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."
Archived Homepage For September 12, 2025
Archived Homepage For September 12, 2025
The Ultimate LetsRun Story In Our 25 Year History & One Of Our Favorite Jonathan Gault Features - Read It Now
Move over Cole Hocker and Grant Fisher. According to the betting markets, Nico Young has the best combined odds of any American distance runner to win gold at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
Our Jonathan Gault breaks down an epic men's 1500 field which has 7 or 8 legitimate potential winners.
*MB: Tokyo '25 Men's 1500m Podium Picks! 🥇 🥈 🥉
*MB: Norwegian press reports Jakob may not run 1500 at Worlds Say it ain't so.
*MB: Gjert Ingebrgitsen's conflict with his sons continues: He's applied for trademark for 'Ingebrigtsen method'
*Jake Wightman has been training great but doesn't know what that means “Training-wise, I think I’m training as well as I ever have done and hopefully that means that I’m in my best shape, but whether that’s going to be good enough to win, to medal, to make a final I don’t know.
*3 Scots will represent Britain in the men's 1500 yet again And two of them - Kerr and Whitman - have won the last two Worlds. Can they extend the win streak to 3?
Have you entered our free Prediction contest? Enter and play in a group with your friends.
Kenya's Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi is the favorite, but Team USA has its best team ever and three of the top seven seeds in Donavan Brazier (1:42.16), Cooper Lutkenhaus (1:42.27), and Bryce Hoppel (1:42.49).
We get you ready for the women's distance events in Tokyo including the marathon. Did you know it might be be the best women's marathon of the fall and it's on in prime time in the US at 7 pm ET on Saturday?
- MB: Breaking: AIU wants Diribe Welteji suspended for 2025 Worlds - Ethiopia cleared her for allegedly refusing to take a drug test This case has huge implications for Nikki Hiltz medal odds.
- 8 hour drive to pick up award from King Charles made Keely Hodgkinson realizes all of her injury problems were coming from her back The Guardian's Sean Ingle has all of the details as to how Keely has gotten over the injury bug this year. Trevor Painter plays a role as he convinved Nike to hire her a full-time physio.
*MB: Seb Coe says Keely Hodgkinson can be one of the all-time greats - "She's the real deal". But is she vulnerable in 2025? - Keely is convinced she can break 800m WR: "I do think it’s possible (at some point), 100 per cent. It’s just how, when, where and all of that."
- Both of Hannah Nuttall's parents were Olympians but she missed out last year by 0.65 - Now she's going to Worlds thanks to a 14:39 5000 Pretty impressive for someone who never made NCAAs in track while at New Mexico and never even ran faster than 9:07 for 3k.
- UK's Melissa Courtney-Bryant can’t wait to give all at Worlds: "I really want to make the final."
Non-LRC Worlds Coverage
- A look at Britian's top athletes at Worlds
- How hot will it be at Worlds? Japan is currently experiencing its hottest summer since records began in 1898.
- Dyestat's Doug Binder has landed in Tokyo and says Noah Lyles is plastered on adidas ads everwhere Also let's hope they got the rain out of the way as 5.5 inches fell on Thursday.
- Cooper Lutkenhaus & Niels Laros named as one of "five athletes who could sparkle at world championships"
- Olympic marathon 4th placer Emile Cairess =back firing on all cylinders ahead of Worlds He missed January and February but has been training great since then save for win a bug bit him in July and his elbow swelled up and he missed a few sessions.
- Usain Bolt reminds Gout Gout fans it's hard to translate jr success to sr success
- MB: Scientific study says Usain Bolt could run 9.42 in super spikes The study was paid for by Puma and was done by Wouter Hoogkamer, who also said Faith Kipyegon could break 4:00 with better pacing. Bolt definitely thinks he could have run faster and admits he's not seeing much sprint talent in his own kids.
- Marathon times at Worlds moved up 30 minutes due to heat They will now be at 6:30 pm ET on Saturday night and Sunday night in the US.
- Molly Caudery thinks she's in British record form after up and down season
Kipchoge And Hassan Doing NYC
NYC is the last WMM that Kipchoge hasn't run. He will face defending champ Abdi Nageeye, former NYC Marathon champs Evans Chebet and Albert Korir, and 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Benson Kiprut. Hassan is up against the last three NYC champions in Sheila Chepkirui, Hellen Obiri, and Sharon Lokedi.
- MB: Breaking: Hassan and Kipchoge to run 2025 NYC Marathon If you listened to our podcast last week, this is EXACTLY what Rojo said Kipchoge should do - run three marathons for the first time in his career.
- After battling seizures last year, Jess Warner-Judd didn't make it back to Worlds this year but is pumped to make marathon debut in NYC “I’m probably in the best shape of my life, but I just couldn’t replicate it on the track," said Warner-Judd.
- Berlin is next Sunday: Kenyans Sabastian Sawe (2:02:05) and Rosemary Wanjiru (2:16:14) head deep fields The fields include 10 sub-2:05 men and 6 sub-2:19 women.
More Non-Worlds News
- US HS girls xc top 100 list is out and dominated by underclassmen Addy Ritzenhein (#1) is the only senior in the top 5.
- US HS box xc top 100 list is out and dominated by underclassmen Caden Leonard (Southlake Carroll, TX) leads the way
On The Boards
On The Boards
Distance News
- Good Read: Japan Running News: From the Sidelines to 6th at the Sydney Marathon - Meet Masato Arao 25-year-old Arao has had an amazing breakthrough, going from not making his college team's varsity lineup and just running post-collegiately for fun while working full time for a construction company, to now having a 2:07:42 marathon PB.
- Good Read: DyeStat profile on US steeple champ Lexy Halladay-Lowry Talking about hugging her coach, Diljeet Taylor, after winning, Halladay-Lowry said, "Having that moment after winning a USA title, I was so grateful for it. I wanted an NCAA title. After coming up short so many times and going into this race and getting that USA title and getting to go over and look into her eyes and know she’s one of the only humans who understands the fight and the grind, everything that had gone into that moment. Those moments, that’s what we race for. Gosh, that was just a moment that took years to make."
- RIP: Legendary North Central College coach Al Carius passes away at 83 Carius coached the men’s XC team at North Central to 19 DIII national titles and 16 national runner-up finishes. *USTFCCCA tribute
- 64:13 half-marathoner and former WR holder Joyciline Jepkosgei leads field for tRUNsylvania 10K on October 5 She faces four other sub-30 women including two-time world U20 5000m champ Medina Eisa.
More Pre-Worlds Coverage
- Noah Lyles on his rivalry with Kishane Thompson: "He’s a great competitor. He’s a very fast man. I still feel like he’s in my pocket."
- Jamaican journalist explains why "all signs point to a Jamaica one-two" in Tokyo Noah Lyles might have something to say about that.
- GB's Georgia Hunter Bell talks about her relationship with training partner Keely Hodgkinson and whether she can beat her in Tokyo “Yeah, every athlete will stand on the start line in that final believing that they can win. That's just how it goes. We are good friends. ...Like, we put each other down as people to be roomies with, so we get along very well."
- Seb Coe acknowledges that the heat will be a challenge for athletes in Tokyo The temperature is supposed to get up to 89.6F (32C) on the opening day.
- Seb Coe thinks Keely Hodgkinson could be the British GOAT “I’ve spoken to her enough times to know that, mentally, she’s mahogany hard."
- Out of Jamaica's six Olympic medalists from Paris last year, only two will be competing for them in Tokyo Olympic 100m silver medalist Kishane Thompson and TJ silver medalist Shanieka Ricketts will both be there, but Jamaica has lost one medalist to injury and three who have transferred allegiance to Turkey.
- World Athletics event-by-event previews: mSteeple *wSteeple *mHJ *wHJ *mPV *wPV *mLJ *wLJ *mTJ *wTJ *mSP *wSP *mDiscus *wDiscus *mJav *wJav *mHammer *wHammer *Decathlon *Heptathlon *Race Walks - M20k, W20k, M35k, W35k
Doping / Testing News
- Kenya's 2025 UTMB OCC and Sierre-Zinal champion Joyline Chepngeno gets 2-year doping ban She tested positive on August 9th after winning Sierre-Zinal, but still raced at UTMB on August 28th. Both her wins have been nullified and her coach and his training group have also been banned from Sierre-Zinal as it's the second time in three years he's had a runner fail a drug test at the event.
*MB: OCC winner Joyline Chepngeno fails anti-doping test Save Cancel - World Athletics says that 95% of the female athletes competing at Worlds have completed the mandatory genetic sex testing One athlete who was critical of the "short notice" for the tests is German Olympic LJ champ Malaika Mihambo. She said that she took the test, but that "many questions remain open."
- US shot putter Raven Saunders gets 2 and a half year ban for whereabouts failures Her ban was increased because this is her second anti-doping violation (she just finished serving an 18-month ban for whereabouts failures in 2024).
Distance News
- After 25 years, the pro running team for ‘diamonds in the rough' - ZAP Endurance - is shutting down They will be missed. As LRC fo-founder Weldon Johnson wrote, "ZAP did more with less than anyone in the industry." The current roster includes Ryan Ford who was 10th at Boston this year in 2:08:00.
*MB: ZAP No More - Emile Cairess is trying to make history as the first British man to win a World marathon medal Cairess was 4th at the Paris Olympics last year and has a 2:06:46 PB from his 3rd place finish at the 2024 London Marathon.
- NY Times profile on Keira D'Amato: "She Became an Elite Runner by Leaving Running Behind" A look at how D’Amato went from retiring from running at age 24 to coming back and setting an American marathon record at 37.
The Ultimate 10,000 Preview
Billy Mills shocked the world in Tokyo 61 years ago. Can an American win a second global 10,000 title in the same city 61 years later? This is the ULTIMATE 10,000 preview.
Who will win the 10,000 at the 2025 Worlds?
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Prediction Contest
Track’s biggest showdowns are here. Pick your podiums, win bragging rights, and maybe even a LetsRun Supporters Club membership in our $200,025 Worlds Prediction Contest.
The LetsRun.com prediction contest team for Worlds is set. Meet the three winners from the USAs contest and see how they pulled it off. Don’t forget to enter the Worlds contest next.
LRC Editorial
Can you imagine the Kansas City Chiefs being placed into the NFL playoffs because they won the Super Bowl two years ago? Of course not, it would ruin the drama of the regular season. And the byes in track totally ruin the drama of US championships - one of the best meets on planet earth. Across the last four US championships in Worlds years (2019, 2022, 2023, 2025), almost half of the US's reigning world champions have either skipped the final or not participated seriously. LRC's proposal would make USAs better while keeping Worlds great.
Pre-World Champs News
- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone talks about the challenge of stepping away from the 400H this year to go for the flat 400m She said, "I've loved the idea of stepping out into different events, challenging myself, pushing myself, seeing if I can be the best, well-rounded athlete I can before I hang up my spikes and so this was definitely a huge challenge, a huge undertaking."
- Can Ukraine's Yaroslava Mahuchikh defend her world title in Tokyo? Injuries have made WR holder Mahuchikh vulnerable this year as she's lost five times this season, but she's still #2 in the world this year with 2.02m.
- BBC names their "must-watch events" at Worlds First on their list is the women's 800m where GB has the favorite in Keely Hodgkinson and a strong medal contender in Georgia Hunter Bell (3rd in the world this year).
- The Guardian: What events could we see a WR broken in Tokyo? Considering the depth of the men's 800m and Emmanuel Wanyonyi's 1:41.11 last year, could we finally see David Rudisha's 1:40.91 record challenged?
- European Athletics: Will Mondo Duplantis break another WR in Tokyo? He's already broken it twice this outdoor season, so why not?
- Athletics Weekly's 2025 World Champs Form Guide
- World Athletics Tokyo event-by-event previews: *M100m *W100 *M200 *W200 *M400 *W400 *M110H *W100H *M400H *W400H *M800 *W800 *M1500 *W1500 *M5000 *W5000 *M10k *W10k *Marathon (M) *Marathon (W) *M4x100 *W4x100 *M4x400 *W4x400 *Mixed 4x400 *
5th Avenue Mile
Nuguse won a close race over Parker Wolfe (3:48.1) and Drew Hunter (3:48.4) while Gracie Morris (4:15.5) won with a comfortable gap ahead of Kayley Delay (4:17.4) and Karissa Schweizer (4:17.6). Post-race, stars reflected on breakthroughs, setbacks, and what’s next.
Pre-Worlds Track Action In Bejing
- Ireland's Mark English tunes up for Tokyo with 1:44.67 meet record at World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meet in Beijing Kenya’s two-time Commonwealth champ Wyclife Kinyamal was 3rd in 1:44.86.
- US's Khaleb McRae (44.64 - 400m) and Canada's Sarah Mitton (19.81m - shot put) highlight Beijing Continental Tour meet
Road / XC Results
- Kenya's Sheila Chepkirui wins Great North Run half-marathon in 69:32 over Vivian Cheruiyot (69:37) and Eilish McColgan (69:42) Kenya's Alex Mutiso won the men's race in 60:52 ahead of Belgium's Bashir Abdi (60:58).
- European Round-Up: Alessia Zarbo wins Birell 10k in Prague in French record of 31:00 Esther Pfeiffer won the German 10km Championships in 32:24 with 2022 European 5000m champ Konstanze Klosterhalfen third in 32:47. Simon Boch won the men's race in 28:32.
- NCAA XC Round-Up: BYU men and women sweep season openers at BYU Autumn Classic with perfect scores Individual wins went to BYU's Davin Thompson and Nelah Roberts. At the Friar Invitational, #7 Providence women beat Boston, Brown and Dartmouth with 20 points while Northeastern won the men's team race by one point over Dartmouth.
*MB: BYU opener--------- wow!!!
- GB's Jack Rowe (64:08) and Jess Warner-Judd (70:35) win Big Half in London
One Week Until Tokyo
- Jakob Ingebrigtsen on Tokyo: "If I'm on the start line, I know that I'm a gold candidate." Talking about his cross training, Ingebrigsten said, "Running is very tough. It's a very brutal exercise, because you can only run so much in a week or you're going to get injured. But if you're aqua jogging, you don't have the same load and the same fatigue that you usually have so you can more or less go as hard as you can for as long as you can..."
*MB: Jakob posts video “Roll the Dice” confirming he is 100% in for Worlds - If Keely Hodgkinson wins world gold she'll be the first British woman since 1991 to win a world title in a distance event Liz McColgan (mother of Eilish McColgan) won the 10,000m at the 1991 World Champs (which were also in Tokyo).
- European Athletics wonders if Femke Bol will triple up in Tokyo or focus on the 400H Bol is the favorite to defend her world 400H title and she'll likely run the women's 4x400, but will she also anchor the Netherlands' mixed 4x400 on the opening day?
- A look at the Eight European U20 champions competing at Tokyo Worlds Watch out for 3:30.28 man Hakon Moe Berg in the 1500m and Innes FitzGerald in the 1500m.
- European Athletics: Is Tokyo 2025 the biggest challenge yet for Jakob Ingebrigtsen?
- Jamaica Gleaner: Jamaica trio looking to upstage Americans in the women's 100m hurdles Jamaica's squad includes defending champ Danielle Williams and Diamond League winner Ackera Nugent.
Teen Stars Past and Present
- MB: Mary Cain to release memoir in 2026 - "This is not about running"
- MB: NC commit Sadie Englehardt signs NIL with Brooks In HS, she had one with New Balance.
- South Africa's 9.94 19-year-old sensation is on World Championship team despite pulling up injured in Zurich He may not compete - that's TBD.
Worlds Start Next Saturday
- Good Read: Len Johnson remembers the 1991 Worlds in Tokyo as he gets ready to return 34 years later Tokyo joins Helsinki as the second city to host Worlds twice. In 1991, it was all about Carl Lewis who won what at the time was the greatest 100m ever but lost the greatest LJ ever as his 65 competition win streak in the event was beaten. It was also hot and humid as it so often is in the Japanese capital. "Tokyo91 set a high standard for Tokyo25. If these championships can live up to their predecessor we have a lot to look forward to." *Video of LJ clash
- Mondo admits he could lose in Tokyo: "If i make the wrong decisions and moves, I can lose. It can always happen. Sports are unpredictable... That's what make sports fun."
- 44 minute podcast wiith Cordell Tinch - the world leader in the 110h who two years ago was running NCAA DII
- Throwers and the US's Khaleb McRae (43.91 pb) headline Sunday's World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting Two-time world indoor shot champ Sarah Mitton will be there as well and a bit angry. "The Canadian was initially declared the DL champion, but her winning throw was later ruled to be a foul." *Video of controversial throw
- Head of Ugandan Olympic committee urges Ugandans to not be "alarmed" that Cheptegei and Kiplimo aren't going to Worlds The article acts like people thought they might be going which wasn't the case.
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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.
Mid-Week Worlds News
- Just 4 months after hamstring surgery, Olympic champ Nina Kennedy will compete at Worlds hoping to medal "I should have no right to have the surgery I did and to come back to worlds and think I can get on the podium. Like, I have no right to think that. So I've really just had to channel my mongrel and channel that competitive person into this challenge of, 'Yeah, let's see if I can do that'. Like, that is really exciting to me," said the Australian star who tore her hamstring 3 times in 6 weeks this year.
- Want to watch Worlds live? You better get up early and have access to Peacock in the US The last final most nights (like men's 100 and 1500) takes place at 9:20 am ET. *TV schedule *Meet schedule
- Gout Gout's coach says already grown 3 cm this year He's gone from 1.80 to 1.83. So he's 6 feet tal. Only 12 more cm (5 inches) to reach Bolt's height of 6'5.
- Female-sex tests are illegal in France and Norway - French are therefore taking the test in other countries
- 9 days to Worlds - Who is most likely to be Europe’s stars at the 2025 World Championships? We know a good place to start is with people who only need one name for you to know owho they are - Femke, Mondo, Keely. Jakob.
- Full Irish team for Worlds, which includes Sophie O'Sullivan, is released
- Canada's Charles Philibert-Thiboutot set for emotional track farewell at Worlds This is looking like the last Worlds for the 34-year-old.
Non-Worlds News
- World Athletics releases video documentary on Letsile Tebogo - Built for Speed: The Letsile Tebogo Story The whole thing is now up on World Athletics+ and the first 21 minutes of the 33 minutes is also up on youtube (click on the link above for that).
- Recommended Read 1968 Olympic 400h bronze medallist and great PE teacher John Sherwood has died at age 80 Shewood and his wife Sheila (silver LJ) both won medals for GBR in 1968 and then had distinguished careers as school teachers. “There were never any half measures,” said his wife. “He would do things properly and that was why he had such a great sporting career and was such a good teacher...We were amateurs and both worked full time as teachers..... After we won our Olympic medals we just carried on as normal.”
- Can running cure a broken heart? Scientists say it can After big emotional losses, your heart can be physically damaged. And guess what? Exercise helps it heal.
- Two-time 800m World champ Billy Konchella named as board member to Kenyan anti-doping
Fast Times In Germnay
Attaoui is now only behind Noah Ngeny (2:11.96 in 1999) and Seb Coe (2:12.18 in 1981). Kenya's Festus Lagat finished runner-up to Attaoui in 2:12.96 (#5 all-time).
More Distance News
- Ethan Strand heads to Tokyo with confidence after going for the win and finishing runner-up at USAs Strand says, "If I’m there with 200 meters to go, I trust myself against anybody in the world. The United States is the best country in the world from 1500 right now. If I can come out there and compete here and place really high, I can do the same thing at Worlds."
- Eliud Kipchoge talks about while he's still running marathons after 9th place Sydney Marathon finish Kipchoge said, "I trust that I have nothing to prove. I’m privileged to still be running at this age. I’m actually more in love with marathons now just to participate and inspire people. Above all, I’m running for humanity, running for hope and telling people to come out and run."
- Jake Wightman says "I feel like the redemption is just going to be making that start line (at Worlds)" after injury woes Funny enough, he made the GB team by not showing up at the starting line at the UK Trials and being selected by committee instead.
- Faith Cherotich wins Diamond League Jesse Owens Rising Star Award
Non-Distance Stuff
- Olympic sprinter Favour Ofili confirms controversial nationality switch from Nigeria to Turkey She cited administration errors with the Nigerian federation which cost her an appearance at the Tokyo Olympics and a spot in the 100m at the Paris Olympics. The Nigerian federation president Tonobok Okowa responded by accusing her of just switching for money and had some pretty ignorant comments denying responsibility for the errors which cost her spots at the Olympics.
- GB pole vaulter Molly Caudery going for gold in Tokyo after Olympic disappointment last year She came in as one of the top contenders in Paris, but didn't make the final after no-heighting.
- Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce wants to go out on her own terms in Tokyo after the moment was "taken from [her]" in Paris In Paris last year, SAFP was initially denied entry to the stadium ahead of her 100m semi-final and ended up withdrawing because her pre-race routine was so thrown off.
- Letsile Tebogo wins Diamond League Jesse Owens Rising Star award for the second consecutive year The Olympic 200m champion has already been a "star" for quite some time, but the award simply goes to the best performing athlete at the DL final who is 23 or under.
- WA interview: Paris Olympic decathlon silver medalist and German record holder Leo Neugebauer hoping to repeat medal-winning performance in Tokyo
10 Days Until Tokyo
- USATF names team of 141 for Tokyo Worlds
- Defending champs Shericka Jackson (200m), Danielle Williams (100H) and Antonio Watson (400m) lead Jamaican team for Worlds Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will race her final Worlds in the 100m and 4x100m.
- Defending World champions Marco Arop (800m), Ethan Katzberg (hammer), Camryn Rogers (hammer), and Pierce LePage (decathlon) lead Canadian squad
- Gout Gout headlines Australian squad for World Champs
*MB: Olli Hoare doesn't make Australia 1500 team - Japan Announces Team Of 39 Men And 30 Women For Home World Championships
- Team of 15 will represent Bahamas in Tokyo
- Athletics Ireland announced team for Tokyo
Sex Testing News
- BBC explains how Worlds Athletics' new gene testing works and the rules surrounding it The test uses a cheek swap or blood test to detect if the presence of a Y chromosome which invalidates them from female competition.
- Controversial Olympic champion boxer Imane Khelif appealing to CAS against World Boxing's new sex testing rules Khelif is currently not allowed to compete at the boxing world championships (which start this week) without a gene test.
Gabby Thomas Out Of Tokyo
She hadn't raced since making the team with her 3rd place finish at USAs a month ago. There she just beat out Brittany Brown for the final spot by one thousandth of a second, but Brown went on to make the team by winning the 200m DL final in Zurich.
USATF 20k Champs
He took 7 seconds off his previous record to beat out defending champ Hillary Bor (56:32). Recent BYU grad Aubrey Frentheway won the women’s race in 1:05:36 ahead of Biruktayit Defega (1:05:42) and Ednah Kurgat (1:05:46).
Upcoming European Road Racing
- Eilish McColgan and Abel Kipchumba lead fields for Great North Run half-marathon on September 7 McColgan faces NYC marathon champ Sheila Chepkirui and former Olympic/world champ Vivian Cheruiyot. On the men's side, Kipchumba will try to defend his title against London Marathon champ Alex Mutiso Munyao, European marathon record holder Bashir Abdi and GB's Marc Scott.
- Two-time world 5000m medalist Jacob Krop leads field for tRUNsylvania 10k on October 5 in Romania He faces a field with four sub-27:15 runners.
More Weekend Results
- GB sprinter Eugene Amo-Dadzie runs 9.87 in London to move to #5 on the European all-time 100m list (#2 on UK list) It was a .06 second PB for the 33-year-old who will represent GB in the 4x100 at Tokyo Worlds.
*Israel Olatunde breaks Irish 100m record with 10.08 runner-up finish in London He took .04 off his own NR. - College XC Roundup: NCAA Season Kicks Off Across The Country Missouri men and women swept the Mizzou XC Opener team titles, the men beating Saint Louis and #9 ranked Oregon while the women won over #21 Arkansas. #1 ranked Iowa State men opened up with a victory at the Cyclone Preview on their home course. At the Cowboy Preview, the #3 ranked OSU men beat #22 Oklahoma 29-32 while the Northwestern women dominated with a perfect 15 points ahead of #14 OSU.
- Brit Henry McLuckie runs 3:59.99 to win the Monument Mile Classic in the UK Ethiopia's Tsige Teshome won the women's race in 4:26.79 in a close race with GB's Megan Keith (4:26.85). As far as American steeplechasers, Evan Jager and Colleen Quigley both finished 9th in 3:59.10 and 4:33.38 respectively.
- Daisuke Uekado (2:11:36) and Aiwa Sakaguchi (2:31:50) win hot/humid Hokkaido Marathon in Japan
Sydney Joins The World Marathon Majors
Kiros, who was 4th in Tokyo earlier this year and 5th in last year, grabbed the lead after 41k while Hassan made a big move after 35k to drop former WR holder Brigid Kosgei on Sydney's hilly course. *Top 20 Results
- MB: Official 2025 Sydney Marathon Live Discussion Thread
- WA Recap: Hassan and Kiros run course records at Sydney Marathon
- MB: Annual Kipchoge would destroy the field at UTMB and CCC He may or may not be able to win UTMB but he's no longer a thread for the win in the marathon as he just 9th.
- MB: Time fot Kipchoge to pack it in
- MB: Is kipchoges placing at recent marathons negatively impacting his overall legacy?
- Previous: LRC 2025 Sydney Marathon men’s field: Is it great? Or greatly hyped?
Distance News
- Jakob Ingebrigtsen confirms he'll race at Tokyo Worlds Ingebrigtsen said, “It may not be optimal to run a World Championships without competitions in the legs, but it just has to be. I'm going to run. This is what I live for. To compete. It can't be that difficult."
*MB: Norwegian Athletics Federation announces squad: JI is signed up for 1500 and 5000
*MB: Jakob Ingebrigtsen officially confirms he is injury free and will run in Tokyo
- Phanuel Koech talks about his breakthrough season and his hopes for World Champs Koech said, "The World Championships will be another new experience for me, but I believe I have the potential to earn a medal ...I don’t feel intimidated in any way."
- Ken Stone: How Julia Stamps ('94 champ), Jorge Torres ('98 champ) and Jesse Williams saved Footlocker xc thanks to Brooks
- World Athletics ratifies several world records including Emmanuel Wanyonyi's 3:54.6 road mile Also Cam Meyers' world U20 indoor 1500m/mile (3:32.67/3:47.48) plus Mondo Duplantis' 6.28m PV record from June (already outdated since he cleared 6.29m in August).
UTMB
- British ultra runner Tom Evans wins UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc) title Evans won the more than 100-mile ultra in 19:18:58 after finishing runner-up in 2022, but DNFing the last two years. US's Ben Dhiman was runner-up, more than 30 minutes back.
*MB: UTMB Week is here! Who you got? - New Zealand's Ruth Croft wins women's UTMB in 22:56:20 US's Courtney Dauwalter was going for her 4th win here and had a big lead early in the race, but ended up fading and finishing outside the top-5. Interestingly, Croft and men's winner Evans both share the same coach.
GST Update
- MB: NYT/Athletic article claims Michael Johnson lied about tariffs being the reason investors withdrew The writer explains that GST ran out of money so quickly because they thought they'd be getting an extra $30 million, but the potential investors were spooked by the lack of crowds in Jamaica, not Trump's tariffs as Johnson claimed.
- MB: Grand Slam Track blew through nearly $18 million without paying a penny in prize money? How?
Hosting News
- Belgrade, Serbia to host 2026 European Cross Country Championships It will be at the same location that hosted the World XC Championships in 2024.
- India bids to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games
The DL Final Is In The Books
The DL Final Is In The Books
Laros, the 20-year-old Dutchman, stayed red-hot with another win in a pb of 3:29.20. Plus Noah Lyles edged out Letsile Tebogo in a 200m thriller, 19.74 to 19.76, as Frenchman Jimmy Gressier outkicked Grant Fisher to win the 3,000 in 7:36.78 to Fisher's 7:36.81. Jessica Hull tied up big time in the 1500 and lost by 0.03 and Audrey Werro ran 1:55 to win a tight women's 800. Other winners included Femke Bol (52.18), Salwa Eid Naser (48.70) and Christian Coleman (9.97). We broke it down for you live when it was over in the player above/to the left.
- WA Women's Recap *WA Men's Recap
- MB: Official Zurich DL Live Discussion Thread: Last call for Nuguse & Hoey
- MB: I's official: Laros is the favorite. Laros BLASTS field in DL finale - Nuguse goes home devastated in 7th
- MB: Wanyonyi holds off Burgin & Arop to win DL title in 1:42.37, Hoey goes home devastated in 8th
- MB: Jess Hull TOTALY Ties up - loses DL final by .03 US visitors, you can watch a video of the final 400 here.
- MB: Grant Fisher says pace for DL 3k was originally 7:15
- MB: Hocker should just sit on Laros in the Tokyo 1500 final
- Grant Fishers coach is cocky for being a unsuccessful high school coach
- Nuguse will run 3:26 in DL final tomorrow
- The whole "wildcard" crap in the Diamond League makes no sense
- Dear Addy Wiley, Please find a new coach
More Zurich
Ethiopia's Fantaye Belayneh outduelled American Josette Andrews to win $50,000 in the Diamond League 3000m final while wearing Aleshign Baweke's bib. Baweke was announced as the winner but Belayneh was the actual champion and will earn a wild card entry to Worlds in the 5,000 meters.
- RRW: After Diamond League final 1500m win, is Niels Laros now World Championships favorite? We certainly think Laros is the favorite.
- Gressier wins 3k over Fisher, keeping Coope Teare out of Worlds Gressier: "I surprised myself tonight. My coach told me that if it is going to be a tactical race wait and push only on the last 100m. And that is what I did."
- Hull not upset after losing 1500 - realizes she just need to taper "I learned today my body is fit, but that I need to keep energy for the last 100m, so the solution is to take a bit out of training."
- AFP: Lyles trumps Tebogo in Zurich, Alfred shines
Sha'Carri Richardson's Summer Gets Worse
LetsRun has learned that the case has not been cleared as many media outlets reported and that Richardson is scheduled to appear in court in SeaTac, Wash., on September 2. The first round of the women's 100 meters at the World Championships in Tokyo begin on September 13.
HS XC News
- Foot Lockers isn't dead - Brooks XC Championships prestented by Fleet Feet will take place at Balboa Park Foot Locker didn't want to sell the right so technically it will be a new meet but basically it is Foot Lockers with the same dates, regional, etc.
- Marc Bloom: Reflecting on Foot Locker after a 45-Year run - "Foot Lockers took an obscure, gritty sport and made it glamorous" "There’s something profoundly sad about the end of the Foot Locker High School Cross Country Championships after a run of 45 years," writes Bloom at the beginning of his column. Perhaps. On this week's Track Talk podcast, most of us thought it was time to just have one national meet but Wejo did not agree.
Cooper Goes Pro
The 16-year-old Lutkenhaus will forgo his final two years of high school eligibility. He is the first American men's middle-distance runner to turn professional while still in high school.
- MB: COOPER GOES PRO
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.
Podcast & Highlights
Coach Chris Capeau was our podcast guest and shares how he guided Cooper Lutkenhaus to a record-breaking 1:42.27 in the 800m, in his first year coaching him.
The Latest LetsRun Feature By Jonathan Gault
Three years ago, USATF published a document on its website titled "Journey to Gold: Strategic Roadmap to 2028." The idea: capitalize on a six-year window bookended by two rare opportunities -- a home World Championships in 2022 and a home Olympics in 2028 -- to grow the sport domestically. The aim, spelled out in a purple box on page 1, was to make track & field the country's fifth-most followed sport by LA28. As part of this initiative, USATF launched a series of professional meets known as the "Journey to Gold Tour." Three nationally-televised meets stood at the heart of those efforts. Last year, the USATF Bermuda, NYC, and LA Grand Prix meets were all shown nationally on NBC. In 2025, none of those meets were even held. What happened to them? And what should USATF's role be in promoting/staging professional track meets?
Weekend Listen
Deena Kastor, the Olympic bronze medallist in the marathon, shares stories of the coach who shaped her as a runner and human being.
- LRC Friday 15 Weekend Podcast: USAs Next Week, Grand Slam Track Needs Cash, Kenyan Trials & Byes The LetsRun crew breaks down the latest running news. Only available to Supporters Club members.
If it's too good to be true....
Suspicion of Chepngetich was sky high last October when she ran 2:09:56 in Chicago and now she's been popped.. But since Chepngetich tested positive for a masking agent, she could be competing again as soon as April 2027 even if her ban is upheld. Is that fair? Plus is the AIU nearing a breaking point with Federico Rosa and Kenya?
- Toni Reavis column on Ruth C's bust: Why don't agents, shoe sponsors or marathon Title sponsors do anything about the doping scourge Reavis correctly points out that just banning the athletes isn't working. What is agents were required to put up a bond to vouch fo athletes being clean?
- MB: Breaking: Marathon world record Ruth Chepngetich has tested positive - Will Kenya's Parliament apologize to yours truly?|
- 2024: Amby Burfoot says it out loud - Chepngetich is doping
- 2024: Kenyan parliament is currently discussing my questions of Ruth Chepngetich & are demanding that I apologize Remember when 13 members of Parliament went on a 20+ tirade ripping LetsRun for asking Chepngetich what she would say to people who thought her performace was too good to be true.
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Meet Phanuel Koech
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.
Our Latest Feature
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.
The 800 Gets LetsRun Love
The 800 Gets LetsRun Love
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)
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
- Part II: SC How Josh Hoey Went from Also-Ran to World Indoor Champion, Part II: Going All-In With Justin Rinaldi & The Fast 8 Track Club 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."
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."
Jonathan Gault pays tribute to two legends
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.
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
‒-Jakob Ingebrigtsen talking to the media about whether he'll be able to run the 1500 at Worlds.
MB: Breaking: Jakob may not run 1500 at Worlds