Imagine a robot that can only run 60-second 400m pace. At what race distance could the world's best humans create the biggest gap? In 1962, Peter Snell became the first athlete to finish 15+ seconds ahead. Now we are approaching the 20-second barrier. Which current athletes are best-suited to break this "meta-barrier"? Andy Hardt gets nerdy and explores.
The sprint times in Memphis were sensational. Former Olympic champ Athing Mu-Nikolayev wasn't sensational but she took a step in the right direction. *Full broadcast replay
Bailey Hertenstein (14:48.91 pb) outkicked Taylor Roe (14:49.91 pb) to win the 5k as Karissa Schweizer and Lauren Ryan also broke 15:00. American record holder Alicia Monson ran 15:01.63 in her return to racing. Meghan Hunter (1:58.21) won the 800, where 4 women ran 1:58. Navasky Anderson (1:44.40) won the men's 800, where Hobbs Kessler was only 4th (1:44.77). NCAA champ Brian Musau dominated the 5000 in a big 12:59.82 pb as Rocky Hansen also PR'd in 2nd in 13:07.77. Drew Hunter picked up a big win in the men's 1500 (3:33.41), winning by 0.46 while Josette Andrews crushed the women's field by nearly 2 seconds in 4:00.10 as Katelyn Tuohy ran 4:08.
The men's 800 was better than the Olympic final and Wanyonyi showed why he's the Olympc champ. Wanyonyi now has six career sub-1:42s in the 800, one shy of David Rudisha's record, while Hoey is now 5-0 against rival Bryce Hoppel in 2025. In the 1k, Nelly Jepchirchir got the win in 2:29.77 as Addy Wiley broke her own AR. Yomif Kejelcha dominated the 5k. In the 400h, Femke Bol has also had a world lead (51.95). In the 5 also were world leads in the Jordan Scott (17.44 tj), Woo Sanghyeok (2.34 hj) *Youtube show *WA Recap
Plus the coaching merry-go-round among the top US women's 1500 runners this year and thoughts on the NBC broadcast, which disappointed.
3 finalists for women's Bowerman award named and they are all very deserving - Fan voting now open What a trio. Pamela Kosgei was undefeated outdoors, won 2 NCAA titles, and ran the #2 time ever in the 5k and 10k. Doris Lemngole SHATTERED the steeple record and broke 9:00. Savannah Sutherland ran 52.46 in the 400h and broke SML's NCAA record.
*Fan voting now open and runs through Thursday, 2 p.m. ET
Laros edged out Yared Nuguse by .01 in a thrilling Bowerman Mile while Mu finished last in her return to the 800 in 2:03.44.
For the first time in 32 years, two outdoor women's distance world records on the track fell on the same day. Chebet is the first woman under 14:00 for 5000m on the track while Kipyegon broke the 1500 record for the third time. *WA Recap
*Cornell grad Rudy Winkler breaks US and Diamond League record with 83.16m heave in hammer
What a meet. Full results as well as race replays.
🎧 Want our podcast breaking down the Pre Classic?
Join the LetsRun.com Supporters Club and get the pod +exclusive content you won't find anywhere else.
Or if you want to just watch the video of our pod and not get it on the go, click here.
As an athlete, Dellinger, 91, was an NCAA champion, American record holder, world record holder and Olympic medalist As a coach, he won four NCAA XC titles as coach at the University of Oregon, where he coached legendary athletes such as Steve Prefontaine, Alberto Salazar, and Matt Centrowitz.
Koech's coach Claudio Berardelli says his talent could be comparable to that of his two biggest stars, marathoner Sabastian Sawe and Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi. "I’m still trying to figure out exactly what happened and what is the potential of this boy," Berardelli said.
Kipyegon gave it a go but after hitting 1200 in 3:01.84 (4:03.82 mile pace), she faded to a 63-second last lap. *Full race video
Freeman found incredible success in an event that has often plagued American relay squads, but USATF chose not to renew her contract at the end of 2024. Why? Jonathan Gault investigates.
Kersee doesn't talk often to the media but he talked to our Jonathan Gault about his plans for Athing Mu. Kersee said he believes racing the 1500 will help make Mu a better 800 runner but said he also hopes she can run more 400s moving forward and that she can eventually break 49 seconds in that event.
Hoey's career had stagnated until connecting with Rinaldi in 2023. Within minutes of seeing him train in-person, Rinaldi knew he was special: "I said, if I can’t get this guy to run 1:44, there’s something wrong with me." (SC paywall lifted)
Donavan Brazier is running in the 1:43s after only 2 races in his comeback. This one was a beautiful victory that reminded us of the Brazier of old. In other action, former high school phenoms Katelyn Tuohy and Drew Hunter got wins, as current high schoolers Owen Powell and Josiah Tostenson ran 3:36 (#2 and #3 on the HS all-time list). Justyn Knight and Luis Grijalva returned to action.
After the most successful meet of the year in Philly, there will be no meet #4 in 2025 as it was abruptly cancelled 2 weeks before it was to take place. GST did not give a reason for the cancellation, but claimed there will be a meet in 2026 in LA.
This is a good idea as you'll save money and have a built in crowd. Plus you'll expose the current edition of US HS talents to the pros. The event will be used to pick the team for the World XC champs to be held in Tallahassee in January 2026. For the U20 teams, the top four finishers at USAs will get a spot, with the final two spots reserved for the NXN and Foot Locker champions.
Jonah Koech wasn't even supposed to be in Sunday's 1500. As they approached the bell, he was in 13th out of 17. A lap later, he was the champion. He is just the third American man to win a Diamond League 1500/mile and the first runner sponsored by Under Armour to win a DL race. His 3:37.27 pre-race pb is also the slowest of any man to win a DL 1500/mile.
For five years, Hoey cylced through coach after coach but barely improved from his 1:47.67 high school 800m pb. Learn why he moved around so often -- and why he never gave up. Part I of JG's 7,000+ word feature.
*MB: Josh Hoey profile by JG
The US indoor 1500m/3000m champion overhauled his fueling in workouts before the 2024 season. Now he swears by his routine.
In the span of one week in February, runners broke five world indoor records and every American men's middle-distance record from 800m to 5000m. Jonathan Gault spoke to some of America's top athletes and coaches to find the reasons behind all of the fast times.
From novice fans to running diehards, there was something for everyone (except perhaps Brits and Norwegians) to enjoy about one of the greatest middle distance races ever run.
Just before Blanks chases a 5,000m pb and collegiate record in what is likely his final NCAA race at Boston University on Saturday, he told LetsRun about the key session of his 2024 XC season -- one he described as "probably the best workout I've had so far in my career."
Simpson and Centrowitz, who both 1st medalled in 2011 and retired in 2024, leave the sport as two of the faces on the Mt. Rushmore of American 1500m running after piling up a combined eight medals at global championships. And despite not ever finishing in the top 3 on the yearly 1500 list (Simpson's best was 4th, Centro's 9th), they will be remembered as two of the better milers of their generation.
Your latest American stars share their insights.
Keira D'Amato, the new American record holder in the marathon, was joined by Deena Kastor, who held the record for 15 years.
Sisson was the guest on the LetsRun.com Track Talk podcast after she became the first American to go sub 67 in the half marathon on a record-eligible course. Podcast highlights above. Full pod here.
Woody Kincaid joined us after he broke the American record indoors at 5000. He talks above why he left the Bowerman Track Club. Podcast highlights and link to full podcast here.
Coogan's New Balance Boston team had 3 Olympians in 2021 and 2022 could be the biggest year yet for the program with 2 new additions and the TRACK at New Balance coming on March 1st.
Danny Mackey has taken the Brooks Beasts from an unproven club to the Olympic podium in its first decade.
Dathan Ritzenhein is the first of the top pro coaches to sit down and talk about his club heading into the 2022 campaign.
