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(c) 2024 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Published with permission. CHICAGO (13-Oct) -- Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich, the 2019 world marathon champion, ran an astonishing time of 2:09:56 at this morning's Bank of America Chicago Marathon, a pending World Athletics record by nearly two minutes.  Guided by two male pacemakers, the 30 year-old ran consecutive half-marathons of 1:04:16 and 1:05:41.  Amazingly, her first half split was the fastest-ever half-marathon run by a woman on U.S. soil. "It's just mind-boggling," said two-time Olympian Ed Eyestone on the local television broadcast of the race. Chepngetich, who was not selected for the 2024 Kenyan Olympic team, came out swinging today.  Shadowed by Ethiopia's Sutume Kebede, she scooted through the first 5K in 15-flat, and 10-K in 30:14.  At that point she was on pace for a 2:07:34 finish, and Kebede was only two seconds back. "This year the weather was perfect," said Chepngetich, who had already won this race twice before, in 2021 and 2022.  She added: "Like I say, I was well prepared.  World record was on my mind." After the 10K mark Chepngetich got into a sizzling and unprecedented rhythm.  For the next four 5K segments she clocked 15:18, 15:19, 15:26, and 15:32.  Kebede faded back more and more with each passing kilometer (she would eventually finish second in 2:17:32), and at various points she ran with American elite men, including Nathan Martin and Shadrack Kipchirchir. "When I looked over, I know we're running 2:07 pace and she looked great," said the top American man, C.J. Albertson, who ran close to Chepngetich during the first 10K. Her pace seemed unsustainable. Yet, after slowing slightly from 30 to 35K (15:43), she picked it up again from 35 to 40K (15:39).  When she crested "Mount Roosevelt," the small hill which begins with about 400 meters left in the race, she was able to summon a sprint to the finish and break 2:10.  She collapsed into the arms of race director Cary Pinkowski just after crossing the finish line. "Chicago is like a home," said Chepngetich, who earned $150,000 in prize and bonus money from the race, and will surely earn more in undisclosed bonuses.  She added: "This is my fourth year coming to Chicago. The fans are so motivating, pushing me." Irine Cheptai of Kenya (2:17:51), Buze Diriba of Ethiopia (2:20:22) and Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya (2:20:51) rounded out the top-5.  The top American was Susanna Sullivan who finished seventh in 2:21:56, a huge personal best. "This time a year ago I couldn't walk; I had a fractured kneecap," said Sullivan, a sixth grade math teacher from Virginia. She won $15,000 in prize money as the top American and said she might use it to do some work on the old house she and her husband recently bought in Maine. "It will certainly come in handy because it's definitely a fixer-upper," she said. Lindsay Flanagan was the second USA woman, finishing ninth in a personal best 2:23:31, and Emma Bates was the third American in 11th in 2:24:00. Chepngetich's performance overshadowed a fine victory for Kenya's John Korir in the men's race.  Korir, 27, whose older brother Wesley was the 2012 Boston Marathon winner, ran a 4:37 20th mile then 14:01 from 30 to 35 km.  That crippled the rest of the field, and allowed Korir to scamper to the finish alone and clock a personal best 2:02:44, the second-fastest winning time ever at this race. "I was excited," Korir told reporters after the race.  "I knew I was in 2:02 shape."  He added: "I knew I wanted to close the season in a PB and I did it." Out of the group of six men Korir dropped in the 20th mile, Ethiopia's Mohamed Esa did the best and finished second in 2:04:39.  Kenya's Amos Kipruto took third in 2:04:50, and two more Kenyans rounded out the top-5, Vincent Ngetich (2:05:16) and Daniel Ebenyo (2:06:04).  Ebenyo, the 2023 World Athletics Championships 10,000m silver medalist, was making his marathon debut. Albertson, the top American, ran a personal best 2:08:17, good for seventh place.  He passed compatriot Zach Panning with about a mile and a half to go (Panning ended up ninth in 2:09:16).  Albertson, who will also run the TCS New York City Marathon in three weeks, enjoyed the atmosphere of today's race, but found the flat course oddly challenging. "You just get no breaks," said Albertson, who said that hilly courses allow him to change-up his muscle usage.  He added: "The whole first 16 miles there's no break.  It's just uncomfortable the whole time." In the wheelchair divisions the pre-race favorites Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner, both of Switzerland, prevailed.  Hug won a close race over Daniel Romanchuk of the USA, 1:25:54 to 1:25:58.  Japan's Tomoki Suzuki was third in 1:26:05.  It was Hug's fifth victory in Chicago, and his third in a row. "It was a big challenge today with Daniel," he said.  "He was very strong.  I attacked many times." Debrunner caught a break when her top opponent, Susannah Scaroni of the United States, got a flat tire before the 5-K mark.  Debrunner raced the clock instead and broke her own course record by more than two minutes.  Her time of 1:36:12 generated earnings of $90,000: $40,000 for the win and $50,000 for a new course record. "I was super excited to come back here to Chicago," said Debrunner, who ended her 2024 season with today's race.  She added: "It was a really tough race, there was a lot of wind.  It's always tough when you're by yourself. I struggled quite often." Scaroni finished 12th in 1:56:20. ** Today's race was part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, and the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a World Athletics Platinum Label road race.  Race officials expected about 51,000 finishers today, but the official total will not be known until tonight. PHOTO: Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya celebrates after setting a pending World Athletics record of 2:09:56 at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon (Photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)  

(c) 2024 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Published with permission. CHICAGO (11-Oct) -- At the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Marathon last February in Orlando, Zach Panning made the most important move of the race, dropping a 4:49 sixth mile and breaking the race open.  He felt confident.  Still a young marathoner, he felt free to experiment. "This was my first Trials and, I would say, inexperience was showing a little bit," he said after that race.  "I'm really proud of how I raced." After a 64:07 halfway split and a 4:44 17th mile, Panning's energy was sapped by the time he reached the last two miles. He faded to sixth place at the finish line in 2:10:50, and his Olympic dream would have to wait four more years.  Still, that race showed him that on the right day he could run a fast marathon.  He hopes that at Sunday's Bank of America Chicago Marathon here he can achieve that goal.  It was here in 2022 where he set his still-standing personal best of 2:09:28, a time he hopes to beat by minutes. "Personally, I think I have improved a lot since then," Panning told Race Results Weekly in an interview here this morning just after finishing his training run.  "It hasn't really shown up on a results page.  That's really my goal, right?  Just improve on that personal best and just finish as high as I can." Panning, 29, has had an unusual year.  After recovering from the Trials he ran an unconventional slate of events.  He did an 8-kilometer team event in Chicago with his Hansons-Brooks Original Distance Project teammates, a road 5K in Boston, a 10,000m track race in Britain, and the USA Olympic Team Trials, also at 10,000m.  The goal was to get him away from marathon training, change-up his muscle usage, and allow him to clear his head before buckling down for big miles he would need to run ahead of Chicago in the fall. "I feel like each time it's a little more difficult to go back to the track," Panning explained.  "I'm in my young marathon career here.  I think it's important to not let things get stale (and) run those faster races, get uncomfortable still.  That was kind of the goal of the segment."  He continued: "The focus was on this fall, running a fall marathon.  But, be able to spin those gears a little quicker this summer was nice." As he built-up his mileage this summer Kevin Hanson, who coaches Panning with his brother Keith, could see that his athlete was on a good trajectory.  They used a 14-week build-up, instead of the usual 12, and Panning responded positively. "Honestly, the race couldn't get here fast enough," Kevin Hanson told Race Results Weekly in the lobby of the athletes' hotel.  He added: "We've been doing this long enough that I've seen him do what other people haven't been able to do." A month ago Panning tested his fitness at the Philadelphia Distance Run Half-Marathon.  It was a "train-though" race where he wanted to check how he felt at marathon pace, the kind of faster-than-Orlando tempo he hopes to run here on Sunday. "The goal was to run 10 miles at race pace and then go the last three if you could," said Panning, who clocked a personal best 1:02:48.  "That's kind of what we did.  Maybe I was just a little bit quick early on, but at the end of the day I was able to accelerate off of it.  We were pleased with that." Panning also used the Philadelphia race to help train his mind, to stick with a race plan when others around him were in different periods of their seasons. "That was another thing: trying to run what I want to run," Panning explained.  "I haven't run a lot of halfs.  That PR, just knowing you can run under 63 makes it a little easier to wrap your brain around running 63:30 two times, or 64 two times.  I think that helps build up confidence as well." With cool weather forecast for Sunday morning, after a temperature spike into the 80's today, conditions will be good for the power-packed elite field here on Sunday.  In fact, keeping his pace in check might be his biggest challenge.  He's ready for that, he said. "I think that's where having a team comes into play quite a bit," Panning said.  "I really enjoy having some fun with my teammates.  Not making light of the race, but just being able to enjoy the process of getting here.  The result is going to take care of itself if you are focused on what you did to get here."  He added: "It's like getting ready for the school play for months and then when it's finally here, that performance is the most important part, the most exciting part.  But, all the rehearsals leading up to that moment is what you remember, not necessarily the performance.  I think about that a lot going into races like this." When he's not running, Panning has been following the Major League Baseball playoffs.  Originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, he didn't grow up rooting for Detroit sports teams.  But now that he lives in Michigan, he's gotten on board with Detroit fandom.  He's rooting for the Tigers in the American League Division Series which concludes tomorrow with the fifth and deciding game against the Cleveland Guardians. "I've got to be cheering for the Tigers," Panning said, breaking into a smile.  "I wasn't a Tigers fan growing up, but Detroit sports is so crazy.  People just get invested in it, in these teams.  I think they are just starved for the playoff atmosphere.  When they get a taste of it it's cool to see, cool to see the city." ** At today's elite athletes press conference, former USA marathon record holder Keira D'Amato revealed that she has a bet with her husband, Anthony, on the outcome of the race.  Anthony, an accomplished recreational runner, will try to stay within 40 minutes of his wife.  The couple purchased a WWE-type championship belt, and the winner of the bet gets the belt. While D'Amato said that her husband had trained well, the 39 year-old liked her chances. "I think it's cute that he thinks he'll be within 40 minutes," she told the media today. PHOTO: Zach Panning finishing 12th at the 2023 World Athletics Championships marathon in Budapest in 2:11:21 (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)

(c) 2024 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Published with permission.   NEW YORK (26-Sep) -- Fifty-two years after the world's first-ever all-women's road race was held in this city, the first all-women's professional athletics meeting was held at Icahn Stadium tonight.  Athlos NYC, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver Label meeting, featured 35 athletes running six races over a two-hour period, and a whopping $663,000 prize money purse.  The meet concluded with a concert by rapper Megan Thee Stallion. "I love what they're doing here," said New Zealander Zoe Hobbs who finished fifth in the 100m and earned $5,000.  "It's good for track and field, bringing some hype and energy.  It's the atmosphere we need."   The atmosphere was certainly to the liking of Kenya's Faith Kipyegon, the three-time Olympic 1500m champion.  She started her international season late, in July at the Paris Diamond League, and said she was still feeling fresh for tonight's race.  After pacemaker Emily Richards stepped off the track after 800 meters, Kipyegon took the lead and ran 65.5 seconds for the penultimate lap.  She was shadowed closely by Ethiopian stars Diribe Welteji and Gudaf Tsegay, and Kenya's Susan Ejore-Sanders.  Kipyegon saved her legs for the final circuit, blasting away in the last 150 meters to close in 58.45 seconds.  Her time of 4:04.79 was by far her slowest 1500 of the season, but tonight's race was her most lucrative.  She earned $60,000. "To say the truth I was not tired," Kipyegon told a group of reporters while wearing the silver Tiffany & Co. crown which was presented to each winner.  "It was nice to enjoy what was happening today.  It was really a unique race with some amazing ladies."  She continued: "It was my plan to finish the season in a nice way." Welteji finished second in 4:05.58, and Ejore-Sanders got third in 4:06.25.  Ejore-Sanders, who ran for the University of Oregon during her NCAA career, also finished third at the New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile here on September 8. "It was just like all-out the last 150 meters," said the smiling Ejore-Sanders, who won $10,000.  "It's incredible. I'm so happy with my performance today." The 800m was a much faster race, despite the absence of a pacemaker.  Ethiopia's Tsige Duguma, the reigning world 800m indoor champion, took the race out hard in 58.13 for the first 400 meters.  Kenya's Mary Moraa, Jamaica's Natoya Goule-Toppin, and the USA's Addy Wiley stayed close.  Duguma still led at 600 meters, and held the inside lane out of the final bend.  Moraa, the 2023 world champion, tried to catch Duguma in the homestretch, but fell short.  Duguma got the win in a stadium record 1:57.43.  Moraa was second (1:58.05), Goule-Toppin third (1:58.63), and Wiley fourth (1:58.93). "It's great; I'm very happy," Duguma told reporters with the help of a translator.  She was particularly jazzed by the $60,000 paycheck.  "It is unexpected," she said.  She continued: "It's a lot of money for me, for my family, and the sport.  I can use it." In the four sprint events, Puerto Rico's Jasmine Camach-Quinn won the 110m hurdles (12.36), Côte d'Ivoire's Marie-Josee Ta Lou won the 100m (10.98), Dominican Republic's Marileidy Paulino won the 400m (49.59), and Brittany Brown won the 200m (22.18).  Brown was the only athlete who doubled tonight, and pocketed total prize money of $85,000: $60,000 for winning the 200m and $25,000 for taking second in the 100m. Across the board athletes heaped praise on the meeting organizers, who were led by technology entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian who bankrolled the meet. "It's amazing," said Britain's Katie Snowden who finished sixth in the 1500m.  "I mean, the way they put it all together, the coming out with the music and the introductions it was really fun.  Especially the end of the season, it was really a great way to finish." PHOTO: Faith Kipyegon wins the 1500m at Athlos NYC at Icahn Stadium (photo courtesy of Athlos NYC)  

(c) 2024 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Published with permission. NORTHPORT, N.Y. (21-Sep) -- "Finally!" That's what Jessica McClain shouted as she broke the tape at the Great Cow Harbor 10K here this morning where she won her first-ever national title.  The 32 year-old from Phoenix, who finished fourth at the 2024 USA Olympic Team Trials Women's Marathon last February, stopped the clock at 31:40, a new course record by 13 seconds. She'll leave this picturesque seaside town on Long Island with total race winnings of $10,500: $8,000 for first place and $2,500 for setting a new course record.  Her time was also a championships record, bettering Marla Runyan's 2002 mark of 31:46 set in Boston. "It was so fun," an elated McClain told Race Results Weekly just after finishing.  "I was literally out here just to race and have a good time before New York (City Marathon), and the motivation now is just head-down training, staying in Phoenix the next six weeks." McClain was part of a strong lead pack in the first mile which included Natosha Rogers, Erika Kemp, Emma Grace Hurley, and Amanda Vestri.  Keira D'Amato, Annie Rodenfels, and Katie Izzo ran together about six seconds back.  The quintet ascended the steep James Street Hill in the second mile, then ran together towards the 5K mark, unable to appreciate the breathtaking views of Northport Harbor to their left.  Rogers got the $500 5K prime, but McClain held back.  She was thinking instead about the overall title. "I knew some of the women would be motivated by the 5K bonus," McClain explained.  "So I was like, just tune-out and stay in the mix until then, and then just feel it out.  When I felt comfortable enough, make a move and make it definitive." Her legs full of strength from marathon training, McClain pulled away in the fourth mile. She ran the mostly downhill second half of the race in a snappy 15:42, much faster than the second-place Rogers (16:03).  Spurred on by the hundreds of spectators who lined both sides of the course, the Brooks-sponsored athlete sailed to the finish line on Main Street alone.  She was particularly pleased with her tactics today. "I've been really bad about getting out and making half-assed moves," McClain admitted with a chuckle.  "I was really trying to get to a point where I was antsy and just go." Despite suffering from a badly upset stomach in the final mile, Rogers was a clear second in 32:00.  Hurley, the overall leader in the USATF Running Circuit points race, took third in 32:05 and Kemp, who won here in 2021, got fourth in 32:10.  D'Amato, who will run the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in three weeks, completed the top-5 in 32:13. "I wasn't sure how this was going to pan out two miles in," said Rogers, who took the lead at 5K.  She continued: "Jess went with me, and then I just kept telling myself, 'just hold on; it's not easier being in no-man's land.'  I tried to hold on to her as hard as I could, but she just has a lot more strength on me." The men's competition quickly became a two-man race when Simbassa --the 2022 champion here and the course record holder-- pulled away with two-time Olympic steeplechaser Hillary Bor after Anthony Rotich surged for the halfway prime (14:19).  In the downhill, fourth mile Bor drafted Simbassa and the pair quickly developed an 11-second lead over their nearest chasers, Sam Chelanga and Kirubel Erassa.  Simbassa used his knowledge of the hilly course to his advantage. "This course can be tricky," Simbassa told Race Results Weekly.  "If you take a lead, make sure you don't go back because there is no place you can take a break." Bor stayed in his taller rival's draft trying to conserve energy.  He wasn't feeling his best. "Today I didn't run the way I expected to," Bor told reporters.  "I felt like I was in shape to run sub-28:00, but for some reason I woke up today and I was feeling tired.  My legs were just flat." The pair were still together through five miles (22:48), but in the final mile Bor had to let Simbassa go.  Although his finish time of 28:18 fell short of his own course record of 28:13, Simbassa was happy.  Today's win represented his second USATF 10K title in three years.  He had to skip last year's race because he competed in the World Athletics Road Running Championships, instead. "It feels good," said Simbassa, who won $8,000 in prize money.  "It's been a while (since) I won (a national) title.  You know, every year I set a goal at the end of the year, I want to win one national championship.  So, today's comeback and win here is just a blessing."   Bor, who later admitted that he knew he wasn't going to win in the first mile, got second in 28:34.  Chelanga won the battle for third over Erassa, 28:34 to 28:50.  Rotich, who won the halfway prime, rounded out the top-5 in 28:59. Today's race was held in near-perfect, late summer weather (fall officially begins tomorrow).  Many residents came out of their homes to cheer, some holding front-porch parties.  Organizers sold out at 5,000 entries four weeks ago, the earliest in race history. ** The 2024 USATF Running Circuit concludes at the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5-K in New York City on Saturday, November 2, where the overall series champions will be crowned. PHOTO: Biya Simbassa and Jessica McClain celebrate after winning the USATF 10-K title at the Great Cow Harbor 10-K in Northport, N.Y. (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)

(c) 2024 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Published with permission. NORTHPORT, N.Y. (18-Sep) -- Saturday's 44th Great Cow Harbor 10K boasts a sold-out general field and will host the USATF 10K Championships for the third consecutive year.  A total purse of $47,000 is on the line including $8,000 for the winning man and woman and $2,500 for new course records. "We have great fields and I fully expect two course records as weather is looking good for fast times," said Will Fodor who recruits and organizes the elite athletes for the race.  "If we give out two bonuses we will be awarding $47,000 in USA-only prize money." Those course records are tough, however: 28:12.4 for men (Biya Simbassa, Under Armour, 2022), and 31:53.0 for women (Stephanie Bruce, HOKA Northern Arizona Elite, 2022). Although the USATF-certified course is net-downhill by about 41 meters (135 feet), it has a steep climb in the second mile on James Street which usually separates the contenders from the rest of the field.  Later, the final mile is nearly all downhill, conducive to fast sprint finishes. The women's field is very strong, despite the absence of 2023 champion Weini Kelati.  Erika Kemp (Brooks), who won the race in 2021 in a solid 32:18 will be back, and should face stiff challenges from former USA marathon record holder Keira D'Amato (Nike), 2023 national 5000m and 10,000m team member Natosha Rogers (Puma Elite Running), 2024 USA Olympic Marathon Trials fourth-placer Jess McClain (Brooks), 2023 USATF 5K road running champion Annie Rodenfels (adidas/BAA High Performance), the top American at the 2024 Mastercard Mini 10-K Amanda Vestri (Brooks/ZAP Endurance), and the second place athlete in the 2024 USATF Running Circuit Emma Grace Hurley (Asics/Heartland Track Club). Rachel Smith (Hoka), the USATF Running Circuit points leader, had planned to run but has scratched. Biya Simbassa, the 2022 men's champion and course record holder, leads the men's field.  He is currently second in the USATF Running Circuit points to Olympic steeplechaser Hillary Bor (Hoka) who will also be competing here on Saturday.  At the Faxon Law New Haven Road Race on Labor Day (the USATF 20K Championships), Bor handily beat Simbassa (who was third) which moved the two-time Olympian to the top of the USATF Running Circuit points table. Veterans Willy Fink (Under Armour), Sam Chelanga (Unattached), Anthony Rotich (U.S. Army), and Diego Estrada (Unattached) should also factor into the fight for the podium. The race prize money goes 10-deep: $8000-4500-2750-1500-1200-750-600-500-400-300.  There is also a $500 prime for the leaders at halfway.  Kelati, who won the women's race last year wire-to-wire, collected the 2023 women's prime, while Tai Dinger got the halfway prize on the men's side (he would finish seventh. The race reached its entry limit of 5,000 runners a full four weeks before race day.  That took organizers by surprise. "Our earliest, ever," said Fodor, whose son, Thomas,   "We did create a wait list to allow runners in the event if any valid scratches occurred enabling us to back-fill the available bibs.  To our astonishment we ended up with over 500 on the wait list." While it's tempting to make the race larger, Fodor said that keeping the runner experience at a high level is what is most important.  The population of Northport is only about 7500 and Fodor and his team want to give runners a genuine small-town race experience.  The race uses a wave start to assure every runner the chance at a clear roadway. "Our goal is to put on a quality event and to keep the name 'Great' in our name," said Fodor.  "We need to ensure all of the runners' safety (adequate water and medical personnel on site), while also achieving the goal of great overall customer satisfaction which we can confidently do with 5,000 runners." After Saturday's race here, only one event remains in the USATF Running Circuit program for 2024: the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K in New York City on Saturday, November 2.  The overall series champions will be crowned that day, and each will receive $30,000 out of a $300,000 series purse. PHOTO: Biya Simbassa winning the 2022 Great Cow Harbor 10K and the USATF national 10K title in a course record 28:12.4 (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)