To start the week Lindie Naughton brings us all the Irish endurance action and news from the weekend just gone (Monday 22nd April). Stephen Scullion (Clonliffe Harriers) proved best of the Irish in the elite race at the London Marathon on Sunday (April 21), finishing 13th in 2:16.0. Scullion had hoped to make the Olympic marathon qualifying mark of  2:08.10. Also lining out in the elite race was former Irish marathon champion Martin Hoare (Celbridge AC)  who finished 25th in 2:22.59. Hiko might not have had the race he wanted, but this picture is too good not to include. Photo: Jame ..read more

It was a special day for British marathon running in London, and James Rhodes runs through what happened on the streets of the capital. Today, once more, the streets of London shone. As dawn breaked, just two British men had run inside 2:08:00, one did so almost 40 years ago. Today, Emile Cairess and Mahamed Mahamed joined that club. Both were well inside the Olympic qualifying time of 2:08:10 and, with the selection meeting held tomorrow, are all-but-guaranteed to join the team. Twelve months ago, Emile Cairess made his marathon debut in London and ran 2:08:07. It was fantastic, a time so rar ..read more

Chelsea Rose Baker and James Westlake ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this weekend (20th April). Our weekly parkrun top ten is now sponsored by Vertebrate Publishing (my publisher) and here’s a link to buy my book on their website. They actually have a bunch of great books to choose from, especially the mountaineering ones, so don’t feel like you have to buy 1001 Running Tips. March was a cracking month for Chelsea Rose Barker with PBs over 5 and 10k with 16:20 at Podium Festival 5K and 33:45 at Trafford 10K, so it’s no surprise to she her top of the list ..read more

To start the week Lindie Naughton brings us all the Irish endurance action and news from the weekend just gone (Monday 15th April). Aaron Hanlon (Drogheda and District) led home over 2,000 finishers at the Great Ireland Run 10km, held in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on Sunday (April 14); his time was 31 min 10 secs. Second in 31:26 was Kane Collins (Donore Harriers) while third was David Glynn  in 32:03. Eighth and first woman in 34:44 was Clare Fagan (Mullingar Harriers).  Aisling O’Connor (Rathfarnham WSAF AC) was second woman in 38:17 and Hannah Dalton third in 38:38 First M40 was Ciaran ..read more

Another busy weekend with the spring marathon season picking up momentum. James Rhodes brings you the highlights of the racing action – as a recovery from his own marathon adventure in Manchester! Marvellous Manchester Despite a midweek forecast that looked less than ideal, the weather gods were feeling kind at the Manchester Marathon. Charlie Arnell had an excellent marathon debut, taking the win in the women’s field in an impressive 2:37:14. She ran 77:27 at the Bath Half Marathon in March, so a pretty impressive conversion. It was a commanding victory, finishing almost five minutes clear of ..read more

The spring marathon season is underway and the fast times on the road keep coming – although Storm Kathleen certainly had something to say. James Rhodes brings you another busy weekend round up. Racing Abroad Lauren Mcneil and Clara Evans had excellent outings at the Berlin Half Marathon on Sunday, finishing fifth and sixth respectively. The pair clocked 70:10 and 70:11, the latter a five second PB for Clara. Lauren’s performance was particularly impressive given she raced at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade last weekend. Both times were inside the qualifying standard for the ..read more

Louise Small and Ethan Primett ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this weekend (13th April). Our weekly parkrun top ten is now sponsored by Vertebrate Publishing (my publisher) and here’s a link to buy my book on their website. They actually have a bunch of great books to choose from, especially the mountaineering ones, so don’t feel like you have to buy 1001 Running Tips. AFD’s Louise Small was the fastest female athlete week with another strong parkrun of 16:35 at Torbay Velopark. It’s a fastest parkrun for 2024, but still a wee way back from her 16:17 at Exmout ..read more

It’s happening soon, but many won’t even know about it. The 70th Anniversary of Diane Leather’s Ground Breaking Sub 5 Minute Mile.  On 29th May 1954, only 23 days after Roger Bannister’s legendary sub four minute mile, Diane Leather was the first woman to break the five minute mile barrier. On a recent trip to the Anglo-Celtic Plate 100k, where the England women’s team of Sarah Webster, Melissah Gibson and Julia Davis, ran a trio of performances that would have taken gold at any World Championship in history, we had the pleasure of speaking to Rebecca Taylor about someone who’s name we di ..read more

To start the week Lindie Naughton brings us all the Irish endurance action from the weekend just gone (Monday 8th April). A meet record in  the women’s 400m proved the track highlight of the Irish Universities Championships  hosted by Queen’s University at the Mary Peters track in Belfast on Friday and Saturday (5-6 April). Lauren Cadden (Atlantic Technological University)  won the women’s 400m in a massive personal best time of 53.38 secs. Cadden was part of the Irish 4x400m relay squad at the recent World Indoors. In the middle distances, Lucy Holmes (MTU)  took ..read more

Emily Kearney and Max Parker ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this weekend (6th April). Our weekly parkrun top ten is now sponsored by Vertebrate Publishing (my publisher) and here’s a link to buy my book on their website. They actually have a bunch of great books to choose from, especially the mountaineering ones, so don’t feel like you have to buy 1001 Running Tips. As we expect on National Road Relay days like this times are a little slower as many are out running in the 12 and 6 stage relays for their clubs, but there were still plenty of fast parkrun times ..read more