The news desk
496 items
At the Doha Diamond League on May 28, Kenya's Norah Jeruto won the women's 3000m steeplechase in 9:00.67, the fastest time in the world this year. USA's 400m hurdles star Rai Benjamin won in 47.38, breaking the meeting record of 47.57 set by Abderrahman Samba in 2018. Six women cleared 4.74m or higher in the pole vault, only the second time in history.
World champion Yulimar Rojas, who bounded out to a world-leading 15.43m last week, returns to Doha on Friday for the second Wanda Diamond League meeting of 2021. The women's triple jump, pole vault and discus all feature the full complement of 2019 World Championships podium finishers, while Katie Nageotte, with a world-leading 4.93m PB, may start as the pole vault favorite.
At the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Florence, the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea, on 10 June, double world champion Sifan Hassan and Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon will go head-to-head over 1500m, the distance at which Hassan set the meeting record of 3:56.22 in 2017. Two-time world high jump champion Mutaz Barshim and Olympic pole vault champion Katerina Stefanidi are also confirmed for the event, which will allow 1000 spectators.
The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area 10,000m Relay Super League's Guangzhou stop was held on March 28 at Tianhe Sports Center, the first event of the 2021 Super League. It featured a university group 4×3000m relay and an open group 4×10000m relay. Dapeng Team 1 won the open group in 2:18:54, and the Jiji Fu Jiji team won the university group in 46:09. Starting in 2021, the league will be held annually across Guangdong Province, with stops also covering Greater Bay Area cities such as Shenzhen, Dongguan, and Zhuhai.
On the afternoon of December 23, at the Hebei Olympic Sports Center track and field hall, an anti-doping painting activity themed "Clean Sport, Say No to Doping" was held. More than 130 coaches and athletes took part in creating the artwork, with track and field athletes jointly painting on a 25-meter-long scroll, using clever ideas and every stroke to express their understanding of clean sport.
The Zhejiang Provincial Athletics Association's 2020 mid-year standing committee work meeting was held in Xiangshan. At the meeting, it was stated that due to the impact of the pandemic, the long-prepared 9th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships has been canceled, losing an opportunity to preview the 2021 Hangzhou Asian Athletics Championships. In the first half of the year, the provincial association successfully hosted the "Zhejiang Athletics Association Cup" online running race, the first online running race held nationwide in the name of a provincial-level association or above for the general public. In the second half of the year, three things will be done: building brand events, promoting designated events, and cultivating and discovering track and field talent, and absorbing four units and group members.
The Runblogger author switched to remote teaching during SARS-CoV-2 lockdowns, with all track practices, meets, and soccer games canceled and 4-5 straight weekends at home. He, his wife, and three kids began running daily; his 16-year-old sprinter/jumper son ran 8 miles for a mileage PR, and his 14-year-old daughter uses her daily run as an escape from online homework. He misses students and coaching but cherishes family time, unsure how to feel.
Runblogger compiled links to 2019 Black Friday and Cyber Monday running gear deals, covering retailers including Amazon, Running Warehouse, Zappos, Shoes.com, Hoka One One, Sierra Trading Post, Adidas, and New Balance.
A runner woke up with a sharp hip pain, despite never having felt tightness in that area before, and for the next week even the slightest incline made running difficult. He suspects it may have been caused by sleeping awkwardly to compensate for a lingering shoulder injury from a diving save at his son's soccer practice, and reflects that he now gets injured more easily with age.
The adidas Adizero Prime Parley was picked up on clearance for about $25 at Burlington Coat Factory (MSRP $200) and became the author's main shoe for nearly all summer mileage. It pairs the Adios Boost midsole and Continental rubber outsole with a one-piece knit upper made from recycled ocean plastic. The author recommends at least a half size up, as 10.5 felt tight in the forefoot.
A 44-year-old runner completed his first timed race in five years in Bridgton, Maine, finishing the 4-mile course within 32:30, failing to beat his 2007 debut time of 30:41 or his son. He once ran under 26 minutes in his 30s, but weight returned and training fell far below his peak of 30-40 miles per week. His son finished just under 30 minutes, and his daughter met her sub-40-minute goal in her first road race.
Runblogger compiled 2018 Black Friday and Cyber Monday running shoe and gear deal links, covering retailers including Amazon, Running Warehouse, Zappos, Hoka One One, 6pm.com, Road Runner Sports, Adidas, New Balance, and Merrell.
The Runblogger author explains his years-long absence: since fall 2016 he has taught full time as a high school science teacher at Coe-Brown Northwood Academy in Northwood, NH. He now teaches Honors Biology, AP Biology, and College Prep Zoology, runs less than before, and has shifted his interest to soccer, coaching U10 boys. He has not ruled out writing again, perhaps with his son doing some track spike reviews.
Runblogger tested 4 laundry products for athletic clothing odor. WIN High Performance Sports Detergent worked best and comes in a fragrance-free version, but is only available online at about 34 cents per ounce; SweatX Sport was equally effective and also removed mildew smells, but was the most expensive of the four.
The Nike Zoom Elite 9 is a versatile running shoe that handles both distance and speed, weighing 8.2 oz (men's size 9) with a 25 mm heel stack and 17 mm forefoot stack. The reviewer found the heel cushy and the forefoot responsive, but noticed rapid wear on the outer heel's pentagonal rubber nubs, which were nearly gone before 100 miles. MSRP is $120, with some colorways on clearance under $100.
The Saucony Freedom ISO is positioned as a durable daily trainer: 9.1 oz in men's size 9, 23mm heel, 19mm forefoot, and a $160 price. After 100+ miles, the crystal rubber outsole shows only minor wear at the lateral heel, the full-length EVERUN midsole still has spring, and the roomy forefoot and comfortable upper cause no irritation. It suits slow long runs, not racing or speedwork.