Ethiopian Gidey ignited the NN Valencia World Record Day with a spellbinding performance to obliterate the women’s 5000m record by more than four seconds with a stunning 14:06.62.

Aided by pacemaking duo Esther Guerrero and Beatrice Chepkoech, and the Wavelight technology, the 22-year-old Ethiopian produced a very well judged run to destroy the world record of her compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba. When pace maker Chepkoech stepped aside, Gidey pushed the pace even harder.

Running in a nigh on perfect temperature of 22c inside the Turia Stadium, Letesenbet hit the 3km point in 8:31.85 – ahead of her target time.

Gidey has a particularly fluid flowing style but more than this she looked incredibly in control in terms of effort. Just after 3km she put in a scintillating lap of 66 second. Looking untroubled and composed the World 10,000m silver medallist romped to her place in history.

“I dreamed for this record for 6 years, I want to thank Valencia for giving me this chance.”

Cheptegei caps a sensational year

It was then the turn of Joshua Cheptegei to toast yet another landmark moment in his glittering 2020 season by smashing Kenenisa Bekele’s world 10,000m record by more than six-and-a-half seconds with a dazzling display.

The 24-year-old Ugandan ran a time of 26:11.00 to erase Bekele’s 15-year-old mark of 26:17.53 from the record books. The one-off meet was organised by the NN Running Team, Global Sports Communication and SD Correcaminos as a direct response to Joshua’s outstanding current form.

“One of the strange things about watching the race was the lack of doubt,” says FR coach Robbie Britton. “From very early on it felt like it was going to happen.

A record that stood for a decade and a half was just obliterated and all that needed to happen was for Chetegei to run at the set pace for 26 minutes and change.”

In August, Joshua sliced 1.99 seconds from Kenenisa’s world 5000m record, clocking a stunning 12:35.36 in Monaco, and on a hot and humid night at the Turia Stadium he added the world 10,000m record to his increasingly impressive CV.

A place in history

Paced through to halfway in 13:07.73 and further aided by Wavelight Technology in the second half of the race, the World 10,000m champion ticked off the laps at a relentless 62-64 second pace to claim another slice of history.

Having achieved the world record mark he now joins some of the all-time greats to have held ownership of the world 10,000m record such as Emil Zatopek, Haile Gebrselassie and Bekele.

“It is a great moment for me to have broken the world record,” said Cheptegei, who also holds the world 5km and 15km road records. “I wanted to show the sports lovers of the world that the track is exciting. I wanted to lift the expectations of the Valencia World Record Day and I am pleased to have fulfilled my dream.”

You can catch the full races here;

Mixed response

With the dedicated race, the Nike shoe technology, the pacing and Wavelight Technology the event had a little of the feel of the Breaking2 Project. Streamed to a worldwide audience on the NN Running Team YouTube and via the BBC the performances were always going too draw a huge amount of comment.

For many the event was a moment in history. BBC commentator Rob Walker described the intimate atmosphere of the city centre track and called Cheptegei’s run a “journey to greatness”. It certainly had a feel of a ‘I was watching’ moment.

World record!
Letesenbet Gidey gets the 5,000m record in 14 mins 6.65! Smashed it and god that was beautiful to watch!

— Kate Carter (@katehelencarter) October 7, 2020

Others however immediately glanced a skeptical eye over the results with the unusual ‘racing’ format, and of course the ever present shoe and spike debate being highlighted.

Who is going to have the balls to say it first……….? https://t.co/c19oWysNNu

— Tim Hutchings (@TimHutchings1) October 7, 2020

More national, continental and world records to come?

Fast Running’s Tom Craggs said “times and world records are so woven into the fabric and history of athletics that it is hard to see them fall if there is a feeling of manufacture around it.

We cling to the purity and simplicity of the sport of running, perhaps even more so during periods of wider socio-political insecurity. We want to believe.

I am still processing my feelings about last night but both performances were clearly astounding feats of physical endurance and regardless of the discomfort I feel around elements of it, I will definitely take a moment to celebrate two absolutely sensational athletes.

I believe, however, that the flood of national, continental and world records we are seeing currently does not represent a big leap forwards in solely biophysical performance”.

Want to run faster? For just £30 per month athletes are provided with a Final Surge plan for each day of the week, coaching advice from Robbie Britton and Tom Craggs, as well as access to the unique Fast Running Performance community.

If you would like more information on joining the project, click here. 

The post 5000m & 10000m World Records Smashed in Valencia appeared first on Fast Running.

Mo Farah breaks world hour record

Mo Farah was in Brussels in attempt to break the one-hour world record held by Haile Gebrselassie. The record had stood since 2007 at 21.285km (13.255 miles). Going into the event, 37-year old Farah believed he was in a good place to be able to break the previous record and he was right. Sir Mo covered 21.330km, which is just under 54 laps of the track! An impressive achievement and the first world record for the four-time Olympic champion.

Sifan Hassan also broke the women’s record, covering 18.930km! This is the equivalent to just over 47 laps of the track! Hassan won world titles over both 1500m and 10,000 and set world record marks for the mile (4:12.33) and 5km on the road (14:44) in 2019. The Dutch athlete said;

“An hour is long; it takes a lot of concentration and focus. After the first half I found my rythm. I’m really happy with this record!”

In Prague the women’s only half marathon word record was broken by Peres Jepchirchir – you can catch a full replay here. Running over a 1.3km loop in perfect conditions Jepchirchir clocked a stunning 65:34. The 2016 World Half Marathon Champion said;

“I am just happy and proud. Although I thought for a while that I could run at the limit of 65 minutes, I am also really happy with the time and especially the new record,”

British Champions crowned

This weekend saw British Athletics Outdoor Championships taking place. Having been postponed twice due to COVID-19, the event was finally able to take place through the enforcement of strict social distancing guidelines.

Despite the surreal environment, the event allowed athletes to get back on the track, some who hadn’t raced on the track for over a year, and put their training to the test in a championship environment.

Rowden & Hodgkinson claim 800m titles

A thrilling 800m race saw a battle right to the line. The first lap played to the advantage of favourite, Jake Wightman, as they went through the halfway point in 51 seconds. From then on Wightman led the pack. Coming around the final bend and into the home straight Daniel Rowden had put himself in a strong position to be able to execute his strong finishing kick.

In the final 50m of the race, Rowden pushed ahead of Wightman, taking the national title in an impressive 1:45.94. Wightman came in a close second with a time of 1:46.26 ahead of Yusuf Bizimana in 1:47.94.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

British Champion! Grateful for all the support. It’s honestly meant the world! We thank God Onwards and upwards @britishathletics

A post shared by Daniel Rowden (@danielrowden) on Sep 5, 2020 at 10:42am PDT

The women’s 800m final demonstrated the current depth of British middle distance running. With some of the UKs leading athletes not racing it was a chance for young talent to step forwards. With 200m to go it became a battle between Ellie Baker and youngster Keely Hodgkinson.

Down the home straight Baker put in a strong surge, but it was Hodgkinson’s immense speed that allowed her to push on ahead, increasing the distance between her and the rest of the field to take the win in 2:03.24. Isabelle Boffey (Enfield) then dug deep and came across the line in second place with a time of 2:04.73 ahead of Ellie Baker (Shaftesbury).

First Senior Medal at British Champs today! I gave it everything i had and left it all on the track! Was good to race with these lovely ladies and gain some more championship racing experience! pic.twitter.com/k5Ng0saO50

— Ellie Baker (@EllieBaker1998) September 5, 2020

Judd claims first senior British title

Tactical racing was to the fore in the women’s 5000m. The race went out slow with a 3:24 first kilometre, meaning everyone was in the mix at the open of the race. Leading into the 800m mark was Bronwen Owen who decided she wasn’t going to sit back and relax and began to push on the pace.

Bronwen pushed the pace until just before 4km when Jess Judd decided it was her turn to add in an extra surge to the pace. The lead group then narrowed down to just Judd, Verity Ockenden and Amelia Quirk. With just 400m to go Judd showed the 1500m speed we know her to hold by pushing out a 63 second last lap.

She crossed the line in a strong time of 15:37. Judd was closely followed by Swansea superstar, Verity Ockenden, who crossed the line with 15:41 on the clock. In third place was Amelia Quirk with a PB of 15:43! A matter of minutes after the 5,000, Jess Judd went into the 1500m heats and took the winning spot in heat two, with a time of 4:16.37.

World records were also set in the women’s 5,000m as Hannah Taunton broke the T20 record in a strong time of 17:17.30.

After crossing the line, Taunton said: “It was good but very hard running on my own out there. But I really enjoyed the experience as it was my first one [British Champs]. It is so special to get a T20 world record. When I came into this race, I thought about how a few years ago I just wanted to run on a track 5k and now I am here at the British Championships.”

In form Scott claims men’s title

The men’s 5,000m saw recent 5k Road British record holder Marc Scott toe the line, alongside the likes of Jake Smith and Jonny Davies. It wasn’t long into the race before the field began to spread out with Smith making it an honest race and pushing the pace on.

Midway through the race, Scott put the other athletes to the test as he put a 20m gap between him and Jack Rowe in second place. He managed to keep the pace all the way to the line as he crossed in a time of 13:32.98 to crown himself British Champion. The silver medal was claimed by Rowe of AFD in 13:37.85 followed by Tom Mortimer (Stroud) 13:43.47.

Mills and Weightman claim 1500m titles

For the men it was another tactical race. The pace was slow  o start with a 68 second first lap. The field stayed close to one another which saw many athletes at risk of being boxed in or running in lanes 2 and 3. However, with 600m to go Neil Gourley came to the front of the field and began to wind up the pace. It was, however, indoor 800m champion, George Mills who had placed himself perfectly and managed to give an extra kick coming down the finishing straight to overtake Gourley and claim the gold.

In the women’s 1500m, it was Laura Weightman who showed her class, taking home her 5th British Champs title. The race was tactical, with Jess Judd picking up the pace with 2 laps to go. It was in the last 300m that Laura Weightman pushed the accelerator and proved her strength. She crossed the finish line in 4:09.76.

After achieving her first ever senior British title in the 5,000m yesterday, Jess Judd came back and attacked the 1500m. She wasn’t to be dismissed as she crossed the line in 2nd place with a time of 4:12.35. What an incredible achievement! After a long journey back from injury, Katie Snowden regained her form and came in third after a strong race. The Herne Hill athlete stopped the clock on 4:14 dead.

British stars race overseas

Several of Britain’s best known endurance talent raced overseas this weekend away from the champs.

At the Meeting de Marseille, Team Young once again proved their strength with both Laura Muir and Jemma Reekie setting meet records over the 800m and 1500m respectively. Muir once again ran herself to a clear win in 2.00.16, over 1 second ahead of second place. The second British athlete across the line, in fourth place, was Adelle Tracey with a solid time of 2:01.86. In eighth place was Shelayna Oskan-Clarke in a strong 2:04.54.

Similarly to Muir, in the 1500m, it was Reekie who ran an impressive, yet close race, to take the win in 4:02.20 ahead of Claudia Bobocea. Eilish McColgan was fourth in her third race of the season with a strong 4:05.59.

In the men’s 800m race, GB’s men came to the fore. Behind Ferguson-Cheruiyot Rotich, in second place, was Elliot Giles. It was a close race between Rotich and Giles, but the British athlete wasn’t far behind. Giles crossed the line in 1:44.68, just 0.34 seconds behind the winner. Guy Learmonth was second Brit and third overall in a strong 1:46.57. Phx Trk athlete, Kyle Langford was 7th in 1:47.55. In the 1500m Piers Copeland set yet another stunning PB with 3:37:00 in the 1500m.

In Poland, both Eilish Mccolgan and Laura Muir battled it out over the 1500m distance, but we are awaiting results.

3 PBS from 3 races, good start to the season and now time to build on it! https://t.co/fsQbI7aYdf

— Piers Copeland (@PiersCopeland1) September 3, 2020

Back on home soil

Over the slightly longer distance of… 100 miles was the Centurion Thames Path 100. The race runs along the Thames Path from Richmond, London to the centre of Oxford and includes a total of 1900ft of climbing. This year athletes were set off on a scattered start over 2 hours.

The quickest overall finisher was Russell Arnold, who clocked 14 hours 13 minutes and 40 seconds! For the women’s event, it was Samantha Amend who was first with the GB ultra runner clocking an impressive 16 hours 28 minutes and 8 seconds.

A big well done to our men’s & women’s winners of this years Thames Path 100:

Russell Arnold 14.13.40
Samantha Amend 16.28.08https://t.co/jHWJzRNbuW

— centurionrunning (@centurionrunner) September 6, 2020

Strong field turns out for RunThrough 5km

Runthrough were back in action with their event in Battersea Park this weekend. Taking the 10km win with an impressive finishing time of 30:48 was Matt Dickinson of Clapham Chasers. Dickinson’s time was a huge 40 second personal best!

Coming in second place, in 31:42, was Ewan Cameron (VPHTHAC) ahead of Chris McGurk of Kent AC in 31:55. For the women, it was Julia Bijl who ran herself to the win in 35:34, shortly followed by Tara Bage who clocked 35:58. The 3rd placed fimisher was April James-Welsh in 38:18.

It was the 5km though which saw some very impressively fast times with strogn depth. For the men the top three finishers all managed well under the 15-minute barrier. It was Crawley AC’s, James Westlake, who managed to take the win with a solid 14:29! That is a whole 12 seconds faster than his previous lifetime best.

Following behind Westlake was Kevin Moore of Brighton and Hove AC in 14:39. Moore also had a previous best of 14:41, so managed to narrowly dip under it to set a new PB. Joshua Burgess of Lewes AC was third in 14:52. The mass turnout of AB Training Group athletes saw 12 men run sub 16 minutes.

James Westlake. Photo: Tom Craggs

Georgia Bell took the win in the women’s event with a solid 16:34, also her 5k debut. Second place went to AFD athlete, Laura Gent, in a season’s best time of 17:02, followed by Laura Boehm in 17:17. The women’s field was equally strong with 16 women running under 19 minutes.

Tooting Bec 3000m took place mid week. The event seeded people according to time and saw some speedy times. The winner, Dominic Nolan (Croydon), crossed the line with an impressive lead. He stopped the clock on 8:27.48, ahead of Dulwich’s Jack Ramm who ran 8:43.97 for second place. It was Edward Chuck, also of Dulwich, who came in third with a solid time of 8:46.15.

The first woman to complete the 7.5 lap distance was Leah Harris of Worthing. Harris knocked 5 seconds off her personal best, setting a new time of 9:42.78. Shortly behind in 9:48.11 was Katie Olding of Thames Valley Harriers. Third place was secured by Arena80 athlete, Caroline Hoyte in 10:18.98.

Mitchell wins at Dorney Lake

A 5k, 10k and half marathon took place at Dorney Lake catering for plenty of athletes. There were some speedy times ran over all distances, however the course measurements were questionable as the course had to be redirected to be made safer.

The 5k event saw Alex Miell-Ingram take the win with a strong time of 15:29. It was James Maloney who took second place with 15:32, followed by Neil Kevern in 15:35. For the women, it was Vicki Taylor who ran herself to the top of the podium with a time of 18:37, followed by Zoe Weiler and Bea Lafreniere in 21:14 and 21:42 respectively.

By a significant margin, Ben Kruze took home the win in the 10k event with a solid 32:33, almost 2 minutes ahead of second place. Helen Pool was the winner of the women’s race in 42:09.

The half marathon distance saw Naomi Mitchell of Reading AC run a glorious race to take the win, also placing her joint 3rd overall. Mitchell crosses the line in an impressive 1:16:53. The winner of the men’s race in 1:15:04 was Chris Mullin.

SOAR are part of the UK club running scene and we are delighted to support the weekend roundup. To find out how we can help you match your club kit to your ambition check out this article or get in touch here.

The SOAR X TOUR is our way of staying true to the pursuit of summer speed. With a three-staged virtual races series, open to runners worldwide.

SOAR X TOUR sees racers test themselves over 1km, 1 mile and 5km consecutively over a 10 day period, with both stage and overall rankings and prizes up for grabs.

The post The SOAR Running weekend roundup appeared first on Fast Running.

In the first top-flight international one-day meet since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the Ugandan’s stunning run knocked two seconds from Kenenisa Bekele’s 16-year old world record time of 12:37.55.

The record had been one of the longest standing in athletics, with the closest being Selemon Barega with 12:43 since it was set by Bekele back in 2004. Gebrselassie in 1998 and Komen in 1994 are the only other athletes to have run inside 12:40.

Cheptegei said “I’ve learned that anything is possible, if you have the right mindset and believe. I really thank Kenenisa so much for inspiring me when I started running. He has always been a big inspiration and motivation to me. This record is a special moment for me and I like to thank Kenenisa for his inspiration.”

In his first competitive appearance since February, when he smashed the world 5km road record also in Monaco, Joshua has been diligently preparing for the world record attempt in his native Uganda alongside his coach, Addy Ruiter.

Last year he secured the world cross country title in Denmark and world 10.000m crown in Doha. He also set a world 10km record and landed the 5000m Diamond League Trophy in Zurich.

Find out more at the NN Running Team website.

Want to run faster? For just £30 per month athletes are provided with a Final Surge plan for each day of the week, coaching advice from Robbie Britton and Tom Craggs, as well as access to the unique Fast Running Performance community.

If you would like more information on joining the project, click here. 

The post Cheptegei breaks Bekele’s 5000m record appeared first on Fast Running.

Setting off like she was on a mission from the very start, Kosgei crested the finishing tape in 2:14:04 (unofficial). This is, for me, a better performance than Kipchoge’s 1:59:40 in Vienna yesterday. Simply fantastic running.

From the first 5km split it looked like something very special could be on, with the 64:28 half marathoner (although that was at the Great North Run and not record eligible) going through in 15:28. That’s around 2:10 marathon pace, although she settled into 2:14 pace and went through halfway in 66:59.

When the pacemakers dropped away around the 30km mark some expected the Kenyan to slow down, but that wasn’t the case at all. The 30-35km split was 15:57 and that’s just four seconds slower than Mo Farah ran for the same segment, albeit a few minutes earlier.

Jonathan Gault, of LetsRun.com, reported on Twitter that Kosgei then went on to run her 24th mile in 4:45, which is sub 2:05 marathon pace. That speed so late in the race is simply phenomenal. 40km passed in 2:07:11 and at this point you start to believe that this weekend marathon history is really being made.

Breaking into the top 30 overall, Brigid Kosgei smashed Paul Radcliffe’s 2:15:25 set in London back in 2003 wth a 2:14:04. That’s around 5:07 per mile for the 26.2 miles.

The men’s race

The men’s race was won in 2:05:45 by Lawrence Cherono, in a sprint finish with Dejene Debela, Asefa Mengstu and Bedan Karoki. Sir Mo Farah finished in eighth position in what must be a disappointing 2:09:58 for the 2018 winner.

It was anyone’s win coming into the final stretch, but Cherono had the legs of the other runners and all four finished within eight seconds.

Farah was off the pace of the leaders by half way, running 62:54 and forty seconds back from the lead. It may not sound like a lot, but it’s a lifetime when there are six world class marathoners in the lead pack. Farah had training partner Bashir Abdi for company, but the Belgian pulled away in the second half and went on to finish fifth in 2:06:14.

It is worth noting that both Kosgei and Cherono are managed by Federico Rosa and Associati. The Italian athlete representative was also responsible for representing Abel Kiprop, Jemima Sumgong, Matthew Kisorio, Agatha Jeruto and Rita Jeptoo, all of whom have been banned for doping offences. In 2016 Rosa himself was charged with doping offences, but the case was later dropped by authorities in Kenya.

Fionnuala McCormack PB

Irish international Fionnuala McCormack finished an excellent fifth in 2:26:47 to take a huge chunk off of her 2:30:38 PB from Boston marathon earlier this year.

The cross country star is a runner who seems suited to the hard work and grind of the marathon distance and it was great to see her pass through halfway in 1:12:56 and hold strong for a 2:26:47 finish.

We believe this puts McCormack third on the all time marathon list for Ireland, behind Catherina McKiernan (2:22:23) and Irish born Australian international Sinead Diver (2:24:11), although technically McCormack’s mark is second all time as Diver ran her time representing Australia.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. 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 New Marathon World Record for Brigid Kosgei in Chicago appeared first on Fast Running.

A stunning world indoor 1500m record by Samuel Tefera of Ethiopia was backed up by an emphatic smashing of the British record by Laura Muir at the Muller Indoor Grand Prix Birmingham on Saturday (February 16).

In the women’s mile at Arena Birmingham, Muir was the winner by over 10 seconds from Uganda’s Winnie Nanyondo in a new British record of 4:18.75.

The mark puts Muir third on the all-time list behind Ethiopia’s world record holder Genzebe Dibaba and Romania’s Doina Melinte.

En route to the mile record, that had previously been held for 31 years by Kirsty Wade with 4:23.86, Muir also broke her own 1500m mark for the UK. The 1500m split was a rapid 4:01.83, but it was her own best that the European champion was improving.

“I am really, really happy to have got another British record,” said Muir afterwards. “The reception was amazing and I am so happy I could deliver that today.

“To get the British record was fantastic, but, for me, it was just about having a solid run today, coming away with the win and with a good time and I have done that with the world lead and the joint third fastest time ever behind the current world and European record – I will take third. When you run by yourself, it is tough, but I felt good.”

Muir added: “I just wanted to run a similar distance to 1500m because I have not raced over 1500m since the end of last season. It was the perfect way to prepare for Glasgow, to run one of the fastest times ever, a British record and get the win in the last race for a championships is perfect. So, I am really happy and confident going into Glasgow.”

The reigning European 1500m and 3000m champion is aiming to retain both titles at the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow and is looking in excellent form to do just that.

With only two weeks to go, it is a big statement to those trying to beat the Scot at either distance in her home country.

Tickets are still available for those who want to see some indoor action at the beginning of March.

World record for 19 year old Tefera

A world 1500m record for Ethiopian teenager Samuel Tefera was another highlight of the evening. The 19 year-old ran a blistering 3:31.04 to set the new indoor 1500m mark, but the way the race was won made it even more entertaining.

World record for Ethiopia's Samuel Tefera caps off sensational day in Birmingham #WorldIndoorTour

:https://t.co/PACerCGCec pic.twitter.com/adaO4WJkZc

— IAAF (@iaaforg) February 16, 2019

The young Ethiopian raced with compatriot Yomif Kejelcha after the pace makers set an electric pace from the start. Kejelcha, 21, narrowly missed Hicham El Guerrouj’s mile indoor record last week at the Melrose Games and was the favourite for this event. Yet it was the even younger Tefera who was the victor and the new indoor world record holder.

“I can’t believe that,” said Tefera post-race. “I’m delighted with the outcome and to have the world record is a special feeling.”

The fast pace at the front helped British runners excel as well, with Josh Kerr finishing fourth in a Scottish record of 3:35.72.

Four British runners broke 3:40 with Chris O’Hare fifth with 3:37.42, Charlie Grice ninth in 3:39.04 and Elliot Giles 10th in 3:39.53.

McColgan keen to prove fitness for Glasgow

Eilish McColgan ran the 3000m at the Birmingham meet and finished seventh in 8:57.19, which is her best time of 2019.

After missing the British indoor champs due to illness it will be the performance that selectors for the European Championships will look at.

Hopefully, the determined running of the distance athlete will be enough to give her a medal opportunity in Glasgow next month.

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 Laura Muir stars as records tumble in Birmingham appeared first on Fast Running.

Jasmin Paris achieved something extraordinary to become the first female outright winner of the 268 mile Montane Spine Race on Wednesday (January 16).

The phenomenal athlete wasn’t finished there though, and after covering the 268 mile route in 83 hours, 12 minutes and 23 seconds, she dismantled Eoin Keith’s overall course record by more than 12 hours.

Congratulations to Jasmin Paris for breaking, sorry destroying, the men’s and women’s course record for @TheSpineRace when winning outright tonight.

268 miles, in winter, in 83hrs 12 minutes. That is some going. Bravo.

— Fast Running (@FastRunning) January 16, 2019

In a time when female athletes are seeing more – but still not an equal share – of media coverage, one sport seems to be doing a huge amount to inspire other women to break boundaries. Ultra running, I like to think, is leading the way. 

The sport involves running anything longer than the traditional marathon distance of 26.2 miles. It might be a niche one itself, but the wow factor often sees it make headlines in running media, if not mainstream media.

For any ultra runner there are a bunch of fantastic women at the front of the sport inspiring all of us. They’re taking not only women’s ultra running, but ultra running as a whole to new levels. Just exactly what Paris demonstrated along the Pennine Way.

Why?

Many will point out that the longer distances suit female runners better. It can be due to factors such as how fuel is burnt within our bodies and just how much pain and suffering can be endured. That said, physiologically there is still a similar 10-11% difference between world records. Male athletes should, physically, have more potential. Ultra running isn’t just about the physical side though.

Ultra running is about dealing with pain, being organised and pacing well. You need to forget about your ego and just grind it out when the going gets tough. It’s a wonderful leveller across the board and as a male I take full advantage of this too, beating much better runners over longer distances.

I have to be careful how I write this, but hopefully, the sentiment comes across correctly. Even though I disagree that female runners are more physically suited to ultra running – they are better ultra runners!

Being a good ultra runner isn’t about your VO2 Max, top speed or how quick you run a marathon. It’s about reaching the best of your own potential and the women beat the men at this nearly every time. Being a good ultra runner is about being the best you can be. Not just running but managing everything within your control to get to that finish line as soon as you can, not trying to get there ‘quickly’.

These ladies

Plenty of ultra races have been won outright by female athletes, but some might have put this down to weak fields. I even heard this week that it was “good weather for the Spine this year, everyone will beat records”.

Yet the course record holder was racing as well. Irish international Eoin Keith toed the very same start line, in the same conditions, as Paris did. She was just the better ultra runner on the day.

The same can be said for Camille Herron at the Desert Solstice 24hr race in December. The Nike runner beat the world record for 24hrs, but also achieved the feat while racing some of the best male ultra runners such as Patrick Reagan and World 12hr record holder Zach Bitter.

It’s not just that ladies are winning outright, but it’s the dominating style in which they are doing it with.

RELATED: Camille Herron: Breaking world records, 100-miles at a time

Both Paris and Herron were there to race. They were racing everyone and gender was not in the equation. If you’re there alongside them wearing a pair of trainers, then you’re finishing second. Whoever you are, if you’re racing this ladies in their sport then you’re in for a rough ride.

Holly Page was winning fell races outright last year and travelling the world to win Sky Running races too. Backpacking and hitchhiking to start lines and still beating the world’s best.

Our housemate, Swedish Mimmi Kotka, strikes fear in the hearts of everyone on a startline too. Major international races like the Mont Blanc 90km and the Annecy Maxi Race Mimmi is in the top 10 overall. My wife Natalie White streams past everyone whilst descending in a race. You can even tell it annoys some of the men. Some try to stop her coming past, but that won’t hold her back. 

Personal inspiration

The list of women that I look up to in my sport doesn’t stop there. At the very beginning of my career, women like Mimi Anderson were running like I could only dream of.

In my first really big event, the 145 mile Grand Union Canal race, I was delighted with my seventh spot and 31 hour plus time. But my friend Claire Shelley had bounced along to a 30 hour finish.

I was still trying to get into the 24hr running squad when the likes of Debbie Martin-Consani, Sharon Law and Emily Gelder were winning medals and running great distances.

Actually my first run for Great Britain I was just hoping to equal the PB of Emily as she was a teammate. Gelder had won an individual medal at the last champs. We were actually told off for running together as you’re not allowed to pace people in a different race. Seeing as my PB at the time was significantly less than Emily’s I guess I was the one accepting illegal pacing, but I was just running with a peer who I looked up to.

Then you have the likes of Herron and Courtney Dauwalter breaking boundaries in the USA. Herron is setting world records that, for me, make the men’s world record seem not as totally impossible as it once did. If Herron thinks she can do it, then maybe I can get a bit closer too. The sheer belief of such a great athlete inspires me to be better than I am.

Female ultra runners for the win

Our sport of ultra running, as strange as it might be, has some of the best female role models in sport as a whole. I could reel off a dozen names of women who inspire me, many mentioned in this article already. 

The media should be shouting from the rooftops about Jasmin Paris, a new mother who works as a vet and still studying, setting a new course record for this race. How great a message could this be? Hats off to Matt Butler at the i newspaper for running the story. The BBC Breakfast show even did an interview, but it should be even more mainstream. It should be everywhere.

So I’m writing this simply to say well done to a fellow ultra runner, but also to highlight how the inov8 athlete is one of many amazing runners I look up to.

What Jasmin Paris did this January isn’t just a one-off. She’s been breaking new ground in the mountain and fell running world for the last few years, and her records, be it the Spine or the Bob Graham Round, will stand the test of time. 

RELATED: Holly Page wins fell race outright and sets course record

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 Taking inspiration from the women of ultra running appeared first on Fast Running.

Camille Herron won the race outright and set a new world best at the Desert Solstice Invitational 24hr race in Phoenix, Arizona on Sunday (December 9)

So just how far one woman can run in a single day? The answer, incase you wondered, is 162.919 miles or 262km.

The Nike athlete broke the world record for 100 miles last year and set a 12 hour best too, but this is her first full effort at the 24hr distance.

The event, organised by Aravaipa Running, has 33 athletes running around a 400m track at Central High School in Midtown, Phoenix. Runners all have targets of open and age group National and World records.

The format

When the gun went off at 8:00 on Saturday morning the intrepid runners all headed off casually around the first bend of many ahead. The goal was simple, to run as many laps as possible in a 24hr period. Apart from changing direction every four hours, there wasn’t much more to it. Sounds easy right?

The difficulty in this type of event often comes from pacing, fuelling, hydration, muscle damage or just sheer boredom. Runners with world class ultra marathon pedigree have come unstuck at 24hr races in the past and this weekend was no different.

One such athlete was world 12 hour record holder Zach Bitter. The Altra sponsored speedster set the early pace with Herron and went through 100 miles in around 13 hours, with Herron not far behind. Both runners looked like they were working hard and still had 11 hours left to run.

It may have been a little short of the American male 100 mile marker for track (which Bitter owns anyway), but Herron posted a 13:25:00 track 100 mile record en route to the 24hr. It had previously been held by Gina Slaby at 13:45. Such was the pace though Bitter, in his first 24hr attempt, struggled soon after and it was his body letting him down as Herron surged onwards.

RELATED: Fast Running interview with Camille after her 100 mile world record.

The record

Once the tall ultra runner with an unconventional stride hit the front of the race there was no looking back. Apart from a short blip around 18 hours, where Herron changed shoes and walked a few laps, the record of Patrycja Bereznowska kept her moving forward.

Using Maurten energy drink and Spring energy gels the tall former 100k World Champion continued to eat up the track ahead of her, but visibly slowed in the latter stages. The record predictor suggested we’d see the mark go at 21-22 hours but as the hours passed it looked like the buffer had gone down to fifteen minutes.

In the final 30 minutes we got closer and closer and only a full collapse would have stopped the record being broken. Some wondered if Herron would stop at the previous mark or just beyond, but it seemed to give her new life. Poland’s Patrycja Bereznowska has only held the record for under two years and the American wants to keep it for a while it seems.

Herron was supported by her husband Connor Holt and his crewing and encouragement seemed to play a big part in the success as teamwork is an important part of 24hr running.

Future showdown

What might be exciting in the future is that we have athletes like Herron and Berenowska competing in the same era. Often great athletes do not meet when records and limits are being redefined, but with other great females, like USA’s Courtney Dauwaulter and Poland’s Aleksandra Niwinska, all hopefully aiming to compete at the 2019 World 24hr Championships in Albi, France next year we might see the record go again.

It is an empowering time for women’s sport and there is no greater example than in ultra running. Not only are Herron, and others, beating all the men in their races, they’re also setting course records and running times that might turn the European and World championships on their heads too.

It’s worth mentioning that it was a good day for US men’s 24hr running too with a win in the men’s race (but second overall) for Jacob Jackson with 157.58 miles, and three other men also breaking 150 miles. School teacher Greg Armstrong actually ran his whole 155.09 mile distance in a fancy pair of sandals and his feet looked a little sore by the end. Kudos Greg.

Full results can be found here.

Watching the events unfold as Herron beat my own personal best too, all I can say is I better get out running again soon.

Not only is Camille inspiring female ultra runners, but the men best all get their act together too. We’ve already had a female outright winner for the 24hr Commonwealth championships in Britain’s Lizzy Hawker, could we see a female outright winner at the Worlds in 2019?

RELATED: Fast Running interview with Camille after her 100 mile world record.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. 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 Camille Herron runs 162.9 miles and breaks 24hr world record appeared first on Fast Running.

Abraham Kiptum posted a record breaking time of 58:18 to win the men’s race at the Medio Maratón de Valencia Trinidad Alfonso on Sunday (October 28).

The Kenyan athlete took five seconds off the previous world record of 58:23 set by Zersenay Tadese at the Lisbon Half Marathon in 2010.

It is a 51 seconds personal best for Kiptum, who clocked 59:09 in Copenhagen last month to finish second.

Ethiopia’s Jemal Yimer finished second in 58:33 and moves to joint third on the all-time list, while compatriot Abadi Hadis finished third in 58:44 with eight men finishing under the hour mark.

Great Britain’s Callum Hawkins was the first European male athlete across the line in 16th place in a time 61:00.

It is not the first world record to be broken on the fast Valencia course after Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei broke the women’s world record last year in a time of 64:51.

Ethiopia’s Gelete Burka won the women’s race in 66:11 two seconds ahead of UAE’s Alia Mohammed Saeed, while Kenya’s Edith Chelimo completed the podium in 66:18.

Top 10 men
1) Abraham Kiptum (KEN) 58:18
2) Jemal Yimer (ETH) 58:33
3) Abadi Hadis (ETH) 58:44
4) Amdamlak Belihu Berta (ETH) 59:19
5) Stephen Kiprop (KEN) 59:21
6) Bernard Kipkorir Ngeno (KEN) 59:22
7) Simon Cheprot (KEN) 59:28
8) Abel Kipchumba (KEN) 59:29
9) Mangata Ndiwa (KEN) 60:01
10) Teshome Mekonen (ETH) 60:02

Top 10 women
1) Gelete Burka (ETH) 66:11
2) Alia Mohammed Saeed (UAE) 66:13
3) Edith Chelimo (KEN) 66:18
4) Pauline Korikwiang (KEN) 66:31
5) Diana Chemtai Kipyogei (KEN) 67:07
6) Bekelech Gudeta (ETH) 67:48
7) Yeshi Kalayu Chekole (ERI) 67:58
8) Helen Bekele Tola (ETH) 68:39
9) Risper Chebet (KEN) 70:02
10) Karoline Nadolska (POL) 70:43

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 Abraham Kiptum breaks world half marathon record in Valencia appeared first on Fast Running.

Norwegian ultra runner Bjørn Tore Taranger ran an astonishing 264.5km on a treadmill in 24 hours to break the world record set last year.

The 39 year-old’s show of endurance took place in the Norwegian city of Bergen and finished at 10 am on Friday (October 12).

Australian Luca Turrini set the previous record of 261.18km last year.

Before Taranger had Turrini’s record in sight, he surpassed the Norwegian record at the 240km mark.

Taranger, who finished in 10th place at the 24hr World Championships in Belfast in 2017, has a (non-treadmill) 24hr personal best of 257.6km.

While the IAAF will not be rectifying it anytime soon, it should find its way into the Guinness record book in the not too distant future.

“I knew I had it in me, I was not in doubt,” said Taranger afterwards. “I knew that as long as I managed to get in my nutrition, follow the plan with the wonderful people here who have supported me throughout the night. That was awesome!”

RELATED: How can you make treadmill running less boring?

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 Norwegian runner breaks 24hr treadmill world record appeared first on Fast Running.

The 100 men and women ran a collective time of 64 hours 36 minutes and 22 seconds to improve on the previous mark of 69:06:52 at RAF Cosford track.

The previous record was set three years ago by an America team at the Shepard High School track in Palos Heights, Illinois.

The record attempt was the idea of RAF Athletics Association Group Captain John Lawlor and Michael Kallenberg as a way of marking the Air Force’s centenary year.

Starting on Monday (May 21), Lawlor ran the first leg in 44:21, but it was the sixth runner and first female, SAC Chloe Finlay, who ran 39:48 on the sixth leg who brought the overall time under the previous record.

The average time required was around 41 minutes per person and the RAF runners were two hours inside the record at the halfway mark and the time only continued to fall.

Head organiser Kallenberg, a 2:20 marathoner who clocked 30:40 at the Telford 10k already this year, ran the final celebratory leg in 35:22 at 5:00am on Thursday (May 24) to take a superb 4 hours and 22 minutes off the record.

NEW WORLD RECORD!!! 100x10k Relay! Absolutely no words!

This was SAC Mike Kallenberg’s idea 9 months ago and now it’s a reality! Massive congrats to all the runnes/officials/timekeepers! pic.twitter.com/v5uYQCpU6H

— RAF 100x10k Relay (@10kRAF100) May 24, 2018

The RAF has a fine history of distance running with longtime British Marathon record holder Steve Jones within their ranks, although they didn’t need the Welshman’s 10,000m PB of 27:39 this time.

The post RAF runners smash 100 x 10km world record appeared first on Fast Running.