Running News Daily

Wasihun breaks course record in Barcelona and Wanders sets new Swiss Record

Ethiopia’s Mule Wasihun took an overwhelming victory at the eDreams Mitja Marato Barcelona, winning the IAAF Gold Label road race comfortably in a course record of 59:44 on Sunday. The 24-year-old took 20 seconds off the previous course record set five years ago by Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge. Bahrain’s Tejitu Daba confirmed her status as pre-event favourite in the women’s race to win in 1:08:36, one second ahead of Ethiopia’s Dibabe Kuma, who took 41 seconds off her career best. Switzerland's Julien Wanders, 21, who has been training in Kenya finished second this morning in a Swiss record and European U23 record of 60:09! (02/11/2018) ⚡AMP
Fast Half Marathons

Kiprotich, Herpha win 2018 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon

Frenchman Abraham Kiprotich has won the third edition of the 2018 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon 42km race. while Ronny came second in time of 2:13.26 while Victor Benjamin completed the Kenyan domination coming in the third position in 2:13.29. For the women category, Ethiopia’s Guta won the race in 2:38.25 while compatriots Girma Getachew and Ayelu Hordofa were second and third in 2:38.36 and 2:38.41. Ethiopian Tanui Rodah was the 2017 winner of the category. (02/11/2018) ⚡AMP

It does not get much better than this - 2018 RAK Half Marathon

Fancy Chemutai narrowly missed out on breaking the world record at the RAK Half Marathon on Friday (9) on a day when both course records fell. The sea mist that blanketed the emirate’s capital provided near perfect conditions, while record-size mass fields and enormous depth to the elite groups meant a special day was more or less guaranteed. Perfect pacing by a trio of Kenyan men laid the foundation for an epic closing struggle between Mary Keitany and Fancy. The race came down to the contrasting figures of tiny Keitany and the long, rangy stride of the powerful Chemutai. At 20k they were inseparable. Keitany momentarily looked to be the one applying the pressure, but Chemutai shrewdly delayed her surge until the final 100m crossing the finish line in 1:04:52 with Mary 3 seconds back. The pair are now second and third on the world all-time list behind Jepkosgei. (02/09/2018) ⚡AMP
Fast Half Marathons

Edward Cheserek Runs the Second Fastest Indoor Mile in History

Multiple NCAA champion Edward Cheserek produced the second-fastest indoor time in history, 3:49.44, to win the mile at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston on Friday (9). The US-based Kenyan had won two mile races already this indoor season, but neither one of those were in ideal conditions. Assisted by two pacemakers for three quarters of the race, Cheserek found the conditions to his liking at the Boston University Track Center. The 24-year-old was able to cover each of the eight laps in about 28-29 seconds before crossing the finish line in 3:49.44. (02/09/2018) ⚡AMP
World Class Runners

A decade in Kenya turned two teens from New Zealand Into World Class Runners

The plan had seemed so simple when it was hatched in their mom’s basement. But as the plane was landing in Nairobi, the scabby ground growing closer, 18-year-old Zane leaned over to his twin brother and said, “Jake, what are we going to do?”... On Jan. 14, 2018, Jake Robertson won the Houston Half Marathon with a time of one hour and one second, beating a super-deep, world-class field and earning $20,000 along the way. His twin brother Zane had posted a stellar 59:47 half marathon in 2015. They are the fastest New Zealanders ever at that distance, and near the top of the heap on a global scale. And none of that is easy—hitting 4:35 per mile for 13.1 miles? Earning a living as a runner? Becoming an Olympian? Those are laughably lofty goals...A decade of training in Kenya is paying off. (02/08/2018) ⚡AMP
Training

Half Marathon World Records were just missed by seconds at RAK

The RAK Half Marathon in UAE delivered. In the women's race Fancy Chemutai from Kenya just missed the world record by two seconds. She ran 1:04:53 just beating out Mary Keitany (1:04:55) and Caroline Kipkirui was third in 1:05:07. In the men's race Kenya's Bedan Karoki set a new course record in 58:42, just 19 seconds off the world record. In second running his first half was Jemal Yimer from Ethiopia (59:00) and third was Alex Kibet 59:06. Seven men broke one hour. RAK indeed delivered. (02/08/2018) ⚡AMP
Fast Half Marathons

Eliud Kipchoge: Loves Running Because Running Is Life

Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya is currently the undisputed world No.1 over the 26.2-mile distance. The 2-time Berlin and London Marathon winner explains why he runs. "I started running because my neighbor, Patrick Sang (1992 Olympic and 1991 and 1993 world steeplechase silver medallist), was an athlete and I wanted to be just like him. Patrick came from the same village as I do and my mother used to be his teacher. I was so inspired by his success. To me, running is life." Eliud is running this year's London Marathon. (02/08/2018) ⚡AMP
Olympians

Kipsang is focused on setting a new World Marathon Record in Tokyo Feb 25

Kenya’s Wilson Kipsang is excited, focused and ready to set a world record at the Tokyo Marathon on Feb 25. This will be Kipsang second attempt at the Japanese premier marathon competition. He has intensified his training in Kericho, Kenya, running at high altitude and is hopeful that hard work will bear fruits. He knows his rivals will be on a similar mission in April at the London Marathon. "I surprised everyone when I almost won the New York marathon in Nov. last year. Well, this year I will just go ahead and do it in Tokyo," Kipsang said on Tuesday from Kericho. Last year, Kipsang missed the world record (2:02:57) but still ran the fastest time ever on Japanese soil to win in 2:03:58. "I will run fast and let the rest fall in place," he added. (02/07/2018) ⚡AMP
Training

Kenya getting ready for African XC Championship in Algeria in March

A total of 30 athletes will be selected this Saturday at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi, Kenya for the upcoming 5th edition of the African cross-country championships set for Chlef, Algeria on March 17th. New York Marathon and two time world cross country champion Geoffrey Kamworor will not be among the 30. Kamworor has ruled himself out of the competition with reports indicating he will only focus on running at the World Half Marathon in Valencia, Spain, on March 24. (02/05/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenyans Double at Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon today

Kenya’s Edward Waweru and Betsy Saina took top honors at the Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon, winning the IAAF Silver Label road race in PBs of 1:00:31 and 1:09:17 respectively on Sunday. Waweru, who lives in Japan and runs for NTN Track and Field Club, took 97 seconds off his previous best. The former track specialist had contested just one half marathon before today, clocking 1:02:08 at the 2014 Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon. Shitara was second in 1:01:13, falling nearly one minute short of his national record. “I am happy to be the first Japanese finisher, but I really wanted to win the race,” said Shitara, who will be targeting the Japanese record at the Tokyo Marathon in three weeks. (02/04/2018) ⚡AMP
Japan Running

Previous Record Trounced at Napoli City Half Marathon

Kenyan’s Eliud Mwangi and Philip Kibungei ran well below the course record at the Napoli City Half Marathon today. The two crossed the tenth kilometer in an unofficial time of 28:35, a pace that, if they maintained, would bring them in under 61 minutes, but the climbs and a light wind slowed them in the second half of the race. The two fought to the last meter with a thrilling sprint to the finish, ending with both men having the same time of 1:01:21. Philip Kibungei was the winner in what was his debut in Europe at this distance. (02/04/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenya's Florence Kiplagat is not ready to run the Barcelona Half

Former Chicago marathon champion Florence Kiplagat of Kenya will not defend her Barcelona Half Marathon title on Feb 11. Kiplagat, who broke the world record in Barcelona in 2014 and 2015, has not fully recovered from her muscular crump injury. "I have been in rehabilitation to get the muscular crump injury healed. I have started light training," she said. In 2015, Kiplagat set a new world record of 1:05:09 in Barcelona by shaving three seconds off her previous world record of 1:05.12.The world record has since been improved by Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei to 1:04:51 in Valencia. (02/02/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenya’s Olympic Marathon Champion has ruled out pushing for a new world record in London

“I will not be going for the world record but I intend to run a fast race. Should the world record fall then be it, but I am not focused on it at the moment,” Eliud Kipchoge told a reporter Thursday in Eldoret. He ran 2:03:05 in 2016 in London, the course record, to make himself the second fastest marathon runner and was just eight seconds shy of the world record set by compatriot Dennis Kimetto (2:02:57) in Berlin in 2014. Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele, who ran 2:03:03 in 2016 in Berlin, will be running in London on April 22 together with defending champion Daniel Wanjiru, two-time world marathon champion Abel Kirui, Mo Farah and Stanley Biwott. (02/01/2018) ⚡AMP

Kigen, and Kandie of Kenya wiill Headline Napoli City Half Marathon

Nobert Kigen and Felix Kandie of Kenya headline a men’s pro field aiming for a sub-60 minute performance at the fifth Napoli City Half Marathon in Naples, Italy. February 4 will mark the fifth edition of the race and the second under the direction of Carlo Capalbo, a native of Napoli who serves as chairman of the IAAF Road Running Commission, and the president of the RunCzech Organization. Capalbo has made it his personal mission to bring a world-class running event to his hometown. (01/30/2018) ⚡AMP

4 of the fastest 7 women to race RAK Half Marathon

World record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei and London Marathon champion Mary Keitany are among the star-studded women’s field named for the RAK Half Marathon on February 9. Four of the fastest seven women in history will line up for United Arab Emirates half marathon, with another seven sub-68 minute runners alongside them. Kenya’s Jepkosgei set the world record for the half marathon twice in 2017 after finishing third in RAK last year and lines up alongside fellow Kenyan stars Keitany, Fancy Chemutai and Edith Chelimo. Keitany, a three-time RAK winner, finished second last year, setting a personal best 65:13. (01/29/2018) ⚡AMP

High Winds Slow Down runners at Miami Marathon

More than 20,000 runners from over 80 countries hit the streets of South Florida Sunday for the Fitbit Miami Marathon. Runners faced high winds - gusts of up to 15 mph - along the route, slowing down the times of many runners. Kenyan runner Hillary Too, 38, was the first man (2:23:03). “I was aiming at 2:15 this time. But the wind was so tough," Too said. "This is why I could not run 2:15. But I'd like to come next year.” Lyubov Denisova, 46, of Gainesville was first woman (2:40:54). (01/28/2018) ⚡AMP

Allie Kieffer is training at 7,700 feet in Kenya getting ready for London

Allie Kieffer (USA) has confirmed she will be running the London Marathon in April. She placed 5th 2:29:39 at the 2017 New York City Marathon. She is currently training in Iten Kenya (Elevation 7,700 feet). She is posting her workouts on Strava. Her goal for this week is 100 miles. On Monday she ran 10.6 miles at 6:11 pace with a elevation gain of 878 feet. She ran another 7.5 miles on Monday. The Kenyans run two or three times per day and it looks like she is following their style. (01/26/2018) ⚡AMP

The Training Camp Where Some Of The World Best Runners Train

The Global Sports Communication (athlete management) camp in Kaptagat, Kenya is the primary training camp for some of the world’s best distance runners. The housing, located about 30K outside of Eldoret, a world-famous hot bed for distance runners, is home to the NN Running Team, which includes Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge, Geoffrey Kamworor, world champion Abel Kirui, Toronto Waterfront Marathon champion Philemon Rono and former half-marathon record holder Florence Kiplagat. (01/25/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenya’s Mary Keitany will attempt to break Paula Radcliffe’s world record in London

Just as Radcliffe did when she set the world record at the 2003 London Marathon, Keitany will be running with male pacemakers in her bid to run inside the Briton’s iconic mark of 2:15:25. The 36-year-old Kenyan is already the holder of the women-only marathon world record which she set by winning last year’s Virgin Money London Marathon in 2:17:01. In doing so, Keitany beat Radcliffe’s women-only world best of 2:17:42 and now the Kenyan wants to rewrite the record book again. (01/25/2018) ⚡AMP

Allie Kieffer is in Kenya to train with 2020 Olympic goal in sight

Allie Kieffer is one of the most-adored runners of 2018. The American distance runner from Buffalo, New York opened the year on an even higher note than what she finished it on. After placing 5th towards the end of 2017 at the New York City Marathon, she got herself published in SELF magazine addressing body image issues in the sport. Soon after that, Kieffer landed a sponsorship with women’s athletic-wear brand Oiselle. She recently won the Doha Half-Marathon. She is now in Iten Kenya training. (01/24/2018) ⚡AMP

Wilson Kipsang Has Confirmed That He Will Be Running Tokyo Marathon

Kenya’s Wilson Kipsang, former marathon world record holder, has confirmed according to Japan Running News, that he will be running the 2018 Tokyo Marathon Feb 25. Last year he stormed to victory in 2:03:58, the fastest marathon time ever run in Japan. He was hoping to break the world record. We are sure he will be going after it again in Feb. (01/21/2018) ⚡AMP

44-Year-Old Former Barber Wins Hong Kong Marathon

When Bonsa Dida Direba was born in 1995, Kenneth Mburu Mungara was already 21 years old. But it was experience rather than youth that won the day at the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon Sunday. The 44-year-old Kenyan, a former barber who was only enticed to the sport in his 30s when he cut the hair of other runners, finished in 2:13:38, with Direba just five seconds back. Ethiopia’s Gulume Tollesa defended her title with a course record of 2:29:37. (01/21/2018) ⚡AMP

Bekele has Confirmed He Is Running The London Marathon

Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele has confirmed to run the 2018 London Marathon, joining Britain's Mo Farah and Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge on the start line on Sunday 22 April, organizers said here on Saturday. The trio of Bekele, Farah and Kipchoge have a combined total of eight Olympic gold medals. Farah, 34, is the most decorated with four Olympic gold medals while Bekele, 35, is the 5,000m and 10,000m world record holder (26:17:53), the second fastest marathon runner in history (2:03:03). (01/20/2018) ⚡AMP

Belachew and Tollesa aim to retain their titles

Defending Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon champions Melaku Belachew and Gulume Tollesa are aiming to win back-to-back titles. The Ethiopian duo were unexpected winners in close races 12 months ago, but on Sunday they will line up for the race with the added weight of expectation. Belachew will be joined by fellow Kenyans Robert Kwambai and Joseph Aperumoi, who have set respective PBs of 2:08:14 and 2:08:26 within the past three months, 2016 Hong Kong winner Mike Mutai. (01/19/2018) ⚡AMP

Kiplagat and Tadese lead Marugame Half Marathon

Organisers of the Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon have revealed the entry list for the race. World record-holder Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea heads the men’s entries, while two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat of Kenya is the top name in the women’s field. Five-time world half marathon champion Tadese, who set the world record of 58:23 back in 2010, will be competing in Marugame for the first time in his long and distinguished career. (01/18/2018) ⚡AMP

Kamworor and Jepkosgei lead Trinidad Alfonso Half

Athletics Kenya has named a strong team for the IAAF/Trinidad Alfonso World Half Marathon Championships Valencia 2018. Two-time world half marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor will defend his title. Who is also twice a world cross-country champion, won in Copenhagen in 2014 and Cardiff in 2016. Joyciline Jepkosgei heads the women’s team. Jepkosgei was one of the sensations of the 2017, setting world records at 10km, 15km and 20km en route to her 1:04:51 world half marathon record in Prague. (01/17/2018) ⚡AMP

The Women’s Half Marathon Times in Houston were fast!

The women’s half marathon was both fast and deep on Sunday in Houston. Before Mary Wacera shattered the event record for the Aramco Houston Half Marathon by running 1:06:29 in 2016 for the fastest half marathon ever on U.S. soil, the event record was 1:08:26. In today’s race, a remarkable seven women bettered that time, with Aga’s 1:06:39 now ranking as the second fastest ever run in this country. Caroline Chepkoech of Kenya was runner-up in 1:06:48, the fourth-fastest time in race history, with the next five women all breaking into the top 10 all-time here. (01/14/2018) ⚡AMP

Allie Kieffer Wins the Doha Half Marathon

Mo Farah was the star attraction at the Ooredoo Doha Half Marathon, and while he warmed up for the race, he did not start because of a tight achilles. Alex Kibet of Kenya got the win in 1:01:53 in his absence. Allie Kieffer, the surprise 5th place finisher at the 2017 TCS NYC marathon, who just signed a contract with Oiselle, showed she is in great form with a win in 1:10:40, lowering her PR from 1:14:13, (01/12/2018) ⚡AMP

Cheruiyot and Kipkemboi take kenyan double in Antrim

World 1500m silver medallist Timothy Cheruiyot and fellow Kenyan Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi took top honours at the 41st Antrim International Cross Country in Greenmount on Saturday. On a day of calm and mild weather conditions at Greenmount's College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise, Cheruiyot improved upon his third-place finish from 2016. The Kenyan 1500m champion produced an excellent display to win by milliseconds from Ethiopia’s Mogos Tuemay. (01/08/2018) ⚡AMP

Kenya's Kipchoge focuses on London win

Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya will focus on winning in London Marathon and not setting a world record. The Kenyan missed out on breaking his compatriot Dennis Kimetto's 2:02:57 mark in Berlin last September owing to heavy rains and winds, but promised to return stronger and try to break the record in future. But he has ruled out trying to go for the record in a star studded London Marathon in April, but instead will focus on winning the race. (01/04/2018) ⚡AMP

London's Marathon winner Wanjiru to Run London Big Half

This London Big Half should be an interesting race! With Mo Farah and Daniel Wanjiru lining up, the battle is set for a fast and furious race. Looking forward to this one!. The 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon champion Daniel Wanjiru will take on British favorites Sir Mo Farah and Callum Hawkins in a mouth-watering elite men's race. The Kenyan, who claimed the biggest win of his career at the London Marathon last April, will return to the streets. This time for the Half. (01/03/2018) ⚡AMP

Kiptanui wins the San Silvestre Vallecana in Madrid

Kenya’s Erick Kiptanui was the overwhelming winner at the men’s Madrid’s 53th San Silvestre Vallecana, an IAAF Silver Label road race, on the New Year’s Eve. Kiptanui produced the race’s third fastest ever time by clocking 27:34 while Ethiopia’s Gelete Burka stormed to a 30:55 victory in the corresponding women’s race to miss her own race record by just two seconds. (01/02/2018) ⚡AMP

Three of Top Ten Winning Female Marathon Times On US Soil

"Three of the top ten winning marathon times were run on American soil in 2017," according to My Best Runs. "Ethiopian Dibaba ran 2:18:31 at the Chicago Marathon which was the second fastest winning time of the year. Boston's winning time of 2:21:52 ranked 7th and Honolulu's 2:22:15 ranked 10th. The best time of the year was run in London. Mary Keitany of Kenya ran 2:17:01." Lots of good times but still no one came close to Paula Radcliffe's world record time of 2:15:25. (12/26/2017) ⚡AMP

No Fast Marathons Held On US Soil In 2017

There were a lot of fast marathon times in 2017. "The 15th fastest winning time for men was posted at the Rome Marathon," according to MBR. "Kitata an Ethiopian runner finished first in 2:07:28. Kipchoge posted the best time of the year at the Berlin Marathon. He ran 2:03:32. The fastest winning time of a marathon held on US Soil was 2:08:27. Kenyan's Cherono ran 2:08:27 at the Honolulu Marathon, 18th best winning time of the year. Only six of the top 50 winning times were run on US soil." (12/26/2017) ⚡AMP

Will Shalane Flanagan Be Able To Pull It Off Again?

Watching Shalane Flanagan win the NYC Marathon was one of the top running highlights of 2017. We are psyched to see that she is planning to race Boston in April. There hasn't been an American female winner at the Boston Marathon in almost 30 years. Kenyan and Ethiopian runners now dominate the sport. But this coming April, Shalane Flanagan has a very real chance of winning. She's only 5-foot-4 and 102 pounds. But don't be fooled -- she's has been called a pony-tailed assassin in knee socks. (12/23/2017) ⚡AMP

Non-Africans Can Run on the Same Level as They Do

Sondre Nordstad Moen is the man of the moment after his European marathon record of 2:05:48 at Fukuoka Marathon earlier this month. "It took me 10 years of dedicated training to achieve this performance. It's all about hard work for many years," Moen says. "I think Africans will by far continue to dominate the long distances, but it is possible for some non-Africans to run at the same level as they do." He spends between 150 and 200 days each year living and training in Kenya, 550 since 2009. (12/18/2017) ⚡AMP

Cherono and Kosgei, Smash Records at Honolulu Marathon

MBR BEST 100: Both the men’s and women’s course records came tumbling down at the 45th Honolulu Marathon Sunday morning when Lawrence Cherono and Brigid Kosgei broke the finish line tape in Kapiolani Park in 2:08:26 and 2:22:14, respectively. Improbably, the Kenyan duo demolished the previous race records by a combined six minutes and 17 seconds, and each athlete earned $50,000 in prize money and incentive bonuses. (12/11/2017) ⚡AMP

Improve Performance by Smiling?

Does smiling while sweating make your efforts feel easier. In May, Eliud Kipchoge, Kenyan marathon runner, periodically grinned through the final miles of his fastest-ever marathon, which he completed in 2 hours 25 seconds; afterward, he said that he had hoped that the smiling would ease him to the finish line. But there has been little solid scientific evidence to support this idea. The key may be to grin sincerely near a race’s end, but in 30-second bursts, rather than continuously. NY Times (12/07/2017) ⚡AMP

Double Kenyan triumph in Singapore

Pamela Rotich’s 2:38:31 triumph at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon and her Compatriot Cosmas Kimutai made it a Kenyan double – the seventh in the past eight editions – by winning the men’s race in 2:22:48 in what was his first race for three years. The race, despite starting at 4:30am, still couldn’t escape the 82 degree heat, so times were understandably affected, as is often the case in Singapore. (12/04/2017) ⚡AMP

Chesir back to defend Singapore Title

Kenyans Cyprian Kotut and Rebecca Chesir lead their respective fields at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon this weekend. Chesir returns to the southeast Asian island city-state to defend her title in the women's race. Running in warm conditions after an early 04:30 start, Chesir won last year's edition by more than a minute in 2:43:03. But the 25-year-old has run considerably faster several times in her career, topped by a 2:24:25 run in Vienna last April. (12/01/2017) ⚡AMP

Kipchoge Will Return To London Marathon

Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge will return to the Virgin Money London Marathon on April 22 2018 looking to make it a hat-trick of wins in the capital. The Kenyan superstar won in 2015 and was an agonising eight seconds away from the current world record of two hours two minutes and 57 seconds when he won again a year later. (11/30/2017) ⚡AMP