Archived Homepage For August 21, 2015
Archived Homepage For August 21, 2015

2015 Beijing Worlds Start Friday Night In US – Day 1 Should Be Incredible *Schedule & Results *TV & Streaming*Entries*LRC Prediction Contest *LRC Previews: *M800 *W800 *M1,500 *W1,500 *MSteeple *WSteeple*M5k (Coming) *W5k (Coming) *M10k*W10k*MMarathon*WMarathon (Coming)

MB: Official 2015 World Championships Marathon Discussion

Friday Night (7:35pm ET): LRC Worlds Start With A Bang – A Clash Of The Titans In The Marathon Prime Time Friday Night In USA The 2015 World Championships start with a bang as world beater Wilson Kipsang, WR holder Dennis Kimetto and Olympic/World champ Stephen Kiprotich lead a field that includes six 2:05 or faster runners and 24 men with sub-2:10 PRs. The race should be LIVE on Universal Sports in the USA (7:30pm Eastern).

Friday 10:25pm ET – MSteeple Heats – (Final Is Monday Morning At 9:15am ET) Jager_EvanFHL-Paris15LRC Can Evan Jager Do The Unthinkable And Win Gold?: Worlds Men’s Steeplechase Preview It’s Jager vs. the Kenyans in the USA-Kenyan dual meet as Kenya and the USA have the top 7 entrants.

Friday 11:15pm ET – W1,500 Heats – LRC 2015 Worlds Women’s 1,500 Preview – “On paper, this isn’t a race; it’s a coronation.” – Can Americans Jenny Simpson And Shannon Rowbury Somehow Take Down Genzebe Dibaba?What a race. This race has it all. The returning champ. The European champ who has run 3:56.05. Two historically fast Americans. And, oh yeah, the world record holder. We break it down for you in 3,300 words. This preview is so good we feel guilty not charging you for it.*Discuss
*LRCThe Lauren Johnson Story: From Over 2:20 For 800 In HS To The U.S. World Championships Team At 1,500

Rudisha LegendFriday 11:50pm ET – M800 Heats – LRC Men’s 800 Preview: A Terrific Showdown Between The Big Three Of Mo Aman, Nijel Amos & David Rudisha The last time David Rudisha, Nijel Amos and Mo Aman raced at a global championships, King David mesmerized the world with a 1:40.91 WR. Track fans have had to wait 3 years for the rematch. Which of the Big 3 will win? Or could it be upstart Amel Tuka?

Saturday Morning 8:50am ET – LRC2015 Worlds Men’s 10,000 Preview: Can Geoffrey Kamworor (Or Anyone) Stop Mo Farah? Can Galen Rupp Medal?This year, in the span of 118 days, Mo Farah ran 59:32 for 13.1 and 3:28 for 1,500. How does that combination of strength and speed possibly lose? World XC champ Geoffrey Kamworor hopes he has the answer – be in shape to run 27:11 for 10,000 at 5,500 feet of altitude. *Discuss

Monday Morning 8:35am ET:LRC 2015 Worlds Women’s 10,000 Preview: Can Anyone Stop Vivian Cheruiyot From Returning To The Winner’s Circle And Winning A 4th Track Gold? Will Molly Huddle Medal? An American man has never medaled in the 10,000 at Worlds but Molly Huddle has a real shot at joining Kara Goucher and Shalane Flanagan as a global medalist. Vivian Cheruiyot is back from maternity leave and seems like a near lock for gold given Tirunesh Dibaba‘s absence.

LetsRun Previews: *M800 *W800 *M1,500 *W1,500 *MSteeple *WSteeple *M5,000 (Coming) *W5,000 (Coming) *M10k *W10k *MMarathon *WMarathon (Coming)

IAAF:Event-By-Event Previews
*Men:*100*200*400*110H*400H *HJ*PV*LJ*TJ*SP*Discus*Javelin*Hammer*Decathlon
*Women:*100*200*400*100H*400H *HJ*PV*LJ*TJ*SP *Discus*Javelin*Hammer*Heptathlon

Pre-Worlds Distance News

Pre-Worlds Non-Distance News

More Distance News

The Sam Chelanga Story

LRCThe Accidental Runner: Sam Chelanga's Amazing Journey From Poverty In Rural Kenya To American Citizen And US Olympic Favorite

Sam Chelanga always vowed he'd bring change to his totally impoverished village where his mother died when he was young. At age 20, he was told by marathon world record holder Paul Tergat he should become a runner if he wanted to go to college. Chelanga's first thought was no way. "I went home and I had made up my mind. This dream of helping people, trying to get a higher education, it's too much. It's hurting me," said Chelanga, but in the end, he gave it a try and now a 27:08 collegiate record, 4 NCAA titles and favorite status for the 2016 US Olympic team are his reality - as is clean drinking water for his village.

Doping Updates

 The Answer To Doping Is Not Legalizing It 

IAAF Pre-Election News

Worlds Start In 5 Days

 Falmouth Pre-Race News 

Previous 2015 Beijing Worlds News

Death Threat At USAs Unveiled

LRCPolice Report: Nike Global Director Of Athletics John Capriotti Threatened To Kill Brooks Beasts Head Coach And Former Nike Employee Danny Mackey At 2015 USAs At USAs, it was stated that people had been threatened at the meet but the details were missing – until now. LetsRun.com has obtained a police report stating that Nike’s John Capriotti threatened the life of the Brooks Beasts coach Danny Mackey. Witnesses interviewed by LetsRun.com support Mackey’s claim.
*MB: Nike’s Global Director of Athletics John Capriotti Threatened To Kill Brooks Beasts Head Coach Danny Mackey At 2015 USAs

Bolt Vs. Gatlin Is Sunday Morning In USA

LRC Fans’/Idiots’ Guide To Day 1 (Friday/ Saturday) Of The World Championships

Gatlin_JustinR-Doha15LRC Everything You Need To Know About Justin Gatlin’s Drug Positives Before His Showdown With Bolt, Including His Dad Got A Gun And Wanted To Kill Trevor Graham In a LetsRun first, we show some sympathy for Justin Gatlin, reveal how his dad intended to kill Trevor Graham when he heard his son tested positive (as part of an April Fools Prank), and how Gatlin’s own agent didn’t buy the Chris Whetstine sabotage story. Plus, we go on the the record and say Gatlin should never have been banned 4 years.
Excellent Read: Tim Layden Sports Illustrated: Usain Bolt vs. Justin Gatlin: 100 meters for the soul of track?

Doping Talk

Legal Stuff

 More IAAF Politics 

The Lauren Johnson Story

LRCThe Lauren Johnson Story: From Over 2:20 For 800 In HS To The U.S. World Championships Team At 1,500 Johnson grew up in Indiana playing basketball and didn’t take running seriously until her senior year of college. Now she’s heading to Worlds.

LRC Reacts To The Sunday Times Doping Investigation

LRCLetsRun.com’s Thoughts On The Sunday Times Doping Investigation – Including Kenyan Medalists May Be CLEANER Than Other Countries We’ve had a couple of weeks to digest the Sunday Times doping data and we share our thoughts, mainly trying to give some perspective.

LRCThree Things That Need To Be Done To Immediately Improve The Anti-Doping Fight The Sunday Times exposé has shown us there needs to bea lot more transparency in the anti-doping fight.

LRCThe Good, The Bad And The Interesting From The Sunday Times Doping In Athletics Data A good read if you actually haven’t read the Sunday Times series as we try to summarize the numbers, including the longer the distance the more cheats, and New Zealand is as clean as snow.

Legal News

2015 Beijing Worlds – Get Your Picks In

LRC$200,015 LRC Running Warehouse Worlds Prediction Contest Is Here!

Worlds start Friday night in Beijing and our world famous prediction contest always makes Worlds way more interesting. Plus, thanks to Running Warehouse, Saucony and Molly Huddle, we've got some cool Saucony/Molly Huddle-themed prizes. 

1,103 Days Later But Well Worth The Wait

MB:Turkey’s Asli Cakir Alptekin Stripped Of 2012 Olympic Gold In 1,500 For Doping (link fixed) Alptekin’s victory didn’t pass the “smell test.” Thankfully, after her initial DQ was overturned by the Turks, she’s agreed to accept an 8-year ban and forfeit her 2012 gold medal. That’s the good news. The bad news … the new Olympic champ is fellow Turk Gamze Bulut, who had never broken 4:18 prior to 2012 and hasn’t broken 4:07 since 2012.

2015 New Balance Falmouth *Results

LRC Stephen Sambu (32:17) & Diane Nukuri (36:47) Streak To Titles At 43rd Falmouth Road Race Americans Abdi Abdirahman, Chris Derrick and Meb Keflezighi all had the lead at one point in the men’s race but the top Americans were Sara Hall (2nd) and Sam Chelanga (4th). Derrick ended up getting trounced but thinks he’s ready to PR at 5,000. Keflezighi reveals he recently was forced to walk home in the middle of a 12-mile training run. And American marathoners, it’s time to get nervous as Chelanga reveals he may run the Trials. Post-race interviews with Americans Keflezighi, Chelanga, Derrick, and Hall.
*RRW:Stephen Sambu Is Big Winner At Falmouth; Wins Race, Countdown Bonus

2015 Worlds Start Next Saturday – Distance News *Entries Released

Administrative News

Sponsorship News

Thursday Miling

LRC Jack Bolas (3:58) And Rachel Schneider (4:31) Win Inaugural Boxcar Mile Bolas won over Ford Palmer (3:59.30) and Ashley Schneider beat out Heather Wilson (4:33.04) and Ashley Higginson (4:34.32).


Interesting To Say The Least: Q&A With Jamaican Sprinter Steve Mullings, Who 4 Years After His Lifetime Ban Is Still Shouting His Innocence Mullings contends that both times he tested positive he was sabotaged by the JAAA and JADCO and that he’s had threats on his life. He claims that JAAA/JADCO refused to do a DNA test and blocked him from a CAS hearing.

Worlds Are Coming

Book Reviews

LRC Book Review Of Once a Runner Prequel Racing the Rain By John L. Parker, Jr. – “It works and has the potential to draw a new audience into Once a Runner.” Racing the Rain isn’t about Quenton Cassidy‘s development as a runner, but rather his development into a runner. The novel opens by introducing a second-grade Cassidy and concludes with the miler moving into his familiar room in Southeastern University’s Doobey Hall. In between, Parker’s sharp prose richly describes what it was like to grow up a middle-class baby boomer on Florida’s Gold Coast.

LRC Book Review: How to Race the Mile By Jeff Hollobaugh – “A terrific resource for younger runners.” And “… also a great read for even the expert fan.” We recommend the book, which is a comprehensive look at the mile from the 19th century to the present and is full of rich race histories.

Pre-Worlds Distance News

 Oscar P Is Not Free 

Oscar Pistorius To Remain In Prison After South African Justice Department Rules Early Release As “Premature” His parole has been postponed until after his case is reviewed since he could end up with a longer sentence.

Pre-Worlds Sprint News

Pre-Worlds Distance News

It’s Sunday And The Sunday Times Has Another Front Page IAAF Doping Allegation

The article is on the front page of the paper todaySunday TimesIAAF Blocked Publication Of Paper In Scientific Journal Saying 1/3 Of Competitors At 2011 World Champs Took An Anonymous Survey Where They Said They Doped We’re not sure how it can be scientific when you ask people “have you doped” and tell them it is totally anonymous. At the same time, the IAAF should let the survey come out.

Recommended Read: Best Recap of Situation Appears In The New York Times

IAAF Denies: “The IAAF has never vetoed publication of this article. … The IAAF understands that the article in question was submitted for publication (in a scientific paper) but it was rejected.” The study, which was funded by WADA, was one where competitors in Daegu submitted anonymous surveys about whether they were a doper or not. The IAAF says this isn’t a new allegation as it was aired by ARD in 2013.
*BBC Recap

 More Doping News 

 Coe Vs. Bubka Goes Down Wednesday 

IAAF To Use Paper-Based Voting To Elect New IAAF President On Wednesday This is due to many previous problems with the electronic voting system.

2015 Worlds Start Next Saturday – Non-Distance News *Entries Released

Zane Branson Is Laid To Rest In Kenya

Make Sure Your Parents Walk

A Brisk Walk May Be All It Takes To Improve Our Ability To Think As We Age Old people who walked for 225 minutes a week were only a little smarter than those who did it for 75.

Worlds Didn’t Use To Almost Always Be Held In Asia (3 Out Of Last 5)

Journalist Takes A Trip Down Memory Lane And Recaps The 1st World Champs Held In Asia – Tokyo 1991 The track exceeded IAAF standards for hardness and was therefore great for sprinters.

Welcome To America (Officially)

LRCFour-Time NCAA Champion Sam Chelanga Became A U.S. Citizen On Friday

Chelanga, who has a 27:08 10,000 PR (a time surpassed by only two Americans in history), was sworn in as a citizen on Aug. 14 in Arizona.
*MB:Breaking: Sam Chelanga was sworn in as a US citizen today in Arizona

Doping News: Silver For Kara And Shalane?

More Big Thursday Headlines

The Integrity Of The Sport Is At Stake – Mike Rossi Is A Marathon Cheat And Should Have Been DQed From The 2014 Lehigh Valley Marathon

LRC Investigates Lehigh Valley Got It Wrong: The Evidence Is Conclusive: Mike Rossi – The Viral Boston Marathon Dad – Is A Marathon Cheat And Should Never Have Been On The Starting Line In Boston In April, Mike Rossi gained international fame for his snarky response to a letter from his kids’ principal scolding him for taking them out of school for several days to watch Boston. A LetsRun.com investigation has revealed that Rossi’s principal was correct, the kids should never have been in Boston as the evidence is conclusive – their father didn’t legitimately qualify for the 2015 Boston Marathon. How confident are we that Rossi cut the course when he “ran” his 3:11:45 BQ qualifier at Lehigh Valley? Extremely. We’ll pay Mike Rossi $10,000 if he qualifies again in the next 12 months – and the qualifying time is 13+ minutes slower – 3:25.
*MB: Did Mike Rossi (viral marathon dad) cheat his way into Boston?