Running News Daily

Grandma’s Marathon Reaches First Sellout Since 2016

Grandma’s Marathon organizers said on Monday that all three of its June races have sold out for the first time since 2016.

In total, there are more than 20,000 people signed up to participate.

The sell-out is a healthy sign that the demand for the races never went away, after Grandma’s Marathon was cancelled because of the pandemic in 2020, and only ran at half-capacity last year.

“This will be one of the biggest fields ever for Grandma’s Marathon,” Shane Bauer, the executive director of Grandma’s Marathon, said in a press release. “That’s a great thing coming out of a pandemic, especially considering our organization’s mission around health and wellness. The economic impact of our event on the region gets a lot of attention, and it should. Really, though, the immeasurable impacts on each individual involved – from both a physical and mental standpoint – we think should be talked about more.”

The organization says that the marathon and its other Grandma’s-branded races draw in about $21 million for Duluth and nearby cities.

Grandma’s Marathon events kick off on June 16th and run through the 18th.

At 64, marathon age group world record-holder Yugeta Mariko still has a dream

The only woman over 60 to complete a marathon in less than three hours, the Japanese runner is defying age in her lifelong pursuit of becoming even faster.

Most people in their mid-60s are thinking of words like retirement, pension, grandkids.

Not Yugeta Mariko. She thinks about breaking world records.

In the marathon.

Yugeta celebrated her 64th birthday on 13 May. It was only three years ago that the Japanese runner became the first - and only - woman in the world over 60 to run a marathon in under three hours. She competed the 42.2km (26.2 miles) distance in 2 hours, 59 minutes and 15 seconds in the Shimonoseki Kaikyo Marathon.

And just last year, Yugeta blew away that time in the Osaka Women’s Marathon, running a 2:52:13.

She was 24 when she ran her first marathon in 3:09:21, good for 34th place in the Tokyo International Women’s Marathon. At the time, a sub-three race seemed beyond reach. But 40 years later, she's getting faster.

There’s never giving up, then there’s Yugeta.

“After my first marathon, my goal was to run a sub-three some day,” Yugeta said in an interview with the Mainichi Shimbun.

“And it took me 34 years to achieve it. Being a teacher, the job took up a lot of my time and I couldn’t train the way I wanted to. My times stalled.

“Then I got married at 25. Had my eldest daughter at 26 and I was blessed to have two girls and two boys in all. But trying to raise them, I had to take a step away from marathons at one point.”

The awakening for Yugeta Mariko

The dream for Yugeta began back in 1979.

“I was on the track and field team from junior high to university. In my third year of university, I went to watch the very first Tokyo International Women’s Marathon.

“I watched the runners cross the finish line in the soaking rain and they were drenched. But they were glowing as well - absolutely shining. It was a sight I simply could not forget.”

The mother of four had to take a long timeout from running but started hitting the pavement again as she approached 40.

Yugeta, a PE teacher from Saitama Prefecture, found inspiration from British long-distance runner Joyce Smith, the winner of the inaugural Tokyo International Women’s Marathon (as well as the second) that Yugeta watched as a college girl.

Smith had sustained success beyond 40, winning the London Marathon twice. Her second win (1982) came at 44 years, 195 days - an age record that stands to this day.

She was ninth in the marathon of the inaugural 1983 World Athletics Championships. And at the time of the Los Angeles 1984 Games, Smith was the oldest female Olympian ever at 46, finishing 11th.

But even though Yugeta ramped up the work, she was far from breaking three hours.

The turning point arrived when Yugeta turned 50. That’s five-oh.

“When I became 50, my youngest son started high school which freed up a lot of my time,” she recalled.

“I joined a running club in Tokyo to train more seriously. I was a little worried at first because of my age but my teammates were telling me I still had plenty left in my 50s and urged me to keep going. So I did.

“The training paid off and when I was 58, I ran my first sub-three. Then at 60, I set a world record of 2:59:15 in the Shimonoseki Kaikyo Marathon.

“I’ve run 114 marathons. I’m past 60 but I’m still improving my time.”

Marathon No. 115 for Yugeta was this year's Boston Marathon on 18 April. Yugeta clocked a 3:06:27, relatively pedestrian by her standards, but enjoyed a tearful moment meeting the race’s two-time winner Joan Benoit Samuelson - who also happens to be the first female Olympic champion in the marathon.

These days, Yugeta’s goal is to break the 2:50 mark, more than two minutes off her personal best.

It would smash her own world record for her age category.

But don’t bother telling Yugeta she can’t because she believes, she does, and she wills.

Asked what has driven her for four decades, Yugeta said, “I think the most important thing is to find something you can be passionate about.

“You can’t give up. Don’t use age as an excuse. The secret is to believe in yourself, that you can do it.

“I first dreamed of a sub-three when I was 24. It took me 34 years, but I made it happen and after that, I set a world record.

“I want to keep dreaming - no matter how old I am.”

Celebrating 50 Years of the Mini

The Mastercard New York Mini 10K began in 1972 as the first women-only road race, known as the Crazylegs Mini Marathon. Since then, the Mini has had more than 200,000 finishers, and this year's event will be the 50th running.  

You can register for the Mastercard New York Mini 10K, set for Saturday, June 11 in Central Park, and be part of the historic anniversary celebration. Youth ages 8-18 can register for the free Kids Run at the Mastercard New York Mini 10K Stage 2 or Stage 3.We share five "Mini Moments” that define the history of the Mini.

The First Mini and First 10K 

On June 3, 1972, the first women-only road race, the six-mile Crazylegs Mini Marathon, made its debut. There were 72 finishers—a huge number at the time. Three weeks later, Title IX was signed into law, guaranteeing women the right to participate in school sports and creating new opportunities for generations of female athletes.

In 1975, the Mini distance shifted from 6 miles to 10K (6.2 miles) to align with a standard racing distance for roads and track. 

Extraordinary 5-Time Champions

Two women, Grete Waitz of Norway and Tegla Loroupe of Kenya, each won the Mini an amazing five times. Waitz—also a nine-time winner of the New York City Marathon—scored her fifth victory in 1984 and Loroupe got her fifth Mini win in 2000.This year’s pro field will feature Olympians and other world-class athletes including defending champion Sara Hall and Boston and TCS New York City Marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir.

The Mini Grows and Grows

In 1998, the 100,000th Mini finisher crossed the line, and 20 years later, in 2018, the race saw its 200,000th finisher. This year’s Mastercard New York Mini 10K will have an estimated 10,000 finishers.

Youth at the Mini

In 2016, the first Girls Run at the NYRR New York Mini took place with hundreds of finishers on an age-appropriate course. A wheelchair division was added in 20xx. This year youth of all genders will take part in the Kids Run at the Mastercard New York Mini 10K.

Record-Setting Wheelchair Races

In 2018, Susannah Scaroni (above, center) won the first wheelchair division at the Mini, setting a world-best of 22:48 for the distance; she broke that record in 2019. 

The history of the Mini, and its return at full capacity with youth events this year, point to a bright future for women and girls in running.

Laura Thweatt wins women’s citizens race at 2022 Bolder Boulder

Laura Thweatt didn’t sign up for the Bolder Boulder to battle for a win.

Once the race began, however, her competitiveness kicked in.

Thweatt, 33, from Superior, wound up being the winner of the women’s citizens race at the 42nd edition of the Bolder Boulder on Monday. She crossed the finish line at Folsom Field in 34 minutes, 59.40 seconds, unofficially. Neely Gracey of Lafayette was second in 35:04.28.

“I am (surprised), actually,” Thweatt said. “I had some ladies coming in hot on my heels and it’s Colorado, so you can’t come to a race and expect not to have to battle. I’m actually kind of shocked that I was able to hold off the win.”

Born and raised in Durango, Thweatt is a 2011 graduate of the University of Colorado, where she had a decorated career. She earned All-Big 12 honors five times and ran some of the best times in CU history in a variety of distances, from 800 meters to 10,000 meters.

Now running professionally for Saucony, Thweatt is coming off an injury and said she went into Monday after only three weeks of training.

“I just wanted to test out fitness and just have a good, hard effort,” she said. “So I came out and it was a blast. It was hard but it was great. This was a much more fun way to do a workout.”

Although she had a workout mindset, Thweatt said the competitive juices began to flow “immediately” after the race began.

“I didn’t want to go too fast, but I got into the second mile and I was like, ‘Ah, I’m in a race. I’m just gonna go for it and hope I can hang on,’” she said. “So, yeah, I got competitive and just ran hard. You can’t get rid of that.”

Throughout the race, Thweatt said she targeted the male runners ahead of her.

“Every guy, I was just trying to hang on and like chase people,” she said. “So, it was a fun way to get a hard effort as you’re just racing and people are cheering you on. It’s just a really fun environment.”

That’s not how she felt about the Bolder Boulder in her only previous time running this event. In 2013, she ran in the women’s international pro race. Her USA team was third and Thweatt finished 12th, in 35:37.7.

“It was so brutal that I swore I’d never do this race again, but here I am,” she said with a laugh.

Monday was a better experience for Thweatt, who continues to keep her eye on the goal of a marathon in the fall.

“I’m still trying to figure out which one but all of this is kind of building towards the big goal in the fall,” she said. “I’m a marathoner. This is like a sprint for me.”

It was a successful sprint, too, as she exceeded her expectations.

“I’m in a better place than I thought it would be,” she said. “Coming off of injury, it’s just nice to be back out here and to kind of just feel like yourself again. That’s what I wanted today. To do this off very little training, I feel really good about that.”

Like Thweatt, Gracey is a former competitor in the international pro race. She ran in that competition in 2015 and 2017. A three-time qualifier for the Olympic trials, Gracey had her second son last year and has continued coaching, in addition to running.

Kenyan Faith Kipyegon sets record in Eugene Diamond League

Two-time Olympic gold medallist Faith Kipyegon of Kenya ran a world-lead time as she won the 1500m race in Saturday's Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon in USA.

Kipyegon timed 3:52.59 on a night where Trayvon Bromell and Elaine Thompson-Herah grabbed 100m victories as eight world-leading performances highlighted the action at Hayward Field.

Kipyegon’s time was the ninth fastest in the 1500m history. She beat Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay who finished second in 3mins and 54.29secs.

Kipyegon, who trains in Kaptagat, Elgeyo Marakwet County, finished second in the 3000m in the season-opening Doha leg behind Burundi's Francine Niyonsaba.

America's Bromell, the fastest man in the world last year, bounced back from a false start disqualification in Birmingham last weekend to win a star-studded men's 100m in 9.93sec.

Jamaica's Thompson-Herah, who won back-to-back Olympic 100m-200m doubles in 2016 and last year, captured the women's 100m in 10.79.

Neither was a world best for 2022, but Thompson-Herah said she was just pleased to hit the line first and healthy on a rainy day in Eugene at the same venue that will host the World Championships on July 15-24.

"I'm excited I crossed the line healthy," Thompson-Herah said. "I don't care about the time. The rain was falling. It was a little cold.

"It shows I'm on a great path," added the Jamaican star, who pulled out of the Birmingham Diamond League meeting with a shoulder injury, testing herself in a lower-level meeting in Kingston last Saturday instead.

95-year-old woman sets Canadian 5K age group record

In what was her first-ever road race, Rejeanne Fairhead, a 95-year-old runner from Ottawa, made history on Saturday at the Ottawa Race Weekend 5K. Fairhead set a new women’s 95+ national record of 58:52 over five kilometers.

Although Fairhead set a new Canadian record for her age group, she was second in her 80+ age category. She was beaten by 80-year-old Marie Mullally of Ottawa, who clocked a speedy 5K of 48:01. Mullally’s time is 20 minutes back of the 80+ 5K record set by Alice Cole of Montreal in 2015 (28:38).

Fairhead received honors from the announcers before and after the race for her attempt and accomplishment. She was also the eldest participant of the entire 2022 Ottawa Race Weekend.

Her time was only a few minutes shy of the women’s 95+ world record of 55:48 set by American Betty Lindberg at the Atlanta Peachtree 5K in February. Lindberg smashed the previous record of 1:28:36, which was set in 2017 by 96-year-old American Betty Ashley.

Fairhead ran the 5K to raise money for Perley Health, a community care project that empowers seniors to live life to the fullest. You can contribute to her fundraiser here.

She can now rightfully call herself the second-fastest 95+ woman in the world.

Canada’s Kinsey Middleton won the Ottawa Marathon, she is the first Canadian to win the race since Lioudmila Kortchaguina in 2007

It was the perfect race and the perfect day for Kinsey Middleton at the 2022 Ottawa Marathon. She became the first Canadian woman to win the race since Lioudmila Kortchaguina in 2007, in a personal best time of 2:30:08.

Middleton, 29, who lives and trains south of the border in Idaho, sat in sixth place at the halfway mark in 1:14:19 but stuck to her pace and moved up as a few runners dropped from the front pack. At 30K, she discovered she was leading the race when the lead vehicle pulled in front of her. Middleton’s pace slowed a bit over the final 5K but she managed to hold on for the win. 

This was a day beyond my wildest dreams,” Middleton says. “I was shooting for a top-five finish but to end up with a personal best and the win, I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

Lee Wesselius, who was fifth in the Canadian 10K championships yesterday, paced Middleton for the entire race. It was a successful weekend for Middleton, who will now head back to Boise with a race purse of $29,000 for winning the race and being the first Canadian to cross the finish line.

Middleton grew up in the U.S. but her mother is from Canada and her father is American. Middleton is a dual citizen and chose to compete for Canada after graduating from Oregon State University.

Thirteen women from Kenya and Ethiopia, who were on the elite list, were not able to run the marathon due to visa issues required for entering Canada. The list of women includes 2:19 marathoner Tigist Girma and 2019 Paris Marathon champion Gelete Burka from Ethiopia.

Elissa Legault of Montreal was the second woman to finish in a huge personal best time of 2:33:26. Her previous best came at the 2o21 Berlin Marathon where she ran 2:38:13. Legault negative split the final half of the race in 1:16:19 after covering the first half in 1:17:07. Katja Goldring of Flagstaff, Ariz., was the third runner to finish in 2:33:57.

Norman reigns in fierce 400m clash with record run in Eugene

USA’s Michael Norman produced the standout performance at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Eugene on Saturday (28), the 24-year-old setting a Diamond League 400m record of 43.60 to beat Grenada's Kirani James (44.02) and Matthew Hudson-Smith, who broke the British record with 44.35. 

On a cool, blustery afternoon at Hayward Field, with many outbreaks of heavy rain, Norman was one of many athletes who defied the conditions to make it another memorable edition of the Prefontaine Classic.

“I had zero expectation of what I could run today,” said Norman, who revealed he and coach Quincy Watts had gone “back to the basics” during their winter training. “Hard work and consistency with diet and training,” he said. “My motto this year has been that if it’s comfortable, it’s too easy – on the weight room or the track. Based on how I felt, there are a few areas I can improve on.”

Looking to next month’s US Championships and the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 on the same track in July, Norman said: “I’m going to train like I want to do something special, and when the time comes, the time comes.”

Kenya's Faith Kipyegon was equally peerless when taking the women’s 1500m in commanding fashion, the Olympic champion tracking chief rival Gudaf Tsegay until the final turn, at which point she blew by and came home a clear winner in a world lead and meeting record of 3:52.59. Tsegay got second in 3:54.21 with Canada’s Gabriela Debues-Stafford third in 3:58.62. “The race today gave me great morale that everything I’m doing is correct towards the World Championships – that’s my biggest fish and I hope for the best, for the gold medal,” said Kipyegon, who is “going to think about” a world record attempt at 1500m later in the summer. “I was not expecting (to run 3:52) when I saw the rain this morning, but I felt comfortable. It was good.”

USA's Ryan Crouser produced by far the standout performance in the field events, the Olympic shot put champion looking utterly peerless when launching a world-leading 23.02m effort in the second round. That left him well clear of long-time rivals Joe Kovacs (22.49m) and Tom Walsh (21.96m).

What made it more impressive is that Crouser did not use his full technique, but threw off a “static” starting position, which prior to today had never produced a 23-metre effort. Crouser said he usually throws 40-60cm farther when utilising his full technique. 

“I thought 23 was possible but I thought I’d have to get into my full (technique) to do it,” said Crouser. “My best static ever was in the 22.90s. To throw a static PR, under a heavy load, without a taper, is a really good indicator of where I can be seven or eight weeks from now.” Berihu Aregawi turned in a superb solo performance to take the men’s 5000m in a meeting record and world lead of 12:50.05, coming home well clear of fellow Ethiopians Samuel Tefera (13:06.86) and Selemon Barega (13:07.30). Aregawi swept to the front in the third kilometre after the pacers stepped aside and the Ethiopian broke clear of the field, powering through to the final laps to a rapturous reception from the crowd, which historically loves displays of fearless distance running. 

In the men’s 400m hurdles, Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos achieved another dominant performance, clocking a world-leading 47.23 to come home a distant winner ahead of USA’s Khalifah Rosser and Quincy Hall, who both clocked personal bests of 48.10. 

“I’m happy with this, but I want more, I want to go faster,” said Dos Santos. “Me and (Rai) Benjamin never win against (Karsten) Warholm, and nobody wants to lose, but it’ll be hard for us to come up against him at the World Championships and win. He is the boss, the guy to beat, and for winning the final you need to run 45 (seconds) – everyone is so strong.”

Sprint queen Elaine Thompson-Herah once again asserted her supremacy with a comfortable win in the 100m, clocking 10.79 (0.7m/s) to beat Sha’Carri Richardson, who bounced back to form with a 10.92 clocking to edge Shericka Jackson, who was third in 10.92. Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith was fourth with 10.98. 

“I’m happy to cross the line healthy and with the win,” said Thompson-Herah, who explained prior to the event that she’d been managing a niggle in training. “It got me ready for my championship in Jamaica next month.”USA’s Trayvon Bromell laid down a big marker ahead of next month’s US Championships by defeating his chief rivals in the 100m, pulling clear to take a comfortable win in 9.93 (-0.2m/s). Fred Kerley was next best with 9.98, while Christian Coleman faded from first at halfway to third at the finish, clocking 10.04 just ahead of Noah Lyles (10.05). 

"I really just wanted to come out with the win as I knew the wind was iffy today," said Bromell. "There were some technical things I wanted to do better with but I just have to go back to the drawing board and try to fix it."

Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn came from behind to score an impressive win in the 100m hurdles, a non-Diamond League event, the Puerto Rican clocking 12.45 into a slight headwind (-0.7m/s) with Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan second in 12.58 and USA’s Tonea Marshall third in 12.66. 

“It was a little sloppy,” said Camacho-Quinn. “I hit my trail leg a couple of times and that slowed me up, but I’ll take it. I went 12.4 in these conditions.”

Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was a clear winner of the women’s 200m in 22.41 (0.8m/s), with USA’s Brittany Brown second in 22.74 and Anthonique Strachan of Bahamas third in 22.76. 

Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen re-asserted his supremacy in the Bowerman Mile, the Olympic champion breaking clear with a lap to run and coming home a comfortable winner in a world lead of 3:49.76, with Australia’s Ollie Hoare second in a PB of 3:50.65 and world champion Timothy Cheruiyot third in 3:50.77. 

“It was a great race – I’m where I’m supposed to be,” said Ingebrigtsen, who will “for sure” double over 1500m and 5000m at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22. Looking towards the European Championships in Munich, he said he’d “love to do 800m, 1500m, steeplechase, 5km, 10km and marathon, but I don’t think that’s possible with the schedule.”

He will next race over 800m before competing at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Oslo on 16 June.  Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson utilised her typical sit-and-kick tactics to great effect to take the women’s 800m, the Olympic silver medallist powering clear of race leader Natoya Goule entering the home straight and holding off the late surge of world indoor champion Ajee Wilson to win in a world lead of 1:57.72, with Wilson second in 1:58.06 and Raevyn Rogers third in 1:58.44. 

Olympic champion Athing Mu was a late withdrawal after contracting Covid-19, but Hodgkinson is looking forward to renewing their rivalry in July. 

“It would have been good if she was here, but she’s going to be there at the World Champs and I’m sure we’ll have a good duel then –  I look forward to racing her,” said Hodgkinson. “I felt really good, it was a bit windy out there but there was good competition, it was a good run. I can’t complain.”

Sweden’s Khaddi Sagnia unleashed a PB of 6.95m (1.0m/s) to take victory in the women’s long jump, with Nigeria’s Ese Brume second with 6.82m and USA’s Tara Davis third with 6.73m. 

Norah Jeruto, the Kenyan-born athlete who now represents Kazakhstan, produced an impressive display to win the women’s 3000m steeplechase in 8:57.97, a world lead. Bahrain’s Winfred Mutile Yavi was close behind in second, clocking a PB of 8:58.71, while Ethiopia’s Mekides Abebe was third in 9:03.26. In the men’s 1500m, a non-Diamond League event, New Zealand’s Samuel Tanner took victory in a PB of 3:34.37 in front of Britain’s Neil Gourley, who clocked a PB of 3:34.85.

Italy’s Martina Caironi set a world record of 14.02 in the T63 women’s 100m, while in the men’s T62 400m, Germany’s Johannes Floors took the win in 48.13.  

85-year-old running Calgary Marathon calls himself 'oldest ever grandpa pace bunny'

I’ve always liked to keep moving,' says man who has won medals all over the globe.

Ahead of his half-marathon on Sunday, 85-year-old Gerald "Gerry" Miller will likely have a bowl of oatmeal topped with raisins and a bit of Greek yogurt.

This isn't Miller's first race, let alone his first marathon, and he knows what he needs to fuel his run.

Since he began long-distance running at 58-years-old, Miller has run more than 40 marathons — including New York, Boston, Berlin and Tokyo.

This Sunday in the Calgary Marathon he will be running with bunny ears on, a signal that he is a "pace bunny," with the aim to bring in runners at the two hours and 30 minute mark.

"[I'm] going to help pace the slower runners and charity runners … I'm the oldest ever grandpa pace bunny," he said.

"I've always liked to keep moving," says Miller, who in 2021 placed first in the men's 80 plus category for the inaugural Abbot World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group world championships in London.

It was an invitation by his son to run 19 kilometers with him that hooked Miller, who had only done shorter runs in his school and university days.

He qualified for the competitive Boston Marathon after running his first ever marathon in Vancouver.

Miller says he's "grateful" to be able to do what he does and share his passion with others.

Miller's running buddy Daron Wong says that he is the model for the energy and attitude he wants to have about running.

"He always amazes me and he still amazes me today," said Wong.

"Everybody wants to be in great shape and be running like Gerry when they're when they hit that age."

Wong says what Miller, who he met about a decade ago, has taught him the value of consistency and to "trust the training."

Miller approaches running meditatively. He says often it takes "digging deep", like when he ran in New York and had a bad fall which left blood on his face, or when he got hypothermia during another race.

"In many of those situations, it is the mindfulness that kicks in and says, 'Gerry, just keep going, even if it's a little slower.'"

Miller's family will often run the tail ends of races alongside him, and keep a Guinness beer cold and ready for him after the race. But he says they do question him about when he'll hang up his shoes for good.

"In my heart, I feel OK. If I can do it, I will relax and enjoy it," he said.

He says he knows every run might be his last, but in the meantime he's going to keep at it.

On Sunday 6,200 people are registered to run the Calgary Marathon, and just 72 of them will be over 70 years old.

Miller will be the second-oldest in the crowd.

How can I stay injury free when I’m marathon training?

Sports Injury Fix Director and resident running expert Mike James, has spent over 20 years as a Physio treating and training runners worldwide. He is also a competitive runner who has completed over 100 marathons and 50 ultra-marathons, so when he talks, we tend to listen. We asked him to give Run Mummy Run his top tips for staying injury free while training.

The last twenty years has seen a remarkable increase in people lacing up their shoes and getting bitten by the running bug. The mythical marathon distance of 26.2 miles remains the ultimate challenge for many.

Regardless of age and ability, running related injuries are common, and despite having a generally low level, mid-range dynamic nature, a relatively high incidence is observed.

So, how can we prevent, or reduce the risk of encountering such problems?

Here are my top tips….

Goal Setting

This should be the first thing any Marathoner does. Ask yourself, what do I want to achieve? Some people are entering the race to raise money for charity, others aim to set a PB. Every aspect of the coming 4-8 months will be determined by your goals.

Choose the right training regime

The running world is now saturated with programmes, from off-the-shelf to bespoke 1:1 regimes. If you choose one that pushes too hard based on your current level you may increase injury risk.  Yet if you choose a regime that doesn’t push you enough and the finish line may never materialise. If possible, speak to an established coach with a high success rate of marathon finishers and go for the tailored approach.

Prepare for the training regime

I see many runners picking up niggles simply by failing to prepare for a regime. They choose their race and training regime and jump straight into it. Unfortunately, for many, there is a gap between their current ability and the level needed even to commence a 20-24-week regime. Plan backwards, and add weeks as needed to build a sufficient level of fitness in preparation for your actual training regime.

Get Strong!

Research suggests that strength work can potentially reduce injuries by almost 50%. Performing two sessions weekly in the off season, with a once weekly maintenance session in season appears effective.  A general approach, largely able to be performed at home should suffice. Runner’s Strength Training Regime

Manage existing aches and pains

Very few runners are lucky enough to avoid the usual niggles associated with such high load and high frequency training. This can be the trigger for exacerbating niggles into larger problems. Seek advice from a therapist, explain your plans and work together to address these issues to allow you the best chance of completing the training ahead.

Time Management

For many runners, finding the balance between work, family, social and training commitments can be the hardest factor. Even with the most supportive loved ones and colleagues, it can be difficult to fit everything in. Try to plan novel ways to maximise training without affecting other aspects of you life. Finding this balance may not directly reduce injury risk, however, those struggling to find a balance, are more likely to cram sessions, over train, deviate from plans and limit recovery, factors which can all lead to injury.

Plan your season and races

I advocate using other races as preparation. I generally feel that these should be used as organised training sessions to practice using new kit, feeding strategies, pacing etc and as break from the monotony of training. Be careful not to become involved in a race with another competitor who undoubtedly has different seasons goals to yourself.

Pick the right team

The endurance world is packed with people who support and encourage each other. Grow a network of therapists, athletes, coaches, friends and loved ones that you can turn to when needed. This includes a race day support team to cheer you on!

Prepare for everything

Use your time to practice training in conditions that reflect the race course if possible. Practice different hydration and feeding strategies and kit and prepare for contingency plans in case things go better or worse than planned on race day.

Be consistent, but flexible

Consistency is the key to endurance sport success. Stick to your plans, commit to the regime. However, life gets in the way sometimes and other commitments can side track you. Don’t chase the missed sessions, don’t cram extra miles into subsequent sessions. If you are training correctly 80% of the time, then you will almost certainly achieve your goals. It is better to line up at the start line, slightly “undercooked” than “overcooked”.

Recover

This is often the single biggest factor that is neglected and ultimately leads to injury. It is the fine balance between stressing the body and allowing it to recover. Eat well, sleep well, hydrate and enjoy down time with friends and family – you will be earning it. Much debate exists regarding the effectiveness of tools such as foam rollers / trigger point devices, tapes, massage, compression clothing, cryotherapy and heat, and yes there will always be a large placebo effect to consider. But as long as you are training and recovering well, then these tools can help.

And remember……… whatever your goal, whatever your level, however many marathons you have completed……enjoy it, it’s fun!

Pilates vs Yoga: Which One is Right For You?

We’ve broken down everything you need to know about yoga and Pilates and how they benefit runners.

Oftentimes, Pilates and yoga get lumped in the same category. And that’s understandable—they’re both mind-body practices, offering a low-impact way to cross-train. And you can even find combos of the two training methods, like PiYo and Yogilates. 

But if you’ve ever wondered what the differences are between the two workouts—because there are major differences—and which one is right for you, we’ve got your ultimate guide to both Pilates and yoga. As a runner, you can benefit from each. Here’s what to know

Pilates vs Yoga: The Similarities

Yoga and Pilates have similarities in that they both focus on proper breathing techniques, offer a low-impact form of exercise (meaning no jumping—you’ll always have two feet on the ground), and you can tailor each practice to different fitness levels, whether you’re a beginner or advanced athlete. Plus, you can do both Pilates and yoga with minimal equipment—just your mat and time to focus on your movement. 

Even better: Both Pilates and yoga offer research-backed health benefits. For example, a study by researchers from the New York University Grossman School of medicine found that yoga has the potential to reduce anxiety. Another study published in the European Journal of General Cardiology in 2014 highlights yoga’s effectiveness at reducing risk factors of heart disease. 

As for Pilates, a study published in Frontiers in Neurology in 2021 says the practice can promote muscle strength, balance, and flexibility. 

Another systematic review and meta-analysis published in PLoS One in 2021 says that both practices, Pilates and yoga, may help older women maintain bone mineral density and that these forms of exercise are beneficial for strength and balance.

So which practice should you choose and how do they differ? We spoke with experts in each discipline to breakdown the specifics.

How did Pilates start and what’s it all about?

Pilates was originally developed by Joseph Pilates (hence the name) as a rehabilitative method. According to the Pilates foundation, Pilates attached bed springs to hospital beds (of patients unable to walk) to help support patients’ limbs. Much of the equipment he developed is still in use today in studios everywhere.

When Pilates moved to New York City in 1923 he opened the first official Pilates studio, which became popular among dancers. Today you can find Pilates studios all over the country. 

Today’s Pilates classes focus on moving through shortened ranges of motion (think pulses), as well as performing isometric holds. Each exercise relies heavily on core strength and being able to maintain a strong, solid midsection as you work through each pose. 

Pilates also mostly focuses on activating muscles while stretching them, says 500-hour certified Pilates instructor, Abby Suskin of Brooklyn, New York and founder of Pilates With Abs. “Pilates is a super efficient workout because when you contract muscles at their end range—or their lengthened position—you’re also creating stronger and more flexible muscles,” she says.

The major benefits of Pilates include:

Core strength

Total body strength

Balance and posture

Working on proper breathing techniques

Injury prevention and injury rehabilitation

What is a Pilates class like?

Some Pilates classes are done on a mat and may include props, like a ball, band, ring, or foam roller, Suskin explains. “Mat Pilates is also traditionally a series of 34 movements developed by Pilates that constitute a total-body workout using only bodyweight as resistance,” she says.

Other classes involve a reformer. A reformer is a traditional piece of Pilates equipment that looks like a moving mat with springs, pulleys, ropes, and a sliding carriage. On the reformer, your core is challenged by balancing on the moving mat while using your arms and legs against the resistance of the springs. In a group class, you’ll generally lie down, kneel, and stand on the reformer to challenge your core from different angles, Suskin says.

“Both [mat and reformer classes] focus on resistance training, either using bodyweight or springs to strengthen and stretch muscles simultaneously, while also challenging core strength,” says Suskin. 

What makes Pilates stand out from yoga is that it has more of a focus on resistance training, particularly when using the reformer or even when incorporating light weights or bands into a mat class. Pilates incorporates this resistance into functional movement patterns or those you practice in everyday life, Suskin explains. “You’ll see everyday movements like squats, planks, and overhead reaches in a Pilates class,” she adds.

For those who haven’t taken a Pilates class before, Suskin says a reformer-style session is probably the way to go. “Because the reformer has the moving mat and added springs and straps, it’s easier to isolate muscles for strengthening or stretching, so in some ways it’s better for beginners or those recovering from injury when used one-on-one with a Pilates teacher,” Suskin says. 

An example of a move that isolates muscles better on the reformer versus the mat is leg circles, Suskin says. “You draw circles with your legs by pushing into the straps and the exercise focuses on increasing hip range of motion, hamstring stretching, and core stability,” she says. (The same exercise can be done on the mat, but without the assistance of the straps, which means it becomes an abdominal- and hip flexor-focused exercise.)

Suskin says the intensity of a Pilates class can vary, depending on the type of Pilates (mat versus reformer) and the instructor, but you can expect a lot of total-body work and a big core burn. 

“Pilates can be dialed up or down in terms of intensity, which is one of its perks,” Suskin says. “While you’ll hardly ever see plyometric movements like jumping in Pilates, you’ll definitely break a sweat in a more athletic Pilates class by incorporating movements like planks, squats, and lunges that challenge your entire body.” 

Most classes also include a small number of people, so you do get extra attention from the instructor, helping you master proper form as you go.

Why is Pilates good for runners? 

As a runner you need full range of motion through your stride and strength through that stride, and Pilates helps you build that mobility and strength. 

Core stability, a signature pay-off of Pilates, is also super important for runners to maintain an upright posture on the road, as well as to run efficiently. A classic move, known as the Pilates hundred—in which you maintain a hollow-hold-like position while pumping the arms and focusing on the breath—is a good example of a Pilates exercise that would benefit runners’ core strength and endurance.

Pilates is also a great way to strengthen other muscles runners rely on. “Runners have a lot of power in quads, hamstrings, and hip flexors, but if you never work those muscles at their full range, you miss out on a lot of potential power and can be setting yourself up for injury,” Suskin says. “Doing a simple move like a glute bridge in Pilates is perfect for helping runners with flexibility and balanced strength, because it will stretch tight quads and hip flexors while also strengthening weak glutes and hamstrings,” she adds. 

Runners also can benefit from the breath work that is instilled in Pilates classes, as you’ll often start each class with a breathing warmup to help you get connected to your core. As Suskin says, “breath is one of the pillars of Pilates because it is directly connected to core activation.” 

“Pilates teachers will also cue students to exhale throughout class during the more challenging phase of the exercise to encourage core activation and stability,” she adds. 

How did yoga start and what’s it all about?

Yoga’s roots trace back some 5,000 years to India. It’s considered not only a physical practice, but also a spiritual one.

Yoga is a discipline rooted in meditative elements, and the connection of breath and body. Yoga means to yoke or unite—body, breath, and mind. The goal of a yogi is often to still the mind and find harmony between their physical and mental state. 

In general, yoga is a practice of asanas (or specific postures) that are linked to breath (pranayama). While yoga started as more of a mind-focused practice, today’s classes include more physical elements. Now there are many different styles of yoga for all fitness levels and preferences, including types like hatha, vinyasa, power, yin, ashtanga, and Iyengar. There are also more modern styles like hot yoga, chair yoga, and restorative yoga. 

The major benefits of yoga include:

Mindfulness and relaxation 

Promoting balance 

Flexibility

Learning proper breathing techniques

Injury prevention

Addressing anxiety and depression

What is a yoga class like?

There are many styles of yoga, so classes can vary widely. The connecting factor is that a yoga class will connect your breath with each pose and you’ll often move slowly through each position, with a reminder from the instructor to be present in the class and in each pose. In most yoga classes, you’ll either practice flowing quickly through poses or hold poses for a little longer, while still connecting one to the next. 

Sarrah Strimel, founder of Damn Good Yoga in New York City, who’s certified in four styles of yoga (hatha, vinyasa, restorative, and yin) says her classes are typically 60 to 75 minutes long and begin with a warmup of the spine, joints, ankles, and the muscle groups she’ll focus on during class. As is typical for yoga classes, Strimel works her class toward a challenging peak pose, like a headstand, crow pose, or splits, and then brings the class back down from there. 

Most yoga classes offer props like blocks, straps, or blankets to help you modify and be comfortable in poses. Some yoga teachers weave themes or philosophies into their instruction, related to the asanas they teach (like feeling empowered as you go through a warrior sequence, or having an open heart as you open up your chest in downward facing dog). 

In most yoga classes, you can also expect a relaxing Savasana (or corpse pose) at the end. This is a time to turn down the lights, stretch out on your mat, meditate, listen to soothing sounds or music, and consciously release tension—all things runners can definitely benefit from, and for many yogis, their favorite part of the class. 

Why is yoga good for runners?

Strimmel says yoga offers runners the opportunity to lengthen and strengthen the muscles that are short and tight. “Yoga is important for runners because it offsets the constant repetitive movement of your stride when you’re running,” says Strimmel. For example your hamstrings contract when you’re running and a regular yoga practice helps stretch out and open up those overused muscles you’re relying on to run, she adds. 

Learning proper breathing techniques, and trying different types of breathing, can also help runners gain more control of their breath, which can be helpful in boosting performance.

A yoga practice also encourages mindfulness, and this is something that can also benefit your running. Tapping into that awareness of being present and mindful, and remembering that the here and now is important, can help you power through that long run.

Pilates vs Yoga: The Major Differences

Pilates hasn’t been around for as long as yoga, but it still has a solid history. No matter what class you take, a good Pilates session will get your core fired up and lend itself to more functional mobility and muscle strengthening. So opt for Pilates if you’re looking specifically to build more strength and muscular endurance, especially in the core.

With a wide variety of yoga classes, there’s something for everyone, whether you’re looking to move quickly and build heat in a power class or wind down, meditate, and stretch it out in a yin or restorative class. Regardless of the intensity, a good yoga class will get your mind relaxed and body feeling loose and limber. Go for yoga if you want something a little more low key and you want to focus on your mindset more, too.

The Bottom Line on Pilates vs Yoga

Both yoga and Pilates are great low-impact exercises to add to your cross-training days. Depending on your goals and past injuries, one may suit you better than the other, so set those objectives first. 

It’s always smart to check with your doctor or physical therapist about what might be right for you. Trying out a couple classes and instructors to find the one you like best is also a good option.

Schweizer, Klecker Win U.S. 10,000-Meter Championships

They lead the U.S. contingent in the event for the World Championships in July.

After 24 and a half laps of the track, Karissa Schweizer sprinted past Alicia Monson to win the U.S. title in the 10,000 meters at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. 

Schweizer’s time, 30:49.56, was less than two seconds off her personal best, and by finishing in the top three, she earned a spot on the U.S. squad competing at the World Athletics Championships in July. That meet will also be held in Eugene, the first time the meet will be in the United States.

Monson, who led the last 10 laps of the race until Schweizer sprinted by her, was second in 30:51.09, a personal best by nearly 20 seconds. 

Well behind the top two, a pack of six women vied for third place and the final of three Worlds spots. Natosha Rogers and Emily Infeld were back and forth in the final 100 meters, and Rogers pulled ahead just before the line. She clocked 31:29.80, and Infeld was less than a quarter of a second behind, in 31:30.04. 

Weini Kelati was fifth, Sarah Lancaster was sixth, and Steph Bruce, in her final year of racing, was seventh.

The race went out in a relatively easy first half. Emily Durgin led the field through a 5,000-meter split of 15:50. Schweizer ran just under 15 minutes for the second 5,000 meters, and Monson was right behind.

Joe Klecker takes the men’s title

The men’s 10,000 meters had the same stakes—top three earn a trip to worlds—but the pace went out so easy that most of the field was still in the race when the sprinting started during the bell lap. 

Joe Klecker, an Olympian at 10,000 meters last year, won in 28:28.71, just beating Grant Fisher, the American record holder in the event, who finished in 28:28.81. Fisher’s time was nearly two minutes slower than the record (26:33.84) he set in March. 

Although Emmanuel Bor had a lead heading into the final 100 meters, Sean McGorty emerged in third place after Bor, slowing, tripped in the final meters and finished in eighth. 

McGorty, recovering from Achilles surgery last July, ran 28:29.57 and earned his first berth on a U.S. team. 

Dillon Maggard was fourth, Shadrack Kipchirchir was fifth, and Lopez Lomong was sixth. 

In both races, first place earned $8,000, second earned $6,000, and the third-place finishers took home $4,000. 

In a Training Rut? Psychology Says It's Time to Find a New Trail.

As much as this hurts to hear, like any sport or hobby, trail running can become monotonous. For many runners, a passion for hitting the trails will, at times, start to feel like a chore. Luckily, there is a very simple fix that can reignite your passion for trail running during these moments, and that's the power of the change-up.

"You can definitely get stuck in a rut, just by running the same thing over and over again," says clinical and sport psychologist Michael Griffith. "I think the part of trail running that gets people so interested in it is going to epic places or trying out different trails."

Griffith sees this training rut first-hand, as he works directly with many athletes to rekindle their motivation and achieve their athletic goals. 

Repeating the same trails can cause runners to lose interest over time and their performance to lag. Creating new challenges, whether that's a new part of town or a weekend road trip, improves both physical and emotional wellbeing. You'll explore new trails while better setting yourself up for upcoming races.

"Our brains adapt to routine," says Griffth. "By changing things up, you're exercising that mental muscle. You're forcing your body and brain to react to new situations and new stimuli. Anytime you put yourself outside your comfort zone, that's probably a good thing."

Griffith has worked in psychology for decades, and these premises are not new. Numerous studies like this one from the University of Florida and others shared by the National Institute of Health, show the impact of change on athlete motivation. Essentially, it's the same drive that brings many of us to trail running in the first place: the rush of exploring somewhere new and the drive to see what comes next.

Avoid Injury

It's important to find new trails to continue that drive, not only from a mental level but a physical one, too. Think of trying out a new trail as a form of cross-training that can help reduce your risk of injury. 

"If you're running the same route, the same way, same direction, day in and day out, your body becomes more prone to injury in those situations," says Griffith. "I think first, because your body adapts and second, because your brain takes the situation for granted. Challenging your brain to be present and in the moment while you're running is part of mixing up your course and throwing new stuff your way."

Prepare for the Unfamiliar

New trails or a different location can also help prepare you for a race in a region where you don't normally spend time. Think about going from the Rocky Mountains to California's high desert - two very distinct regions with differing topography, temperatures, humidity, and altitude. Waiting to experience those differences until race day may not be the best way to set you up for success, so a scouting road trip may be a great idea.

"When you're training for a race, typically you're going to be running a new course, right? It's not going to always be your home course that you typically run," says Griffith. "You want to prepare yourself for this and have the mindset of, I can handle whatever the course is going to throw at me. I'm ready. I'm prepared. I've done this. I've run a number of different courses. I think it puts you in a good mental mindset when you're faced with a new race and a new place to run."

Locate New Trails

For some runners, a roadblock for changing things up may be a lack of tools, and finding a new trail isn't always easy. Fortunately, there are a wide range of apps aimed at trail runners, hikers, bikers, and climbers to find new ways of getting outside. GPS apps can show different trails and paths, while some have helpful tools and can even work offline. 

"I know how useful it is both for finding new trails and also for not getting lost," says Abby Levene, a trail runner and user of the Gaia GPS app. "So I selfishly like trying to show people that this is a useful tool, not just for hiking and backpacking, but also for running. When it comes to finding new trails, it uses open street map data and has a robust collection of trails." 

Levene has used Gaia both near her home in Boulder, Colorado, and while traveling to find new places to run. She says that not only can you see what's nearby, it can also help you prepare for what you'll find once you arrive at the trail.

"If I see that mountain biking is allowed on a trail, that's a good indication it's going to be a nice flowing, runnable trail," says Levene. "And conversely, some days I'm just like, I do not want to see a single bike. I don't want to have to stop and get off the trail. So then on those days, I look for trails where mountain biking isn't allowed." 

Safety First

Having a GPS in hand can also help keep you safe in unfamiliar terrain. Last year, officials in national forests and national parks saw record numbers of rescues that in some instances could have been avoided with the help of a mapping system. 

"That's where learning how to read a topographic map becomes really useful, once you understand what all of those little squiggly lines mean on the map. Then you can realize, oh, this trail actually has like 4,000 feet of climbing," says Levene. "And if you don't know how to read a topo map, no problem. That's where I start using the planning tool and I'll look at a trail and I'll create a route from the bottom to the top to see exactly how much climbing there is."

Time to Explore

Avoiding outdoor cliches about taking new paths is hard, but the truth is, sometimes leveling up your training really is as easy as finding a new trail.

"We talk a lot about that cool beginner mindset. That's a healthy thing for our brains to be in that space as it builds confidence and challenges ourselves by putting ourselves in a novel situation," says Griffith. "I think that's a good way to access that positive, growth-oriented beginner mindset that says, 'yeah, I can do this.'"

Hong Kong ‘Everesting’ record set by departing Frenchman, saying farewell to trail community with magical challenge

Ferdinand Clovis Airault climbs up and down Sunset Peak 21 times to accumulate the height of Everest from sea level 

The solo challenge becomes a community event and a chance to say farewell for now but not goodbye 

Ferdinand Clovis Airault set Hong Kong’s “Everesting” record, but the result was less important than the experience and the chance to say goodbye to friends.

The Hong Kong-based Frenchman is departing at the start of June, destined for a move to New York. As a final challenge, he ran up and down Sunset Peak 21 times, accumulating the full height of Everest from sea level.

Airault, a magician in his spare time, completed the 8,852 metres of accumulative elevation in 14 hours and 24 minutes – the fastest “Everesting” completed in Hong Kong.“There isn’t big competition for this record – I know that if Wong Ho-chung [Hong Kong’s top trail runner] comes, he will explode the record,” Airault said. “So it was not just about the record, but I felt the competition was a driver.“I came prepared, with an idea of the time I wanted and all the advice I could get. I knew all the laps would need to be 40 minutes and I couldn’t take breaks. But I would have finished it even if I was far from the record.

“The experience was the main thing – I pushed my limits, body and mind, to accomplish some kind of magic trick. The motivation was really the experience in such an iconic place like Sunset Peak. I saw the sunset and the sunrise and I was looking for the magic of the place. The competition was just a booster.”Hong Kong runner plans to shut up the sexists by ‘Everesting’ Castle Peak

The magical experience was added to by the company. Groups of trail runners came to ring cow bells and cheer Airault on at the bottom of each lap. Some joined him for a lap or two. He was joined by friends from his team at Lantau Base Camp, Hong Kong Sports Clinic and T8, and also from his rival team Gone Running Joint Dynamics.

“It’s a great way to say goodbye,” Airault said. “What is good with Covid-19 is we created these little challenges to show Hong Kong is still alive. There are still restrictions but we can make trail running evolve through these challenges and adventures.”

One of the runners who joined was Jeremy Ritcey, the former record holder.“Jeremy gave me all the tips to beat it,” Airault said. “I found that super-cool. The idea wasn’t to keep it for himself. He said we had this time as a group and we will improve it. I was just there to represent the community that day and if someone else comes along, I can help them improve the record by sharing too.”

Airault thinks he could have gone faster had he picked another mountain such as The Peak, with flat concrete roads. But he wanted to respect Covid-19 restrictions by going somewhere less busy. Besides, it was the location of the previous record, he wanted his friends on Lantau to join him and he wanted to be in a beautiful location.From around 2am to 5am he was all by himself.

“At the start, I was very enthusiastic, so even on the ferry I was full of energy,” he said. “After, when people were coming and I knew people were there to say goodbye, I began to realise that I would not see these people again, that this was my last sunset at Sunset Peak.

“At sunrise, I said, ‘This is my last sunrise, it’s time to push.’ On the last five laps, I did my fastest laps. One of my final five laps was in the 10 top fastest ever laps of Sunset Peak. I think I really had this energy of knowing it was the last time.”

Airault added that it was farewell for now but not goodbye. He hopes to return to run the TransLantau in October.

“When I arrived in Hong Kong, I knew nothing about running,” he said. “I was smoking and drinking. Hong Kong changed me and I hope the US will change me too. Trail running will stay with me, but who knows what else I will find.”

Boilermaker officials announced today the lifting of COVID restrictions for participation in the Boilermaker

Change eliminates initial restrictions requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID PCR Test.

Policy remains subject to change should public health conditions warrant.

Boilermaker officials announced today the lifting of COVID restrictions for participation in the Boilermaker 15K presented by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, 5K presented by Utica National and the 15K Wheelchair Race presented by Sitrin and NBT Bank on July 10, 2022.

As a result of the changes, participants will no longer need to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test prior to race day.

“We have been closely monitoring the path of COVID-19 since February of 2020 and our priority has always been the safety of our participants, staff, volunteers and community,” said Mark Donovan, president of the Boilermaker. “When we opened registration in March, our policy was in line with what had become the standard for events of all sizes and with all city and state guidelines. Shortly afterwards, that standard changed and we have seen large scale events being held safely with zero restrictions locally, regionally and nationally.”

For anyone not comfortable participating in-person, the “Home-Edition” (virtual) option of the Boilermaker 15K or 5K race is available. The “Home-Edition” allows participants to run a 15K or 5K course of their choosing between July 1 and noon on July 10, 2022 and receive their pint glass and finisher’s medal or pin by mail.

“In the interest of public health, we continue to encourage all to follow standard COVID precautions at this year’s Boilermaker events,” Donovan continued. “In addition, we will continue to assess public health conditions, governmental actions and guidelines and will issue policy revisions should they become necessary.”

For more information on the Boilermaker’s 2022 events, visit boilermaker.com.

Prefontaine Classic promises world record attempts and rich competition despite late losses

It is a measure of Eugene’s Prefontaine Classic meeting - which tomorrow forms the third stop on the Wanda Diamond League tour - that it can lose four Olympic gold medalists at late notice and still remain packed with compelling competition and world record attempts.

The arrangement of all that athletics action was altered today following forecasts of rain and high winds - likely to be blowing into the faces of the sprinters - on Saturday.

Accordingly the men's pole vault, featuring Olympic gold and silver medalists Mondo Duplantis of Sweden and Chris Nilsen of the United States, the women's discus, featuring the US Olympic champion Valarie Allman, and the women's high jump, involving Ukraine's world indoor champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh, have been moved to Friday night's programme, where world record attempts are being made over two miles and 5,000 meters.

The news that the United States' Olympic women’s 800 meters champion Athing Mu will not now race against Britain’s Tokyo 2020 silver medalist Keely Hodgkinson, and that Italy’s men’s 100m champion Marcell Jacobs will not be in a field including the man he beat to gold in Japan, home sprinter Fred Kerley, was disappointing.

Also missing from the planned line-up at the new-look Hayward Field, which will stage this year’s World Athletics Championships, are home talents Matthew Centrowitz, the Rio 2016 1500m gold medalist, Tokyo 2020 and world 400m hurdles silver medalist Rai Benjamin and double world pole vault champion Sam Kendricks.

And South Africa’s double Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya, who had planned a first top-level race since 2019, has also withdrawn.

All this means the limelight will shine all the more intensely on stellar performers such as Jamaica’s double Olympic women’s 100 and 200m champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, who runs over the shorter sprint against a field including the American who missed last year’s Olympics because of a three-month suspension after testing positive for cannabis, Sha’Carri Richardson.

Britain’s world 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith, who last Saturday won the Birmingham Diamond League 100m from which Thompson-Herah had made a late withdrawal, is also in the mix, as is Switzerland’s world indoor 60m champion Mujinga Kambundji and Jamaica’s Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist Shericka Jackson.

Thompson-Herah chose to make a low-key start to her outdoor season, choosing to compete in Kingston, where she clocked 10.94sec despite a strong headwind of -1.8 meters per second.

It was on this track last year that she ran 10.54, putting her second on the all-time list.

The men’s 100m is also loaded given the presence of Kerley and his fellow Americans Trayvon Bromell, who will be keen to restore normal working after his early exit in Birmingham because of a false start, world champion Christian Coleman, world 200m champion Noah Lyles and Canada’s Olympic 200m champion Andre De Grasse.

And 18-year-old Erriyon Knighton, who last year became the youngest male athlete to represent the United States since middle distance runner Jim Ryun in 1964 and missed a 200m medal by one place, will seek to break 10sec for the first time.

Knighton already tops this year’s 200m world list with his startling 19.49sec in Baton Rouge last month, which put him fourth on the all-time list.

The women’s 200m will see double Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo taking on Jamaica’s 35-year-old Beijing 2008 and London 2012 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who won world gold at this distance in 2013 and took silver at the London 2012 Olympics.

The men’s 400m will see Kirani James of Grenada, the London 2012 champion and Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist, take on home athletes including Michael Cherry, Michael Norman – a major talent currently seeking a performance to do himself justice - Vernon Norwood and Kahmari Montgomery.

The absence of Benjamin from the 400m hurdles will offer Brazil’s Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist Alison Dos Santos - who beat Benjamin in the opening Diamond League meeting of the season in Doha – a perfect chance to shine,

In the women’s 100m hurdles, Puerto Rico’s Olympic champion takes on the American who took silver behind her in Tokyo, world record holder Kendra Harrison.

The traditional Friday evening distance racing in Eugene will include a women’s two miles and a women’s and men’s 5000m race.

At the latter, which will be followed by an official Diamond League 5,000m on Saturday, Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei is billed to make an attempt at breaking his own world record of 12min 35.36sec, which he ran in Monaco in August 2020.

On Saturday afternoon the majority of the rivals Cheptegei beat to win Olympic 5,000m gold in Tokyo last year will line up for the Diamond League 5.000m, where Olympic 10,000m champion Selemon Barega of Ethiopia, Olympic 10,000m bronze medalist Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda, Olympic 5,000m silver Mohammed Ahmed of Canada and two-time Olympic 5,000m medalist Paul Chelimo of the United States are the main contenders.

Friday night will also see Ethiopia’s 24-year-old Letesenbet Gidey aiming to lower the women’s 5000m world record of 14:06.62 that she set in Valencia in October 2020.

Gidey has since lowered the women’s 10,000m world record to 29min 01.03sec and the world half marathon record to 1hr 2min 52sec.

Elsewhere on Friday, the women’s two miles will see Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, the Olympic 5,000 and 10,000m champion, facing Diamond League 5,000m champion Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi.

The latter, who was disqualified at the Tokyo 2020 Games, beat Kenya’s double Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon over 3,000m in Doha earlier this month.

The world best of 8:58.58, set by Ethiopia’s Meseret Defar in 2007, is sure to be under threat.

Saturday’s middle-distance action will be highlighted by the clash of Olympic 1500m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen and world champion Timothy Cheruiyot, who renew their rivalry in the Bowerman Mile. 

Ingebrigtsen beat Cheruiyot for the first time in the Olympic final in Tokyo last year but the Kenyan beat his Norwegian rival a few weeks later to win over 1500m at the Diamond League final in Zurich.

Both men will need to be primed, however, to beat Kenya’s Abel Kipsang, who out-kicked Cheruiyot to win in Doha recently and who backed it up with 1500m victory in Birmingham last Sunday.

Kipyegon meanwhile will take on Britain’s Tokyo 2020 silver medalist Laura Muir and Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia in the women’s 1500m.

Hodgkinson faces an 800m field that includes home runner Ajee Wilson, who took the world indoor title earlier this year.

The men’s shot put will involve the respective Tokyo 2020 gold, silver and bronze medalists Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs of the United States and New Zealand’s Tom Walsh.

2022 Mattoni Ceske Budejovice Half Marathon will Celebrate 10th Anniversary

RunCzech running league and Ceske Budejovice celebrate! The 10th year of Mattoni 1/2 Marathon Ceske Budejovice will start already on Saturday, June 4.

“It will be important for us to commemorate the 10th year of this race. We really appreciate the great atmosphere and enthusiastic spectators we meet in Budějovice every year. We would like to prepare an exceptional experience for them during the marathon weekend, which will celebrate our tenth anniversary”, explained the manager for regional races Igor Murko.

Mattoni Ceske Budejovice Half Marathon is part of the RunCzech running league. The race again won the highest award for road runs with a five-star certificate from European Athletics.

Almost 3,000 runners from the Czech Republic and abroad will be at the start of the race is specific to the fact that up to 40% of participants are from southern Bohemia.

That makes a completely unique atmosphere at the start. Mattoni Ceske Budejovice Half Marathon starts at 7 p.m. from Přemysl Otakar IISquare. The race excels with a fast track, beautiful scenery, and a friendly atmosphere that will delight both runners and spectators along the track.

The Event offers more categories than “just” 1/2 Marathon. In addition to the 1/2 Marathon, a 2Run is prepared for runners who do not yet feel completely prepared for the whole race. The relay race is an ideal alternative for team runners.

Of course, the traditional dm family run which will start at 4 p.m, is prepared for all family members. The undemanding 3 km long course in the center of Karlovy Vary is really suitable for everybody.

After years of setbacks, Bob Hardy, the walker-runner, returns to Ottawa race weekend to race the 10K

When Bob Hardy of Alexandria, Ont., gave up bike racing due to blood clots in 2012 at age 61, he felt lost. Hardy had to sell his best friend (his bicycle) and move away from the sport he loved. But Hardy is accustomed to treating barriers as challenges, and for him, this was just another challenge to be overcome. It’s what led to him entering running races, using a walker for balance.

In 2001, Hardy won a long battle with leukemia, thanks to a bone marrow transplant. He describes himself as a go-getter, inspired by challenges (adding that his wife says he’s crazy). After losing cycling, he was craving his next challenge. The 2012 surgery for the blood clots left him without balance. As he recovered in 2013, his wife saw a half-price advertisement for the Hugo rolling walker, which he realized would allow him to get around, even though he’d lost his balance. “I reached out immediately,” Hardy says. “I told them: I want to race with the walker.”

Since 2013, Hardy has logged more than 11,000 kilometers with his walker, including 11 half-marathons, six marathons and one 100K ultra. He’s unable to go as fast as the other runners, so he starts at the back of the pack and continues to chip away at his seven- to eight-minute-per-kilometer pace.

Like any new skill, running with a walker took time to learn. “I studied race walking, and had to install aero bars on the walker to make it more sporty,” he says. In 2016, Hardy found himself on the start-line of his first marathon, at Ottawa Race Weekend. He finished, but was disappointed with his time of 6:38. Over the next three years, he managed to get his time down to 5:23, which he ran at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2018.

To this day, Hardy still battles with his balance. He also suffers from severe sciatica in his hips. “No matter the obstacle, I know I can’t give up,” Hardy says, adding “I’ve been fighting for more than 20 years now, from my bone marrow transplant for leukemia to a blood clot in my intestine and neck.”

Hardy returns to Ottawa Race Weekend on Saturday evening to run the 10K and get as close as he can to that one-hour mark with his new best friend — his Hugo walker.

Top health issues that can affect your running achievements

Running is a great way to stay healthy and get in shape, but it’s important to be aware of the health issues that can affect your running performance. In this article, we will discuss some of the top health problems that can impact your running ability. We’ll also provide tips on how to deal with these issues and continue running strong. So whether you’re a beginner or an experienced runner, read on for valuable information about staying healthy and performing at your best!

Injuries

The first health issue we’ll discuss is injuries. Running can put a lot of stress on your body, and injuries are common among runners of all levels. The best way to deal with an injury is to listen to your body and rest when you need to. Don’t try to push through the pain, as this can often make the injury worse. If you’re having persistent pain or discomfort, consult with a doctor or physical therapist to find out the best course of treatment.

You can also purchase joint or muscle support products to help prevent injuries. For example, knee sleeves or compression socks can help support your joints and muscles while you run. Wearing proper shoes is also key in preventing injuries. Make sure your shoes are comfortable and offer adequate support for your feet.

Mental Health Issues

Finally, mental health issues can also affect runners. Depression, anxiety, and stress can all lead to a decrease in running performance. If you’re struggling with any type of mental health issue, talk to your doctor or a therapist. Namely, professionals from www.mens-revival.com say that depression can also be a sign of low testosterone levels. Other symptoms could include fatigue, loss of muscle mass, and more. A doctor can help you develop a plan to deal with your symptoms and get back on track. Even more so, there are many running groups and forums that can provide support and guidance. To find a group near you, check out your local running store or search online.

Dehydration

Another health concern for runners is dehydration. When you run, you sweat and lose fluids, which can lead to dehydration if you don’t replace them. Symptoms of dehydration include thirst, fatigue, lightheadedness, and dark urine. It’s important to drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after your run to stay hydrated. Water is the best option for hydrating before and after a run. During a run, you can also drink sports drinks to replenish electrolytes and help your body absorb fluids more quickly.

Heat Exhaustion

Running in hot weather can lead to heat exhaustion, which is a serious condition that occurs when your body overheats. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include headache, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. If you start to experience these symptoms, it’s important to stop running and cool down as soon as possible. Drink fluids, remove any excess clothing, and find a cool place to rest. If your symptoms don’t improve within 30 minutes, seek medical attention.

Heart Problems

There are also many different types of heart conditions that can impact runners. If you have any type of heart condition, it’s important to talk to your doctor before starting a running program. Some heart conditions may require medication or other treatments, so it’s important to get the all-clear from your doctor before hitting the road. 

For example, runners with high blood pressure should be sure to monitor their condition and take breaks often to avoid overexertion. Those with heart arrhythmias may need to limit their running intensity or distance. And runners with coronary artery disease should be sure to run at a moderate pace and not push themselves too hard.

Stress Fractures

A stress fracture is a small crack in a bone that occurs from overuse. Stress fractures are common among runners, especially those who are just starting out or increasing their mileage too quickly. Symptoms of a stress fracture include pain, swelling, and tenderness at the site of the injury. If you think you have a stress fracture, it’s important to see a doctor right away. Stress fractures can often be treated with rest and ice. In some cases, you may need to wear a splint or cast. If the stress fracture is severe, you may need surgery.

Listen To Your Body

If you’re dealing with any type of health issue, it’s important to listen to your body and take things at a slow pace. Don’t be afraid to take breaks or walk when you need to. And always consult with a doctor before starting or making changes to your running program. You can receive valuable guidance and ensure that you’re doing everything possible to stay healthy and prevent injuries.

These are just a few of the top health problems that can affect runners. By being aware of these issues and taking steps to prevent them, you’ll be able to stay healthy and run your best! 

Father-daughter duo sets world record for fastest combined half-marathon

Marie-Ange Brumelot and her father, Nicolas Brumelot, of Paris, France, set a Guinness World Record for the fastest half marathon run by a parent and child at the RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon last weekend in New York City. The daughter ran 1:13:46 to place third overall, while Nicolas ran 1:31:46 to win the men’s 55 to 60 age category, for a cumulative time of 2:45:32.

The duo smashed the old record held by Clare Bovill and Jonathan Scott from Cambridge, U.K., of 2:58:35, by 13 minutes. Jonathan and his mother, Clare, previously went after this record in March 2020 to have a common goal to train together and share the joy they get from running.

Two rules apply for this record: the first, applicants must provide documents proving the child-parent relationship, and the child must be over 16. 

Marie-Ange was selected to represent France at the 2020 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland, but did not end up racing. Her father, 59, is a longtime runner who recently completed his 46th marathon at the 2022 Hamburg Marathon, where he ran a new personal best time of 3:20:49. 

Marie-Ange grew up in Paris but now lives and trains in Shokan, N.Y., near the Catskill Mountains. The 29-year-old distance runner set a personal best at the Brooklyn Half, breaking her previous best of 1:14:18 from the 2020 Houston Half Marathon.

Five great exercises to combine with your running routine

Running is one of the best exercises you can do, but the same routine can get you into a rut. To get a true whole body workout, to engage your core and upper body muscles, and to add a lot of interest, incorporate the following 8 exercises into your running routine.

1.- Planks

Begin and end your runs with a plank. First, get into pushup position, then balance on your forearms. Your elbows should be 90 degrees, beneath your shoulders, and your body should be straight from head to foot. Hold your plank for two minutes to work your core, shoulders, arms, and glutes.

If you cannot hold a plank for the recommended time, squeeze your abs and hold still for five more seconds as you begin to waver. A modified plank involves resting your knees on the ground, and advanced planks involve lifting up one leg or arm for 15 seconds during the exercise.

2.- Burpees

Burpees test your endurance and the strength of your arms, back, legs, and core. To perform a burpee, crouch and place your hands on the floor. Place your weight on your hands and quickly move your feet back to a pushup position. Do one pushup. Swing your feet back near your hands, then jump as high as you can. Return back to the crouching position, and repeat.

When you perform several of these quickly – say, 15 reps in 30 seconds – it has been scientifically proven that you can build up your muscle endurance.

Take a break during the middle of your run, do as many burpees as you can in 30 seconds, then continue running after a one-minute break.

3.- Shadow Boxing

Shadow boxing – throwing punches into the air – can be done while you run, as long as you can maintain the proper balance. (That makes it most ideal for running outside versus on a treadmill.) If you shadow box for 10 minutes during every run, you’ll build muscle tone in your arms.

The basic punch is the jab, where you keep your hand in a loose fist, then quickly extend your arm so that your knuckles are horizontal and have landed at an imaginary opponent’s face. Another punch is the uppercut, where you bring your fist up under your imaginary opponent’s chin. Keep your arm in a V-shape and rotate your upper body as you lift your arm. Finally, the hook is more of a sideways punch, where your elbow lifts out and you aim toward your imaginary opponent’s torso, swinging your upper body and arm together in one motion.

While running, do each type of punch for one minute – 30 seconds for one arm and 30 seconds for the other – or change your punches like a pro.

4.- Arm Circles

Arm circles work your shoulders, an important muscle group for lifting and pushing. As you’re running, perform 3 sets of arm circles by first lifting your arms so that they extend out to your sides and are parallel with the ground. Make forward circles with your arms for 30 seconds. Then, make backward circles for another 30 seconds. After a one minute rest, repeat your circles two more times.

5.- High Steps

Since the most efficient runners take 180 steps per minute, you should increase your foot speed to place less stress on your muscles and joints per stride. High steps are great for increasing foot speed when you do them for one minute 3 times during a run.

High steps are just as they sound – raising your knee up to your belly button with each step. If performed at maximum foot speed, they can get your heart pumping. They will also engage your core and give your upper body more exercise, as your arms will have to pump and rotate to help you maintain balance and speed.

Are you already beginning to imagine yourself doing these exercises the next time you run? Because they’re so convenient to do, you can easily incorporate them into your routine and will soon be stronger and faster.

Pre Classic Hit With Withdrawals: Olympic Champs Athing Mu, Marcell Jacobs and Matthew Centrowitz All Withdraw From Meet

Every year the Prefontaine Classic is an incredible meet. Not only is it the lone Wanda Diamond League meeting in the US, but Nike pretty much mandates that its top athletes compete unless injured.

This year’s meet was shaping up to be totally spectacular as it comes less than two months before Worlds are held on the very same track. However, while the meet is going to be amazing, it’s going to be less than amazing than it was looking like a few days ago as a bunch of big-name stars have been taken off the start lists in recent days.

Reigning Olympic 800 champ Athing Mu is no longer listed in the women’s 800. The same is true for Marcell Jacobs in the men’s 100, which this year is supplanting the Bowerman Mile as the last event on the schedule. However, he has been replaced by Trayvon Bromell –the fastest man in the world in 2021. 2016 Olympic 1500 champ Matthew Centrowitz also is off the start lists, meaning he still hasn’t raced at all in 2022.

“Matthew has a knee injury and is unable to race this weekend. Hopefully, he will be back in action soon,” texted Ricky Simms, the agent for Centrowitz, when asked for comment by LetsRun.com.

The Italian federation said that Jacobs picked up a muscle injury during his race in Savona last week and has been told to take 10 days off. No reasons have been given for Mu’s withdrawal and Wes Felix, her agent, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Friday night, the US 10,000 meter champs will be held plus there will be world record attempts in the women’s 2 mile with Francine Niyonsaba and Sifan Hassan as well as 5000s with Letesenbet Gidey and Joshua Cheptegei. Then on Saturday, the normal meet will be held.

How long does it take your body to recover after a 5K race?

After you finish a 5K, it’s tempting to immediately stop or sit down but you want to try to keep moving to avoid the build-up of lactic acid in your legs and to speed up the recovery process. Post-race recovery is something many runners don’t consider before their race, since runners focus on getting to the finish line, first and foremost. Recovery helps the body heal, repair and strengthen the aches and pains from training and racing, which can ultimately help prevent injuries and improve fitness.

Racing a 5K does not require as much recovery as you think. The general rule of thumb for this distance is to take one day of rest per mile raced (1.6km). Therefore, most runners will require a recovery period of two to four days after a 5K.

The rest period does not mean to halt all running or exercise but a break from speedwork and high-intensity training. Rest days can include easy runs, swimming, biking and even lifting weights at the gym at an easy intensity level.

The reason why easy exercise is encouraged during recovery is it helps bring essential nutrients and oxygen to the soft tissue around your muscles, which helps enhance blood flow to repair the body. If exercise is done at a low intensity it will not stress the body any further.

The best approach is to address your recovery as it happens. See how your body feels the morning after your race and if you are pain-free, try a 20 to 30-minute easy run or 30 minutes on the bike. On days two and three of post-race recovery, your body should give you an idea if there are any nagging aches or pains or if you are ready to resume training. By the fourth day, your body should feel recovered and you should be able to resume your usual training routine.

It’s important to note that everyone will deal with post-race recovery differently and to listen to your body. If you feel you need additional days off or more easy days, take them.

10 Miler is back in Baltimore

It is a return to normalcy for one of our area's favorite running events.

On June 4 runners from all over the region will reconvene at Druid Hill Park and the Maryland Zoo for the return of the Baltimore 10 Miler.

For the first time since pre-pandemic the 10 Miler is fully back and returning to its annual home at the zoo. Thousands of participants will once again make the trek from the zoo to Lake Montebello and back. Then they'll celebrate with the post-race party on the lawn complete with food, drink and live music.

The 2020 10 Miler was canceled because of COVID-19 and last year’s was moved to Hunt Valley.

Like every year the race benefits a handful of local charities, including the Signal 13 Foundation.

"For the Signal 13 Foundation we’ve come up with an awesome promotion," said Baltimore 10 Miler director Lee Corrigan. "It’s called the 'charity chaser' and this year we have recruited Meaghan Murray, who is an outstanding runner. This isn’t a joke. She might win the thing. What she does is she starts dead last and for every person that she passes we will donate a dollar to the Signal 13 Foundation. It’s our way of giving back to the Baltimore Police Department."

The Signal 13 Foundation aims to provide financial help to Baltimore City Police Department personnel, both civilian and sworn, who unexpectedly suffer extreme personal emergencies.

For more information on the race and how to sign up just visit baltimore10miler.com.

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is aiming to go ahead as planned this weekend following last Saturday’s devastating storm

The Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend aiming to go ahead this weekend.

In an email to participants, organizers say they are working with the cities of Ottawa and Gatineau to ensure the race weekend can proceed May 28 and 29.

“As it stands right now, there will be no course changes, and the races will start at their originally scheduled times. Should things change, we will share information as soon as possible,” Race Director Ian Fraser said.

Fraser encouraged participants to donate to charity to help the community recover from the storm, which killed at least 10 people across Ontario and Quebec and caused widespread damage and lengthy power outages.

“If every participant donated $20 to a participant or charity in the Desjardins Charity Challenge, together we could raise an additional $500,000 for our communities. $20 is all it takes,” Fraser said.

Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend is Canada’s largest running and walking festival with six races, including the Ottawa Marathon. The annual event was virtual in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but is back in person this year.

Five ways to train smarter

Aiming to run a personal record in the 5k? Trying to quality for the Boston Marathon? Most runners want to run faster but some find themselves plateauing too early or getting injured. Here are some easy habits that will ensure you get the most out of your efforts.

1. Build an Aerobic Base Before Speed

Spend at least one month, and ideally 3 months, of gradually building your weekly volume while only running at an easy pace. The aerobic adaptations that occur with regular easy running will allow you to get more out of your speed workouts later on in your training. ‘Easy’ should be a pace such that you can more or less hold a conversation while running. Track how many miles you run each week and increase this by no more than 10% each week.

2. Don’t Be Out of Breath

When first starting to run faster, start with just 20-60 second bouts and use your breathing rate to tell you when to slow down. Once you start to breathe faster, slow down your pace and/or walk until your normal breathing rate returns, then repeat the surge. As your body gets used to the faster pace you should notice that you can run longer before your breathing rate increases. Build to 2-3 minute surges throughout the run. Progressing your speed in this way will allow your body to first adapt neuromuscularly to the new pace, as opposed to metabolically.

3. Get Pliable

Before increasing your volume or introducing speed workouts make sure your muscles are loose and pliable! This means you can strongly compress or “squeeze” any muscle in your lower back and legs, with your fingers or firm foam roll, and not feel any pain or hypertension. Many folks have hypertension that has accumulated over the years, but which can be greatly reduced with just 10 minutes per day of focused and effective self-massage.

4. Stay Symmetrically Strong

Subtle imbalances in our stride are the number one causes of running injuries. A great way to prevent this from happening is to attain and maintain symmetry of strength throughout the core and legs. At least once per week perform single leg exercises that test all movements of the hip and knee, i.e. exercise like single leg bridges, planks, squats, deadlifts and/or hops. Do you find one leg is stronger than the other? If so, start building to symmetry of strength on both sides by ‘weak-led’ strength training. This is where you challenge the weak leg fully, then have the strong leg only match what the weak leg was able to do.

5. Stick to the “80-20” Rule

This classic rule still holds true! Make sure that the amount of time or distance that you are running fast is no more than 20% of your total volume of running for that week. If you run a total of 120 minutes in a week, any speed surges should not add up to more than 24 minutes. If running 40 miles per week, no more than 8 miles that week should be speed work.

Now that you are armed with some of the more important of the healthy habits, time to make this year your fastest!

How runners can safely give blood without compromising their training

If you’ve found yourself questioning if giving blood could disrupt your training, your hunch is correct. Donating blood is a great thing to do, and should by no means be discouraged, but there are a few additional considerations for runners. Here are some tips to ensure you’re donating at a time that makes sense for you and your goals. 

Blood donation affects performance

After blood loss, an individual’s blood volume (and red blood cell count) decreases, which by extension, reduces your body’s oxygen-carrying capacity. This is significant for runners as oxygen delivery is a key factor in aerobic performance. When your muscles are low on oxygen, their performance is inhibited. 

When should you donate?

Studies show that the body will restore blood volume within three days of donation, and most lingering performance inhibitors should be cleared up within three weeks. However, when it comes to overall hemoglobin levels, they can take up to six weeks to return to normal. While most runners wouldn’t notice the temporary decrease day to day, it could have an impact on a big effort, like a marathon.

With this in mind, the ideal time to donate is out of your competition period. It’s recommended to avoid strenuous exercise for 24 hours after donation, but if you’re in a training phase, it’s safe to resume your normal routine a day later. When it comes to racing, however, try to avoid giving blood within month of the big day. Your results (and recovery) will thank you.

Marcell Lamont Jacobs drops out of Pre Classic with injury

The 100m Olympic champion, Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs, has withdrawn from the Pre Classic in Eugene, Ore., this upcoming Saturday after straining a muscle, according to his Instagram.

Jacobs, who pulled off an upset in last year’s Olympic final over Fred Kerley and Andre De Grasse, strained a muscle in his glute during his season opener in Savona, Italy. Despite the strain, he won the race in 10.04 seconds.

According to his post, he underwent an MRI after suffering the strain, which showed a distraction-elongation of the first degree. Jacobs was ordered to stop running for 10 days.

Jacobs was scheduled to face a stellar field in Eugene. Among those set to line up are the other medallists from the Tokyo final, Kerley and De Grasse (who finished third before going on to be crowned the Olympic 200m champion), and the reigning world champion, Christian Coleman, who was second to Jacobs in the 60m at World Indoors in March.

This is the second time Jacobs has pulled out of a meet this season; he also pulled out of the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, Kenya, in early May, citing intestinal problems before the race.

The 27-year-old plans to return to the track on June 9, as the Diamond League makes a stop in Rome.

The Pre Classic is the third stop on the 2022 Diamond League schedule, set to take place on May 27-28 from Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., the home of the 2022 World Championships. Pre Classic action will kick off on Friday evening, with most of the track events taking place on Saturday afternoon. All races will be aired live on CBC Sports.

The 16th edition of Ras Al-Khaimah Half Marathon announced for February 2023

The Ras Al-Khaimah Tourism Development Authority announced that the 16th edition of the Ras Al-Khaimah Half Marathon will take place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023, with leading sportswear brand Under Armour named as the new technical partner.

Al-Marjan Island will again host the world’s fastest half marathon, which will see some of the best long-distance athletes, running enthusiasts and amateurs from across the globe compete in one of the key sporting events on the UAE calendar. Registration for next year’s race is now open.

Iyad Rasbey, executive director, Destination Tourism Development & MICE at RAKTDA, said: “We are thrilled to announce the 16th edition of the world’s fastest half marathon to our nature emirate. The Ras Al-Khaimah Half Marathon has gone from strength to strength with each passing year and I am confident that the 2023 edition of the race will be no different.

“The standard of high-level performances along with the number of records broken that we witnessed in February truly demonstrates how popular the Ras Al-Khaimah Half Marathon is, attracting some of the world’s best elite runners and participants from across the world as well as the local community,” he added.

RAKTDA also announced that Under Armour will sponsor the half marathon as technical partner. The sports brand will provide all participants with its latest, top-of-line apparel to help ensure comfort while improving performance as runners take to the fast and flat course track.

“We are incredibly proud and excited to partner with the Ras Al-Khaimah Tourism Development Authority and the RCS Sports & Events organization for what is one of the world’s leading running events,” said Lee Devon, vice president of Under Armour. “At Under Armour, it is our mission to make all athletes better and we do this through the lens of great product, innovation and by providing opportunities for all athletes to take part in sport. We recently opened our first store in Ras Al-Khaimah. This and our other stores across the emirates will become hubs for all athletes as they prepare for this event.”

The announcement comes only a few months after world half marathon record holder Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda (57:56) and Ethiopia’s Girmawit Gebrzihair (1:04:14) set new course records in the men’s and women’s elite categories respectively. Their triumphs were among the highlights of the Ras Al-Khaimah Half Marathon, which saw a number of new records being set on the day, as well as some impressive performances and times across the categories.

As well as Kiplimo producing a 15-km world best time of 40:43 on his way to victory, the event also featured a new British record by Eilish McColgan. In just her second competitive half marathon, she smashed Paula Radcliffe’s British 21-year-old half marathon record, clocking an incredible total time of 1:06:26.

2022 BolderBoulder is on again after a two-year absence

One of Colorado’s traditions will return when the BolderBoulder 10K run resumes this Memorial Day after a two-year absence caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The first BolderBoulder in three years and the 42nd running of the event is cause for celebration, says Race Director Cliff Bosley.

“We couldn’t be more excited to bring back this great tradition that is embraced by so many in our community, the state and beyond,” Bosley said. “We’ve missed our participants and our spectators and we know they’ve missed us. It’s great to be back with this fantastic outdoor community event.”

Bosley said the race’s return is testament to the hard work, collaboration and coordination of the BolderBoulder, the City of Boulder, CU Boulder and many additional partners and entities.

“Having to cancel the race the past two years gave us important perspective on just how much the BolderBoulder means to our participants, our spectators and the community,” Bosley said. “It’s like reconnecting with a great friend you haven’t seen lately.”

In addition to the 10K event, the Bolder Boulder is a remembrance of the more than 1.3 million men and women in the Armed Forces who made the supreme sacrifice in defending America’s freedoms. It also celebrates veterans and those now serving in the Armed Forces. It provides one of the largest Memorial Day tributes in the country.

This year’s race will also honor the 50th anniversary of Frank Shorter’s Olympic gold medal-winning run in the marathon at the Olympics in Munich in 1972. Shorter has been named the Official Starter of the 2022 BolderBoulder. He will launch more than 80 waves of competitors.

In 1981, Shorter won the race, becoming the first of 1,381,060 participants (over 40 years) to cross the finish line at Folsom Field on the University of Colorado campus. The event first finished in the stadium in 1981 and has done so ever since.

Bosley said the wave start, created and pioneered by the BolderBoulder, spaces out participants by design, adding to the safety of the outdoor event. The A wave (the first to start) is scheduled to begin at 6:55 a.m. and the final wave is expected to start around 9:30 a.m.

We felt this event’s absence due to COVID-19 and are delighted to welcome locals and visitors back to Boulder,”, said Boulder City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde. “The BOLDERBoulder is a Memorial Day tradition, a rite of passage from spring to summer and a community-defining event that brings us together to showcase the best of Boulder and the University of Colorado.”

CU Boulder Chancellor Phil DiStefano said CU Boulder is excited to see the event’s return. “CU Boulder and the BolderBoulder have been great partners for several decades on this community-wide race and celebration,” he said. “We are as delighted as anyone to see it return and we’re thrilled to have it once again finish on our campus.”

About BOLDERBoulder 

The BOLDERBoulder, named America’s All-Time Best 10K by Runner’s World magazine, is the 5th largest running race in the United States and the 7th largest in the world.

The race attracts 48,000-52,000 runners, joggers, walkers, wheelchair racers and professional athletes from around the world to compete in one of the most unique pro race team formats in road racing.

The race course winds through Boulder neighborhoods with live music and entertainment at every corner. The race finishes at the University of Colorado’s Folsom Field and attracts over 100,000 runners and spectators.

Elaine Thompson-Herah and Sha'Carri Richardson will headline 100 meters in Prefontaine Classic

Jamaica's Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah and American prodigy Sha'Carri Richardson will headline the 100 meters at Saturday's Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, organizers for the Diamond League event said on Monday.

Thompson-Herah returns to the venue where she nearly broke American Florence Griffith-Joyner's 100m record last year, weeks after leading a Jamaican podium sweep at the Tokyo Games.

She dropped out of the Birmingham Diamond League meet over the weekend citing discomfort in training. Thompson-Herah's management agency did not respond to a request for comment.

Richardson's memories of Hayward Field are more complicated.

She was the United States' brightest hope for a gold medal in Tokyo after winning the U.S. Olympic Trials in June but lost her spot at the Games after testing positive for cannabis.

Richardson, 22, returned to Eugene in August after serving a 30-day suspension, where she finished last in the 100m.

Rounding out the field on Saturday are Britain's 200 meters world champion Dina Asher-Smith and Shericka Jackson, who won gold in the 4x100m relay alongside Thompson-Herah in Tokyo.

Put a fun spin on your fartlek training with this workout, build your speed on the track with jogging bends and striding straights

Have you heard of the bends and straights workout? Bends and straights are a popular style of fartlek training for middle-distance runners to improve their strength and endurance late in the race.

Fartlek is a Swedish word that translates to speed play. This type of training involves workouts involving changes in speed and effort. Fartlek workouts can be unstructured – where the distance and time interval are picked randomly – or entirely structured, with each interval at a set distance or time and a fixed recovery period. The goal for fartlek training is to improve your ability to put on a late surge in races and overtake a competitor when tired, or to help you sprint to the finish.

The workout

10 to 15 laps of jogging bends and striding straights.

(The workout should be done on a 200m or 400m athletics track to control the length of each interval.)

If the workout is done on a 400m track, you should sprint 100m, jog the curve 100m, sprint 100m, and jog the next curve 100m. If you do not have access to a track, you can do a fixed version of this workout with 20-second sprints and 40-second jogs over 10-15 reps.

The bends and straights workout is perfect for runners who are training for a 5K or 10K race, or are generally looking to improve their speed and racing tactics. The constant change of pace simulates the ups and downs of a 5K or mid-distance track race. Try to keep your sprint pace slightly faster than your goal 5K pace and keep the jog pace slower than your easy run pace.

Keep your sprints and jogs on the first five laps controlled to help you complete the entirety of the workout.

Reigning Champ Ed Cheserek defends his title winning again at the Carlsbad 5000

More than 6,000 runners and joggers raced along a traffic-free Pacific Coast Highway 101 Sunday for the Carlsbad 5000, returning after its pandemic pause.

Reigning champion Ed Cheserek of Kenya won again – just barely – with a time of 13:44.

“I’m excited to return to the Carlsbad 5000,” Cheserek said before the race. “Last time in 2019 was a lot of fun and after everything our running community has been through since then, I’m really looking forward to being back at the beach in sunny Southern California.”

Reid Buchanan of San Diego trailed Cheserek by just one second, in the men’s elite, in 13:45, followed by Jack Bruce of Australia.

In the women’s elite, Biruktayit Degefa of Ethiopia won with a time of 15:29. Dominique Scott of South Africa followed in 15:48, with Carina Viljoen, also of South Africa, taking third in 16:00.

The Carlsbad 5000 is renowned as “The World’s Fastest 5K,” with 16 world records having been set there, plus a slew of national records and age group bests.

Olympic gold medalists Tirunesh Dibaba, Meseret Defar and Eliud Kipchoge have run Carlsbad, along with U.S. Olympic medalists Deena Kastor and Meb Keflezighi.

Keflezighi, the San Diego High product and only male runner in history to win both the Boston and New York City marathons, plus an Olympic medal, now co-owns the event.

The race was first held in 1986; this was the 36th edition. Another plus – the race fits well on runners’ calendars, with the elite athletes being in peak fitness after running the World Cross Country Championships.

It may have been three years since the Carlsbad 5000 was held live (there was a virtual race in 2020), but the elements that characterize the race were back – the left-hand, downhill turn onto Carlsbad Village Drive, the sprint to the finish, and the ocean views along the way.

Successfully defending his 2021 victory, Jeremiah Fitzgerald wins the 2022 Cleveland Marathon

Lakewood native Jeremiah Fitzgerald finished the 2022 Cleveland Marathon the same way that he did in 2021: in first.

Fitzgerald successfully defended his win from 2021 by crossing the finish line on Sunday with a time of 2 hours, 31 minutes and three seconds. He finished more than seven minutes faster than Josh Baker of Solon, who took second (2:38.28).

Hudson native Ashton Swinford was the fastest woman in the marathon on Sunday, finishing in 2:46.46. Her time was good enough for fifth in the field as well.

Zach Case (2:38.51) finished third and Kenneth Sullivan (2:40.12).

Fitzgerald had a lead of almost four minutes after the first 10 kilometers and completed the first half of the marathon in 1:15.11.

Eilish McColgan sets British and European 10k record at Great Manchester Run

Eilish McColgan set a British and European 10km record as she finished runner-up at the Great Manchester Run.

Dundee's McColgan, 31, took two seconds off Paula Radcliffe's mark from 2003 with a time of 30 minutes 19 seconds, four seconds behind Hellen Obiri.

Obiri's fellow Kenyans Ruth Chepngetich (30:29) and Sharon Lokedi (31:05) were third and fourth.

Charlotte Purdue was seventh (32:55) with fellow Briton Steph Twell (33:12) eighth.

The men's race was won by New Zealand's Jake Robertson in 28:06, ahead of Australian Jack Reyner, with Liverpool's Abdulqani Sharif in fifth place.

More than 20,000 racers took part, with applause before the start for the 22 victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack, on its fifth anniversary.

Samsung apologises for advert showing woman running alone at 2am

Samsung has apologised for a recent advert which showed a woman getting up at 02:00 to go for a run through the streets of a city alone.

The advert has been criticised by some women's running groups and safety campaigners for being "unrealistic".

Samsung has told Radio 1 Newsbeat it was never its intention to "be insensitive to ongoing conversations around women's safety."

"We apologise for how this may have been received," it adds.

"The 'Night Owls' campaign was designed with a positive message in mind: to celebrate individuality and freedom to exercise at all hours."

Women's safety group Reclaim These Streets has described it as "tone deaf" in light of the death of Ashling Murphy who was killed on a run in January.

It's for this reason Esther Newman, editor of Women's Running magazine and podcast, says this advert is "not representing the truth".

"Women don't run at that time because we are too scared to," she told Radio 1 Newsbeat.

"It's really shocking. I don't know any woman who would be running at 02:00 in the morning. Certainly not in a city."

According to recent figures from the Office for National Statistics, half of all women have felt unsafe at some point walking alone in the dark.

And running is no exception, according to the views shared online in response to the Samsung advert with some calling it "ridiculous" and "unrelatable".

Samsung replied to some of the comments on social media saying: "We can assure you that the meaning for this advert is for all Galaxy customers/viewers to achieve their health and wellness goals on their own schedules".

But one of the main things that Esther Newman points out is that the lead character is running with headphones on.

"Wearing headphones is a contentious point. Most women runners I know don't wear headphones, and that's during the day, because they are concerned about their safety."

She is keen to point out that her contributors believe "it's a very, very small portion of blokes who make us feel unsafe" but suggests advertisers should focus their attention on how men can make female runners feel more at ease.

'Tone deaf'

Other critics questioned whether enough female production crew were involved in the making of the advert; a point picked up by the women's safety campaign group Reclaim These Streets, which was set up after Sarah Everard's murder.

They told Radio 1 Newsbeat the advert was "totally tone deaf and demonstrates the lack of female decision makers on the campaign, especially in light of Ashling Murphy having been killed on a jog in January."

Cofounder Jamie Klingler added: "It's almost laughable how badly this ad lands."

Run Mummy Run, an online running community, agreed that the portrayal of a woman running at night, in those circumstances, was unrealistic.

They said: "The implication seems to be that a woman has the luxury of this type of freedom with her safety, but sadly this is not the current reality."

Joggers naturally pace themselves to conserve energy even on short runs

Data from fitness trackers and treadmill tests challenge ideas about what drives speed

For many recreational runners, taking a jog is a fun way to stay fit and burn calories. But it turns out an individual has a tendency to settle into the same, comfortable pace on short and long runs — and that pace is the one that minimizes their body’s energy use over a given distance.

“I was really surprised,” says Jessica Selinger, a biomechanist at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada. “Intuitively, I would have thought people run faster at shorter distances and slow their pace at longer distances.”

Selinger and colleagues combined data from more than 4,600 runners, who went on 37,201 runs while wearing a fitness device called the Lumo Run, with lab-based physiology data. The analysis, described April 28 in Current Biology, also shows that it takes more energy for someone to run a given distance if they run faster or slower than their optimum speed.

“There is a speed that for you is going to feel the best,” Selinger says. “That speed is the one where you’re actually burning fewer calories.”

The runners ranged in age from 16 to 83, and had body mass indices spanning from 14.3 to 45.4. But no matter participants’ age, weight or sex — or whether they ran only a narrow range of distances or runs of varying lengths — the same pattern showed up in the data repeatedly.

Researchers have thought that running was performance-driven, says Melissa Thompson, a biomechanist at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo., who was not involved in the new study. This new research, she says, is “talking about preference, not performance.”

Most related research, Selinger says, has been done in university laboratories, with study subjects who are generally younger and healthier than the general population. By using wearable devices, the researchers could track many more runs, across more real-life conditions than is possible in a lab. That allowed the scientists to look at a “much broader cross section of humanity,” she says. Treadmill tests measuring energy use at different paces with people representative of those included in the fitness tracker data were used to determine optimum energy-efficient speeds.

Because the study includes a wide range of conditions and doesn’t control for things like fasting before running, it’s messier than data gathered in labs. Still, the sheer volume of real-world runs recorded by the wearable devices supports a convincing general rule about how humans run, says Rodger Kram, a physiologist at the University of Colorado Boulder not involved with the study. “I think the rule’s right.”

The results don’t apply to very long runs when fatigue starts to set in, or to race performance by elite athletes or others consciously training for speed. And a runner’s optimum pace can change over time, with training or age for instance.

There are quick tricks for those who want to speed up and go for a little more calorie burn to temporarily trump their body’s natural inclinations: Listen to upbeat music or jog alongside someone with a faster pace, Selinger says. “But it seems like your preference is actually to sink back into that optimum.”

The results match observations of optimum pacing from animals like horses and wildebeests, and also correspond to the way humans tend to walk at a speed that minimizes their individual energy use (SN: 9/10/15).

It does make sense that humans would be adapted to run at an optimum speed for minimizing energy use, says coauthor Scott Delp, a biomechanist at Stanford University. Imagine being an early human ancestor going out to hunt difficult prey. “It might be days before I get my next food,” he says. “So I want to spend the least energy en route to getting that food.”

Two-time global medallist and four-time continental champion Lewandowski retires

Polish middle-distance runner Marcin Lewandowski has announced his retirement from athletics.

The 34-year-old won 10 medals at world and continental level across a span of 12 years. His collection includes the 2010 European 800m title and the 2019 world 1500m bronze medal.

Lewandowski posted the news on his Instagram account earlier this week, explaining that a disrupted build-up to his outdoor season meant he was not in shape to challenge for medals at this year’s major championships.

“After my daughter's accident during her rhythmic gymnastics class [just before the World Indoors], I decided to stay at home until Midia was fully recovered,” he wrote. “Due to the fact I did not have the opportunity to train abroad, I was not able to prepare properly to defend my bronze medal from the World Championships and my silver from the European Championships and I am not interested in places outside the podium.

“Was it a difficult decision? I didn't even think for a second because family is the priority. It was the same when I pulled out of the World Indoor Championships even though I was in great shape.

“It was a beautiful 16 years of running – an amazing adventure that is now over. Something ends and something begins because in November I will become a dad again.”

Lewandowski first made a name for himself as an 800m runner, placing fourth at the 2006 World U20 Championships and then winning the 2007 European U20 title. He reached the Olympic semifinals in his first year as a senior athlete in 2008, then made it to the World Championships final in 2009.

He landed European gold in 2010, following it with silver at the 2011 European Indoor Championships and fourth-place finishes at the 2011 and 2013 World Championships. After winning the 2015 European indoor 800m title, Lewandowski earned European silver in 2016 and went on to place sixth at the Olympic Games later that year, but then started to switch his focus to the 1500m.

His tactical prowess and strong finishing speed meant he was a formidable opponent at major championships. He won the 2017 European indoor title, then placed sixth in the 1500m at the 2017 World Championships later that year. In 2018 he won his first global medal when taking 1500m silver at the World Indoor Championships. He earned the same colour medal at the 2018 European Championships.

Lewandowski retained his European indoor 1500m title in 2019, then went on to earn his first and only outdoor global medal in 2019, placing third at the World Championships in Doha. His most recent podium finish was his 1500m silver at the 2021 European Indoor Championships.

Although best known as a championship performer, Lewandowski clocked several speedy performances throughout his career. He holds the Polish indoor and outdoor records for 1000m (2:14.30 / 2:17.67), 1500m (3:30.42 / 3:35.71) and the mile (3:49.11 / 3:56.41).

David Rush breaks T-shirt half marathon record with 111 shirts

On May 14, an Idaho man broke one of the oddest Guinness World Records out there by running a half-marathon while wearing more T-shirts than anyone else ever has. David Rush, who has broken more than 200 Guinness World Records so far, wore 111 T-shirts at YMCA Famous Idaho Potato Half Marathon, completing it in 2:47:55, 12 minutes under the three-hour time limit set by Guinness World Records.

The T-shirt half marathon record has now been transferred from one David to another David, to another David, as the previous record of 90 shirts was held by Edmonton’s David Eliuk, at the Hypothermic Half Marathon in February. Before that, the record of 82 was set by British runner David Smith in November 2021.

If your name is David, this unique Guinness world record could be your calling.

Rush makes a hobby of chasing Guinness World Records to promote STEM education. “We need more boys and girls to grow up with a passion for science, technology, engineering, and math.” Rush says.

“We have a shortage of trained engineers, programmers and scientists to fill the jobs of today and tomorrow.”Rush also holds the Guinness World Record for fastest man to run 100m while juggling blindfolded (16.29 seconds) and fastest mile while juggling blindfolded (7:54).According to local news, it took Rush and his support team 25 minutes to dress him, and he struggled with the 40 pounds of extra weight he had to carry around.

Although the cool race conditions helped him, his arms and hands ballooned and went numb due to the lack of blood circulation from the 111 T-shirts.

Four effective running workouts to increase speed and endurance

Most people don’t approach running as they do strength training. They just set out on unplanned jogs around the block, throw in some sprints, and call it a day.

But targeted running workouts geared toward your fitness goals—training for a marathon, growing faster, getting fitter—make a world of a difference.

To help you become more methodical with your runs, we asked Gena Bradshaw, P.T., an assistant track and field coach and Life Time Fitness trainer, to suggest five training mainstays every runner should have in his workout regimen. Each workout is designed to train a different energy system to help you improve endurance, speed, and power. Plus, there’s a prescription for runners who are just starting out, and those who are more experienced.

Before each workout, though, remember to start with a dynamic warmup. “Warmups minimize your risk of injury, increase heart rate, raise blood flow to your muscles, and help you burn more calories mid-workout,” Bradshaw says.

Go for a comfortable 5- to 8-minute jog, then complete these drills to neurologically prime your body for your workout. Mark 20 yards. Focus on nailing the proper form for each drill, and increasing your speed as you progress.

Walking lunges

Carioca

Knee hugs

Ankle pulls

High knees

Butt kicks

Straight-leg kicks

Lateral shuffle

Also, make sure you cool down post-workout. Jog to flush the lactic acid out of your legs, and stretch while your muscles are still warm. Foam rolling will also help reduce soreness, and keep your muscles from getting knotted.

Ready to hit the ground running? Give these running workouts a try.

1. Explosive hill sprints

Why it works: Hill workouts help develop power by working your “alactic” energy system—your source of quick sprinting energy, Bradshaw says. They’re meant to be an all-out effort. “Form is crucial; you should be thinking about hands pumping cheek to cheek, and your knees driving up,” Bradshaw says. “Your arms set the pace. If you can’t move your arms, you’ll slow down significantly.”

How to do a hill workout: Sprint for 10-20 seconds up an incline outdoors or on a treadmill grade that’s comfortable but challenging, Bradshaw says. You don’t need to find the steepest hill around—it can be a gradual incline. Then, as you get stronger and more able to truck through these, you can increase the incline. Considering how intense this (and other hill sprint workouts like it) is, only do one or two of these sessions per week. Beginners start with just one.

Beginner: Complete 3-5 reps. “Remember, this is pure explosiveness, so it should be difficult,” Bradshaw says. You can always increase the time for fewer reps, too. Completely recover between reps. Take about 3-5 minutes in between.

Advanced: Complete 5-6 reps, taking 3-5 minutes rest in between each rep.

2. Interval workout

Why it works: “Intervals are meant to help increase stamina (and should not be conducted at max effort), so you’ll take less recovery time and increase the number of reps,” Bradshaw says. The big challenge is holding your pace for the entire workout, she adds. As you become more conditioned, jog rather than walk to get an active recovery between intervals. “Remember to maintain good form: shoulders down and back, chest up, and breathe,” Bradshaw says. “This will help you run more efficiently, and help you progress each week.”

How to do an interval workout: This routine is known as “ladders”. Try to incorporate one or two sessions per week.

Beginner:– run 50 meters– walk/jog 50 meters– run 100 meters– walk/jog 50 meters– run 150 meters– walk/jog 50 meters– run 200 meters– walk/jog 50 meters– run 250 meters– walk/jog 50 meters

Advanced: Complete the same workout above, only go “up and down” the ladder. Once you run 250 meters, work your way back down (200m, 150m, 100m, 50m).

3. Short and long sprints

Why it works: “Short sprints (generally 55-200 meters) help develop speed and power, while long sprints (200-400 meters) help develop speed endurance,” Bradshaw says. Both are important, but you’ll benefit more from one over the other depending on your end goal. “Are you training for a specific event or race?” Bradshaw says, “or are you training to get into the best shape of your life?” Longer sprints are advantageous for those training for 10Ks, half marathons, even triathlons, whereas short sprints are best for torching calories, and adding muscle, strength, and power to your lower body. Note: Don’t do a hill workout the day before you complete a short-sprint workout.

How to do a short-sprint workout: Do 2-3 sessions per week (depending on your end goal).

Beginner: Complete 6-8 sprints of 100 meters at 75%-80% effort. (“This means you can utter a few words, but can’t maintain a conversation,” Bradshaw says.) Recover for 50-60 seconds between reps.

Advanced: Complete 8-10 sprints of 100 meters at 80-85% effort. At this intensity, you’re pushing very hard, but not going as fast/hard as you can. Recover for 45 seconds in between reps.

How to do a long-sprint workout: For long sprints that’ll tap into your speed endurance, do 2-3 sessions per week.

Beginner: Complete 3 sprints of 300 meters at 75% effort. Recover for 3 minutes between sprints.

Advanced: Do two sets, each 3 sprints of 300 meters at 75% effort. Recover for 2-3 minutes between sprints, and 5 minutes between sets.

4.- Long-distance run

Why it’s effective: “Long-distance runs are intended to increase your aerobic capacity, which is the maximum amount of oxygen consumed by your body during exercise,” Bradshaw says. They also encourage your body to burn more fat for fuel (which is why distance runners tend to be skinny).

How to do a long run: Long runs should comprise 20% of your overall mileage for the week. This can be 1 session per week. Your mileage should increase by approximately 10% per week, and the pace should be around 70% of your max. “This is purely aerobic, meaning if you can’t hold a conversation, you’re going too hard,” Bradshaw says. “You should be able to hold this pace for an extended period of time, completely steady.”

Beginner: Complete 1 mile at a slower pace, maybe even starting off with a continuous 10- to 15-minute walk/jog. Your goal should be to work up from that mile. Go for time instead of miles to start.

Advanced: Complete 5 miles. Just keep your runs continuous and progressive each week.

Four things you should do if you get hit by a car while you are running

Getting hit by a car while running can be a traumatic experience. If you are lucky, you will only suffer minor injuries. However, some people are not so lucky and end up with serious injuries or even die as a result of being hit by a car. In this post, we will discuss four things you should do if you are hit by a car while jogging. Keep reading to find more!

No Win, No Fee Agreement

You should always have this type of agreement with your personal injury lawyer. This means that if you do not win your case, you will not have to pay any legal fees. This is important because it allows you to pursue your case without having to worry about the financial risk. Having a No Win, No Fee agreement means that your lawyer will only get paid if you win your case, so they will be more motivated to get you the best possible outcome. This way, you can focus on your recovery without worrying about the financial burden. Also,  make sure to ask about any other fees that may be associated with the case, such as filing fees or expert witness fees.  

Get a Police Report 

The second thing you need to do is get a police report. A police report will document the accident and will be helpful if you decide to file an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. The police report will also help to establish who was at fault for the accident. The police report should consist of the names and contact information of any witnesses, the name and contact information of the driver, and a description of the accident. If you decide to file a lawsuit, the police report will be used as evidence. Also, you will need to collect the evidence at the scene of the accident. This includes taking photos of the damage to your vehicle and any injuries you sustained. You should also get the contact information of any witnesses who saw the accident. Additionally,  it is important to be ready in case the other driver tries to flee the scene. If you are able, get the license plate number of the other vehicle.  What’s more,  try to stay calm and do not argue with the other driver. It is important to get their insurance information so that you can file a claim and get compensated for the damages. 

Get Medical Treatment

The third thing you need to do is get medical treatment. Even if you think your injuries are minor, it is important to get checked out by a doctor. Some injuries, such as whiplash, may not be immediately apparent but can still cause long-term damage. Getting prompt medical treatment will also help to document your injuries and will be important if you decide to file an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. Also, be sure to keep all of your medical records and bills as they will be important if you do decide to file a claim or lawsuit. Document all the days that you did not go to work due to the injury as well. This will be used to calculate your lost wages.

Consult with a Personal Injury Lawyer 

The fourth and final thing you need to do if you are hit by a car while jogging is to consult with a personal injury lawyer. A personal injury lawyer will be able to tell you whether or not you have a case and how much your case is worth. They will also be able to guide you through the legal process and help you get the best possible outcome. If you decide to file a lawsuit, your lawyer will handle all of the paperwork and will represent you in court. Additionally,  your lawyer will be able to negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf. Keep in mind that most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis, which means they will only get paid if you win your case. So, you will not have to pay anything upfront.

If you or someone you know has been hit by a car while jogging, it is important to take action in order to protect your rights. Be sure to follow the four steps outlined in this blog post and contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. With the help of a lawyer, you can get the compensation you deserve. We hope this blog post was useful. Thank you for reading and good luck!

Running Has Encouraging Benefits for Those Suffering from PTSD

Experts share stories of how exercise can help people navigate trauma.

Lifelong runner and licensed psychologist Holly Serrao-Fitzsimmons, Ph.D., knew something was wrong after the birth of two premature sons, in 2012 and 2015. She was experiencing something she was trained to diagnose: post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.

When her first son was born at just three and a half pounds, she described being in a state of shock, feeling frozen in her body, and on high alert. For several months, her son’s life hung in a delicate balance. 

When her firstborn came home, it wasn’t joy she felt, but rather anxiousness and fear about what could happen or go wrong. “I would relive the birth and events leading up to it. I would relive images of them and moments experienced in the NICU. I would then avoid certain streets or areas of town—like the area around the hospital,” Serrao-Fitzsimmons says. “Certain smells of the hospital and certain types of antibacterial gels and soaps they used there would really bother me. Increased arousal was probably the biggest symptom I had. I was on high alert, hyper-vigilant for a long time afterwards.” 

At that time, she confirmed her PTSD diagnosis with her therapist.

What is PTSD?

PTSD was formally added to the list of neurological and mental conditions by the American Psychiatric Association in 1980, after many Vietnam veterans were treated for it. Today, the diagnosis is broadly accepted and understood to be a result of experiencing any type of traumatic event outside of the body and mind’s ability to process or control it. 

PTSD is an intense physical and emotional response to a traumatic event that persists long after the trauma occurred. The CDC defines the symptoms as falling into three broad types: re-living, avoidance, and increased arousal. 

Many humans will experience a traumatic event in their lifetime. Many will aptly process it within a few months. But for those unable to effectively process a significant trauma and move through it could be suffering from PTSD. Clinical neuroscientist Scott Hayes, Ph.D. associate professor in the department of psychology at The Ohio State University tells Runner’s World that PTSD is associated with symptoms such as involuntary and intrusive memories of the event, decreased attention and concentration, and avoidance of things that could trigger the unwanted memory, and further negatively impact mood and brain function. 

The Research on Running and Exercise Helping Those With PTSD

One review, from Hayes and his team published in Frontiers in Psychiatry in 2019, looked at ten published studies that examined the impact of exercise interventions on PTSD. As noted in the review, one of the key features of PTSD symptoms is hyper-arousal—when the body is in a state of high alert and feels threatened, just as Serrao-Fitzsimmons felt after giving birth. Being in this state negatively affects the individual as it causes rapid heartbeat, heavy breathing, sweating, and a strong sense of agitation or fear of one’s safety. 

The researchers set out to determine if repeated exposure to those unwanted reactions—the increased heart rate, sweating, and heavy respiration—through activities like running, could eventually help patients with PTSD associate these feelings in the body with something positive.

Hayes’ team noted in their review that those who did engage in vigorous-intensity exercise had fewer hyperarousal symptoms of PTSD. “Both observational and intervention studies provide support for the notion that anaerobic exercise, either alone or in combination with standard treatments, exerts positive mental health benefits among individuals with PTSD,” the report reads. “The results are encouraging as positive effects were observed in both civilian and military populations, as well as in both predominantly female and male study samples.” 

We know that running elicits the same physiological responses in the body as PTSD (that increased heart rate, perspiration, and respiration), so if a patient with PTSD has repeated exposure to exercise, and these physiological symptoms, over time they learn that these arousal cues are not catastrophic and are not linked to the traumatic event, Hayes says. (He still advises that exercise should be used in conjunction with other forms of cognitive therapy and/or medication depending on the patient’s symptoms.)

“Aerobic exercise like running can also improve cognitive function, as well as enhance brain structure and function,” Hayes explains. “In studies of aging, we know that aerobic exercise enhances cognitive functions, including reducing distractibility. We also know that anaerobic exercise can positively impact brain structure and function in some of the same brain regions that are associated with PTSD.” 

First-Person Accounts of Exercise Supporting PTSD Recovery

Long after the birth of her son and per the recommendation of her son’s therapists to offer outdoor stimulation, Serrao-Fitzsimmons started running again, this time pushing a stroller. She quickly noticed it was beneficial for her own mental health. Over time, her constant fear and panic of her son’s survival and possible complications started diminishing. 

“Running through the woods I don’t have to think. It’s grounding and an opportunity to associate the experience of sweating and breathing heavily with something positive happening in my body. It’s about associating that feeling with something that’s not scary or bad and dissociating that feeling with trauma.” 

After the birth of her second premature baby, Serrao-Fitzsimmons says the same symptoms returned, but this time she knew social support, therapy, medication, and running were important to her recovery. 

“PTSD is often treated with cognitive approaches, which leads us to oftentimes forget that trauma itself is also an embodied experience, meaning that one can physically hold the effects of trauma in their bodies,” says Viann Nguyen-Feng, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota Duluth, and director of the Mind-Body Trauma Care Lab. “During a traumatic event, our bodies may react and respond in ways that were necessary for our survival and that might have seemed outside of our control.” 

James Whitworth, Ph.D., health science specialist at VA Boston Medical Center, and assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine, experienced this first-hand. When he returned home after serving in the United States Army as an E5 Sergeant and fire team leader in an infantry rifle platoon (in Iraq) from 2003 to 2007, as well as the National Guard, he felt like the trauma of war caught up to him. His roommate at the time said he would shout and thrash in his sleep. 

In 2012, Whitworth tragically lost a close friend to suicide, and then in 2013 the Boston Marathon bombing (not far from where Whitworth lives) brought forth intrusive memories of roadside bombs in the war to the surface. 

He describes his PTSD, which he wasn’t diagnosed with until 2013 (seven years after returning from Iraq), as taking the shape of hyperarousal and aggression. “It was a very messy time. I made the decision to get help on my own, but had the constant support of my partner,” he says.

Whitworth started hiking and climbing mountains during this time and it proved to be a literal and figurative tool to his survival and motivation to get out of bed. He also says the loss of his friend was a deciding factor in his field of research. “My friend ended his life the same year I entered graduate school,” he says. 

Today, Whitworth focuses his research on how exercise can be applied to the treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention of PTSD among veterans and other trauma survivors. 

The Case for Movement and Therapy in Treating PTSD

“Running and other forms of somatic movement (like yoga, dance, or Tai Chi) help us reconnect with our bodies, to acknowledge all that our bodies had to do to ensure our survival, and importantly, to remind our bodies that we have survived; there is no longer a survival need to hold ourselves in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn mode,” Nguyen-Feng explains. In other words, movement is a chance for patients suffering with PTSD to release stress they might be holding onto. 

Nguyen-Feng goes on to say, “Running and other forms of somatic movement allow us to tap into the inner wisdom of our bodies and provide a method of grounding us in the here and now, rather than being stuck in our minds.” 

Today, Serrao-Fittzsimmons realizes the grounding practice of running. While she still gets triggered when her children are sick, having a consistent running routine helps her manage these triggers. “Running helps me be more present and calmer; it’s kind of like staring out at the ocean—it gives me perspective and helps me see solutions to problems,” she says. 

Whitworth also says the tools he’s gained in therapy and from exercise have helped him to be more prepared for stressful life events.

How Therapists Incorporate Movement

Because of the promising pay-offs of exercise when it comes to mental health, some mental health therapists will even incorporate exercise into their sessions in order to further help their patients. For example, Los Angeles-based therapist Sepideh Saremi, LCSW, founder of Run Walk Talk, has built a practice around getting her clients moving and talking. She holds sessions outside along the Pacific Ocean, walking or running with clients. 

“In addition to the neurochemical benefits of running (including release of the mood-boosting brain chemicals serotonin and dopamine), it also helps support people’s feeling of self-efficacy and ability to concentrate,” she explains. “Exercise can often help people feel a sense of control, which can counteract the feeling of helplessness that’s part of PTSD.” Saremi works with clients who’ve experienced a wide array of trauma from childhood abuse to sexual abuse. 

“In a Run Walk Talk session, I run and walk with patients and clients at the beach while we talk about the things they want to change in their life. We usually spend about forty minutes running and walking, and about ten minutes in my office afterward to cool down and talk about what they’re taking from the session and what they’ll do before the next time we meet,” says Saremi. 

“I started running right around the time I started graduate school to become a therapist, and was curious about how running was being used to treat mental health. When I looked into it, I realized there was a ton of evidence to support running and walking as a mental health intervention, but I didn’t know any therapists who were doing it,” Saremi adds. “That’s where the idea for it was born, though since starting Run Walk Talk, I’ve discovered a number of therapists who incorporate running into their work, and I’ve trained many therapists myself, as well.” 

What to Know Before Trying Exercise for PTSD Recovery

While Hayes’ acknowledges that many of the current studies provide some evidence for the positive influence exercise may have on PTSD symptoms, most of the current studies either test a very small number of participants or lack a control group. So more research is needed to truly confirm the results.

Nguyen-Feng also reminds us that it takes a support team—whether that’s in the form of community or individual therapy sessions—to help address mental health conditions. “I think bodily movement is necessary and complementary to any ‘work’ we do with our minds, and professional and/or social support is necessary for healing,” Nguyen-Feng says. “So I encourage runners and interested runners to consider that support integral to their training regime or running schedule.” 

Saremi also reminds patients who’ve experienced trauma and haven’t exercised before to walk or begin running with people you feel safe around, so you’re more comfortable. 

How to Find a Therapist

It can be overwhelming for patients to find a good therapist. “There are a lot of factors to consider: cost, your goals, the therapist’s training, and interest areas are often the most relevant,” Saremi says. Know that the process can take some time, but the advantages are worth the effort. 

Saremi suggests TherapyDen, a free online directory of inclusive and affirming therapists. You can also check out Psychology Today and Psychologist Locator to search for therapists in your area, or try Teledoc for virtual appointments. 

Does Mushroom Coffee Offer Any More Benefits Than a Regular Cup?

The truth on whether it packs health benefits or provides any pay-offs for your mileage.

While many people turn to a morning cup of coffee as a pick-me-up, others might sip the beverage as a way to boost their health and performance. After all, research shows the benefits of caffeine for those looking for an edge, including reduced time to exhaustion during exercise, so you can clock more miles without fatigue. But now another health trend has joined the coffee shelves: mushrooms.

The mushrooms infused into coffee are also known as adaptogens—or plants thought to have stress-fighting capabilities. Manufacturers claim that adaptogenic mushrooms, like cordyceps, reishi, and Lion’s mane, make mushroom coffee a calming beverage, rather than a jittery caffeine fix. 

To figure out how mushroom coffee stands out from your regular cup of java, we turned to a few nutrition experts. Here’s what to know before you buy. 

Are there benefits to mushroom coffee?

There are many health promises associated with mushroom coffee, such as enhanced productivity and athletic performance, a boost in metabolism, and increased relaxation. The only problem is that there is absolutely zero research on mushroom coffee. 

That said, “all mushrooms are rich sources of vitamins and minerals, so they do contribute nutrients and antioxidants [to your diet],” says Ginger Hultin, M.S., R.D.N., owner of ChampagneNutrition, and author of Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Prep and How to Eat to Beat Disease Cookbook. 

Elizabeth Shaw, R.D.N., C.P.T, founder of ShawSimpleSwaps.com says researchers have studied the health benefits of mushrooms and the results show promise in a variety of areas.

That means that while the combined effects of mushrooms and coffee have not been proven, there is some research on the benefits of fungi for athletes. For example, a study published in High Altitude Medicine & Biology in 2014 examined the effects of rhodiola (an herb) and cordyceps (a mushroom) supplementation on male athletes who were training at high altitude. The athletes who supplemented with rhodiola and cordyceps were able to run for longer before reaching exhaustion than those in the placebo group. 

Another randomized controlled trial found that eight weeks of supplementation with rhodiola and cordyceps slightly enhanced endurance training performance and body composition in young sedentary individuals. 

There is some research on other varieties of mushrooms and their health benefits, too, such as reishi for improving immune response and Lion’s mane for mitigating impaired cognition, but the populations studied were small groups (less than 50 people) and football players or cognitively impaired men, so the results don’t necessarily translate to runners. 

That said, while there is some research on the benefits of mushrooms for athletes, we still need more science to solidify their pay-offs. 

Besides the lack of scientific evidence, Shaw does point out a pro to mushroom coffee that she has personally experienced: “One of the cool things [about] mushroom coffee is that it’s actually lower in caffeine but gives me the same ‘jolt’ I’m looking for,” says Shaw. For example, a cup of Four Sigmatic’s instant mushroom coffee has 50 mg of caffeine, compared to almost 100 mg in a cup of regular coffee. So for those who like some caffeine in their life but find coffee to be “too much,” certain mushroom coffees may do the trick. 

Are there drawbacks to mushroom coffee?

There aren’t too many drawbacks to drinking mushroom coffee, other than putting a dent in your wallet. “This specialty coffee can get a little pricey (most brands cost around $20 for a 12-ounce bag of beans), so while it’s a fun, trendy, functional food to try out, it’s not a must-have for health if you’re on a tight budget,” says Shaw. 

Not to mention that very high doses of medicinal mushrooms are used in research to show any health benefits. Most mushroom coffee manufacturers don’t disclose the amount of shrooms in their products, meaning that it’s unlikely that you will reap the same benefits from a cup of mushroom joe. 

As with all new additions to your diet, though, Hultin advises checking with your medical team to make sure the mushrooms do not interact with any medications you may be taking. 

What to know before you buy

“Be sure to check the label and read the ingredients,” says Hultin. She suggests watching out for added sugars or flavors. “It’s important to know what’s in all of your foods and beverages because these ingredients can add up throughout the day,” Hultin adds. For example, the max recommended dose of caffeine per day is 400 milligrams or about 4 cups of coffee so keep that in mind when sipping mushroom-infused variations. 

As for brands to look for on shelves, Shaw is most familiar with Four Sigmatic, which comes in whole bean, ground, instant, pods and even lattes with powdered mushrooms mixed in. They also feature non-mushroom additives in their coffee, like probiotics and ashwagandha. 

Brainchild is a Seattle-based mushroom coffee distributor that uses beans from small farms. They have ground and instant coffee with mushrooms, like Lion’s mane, cordyceps, chaga, and reishi, as well as tea with mushroom infusions. 

And if you’re looking to switch things up a bit, Om sells mushroom coffee, mushroom matcha lattes, and mushroom hot chocolate. 

The bottom line on mushroom coffee

If you want a cup of coffee with less caffeine and maybe some mild health benefits, then there’s no harm in trying mushroom coffee. But don’t expect it to completely revolutionize your health. And keep in mind that it does have a slightly earthier taste than normal coffee. So if you like it, go for it. If you compensate by adding more sugar and cream, then consider skipping it.

Mushroom coffee is basically powdered mushrooms mixed in with coffee grounds. And proponents of this drink combination swear that it not only tastes good, but it’s also loaded with “good for you” ingredients. 

Four different ultrarunners are running across North America

Many runners have felt the silent pull of the long run, but running all day, every day, for months, takes the meaning of “long run” a step further. The passion for these gigantic physical and mental journeys seems only to be growing within the ultrarunning community, and we are aware of at least four ultrarunners (two Americans, one Canadian and one Irish) who are currently (or soon will be) crossing North America on foot–each for different reasons and causes.

Pete Kostelnick of Phoenix, Ariz. is known for breaking the trans-American record in 2016 by crossing the U.S. on foot in a record 42 days, six hours and 30 minutes. He followed that up in 2018 by completing a self-supported 8,614 km run from Kenai, Alaska, to Key West, Fla., including portions of western Canada, in 98 days. In July, he’ll begin an attempt to not only run 50 miles per day in 50 states over 50 days straight, solo, but he will then to head to Australia to become the first human to run the 3,935 km from Perth to Sydney, averaging roughly 128 kilometres per day for 31 days. 

Kostelnick, 35, writes about the Australian adventure: “In running from Perth to Sydney in the bar I’ve set for myself, that will be the most difficult and challenging one I’ll probably ever attempt.” Kostelnick will host a daily podcast throughout his journey, and invites fellow runners to join him throughout his cross-U.S. run, with his expected dates of arrival in various places posted on social media.

Fellow Hoka-sponsored athlete and ultrarunner Mike Wardian of Arlington, Va., has already begun his trek across the U.S., one the athlete says he’s dreamed of for much of his life. Wardian is currently on day 19 of the 5,100 km journey, averaging 80 km per day and supported by his father, Richard Wardian. His daily updates online include what music or book he is listening to (yesterday was Guns and Roses), among other things. Wardian is raising money for World Vision in an attempt to provide greater access to clean drinking water to people across the world, in a project he has dubbed #runninghome.

Canadian Dave Proctor of Okotoks, Alta., is making his second attempt at breaking the cross-Canada record set by Al Howie in 1991. Howie ran from Newfoundland to Victoria in 72 days, 10 hours; following in Howie’s footsteps from east to west, Proctor hopes to complete the trek in 66 days. Proctor’s previous attempt in 2018 ended in injury, and his second attempt has been delayed by the pandemic. Currently on day five, Proctor is averaging 105 km a day and is supported by a varied crew of friends (including Canadian ultrarunners Matt Shepard, Mike Huber and Myron Tetrault, among others) and family, who are flying out separately to various points on his trip and providing aid for six to 16 days each.

Irish ultrarunner Richard Donovan, creator of the World Marathon Challenge (seven marathons on seven continents in seven days), is also running across the U.S., from east to west, in memory of his friend Alvin Matthews. Donovan’s run began the day after the Boston Marathon (which he also ran). He hopes to average about 64 km per day in a scenic and circuitous journey that will take about three months; he made a similar trek in 2015.

All four athletes have demonstrated remarkable prowess at ultra-distance events, and readers and runners alike look forward to both following the athletes online and spotting them on highways on multiple continents over the next few months.

Alan Culpepper named new head coach of HOKA NAZ Elite

One of the top training groups in the U.S., HOKA NAZ Elite, has announced the hiring of two-time Olympian Alan Culpepper as their new head coach. Culpepper will take over from previous coach Ben Rosario, who will be stepping into an executive director position with the track club, focusing on content, corporate partnerships and community initiatives.

“We’ve been working on this for a full year, and I couldn’t be more pumped with the end result,” said Rosario in a press release. “Alan will head to Flagstaff, Ariz., on Friday, May 20, where he will step into the coaching position straight away.

"Rosario founded NAZ Elite with his wife Jen in 2014 and coached the club for eight years. During that time his athletes won five international medals and 12 national titles; in 2020, Aliphine Tuliamuk won the U.S. Marathon Trials and in 2021 she represented the U.S at the Tokyo Olympics.Culpepper is a two-time Olympian, representing the U.S. in the 10,000m at Sydney 2000 and in the marathon at Athens 2004.

At the 2002 Chicago Marathon, Culpepper had the fastest-ever debut by an American, where he ran 2:09:41 to finish sixth. Since retiring from competition in 2008, Culpepper has coached cross-country and track programs at the high school and NCAA levels.He will step in to coach the likes of Stephanie Bruce, Kellyn Taylor, Tuliamuk and Lauren Paquette, who have already proven themselves over a variety of distances, while younger athletes such as Matt Baxter, Tyler Day, Wesley Kiptoo, Alex Masai and Katie Wasserman were all top performers on the track at the NCAA level.

Culpepper said in the press release that recruiting will be key as the team begins its expansion phase.

2022 Carlsbad 5000 Announces Its Elite Field

eigning champion and 17-time NCAA All-American Edward Cheserek headlines men’s race; Olympians Kim Conley and Dom Scott lead women’s elite fields

36-Year Southern California Running Tradition Returns with over 6,000 runners on Sunday, May 22

One by one, America’s most famous road races have returned after being waylaid by COVID. The Boston Marathon, Peachtree Road Race, New York City Marathon.

Familiar images unfolded. Runners excitedly talked to friends and strangers in corrals. Spectators delivering high-fives. Medals draped around necks.

Bolder Boulder, Bay to Breakers, the Los Angeles Marathon.

Come Sunday, the last of the United States’ iconic road races returns after a three-year pandemic hiatus when the Carlsbad 5000 presented by National University celebrates its 36th running. Over 6,000 runners and joggers will enjoy the splash of the surf and clean salt air along the traffic-free Pacific Coast Highway 101, then sipping brews in the Pizza Port Beer Garden.

“I’m excited to return to the Carlsbad 5000,” said reigning champion Ed Cheserek of Kenya. “Last time in 2019 was a lot of fun and after everything our running community has been through since then, I’m really looking forward to being back at the beach in sunny Southern California.”

The Carlsbad 5000 is renowned as “The World’s Fastest 5K” and the moniker was earned.

Sixteen world records have been set on the seaside course, plus a slew of national records and age group bests. Olympic gold medalists Tirunesh Dibaba, Meseret Defar and Eliud Kipchoge have run Carlsbad.

So have U.S. Olympic medalists Deena Kastor and Meb Keflezighi. Keflezighi, the San Diego High product and only male runner in history to win the Boston and New York City marathons, plus an Olympic medal, is now co-owner of the race.

“The San Diego community is very proud of the fact that Carlsbad hosts the world’s most famous 5k race,” said San Diego Track Club coach Paul Greer, a former sub-4-minute miler. “We’re proud of the race. And local runners are endeared by the fact that Meb is involved in the event because he’s one of our own.”

Many people deserve credit for the Carlsbad 5000’s success. Chief among them are Tim Murphy, the race’s creator, Steve Scott, the former American mile record holder who designed the course, and the late Mike Long, the beloved man who built relationships with African athletes and recruited them.

When the race was first held in 1986, the 10K and marathon were road racing’s popular distances. The 5K was considered a casual fun run.

“That’s how innovative Tim was,” said Scott. “He was going to start something when there wasn’t anything there.”

Scott not only designed the course. He won the first three races.

Another plus for The ’Bad: the race fell perfectly on the calendar, with the elite runners being in peak fitness after running the World Cross Country Championships.

“The world records were produced by the quality of the fields and the expectations of running fast,” said road racing historian and announcer Toni Reavis.

It may have been three years since the Carlsbad 5000 was held live (there was a virtual race in 2020), but all the charms will be back Sunday. The custom beer garden IPAs, the ocean views, the left-hand, downhill turn onto Carlsbad Village Drive, and the sprint to the finish.

The race’s official charity is the Lucky Duck Foundation, a local non-profit dedicated to fighting homelessness in San Diego County.

“Homelessness is San Diego’s number one social issue right now, and I couldn’t be prouder to partner with Lucky Duck Foundation as an official charity of the Carlsbad 5000,” said Keflezighi.

As in the past, the Carlsbad 5000 will feature a series of age-group races, starting with the Men’s Masters at 6:55 am, the Women’s Masters at 8:00 am, Open Men at 9:15 am, Open Women at 10:08 am, Junior Carlsbad Kids Mile at 11:20 am, Junior Carlsbad Kids Half-Mile at 12:13 pm, Elite Men at 1:20 pm and Elite Women at 1:23 pm.

The morning-long races create a cheering audience for the pros.

“That’s the other thing that made the elites run fast,” said Reavis. “The crowds.”

So after a three-year pause, the Carlsbad 5000 is back. For why the race continues to maintain its iconic appeal, Reavis said, “It’s those ocean breezes, the lapping waves, the laid-back lifestyle. It is perfect for this little Southern California town which gets transformed into a race course.”

For a complete race day schedule and more, visit Carsbad5000.com.

— Elite Rosters Follow —

Elite Men

Bib Number , Name, Country, Career Highlight, Birthday

1. Edward Cheserek, KENYA, Defending Champion . 17x NCAA Champion, 02/02/1994

2. Kasey Knevelbaad, USA – Flagstaff, 13:24.98 5000M(i) Personal Best,  09/02/1996

3. Reid Buchanan, USA – Mammoth, 2019 Pan American Games 10,000m Silver, 02/03/1993

4. Jose Santana Marin, MEXICO, 2019 Pan American Marathon Silver Medal, 09/03/1989

5. Eben Mosip, KENYA, Road 5k Debut, 12/31/2002

6. James Hunt, GREAT BRITAIN, 4-time Welsh Champion, 04/28/1996

7. Dennis Kipkosgei, Kenya, 2021 Philadelphia Broad Street 10 Miler Champion, 12/20/1994

8. Sean Robertson, USA, Butler University Athlete, 09/16/2001

9. Tate Schienbein, USA – Portland, 2013 U.S. Junior Steeplechase Champion, 04/04/1994

10. Hosava Kretzmann, USA – Flagstaff, AZ, 14:15 5000m PB, 09/02/1994

11. Dylan Belles, USA – Flagstaff, AZ, 2X Olympic Trials Qualifier, 05/16/1993

12. Dylan Marx, USA, San Diego’s Fastest Marathoner, 01/14/1992

13. Steven Martinez, USA – Chula Vista, 2x U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier, 09/15/1994

14. Spencer Johnson, USA – San Diego,  14:39.09 (2022 Oxy Distance Carnival), 03/20/1995

15. August Pappas, USA – San Diego, 14:05 PB, Big Ten Indoor Track Champs, 04/10/1993

16. Dillon Breen, USA – San Diego, 14:43 Virtual Carlsbad 2020, 09/01/1992

17. Dante Capone, USA – San Diego, Phd Student at Scripps Institute, 11/07/1996

18. Jack Bruce, AUSTRALIA, 13:28.57 5000m Best on Track, 08/31/1994

Elite Women

Bib Number , Name, Country, Career, Highlight, Birthday

20. Kim Conley, USA, One of America’s best 5000m runners, 03/14/1986

21. Dominique Scott, SOUTH AFRICA, Two-time Olympian, 05/24/1992

22. Grace Barnett, USA – Mammoth, Silver at 2021 USATF 5k Championships, 05/29/1995

23. Carina Viljoen SOUTH AFRICA, 5k Road Racing Debut, 04/15/1997

24. Ayla Granados, USA – Castro Valley, 15:53 Personal best, 09/18/1991

25. Biruktayit Degefa, ETHIOPIA, 2022 Crescent City 10k Champion, 09/09/1990

26. Andrea Ramirez Limon, MEXICO, 2021 National 10000m Champion, 11/05/1992

27. Claire Green, USA – San Francisco, NCAA All-American, 05/12/1996

28. Caren Maiyo, KENYA, 5k Road Debut. 7th At 2022 Houston Half Marathon, 04/17/1997

29. Nina Zarina, RUSSIA, California resident, 3rd at the 2021 LA Marathon, 03/17/1987

30. Emily Gallin, USA – Malibu, Finished 4th 2022 LA Marathon, 10/30/1984

31. Lauren Floris, – USA – Oak Park, 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier, 07/07/1990

32. Sara Mostatabi, USA – Los Angeles, 09/27/1993

33. Ashley Maton, – USA – Toledo,    16.37 PR at U.S. Road 5k Championships, 11/20/1993

34. Judy Cherotich. KENYA, 16:50 PR

35. Lindsey Sickler, USA – Reno, 16:59 PR, 09/05/1997

36. Megan Cunningham, USA – Flagstaff, 15:53 Track Best 5000M, 03/01/1995

37. Jeannette Mathieu, USA – San Francisco, 2020 Olympic Trials Qualifier, 04/19/1990

38. Bre Guzman, USA – San Diego, 17:37 5k/ 36:00 Road 10k PR, 10/30/1992

39. Aubrey Martin, USA – San Diego, 17:33 5k /1:19 Half Personal Best, 10/10/1997

40. Chloe Gustafson, USA – San Diego, Division II – NCAA All-American, 11/10/1992

41. Sammi Groce, USA – San Diego, 2021 Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Winner, 04/29/1994

42. Kristi Gayagoy, USA – San Diego, 17:06 PR

43. Annie Roberts, USA – San Diego, 16:58 5k, 07/10/1996

44. Alexa Yatauro, USA – San Diego, 17:40 5k, 10/18/1995

45. Jessica Watychowicz, USA – Colorado Springs, 15:47.51 5000m Track PB, 02/27/1991

About the Carlsbad 5000

The Carlsbad 5000 annually attracts amateur, competitive and professional runners from around the world. The 36th running of the iconic race will take place on the weekend of May 21-22, 2021. The inaugural 1986 event helped establish the 5K as a standard road running distance, and today, the 5K is the most popular distance in the United States. Throughout its history, the Carlsbad 5000 has seen 16 World records and eight U.S. records, as well as numerous national and age group marks.  Race day begins at 7:00 am with the Masters Men (40 years old and over), the first of seven races to take place on Sunday. The “Party by the Sea” gets started as soon as the first runners cross the finish line with participants 21 and older celebrating in the Pizza Port beer garden with two complimentary craft brews and runners of all ages rocking out to live music on the streets of the Carlsbad Village. Further information about the Carlsbad 5000 can be found online at Carlsbad5000.com and on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Belgian runner Merijn Geerts sets Backyard Ultra world best with 90 laps (600+ km)

Last weekend in Germany, ultrarunner Merijn Geerts of Wilsele, Belgium, set a new world best in the quirky backyard ultra format of 90 laps during the Backyard Masters, breaking Harvey Lewis’s record of 85 laps set at the 2021 Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra. This is equivalent to a total of over 600 km, running the same 6.7 km loop every hour on the hour round the clock, with the only rest breaks being the few minutes between finishing one loop and starting the next.

Geerts broke the record at The Race of the Champions, an invitational in which participants must have qualified with at least 45 laps (300+ km) at a previous backyard ultra.

In the backyard ultra ultra racing format, only runners who finish the lap within the hour cutoff are allowed to start the next lap. When the second-last participant either quits or fails to finish a lap in time, the final runner must complete one more lap to claim victory.

Twenty four runners started the race, and 20 remained after 24 hours. There were four men still in the race after 62 laps; Norway’s Jon Asphjell was the first to drop, then Japan’s Terumichi Morishata dropped shortly after. Ireland’s Keith Russell and Geerts remained active for another 12 laps, until Russell finally dropped out after 89 laps and Geerts managed to complete his 90th lap, reaching a distance of 603.5 km. Both Russell and Geerts went well over Lewis’s previous record of 85 laps.

Russell started running in 2016 with his daughter Alanna, who had spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy, and ran the 2017 Dublin marathon, pushing Alanna in a special running chair.

Geerts previously completed 74 laps and 496 km at this event in 2020. He was also the runner-up at the Backyard Ultra World Cup for the Belgian national team where Belgium won, and Karel Sabbe improved the backyard world record to 75 laps.

Hellen Obiri and Eilish McColgan will renew rivalry at the Great Manchester run

Last September Hellen Obiri beat Eilish McColgan by six seconds in the Great North Run and this Sunday (May 22) the duo renew their rivalry over the shorter distance of 10km at the Great Manchester Run.

McColgan has been in brilliant form, with a UK 5km record at the start of this month followed by victory in the Vitality London 10,000 where she missed Paula Radcliffe’s British record of 30:21 by only two seconds.

Obiri’s achievements make her the athlete to beat, though. As well as winning two world 5000m titles on the track, the Kenyan is the reigning Commonwealth 5000m champion and world cross-country gold medalist.

McColgan chose to give last week’s Night of the 10,000m PBs in London a miss in order to focus on training in the French Pyrenees. She will hope to push Obiri close again but the quality fields assembled for Manchester mean this won’t just be a two-horse race.

Ruth Chepnegetich defied horrendous heat and humidity to win the world marathon title in Doha in 2019 and the Kenyan has clocked 64:02 for the half-marathon, which was a world record when she ran it 13 months ago but has since been beaten by Letesenbet Gidey.

Sara Hall of the United States will be familiar to British fans after her runner-up performance at the 2020 London Marathon. She also held the US half-marathon record until recently, has a marathon best of 2:20:32 and is looking for a strong run in Manchester on Sunday.

Gerda Steyn, the South African ultra-marathon specialist, is also set to test her speed over 10km.

In addition to McColgan there are of course a number of other Brits in the elite women’s race. They include Jess Piasecki, the Stockport Harriers athlete who went No.2 on the UK all-time marathon rankings earlier this year with 2:22:27.

Steph Twell, the Tokyo Olympic marathon runner, is racing in Manchester ahead of the European Cup 10,000m in France a few days later.

After finishing ninth in the Boston Marathon in 2:25:26 in April, Charlotte Purdue also lines up in Manchester. Look out, too, for Lauren Heyes, Lily Partridge and Calli Thackery, the latter of whom is also racing at the Diamond League in Birmingham 24 hours earlier.

Like Thackery, Stewart McSweyn is also racing in Birmingham the day before the Manchester event as he continues to try to race himself into shape following a bout of Covid. He is joined by fellow Australian Jack Rayner plus New Zealand brothers Jake and Zane Robertson and Spaniard Antonio Abadia in the men’s 10km.

Sadly Mo Farah pulled out of the event following his under-par run at the Vitality London 10,000 earlier this month. But the winner that day, Ellis Cross, is set to race in Manchester and all eyes will be on him to see if he can repeat his form.

Mo Aadan, the Brit who finished third at the Vitality London 10,000, is in Manchester too. Further British contenders, meanwhile, include Ben Connor, Chris Thompson, Adam Craig, Josh Griffiths, Ross Millington, Phil Sesemann and Andrew Heyes.

Why you should be aware of RED-S, inadequate fuel intake can lead to relative energy deficiency in sport, and can affect both women and men, elite and recreational runners

In recent years, professional athletes have started to open up about the insidious condition known as relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S). But the condition doesn’t only affect elites. So how does a recreational runner know if they are displaying symptoms? Recent studies have shown that training with a regular caloric deficit of as little as 300 calories a day can lead to RED-S.

Low energy availability (which may lead to a diagnosis of RED-S) is a mismatch between an athlete’s energy intake, or diet, and the energy expended during exercise, leaving inadequate energy to go toward health and athletic performance.

In short, it means they are not taking in enough nutrition to adequately fuel their training, and over time is likely to cause disruption to metabolic rate, menstrual function (in females), bone health, immunity, muscle growth and repair and cardiovascular health. It is not limited to female athletes, even though certain aspects of the condition (such as disordered eating, where it is a factor) may be associated in the public’s mind with women more than with men.

While RED-S has many similarities to overtraining or overreaching (terms runners may be more familiar with), according to overtraining syndrome expert Alexandra Coates, RED-S builds upon the model those diagnoses also fit into. Coates suggests many other physiological symptoms can occur as a result of RED-S.

The lasting impact of RED-S can be severe and detrimental to many aspects of a runner’s life, so knowing what to be aware of and when to see a physician are important.

For women, loss of their period (amenorrhea) is an immediate signal to see a doctor and have bloodwork done. Coates suggests other symptoms to watch out for are training inconsistencies, extremely low energy, and stress fractures or bone injuries.

One possibly surprising symptom is unexpected weight gain during a training cycle. As Coates explains, when an athlete is continuously living in a caloric deficit, metabolic disruptions can occur and the body shifts into starvation mode. Despite eating less, runners may find themselves gaining weight. Without knowledge of RED-S syndrome and regular checkups, even runners who consider themselves quite average in ability may unknowingly set themselves up for disordered eating–something that many female endurance athletes (including ultrarunners Lucy Bartholomew and Amelia Boone and Olympic marathon bronze medallist Molly Seidel, among others) have shared their experiences with via social media in recent years.

When increasing their training load, athletes should make sure to increase their caloric intake. Instead of operating from the mentality that leaner is better, runners need to remember that getting stronger requires more fuel. Trying to train in a continuous state of low energy availability will invariably lead to disappointment, loss of motivation, and potentially also to physiological and neurological damage.

RED-S, overreaching, and overtraining are all avoidable, and by maintaining a diverse, nutritious and non-restrictive diet (including a healthy amount of carbohydrate) and staying on top of regular physical checkups with a physician, runners can stay in the green, healthy zone.

New Course Record expected at 8th Okpekpe 10km Road Race

 the eighth edition of the Okpekpe International 10km road race, organisers of the historic event have predicted a new men’s course record.

Ethiopia’s Teshome Mekonnen ran 28:35 minutes to set the men’s course record at the second edition of the race in 2014.

Race director, Zack Amodu, says the new rules guiding the invitation of athletes and the quality of the elite cast so far confirmed for the race point to only one direction: a new men’s and probably women’s course records come May 28, 2022, in Okpekpe.

‘One of the requirements for World Athletics elite label races is that each race must have at least five athletes per gender, irrespective of their country or territory representation, who have recorded in 2020, 2021, or 2022 at least one World Athletics legal performance within the standard set for the classification,’ said Amodu.

“For a World Athletics elite label 10km race, the standard for men is 28.27 minutes while for women it is 33.07 minutes.

“The standard for men is better than the 28.35 minutes record set in 2014 and to have at least five athletes who have run faster than that within the last three years among the elite cast for the Okpekpe race, your bet is as good as mine.”

Amodu is also confident a new women’s course record also looks achievable judging by the quality of the cast of elite women who will be in Okpekpe on May 28.

“This year’s race promises to be very explosive as far as the actions over hills and tarred roads, starting from Apana Road and ending in Okpekpe town,” added Amodu who says the quality of the organisation is never in doubt.

“For the race to be classified as one of the World Athletics elite label races, it means the organizational ability of the organisers has passed all the required tests.

‘For the avoidance of doubt, a World Athletics label denotes high standards in event organisation, safety and runner experience, application of World Athletics rules and regulations and in particular the competition and technical rules,’ said Amodu.

The historic Okpekpe International 10km Road Race is organised by Pamodzi Sports Marketing, a leader in sports marketing, sponsorship, hospitality, and rights acquisition business with operations in Nigeria.

It is the first road race in West Africa to be granted a label rating (bronze) and the first in West Africa to be upgraded to a silver label race.