A Ridiculous Solution To The USATF Half Wrong Turn Debacle

After a formal request by USATF CEO Max Siegel, World Athletics has agreed to give USATF 7 spots instead of 4 at the World Road Running Championships in September. This will allow the three women led off course during the USATF Half Champs, Jessica McClain, Emma Grace Hurley, and Ednah Kurgat, to race as well as the women who officially earned their spot. As part of the exception, only 4 of the athletes will count in the team scoring and USATF will cover all expenses for the additional entries. On this week's Track Talk podcast, we explained why we think this is a ridiculous decision.

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Controversy And Negative News
Indoor Season Is Over, Get Ready For Outdoor
World Indoors Leftovers
Latest GST News

The group of vendors who had threatened to sue GST reached a deal that will see them get paid about 14% to 15% of what they’re owed from GST. However, under this new plan, athletes will only get 70% of what they are owed. (The original plan would have seen athletes get 85% of what they are owed, but vendors only 1.5%.)

London Update

She hurt her Achilles training on the treadmill six weeks ago and hasn't recovered in time to race next month.

Day 3 @ 2026 World Indoors
Day 3 @ 2026 World Indoors

Lutkenhaus won gold at the age of 17 years, 93 days, younger than any individual men's gold medalist at not just World Indoors, but World Outdoors and the Olympics as well.

Hodgkinson set a championship record of 1:55.30 to win the 800, then ran the fastest split on the 4x400 (50.10) less than an hour later as her training mate Georgia Hunter Bell won gold in the 1500. Plus a look at why the meet was a TOTAL DISASTER for Africa. Africa had won at least one gold in each of the last 19 editions, and at least two golds in every edition since 1995. Yet in Torun, African athletes didn't just fail to win a distance gold; they failed to win a medal -- of any color -- in any event. Hell, Africa didn't even produce a finalist in the men's 1500.

Cooper Race Video & MB Talk
World Indoors Final Day Non-Distance Recaps
Day 2 @ 2026 World Indoors
Day 2 @ 2026 World Indoors
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Kerr won his second world indoor title in three years in 7:35.56. Hocker was way back with one lap to go and came on strong, but was too far behind to catch Kerr. He nipped France's Yann Schrub at the line by .01 with 7:35.70 for silver. Yared Nuguse was 5th (7:37.08). Italy's Nadia Battocletti (8:57.64) won a tactical women's final ahead of the USA's Emily Mackay (8:58.12) and Australia's Jessica Hull (8:58.18).

Josh Kerr wins a tactical 3000m showdown over Cole Hocker, Cooper Lutkenhaus runs the fastest World Indoors 800 semifinal since 1997, and Emily Mackay earns silver — we break down all the action from Day 2 in Toruń.

Lutkenhaus, who won his 800m semi comfortably in 1:44.29 -- the fastest time at World Indoors in 29 years -- will try to become the youngest medalist in the history of the World Indoor Championships on Sunday.

World Indoor Day 2 Field Recaps
Meet Fotyen Tesfay

Tesfay, who has a half-marathon best of 63:21 (#3 all-time) is the latest star in the group of famed Ethiopian coach Gemedu Dedefo, who has now coached five of the 11 fastest female marathoners in history.

The winners of our prediction contests

World indoors are this week. The LetsRun.com prediction contest team for Worlds is set.  Meet the winners from the USAs contest and some of our other recent contests as well. They highlight the best of LRC.

High School Nationals

Mantecon surged past Abdinasir Hassan on the final turn to win by 0.79 seconds. 4 races (5000m, 2-mile, DMR, mile), 4 golds and over 7 miles of racing.
*MB: Marcelo Mantecon incredible at Nike indoor nationals

    Friday HS Nationals Coverage

    Zang had a huge 35 second PR to run 9:42 for 3200m last week, but before that she hadn't even broke five minutes for a mile or 1600m. She dominated this race, winning over Abigail Hennessy (9:52.55) and NXN champ Natasza Dudek (9:52.77).
    *MB: WOW! HS Senior Katy Zang runs a 3200 in 9:42!

    Where Your Dreams Become Reality

    Unsponsored. Living in Tokyo. Dropped a 2:07:14. Dreams Do Become Reality.

    Father Time is undefeated

    In addition to his Olympic exploits, he was a 4-time NCAA champion for Villanova, as he the won the Mile in back-to-back years (1957, 1958) to go along with titles in the 1500 meters in 1956 and the 880 yards in 1958.

    LRC Exclusive

    Since he stopped racing in the middle of the 2025 cross country season for Iowa State, Seth Clevenger has taken DIII by storm. The Rowan University athlete is the DIII leader in three events. But following the release of a video of an alleged EPO order, multiple former teammates told LetsRun.com that Clevenger said he took banned substances in 2025 while at Iowa State and admitted as such to the coaching staff. The situation raises questions about a potential hole in the NCAA’s anti-doping policy. We investigate how a star could allegedly admit to banned drug use and remain eligible to compete.

    NCAA News - Qualifiers Posted for NCAA Indoor Champs
    The 2026 NBIGP was fantastic
    The 2026 NBIGP was fantastic

    St. Pierre won her first track race since the Paris Olympics by outkicking Linden Hall in the 3,000. Myers looked incredible in the men's 3,000. And Lyles got the pre-race attention but lost the 300 to Jereem Richards.

    Hoey called his own shot before the race and then backed it up, breaking Wilson Kipketer's 1:42.67 that had stood since 1997. And he was paced by his brother Jaxson.

    Kesler exploded past Grant Fisher in the final 125 and got the WR thanks to a 26.31 final 200 and 13.02 final 100.

    Getting ready for Millrose

    Cooper Lutkenhaus started 2026 in fine form with a 1:45 win in New York. Meghan Hunter went sub 2 in the 800 (Ajee Wilson 2:00.92), Wilma Nielsen won the mile at Katelyn Tuohy faded. *Race video
    Discuss:     UPDATE: Cooper Lutkenhaus DESTROYS pro field. Opens in 1:45.23!!! 

    2k Shot #1 Fired on Friday

    Cole Hocker opened his indoor season in stunning fashion at the Hokie Invitational, running 4:52.92 to break the American 2,000m record of Bernard Lagat, which Cooper Teare tied in 2nd place, as George Couttie smashed the collegiate record in 3rd. The Olympic champion now turns his attention to a loaded Millrose Games 2 mile featuring Grant Fisher, Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman, Parker Wolfe, and more.

    Age Group Mile WR

    He finished runner-up to Sam Tanner (3:53.36), breaking Cam Myers' previous record. *Race Video

    The Latest Jonathan Gault Feature

    Midway through 2024, Brazier had begun to accept he may never race again; in 2025, the former world champ returned faster than ever. Hear from Brazier and coach Mike Smith about how he pulled off one of the sport's greatest comebacks.

    A final look at the fantastic 2026 World XC Champs
    A final look at the fantastic 2026 World XC Champs

    World XC in the USA was amazingly fun to attend. How do we transform World’s Greatest Footrace into a spectacle / event that tens of thousands want to attend? How can we make it our sport's version of the Kentucky Derby - or maybe the grass version of the London Marathon?

    XC legends Kenenisa Bekele & Beatrice Chebet were in Tallahassee as was Cooper Lutkenhaus, who left with the LetsRun.com flag. 

    More World XC News

    Jager Q&A for Supporters Club Members

    Evan Jager retired this week and then sat down with LetsRun.com for his most candid interview ever. He opened up about the Paris fall, the Olympic silver, the Fancy Bears leak, and the tension between Alberto and Jerry that shaped parts of his career.

    Message Board Q&A

    Atlantic CEO Nicholas Thompson, runner, best-selling author, and host of “The Most Interesting Thing in A.I.", just ran over three hours in the marathon for the first time in 20 years. He joins LetsRun Friday to talk running, life, and his new book The Running Ground. If you'd like a book for free, just join our Supporters Club. Click for more info.

      Josh Hoey parts ways with yet another coach

      Somehow Justin Rinaldi transformed Josh Hoey, who couldn't break 1:47 for 6+ years, to a 1:42.01 world indoor champ and DL winner. How has he been rewarded? With a pink slip. Rojo thinks it's hard to think of a dumber decision than this but then again Jerry Jones once did fire Jimmy Johnson.

      After disagreements on training philosophy, Justin Rinaldi will no longer be coaching Hoey despite engineering one of the greatest turnarounds in American middle distance running history, taking Hoey from 1:47 to 1:42 and World Indoor champion in two years. Plus get the inside scoop on a key workout Hoey overcooked before USAs.

      Great listen/read

      Nick Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, joins the LetsRun.com Podcast to talk about his new book The Running Ground, how he ran 2:29 at 44, his late father, and why he still checks LetsRun every day.

      LRC Q&A

      The US achieved its most successful relay medal haul since the introduction of the mixed 4x400 with four golds and a silver at the 2025 Worlds. We asked Woodson about Team USA's performance in Tokyo. Plus we asked USATF about what really happened with Rai Benjamin, who said he went out on the town the night before the men's 4x400 final.

      Paywall lifted

      After five coaches, six states, and hundreds of hours of listening to the LetsRun.com Track Talk Podcast, steepler Dan Michalski will make his World Championship debut in Tokyo. He dedicated his runner-up finish at USAs to the grinders who keep going without a big shoe contract. "They know the grind, they know what it’s like to fight through injuries, what it’s like to feel like you have the talent to make a team and keep coming up short," Michalski says. "This is for them, in a sense."

      IF you are going to play a video game, play this one

      XC Racing 2 is now out and free to play on ios and android and in this version you get to race the famed Detweiller Park course in Illinois.

      Random Links A Human Found Interesting
      Sean Brosnan & Chris Lear & Andrew Greif's book is here

      In Beyond Fast, Sean Brosnan, with Chris Lear and Andrew Greif, traces the unlikely rise of Newbury Park High School from an overlooked program to a distance-running powerhouse. Packed with behind-the-scenes stories, training insights, and cultural shifts, the book shows how Brosnan and his athletes rewrote the high school record books.

      Sean Brosnan Podcast

      From BMX to building the greatest HS team ever, Sean Brosnan tells us how he did it at Newbury Park, plus what really went on at UCLA, and what’s next. Don’t miss this one.

      Data doesn't lie

      We've run the numbers by comparing Lutkenhaus's run against every other age-16 world record, and the data is clear.

      Who?

      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.

      How Josh Hoey Rose To The Top Of The World

      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

      Stop Obsessing Over Your Diet

      The US indoor 1500m/3000m champion overhauled his fueling in workouts before the 2024 season. Now he swears by his routine.

      The Record Books Are Getting Rewritten In 2025

      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.

      One More Look at a Legendary Race

      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.

      Blanks = NCAA XC x 2

      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."

      Best of the LetsRun.com Track Talk Podcast
      Best of the LetsRun.com Track Talk Podcast

      Your latest American stars share their insights.

      Three legends of the sport.

      One of the greatest US runners ever.

      We chatted with Frank on the 50th anniversary of his Olympic Marathon gold

      American Record Holders
      American Record Holders

      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.

      LetsRun.com Pro Coaches Tour
      LetsRun.com Pro Coaches Tour

      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.

      Best of Jon Gault
      Best of Jon Gault
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      Take Your Love of LetsRun to the Next Level
      Take Your Love of LetsRun to the Next Level
      LetsRun Classics
      LetsRun Classics

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