Running News Daily
Top Ten Stories of the Week
6/8/2019
These are the top ten stories based on views over the last week.
It is never too late, Julia Hawkins started running at 100 and became an age-group ace by 101
Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins is still taking the running world by storm.
In 2017, at age 101, Hawkins set the world record for her age group in the 100-meter dash at the USA Track & Field Outdoors Masters Championships. She completed the distance in a blazing 40.12 seconds, instantly catapulting herself to running stardom.
Now 103, this great-grandmother from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is busy preparing for the National Senior Games. This biennial competition—open to runners ages 50 and older—is scheduled for June 14-25, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hawkins will throw the shot put and race the 50-meter dash, 100-meter dash, and potentially the 200-meter dash.
“As you get older you don’t usually break your own record. I’ll give it my best, I’ll tell you that,” said Hawkins about her upcoming opportunity to make history – again. In addition to the 100-meter world record, Hawkins holds the centenarian world record in the 60-meter dash (24.75 seconds) and shot put.
Throughout her 103 years on Earth, Hawkins has amassed a wealth of life knowledge, which she’s been kind enough to share with Women’s Running. Take a cue and a little bit of inspiration from these seven pearls of wisdom:
Try new things.“I try to do as many new things as I can. I never say no to an invitation. I like to go to plays and musicals and church and all kinds of places,” Hawkins said.
Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins is still taking the running world by storm.
In 2017, at age 101, Hawkins set the world record for her age group in the 100-meter dash at the USA Track & Field Outdoors Masters Championships. She completed the distance in a blazing 40.12 seconds, instantly catapulting herself to running stardom.
Now 103, this great-grandmother from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is busy preparing for the National Senior Games. This biennial competition—open to runners ages 50 and older—is scheduled for June 14-25, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hawkins will throw the shot put and race the 50-meter dash, 100-meter dash, and potentially the 200-meter dash.
“As you get older you don’t usually break your own record. I’ll give it my best, I’ll tell you that,” said Hawkins about her upcoming opportunity to make history – again. In addition to the 100-meter world record, Hawkins holds the centenarian world record in the 60-meter dash (24.75 seconds) and shot put.
Throughout her 103 years on Earth, Hawkins has amassed a wealth of life knowledge, which she’s been kind enough to share with Women’s Running. Take a cue and a little bit of inspiration from these seven pearls of wisdom:
Try new things.“I try to do as many new things as I can. I never say no to an invitation. I like to go to plays and musicals and church and all kinds of places,” Hawkins said.
Inspire others.Even several years into her running fame, she is still shocked at what she has achieved.
“It absolutely floors me. I can’t believe. I just feel like… how did this happen to me?” Hawkins said. “They tell me that I’m an inspiration to others. That’s one thing that keeps me going. If I can be an inspiration to people and keep them a little more healthy and active, I’m proud to do it.”
(05/31/19) Views: 310Stephanie Hoppe
Colby Mehmen is living in his blue 1976 Chevrolet camper van, Pursuing His Olympic Dream
Colby Mehmen's daily routine is simple: Wake up, run, eat, sleep, work, and do it all again tomorrow. Sounds like the lifestyle of a sponsored pro, but for the 24-year-old reigning Dallas Marathon champ, it is the pursuit of his Olympic Marathon Trials dream-something that he's living out while living in his blue 1976 Chevrolet camper van.
The van has been his home since his fifth year at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, where he competed on the cross-country and track teams. Prior to that, the Texas native had been good, but never great. Then he met his college teammates, who showed him what it took to compete at a higher level.
This required pushing mileage into the triple digits, starting with 100-mile weeks his freshman year and building up to as much as 150 in a week. The fruits of his labors were there, as he posted his best times in the 10K (29:34) and 5K (14:24). Yet with an option for a fifth year, he decided to take his final year off.
Without a scholarship, money would be tight, so he came up with a plan.
"I bought the van and just lived in it for my fifth year," Mehmen said. "But my life was simple: I'd run, get back in the van, change, go to class, eat, and sleep. It was also nice that I had the rec center to shower."
Mehmen's college experience turned out to be a good road map for successful nomadic living. Cooking simple meals-Mehmen shoots for 4500 calories a day with meals like tacos, Cream of Wheat, rice, and barbecued chicken-was easy on his propane stove. When he wasn't running, eating, or sleeping, he was working part time, splitting his time among a running store, coaching online, and his own apparel company, Nomad Running Co.
The only thing lacking in his van-dwelling existence is a fridge, something he is still looking to remedy. Currently, he freezes food in a cooler.
For some, this may be a ludicrous monastic lifestyle of simplicity. For Mehmen, he wouldn't have it any other way.
"It's amazing; I can park near any of my favorite running spots, wake up, and just run them," Mehmen said. "It's an adventure every day. I'm exploring things day in and day out."
His next chance to qualify will come at Grandma's Marathon in June. With little else to worry about right now, Mehmen will continue on in his van, going after his dream.
"Right now, the plan is to run the Trials, and I'm not sure how far I'll take it after that, but [I still have] two or three years left in the van," he said. "I only get one chance to do this in my life, so I'm going to take advantage of it."
(06/01/19) Views: 97Andrew Dawson
Michael Wardian is training in Wales to race against 60 horses
Michael Wardian has finished the Boston Marathon 18 times. He holds the world record for fastest 50-kilometer run on a treadmill. This year he raced 631 miles across Israel in barely 10 days’ time.
He’s twice completed seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, and holds a world record for that, too. This year, when he got back to the United States, he decided to tack on three more marathons in three days, giving him yet another record: fastest completion of 10 marathons in 10 days.
Oh, and he holds the fastest mark for running a marathon while dressed as Spider-Man. And also Elvis.
Needless to say, Wardian, 45, is an accomplished distance runner who has no problem getting creative to scratch his competitive itch. Which is why he’s in Wales this week. Preparing to race 60 horses.
The Arlington runner will be one of 650 or so humans and five dozen horses racing against each other in the annual Man Versus Horse Marathon on Saturday.
“Like many things that I do, I’m just kind of curious to see if I can do it,” Wardian said in a recent interview. “The chances are probably not good that I’m going to beat the horse. But it’s possible.”
(06/04/19) Views: 75
The mission of Dean Karnazes is to help all of us get off the couch and on our feet
Dean Karnazes is one of the most famous runners in the world.He's known for running 50 marathons in all 50 states over 50 consecutive days and was named one of Time Magazines "100 Most Influential People in the World." Karnazes also won the world's toughest footrace, the Badwater Ultramarathon. He ran 135 miles nonstop across Death Valley during the middle of the summer.
What is his secret to success? Good genes. Karnazes says he has his parents to thank for his runners body and ability to run without injuries.
That's right, after years of running Karnazes has never had to take time off because of an injury.One of Dean's missions is to help all of us get off the couch and on our feet.
Dean's tips:1. All you need is a pair of sneakers to get started
2. Start small - try running to the end of your street for the first couple of days. Slowly extend the run to a couple of blocks. Before you know it you will have your fist mile under your belt. Then sign up for a 5K
3. You can do it alone-just you and your music or audiobooks-- or you can do it with family or friends. Start a walking club in your community. Make new friends, or new bonds with family members.
4. A great path to physical and mental fitness
5. It doesn't matter if you're running or walking. Either way you're out there enjoying the same benefits.
(06/05/19) Views: 69
Kenyan Kipkering makes up for his 2018 Sundown Marathon DNF by winning the title this year
A year ago, Kenyan Hillary Kipkering had high hopes of capturing his first Osim Sundown Marathon in Singapore, but a thigh injury forced him to drop out at the 27km mark.
On Saturday (June 1), he returned and delivered, claiming the top spot on the podium with his time of 2hr 49min 33sec.
He was followed by Lee Wai Kin, who came in at 3:03:55 and Qu Jinchao (3:04:45).
Said Kipkering, 45: “Last year, I had come from another marathon in Indonesia and I injured my thigh muscle there so I stopped at the 27km (mark). It’s very nice that I managed to finish first today, I was confident.
“The race was very good. It was humid, but the course was very nice. The only issue was that there was congestion near the end but, besides that, everything else was very good.”
In the women’s category, Singapore’s Sharon Tan finished first in 3:23:16. She was followed by Jade Chow (3:29:01) and Naum Jepkosgei (3:29:01).
(06/02/19) Views: 35
Priyank Sharma lost 57 pounds (26k) in six months through running and is ready to run the Sundown Marathon
In December 2018, Priyank Sharma burst into tears after finishing his first half marathon in 3h 8min. It was the culmination of a journey the 37-year-old embarked on just months before, when he tipped the scales at nearly 100kg (220 pounds).
"I normally consider myself a strong person but that was the first time I cried in a long while," said the senior vice-president in strategy and planning at a local bank. "Lots of emotions came out, I felt so proud of myself and thankful to my family for their support."
Just six months before, he was lying on his bed when his wife told him to "get out and run." While Sharma had not exercised for 10 years before that, he decided on a whim to go for a 4km run.
He completed the run feeling so happy and energised that he started running twice a week, and now runs up to a combined 60km (36 miles) weekly. While he tipped the scales at 98.7kg, he lost 26kg in six months.
But the journey towards a healthier life was not easy. When he started, Sharma would get tired every few hundred metres and after every run, his whole body ached, he could not breathe properly and he felt dehydrated.
"The beauty of running is the competition is with myself," he said. "Whenever I felt my pace wasn't good, or when I felt bad, it always came back to me that this was about outdoing myself and that has made me continue running.
"There's no one to compete with you and you decide your own destiny." He made changes to his diet and water intake after feeling "guilty" after his meals, and took to the gym to build muscles that support him in his runs.
Sharma quipped: "Everything felt bad but I was enthusiastic because I wanted to feel happy and running made me happy. Then small results started to show up which were really helpful and kept me motivated."
Now, he completes two or three 5km runs on weekdays and one 10-20km run during the weekend at East Coast Park or the Marina Barrage. He also goes to the gym twice a week to build muscles and to maintain his upper and lower body strength for long runs.
Sharma has also influenced his mother-in-law and colleagues to start running, while his wife - who is pregnant with their first child - promised to start after giving birth.
On Saturday (June 1) night, Sharma is continuing on his "pursuit of happiness", as he lines up for the Osim Sundown Marathon's 21.1km race, which he aims to complete in 2h 30min. His current personal best is 2h 48min, which he clocked in April 2019.
(05/31/19) Views: 33Laura Chia
A new record was set when Nigussie Sahlesilassie won the 2019 Stockholm Marathon this saturday clocking 2:10:10
The Ethiopian beat the track record by a full 48 seconds when he won the race in two hours, 10 minutes and 10 seconds.
He was followed by fellow Ethiopian Tafese Delegen in the second place while Kenyan runner Gilbert Kollum Yegon placed third.
It was cool and cloudy in the Swedish capital, with competitors and spectators experiencing some light rain. Nevertheless, 12,845 runners competed in the 41st annual marathon.
The Stockholm Marathon is one of the biggest in Europe and widely considered to amongst the most beautiful in the world.
Runners past some of the city's most famous landmarks and historical buildings.
Stockholm is built on a series of islands, large parts of the course run along the waterfront.
Despite the sometimes breezy winds, several people performed fine times on it, last year, the new track stretch.
Best Swedish was Eskilstuna FI's Adhanom Abraha who in time 2:16:48 ran the fastest time of a Swedish in ASICS Stockholm Marathon, in twenty years.
(06/01/19) Views: 33
J&A Racing invites Runners to Honor Virginia Beach Shooting Victims on Global Running Day
The Hampton Roads community to come together to honor the victims affected by the senseless tragedy that took place in our community last week.
“In moments of sadness, it is our community that lifts us up. This event is about more than running together. It is about honoring those who left us too soon,” said Jerry Frostick, J&A Racing. “Coming together as one to lift each other up is what our community does best.”
In the running community, Wednesday, June 5th is recognized as Global Running Day - a worldwide celebration of running designed to inspire everyone to be active.
In light of the tragedy in Virginia Beach, this year’s event will be dedicated to the memory of the twelve victims and their families. Local run clubs, community members, and first responders will join together as Virginia Beach Strong.
The community event will start at 6:15 p.m. at Murphy’s Irish Pub with a moment of silence to honor the victims followed by a run/walk on the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. Participants are encouraged to wear blue and to join us following the run for a gathering at Murphy’s Irish Pub.
Raffle packages and merchandise will be available to support the United Way South Hampton Roads’ Virginia Beach Tragedy Fund. This event is free and is open to the public.
(06/04/19) Views: 31
A deep field is targeting the men’s course record at the Lanzhou International Marathon this weekend
Eight runners toeing the line have career bests faster than the 2:10:10 course record set by Abayneh Ayele of Ethiopia in 2015, with Ethiopia’s Limenih Getachew the fastest thanks to his personal best of 2:06:49 set at the 2014 Paris Marathon.
The 29-year-old came close to that mark last October when he registered a winning mark of 2:07:34 to break the Portuguese all-comers’ record at the Lisbon Marathon. He achieved his second career best time of 2:07:30 in March with a fifth finish in Barcelona.
It will be Getachew’s second race in China following his fourth place finish at the Hengshui Lake Marathon in 2016.
Bahrain’s Benson Seurei is another man to watch. The 35-year-old, who used to compete mainly in middle distance events and grabbed a 1500m silver medal at the Asian Indoor Championships in 2016, only debuted over the classic distance in 2017 but progressed rapidly with his PB of 2:07:37 set last December in Valencia.
Seurei clocked 2:08:08 to finish fourth at the Lake Biwa Marathon in March and is yet to gain his first title after five marathon races.
Shumet Akalnew of Ethiopia is also chasing his first marathon title in Lanzhou. The 31-year-old clocked a life-time best of 2:08:50 to finish third in Kosice last year and achieved another third place finish in Mumbai four months ago with a 2:10:24 clocking.
The Ethiopian contingent also include Bira Seboka, a 2:08:51 performer, and Afewerk Mesfin, who improved his PB to 2:09:28 in Xiamen this year. The other sub-2:10 runners in the field are Bahraini Zelalem Bacha with a PB of 2:09:16, Kenya’s Mike Kiprotich Mutai, whose PB of 2:09:18 dates back to 2012, and Motlokoa Nkhabutlane of Lesotho.
(05/31/19) Views: 29IAAF
The top four women were inside the course record at the Lanzhou Marathon Sunday
Ethiopia’s Worknesh Edesa beat the hot weather and a loaded field to break the women’s course record at the Bank of Lanzhou Cup Lanzhou International Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label road race, on Sunday June 2.
The top four finishers in the women’s race all finished inside the previous course record of 2:31:22 set by Kenya’s Nguriatukei Rael Kiyara in 2015. The 26-year-old Edesa, whose 2:21:05 PB from Dubai earlier this year made her the fastest entrant for Lanzhou, lived up to expectations as she broke the tape in style in 2:30:22.
The race started under cloudy weather conditions but the sun came out about an hour after the gun and the temperature rose rapidly. A group of eight runners led the race to 15km in 53:31, 25km in 1:29:08 and 30km in 1:47:29.
After 35km, the pack was soon whittled down to just four runners: Edesa, Gutemi Shone, Sifan Melaku and Fantu Jimma. Edesa waited for another four kilometres before launching her powerful surge to pull away from the others.
Although the temperature reached as high as 26C, the in-form Ethiopian kept widening the gap and went on to win in 2:30:22. It was Edesa’s first marathon victory since winning the 2016 Xiamen Marathon in 2:24:04.
Edesa’s compatriot Shone, winner of this year’s Seville Marathon with a PB of 2:23:32, finished second in 2:30:40, while the 31-year-old Jimma, winner of this year’s Wuhan Marathon, lagged nine seconds further behind to complete the Ethiopian podium sweep.
Kenya’s Justus Kimutai upset a strong Ethiopian contingent to win the men’s race in 2:11:47.
Ethiopian runners filled the next six positions with Gizachew Hailu finishing second in 2:12:05 and Afewerk Mesfin third in 2:14:10.
The race saw a crowded leading group in the opening five kilometres and before they went through the 10km water station China’s Guan Yousheng was the first to drop back.
Ethiopia’s Bira Seboka, a 24-year-old with a PB of 2:08:51, made his bold early charge after reaching 20km in 1:03:01. Seboka built an advantage of some 15 seconds at 25km but was later swallowed by the chasers near 28km.
A new leading pack of seven runners paced the race for another five kilometres before the 26-year-old Kimutai, who was running for the first time on the Chinese soil, started his charge.
This time only Hailu and Mesfin managed to keep up with Kimutai’s pace. But the 26-year-old Mesfin, who set a course record of 2:09:49 in Chongqing in 2017 and improved his career best to 2:09:08 in Xiamen five months ago, had to drop behind near the 35km tables.
Kimutai then kept pressing ahead and finally notched the sole lead after 38km. When he reached 40km in 2:05:17, the Kenyan was 11 seconds ahead of the 21-year-old Hailu.
Kimutai’s winning time of 2:11:47 was more than one-and-a-half minutes shy of the 2:10:10 course record set by Ethiopian Abayneh Ayele in 2015.
(06/02/19) Views: 28IAAF
