Running News Daily
Top Ten Stories of the Week
1/26/2019

Jeannie Rice missed the world record but sets a new National Record for the Half Marathon

Jeannie Rice missed her mark at the 2019 Naples Daily News Half Marathon, but a national record is pretty good consolation.

At Sunday’s race, Rice had her sights on taking down the world record for fastest half marathon by a woman 70 years old or older. It wasn’t a far-fetched goal – in October the part-time Bonita Springs resident broke the marathon world record for women over 70.

Rice finished in 1:38:41.9, missing the record by 1 minute and 3 seconds. However, her mark set the American record for the half marathon 70 plus.

"From the start, I knew,” Rice said about failing to break the world record. “It was around 70 degrees and humid. I didn’t want to die at the end, so I went at a slower pace.”

In the week leading up to the race, the forecast called for temperatures in the 50s – perfect for running. But with the temperature around 67 degrees Sunday morning, Rice knew it was too warm for her to go too fast.

The national record Rice broke technically was her own. When she set the marathon record in October, USA Track and Field used her time at the 13.1-mile mark of the race as the new record.

Rice had moral support from her friends in Cleveland, where she works as a real estate agent. Four members of her Northeast (Ohio) Running Club joined her in Naples to run the race. Rice crossed the line with NERC member Craig Pulling, who was running in the race for the first time.

“It was humid,” Pulling said. “I’m not used to running in this weather. I’ve been training all winter, and this was a lot harder and a lot slower (than running in the cold).”

Jeannie Rice, 70, wants to break the world record for 13.1 miles in her age group at at the Naples Daily News Half Marathon

While most people slow down with age, Jeannie Rice keeps speeding up.

Just look at what the avid runner has done since turning 70 – Rice set a world record and three American records, all in 2018.

Rice aims to take down another record Sunday at the Naples Daily News Half Marathon. Her goal is to break the world record for 13.1 miles in her age group.

“It’s going to be very tight, but I am going to go for it,” Rice said.  “I would love to do it in Naples since this is my second home.”

Rice was born in Korea, moved to the United States when she was 19 and has spent most of her life as a Realtor in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. But she’s been coming to Bonita Springs seasonally since 2002 and started running in the Naples half marathon around that time.

She didn’t start running until she was in her mid-30s, but Rice quickly became competitive. While she’s been winning her age group at races across the country for years, 2018 was special.

In August, Rice set the Masters American record in the mile, winning the USA Track and Field Masters 1 Mile Championships in Michigan. Her time of 6 minutes, 38 seconds was more than two minutes faster than the previous record.

A few weeks later in September, Rice beat the national record for her age group in the 5-kilometer distance in Naples at the Gulf Coast Runners Labor Day 5K. However, her time of 21:38 is not an official record because the course was not certified by the USATF.

The highlight of the year came in Chicago in October. Not only did Rice run a marathon faster than any woman 70 years old or older in history, but she breezed past the previous world record. Rice finished the Chicago Marathon in 3:27:50 to break the record by more than six minutes.

“It was a fun year,” Rice said. “I’ve been working hard on this. It wasn’t easy, believe me. I work hard in training, but I also have fun. If it wasn’t fun, I wouldn’t be doing it.”

For her efforts, Rice has been named the USATF Female Road Runner of the Year. This year she also was voted into the USATF Masters Hall of Fame.

Emily Sisson is now the second fastest American woman half marathoner

Emily Sisson became the second fastest half marathon American woman in history today in Houston.  Just two days after announcing her plans to debut at the London Marathon, Sisson finished fifth overall in a time of 1:07:30 at the 2019 Houston Half Marathon. 

Her performance on Sunday was just five seconds shy of the American record of 1:07:25 set by her mentor Molly Huddle in Houston last year.

it was a cold day but Emily went for it passing the 10k mark in an amazing 31:39.  That is faster than her best road 10k

Despite the windy conditions and the confusion with pace at certain points on the course, Sisson still managed to finish just five seconds shy of the American record in a new personal best of 1:07:30. The performance improved on her previous best by almost a full minute. 

“On hindsight, I probably should have worn a watch. I’ve never done a road race where I’ve tried to run a certain time. Normally, I’m just racing competition and not thinking about the time at all so this was kind of a first for me,” she said. “I definitely learned some lessons, but I’m really happy with it.”

Switzerland's Tadesse Abraham going after European record at Dubai Marathon

Switzerland’s Tadesse Abraham has his sights set on going after the European marathon record at the 2019 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon on Friday (January 25).

Despite Farah cutting the European Record to 2:05:11 at the Chicago Marathon just three months ago, Eritrean-born Abraham is gearing up for a full-on assault on the time when he makes his debut appearance at the Middle East’s only IAAF Gold Label Marathon.

If he breaks the record, it will signify the climax of a remarkable journey for the 36-year-old. Born and raised in Eritrea, Abraham had to run 20km to school each day at an altitude of 2,400m before embarking on a running career that saw him represent the country of his birth at the World Junior Cross Country Championships in 2004.

The same year, he took the courageous step of leaving his team and moving to Switzerland to start a new life. And while it was a drawn-out affair to get Swiss citizenship, he was finally eligible to compete for his adopted homeland at the 2014 European Championships in Zurich where he finished ninth and helped Switzerland to the bronze medal in the marathon team event.

Since then he was won gold at the 2016 European Half Marathon Championships and finished fourth at the 2016 Seoul Marathon where he set his current personal best of 2:06:40.

Breaking Farah’s European Record would mean shaving more than a minute off his own PB but it has always been a personal goal and Abraham is focused on giving it his best over Dubai’s notoriously flat and fast route.

“I love my job as a runner and I treat it with great respect, which means not only strictly adhering to my training programme but also giving it my full concentration,” said Abraham. 

Defending champion Biruktayit Degefa is hoping to get a third title at the Houston Marathon

The defending Houston Marathon champion, Biruktayit Degefa, who also won in 2016, will be chasing a third title. The 28-yer-old has competed here the past five years, finishing third in 2015 with a 2:23:51 PR and second in 2017.

The strong Ethiopian contingent includes Muluhabt Tsega, who improved to 2:25:48 in Shanghai last November, Sechale Delasa, who was third here in 2016; and 23-year-old Gebayenesh Ayele, who improved to 2:26:54 last September in Hengsui.

Kenyan hopes lie with Sarah Kiptoo, whose 2:26:32 dates back to 2013 and Gladys Kipsoi, who was fourth here last year in 2:27:32.

Notable debutantes include 19-year-old Meseret Belete, who clocked a 1:07:51 world U20 best in the half marathon in Copenhagen last year.

Abayneh Ayele of Ethiopia is the fastest in the men's field at 2:06:45, clocked in Dubai in 2016. But the 32-year-old struggled last year, recording a season's best of just 2:13:47 in two races over the distance. His 25-year-old compatriot Yitayal Atnafu has shown stronger form, producing back-to-back fourth place finishes at the Paris Marathon the last two years, clocking 2:07:21 in 2017 and improving to 2:07:00 last year.

Three others will bring sub-2:09 bests to the start line: Kenyan Dominic Ondoro, who ran his 2:08:00 lifetime best in 2013; Birhanu Gedefa of Ethiopia, the 2015 Houston winner in 2:08:03, and Kenya's Albert Korir, who improved his personal best to 2:08:17 last March in Otsu.

Of course the perdicted cold weather could be a factor.

U.S. Olympian Colleen Quigley will defend her title at the NYRR Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games

U.S. Olympian Colleen Quigley will return to The Armory’s New Balance Track & Field Center on Saturday, February 9 to defend her NYRR Wanamaker Mile title at the NYRR Millrose Games. The signature event at the NYRR Millrose Games will feature seven Olympians and 13 world championship participants, including the recent addition to the men’s field of Ethiopia’s two-time indoor world champion Yomif Kejelcha.

“We are delighted to welcome Colleen back to the NYRR Millrose Games after her sensational win last year,” said NYRR Millrose Games Meet Director Ray Flynn.

“The addition of Yomif to this incredible men's field makes me think we could possibly see the very first sub-3.50 Wanamaker Mile or even a run at the world record.”

The prestigious indoor mile race has taken place every year on the men’s side since 1926 and on the women’s side since 1976. This year’s NYRR Wanamaker Mile races will be broadcast live on NBC.

Quigley, 26, won her first NYRR Wanamaker Mile in 2018, beating fellow U.S. Olympian Kate Grace by just three hundredths of a second in 4:30.05, and then returned to New York later in the year to finish second at the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile.

She competed at the Rio 2016 Olympics, finishing eighth in the 3000-meter steeplechase, and the following summer she placed third in the event at the USATF Championships.

“What better way to start a new year and a new season than taking a trip to NYC to race at one of the most prestigious and longest-running indoor track meets in the country,” Quigley said.

“I can't think of anything better, so I'm going to the NYRR Millrose Games again this year to defend my NYRR Wanamaker Mile title. I'm more excited than ever to put my fitness to the test in the Big Apple.”

Joining Quigley in the women’s NYRR Wanamaker Mile field will be last year’s runner-up, U.S. Olympian Kate Grace, along with 2017 NCAA indoor mile champion Karisa Nelson, 2018 USA Road Mile champion Emily Lipari, and new indoor NCAA 1000-meter record-holder Danae Rivers.

Commonwealth 10,000m champion Stella Chesang is the woman to beat this weekend at Cross International de Italica

The 22-year-old Ugandan finished a fine second in Elgoibar last Sunday and should be regarded as one of the main favorites at this weekend’s 9135m event. Kenya’s current world 3000m steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech, who came third in Elgoibar some 17 seconds behind Chesang, will arguably be the Ugandan’s fiercest opponent alongside Ethiopia’s Gete Alemayehu, the 20-year-old who won the Houilles 10km on 30 December in a massive lifetime best of 31:12.

Turkey’s Yasmine Can had a below-par performance in Elgoibar where she had to settle for a distant fourth but the triple European cross country champion should be eager to bounce back and be in the hunt for the podium places.

Spain’s Trihas Gebre, Uganda’s Esther Chebet and Kenya’s Hellen Ekarare Lobun will be aiming for a top-five finish. The Ethiopian-born Spaniard is fresh from a national 10km record of 31:39 in Valencia last Sunday while Chebet clocked 31:53 at Madrid’s New Year’s eve race where Gebre clocked 31:40. As for Lobun, she was a creditable fifth over 5000m at last summer’s World U20 Championships and boasts a 15:16:53 PB. The 19-year-old Kenyan will be making her first outing of the year.

Ugandans Jacob Kiplimo and Joshua Cheptegei will face off at the Cross Internacional de Itálica on Sunday

The pair are currently two of the world’s leading distance runners.

They clashed last year in this race, the victory going to Joshua Cheptegei on that occasion while Jacob Kiplimo finished runner-up barely one second behind so Sunday’s event will act as a rematch over the 9975m distance.

The 22-year-old Cheptegei looked destined for gold at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships Kampala 2017 before fatigue set in during the closing stages, forcing him to settle for 30th place. However, he bounced back that season by earning10,000m silver at the IAAF World Championships London 2017 in a huge career best of 26:49.94.

His 2018 accolades include a brilliant 5000/10,000m double victory at the Commonwealth Games in April and more recently a world best over 15km with a stunning 41:05 performance at the Seven Hills Run in Nijmegen on 18 November.

As for Kiplimo, still just 18, he remains unbeaten this winter season having won all four of his appearances on Spanish soil: the Atapuerca, Soria and Alcobendas Cross Country permit races plus the New Year’s eve 10km race in Madrid when he clocked an impressive 26:41, albeit on an aided course. The two Ugandan aces should play a key role at World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus on 30 March and Sunday’s race will mark the season’s first round between the pair.

Mande Bushendich might well complete the podium in what would be an Ugandan clean sweep. The 21-year-old proved to be in top form in Madrid’s New Year’s Eve 10km with a 27:24 clocking to his name.

Kenya’s Vincent Rono, a creditable seventh at the Kampala World Championships and recent winner in Venta de Baños on 16 December, will also be in contention alongside Bahrain’s Albert Rop who is fresh from a victory in Amman on 5 January.

Watch out too for Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali, the reigning world 3000m steeplechase silver medallist; the 23-year-old boasts an impressive 7:58:15 career best which places him in the top-ten on the all-time lists. He will be joined by his compatriot Abdelaati Iguider, the 2012 world indoor champion and Olympic bronze medallist over 1500m.

Ethiopian Getaneh Molla runs 2:03:34 and Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich 2:17:08 at Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon

Dubai Marathon winners shattered records at this year’s race, beating tens of thousands who donned their running shoes early Friday morning to participate in the iconic sporting event.

Ethiopian Getaneh Molla and Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich broke the course records in the 19th edition of the marathon, with Molla clocking 2:03:34 or about roughly half minute faster than Mosinet Geremew’s 2:04:00 set last year.

Chepngetich emerged as the winner for the female division, finishing the race with a time of 2:17:08 shattering the course record of Roza Dereje at 2:19:17 at last year’s race.

Getaneh Molla produced the fastest marathon debut in history to win the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, while Ruth Chepngetich moved up to third on the women’s world all-time list at the IAAF Gold Label road race on Friday (25).

Molla’s winning time of 2:03:34 took 26 seconds off the course record that was set last year and puts him sixth on the world all-time list.

Chepngetich, meanwhile, took 87 seconds off the PB she set in Istanbul just two months ago to win in 2:17:08, an improvement of two minutes and nine seconds on the previous course record. It moves her from eighth to third on the world all-time list behind world record-holder Paula Radcliffe (2:15:25) and Mary Keitany (2:17:01).

Callum Hawkins, Lily Partridge and Dewi Griffiths are among the latest wave of British athletes named for the Virgin Money London Marathon on April 28

Callum Hawkins and Dewi Griffiths will also be running the London Marathon in April. 

Great Britain international marathoner Hawkins has fond memories in the UK capital after running 2:10:52 in 2016 before clocking 2:10:17 to finish fourth at the 2017 World Championships, while Griffiths memorably ran 2:09:49 at the Frankfurt Marathon in 2017.

British marathon champion Lily Partridge will join the women’s field along with previously announced Charlotte Purdue, Tracy Barlow, Sonia Samuels, Hayley Carruthers, Tish Jones and Natasha Cockram.

Just one second separates Purdue’s marathon personal best of 2:29:23, set at the 2017 London Marathon, and Partridge’s best time of 2:29:24 which she ran to finish eighth in her first London Marathon last year.

The British field in both the men’s and women’s races at the 2019 Virgin Money London Marathon which will be used as the selection race for the World Championships in Doha.