Running News Daily

Belihu takes the title at the TCS World 10K in Bengaluru

Andamlak Belihu added the TCS World 10K Bengaluru title to the Delhi Half Marathon crown he won seven months ago, crossing the line in the IAAF Gold Label road race in 27:56 on Sunday May 19.  

In difficult conditions with high humidity and temperatures reaching 26C, the 20-year-old Ethiopian was prominent at the front of the leading pack from the outset. Eight men went through 5km in 14:11 before Uganda’s Mande Bushendich made an audacious early move just after the halfway point.

Bushendich went through the gears so rapidly that the leading group was quickly fractured and by 7km only Belihu was left to challenge him. It initially looked as though Belihu was also going to be dropped as he briefly struggled to stay with his rival –later saying that he had suffered some knee pain which then passed – but he took the lead again with just under two kilometres to go before he pulled away, never to be headed all the way to the line in the Garden City’s Sree Kanteerava Stadium.

Belihu crossed the line in 27:56, just eight seconds outside his personal best and 12 seconds off the course record. Bushendich finished second in 28:03.

“I expected to run a fast time as there were so many good runners in this race, but I also expected to run even faster than this,” said Belihu, who finished 10th in the 10,000m at the IAAF World Championships London 2017 while still an U20 athlete.

Agnes Tirop’s finishing time may have been more than two minutes slower than her 31:19 course record from 12 months ago but the world 10,000m bronze medallist retained her title and became the first woman to win back-to-back crowns in the 12-year history of the race.

Nine women went through the first half of the race in a modest 18:06, more than two minutes down on last year’s split. Tirop put in regular short bursts of pace during the next three kilometres but they did nothing to break up the group apart from dropping Bahrain’s world marathon champion Rose Chelimo.

Eight women were still closely grouped together as they entered the stadium for one final lap of the track. Ethiopia’s Letsenbet Gidey darted into the lead on entering the stadium but, with 50 metres to go, Tirop still had plenty in reserve and emerged victorious in a thrilling five-woman sprint for the line.

Tirop won in 33:55 with just two seconds covering the top five. Senbere Teferi was second and Gidey third, both women also given 33:55.

“I would have liked to have run faster and I did my best but no one else wanted to push hard so I was just content with the win,” said Tirop.

Gichia and Kimining winners of the 40th Göteborgsvarvet Half Marathon

Perfect weather conditions, tailwind on Hisingen island and, as usual, a huge supporter crowd cheering for the runners. Those were the circumstances when Göteborgsvarvet celebrated its 40th year anniversary with another festive half marathon.

In the elite field there were a handful competitive and world-class long-distance runners. All was set for an interesting elite race, and indeed it became something very thrilling also this year.

In the women’s class we witnessed a phenomenal duel between Cynthia Jerop, Kenya, and Tabitha Gichia, Kenya, here Gichia became the first to cross the finish line after an impressive sprint during the last kilometres. Her finish time was 01.08,18.

In the men’s class Shadrack Kimining defended his victory from last year by some very strong last kilometres. His finish time, 1.00,38. Second place came Jirius Birech, Kenya and third place, Moses Kurong, Uganda.

Göteborgsvarvet Half Marathon was also the Swedish Championship in Half Marathon and in that national competition the winners were Charlotta Fougberg and Robel Fsiha.

Arturs Bareikis took the lead at 20 miles and went on to win the Sanford Fargo Marathon

After grabbing the lead at about Mile 20, Arturs Bareikis spent the final six miles in the Sanford Fargo Marathon on Saturday constantly looking over his shoulder. There was noone there.

The 32-year-old from Midlothian, Ill., made his third trip to Fargo winning the 15th annual event in 2 hours, 27 minutes, 14 seconds. He placed second in 2014? He was on a mission not to let that happen again.

“I came here to do one thing,” Bareikis said.

Winning was the only goal. He didn’t wear a watch and therefore wasn’t paying attention to mile splits. It was all about racing with a pack of four from the outset that consisted of defending champion Geofrey Terer, Anthony Kirui of Minneapolis and Garang Madut from Lebanon, Tenn.

Terer and Kirui split from the other two after a few miles. In an oddity, Terer had the solo lead around Mile 9 where he had to stop to tie his shoe. That appeared to solidify the pack again until Bareikis made his break at Mile 20.

“I knew that was going to cost him and he wasn’t going to be able to make that last move,” Bareikis said of Terer having to stop. “I always observe early in the race what people do and I was staying in the back. You only get one real move and I waited for mile 20 to make it. It wasn’t guaranteed but I knew (Friday) I was going to hit it at Mile 20.”

He knew Friday after studying the weather forecast. The race was was run in light rain and wind. Those elements, Bareikis said, played into his favor.

After mile splits in the neighborhood of 5:45 to 6:05, Bariekis ripped off a 5:19 from mile 20 to 21. He was hoping a small cramp that began to develop in his leg didn’t escalate.

“Once you start feeling a cramp, it’s a little bit scary,” he said.  But it did not excalate and he went on to win.

Nike to Change Pregnancy Policy in Athlete Contracts

Nike Inc. said it will change contracts for female athletes that will protect their pay during pregnancy, after coming under fire for cutting compensation for some athletes.

The company said that last year the company standardized its approach across all sports to support its female athletes during pregnancy. Its contracts for female athletes will include written terms that reinforce its policy. Previously, the contracts gave Nike the right to reduce pay if runners failed to meet performance thresholds for any reason, including pregnancy or childbirth.

"Nike has supported thousands of female athletes for decades. We have learned and grown in how to best support our female athletes and have always worked to do our best to play a strong role in championing, celebrating and supporting female athletes and we are committed to continuing to do so," Nike said.

"Last year we standardized our approach across all sports to support our female athletes during pregnancy, but we recognize we can go even further. Moving forward, our contracts for female athletes will include written terms that reinforce our policy," Nike said.

Camron Roehl won the men’s Sanford Fargo Marathon 5K by over one minute 30 seconds clocking 14:40

Former Grand Forks Central runner Camron Roehl won the men’s division of the Sanford Fargo Marathon 5K on Friday, May 17. He previously won it in 2017.

The race drew more than 6,000 participants and started in the Fargodome for the first time in the 15 years of the event.

Roehl finished his college career this spring at North Dakota State University when the Bison won their 10th straight Summit outdoor title.  He finished fifth in the 1,500 and seventh in the 3,000.

“Competing for NDSU is on the greatest honors you can ever have as a collegiate athlete,” Roehl said. “But to come here and win an event that means so much to the city means a lot.”

He was a lone wolf in the race taking off from the start and not looking back finishing in 14:40. His only companions were the motorcycles leading the way.

“I was working pretty hard, having to fight the Fargo wind,” he said. “It was going to be a tough, tough run out there; it wasn’t easy by any means.”

Roehl crossed the finish line, and then had to wait for a while before second place Jesse Prince from Bemidji, Minn., came into the dome at 16:14.

“It’s never over until you cross the finish line,” Roehl said. “I’ve seen races go south pretty quick for some people with huge leads. You can never relax until the job is done.”

With college done, Roehl plans on working in ministry for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He still plans on running the shorter-distance races saying he still has some goals to attain. The longer races will come later, he said.

Kenyan Hellen Obiri is aiming for success over 5000m and 10,000m at IAAF World Championships Doha

Hellen Obiri has revealed she will target IAAF World Championships success over both 5000m and 10,000m in Doha this summer as part of her plan to bow out from track competition on a high.

The Kenyan won gold over the shorter distance in London two years ago and is focused on retaining her title in the Qatari capital. She admits, however, that a full-time switch to road running is in the offing after next year’s Tokyo Olympics and, with that in mind, also wants to tackle the 25-lap event for the first time.

“My main target is to retain my title and then most probably I will focus on the double – 5000m and 10,000m,” the 29-year-old said.

“I’ve not done the 10,000m on the track so I’m going to do it at the Kenyan trials (for the world championships). It’s very hard to even make the Kenyan team but of course I want to make it and then from there you can see me doubling in Doha.”

“What made up my mind is that I’m almost done with the track," she says,  "so I think I need to do final, final things. I have never done 10,000m on the track so I wanted to do it before I go to the roads, maybe from next year after the Olympics.

“I will do 10km and the half-marathon on the road from there and then maybe (move up to the marathon) in the coming years.”

Obiri will race over 10km on the roads this weekend as one of the star attractions at the Simplyhealth Great Manchester Run, where she will be looking to carry on what, thus far, has been a winning habit in 2019.

There was her impressive and memorable victory at the World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus back in March, which followed gold at the Kenyan Championships, while a marker was put down on her first track outing this year thanks to a fine 3000m win over a quality field which included 1500m world record-holder Genzebe Dibaba at the recent Diamond League meeting in Doha in a time of 8:25.60.

10-year-old Kinslee Wesolowski ran the Horse Capital half Marathon to help children in Uganda

For Kinslee Wesolowski’s 10th birthday, she told her mom her wish was to run a half marathon to raise money for children in Uganda. Her birthday wish came true as she ran the half marathon in Lexington on Saturday.

Kinslee said she wanted to provide some money for food for children in Uganda after hearing more about their needs from her aunt Amy Compston of Amy For Africa.

“My aunt is a missionary in Africa,” Kinslee said. “There’s a ton of kids that live on the streets in Uganda, and they don’t have enough food. Amy lets them get some food on Saturdays, and I’m raising money to help them.”

Kinslee heard stories about the children involved in the Amy For Africa ministry through her mother who served on an AFA mission team in December 2017. Danielle Wesolowski and her husband, Andy, have been generous supporters to AFA since it started.

Hearing those stories and seeing the photos from her mother’s trip to Uganda stirred Kinslee’s heart and called her to action. Danielle, who is also an accomplished long-distance runner, immediately said “yes” to her daughter’s request to run for the children in Uganda.

Danielle said she is proud of her daughter for having such a big heart and wanting to run this race. “I’m just very thankful the Lord laid this on her heart,” Danielle said. “She came to me and told me this is what she wanted to do for her birthday.  I’m very proud of her.”

AFA partners with Silent Whispers ministry and every Saturday morning 350 children are fed breakfast, a cup of porridge and a cookie biscuit. Kinslee’s goal is to raise $2,100 to provide breakfasts for nearly the rest of 2019. She just needs $500 more to reach her goal.

“I want to meet my goal because then that means they’ll have at least six months of food,” Kinslee said. Anyone interested in donating can go to the donation area on amyforafrica.com and put Kinslee in the message portion after typing in a donation amount. Everything given goes to the project.

Kinslee, who is a fourth-grader at Conkwright Elementary School, has been running on the Clark County cross-country team for three years. Her longest distance so far has been eight miles, she said. Outside of running, Kinslee enjoys playing softball, spending time with her family and going to church. She first got interested in running after seeing her mother take on half-marathons and marathons, and Kinslee said she wanted to experience the thrill as well.

“I thought it might be fun,” Kinslee said. “So I tried it. And I liked it. It just felt right for me.” She runs five times a week between softball practices.  Her mother is training her. They are up to about seven miles a day.

Kinslee was the youngest runner at the Horse Capital Marathon & Half Marathon and she finished in 2:38.

Next year, Kinslee hopes to travel to Uganda to meet the children she helped.

Yassine Rachik is ready to take on the Mattoni Karlovy Vary Half Marathon after an amazing performance in London

Yassine Rachik ran 2:08:05 at the London marathon which is best result of an Italian in the last thirteen years.  He will be on the staring line Saturday May 18 at the Mattoni Karlovy Vary Half Marathon in the Czech Republic.

The Atletica Casone Noceto runner has chosen to run this half marathon, which will start in the unusual afternoon time of 6.00 pm. For the 25-year-old from Bergamo, an all-European challenge in the first stage of the "EuroHeroes" project which aims to highlight the continent's athletes.

Other elite runners in the field include the Ukrainian Roman Romanenko, winner of the last edition, and the Spanish El Hassan Oubaddi. 

This season, Rachik, who won the bronze medal at the Berlin European Championships last summer, came close to a half marathon personal record clocking 1: 02.29 on the streets of Naples, in February, sixteen seconds off his PR time of 1:02:13 made in Agropoli in 2017 when he won the Italian title for the distance.

Yassine Rachik is a born Moroccan male Italian long-distance runner who won his country's senior national championship three times and an individual bronze medal at the 2018 European Athletics Championships. He became an Italian citizen in 2015. 

During his career he also won the gold medal with the national team in the 2018 European Athletics Championships – Men's Marathon Cup, and also at U-23 level at the 2015 European Athletics U23 Championships held in Tallinn.

Maybe including pickles and pickle juice in your daily diet will help you as a runner?

While pickles are incredibly polarizing, those who like them really love them. And whether your favorite is a deli-counter dill or a few slices on a sandwich, it's hard to deny that pickles are surging in popularity right now. And for good reason—they're a healthy snack.

Lots of runners are eating pickles and drinking the juice regularly too.  Both Michael Anderson and Bob Anderson from My Best Runs have included pickles in their regular daily diet.  "Pickle juice gives me extra oomph," says Michael Anderson who has been running for over 40 years.  "The juice is perfect to add to a water bottle for runs over one hour.  Also it really helps me with recovery helping with cramping and hydration."  Michael is currently running about 40 miles per week. 

"Michael turned me on to the benefits of drinking pickle juice and eating pickles.  I have always loved pickles but now I include both in my daily diet,” says My Best Runs director and lifetime runner Bob Andeson. 

"For sure it helps with recovery but also it is helping me get closer to my ideal racing weight.  It might be partially mental but it seems to work.  I just feel heathlier including pickles/juice in my daily diet."  71 year-old Bob Anderson is currently training on average 35 miles weekly and racing at sub 8 minute/mile pace. 

So what about this juice? Here's everything you need to know about the brine and all the reasons why you should be drinking it.

1. It can relieve muscle cramping.

Pickle juice has been proven to ease muscle aches and pains. Drinking the stuff after workouts became so popular at one time that Gatorade nearly launched its own version of the briny stuff.

2. Taking pickle-back shots is crazy fun.

If you've never had one of these, you aren't living. Outside of dancing on a table, it's quite possibly the silliest thing you'll ever do at a bar but it's one of those kitschy, "Southern" gimmicks that you have to try at least once. Who knows, maybe you'll learn to love them and get all your friends on board, too.

3. It keeps you hydrated for longer.

Sipping plain water is great, but a drink that contains both sodium and potassium is ideal because it will help you get hydrated faster and remain that way. They're both electrolytes that you lose when you sweat and pickle juice contains them both.

4. It's very budget-friendly.

Pickle juice can replace expensive, sugary sports drinks. And sometimes it's even free if you keep a jar of pickles in the fridge. You can even make your own by pickling cucumbers in vinegar, garlic, and salt.

5. It's more readily available than ever.

If your main argument against drinking pickle juice is that you'd have to do so out of the jar, then you have no more excuses. The briny stuff is now available in canned form for your convenience.

6. It's vitamin- and antioxidant-rich.

Pickle juice contains a decent amount of antioxidants and vitamins C and E, which help boost your immune system function, among other health-boosting roles in your body.

7. It can help you lose weight.

According to a study from Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, consuming vinegar—the main ingredient in pickle juice—every day can promote healthy weight loss.

8. It keeps your blood sugar regulated.

So instead of dumping that leftover liquid from your pickle jar down the drain, consider saving it for future use.

You might even find yourself enjoying the salty flavor. Things can taste differently after you exercise than they do normally. So even if pickle juice doesn’t sound amazing right now, maybe it will hit the spot after your next workout.

Even if you don’t ever love the taste, you may end up deciding that drinking pickle juice is worth it for the health benefits.

Kenyan Victor Kipchirchir will be going after the course record at Salzburg Marathon

Salzburg Marathon is set for a record-breaking event this weekend. Nearly 8,400 runners from 79 countries get ready to compete in the Austrian city. This marks a new participation record for the “Running Festival in Mozart’s Hometown”.

In a varied programme of eight running events the marathon race with 1,000 participants takes centre stage. Top favorite Victor Kipchirchir from Kenya is a late entry to the race and leads the charge to break the course record. The 31-year-old set his personal best of 2:07:39 when winning the Valencia Marathon in 2016, an IAAF Gold Label Race, and also triumphed at marathons in Warszawa and Santiago de Chile. He is the fastest runner that has ever been on the start line in Salzburg.

In the half marathon he boasts a world-class personal best of 59:31 minutes back in 2012. It is clearly his target to celebrate his first victory in Austria and to break the Salzburg Marathon course record of 2:14:16, set by Eliud Kiplagat in 2013.

Picturesque marathon course, runners enjoy the world-famous sights of the Mozart city, that is part of the UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage sites. The flat and AIMS / IAAF measured course leads through the centre of Salzburg and touches the green surroundings outside of town. Finish area is located in front of the world-famous "Grosses Festspielhaus" Large Festival Hall with a breathtaking view on Fortress "Hohensalzburg".Kipchirchir goes for course record

Victor Kipchirchir has everything what it takes to produce a new record performance in Salzburg. An experienced runner with many international races he finished ten marathons and broke 2:10 on four occasions. Besides his fastest time of 2:07:39 in Valencia 2016 he ran 2:08:52 in Seoul 2017, 2:09:13 in Frankfurt 2012 and 2:09:59 in Warszawa 2014.

The Kenyan definitely wants to do better than he did at his latest appearence in Austria. Six weeks ago he aimed for a podium place at the Vienna City Marathon and passed halfway in 63:22 as part of the leading group before dropping out after 30 k.

Talented runners want to shine in Salzburg, while no other runner in Salzburg matches the potential of Victor Kipchirchir, there is more talent assembled on the start line.

Kenyan Rogers Melly Kipchirchir with a PB of 2:13:38 and Stephen Katam Kipngetich with a PB of 2:14:08 want to improve their times. Rogers Melly came second in both Lodz and Münster marathons in 2016 with a 2:13 clocking. Should Victor Kipchirchir come into trouble, Roger Melly will have the chance for his first international victory.

Stephan Katam is the winner of Belgrade marathon 2017 and ran his fastest marathon in Tel Aviv 2016 when finishing in third place.

Marathon debutants Anthony Karinga Maina and Philip Kirui add more quali- ty to the elite field. They have proven themselves at half marathons. Maina ran 62:36 in high altitude at Nairobi 2016, Kirui clocked 63:11 in 2017.

The women’s race features Ethiopian Gadise Gudisa Negese as the favorite. At 21 she contests her first marathon race as an important new step in her career. Julia Brugger of Germany is another debutant. She aims for a time of about 2:50.

Strong field is set for Bolder Boulder including Jared Ward and Tyler McCandless

Returning to race this year is Jared Ward who was the first American in the New York Marathon and finished 8th overall at the Boston Marathon and Tyler McCandless who won the 2018 Bolder Boulder citizen’s race.

“We feel that with the strong pool of runners this year that Team USA could possibly take first place,” said pro athlete coordinator, Don Janicki. “With three returning champions in the men’s field it will be a really great competitive race.”

Members of the Men’s Team USA also include national title winner Parker Stinson who shattered 25K American record at the USATF 25K in May 2019 by 30 seconds, Haron Lagat who placed second at the 2017 Fortitude 10K Pro Race Chase; Diego Estrada who has a 10K personal best of 27:57;  Reid Buchanan who has a 27:58 10K PR; Eagle Scout Reed Fischer who has a 10K PR of 28:38; Boulder Track Club member Tim Rackers; and Boulder based professional runner Jake Riley who has a 10K PR of 27:59.

The Women’s Team USA include Taylor Ward; a rising star in American women’s distance running who placed third at the 2018 Fortitude 10K Pro Race Chase.

Lindsey Scherf who broke the indoor marathon world record at the Armory NYC Indoor Marathon World Record Challenge in 2018 by nearly two minutes; Lauren Martin Masterson who was the first female finisher of the 2017 Bolder Boulder citizen’s race; Kaitlin Goodmen who has a 10K PR of 33:18; and Stephanie Bruce who set a PR at the 5,000 meters indoors (15:44) at the New Balance Boston Indoor Games; Former Colorado Buffaloes star Shalaya Kipp.

In addition to the Americans competing at this year’s race, the Bolder Boulder will be welcoming teams from all over the world including Ethiopia, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Tanzania, Bahrain, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Pan South America.

“We’re ready for a super competitive international event thanks to the athlete’s continuing commitment to the race, “said Race Director, Cliff Bosley. “Some of the top ranked teams are trained in both altitude and marathon running and bring a competitive edge that keeps the event exhilarating to watch each and every year.”

Hellen Obiri, Steph Twell, Andy Vernon and Stanley Biwott are among the big names racing the Great Manchester 10km on Sunday

The Simplyhealth Great Manchester Run returns on Sunday, with a number of top elite athletes set to battle for titles ahead of the 30,000-strong mass race.

Kenya’s world 5000m and recent world cross country champion Hellen Obiri is making her debut at the event and will be faced with a field containing Ethiopia’s Tokyo marathon winner Ruta Aga, while two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat also features, as does Ireland’s Fionnula McCormack.

A healthy British contingent is headed by Steph Twell, who won the Brighton 10km in 31:58 last month, and she is joined by Mhairi Maclennan, Jenny Nesbitt and Aly Dixon, who was recently named part of Britain’s IAU 50km World Championships team for the event in Romania in September.

Ugandan world cross silver medallist Jacob Kiplimo is fastest in the men’s field with a personal best of 26:41, though he will be facing the likes of Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa, Boston Marathon runner-up this year, and Kenya’s 2015 New York marathon winner Stanley Biwott.

Mo Farah is not defending the title he won last year but the British presence will feature Nick Goolab, a man on form and the fastest Briton over 10km so far this year after breaking the course record with a run of 28:22 when winning in Brighton.

He will be joined by compatriots Emile Cairess, Ieuan Thomas and Dan Studley.

If your feet are aching after a run try Golf Ball Massage

You finish a long, grueling trail run and you’re tired and sore. After a shower you feel better, but your feet are still aching. Now is the time to get out your trusty golf ball and get down to business.

Maintaining proper flexibility and muscle tone in the feet is crucial for trail runners. The strain on the feet over long distances and uneven terrain is enormous and must be relieved for the feet to function properly through all phases of the running gait. Loss of foot flexibility and strength due to chronically shortened muscles and connective tissue can lead to general aches and pains in the feet – or worse – overuse injuries like plantar fasciitis. In addition, foot problems can translate into ankle, knee, hip and low back pain.

Stretching and self-massage of the feet feel good and help them to recover from the pounding of daily training. Here are some tips to help keep your feet happy:

Sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor. Bend your knee and grab your foot with both hands, placing your thumbs on the sole of the foot. Begin by squeezing, stretching and twisting your foot.

Use your thumbs, knuckles or fist to methodically massage the entire bottom of the foot, including the heel. You can use circular strokes, or go back and forth, or use long strokes along the length of the foot. Do whatever feels good. If you find sore spots – and you sill – spend some extra time working on them. This may “hurt good,” but should not cause pain.

If your hands get tired, you can break out your golf ball and use it as a massage tool. Use the palm of your hand to roll the ball around on the bottom of your foot, with a fair amount of pressure. The golf ball is effective because the little ridges on it help stimulate the nerve endings in the foot, break up micro-spasms in the muscles, and warm and stretch the plantar fascia. This band of connective tissue on the bottom of the foot can become inflamed and develop plantar fasciitis, a painful overuse injury that can seriously hamper your running.

Sit in a chair, place the golf ball on the floor and put your foot on it. Use your body weight to apply moderate pressure (“hurts good”), then roll your foot around, letting those little ridges dig into the tight, sore places. If you apply this technique on a regular basis, you can eventually stand up and place most of your weight on the golf ball.

Once you’ve squeezed, twisted, kneaded, and “golf balled” your feet, spend a few minutes stretching your feet and legs. You’ll be amazed at how good you feel all over. Adding this simple massage and stretching routine to your training schedule will keep your feet healthy and happy and increase your running pleasure for many seasons to come.

Double Olympic champion Caster Semenya, who lost her appeal over a controversial gender ruling, will not race at this month's Diamond League meeting in Stockholm

The South African, 28, who won gold in Rio in 2016 and London four years earlier will not lineup for the 800m after winning her most recent appearance over the distance in Doha on May 3.

Burundi's Francine Niyonsaba and Kenya's Margaret Nyairera Wambui, who are among the star female athletes affected by the International Association of Athletics Federation's (IAAF) ruling this month and who completed the Olympic podium in Brazil will also not race in Sweden.

Wambui said on Thursday her future was uncertain due to the IAAF's decision.

Semenya's case has provoked a furious debate across sport around the globe about gender and "hyperandrogenic" athletes, those with "differences of sexual development" (DSD).

The decision on May 1 by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland, means female athletes with elevated testosterone will have to take suppressive treatment if they wish to compete as women in certain events.

South Africa's government on Monday said it would lodge an appeal against the IAAF's decision which came into operation on May 8 and applies to distances from 400m to a mile, and includes the heptathlon.

"The onus is on the athletes to ensure they do not agree to attend track meets or put themselves forward for events they are not eligible to compete in," Stockholm meet director Jan Kowalski said.

"If they do compete in events for which they are not eligible, then - consistent with the approach taken in any case of athlete ineligibility - their results may be disqualified and any medals, points, or prize money forfeited," Kowalski added.

That leaves world bronze medallist Ajee Wilson from the US as the highest ranked runner in the women's 800m in Stockholm.

Alex Olson, 22-year-old will run the Fargo half maratón this weekend just one year after suffering a stroke

The experience of a lifetime came to Alex Olson last winter when he studied abroad for four months in beautiful Australia. However, it all came to a crashing halt last May when he was having trouble walking and talking, his balance was way off and his 'whole body felt tingly.'

"i just attempted to go to bed. I figured I would hopefully wake up in the morning and everything would be alright," Olson said. But his symptoms continued to grow worse as the night went on; Prompting Olson to ask friends to bring him to the ER the next morning. "By the time we got to the hospital, I wasn't able to walk into the ER on my own," Olson said.

When Olson finally did make his way inside, the Aussie doctors were thrown for a loop. "While it was obvious signs of typical stroke, we had all kind of unanimously agreed that that wouldn't make sense for a healthy, young, 21-year-old male," Olson said.

After hours of several tests and scans, the doctors finally came back with an answer: Olson had suffered a brain stem stroke. "When I heard the doctor say those words... It was difficult to handle and I cried," Olson said.

Although not confident, doctors told Olson he had a good shot of almost a full recovery—A silver lining in what Olson calls 'a dark time.' "But at the same time, when I couldn't move my arm or hand and could barely move my right leg, it was difficult to believe," he said.

But that possibility of one day regaining his mobility and strength pushed Olson through as he spent over a month in the Aussie hospital working with physical therapists. "Right off the bat I think everything was challenging," Olson said.

Home videos show the progress Olson made while in the hospital. One shows multiple people around Olson as he attempts to walk down the halls in his first weeks. Another video shows Olson's struggle just to clench his hands into a fist, while others show his fight to bring a cup to his mouth.

His challenge continued when he returned to the states late last summer. "Most people post brain stem stroke, it's not uncommon that they're not going to be nearly as functional," Dan Johnson, owner of Total Balance Physical Therapy and Fitness said.

For the past nine months, Johnson has been Olson's champion. The pair work two to three times a week together, with Johnson pushing and encouraging Olson while they've focused on the weakness and stability in Olson's right side.

And in the recent months, Johnson has helped Olson tackle yet another challenge. It's a goal that started in Olson's hospital bed—Joking with friends that once he could walk again he’d run a marathon. "The fact that he's so young and he's able to come back! He's going to be running the marathon on Saturday, all of those things are just absolutely phenomenal and just a testament to him as a human being," Johnson said.

Olson’s race will come just two days after the one year anniversary of his stroke. "I'm very excited to have it sorta be a celebration and a marker of how this recovery has gone," Olson said.

Chris Geils is running 1242 miles from Pretoria to Cape Town South Africa to raise awareness about disabilities

Chris Geils and 11 others have embarked on a journey, running from Pretoria to Cape Town South Africa, to raise awareness about disabilities.

The 41-year-old and team Ocal Global will leave the Mother City for Pretoria before starting an incredible non-stop, 24-hour-a-day challenge that spans two 100km (62 miles) over 10 days.

“The Ocal 2019 Journey for Change is being run not only to raise awareness around disability, but to raise funds for differently-abled children in the Northern Cape,” said Geils.

“All these children have physical disabilities, most commonly resulting from cerebral palsy, spina bifida, amputations, genetic syndromes, spinal injuries and traumatic brain injuries.”

He has committed to raising R25 000 ($1750) for the children’s immediate mobility and day-to-day living needs, including wheelchairs, walkers, prosthetics and crutches.

“When I was 24 years old I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with no known cure. 

"Over the next six years, I’d yo-yo between states of being well, and then lows of feeling terrible and being in constant pain.

‘‘Eating anything would leave me in pain and immediately running to the bathroom. At the age of 30, I decided to make a change and listen to my body. It was about this time that I started running.

‘‘Thankfully, I’m well enough now to live a healthy, active lifestyle, but this could change at any moment and I want to make the good days count.

‘‘It’s for this reason that I want to be able to help and bring about change for the children in the Northern Cape.”

Ocal Global founder Nicolene Anley said: “People are disabled not because of their condition - they’re disabled by the poorly accessible world we currently live in.

‘‘With all of those daily challenges, disability can be something that you create within yourself that disables you from living a life that’s whole and that’s full and that’s meaningful.”

They plan to finish their challenge in Cape Town, South Africa on May19.

The B.A.A. has announced that registration for the 124th Boston Marathon will open September 9, 2019

The B.A.A. has announced that registration for the 124th Boston Marathon, to be held on Monday, April 20, 2020, will open September 9, 2019. It will follow the same process as in previous years, except that qualifying standards for 2020 have been tightened up by five minutes across all age categories.

Registration is entirely online, at www.baa.org. The B.A.A. follows a process of allowing the fastest qualifiers to register first, with a rolling admission schedule.

How it works:

On Monday, September 9 at 10:00 a.m. ET, eligible runners who have met the qualifying standard for their age and gender by 20 minutes or more may register.

On Wednesday, September 11 at 10:00 a.m. ET, registration will open for those who have met their qualifying standard by 10 minutes or more.

On Friday, September 13 at 10:00 a.m. ET, registration will open for those who have met their qualifying standard by five minutes or more.

Registration will close for week one on Saturday, September 14 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

If space remains after the first week registration will re-open for all qualifiers from Monday, September 16 at 10:00 a.m. ET through Wednesday, September 18 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

As during the first week of registration, the fastest qualifiers by gender and age group will be granted entry as space allows.

If space remains after the first two weeks of registration:

On Monday, September 23 at 10:00 a.m. ET, registration will re-open to anyone who meets the qualifying standards.

Registration will remain open for valid qualifiers on a first-come, first-served basis until the maximum field size is reached, or until Sunday, October 27 at 5:00 p.m. ET (whichever comes first).

The qualifying window for 2020 began on September 15, 2018, and you may run a qualifying race anytime until the race is full or by Sunday, October 27, 2019, whichever comes first.

Qualifying standards for 2020 (all qualifying times are based on chip time):

Age Group Men & Women, 18-34 (3hrs, 3hrs 30min), 35-39 (3hrs 05min, 3hrs 35min), 40-44 (3hrs 10min, 3hrs 40min), 45-49 (3hrs 20min, 3hrs 50min), 50-54 (3hrs 25min, 3hrs 55min), 55-59 (3hrs 35min, 4hrs 05min), 60-64 (3hrs 50min, 4hrs 20min), 65-69 (4hrs 05min, 4hrs 35min), 70-74 (4hrs 20min, 4hrs 50min), 75-79 (4hrs 35min, 5hrs 05min), 80 and over (4hrs 50min, 5hrs 20min).

Once facing paralysis, Rochelle Ann Rosa bounces back with second Brooklyn Half Marathon

Three years ago, doctors told Rochelle Ann Rosa to not expect to walk again after bleeding in her stomach left her paralyzed. On May 19, 68-year-old Rosa will run her second Brooklyn Half Marathon.

“I really lived day by day, moment by moment,” Rosa recalled. “I literally thought, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to be paralyzed the rest of my life.”

The paralysis was the second seemingly unconquerable hurdle Rosa has faced in the last decade. On a crisp March morning some 9 years ago, at a corner in Bayside, a distracted cabdriver smashed into Rosa as she was crossing the street, sending her flying “like a bowling pin,” she remembers.

“Your instinct is to turn and grab the hood of the car like you’re Superman,” she said. “When I tried to stand up I knew I was hurt.”

Despite her determination to avoid the hospital and enjoy her impending vacation, she was in surgery 10 days later. As it turns out, her meniscus was “totally shredded,” her tibia “split wide open,” and both shins suffered hairline fractures.

She spent the next two years in rehabilitation so that she could walk without a cane. Eventually, she did and was soon bit by “the bug” to run. Four years ago, she joined a running group and decided the following year she would run her first New York Road Runners race.

“I was so excited,” she said. “I woke up the next day thinking that (I had) a stomach virus or a case of food poisoning.”

Three hours later, she was delirious and then lost consciousness. After being transported to the hospital, she spent hours in ICU until she was stable enough for surgery. Surgeons stapled her stomach to stop the bleeding and, eventually, moved her to a room for recovery.

“When I went to stand up to go the bathroom and walk, I collapsed,” Rosa said. “The blood oxygen levels in my brain got so messed up that I was temporarily paralyzed from the waist down for a little over six months.”

What ensued were three weeks in a Suffolk County hospital, three weeks in a rehab center — “which was the worst experience of my life” — then two months at home in a cast. But, just as after the car accident in Queens, Rosa resolved to walk again. She sought the help of physical therapist Manson Wong, who soon was making twice-weekly visits to her Lower East Side home.

 After only three weeks, Rosa was walking to the bathroom, and three weeks later she was walking around the apartment with the walker.

“It’s weird, it should have been a long, long, long process of years and years, when you take into account where she came from, where she needed help sitting,” Wong said. “I can’t explain to you how sick she was. She could have been dead.”

Yet, six months later, she was running. Wong recalled after finishing a race last year seeing someone run by who looked oddly like Rosa.

“I saw her going by and I wasn’t sure if it was her or not, I was shocked,” he said, adding: “For her to go on and finish a marathon is just insane.” Last year, Rosa completed the New York City Marathon — in a tutu.

Two defending champions Risper Gesabwa and Brendan Gregg, are returning for the 43rd annual Bellin Run

Risper Gesabwa and Brendan Gregg have signed on to the 10K on June 8.

Gesabwa broke the tape last year, setting a record sixth Bellin Run title, followed closely by 2017 champ Kaitlin Gregg Goodman.

Goodman and Gesabwa have history. Goodman also finished a close second to Gesabwa in 2016, meaning their 2019 rematch will be one to watch.

Kaitlin's brother, Brendan will try to get a second consecutive Bellin Run victory after winning last year's run. He will be up against former Bellin Run champ, Meb Keflezighi and 2016 Olympic marathoner, Jared Ward.

Other notable veteran athletes to participate this year are Uta Pippig, Joan Samuelson and Bill Rodgers.

The last of the 12,050 Bellin Run entrants had barely crossed the South Webster Avenue starting line Saturday morning when Brendan Gregg arrived at the finish.

Gregg finished the 42nd annual 10-kilometer race through Green Bay and Allouez in an impressive 29 minutes, 52 seconds. Meb Keflezighi, the 2016 Bellin winner, finished second with a time of 31:06. Jared Ward, at 31:19, was third for the second straight year.

Risper Gesabwa won a record sixth women's elite division title, finishing in 33:24; 2017 champ Kaitlin Goodman — Gregg's sister — was second at 33:30. Dawn Grunnagle was third at 35:29.

Saturday's event began under partly-cloudy skies, with a temperature of 62. More than 12,000 runners registered; 13,892 took part a year earlier.

The first Bellin Run, in 1977, had 881 participants. It grew to 1,100 in year two.

"I remember the days where you could stand on Greene Avenue and see groups of runners, and see the street in-between," said Green Bay resident Bob Cramer, who began running the Bellin in 1984. "Now, it's wall-to-wall people."

Joseph Kimani retains the men’s course record of 27:46, set in 1997. Tegla Loroupe holds the women’s course record of 31:48, set in 1999.

Kenyans have won the last five men's full marathons of the Sanford Fargo Marathon

The country that has produced so many great long distance runners over the years will be represented a sixth time at the Fargo Marathon Saturday.

It looks to be a competitive field for the 7 a.m. start. Perhaps helping the increased number of elite runners is the upcoming Olympic Trials for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Runners like Enock Birir, who is training out of Sante Fe, N.M. He’ll toe the line with the fastest personal record of the elite entrants at 2 hours, 20 minutes, 10 seconds. The 28-year-old won the Des Moines (Iowa) Marathon last fall, which was his first marathon in seven years and took third in the Mercedes-Benz Marathon in February in Birmingham, Ala., with a time of 2:26:44.

He’ll have competition from Arturs Bareikis of Crestwood, Ill., a native of Latvia, who took second in the Fargo Marathon in 2014. The Duma Running Club in Coon Rapids, Minn., is sending Kenyan runners Anthony Kurui and two-time Fargo champion David Tuwei.

Kurui most recently finished fifth in the half-marathon in Lincoln, Neb. The 40-year-old Tuwei lists a 2:14 as his PR, but his performances in the last few years have been more in the range of his Fargo-winning times of 2:27.15 in 2015 and 2:28.24 in 2017.

Perhaps the favorite is Garang Madut, who won the St. Jude Memphis Marathon last December. He ran cross country for four years at Cumberland University (Tenn.) and is a graduate assistant coach for the Cumberland women’s cross country team.

Madut moved to Nashville, Tenn., from South Sudan when he was 5 years old. At 23 years old, he may be on the verge of realizing his potential.

Defending Fargo champion Geofrey Terer of Colorado Springs, Colo., won the Brookings (S.D.) Marathon last weekend in 2:30.47. It’s doubtful the 42-year-old would have enough in the tank to challenge on consecutive weekends but he’s been in the running game long enough to know competition over 26.2 miles can get strange at times. It worked last year when he won the Fargo in 2:30.00.

“It’s about who’s on Saturday?” Almquist said. “Who has it mentally and physically together? Or who adapts best to the conditions the runners are facing that day? You know Fargo, it could be anything on Saturday.”

Defending champion Geoffrey Kirui and two-time world champion Edna Kiplagat are among the athletes named by Athletics Kenya for the marathon at the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019

Nine athletes have been selected, but two of those will be reserves. As Kirui gets a wildcard entry by virtue of being the defending champion, Kenya will have four men on the marathon start line and three women. The final line-up will be decided nearer to the time of the World Championships.

Kirui, who also won the Boston Marathon in 2017, is joined on the team by Amos Kipruto, Laban Korir, Paul Lonyangata and Ernest Ngeno.

Kipruto, a 2:05:43 performer, finished on the podium in Tokyo and Berlin last year. Korir, a former winner in Toronto, has a PB of 2:05:54. Lonyangata set his PB of 2:06:10 in 2017, the first of his two Paris Marathon victories. Ngeno has reached the podium in nine of his 11 marathons to date, clocking a PB of 2:06:41 last year.

Kiplagat won back-to-back world titles in 2011 and 2013. She finished fifth in 2015 and returned to the podium in 2017, taking the silver medal in London.

The 2:19:50 runner is joined on the Kenyan World Championships team by Ruth Chepngetich, Sally Chepyego and Visiline Jepkesho.

Chepngetich won in Istanbul last year in 2:18:35 and then took the Dubai Marathon title earlier this year in 2:17:08, moving to third on the world all-time list. Chepyego earned the bronze medal at the 2014 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships and set a marathon PB of 2:23:15 last year. Jepkesho, a former winner in Paris and Rotterdam, has a PB of 2:21:37.

Men: Amos Kipruto, Geoffrey Kirui, Laban Korir, Paul Lonyangata, Ernest Ngeno

Women: Ruth Chepngetich, Sally Chepyego, Visiline Jepkesho, Edna Kiplagat

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon today announced that more than 11,000 runners raised an event record $22.7 million through the 2018 Chicago Marathon Charity Program

Since the program was officially established in 2002, more than 128,000 runners have raised over $207 million for local, national and global causes. 

“It’s been amazing to see the growth of our Charity Program over the last 17 years,” said Carey Pinkowski, executive race director. “What started as a small idea with 1,600 runners in 2002 has become a pillar of the event.

Last year’s record fundraising efforts add to the great legacy of the program, and the impact will continue to grow as we welcome another class of charity runners in 2019."The Charity Program for the 2019 Bank of America Chicago Marathon is underway with 170 charities participating. More than 12,000 runners are expected to raise funds related to 14 different social issues, including education, youth development, health care, and social services.

In a sport that focuses on individual accomplishments, the Charity Program gives runners the opportunity to join a team and make their run more meaningful by running on behalf of a cause. “One of the key reasons for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon’s world-class status is the power and spirit of the dedicated running community and their commitment to making their marathon experience more meaningful by running for the benefit of a charity.”

Said Paul Lambert, Chicago market president, Bank of America. “We’re honored to advance the race’s positive community and economic impact to the city and to a variety of charitable causes.”

Refugee athletes Domnic Lokinyomo Lobalu and Paulo Amotun Lokoro finished 1-2 in the Harmony Geneva Marathon UNICEF 10km

These were the best performances ever by members of the Athlete Refugee Team.

Lobalu dominated the race, winning by more than a minute in 29:14 ahead of Lokoro, who represented the ART at the 2018 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, who clocked 30:32. Four of the first five finishers were members of the Athlete Refugee Team who train at the Tegla Loroupe Training Camp For Refugee Athletes in Ngong, Kenya.

"I am very happy to have won," said Lokinyomo, who covered the opening five kilometres in 14:20, by then already running alone. "I am going back to even more intense training when I return to Kenya."

Lokinyomo, 20, showed signs of solid form soon after the new year when he finished 8th at at Athletics Kenya Cross Country Series meeting in Kisii on 12 January. He was to race at a 5km in Monaco on 17 February and at the IAAF World Cross County Championships Aarhus 2019 on 30 March but was denied a visa on both occasions.

He's now targeting a spot on the Athlete Refugee Team for October's World Championships in Doha in the 10,000m where selection will be based on performances set this year.

Swiss runner Morgan Le Guen was third with refugee athletes Simon Ayong and Pur Biel rounding out the top five, clocking 30:53 and 31:37, respectively. Biel was a teammate of Lokoro's at the Rio Olympics.

Founded in 2015, the Tegla Loroupe Training Camp For Refugee Athletes is supported by the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the IAAF and other organisations.

The team’s victory was celebrated at the finish line by thousands of spectators, including Rossella Pagliuchi, UNHCR UK's representative and Sukru Cansizoglu, Head of UNHCR programs in Kakuma, Kenya. 

On Sunday, Gatkuoth Puok competed in the event’s half marathon, finishing 83rd in 1:21:37 despite suffering a severe stitch after the seventh kilometer.

Laura Muir is ready to race the Vitality Westminster Mile the world's biggest timed mile event

Multiple European champion Laura Muir leads the entrants in a star-studded elite women’s field in the Vitality Westminster Mile.

Defending champion Melissa Courtney, the Commonwealth Games 1500m bronze medallist, is back again as is 2017 champion Adelle Tracey.

European Indoor Championships 800m gold medallist Shelayna Oskan-Clarke will make her debut in the event while Sarah McDonald, who won the Vitality Westminster Mile in 2016 and was runner-up a year later, returns to the streets of central London.

The Vitality London 10000 takes place on Monday 27 May – the day after the Vitality Westminster Mile where Laura Muir will be starting a summer season which she hopes will end in glory at the World Championships in Doha.

The Vitality Westminster Mile is the world’s biggest timed mile event with races for all ages and abilities, from families to adults, schools, wheelchairs, Masters and Olympians. The under-13, under-15, under-17, under-20 and senior races are also the British One Mile Road Championships.

Mo Farah will also be among the star attractions in the elite races at the Vitality London 10000 the next day. Both events are five-star certified events by European Athletics Running for All, on 26-27 May. The Vitality Westminster Mile is the world's biggest timed mile event.

Jack Brodie who had skin cancer is set to run Edinburgh Marathon

A Scottish man diagnosed with skin cancer at the age of 16 is preparing to run in his first marathon alongside touring the country giving talks in schools about the illness.

Jack Brodie will raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support by running in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival on 26 May.

The 21-year-old from Edinburgh was originally given the life-changing diagnosis as he was “trying to make my sixth and final year of school some sort of success”.

However, after a successful operation and subsequent treatment Jack was told that he was finally cancer-free.

“For me, the days with cancer will never end and I will always be attached to it in some way, or another,” he said. 

“I still remember the beige walls in the doctor’s office when I was given the gut-wrenching diagnosis. Macmillan were there with every step of the way from my diagnosis and I maintain being friends with my Macmillan nurse.

“My diagnosis completely changed my life and the lives of those around me.

“Having seen the effect the disease has, I’ll be running for the others affected by cancer.”

Jack has written a moving blog account of his experience called ‘War Wounds: what it’s like to be 16 and told you have cancer’, in which he lays bare the experience.

The Edinburgh Marathon Festival is Scotland’s largest running event and will involve thousands of runners putting on their running shoes in the Scottish capital and covering 26.2 miles.

Last year Macmillan raised more than £580,000 in the one weekend as thousands of runners put on the green Macmillan T-shirt.

Michelle Campbell, fundraising manager in Scotland for Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “We’re so grateful to all our runners taking on the Edinburgh Marathon challenge and wish them the best of luck for race day.

Semehar Tesfaye, who has won the last three Sanford Fargo Marathons, has retired from running and will not be back this year to win a fourth straight women's marathon

Semehar Tesfaye graduated from Fargo South in 2008. She attended North Dakota State for one year before transferring to Iowa State, where she graduated in 2012.

She got her masters degree from the University of Arkansas in 2013. Ultimately, the educational aspect of her life won out over competitive running, so the three-time defending champion at the Sanford Fargo Marathon will not return for a shot at a four-peat.

At 28 years old, she’s retired. The amount of time it takes to train at a high level was just too much.

“To actually be prepared and the nature of how running is,” she said, “you may have a good day or a bad day but to train so long for one race was too much of a risk to put into it.”

Plus, she said, she has a new goal of becoming a data scientist and is taking online courses. Tesfaye is currently a quality assurance technologist for a food processing company in the Boston area.

Tesfaye burst upon the Fargo Marathon scene in 2016 when she won the women’s race in 2 hours, 37 minutes, 27 seconds, beating the course record by more than four minutes. It was her first-ever marathon and that fast of a time spurned questions of her potential. Such as, is she Olympic-caliber capable?

Primarily a middle-distance runner in college who finished her career at Arkansas, her speed combined with an increased endurance made it seem like a possibility. But she also dealt with minor injuries in the months leading up to a couple of Fargo Marathons.

“Running does that to you,” Tesfaye said. “You’re only going to be fit 10 to 20 percent of the year with the rest of the time being hard training and tough on you mentally.”

Combined with a full-time job, it doesn’t leave time for much else. That has changed. She doesn’t miss the long miles, although she still goes for easy runs to maintain a good fitness level.

The memories, certainly, won’t soon fade away.

Boosted by pre-race publicity, many fans along the Fargo Marathon route knew her on a first-name basis. When she crossed the finish line at the Fargodome in 2016, with a sprint no less, it was to the roar of a game-winning shot in basketball.

That first one remains the most memorable.

“I wasn’t sure I was going to finish the race,” she said. “I remember waking up, going to the Fargodome and remember the first step was just waking up and giving yourself a chance. I remember thinking I wasn’t sure how I was going to do.”

Just how tough is the Boston Marathon? from Marathon Man Gary Allen File 6

Just how tough is the Boston Marathon and how many times are runners told to resist the urge to start too fast....a very common mistake at the Boston Marathon.

OK don’t take my word for it, statistics don’t lie, Dave McGillivray the race director shared the following, “Of the 26,658 finishers, onl 705 ran the 2nd half faster than the first half for a measly 2.64%.”

This of course means 97.36% of the entire field were slowed by the tough terrain of the second 13.1 miles. I personally believe it was less about the Newton hills and more about imprudent pacing.

You see, Boston’s early downhills are almost impossible to resist. Speaking from experience, I have run the Boston Marathon 24 times and I think I might have run negative splits just twice. Yes, I started too fast.

Is this a common phenomenon at the Boston Marathon? Check out these statistics from an experienced marathoner and a good friend Stephen Peckiconis, “it doesn't vary much.” His split stats show just 749 / 2.81% ran negative splits in 2016 and only 812 / 3.07% in 2017.

So if you want to have success at Boston, run conservatively early or you’ll join the vast majority who slow or struggle in the second half every single year.

Marathon Man Gary Allen is a regular writer for My Best Runs

A Long Run the movie tells one man's story, but it's every runner's journey. Bob Anderson's life connects us to many icons...by the end, you're left with a runner's high without the sweat says Dan Brown

Over 100,000 people have already watched A Long Run the movie with good reviews. Now you can watch the full length movie...compliments of MyBestRuns.com with speical arrangments with it's production company Around Town Productions.   

Actor Sean Astin who narrated the film wrote, "I loved A Long Run.  Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your wonderful journey Bob."  Boston Marathon director Dave McGillivray wrote," In watching A Long Run, you readily see the impact and influence Bob has had on our sport over the years.  This story is inspiring, motivational, educational and simply makes you want to go out the door and do a run..and a real 'long run' at that."

Joe Henderson writer and former Runner's World editor wrote, "I’ve always known Bob Anderson as a man of Big Ideas, one with a knack for making these dreams come true. He conceived a little magazine called Distance Running News, which grew into the biggest one, Runner’s World.

"He created a book division that published some of the sport’s best-selling titles...This all happened before Bob turned 30, but his idea-generating didn’t stop then. At more than twice that age, he dreamed up Double Racing and then to celebrate his 50th anniversary as a runner, Bob plotted a tough year-long course: 50 races, averaging better than seven minutes per mile overall, concluding the week he would turn 65."

A Long Run tells one man's story, but it's every runner's journey. Bob Anderson's amazing life connects us to icons like Bill Rodgers, Billy Mills and Paula Radcliffe but also to the low-budget thrill of a community 5k. The gorgeous cinematography captures The Avenue of the Giants, the beauty of Central Park in New York City, the San Francisco landscapes, resort cities like Cancun and Cabo, the lush island of Kauai and the vistas of Fort Bragg.

And the smoothly intertwined stories - his 50-race challenge, the magazine, the running boom - are handled with Olympic-caliber pacing. By the end, you're left with a runner's high, without all the sweat.

This is an inspirational life long journey that takes you across the United States, into Mexico and introduces you to some amazing runners.

A Long Run features Bob Anderson who started Runner's World magazine when he was 17 with $100. He grew the magazine to nearly a half million circulation with monthly readership of nearly 2.5 million before selling it to Rodale Press in 1984. How did he do it and why did he sell the magazine he loved?

50 years after he started running, he started his 50 race challenge... one year - 50 races - 350 miles.

His goal - Average under a 7 min/mile average pace at 64-years-old. That's fast for any age!

In the running formula known as age-grading, Anderson’s mile pace is the equivalent of a 30-year-old running an average pace of 5:24 for 50 races covering 350 miles.

“I wanted to do something special, something that would be very positive for running,” Anderson said. “But I also wanted to do something that would not be easy.”

Did he reach his goal? How did he cope with injuries? Weather? Hills? How did he recover each week?

Bob Anderson first run took place Feb. 16, 1962. His first race was May 7 that year, when he covered 600 yards at Broadmoor Junior High in 1 minute, 39 seconds.  By 1963 at age 15 he placed first at the Junior Olympics in Missouri clocking 2:08.5 for 880 yards.  

By 17, Anderson wanted to tackle a marathon. He wanted to run the Boston Marathon. But neither he nor his high school coach (coach McGuire) knew how to prepare. So Anderson did the 1965 equivalent of a Google search: He sent letters around the country asking for advice.  

Coaches and top athletes replied not just with training tips, but also with addresses of other people Anderson should try. Soon he had a network of running experts at his disposal.

Recognizing the value of this collected wisdom, he turned to teammate David Zimmerman while on a bus trip to a cross-country meet for their Shawnee Mission West team. “I’m going to start a magazine,” Anderson declared.

With $100 from baby-sitting and lawn-mowing jobs, the 17-year-old launched Distance Running News. The magazine debuted in January 1966 with a 28-page issue that Anderson collated, stapled and folded himself.

The publication created a stir among a previously unknown army of foot soldiers. Thirsty runners plunked down the $1 subscription price (for two issues) — and often enclosed an additional $5 just to make sure the magazine stayed afloat.

“Until then, I wasn’t even aware that there was a running community,” said SF Bay Area runner Rich Stiller, who had been running with Anderson since the early 1970s. “I always think that Runner’s World was part of the jet-propulsion that really made the running boom take off and made people realize, ‘Oh, gee, I’m not doing this alone.’ ”

The magazine grew so quickly that Anderson dropped out of Kansas State University. He recruited a SF Bay Area writer and runner named Joe Henderson to be his editor, and moved the magazine headquarters to Northern California.

Anderson’s 50-for-50 goal was in jeopardy after he stumbled out of the gate or, more specifically, down a trail in Mountain View.

While on a training run in December, Anderson awoke to find his head streaming with blood and two people standing above him looking alarmed.

“There were no marks at all on my hands, which means I must not have even realized I was going down,” he said.

The fall required over 60 stitches and plastic surgery. But determined not to cancel the first race in his 50-race quest, Anderson limped to the starting line in San Francisco on New Year’s Day with a ruddy forehead and an eggplant of a bruise on his left knee. He finished that first race and then 49 more that year.  

When Bob was publishing Runner's World he got so consumed managing a staff of 350 and was not able to train enough to run the Boston Marathon.  However he did run ten marathons between 1968 to 1984 but none with enough training.  He would not run Boston until 2013 when at age 65 he clocked 3:32:17.

A Long Run the movie covers a lot of ground.  The year long event finished over six years ago but the story is fresh and a movie all runners and even non-runners will enjoy.  You will want to watch it over and over again.

Some of the runners besides Bob Anderson featured in the film include: Bill Rodgers, Paula Radcliffe, Joe Henderson, George Hirsch, Rich Benyo, Amol Sexena, JoAnn Dahlkoetter, Rich Stiller, Hans Schmid, JT Service, Pina Family, Wall Family, Billy Mills, Gerry Lindgren, Dave Zimmerman, Dean Karnazes, Monica Jo Nicholson, Coach Lloyd McGuire, Katie McGuire, Mary Etta Blanchard, John Young, Roger Wright and more...

It was produced by Around Town Productions and directed by Michael Anderson (third photo at one of the showings in a theater in Monterey). 

To watch the movie click on the link or go to: www.alongrun.com

Actress and singer Christy Altomare is training to run her first marathon, New York City

Actress and singer Christy Altomare completed her first-ever half marathon Sunday, but running has long been part of the performer’s life.

“I’ve always used running as my main form of exercise,” Altomare told Page Six. “It grounds me, it calms me, and I know this is weird, but the endorphins from it just make me more centered for my day.”

Altomare, 32, who recently starred in the title role of “Anastasia” on Broadway, participated in the 2019 Shape Women’s Half Marathon, where she also sang the national anthem. She is currently prepping for the New York Road Runners’ premier event, the TSC New York City Marathon — Altomare’s first — in November.

“Over this last year, I decided to start entering the small races with the New York Road Runners, which I entered into the 9+1 program, while I was doing my eight-show week, which was kind of crazy,” she said.

“Looking back on it, I would do a 10-mile run and then do a press event for two hours and then do two shows, so stuff like that would happen, but it was ultimately worth it because I ended up finishing the 9+1 program, which leads you into a guaranteed slot into the marathon.”

The 9+1 program guarantees admission to the TSC New York City Marathon after participants have run nine races and volunteered at one.

Though Altomare never gave much thought to the New York City Marathon, her fiancé, an FDNY fireman, as well as her roommate, inspired her to go the distance.

“The one thing that she [Altomare’s roommate] always says is, ‘You only have to run one marathon to become a marathoner.’ It’s a small percentage of people on this earth that have run a marathon and I think it’s always been a personal goal,” she said.

In addition to switching up her diet, Altomare has also amended her training regimen.

“It’s really about not taking it too far, doing long runs and then short runs and then also, the endurance of going outside versus the treadmill,” she said. “[It’s] also not just working out by running, but using the machines, and working out your arms. A lot of times runners will forget about their arms and really sticking true to stretching before and after a run.”

While the marathon is still months away, Altomare has already envisioned her post-race celebration.

“I’m really excited because my fiancé is going to be running with the firemen this year, and my roommate is also running the marathon, so all three of us will probably celebrate together, which is going to be really exciting,” Altomare shared.

Kenya´s Bernard Too set a new course record at The Harmony Geneva Marathon clocking 2:09:45

The Harmony Geneva Marathon for UNICEF, known as one of the most beautiful marathon routes in Europe, concluded in Geneva of Switzerland on Sunday, with a record over 18,300 runners taking to the start lines of various race formats.

Kenyan Bernard Too won the men's race and set a new track record of two hours nine minutes and 45 seconds, while his compatriot Josephine Chepkoech refreshed the women's record, finishing in two hours 29 minutes and 11 seconds.

Coming from 113 countries and regions throughout the world, the over 18,300 registered runners include 2,400 marathon runners, 6,000 half-marathon runners, 1,800 participants of 300 relay teams, five wheelchair athletes, 1,500 juniors, 3,400 10km runners, thousands of walking participants and some 1,000 volunteers.

The organizers introduced a parent and child race to the event for the first time this year, and the new race format is considered to be a perfect opportunity for parents to bring their little ones (from the age of three) to the world of running.

This year's event is the 15th edition of the Harmony Geneva Marathon, which also marks the 10th year of involvement by UNICEF, the event's official charity partner.

Kenyan Francis Kamiri successfully defends his Gum Tree 10k title

Francis Kamiri had a number in mind for his morning run in Saturday’s Gum Tree 10k and he was determined to nail it.

The defending race champion did – and blew the field away in the process.  The 31-year-old Kamiri quickly moved to the front at the start, was never threatened at all, and won in 29:41.

“I wanted to run a 29,” said Kamiri, who often consulted his watch as he maintained his under-5-minute pace throughout. A year ago, he ran a 30:14 and won by eight seconds.

Kamiri’s running partner, runner-up Richard Kimani, marveled at the effort.  “He was right there next to me at the start,” Kimani said. “Then, zoom, he was gone.”

Long gone – winning the race by slightly more than two minutes.

Kimani, the third-place finisher a year ago, finished in 31:44.

First-time Gum Tree participant Gladys Cheboi was the first female across the finish line, in 36:21, to finish 12th overall.

Kamiri and Cheboi each won $600. Both of them along with Kimani, run out of Homewood, Alabama.  Overcast skies and an occasional sprinkle greeted runners on the 6.2-mile course through Tupelo neighborhoods. There were 537 official finishers.

Record setting performances at the 42nd Annual River Bank 25K Run

Emma Bates crossed the finish line with a smile and arms outstretched, while Parker Stinson (photo) roared in with tears of joy.

Both had reason to celebrate with record-setting performances Saturday at the Amway River Bank Run 25K in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

Under cool race conditions that began and finished under temperatures in the low to mid 40s and clouds, the two smashed previous records with dominating performances in the 42nd edition of the race.

Bates, runner-up at last year's race, pulled away from Sara Hall and finished in one hour, 23 minutes and 50 seconds to break the 2012 record by 34 seconds, while Stinson, who was third in 2017, finished in 1:13.46 to better a twice-reached mark of 1:14.18 from 2013 and 2014.

Each won $10,000 for first and an additional $5,000 for the record. Bates added another $2,500 for crossing the finish line first in the race-within-a-race against the men.

Stinson was emotional after the race. The 27-year-old from Boulder, Colorado, pulled away from the field within the first four miles, routinely doing 4:40 miles and was never threatened.

"I've run that way so many times and just been mocked and made fun of for running out front and believing in myself," he said. "So today, to break the record and running every single step by myself - I just killed a lot of demons today."

The knock on Stinson has been a tendency to get overly excited and burn too much energy, leaving little for the end.

"Even Mile 12, I came out of those hills running 4:20 pace and I dialed it back a bit," he said. "I told myself, 'Don't make this hard on yourself. You're in a good spot and stay in the zone.'"

Stinson also benefitted from training with Dathan Ritzenhein, a three-time Olympian who lives in Rockford and trains Stinson. Stinson has stayed with the Ritzenhein family the past 10 days.

"I guess now I owe him some money for room and board now that I actually have some," Stinson said with a laugh.

For Ritzenhein, his first significant win as a coach was also nerve wrecking as Stinson jumped out fast.

"When he jumped out so fast early he was pushing the extreme of what we said," Ritzenhein said. "He stuck with it and knew where he was (in the field). I was a wreck, but he was great."

Stinson wiped the field. Second place went to Scott Smith in 1:15:05, more than 80 seconds behind, while Kiya Dandena was third (1:15.37).

Meanwhile, on the women's side, Bates was locked in a duel with Hall - just as the two did along with Stephanie Bruce last week at the USATF Half Marathon in Pittsburgh.

While Hall outlasted Bates to finish second a week ago behind Bruce, Bates pulled away this time at about the nine-mile mark to win by 1:42 ahead of Hall.

Molly Bookmyer was third (1:27:26).

Belfast Marathon organizers apologize after course is 460 meters too long which is better than too short making it a non race

Belfast City Marathon organisers have apologised after admitting that Sunday's course was 0.3 miles longer than it should have been.

Belfast Marathon chairman David Seaton blamed "human error", saying the lead car diverted from the route.  "Approximately 460 additional meters were added to the officially measured course of 26.2 miles," he said.

"This was due to human error, with the lead car diverting from the official route."  Earlier, John Glover, the event's course measurer, said runners had twice been "taken off the measured route".

"The route run was 469 metres in excess of the route measured and approved by the Association of International Marathons," said Mr Glover.

In a statement, Mr Seaton said "protocols will be put in place to ensure this never happens again."  He added that race organisers were in the "process of adjusting runners' times to reflect the correct distance".

Following Sunday's race, a number of questions were raised on social media about the new course's length.

Kenyans Joel Kositany and Caroline Jepchirchir took victory in the first Sunday running of the event.  Kositany secured his fourth Belfast men's triumph as he crossed the line in two hours 18 minutes 40 seconds.

Jepchirchir repeated her 2018 win as she set the fastest ever women's time in Belfast, clocking 2:36:38.

This 38th staging of the event took place on a new course.  Event chairman Seaton said that the mistake will upset a number of competitors.  "I can understand if you have been aiming for a sub three-hour marathon time and because of the mistake you have ended up being just outside three hours on the clock, that you are going to be annoyed,” he said.  

"It's a hiccup that we obviously could have done without. But I don't think it should overshadow what was a very successful day with the numbers up significantly because of the new Sunday date.

"People have been coming up to us congratulating us on the day and saying it was a great event with the spectator number also well up on previous years."

Mom and 8-Month-Old Daughter Shatter Stroller Half Marathon Record a few weeks ago

With the help of her mom, 8-month-old Sadie Rose Stroud was the first female to cross the finish at the Vintage Park Half Marathon in Houston on April 14.

She and her mom, local runner Lauren Stroud, not only took the women’s win in 1:22:29, they also set a pending stroller half marathon Guinness record while doing so.

Stroud took more than five minutes off the previous official Guinness record of 1:27:34 held by Lindsy James of the United Kingdom. Julia Webb beat this time at the 2016 Rock ’n’ Roll Chicago Half Marathon with a 1:22:57, but this record appears to have never been ratified by Guinness.

To make the victory all the more dominating, Stroud won the women’s division of the race by nearly six minutes, averaging a 6:18-mile pace.

After a breakup, Braulio Vazquez lost 50 Pounds and Got into Marathon Shape and is now set to run the Brooklyn Half Marathon

When Braulio Vazquez moved to New York City three years ago, he knew almost no one. No friends. No acquaintances outside work colleagues. No one except his partner. And his partner was controlling. He would check in with Vazquez and monitor his movements.

As a result, Vazquez stopped going out—he stopped running, cooking, and doing any of his old hobbies. He would eat fast food from Popeyes, go straight home after work, and sit in the dark on his days off.

Vazquez was 200 pounds, trapped, and feeling miserable. Last year, however, Vazquez initiated a change: He sought mental council, dropped over 50 pounds, and got into marathon shape.

The change happened at dinner. It began with a breakup. “As soon as he sat down, I told him I couldn’t do this anymore and that nothing would change my mind,” Vazquez says. His partner had been demeaning, shaming Vazquez for buying running shoes and accusing him of infidelity. But that night, Vazquez ended it, and soon after, he moved in with a friend.

When the friend briefly left town, Vazquez, alone with his thoughts, began to panic. He felt depressed and lonely. He was free of his relationship, but still in an unfamiliar city and without a support group of friends. He started thinking about ways to kill himself. He immediately called the National Suicide Hotline.

Operators followed up with Vazquez every day afterward, checking in on him. His employer then helped him into therapy, one of the scariest moments for Vazquez.

At the same time, he began running. He’d wake up at 5:30am three times a week and run along the Hudson River. In therapy, Vazquez was challenged to consider why he’d left many of these hobbies behind. He was interested in running, but he was only now exercising. He loved to cook, but he always ate out. Vazquez's therapist suggested he surround himself with people who enjoyed doing those same things. One day, while running along the river, Vazquez passed a running group and joined. He fell in love with it.

He also fell back in love with cooking, limiting carbs and sweets. He replaced cravings with protein shakes and started cooking more grilled chicken and greens. He also began watching the time of day he was eating. The late, after-work Popeye trips became a thing of the past.

He downloaded apps like Ladder and subscribed to GNC’s Pro Box. He started supplementing his running with 30 minutes of morning gym work in order not to strain his joints. “Waking up every day, seeing people–life just got better,” says Vazquez. He continued therapy. He started going on dates. He got a promotion at work. And the pounds started coming off.

Vazquez is now down 54 pounds and preparing for the Popular Brooklyn Half Marathon, which he'll run next week. Brooklyn was supposed to be his first official race, but Vazquez says others popped up that he couldn’t resist. He’s done three already this year and is signed up for a total of 14.

Jordan Hasay will headline the women’s race in the 2019 Bank of America Chicago Marathon

Jordan Hasay has announced that she will target the American women’s marathon record this fall in Chicago.

Rupp’s Nike Oregon Project teammate, Jordan Hasay, offers incredible inspiration when it comes to successful comebacks. After a storybook 2017 season that saw her run the American debut marathon record, 2:23:00, for a third-place finish in Boston and then post the second-fastest time ever run by an American woman in Chicago (2:20:57), she shut down her 2018 season due to two stress fractures in her foot.

She announced her comeback with confidence this spring in Boston, acquiring another podium finish and posting a swift time, 2:25:20. Hasay hopes to take down Deena Kastor’s long-standing American record of 2:19:36. “I am honored to return to the streets of Chicago,” said Hasay. “I love the fast course and exciting atmosphere, which I believe can lead to an attempt at the American record. I look forward to being at my best again and giving it all I have in October.” 

In its 42nd year on Sunday, October 13, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon welcomes thousands of runners from more than 100 countries and all 50 states, including a world-class elite field, top regional and Masters runners, race veterans, debut marathoners and charity runners.

The race’s iconic course takes runners through 29 vibrant neighborhoods on an architectural and cultural tour of Chicago. Annually, an estimated 1.7 million spectators line the streets cheering on more than 40,000 runners from the start line to the final stretch down Columbus Drive.

As a result of the race’s national and international draw, the Chicago Marathon assists in raising millions of dollars for a variety of charitable causes while generating $338 million in annual economic impact to its host city. The 2019 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, a member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, will start and finish in Grant Park beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 13.

Anthony Osheku Former national 800m/1500m runner and foremost athletics coach, predicts new course record at Okpekpe Road Race

Anthony Osheku has predicted new course records at the seventh edition of the IAAF silver label Okpekpe International 10km Road Race.

Osheku, one of Nigeria’s top road race experts, believes the 2019 IAAF regulations and the decision of the organisers of the Okpekpe race to seek a gold label status for the event next year will make this year’s race the best in terms of the quality of its elite field of athletes.

“The 2019 IAAF regulations have made it compulsory for all label races to have a minimum of six men and six women from the pool of athletes whose status corresponds to the label being applied for. This will ensure that a Gold Label race, for example, has at least 12 of the world’s 300 best specialists at that particular distance,” began Osheku.

“What this means is that the seventh edition of the Okpekpe 10km road race will have at least 12 gold level running athletes in attendance, that is athletes who run 27,28 minutes consistently for men and 30,31 and 32 minutes for women.

“The last time we had athletes who ran under 29 minutes for men and 33 minutes for women was five years ago, precisely 2014 when the Ethiopian duo of Teshome Mekonnen and Wude Ayalew ran 28:35 and 32:41 respectively to set the current course records for men and women,” said Osheku, who hails from Fugar, a town near Okpekpe.

This year’s race will be held May 25 in Okpekpe, Nigeria 

Kenya’s Visiline Jepkesho says Kenya must change their tactics if they are to reclaim the title at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar

Under pressure to repay the trust shown in her by the coaches, Jepkesho has been offered another chance to showcase her talent and represent Kenya at the championships after having wasted her opportunity back in 2016 at the Rio Olympic Games.

"It is a major statement by the coaches to give me the ticket to the World Championships. Kenya has many elite marathon runners and this chance will certainly have gone to any of them, but they gave it to me. I must repay it by winning in Doha and that will call for a change in tactics because sometime we are so predictable," said Jepkesho on Saturday in Nairobi.

Jepkesho explained that she failed to finish on the podium at the 2017 World Championships and 2016 Rio Games due to poor strategy.

"This time Kenya has named the team early and this creates time for us to prepare well and even plan as a team," she said. "I am happy that I will represent the country at the World Championships for the third time in a row. We have to work as a team if we are to post good results."

Jepkesho had a stellar season in 2018, winning two marathons, respectively in Rotterdam and Ljubljana Slovenia. But her quest to win the World Marathon Championships title is a higher hurdle and she is ready to take a leap of faith and hope to clear it.

Jepkesho will have the company of two-time world champion Edna Kiplagat, former world championships 10,000m silver medalist Sally Kipyego and two-time Istanbul marathon winner Ruth Chengetich.

Kiplagat won the title in 2011 and 2013 and won silver in London in 2017 and a similar medal in 2012 London Olympic Games.

She also won New York City and Boston marathon in 2014 and 2017 respectively.

Kenya's Elisha Barno will be going after his fifth win at the Grandma's Marathon June 22

Already the only man to win four consecutive Grandma's Marathons, Kenya's Elisha Barno will strive for No. 5 at the 43rd installment of Minnesota's oldest marathon on June 22.

And he'll bring along his buddy and countryman, Grandma's record-holder Dominic Ondoro. Their New Mexico-based agent, Scott Robinson, confirmed both are planning to race in Duluth. And while that could change, it's an exciting prospect.

In winning for the fourth straight year last June, Barno produced the third-fastest time in event history — 2 hours, 10 minutes and 6 seconds. Speedy as that was, it's a minute slower than the 2:09:06 Ondoro unleashed in 2014 when he bumped Dick Beardsley from the top spot.

Barno will arrive in the Northland riding a swell of success. Following three straight runner-up finishes (all to Ondoro), he finally broke through, and broke the tape, at the Twin Cities Marathon last October. And on March 24, he won the closest Los Angeles Marathon ever contested, nudging John Korir by seven seconds.

Barno and Ondoro will headline what figures to be a loaded field of elites.

"It's going to be an exciting year," Grandma's executive director Shane Bauer said. "I think we're all looking forward to what's going to happen at the finish line this year."

While the defending champ and fastest finisher return to the men's race, the same won't be true on the women's side. Kellyn Taylor, who blew away the competition at Grandma's in 2018 by coming through in an event-record 2:24:28, won't be back.

University of Colorado President Bruce D. Benson will be the official starter for the 2019 BolderBOULDER race

Bruce D. Benson and is the longest-serving president in more than half a century.

“We are honored to have one of the University of Colorado’s most accomplished presidents as this year’s official starter,” said BolderBOULDER race director, Cliff Bosley.

“The race has a rich history with CU and our relationship with Bruce and the university is part of the magic of the BOLDERBoulder.”

In 1981, Arnold Weber, the then-President of the University of Colorado, and Athletic Director Eddie Crowder approached race founder Steve Bosley about moving the BOLDERBoulder finish line to the University of Colorado’s Folsom Field.

Since 1981, more than 1.3 million participants of the race have finished in the stadium, fulfilling Dr. Weber’s vision that the race would provide runners and spectators exposure to CU and showcase the state’s flagship university in a way that otherwise would not be possible.

“Almost 40 years since that first meeting with the University of Colorado, it is our honor to have Bruce Benson the President of the University of Colorado to serve as the official starter,” said race founder Steve Bosley.

“It is appropriate that the race is being started by another President whose charge is to lead this University and this legacy of community, dedication and service to and for the University of Colorado.”

Eliud Kipchoge says his move to make a second attempt at running a marathon under two hours is spurred by the urge to test the human body and not the money involved

On Monday, Kipchoge announced he will be involved in another go at “breaking two” in a specially organised race, probably in London, “between late September and early October.”

In the first attempt of the Nike-engineered “Breaking2” project, Kipchoge, 35, powered by a cocktail of pacemakers on the Monza Formula One racetrack, ran two hour and 25 seconds, falling agonisingly close to breaking the two-hour barrier on May 6, 2017.

This time around, the race dubbed “INEOS 1:59 Challenge” will be funded by one of the richest men in England, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the founder of chemical manufacturing company INEOS.

“My team doesn’t put money in front and for sure it’s not about business and money involved.” said Kipchoge, the marathon world record holder, who declined to state how much he will be paid in compensation.

“The sponsor, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, loves sports and wants me to try it again. It is always good to challenge myself and the world. It’s good to make history, it’s good to leave a memorable mark in athletics, “added Kipchoge.

“There is nothing impossible in this world and that is why I want to erase the notion that no human being is limited.”

Kipchoge set a new marathon world record last year in Berlin when he triumphed in two hours, one minute and 39 seconds and would run the second fastest time after his record, when winning this year’s London Marathon in two hours, two minutes and 37 seconds on April 28.

Tirfi Tsegaye was ranked amongst the world’s greatest marathoners is now returning from maternity leave to run the Ottawa Marathon

Three years ago, and prior to giving birth to a baby boy, Tirfi Tsegaye was ranked amongst the world’s greatest marathoners with some incredible performances. Now, after gradually returning to training, the Ethiopian Olympic runner makes her first start at the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon, May 26th since the arrival of young Tilember Miresa.

Tsegaye, 34, ran the world-leading time of 2:19:41 in January 2016 in Dubai – her personal best time – then three months later finished 2nd in the Boston Marathon. At the Rio Olympics, she missed the podium by 17 seconds finishing 4th in 2:24:47. It was quite a year, indeed.

As if these credentials aren’t impressive enough, consider she also won the both the Tokyo and Berlin Marathons in 2014 and finished 3rd in London. Few athletes have made the podium in one World Marathon Major let alone four.

“Training is going good,” Tsegaye says from her home in Addis Ababa. “But, I’m not like how I was before. It’s been a little different for me coming back but still training. I’ve missed it a lot. I’ve even missed the training more than the actual competitions. I’m pretty excited about the Ottawa marathon.”

Under coach Gemedu Dedefo she has slowly regained her form and counts such stalwarts as Shure Demise, a two-time Toronto winner, and Alia Mohammed, 2018 Ottawa 10k champion amongst her training partners.

During her maternity leave, she split with her husband and is combining motherhood and marathon training, which would cause concern but for the fact she is such a disciplined and highly experienced athlete.

“It’s tough but I manage,” she admits. “I have a nanny and she helps me out with the baby and other errands. When I come back from training I get exhausted, so, it’s really nice to have some help around the house.

“Pregnancy takes a lot from you and the time I had off was really therapeutic. I feel like I’ve recovered enough for now.”

Tirfi grew up in the town of Bekoji, 220 kilometres south of the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. Bekoji was immortalized in a documentary “Town of Runners” as an unusually large number of Olympic champions have ‘graduated’ from the training of local coach Sentayehu Eshetu. These include Kenenisa Bekele, Tirunesh Dibaba and Derartu Tulu.

“Growing up in Bekoji was an inspiration in itself,” she admits. “Tulu was a major inspiration for me since we were one of the same. My coach was Sentayehu Eshetu at the time when I was in Bekoji. I moved to Addis in 2008.”

“Yeah, Derartu, Haile (Gebrselassie), Kenenisa and others have inspired me to try and push myself and be my best. I fell in love with their work and dedication when I saw them on television.”

As her impressive curriculum vitae suggests, Tirfi places high expectations upon herself even for this comeback race. Although predicting marathon performances is a difficult proposition at the best of times, it is unlikely she, or coach Gemedu, would confirm her entry unless she was going to be ready. Still, there is that element of the unknown.

Her Italian manager, Gianni DeMadonna, has made her aware that the course record of 2:22:17 was set by her compatriot Gelete Burka last year but for the moment that is secondary to having a successful return.  Victory would bring her $30,000 CDN and the course record is worth an additional $10,000 CDN. That is also a significant factor.

“Ottawa is a big deal for me now because I need to get back to my winning form,” she stresses. “I have big expectations for Ottawa and I will try and do my level best.

“I figure it’s going to be a little hard for me to beat the record set by Gelete last year. But, I think if I try my best I believe that it is beatable. I’m not familiar with the course or the climate. And I have not yet talked with any other athletes about the Ottawa race. But, soon I hope.”

Should she cross the finish line first she would be the tenth consecutive Ethiopian woman to emerge triumphant in this IAAF Gold Label race. There are, without a doubt, plenty of resources then for her to approach when it comes time to seeking advice on how to run the Ottawa course.

Bob Schuitema got a new hip for Christmas and is ready to run the Amway River Bank 5K

Many of the thousands of people signed up for the Amway River Bank Run have overcome some sort of obstacle, but few can say they recovered from a hip replacement just weeks ago. 

Bob Schuitema Jr. received a new hip for Christmas. He went into surgery Dec. 26, 2018, marking the end of pain he had been experiencing for more than a year.

"The surgery was inevitable, but I kept putting it off because fear, somewhat, and finally it reached a point where it felt like we have to do something," he explained to 24 Hour News 8. 

The 2014 River Bank Run was the last time he ran a 5K. Shortly after the surgery, Schuitema decided May 11 would be the next time he raced to complete 3.1 miles. 

The 62-year-old spent the last 19 weeks or so training at the David D. Hunting YMCA in downtown Grand Rapids. He credits Dr. Kory Johnson, D.O., M.S. and the team at Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan for a smooth recovery process.

"I think it was just the setting of a goal as much as anything," Schuitema said. "It was to not, certainly, reclaim lost youth, but maybe prolong it for a little while."

Schuitema will run Saturday with his son and two nephews. As if completing the 5K isn't enough, he's aiming to finish in 25 minutes.

Ethiopia’s Abera Kuma just might be the most talented runner in the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon this year

The 28-year-old has twice bettered 2:06 in his career, most recently when finishing second at the 2018 Rotterdam Marathon in a PB of 2:05:50. The other occasion was at the 2014 Berlin Marathon where Kuma finished third in 2:05:56 in the race in which Kenya’s Dennis Kimetto set a world record of 2:02:57, which has since been broken by Eliud Kipchoge.

In between those two races, Kuma has made his mark across the globe. Now he sets his sights on racing in the Canadian capital.

“I want to win and I want to run fast,” he said. “I hope the conditions will be kind to me. Yes, (the course record is a target) though it all depends on the conditions.”

Compatriot Yemane Tsegay set that record (2:06:54) in 2014.

Kuma’s performance in Rotterdam was all the more startling since he had run, and finished, Japan’s Lake Biwa Marathon (2:09:31) just 35 days earlier – hardly the ideal preparation for a world-class marathon.

“At Lake Biwa I did not feel well and had a bad day at the office,” he explains. “I felt like I ran at 95% without being able to give more than that. After finishing I still felt strong and very disappointed about the race. I needed to take revenge quickly and the gamble paid off.”

Kuma has a level of confidence matching his ability. Unlike many of today’s marathon runners, he took up road racing after a successful career on the track. Twice he represented Ethiopia at the IAAF World Championships, finishing fifth in the 5000m in 2011 and fifth in the 10,000m in 2013. With 5000m and 10,000m personal bests of 13:00.15 and 26:52.85, he has basic speed matched by very few road racers.

“I had a short track career but always wanted to go to the road fairly quickly,” he says. “Track has helped me to be a stronger road runner, though.

“I like the endurance that belongs to road running and marathons. Running is fun to do and I enjoy it, but it is also my job. In marathon running the financial aspect is important.”

The lucrative prize money in road racing, coupled with the fact there is a limited number of track races with decent prize money, has seen many young East African athletes go straight to the roads. First place in Ottawa is worth CDN$30,000 with another CDN$10,000 on offer for a course record.

As Kuma says, running is his job. And, he is happy to share his experience with younger up-and-coming Ethiopian runners, many of whom are part of the training group under coach Tessema Abshero, who himself was a 2:08 marathon runner.

“I would advise others to run track but I also know that it is not easy to do that as the track races are scarce these days,” Kuma says.

Training is going well currently he says, despite a mediocre performance at the Mumbai Marathon in January when he finished seventh in 2:13:10.

“I am preparing really well and my last test (a half marathon in Spain where he ran 1:00:41) was good,” he says. “Now I am finalising the endurance part to bounce back strongly after a disappointing race in Mumbai. The conditions in Mumbai were very difficult (heat, air quality) and the course was tough. I was with the lead group for a long part of the way but suffered a lot in the last seven kilometres.

Kuma has a marathon personal best of 2:04:24. There are others of similar quality among Kuma’s training partners. Most significantly, all of this training is done at altitudes of at least 2600m. It’s hard work but with a group sharing the load and the drudgery it is normal. Down time is used to relax and recover and wait for the next workout.

Mo Farah and Galen Rupp are set to comeback to Chicago Marathon in October

Mo Farah appears to have ended his lengthy flirtation with a return to the track at this year’s world championships after announcing that he will instead defend his Chicago marathon title on  October.

That surely rules him out of competing in the 10,000m in Doha, given the final at the world championships takes place just seven days’ beforehand on 6 October.

Mo Farah regrets Haile Gebrselassie row but sticks ‘by every word I said’

Although there has been no official confirmation from Farah’s camp, there seems little chance of the 36-year-old flying halfway around the globe to compete over 26.2 miles on tired legs just days after a major championships.

Instead he will return to Chicago, where he ran 2hr 05min 11sec to break the European record over 26.2 miles and record his first marathon victory.

“Winning the Chicago Marathon last year was very special for me,” said Farah. “It was my first time to win a world marathon major and my time was a European and British record. I am looking forward to returning in 2019 to defend my title on the streets of Chicago. It is a fast course with good organisation. I expect they will recruit a strong field to make it a great race.”

Farah who ran 2:05:39 in finishing fifth at the London marathon last month, had hinted for months that he was considering returning to the track for the first time since 2017 to defend his world championship title over 10,000m, fuelling speculation that he would do that and then attempt the New York marathon in November.

However, a frustrating showing at the London marathon seems to have altered his plans and he will instead return to Chicago to face his former Nike Oregon Project teammate and best friend Galen Rupp. “After undergoing achilles tendon surgery following last year’s race, I have been pouring all of my energy into my recovery and returning strong in 2019,” said Rupp. “I look forward to being at my best again and giving it all I have in October.”

Meanwhile, Chicago Marathon executive race director Carey Pinkowski said he was delighted that Farah had decided to return.

“Mo is an Olympic champion and he put on quite a show here last year, and we are excited that Galen has chosen the Chicago marathon as his comeback race. I’m confident we are going to see great races up front on October 13.”

Organizers of the Okpekpe 10km road race wants to achieve IAAF Gold League status

Organizers of the annual 10 kilometer Okpekpe race said yesterday they want to achieve IAAF golden league status from the year 2020.

To achieve this, they said the race the year preceding must not have less than 100 athletes from 15 countries including China, United States of America, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Eritrea and others.

Addressing a press conference in Benin City, head of operations of the event, Zack Amodu said logistics and improved organization from the previous edition has been put in place to ensure a "hitch-free" exercise. On his part, head of the technical issues, Yusuf Alli said the race would live up to its bidding.

On his part, the security coordinator of the race, Austin Gbaraba said sniffer dogs, choppers and horses, would be deployed as part of security measure for the 7th edition.

He said the deployment of horses and dogs, is in addition to hundreds of security personnel that would be engaged to man strategy points, before, during and after the race which takes place on May 25.

Last year's race was won by Alex Kibet clocking 29:47.  The woman's race was won by Yami Dida in 33:01. 

Kesa Molotsane finished third at the FNB Cape Town 12 OneRun last year. She returns with a goal of climbing the podium again

Molotsane has started the year on a positive note, winning all three races run on local soil and finishing best of the SA women at the World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus, Denmark on March 30, in very tough conditions.

Most telling was her win at the SA Cross Country Trials in Pretoria in January where she earned her place on the team to the World Cross Country Championships.

The strength that she has gained in training for the World Cross Country Championships and the experience of racing under very trying conditions at those championships will help her at the fifth Cape Town 12 ONERUN.

Molotsane has rapidly developed into one of SA's best middle distance athletes with dominating performances in 2017 and 2018, and will be one of the big favorites.

Already confirmed is Glenrose Xaba who had some incredible duels with Molotsane last year. The two met on nine occasions in 2018, with Molotsane coming out tops 6-3 in the head-to-head. With both Xaba and Molotsane looking to dominate the SA road running scene, the ONERUN may well be the start of a great rivalry of the year.

"Last year was my first experience of the ONERUN. It was incredible, running against some of the best in the world through the streets of Cape Town and all that support. I have to come back again this year," said Molotsane. "The vibe was incredible."

Only Irvette van Zyl, twins Lebo and Lebogang Phalula have run faster over the 12km route than Molotsane, a statistic the 27-year-old, with a personal best of 32:56, would dearly love to rectify. And it is well within her reach.

Former tennis star Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario is going to be the ambassador of TCS World 10K run event

Former women's world no one tennis player Arantxa Sanchez Vicario was named on Wednesday the ambassador of the IAAF Gold Label TCS World 10K run.

The Spanish legend accumulated 14 Grand Slam titles -- four singles, six doubles, and four mixed doubles -- and is also considered to be one of the most decorated Olympians in Spanish history with two silver and as many bronze.

Vicario will encourage the 25,000 runners of the 10k run through her story of determination and never-say-die-attitude.

"Running has played an important part in my career and I think it is the easiest way to keep your mind and body sound. Sport has the ability to connect communities beyond the competitive spirit, and instill a sense of pride amongst all and celebrate accomplishments," said Vicario.

"It is exciting that my association with India begins with the TCS World 10K in Bengaluru. I am glad to be there on the start line with all the runners and enjoy the infectious energy on race day," she said.

After retiring from competitive tennis in 2002, Vicario has been involved in multiple causes including as a Celebrity Chairperson of Children's Cancer Research in Spain and Foundation Sanchez-Vicario. In 2015, she coached Caroline Wozniacki, who is also a former world no. one.

Defending champion Geoffrey Kirui and two times champion Edna Kiplagat will lead Kenya's marathon team for the World Athletics Championships in Doha

Edna Kiplagat won the title in 2011 and 2013 before settling for silver in 2017 London and Dubai Marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich will be participating on the Kenya team at the World’s Chsmpionships.  

The men's team has Amos Kipruto who finished second in Berlin Marathon last year, the 2018 Paris Marathon champion Paul Lonyangata along with Geoffrey Kirui.

Athletics Kenya senior vice president, Paul Mutwii, said the team will start training in July in Kaptagat under coaches Joseph Cheromei and Richard Kimetto.

“We picked the team on availability after many of our top athletes decided not to honor the invite," said Mutwii.

British ultrarunner Jamie McDonald has successfully smashed 7-day treadmill record

British ultrarunner Jamie McDonald has successfully decimated the seven-day treadmill running record in Gloucester, UK by running 521 miles (833.6K) in seven days.

The existing record was 513.97 miles (822K), set in 2015 by Marcio Villar of Brazil.

Decked out in his Adventureman superhero costume for the start and the end of the run, McDonald ran in a large tent set up for the purpose in an outdoor mall, where people could come to watch and encourage him, and even run alongside him on an adjacent treadmill.

He slept only two or three hours a night while logging an average of 73 miles (116.8K) per day.

The treadmill run is only the latest in a string of astoundingly ambitious quests for McDonald, who had only been back in the UK for a few weeks after running across the US unsupported.

McDonald was very ill as a child with syringomyelia, a rare disease of the spine, that had him in and out of hospitals for the first nine years of his life. He eventually recovered, regained some mobility and gradually became more active, eventually taking up running.

As an adult, McDonald was so grateful to the hospitals where he received treatment that he has mounted a steady stream of quests and records to raise funds for them.

His Superhero Foundation has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for children’s hospitals around the world.