Defending champion Vivian Cheruiyot will race Gladys Cherono, Mary Keitany and Brigid Kosgei at the Virgin Money London Marathon on April 28.

Cheruiyot became the fourth fastest woman of all time after clocking 2:18:31 to win in London last year. The Olympic 5000m champion finished ahead of Kenyan compatriot Kosgei, who went on to win October’s Chicago Marathon in a personal best 2:18:35.

“It was a great moment for me winning last year’s Virgin Money London Marathon and I am very much looking forward to returning in April,” said Cheruiyot. “The line-up for this year’s race is, once again, incredibly strong so I know I will need to be at my very best to repeat last year’s victory but it is a challenge that I’m really looking forward to. I will be ready.”

Women-only world record holder Keitany was tipped to win in the UK capital marathon in 2018, however, faltered in her attempts to break the women’s mixed world record.

Keitany, who clocked her 2:17:01 best to win the 2017 London title, bounced back in tremendous fashion last year to claim a fourth New York City Marathon crown in five years.

Photo: NYRR

Meanwhile, completing the star quartet for the London Marathon women’s field is 2018 Berlin Marathon champion Gladys Cherono.

While Eliud Kipchoge received most of the media attention after his fantastic world record breaking run at the Berlin Marathon, the 2:01:39 marathoner was not alone in breaking records in the German city, with Cherono winning a third Berlin crown after running a women’s course record time of 2:18:11.

Also confirmed to run are the Ethiopian trio of Tirunesh Dibaba, the three-time Olympic champion on the track and third fastest woman of all time, who finished second in London and won Chicago in 2017, Tadelech Bekele, who finished third in London last year, and 21-year-old Roza Dereje, second in Chicago and winner of the Dubai Marathon in 2018.

The British elite women’s field was previously announced and includes Lily Partridge and Charlotte Purdue, while leading American athlete Molly Huddle, debutant Emily Sisson and Allie Kieffer will make the trip across the Atlantic Ocean.

Another top name set to compete is Irish-born Australian international Sinead Diver, who clocked 2:25:19 to win the Melbourne Marathon last year.

The latest news on the London Marathon can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post London, Berlin, Chicago and New York marathon champions to battle appeared first on Fast Running.

Mary Keitany won a fourth women’s title in five years at the New York City Marathon on Sunday (November 4), while two-time Boston Marathon champion Lelisa Desisa claimed his first men’s crown in the Big Apple.

Vivian Cheruiyot had de-throned Mary Keitany at the Virgin London Marathon in April setting up a greatly anticipated rematch on US soil. The pair contested today’s race alongside the defending champion Shalane Flanagan.

When Flanagan took victory twelve months ago it certainly made world news and provided a highlight to a glittering career for the American which also includes an Olympic Silver medal over 10,000m from Beijing in 2008.

The halfway mark in the women’s race was passed in a modest time of 1:15:49 led by IAAF World Half Marathon Champion Netsanet Gudeta in a group including defending champion Flanagan, Molly Huddle of the USA and race favourites Keitany and Cheruiyot.

Keitany was the first to pass all the check points from the 25km mark and after going through 22 miles in 2:00:34, had an advantage of two minutes.

The Kenyan slowed slightly in the final stages but her victory was never in doubt after her lead and crossed the Central Park finish line in 2:22:48 to claim victory by over three minutes. It was also the fastest of her four victories in New York by over 90 seconds.

“I was able to run a very nice race,” said Keitany, who ran a truly impressive negative split of  66:58 in the final 13.1 miles compared to 75:50 in the first half. “I was just thinking of to trying to win, but not actually the course record. But I came to see that I missed just by 70 seconds. But for me, winning was the most important.”

Cheruiyot was next home in 2:26:02 with New York favourite Flanagan finishing in third and as the top American with 2:26:22 just 22 seconds ahead of Huddle.

Photo: NYRR

In the men’s race, Multiple World Cross Country and World Half Marathon Champion Geoffrey Kamworor had looked to emulate his victory from twelve months ago, regardless that the field contained several men who had run minutes faster for the marathon distance.

Despite Kenyan dominance at the marathon in recent years, the fields for New York contained a trio of Ethiopian athletes who had serious intentions. They included Tamirat Tola who’s lifetime best of 2:04:06 made him the fastest in the field.

His counytryman Shura Kitata boasts a mark of 2:04:49 set on his way to third at the Virgin London Marathon in April. However, it was former Boston Marathon champion Desisa, with a best of 2:04:45, who would steal the show in New York.

At the halfway point five athletes shared the lead, passing in 1:03:55. The group contained Kamworor and fellow Kenyan Festus Talam, along with Ethiopian’s Tola, Desisa and Kitata.

Daniel Wanjiru had already fallen adrift of the leaders despite his resume including a Virgin London Marathon title from 2017 and a lifetime best of 2:05:21.

With just over a mile to run it was Kamworor and Desisa that led but as the pair entered the closing stages, Kitata fought back to move to take up the front running.

It was Desisa however that took a maiden victory in 2:05:59, less than a minute shy of the course record sitting at 2:05:06 set by Geoffrey Mutai in 2011.

In fact, it was a third Abbott Marathon Majors title for Desisa who won at Boston in 2013 and 2015. It was however with victory in Dubai in 2013 that the 28 year old Ethiopian set his PB.

Kitata was rewarded for his fast finish with the runner-up spot in 2:06.01 with the five-time world champion Kamworor finishing third.

Photo: NYRR

Bernard Lagat chose this race to contest his first marathon, joking before the race that it is 26 x his preferred race distance. The 43 year old multiple world champion finished in 2:17:20.

Chris Thompson led several British athletes keen to experience the atmosphere at 48th edition of the famous race that takes athletes through the five Boroughs of New York and that is a part of the World Marathon Majors Series.

The race has seen a British winner on six occasions including Steve Jones in 1988 with 2:08:20 and with Paula Radcliffe victorious on three occasions.

Thompson spoke prior to the race reflecting that New York is not a place for fast times but that had been on his bucket list because it is a great place for honest racing.

It was, however, Liverpool Harrier Jonny Mellor that finished as the first Briton in the Big Apple with a time of 2:16:09 – an encouraging performance after struggling at the London Marathon earlier this year.

Welshman and Commonwealth Games representative Andrew Davies was the next British athlete across the line, recording a time of 2:20:23.

Despite being on track at 10km in a time of 31:04, Thompson struggled to a 2:28:54 finish behind Morpeth’s debutant Nick McCormack in 2:27:35 and Kent AC duo Pete Lighting (2:28:41) and Sean Fitzpatrick (2:28:43).

Daniel Romanchuk of the USA prevailed in the men’s wheelchair race, ahead of Marcel Hug of Switzerland. Hug scored wins in the city in 2013, 2016 and in 2017 but was unable to match the young American who claimed Chicago Marathon victory last month.

David Weir claimed victory in New York back in 2010 but the Weirwolf of London had to settle for third this time.

Swiss Wheelchair racer Manuela Shar claimed a first victory in the women’s race with a time of 1:50.27 ahead of Tatyana McFadden of the USA and Lihong Zou of China.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patreon. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Mary Keitany storms to fourth New York City Marathon win appeared first on Fast Running.

Mary Keitany stated at the beginning of the year that she would target Paula Radcliffe’s world record at the Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday (April 22).

Following that announcement, the focus of the world has been on the women’s only record holder who clocked 2:17:01 to clinch her third victory in the capital last year.

Like Radcliffe did in 2003, the three-time New York City Marathon champion will use male pacers in an attempt to chase the outright record of 2:15:25. The record that really matters.

As one of the longest standing records it would be a shame to see it go, but expect the crowd to get behind the attempt in true marathon spirit.

“To run 2:15 is really something else,” said the Kenyan athlete. “But I will try to follow in the footsteps of the legend, Paula, on Sunday. I must thank the race organisers for their decision to assist the women to see how fast we can go.

“With the male pacemakers, we have a great opportunity and we have to try and see if it’s possible. It would mean so much to me because I’ve had Paula’s record in mind since I started my career. She was an inspiration and that world record is still ahead of me as a lifetime goal.

“As long as I’m running I want to get it.”

The 36 year-old ran her fastest ever over 13.1 miles at the RAK half marathon in February, in what was essentially a test run with male pacemakers.

Last year the diminutive athlete ran the first 5km at a blistering 2:11 marathon pace and was ahead of the long-standing record at halfway, but faltered in the second half, laying the blame to running large parts of the race solo.

While Keitany ran the women’s only world record last year in the UK capital, she was not alone, with Tirinesh Dibaba, running the third fastest time ever clocking 2:17:56 behind her rival.

Photo: Virgin Money London Marathon

The triple Olympic track gold medalist followed that performance with a win at the Chicago Marathon, and it will be no surprise if the Ethiopian star follows the lead of the male pacemakers as she aims to clinch a first London crown.

“I’ve changed many things in my training since 2017 and feel I’m in better shape now,” said Dibaba, who was third in her marathon debut in London back in 2014. “I took two months’ rest after winning in Chicago and started to train later this time, so my build-up has been different but I’m in better shape as a result.

“I know the organisers have put good pacemakers in the race, but what is more important is my condition. I know from my years on the track, if I’ve prepared well I’ll race well, so my shape is more important than the pacemakers.”

Radcliffe herself said: “It’s always been just a matter of time. When I set the record, I never thought it would stand for 15 years. But the longer it’s gone on, the more attached I’ve grown to the record and it’s come to feel a little bit like a part of the family. But it’s inevitable it’s going to get beaten at some point.

“So I think Mary’s capable but, first and foremost, she has to concentrate on winning the race because she very much she has a race on her hands against Tirunesh Dibaba, and she’s equally capable of taking the time. It’s not just Mary who could beat the record, it’s both of them.”

Meanwhile, joining the two sub 2:18 runners on the start line, is another two athletes who have dipped under the 2:20 barrier.

Keyna’s Gladys Cherono, the 2014 world half marathon champion, has posted a 2:19:25 best and is a two-time winner in Berlin, while Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia, a marathon world gold medalist in 2015, has clocked 2:19:52.

Also look out for Brigid Kosgei of Kenya. The marathon youngster has a 2:20:22 PB and took the race with a fast start at the Honolulu Marathon last December. The 23 year-old has set herself a 2018 target of running 2:17 or 2:18. Whether that is in London or not we will have to see this weekend.

Rose Chelimo tasted success on the streets of London last summer when was crowned as world champion and cannot be discounted in a hot race if the athletes are made to pay for fast starts. The Bahrain runner has a PB of 2:22:51.

Lily Partridge and Tracy Barlow lead the British charge at the London Marathon and a detailed preview of the top GB runners competing can be found here.

Predictions: will Keitany break Radcliffe’s 2:15:25 record?

Paul Halford: She is capable but on balance, I’d say she is more likely not to than to do it, given the many factors. The less than perfect conditions may mean she gets into a race.
Ruth Jones: No, Keitany won’t break the record, but she will come close, I predict 2:16:00.
Robbie Britton: Nope, but maybe break her own record – 2:16:37.

What time does the race start at?
The elite women’s race starts at 9:15am.

How can I watch it?
The BBC will have live coverage on BBC one starting at 8:30am and highlights will be on BBC two at 6pm.

A preview of the men’s elite race can be found here, where we ask who will win and can Mo Farah break the British record?

All the latest London Marathon updates can be found here, and an interview with two of Britain’s marathon debutants is here, while an insight into Lily Partridge’s marathon journey can be found here.

The post London Marathon: Will Mary Keitany break Paula Radcliffe’s record? appeared first on Fast Running.

Everyone seems to be talking about the expected heat for the Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday. That’s no surprise, given how much the weather affected the results at the Boston Marathon and Commonwealth Games in the past seven days – seemingly making both a lottery.

With highs of 23C possible, the organisers have been particularly careful to ensure all runners are prepared, sending out specific advice as well as planning for extra water and showers to be on the course in the capital.

However, how much will conditions affect the elite race and the possibility of world and British records?

RELATED: Mo Farah out to break Steve Jones’ British marathon record

If some forecasts are correct, the race could prove to be the hottest ever London Marathon, beating the record from 2007 and 1996 of 22.2C.

However, while the worst of the weather is expected in the afternoon, massively impacting the thousands running in the mass start, the thermometer may not exceed 18C during the morning and around midday when the elite will be crossing the finish line.

Nerurkar shares his thoughts

Someone who knows all about running in hot weather is Britain’s Richard Nerurkar. He has spent much of his life living in the blazingly hot Ethiopia and one of his best results came in the 1996 Olympic marathon when he finished fifth in temperatures of more than 26C.

But while we saw the 28C-plus conditions in the Gold Coast last Sunday affecting a huge proportion of the elite runners, what we are expecting this weekend should not have a big bearing on the results sheet, Nerurkar believes.

“It’s different for the elites compared to the masses,” he told Fast Running from the Thursday morning press conference at race headquarters.

“The elites are running for just over two hours and they’re finished by 12-ish. The masses will be running until 1-3pm and will have been on their feet for four hours or more. The peak of 23C is going to be after the elite are finished.

“Secondly, when the elite are running the temperatures will not be extreme. When you look at other championships you can go back to far worse conditions than that.

“Ninety nine percent of the 40,000 runners will be fine but you are concerned about the relatively small numbers when something serious could be happen. So you’ve got to put those messages out in the hope that your advice will reduce those numbers of serious issues.”

Regarding that advice, race director Hugh Brasher said on Thursday: “In terms of the some of the detail we are sending to the runners, that information is led with run according to the conditions. If it is warm then slow your pace accordingly.”

Not the best time for fancy dress

He also said that runners planning to wear fancy dress in the event should make their own decision on whether their gear is appropriate for the conditions. “If you think it isn’t appropriate, don’t do it in fancy dress,” he warned.

He added: “I’m sure the elite athletes will be adapting their race plan to the weather. It doesn’t matter what speed you’re running.”

However, the four elite runners at Thursday’s press conference – Eliud Kipchoge, Guye Adola, Daniel Wanjiru and Kenenisa Bekele – certainly did not seem concerned about the weather.

The favourite for the men’s race on Sunday is Olympic champion Kipchoge, who has his eyes on the world record of 2:02:57 held by fellow Kenyan Dennis Kimetto (who is racing in Vienna on Sunday).

“If I was to win on Sunday, it would mean so much,” says Kipchoge. “It would show my consistency and I would be the happiest man on earth. To win London three times would be the best.”

He has been training at home where conditions of late have been typically 18-20C and as high as 23C and said: “If the weather is too hot, we’re all running under the same conditions so I’m not worried. We really will see a beautiful race on Sunday.

“I treat myself as the best when I train and one day I would love to run a world record.”

However, it could be a different matter when it comes to world records – and Paula Radcliffe’s 2:15:25 is under threat too, particularly from women’s only world record holder Mary Keitany, who will be assisted by male pacers on Sunday.

“To run 2:15 is really something else,” said the Kenyan star on Wednesday. “But I will try to follow in the footsteps of the legend, Paula.

“I must thank the race organisers for their decision to assist the women to see how fast we can go. With the male pacemakers, we have a great opportunity and we have to try and see if it’s possible.

“It would mean so much to me because I’ve had Paula’s record in mind since I started my career. As long as I’m running I want to get it.”

Nerurkar shared his thoughts on the world record attempts: “I think it does reduce the chances because everything needs to come together for world records and that’s one thing that’s less than perfect.

“So many of us have been in Berlin when world records have been broken and the weather has been perfect when it’s been 10C at the start and 13-14C at the finish and it’s not going to be perfect like that on Sunday, so you wouldn’t put your money on a world record.”

On Sunday, we are unlikely to see a repeat of the Commonwealth race in which Callum Hawkins ended up in an ambulance. However, the hotter conditions than usual could well suggest more tactical races are on the cards.

RELATED: London Marathon: surviving transport strike & high temperatures

The post Will a hot London Marathon impact elite runners chasing records? appeared first on Fast Running.

While world records are still intact, the action in the UAE’s Ras Al Khaimah did not disappoint with one of the best ever half marathon fields on display.

Fancy Chemutai won the women’s race in course records 64:53, just two seconds off Joyciline Jepkosgei’s world record. The 23-year-old Kenyan’s time was a fantastic 43-second personal best moving her to number two on the all-time list.

The fastest woman over 13.1 miles Jepkosgei was also racing in RAK put dropped off the fast pace to finished fifth in 66:46.

Chemutai didn’t run away with the race though and was matched by women-only marathon world record holder Mary Keitany, before winning in a decisive sprint finish over the final 50 metres.

Keitany, who will target Paula Radcliffe’s marathon world-record in London this spring with male-pacers, finished second in a personal best 64:55.

Caroline Kipkirui completed a Kenyan podium in 65:07 to cement the RAK Half Marathon in the record books as the first half marathon to have three women finishing under 66:00. In fact, four finished under the mark.

Elsewhere Emily Waugh was the highest placed British runner in 15th with a big personal best 75:11. In January, Rugby & Northampton AC’s Waugh posted 2:38:43 to finish 16th at the Dubai Marathon.

Bedan Karoki retained his men’s title crossing the line in a personal best and course record 58:42. With impressive 5k splits of 13:53, 13:55, 13:56, and 13:57 Karoki moves to number four on the all-time list with his 28 second PB.

It was a comfortable win for the Kenyan athlete finishing 18 seconds ahead of his nearest challenger, Jemal Yimer.

While someway off the RAK Half Marathon title the young Ethiopian clocked 59:00 which is the fastest ever debut in a half marathon.

Kenya’s Alex Kibet completed the podium clocking a 26 second personal best in 59:06, with seven men in total dipping under 60:00.

Race recap and post-race interviews below.

The post RAK Half Marathon lives up to its billing appeared first on Fast Running.

Four of the fastest seven women in history will line up for United Arab Emirates half marathon, with another seven sub-68 minute runners alongside them.

Kenya’s Jepkosgei set the world record for the half marathon twice in 2017 after finishing third in RAK last year and lines up alongside fellow Kenyan stars Keitany, Fancy Chemutai and Edith Chelimo.

Keitany, a three-time RAK winner, finished second last year, setting a personal best 65:13, and will use the half-marathon as part of her preparations for the London Marathon in April.

The defending London champion also announced last week that will target Paula Radcliffe’s mixed-race marathon world record of 2:15.25 with the assistance of male pacers at this year’s event.

“The marathon world record is something that I have been working towards for several years and I feel I am now in the position where I can really attack the time of 2:15:25,” said Keitany who broke the women-only marathon world record (2:17:01) last year in the UK capital. “At last year’s Virgin Money London Marathon, I was feeling good but it was hard to run nearly half the race on my own.

“By having male pacemakers, I will be able to have the support throughout the race.”

The support of male pacers will also be available to the 36-year-old on the roads of Ras Al Khaimah after organisers of the half marathon have confirmed it.

Jepkosgei, the world’s fastest woman over 13.1 miles, finished third in RAK last year behind the 65:06 then world record of Peres Jepchirchir, who sits out the race this year.

It was just 50 days after RAK 2017 and racing in Prague, that Jepkosgei improved the global mark, taking it to previously uncharted sub-65 minute territory, and then bettered that 64:52 clocking by one second in Valencia last October.

The men’s field was announced on Monday 22nd January and has been further strengthened. While last year’s RAK fourth placer Solomon Yego has pulled out with injury, both London-bound Stanley Biwott and Ghirmay Ghebreslassie have been added to the field.

Biwott was runner-up in RAK in both 2013 and 2016, the earlier of those two runs producing his best of 58:56, making him the tenth fastest in history. Ghebreslassie is the 2015 IAAF World Marathon Champion and Rio Olympic fourth placer.

RAK Half Marathon women’s elite field

Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 64:51 (WR)
Mary Keitany (KEN) 65:13
Fancy Chemutai (KEN) 65:36
Edith Chelimo (KEN) 65:52
Gladys Cherono (KEN) 66:07
Eunice Chumba (BRN) 66:11
Joan Chelimo Melly (KEN) 66:25
Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 66:35
Caroline Kipkirui (KEN) 66:48
Lucy Cheruiyot (KEN) 67:23
Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 67:44
Naomi Jebet (KEN) 68:44
Helen Bekele Tola (ETH) 69:48
Degitu Azimeraw (ETH) Debut

The post 4 of the fastest 7 women to race RAK Half Marathon appeared first on Fast Running.

Keitany aims to become only the second athlete to win four consecutive New York City Marathon titles and her form in 2017 indicates its unlikely anyone will topple her off the podium. If the Kenyan achieves the honour she joins Norwegian great Grete Waitz with the honour in the Big Apple.

The 35-year-old set a fantastic personal best earlier this year to win the London Marathon in 2:17:01, and more recently in September, she won a third title at the Great North Run clocking 1:05:59. Keitany’s dominant victory in the half marathon showed her preparations have not faltered and will look to carry that momentum into Sunday’ race.

While Keitany is the strong favourite the leading challenge will come from compatriot Edna Kiplagat, who won the Boston Marathon this year in 2:21:52.

This summer the 38-year-old, who has a personal best of 2:19:50, won marathon silver at the World Championships in London clocking 2:27:18.

Keitany has also outlined that well as a fourth win, the course record on the rolling route which stands at 2:22:31, is a target.

Other leading entries in the women’s race include USA’s Shalane Flanagan, Betsy Saina of Kenya, Ethiopian Mamitu Daska and Jessica Augusto of Portugal.

Eritrean Ghebreslassie became the youngest men’s champion in the history of the New York City Marathon when he broke the tape at in 2:07:51 at 20 years and 358 days last year.

It was the third-fastest winning time in the history of the race, and a similar or better performance will be needed on Sunday if he is to retain his crown.

The 21-year-old, who won the world title in 2015 and finished fourth at Rio Olympics in 2016, hasn’t been in stellar form this year, clocking a best 2:09:57 at the London Marathon to finish sixth.

In New York, he faces 2014 champion Wilson Kipsang, who has a personal best of 2:03:13 set in Berlin last year.

At this year’s edition of the Berlin Marathon – billed as the showdown with Kenenisa Bekele and Eliud Kipchoge, the 35-year-old dropped out at 30km, but he feeling confident ahead of New York saying: “My training was excellent before Berlin, but I had a bad day there. Now, I am very happy and thankful I was given a chance to use my training effort in New York City and will try to win there as I did three years ago.”

Also aiming for honours are Ethiopian duo Lemi Berhanu and Lelisa Desisa, with bests of 2:04:33 and 2:04:45 respectively, and Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor, a two time World Half Marathon and World Cross Country champion. The 24-year-old has a 2:06:12 personal best over 26.2 miles.

Another worthy mention is American marathon great Meb Keflezighi will make his last career appearance over 26.2 miles.

The New York champion in 2009 and Boston champion in 2014 will be racing his 26th career marathon and 10th New York City Marathon. When the 42-year-old crosses the line on Sunday he will also set a new record for the most appearance in the elite division of the race.

In the elite wheelchair race, Marcel Hug of Switzerland and USA’s Tatyana McFadden aim to defend their titles. British interest comes with Jade Jones the women’s race and Simon Lawson and John Smith in the men’s. Richard Whitehead, the 200m Paralympic and world champion, also makes a return to the marathon for the first time in three years.

The weekend’s action get’s underway on Saturday with the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K which incorporates the USA Track & Field 5K Championships, and following the terrorist attack on Tuesday that killed eight in New York, race organisers released a statement to say they were “monitoring the situation closely with our city, state and federal agency partners”, to ensure the safety and security of runners and spectators, staff and volunteers, but the marathon and weekend of events will go ahead.

Leading entries in the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K/USA Track & Field 5K Championships include Molly Huddle and Abbey D’Agostino in the women’s field and Paul Chelimo and Ben True in the men’s.

The post Mary Keitany seeks fourth straight New York City Marathon win appeared first on Fast Running.

The Kenyan ran 65:59, to cross the line at South Shields just 20 seconds slower than her 2014 time as Vivian Cheruiyot was second in 67:44.

Caroline Kipkirui was third with 69:52. Britain’s Gemma Steel enjoyed her best run for some time as she clocked 71:32 for sixth, while Lily Partridge was seventh and second Brit in 72:10. Alyson Dixon, who was 18th in the recent World Championships marathon, was eighth in 72:29.

While Swansea’s Caryl Jones was ninth in 74:22 and Rebecca Murray 10th in 75:49.

A small group of elite women set off ahead of the more than 50,000 in the mass start in Newcastle on the point-to-point, overall downhill course.

After a slow first mile from the start line in Newcastle, an increase in pace saw Keitany and Kiprirui clear through two miles. They went through the overall downhill first 5km in 16:01 before Keitany pulled away with a 5:04 fourth mile.

Keitany pushed on even quicker to go through 10km in 31:35 despite the uphill, enjoying at this point a 14-second lead over Cheruiyot as Kipkirui was dropping back.

A 4:47 and 4:50 seventh and eighth mile put the course record in jeopardy, but the 2009 world half-marathon champion, who also won here in 2015, eventually had to be content with the fourth quickest time in Great North history.

The remarkable Keitany, who holds the world record in a women’s-only marathon with 2:17:01, has now run an incredible 10 half marathons quicker than 67:00.

Mary Keitany wins the @SimplyhealthUK #GreatNorthRun congratulations! pic.twitter.com/yLm6wv4t0M

— Great Run (@Great_Run) September 10, 2017

Winning the battle of the Brits, Steel ran her fastest half since 2015. The Charnwood AC athlete was second with 68:13 in the Great North Run in 2014 – the year in which she took the European cross-country title. However, after stalling plans to move up to the marathon, her run here showed a return towards something like that best form which had been missing in 2017.

Partridge, who made an encouraging marathon debut of 2:32:10 earlier this year, set a 2017 best, though she was down on her 70:31 personal best from 2015.

Just a month after her making a name for herself by leading for much of the World Championships marathon, local athlete Dixon had plenty of support on the route. She had initially planned this as a training run but then decided a personal best might be a target, although she was eventually nearly two minutes outside.

In the wheelchair race, Switzerland’s Manuela Schar smashed the course record with 48:44. Adding to her wins this year in the Boston and London marathon, the multiple IPC European track champion was one minute three seconds inside the old course best.

The time was inside the world record for a loop course but will not be recognised as a new mark. Britain’s Sammi Kinghorn was 4:04 behind in second on her debut at the distance.

Mo Farah took an unprecedented fourth consecutive Great North Run title in the men’s race after overcoming a tough challenge from New Zealander Jake Robertson, the full men’s report can be found here.

The post Mary Keitany Crusies To Third Great North Run Title appeared first on Fast Running.

Ghebreslassie, the 21-year-old from Eritrea, became the youngest men’s winner in the history of the New York City Marathon, breaking the tape in 2:07:51 last year. He posted the third-fastest winning time in history and was the first Eritrean winner.

In 2015, he became the youngest winner in World Championships marathon history, and his gold medal was Eritrea’s first ever at the event. He was also fourth in the marathon at Rio 2016 Olympics. At the London Marathon last year he set his personal-best of 2:07:46 for a fourth place finish.

“I’m proud to return to New York to defend my title,” Ghebreslassie said. “The crowds along the course are fresh in my memory, and I will work hard to do well again this year.”

New York Marathon History
The first New York City Marathon, was organised in 1970 by Fred Lebow and Vince Chiappetta, and was ran entirely in Central Park. Of 127 entrants, only 55 men finished; the sole female entrant dropped out due to illness. The entry fee was $1 and the total event budget was $1,000.

Kenyan Keitany, has won the race for the last three years, including a dominating performance last year in which she surged ahead fourteen miles in to finish the course on a solo run in 2:24:26.

Her 3:34 margin of victory was the greatest in the women’s race since 1980, and she became the first able-bodied runner since Grete Waitz to win the event three years in a row.

This year, she won her third career London Marathon in April, breaking the women’s only marathon record in a blistering time of 2:17:01.

They will join the previously announced American field that includes Shalane Flanagan and  Meb Keflezighi, who races his 26th and final career marathon.

Flanagan, who recently received her 2008 Olympic medal upgrade, is the second-fastest U.S. female marathoner of all-time and a four-time Olympian. In 2010, she finished as the runner-up at the New York City Marathon, the best finish by an American woman in 27 years.

“Seven years ago, I started my marathon career on the streets of New York City,” Flanagan said. “It was one of the most thrilling experiences in my career, so I’m beyond excited to be returning this fall to where it all began. New York has always had an abundance of top competition. and I look forward to testing myself against the best in the world once again.”

Keflezighi, a four-time Olympian who will be racing the New York City Marathon for the 11th time, his 26th and final professional career marathon. In 2009, Keflezighi became the first American in 27 years to win the New York City Marathon, and five years later he was victorious at the Boston Marathon.

New York Marathon History
In 2004, world record-holder Paula Radcliffe won the women’s race by three seconds over Kenya’s Susan Chepkemei in the closest women’s finish in race history.

Back to the men’s international field, it also includes Lemi Berhanu, the 22-year-old from Ethiopia won the Boston Marathon in 2016 and has a personal best of 2:04:33. He has the fastest personal best in the field.

Lelisa Desisa, also from Ethiopia, finished second in New York in 2014 and third in 2015 before failing to finish last year. The two-time Boston Marathon champion owns a personal best of 2:04:45 from the 2013 Dubai Marathon.

Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya also returns. The 24-year-old was the runner-up in 2015 and is a four-time world champion, twice in cross-country and twice in the half-marathon. His personal-best time of 2:06:12 came from his marathon debut in 2012 when he finished third at the Berlin Marathon.

The women’s field will include Kenyan duo Edna Kiplagat and Betsy Saina. The 37-year old Kiplagat owns titles from the 2010 New York City Marathon, 2014 London Marathon and 2017 Boston Marathon. She is a three-time World Championship medallist, most recently taking silver at the World Championships in London.

Saina, 29, finished fifth over 10,000m in Rio Olympics in 2016 and will be making her marathon debut.

Joining them in the field is Ethiopian Tigist Tufa, 30, who finished third and eighth in her two previous New York City Marathon appearances. She won the London Marathon in 2015 and was the runner-up in 2016.

The post Defending champions Ghebreslassie and Keitany set for New York Marathon appeared first on Fast Running.