Thread: Marathons

Man saves a life while running the Chicago Marathon

A man jumped into action when a woman collapsed and stopped breathing with no sign of a pulse while running the Chicago Marathon.

Brian Beres usually spends his days at ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital-Mukwonago as a nurse and he did not hesitate when he saw an emergency during the Chicago Marathon.

Beres has been a marathon runner for more than a decade and runs the Chicago Marathon nearly every year to raise money for the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago in honor of his son, Kieran.

Kieran had life-saving surgery at just 5 days old.

Along with raising money, Beres’s other mission this year was to run the 26.2 miles in a time that would qualify him for the Boston Marathon.

He was on pace to do just that this year.

“I was kind of in a rhythm with how I was running and everything felt good,” he said.

Beres was nearly at the end of the race just after mile 21 when something happened in front of him.

“There was a woman running, not 10 yards in front of me, collapsed. I immediately ran to her,” he said.

Beres says his instincts as an emergency room nurse kicked in.

“She didn’t have pulses and she wasn’t breathing,” Beres said. “I started CPR immediately with her with this bystander.”

Beres performed CPR on the woman for 45 minutes before the fire department could get her off the course and to the hospital.

Wednesday night, he was invited to meet the runner he helped save, Maria Sutton.

Sutton suffered a heart attack while running.

‘This was God’s way that this is the race you are going to run. This is what is going to happen, fate intervened with me being there. I was meant to be there for her," Beres said.

He plans to run the Chicago Marathon again next year and still hopes to one day qualify for the Boston Marathon.

Nine-year-old boy dies after being struck by vehicle during Taiwanese marathon

A nine-year-old boy accompanying his father in a marathon in Changhua County, Taiwan, tragically died on 24th November after being struck by a vehicle. The boy, who had not registered for the event, was running alongside his father during the “2024 Polio RUN” when the accident occurred.

Reports indicate that as the pair passed along Rulin Road, the boy was hit by a car, resulting in him falling to the ground and subsequently being run over by the vehicle’s wheels. Emergency responders attempted to revive him at the scene before transporting him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The event’s organisers stated that the marathon route had been closed to traffic, with personnel deployed for traffic control and warnings. However, the 50-year-old driver involved in the incident claimed he did not notice any traffic management measures. He stated that he was focused on the large number of runners and did not see the child until he felt the vehicle make contact. The driver insisted he was travelling at a speed of only 20 km/h, arguing that the crowded conditions made it difficult to drive any faster.

Rocket City Marathon Weekend takes runners across the city with variety of races

Runners, get ready! Dec 13-15 is Rocket City Marathon weekend, with races and events for all ages and speeds. The event is also a qualifying race for the 2026 Boston Marathon.

Race Weekend kicks off on Friday with an expo, where attendees can connect with local businesses, athletic brands, and health experts. The excitement continues Saturday with a 5K, 10K, and Kids Marathon, followed by the two half marathons and full marathon on Sunday.

“This event has been part of the fabric of our community for nearly five decades,” said Mica Anderson, President of the Huntsville Track Club. “The energy and enthusiasm our volunteers and runners bring to this event every year make it truly special.”

Mark Russell, Executive Director of the Huntsville Sports Commission, added, “The Rocket City Marathon not only highlights our running community but also contributes to Huntsville's economic vitality, welcoming runners and their families from across the country. This event reinforces our city's reputation as a leading sports destination, and we’re excited to be a part of it.”

Rocket City Marathon coming soon | rocketcitynow.com

Just 14,000 races sign up for Angkor Wat International Half Marathon

A total of 14,000 runners have registered for the 29th Angkor Wat International Half Marathon, which will be held in front of the Angkor Wat temple on December 1.

In a statement posted on the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) website on Friday, Vath Chamroeun, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport and Secretary General of the NOCC, said that the number of local and international runners in this yearÂ’s Angkor Wat International Half Marathon has significantly increased. Chamroeun reported that this yearÂ’s event had attracted the most participants since its inception. According to Chamroeun, the previous record for the most participants was set in 2019, when 12,000 runners registered.

This year’s event drew an unprecedented number of participants, likely due to the presence of Prime Minister Hun Manet at the event and the Cambodian government’s efforts to promote Siem Reap as a key destination,” said Chamroeun.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet will participate in a 5km race at the 29th Angkor Wat International Half Marathon, as announced by the NOCC in a news conference in September 2024.

“It is an honour for us that our Prime Minister will be participating in the running event. The Angkor Wat International Half Marathon is one of the largest sporting events in Cambodia, and the people in the province have greatly benefited from it,” Chamroeun said during the press conference.

“The organising committee will do its utmost to ensure the safety of all participants and maintain the event’s excellent reputation,” he added.

This year, the event will feature its four main race categories: the 21 km half marathon, the 10 km, the 5 km, and the 3 km. The races will start in front of the Angkor Wat temple, with an early dawn start scheduled for 5:15 am and will conclude by 10:30 am.

The Angkor Wat International Half Marathon is held to raise funds for charity, with all registration fees dedicated to providing prosthetic limbs, social reintegration programs, and support for constructive social activities such as education and rehabilitative medicine.

Funds raised by the marathon will also help landmine victims. The event will also support underprivileged children in need of urgent care at hospitals, including Angkor ChildrenÂ’s Hospital and Kantha Bopha ChildrenÂ’s Hospital.

Last year, the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon drew 10,154 participants, including 6,500 Cambodians and 3,654 international runners from 78 countries, marking a 40% increase compared to the 2022 event. Runners from the United Kingdom, United States, and France represented the largest groups of foreign participants.

Sebastian Sawe runs fastest Marathon of 2024 in Valencia

Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe delivered the fastest marathon of the year and ascended to fifth place on the all-time marathon list with a blistering 2 : 02 : 05 at the 2024 Valencia Marathon on Sunday, December 1. The 2023 World Half Marathon Champion's marathon debut will go down as one of the fastest in history.

Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta came in second, clocking an impressive 2 : 02 : 38, while Kenya’s Daniel Mateiko secured third with 2:04:23, rounding out a fiercely competitive men's podium.

Sebastian Sawe runs fastest Marathon of 2024 in Valencia

China half marathon offers cow, wild fish and chickens as prizes

A half marathon in China's northeast province of Jilin announced an unusual selection of prizes, with first over the line winning a cow and other runners getting wild fish, geese or roosters, in a bid to attract more participants and promote local produce.

The organisers of the Nong'an Taipingchi Ice and Snow half marathon on Dec. 29 said in a WeChat post that male and female champions of the half marathon would be awarded a cow. The farm animal could also be exchanged for 6,000 yuan ($827.81).

Second place gets wild fish from Taiping pond, while other prizes were geese, ducks and roosters from the same pond. Ten kilograms (22 pounds) of rice and wheat would be given out to other finishers.

"Grand prizes are coming and the champions are so proud. The organising committee is full of sincerity," the post said.

The notice was widely circulated on Chinese social media and ranked as one of the hottest topics on platform Weibo on Tuesday.

reuters.com