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Mina Guli's world tour of marathons began in New York on November 4 and has so far taken in France, the Vatican, India and Hong Kong.
The 48-year-old Australian is galloping across the planet, 42 kilometres (26 miles) at a time, with barely a moment to adjust her watch before it’s on to the next stop.
Her unorthodox world tour began in New York on November 4 and has so far taken in France, the Vatican, India and Hong Kong. Guli, a former lawyer, will race through dozens more places — including in Jordan, Kenya and Mexico — before she gets back to New York on February 11 for a triumphant final marathon.
“Running is not my favourite thing in the world to do by any stretch of the imagination,” Guli said. But it has opened her a path to adventure — like in Uzbekistan where city streets were closed for her, she had a police escort and the mayor joined her for a jog.
“When you see all the traffic banked up at the traffic lights for you, you just think ‘wow I need to be running faster or something’,” she said. Despite an itinerary that would be the envy of many a seasoned traveller, Guli and her six-strong support team have no time for tourism.
Often they bed down in tents and try each day to meet people either bearing the brunt of drought or working to save water. “So many things have gone wrong. So many times I’ve sat there in absolute exhaustion, unable to keep my eyes open, let alone stand up and walk in a straight line, let alone run a marathon,” she said.
But a determination to fight for her chosen cause and improve life for younger generations gets her back on her feet. “When… I think about the hopes and dreams of those kids I take my hands off my face, I stand up, I stop throwing myself a pity party and I continue running.”
(12/14/2018) ⚡AMPIn the absence of last year’s winner Viktoria Poliudina of Kyrgyzstan, the 34-year-old Seboka is the top returning runner.
Although she may not be in the same form as three years ago when she set her personal best of 2:21:56 PB in Dubai, the vastly-experienced Ethiopian, who has clocked sub-2:30 performances each every year since 2012, is still keen to improve on her 2:35:28 clocking last year and take down Poliudina’s course record of 2:33:25.
It will be Seboka’s third race of the year. She clocked 2:25:01 to finish fourth in Seoul in March and scored a 2:28:59 victory in Dalian two month later.
Kenyan veteran Flomena Chepchirchir, who just celebrated her 37th birthday earlier this month, will also be competing in Shenzhen for the second straight year, after finishing a distant 10th in 2017. Her best performance this year was a sixth place finish in Prague in 2:32:10.
Ethiopian duo Melkam Gizaw and Ashu Kasim are also title contenders. The 34-year-old Kasim set her PB of 2:23:09 to claim the title in Xiamen back in 2012, while Gizaw, 28, registered her life-time best of 2:24:28 to finished second in Seoul in 2016. But neither has run a race so far this season so their competitiveness remains to be tested.
(12/14/2018) ⚡AMPFormer Tipperary (Ireland) hurler Seamus Hennessy has completed the Antarctic Ice Marathon in aid of Suicide Awareness in a time of 7:05:33 hours.
Hennessy, who won an All-Ireland medal with Tipperary in 2010, signed up for the grueling 26.2 mile challenge to raise money for two local charities close to his heart - Pieta House and Living Links Tipperary.
Hennessy left for Punta Arenas in South West Chile on December 8 before making his way to Union Glacier in the Antartic which is home to the southernmost marathon on the planet with conditions reaching a windchill temperature of -20C.
In 2000, when Hennessy was just 11 years old, he lost his mother Josie to suicide. In January 2013, while watching the Late Late Show at home in Cloughjordan with his father, his attention was caught by Cycle Against Suicide founder Jim Breen who was on the show to speak about the devastatingly high rates of suicide in Ireland at the time, ten suicides per week.
"Watching him, I felt I could contribute too by sharing my own story in the hope of helping others avoid the same devastating tragedy that had befallen my family and so began my involvement in sharing my story in various schools, communities, GAA clubs and at events around Ireland."
(12/14/2018) ⚡AMPThe 32-years-old GDL Electrolit Half Marathon made history for Mexican running this Thursday it was announced that it has achieved the IAAF Gold label.
By reaching this label, at the same time as the maximum certification that can be granted to the IAAF, the Half Marathon becomes the first athletic event in the country to achieve such status.
Fernando Ortega, general director of the Municipal Sports Council of Guadalajara (Comude) was pleased to have collaborated so that this Half Marathon is already among the 50 best in the world.
At the same time, the leader said they remain firm in their plan to make it the best in Latin America.
(12/14/2018) ⚡AMPBerlin marathon silver medalist Amos Kipruto is optimistic he will excel at the Kolkata 25km road race in India on Sunday and boost his preparations for the Tokyo marathon in February 2019.
Speaking in Nairobi on Thursday, Kipruto, who was overshadowed by the world record set by Olympics Champion Eliud Kipchoge at the Berlin Marathoin in September, where he settled for silver medal, said it is time for him to become a man on his own and stake claim to the gold medal in the Indian city.
"In 2018, I was third in Tokyo and second in Berlin. In both cases I was not given the required attention. But I have a chance to correct that and win with a course record time in India. That is what is motivating me to go for the title," he said. Kipruto together with World half marathon record holder Eric Kiptanui together with former Chicago marathon champion Florence Kiplagat is departing Nairobi on Thursday for India.
Kipruto did not mince his words saying his eyes are firmly on the course record of 1:13:48 set by Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele last year. "I am fit and strong and want to break that record," said Kipruto. I have a fast best time in half marathon of 1:00:24 from Sweden and I believe running fast in 25km is achievable."
(12/13/2018) ⚡AMPThe Yuengling Shamrock Marathon, known for its fast and flat course, scenic views, and enthusiastic finish line, has always been a runner’s top choice to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
In an effort to aid participants who aim to qualify for the 2020 Boston Marathon, J&A Racing today announced new pace group times for the 2019 Yuengling Shamrock Marathon.
The move comes following this year’s change in Boston qualifying standards for 2020 and beyond. For many years runners have chosen the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon as their Boston qualifier course of choice.
The 2019 Yuengling Shamrock Marathon pace groups will feature times from 3:00 to 4:50 to align with the new Boston Marathon qualifying times, which are faster than in years past.
“The Yuengling Shamrock Marathon is a great race to run if you’re hoping to toe the line at the Boston Marathon,” said Jerry Frostick, co-owner of J&A Racing.
“Our goal is to make sure our races offer the best possible experience for participants of all abilities, and these updates to our pace teams will help our faster runners achieve their goals.”
(12/13/2018) ⚡AMPA dodgy knee ended Seamus Hennessy’s days hurling with Tipperary, but two bad knees aren’t going to stop him running a marathon on the frozen plains of Antarctica.
Hennessy won an All-Ireland in 2010, coming off the bench to score a point in the final win over Kilkenny, and hurled his last with Tipp not long after when a seemingly innocuous complaint turned into a career-ending injury.
When he was ten years old his mother Josie, the heart and soul of her family and the local community in Cloughjordan, felt like she could no longer go on in this world and took her own life, leaving behind a massive void.
Today Hennessy will run 26.2 miles in her honor at the Antarctic Ice Marathon on Union Glacier at the bottom of the world as he aims to raise $250,000US for charities aimed at suicide prevention and helping those left behind under the Running for Josie banner.
(12/13/2018) ⚡AMPI went out for a slow, difficult three mile run the evening prior to my pacemaker being implanted. My heart, although not functioning properly, was thankfully strong enough for that one last run without artificial help.
My friend, a nurse, probably saved my life by getting me into a walk-in clinic that next morning. Everything went fine and I am now running again but with a pacemaker (recent photo in NY Central Park).
Let me share some advice. There is a fine line between being tired or feeling weak from a hard workout or thinking maybe fatigue or weakness is “just” natural decline with age making things harder vs. something feeling “off” enough to seek help.
It’s a blurry line but I guess my best advice is to be keenly observant of your own physical traits and patterns and when anything falls outside of a normal range for you, again, see someone. I think it’s very important to understand that we aren’t “bullet proof” as runners.
I remember in the 70s Dr. George Sheehan wrote and in lectures said that we, as marathon runners, were essentially immune from having a heart attack. It wasn’t long after that Jim Fixx died of a sudden heart attack while running on an easy training run.
Almost every day when I run in Central Park in NYC I run right by the spot where Ryan Shey died suddenly of an undiagnosed cardiac condition early in the 2007 Olympic Trials Marathon, on a downhill section, it was a cool day and the pace early in the race was conservative (for him).
A friend, physician and Olympic Trials qualifier in the marathon from Maine has a sad but growing list of lifelong runners from northern New England alone that have met similar fates without knowing they had a health issue.
We have to understand that even as very fit runners we are vulnerable, and that goes hand in hand with understanding the importance of listening to your body.We all have to be our own best advocate and our own best piece of medical monitoring equipment.
It’s easier with all of the new technologies however, as runners, we have intuitive ability that puts us in touch with our own bodies. We must listen carefully to all of it and also try to overcome another trait we have as runners, our stubbornness, which can certainly be our strength and our weakness at the same time.
Recovery has been tricky. After my pacemaker was functioning I was diagnosed with intermittent (paroxysmal) Afib which is treatable with medication. At first I didn’t quite understand that Afib progressively becomes more persistent or permanent and that treatment options become less effective or sometimes completely ineffective as it goes along.
I ran again for a bit over a year but my Afib was gradually getting worse and eventually the stronger medications needed weren’t easily tolerable. It got harder to run yet again. My remaining option was a cardiac ablation. After careful consideration I had it done early this past summer.
The good news is that my Afib has not reoccurred since. The bad news is that it’s a lengthy healing process. I am six months into it and have probably walked about 600 miles. I’ve gradually added short stints of jogging into my walks and only recently a few miles of continuous very slow running.
I’m told that it will take perhaps 3-5 months to fully heal and hopefully then I’ll be able to run more normally.
(Larry Allen on Running is a regular MBR feature sharing the wisdom of Larry Allen, a 50 year accomplished runner and artist. He is currently participating in the third Run The World Challenge.)
(12/13/2018) ⚡AMPIrish Ultra runner Richard Donovan is close to completing the equivalent of running nearly 130 marathons. The well-known record setter is currently undertaking the epic Trans North America Run, a 3,100 mile run across the US, travelling from San Francisco to New York, to raise funds for fellow runner Alvin Matthews, who became paralysed in 2014.
Alvin is a dam builder and suffered a 25ft fall in Lebanon last year. He had previously completed two races that Richard had organised, the Antarctic Ice Marathon and the North Pole Marathon, and was due to take part in the Volcano Marathon in South America when he had the accident. To help raise funds for Alvin, Richard began his adventure across the US on May 19th in San Francisco.
Richard is no stranger to endurance running and currently holds the world record for completing seven different marathons on seven different continents in less than five days back in 2012. During his North American travels, Richard has managed to cover 50 miles in one day, all part of his training for a run he is set to undertake across Antarctica.
“I wanted to see and experience what I considered to be real America, with some of its epic scenery, and I wanted to do it in the heat of the summer. After the start at the Golden Gate Bridge I ran through the rolling hills of California, ‘wine country’, to Lake Tahoe,” he explains.
Although an experienced ultrarunner, Richard has faced considerable hardship during his trans-America run. Blisters were the biggest issue in the first few weeks. I was in a bad situation, getting up daily with a lot of pain. My skin had split in places and I had what I can only describe as very bad open wounds to a couple of toes,” he said. Injuries were not the only peril that Richard faces, with Mother Nature proving a formidable foe.
“I could hear the howls of coyotes around me during the evening,” he recalls. There were also shadows that appeared to be racing nearby, but I could never see an animal. It was only when I decided to look up that I noticed it was buzzards circling overhead. Of course I encountered many snakes along the route, and had a close encounter with one in particular.”
Richard has been averaging 35 miles per running day. The total distance of the run is 3,200 miles. It’s the equivalent of the flight distance across the Atlantic from New York to Dublin. Richard intends to finish the run this Saturday in Battery Park, New York.
(12/12/2018) ⚡AMPShe’s really gearing up to run 183.4 miles in a week, including in Australia, Africa and Antarctica. Something only 103 people have ever done.
For comparison, 536 people have been to outer space. And yet the only thing that scares her about any of this is the airplane. “I don’t really like to fly,” she said. But while that might be true, this 36-year-old yogi, CrossFit coach, marathoner, Ironman triathlete and businesswoman is not really the type to not do what she sets her mind to.
To that end, Mandell is in the process of raising funds so she can participate in the 2020 World Marathon Challenge—a grueling contest. When the specifics aren’t yet known for the 2020 event, locations for the 2019 challenge are: Novo, Antarctica; Cape Town, South Africa; Perth, Australia; Dubai in the UAE; Madrid, Spain; Santiago, Chile; and ending in Miami.
Self described as “wicked competitive” when she wants something and “so Type-A” all the other times, Mandell is no stranger to pushing past limits she used to have.
(12/12/2018) ⚡AMPLast year, a record 44,610 marathoners crossed the finish line of the 2018 Chicago Marathon and a similar field is expected for the 42nd annual race on Oct. 13, 2019.
“Today marks an exciting day for our 2019 marathon runners as they begin their training journey to our finish line,” Carey Pinkowski, Bank of America Chicago Marathon executive race director, said in a statement.
”I cannot wait to celebrate their strength, perseverance and individual stories 10 months from now.”
Runners who did not receive their entry through the drawing Tuesday can still sign up through the marathon’s charity program. Runners who received entry Tuesday will join the list of guaranteed entrants, which includes marathon and Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle legacy finishers, time qualifiers, international tour group participants, charity runners and those who canceled their 2018 entries.
(12/12/2018) ⚡AMPThe half marathon category received the most nominations for this year’s edition of The BibRave 100. Voters cited the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon’s lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a highlight.
In addition, the race weekend experience also received top marks. One voter said, “It highlights what makes Indianapolis great, and this race screams ‘Hoosier Hospitality.’”
Named one of “America’s Most Iconic Races” by Runners World, the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is one of the nation’s largest half marathons (for the past 20 years) and annually attracts participants from all 50 states and 15+ countries around the world.
Known as The Greatest Spectacle in Running, the race starts and finishes in downtown Indianapolis and includes a lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500. The flat, fast course is packed with thousands of the nicest volunteers you’ll ever meet, 16 course aid stations and nearly 100 course entertainment acts. The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is the 500 Festival’s largest fundraiser. Race registrations help support the 500 Festival’s free youth programs and events.
A definitive List of the Best Races in America. The #IndyMini also earned awards for Exceptional Race Management and Awesome Medals and Bling. In addition, the 500 Festival 5K was listed among the nation’s top 15 5K races.
The 500 Festival was presented with these honors during an awards ceremony held at The Running Event, a conference and retail trade show for the running industry taking place in Austin, Texas.
(12/12/2018) ⚡AMPDon Kardong, Founder and Race Director of the Lilac Bloomsday Run, will retire following the 2019 Lilac Bloomsday Run on May 5. Jon Neill, an attorney, Lilac Bloomsday Association Board Member, and Bloomsday’s Elite Athlete Coordinator, will take over as Race Director upon Kardong’s departure.
"It's been a privilege to be associated with Bloomsday all these years, and to have worked with so many great people who donate their time to make it happen. I may be leaving the Race Director position, but I plan to continue to be involved after I retire,” said Kardong.
Kardong has been an instrumental force in the development of Bloomsday from its birth in 1977. What was initially a small idea hatched after a chance meeting in the elevator of City Hall between Kardong and Mayor David Rodgers, has blossomed into a Spokane tradition.
Kardong served as President of the Lilac Bloomsday Association from 1982-1984 and over 20 years as Elite Athlete Coordinator before accepting the position of Race Director in the summer of 2004. Since Bloomsday’s inception, Kardong has been at the forefront, leading Bloomsday’s mission of providing a celebration of spring and physical fitness to runners and walkers of all ages and abilities.
“As we prepare for the 43rd running of Bloomsday, we have a great deal to be proud of,” said Bloomsday President Mark Starr. “Don Kardong is a household name in Spokane and highly regarded in the national running community. With Don’s retirement we are excited to welcome Jon Neill as our new Race Director.
Jon has worked closely with Don and the Spokane community for many years now. His knowledge of Bloomsday and its inner workings is second to none. I’m excited to be a part of this team and look forward to Bloomsday’s future.” Neill will take over as Race Director following the 2019 Lilac Bloomsday Run.
(12/11/2018) ⚡AMPThe Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour is proud to be named a 2018 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports tourism by Sports Destination Management.
The Austin Marathon, produced by High Five Events, one of the largest privately owned event production companies in the United States, injected $37.5 million into the Austin economy during race weekend, a $3.1 million (8 percent) increase from 2017. High Five Events partnered with the expert faculty at St. Edward’s University’s Bill Munday School of Business to calculate the findings.
”The Austin Marathon’s annual multi-million dollar economic impact benefits Austin and stimulates our local economy,” said Austin Mayor Steve Adler.
”We’re proud to host one of the country’s top marathons, one that annually attracts runners from all 50 states and more than 30 countries. More runners are realizing there’s no better city to recover in!”
Other large-market champions include 2018 NCAA Final Four, 2018 NFL Draft, and The Honda Classic. Sports Destination Management is the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market.
“The Austin Marathon is an excellent example of a sports event that showcases the City of Austin and offers multiple options that appeal to everyone, from the veteran endurance runner to the person who is dipping a toe into the waters of racing for the first time,” said Mary Helen Sprecher, Managing Editor, Sports Destination Management.
(12/11/2018) ⚡AMPThe Dallas Marathon today announced a multiyear title sponsorship extension with BMW of North America and the Dallas-Fort Worth Area BMW Centers.
Texas’ longest running marathon and the largest annual sporting event in North Texas will continue to be known as the BMW Dallas Marathon through 2023.
“We are thrilled to be extending our title partnership with BMW for the next five years, which includes the Dallas Marathon’s 50th anniversary in 2020,” said Paul Lambert, President of the Dallas Marathon.
”As one of the world’s most admired and distinguished brands, BMW has partnered with us in elevating our guest experience for the thousands of participants and spectators who travel far and wide to participate in our Marathon Weekend of Events.”
The Dallas Marathon was BMW’s first title sponsorship of a major U.S. running event when its partnership was launched in 2016. In just two years, BMW has coordinated several exclusive initiatives for BMW Dallas Marathon participants, including a chance to receive a VIP trip and entry to the BMW Berlin Marathon through its sweepstakes program.
Additionally, the Dallas-Fort Worth BMW Centers work with the Dallas Marathon in coordinating a series of free 5K social runs leading up to race weekend to help promote awareness and excitement throughout the local community. “BMW is looking forward to extending our title partnership with an iconic marathon that represents our brand very well in a major metropolitan market,” noted Craig Westbrook, VP of BMW North America.
”Together, BMW and the Dallas Marathon will continue to fuel health and wellness and raise funds for the race's beneficiary the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.”
(12/11/2018) ⚡AMPYesterday in Toronto, Rick Rayman, 72, marked 40 years of running every day. He celebrated with his friend Steve DeBoer, 64, of Rochester, Minn., who travelled to Toronto to mark the occasion with him, with–what else?–a short run. Both men occupy high positions on the Streak Runners International site–Rayman is #2 on the international list, and DeBoer, 64, who has a 47.5-year streak going, is #3 on the US list.
(Rayman is considerably ahead of the next person on the international list, Tyler Brett Forkes, who is also Canadian, and whose streak is at 27.9 years.)
Rayman’s streak began in 1978, but not with any real intention behind it. Then his friend Brian Williams, at the time a sportscaster with CBC television, commented on the air one evening that his friend Rick Rayman had run every day for 278 days.
”That’s what made me think, why don’t I keep going?” says Rayman, who is Director of Student Life at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Dentistry, and still teaches three days a week. So what constitutes a streak? How far do you actually have to run every day for it to count?
According to the streak site, the answer is one mile. Rayman’s personal standard slightly higher: 30 minutes minimum. But he often runs for an hour or more, and longer on weekends.
More impressive than that is the fact that he has run every edition of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, which celebrated 29 years this year–and that was Rayman’s 365th marathon. (And his 13th in 2018 alone.)
“I remember when there were only 600 runners, and it finished at the Flatiron building,” says Rayman. He’s planning his next marathon, the Miami Marathon. Rayman tells us that many streakers plan when to end their streaks, so they aren’t forced to stop due to injury. Not him.
“I plan to run until I can’t any more.”
(12/11/2018) ⚡AMPSadao Ito crossed the finish line at the Honolulu Marathon — nearly 18 hours after he set out on the course.
He’s 88 years old. Ito, who’s from Japan, was this year’s final finisher in the 26.2-mile course that winds through Honolulu, Waikiki and Hawaii Kai. Ito crossed the finish line with a time of 17:50.52.
More than 20,000 people competed in the Honolulu Marathon and battled gusty winds to reach the finish line.
(12/11/2018) ⚡AMPYuki Kawauchi and Desiree Linden battled through dismal conditions last year, running in freezing rain and driving winds to claim their dramatic victories.
Known for his high-volume, high quality racing, Kawauchi has won over 30 marathons, holds the Japanese 50K national best time and has competed on three IAAF World Championships Marathon teams. But it was his victory in Boston that was his biggest to date.
”My victory in Boston was a moment in my marathon life that I will never forget,” Kawauchi said.
“I look forward to meeting all my fellow runners in Boston and running together with them.” Linden, a two-time U.S. Olympian, captured headlines across the US with her victory, the first by an American woman in 33 years in the race.
“In 2007, I ran my first Boston Marathon; I absolutely fell in love with the event, the course, the city, all of it,” Linden said.
“I thought I had every experience imaginable racing in Boston, but in 2019 I’m thrilled and proud to have another first as I’ll start the race as the defending Boston Marathon champion.”
(12/10/2018) ⚡AMPWe did it! 1. 24 hr World Best- 162.919 mi at 8:50 per mile 2. 100 mi Track American Record- 13:25 3. 200K Track AR- 17:07:27
I’m grateful to be back on the horse and to finish a tough year on a very positive note! I credit my PT Laurie Massey Cain for helping me get my body back together and feeling good.
It was really hard (to say the least hahaa)! 655.48 laps on a track was mind boggling. I mentally and physically prepared myself to work through any road blocks, hydrate and fuel well, maintain structural integrity, and keep moving.
I changed my shoes twice to keep my feet happy. I had an amazing crew of Conor, Ron Foster, and my friend Gretchen Connelie from NYC keeping me going! I hit a low point around 2-3am and had to get some Taco Bell and beer and walk a few laps. Slowly but surely I got going again.
It was really fun to run through the night and then anticipate seeing the sunrise! There was an overwhelming amount of support out there of people cheering us on throughout the 24 hrs- thank you very much for coming out.
There’s a lot of great photos and moments, esp Howie Stern and Jubilee Paige. Desert Solstice Invitational Track Meet - 100 Miles & 24 Hour Track Run is such a well run event, and I can’t say enough positive things about how much attention to detail Aravaipa Running w/ Hayley Pollack and Jamil Coury put into it and all the record keeping.
It was incredible to share the track with so many talented athletes. Our US 24 hr teams will be rock solid! The showdown next Oct. in France will be epic! I’m pretty tired now! I think I’ll take it easy for a while and enjoy the moment!
(Camille Herron posted this on her Facebook account today. She finished her epic run on Sunday Dec 9 in Phoenix, Ariz)
(12/10/2018) ⚡AMPKenya's Titus Ekiru still managed to threaten the course record at 46th Honolulu Marathon, clocking 2:09:01.
Second place went to Reuben Kerio, another Kenyan, who was in third place at halfway but was able to catch up. He clocked 2:12:59.
Yator, who had been with Ekiru at 25-K, ended up third in 2:15:31 and fourth position went to two-time USA steeplechase Olympian Donn Cabral of Hartford, Connecticut, who made his marathon debut in 2:19:16.
He flies back east tonight because he has an exam tomorrow morning. "It was just fun, this was fun," said Cabral, who is in law school at the University of Connecticut.
"The wind was rough for many miles. When the wind was not rough, I felt the humidity pretty strong. The course was a lot tougher than I expected."
(12/10/2018) ⚡AMPFor the third time in the history of the Cancun Marathon, Erick Mose Moyenye was at the top of the podium, as he did in 2013 and 2014.
For women, Mary Akor of the United States was the winner. Erick Mose Moyenye clocked 2:24:41. On the second step was Nixon Cherutich who clocked 2:28:34. William Mutai third with 2:29:26, all three from Kenya, but the last two representing Mexico City.
For the ladies, the American Mary Akor managed to make a first place with a record of 2:54:53, to leave the Kenyans Salina Jebitok with 2:59:05 and Scola Kiptoo with 3:01:04 in the second and third position respectively.
(12/10/2018) ⚡AMPThe 25-year-old Mohammed Ziani emerged victorious from a four-man battle to claim his first marathon title clocking 2:10:44, 43 seconds shy of the course record set by compatriot Abdellah Tagharrafet in 2015.
It was the third marathon for Ziani, who clocked 2:13:40 to finish fifth in Guangzhou last year. The race began in rainy and cold conditions with the temperature of about 45F degrees.
A leading group of six, including two pace-setters, brought the field through 10km in 30:28 and 20km in 1:00:57. The pacers stepped off the course at 25km and 30km respectively.
The other four leaders, including Ziani, Tsegay Tuemay of Eritrea as well as Ethiopian duo Gadisa Shumie and Balew Derseh, remained together until they passed 40km in 2:03:59.
After a series of unsuccessful mini-breaks in the following kilometers, the quartet were still shoulder-to-shoulder until they reached the final kilometer.
Tuemay was the first to fade away while Ziani broke away to build a lead of several meters. Shumie sped up in the last 10 meters but his effort were in vain as he clocked the same time as Ziani did but had to settle for second.
The 20-year-old Derseh finished third in 2:10:53 in his marathon debut. Flomena Cheyech of Kenya, the fastest entrant in the women’s race, stayed in the leading pack in the early stages but quit the title contest after 15km.
The race was then dominated by two Ethiopians, Girma and Zinash Debebe, who led together from 15km to 35km, before Girma pulled away to notch the convincing 2:26:44 victory.
The 25-year-old Girma improved her personal best by 2:16 but her winning mark is still shy of the 2:25:12 course record set by fellow Ethiopian Rahma Tusa last year.
(12/10/2018) ⚡AMPIt was over halfway through Sunday’s BMW Dallas Marathon, and not much was going right for contestant Colby Mehmen, who was making his marathon debut.
The problems started days before the race, when Mehmen, a 24-year-old, Princeton, Texas, native aiming to earn an Olympic trials qualifying standard got sick, contracted a fever and started having issues with his asthma.
Then, though Mehmen managed to jump out to a commanding lead within the first 10 miles of Sunday’s race, he started hurting around Mile 16. Gage Garcia, the only other runner nearby, took advantage, chipping away at Mehmen’s lead before narrowly pulling ahead by Mile 20.
And quickly approaching was what Mehmen considered the toughest and most important part of course: the Winsted Drive Hill. But somehow, the very immensity of that challenge spurred Mehmen to victory: Mehmen fought hamstring pain, the daunting hill and a formidable opponent to regain a solid lead by Mile 22, catapulting him to a first-place finish in the Dallas Marathon with a final time of 2:22:40.
“When we hit that hill, I just tried to... take the lead and see what happened,” Mehmen said. “Around Mile 21 or 22, I finally got loosened up again, and just brought it home...I got a little bit of a gap on him and then tried to pull away.
“That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, with my hamstrings tightening up, to really pull away at the point.”
(12/10/2018) ⚡AMPCamille Herron set the women’s world 24-hour track record today December 9 at the Desert Solstice Invitational Track Meet in Phoenix, Arizona. She ran 162.8 miles in 24 hours and broke the previous record of 161.55.
Camille also set a new American women’s 100 mile track record (13:25) and American women’s 200k track record. She also won the race outright. Hard work and believing in herself paidoff.
Camille is exhausted but is already talking about running 170 miles in her next 24-hour race! She ran sub 9 minute pace for five consecutive 50ks. And she was still smiling every lap.
The Desert Solstice is a pure endurance challenge. Only 30 of the top American endurance runners are invited, and in order to qualify, runners must have run at least 124 miles (198.4K) in 24 hours, or 100 miles in under 17:30.
The race is a qualifier for the 24-hour national team. According to the iRun4Ultra site, 11 world records and 60 US national records had been set here before this weekend.
Camille won a $2000 and a $1000 bonus for setting the records and hopefully a lot more from her sponsors. But she does not do this for the money.
(12/09/2018) ⚡AMPMarie Imada finished fourth for Japan's best performance in the Saitama International Marathon on Sunday, failing to meet the qualifying standards for the Marathon Grand Championship, 2020 Olympic trials.
In the race won by 20-year-old Dalila Gosa of Bahrain in 2 hours, 25 minutes, 35 seconds, Imada clocked 2:29:35, neither making the top three and running under 2:29:00, nor finishing in the top six under 2:28:00 to earn a place in next fall's MGC Race.
Only eight women have met the qualifying standards so far for the MGC Race to be held Sept. 15 next year in Tokyo. The MGC is a race that will determine two of the three members for both the men's and women's marathon teams for the Tokyo Olympics.
On Sunday, Imada and Saki Tokoro fell behind the leading pack around the 23-kilometer mark, while the IAAF Race turned into a duel between Gosa and fellow Bahraini Shitaye Habtegebrel down the final stretch.
"I was able to win because I trained hard. I'm very happy," Gosa said. "I'd like to work more on speed and endurance, and be able to maximize my performance." Habtegebrel crossed the finish line at the Saitama Super Arena four seconds after Gosa, and Kenya's Sylvia Jebiwot Kibet took third in 2:28:38.
Mao Kiyota, who competed in the world athletics championships in London last summer, finished fifth in 2:31:07, and Tokoro came home sixth.
(12/09/2018) ⚡AMPKenya’s Joshua Kipkorir took the top honors at the 36th edition of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon that was held on Sunday (9) in Singapore, Malaysia. Kipkorir who carried a personal best of 2:09.50 that he got at the 2017 Mumbai Marathon where he was finished insecond place upset big names that included race favourite Paul Lonyangata, the winner of the last two Paris Marathons, but he did not even feature in the top 20.
The 24 year-old took charge of the lead group by the halfway mark and opened up a 300m gap on the chasing pack and it was a lead he never relinquished. The 2016 and 2014 Nairobi marathon led 1-2-3 Kenyan podium finish as he to cut the tape in 2:12.20.
“This is my first time here. I like the course, it’s very nice. I have no problems with the heat,” said Kipkorir.
He was followed by 2016 winner, Felix Kirwa of 2:13.43 with Andrew Kimutai closing the first three podium finishes in 2:14.29. Cosmas Matolo and Felix Kiprotich finished in fourth and fifth place in 2:16.06 and 2:16.28 respectively.
(12/09/2018) ⚡AMPCourtney Dauwalter specializes in ultras. But her success in winning them has opened a debate about how men’s innate strength advantages apply to endurance sports.
At 1:40 in the morning, running through the woods near Lake Tahoe, Courtney Dauwalter began hallucinating. She saw live puppets playing on a swing set on the side of the trail. Trees and rocks turned into faces.
She was on her second night without sleep, 165 miles into a 205-mile race through the mountains, pushing her body to levels considered physically impossible not long ago, and seeing very strange things in the night. Dauwalter had been on her feet for almost 40 hours and was leading the field of 215 runners as she set her sights on a course record for September’s Tahoe 200, one in a series ultramarathons.
Their hero is Dauwalter, a 33-year-old with a reputation for outrunning men and shattering course records. She has won 11 ultramarathons and finished second in seven other endurance races.
This weekend, she will try to break the women’s world record for the most miles run in 24 hour track run, at the Desert Solstice competition in Phoenix. She will have to run more than 161.55 miles to do so. She already holds the American women’s record, 159.32 miles.
This fall, she ran 279.2 miles in what’s known as Big’s Backyard Ultra, a grueling race of attrition during which runners have to complete a 4.16667-mile loop each hour. If they want to put their feet up, eat, go to the bathroom or close their eyes for a few minutes, they have to earn the time by running faster.
The last person standing wins. After tracking Dauwalter for two days in Tahoe, Kyle Curtin passed her at Mile 182. Forty-nine hours 54 minutes after starting the Tahoe 200, Dauwalter crossed the finish line in second, twenty-seven minutes behind Curtin.
The two set a new course record by almost 10 hours. “Courtney was definitely the person to beat,” Curtin said.
(12/07/2018) ⚡AMPThe high school junior, Katelyn Tuohy just 16 finished another undefeated season at Nike Cross Nationals and announced her intent to focus on qualifying for the 2020 US Olympic trials.
Everything I do is impacted by my decision to want to make it to the Olympic trials. That’s definitely my big picture goal for the future.” She continued, “I think I’m more of a 5K runners because of my stride, but I also love the 3,000m and 1,500m. Unfortunately there’s no 3,000m at the trials so I think the 5K is my best shot right now.”
The qualifying standard for the trials was 15:25:00 for the 5,000m in 2016. Tuohy is only 16-years-old but she will be 18 by the time 2020 rolls around.
This is young for a runner to try and make an Olympic team, especially in a distance like the 5,000m, but not unheard of.
Newly signed New Balance Athlete Sydney McLaughlin had a similarly stunning high school career and made the 2016 Olympic team at only 16-years-old, and turned 17 just before the games.
(12/06/2018) ⚡AMPJust four years after it started, a race that was meant to breathe some new life into a former mill town continues to balloon, with this weekend’s Millinocket Marathon and Half expected to draw more than twice as many runners as last year’s race.
Some 2,600 runners are slated to run the mountainous course on Saturday, up from about 1,200 who came from across the country to run it last year. The races, which are 26.2 and 13.1 miles long, will start at 10 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in Millinocket. re than twice as many runners as last year’s race.
Racers don’t need to pay a registration fee; instead, organizers have urged them to support local restaurants, shops and hotels. They started the race in 2015 with the goal of bringing economic activity to a region that was battered by the closure of two paper mills.
Like last year, a number of local establishments are stepping up to feed and entertain the runners and their fans, offering spaghetti dinners, a variety show, an artisan fair, an ugly sweater party and other events from Friday afternoon to Saturday night.
“Everything that’s happening is just being done better,” said Gary Allen, the race’s founder.
“The town is becoming more and more actively involved with dinners and breakfasts and dances, and actively looking at it as an opportunity to welcome people to their town. Just as runners train for competitions, I think the town is becoming an expert in hospitality and welcoming people.”
(12/06/2018) ⚡AMPOne unique and interesting thing about Kenyan runners is their daily diet.
A diet that gives them energy to run for a long time and fast. Many wake up at 5am and eat something like a slice of bread or ugali with tea to provide energy.
Some prefer going for their morning run on an empty stomach but after training they take tea with rice or ugali. This is common in Kenya as well as drinking at least two glasses of tea in the morning.
The most important meal of the day for many Kenyan runners is lunch. Most eat a heavy amount of ugali, rice and beans/potatoes or stew depending on the athlete.
For example super stars like Eliud Kipchoge and Wilson Kipsang, love ugali with traditional vegetables like spinach accompanied by milk called mursik (sour milk).
Mursik is sour milk that taste so sweet. It contains enough proteins to help build and repair muscles due to tearing during daily training and competition. With daily intake it helps the runner be more energetic, strong and more able to be tough.
The Mursik Factor has been making headlines when an athlete wins a race or breaks a record because Mursik never disappoints. Mursik and ugali are both key. The ingredients of ugali itself is such a secret and many keep wondering where the energy of Kenyans comes from.
Ugali is a carbohydrate but has amazing ingredients. Ugali is a type of cormeal porridge and is made from maize four.
It is cooked in boiling water or milk until it reaches a stiff or dough-like consistency. 100g of maize flour contains folates 0.6mg, vitamin A 0.5mg, vitamin B1 3.0mg, vitamin B2 2.0mg, vitamin B3 14.9mg, vitamin B6 2.0mg, vitamin B12 0.007mg, iron 21mg, and Zinc 33mg.
In addition the roughage helps in digestion. On top of this energizer, the high altitude helps the body produce a lot of hemoglobin due to less oxygen giving runners an easy time to run fast in low altitude outside Kenya.
This is the magical Kenyan diet that propel Kenyan runners like a space ship going into the universe.
How can you doubt anything that Eluid Kipchoge does to run a 2:01 marathon?
(12/05/2018) ⚡AMPKipchoge underlined his status as the world’s most dominant distance runner. The 34-year-old Kenyan won the London Marathon in April in 2:04:17 to finish comfortably ahead of one of the deepest marathon fields in history.
Five months later, he won the Berlin Marathon in 2:01:39 to smash the world record. His time in the German capital was 78 seconds faster than the previous world record, representing the biggest single improvement on a men’s marathon world record since 1967.
Not content with being the best triple jumper in the world, Ibarguen also tested herself against the world’s best in the long jump this year – and consistently came out on top in that too.
The 34-year-old Colombian won both horizontal jumps at the Central American and Caribbean Games, the IAAF Continental Cup and at the IAAF Diamond League finals – winning the latter two titles in two different cities within the space of 24 hours.
She was unbeaten in all eight of her triple jump competitions, ending the year with a world-leading mark of 14.96m in her specialist event and a national record of 6.93m in the long jump.
(12/05/2018) ⚡AMPSan Diego-based Groundwork Endurance, LLC announced this week that it has acquired the iconic Carlsbad 5000 road race from IRONMAN, a Wanda Sports Holdings company. Under the leadership of local runners, including U.S Olympian Meb Keflezighi, Groundwork Endurance will welcome participants from around the world to Carlsbad, California April 6- 7, 2019 for the 34th annual Carlsbad 5000.
“I am delighted to join the local ownership team in building upon the legacy of the Carlsbad 5000. There is no better place than the San Diego coast to celebrate the sport that has meant so much to me,” said Meb, the only runner in history to win the NYC Marathon, Boston Marathon and an Olympic Marathon medal.
“I raced the Carlsbad 5000 twice during my professional career and both experiences were unforgettable. Having the opportunity to now help shape the direction of this amazing event for future generations is truly an honor. My wife and I are excited to watch as our three daughters run in their first Junior Carlsbad and we can’t wait to get more kids throughout the area to join in on the fun.” Known as the “World’s Fastest 5k”, the annual road race attracts amateur, competitive, and professional runners from around the world.
Since the inaugural edition in 1986, the Carlsbad 5000 has seen 16 World records and eight U.S. records, as well as numerous national and age group marks. The event is the home of the current female and male World 5K road records: 14:46, Meseret Defar (ETH), 2006 and 13:00, Sammy Kipketer (KEN), 2000.
“First and foremost, we want to thank the incredible running community that has made this race so special for more than 30 years,” said Ashley Gibson, the founder of Groundwork Endurance who spearheaded the effort to return race ownership to its local roots.
“The Carlsbad 5000 is not only a showcase of world- class talent but a celebration of family, friends, and community. Our team has a great appreciation for the unrivaled history of this race and we are committed to producing a fantastic event in 2019. April can’t get here soon enough!” Race weekend promises a fast oceanfront course, healthy competition, and energetic atmosphere for participants of all ages and paces. The event features multiple age-group races throughout the morning leading up to the legendary pro women's and men's races.
The popular Junior Carlsbad, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2019, also features multiple races designed for children ages 12 and under. Kids distances range from a one-miler to the always entertaining 50-yard Toddler Trot and 25-yard Diaper Dash.
“The Carlsbad 5000 is truly one of the world’s great events and holds a special place in the hearts of the runners and longtime event staff alike,” said Dan Cruz, the race’s longtime Head of Communications.
“Few events can match the Carlsbad 5000’s tradition, spectator friendly course, electric race day atmosphere and I couldn’t be more pleased to continue working with the new ownership team.”
My Best Runs Director Bob Anderson has run the Carlsbad 5000 for 25 consecutive years.
(12/04/2018) ⚡AMP