The 30th Fortis Marathon Rotterdam on April 11th will be broadcasted live on the internet. The race will start ar 11.00AM local time (Central European Summer Time, UTC+2h). A live coverage will be provided online via the website of UniversalSports here.
A second option to watch live stream is the Dutch broadcasting company NOS here.
World marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe announced that she is expecting her second child in September.
The 36-year old stated that she (and her husband) always planned another child before the 2012 London Olympics. After all an Olympic medal is the only thing that is missing in her great collection of victories, records etc. That’s also the reason why the comeback to racing is planned a bit slowlier this time, with the first competitions in 2011. Right now Paula is still in full training but will (of course) miss this years European Championships in Barcelona.
European Athletics published an informative article here.
With the following weekend, the marathon spring will be opened. A hot and fast spring can be expected and experience shows, that already on the first weekend fast times are on the road.
Especially the marathons in Paris and Rotterdam (both on April 11th) provide a lot of excitement with deep and fast fields. Other big marathons take place in Milan, Zürich, Linz
The marathon in Paris will be started on the Champs Elysées at 8.45AM (local time, i.e.CEST). Last year six runners ran sub-2:07h. In 2010 ten runners with PBs of sub-2:09h are on the entry list. The best chances for a victory have marathon-debutant Wilson Kipsang (KEN) with a halfmarathon-PB of 58:59min, Ethiopian Gelana Teshome (ETH, winner of last years Houston marathon with a PB of 2:07:37h on a rather slow course) and Kenyans James Rotich (PB: 2:07:12h) and Benjamin Kiptoo (last years Rome marathon winner)
In the womens race a duel between defending champion Atsede Baysa of Ethiopia and last years 3rd-place Frenchwomen Christelle Daunay (French record of 2:25:43 in last years race) is expected.
The marathon in Amsterdam will be started at 11.00 AM. Unforgotten is the 2009 finish with James Kwambai and Duncan Kibet both crossing the line in 2:04:27h. Kwambai also leads the entries of the 2010 edition of the marathon and wants to win this year. However, also last years Paris marathon winner Vincent Kipruto might be able to run under 2:05h on this super-fast course. Patrick Makau is another hot favorite. With his halfmarathon time of 58:52min he is the third-fastest man ever. Overall, eleven men have PBs of sub-2:09h in this race.
The womens race is not as open as the mens race it seems. Chinese Zhu Xiaolin (5th in the Beijing Olympics) might only be challenged by Kenyans Anne Kosgei and Irene Jerotich.
After several set-backs in the last 12 months (Pulmonary embolism in March 2009 and operation of his right heel in November 2009) Viktor Röthlin is giving his comeback at the Kerzerslauf in Kerzers/SUI. The Swiss marathon record holder (2:07:23h) decided on short notice to compete in the 15km-run on Saturday, March 20th.
After his heel-operation the 35-year old took bigger steps than expected and preponed his competitive comeback, which was actually planned for the GP of Bern (May 22nd). Röthlin stated that he is “extremely motivated” and “the fire is there”.
The big aim for 2010 remains the European Championships in Barcelona, where he wants to run the marathon on August, 1st. However, he wants to decide later in the season if he is in top shape to go for a medal. Currently, he is building up his running shape and is still doing alternative training, such as aqua-jogging and indoor cycling.
It took Thomas Dold 10 minutes and 16 seconds to earn his record-tying fifth consecutive win in the Empire State Building Run-Up to the top of New York’s tallest building.
Grimacing as he lunged across the finish line on the 86th floor observation deck, the 25-year-old from Stuttgart (Germany) beat fellow German Matthias Jahn (10:56min) up the 1,576 steps by 40 seconds. “I’m so tired … It was quite hard,” Dold said. He is the third person to win the race five times. His only loss was a photo finish in his 2005 debut.
First women was Melissa Moon, 40, of Wellington (New Zealand) in 13 minutes 13 seconds. She finished panting, but smiling. “Oh, look at that view!” she said at the top.
The unorthodox race has been run 33 times since 1978. Competitors start in the lobby, where they take just a few strides before squeezing through a doorway and into a stairwell for the long climb.
The Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon 2010 will be broadcasted live by Dubai Sports Channel. Online streams might be accessible on this page or here. Starting time is at 6.30AM local Dubai time, i.e. 2.30AM GMT.
Let’s see if Haile can bring down the world record once again.
Two-time London Marathon champion Irina Mikitenko (GER) has confirmed her participation in the 2009 edition of the Great Australian Run. The 15K-race will take place in Melbourne on 29th of November and will also feature the past two Olympic Champions in the marathon on the mens side (Stefano Baldini/ITA and Sammy Wanjiru/KEN).
Mikitenko will compete against American Marathon Record holder Deena Castor and Australian World Cross-Country Champion 2004, Benita Willis (formerly Benita Johnson). For Mikitenko it will be the second competition “Down Under” after placing fifth in the 5.000m of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. She stated that she is not thinking about times so much but rather wants to concentrate on providing an exciting competition with the other women.
The 21st edition of the European Athletics Championships will take place in Helsinki/Finland from June 27 to July 1 (dates still need to be approved). Helsinki is the only candidate for the Championships, that will not include marathon and race walking events because of a new biennial cycle. It will be the first time that the European Championships will switch to a 2-year cycle, which is the reason for the absence of marathon and race walking in the event program. The Championships in Helsinki will take place only one month before the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
On Sunday it’s time for the 40th edition of the NYC-Marathon. The action will be broadcasted by several media.
UniversalSports.com will cover the race online for 5 and after the race will be available on demand. If UniversalSports does not work, check this page.
TV viewers in Europe can watch the race on Eurosport.
The race will start with the elite womens race at 9.10AM, and the main race including the elite men will go off at 9.40 local time (UTC -4hours).
The 40th NYC-Marathon will once again host a bunch of the best marathon runners in the world. On the mens side 15 runners have a sub-2:10 PB and in the womens race eight runners already ran sub-2:30.
In the mens race defending champ Marilson Gomes dos Santos (BRA) will compete against the second fastest marathon runner in history, Kenyan James Kwambai (2:04:27, Rotterdam 09). Fellow Kenyans Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Patrick Makau also have a sub-2:07PB. Double World Marathon Champion Jaouad Gharib (2:05:27, London 09) is always one of the favorites. US-hopes are on Ryan Hall (2:06:17, 08).
In the womens race Paula Radcliffe wants to make it 4 victories in 4 starts after winning in 2004, 2007 and 2008. Russian 41-year old national record holder Lyudmila Petrova (2:21:29h) will do her best to cross the plans. Fellow Russian Tatyana Petrova was a World Championships Silver Medalist in the steeple and completed her first two marathons this year with times under 2:26h. With french record holder Christelle Daunay (2:25:43 h), Japanese Yuri Kano (2:24:27 h), Salina Kosgei from Kenya (2:23:22 h) and Ethiopian Derartu Tulu (2:23:30 h) the race for the first spots should be widely open.