The week in world running, straight from the paddock (to Mon 12 Oct 2026)

1. KIPRUTO FINALLY BOLTS IN CHICAGO

Third, then second, now the big one

Amos Kipruto’s been knocking on Chicago’s door for two years (3rd in 2024, 2nd last year) and on Sunday he kicked it in. He sat on Jacob Kiplimo’s shoulder through some silly early pace, made his move late and came home in 2:01:09. That’s a 30-second PB and puts him level with Kipchoge at equal fifth on the all-time list. Kiplimo, the pre-race banker, faded to 4th in 2:04:18.

Over in the women’s race Hawi Feysa defended her title with a big surge in the last mile to drop Sharon Lokedi, winning in 2:13:33. Lokedi ran 2:14:07 and Brigid Kosgei 2:14:55. World Athletics says it’s the first marathon ever where three women have broken 2:15.

Sources: World Athletics report · LetsRun recap

2. STARS, STRIPES AND A TORN HAMSTRING

Young gallops to 2:05 on one good leg, Rupp’s still got it at 40

The American men turned Chicago into a soap opera. Clayton Young went in with a torn hamstring, which he’d talked about openly beforehand, and still ran 2:05:23. That’s a PB and makes him the second-fastest American marathoner ever. Charles Hicks wasn’t far behind in 2:05:35.

Vinny Mauri, the treadmill sensation, went full send at Conner Mantz’s 2:04:43 American record. He paid for it late but hung on for 10th in 2:06:45. Then there’s Galen Rupp, 40 years young, running 2:06:55 and smashing the US masters record by more than three minutes. Old horses, new tricks.

And Emma Grace Hurley ran 2:20:47 in her first ever marathon, an American debut record.

Sources: Running USA / Chicago Marathon release · Runner’s World on Young · LetsRun: Young’s hamstring

3. SWISS ROCKET SETS CHICAGO ALIGHT

DeBrunner breaks her own world record by a full minute

The fastest thing on wheels in Chicago wasn’t a taxi. Catherine Debrunner led the women’s wheelchair race from the off, never saw another racer and finished in 1:33:16, taking 60 seconds off her own world record. It’s the first wheelchair world record ever set in Chicago, and it came on a course she says she didn’t think was quick enough for one. Fellow Swiss Marcel Hug won the men’s race for a seventh time, with a course record.

Source: Running USA / Chicago Marathon release

4. KIPCHOGE: STILL NOT READY FOR THE KNACKER’S YARD

41-year-old wins Melbourne in a course record

Write him off at your peril. Eliud Kipchoge won the Melbourne Marathon on Sunday in 2:09:10, two seconds under the old race best, and finished in front of a big crowd inside the MCG. He broke away in the last 10k to beat Australia’s Thomas Do Canto (2:10:35). It’s his first marathon win in three years and the 17th of his career. Afterwards he told reporters his body is “still peaking”. A few Stablemates were on that start line too, so check Hoofprints.

Sources: World Athletics results · BBC Sport · The Guardian

5. ROYAL PARKS PACKS THEM IN

Biggest field ever around London’s finest paddocks

More than 17,000 runners did the Royal Parks Half on Sunday, the biggest field in the race’s history, looping Hyde Park, Green Park, St James’s and Kensington Gardens. Sam Brashaw won the men’s race in 1:09:30 and Celia Anton took the women’s in 1:14:10. Organisers reckon they’re on course to beat last year’s £8.5 million fundraising record. One of ours was out there flying too (see Hoofprints).

Source: Evening Standard

6. HORSE OF THE YEAR SHORTLIST IS OUT

Sawe, Assefa, Ngetich and Kerr in the running for the big rosette

World Athletics has named its 20 nominees for World Athlete of the Year, 10 men and 10 women. The distance runners on the list are Sabastian Sawe and Tigst Assefa (marathon), Agnes Ngetich (half marathon and cross country), Josh Kerr (1500m and mile, and he’s the mile world record holder) and Audrey Werro (800m). The public gets a vote along with athletes, media and the World Athletics family. It closes on Saturday 17 October, finalists come out on 10-11 November and the winners get crowned in Monaco on 29 November. Get your vote in for the Brit.

Sources: World Athletics · NBC Sports

7. CHICAGO BAGS THE 2027 US CHAMPS

National title race lands on the Windy City

USATF has confirmed that the 2027 US Marathon Championships will be run inside the Chicago Marathon on Sunday 10 October 2027. It’s a small field of 20 men and 20 women racing for the titles, but Chicago is also expanding its High Performance Program to 300 places for Americans chasing the 2028 Olympic Trials standard. Expect a lot of fast Americans in that start corral next year.

Sources: USATF · Running USA / Chicago Marathon release