Running News Daily
Top Ten Stories of the Week
4/24/2021
These are the top ten stories based on views over the last week.
Kipchoge clocks world-leading 2:04:30 in Enschede
Eliud Kipchoge waited until the final 30 minutes of the NN Mission Marathon to make his winning move as the Kenyan great kicked on to win the World Athletics Label road race in 2:04:30 at Twente Airport in Enschede on Sunday (18).
The Olympic champion had little to prove; his place on Kenya’s team for Tokyo had already been confirmed, as has his status as one of the all-time greats. But following a rare defeat at the London Marathon last year, the world record-holder was keen to produce a confidence-boosting performance ahead of the Olympic Games.
He did exactly that on Sunday, despite having to contend with some late changes to the race plans as the event had originally been set for 11 April in Hamburg.
Unlike many of Kipchoge’s previous marathon races, today’s event was never intended as an opportunity to chase record times. Nevertheless, the pace was swift as a lead group of four reached 15km in 43:46, just outside 2:03 pace.
After going through half way in 1:01:43, with Kipchoge running alongside pacemakers Philemon Kacheran and Jonathan Korir, the pace settled in the second half with each five-kilometre segment being covered in just outside 14:50.
By the time Kipchoge and the pacing duo reached 30km in 1:28:10, the chase pack was more than two minutes adrift but still on course for Olympic qualifying times. Shortly after, with 1:35 on the clock, Kipchoge left his pacemakers behind.
His tempo didn’t actually increase in the closing stages, but he maintained his sub-three-minute kilometre pace, which brought him to the finish line in a world-leading 2:04:30.
Korir held on for second place in 2:06:40 with Eritrea’s Goitom Kifle coming through to take third in 2:08:07. A little further behind, Uganda’s 2012 Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich placed fifth in 2:09:04.
“Mission accomplished,” said Kipchoge. “The conditions were really good, a bit windy, but I had no complaints. The race was perfect. This was the real test towards Tokyo. It’s good to have a marathon a few months before the Olympics to test my fitness.”
The leading contenders in the women’s race were paced by a small group of men, reaching 10km in 34:39 and half way in 1:12:58. Kenya’s Gladys Chesir, Sweden’s Hanna Lindholm and German duo Laura Hottenrott and Katharina Steinruck were all still in contention at this point, but Lindholm started to fade as they embarked on the second half.
Chesir was next to drop back, doing so after about 90 minutes of running, leaving Steinruck and Hottenrott as the lead duo. Steinruck (nee Heinig) began to edge ahead of her domestic rival in the final seven kilometres and the race was finally decided.
Steinruck reached the finish line in 2:25:59, elevating her to sixth on the German all-time list, just three places and 84 seconds adrift of her mother, Katrin Dorre-Heinig, the 1988 Olympic bronze medallist.
Portugal’s Sara Moreira finished strongly to take second place in 2:26:42 with Germany’s Rabea Schoneborn placing third in 2:27:03.
(04/18/21) Views: 92
Aliphine Tuliamuk has signed with Gatorade
Ten-time USA Track and Field national champion and winner of the U.S. Olympic Marathon trials, Aliphine Tuliamuk, announced Friday that she has signed with Gatorade as she heads toward the Tokyo Olympics. She will join other notable athletes on the company’s endurance roster, including multiple American record holder Molly Huddle and Canadian triathlete Lionel Sanders.
Tuliamuk has had a whirlwind of a year, starting with her win at the U.S. Olympic Marathon trials on Feb. 29, 2020. Just under a year later, on January 13, 2021, she and her partner welcomed their first child. Now, the NAZ Elite runner is preparing to compete in the Olympic Marathon, a mere six months after giving birth.
“I’m so excited to announce that I’m a new member of the Gatorade Endurance family!” says Tuliamuk. “Over the past 12 years Gatorade is a brand I’ve trusted to fuel my body, and when I started running long distance, I fell in love with the Gatorade Endurance products. I look forward to sharing how the gels and chews are helping me perform at my best by providing critical fluids and nutrients while training for the summer games.”
Jeff Kearny, the company’s head of global sports marketing, calls Tuliamuk a “perfect partner” as a national champion and a mother, and describes her as an inspiration, particularly for women. Since she has already been using Gatorade’s endurance products for years, she also has an authentic tie to the brand.
As the Olympics draw near, running fans everywhere will be eagerly awaiting to see how Tuliamuk fares on race day, and will no doubt be cheering her on.
(04/17/21) Views: 65Brittany Hambleton
Eliud Kipchoge looks forward to ‘beautiful race’ at NN Mission Marathon
Twente Airport in the Netherlands on Sunday will see the Kenyan stretch his legs over 26.2 miles ahead of the defence of his Olympic title in Tokyo
Over the years the Twente Airport near the city of Enschede in the eastern Netherlands has been used by famous airplanes such as the Hawker Hunter and Gloster Meteor. But on Sunday (April 18) the world marathon record-holder Eliud Kipchoge will take to the runway in the NN Mission Marathon.
The airport course was chosen after the original venue of Hamburg was ruled out due to the pandemic. It will be Kipchoge’s first race since he finished a disappointing eighth in the London Marathon in October and he is looking forward to getting back to winning ways.
“Sunday, personally, I will be running a very beautiful race,” he said in a pre-race press conference. “I call it beautiful because we are in need and tough times during the pandemic.
“I want to run a beautiful race to show the world that actually we are on a huge, huge transition towards a great future.”
Kipchoge, 36, will tackle an eight-lap, spectator-free course and his rivals include 2012 Olympic marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda, who has a PB of 2:06:33.
Laban Korir of Kenya is also in the field and has a best of 2:05:54, while Filex Chemonges holds the Ugandan record with 2:05:12.
In addition, Augustine Choge, the 2006 Commonwealth 5000m champion, is hoping to complete his first marathon after DNF’ing in Chicago in 2018.
In total around 50 athletes from 20 different countries will be attempting to gain the Olympic qualifying standards of 2:11:30 for men and 2:29:30 for women in an event organisers have dubbed ‘the fastest way to Tokyo’.
In the women’s race, former New York Marathon podium finisher Sara Moreira of Portugal takes on Kenyan Gladys Chesir. Moreira’s PB of 2:24:49 is slightly quicker than Chesir’s, although the fastest woman in the race is Mexican Madai Perez, who has a best of 2:22:59 but is now aged 41.
The race begins 8.30am (local time) and is due to be shown on the BBC website for fans in UK and Ireland.
So, can Kipchoge return to his best form? Was his defeat in London part of a decline or merely a blip? His sub-two-hour marathon in Vienna unfolded in autumn 2019 but in London five months ago he finished eighth in 2:06:49 in a race won by Shura Kitata. Later he blamed an ear blockage for his under-par run.
(04/17/21) Views: 63Jason Henderson (Athletics Weekly)
2021 Mumbai Marathon is being rescheduled again due to the pandemic new date will be announced
The 17th edition of the Tata Mumbai Marathon will not be held on May 30 as it has been rescheduled owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The new date will be announced in due course after consultations with the Government of Maharashtra and relevant athletic bodies,” a media release stated.
“As we navigate these challenging times, we want you to know that we are leaving no stone unturned to make the marathon possible this year. The Government of Maharashtra and our partners have been extremely supportive to ensure that we have the best possible option, keeping in mind the safety and security for all involved,” Procam International's Vivek Singh was quoted as saying in the release.
While the pandemic has not left any place untouched, Maharashtra is one of the worst affected States.
“By shifting our focus to a new date, we will continue to work closely with the State, national and international athletic bodies to identify a suitable date for the event, which is conducive to the safe conduct of the event for all stakeholders,” he added.
The marathon is always held in January but due to the pandemic it was shifted to May 30.
Mumbai has reported 8,839 new cases on Friday, pushing the total to 5.6 lakh, of which 85,226 are active cases, as per the BMC.
(04/17/21) Views: 60
Endurance athlete from Bristol is hoping to run 200 marathons in 100 days
In 2019, Nick Butter became the first person to complete a marathon in every country of the world.
The gruelling challenge took him from North Korea to El Salvador, across war zones and freezing temperatures. At one point he was bitten by a dog and mugged.
Nick's latest feat is unlikely to take him to such extremes, as he'll be running along the coast of Britain - but he will be attempting to complete two marathons a day.
Starting at the Eden Project on Saturday April 17, Nick will run for 14 hours each day to cover 52.4 miles (a double marathon), every day for 100 days.
He will run 5,240 miles in total, ending up where he began at the Eden Arena on Monday July 26.
I honestly don't know if I can do it but we're going to give it a go. He says.
Nick will be supported by a team of five people across three camper vans.
The first will hold his support team, keeping him safe and fed, the second will be his media crew and the third will be his home on the road. It will be driven by Nick's girlfriend Nikki and their dog Poppy will also join them.
When Nick ran across the world, he did it in aid of Prostate Cancer UK after a fellow ultra runner, Kevin Webber, was diagnosed with the disease.
He has so far raised more than £140,000.
For his 2021 challenge, he has set up The 196 Foundation. Its title comes from the 196 countries across the world and reflects all the needs across the planet.
Each year it will support one cause, voted on by the foundation's donors. It could be anything from buying a wheelchair for a family to building a school.
The 30-year-old hopes to be joined by other runners along the route. "We'd love to have some company and people to come and keep me company for the 100 days," Nick said.
"When I'm running for 11 hours a day, getting through 9,000 calories, I need all the help I can get".
(04/16/21) Views: 58
Indigenous community calls for Boston Marathon date change
Native Americans in Massachusetts are calling on the organizers of the Boston Marathon to move the already rescheduled date for the storied race because it now conflicts with a day meant to commemorate the contributions of Indigenous people.
The Boston Athletic Association announced in January that the 125th edition of the marathon would be pushed back from its traditional April running to Oct. 11, assuming road races are allowed to take place under Massachusetts’ COVID-19 restrictions by then.
But the Indigenous Peoples Day Committee in the Boston suburb of Newton complained the new day undercuts a day reserved for recognizing the contributions of Native Americans, past and present. The group said its first planned celebration of the Oct. 11 holiday has to be canceled because of the marathon’s new date.
“Unfortunately, the Boston Athletic Association has decided that Indigenous Peoples Day is a ‘side’ holiday that can be usurped," the committee said in a recently launched online petition. "By doing this, they are perpetuating the myth that Indigenous peoples are part of the past and irrelevant.”
The BAA didn't directly address the complaints, but said Thursday that the new date was selected in close coordination with the eight cities and towns along the marathon route. Those communities include Newton as well as Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline and Boston.
“During the date selection process, the Boston Athletic Association regularly met with representatives from the eight cities and towns for feedback and guidance on potential dates and collaboratively selected Monday, October 11,” the organization said in a statement. "We will continue working with city and town officials, as well as with organizations planning events during the October 9–11 weekend.”
Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller and members of the city council didn’t respond to emails seeking comment Thursday.
The Native American organization said marathon organizers should reschedule the race to give Indigenous communities the space they deserve.
“Indigenous Peoples Day is a time for everyone to learn more about the history of America as it relates to Indigenous Peoples — because we are all on Indigenous Land," the organization said in its petition. “The BAA has the chance to acknowledge the importance of keeping the spotlight on Indigenous Peoples Day rather than steal the spotlight for the Marathon.”
The BAA has said this year's race will have space for 20,000 entrants — a smaller field than prior years to allow for social distancing. There will also be a virtual race from Oct. 8-10 that will allow up to 70,000 more entrants.
First run in 1897, the Boston Marathon was canceled last year for the first time in its history. Instead, almost 16,000 people ran in a virtual race, completing the 26.2-mile distance on their own over a 10-day period.
(04/17/21) Views: 56
Internet has reacted to Team Canada’s Tokyo 2020 jackets
Eight months ago, the outfits our Canadian Olympic team will be wearing at the closing ceremonies were released. No one seemed to notice until a viral tweet about the jackets on Wednesday set off a social media storm.
Twitter users from Canada and around the world had a lot to say about the graffiti-denim look, which was designed by Hudson’s Bay and Levi’s, and reactions ranged from comical to completely horrified.
The original tweet that started it all came from Twitter user Downtown Brandi Frown (@ItsTheBrandi), who (jokingly) called for a cancellation of the Olympics upon seeing the outfits for the first time.
The user followed the initial tweet with several others, including one that poked fun at the “Canadian tuxedo,” otherwise known as wearing a denim shirt or jacket with blue jeans, saying “Sorry but if Canada isn’t gonna wear jeans with those jackets they should just forget the whole concept.” Other users began chiming in, including Canadian Olympic race walker Evan Dunfee.
Another Twitter user said, “They really are leaning into the Canadian tuxedo, huh?”, while another asked, “Did they forget they had to submit something and get these made at a mall kiosk?” One Twitter went so far as to say the jackets are completely inappropriate — unless, of course, they’re worn with jeans.
Others have compared the Canadian uniforms to the Ralph Lauren-designed outfits the American team will be sporting at the closing ceremony, saying “the U.S. vs Canada Olympic outfits look like the plot of a bad 80s camp film where the freaks/geeks have to overcome the preppies.”
Whether you like them or not, the jean jackets aren’t going anywhere, and one thing is certain — Canadians are certainly going to stand out at this year’s closing ceremonies.
(04/16/21) Views: 55Brittany Hambleton
Great North Run is facing struggle over insurance guarantee
The Great North Run is facing a "struggle" because of issues getting insurance in case it has to be called off due to Covid-19, the founder says.
Sir Brendan Foster said "the key tool" in holding major events was missing and there had been "a huge market failure".
He said organizers faced being liable for costs and called on the government and insurance sector to meet.
The government said it was aware of the "wider concerns" around securing indemnity and was "exploring" support.
The Association of British Insurers (ABI), which represents the sector, said it was "happy to continue to engage with the government".
The Great North Run - the world's largest half marathon - was set to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2020 but it had to be held virtually because of coronavirus.
This year's event is due to take place on September 12, with about 57,000 adults set to run between Newcastle and South Shields.
Sir Brendan said organizers were "cautiously optimistic" it would take place but they would look to hold an alternative if the event was unable to go ahead as planned.
"We will struggle, we will have to look forward to see how we can do it, we will have to see what shape we can do it," he said.
This is not about the Great North Run, this is about the government seeking to bring it back to normal and seeking to make sure that Britain gets back on its feet by the autumn.
"Unfortunately, to open up these large events and to ease the restriction on these large events, the key tool in doing that is missing at the moment because the insurance industry is not available to offer insurance."
The government said its events research programme would consider how effective various measures were at reducing transmission risk at large events, including using testing.
"The programme will start this weekend with pilot events carried out across a range of settings, venue and activity types," it said.
The ABI said it had made it clear to the government "the very limited risks" the commercial market was able to provide cover for.
"With the Covid-19 public health emergency continuing to present a significant risk of cancellation or disruption, commercial insurers remain unable to offer this type of cover, or only at a cost that is unaffordable for many," a spokesperson said.
"Insurers continue to provide support for a wide range of other risks, and event organizers should discuss their needs with their insurance advisers, who can fully explore all insurance options in the market."
(04/16/21) Views: 47
What’s It Like to Run Ahead of Des Linden for 50K? Her Pacer Can Tell You
Charlie Lawrence had the task of keeping the marathoner hitting her splits for 31 miles.
Des Linden is a master of marathon pacing—that’s no secret at this point in her career.
But for her first 50K—on a deserted bike path alongside Dorena Lake outside of Eugene, Oregon—the scene was different. She had no competitors, no screaming fans, and she was running almost 5 miles longer than the distance she usually races. Plus, she was making a world record attempt.
For that, she brought in a pacer.
Who was the guy? His name is Charlie Lawrence, he’s 26, and he lives in Boulder, Colorado. Lawrence, who ran at the University of Minnesota, made his marathon debut in 2018 at Cal International, where he ran 2:16:13 and qualified for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials. He got to know Linden when he was running for Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, Linden’s former team, in Michigan. 

In Boulder, Lawrence works part time for a Minneapolis-based app development consulting company and is training for the U.S. 50K road championships in June. (A win there would give him an automatic berth on the U.S. team for the world 50K championships in October in Chinese Taipei.) So when Josh Cox, Linden’s agent, called Lawrence in March and asked if he would be interested in pacing her, Lawrence was excited to be a part of it, and get a solid training run in at the same time.
By now, the results are well known. Linden, 37, ran 2:59:54 and lowered the world best for 50K by more than 7 minutes. She also broke the three-hour barrier.
“Charlie is a such a great guy,” Linden told Runner’s World after the race. “I’m not a big fan of pacers but I knew he’d be great at the job and absorb a lot from the experience. Plus, I knew I could hang out with him for three hours and not get irritated.”
Linden added that they didn’t chat much but they worked well together. “Having him as a bit of a moving target late in the race was definitely what got me under 3.”
Lawrence answered a few questions from Runner’s World about what it was like to be there every step of the way.
Runner’s World: How did this come about?
Charlie Lawrence: It was January 2021. Des and I were just texting about what’s on the calendar this year, with so many things gone because of Covid. She said, off the record, “I think I want to go for the 50K world record.”
The biggest thing on my calendar was I wanted to try to make the U.S. team for the world 50K champs. I told Des that if I can help in any way, I’d love to help. She said, “Absolutely, we’ll follow up.”
About a month ago, I was down in Scottsdale, Arizona, for a race, and Des was there. We were talking about it and she said it was going to be mid-April. The next week Josh texted me and let me know that if I wanted to do it, I’ve got first dibs.
I went to Cory Leslie, my coach. He said it makes sense—it’s eight weeks out from the U.S. 50K road champs. I could get an awesome long run in, and learn from Des and practice bottles and fluids. It was a perfect storm to help a friend and mentor break a world record.
I have run with Des a handful of times in the past few years, but to be honest, we have probably had more coffee and beer together.
How did you work out where you would be running?
It was myself and Ryan [Linden, her husband] helping pace her. I was off her shoulder. It was very calm at the start. She said, “Run at the side, it feels easier and more natural.” That’s what we did the whole way out to the first turnaround. At 15 or 16 miles, the wind picked up a bit. It was swirling. There was a cross wind, so I went to either side of her, depending on which side the wind was coming from. When it was a headwind, I’d get in front of her.
I was getting the splits on my watch and I’d say, “5:45—right on the money,” just talking to her. There was a mile early on that was 5:38. I was like, “All right, we’ll dial it back. We just need to be running 5:45, 5:50.” She goes, “Yup, sounds good.”
Were you nervous at all heading in?
It was more like nervous excitement. Let’s do this thing. It was a cool opportunity for Des. My strong suit is I’ve been able to string together some awesome long runs, some 25-milers, sub-5:40 pace, at altitude. That’s the reason why I’m going for 50K. And this was a chance to get an awesome workout in and help Des achieve a goal of hers. I knew I could handle it. The pressure was just on me to do everything I possibly could to help Des break the record.
We had a pace goal going into the race, so the goal was to be as even as possible and just click off splits as close to that goal. Coach Drenth [Walt Drenth, Linden’s coach] gave Des splits he thought she could run. Josh talked us though some pacing as well. [Linden ended up averaging 5:47 pace.]
Did she hit any rough patches?
She was definitely feeling it a little bit the last 5K. I felt kind of bad, in the last two miles, I was out in front of her, and I got a few too many steps in front of her. Instead of 5 feet it was about 5 yards. So I said, “Let’s go, Des, finish this, finish this.” She kept it all together just like a pro. She hung together. When we were at about 2:59, she’s was like, “Awesome, let me take it.” I said, “ Finish it off, champ,” and I pulled off. You can see me in some of the photos in the background with my finger pointing, throwing up a one. To be able to play a small role in helping her, it’s one of the biggest highlights in my running career thus far.
Did Des pay you for this?
No, but they covered everything for the trip. After the race was over, we went to The Allison in wine country and stayed up there. They took awesome care of me. I tried paying for stuff and got harassed.
So it was an all-expenses-paid trip to Eugene and wine country and all you had to do was run 50K?
Exactly. Don’t screw up. Let’s get Des a world record.
How did you feel physically after?
The legs feel awesome. I woke up the next day, got an easy hour run in, got some core in. Legs feel like I’m coming off a hard long run in Boulder. My body responds well to it. It’s business as usual. I’m back to training.
Would you have any advice for middle-of-the-pack runners who are pressed into pacing duties?
My best advice to anyone who might pace friends is to absolutely do it. This sport is so great because of the people. What better way to spend time with someone than very high-quality miles, either pacing or just on everyday runs?
(04/17/21) Views: 44Runner’s World
New Hampshire track coach fired after penning anti-mask letter
Brad Keyes, a high school track and field coach in New Hampshire, has been fired after refusing to tell his athletes to wear a mask for outdoor races. The New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA) recently released its guidelines for the spring track and field season, and officials recommended that all student-athletes wear masks during competition. Keyes, who was the head coach at Pembroke Academy for three years, sent an email to the school athletic director explaining that he disagreed with the NHIAA’s recommendation, adding that he would not enforce it. He received notice of his termination just a few days later.
In the subject line of his email, Keyes reportedly wrote “Fire me if you must,” before going into his reasons for refusing to support mask-wearing during races. While the NHIAA recommended this for its athletes, it was not mandatory, and officials left it up to individual school boards and athletic directors. To the chagrin of Keyes, Pembroke Academy athletic director Fred Vezina opted to take the NHIAA’s advice.
“I’ll come straight to the point,” Keyes wrote in his letter to Vezina. “I will not put kids on the track and tell them to run any races while wearing masks.” He continued, writing that he thought the decisions made by the NHIAA, Vezina and other boards that followed this recommendation were not backed up by science.
“This is not about protecting the athletes, or even their families, it’s all about covering bureaucratic asses,” he wrote. “I will not stand up in front of the kids and lie to them and tell them that these masks are doing anything worthwhile out in an open field with wind blowing and the sun shining.”
Keyes told the Concord Monitor, a local paper in New Hampshire, that he believes masks are necessary and that the pandemic is serious, but he added that he thinks forcing student-athletes to race in masks is “poorly thought out.”
The Concord spoke with Stan Lyford, another local track coach, who said he stands by Keyes in this matter. “Brad Keyes is not alone on the mask issue,” Lyford said. “Everyone I talk to thinks that wearing masks while running is a bad idea. It is not like soccer or other sports where you run a little and ease off. Track is full speed ahead at all times.” Despite disagreeing with the NHIAA, however, Lyford noted that he “will go along unhappily with the state’s rules.”
Since his termination, Keyes has made several appearances on various podcasts and TV shows to discuss the issue of wearing masks while racing.
(04/17/21) Views: 43Running Magazine
