The Road: eight things that happened in running this month
Assefa's 2:11:04 in Berlin, New York's new Bronx mile, Chicago's one hill, the fastest UTMB ever, two world records in Zurich, and the word gravel.
Berlin: Assefa runs the third-fastest marathon ever and still misses the record
Tigst Assefa won Berlin for the third time in 2:11:04, a course record and the third-fastest women's marathon in history. She was under world-record pace at 40K before her stride went in the last two kilometres, finishing 1:08 outside Ruth Chepngetich's 2:09:56. Guye Adola took the men's race in 2:02:50, a personal best, 29 seconds clear of Gemechu Dida after going alone from 25K.
Source: RUN247; Yahoo Sports; Olympics.com, September 27
New York moves its Bronx mile for the first time in fifteen years
After the Willis Avenue Bridge the course now turns onto East 135th, up Alexander Avenue, across East 141st and back down Third to the Madison Avenue Bridge. NYRR says it is to lessen the race's impact on the neighbourhood. Nobody has raced it yet; November 1 is the first time.
Source: New York Road Runners; CBS New York, September 22
Chicago on October 11: seven world records, 29 neighbourhoods, one hill
The 48th Chicago Marathon runs Sunday October 11 from Grant Park. It has produced seven world records, and the course's net elevation change is about 50 feet, all of it felt on Roosevelt Road with 200 metres to go. Our map is on page 12.
Source: Bank of America Chicago Marathon
UTMB: the fastest run ever around Mont Blanc, on a course that won't count
Ben Dhiman won in 18:16:29, the first time anyone has gone under 19 hours, and Blandine L'Hirondel took the women's race in 21:54:49. Thunderstorms delayed the start two hours and shortened the course, so the time stands as the fastest and not as the record.
Source: iRunFar
Two world records in one night in Zurich
Alison dos Santos ran 45.80 for the 400 metres hurdles and Masai Russell broke the 100 metres hurdles record on the same evening at Weltklasse Zürich. Audrey Werro's 1:53.70 for 800 metres was a Swiss record. The Diamond League final follows in Brussels.
Source: Wanda Diamond League; FloTrack
Two super shoes and a super trainer land in the same month
Adidas released the Adios Pro 5 on September 22 and Nike put out the Pegasus Plus 2 on September 3, a curved Air Zoom unit under a daily trainer. On's Cloudboom Strike 2 and Saucony's Paramount Max are also new this month. Our view: the shoe you already own is fine for Chicago.
Source: Solereview release calendar; RunToTheFinish
The brands have started saying the word gravel
Salomon's GRVL concept with Pas Normal Studios, Nike framing the ACG Pegasus Trail around gravel, Hoka calling the Challenger 8 a gravel workhorse. At The Running Event last December a run of road-to-trail shoes were shown as a gravel category for the first time. We have been waiting for this. Whether the shoes are any different is the question on page 28 next month.
Source: Sporting Goods Intelligence; WWD; Trailhead
New York's fiftieth five-borough marathon has 60,000 places and they're gone
The 1976 race was the first to leave Central Park and run all five boroughs, for the Bicentennial. The 2026 edition on November 1 marks fifty years of that course, with about 60,000 runners from more than 100 countries starting on the Verrazzano. It is our issue two.
Source: New York Road Runners
From issue 1 of Graval Magazine. Free in the app.
