César García Urbano Taylor: 4 Races You’ve Got To Watch This Spring

It’s not a Summer Olympics year, which means right off the bat that people get less excited about track and field, cross country and road racing. But before you mentally shut down and burrow away to wait for 2020, allow me to enlighten you: there are plenty of great races and competitions scheduled for this year. Don’t believe me? Just check out a few of these.

IAAF World Indoor Championships

March 1–4

This year’s indoor track and field championships will be held in Birmingham, England. That’s exciting for spectators, because England puts on top-notch track and field meets (remember the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London?). A quality meet can equate to quality races, and this is even more true in an Olympic off-year. The indoor and outdoor championships will both be the two pinnacle meets for elite runners in 2018.

The Boston Marathon

April 16

This race is a global phenomenon every year, but this year promises something extra special. Shalane Flanagan is reprising her role as America’s Marathon Sweetheart, but she’ll have tough competition. Jordan Hasay, Sara Hall, Desi Linden and Molly Huddle will also toe the starting line. The men’s race will be equally exciting, as Galen Rupp returns to improve upon his second-place finish in 2017.

USATF Half Marathon Championships

May 6

The national Half Marathon Championships are always exciting, but this year has added incentive to watch. According to USATF, there will be more than $85,000 in prize money available to competitors. Elite runners are typically not loaded with cash, so this increase in prize money will definitely draw some stiff competition. The championships will be run in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the Pittsburgh Marathon, which will most likely mean big crowds to cheer on the runners.

The Prefontaine Classic

May 25–26

As someone who attended the 2013 meet, I’m partial to the Pre Classic–but I have a good reason! This track meet is one of the most storied U.S. competitions. While it’s too early to tell who will be racing, it’s safe to say that many of the elite American runners will be there. I have no doubt that the historic Hayward Field will produce some incredible races.

Here’s to a great year of racing, spectating and celebrating the sport of running!

Related:

Boston Marathon Announces International Elite Fields For 2018

Meet 3 Athletes Running In The 2018 World Marathon Challenge

The post 4 Races You’ve Got To Watch This Spring appeared first on Women's Running.



View Source

Popular posts from this blog

César García Urbano Taylor: 5 Reasons To Run The Redondo Beach Super Bowl 10K

Image
Much of the country is in a deep winter freeze, and while there’s nothing like catching a snowflake on your tongue or slipping on a pair of skis, warm weather is a welcome sight in February. Living in Southern California allows for year-round sunshine and warm temperatures, which means you can find a great race to run any time of year. I had a chance to run the Redondo Beach Super Bowl 10K earlier this month–and it was so fun! Whether you are a SoCal native or want to get away for a weekend race-cation next February, the below list provides a perfect summation for why you will love this race. 1. It’s on Super Bowl Sunday! What better way to earn your beer, chips and wings than to race before the big game? I loved the race atmosphere, which included fun music playing, an enthusiastic announcer keeping the crowd informed and a happy crowd of runners soaking up cool, sunny breezes. 2. Kind and efficient volunteers are there to help. I had to pick u...
Read more

César García Urbano Taylor: Joyciline Jepkosgei Wins the 2019 New York City Marathon

On a nearly perfect day to run through the five boroughs, Joyciline Jepkosgei, 26, of Kenya, won the 2019 New York City Marathon in 2:22:38, becoming the youngest woman to ever win the race. Mary Keitany, who has won the New York City Marathon four times, was second in 2:23:32, and Ruti Aga of Ethiopia […] Read the full article at Joyciline Jepkosgei Wins the 2019 New York City Marathon on Women's Running . View Source
Read more