One of New England’s great running traditions continues on Sunday when the 28th edition of the Stratton Faxon Fairfield Half-Marathon steps off from Jennings Beach in Fairfield, Conn.
Event coordinator John Bysiewicz of JB Sports expects about 3500 runners from six nations and 35 states to participate in the half-marathon, 5-K and kids’ 1 kilometer run.
“This year’s race should be very exciting,” said Bysiewicz in a prepared statement.
Athletes from Kenya and Ethiopia are the favorites for the $1500 winners’ checks. There is also a $1,000 bonus for a course record (1:02:39/1:12:06).
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At a half-marathon yesterday in Saga City, Japan, a swarm of bees attacked the runners sending dozens to the hospital. Read more here:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23494737-5005961,00.html
The officially sold-out Garry Bjorklund Half-Marathon, which is held in conjunction with Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minn., will offer additional entries through an online auction to benefit the family of the fallen marathoner, Wesly Ngetich, who was killed during the violence in Kenya earlier this year. Ngetich won Grandma’s Marathon twice in 2005 and 2007.
“Wesly was a great champion for our event, so assisting his family is the very least we can do,” said Scott Keenan, executive director of Grandma’s Marathon. “Our donations can’t bring him back, but hopefully they can bring some financial relief to his family members as they struggle through this difficult time.”
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The 39th Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, to be run over 56 km this Saturday, March 22, in Cape Town, South Africa, will be momentous for a number of reasons. Foremost among these is that the event will have a new race director for the first time in 28 years, with Rowyn James succeeding Chet Sainsbury, who retired after last year’s Two Oceans, which is always held the Saturday before Easter.
The race also has a new technical sponsor in PUMA, while both defending champions, Bethuel Netshifhefhe and Madina Biktagirova, will be returning.
Almost 19,000 runners have entered the ultramarathon and the accompanying half-marathon, which will be held for the 11th time. The shorter race has attracted a record field of 11,213, making it South Africa’s biggest half-marathon.
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Buster Martin, 101, plans to run the London Marathon and celebrate with a pint and a cigarette when it’s over. He recently completed a half-marathon in just over 5 hours, according to this Reuters story.
For more information, please visit:
http://sports.yahoo.com
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Organizers of the Garry Bjorklund Half-Marathon, held on conjunction with the well-known Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minn., announced that they have doubled the prize money purse for the 2008 edition of the race, scheduled for Sunday, June 21. This will be the second year that the half-marathon will offer cash prizes.
“The addition of a cash purse in 2007 helped us attract a quality field of elite runners, and we expect this increase will bring in an even stronger group of half marathoners this year,” said Scott Keenan, executive director of Grandma’s Marathon, in a prepared statement.
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A new half-marathon will held this week in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi with a whopping $2 million purse. Incredibly, the winners of the Zayed Marathon will receive prize money of $300,000, more than any other foot race in the world at any distance. In addition there is a $200,000 bonus on the line for a world record for either men or women.
Lornah Kiplagat of the Netherlands and Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya are the leading entrants. Read more about the race here:
http://www.gulfnews.com/sport/Athletics/10192928.html
No half-marathon in the world pays more prize money than the Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, and it looks like race organizers got their money’s worth with today’s edition.
The road race, in only its second year, wrapped up this morning with thrilling sprint finishes on both the men’s and women’s sides. When all the dust had settled, Kenyans Patrick Makau and Salina Kosgei were declared the winners, and will take home USD 25,000 (tax free!).
Makau, a lanky and boyish athlete at age 22, continued to be impressive over his signature distance of 21,097 meters, dipping under the one-hour mark for the fifth time in his still-budding career.
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Wanjiru Wins Spanish Half-Marathon in 59:26,
Sets Sites on London, Beijing
Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru won the 21st Mitja Marató (half-marathon) de Granollers near Barcelona, Spain with a time of 59:26. proving that he is fit and ready for the Flora London Marathon this April. He also has his sites set on the Beijing Olympic Marathon this summer.
Read more at: [IAAF]
Maurice Greene Reaches “Journey’s End”
Former Olympic and world 100m champion Maurice Greene announced his retirement after unsuccessful battles with nagging injuries. Read more about this story at: [IAAF] Read more about Greene at: [Wikipedia]
Field Events Dominate Governor’s Cup Indoor Meet in Samara, Russia
A sellout crowd at the Governor’s Cup Indoor Meet in Samara, Russia was treated to world-class performances in the field events by a top-notch international field of athletes from 17 countries.
Read more at: [European Athletics]
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Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, the Kenyan whose bank account was fattened by the $500,000 he won as the inaugural World Marathon Majors champion last year, has joined the field for the Ras Al Khaimah Half-Marathon set for Friday, Feb. 8.
The “RAK Half” as it has come to be known, which was only held for the first time one year ago, has quickly established itself as the world’s top winter half-marathon. At last year’s competition, Samuel Wanjiru blazed the flat course in 58:53, then a world record. Wanjiru led two other men, Patrick Makau and Deriba Merga, under the one hour mark. Eight men broke 61 minutes.
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Alexandra Haller, a writer for our partner site Her Active Life, is currently training for her first half marathon. Here, she shares the ups and downs of her training routine as she readies herself for the physical challenge of a lifetime.
My half marathon is about 10 days away and I’m increasingly nervous. I wonder how […]
Kenyans McDonald Ondara and Magdalene Makunzi won the second annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon San Jose on Sunday. Ondara, 23, covered the 13.1-mile course in 1 hour, 1 minute, 11 seconds. Makunzi, 24, broke the tape in 1:09:58.
The men’s race culminated in a sprint to the finish as Ondara, who led the majority of […]
Kicking from a tight four man pack in the 57th minute, Zersenay Tadesse of Eritrea successfully defended his title at the 2nd IAAF World Road Running Championships in Udine, Italy, today.
Tadesse, also the reigning World Cross Country champion, covered the half marathon distance in 58:59, a championships record, comfortably holding off Kenyan Patrick Makau Musyoki’s […]
In a largely solo performance, Lornah Kiplagat broke the world record for the half marathon, clocking 1:06:25 at the World Road Running Championships in Udine, Italy, today.
In retaining her title, Kiplagat shattered the previous record of 1:06:44 set by South African Elena Meyer in 1999.
“Everything just went perfect today,” Kiplagat said. “With four kilometers left, […]
Here is the start list for the 2007 Rock ‘N’ Roll San Jose Half-Marathon, San Jose, Calif., courtesy of Lara Ulrich at Elite Racing. Besides the strong African contingent, today’s race will be a major test for American Khalid Khannouchi who is preparing for the USA Olympic Trials Marathon on Nov. 3 in New […]
Alexandra Haller, a writer for our partner site Her Active Life, is currently training for her first half marathon. Here, she shares the ups and downs of her training routine as she readies herself for the physical challenge of a lifetime.
The continuation of my training brings me to my longest run yet, 10 miles. Last […]
Udine, Italy Prepares to Host Road Running World Championships
Udine, Italy will play host to the 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships on Sunday, October 14th, 2007 on a fast, mostly flat, three-loop, half-marathon course. Kenyan Evans Cheruiyot, who won last year’s race in Udine, will return to compete against fellow Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru, the current […]
Kara Goucher has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after winning the Great North Run Half Marathon Sunday in north east England.
The 2007 World Outdoor 10,000m bronze medalist, Goucher made her half marathon debut a memorable one in setting a new American best time of 66 minutes 57 seconds. Her time […]
Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
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Episode 86 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my interview with 2004 Olympian KATE O’NEIL about making her marathon debut at […]
Nineteen years ago, a skinny 15 year old did what millions of country kids over the centuries have done. Haile Gebrselassie went up to the big city, to seek his fortune. He was only in Addis Ababa a couple of days, just long enough to run a marathon and struggle, half crippled from the effort, […]
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