Two races in a row. Two weeks ago we saw Sharon Lokedi the 2025 Boston Marathon Champion running to victory in the BAA 10K. This week we saw Helen Obiri, the 2024 Boston Marathon Champion running to victory in Atlanta at the Peachtree Road Race.
Peachtree
This annual July 4th race in Atlanta is the largest 10K road race in the world. It has an extra special place in my heart. This is the race where I met my wife. July in Atlanta is hot. Temperatures in the Mid 80's F at the finish with similar readings on the humidity. Up front there are fast runners from the elite runners to the high school athletes racing for a championship. Towards the middle and the back of the "race" it's a party. It's a frequent site, runners on course holding a beer. In fact the further back in the pack you go the more often that happens. There were also a number of women dressed as the Statue of Liberty and there was a group of guys dressed in full 1776 attire complete with wigs. American flags and American flag shorts were plentiful. Up front the racing was fast and compelling.
Men
Patrick Kiprop - 27:35 - Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3
Vincent Langat - 27:39 - Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo
Patrick Mosin - 27:39 - Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo
Women
Helen Obiri - 31:29 - On Cloudboom Strike
Senayet Getachew - 31:30 - adidas adios Pro Evo 1
Gela Hambese Degefa - 31:38 - adidas adios Pro 4
Prefontaine Classic
What a track meet. From start to finish on the track and in the field the athletes delivered. There is way too much to cover so I'll just cover the big three races.
Women's 1500 - The last event of the track meet and it just might have been the best event. Faith Kipyegon was just amazing in setting the World Record. She stole the show. The joy you see when she runs is breathtaking. Watch it here.
Womens 5000 - Beatrice Chebet smashed the 5000 World Record becoming the first women ever to break 14 minutes for the race. It was a master class in running performance. Watch it here.
Run through the finish line. Every running coach in track and cross country tells you that. In the Bowerman Mile the man with the fastest kick in the race dashed the hopes of Jared Nuguse from the USA. Niels Laros from the Netherlands won the biggest race of his pro career taking down a host of medalists from Paris. The race had the best finish on the track on Saturday.
Challenge Roth
In the sport of triathlon everyone knows the Ironman World Championship in Kailua, Kona. There is another long distance (same distances as the race in Kona) triathlon that draws 300,000 spectators and treats athletes like royalty. That race is Challenge Roth which was held this past Sunday in the small Bavarian town of Roth, Germany. If you win in Kailua Kona you can set your life up for a long time. If you win in Roth and in Kona you become a legend. Sam Laidow and Laura Phillips both won in Roth. They have also both won the Ironman World Championships in Nice France. If and when they win in Kona they will become legends.
Men
Sam Laidlow - Hoka Rocket X2
Jonas Shaumburg - Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris
Jan Stratman - Hoka Rocket X2
Women
Laura Phillip - New Balance Super Comp Elite 5
Grace Thek - Hoka Rocket X2
Alanis Siffert - Scott Carbon RC 2
Challenge Roth
If you want a data driven view of triathlon look no further than Gordo Byrn. Gordo is a friend and former coach of mine. He left the sport of triathlon to raise a family. He has recently come back to the sport. On Sunday he finished Challenge Roth in a time of 9:03 (That's fast!). He won the 55-59 age group by 21 minutes. He ran 3:15 for the marathon and ran in the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3. Way to go Gordo!
