City of no days off ⏱

Lap 36: Sponsored by Racin’ Grayson Training Log + Planner

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USATF 5k Champs 🏅

Kyle Story Time™: Back in 2013, for what was my second race as a professional, I ran the Dash to the Finish 5k. It hadn’t become the US Championships yet — it was just a fun pre-NYC Marathon event that was only to be taken moderately seriously after a few weeks of base training.

However, Coach Gags was still pretty furious at me for ‘wasting his time’ by very recently going to Japan to compete in an Ekiden where I had run a 6k leg at 5:02 pace, but on a happier note, I also discovered the novelty of pre-race vending machine beers on that trip.

On the starting line outside the UN building in Manhattan, my fitness wasn’t half-bad so I thought this would be a good place for redemption. That is until 400 meters into things when a stabbing pain shot through my foot (the one that had stepped on glass two years before). I audibly yelled, ‘I just broke my f&!*$ing foot!’ — threw my headband on the ground — and dropped out. Still about 3 miles from the finish and without a wallet, I brought my sob story to the subway and showed up at the finish line after it was over.

(My foot was not broken, but I had to take a week off so I feel somewhat vindicated.)

Back to this past weekend! If anyone had as crappy of an experience as I did in 2013, I didn’t hear about it!

Am I the only fan who was pleasantly surprised at how excited I felt for this race? We routinely do a bad job as a sport placing emphasis on events outside of major championships, but these fields had some genuinely fantastic storylines worthy of our emotional investment.

First off, anything featuring Paul Chelimo is bound to be interesting. Although he ultimately faded to 16th, his early surges set the tone that the day was about racing and not time. Despite those moves there was a big pack tight together late into the final stages of the men’s race. The first to really open up and go for the W was Matt Centrowitz, who looked like a different athlete than the last time he was in New York (he finished 14th at the 5th Ave Mile). He’s clearly been plugging away and forgetting to shave in Flagstaff all fall. But this would be a tale of redemption for Drew Hunter, who had been waiting in the shadows for much of the race and most of 2021. He ultimately had the last gear and won his 2nd USA title in 13:53. Why’d this matter so much?

“A torn plantar, the whole running world making fun of me all the time, a bunch of false accusations against my family and myself,” Hunter said. “What else?” (LetsRun Recap)

A vocal army of keyboard warriors lashed out against the whole Tinman Elite squad over their decision earlier this year to move on from Coach Tom Schwartz and instead seek the leadership of Drew’s mother, Joan.

For the character arc of the group, it felt a bit like when Miley Cyrus graduated from Hannah Montana to swinging on a wrecking ball in her underwear. Not everyone vibed with the new look but the frequent vilification of the group is Grade A Certified good for the sport. For those who believe Tinman gear’s resale value qualifies it as an asset class, this is the ‘cup and handle’ pattern we have been waiting for.

It felt like it was 2015 all over again with the two former Footlocker National Champions winning. The difference here was that Weini Kelati didn’t wait, taking control of the race immediately in 15:18 to win by 27 seconds over Grace Barnett and Erika Kemp. This was a nice follow-up to her dominant course record at the Boston 10k for Women and all signs point towards NYRR starting her recruiting process by putting her on the lead car for the marathon soon. It feels like the three podium finishers here are collectively on the precipice of huge breakthroughs and the past six months is just a sneak preview.

It was a nice treat for fans to be able to watch this race live for FREE on USATF.tv and extra fun to have Jenny Simpson demonstrating her chops in the booth. Aesthetically, this is enjoyable to watch as it is rare to see the Midtown streets that empty, but it would have been even nicer to see the full length of both races independently. The total show would be shorter than a sitcom and with a staggered start of 5 minutes between the two neither got the undivided attention they deserved.

Can’t get enough running journalism! ✍️

I followed Liam Boylan-Pett’s lead to run at Columbia and then NJNY, while sporting a massive headband, but I also copied his writing endeavors post-professional running career. He started Lope Magazine a few years ago as a way to stay connected with the sport and share the stories he loves — sound familiar? Rather than a weekly recap, he does actual journalism and publishes a long form article each month. Previously it was behind a paywall, but this week he lifted that barrier permanently.

The best products often come from a place of love and passion. We see this across the sport and its coverage is no outlier. I highly recommend checking out some of Liam’s stories, but a couple of my favorites are: Ready and Escape from White City.

The NYRR rebuild

As big as this weekend’s marathon was for the city and those racing, it was equally as important for the group that puts it all together, the New York Road Runners. There weren’t many organizations that needed a return to normalcy after the pandemic and social awakening of 2020 more than the non-profit — their races weren’t the only thing being canceled. In addition to laying off 260 employees due to pandemic-induced budget constraints, an anonymous group named Rebuild NYRR publicly shared stories of a toxic work culture within the esteemed corporation.

Fortunately the complaints seem to have been heard and changes were made. Most notably was the hire of interim CEO, Kerin Hempel, who has thus far utilized her vast business experience to reorient the ship. The city and the greater running community are rooting for the NYRR to succeed — it’s a group that has done a tremendous amount of good for the sport across every level of participation.

When I worked the finish line interviews for the 5th Avenue Mile, I had the chance to speak with the marathon’s race director, Ted Metellus. As a native New Yorker who brought twenty years experience with him to the role, it was no question that he would do an excellent job following the year off. But what stood out to me is the way he cheered for runners, greeted finishers, and genuinely invested himself in the positive experience of those who attended — I mean, he knew everyone’s name! With leadership like that and the flawless execution of Sunday’s spectacle, then the NYRR will continue to put on best-in-class races for many years to come. There are just too many good people who care.

The City of Angels Marathon 👼

The New York vs. LA rivalry is non-existent when it comes to places I would want to live or marathons I generally think about. If it weren’t for a few friends running the race (Will Leer enjoyed a roughly two-and-a-half hour long tour through LA) and posting about it on social media, I legitimately would have had no idea that it happened. Granted this is not a regularly scheduled clash since November is not generally when LA’s race is held.

Part of the reason for the disparity between the two events is, of course money. In LA the winner receives $6,000 vs. $100,000 in New York — that’s not including the massive appearance fees and incentive bonuses. But with the Olympics coming to La-La Land in 2028, then this is a golden opportunity to boost this event's profile — after all, its creation did stem from the buzz following the 1984 Games.

On the women’s side, Natasha Cockram of Wales, won the race in 2:33:17. The top dude was Kenya’s John Korir, who posted a 2:12:48 — his older brother, Wesley, won this race twice before (and the 2012 Boston Marathon).

Obviously 2:12 is just an exceptionally good time, however this has prompted a half-assed quest to find the most disproportionately winnable marathon vs. its assumed prestige. What big city crowns would look good on a resume, but be the most realistic victories? Let me know!

#TeamRivs ☠️

Runners are just built different. But there are certain runners among us who stand out even more, for their… well, ability to put you at a loss for words.

In July 2020, Tommy Rivers Puzey entered the hospital with what was assumed to be a bad case of COVID. Instead, he received a rare cancer diagnosis, and would remain hospitalized until that November. His doctors assumed that if Rivs did survive, that he’d be on a ventilator for the rest of his life — challenge accepted.

While Rivs narrowly missed his personal best by just a bit over seven hours, his time of 9 hours 19 minutes is a testament to the human spirit and what it’s capable of. I’ve quipped that I am "impressed by people who run marathons fast, but even more by people who run them slow.” When you learn about the journey to the finish line for the runners finishing in the dark, you’re reminded of just how powerful a force running can be in a person’s life, but also how there’s so much more to life than it.

Interested in supporting athletes? On Friday morning in our premium newsletter we will be publishing a conversation with Jasmine Todd. We know our readership skews towards distance runners, but it’s time to learn more about the sprints and jumpers in the sport! This initiative has now raised over $13,600 with all proceeds going towards the elite athletes.

Istanbul Marathon 🦃

Want to know who the next big thing in running will be? The Istanbul Marathon could be a good place to look. Before she was the World Champ, Chicago Marathon winner or Half Marathon WR holder, Ruth Chepng'etich’s breakthrough marathon performances came in Turkey where she won the 2017 and 2018 editions. And prior to introducing herself as the 2021 Boston Marathon Champion, Diana Kipyokei’s only 26.2 win came here in 2020.

With that in mind, let’s keep a close eye on Kenya’s Sheila Jerotich. Although the lead pack went out in 70:19, she held on better than the bunch in a new PB of 2:24:15.

The men’s race winner was Ugandan Victor Kiplangat — he ran 2:10:18 to win his debut marathon. You may not know his name, but you know the 21 year old’s primary training partner, the 5k/10k WR holder, Joshua Cheptegei. Kiplangat won the Mountain Running Championships in 2017 when he was 17 — and it apparently converts. Oh, and Victor’s half brother is Jacob Kiplimo, the 10,000m Tokyo Bronze medalist. Remember this when he wins a major in the next couple years — we told you so!

Another 5k WR?! 🇪🇹

You won’t believe it — we have another Women’s 5k WR! This time it came from Ethiopia’s Dawit Seyaum, who ran 14:41 in a mixed race in Lille, France. Although the Olympic finalist has primarily been known as a 1500m runner throughout her career, it looks she may have a future in the longer races.

If it seems like there’s a new women’s 5k/10k record being broken every week, it’s because there kind of has been. Here is a quick timeline:

10/7/20 - Letensbet Gidey - 5k track - 14:06

2/14/21 - Beatrice Chepkoech - 5k women only -14:43

4/3/21 - Beth Potter - 5k road mixed -14:41 (not ratified, no drug testing)

5/21/21 - Karoline Grovdal - 5k road mixed - 14:39 (not ratified, uncertified course)

6/6/21 - Sifan Hassan - 10k track - 29:06

6/8/21 - Letensbet Gidey - 10k track - 29:01

9/12/21 - Senbere Teferi - 5k road women only - 14:29

9/12/21 - Agnes Tirop - 10k road women only - 30:01

10/3/21 - Kalkidan Gezahegne - 10k road mixed - 29:43

11/6/21 - Dawit Seyaum - 5k road mixed - 14:41

This is not including the half marathon, which has had some version of it broken six times since 2020. That’s a lot of World Record bonuses — hope these women all have good contracts!

The New York City Marathon 🗽

Did you know the 50th running of the New York City Marathon happened this weekend? Thank god for this newsletter! The conditions were as perfect as you could ever ask for on Sunday though the inbound commute was a bit too bridgey to create any jaw dropping times.

Despite some good natured ribbing on the broadcast for Kenya’s Albert Korir’s signature marathon shuffle, he had the last laugh when cutting through the tape in a time of 2:08:22. Kiprop was second in New York in 2019, but that’s now what we expect from him — his consistency is outstanding. In 10 out of his 11 last marathons he ran 2:10 or faster with top 3 finishes. This is in stark contrast to the ways of pre-race favorite, Kenenisa Bekele who is like a box of chocolates — he ultimately wound up 6th in 2:12:52.

Finishing in second and third, their respective highest ever spots at a WMM was Morocco’s Mohamed El Aaraby and Italy’s Eyob Faniel, who worked together in the middle part of the race to break away from an unsuspecting pack.

On the American front, it was the WCAP’s Elkanah Kibet who took top honors finishing 4th overall to break a 6 year old PB running 2:11:15. The former Auburn Tiger, who is now 38 years old has not received the credit or celebration deserved for what was certainly the best run of his career. With this performance, he qualifies for the World Championships in Eugene. Running conservatively for most of the race, debutant Ben True closed reasonably well to finish 7th in 2:12:53 and Nathan Martin, the fastest US born African American ever, was just behind in 2:12:57.

Hopefully some US men choose to race internationally this spring in pursuit of fast times. The domestic major circuit this fall didn’t make for the sexiest results since the courses all ran relatively slow.

Showing that the Olympics was no fluke, Peres Jepchirchir followed up the Sapporo magic with a 2:22:39 win in NY. Pair those runs with her 2:17 PB and appreciate that we may be witnessing the front half of an all-timers marathon career. Jepchirchir hung back and looked awfully relaxed for much of the race, content to sit behind Viola Cheptoo and Ababel Yeshaneh until the final half mile once they reentered Central Park. That’s when Jepchirchir unleashed an unmatched JV kick to close it out. (This is when HS kids don’t realize how much they have left until the end and take off in a crazy hard sprint.)

The US women took five of the top ten spots in the field, led by the Olympic bronze medalist, Molly Seidel. Her 4th place finish and PB of 2:24:42 was an American course record and an even more impressive result considering context. It’s always interesting to watch how athletes rebound off of huge emotional breakthroughs. Molly admitted to be suffering a couple broken ribs during her buildup and considered pulling out multiple times. Yes, you read that right — who said running wasn’t a contact sport?

There was a new face in the front pack as Team USA Minnesota’s Annie Frisbie ran the fourth fastest debut in American history going 2:26:18. Despite coming through halfway more than 3 minutes faster than her previous best, she had no issue being the one to push the tempo. To be so bold!

One of the highlights was watching Bernard Lagat cheer on his sister to a second place finish from the booth. When the race was being shown, it was excellent — however, we saw less than half of it. For the 50th anniversary a ton of air time was spent reliving the history of the event, which is interesting and would make for a wonderful documentary. But there are some of us who would strictly watch the 2021 race for 2.5 hours only breaking to get up for more coffee. We need a Manning brothers stream.

Rapid Fire Headlines 🔥

• Ben True quietly announced on media day that he is now sponsored by ASICS. Staying on brand, there was no social media post.

• Prep standout and 2:01 half miler, Juliette Whittaker has announced she’ll matriculate to Stanford in the fall.

• One of the best sprint coaches in the world, Rana Reider, is being investigated for sexual misconduct by the US Center for SafeSport.

• Former Columbia/Notre Dame stud, Katie Wasserman, who was 2nd in the NCAA 5k, has joined HOKA NAZ Elite.

• In more Lion news, former Columbia XC runner, Sydney Segal was eliminated from Season 41 of Survivor last week. You may remember her from an all-time great interview from Footlocker in 2011. (Flotrack)

• At the Indianapolis Marathon, Ian Carter and Christina Murphy won in 2:16 and 2:37, respectfully. In the half, Brogan Austin ran 1:02:24 and Molly Grabill won the women’s in 1:10:41.

• Course records fell at the Barcelona Marathon with Kenya’s Samuel Kosgei running a PB of 2:06:04 and Tadu Teshome winning her debut in 2:23:53 — she is just 20 years old.

• Chelsea Clinton ran an “anonymous” 3:59 marathon in NYC. That is until her parents greeted her at the finish line.

• The 2nd place finisher at the Michigan state XC meet got DQ’d for cursing (Article)

Thanks again to the Racin’ Grayson Training + Planner for sponsoring this week’s newsletter. Grayson has been a day one supporter of The Lap Count so I’m hoping readers can show her some love back. It’s the perfect holiday gift!