Running News Daily

The best ways to run faster by mastering this secret technique

Take flight with these tips to reduce the time your feet spend on the ground.

You’ve probably heard plenty about pace, nutrition and race-day tactics, but have you ever considered the impact of your ground contact time? Matt Fitzgerald, a renowned running coach and author, believes this often-overlooked detail could be the game changer in your training. Ground contact time (GCT) is all about running efficiency, and Fitzgerald has four practical strategies to help you master it.

GCT refers to the amount of time your foot spends on the ground during each stride, and research shows that lessening it can lead to faster and more efficient running. 

The secret to boosting speed

Fitzgerald highlights a critical point: the less time your foot is in contact with the ground, the faster you move. Elite runners often have the shortest GCT, because they’re able to apply force to the ground quickly and efficiently, keeping them airborne longer. A Finnish study on running mechanics and economy found that shorter GCT was strongly correlated with improved running efficiency and speed. In simpler terms, when your foot is on the ground, you’re not moving forward—so spending less time there is a key to getting faster.

Boost your power with speed training

Fitzgerald suggests incorporating fast running into your routine to help reduce your GCT. Adding a few sprints at max speed, or longer intervals at 5K pace, can train your legs to produce quicker, more powerful strides. This helps improve your ability to apply force rapidly, which in turn reduces your GCT.

Strengthen with plyometrics

Plyometric exercises like jumping drills and heavy weightlifting can increase leg stiffness–another important factor in minimizing GCT. Studies have shown that stronger, “stiffer” legs can absorb and return energy more efficiently, contributing to a quicker stride and improved running economy.

Switch to midfoot-striking

Research has also linked midfoot-striking with shorter GCT. Transitioning from heel-striking to midfoot-striking can naturally decrease the amount of time your foot is on the ground. In one study, midfoot strikers had a ground contact time of 183 milliseconds, compared to 199 milliseconds for heel strikers. Fitzgerald suggests paying attention to what part of your foot is taking the greatest impact when you run, and work on your stride to shift that area slightly forward. Mimicking running downhill by tilting very gently forward from the ankles will help your foot land underneath your hips.

Two-time Olympian Natasha Wodak to race TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

This will be the first appearance at the race in 11 years for the Canadian record holder.

Canada’s fastest-ever female marathoner, Natasha Wodak, has revealed her fall marathon plans. The Vancouver native, who is a two-time Olympian, will line up for the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Oct. 20, which doubles as both a World Athletics Elite Label event and the Canadian Marathon Championship. This will mark Wodak’s first appearance at this race in 11 years.

“I thought, Why don’t I go run the Canadian Marathon Championships in Toronto?” said Wodak. “I haven’t been there in 11 years, and that’s where I started this marathon journey. It’s an Asics event, I’m the Canadian record holder, and I haven’t won the Canadian Marathon Championship. I just really wanted to run in my country, surrounded by friends and family.”

Despite a challenging year where she missed qualification for the Paris Olympics, Wodak’s setbacks continue to fuel her world-class performances at 42. In 2023, she withdrew from the London Marathon after falling ill just days before the race, and later placed 15th at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, where she had hoped to achieve the Paris Olympic standard of 2:26:50. She also faced difficulties at the 2024 Houston Marathon, where a hamstring strain derailed her run. Although initially disappointed about not making her third Olympic team, Wodak was optimistic about the opportunities ahead.

“The Olympics is special for a reason—it’s very hard to get there!” she reflected. “I didn’t make it this time around, but I had a fun journey trying, and other doors have opened. I got to do the CBC broadcast for the women’s Olympic marathon, which was an amazing opportunity.”

Unsure of her fall racing plans, Wodak had initially considered targeting the national half-marathon record at the Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon, but decided to switch to the full marathon after consulting with her coach, Trent Stellingwerf.

Winning the Canadian Marathon Championships could also help Wodak qualify for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo next September, by earning her World Athletics points. “If I win and run decently in Toronto, it’s really good points, and I might not need to run the standard (2:23:30),” she explained. “I could possibly run a marathon in Japan in early March.”

The qualifying window for the marathon at the 2025 World Athletics Championships opened on Nov. 5, 2023. So far, no Canadian athletes have achieved the women’s standard of 2:23:30 or the men’s standard of 2:06:30. Wodak holds the Canadian marathon record at 2:23:12.

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, to be held on Oct. 20, is Canada’s premier running event and the grand finale of the Canada Running Series (CRS). Since 2017, the race has also served as the Athletics Canada marathon championship and Olympic trials.

Why older runners are rocking the trails

Recent performances by Jeff Browning and Ludo Pommeret suggest that trail runners age like fine wine.

A fascinating trend has emerged in trail and ultrarunning: athletes in their 40s and 50s are not just competing—they’re thriving. Recent performances by American ultrarunner Jeff Browning (53) and France’s Ludovic Pommeret (49) are putting to rest the common belief that athletic performance declines with age. Instead, these trail runners are proving that experience, mental resilience and a well-honed training regimen can defy the clock. Why are trail runners getting better with age, and how are they doing it?

The power of experience

One of the key reasons trail runners are excelling later in life is the accumulation of experience and mental resilience built over time. Running on technical trails requires quick decision-making and the ability to stay calm under pressure, qualities that often improve with age. Pommeret won the UTMB 176K race at age 41 and placed fourth at this year’s edition, at the age of 49, after winning Hardrock 100 only six weeks earlier. Some of his success can be attributed to years of experience, which has taught him to manage his energy efficiently, pace himself wisely and navigate challenging terrain with confidence.

Research supports this idea, suggesting that older athletes possess greater mental resilience, allowing them to maintain focus and composure during long, grueling races. This psychological edge often compensates for any slight physical declines, enabling veteran runners to stay competitive.

Adapted training and smarter recovery

Older trail runners are also better able to adapt their training to suit their aging bodies. Browning has consistently performed at the top level through his 40s and early 50s, most recently setting a supported FKT on the Colorado Trail at age 52 and placing second at this year’s Cocodona 250 (402 km) in Arizona. Browning emphasizes the importance of strength training, flexibility and strategic recovery. Instead of pushing through pain or ignoring signs of overtraining, experienced runners like Browning adjust their routines to prevent injury and enhance their longevity in the sport.

Research shows that strength training becomes increasingly important as we age, helping to maintain muscle mass, bone density and joint stability. Older athletes are also often more attuned to the need for adequate recovery, which is vital for avoiding burnout and ensuring sustainable performance.

Wisdom of pacing and nutrition

As trail runners age, they also tend to develop a keen sense of pacing and nutrition, partially due to familiarity with their own body. Unlike younger runners, who might go out too fast and burn out, more experienced runners understand the importance of conserving energy for the later stages of a race. They also become more meticulous about nutrition, recognizing that fueling their bodies properly can make the difference between finishing strong and hitting the wall.

Pommeret’s victory at the 2016 UTMB is a perfect example. After falling behind early in the race, Pommeret strategically paced himself, gradually working his way up the field to take the lead in the final miles. This kind of tactical acumen is often honed over years of racing experience.

Trail running is increasingly proving that age is just a number. with athletes like Pommeret and Browning demonstrating that with the right mix of experience, training adaptations, mental resilience and smart pacing, older runners can continue to compete—and win—at the highest levels.

Rebecca Cheptegei, died from full organ failure

Rebecca Cheptegei, died from full organ failure following a horrific attack by a former boyfriend on Sunday, which left her with burns covering 75 per cent of her body.

Rebecca Cheptegei, an Olympic marathoner for Uganda who competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics, tragically passed away on Thursday morning after reportedly being set on fire by her former boyfriend in Kenya. She was 33.

According to the Kenyan newspaper Nation, Owen Menach, the Director of Clinical Services and Surgery at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, confirmed that Cheptegei died around 5 a.m. local time due to “full organ failure.” This followed a horrific attack by her boyfriend at her home in Kenya on Sunday, which left her with burns covering 75 per cent of her body. She was admitted to the hospital in critical condition.

The alleged attacker, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, was also injured by the flames and is currently hospitalized. Neighbors reportedly overheard the couple arguing outside the house shortly before the attack. Both Cheptegei and Marangach were rescued from the fire by neighbors.

The Uganda Athletics Federation led tributes to Cheptegei on X (formerly Twitter), posting: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei, who tragically fell victim to domestic violence early this morning. As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice. May her soul rest in peace.”

Cheptegei finished 44th in the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics in August and previously won gold at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2022. She had a marathon best of 2:22:47.

Tragically, this is not the first instance of domestic violence involving elite female athletes in East Africa. In 2021, Kenya’s two-time 10,000m world championship bronze medalist, Agnes Tirop, was found stabbed to death by her husband at their home in Iten, Kenya. Tirop’s husband, Emmanuel Ibrahim Kipleting, was arrested after fleeing Iten and found hundreds of kilometers away. She was 25 at the time of her death.

Fuel your runs with the perfect fall granola

This nutritious granola is jam-packed with energy and incredible seasonal flavors.

As the crisp air of fall settles in, runners everywhere are lacing up their shoes to hit the trails. This time of the year calls for a diet that not only provides energy, but also aligns with the seasonal flavours we all love and look forward to all year long. Granola, with its versatile and nutritious profile, is the perfect fall pre-run or recovery snack for runners.

With its mix of oats, nuts and seeds, granola offers a blend of carbohydrates, healthy fats and proteins. Adding this blend to a smoothie bowl, yogurt, oatmeal or eating it as cereal with milk can elevate your fall mornings. I’m already an huge advocate for pre-run yogurt with granola, so this recipe will be a hit in my kitchen this fall. If you typically only go for a really light pre-run snack, this granola is excellent for giving you a boost of energy without weighing you down.

Ingredients

Yields 8 cups (~16 servings). Adapted from Cookie and Kate.

8 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

3 cups raw nuts and/or seeds (I used 3/4 cup pecans, 3/4 cup green pumpkin seeds/pepitas, 3/4 cup slivered almonds, 3/4 cup shredded coconut).

3/4 tsp table salt (or 2 tsp fine-grain sea salt)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup coconut oil, melted

1 cup maple syrup or honey

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups dried cranberries (can also use dried cherries, raisins or dried apricots)

2 tsp orange zest (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine oats, nuts, seeds, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Pour in the oil, maple syrup/honey, vanilla and orange zest (if using). Mix to lightly coat all oats and nuts. Pour granola onto the prepared pan and spread into an even layer with a spatula.

Bake for 21 to 24 minutes, or until lightly golden, stirring halfway. (If wanting extra-clumpy granola, press down with a spatula to create an even layer.)

Let granola sit for at least 45 minutes or until it cools completely. (The granola will continue to toast when cooling.)

Add dried fruits. Break into chunks with your hands or stir around with a spoon.

You can store the granola in an airtight container for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for up to three months. Let frozen granola warm to room temperature for five to 10 minutes before serving.

Some other nut alternatives include walnuts, cashews, peanuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts and sunflower seeds. To enhance the fall flavours, choose maple syrup over honey. Ground ginger and pumpkin-spice blends are also perfect alongside the cinnamon. Don’t skip the salt; this is key for bringing out the perfect blend of flavours and spices.

Kilian Jornet summits 82 Alpine peaks in 19 days

On Monday, Spain’s Kilian Jornet, four-time UTMB champion and a legend in ski mountaineering and climbing, completed his monumental mountain challenge to summit all 82 Alpine peaks over 4,000m high in only 19 days. Jornet shattered the previous Fastest Known Time (FKT) of 62 days, set in 2015 by Swiss alpinist Ueli Steck, who used a combination of cycling and paragliding.

Following his remarkable 10th victory at the Sierre-Zinal race (where he beat his own course record by a single second), Jornet embarked on a quest, dubbed “Alpine Connections,” to ascend as many of the 4,000-metre peaks in the Alps as possible, using only human-powered methods to travel between them. This endeavour seamlessly combined trail running, mountaineering, climbing and cycling.

In 2023, Jornet took on his toughest challenges yet, summiting all 177 peaks over 3,000 metres in the Pyrenees in just eight days. Reflecting on the feat at the time, he called it “one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done.” With the “Alpine Connections” project, Jornet pushed his limits even further as he continued to use only running or cycling between mountains, being careful to leave no trace that he was there.

Jornet started his journey in the Bernina range of eastern Switzerland. In just a few days, he conquered 10 peaks, covering 423 km with a staggering 19,831m of elevation gain. The early stages of the challenge tested both his physical and mental endurance, and Jornet worked closely with scientists to track the physical and mental demands of his trek. He also provided daily recaps, stats and tracking on the Nnormal blog, Strava and @nnormal_official.

Jornet faced other, more humourous challenges during his journey: at one point, police threatened to tow his vehicle when work needed to be done on the parking lot he had left it in—2,500km away, and 4,000 metres below him.

Upon reaching the summits of Dôme and Barre des Écrins (the westernmost peaks in the series) on Instagram, Jornet shared his thoughts on Instagram. “This was, without any doubt, the most challenging thing I’ve ever done in my life, mentally, physically, and technically, but also maybe the most beautiful.”

“It’s difficult to process all my emotions just now, but this is a journey that I will never forget. It’s time for a bit of rest now.”

New York Road Runners draws 20 Olympians to run in 5th Avenue Mile

The New York Road Runners New Balance 5th Avenue Mile is this Sunday, and it's sure to have plenty of Olympic spirit.

The nonprofit on Tuesday announced the event will draw 20 participants from the recent Summer Olympics in Paris.

Some of runners for the men's race include defending 5th Avenue Mile champion Josh Kerr, Robert Farken, Neil Gourley, Edwin Kurgat and Cathal Doyle.

On the women's side, U.S. Olympic medalist and world champion Emma Coburn will lead a field along with Marisa Howard, Emily Mackay, Whittni Morgan, Karissa Schweizer Courtney Wayment and several others.

"As I make my way back from injury, I can't think of a better event to make my comeback than returning to run the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile," Coburn said in a statement. "I've been training hard since my surgery, and lining up with this world-class group of athletes on this iconic course will feel so good."

The New Balance 5th Avenue Mile - the world's most iconic road mile race since 1981 - is one of 60 adult and youth races produced by NYRR.

The event will be televised live on WABC-TV from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., and be available across the country on ESPN+.

Ngetich to attempt world record on Valencia Half Marathon debut

World 10Km record holder Agnes Ngetich will lead an attempt on the 21km world record when she debuts at the Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich on October 27.

Ngetich returns to the city where she achieved her 10km world record of 28:46 (and 5km — 14:13) at the Valencia Ibercaja in January.

It's the city where Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey set the women’s half marathon record of 1:02.52 in 2021 and Kibiwott Kandie set the second fastest time in the world, 57:32, in 2020. 

Ngetich will lead the attempt on Gidey's mark in a race which has produced eight of the top 10-fastest times over the distance.

She faces tough competition from compatriots Lilian Kasait Rengeruk and Catherine Amanang'ole and Ethiopia's Tsigie Gebreselama.

In the men's category, Kenya's Daniel Mateiko (58:26) will challenge the Ethiopian duo of Yomif Kejelcha (57:41) and Selemon Barega (57:50).

The European battalion is led by Samuel Barata (Portugal), Pietro Riva (Italy), Amanal Petros (Germany) and Emile Cairess (Great Britain).

Marc Roig, coach of the event's international elite athletes, assessed this start list as: “the best half marathon this year, with high-level duels that aim, once again, to achieve 57-minute performances by several athletes.

"And a clear challenge to the stopwatch in the women's race. Never before has a debutant who has run a 10K in under 29 minutes taken to the start line. We are looking forward to seeing how fast the race will be on October 27.” 

Kerr aims for 'unprecedented' Olympic hat-trick

Josh Kerr is targeting an "unprecedented" hat-trick of Olympic 1500m medals after making history with his silver at this year's Paris Games.

The 26-year-old took bronze from the delayed 2020 Tokyo Games and became the first Scot to win at two different Olympics stagings, which he described as "a nice accolade for sure".

"That’s an awesome stat for me," he told Scottish Athletics.

"One more medal across the men’s 1500m in the Olympics would, I believe, be unprecedented and be the most anyone has ever had in that distance.

"So, I am trying to push Scotland into a really good spot and hopefully we can come away with a gold medal next time in Los Angeles [in 2028].

"I am looking for the full set."

Russia's Tatyana Tomashova stripped of silver in historic 2012 Olympic 1500m final doping scandal

Former Russian athlete Tatyana Tomashova stripped of 2012 Olympic silver for doping marking a significant scandal in athletics history.

Former Russian athlete Tatyana Tomashova has been stripped of her 2012 Olympic 1500m silver medal following the reanalysis of doping tests that revealed the use of prohibited substances.

The decision was announced on Tuesday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). At 49, Tomashova has faced a severe setback with a 10-year ban in addition to losing her Olympic medal.

The CAS statement detailed the tests conducted out of competition on June 21 and July 17, 2012, which showed traces of anabolic steroids.

These findings led to the disqualification of all Tomashova's competitive results from June 21, 2012, to January 3, 2015, including the forfeiture of titles, awards, and earnings.

"The Sole Arbitrator in charge of the matter found to her comfortable satisfaction that Ms. Tomashova committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) in relation to the 2012 Samples through violations of Rule 2.2 of the 2021 WA Anti-Doping Rules (WA ADR) (Use or Attempted Use of a Prohibited Substance or a Prohibited Method)," the CAS detailed in their release.

Further aggravating Tomashova's case was her doping history, including a previous two-year suspension in 2008. The arbitrator cited this history in deciding the severity of the sanctions.

"Turning to the sanction, taking into account a previous ADRV committed by Ms. Tomashova in 2008, the Sole Arbitrator determined the appropriate sanction applicable to multiple ADRVs to be the imposition of a ten-year period of ineligibility, commencing on this day, the date of the CAS decision, as well as the disqualification of all competitive results obtained by Ms. Tomashova from 21 June 2012 until 3 January 2015, with all resulting consequences, including the forfeiture of any titles, awards, medals, points, and prize and appearance money," the statement added.

This scandal has cast a shadow over what has been referred to as one of the most contentious races in Olympic history.

The 1500m final at the London Olympics was particularly notable for its multiple disqualifications.

Originally finishing fourth, Tomashova had been upgraded to silver after the first and second place finishers, Asli Cakir Alptekin and Gamze Bulut of Turkey, were also disqualified for doping violations. With further disqualifications of Natallia Kareiva and Yekaterina Kostetskaya, the race's initial lineup has been largely overturned.

Bahrain's Maryam Yusuf Jamal, who initially crossed the finish line third, ultimately received the gold medal.

The reshuffling continues down the line, with American runner Shannon Rowbury, who finished sixth, now in line to receive the bronze medal.

The CAS acted as the primary decision-making authority in this matter, stepping in for the Russian Athletics Federation, which remains suspended by World Athletics (formerly IAAF).

Jogging on the spot at red lights? Here’s why you should stop

Even if you aren't a beginner, this habit might make you look like one

So you’re out for a run and you get stuck at a red light. The obvious thing to do is stop and catch your breath, right? For many people, this logic doesn’t apply; jogging on the spot is the only answer. Whether you’re guilty of it or you’ve just seen others do it as you drive by, here are a few reasons to just take a rest instead:

Jogging on the spot doesn’t use the same biomechanics as running. Since there is no forward drive, there is a bigger strain on your core and hip flexors to get your knees up. If you shuffle around, the lack of core engagement and intention in your form can make the movement sloppy, which is also not beneficial. If you’re worried about your heart rate falling, you shouldn’t be. Your heart rate will stay elevated even without running, so a 30-second rest stop isn’t detrimental to your exercise.

Stopping and starting during a run can be excellent training. If your legs feel heavy when you begin running again, it’s because your body thinks the workout is over and your mind is playing tricks on you. By getting used to stopping and starting mid-run, you’ll realize it’s not as challenging as it seems, and you are completely capable. Confidence is a major component of being a runner; it’s often mind over matter. This practice will also make water stops or bathroom breaks during long races much easier.

You shouldn’t feel like stopping at a light will be detrimental to the outcome of your run; in fact, it can be quite beneficial. The common misconception that you need to keep running on the spot to maintain your fitness is just that—a misconception. This moment of rest can prevent injury by giving you a chance to recognize any early signs of strain or fatigue. Embracing these short breaks can help your running, making you a more mindful and resilient runner in the long term. If starting up after your short break is a bigger challenge than last time, it may signal that your easy run may be getting a little too hard.

For drivers, a runner who is jogging at the light doesn’t give a clear indication if they are crossing or not. Someone who is stopped completely makes it clear that they are waiting for the light to change before hurtling across the street. Being as predictable as possible around cars is the best way to stay safe and injury-free.

Chebet to test New York reediness at Sunday's Great North Run

Two-time Boston Marathon champion Evans Chebet will gauge his readiness for November’s New York Marathon at Sunday (September 8) when he lines up at the Great North Run, England.

The Great North Run is the largest half marathon in the world, and it is staged in North East England.

Chebet revealed he is looking to test his body as he aims for positive results ahead of the New York Marathon.

 “I want to test my body in England and see how it responds. This race will be part of my preparations for the New York Marathon. I am confident of positive results in both races,” Chebet revealed.

Chebet sustained a tendon rapture during the Boston Marathon in April, dashing his hopes of a historic hat-trick.

Despite the injury, he managed to secure a third-place finish with a time of 2:07:22, trailing Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma (2:06:17) and Mohamed Esa (2:06:58).

Before that, he had picked up last year’s title with a time of 2:05:54,  beating Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay (2:06:04) and Olympic bronze medalist Benson Kipruto (2:06:06).

He also led an all-Kenyan podium sweep during the 2022 edition—cutting the tape in 2:06:51 to lead Lawrence Cherono (2:07:21) and Kipruto (2:07:27) to the podium.

Now fully fit, the 35-year-old is determined to reclaim his winning form.

“My body feels great. I’m ready for the Great North Run and I am looking forward to positive results. I am also well prepared to win a second title in New York,” Chebet noted.

Chebet won the 2022 New York Marathon in 2:08:41 ahead of Ethiopia’s Shura Kitata (2:08:54) and the Netherlands' Abdi Nageeye (2:10:31).

Chebet’s resume also includes victories from the 2020 Valencia Marathon (2:03:00), the 2019 Buenos Aires Marathon (2:05:00) and the 2020 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon (2:07:29).

He placed third at the 2016 Berlin Marathon (2:05:31) and second at the 2016 Seoul Marathon (2:05:33) and 2019 Generali Milano Marathon (2:07:22).

Chebet is set to renew his rivalry with Lemma as he looks to assert revenge on the Ethiopian after he beat him to the Boston title.

The 2021 Valencia Half Marathon champion Abel Kipchumba will join Chebet on the start line as they look to secure a Kenyan 1-2 finish.

Other key competitors include Marc Scott, who will be representing the host nation. Scott clinched the 2021 title in 1:01:22, beating Edward Cheserek (1:01:31) and USA’s Galen Rupp (1:01:51).

In the women’s race, Rio 2016 Olympic 5,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot leads a strong Kenyan contingent, including 2022 Commonwealth 10,000m bronze medalist Sheila Chepkirui and 2014 World Half Marathon silver medalist Mary Ngugi.

Their competition will come from 2015 World 5,000m silver medalist Senbere Teferi of Ethiopia and Britain’s record holder in the 10km Road race Eilish McColgan.

Tristan Woodfine Chasing Canadian Title at TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

The past two years have been mostly good to Tristan Woodfine as he has recorded personal bests over several distances most significantly with his 2:10:39 finish at the 2024 Houston Marathon in January.

That makes him the sixth fastest Canadian marathoner of all time.

This uplift in fortune coincides with his seeking coaching advice from none other than two-time Canadian Olympic marathoner Reid Coolsaet.

Now the 31-year-old Woodfine has confirmed he will race the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, October 20th, with the objective of running both a fast time and earning the Canadian Marathon Championship title. The event doubles as a World Athletics Elite Label race as well as the Athletics Canada National Marathon Championships.

“It’s local, close, the support is good,“ he says of his choice for an autumn marathon. “The Canada Running Series (team) always does a great job. I have run the course before.

“Getting under 2:10 would be nice, finally. We will see how the rest of the build goes. Ten weeks is still a long timeand things can change for better or worse - hopefully for better - and by the time Toronto comes around I’d definitely love to get a PB and make another step forward there.”

Woodfine, who is currently living just outside of Eganville, Ontario with his wife Madeline, ran the Toronto Waterfront Marathon once before. That was in 2019 when he finished 13th in a time of 2:13:16. But he has twice won the Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon (2022 and 2017) - run concurrently with the full marathon - and has also had success at the Toronto Waterfront 10K. That race includes a long section of the marathon course too.

Credit for his upward trajectory goes to Coolsaet.

“Reid has had so much experience in the sport,” Woodfine says of his coach. “He has got a lot of valuable insights on the training front and beyond. He has done a lot of racesand he knows the deal with which races might work well for your goals, that kind of thing.

“He has got so much experience on any aspect of training, racing, nutrition, injuries, he has seen so much he can really help out.”

One of the differences in Woodfine’s program since his association with Coolsaet comes as a surprise but might well be a valuable lesson for all runners.

“Some of the workouts in the base training period are almost a bit easier than what I was doing (before),” he explains. “I think maybe before I was pushing a bit too hard too early in the training base. So backing off a little bit when coming into the marathon block was probably one of the bigger things.”

Like most runners he has had his share of hiccups, most notably a nagging case of plantar fasciitis that saw him drop out of the Boston Marathon back in April. He blames a mechanical deficiency in his running form. But that is behind him now and as he enters his marathon specific buildup phase he is full of optimism.

Recently he raced the Falmouth Road Race in Massachusetts finishing 11th in 33:33 over the 7-mile course. A successful result at the shorter distance has added to his confidence.

“The last few weeks leading into Falmouth I did get my longer mileage in,” he reveals. “I got a 37km long run in there just to get things ready. The week before Falmouth was 220km. In this (Toronto) buildup block I would like to get up to a maximum of 250 or 260km.”

Besides a personal best, Woodfine is fully aware that a national championship offers the chance for maximum World Athletics points that would count heavily in 2025 World Championships qualifying. Those Championships are set for Tokyo.

“I talked to Reid about trying to qualify for Tokyo,” he admits. “I have had a few sit-downs (with him). I’d get a fair amount of points with another good performance with a strong time. A solid finish in Toronto would put me in a good position.”

Unlike many elite runners Woodfine doesn’t have a shoe sponsor. After completing his paramedic studies at the Ontario Health and Technology College he has put on hold a career in that field to focus on his running. To make ends meet he has been doing some online coaching, a sideline that continues to grow.

“I definitely love helping other runners achieve their goals,” he adds. “I also do some remote work for a pharmacy in the area. It’s best described as inventory and purchasing. It’s very flexible and works great with running.”

Like many elite runners the Olympic Games has been a target for Woodfine. In 2020 he beat the Tokyo Olympics qualifying standard running 2:10:51 at the London Marathon and thought he’d achieved his dream of being an Olympian. But when Cam Levins ran 2:10:14 in Austria six months later it was Levins who was chosen for the team and not Woodfine. This, despite the fact Woodfine had beaten Levins in London by well over a minute.

Despite falling short of the Paris Olympic standard with his Houston Marathon personal best he still harbours an Olympic dream.

“Yes it is still a goal. I try not to put as much emphasis on the Olympics being an ‘all or nothing’, a defining factor of success for my career,” he declares. “I think that can kind of end up making you miserable. Whether you are going to the Olympics or not. For sure, it’s a goal.

“I am in this for another Olympic cycle and hopefully I can be on the start line in LA - the third time is a charm. But I am really focused on each year and trying to enjoy each race for what it is.”

The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is an obvious step forward in his career path.

Ugandan athlete Cheptegei nursing severe burn wounds after attack in Trans Nzoia

The Ugandan long-distance runner is fighting for her life at a hospital in Eldoret following an alleged attack by her boyfriend that has left her with burns covering 75 per cent of her body.

Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei is nursing burn wounds after allegedly being doused with petrol and set on fire by her boyfriend.

Cheptegei, who competed in the 10,000m at the Paris Olympics, is reported to have faced the ordeal in Kitale, Trans Nzoia County on Monday, and was rushed to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret after suffering burns covering 75 per cent of her body.

As per The Star, Trans Nzoia County police commander Jeremiah Ole Kosiom confirmed the incident, saying the athlete’s boyfriend also sustained serious burns and is admitted at the same hospital.

The outlet also reported that Cheptegei’s parents Joseph Cheptegei and Agnes Ndiema, said she had been initially admitted to Kitale Level Four Hospital before being referred to MTRH.

Cheptegei’s previous honors include victory at the Padova Marathon, second place in the 10,000m at the Ugandan Championships and fourth place finish in the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon which earned her a ticket to the Paris Olympics.

The 33-year-old is a resident of Cheminy in Uganda but is said to have bought land in Trans Nzoia where she built a house that she stays in during her training.

Hillary Bor sets national record at the New Haven 20K, Keira D’Amato wins women’s race

Two-time Olympian Hillary Bor fell in the U.S. Olympic Trials in the steeplechase and did not make it to Paris.

Neither did Keira D’Amato, who dropped out of the Olympic Marathon Trials after running with

Hilary Bor and Keira D'Amato won USATF national titles in the 20K Monday by winning the men's and women's races at the 47th Faxon Law New Haven Road Race.Bor finished the 20K (12.4 miles) race in 58 minutes, 9 seconds, while D'Amato crossed the finish line in 1:06:25.

Bor's time set the national championship record. He pulled away from Nathan Martin (58:26), Biya Simbassa (59:29) and Aidan Reed (58:31).

Bor, from Colorado, was a member of the 2016 U.S. Olympic team and competed in the steeple chase.

D’Amato, from Virginia, also won the Faxon Law New Haven 20K in 2022 when she set the course record. She held off Jess McClain (1:06.50), Savanah Berry (1:07:03) and Annie Frisbie (1:07:19).  

Both earned the Ryan Shay Memorial Award, given annual in honor of the 2004 Faxon Law New Haven Road Race winner who died while participating in the 2007 Olympic Trials Marathon in New York City. The award is presented in recognition of Shay’s hard work and dedication to the sport, as well as longtime support of the New Haven Road Race, which he ran four times. 

Connecticut's top finisher in the male division was West Hartford's Grant O'Connor, who placed 23rd in 1:02:54. The top state performer in the female division was Glastonbury's Alyssa Natario, whose time of 1:14:41 was 13th.

Other Connecticut residents to place in the top 25 in the female division were: Fairfield's Megan Connolly, Wallingford's Katie Overstrum, Woodbridge's Laura Pierce, Manchester's Olivia Mondo, Colchester's Alayna Bigalbal and East Lyme's Rebecca Snielson

The race, which drew more than 5,000 participants, also included a 5K, half marathon, half marathon relay and kid's fun run.

Benjamin MacDonald of Susbury, Mass. won the half marathon in 1:10:01, with Tabea Themann of Hamburg, Virginia winning the female division in 1:18:11. Westport's Clare Kutnick was second in the division in 1:21:48.

Prospect's Colin Slavin won the 5K title in 15:31 for the men, while Milford's Courtney Kitchen won the female division in 17:46.

Three core-crushing yoga moves to help you cruise to a PB

Perfect for runners of all levels, these core-focused poses will strengthen and stabilize your body, helping you confidently hit your stride.

Runners often focus on improving mileage and speed work, neglecting a crucial aspect that can make a world of difference on race day: core strength. We have you covered with three simple yoga poses that will not only help in building a rock-solid core, but also promote better posture and breathing, critical for sustaining long runs and improving overall endurance.

While it’s easy to think that the legs do all the work, a strong core is the foundation that supports every stride, helping to improve balance, stability and overall efficiency. Incorporating core-focused yoga moves into your routine can help you build the strength and flexibility you need to stay injury-free and reach new personal bests.

1.- Side plank

Plank pose and variations strengthen obliques and stabilizer muscles, essential for maintaining balance and keeping upright posture during those tough final miles.

Lie on your side with legs stacked, one on top of the other.

Place your elbow directly under your shoulder to prop your upper body up., with your forearm along the ground

Lift your hips off the ground, forming a straight line from head to feet and tightening your belly and glute muscles.

Hold for 10-30 seconds, then switch sides. If this move feels too challenging, try the move from your knees, keeping your hip on the floor.

2.- Boat pose

This pose engages the deep core muscles, improving posture and endurance.

Begin sitting on the floor with knees bent and feet flat. Place your hands behind your knees and lift your chest, engaging the back muscles as you inhale.

On an exhale, back slightly, lifting your feet off the ground so your shins are parallel to the floor.

Keep your hands where they are, or for an added challenge, extend your arms forward, being sure to keep your back straight. Squeeze your inner thighs together as you continue to press your chest upward.

Hold for 1o-30 seconds, then lower your legs. Repeat several times.

3.- Bird dog pose

Bird dog strengthens the core muscles, while also engaging the back and glutes, improving overall stability and balance, which are essential for maintaining good running form.

Begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position, with your wrists directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips.

Engage your core and extend your right arm forward while simultaneously extending your left leg straight back.

Keep your hips square to the ground and avoid arching your back.

Hold the position for a few seconds while keeping your core tight and your body aligned.

Slowly return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side (left arm and right leg); aim for five-12 repetitions on each side.

When incorporating yoga poses for strength, stay focused on maintaining form and activating key muscle groups rather than performing more repetitions or increasingly intense variations. Feel free to reduce the time or suggested repeats of each pose to what you can maintain without compromising form. These stretches are gentle enough to add to your routine after any training session, but remember to pay attention to what your body is signaling to you, and back off or adjust if you feel any pain or numbness.

Usain Bolt has already made his feelings clear as second 16-year-old breaks his record

Olympic legend Usain Bolt has seen his sprint times beaten by youngsters Gout Gout and Nickecoy Bramwell in recent months, but he remains philosophical on his achievements being topped.

Usain Bolt has already made his feelings clear on young athletes breaking his records by declaring that he is excited by emerging "personalities" in the sport.

Following Nickecoy Bramwell's record-breaking feat earlier in the year, another record held by the Jamaican icon was smashed this week as 16-year-old Gout Gout produced a silver medal-winning time of 20.60 seconds in the 200m at the U20 World Championships in Peru. The young Australian narrowly edged out Bolt's 2002 time in the same race when he was almost 16 years old.

The Olympic legend clocked 20.61 in the final, although he had a quicker time of 20.58 in the first round. More than two decades on from Bolt's heroics, South African Bayanda Walaza clinched gold with a time of 20.54, while Britain's Jake Odey-Jordan secured bronze in 20.81.

Back in May, 16-year-old Jamaican hopeful Bramwell took Bolt’s Under-17 400m world record at the Carifta Games in Grenada with the youngster clocking 47.26 seconds to beat the record by just 0.07 seconds. Bolt's record had previously stood for an incredible 22 years.

Speaking after Bramwell's achievements, Bolt hoped that his legendary times being eclipsed meant that athletics would be getting a much "needed" fresh injection of personality. He also claimed that the sport has not been the same since he departed the track.

“After me, it kind of went down because of who I was as a person, and how big my personality was," Bolt said. “But I think over time it will be better. I think young athletes are coming up and I see a few personalities that are needed in sport, hopefully in the upcoming years it will change.”

Who gets to inherit Bolt's heavy crown is another matter altogether, though. While Bramwell has caught the eye at longer distances, it's Gout who seems to be the major contender for Bolt's age-group records in the 100m and 200m.

The young athlete's performance has drawn strong comparisons to Bolt, with Athletics Australia president Jane Flemming among those claiming the young runner could be the next Olympic conquering superstar. Gout has taken such remarks with a degree of calmness rarely seen at such a young age, declaring that the compliment was "pretty cool".

Meanwhile, Bramwell, who has overcome several injury problems to now be discussed in the same breath as Bolt, has stated he now wants more of the legend's records. He said: "It's a wonderful feeling to break the record. Since last summer, I have been eyeing the record.

"So it's a great feeling I could come out here and get it. I just took my mind off it and focused on the record. I'm looking forward to better things.”

Bolt, 37, who retired in 2017, won eight Olympic gold medals and still holds world records in the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relay. He now spends his athletics retirement with his family while also dabbling in celebrity charity events, like playing in Soccer Aid.

Eilish McColgan wins the Big Half in London

In today's Big Half Marathon in London, Eilish McColgan took the women's title, finishing with a time of 69:14, marking her return to the half-marathon scene after over a year.

Jack Rowe won the men's race clocking 1:02:58,  making a strong impression as well. The event, which celebrated its seventh edition, brought together over 16,000 participants and highlighted the vibrant diversity of London’s communities.

The race route passed through key boroughs like Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, Southwark, and Greenwich, ending at the iconic Cutty Sark. 

Eilish posted this, "Loved being back out on the streets of London! ?? 

"It's been two loooong years since I last ran Big Half, so it was great to come away with the win. 

"I felt a bit flat and sluggish from the start, but I suspect racing in over 85% humidity whilst on day one of your period isn't the recipe for peak performance. 

"However, the support and cheers around the course kept me motoring through to the finish! There is nothing quite like racing in the UK. 

"One race down, several more to go."

Giles breaks world road mile record in Dusseldorf

Britain’s Elliot Giles won the men’s race at the New Balance KO Meile in Dusseldorf on Sunday (1), smashing the world record with 3:51.3*.

The Olympic 800m semifinalist held off a strong challenge from USA’s Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Yared Nuguse, who finished second in 3:51.9.

Both men were well inside the ratified world record of 3:56.13 set by Hobbs Kessler at the 2023 World Road Running Championships in Riga. They also bettered the mark of 3:54.6 – which is pending ratification – recorded earlier this year by Emmanuel Wanyonyi.

Vincent Keter was third in 3:54.9.

American Katie Schide Shatters Courtney Dauwalter’s Course Record to Win UTMB

She’s now the third woman to win both Western States and UTMB in the same year.

Katie Schide is on a tear.

On Saturday, the American won the women’s race at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) in dominant fashion, finishing the 109-mile race in 22 hours, 9 minutes, and 31 seconds. Her time is 21 minutes faster than Courtney Dauwalter’s course record of 22:30:54 from 2021.

Schide, 32, is undefeated this year, winning the Canyons 100K in April and the prestigious Western States 100 in June. 

Ruth Croft of New Zealand was 39 minutes behind Schide in second place (22:48:37). She passed Canada’s Marianne Hogan—who would finish third in 23:11:15—just after the 100-mile mark. Dauwalter, who won the Hardrock 100 on July 12, did not compete in this year’s edition.

In the men’s race, Vincent Bouillard of France was not favored to win, but he ultimately took the crown. He went to the lead after 48 miles and never relinquished it, crossing the finish line in Chamonix in 19:54:23. His compatriot, Baptiste Chassagne, was next to finish in 20:22:45, while Ecuador’s Joaquin Lopez placed third (20:26:22). 

Last year’s champion, Jim Walmsley of the U.S., withdrew just after 50 miles because of a knee issue, according to a post on his Instagram story. He remains the only American man to win the race.

UTMB has been contested since 2003. The course—which slightly changes year-to-year—starts and ends in the French Alpine town of Chamonix and traverses through Italy and Switzerland along the way, covering over 30,000 feet of elevation gain. 

This is Schide’s second time winning the event after taking top honors in 2022. Originally from Maine, Schide now trains in France and is sponsored by The North Face. 

In the final 7 kilometers, a downhill section, she was over 20 minutes ahead of course record pace, but she started limping. The buffer, however, was enough, and by the end, the hitch in her stride had mostly dissipated.

Schide said in a post race interview on the UTMB broadcast that her main goal was to dip under the 22-hour barrier, followed by a secondary goal breaking Dauwalter’s time from 2021. Schide went out hard in the first half—like she did in 2022—but she said winning two years ago gave her some much-needed context.

“I think this race, I just went in more confident in myself and I wasn’t surprised that I was fast,” she said. “Whereas in 2022, I was kind of freaking out because I was like “Oh, I didn’t really mean to do that.’ But this time, I meant to do it, and I was just focused on trying not to die too hard at the end.” 

Schide now joins Dauwalter (2023) and Nikki Kimball (2007) as the third woman to win both Western States and UTMB in the same year.

How Much Caffeine is Too Much Caffeine? Here's What a Sports Nutrition Expert Says.

There's no denying caffeine can take the edge off when things get dicey in a race. Many endurance athletes turn to the world's most popular drug for a performance boost, and with a long list of caffeinated gels, beverages, and chews to choose from, a turbocharged buzz is only a swallow away. But is it possible to take in too much caffeine during a workout or a race?

Well, yes-as with anything, too much can be harmful, and not everyone responds to caffeine the same way. But to get more specific, let's dive into what science says about how much caffeine to an athlete actually needs, the point of diminishing returns, and how to use it wisely in training and racing.

What is caffeine, and how does it help your workout or race?

Caffeine naturally occurs in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans, and cola nuts. It is also synthetically produced and added to sports gels, chews, energy drinks, sports drinks, chewing gum, and dietary supplements.

Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system (CNS) by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain, reducing perceived effort, delaying fatigue, reducing pain, and improving mental focus, attention, and motivation. These benefits apply broadly across sports, from sprints and endurance events to team sports and strength training. It's no wonder many athletes feel skipping their pre-exercise coffee puts them at a performance disadvantage.

However, the physiological response to caffeine is highly individual. While most athletes experience a performance boost to varying degrees, some are caffeine-sensitive due to genetic variations that affect the breakdown rate. These variations explain why some people experience adverse side effects at very low doses and cannot tolerate caffeine, while others can drink coffee late in the day and still sleep well.

Caffeine dosing, delivery, and side effects for endurance athletes

Caffeine peaks in the bloodstream 60 minutes after consumption and has a half-life of approximately five hours (the time it takes the body to break down 50% of it).

Interestingly, synthetic caffeine is absorbed faster by the body and thus takes effect faster than its natural counterpart. Most caffeinated sources, such as coffee, sports nutrition products, and tablets, are absorbed through the gut, pass by the liver, and enter circulation before affecting the CNS. However, caffeine from chewing gum is absorbed directly through the lining of the cheeks inside the mouth, bypasses the liver, enters the bloodstream within 5-15 minutes, and peaks by 25 minutes.

The recommended dose for a performance boost while minimizing side effects is a moderate 2-3 mg/kg of body weight. Higher doses of 5-6 mg/kg of body weight do not further enhance performance, but increase the risk of side effects. Those side effects include headaches, increased anxiety, irritability, rapid heart rate, dizziness, nausea, tremors, elevated blood pressure, insomnia, and gastrointestinal distress. Overconsumption or improper use can lead to severe consequences, including arrhythmias and potentially death.

USA’s Eli Hemming and China’s Miao Yao Make History at 2024 OCC

It’s the first time an American or Chinese runner has won the prestigious 57K trail race that serves as a de facto global trail running championship. All year, Eli Hemming said his primary focus was charging up and over the La Flégère ski resort on the last climb of the Orsières-Champex-Lac-Chamonix (OCC) race at the UTMB World Series Finals to then break the finish line tape in Chamonix, France, as the champion.

That’s almost exactly how it played out on Thursday afternoon. The 29-year-old runner from Kremmling, Colorado, fended off the world closing in around him as he overheated under a humid, sunny 80 degree day, as well as a hard-charging Francesco Puppi, to win the 57K (36-mile) race in 5 hours, 11 minutes in 48 seconds. In doing so, he not only  claimed a UTMB-Mont Blanc Finals title and the 13,000 euro (about $14,400) prize, he became the first American ever to win the prestigious race that serves as the de facto global championship at the shorter ultra distances.

But the race was a dastardly tilt, and Hemming had to turn himself inside out to get the win. It figured to be a grueling battle, both because of the 11,500 feet of elevation gain and descent but also because of the strong field of international runners and hot, humid weather with sunny skies soaring into the 80s under the early afternoon sun. Hemming went out hard early in the race, but he didn’t feel compelled to challenge for the lead up the first two climbs over the first 9 miles. That’s because fellow American Christian Allen was absolutely flying off the front, as the 26-year-old runner from Orem, Utah, surged to the lead from the gun and led by more than 2 minutes through the 15-mile mark as he passed through Swiss the village of Trient. But that’s where the runners faced the toughest test of the race, a spikey 4-mile, 2,300-foot technical climb to the Chalet des Grands before continuing upward on slightly less steep terrain to the Col de Balme mountain pass. In all, it’s a 3,000-foot ascent over about 6 miles to the 7,200-foot high point on the course.

That was the first crux of the race, and that’s where Hemming took charge. As Allen faded, Hemming surged up the big climb as several other speedy runners gave chase, including Swiss runner Remi Bonnet who is known for his uphill running abilities. But Hemming had been waiting for this all year and specifically trained on long mountain ascents near Breckenridge, Colorado. He continued to surge across the Swiss-French border and up to the pass, building a nearly 7-minute lead over Spanish runner Antonio Martinez Perez.

From there, Hemming extended his lead to 10 minutes on the 7-mile, 3,000-foot descent to the French village of Argentière. But with one more big climb—a 3.5-mile, 2,000-foot technical grind to 6,200 feet atop the ski resort—he was anything but home free. Early in the climb, he slowed from a run to a walk, and even stopped at one point midway through the climb, bent over and rested his hands on his knees. He looked in distress, but eventually gathered himself and started running slowly up the hill again.

Perez had been charging up the mountain behind him and there was a brief moment where it looked like Hemming’s lead might be in jeopardy. But he managed to reach the final checkpoint at the 50K La Flégère aid station in first, and immediately looked better as he began the 4-mile descent down to Chamonix. Although he had gained ground, Perez felt the impact of the climb, too, and was caught by Italian runner Francesco Puppi before reaching the ski resort aid station. After a cordial acknowledgement as he passed, Puppi suddenly had a new spring in his step. He surged up the final 200 meters to reach the checkpoint about 4 minutes after Hemming then began bombing down the rocky, rooty dirt trail in pursuit of the leader.

Up front, Hemming had recovered slightly, running smoothly albeit without the intensity of a couple hours earlier. Puppi was clearly running faster. What had been a 10-minute lead at the 28.2-mile mark had greatly diminished with less than 3 miles to go. But with every stride, Hemming was one step closer to his year-long goal of winning OCC and he wasn’t going to let it slip away.

When he reached the edge of the Chamonix pedestrian village, he was quickly re-energized by the throngs of cheering spectators and increased his pace briefly as he dashed through the winding 200-meter section before slowly slightly on the final blue-carpeted approach to the finish line.

“I was trying to pace it as well as I could, and I knew if I made it over Col de Balme with a good gap, unless I blow up—which I did a little bit—I knew I could hold up pretty well to the end,” Hemming said. “It ended up being a bit of a grind. I knew I had about a 10-minute lead at Argentière, but I was very much overheated and the walls started closing in a bit. I tried to take a little time to cool down, but I knew I had to keep moving and just make it to the top.”

Still running hard, Puppi dashed through the village three minutes later to finish second in 5:14:46, followed by Perez in third at 5:17:56, China’s Juwei Zi in fourth (5:22:17), and Aritz Egea Caceres in 5th (5:27:07). Nick Handel, a 32-year-old runner from San Francisco, was the second American runner in the men’s race, finishing 13th in 5:41:08. The victory is the first big international win for Hemming, who transitioned into trail running  in 2021 after several years as a professional triathlete. Hemming has won several domestic 50K races in the US, including the Canyons Endurance Runs 50K on April 26 in Auburn, California. Last year, he placed second to Bonnet in the Mont-Blanc Marathon and also finished fifth in the Golden Trail World Series Final 20K championship in Noli, Italy. For a while, it looked like Hemming, and his 27–year-old wife, Tabor, might be on the verge of one of the best trail running stories of the year. They decided to part ways with sponsor Salomon, in the offseason, and sign with the Adidas-Terrex team at the start of the year. While they both raced well early in the season—Tabor took third at the Canyons 50K in April and third at the Broken Arrow Skyrace 25K in June—they opted not to race as much this year as they’ve been known to. They also decided not to join their new teammates at an extended Chamonix training camp in late July and instead stay home and train at high-altitude in central Colorado.

Knowing what they’d be facing on the course, they sought out long climbs near Breckenridge and Frisco that topped out between 12,000 and 13,000 feet—including Wheeler Pass between Copper Mountain ski resort and the community of Blue River. “The course is fast and steep, but it’s also very runnable,” Tabor said. “We knew we could get quality training at home, so we used those climbs to train, so we were happy to stay at home and run the places we know best.”

Tabor looked great early in the race, running with a strong pack of lead women that included Judith Wyder of Switzerland, Clementine Geoffray of France, and Miao Yao of China, plus Spain’s Sara Alonso, New Zealand’s Caitlin Fielder, and fellow Americans Dani Moreno and Allie McLaughlin.

Wyder was the early leader and figured to be tough to beat—despite a recent bout of COVID. She had earned the silver medal in the 50K race at last year’s World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Austria, and more recently took second in the 20K mountain running race at the European Championships and first at the Mont-Blanc Marathon in early July. Wyder led Geoffray, Moreno, McLaughlin, and Yao through the initial 4.5-mile climb to Champex, then expanded her lead to the top of the second climb at the 6,200-foot summit of La Giete as Yao and Alonso maneuvered into the second and third spots. But following a similar strategy as her husband, Tabor took the lead on the long downhill into Trient and began to surge on the technical climb up to Chalet des Grands with Yao, Wyder, Alonso and McLaughlin in tow. Hemming ran in the lead for part of the climb, but she paid for the aggressive move. Wyder and Yao overtook her and those two separated from the rest of the field. They dueled back and forth but Yao took the lead over Col de Balme and would never relinquish it. She seemed to get stronger as the race went on and she extended the gap on Wyder to 4 minutes at La Flégère ski resort.

From there, Yao cruised into Chamonix to secure the first win by a Chinese athlete at OCC in 5:54:03. With a 2018 CCC win already under her belt, she also enters the rarified air of having two UTMB World Series Finals championship titles to her name. Wyder was second in 6:00:05, followed by Geoffray in third at 6:02:10, Alonso in fourth (6:05:15), and Fielder in fifth (6:05:46). Moreno, who was third in the OCC in 2022 and dropped out last year, ran a strong second half to finish sixth as the top American in 6:06:59. Tabor Hemming continued up and over Col de Balme but slowed significantly and eventually dropped out at Argentière.

“I’m really happy about my race. It was really fun out there to compete with such strong ladies,” Wyder said, “Miao Yao was flying in the end. I’m so proud of myself to be back and to be able to be racing healthy. I didn’t think about [having COVID recently]. Today I was really happy with my performance and with my legs today.”

Vivian Cheruiyot confirms next stop with eyes on victory

The four-time world champion has confirmed where she will run next after her third-place finish at the Paris Marathon in April.

Vivian Cheruiyot has confirmed her next race after her third-place finish at the Paris Marathon in April.

Cheruiyot will race at the AJ Bell Great North Run scheduled for September 8 where she will line up against tough opponents including Eilish McColgan.

Cheruiyot has raced three times this season, opening her season in Paris and proceeding to the National Cross-Country championships where she finished 16th before racing at the Kilimanjaro Half Marathon where she finished second.

On her part, McColgan holds the British records on the roads at 5km, 10km, 10 miles and half-marathon and has won other Great Run events and in 2021 finished runner-up to Hellen Obiri at the Great North Run.

An injury set her back at the Paris Olympic Games but is expected to bounce back at the Big Half in London on September 1 before heading to the Great North Run and then the Vitality London 10,000 on the roads of London.

Another challenger will be Sheila Chepkirui who was third behind McColgan at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the 10,000m.

The Ethiopian charge will be led by Senbere Teferi, the former women-only 5km world record-holder with Mergetu Alemu also in the mix. British-based Kenyan Mary Ngugi-Cooper will also be competing at the event.

The men’s race will be headlined by Marc Scott who will try to reclaim the title he won in 2021. He faces a stern test from Berihu Aregawi, the Ethiopian who won the Olympic 10,000m silver.

Aregawi is a formidable opponent since he also went No.3 on the world all-time rankings for 3000m behind Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s world record in Poland.

Sisay Lemma, 2023 Boston Marathon winner Evans Chebet and Kenya’s NYC Half winner from earlier this year, Abel Kipchumba will also be in the mix.

Masai, Kiptanui spearhead Kenya's charge at Frankfurt Marathon

The 2021 Chicago Marathon second runner-up Eric Kiptanui and Beijing 2008 Olympics 10,000m bronze medalist Linet Masai will spearhead Kenya’s charge at the Frankfurt Marathon set for October 27.

Race organizers anticipate a turnout of 12,000 participants, with expectations of a thrilling, fast-paced competition.

“We are looking forward to another high-class race that will certainly hold one or two surprises. After having the fastest race in the event's history last year in terms of the two winning times added together, we are excited to see what will be possible on October 27,” said race director Jo Schindler.

During last year’s race, Brimin Kipkorir sealed the title in 2:04:53 ahead of Ethiopian duo of Mulugeta Asefa (2:06:47) and Guye Idemo (2:07:44).

In the women’s elite race, Ethiopia’s Buzunesh Getachew (2:19:27) beat Winfred Moseti (2:20:55) and Sharon Chelimo (2:22:07) to the title.

Kiptanui enters the race with an impressive resume, including half marathon victories in Berlin (58:42) and Lisbon (1:00:05) in 2018, and Barcelona in 2019 (1:01:04).

In the marathon, he boasts a title from the Xiamen and Tuscany Marathon in 2021 (2:05:47-PB). He also secured runner-up finishes in Dubai 2020 (2:06:17) and Chicago 2021 (2:06:17).

His other accolades include a victory at the 2017 Madrid 10k Road race (27:34).

His main rival will be Ethiopia’s Herpasa Negasa, who finished second at the 2022 Seoul Marathon.

Negasa holds a personal best of 2:03:40 set during the 2019 Dubai Marathon where he placed second behind compatriot Getaneh Molla (2:03:34).

The Ethiopian’s accolades include runner-up finishes at the Hengshui 2018 Marathon (2:09:14), Lyon 2015 (2:10:17) and a second runner-up finish at the 2018 Warszawa Marathon (2:11:46).

In the women’s race, Masai will face a stern challenge from 2022 Berlin Marathon third-place finisher Tigist Abayechew.

Masai brings a rich trophy cabinet that includes bronze from the Beijing 2008 Games in the 10,000m (30:26.50) and a world title in the same event from the 2009 Berlin World Championships (30:51:24).

The 34-year-old is also a gold medalist from the 2007 World Cross Country Championships and a three-time silver medalist from Amman 2009, Bydgoszcz 2010 and Punta Umbria 2011.

In the full marathon, Masai holds a lifetime best of 2:23:46 from the 2018 Amsterdam Marathon where she finished fifth.

Abayechew holds a best of 2:18:03 she set during the Berlin Marathon, where she placed third behind Rosemary Wanjiru (2:18:00) and Tigst Assefa (2:15:37).

UTMB Is Having a Golden Moment. But It’s Delicate.

After a year that included a maelstrom of controversy, the world’s most prominent ultra-trail running event has righted its path

“It felt like a golden era of trail running.” 

That quote came from Keith Byrne, a senior manager at The North Face and a UTMB live stream commentator for nearly a decade, who was talking about last summer’s UTMB World Series Finals in Chamonix, France.

The UTMB races during the last week of August last summer were, I thought, the most alluring in the event’s 20-year history.

After years of being frustrated by the course, American Jim Walmsley finally put it all together for a victorious lap around Mont Blanc. In doing so he became the first U.S. man to win the race, setting a course record of 19:37:43. He and his wife, Jess, had moved from Arizona to live full-time in France to make it happen. And then there was Colorado’s Courtney Dauwalter, who won the race handily in 23:29:14 to notch her third victory and continue the strong legacy of American women on the course. The win felt extra historic because it made her the first person to win Western States, Hardrock, and UTMB in the same year—arguably the three most legendary and competitive 100-mile events in the world, and she dominated each one.

The events came off without a hitch and included record crowds in Chamonix, plus a record 52 million more tuning into the livestream.

Throughout the fall and winter, harmony and happiness seemed to give way to chaos and discontent. But a year later, as the UTMB Mont Blanc weeklong festival of trail running kicks off on August 26, everything seems back to normal in Chamonix. What happened along the way is a tale of drama, perhaps both necessary and unnecessary, all of it culminating in course corrections by the multinational race series.

In short, what a year it has been for UTMB.

And now, hordes of nervous and excited runners from all corners of the globe are descending on Chamonix for this year’s UTMB Mont-Blanc races. Registration for UTMB World Series events is reportedly up about 35 percent year over year with even greater growth in interest for OCC, CCC and UTMB race lottery applications. There is more media coverage, more pre-race hype, and more excitement than ever before. More running brands are using the UTMB Mont Blanc week to showcase their new running gear with media events, brand activations, and fun runs. Even The Speed Project—although entirely unrelated to UTMB—chose Chamonix as the starting point of its latest so-called underground point-to-point relay race to try to catch some of the considerable buzz UTMB is generating.

So what happened? Did the UTMB organization do its due diligence and make amends with several significant changes in the spring? Was the angst and stirring of emotions just not as widely felt as the fervent bouts of Instagram activism claimed it to be? Have the participants and fans of the ultra-trail running world suffered amnesia or become ambivalent? Or is it all a sign of the race—and the entire sport of trail running—going through growing pains as it adjusts to the massive global participation surge, increased professionalism, and heightened sponsorship opportunities?

On the eve of another 106-mile lap around the Mont Blanc massif, I wanted to take a look at what happened and the current  state of UTMB’s global race series that culminates here in Chamonix this week.

We caught a glimpse of what was to come shortly before UTMB last year, when the race organization announced the European car company Dacia as its new title sponsor. A fossil-fuel powered conglomerate didn’t sit well with some fans of the event, coming amid an era of widespread climate doom (even though the brand would be highlighting its new Spring EV at the UTMB race expo.) The Green Runners, an environmental running community co-founded by British trail running stars Damian Hall and Jasmin Paris, called it an act of “sportswashing” and released a petition calling on UTMB to denounce the partnership. (Hall even traveled all the way to Chamonix to deliver the petition in person.)

These grumblings of discontent and others that followed exploded into a social media firestorm shortly after UTMB. In October, it became public that UTMB had moved to launch a race in British Columbia, Canada, just as a similar event in the same location was struggling with permitting. A he-said, she-said back-and–forth left onlookers with whiplash. Then on December 1, UTMB livestream commentator Corrine Malcolm announced on Instagram that she had been fired and in late January, a leaked email from elite runners Kilian Jornet and Zach Miller to fellow athletes called for a boycott of the race series. All of it, jet fuel for social media algorithms.

“We’re at a turning point in trail running, but we can keep the core values if the community stands up,” the Pro Trail Runners Association secretary, Albert Jorquera, told me at the time.

In the midst of these dramas, I interviewed race founders Catherine and Michel Poletti over lunch at a Chamonix cafe. For nearly a decade now, I have met with the couple for candid conversations that helped frame online articles and magazine stories, and most recently for the book, The Race that Changed Running: The Inside Story of UTMB.

I plunged headlong into two articles with hopes of explaining it all. There was so much heat swirling around the UTMB stories, and so little light.

“The very thing that made ultrarunning so bonding was being torn apart by the community itself through social media,” said Topher Gaylord. A former elite runner who tied for second in the inaugural UTMB in 2003, Gaylord engineered UTMB’s first title sponsorship with The North Face and has been a close supporter of the Polletis for 20 years. “Some players are using social media to divide the community. That’s super disappointing.”

To me, it felt like the aggressive online activists were winning the day. Trail running suddenly seemed polarized, infected with the intertwined social media viruses of false indignation and close-mindedness. Twice, I deep-sixed my article drafts. Friends and editors convinced me they wouldn’t be read dispassionately. Who wants to be handed a fire extinguisher, when your goal is to torch the house?

Well, what a difference eight months can make. We now have some perspective and, with it, some answers.

Since its earliest days, UTMB’s volunteer founding committee believed in the values of the sport. The very first brochure produced for the race—a mere sheet of paper—featured a paragraph on values. In later years that statement became much more comprehensive, expanding to cover a wide range of topics and the race’s mission to support and protect them.

But maintaining those values in an organization that has gone from a singular race with a literal garden-shed office to a 43 global event series with a staff of more than 70 full-time employees is tricky at best. In an interview once, Michel Poletti paused, asking if I had seen a photo of a mutual friend that was making the rounds. He was climbing one of Chamonix’s famed needle-sharp aiguilles, one foot on each side of a razor sharp ridge—a perilous balancing act, big air on each side. It was his metaphor for trying to move ever up, while balancing business growth and heartfelt values.

Over the course of dozens of hours of interviews with the Polettis, I came to learn one thing: UTMB always moves forward up the ridge.  In the process, UTMB corrects its course. It starts with a careful analysis after each edition, evaluating pain points in areas such as logistics, security, media, traffic, and others, discussing how they can be addressed.  Historically, those course corrections haven’t been at the pace others might want—especially since the social unrest that developed during the Covid pandemic—but the organization has a reliable pattern of steadily addressing concerns.

And so, not too many weeks after that lunch meeting, UTMB set to work. First came a heartfelt effort they kept under the radar—traveling around the U.S. to listen and learn. They spent two weeks in the U.S. in February, visiting with American athletes, race directors, journalists, consultants, and their Ironman partners. “We need to learn from our mistakes and from this crisis,” Michel said.

Methodically over the ensuing months, UTMB rolled out a series of changes. Some were aimed at directly addressing the controversies, others were overdue for what is, by any metric, the world’s premier ultra-trail running event.

“My hope is that the trail running community understands that we are human,” Catherine had told me over the winter.

Four months ago, at the end of April, the race organization announced that Hoka would become the new title sponsor of UTMB Mont-Blanc and the entire UTMB World Series through 2028. It was a huge move because Hoka, one of the biggest running brands in the world, essentially doubled-down on its support of UTMB and trail running in general. The five-year deal brought benefits other than cash, too. Hoka has a strong history of inclusivity and growing representation among marginalized communities, an area UTMB  has announced it intends to focus more on beginning this year. The deal also moved Dacia out of the title sponsor limelight, instead bringing a brand with a strong reputation in trail running to the fore.

Dacia was shifted to the role of a premier partner in Europe, and now plays an integral part in a new eco-focused mobility plan UTMB updated in July. Fifty of their cars can be signed out for use by over 70 staff and 2,500 volunteers, encouraging them to arrive in Chamonix using public transportation instead. The move is estimated to eliminate 200 vehicles driving into the valley. (The organization’s new mobility plan will transport an estimated 15,000 runners and supporters, eliminating the need for approximately 6,000 cars during the UTMB Mont-Blanc week. On average, a bus will run every 15 minutes between Chamonix and Courmayeur, Italy, and Chamonix and Orsières, Switzerland.)

In May, UTMB announced a new anti-doping policy it had developed with input from PTRA. The organization committed to spending at least $110,000 per year, money that will be allocated to test all podium finishers and a randomized selection of the 687 elite athletes in attendance. The new policies will be implemented by the International Testing Association, an independent nonprofit that has also conducted two free informational webinars for the 1,400 UTMB Mont Blanc elite runners.

Not long after the announcement, Catherine Poletti suggested this was just a start. Speaking at TrailCon, a new conference held in Olympic Valley, California, on June 26, she said, “It’s a first big step for us. And we’ll continue to develop this policy.” (The most important anti-doping protocol may still be beyond UTMB, however. “The elephant in the room is that we need a coordinated approach to establish out-of-competition testing,” Tim Tollefson, an elite U.S. runner and director of the Mammoth TrailFest in California, who spearheaded independent testing at his event in 2023. “Individually, we’re just lighting our money on fire.”)

In mid-June, UTMB addressed a longtime issue with top runners—prize money. A chunk of the funding from the ratcheted-up Hoka sponsorship was directed to supporting the bigger prizes for the OCC, CCC and UTMB races in Chamonix—about $300,000 this year, nearly double of 2023—as well as more prize money for the three UTMB World Series Majors. (The sequence was intentional. The organization wanted a new doping policy in place before increasing prize purses, since large cash awards are often thought to lead to a growth in doping.)

It’s a move that was long overdue—the most celebrated marquee event in any sport should reward its top athletes more than any other event—but not possible without Hoka’s increased involvement. The proposal was shared with PTRA in advance of the announcement, and the group provided feedback that was incorporated into the final divvying up of the purse.  The total amount spent on prize money across all UTMB races is now more than $370,000.

“We increased the prizes quite dramatically,” said UTMB Group CEO Frédéric Lenart. “It’s very important for us to support athletes in their living.”

Finally, just last week, UTMB announced a new department within the company called “Sport and Sustainability.” The group is headed by longtime UTMB staffer Fabrice Perrin. He was a driving force behind the creation of UTMB’s live coverage back in 2012. Heading up relations with the pro athletes will be longtime elite trail runner Julien Chorier.  Nicolas LeGrange, UTMB’s Director of Operations, will be in charge of sustainability and DEI, Diversity, Equity Inclusion.

On the DEI front, UTMB is calling its strategy “leave no one behind,” and they promise new initiatives coming this fall so that, according to Perrin, “every athlete feels a sense of belonging within our community,” he says. “I am committed to ensuring that we perfect symbiosis with the entire community of trail running.”

UTMB has already begun to embrace adaptive athletes, something it was criticized for lacking as recently as last year. This year’s UTMB Mont Blanc races will feature a team of 12 adaptive athletes who will be participating in the MCC, OCC and UTMB races. Under the direction of adaptive athlete and team manager Boris Ghirardi, who lost his left foot and part of his left leg after a motorcycle accident in 2019, the race organization recruited the athletes from around the world to showcase how adaptability and resilience are key elements of the UTMB values.

“I proposed this program to make a concrete action around adaptive athletes and the inclusion policy, and to prove that it was possible,” he said this weekend. “If you really get everyone working on this,  you can change the game.”

And with that, UTMB Mont-Blanc 2024 is underway, resuming the golden era status that Byrne raved about last August. Starting this past weekend, banners have been unfurled over Place du Triangle de l’Amitié in the heart of Chamonix, kicking off the carefully choreographed trail running Super Bowl that is UTMB. The excitement begins on August 26 and culminates as the race for UTMB individual crowns reach a tipping point on August 31. (The golden hour of the final finishers on September 1 will be something to behold, too.)

“It’s like wrapping the Tour de France, Burning Man, and the biggest industry trade show into one giant, week-long festival,” Gaylord says. “It’s an amazing week for our sport, one of the biggest showcases we have.”

The aura of Chamonix and the opportunity to run a race there is drawing as much or more interest than ever before. It is perhaps the essence of what will keep the UTMB World Series afloat into the distant future. Runners will continue to chase Running Stones at qualifying events around the world, knowing the carrot of running one of the races around the Mont Blanc massif is second to none.

Trail running is booming on a global scale, and it’s not just UTMB shouldering the burden or reaping the benefits. The Golden Trail World Series, Spartan Trail Running, Xterra Trail Running—and even the World Trail Majors, Western States 100, and dozens of other more prominent trail races—are all trying to get a bigger piece of the pie, either by way of money or relevance.

UTMB Mont Blanc, as trail running’s most important race, is at the very beating heart of it all. And trail running is a soul sport, so when change and growth happen, it can feel threatening to all of us whose lives have been changed for the better by time spent with dirt underfoot and blue sky above. UTMB is big enough now that it’s urgently important that it make changes judiciously and preemptively.

As the world’s most significant trail race, the consequences of UTMB’s choices will ripple throughout the ecosystem. UTMB understands this.  “Do we owe something to trail running? Yes, of course we do,” Michel Poletti once told me.  That’s truer than ever now.

At TrailCon in June, Catherine Poletti summed up UTMB’s challenge. “Trail running is changing around the world. We’ve seen that evolution over 20 years. We need to adapt, to find a good balance, to accept different models and ways of organizing.”

Back in August 2021, I wrote an article here called, “UTMB, Don’t Break Our Hearts.” It came the summer after the organization announced its investment from the Ironman Group. Change– big change– was everywhere. Could the race around Mont Blanc maintain its soul and passion amid talk of multinational sports marketing, we all wondered? Michel Poletti closed the interview by saying, “Nous prenons un rendez-vous dans trois ans.” Simply translated: “We’ll schedule an interview in three years.”

Three years is now, and both UTMB and trail running’s landscape have changed dramatically, if not literally then certainly figuratively. We’ve seen UTMB adjust its rudder this past year, responding to concerns. Perhaps not at the pace any individual or specific group would like, and not to the extent some would wish. But it’s happening, and for that we should all breathe a cautious sigh of relief. Because if you love trail running, you have to care about what happens at the world’s biggest trail race.

As I write this in Chamonix very early on the morning of August 26, overcast skies are parting and blue skies are in the offing. The forecast for the week ahead is for bright sun with a few clouds. It’s a workable enough metaphor for trail running’s future. But one thing has to happen for it to come true. The race that changed running needs to continue to listen to its stakeholders around the world, and engage with them as it grows and develops in the days ahead. If that happens, Byrne’s vision of the golden age of our sport just might linger on. I can hope.

Rampaging Edmonton Marathon runner claims he was drugged with meth

On Sunday, Aug. 18, thousands of runners took to the streets for the 2024 Servus Edmonton Marathon, marking the largest event in the marathon’s 33-year history. However, the event was marred by a disturbing incident involving a University of Alberta student who was detained by police after allegedly assaulting other marathon runners at the 27 km mark. Days later, the student/runner shared his side of the story on Reddit, alleging that he was drugged with methamphetamine shortly after the race began.

The runner’s story

In a detailed statement, the runner recounted being low on sleep, anxious and rushed as he arrived late to the marathon. Just minutes into the race, he says he took water from what he thought was a legitimate water station. It was at this moment that he suspects he was drugged.

He described how his condition quickly deteriorated after consuming the drink. His stomach became uneasy, his heart rate spiked and breathing became difficult—symptoms highly unusual for someone running at his usual training pace. By the halfway point of the marathon, he recalls his memory fading. Data from his Strava activity indicated that his path grew erratic, and several witnesses later reported seeing him running shirtless, screaming and obstructing other participants.

The runner said he has no memory of these actions but vividly recalls the terror he felt as the police on the course detained him, resulting in physical injuries including cuts, a concussion and a sprained wrist. Race director Tom Keogh confirmed that the runner was detained about two and a half hours into the race, just after the 27 km mark. “Our medical team and police on-site responded quickly and appropriately,” Keogh said in an interview. “He appeared fine in post-race photographs and was even seen flashing a peace sign to the camera around the 10-kilometre mark [58 minutes into his race].”

The police report

The runner described his arrest experience as traumatic, involving a bag over his head, a cold concrete cell and wavering confusion. According to the Edmonton Police Service (EPS), he was released around 2 p.m. on Aug. 18, dazed and without a clear understanding of what had happened. He was then dropped off at his home. It wasn’t until the following day that he visited the hospital, where he claims he was informed that he had been drugged with methamphetamine.

EPS provided a detailed account of their interaction with the runner, explaining that they responded to multiple reports of a man behaving aggressively on the marathon route and assaulting other runners. Due to his erratic behaviour, which included spitting and kicking at the police cruiser windows, officers restrained him and applied a spit mask before transporting him to the Detainee Management Unit. The runner questioned why he was not assessed for drug intoxication at the time, the police believed his behaviour to be related to intoxication or mental health issues. No charges were laid.

EPS stated that they are continuing to investigate the reported assaults against other race participants, as one victim has filed a formal complaint. The EPS says they have not received any other reports of drugging along the race route. They also noted that there has been no evidence of a fraudulent water station, as claimed by the runner.

Keogh dismissed allegations of widespread drugging at the marathon, stating that other medical cases during the event were related to dehydration and heat, with no other suspected drug incidents reported. He encouraged the runner to file a formal complaint with the police if he wished to pursue the matter further.

Methamphetamine can have dangerous and unpredictable short-term mental and physical effects, which typically last eight hours but can sometimes extend up to 24 hours, depending on the method of consumption. According to Health Canada, the drug’s effects are felt within seconds if injected or smoked, and within 20 to 30 minutes if taken orally.

The runner’s motivation for posting his story on Reddit appears to be driven by a sense of bewilderment and embarrassment over his experience. Canadian Running has been in contact with the runner (who has not been named in this article due to privacy); he has not been able to verify any aspects of his account. “This has been one of the most frightening and dehumanizing experiences of my life. I’m deeply frustrated by the lack of support from the Edmonton Marathon organizers and the way the police treated me,” the runner says.

NCAA school faces backlash over 28-year-old Kenyan freshman

This time of year, many 18 and 19-year-olds are preparing for their first year of college or university. Kenyan runner Solomon Kipchoge will be experiencing the same firsts as a 28-year-old freshman at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Kipchoge has a half marathon best faster than the American record and will be 10 years older than the majority of the incoming NCAA recruiting class for the 2024/2025 season, which has caused a stir among athletes.

The 28-year-old holds a half-marathon personal best of 59:37, which was set at the Semi-Marathon de Lille 2023 in France (a World Athletics Elite Label road race). His personal best is faster than any time ever run by an American over the half-marathon distance. (The American record of 59:43 is held by Ryan Hall.)

The 28-year-old holds a half-marathon personal best of 59:37, which was set at the Semi-Marathon de Lille 2023 in France (a World Athletics Elite Label road race). His personal best is faster than any time ever run by an American over the half-marathon distance. (The American record of 59:43 is held by Ryan Hall.)

Although the NCAA has no restrictions on age, eligibility rules grant athletes a period of five years to complete four seasons of their sport. This means that athletes entering university at age 18 (the standard age for graduating high school) will be finished competing at age 23. Athletes who postpone the start of their post-secondary education will still be eligible at an older age–but beginning at age 28 seems like quite a stretch; the Kenyan will be competing against a field with athletes 10 years younger than himself.

Many users on Instagram are unsupportive of Kipchoge’s (very) late start to his degree in agricultural education. “It’s awesome that these guys are getting this opportunity and they should take advantage of it…With that being said, the NCAA regulations are objectively extremely flawed, and there is no reason nearly pro-caliber runners should be competing against teenagers 10+ years younger than them who are straight out of high school,” one comment reads.

Some international athletes still choose to compete in the NCAA (despite financial barriers) to take advantage of opportunities for development–but the Kenyan is already one of the fastest half-marathon runners in the world. In May, Kipchoge took fourth in an elite field at the Rimi Riga Half-Marathon, clocking 1:02:15. Already a world-class athlete, Kipchoge is unlikely to find development opportunities within NCAA-level competition.

'The sky's the limit'-Carl Lewis-inspired Louie Hinchliffe turns pro weeks after outrunning Noah Lyles

Carl Lewis protégé Louie Hinchliffe turns pro after stellar collegiate season and beating Noah Lyles in the Olympic 100m Round 1.

Carl Lewis prodigy Louie Hinchliffe has made the bold decision to leave behind his collegiate career at the University of Houston to pursue professional track and field following an impressive debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Hinchliffe's standout performances have not only caught the eye of the athletics world but have also marked a new chapter in his career inspired by none other than his coach and mentor Carl Lewis.

In Paris, Hinchliffe was a key component of Great Britain's bronze medal-winning 4x100m relay team. Despite not advancing to the finals in the 100m event, his times of 9.98s and 9.97s in the heats and semifinals respectively were enough to stir discussions about his future potential in the sport.

“What a season it's been. I've experienced the highest of highs in my first year at the University of Houston. I've become an NCAA champion, a National Champion, and an Olympic Semi-Finalist all whilst living out my dreams as a Cougar," Hinchliffe shared on his Instagram.

The young sprinter expressed profound gratitude toward his coaches and the staff at the University, signaling the end of his amateur phase with heartfelt thanks.

"With that being said, after speaking with my family, I have decided to forego the remainder of my collegiate eligibility and embark on a career as a professional athlete.”

Hinchliffe's time under Carl Lewis at Houston has been transformational and Lewis has previously noted Hinchliffe's rapid progress but maintained that the young athlete still had much to learn.

"He still has work to do. Obviously, he’s only been here nine months but I think he can definitely be one of the best that Britain’s ever had. He’s run 9.95, he can run faster," Lewis stated.

Under the guidance of Coach Lewis and Director of Track and Field, Will Blackburn, Hinchliffe has developed a foundation that seems poised to support a successful professional career.

“I would like to thank Coach Blackburn & Coach Lewis for your belief and support of me. I hope that someday I can give back as much as you both have given to me. I would like to thank the rest of the coaching staff, operational staff, sports medicine department, and our wonderful student managers,” he added in his statement.

The sprinter's departure from collegiate sports marks the end of an era for the University of Houston, where he not only clinched the NCAA title but also led the team to significant successes.

His performances at the Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championship and UK Athletics Championship where he emerged as a national champion, have set high expectations for his professional endeavors.

‘Let’s make history’ – American sprinter praying for historic victory against Omanyala, Tebogo & Co in Rome

The Olympics bronze medalist is keen to win in style against the likes of Ferdinand Omanyala and Letsile Tebogo at the Rome Diamond League on Friday night.

Olympics bronze medalist Fred Kerley wants to make history at the Rome Diamond League on Friday night.

Kerley is among the headline acts at the Diamond League meeting in the Italian capital as he looks to make it back-to-back wins in 100m after his victory in Silesia last weekend.

The American, known to talk big, is praying that things go even better in Rome after claiming that his win in Silesia was a “trash race.”

“Father God protect and guide on this track today let make history,” Kerley posted on X just hours to the race.

Kerley is up against a star-studded line-up that includes Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala, Olympics 200m champion Letsile Tebogo, Itlian and home favourite Marcell Jacobs as well as fellow American Christian Coleman.

He will hope that lighting strikes twice after clocking 9.87 to win in Silesia ahead of Omanyala, who finished second in 9.88, and Ackeem Blake of Jamaica, whose personal best of 9.89 yielded third place, as Jacobs, clocked 9.93 for fourth place.

Kerley was not impressed by his performance in the Polish city and gave negative reactions post-race.

“Trash race but on to Rome,” Kerley started by posting on X before revealing much more in a post-race interview.

"I know the race was shi**y as hell. I just ran and not being technically sound, but I know I'm about to get an earful once I get to my phone,” he said.

Is six weeks enough time to kickstart your half-marathon training?

We get it—summer flies by in the blink of an eye. One minute you’re convinced by a friend to sign up for a fall half-marathon, and the next, you’re panicking because the race is less than six weeks away. While training for a half-marathon in six weeks is possible, there are some things to consider to avoid injury and make it to race day feeling confident. Here’s what you need to know to make the most of your six-week training window.

Assess your starting point

Typically, people preparing for a half-marathon give themselves 12-16 weeks of training before tackling the 21.1 km distance. More experienced runners, already with a solid base, may be able to prepare in six to eight weeks. If you’re already running a few times a week and can comfortably complete a 10K, you have a solid starting point. However, if you’re new to running or returning after a long break, six weeks will be challenging and could increase your risk of injury if you attempt to build mileage too quickly.

Follow the plan

If you’re starting from scratch, run three times a week for the first two weeks, with long runs of seven to eight kilometres. In weeks three and four, gradually increase your runs by a kilometre or two, and add a fourth run to your weekly training schedule. Your long runs during these weeks should be between 10 and 15 kilometres.

Weeks five and six are all about maintaining your fitness and staying healthy for race day. Your Week Five long run should be your longest—15-17 km—while keeping the other three runs short (five to eight kilometres), to avoid overtraining. In the sixth and final week, focus on proper rest and keeping your legs fresh for race day. Do two shorter runs leading up to the half-marathon and a light, three- to five-km shakeout run the day before the race.

Take care of your body

With such a tight training window, it’s crucial to listen to your body and maximize the effectiveness of each run. Incorporate rest days between runs to allow for proper recovery, and ensure you’re getting adequate sleep. Consider adding cross-training activities like swimming or cycling to maintain fitness without the impact of running on your rest days. Additionally, activities like stretching, foam rolling and yoga can all help keep your muscles loose and reduce the risk of injury.

Manage your expectations

A six-week training plan isn’t ideal, but it’s far better than going in unprepared and expecting a strong result. As with any skill or sport, the more you practise and train, the better prepared you’ll be for what lies ahead. It’s important to be realistic about your goals and avoid setting overly high expectations. This might not be the race where you run a personal best, but it can still be a rewarding experience. Focus on finishing strong and injury-free, rather than pushing for a specific time.

Newly-crowned world record holder in four-hour police interrogation over feud with his father

The Olympics champion, who set a new world record at the weekend, had to endure a long grilling exercise by Norwegian authorities in a case where his father is accused of abuse.

Newly-crowned world 3,000m record holder Jakob Ingebrigtsen was interrogated by police in Norway over a case where his father Gjert Ingebrigtsen has been accused of mistreating his children.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen was grilled for four hours in Stavanger on Wednesday, his lawyer Mette Yvonne Larsen, saying it was in relation to the case of violence against a family member involving his father that took place between 2018 and 2022.

"There has been follow-up of his previous interrogations and timing of events. It has gone very smoothly,” Larsen told Norwegian media.

"Are there plans for new interrogations? Since he has now been in three long interrogations, and that there will be a subsequent reading of these, I do not think it will be relevant to re-examine him.”

When Gjert Ingebrigtsen was charged with mistreatment of one of his children, the police dropped the cases against several of the other children but the decision was overturned following an appeal by Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

The hearings would be postponed until August after the athlete sought ample time to rest and prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympics in July.

He went on to win gold in the 5,000m, after a disappointing fourth place finish in the 1,500m, and announced his intentions of finishing the season strongly by lowering the 3,000m world record at the Silesia Diamond League in Poland last weekend.

The 23-year-old smashed the 3,000m world record of 7:20.67 set by Kenya’s Daniel Komen in 1996, setting a new mark of 7:17.55, in the Polish city.

Gjert Ingebrigtsen, the father and former coach of Jakob Ingebrigtsen, was charged with one count of physical abuse against a family member by Norwegian authorities.

In October 2023, brothers Henrik, Filip and Jakob Ingebrigtsen came forward with claims of physical violence and abusive behavior by their father and former coach, who has denied all the allegations.

Eilish McColgan leads Great North Run elite line-ups

Berihu Aregawi, Sisay Lemma and former winner Marc Scott are part of a strong men’s field for the September 8 event.

Eilish McColgan’s autumn road racing steps up a gear on September 8 when she tackles the AJ Bell Great North Run.

The 33-year-old holds the British records on the roads at 5km, 10km, 10 miles and half-marathon but has not yet won the iconic 13.1-mile race during her career. She has, however, won several other Great Run events and in 2021 finished runner-up to Hellen Obiri at the Great North Run.

After an injury-hit 2023, McColgan returned this summer to make the Olympic team in Paris, finishing 15th in the 10,000m. But after several more weeks of training she is expected to be stronger as she tackles the Big Half in London on September 1 followed by the Great North Run seven days later and then the Vitality London 10,000 on the roads of London again on September 22.

At the Great North Run she will face, among others, Vivian Cheruiyot, the Great North Run winner in 2016 and 2018, plus Sheila Chepkirui, the Kenyan who was third behind McColgan when the Scot won the Commonwealth 10,000m title in 2022.

Cheruiyot, who is now 40, also won the London Marathon in 2018 and the Olympic 5000m gold in 2016.

There is also Senbere Teferi, the former women-only 5km world record-holder and 65:32 runner in the half-marathon, plus two-time London Marathon podium placer Mergetu Alemu and British-based Kenyan Mary Ngugi-Cooper.

In the men’s race Marc Scott returns to try to retain the title he won in 2021. But he faces tough opposition from Berihu Aregawi, the Ethiopian who won Olympic 10,000m silver close behind Joshua Cheptegei in Paris.

Last weekend Aregawi also went No.3 on the world all-time rankings for 3000m behind Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s world record in Poland.

Also racing on Tyneside are 2024 Boston Marathon and 2021 London Marathon winner Sisay Lemma, 2023 Boston Marathon winner Evans Chebet and Kenya’s NYC Half winner from earlier this year, Abel Kipchumba.

McColgan said: “I have incredible memories of competing in Newcastle and participating in the Junior Great North Run events over 20 years ago, and we have a family history at the Great North Run, with mum being a three-time winner, so this year’s Great North Run will be a special one for me to finally follow in my mum’s footsteps and because as I have yet to run the original route from Newcastle to South Shields.”

She added: “Returning from this year’s Paris Olympics and on the road back from injury, I’m especially looking forward to the thousands of spectators lining the streets of the North East, as well as the 60,000 inspirational runners taking part in their own journey.”

McColgan’s best half-marathon time is 65:43 set in Berlin last year. Paula Radcliffe has run three seconds quicker – at the Great North Run in 2003 – but the course is not eligible for records.

This year’s run will also welcome back the elite men’s and women’s wheelchair races, held to the backdrop of this year’s Paralympic Games closing ceremony in Paris.  Notable competitors include JohnBoy Smith, Sean Frame, Michel McCabe and Jade Hall.

Sir Brendan Foster, founder of the Great North Run, said: “Our fantastic spectators are once again in for a great day thanks to our impressive elite field at the top end of our Great North Run Sunday.

Is Mulugeta Uma the Next Great Ethiopian Marathoner

Ethiopia has been blessed with exceptional marathon talent beginning with 1960 Olympic champion Abebe Bikila and continuing on to the present. There are always prospects waiting to emerge. Among the most exciting newcomers is Mulugeta Uma.

Canadian marathon fans will have the chance to witness his prowess when he lines up for the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, October 20th, as one of the favourites in this World Athletics Elite Label Race.

Earlier this year the 26-year-old won the Paris Marathon with a new personal best of 2:05:33 but nearly didn’t make it to start line. Like most runners he suffered nerves in the days leading up to his excellent performance likely due to travel but also due to his new professional circumstances.

“I was stressed,” he admits. “It was my first race under Moyo Sports Management and my new sponsor Asics. Thus I had had to run carefully.

“I was drinking plenty of water, I was determined to finish. When I reached 25 km I felt better and I was thinking of making the podium. After 35 km I was confident I would win the race. I won the race with a new personal best. Jesus, my Lord, helped me for glory.”

Few people knew that on the evening before the race he and his management huddled together to decide whether he should even start the race due to his upset stomach. They were glad he persevered. The victory earned him $55,000 USD.

Although he is now a world-class marathoner, Mulugeta began his athletics career as a 1,500m runner earning silver medals for his country in both the 2014 Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China and in the 2015 World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia. But injuries from training in spiked shoes halted his progress.

Over the following five years the problems with his achillestendon persisted, hence the decision to take up road racing.

Last year he finished 7th in the Seville Marathon finishing in a time of 2:06:07. He followed that up with a second-place finish in Frankfurt last October 29th. His time on that occasion was 2:06:47. Together with his Paris victory that makes an impressive triple over a fourteen-month period. It is safe to say most marathoners would be happy with even one of those results.

Mulugeta grew up on a farm in Wolisa about 100 kilometres southwest of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa before joining a club in the city. Asked what he would be doing if not for his running career he is quite emphatic.

“I’d be a farmer, because I am the only son in the family,” he explains. “My parents do farming for a living.”

Mulugeta and his wife have no children. Between training sessions he says he enjoys time with his wife and friends and also listening to spiritual songs. He believes he has a good future in marathon running.

“As with any world-class athlete I want to run a fast time and win big competitions like the World Championships and Olympics,” he declares.

For now, his training and his mental focus is set on performing well at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon. This will mark his first time in North America. Ten weeks before the journey he admits he has not studied the Toronto race in detail though he is confident of another great performance.

“I don’t know anything (about it). I only know that the course record is 2:05,” he offers. “With God’s help I want to break the course record and win the race.

Olympic Champion Cheptegei at the start of Dam tot Damloop

Strong field of participants at the 38th edition  of Dam tot Damloop.

Olympic Champion Joshua Cheptegei will be at the start of the Dam tot Damloop on Sunday 22 September. The champion in the 10,000 meters smashed the Olympic record in Paris this summer and has now been set by sports organization Le Champion for the Dam tot Damloop.Last year's Kenyan winner Mathew Kimeli, Muktar Edris (ETH) and Isaac Kipkemboi (KEN) are formidable opponents and make this year's field very strong.

In the women's race, the battle will be between Kenyan Cintia Chepngeno and Ethiopians Dibabe Beyene, Biri Abera and Mebrat Gidey.The 27-year-old Cheptegei has a well-stocked trophy cabinet and there is a good chance that many more titles will be added, as the Ugandan runner indicated earlier this year that he wants to shift his focus from the track to road races.

With both the current world record in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, he is also the absolute favorite for the 38th edition of the Dam tot Damloop. Cheptegei about his participation: 'This year was very successful for me with winning gold at the last Olympic Games. After spending some time with my family, I am happy to return to racing in the, for me, familiar streets of Amsterdam and Zaandam.

I have already run the Dam tot Damloop three times, the last time was in 2018 when I won. I'm going for the title again.'CompetitionIn 2018, he won the running event that starts in Amsterdam and finishes in Zaandam in 45.15 minutes. Competition will mainly come from Kenyan Kimeli, who made her debut last year and won in 45.20 minutes. Together with the Ethiopian former world record holder in the 5,000 meters Edris and the Kenyan Kipkemboi, the race will be hard.

In the women'srace, Chepngeno and Beyene will compete with Abera and Gidey. Chepngeno's fast legs are fine, the Kenyan recorded the 10 kilometers in Valencia in 30.08 minutes this year.

Dam tot DamloopThe 10 English Miles of the Dam tot Damloop is extremely popular this year.

Within a few weeks, the registration was completely sold out.

At the moment there are only starting tickets available for the Damloop by night, which will take place on Saturday evening 21 September. Registration is open until Monday 9 September. A total of 65,000 runners will be in action during the Dam tot Damloop.

Three step to conquering any hill

Elevate your running game with these essential tips for mastering hills, both up and down.

Becoming an expert at hill running isn’t just about conquering inclines—it’s about unleashing your inner mountain goat. While it can be tempting to avoid the uphill (and downhill) battle, using these tips to tackle the slopes can boost both your speed and stamina, no matter your race distance. Elevate your game by mastering these techniques to ascend and descend gracefully, ensuring you reap the rewards of hill training without causing injury or maxing out on effort.

1.- Conquer the long, steady ascent

When it comes to climbing hills, slow and steady truly wins the race. Charging uphill at full speed might seem like a good idea, but it can drain your energy reserves faster than you anticipate and leave you gassed before the finish. Instead, focus on maintaining a moderate, sustainable pace that keeps you cruising up those inclines without burning out. Studies reveal that many runners hit the hills too hard at first, only to find themselves struggling to maintain that effort later on.

2.- Find your stride at the summit

It’s tempting to ease off the gas once you crest a hill, but if you want to keep your momentum, you’ll need to quickly switch back to your regular stride. When you’re climbing, your steps naturally shorten, and it takes some conscious effort to lengthen them out again. Practice cueing yourself to open your stride and pick up your pace.

To get better at this, find a short hill that takes under a minute to reach the top. Power up to the top, lengthen your stride, and accelerate for roughly 15 seconds. Run easily back down the hill to recover and repeat five to 10 times to lock in the habit.

3.- Embrace the downhill dash

Speeding downhill might seem like a breeze, but it’s actually a skill that requires practice and finesse. Adding fast downhill sections to your training can help you develop the confidence to run with a relaxed, controlled stride, while avoiding the temptation to let gravity take over (and zoom out of control).

After your regular run, mix in four to six 100-meter strides down a gentle slope. Focus on shortening your stride, keeping your arms wide and low for stability and maintaining quick, smooth steps. If you find the effort easy, push yourself to pick up the pace. As you gain confidence, challenge yourself with steeper descents to fine-tune your downhill technique.

NCAA introduces new rules for racing shoes

No more Vaporflys: The new rule will bring NCAA competition in line with World Athletics' limit of 25 mm for indoor and outdoor track competitions.

On Aug. 8, as the world’s attention was focused on the final days of athletics at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the NCAA Rules Panel made a big decision regarding the shoes athletes can wear in competition. The governing body of U.S. collegiate sports announced that starting in the 2024/2025 season, it will align its regulations with World Athletics’ rules for cross country, indoor and outdoor track competitions.

This change comes after some scrutiny during the 2024 season, when University of Florida runner Parker Valby wore customized carbon-plated Vaporfly Next% 3 track spikes in the women’s 10,000m at the 2024 NCAA Championships, giving her a significant advantage over some of her competitors. Under World Athletics rules at the time, these shoes would have been illegal, but the NCAA was not following WA guidelines at the time. Now, the NCAA’s decision to abide by WA rules ensures that performances by student-athletes will meet the eligibility requirements for world competitions, such as the Olympic Games or World Championships.

“The shoes became a topic of discussion two years ago, but we didn’t have enough information to move forward,” Jack Hoyt, committee chair and director of men’s and women’s track and field at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, Calif., said in a press release. “We knew many college programs had already purchased these [high stack carbon-plated] shoes, and we didn’t think it was financially fair to implement the rule back then. Since then, there has been more communication from World Athletics about the shoes.”

The new rule will bring NCAA competition in line with World Athletics’ compliance, setting a maximum stack height of 25 mm for track events and 40 mm for road or cross-country competitions. World Athletics introduced these in-competition stack height rules in 2021 to ensure fairness, maintain the integrity of the sport and address the performance advantages provided by technological advancements in footwear.

Previously, NCAA athletes who wore shoes with a heel stack height exceeding the legal 25 mm risked having their times disqualified from in competitions outside the NCAA, complicating the issue across hundreds of meets during a condensed three-and-a-half-month season.

In addition to the shoe regulations, the NCAA Rules Panel also approved a modification to the rules on lane violations in men’s and women’s track and field and the use of pacing light technology at non-championship competitions. The new lane rule also aligns with World Athletics standards, stipulating that competitors will face disqualification for stepping on or over the lane line to their left with more than one step anywhere on a curve during a race.

Eisa runs championship record to retain world U20 5000m title in Lima

On a cool, crisp evening in the Peruvian capital on Tuesday (27), Ethiopia’s Medina Eisa turned up the heat on her rivals to successfully defend her 5000m title, the highlight of the first day of action at the World Athletics U20 Championships Lima 24. 

Eisa’s winning time of 14:39.71 carved more than 28 seconds off the championship record set by Genzebe Dibaba, which had stood since 2010, and brought her home well clear of her compatriot Mekedes Alemeshete. The two broke away from the field from the outset and alternated pace-setting duties, passing 2000m in 5:58.59 with a 40-meter lead. 

By 3000m, reached in 8:57.28, they’d built a 70-meter lead and from there it only extended, with Eisa breaking clear of her compatriot with three and a half laps to run and lapping most of the field to hand women’s 5000m gold to Ethiopia for the eighth time in the last nine editions.

“I'm very happy with this win and to achieve a championship record after the Olympics,” said Eisa, who finished seventh in the 5000m in Paris. “I wanted to be a champion, I have wanted this for months.” 

Alemeshete followed her home in 14:57.44, with Uganda’s Charity Cherop getting bronze in a PB of 15:25.02. 

The men’s 5000m proved a very different race, with some early moves proving inconsequential and the final boiling down to a sprint finish, with seven clustered together at the bell. As the contenders hit full speed on the final turn it was Kenya’s Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi who soon took flight like a bird, soaring to victory in 13:41.14 ahead of Ethiopia’s Abdisa Fayisa (13:41.56) and Uganda’s Keneth Kiprop (13:41.73). 

Australia reigned supreme in the mixed 4x400m final, their quartet of Jordan Gilbert, Bella Pasquali, Jack Deguara and Sophia Gregorevic controlling the race and hitting the line comfortably in front in an Oceanian record of 3:19.27. Poland claimed silver in 3:20.44 with China coming through strongly for bronze in 3:21.27 courtesy of a big final leg from Liu Yinglan. 

In the men’s shot put, it was no surprise to see gold go to the Netherlands for the first time in 24 years, but it wasn’t the thrower many were expecting, with Dutch U20 record-holder Yannick Rolvink – who topped the entry lists by more than a metre – finishing fifth with 19.88m.

It was his teammate, Jarno van Daalen, who shone brightest, the 18-year-old adding 36cm to his lifetime best with his opening round effort of 20.76m. That was a mark no one else could match in the subsequent rounds, though South Africa’s JL van Rensburg came close, launching a PB of 20.74m in the final round for silver. Germany’s Georg Harpf took bronze with 20.28m. 

With four events completed in the heptathlon, Croatia’s Jana Koscak tops the standings with 3536 points, the 2022 European U18 champion adding to her 13.80 hurdles performance and 1.81m high jump earlier in the day with a 12.01m shot put and 25.12 200m in the afternoon session. 

Second overnight is Switzerland’s Lucia Acklin, who rocketed up the standings during the latter part of the day after throwing 13.42m in the shot put and clocking a PB of 24.42 in the 200m. That leaves her on 3472 points. Australia’s Mia Scerri sits third with 3385, closely followed by Czechia’s Adela Tkacova who is fourth with 3351, aided by her season’s best of 24.14 in the 200m.

"It's been a long day, but I'm happy," said Koscak. "I ran a solid 200m, a good high jump, but the hurdles and shot put could have been a little better. It's been a long process because I've been travelling a lot, with climate changes, times zones. This is the World Championships so I'm not going to complain."

In the women’s 100m semifinals, Jamaica’s Alana Reid was highly impressive when winning in 11.44 (-0.3m/s), easing off the gas far from the line to beat Nigeria’s Justina Tiana Eyakpobeyan (11.56) and Aleksandra Stoilova of Australia (11.58), who also advanced. Kishawna Niles of Barbados and Britain’s Nia Wedderburn-Goodison were the quickest qualifiers, both clocking 11.39 in the first semifinal ahead of South Africa’s Viwe Jingqi (11.49). Germany’s Chelsea Kadiri won the third semifinal in 11.52 ahead of Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands (11.59). 

Thailand’s Puripol Bonsoon, who finished fourth in this event two years ago, was the quickest qualifier for the men’s 100m final, clocking 10.30 (-0.6m/s) in the semifinals to edge South Africa’s Bradley Nkoana by one thousandth of a second. Jamaica’s Gary Card qualified in third with 10.39.

Deandre Daley of Jamaica powered to victory in the first semifinal in 10.34 (-0.9m/s) with Japan’s Naoki Nishioka taking the second automatic spot in 10.43. South Africa’s Bayanda Walaza recovered from an early stumble to win the third semifinal in 10.33 (-0.2m/s) ahead of Britain’s Teddy Wilson (10.35) and China’s He Jinxian (10.36), who also advanced. 

China’s Wang Xiaobo led the way in men’s javelin qualification, launching 73.83m with Slovenia’s Tom Tersek next best with 73.37m ahead of Germany’s Oskar Janicke (73.02m). Ukraine’s Illia Saievskyi was the only other thrower to surpass the 72.50m automatic qualification mark.

In women's pole vault qualification, the automatic qualifying mark of 4.25m wasn't necessary and four athletes cleared 4.10m with faultless performances. One vault was all it took for USA's Molly Haywood to make the final as she entered at 4.10m and cleared that first time. She'll be joined by athletes including Estonia's Miia Tillmann, Australia's Tryphena Hewett and Austria's Magdalena Rauter.

The women’s 3000m steeplechase heats saw a dominant performance from race favourite Sembo Almayew who coasted to victory in 9:30.59 ahead of Kenya’s Diana Chepkemoi and Uganda’s Nancy Chepkwurui (9:49.06). Ethiopia’s Firehiwot Gesese eased to victory in the other heat in 10:00.96 ahead of Uganda’s Loice Chekwemoi (10:01.85) and Kenya’s Sharon Chepkemoi (10:07.59). 

Three treadmill sessions to sidestep tricky weather

When the sun is blazing and temperatures soar, outdoor running can feel more like a test of survival than a fulfilling workout. But don’t let the heat melt your motivation—these three treadmill workouts are the perfect solution for staying cool while keeping your fitness on track.

Keep these sessions in your back pocket for any season. There are plenty of occasions when tackling the treadmill can be the difference between no workout and fitting in some serious training: when lightning lights up the sky, you’re traveling and only have access to a gym, or you’re trying to stay safe from treacherous, icy conditions.

It can take some practice to know what pace to adjust your treadmill to for specific efforts. Don’t worry if you’re unsure—approximating or adjusting as you go works just fine.

1.- The hill climber

This workout builds strength and endurance, simulating hill running without the outdoor heat, and is perfect for improving your power.

Skip the warmup and cooldown with this one; you’ll be starting the workout at a very easy pace.

Set your treadmill at a 1 per cent incline, then gradually increase the incline by 1 per cent every minute for 10 minutes. After reaching the peak, reduce the incline back to 1 per cent in the same gradual manner.

If this workout feels very challenging, lengthen the time at each gradient, or increase by only 0.5 every minute. Alternatively, if the workout isn’t challenging enough, increase by 2 per cent each minute—if your incline becomes too steep to run on, walking quickly will provide the same benefits.

2.- The speed interval blast

Interval training on the treadmill boosts cardiovascular fitness and increases your speed, making you faster and more resilient.

Warm up for 5 minutes at a comfortable pace.

Alternate between 1 minute of sprinting at 90 per cent of your max speed, and 2 minutes of running at a relaxed pace.

Repeat this cycle 8 times before a 5-minute easy cooldown.

3.- The tempo trainer

This workout enhances your lactate threshold, allowing you to run faster for longer periods without fatigue.

Warm up with 10 minutes of easy running,

Then, run at your tempo pace (a challenging pace, but one you can sustain for about an hour) for 20 minutes.

Finish with a 10-minute cooldown at an easy pace.

Running on a treadmill doesn’t have to be a monotonous chore. The right workouts can be a powerful tool to keep your fitness on track, even when the weather tries to slow you down. Make sure to follow a challenging session like this one with an easy running or rest day, and even though you’re not tackling the elements, hydrate well.

New Zealand's Michaela Blyde's gets candid on how Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce transformed her life

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce might have left the Olympic stage without a gold medal but the Jamaican sprint queen surely impacted the lives of many including New Zealand rugby star Michaela Blyde.

New Zealand national rugby sevens player Michaela Blyde has opened up about how Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce impacted her life growing up and how meeting the Jamaican sprint queen at the Paris Olympic Games was a life-changing moment.

Blyde disclosed that growing up, Fraser-Pryce motivated her to dream of winning gold medals on the Olympic stage in the 100m and 200m. In an interview, the 28-year-old added that meeting her idol at the Olympic Games must have been the greatest thing that happened to her.

She added that the three-time Olympic champion going to watch her game against China at the Paris Olympic Games was something she dreamt of and is a memory that will forever be in her mind at the Olympic stage.

“Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is actually the reason why I wanted to win gold in the 100m and 200m at the Olympic Games…that was my initial Olympic dream. When I tell you what it’s like to meet an idol, it’s so hard to explain because for so long, I watched her compete on TV. After all, it’s always about the fastest man on the planet but it's never about the fastest woman,” Blyde said.

“When I saw her in person, my whole soul left my body and was watching me above. And then she said, ‘I’ll come watch you play.’ Even I have said to people that I’ll watch them play…you say that with meaning but you know that deep down you can’t.

“And then all of a sudden, after our China game, I can hear, ‘Michaela’ like from afar, and I was like I can hear my name and so I just kind of looked to my left and there’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, watching us. She came to watch us play,” she added.

Blyde added that Fraser-Pryce sharing on her Instagram stories that she had gone to watch her play was a morale booster at the Olympic Games. She noted that having Fraser-Pryce in the stands changed her life forever.

After exiting the Olympic stage, she explained that it motivated her to be an inspiration to young girls and boys in her home country.

“And then on her Instagram stories, she was cheering on us, she was cheering from little Michaela Blyde who is from Taranaki. It’s just a random to her but to me, she’s someone who made a huge impact on my sporting career,” she said.

“Having her there was unbelievably meaningful. It makes you realise that the job we have as well when we go to club rugby or little Jenny’s school or whatever, they see us on the sideline and they feel just like how I felt there.”

Reality star Spencer Matthews breaks world record

Former reality TV personality Spencer Matthews has completed 30 marathons in 30 consecutive days completely on sand - breaking a new Guinness World Record and raising more than £350,000 for charity.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 36, has added endurance athlete to his list of career ventures since first coming into the public eye in 2011.

The father-of-three spoke to Sky News after successfully running across 1,266km through the Jordanian Desert in scorching temperatures.

He started near Wadi Rum on the edge of the Arabian Desert and finished the final 26.2 mile leg on Tuesday morning near the Dead Sea.

Throughout the challenge, he raised money for Global's Make Some Noise charity, which funds grassroots projects and works with small charities across the UK.

Matthews said he never wanted to stop his running because the people supported by the charities he was running for "absolutely don't deserve to be in the pain that they're in"

"In many cases the pain that they're in is permanent - whereas I'm here for 30 days. Despite them being quite difficult, I will go back to my life when this is over and some of them don't get the chance to do that", he said.

"So that really does help when times are tough because no tough time that I'm having will ever be as tough as what these people are going through."

To meet the world record criteria, Matthews had to stay on sand and only sand - a layer of sand over a field of grass would not qualify, for example - and all marathon runs had to be finished within six hours.

'Positive experience in my life'

One unexpected difficulty during the 30-day stint in sandy Jordan was the quality of camp that he would turn up to each evening.

He has only been getting between three to five hours of sleep each night due to the heat.

"[It's] fly-infested, boiling hot, no air conditioning, sleeping on the same mat, no bedsheets, no toilets, no running water," he said.

"Again this situation is nowhere near as bad as the situation of those we're raising money for, so I'm not looking to turn what has been a positive experience in my life, this challenge, into something negative.

"But you asked for the lows, and it's quite difficult to get comfortable in camp. When you've ran a marathon that morning, all you're really looking for is comfort.

'If I carried on my drinking habits, I would die'

Matthews, who before his TV career was a city trader in London, has made a huge personal and physical transformation after years of abusing alcohol.

He admitted he "could have died" at the height of his drinking.

"I actually find it really annoying when people say anything is possible. But this is sort of proof that that is the case", Matthews said.

"I feel it's proving a point that even if you're going through a very difficult time, with just a little bit of discipline and some action, you can change things about your life that really matter.

"I was told by a therapist that if I carried on the way that I was drinking I would die."

After four years of complete abstinence, Matthews was able to re-address his feelings and behaviours towards alcohol, and now he drinks on occasion - but admits he rarely feels the want to do so.

Thinking about post-desert life, the former reality TV star is most looking forward to reuniting with his Irish presenter wife Vogue Williams and their three children.

Beyond that, Matthews says he is excited to get home to tackle the next challenges, including getting more young people into running and doing what he can to encourage others to get to a better stage in their life.

"I think there's a lot more good we can do outside this fundraise", he says, smiling.

U.S. Olympians highlight field in 2024 Faxon Law New Haven Labor Day Road Race

Three U.S. Olympians highlight a competitive field set to run on Labor Day in the Faxon Law New Haven Road Race, the host of the USA Men's and Women's 20K Championship.

There's one Olympian competing in the women's field: Rachel Smith represented America at the Tokyo Olympics in the 5,000 meters and became this year's 15K National Champion.

Jess McClain finished fourth at this year's Olympic Trials Marathon.Virginia's Keira D'Amato leads the women's field. She set the course record when she won the race in 2022.

The 2021 race champion, Erika Kemp, will also be competing.

Moving over to the men's field, there are two runners with Olympic appearances. Woody Kincaid represented the U.S. in the last two Olympics. He ran the 10,000 meters in Paris and the 5,000 meters in Tokyo. This marks Kincaid's first 20K.

Hillary Bor is the other Olympian. He represented America in the 2016 Steeplechase. Another challenger will be Sam Chelanga, who has finished in the top three in five appearances in New Haven's 20K. Also competing is West Hartford's Ben Lanza, who is one of Connecticut's top distance runners.

The female and male 20K winners will receive the Ryan Shay Memorial Award. Shay passed away while participating in the 2007 Olympic Trials Marathon in New York City. The award is in recognition of Shay’s hard work and dedication to the sport, as well as longtime support of the New Haven Road Race.

"We're very excited about having many of the country's top runners compete in New Haven," said John Tolbert, Elite Athlete Coordinator in a release. "We have very deep Men’s and Women’s race fields. With a cool day, the men’s and women’s 20K American records could be in jeopardy.”

Labor Day is Sept. 2. The race will begin on the New Haven Green. The Kids Fun Run starts at 8:10 a.m. The 20K, Half Marathon and 5K all start at 8:30 a.m.

Faith Kipyegon confirms next stop as she gears up for tough test in Brussels

Faith Kipyegon has revealed her next spot as she gears up for title defence at the Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels.

Three-time Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon headlines a stacked field in the women’s 1500m at the Diamond League Meeting in Rome scheduled for Friday, August 30.

Kipyegon will be racing for the first time after a quite dramatic Paris Olympic Games that saw her almost lose her silver in the women’s 5000m. Kipyegon was shortly disqualified for obstruction and her medal was stripped but Athletics Kenya officials filed an appeal and it was later reinstated.

Going into the women’s 5000m, Kipyegon knew she had her work cut out and put in the work to ensure she defended her title for the third time. She first won the title at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games before winning the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

She now heads to Rome with a lot of confidence in winning the race as she gears up for the Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels. She enters the race with a ton of experience as she claimed two gold medals at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, winning the 1500m and 5000m.

Kipyegon, widely regarded as one of the greatest 1500m runners of all time, will face off against a strong Ethiopian cast but the Kenyan never disappoints when it comes to showing up on the global stage.

The race in Rome will be her second Diamond League of the season after she improved her previous world record in a blistering time of 3:49.04 to win the Diamond League Meeting in Paris.

She goes up against home talent Nadia Battocletti, the Olympic 10,000m silver medalist and a two-time European champion. Battocletti also placed fourth in Paris, in the 5000m. Sintayehu Vissa and Ludovica Cavalli will also be in the mix.

In the line-up, Ethiopians Diribe Welteji, Birke Haylom, Worknesh Mesele, and Nigist Getachew will be out to showcase their prowess.

Ethiopia’s Roza Dereje To Race 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Roza Dereje has raced just once in the last three years yet her commitment to the 2024 TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is a massive coup for this World Athletics Elite Label Race.

Twice she has dipped under the 2:20 barrier and can point to a personal best marathon time of 2:18:30 set when she won the 2019 Valencia Marathon.

Moreover, she represented Ethiopia in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic marathon - held in Sapporo, Japan in 2021. Under hot humid conditions she narrowly missed the podium finishing 4th that day. Then there is her incredible record at World Marathon Majors: a second place finish at the 2018 Chicago Marathon (2:21:18) and, six months later, a third place in the 2019 London Marathon (2:20:51).

Her one outing was a credible 6th place finish at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon in Northern Ireland (August 25th, 2024) - a tuneup for her first visit to Canada.

Never before has the Toronto Waterfront Marathon enjoyed the addition of an athlete sporting such credentials.

There is a good explanation for her hiatus from the sport ever since those Tokyo Olympics. A little over a year ago she gave birth to her first child, a son named Yobsan.

“Life has changed a lot,” the 27 year old admits. “Being a mom is a great thing to be in this world and life is so good after it.”

Roza’s husband is Dereje Ali, a former world class marathon runner, who finished second in the 2011 Ottawa Marathon. The couple and their infant live in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa and have reversed traditional roles in their household. Indeed, Roza credits her husband’s sacrifice for her ability to compete at the highest level and to make her comeback at this year’s TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

“He stopped running just to support me,” she explains. “We talked about it and he stopped to take care of the children and household and allow me the time to rest and recover in between training sessions and to prepare food etc. to help me to be a champion.”

Those training sessions involve meeting up with her elite training group under renowned coach Haji Adilo three times a week. She trains alone on other days. The meetups can be in a variety of different locations depending upon Haji’s objective for the session.

“Akaki, Sendafa, Entoto, they are great training places too,” Roza continues. “I drive with my husband Dereje to all of the sessions. We are very fortunate to have a good car and can travel freely to the sessions and not have to wait on public transportation.”

Normally, training sessions begin at sunrise before there is heavy traffic on the roads at these locations. During the rainy season (June to September) it is sometimes necessary to change locations since the majority of roads are unpaved and can become slippery underfoot.

Besides the sacrifices made by Dereje her greatest influence has been Haji her longtime coach whose career as a marathon runner was cut short due to health complications. He went into coaching with a personal best of 2:12:25 from 1999.

“Haji's great support has taken me this far, his hard work and commitment to the sport is what brings me to where I am now,” she declares. “I started my career with him and I am who I am today because of him and my other coaches in the team.”

Choosing Toronto for her come back made sense as many of Haji’s athletes have competed here.

"I used to watch other athletes running there (on YouTube livestream) so I am excited to come and run,” she adds. “Last year one of my training partners (Amid Fozya Jemal) was part of an exciting race right to the finish so I am hoping to come and make an exciting race too.”

The Toronto Waterfront course record of 2:22:16 was set in 2019 by Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai. It’s a time that Roza had beaten four times prior to her Olympic marathon race in 2021. However, talk of record breaking in Toronto, at least this far out, is not discussed though she might be very capable of achieving this standard.

“Even though it is my first time to race since I gave birth, running is not new to me,” she declares. “So I am not nervous about it. I am preparing well for the race to make my come back fruitful.

“I am training well targeting this race and I have more time to prepare myself too.”

Asked for a specific goal her answer is concise: “Winning, with the will of God!”

Can increasing your cadence help you crush your goals?

Should you be paying more attention to how frequently your feet hit the ground?

A runner’s cadence, or the number of steps they takes per minute, has become a popular topic of debate in the running community. Should you be worried about your cadence, and could changing it make you a better runner?

It’s often suggested that an “ideal” cadence is around 180 steps per minute, a number championed by many coaches and elite athletes. But should every runner aim for this magic number? Here’s what you need to know.

No one-size-fits-all answer

Cadence can impact both your running efficiency and injury risk, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Research has shown that a higher cadence can reduce the impact on joints and lower the risk of common injuries like shin splints and runner’s knee. However, this doesn’t mean that everyone needs to hit 180—your optimal cadence may vary depending on factors like height, leg length and running experience.

How to improve your cadence

If you’re concerned about your cadence, the first step is to determine your current rate. Many sports watches can give you an approximate estimate. If you don’t love wearable tech, a simple way to do this is by counting your steps for 30 seconds while running, and then doubling that number. If your cadence is significantly lower than 170-180 and you’re experiencing frequent injuries or fatigue, it might be worth experimenting with a higher rate. Start by increasing your cadence by five to 10 per cent over a few weeks, focusing on shorter, quicker strides.

It’s essential to make these adjustments gradually, as a sudden increase can lead to new issues. Incorporating cadence tools, such as using a cadence-focused playlist, can also help you make these changes more naturally.

When not to worry about cadence

While cadence can be a useful factor for some runners, it’s not the only key to success. If you’re injury-free, feeling strong and hitting your training goals, there’s no need to obsess over your step count. Trying to force a higher cadence when it doesn’t suit your natural stride can lead to discomfort, or even injury.

Recent studies suggest that efficiency varies greatly among runners, and what works for one person might not work for another. The best approach is to listen to your body and make adjustments only if needed. By understanding cadence and how it applies to your running style, you can make informed choices that benefit your performance and keep you injury-free.

Jamaican Olympic medalist given four-year doping ban

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic 110m hurdles bronze medalist, Ronald Levy of Jamaica, was dealt a four-year ban after an out-of-competition test for GW1516.

On Friday, Ronald Levy, the Tokyo Olympic 110m hurdles bronze medalist from Jamaica, was handed a four-year ban by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) following a positive test for banned substances.

The substance detected in Levy’s sample, taken during an out-of-competition test in October 2023, was GW1516. This black-market drug is known for enhancing endurance and increasing the body’s ability to burn fat, allowing users to train harder and longer. However, GW1516 has not been approved for human use due to concerns about its potential cancer risks and other severe long-term health effects.

Levy said on social media that he was shocked at the positive test result, maintaining he did not knowingly violate any rules: “I am stunned by this turn of events because I have always conducted myself with the highest level of integrity in the sport, which I love dearly, and would never seek to gain an unfair advantage.”

The 31-year-old hurdler won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics behind American Grant Holloway and Levy’s fellow Jamaican, Hansle Parchment. He also won gold in the 110m hurdles at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Levy has not competed since September 2023 and did not qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Levy has the right to appeal the decision and take his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). While a successful appeal could overturn the ban, the process could also result in significant financial and physical strain if the appeal is unsuccessful. This is the third high-profile GW1516 case in the past two years, following the positive tests of former Olympic 800m silver medalist Nijel Amos of Botswana and Surinamese sprinter Issam Asinga, the U20 100m record holder. Both men tested positive during out-of-competition tests.

Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on 27th October: Negasa, Kiptanui, Masai and Abayechew look for new momentum in Frankfurt

A group of athletes who have achieved world-class results in different events in the past want to use the fast course of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon to give their careers new momentum. Among the runners targeting fast times is Ethoipia’s Herpasa Negasa, who became the eighth fastest ever at the Dubai Marathon 2019, and Kenya’s 2009 World 10,000m Champion Linet Masai.

The 41st edition of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on 27th October is a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race. Organisers expect a total of over 25,000 athletes for their event, among them around 12,000 marathon runners. 

“We look forward to another high-class race which could well produce surprises. After achieving the fastest combined winning time in the history of our race last year we are eager to see what will be possible on 27th October,“ said Race Director Jo Schindler.

Herpasa Negasa achieved a breakthrough at the Dubai Marathon 2019, when the Ethiopian was runner-up in a world-class time of 2:03:40. Two years ago he clocked another very good time in Seoul where he ran 2:04:49 and placed second once more. Now the 30 year-old intends to reach those levels again. Herpasa Negasa belongs to what currently is probably the world’s strongest marathon training group. Coached by Gemedu Dedefo in Addis Ababa Olympic Champion Tamirat Tola and current Boston winner Sisay Lemma are among his training partners.

Eric Kiptanui will be among Herpasa Negasa’s strongest challengers. As a newcomer he immediately established himself as one of the fastest half marathon runners of 2018. First the Kenyan took the Lisbon Half Marathon, then he ran a 58:42 course record in Berlin that still stands today. During a Corona lockdown he won one of very few high-class marathon races in Siena, Italy, in 2021 with 2:05:47. Despite fine results in Chicago 2021 (3rd) and Boston 2022 (5th) he could not yet improve his time from Siena. After a weaker year in 2023 the 34 year-old now wants to bounce back in Frankfurt.

For Linet Masai the Mainova Frankfurt-Marathon could be one of her last chances and may be the best one to achieve a late breakthrough in the marathon. The 34 year-old is the 10,000m World Champion from 2009 and won an Olympic bronze medal over this distance in 2008.

From 2009 to 2011 she took three silver medals in a row in the highly competitive World Cross Country Championships. However after a fine 2:23:46 debut in Amsterdam in 2018 (without the benefit of the new shoe technology) she was not able to build on this performance. In Frankfurt Linet Masai wants to finally break her PB. 

Tigist Abayechew will be among the favourites on 27th October. Two years ago the 30 year-old Ethiopian smashed her personal best and improved to 2:18:03 for third place. After a break due to an injury she came back with a ninth place in Tokyo this March. Tigist Abayechew will now want to cross the line first in Frankfurt’s indoor finish at the Festhalle.

World half bronze medalist Kamulu and Tokyo olympic marathon trials winner Nakamura take humid Hokkaido Marathon

2018 World Half Marathon Championships bronze medalist Pauline Kamulu Kaveke and Tokyo Olympics marathon trials winner Shogo Nakamura survived tough conditions, 22˚C at the start with 82% humidity, sunny skies and almost no wind, to take the 2024 Hokkaido Marathon Sunday in Sapporo.

Both running their debuts, Kamulu and Shiho Tachizako ran steadily around 2:28-flat pace surrounded by a group of amateur men, staying together until just before 30 km when Tachizako started to fade. Kamulu struggled with the hot conditions late in the race and could only watch the clock as sub-2:30 slipped away, looking very tired as she crossed the finish line in 2:31:04.

Tachizako faded to 2:33:47 for 2nd, but even that was good enough to easily beat the rest of the field, with last year's 2nd-placer Ayano Ikeuchi 3rd in 2:35:26 in her third marathon so far this year.

Nakamura had said pre-race that he didn't care about time and was only focused on getting in the win, and that was exactly how he ran, ignoring the early action and staying near the front of the main pack until he made his initial move at 30 km.

That got rid of the pretenders, with only 2:08~2:10 men Takeshi Soma, Atsumi Ashiwa and Masaru Aoki, and 2:18 amateur Ryuichi Yoshioka getting back on board. Soma countered with an attack after 34 km, but Nakamura quickly reeled him back in and made his real move with 5 km to go.

Yoshioka was the only one to try to follow, but it was all Nakamura the rest of the way, scoring his first win since his Olympic trials victory in 2019 with a 2:15:36 for 1st. Yoshioka was elated in the home stretch with a 2:16:28 for 2nd, a 2-minute PB and the only runner male or female in the top 10 to PB. Nakamura's toughest competition still standing when he dropped his big move, Ashiwa out kicked Soma and Aoki for 3rd in 2:16:40.

Osaka Marathon winner Kiyoto Hirabayashi ran Hokkaido as a training run, jogging in to a 70th-place finish in 2:41:19. The next-fastest man on paper after Hirabayashi with a 2:07:58 win in Beppu-Oita in February, Japan-based Ethiopian Derese Workneh was a DNF near 30 km.

This HIIT workout will boost your endurance and strength

How can you possibly fit in a strength workout after squeezing your daily mileage or endurance minutes into an already-busy schedule? HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts are the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone; the exercises target various muscle groups that help provide stability and strength while running, while the intensity of the movements is very effective in getting that heart rate up. All you need is your yoga mat, so let’s get started.

The workout is a Tabata; it will be structured with eight sets of eight exercises, with 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. Each round will last four minutes; take one minute of rest between sets.

The exercise should be done with a very high effort–you’re only going for a short period. If you’re out of breath, breaking a sweat and looking forward to the rest interval, you’re doing it right. You’ll be done your full high-intensity workout in 40 minutes, and the excitement of it will make it fly by.

Exercise 1: jumping jacks

Begin with your feet slightly apart and your arms at your sides. Jump and widen your stance to be a bit wider than shoulder-width, while swinging your arms from your sides to straight above your head. Jump again to tuck everything back into the same starting position and repeat. Keep the movement quick and rigid, and try to engage your core.

Exercise 2: plank walk-out to mountain climbers

Standing at the end of your yoga mat, bend forward so your hands are on the mat in front of you (bending your knees as little as possible), and walk your hands away from your feet until you are in a plank position. Do four mountain climbers (two per side), tucking your knee in toward your opposite shoulder while trying to keep your butt down. Keeping your core tight, walk your hands back toward your feet and stand up. Repeat.

Exercise 3: thigh-rub crunches

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor, as if to do regular crunches, but rest your palms on your thighs. Slide your hands up your thighs toward your knees, applying pressure against your legs. Push harder with your arms to engage your core more, and lower back down at a controlled pace.

Exercise 4: air squat to jump squat

Begin standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Complete a squat, stopping before your knees reach 90 degrees. Return to standing, tucking your pelvis at the top. Lower into another squat and do a jump squat, swinging your arms back to power you off the ground–extend your legs in the air if you can. Land with your knees slightly bent. Repeat the air squat-jump squat cycle.

Exercise 5: bear taps

Begin on your hands and knees, both shoulder-width apart. Tucking your shoes under your feet, lift your knees just slightly off the ground. Keeping your core rigid, alternate tapping your hands to the opposite shoulder. Try not to rotate your spine–pretend you have a cup of water on your back that you can’t tip over.

Exercise 6: quick switches 

Find a slightly elevated surface, such as a box or a stair. Stand with one foot in front, on the higher surface, and one foot under you, on the floor. Jump to switch the positions of your feet, trying to extend your legs in the air. Continue alternating swiftly, tapping lightly.

Exercise 7: push-ups

You have three options for pushups: regular push-ups, knee push-ups or elevated-surface push-ups (so that your arms are elevated and your feet are on the floor; you should begin on a diagonal). Whatever variation is best for you, make sure you keep your core tight–as if your spine is a rigid board that cannot bend. Keep your elbows narrow, as close to the sides of your body as possible. Lower your body slowly, and power through the movement when pushing up.

Exercise 8: reverse lunges 

Begin standing with your pelvis tucked beneath you. Step one leg back and lower your back knee until it almost reaches the floor. Your front knee should be directly above your front ankle. Push through your front leg to stand back up (do this controlled–don’t throw your weight forward) and switch legs to repeat.

Once you’ve completed your first set, take your one minute of rest, and repeat. Remember: having good form is more important than going fast. Be sure to hydrate and fuel well when you’re done.

Chepngetich shatters Buenos Aires record as Kenyans dominate races

2019 World Marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich blazed through the Buenos Aires Half Marathon on Sunday, setting a new course record of 1:05:58.

Chepngetich broke the previous record of 1:06:10, held by Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh, who claimed the title last year.

Alemaddis Eyayu finished second with a time of 1:07:04 while Joyce Chepkemoi rounded out the podium clocking 1:07:35.

Veronica Loleo secured fourth in 1:08:09, with Dorcas Jepchirchir coming in seventh at 1:09:03 and Sandrafelis Chebet finishing 11th in 1:12:19.

Chepngetich improved on her previous appearance in the half marathon, where she placed third in 1:06:18, trailing Ethiopia’s Yashaneh (1:06:10) and Gutemi Shone (1:06:12).

In the men’s event, Ethiopia’s Gerba Dibaba outshined the Kenyan contingent, clinching the crown in 1:00:24.

Kenya's Cosmas Mwangi (1:00:25), Richard Yator (1:00:44), Bernard Biwott (1:00:53), Gideon Kiprotich (1:00:54) and Isaac Kipkemboi (1:01:06)followed in that order. 

Mwangi improved on his third-place finish from last year, where he clocked 59:29 behind Roncer Konga (59:08) and Felix Kipkoech (59:28).

Yehualaw clinches third Antrim Coast Half victory

Ethiopian Yalemzerf Yehualaw secured a third win in the Antrim Coast Half Marathon women's event as Kenya's Alex Nzioka Matata earned men's victory.

Yehualaw, who won the 2022 London Marathon, was well clear by halfway and her finishing time of 65 minutes and 34 seconds in wet and windy conditions left her one minute and 16 seconds clear of compatriot Loice Chemnung.

2021 London Marathon winner Joyciline Jepkosgei was expected to be Yehualaw's main challenger but had to settle for third place a minute and 33 seconds off the pace.

Amid the inclement weather on the 13-mile course in and around Larne, Yehualaw's winning time was well outside her personal best of 63:51.

Yehualaw, 25, thought she had set a new world record in her first run in the Northern Ireland event in 2021 after crossing the line in 63:44 but that time was not ratified after the course was found to be 54 metres short.

In the men's race, Nzioka Matata, 27, produced a brilliant run in the awful weather conditions to break 60 minutes as he clocked 59 minutes and 48 seconds.

The Kenyan's time was only 11 seconds outside his personal best set when he won the Padova Half Marathon in Italy earlier this year.

Nzioka Matata's winning time left 41 seconds ahead of compatriot Hillary Kipkoech (60:29) with Ethiopia's twice Tokyo Marathon winner Birhanu Legese a further one second back in third place.

The winner broke clear of the world's sixth fastest ever marathon runner Legese just after halfway and was never threatened thereafter.