Fisher spoke to LetsRun for more than an hour about his new training setup and the tweaks he hopes will carry him to the Olympic podium in 2024 and beyond.
Archived Homepage For January 10, 2024
Archived Homepage For January 10, 2024
Grant Fisher UPDATE
Grant joined the pod for over an hour but prior to that the LetsRun crew had a little Olympic Marathon Trials and Dubai talk.
Courtney Frerichs Uncensored
Frerichs said it was difficult to adjust to BTC's move to Eugene and is hoping for more input in her training and more time at altitude now that she is being coached by the Craggs. She also says she's finally healthy and has been hitting times in workouts she has not seen since 2021.
The Marathon Trials Are Almost Here
The new policy prevents athletes from "chasing" the Olympic standard but otherwise does its best to honor the results of the Olympic Trials when selecting the team.
*MB: At last it's been confirmed, USATF will honor the order of finish at the US Olympic Marathon Trials and Scott Fauble can go
On The Boards
On The Boards
Distance News
- BYU's NCAA/US Steeple Champ Kenneth Rooks Goes Pro With Nike Rooks will pass on his final year of track eligibility. He said there were opportunities to turn pro earlier, but he wanted to return to BYU for another XC season.
- Foot Locker XC Champ Drew Griffith Signs NIL Deal With New Balance
- Canadian Runner Sets World Record for Most Marathons Run In a Year Ben Pobjoy ran 242 marathons in 70 countries.
- RIP: 1956 NCAA XC Champ Walter McNew Passes Away At 88 He was the University of Texas' only ever cross country national champ.
Industry News
- Nike Alpha Fly 3 Sells Out In 2 Minutes, Going For Over $700 On Ebay These are the shoes that Kelvin Kiptum set his 2:00:35 WR in. A Same "buying frenzy" happened with Tigist Assefa's WR and the Adidas Adios Pro 1 shoes.
- ESPN And NCAA Sign New Eight-Year Media Rights Deal Includes the rights for 40 NCAA championships.
*NCAA-ESPN Deal Worth $920 Million, Keeps Women's Basketball Bundled With The Rest Of The Championships
Olympic News
- Ukraine Rejects IOC Funding To Protest Russian/Belarusian Athletes Being Allowed To Compete At Paris 2024
- Fears There Will Be Empty Seats At Paris 2024 Due To High Ticket Prices With 200 days to go until Paris 2024, 55 medal sessions (including the men's and women's 100m/200m finals) still have tickets available to purchase.
- 84% Of Construction Work For Paris 2024 Olympics Completed Apparently they are working flat out to finish the venues that are behind schedule.
- 45 Million Working Hours Will Be Spent For Paris 2024 Facilities
- Japan Bids To Host First Esports Olympic Games In 2026
Donavan Brazier Update
Our Jonathan Gault has the inside scoop on the status of the 2019 world champ thanks to a source in Brazier's camp. Brazier does not have a new coach yet and is currently working back on getting back to full training after yet another surgery.
Trans Debate
- Seb Coe Says "The Transgender Issue Is Only At An Elite Level" Would he still say this even if one of his daughters lost a state championship title to a biological male? Why should we only care about preserving fairness for elites? Coe says they've considered a third category, but that "if you’re being realistic about it a third category is still a male category."
- The Telegraph's Opinion Piece: "Seb Coe's Trans Comments Are Nonsensical And Unjust" Oliver Brown writes, "Fair sport for females is not a subject for arbitrary compromises. You cannot settle for protecting the 0.01 per cent at the top if you then ask every other woman and girl to accept being placed at a disadvantage. Where does Coe imagine the journeys of female Olympians originate, if not at the grassroots?"
- MB: San Francisco girls basketball team refuses to play against team with transgender player, forced to forfeit game
Weekend Road Action
(link updated) Ketema was previously an 800m specialist who had never raced farther than 10k, but now she has the fastest marathon debut ever. She dominated the race by over 2 minutes and now is #8 on the all-time list. Ethiopia's Addisu Gobena won the men's race in 2:05:01 (also his debut), 19 seconds ahead of Lemi Dumecha.
*MB: Dubai Marathon Discussion Thread
XC Results
- World XC Champ Beatrice Chebet And World XC Silver Medalist Berihu Aregawi Come Through As The Favorites At Elgoibar XC Race Chebet beat Edinah Jebitok by 2 seconds while Aregawi won by 4 seconds over Rodrigue Kwizera and 6 ahead of Soufiane El Bakkali.
- World 10,000m Silver Medalist Daniel Simiu Ebenyo And Burundi's Francine Niyomukunzi Win Campaccio World XC Meet In Italy Italy’s Euro XC silver medalist Nadia Battocletti was 2nd, 4 seconds behind Niyomukunzi.
Sad News
The 2021 Chicago runnerup injured her foot while running Chicago a few months ago and now has to wait until 2028.
Oscar Pistorius Is Out Of Prison
- Oscar Pistorius Released On Parole 11 Years After Killing Reeva Steenkamp He'll be on parole until 2029 meaning he has to be home at certain hours of the day and is banned from drinking alcohol or speaking to the media.
- Could Oscar Pistorius Make Paralympic Return After Prison Release? Very unlikely in the near term as the conditions of his parole would mean he would need special permission to travel. He is also 37 and reports say he gained weight and started smoking while in prison.
Will Hassan make history in 2024?
Is she goes for the 5,000-10,000-marathon triple, she'll get at least one day off between every race while the quadruple would require her to run the marathon less than 12 hours after the 1500 final. Vote in our poll.
*MB: How many events will Sifan Hassan run in Paris?
Sub-30 Here We Come
Monson, who set American records in the 3k, 5k, and 10k in 2023 and finished 5th in the 10k at Worlds, will open her 2024 season by running the 2-mile at the Millrose Games on February 11. She also reveals she'll skip World Indoors and World XC to try to become the first American woman to break 30:00 in the 10,000 at The TEN.
The LRC Awards Part II
From Sha'carri Richardson to Noah Lyles, Sifan Hassan to Yared Nuguse, we honor the best and most entertaining athletes and races of 2023, and yes, of course, Jakob Ingebrigtsen makes the list.
2024 Will Feature World Indoor & World XC But Who Will Show Up
Wightman's coach (and father) Geoff tells LRC that Jake will not compete at World Indoors while Kerr's coach Danny Mackey explains why the world champ is considering skipping World Indoors. Plus World Athletics president Seb Coe weighs in.
WA Was Scared To Name 1 AOY, But We Have No Fear
Noah Lyles pulled off an incredible double, Mondo Duplantis and Ryan Crouser had record-breaking years, but there is no need to split this award: Kelvin Kiptum is our 2023 Men's Athlete of the Year. Faith Kiypegon (duh) wins our women's award.
The 2023 Bowerman Awards Go To.....
It's the first time ever that two international athletes won the Bowerman in the same year. Hibbert, the youngest winner and 1st Jamaican winner, jumped 17.54m indoors and 17.87m outdoors while Alfred set CRs in the 60 (6.94) nd 200 (22.01) indoors while running windy 10.72 in the 100 and 21.73 in the 200 outdoors.
*MB: Jaydon Hibbert's got SWAG and personality. Check out these videos from him winning the Bowerman
1500 Truth or Trash Talk?
Let the countdown to the Olympic 1500m final begin. It's only 240 days way. On a recent podcast, Kerr seemed to relish the fact he had the opportunity to point out that Ingebrigtsen has some flaws by saying, "He doesn't win a lot of non-paced races. I would love for him to be listening to this."
Supporter's Club Content
Norway is one of the few countries in the world where tax lists are made public so we now know to the penny how much their top track and field stars made in 2022. Find out here how much the Ingebrigtsens made in 2022 - Jakob, Filip, Henrik and Gjert. Plus Karsten Warholm, Narve Nordas and Karoline Grøvdal.
Big Savings at Nike
Big savings at Nike especially on the Nike Pegasus, the most popular Nike shoe on LetsRun.com.
- Nike Pegasus 40 $83.97
- Nike Pegasus 39 $81.97
- Nike Pegasus 38 $99.97
- Nike Pegasus Turbo $104.97
- Nike Pegasus Trail 3 $99.97
Want to save on Tights, Shorts, Bras?
Click here
It's Official
Tuohy has left the NCAAs after 3.5 years with 3 straight NCAA team titles and 4 NCAA individual titles.
Good News
We've got good news. USATF has told LetsRun that they will honor the order of finish at the Trials for men who have broken 2:11:30. Confusing language in USATF's selection criteria document had caused us to wonder if the order of finish at the Trials or world rank would determine the third US men's Olympic spot (if the US gets a third spot). But have they not thought of a doomsday scenario where Scott Fauble gets left off the team despite winning the Trials?
Big USATF/Nike News
It's the fifth straight year that Siegel made more than $1.2 million. USATF's says the large loss came from "planned expenses related to the 2022 World Athletics Championships."
Everyone's still looking for an edge
Kelvin Kiptum, Faith Kipyegon, Keely Hodgkinson and everyone in the OAC are among the stars who experimented with Maurten Bicarb System in 2023 ($65 for 4 doses). The big question: does it work? (paywall lifted)
BetterRunningShoes.com
We think most of you could guess the #1 brand, but the #2 might be a surprise. We break down the most popular brands overall, and for road, trail, and racing.
Max Siegel's Contract Gets Extended and We're Not Happy About It
Max has been the CEO since 2012. Max put USATF on sound financial footing by signing the 23-year Nike deal but there has been a lot of chaos with the organization during his tenure. The press release says his tenure has been "marked by record financial growth." Revenue actually declined from 2016 ($35.0) to 2021 ($33.7) but the press release talks about the budget being $40 million so perhaps 2022 (financials have not been released yet) was higher. Revenue was $21.9 million when he took over in 2012.
Winners
Twoggle, the Shelby Houlihan defender, and a guy who took up the sport in 2016, were the big winners in our $200,023 Worlds Prediction Contest and take home some great Suunto watches.
LRC Q&A
Q&A with Twoggle who wrote the piece titled, "Houlihan, Burrito-Gate and the Problems of Sports Drug Testing"
Kiptum's 2nd Half in Chicago Was Wild But Not As Wild As Initially Reported
Kiptum's reported 4:21 19th mile and 4:18 22nd mile were the two fastest splits ever recorded in a marathon, but after an investigation by LetsRun.com, race organizers have confirmed discrepancies with those splits.
Sick of Shoes that Break Down Too Soon?
Running shoe construction has changed a lot in the last decade. Runners are still looking for more durable running shoes, but we take a look at some of the most durable shoes and what makes them stand out.
Looking To Paris 2024
We have good news US marathon fans. Scott Fauble is #61 in the marathon so it looks like the US will be sending 3 Olympic men's marathoners to Paris.
Get a Better Running Shoe
Stack heights on shoes are getting bigger and bigger. Runners are liking these shoes more and more. We try and make sense of the cushioning revolution.
More Kiptum / Marathon News
As running prepares for some of its biggest barriers to be broken in the coming years, guest columnist Stephen Lane argues it is time for World Athletics to take action.
- Recommended Read No, Kelvin Kiptum Is Not the Next Kipchoge (But Sifan Hassan just might be) Writing for Outside, Martin Fritz-Huber cites the LetsRun.com forum and includes the following quote from Molly Seidel, "Who’s the GOAT?’ Who fucking cares? Who’s got the story that’s going to get people excited?”
*MB: Molly Seidel: "Who’s the GOAT?’ Who fucking cares? Who’s got the story that’s going to get people excited?” - Kelvin Kiptum told his manager he wanted to withdraw from Chicago 1 week out as he had tonsilitis and a thigh injury but his coach told him he'd be fine The rest is history. *Discuss
- Chepng’etich still wants to WR despite losing to Hassan in Chicago - "Smashing the world record is still in my plans"
Inside Kiptum's Training
Kiptum, who regularly runs 150+ miles a week, runs so hard in training that his coach Gervais Hakizimana wants him to slow down: "I told him that in five years he would be done, that he must calm down to last in athletics."
- Kelvin Kiptum's dad is very proud and says his son has never had a drop of alcohol
- Kelvin Kiptum says he's ready to race Kipchoge: “It will be exciting to meet Kipchoge, who has inspired many. I am ready to race against him.”
- Kelvin Kiptum returns to Iten & reveals the secret to his success: “My secret is training not any other thing." He received a hero's welcome.
Better Running Shoes
The ASICS SUPERBLAST tops the first LetsRun.com shoe rankings for everyday trainers. The shoe is a worthy winner as it is the epitome as to how super shoe technology has made its way over to everyday trainers. Asics and HOKA each put 3 shoes in the top 10.
Ross Tucker Speaks
After Assefa's WR, sadly doping allegations swarmed the Internet, but could it simply be the shoes? "I hate these shoes, and I truly wish the authorities had acted to prevent this entirely foreseeable situation," writes Ross Tucker.
2024 Olympic Trials
Eugene fatigue is real but don't tell that USATF. This will be the fourth straight US championships at Hayward Field and the fifth straight US Olympic Trials. Eugene paid them at least $3 million for the last Trials and we all know that USATF needs at least $3 million just to pay Max Siegel. Ridiculous.
Ingebrigtsen Wants ALL of the WRs
After his double victory at Pre, Ingebrigtsen shared advice for those attempting double threshold and why he believes he can break every WR from 1500 through the marathon.
Better Running Shoes a Click Away
Want to know what running shoes real runners like best? We've got some answers for you as our Better Running Shoe review site is now open to the public. Real reviews, from real runners, with data science.
Max Siegel & USATF Are Getting Sued
Estes lawsuit stems from USATF's decision to disqualify Chattanooga's bid for the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials because Estes worked as a consultant on Chattanooga's bid. The idea that Siegel cited that conflict of interest as a deal breaker is laughable to us considering "under (Max) Siegel’s watch, USA Track and Field has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of business to an Indianapolis marketing firm that once advertised itself as “a Max Siegel company.”
XC Video Game
The XC video game that former Wisco runner Ryan Craven spent time developing during much of the Covid lockdowns is now available to play on your phone and it's free!!
Justyn Knight Joins The BTC
The former NCAA star announced earlier today and he is now a Nike and BTC man. We talked to him before it was announced about why he made the move and what does he have think he has left in the tank?
A legend speaks
Michael Johnson was the guest on the LetsRun.com Track Talk podcast on the anniversary of his 19.32 double gold world record to share his thoughts on the sport and its current crop of stars.
2024 Trials Update
Are the mid-day start times great so it can be shown live on TV? Or too hot? We give you our thoughts.
Karsten Warholm Q&A
Recently Alex Geula sat down with Karsten Warholm and his coach, Leif Olav Alnes, at the IK Tjalve club in Oslo to understand Warholm's beginnings, his career, and the sprint side of Norwegian training.
The Most Untalented 3:29 Guy Ever?
Is Nordås the least talented runner to break 3:30 in history? He thinks so, "I can guarantee you I'm the slowest sub 3:30 guy in history." Text highlights from his appearance on the LRC Track Talk podcast.
Paywall lifted!
Paywall lifted!
The Latest JG Feature
What links Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the NAU cross country team, and Sebastian Coe? Double threshold training, which is having a moment in 2023. Note, most of this article is behind our SC paywall for 72 hours (until Saturday).
How do you explain the ridiculous indoor distance times?
Are all the fast times merely a product of supershoes? Or is it something more? We spoke to coaches Dathan Ritzenhein, Jason Vigilante and Dave Smith to figure it out.
Kipchoge loving the LetsRun Shirt in Berlin
Your latest American stars share their insights.
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.
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
Take Your Love of LetsRun to the Next Level
Take Your Love of LetsRun to the Next Level
LetsRun Classics
LetsRun Classics
