Thread: Marathons

Desert race was 'once in a lifetime' experience

A man who took part in what has been dubbed "the toughest foot race on earth" has described it as a "once in a lifetime" experience.

Charlie Parish, 36, took part in the 252km (155 mile) Marathon des Sables through the Sahara Desert in Morocco to raise awareness of men's mental health and has raised more than £2,000 for charity.

He carried all of his gear and food during the seven-day race, and slept in a tent with eight other people.

Mr Parish, from Harrogate, trained in a special heated laboratory at Leeds Beckett University and expected temperatures to be up to 50C (122F) - but was pleased it turned out to be a little cooler.

The terrain ranged from sand to hard paths, he said, adding: "Finding myself running up near vertical sand dunes was soul destroying at times."

"We got rain on one day and I was loving it," Mr Parish said.

"It felt like I was back in Yorkshire, it was surreal to get rain in the Sahara."

However, the temperature reached more than 30C on most days, he added.

Mr Parish said he had also underestimated how tough it would be to camp in the desert.

"In the evenings we were bombarded by winds and sandstorms and our tent came down at night," he said.

"Looking across at a tentmate wearing swimming goggles because sand was everywhere will stay with me a while."

But it was the views and scenery that really made the experience special for him: "I kept waiting for the Lion King scene - when the monkey lifts up Simba.

"It was definitely a once in a lifetime thing. The views were surreal."

Mr Parish was fundraising for suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (Calm) and said that was a huge motivation for doing the race.

"One of the major positives [during the race] was being surrounded by like-minded people and the amount of men talking about mental health was great," he said.

Out of 847 competitors in the Marathon des Sables, Mr Parish finished in 158th place and said he was proud of what he had achieved.

Harrogate man completes Marathon des Sables race

Singapore Marathon winner Geoffrey Yegon caught doping, denied US$45,000 prize

He was the first to cross the finish line at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) last December, but Kenyan Geoffrey Yegon did not walk away with the coveted US$45,000 cash prize after he was caught doping.

Yegon was found to have a banned substance in his system following a post-race test on Dec 1 and was subsequently banned from the sport for two years, said an SCSM spokesperson on Friday (May 16) in response to CNA's queries.

The SCSM team was informed of the situation by World Athletics and Yegon was removed from event results, with all athletes moving up one position, said the spokesperson.

The race organiser added that as per event protocol, the US$45,000 prize money was not distributed until World Athletics finalised the anti-doping results and this process was followed at the 2024 SCSM.

Singapore Marathon winner Geoffrey Yegon caught doping, denied US$45,000 prize - CNA

Runner, 31, Dies at Brooklyn Half Marathon During His First Time Competing

A man has died after experiencing a medical emergency while running the Brooklyn Half Marathon this weekend, race officials said.

The New York Road Runners (NYRR), which organized the 13.1-mile race, confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE that a 31-year-old man collapsed during the race on Saturday, May 17.

The runner — who was participating in the race for the first time — made it about eight miles into the course when he "experienced a medical incident," officials confirmed. NBC New York reported that the incident took place along the borough's Ocean Parkway.

"It is with sadness and heavy hearts that we confirm the passing of one of today’s race participants," NYRR CEO Rob Simmelkjaer said in a statement. "On behalf of the whole running community, we extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones."

Race officials added that CPR was administered on-site, and the man was taken to Brooklyn's Maimonides Hospital.

"Out of respect for the family, we defer to them for any additional details," NYRR officials added.

"Runner safety is a major priority," the organization's statement continued. "As part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest standards of safety — for both the running community and the broader public — we took proactive steps to strengthen on-course support and emergency readiness."

New York City weather saw a high of 83 degrees on Saturday, up from 72 degrees on Friday.

"In anticipation of the forecasted heat, we provided several additional resources, including supplemental hydration at the hydration stations throughout the course and the addition of misting stations," the NYRR noted.

More than 28,000 runners were expected to run the 13-mile race on Saturday morning, the organization said.

Runner, 31, Dies at Brooklyn Half Marathon During His First Time Competing

New Hampshire man to be honored for running 50 marathons across all 50 states

A New Hampshire man is making his mark across the country by running a marathon in every state.

Ranjeet Singh, a New Hampshire-based YMCA member, started his journey to complete 50 marathons in 50 states in June 2023.

His first stop was in Anchorage, Alaska. He has since run several local marathons, including the Manchester City Marathon and the Boston Marathon.

The YMCA of the Seacoast in Portsmouth will hold a ceremony Wednesday to celebrate his accomplishment.

NH man to be honored for running marathons in all 50 states

Bangkok Port Marks 74th Anniversary with Charity Mini Marathon for Royal Foundation

Thousands participate in annual run along the Chao Phraya, raising funds for educational support

The Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) celebrated its 74th anniversary in grand style in 2025 by hosting the 12th annual "PAT Mini Marathon" charity walk-run.

The event highlighted PAT's commitment as a state enterprise to securing the wider community through a walk-run designed to promote the well-being of people of all ages.

Kriengkrai Chaisiriwongsuk, Director-General of PAT, officiated the opening ceremony, joined by senior management, staff, port users, members of the press, and a diverse crowd of Thai and international participants.

The event took place on May 18, 2025, at Bangkok Port, situated in the Klong Toey district of the capital.

The race featured two categories: a 5-kilometre Fun Run and a 10-kilometre Mini Marathon. The routes wound through the cargo handling areas alongside the Chao Phraya River, providing the public a rare chance to experience the picturesque morning atmosphere of the working port.

Bangkok Port Marks 74th Anniversary with Charity Mini Marathon for Royal Foundation

The event also served to showcase the capabilities and crucial role of Bangkok Port within the nation's logistics framework.

Crucially, all proceeds generated from the day's activities will be donated, without any deductions for expenses, to the Phra Dabos Foundation.

These funds will support the acquisition of up-to-date educational resources, thereby enhancing learning opportunities for young people in Thailand.

Bangkok Port Marks 74th Anniversary with Charity Mini Marathon for Royal Foundation

Hundreds of joggers complain of being cheated by run organizer

Hundreds of runners filed complaints today with Prawet police in Bangkok, claiming that they had been cheated by the organiser of the Suan Luang Rama 9 run, which did not take place.

About 1,800 competitors had registered to take part and made advance payments to the organizer, who is a businessman who claimed that he had distributed T-shirts, wristwatches and hats to about 600 runners, according to the police.

One of the complainants said she joined the event, called “Run for Destination 2025”, after she learned about it from other runners on Facebook, adding that she believed the sponsors to be credible companies and transferred 2,000 baht to them to be a ‘VIP’ participant.

The woman added that she spoke to the organisers’ staff about the souvenirs for the runners and other activities planned at the venue.

When she arrived there this morning, though, she said that she did not find what she expected. For instance, there were no snacks or drinking water for the runners, no time clock and no organised activities at all.

There was only the start gate, with an orange banner, featuring the name and date of the event and the names of some sponsors, said the runner, adding that she talked with some of the other participants and they soon realised that they had been cheated.

Pol Col Tosaphol Ampaiphiphatkul, the superintendent of Prawet police, said that they are collecting evidence to determine whether the event was a fraud, adding that, if there is sufficient evidence, appropriate charges would be filed against the organizer.

A member of staff of the event said that there were about 60 of them, deployed at various locations along the route of the run and at the Rama 9 public park, to look after the competitors and to guide them in the right direction. He claimed that they were each paid 500 baht.

One of the event staffers, “Paneesara”, claimed that this was the first time that she had worked with the organiser, who approached her with the offer. She said the event was originally scheduled for January 26 last year, but was postponed until today.

She claimed that, on May 2^t, she was sued by the organiser, who accused her of cheating over the sale of about 100 T-shirts, worth about 600 baht each.

Hundreds of joggers complain of being cheated by run organiser

State Stride: Local runner completes marathons in all 50 states

It’s never too late to set and achieve intimidating goals—at least, that’s how Jess Hayden, who recently finished her project of completing a marathon in all 50 states, lives her life.

Hayden, the retired executive director of the Susquehanna Folk Music Society, started the project in her 50s, and it took 11 years to complete. That’s an average of more than four marathons per year, an impressive feat for someone of any age.

“For me, goals and projects are really important,” Hayden said. “They empower us, and just moving them forward makes us feel so good.”

This project turned Hayden into what’s called a “50-stater” in the marathon community. No matter if she were in Maryland, Montana or Alaska, she often ran into fellow 50-staters who she recognized from other races.

The marathoners she met were diverse, ranging from their teens to their 80s, in all shapes and sizes.

“That’s one thing I really like about running in marathons in particular,” she said. “If you’re physically able, through some really strategic planning and running a little bit every day, and using a good marathon plan, just about anyone can run a marathon.”

Hayden, who lives in New Cumberland, completed her first marathon in 2014 right at home in Harrisburg. She wanted to keep at it, and instead of doing the same marathon every year for the rest of her life, she decided to see the country and experience the myriad cultures that make up our 50 states. With the help of running friends, family and—most of all—her husband John, Hayden raced in places like Salmon, Idaho, Storm Lake, Iowa, and Hilo, Hawaii.

For Hayden, her husband was an integral part in the success she had reaching her goal, though it wasn’t through running that he helped her achieve it.

“My philosophy about exercise so far in life is when the urge to exercise hits, I lay down until the feeling passes,” John said.

Still, having spent his career as a mechanical engineer, John’s knack for logistics was extraordinarily helpful. Ahead of races, he would help her map out her course, ensuring she’s training for the right kind of elevation and terrain. Sometimes, she’d run two marathons in one weekend to keep travel costs down, so he made sure she was eating enough at the right times.

“If you’re burning 5,000 calories in a weekend, it’s hard to imagine how much food you have to eat,” he said.

On the ground, John would drive her to the start line, pick her up at the finish line, and support her in between. He’d take her to packet pick up the day before the race and generally make sure all her ducks were in a row so she could focus on being healthy and finishing her goal.

For Hayden, that all made a difference.

“I can say this now that I was never injured in a marathon,” she said. “I never had to stop a marathon. So, I was really happy about that, because there were definitely people I saw that were pulled off the course for injuries.”

Hawaii was Hayden’s last race, completed earlier this year. Her husband retired in January, so it was a double celebration, with a dozen or so friends and family staying with them at an Airbnb near the course. Her daughter even surprised her by running the race with her (it was her first marathon). By the end of the race, the news spread.

“There was another 50-stater beside me that was finishing up,” Hayden said. “So, everybody on the course knew who we were, and, at the end, there were people there cheering.”

For Hayden, running marathons was never about finishing fast.

“Most of the time, I just wanted to be comfortable,” she said. “I wanted to keep on going.”

Not all races were great. Those with less crowd support, or those in poor weather, stick out to Hayden as some of her least favorites. A marathon in Detroit, running through a divided highway and industrial warehouses, wasn’t as interesting as, say, running through bucolic terrain or interesting architecture. But regardless of the locale, Hayden learned a lot about herself along the way.

“Towards setting and achieving goals, we show ourselves and others what we’re capable of,” she said.

Now that she and her husband are retired, new projects are coming into play. Hayden hasn’t run long distances since her last race, but she still does CrossFit daily, is working on a big gardening project, and is even planning on traveling for swing dancing.

For his part, John is spending more time organizing in the community, an effort informed in part by his travels around the country. Take Storm Lake, for example. There, the meatpacking industry has helped employ a range of diverse refugees and immigrants. “There’s a lot to learn from a place like that,” he said.

He learned a lot about his wife through the process, too.

“Jess has a lot of grit and endurance and stick-to-itiveness,” he said. “She put her doubts aside, which are actually relatively persistent, but overcame those and continued to run.”

Just a moment...

London dental student runs marathon in scrubs to honour mom's battle

Two decades after coming to Canada as young children of a single parent, four family members laced up for the Toronto Marathon to honour their mother’s strength and the health-care workers who helped her heal from a brain tumour.

Mony Madlol, 22, completed the race in four hours and 20 minutes, wearing purple medical scrubs alongside his two sisters and brother-in-law. Their mother, Ban Abood, video-called him at every checkpoint and waited at the finish line.

“When I crossed, she hugged me,” Madlol said. “I felt like a million bucks.”

Abood had endured her own kind of marathon: A brain tumour diagnosis, surgery and a long hospital stay. The family’s race, Madlol said, was “collectively for her and for the health-care workers who provided her care.”

“She’s a fighter,” Madlol said. “It was a big scare.”

The 54-year-old mother said she came to Canada from war-torn Iraq 20 years ago with five young children after her husband died due to lack of medical care.

She worked multiple jobs despite a language barrier and now supports newcomers as a settlement worker in London. “It wasn’t easy. The kids saw me struggle,” she said.

Madlol, now a first-year dentistry student at Western University, is one of five siblings – all in health care. One is a pharmacist, another is about to begin practicing dentistry, and two others, like Madlol, are studying to become dentists.

“They took turns staying with me in the hospital,” Abood said. “It’s so nice to see your kids care.”

She remembers the kindness of not just her children, but of the medical staff: “All the doctors, nurses, the cleaning crew – everyone was super nice. They sympathized with us. The least my kids can do is run to honour those people.”

Abood said she made education and community service a priority for her children from a young age. “That was key.”

She added, “I’m so grateful to see them grow and flourish. The most important thing isn’t their degrees – it’s that they are good kids who give back. A lot of people helped us when we first came.”

Now recovering from surgery and after recently welcoming a grandchild, Abood says she’s focused on seeing her family thrive. “When you plant a tree, you want to see it grow. I want to see it grow bigger and bigger.”

Madlol, meanwhile, is already preparing for his next marathon in October. This time in Crocs, the footwear of choice for many nurses. “My mom is the strongest, most determined and resilient person I know,” he said. “She’s never asked for the credit, but she deserves a world of it.”

London dental student runs marathon in scrubs to honour mom's battle | London Free Press

2028 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifying time standards announced

The 2028 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifying time standards are 2 : 16 : 00 for men (two minutes faster than 2024) and 2 : 37 : 00 for women (the same as 2024), USA Track and Field announced.

The qualifying window is this Sept. 1 until 60 days before the trials. The trials date and site have not been announced yet, though the event was held in February in 2016, 2020 and 2024. USATF will make a “Road to Trials” qualification list once the window opens.

Runners can also qualify via half marathon times — 1 : 03 : 00 (men) and 1 : 12 : 00 (women) — starting Jan. 1, 2027.

Additionally, athletes can qualify via results, including top-10 finishes at the U.S. Marathon Championships and members of the last three U.S. Olympic marathon teams, provided they are a USATF member in good standing and eligible to represent the United States in international competitions.

The specific qualifying times were chosen to aim for fields of about 200 men and 200 women at the 2028 trials, taking into account data from the 2024 trials qualifying period.

2028 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifying time standards announced - NBC Sports

Twenty-three-year-old Ethiopian marathon runner suspended for 22 months

Twenty-three-year-old Ethiopian, Tadu Teshome Nare, has been suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for 22 months.

She missed three tests in 12 months, which is equal to testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug (PED) the first time. The punishment is typically four years. She received a reduced suspended due to admitting fault, but only after the third missed test.

Between November 2023 and October 2024, the athlete was not available during the 60-minute window that she indicated she would be, while at an address in Addis Ababa. She claimed paperwork had failed the first two times, both times due to her coach and agent in Kenya. She also claimed to have filed with the ADAMS system.

For the November date, she went to South Africa and claims she informed her authorized athlete representative. Similarly, so with the June 2024 date. For the October 2024 missed test, she decided not to file an explanation.

On May 31, 2025, the AIU received an email from the Athlete’s coach (and husband) stating she agreed to admit the anti-doping rule violation and to accept the consequences previously proposed by the AIU. The Athlete has therefore admitted fault and has agreed to resolve the matter on terms specified by the AIU.

23-year-old Ethiopian marathon runner suspended for 22 months

San Diego Rock ‘n' Roll race weekend crosses the finish line with 31,000 runners

Under cloudy skies, occasional sprinkles, and higher than usual humidity, the 2025 Rock 'n' Roll race series returned to central San Diego streets this weekend.

About 27,000 runners were up just after sunrise, Sunday, ready to pound the pavement starting at Sixth Avenue and Quince Street on the edge of Balboa Park. The full 26.2-mile marathon included 8,000 registered runners with another 19,000 runners on the 13.1 half-marathon course.

A 5K run on Saturday attracted 4,000 runners. The annual event is known for bringing communities together and creating gridlock with street closures for several hours. The benefits outweigh the inconvenience, according to race organizer Emily Gibbs. "If you are anywhere along the course, you've got to lean into it. It's about creating a community for a couple of days. It's a great time to cheer people on," Gibbs said.

A group of half-marathon runners crossed the finish line first at Ash and Union streets downtown. Many of the front-runners are coming in at just more than an hour. Abrham Tesfamaria of Flagstaff, Arizona, led the pack in the men's division. "It's a fun race with lots of hills. I really appreciated all the support along the way," said Tesfamaria.

Julia Vasquez of San Francisco didn’t beat her personal record, but was the women’s winner. Vasquez said, "It was a tough course, harder than I thought. It was pretty hot. Even though I didn't set a record for myself, I'm happy with the results."

The race day numbers also included one thousand volunteers who came to support the runners in their journey. Medical personnel were needed for a handful of participants who finished the races and needed treatment for heat exhaustion and dehydration. No serious injuries were reported.

San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll race weekend crosses the finish line with 31,000 runners – NBC 7 San Diego

South Africa’s Tete Dijana reclaims Comrades title from rival Wiersma, Gerda Steyn dominates women’s race

Tete Dijana won the third Comrades Marathon title of his career, fending off heavy competition from Dutchman Piet Wiersma, while Gerda Steyn was peerless in the women’s race.

Rivalries make sports more intriguing. At the Comrades Marathon, a rivalry between South Africa’s Tete Dijana and the Netherlands’ Piet Wiersma has developed over the past few years. In 2025, it was Dijana who pipped Wiersma to victory.

It is Dijana’s third overall success at the Comrades, following victories in 2022 and 2023. In the latter race Wiersma finished just three seconds behind Dijana. This year the gap was slightly larger, as former North West University security guard Dijana crossed the finish line in 5:25:28. His Dutch rival was five seconds adrift.

“In my first 30km it was a little tough because I did not get enough rest yesterday. It must have been anxiety or something,” Dijana told SuperSport after the race.

Dijana said reclaiming the Comrades title from Wiersma was all about “corrections”. This after a disappointing title defence in 2024, when he suffered severe cramps and ended up in 14th place. Despite the intense pressure from his rival chasing him down this year, Dijana said he was calm in the run-in.

“In the last 10km I saw that he (Wiersma) was closing the gap and I accelerated a little bit to open a bigger gap. It was under control,” he said.

After the race Wiersma acknowledged that he and Dijana now have a fully fledged rivalry. The 27-year-old said he would return again in 2028 to try to wrestle back his crown back from Dijana, who is 10 years his senior.

Just a moment...

2026 Marathon des Sables: Registrations Open for ‘the Hardest Foot Race on Earth’

Registrations opened on June 11 for what has been dubbed “the hardest foot race on earth,” a grueling 250km ultra-marathon through Morocco’s Sahara desert. The Marathon des Sables (MDS) Legendary event is a 6-stage ultra-marathon race, with competitors racing 20 to 80km each day across the harsh desert terrain.

The MDS Legendary race is a 11 day event, with 9 days in the Sahara desert and 6 days of racing. Competitors may run or walk the race, each trying to get to the end to claim the title of “legend.” MDS is conducted in self-sufficiency, requiring competitors to carry their gear and food, while water and tents are supplied by the organisation.

The race occurs in April where temperatures in the desert often fall between 15 to 30 degrees celsius. Racing through the desert across the sand dunes and rocky paths, contestants of the MDS Legendary are battling more than just intense heat, with wind, sandstorms and rain occasionally breaking up the monotony of the clear blue skies.

This year celebrates the 40th edition of the classic MDS in the Sahara desert. The race will take place between April 3-13, 2026, with registrations for the event opening on June 11.

MDS Legendary brings together participants from all corners of the globe, from seasoned runners, to your everyday adventure junkie.

2026 Marathon des Sables: Registrations Open for ‘the Hardest Foot Race on Earth’

Highlights of 2025 Kigali International Peace Marathon

Florence Niyonkuru of Rwanda crosses the finish line as the winner of the Half Marathon in the female category during the 2025 Kigali International Peace Marathon in Kigali, Rwanda, on June 8, 2025.