LRC 2026 World Indoors
World Indoors
World Indoors

Lutkenhaus looked smooth in taking 2nd in his first-round 800m heat and is on to Saturday's semis but Tobias was DQ'd for a lane violation. Plus learn about the drug-testing mishap that had US sprint star Jordan Anthony racing the 60 with a web of kinesiotape on his arm.

Prediction Contest

Cole Hocker vs. Yared Nuguse vs. Josh Kerr at 3000. Nikki Hiltz and Cooper Lutkenhaus  Make your picks in our Worlds Prediction Contest.

Podcast

A stacked men’s 3000, a 17-year-old phenom, and wide-open races — here are the 5 biggest storylines at World Indoors from our emergency preview podcast.

World Indoors Outside Coverage
US Marathon News
World Indoors Men's 3000m Preview

Cole Hocker, Josh Kerr, & Yared Nuguse reunite...and steeple world champ Geordie Beamish is running too.

800 Preview

Lutkenhaus would be the youngest World Indoor medalist ever should he make the podium in Poland, but he will have plenty of competition, led by Belgium's Eliott Crestan.

More World Indoor Previews
More World Indoor News
GST News
Meet Fotyen Tesfay

Tesfay, who has a half-marathon best of 63:21 (#3 all-time) is the latest star in the group of famed Ethiopian coach Gemedu Dedefo, who has now coached five of the 11 fastest female marathoners in history.

USATF Disappointment

The US had entered teams in every event of every previous World Relays save 2021, when the US did not send any athletes at all.

The winners of our prediction contests

World indoors are this week. The LetsRun.com prediction contest team for Worlds is set.  Meet the winners from the USAs contest and some of our other recent contests as well. They highlight the best of LRC.

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Another NCAA Doping Story
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Hodge was given a two-year doping ban, but had it reduced by 7 months seemingly for informing on her now suspended Montverde Academy coach, Gerald Phiri. This reduction made her eligible to compete this indoor season and she scored 18 points for Georgia at NCAA Indoor Champs (the Georgia women won the meet by 9 points).

More Weekend International Results
NCAA D2/D3 Indoor Champs / More From DI
High School Nationals

Mantecon surged past Abdinasir Hassan on the final turn to win by 0.79 seconds. 4 races (5000m, 2-mile, DMR, mile), 4 golds and over 7 miles of racing.
*MB: Marcelo Mantecon incredible at Nike indoor nationals

    Sunday Road Action

    Grant Fisher’s half marathon debut did not go as planned at the 2026 United NYC Half. The indoor 3000m and 5000m world record holder ran with the lead pack early but faded badly over the final 5K to finish 14th, while South Africa’s Adriaan Wildschutt won the race in his second-ever half marathon. Hellen Obiri won the women's race in 66:30 over Sharon Lokedi (67:10). Emily Sisson was the top American in 6th (69:06).

    (link fixed) The third-fastest half marathoner in history (63:21) was going for Ruth Chepngetich's 2:09:56 WR, following her two male pacemakers through the half in 65:05. She was still within striking distance at 40k, going through on pace for 2:10:17, but faded a bit at the end. Uganda’s Abel Chelangat won the men’s race in 2:04:57.

    High School Nationals (Friday Coverage)

    Olympian Wilson was pushed to the line by Jayden Deleon with Wilson getting the win 45.37 to 45.38. Caleb Winders (1:48.83) and Paige Sheppard (2:04.25). NXN champ Jackson Spencer anchored his team (Herriman UT) to the 4xmile win in 16:58.10 (#3 on the all-time list).
    *MB: Quincy Wilson runs 45.37 indoors... and almost loses

    2026 NCAA Indoors are Fri/Sat.

    BYU freshman Hedengren front-ran an 8:36.61 in the 3k to crush Parker Valby's meet record and complete the 3k/5k sweep while Nielsen (4:40.06) won a tactical mile final.

    Ja'Kobe Tharp (7.32 in 60 hurdles) and Garrett Kaalund (19.95 in 200) both broke NCAA records while Colin Sahlman won a controversial 3000 after Habtom Samuel was DQ'd.

    NCAA Day 2 Talk
    NCAA D3
    NCAAs Day 1

    BYU freshman Jane Hedengren dominated the NCAA 5000 over the final stages, winning in 15:00.12 and closing the final kilometer in 2:46.24 to break the field and get her first NCAA title and victory over Alabama's Doris Lemngole.

      Colin Sahlman powered NAU to its first NCAA DMR title, the Oregon woman made up for last year, and Habtom Samuel won the 5000 on Day 1 of the 2026 NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville.

      Day 1 Video: Video of Da 1 Races Video of Jane Hedengren's impressive NCAA 5000m win and all the Day 1 distance finals.

      Distance News
      Friday HS Nationals Coverage

      Zang had a huge 35 second PR to run 9:42 for 3200m last week, but before that she hadn't even broke five minutes for a mile or 1600m. She dominated this race, winning over Abigail Hennessy (9:52.55) and NXN champ Natasza Dudek (9:52.77).
      *MB: WOW! HS Senior Katy Zang runs a 3200 in 9:42!

      DIII NCAA Champs
      Grant's only running a half marathon but he gets two features

      Grant Fisher gave his thoughts on his half marathon debut at the NYC Half, explaining his strategy, and how the race could shape his future on the roads.

      Fisher will battle ten sub-60 men in his road race debut in Sunday in NYC.   "I'm chasing more of a feeling than a time or a place... I'm the rookie now."

      Where Your Dreams Become Reality

      Unsponsored. Living in Tokyo. Dropped a 2:07:14. Dreams Do Become Reality.

      Oops He Did it Again - WR #15 for Mondo

      Competing at the Mondo Classic, Mondo thrilled the hometown fans. Norway’s Sondre Guttormsen, formerly of Princeton was 2nd at 6.0 m.

      Previous High School Nationals Coverage
      NCAA Previews
      More Links approved by a human
      More NCAA news
      Father Time is undefeated

      In addition to his Olympic exploits, he was a 4-time NCAA champion for Villanova, as he the won the Mile in back-to-back years (1957, 1958) to go along with titles in the 1500 meters in 1956 and the 880 yards in 1958.

      Odds & Ends
      • Eliud Kipchoge's days as a super competitive marathoner appear to be over - This week Kipchoge is busy announcing some of the cities he'll race in his quest to run a marathon on all 7 continents over the next 2 years. He'll run Cape Town on May 24th and then head to southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre for their marathon 7 weeks later on July 12th. “I've been doing a lot… I've been chasing the records, chasing medals, chasing the fastest times all over the world. As far as running is concerned, it would be nice to go and see those fans, that’s why I am going around the world to inspire and run for a purpose,” said the two-time Olympic gold medallist.
      • USATF announces 2026 relay program and “One Team” initiative The 2026 program has its foundation in USATF’s “One Team” philosophy, prioritizing relay chemistry, preparation, and shared success across the entire relay squad. USATF’s stated goal in its 2025-2028 High Performance Plan is to win six gold medals in the six relay events at the LA28 Olympic Games.
      • World Athletics Continental Tour will feature 280 meets, 11 gold ones in 2026 The two US gold meets are on back-to-back weekends in June.
      GST Update

      Vendors are seeking court approval to sue Johnson and Winners Alliance (its primary investor) for $25 million. Their filing says, "Shockingly, Mr. Johnson elected to secretly prefer himself over the athletes and other, non-insider creditors" by making a half million dollar payment to himself after the Philly meet, before the LA meet's cancellation was announced. They claim he did this "while at the same time feigning to the public that he was selflessly looking to advance the interests of the athletes."

      2 Weeks in a Row - A Lead vehicle snafu costs a runner a victory

      By now you've probably seen the viral video clip of the CRAZY close LA Marathon finish. What you probably haven't been seen is the video of what happened a quarter mile earlier that made it all possible. Will the ASICS LA Marathon do the right thing and make Kenya's Michael Kamau financially whole?

      Update: The LA Marathon has confirmed that the margin of victory was .18, not .01.

      Countries Name Their Squads For World Indoors
      Recreational Road Running News
      Embed from Getty Images
      Festus Lagat Update

      Lagat is the only Kenyan man with the 2026 World Indoors standard, but was not part of the initial team named by Athletics Kenya last week because he was provisionally suspended. Will he be allowed to compete.

      Kiplimo Gets Back His World Record

      This takes 10 seconds off Yomif Kejelcha’s official world record from 2024, but falls short of the 56:42 Kiplimo ran in Barcelona last year, but was not ratified. Ethiopia’s Tsige Gebreselama defended her title in the women’s race with 64:48

        More Road Action
        Weekend Track Results
        Embed from Getty Images
        Fred Kerley Updates
        Congrats To These Fast Women!
        Kenyan Anti-Doping News

        Lagat, an Iowa State alum who trains in Flagstaff with Dark Sky Distance, is appealing to CAS and hoping to have his provisional suspension lifted so he can compete for Kenya at World Indoors from March 20-22.

        USATF Half Update

        USATF said it considered naming Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley, and Ednah Kurgat to the Worlds team but has "serious concerns" about the long-term precedent it would set by ignoring its selection procedures. It has sent an alternate proposal to World Athletics but said the proposal is contingent on a vote by the World Athletics Council on March 18-19.

        Grand Slam update

        The Grand Slam Track bankruptcy just heated up. A new filing claims Bill Ackman's Winners Alliance wasn't just backing the league but was effectively acting as GST's de facto CFO, and is "one of, if not the, primary reason the Debtor has failed." The creditors committee is asking a judge to reject the plan outright, which would have seen athletes paid 85% of what they are owed while other vendors received just 1.5%. Winners Alliance told The Athletic the claims are "an invention with no basis in the record."

        More news from Africa
        Rojo personally approved these links on a slow Wednesday
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        Why things went haywire in Atlanta

        We now why there was chaos on the streets in Atlanta on Sunday. Just five minutes before the first runners came by, a police officer was struck by a vehicle a block away from the intersection in which athletes made the wrong turn. Atlanta TC said that caused other officers to leave their posts to attend to him -- and as a result, cones which were meant to direct runners straight were never laid out so that emergency vehicles could come through. Thankfully, the officer is ok and the Atlanta Track Club is going to pay out $39,500 in extra prize money to make the impacted racers whole.

        LRC Exclusive

        Since he stopped racing in the middle of the 2025 cross country season for Iowa State, Seth Clevenger has taken DIII by storm. The Rowan University athlete is the DIII leader in three events. But following the release of a video of an alleged EPO order, multiple former teammates told LetsRun.com that Clevenger said he took banned substances in 2025 while at Iowa State and admitted as such to the coaching staff. The situation raises questions about a potential hole in the NCAA’s anti-doping policy. We investigate how a star could allegedly admit to banned drug use and remain eligible to compete.

        NCAA News - Qualifiers Posted for NCAA Indoor Champs
        More Track Admin News
        Sprint Stuff
        Olympic News / Politics
        How about some uplifting news?

        On Friday, Jakob—who was still in California—showed up at Gunn High School and ran 8k with the high schoolers at track practice.

        Admin / Olympic News
        More Doping News
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        Hocker Speaks

        Cole Hocker is ready for the Millrose 2-mile showdown, a fast mile in 2 weeks, and world indoors. Plus he responds to Jakob Ingebrigtsen's comments about Paris.

        Richardson Arrest Video

        Video of Sha'Carri Richardson pleading not to be taken to jail for excessive speeding has been released.

        Grant Fisher talks

        Fisher was the guest on the LetsRun.com Track Talk podcast.

        Rewriting The Record Book

        From 600m to 5,000m, there have now been six world indoor records by four separate American men over the last 12 months. Jonathan Gault asks, "What explains it?"

        The 2026 NBIGP was fantastic
        The 2026 NBIGP was fantastic

        St. Pierre won her first track race since the Paris Olympics by outkicking Linden Hall in the 3,000. Myers looked incredible in the men's 3,000. And Lyles got the pre-race attention but lost the 300 to Jereem Richards.

        Hoey called his own shot before the race and then backed it up, breaking Wilson Kipketer's 1:42.67 that had stood since 1997. And he was paced by his brother Jaxson.

        Kesler exploded past Grant Fisher in the final 125 and got the WR thanks to a 26.31 final 200 and 13.02 final 100.

        Getting ready for Millrose

        Cooper Lutkenhaus started 2026 in fine form with a 1:45 win in New York. Meghan Hunter went sub 2 in the 800 (Ajee Wilson 2:00.92), Wilma Nielsen won the mile at Katelyn Tuohy faded. *Race video
        Discuss:         UPDATE: Cooper Lutkenhaus DESTROYS pro field. Opens in 1:45.23!!! 

        2k Shot #1 Fired on Friday

        Cole Hocker opened his indoor season in stunning fashion at the Hokie Invitational, running 4:52.92 to break the American 2,000m record of Bernard Lagat, which Cooper Teare tied in 2nd place, as George Couttie smashed the collegiate record in 3rd. The Olympic champion now turns his attention to a loaded Millrose Games 2 mile featuring Grant Fisher, Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman, Parker Wolfe, and more.

        Age Group Mile WR

        He finished runner-up to Sam Tanner (3:53.36), breaking Cam Myers' previous record. *Race Video

        Grant is Moving Up
        Grant is Moving Up

        In an exclusive with the NY Times, Fisher says he wants to run 13.1 to see if he might run 26.2 in LA.

        The Latest Jonathan Gault Feature

        Midway through 2024, Brazier had begun to accept he may never race again; in 2025, the former world champ returned faster than ever. Hear from Brazier and coach Mike Smith about how he pulled off one of the sport's greatest comebacks.

        Boston 2026

        The 2026 Boston Marathon elite fields are out and we break it down for you. From a US perspective, the fields are sensational, but what top pros from Africa are entered? Benson Kipruto vs  John Korir leads the way for the men. Does American Fiona O'Keeffe have a shot for the win? *Full fields

        The 1980 and 1981 World XC champ gives a passionate defense of cross country. He also admits he is concerned about the state of World XC given the lack of support from several federations and the three-year gap until the next championships in 2029 but is hopeful it can be added to the Winter Olympics: "If they can have breakdancing in the Summer Olympics, then we can certainly have cross country in the Winter Olympics."

        A final look at the fantastic 2026 World XC Champs
        A final look at the fantastic 2026 World XC Champs

        World XC in the USA was amazingly fun to attend. How do we transform World’s Greatest Footrace into a spectacle / event that tens of thousands want to attend? How can we make it our sport's version of the Kentucky Derby - or maybe the grass version of the London Marathon?

        XC legends Kenenisa Bekele & Beatrice Chebet were in Tallahassee as was Cooper Lutkenhaus, who left with the LetsRun.com flag. 

        More World XC News

        2028 OT

        USATF confirmed that St. Louis (who hosted the women's Trials in 2004) and Phoenix (who have never hosted) are the only two bidders for the 2028 Trials.

        World XC Was Saturday
        World XC Was Saturday

        Jacob Kiplimo put on a show and won his third title by 18 seconds as Ethiopia took the team title. The US led by Parker Wolfe (12th) was 4th.

        World XC Video Analysis + Discussion
        This is Disgraceful

        The NCAA has done a lot of stupid things over the years but this has to to appear near the top of the list. They have stripped all remaining eligibility for NCAA D3 XC runner-up (and 2:12 marathoner) Mohammed Bati, who works a full-time job 5 days a week at an assisted living facility from 11 pm to 7 am while attending school and running track/XC. His sin? The local community came together and raised $6k for him.

        Another controversial ban

        Art and Linda Kranick built a dynasty at Saratoga Springs as they won 3 national titles and 28 NY state federation titles. Many runners RAVED about them. Many also HATED them. Banning them for life even though one of them is dead seems the definition of administrative over reach. SafeSpot has a policy not to ban dead people. Does USATF even know Art Kranick is dead?

        Two LRC Exclusives On The 2021 Olympic 800m Champions

        After three years with Kersee that included an American record in 2023, a devastating injury in 2024, and a failure to make the US final in 2025, Mu-Nikolayev has left Kersee and moved from LA to Dallas.

        The Kenyan 800m star has largely disappeared since winning Olympic and world titles in 2021 & 2022. And the physiotherapist who treated him twice a day, every day for 6 months leading up to the Olympics is worried for him. "We’ve been trying to help him, but he hasn’t been willing to receive the help."

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        Jager Q&A for Supporters Club Members

        Evan Jager retired this week and then sat down with LetsRun.com for his most candid interview ever. He opened up about the Paris fall, the Olympic silver, the Fancy Bears leak, and the tension between Alberto and Jerry that shaped parts of his career.

        Message Board Q&A

        Atlantic CEO Nicholas Thompson, runner, best-selling author, and host of “The Most Interesting Thing in A.I.", just ran over three hours in the marathon for the first time in 20 years. He joins LetsRun Friday to talk running, life, and his new book The Running Ground. If you'd like a book for free, just join our Supporters Club. Click for more info.

          Josh Hoey parts ways with yet another coach

          Somehow Justin Rinaldi transformed Josh Hoey, who couldn't break 1:47 for 6+ years, to a 1:42.01 world indoor champ and DL winner. How has he been rewarded? With a pink slip. Rojo thinks it's hard to think of a dumber decision than this but then again Jerry Jones once did fire Jimmy Johnson.

          After disagreements on training philosophy, Justin Rinaldi will no longer be coaching Hoey despite engineering one of the greatest turnarounds in American middle distance running history, taking Hoey from 1:47 to 1:42 and World Indoor champion in two years. Plus get the inside scoop on a key workout Hoey overcooked before USAs.

          Great listen/read

          Nick Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, joins the LetsRun.com Podcast to talk about his new book The Running Ground, how he ran 2:29 at 44, his late father, and why he still checks LetsRun every day.

          LRC Q&A

          The US achieved its most successful relay medal haul since the introduction of the mixed 4x400 with four golds and a silver at the 2025 Worlds. We asked Woodson about Team USA's performance in Tokyo. Plus we asked USATF about what really happened with Rai Benjamin, who said he went out on the town the night before the men's 4x400 final.

          Paywall lifted

          After five coaches, six states, and hundreds of hours of listening to the LetsRun.com Track Talk Podcast, steepler Dan Michalski will make his World Championship debut in Tokyo. He dedicated his runner-up finish at USAs to the grinders who keep going without a big shoe contract. "They know the grind, they know what it’s like to fight through injuries, what it’s like to feel like you have the talent to make a team and keep coming up short," Michalski says. "This is for them, in a sense."

          IF you are going to play a video game, play this one

          XC Racing 2 is now out and free to play on ios and android and in this version you get to race the famed Detweiller Park course in Illinois.

          Random Links A Human Found Interesting
          Sean Brosnan & Chris Lear & Andrew Greif's book is here

          In Beyond Fast, Sean Brosnan, with Chris Lear and Andrew Greif, traces the unlikely rise of Newbury Park High School from an overlooked program to a distance-running powerhouse. Packed with behind-the-scenes stories, training insights, and cultural shifts, the book shows how Brosnan and his athletes rewrote the high school record books.

          Sean Brosnan Podcast

          From BMX to building the greatest HS team ever, Sean Brosnan tells us how he did it at Newbury Park, plus what really went on at UCLA, and what’s next. Don’t miss this one.

          Data doesn't lie

          We've run the numbers by comparing Lutkenhaus's run against every other age-16 world record, and the data is clear.

          Who?

          Jonah Koech wasn't even supposed to be in Sunday's 1500. As they approached the bell, he was in 13th out of 17. A lap later, he was the champion. He is just the third American man to win a Diamond League 1500/mile and the first runner sponsored by Under Armour to win a DL race. His 3:37.27 pre-race pb is also the slowest of any man to win a DL 1500/mile.

          How Josh Hoey Rose To The Top Of The World

          For five years, Hoey cylced through coach after coach but barely improved from his 1:47.67 high school 800m pb. Learn why he moved around so often -- and why he never gave up. Part I of JG's 7,000+ word feature.
          *MB: Josh Hoey profile by JG

          Stop Obsessing Over Your Diet

          The US indoor 1500m/3000m champion overhauled his fueling in workouts before the 2024 season. Now he swears by his routine.

          The Record Books Are Getting Rewritten In 2025

          In the span of one week in February, runners broke five world indoor records and every American men's middle-distance record from 800m to 5000m. Jonathan Gault spoke to some of America's top athletes and coaches to find the reasons behind all of the fast times.

          One More Look at a Legendary Race

          From novice fans to running diehards, there was something for everyone (except perhaps Brits and Norwegians) to enjoy about one of the greatest middle distance races ever run.

          Blanks = NCAA XC x 2

          Just before Blanks chases a 5,000m pb and collegiate record in what is likely his final NCAA race at Boston University on Saturday, he told LetsRun about the key session of his 2024 XC season -- one he described as "probably the best workout I've had so far in my career."

          Best of the LetsRun.com Track Talk Podcast
          Best of the LetsRun.com Track Talk Podcast

          Your latest American stars share their insights.

          Three legends of the sport.

          One of the greatest US runners ever.

          We chatted with Frank on the 50th anniversary of his Olympic Marathon gold

          American Record Holders
          American Record Holders

          Keira D'Amato, the new American record holder in the marathon, was joined by Deena Kastor, who held the record for 15 years.

          Sisson was the guest on the LetsRun.com Track Talk podcast after she became the first American to go sub 67 in the half marathon on a record-eligible course. Podcast highlights above. Full pod here.

          Woody Kincaid joined us after he broke the American record indoors at 5000. He talks above why he left the Bowerman Track Club. Podcast highlights and link to full podcast here.

          LetsRun.com Pro Coaches Tour
          LetsRun.com Pro Coaches Tour

          Coogan's New Balance Boston team had 3 Olympians in 2021 and 2022 could be the biggest year yet for the program with 2 new additions and the TRACK at New Balance coming on March 1st.

          Danny Mackey has taken the Brooks Beasts from an unproven club to the Olympic podium in its first decade.

          Dathan Ritzenhein is the first of the top pro coaches to sit down and talk about his club heading into the 2022 campaign.

          Best of Jon Gault
          Best of Jon Gault
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          Take Your Love of LetsRun to the Next Level
          Take Your Love of LetsRun to the Next Level
          LetsRun Classics
          LetsRun Classics

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