterranean Sea and is the southernmost European country. Malta is halfway between Gibraltar and Alexandria and between Sicily and North Africa... Six-time Malta Marathon winner Mohammed Hajjy had to settle for second place in the 2018 edition on Sunday morning, being narrowly beaten to the finish line by Moroccan compatriot Said El-Baazouzi. in 2:18:31, with Hajjy making it in 2:18:58. Polish runner Anna Wasik was the first female with 2:53:47. (02/25/2018) ⚡AMP

Yuta Shitara sets Japanese National Maraton Record and wins $936,000 bonus

Seventh at 35 kilometres, Yuta Shitara roared back to second soon after 40k to finish second in 2:06:11, breaking Toshinari Takaoka’s Japanese national record of 2:06:16 set in 2002. Shitara’s accomplishment was significant, with the applause as he crossed the finish line heard far and wide. Shitara, 26, is now the first Japanese man to simultaneously hold the national records in both the marathon and half marathon. Yuta earned a 100 million Yen bonus (936,000us) for setting the record. This bonus was established a couple of years ago to encourage Japanese’s runners be prepared for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. With six runners from Japan running faster than 2:09, the program is working. (02/25/2018) ⚡AMP

Dickson Chumba wins the Tokyo Marathon again...six Japanese Runners under 2:09

Kenya’s Dickson Chumba (the 2014 Tokyo and 2015 Chicago champion) opened a nice gap as they approach 38km and went on to win in 2:05:29.

At 40k Japan’s Yuta Shitara takes another swig from his festive bottle and grits his teeth as he hunts down and passes Amos Kipruto.

This is a man on a mission! Yuta Shitara did not let up and accomplished the following: 1. Ran a Japanese marathon record of 2:06:11 2. Finished 2nd in the Tokyo Marathon (highest finish ever by a Japanese man at a World Marathon Major) 3. Won 100 million yen for setting the NR. That's $936,000US.

Wilson Kipsang dropped out at 15k...Amy Cragg finished third in the women’s race taking five minutes off her PR. (2:21:42). Ethiopian’s Birhane Dibaba won the female race in 2:19:51.

This year’s race was the biggest field ever with 35,500 starters.

(02/24/2018) ⚡AMP

Adidas looks to break the 2-hour marathon barrier with the Adizero Sub2

When you’re running 26.2 miles, every last ounce of weight you’re carrying counts. And now, Adidas is finding ways to reduce that load. The athletic company believes that the secret to breaking the two hour barrier when it comes to the marathon is in a shoe. Specifically, the Adizero Sub2. Designed in conjunction with some of the most talented distance runners in the world, this sneaker boasts Adidas’ new Boost Lite midsole. Most importantly, however, the Adizero Sub2 is said to be the “most advanced, fast and lightweight running shoe ever created by Adidas.” A key collaborator in Adidas’ quest to empower the sub-two-hour marathon race has been Wilson Kipsang. The Kenyan athlete won the bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and ran the fastest race held in Japan at last year’s Tokyo Marathon with a time of 2:03:58. (02/24/2018) ⚡AMP

Her running partner was out on a routine run when she was hit by a car. Cara made a promise to her...

Cara Koprowski of Longwood holds the shirt she plans to wear when she runs the Disney Princess Half Marathon on Sunday in honor of her late friend, It was last St. Patrick’s Day, and Cara Koprowski of Longwood was preparing breakfast for her family. She did not learn the awful truth until hours after that initial transmission.“Your friend, Amy, was hit by a car this morning while running. Before she died, Higgins, 50, made Koprowski promise that she would run the Disney Princess Half Marathon. Koprowski will fulfill that pledge early Sunday morning in the 13.1-mile race that will begin and end at Epcot. “I’ve never felt that broken,’’ said Koprowski, a fourth-grade teacher at Wekiva Elementary School. Koprowski, 43, met Higgins after her family moved to Silverdale, Wash., near Seattle, after the Navy transferred her husband there. Higgins was a second-grade teacher when Koprowski got a job at the same school. (02/24/2018) ⚡AMP

Al Gordon lived to be 107 and started running marathons in his 80’s

After a week in New York that featured a snowstorm followed by temperatures nearing 80 degrees, runners in the NYRR Al Gordon Brooklyn 4M enjoyed a comparatively calm and pleasant 50-degree morning. The event is named for a longtime NYRR board member who began running marathons in his 80s, and who embodied NYRR's "Run for Life" motto as he lived to age 107. As NYRR celebrates its own 60th anniversary in 2018, this year's race marked the 28th running of an NYRR event in Gordon's honor. The race up front led to two new event records, as Harbert Okuti crossed the finish in 19:25 and Roberta Groner 22:04. Besides being a runner Al Gordon (1901 - 2009) was an American businessman who transformed the Wall Street firm of Kidder Peabody. He bought the firm in 1931 and remained its chairman until selling it to General Electric in 1986. He continued working even as he reached 100. (02/24/2018) ⚡AMP

Runners of all ages and mileage will enjoy Scott Ludwig’s Running Out of Gas

It's inevitable that all runners who have been pounding the pavement for a very long time will eventually slow down. Having run every day since November 30, 1978, Scott Ludwig certainly falls into this category. Considering that he can no longer run a single mile in the pace he ran 26 of them when he set his first marathon best many years ago, Ludwig finds he is ready to accept the reality of slowing down with age. Now that he has entered the ranks of the "grizzled veterans," he is ready to offer runners all the wisdom and insight he gained from his many years--and miles--on the roads and trails. A "do as I say, not as I do" runner, Ludwig has compiled his advice for runners who find they may not run quite as fast as they used to in Running Out of Gas, a humorous take on aging gracefully. Scott will be sharing his wisdom in this column. (02/24/2018) ⚡AMP

Harry Jones made a do or die move in epic three-way battle for 9 Dragons ultra

British runner wins 80km ultra by two minutes after lead changes hands over and over in a race that could have been anyones. Harry Jones was left with no choice but to make a mad move early to secure first place on the 9 Dragons 50-mile ultra marathon. British runner Jones had been battling with Chinese runner Deng Goumin and Hong Kong-based Austrian Michael Skobierski since the race started at midnight on Friday night. A kilometre out from the final check point he broke from the other runners – a risky move with 6km still to run. “It could have been any of us that won. It was a matter of grit and determination but I was lucky I made the move when I did.” Harry finished in 10 hours 41 minutes, ahead of Deng in 10:43 and Skobierski in 10:50 (02/24/2018) ⚡AMP

Billy Mills’ dad told him, someday, son you’ll have wings of an Eagle

DID YOU KNOW: Australia’s world record holder Ron Clarke was the favorite in the 10000m at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. America’s Billy Mills (26), remembers, “I was diagnosed as hypoglycaemic: low blood sugar. I didn’t know if I could finish...But I just tried to stay with the leaders, lap after lap after lap.” Then came the moment that inspired Mills. Spotting the eagle embroidered on the shirt of a German runner, he cast his mind back to his childhood and kicked for home. “The wings of an eagle!” Billy says. “Back to my dad...‘Son, someday you’ll have wings of an eagle’. I may never be this close again. I’ve got to do it now...Then I felt the tape break across my chest. A Japanese man asked ‘Who are you?’ And I thought I’d miscounted the laps: ‘Finished’ You are the new Olympic champion’.” In a breathtaking final lap watched by a crowd of 85,000 and millions of TV viewers around the world, Mills stunned everyone, bursting into the lead and breaking the tape in a new Olympic record time of 28:24.4, 50 seconds faster than his previous PR. (02/23/2018) ⚡AMP

Some bold predictions at the Tokyo Marathon press conference Friday

After stepping up to the big leagues last year with course records in the 2:03 and 2:19 range, the Tokyo Marathon hopes to go one better this year. Men's course record setter Wilson Kipsang (Kenya) is back, stepping up from a 2:03:50 prediction for Tokyo in January to a 2:02:50 world record prediction at Friday's pre-race press conference. The top-ranked woman is Ruti Aga (Ethiopia), coming in hot off a 1:06:39 win last month in Houston and turning heads at the press conference with a boldly mumbled 2:18:00 prediction. Alongside Aga's brash 2:18:00 prediction, Amy Cragg (USA) said she hoped to run 2:22:59 with the caveat that while she'd like to run a fast time her priority would be placing in the top three. (02/23/2018) ⚡AMP

Runners will share in the $112,000 in prize money at the Okpekpe 10K Road Race

Athletes coming to compete at the sixth edition of the annual Okpekpe Road Race will have more cause to celebrate as the organisers have increased the prize money for the 10km Road Race. The race scheduled to take place in Okpekpe near Auchi, Edo State on May 12, will see athletes share $112,000 as prize money, $22,000 more than the $90,000 on offer during the last edition, according to the organisers. In the new outlay, the winner in each gender category will be going home with $20,000 while $13,000 and $9,000 respectively will go to the second and third placed finishers. Spokesman for the race Dare Esan says the increase in the prize money is inevitable because of the elevated status of the race. (02/23/2018) ⚡AMP

Ethiopians Assefa and Debebe lead the elite field at the Zurich Marathon

Ethiopians Fikre Assefa and Zinash Debebe will be among the favourites at the Zurich Marathon de Sevilla. The race, which boasts one of the flattest courses worldwide, will also serve as the Spanish championships for the distance which has attracted the local crème.Assefa seems to be the field’s most in-form runner as he finished last year on a high by setting a career best of 2:08:36 in Kosice for second, his first ever sub-2:10 clocking.The women’s event features a fine Ethiopian contingent including Zinash Debebe, who set her career best of 2:30:38 in Beirut last November. (02/23/2018) ⚡AMP

Maybe the most beautiful marathon course in the world?

The Sparkasse 3-Lander Marathon is unique in that runners will pass through three different countries. The marathon starts from the beautiful Island of Lindau-habour, then passes through the Austrian towns Lochau, Bregenz, Hard, Höchst, it then crosses the Swiss border at St. Margreten and continues across the Rheindamm back to Hard and finally finishes in Bregenz. 60% of the course takes place along Lake Constance. This Oct 7th race is for sure a bucket list type of event. (02/23/2018) ⚡AMP

California International Marathon Earns Gold Level Certification

The 2017 CIM produced by the Sacramento Running Association has officially earned gold level certification from the Council for Responsible Sport, an Oregon-based nonprofit that provides objective, independent verification of the socially and environmentally responsible work that sports event organizers do to make a difference in their communities.“I am so proud of the hard work of our staff, Board, and volunteers to comprehensively integrate sustainability into our race planning and operations processes at CIM,” said Race Director Eli Asch. “We strive to be a leader in our events’ positive impact on our community, and this recognition by the Council as a gold-level sustainable event is a testament to those efforts. (02/23/2018) ⚡AMP

Ovarian cancer survivor Going to run the Toughest Foot Race on the Planet

Heather Hawkins will run in the 2018 Marathon Des Sables – known as the world’s toughest foot race – to raise money and awareness for Ovarian Cancer Australia. The gruelling physical and mental 10-day test across 250 kilometres of the Sahara begins on April 8. Even getting to the start will be quite the journey for a woman who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer 11 years ago. “I had surgery within 10 days,” she says. “The gynaecological surgeon … removed an 18-centimetre tumour and I had a full hysterectomy.” Afterwards, Ms Hawkins chose a non-invasive surveillance program over chemotherapy. She also embarked on a fitness regime, she signed up the four-kilometre Mother’s Day Classic. And more events, each longer than the last, and now she is going to run 250k. (02/23/2018) ⚡AMP
Epic Running Adventures

America’s Amy Cragg wants to PR at the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday

Most of the talk about the Tokyo Marathon has been focused on the men’s race. Tad Hayano, the Tokyo Marathon Race Director says, “In women’s race, the 2015 world marathon silver medallist Hellah Kiprop and Purity Rionoripo, who clocked her personal best of 2:20:55 to win Paris Marathon last year, are the only Kenyans in the race. They will face Ethiopia’s two-time Olympic 5,000m champion Meseret Defar, who is making her marathon debut after being out of action for two years. The other Ethiopians in the line-up include Shure Demise, Ruti Aga and Birhane Dibaba, who makes her fifth consecutive appearance in Tokyo Marathon.” World marathon bronze medallist Amy Cragg (USA) has said her main goal at the Tokyo Marathon is to improve her 2:27:03 PR. (02/22/2018) ⚡AMP

What is the Best Diet for a Marathon

Easy - eat the same stuff you normally do. Now is not the time to start experimenting with new foods that might mess with your stomach. If you're looking for general nutritional advice, I feel like you can't go wrong with a mostly vegetarian diet, focusing on whole foods. Get a decent amount of protein from lean meats/fish, healthy fats from nuts/avocados/peanut butter, carbs from stuff like potatoes or whole-grain pasta. In the 2-3 days before the marathon, if you want to carb load, do so but do it smartly. Carb loading is not eating three times servings of pasta at each meal - it's replacing your normal protein/fat intake with carbs instead, but you should still be eating roughly the same caloric amount. Overeating right before a marathon is a recipe for disaster. You should also be carb loading 2-3 days in advance - the dinner before the race will be too late for your body to properly store and make use of the excess glycogen. If you haven't started yet, start experimenting with GUs/energy intake during your long runs and find what works so you don't risk an upset stomach on race day. (From Hooch Pandersnatch) (02/22/2018) ⚡AMP

New Zealand's first Ultra staged Run starts on Sunday

The Alps 2 Ocean Ultra (New Zealand's first ultra-staged race) will see 130 runners from 15 countries on the start line looking towards a finish in Oamaru seven days later after covering 316-kilometres following the off road Alps 2 Ocean cycle trail for much of the journey. Race director Mike Sandri says, "This run will not be easy and you will be pushed to your limit. You will get tired, sore, hungry and may even get the odd blister - all those things that go with ultra-stage running. But at the same time, I guarantee when you get back home and have recovered, you will have loved it and most importantly have met some amazing people." (02/22/2018) ⚡AMP
Epic Running Adventures

The Diacore Gaborone Marathon is now offering a 1 Million Pula Prize

In an unprecedented move, Diacore Gaborone Marathon (about 10 miles from the South African border) kicks off the year with a groundbreaking reward, calling on the fastest runners worldwide. It is with great enthusiasm that Diacore announces that 1 million pula ($105,000US) will be up for grabs for the first runner to complete the 42.2km Marathon in under 2 hours and 08 minutes. This is a monumental move as it will not only put the current Diacore Gaborone Marathon 42.2km record of 2 hours and 17 minutes into contention, but is also sure to attract elite runners from across the world. (02/22/2018) ⚡AMP

Dean Wight will be running his 27th Comrades Marathon

The name, Dean Wight, is synonymous with running and the man behind that name has organized copious running events and this year will run the Comrades Marathon as an ambassador for the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust. The Gillitts, South Africa resident said his journey into the world of running began when he was invited to attend a fun run when he was 11 years old. From that single race, his passion and love for the sport has grown in leaps and bounds. Dean has run 26 Comrades Marathons, 117 standard marathons and 51 ultra marathons. (02/22/2018) ⚡AMP

Andy Bell dropped 100 pounds and now is training to run Boston at 7:30 pace

About 5 1/2 years ago, Andy Bell was taking medication for his blood pressure, cholesterol and anxiety. He looked at the scale and saw it read 265 pounds. Bell's wife, suggested running in the SMT Turkey Trot — a Thanksgiving Day 5K. “To be honest, I thought that was really stupid," Bell said. "I didn’t know why anyone would want to run on Thanksgiving morning.” In the 5 1/2 years since that first 5K, Bell has run 100 Spartan Races. He lost 100 pounds, then put on 15 of pure muscle. He picks out one medal in particular, from the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton. The 2016 race was one of the first qualifying events for the 2018 Boston Marathon. The man who once couldn't run two minutes is now planning to run Boston at a 7:30 per mile pace or better. (02/22/2018) ⚡AMP

This will be my 25th year running the Carlsbad 5000 March 25

“I first ran the Carlsbad 5000 in 1994,“ says Bob Anderson “I was 46-years old and what attracted me to the race in Carlsbad, California was three things. First, there were multiple races (start times) for different age groups (Including men 40 plus). They even had a separate elite race featuring some of the world’s best runner. Second, the city of Carlsbad is a real gem. Third, the super fast course that Steve Scott set up...This will be number 25 for me, running in the 70-74 age group this year. I have run as fast as 17:08 in 1997 and as slow as 42:12 in 2010 when I walked it after fracturing two ribs two days earlier. But I bounced back the next year and ran 19:53 at age 63.” Bob and his wife Catherine drive down from Los Altos each year on Friday to relax and enjoy the town. (02/22/2018) ⚡AMP

Inma Zanoguera Former UT basketball player set for Sahara Marathon

Zanoguera isn’t sure what she’ll get out her first marathon. The basketball player has eagerly awaited this moment, and now it’s just days away. Though she’s returned to UT for graduate school, she has tirelessly trained since the summer. But she’s not just passionate because it’s a challenge — it will be unmistakably challenging, especially given that the race is in the Sahara Desert. Zanoguera is bringing awareness to a refugee issue in Tindouf, Algeria, that turns out to affect her far more personally than she ever grew up wanting to know. “The thing about the truth is that it always comes out,” Zanoguera said. “If you don’t find it, it’ll find you and it’ll eat you alive.” (02/22/2018) ⚡AMP

Do Runners Even Need to Replace Electrolytes?

Pretty much any sports drink you can find on the market will have three main ingredients: water, sugar, and electrolytes....When we talk about “electrolytes,” we’re primarily referring to sodium ions, which make up the bulk of the non-water content of your sweat. Sodium is what makes your sweat taste salty, and it’s the primary constituent of the electrolytes lost in sweat. Some potassium is lost in sweat as well, but potassium losses are about one-tenth of sodium losses. According to traditional logic, if you’re losing electrolytes in your sweat, you need to replace them with a sports drink. Some people have even suggested that rehydrating without replacing electrolytes lost in sweat can lead to hyponatremia, a dangerous medical condition where the sodium levels in your blood are too low. But scientific research paints a different picture. Although electrolytes are indeed lost in sweat, they are at a lower concentration in sweat than in blood. So as you sweat more and become dehydrated, the sodium levels in your body rise, as the fractional losses of sodium have a concentrating effect. (02/22/2018) ⚡AMP

Amid the chaos she escapes the business of life to run...It gives her peace

Balancing a life of motherhood and elite athletic training is no small task. With a husband, four children and a job, Suzi Swinehart has had to learn the art of balance as her time gets split between training, award ceremonies, sports events, homework help, children bickering, cleaning, grocery shopping and cooking. The Fort Wayne, Ind woman is an ultra runner and runs 80 to 100 miles per week. On top of rigorous training, she takes care of her family and works part-time as a behavior therapist. “There are days when my brain just spins and spins,” she says. “It can be extremely stressful.” Amid the chaos, time seems to slow when Swinehart escapes the business of life to run. “It's like therapy for me,” she says. “It gives me peace.” As an ultra runner, she recently participated in a 24-hour running event. She ran 128 miles – 28 miles farther than her personal record and two miles farther than her goal of beating the men's record for that course. (02/22/2018) ⚡AMP

This study found that runners live 3.2 years longer compared to non-runners

A study suggests the risk of premature death goes down when running shoes are laced up.

“We found that runners had a 3.2 years longer life expectancy, compared with non-runners,” said researchers in an article titled Running as a Key Lifestyle Medicine for Longevity, published in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases.

Reporting that runners have a 25 to 40 per cent reduced risk of premature mortality, the researchers — who hail from Harvard Medical School, Iowa State University, Hartford Hospital, University of South Carolina and University of Queensland School of Medicine — noted that running protects against cardiovascular disease and cancer, two leading causes of death in developed countries.

(02/21/2018) ⚡AMP

Kipsang's brother will be one of his pacemakers on Sunday

"I missed out on the world record narrowly last year (Tokyo Marathon) and I want to see if I can be able to achieve that time on Sunday with my pacemakers," Wilson Kipsang said Monday before his departure to Japan.

Interestingly, Kipsang’s brother, Noah Kiprotich will be among the pacemakers for Sunday’s race. Kiprotich, who has been training alongside Kipsang, is optimistic that he will be able to help his brother lower the course record.

“I’m privileged to be among the top cream of pacemakers in Tokyo and our mission is to help my brother lower the course record and if possible break the world record time,” he said, after a training session with Kipsang. Kiprotich, 29, has been participating in road races and has a personal best of 60:25 achieved at last year’s Udine Half marathon triumph in Italy.

(02/21/2018) ⚡AMP

Plogga is a hot new trend for Runners in Sweden to help save the planet

Founded in 2016 by Swedish environmentalist Erik Ahlström, plogga involves organized running groups equipped with gloves and garbage bags picking up garbage while out on a jog. It is a way to clean up our streets and prevent our oceans from being filled with plastic and garbage. Everyone can help since it’s as easy as picking up a piece of plastic on the side of the road while getting your daily exercise. “For years I have tried to change a behavior that I think is a sign of an unhealthy society without respect for each other, and that is littering. The solution is simple,” says Erik Ahlström, the founder of Plogga. “Sounds like a good way to keep our trails and sidewalk clear of trash. Maybe do a regular workout first or last and do this as a cool down or warm up OR just do a Plogga,” says Bob Anderson. (02/21/2018) ⚡AMP

Allison Macsas qualified for 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials on tough course

“Winning the Austin Marathon for the second time was even more magical than the first,” said Alison Macsas. “The amount of hometown support coupled with a deeper field and cool weather helped me feel stronger than I had thought possible, and ended with an OTQ which was a huge surprise! The entire event was incredibly well-executed and I can’t think of a more rewarding place to win a marathon than here in Austin.” The highlight of the day featured Allison Macsas qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials on the revamped marathon course, finishing in 2:43:11, in front of family and friends. (02/21/2018) ⚡AMP

World's Women-only Nagoya Marathon Elite Field is very strong

The Nagoya Women's Marathon is the largest women-only marathon in the world, one with a long history as an elite race and adapting to the times with a mass-participation field of 20,000. The last few years it has seen a series of dynamic, high-level performances by top Japanese women, from Sairi Maeda's 2:22:48 in 2015 to the 2:23:19 to 2:23:20 sprint finish battle between Tomomi Tanaka and Rei Ohara in 2016 to Yuka Ando's stellar 2:21:36 debut and teammate Mao Kiyota's 2:23:47 breakthrough last year. Maeda, Ohara and Kiyota all return this year to face the Kenyan trio of Lucy Kabuu, Valary Jemeli and Flomena Cheyech Daniel. (02/21/2018) ⚡AMP

When I first saw the Boston Marathon in 1964 I fell in Love and I ran it in 1966

In 1966 23-year-old Bobbi Gibb from Massachusetts laced up a pair of boy’s running shoes, sprang from some bushes in Hopkinton, Mass., and proceeded to set a record that can never be beat. She was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon. And she did it in defiance of race officials who proclaimed women were incapable of running any such distance. In fact, she and all women were banned. Today, hundreds of thousands of women finish marathons regularly and while they may not even be aware of it, they owe something to Bobbi. She is now in her 70's, has written a book Wind In The Fire and a movie by the same name is under development by Yarrow Kraner. (02/21/2018) ⚡AMP

It is never to late to run your first Marathon says 72-year-old Breast cancer survivor

You could say passion for sport runs in the Liptak family, from former Crows footballer Matthew to personal trainer Anna. Now the siblings’ mother, 72-year-old Margaret Liptak, is taking on her biggest fitness challenge of all — attempting her first marathon at the New York City Marathon in November. The 42km route will be a big challenge for Mrs Liptak, but her daughter Anna will be there every step of the way. She says crossing the finish line with Anna would be “just wonderful.” “That is really my main inspiration. I am not sure I’ll be able to complete it ... but I am hopeful.” Mrs Liptak is no stranger to challenges, having overcome breast cancer following a diagnosis a few years ago. (02/21/2018) ⚡AMP

I liked the way I felt after finishing a run and have never missed a day in nearly 38 years

Lois Bastien of Pinellas Park, Florida, who is 81, has run at least one mile everyday for 37.85 years (13,823 days as of today), which is the longest female streak in the US.

"It wasn't a conscious decision, nor a New Year's resolution," she says. "I was just being a good mom and supporting a daughter who wanted to make her high school cross country team. That was 37 years ago," says Lois, now a great-grandmother.

"I've just been at it every day since." Her then-teenage daughter developed knee problems and had to stop running.

"But I liked the way I felt after finishing a run, full of vigor and glad to be alive, so I kept going. It is just part of my daily routine," Lois says.

(02/20/2018) ⚡AMP

After seven week break Kawauchi runs another sub 2:12 marathon - his 26th

After a seven-week break from the marathon, Yuki Kawauchi scored his third-straight marathon win, second-straight course record and came just shy of a third-straight negative split as he ran a completely solo 2:11:46 to take almost six minutes off the Kitakyushu Marathon course record.

Following up on negative split wins at December's Hofu Yomiuri Marathon and January's Marshfield New Year's Day Marathon, the latter a course record by half an hour, Kawauchi was on his own in Kitakyushu the whole way.

After a 1:05:51 split at halfway he slowed slightly finishing the second half in 1:05:55. Along with the course record, Kawauchi extended his record for most career sub-2:12 marathons to 26 as he continues to prepare for the Boston Marathon.

(02/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenya’s Francis Kiplagat was killed late Monday in grisly road accident

Kenyan Athlete Francis Kiplagat was among those who perished in a tragic road accident along the Nakuru-Nairobi Highway late Monday night. The athletes were travelling back to Eldoret after spending the day in Nairobi processing travel visas to compete abroad including the Paris half marathon. Kiplagat, 28, is credited with nine career victories by the Association of Road Running Statisticians, with lifetime bests of 14:58 (5km), 29:45 (10km), 62:49 (Half Marathon) and 2:15:57 (Marathon). (02/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Top eight America’s Cities for Trail Running - number eight is NY Central Park!

You don’t have to go far to hit these sweet trails 1. Santa Fe, New Mexico The Dale Ball Trails 2. Boulder, Colorado with more than 200 miles of trails 3. Madison, Wisconsin winding around and between four lakes 4. Austin, Texas with 19,000 acres of parks 5. Ann Arbor, Michigan Potawatomi Trail offers up 17.5 miles of trails 6. Washington, DC 2,000-acre Rock Creek Park 7. Nashville, Tennessee Warner Park Trails system 8. New York, New York No, that’s not a misprint, there are dozens of miles of trails in Central Park. Trail Running at it's best. (02/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Could Running at Night Make You Faster?

While the piqued pace may be a nighttime illusion, some research suggests evening workouts are indeed more energy-efficient, powerful, and allow for higher endurance compared to morning workouts . But how? Studies chalk this up to circadian rhythms and the fact that our body’s metabolism, mood, appetite, and other functions peak at different times of day. Similar research suggests that lung function, alertness, and flexibility are also enhanced in the evening (02/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Boston bound Dan has fought cancer twice and believes good health is a gift

Dan O’Connell has fought cancer twice and expects to battle it again. Believing every day of good health is a gift, he’s driven to run the 2018 Boston Marathon as a member of Massachusetts General Hospital’s Emergency Response Marathon Team. The 50-year-old will raise money to support the hospital’s emergency care and disaster relief and preparedness efforts. As a lieutenant firefighter and paramedic for the Dennis (Massachusetts) Fire Department, Dan wants to help Mass General because he has an understanding of and appreciation for the hospital’s treatment of critically injured patients. (02/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Ultra-marathon man ready to run the Toughest Foot Race On Earth

In just 2 months, Evan Laframboise will be taking part in the Marathon des Sables in Morocco, an infamous challenge which was dubbed the ‘toughest foot race on earth’ by the Discovery Channel. The ultra-marathon covers 155 miles (250 km) over 6 days and requires runners to be self-sufficient, meaning competitors must carry all their own food, equipment and clothing. The participants are only supplied with rationed water and a bivouac – a temporary tent or cover used by soldiers and mountaineers – to sleep under every night. Laframboise said he wants to raise $7,000 for the local charity Variety, which supports children and their families living in Jersey who are sick or disabled. (02/20/2018) ⚡AMP
Epic Adventures

73-year-old Larry Macon has completed 2,021 Marathons

Larry Macon, has completed 2,021 marathons so far, and averages about a hundred a year. Those numbers seem pretty mighty to most, but Macon is unfazed by his own accomplishments. "Oh it's no big deal," he said. "They think I'm deranged, but hey, I don't disagree with them."All of it started with a lie he told to his friends."They said, 'hey Larry, what'd you do this weekend?' I hadn't done a daggone thing. But I looked down at the newspaper and I said, 'oh, I'm preparing for a marathon.' That lie led him to Gulfport on Monday. He was one of dozens of runners participating in the Gulf Coast Series for Mainly Marathons, which consists of five races in five states in five days. (02/20/2018) ⚡AMP

83-year-old Grandmother training for the London marathon!

Jean Harcourt is 83-years-old, this great-grandmother has decided to train for the London marathon. Jean hasn’t chosen to do a marathon to tick it off a list or feel smug about her accomplishments. She decided to start training as a way to cope with the sudden death of her brother Danny, who passed away of a heart attack in October 2016. After reading an article that advised doing something that seems impossible to help with the loss of a loved one, Jean settled on a marathon, having run one 14 years before and thought ‘never again’. She started training in June last year, starting by jogging for just a minute a day. She’s now running 36 miles a week. (02/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Dealing with the elements in the winter months

Experts say there are solid reasons to brave the elements and exercise outside in the winter months. You may weigh less after a grueling summer run that drains your body of fluids, but you burn more calories running the same route in cold weather because your body must work harder to stay warm....”Eyeing the frost outside,” says Tanya Isch Caylor, “I wonder if I’m wearing enough layers. But when I finally hop out and mention the cold to my sister, she shrugs. “It’s not that bad,” she says. “There’s no wind.” And just like that, I stop shivering — proving, once again, that when it comes to winter running, the proper mindset is the equivalent of an extra layer of clothing.” (Photo: A runner plowing through a snow drift during the Huff 50k Trail Race) (02/19/2018) ⚡AMP

Something you might not know about Marathon WR Holder Paula Radciffe

DID YOU KNOW? Paula Radcliffe may be defined by her incredible accomplishments in the marathon but there is little doubting the significance the half marathon played, and more specifically the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, in her success over the iconic marathon distance. A little over six weeks after the bitter disappointment of finishing fourth in the 10,000m at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the British distance runner opted to enter her first IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in the Mexican port city of Veracruz. Just two weeks earlier, Radcliffe had impressed on her half marathon debut running a European record of 1:07:07 at the Great North Run. Yet it was to be her display in blazing temperatures in Veracruz, where she secured her first global title. “I enjoyed the race so much and was very proud to win a global title,” says Radcliffe of her victory 18 years ago. “It reinforced in my mind the decision we had made to move towards the roads." (02/19/2018) ⚡AMP

Ethiopian´s Meseret Defar, To Make Marathon Debut In Tokyo

2-time Olympic 5000m champion Meseret Defar of Ethiopia will make her marathon debut at the Tokyo Marathon on February 25th. Ethiopia’s Meseret Defar is the leading name in the women’s field. A winner of 2 Olympic 5000m titles, 2 world 5000m titles and 4 world indoor 3000m titles, the 34-year-old has spent the past few years – when not injured or pregnant – making a gradual transition to the roads. She has won three half marathons on US soil and finished second at the 2013 Great North Run in 1:06:09. With track PBs of 8:23.72 for 3000m, 14:12.88 for 5000m and 29:59:20 for 10,000m, athletics fans will be keen to see what Defar manages on her marathon debut. (02/19/2018) ⚡AMP

Mother of four wins her third straight half marathon - Little Rock is next

Tia Stone, a 39-year-old mother of four children, captured her third straight women's overall title Sunday morning in the 11th annual Run the Line half-marathon. The Searcy, Ark., runner, who placed fourth overall, completed the 13.1-mile course in 1 hour, 25 minutes, 46 seconds. "This race is like a good practice run for me." said Stone, who will be running in the Little Rock Marathon in two weeks for the third straight year. "It was my dad that got me interested in running because he was a runner where I grew up in southeast Florida," she said. "I ran relays in high school as well as college." For Stone, Sunday's half marathon was just a warm up for a full marathon in Little Rock (02/19/2018) ⚡AMP

Man Wants to run a marathon in every European country to help his friend with M.E.

Over 4,800 people applied for the Malta Marathon - but for one man from the UK, this marathon is much more than a test of his endurance. "I’ve completed 14 marathons so far (UK, Czech Republic, Finland, Ireland, Sweden, Greece, France, Belgium, Poland, Spain, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Netherlands and Slovenia) with 15 left to go," he said. That's why Mike is currently running around Europe to complete 29 marathons to help raise money and awareness for biomedical research to find a cure for M.E. It was 10 years ago when Mike Harley's best friend Ian was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, or M.E. this is the only way I feel I can help him, by running marathons," said Mike. (02/19/2018) ⚡AMP

Is North Korea’s Kim Jung using the Olympics to spread his propaganda?

The IOC will facilitate participation by North Korean athletes in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as it did at the Winter Olympics in South Korea, IOC President Thomas Bach says. “We have always applied strict political neutrality, and the same will be done for Tokyo 2020,” Bach said Friday. “North Korea decided to take part in the Winter Olympics despite soaring tensions over its nuclear weapons and missile programs. This reply was posted on the Japan Times website, “ They should be banned... I'm sure that murderer Kim Jung is willing to pay plenty for an international stage for his propaganda. A North Korean watchdog group posted, “North Korea may have sent an official delegation of athletes, Kim Jong-un’s sister, and a large group of identically dressed female “cheerleaders” to the 2018 Winter Olympics, but an ordinary citizen of the communist country has yet to have access to any coverage of the events.” North Korea sent 22 athletes to Pyeongchang as part of a charm offensive after months of bellicose rhetoric and provocative missile launches. (02/18/2018) ⚡AMP

Kirui knows that every runner will want to beat him at this year’s Boston Marathon

Kenya's Geoffrey Kirui has cut short his holiday to start preparations so that he can be in the form of his life to defend the Boston Marathon title. Kirui said he is determined to win a second Boston Marathon title.

"I know it will not be easy this year because every runner will want to beat me. Winning a second Boston Marathon title attracts me," Kirui told KweséESPN.

The 2018 Boston Marathon (April 16) is going to have one of the best fields ever. The 24-year old who is training in the Kenyan town of Eldoret, said that he embarked on a training programme that worked wonders last year and he believes it will help him be in the best form.

"It is always very tough winning a Marathon title for two straight years, but I am very determined and hungry to make this happen," he added.

Kirui said he decided not to think about the Commonwealth Games and opted out because his key focus is winning the Boston Marathon again.

(02/18/2018) ⚡AMP

Understanding the limits of the Human Body

Once we believed the secret to optimal performance came from the muscles, the lungs, the heart. Then, we were told that it’s all in our head, and we just need to push through the pain. The truth is that “the brain and the body are fundamentally intertwined,” writes Alex Hutchinson, a fitness journalist (with a doctorate in physics) who competed for the Canadian national team as a runner. To understand the limits of the human body, you have to consider them together... One of the biggest surprises came when I was looking into limits of hydration and heat. Alberto Salazar almost died a few times after races. People always say it was because he didn’t drink enough. After the 1982 Boston Marathon (Duel in the Sun) his body temperature was something like 88 degrees...In running, you breathe hard and you think that oxygen is a limiting factor...From a physiological perspective, it is not because I am out of oxygen, it’s because my carbon dioxide levels are too high and are triggering a warning system in me. But these guys are able to ignore the warning system and just keep going. (02/18/2018) ⚡AMP