Running News Daily

Kenyan Julius Kogo won the men’s 10-mile Crim race for the eighth time in his career on Saturday

Julius Kogo wins 8th Crim race under sunny skies in downtown Flint.

Kogo finished the race with a time of 46:52, according to race results.

“I know the course, and though (late in the race) my body was not good, I felt my strength and prayed to God, and just did my best,” Kogo said moments after crossing the finish line. “God willing as I stay healthy, next year I’ll be back.”

Rounding out the top five were second place Nathan Martin, 46:56; third place Dominic Korir, 47:04; fourth place Dathan Ritzenhein, 47:19 and fifth place Andrew Bumbalough, 47:41.

An estimated 12,000 to 13,000 racers participated in the event, according to Race Director Andy Younger.

Tokyo marathon silver medalist Bedan Karoki says he is preparing for a second assault at the Chicago marathon in October

Bedan Karoki, 29, will be among a battery of Kenyan stars heading to the United States seeking to conquer the American race after he only finished ninth in his first bid last year.

"I have been training hard to prepare for the Chicago marathon," Karoki said.

"It is a tough race bearing in mind that we face Mo Farah, Boston marathon champion Lawrence Cherono among others. But it is down to how you prepare and how the body responds on the day of competition."

Karoki, the world half marathon silver medalist in 2016, made his marathon debut in 2017.

"I still need to learn more in the marathon. But I have high hopes of doing well in Chicago. Training is going on well with no injury concerns," he said.

However, Karoki will face tough challenges from defending champion Farah and Boston champion Cherono, both of whom confirmed their quest for the Chicago title this year.

Vivian Kiplagat broke the women’s race record at the 37th Telcel Mexico City Marathon

Kiplagat, 31, ran the second half of the race 10 minutes faster than the first to cross the finish line in 2:33:27, taking almost three minutes off the race record of 2:36:16 set by Peru’s Pan American Games champion Gladys Tejeda in 2017.

Duncan Maiyo slowed down significantly in the second half, but his lead was good enough to secure victory in 2:12:50, two minutes shy of the 2:10:38 race record established by his compatriot Titus Ekiru.

With about 13C heat and 80% humidity at the start, Mexico’s Fabiola Pérez led the group through the first 5km in a pedestrian 20:25. The group of four Kenyan and four Ethiopian women took over and hit 10km in 39:40. By the time they reached the halfway mark, covered in 1:21:43, the group had shrunk to six.

Kiplagat and Paskalia Kipkoech reached the 25km point with a three-second lead over the chase pack of four women and gradually increased their leading margin. The former launched her attack at about 36km and Pamela Rotich could not respond.

Kiplagat, a two-time winner at the Milan Marathon, became the first Kenyan woman to win this race since 2011, crossing the line in 2:33:27. Kipkoech also finished inside the previous record in second place with 2:34:09. Rotich, who finished fifth last year, completed the all-Kenyan podium with 2:38:14.

In the men’s race, Kenya’s Mathew Kisorio, the only sub-2:05 man in the field, sped to the front early on and set a daring pace for a marathon contested at 2,240m above sea level.

With the course going downhill for the first eight kilometres, Kisorio covered the first 5km in 14:33, eight seconds ahead of Duncan Maiyo. By 10km, Maiyo had closed the gap to three seconds, 29:25 to 29:28, and remained in close contact at 15km (44:44 to 44:53).

Kisorio kept up the pressure and hit the halfway mark on Reforma Avenue in 1:03:59 with a 32-second gap on Maiyo. The chase group, meanwhile, was 2:08 adrift.

But the fast pace eventually took its toll on Kisorio as he slowed down significantly at about 30km. With the clock reading 1:39:20, Maiyo caught up with the long-time leader and Kisorio abandoned the race soon after.

More than three minutes ahead of the chase pack, Maiyo cruised to his victory in 2:12:50. It was his first marathon triumph since 2016, his best season when he twice bettered 2:10, including his lifetime best of 2:09:25.

Ethiopia’s Girmay Birhanu (2:16:14) and Eritrea’s Amanuel Mesel (2:16:28) completed the podium.

Both winners were rewarded with 550,000 Mexican pesos (about $27,000).

With a new and faster course, the only IAAF Gold Label marathon in Latin America drew about 25,000 runners.

Kenyans Mathew Kipkoech and Vivian Kiplagat lead a group of eight sub-2:10 men and eight sub-2:30 women vying to become the new champions and to rewrite the records at the 37th Telcel Mexico City International Marathon on Sunday

After a successful 2018 edition, which honoured the 50th anniversary of the 1968 Olympic Games following the same course used at the Games, organisers have designed a new course and assembled one of the best fields in the 37-year-old history of the race, hoping to break the 2:10 and 2:30 barriers at high altitude (2,240m above sea level).

Mathew Kisorio is hoping to be that man. Third at this race last year, he cracked the 2:05 barrier three months later in Valencia with 2:04:53. The 30-year-old is comfortable racing at altitude as his pedigree shows. In February, he made his Mexican debut by winning the Guadalajara Half Marathon and went on to take the Eldoret Marathon two months later.

In the absence of last year’s winner Titus Ekiru, 2018 runner-up Edwin Koech will try to keep the Kenyan supremacy on Mexican roads. The 27-year-old has a personal best of 2:07:13 from 2017 in Milano. He returned to that Italian city last April and finished third with 2:08:24.

Vincent Kipruto, the 2011 World World Championships silver medallist at the distance, will make his Mexican debut. He boasts a personal best of 2:05:13 from 2010 and regained similar form two years ago in Berlin with 2:06:14. Sunday’s will be his first race of the year.

Other top candidates for victory are Ethiopia’s Deribe Merga (2:06:38), Abdela Godana (2:09:04) and Yihunilign Adane (2:09:11), as well as Eritrea’s Amanuel Mesel Tikue (2:08:17).

In the women’s field, Vivian Kiplagat is hoping to bring back the title to Kenya after Peru’s Gladys Tejeda's wins in 2016-2017 and Ethiopia’s Etaferahu Temesgen’s victory in 2018.

Kiplagat, 31, improved her personal best by over four and a half minutes to 2:22:25 to successfully retain her title in Milano last April. Sunday will mark her debut in Mexican races. She is also comfortable running at altitude, judging from her 2:28:06, good for second place, two weeks after her win in Italy.

After a busier season with three marathons in 2018, Tinbit Weldegebril will try to keep the women’s crown in Ethiopia. She improved her personal best twice last year, including a lifetime best of 2:23:37 in Valencia in December, her latest marathon before Sunday.

The running battle between Ethiopia and Kenya should produce an exciting day of racing on Sunday. Kenya is also represented by Paskalia Chepkorir Kipkoech (2:26:04), Valentine Kipketer (2:28:05) and Pamela Rotich (2:27:48), her country’s best ranked woman Mexico City last year, in fifth.

Ethiopia, a country that topped the four first places in the women’s race in 2018, also features Zerfie Limeneh (2:26:48), Zinash Debebe (2:27:15) and Tigist Gebeyahu (2:27:35).

With the start at UNAM University, the venue of the 1968 Olympic stadium, and finish at the Zócalo, Mexico City’s main square, organisers are hoping to see records broken as the race makes its debut as an IAAF Gold Label race.

The records were set by Kenya’s Titus Ekiru (2:10:38) in 2018 and Peru’s Pan American Games champion Gladys Tejeda (2:36:16) in 2017. The race has 25,000 runners registered.

Yes, raw speed helps. But it isn’t everything. Why Older Runners Have an Edge in Ultra Races

There were two first-time winners at last weekend’s Leadville Trail 100 Run, as Ryan Smith of Boulder, Colorado, and Magdalena Boulet from Berkeley, California, persevered on the out-and-back course in the Colorado Rockies. Smith won the men’s race in a time of 16:33:24, while Boulet finished in 20:18:06 and, in a salute to her Western environs, broke the tape wearing a black Stetson hat.

Beyond their individual triumphs, Smith and Boulet also chalked one up for the 40+ demographic; Smith turned 40 this year, while Boulet is a spry 46. For those keeping score, this is actually the second consecutive year where both the male and female winners at Leadville were in their fifth decade. In 2018, it was Rob Krar (41) and Outside contributing editor Katie Arnold (46) who stood atop the podium in a race which is among the oldest 100-milers in the country and bears the prestige of being included in the so-called “Grand Slam of Ultrarunning.”

How to account for this quadragenarian dominance? Road racing snobs might point out that the field size in ultras is generally quite small and that these events are hence less competitive than big city marathons with thousands of participants. This year, the Leadville 100 had fewer than 400 finishers. Then there’s the fact that the elite ultrarunning scene, despite its increased mainstream visibility over the past decade, is still largely unprofessional, in the sense that weekend warriors can carry the day at certain marquee events. Smith works full-time as a software engineer, and Boulet is VP of research and development at GU Energy Labs. While this amateur spirit might be a point of pride for ultrarunners who don’t want their sport to devolve into the doping-riddled morass that is professional track and field, one could argue that it also subtly discourages the best pro distance athletes (i.e. Kenyan and Ethiopian runners) from turning to the trails. This, in turn, makes the podium perpetually attainable for the super-fit middle-aged hobbyist.

But maybe there’s more to it than that. Given the amount of stuff that can go wrong when you’re running 100 miles in the mountains, perhaps more “mature” athletes might have an advantage when raw speed is less essential than psychological resilience.

“Ultrarunning is about problem solving and being fast is just one piece in a larger puzzle,” says Boulet, who was back at work on Monday morning. “There are so many other pieces that need to fall into place in order to have a successful race.”

Boulet would know. In 2015, she triumphed at Western States, arguably the most vaunted ultra on U.S. soil. Last year, she won the Marathon des Sables, a 156-mile, six-day stage race in the Sahara Desert that frequently gets cited as one of the world’s most difficult races.

Boulet also has the rare distinction of having successfully transitioned into the world of ultrarunning after a previous career as a pro marathoner and road racer. In 2008, she made the U.S. Olympic team in the marathon. The following year she was the first American woman (sixth overall) at the NYC Marathon. With the exception of Kara Goucher, who contested her first trail marathon earlier this summer, Boulet is surely the most accomplished road racer to take a serious shot at competitive trail running.

“I was able to bring the experience from my marathon and road career into trail racing, but with a lot more experience and a lot more patience,” she says. “I’m a lot kinder to myself and my body.”

For his part, Sands, who describes himself as a “serious amateur,” agrees with Boulet that being the best pure runner is only one factor when a race involves one hundred miles of elevation change, gnarly terrain, and volatile weather. Unlike in shorter road races, where it is much more feasible to execute a race plan to perfection, in ultras the objective isn’t so much to avoid mishaps, as to make the best of it when they inevitably happen. 

“Typically success in these longer events is not about getting everything dialed next to perfectly, because that’s just so rare,” Sands notes. “It’s really about, when some issue arises and you’re faced with a challenge, how well can you react in the moment to overcome it.”

This latter point reminded me of a recent email exchange I had with Robert Johnson, the editor and co-founder of Letsrun.com and a road-racing snob if ever there was one. Johnson made the point that one thing he finds intriguing about ultras is that there is still an aspect of the “unknown.” He noted that training for traditional distance running had more or less been “solved”; everyone already knows, more or less, how to prepare for races. Ultra-running, on the other hand, is still very much an undiscovered country.

Boulet agrees with this assessment.

“After twelve years of doing marathons, I got to the point where I had that formula dialed-in really well with my coach. We could look at a block of training and know what that translates into [performance-wise]. It was very predictable,” she says.

But the ultra scene offers enough potential variation that, Boulet notes, each race can necessitate its own specific training cycle. In the lead-up to Marathon des Sables, for instance, she spent weeks running on sand.

“For someone who is older, ultras are really exciting because you’re not doing the same thing over and over. They keep changing,” Boulet says.

“I think that’s also a key to longevity in the sport. To keep it interesting—and fun.”

Mo Farah says all of his training is focused on the Chicago Marathon but he is not ruling out running the 10,000m at the world championships just yet

Mo Farah said all of his training focus is on defending his Chicago Marathon title on Oct. 13, but the British star also said that he might also enter the world championships 10,000m on Oct. 6.

“I am a reigning world champion, so I do get an automatic spot,” Farah said of the 10,000m, where he is a three-time reigning world champion.

Farah transitioned to road racing after the 2017 season and was thought to be done with major track championships. Farah was the distance king for more than a half-decade, sweeping the 5000m and 10,000m at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

“I get an automatic spot for the 10,000m but my main target is to defend my [marathon] title, come out to Chicago. All my training is geared toward the marathon.”

An IAAF spokesperson said Farah must be entered as part of the British team by Sept. 16 to be eligible for worlds.

British Athletics said Wednesday that its team will be selected Sept. 2.

“Should Mo wish to race the 10,000m in Doha, he would need to advise the selection panel prior to this date,” a spokesperson said.

Farah enticed his followers about the 10,000m in a July 27 Instagram with the hashtag #doha10k, referencing the site of world championships in Qatar. Farah was asked Tuesday why he included the hashtag.

“Anything is possible,” he said. “I’m a reigning champion. I get an automatic spot. There’s nothing I have to do. I just thought why not?”

It’s not an unprecedented type of move to race a 10,000m one week before a marathon. Former training partner Galen Rupp placed fifth in the 2016 Olympic 10,000m on Aug. 13, then took bronze in the marathon on Aug. 21.

Farah said he hasn’t set any major racing plans beyond Chicago. He finished what he called a disappointing fifth in the London Marathon in 2:05.39 on April 28, three minutes behind winner Eliud Kipchoge. Farah said a satisfying result in Chicago would be a win above worrying about a specific time. The last man to repeat as Chicago champ was Kenyan Sammy Wanjiru in 2010.

The 2020 London Marathon is three and a half months before the Tokyo Olympic marathon, a tight turnaround.

“I think I can get back in form for the London Marathon before the Olympics, and then the Olympics, I guess, but I haven’t decided,” Farah said. “My main target now is just Chicago, then work from there.”

Eight refugee athletes will compete at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar

“We have been training hard. The team is motivated and prepared to perform well at the World Championships. The refugee camp has 30 athletes, out of which we have selected eight for the Doha championships.

We already have three athletes who have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics from the team and we are sure others will attain the qualification standard by next year,” said head coach Thomas Mukwana.

On Thursday, Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei and other officials met the team during the national athletics championships at Nyayo Stadium.

The refugees’ team first participated in the World Championships in London in 2017 and since then, the team has been invited to all IAAF events, with the travel and accommodation for the athletes and officials catered for by the IAAF.

The programme is an initiative of Tecla Loroupe, a three-time world champion, through the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation.

Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor will skip the World Championships at Doha, Eyeing NYC Marathon title instead

Having said earlier this month that he intended to contest the 10,000m title in the world championships for a third time. 

Kamworor, who recently won Kenya’s national championships in the 10,000m, says he prefers to focus on the TCS New York City Marathon, which he narrowly won in 2017 over countryman and former world record-holder Wilson Kipsang. It was Kamworor’s eighth marathon. This year’s event runs November 3, which is only 10 weeks away.

Kamworor, who has also won the world half-marathon championships three times, made the announcement today, after winning the 10,000m title over Rhonex Kipruto and Rodgers Kwemoi in Nairobi yesterday. (Kipruto ran the fastest 10K time on American soil at the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta last month in 27:01.

Kamworor was second in the 10,000m at the 2015 world championships, and sixth in 2017. The last time a Kenyan man won the 10,000m in the world championships was 2001, when Charles Kamathi took the title from Haile Gebrselassie in Edmonton.)

Sir Mo Farah of the UK has won the last three world championships, but Farah, too, has given up the track in favour of the marathon. He will race the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on October 13.

According to the announcement, Alex Oloitiptip has been selected to represent Kenya in the 10,000m in Doha.

Kamworor remained adamant that Doha is not on his mind as he seeks to reclaim the New York Marathon title

Kenya Defence Forces Alex Oloitiptip is the beneficiary of a slot to represent the country at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar next month despite finishing fourth during yesterday’s national trials.

Oloitiptip, a 58:51 man over the half marathon clocked 27:29.40 behind race winner Geoffrey Kamworor (27:24.76), Rhonex Kipruto (27:26.34) and Rodgers Kwemoi (27:26.92).

Richard Kimunyan (27:47.86) and Bernard Kimeli (27:53.32) completed the top six places.

Oloitiptip got the rare slot after Kamworor remained adamant that Doha is not on his mind as he seeks to reclaim the New York Marathon title he won in 2017 but lost to Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa last year.

In a rare move, Athletics Kenya held the 10,000m race trials during the national trials and it was evident from the onset that the invited athletes were eager to bag a ticket to Doha, save for Kamworor, whose aim was to represent his team, National Police Service and as well fine-tune for New York.

In fine weather conditions, Oloitiptip set the early pace followed closely by 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Edwin Soi and Kimunyan, the 2018 world U-18 3,000m champion.

The race went into a single file by the start of the sixth lap with no athlete willing to make the decisive move. Road racer Bernard Kimeli then tried to up the pace in the eighth lap after taking the lead but the chasing pack kept tabs with him for the next four laps.

Kipruto took the lead at the halfway point controlled the race comfortably with Kwemoi and Kimunyan still interested. Kamworor joined the leading pack in the 17th lap and bid his time as Kipruto and Kwemoi tussled for the lead.

At the bell, Kamworor made his move, cruising past a tiring Kipruto and Kwemoi and strode home to victory.

“I was using the event today to test my speed work for the marathon. My body is in good shape and I am confident I can win in New York come November 3,” said Kamworor.

Hellen Obiri has announced she will compete in both the 5k and 10k races at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha

Kenyan middle-distance champion Hellen Obiri has announced she will compete in both the 5k and 10k races at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha next month.

Obiri, 29, the current world 5,000m champion, aims to become one of the rare athletes to win over both distances at the same event.

“Since I have a wild card for the 5,000m in Doha, I feel it is the right time to run both the 5k and 10k. The humid weather has been favourable to me the three times I have ran in the Qatari capital,” Obiri told AFP.

“I know that this is a big task but I am going to intensify my training in these remaining five weeks before we travel to Doha.”

Obiri qualified for the 10k race by coming second behind world bronze medallist Agnes Tirop in the Kenyan trials on Wednesday. Rosemary Wanjiru finished third in the qualifying race.

Norwegian Sondre Nordstad Moen is taking part in the Copenhagen Half Marathon

Sondre Moen established his name on the international running scene back in 2017. First he clocked 59:48 minutes on the half marathon distance. Only a month later, he won the Fukuola Marathon in Japan to set a a new European record of 2:05:48.

On that occasion, he defeated both Stephan Kiprotich from Uganda, a former Olympic and World half marathon Champion, and Bedan Karoki from Kenya, who earlier that year came second at London Marathon.

Now he has the third fastest half marathon time in Europe ever.

Back to the top Since his breakthrough, Sondre Moen has been injured for periods, but now he is back in shape and ready to run fast at the CPH Half.

“It is a flat course with Nordic weather conditions and a strong field that will be running fast. That is what I’m looking forward to about the CPH Half. And if it’s the right day, I might even set a new personal best,” says Sondre Moen.

“My season started out well as I set a new Norwegian 5 km record with a time of 13:37. In March, I won a half marathon in Gdynia clocking 61:18 on a hilly and windy course. My training went well, but then I was injured, and was unable to prepare for the track season,” says the Norwegian super runner.

His focus is on the longer distances, which is where his has his strengths as a runner.

“My weakness is the fact that I’ve never had a great sprint finish, and that is why I started focusing on the longer distances. My strength is that I have always been very efficient and enduring in a pace around 2:55/3:00 minutes per km. I like to run for hours in a fast pace but without a sprint finish, which makes me a better over long distances such as half marathon and marathon,” says Sondre Moen.

Sondre Moen’s dreams for the future are about the marathon distance.

“I have a great base after 10-15 years of training, and I am confident that I will be back stronger than ever. My dream is to win an Olympic marathon medal,” says Sondre Moen.

Boston marathon champion Lawrence Cherono has confirmed he will compete in Chicago Marathon against Britain's Mo Farah

Speaking from his training base in Kaptagat, Kenya Lawrence Cherono says he is focused on making two wins in a year in major U.S. marathons. He bagged the Boston title in April against a spirited challenge from compatriots and Ethiopians rivals.

Now, the 31-year-old, has raised his ante in training as he seeks to be in peak condition before stepping out on the flat Chicago course.

"I feel strong and ready for the challenge in Chicago. The determination and drive to excel in major marathon races is there and of course it will help a lot in my dream to make the Kenya team to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 should I win in Chicago," said Cherono on Wednesday.

Making the Kenya team in marathon is not for the faint hearted and Cherono is choreographing his path to the games by picking up wins in major city marathons and road races.

His last outing this year was in Colombia last month where he finished second at a half marathon race in Bogota clocking an impressive 64.09 minutes.

This was barely two months after he had also ended up second at the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in San Diego California clocking 60:46 minutes. "I always put my best in training because when you go out of Kenya to trace, it is like going to war. Everyone targets to beat you and I want to be at my best when I head to Chicago because it will not be an easy walk through the park," he added.

Indeed, in Chicago, Cherono will face one of his biggest challengers when he comes up against Olympic champion Mo Farah. The Briton won the race in 2018 and confirmed that he is focused in defending his Chicago Marathon title on Oct. 13.

Though he has not ruled out the prospects of running at the World championships in the 10,000m race that will be on Oct. 6 in Doha, Qatar. "I am a reigning world champion, so I do get an automatic spot anyway," Farah said of the 10,000m, where he is a three-time reigning world champion.

Farah also said on Tuesday that he can wait until "the last minute" to change his mind and also enter the Doha 10,000m by the deadline which is on Sept. 16. In April, Farah finished what he called a disappointing fifth in the London Marathon in 2:05:39, three minutes behind winner and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge.

Farah said a satisfying result in Chicago would be a win above worrying about a specific time. The last man to repeat as Chicago champ was Kenyan Sammy Wanjiru in 2010. Now Mo faces the challenge from Cherono and America's Galen Rupp and Dathan Ritzenhein.

Scottish film director Kevin Macdonald is going to be making a documentary on Eliud Kipchoge's plans to break the two-hour barrier for 26.2 miles

Eliud Kipchoge is the marathon world record holder with a time of 2:01:39. In October in Vienna he will be attempting to run the first sub two hour time for 26.2 miles.  It won’t count as a world record, however since it is being run as a time trial but still the feat would be off the charts.  

Kevin Macdonald is expected to land in Kenya soon. While in the country, he will be taken around by filmmakers associated with Ginger Ink, who is known for producing some of Kenya's award-winning movies like 'Supa Modo' and 'Nairobi Half Life'. The two movies by Ginger Ink have been submitted for the Oscars.

The Eliud Kipchoge documentary, which will be shot in Iten, is funded by Britain’s billionaire  Jim Ratcliffe.

Ratcliffe founded chemicals group INEOS and is estimated by London-based Sunday Times Rich List to be worth 21 billion pounds (25.5 billion US).

Ratcliffe was born in Failsworth, Lancashire. He studied chemical engineering and got his first job at oil company Esso.

He started making his fortune by mortgaging his house in 1992 to finance a buyout of a BP chemicals business and formed INEOS in 1998.

Today his fortune is valued at 21 billion pounds, and in May 2018, he was named the richest person in the UK.

Macdonald is known for shooting captivating documentaries. He worked with the film production team Altitude, who created a 2018 documentary based on Whitney Houston's life and death.

This was the first Whitney Houston documentary to be officially authorised by the estate and includes never-before-seen footage of Houston, exclusive demo recordings, rare performances and interviews with luminaries like Clive Davis.

He said, "The story that is never told about Whitney is just how brilliant she was as an artiste. By many measures, she had the greatest voice of the last 50 years. She changed the way pop music was sung, bringing it back full circle to its blues and gospel roots."

He plans on doing an equally exciting documentary on Eluid Kipchoge.  

Three-time World Half Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor and World Under-20 10000m champion Rhonex Kipruto to renew rivalries with Doha tickets on the line

Geoffrey Kamworor and  Rhonex Kipruto are set to light up Nyayo National Stadium when the National Athletics Championships takes place from August 20 to 22.

While the trials for the World Championships is slated for September 3 at the same venue, the 10000m races for both men and women will be used to select Kenya’s team for the global showpiece set for September 28 to October 6 in Doha, Qatar.

Kamworor who has been regarded the king for both track and road races will have to deal with the youthful Kipruto who is no doubt one of Kenya’s finest talents over the distance.

The duo last clash was at this year’s World Cross Country Championships with Kamworor settling for a bronze medal while Kipruto came sixth.

After storming to an easy win at the National Police Service, Kamworor revealed that he was not yet decided if he will be competing at the Worlds since he may opt to take a shot at the Copenhagen Half Marathon which comes a week before the World Championships after his entry was confirmed June.

Although the pair may be the favorites on paper, World Under-20 10000m silver medalist Stanley Waithaka should not be ignored either being one of the 10 athletes who have already hit the qualification mark of 27:40.00 alongside Kamworor and Kipruto.

Ireland´s Mark English has declared his intent to qualify for next month’s World Athletics Championships in Doha following yesterday’s sensational 800m win at the Diamond League meeting in Birmingham

English put a disappointing Cork City Sports behind him thanks to his dramatic success at Alexander Stadium, which scarcely looked possible with less than 100 metres to go – and now he wants qualification for Qatar wrapped up within the week.

The Letterkenny UCD AC athlete didn’t finish the 800m at CIT on Wednesday night, withdrawing with 200m to go as the race was well beyond him, but this time around rocketed from down the field to earn a sensational win on athletics’ biggest circuit.

The Donegal star was lying 8th and way down at the final bend as Alfred Kipketer of Kenya and Britain’s Elliot Giles were fighting it out for the win.

But they never spotted the man in lane four.

With absolute determination, three-times European Championship medallist English pushed through on the outside to score a major victory on the world tour, albeit in a race not actually counting towards the Diamond League standings.

English won in a season’s best time of 1:45.94 seconds – just 0.14 seconds outside the IAAF qualifying time for next month’s Worlds in Doha – a full second inside his previous best mark of the campaign.

Kipketer finished second in 1:46.10, with Giles third in 1:46.27, in a contest where unusually there were a mammoth twelve starters.

English paid tribute to coach Steve Magness and physio Chris Bramah afterwards, quipping on social media: “A right funny old sport, eh? Nice to take the big win at the Birmingham Diamond League today. Big step in the right direction.”

Leonard Korir becomes first American man to win the Falmouth Road Race since 1988

History was made this morning when Leonard Korir became the first American since 1988 to win the men’s division of the Falmouth Road Race. It was an exciting end to the 47th annual race that saw plenty of fog and muggy temperatures.

Four-time winner Stephen Sambu came in second and Edward Cheserek placed third.

In previous races at the event, Korir finished second in 2016 and 2017 and third last year and 2015.

Leonard Korir pulled ahead of four-time champion Stephen Sambu with less than two miles to go.

Korir, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, finished second behind Sambu, of Kenya, in 2017. This year, Korir dominated the end of race and completed the 7-mile course in 32 minutes, 11 seconds.

Sambu finished second in 32:29, while Kenya's Edward Cheserek, a former 17-time NCAA champion with Oregon, was third in 32:30.

In the women’s elite division, Sharon Lokedi, a recent Kansas graduate from Kenya, crossed the finish line first and America’s Sarah Hall came in second.  Sharon, the 2018 NCAA champion at 10,000 meters clocked 36:29, holding off American Sarah Hall (36:34). Kenya's Margaret Wangari, the 2012 Falmouth champion, was third (36:43).

Augustine Choge, Victor Chumo and Bernard Lagat have been selected to pace for Eliud Kipchoge in his mission to run the first sub two hour marathon

Three seasoned road runners, Augustine Choge, Victor Chumo from Kenya and double world champion Bernard Lagat of the United States have been selected to pace for Eliud Kipchoge in his mission to run the marathon in less than two hours in Vienna in October.

Choge and Chumo are part of the team training with Kipchoge in Kenya for the race, which is set for October 12-20 window in Vienna, Austria. A specific date will be made known days to the race after the accurate weather forecast has been confirmed.

Kipchoge says to break the two-hour mark in marathon is about setting history and challenging his body to the limit.

"It's like stepping on the moon, going up the tallest mountain and even going to the middle of the ocean," Kipchoge said on Saturday.

Whereas the focus will be on the Olympic and London Marathon champion to improve on his last mark of two hours and 25 seconds, the three pace setters will carry the burden to lead the Berlin champion through his steps and see to it that he delivers the results for the INEOS 1:59 Challenge.

In Monza, Italy in 2017, Lagat was one of the pace setters together with Ethiopia's Lelisa Desisa and Eritrea's Zersenay Tadese, both of whom fell by the wayside, leaving the Olympic champion to run over half of the race alone.

But now the organizers have announced the trio together with Norway's Henrik, Filip and Jakob Ingebrigtsen plus Australian pair Jack Rayner and Brett Robinson.

Further pacemakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Ingebrigtsen brothers Jakob, Filip and Henrik hope to help Eliud Kipchoge break two hours for the marathon in Vienna in October

Ingebrigtsen brothers confirmed as INEOS 1:59 Challenge pacemakers.

Famous running brothers Jakob, Filip and Henrik Ingebrigtsen have been confirmed as part of the pacemaking team for Eliud Kipchoge’s INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna this October.

In a recent interview, world marathon record-holder Kipchoge described breaking the two-hour barrier for the 26.2-mile event as “like the first man to go to the moon” and so far eight athletes have been announced as being part of the ‘pacemaking family’ which will hope to help the Kenyan to achieve it.

Last year, aged just 17, Jakob won both 1500m and 5000m titles at the European Championships and this autumn the Norwegian – who will then be 19 – will be the youngest of Kipchoge’s pacemakers, 25 years younger than USA’s Bernard Lagat who at 44 years old will be the oldest.

“To be a teenager and to be part of this project is really amazing,” said Jakob. “As a family we are used to running together and to be able to run together, alongside other great athletes to help Eliud Kipchoge try to break two hours will be something very special.”

Filip added: “Kipchoge was so close last time he tried at Breaking2 and he has improved since then.

“If he is in the sort of form he was in when he broke the world record in Berlin last year – and with three hares flying in from Norway to help – I expect there to be a record.”

Joining the ‘three hares’ will be Lagat, Kenyans Augustine Choge and Victor Chumo and Australians Jack Rayner and Brett Robinson.

Further pacemakers are set to be announced in the coming weeks.

Kenya´s Philemon Rono will be looking for another title at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Philemon Rono of Kenya has won the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon twice–the first time in 2016, and the second time in 2017, when he set the Canadian all-comers record of 2:06:52 (also his personal best).

Rono, who trains with NN Running (marathon world record-holder Eliud Kipchoge’s group), was dealing with a calf injury and didn’t have a great race in 2018, finishing ninth in 2:13:36, but the diminutive runner they call Baby Police is healthy and will be back on October 20, hoping not only to win, but to lower his Canadian soil record.

Rono raced at Boston in April, finishing eighth, in 2:08:57–which he was happy with. He is currently running about 200K per week with the NN Training group in Kaptagat under the direction of coach Patrick Sang.

Kipchoge has a big influence on the training, Rono says. “We watch everything he does.” Many accounts of Kipchoge’s training make note of the fact that while living in camp from Monday to Saturday, he takes his turn mopping floors and scrubbing toilets like everyone else. When not working out, the group loves to watch soccer on TV. Like Kipchoge, Rono travels home to his farm on weekends, where he spends time with his wife and young son, and tends his cattle.

Rono’s stiffest competition so far announced will be Abera Kuma, who has a personal best of 2:05:50, and Benson Kipruto, who won last year’s marathon in 2:07:24 (which was seconds off his PB).

The race will also serve as the Canadian marathon championships and unofficial Olympic trials, with the top Canadian male automatically qualifying for Team Canada at Tokyo 2020 (provided he achieves the Olympic standard of 2:11:30 within the qualifying window). 

Reid Coolsaet, Dylan Wykes, Rob Watson and Canadian marathon record-holder Cam Levins will all be on the start line on October 20.

Eliud Kipchoge says that he has no doubts, he will break the two hours barrier for the marathon in Vienna

Eliud Kipchoge is convinced he will run the first sub-two hour marathon in Vienna in October.

The Olympic champion and world record holder ran an unofficial 2:00.25 at Italy's Monza race track in May 2017 in his first attempt to break the magic barrier.

But speaking to journalists on a conference call from his home in Kaptagat, Kipchoge said, "I have no doubts at all. Absolutely clear on the goal."

If he is successful, he believes it will be in the same bracket as the first lunar landing 50 years ago and the ascent of Mount Everest in terms of human achievement.

And Kipchoge thinks achieving his goal will enable others to follow in his footsteps.

The 34-year-old added, "I think after doing it, then many people will have courage. Many athletes will believe in themselves that this is possible.

Kipchoge, who plans to defend his Olympic title at Tokyo 2020, said he decided on this second attempt after coming so close at the Breaking 2 in Monza.

He said, "It’s the right time for me try and run under two hours. But above all, I decided I should try and make history before the Olympics."

Kipchoge announced in June that he would switch his bid for history from London to the Austrian capital.

He will run in the Prater public park, situated next to the River Danube, taking in at least four laps of the Hauptallee, the avenue running through it.

The Kenyan's management team cited "consistent and optimum weather conditions in October, fresh air, wide, traffic-free and illuminated roads and the ability to have supporters lining the route" among their reasons for choosing Vienna.

The attempt is due to take place on 12th October but there will be a reserve window of eight days to allow for the best possible weather.

This is being run like a time trial and the time will not count as a world record by the IAAF.

Kenyan Stephen Sambu will be looking for his fifth Falmouth Road Race title this Sunday

After coming up a little short in his bid to become the first person to ever win five Falmouth Road Race titles after claiming four in a row from 2014 to 2017, Kenyan Stephen Sambu aims to make history once again on Sunday, August 18, in the 47th running of the Falmouth Road Race.

Sambu fell shy of the feat when Canadian Ben Flanagan shocked the field last year to become the first North American to win the race in 30 years. Sambu faded to a fourth place finish in the 2018 race.

With Flanagan out of action with an injury, Sambu is considered the favorite, along with his friend Leonard Korir, of the United States, to take the crown. Sambu and Korir battled in one of the most memorable finishes in race history in 2017, with Sambu edging his buddy down the final hill in the Falmouth Heights to take the crown.

Americans Sara Hall and Des Linden will return for the 47th running of the New Balance Falmouth Road Race to highlight the women's field.

Sambu won the New Balance Falmouth Road Race every year from 2014-2017, becoming the first four-time winner of the men’s open division in race history. The runner-up in two of those victories was Korir, a 2016 Olympian at 10,000 meters, who will represent the US this fall at the IAAF World Championships. In 2017, Korir nearly denied Sambu his place in the history books in a fight to the finish that saw both athletes awarded the same time.

Sambu and Korir will be challenged by a tough international field that includes Thomas Ayeko of Uganda, who finished seventh in the 2019 IAAF World Cross Country Championships; David Bett of Kenya, who won the B.A.A. 10K in June; and Silas Kipruto of Kenya, winner of the 2019 Cooper River Bridge Run.

Massachusetts native Colin Bennie, who was the top American at the AJC Peachtree Road Race on July 4, and Scott Fauble, a top contender to make Team USA at the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials in February and the Falmouth runner-up last year, should be in the hunt.

Shalane Flanagan went for her first post-surgery run–12 minutes of run-walking on an anti-gravity treadmill

It’s been four months since 2017 NYC Marathon winner and 2018 third-place finisher Shalane Flanagan had surgery to repair her severely damaged right patellar tendon, and yesterday she happily posted a photo of her first post-surgery run–on a Woodway Boost anti-gravity treadmill–on Instagram.

“I still know how to run!” Flanagan posted. She reports that she ran two-and-ones (two minutes running, one minute walking) for 12 “bliss-filled” minutes at 70 to 77 per cent of her bodyweight. “I was soooooooo excited for today that I actually laid out my running clothes last night (just like I would do before the first day of school when I was a kid).”

Flanagan’s surgery was a patellar tendon allograft and chondroplasty, meaning tissue from a recently deceased person (actually from the hamstring of a 21-year-old) was used to repair her patellar tendon, which was then anchored to her tibia with three screws.

The tissue donor’s family was willing to have her know their identity, and Flanagan reached out to thank them with a personal letter. “I’m moved beyond words knowing what a gift I’ve been given,” she posted.

Anti-gravity treadmills are commonly used to aid in athlete rehabilitation. Air pressure technology allows the athlete to reduce impact while running, and they can transition gradually to supporting their full body weight. According to her posts, Flanagan has been walking and doing strengthening workouts in the gym for some time. Looks like it’s too soon to say when we might see her back on the racing circuit.

In 2017 Flanagan became the first American woman to win the TCS New York City Marathon in 40 years. In 2018 she finished third behind Mary Keitany and Vivian Cheruiyot of Kenya.

Runners of all varieties can draw some lessons from Flanagan’s experience: one, don’t take your ability to run for granted. Two, don’t give in to discouragement if you’re injured and can’t run. 

Hellen Obiri is having the season of her life and seemingly nothing will stop her attempt of lighting up the World in Doha

By all means, Hellen Obiri is having the season of her life and seemingly nothing will stop her attempt to etch her name amongst Kenya’s athletics folklore.

If her exploits on the track so far this year is anything to go by, she could break the ceiling when the 2019 IAAF World Athletic Championships get underway in Doha, Qatar on September 28.

The month of March was particularly monumental for her what with the World Cross Country triumph in Aarhus, Denmark which earned her a spot in the track greats, having emerged as the first female runner with senior crowns in the IAAF World outdoor (3,000m), World Indoor (5,000m) and World Cross Country Championships (10km).

She reckons it is the toughest win of her career having had to shake off an absorbing Aarhus terrain to reign supreme.

Given that the cross county victory was her debut; she observes that was the best highlight for the first half of the year.

“So far the year has been fantastic for me because I made my debut in World Cross Country and I won.

“That was a good start to form me. We are in the middle of the season and given that we have three months before the year ends, I’m   sure it will be my best,” She told Citizen Digital.

Her meteoric rise has seen her stage strong performances in both indoor and outdoor games and she is leaving nothing to chance in her preparations.

“We are working hard, my coach and my manager are working hard to make sure that everything I need is in place.

“The aim at the moment is to establish my weaknesses and also the areas I need to improve on so that I’m ready for the World Championships,” she added.

The side effects of doping are bad and it is just not worth doing it in the first place

At first, the Kenyan marathoner felt invincible. Racing out beyond the pack, his energy levels buoyed by blood doping, nothing seemed to stand in the way of victory.

"At 35 kilometres, I started getting cramps," the athlete told AFP on condition of anonymity, recalling the 2012 race in Europe where his health starting failing.

"I then started limping from 36-37 kilometres until I crossed the finish line."

Remarkably, he still finished second and recorded a personal best, returning home from the European race with a silver medal and a tidy pot of prize money.

Elated at the result, and unaware of the health risks associated with erythropoietin (EPO) abuse, the 35-year-old started doping again.

The pain came roaring back, worse than before. EPO boosts the capacity of blood to carry oxygen to the muscles but its misuse can cause a host of serious complications.

"I feel pain in my chest, my muscles are sore and I cough a lot," he said, describing common side effects of EPO, a peptide hormone banned by the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) since the early 1990s.

By 2016, he was forced off the track into early retirement, and has not run since.

"All I knew, was that once you dope, you end up running well. I never knew there would be such problems," he said.

Kenya barely survived a string of high-profile doping scandals in 2016 that almost saw the African nation celebrated for its distance runners barred from the Rio Olympics.

Since then, Kenya has increased its testing of athletes 10-fold through a new anti-doping authority and tough new laws also threaten users and their dealers with criminal sanctions.

But EPO use has not been stamped out, say Kenyan athletes, suppliers of the substance and anti-doping officials.

There are thousands of professional runners registered with Kenya's athletic federation, but only a handful of elite competitors are regularly screened by the national doping watchdog ADAK.

The lure to rise above the pack is strong.

"When life becomes difficult, you look for an option to make ends meet," said the former Kenyan athlete, who has struggled to make a living after his health deterioration from EPO abuse.

"I was told if I used it, I'd run much better. But now I have missed out on everything."

The Anti-Doping Agency in Kenya (ADAK) has run awareness campaigns under its slogan "Stay Clean, Win Right", trying to educate athletes on the harms of abusing performance enhancing drugs.

"They try, but it's not enough. Not everyone on the field has received the information," the athlete told AFP.

He said athletes themselves needed to spread the word about the dangers of doping.

"I would encourage them not to dope, because even if they made money... they could also damage their bodies."

Kilian Jornet of Spain and Switzerland's Maude Mathys smashed the respective course records at the Sierre-Zinal in Switzerland, the fifth race in the 2019 World Mountain Running Association on Sunday

Jornet clocked 2:25:35 over the 31km course to break the 2:29:12 record set by Jonathan Wyatt in 2003. Mathys was even more dominant, clocking 2:49:20 to clip more than five minutes from the previous mark of 2:54:26 set by Czech Anna Pichrtova in 2008. 

The iconic race, which starts in the Valais town of Sierre and climbs to the village of Zinal, has a total ascent of 2200m and 1100m of descent and features a course offering views of five of the area’s 4000-meter peaks, lending it the nickname, the "Five 4000s Race”.

Jornet broke away early, soon after leaving Sierre and had built a two minute advantage over 2016 winner Petro Mamu by the Ponchette checkpoint seven kilometres into the race. Between the Chandolin and Hotel Weisshorn checkpoints, Jornet eased the pace, allowing Mamu to reduce the gap to 1:27.

From Weisshorn, at 2337m the course's highest point, the race once again picked up steam. The key for Jornet was his powerful performance on the uphill sections, normally the weaker part of his race. While Mamu continued to chip away at the lead, Jornet held on, beating the Eritrean by 42 seconds to take his seventh victory at the event. Mamu clocked 2:26:17, also well inside the previous record.

Jim Walmsley of the US, who last May clocked a world best over 50 miles (80.46km), rounded out the podium in 2:31:52, a solid performance in his European trail and mountain running debut. Juan Carlos Carrera of Mexico and Robbie Simpson of Great Britain completed the top five, clocking 2:32:52 and 2:33:55, respectively.

Briton Andrew Douglas finished sixth to solidify his lead in the WMRA World Cup standings. With 450 points, the Briton has pieced together an unassailable lead with two races remaining in the series.

Mathys, who raced to the European title last year, dominated the women's contest, padding her lead with each passing kilometre before beating compatriot Judith Wyder by exactly five minutes. Wyder's 2:54:20 was also faster than the previous course record.

Italy's Silvia Rampazzo was third in 2:56:17 to finish off the podium. New Zealander Ruth Croft edged Anais Sabrie of France for fourth by just two seconds in 3:01:56. 

Irishwoman Sarah McCormack finished 12th to up her point tally in the World Cup standings to 305. Injury forced Kenyan Lucy Wambui, one of the pre-race favorites, out early on, solidifying McCormack's chances for her overall World Cup title bid.

The WMRA World Cup resumes on 14 September at the Drei Zinnen in Sexten, in the heart of Italy's Dolomites before its traditional conclusion at the Smarna Gora race just outside the Slovenian capital Ljubljana on 12 October.

Kenya's Bedan Karoki and Stephen Kiprop will skip the World Championships to focus on road races

Kiprop illustrated fine form in 2018, winning three half-marathon races in the Netherlands and Czech Republic, and finishing fifth in Valencia clocking 59:21.

Winning the 2019 Ras Al Khaimah half marathon clocking 58 minutes and 42 seconds, fastest in the world this year, he is joint sixth on the world all-time list in February.

Now the 19-year-old will give the World Championships a bye to compete at the Valencia half marathon on October 27 in Spain.

The other elite runner Karoki, the silver medalist from Tokyo Marathon, told Xinhua from Nyahururu on Friday that he will instead compete at the half marathon in Argentina.

"I have committed myself to run a half marathon in Argentina and I have to honor it," Karoki said.

"I have had my chance with the Kenya team and the World Championships in Doha will not be on my schedule this time round," he said.

Kenya has failed to win a gold medal in the 10,000m race at the World Championships since Charles Kamathi won in Edmonton, Canada back in 2001.

Karoki, a silver medalist at the 2016 World Half Marathon and 2015 World Cross Country, said he is building up for Chicago marathon by running half marathons. He is also eyeing a slot in Kenya's marathon team for next year's Tokyo Olympics.

Kellyn Taylor will join to Top U.S. Women field at the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon

When Kellyn Taylor was plotting the lead up to the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, she had already checked “run a fast marathon time” off her to-do list, by way of the 2:24:28 she clocked at the 2018 Grandma’s Marathon. What else did she want to accomplish before the big show?

“I’ve done New York City once and it was my highest placing [in a major marathon] ever,” Taylor said, during a phone interview with Women’s Running. “It was my favorite marathon to date. For me, it’s more about not feeling stagnant before the Trials—I perform best when I come off a big buildup.”

The tactical nature of the New York City Marathon, combined with the hillier terrain of the course will serve as good practice for the Trials course that she’ll run on February 29, in Atlanta. And the competition she’ll face? On the American side, it will also look familiar, joined by a stellar international presence as well.

New York City Marathon officials announced the full professional field on Tuesday, and it includes Mary Keitany of Kenya, the defending champion who has won the race four times already. It also includes Ruti Aga of Ethiopia with a 2:18:34 personal best, and Worknesh Degefa, also of Ethiopia, who has a 2:17:41 best and won the 2019 Boston Marathon. Joyciline Jepkosgei, the world record holder in the half marathon (1:04:51) from Kenya is also slated to compete.

Taylor will face off with a number of U.S. women who she’ll compete with in February at the Trials, where the top three finishers will earn a place on the 2020 Olympic team. Desiree Linden, the 2018 Boston Marathon champion and two-time Olympian, will race, as well as Sara Hall, who has a 2:26:20 best. Allie Kieffer (2:28:12) is scheduled to return to racing, too, after tending to injuries over the past year, along with Diane Nukuri.

When Taylor ran the 2017 New York City Marathon, she placed eighth in 2:29:56. She came away with a few key lessons she’ll try to remember on November 3.

“Having faith in your abilities is the biggest thing. The last time, I didn’t make the first big move that everybody else made and found myself separated from the pack,” she said. “I ran the fastest mile of anybody in that race when I caught back up to them, so I need to put myself in it. That’s when the magic happens.”

Taylor is coming off a third-place finish in the 10,000 meters at the U.S.A. Track & Field Outdoor Championships, which is her best finish at a national track championships. It leaves her with another notch of confidence heading into 2020.

Stephen Sambu of Kenya and Leonard Korir of the U.S., Sara Hall and Des Linden will return for the 47th running of the New Balance Falmouth Road Race

Stephen Sambu of Kenya and Leonard Korir of the U.S., who together staged an epic battle to the finish line in 2017, and Americans Sara Hall and Des Linden will return for the 47th running of the New Balance Falmouth Road Race, organizers announced today.

The fields for the Wheelchair Division presented by Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod and the Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile will be announced next week.

Sambu won the New Balance Falmouth Road Race every year from 2014-2017, becoming the first four-time winner of the men’s open division in race history. The runner-up in two of those victories was Korir, a 2016 Olympian at 10,000 meters who will represent the U.S. this fall at the IAAF World Championships. In 2017, Korir nearly denied Sambu his place in the history books in a fight to the finish that saw both athletes awarded the same time.

Sambu and Korir will be challenged by a tough international field that includes Thomas Ayeko of Uganda, who finished seventh in the 2019 IAAF World Cross Country Championships; David Bett of Kenya, who won the B.A.A. 10K in June; and Silas Kipruto of Kenya, winner of the 2019 Cooper River Bridge Run. Massachusetts native Colin Bennie, who was the top American at the AJC Peachtree Road Race on July 4, and Scott Fauble, a top contender to make Team USA at the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials in February and runner-up here last year to Canadian Ben Flanagan, should be in the hunt.

Flanagan’s season has been cut short by injury, but he will return to Falmouth to speak on a Past Champions panel at the Health & Fitness Expo, hand out gift bags at bib pickup and run with a group of local youth.

In the women’s open division, Hall – who finished second here in 2015 – comes in as the reigning USA 10K champion, and in her long career has won U.S. titles at distances ranging from the mile to the marathon. Fellow American Des Linden, a two-time OIympian and the 2018 Boston Marathon champion, will make her Falmouth competitive debut after running with the pack here last year in celebration of her Boston victory.

“It’s beautiful,” said Linden of the course after her 2018 run. “It helps you forget it’s really hard. Some really impressive things have been done on this course. It’s cool to cover it, and it would be really fun to race it.”

They will face a deep women’s field, highlighted by a trio of Kenyans: 2012 New Balance Falmouth Road Race Champion Margaret Wangari, 2018 NCAA 10,000-meter champion Sharon Lokedi and Iveen Chepkemoi, who recently finished second in the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, N.Y.  Also challenging will be two athletes from Great Britain: Lily Partridge, the 2018 national marathon champion, andTish Jones, who will compete in the marathon at the 2019 World Championships. 

Allie Kieffer, who finished fifth in the 2015 TCS New York City Marathon; Melissa Dock, the top American woman here last year who competed for Team USA at the 2019 Bolder Boulder;Molly Seidel, the 2015 NCAA 10,000-meter champion; and Nell Rojas, winner of the 2019 Grandma’s Marathon and daughter of Ric Rojas, who competed for Harvard and at one time held the 15K world record, round out a solid American lineup.

Three-time winner Caroline Chepkoech of Kenya will not return to defend her title.

First prize in the men’s and women’s open division is $10,000, part of a total $126,000 prize purse for Race Week events, which include the Aetna Falmouth Elite Mile the evening before the 7-miler. In addition, the men’s and women’s winners will seek to prevail in “The Countdown.”

A beat-the-clock handicap race, “The Countdown” features a finish-line clock that starts when the first woman breaks the tape, counting down the number of minutes and seconds the winning man has to beat, according to a pre-determined formula. If the clock runs out before he crosses the line, the victorious woman wins a $5,000 bonus; if it doesn’t, the winning man takes home the money. The time to beat this year is 3 minutes and 35 seconds.

Berlin marathon silver medalist Amos Kipruto is optimistic to clinch gold at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar

Kipruto, 27, has made the Kenya's team to the World Marathon Championships after his sensational run in Berlin chasing down Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge as he went on to set a new world record of 2:01:39 in the German capital.

Though Kipruto finished the race almost four minutes later clocking 2:06:23, it opened a door for him to represent the country at the World Championships and he has promises to help the country maintain a firm grip on the gold medal at the worlds.

"I must laud the head coach for trusting me with the duty to represent Kenya at the World Championships. It will be my first time to represent Kenya at the World Championships and I had been praying over it for some time.

"In Kenya we have many athletes and being selected means that I am living the dream itself. So it is up to me to win gold and wrap it up for the country," Kipruto said on Thursday in Eldoret.

Kipruto says Kenyan athletes have the talent, and need not waste it through short cuts by cheating.

"The short cuts are not good. This vice must be destroyed and athletes need to learn that it pays to win clean. Today, we are the most tested athletes worldwide and anyone winning does it through hard training," Kipruto said.

"If you run and train well, it will help you win clean. I know am capable of running a world record one time, but at the moment the focus is on the gold at the World championships."

Kipruto will link up with defending champion Geoffrey Kirui, two-time Paris marathon champion Paul Lonyangata, Laban Korir, and Ernest Ngeno.

At the same time former Commonwealth Games 5,000m champion Mercy Cherono is back from maternity leave and hopes to make Kenya team to the World Championships.

Cherono last won a silver medal in 5,000m during the 2013 Championships in Moscow, Russia.

"I am back in training and hope to make the World Championship team because I have nothing more to prove. Pressure is off me and all I need to do is run my race," she said.

Geoffrey Kamworor is ready to reclaim his New York City Marathon title

Kamworor, who won in New York City on his second appearance in 2017, said he wants to make his fourth appearance this year memorable.

“New York has always been important to me and I will be targeting victory, having gained enough experience over the distance,” said Kamworor, who finished second in 2 hours, 10 minutes and 48 seconds on his debut in 2015.

Kamworor, who is the two-time World Half Marathon and World Cross Country champion, would claim victory in 2017, romping home in 2:10:53, before settling for third in 2:06:26 last year, losing the battle to Lelisa Desisa, who clocked 2:05:59.

It will be Kamworor’s ninth career marathon, having made his debut at 2011 Berlin Marathon, where he failed to finish, before he was placed third the following year in the same venue in a personal best of 2:06:12.

Kamworor, 26, is the fourth fastest man in the field after Ethiopians- defending champion Lelisa Desisa (2:04:45), Shura Kitata (2:04:49), who finished second last year and Tamirat Tola (2:04:06), who came in third last year.

Other elite Kenyans in the race are Stephen Sambu (2:11:07), who finished fifth in 2016 and 2017 Chicago Marathon and Albert Korir (2:08:03).

Kenyan´s Mercy Cherono is back from maternity leave and hopes to make Team Kenya from the World Championships

Former Commonwealth Games 5,000m champion Mercy Cherono is back from maternity leave and hopes to make Team Kenya to the World Championships set for September in Doha, Qatar.

The two-time world junior 3,000m champion said she is back to take her rightful position on the track. Cherono last won a silver medal in 5,000m during the 2013 Championships in Moscow, Russia.

“I am back in training and my focus is on the trials. I have no pressure and I am optimistic of making the cut to World Championships,” said Cherono, who won gold in 3,000m at the World Junior Championships in 2008 and 2010. She said she will be seeking a slot in her 5,000m speciality and expects stiff competition.

“All things have changed because I will be running as a mother unlike before and I believe I am stronger than before. After maternity, we always run better because we had enough time to recover.

Any time you train, you are exhausted but after maternity, you run as if you are starting all over again. Just like a kindergarten pupil, you have too much energy to perform,” she added. 

Cherono won 5,000m gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games but failed to defend her title in 2018 as she was on the maternity leave. “Winning a title will be great for me and the country at large because I have had a good time in training. I have also featured in some local meetings,” added Cherono.

Desiree Linden is going to be running the New York City Marathon before Boston

Des Linden says she’s running every marathon as if it’s her last. She could have said goodbye on April 15, finishing fifth in defense of her Boston Marathon title, blowing kisses to the crowd after denying regurgitation.

Instead, Linden plans to race the New York City Marathon for the third time and second year in a row on Nov. 3.

The two-time U.S. Olympian placed fifth in 2014 and sixth in 2018 at the five-borough event. She decided to sign up again after a post-Boston break and a weeklong Hong Kong vacation.

“Just been logging a lot of miles deciding what would be next and got the itch to start doing workouts and getting the longer stuff,” Linden said. “It’s the biggest stage in the world, so it’s hard to pass up on that opportunity. It’s a no-brainer. I like tough, technical courses.”

Linden, 36, could become the oldest female U.S. Olympic marathoner since 2004 next year. But, taking the one-at-a-time mantra that Shalane Flanagan adopted late in her career, she’s not (yet) committing to the Olympic trials on Feb. 29.

Neither of Linden’s previous Olympic experiences was especially memorable. She dropped out of her first Olympic marathon in 2012 with a stress fracture in her femur. She was seventh in Rio, missing a medal by less than two minutes. The Kenyan-born gold and silver medalists were later busted for EPO and are serving lengthy doping bans.

“I don’t feel like I have anything to prove and anything unfinished,” at the Olympics, Linden said. “Quite frankly, the last experience is a hard sell to get back out there to try to compete for medals when you’re not even really sure what the field is all about. It’s a little bit difficult to be excited about that with the way we are about the [World Marathon] Majors. People investing in anti-doping have really been solving that problem [at the majors]. It’s a little tricky [at the Olympics], but certainly representing your country is special.”

Linden did acknowledge that a technical, undulating course like New York could provide ideal preparation for the Olympic trials course in Atlanta that, like New York, is not expected to produce fast times. Linden also dismissed it being too tight of a turnaround from the latest of the fall major marathons to a trials in the winter.

Linden did not race fall marathons in 2011 or 2015 ahead of Olympic trials, though the trials race was earlier each of those years. If she does race at next year’s trials, it would mark her shortest break between marathons of what would be her 20 times contesting the distance.

“There’s ample time to recover and get back at it,” she said. “I don’t need to go and run a fast time or get a qualifier or anything. It was just about picking the race that was going to get me excited.”

Rachel Walny signs a pro contract with Elite Runner Managment and her next race will be the Crim 10-miler

Chris Mengel is the name behind Elite Runner Management (ERM), which represents a small group of talented athletes in the sport of track and field. Its runners have achieved success in long-distance races on the roads and track.

Rachel Walny is certainly a talented distance runner. After an all-state career in high school, she competed in both cross country and track at Bowling Green where she also enjoyed success.

She will return to Bowling Green to pursue a master degree in kinesiology and nutrition later this month.

Walny was doing a track workout at Chippewa Valley Friday morning.

Mengel is an attorney. He is also a sports agent whose sole focus is on distance runners. A self-avowed “jogger,” he first began rubbing elbows with the sport by going into one of the Hansons Running Shops to purchase shoes.

Keith and Kevin Hanson are the architects of the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project. The brothers started the innovative program in 1999. They house and train post-collegiate athletes who pursue excellence on a national and international level.Their distance runners have included Olympians Brian Sell,  Desiree Davila and Dathan Ritzenheim. Davila won the Boston Marathon.

Mengel has signed nine athletes to ERM. Among them is Kenyan Weldon Kirui, a two-time winner of the Los Angeles Marathon. Weldon also has an endorsement deal with Skechers.

“Weldon has been able to start a tea farm back home in Kenya due to his running,”  said Mengel. “He is also building a church.

No offense, but it takes more than prayer to make it as a professional distance runner. Hard work, talent, dedication and passion are a just few of the necessary ingredients.

Rachel Walny next race will be the Crim 10-miler later this month in Flint Michigan. Walny also has races in Indianapolis and San Diego scheduled.

“I never felt like I really met my full potential in college,” said Walny. “I do not want to stop until I have done that. I just love running and I cannot imagine not competing. I want to be the best I can possibly be.”

Kenyans Joyciline Jepkosgei and Alex Korio, won the 2019 TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race in Cape Elizabeth

Jepkosgei clocked 31:05 at Beach to Beach, the fastest since Mary Keitany's 30:41 course record in 2017. Korio, a late entrant, ran an unofficial 27:35, seconds away from Gilbert Okari's 16-year-old course record of 27:28

Jepkosgei's personal bests at the distance include 29:43 on the road and 31:28 on the track. She currently holds non-IAAF considered world records in both the half-marathon and 10,000-meter, set in the same race in 2017.

Korio's time beat his previous road course PB of 27:48.

Ellsworth's Dan Curts, a recent Iowa State University graduate, was the top Maine men's finisher. His time was one of the best the division's seen. Curts was the 2019 Big 12 outdoor champ at 5,000 meters.

Falmouth High School student Sofie Matson, 16, was the top Maine women's finisher, while 2016 Olympian Emily Infeld was the top American.

Director of the Debbie Green Memorial 5K Ron Green is Working Hard in Preparation for this year race event

As director of the Debbie Green Memorial 5K Run/Walk for Leukemia, Green has been touch with runners and walkers near and far as race days — Aug. 2 and 3 — approaches.

But while the event, in its 22nd year, continues to have a more national and international flavor, the fact isn’t lost on the Benwood native that the race is a local one benefiting local people.

“It’s nice to have runners from all around the world,” he said, “but, ultimately, I want to treat them all the same.

“Whether you’re from Kenya and are one of the top runners in the world or you’re from down the street from where I live, I want to treat everyone the same.”

Registrations will be accepted through race day for events that begin on Friday night with the Green Mile Run/Walk at 7 p.m. Saturday features the Debbie’s Dash Kids’ race at 6 p.m., followed by the main event at 7.

“We’re pretty excited,” Green said about the events, sponsored by Kalkreuth. “We have a pretty fast field coming in, and some of the past winners are coming in.”

That list includes Mourad Mafout, the 2013 winner. Green is also excited about the arrival of Lawrence Kipkoech, an all-American runner from Campbell.

“It’s been amazing,” he said. “I’ve been getting calls from all over the place.”

American Garrett Kenyon is another runner Green is eager to see run the downtown Wheeling course, along with female standout Esther Wanjiru.

“And you just never know who’ll come in at the last minute,” he said.

“The Race for a Reason” began to honor Green’s sister, Debbie, who lost her battle against leukemia at age 7 in 1972.

Debbie’s death provided the inspiration for the race, selected as the Road Runners Club of America 5K National Championship race three times.

“We started this race to help local kids with cancer,” Green stressed, noting two youths from Belmont County will be aided this year. “Having these people from throughout the world come here and having your sister’s name out there everywhere is amazing.

“When I started this, I never thought we’d have runners from Kenya or Ethiopia or Mexico. We’ve had women that went 1-2 in the Olympics.”

Green has also had a wide-range of local runners cross his finish line. Now, a second generation of runners are making the trek through the course, which is now in Wheeling after starting in Benwood.

Kenya's Stephen Kiprop and Ethiopians Jemal Yimer and Sembere Teferi are among the first star names announced for the Valencia Trinidad Alfonso EDP Half Marathon

Kiprop illustrated fine form in 2018, winning three half-marathon races in the Netherlands and Czech Republic, and finishing fifth in Valencia clocking 59:21.

But it was in 2019 that the 20-year-old leapt to stardom by winning at Ras Al Khaimah with a sizzling time of 58:42, the fastest in the world this year.

Yimer, 22, finished second in Valencia last year in 58:33, an Ethiopian national record that elevated him the equal-third on the all-time list. Yimer has also illustrated solid form this season, clocking 26:54.39 at 10,000m in Hengelo last month. Last year he won the African title over the distance.

Teferi, 24, the first major announcement for the women's race, has followed a similar trajectory. She too set her career best in Ras Al Khaimah earlier this year, clocking 1:05:45. She clocked 30:45.14 on the track in Hengelo, finishing third, to reserve a spot on the Ethiopian squad for the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019.

Organizers are offering a €70,000 (US$77,700) world record bonus, as well as an additional €30,000 (US$33,300) bonus if the men's winner breaks the 58-minute barrier or if the women's winner dips under 1:04:30.

Both the current world records, 58:18 for men and 1:04:51 for women, have been set in Valencia.

27-year-old Ethiopian Tamirat Tola won the Bogota Half Marathon clocking 1:02:34

Bogota Half Marathon turned 20 years old and crowned as champions Ethiopian Tamirat Tola in the men's branch, with a figure of 1:02:34, and Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich in the women's branch, with a time of 1:10:39. In the male branch, the best Colombian was Miguel Amador, in the tenth position with 1:08:00.

The competition, as usual, was run with more than 42 thousand athletes enrolled in the male and female categories and in which only 9% of the competitors are professionals.

"I hope to return to this Half Marathon, the height makes it demanding but I want to go back for the record. I am very happy. I really like marathons, I took advantage of my speed and took advantage," said Tamirat Tola, after his victory.

Meanwhile, Ruth Chepngetich said that, "I am very happy and I felt the support of the people on the street. I want to go back and I liked being in Bogotá."

The Ethiopian runner was the dominator of the race, but could not beat his best mark and was close to Geoffrey Mutai's record with 1:02:20. However, the African adhered to his record the bogota half marathon victory, next to the World Cup in London 2017 and the Half Marathon of Prague and Dubai in 2017.

It should be noted that Tamirat Tola has been an expert in cross-country racing throughout his career. The Ethiopian was world runner-up in 2017 in the marathon test and also participated in the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in 2016, at which time he won a bronze medal in the 10,000 meters, being surpassed by the British Mo Farah, winner of the Gold and Kenyan Paul Tanui.

Kenyans Leonard Barsoton and Joyciline Jepkosgei won Bix 7 on saturday

You can count Leonard Barsoton among those who was surprised at the way the Quad-City Times Bix 7 unfolded Saturday.

Barsoton came into the race with fairly modest expectations, hoping that maybe he could somehow sneak into the top three finishers. The 24-year-old native of Kenya didn’t really expect to leave all the other runners in his wake in the final two miles to win the 45th annual race through the streets of Davenport fairly easily.

But that’s what he did.

The race is over and the winners of the 2019 Quad City Times Bix 7 Road Race have been crowned.

"I’m so excited to be able to do this," Barsoton said. "If you can win Bix, you can win anywhere."

Thousands of runners hit the Davenport streets in the morning of Saturday, July 27th, but only a few could take home the victory in the 7-mile race.

In the men's race, Kenyan runner Leonard Barsoton broke a tight race and soared ahead to win with a time of 32:34. "This has shown me I can do more," Barsoton said. "To win Bix is a big accomplishment. This is a tough course." 

The women's race saw Joyciline Jepkosgei, also from Kenya, break a close two-person competition late in the game to take the gold in just over 36 minutes.

Kenyan Geoffrey Kirui says he is not under pressure to reclaim his title at the IAAF World Championships

Kirui has not won a marathon since he triumphed in London back in 2017. His last big city marathon was in Boston the same year, which earned him a slot in the Kenya team. But his barren spell is not disturbing him as he focuses on his title defense in Doha.

Owing to the high temperatures in Qatar, the marathon will be run at midnight, with temperatures still expected to be over 30 degrees Celsius. But Kirui is open to the challenge and says he will take it in his stride.

"I have been there before, and I know the weather is very hot so am preparing well for any condition. I will be in my best form, barring any injury in training. My focus is on the race 100 percent. It will be a little bit harder for my opponents to beat me because I have more experience now," said a bullish Kirui on Saturday in Nairobi.

Kenya's team of nine marathon runners will move to Eldoret for training, though Athletics Kenya is yet to name its overall coach.

"As the defending champion I know everyone will be aiming to beat me, but this time round I am even better prepared," added Kirui.

The reigning champion believes his main challengers will not come from Ethiopia, Uganda or the United States, who have piled more pressure on Kenyan athletes in road races. Instead, Kirui says his main challenge will come from within, as he lines up alongside compatriots Laban Korir, Paul Lonyangata, Ernest Ngeno and Berlin Marathon runner-up Amos Kipruto.

"The team is perfect and everyone has a good time, but this is the World Championship and we need to be aware of competition from others who are also doing well out there. But the Kenya team is strong and anyone can surprise you on his day," he added.

Kenya drug cheats now to be blocked from all international competitions

The Kenyan government has backed a move by Athletics Kenya (AK) to block all cheats from representing the country in international championships.

Sports cabinet secretary Amina Mohammed said in Nairobi that for the country to reverse the damage doping has on its athletes, they must stop any elite runner banned for doping from competing in international races beyond the Olympics, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Africa Games.

"We must stop them. Athletes must understand that once they fail doping test, its over for them, even if they serve their suspension from active competition, we will not allow them to leave the country to compete abroad," Mohammed said this week in Nairobi.

Kenya has had six cases of doping in the last seven months, joining over 50 athletes who have been banned since the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games including 2016 Rio Olympics marathon champion Jemima Sumgong, half-marathon world record holder Abraham Kiptum and former Olympic champion and three-time world title winner in 1,500m Asbel Kiprop.

Kenya is in Category A along with eastern African rivals Ethiopia, Belarus and Ukraine, described by the IAAF as "member federations majorly at risk of doping."

Mohammed said the move by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) to have athletes tested more before major athletics championships will also help eradicate the vice.

"Kenya is ranked in category A and athletes must go through stringent measures like three tests out of competition and one in competition prior to international competitions. We must support these measures hence we shall not allow dopers to go and shame this country again," said Mohammed.

Athletics Kenya (AK) president Jack Tuwei said Kenya has enough talent to win clean and no cheat should be allowed to put on the national jersey.

"For four years running, we have been on the watch list of IAAF. Last year that was upgraded because athletes don't want to listen to advice on anti-doping," he said.

Everything you need to know about the 2019 Bix 7 men's field

Last year, for the first time ever, a male runner from Ethiopia won the Quad-City Times Bix 7, overcoming the legion of Kenyan runners who always populate the field.

This year it might be time for a break-through from another African nation: Tanzania.

Gabriel Geay, a 22-year-old runner from the country directly to the south of Kenya, must be regarded as one of the favorites to prevail in the annual 7-mile jaunt through the streets of Davenport.

He already has had a phenomenal year on the U.S. road racing scene, winning the Lilac Bloomsday 12k and Bay to Breakers 12k in May and crossing the finish line first in the Utica Boilermaker 15k little more than a week ago. He also had top-five finishes in perhaps the two biggest 10ks around: The Peachtree Road Race and Bolder Boulder.

Geay first came to U.S. as a 19-year-old in 2016 attempting to run Olympic qualifying times for 10,000 meters and 5,000 meters. He narrowly missed in both but decided to stick around and run a few road races, and claimed his first big victory at Peachtree. He came back the following year to win Bolder Boulder and Lilac Bloomsday.

With the withdrawal of three-time Bix 7 champion Silas Kipruto from the field, there now is only one runner entered in the men’s field who has competed in the Davenport race as an elite invitee.

Kenya’s Kenneth Kosgei placed 12th in his only visit here a year ago.

Kipruto was seeking to break the Bix 7 record for most top-five finishes by a men’s runner — he has done it six times — but he informed race officials last week that he would not run because of a lack of fitness.

The Bix 7 men’s championship has been won seven times by a runner named Korir.

John Korir won a record five times (in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2004) and Leonard Korir did it twice (2013 and 2015).

This year’s race will include Kenya’s Dominic Korir. Korir (no relation to the previous Bix champs), who may be better suited to the hilly course than almost anyone.

Dominic Korir trains at high altitude in Colorado Springs and in April he won the Horsetooth Half-marathon, a race that begins with a grueling 1.8-mile climb up something called Monster Mountain.

It sounds even more imposing than the Brady Street Hill.

Jarius Birech will be among the most experienced Kenyans in this year’s Bix 7 field.

He’s just not that experienced in races in which he isn’t required to leap over hurdles and bound across small pools of water. Birech, 26, was the top 3,000-meter steeplechase runner in the world in 2014, winning the African championships and taking the silver medal in the Commonwealth Games that year. He twice has run the steeplechase under eight minutes, a feat that’s only been accomplished 38 times in history.

But he just now is starting to become more involved in events other than the steeplechase.

He has shown promise, however. Birech won a major cross country race in Italy earlier this year and also won the Crescent City Classic 10k on a very flat course in New Orleans.

Jake Robertson’s wife Magdalyne Masai wants to be in the top three at Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Magdalyne Masai’s performance at the Hamburg Marathon on 28 April earned her praise from around the world given that she had run a personal best of 2:26:04 and finished second in the highly competitive race.

Moreover, it earned her an invitation to this year’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label road race, on 20 October.

She will arrive in Canada’s largest city privy to useful knowledge of the city and the race as her husband, Jake Robertson of New Zealand, finished fifth here a year ago.

“I want to get a personal best and finish in the top three,” she said, speaking during a video call from her home in Iten, Kenya. “That is my aim. I want to be in top three. I think 2:23 or 2:22 is within reach.”

That would challenge the ‘family record’ held by her elder sister, Linet Masai, who ran 2:23:46 In her debut last year in Amsterdam.

‘Magz’, as she is affectionately known, comes from a family of runners. Linet was the 2009 world 10,000m champion while the eldest of the 10 Masai kids, Moses Masai, was the 10,000m bronze medalist at those same championships in Berlin. Another brother, Dennis Masai, won the 2010 World Junior Championships in Moncton, New Brunswick. A younger brother, Alex Masai, is currently running for Hofstra University in New York State.

It’s not difficult to see where her influences came from as she grew up in the Rift Valley of western Kenya where the altitude is roughly 2,500m above sea level.

“We moved a lot,” she says of her upbringing. “I was born in Mt. Elgon forest. After some point we moved to Kapsogom. Currently my parents are in Trans Nzoia district.

“I met Jake in Iten because my sister Linet was staying in Iten. I had come to start training in Iten as well and was staying with her.”

Robertson and his twin brother, Zane, had arrived in Kenya as teenagers fresh out of high school. Their intention was to live and train like the Kenyan runners they admired. He and Magdalyne fell in love and, after a six-year relationship, he famously proposed at the finish line of the 2017 Great North Run. Moments before, he had finished second to Olympic champion Mo Farah and Magdalyne finished fourth in the elite women’s race.

“So far in my training not only am I looking at time but also how I am feeling,” she explains. “Mostly I judge myself when we do long intervals on the roads. We run 4km at about 3:30 (per kilometre) pace. Then for one kilometre easier at 4:00 pace. We do that five times. If I finish that feeling like I can continue that’s when I know I am feeling good and ready to go." 

Magdalyne Masai may not have the fastest time among the elite women who will toe the line on 20 October, but she certainly will be prepared to run with the leaders. And nobody could be prouder than Jake Robertson if she achieves her goal of a top three finish.

Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya and Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba are ready to compete at the Bogota Half Marathon

The favorite in the Bogota Half Marathon women’s race is Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya, who started the year with a win in the Dubai Marathon, setting a course record with the No. 3 performance of all-time, 2:17:08. And just three months before that she shattered the course record at the Istanbul Marathon with a 2:18:35 performance.

Those performances elevated the Kenyan to No.1 in the IAAF’s world rankings in the marathon. Also an accomplished half marathoner, Chepngetich won the Istanbul Half Marathon this April in another course record, 1:05:30, making her the 11th fastest woman of all-time to rank her No.3 currently over that distance.

The main challenge to Chepngetich is likely to come from Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba, the marathon bronze medalist at the Rio Olympic Games and world champion over the distance in 2015. Also expected to feature at the front of the race are 2:21:37 marathoner Visiline Jepkesho of Kenya, recently announced as a member of the Kenyan squad for the Worlds Championships (along with Chepngetich), and Helalia Johannes of Namibia, who is undefeated in six major international competitions, all of which have seen her lower her own national records at 10km, the half marathon and full marathon distances.

Unlike the women’s race, the men’s competition doesn’t have one overwhelming favorite, and instead should see a tight battle between several evenly-matched competitors. The Ethiopian delegation is led by 20-year-old Betesfa Getahun of Ethiopia, the defending men’s champion, who last year became the youngest champion in the race history.

Next to him will be Feyisa Lilesa, the silver medalist at the Rio Olympic Games marathon and a former winner of this race and Tamirat Tola, a silver medalist in the 2017 World Championships marathon and a bronze medalist in the 10,000m in Rio.

The Kenyan challenge to this Ethiopian trio will be led by Lawrence Cherono, a 2:04:06 marathoner and the No. 5 athlete in the world presently at that distance. He is joined by two strong half marathon specialists, Wilfred Kimitei (59:40) and John Lotiang (1:00:09).

And rounding out the likely lead pack are Eritrean Samuel Tsegay, a past silver medalist at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, and Ugandan Abdallah Mande with a 1:00:14 lifetime best whose strong current form was illustrated by a 27:22 10,000m run just eight days ago.

Geoffrey Kamworor said that he is aiming to win gold at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar in October

After winning the 10,000m title at the Kenya Police Championships, Kamworor disclosed that he was eager to make it to make the cut for the national team for the World Championship.

"I have only one mission, to clinch my first ever gold at the World Championships. I have been longing for a gold medal in the track competition and when I won silver at the Beijing worlds in 2015, I thought I would step up to gold in London in 2017.

"However, it was never to be and Kenya still searches to break Ethiopia and Mo Farah's strong grip in the race. I am still motivated to go a step further and win gold," said Kamworor.

Kamworor, the two-time World Half Marathon champion, won in 27:50:65, followed by Josephat Bett 28:40:58, Joseph Kitum 28:40:74 and Mathew Kisorio 28:44:63.

Then he relinquished his title at this year's World Cross Country championships in Denmark. Kamworor went on to win the 10-mile Grand Prix race in Bern, Switzerland in May clocking 44:57, but has resumed training with the track competition in focus.

"Winning a bronze at the World Cross was a disappointment but I did my best. The event gave me good endurance for the season and I hope to reap maximum going to the World Championships. Today, I was gauging my strength to see whether I can return to track for the World Championships," said Kamworor.

Kamworor hinted that he will only compete at the Copenhagen Half Marathon in September in Denmark if he fails to make the team to World Championships.

Three-time Bix 7 men’s champion Silas Kipruto is coming back to the Quad-City Times Bix 7 in hopes of making a little more history

The three-time Bix 7 men’s champion will be joined in the 45th annual race through the streets of Davenport by a deep women’s field that includes two former champions, the second fastest female runner in the race’s history and a world record-holder in two events.

Kipruto already is among the most successful runners in the history of the race, which is scheduled this year for July 27. The 34-year-old native of Kenya not only won the Bix 7 in 2011, 2012 and 2016, but he has finished in the top five on three other occasions.

His half dozen top-five finishes equal the most ever by a male runner in the race, tying Meb Keflezighi, Bill Rodgers, John Korir and Lazarus Nyakeraka.

Kipruto is one of 17 African runners in the preliminary men’s elite field assembled by elite athlete coordinator John Tope — 13 from Kenya and two each from Eritrea and Tanzania.

Besides Kipruto, male runners to watch include Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay, who won both the Lilac Bloomsday 12k and the Bay to Breakers 12k in May; Kenya’s Edwin Mokua, a top-three finisher at both Bloomsday and Bay to Breakers; Kenya’s Leonard Barsoton, who was first in the African Cross Country championships in 2014 and second in the African Games 10,000 meters in 2015; and Emmanuel Kiprono, Kenya’s 10,000-meter champ in 2013.

Rwandan runner Felicien Muhitira defended his French Marvejols-Mende half marathon title for a third consecutive time clocking 1:13:14

Rwanda international long distance and cross country runner Felicien Muhitira defended the French race Marvejols-Mende half marathon for a third consecutive time.

The Mountain Classic Athletics runner Muhitira, clocked the fastest time of one hour thirteen minutes and fourteen seconds ahead of Ugandan Ezekiel Chepkorom and Kenyan Bett Bernard in second and third position respectively.

Muhitira the Mountain Classic Athletics club athlete put on an impressive run to defend the title at the 47th edition of the annual event over the weekend in the men’s category, which he had won twice since last year.

The 22.4-kilometer race was contested by over 2,000 athletes from around the world.

It did not go well for the other Rwanda long-distance runner Gervais Hakizimana who finished far in the 18th position with a time of one hour twenty minutes and fifty-five seconds.

From France, the athlete will be heading to Japan where he will link up with other Rwandan for the preparations for Africa scheduled in Morocco.

Ethiopian quartet have set their sights on breaking the recent Kenyan dominance at the BMW Berlin-Marathon

Guye Adola, who finished second in an unofficial world record debut two years ago in Berlin, as well as Leul Gebrselassie, Sisay Lemma and Birhanu Legese all possess the potential to win the BMWBerlin-Marathon.

Gebrselassie, Lemma and Legese have each triumphed over the marathon distance in the past ten months, running top-class times and all have personal bests in the region of 2:04.

“We expect a men’s race with top performances. There’s not much likelihood of a world record attempt but the times are likely to be very fast. In addition, the battle for victory could be a thrilling one that may well last until the final few kilometres,” said the race director Mark Milde, who is still recruiting more top performers.

In the past ten years Ethiopian runners have only won the men’s title in Berlin on two occasions. Haile Gebrselassie won in 2009 and Kenenisa Bekele in 2016. Otherwise Kenyans have dominated, breaking the world record four times. The most recent occasion was last year when Eliud Kipchoge ran a sensational 2:01:39 but he will not be running this year.

Birhanu Legese is the one runner among the Ethiopian quartet who has won an Abbott World Marathon Majors race this year. The 24-year-old took the title in Tokyo in March with 2:04:48 in only the third marathon of his career. In 2018 he made a spectacular debut with 2:04:15 in Dubai which put him straightaway among the marathon world-class. Even so, his time was only good enough for sixth in an extraordinarily fast race. Legese has already won one big race in Berlin, emerging as the surprise winner of the city’s Half Marathon with 59:45 in 2015.

Two more of the quartet for Berlin on September 29 were in action in Dubai 2018 and ran their personal bests there: Leul Gebrselassie and Sisay Lemma. Gebrselassie is not related to the former marathon world record holder and multiple Berlin winner Haile, but has strong credentials of his own, finishing runner-up in 2:04:02 in the race in the United Arab Emirates 18 months ago. In December the 25-year-old confirmed his ability in setting a course record of 2:04:31 to win the Valencia Marathon. In April this year he finished eighth in London’s traditionally highly competitive field.

Sisay Lemma improved his best by a big margin to 2:04:08 to finish fifth in Dubai in 2018. At the end of last October the 28-year-old produced another fine performance to break the course record in Ljubljana with 2:04:58. Three years ago he was fourth in the BMW Berlin-Marathon with 2:06:56. He marked 2015 with victories in Vienna and Frankfurt marathons.

Guye Adola has every reason to have fond memories of Berlin on his return to the race. Two years ago the 28-year-old ran an unofficial world record debut to finish second in 2:03:46 – official world records for marathon debuts are not given. He even managed to put a superstar such as Eliud Kipchoge under pressure, leading until just before 40k from the Kenyan. Since that debut the Half Marathon World Championship bronze medallist in 2014 has struggled with injuries but Adola intends to put all that behind him at the BMW Berlin-Marathon this year.

Six runners clocked a sub 27 minute 10000 with Hagos Gebrhiwet leading the way with 26:48.95

Twelve days after his lap-counting error in the 5000m at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, Hagos Gebrhiwet made no mistakes in Hengelo on Wednesday (17), winning the men’s 10,000m in a world-leading 26:48.95.

The races doubled as the official Ethiopian trial races for the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019. And, based on tonight's results, Ethiopia will field two strong trios for the men's and women's 10,000m in Doha.

In a race of staggering quality – the best ever in terms of depth for one nation – the top six men finished inside 27 minutes with the first three finishing inside 26:50.

The women’s 10,000m, won by Letesenbet Gidey, was of a similarly high standard with the first 10 women – nine of whom are from Ethiopia – finishing inside 31:00.

On a still night with temperatures around 19C (66F), the men’s race set off at a steady pace with the first 2000m covered in 5:25 and 3000m reached in 8:07. The large lead pack of about 14 men was strung out but all appeared to be running comfortably.

After passing through half way in 13:31 – just outside 27-minute pace for the full distance – Kenya’s Vincent Kiprotich Kibet moved into the lead, tracked by Ethiopia’s Andamlak Belihu, Guye Adola and Abadi Hadis.

Belihu and Kiprotich were still at the front through 6000m while Yomif Kejelcha was positioned near the back of the lead pack. Hadis then took a turn at the front and, followed by Jemal Yimer Mekonnen, pushed the pace.

Eight men remained in the leading pack with 2000m remaining as Hadis still led while Kejelcha was still ominously biding his time. Selemon Barega and Gebrhiwet moved closer to Hadis with three laps to go, then Belihu hit the front of the pack – now down to six men – with 800 metres remaining.

Kejelcha finally made his move at the bell and started his 400-metre kick for home. Barega and Gebrhiwet went with him and moved past him with half a lap remaining. Barega and Gebrhiwet kicked hard down the final straight but Gebrhiwet proved to be the stronger in the closing stages, winning in 26:48.95.

Barega, competing in just his second 10,000m race, finished second in 26:49.46, moving to second on the world U20 all-time list. Kejelcha was third in 26:49.99, the second-fastest debut 10,000m in history behind Eliud Kipchoge’s 26:49.02.

Belihu (26:53.15), Mekonnen (26:54.39) and Hadis (26:56.46) were next to finish. In ninth place, Julien Wanders broke his own Swiss record with 27:17.29, moving to seventh on the European all-time list.

Like the top finishers in the men’s race, Gidey bided her time in the women’s contest before making a move in the final kilometre.

World half marathon champion Netsanet Gudeta and 2015 world 5000m silver medallist Senbere Teferi did most of the leading, taking the field through 3000m in 9:18 before reaching half way in 15:30.69.

Twelve women were still in the lead pack at that point. It was only with 10 laps to go that Commonwealth champion Stella Chesang of Uganda drifted off the back of the pack, leaving 11 women to contend for top honours.

Gudeta still led with four laps remaining but Gidey was starting to make her way through the field, which was now operating at sub-31-minute pace.

Gidey then struck with 1000 metres remaining, immediately breaking up the pack. Gudeta was the only woman capable of sticking with the two-time world U20 cross-country champion and within the space of a lap they had opened up a gap of about 15 metres on the rest of the field.

Still together at the bell, Gidey’s superior speed enabled her to pull away from her compatriot over the final 300 metres and she went on to win in a lifetime best of 30:37.89. Gudeta followed three seconds later in 30:40.85.

Teferi was third in 30:45.14 with Zeineba Yimer taking fourth place in 30:46.24. World cross-country silver medallist Dera Dida (30:51.86) and Tsehay Gemechu (30:53.11), the 10km world leader on the roads, followed in fifth and sixth respectively.

In eighth place, Girmawit Gebrzihair broke the Ethiopian U20 record with 30:53.53. Tsigie Gebreselama, ninth in 30:57.54, also finished inside the previous Ethiopian U20 record which had stood since 2000.

In other events, the previously unheralded Lemecha Girma made a huge breakthrough to win the men’s 3000m steeplechase in 8:08.18, winning by six seconds and moving to fourth on the Ethiopian all-time list. World U20 champion Diribe Welteji won the women’s 800m in 2:00.51.

Kenya´s Benson Kipruto will Defend his Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Title in October

"If I can defend my Toronto Marathon title it will be very good for me and for my marathon career," he declares with a smile. He remembers well the joy his 2:07:24 performance brought him and the festivities which followed upon his return to Kenya.

"I started the celebration at the (Eldoret) airport with my family, my friends and my training mates and also my coach," he recalls of the celebration which included drinking fermented milk called Mursik in the Kalenjin warriors’ tradition. "We extended the celebration to my camp. We feasted on some goats with my friends and training mates.

"This year I would like to run my personal best in Toronto. Hopefully, if the weather will be good and also, if the pacemakers do a good job, I am hoping to run maybe 2:06 and maybe try to run a course record."

Kipruto’s best is 2:07:11 set in finishing third at the 2018 Seoul Marathon and he also ran 2:07:21 at the 2017 Gongju Dong-A Marathon in Korea. With three recent 2:07 results he is clearly on the verge of another major breakthrough which could see him tackle the current Toronto course record held by his compatriot Philemon Rono (2:06:52 in 2017).

Asked what his greatest impression from last year’s five day visit to Toronto was he is quick to credit the organizers.

"The people I met, they are friendly like the first one, Alan Brookes the Race Director, he is very friendly," he reveals. "The course itself is good. And also, I think the weather that day was not so good."

Last year runners awakened to temperatures hovering near freezing point and also encountered a strong headwind coming off Lake Ontario. Still, winning this IAAF Gold Label race caught the attention of the world’s marathon running aficionados.

"I would say it opened doors to my future," Kipruto explains. "I was invited to the 2019 Boston Marathon because of Toronto. So my name has grown. (Toronto) was my first victory.

"Boston was a good performance for me; I managed to finish, first of all. I was injured during the race."

Kipruto’s feet were badly blistered during the race. But his coach Claudio Berardelli offers another explanation saying that he pushed Kipruto perhaps too much over the final three weeks of his preparation and so he was also over-trained. Ultimately, he finished a respectable 10th in 2:09:53 within two minutes of the winner Lawrence Cherono, also from Kenya.

Performing at this level has paid dividends for Kipruto. First place in Toronto earns CAD $30,000 while a course record is worth another CAD $40,000. In a country where the per capita income is less than $2,000 it is a lucrative business. He sees it as an investment for the future.

Though he was born in the village of Tolilet he recently bought some land 40 kilometres away in Kapsabet and moved his wife and one-year old daughter, who is called Princess Camille Chemutai, to the place.

Now his family is nearer to the training camp where he resides during the week and where he trains with such elite athletes as Amos Kipruto (2:05:43 personal best), Vincent Kipchumba (2:06:56), Solomon Yego (2:06:23) and Barselius Kipyego (2:07:57). He goes home on weekends.

Kenya has eliminated the wildcard selection criteria for its elite athletes seeking to make the team to the IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar in October

Athletics Kenya (AK) president Jack Tuwei, however, said that reigning world champions and Diamond League Trophy winners would be exempted from the national trials set for Nairobi from August 20 to 22.

"Unlike previous editions, this year only athletes finishing the trials in positions one to three will be assured of an automatic ticket to the World Championships. The criteria is simple; it will be 1, 2 and 3 across the finish line," said Tuwei on Tuesday in Nairobi.

Kenya hopes to send a huge team to Doha, with over 70 athletes expected to make the cut. However, to be considered for selection, every athlete must have achieved the IAAF-mandated qualifying standard in each event.

"Currently, only a few athletes have attained these conditions and therefore there is a need for the coaches and athletes to check their status with Athletics Kenya," said AK competition team leader Paul Mutwii.

Two years ago, Kenya amassed 11 medals - five gold, two silver and four bronze - to finish second behind the United States in the medal standings at the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London. Mutwii believes the team has the capacity to recapture the overall title they claimed at Beijing 2015, and wants every athlete to study the championship program to decide if it is possible to double up in certain events.

"We will not deny any athlete who intends to double up at the World Championships as long as the program allows," said Mutwii. "But they must focus more on their traditional event before considering other races."

World 5,000m and 1,500m champions Hellen Obiri and Elijah Manangoi have already hinted at doubling up in Doha.

Along with athletes from Ethiopia, Morocco, Ukraine and Russia, Kenya will also be subject to strict anti-doping measures, and athletes will have to undergo three separate anti-doping tests to be eligible to compete in Doha.

"All athletes must fulfill the anti-doping requirements by the AIU (Athletics Integrity Unit) of the IAAF. It requires the selected athlete to have undergone three out-of-competition and same number of in-competition anti-doping tests before the selection date," said Tuwei.

So far, six athletes have tested positive this year as the AIU and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) tighten the noose on Kenya in an effort to curb doping and have a clean championship.