Running News Daily

Running News Daily is edited by Bob Anderson in Mountain View, California USA and team in Thika Kenya, La Piedad Mexico, Bend Oregon and Chandler Arizona.   Send your news items to bob@mybestruns.com  Advertising opportunities available.   Over one million readers and growing.  Train the Kenyan Way at KATA Running Retreat Kenya.  (Kenyan Athletics Training Academy) in Thika Kenya.  Opening in june 2024 KATA Running retreat Portugal.  Learn more about Bob Anderson, MBR publisher and KATA director/owner, take a look at A Long Run the movie covering Bob's 50 race challenge.  

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Zach Panning And Sarah Disanza Win Shamrock Shuffle 8k

The winners of the 2023 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K crossed the finish line Sunday, leading thousands of racers in the unofficial kickoff to outdoor running season in Chicago.

Zach Panning, of Rochester Hills, Michigan, won the race by finishing as the first runner with an unofficial time of 22:48, according to race results.

"It feels good. I was second last year to Tai Dinger, who was second this year, so it’s fun having a little fun rivalry," Panning told NBC 5 at the finish line. "I love Chicago. I ran the marathon last year, and really enjoy it. It’s a beautiful city."

Panning said he plans to focus on the next Olympic trials marathon next year.

Sarah Disanza, who is also from Rochester Hills, Michigan, was the first female finisher in the 8K event, crossing the finish line with an unofficial time of 26:35.

"It’s super exciting. I’ve been coming back from a tendon tear in my foot for a long time, so it was great to get out there and really rip it," she said. "You just have to ask yourself ‘how much do you love it?’ For me, every single day that I was out there cross-training, it was so worth it. It’s my favorite thing in the world, for moments like this and being here with my teammates."

The first to cross the finish line was wheelchair racer and defending champion Samantha Schroth, a Wisconsin native who lives in Chicago.

She finished first in the wheelchair race, with a time of 25:57, faster than her 2022 victory finish. The next wheelchair finisher was Angelo Perez, who crossed with an unofficial time of 40:38.

"Step outside your comfort zone. Everyone has things in their lives they’re nervous about, whether you’re disabled or able-bodied, and you just have to step outside your comfort zone and give it a chance," Schroth told NBC 5 at the finish line. "You never know what’s on the other side. I didn’t think I’d be racing post-injury, but I’m loving every second of it."

The top finishers paved the way as thousands of runners took over Chicago streets on a colder spring day.

(03/28/2023) ⚡AMP
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B of A Shamrock Shuffle 8K

B of A Shamrock Shuffle 8K

The Shamrock 8k is a huge celebration of the beginning of running season. It is the world's largest timed 8k, starting and finishing in Chicago's Grant Park. Runners feel the energy of over 30,000 runners and a big cheering crowd (present during the entire course.)The excitement lasts throughout the after-party, where participants find beer, food and live music. The flat...

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Eilish McColgan set for Berlin Half Marathon test

British record-holder faces key race in Germany this weekend ahead of marathon debut in London on April 23.

Three weeks before making her marathon debut in London, Eilish McColgan will tackle the Berlin Half Marathon on Sunday (April 2) looking for a confidence-boosting performance.

The 32-year-old has dealt with a number of injury niggles so far this year such as bursitis on her knee and Achilles and calf issues. Despite this she broke Paula Radcliffe’s long-standing British 10,000m record with 30:00.86 in California at the start of March although she subsequently withdrew from last weekend’s NYC Half.

After training in altitude in Colorado, she is now set to travel to Europe this week to run the Generali-sponsored Berlin Half Marathon where her rivals include Tsigie Gebreselama of Ethiopia and Ludwina Chepngetich of Kenya, whereas fellow Brits Samantha Harrison and Calli Thackery are also set to compete.

Gebreselama has run 65:46 – which she ran in Valencia last October behind Konstanze Klosterhalfen – whereas Chepngetich has run 67:30 and McColgan’s UK record is 66:26.

Gebreselama, 22, also won silver behind Beatrice Chebet in the women’s race at the recent World Cross Country Championships in Australia.

You can expect fast times because very much like the city’s annual marathon in the autumn, the half-marathon has seen quick times over the years. Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands ran 65:45 here in 2019 with the current course record held by Kenya’s Sheila Kiprotich Chepkirui with 65:02 from 12 months ago.

The men’s line-up meanwhile is led by Sabastian Sawe, whose PB of 58:02, plus fellow Kenyans Philemon Kiplimo and Alex Kibet, the latter being the 2022 winner in Berlin. Up against the Kenyans are Dominic Lobalu of South Sudan and Gemechu Dida of Ethiopia, whose PBs are 59:12 and 59:21 respectively.

(03/28/2023) ⚡AMP
by Jason Henderson
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Berlin Half Marathon

Berlin Half Marathon

The story of the Berlin Half Marathon reflects a major part of the history of the German capital. It all began during cold war times and continued during reunification. The events leading up to today's event could really only have happened in this city. Its predecessors came from East- and West Berlin. On 29th November 1981 the Lichtenberg Marathon was...

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90-year-old Italian man breaks marathon age-group world record

If you need a little inspiration today, meet 90-year-old marathoner Antonio Rao, from Rome. At the 2023 Rome Marathon on March 19, Rao became the fastest 90+ man in history, finishing the marathon in six hours and 14 minutes to break the M90 world record by a staggering 30 minutes. 

Living to age 90 is amazing on its own, but Rao is pushing the limits of human performance. He averaged eight minutes and 53 seconds per kilometre over 42.195 of them–and he even went out hot, splitting 2:49:40 at the half-marathon mark. Rao seems to be getting faster with age on the Rome Marathon course. In 2022, at 89, he ran six hours and 20 minutes to win his age category outright.

Rao, born in 1933, told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that he began running as a teenager to keep up with a friend and hasn’t stopped since. “If I can do it at this age, anyone can,” said Rao. “I’d like to be an example of that.”

According to La Repubblica, Rao had no idea he set a world record when he finished. His family was there to celebrate his accomplishment at the finish line near the Colosseum.  

He took the M90+ record from U.S. marathoner Ernest Van Leeuwen (born. 1912), who recorded a time of 6:46:34 at the 2005 Los Angeles Marathon. Van Leeuwen held the record for 18 years and ran the L.A. Marathon every year until his death in March 2007 at age 94. 

Rao has run the Rome Marathon every year since 2015 (except during the pandemic), and in 2007 he ran a sub-two-hour half marathon at age 75. In an interview, Rao said he still trains 20 to 30 kilometres each week.

Running is a great way to keep your body active and mind young, and Rao is proving just that. Rao has run the Rome Marathon every year since 2015 (except during the pandemic), and in 2007 he ran a sub-two-hour half marathon at age 75. In an interview, Rao said he still trains 20 to 30 kilometres each week.

Running is a great way to keep your body active and mind young, and Rao is proving just that. 

(03/28/2023) ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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Run Rome The Marathon

Run Rome The Marathon

When you run our race you will have the feeling of going back to the past for two thousand years. Back in the history of Rome Caput Mundi, its empire and greatness. Run Rome The Marathon is a journey in the eternal city that will make you fall in love with running and the marathon, forever. The rhythm of your...

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Starting in 2024 the Boston Marathon will have a new primary sponsor for the first time since 1985

Following a months-long search, the Boston Athletic Association announced Monday that Bank of America will become the new presenting sponsor of the historic annual race. The announcement launches a decade-long agreement between the B.A.A. and the major bank.

"We are super excited for the city of Boston, for our sport of running to be partnering with Bank of America beginning in 2024, for not only the Boston Marathon, but everything that the Boston Athletic Association does," said Jack Fleming, President and CEO of the B.A.A.

Bank of America will replace John Hancock, which is sponsoring the Boston Marathon for the last time on April 17. 

"When we saw that John Hancock was going to move on -- and they've been an incredible partner for the B.A.A. -- we jumped at the opportunity," said Miceal Chamberlain, Bank of America's president for Massachusetts and national regional executive for global commercial banking. "From our CEO, Brian Moynihan, on down, we said this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime (opportunities) to partner and align with an organization that has similar values and purposes and wants to do well in the community."

The bank is also the title sponsor of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon but unlike that arrangement, the bank and B.A.A. agreed to put the sponsorship after the name of the race. Accordingly, starting in 2024, the full title of the event will be "The Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America."

"We want to be there to help shine a brighter light on it. Give it more attention. Our branding, our marketing, we think, can help amplify the message that they've been delivering for over 100 years now," said Chamberlain.

In addition to the sponsorship of the marathon, Bank of America and the B.A.A. said they will work together to grow the Boston Marathon's non-profit, engagement and philanthropic initiatives.

"Bank of America saw the Boston Marathon as something special, something different. And Bank of America saw that we can achieve what we are seeking to do together with the way we are positioned," said Fleming. 

As the new and exclusive local broadcast partner of the Boston Marathon, WCVB Channel 5 will broadcast the race live on Monday, April 17, with the national simulcast airing on ESPN.

(03/27/2023) ⚡AMP
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Boston Marathon

Boston Marathon

Among the nation’s oldest athletic clubs, the B.A.A. was established in 1887, and, in 1896, more than half of the U.S. Olympic Team at the first modern games was composed of B.A.A. club members. The Olympic Games provided the inspiration for the first Boston Marathon, which culminated the B.A.A. Games on April 19, 1897. John J. McDermott emerged from a...

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Emily Sisson withdraws from 2023 London Marathon due to hip injury

The stacked women’s field at 2023 TCS London Marathon will not include American record holder Emily Sisson. At 7:00 am ET today, the race announced Sisson had withdrawn from the race and then a few hours later Sisson explained why in an Instagram post.

“I tweaked something in my hip during a workout a few weeks ago, and it just didn’t quite heal fast enough! I have taken a few days off since then & have been slowly increasing my runs—and things are feeling a lot better!” wrote Sisson. “Initially I was pretty bummed, but I’m going to pivot to some shorter races this summer instead now! And I will do a marathon later this year. I will keep my race schedule posted.”

Sisson’s withdrawal comes just 13 days after the former American record holder Keira D’Amato told Runner’s World she also wouldn’t be competing in London due to a tweaked knee.

The race also announced today that the fourth fastest Brit in history, Jess Piasecki (2:22:27 pb) , would not be competing as well due to injury. Since the race announced its record-breaking lineup in February, a number of people have withdrawn besides the two Americans and Piasecki. Also withdrawing have been the 5th fastest woman in history Tigist Assefa (2:15:37 pb) of Ethiopia, Australian record holder Sinead Diver (2:21:34), as well as Brits Charlotte Purdue (2:23:16 pb) and Stephanie Davis (2:27:16 pb).

(03/27/2023) ⚡AMP
by Robert Johnson
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TCS London Marathon

TCS London Marathon

The London Marathon was first run on March 29, 1981 and has been held in the spring of every year since 2010. It is sponsored by Virgin Money and was founded by the former Olympic champion and journalist Chris Brasher and Welsh athlete John Disley. It is organized by Hugh Brasher (son of Chris) as Race Director and Nick Bitel...

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Reigning champions returning for B.A.A. 5K

Global medalists, returning champions and exciting challengers from Massachusetts will headline the Boston Athletic Association's 5K and Invitational Mile, the races which kick off the Boston Marathon weekend.

Both of the races will be held on Saturday, April 15.

Among the professional athletes entered in the B.A.A. 5K are reigning champions Charles Philibert-Thiboutot of Canada, Marcel Hug of Switzerland and Jenna Fesemyer of the USA. Recently crowned world cross-country champion Beatrice Chebet of Kenya will make her Boston road racing debut in the competition.

The B.A.A. 5K starts and finishes in Boston Common at 8 a.m., featuring 10,000 athletes from 87 countries and all 50 U.S. states.

After the 5k, the Invitational Miles will be featured at the historic Boylston Street finish line.

Local Bay State stars Johnny Gregorek of Seekonk, the defending men's champion, and Ellie Shea of Belmont will compete in the three-lap race starting and finishing on Boylston Street.

Also in the field are 2022 B.A.A. Invitational Mile women’s runner-up Taryn Rawlings, 2021 NCAA Cross Country champion Whittni Morgan, and high school sub-four-minute miler Hobbs Kessler, who now runs professionally for Adidas.

“This year’s professional fields blend together experience with up-and-coming stars for the B.A.A. 5K and B.A.A. Invitational Mile,” Mary Kate Shea, B.A.A. Director of Professional Athletes, said. “Participants, spectators, and running enthusiasts will get to witness world-class competition at shorter distances two days before the 127th Boston Marathon.”

(03/27/2023) ⚡AMP
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B.A.A. 5K

B.A.A. 5K

The B.A.A. 5K began in 2009, and became an instant hit among runners from far and wide. Viewed by many as the “calm before the storm,” the Sunday of Marathon weekend traditionally was for shopping, loading up on carbohydrates at the pasta dinner, and most importantly- resting. But now, runners of shorter distances, and even a few marathoners looking for...

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Blair Morgan and Sasha Gollish take wins at Around the Bay Road Race

The 2023 edition of the Around the Bay Road Race (ATB) was held on Sunday, and thousands of runners took to the streets of Hamilton to race the 5K, 30K and relays. Ottawa runner Blair Morgan and Toronto’s Sasha Gollish were the top men’s and women’s finishers in the 30K, both grabbing the first ATB wins of their careers. Morgan finished in a winning time of 1:37:46, and Gollish crossed the line in 1:48:03 for the women’s win and eighth overall. 

ATB 30K 

Morgan took control of the race early on in the run, and by the time he recorded his opening 10K split of 31:40, he had already built a lead of one minute over the next-closest runner. By 15K, the gap had grown even bigger, and Toronto’s Romain Carette sat in second place more than two minutes back.

Morgan passed through the 20K checkpoint in 1:04:07. Two and a half minutes behind him were Carette and fellow Torontonian Eric Bang, who were separated by just a few seconds. Morgan’s lead got up to three minutes before the finish, and he stopped the clock in 1:37:46. Bang put a lot of time into Carette in the closing 10K, finishing a minute ahead of him in 1:40:40 to secure second place. Carette held on for third in 1:41:42. 

The women’s race was much tighter than the men’s, with Gollish battling alongside Rachel Hannah of Port Elgin, Ont., for more than half of the run. The two women covered the first 10K in identical splits of 35:39, and they passed through 15K a couple of seconds apart, both hovering just under 54 minutes. Over the following 5K, however, Gollish managed to pull away from Hannah, and by 20K she had a lead of about 40 seconds. 

Gollish’s lead only continued to grow in the final 10K, and by the time she made it to the finish, she was close to three minutes ahead of Hannah. She won the race in 1:48:03, followed by Hannah in second in 1:50:41. Third place went to Kingston, Ont., runner Teagan Robertson in 1:58:11. 

The 5K 

Aaron De Jong of Mississauga, Ont., won the 5K race in 15:56. He was followed closely by Sam Richter of Port Sydney, Ont., who finished in second in 15:59. A few seconds back in third place was Caleb Beland of Sudbury, Ont., who crossed the line in 16:02. 

In the women’s 5K, Etobicoke, Ont., athlete Brittany Moran won in 17:33, close to a minute ahead of second-place Carley Somerset of Guelph, Ont., who stopped the clock in 18:26. Not far behind Somerset was Mississauga’s Jessica Kellar, who rounded out the podum in 18:49.

(03/27/2023) ⚡AMP
by Ben Snider-McGrath
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Around the Bay 30k

Around the Bay 30k

Hamilton's Around the Bay Road Race is the oldest on the continent, first run in 1894, three years before the Boston Marathon. Rich in tradition, it has been won by the best from around the world, including Boston Marathon winners and Olympic gold medallists. Become part of the continuing tradition by running this challenging course around Hamilton's natural harbour! ...

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Kipchoge steps up preps with eyes on Boston Marathon title

Eliud Kipchoge is targeting a course record at next month's Boston Marathon even as he steps up preparations for the April 17 race.

Speaking to NN Running Team, Kipchoge who is regarded as one of the greatest marathoners of all time, said: "I just don't want to participate at the sixth Abbott World Marathon Major. I want to win it with a course record. It will be another milestone since I already have course records from the Tokyo, London and Berlin marathons.

The Boston Marathon course record stands at 2:03:01, set by Kenya's Geoffrey Mutai in 2011.

The two-time Olympic Marathon champion who lives and trains in Kaptagat added: "All is well as far as training is concerned. I think I am in the right direction heading towards April."

"It is the right time now to train on the 'Boston route' here in Kenya. It is an uphill and tough course of about 40km. Training at high altitude is good since it can help one breathe well and run fast."

Kipchoge is also keen on defending his Berlin Marathon title on September 23.

"Berlin and Boston are two different races on different continents. Berlin is a flat course. Boston on the other hand, is uphill and needs a lot of patience and hard work to go through," said Kipchoge.

"Boston is unpredictable and sometimes the weather is challenging but I am trying to be all-rounded."

(03/27/2023) ⚡AMP
by Evans Ousuru
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Boston Marathon

Boston Marathon

Among the nation’s oldest athletic clubs, the B.A.A. was established in 1887, and, in 1896, more than half of the U.S. Olympic Team at the first modern games was composed of B.A.A. club members. The Olympic Games provided the inspiration for the first Boston Marathon, which culminated the B.A.A. Games on April 19, 1897. John J. McDermott emerged from a...

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Garcia breaks 35km race walk world record in Dudince

Double world champion Kimberly Garcia got her 2023 campaign off to a superb start on Saturday (25), breaking the 35km race walk world record with 2:37:44* at the Dudinska 50, the first World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold meeting of the year.

The Peruvian race walker produced a solo effort from the early stages, passing through the first kilometre as part of a small lead group and then breaking away just a couple of minutes later. By the time she reached 5km in 22:41, she had a 16-second lead over Chinese duo Liu Hong and Ma Li.

Garcia’s lead grew to more than a minute by 15km, which she passed in 1:07:29 with four-time world champion Liu still level with compatriot Ma. World silver medallist Katarzyna Zdzieblo was a further minute behind in fourth.

Ma started to lose contact with Liu at about 18km, but Garcia continued churning out her metronomic splits, reaching 20km in 1:29:58. With 10km to go, Garcia’s lead

over Liu had grown to 84 seconds. Wu Quanming, meanwhile, was starting to close on Chinese teammate Ma.

Garcia reached 30km in 2:15:10, almost two minutes clear of Liu, who was safe in second place. Wu had moved into third by this stage, but Ecuador’s Magaly Bonilla was closing fast.

There was no catching Garcia, though, who maintained her relentless pace to charge through the finish line in 2:37:44, taking two seconds off the previous fastest mark for the distance.

Liu, who was making her debut at the distance, followed more than two minutes later in 2:40:06 but was rewarded with an Asian record. Bonilla was third in an Ecuadorian record of 2:46:32 and a fading Wu held on for fourth (2:47:34).

"I knew I was in good shape and that I could challenge the world record," said Garcia. "The first 20km was ok and at a good pace, then I started to tire and the wind got stronger. Thankfully I found some extra energy for the final five kilometres.

"It's a big thing for me to achieve this record," added Garcia, who also confirmed she will defend both of her titles at this year's World Championships. "I still think I can go faster, maybe at the World Championships. I'm not planning any more 35km races before Budapest."

Doctor remedies last year’s runner-up finish

One year after finishing second over 35km in Dudince, Mexico’s Jose Doctor triumphed in a national and meeting record of 2:26:37.

He trailed Olympic bronze medallist Evan Dunfee and Ecuador’s Brian Pintado during the early stages, as Dunfee led through 10km (41:25). They moved together as a trio up until 17km, reached in 1:10:14, but Dunfee then started to slip behind. By 20km, which Pintado and Doctor reached in 1:22:31, an 11-second gap had emerged to Dunfee.

Pintado tried to make a break after 22km, but Doctor reeled him back in just over a kilometre later. Brazil’s Caio Bonfim, meanwhile, was also moving through the pack. Doctor reached 25km in 1:43:21 with an 18-second lead over Bonfim, who was now in second, 24 seconds clear of Pintado.

Pintado continued to slip behind and eventually withdrew after 27km. Doctor, however, remained a safe distance ahead of Bonfim, while China’s Cui Lihong was making up ground on Dunfee.

Doctor extended his lead in the final kilometres and crossed the line a confortable winner in 2:26:37. Bonfim was second in 2:27:30. Lihong moved into third place with just over a kilometre left, finishing 15 seconds ahead of the Canadian in 2:29:00.

In the closest finish of the day, 2017 world champion Eider Arevalo of Colombia won the men’s 20km in 1:19:23 with double world bronze medallist Perseus Karlstrom finishing 21 seconds behind.

India’s Sandeep Kumar led during the early stages, going through 5km in 19:38 with a five-second lead over Karlstrom. The Swede drew level with Kumar a few kilometres later and the duo went through 10km in 39:33, 17 seconds ahead of Arevalo and Mexico’s Noel Chama.

Kumar was given a third red card and had to sit out a one-minute penalty, essentially taking him out of contention. It left Karlstrom alone in the lead between 12km and 17km when Arevalo finally caught up with him.

They rallied for the best part of a lap before Arevalo finally broke free thanks to a 3:50 final kilometre, winning in 1:19:23. Karlstrom was second in 1:19:44 and Chama was third in 1:20:46.

Elsewhere, Mexico’s Alegna Gonzalez won the women’s 20km race in 1:28:09, winning by more than two minutes from Puerto Rico’s Rachelle de Orbeta.

(03/26/2023) ⚡AMP
by World Athletics
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So It Turns Out Diplo Says He Ran the LA Marathon on LSD

Never try anything new on race day, unless you’re Diplo, I guess.

When Diplo ran the Los Angeles Marathon last weekend, breaking the four-hour mark with Olympian Alexi Pappas by his side, that was impressive enough. The 44-year-old DJ said he hadn’t done a proper marathon build in preparation; he was under-trained and pulled off a fantastic finishing time of 3:55:16 anyway. Now he claims the entire 26.2-mile footrace was one big acid trip. 

On Wednesday, he revealed in an Instagram post that, because the longest he’d ever run previously was 11 miles (technically untrue according to his previous half marathon results), “I did what any normal person would do and took LSD” (the psychedelic drug, not “long slow distance”). Before the marathon, he’d also shared his oddly specific goal—which he met—of beating Oprah’s 1994 PR, when she ran the Marine Corps Marathon in 4:29. Some folks call it “the Oprah effect.” Diplo brought some bravado to Instagram on that front as well, saying, “I ate that. Sorry Oprah.”

He went on to thank Pappas for pacing him, and said, “Shout out my knees which will never be the same, and my kids for waiting for me at the finish line. If anyone needs me I’ll be sitting down.”

It’s not unheard of to run under the influence of psychedelics. At the Burning Man Ultramarathon, a 31-mile run looping around Black Rock City four times, at least one runner has done the whole thing on LSD. Sarah Rose Siskind, told nonprofit media outlet Psymposia, “I did one training run where I ran 20 miles on LSD, and I found that the main problem was that I ran extraordinarily slowly — I was so distracted by everything. So, I figured it wasn’t a performance-enhancing drug, exactly. But, it certainly wasn’t increasing my risk profile.”

Another runner, Michael Versteeg, has spoken about incorporating psilocybin mushrooms into his experience running the Cocodona 250, a 250+ mile ultramarathon from Black Canyon City to Flagstaff, Arizona. Versteeg microdoses for his long runs and says while it’s not the same as full on tripping, “you’re experiencing colors, you’re experiencing the landscape in a much more vivid way.” 

The trusted advice many runners abide by is “nothing new on race day,” but Diplo doesn’t exactly play by the rules.

(03/26/2023) ⚡AMP
by Runner’s World
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These 5 Hip Extension Exercises Will Make Your Stride More Efficient

Try these power moves to strengthen your posterior chain and add force behind your steps.

Your hips—and the muscles around them—take on more responsibility than you may realize. They hold you steady while sitting and serve as the mediator between a stable torso and fast-moving legs on a run. So, to perform at your best, you need healthy and strong hips. 

While hip flexors often get a lot of our attention (because, hello, tightness and aches!), the hip extensors can always use more love—which is why you should add these hip extension exercises to your routine. “Hip extension exercises are integrally important for both runners and cyclists,” says Samantha Rothberg, C.S.C.S., certified strength coach and triathlete. “This movement pattern strengthens the muscles—the glutes and hamstrings—we need strong to ensure a safe and efficient gait on the run.”

More specifically, the gluteus maximus (the biggest muscle of the backside), drives the push-off phase of the running gait. “It also stabilizes the hips on the run to keep the low back, knees, and ankles safe,” Rothberg explains. Meanwhile, the hamstrings extend the leg in your midstance and also add force behind your push-off. 

The Benefits of These Hip Extension Exercises for Runners

As Rothberg mentioned, the big power players that drive hip extension include your glute muscles (of the butt) and your hamstrings (on the back of the upper thighs). “These large posterior chain muscles are often under trained in favor of anterior muscles, such as the quadriceps and hip flexors, upon which we are over reliant because of poor posture and a sedentary lifestyle,” Rothberg explains. “Utilizing these large muscles [on the back of the body] is more efficient, will produce more power, and could help to prevent an overuse injury.”

Balancing out your lower body with hip extension exercises creates that efficiency in your stride by allowing all muscle groups to work at their best and add force to your steps. This also means you work better rather than harder to reach faster speeds, Rothberg adds. 

How to use this list: Do each exercise below for 4 sets of 8-10 reps. If it is a single-sided exercise, go for 8-10 reps per side. 

You will need a kettlebell or a heavy dumbbell for this workout. You’ll also need a barbell, but you can use a kettlebell or dumbbell in place of that, as well. An exercise mat is optional. 

Rothberg demonstrates the exercises in the video above so you can learn proper form. 

1. Single-Leg Glute Bridge

Why it works: Running is a single-leg sport and strengthening the legs one at a time prevents imbalances and helps you sidestep injury, Rothberg says. “Driving the elbow into the quad also ensures that the core is engaged and that you are driving through the down heel, and not kicking up to the sky with the elevated leg,” she adds.

How to do it: Lie faceup, knees bent and feet planted. Place left arm down by side. Lift right knee and bend right elbow. Touch right knee to right elbow, driving them into each other. This is your starting position. Drive through left heel to lift hips up. Engage glutes to lift hips; avoid lifting with low back. Slowly lower back down to starting position. Repeat. Then switch sides. 

2. Deadlift

Why it works: “This exercise targets the entire posterior chain, teaches you to push off the ground effectively, which is important for running, and can be loaded and scaled as appropriate for your lifting level,” Rothberg says. 

How to do it: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell or dumbbell with both hands in front of hips. Hinge at hips by sending butt straight back, keeping back flat and core engaged. Keep weight close to body, reaching toward feet. Drive through feet and engage glutes to stand back up, extending hips. Repeat. 

3. Kickstand Deadlift

Why it works: This deadlift variation also brings in a unilateral element, helping you strengthen one leg at a time. This helps keep your muscles symmetrical, Rothberg says, while providing the same benefits as a regular deadlift. 

How to do it: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell or dumbbell with both hands in front of hips. Step right foot back, so toe is in line with left heel, and keep right heel lifted. All weight should be on left leg. Hinge at hips by sending butt straight back, keeping back flat and core engaged. Keep weight close to body. Drive through left foot and engage glutes to stand back up, extending hips. Repeat. 

4. Glute Bridge Walkout

Why it works: Adding a walkout to the glute bridge strengthens the hamstrings eccentrically, the lengthening (or lowering) phase, Rothberg explains. It also makes your glutes work isometrically, meaning they have to maintain contraction as you extend the legs. This helps to stabilize the hips, which can keep them from dipping on the run, too. “Many people get injured from not training the eccentric load—that’s often when they pull something,” she adds, which is why eccentric movements are so important.

How to do it: Lie faceup, arms down by sides, with knees bent and feet planted hip-width apart. Drive through heels to lift hips, engaging glutes and core. Avoid lifting with low back. Hold here. Then, step left foot forward. Then right. Continue alternating until legs are straight. Then pause and walk them back in, underneath knees. Lower hips. Repeat. 

5. Barbell Romanian Deadlift

Why it works: Focus on the eccentric action of this exercise—that means slowing down the lowering phase, aiming for a five count as you go—to gain the most benefit. This helps you strengthen the posterior muscles in the lengthening phase, which increases your strength gains, Rothberg says.

How to do it: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell (or two heavy dumbbells) with both hands in front of you. Hinge at hips by sending butt straight back, keeping back flat and core engaged. Move slowly, on a count of 5. Keep weight close to body. Drive through feet and engage glutes to stand back up, extending hips. Repeat.

(03/26/2023) ⚡AMP
by Runner’s World
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Unbelievable! Camille Herron Shatters 48-Hour World Record

She covered 270.5 miles in two days of running. 

She averaged 10:39 per mile pace, which included at least one 40-minute nap, according to her Instagram, so her actual moving pace was faster. 

She hit 148 miles for the first 24 hours, and 122.5 miles in the second day, as rain poured down on the runners. Only two men have ever run farther over 48 hours. She covered 1,088 laps of the track. 

Herron, 41, ran marathons in the early part of her career, recording a personal best of 2:37:14 in 2012 in Houston. She began running ultra distances in 2015 and found immediate success. She won the 2017 Comrades Marathon in South Africa, and she’s also the world record holder for 100 miles, 12 hours, and 24 hours. 

In a phone call with Runner’s World before she left for Australia, Herron said she planned to take 6- to 8-minute power naps a couple of times in the first 24 hours. “A lot of 24-hour runners don’t sleep at all for 24 hours, but I found when I did that little bit of lying down and closing my eyes and meditating, it really helped me,” she said. “I was able to extend my 24-hour record by 5 miles.

“You hear about hallucinations with ultra runners,” she continued. “When I start to feel that happening with my brain is when I lie down.” 

Earlier in her career she was sponsored by Nike and Hoka, but at the end of 2022 she left Hoka and signed a new deal with Lululemon. 

Other elite runners weighed in on the snippets of video posted to Herron’s instagram during the event. Colleen Quigley, Keira D’Amato, and Zach Bitter were among those expressing their admiration for Herron’s feat. 

Camille Herron destroyed the world record for 48 hours of running, covering 435.336 kilometers (270.5 miles) around a 400-meter track in Bruce, Australia. 

The previous record, 411.5 kilometers (255 miles), was set by Jo Zakrzewski of Great Britain in February. Herron exceeded that by 15.5 miles. She bested the previous record about 45 hours into the event—and kept running for almost another 3 hours after that. 

(03/26/2023) ⚡AMP
by Runner’s World
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Strength Exercises to Run Faster

Once you fall in love with running and embark on your journey of training for races, it is natural to aim to run faster. When you are a beginner, the improvement in speed is a consequence of the quantum rise in endurance. This is because the gains are initially faster and taper off as you become a seasoned runner. Subsequent gains require you to add a variety of workouts to your training. 

The two methods to become a faster runner are speed workouts and strength training workouts for runners. The former is an essential component of speed training and focuses on developing your cardiovascular system to deliver oxygen and clear metabolic waste. Speed workouts include intervals, tempo runs, and repetitions. However, we are not going to focus on them because they are a staple of speed training in any case.

The latter aspect pertaining to strength is often neglected. However, it is this factor that activates muscles to develop power for speed. If we analyze the biomechanics of running, two facets stand out. These include the forward drive with the knee and the push-off with the ball of the foot. Do note that these actions need to be powerful. 

The forward drive requires the hip flexor to be strong. The push-off is a combination of the entire chain, which includes the calves, hamstrings, and glutes, providing propulsive power. You need to build some specific body parts to increase your running speed. 

Here are a few types of bodyweight strength, gym strength, and high-speed running exercises to help you run faster over a period.   

Forms of bodyweight strength exercises: Step-by-step guide

Listed below are some bodyweight strength exercises for runners that you may consider taking up:

1. Single-leg squat

The single-leg squat works the calves, thighs, glutes, and abdominals. This exercise is important for developing leg strength and helps in a larger ground reaction force at push-off. So, this leg workout for runners aids in increasing your overall stride length.  

Start by standing on your right leg. Now, lift the other leg off the ground and either extend it at 45 degrees in front or bend it at the knee. Keep your arms in front of you to stabilize your body.

Engage your core and move your butt back to slowly lower yourself until you are either at a half squat position or deeper if your leg strength is in a good enough posture 

Squeeze your abdominal muscles and glutes, as you push off the ground to come back to your starting position. Keep the left leg off the ground through the sequence.

Start with five repetitions (reps) and build up to 10. Do three sets for each leg.

2. Box jump

This workout targets the calves, glutes, and thighs. It helps develop explosive power in these muscles. Choose a box that is about 14-inch to 20-inch high. Use a height that works for you when performing this workout. It helps in an explosive push-off, which allows you to run faster when a speed workout demands it. 

Keep the box about one short step away

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart

Sink down into a squat with your arms swinging back at the same time

Explode upward by pushing off the ground with your feet. While doing this, your Achilles tendon and calves will generate force. Use your arms to now swing forward and upward to add momentum to your movement.

Ensure you land on the box with your knees bent and have a soft landing

Step off the box

Perform about five to eight reps and two to three sets. Make sure to recover well between each jump.

3. Walking lunges

The walking lunge is one of the best core exercises for runners. It closely mimics the functional muscles used in running. It strengthens the quads, hips, and core. This exercise will help stabilize the body during the stance and push- off phase of running, allowing you to maintain posture at faster speeds. 

Stand tall with your hands on your hips and step forward with your right leg; place the foot firmly on the ground

Sink your hips while keeping your torso upright and bending your right knee. The left knee will come close to the ground in a lunge.

Pause and feel the quads of the right leg contract to hold you in position isometrically

Ensure that your right foot is planted firmly in place. Now, rise and make a smooth transition by stepping forward with the left leg. 

Sink your hips and bend the left knee 

Repeat by alternating legs, as if you were walking forward with each lunge

Do 10 to 12 reps on each leg. Perform two to three sets.

4. Split jumps

This workout plays a pivotal role in core strength training for distance runners. It takes the standard lunge to the next level by helping you develop explosive power. It builds the hips, glutes, and core, helping you develop stability and balance. This aspect is imperative when running fast because balance and stability will help you maintain biomechanics. 

Stand tall with the right foot placed about 2ft–3ft in front of the left foot. This is called a staggered stance. Keep your arms by the side.

Engage your core and keep your torso upright. Lower into a lunge with the right thigh reaching parallel to the floor and bend your knees. The left knee will come close to the floor. 

Swing your arms up to gather upward momentum while jumping up explosively

Switch your legs while you are in the air so that your left leg comes forward and the right leg swings back

Land softly into a lunge with your left foot bent at right angles and your right knee coming close to the ground

Continue alternating legs in an explosive manner

Perform a total of eight to 10 reps. Do two to three sets. 

Types of gym strength exercises

Here are a few forms of gym workouts that can be beneficial  in strength training for marathon runners: 

1. Deadlift

It is a compound exercise, which targets the major body muscles, such as hamstrings, quads, glutes, core, shoulders, lower back, and upper back. You may perform this workout with a barbell or use dumbbells as an alternative. You will develop propulsive force at the hips and glutes, which will translate into a harder push-off from the ground.

Choose an appropriate weight for the barbell and place the equipment on the ground such that the forefoot is under the bar. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart. 

Bend forward with a straight back and grip the bar with an overhand grip (the palm should be facing toward your body), a little more than shoulder-width apart. To do this, squat down a little bit and bend your knees. Your head should be in line with your spine. 

Think of the hip as a hinge and lift the bar off the ground by straightening up. The knees and hips will extend smoothly and the shoulders will push back as the bar reaches the thighs. Remember that if the transition from bending over to straightening up is done in proper form, the bar will graze the shins and knees on its way up. 

Lower the bar slowly, ensuring you keep a straight back again

Perform six to eight repetitions. Do two to three sets. 

2. Seated calf raises

 The calves are constantly being worked when running. They are a major muscle group that comes into play for the push-off. This muscle group has two muscles. These include the outer calf (gastrocnemius) and the inner calf (soleus). The seated calf raise targets the soleus in a focused way while also working the gastrocnemius. With strong calves, you are likely to become a faster runner. 

Sit upright on a bench with your feet flat on the ground

Ensure that the bench’s height is such that your hips are more or less in level with your knees

Grab two dumbbells and place them on your knees

Tighten your abdominal muscles and slowly lift your heels off the ground while keeping the ball of the feet planted firmly

Make sure to lift the heels to the highest possible level so that your calves feel a full contraction 

Lower your heels back as slow as possible

Perform 10 to 15 reps. Do two to three sets.

Kinds of high-speed running exercises

Here are two high-speed running workouts to include in your training schedule:

1. High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT) or Tabata sprints

In this high-intensity form of running training, the heart rate reaches 95%-98% of your maximum heart rate for a short period. It works the anaerobic system and provides a boost to the neuromuscular system that trains the legs. You need to develop power and fast feet when executing this workout. So, you get trained for speed, which makes a transition into your submaximal runs, such as the half and full marathons. This training also improves running economy, which is a measure of how much oxygen you use at a certain submaximal speed. 

Begin with a warm-up by jogging gradually for 10–15 minutes

Choose a track or a straight and level road with no obstructions or uneven surface

Start a sprint and build as much speed as you can within 20 seconds

Slow down and walk or jog for 10 seconds

Repeat this eight times to get a 4-minute workout

Do only one set if you are a beginner

Rest for 90 seconds and repeat this activity for two to three sets if you are a seasoned runner

2. Hill sprints

Hill sprints help you develop a combination of leg strength and speed. They are also easier on the legs because the pounding you take is much less than running on a level surface. Apart from being useful in preparing you for hills in races, this exercise develops faster running ability since you are working against your body weight on an incline. 

Start with a warm-up by jogging with ease for 10–15 minutes

Choose a hill that has an inclination of 8%-12% with no obstructions or uneven surface

Burst up the incline in a sprint for 10–15 seconds

Slow down, turn around, and walk back down the hill

Ensure you have recovered well and your heart rate has dropped

Repeat this six times. Add a repetition every week to reach 12 reps. 

(03/25/2023) ⚡AMP
by Daniel Vaz
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I Completely Swear by This 3-Move Core-Strengthening Sequence

It's simple—but so challenging

You head to your favorite yoga teachers’ classes for a reason. There’s something that keeps you going back again and again, whether it’s their cues, sequences, or ability to make you laugh during even the hardest poses.

When I head to Alyssa Case’s “We Flow Hard” yoga class at Y7, there’s one thing I’m anticipating throughout the 60-minute practice, and that’s her final “3-minute push.” It comes after we rest in Child’s Pose, a place in the practice where Case always reminds us to steady our inhales and exhales remember our breath and tap into our power. As I begin to transition out of that resting position, I already know what’s coming next—and it’s the most challenging physical moment of my day.

The conclusion to her class always consists of an intense sequence of poses or movements designed to, well, push you. While the section can include any physical challenge, such as leg strengthening movements or intense balancing poses, in my mind, Case is most famous for her brutal (but, oh, so good) core work. It’s in those hard moments that I’m forced to remember my breath in order to get through the challenging physical moves. That’s the point.

“That portion is meant to be the final physical and emotional peak of class, where self-imposed barriers are broken down and transformation can happen,” Case says. “There’s also a dharma piece of connecting it back to the emotional or physical theme of class.”

Case’s words definitely ring true for me. In these pushes, which typically consist of extended static holds as well as vigorous movements, I’m left with myself and my mind. I simply cannot think about the next pose or cue because I’m too focused on the sweat pooling on my mat as my core shakes. The present moment—even with all of its pain—is all that matters.

The 3-minute push can be more of a mental challenge than a physical one. When you get to a tough point in a pose, Case recommends you close your eyes (if it feels comfortable to do so) and focus your attention on your inhalations and exhalations. It’s this type of mind-body connection that makes these exercises different than other types of movement, Case says. It all ultimately ties back to your yoga practice—strengthening your mind, body, and spirit. 

Here, Case shares some of her most reliable core movements for that final push–and explains what to keep in mind when practicing them.

Case typically spends the 3-minute period focusing on two to three different movements. She times each exercise or pose to last approximately 1 minute. Even though the session is is just a few minutes long, it’ll likely feel longer than your typical core sequence (I speak from personal experience). If you need to rest for a second or take a modification, do that.

When Case focuses much of her class on twisting poses, such as Revolved Side Angle Pose or Revolved Triangle Pose, she’ll continue that theme in the 3-minute push by opting for mountain climbers, since they engage some of the same muscles. She lets students select how they want to approach this intense exercise. For example, if someone wants to slowly rotate through the movement, they can do that, but she also leaves the option for them to go faster. Students typically spend between 30 and 60 seconds in this exercise.

 

Case enjoys incorporating static holds into the last push and often includes Plank Pose. When you’re holding a position for a length of time, you’re unable to distract yourself with physical movement, leaving just your mind and your breath to help guide you through the moment, she says. “It pushes students to break out of their comfort zone and find their edge,” Case says. That may mean resting your knees on the mat for a few seconds before lifting them back up.

To switch things up, Case sometimes opts to incorporate a Forearm Plank into the sequence in lieu of High Plank. This variation can be especially helpful if you’re dealing with wrist or arm pain. (You can also choose to move from High Plank into Forearm Plank midway through a hold.)

I have to admit, this is probably my least-favorite pose in the entire sequence. (Much to my relief, Case also says it’s the hardest static hold of the session.) If you want to linger in Boat Pose for an extended period of time, you can opt to do that. However, if you would like to incorporate additional movement and make the exercise a bit easier, Case will sometimes cue a V-style sit-up from Low Boat to Boat Pose.

(03/25/2023) ⚡AMP
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South African triple jumper runs barefoot 100m in 10.40 seconds

Competing at a track meet in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday, a South African athlete named Lleyton Davids ran a sub-11-second 100m, running barefoot. A video posted by AIS Athletics (the athletics academy that hosted the meet) shows Davids flying toward the finish and crossing the line in second place. To make his run even more impressive, Davids is a triple jumper (he’s the two-time reigning South African champion), and sprinting isn’t even his main focus. 

In the AIS Athletics video, Davids can be seen lining up in the blocks and waiting for the starting gun to sound. His competitors all have spikes on, but it didn’t end up helping them out much, as Davids flew past all but one of them. 

According to Davids’s World Athletics profile, his 100m PB is 11.02 seconds. He ran this time in March 2022, and while there’s a chance he has run other 100m races in his career (many lower-profile races aren’t listed by World Athletics, including his most recent run in the UAE), it’s amazing that he managed to better his official PB by more than half a second without spikes–or any shoes at all. (Davids appears to usually wear shoes when competing and training, as seen in various posts on his Instagram page.) 

Davids’s new PB (official or not) is tied for the 106th fastest in South African history. With 105 men ahead of him on that list, it may not sound that impressive, but keep in mind that each of those runners was likely wearing spikes (or shoes of some kind). 

Davids has won the triple jump title at the past two South African Championships, and he will have the chance to add a third at this year’s competition, slated for March 30 and April 1. 

(03/25/2023) ⚡AMP
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Mo Farah will race 10km in Gabon as part of London Marathon preparations

Mo Farah will race the Port-Gentil 10km in Gabon two weeks before what is expected to be the Briton's final London Marathon appearance.

The four-time Olympic champion, 40, announced in January that he expects 2023 to be his final year of racing before retirement.

 

Farah is currently training in Ethiopia as he continues his preparations for the London Marathon on 23 April.

He is unsure if the marathon will be his last competitive event.

In a short video, the British marathon record holder said he has been "preparing well" in Ethiopia, adding he is "really excited" to test his fitness over 10km on 8 April in Gabon, 15 days before he takes to the streets of his home city.

A hip injury prevented Farah from taking part in last year's London Marathon, with the 2023 race set to be his first full marathon since 2019.

The six-time world track champion won the Big Half - a half marathon race - in London in September but he has raced just seven times since October 2019.

Farah's personal best over 10km on the road is 27 minutes 44 seconds, however that time was set in 2010 and he was surprisingly beaten by club runner Ellis Cross in his last outing over the distance at the Vitality London 10,000 last year.

The 2018 Chicago Marathon winner's highest London Marathon finish was third in 2018. He will face a stacked field in the 2023 race, which features four of the five fastest runners in history.

The 2023 London Marathon will be broadcast live on BBC TV, iPlayer and online.

(03/24/2023) ⚡AMP
by Harry Poole
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Port Gentil 10K

Port Gentil 10K

After 3 editions of sporting, popular and media success, the 10KM of Port-Gentil obtains the SILVER LABELING (silver) by the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations). In 2018, after its second edition, the POG 10KM had already obtained the Road Race Bronze label by the IAAF. Today, he climbs an additional level in international recognition and becomes one of the...

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Russian doping ban lifted, but Ukraine war keeps athletes out

Russia and its athletes will remain banned from competition due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

On Thursday afternoon, the World Athletics Council announced the reinstatement of the Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) following a seven-year doping suspension. Despite their reinstatement into the sport, however, Russia will remain banned from competition due to its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

“Athletes and officials for Russia and Belarus are still excluded for the foreseeable future due to the invasion of Ukraine,” said World Athletics president Seb Coe.

In the case that Russia decides to leave Ukraine, Coe says his instinct is that the ban would be reversed, allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in all World Athletics events.

According to Rune Andersen, who served as the head of the World Athletics Task Force around reinstating the RusAF, told the WA Council that all required conditions have ultimately been met. RusAF has also accepted the ruling stating that there must be no backsliding from the new position.

“I believe RusAF still has a lot of progress to be made,” said Coe. RusAF has to follow 35 “special conditions” intended to ensure that anti-doping reforms remain in place, and continue to operate effectively. These special conditions will continue to be reviewed over the next three years.

The RusAF has been suspended from competing in World Athletics events since 2015 due to multiple doping violations. They are currently not eligible to host World Athletics events or send teams to international championships due to the World Athletics sanctions for the invasion of Ukraine.

“The integrity of our major international competitions has already been substantially damaged by the actions of the Russian and Belarusian governments through the hardship inflicted on Ukrainian athletes and the destruction of Ukraine’s sports systems,” said Coe in a press release. “Russian and Belarusian athletes, many of whom have military affiliations, should not be beneficiaries of these actions.”

The World Athletics stance on Russia continues to contrast with that of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is working to allow Russian and Belarusian competitors to participate in international competition and the Paris 2024 Games, as neutral athletes.

The reinstatement of RusAF was one of four noteworthy announcements to come from the 2023 World Athletics Council meetings. 

 

 

(03/24/2023) ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine
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Four runners complete indoor marathon during pro basketball game

An unusual race took place in an NBA G League basketball game on Wednesday evening in Des Moines, Iowa. The Iowa Wolves hosted a mid-game marathon inside Wells Fargo Arena, which involved fans running 111 laps around the 380-meter concourse.

The event was hosted by the IMT Des Moines Marathon and the Iowa Wolves, a farm team for the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves. The runners began the marathon at 5 p.m., two and a half hours before tip-off, and were given a five-hour window to complete the race (by the time the game ended, around 9:30-10 p.m.). Four runners finished the full 42.195 kilometers. 

“Running a marathon in the evening and on a flat course is very non-traditional,” said race participant Dennis Haney. “Most marathons start in the morning. And one that is the same temperature the entire time is very unusual.”

Fans watched and cheered on the marathoners before and during the game. The runners were featured on the arena’s jumbotron during most stoppages in play.

One participant told local news the race was an interesting experience. “The majority of the crowd was for the basketball game,” said the marathoner. “But it was fun to be heckled for 111 laps of the arena.”

According to the Des Moines Register, this was the first marathon held during a professional basketball game.

The Iowa Wolves went on to win 139-131 over the Birmingham Squadron.

(03/24/2023) ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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Grandma’s Marathon Field Full, Marking One of Quickest Sellouts on Record

The 2023 Grandma’s Marathon field has reached its capacity, making this one of the fastest sellouts on record for the 26.2-mile race.

More than 9,000 participants are signed up for both Grandma’s Marathon and the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon, keeping this year’s event on pace to be one of (if not) the largest race weekends in history.

“It’s phenomenal to be talking about this in mid-March,” Marketing & Public Relations Director Zach Schneider said. “It’s reason for celebration, for sure, but the real work still lies ahead in making sure all these participants, as well as their families and friends, have a true Grandma’s Marathon experience when they come here in June.”

Limited entries do still remain in both the William A. Irvin 5K and Great Grandma’s Challenge, which enters participants in both the 5K on Friday night and full marathon on Saturday morning. With an entry fee price increase coming April 1, organizers expect those races to also be sold out within weeks.

William A. Irvin 5K (40 spots remaining)

$50 – January 1-June 1

Full Great Grandma’s Challenge (150 spots remaining)

$215 – January 1-March 31

$225 – April 1-June 1

To register or to find more information, please visit grandmasmarathon.com. The 2023 Grandma’s Marathon weekend will be held June 15-17 and is presented by Toyota, Members Cooperative Credit Union, and ASICS.

VOLUNTEER SIGNUP UNDERWAY

With perhaps a record number of participants set to descend on Duluth in June, the hunt is on for the thousands of volunteers who will help make the 2023 Grandma’s Marathon weekend a success.

To help encourage community members to volunteer their time, Grandma’s Marathon is offering the following incentive programs, both new in 2023:

·        Any individual signed up to volunteer prior to April 1 will be entered to win a $100 gift card to Duluth Pack.

·        Groups with 15 or more volunteers will be entered for a chance to win one of three $1,000 “Golden Tickets” for a donation to a non-profit organization of the group’s choosing.

NOTE: Volunteers should indicate they are a part of the group during the sign up process. If you would like to participate but your group is not listed online, please send an email to alivia@grandmasmarathon.com to be added to the program.

There are a variety of volunteer positions and shifts available throughout race weekend. For more information or to sign up as a 2023 Grandma’s Marathon volunteer, please click HERE.

For any questions or interview requests, please contact Marketing & Public Relations Director Zach Schneider via phone at (218) 343-9874 or via email at zach@grandmasmarathon.com.

ABOUT GRANDMA’S MARATHON

Grandma’s Marathon began in 1977 when a group of local runners planned a scenic road race from Two Harbors to Duluth, Minnesota. After seeing just 150 participants that year, the race weekend has now grown into one of the largest in the United States and welcomes more than 20,000 participants for its three-race event each June.

The race got its name from the Duluth-based group of famous Grandma’s Restaurants, the first major sponsor of the marathon. In addition to the 26.2-mile race, the organization has now added the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and William A. Irvin 5K to its weekend offerings.

 As the popularity of Grandma’s Marathon has grown, our mission has stayed the same – to organize, promote, and deliver annual events and programs that cultivate running, educational, social, and charitable opportunities to our communities.

Grandma’s Marathon-Duluth, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization with a nine-person, full-time staff and a 17-member Board of Directors.

(03/24/2023) ⚡AMP
by Running USA
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Grandmas Marathon

Grandmas Marathon

Grandma's Marathon began in 1977 when a group of local runners planned a scenic road race from Two Harbors to Duluth, Minnesota. There were just 150 participants that year, but organizers knew they had discovered something special. The marathon received its name from the Duluth-based group of famous Grandma's restaurants, its first major sponsor. The level of sponsorship with the...

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Paul Chelimo leaves Nike, signs with Decathlon-owned brand Kiprun

American Olympic medallist Paul Chelimo announced on Thursday that he has signed with Kiprun, a French brand owned by the sports retailer Decathlon. He was previously sponsored by Nike, a relationship that dated back to 2018, but he will be sporting a new look as he moves forward with the rest of his season. 

Kiprun is not a big name in the North American running scene, likely due to the fact that Decathlon only has 15 stores across Canada (according to the retailer’s website) and none in the U.S. However, simply because it’s not a household name in Canada and the U.S. doesn’t mean it isn’t a good brand, and Chelimo clearly saw something in the company that he liked. 

As his agent, Riad Ouled, told LetsRun, a lot of different brands were after a partnership with Chelimo. “He had offers from Asics, from On, and Nike wanted to renew him. But the project from Kiprun touched something in him.” Ouled added that a big draw for Chelimo was Kiprun’s willingness to let him have a say in the development of future shoes. 

“He was very interested by … giving feedback,” Ouled said. “All of the brands offered him a lot of money, but Kiprun gave him consideration and said OK, we want to do shoes as you expect as a good runner.” Chelimo’s partnership with Kiprun is currently set to last until at least the 2028 Olympics.

The two-time Olympic 5,000m medallist is Kiprun’s biggest athlete signing to date, as the brand has yet to attract many big names in running. The brand could be in for some big growth in the coming years, however, as there are plans to launch the Kiprun 42 House, which will be a training group for promising Kenyan athletes.

Chelimo will make his debut as a Kiprun athlete at the Berlin Half Marathon on April 2. He has run one half-marathon in his career and owns a PB of 62:19. 

(03/24/2023) ⚡AMP
by Ben Snider-McGrath
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World Athletics bans transgender athletes from female category

On March 23, World Athletics announced a complete ban on transgender athletes competing in the female category. No athletes who have been through male puberty will be allowed to participate in women’s events from March 31st onward.

“Transgender athletes should not be competing in the female category,” said World Athletics president Seb Coe. “Science may be insufficient, but the council agrees it must be guided by our overarching principle to protect all biological females in our sport.”

“This has not been an easy decision,” said Coe. “We entered a consultation months ago, we wanted to hear from all stakeholders, and the judgment we took was in the best interest of our sport.”

World Athletics will soon establish a transgender working group to bring data and science to the council meetings. The working group will give the World Athletics Council a better understanding of transgender athletes in our sport. Coe said he intended to appoint a trans female athlete as chair of this group.

The previous World Athletics transgender policy stated to be eligible for female competition, athletes had to keep their testosterone levels below 5 nmol/L for a 12-month period. The new ruling will bar all transgender athletes from the female category. 

“It was impossible to maintain the transgender regulations for what they were,” said Coe. “A full ban on transgender athletes in the women’s category is the right approach.”

The press conference also dealt with athletes in the DSD category. More information to come.

(03/23/2023) ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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Olympic Steeple Bronze Medalist Benjamin Kigen And World XC Champ Beatrice Chebet Lead Fields For BAA 5k

Patriots’ Day Weekend will kickoff with exciting competition, as international and U.S. stars take to the roads for the 2023 B.A.A. 5K presented by Point32Health, and the 2023 B.A.A. Invitational Mile on Saturday, April 15.

Among the professional athletes entered in the B.A.A. 5K are reigning champions Charles Philibert-Thiboutot (Canada), Marcel Hug (Switzerland), and Jenna Fesemyer (USA), while recently crowned world cross country champion Beatrice Chebet of Kenya will make her Boston road racing debut. Local Bay State stars Johnny Gregorek and Ellie Shea will compete in the B.A.A. Invitational Mile, a three-lap race starting and finishing on Boylston Street.

“This year’s professional fields blend together experience with up-and-coming stars for the B.A.A. 5K and B.A.A. Invitational Mile,” said Mary Kate Shea, B.A.A. Director of Professional Athletes. “Participants, spectators, and running enthusiasts will get to witness world class competition at shorter distances two days before the 127th Boston Marathon."

International standouts will be at the front of the B.A.A. 5K, led by Kenya’s Benjamin Kigen – an Olympic bronze medalist in the 3000m steeplechase from 2021—and Philibert-Thiboutot, who set a Canadian national record at the 2022 B.A.A. 5K en route to winning in 13:35. Philibert-Thiboutot’s countryman Ben Flanagan, a three-time Falmouth Road Race winner, as well as reigning B.A.A. Half Marathon champion Geoffrey Koech of Kenya, are also entered. Leading the American contingent is Olympian Mason Ferlic, two-time World Cross Country participant Emmanuel Bor, U.S. Road Mile champion Eric Avila, and NCAA All-American Morgan Beadlescomb.

On the women’s side, 2023 World Cross Country champion Beatrice Chebet and bronze medalist Agnes Ngetich (Kenya) will take on World Athletics Championships 3000m steeplechase bronze medalist Mekides Abebe (Ethiopia), all racing the B.A.A. 5K for the first time. The United States will be well represented in the women’s professional ranks, with reigning USA 5K national champion Weini Kelati, defending B.A.A. Invitational Mile winner Annie Rodenfels, 2022 USA Club Cross Country champion Bethany Hasz, Olympian Marielle Hall, and 2022 USATF 10,000m bronze medalist Natosha Rogers all racing. Rodenfels and Hasz are members of the B.A.A. High Performance Team, training in Boston under coach Mark Carroll.

International standouts will be at the front of the B.A.A. 5K, led by Kenya’s Benjamin Kigen – an Olympic bronze medalist in the 3000m steeplechase from 2021—and Philibert-Thiboutot, who set a Canadian national record at the 2022 B.A.A. 5K en route to winning in 13:35. Philibert-Thiboutot’s countryman Ben Flanagan, a three-time Falmouth Road Race winner, as well as reigning B.A.A. Half Marathon champion Geoffrey Koech of Kenya, are also entered. Leading the American contingent is Olympian Mason Ferlic, two-time World Cross Country participant Emmanuel Bor, U.S. Road Mile champion Eric Avila, and NCAA All-American Morgan Beadlescomb.

On the women’s side, 2023 World Cross Country champion Beatrice Chebet and bronze medalist Agnes Ngetich (Kenya) will take on World Athletics Championships 3000m steeplechase bronze medalist Mekides Abebe (Ethiopia), all racing the B.A.A. 5K for the first time. The United States will be well represented in the women’s professional ranks, with reigning USA 5K national champion Weini Kelati, defending B.A.A. Invitational Mile winner Annie Rodenfels, 2022 USA Club Cross Country champion Bethany Hasz, Olympian Marielle Hall, and 2022 USATF 10,000m bronze medalist Natosha Rogers all racing. Rodenfels and Hasz are members of the B.A.A. High Performance Team, training in Boston under coach Mark Carroll.

(03/23/2023) ⚡AMP
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B.A.A. 5K

B.A.A. 5K

The B.A.A. 5K began in 2009, and became an instant hit among runners from far and wide. Viewed by many as the “calm before the storm,” the Sunday of Marathon weekend traditionally was for shopping, loading up on carbohydrates at the pasta dinner, and most importantly- resting. But now, runners of shorter distances, and even a few marathoners looking for...

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Defending Champions Return to Run 50th Anniversary Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile

Organizers of the 50th annual Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile (CUCB) announced today the first of two rounds of news about this year’s invited field; look for the second announcement to come out on Wednesday, March 29. Today’s announcement features past champions and top-5 finishers expected to toe the respective men’s and women’s starting lines on Sunday, April 2. (The elite women will start first, at 7:18 a.m., followed by the men and the masses at 7:30 a.m.)

Three past champions are part of the women’s elite field: Susanna Sullivan, last year’s women’s champion from Reston, VA; 2021 champion Nell Rojas from Boulder, CO; and 2013 champion Caroline Rotich, a Kenyan who lives in Colorado Springs, CO. As part of the 50th celebration two additional former champions are entered: Colleen De Reuck from Boulder, CO, who won the race in 1998 and still holds the women’s course record of 51:16; and 1973 winner Kathrine Switzer.

Other top women finishers from past 10 Miles include: Carrie Verdon from Boulder, CO, who placed second last year; Paige (Stoner) Wood, last year’s third place finisher from Flagstaff, AZ; Sara Hall, also from Flagstaff, who placed fourth in 2014; and Flagstaff’s Diane Nukuri, who was fifth in 2018.

In the men’s race, the top-three finishers from 2022 return. All hailing from Kenya, they include champion Nicholas Kosimbei, second-place runner Wilfred Kimitei, and third-place finisher Shadrack Kimining. They’ll be joined on the starting line by second-place finisher in 2021 Abbabiya Simbassa from Flagstaff, AZ. Returning for the 50th running and starting a little bit farther back in the pack will be Bill Rodgers, from Boxborough, MA, who won the race four consecutive times between 1978 and 1981; placed second in 1982 and third in 1983; and has run CUCB a total of 22 times. Greg Meyer, whose American record of 46:13 still stands 40 years later, will be present for the 50th celebration, and will be holding the tape for the first American male finisher, who will be in hot pursuit of Greg’s mark — there’s a $50,000 shared bonus on the line for any American Records or World Bests set at the event.*

“It’s always a vote of confidence in the reputation of the event to see a large number of top finishers from previous years coming back. I am excited about this year’s set of repeaters, both past and present. This is another factor that will make our 50th anniversary special,” said Event Director Phil Stewart.

This year, international elite runners will be competing for $40,000 in prize money. The prize purse for Americans totals $25,000, and American runners placing in the top-10 overall are eligible to receive both open and American-only prize money. There is an additional $6,000 in RRCA RunPro Alumni Development Awards — runners eligible for the RRCA awards can also collect top-10 open and/or top-10 American payouts.

There is also a time-based set of bonus payments on offer for fast times:

• $50,000 to be shared by any runners setting a World Best or American Record*• Time incentives of $1,000 for the 1st male to run sub-46 minutes and 1st female to run sub-52 minutes, with an additional $750 on offer should a second male and/or female achieve those same sub-46 and sub-52 minute milestones.

The 10 Mile will serve as the USATF 10 Mile Championships, the RRCA National 10 Mile Championships, and the 2022-2023 Professional Road Racing Organization (PRRO) Circuit Championship.

Winners of the individual 2022-2023 PRRO Circuit events will be eligible for the $10,000 PRRO Super Bonus by winning the PRRO Championship (the bonus is split if an eligible male and female win the Championship). Susanna Sullivan and Nicholas Kosimbei are eligible for the PRRO Super Bonus. Any non-eligible winner of the PRRO Championship Super Bonus will earn $2500.

* If World Best times and American Records for men and women are set by the winners at the event (e.g. four records set), the $50,000 record bonus would be split into four $12,500 shares. If only one World or American record is set for either men or women, the athlete setting the record would get the full $50,000. If an American sets an American record and no other World or American records are set, he or she would receive the entire $50,000 as well. Currently, the times to beat are as follows:• Haile Gebreselassie’s (ETH) World Athletics Best of 44:24, run at the Tilburg 10 Mile in Tilburg, Netherlands, September 4, 2005;• Keira D’Amato’s World Athletics Best in a women’s only race of 51:23, run at the UpDawg 10 Mile in Washington, DC, November 24, 2020;• Greg Meyer’s American Record of 46:13, run at the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in Washington, DC, March 27, 1983; and• Keira D’Amato’s previously mentioned World Best 51:23, which is also the American Record for a women’s only race.

For reference, the fastest CUCB time among the men’s field announced today is Kosimbei’s 45:15, which tied the event record set by Kenya’s Allan Kiprono in 2012. Among the elite women, Nell Rojas’s 52:13 from 2021 is the best CUCB finish time among this year’s elite entrants. Abbabiya Simbassa’s 46:18 from 2021 is the best CUCB mark among the American men, while Nell’s 52:13 is, of course, the leading mark among the American women.

The inaugural Cherry Blossom Ten Mile in 1973 was won by Sam Bair, in a time of 51:22; the women’s winner was Kathrine Switzer, in a time of 1:11:19; 127 men and 12 women ran that first race. Bill Rodgers holds the honor of most victories, with four consecutive wins between 1978 and 1981. Three women have each won the race three times: Julie Shea (1975-77), Lisa Weidenbach (1985, '89 and '90) and Lineth Chepkurui (2008-10). Ben Beach leads all Cherry Blossom finishers with an active streak of 49 years. A comprehensive media guide detailing a wide variety of statistics from the first 49 CUCB races is available here.

Thanks to Credit Union Miracle Day’s title sponsorship since 2002, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run has raised over $10.2 million for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, including $323,000 in 2022.

About the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile:

The Credit Union Cherry Blossom races, organized by Cherry Blossom, Inc., a 501c(3) chapter of the Road Runners Club of America, are known as “The Runner’s Rite of Spring®” in the Nation’s Capital. The staging area for Sunday’s 10 Mile is on the Washington Monument Grounds, and the course passes in sight of all of the major Washington, DC Memorials. In 2023, the reimagined Saturday 5K will stage on Freedom Plaza and traverse the route of Presidential Inaugurations down Pennsylvania Avenue before crossing the National Mall in the shadow of the Capitol Building and returning by the same route. The Kids Run is staged on the grounds of the National Building Museum. All events serve as a fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a consortium of 170 premier children’s hospitals across North America. About one-third of the funds raised support Washington, DC’s own Children’s National (“Children’s Hospital”). The event also funds the Road Runners Club of America’s “Roads Scholar” program designed to support up-and-coming U.S. distance running talent.

Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc., a consortium of credit unions and credit union suppliers, is the title sponsor of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, 5K, Kids Run and Virtual Run. Current presenting sponsors include ASICS, REI Co-op and Wegmans; supporting sponsors include CACI, Co-op Solutions, CUNA Mutual Group, FinisherPix, Gatorade Endurance, Guayaki, MedStar Health, PSCU, Potomac River Running, Suburban Solutions, The MO Apartments and UPS.

The 10 Mile is a proud member of the PRRO Circuit (PRRO.org), a series of this country’s classic non- marathon prize money road races with circuit stops in Washington, DC; Spokane, WA; and Utica, NY. The 2023 10 Mile will serve as the 2022-2023 PRRO Championship.

In addition to being sanctioned by USA Track & Field and the Road Runners Club of America, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom races have earned Gold Level Inspire Certification from the Council for Responsible Sport in recognition of its legacy of commitment to sustainability and thoughtful resource management.

To learn more, visit CherryBlossom.org and follow the event on social media @CUCB and #CUCB2023.

(03/23/2023) ⚡AMP
by David Monti
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Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run

Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run

The Credit Union Cherry Blossom is known as "The Runner's Rite of Spring" in the Nation's Capital. The staging area for the event is on the Washington Monument Grounds, and the course passes in sight of all of the major Washington, DC Memorials. The event serves as a fundraiser for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, a consortium of 170 premier...

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Five reasons new runners should try all types of running

If you’re new to running, you may think you have to choose what type of runner you want to be. You feel the need to classify yourself as a road, track or trail runner, but that’s not the case. You can and should at least test the waters of many types of running. Here are five reasons why you shouldn’t box yourself in as soon as you get started in the sport. 

1.- More variety 

If you only stick to one type of running, you may set yourself up to fall into a training rut, simply because you’ll get tired of the same old routes day after day. Being open to training on the track, road and trails will give your training schedule some much-needed variety, and by dividing your training in three ways, you’ll be less likely to get bored with your workouts. 

2.- Meet more people

The running community is an amazing group, and you’ll meet wonderful people wherever you look in the sport. By expanding your training and hitting the track, road and trails, you’ll open yourself up to the opportunity to meet more people in each of these sub-groups. Meeting more people means more potential training buddies.

3.- Find what you like

If you just assume that road running is the way to go and don’t try the other options, you’ll never know if the track or trails were a better fit for you. By testing each type as soon as you get into the sport, you’ll find your niche sooner, which will only help you thrive as a runner. 

4.- No rules of racing 

Lots of people identify with the races they run, but that doesn’t mean you have to pick one type of event for the rest of your running career. In fact, entering races on all three surfaces is a good idea for all runners. If you’re a road runner, entering a track race will help you with your speed, and hitting up a trail race will give you the chance to race by feel. Try multiple types of races. You won’t regret it. 

5.- You can stop anytime

Just as there is no rule saying you can’t be a track, trail and road runner all at the same time, there’s nothing that says you can’t leave any one of those types of running behind if you don’t like it. Give each type of running a chance, just to see if you like them, but if you realize that you don’t enjoy one, then drop it. Running’s about having fun, so there’s no point in forcing yourself to do something you hate. 

(03/23/2023) ⚡AMP
by Ben Snider-McGrath
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The Science of Speed Training

When it comes to training in general and for speed, we must look broadly at three energy systems.

They are:

1. ATP – CP System2. Anaerobic Glycolytic System3. Aerobic System

From the standpoint of pure speed development, we must train within the first energy system, the ATP-CP system.

Here is an article that we posted a while back that covers the important physiology behind developing this system.

There seems to be a bit of confusion concerning the difference between aerobic and anaerobic training. Simply put, aerobic means 'with oxygen' and anaerobic means 'without oxygen'. So, running a 40 at full speed would be an example of an anaerobic activity. Going out for a 3 mile run would be an aerobic activity. In order to understand which energy systems should be emphasized for specific sports and activities, let'stake a look at the energy source our muscles use and the energy systems that support it. This article will focus on ATP and the first of the three energy systems, the ATP-CP Energy System.ATP – The source of muscular energy

Adenosine Triphosphate, or ATP, is the immediate usable form of chemical energy for muscular activity. Any forms of chemical energy that the body gets from food must be converted into ATP before being used by muscle cells. ATP stores in muscle is limited and will deplete in 1 to 2 seconds unless restored. Resynthesis of ATP must occur immediately for muscular activity to continue. There are three systems available within the body to replace concentrations of ATP.

Anaerobic Phosphagen (ATP – CP) Energy System

Creatine Phosphate (CP) is an energy rich compound found in muscle cells. After high intensity exercise, creatine phosphate immediately restores ATP in the muscle without forming waste products (lactic acid). The amount of ATP that can be resynthesized from CP canlast for 4 to 5 seconds. So, add that to the 1 to 2 seconds of original ATP stores within the muscle and you have about 5 to 7 seconds of ATP production from the ATP-CP Energy System.

According to the USA Track and Field Level II Sport Science manual, to really challenge this system, you need workouts of 7 to 10 seconds of high intensity (sprint) work. This means running at full speed or near full speed, but with no fatigue present.

Therefore, any sport that involves running at full speed (track, football, soccer, field hockey, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, etc) needs to place regular emphasis on working and challenging this system.

Why? The best way to improve top speed is to run at top speed. High intensity sprint work (moving the limbs at near peak velocity) involves recruiting specific groups of muscle fibers and improving the efficiency and firing patterns of those muscle fiber groups. This type of motor learning must be done at high speeds to properly develop the complex recruitment of muscle fiber needed to fire in a synchronized pattern. This process is also referred to as neuromuscular conditioning.

The need for such conditioning helps explain why coordination and agility work is essential to developing speed. If you are highly coordinated, your brain does not have to spend as much time 'thinking' about where your limbs are in relation to the objects in your immediate environment. Instead, muscle fibers will be able to fire in a coordinated pattern, resulting in higher top speed and quicker reaction times. This is essential when considering the amount of fine motor skill and coordination required in the routine movements of sports like soccer, field hockey and basketball.

Let's look at some examples of how and when to train this system in a way that will maximize our results.

As was mentioned before, the speed component should be trained with no fatigue present. Most athletes require between 36-48 hours of rest with low intensity (<75% intensity, Heart rate 120-140) training before doing speed work again. So if you're doing speed work on Monday, wait until Wednesday before you do it again. When looking at rest within a single workout, you have to understand the amount of time necessary for proper ATP and CP resynthesis.

The following time examples explain how much time is required for the given percentage of ATP restoration, as stated by the USATF Level II manual:

30 seconds – 50% (in 30 seconds, 50% of ATP stores are recovered)

1 minute – 75%90 seconds – 80%3 minutes – 98%

From these examples, it is clear that 2 to 3 minutes is the minimum time required between reps for the ATP-CP system to sufficiently recover.

Speed training- Guidelines for high school athletes:

Intensity – 95-100%Distance of run – 20-60 metersNumber of reps/set – 2-4Number of sets – 2-4

Total distance in set – 80-160 metersTotal distance in session – 300 – 500 meters

In general, we follow the rule of one minute of rest per 10 meters run. For example, a set of 4 x 40m would consist of 4 minutes rest between each 40 meter sprint.

Now let's look at a couple sample workout sessions to get an idea of how these workouts could be structured. Rest between sets is slightly longer than rest between reps in order to allow full recovery.Workout #1

4 x 40m – 4 min rest6 minutes rest between sets3 x 50m – 5 min rest

TOTAL: 310 metersWorkout #2

4 x 30m – 3 min rest4 minutes rest between sets4 x 40m – 4 min rest5 minutes rest between sets4 x 50m – 5 min rest

TOTAL: 480 metersStructuring your workouts in a similar manner will maximize all the qualities desired from working the ATP-CP energy system. Remember, working hard with minimal rest will not make you faster. Either will running slow. Energy stores must be replenished to gain the benefits of speed work. Without true speed development, you are simply falling behind your competitors.

(03/22/2023) ⚡AMP
by Athletes Acceleration
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Tallest player to ever play in the NHL is running the 2023 Boston Marathon

The former Boston Bruins defenceman and captain, Zdeno Chara, who stands at six feet and nine inches, will run his first marathon in Boston.

After 26 years in the NHL, the 6’9″ defenceman, Zdeno Chara, is ready for his next challenge—the 2023 Boston Marathon. On Sunday, the tallest player in NHL history said on his Instagram that he plans to run his first marathon on April 17, in support of two Boston-based charities, the Thomas E. Smith Foundation and The Hoyt Foundation.

Chara holds the all-time NHL record for most games played by a defenseman, with 1,680. Chara played for four teams over his 20+ year career, starting with the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals.

“I’m so happy to announce that I am running my first marathon,” Chara wrote on his Instagram. “There’s no better first marathon than the Boston Marathon on April 17th!

“The Hoyt Foundation has made an incredible impact on millions of people worldwide and personally helped to motivate (the Bruins) to our 2011 Stanley Cup win,” He said in the post. “The Hoyt Foundation has an amazing legacy with the iconic marathon.”

Dick and Rick Hoyt became a well-known Boston Marathon pair, Dick pushing his son in a wheelchair along the 26.2-mile course dozens of times. Dick Hoyt died in September 2021 at the age of 80.

The Thomas E. Smith Foundation’s mission is to better the lives of those affected by and living with paralysis through financial and emotional aid while supporting preventive innovations that decrease the risk of spinal cord injuries.

You do not often see athletes of Chara’s stature take on the marathon, especially on a course as difficult as Boston. We think he’ll certainly be easy to spot in his corral. 

 

(03/22/2023) ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine
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Boston Marathon

Boston Marathon

Among the nation’s oldest athletic clubs, the B.A.A. was established in 1887, and, in 1896, more than half of the U.S. Olympic Team at the first modern games was composed of B.A.A. club members. The Olympic Games provided the inspiration for the first Boston Marathon, which culminated the B.A.A. Games on April 19, 1897. John J. McDermott emerged from a...

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Kenyan Bravin Kiprop shifts focus to Berlin Half Marathon

Following a successful outing at the University of Eldoret cross country, Bravin Kiprop's focus has shifted to next month's Berlin Half Marathon.

Kiprop, who won the 7.4km senior men’s title, said he was using the race, part of UoE's 100th anniversary, as part of his preparations for the German race on April 2.

“I came here with the sole purpose of preparing for the Berlin Half Marathon and this victory has added positives to my preparations,” said Kiprop.

Kiprop, who trains in Keiyo South added that running in local races forms the best preparations for any athlete since, due to the competitiveness, they help runners gauge their fitness and endurance ahead of races abroad.

“Competing in these local races gives an individual a good start. I have two weeks to prepare and this race has offered me a good training ground,” said Kiprop, from Elgeyo Marakwet county.

He won the senior men’s race in 16:40.3, beating Ayub Kiptum to second in 16:54.2 while Titus Kiprotich took third place in 16:59.4.

In January, Kiprop finished second at the Discovery Kenya Cross country championships behind Weldon Langat.

Immaculate Anyango was victorious in the senior women's race, ahead of upstart Stella Jepkosgei and Dorothy Kimutai.

Anyango, who won Discovery cross country in January won the title in 25:09.7 while Jepkosgei and Kimutai clocked 25:26.6 and 25:30.5 respectively.

Mathew Kipkosgei and Janet Jepkosgei were the respective winners of the junior men's 5.55km and junior women's 3.7km races.

Kipkosgei led St Francis Kimuron to a clean sweep of the junior men's podium in 16:40.1, followed by Linus Kipkemoi (16:54.2) and Titus Kiprotich in 16:59.0.

Jepkosgei won the junior women's title in 12:38.01 ahead of Maurine Jepkoech and Martha Jelimo, who timed 12:41.0 and 12:45.2 respectively.

(03/22/2023) ⚡AMP
by Emmanuel Sabuni
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Berlin Half Marathon

Berlin Half Marathon

The story of the Berlin Half Marathon reflects a major part of the history of the German capital. It all began during cold war times and continued during reunification. The events leading up to today's event could really only have happened in this city. Its predecessors came from East- and West Berlin. On 29th November 1981 the Lichtenberg Marathon was...

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Zane Robertson Popped for EPO

Zane Robertson, the New Zealand record holder in the half marathon (59:47) and marathon (2:08:19) and former record holder in the 10,000 (27:33.67), has been suspended by The Sport Tribunal of New Zealand from competition for 8 years after testing positive for Erythropoietin (EPO) and “providing false documentation in his defence.”

Robertson, who along with his twin brother Jake famously moved to Kenya in 2007 at the age of 17 to try to become one of the world’s best distance runners, had retired in February at the age of 33 but didn’t mention anything about a pending drug bust. Zane tested positive at the UK’s Great Manchester Run in May 2022.

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After his B sample came back positive, Zane Robertson didn’t try to argue that EPO wasn’t in his system. Instead, he said he went to a Kenyan medical facility to get a COVID vaccination but instead was given EPO, and he provided documentation to back up his point, but investigators determined the documentation provided was false.

In addition to it making no sense medically why someone would be given EPO when they came in for a vaccine, a Vice President of the “medical facility Mr Robertson claimed to have attended” provided a statement saying “Mr Robertson was not administered EPO at the facility, that he had not attended the facility on the alleged date, that of the two doctors he claimed had treated him, one was a laboratory technician and the other was not employed at the facility, that the medical notes were not generated at the facility and the patient number on the notes was not Mr Robertson’s.”

The Sports Tribunal of New Zealand’s full decision can be read here (also embedded at the bottom of this document).

Additionally, Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ) issued its own press release that can be read here (also embedded at the bottom of this document), but in reading it, appears that Robertson may have been targeted for testing.

“This case benefitted hugely from the sharing of key information and the invaluable support of the Athletics Integrity Unit and Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya. Our global partnerships allow us to collaborate across the anti-doping landscape to detect and deter doping and hold dopers to account, wherever they may be,” said Drug Free Sport New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Paterson.

The press release was unusual in that it contained a lengthy statement from Athletics NZ Chief Pete Pfitzinger, the two-time US Olympic marathoner (and Cornell grad), about how the organization was trying to make sure that Robertson’s mental health was being taken care of.

“As an organisation we take athlete welfare very seriously, so we understand the anxiety and stress that Zane will be experiencing. As soon as he received notification of the positive test for EPO last year, we offered and have provided extensive wellbeing support alongside High Performance Sport New Zealand and we will continue to provide support during this challenging time. We appreciate DFSNZ’s consideration of the athlete’s wellbeing throughout this process,” said Pfitzinger.

It’s worth noting that prior to the 2016 Olympics where Zane Robertson was 12th in the 10,000, Zane, who had relocated to Ethiopia, expressed his frustration as to the amount of doping in the sport and specifically the situation that was going on in Kenya.

“It’s disturbing that I can see these things unfolding before my eyes yet those athletes continue to race on,” said Zane to stuff.co.nz. Robertson also competed in the 2020 Olympics in the marathon where he was 36th.

 

(03/22/2023) ⚡AMP
by Robert Johnson
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Groundbreaking artificial knee cartilage could help runners

Over-the-counter pain relievers, physical therapy, steroid injections — some people have tried it all and are still dealing with knee pain.

Often knee pain comes from the progressive wear and tear of cartilage known as osteoarthritis, which affects nearly one in six adults — 867 million people — worldwide. For those who want to avoid replacing the entire knee joint, there may soon be another option that could help patients get back on their feet fast, pain-free, and stay that way.

Writing in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, a Duke University-led team says they have created the first gel-based cartilage substitute that is even stronger and more durable than the real thing.

Mechanical testing reveals that the Duke team’s hydrogel — a material made of water-absorbing polymers — can be pressed and pulled with more force than natural cartilage, and is three times more resistant to wear and tear.

Implants made of the material are currently being developed by Sparta Biomedical and tested in sheep. Researchers are gearing up to begin clinical trials in humans next year.

“If everything goes according to plan, the clinical trial should start as soon as April 2023,” said Duke chemistry professor Benjamin Wiley, who led the research along with Duke mechanical engineering and materials science professor Ken Gall.

To make this material, the Duke team took thin sheets of cellulose fibers and infused them with a polymer called polyvinyl alcohol — a viscous goo consisting of stringy chains of repeating molecules — to form a gel.

(03/21/2023) ⚡AMP
by Colorado Runner
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Spanish runner with cerebral palsy completes Barcelona Marathon

On Sunday, 32-year-old Alex Roca of Catalonia, Spain, achieved something rare as he crossed the finish line of the Barcelona Marathon in 5:50:51, fulfilling his lifelong dream to run a marathon as an athlete with 76 per cent cerebral palsy, according to Nike.

The Catalan athlete, who is sponsored by Nike, contracted herpetic viral encephalitis at the age of six months, leaving him with 76 per cent cerebral palsy. The condition involves impaired movement and exaggerated reflexes, reducing the range of motion at various joints due to muscle stiffness.

Roca spent years training for this moment, running seven half marathons before taking on the marathon. Earlier this year, he ran the Granollers Half Marathon, finishing in 2:45:16. A month later, on Feb. 19, he completed the Barcelona Half Marathon in a personal best time of 2:38:28.

He told Spanish media El Mundo before the race that he wanted to send a message to the world. “The limit is up to you, and if you want to achieve an objective, whatever difficulties you have, with attitude, willpower, perseverance and resilience, you can achieve everything you propose. And if you do not achieve it, you will have given everything and must feel gratified.”

Roca was accompanied by his brother Victor and his interpreter, Valentí Sanjuán, who have for years accompanied him in many of his challenges and training.

San juán also helped Roca broadcast his entire race on his online Twitch channel, where friends and fans could follow every step of his journey.

(03/21/2023) ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine
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Zurich Marato Barcelona

Zurich Marato Barcelona

The race is popular both with pro athletes and amateurs and provides a unique running experience in and around Zurich. The route runs for the most part along Lake Zurich and consequently is not only attractive as a sports event, but also visually. The start and finish lines are at the upper lake basin and go through downtown Zurich, which...

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Kenyan Magdalene Masai will be going for the win at the Vienna City Marathon on April 23

Fresh from finishing third at the Rome-Ostia Half Marathon, Magdalene Masai will be chasing the Vienna City Marathon on April 23 in Vienna, Austria.

Sharpening her skills in Iten in Elgeyo Marakwet county, the youngest of the Masai running siblings, said she hopes she will run well and earn a slot for Team Kenya at the 2023 World Athletics Championships later in the year in Budapest, Hungary.

“Training is going on well in Iten and I hope to post my personal best in Vienna on my debut in a  race that has been dominated by Kenyans,” said Masai.

Currently enjoying a personal best of 2:22.16 set in 2019 with victory at the Toronto Marathon, Masai said if she runs well, she is likely to land a place in the Kenya team to Budapest.

“I last represented the country in the 2015 Africa Championships, where I finished 4th in the 3,000m steeplechase. This is an opportunity for me to win the confidence of the Kenyan athletics authority,” said Masai.

Kenyans have won Vienna 17 times in the men's cadre and nine in the women's since the inception of the race in 1984.

The title is currently held by Vibian Chepirui, who won both the 2021 and 2022 titles while Cosmas Matolo is the men's champion.

“ Kenyans have in the past performed well in the race and it's because of this that we are always invited for the race. I want to run well on my debut in the race to enter history books,” she said.

The Mount Elgon-born athlete in Bungoma county returned into action last year after maternity leave, where she finished 4th in Toronto Marathon.

She then finished third in the Rome-Ostia Half Marathon where Kenyan Dorcas Tuitoek and Kenyan-born Israeli Lonah Salpeter took the top two positions.

“On my return, I did not manage to run well but at the moment, I have trained well for the championships,” she said.

Masai will be up against fellow Kenyan Visiline Jepkesho as well as Ethiopian Senbere Teferi and home girl Julia Mayer. 

 

(03/21/2023) ⚡AMP
by Emmanuel Sabuni
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Vienna City Marathon

Vienna City Marathon

More than 41,000 runners from over 110 nations take part in the Vienna City Marathon, cheered on by hundreds of thousands of spectators. From the start at UN City to the magnificent finish on the Heldenplatz, the excitement will never miss a beat. In recent years the Vienna City Marathon has succeeded in creating a unique position as a marathon...

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Chepkwony and Allam smash PBs to win at Rome Marathon

Betty Chepkwony and Taoufik Allam were the victors at the Acea Run Rome the Marathon, smashing their PBs by seven and four minutes respectively to win at the World Athletics Elite Label road race on Sunday (19).

Chepkwony took the women’s title in 2:23:02, while Allam triumphed in 2:07:43.

Ethiopia’s Zinash Getachew, Mulugojam Ambi, Jemila Shure, Fozya Amid and Kenya’s Brenda Kiprono went to the front in the early stages, reaching 10km in 33:28 while Chepkwony was 27 seconds behind.

Ambi, Getachew and Shure reached halfway in 1:11:07, inside course record pace (2:22:52), while Chepkwony had reduced the gap on the leading group to 17 seconds.

After going through 30km in 1:41:32, Ambi and Shure struggled in the final 10km. Chepkowny, meanwhile, reeled in the leaders and soon started to pull away. She crossed the finish line in 2:23:02, smashing her previous PB (2:30:28) with the third-fastest winning time ever in Rome.

Amid finished second in 2:25:08, improving her previous PB by three minutes.

“I am very happy with the win,” said Chepkwony. “I really enjoyed running in this beautiful city. I ran a smart race in the first half. I know that I can run faster, but I am happy with my performance on a difficult course.”

In the men’s race, a ten-man pack went through 5km in 15:00, 10km in 29:56, and 15km in 44:58. Five of those – Allam, Wilfred Kigen, Rogers Keror, Felix Kirui and Berhanu Heye – stuck with the pacemakers through the half-way mark (1:03:28), which was just outside course record pace.

Kigen, Heye, Keror and Allam reached 30km in 1:30:51 as the pace started to drop. Just a couple of kilometres later, Kigen and Allam pulled away from the rest of the field and had opened up a gap of 19 seconds on Keror by 35km.

Allam finally broke away from Kigen at 39km and went on to win in 2:07:43, becoming the first Moroccan winner of the Rome Marathon. Wilfred Kigen finished second, improving his PB to 2:08:45.

“I was determined to win the race,” said the 33-year-old, who set his previous PB of 2:11:30 in Dublin last year. “The pacemakers did a good job in the first half of the race. The final part was challenging because of the cobblestones.

In the days leading up to the race, World Athletics delivered a Race Emergency Medicine Course.

Diego Sampaolo for World Athletics

Leading results

Women

1 Betty Chepkwony (KEN) 2:23:02

2 Fozya Amid (ETH) 2:25:09

3 Zinash Debebe Getachew (ETH) 2:25:59

Men

1 Taoufik Allam (MAR) 2:07:43

2 Wilfred Kigen (KEN) 2:08:45

3 Rogers Keror (KEN) 2:10:50.

(03/21/2023) ⚡AMP
by World Athletics
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Run Rome The Marathon

Run Rome The Marathon

When you run our race you will have the feeling of going back to the past for two thousand years. Back in the history of Rome Caput Mundi, its empire and greatness. Run Rome The Marathon is a journey in the eternal city that will make you fall in love with running and the marathon, forever. The rhythm of your...

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Olympian Madeleine Kelly signs with Asics

Canadian 800m Olympian Madeleine Kelly has gone from winning her first race in a pair of Asics shoes to signing her first professional contract with the brand. This has been a promising development as Kelly begins her journey to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The 27-year-old from Pembroke, Ont., is one of only eight Canadian women who have ever broken the two-minute barrier in the two-lap event. In 2022, she represented Team Canada at the World Indoor Championships, World Outdoor Championships and Commonwealth Games. 

The possibility of turning pro wasn’t on Kelly’s radar until she was approached by Asics last year. “It feels great to turn pro and sign with such an established brand,” says Kelly. “I am excited! I can now say running is my job… in a good way.”

Kelly only made her first national team in 2021, for the Tokyo Olympics. She finished fifth in her 800m heat, narrowly missing qualification to the semi-final in a sprint finish.

She says that even though she went to the Olympics, as an athlete training in Canada, she knew a pro contract wasn’t a guarantee. “There is a big divide between athletes in the U.S. and Canada,” says Kelly.  The U.S. market is about 10 times the size of Canada’s, and that equals more sponsorship dollars and fans, increasing an athlete’s marketability.

Kelly says her goal heading into the 2023 season is to stay consistent and run fast times; ultimately, her goal for the season is to reach the world championship semi-final. “I really want to be a semi-finalist or finalist at a major championship,” says Kelly. “It would be a huge confidence boost for me, before heading into the Olympic year.”

Kelly took an uncommon route to professional running, staying in the Canadian U Sports system (she attended the University of Toronto) instead of going to the NCAA. Her 2017 cross-country team at U of T featured five athletes who have represented Team Canada at some point in their career (Sasha Gollish, Lucia Stafford, Gabriela Debues-Stafford and Jazz Shukla).

“We had a talented group of women, and we all got along well,” says Kelly. “It was an inspiring training environment, and we all just wanted to make each other better.”

Kelly currently lives and trains in Hamilton, Ont., under the supervision of her collegiate coach, Terry Radchenko, who is now in his second year with the University of Guelph track and cross-country program.

One aspect of training in Canada Kelly has enjoyed is that she’s been able to pursue her dream in her own way, having friends and family close by. “I think you get the best results when you train and compete in a way that’s authentic to you,” she says. 

When she isn’t training, Kelly writes freelance stories for Canadian Running and is a co-host of “The Rundown” on The Shakeout Podcast. She is also a volunteer coach with the PACK Running Club in Hamilton, Ont., where she enjoys helping young runners find a love for the sport.

(03/21/2023) ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson
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Trail and ultrarunners run mostly for mental benefits, study finds

At least once in their athletic career, every runner will be asked why they run. There are countless reasons why runners pick this sport, and everyone’s answer to that question—why?—will be different. However, according to a recent survey conducted by researchers at University of Central Lancashire in the U.K., more than 90 per cent of ultrarunners and trail runners are in the sport because it “is important for [their] mental health” and it helps them “feel more positive in life.” 

The survey 

The survey was conducted for the Trail Ultra Project, which, as noted on Instagram, “aims to explore and document the growth of trail and ultrarunning in North America and the U.K.” The survey, which was live on the Trail Ultra Project website for six months, from April to Sept. 2022, received more than 1,000 responses.

Of those 1,000 runners who filled out the survey, 536 were British, 379 were American, 36 were Canadian and the remaining 68 respondents were from 28 different countries. Just over 59 per cent of those who responded were men, and 40 per cent were women (0.9 per cent identified as non-binary). Ninety-one per cent of respondents had completed at least one trail race and a little over 70 per cent had run at least one ultramarathon.

Why runners run 

Of all of the more than 1,000 runners who responded to the survey, the vast majority cited their mental health and increased positivity as a reason they’re in the sport. The survey asked individuals to say how important different parts of the sport are to them, on a scale of one to five (one being not important at all and five being very important).

When it came to the statement that “running is important for my mental health and helps me to feel more positive in life,” 68 per cent of respondents scored it at a five. Twenty-two per cent gave that statement a four, adding up to 90 per cent of trail runners and ultrarunners surveyed noting that the mental benefits of the sport were important to them. Only one per cent of respondents gave this reason a score of one. 

The “mental health and general positivity in life” statement was by far the most popular of all the reasons listed. Other high-scoring options included how running provides respondents with a “connection to nature and wild landscapes” (61 per cent voted a five, 23 per cent voted four), the alone time running can create (43 per cent scored this at a five and 30 per cent said four) and how running can be an “escape from the pressures” of everyday life (36 per cent voted five, 27 per cent voted four). 

Regardless of what gets someone started in running or what encourages them to stick with it, there is no wrong reason to love the sport. You may be in the one per cent of people who don’t care about running’s mental benefits, or that may be the biggest reason for your time as a runner. Whatever the case, if you can find your own answer to the question “Why do you run?” you’ll be set for a long and happy athletic career.

(03/20/2023) ⚡AMP
by Ben Snider-McGrath
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I used to run in pursuit of race results. Not for fitness. And certainly not for fun

First, I should clarify: I wasn't a pro. I wasn't even that fast. I just acted like I was, prioritizing my training over everything. The local trail racing scene in my hometown of Minneapolis was low-hanging fruit a decade ago, and I trained to win or podium at those races with joyless devotion.

I used to turn down invitations to run with a friend or a group if it meant I'd have to adjust a training plan written beforehand. When I did run with others, I'd frequently add mileage before or after. 

Once, after a short run at a friend's bachelor party, I dipped out the back to run pre-prescribed hill sprints, sneaking off to do them because explaining what I was doing would be awkward and skipping it would be unthinkable. (It turns out disappearing to run farther without warning was, in my friends' eyes, also a little weird.) 

I used to obsess over distance and vert. I don't just mean I wanted to hit daily and weekly goals - I mean I'd run around the trailhead parking lot to make sure I hit 20 miles on the dot. I mean I learned exactly how far over ".0" I needed to run to avoid the dreaded ".99" when I uploaded it. (On my Suunto, it was 0.02; my Apple Watch, 0.08; my Soleus, 0.23.) Once, when I uploaded a bike ride and it reported 4,999 feet of vert, I nearly threw my phone through the window.

At times, I could be a bit of a nightmare to run with. Once, a friend visiting from out of town wanted to run 5 miles. But I wanted to run 10, so I told him we were running 5, then took him on a 10-mile loop with no bailout points. (He started walking in protest near the end. I think we're still friends - he let me speak at his wedding a couple years later.) 

A different time, that same friend and I went camping on Minnesota's north shore with the intention of running up Eagle Mountain - the highest point in the state - the next day. But rain came through, our tent leaked, and we were soaked, shivering, and in no condition to run. I made him do it with me anyway. When we got to the top, it was completely socked in, the famous viewpoint covered by a white sheet of clouds. (Maybe that was a step too far - he didn't come to my wedding.) 

For several years, every step I ran, whether a workout or a recovery run, was in the pursuit of improvement. I may well have been on the road to disownment by my family and friends. But somewhere along the line, I snapped out of it. 

How?

Ironically, the single biggest thing that changed my outlook was moving to a mid-sized town backed by spectacular mountains that were rife with trails - perfect for extremely serious training, on paper. But it had the opposite effect. 

I moved there to work for a running shoe brand. You'd think living and breathing running all day, every day, would fuel my passion for it. You'd be wrong, though. The challenges got bigger - and my perspective widened with them. 

When I arrived in Santa Barbara, I pictured myself becoming a super-fit mountain athlete on the challenging trails that were, almost literally, out my back door. But I quickly found that, man, these trails are really challenging. I've written before about how difficult running in the Santa Ynez mountains can be. 

That dramatic terrain lent itself to epic days out with incredible views. The system of front- and backcountry trails made for some mouthwatering linkups. But it was all so steep. And slow-moving. And hot and sunny. (I'm a ginger from the Upper Midwest.) The conditions made recovery tougher, so it became overwhelming to try and hit mileage goals out there. It was normal to be out for four or five hours, tag a couple peaks, and have less than 20 miles to show for it. 

Rough going, if you're the sort of person who runs back and forth in front of your house to make sure you hit exact mileage. 

So I had a choice: I could use even more of my free time and energy to ensure I stuck to my old training ways. Or, I could loosen my grip. (Especially since I was nowhere near being a pro athlete.) In a rare moment of clarity, I realized - if I'm not having fun, what's the point? 

So I adapted. One weekend, I planned a run based not on mileage, but on tagging a summit.  The next weekend, I planned a two-summit run, then one with two plus a saddle for the most aesthetically-pleasing Strava map. The mileage wasn't always high, but these were long days out. I even initiated a three-man excursion to connect the front-country's three most prominent peaks in one go - and didn't get mad when we got off-course, bushwhacked through poison oak and came perilously close to running out of water. For nearly five hours of trouble? 15 well-earned miles. 

I embraced the adventure - the time on my feet, the vast emptiness of Los Padres National Forest, the definition of "epic" as something other than long and fast, and the very real sense of risk in the backcountry. I didn't quite learn to stop and smell the roses, but I learned to enjoy running with friends, especially when one of them had a wild idea about running slowly via headlamp at night, or linking point A to point B via the ridgeline, mileage be damned. 

If I'm not having fun, what's the point?

Some other stuff happened, too: That running shoe gig? Well, it was still a 9-to-5 desk job, which can put a damper on training. And it turned out when my job revolved around running, I wanted to use my free time to stay a little more well-rounded. 

I also got a little older. I got injured a little more than I used to. Hard efforts started to come in at a pace I'd once considered a recovery run. In the interest of running as long as possible, I dialed back my mileage. This happens to everyone, so it was nice that it coincided with a new outlook and a new playground, rather than precipitating an identity crisis.

In my hard-charging days, I loved seeing my times improve, and I loved winning on the rare occasion it happened. But I realized it's dangerous to depend on those things for happiness, or to be unwilling to redefine what "winning" and "improving" mean to you, because an injury or plain-old time means that eventually your raw speed will plateau, perhaps even regress. You can adjust your goals - some people stay motivated by age-group competition even when their PRs are behind them - or you can learn to enjoy running every day, rather than seeing running as a means to a worthy end. 

I don't fret over pace. I'm just happy to be out there. 

Our journeys for improvement never stop, but we can find things to improve other than how fast we've run a given distance. In my case, I improved my navigation skills, hydration and nutrition, and frequency of sunscreen reapplication. I also improved my mood. Maybe not as sexy as a 50-mile PR, but it's something to hang my hat on. 

I've traded a white-whale fixation on future results for day-to-day enjoyment. I think they're both noble in their own right, and I don't regret my old approach, but I know it wouldn't work for me now. These days, I try and enjoy the act of running, rather than exclusively enjoying "having run," as Brendan Leonard coined it.  

When I run now, I'll stop and put my hands on my hips at a cool overlook, like in all those marketing photos you see. I won't roll my eyes if someone wants to take a group photo. (Well, I will, but I won't verbally protest, too.) I'll pet all the very good dogs I encounter. I'll run with people when I'm invited to. I'll get coffee afterward, even if it means we cut a couple miles off for time constraints. I don't fret over pace. I'm just happy to be out there. 

I still sometimes run back and forth in front of my house to hit an even mileage, though. That's one habit you'll have to pry from my sticky, GU-covered fingers. 

(03/20/2023) ⚡AMP
by Trail Runner Magazine
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Tokyo residents outraged after marathon runners urinate in sacred park

As all runners know, when you gotta go, you gotta go, but a recent video posted to the social media app TikTok has the residents of Tokyo up in arms after a group of marathon runners were seen urinating in a public sacred garden at Shinjuku Chuo Park during the 2023 Tokyo Marathon on March 5.In the video, you can see race officials waving to the runners to tell them to stop urinating in the gardens, but it clearly did not work. Residents of Tokyo were bothered by the behaviour and condemned the runners on social media, also putting the race organizers in question. The Tokyo Marathon organizers commented that they had noticed the matter and pointed out that there were 1,114 portable toilets set up for this year’s event, distributed from start to finish (650 at the start, 397 on the course and 67 at the finish).

The race also issued an apology, saying they would try to prevent such things from happening in the future.

The incident occurred at the start line, in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, where a group of 20+ runners were seen urinating on the hedges of Shinjuku Chuo Park and throwing their discarded clothing in the bushes.

Comments on the video range from “Why do many foreigners feel the need to urinate everywhere… where are the restrooms? Were there enough?” and “No matter how you look at it, the race management screwed up.”

Another user also pointed out that urinating in public places in Japan is listed as a minor crime, and those who do it should be reported or charged. The race organization, which annually stages a major marathon for over 40,000 runners said they had notices and information signs around the course on where marathon runners could find bathrooms. After the event, race organizers said they cleaned up all parks on the Tokyo Marathon course, but many suspect that the damage had already been done.Many runners at the big marathons don’t want to stand in the porta-potty lineup for fear of missing the start, so they pull off to the side of the course after the start. 

At the 2019 NYC Marathon, Goodwill NYNJ, a partner to marathon host NYRR, was on hand to collect a whopping 122,760 pounds (55,683 kg) of clothing from the NYC startline in Staten Island, N.Y.–which works out to 2.26 pounds (just over 1 kg) per starter. Goodwill ended up distributing the clothing to a collection of its retail locations.

Implementing a collection of donation bins closer to the start line could be an approach the Tokyo Marathon could consider in 2024.

(03/20/2023) ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine
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Walelegn wins again in Seoul

Ethiopia’s Amedework Walelegn was a comfortable winner of the Seoul International Marathon on Sunday (19), crossing the finish line of the World Athletics Platinum Label road race in a PB of 2:05:27.

It was his second victory in the Korean capital, having won there just four months ago in 2:06:59 at the JTBC Seoul Marathon. On this occasion, the 2020 world half marathon bronze medallist went much quicker in what was just the third marathon of his career.

He ran as part of a pack for most of the way, passing through 5km in 14:51 and 10km in 29:33 before reaching the half-way mark in about 1:02:30, putting them on course for a finishing time of about 2:05 – just outside the course record of 2:04:43 set last year by Mosinet Geremew.

The pace dropped slightly leading up to 30km, which was reached in 1:29:31 with eight men still in the lead pack. Walelegn then put in a bit of a surge and covered the next 5km segment in 14:34 – the quickest of the race. It was enough to break away from compatriots Shifera Tamru, Haftu Teklu and Olika Adugna Bikila, who formed a three-man chase pack.

With a seven-second lead at 35km and a 27-second lead at 40km, Walelegn continued to pull away from his opponents, and went on to cross the line in 2:05:27.

The three chasers broke up in the final two kilometres. Tamru – a former winner in Seoul (2019) and Daegu (2022) missed out on adding another Korean marathon victory to his collection, taking second place in 2:05:41. Teklu, who was contesting just the second marathon of his career, was third in 2:05:53, finishing comfortably ahead of Bikila (2:06:29).

Only the men’s race had been granted a World Athletics label. The women’s race, entirely a domestic field, was won by Jeong Da-Eun.

(03/19/2023) ⚡AMP
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Seoul International Marathon

Seoul International Marathon

The only marathon hosted in the heart of the Korean capital. Seoul marathon is the oldest marathon race hosted in Asia andis one of the fastestmarathon in the world. First held in 1931, Seoul marathon is the oldest marathon eventcontinuously held in Asia, and the second oldest in the world followingthe Boston Marathon. It embodies modern history of Korea, also...

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Obiri breaks event record, Kiplimo gets the better of Cheptegei in New York

Two-time world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri and world cross-country champion Jacob Kiplimo produced dominant performances at the United Airlines NYC Half on Sunday (19).

Obiri was locked in a duel with Ethiopia’s 2015 world silver medallist Senbere Teferi for much of the race, but broke away from the defending champion just before 15km to win in an event record of 1:07:21. Kiplimo, meanwhile, waited until just after 15km to make his move, and once he dropped Joshua Cheptegei he didn’t look back, going on to win in 1:01:31.

Obiri and Teferi made an early break from the rest of the field. By the time they reached 5km (15:50), they already had a 22-second margin over Diane van Es of the Netherlands, who led a small chase pack.

Teferi was tucked in right behind Obiri for a large part of the race with the Kenyan leading the duo through 10km (31:29). But as they started to approach the 15km marker, Teferi’s challenge began to fade. Obiri forged on ahead and crossed the line in 1:07:21 to take 14 seconds off the event record Teferi set last year.

Teferi had to settle for second place on this occasion, clocking 1:07:55. European cross-country champion Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal came through for third place (1:09:53).

“I’m so grateful to have won this race,” said Obiri, the 2019 world cross-country champion. “There was a lot of wind, but I tried to push the pace after 15km.

“My mind was just on winning and not the time, because it is a hard course. I still wanted to run sub-70, so I’m happy to have done that and to have won today.”

Britain’s Chris Thompson was a surprise early leader of the men’s race, opening up a significant gap on the rest of the field in the first 5km, covered in 15:00. He just about held on to the lead until 10km (30:10), by which point the large chase pack was just a few strides behind.

Once Thompson had inevitably been reeled in, Morocco’s Zouhair Talbi led what was now a lead pack of about 15 runners. The group soon became strung out with Talbi leading at 15km (44:35), just ahead of Kiplimo and Cheptegei.

Just a minute or two later, Kiplimo – contesting his first race since winning the world cross-country title in Bathurst last month – finally took charge and started to pull away from Cheptegei and Talbi.

Over the course of the final five kilometres, Kiplimo opened up a gap of 38 seconds on two-time world 10,000m champion Cheptegei, winning in 1:01:31. Cheptegei was second in 1:02:09, finishing nine seconds ahead of Talbi.

“I’m very excited to win this race, my first half marathon of 2023,” said Kiplimo. “Even though it was cold, I did my best. For the past few months I have been preparing for cross-country, and that helped me a lot for this race.”

(03/19/2023) ⚡AMP
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United Airlines NYC Half-Marathon

United Airlines NYC Half-Marathon

The United Airlines NYC Half takes runners from around the city and the globe on a 13.1-mile tour of NYC. Led by a talent-packed roster of American and international elites, runners will stop traffic in the Big Apple this March! Runners will begin their journey on Prospect Park’s Center Drive before taking the race onto Brooklyn’s streets. For the third...

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Kimutai and Yimer win the Barcelona Marathon and break the race records

Marius Kimutai, winner with 2.05.06, and Zeineba Yimer, winner with 2.19.44, managed this Sunday to improve the limits of the Barcelona circuit, placing the Zurich Marató de Barcelona among the fastest 42-kilometre races in Europe. Especially commendable is the Ethiopian's timer, below 2 hours and 20 minutes.

The race launched by the hares consolidated a pace, in the leading group of men, of less than three minutes per kilometer from the start on Avenida María Cristina, which guaranteed the breaking of the Ethiopian Yihuniligne Adane's record with 2.05.53, made in the last edition 2022.

The compact group of a dozen runners that led the test passed kilometer 30 (in 1.29.18) still grouped. From here the peloton stretched following the trail of the only hare still in the race and changes of pace followed, with the favourite, the Kenyan-born Turk Kaan Kigen Özbilen, trying to control the race when the last hare abandoned in the 31.

In 35, only a couple of athletes have been able to hold the pace imposed by Özbilen, the Moroccan Othmane El Goumri and the Bahraini of Kenyan origin Marius Kimutai. The podium seemed determined, but the order on the drawer was still to be determined.

The Turk gave in at minute 39 and El Goumri, second a couple of editions ago on this same circuit with 2.06.18, took advantage of his knowledge of the route to pick up the pace, seconded by Kimutai, sixth classified in the 2021 Barcelona Marathon and therefore as well as the Moroccan, who is also familiar with the blue-painted marathon track in the Catalan capital.

Kimutai waited for a definitive change of pace, just before facing Sepúlveda street and ended up winning alone with a new circuit record, 2.05.06, although he could not go below 2.05, which was the objective of the organization. El Goumri held on to second place and finished with a new Moroccan national record (2.05.12). Özbilen was the third on the podium, finishing in 2.05.37.

Very similar script in the women's race, passing the half marathon in 1.09, and with three Africans fighting for podium places in the final kilometers. The starting pace was already setting a new circuit record, this time by a much wider margin than that of the men.

Zeineba Yeimer finally managed to run under 2.20 and set a new women's record on the circuit, which lowers the previous record by more than three minutes and places it at an enviable 2.19. Second entered Selly Chepyego (2.20.03), and third and first European the Romanian Delvine Meringor (2.20.49).

(03/19/2023) ⚡AMP
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Taiwan’s Wan Jin Shi Marathon concludes in wet conditions

World Athletics gives marathon gold-label designation for excellent course planning and execution

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — More than 11,000 runners competed in the 2023 New Taipei City Wan Jin Shi (WJS) Marathon on Sunday (March 19), drawing 300 competitors from 33 countries.

The road race is Taiwan's first World Athletics certified “Gold Label” event, indicating that the running surface and route meet top-quality international conditions and the event is supervised by properly trained medical staff, per UDN.

The WJS Marathon was held in Wanli’s Emerald Bay with a series of warm-up activities before the 6:00 a.m. start. New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) had the honor of firing the starter’s pistol and both domestic and foreign competitors took off on the 42-kilometer marathon race. Afterwards, a shorter 10km race also commenced

Later at a press conference, Hou said he was proud that the WJS Marathon became the first event in Taiwan to be certified with the “Gold Label” by World Athletics.

Previously, the group went under the name International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) and is recognized as the main governing body for athletic competitions such as track and field, road running, cross-country racing, and marathons.

Hou added that approximately 11,000 runners participated in today's marathon. Among them, 300 runners came from 33 countries, such as Bahrain, Spain, Ethiopia, and Kenya. He was also proud that many marathoners wore clothing made from coffee grounds and PET bottles, which promoted his future vision for sustainability.

Race organizers are planning to apply for a special green certificate next year to make the road race more sustainable. This year, LED screens at the start and finish of the race replaced PVC signage, and even race result certification was provided electronically instead of being printed.

In the end, it was Kenyan athlete, Barnabas Kiptum, who won the race in 2:11:57 with the top Taiwan male finisher being Chiang Chieh-wen (蔣介文) who crossed the finish line in 2:23:06, per UDN.

As for the women's competition, it was won by Ethiopian Bekelech Gudeta Borecha in 2:29:25. The top Taiwan female finisher was Lisa Reis (雷理莎) in 2:46:24.

(03/19/2023) ⚡AMP
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Tefera takes down Ingebrigtsen to retain world indoor 1500m title

When the Olympic champion met the world indoor champion, something was always going to give. In the end, as Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Samuel Tefera fought towards the line in the men’s 1500m final at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Belgrade 22 on Sunday (20), it was the Norwegian star who had no choice but to concede. 

Not that Ingebrigtsen ever gave up, the 21-year-old trying to summon something – anything – to repel the late charge of Tefera, but it was no use, with the 22-year-old Ethiopian taking gold in 3:32.77, Ingebrigtsen taking silver in 3:33.02, and Kenya’s Abel Kipsang the bronze in 3:33.36. 

Before the race, the head-to-head record between the big two was 11-0 in favour of Ingebrigtsen, but no one beats Samuel Tefera 12 times in a row, not when this is a distance at which he held the world indoor record at 3:31.04 for the past three years, until Ingebrigtsen broke it earlier this year with 3:30.60. 

That race in Lievin, France, in mid-February made the Norwegian the hot favourite for the title in Belgrade, and when the gun fired he adopted similar tactics to the Olympic final in Tokyo, or indeed most races on the circuit. 

He made sure it was fast. 

With Kipsang rocketing through the opening lap in 27.60, Ingebrigtsen waited until the second to hit the front, stringing the field out behind as he passed 400m in 55.81, 800m in 1:53.9 and 1200m in 2:51.16. 

But tracking him all the way, keeping his powder dry, was Tefera, the slightly more measured pace compared to the race in Lievin allowing him to sit in his slipstream into the final bend. Tefera then moved wide off the turn and emptied the tank to edge past his rival up the home straight, retaining his world indoor title with a championship record of 3:32.77. 

“The race was very tough, but I feel very happy now because I became the champion,” said Tefera, who said he had surgery on his achilles tendon last year, an injury picked up during the Tokyo Olympics. 

“I could not do many activities within the training but now I am completely fit,” he said. “I feel normal and I am ready for any kind of races and championships.”

Ingebrigtsen was gracious in defeat, not that he was too pleased about his silver.

“I came here to fight for the gold and it was a good fight,” he said. “I didn’t feel that great. Usually I feel a bit tired from 600 to 800 then it starts to loosen up but that didn’t happen tonight so I’m not 100 percent. Tefera was better than me tonight. I thought I was better than him, having run the record.”

Asked if he would do anything different if the race was run again, he said: “If I knew that I was completely s*** tonight, then of course I’d do a lot of things different, but I didn’t have any factors telling me that before the race.”

In third, Kipsang claimed the first global medal of his career, having been edged into fourth at the Olympics last year. Ethiopia’s Teddese Lemi finished fourth in 3:33.59, with Australia’s Ollie Hoare fifth and Britain’s Neil Gourley sixth.

The following day, on his return home after not feeling fully fit, Ingebrigtsen shared a photo of a positive Covid test on his social media and wrote: "Just arrived home in Sandnes, and decided to take a health check after a strange feeling last night. Leading up to the race, everything felt normal, with negative PCR test and several rapid tests. Bad timing but in some way unavoidable. Now it's all about recovering and getting back to training."

(03/19/2023) ⚡AMP
by Cathal Dennehy for World Athletics
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3-time champion Molly Huddle is ready for 2023 NYC Half

The United Airlines NYC Half came into Molly Huddle‘s life in 2014 and it was one of the key turning points in the now 38 year-old’s storied career.  Never a fan of cross country or indoor track, the 28-time national champion liked to de-camp from her Providence, R.I., home in the winter to put in her pre-season base miles in the warmth of Arizona.  The NYC Half, with its mid-March date, was the perfect race to close-out her winter training block.  Her long-time coach Ray Treacy, whom Huddle affectionately calls “The Guru,” gave his blessing and she signed-up for the 2014 race.  It would be her first-ever half-marathon.

With the temperature right at the freezing mark, Huddle ran the entire race with the leaders.  She went through the first 10-K in 33:01, and the second in a much faster 32:21 as the pace heated up.  Although too far behind eventual winner Sally Kipyego (1:08:31), she finished a close third to eventual 2014 Boston Marathon champion Buzunesh Deba, 1:08:59 to 1:09:04.

“It was good,” a shivering Huddle told Race Results Weekly’s Chris Lotsbom that day.  “I think I stuck my nose in it in the beginning and the distance got to me a little in the end, but it was definitely a fun experience. I definitely want to do another one.”

The rest, shall we say, is history.

For the next three years Huddle would repeat the same winter program, training in Arizona then coming to New York for the NYC Half before starting her track season*.  She won in 2015, 2016 and 2017, and in the 2016 race she set the still-standing USATF record for an all-women’s race: 1:07:41.  During her reign at the top, she beat top athletes like Sally Kipyego, Caroline Rotich, Des Linden, Aliphine Tuliamuk, Buzunesh Deba, Emily Sisson, Edna Kiplagat, Diane Nukuri, and Amy Cragg.  She also lowered her 10,000m personal best from 31:28.66 to an American record 30:13.17, a mark which would stand for more than six years until Alicia Monson broke it just 11 days ago at The Ten in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.  She also collected $65,500 in prize money from the event which is organized by New York Road Runners.

Huddle returns to the NYC Half for the first time in six years on Sunday, but she’s no longer focused on winning.  The race comes about 11 months after she, and husband Kurt Benninger, had their first child, daughter Josephine Valerie Benninger, whom Huddle calls “JoJo.”  Speaking to Race Results Weekly at a press event yesterday in Times Square, she reflected on her history with the race.

“The last time I did the Half was 2017, I think, so a long time,” said Huddle, wearing a warm hat and jacket on a cold, late-winter day.  “Great to be back.  Great to be running again seriously after having the baby in April.  So, this will be a good test.”

Huddle has been slowly building her fitness since giving birth to Josephine.  She first returned to racing last August at the low-key Bobby Doyle Summer Classic 5 Mile in Narragansett, R.I., –very close to her home– clocking 29:17.  Since then she has run in a series of local races in New England –a pair of 10-K’s, a 5-K cross country, and a half-marathon– to regain her racing chops.

Then, in January of this year, she ran the super-competitive Aramco Houston Half-Marathon and clocked a very good 1:10:01, a mark which qualified her for the 2024 USA Olympic Team Trials Marathon.  She went back to training, and the NYC Half should give her a good reading on her progress.

“I’m really happy to fit it back in the schedule,” said Huddle, who is still breastfeeding and will be pumping while she is in New York (Kurt is with Josephine at home in Providence).  “I feel like I’m having more baseline workouts now, less of a building phase and more back to normal.  I’ve had a few little injury problems last month, but I’m coming around.”

A well-traveled athlete, Huddle is sticking close to home for her races now.  New York is a three and one-half hour drive (or train ride) from Providence.

“I love racing within a drive distance of home now because of the baby, and this is an easier race for me to get to,” Huddle said.  “So that’s good.”

Sunday’s race has yet another purpose for Huddle.  It will kick-off her training for her next marathon, a distance that she hasn’t taken on since the 2020 Olympic Trials in Atlanta when she was forced to drop out with an injury.  Although she wasn’t at liberty to reveal which race it will be, she said that the timing of the NYC Half was perfect, just like it always was.

“So, I’m really focusing more on the roads now; it fits in really well with that plan now,” Huddle said.  She continued: “This is going to kick off a marathon build-up for me, so this will be a really good race to fit into my marathon block as we go forward the next two months.”

(03/19/2023) ⚡AMP
by David Monti
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United Airlines NYC Half-Marathon

United Airlines NYC Half-Marathon

The United Airlines NYC Half takes runners from around the city and the globe on a 13.1-mile tour of NYC. Led by a talent-packed roster of American and international elites, runners will stop traffic in the Big Apple this March! Runners will begin their journey on Prospect Park’s Center Drive before taking the race onto Brooklyn’s streets. For the third...

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Senbere Teferi, the 5k world record holder, is among a group of African runners who form a strong women’s elite field at the Vienna City Marathon

Senbere Teferi, the 5k world record holder, is among a group of African runners who form a strong women’s elite field at the Vienna City Marathon. Austria’s major road running event will be staged for the 40th time and it could well be the women who produce the headlines at the jubilee edition on April 23rd.The current course record of 2:20:59 will be a target if weather conditions are suitable on the day. Organisers of the Vienna City Marathon, which is the only World Athletics Elite Label Road Race in Austria, expect to register around 35,000 entries for their event. This includes races at shorter distances staged parallel to the marathon. Registration for all races is still possible at: www.vienna-marathon.com

Teferi brings plenty of promising speed to the marathon. The 27-year-old Ethiopian clocked 14:29 in a 5k race in Herzogenaurach (Germany) in 2021. This time still stands as a world record in a women-only race. So far Teferi could not transform her speed to the marathon. However she is eager to change this in Vienna this spring. “It is my aim to smash my personal best and win the race,“ said Teferi, who will run her third marathon in the Austrian capital. Back in 2018 she ran her debut in Dubai in 2:24:11 and then she clocked 2:25:22 in Tokyo in 2020. However her half-marathon PB of 65:32 indicates that Teferi, who won silver medals at the World Cross Country Championships and in the 5,000m final of the World Championships in 2015, should be capable of running significantly quicker.  

Running a faster time is one thing, winning is another. The Vienna City Marathon will provide quite a challenge for her. There are four Kenyans in the women’s field who have run faster in the marathon than the Ethiopian. Visiline Jepkesho, Magdalyne Masai, Rebecca Tanui and Agnes Keino. They intend to add to Kenya’s Vienna win streak. In the past five editions of the VCM the women’s winner was Kenyan. A year ago Chepkirui broke the course record with a time of 2:20:59. 

Jepkesho is the fastest on the current women’s start list with a personal best of 2:21:37. The 33-year-old has plenty of experience in the marathon and will start a comeback in Vienna after giving birth to her two sons. She ran her PB when finishing fourth in Paris in 2017. Visiline Jepkesho has run four sub 2:23 marathons and took major victories in Rotterdam (2018) and Paris (2016). 

Magdalyne Masai is another athlete who recently came back from maternity leave and who has been successful before the break. In 2019 she took the Toronto Marathon with a personal best of 2:22:16. Little over a week ago the 29-year-old showed fine form, when she clocked a half marathon PB of 67:07 in the Rome Ostia race finishing third. 

Rebecca Tanui and Agnes Keino will travel to Vienna full of confidence, since both of them won their autumn marathon race with personal bests. Tanui triumphed in San Sebastián in 2:23:09 while Keino smashed the course record of the Munich Marathon with 2:23:26, leaving behind the former World Marathon Champion Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia. Keino then also won the Buri Ram Marathon in Thailand in January in 2:28:08, smashing another course record.

(03/18/2023) ⚡AMP
by Christopher Kelsall
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Vienna City Marathon

Vienna City Marathon

More than 41,000 runners from over 110 nations take part in the Vienna City Marathon, cheered on by hundreds of thousands of spectators. From the start at UN City to the magnificent finish on the Heldenplatz, the excitement will never miss a beat. In recent years the Vienna City Marathon has succeeded in creating a unique position as a marathon...

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The Zurich Marató Barcelona returns for its 44 edition this weekend

More than 15,000 participants register for Barcelona, numbers grow by 50% compared to 2022 and international runners make up more than half.

The Zurich Marató Barcelona’s 44th edition will take place with 15,127 registered participants, recovering pre-pandemic numbers and growing by 5,000 runners compared to the previous edition.

This Sunday 19th of March, the Marató also returns to its large number of participants coming from all over the world. Runners of 119 different nationalities have chosen Barcelona to live the best possible experience in the 42.195 km distance, in a renovated circuit in 2018, monumental and fast at the same time, with the ideal climate to run with thousands of participants and a powerful civic atmosphere.

In this sense, the Councillor for Sports of the Barcelona City Council, David Escudé, has highlighted that “this is the Barcelona’s Marathon of the recovery of numbers. We are very happy because this year the overall participation of the Zurich Marató Barcelona has grown by 50% compared to 2022, exceeding 15,000 registrations. We have also doubled the international participation compared to last year’s edition and more than half of the runners (55%, 8,319 in total) come to our city from other countries. The female participation is again 25%, equalling the highest percentage in our history (3,781 women participants). Without a doubt, this will be the great running festival that we are all looking forward to, with the streets full of people cheering and enjoying this sporting event”.

On the other hand, the director of the race, Mauro Llorens, explains that “we have everything ready and we are looking forward to starting a great edition of the Zurich Marató Barcelona where, for the first time, we will be a Gold Label Marathon awarded by World Athletics. In Spain only Barcelona has this label and, in Europe, only three more marathons has it. This means having a great line-up of elite athletes and first class services for runners. We will be looking for the two circuit records to position ourselves as one of the fastest marathons in Europe”.

The new feature of this year’s edition is that World Athletics has awarded the Zurich Marató Barcelona with the Gold Label for 2023. This is a distinctive label awarded to an event when it guarantees a high competitive level, as well as quality and comfort for the popular runners (official refreshment points, physiotherapy and recovery services, etc.). This distinction, which represents a qualitative leap for the Marató, reinforces the city of Barcelona’s capacity to organise large-scale, international sporting events, making it the only marathon in Spain and one of only three in Europe (along with the Rotterdam Marathon and the Istanbul Marathon) to have this label.

In addition, the slogan of this edition is Run In The World’s Best City because Barcelona has been considered the best city in the world according to the Telegraph Travel 2022 ranking. The course of the Zurich Marató Barcelona is ideal to enjoy: it runs through the heart of a cosmopolitan city, which has the great modernist legacy of Antonio Gaudí or the Pla Cerdà and the Camp Nou, Plaza España, the Arc de Triomf, the Sagrada Familia, the Forum or the Seafront as some of its main tourist attractions to enjoy the Catalan capital uniquely, running on a fast and magical route.

A competitive group of athletes from East Africa, with up to seven athletes with a Gold label, will take the start 19th of March to try to run under 02:04h. In terms of personal bests, the Turkish athlete Kaan Kigen Özbilen, Kenya’s 5000m champion at the age of 20, with a record that already predicted a promising athletics career, stands out in the first place to win the Zurich Marató Barcelona 2023.

As is usual for most long-distance runners, Kigen moved up the distance to concentrate on the marathon. In 2015 he became a naturalised Turkish citizen and in 2016 he won the European Half Marathon runner-up medal and his first international medal with his new country. From this point on, Özbilen concentrated on marathon, running 02:06h in the Dubai Marathon and improving his personal best in Valencia, where he has participated in the last three editions: 02:04:16h in 2019, 02:08:50h in 2020 and 02:04:36h in 2022. In this 44th edition of the Zurich Marató Barcelona, he will be, a priori, the athlete to follow, as he will start the race as the theoretical favourite as he will start with the best time of all the participants.

Five athletes with records in 02:05h are, on paper, Kigen’s strongest rivals and the most qualified ones, as they are lower or very close to the current race record (02:05:53h), achieved by the Ethiopian Yihunilign Adane last year, starting with Joel Kemboi Kimurer (Gold athlete) with 02:05:19h at the Milan Marathon 2021. Likewise, with the experience of his 35 years and having run 11 marathons, Kenyan Kemboi Kimurer and his 02:05:19h in the Milan Marathon two years ago, is also among the favourites to win in Barcelona. Another Kenyan, Marius Kimutai, is also among the favourites. He has been competing for Bahrain for the past two years and knows the Catalan capital’s circuit well, where he finished sixth in 2021 (02:06:54h).

On the other hand, Ethiopia’s athlete Takele Bikila achieved his best time at the Seville Marathon (02:05:52h) last season in his tenth 42km race, and Eritrea’s Kibrom Ruesom at the Valencia Marathon 2020 (02:05:53h) in his second marathon attempt. Closing the list is Ethiopia’s runner Kelkile Woldaregay time of 02:05:56h at the Rotterdam Marathon, which dates back to 2018.

Kaan Kigen Özbilen: “I want to thank the organisation for inviting me to run in the best city in the world. Eliud Kipchogue is my mentor and teammate and he has wished me luck for Sunday. I am coming to Barcelona to set the course record”.

Marius Kimutai: “Sunday I will return to a circuit I already know with the aim of improving my personal best and setting a new record”.

Two-time finalist at the World Half Marathon Championships in Valencia 2018 and Gdynia 2020, Zeineba Yimer Worku (Gold Label) is the only female participant with a personal best under 2 hours and 20 minutes and is the favourite to break the women’s record set last year by Ethiopian Meseret Gebre Dekebo (02:23:11h). A time achieved twice, both times at the Valencia Marathon, finishing in 02:19:28h in 2019 and 02:19:54h the year after.

As a personal best and among the five Gold Label female athletes who will run on 19th of March in Barcelona, Yimer is the favourite among a group that also includes her compatriot, Ethiopia’s athlete Azmera Gebru Hagos, a cross-country runner who won bronze at the World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria in 2011, more than a decade ago. At the age of 23, Hagos made her debut at the 2018 Amsterdam Marathon, finishing in 02:23h and the following year, on the same circuit, she achieved what is, for the moment, her personal best (02:20:48h).

Zenebu Fikadu Jebesa (Gold Label) also repeats in Barcelona. The Ethiopian runner, third on the podium in the last edition of the Zurich Marató Barcelona (02:25:11h), will enjoy a new opportunity in a circuit she already knows. A fourth Ethiopian runner, Tsegaye Melesech, also returns to Barcelona after finishing second in 2017 (02:26:44h).

In terms of international experience, Kenya’s Selly Chepyego Kaptich (Gold Label) is a strong contender to face the Ethiopian trio of favourites. Kaptich is the U18 World 3000m champion and bronze medalist at the World Half Marathon in Copenhagen in 2014, as well as having finished third in another major event, the Berlin Marathon 2019, which she finished setting her personal best of 02:21:06h.

Among the European athletes, the participation of Delvine Relin Meringor, Kenyan until 2021 and Romanian since then, after her naturalisation by the European country, stands out. Meringor was a solid cross-country runner in her early days as an athlete. She made her debut at the 2021 Siena Marathon in 02:24:32h and won the Los Angeles Marathon a year ago (02:25:04h).

Selly Chepyego Kaptich: “I’m prepared for the weather conditions in Barcelona and I’m confident to beat the women’s record.”

(03/18/2023) ⚡AMP
by AIMS
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Zurich Marato Barcelona

Zurich Marato Barcelona

The race is popular both with pro athletes and amateurs and provides a unique running experience in and around Zurich. The route runs for the most part along Lake Zurich and consequently is not only attractive as a sports event, but also visually. The start and finish lines are at the upper lake basin and go through downtown Zurich, which...

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Yomif Kejelcha very close to the 5 km world record in Lille

The Ethiopian, world record holder for the Indoor Mile, won this Sunday on the 5 km road to Lille, failing to one second (12'50 '') of the world record for the specialty (12'49 '' ).

Jean-Pierre Watelle is a world record hunter. He made it a specialty at the Liévin meeting which he organizes with the Hauts-de-France Athletics League, and which has become the best on the planet indoors. He seeks to do the same on the road. This Sunday, it happened very close.

On the 5 km international of Lille, the Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha came to fail at a second of the world record of the specialty (12'49'' by Berihu Aregawi) by completing his effort in 12'50'' (2nd world performance history) ahead of Kenyan Reynold Kipkorir (13'04'') and Ethiopian Telahun Bekele (13'07''). Already the world record holder for the Indoor Mile (3'47''01), the double world champion in the 3,000m indoors almost added a line to his list.

In the same race, French international Djilali Bedrani, second in the French Cross Court Championships last week, took 11th place in 13'42'' just ahead of his compatriot Valentin Gondouin (13'43'').

Very fast, the course also made it possible to run quickly on the half-marathon and the 10 km. Over the 21.1 km, the Kenyan Patrick Mosin won in 59'31'' ahead of his compatriots Alfred Chelal Barkach (59'32'') and Somomom Kipchogue (59'37), while the Frenchman Étienne Daguinos took 5th place in 1h1'39''.

Among the women, three-time French cross country champion Manon Trapp took third place in 1h11'26'', behind Kenyan Emily Chebet (1st in 1h07'52'') and Ethiopian Addisie Andualem (2nd in 1h07'). 59'').

Finally, in the 10 km, the Kenyan Dorcas Kimeli (30'48) won, as did the (Ethiopian Gemechu Dida for men (27'12'').

(03/18/2023) ⚡AMP
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Can’t Stand Black Coffee? Adding Milk May Decrease Inflammation.

A new study looks into the benefits of adding dairy to your morning cup of coffee

If your coffee ideal is one that includes a healthy dollop of milk, a recent study conducted by the University of Copenhagen may be of interest.

A team of researchers determined that the combination of milk and coffee – proteins and antioxidants – increases anti-inflammatory properties. Here’s a quick breakdown of the science:.

Polyphenols are compounds found in coffee (and other nutrient-dense foods) that lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and boost brain function. In the Copenhagen study, researchers examined the reaction between polyphenols in coffee beans and milk proteins.

They found that the two molecules bound together and became a powerhouse of inflammation defense. Therefore, the researchers concluded that drinking coffee with milk  has more anti-inflammatory benefits than sipping coffee alone. It’s important to note that the study concerns only milk and not creamer. No research has been conducted on the latter. 

Not a fan of dairy? There are other ways to increase the immune-boosting qualities of your morning cup.

Cinnamon

Try sprinkling 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon into your cup in the morning. This spice is packed with antioxidants, may help lower blood sugar levels, and even lower cancer risk. Make sure you’re using true cinnamon and not cinnamon sugar.

Nutmeg

A dash of nutmeg may help digestion, improve cognitive function, and, in some cases, relieve pain. Some studies suggest nutmeg may also improve sex drive.

Collagen Peptides

Collagen, whether it’s flavored or unflavored, mixes easily  into coffee and provides protein, vitamin C, zinc, biotin, and more. Collagen may improve skin and hair, relieve joint pain and boost muscle mass.

(03/18/2023) ⚡AMP
by Outside
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The 2023 Barkley Marathons Has Three Finishers

This week on the rough and rugged terrain of Tennessee's Frozen Head State Park, legends were born.

Amid cold, wet weather and little sleep, John Kelly, Aurelian Sanchez, Karel Sabbe, and Damian Hall put on quite a show this week at the dastardly and often cruel ultra-distance quagmire known as the Barkley Marathons in Wartburg, Tennessee. So did Jasmine Paris, even though she didn't last quite as long as her male counterparts in what was one the best and most exciting editions of this small, quirky, and extremely grueling race yet.

This year's race was the first time that four runners began the rarely-experienced fifth loop and only the second time three runners completed the course, which is roughly 130 miles in length and includes about 63,000 feet of elevation gain, within the 60-hour time cutoff.

Aurelian Sanchez was the first to finish the race, but not without encountering a bit of a challenge near the end after a day hiker removed one of the books, believing the race was over. The 32-year-old Frenchman thought he was doomed and returned to the yellow gate with the pages he had, only to find the book waiting for him at the finish. He tore out his page and got credit for completing the course in 58 hours, 23 minutes, and 12 seconds.

Next was John Kelly, the 38-year-old local runner from nearby Boone, North Carolina, who became a two-time finisher and only the third person to record more than one successful finish. He wound up back at the infamous yellow gate of the start/finish area about 19 minutes after Sanchez, in 58:42:23. He had been the most recent Barkley finisher back in 2017, which seems like a lifetime ago, given how COVID-19 seemed to change the scope of time.

"Call me the Benjamin button of Barkley," Kelly tweeted at one point on the last day of the race. "I'm reverse aging on course."

After that, a suspenseful hour went by in anticipation of Karl Sabbe. Finally, with less than seven minutes to spare, the 32-year-old Belgian dentist, who holds the Fastest Known Time on the Appalachian Trail, finally appeared with all the necessary pages to become the third and final finisher of the 2023 event in 59:53:33.

Hall, a Barkley "virgin" (as race director Gary Cantrell refers to participants) from the UK, started the fifth loop with 10 minutes to spare-marking the first time in the race's 36-year history that four runners were out on the final lap-but returned after 53 hours of sleep-deprived running with no pages, tapping out and calling it quits after getting lost for a long period of time.

 

Earlier in the event, the UK fell running champion Jasmin Paris became the second woman ever to start the fourth lap of the five-lap event in the event's history. She gave it a good go at becoming the first woman finisher, but ultimately timed out on the fourth loop when she returned with nine pages collected. She didn't finish, but she did set a new women's record after becoming only the second woman to start the fourth loop along with Sue Johnston's strong effort in 2001.

The event began on Tuesday, March 14, when about 40 intrepid runners headed out on the course to see if they could join the very exclusive finisher's club. Since the race's inception in 1986, only 18 of the roughly 1,000 runners who have attempted the Barkley Marathons have completed it.

Although Utah's Jared Campbell has finished it three times (2012, 2014, 2016), the only other runner with more than one finish, aside from Kelly, is Colorado's Brett Maune (2011, 2012).

Boulder-based Brian Metzler has run more than 75,000 miles in his life, competing in every distance from 50 meters to 100 miles, running the Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim run across the Grand Canyon and back several times, racing pack burros on many occasions and going up Colorado's Longs Peak 20 times. In 2018, he ran the Great Wall of China, completed the Leadman series and ran a 100K in South Korea. He is the founding editor of Trail Runner and the author of "Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture and Cool of Running Shoes."

(03/18/2023) ⚡AMP
by Trail Runner Magazine
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Pennsylvania woman rips fast 40 miles for her 40th birthday

Some runners celebrate reaching a new age category by heading out for their new number in minutes or covering it in kilometres; Holly Benner of Macungie, Penn. took it to the next level, ripping a speedy 40-mile trail run to celebrate her becoming a quadragenarian. 

Benner covered 40 miles (64 kilometres) in just over five hours, averaging a pace of five minutes per kilometre.

Going in, Benner intended to cover 40 miles but had no particular time goal. “I just went with the flow,” she says. “I felt great at 20 kilometres and never looked back. It’s so cool to see what our bodies are capable of.”

Benner knew she wanted to spend her birthday doing something she loved, which is how running 40 birthday miles came into her mind. “It was so much fun—it’s cool to challenge yourself,” says Benner. “I didn’t do this to prove anything.”

Benner comes from an athletic background. She was the team captain of her NCAA collegiate swim team and went on to race triathlon at an elite level before taking up trail running in 2010. She has run ultra-trail races from 50K to eight hours, reaching the podium in her last two of three races.

In December, she hit her long-time goal of a sub-three-hour marathon at the 2022 California International Marathon, finishing in 2:53:55. Benner considers herself primarily a road marathoner, but intends to get more into ultra-trail racing eventually. “My immediate goal is sub-1:20 for the half and then attempt a sub-2:45 marathon in the fall,” she says.

“There’s a few 50K’s in Canada that I have my eye on,” she laughs.

When we asked Benner what she was most excited about in turning 40, like a true masters runner, she said, “the new age category.”

(03/18/2023) ⚡AMP
by Running Magazine
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Cheptegei, Kiplimo To Renew Their Rivalry At United Airlines NYC Half

Standing in Times Square this morning, Jacob Kiplimo and Joshua Cheptegei looked like any other tourists visiting one of this city's most famous landmarks. Their hands thrust into their jacket pockets to ward off the late winter cold, the two Ugandans took in the sights while engaging in friendly conversation and taking a few selfies. Neither had ever been to New York City.

But on Sunday at the 16th edition of the United Airlines NYC Half, America's largest half-marathon with about 25,000 finishers, they will return to their more familiar roles as rivals. Kiplimo, 22, the reigning World Athletics half-marathon and cross country champion, and Cheptegei, 26, the reigning Olympic and World Athletics 10,000m champion, will face each other again just 29 days after the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia. There --in hot, humid and windy conditions-- Kiplimo won the gold medal in a last-lap breakaway relegating Cheptegei, who was the event's reigning champion, to the bronze medal position. Both are savoring the chance to race head to head again, but their rivalry is clearly a friendly one.

"I'm happy to be competing together with Joshua," said Kiplimo, the world record holder for the half-marathon, with a relaxed smile. He beat Cheptegei in 2020 World Athletics Half-Marathon Championships where he was the surprise gold medalist and Cheptegei finished fourth in his first and only half-marathon. He added: "On Sunday we're going to try our best, I'm going to try my best."

Cheptegei said, "absolutely, yes," when asked if he was motivated to race against Kiplimo. "I would really give everything to win," he told Race Results Weekly. "But you never know what goes in the race."

According to the respected statistics website Tilastopaja Oy, Cheptegei has a 6-0 record over Kiplimo in track races at 5000m and 10,000m. In the half-marathon, Kiplimo won in their only meeting, and at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships they are tied 1-1. Cheptegei was the gold medalist in Aarhus, Denmark, in 2019 where Kiplimo took the silver.

But their biggest rival on Sunday just might be the course. When the race debuted as a summer event back in 2006, the course went from Engineers' Gate in Central Park to a stretch of the West Side Highway just north of Battery Park in lower Manhattan. Runners enjoyed a total elevation loss of 30 meters, and in the final 10 kilometers the athletes were often helped by a tailwind as the prevailing winds in New York City come from the north and west. But in 2018 New York Road Runners changed the course to encompass more of the city's residential neighborhoods, and it now goes from Prospect Park in Brooklyn to Central Park in Manhattan. The opening nine kilometers feature several significant hills, including a steep climb up the Manhattan Bridge where the runners cross from Brooklyn to Manhattan.

"I saw in the TV that some is a little bit tough," Kiplimo said of the course. He added: "I think it will be very difficult, but actually for me it's not so difficult because we'll just be running up and down. It's almost the same (as) World Cross."

Cheptegei, who has reached the point in his track career that he has begun thinking about his marathon debut, didn't seem too worried about the course and was already looking ahead to a possible run at the TCS New York City Marathon which also has a hilly course.

"They haven't told me so many things about the course," Cheptegei said. "They told me about the New York full marathon course, where the race is mostly decided, especially on the climb." He continued: "About Sunday, really excited to run my second half-marathon. I've really thought about it, and maybe in the future when I go to marathons maybe New York can be my final destination."

Both men said they had recovered well since their race in Bathurst, and Cheptegei said he had picked up some additional fitness.

"I think I had a lot of time to recover," he said. "I had to continue with my training because I was sure that I was actually going to be invited for the New York Half-Marathon. Everything has been going along well. My shape is actually better than cross country so I hope that I can run a good half-marathon."

NYRR is offering a $120,000 prize money purse for Sunday's race. Twenty-thousand dollars will be paid to the winners in the open male and female categories, while the wheelchair winners will receive $4,000. There is special prize money for NYRR members in the male, female and non-binary categories ($1500 for each category winner).

This year's United NYC Half comes three years after the 2020 race was abruptly cancelled at the outset of the pandemic. The 2021 edition of the race was also cancelled, and in 2022 the race was held at nearly full capacity with 22,335 finishers recorded. NYRR's new president and CEO, Rob Simmelkjaer, was clearly excited to oversee his first major event since becoming the organization's head in December, 2022.

"We can't wait to welcome 25,000 runners to the starting line," said Rob Simmelkjaer, who pronounces his last name SIM-el-care. He continued: "People are running more now than ever before."

The 2023 United Airlines NYC Half will be broadcast locally by WABC-TV channel 7 as part of their Sunday morning news broadcast. The pro races, which begin at 7:00 a.m. local time, can be streamed on both the NYRR's Facebook (https://twitter.com/nyrr) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/nyrr) pages, and will also be available via the ESPN app and the WABC website (https://abc7ny.com/)

(03/17/2023) ⚡AMP
by David Monti
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United Airlines NYC Half-Marathon

United Airlines NYC Half-Marathon

The United Airlines NYC Half takes runners from around the city and the globe on a 13.1-mile tour of NYC. Led by a talent-packed roster of American and international elites, runners will stop traffic in the Big Apple this March! Runners will begin their journey on Prospect Park’s Center Drive before taking the race onto Brooklyn’s streets. For the third...

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Ethiopians poised to dominate Rome Marathon

The Acea Run Rome The Marathon has proved a happy hunting ground in recent years for athletes from the east African nation

Winners of the Rome Marathon in the past include Emile Puttemans of Belgium, Bernie Ford from Britain and Stefano Baldini of Italy. But Ethiopia has dominated in recent years and the east African nation will be tough to beat again in the 2023 event on Sunday (March 19).

Six of the last nine men’s winners and seven of the last eight women’s champions in Rome have come from Ethiopia and runners from that country lead the entries this weekend too.

Fikre Bekele will attempt to defend his men’s title whereas fellow Ethiopian Zinash Debebe Getachew leads the women’s line-up.

Bekele ran a course record of 2:06:48 last year in the Italian capital but has since improved his best to 2:06:16 when he won the Linz Marathon in October.

Also expected to be at the front of the 15,000-strong field are Berhanu Heye and Alemu Gemechu of Ethiopia along with Nicodemus Kimutai of Kenya. Look out too for reigning Dublin Marathon champion Taoufik Allam of Morocco.

Women’s favorite Getachew has a best of 2:27:15 but will be challenged by Brenda Kiprono of Kenya, plus Mulugojam Ambi and Amid Fozya Jemal of Ethiopia.

The women’s course record is held by Alemu Megertu with 2:22:52.

Italian interest, meanwhile, includes Nekagenet Crippa (the older brother of European 10,000m champion Yeman), Stefano La Rosa and Giorgio Calcaterra. The latter, who is now aged 51, is known as the ‘king of Rome’ as he first ran the Rome Marathon 20 years ago and has completed 330 marathons during his life, won the world 100km title three times and has notched up 12 consecutive victories in the famous 100km del Passatore ultra-marathon.

A little further down the field, all eyes will be on Ermias Ayele, a former race director of the Great Ethiopian Run who is aiming to complete the 26.2 miles barefoot in memory of the great Abebe Bikila, who stormed to Olympic glory on the streets of Rome in 1960.

“Abebe Bikila laid the foundation for the success of not only Ethiopian athletes, but Africans in general as he was the first black to win a gold medal in the Olympic Games,” he says. “However, I have always felt that he did not get the recognition he deserved. Moreover, his story always inspired me and that’s why I am planning to emulate him in the same place and the same way, where he made history and pay tribute to all he’s done for athletics and Ethiopia.”

(03/17/2023) ⚡AMP
by Jason Henderson
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Run Rome The Marathon

Run Rome The Marathon

When you run our race you will have the feeling of going back to the past for two thousand years. Back in the history of Rome Caput Mundi, its empire and greatness. Run Rome The Marathon is a journey in the eternal city that will make you fall in love with running and the marathon, forever. The rhythm of your...

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