Running News Daily
Top Ten Stories of the Week
9/17/2022
These are the top ten stories based on views over the last week.
Joseph Njoroge clocks the 4th fastest Double 15k (10k+break+5k) ever this morning in Thika Kenya
Joseph Njoroge (blue jersey) from Ngong Athletics Club was the overall winner of the Second edition of the Double 15k race held in Thika on Wednesday morning.
The 18-year-old Nyandarua-born Njoroge clocked 29:56.17 in 10Km before caping the event with 14:43.93 to emerged top in 44:40.10 in the new race that is gaining ground in Kenya.
Local ace Zakariah Kirika, 21, who trains with the host Kenyan Athletics Training Academy (KATA) in Thika, combined 45:25.31 to finish second splitting 30:28.54 in 10Km and 14:56.77 after the break.
For the women, Newcomer Caren Chepkemoi from the Thika based Training Academy won the lady’s category in 59:50.76. She timed 40:14.97 in 10km and 19:35.79 followed by training mate Susan Njeriwho fished second in combined 1:00.01.68 in the race organized by Kenyan Athletics Training Academy.
62-year-old Charles Ndirangu who trains at KATA smashed the 60-69 world best clocking 55:11 for the two legs. His splits were 37:04 for 10k and 18:07 for 5k.
“The double Race tests athletes’ endurance. They must do 15Km split into 10Km and 5Km. This is separated by 1hr 45min break from the start of the 10Km race and beginning of the 5Km leg. Times are added together for scoring. The leaders after the first leg wears the yellow jersey so everyone knows who is leading going into the second leg," explained Bob Anderson, the creator of Double Racing in 2010 and the chairman of the Double Road Race Federation based in Mountain View California USA.
This was the second Double Race after the first was held in September last year during the official opening of the KATA that now hosts 15 athletes.
The KATA 10Km monthly Time-Trial resumes on October 15th in Thika.
(09/14/22) Views: 151
New Tech Revolutionizing Runner Apparel Market
Although running has a reputation for being an affordable sport that just about anyone can participate in, the average runner spends in the region of $1,000 a year on running kit according to a recent survey. While this may seem like a lot of money to spend on a sport that should not require any investments other than a fairly decent pair of running shoes, there are a number of things to take into consideration.
This includes the host of technological advances that have been made in recent years in terms of running clothes. The more high-tech an item is, the bigger the price tag will be. Here are just a few running gear developments that fitness enthusiasts are willing to spend good money on to ensure improved comfort and performance.
Increased Hygiene is a Priority
It is no secret that most runners simply throw their running attire in the washing machine to get it clean. Even running shoes can be cleaned this way, as long as they are manufactured from materials that can withstand a machine wash and the insoles and laces are cleaned by hand. However, it does pay to prepare your shoes for machine washing because the results will be even better. Furthermore, simply washing sweaty, dirty clothes and shoes is not always enough if you want to get rid of potentially hazardous bacteria, however. Anti-bacterial agents in active wear may not be new but the latest anti-germ fabric is not only designed to eliminate bacteria growth but to eliminate unpleasant odors as well. The latest technology gives active wear all the protection it requires by releasing antimicrobial properties whenever microbes present themselves.
Built-In Support is Very Popular
The days of having to wear bulky braces to support problem areas may be a thing of the past thanks to new tech that turns running apparel into supportive products. Stoko’s is one of the companies incorporating supportive gear into running clothes that won’t restrict natural movement and hinder performance.
Whether your running efforts are thwarted by ACL or MCL concerns, supportive tights made from a special technical knit fabric will support your knee where it is needed most. Similarly, supportive apparel is also available for the thighs, hips, and calves. If you have issues with your shoulders, biceps, or forearms, there is good news too as well-known brands have also developed vests and shirts that boast supportive technology.
Gain Lean Muscle Faster
With the demand for functional active wear increasing in leaps and bounds among both casual and serious runners, brands are pulling out all the stops to gain a competitive advantage.
Electromyography technology is particularly popular as it allows the user to track how hard their muscles are working while delivering detailed feedback via an easy-to-use application. Runners who want to get the most out of their time on the road or track can also boost their efforts by running in clothes that are made from weighted fabric. The added weight works the muscles harder during periods of activity, making it easier to increase lean muscle mass.
Running apparel has changed considerably over the last few decades. Thanks to technological advancements, clothes are not only becoming more comfortable but can provide a host of other benefits to the wearer as well.
(09/13/22) Views: 129
Laura Muir and Jake Wightman are the winners of the 2022 NYRR Fifth Avenue Mile
The world’s top middle-distance runners took to the streets of New York City on Sunday morning for the Fifth Avenue Mile, one of the final races of the summer racing season. For the second year in a row, two Scottish runners took the win, with Laura Muir winning the women’s race in a course record time of 4:14.8 and Jake Wightman winning the men’s race for the second consecutive year.
The Olympic 1,500m silver medallist, Muir, won the women’s race by three seconds over American Nikki Hiltz, becoming the fastest female in the 41-year history of the race. Eleanor Fulton of the U.S. finished third in 4:18.0.
Muir had the fastest seed time heading into the race and led the race from the gun to tape. The previous mile record was set by Jenny Simpsonin 2019 (4:16.2)
Moments later, the world 1,500m champion, Wightman, successfully defended his 2021 title in 3:50.0 ahead of his British compatriot Jake Heyward. Wightman has now won the Fifth Ave. Mile in three of the last four years. American Sam Prakel finished third in 3:51.0, ahead of Canada’s William Paulson, who was fourth in 3:51.3.
Muir and Wightman took wins today despite both competing and earning medals at the Diamond League Finals in Zurich on Thursday night.
(09/11/22) Views: 114Running Magazine
Niels Laros the 17-year-old Dutch runner who’s quietly breaking Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s junior records
If you are not familiar with the name Niels Laros, it’s OK. This 17-year-old rising middle-distance star from the Netherlands will be a household name in the sport soon enough.
Laros pulled off the 1,500m/3,000m double gold at the European Athletics U18 Championships earlier this summer, breaking both the U18 European 1,500m and 3,000m records, previously held by Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
On Sunday evening at a small World Athletics Continental Tour meeting in Zagreb, Croatia, Laros ran a 16-second personal best in the 3,000m, breaking the previous record of 7:56.40 held by East Germany’s Hansjörg Kunze, which stood for 47 years.
Two years ago, Laros’s personal bests were fast but earth-shaking (4:00-flat over 1,500m and 8:51 in the 3,000m), but he has since shattered his records, bringing his 1,500m time down to 3:39.46 and 7:48.25 over 3,000m.
Laros already has a faster 800m PB than Ingebrigtsen, which he recently clocked at 1:46.30, plus he has beaten Ingebrigtsen’s previous U18 times in the 1,500m and 3,000m. Ingebrigtsen had U18 bests of 3:39.92 for 1,500m, 8:00.01 for 3,000m and 13:35.84 over 5,000m.
As of next April, Laros will move up into the U20 ranks, and looks poised to be one of the biggest stars in the sport of athletics in years to come. He’s even already signed a professional contract with Nike.
Although Ingebrigtsen and Laros have never raced each other, track fans will relish this matchup in the 1,500m at the Paris 2024 Olympics, when Laros is 19 and Ingebrigtsen is 23.
(09/12/22) Views: 105Marley Dickinson
Jacob Kiplimo wins the Great North Run after fantastic tributes were paid to the Queen
World record holder Jacob Kiplimo became the first Ugandan man to win the Great North Run after tributes were paid to Queen Elizabeth II before Sunday' race.
Kiplimo powered to victory in his first appearance at the event in north-east England.
The 21-year-old had a 32-second lead as he hit the 12-mile mark on the 13.1-mile course from Newcastle to South Shields.
Kiplimo, the reigning world half-marathon champion, crossed the line in 59.33, 66 seconds ahead of Olympic 10,000m champion Selemon Barega, with Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele third in 1.01.01.
"I enjoyed the race, it was nice. I came here to win it," Kiplimo said.
In the women's race, Kenya's Hellen Obiri retained the title after holding off strong challenges from Peres Jepchirchir.
The trio broke away from the field early in the race and contested a tense finale.
Obiri made the decisive kick in sight of the finish line as she clocked 1:07.05, 37 seconds faster than last year, with her compatriot Jepchirchir, the Olympic marathon champion, two seconds behind and Ethiopia's Almaz Ayana a further three seconds adrift.
"It's a great opportunity to do a faster one than last time, so I'm so happy," Obiri said.
(09/11/22) Views: 90
Dutch track star Sifan Hassan mulling marathon switch
Dutch track star Sifan Hassan, who won double Olympic gold in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters at the Tokyo Games, said Tuesday she was thinking about stepping up to the marathon.
“I’m really planning to run marathon,” said the Ethiopia-born Hassan. “I don’t know when, but I’m thinking about it, I’m thinking about it every night and every day, whenever I run.”
When asked whether she might have a tilt at the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics, she replied with a laugh: “Why not?”
Hassan, 29, also won bronze in the 1,500 in Tokyo in a remarkable bid for three titles.
That effort, however, took its toll and Hassan has enjoyed a hiatus from the sport, time she said that had been constructively spent learning about her true self.
“In Tokyo I did amazing, but it affected me a lot. This year for me is like a break of a year,” Hassan said ahead of Wednesday’s 5,000-meter race, part of the Diamond League finals in Zurich.
“I have to have a very big goal and very big challenge to go forward,” she added, describing herself as “curious” to see if she can push her limits for challenges as much mental as physical.
“I’ve lost a couple of races, which gave me a boost,” she said of this season. “I’m in great shape, I’m peaking now.”
Much was expected of Hassan at July’s world championships in Oregon, but she could only finish sixth in the 5,000 and fourth in the 10,000.
(09/09/22) Views: 83
Hellen Obiri wins back to back Great North Runs as the world’s most iconic half marathon
Hellen Obiri continued Kenya’s dominance of the famous race, repeating her victory of 12 months ago as the event took place in its rightful home following an altered course in 2021 while the world recovered from the coronavirus pandemic. The race this year returned to its traditional course.
Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo won the men’s race following a thrilling three-way battle for much of the race distance.
The race took on a suitably subdued mood as runners paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday, and it was perhaps fitting that in Kenya and Uganda, the winners of the women’s and men’s races were members of the Commonwealth, of which the Queen was head.
Obiri was given close attention by Britain’s Eilish McColgan in the 2021 staging of the 13.1-mile race, but while McColgan was not involved in the race today – she was on official starter duties – the Kenyan was instead given a tough test by Peres Jepchirchir and Almaz Ayana, the three crossing the line with only five seconds separating them.
Obiri crossed the line in 67.05, with Jepchirchir two seconds behind in 67.07, and Ayana in 67.10. First Brit over the line was Charlotte Purdue, who ran a largely solo race to finish in fifth with a time of 70.11.
Winner Obiri said: “I’m very happy to win again, although of course this route was different to last year. The crowds were so good, I am very pleased to win here.”
In the men’s race, Kiplimo quietly and confidently picked off his opponents, with 2013 winner Kenenisa Bekele, who finished an eventual third, dropping first, followed by second-place Selemon Barega with about four miles to go, leaving Kiplimo with clear air to finish in 59.33, Barega in 60.39 and Bekele in 61.01.
Kiplimo said: “The race was good – it was a great feeling to win. It was a strange feeling to run the last few kilometres on my own. From 10KM it was four or five of us, then three, then two, then just me.
“This is a wonderful crowd. Around 18-19KM the crowds were amazing. Everyone was cheering and smiling.
“When I heard the news (about the Queen) I thought the race was going to be cancelled – I was so happy to hear it was still going ahead. It is very sad news but it was good for us all to come together.”
2022 winner Marc Scott was first British runner home in sixth with a time of 62.28.
It was a very different kind of race due to the events of the last few days but it’s a great event as always. They know how to put an event on here in the North East. I’m just grateful to be part of it again, especially with a great field assembled.”
(09/11/22) Views: 83
Emma Coburn’s maple turmeric chicken thighs: make them in minutes tonight
These chicken thighs come together in minutes and taste like you spent hours in the kitchen. American track superstar and Olympian Emma Coburn, author of the cookbook The Runner’s Kitchen, says she often adds turmeric, with its anti-inflammatory properties, to her recipes–it adds the perfect kick to this one.
Whip up the sauce this morning, stick your chicken thighs in to marinate for a little while (optional), and watch Coburn run the NYRR New Balance 5th Avenue Mile this afternoon.
Emma Coburn’s Maple Turmeric Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
1 kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs (this marinade works well with tofu or tempeh for vegetarian options)
1 Tbsp ground turmeric
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Cooked rice (optional) to serve (I use brown basmati)
Pea shoots or microgreens (to garnish)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C). In a large bowl, combine the chicken, turmeric, maple syrup, olive oil, salt, pepper, shallot, garlic and lemon juice. Toss the chicken until thoroughly coated.
Transfer the chicken and all contents of the bowl to a nine by 13-inch glass baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F (75 C). Serve over rice, topped with a spoonful of the sauce and garnished with pea shoots or microgreens, if using.
(09/12/22) Views: 83Keeley Milne
The New Apple Watch Ultra Might Replace Your Garmin, Sleep-Tracker, and Drive Computer All at Once
The Ultra gets a titanium case, sapphire face, significantly better battery life, and better GPS and off-grid route-tracking features, making it a much more robust backcountry tool
I’ve switched between my Apple Watch and a Garmin Fenix watch for several years, depending on the day. The Apple Watch has been my go-to for daily life because it’s great at motivating me to get out for a run, keeps me up to date on notifications, stores a ton of music, and works seamlessly with my iPhone and AirPods.
Out in the backcountry, I needed the Fenix because the battery lasts for weeks, it comes with a genuinely robust GPS and great tracking features, and you’d need a hammer to break the thing. On days when I was adventuring—backpacking, skiing, out on a bikepacking trip—I would always swap the Apple Watch for my Garmin because we all know that the regular Apple Watch isn’t very robust. The battery lasts a day at most, and the face tends to shatter if you bang the watch around.
This announcement from Apple, however, changes everything. I was in the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Headquarters in Cupertino, California, today to hear that the brand will be launching the Apple Watch Ultra ($800) for those of us who need more than just a daily driver.
The Ultra is a significant upgrade because it goes a long way toward solving all three problems I mentioned above. The battery now lasts up to 36 hours, so you’ll be able to take it on multi-day adventures and not worry about dying. The outside is made of lightweight and robust titanium, and the watch face is made from sapphire (similar to what you’d find on some other high-end adventure watches), so if you go over the handlebars on your bike or yard sale on your skis, the watch should be fine. The Ultra now has an enhanced GPS feature where you can use the Compass app to leave waypoints while you’re out, and the watch can guide you back along them if you get lost—something that’s extremely useful while exploring any new backcountry area. Apple says their GPS is also optimized to connect even when next to tall trees and high-rise buildings.
Other adventure features I’m excited to test include:
Based on these stats, the Apple Watch Ultra is still not as robust as a top-end adventure watch like the Garmin Fenix 7X Solar (which I’ve been testing for the past year), so there will still be core users out there that prefer their Garmin, Suunto, or Coros watch. But for those who adventure and love the usability of the Apple Watch and other Apple Products, the Ultra finds an excellent middle ground. Watch this space for further testing of the Apple Watch Ultra, available to order now and arrives on Sept. 23.
(09/10/22) Views: 81Outside
Faith Chepng'etich asserted her supremacy as the world's best in 1,500m
World and Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon admits she never expected to go around the last bend alone on her way to victory on Day Two of the Zurich Diamond League on Thursday.
Kipyegon clocked 4:00.44 to win the women’s 1500m and rack up her third Diamond League title on the final day of this year’s League.
Ireland’s Ciara Mageean (4:01.68) and Ethiopian Freweyni Hailu (4:01.73) came second and third respectively.
“I was hoping that when I pushed, they would come with me and it would be a tough race. I enjoyed it anyway, but it was really funny because I honestly believed they were coming with me so it almost felt that I was running on my own towards the end,” the double Olympic champion said.
She added: “I tried to follow the pacer and do my own thing. It is really special to race here, this is Zurich, and you can really hear it out there.”
During this year’s edition of the prestigious track and field one-day meet, Kipyegon emerged victorious in the Prefontaine, Monaco and Zurich legs of the competition.
Last time out, in Monaco, she fell 0.3 seconds of setting a new world record, timing 3:50.37 on her way to victory.
Despite running slower this time, Kipyegon was still happy to finish off her season with a win and looked back to what has been business as usual for the two-time world champion.
“This was a really strong field, but then I kept thinking this was the last race of the season, and I took the opportunity to end it in a nice way. It has been a long season, and, indeed, my legs are tired, but I think I still managed to run a good time all things considered – like I said, it was a strong field,” she said.
Having cemented her status as the queen of the three-and-a-quarter lap race, Kipyegon will be keen on enhancing this reputation when she returns to Budapest next year to defend the world title she snatched from Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan in Oregon in July.
(09/10/22) Views: 81Omondi Onyatta
