Expect the unexpected. That’s how the saying went, until this week in athletics warped it beyond comprehension. You would have thought the distance all-time lists were holding up a sign saying ‘welcome, newcomers, make yourselves at home’. Which they weren’t, as far as I could see. Not that that stopped the sudden intrusion. When it comes to the distance debut, what started off as unexpected in Barcelona, became pretty much the norm by the time it reached New York. Which is quite the journey to make. So let me take you through it, one stop at a time.
Out of the 2 hours it had to play with, the 2026 LA Marathon was a matter of 0.01 seconds. Its closest finish ever, in all its 41 year history. On the surface that would make a good headline, but given how often photo finish has been used in the marathon recently, I’d guess the novelty is starting to tire. The same can’t be said for this story though. Because someone who definitely wasn’t tiring, was the USA’s Nathan Martin.
Over the last 200 metres, Nathan Martin closed a gap so big not even words can do it justice. (I won’t be that annoying person who tells you ‘you had to have been there’ so I’ll just recommend you watch the video which, surprise, surprise, is everywhere). It was the perfect sprint finish, not just because it secured him the win, but because of what it represented. To be able to close a marathon in that style is the trait of a highly technical runner, not to mention an extremely fit one. And when you hear Nathan Martin’s story, it most certainly tracks.
They say practice what you preach, but how about practice what you teach? Nathan Martin isn’t the seasoned, highly-accomplished marathon runner you’re probably picturing right now. He’s a high school teacher. That and a cross-country coach. Until LA, he’d never finished in the top 3 of any marathon. It was 30th in Boston last year, 25th in Chicago the year before. Always close, but never quite close enough. He needed to find a way to separate himself from the metaphorical crowd, but instead he went literal: a 200m sprint finish and first ever win on the global stage.
The story doesn’t end here though. While the race itself was complete in 2:11:18, the full details of what actually happened took a bit longer to reveal themselves. And let’s just say their timing wasn’t ideal. On Monday, footage was released that showed race leader Michael Kimani Kamau veering off the course behind a lead motorcycle, before turning back and correcting himself. Unfortunately for him, this happened just as Nathan Martin was gearing up for his final sprint to, as it later turned out, victory. The public was instantly blinded by flashbacks of what had happened at the US trials a week earlier and it became hard to hear anything above the many cries of ‘not again’.
Expect in this case, the situation wasn’t the same. A spectator had run onto the course, forcing Michael Kimani Kamau to change direction, and in the midst of the distraction he mistakenly ran off track. The lead motorcycle didn’t make a wrong turn, he did. It may not be his fault, but blame and responsibility don’t always coincide, and the fact that no protests were made is a clear example. It’s not that the win still belongs to Nathan Martin- it never left. And neither will the legacy of him becoming the first African-American to ever win the LA Marathon.
Everyone loves the idea of travelling. Seeing the world, taking in its sights. Only most people’s idea of travelling is very different to what Eliud Kipchoge had in mind. A world tour sounds very glamorous, until you factor in the 42.195km run in each city part. Not the most relaxing trip, but certainly one fit for a double Olympic marathon champion.
Eliud Kipchoge’s travels involve running 7 marathons, one for each continent, over the course of the next 2 years. Now 41 years old, this marks the start of a new phase in his career, where instead of chasing a position, he’s chasing a purpose. A purpose which is to inspire others from all parts of the world to start running, in the hope that when they do so, they’ll do it together.
This week Eliud Kipchoge began to tease out his schedule one marathon at a time, starting with number 1: Cape Town. His first ever African Marathon, and a return to the continent that not only marks the beginning of this particular running journey, but that of the greatest running journey of them all: Eliud Kipchoge’s.
After Cape Town in May, he’ll then visit Brazil for the Porto Alegre Marathon in July. A race which signals the next stop on Eliud Kipchoge’s world tour, and the next milestone in Eliud Kipchoge’s career: his first Olympic gold medal in the marathon from Rio 2016. Just in time for its 10 year anniversary, and what better way to celebrate than with 42.195km of non-stop running. For Eliud Kipchoge I’m sure there isn’t, but perhaps that’s another example of where our ideas may differ.
Women may have only made up 25% of the Barcelona Marathon field, but when it comes to the show that was this Sunday’s race, 100% of the limelight was theirs. Or should I say, hers. Because Fotyen Tesfay of Ethiopia, with a late break from the pack, crossed the finish line in nothing other than 2:10:53.
Now I’m aware times mean nothing without context, so let me break down every single way in which this win defies statistics. First of all, it’s the second fastest marathon ever run by a woman. Exactly one minute faster than the previous number 2 all-time, and less than a minute slower than Ruth Chepngetich’s current world record of 2:09:56. A world record which many would say represents nothing but the power of modern medicine, but now we can finally say it stands for something else. Something far more positive. The power to be broken.
While Fotyen Tesfay’s time may come second in that context, in several others it’s first. Because this was her marathon debut. A debut which has now been proclaimed, for obvious reasons, the fastest of all-time. Granted, she is a well-accomplished half marathon runner, but this isn’t like the 100/200m switch. When you double a half marathon you add on 21 extra kilometres, not an extra bend of the track. Yet somehow the move up to the marathon has never looked easier. Sifan Hassan won the London Marathon on her first try. Kelvin Kiptum set a world record on his second try, and Tigist Assefa did the same on her third try. Although I’d hesitate to use the phrase ‘beginner’s luck’, because I have a feeling these sorts of results only occur in the elite ambit. And for very good reason.
Last year at the Barcelona Marathon we thought we’d seen it all. Two new course records, the highest ever number of participants. But in 2026 that all changed. Each of the top 3 women ran faster than the previous record of 2:19:33. And by a lot. Up to 9 minutes, in fact. There were also more people on that start line than ever before. With over 60% of runners from abroad the Barcelona Marathon has been called one of the most international marathons in Europe, but maybe it’s time we add one of the fastest to that list. We all know a lot can change in a year. But what we didn’t know is that even more can change, in the marathon.
The most surprising thing about the Bath Half Marathon this Sunday was the fact that no, it was not raining. It was actually sunny. A bit windy, but still sunny.
I say that because Alex Bell, former 800m Olympic finalist, was not a shock winner on the female side. She even said it herself. It’s a gift to be able to tell the world you’re aiming for something and not mean it. Because what you’re actually doing is getting it. After her 10km PB and 11th place in Valencia earlier this year, she continued her streak with another PB and win in Bath with 1:09:15. A win which also secures her place at this year’s World Road Running Championships, falling just under the qualification standard of 1:09:30.
On the men’s side, it was a win and automatic qualification for Joe Wigfield in 1:02:07, closely followed by Phil Sesemann and Alfie Manthorpe. And by closely, I mean all in the space of 7 seconds.
The 2026 Bath Half wasn’t a story of debuts. It was the opposite. Alex Bell has been a professional athlete for years, and a great one at that. But only now is she getting the recognition she deserved.
There was a double dethroning of champions this weekend in New York. One winner returned to the throne after 3 years and the other returned to the distance of the half marathon itself, and very successfully at that.
Hellen Obiri took the lead on the women’s side in 1:06:33, a new course record and her fourth overall win in the city of New York. Twice in the marathon, and now twice in the half marathon. In her case, maybe it is the city where dreams are made after all.
On the men’s side, it was a win for Adrian Wildschutt of South Africa, but that was hardly his biggest achievement of the day. Of the two times he’s run the half marathon, he’s finished in under 1 hour in both of them. A smoother transition to the distance I don’t think anyone else has ever seen, but one person in particular has definitely wished for.
The New York City Half Marathon marked Grant Fisher‘s big debut. World record holder indoors in both the 3000m and 5000m, he’s already cemented himself as one of the distance greats, but this was his first venture out onto the roads. Unfortunately, that legacy didn’t adjust well to the New York City winter. And who can blame it, having lived a rather sheltered life on the indoor track. After sticking with the leaders for around 16km, the last 5km proved too much for Grant Fisher and his pace slowed considerably. A race that started with a 13:58 split ended with a 15:07, and he came through in 14th place with 1:00:53.
This isn’t a disappointing debut at all. It’s just that fortunately or not (depending on which way you look at it), our perspective has been rather skewed lately when it comes to distance first-timers. The New York City Half Marathon itself saw both extremes, with Megan Keith of Great Britain finishing 3rd in her first time over the distance with 67:13, a time that would put her 6th on the British all-time list were it not unofficial.
Megan Keith recently said that cross country is where she feels most at home. But after her European 10km record and now this, it looks like the roads are ready to claim her as their own.
A week, and a lot of perspective, has shifted. The number of things that went from unexpected to expected in athletics is only getting higher this season. And apparently drama in the half marathon and record-breaking distance debuts are two new things to add to that list. Let’s just hope that next week’s World Indoor Athletics Championships find something new to shock us with.
Rosana is our social media manager intern, specialising in track and road racing. Having previously competed in the 200m and 400m, she keeps up her love for speed endurance with regular track sessions and interval runs. As well as running herself, Rosana is also an avid athletics fan, from volunteering at major track meets to officiating local competitions back in England.
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