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Archived Homepage For March 10, 2025

Distance News

Recommended Read: Two UNC Distance Runners Have Made Amazing Recoveries And Comebacks After A Horrific, Near-Fatal Car Crash Almost two years later, the two runners, Patrick Anderson and Will Coogan (son of 1996 Olympian and coach Mark Coogan), still deal with throbbing headaches as a result of the severe concussions they sustained in the crash (Anderson also suffered from a slew of broken bones including four fractures in his spine). Amazingly, they have both fought back and got to the point they are running PRs again, with Anderson running a sub-4 mile and Coogan a 3:41 1500m.
MB: Athing Mu got married on Saturday - March 8th, 2025 (video of first dance) Congrats to the happy couple!
MB: Sweden's Abeba Aregawi, former 1500 world champ, runs 1:06.36 HM after 9 year retirement
Video: 1500m Runner DQ'd From Spanish Under-20 Indoor Champs For Shoving Competitor Who Beat Him To The Ground At Finish Line
World Athletics Does Short Video Interview With Sifan Hassan For International Women’s Day "It doesn't matter this time, or in 20 years, or in 100 years, the female is always going to have challenges. But that challenge has to be taken as practicing. It's like training. Don't cry about these things."

2025 Euro Indoors

MB: Official Day 4 Euro Indoors Live Discussion Thread - Jakob completes the double, Sarah Healy wins Ireland's 1st individual gold ever (meet started in 1970)

George Mills tried to tighten the screws on Jakob but Ingebrigtsen closed in 2:19 flat to win by more than a second in 7:48.37 - Mills 2nd, Habz 3rd. Sweden's Andreas Almgren closed in 2:21.2 and didn't even medal. In the women's race, Ireland's Sarah Healy outkicked Britain's Melissa Courtney-Bryant in the 3k 8:52.86-8:52.92. In the men's 800, the Netherlands Samuel Chapple delighted the home fans by edging Belgium's Elliott Crestan for 800m gold with a 1:44.88 NR as Poland's Anna Wilgosz won the women's race in 2:02.09.

European Athletics Distance Recap: "Majestic Ingebrigsten Completes Distance Double For Third Time"
Jakob's last lap
Video of Healy's historic win (Need an Irish IP? Use the VPN we use)
Dutch Runner Maureen Koster Knocked Unconscious In 3000m Fall She hit her head on the ground and had to be carried off the track. Laster one she was reported to be “conscious and responsive."
Super Sunday For Hosts The Netherlands With Five Gold Medals On Final Day Femke Bol anchored the Dutch 4x400 to victory in the final event of the championship while there were also Dutch golds in the men's 4x400, men's 800m, men's PV and women's shot put.
Italy's Zaynab Dosso Wins Women's 60m Title In 7.01; Ukraine's Yaroslava Mahuchikh Completes Her High Jump Hat-Track With 1.99m Saga Vanninen broke her own Finnish record to take pentathlon gold with 4922 points..
Three Silver For Team GB On Last Day Of Euro Champs
Irish Independent: Three Medals For Ireland On Euros Final Day

On The Boards

We Have another 1500 phenom

MB: 15-year old Kiwi Sam Ruthe ties 3:31 man Sam Tanner for New Zealand 1500m title - DEAD HEAT!!!

Already in 2025, Ruthe has set a world record for the fastest 1500 (3:41.25), mile (4:01.72) and 3000 (7:56.18) ever run by someone at the age of 15 (he turns 16 on April 12). That being said, Ruthe tying his training mate Tanner is a shock as Tanner ran 3:51 in the mile for the win at BU on February 21 and has a 3:31 1500 pb from 2023. Race video embedded above.

The Largest All-Women's Marathon

NYC champ and heavy favorite Sheila Chepkirui wins Nagoya in 2:20:40

Japan's Sayaka Sato was 2nd in a 2:20:59 pb to give herself a shot for Tokyo Worlds. The US's Natosha Rogers ran a big PB of 2:23:51 for 7th (2:34:51 previous pb) while Aussie Leanne Pompeani ran 2:24:53 in her debut for 8th.

MB: Leanne Pompeani Debut in Nagoya: official discussion thread

HS / NCAA News

Texas HSer Brayden Williams Runs Wind-Aided 9.99 100m (+2.6 m/s)

He's just the fourth American high schooler to go sub-10 (all conditions). He has a wind-legal PB of 10.14. *Video
*MB: Texas HSer and Georgia commit Brayden Williams CELEBRATES early and still runs windy 9.99 (+2.6)

Good News: Foot Locker 3rd Placer Zariel Macchia Allowed To Complete In NY State Meet After Lawsuit She was initially banned for breaking a NY state rule about competing against college athletes when she raced at the BU Valentine meet. However, her family sued the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and the judge ruled in her favor saying she was allowed to compete.
Nice Profile On Gary Martin From University Of Virginia's Sports Site Vin Lananna on Martin being a "big team guy": “The fact is that he has the opportunity to run lots of different events at the conference meet and the NCAAs. When he and I talked about what that might be, his first question was whatever is best for the team is what I would like to do.”
MB: Runner caught on video hitting girl with a baton during race
High School Runner Was Airlifted To Hospital Last Week After Being Struck In The Head By A Discus He survived, but likely faces a "long recovery." Our thoughts are with him and his family. *GoFundMe For Help With Medical Expenses
The Bowerman Men’s Pre-NCAA Indoor Championships Watch List Four distance runners made the list: Gary Martin, Ethan Strand, Parker Wolfe and Habtoom Samuel.
Bowerman Women’s Pre-NCAA Indoor Championships Watch List Distance runners Doris Lemngole, Juliette Whittaker, Şilan Ayyildiz made the list.

Saturday - Day 3 at Euros

The Netherlands' Lieke Klaver Thrills Dutch Crowd With 400m Gold In 50.38; GB's Jeremiah Azu Takes 60m (6.49)

In the 3000s, the top two seeds Jakob Ingebrigtsen and George Mills cruised into the final, which takes place at 11:50 am ET (Americans, don't forget to move your clocks forward tonight), with heat wins. In the men's 400m, Attila Molnar won Hungary's first track title in 40-years in 45.25, .06 ahead of Poland’s Maksymilian Szwed.

Italy Wins Double Gold In The Horizontal Jumps Thanks To Olympic Bronze Medalist Andy Diaz Hernandez (17.71m, TJ) And Larissa Lapichino (6.94, LJ) Lapichino got an upset win over Germany's Olympic and world champion, Malaika Mihambo, who finished in third.
Norway's Sander Skotheim Wins Eptic Heptathlon With European Record (6558 Points) The score is #3 on the world all-time list. Ukraine's Oleh Doroshchuk won the men's HJ in a world-leading 2.34m.
An Ear Infection May Have Been Part Of Georgia Hunter-Bell's Poor 1500m Performance
She said, “I had an illness, I had an ear infection, I can’t really hear out my ear. Training has been a bit up and down. I thought I would still be fine for today. But I just didn’t have it."
Five Storylines To Follow On Sunday At Euro Champs Besides Ingebrigtsen in the 3k, distance fans can look forward to both 800m finals.
MB: Official Day 3 Euro Indoors Live Discussion Thread

Day 2 - Mission Completed For Ingebrigtsen In Euro 1500m

Jakob Still the King of Europe

LRC Jakob Wins Euro 1500: Live LetsRun.com Watch Show and Reaction

The LetsRun crew went live during the back half of the Supporters Club podcast to breakdown Jakob's European 1500m. Up next is the 3000m final vs Niels Laros. *European Athletics Recap

MB: Jakob: final 800 in 1:50, final 400 in 53.2, and final 200 in 26.3
MB: Jakob Ingebrigtsen confirms he will run at World Indoors Sadly, Josh Kerr, Yared Nuguse and Cole Hocker won't be there.

Wejo's Thoughts on the Indoor Season, Grand Slam Track

Wejo was the guest on Anna Legnani's LOVE ATHLETICS podcast. Show notes/discussion for the talk here.

Friday 15

LRC Supporters Club Podcast: Jakob Wins Euro 1500, Bell upset, Kessler's Unique Fueling Strategy, Saudis to Save Track?, World Half Pulled from US, Noah Lyles & Rai Benjamin on GST, Diamond League

The LetsRun crew's second podcast of the week is only for Supporters Club members. Join today it not a member.

Previous Euro Champs Coverage

Embed from Getty Images

MB: Official Day 2 Euro Indoors Live Discussion Thread
Day 1: Femkle Bol brings the house down in Apeldoorn - Anchors Netherlands to mixed 4 x 400 gold at home Bol, who isn't competing individually indoors this post-Olympic year, showed up at home and blew the roof off with a 50.33 split that took her from 4th to 1st and looked so easy. If only America's biggest stars loved track as much as her and loved competing for the country as much as her.
*MB: Femke is back. DOMINATES at indoor Euros.
*Bol 4 x 400 video
Ingebrigtsen cruises to stay on track for golden double Both Ingebrigtsen and women's favorite Georgia Hunter Bell cruised in the 1500 heats. The biggest question was - what do you think of Ingebrigtsen having to wear a red adidas singlet?
Innes FitzGerald: British teenage sensation (8:40 3k at 18) is ready for 1st senior Euros Last month, she shattered the European U20 3k record with a 8:40.05. To put that in perspective, she'd be #1 in the NCAA with that time.
18-year-old Innes FitzGerald isn't happy she flew to Euros instead of taking the train to save the environment “And even though I might be doing the wrong thing, just still saying that it’s wrong is better than just doing it and not saying it’s wrong," says FitzGerald, who shattered the European U20 3k record last month with an 8:40.05.

Stop Obsessing Over Your Diet

LRC How Hobbs Kessler Won Two US Titles Fueled by Rice Krispies Treats and Country Time Lemonade

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

MB: Way better than bicarb? How Country Time Lemonade and Rice Krispies Treats fueled Hobbs Kessler's rise to the top.

Important Administrative News

Saudis considering investing in World Athletics - valuing business that manages the sport's commercial rights at 500 million pounds ($635.95 million)
2025 World Road champs may or may not be happening but the lottery to let you - the amateur - compete at Copenhagen 26 half marathon is already open Doesn't a trip to Europe for a half marathon sound like fun? Sign up now.
Fascinating: They've got coach's back: 18/19 team members of powerhouse Japanese distance HS squad transfer after distance coach is demoted to assistant role The athletes and parents love their coach even though he had to briefly step down in 2023 and get training after it came out that he had used corporal punishment on the team.

News from the Commonwealth

Meet Jim Morrish, the 1st ever person to grace the cover of Athletics Weekly 1945 was definitely a different time as he turned down a spot on the 1948 Olympic team so he could tutor his son in math.
Georgia Griffith shatters Australian 1000m record with 2:34.50 at Box Hill Burn She broke 2:34.63, set by Abbey Caldwell's old mark of 2:34.63 at Peter Bol came up 0.20 short of the men's mark with a 2:16.29.
Grand Slam Track gets two new tv partners - TNT Sports will air it in UK, Eurosport will broadcast it in Asia and Europe
British legend Paula Radcliffe needed a wheelchair after breaking 3:00 at Tokyo Marathon at age 51

NCAA Indoors are Next Weekend (March 14-15)

LRC Breaking Down 2025 NCAA Indoor Entries -- The Hardest Meet to Qualify for in NCAA History

It took 1:46.62, 3:54.12, 7:40.38, and 13:21.11 to make it in the men's distance events and 2:01.99, 4:29.49, 8:48.96, and 15:28.29 to make it in the women's distance events -- all of which were the fastest cutoff times in meet history. And are you ready for an Ethan Strand, Parker Wolfe, Gary Martin men's 3k?
*The Official 2025 NCAA Indoor Nationals Thread

Big Administrative News

San Diego is DROPPED as Host of 2025 World Road Running Champs despite allegedly having a $3 million title sponsor

WA announced today that San Diego will no longer host the World Running Champs. Ken Stone is reporting in the Times of San Diego that the event was moved despite there reportedly being a $3 million title sponsor. We believe race registrations were nowhere near what they were expecting but feel that easily could have been fixed. With 1 week notice, easily 10,000 people would have signed up if they had known this was a possibility.
*MB: Breaking: San Diego pulls out of hosting World Road Champs 4 days after qualifier!!

MB: European Championships To Feature Wavelight Pacing Lights

This is a stunning development for a championship but the lights will be off for the first 1/3rd of the race.
*MB: Jakob says wavelight wasn't added at Euros at his request: "I wasn't aware of that. I assume it's a spectator stunt."

MB: US Olympians will now receive $200k each thanks to a $100 million donation by Ross Stevens They'll have to wait for the money though as they get 100k 20 years after they compete (or when they turn 45) and then 100k goes to their estate when they die.

Previous Euro Indoor Links

MB: Official Day 1 Euro Indoors Live Discussion Thread (Jakob runs at 1:55 pm ET)
Georgia Hunter Bell is the UK's media darling and she's getting a ton of press *The Times *AW *Guardian
After missing outdoors last year with a grade 2 hamstring tear, Britain's Issy Boffey is thrilled to headed back to European indoors
Men's Distance Preview: Jakob Ingebrigtsen Going For Third European 1500m/3000m Double At Euro Indoors The 3000 is loaded as he faces the Netherlands' Niels Laros and GB's George Mills. Plus his brother Filip is also in the field. The 1500m could be a repeat from 2023 as silver/bronze medalists Neil Gourley and Azeddine Habz are also back. Jakob Ingebrigtsen is scheduled to race once every day. His race times are 1:55 pm ET Thursday (1500 1st rd), 3:15 pm ET Friday (1500 final), 6:45 am ET Saturday (3000 prelim), and 11:50 am ET (we forgot about the clock change in the USA) on Sunday (3000 final).
Women's mid-d and distance preview: Georgia Hunter Bell looking for 1500m gold
Men's sprint preview: Records under threat
Women's sprint preview: Kambundji leads fight between familiar sprint rivals
Men's mid-d and distance preview: Jakob going for 3rd straight 1500/3000 double
WField event preview: Mahuchikh rounding in on a hat-trick of high jump titles
MField Preview: Italy's world leader Leonardo Fabbri is the favorite in shot
Multi-Events Preview

Pro Distance News

LRC Des Linden and Kara Goucher announce inaugural “Save the 10,000 with Des & Kara” will be May 3 at Mt. SAC and offer $25,000 in prize money

Disappointed that the Night of 10,000 PBs in on hiatus this year, they decided to do something about it.
*MB: Kara Goucher and Des Linden To Host Save the 10,000 Track Meet at Mt. SAC on May 3 with prize money.

Jake Wightman will no longer be coached by his father
CNN Profiles Yared Nuguse: At age 14, his athletic claim to fame was he was on his HS lawn bowling team. Now he's a 3:43 miler CNN catches up with the Olympic bronze medallist who doesn't take any shots as Jakob Ingebrigsen. *MB: Yared Nuguse on Jakob Ingebrigtsen: "He elevates the sport, elevates what everyone else thinks they’re capable of doing"
Canadian Olympian Julie-Anne Staehli gets a job as Queens University and leaves New Balance Boston “I still have goals I want to accomplish, but I’m at a point where running isn’t my singular focus,” she says. And she might move down to the 800 or up the marathon.

Non Distance News

Embed from Getty Images

GB's Former World Indoor 60m Champ Richard Kilty Retires At 35 Years Old Kilty said that he completed his Olympic "recovery mission" by winning 4x100 bronze at Paris 2024 after he was stripped of his Tokyo 4x100 silver due to teammate CJ Ujah failing a drug test. Kilty tore his Achilles in the heats in Paris so did not compete in the final.
TJ world record holder Yulimar Rojas to return from Achilles injury on March 9
Grand Slam Track gets two new TV partners - TNT Sports will air it in UK, Eurosport will broadcast it in Asia and Europe

The Shelby Interview

LRC Shelby Houlihan Speaks to LRC

Houlihan spoke to LetsRun for over an hour and answered a slew of questions about her doping ban, what she thinks happened, and her return to racing. Full talk out for SC members. Everyone else can watch the clip above or wait for wider release. Join the SC today.

This Week's Podcast

LRC BU (Nuguse Misses, Nico 12:51, McLean AR), Tokyo (Cheptegei?), and Atlanta Half Champs (Big Day for PUMA)

European Distance News

Recommended Read: The Telegraph Talks To Jakob Ingebrigtsen About His Approach To Training, Future Goals, Losing The Olympic 1500m And Rivalry With Josh Kerr "I have a responsibility to see what the human race possibly can do ...So it doesn’t automatically stop when I break the records if I don’t feel like I have reached the potential. It doesn’t really have anything to do with anybody else. ...I feel a duty to see how fast I can run to show everybody what is possible in our time. That is the goal."
*MB: Jakob Ingebrigtsen interview: ‘I don’t know why Kerr is so interested in me’
Paula Radcliffe Talks About Running Sub-3 Hours At The Tokyo Marathon As A Non-Pro "There are lots of things to juggle now and it's no longer my career, now it's a hobby like lots of people. I really take my hat off to everyone who juggles the training with a career, and family life around that, because it's a different way - but it makes the achievement when you cross that finish line a little bit sweeter."
Eilish McColgan's Mother And Coach Speaks Out About The "Demeaning And Abusive" Body Shaming Comments She Experienced On Social Media Some comments have questioned if McColgan has an eating disorder and told her to "go and eat."

Some Long Standing Records Go Down

Cole Boone Breaks Robby Andrews' High School Indoor 1000m Record

He ran 2:20.14 at the Virginia state meet on Tuesday to break Andrews' 2:22.28 16-year-old mark. It was Boone's third attempt to break the record this season (he ran 2:23.68 and 2:23.50 in his previous attempts).

Wesley Kiptoo Broke Todd Williams' 30-Year-Old Course Record At The Gate River Run 15k Over the Weekend Kiptoo won in 42:09 while Calli Hauger-Thackery won the women's race in 47:24. *Results

More Distance News

AP: "High-Altitude Kenyan Town Iten Adapts As Olympic Champions And Amateurs Flock To Rarefied Air" Iten has changed drastically over the years as it became a hub for distance running, with hotels/lodging options popping up to host the many runners that come to train every year.
Sean Ingle For The Guardian: "Like Landing On Mars: Can A Woman Really Run A Sub Four-Minute Mile?" A recent study claims Faith Kipyegon could do it with illegal pace-making, but we agree with Steve Magness who says, “I’ve learned my lesson from the sub‑two marathon attempt to never say never. But we’re still too far out. The shoe tech will get us closer. Pacing will help a little bit. Using Maurten’s bicarb system will make a slight but significant difference. But I don’t think it makes up that gap. Seven seconds is still seven seconds, which is a lot in a mile."
Kelvin Kiptum’s Parents Still Looking For Answers Over The Car Crash That Killed Him

NCAA Indoor Champs Are Next Week

Arkansas And UNC Men Stay Ranked 1-2 In Post-Conference Champs NCAA Rankings Texas A&M moved up to #3 and North Carolina down to #4. *Men's NCAA Entries
Arkansas Women Stay #1 In Updated NCAA Indoor Rankings; Oregon Moves Up To #2 BYU dropped to #3 and Georgia jumped three spots to #4. *Women's NCAA Entries

LRC BU Last Chance: Yared Nuguse’s Mile World Record Attempt Comes Up Short (3:47.22), Heather MacLean Breaks American 1500 Record (3:59.60), Nico Young (12:51.56) Runs Super Fast

Nuguse tried to get his WR back but missed it by 2+ seconds; Young is now the 2nd-fastest 5k man in US history, indoors or out, while MacLean is #4 on the world-all-time list indoors. Update: MacLean broke the American record at 1500m.

Update Heather MacLean Breaks American Indoor Record at 1500m (3:59.60)

LRC Post-race interviews from BU
Yared Nuguse goes home DEVASTATED 3:47.22
Heather Maclean 4:17.01 Just missed the American record.
Yared Nuguse chasing mile WR at BU with Wavelights - Official Discussion Thread
Graham Blanks 7:29 at BU

USATF Half Marathon Champs

RRW Puma Elite's Alex Maier & Taylor Roe Spring Upsetes, Win USATF Half-Marathon Titles In Dramatic Fashion

It was a great morning for Amy and Alistair Cragg's Puma Elite Distance squad as their two Oklahoma State grads got the wins in races where spots at Worlds in San Diego were on the line. American record holder Weini Kelati had the lead early but stunning faded to 6th (69:07) while Olympians Joe Klecker (8th - 61:34), Clayton Young (13th - 62:38) and Dakotah Popehn (10th - 69:57) weren't close to making the teams.

Tokyo Marathon

Tokyo Results

LRC 6 Thoughts on 2025 Tokyo Marathon: Joshua Cheptegei Struggles, A Japanese College Guy Goes for It (And Pays Dearly), and Sutume Kebede Holds on for a Repeat

Ethiopians Tadese Takele (2:03:23 pb), who ran 8:09 in the steeple at age 18, and Kebede (2:16:31) were the champions on Sunday while Joshua Chpetegei (9th in 2:05:59) struggled again in marathon #2.

Singer Harry Styles Ran the Tokyo Marathon With Near Perfect Even Splits He ran 3:24:07 (7:47 pace) with splits of 1:42:03 and 1:42:04
Paula Radcliffe Runs Her First Marathon In Ten Years At Tokyo The 51-year-old ran 2:57:26 and also plans on running the Boston Marathon next month.
MB: Official 2025 Tokyo Marathon Live Discussion Thread
MB: Joshua Cheptegei finishes 9th (Tokyo Marathon)

NCAA Conference Champs

NCAA Results /Streaming

Oregon Men Win Big Ten Indoor Title After USC DQ'd From 4x400 The meet came down to the 4x400 where USC needed to finish 1st or 2nd to overtake Oregon. They initially finished 2nd to Purdue, but were DQ'd, giving Oregon the team title by 7.5 points.
*MB: Race video: You be the judge - fair or foul for the DQ? Most people seem to think no DQ should have been called.
Oregon Women Score In 14 Out Of 18 Events To Get Dominant Big Ten Victory By 49 Points
Texas A&M Men Win First SEC Indoor Title; Arkansas Women Extend Winning Streak To 11
Texas Tech Men And Women Sweep Big 12 Indoor Team Titles This was the second consecutive title for the men and the first ever conference title (indoor or outdoor) for the women.
Arkansas' Paityn Noe Wins SEC 5000m In Championship And School Record 15:11
Princeton Men And Women Sweep Heps Indoor Champs *Results
*MB: Harvard FORGETS to enter 2:01 800m star, LOSES conference championship by only 8 points
Virginia Men, Notre Dame Women Lead ACC Champs After Day 2 *Results
Virginia Men, Virginia Tech Women Lead ACC Indoor After Day 1 The men's DMR was extremely tight with Virginia Tech taking it by .002 over North Carolina in 9:31.55. The NC State women beat Clemson (10:52.59 to 10:52.80) and Stanford's Zofia Dudek won the women's 5000m in 15:43.
MB: Official 2025 NCAA Indoor Conference Championships Live Discussion Thread
MB: Ethan Strand EMBARRASSES Gary Martin at ACCs, 13:26-13:30
MB: Connor MF Burns B1G 5k champ A stunning result as Burns had failed to break 4:00 in 2 different miles this winter and only ran 14:00 at BU but now he's won the Big 10 and beating Bob Liking who had run 13:22.
MB: UW milers get whupped at B1G champs
MB: So the Big 10 men's meet might come down to the 4 x 400 and Oregon only has 1 guy on the team who has run a 400 this year
MB: Big East Mile Coverage WTF!!
MB: How are CAL Berkley and UCLA so bad at track
MB: Big Ten Championships - How many teams score 0 points?
NAIA Indoor T&F Championships Recap: Marian (Ind.) Men And Cumberlands (Ky.) Women Win Team Titles
LRC: Weekend Preview: Tokyo Marathon, US Half Champs, & NCAA Conference Madness

US Distance News

Good Read: Runner's World Gives An Interesting Look Into The What It Took To Get Grant Fisher Rabbited Through Two WRs In A Week Sarah Lorge Butler talks to a couple of Fisher's pacers, Fisher's coach and Fisher himself. Henry McLuckie, one of the 5000m pacers, says that he knew Fisher would get the record after he patted him on the back and said, 'Thank you' when McLuckie stepped off.
T&F News Q&A With Hobbs Kessler Kessler gives some insights into his unique coaching situation. Right now he's mostly being coached by his dad and Pat Henner, a former long-time coach at Georgetown and USC.
MB: Nikki Hiltz gets new coach (former 1500m Olympian Juli Benson)

Another WR For Duplantis

World record #11 for Mondo! pic.twitter.com/UvlEIsp9nI
— LetsRun.com (@letsrundotcom) February 28, 2025

World Record #11 for Mondo Duplantis 6.27m

He cleared it on his first attempt at the All Star Perche meet in France. *WA article

Big Doping Story

LRC Tulane's Caroline Jeptanui Finished 12th at NCAA XC Champs While Suspended For An Anti-Doping Violation

Jeptanui, a freshman from Kenya, finished 12th at NCAAs in November, but has been provisionally suspended since September. She's currently triple entered in the AAC championships which start today.

MB: Breaking: A runner finished 12th at NCAA xc while in the middle of a doping suspension

Previous Weekend Indoor Results

UW's Moll Sisters Dominate Big Ten; Amanda Moll Breaks Her Own NCAA Pole Vault Record With 4.91m The mark is #6 on the all-time world indoor list. Her twin sister Hana Moll moved to #2 on the NCAA all-time list with 4.81m.
Elise Cooper Breaks High School 300m Record With 36.30 At The CIRCUIT Philadelphia
Madrid Recap: Molly Caudery's 4.85m Pole Vault Win And Chase Jackson's 19.48m Shot Put Win Highlight Spain's Euro indoor champ Adrian Ben won the 800m in 1:45.39, Ethiopia's Melese Nberet took the 1500m (3:38) and Ethiopia’s Birke Haylom the women's 3000m (8:38).

It's A Busy Weekend of Action

LRC Weekend Preview: Tokyo Marathon, US Half Champs, & NCAA Conference Madness

It's a wild weekend for distance fans. In Tokyo, LRC's top two men's marathoners of 2024, Benson Kipruto and Deresa Geleta, take on 5k/10k WR holder Joshua Cheptegei. Plus there are Team USA spots for the World Half on the line in Atlanta where five male Olympians will seek 3 spots and the last BU meet of the year is on Sunday as well. And it's conference championship weekend at the NCAA level where 25 sub-4 milers will compete at the Big 10 meet

US Half champs Sunday in Atlanta

LRC Road Racer Joe Klecker Speaks Before US Half Marathon Champs in Atlanta: "My half marathon in Houston definitely left me wanting quite a bit more"

Joe Klecker has some unfinished business in the half marathon after his debut in Houston didn't go as planned. $20,000 and spots for the US team to the World Road Running Championships in San Diego are on the line Sunday in Atlanta.

Upcoming

Brett Larner's Tokyo Marathon preview: Defending champs and course record holders Sutume Kebede (2:15:55) and Benson Kipruto (2:02:16) will look to defend their crowns

The women's field has 9 sub-2:19 women whereas the men's field has 11 sub-2:05 guys plus Joshua Cheptegai. The pace will be HOT (60:50 first half). *WA Preview
*Kebede: "I’ve covered everything in training, long distance, speed work, everything. I’m in PB shape.”
*Cheptegei: "I'm still a student of the marathon. I'm on a learning curve and hope to learn from the big guys in the marathon like Benson (Kipruto, 2:02:16 pb) and (Deresa) Geleta (2:02:38 pb)."

Next Weekend: Final entries published for Apeldoorn 2025 European Athletics Indoor Championships Do you know what Apeldoon is? It's a city in the Netherlands of less than 200k. 10 world leaders will compete.
Have you signed up for December's Marathon Project yet? Entries are limited to 1000. “The roads are pristine, the course is lightning fast, and you can’t beat Chandler in December,” Sara Hall said. “I’m so excited the race is back and more people will get a chance to chase a [personal record] at this unique event.”

The Latest Distance Links

MB: Washington coaches Andy and Maurica Powell have nothing to do with new HS mile record holder Owen Powell's (3:56.66) training And he only runs 50 mpw.
Gjert Ingebrigtsen has appealed court's decision to allow media access to his upcoming criminal child-abuse trial "This is a case where the case itself has no public interest, but where the public has become curious because it involves famous people. It smells of a media circus, especially with foreign actors who are not familiar with the 'Be Careful' code," writes his lawyer. Want to know what the 'Be Careful' code is? Click here.
Nicholas Kimeli tied his shoes too tight at a half marathon and had to miss two weeks of training The article incrrectly says he ran in Iraq - it was the RAK half.
MB: Mo Farah thinks he has an idea for a new running league that will revolutionize the sport, but after reading the article, we have no idea what it is Farah "plans to re-energise the sport through the innovative team-based run series at iconic Formula 1 circuits" but considering we read an entire article on it and have no idea what it is, we don't think it will work.

Non-Distance Running News

Usain Bolt says he would have broken his 100m WR in 2011 if he hadn't gotten injured "That year, I was floating. I was running very well and the coach was excited. It was the first time I heard him say we were going to race and break the world record.”
Ecuador has won 4 Olympic medals in history.... all of the in the race-walk and all of the walkers have hailed from the same city - Cuenca It sits at 2,550 metres above sea level and has half a million people.
World Athletics is looking for a results and stastical service - apply now "The primary focus of the service will be on results processing, which involves collecting, editing and managing competition data for a vast number of athletes and events. It also includes competitions management, records management, athlete management, rankings management and more."

GST Adds Wanyonyi and Hoppel

MB Grand Slam Track adds Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Bryce Hoppel to 800/1500 group for 1st meet in Jamaica

If they add in soon to be World Indoor champ Josh Hoey and this will be a must-watch.

Stars Old & Young

HS indoor 800m Cooper Lutkenhaus is a star..... and he only runs 30-33 mpw What a stud. 1:46 indoors as a 10th grader. Read the TFN profile on him.
Joetta Clark Diggs hadn't competed in 25 years - since 2000 Olympics - and she broke the American record in her first race back At age 62, she ran 28.62 for 200m.

NCAA news

Is A Sub-4 Women's Mile Just Around The Corner?

MB: Scientists publish study saying they think Faith Kipyegon could break sub-4 in the mile with proper pacing This is a laughable. Do they also think Jakob could break 3:20 for 1500 as he's closer to that that she is to sub-4?
*Because Kipyegon is so small (5'2), the scientists say she'd benefit more from illegal pace-making than someone like Roger Bannister "Kram and his colleagues calculate that when running at four-minute pace, air resistance takes 13.5 percent of Kipyegon’s energy compared to just 11.4 percent of Bannister’s. That means she has more to gain from drafting."
MB: Nikki Hiltz re-signs with lululemon and ditches Mike Smith for Juli Benson Hiltz had to get a new coach as Mike Smith's Nike contract only allows him to coach non-Nike athletes until their current contracts end.
Full fields for March 29's The TEN are released At least we can feel a little bit better about Graham Blanks, Elise Cranny, and Parker Valby skipping USA Indoors.
Nike Vaporfly 4 is coming out March 1 and Outside says "the Nike Vaporfly 4 is a drastic departure from the Vaporfly 3" It has the lowest stack height of any Vaporlfy but also is the lightest. While it may be great for pros, Outside says the shoe is "no longer suitable for marathons for many runners."

Euro Indoor Champs Are Next Week

Jakob Ingebrigtsen Going For Third Successive 1500m/3000m Double At Euro Indoor Champs Filip Ingebrigtsen and Narve Gilje Nordas are also part of Norway's 3000m squad.
Olympic 1500m Bronze Medalist Georgia Hunter-Bell And World Indoor PV Champ Molly Caudery Headline British Team For Euro Indoors
Hosts Netherlands Select 46-Strong Team For Apeldoorn 2025 Femke Bol is running, but only in the relays (the women's 4x400 and mixed 4x400). Olympic 1500m sixth-placer Niels Laros is in the 3000m.
Italy Names Team Of 39 For Apeldoorn 2025 Team includes European champions Leonardo Fabbri (shot put) and Lorenzo Simonelli (60H).
European TJ Champ Ana Peleteiro-Compaoré Leads Spanish Team Of 36 For Euro Indoors Spain has a strong team in the 800m with European leader Elvin Josue, 2022 world indoor champ Mariano Garcia and 2019 Euro indoor champ Alvaro de Arriba.
Euro Indoor Champs Mujinga Kambundji (60m) And Jason Joseph (60H) And World Indoor Champ Simon Ehammer (Heptathlon) Lead Swiss Team Of 20

Tebogo in the News

Letsile Tebogo is a busy man - after saving flood victims in Botswana - he travelled to the UK to support his beloved Chelsea

Grand Slam Track News

Michael Johnson Says The Biggest Challenge With Grand Slam Track "Was always going to be getting athletes to commit to competing against their primary rivals four times." Johnson added, "You’re giving the athletes what they’ve always wanted, but you’re also asking them to change and so you expect that that’s going to be a little bit challenging for people. You’re going to always have some resistance but, by and large, the athletes are down with it."
Grand Slam Track Chooses Stats Perform As Global Data And Betting Rights Distributor

2025 USA Indoors

LRC 2025 USA Indoors Men's Recap: Josh Hoey Rips 1:43.24 AR to Move to #2 All-Time, Hobbs Kessler Doubles Up

Hoey now trails only Wilson Kipketer (1:42.67) on the world all-time list indoors at 800m as Kessler put on a front-running masterclass to win the 1500m after claiming the 3000m on Saturday.

LRC 2025 USA Indoors Women’s Recap: Nikki Hiltz Completes 1500/3000 Sweep, Resurgent Nia Akins Wins 800

Akins and Hiltz won indoor titles in the 800 and 1500 on Sunday after winning the same events at the 2024 Olympic Trials. In the women's sprints, Alexis Holmes (50.51) dominated the 400 and Celera Barnes (7.11) upset Jacious Sears in the 60.

LRC Post-Meet Video Show: Josh Hoey 1:43.24, Nikki Hiltz, Hobbs Kessler Get the Double -USATF Indoors Day 2 Live Reaction Show

Written recaps above from Staten Island. Want this show as a podcast? Join our Supporters Club today.

Barega Goes For It In His Debut

Selemon Barega goes out crazy fast, holds on and wins debut in Seville in 2:05:15

(link fixed) The 2021 Olympic 10,000 champ went out in 14:18 (2:00:40 pace) and was still on 2:03 flat pace at 35k before holding on for the win. Compatriot Anchinalu Dessie won the women's race in 2:22:17 in her debut as well.

USA Videos

Hoey #2 All-time 1:43.24

Hiltz x 2

Kessler x 2

Day 1 at 2025 USA Indoors

LRC Hobbs Kessler Edges Dylan Jacobs In Thriller To Earn First US Title in 3000m at 2025 USATF Indoors

Kessler beat Jacobs, 7:38.00 to 7:38.02, in a sensational last-lap duel as Sam Gilman (7:38.64) was a surprising 3rd. Grant Holloway improved to 69-0 in the 60m hurdles while former DII star Wes Ferguson impressed in the 800 prelims.

LRC Nikki Hiltz Runs Down Shelby Houlihan To Win 2025 US Indoor 3000m Final

Hiltz edged Houlihan just before the line to win a great race, while Houlihan is heading back to World Indoors in her first year back from a doping ban.

LRC Live at 10 pm ET - LetsRun.com After Dark - Day 1 USA Live Video Recap Show

We'll gave you our winners and losers from day 1 at USAs live at 10 pm ET.

More Fast Times At BU

LRC Cole Hocker (12:57.82) Beats Cooper Teare (12:57.97), Owen Powell (3:56.66) HS Mile Record, & HS Teammates Sub-4:00 at BU

Hocker (12:57.82) got a pb and edged training mate Teare (12:57.97) as both went under the 13:01.00 Worlds standard. Powell ran 3:56.66 to take a second off Hobbs Kessler's HS indoor record while Crater (OR)'s Josiah Tostenson (3:57.47) and Tayvon Kitchen (3:59.61) became the first HS teammates to break 4:00 in the same race.

Hocker and Teare in 5k at BU
Owen Powell 3:56.66i High School Record at BU
TWO HIGHSCHOOLERS FROM THE SAME SCHOOL GO SUB 4 IN THE SAME RACE
Rocky Hansen 3:50 anchor leg outkicking Ethan Strand The top three teams finished extremely close with Wake Forest winning in 9:17.1 over North Carolina (9:17.19) and Princeton (9:17.30).

The Record Books Are Getting Rewritten In 2025

SC Why Is Everyone Running So Fast in 2025? Super Spikes 3.0, A Golden Generation of Americans, and...Bicarb?

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.

Bekele In London

Kenenisa Bekele Added To Star-Studded Field At The 2025 London Marathon Field

Bekele joins a field that includes Eliud Kipchoge, Jacob Kiplimo, defending champ Alex Mutiso, Olympic champ Tamirat Tola and Sabastian Sawe (2:02:05). Bekele ran 2:04:15 for 2nd place in London last year.

MB: Kenenisa Bekele also at London Marathon

Is the First Sub-2 Around the Corner?

Jacob Kiplimo Runs 56:42 To Obliterate Previous Half Marathon World Record of 57:30 in Barcelona

This was a run for the ages and the splits are astounding. 40:07 for 15k, a 10k split as fast as Grant Fisher's PB.
Race video here.

Another Record For Fisher

Grant Fisher has 2 current world records to his name, Kenenisa Bekele 0.

12:44.09 for his second world record in a week! pic.twitter.com/McGci64D3V
— LetsRun.com (@letsrundotcom) February 15, 2025

LRC Grant Fisher Runs 12:44.09 for 5,000m in Boston to Break His Second World Record in a Week

Jonathan Gault onsite story Six days after his 7:22.91 WR in the 3,000m at Millrose, Fisher broke the 5,000m record at Boston Universityand also bettered his outright American record of 12:46.96.

2025 Millrose

LRC WTF: 10 Thoughts on a Remarkable World Record Millrose Games: Fisher, Nuguse, Hocker, Kessler, Hoey Deliver

Grant Fisher and Yared Nuguse are world record holders as Cole Hocker and Hobbs Kessler also ran faster than anyone else ever at their events indoors at a spectactular Millrose Games where Josh Hoey set an American record. We try and make sense of it all.

RRW: World Records For Grant Fisher, Yared Nuguse At 117th Millrose Games Full recap of distance races.
LRC Grant Fisher EDGES Cole Hocker and BREAKS WORLD RECORD In Millrose 3000
LRC Miss The Action? Full Millrose Race Replays
WA: Yared Nuguse Runs 3:46.62 To Break Mile WR as Hobbs Kessler (3:46.90) Also Breaks Old Mark
DyeStat: Five High School National Records Fall At Millrose Included Sadie Engelhardt's 4:27.97 in the mile to break Mary Cain's 4:28.25 record and Cooper Lutkenhaus' 1:46.86 in the 800m (6th place) to break Josh Hoey’s 1:47.67 record.

LRC Rankings

LRC 2024 LRC Women’s World & American Rankings: Who’s #1?

From GOATs (Faith Kipyegon), world records (Ruth Chepngetich) and breakthroughs (Keely Hodgkinson, Beatrice Chebet), this year's women's world rankings had a bit of everything.

LRC Rankings And Other Distance News

LRC 2024 LRC Men’s World & American Rankings: Who’s #1?

From the 800 through the marathon, we rank our top 10 men in the world and top 5 in the United States from 2024.

Saturday's Dr. Sander Scorcher at the Armory has some great matchups How about Katelyn Tuohy v Elly Henes in the mile, Ajee' Wilson v Nia Akins at 800 and Aussie teen sensation Cam Myers vs Adam Spencer in the mile as they try to go sub-3:50?
*MB: 18 Year old Aussie Cameron Myers to run DR. Sanders Mile this weekend. How fast?
USTFCCCA announces its 2024 HS XC coaches of the year Jonathan Dalby and Eric Selle from Mountain Vista (Colo.) High School and “Frankie” Ruiz from Belen Jesuit (Fla.) Preparatory School are your winners.
*Video chat with Frankie Ruiz
*Video chat with Dalby and Selle
Q&A with Sadie Engelhardt who says her #1 goal is to break Mary Cain's 4:04 1500 mark
Stanford's Roisin Willis named ACC athlete of the week for her 1:25.74 600m (#2 all-time NCAA)

One More Look at a Legendary Race

LRC The 2024 Race of the Year: Cole Hocker's Olympic 1500m Win

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.

Unlike other Publications, We wait until the year is over to hand out our awards

LRC Mondo Duplantis & Beatrice Chebet Crowned 2024 LetsRun.com Athletes of the Year

We actually hand out six awards in this piece - overall Athlete of the Year, Runner of the Year, and Distance Runner of the Year - but Chebet swept all three for the women, edging out SML. For the men, our Runner of the year goes to Grant Holloway over Rai Benjamin and our Distance Runner of the Year is Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

LRC And The 2024 LetsRun.com Awards Go To......

From world records to unlikely breakthroughs to one very strange session of Kenyan parliament, Jonathan Gault recaps the highs and lows of running in 2024.

Year in review podcast

LRC What a Crazy Year of Track and Field: Highlights, Lowlights, Trivia

The LRC crew has it's annual 2024 trivia challenge and takes a look at an incredible year of track and field.

Blanks = NCAA XC x 2

LRC Graham Blanks Describes the Workout That Told Him He Could Win NCAA XC (Again)

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."

MB: Graham Blanks REVEALS the KILLER workout that let him know he was ready to repeat as NCAA XC champ.

Jonathan Gault pays tribute to two legends

LRC Farewell to Jenny Simpson & Matthew Centrowitz, American Masters of The Tactical 1500m

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.

MB: Farewell to Jenny Simpson and Matthew Centrowitz: Which of the American mile legends had the better career?

Tim Rowberry Interview Highlights

LRC Coach Tim Rowberry Explains How Sifan Hassan Prepared for Her 2024 Olympic Triple

Rowberry began as a pacer and errand boy at the Nike Oregon Project but has since coached Hassan to six medals across the last two Olympics. He dives into their relationship and why he's looking to expand his training group -- and land a coaching contract from a shoe brand.

World Marathon Majors Soon Will Be Dead....... Unless

LRC Column Expanding Into Irrelevance? World Marathon Majors Expansion Is Ill-Conceived Unless They Do This

Expanding the number of world marathon majors to nine is an absurd idea unless the majors make one simple change that will instantly keep them being compelling, elite sporting events.

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