After a four year reign of the legend Haile Gebrselassie, this year’s Berlin Marathon would be like a change of order, with the legends being replaced by the legend killers. Patrick Makau is undoubtedly the strongest of them at the 2010 Berlin Marathon.

World Class Men’s Field at real,- BERLIN-MARATHON September 26th

After a streak of four wins including two world records by Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) this year´s real,- BERLIN MARATHON on September 26th is going to be the platform for several young and ambitious world class runners to better their personal records. Seven runners in the field have personal records faster than 2:07 hrs, three of them have yet run under 2:06hrs lead by Patrick Makau and Geoffrey Mutai (both Kenya) who have clocked the two fastest times this year by winning the Rotterdam Marathon (resp. placing 2nd): 2:04:48 (Makau) and 2:04:55 hrs (Mutai). Both runners know about the flat and fast course in the German capital and hope for favourable weather conditions.

Patrick Makau knows the Berlin streets very well after having won the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON in 2007 and 2008 clocking a course and personal record of 58:56 min (2007). Meanwhile he has bettered his PB to 58:52 min by winning the RAK half marathon in 2009 making him the 3rd fastest half marathon runner of all time.

Another contender for winning this prestigious marathon is Eliud Kiptanui. The runner from Kenya recently won the Prague Marathon in a time of 2:05:39 hrs. This effort is especially remarkable considering his age (21) and the fact that this was only his 2nd marathon (and the first one outside of Kenya). Bazu Worku (20 years old from Ethiopia) was 2nd at the Paris Marathon in 2009 (2:06:15) and Gilbert Yegon (22, Kenya) won the Amsterdam Marathon 2009 (2:06:18). Yemane Tsege Adhane (25, Ethiopia) was 4th at the Paris Marathon 2009 (2:06:30).

With expected one million spectators along the scenic loop course the race is covered live by n-tv (nationally), Eurosport (Germany and Europe resp. Asia) and Fuji TV (Japan).  Starting time in September 26th is 9 a.m.

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• Patrick Makau runs 4th Fastest Ever at Rotterdam Marathon
• CPC Loop Half-Marathon, The Hague, 2010 Results – Makau wins
• London Marathon 2010 – Women’s Elite Field

After the great success of the 2010 Comrades Marathon which was also the 85th run, its that time of the year again to start registering for the 2011 Comrades Marathon. Unlike last year when the registrations were broken into two phases, those for previous runners, and the mad rush to grab the limited seats for Novice runners which ran out in precisely 27 hours, this years registration is expected to happen much more smoothly with both novice and previous Comrades runners being given an opportunity to register, starting Sept 1st.

To register for 2011 Comrades Marathon, go to the below Mr Price website, and click on Enter Event -> Comrades Marathon

http://onlineentries.mrpricesport.co.za/RaceInfo.aspx?RaceId=13

Press Release

The 2011 Comrades Marathon will take place on Sunday 29 May and will be an Up Run, starting in Durban and finishing in Pietermaritzburg.The race will commence at 05h30 from the Durban City Hall and finish at the Midlands Cricket Oval in Pietermaritzburg.
After the hugely successful implementation of the new early entry process for the 2010 Comrades Marathon, when over 23 000 athletes responded to the call for entries, the CMA has opted to stick with the winning formula and will open entries for the 2011 Comrades Marathon on Wednesday 1 September 2010!

All former and aspiring Comrades runners are invited to submit their entry for the 2011 race from 1 September to 30 November 2010. There will only be one three-month window (September – November) for athletes to enter, be they former Comrades runners or Novices. Entries will be limited to a maximum total of 18 000 athletes. This means that entries will officially be closed when the maximum number of 18 000 entries are reached, e.g. if 18 000 entries are reached on 7 November 2010, entries will be closed immediately and no further entries will be accepted for the 2011 Comrades Marathon.

Entry fees for the 2011 Comrades Marathon are as follows:

• Local athletes (SA Citizens) R270.00
• Rest of Africa R500.00
• International US$180.00

Athletes will once again have various options on how to enter for the Comrades Marathon, these include the following:

• Online via the Comrades Marathon website, www.comrades.com
• Mr Price Clothing, Home and Sport Stores countrywide (for South African residence)
• Postal: Posting the completed entry form and proof of payment to the CMA Head Office in Pietermaritzburg
• CMA Head Office: Submitting the completed entry form and payment at the CMA Head Office in Pietermaritzburg

Athletes are advised to submit their entries early as the maximum limit of 18 000 will be strictly enforced.

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The Bank of America Chicago Marathon today announced that three of the world’s top marathon champions will compete head to head in the most competitive field ever assembled in the 33-year history of the race. Defending Bank of America Chicago Marathon champion Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya, 2010 Virgin London Marathon champion Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia, and 2010 Boston Marathon champion Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot of Kenya will put their winning records on the line in Chicago on Sunday, October 10.

The participation of these runners in the 2010 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will be pivotal in deciding the winner of the 2009-2010 World Marathon Majors (WMM) series. Wanjiru and Kebede are tied atop the current series standings with 50 points apiece. A victory by one or the other in Chicago would likely determine the champion of the series, which concludes with the ING New York City Marathon on November 7.

Also toeing the start line in Chicago will be Vincent Kipruto from Kenya, who placed third in last year’s race.

Read more on this story in the pdf here.

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It took 13 years for the world 800 meter track world record to be broken. It was David Rudisha of Kenya who took the honors at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, running a 1 min 41.09 secs to break the existing mark of 1:41:11 set by Wilson Kipketer of Denmark in Cologne, Germany in Aug 1997.

Rudisha was a semifinalist last year at the same venue in the Berlin World Championships, 2009.

“I was very disappointed last year, but the weather was so cold then,” said Rudisha, a 21-year-old former world junior champion.

“I knew that I would be fast today and that I am in good shape. I was just hoping the weather would be good. It was a bit windy but otherwise it was perfect,” he said.

Video – 800 meter world record

Check video of this record breaking run here.

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IAAF – 2010 is the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon, an event which arguably ‘saved’ democracy in what would become Western Europe; and ultimately provided the impetus for the creation of the marathon race for the inaugural modern Olympic Games in Athens 1896.

The organisers of this year’s Athens Marathon, from the town of Marathon to the old marble Panathenaiko stadium in Athens, are putting on an unprecedented show for the race on Sunday, October 31. Last year’s record field of 7000 has been increased to 20,000+, a quota that was filled within weeks of entry being opened at the start of the year.

As for the Indian contingent, more than 20 folks have already registered for the event lured by the uniqueness of this years anniversary run, a once in a lifetime situation. There is a large group of runners from Hyderabad taking part, and more people from Bangalore and Delhi NCR, and even from cities like Ahmedabad!

Read more on this event from IAAF report.

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Source NYRR – New York, June 2, 2010 – Long-distance legend, multiple Olympic and World Championships gold medalist, and marathon world record-holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia will make his first career appearance at the ING New York City Marathon 2010 on November 7.

“It is pretty much a thrill of a lifetime for us to host Haile in the marathon,” said Mary Wittenberg, NYRR president and CEO. “We have looked forward to this day for literally years. Haile represents the very best of our sport and more. We are privileged and honored to bring him here. I know he’ll touch New Yorkers, as he has touched fans around the world.”

The announcement was made at Icahn Stadium, where Gebrselassie joined 1,500 schoolchildren for the New York Road Runners Mighty Milers Fun Run as part of the second annual National Running Day celebration.

“It has been a long dream of mine to compete in this outstanding event, and I’m so excited about competing for the first time in my career in the ING New York City Marathon this November, “ said Gebrselassie. “I know my longtime friend Tesfaye Jifar has the course record in New York and with all of us in the field I believe that we might be able to make it a race which can be remembered for a long time as a historical race.”

Widely considered the greatest distance runner of all time, Gebrselassie, 37, set the marathon world record in 2008 at the real,- Berlin Marathon with a time of 2:03:59. Gebrselassie has focused on road racing and the marathon since the 2004 Olympic Games, and he captured his first title in a World Marathon Majors race in Berlin in 2006. In addition to four straight wins in Berlin, he has also claimed marathon victories in Amsterdam (2005), Fukuoka, Japan (2006), and Dubai (2008, 2009, 2010).

The 1996 and 2000 Olympic 10,000-meter gold medalist has won 124 races, only four of which (Atlanta, Boston, Tempe, and New York) have been in the United States. He has now set 25 world records in his illustrious career with a total of 15 senior medals at the Olympic Games (2), World Outdoor Championships (7), World Indoor Championships (4), World Half-Marathon Championships (1), and World Cross Country Championships (1).

It was also announced today that fresh off his course-record victory of 2:09:34 at the Ottawa Marathon on Sunday, Arata Fujiwara of Japan will run in this year’s race. Fuijwara, 28, was twice the runner-up at the Tokyo Marathon (2008 and 2010) and was third at the Fukuoka Marathon in 2008. No Japanese man or woman has won the ING New York City Marathon.

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Here’s the official word from the Comrades Marathon 2010 organizers about the cut off points, and the time limits by which the runners must cross those points to be able to continue in the race. To put this into perspective compared to the previous year, there is no significant change, though the halfway cutoff has been extended by 10 minutes to 6:10 (used to be 6:00 earlier).

Time Limits & Cut Offs

If you do not reach the following cut-off points within the required time, you will be asked to retire from the race and leave the road. YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE RUNNING. BONITAS RUNNERS RESCUE buses will be available to transport you to the finish. Athletes who fail to obey the race officials will be subject to disciplinary action and may be banned from participation in future Comrades Marathons.

The cut-off points will be clearly sign posted and do not relate to the location of any timing mats or other markers along the route.

• Cato Ridge – 5:10:00 (10h40)
• Drummond (Halfway) – 6:10:00 (11h40)
• Winston Park – 8:30:00 (14h00)
• St John’s Avenue – 10: 00.00 (15h30)
• Sherwood/45th Cutting – 11: 20:00 (16h50)

The final cut-off is at 12hrs 00min (17h30) and if you have not reached the Finish, you must leave the route and retire from the race immediately. Please note that these times and positions are subject to change should the organisers deem it necessary.

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Finally, good news for Comrades lovers around the world. The event will be telecast live on the SABC 2 channel (South Africa only), finish line video will be available live on the Comrades website, and there is would be live Twitter action too. There will also be a “Track Your Runner” section on the website using which you can track your runner online and see their intermediate times at various cutoff points.

Unfortunately, unlike last year, I will not be able to follow all this action this year. Why? Well, I would be running Comrades!!! You can however follow me – race no 21264. Here are the details from the organizers on this subject.

COMRADES MARATHON MEDIA RELEASE 2010/ 24

Comrades now running on a PC near you

In 2009 running fans were able to watch the race finish live on the internet via the Comrades web site which was a resounding success with the web site receiving over 2 200 000 hits on race day alone. This was made possible by Mr.Price, the Comrades Marathon IT sponsor.

Running fans in South Africa and across the world will again be able to follow the Comrades Marathon race coverage online at www.comrades.com this year, the 85th running of the historic race.

Apart from watching the coverage, courtesy of Mr Price, users will be able to see live Twitter feeds at #comradesm2010 and track runners with the “Track Your Runner” application, developed using Silverlight.

Silverlight is a free, cross-browser, cross-platform rich media plug-in and has become the platform of choice for delivering live and on demand streaming video of sporting events, including the 2008 Beijing Olympics on NBCOlympics.com, where 52.1 million people logged on to watch 9.9 million hours of video.

People wishing to watch the Comrades coverage online or use the “Track Your Runner” application will need to install the free Silverlight plug-in, which is a 5.6MB download available on www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight/

Fast facts:

• Watch the race on SABC 2 or watch online at www.comrades.com on Sunday, 30th May 2010
• Online race feed is from 5:10am-6pm (GMT+2)
• Follow us on Twitter with #comradesm2010 at http://twitter.com/comradesm2010
• Install the plugin at www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight

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Tyson Gay broke a less attempted world record, the 200 meters straight track one instead of the regular curved track which is the standard, running a 19.41 into a slight headwind at the Manchester, England at the specially laid out track. He broke the existing record of 19.5 set by Tommie Smith in 1966.

For the record, Usain Bolt still holds the standard track 200 meter world record of 19.19. Don’t worry, nobody’s coming close to that time anytime soon, except Usain maybe.

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SAN FRANCISCO (May 12, 2010) — ING Bay to Breakers today announced 41 elite runners for its annual San Francisco footrace, including winner of last year’s ING Battle to the Breakers bonus Kenyan Sammy Kitwara who broke course and world-records by finishing in 33:31. He made race history in 2009 amid more than 62,000 participants, world-class athletes, weekend runners and enthusiasts of all ages.

“We are thrilled by the level of talent ING Bay to Breakers continues to attract each year and this year we have a group of elite athletes which are among the best in the world,” said Angela Fang, manager of the race. “The elite field in 2010 is as deep and as talented as any in the 99 year history of the event. We anticipate a great race and a fantastic finish on the Great Highway.”

Elite Runner Highlights

• Sammy Kitwara from Kenya, defending ING Battle to the Breakers Champion from 2009, is 23 and has strung together two of the most dominant road racing seasons in recent memory. After a stellar 2009, Kitwara was 2nd in the 2010 Zayed Half-Marathon, 2nd 2010 World’s Best 10k, and 2nd 2010 Lisbon Half-Marathon.
• Coming in 2nd in last year’s ING Bay to Breakers 12K, Tilahun Regassa from Ethiopia won the 2010 Zayed Half-Marathon over Kitwara as well as a first place finish at the Crescent City Classic 10K.
• At 22, Lineth Chepkurui from Kenya has been dominant in 2010. She finished first at the 2010 Bloomsday and set a pending world record for 12K in 38:10.
• Emily Chebet of Kenya is the newly crowned World Cross Country Champion,  a race which is regularly referred to as the toughest on the planet.
• Scotty Bauhs, who grew up in Danville, CA, is the youngest American ever to run sub 4 mile and sub 28 10,000m. In 2010, the Chico State legend Bauhs finished 3rd in US XC Nationals and 7th in Mt. SCA Relays 5,000m and made yet another World Cross Country team for the United States.
• From Oakland, CA, Magdalena Lewy-Boulet became the fourth fastest American woman of all time in the marathon, finishing 2nd in the 2010 Rotterdam Marathon. Magda is also a 2008 Olympian for the US in the marathon.

ING Bay to Breakers is a USA Track and Field certified 12K (7.46 miles). Starting at the base of the San Francisco Bay, the course rises steeply along the City’s famous Hayes Street Hill. Around the 2.5-mile mark runners climb an 11.15 percent grade between Fillmore and Steiner streets, bringing them to the highest point in the race, approximately 215 feet above sea level. The remainder of the course gradually flows alongside the Panhandle and through Golden Gate Park and ends at the Pacific Ocean.

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