News

Race news Nepalgunj Marathon

Army athletes triumph at Dhara Nepalgunj Marathon

Eighth edition of race uses chip timing for the first time

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 09:31:00 +0000

Khadak Bahadur Khadka and Santoshi Shrestha won gold in the eighth edition of the race as Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) athletes dominated the event.

Khadka clocked 2:20:28 to finish first in the AIMS-certified race which used electronic timing chips for the first time. He had finished fourth in the previous edition but claimed gold in his seventh appearance and earned prize money of NPR 150,000 (1060 EUR).

Santoshi Shrestha of Bagmati Province won the women’s half marathon gold medal. The 13th South Asian Games 10,000m gold medal winner, Shrestha finished the 21.1km race in 1:16:41. The nine times National Games double gold medallist, Shrestha had also claimed her seventh edition title in Nepalgunj.

Apart from marathon, athletes in half marathon, men’s 10km and women’s 5km events also used electronic timing chips. A total of 2461 athletes participated in different 13 categories of the Marathon. Actress Benisha Hamal, Miss Supranational 2022 Dr Keshu Khadka, Olympian Raghu Onta, South Asian Games gold medallists Deepak Shrestha, Manday kaji Shrestha and Swapnil Shrestha all participated in the celebrity run.

Nepalgunj Sub-metropolitan City Mayor Prashant Bist, and Kohalpur Municipality Mayor Purna Acharya inaugurated the eighth edition of the Dhara Nepalgunj Marathon. Nepalgunj Marathon Chairman TS Thakuri announced the ninth edition of the Marathon would be held on 18 November next year. The Nepalgunj Marathon began in 2015 to mark the signing of the comprehensive peace accord between the government of Nepal and Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) to end the decade-long conflict.

Date changes Kinmen Marathon

Race date for Kinmen Marathon (TPE) changed

Kinmen Marathon date change

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 16:57:48 +0000

The Kinmen Marathon (TPE) will take place on Sun 12 February 2023, not Sun 5 March 2023 as previously published.

Race news Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Marathon

Valencia Marathon now one of the three fastest in the world

Kiptum runs 2:01:53, and Beriso 2:14:58 – both men’s and women’s times are the third best in history

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 12:00:00 +0000

The 42nd Trinidad Alfonso Valencia Marathon has managed to beat its two circuit records and be amongst the three best times in the world for both men and women thanks to the victories of Kelvin Kiptum and Amane Beriso.

The Kenyan has achieved a time of 2:01:53 and the Ethiopian has clocked a time of 2:14:58 in the women’s category.

Kiptum, who was debuting at the distance, managed to beat the course record (Evans Chebet, 2:03:00) by more than a minute. The runner-up was Gabriel Geay with a great time of 2:03:00 – third fastest time of 2022 – followed by another debutant, Alexander Mutiso with 2:03:29.

In the women’s race, Amane Beriso improved the previous record (Peres Jepchirchir, 2:17:16) by more than two minutes. Behind her, the podium was completed by debutant Letesenbet Gidey with 2:16:49 and Sheila Chepkirui with 2:17:29, second and third, respectively, completing a spectacular race.

Race news Tokyo Marathon

Official song of Tokyo Marathon released

Exile to heat up the marathon with official image song

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 11:35:00 +0000

This year’s official theme song, “Power of Wish (One step ahead version feat. Doberman Infinity)”, was written for the Tokyo Marathon because of the optimistic theme projected for 2023 – a theme of each and every person taking one step at a time forward, in their own way, even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This theme, encapsulated in the event’s message “One step ahead”, resonated with Exile’s desire to share the power of wishes and make it through these troubling times together; a desire Exile feels for the future of all Japan.

Race news Haspa Marathon Hamburg

Ringer runs next marathon in Hamburg

European champion to join elite field

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 16:10:00 +0000

European Champion Richard Ringer will run his next marathon in Hamburg on 23rd April.

Organisers announced this today during a press conference with the runner, who became Germany’s first male marathon gold medal winner in the long history of the continental championships.

The Haspa Marathon Hamburg is Germany’s major spring marathon. Online entry for the event is possible at: www.haspa-marathon-hamburg.de

“To have Germany’s first ever male European Marathon Champion on the start line next spring is something really special and makes us feel proud. We hope Richard’s commitment to our event will give the Haspa Marathon Hamburg another boost after the fantastic race we had this year,“ said chief organiser Frank Thaleiser. In April this year both course records were smashed in Hamburg. Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw clocked 2:17:23 which at that time was an unofficial world debut record while Kenya’s Cybrian Kotut won with 2:04:47.

“I made up my mind quickly after the European Championships and decided to go for a spring marathon in 2023. Hamburg and its organiser MHV are a perfect fit for me,” said Richard Ringer, who travelled from the very southwest of Germany to the north to attend the press conference in Hamburg on Wednesday.

It was just two years ago when Richard Ringer ran his marathon debut in Valencia. Since then he has established himself as a strong championship runner. In the Olympic marathon in Sapporo in 2021 he achieved a fine 26th place and this summer he stormed to the European gold medal in sensational style in Munich. However when he will come back to Hamburg in April Richard Ringer will have a different goal. This one will be about a fast time on a flat course. The 33-year-old currently has a personal best of 2:08:49. He should be able to run considerably faster than that if weather conditions are favourable.

Additionally Richard Ringer plans further ahead: “I am already looking towards the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. So it is important to me to run a good marathon time next spring.” With a fast time in Hamburg he could make an early and decisive step towards Olympic selection for Paris.

Date changes

Race dates for Great Egyptian River Nile International Marathon (EGY) changed

Revised dates published

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 11:11:00 +0000

The Great Egyptian River Nile International Marathon (EGY) will take place on Fri 17 March 2023, not Fri 31 March 2023 as previously published.

In 2024, the event will take place on Fri 12 April. The 2025 event will be on Fri 4 April and in 2026 the race will be on Fri 3 April. These supercede any previously published dates.

Race news Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Marathon

Letesenbet Gidey to make marathon debut in Valencia

Elite selector talks about race goals

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 11:40:00 +0000

The Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso announces its elite international line-up for its 42nd edition on 4 December.

Some of the best athletes on the international scene will take to the streets of Valencia “Ciudad del Running” with the aim of improving the course record (2:03:00) and seeking the best women’s debut in the history of the event.

Tamirat Tola (2:03:39), the reigning World Marathon champion, heads the men’s line-up alongside his Ethiopian compatriots Getaneh Molla (2:03:34) and Dawit Wolde (2:04:27) in a preliminary list with up to seven athletes with fastest times under 2:05 over the Marathon distance. Kenya, a world power in the marathon, will be well represented not only by Jonathan Korir (2:04:32), but also by a trio of important debutants over the distance: Alexander Mutiso, Philemon Kiplimo and Kelvin Kiptum. Attention will also be focused on another athlete who will be initiated at 42,195 metres: the Ethiopian Milkesa Menghesa, the winner of the Copenhagen Half Marathon.

In the women’s category, the spotlight will be on the long-awaited debut of Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey (currently world record holder in the 5000, 10000, 15K and half marathon, two of which were achieved in Valencia), who will make an eye-catching debut in a marathon on 4 December with the realistic ambition of beating the time of 2:17:23 (world record for a debutant), but also of getting as close as possible to the women’s world record of 2:14:04 (Brigid Kosgei, Chicago).

The Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui, also a debutant, could become the other female star of the Valencia Marathon in 2022, without forgetting some of the other runners included in this line-up with excellent times: Sutume Kebede (2:18:12) and Etagegne Woldu (2:20:16), who achieved second place last year in this marathon.

Marc Roig, international elite coach for the Valencia Marathon, assesses the line-up: “We are very proud that Letesenbet Gidey has chosen Valencia to make her marathon debut. It is a clear demonstration that we are an attractive marathon and of the very strong links between Gidey and the city of Valencia. But, as ever, the Valencia Marathon is not based on a single name: fifteen of the women have run under 2h26 and fourteen of the men under 2h07. And let’s not forget the three debutants with 58 minutes and another one with 57 minutes in the half marathon”.

Race news Great Ethiopian Run 10km

Triple crown for Gashaw

Gashaw wins for third time and Ketema surprises favourites at 2022 Sofi Malt Great Ethiopian Run International 10km

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 15:47:00 +0000

Twenty-four-year old Abe Gashaw became the first athlete to win three titles by taking victory in the 22nd edition of Addis Ababa’s international 10km, adding to his wins in November 2016 and January 2021.

He won in a time of 28 minutes and 32 seconds, edging out Hailemariam Amare (28:34) and last year’s winner Gemechu Dida (28:36).

But the women’s race produced a new race winner in the shape of Tigist Ketema who is better known as a track runner with a 1500m PB of 4:00:71. Ketema bided her time until the final kilometre before unleashing her sprint for home, pulling clear of 2nd placed Mestawot Fikir and 3rd placed Foyten Tesfay in the final 200m.

Both winners took home prize money of 150,000 birr (almost USD 3,000), the highest prize in the race’s 22-year history.

For Gashaw his win was redemption after the disappointment of dropping out from the Venice Marathon three weeks after being tripped at the 30km point. Following the race in Italy, he returned home and took a week to recover before committing to the race here.

With 600m to go to the finish, Hailemariam Amare who won two golds at 3000m SC and 5000m at this year’s African Championships moved into the lead. But, claiming afterwards that he thought that the start line came 150m earlier, he mistimed his run for home and was overtaken by Gashaw in the race’s final few metres.

In the women’s race Ketema saw off the challenge of the more fancied names by waiting until the final kilometre to sprint clear of the field.

A total of 41,000 participants had registered for today’s race, thus returning the event to its pre-pandemic size. As has been the practice of the past three years the mass race went off as a wave start just ten minutes after the start of the elite races with runners wearing green, yellow and red t-shirts, the colours of the Ethiopian flag.

Both the country’s president Her Excellency Sahle-Work Zewde and the Addis Ababa City Mayor Adanech Abebie were present for the start of the race.

Race news

Cairo marathon success

Polish winner makes a splash

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 14:11:00 +0000

The Great Egyptian River Nile Marathon took place successfully on 18 November.

On the final day of COP27, as world leaders met in Egypt, the runners too came to run on the first AIMS/WA certified marathon course in Cairo.

The first edition included four distances – 5k, 10k, 21k and the full marathon.

42-year-old Polish runner Jacek Rozek came to Egypt to work and run. He ran the course at 6am and was boarding a flight at 12.20pm. His victory as the fastest finisher came as a surprise.

There was a special medal for Dawn Sedgwick from England, who completed the 10km on her 67th birthday, in 1:13:10. She was presented with her medal by women’s marathon champion Marianne Bouwman and race founder Ahmed Elnady.

Many runners thanked the organisers, who replied “Welcome to Egypt”.

The next edition of the Great Egyptian River Nile Marathon will be on 31 March 2023 and runners who register before the end of 2022 can get a discount code.

Race news Big Sur International Marathon

Josh Priester leads Big Sur foundation

Successor to Doug Thurston named

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 10:41:00 +0000

Josh Priester has succeeded Doug Thurston as Executive Director/Race Director of the Big Sur Marathon Foundation.

As well as overseeing the organization’s world-class races (the Big Sur International Marathon and Monterey Bay Half Marathon) Priester will be responsible for the organization’s youth fitness programs.

Priester founded the Santa Barbara Track Club in 2012 and has been its Executive Director and Head Coach for the past decade.

His predecessor Doug Thurston held the position for nearly 10 years. Dino Pick, BSMF Board Chair thanked Thurston “for leading our organization through natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic and concluding his tenure after organizing our staff and volunteers to produce the most successful race weekend in memory.”

Race news EDP Porto Marathon

Porto success

“Wonderful day of running” say organisers

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 16:57:00 +0000

Organisers of the EDP Porto Marathon have announced that the event was a big success.

“Still a bit far from 2019 edition in terms of participation, but it was a wonderful day of running,” reported organisers.

Race news Tartu City Marathon

Tartu Marathon sports events gain popularity

Almost 30,000 participants in skiing, cycling and running

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 16:09:00 +0000

Compared to last year, there were almost 3500 people more, who were skiing, cycling and running at Tartu Marathon events. Although the number of participants decreased during the coronavirus pandemic years, it can be seen that both children and adults have begun to participate in sports events more and more.

This year’s Tartu Marathon sports year started on the ski tracks thanks to the beautiful winter. Before the Tartu Marathon, participants could put themselves to the test on the Open Track and Relay Marathon races. A week later, kids races took place and adults skied on the route between Otepää and Elva. In addition, people could participate virtually. Beautiful winter brought a lot of joy and there were a total of 5981 participants.

Charity event Heateo Jooks and Tartu Forest Marathon were waiting in the beginning of May. During the charity event, 473 people participated, and almost 7000 euros were collected in cooperation with Tartu University Hospital Children’s Foundation to conduct therapy classes for children. This year, the forest marathon turned out to be very popular especially among children. There were almost 2500 of them in total and a little over 2000 adults. If we add up the numbers of people who participated virtually, we get 4516.

At the end of May, cyclists got together at Tartu Rattaralli. Almost 3500 children and adults pedaled at the main races, and more than 1100 bike lovers joined the virtual ride. A total of 4609 kids and adults took part in the road race.

Next on the schedule was the Tartu MTB Marathon, which started with kids races, followed by a bike ride from Otepää to Elva. 4561 riders took part in programmed events and 799 from virtual race, which makes the total amount 5360.

The beginning of October was dedicated to running events, and the Friday Night Run, with almost 1300 runners, made a beautiful introduction. Tartu Linnamaton put a nice end to the season, where more than 5600 runners came together with real and virtual participation.

According to Oliver Kivimäe, the project manager of the Tartu Marathon events, a good surprise this year was the large participation of children. “We are very happy that there were, for example, almost 3000 children at the Tartu City Marathon. Kids participation in other events is also on the rise, which is only positive, because according to different studies, children’s movement habits are unfortunately quite bad, and hopefully we have the opportunity to change that,” explains Kivimäe.

According to Indrek Kelk, the chief organizer of Tartu Marathon events, we can be satisfied with the season, but could always do better. “Unfortunately, the coronavirus years have changed people’s movement habits, and not in a very positive way. It’s nice to see that it’s slowly changing, but the situation could definitely be better,” says Kelk. He emphasizes that in the overall picture, the biggest role of sports events is to motivate people to exercise regularly. “This has also been shown by our participant surveys, that registering for sports events provides motivation to move consistently. We would like to change the way of thinking that you always have to do better and better results, because you don’t. It is important to go and exercise in the fresh air and do it regularly,” he notes.

The new season of Tartu Marathon will start with the Tartu Relay Marathon and Open Track races in February, followed by the 49th Tartu Marathon with kids races. It is also still possible to participate virtually in all five events.

Race news SwissCityMarathon – Lucerne

9,000 run in Lucerne

“Everyone a winner” say organisers

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 10:38:00 +0000

The Swiss City Marathon – Lucerne reviewed its event.

“A phenomenal day with unforgettable moments, lots of happiness, smiling faces and a great atmosphere is behind us,” said the race organisers.

“It has been a huge running festival where everyone is a winner. A total of 9,046 runners crossed the finish line in the Swiss Museum of Transport on Sunday!

“None of this would have been possible without the support of 1200 volunteers and our loyal partners. So a big thank you to them!”

The 16th edition takes place on Sunday, October 29, 2023.

Date changes OPAP Limassol Marathon

Race date for OPAP Limassol Marathon (CYP) changed

OPAP Limassol Marathon date change

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 10:37:26 +0000

The OPAP Limassol Marathon (CYP) will take place on Sun 19 March 2023, not Sat 18 March 2023 as previously published.

Race news French Riviera Marathon Nice-Cannes

French Riviera Marathon Nice-Cannes gets a new women’s event record

Fikadu runs 2:28:15 to beat previous best by over two minutes

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 10:56:00 +0000

On Sunday morning, at 8:00 am, it was under a clear blue sky that the 10,528 competitors of the 14th edition of the French Riviera Marathon Nice-Cannes set off.

They left from the Promenade des Anglais, 500 metres from the Hyatt Regency Palais de la Méditerranée in Nice, to reach Cannes and its famous Croisette, in front of one of its famous five-star hotels: the Martinez by Hyatt hotel!

“What a pleasure to have run alongside more than 10,500 athletes during this 14th edition of the Nice-Cannes Marathon! A unique race with an exceptional route, a great sporting and human gathering that conveys a taste for effort, a sense of sharing and solidarity, health through sport, and the international promotion of our region. Not forgetting ecology and environmental protection, through actions to reduce its environmental impact, in line with the Green Deal policy. I am proud that the Department has been the title partner of this event for years. I would like to thank the many volunteers who worked before and during the race throughout the 42.195km, Pascal Thiriot, President of Azur Sport Organisation, the towns along the route, and all those who contributed, alongside the Department, to the success of this international sporting event. I congratulate all the runners for their participation!” said Charles Ange Ginésy, President of the French Riviera Department.

Long months of physical and mental preparation were needed to give it all today and to be in the best shape, as the long-awaited sounding of the saving shot was given by Charles Ange Ginésy, President of the French Riviera Department and José Cobos, City Councillor of Nice, Delegate for Sports Events and Hosting of International Sports Competitions.
Charles Ange Ginésy took part in the relay race with his elected colleagues wearing the colours of the French Riviera Department.

As usual, the leading group led by the Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes started with a bang.

The three Kenyans John Langat, Vincent Rono and Japheth Kosgei took the lead until 30km with a pace of 2:08:30. It is only at 32km that the race becomes more tactical. Vincent Rono speeds up on the exit of Juan-les-Pins in front of Kosgei and Langat, who seems to be in more difficulty. Finally, at the 37 km, Kosgei broke down and takes the marathon wall. Rono and Langat continue the race neck-and-neck, neither of them wanting to give way to the other. It was two kilometres before the finish line that Langat took the lead to win in 2:10:25. Rono took the second step of the podium in 2:10:40 followed by Kosgei in 2:13:39. The first Frenchman and Maralpin, Lucas Gehin finished in 6th place overall in 2:30:06.

In the women’s race, the two favourites Ethiopian Zenebu Fikadu and Kenyan Sharon Jemutai ran together until 16 km before Fikadu widened the gap and took first place, setting a new record for the event in 2:28:15, beating the previous record of Radiya Roba (ETH), 2:30:37 in 2010, by over two minutes.

Fikadu was followed by Kenyan Sharon Jemutai in 2:34:12. There was a good fight for third place between the Swede Hanna Lindholm and the Frenchwoman Aline Camboulives. It is finally the Swedish woman who will take the third place in 2:39:57. Aline Camboulives finished in 5th place overall in 2:51:10.

Date changes Moy Park Belfast City Marathon

Race date for Mash Direct Belfast City Marathon (GBR) changed

Mash Direct Belfast City Marathon date change

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 10:15:35 +0000

The Mash Direct Belfast City Marathon (GBR) will take place on Sun 30 April 2023, not Sun 7 May 2023 as previously published.

Race news Mainova Frankfurt Marathon

Kenyan double for Misoi and Kaptich

Misoi slashes two minutes from own personal best – Pfeiffer is fastest German runner

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 11:50:00 +0000

The Kenyan duo of Brimin Misoi and Selly Kaptich triumphed at the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on Sunday, defying unusually high temperatures.

The heatwave put a brake on what might have been a crop of personal bests on the traditionally fast course but one record was set: temperatures of around 20 degrees Celsius towards the end of the elite race made this the warmest Frankfurt Marathon in 33 years.

While the surprise winner of the men’s title, the 33-year-old Brimin Misoi, overcame the tough conditions to run a personal best of 2:06:11, his equally mature compatriot, the 37-year-old Selly Kaptich, confirmed her status as one of the pre-race favourites. Hendrik Pfeiffer raised the home fans’ spirits by finishing seventh in 2:11:28, not quite achieving his intended goal of breaking 2:10 but a highly creditable performance, given the conditions. The men’s champion Brimin Misoi clearly slowed in the last 10km as did Kaptich and Pfeiffer and almost all of the elite finishers.

After a two-year interruption because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon returned in impressive style with a festival of running in front of thousands of appreciative fans. Taking into account events held in conjunction, 20,551 runners were entered. 11,708 took part in the marathon, confirming its position as Germany’s second biggest marathon.

“We’ve succeeded in staging a wonderful comeback to Frankfurt’s streets and the Festhalle. We had to overcome many challenges and are very happy about today,” said Jo Schindler, race director of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. “The athletes had good conditions at the start. Past the half marathon mark they were going well, then it became tough, keeping going in such sunshine. Respect and hats off to every finisher. It was a good result but the race had potential for even more.”

Temperatures were hardly ideal for fast times, nonetheless, the top three men finishers each set personal bests. A big group stayed together, running on a pace which would bring the leaders across the line in around 2:06. Shortly after 25km, the scenario was transformed as the Kenyans Brimin Misoi and Samwel Mailu seized the initiative.

Their rivals failed to muster a reply and suddenly a finishing time of 2:04 seemed possible. But the rising temperatures forced Misoi to slacken his pace from kilometre 37 although he remained unchallenged for the win as he was cheered to the roof of the Festhalle in 2:06:11.

“I expected to win. My form was good. The course is outstanding, I am sure I can run faster here,” said Misoi. His previous personal best was 2:08:41, set in May this year at altitude in Nairobi, which is always a tough event. Misoi showed that he is a true competitor by taking over two-and-a-half minutes off that time.

Samwel Mailu was a distant second but deserved the applause and was right to celebrate a brilliant marathon debut in 2:07:19. This was achieved after completing his original role as a pacemaker for Misoi and the rest of the leading group to outstanding effect. The organisers had agreed on the eve of the race to his request that he could race to the finish, once his pacing duties were done. The Ethiopian Derese Ulfata also produced a solid performance to finish third in 2:07:30, also a personal best.

The home fans also had good reason to celebrate the success of Hendrik Pfeiffer. In a controlled effort, the German finished a creditable seventh in 2:11:28, not quite the sub-2:10 he had wanted but his second fastest time ever, nonetheless. “I’m mega-happy. It was a great result and rounds off a great year for me,” said Pfeiffer, who at the European Championships in Munich in August finished 24th, helping Germany to win the silver medal in the team competition.

The women were on course for a sub 2:20 result and a course record until late in the race. Kenya’s Valary Aiyabei clocked the current record of 2:19:10 three years ago and this remains the only sub 2:20 result in the history of the event. Selly Kaptich, who was the fastest runner on the start list with a PB of 2:21:06, ran right behind the three pacemakers from the start. They reached half way in 69:40 and at this stage Ethiopians Atalel Anmut Dargie and Yoshi Chekole still managed to hold on to the group. A bit further behind a second group with six runners followed in a promising split time of 70:34. Among these runners was Helah Kiprop, Kenya’s marathon silver medallist from the World Championships in 2015.

However just a few kilometres later in the race the picture changed decisively. Dargie was the first one who could not hold the pace and when the former track runner Kaptich increased the pace further at 25k (1:22:27) Chekole dropped back as well. Kaptich covered the following 5k section in a very fast 16:18 and her 30k split time of 1:38:45 then indicated that a sub 2:19 finish might be possible. But all of a sudden the Kenyan leader was in trouble as well. In the warm conditions she slowed considerably. Kaptich was not in danger of being caught because she was well ahead by over two minutes and the women behind her also slowed as well. But the course record was soon out of reach and a sub 2:20 time also became unrealistic.

With a time of 2:23:11 Selly Kaptich ran the third fastest marathon time of her career. Behind her Helah Kiprop had moved up into second place and then finished in 2:24:40 with fellow Kenyan Jackline Chepngeno taking third with 2:25:14. “It was a great day for me. The atmosphere was superb and I think I could break the course record if I could come back next year and if weather conditions would be cooler,” said Kaptich.

Race news Mainova Frankfurt Marathon

Frankfurt hopes to come back with a bang

Kaptich eyes the course record

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 14:45:00 +0000

The Mainova Frankfurt Marathon is the last major German city marathon to make its comeback after a two-year break because of the Corona pandemic.

The 39th edition will be started on Sunday with a field of over 11,500 marathon runners. Including running events at shorter distances the total number of participants is expected to be over 20,000 athletes. Elite runners could bring the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon back in overdrive as they are aiming for fast times. Ethiopia’s Gebru Redahgne and Kenyan Selly Kaptich head the start lists with personal bests of 2:05:58 and 2:21:09.

Weather conditions look very good although it may become warm towards the end of the elite races. The Mainova Frankfurt Marathon is an Elite Label Road Race of World Athletics, the international athletics federation. A live stream can be accessed on the event’s website at: www.frankfurt-marathon.com, however this will not be possible in territories where there is live TV broadcast.

Back in 2019 it was a woman who produced the highlight of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon: Kenya’s Valary Aiyabei established the course record of 2:19:10, which was the first sub 2:20 time in the history of the race. It could well be the women’s race again that stands out on Sunday. Selly Kaptich is ready for a very fast race. “I am confident that I can run a sub 2:20 personal best and I want to attack the course record – that is what I am here for,“ said Selly Kaptich, who heads a field of eight women with personal bests of sub 2:25. The former track runner mentioned a half way split time target of 69:00, which caught Christoph Kopp, Frankfurt’s Elite Race Coordinator, by surprise. “We had not heard about these plans from her management. However if she really wants to go that fast we will rearrange pacemaking to support her,“ said Christoph Kopp.

Fellow-Kenyan Helah Kiprop travelled to Frankfurt with a PB of 2:21:27. The marathon silver medallist from the World Championships 2015 ran this time in Tokyo in 2016. Earlier this year she showed fine form again with a 2:24:10 victory in Copenhagen. The 37 year-old has competed in the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon back in 2014 when she was fifth with 2:27:14. “I am happy to be back here. In 2014 I ran a PB in Frankfurt, so I hope to do it again here on Sunday,” said Helah Kiprop.

Yoshi Chekole is the third woman in the field who has a PB of sub 2:22. The Ethiopian improved to 2:21:17 in Sevilla this February. “My goal is to run a personal best on Sunday and to finish in the best position possible,” said Chekole, who prepared for four months for the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon and feels she is in fine form.

A runner who might be in for a surprise is Gladys Chepkurui. The Kenyan ran 2:28:55 in Paris this spring. However her PBs at 10k (30:48) and and in the half marathon (68:09) suggest that she could be able to run a time of around 2:22.

In the men’s race, Gebru Redahgne is a newcomer to running at international level. The Ethiopian only competed outside his country for the first time in 2021. This spring he improved his personal best to 2:05:58 in Barcelona, the second marathon of his career. Redahgne is seeking to run even faster on the Frankfurt course which is renowned for speedy performances. “I’ve trained well and want to break my personal best,” he said, confidently. The plan is for pacemakers to ensure the first half of the race is run in 62:45. “Gebru is not only the fastest but also the youngest on our list. It all adds up to making him the pre-race favourite. If the result is a time under 2:06, I’ll be delighted,” said Christoph Kopp.

One Kenyan is returning for his fifth attempt at winning the Frankfurt title: Martin Kosgey has deservedly earned the title of “Mr Frankfurt” with his consistently outstanding performances. He has twice finished runner-up in the Festhalle (in 2016 and 2018) and fourth on another two occasions (2017 and 2019). He ran what remains his personal best here in 2018 with 2:06:41. “I shall definitely run in the leading group. A new personal best and also victory are possible,” said the father of three with high expectations. “Frankfurt is like a home town for me. I feel good, being here.”

His 29-year-old compatriot Charles Ndiema has a current personal best of 2:08:12, achieved this April in Vienna. His story of how he discovered the Frankfurt Marathon is unusual, but reflects the modern age: watching the race on YouTube three years ago created a long term goal for him. “I’m ready to run fast and stay at the front as long as I can,” said Ndiema. One absentee will be the Ethiopian Betesfa Getahun, originally listed on the start list as the fastest in the men’s field with 2:05:28 but he cancelled his participation at short notice.

Germany’s Hendrik Pfeiffer intends to break his personal best of 2:10:18 and hopes to achieve a sub 2:10 time on Frankfurt’s fast course. He was a member of the German marathon team which took the silver medal in the team event at the European Championships in Munich this summer. Pfeiffer finished 24th in the individual event. Another German, Filimon Abraham, targets a sub 2:10 time as well. He dropped out in his debut marathon in Hamburg this spring. For the two German runners the qualifying time for the 2023 World Championships of 2:09:40 could become a target as well.

Race news Türkiye İş Bankası İstanbul Marathon

Istanbul targets Turkish all comers’ record

Sultan Haydar to attempt comeback

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 19:49:00 +0000

The course record and the Turkish all comers’ record will be targeted at the N Kolay Istanbul Marathon on 6th November.

To achieve these goals for the men’s race organisers have put together an elite field with very good strength in depth. Seven men are on the start list who feature personal bests of sub 2:08. Bahrain’s Marius Kimutai heads the current list with a time of 2:05:47. In the women’s race Kenyan Agnes Barsosio is the fastest on paper with a PB of 2:20:59. Turkey’s premier marathon race, which uniquely starts on the Asian side of the Bosphorus and then leads the runners over the July 15 Martyrs Bridge into the European part of the city, will be staged in Istanbul for the 44th time. A total of 60,000 runners are expected to take part including races at shorter distances.

“The world’s only intercontinental marathon is being conducted for the 44th time. In the race which starts in Asia and ends in Europe with the bridge connecting two continents, the participants enjoy Istanbul, the Bosphorus, and the historical peninsula of the 2000-year-old city with its finish in Sultanahmet Square, the historical center of Istanbul. A fast race is anticipated among the elite athletes competing in the race,” said Renay Onur, the Race Director from Spor Istanbul. His organising team achieved a remarkable feat by staging the N Kolay Istanbul Marathon and its sister race, the N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon, throughout the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 with an exceptional effort. Both events are Elite Label Road Races of World Athletics, the international athletics federation.

Back in 2019 Kenyan Daniel Kibet established the current record of 2:09:44 while Turkey’s allcomers’ record currently stands at 2:09:27. These are the times organisers had in mind when they assembled the men’s elite field. Former Kenyan Marius Kimutai ran his PB of 2:05:47 when he was third in Amsterdam in 2016. On two more occasions the 29 year-old achieved times faster than 2:07. Competing for Bahrain for the first time he took the Rotterdam Marathon with 2:06:04 in 2017 and a year ago he finished sixth in Barcelona with 2:06:54. Two other athletes on Istanbul’s start list have run sub 2:07 times: Kenya’s Samuel Kosgei, who is the former 25k world record holder (1:11:50 in Berlin in 2010), won the 2021 Barcelona Marathon with 2:06:04 and Ethiopia’s Abayneh Ayele clocked 2:06:45 in Dubai where he was sixth in 2016. In the same year Ayele was fourth in the World Half Marathon Championships, where he just missed out in the fight for the bronze medal against Britain’s Mo Farah. Both were given the same time of 59:59.

Tadesse Mamo is a runner who has shown very promising form earlier this year. The Ethiopian ran the best race of his career when he took second in Rome with 2:07:04, which was his first sub 2:10 time. Meanwhile Robert Kipkemboi returns to the N Kolay Istanbul Marathon where he was the runner-up a year ago. Showing one of his best performances he clocked 2:10:23 in 2021 while his personal best is 2:07:09 from Seoul in 2019. The other two runners with PBs of sub 2:08 on the start list are Ethiopia’s Alemayehu Mekonen and Evans Kiplagat of Azerbaijan with 2:07:23 and 2:07:46 respectively.

In contrast to the men’s race Istanbul’s world-class course record of 2:18:35 set by Ruth Chepngetich in 2018 will most likely remain unchallenged. Fellow-Kenyan Agnes Barsosio is the fastest runner on the women’s elite start. She clocked 2:20:59 when she finished second in Paris in 2017. While this was five years ago and she turned 40 earlier this year Barsosio showed excellent form this spring: She won the Nairobi Marathon, running 2:24:45 despite the high altitude.

Three other athletes with personal bests of sub 2:27 have achieved strong results and PBs this spring: Sechale Dalasa was the winner of the Rome Marathon with 2:26:09 while fellow-Ethiopian Melesech Tsegaye clocked 2:24:47 for fourth place in Milan. Despite her age of 34 Judith Jerubet is still a newcomer in international road running. She ran her first major race in 2021 and this year improved to 2:26:17 when she was third in Daegu, South Korea.

Turkey’s national record holder Sultan Haydar surprisingly entered the N Kolay Istanbul Marathon more than six years after competing in the Rio Olympic Marathon, where she finished in 111th position. The 35 year-old established the current national record of 2:24:44 back in 2015 in Dubai. It will be interesting to see what Sultan Haydar can achieve on home soil in Istanbul after such a long break.

Race news Sarmang Dehradun Marathon

Dehradun holds first certified marathon in Uttarakhand

600 take part in inaugural event

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 16:05:00 +0000

Sarmang Adventure Tours held Uttarakhand’s first certified course full marathon, Sarmang Dehradun Marathon, in Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand, a Himalayan state in north India.

Around 600 runners from all states of India and a few foreign runners from Canada, USA, Poland, Ethiopia, Japan, Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh participated in the four races: marathon, half marathon, 10 km and 5 km. Runners from various defence institutions like the Indian Army, Indian Navy, ITBP, Police and BSF also participated in the marathon.

The marathon races were flagged off by Brigader Anirban Dutta, Rear Admiral Pathania and Olympian Manish Rawat, The winners were awarded with trophies by world railway gold medallist and Asian track and field medallist Vinod Pokhriyal. Ex Sports Authority of India coach Gurphool Singh addressed the runners and shared his marathon coaching experiences.

The masters runners (above 35 years of age) finishing the full marathon are eligible for the Abbott World Marathon Majors WANDA Age Group World Ranking. The race director is Anil Mohan, the founder of Sarmang Adventure Tours.

The outstation runners enjoyed running in the pleasant weather of Dehradun and the scenic natural beauty throughout the route. The main attraction was running along the road along through dense sal forest on both sides with the sun’s rays coming through the trees. The route was so scenic that some foreign participants stopped to click pictures along the course.

The marathon followed various green initiatives and tried to reduce the waste generated during the execution of the event. The team of nature’s buddies, a local NGO, supported the event by making the event zero waste.

Race director Anil Mohan said that having such big international events in Dehradun will boost tourism and give a new identity to the city. Having such international events in Uttarakhand will allow young athletes to learn from the international level athletes and realise the race slogan: “Run, Make a Mark”.

Race news Half Marathon Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Zurich

Kandie and Klosterhalfen triumph in Valencia

Debutante Klosterhalfen runs 1:05:41

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 20:10:00 +0000

The athlete Kibiwott Kandie was the winner of the 31st Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich, beating the rest of the athletes with a time of 58:10, which is the second time this year at international level.

In the women’s category, Konstanze Klosterhalfen won with a time of 1:05:41, a spectacular time by the German athlete, who was also making her debut, which is the third best time in the history of European women and which she celebrated with immense joy.

In addition, Yomif Kejelcha (58:32) and Daniel Mateiko (58:40), completed the men’s podium, and Tsigie Gebreselama (1:05:45) and Hawi Feysa (1:06:00), the women’s podium.

“I am very surprised and excited about what I have achieved today,” said Konstanze Klosterhalfen. “In the next half marathon I am striving to improve my time. I chose Valencia because I wanted to run a fast course and seeing the results of previous editions I decided for this city. I couldn’t have chosen a better race to start with.”

“I would have liked to repeat the last three kilometres to improve my time because I think they can be improved. In the next race I will work on that and hopefully I will be able to beat the German record.”

Kibiwott Kandie said: “I didn’t come to Valencia to break the record, just to run a great race and win it, and that’s what I achieved.”

“I was in a good rhythm but I felt too much humidity so I didn’t push myself to my limits because I preferred to arrive safely.”

Race news Islandsbanki Reykjavik Marathon

Reykjavik opens registration for non-binary athletes

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 13:40:00 +0000

Participants can now select female, male or non-binary in the entry system for all Reykjavik Sport Association (RSA) running events.

Registration opens in the beginning of November in Islandsbanki Reykjavik Marathon, Laugavegur Ultra Marathon and the Suzuki Midnight Sun Run.

The three gender options (female, male and non-binary) will be offered to all participants registering for the Reykjavik Sport Association events. For the first time awards will be given for three categories in the running events.

“We are excited to welcome everybody in our events, regardless of gender, gender identity and gender characteristics. We welcome everybody to our running events,” says Hrefna Hlín Sveinbjörnsdóttir event manager.

Race news Comrades Marathon

Comrades gives back

200+ pairs of running shoes donated

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 15:49:00 +0000

Comrades Marathon staff and race organising committee members; as well as runners and ambassadors from all over the world showcased the true spirit of The Ultimate Human Race this year, when they donated over 200 pairs of new and used running shoes for distribution to needy athletes in the province.

The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) officially handed over the shoes to KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) today for distribution to runners (Wednesday, 12 October 2022).

The CMA’s official sports apparel and footwear sponsor, Mr Price Sport also got on board by sponsoring additional pairs of Maxed running shoes to the significant initiative.

CMA CSI Committee Convener, Pat Freeman said at the handover, “The Comrades Marathon Association prides itself on its charitable endeavours and meaningful corporate social investment initiatives. These running shoes that have been so generously donated by hundreds of athletes to needy runners in our province is testament to the goodwill and big-heartedness of our international Comrades Marathon family.”

KZNA Vice President, Mandla Mngomezulu, who accepted the running shoes on behalf of the provincial athletics federation said, “We cannot thank the Comrades Marathon Association and its runners enough, especially the Comrades ambassadors who made this project a reality. This token of goodwill will undoubtedly have a significant impact on needy athletes in the province. We are grateful to all the people who contributed to this project.”

The CMA has been at the forefront of charitable giving via its official Amabeadibeadi Charity Drive which benefits six officially recognised charities. Over the years, more than R60-million has been raised through the Comrades platform, driving support for the charitable sector and channelling funds to significant social and environmental projects.

CMA Chairperson, Mqondisi Ngcobo said, “Through the CMA’s charity initiatives, we have created the opportunity to give back and allow Comrades runners to contribute to significant projects in our country. It is our intention that we benefit those who need it most and add value to the sport of athletics.”

CMA Race Director, Rowyn James said, “Doing good where we can is all part and parcel of the Comrades Marathon’s brand DNA and brand promise. This project is meaningful as it touches the lives of some the most disadvantaged runners in our province. We thank our Comrades international ambassadors and runners for making this possible.”

Race news EDP Lisbon Marathon | Hyundai Half Marathon

Shiferaw breaks Lisbon course record

Three-times winner beats own time by seven seconds

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 15:12:00 +0000

Ethiopia’s Andualem Shiferaw broke his own course record at the EDP Lisbon Marathon that was held on Sunday (9th October).

Winner in the last two editions (2019 and 2021, this one with the previous course record of 2:05.52), the 30 year old athlete finished the race in 2:05.43, improving his time by 7 seconds. Haftu Asefa (2:06.33) and Birhan Tesfaye (2:07.04), both also from Ethiopia, completed the podium.

In the women’s race, the Kenyan Bornes Kitur took the top honors cutting the tape in a time of 2:24.17, only 3 seconds shy of the course record. Ethiopia’s Sorome Amente and Buzunesh Gudeta finished second and third, with 2:25.57 and 2:26.01.

Andualem Shiferaw: “I’m happy to win the race for the third time and, also, to break the course record. Lisbon is like a second home for me. The course is good, the weather also. I’m happy to come back here. If the organizers invite me, I’ll come again. I can improve the course record a little more.”

In the 21k, the Luso Half Marathon that started a few hours after the full marathon, the winners were the Kenyan Charles Langat and the Ethiopian Emebet Mamo, both with personal bests.

Langat won in 1:00.44 hours, improving his best time by more than 2 minutes (his best time was 1:02.59). Dinkalen Adane, from Ethiopia, was second, just two seconds away from the winner. In the third place came the Ugandan Isaac Kibet, with 1:01.23.

In the women’s race, Emebet Mamo won in 1:09.35 – another personal record, by 24 seconds – ahead of the Kenyans Ludwina Chepngetich (1:10.31) and Faith Jeptoo (1:10.54).

The men’s winner Charles Langat said: “I was not expecting to win, but I did it. I felt strong in the end and I pushed. We [with Dinkalen Adane] helped each other in the race.”

Race news Nagoya Women’s Marathon

Nagoya open again to runners worldwide

Japanese travel restrictions loosened

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 15:04:00 +0000

In 2023 women runners from around the world will once again have the chance to run in the world’s largest women’s marathon: Nagoya Women’s Marathon, Japan. This follows from the easing of Japanese Covid travel restrictions.

The Nagoya Women’s Marathon is pleased to announce the reopening of overseas entries for the 2023 event, scheduled for Sunday, March 12, 2023, in Nagoya, Japan. This is in response to the Japanese government’s decision to lift restrictions on new entries of international tourists as of today, October 11, 2022, after nearly 2.5 years of strict border control due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Specifically, the visa exemption arrangements, which had been suspended during the pandemic, are resumed, the ban on individual travel (without a travel agency) is lifted, and the daily arrival cap of 50,000 is removed. Although all travelers and returnees, regardless of nationality, will still be required to provide either a certificate of three doses of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative result of a pre-departure COVID-19 test, the country has become dramatically easier to visit for international tourists.

The race organizer welcomes this significant relaxation and hopes that in March next year, the women runners living abroad will be able to come to Japan and run Nagoya’s proud wide streets without worry. The race has been held even during the pandemic, in 2020, 2021, and 2022 without cancellation by scaling back and implementing various infection protection measures. Unfortunately, however, international non-elite runners could only participate in the virtual “Nagoya Women’s Online Marathon” due to the border restrictions on international tourists.

The organizer is delighted to encourage international runners who have wanted to participate in the event in Nagoya over the past three years but were unable to, and runners who have supported the event by running the online marathon instead, to take this opportunity to enter.

The Nagoya Women’s Marathon is a global festival for women runners, dedicated to welcoming all women who love running, from the world’s top female athletes to fun runners and first-time marathon challengers. All finishers will receive an exclusively designed Tiffany & Co. pendant, handed one-by-one by a member of the Omotenashi (Hospitality) Squad dressed in tuxedos. An online marathon will also be held for those who prefer participating virtually. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until Wednesday, November 30 at 23:59 Japan time, and the capacity for overseas runners is 3,500, including the in-person and virtual races.

Race news Generali München Marathon

Course records fall in Munich

Three men and seven women finish inside previous course records

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 10:17:00 +0000

Both course records were smashed during the comeback of international elite runners at the Generali Munich Marathon.

Kenyan debutant Philimon Kipchumba crossed the finish line in Munich’s Olympic Stadium in 2:07:28. Behind him the 23 year-old Mengistu Zelalem of Ethiopia and Eritrea’s Berhane Tesfaye followed in 2:07:56 and 2:08:10 respectively – times that were well faster than the previous course record of 2:09:46. Fourth placed German Sebastian Hendel ran a fine debut with 2:10:37.

There was a triumph for Kenya in the women’s race as well: Agnes Keino clocked a personal best of 2:23:26, improving the course record by almost nine minutes. The 34 year-old was ahead of the 2015 marathon World Champion Mare Dibaba. The Ethiopian ran 2:24:12 while Souad Kambouchia of Morocco finished third with 2:27:35. Seven women were inside the former course record of 2:32:11.

A total of 18,322 athletes entered the 36th edition of the Generali Munich Marathon, which is a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race. 4,334 of them were marathon runners. The marathon was started by Frank Shorter, who won the Olympic marathon in Munich in 1972. The American had been invited as a guest of honor by the organisers.

“This was a very special day for the Generali Munich Marathon. We are extremely happy with the great course records. We have reached new dimensions today and we intend to build on this success,“ said Race Director Gernot Weigl. It was the first time in over 20 years that organisers brought back a proper elite field. That was the reason why the long standing course records were smashed by several minutes on Sunday: Kenya’s Michael Kite was the former record holder with a time of 2:09:46 from 2000. Germany’s Susanne Hahn held the women’s mark with 2:32:11 from 2012 when she won the German Championships’ race.

In ideal weather conditions with temperatures of 9 Celsius at the start, hardly any wind and a cloudy sky a leading group of ten runners reached the half marathon mark in 63:41. However Tsegaye Mekonnen was no longer among them. The Ethiopian, who still holds the unofficial world junior record of 2:04:32 and was the fastest runner on the start list, had lost contact shortly before and later dropped out. But a compact group remained together in the lead until the late stages of the race. Five of them passed the 35k mark in 1:45:33. Once pacemaker Bonface Kiplimo of Kenya dropped out shortly afterwards a duel between Philimon Kipchumba and Mengistu Zelalem developed. The Kenyan was then able to put in a surge just before the 41st kilometer and dropped Zelalem. “I did not quite expect to run such a fast debut. But my training went very well and I just tried my best,“ said Philimon Kipchumba, who hopes to achieve times of 2:04 in the future.

In the women’s race Agnes Keino and Mare Dibaba were together in the lead, passing the half marathon point in 71:46 and then 30k in 1:42:01. With around eight kilometers to go Keino, who entered the race with a PB of 2:25:08, went ahead. Former world champion Dibaba, who was the fastest on the start list with her PB of 2:19:52, suffered of muscle problems and was not able to respond to the surge of her Kenyan rival. However Mare Dibaba finished second with 2:24:12, running her fastest time since 2019. “It was my big goal to run a personal best and I am really happy that I achieved it. Even more so since I also won the race,“ said Agnes Keino, who improved to 2:23:26.

Race news Tui Palma Marathon Mallorca

Mallorca course records smashed

Davis cuts almost five minutes from previous women’s record

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 09:23:00 +0000

The great running festival in the Balearic Islands brought together a total of 6000 runners over the three distances of the Zafiro Palma Marathon Mallorca 2022 and crowned British Julia Davis and Moroccan Aziz Boutoil as the winners of the main distance and set two course records.

Davis clocked in 2:42:52, lowering the previous record of 2010 by almost 5 minutes, and managed to get into the top 5 overall, in a race marked by the high level of women and by a participation of more than 40%. Boutoil, the Moroccan who lives and is federated in the Balearic Islands, beat the best time ever achieved in this race by one minute, with 2:27:14, in what was his debut at this distance. His performance also served to crown him Balearic champion.

British athletes Louise Cartmell and James McKenzie won the 21k with 1:23:20 and 1:13:02, respectively.

Race news Half Marathon Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Zurich

Valencia Half picks athletes in bid to be fastest

Kandie, Sawe and Mateiko are favourites, Chepngeno and Chelimo have the best personal bests among women

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 13:43:00 +0000

The Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich confirms the main names of its international elite to compete for their personal bests on 23 October in the streets of the city of running.

One edition after getting a stratospheric female record (Gidey, 1:02:52) and two years after reaching the male record (Kandie, 57:32), the goal will be to get as close as possible to these fantastic times and have the fastest run of the year 2022.

Kenyans Kibiwott Kandie (57:32), Sebastian Sawe (58:02) and Daniel Mateiko (58:26) will be the big favourites in the elite men’s field with six athletes with personal bests under 59 minutes and a total of eleven athletes with best times under an hour.

Among the women the Kenyans Vicoty Chepngeno (1:05:03) and Margaret Chelimo (1:05:26), who, along with Ethiopian Hawi Feysa (1:05:41), are favourites.

But the Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich not only bets on these names already acclaimed in search of their best times and triumph, but also focuses on interesting débuts for the 21,097.5-metre circuit. Among these débuts, the Ethiopian runner Tadese Worku and the German athlete Konstanze Klosterhalfen stand out, promising quality and ambition at their first event.

Marc Roig, recruiter of the Valencia Half Marathon international elite, admitted that “world records cannot be achieved every year, and Valencia’s level featuring the world’s second best record for males and the WR for females means we should demand a lot but not pressure ourselves with new world records. But I am convinced that the quality of the elite that will run this half-marathon will be news around the world again thanks to its high standards.”

Race news Generali München Marathon

Both course records targeted in Munich

Mare Dibaba and Tsegaye Mekonnen head the field

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 12:00:00 +0000

With the strongest field in its history the Generali Munich Marathon will take place on Sunday.

The unofficial world junior record holder Tsegaye Mekonnen and fellow Ethiopian Mare Dibaba, who was the marathon World Champion in 2015, head the start lists. Their personal bests of 2:04:32 and 2:19:52 respectively make them the fastest runners ever entered in the traditional Bavarian race. For the first time in over 20 years an international elite field was assembled for the 36th edition of the Generali Munich Marathon. Organisers hope that both course records will fall on Sunday.

A total of around 18,500 runners are expected to take part. About 5,000 of them will run the classic distance which starts and finishes inside the Olympic Stadium. The Generali Munich Marathon is an Elite Label Road Race of the international athletics federation, World Athletics. The race will start at 9.00 am on Sunday and a live stream is available at: www.generalimuenchenmarathon.de

50 years after winning the Olympia marathon gold medal in Munich, Frank Shorter is back in the city as a guest of honor. “I am very happy to have the opportunity to be back in Munich – the city where I was born in 1947 and where I celebrated my biggest career win in 1972,” said 74 year-old Frank Shorter.

“We are looking forward to the strongest elite line-up in our history. With the former World Champion Mare Dibaba and the runner who holds the unofficial world junior record, Tsegaye Mekonnen, we managed to get two big names to Munich for the return of the elite fields. Since weather predictions are favourable we hope that both course records will be broken on Sunday,” said Race Director Gernot Weigl.

Tsegaye Mekonnen caused a major upset when he took the Dubai Marathon title in 2014 aged just 19. His time of 2:04:32 still stands as the unofficial world junior record (World Athletics does not ratify junior records in the marathon). In 2017 Mekonnen also won the Hamburg Marathon. Now 27 years old the Ethiopian has not competed over the classic distance since 2018 and now intends to come back with a strong performance in Munich. “I had injury problems and then the pandemic played its part as well, so I did not run a marathon for three years. Now my training has gone well and I intend to run a 2:06 on Sunday,” he said.

Two other runners are on the start list with personal bests of sub 2:10 and below the 2:09:46 course record: Ethiopia’s Mengistu Zelalem has a PB of 2:08:48 while Kenya’s Edwin Kimaiyo is in a similar range with 2:09:12. Currently a half marathon split time of around 64:00 is envisaged for the first group.

A big improvement of the course record seems possible for the women in Munich. Germany’s Susanne Hahn established the current mark of 2:32:11 ten years ago. Mara Dibaba heads the women’s field with a world-class personal best of 2:19:52. Besides the World Champion of 2015 and Olympic bronze medallist from 2016 there are two fellow-Ethiopians who have run under 2:25: Atsede Bayisa has a fine personal best of 2:22:03 and Aberu Zennebe has a PB of 2:24:30. “I have prepared for three months and my goal is to run a personal best“, said Aberu Zennebe. A winning time of sub 2:25 might well be within reach on Sunday since it is planned that the first group reaches the half way mark in around 71:30. There are eight athletes on the start list who have run under 2:30.

AIMS news

Nowhere I’d rather be

Rick Nealis steps down from Marine Corps Marathon

By Charlie Ban

Sat, 01 Oct 2022 10:14:00 +0000

Rick Nealis retires as race director of the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) after this year’s race on 30 October.

Nealis was a Marine supply officer in the early 1990s with a 3:09 marathon best from an MCM nearly 10 years earlier. Despite being a keen runner he first thought of his assignment to the race as a demotion.

“I went from having about 180 Marines and civilians working for me down to three officers and 12 enlisteds,” he said. “It didn’t take long for me to realize the opportunities the race presented.”

When the traditional two-year rotation would have moved him out, in 1995 the Marine Corps decided to keep Nealis on permanently as a civilian race director.

Two years into Nealis’ tenure, Oprah Winfrey’s successful race at Marine Corps in 1994 opened the door for him to work on the torch relay for the 1996 Olympics. While he learned a lot about logistics, he also soaked up the opportunities that sponsorships would create for the marathon and followed through aggressively.

“These days, if you don’t have the support from sponsors, you really can’t afford to do the race the right way,” Nealis said. “When you look at the basic measures like closing down roads or having the supplies to keep the runners safe and healthy, it’s hard to think about how we did things in the early ’90s.”

“I try to be very flexible – which you need to be as a race director. You can’t be afraid of change because plans pretty much go out the window when you start up – once everything is in motion, things change.”

Under his stewardship MCM has added more than a dozen other races to the calendar. The current event series includes several trail races and an array of other road races.

“The soul of the Marine Corps Marathon is Rick Nealis,” said George Banker, the race’s long-time historian. “Since he’s been in charge he’s moved the quality forward, moved people’s confidence in the event forward. The way he leads that team shows up in all of the Marine Corps’ races.

In addition to the huge positive economic impact the race has on the local economy (evaluated as $88 million in 203) the marathon also serves as a logistical assignment for the Corps.

“It’s a chance to introduce the Marine Corps to people on a personal level. For a lot of the public, Hollywood tells the stories of Marines and there’s often a lot of dramatic license. It’s different to showing thousands of people what they can do when they work together to put on an event like this and contribute something to the community.”

Nealis credits fellow race directors with ideas that were adopted by the Marine Corps series but Chicago Marathon Race Director Carey Pinkowski said Nealis gives as much as he gets. “Rick is incredibly generous with his time and experience,” Pinkowski said. “He always makes himself available to help out a fellow race director, whether it’s a World Major or a 150-person local race.” Pinkowski described him as a living resource of the best practices in the road racing industry, and noted his adaptability and eagerness to adopt new ideas.

“A lot of people wouldn’t be able to stand in his shoes the way he has for so long,” Banker said. “Not only does he have to deal with the needs of the runners, it’s a military event, and I think there’s been more than one time the Marine Corps commandant has asked whether this is the best use of the Marines’ time and effort. Every time, Rick has shown that the answer is ‘yes.’”

“I’ve had a lot of receptive bosses over the years,” Nealis said. “To their credit, I’ve never had any idea dismissed out of hand, and sometimes some of the crazier ideas, like running an urban 50K, turn out to work pretty well.”

The last two years, with COVID-driven cancellations, have worn on Nealis, particularly having to cancel the 2021 in-person race a month before it was due. The 2022 race, scheduled for 30 October, is set to go off with some additional measures in place.

“I hated having to pull the rug out from under people,” he said. “That one really hurt. I knew that if I didn’t have a live event for my last race, it would probably eat at me until my dying day. There’s something about being on that start line, hearing the howitzer go off and seeing those 20,000 marathoners head out. Even when you’re soaking wet on the finish line and suddenly the Secret Service wants to get the Vice President in to watch his son finish, there’s nowhere I’d rather be.”

This article was revised after first publication.

Race news Brasov tRUNsylvania International 10K

Records fall at the Brasov Running Festival

Romanian 10K record broken

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 15:32:00 +0000

Kipkorir Kimeli and Sheila Chepkirui shattered Romanian all-comers records while Andrei Rusu broke the Romanian national record.

Brasov Running Festival 10km met the high expectations with Kenyan athletes taking top honours. Having passed 5km in 13:27 Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli went on to win the race in 26:51, which places him in fifth in the world all-time rankings. The 24-year-old broke the Brasov Running Festival course record of 28:40 from last year which also stood as the fastest time on the Romanian soil. The fantastic race saw Weldon Langat and Isaac Kibet Ndiema finishing in 26:55, second and third respectively. The Kenyan duo now shares the seventh place in the world rankings.

Kipkorir Kimeli acknowledged the great potential of the fast-course in Brașov: “I hope that I can challenge the World Record one day here, the course is very flat and fast.”

While seven athletes finished under 28 minutes, Andrei Rusu of Romania came in eleventh in 28:38 to break the national record of 28:53 standing since 2019 when Ștefan Iulius Gavril ran in Dakhla, Morocco.

The women’s race was also outstanding. Sheila Chepkirui, whose personal best was a fast 29:46 in a mixed race in Valencia in 2020, broke the tape in 30:07, only six seconds shy of the women-only world record.

In her attempt to break the long-standing Romanian record, Stella Rutto failed in her bid just by 4 seconds finishing the race seventh in 32:04.

As a special guest and ambassador of the race, famous ex-marathoner Mary Keitany enjoyed running in the children’s race and presented the medals to the winners. “I really enjoyed the city, the weather, the atmosphere, the race, a great course and the excellent conditions for world-class running,” said Keitany.

The next Brasov Running Festival is scheduled for 10 September 2023.

Race news Mainova Frankfurt Marathon

Trio of fast women to compete in Frankfurt

Helah Kiprop returns to Main River

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 14:51:00 +0000

Sally Kaptich heads the line-up for the elite women’s field for the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on October 30.

The Kenyan tops the list of fast athletes with her best of 2:21:06 which she achieved in Berlin three years ago. The race organisers expect around 12,000 participants for the 39th edition of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon with around 20,000 competitors in total, including events held in conjunction with the main event. This historic race is one of the Elite Label Road Race events, a distinction awarded by World Athletics, the international governing body of the sport. Entries can still be obtained at www.frankfurt-marathon.com

Following the recent announcement of the first wave of competitors for the men’s elite field, the organisers have now announced a number of women contenders for the title. Three among this elite group have personal bests under 2:22. With this news the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon, resuming after an enforced interruption of two years because of the Covid pandemic, has gone close to regaining the quality level of its previous women’s elite fields.

“With three runners who have already run under 2:22, we have a very strong women’s field on the start line,” said the Race Director Jo Schindler. “We’ve noted the interest shown by top runners in the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. Despite the enforced break because of the pandemic, the race continues to enjoy a strong reputation and runners know that we can offer a course and atmosphere which make setting personal bests a real possibility. Many elite athletes as well as mass runners have broken records or set personal bests in Frankfurt.”

Sally Kaptich comes to Frankfurt as an athlete who achieved third place in Berlin in 2019 where the 36-year-old ran what remains her personal best of 2:21:06. The Kenyan, who also has a seventh place in the 10,000m at the 2013 World Championships to her credit and a bronze medal on the road at the World Half Marathon Championships the following year, ran strongly following her Berlin performance to finish fourth in Tokyo with 2:21:42, six months after Berlin.

Her fellow Kenyan Helah Kiprop has still more laurels to her credit, as well as a best of 2:21:27. She finished second at the World Championship Marathon in Beijing in 2015 and won marathons in Seoul in 2014 and Tokyo in 2016, the latter being where she ran her personal best. This year Kiprop was back in action and winning the Copenhagen Marathon in 2:24:10. Now 37, she knows the Frankfurt course well, having run what was then her fastest marathon of 2:27:14 in 2014 when she finished fifth.

The third runner on the Frankfurt start list with a best of under 2:22 will be Yeshi Chekole. The Ethiopian improved her best to 2:21:17 for third place at the Seville Marathon in February. Also worth noting is her compatriot Meseret Abebayahau. She ran her fastest marathon by over five minutes to finish second in 2:25:18 in Madrid in spring. The improvement was all the more impressive since she had never broken 2:30 previously.

Race news Halfmarathon Altötting

Altötting half marathon defies rain

German runners top podium

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 09:51:00 +0000

On 18 September the 31st half marathon Altotting took place in the Upper Bavarian pilgrimage town.

As usual there was a specially made medal for everyone, a valuable participant gift, free travel to and from the race by train, free city tours, massages, clothes storage, childcare and much more.

But like most other runs at the moment the Altöttinger recorded a significant drop in participants such that only 1700 entries were registered. Nevertheless, history was made…

Not that it rained for the first time in 15 years but that for the first time all winners were German. Lisa Wimmer (1:23:04) and Josef Diensthuber (1:12:56), both German, topped the podium for the first time in 31 years.

Diensthuber wrote another chapter in the history of the Altötting Half Marathon because he managed to win three times in a row. Until now no man had done that (but two women had: Petra Kaminkova and Joyce Chepchumba).

World-class biathlete Johannes Kühn, who lives just a few kilometres from Altötting, won the 6km race in a great time of 18:58. His sister, Paula Kühn, won the women’s race – another new first for the race.

There were also well-known running celebrities on the part of the organization and helpers. Tamara Koba, the wife of the organiser Günther Vogl and a former European champion, was involved. Julia Shmatenko (best performance 1:11:22 and the winner of the half marathon Altötting 2017, was part of the team of volunteers and handed over the medals at the finish.

Race organiser Günther Vogl, also a World Athletics authorised athlete manager, is still motivated and will do everything to bring the run back to its former size.

Race news BMW Berlin-Marathon

Eliud Kipchoge runs world record 2:01:09 in Berlin

Tigist Assefa sets sensational course record

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 22:14:00 +0000

Eliud Kipchoge won the 48th edition of the BMW Berlin Marathon on 25 September in a new world record time of 2:01:09, improving his own previous mark by 30 seconds.

The 37-year-old was even on course for a while to achieve the dream of running under two hours but couldn’t maintain this splendid pace. The Kenyan added further lustre to Berlin’s already rich honour board since this was the 12th world record in the marathon’s history, a total unmatched by any other marathon race in the world.

Eliud Kipchoge’s fellow Kenyan finished second in 2:05:58 and the Ethiopian Tadu Abate took third place with 2:06:28. The leading German runner was Haftom Weldaj who finished a highly creditable 11th, improving his best to 2:09:06, the best performance by a German marathoner this year.

A newcomer to Berlin found sensational form to break the women’s course record. Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia went to the start line with a personal best of 2:34:01 which didn’t suggest she would be a contender for honours. She confounded expectations, however, to win in 2:15:37, taking full advantage of ideal weather conditions. The 26-year-old ran the third fastest marathon by a woman in history as well as an Ethiopian national record and a world best for the year. Assefa carved a huge slice off the previous record of 2:18:11, set by the Kenyan Gladys Cherono in 2018.

“The crowning glory of today were the 12th world record in our history and then such a strong performance to break the women’s course record. We had planned for Eliud to break the record but I hadn’t expected Tigist to run a time like that,” said the Race Director Mark Milde. “It was also great to see people coming out on the street to cheer the runners.“

Race news Mainova Frankfurt Marathon

High class elite field marks Frankfurt’s return

Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on October 30

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 11:43:00 +0000

The Mainova Frankfurt Marathon will take place on October 30 for the first time since 2019.

Among the men’s elite are three contenders with personal bests of under 2:06 which points to a high-quality race in prospect. The Ethiopian Betesfa Getahun is the fastest runner in the field at present with a best of 2:05:28. Also on the start line will be the German runner Filimon Abraham from theTelis Finanz Regensburg club.

The organisers of the race, which will end in its traditional, spectacular fashion in Frankfurt’s Festhalle, expect to have around 12,000 marathon runners for the 39th edition of the event. The race is an Elite Label Road Race, a distinction awarded by World Athletics, the world governing body of athletics. Entries are still available at www.frankfurt-marathon.com

“We are delighted that the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon is back after a two-year interruption because of the Corona pandemic – with strong elite fields, a big number of mass runners and all the emotions which we have experienced in the past,” says the Race Director Jo Schindler. “We’ll experience the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon just as it’s always been: a big start and thrilling run-in to the finish in the Festhalle in front of thousands of spectators. Our aim is to create a unique running experience for mass and elite competitors alike and to see many beaming faces at the end of race day.”

The organisers have now announced part of the men’s elite field while recruiting for the women’s race continues and the elite women’s field will be announced at a later date. An up-and-coming Ethiopian is the fastest man on the start list: Betesfa Getahun is 23 and made his marathon debut in 2019 with an impressive, high-quality performance, running 2:05:28 for fourth place in Amsterdam. The Mainova Frankfurt will be his fourth race at the distance for the runner whose pedigree includes a strong showing in sixth place at the 2018 World Half Marathon Championships in Valencia.

The other runner, who has already gone under 2:06, is also from Ethiopia and is just 21: Gebru Redahgne is a newcomer to running at international level, running outside of his homeland for the first time only last year when he finished second in the Cape Town Marathon in 2:10:17. He made a massive improvement this year in Barcelona where he ran 2:05:58 for another second place finish and only five seconds behind the winner. Gebru Redahgne wants to take full advantage of Frankfurt’s fast course to improve his personal best still further.

A runner from Kenya is making his return to the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon where he has more than once impressed with the quality of his performances. Martin Kosgey twice finished second in the Festhalle, in 2016 and 2018, as well as taking fourth place on two more occasions, 2017 and 2019. Frankfurt was where the 33-year-old set what remains his personal best of 2:06:41. The Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on October 30 will be his first race in a year when he produced a solid performance to finish runner-up in Eindhoven in 2:06:56.

Since almost every German runner at top level were involved in either the World or European Championships this summer, almost none of them will be competing in Frankfurt. An exception is Filimon Abraham of the Telis Finanz Regensburg club who has the potential to join the leading ranks of Germany’s marathoners. After failing to finish on his marathon debut in Hamburg in April, the 29-year-old, who finished 19th in the 10,000m at the European Championships in Munich in August, is renewing his marathon quest on Frankfurt’s fast course.

Race news Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon

World record holder Kiplimo to run Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon

Ugandan star hopes for “fastest half marathon ever seen on Indian soil”

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 11:06:00 +0000

Jacob Kiplimo, only 21, is the reigning world half marathon champion and last year ran the phenomenal world record time of 57:31.

The young Ugandan star has already had an outstanding 2022, winning both the RAK Half Marathon in Ras Al Khaimah (UAE) in February in a world-leading 57:56 and then the Great North Run half marathon last Sunday. During the summer, Kiplimo focused on the track and won a World Athletics Championships 10,000m bronze medal and then a memorable 5000m/10,000m double at the Commonwealth Games last month.

Ethiopia’s Amdework Walelegn improved the Delhi course record to 58:53 in 2020 but Kiplimo believes he can run the fastest half marathon ever seen on Indian soil during his first visit to the country next month. “I have been told that the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon course is a quick one and the record suggests that you can run fast times there. I am in good shape, and I will focus on preparing specifically for the race over the next few weeks,” said Kiplimo.

The 17th edition of this race has a new title sponsor, with the race promoters Procam International joining forces with India’s leading natural resources conglomerate, Vedanta Limited. With transformation for a sustainable future at the heart of Vedanta’s business operations, its commitment to giving back to society has been a part of the company’s core ethos. Both Vedanta and the Delhi Half Marathon are striving to be catalysts for change in society so it is a partnership that will be mutually beneficial to their joint aims.

“On behalf of the Vedanta family, I feel honoured to welcome the current world half marathon and world record holder Jacob Kiplimo to the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2022. When Jacob became world champion at such a young age, his story become an inspiration for many. I am sure that his participation here will motivate thousands more to take to part and run for causes that deeply touch us all,” said Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Non-Executive Director, Vedanta Limited.

The race has a prize fund of USD 268,000, and the international elite field will have its sights on the first prize of USD 27,000 for both men and women. “We are thrilled to be able to welcome Jacob Kiplimo to India for the very first time and to headline this year’s Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. It is a reflection of the event’s stature that it annually draws some of the biggest names in distance running,” said Vivek Singh, Joint Managing Director, Procam International. “As one of the leading half marathons in the world, I’m excited that we are back on the international calendar, bigger and better. It’s our privilege to welcome Vedanta as the title sponsor, as we look to build on our shared objective of strengthening the legacy of this event as a stimulus for empowerment and change,” he added.

Date changes

Race date for Great Freedom Run Egypt’s Fastest Half Marathon (EGY) changed

Great Freedom Run Egypt’s Fastest Half Marathon date change

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 13:57:40 +0000

The Great Freedom Run Egypt’s Fastest Half Marathon (EGY) will take place on Fri 30 December 2022, not Fri 2 December 2022 as previously published.

Race news BMW Berlin-Marathon

Meto and d’Amato head women’s field in Berlin

Eight women with personal bests under 2:21 will compete

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 09:17:00 +0000

The American record holder Keira d’Amato and Kenya’s Nancy Jelagat Meto lead a high quality women’s field for the 48th edition of the BMW Berlin-Marathon on Sunday, 25 September.

Keira d’Amato improved the US record to 2:19:12 which also gives her the accolade of the fastest in the women’s field, announced by the organisers today. Eight women will be on the start line with personal bests of under 2:21.

The return of Kenya’s double Olympic champion and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge had already been announced some weeks ago as well as the participation of the current BMW Berlin-Marathon champion Guye Adola of Ethiopia. Six men on the start lists have personal bests of under 2:06 while the organisers SCC Events expect more than 45,000 runners from around 150 countries for Germany’s top road race.

“After securing the presence of Eliud Kipchoge and Guye Adola, we are delighted also to have a very strong women’s field on the start line. With the right weather conditions there is certainly a good chance of very fast times,” said race director Mark Milde.

The presence of Keira d’Amato and Nancy Jelagat Meto brings to the event two women who have already run sub-2:20. At the age of 37, Keira d’Amato sprang a major surprise to break the American record with 2:19:12 in winning the Houston Marathon. That led to her late nomination for the World Championships in Eugene where she ran impressively to finish eighth. Sara Hall, who plans to run Berlin and then New York as well, went even better, finishing fifth. Hall’s best time is 2:20:32. Nancy Jelagat Meto showed fine form in the past year, winning the prestigious Valencia title with a major improvement of 2:19:31. Four months previously she made a strong showing with second place in 65:21 at the Generali Berlin Half Marathon.

Race news Milton Keynes Marathon & Half Marathon

Milton Keynes Marathon has a new home

The “green city” marathon gets greener

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 14:10:00 +0000

The organisers of the multi-award-winning Milton Keynes Marathon Weekend have announced that they are moving their event to Campbell Park, the premium event space in Milton Keynes from the 2023 race.

Andy Hully, Race Director and Founder said: “The stadium has been a great home to the event for ten years but we are now ready to create more of a festival feel. Finishing right next to the Campbell Park amphitheatre will mean that our runners will be able to experience a festival-style atmosphere when they finish. This will include tasty street food, a bar, and a line-up of top entertainment on the stage, hosted by MKFM.”

“As a proud long-term supporter of the Milton Keynes Marathon, we are very pleased that runners will get to start and finish from Campbell Park in 2023,” said events and community engagement manager Julie Dawes. “The Milton Keynes Marathon is the perfect opportunity to run through our fantastic network of parks and green spaces, and we look forward to seeing lots of runners enjoying how green our city is.”

Hully added: “Excellent parking facilities, a good range of local hotel options, and a mainline train station within walking distance all add to the appeal of Campbell Park as our venue.”

“We’re blessed with a tremendous amount of natural beauty in Milton Keynes, and we’re also lucky to have a world-class system of cycle paths known as redways. We have taken advantage of those factors to show off our green city, giving our runners a course that is scenic, interesting, inspiring, fun to run, fast, and excitingly different from other marathons. It is also much flatter and with fewer underpasses. The routes will mostly include green spaces as well as some of the beautiful old villages. The marathon will be a 2-lap route meaning more support and entertainment on the route. The ever popular and aptly named Rocket 5K will become a looped course, removing the need to book a return coach ticket.”

The event has raised millions through its charity focus and is so pleased that GoFundMe has joined us as our headline sponsor to continue this good work. Dina Rickman, Northern Europe director at GoFundMe said: “We could not be more delighted to sponsor the Milton Keynes marathon weekend, especially in its new home in Campbell Park.”

The Milton Keynes Marathon Weekend 2023 has been set for 30 April–1 May and registration will open on 1 September 2022.

Date changes Phnom Penh International Half Marathon

Race date for Phnom Penh International Half Marathon (CAM) changed

Phnom Penh Int’l Half Marathon date change

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 11:57:00 +0000

The Phnom Penh International Half Marathon (CAM) will take place on Sun 11 June 2023, not Sun 18 June 2023 as previously published.

Race news Volksbank-Münster-Marathon

Münster paints the town blue

“Blue line” guides runners along the route

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 09:25:00 +0000

Around a week and a half before the start of the Volksbank Münster Marathon, the legendary blue line is painted along the 42.195km route.

On Tuesday 30 August the tradition continues and the night turned into day once more. Around 20.30 on Schlossplatz some test painting will be done with the fluorescent blue paint, then around 21.00 the convoy of painting truck, support vehicles and police escort will make its way along the race route.

Jürgen Sieme, a former member of the organising team, who is still a strong supporter of the race, and Michael Brinkmann, the chair of the marathon organisation, accompany the convoy as they have done for many years along the four-hour journey through the city centre and the quarters of Gievenbeck, Nienberge and Roxel.

Some runners and cyclists also accompany the paint truck – wearing a marathon shirt, of course. “It brings us luck,” say some of those taking part in the ritual.

“Sometimes we get applause from a few night owls who see us from their balconies,”, says Jürgen Sieme. While at the start of the job the city is still quite lively, after 23.00 it gets dark and lonely in the suburbs. It’s nice when they finish painting just before one in the morning.

In the last 19 years the job had to be interrupted and completed the following night only twice due to rain or a defect of the painting equipment. “Once the paint hardened in the pipes and wouldn’t go through the painting nozzle – that time we didn’t get finished until 4am,” remembers Michael Brinkmann. Mostly, though, the painting is done without incident. Drivers and cyclists are reminded to pay attention and not to try to drive through the convoy risking damage to their own paintwork.

Blue line and Münster Marathon fans are welcome to join in the ritual on Tuesday from 9pm on at the Schlossplatz car park.

Race news Big Sur International Marathon

Big Sur foundation gets new director

Josh Priester takes over from Doug Thurston after ten years

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 10:19:00 +0000

Josh Priester has succeeded Doug Thurston as Executive Director/Race Director of the Big Sur Marathon Foundation.

As well as overseeing the organization’s world-class races – the Big Sur International Marathon and Monterey Bay Half Marathon – Priester will be responsible for the organization’s youth fitness programs.

Priester founded the Santa Barbara Track Club in 2012 and has been its Executive Director and Head Coach for the past decade.

His predecessor Doug Thurston held the position for nearly 10 years. Dino Pick, BSMF Board Chair thanked Thurston “for leading our organization through natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic and concluding his tenure after organizing our staff and volunteers to produce the most successful race weekend in memory.”

Race news SwissCityMarathon – Lucerne

Swiss City changes route

Improvement for marathon runners

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 12:55:00 +0000

A slightly improved marathon route awaits runners at the Swiss City Marathon this autumn.

In How, an additional 1.5 km loop has been added and the turnaround after the first loop has been moved to the city centre, in front of the “Hofkirche”.

With this change, the runners will be able to turn around in the heart of our biggest spectator hotspot and, thanks to lots of applause and cheers from the spectators, start the second lap with even more energy than before!

All other routes will remain as before, said organisers.

Race news Sarmang Dehradun Marathon

Sarmang Dehradun Marathon extends registration window

Runners have an extra month to apply

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 11:29:00 +0000

The first edition of Sarmang Dehradun Marathon is being held on 16 October 2022, in Dehradun city of Uttarakhand state of India.

The race committee extended the last date of registration to 15 September 2022, earlier the last date of registration was 15 August 2022. After 15 September 2022, registrations with increased prize will be available till 30 September 2022.

The committee also removed the race qualification for full and half marathon earlier. As many runners were lacking the pre qualification certificate due to cancelation of races in last 2 years due to covid.

The first edition of Sarmang Dehradun Marathon is being directed by Race Director Anil Mohan who is an RRCA certified race director.

Sarmang Dehradun Marathon is giving a total prize money of around $5000 to top finishers of the four events.

The race attracts runners from all age groups starting from 6 years to 8 years. For beginners 2Km walk/run option is also there.

The course of Sarmang Dehradun Marathon is in the outskirts of Dehradun city, the races will go along the riverside, surrounded by beautiful forests and scenic mountains. The weather of Dehradun will be pleasing in the month of October as the monsoon has just ended and the winter is about to come.

The race is being conducted in the festive environment as the biggest festival of India, Diwali is just one week after the race. This is also a good time for tourists to visit Dehradun and nearby areas like Mussoorie, Rishikesh(also known as Yoga city of India) and Haridwar.

“We are excited and a little tensed for the first edition of Sarmang Dehradun Marathon, we are trying to give a good experience to the runners and spectators, trying to keep a balance between entertainment and serious competition, what we want to see is happy faces during andafter the event” said Anil Mohan, Race Director of Srmang Dehradun Marathon(SDM) and founder of Sarmang Adventure Tours, the promoter of SDM.

Race news Baxters Loch Ness Marathon & Festival of Running

Still time to plan a Highland weekend

Run through stunning scenery by Loch Ness

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 15:59:00 +0000

The Baxters Loch Ness Marathon is quite possibly one of the most stunning marathons in the world. With spectacular scenery, fantastic atmosphere and a truly memorable experience – it’s no wonder it is on the bucket list for so many runners from around the world.

“Breathtakingly beautiful”, “friendly atmosphere”, “flawless organisation”, “felt like a festival not just a race” are just some of the comments we had from our runners in the past so why not come and experience it for yourself?

The Loch Ness Marathon follows a spectacular point-to-point route alongside world famous Loch Ness, starting in an atmospheric moorland setting and continues through stunning Highland scenery, taking you along the south-eastern shores of Loch Ness, across the River Ness, to finish in Inverness, capital city of the Highlands.

Why not make a Highland weekend of it and come with family or friends? There’s plenty to entertain runners and spectators over the weekend with a free Sports Expo, Baxters Food & Drink Fayre, live music, kids’ activities and a Wee Nessie for under-5s.

The Marathon will start on the high ground between Fort Augustus and Foyers (B862) and will drop down to the banks of Loch Ness at Foyers (B852). From there, the route follows the loch’s south eastern shore, heading north east towards Dores on the northern tip of the loch. From Dores, the race heads directly into the centre of Inverness (B862), turning left over the main road bridge and left again for the last half mile along the River Ness to the finish at Bught Park in the centre of Inverness.

Date changes Telekom Vivicittá Spring Half Marathon

Race date for Telekom Vivicittá Spring Half Marathon (HUN) changed

Telekom Vivicittá Spring Half Marathon date change

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 14:58:54 +0000

The Telekom Vivicittá Spring Half Marathon (HUN) will be Sat 22 April 2023—Sun 23 April 2023, not Sat 15 April 2023—Sun 16 April 2023 as previously published.

Race news Volksbank-Münster-Marathon

Münster welcomes celebs and visitors

More international runners than in previous years with 45 nations represented

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 14:44:00 +0000

There are only four weeks left until the start of the 20th Volksbank-Münster-Marathon.

8,760 runners from a total of 45 nations have already registered so far. This means that the participation of nations was once again clearly surpassed compared to previous years. The implementation of the Hengst-Filtration28 run also comes at just the right time for this event, after all, after several 10 km attempts, some finally want to try a 2/3 marathon before they go on the big picture and marathon runners who have recovered from a corona infection do not yet feel fit for the mammoth distance of 42.195 km. Almost 400 registrations have already been received.

Celebrities are also represented in Münster, as Heiner Brand, as the former national coach of the men’s national handball team, known for his walrus beard, will give the starting signal together with the board of directors of the Volksbank Münsterland Nord and the mayor. Heiner Brand also acts as a sponsor for this year’s charity partner KiO – Kinderhilfe Organtransplantation Deutschland, which supports children undergoing organ transplants.

45 nations is a new record result, as participants from all over the world come to Münster to celebrate and be part of this running event. Several top elite runners have set their sights on the course record. One of the training partners of our German marathon champion Henrik Pfeiffer, Kiprotich Kirui from Kenya, who wants to be at the forefront this year. “When I have time and the European Championship is over, I might come by to cheer on my friend,” said Henrik Pfeiffer during a press conference. A total of 26 elite runners are fighting for the “anniversary title” and possibly a new course record. The course record holder from four years ago, Justus Kiprotich from Kenya, is also there. The “pacers” have already adjusted their pace accordingly, as they want to lead the elite at least to 21 kilometers. More and more German runners are registering for the interesting prizes for the fastest runners in the field. The fastest German runner could land 2000 EUR.

The small South America mile is now also getting more and more of a face, as part of the last few kilometers is to be designed in a South American style with appropriate motif walls, large plants and, of course, appropriate dance and drum groups. The traditional wine stand of the “Schoppenstecher” will not be missing either, whose owner Peter Wolfrom is now at the start for the 20th time. This year, the 32 loyal runners will receive a high-quality running jacket from the marathon organization team as a thank you for their loyalty.

Shortly before the big start, the city of Münster will equip the Prinzipalmarkt with more than 1000 flags and the carpet service provider will again line the finish line for a bright red carpet – a very special finish in the 20th year of the Volksbank-Münster-Marathon. Thousands of spectators are expected at the finish, on Prinzipalmarkt, where the large finish stage is located, but also at the various power points along the route and the district centers in Gievenbeck, Nienberge and Roxel. The top-class supporting program – by the way a best of the last 20 years – also invites you to do so, which will act on the individual power points, at the start and at the finish.

Everyone is looking forward to 20 years of the Volksbank-Münster-Marathon – a whole city going wild. Many best times are pre-programmed here and the many marathon novices are literally carried to the finish by the spectators, hopes Dietmar Dertwinkel, member of the board of Volksbank Münsterland Nord, who wants to tackle his first marathon on September 11th. “We’re looking forward to breaking the 9,000 runner mark,” the organization team hopes for this hopefully soon new record.

Race news Copenhagen Half Marathon

Last chance Sunday for Copenhagen

Sign up now and save money

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 10:24:00 +0000

The Copenhagen Half Marathon running party is approaching. Preparations are underway.

And on Sunday 14 August is the last chance to buy your starting number for this year’s half-marathon bang, before the price rises.

Price up to Sunday 14 August: DKK 525 (~70 EUR). Price incl. Monday 15 August: DKK 575 (~77 EUR).

Buy your starting number now. Almost 19,000 have already registered for CPH Half ’22, and we therefore expect the race to sell out before race day.

Date changes Antarctica Marathon®, Half-Marathon and Ultra-Marathon

Race date for Antarctica Marathon & Half-Marathon (ATA) changed

Antarctica Marathon & Half-Marathon date change

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 13:04:42 +0000

The Antarctica Marathon & Half-Marathon (ATA) will take place on Sun 12 March 2023, not Fri 17 February 2023 as previously published.

Race news Swedbank Tallinn Marathon, Half & 10k

Tallinn Marathon courses revealed

Estonia's most popular running event welcomes you

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 10:18:00 +0000

This year the courses of Tallinn Marathon are fast, flat and beautiful.

All race routes are single-lap and take participants to different locations in six districts of the capital.

The start and finish are close to the Tall Herman Tower, one of the most important symbols of Estonian statehood. The medal designs are also inspired by the tower.

The 21km half marathon is on Saturday 10th September at 0900 and starts and finishes on Falgi road (500m from the competition center on Freedom Square).

The 42km begins on Sunday, 11 September at 0900 with the same start and finish point.

Saturday also sees the Nike Youth Run 5K at 1400 and the Rimi 10K at 1700.

If you can’t be in Tallinn this year, take part in the virtual run.

Parallel to the usual event the Tallinn Marathon Virtual Run takes place from 1–30 September 2022 on the course of your own choice. It does not matter where you are in the world – you can still earn the special Tallinn Marathon medal.

Tallinn Marathon’s virtual race will include last year’s very popular distance called ‘The Marathon Combo’. The 42 km Combo will give everyone the opportunity to run a marathon, but in smaller parts. All participants will receive a medal and a marathon T-shirt by post.

Race news Brasov tRUNsylvania International 10K

Mary Keitany named ambassador for Brasov Running Festival 10K

Marathon world record-holder “delighted”

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 08:16:00 +0000

With two months to go to the Brasov Running Festival 10K, Mary Keitany has been revealed as the ambassador of this race.

The 10k race, set for 25 September, is the showcase event of the Running Festival that spreads over the weekend in the historic Romanian city of Brasov situated in the Transylvania region.

“I am honoured to be an ambassador for the Brasov Running Festival 10K,” said Keitany, who still holds the women-only marathon world record at 2:17:01, a time she clocked when winning the Virgin Money London Marathon in 2017. Only Brigid Kosgei and Paula Radcliffe have run a marathon faster than Keitany, both in mixed gender races.

“I am delighted to be a part of such a high-class event almost exactly one year after I ended my elite running career,” added Mary Keitany. The Kenyan star had announced her retirement on the 22nd of September 2021 due to a back injury, following a career that makes her one of the greatest marathoners in history with a four-time New York and three-time London Marathon wins along with a world half marathon title.

Daniel Santa, the founder and the Race Director of the Brasov Running Festival, is looking forward to welcome Keitany during the last weekend of September. “One of the legendary athletes of the near past will be meeting a next generation of road runners,” said Santa. “The 10k will be a great race with a very competitive field, and I am happy that Mary will be with us to witness what the new stars have to deliver”. The elite field of the Brasov Running Festival 10K is expected to be released in mid-August.

Brasov Running Festival, an annual two-day event, comprises a variety of road races, the longest being the elite 10k scheduled for Sunday, 25 September. Saturday’s races include kids and juniors’ races from 800m to 3k. More information on the event is available at https://brasovrun.ro/en .

Race news Copenhagen Marathon

Get set for 44th Copenhagen Marathon

Registration opens on 15 August

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 12:11:00 +0000

Will 2023 be the year you complete the legendary 42.195 km in the streets of Copenhagen and Frederiksberg?

Or where you challenge yourself to improve your time?

So mark your calendars! Because you can already get your starting number and start looking forward to it from Monday 15 August, when we open sales for next year’s Copenhagen Marathon.

The race takes place on Sunday 14 May 2023, when Copenhagen and Frederiksberg lay the asphalt for nothing less than the 44th edition of the Copenhagen Marathon.

Race news Copenhagen Half Marathon

Copenhagen offers autumn training runs

Group runs build endurance before half marathon

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 15:25:00 +0000

Do you also want to replace your sandals with running shoes? And actually do something (besides sunbathing) to get a sweat on your forehead?

Then look forward to Sunday 31 July at 9.00, when it starts again with Sparta’s free joint training.

We start quietly with 10 km and slowly build more distance over the next 7 Sundays. The next big goal is of course the CPH Half on September 18, where 25,000 runners are expected to sweep through the city’s streets.

We run in several smaller groups, and don’t worry – if you’ve been lying by the pool all July, there are several groups running at a slow pace.

On Wednesday 24 August, we will once again start up with a new beginner running team. Over the course of 10 Wednesdays, we run, walk, cuddle, laugh and sweat our way up to being able to run 5 km – maybe even in one go.

This is the team for you if you want to learn to run in a safe environment with others at your own level.

Race news Volksbank-Münster-Marathon

Münster promises exciting entertainment

Marathon organisers announce cultural programme

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 15:19:00 +0000

The best of 20 years of the Volksbank-Münster-Marathon interprets the motto of the anniversary run of the Volksbank-Münster-Marathon: Run in Münster!

Artists and groups of artists who have inspired our runners and spectators the most are invited to give the anniversary marathon a very special touch.

The supporting program again has a very special meaning at the marathon. Large mythical creatures as stilt-walkers move through the city, several bands and drum groups provide the right sound, acrobats, dancers and very special artists act on all stages from the city center, via Nienberge, Gievenbeck, Roxel to the finish. A cultural event that is second to none.

More than 300 actors are called upon to heat up the spectators in order to provide the runners with the best possible mental support. The highlights include many cheerleader groups who have been training for this date for weeks. The Starlets Cheerleader from Bochum as well as Antje Pode, who inspires the spectators with suitcase acrobatics, offer a great performance on the big finish stage.

The Afro-Cuban drum group TAKA TUN is at the extreme end of the marathon at the corner of Stodtbrodtweg and Twerenfeldweg between Nienberge and Roxel. The Himmelreichallee will be a unique party mile until the finish line. It starts with Checker Julian from the TV station KiKa and sergeant Kerkhoff at Stadtwerke Kids Point. This is followed by the new South America Mile, which exudes a lot of South American flair in bright colors. Including: the drum group Sambanda Girassol, the dance group Viva Brasil in South American clothes and a close act with the Blue Birds on stilts.

This is followed by the Schmitz Cargobull Power Point with a varied program featuring the impressive Luneatic Insects on stilts, the cheerleaders “Diamonds Elite” and a great band. Just a few meters further on, the runners pass the AWM Power Point at the Aegidiimarkt, where the drum group Groove Onkels creates a good atmosphere and the Compagnie with balls inspire with artistic interludes on man-high balls of two meters.

Then comes the big finish, where the participants are welcomed by the moderators Michael Brinkmann and Jana Gügercin, an employee of the Volksbank Münsterland Nord.

Race news Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon and We Are Houston 5K

Houston Marathon Committee announces new directors

Community leaders with diverse professional backgrounds comprise the new Board of Directors

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 08:17:00 +0000

The Houston Marathon Committee announced today the addition of new members Tracey Anthony, Melissa Hahn, and Shannon Truman to its Board of Directors effective immediately.

“We are proud to announce and welcome Tracey, Melissa, and Shannon to the Board of Directors,” said HMC Board President Brant Kotch. “Our goal is to comprise a board of professionally diverse individuals who provide our organization with new perspectives and are passionate about delivering an event that is a point of pride for the community and benefits the City of Houston in many ways. Coming off an overwhelmingly successful 50th anniversary celebration in January, we believe this leadership team is ideal to lead the HMC into our next 50 years.”

The three new board members were identified and nominated by a selection committee and voted in by the seven current HMC Board of Directors: President Kotch, Vice President Elijio Serrano, Treasurer Charlie Bass, Secretary Subbu Venkat, Executive Committee Member Maddie Bunch, Mike Atkins, and Stan Coburn.

Established in 1972, the Houston Marathon Committee, Inc. (HMC) is a founding member of Running USA and annually organizes the nation’s premier winter marathon, half-marathon and 5K. More than 300,000 participants, volunteers and spectators make Chevron Houston Marathon Race Day the largest single-day sporting event in Houston. Chevron Houston Marathon has been the race site for three U.S. Olympic Trials Marathons and the Aramco Houston Half Marathon has hosted 16 U.S. Half Marathon Championships. For eight consecutive years, the events have garnered Gold Certification from the Council of Responsible Sport and were also awarded the 2015 AIMS Green Award for industry-leading sustainability initiatives. Race Weekend generates over USD 51 million in economic impact for the region annually. In addition to its economic impact, the HMC facilitates social responsibility through its Run for a Reason Charity Program which has raised over USD 34 million since its inception and the Houston Marathon Foundation, which serves the greater Houston area through support of youth and community organizations that promote access to, and participation in running. The event is televised by KTRK ABC13 and syndicated nationally and internationally airing annually live on ESPN3 and the Longhorn Network. 

The 51st running of the Chevron Houston Marathon race weekend, also featuring the Aramco Houston Half Marathon and We Are Houston 5K presented by Aramco and Chevron, will take place 13–15 January 2023.

Race news Swedbank Tallinn Marathon, Half & 10k

Tallinn medals inspired by Estonian icon

Pikk Hermann Tower depicted

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 09:46:00 +0000

This year the medals of Estonia’s largest running event depict one of the most important symbols of Estonian statehood, the Pikk Hermann Tower.

The medal was inspired by the fact that this year the Tallinn Marathon starts and finishes are close to the Toompea Castle on Falgi Road.

Pikk Hermann Tower is located next to the Estonian Parliament building and the flag at the top of the Tower has shown throughout history who rules Estonia. The national blue-black-white flag is raised every morning and lowered at sunset.

Estonia’s largest running event welcomes you to Tallinn from 9–11 September 2022. Be ready! There are races suitable for everyone!

Race news

Registration opens for Pila Half

One of Poland’s leading half marathons

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 12:18:00 +0000

The Road Races Association informs that online registration for the 31st Pila Half Marathon is now open.

The event will take place in Pila, Poland, on 4 September 2022.

The 31st Pila Half Marathon will be the Open Masters Championships for men and women in half marathon.

In addition, the Police Championship will be held.

The Pila Half Marathon in 2019 was completed by 2,668 runners.

Current course records of the Pila Half Marathon are 1:02:11 by Daniel Muteti (Kenya) for men, and for women, 1:11:09 by Stella Barsosio (Kenya).

Traditionally, the image of a famous Polish marathon runner will be shown on the race medal. His name will be announced later.

We invite you to participate in the 31st Pila Half Marathon.

Date changes Al-Khobar International Half Marathon

Race date for Khobar International Half Marathon (KSA) changed

Khobar International Half Marathon date change

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 09:00:34 +0000

The Khobar International Half Marathon (KSA) will take place on Sat 26 November 2022, not Sat 10 December 2022 as previously published.

Running news Maraton Varmex

One lucky runner’s story

Carlos Vargas Rosas, founder and director of the Varmex Marathon in Mexico, was on the verge of death during February-March 2021 but returned through life fitness and a passion to live

By Carlos Vargas Rosas | Marathon Varmex

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 08:26:00 +0000

I had not yet been vaccinated and came down with COVID 19. After being in critical condition for two months, with 85% of my lungs infected with this virus. My oxygen levels were critical and I was on an oxygen feed 24 hours a day for a month.

I lost track of time.

I felt myself letting go, immersing myself in a state of comfort. Through my window I saw how the leaves fell from the trees; they began a dance to the swaying of the wind and inexorably fell. So I felt my life falling gently, a mental and spiritual state where my mind and my conscience were only concerned with having the strength to be able to chew small pieces of food with intervals of 10 seconds, then waiting 10 seconds to gain strength and be able to swallow, I observed the blue sky and the clouds with astonished pleasure. I listened to the wind, I saw the flight of the birds and I tried to breathe – but I could only get a very small part of the air into my lungs, which were almost full of mucus.

My wife Marthita and my son David Ayrton became infected shortly afterwards. That hurt, and I was very worried. It made me question my actions: how did I treat them? Was I good to them? A thousand questions swarmed in my moments of lucidity. I have four children, a grandson and my eternal refuge – my beloved wife Marthita. Everything else disappeared from my mind. I survived like this for 30 days.

In the early days of rehabilitation, the doctor was surprised that I was alive and told me I should be dead, because out of every 20 people my age 17 die (I am 67 years old). Tell me, the doctor asked, what do you do? I told him that I had practiced Karate, Kendo and Iaido for almost all my life, that I had been running approximately 50km per week for 28 years and I had completed eight marathons. He looked at me carefully and said: “Without knowing it you have prepared for this moment for your whole life. If you had not been so physically active you would be dead.”

I went to cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and started walking one kilometre a day. I gradually increased my physical activity until I returned to 100%, I have no lasting negative consequences from COVID 19.

I hope this life experience serves as a recommendation for other people to discover the benefits of distance running.

Now our team is fully engaged in organising the non-profit Marathon Varmex Tehuacan on 16 October 2022 for the benefit of the Asilo de Ancianos de Tehuacán A.C.

Race news BMW Berlin-Marathon

Kipchoge to duel with Adola in Berlin

Numbers predicted to reach pre-pandemic levels

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 10:26:00 +0000

On 25 September the BMW Berlin-Marathon 2022 will take place on the streets of the German capital. The organisers are expecting over 45,000 runners from around 150 nations, which will build on the numbers from before the COVID pandemic.

With the double Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) and the winner of the BMW Berlin-Marathon 2021 Guye Adola (ETH), two of the best runners in the world will compete against each other at this year’s BMW Berlin-Marathon. The Kenyan Kipchoge and the Ethiopian Adola fought an impressive duel in 2017 when Adola brought Kipchoge to the brink of defeat. The pictures of the gripping finale at the Brandenburg Gate went around the globe and thrilled the sports community.

This year a similarly exciting race is expected. With the words, “Berlin is the fastest course – here runners can prove their potential and push the limits,” Kipchoge clearly appreciates the Berlin course and what is possible on it. After all, the Kenyan has already won three times on the River Spree and set the current marathon world record here in 2018 with 2:01:39 hours. The 37-year-old proved that he is in good shape at the Tokyo Marathon in the spring, which he won with a new course record in 2:02:40.

Adola also knows about the advantages of the Berlin course and formulates a clear target for himself: “I am very happy to be back at the BMW Berlin-Marathon to defend my title from last year. I always have a good feeling about the BMW Berlin-Marathon because it was my debut marathon, and that time is still my personal best. This year I will try to achieve a time under 2:03.”

The race director of the BMW Berlin-Marathon Mark Milde is pleased about the fact that he can welcome the two unique top-class runners Kipchoge and Adola to the starting line. “We are very happy to see these exceptional athletes running at the BMW Berlin-Marathon. Such a duel is always great advertising for running in general. Berliners will be cheering on all participants, whether they are double Olympic champions or marathon novices.”

Race news Eilat Desert Marathon

Marathon Israel in a new events year

Desert Marathon organiser writes

By Ofer Padan | Marathon Israel

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 14:52:00 +0000

On the 40th anniversary year of the AIMS organisation it is symbolic and exciting to present our races in Israel.

AIMS is vital to the world of running, and it has supporting us well throughout the years. A recent article in Distance Running magazine featured the concept events we organise.

The eight running events we have created each have their own story, history, tradition, unique challenge, content, friends and the unique vibes that make the difference. I personally look forward to greeting runners who choose to come to Israel to partake in one of our events!

Race news Great Ethiopian Run 10km

Sofi Malt takes title sponsorship of Africa’s biggest road race

“Great partners for us,” says Gebrselassie

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 08:50:00 +0000

Race organisers of the Great Ethiopian Run, Africa’s biggest road race, have announced that Sofi Malt will become the race’s new title sponsor when the 22nd edition is staged on 20 November 2022. Sofi Malt will work even more closely with Ethiopia’s leading mass-participation event management company.

Samrawit Girma, Sponsorship and Brand Activation Manager of Heineken that owns the Sofi Malt brand, expressed her delight in concluding the agreement:

“We love all the events organised by Great Ethiopian Run and value the professionalism with which their events are delivered. Their reach into the community and their focus on active, healthy living is a perfect fit for the Sofi Malt product with its wealth of health and nutritional benefits.”

Sofi Malt has been active in the sports industry in Ethiopia for the past five years. A sponsor of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation and a previous title sponsor of the popular WOMEN FIRST 5km women’s race, Sofi Malt last year entered into a first-of-its kind brand partnership deal with Great Ethiopian Run.

Race founder Haile Gebrselassie said that Sofi Malt aligns perfectly with the company’s vision. “Sofi Malt will be great partners for us as we try to bring more people into the fitness community.” he said. His comments were echoed by Great Ethiopian Run General Manager Dagmawit Amare: “Having Sofi Malt as our new title sponsor opens up new opportunities for our work together. Coming out of our friendship as our brand partners, this agreement will allow us to take our international 10km road race to a totally new level.”

The official launch of registration for the 2022 Sofi Malt Great Ethiopian Run International 10km takes place on Friday 15 July 2022.

Race news Nagoya Women’s Marathon

Nagoya announces event plan

Top female athletes will compete for the USD 250,000 1st prize – the largest 1st prize in world marathon running for men or women

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 09:54:00 +0000

The Nagoya Women’s Marathon is delighted to announce the event outline of the Nagoya Women’s Marathon 2023. It plans to hold the world’s largest women’s running festival on Sunday, March 12, 2023, hosting 22,000 participants, including 3,500 international entries.

Launched in 2012, the Nagoya Women’s Marathon is the largest women’s marathon in the world, certified by Guinness World Records, and the only women’s race with a World Athletics Platinum Label status. Since 2022, the race has offered the largest first prize money in world marathon running at US$250,000.

Every finisher will receive a beautiful, specially designed pendant from a global luxury jeweler, Tiffany & Co., as a memento of their achievement.

Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, the race was held every year by downsizing the number of entries and taking all possible measures against infection, providing the grand stage for women runners to take on the challenge of 42.195 km and radiate the positive energy through the sport. The Nagoya Women’s Marathon 2023 will be back in its original field size.

The Nagoya Women’s Marathon is a unique and special occasion for all women who love running, from the world’s top female athletes to fun runners and first-time marathoners. For more information on the Nagoya Women’s Marathon 2023 and the race entry, please visit the official race website .

Race news TCS New York City Marathon

Jepchirchir will defend title in New York

Reigning champion to run in November

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 09:39:00 +0000

Reigning Olympic, TCS New York City Marathon, and BAA Boston Marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir will return to the five boroughs to defend her title at the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, 6 November.

Last year, Jepchirchir won gold in the Tokyo Olympic marathon by 16 seconds. Four months later she won the 50th running of the TCS New York City Marathon in her U.S. racing debut. In doing so, she became the only Olympic marathon gold medalist to also win the TCS New York City Marathon in her career, finishing in 2:22:39, the third-fastest time in the event’s history and eight seconds off the course record. Then in April, in a back-and-forth race that came down to the final mile, Jepchrichir fended off Ethiopian Ababel Yeshaneh in a thrilling sprint to the finish to take the Boston Marathon title in her debut in the event.

The 2022 TCS New York City Marathon will return at full capacity with 50,000 runners.

Race news TCS New York City Marathon

Nnenna Lynch to be new chair of NYRR board

Lynch to serve as the first woman and first African American in the position

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 09:11:00 +0000

New York Road Runners (NYRR) today announced that Nnenna Lynch is nominated to serve as the next Chairwoman of the NYRR Board of Directors. It is a historical appointment as she will become the first woman and the first African American in the position.

Since 2014, Lynch has served on the NYRR Board of Directors. Additionally, she serves as the Chair of the NYRR Community Impact Committee, and she is helping to lead the CEO search process for the organization.

Lynch has a long history in real estate development, government, public policy, and finance. She previously served as the Senior Advisor to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, where she set the strategy for growing New York City’s economy and oversaw over 10 city agencies with a collective budget of USD 5 billion and more than 20,000 employees. Currently, she is the founder and CEO of Xylem Projects, a New York City based and mission-driven real estate investment and development firm with a focus on high-impact urban mixed-use, affordable and mixed-income housing.

Lynch will succeed George Hirsch in June 2023 after formal approval by the Board of Directors at its 2023 Annual Meeting. Hirsch, who has served for 17 years, will become Chairman Emeritus. Hirsch is the founding publisher of New York magazine, was the long-time worldwide publisher of Runner’s World and he is a founder of the five-borough New York City Marathon.

“I am honored to serve as the new NYRR Chairwoman of the Board supporting the world’s premiere community running organization. Running has been a lifelong passion of mine, and after eight years of serving as a Board Member supporting NYRR’s community impact initiatives, I’m looking forward to serving in this role to help further NYRR’s presence in the community for future generations,” said Nnenna Lynch.

“I am thrilled to have Nnenna serve as our future Chairwoman of the Board,” said George Hirsch, Chairman of the Board, NYRR. “As a lifelong runner and with her deep experience in the New York community, we know her passion will further our organization’s commitment to the sport as well as supporting our community initiatives throughout the five boroughs. Nnenna is ideally suited for the role.”

Lynch currently holds many leadership positions including Co-President of the Association of American Rhodes Scholars. In addition, Lynch is a Trustee of Villanova University, a board member of the Van Alen Institute, and a former board member of the New York City Housing Authority. She earned an M.A. in Anthropology at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and a B.A. in Sociology at Villanova where she won five NCAA titles in track and field. Lynch is a born and raised New Yorker and since her childhood growing up seeing the urban blight of 1980s New York she has been passionate about revitalizing neighborhoods.

Race news Ramboll Stockholm Half Marathon

Look ahead to autumn in Stockholm

21st edition through Swedish capital

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 10:52:00 +0000

Ramboll Stockholm Halvmarathon will take place for the 21st time, on Saturday 17 September 2022.

Thousands of runners from all over the world will compete against each other and we hope you will join us! The start and finish close to the Royal Palace, Parliament building and the Opera House is really special. And it’s a wonderful feeling to run through the central parts of the city.

The average temperature in Stockholm in the afternoon in mid September is 15°C (approx. 60F). The humidity is about 50 percent.

The Stockholm Half Marathon is run on an inspiring course through the central districts of the Swedish capital. During the race you will pass many of Stockholm’s most famous landmarks and buildings: Karlberg’s Castle, the City Hall, the Royal Palace, the Swedish Parliament, the Old Town and the Royal Opera House.

The difference between the highest and the lowest point of the course is 27 metres. The distance is 21,098 metres.

Welcome to Stockholm and one of the world’s most beautiful capitals. Built on 14 islands around one of Europe’s largest and best-preserved mediaeval city centres, the Swedish capital is superbly positioned, with stunning and extremely varied scenery in every direction.

Just outside the city, the archipelago of 24,000 islands is waiting to be explored.

Stockholm is a city of contrasts – water and islands, history and innovation, small town and big city, long light summer nights and short winter days.

Thanks to the city´s compact size, you can see and do most things in a short space of time – which makes it a perfect destination for city breaks or longer stays.

Stockholm is one third water, one third green belt and one third city. The island of ”Djurgården”, the world’s first National City Park, is only a short walk from the inner city.
Information about Stockholm: visitstockholm.com

You will receive first class service during the whole race. Along the course there are seven refreshment stations which will serve Maxim sports drink and water.

At the registration you can collect a sponge, which you can use at the five sponge stations which are located together with refreshment stations.

Announcers and bands will guarantee a good atmosphere along the course.
In the finish area you will be served something to drink, fruit and other snacks. Medical service is available for the runners along the course and at the finish area. Massage service is also available at the finish area.

Please contact the Stockholm Half Marathon office for further information.
E-mail: info@stockholmhalfmarathon.se

Race news Copenhagen Half Marathon

Copenhagen Half announces plans

Limit of 25,000 runners

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 10:51:00 +0000

The 8th annual edition of the Copenhagen Half Marathon will be taking place on Sunday, September 18, 2022, commencing and finishing in central Copenhagen on Øster Allé, DK-2100 Copenhagen.

The elite race and the mass participation race commence concurrently at 11:15 am CEST.

There is a limit of 25,000 participants.

Entry is open to everyone – no ballots or qualification standards (only for the elite). Please be aware however, that there is a course time limit of three hours “net”, i.e. from the starting line to the finish line. Get more info here .

Race news hella hamburg half marathon

Hamburg slams back after three years

hella hamburg halbmarathon returns in physical format

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 10:25:00 +0000

After three years of waiting, the hella hamburg halbmarathon slammed back at full strength in its 28th edition.

Participation was back at a similar level to the record-breaking years: 12,200 registrations.

An endless sea of runners passed along the starting corridor from the Reeperbahn to Heiligengeistfeld. The sun was out. 30,000 litres of refreshments (increased at short noticed) stood ready.

So did an elite field of German and international running starts. The course had a tweak this year. The 180-degree turn on Kennedy Bridge has been replaced by a loop past the Kennedy and Lombard bridges to save valuable seconds of slowing down and speeding up. The skaters, who started before the runners, proved that it had some effect by skating record times.

The weather was kind to spectators: sun and summer temperatures. Thunder was predicted for after the race, but it failed to materialise. But the air was already slightly humid as the race started on the Reeperbahn at 9 am.

Out to the west, back along the Elbe avenue, down the hill to the spectators on the old fish market square. At the Wallring tunnel is roughly the half way mark and the leading five are all around 30:56. That would mean finishing in 1:01:52 – too slow for a course record (1:00:52).

The women’s chances of a course record are slim too: the four leaders reach half way in 36:18 – a calculated finish time of 1:12:36 versus the record of 1:10:13.

The temperature rises, it’s already 24º. For most of the runners, that’s five or ten degrees too warm for best performance. 42 minutes in, and by the river Alster the leading group starts to disintegrate. It now comprises only Samwel Mailu and Charles Kipkurui, neck and neck. Spectators crowd at the finish line, the motorcycle cavalcade rides in. Mailu and Kipkurui race up the finishing stretch – excitement up until the last moment. Finally, despite an unfavourable position on the outside of the curve, Mailu can pull ahead – and wins! 1:01:52, just one second ahead of Kipkurui.

The fastest woman: Ludwina Chepngetich in 1:12:32, having run the second half slightly faster than the first.

At the finish line, as runners come in their feelings change from “hard core” to “slightly euphoric”. More and more spectators stand at the barriers and more runners finish with a smile or a laugh. It helps that light clouds have formed, shielding them from the burning sun.

By 1:58 the first 1,500 runners have finished. And a couple of hours later the total is around 6,500 (4,072 men, 2,418 women). Not yet the record numbers of “before”, but the old feeling is back. What a day.

Date changes International Marathon Alexander the Great

Race date for International Marathon Alexander the Great (GRE) changed

Int’l Marathon Alexander the Great date change

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 11:30:07 +0000

The International Marathon Alexander the Great (GRE) will take place on Sun 30 April 2023, not Sun 23 April 2023 as previously published.

Race news Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Marathon

Valencia celebrates Global Running Day with record participation

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 12:30:00 +0000

Valencia ‘City of Running’ yesterday marked Global Running Day, an annual celebration of the passion for running, by bringing people together on the first such occasion since the pandemic.

Close to 500 people went out to run together in the Turia river-bed gardens that run through the centre of the city. This contributed to the greatest number of daily users of the 5km training circuit in 2022, with more than 3100.

Date changes Maratón Internacional Comude Guadalajara hidratado por Electrolit

Race date for Maratón Guadalajara Megacable hidratado por Electrolit (MEX) changed

Maratón Guadalajara Megacable hidratado por Electrolit date change

Fri, 27 May 2022 12:51:08 +0000

The Maratón Guadalajara Megacable hidratado por Electrolit (MEX) will take place on Sun 6 November 2022, not Wed 2 November 2022 as previously published.

Race news Gold Coast Marathon

Gold Coast anticipates 20,000 runners

Participants to benefit from sunrise starts

Fri, 27 May 2022 09:06:00 +0000

This year’s Village Road Show Theme Parks Gold Coast Marathon will be the largest mass-participation event in Australia this year and since COVID-19 decimated the event and festival industry across the nation more than two years ago.

Events Management Queensland CEO, Cameron Hart said the organisation had taken the time over the last couple of years to review the event operations and introduced a two-day program that starts at 06.00 each day kicking off with half marathon on Saturday and full marathon on Sunday 3 July.

“The benefits of the earlier starts will see runners starting off just before sunrise each day and experiencing the cooler temperatures of early mornings, which should see fast times and lots of personal best results.”

Mr Hart said they were anticipating over 20,000 runners this year for an event that would be a fitting celebration of the return of community and mass participation events.

Date changes EDP Lisbon Half Marathon

Race date for EDP Lisbon Half Marathon (POR) changed

EDP Lisbon Half Marathon date change

Tue, 17 May 2022 14:53:55 +0000

The EDP Lisbon Half Marathon (POR) will take place on Sun 12 March 2023, not Sun 19 March 2023 as previously published.

Race news Copenhagen Marathon

Race records pulverised in Copenhagen

Berhane Tsegay of Eritrea and Kenya’s Helah Jelegat Kiprop win marathon in the fastest times ever on Danish soil

Mon, 16 May 2022 08:40:00 +0000

Copenhagen Marathon saw both race records being smashed by East African runners on Sunday.

In the men’s race, Berhane Tsegay of Eritrea crossed the finish line in 2:08:23, cutting one and a half minutes off the previous record from 2019, while Helah Jelegat Kiprop of Kenya took an even larger slice – 5:19 minutes, to be exact – off the women’s record, winning in 2:24:10. Both times are also new Danish All-Comers record.

Sunny conditions with 15 degrees in the Danish capital proved to be the perfect frame for a fast race. A leading group of ten men, with Ethiopian pacemaker Muluneh Bekele in front, passed the half marathon mark in promising 63:26 minutes. At 30 km, that group had diminished to six runners, before two Kenyans, Samuel Kiplimo and Daniel Kipchuma, accompanied by the two Eritrean athletes, Berhane Tsegay and Henok Tesfaye, broke free of the rest. With two kilometers to go, Tsegay showed strength easing to the finish line with his compatriot Tesfaye 16 seconds behind.

Despite improving his personal best by four minutes, Tsegay didn’t seem surprised by his victory.

“I knew I was in a good shape, so I am not surprised. It was a fine race and a good course,” he said.

Daniel Kipchumba came in third in his marathon debut. With a time of 2:08,55 he as well was below the race record.

The silver medalist from the World Championships in Beijing 2015, Helah Jelegat Kiprop, showed that she is back in business after giving birth to a son two years ago.

“I am very happy to win the race and, of course, to set a new race record. It is good to be back after the birth and then the pandemic. But right now, I don’t know what my next goal will be,” the 37-year-old Kenyan said.

During the whole race, Muluhabt Tsega (ETH) looked like a strong contender to the victory but eventually had to settle with the second place, lowering her personal best from 2018 with more than a minute.

More than 11,000 runners took part in the 43rd edition of the race.

“After we were forced to cancel the race in 2020 and 2021, Copenhagen Marathon today returned stronger than ever. We had a marvelous race day with thousands of spectators along the course, and it was all crowned by lightning-fast race records for both men and women. There should be no doubt that Copenhagen is the city for those who want a running experience beyond the usual,” race director Dorte Vibjerg puts it.

Race news Salzburg Marathon

Salzburg Marathon returns on Sunday after a three-year break

Mozart’s city celebrates race’s comeback

Thu, 12 May 2022 10:13:00 +0000

After a three-year break, the Salzburg Marathon is returning. The “Running Festival in Mozart’s Hometown” takes place in the spirit of togetherness and peace this Sunday, 15 May.

Runners from 60 nations join the wide range of running events over the weekend. Austrian national marathon championships are the main sporting focus.

Known as a worldwide centre for classical music, the running event takes place under the name of “Running Festival of Mozart’s City”. A diverse and colourful programme with ten different competitions and the motivating atmosphere of peaceful togetherness inspire several thousand participants.

From a sporting point of view, the Austrian National Marathon Championships take centre stage. National record holder Eva Wutti hopes to qualify for the European Championships in Munich. She needs to beat the time of 2:32:00 hours. In the men’s race, Mario Bauernfeind, Isaac Kosgei and Georg Schrank are among the contenders for victory and the championship title. While the elite field consists of Austrian runners, the event as a whole is a huge international get-together.

The attractive marathon and the tourist appeal of Salzburg bring runners from 60 countries to the start.

The comeback of the Salzburg Marathon for its 19th edition has special significance for race director Johannes Langer: “Running brings people together. Finally we can garnish the desire to run with the special experience factor again – and all this at an atmospheric, international running event.”

Salzburg Marathon course records stand at 2:14:16, set by Eliud Kiplagat in 2013, and 2:35:05 by Risper Kimayo in 2011. While the men’s record looks safe this year, the women’s record could come under threat, as Austrian favourite Eva Wutti has a personal best of 2:30:43 from 2020.

The Marathon starts on Sunday, 15 May, 9.00 am. Last minute entry will be available on site.

The route leads through Salzburg‘s historic old town, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site for 25 years, and touches the green surroundings outside of town. It is a flat and AIMS certified course that is officially recognized as a qualification event for international championships. Austrian Athletics Federation holds the national marathon championships there for the seventh time since 2007. Finish area is located in front of the world-famous Grosses Festspielhaus (Large Festival Hall) with a breathtaking view of Fortress Hohensalzburg.

Shorter distances at the Salzburg Marathon weekend motivate many people to participate and lead an active lifestyle. On Sunday, in addition to the marathon, the Sparkasse Half Marathon, the Hervis-10K Salzburg CityRun and the Hyundai Relay Marathon will take place. Among the participants in the relay is Olympic athlete Peter Herzog. The Austrian marathon record holder (2:10:06) is preparing for a start at the 10,000 m European Cup at the end of May.
The Salzburg Women‘s Run (5.5 km) on Friday as well as the CUP&CINO breakfast run, children‘s runs and the Inclusion Run on Saturday are also part of the running festival.

Public transport to the race and back home is available free of charge to all participants within the city of Salzburg on their day of running. Salzburg Marathon is certified as an ecologically sustainable event by Austrian control authorities. Runners enjoy high quality organic food made of local products at the marathon village. The use of renewable materials and an integrated programme for the reduction of transport and natural resources is in force.

Race news Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Marathon

Letesenbet Gidey chooses Valencia for debut marathon

“City of running” has already rewarded athlete with two world records

Wed, 11 May 2022 11:17:00 +0000

The 42nd Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso is the stage that the NN Running Team athlete Letesenbet Gidey has chosen to debut at the distance of 42,195 metres.

Valencia has become the Ethiopian runner’s favourite city as she has achieved two of her four world records in the city of running. In fact, in both her two performances in Valencia she has come away with a world record.

On 4 December, the athlete will return to the streets of Valencia to take part in the Valencia Marathon with the aim of continuing to make athletics history. This will come just a few months after another great event, the World Athletics Championships in Oregon (USA), where she will probably compete in the 10,000m race.

“I am happy to share that I will make my marathon debut in Valencia on 4th of December. I have a special relation with Valencia. In 2020 I broke the World Record in 5.000m. In 2021 I broke the World Record in Half Marathon. Now in 2022, I hope to run a great first marathon”, said Gidey.

For the race’s international elite coach Marc Roig, Gidey’s participation confirms “Valencia’s position as a world running venue, as well as its long-term link with one of the best athletes, if not the best, in the world”. “Knowing that many marathons wanted her to debut in their cities, we are proud that Letesenbet Gidey has chosen Valencia. It demonstrates that we offer what athletes want”, he explained.

Gidey began her love affair with Valencia in 2020 during the NN Valencia WR Day, when she set a world record in the 5000m with 14:06.62. In October 2021, she took part in the Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich, where she achieved her second world record in what was her debut over the distance with a stratospheric 1:02:52. Her other two WRs came in the Netherlands, in 2019 in Nijmegen in the 15K road race, which she completed in 44:20, and last year in Hengelo in the 10,000m with a time of 29:01.03.

Letesenbet Gidey is the first of the big names that the Valencia Marathon Organising Committee has confirmed among the elite athletes who will participate in the 42nd edition of the race, which wants to continue fighting to climb positions in the world marathon ranking.

Race news Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bengaluru

Bengaluru 10K announces elite field

Tanui and Kimeli added to line up

Mon, 09 May 2022 13:46:00 +0000

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) World 10K Bengaluru 2022 race promoters Procam International announced the full elite field for World Athletics Elite Label Race on Monday.

The 14th edition of one of the world’s top road races over this distance will be held this coming Sunday 15 May.

Prestigious additions to those already named – Muktar Edris, Kibiwott Kandie and Tadese Worku in the men’s race; Hellen Obiri, Irene Cheptai and Joyce Tele in the women’s race – include Kenya’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games 10,000m silver medallist Paul Tanui and his compatriot Nicolas Kipkorir Kimeli, who was fourth in the 5000m at the Olympic Games in Tokyo last summer.

Tanui’s road racing record is rather modest, his personal best of 28:39 was when he finished sixth in the 2019 TCSW10K, but on the track the Japan-based runner has an outstanding record and has a best of 26:49.41. In addition to his Rio silver medal, Tanui has three World Athletics Championships 10,000m bronze medals to his name as well as a World Cross Country Championships silver medal.

His younger compatriot Kipkorir Kimeli was the 2017 African U20 10,000m champion on the track and will arrive in Bengaluru in very good shape after running 12:55 for 5km on the road last month.

Fellow Kenyan Bravin Kipkogei succeeded Kipkorir Kimeli as the African U20 10,000m champion in 2019 and made a big impression when he finished sixth in the famous 2020 Valencia Half Marathon, in which Kandie set a world record of 57:32, despite having been originally employed as a pacemaker.

Kipkogei has raced sparingly in 2021 and 2022 but has the pedigree to make an impact in Bengaluru.

A third notable Kenyan addition to the men’s field is Matthew Kimeli, who ran 58:43 for the half marathon last year and has already had three outings over that distance in 2022, culminating in a win in Herzogenaurach, Germany in 59:30 just nine days ago

Another man in great shape at the moment is the 2015 world U20 cross country champion Yasin Haji, from Ethiopia who has twice run 27:00 for 10km in recent weeks, firstly in the French city of Lille in March and then in Herzogenaurach.

In total eight men in this year’s TCSW10K have run faster – either on the track or the roads – than Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor course record of 27:44 that dates from in 2014

In the women’s race, a number of young and very talented road runners from Kenya and Ethiopia have been added to the elite field to challenge the three well-known names that have already been announced.

Faith Cherono, from Kenya is just 19 and had a sensational international debut less than two months ago when she stunned onlookers with a superb win over 10km in Lille in 31:06. She followed that up by improving to 30:50 in Herzogenaurach.

Ethiopia’s Tesfaye Nigsti is only two seconds slower than Cherono over 10km and has been in good form in half marathons recently, clocking a personal best of 1:06:17 in Valencia last October and going close to that mark twice in March, her only two races in 2022 before the TCSW10K.

Seven women in this year’s TCSW10K have personal bests quicker than the course record of 31:19 set by Kenya’s Agnes Tirop in 2018.

The TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2022 has a total prize fund of US$210,000, with the men’s and women’s winners taking home US$26,000 and course record bonuses of an additional US$8,000 on offer.

“The world has had to wait three years because of the pandemic since the last TCS World 10K. This is the 14th edition of this fantastic race, and I am feeling very honoured because many of the world’s best distance runners have committed to coming back to India to make this one of
the best events in the world over this distance,” commented Vivek Singh, joint managing director of race promoters Procam International.

Race news Comrades Marathon

One week till closing of Comrades entries

Over 15,000 entries already received

Mon, 09 May 2022 13:30:00 +0000

There is just one week left for aspirant Comrades athletes to get their entry in for this year’s Comrades Marathon before the entry process closes on Monday, 16 May 2022.

With 15,226 entries received so far, the Comrades Marathon Association has issued the entry breakdown as follows:

South African Entrants: 13813

International Entrants: 1413

CMA Race Director Rowyn James said, “We urge runners who have not yet entered to get their entry in during the next week. We are planning a fantastic day of road running on Sunday, 28 August for all Comrades runners be they South African or International. We have the lion’s share of international entries coming from the United Kingdom, India and Zimbabwe.”

The 95th Comrades Marathon will be the 47th Down Run on Sunday, 28 August 2022, starting at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall at 05h30 and ending 12 hours later at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, covering a 90.2km distance.

Race news Vienna City Marathon

Vibian Chepkirui breaks Vienna women’s course record

Cosmas Muteti wins with second-fastest men’s time ever as seven athletes run under 2:10

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 08:48:00 +0000

Vibian Chepkirui defended her title and smashed the course record at the Vienna City Marathon. The Kenyan won with 2:20:59 after a close battle with fellow-Kenyan Ruth Chebitok who finished second in 2:21:03. Sheila Jerotich made it an all-Kenyan podium, taking third place in 2:23:01.

Cosmas Muteti won the men’s race with 2:06:53, which is the second fastest time in the history of the Vienna City Marathon. Fellow-Kenyan Leonard Langat was second in 2:06:59 and Eritrea’s Oqbe Kibrom followed in third with 2:07:25. Although there was no course record in the men’s race the wider top results were the best ever in the history of the event. There have never been two results below 2:07 before in Vienna. And seven times sub 2:10 is also a record for Austria’s prime road race.

A total of 32,000 runners from about 100 nations had registered for the 39th edition of the Vienna City Marathon, including events at shorter distances. Around 8,000 of them competed in the marathon. The Vienna City Marathon is Austria’s biggest sporting event and a World Athletics Label Road Race.

There was good pacemaking with an even pace in the men’s race for a long time although the 2:05:41 course record was never really threatened. A group of 17 runners including the three pacers passed half way in 63:21 and then went on to a 30k split time of 1:30:12. However when the pacers all dropped out at the same time right after the 30k point the race for victory was on immediately. It was Oqbe Kibrom who surged ahead instantly. The fastest runner on the start list (PB: 2:05:53) seemed on course for a first Eritrean victory in the history of the race. However with kilometer splits of 2:54 and 2:51 for the 31st and 32k Oqbe Kibrom misjudged his potential and the picture changed.

“I knew he was strong. But I decided not go with him at 30k and run my own pace instead. I hoped to close the gap slowly,“ explained Cosmas Muteti, who soon realised that he did gain ground on the leader. With around five kilometres to go the Kenyan, who is partly coached by former world marathon record holder Patrick Makau and was fifth in Berlin last September, caught Oqbe Kibrom and then moved away from him.

In the final stages fellow-Kenyan Leonard Langat took second place and made up some ground to the leader. “I knew that he was coming nearer, but I was sure to win as I would have been able to put in a sprint if needed,” said Cosmas Muteti, who made history by becoming the 50th runner of the Vienna City Marathon to achieve a sub 2:10 finish. “This is my biggest victory. I hope to be able to defend my title here next year and then maybe break the course record,” said Cosmas Muteti, who improved his former PB of 2:08:45 by almost two minutes.

Austrian’s Lemawork Ketema was the best European runner in Vienna with a 2:15:42 finishing time in 13th place. However he missed the qualifying standard for the European Championships.

In relatively good weather conditions but some wind the women’s race developed differently. Defending champion Vibian Chepkirui, who ran only her second marathon after her Vienna debut triumph in 2021, broke away after eight kilometres. At the 10k mark she had a split time of 33:11 which pointed to a 2:20 finishing time. She was six seconds ahead of fellow-Kenyans Ruth Chebitok and Viola Yator. For an unexpected reason the 27 year-old was then not able to maintain this pace. “My husband and pacemaker Wesley Kongogo had a problem with his shoes and got a blister, so he slowed a bit,” explained Vibian Chepkirui. While she had a lead of nine seconds at half way, which she passed in 70:38, she was unable to significantly increase it. In contrast Ruth Chebitok, who had left behind Viola Yator after the half way mark, made up the deficit and was running right behind the defending champion at 35k.

Vibian Chepkirui stayed ahead by a step in the final section and it was with around one kilometer to go at Vienna’s Opera House when she increased the pace again and secured her second Vienna marathon victory. “I am of course very happy to have won again in Vienna. I want to come back next year and then my goal will be to improve to 2:18,” said Vibian Chepkirui, who ran 2:24:29 in her debut last September in warm conditions.

Slovenia’s Neja Krsinar was the fastest European runner in Vienna. She finished eighth in 2:35:30.

Date changes Antwerp Marathon

Race date for Port of Antwerp Night Marathon (BEL) changed

Port of Antwerp Night Marathon date change

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 08:13:27 +0000

The Port of Antwerp Night Marathon (BEL) will take place on Sun 11 September 2022, not Sat 17 September 2022 as previously published.

Race news Haspa Marathon Hamburg

Yalemzerf Yehualaw runs sensational 2:17:23 marathon debut

Fastest debut ever smashes Hamburg course record

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 09:08:00 +0000

Yalemzerf Yehualaw won the Haspa Marathon Hamburg in 2:17:23. It was the fastest debut ever, surpassing Paula Radcliffe’s time of 2:18:56 from London in 2002.

Yehualaw became the sixth fastest woman ever and broke the course record with a German all-comers’ record. Fikrte Wereta took second, almost nine minutes behind.

In the men’s race Eliud Kipchoge’s 2:05:30 course record from 2013 was broken by fellow-Kenyan Cybrian Kotut. He clocked 2:04:47, just edging Uganda’s debutant Stephen Kissa who crossed the line one second behind the winner. Ethiopia’s Workineh Tadesse followed in third place with 2:05:07.

A total of 20,000 entries from 68 nations were registered by organisers for the 36th edition of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg, including shorter running events on Sunday. Around 10,500 of them competed in the marathon. Additionally 9000 children participated in a 4.2 k run on Saturday.

Yehualaw dominated the women’s race from the beginning and constantly increased her lead. She passed halfway in 68:30, already over two and a half minutes ahead. “The race went well for me considering this was my first marathon" she said. "The spectators helped me a lot.” Her time was four and a half minutes faster than the previous course record set by Meselech Melkamu of Ethiopia (2:21:54 in 2016). She also broke the German all-comers’ record of Kenya’s Gladys Cherono who ran 2:18:11 in Berlin in 2018.

In the men’s race things looked a lot closer from the beginning. 17 men passed 10km in 29:29. A major surge came late in the race with only 4km to go. Cybrian Kotut and Stephen Kissa, a debutant from Uganda, broke away from the leading group which included six runners at that point. Both delivered a stunning showdown right to the finish line. In the final sprint Cybrian Kotut pushed himself to a close victory in 2:04:47, a second ahead of Stephen Kissa (2:04:48). Ethiopia’s Workineh Tadesse took third spot in 2:05:07. All three runners were within the former course record of Eliud Kipchoge which stood at 2:05:30. The Kenyan superstar set this record back in 2013 running his marathon debut in Hamburg. ’’I am very happy that I broke the course record. The pacemakers covered me well from the wind. It was not easy with the wind, but overall the conditions were very good,“ said Cybrian Kotut.

Race news Enschede Marathon

Enschede Marathon anniversary: every reason to celebrate

Sat, 23 Apr 2022 07:53:00 +0000

Enschede Marathon has every reason to celebrate on 24 April. It will be 75 years since the first edition took place, making the event the oldest marathon in the Netherlands and in Western Europe.

Not only that, but participants can also enjoy a ‘real’ running race once again after two years of virtual events. “Runners are really looking forward to that, and so are we as an organisation,” says Sandra Melief, director of Enschede Marathon. “In addition, we have an absolute top field at the start this year.”

Since the very first edition on Saturday 12 July 1947, Enschede Marathon has developed into a multi-day recreational sports event. In the inaugural race there were 51 starters (33 of whom made it to the finish). Next Sunday more than 12,000 runners from home and abroad are expected to participate in distances from 5km to 42.195km. Among the 33 different nationalities, almost 1400 participants come from Germany. On Sunday the Humankind Kidsruns will take place in 10 different locations in the city for children from 3–12 years at distances of 1–4 km.

Enschede Marathon has not only developed enormously in terms of the size but also in the quality of the field with 40 top athletes contracted this year.

Next Sunday’s two biggest contenders, Fentahun Hunegnaw and Tadu Abate from Ethiopia, finished in the 2019 Amsterdam Marathon in 2:06:04 and 2:06:13 respectively. Their compatriot Abe Gashahun, who managed 59:46 in the Copenhagen Half Marathon last September could surprise. The chances of a new course record (bettering 2:07:20, dating from 2011) are good.

The same applies to the women’s course record, which was set at 2:27:00 in 2019. The top favourite, Maurine Chepkemoi from Kenya, ran 2:20:18 in the Amsterdam Marathon last year.

There is a bonus of 10,000 euros for the man and woman who run under the race record that was set on the multi-lap course during the NN Mission Marathon at Twente Air Base last year. For the men that is 2:04:30 from Eliud Kipchoge and for the women 2:25:59 from Katharina Steinruck. This should certainly be feasible for the women.

In the evening of Friday 22 April the second edition of ‘Get Ready’ will take place: an accessible lecture that the Enschede Marathon organises together with the University of Twente on the latest insights into running sport.

Although the Enschede Marathon is a top sporting event, the organization also wants to involve social runners the Menzis Twee van Enschede on Saturday evening, 23 April is a cheerful exercise event that everyone can participate in at their own pace (there is no timekeeping).” The 3.2km route leads right through Enschede city centre, starting and finishing at the atmospheric Oude Markt.

More than 1600 marathoners have now registered for the longest distance, double the number of previous years. Everyone seems to be happy that after two years there is finally a ‘real’ marathon again, but according to Melief there is more to it. “As an Enschede Marathon, we have been very visible over the past two years, while nothing was actually possible and nothing was allowed. In April last year we organized the NN Mission Marathon at Twente Airport with only 10 days of preparation. The absolute world’s best stood at the start with the aim of securing a starting ticket for the Olympic marathon in Tokyo. A month later, we organized the ‘Ready for Takeoff’ test event, with 5km and 10km races. Both times we proved the resilience and flexibility of our organization, and that is appreciated.” This resilience also applies to the sponsors, says Melief: “although we had to skip two editions, our sponsors remained loyal to us and we were even able to welcome new sponsors. That ensures continuity in the organisation and you radiate that to the participants.”

Since 2019 the start and finish have been located at the H.J. van Heekplein in the city centre. “Two years ago we noticed that there is so much more contact between runners, sponsors and the public. There is also plenty of entertainment along the route on Sunday, so that it will be an extra festive edition for everyone, runners, volunteers and spectators.”

Race news EDP Lisbon Half Marathon

The EDP Lisbon Half back for more records

Kosgei, Gemechu, Gebreselassie, Mulatie and Salpeter in the running to challenge Jepchirchir’s 1:05:16

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 13:59:00 +0000

The fastest half marathon in the world is back. For 2022, in the 31th edition, scheduled for May 8th, the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon will be, once again, aiming for new records.

And, just like last November, there will be a bonus prize of EUR 50,000 (USD 54,000) up for grabs in case of new records.

To achieve this it will count on some of the best athletes in the world, especially in the women’s field, including the Kenyan Brigid Kosgei, the fastest female marathoner ever (2:14:04) and the eighth fastest in the half ever (1:04.49).

Tsehay Gemechu, the winner of last year’s race and the current course record holder (1:06:06) will also be present, with her fellow Ethiopians Gotytom Gebreselassie (1:05:36) and Bosena Mulatie (1:05:43). The Israeli Lonah Salpeter, the third fastest European woman ever (1:06:09), will also be present.

The time to beat for a new world record (in a women-only race) is 1:05:16, set by Peres Jepchirchir in Gdynia, at the 2020 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships.

In the men’s race, with Kiplimo’s record in sights (57:31), the field has 11 runners with personal bests below the hour mark, four of them under 59 minutes: Kenneth Kiprop Renju (58:35), Abraham Cheroben (58:40), Kevin Kiptum (58:42) and Jorum Okombo (58:48).

Besides the international field, the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon will also have the best runners from Portugal, including Hermano Ferreira, Luís Saraiva, Rui Teixeira and Nuno Costa in the men’s field and Rafaela Almeida, Sara Moreira and Solange Jesus in the women’s field.

In this year’s race – the half marathon is already sold out – there will be almost 10,000 runners from nearly 96 different nationalities. There are a few last minute bibs available for the Vodafone 10k.

“Right after the men’s world record, last year, I started preparing in my head for the process of trying for the female record too,” admits Carlos Moia, race director.

Date changes

Race date for Maratón del Atlántico (HON) changed

Maratón del Atlántico date change

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 13:58:04 +0000

The Maratón del Atlántico (HON) will take place on Sun 4 December 2022, not Sat 5 February 2022 as previously published.

Race news Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend

Gelete Burka announces a return to Ottawa

Burka, who broke the Canadian All Comers record in 2018, is aiming for a sub-2:20 marathon on May 29

By Paul Gains

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 14:33:00 +0000

Gelete Burka is smiling warmly as she moves about her house in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital city. She’s looking into her mobile phone during a WhatsApp video call in which she confirmed her return to the newly renamed Tartan Ottawa International Marathon, Sunday, May 29th.

The World Athletic Gold-label event will be held in person again after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

On her previous visit in 2018, Gelete – Ethiopians prefer to use their first names – broke the Canadian All Comers’ record (the fastest time recorded on Canadian soil) with a stunning 2 hours 22 minutes 17 seconds despite conditions that weren’t exactly agreeable.

“Of course that time everything was hard,” she remembers still smiling. “The weather! I had been training here in Ethiopia and it was so very hot and also the (strong) wind and I also had stomach cramps. Anyway, God is good and, for me that day, helped me for that victory. I was so very happy.”

The margin of victory despite stomach cramps, the wind and the cooler temperatures (it was a cool 13 degrees Celsius at 7am that day) was roughly four minutes such was the effort she expended.

“Ottawa is a good memory for me,” she continues. “When I was training I had a bit of a leg problem with an injury to my calf and I came to Ottawa with that injury. It was not easy. That was why I smiled when I came to the finish.”

Although she rarely leaves the hotel at a marathon – preferring to totally focus on the race at hand – after her Ottawa victory she attended an Ethiopian church with Ottawa friends to give thanks.

In Addis she is both an usher and a member of the forty-member choir at The Glorious Life Church. With two Sunday services, plus another on Tuesday nights, her devotion to the church is exemplary. No wonder she has little time, outside of training and travelling, for herself. When she does have free time she might have tea or coffee with friends.

As she speaks, Gelete shifts position for better light and the contents of her cabinet come into focus.

There is her 1500m gold medal from the 2008 World Indoor Championships, the 2006 World Cross Country gold and the 10,000m silver medal she earned at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing. Without a second thought she suddenly beckons two children to join her in the picture. They are her young niece and nephew, Deborah and Muse, and she asks them to say hello into her phone.

Family is ever so important. These are her youngest sister’s kids. The financial rewards of being a world class runner – she took CAD 30,000 (USD 24,120) prize money from Ottawa for instance – over two decades has allowed her to take care of both immediate family who live with her, while also contributing to the welfare of children in her home village of Kofele in south central Ethiopia.

Gelete has represented Ethiopia in six successive world outdoor championships and three Olympics. In Rio six years ago, she finished 5th in the 10,000m earning her personal best of 30:26.66. Had it not been for a slight on the part of the Ethiopian federation a year later, she might never have turned to the marathon.

“In 2017 I was in Hengelo (Netherlands) at the Ethiopian trials for the world championships. I won the Ethiopian 10,000m trials (30:40.87), but they never took me to the world championships in London,” she explains, her smile having vanished now.

“After that I stopped track and that is the point when I went to the marathon. So, I trained for the Dubai Marathon where I ran 2:20:45.”

A year later she won the 2019 Paris Marathon in 2:22:47, then finished 3rd in Chicago, one of the ‘World Majors,’ in 2:20:55. The latter result illustrates the importance of pacemakers to marathoners.

“In Paris we had a very nice pacer and also in Chicago, you remember the world record was broken,” she remembers. “The pacemakers went with the Kenyan lady (Brigid Kosgei set the world record of 2:14:04) and after 2km I was all by myself for 40km. Maybe when someone is pushing me I will run under 2:19. I need a good pacemaker. Yes I hope it is arranged (in Ottawa). I want to go under 1:10 the first half.”

Gelete is coached by Getamesay Molla and belongs to a group of strong Ethiopian runners who train together on the dusty roads of Sendafa, Sululta and Entoto outside Addis. Traffic inside the capital makes training there near impossible. Preparations, she says, are going well for Ottawa.

“My training now is very nice,” she allows. “I am happy with my training and I have another two months to get in good shape.”

Racing regularly again following the coronavirus pandemic is a welcome relief for her. Now that she is 36 years old, an age that used to indicate the twilight years of an athletics career, she doesn’t know how much longer she will continue training and racing. The Paris Olympics are two years hence.

“I don’t know about that (Paris) I don’t have an idea about this,” she says carefully.
“Even if I run a good time it is not easy with my federation (to win selection). You saw like Kenenisa (Bekele who was controversially left off the Ethiopian Olympic team) last time in Tokyo. I will see what my time is. Sometimes you have the time, but I don’t know why they do this.”

Politics notwithstanding Gelete has several more world-class performances in those legs. Reducing her personal best and getting under the 2 hours 20 minutes barrier remains a target. She would like for that to happen on the streets of Ottawa.

Race news Swiss Irontrail

Swissalpine cancelled for 2022

Organisers concentrate on Savognin event

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 11:49:00 +0000

Swissalpine, the classic Alpine ultramarathon has run out of time in which to secure route permits for all the race formats and has had to cancel the Prologue, scheduled for 20 August 2022.

The organisers are confident that they can complete the approval process by summer 2022 for the race to be held in 2023.

The Swiss Irontrail in Savognin will be held on 6 August 2022.

Race news Vienna City Marathon

Strong men’s field for Vienna

Defending champion Leonard Langat will run against Derara Hurisa and Mekuant Ayenew

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 09:55:00 +0000

The two defending champions will both be returning to the Vienna City Marathon on 24th April: Kenyans Leonard Langat and Vibian Chepkirui.

While some elite women’s contenders were released earlier, organisers now confirmed a number of male competitors.

There will be unprecedented depth in Vienna’s men’s elite field with five athletes featuring personal bests of sub 2:06. This group is led by Ethiopia’s Mekuant Ayenew who has a PB of 2:04:46. Additionally the Vienna City Marathon will feature a rematch between Derara Hurisa of Ethiopia, who had crossed the line first last year but was then disqualified for inadvertently wearing an illegal racing shoe, and Leonard Langat.

Well over 27,000 runners have so far registered for Austria’s leading road race, including entries for shorter running events. Online entry for the 39th Vienna City Marathon, which is a World Athletics Marathon Label Road Race, is still possible at: www.vienna-marathon.com

“Elite racing forms a thrilling part of our event. These runners bring high quality performances and often emotional stories to our race,” said Race Director Wolfgang Konrad. “We are very happy to welcome back both winners from last year to Vienna. And we keep our fingers crossed for Derara Hurisa, who will also return.”

In unusually warm conditions Derara Hurisa became the first athlete being disqualified for wearing an illegal shoe in a major city marathon last September in Vienna. The Ethiopian, who has a personal best of 2:08:09, crossed the line first in 2:09:22. However it appeared the he wore shoes that have a sole thickness of five centimeters while a maximum of four is allowed. Derara Hurisa had chosen the shoes for the race because he used them in training and thought they were within the rules. The athlete looked upset and distraught when he learnt about the disqualification and will be eager to take his second chance when he returns to Vienna. Though he was happy to become the winner it was not the ideal scenario for Leonard Langat as well. “Of course I would have preferred to have broken the tape,” said the Kenyan, who improved his PB to 2:09:25 in Vienna last year.

Such is the strength of the elite field this time that both runners might have to improve their personal bests quite significantly if they want to be in contention for victory on 24th April. With a personal record of 2:04:46 Mekuant Ayenew is the second fastest runner ever entered into a Vienna City Marathon behind former world record holder Dennis Kimetto (2:02:57). The Kenyan did not finish the 2018 race. Mekuant Ayenew, who won the Sevilla Marathon 2020 when he clocked his PB, heads the start list.

The other four athletes with personal bests of sub 2:06 are Goitom Kifle of Eritrea (2:05:28), Bahrain’s Marius Kimutai (2:05:47), Oqbe Kibrom from Eritrea (2:05:53) and Ethiopian Abdi Fufa (2:05:57). While Kimutai was the winner of the Rotterdam Marathon in 2017 Kifle achieved a notable 14th place in the Olympic marathon in Sapporo last summer.

The group of leading runners look to be in a perfect position to target the course record of the Vienna City Marathon. Ethiopia’s Getu Feleke established this mark when he won the race with 2:05:41 back in 2014.

Race news Türkiye İş Bankası İstanbul Half Marathon

Obiri runs tenth fastest women’s half marathon

1:04:48 in Istanbul

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 14:51:00 +0000

Hellen Obiri clocked the tenth fastest time ever with 1:04:48 to win the 17th N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon while Rodgers Kwemoi ran a course record of 59:15 to make it a Kenyan double.

Strong winds during the second half of the race prevented even faster times on a sunny day at the Bosphorus.

Dominating the race 24 year-old Rodgers Kwemoi improved the course record by 20 seconds. Daniel Mateiko was second in 60:05 while fellow-Kenyan Emmanuel Bor, who had started the race as a pacemaker, finished third with 60:20. Romania’s Nicolae Soare was the fastest European runner in 12th position with 63:33 and Ramazan Özdemir followed in 14th with 64:02 as the fastest athlete from Turkey.

Hellen Obiri ran another impressive race. When the 32 year-old World Cross Country and 5,000 m World Champion broke the tape in 64:48 she was more than a minute ahead. Ethiopians Tsehay Gemechu and Bekelech Gudeta took second and third with 65:52 and 66:35. While Kenya’s Vicoty Chepngeno finished fourth in 66:58 Yasemin Can of Turkey was fifth with 67:57.

Full race report…

Race news Türkiye İş Bankası İstanbul Half Marathon

Hellen Obiri aims for another personal best

Istanbul course records may be challenged

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 13:55:00 +0000

Hellen Obiri is back in Istanbul where strong elite fields were assembled for the N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon on Sunday.

Both course records could be threatened at the Bosporus. Six women are on the start list with personal bests of sub 67:00 and Kenya’s reigning World Cross Country Champion and 5,000 m World Champion is the fastest of them: Hellen Obiri has improved to 64:22 earlier this year. Fellow-Kenyans Daniel Mateiko and Rodgers Kwemoi head the men’s start list with personal bests of 58:26 and 58:30 respectively. The N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon produced a world record a year ago when Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich won the race in 64:02.

A year ago the N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon was one of very few international races that went ahead during the pandemic. 4,000 runners participated under strict hygiene regulations. Now the organizers of the N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon are proud to announce that the race bounced back: Including races at shorter distances a record number of over 10,000 runners were registered for the 17th edition. Around 8,000 of them will run the half marathon. Turkey’s biggest spring road race is a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race.

There will be a livestream on Sunday, which can be accessed at: https://www.istanbulyarimaratonu.com/en/

“We have worked for a long time to improve our 16 year-old course and to make it one of the most historic and enjoyable courses in the world, as well as one of the fastest. We succeeded in developing the N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon further and even had a world record here a year ago,” said Renay Onur, the Race Director of the event which is staged by Spor Istanbul. With regard to Sunday’s race he said: “Our elite field is of high quality. With two men having recently achieved sub-59 times, we have a chance that our course record will fall. On the women’s side, I am happy that Hellen Obiri is back. I believe she can go even faster since weather conditions seem to be fine on Sunday. We invite all sport lovers to enjoy this race.”

Hellen Obiri is ready for another very fast race. “If weather conditions and pacemaking are good then I will try to break my personal best. Whenever I come to such a race it is my goal to run well and improve my time,” said the 32 year-old who improved to 64:22 when she was second in the Ras Al Khaimah half marathon in the United Arab Emirates in February. Since then she has been training in the Ngong hills near Nairobi. “I am in much better form now than I was before Ras Al Khaimah,” said Hellen Obiri. Asked about the course record, which is also the Kenyan record, she answered: “The course record will be a tough challenge. But we have a very strong field, so we will definitely give it a try.”

Hellen Obiri will indeed face very strong competition in Istanbul. Fellow-Kenyan Vicoty Chepngeno has an outstanding half marathon record. She ran 14 half marathons since 2018 and won eleven of them. The 28 year-old is undefeated in her past six races at the distance and improved to a world-class time of 65:03 when she took the Houston half marathon in January.

Ethiopian trio Tsehay Gemechu (PB: 65:08), Nigsti Haftu (66:17), Bekelech Gudeta (66:54) and Turkey’s multiple European long distance champion Yasemin Can (66:20) are the other women who have already run below 67:00. Tsehay Gemechu has a very strong half marathon record as well. She has won four of her five races and is the reigning champion of the Copenhagen half marathon where she clocked her PB last year.

In the men’s race there will be an attack on the course record, which was established last year by Kenya’s Kibiwott Kandie with 59:35. “We will both be going for the course record and a personal best,“ said Daniel Mateiko and Rodgers Kwemoi, who are training partners and belong to the group of Eliud Kipchoge based at Kaptagat. Mateiko improved by almost a full minute to 58:26 when he was third in Valencia in 2021 while Kwemoi was runner-up in Ras Al Khaimah in February with a strong PB of 58:30. “I am now in better form than I was in Ras Al Khaimah,” said Rodgers Kwemoi.

Two other runners in the field have already broken the one hour barrier: Kenyans Josphat Tanui and Edmond Kipngetich have personal bests of 59:22 and 59:41 respectively.

Date changes Bangsaen42 Chonburi Marathon

Race date for Bangsaen42 Chonburi Marathon (THA) changed

Bangsaen42 Chonburi Marathon date change

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 12:04:09 +0000

The Bangsaen42 Chonburi Marathon (THA) will take place on Sun 30 October 2022, not Sun 6 November 2022 as previously published.

Race news Tartu City Marathon

Tartu Maraton events are free for Ukrainians

Participation hoped to help health

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 16:02:00 +0000

The organizing team of the Club Tartu Maraton has decided that in this season the participation in the Klassik series is free for Ukrainians.

According to Indrek Kelk, the chief organizer of the Club Tartu Maraton events, the organizing team wants to help people who are suffering from the ongoing war. “We believe that a healthy, active lifestyle and exercising in the fresh air is one of the key things you can do for your physical and mental health. It is known that in difficult times you have to return to the basics, and that is enough sleep, food and regular exercise. We feel that we want to help and the thing we can do is allow Ukrainians to participate in our events for free,” explains Kelk.

The Klassic series includes 5 events during the year. The 48th Tartu Maraton was held on 20th of February. The next in the series are: 40. Tartu Forest Marathon (May 8th), Tartu Rattaralli (May 29th), Tartu MTB Marathon (September 18th) and Tartu City Marathon (October 1st). There will also be children’s races the day before the main events.

Adults and children from Ukraine can take part in all of the above-mentioned events free of charge. To do this, you must indicate Ukraine as the country of registration and show an identity document when taking out the start materials.

All sports fans who want to help the Ukrainians can take part in the charity event Ukraine Charity Loppet, organized by Worldloppet (of which the Tartu Maraton is also a member). People from all over the world can take part, choosing the sport and distance that suits them. The virtual Loppet started on March 10th and 340 people participated in the first week and collected a total of almost 9000 euros. The money will be donated 100% to the Ukrainian Red Cross.

Race news Comrades Marathon

Comrades entry process opens

95th edition will be held in August

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 14:10:00 +0000

Entries for the 95th Comrades Marathon to be held in August will open next Wednesday, 23 March 2022.

This will be the first entry window period and runs until 31 March 2022. During this window period, only those entrants who had successfully entered the 2020 Comrades Marathon will be able to enter, be they South Africa, Rest of Africa or International.

The entry fee for South African athletes will be discounted from R1200 to R1000 in the first entry window period, as per the CMA’s commitment when the 2020 race was cancelled. Rest of Africa and International entrants in the 2020 Comrades Marathon had their entries deferred to either the 2022 or 2023 race; and will therefore not pay an entry fee.

During the second entry window period, from 20 April to 16 May 2022, all other athletes will be allowed to enter. Entry is free to all runners who have completed the Comrades Marathon 25 times or more.

This second entry window period will not apply should the entry cap of 15,000 entries have been reached during the first entry window period.

CMA Race Director, Rowyn James says, “We have exciting plans in place for this year’s Down Run which will finish at the internationally acclaimed Moses Mabhida Stadium for the second time. Qualifying for the 2022 Comrades Marathon is applicable as of 1 September 2021 till 12 July 2022. The qualifying criteria for this year’s Comrades Marathon remains unchanged requiring completion of a standard 42.2km marathon in under 4 hours and 50 minutes, or a 56km ultra-marathon in under 6 hours and 45 minutes.”

The 95th Comrades Marathon will be the 47th Down Run on Sunday, 28 August 2022, starting at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall at 05h30 and ending 12 hours later at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, covering a 90.2km distance.

Race news Haspa Marathon Hamburg

Adola and Mekonnen to run in Hamburg

Hamburg winner and reigning Berlin champion try their luck on the Alster

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 14:49:00 +0000

Former Hamburg winner Tsegaye Mekonnen and reigning Berlin Marathon champion Guye Adola are among the top runners for the Haspa Marathon Hamburg on 24th April.

The two Ethiopians feature personal bests of sub 2:05 as do three other runners on the start list. Guye Adola heads this list with a time of 2:03:46. Organisers announced athletes of the men’s elite field today. The women’s race will feature the debut marathon of Ethiopia’s 10k world record holder Yalemzerf Yehualaw, which was announced a fortnight ago.

Organisers of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg expect a total of 20,000 runners including races at shorter distances on 24th April. Online entry is still possible at: www.haspa-marathon-hamburg.de

It was back in 2017 when Guye Adola ran a sensational marathon debut in Berlin. Clocking an unofficial world debut record of 2:03:46 which remains his PB he came surprisingly close to beating Kenya’s superstar Eliud Kipchoge. Adola was even leading the Olympic Champion until around 40 k before Kipchoge finally managed to overhaul him and win by just 14 seconds.

Injuries, health problems and Covid 19 restrictions stopped him from competing a couple of times in the past few years. However Guye Adola then came back to Berlin to beat Ethiopia’s superstar and pre-race favourite Kenenisa Bekele comfortably in September last year. In very warm conditions the 31 year-old clocked 2:05:45.

Having coped so well against the fastest marathon runners on the planet Guye Adola could be in a position to take away the course record from Eliud Kipchoge. The Kenyan won his debut race at the distance in Hamburg in 2013 and set the current mark of 2:05:30.

While Guye Adola has never raced in Hamburg Tsegaye Mekonnen is a former winner of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg. The 26 year-old clocked 2:07:26 in 2017 when he took the race, denying the 2012 Olympic Champion Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda by just five seconds. Tsegaye Mekonnen had made headlines before when he triumphed at the Dubai Marathon in 2014. As an 18 year-old he achieved a time of 2:04:32 which still stands as the unofficial world junior record today (World Athletics does not recognize junior records in the marathon).

There are four other runners on the start list of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg who have run faster than Kipchoge’s course record. Kinde Atanaw ran 2:03:51 when he took the Valencia Marathon in 2019 while fellow-Ethiopian Abebe Degefa was fourth in that race with 2:04:51. Barselius Kipyego of Kenya showed fine form last autumn when he ran 2:04:48 for fourth place in Paris. Eritrea’s Afewerki Berhane, who has a personal best of 2:05:22, is also going for Germany’s biggest spring marathon.

Among a number of debutants Stephen Kissa might be capable of a surprise. The Ugandan ran a very fast half marathon time of 58:56 in New Delhi in 2020.

Race news Nagoya Women’s Marathon

Chepngetich wins in Nagoya in 2:17:18

First woman athlete in marathon history to receive the largest first prize in the world

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 08:24:00 +0000

Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya won the Nagoya Women’s Marathon on Sunday, March 13 with the second-fastest time ever in the women-only marathon, two hours 17 minutes and 18 seconds.

The early arrival of spring warmth brought temperatures up to 21 degrees Celsius without any wind and turned the city of Nagoya into a grand stage for a world’s top-speed women’s competition.

World Marathon Champion (2019) and Chicago Marathon Champion (2021) Chepngetich, who said she preferred heat to cold at the pre-race press conference, sprung out of the first pack after 5 km and extended her lead to a solo run. However, Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter accelerated and narrowed the gap at a surprisingly high speed, which enabled her to catch up to a head-to-head after 30 km. At an uphill near 34 km, Ruth spurted and left Lonah behind all the way to the finish line in a new event record and the sixth fastest time in the world. Second place went to Salpeter (2:18:45), followed by Yuka Ando of Japan (2:22:22) in third place.

The Nagoya Women’s Marathon is the only all-women road race with a World Athletics Elite Platinum Label and became this year the largest first-prize paying marathon in the world. Chepngetich, who broke the race record by 2 minutes 11 seconds and received USD 250,000 said at the post-race interview, “I can say the race was good. I wanted to run a new course record and ran comfortably.” Looking back to the 34km, which came to be her winning point, she added, “When Lonah arrived, I decided to push myself because I prepared myself to win at this race.”

Alongside the elite competition, many local runners joined the race, making the total number of participants 8,698. The 2022 race was another edition held under the Covid-19 pandemic after 2020 and 2021, but the sight of the women runners filling the wide city streets impressed both local and global audiences with a comeback of one of the largest women’s sports festivals. The runners’ strength, perseverance, smiles, and even tears were so emotional and inspirational that they reminded us once again of the power of sports and the hope they provide.

The Race Organizer comments: “Despite the unseasonably warm weather, we are relieved and happy that we were able to safely hold the race again this year without any major accidents. We are sincerely grateful for all the runners for their participation and the volunteers and all the others involved for their support, especially when the pandemic is not yet fully contained.”

Date changes Swiss Irontrail

Race date for Swissalpine (SUI) changed

Move to Chur

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 15:34:00 +0000

The Swissalpine (SUI) will take place on Sat 20 August 2022, not Sat 6 August 2022 as previously published.

The race is moving from Davos to Chur.

The Swiss Irontrail, which has the same organisers, will take place on 6 August in Savognin.

Race news Vienna City Marathon

Defending champion Chepkirui returns to Vienna

Women’s elite field announced

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 14:44:00 +0000

Defending champion Vibian Chepkirui will return to the Vienna City Marathon on 24th April.

The Kenyan surprised last year in the Austrian capital when she won her debut at the classic distance. Organisers announced some top contenders of the women’s elite field today and there are currently six athletes on the start list who feature personal bests of sub 2:25:00.

Including shorter distances, around 25,000 runners have so far registered for Austria’s biggest one day sporting event. Online entry for the Vienna City Marathon, which is a World Athletics Marathon Label Road Race, is still possible at: www.vienna-marathon.com

The Vienna City Marathon is among the major spring road races coming back to their original event date. While the race had to be cancelled at short notice in 2020 due to the Corona pandemic it was moved to the autumn season last year and took place in September. The Vienna City Marathon then became the first major marathon worldwide with a strong international elite field and a mass race since the start of the Corona pandemic.

“We are happy that we are now able to return to our traditional spring date. The Vienna City Marathon is a huge motivator for sports and activity in Austria and we recognize great anticipation to our race among the runners,” said Race Director Wolfgang Konrad. With regard to the women’s elite runners he said: “The quality of the women’s elite field looks very promising and the course record may well be challenged by a group of runners.“

It will be little over seven months ago when Vibian Chepkirui returns to the race where she achieved her biggest career victory so far. Last September she came to Vienna as an underdog and had to cope with travel problems: Flying to Austria via Doha with a group of fellow-Kenyan runners they missed their connecting flight and had to sleep on the floor at Doha airport. In very warm weather conditions Vibian Chepkirui then was the only woman to run under 2:25. The Kenyan took the race with 2:24:29. “Without the heat I would have run at least two minutes faster,” she said.

In more favourable conditions Vibian Chepkirui might be able to make a significant improvement in her second marathon and could attack the Vienna course record of 2:22:12. One of the challengers of the 27 year-old is Sheila Jerotich. She also took a major international marathon in the 2021 autumn season. The Kenyan won the Istanbul Marathon, coming from behind and producing a stunning finish in 2:24:15. However there are three runners who have faster personal bests than Chepkirui and Jerotich: Juliet Chekwel of Uganda and Ethiopia’s Bontu Bekele took first and second in the Sevilla Marathon in 2020 with 2:23:13 and 2:23:39 respectively. Kenya’s Ruth Chebitok has a personal best of 2:23:29 from Toronto 2018.

Jessica Augusto is the leading European runner on the current start list. The Portuguese, who was sixth in the London Olympic marathon in 2012, features a personal best of 2:24:25 from 2014. Jessica Augusto then took the Hamburg Marathon in 2017 but could not match her best performances recently.

Date changes Phnom Penh International Half Marathon

Race date for Phnom Penh International Half Marathon (CAM) changed

Phnom Penh Int’l Half Marathon date change

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 14:43:28 +0000

The Phnom Penh International Half Marathon (CAM) will take place on Sat 18 June 2022, not Sun 12 June 2022 as previously published.

Race news Tokyo Marathon

Kosgei, Kipchoge come close to their own records

Kosgei runs 2:16:02, Kipchoge runs 2:02:40 in Tokyo

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 09:50:00 +0000

World record-holders Eliud Kipchoge (2:02:40) and Brigid Kosgei (2:16:02) ran two of the fastest marathons of all time in Tokyo on 6 March.

Both won by large margins and showed complete control in their races. Kipchoge’s performance was the fourth-fastest ever (with three of these marks being his own) and Kosgei’s was third fastest behind her world record of 2:14:04 from Chicago in 2019 and Paula Radcliffe’s 2:15:25 from London in 2003.

The men’s race was fast from the start as they passed 5km in 14:17. By 10km (28:37) it was already down to a lead group of five but they stuck together through halfway (1:01:03).

Ethiopia’s Mosinet Geremew (personal best of 2:02:57 from 2019) dropped back at 23km and dropped out soon after. When pacemaking finished at 27km the race was down to three. Tamirat Tola slipped back and Kipchoge then had only Amos Kipruto for company as they went through 35km in 1:41:30 (2:02:38 pace).

Kipchoge began to move away in the 37th kilometre. The final section was into a headwind but Kipchoge maintained his pace for an emphatic victory.

The women’s race also started fast, with the first 5km downhill, passing through 10km in 32:14 (2:16 pace). The course record was set last year by Lornah Salpeter with 2:17:45. Kosgei was in a group with Ethiopians Gotytom Gebreslase, Ashete Bekere and Hiwot Gebrekidan plus Kenya’s Angela Tanui. A chase group included Japan’s Hitomi Niiya, who had won the first Tokyo Marathon back in 2007.

The same leaders reached halfway in 1:08:06 (2:16:12) with Kosgei tracked by Gebreslase. By 35km the two had eventually broken away, and Kosgei moved into the lead at 37km, pushing on for an unchallenged win. Five runners ran times under 2:20.

Date changes Kigali International Peace Marathon

Race date for Kigali International Peace Marathon (RWA) changed

Kigali International Peace Marathon date change

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 08:03:56 +0000

The Kigali International Peace Marathon (RWA) will take place on Sun 29 May 2022, not Sun 22 May 2022 as previously published.

Race news Haspa Marathon Hamburg

Yehualaw will run debut marathon in Hamburg

World 10km record holder Yalemzerf aims to break course record

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 13:17:00 +0000

Yalemzerf Yehualaw, who smashed the world 10km road race record a few days ago, now sets her sights on her marathon debut. The 22 year-old Ethiopian has chosen the Haspa Marathon Hamburg on 24 April for her first race at the classic distance.

Germany’s biggest spring marathon returns to its traditional date for the first time since 2019 and looks likely to come back with a bang. Yehualaw clearly has the potential to run a very good first marathon. Organisers of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg expect a total of 20,000 runners including the races at shorter distances. Online entry is still possible.

Yalemzerf Yehualaw improved the world 10km record by 24 seconds to 29:14 on 27 February in Castellón, Spain. She is also the world’s second fastest half marathon runner. She clocked 1:03:51 in Valencia last October. Additionally at the World Half Marathon Championships in 2020 she won the bronze medal. Her half marathon PB suggests that she has the potential to run spectacular marathon times.

“I am really happy to be able to run my marathon debut in Hamburg,” said Yehualaw after she had viewed the course. “I am looking forward to this race and want to break the course record.” Fellow Ethiopian Meselech Melkamu holds the current Hamburg course best with a time of 2:21:54 from 2016.

The fastest woman runner on Hamburg’s start list is Priscah Jeptoo. The Olympic silver medallist from London 2012 has a PB of 2:20:14. While this personal record is 10 years old more recently she ran 2:24:16 in Valencia in 2019.

Date changes Moonlight Half Marathon

Race date for Moonlight Half Marathon (ITA) changed

Moonlight Half Marathon date change

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 13:16:23 +0000

The Moonlight Half Marathon (ITA) will take place on Sat 11 June 2022, not Sat 21 May 2022 as previously published.

Date changes Isuzu Taipei Freeway Marathon

Race date for Taipei Freeway Marathon (TPE) changed

Taipei Freeway Marathon date change

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 15:48:11 +0000

The Taipei Freeway Marathon (TPE) will take place on Sun 15 May 2022, not Sun 13 March 2022 as previously published.

Race news Tokyo Marathon

Tokyo Marathon to go ahead on 6 March

Kosgei and Kipchoge set to return to Japan

By Brett Larner | Japan Running News

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 09:59:00 +0000

On 17 February prime minister Fumio Kishida publicly confirmed that Japan will begin relaxing its rigid border restrictions as of 1 March.

As a result Tokyo Marathon Foundation, after a meeting of the Board of Directors, followed up its earlier announcement of the domestic elite field for this year’s twice-rescheduled race with the full list of international athletes due to compete.

Women’s and men’s world record holders Brigid Kosgei and Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya are set to return to Japan after winning the Olympic marathon silver and gold medals in Sapporo last summer. They are backed up by small but high-quality international fields along with the Japanese women-only and men’s marathon NR holders and half marathon NR holders, and more.

Kosgei will face a solid list of proven winners, including last year’s Amsterdam winner Angela Tanui (Kenya), 2019 Berlin winner Ashete Bekere (Ethiopia), 2021 Milan winner Hiwot Gebrekidan (Ethiopia), 2021 Berlin winner Gotytom Gebreslase (Ethiopia), 2020 Marathon Project winner Sara Hall (U.S.A.) fresh off a new NR at January’s Houston Half Marathon, and 2019 Tokyo Marathon runner-up Helen Bekele (Ethiopia), winner of the Olympic-qualifying microrace held in Belp, Switzerland last year. Japan’s women-only NR holder Mao Ichiyama (Wacoal), 1st in Osaka last year and 1st in Nagoya the year before, is also in the mix between Gotytom and Hall by best time. 2020 winner Lonah Chemtai Salpeter is chasing bigger bucks in Nagoya the weekend after Tokyo, but her 2:17:45 CR won’t go easily.

Kipchoge’s main competition comes from 2019 and 2020 Tokyo winner Birhanu Legese (Ethiopia) and 2019 Doha World Championships silver medalist Mosinet Geremew (Ethiopia). Kipchoge’s best time in a legitimate race since setting the 2:01:39 world record in 2018 was his 2:02:37 win in London 2019, and both Birhanu and Mosinet have run within 18 seconds of that. Mosinet and Tamirat Tola (Ethiopia) both beat Kipchoge in London 2020, and with Tola’s 2:03:39 win in Amsterdam last fall almost a minute faster than Kipchoge’s best time of 2020 and 2021 he’s on the list of people who could take away a Tokyo win too. Likewise for Doha bronze medalist Amos Kipruto (Kenya). Jonathan Korir (Kenya) and Japanese NR holder Kengo Suzuki (Fujitsu) round out the list of current sub-2:05 runners, with Shura Kitata (Ethiopia) just outside. Given the number of people who’ve run faster than Wilson Kipsang’s 2:03:58 CR, the chances are higher that we’ll see it go than the women’s.

As of right now it looks like Tokyo will be trying to go ahead with a full mass-participation field of 25,000, even as the 20,000-runner Osaka Marathon the weekend before Tokyo announced this week that it was cutting back to an elite-only race as COVID numbers stay high and other races cancel outright.

Date changes 642 Marathon

Race date for Gulf Bank 642 Marathon (KUW) changed

Gulf Bank 642 Marathon date change

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 09:26:51 +0000

The Gulf Bank 642 Marathon (KUW) will take place on Sat 26 November 2022, not Sat 19 November 2022 as previously published.

Race news Comrades Marathon

Comrades comeback launched

Oldest ultramarathon celebrates with commemorative book and custom Comrades Monopoly board game

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 16:32:00 +0000

After nearly two years of adhering to South Africa’s “National State of Disaster”, the subsequent suspension of sporting events and the cancellation of both the 2020 and 2021 Centenary Comrades Marathons, the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) is thrilled to launch its #Comrades2022 campaign and announce its plans for this year’s race.

CMA Chairperson, Mqondisi Ngcobo unveiled the very appropriate campaign slogan, “The Return – Sishay’ Ibuya”, signaling the long-awaited return to road-running and a celebration of the comeback of The Ultimate Human Race.

The launch, hosted in Johannesburg on Thursday, 17 February, was attended by the nation’s top media, road-running dignitaries, CMA sponsors, stakeholders, former winners, elite athletes and sporting personalities.

Ngcobo has cautioned however that, “Runners will still need to exercise a degree of care and attentiveness when out running – be it exercising, training, spectating or participating in events. However, amid all the precautions and safety measures, we are just extremely pleased to be able to host the 2022 Comrades Marathon in August and invite the nation and the world to celebrate this milestone with us.”

He added, “The slogan is such a natural fit for this year’s upcoming event. The return of the Comrades Marathon, let alone all other road-running events, is something that runners have been eagerly awaiting. It is therefore with a great sense of pride and pleasure that we unveil this campaign, issue details around our upcoming 95th Comrades Marathon and create the conditions for our athletes to run the race that they love so much.”

The 95th Comrades Marathon will be a Down Run on Sunday, 28 August 2022. The race starts at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall at 05h30 and ends 12 hours later at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, covering a 90.2km distance. This will be the 47th Down Run in Comrades history.

Considering the current national legislation limitation on mass participation events, the entry limit has been capped at 15,000 entries. Due to Coronavirus and other health and safety implications, all entrants will need to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and produce their vaccine certificate to complete their entry status by 12 July.

The opening date for entries is Wednesday, 23 March 2022, when the first entry window period commences and runs for 1 week until 31 March 2022. During this window period, only those entrants who had successfully entered the 2020 Comrades Marathon will be able to enter, be they South Africa, Rest of Africa or International.

The entry fee for South African athletes will be discounted from ZAR 1200 (EUR 71) to ZAR 1000 in the first entry window period, as per the CMA commitment when the 2020 race was cancelled. Rest of Africa and International entrants in the 2020 Comrades Marathon had their entries deferred to either the 2022 or 2023 race; and will therefore not pay an entry fee.

During the second entry window period, from 20 April to 16 May 2022, all other athletes will be allowed to enter. Entry is free to runners who have completed the Comrades Marathon 25 times or more. This second entry window period will not apply should the entry cap have been reached during the first entry window period.

A special larger than normal commemorative medal denoting the 95th edition of the Comrades Marathon will be struck for this year’s race. A new trophy will also be introduced to the 20–39 years Women’s 2nd place team prize.

CMA Race Director, Rowyn James says, “We have exciting plans in place for this year’s Down Run which will finish at Durban’s acclaimed Moses Mabhida Stadium for the second time. Qualifying for the 2022 Comrades Marathon is applicable as of 1 September 2021 till 12 July 2022. The qualifying criteria for this year’s Comrades Marathon remains unchanged requiring completion of a standard 42.2km marathon in under 4 hours and 50 minutes, or a 56km ultra-marathon in under 6 hours and 45 minutes.”

Since inception, the Comrades Amabeadibeadi charity drive has raised more than R60-million for the CMA’s six official charities. The benefitting charities for 2022 are Childhood Cancer Foundation SA (CHOC), Community Chests of Pietermaritzburg & Durban, Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust, Hospice KZN, Rise Against Hunger and Wildlands Conservation Trust.

Ngcobo has called on all runners to support the charitable fundraising initiatives of the CMA, saying, “We urge all Comrades entrants to select the Official Charity closest to their heart and commit to running for a cause greater than themselves. As the CMA, we have placed great focus on benefitting the communities in which we operate and continuously adding value to the sport of athletics.”

The CMA also launched its new book and board game at the event, namely the Comrades Monopoly which is a world-first for any road-running race. The Comrades Monopoly is a Special Limited Centenary Edition with custom board, properties, money and cards.

For properties, all the Comrades Marathon route landmarks have been used. For the most expensive properties, the Down Run Course Records were used, as well as the fastest times by foreign runners and the record of 9 wins. Additionally, Comrades House and the Comrades Marathon Wall of Honour are used for the Traditional Utility properties while Chance and Community Chest cards feature as Down Run and Up Run.

Also commemorating the centenary of the world’s biggest, oldest and most famous ultramarathon is the recently published Comrades coffee table book, In Your Stride.

Race news The Ras al Khaimah Half Marathon

RAK Half Marathon is back

Organisers promise “stunning” elite field

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 15:14:00 +0000

Runners are excited to be back for the 15th edition of the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, which had the fastest women’s podium ever in 2020 with an average top-three time of 64:58.

On Sunday at 07.00 (local time) the men’s and women’s races will start together.

The showman is Jacob Kiplimo, world half marathon record holder, world half marathon champion and Olympic bronze medallist in 10,000m in Tokyo, who will try to improve his world record (57:31) set in Lisbon last year where he ran most of the race alone.

From Kenya, Abel Kipchumba the winner of the 2021 Valencia Half Marathon and Alexander Mutiso, second place in 2020 here at the RAK Half Marathon, will be the toughest opponents.

From Europe the German national Amanal Petros (60:09 PB and NR) is chasing for Julien Wanders’ European record of 59:13.

The women’s race will feature three stars of track & field and road running. Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh is a former world half marathon record holder with 64:31 (which is the RAK course record from 2020). Hellen Obiri, with a track background, started her new road running career with a personal best of 64:51. Then Genzebe Dibaba, 1500m world record holder, has run the best half marathon debut of all-time with 65:18. So it will be an epic battle between these legends of track & field. From UK we will see Eilish McColgan (67:48) who is not so far behind Paula Radcliffe’s national record of 66:47.

Date changes Maratón Internacional de Juárez

Race date for Maraton Internacional de Juarez (MEX) changed

Maraton Int’l de Juarez date change

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 11:39:55 +0000

The Maraton Internacional de Juarez (MEX) will take place on Sun 23 October 2022, not Sun 16 October 2022 as previously published.

Race news Nagoya Women’s Marathon

Nagoya announces elite field

Top female athletes will compete for the world’s biggest marathon first prize of USD 250,000

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 11:10:00 +0000

The Nagoya Women’s Marathon announced today that it will host a number of the world’s best women runners at its 11th edition race scheduled for Sunday, March 13, 2022.

The race will be the first time in history that the sport of world marathon running will offer its highest first prize for women rather than men.

The field includes top runners such as World Marathon Champion (2019) and Chicago Marathon Champion (2021), Olympian Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya. She will compete with fellow Olympian and winner of the Tokyo Marathon (2020) Lonah Chemtai Salpeter of Israel.

The entry of foreign-based athletes into Japan is currently under final adjustment.

The race will also feature strong domestic athletes in the entries including Yuka Ando, the Japanese representative for the women’s 10,000m in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the women’s marathon in the 2017 World Athletics Championships London and the two-time second-place finisher of the Nagoya Women’s Marathon 2020 and 2017, and Mirai Waku, the Japanese representative for the 2016 World Half Marathon Championships Cardiff.

The 2022 entrants will be competing for the largest first prize in the world for marathon running: 250,000 USD. This will be a historic year not only for the women’s marathon but also for the marathon sport as a whole, by way of presenting the highest prize to a female athlete. It shows how far the sport has progressed since the 1960s when women were banned from taking part in many marathons around the world and the year 1984 when the women’s marathon finally became an Olympic sport in the Summer Games in Los Angeles.

The Race Organiser comments: “We are delighted to welcome such outstanding women athletes in this year’s race. While it will be exciting to see how the competition unfolds, we are committed to supporting all women runners and their challenges. Japan has been hit by the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, but our first priority is always the safety and security of our runners, volunteers, and everyone concerned in the event. Taking advantage of the experience of having safely staged in-person races under the pandemic in the past two years, we are preparing to hold this year’s race by closely working with the local authorities and medical experts and taking all possible measures against infection.”

Race news

New title sponsor for Two Oceans Marathon

“World’s most beautiful marathon”partners with sportswear giant

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 15:57:00 +0000

The Two Oceans Marathon (TOM) has signed leading sports apparel giant Totalsports as its new title sponsor.

Following two years of cancellations due to the COVID pandemic, the world’s most beautiful marathon – which will now be known as the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon – will once again be run over the Easter Weekend. The 2022 running of the Ultra Marathon will be its 51st since inception, marking the start of the second fifty years of existence for this jewel event on the Western Cape’s calendar of highlights.

“We fully appreciate the heritage of the Two Oceans Marathon and we are honoured to be the title sponsor,” says TFG CEO Anthony Thunström.

“Totalsports is a firm believer in the unifying power of running and our investment is a celebration of the enduring spirit of runners everywhere, in overcoming the challenges of the past two years. It’s great to finally see our running community excited about taking part in landmark events like Two Oceans again.”

TOM NPC Chairperson William Swartbooi says: “In building this organisation we trust those who add value, and value those whom we trust. We are confident that this partnership represents a value-add on several fronts but most importantly for our key constituents, our runners”.

President of Athletics South Africa, James Moloi commented: "We welcome on board the new partners of the Two Oceans Marathon, Totalsports. This sponsorship will continue the tradition of offering career development for athletes, coaches and teams,” he says.

The Two Oceans Marathon contributes up to R672 million to the local provincial economy annually, making it Africa’s biggest running event when measured by this metric. For the first time in its history, the race will be run over two days. While the Half Marathon takes place on 16 April 2022, the Ultra Marathon will be run on 17 April 2022.

“We are excited to be staging our world-class, globally iconic event in partnership with Totalsports. The commitment to enhancing the runner experience underpins much of who we are as an organisation, and when it comes to doing more for the runner, we could not have asked for a better alignment than with a brand that is as runner-centric as we are,” says Race Director Debra Barnes.

Race news Türkiye İş Bankası İstanbul Half Marathon

Istanbul plans for fast men’s race

Four elite participants have personal bests faster than the course record

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 15:44:00 +0000

Daniel Mateiko heads the start list for the N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon which will take place on 27th March.

With an outstanding personal best of 58:26 the Kenyan is among the ten fastest half marathon runners of all times. As well as its sister event, the N Kolay Istanbul Marathon which takes place in November, the Turkish half marathon went ahead in 2020 and 2021 despite the Corona pandemic. Organisers from Spor Istanbul are now ready to stage another high-quality race under strict hygiene restrictions and expect a field of around 8,000 half marathon runners. Online entry for the race and the 10k staged parallel is still possible.

Four runners on the start list feature personal bests which are faster than the current course record of 59:35, established by Kenya’s Kibiwott Kandie last spring. Since three of them have achieved their personal bests last year they are in a promising position for more success when they will come to Istanbul.

24 year-old Daniel Mateiko achieved a major breakthrough in 2021. First he broke the one hour barrier in Copenhagen with 59:25, then he improved by almost a full minute to 58:26 when he was third in Valencia. Fellow-Kenyan Rodgers Kwemoi is the second fastest athlete at the moment with a personal best of 59:16. He ran this time in his debut half marathon in Valencia last autumn.

Ethiopians Solomon Berihu and Huseyidin Esa will travel to Istanbul with personal records of 59:17 and 59:32 respectively. While Berihu clocked his PB when he was runner-up in New Delhi in 2019 Esa only emerged on the international road running circuit in autumn last year. The 21 year-old made an instant impact with a second place in Lisbon in 59:39 and then improved four weeks later at his second international race, winning in Poznan (Poland) with his current PB.

Turkey’s Aras Kaya will hope to do better than recently at the N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon. The former Kenyan was 12th in Istanbul with 63:36 last spring, the same position he had taken two years earlier in this race. In between Aras Kaya clocked his PB of 60:51 when he finished 24th in the World Championships in Gdynia, Poland. Competing for Turkey since 2016 Kaya won two European Cross Country titles and finished runner-up in these continental championships just two months ago.

Race news

Two Oceans Marathon entries open

Ballot draws take place 21st February

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 15:44:00 +0000

Two Oceans Marathon (TOM) is pleased to announce that entries for the 51st edition of our iconic race will opened at noon on 11 February 2022 .

HOW TO ENTER

Go to our homepage at www.twooceansmarathon.org.za when entries open for your category or event draw and click ‘enter here’. Create a profile if you do not yet have one on the system and follow the prompts.

All South African runners for the Ultra need to be licenced and belong to a running club.

Due to the expected demand the ballot system will be used for both the Ultra and Half Marathon, in line with international best practice. Runners may only enter one event.

International and African runners do not enter via the ballot system, and can pay for and secure their entries straight away.

At different stages of the ballots, the draw will be weighted in favour of various categories of runners including Blue Number Club members, Yellow Numbers (those doing their 10th, 20th, etc) and club runners.

Runners entering via the ballot only pay once their name has been successfully drawn in the ballot.

BALLOT OPENING DATES

Ultra and Half Marathon ballot applications: 11 February 2022 to 20 February 2022, 5pm Charity entries: 22 February 2022, 10am. Fees will be uploaded once final charity partners have been confirmed.

BALLOT DRAW DATES

All draws take place 21 February 2022, at the following times:

Ultra Marathon Draw 1: 10am Ultra Marathon Draw 2: 2pm Half Marathon Draw 1: 10am Half Marathon Draw 2: 2pm

INTERNATIONAL AND AFRICAN ENTRIES

International entries: 11 February 2022. Entries close when capacity is reached. African entries: 11 February 2022. Entries close when capacity is reached.

ULTRA MARATHON QUALIFIERS

For health reasons, particularly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, qualifying for the TOM Ultra is mandatory.

TOM strongly encourages runners to complete a physical road race as their qualifier. However, any officially timed and measured marathon or longer distance, whether in the form of an officially organised virtual or physical race, run after 1 July 2021 can be used as your qualifier. Unfortunately, you cannot run on your own and time yourself. Race Office will be conducting spot checks to verify qualifier information submitted.

An official time would be as generated by a smartwatch, a timing app on a smartphone or a timing platform.

For the Ultra Marathon the qualifying time for a standard marathon distance is 5 hours. For qualifying times for distances greater than a standard marathon, please go here: www.twooceansmarathon.org.za/event_route_info/seeding

HALF MARATHON SEEDING

In the Half Marathon, qualifying times are used to seed you so that faster runners are at the front; slower runners further back. We strongly advise you to provide a seeding time. If not, you will unfortunately start at the back. Seeding is based on a previous 10km, 15km or 21.1km run after 𝟏 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏: www.twooceansmarathon.org.za/event_race_day/seeding-2/

TOM strongly encourages runners to complete a physical road race as their qualifier. However, any officially timed and measured marathon or longer distance, whether in the form of an officially organised virtual or physical race, run after 1 July 2021 can be used as your qualifier. Unfortunately, you cannot run on your own and time yourself. Race Office will be conducting spot checks to verify qualifier information submitted.

An official time would be as generated by a smartwatch, a timing app on a smartphone or a timing platform.

SEEDING

Due to Covid-19 regulations, we are likely to be using multiple batches of limited size, and it is not possible to give exact seeding tables. Your seeding time will be used to place you in a batch appropriate to your speed. You will be advised of your batch closer to race day.

COVID-19 PROTOCOLS RELEVANT TO ENTERING

On the advice of the TOM medical team, the below COVID-19 protocols will be observed. Kindly note that these may change as the COVID-19 pandemic and the medical science related to it, as well as Disaster Management Act regulations, change:

You will have to upload proof of vaccination. If you are not vaccinated, you must present proof of a negative PCR/antigen test within 48 hours prior to attending any physical event, including Expo and your actual Race, at your own cost. Please log in to your profile not more than 48 hours prior to any physical event including Expo/Race Pack Collection, to complete your COVID-19 pre-screening online. We will send you reminders.

Should you answer ‘yes’ to any COVID-19 risk factor during pre-screening, or fail the temperature check at Expo and Race Pack Collection, you will need to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test, at your own cost, taken not more than 48 hours prior to the physical event in question. Failure to do so will, unfortunately, result in you forfeiting your entry.

Please remember to keep updating your profile and contact information.

IN THE EVENT OF RACE CANCELLATION

In the event of the TOM 2022 being cancelled due to COVID-19 or anything beyond the organisers’ control, all runners who have paid will have their entries deferred to TOM 2023.

SEEDING AND BATCH STARTS

Runners will start in batches of 500, two minutes apart, and will be seeded accordingly.

For more information on entering or other race information, please read our FAQs:
https://www.twooceansmarathon.org.za/event-info/faqs/ or contact us at 021 2000 459 (general queries) or 087 133 2285 (race-related queries) or email info@twooceansmarathon.org.za

Race news Gold Coast Marathon

Gold Coast set to welcome back international runners

Australian restrictions loosened for vaccinated travellers

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 10:54:00 +0000

After a disappointing cancellation of the Village Roadshow Theme Parks Gold Coast Marathon in 2020 and 2021, the 2022 edition of Australia’s favourite marathon is looking to welcome back international runners in July this year.

The event Chief Executive Officer Mr Cameron Hart said that with the minimal COVID-19 restrictions in Queensland, and the federal government announcing relaxation of our international borders to welcome vaccinated travellers from key international markets, the Gold Coast Marathon organisers are looking forward to welcoming international runners and their families from overseas to this year’s event.

“Prior to COVID-19, the annual Gold Coast Marathon had been experiencing exponential growth in participation from international runners as the reputation of this world class event grew throughout the global running community. Now with the worst of COVID-19 behind us we are developing plans to once again provide a world class running experience in a world class holiday destination here on Queensland’s Gold Coast in July this year,” Mr Hart said.

Over the last two years the event organisers have taken the time to review the event operations and have developed a fresh two-day programme that starts at 6:00am for the half marathon race on Saturday the 2nd of July, and a 6:00am start for the full marathon on Sunday the 3rd of July.
“The benefits of the earlier starts will see runners starting off just before sunrise each day and experiencing the cooler temperatures of early mornings, which should see fast times and lots of personal best results,” said Mr Hart.

International runners who have been to the Gold Coast to run the event in previous years are very keen to return as the Gold Coast also provides some of the world’s best tourism and recreational opportunities for international visitors to enjoy before and after their running events.

Entries for the 2022 Village Roadshow Theme Parks Gold Coast Marathon open on the 15th of February. With an anticipated high demand, runners are encouraged to enter early to secure their spot on the start line.

Race news Tokyo Marathon

Tokyo Marathon planning continues

Final decision by February 18

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 12:24:00 +0000

At the recent Board of Directors Meeting of the Tokyo Marathon Foundation, the (postponed) Tokyo Marathon 2021 was discussed with regard to the current situation surrounding COVID-19 and it was decided to continue the planning of the event.

In order to continue monitoring the situation surrounding COVID-19, and the quasi-emergency measures set forth by the government, the go/no-go decision shall be extended to February 18. As a further precaution it was decided to initiate PCR testing for all participating runners.

Date changes Movistar Madrid Medio Maratón

Race date for Movistar Medio Maratón de Madrid (ESP) changed

Movistar Medio Maratón de Madrid date change

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 14:24:13 +0000

The Movistar Medio Maratón de Madrid (ESP) will take place on Sun 3 April 2022, not Fri 1 April 2022 as previously published.

Race news Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon

Beppu Oita Marathon announces strong elite field

Shuho Dairokuno and Tsubasa Ichiyama will run

By Brett Larner | Japan Running News

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 16:13:00 +0000

While other races have started cancelling as Japan’s COVID-19 numbers climb again, the Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon is set to return this year on 6 February, announcing its elite field on 14 January.

The front end is heavily dominated by runners who were part of the Miracle at Lake Biwa last year, Shuho Dairokuno (Asahi Kasei) and Tsubasa Ichiyama (Komori Corp.) leading the way at 2:07:12 and 2:07:41 from that race. Four others on the list have run 2:08 recently,

Race news Muscat Marathon

Less than a month until Al Mouj Muscat Marathon

Return of race imminent

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 14:13:00 +0000

The wait for the Al Mouj Muscat Marathon is nearly over, with just less than a month to go. Over the weekend of 11-12 February 2022, the runners will take their place on the starting line at Al Mouj Muscat and test their endurance.

Sabco Sports have teamed up with UFC Gym Oman to offer free public training sessions every Friday morning in the build up to the race and runners of all ages have taken this opportunity to learn from professionals and improve their fitness. Taking place from 8am—9am at ABQ Seeb International School, coaches have given hundreds of runners help with training, nutrition and diet, and tips on how to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

“Excitement is building for the Al Mouj Muscat Marathon 2022 and we are delighted with the number of people across the world that have taken up the challenge to compete this year. The entire weekend will be a fun-filled festival of running which brings together communities from across the country, local schools and colleges, businesses and teams to support each other from start to finish,” says Nic Cartwright, Managing Director of Sabco Sports, organizers of the event.

The forthcoming event at Al Mouj Muscat features five different race distances to cater to a variety of fitness levels and experience and each category has received a very good turnout in terms of registrations. The 42km marathon and 21.2km half-marathon and 10km runs are certified by world-running organisation AIMS, aligning the event with World Athletics standards and adding to competitive runners’ rankings. Participants in all races will receive a commemorative t-shirt and a finisher’s medal to mark their achievement.

Registration is still open and places available in all races.

Race news Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon

Kagawa Marugame Half Marathon cancelled

Put off for second year running

By Brett Larner | Japan Running News

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 14:05:00 +0000

The city of Marugame in Kagawa has announced that February’s Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon has been postponed for one year.

Mayor Kyoji Matsunaga explained the decision, saying, “Due to the rapid rise in coronavirus infections since the beginning of the year, we made the decision to postpone the race a year.”

The Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon had been scheduled for 6 February. Every year it has welcomed 10,000 runners from over 20 countries, but due to the coronavirus pandemic the 2021 was postponed a year to 2022. Around 8000 people from across the country had entered the 2022 race, but in light of the explosion in new coronavirus cases they now find themselves in the situation of having the race postponed another year. The 2023 edition is scheduled for 5 February.

Date changes Dead Sea Ultra Marathon

Race date for Dead Sea Ultra Marathon (JOR) changed

Dead Sea Ultra Marathon date change

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 15:07:36 +0000

The Dead Sea Ultra Marathon (JOR) will take place on Fri 25 March 2022, not Fri 1 April 2022 as previously published.

Date changes

Race date for La Ruta de las Iglesias (ECU) changed

La Ruta de las Iglesias date change

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 13:21:32 +0000

The La Ruta de las Iglesias (ECU) will take place on Sat 2 July 2022, not Sat 27 August 2022 as previously published.

Race news Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon and We Are Houston 5K

Records tumble in Houston

American records set by D’Amato and Hall

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 16:33:00 +0000

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in spectacular and historic fashion, the Chevron Houston Marathon saw Keira D’Amato set an American record for the distance when she broke the tape in 2:19:12.

Not to be outdone, the Aramco Houston Half Marathon made some history of its own, with women’s winner Vicoty Chepngeno winning in a course-record time of 1:05:03 – the fastest women’s half marathon ever run on U.S. soil – and Sara Hall setting an American record of 1:07:15. Hall’s record came 15 years after her husband, Ryan, set his still-standing American record (59:43) at this same race.

Another national record was set when Alberto Gonzalez Mindez of Guatemala finished 11th in 1:01:18.

Ethiopia’s Askale Merachi returned to defend her title and countrywoman Biruktayit Degefa toed the line in search of a record fourth victory here, but all eyes were on Keira D’Amato as she set out on a pace to break Deena Kastor’s American record of 2:19:36. Merachi fell back early, while Degefa hung on a bit longer, but from just before halfway it was all D’Amato, a 37-year-old real estate agent and mother of two. D’Amato went through the half in 1:09:40 on her way to slicing 24 seconds off the mark set by Kastor in 2006.

“I just can’t believe this,” said D’Amato, after being greeted at the finish line by her son Tommy, 7, and daughter Quinn, 5. “I’m really tired, but I’m really, really happy. Dreams come true, you know?” D’Amato also became the first U.S woman to win here since 2005.

Finishing second and third – and given the same time of 2:29:08 – were Alice Wright of Great Britain and Maggie Montoya of the U.S. Both were making their debuts at the distance.

On the men’s side, 31-year-old James Ngandu of Kenya outsprinted Abdi Abdo of Bahrain for victory in his first-ever marathon, in 2:11:03.

“Oh yes, I’m surprised,” said Ngandu of winning his debut. “The support I had from the fans was overwhelming.”

Abdo finished in 2:11:11, with Kenya’s Elisha Barno third in 2:11:16. The top American was Frank Lara, sixth in 2:11:32. Raised in Houston, Lara returned home to make his marathon debut.

“It was awesome,” said the 26-year-old Lara. “Running the course was so special today.”

Leading all the way in the half marathon, 28-year-old Vicoty Chepngeno of Kenya never let up, breaking the tape in 1:05:03 to smash the previous course record (Brigid Kosgei, 2019) by 47 seconds. It is also the fastest time ever run on U.S. soil, and makes her the 11th-fastest woman in history.

“I wanted to run my best time,” she said of her strategy to take the race out from the start. However, she added, she was surprised to run so much faster than 1:07:22, her previous best mark.

Meanwhile, runner-up Sara Hall broke away from the chase pack after 15K in pursuit of Molly Huddle’s American record of 1:07:25, set in this race in 2018.

“It’s incredible,” she said of not only breaking the record by 10 seconds but doing so on the same course where her husband set the mark early in his career. “It’s something I’ve dreamed of doing. Our lives were never the same after that day, so it’s always a special memory here in Houston.”

Chepngeno and Hall weren’t the only two women who ran fast: six of the eight fastest times in the history of the race were run today.

For the men, 21-year-old Milkesa Mengesha, who finished 10th for Ethiopia at 5000 meters in the Tokyo Olympics, won the half marathon in 1:00:24, outsprinting John Korir of Kenya (1:00:27). Third was Wilfred Kimitei of Kenya (1:00:42), with Kirubel Erassa fourth as the top American given the same time in his debut.

Date changes Photak Marathon

Race date for Photak Marathon (THA) changed

Photak Marathon date change

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 15:26:41 +0000

The Photak Marathon (THA) will take place on Sun 25 December 2022, not Sun 4 December 2022 as previously published.

Date changes Zurich Marató de Barcelona

Race date for Zurich Marató de Barcelona (ESP) changed

Zurich Marató de Barcelona date change

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 13:02:47 +0000

The Zurich Marató de Barcelona (ESP) will take place on Sun 8 May 2022, not Sun 3 April 2022 as previously published.

Date changes eDreams Mitja Marató de Barcelona by Brooks

Race date for eDreams Mitja Marató de Barcelona (ESP) changed

eDreams Mitja Marató de Barcelona date change

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 12:58:23 +0000

The eDreams Mitja Marató de Barcelona (ESP) will take place on Sun 3 April 2022, not Sun 6 March 2022 as previously published.

Race news 10K Valencia Ibercaja

Fast times in 10K Valencia Ibercaja

Ebenyo hits new personal best – Jeruto’s fourth try wins gold

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 12:25:00 +0000

As it closed 2021 so it opened 2022; on 9 January the ‘Ciudad del Running’ played host to some fast times, although no world records were challenged.

With some bravado front-running Daniel Ebenyo slipped under 27 minutes without the services of pacemakers, while Norah Jeruto had no one but (male) pacemakers for company as she dropped the rest of the field just after halfway. She strode away to a 30:35 win, although Karoline Grovdal was closing her down quickly in the final stages.

It was Jeruto’s fourth attempt to win this race after podium finishes in her previous efforts. She started as favourite and was paced through the first half in a steady 15:18. A headwind then hit but Jeruto took it as a cue to make her break and left other contenders strung out behind her. Karoline Grovdal, chasing Paula Radcliffe’s European record of 30:21, steadied herself before upping her effort in the final stages to finish three seconds behind Jeruto.

Without a designated pacemaker it was Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Gudeta who led his competitors through the early stages and reached 5km with only Ebenyo alongside him. From then on Ebenyo took over, opening up a gap which he gradually increased all the way to the finish to record a resounding new personal best of 26:58, and seventh place on the all-time list.

Race news Mainova Frankfurt Marathon

Frankfurt to return with new sports sponsor

Hoka One One in five-year deal

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 12:16:00 +0000

Following a two-year break because of the Corona Pandemic organisers of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon are confident that their race will return on 30th October.

First held in the spring of 1981 with over 3,000 participants the event is Germany’s oldest city marathon. Over 14,000 marathon runners competed in 2019 when the race was last held. The former Gold Label Road Race, which is now an Elite Label Road Race of World Athletics, will have a new sports sponsor this year: Hoka One One.

Hoka One One, a division of Deckers Brands, has been named as an official sportswear partner of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon for five years. Commencing in 2022, Hoka’s official partner status aims to enhance participants’ experience and help to further broaden interest in the event, engaging with its strong following in the running community.

The imposing Frankfurt skyline sets the stage for Frankfurt’s largest street festival with many bands and stages, presenters, and music groups entertaining the runners along the route. As they approach the finish line, participants run the red carpet into the historic Frankfurt Festhalle – a spectacular indoor finish.

The Mainova Frankfurt Marathon has been recognised as a Gold Label Road Race by World Athletics and is also one of the most environmentally friendly marathons worldwide, winning the AIMS Green Marathon Award in 2014 in recognition of this.

“In Hoka, we have found a strong partner for the further development of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. As experts in innovation and quality in the field of running, we are very much looking forward to working together over the coming years. We are particularly impressed that Hoka are dedicated to strongly supporting our efforts in environmental initiatives for a sustainable marathon. We are therefore very much looking forward to the partnership, from which our participants will certainly benefit. After two tough years in which the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon unfortunately could not take place due to the Corona Pandemic, we are now looking forward with confidence. The partnership with Hoka will give us new momentum for the coming years,“ said Race Director Jo Schindler.

Mike McManus, Director of Global Sports Marketing, added: “As the longest established race in Germany, Hoka is thrilled to be announcing our support of the historic Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. We are committed to bringing an outstanding running experience to the participants, and to enhancing this already world-class event with our commitment to bold innovation and our love of the sport.”

Race news Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon and We Are Houston 5K

Defending champions return to mark 50th anniversary of Chevron Houston Marathon

28,000 expected on streets of Houston

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 15:48:00 +0000

With 194,039 finishers having run 5,083,822 miles since the first Chevron Houston Marathon, the race will mark its 50th anniversary on January 16.

“When 113 runners lined up in 1972 to run loops in Memorial Park, no one would have predicted the marathon would have a Golden Anniversary at all, much less with a field of 28,000 celebrating on the streets of Houston,” said Houston Marathon Committee Executive Director Wade Morehead. “Led by some of the top marathoners and half marathoners in the world, we’re looking forward to a great day in the history of the race and the city.”

Returning to defend their Chevron Houston Marathon titles from 2020 – only a virtual race was held last year because of Covid – are Askale Merachi and Kelkile Gezahegn, both of Ethiopia. Making her seventh-consecutive appearance will be three-time champion Biruktayit Eshetu Degefa, who will renew her quest to become the race’s first four-time winner after finishing as runner-up to Merachi last year.

Among the Americans worth watching are Keira D’Amato and Frank Lara. D’Amato comes to Houston with a personal best of 2:22:56 and could challenge the 10-year-old course record of 2:23:14, while Lara – the 2014 Gatorade Boys’ High School Cross Country Runner of the Year out of Strake Jesuit College Prep – returns home to Houston to make his marathon debut.

Dan Green, the first winner in 1972, will serve as honorary starter, along with other members of the race’s Hall of Fame. In addition to marking its 50th anniversary, the race will serve as the first qualifier for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon, with its newly-toughened standards of 2:18 for men and 2:37 for women.

The Aramco Houston Half Marathon, run concurrently with the marathon, will be headlined by Kenya’s Vicoty Chepngeno and American Sara Hall. Chepngeno set her personal best of 1:07:22 in winning the Philadelphia Half Marathon last November, while Hall is the sixth-fastest woman in U.S. history at the half marathon and second-fastest in the marathon. On the men’s side, the fastest time in the field belongs to Shadrack Kimining Korir, who returns to Houston after finishing third here in 2020 in a personal best of 59:27.

This year, the elite fields for the two races will feature athletes representing 17 countries: the U.S., Kenya, Ethiopia, Mexico, Great Britain, Japan, Bulgaria, Guatemala, Peru, Eritrea, South Africa, Morocco, New Zealand, Canada, Israel and Australia.

The Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon will be broadcast on ABC-13 from 7 a.m.-10 a.m., with a race day recap at 10:35 p.m. Joining ABC-13’s Greg Bailey and Gina Gaston as expert commentator will be Des Linden, the 2018 Boston Marathon winner and 50K world-record holder. Linden made the first of her two U.S. Olympic Marathon teams in Houston in 2012.

Date changes AU Jaipur Marathon

Race date for AU Bank Jaipur Marathon (IND) changed

AU Bank Jaipur Marathon date change

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 14:15:12 +0000

The AU Bank Jaipur Marathon (IND) will take place on Sun 13 March 2022, not Sun 6 February 2022 as previously published.

Date changes Photak Marathon

Race date for Photak Marathon (THA) changed

Photak Marathon date change

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 14:11:16 +0000

The Photak Marathon (THA) will take place on Sun 4 December 2022, not Sun 14 August 2022 as previously published.