Running News Daily
Top Ten Stories of the Week
8/10/2019
These are the top ten stories based on views over the last week.
Why I am running the TCS New York City Marathon by Jared Ward
Next year is a big year, so for qualifiers for the February 2020 trials, there is a heightened sensitivity to fall 2019 marathoning. Some athletes and coaches advocate sitting out a fall marathon to “save up” for the trials. There are certainly exceptions, but elite marathoners typically run 1-2 marathons a year. In contrast, some athletes are looking for the proper tune-up marathon.
Two weeks ago, marathon runners were considering where they were going to chase the standard (2:11:30, top 10 at a World Major Marathon or top 5 at a Gold Label Marathon). Recently, the IAAF granted the U.S. Trial gold label status, meaning a top-3 finish would simultaneously earn an athlete the standard needed and a U.S. selection. I imagine this will have the effect of fewer trials qualifiers racing this fall.
I have chosen to return to the TCS New York City Marathon ahead of the trials for the following reasons.
I have a goal of a top-three finish at a World Major Marathon (NYC, Boston, etc.) and I think this fall presents a great opportunity for me to chase that. I’m coming off my fastest marathon time in Boston last spring, and I am healthy. And I think the New York course is a great course for me.
I love New York. My family and I have had fantastic experiences there and we are giddy to come back. This course also has some amazing energy. I remember last year banking on the crowds coming off the Queensboro Bridge, but feeling carried by the crowds even as early at the 3-mile mark in Brooklyn.
I have a family to feed. The 1-2 marathons/year that I run account for roughly half of my annual income. Coming off a good New York Marathon last fall and a great Boston present unique financial incentives to run.
I think this is going to help my trial race in February. Many athletes consider only the downside of running two marathons in four months, i.e. if you get injured that’s a tough turn-around. But there are upsides too. One is that the Atlanta trials course is hilly. Most major marathons are relatively flat, so experience on hilly courses among elite marathoners is largely in short supply.
Another compelling reason to race is to avoid burnout, which can present problem when training for one huge race so far out. Marathoners especially are known for being fit two months ahead of the trials, and then overcooked by race day. Putting a marathon on my calendar between now and Atlanta offers me a nearer focal point. Then following some forced time off after New York, there will be a healthy amount of time to train for and focus on the trials—not too much, and not too little.
I’ll see you in New York. Then Atlanta.
(08/07/19) Views: 100Jared Ward
Junko Kazukawa is the first person to finish the Leadville Race Series and the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning in a single season, she is now training for the Leadville Trail 100 MTB
Kazukawa was in the best shape of her life in 2005 when she learned she had cancer. She was 42, training for the Leadville Trail 100 MTB race, and found a lump on her left breast. First, there was denial, then anger: She was an athlete. A professional trainer. She was healthy. “Why me? I was shocked,” Kazukawa says. But she was also lucky. Doctors were able to remove the lump surgically, and Kazukawa continued training, even completing the mountain bike race that same year.
While she felt like the event was hard, she figured the Leadville Trail 100 ultramarathon would be more challenging for her. Immediately after the Leadville Trail 100 MTB, she made a commitment to compete. “I felt that life is short,” Kazukawa says. “I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, so if there’s something I want to do, I need to do it.”
That sense of mortality served Kazukawa well as she rebounded from her first bout of cancer to become an accomplished ultrarunner, only to discover another lump four years later. This time, the cancer was more serious, requiring a mastectomy and chemotherapy. But she never gave up running. A month after finishing chemo, she completed the New York City Marathon. “I thought it was a good way to give closure to that terrible disease,” Kazukawa says. “And with the New York City Marathon, if I got tired, I could just take the subway to the finish.”
Kazukawa continued to grow as a trail runner. In 2015, she became the first person to finish the entire Leadville Series and the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning in a single season. The Leadville Race Series involves running the Leadville Marathon in June, the Leadville 50 in July, and completing the Leadville 100 MTB, Leadville 10K, and Leadville 100 in August. To complete the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning, she had to finish Western States, the Vermont 100, and the Leadville 100 in just three months. Accomplishing either of these series is a career-worthy triumph.
Doing both in a single season is next level. Kazukawa doesn’t know of any other person who has completed the same feat, although Australian ultrarunner Dion Leonard is attempting to do so this year.
“It sounds hard, but if you plan ahead and have a good base and pay attention to strength training, it’s not that bad,” Kazukawa says. “By the time I hit Western States, I had built up my fitness, so I just raced and recovered.”
Kazukawa, now 56, didn’t take up running until she moved from her childhood home in Japan to the United States for college. Even then, it was just short distances to stay in shape. She began teaching group fitness classes in 1989 as an undergraduate, continuing to do so while working toward a masters in exercise physiology. After that, she started running marathons, then trail marathons, then ultras. “I love the challenge of an ultra, because you’re right on that edge of what you can do and what you can’t do,” Kazukawa says. “Once you finish, you know you’re alive. It’s a confidence builder.”
Kazukawa completed a 100-mile race in Wyoming in June and will run the Leadville 100 in August for the seventh time. In September, she is hoping to take her running to the next level and tackle a new distance, 200 miles, in the Italian Alps.
(08/06/19) Views: 92Graham Averill
Kenyans Joyciline Jepkosgei and Alex Korio, won the 2019 TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race in Cape Elizabeth
Jepkosgei clocked 31:05 at Beach to Beach, the fastest since Mary Keitany's 30:41 course record in 2017. Korio, a late entrant, ran an unofficial 27:35, seconds away from Gilbert Okari's 16-year-old course record of 27:28
Jepkosgei's personal bests at the distance include 29:43 on the road and 31:28 on the track. She currently holds non-IAAF considered world records in both the half-marathon and 10,000-meter, set in the same race in 2017.
Korio's time beat his previous road course PB of 27:48.
Ellsworth's Dan Curts, a recent Iowa State University graduate, was the top Maine men's finisher. His time was one of the best the division's seen. Curts was the 2019 Big 12 outdoor champ at 5,000 meters.
Falmouth High School student Sofie Matson, 16, was the top Maine women's finisher, while 2016 Olympian Emily Infeld was the top American.
(08/03/19) Views: 86Liam Nee
Geoffrey Kamworor is ready to reclaim his New York City Marathon title
Kamworor, who won in New York City on his second appearance in 2017, said he wants to make his fourth appearance this year memorable.
“New York has always been important to me and I will be targeting victory, having gained enough experience over the distance,” said Kamworor, who finished second in 2 hours, 10 minutes and 48 seconds on his debut in 2015.
Kamworor, who is the two-time World Half Marathon and World Cross Country champion, would claim victory in 2017, romping home in 2:10:53, before settling for third in 2:06:26 last year, losing the battle to Lelisa Desisa, who clocked 2:05:59.
It will be Kamworor’s ninth career marathon, having made his debut at 2011 Berlin Marathon, where he failed to finish, before he was placed third the following year in the same venue in a personal best of 2:06:12.
Kamworor, 26, is the fourth fastest man in the field after Ethiopians- defending champion Lelisa Desisa (2:04:45), Shura Kitata (2:04:49), who finished second last year and Tamirat Tola (2:04:06), who came in third last year.
Other elite Kenyans in the race are Stephen Sambu (2:11:07), who finished fifth in 2016 and 2017 Chicago Marathon and Albert Korir (2:08:03).
(08/07/19) Views: 63
Rob Van Engelen says the Tilburg Ten Miler may be his last race as cancer spread throughout his body
Melanoma cancer was discovered six and a half years ago in 54-year-old Rob van Engelen and it was successfully removed. But three weeks ago he was told that he had metastases throughout his body. His goal now is to participate in the Tilburg Ten Miles in September to raise money for research into melanoma cancer. "I see this as my last run."
In 2012, a birthmark on Rob's back was itching and bleeding so violently that he went to the doctor. He was immediately referred to a dermatologist at the hospital. “You don't immediately think the worst, but the place had to be removed. I had surgery and lymph nodes were immediately removed from my armpit for examination. Then there were no metastases and I had to check every so often.”
It was an exciting time for Rob, his two children Lars (29) and Britt (27) and for his partner Ghislaine. “The first year was very difficult and there was a lot of uncertainty. I lost faith in my body. As time goes by this becomes less and you will start to live an ordinary life again.”
When he was refurbished, Rob returned to work as a monitoring and advising nurse at CZ in Tilburg and started his hobbies. “I could do everything again. I am always busy with sports such as playing football and running.”
Three weeks ago, Rob and his family got the worst news out there. “Two days before we went on holiday to Greece, I was told. We immediately canceled the vacation and I had to undergo investigations. I got the results last week and it doesn't look good.”
The studies showed that Rob has metastases throughout his body. “This news was very intense. My children have been told that their father doesn't have much time left to live. Fortunately they come by every day.”
Rob starts an infusion therapy on Wednesday and this is his only rescue. This treatment works for sixty percent of patients. “I receive a total of four treatments and they take place every three weeks. After twelve weeks the doctors will see if it works. If that is the case, then it is life-prolonging. If this treatment does not work, I have two to six months to live.”
Rob still wants to get everything out of life and that's why he wants to raise money for research into melanoma cancer. He had already registered for the Tilburg Ten Miles, but now sees a new goal in this. “I see this as my last run. I want to link a sponsored run to this participation and in this way raise money for research. "
Whether Rob will be able to run 16 kilometers in September is not certain, but he will continue his fight. “I feel good, but that can change in twelve weeks. My children are walking along and eleven people have already registered for this sponsor run. I think this group will grow in the coming weeks. With this run I want to raise as much money as possible for the Dutch Cancer Society. It is no longer for me, but for the people after me. "
(08/07/19) Views: 59Eva van der Weele
Kenya's Stephen Kiprop and Ethiopians Jemal Yimer and Sembere Teferi are among the first star names announced for the Valencia Trinidad Alfonso EDP Half Marathon
Kiprop illustrated fine form in 2018, winning three half-marathon races in the Netherlands and Czech Republic, and finishing fifth in Valencia clocking 59:21.
But it was in 2019 that the 20-year-old leapt to stardom by winning at Ras Al Khaimah with a sizzling time of 58:42, the fastest in the world this year.
Yimer, 22, finished second in Valencia last year in 58:33, an Ethiopian national record that elevated him the equal-third on the all-time list. Yimer has also illustrated solid form this season, clocking 26:54.39 at 10,000m in Hengelo last month. Last year he won the African title over the distance.
Teferi, 24, the first major announcement for the women's race, has followed a similar trajectory. She too set her career best in Ras Al Khaimah earlier this year, clocking 1:05:45. She clocked 30:45.14 on the track in Hengelo, finishing third, to reserve a spot on the Ethiopian squad for the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019.
Organizers are offering a €70,000 (US$77,700) world record bonus, as well as an additional €30,000 (US$33,300) bonus if the men's winner breaks the 58-minute barrier or if the women's winner dips under 1:04:30.
Both the current world records, 58:18 for men and 1:04:51 for women, have been set in Valencia.
(08/02/19) Views: 58IAAF
Singapore Marathon Launches Improved Route Aimed At Improving Athlete Experience and all the participants
Today, organisers of the 2019 Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) unveiled Singapore’s first evening race routes. The improved routes are built on runner feedback and are intended to deliver a balance of race difficulty set against Singapore’s iconic skyline. The three-day event from 29 November - 1 December will feature a Kids Dash on Friday evening, Marathon and Half Marathon on Saturday evening and conclude with 5km and 10km categories on Sunday morning.
In creation of the route, race organisers consulted with crowd management experts from the Manchester Metropolitan University to design and coordinate the best possible race route experience, employing their experience from working with Abbott World Marathon Major races – a series of the best Marathon races in the world.
Building on the strong positive reception from runners in 2018, organisers have made key strategic improvements while keeping the main core elements of the previously acclaimed course. The first alteration will see runners turning right on Bras Basah Rd, a longer and wider straight along Nicoll Highway, before passing by the War Memorial Park. At the 22-kilometre mark, runners will flank the scenic Marina Grove as they take in the stunning waterfront sunset.
With the event moving to the evening hours, lighting on the Marathon route will be increased providing athletes with optimal visibility while being surrounded by the shimmering Singapore skyline. Volunteer participation will also be doubled from 2018, ensuring a smooth dispensation of sports drink 100plus, water, and other products. Moreover, for the first time in the event’s 18-year history, runners from all categories will begin their race from the same start point across three different days - in front of the Formula 1 (F1) Pit Building.
"This year’s race will be the best yet - the changes we are making are the first for any race in Singapore and the region. A lot of planning and effort has gone into this year’s race to make this an event that is for everyone - participants, family, friends, and the public," said Geoff Meyer, Managing Director for The IRONMAN Group in Asia. "With the all-new spectator zones, we sincerely hope that everyone will come and join us in the festivities as we continue our ascent towards meeting the Abbott World Marathon Majors standards."
This year’s routes aim to provide a memorable experience for runners while ensuring minimal inconvenience to the wider public. Communities affected by road closures have been engaged early and wayfinding signs will be put up in advance to inform the public of impending road closures so that they can make plans to use alternative travel routes. Routes to emergency and essential services such as hospitals shall remain directly accessible throughout the duration of the event. The public is expected to experience some inconvenience in their commute to and from the area. Those travelling to these affected areas are strongly advised to use public transport.
Sport Singapore Chief Executive Officer Lim Teck Yin said, "Organising Singapore’s first Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon in the evening requires all stakeholders to work together to ensure a world-class event that lives up to the aspiration to be part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors."
"Every year, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon is brought to life by people and their spirit. As the event seeks to make its mark on the global stage, I encourage everyone - from the runners, to the families and everyone that we will pass along the route, to join hands and make history together," Lim added.
(08/03/19) Views: 56
Ashprihanal Aalto Wins the 23rd Sri Chinmoy 3100 Mile Race
Ashprihanal Aalto is ready to go to sleep.
The 48-year-old Finn just won this year’s Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race. He crossed a duct-tape ribbon Friday after running more than 60 miles on each of 48 consecutive days around the same half-mile course in the Jamaica Hills neighborhood of Queens, N.Y.
This is Mr. Aalto’s 15th time completing one of the hardest footraces in the world, which requires runners to cover 3,100 miles over 52 days. It is often compared with ultra-endeavors like the 6633 Arctic Ultra that crosses the Arctic Circle and the Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley. The concrete sidewalk course wraps around one block that is home to Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical High School and its baseball field, with a view of Grand Central Parkway.
Guru Sri Chinmoy, an Indian athlete and philosopher who died in New York City in 2007, started the run in its current form in 1997.
His goal: to achieve the seemingly impossible—and in the process, transcend the limitations of the mind through meditation and persistence.
Not to mention, New York City’s summer heat, exhaust from nearby traffic and crowds of children walking to school.
Mr. Aalto isn’t the only one ready for a nap. The race relies on dozens of helpers and volunteers who work around the clock.
Hometown friends, co-workers and fellow disciples of Mr. Chinmoy, sleep very little for the month and a half. They spend all day on chores, including fixing the runners’ shoes and making tea and food for the eight runners participating this year who consume up to 110,000 calories a day total.
“You don’t want to have to come through here wondering what to eat,” said race director Rupantar LaRusso.
“I’m very happy,” Mr. Aalto said, who has won the race eight times now. “I can go do other things, rather than run, run, run.”
(08/06/19) Views: 55Acacia Coronado
The Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon announced today its registration date and new features for the 43rd running event
The Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon announced today its registration date and new features for the 43rd running of Cleveland’s premier race, which will take place May 16-17, 2020, in downtown Cleveland. More than 50,000 runners, volunteers and spectators are expected to participate in activities throughout race weekend.
The 43rd Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon will feature a more streamlined race schedule, with the 10K being moved to Saturday of race weekend, and the 1-Mile and 8K races being eliminated.
New Features.- The Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon is pleased to offer four new Challenge Series levels in 2020, providing new options for runners and walkers who wish to challenge themselves with two events over a two-day period. The Challenge Series offers four event combinations and levels of difficulty:• 10K and Full Marathon • 10K and Half Marathon • 5K and Full Marathon• 5K and Half Marathon*Please note, as mentioned above, the 10K has been moved to Saturday, May 16. There is no longer an 8K as part of the series.To be included in the Challenge Series and receive its benefits, participants must register under one of the four Challenge Series 2-Day Distance Combos. If they register twice for two individual events, they will not be included in the Challenge Series.
Additionally, participants will now have the opportunity to choose from one of four Challenge Series levels and, for the first time, be eligible for the Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Championships in 2021.
Additionally, the Cleveland Marathon has been chosen as a qualifying event partner of the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) Wanda Age Group World Rankings.
The AbbottWMM is a series of six of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world - Tokyo Marathon, B.A.A. Boston Marathon, Virgin Money London Marathon, BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, Bank of America Chicago Marathon and TCS New York City Marathon.
(08/03/19) Views: 54
Fears grow over Tokyo 2020 heat threat after 11 die and more than 5,000 taken to hospital
A total of 11 people died and 5,664 people were taken to hospitals in Japan due to heat-related medical issues last week when temperatures rose sharply following the end of the rainy season in most areas, the Japanese Government revealed.
The latest figures have been released at a time when Tokyo 2020 organisers and the Government’s Bureau of Environment are working on measures that can be taken to safeguard athletes, spectators and volunteers during next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games.
At last week’s beach volleyball test event in Tokyo misting sprays and air-conditioned tents were among the features trialled in order to combat the effects of rising temperatures in the capital.
As temperatures rose to 38 centigrade, the 11 deaths were reported in 11 different areas among Japan's 47 prefectures, Japanese agency Kyodo News reported.
Aichi Prefecture had the most people rushed to hospitals at 392, followed by Osaka Prefecture at 388 and Tokyo at 299.
The number of people sent to hospitals nearly tripled from 1,948 in the preceding week as the rainy season came to an end.
Those aged 65 and older accounted for 52.6 percent of the total in the week to last Sunday (July 28), according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
Of the 5,664 people, 119 displayed severe symptoms that would normally require at least three weeks of treatment as an inpatient, while 1,792 suffered less serious issues, necessitating shorter stays.
As temperatures are likely to remain above the average in Japan in the upcoming week, the Agency urged people to stay hydrated and to take rest occasionally.
While the capital hosted its first Summer Games in the much-cooler month of October in 1964, next year's competition featuring 33 sports and 339 events is due to take place between July 24 and Aug. 9.
Weather-related concerns have mounted since Tokyo was awarded the Games in 2013, especially after a historic heatwave affected Japan's capital last summer, with an area near Tokyo seeing a record temperature of 41.1C.
Tokyo 2020 has admitted the threat posed by the extreme heat and typhoons is considered a "major issue" resulting in the shifting of start times of several events.
The men's and women's marathons were pushed back one hour to 6am and the men's 50 kilometres race walk will commence at 5:30am.
The organisers are set to provide information about weather conditions and safety precautions through the official mobile app.
They are also considering allowing spectators to bring their own bottled drinks into event venues, a departure from previous Games at which sponsor and security considerations have made such a possibility a no-go.
"This is all aimed at making spectators feel as comfortable as possible, given they have come to see events in a very hot and humid environment," Tokyo 2020 delivery officer Hidemasa Nakamura said last month.
He added that the measures taken would include a "specific focus on the elderly, children and international visitors".
(08/03/19) Views: 52
