Running News Daily

Shelter Island 10K is celebrating it's 40th year this weekend honoring some of the country's Best Runners

Over the course of 40 years, the Shelter Island 10K has stood out from the ever increasing number of summertime charity road races on the East End, and this year, as it marks a milestone, it will be even more special. Some of the biggest names in long-distance racing will be on hand, along with recreational runners of all ages and abilities, to commemorate the 40th year of the race, which raises money for several local charities.

The 10K and 5K run/walk are set for this Saturday, June 15, at 5:30 p.m. It promises to be as popular as ever, with 1,000 runners signed up to participate. The Shelter Island 10K is an event that has always paid homage to the history of road running and will certainly have the star power to prove it this weekend. The race always attracts top talent, with some of the best young Kenyan and Ethiopian runners making the trek to participate, but race organizers also made a special effort this year to honor older runners, many of whom were in the prime of their careers during the race’s inaugural season 39 years ago.

Some of them have become Shelter Island 10K regulars over the years, including former Olympian Bill Rodgers, a four-time winner of both the New York City and Boston marathons, and Joan Benoit Samuelson, an Olympic gold medalist and first-ever women’s Olympic marathon champion.

Veteran marathon runner George A. Hirsch, who is the chairman of the board of the New York Road Runners and previous publisher of Runner’s World, will also be on hand, along with Amby Burfoot, an author, motivational speaker and winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon.

Jon Sinclair and his wife, Kim Jones, are scheduled to attend, along with Keith Brantley. Sinclair is one of the winningest long-distance runners in the country’s history, and Jones is a former elite marathon runner.

New to the race this year will be Benji Durden and Kyle Heffner, and their presence is a nice homage to what was going on in the running world at the time the Shelter Island race was created. Heffner and Durden both qualified for the U.S. Olympic team in 1980 but were unable to compete at that year’s games in Moscow because of the U.S. boycott.

Race director Mary Ellen Adipietro said the tradition of honoring world-class runners has been part of the Shelter Island race since it was founded by Cliff Clark, John Strode and Jack Faith, who were all collegiate runners. Adipietro and her husband, Frank, continued and built on that tradition when she became the race director in 2000, taking over for longtime director Jimmy Richardson.

In keeping with the theme of honoring older runners, this year’s race will include a Masters category, with prize money for men and women in the 40-and-over age group. Anyone who finished the race in less than 40 minutes will receive a complimentary “I broke 40 at the 40th” T-shirt sponsored by Harry Hackett, of Merrill Lynch.

Local runners won the Seattle’s Rock N Roll Marathon

Local runners won both the men’s and women’s marathons on Sunday at the St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon through the streets of Seattle.

Shaun Frandsen of Kirkland took the men’s marathon title clocking 2:36:14.  Christine Babcock, a former University of Washington runner, won the women’s marathon in 2:59.16.

Last year at the Boston Marathon, Shaun finished 49th overall and second in the masters division.

Christine Babcock, a former University of Washington runner competed in the middle distances for the Huskies and ran cross-country from 2008 to 2013 and was named the 2011 Pac-12 Scholar Athlete of the year for cross-country.

Kenneth Kosgei, originally from Kenya and now living in Salem, Ore., won the half-marathon in 1:06.56. This victory came less than two months after winning the Corvallis Half-Marathon in which he broke the meet record by nearly a minute.

Danna Herrick from Boone, Iowa, won the women’s half-marathon in 1:19:45.

Vivian Cheruiyot and Mary Moraa took part in the “IAAF Run 24:1” race at the Nairobi National Park on Sunday

Vivian Cheruiyot and Mary Moraa as well as Athletics Kenya president Jackson Tuwei and Kenya Wildlife Service director general John Waweru took part in the race that started and ended at the famous elephant ivory burning site.

The race initiated by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to popularise the sport was held concurrently in 24 major cities in six continents covering One Mile hence the Run24:1 race.

“It’s a great feeling to be part of this race that is being held for the first time in Kenya and at an iconic place. I have really enjoyed and interacted with both the old and the young,” said the 35-year-old Cheruiyot, who started representing the country at the age of 15. “I want to encourage everyone to start running.”

Cheruiyot said that she resumed training one week ago since finishing second at London Marathon on April 28, this year.

“I will in a week’s time unveil my next race,” said Cheruiyot, who hinted of taking a stab at the Berlin Marathon for the first time or making a second return at New York City Marathon where she finished second last year.

This year’s Berlin Marathon is due September 29 while the New York City Marathon is planned for November 3 this year.

Cheruiyot said she might have opted out of the World Championships planned from September 28 to October 6 this year in Doha, but her dream for the second Olympic victory is on.

“I want to work hard and make the 2020 Tokyo Olympics marathon team,” said Cheruiyot.

Moraa, whose focus is now on qualifying for the World Championships, said: “It should happen every year because it’s a wonderful event and we need it every year here in Kenya.”

The IAAF Run24:1 race was also held in three other African cities, namely Gaborone (Botswana), Yaoundé (Cameroon) and Rabat (Morocco).

Kenyan Kipkering makes up for his 2018 Sundown Marathon DNF by winning the title this year

A year ago, Kenyan Hillary Kipkering had high hopes of capturing his first Osim Sundown Marathon in Singapore, but a thigh injury forced him to drop out at the 27km mark.

On Saturday (June 1), he returned and delivered, claiming the top spot on the podium with his time of 2hr 49min 33sec.

He was followed by Lee Wai Kin, who came in at 3:03:55 and Qu Jinchao (3:04:45).

Said Kipkering, 45: “Last year, I had come from another marathon in Indonesia and I injured my thigh muscle there so I stopped at the 27km (mark). It’s very nice that I managed to finish first today, I was confident.

“The race was very good. It was humid, but the course was very nice. The only issue was that there was congestion near the end but, besides that, everything else was very good.”

In the women’s category, Singapore’s Sharon Tan finished first in 3:23:16. She was followed by Jade Chow (3:29:01) and Naum Jepkosgei (3:29:01).

The top four women were inside the course record at the Lanzhou Marathon Sunday

Ethiopia’s Worknesh Edesa beat the hot weather and a loaded field to break the women’s course record at the Bank of Lanzhou Cup Lanzhou International Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label road race, on Sunday June 2. 

The top four finishers in the women’s race all finished inside the previous course record of 2:31:22 set by Kenya’s Nguriatukei Rael Kiyara in 2015. The 26-year-old Edesa, whose 2:21:05 PB from Dubai earlier this year made her the fastest entrant for Lanzhou, lived up to expectations as she broke the tape in style in 2:30:22.

The race started under cloudy weather conditions but the sun came out about an hour after the gun and the temperature rose rapidly. A group of eight runners led the race to 15km in 53:31, 25km in 1:29:08 and 30km in 1:47:29.

After 35km, the pack was soon whittled down to just four runners: Edesa, Gutemi Shone, Sifan Melaku and Fantu Jimma. Edesa waited for another four kilometres before launching her powerful surge to pull away from the others.

Although the temperature reached as high as 26C, the in-form Ethiopian kept widening the gap and went on to win in 2:30:22. It was Edesa’s first marathon victory since winning the 2016 Xiamen Marathon in 2:24:04.

Edesa’s compatriot Shone, winner of this year’s Seville Marathon with a PB of 2:23:32, finished second in 2:30:40, while the 31-year-old Jimma, winner of this year’s Wuhan Marathon, lagged nine seconds further behind to complete the Ethiopian podium sweep.

Kenya’s Justus Kimutai upset a strong Ethiopian contingent to win the men’s race in 2:11:47.

Ethiopian runners filled the next six positions with Gizachew Hailu finishing second in 2:12:05 and Afewerk Mesfin third in 2:14:10.

The race saw a crowded leading group in the opening five kilometres and before they went through the 10km water station China’s Guan Yousheng was the first to drop back.

Ethiopia’s Bira Seboka, a 24-year-old with a PB of 2:08:51, made his bold early charge after reaching 20km in 1:03:01. Seboka built an advantage of some 15 seconds at 25km but was later swallowed by the chasers near 28km.

A new leading pack of seven runners paced the race for another five kilometres before the 26-year-old Kimutai, who was running for the first time on the Chinese soil, started his charge.

This time only Hailu and Mesfin managed to keep up with Kimutai’s pace. But the 26-year-old Mesfin, who set a course record of 2:09:49 in Chongqing in 2017 and improved his career best to 2:09:08 in Xiamen five months ago, had to drop behind near the 35km tables.

Kimutai then kept pressing ahead and finally notched the sole lead after 38km. When he reached 40km in 2:05:17, the Kenyan was 11 seconds ahead of the 21-year-old Hailu.

Kimutai’s winning time of 2:11:47 was more than one-and-a-half minutes shy of the 2:10:10 course record set by Ethiopian Abayneh Ayele in 2015.

A new record was set when Nigussie Sahlesilassie won the 2019 Stockholm Marathon this saturday clocking 2:10:10

The Ethiopian beat the track record by a full 48 seconds when he won the race in two hours, 10 minutes and 10 seconds.

He was followed by fellow Ethiopian Tafese Delegen in the second place while Kenyan runner Gilbert Kollum Yegon placed third.

It was cool and cloudy in the Swedish capital, with competitors and spectators experiencing some light rain. Nevertheless, 12,845 runners competed in the 41st annual marathon.

The Stockholm Marathon is one of the biggest in Europe and widely considered to amongst the most beautiful in the world.

Runners past some of the city's most famous landmarks and historical buildings.

Stockholm is built on a series of islands, large parts of the course run along the waterfront.

Despite the sometimes breezy winds, several people performed fine times on it, last year, the new track stretch.

Best Swedish was Eskilstuna FI's Adhanom Abraha who in time 2:16:48 ran the fastest time of a Swedish in ASICS Stockholm Marathon, in twenty years.

Ethiopian Worknesh Edesa will headline the women field at Lanzhou

The women’s course record of 2:31:22 set by Kenya’s Nguriatukei Rael Kiyara four years ago will  face serious threat.

Worknesh Edesa of Ethiopia improved her PB by nearly three minutes to 2:21:05 in Dubai this January to make her the fastest woman on paper. Since her marathon debut in 2015, the 26-year-old Edesa has never finished outside of the top three in each marathon she’s contested. Even her slowest clocking of 2:31:06 set in 2015 is better than Kiyara’s Lanzhou record.

Edesa’s compatriot Gutemi Shone, 27, is another title contender. The former Ottawa and Seoul marathon winner recorded her career best of 2:23:32 in Houston four years ago and scored a 2:24:28 victory in Sevilla in February.

Fatuma Sado, also from Ethiopia, is the only woman in the field that has competed in Lanzhou before, clocking 2:38:39 to finish fifth in her previous outing in the western Chinese city. The 27-year-old has titles from Hamburg, Los Angeles, Xiamen, Beijing, Warsaw and Osaka on her CV and registered her PB of 2:24:16 from her third place finish in Toronto in 2015.

The 35-year-old veteran Aberu Mekuria is also known for her consistency with victories in Koln, Hengshui, Ottawa and Valencia to her name. Two month ago she added the Chongqing Marathon title to her title collection with a PB of 2:24:30.

Fantu Jimma, 31, will also arrive in Lanzhou with high spirits after taking the victory at the Wuhan Marathon in April. Her winning mark of 2:28:25 is some two minutes shy of her PB of 2:26:14 set in Dubai four years ago.

The field also includes Ethiopian duo Hiwot Gebrekidan, a 2:25:45 performer, and Sifan Melaku, who just improved her PB to 2:26:46 in Sevilla in February, as the women’s race is very likely to see a sweep of podium by Ethiopian runners.

A deep field is targeting the men’s course record at the Lanzhou International Marathon this weekend

Eight runners toeing the line have career bests faster than the 2:10:10 course record set by Abayneh Ayele of Ethiopia in 2015, with Ethiopia’s Limenih Getachew the fastest thanks to his personal best of 2:06:49 set at the 2014 Paris Marathon.

The 29-year-old came close to that mark last October when he registered a winning mark of 2:07:34 to break the Portuguese all-comers’ record at the Lisbon Marathon. He achieved his second career best time of 2:07:30 in March with a fifth finish in Barcelona.

It will be Getachew’s second race in China following his fourth place finish at the Hengshui Lake Marathon in 2016.

Bahrain’s Benson Seurei is another man to watch. The 35-year-old, who used to compete mainly in middle distance events and grabbed a 1500m silver medal at the Asian Indoor Championships in 2016, only debuted over the classic distance in 2017 but progressed rapidly with his PB of 2:07:37 set last December in Valencia.

Seurei clocked 2:08:08 to finish fourth at the Lake Biwa Marathon in March and is yet to gain his first title after five marathon races.

Shumet Akalnew of Ethiopia is also chasing his first marathon title in Lanzhou. The 31-year-old clocked a life-time best of 2:08:50 to finish third in Kosice last year and achieved another third place finish in Mumbai four months ago with a 2:10:24 clocking.

The Ethiopian contingent also include Bira Seboka, a 2:08:51 performer, and Afewerk Mesfin, who improved his PB to 2:09:28 in Xiamen this year. The other sub-2:10 runners in the field are Bahraini Zelalem Bacha with a PB of 2:09:16, Kenya’s Mike Kiprotich Mutai, whose PB of 2:09:18 dates back to 2012, and Motlokoa Nkhabutlane of Lesotho.

Kenyan athletes have never been big on tackling the 90km race between Pietermaritzburg and Durban South Africa

The Comrades Marathon hasn't been a hit with Kenyan long distance athletes‚ but the entries of Justin Chesire Kemboi and Melly Kennedy will lend the long needed East African flavour the race has needed.

Kenyan athletes have long been considered as the toast of African distance running with their Ethiopian competitors close behind them.

However‚ they've never been big on tackling the 90km race between Pietermaritzburg and Durban.

In the race's roll of honour‚ that's showed but they've made an impression on the shorter and less taxing Two Oceans Marathon (56km).

Cheshire and Kennedy will be running for the Nedbank Running Club with the former having won the Two Oceans Marathon last year in a time of 3.09.21.

Kennedy came fourth in the same race. This year‚ Kemboi was third behind Bong'musa Mthembu and David Gatebe.

Nick Bester‚ a former Comrades Marathon winner and team manager of the Nedbank Running Club‚ said there's enough financial incentive in the world's oldest and largest ultra-marathon for them to take it serious.

Elite Kenyan marathon runners are often seen dominating blue chip races like the New York‚ London and Boston Marathons.

The winner of the respective Comrades races will win R500,000 ($34,000US) each with the runner's up winning R250,000 ($17,000US).

“Which professional athlete will run a long distance for free? It makes no sense.

"Why would you waste your legs and body on a long distance and not get paid for it. It's a professional thing and guys have to be paid for their efforts‚” Bester said.

“Their mindset isn't shaped by ultra-marathons as they are pretty fast.

"They grow up in environments where track and shorter marathons dominated their thinking. The Comrades has always been a great race but it's become very popular now with international athletes.

"One must remember that Comrades isn't about pace or speed. It's a lot about the mental battle.”

It will be interesting to see how these Kenyans will do in this year's Comrades Marathon.

New Zealand-born Zane Robertson eagerly awaiting marathon debut at Gold Coast

When you want to be the best at something, you surround yourself with the best. That was New Zealand-born Zane Robertson’s thinking when he and twin brother Jake Robertson shunned US athletics scholarships and moved to Kenya at age 17 to immerse themselves in one of the culture that produces the world’s best runners.

Dubbed ‘Elvis’ by the Kenyans for once dying his hair black, the 29-year-old New Zealand 10,000m national record holder and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games 5,000m bronze medallist has chosen to make his marathon debut at the Gold Coast Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label road race, on 7 July.

After a groin injury ruled him out of his first marathon at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, Robertson is hungry to make amends on the same flat and fast course.

“Missing out last year when I was in crazy shape was devastating. I watched the race from Kenya and couldn’t stop thinking about how I could have won,” Robertson said.

“By coming to the Gold Coast Marathon, I feel I can replace that loss of mine.”

Robertson, who has a half marathon PB of 59:47, is not letting last year’s disappointment faze him in the lead up to his first attempt at 42.195km.

“The mind is such a powerful thing in sport, especially in long distance races,” he said.

“If you don't believe in yourself, you've already lost. I always feel confident; if I don't, I won't race.”

Robertson is upbeat about his potential in this year’s event, despite toeing the line alongside a stellar line up in the men’s marathon including 2013 champion and 2018 Boston Marathon winner Yuki Kawauchi of Japan and three-time Gold Coast Marathon champion and race record holder Kenneth Mungara of Kenya.

“First and foremost, I always target the win. I want to run as fast as the pacemakers allow and once they step off the road anything can be possible. Perhaps a new Oceania record?” Robertson said. 

Robertson and his brother have now spent over a decade in Kenya and Ethiopia learning what makes the best runners tick and while the jury is out on whether it is nature or nurture, he’s confident the lessons learnt both on and off the track will stand him in good stead for a fast marathon time.

“I’ve learnt to live a runner’s life - which means to have discipline when you’re training, and to relax and recover when you’re not,” he said.

Twin brother Jake placed third on debut at last year’s Lake Biwa Marathon in Japan in an impressive 2:08:26, a time 16 seconds faster than Mungara’s Gold Coast Marathon race record of 2:08:42 set in 2015.

But despite his brother seemingly throwing down the gauntlet, Zane remains assured the pair have moved past sibling rivalry.

“We realised that this world is so much bigger than that and the challenge is not with each other but against ourselves to be better than we were yesterday,” he said.

Kenya’s Benard Ngeno dominated Bolder Boulder race on Monday

Hopefully Americans Reid Buchanan and Jared Ward got a good look at one of the favorites at the 41s annual Bolder Boulder in the men’s professional race, Benard Ngeno, before the starting gun sounded.

Once the runners set out, Ngeno blazed a speedy trail impossible to match and never looked back.

Ngeno, from Kenya, sprinted out of the gate and never really let his pace dip throughout the 10-kilometer race, winning the Bolder Boulder men’s pro race in 28 minutes, 29 seconds. Buchanan was the top American finisher in eighth-place (29:46) followed by ninth-place Jared Ward (29:53).

Ngeno clocked his first mile at 4 minutes, 20 seconds and soon put the rest of the field deep into the background. His winning time of 28:29 was the eighth-fastest mark in the history of the Bolder Boulder men’s professional race.

“When they go out in 4:20, I don’t know what to do,” Buchanan said. “I started to race by myself but they never came back to me. That’s pretty unbelievable to me, I’ll just leave it at that. You just have to race your own race.

I ran the majority of that myself and keep saying to myself keep pressing, keep pressing. I really didn’t do anything, I guess. I just stayed in the same spot.”

Still, for Buchanan and Ward both believed they hit their personal goals in Monday’s meet. Buchanan is a seasoned 10K runner but was running the Bolder Boulder for the first time. Ward is a marathoner by trade who finished sixth in the marathon at the 2016 Olympics.

“I quickly was reminded I’m a marathon runner,” said Ward, who also finished eighth at the 2015 Bolder Boulder. “I knew they’d go out fast because it’s kind of a downhill start, and these are 10K guys.

So for me, it was just trying to stay in control enough the first couple of miles that I could keep a rhythm across the rest of the race. Kind of run it marathon-style.

“I looked at this race and said for me, 30 minutes is good. Being a little bit under 30, I’m happy with it.”

Ngeno won $6,500 of prize money for his performance. He was followed by Ethiopia’s Terefa Delesa (28:58) and Joseph Panga of Tanzania (29:03).

Ethiopia´s Hiwot Yemer won Bolder Boulder women´s race

Aliphine Tuliamuk was an All-American long before she became an American citizen in 2016, and the Kenyan-born runner gets into the patriotic spirit just like most people do at the Bolder Boulder.

The annual Memorial Day celebration and 10K road race is also one that brings the best out of Tuliamuk, as it should considering the high-level international talent the race draws. As the reigning runner-up, Tuliamuk entered this 41st Bolder Boulder among the favorites to win the professional race and headlining a U.S. women’s team that had an excellent shot at a team title.

Despite her best efforts while in the early stages of altering her marathon-centric training regimen to build speed, Tuliamuk settled for third. That combined with the emotional Memorial Day atmosphere left Tuliamuk with plenty to think about.

“For me being a new American, especially by choice, is that we’re here celebrating a day for so many people who gave up their lives for the freedom of this country,” Tuliamuk said. “I’m not in the military, obviously, so I feel like my only way to give back to this country is running this Memorial Day weekend and commemorating with everyone else.”

Tuliamuk, whose time of 33 minutes was the third-fastest time by a USA runner at the Bolder Boulder, took the lead around the midpoint of Monday’s race and held it until the final kilometer of the race. She finished third behind Ethiopian runner Hiwot Yemer (32.49) and Yemer’s teammate Meseret Tola (32:55), who had the lead entering the stadium but lost it when she mistakenly turned off course into a staging area where media members and photographers were being directed so that they could get across Folsom Field to the finish line.

Though she did lead and looked to be in control for a time, Tuliamuk just couldn’t hold off the long-striding Yemer and a massive uphill kick from Tola down the final stretch heading into the stadium.

“I was looking back so many times because I was thinking that I’m working really, really hard,” Tuliamuk said. “I was in so much pain at that point and I thought maybe they’re also feeling the pain … Right before the hill at the finish, I realized that I was just running out of energy. Before I knew it, the girl who ended up getting second went by me and I’m like, ‘You go, girlfriend. I’ve got nothing left in me right now.’”

Tuliamuk’s U.S.A. Red finished second in the team scoring and 16 points behind Ethiopia, which claimed first, second and fifth place.

Also for U.S.A Red, Kaitlin Goodman (34:21) and Shalaya Kipp (34:32) placed 10th and 11th, respectively.

Records were broken at the 40th Annual Cotton Row Run

The winner of the women's open 10k race broke the record held since 2007 by 28 seconds.

Thousands took to Big Spring Park this morning for a 10k, 5k and a one mile "Fun run" for kids. The winner of the women's open 10k race broke the record held since 2007 by 28 seconds. She's from Kenya, and her coach told us this was her first road race. He told us he is proud of the outcome.

“You know the course is tough. The first 5k are very hilly. We have a very muggy morning. It's warm. It's humid. But nothing bothers Catherine. She's so tough," said Coach Owen Anderson.

Anderson and Catherine Mwanzau traveled to Huntsville for the race from Michigan. She told us she enjoyed the experience.

"I'm very happy. I did enjoy it. It was a very nice race," said Catherine Mwanzau 10k winner.

Anderson also coached last year's male winner who set the new race record. The race takes place every Memorial Day to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Bahrain’s Dawit Fikadu and Kenya’s Sheila Chelangat emerged victorious at the Okpekpe Road Race

Fikadu and chelangat win Opkepke, both races boasted stellar line-ups with many of the athletes boasting PBs significantly quicker than the course records of 28:35 and 32:41, but in humid conditions and on a hilly route not conducive to fast times, those mark remained intact for another year.

Fikadu, who won the Asian 10,000m title last month, was part of a large lead pack in the earlier stages alongside 2016 winner Alex Korio Oloitiptip and 2015 champion Simon Cheprot, both aiming to become the first two-time winners in Okpekpe.

The lead group passed through the half-way point in 14:13 and largely remained together for another few kilometres, but the pack started to break up as they began to ascend the uphill section for the final kilometer.

As the group splintered, Fikadu, Korio, Ethiopia’s Berehanu Tsegu and Kenya’s John Kipsang Lotiang emerged as the lead quartet. But Korio soon dropped behind and was followed by Kipsang moments later, leaving Tsegu and Fikdau out in front.

With 27:30 on the clock, Tsegu tried to forge ahead but Fikadu stayed within striking distance and timed his final effort to perfection, kicking ahead to win by one second in 29:03. Kipsang held on for third place in 29:17 with Korio following one second later in fourth.

In the women’s race, Kenyan duo Sheila Chelangat and Dorcas Jepchirchir Tuitoek broke away from the rest of the field in the opening kilometres, reaching half way in 15:49.

They continued running side by side until the closing stages before Chelangat edged ahead on the final straight, crossing the line in 33:14. As a measure of how tough the Okpekpe course is, the 21-year-old was more than two minutes shy of the 31:01 PB she had set just eight weeks ago.

Tuitoek finished four seconds behind her compatriot in 33:18 and was followed by Ethiopia’s Asifa Kasegn, who finished fourth in 33:31.

Albert Korir was the surprise winner of the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon on Sunday

Korir and Ethiopia’s Aberu Kuma, who has a personal best of 2:05:50, were running side by side after dropping Ethiopia’s Tsedet Ayana, Kenya’s Martin Kosgey and Ethiopia’s Adugna Takele when Kuma came to a complete stop at the water station. Seizing the opportunity, the tall Kenyan took off and quickly opened up an insurmountable gap.

Kuma eventually finished second in 2:08:14 with Ayana completing the podium with 2:08:53.

“This is a great achievement. It is a dream,” said the winner. “Kuma is a strong guy, I didn’t know I would beat him. But at 40km I saw he somehow stopped so I made a move to go.

“It’s a dream. I was hoping to improve my personal best; I didn’t know that I could improve. The weather was good and the course is flat, good. The first half was hard (1:03:35) but when the pacemakers went out, the pace went down.”

This was the second victory this year for Korir. He was the Houston winner in January and now, understandably, he has huge ambitions.

“I have to improve my athletics career,” he offered, “at least win a World Major and have a better time, 2:04 or 2:03.”

If Kuma was disappointed, he masked it well. With a stellar career to date, he had been the favourite to win the race.

“At 35km I didn’t take any water and so I knew I must drink water at 40km,” he explained in English. “I take water – the guy’s gone. That’s my problem. “The weather really affected my running.”

The women’s race resulted in another Ethiopian victory – the 10th consecutive time – with the ever improving Tigist Girma dropping her compatriots Bethelhem Moges and Etaferahu Temesgen at 28km. She and one of the elite women’s pacemakers opened up a gap and many observers wondered if she had moved too early.

Girma was full of confidence and ran across the line in a personal best of 2:26:34, throwing her arms up in the air in joyful celebration. She earned herself CDN$30,000.

“I was extremely ready for this race,” Girma declared. “I tried my best. Because I was all alone, I couldn’t push because the weather was not good so that’s why the time is slow. I really had good preparation.

Kenyan Dorcas Kimeli finished first at the Ottawa 10k with heavy rainfall

The Kenyan was at the front for most of the race, sharing the early spadework with her compatriots Valary Jemeli and Paskalia Kipkoech. After the first 5km was passed in a sedentary 15:57, one by one the pack was whittled down as Kimeli went to work.

Turning on to the final straight, only Jemeli was close and the gap between the two widened to the finish. Jemeli finished second in 31:12 which was also a personal best. Kipkoech came next in 31:30. The winner collected CDN$5000.

“This is my first time in Canada,” Kimeli acknowledged. “I was confident because of my training. I believed in myself and I won. I was thinking around 7km we would push and then go on to a good time. It was my plan.

“At first I was worried (about the competition) but when the race started I was confident and I dropped them one by one. I was thinking to win the race.”

Jemeli was gracious in second place and was clearly pleased with her effort which comes only 11 weeks after her third-place finish at the Nagoya Women’s Marathon.

“The pace was good because I have not done any 10k in Canada or anywhere,” Jemeli said. “I was thinking I might win the race but in the last stretch my leg was in pain and she passed me. But I am very happy; it’s my personal best.”

Equally important to the Ottawa victory was the ‘gender gap’ contest which saw the elite women set out 3:40 ahead of the elite men. Spectators could follow the race on a split screen television as the men chased the women.

The men’s pack quickly evolved into five runners at the front with three Moroccans – Mohammed Ziani, Mohamed Reda El Aaraby and Abderrahmane Kachir – running alongside Kenya’s Moses Kibet and Wilfrid Kimetei. Kibet did a lot of the early work, taking the pack through 5km in 14:19. Then Ziani went to the front a couple of times surging.

With two kilometres remaining it was the three Moroccans who appeared likely to fill the podium as Kibet and Kimetei went to the back. Kibet dropped well off the pace and out of contention but Kimetei had other ideas.

Ziani came around the final bend in front and sprinted away to a 28:12 victory. Kimitei finished four seconds behind with El Aaraby third in 28:22 and Kachir, racing for the first time outside Morocco, fourth in 28:33.

This was the second time Ziani has won the Ottawa 10km and he was pleased with his race today. However it was the second occasion where he has been unable to close the gap on the leading women. In 2016 it was Peres Jepchirchir who won the gender gap. Today Kimeli took the CDN$2000 gender gap bonus.

“First of all I am happy with my second victory here in Ottawa,” said Ziani, who has been fasting for Ramadan. “The rain was not a big problem. I had some good training so it’s not about the weather.

“At 9km I had the confidence that I would win and I increased my pace. I wasn’t worried. There were some very strong athletes though.”

“My body was not responding well so I was like jogging back so I could run at my own pace,” said Kimitei. “When they (the Moroccans) dropped their pace, that was the time I got those two guys.”

The Ottawa 10k once again served as the official Canadian championships. Natasha Wodak of Vancouver, a 2016 Olympian at 10,000m, was the first Canadian finishing seventh overall in 32:31. The men’s Canadian champion was Dylan Wykes, a 2012 Olympic marathon runner who was sixth overall in 29:56. The Canadian champions each earned CDN$3000.

Kenyans dominated the 22nd edition of the Mont-Saint-Michel marathon

This is the queen race and Kenyans are the kings. They were nearly 5000 runners this Sunday morning to start at Cancale, the Mont-Saint-Michel marathon, culmination of Run In Mont-Saint-Michel 2019.

A trio was quick to detach and race in the lead, a trio 100% Kenyan. At the end of the marathon course, it was Moses M'Warur, winner of the Antwerp Marathon on May 9, who crossed the finish line first clocking 2:17:17.  Stephen Kiplimo and Isaac N'Geno climbed up the steps of the podium respectively for second and third clocking 2:17:31 and 2:19:40. 

On the women's side, Kenya's Fatih Kipsum was first in 2:42:31, ahead of Ethiopia's Ge'damnesh Mekuanent.

Rachel Hannah and Reid Coolsaet are Canadian headliners for Ottawa Marathon this weekend

Last year’s Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon saw a new female Canadian All-Comers record set at 2:22:17 and the field for the 2019 event could rival that of 2018.

Shuko Gemeno, Abeba-Tekula Gebremeskel and Tigist Girma all have personal bests under 2:27:00 and all have recent wins under their belts. The three Ethiopian women could work together to being each other to new personal bests and challenge the Canadian All-Comers and course record.

The Canadian women’s contingent includes 2:32 marathoner Rachel Hannah, Dayna Pidhoresky and Anne-Marie Comeau. Hannah and Pidhoresky are no strangers to the distance, but Sunday will be Comeau’s debut. The 22-year-old winter Olympian has been dominant on the roads for several years and we’re excited to see what she can do over 42.2K.

In the men’s field, Abera Kuma of Ethiopia has run under 2:06 twice, most recently 2:05:50 at the 2018 Rotterdam Marathon. Joining Kuma is Adugna Takele who was third in Ottawa a year ago, and ran a huge personal best in February at 2:06:32. The fastest man in the field is Getu Feleke at 2:04:50. Kenyan Martin Kosgey is also racing with an incoming time of 2:06:41.

The dark horse in the field is 23-year-old Ayana Tsede who comes in with a recent win at the 2019 Seville Marathon and a new personal best of 2:06:36.

Reid Coolsaet leads the Canadian men on his 10 year anniversary since his debut marathon. “I’m going to try to run as fast as I can on the Ottawa course, which will hopefully give me a solid placing and some points to help with my world ranking.

I’m realistically aiming for a 2:13 on the weekend.” The world championships in Doha this fall are also on Coolsaet’s radar. “Worlds would actually be a great setup for the Olympics. If you finish well at worlds the points could qualify you for Tokyo. It will be very hot in Doha, which will be good training for Tokyo as well.”

Coolsaet is coming off his longest altitude stint yet. “Boulder was really great. I got good training in and I had great people to train with. My son liked it too–any time we did some technical mountain climbing he got really into it.”

Peres Jepchirchir and Mohammed Ziani, the winners in 2016, headline the fields for Saturday night’s Ottawa 10km

The elite women are given 3:40 head start over the elite men and the first across the line earns an extra CDN$2,000 in addition to the CDN$5,000 winner’s purse. It was Jepchirchir who held off Ziani in 2016.

Jepchirchir, who held off Ziani in 2016, is making her comeback since giving birth to a baby boy at the tail end of 2017. Whether she can find the form that carried her to a PB of 30:55 for the distance in 2015 as well as capture the 2016 world half marathon title is intriguing, but she started 2019 strongly with a 1:07:36 clocking at the Ras Al-Khaimah Half Marathon.

The expected competition will likely come from her compatriot Paskalia Kipkoech, the 2012 world half marathon bronze medallist who has a 10km PB of 30:57, and 20-year-old Ethiopian Gete Alemayehu, who ran 31:12 to win the Corrida Pédestre Internationale de Houilles in France last December.

The heat and humidity at the 2016 Ottawa 10k left Jepchirchir shattered at the finish and requiring brief medical attention. But the forecast calls for rain this year, possibly even a thunderstorm.

Ziani, who finished fourth last year, will be joined by compatriot Mohamed El Aaraby who ran 27:58 at the Valencia 10k earlier this year.

Kenya’s Moses Kibet, a former steeplechaser, will challenge the two Moroccans no doubt. Last June he won the La Corrida de Langueux in a personal best of 28:26, while more recently he finished second at the Jianzhen International Half Marathon in China in a PB of 59:58.

Major flooding in recent weeks along the Ottawa River has meant that the Ottawa Marathon course has undergone substantial changes. Still, the incoming international athletes are aware that the women’s (Gelete Burka 2:22:13 2018) and men’s race records (Yemane Tsegay 2:06:54 2014) are going to be tough to beat.

Pre-race favorite Tirfi Tsegaye was forced to withdraw earlier this week after picking up a hamstring injury, but her absence leaves an evenly matched group tasked with extending Ethiopia’s winning streak to 10 women’s marathon titles in Ottawa.

Shuko Gemeno, Abeba Gebremeskel, Bethelhem Moges and Tigist Girma are all capable of victory. The latter keeps improving in leaps and bounds though her personal best is still ‘just’ 2:26:44. The winner will earn CDN$30,000.

Twenty elite runners are confirmed for Saturday’s 7th Okpekpe International 10km Road Race in Okpekpe

Leading the cast of gold level running athletes are former Okpekpe race winners, Alex Korio and Simon Cheprot of Kenya. Korio won in 2015 edition (29.20) while Cheprot outran all his rivals the following year (29:47). Both are 27 minutes runners as they hold 27:48 (2017) and 27:41 (2014) respectively.

“Just last June, Cheprot ran 27.44 at Oelde in Germany and looks like he will be aiming to become the first man to win two Okpekpe titles,” said Mercy Etukudo, head of secretariat for the first IAAF road running event in West Africa to be granted an IAAF label status.

“We also have Taye Grima, one of the Ethiopians on board the Okpekpe train that will challenge the Kenyans for the title. He has done 28:33 this year (January) and looks to be among the on-form athletes who will be coming to rewrite the course record on Saturday,” Etukudo added.

For the women, another former winner, Polline Wanjiku will be leading the charge for the title and possibly set a new course record.

“Wanjiku was the winner in 2016 and ran 33 minutes, 28 seconds to win. She is one of the gold level running athletes that we hope will crack the course record on Saturday.”

Etukudo is confident this year’s race will be very explosive going by the quality of athletes confirmed and reveals why organisers of the event have gone to invite as many as 20 gold level running athletes, surpassing the 12 stipulated by the IAAF.

“You know we always go for the best when it comes to the organisation of the race. What we have done is unprecedented in the history of road running in Nigeria. To have as many as 20 gold level-running athletes in a road race in Nigeria is a record and at Okpekpe we always set new records.

“Remember we are the first to have its course measured by an IAAF/AIMS accredited measurer. We are also the first to be granted a label status, a bronze in 2015.

“We graduated to silver last year which is another first in Nigeria and the West Africa sub-region.

”We have confirmed 10 male athletes and 10 female gold level running athletes, five silver level and two bronze level running athletes for Saturday’s race. We have 13 with no status as well as the Nigerian elite athletes who also come under no status. We now have the perfect stage to set new marks on Saturday.

“The last time we had athletes who ran under 29 minutes for men and 33 minutes for women was five years ago, precisely 2014 when the Ethiopian duo of Teshome Mekonnen and Wude Ayalew ran 28:35 and 32:41 respectively to set the current course records for men and women,” added Etukudo.

Impressive International field will be racing at the Prefontaine Classic at Stanford

World 5000m and cross-country champion Hellen Obiri will be making her sixth appearance at the Prefontaine Classic. She set meeting records at 1500m in 2013 and 2014, then won the 5000m in 2016.

The Kenyan, who won the 5000m IAAF Diamond League title in 2018, is undefeated this year and won the 3000m at the opening leg of the IAAF Diamond League in Doha earlier this month in a world-leading 8:25.60.

Multiple world record-holder and five-time world indoor champion Genzebe Dibaba has won all three of her past Pre Classic appearances and her 14:19.76 victory in 2015 is the fastest 5000m ever run in the US.

Sifan Hassan won the 1500m Diamond League trophy in 2015 and followed it with world indoor gold over the same distance in 2016. The Dutch athlete is one of the most versatile runners in history, boasting an 800m PB of 1:56.81 and a half marathon PB of 1:05:15. She also holds the European 5000m record and the world 5km record.

Olympic 10,000m champion and world record-holder Almaz Ayana will be competing in the US for the first time. The Ethiopian won the 2015 world 5000m title, 2016 5000m Diamond Trophy and 2017 world 10,000m title, but missed all of last year with a knee injury.

Obiri, Dibaba, Ayana and Hassan are among the seven fastest women of all time at 5000m, but this will be the first time they have all raced one another at any distance.

The addition of world and Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya adds further interest. Although she has contested the distance in low-key domestic races in South Africa, this will be her first international 3000m race.

Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey and Senbere Teferi, ranked eighth and ninth respectively on the world 5000m all-time list, are also in the field. Gidey is a two-time world U20 cross-country champion, while Teferi earned world silver medals at 5000m and cross country in 2015.

The field also includes two-time Ethiopian champion Fantu Worku, versatile Kenyan Caroline Chepkoech Kipkurui, world U20 cross-country champion Beatrice Chebet, 2017 world cross-country bronze medallist Lilian Kasait Rengeruk, double European indoor silver medallist Konstanze Klosterhalfen, 2016 European 5000m and 10,000m champion Yasmin Can, European 1500m bronze medallist Laura Weightman, six-time NCAA champion Karissa Schweizer and USA’s Rachel Schneider.

Cu­ba's Rich­er Perez Cobas and Raquel Agude­lo Berrio of Colom­bia the win­ners of the Sea to Sea Marathon

Perez has earned him­self the name 'The Beast' for his per­for­mances over the week­end. The Cuban, on Sat­ur­day, sprint­ed past the fin­ish line to claim the event's 10k road race.

Then 24 hours lat­er the Cuban held off his close ri­val Jose Elmer Ararat Di­az of Colom­bia in the marathon to take the victory clocking 2:51:10. 

Perez won last year and if he wins in 2020, he will get the tro­phy for keeps.

The Colom­bian took the run­ner-up prize in 2:52.26 while Kenya's God­frey Mbi­hia placed third.

Among the women, Agude­lo cruised to the win ahead of Sjae­lan Evans in three hours, 12 min­utes and 47 sec­onds. Evans placed second in three hours, 35 min­utes and 26 sec­onds.

She was fol­lowed in third by Chris­tine Reg­is (3:54:05) and fourth place went to Chantel Lemaitre (3:55:26).

The sweltering hot sun slowed down even the elite runners in all the races.  

Kenya´s Edwin Kamaiyon made his American racing debut by overtaking two-time champion Philemon Terrer near the 24-mile mark and held on to win the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon

Fellow countrywoman Margaret Njuguna, 49, finished first in the women’s marathon in 2:45:31. Local entrant and last year’s winner Sarah Horbol, 32, of Westlake finished second in 2:48:21.

Kamaiyo and Njuguna each earned $3,000 for their wins. 

In the men’s marathon, Kenyans Terrer, 33, (2:23:36) and Kipkoech Ruto, 30, (2:26:22) finished second and third, respectively. Finishing third in the women’s race was Joan Massah, 29, of Kenya with a time of 2:49:30.

Approximately 15,000 runners participated in the 42nd anniversary of the race on a warm day where temperatures reached into the 80s. All three Sunday races – 10K, half-marathon and marathon – started just outside the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and finished on Public Square. Race weekend included the 1-mile, 5K, 8K, and kids race on Saturday. Walking divisions were offered in all three Sunday race distances. 

Additionally, two participants took part in the hand crank wheelchair division. There was also a Challenge Series, which gave competitors an opportunity to compete in more than one race over the weekend.

“It was great to see the city come out and support the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon on this bright, sunny, albeit warm race day,” said Jack Staph, executive race director, Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon. “The atmosphere created by the tens of thousands of participating runners and spectators city was electric.”

In addition to the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the runners’ tour of Cleveland included passing by landmarks and popular neighborhoods such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, FirstEnergy Stadium, Great Lakes Science Center, Tremont and Ohio City, West Side Market, Playhouse Square, Edgewater Park and Public Square.

Beyond the weekend’s races, tens of thousands of racers and health and fitness enthusiasts visited the Health & Fitness Expo at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland on Friday and Saturday. The weekend’s activities resulted in an approximate $18 million economic impact for the city.

Kenyan Dominic Korir, 26, won the men’s 10K with a time of 29:17.

Victor Kipchirchir wins the Salzburg Marathon as the start and finished was moved back to old town

Victor Kipchirchir from Kenya won the Salzburg Marathon and narrowly missed the course record. The high temperatures slowed him down on the second lap.

Even with lots of sunshine and temperatures reaching 20c Victor clocked 2:17:03 at the 16th annual event in Salzburg.   The  Salzburg course record is 2:16:14, posted in 2013 by Eliud Kiplagat.

“In the first round it went very well, after that I had to take some speed out," said the winner. Early on, he was on the road without a companion and had to find his own pace. His compatriots Antony Maina  placed second in 2:22:37 for his first marathon and Philip Kirui was third clocking 2:28:21).

Thomas Punz was the best Austrian clocking 2:44:03 to finish fourth.  He caught Christian Doppler (2:44:51), who had been lying in front of him for a long time.

Gadise Negesa was the fastest woman to finish. In her marathon debutant the Ethiopia clocked 2:46:36. Irmine Schatz from St. Andrä-Wördern was the best Austrian finishing in 3:23:24.  

The Sparkasse half marathon was as expected a prey of the Swiss Marco Kern (1:07:46), the Nussdorf Alexander Knoblechner finished third in 1:09:48. Half marathon women's winner Edeltraud Thaler (1:25:39) from South Tyrol was very surprised by her success. The 53-year-old left behind hundreds of opponents.

Huge crowds lined the streets both Saturday and Sunday.  The course was moved back to the old town. For two years, the marathon had moved to Mirabellplatz but starting and finishing in old town makes for a much better course.  Manu enthusiastic spectators applaused for the runners on their last meters to the finish. Deputy Mayor Bernhard Auinger said, “This is the best location to showcase the beauty of the city, the event was great, and we definitely support it further."

Kipkoech clocked the worlds fastest 12K at Cape Town 12 Onerun

Brillian Kipkoech produced the fastest 12km run in history to win the FNB Cape Town 12 ONERUN while fellow Kenyan Morris Gachanga secured a hat-trick of titles in the men’s race at the IAAF Bronze Label event on Sunday May 19. 

Uganda’s Commonwealth 10,000m champion Stella Chesang went out hard with the intention of breaking Vivian Cheruiyot’s 38:22 course record from 2015 and led a group of five women through the first 5km in 15:58.

Chesang, Kipkoech, Sofiya Chege and Degitu Azamirew maintained that pace through 10km, reached in 32:00, and then upped their tempo for the last two kilometres. With a strong final 500 metres, Kipkoech out-kicked her opponents to win in 38:05.

The top four women all finished inside the previous world best for the rarely-run distance with Chesang taking the runner-up spot in 38:09, just ahead of Chege (38:10) and Azamirew (38:11).

“When I made my move at 11km, I wanted to see how my body felt and it responded well, so I attacked again with about 500 metres to go and was able to move away,” said Kipkoech. “I did not know about the course record, so I am very happy today.”

The first kilometre in the men’s race was covered in 2:47, prompting talks of a course record, but a slight headwind in the next few kilometres slowed the pace. All the main contenders, including defending champion Gachaga, were in the pack as they passed through 5km in 14:22.

The second 5km was covered in 13:50 as Abdallah Mande threw in numerous surges with Gachaga the only man capable of sticking with the Ugandan.

As the lead duo reached 11km, South Africa’s Stephen Mokoka had closed up on them until they attacked again in the final 500 metres with Gachaga emerging the winner in 33:38. Mande was second in 33:39 and Mokoka third (33:50).

Gichia and Kimining winners of the 40th Göteborgsvarvet Half Marathon

Perfect weather conditions, tailwind on Hisingen island and, as usual, a huge supporter crowd cheering for the runners. Those were the circumstances when Göteborgsvarvet celebrated its 40th year anniversary with another festive half marathon.

In the elite field there were a handful competitive and world-class long-distance runners. All was set for an interesting elite race, and indeed it became something very thrilling also this year.

In the women’s class we witnessed a phenomenal duel between Cynthia Jerop, Kenya, and Tabitha Gichia, Kenya, here Gichia became the first to cross the finish line after an impressive sprint during the last kilometres. Her finish time was 01.08,18.

In the men’s class Shadrack Kimining defended his victory from last year by some very strong last kilometres. His finish time, 1.00,38. Second place came Jirius Birech, Kenya and third place, Moses Kurong, Uganda.

Göteborgsvarvet Half Marathon was also the Swedish Championship in Half Marathon and in that national competition the winners were Charlotta Fougberg and Robel Fsiha.

Kenyan Hellen Obiri is aiming for success over 5000m and 10,000m at IAAF World Championships Doha

Hellen Obiri has revealed she will target IAAF World Championships success over both 5000m and 10,000m in Doha this summer as part of her plan to bow out from track competition on a high.

The Kenyan won gold over the shorter distance in London two years ago and is focused on retaining her title in the Qatari capital. She admits, however, that a full-time switch to road running is in the offing after next year’s Tokyo Olympics and, with that in mind, also wants to tackle the 25-lap event for the first time.

“My main target is to retain my title and then most probably I will focus on the double – 5000m and 10,000m,” the 29-year-old said.

“I’ve not done the 10,000m on the track so I’m going to do it at the Kenyan trials (for the world championships). It’s very hard to even make the Kenyan team but of course I want to make it and then from there you can see me doubling in Doha.”

“What made up my mind is that I’m almost done with the track," she says,  "so I think I need to do final, final things. I have never done 10,000m on the track so I wanted to do it before I go to the roads, maybe from next year after the Olympics.

“I will do 10km and the half-marathon on the road from there and then maybe (move up to the marathon) in the coming years.”

Obiri will race over 10km on the roads this weekend as one of the star attractions at the Simplyhealth Great Manchester Run, where she will be looking to carry on what, thus far, has been a winning habit in 2019.

There was her impressive and memorable victory at the World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus back in March, which followed gold at the Kenyan Championships, while a marker was put down on her first track outing this year thanks to a fine 3000m win over a quality field which included 1500m world record-holder Genzebe Dibaba at the recent Diamond League meeting in Doha in a time of 8:25.60.

Kenyan Victor Kipchirchir will be going after the course record at Salzburg Marathon

Salzburg Marathon is set for a record-breaking event this weekend. Nearly 8,400 runners from 79 countries get ready to compete in the Austrian city. This marks a new participation record for the “Running Festival in Mozart’s Hometown”.

In a varied programme of eight running events the marathon race with 1,000 participants takes centre stage. Top favorite Victor Kipchirchir from Kenya is a late entry to the race and leads the charge to break the course record. The 31-year-old set his personal best of 2:07:39 when winning the Valencia Marathon in 2016, an IAAF Gold Label Race, and also triumphed at marathons in Warszawa and Santiago de Chile. He is the fastest runner that has ever been on the start line in Salzburg.

In the half marathon he boasts a world-class personal best of 59:31 minutes back in 2012. It is clearly his target to celebrate his first victory in Austria and to break the Salzburg Marathon course record of 2:14:16, set by Eliud Kiplagat in 2013.

Picturesque marathon course, runners enjoy the world-famous sights of the Mozart city, that is part of the UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage sites. The flat and AIMS / IAAF measured course leads through the centre of Salzburg and touches the green surroundings outside of town. Finish area is located in front of the world-famous "Grosses Festspielhaus" Large Festival Hall with a breathtaking view on Fortress "Hohensalzburg".Kipchirchir goes for course record

Victor Kipchirchir has everything what it takes to produce a new record performance in Salzburg. An experienced runner with many international races he finished ten marathons and broke 2:10 on four occasions. Besides his fastest time of 2:07:39 in Valencia 2016 he ran 2:08:52 in Seoul 2017, 2:09:13 in Frankfurt 2012 and 2:09:59 in Warszawa 2014.

The Kenyan definitely wants to do better than he did at his latest appearence in Austria. Six weeks ago he aimed for a podium place at the Vienna City Marathon and passed halfway in 63:22 as part of the leading group before dropping out after 30 k.

Talented runners want to shine in Salzburg, while no other runner in Salzburg matches the potential of Victor Kipchirchir, there is more talent assembled on the start line.

Kenyan Rogers Melly Kipchirchir with a PB of 2:13:38 and Stephen Katam Kipngetich with a PB of 2:14:08 want to improve their times. Rogers Melly came second in both Lodz and Münster marathons in 2016 with a 2:13 clocking. Should Victor Kipchirchir come into trouble, Roger Melly will have the chance for his first international victory.

Stephan Katam is the winner of Belgrade marathon 2017 and ran his fastest marathon in Tel Aviv 2016 when finishing in third place.

Marathon debutants Anthony Karinga Maina and Philip Kirui add more quali- ty to the elite field. They have proven themselves at half marathons. Maina ran 62:36 in high altitude at Nairobi 2016, Kirui clocked 63:11 in 2017.

The women’s race features Ethiopian Gadise Gudisa Negese as the favorite. At 21 she contests her first marathon race as an important new step in her career. Julia Brugger of Germany is another debutant. She aims for a time of about 2:50.

Strong field is set for Bolder Boulder including Jared Ward and Tyler McCandless

Returning to race this year is Jared Ward who was the first American in the New York Marathon and finished 8th overall at the Boston Marathon and Tyler McCandless who won the 2018 Bolder Boulder citizen’s race.

“We feel that with the strong pool of runners this year that Team USA could possibly take first place,” said pro athlete coordinator, Don Janicki. “With three returning champions in the men’s field it will be a really great competitive race.”

Members of the Men’s Team USA also include national title winner Parker Stinson who shattered 25K American record at the USATF 25K in May 2019 by 30 seconds, Haron Lagat who placed second at the 2017 Fortitude 10K Pro Race Chase; Diego Estrada who has a 10K personal best of 27:57;  Reid Buchanan who has a 27:58 10K PR; Eagle Scout Reed Fischer who has a 10K PR of 28:38; Boulder Track Club member Tim Rackers; and Boulder based professional runner Jake Riley who has a 10K PR of 27:59.

The Women’s Team USA include Taylor Ward; a rising star in American women’s distance running who placed third at the 2018 Fortitude 10K Pro Race Chase.

Lindsey Scherf who broke the indoor marathon world record at the Armory NYC Indoor Marathon World Record Challenge in 2018 by nearly two minutes; Lauren Martin Masterson who was the first female finisher of the 2017 Bolder Boulder citizen’s race; Kaitlin Goodmen who has a 10K PR of 33:18; and Stephanie Bruce who set a PR at the 5,000 meters indoors (15:44) at the New Balance Boston Indoor Games; Former Colorado Buffaloes star Shalaya Kipp.

In addition to the Americans competing at this year’s race, the Bolder Boulder will be welcoming teams from all over the world including Ethiopia, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Tanzania, Bahrain, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Pan South America.

“We’re ready for a super competitive international event thanks to the athlete’s continuing commitment to the race, “said Race Director, Cliff Bosley. “Some of the top ranked teams are trained in both altitude and marathon running and bring a competitive edge that keeps the event exhilarating to watch each and every year.”

Hellen Obiri, Steph Twell, Andy Vernon and Stanley Biwott are among the big names racing the Great Manchester 10km on Sunday

The Simplyhealth Great Manchester Run returns on Sunday, with a number of top elite athletes set to battle for titles ahead of the 30,000-strong mass race.

Kenya’s world 5000m and recent world cross country champion Hellen Obiri is making her debut at the event and will be faced with a field containing Ethiopia’s Tokyo marathon winner Ruta Aga, while two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat also features, as does Ireland’s Fionnula McCormack.

A healthy British contingent is headed by Steph Twell, who won the Brighton 10km in 31:58 last month, and she is joined by Mhairi Maclennan, Jenny Nesbitt and Aly Dixon, who was recently named part of Britain’s IAU 50km World Championships team for the event in Romania in September.

Ugandan world cross silver medallist Jacob Kiplimo is fastest in the men’s field with a personal best of 26:41, though he will be facing the likes of Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa, Boston Marathon runner-up this year, and Kenya’s 2015 New York marathon winner Stanley Biwott.

Mo Farah is not defending the title he won last year but the British presence will feature Nick Goolab, a man on form and the fastest Briton over 10km so far this year after breaking the course record with a run of 28:22 when winning in Brighton.

He will be joined by compatriots Emile Cairess, Ieuan Thomas and Dan Studley.

Double Olympic champion Caster Semenya, who lost her appeal over a controversial gender ruling, will not race at this month's Diamond League meeting in Stockholm

The South African, 28, who won gold in Rio in 2016 and London four years earlier will not lineup for the 800m after winning her most recent appearance over the distance in Doha on May 3.

Burundi's Francine Niyonsaba and Kenya's Margaret Nyairera Wambui, who are among the star female athletes affected by the International Association of Athletics Federation's (IAAF) ruling this month and who completed the Olympic podium in Brazil will also not race in Sweden.

Wambui said on Thursday her future was uncertain due to the IAAF's decision.

Semenya's case has provoked a furious debate across sport around the globe about gender and "hyperandrogenic" athletes, those with "differences of sexual development" (DSD).

The decision on May 1 by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland, means female athletes with elevated testosterone will have to take suppressive treatment if they wish to compete as women in certain events.

South Africa's government on Monday said it would lodge an appeal against the IAAF's decision which came into operation on May 8 and applies to distances from 400m to a mile, and includes the heptathlon.

"The onus is on the athletes to ensure they do not agree to attend track meets or put themselves forward for events they are not eligible to compete in," Stockholm meet director Jan Kowalski said.

"If they do compete in events for which they are not eligible, then - consistent with the approach taken in any case of athlete ineligibility - their results may be disqualified and any medals, points, or prize money forfeited," Kowalski added.

That leaves world bronze medallist Ajee Wilson from the US as the highest ranked runner in the women's 800m in Stockholm.

Kenyans have won the last five men's full marathons of the Sanford Fargo Marathon

The country that has produced so many great long distance runners over the years will be represented a sixth time at the Fargo Marathon Saturday.

It looks to be a competitive field for the 7 a.m. start. Perhaps helping the increased number of elite runners is the upcoming Olympic Trials for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Runners like Enock Birir, who is training out of Sante Fe, N.M. He’ll toe the line with the fastest personal record of the elite entrants at 2 hours, 20 minutes, 10 seconds. The 28-year-old won the Des Moines (Iowa) Marathon last fall, which was his first marathon in seven years and took third in the Mercedes-Benz Marathon in February in Birmingham, Ala., with a time of 2:26:44.

He’ll have competition from Arturs Bareikis of Crestwood, Ill., a native of Latvia, who took second in the Fargo Marathon in 2014. The Duma Running Club in Coon Rapids, Minn., is sending Kenyan runners Anthony Kurui and two-time Fargo champion David Tuwei.

Kurui most recently finished fifth in the half-marathon in Lincoln, Neb. The 40-year-old Tuwei lists a 2:14 as his PR, but his performances in the last few years have been more in the range of his Fargo-winning times of 2:27.15 in 2015 and 2:28.24 in 2017.

Perhaps the favorite is Garang Madut, who won the St. Jude Memphis Marathon last December. He ran cross country for four years at Cumberland University (Tenn.) and is a graduate assistant coach for the Cumberland women’s cross country team.

Madut moved to Nashville, Tenn., from South Sudan when he was 5 years old. At 23 years old, he may be on the verge of realizing his potential.

Defending Fargo champion Geofrey Terer of Colorado Springs, Colo., won the Brookings (S.D.) Marathon last weekend in 2:30.47. It’s doubtful the 42-year-old would have enough in the tank to challenge on consecutive weekends but he’s been in the running game long enough to know competition over 26.2 miles can get strange at times. It worked last year when he won the Fargo in 2:30.00.

“It’s about who’s on Saturday?” Almquist said. “Who has it mentally and physically together? Or who adapts best to the conditions the runners are facing that day? You know Fargo, it could be anything on Saturday.”

Defending champion Geoffrey Kirui and two-time world champion Edna Kiplagat are among the athletes named by Athletics Kenya for the marathon at the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019

Nine athletes have been selected, but two of those will be reserves. As Kirui gets a wildcard entry by virtue of being the defending champion, Kenya will have four men on the marathon start line and three women. The final line-up will be decided nearer to the time of the World Championships.

Kirui, who also won the Boston Marathon in 2017, is joined on the team by Amos Kipruto, Laban Korir, Paul Lonyangata and Ernest Ngeno.

Kipruto, a 2:05:43 performer, finished on the podium in Tokyo and Berlin last year. Korir, a former winner in Toronto, has a PB of 2:05:54. Lonyangata set his PB of 2:06:10 in 2017, the first of his two Paris Marathon victories. Ngeno has reached the podium in nine of his 11 marathons to date, clocking a PB of 2:06:41 last year.

Kiplagat won back-to-back world titles in 2011 and 2013. She finished fifth in 2015 and returned to the podium in 2017, taking the silver medal in London.

The 2:19:50 runner is joined on the Kenyan World Championships team by Ruth Chepngetich, Sally Chepyego and Visiline Jepkesho.

Chepngetich won in Istanbul last year in 2:18:35 and then took the Dubai Marathon title earlier this year in 2:17:08, moving to third on the world all-time list. Chepyego earned the bronze medal at the 2014 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships and set a marathon PB of 2:23:15 last year. Jepkesho, a former winner in Paris and Rotterdam, has a PB of 2:21:37.

Men: Amos Kipruto, Geoffrey Kirui, Laban Korir, Paul Lonyangata, Ernest Ngeno

Women: Ruth Chepngetich, Sally Chepyego, Visiline Jepkesho, Edna Kiplagat

Refugee athletes Domnic Lokinyomo Lobalu and Paulo Amotun Lokoro finished 1-2 in the Harmony Geneva Marathon UNICEF 10km

These were the best performances ever by members of the Athlete Refugee Team.

Lobalu dominated the race, winning by more than a minute in 29:14 ahead of Lokoro, who represented the ART at the 2018 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, who clocked 30:32. Four of the first five finishers were members of the Athlete Refugee Team who train at the Tegla Loroupe Training Camp For Refugee Athletes in Ngong, Kenya.

"I am very happy to have won," said Lokinyomo, who covered the opening five kilometres in 14:20, by then already running alone. "I am going back to even more intense training when I return to Kenya."

Lokinyomo, 20, showed signs of solid form soon after the new year when he finished 8th at at Athletics Kenya Cross Country Series meeting in Kisii on 12 January. He was to race at a 5km in Monaco on 17 February and at the IAAF World Cross County Championships Aarhus 2019 on 30 March but was denied a visa on both occasions.

He's now targeting a spot on the Athlete Refugee Team for October's World Championships in Doha in the 10,000m where selection will be based on performances set this year.

Swiss runner Morgan Le Guen was third with refugee athletes Simon Ayong and Pur Biel rounding out the top five, clocking 30:53 and 31:37, respectively. Biel was a teammate of Lokoro's at the Rio Olympics.

Founded in 2015, the Tegla Loroupe Training Camp For Refugee Athletes is supported by the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the IAAF and other organisations.

The team’s victory was celebrated at the finish line by thousands of spectators, including Rossella Pagliuchi, UNHCR UK's representative and Sukru Cansizoglu, Head of UNHCR programs in Kakuma, Kenya. 

On Sunday, Gatkuoth Puok competed in the event’s half marathon, finishing 83rd in 1:21:37 despite suffering a severe stitch after the seventh kilometer.

Kenya´s Bernard Too set a new course record at The Harmony Geneva Marathon clocking 2:09:45

The Harmony Geneva Marathon for UNICEF, known as one of the most beautiful marathon routes in Europe, concluded in Geneva of Switzerland on Sunday, with a record over 18,300 runners taking to the start lines of various race formats.

Kenyan Bernard Too won the men's race and set a new track record of two hours nine minutes and 45 seconds, while his compatriot Josephine Chepkoech refreshed the women's record, finishing in two hours 29 minutes and 11 seconds.

Coming from 113 countries and regions throughout the world, the over 18,300 registered runners include 2,400 marathon runners, 6,000 half-marathon runners, 1,800 participants of 300 relay teams, five wheelchair athletes, 1,500 juniors, 3,400 10km runners, thousands of walking participants and some 1,000 volunteers.

The organizers introduced a parent and child race to the event for the first time this year, and the new race format is considered to be a perfect opportunity for parents to bring their little ones (from the age of three) to the world of running.

This year's event is the 15th edition of the Harmony Geneva Marathon, which also marks the 10th year of involvement by UNICEF, the event's official charity partner.

Kenyan Francis Kamiri successfully defends his Gum Tree 10k title

Francis Kamiri had a number in mind for his morning run in Saturday’s Gum Tree 10k and he was determined to nail it.

The defending race champion did – and blew the field away in the process.  The 31-year-old Kamiri quickly moved to the front at the start, was never threatened at all, and won in 29:41.

“I wanted to run a 29,” said Kamiri, who often consulted his watch as he maintained his under-5-minute pace throughout. A year ago, he ran a 30:14 and won by eight seconds.

Kamiri’s running partner, runner-up Richard Kimani, marveled at the effort.  “He was right there next to me at the start,” Kimani said. “Then, zoom, he was gone.”

Long gone – winning the race by slightly more than two minutes.

Kimani, the third-place finisher a year ago, finished in 31:44.

First-time Gum Tree participant Gladys Cheboi was the first female across the finish line, in 36:21, to finish 12th overall.

Kamiri and Cheboi each won $600. Both of them along with Kimani, run out of Homewood, Alabama.  Overcast skies and an occasional sprinkle greeted runners on the 6.2-mile course through Tupelo neighborhoods. There were 537 official finishers.

Belfast Marathon organizers apologize after course is 460 meters too long which is better than too short making it a non race

Belfast City Marathon organisers have apologised after admitting that Sunday's course was 0.3 miles longer than it should have been.

Belfast Marathon chairman David Seaton blamed "human error", saying the lead car diverted from the route.  "Approximately 460 additional meters were added to the officially measured course of 26.2 miles," he said.

"This was due to human error, with the lead car diverting from the official route."  Earlier, John Glover, the event's course measurer, said runners had twice been "taken off the measured route".

"The route run was 469 metres in excess of the route measured and approved by the Association of International Marathons," said Mr Glover.

In a statement, Mr Seaton said "protocols will be put in place to ensure this never happens again."  He added that race organisers were in the "process of adjusting runners' times to reflect the correct distance".

Following Sunday's race, a number of questions were raised on social media about the new course's length.

Kenyans Joel Kositany and Caroline Jepchirchir took victory in the first Sunday running of the event.  Kositany secured his fourth Belfast men's triumph as he crossed the line in two hours 18 minutes 40 seconds.

Jepchirchir repeated her 2018 win as she set the fastest ever women's time in Belfast, clocking 2:36:38.

This 38th staging of the event took place on a new course.  Event chairman Seaton said that the mistake will upset a number of competitors.  "I can understand if you have been aiming for a sub three-hour marathon time and because of the mistake you have ended up being just outside three hours on the clock, that you are going to be annoyed,” he said.  

"It's a hiccup that we obviously could have done without. But I don't think it should overshadow what was a very successful day with the numbers up significantly because of the new Sunday date.

"People have been coming up to us congratulating us on the day and saying it was a great event with the spectator number also well up on previous years."

Kenya’s Visiline Jepkesho says Kenya must change their tactics if they are to reclaim the title at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar

Under pressure to repay the trust shown in her by the coaches, Jepkesho has been offered another chance to showcase her talent and represent Kenya at the championships after having wasted her opportunity back in 2016 at the Rio Olympic Games.

"It is a major statement by the coaches to give me the ticket to the World Championships. Kenya has many elite marathon runners and this chance will certainly have gone to any of them, but they gave it to me. I must repay it by winning in Doha and that will call for a change in tactics because sometime we are so predictable," said Jepkesho on Saturday in Nairobi.

Jepkesho explained that she failed to finish on the podium at the 2017 World Championships and 2016 Rio Games due to poor strategy.

"This time Kenya has named the team early and this creates time for us to prepare well and even plan as a team," she said. "I am happy that I will represent the country at the World Championships for the third time in a row. We have to work as a team if we are to post good results."

Jepkesho had a stellar season in 2018, winning two marathons, respectively in Rotterdam and Ljubljana Slovenia. But her quest to win the World Marathon Championships title is a higher hurdle and she is ready to take a leap of faith and hope to clear it.

Jepkesho will have the company of two-time world champion Edna Kiplagat, former world championships 10,000m silver medalist Sally Kipyego and two-time Istanbul marathon winner Ruth Chengetich.

Kiplagat won the title in 2011 and 2013 and won silver in London in 2017 and a similar medal in 2012 London Olympic Games.

She also won New York City and Boston marathon in 2014 and 2017 respectively.

Kenya's Elisha Barno will be going after his fifth win at the Grandma's Marathon June 22

Already the only man to win four consecutive Grandma's Marathons, Kenya's Elisha Barno will strive for No. 5 at the 43rd installment of Minnesota's oldest marathon on June 22.

And he'll bring along his buddy and countryman, Grandma's record-holder Dominic Ondoro. Their New Mexico-based agent, Scott Robinson, confirmed both are planning to race in Duluth. And while that could change, it's an exciting prospect.

In winning for the fourth straight year last June, Barno produced the third-fastest time in event history — 2 hours, 10 minutes and 6 seconds. Speedy as that was, it's a minute slower than the 2:09:06 Ondoro unleashed in 2014 when he bumped Dick Beardsley from the top spot.

Barno will arrive in the Northland riding a swell of success. Following three straight runner-up finishes (all to Ondoro), he finally broke through, and broke the tape, at the Twin Cities Marathon last October. And on March 24, he won the closest Los Angeles Marathon ever contested, nudging John Korir by seven seconds.

Barno and Ondoro will headline what figures to be a loaded field of elites.

"It's going to be an exciting year," Grandma's executive director Shane Bauer said. "I think we're all looking forward to what's going to happen at the finish line this year."

While the defending champ and fastest finisher return to the men's race, the same won't be true on the women's side. Kellyn Taylor, who blew away the competition at Grandma's in 2018 by coming through in an event-record 2:24:28, won't be back.

Ethiopia’s Abera Kuma just might be the most talented runner in the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon this year

The 28-year-old has twice bettered 2:06 in his career, most recently when finishing second at the 2018 Rotterdam Marathon in a PB of 2:05:50. The other occasion was at the 2014 Berlin Marathon where Kuma finished third in 2:05:56 in the race in which Kenya’s Dennis Kimetto set a world record of 2:02:57, which has since been broken by Eliud Kipchoge.

In between those two races, Kuma has made his mark across the globe. Now he sets his sights on racing in the Canadian capital.

“I want to win and I want to run fast,” he said. “I hope the conditions will be kind to me. Yes, (the course record is a target) though it all depends on the conditions.”

Compatriot Yemane Tsegay set that record (2:06:54) in 2014.

Kuma’s performance in Rotterdam was all the more startling since he had run, and finished, Japan’s Lake Biwa Marathon (2:09:31) just 35 days earlier – hardly the ideal preparation for a world-class marathon.

“At Lake Biwa I did not feel well and had a bad day at the office,” he explains. “I felt like I ran at 95% without being able to give more than that. After finishing I still felt strong and very disappointed about the race. I needed to take revenge quickly and the gamble paid off.”

Kuma has a level of confidence matching his ability. Unlike many of today’s marathon runners, he took up road racing after a successful career on the track. Twice he represented Ethiopia at the IAAF World Championships, finishing fifth in the 5000m in 2011 and fifth in the 10,000m in 2013. With 5000m and 10,000m personal bests of 13:00.15 and 26:52.85, he has basic speed matched by very few road racers.

“I had a short track career but always wanted to go to the road fairly quickly,” he says. “Track has helped me to be a stronger road runner, though.

“I like the endurance that belongs to road running and marathons. Running is fun to do and I enjoy it, but it is also my job. In marathon running the financial aspect is important.”

The lucrative prize money in road racing, coupled with the fact there is a limited number of track races with decent prize money, has seen many young East African athletes go straight to the roads. First place in Ottawa is worth CDN$30,000 with another CDN$10,000 on offer for a course record.

As Kuma says, running is his job. And, he is happy to share his experience with younger up-and-coming Ethiopian runners, many of whom are part of the training group under coach Tessema Abshero, who himself was a 2:08 marathon runner.

“I would advise others to run track but I also know that it is not easy to do that as the track races are scarce these days,” Kuma says.

Training is going well currently he says, despite a mediocre performance at the Mumbai Marathon in January when he finished seventh in 2:13:10.

“I am preparing really well and my last test (a half marathon in Spain where he ran 1:00:41) was good,” he says. “Now I am finalising the endurance part to bounce back strongly after a disappointing race in Mumbai. The conditions in Mumbai were very difficult (heat, air quality) and the course was tough. I was with the lead group for a long part of the way but suffered a lot in the last seven kilometres.

Kuma has a marathon personal best of 2:04:24. There are others of similar quality among Kuma’s training partners. Most significantly, all of this training is done at altitudes of at least 2600m. It’s hard work but with a group sharing the load and the drudgery it is normal. Down time is used to relax and recover and wait for the next workout.

Organizers of the Okpekpe 10km road race wants to achieve IAAF Gold League status

Organizers of the annual 10 kilometer Okpekpe race said yesterday they want to achieve IAAF golden league status from the year 2020.

To achieve this, they said the race the year preceding must not have less than 100 athletes from 15 countries including China, United States of America, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Eritrea and others.

Addressing a press conference in Benin City, head of operations of the event, Zack Amodu said logistics and improved organization from the previous edition has been put in place to ensure a "hitch-free" exercise. On his part, head of the technical issues, Yusuf Alli said the race would live up to its bidding.

On his part, the security coordinator of the race, Austin Gbaraba said sniffer dogs, choppers and horses, would be deployed as part of security measure for the 7th edition.

He said the deployment of horses and dogs, is in addition to hundreds of security personnel that would be engaged to man strategy points, before, during and after the race which takes place on May 25.

Last year's race was won by Alex Kibet clocking 29:47.  The woman's race was won by Yami Dida in 33:01. 

Defending champion Geoffrey Kirui and two times champion Edna Kiplagat will lead Kenya's marathon team for the World Athletics Championships in Doha

Edna Kiplagat won the title in 2011 and 2013 before settling for silver in 2017 London and Dubai Marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich will be participating on the Kenya team at the World’s Chsmpionships.  

The men's team has Amos Kipruto who finished second in Berlin Marathon last year, the 2018 Paris Marathon champion Paul Lonyangata along with Geoffrey Kirui.

Athletics Kenya senior vice president, Paul Mutwii, said the team will start training in July in Kaptagat under coaches Joseph Cheromei and Richard Kimetto.

“We picked the team on availability after many of our top athletes decided not to honor the invite," said Mutwii.

Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge will once again attempt to become the first athlete to break the two-hour marathon barrier in an event being staged in London later this year

Dubbed the INEOS 1:59 Challenge, this race against the clock -- to be staged in late September or early October -- is being backed by Britain's richest man Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire owner of chemical firm INEOS, which recently purchased British Cycling's Team Sky.

"It's human nature to push boundaries," said the INEOS 1:59 Challenge website. "The drive to learn and achieve more is in our DNA. In Autumn this year Eliud Kipchoge, with support from INEOS, plans to redefine the limits of human achievement by breaking the last great barrier of modern athletics -- the two-hour marathon."

Last week Ratcliffe and INEOS were accused by environmental protesters of "sportswashing" -- using sport to enhance reputation -- an accusation the Briton completely rejects.

Speaking to reporters ahead of cycling's Tour de Yorkshire, Ratcliffe took aim at those who criticized his company's fracking project, claiming the majority of environmental groups he has met are "ignorant" of the process, adding it remains a cheap source of energy.

Current world record holder Kipchoge recorded a time of 2:00.25 during a similar event at Monza -- home of the Formula One Italian Grand Prix -- in 2017 wasn't recognized as a world record as it did not adhere to the rules laid out by athletics' governing body, the IAAF, notably in the way he was helped by "in-out" pacemakers. The London attempt will also not be ratified.

The 34-year-old Kenyan set a new record time for the London marathon earlier this month as he claimed a fourth triumph in the event -- a record for a male athlete.

His time of two hours, two minutes and 37 seconds was the second fastest marathon of all time -- just behind his own world record of two hours, one minute and 39 seconds which was recorded in Berlin in September 2018.

"This would really surpass everything because this will go in the history as far as the human family is concerned," Kipchoge told reporters ahead of Monday's event launch, which took place 65 years to the day since Britain's Roger Bannister became the first man to break the four minute mile.

According to reports, Kipchoge's attempt in London will use a number of pacemakers who run laps, while dipping in and out of the action, in order to maintain the astonishing pace of two minutes, 50 seconds per kilometer needed to go under two hours.

"It is not about recognition or ratification but to make history and to pass on a message that no human is limited. Running the fastest-ever marathon of 2:00.25 was the proudest moment of my career," added Kipchoge.

Ratcliffe also had to defend INEOS over its use of plastics after its acquisition of Team Sky, which had been leading a campaign against single-use plastics and Ocean Rescue campaign.

"We've spent 30 years working on the INEOS project and made it very large and very profitable," Ratcliffe said.

"We make $5-7 billion a year in profit so there's no harm in investing a modest amount of that into very worthy sporting endeavors which we enjoy.

"If they inspire people towards a healthier lifestyle, that's a good thing but there's also nothing wrong in investing money in something simply enjoyable. I like the theatre, I like opera. But I prefer sport."

Ratcliffe, a keen cyclist and a well known running enthusiast, also sponsors children's running charities, GO Run For Fun and The Daily Mile, with the aim of getting more young people into the sport.

"If Eliud has got a fantastic crowd cheering him on, its going to make a bit of difference and we don't need to make a lot of difference to make up 26 seconds," he told reporters.

"I was in the pace car in front of Eliud for the London Marathon and he was looking very serene and comfortable. He's still getting better.

"Eliud is the finest marathon runner there has ever been and I think it will be very inspirational, to get kids putting running shoes on.

"It would be an extraordinary achievement. It's almost super-human, isn't it really? To break two hours in a marathon is quite unthinkable."

Yuki Kawauchi and fiance Yuko Mizuguchi, yes fiance won the BMO Vancouver Marathon titles

An engaged couple from Japan won the BMO Vancouver Marathon, the first time two Japanese runners who have taken home gold in 20 years.

And attendance was at an all-time high, with 18,000 runners from around 65 countries participating in one of three distances.

Yuki Kawauchi and Yuko Mizuguchi came out the champions with finishing times of (02:15:01) and (02:41:28) for the marathon.

The recently-engaged couple arrived in Vancouver last week for their first Canadian marathon, and won.

2018 Boston Marathon winner Kawauchi broke the course record of 2:18:37 set by Luka Chelimo from Kenya in 2015.

“They really pushed me to this record,” Kawauchi says in a press release, speaking of second and third-place finishers Feyera Gemeda Dadi and Chelimo. “It’s not an easy course, but it’s a very beautiful course, I would definitely recommend coming here to enjoy it and get the most out of it, it’s a great event.”

He was impressed by the scenery and support from the crowd, as was women’s title winner and fiancee Mizuguchi.

“Running around Stanley Park in the midst of all that nature really gave me a nice boost,” she says in a release. “Being able to see the ocean and the mountains – at some parts of the race, I found myself kind of distracted looking at how beautiful the ocean was.”

Hillary Too was on pace to set a course record at the 42nd Lincoln Marathon but then the wind and heat took charge

Hillary Too won the 42nd Lincoln Marathon with a time of 2 hours, 21 minutes and 6 seconds.

The win was Too’s first at the Lincoln Marathon.

He was on pace to set the course record at the halfway point, but the sun started to shine and temperatures rose, making it a little difficult during the second half of the race.

“I was feeling good after the first half,” said Too of Mosoriot, Kenya. “On the second, it was just getting hot. I could feel that, it was just getting warmer.”

Too said another large factor in the first half was having good pace setters who are running the half-marathon.

Once those runners are done, the race changes.

“It was only me pushing the pace,” Too said. “That is a lot different and harder. The second half, the wind was there, too. I was going into the wind. That’s why I was struggling a bit.”

Too’s “struggling” time was the fastest since 2015, when Edward Tabut ran his second straight 2:17:07 Lincoln Marathon.

Too’s personal best in a marathon is 2:17:02, which he ran in Moline, Illinois, in September 2016.

Misiker Demessie, 32, won the women’s marathon, a week after taking runner-up in the Silo District Marathon in Waco, Texas.

She said the Silo District Marathon was just a tune-up for this week’s winning time of 2:50:14. She was in second place for almost the entire race, but took over the lead in the last two miles and won her first Lincoln Marathon.

Lincoln native Hayley Sutter led for most of the race before falling back in the final five miles. Sutter finished in third place while Kaci Lickteig, of Omaha, took second.

Demessie rested the entire week before running Sunday. She said she ran intervals every day, but didn’t go out for any runs of more than a mile.

It was all about keeping her body in form but not overworking it she said, and the plan worked.

“My body was a little heavy,” Demessie said. “It’s very hard to go back to back. This week was all easy training. Just some 100s (meters) and some intervals to keep form.”

Demessie pointed to the half-marathoners as an important part of her race, as well.

“It’s nice because of the pace," she said. "The half marathon is a little push to me and the half-marathon ends and it’s just me then. Then my pace comes down a little."

Gabriel Geay of Tanzania and Rosemary Wanjiru of Kenya won the 2019 Lilac Bloomsday 12K Run on Sunday

The pair of winners split a $10,000 “super bonus” for winning the culminating event on the 2019 PRRO Championship Circuit on top of their $7,000 purse for their Bloomsday win.

Geay won Bloomsday’s elite men’s race for the second time in three years.

The 22-year-old kicked ahead of Benard Ngeno late in the 43rd annual race, clocking in at 34 minutes, 50 seconds.

Geay, who finished 15th last year after taking the 2017 title, was neck and neck with Ngeno during the final stretch before outkicking the Kenyan on Monroe Street.

Geay is the sixth runner in Bloomsday history to win multiple men’s elite races.

Wanjiru, 24, was the women’s winner in an unofficial time of 39:05 in her first Bloomsday. She took a sizable lead on Doomsday Hill and opened it to 200 meters in the long straightaway down Broadway.

Second-place finisher Vicoty Chepngeno, 25 of Kenya, had just turned onto Monroe Street as Wanjiru crossed the finish line.

Wanjiru won the 2019 Cherry Blossom 10-mile run earlier this year, setting a record in the process.

Susannah Scaroni won the women’s elite wheelchair division in a course-record time of 29:58, breaking Tatyana McFadden’s time of 30:42. This is Scaroni’s fifth Bloomsday win.

The 28-year-old from Tekoa, Washington, was participating in her 14th Bloomsday. Scaroni participated in the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Games.

The elite men’s wheelchair race was won by Aaron Pike, 36, of Park Rapids, MN, in his eighth Bloomsday race. Pike is a dual sport paralympian and participated in the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Games. Pike had placed second at Bloomsday twice.

Belfast Marathon more than doubled the number of participants on their new flatter and faster course

Kenyans Caroline Jepchirchir and Joel Kositany took the victories in the first Sunday running of the Belfast City Marathon.

Jepchirchir set the fastest ever women's time in Belfast, with a 2:36.38 clocking, as she repeated her 2018 win.

Kositany secured his fourth Belfast men's triumph as he crossed the line in two hours 18 minutes and 40 seconds.

This year's event was staged on a new course which organisers hoped would ensure faster times.

Jepchirchir's time was 12 seconds inside the previous Belfast course record set by Ukraine's Nataliya Lehonkova in 2013.

However, Kositany's winning time was almost five minutes slower than Negewo Ararisa's 2012 Belfast course record.

Kositany, who previously won the Belfast event in 2013, 2015 and 2016, finished eight seconds ahead over compatriot and last year's winner Eric Koech with 2017 victor Bernard Rotich completing an all-Kenyan men's podium three further seconds back.

The race has been held on a Sunday for the first time in its 38-year history.

It began at 09:00 BST at Stormont Estate in east Belfast, and ended in Ormeau Park in south Belfast. 

Belfast City Council agreed on changes to the route in June. Areas not previously covered included the Lisburn Road, Andersonstown and the Waterworks.

The new flatter route had led to a 60% increase in entries, organisers said with over 18,000 participants.

Who is going to make up the Kenya marathon team for the 2019 World Athletics Championships? Kipchoge is taking a pass

Kenya marathon team for the 2019 World Athletics Championships will be selected next week Athletics Kenya president Jack Tuwei has said

The biennial athletics showpiece event will be held in September and October in Doha, Qatar,

London Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge will forfeit his spot in the Kenya team for the World Championships and instead opt to defend his title at Berlin later this year.

Kipchoge will miss out on the Kenya team said he shall defend his title in Berlin with another new record next year.

"Berlin forever," said Kipchoge when he set the world record at 2:01:39.

This year's Berlin Marathon will be held on Sept. 29, just one week before the World marathon championships in Doha, Qatar on Oct. 5.

Tuwei told Nation Sport that the team will be named early so that they can start early preparations for the race that will for the first time in the championships history start at midnight.

“The first marathon season has come to an end and we will be using the races of that season to select a strong team,” said Tuwei. 

The AK president also said that the team that will be selected will thereafter head to residential camp.

“Doha is very hot and the selected team will have to train in hot conditions as one way of adapting,” added Tuwei.

Meanwhile, Berlin Marathon runner-up Amos Kipruto will be the man to watch in the Prague Marathon this Sunday.

Kipruto who has been training in Kapsabet, Nandi County pulled out of the Tokyo Marathon after picking up an injury in training.

“I’m fully healed and my preparations for the Prague Marathon has been good,” said Kipruto.

“When I ran with Kipchoge in Berlin, he inspired me so much especially after he broke the world record and I finished second behind him,” added the athlete. 

Kipruto emerged the winner in Rome Marathon in 2016 which was his debut before finishing in 12th position in the Amsterdam Marathon, where he clocked 2:09:06 the same year.

In 2017, Kipruto won the Seoul Marathon in 2:05:54, before finishing fifth in the Amsterdam Marathon in 2:05:43.

Panuel Mkungo from Kenya won the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon Clocking 1:03:26

It was a wet and soggy Saturday for the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon.

The race began in front of the JW Mariott downtown, and more than 35,000 people participated in the event.

"I think it really is the perfect combination of Hoosier hospitality. There's 500 entertainers all around the route, it's the lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it's just the month of May in Indianapolis, people love it, there's an electricity in the air," event organizer Sabrina List said.

It started with a 5K at 7 a.m., and then the first wave of the mini began at 7:30.

Panuel Mkungo from Kenya won the mini with a time of 1:03:26. The female first place finisher was Ivy Kibet from Colorado Springs with a time of 1:12:10.

"I am very happy today. I want to thank my family and my friends for this beautiful race.

I just want to say thank you for the management of this race, it's a beautiful course and I am happy for running in this city in Indiana. It is my first time being here," Mkungo said.

The 500 Festival continues through the month of May with the Breakfast at the Brickyard on May 18 and then the parade May 25.

Strong men’s field is set for the Prague Marathon this weekend

Mathew Kipkoech Kisorio, who recorded a lifetime best of 2:04:53 in Valencia last year starts as the fastest in the men’s field, but he may still be feeling the effects of the Eldoret Marathon, which he won two weeks ago in 2:12:38.

Al Mahjoub Dazza finished just half a minute behind Kisorio in Valencia in December, clocking a Moroccan record of 2:05:26 in what was just his second marathon to date.

He contested the Birell Grand Prix in Prague in 2017 so will be vaguely familiar with the streets of the Czech capital.

Kisorio’s brother, Peter Kimeli Some, is the third athlete in the field whose PB is quicker than Prague’s course record of 2:05:39. Some clocked 2:05:38 to win the 2013 Paris Marathon and came just a minute short of that mark when finishing third in Daegu last year in 2:06:49.

Amos Kipruto reached the podium at two World Marathon Majors last year, placing third in Tokyo in 2:06:33 and then clocking 2:06:23 to finish second to Eliud Kipchoge when the Kenyan set the world record of 2:01:39 in Berlin.

One year prior, Kipruto won in Seoul in 2:05:54 and followed it with a PB of 2:05:43 in Amsterdam.

Solomon Kirwa Yego also set his PB in Valencia last year, clocking 2:06:24 for eighth place. This will be his second marathon in Prague, following his 2016 run – his debut at the distance – when he finished third in 2:08:31.

Other strong Kenyans in the field include Paul Maina and 2009 world half marathon silver medallist Bernard Kiprop Kipyego.

Ethiopia’s Aychew Bantie, the runner-up in Kosice last year in a PB of 2:08:15, will also be on the start line alongside Ukrainian Olympian Oleksandr Sitkovskyy and Spain’s Hamid Ben Dauod