Running News Daily
Top Ten Stories of the Week
8/31/2019

If anyone can break two hours, Eluid can says Bernard Lagat who will be one of the pacers

I have known Eliud since we were young. Our homes were just a few kilometres apart and Eliud’s mum was my grade one teacher. Eliud’s older twin sisters were in my grade one class and I later recall Eliud’s mum taking a young Eliud to school in his khaki coloured trousers and green sweater!

It is a little hard to comprehend the journey Eliud has taken, from that little boy to marathon superstar. I’m very proud of him.

He later developed into a world-class runner and we became good friends on the athletics circuit. We would regularly chat in Nandi and talk about life growing up in our home villages.

Knowing Eliud for as long as I have, and to be approached by Nike to help out with the INEOS 1:59 challenge is a huge honour.

I was also fortunate to be a pacemaker for Breaking2 in Monza in 2017. 

Breaking2 was a huge event and I completed two 3km stints of pacemaking. To witness what Eliud achieved that day by running 2:00:25 was unbelievable. To have contributed in some small way to him achieving that was very special.

It was amazing to be a part of an event of that magnitude and to be involved in something similar with the INEOS 1:59 Challenge is very cool. To help Eliud achieve his dreams, a guy who had never really changed that much over the years, is a real privilege.

I’m now aged 44, not the youngest, and many of the pacemakers are capable of running much faster than me. I see my role as similar to Monza where I can communicate my thoughts and ideas to the rest of the pacemakers. I helped put the guys at ease with simple, clear, precise instructions, which the guys were able to understand and grasp.

The INEOS 1:59 Challenge has a different feel to it compared to Breaking2. I think this is because prior to Breaking2, Eliud had never previously been tested to that degree before. However, I know he would have learned so much from running 2:00:25.

Also since Breaking2 he has been able to run a world marathon record of 2:01:39. That performance in Berlin was something quite special. He didn’t just break the record by a few seconds but a huge margin. The way he came back to run that course record in London and the second fastest official marathon time in his career also shows how strong he is.

I am confident that on the day he can break two hours. Of course, many factors have to go his way. The weather conditions need to be ideal in Vienna and has to hope his body does not have an off day and that it responds positively.

Yet if anyone can do it, Eliud can. Mentally he is such a tough athlete and I look forward to playing my small part in helping my fellow Nandi and near neighbour create history.  

60 years ago, Arlene Pieper Stine was the first woman to run to the top of Pikes Peak and first US woman to finish a marathon

In white shorts, sleeveless blouse and dime-store tennis shoes, Arlene Pieper Stine, 29, stood on the start line of the 1959 Pikes Peak Marathon looking more like Marilyn Monroe than a mountaineer.

But Pieper Stine, then a Colorado Springs health club owner, not only finished the 26-mile race, with its grueling 8,000 feet of vertical gain to the 14,115 summit, she became the first woman to complete a sanctioned marathon in the United States.

Eight years later, Kathrine Switzer would be the first woman to cross the finish line at the Boston Marathon in a dramatic act of gender defiance.

This weekend, 60 years after Arlene Pieper Stine conquered Pikes Peak in 9 hours and 16 minutes, hundreds of women will line up at the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathonstart, following her path on one of the country’s toughest and highest altitude race courses.

In 2009, after a long search, a Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon historian trackeddown Pieper Stine, who had long ago moved away and was living near Fresno, California. 

She had no idea of her place in running history. 

“I still remember it like it was yesterday,” she said in a 2014 interview. “You can be a wonderful wife and mother, but doing the race showed me that if there’s something you really want to do, you should go for it.”

A black-and-white photo of that race start shows Pieper Stine along with her 9-year-old daughter, Kathy, and her husband, who ran with her to offer moral support.

Pieper Stine said she got the idea to do the race as a way to promote Arlene’s Health Studio. The Pikes Peak Marathon never prohibited women from participating.

“In those days, we had no aid stations like there are now, and my running shoes were actually just those sneakers you get from the five and dime,” she said. “And about a week after the race, all 10 of my toenails fell off!”

Pieper Stine, now 89, sometimes returns to Manitou Springs to mark the official start of the race. “What a thrill to look out and see all these people getting ready to run.”

She was inducted into the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 and has became a cult figure in the local racing community, inspiring a group of women runners to dress as Pieper Stine did in 1959 in the inaugural “She Moves Mountains” run up the peak last weekend, race organizer Alicia Pino said.

Humana has announced today that it will be a presenting partner of the 2019 Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon

The Coastal Running Fest includes a marathon (26.2 miles), half marathon (13.1 miles), 5K (3.1 miles) and kids marathon (a 1.2 mile fun run).

“We’re excited to partner with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon this December in Biloxi,” said Humana Gulf States Medicare President Matt Berger. “Humana is committed to improving the health and well-being of our members on the Gulf Coast and across Mississippi, and this wonderful community event offers Gulf Coast seniors and their families a great way to get active and engaged in their health and fitness.”

Adding to the excitement, the Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon has joined the second edition of the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings.

Launching in Sept. 2018, the Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Rankings aims to raise awareness of the sport of marathon running by highlighting the achievements of age-group marathon runners, that otherwise might go unnoticed.The 2020 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will mark the end of the qualification period for the second edition of the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings. The World Championships will take place in the spring of 2021 with the venue to be announced next year.

Participants in an AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Ranking qualifying race will earn points according to their age, time and gender, aligned with the following age groups for men and women: 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80+.

Tim Hadzima, Executive Director of Abbott World Marathon Majors said: “We are very excited about the response to the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings from marathons around the world. More than 125,000 runners aged 40+ participate in AbbottWMM races each year and this new system will allow even more runners to become a part of the AbbottWMM family. Our system gives runners a chance to run all over the world and all across the calendar on a truly global stage. We want to give them a chance to gain recognition like never before.

“We are proud to be working with all our partners to take age group marathon running to the next level and showcase the achievements of these everyday champions.”

“The addition of Humana with the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group Qualifying Series makes a major statement for the Mississippi Gulf Coast,” said Craig Sweeney, Strategic Partnership Director of the Louisiana Marathon.  “The Coast has seen a renaissance ever since Hurricane Katrina changed the landscape and these two huge additions to the marathon further show that the Mississippi Gulf Coast is the place to be!”

Kilian Jornet falls short of Pikes Peak Marathon record as Maude Mathys obliterates women’s mark set last year

Catlan runner ran 3:27:39, nearly 11 minutes shy of Matt Carpenter’s record, which has stood for 26 years

One of the most revered records in American mountain running has withstood a challenge from this generation’s greatest ultrarunner.

Despite an early fast pace, Catalan mountain running superstar Kilian Jornet fell short of breaking Matt Carpenter’s ascent and overall course record in the 64th edition of the Pikes Peak Marathon on Sunday, finishing in 3 hours, 27 minutes, 29 seconds — nearly 11 minutes slower than Carpenter’s 3:16:39, set in 1993.

But Swiss ultrarunner Maude Mathys still provided reason to celebrate. Mathys won the women’s division in 4:02:45, crushing the course record set by Megan Kimmel last year in 4:15:04.

Carpenter’s course record has stood for 26 years. Jornet came to the Pikes Peak Marathon as part of the Salomon Golden Trail World Series, a collection of some of the top mountain races in the world, racing in the hopes of breaking the record after also falling short in 2012.

But he said afterward that his legs felt heavy during his morning warmup. He set a course record at the Sierre-Zinal trail race in Switzerland just two weeks ago, but he said that the short turnaround wasn’t a factor in his race today.

At the halfway mark — the summit of Pikes Peak — the record quest appeared to be in jeopardy. Jornet summited in 2:09:15, more than eight minutes behind Carpenter’s 2:01:06 ascent record, which Carpenter set in the same race he recorded the overall record.

For Carpenter, now 55, Pikes Peak is and remains his domain. He has won the marathon 12 times and the ascent-only run — held the day before the marathon — six times. He has lived in Manitou Springs for years and trained frequently on the Pikes Peak course, learning how to handle the altitude while navigating the flats, switchbacks and steep sections.

In recent years, trail running has exploded in popularity throughout the U.S. and the world, ushering a sport from the fringes of distance running to the mainstream. That has brought a new era of young, accomplished runners who have broken and rebroken records and so-called fastest-known times — thought to be untouchable. Despite the onslaught, Carpenter’s records at both Pikes Peak and the Leadville 100 still stand years after they were set.

The Pikes Peak Marathon course starts in Manitou Springs at 6,300 feet, before climbing more than 7,700 feet to Pikes Peak’s summit at 14,115 feet. The race is the second-oldest marathon in the United States and was the first in the U.S. to record an official women’s finisher.

Just past the first mile, Jornet was already leading the pack by a few steps. Just before five miles, he had built up his lead to more than 90 seconds, on pace to hit the summit in under two hours. But his legs soon caught up with him, and he slowed, summiting in 2:09:15.

Jornet had run this race in 2012, winning in 3:40:26. But he also competed with a heaver race schedule then.

Pikes Peak is one of only three races Jornet will do all year. Already, Jornet holds the course record counterclockwise and clockwise for the Hardrock 100, one of Colorado’s other esteemed ultra runs that starts and finishes in Silverton and loops through Ouray, Telluride and Lake City in the San Juan Mountains, forcing runnings to ascend some 33,000 feet over 100.5 miles.

Boston Marathon race director Dave McGillivray new book is an inspiring challenge for young readers

A marathon inside Fenway park Monday was not just about a race — it served as the backdrop for a book launch and the next chapter in one man’s extraordinary career.

Boston Marathon race director Dave McGillivray’s new book is renewing an inspiring challenge for young readers.

Almost exactly 41 years after McGillivray completed his race across the country for the Jimmy Fund, he launched his new children’s book where that historic run ended: Fenway Park. The Fenway Park Marathon he created was also underway.

“You’re running inside one of the most iconic, revered parks in America,” explained McGillivray. “For me, it’s a highlight of my athletic career.”

The book “Running Across America” is the story of McGillivray’s run from Medford, Oregon to Medford, Massachusetts and into Fenway Park during a Red Sox game.

The book’s theme? The path to your goals isn’t always a straight line.

“When I was a kid, I always wanted to play second base for the Boston Red Sox. Unfortunately, I was short in stature so that never happened… then as a runner, I said, if I can’t play in Fenway Park, I’m gonna run in Fenway Park.”

Just before the book launch, McGillivray ran the Fenway 10k. He makes it look easy, but he wants kids to know that cross country run was tough.

“The idea is to teach children about perseverance and setting goals, not limits,” he said. “Hopefully, it inspires kids to believe in themselves and raise their level of self-confidence.”

Proceeds from the sale of “Running Across America” benefit the Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation Inc. and the Jimmy Fund.

McGillivray is also renewing his “dream big challenge,” where kids who read 26 books, run a total of 26 miles, and do 26 random acts of kindness earn a “dream big” medal.

Kenyans Mathew Kipkoech and Vivian Kiplagat lead a group of eight sub-2:10 men and eight sub-2:30 women vying to become the new champions and to rewrite the records at the 37th Telcel Mexico City International Marathon on Sunday

After a successful 2018 edition, which honoured the 50th anniversary of the 1968 Olympic Games following the same course used at the Games, organisers have designed a new course and assembled one of the best fields in the 37-year-old history of the race, hoping to break the 2:10 and 2:30 barriers at high altitude (2,240m above sea level).

Mathew Kisorio is hoping to be that man. Third at this race last year, he cracked the 2:05 barrier three months later in Valencia with 2:04:53. The 30-year-old is comfortable racing at altitude as his pedigree shows. In February, he made his Mexican debut by winning the Guadalajara Half Marathon and went on to take the Eldoret Marathon two months later.

In the absence of last year’s winner Titus Ekiru, 2018 runner-up Edwin Koech will try to keep the Kenyan supremacy on Mexican roads. The 27-year-old has a personal best of 2:07:13 from 2017 in Milano. He returned to that Italian city last April and finished third with 2:08:24.

Vincent Kipruto, the 2011 World World Championships silver medallist at the distance, will make his Mexican debut. He boasts a personal best of 2:05:13 from 2010 and regained similar form two years ago in Berlin with 2:06:14. Sunday’s will be his first race of the year.

Other top candidates for victory are Ethiopia’s Deribe Merga (2:06:38), Abdela Godana (2:09:04) and Yihunilign Adane (2:09:11), as well as Eritrea’s Amanuel Mesel Tikue (2:08:17).

In the women’s field, Vivian Kiplagat is hoping to bring back the title to Kenya after Peru’s Gladys Tejeda's wins in 2016-2017 and Ethiopia’s Etaferahu Temesgen’s victory in 2018.

Kiplagat, 31, improved her personal best by over four and a half minutes to 2:22:25 to successfully retain her title in Milano last April. Sunday will mark her debut in Mexican races. She is also comfortable running at altitude, judging from her 2:28:06, good for second place, two weeks after her win in Italy.

After a busier season with three marathons in 2018, Tinbit Weldegebril will try to keep the women’s crown in Ethiopia. She improved her personal best twice last year, including a lifetime best of 2:23:37 in Valencia in December, her latest marathon before Sunday.

The running battle between Ethiopia and Kenya should produce an exciting day of racing on Sunday. Kenya is also represented by Paskalia Chepkorir Kipkoech (2:26:04), Valentine Kipketer (2:28:05) and Pamela Rotich (2:27:48), her country’s best ranked woman Mexico City last year, in fifth.

Ethiopia, a country that topped the four first places in the women’s race in 2018, also features Zerfie Limeneh (2:26:48), Zinash Debebe (2:27:15) and Tigist Gebeyahu (2:27:35).

With the start at UNAM University, the venue of the 1968 Olympic stadium, and finish at the Zócalo, Mexico City’s main square, organisers are hoping to see records broken as the race makes its debut as an IAAF Gold Label race.

The records were set by Kenya’s Titus Ekiru (2:10:38) in 2018 and Peru’s Pan American Games champion Gladys Tejeda (2:36:16) in 2017. The race has 25,000 runners registered.

Desiree Linden is set to Defend her title at 2019 Humana Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon

The 2019 Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon will once again include a world-class group of elite men and women when they toe the line on Sept. 15 in the City of Brotherly Love. Given the depth of the elite field, the half marathon is set to be one of the most competitive races in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series® circuit all year.

The flat and fast course starts on Benjamin Franklin Parkway, runs through Center City before winding along the city’s scenic Schuylkill River and finishing at the iconic “Rocky Steps” of the Philadelphia Art Museum.

Leading the field will be the defending women’s Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon champion Desiree “Des” Linden. Linden won the 2018 Boston Marathon, becoming the first American woman to win the race in 33 years. Linden is a two-time Olympian from San Diego, Calif. and has represented the United States of America at the last two Summer Olympic Games.

Her best finish came in 2016 in Rio when she placed seventh in the women’s marathon. Her personal best in the marathon is 2:22:38 while her best for the half marathon is 1:10:34. “I’m looking forward to returning to the Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon to defend my title,” said Linden.

“Last year this race worked well in my preparations for the TCS New York City Marathon; I’m excited to compete against my fellow Americans and the international field on the streets of Philly.” Linden’s victory at the 2018 Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon came in her first competitive race after winning the Boston Marathon, and she will be striving for a repeat this year among yet another stacked field of contenders. In addition to Linden, the women’s field is punctuated by a wealth of talent that features Olympians and rising stars. One of those rising stars is Fontana, Calif. native Jordan Hasay.

Hasay, just 27 years old, has landed herself on the podium at marquee events throughout the country: she placed third in both the 2017 and 2019 editions of the Boston Marathon, finishing with a time of 2:23:00 and 2:25:20, respectively. In addition to that, Hasay took third at the 2017 Chicago Marathon with a finishing time of 2:20:57.

Hasay’s participation in the 2019 Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon will mark her second year running in the event, following her third-place finish in 2017 when she clocked in at 1:10:41. “I competed here at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon in 2017 and enjoyed the race, I went on to set a personal best at Chicago Marathon that year so I hope that I can come here and perform at the front end which will set me up for another great marathon,” said Hasay.

“This race is steeped in USA road racing history; countless national and world records have been set here, so I would love to add my name to the roll of honor.” The star-studded men’s field is led by four-time Olympian Abdi Abdirahman. The Somalian-born Abdirahman represented the United States at the Olympics in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 and placed third in the New York City Marathon in 2016. He has personal bests of 2:08:56 in the marathon and 1:01:07 in the half marathon.

Abdirahman will be taking on talented newcomers like Clayton Young and established competition like Tyler Andrews. Young, who hails from American Fork, Utah, was the 2019 NCAA 10,000-meter champion, and will be making his debut in Philadelphia. Cambridge, Mass. native Andrews took home top honors at the 2019 United Airlines Rock ‘n’ Roll Washington DC Marathon & ½ Marathon with a finishing time of 2:24:13 in the marathon. 

“We are incredibly excited about the field of participants that are slated to run at the Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon,” said Audra Tassone, Regional Director for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series.

“This event has proven to be one of the most successful tune-up events for an incredibly talented group of elite runners and we are anxious to see how it all shakes out next month. To be able to put World Marathon Major winners, Olympic medalists, and World Champions on the same starting line is a testament to the regard in which this race is held.”

Vivian Kiplagat broke the women’s race record at the 37th Telcel Mexico City Marathon

Kiplagat, 31, ran the second half of the race 10 minutes faster than the first to cross the finish line in 2:33:27, taking almost three minutes off the race record of 2:36:16 set by Peru’s Pan American Games champion Gladys Tejeda in 2017.

Duncan Maiyo slowed down significantly in the second half, but his lead was good enough to secure victory in 2:12:50, two minutes shy of the 2:10:38 race record established by his compatriot Titus Ekiru.

With about 13C heat and 80% humidity at the start, Mexico’s Fabiola Pérez led the group through the first 5km in a pedestrian 20:25. The group of four Kenyan and four Ethiopian women took over and hit 10km in 39:40. By the time they reached the halfway mark, covered in 1:21:43, the group had shrunk to six.

Kiplagat and Paskalia Kipkoech reached the 25km point with a three-second lead over the chase pack of four women and gradually increased their leading margin. The former launched her attack at about 36km and Pamela Rotich could not respond.

Kiplagat, a two-time winner at the Milan Marathon, became the first Kenyan woman to win this race since 2011, crossing the line in 2:33:27. Kipkoech also finished inside the previous record in second place with 2:34:09. Rotich, who finished fifth last year, completed the all-Kenyan podium with 2:38:14.

In the men’s race, Kenya’s Mathew Kisorio, the only sub-2:05 man in the field, sped to the front early on and set a daring pace for a marathon contested at 2,240m above sea level.

With the course going downhill for the first eight kilometres, Kisorio covered the first 5km in 14:33, eight seconds ahead of Duncan Maiyo. By 10km, Maiyo had closed the gap to three seconds, 29:25 to 29:28, and remained in close contact at 15km (44:44 to 44:53).

Kisorio kept up the pressure and hit the halfway mark on Reforma Avenue in 1:03:59 with a 32-second gap on Maiyo. The chase group, meanwhile, was 2:08 adrift.

But the fast pace eventually took its toll on Kisorio as he slowed down significantly at about 30km. With the clock reading 1:39:20, Maiyo caught up with the long-time leader and Kisorio abandoned the race soon after.

More than three minutes ahead of the chase pack, Maiyo cruised to his victory in 2:12:50. It was his first marathon triumph since 2016, his best season when he twice bettered 2:10, including his lifetime best of 2:09:25.

Ethiopia’s Girmay Birhanu (2:16:14) and Eritrea’s Amanuel Mesel (2:16:28) completed the podium.

Both winners were rewarded with 550,000 Mexican pesos (about $27,000).

With a new and faster course, the only IAAF Gold Label marathon in Latin America drew about 25,000 runners.

Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor will skip the World Championships at Doha, Eyeing NYC Marathon title instead

Having said earlier this month that he intended to contest the 10,000m title in the world championships for a third time. 

Kamworor, who recently won Kenya’s national championships in the 10,000m, says he prefers to focus on the TCS New York City Marathon, which he narrowly won in 2017 over countryman and former world record-holder Wilson Kipsang. It was Kamworor’s eighth marathon. This year’s event runs November 3, which is only 10 weeks away.

Kamworor, who has also won the world half-marathon championships three times, made the announcement today, after winning the 10,000m title over Rhonex Kipruto and Rodgers Kwemoi in Nairobi yesterday. (Kipruto ran the fastest 10K time on American soil at the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta last month in 27:01.

Kamworor was second in the 10,000m at the 2015 world championships, and sixth in 2017. The last time a Kenyan man won the 10,000m in the world championships was 2001, when Charles Kamathi took the title from Haile Gebrselassie in Edmonton.)

Sir Mo Farah of the UK has won the last three world championships, but Farah, too, has given up the track in favour of the marathon. He will race the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on October 13.

According to the announcement, Alex Oloitiptip has been selected to represent Kenya in the 10,000m in Doha.

Mo Farah says all of his training is focused on the Chicago Marathon but he is not ruling out running the 10,000m at the world championships just yet

Mo Farah said all of his training focus is on defending his Chicago Marathon title on Oct. 13, but the British star also said that he might also enter the world championships 10,000m on Oct. 6.

“I am a reigning world champion, so I do get an automatic spot,” Farah said of the 10,000m, where he is a three-time reigning world champion.

Farah transitioned to road racing after the 2017 season and was thought to be done with major track championships. Farah was the distance king for more than a half-decade, sweeping the 5000m and 10,000m at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

“I get an automatic spot for the 10,000m but my main target is to defend my [marathon] title, come out to Chicago. All my training is geared toward the marathon.”

An IAAF spokesperson said Farah must be entered as part of the British team by Sept. 16 to be eligible for worlds.

British Athletics said Wednesday that its team will be selected Sept. 2.

“Should Mo wish to race the 10,000m in Doha, he would need to advise the selection panel prior to this date,” a spokesperson said.

Farah enticed his followers about the 10,000m in a July 27 Instagram with the hashtag #doha10k, referencing the site of world championships in Qatar. Farah was asked Tuesday why he included the hashtag.

“Anything is possible,” he said. “I’m a reigning champion. I get an automatic spot. There’s nothing I have to do. I just thought why not?”

It’s not an unprecedented type of move to race a 10,000m one week before a marathon. Former training partner Galen Rupp placed fifth in the 2016 Olympic 10,000m on Aug. 13, then took bronze in the marathon on Aug. 21.

Farah said he hasn’t set any major racing plans beyond Chicago. He finished what he called a disappointing fifth in the London Marathon in 2:05.39 on April 28, three minutes behind winner Eliud Kipchoge. Farah said a satisfying result in Chicago would be a win above worrying about a specific time. The last man to repeat as Chicago champ was Kenyan Sammy Wanjiru in 2010.

The 2020 London Marathon is three and a half months before the Tokyo Olympic marathon, a tight turnaround.

“I think I can get back in form for the London Marathon before the Olympics, and then the Olympics, I guess, but I haven’t decided,” Farah said. “My main target now is just Chicago, then work from there.”