"Some amazing running feats this weekend but more importantly let me know how you got on in Newcastle, Berlin or wherever you ran!"

Bupa great north run

In mild, sunny conditions, an estimated 40,000 runners went to the start-line for what could well turn out to be the largest half-marathon ever staged. Triple London marathon winner and this year´s Lisbon Half Marathon champion, Martin Lel of Kenya, added a second Great North Run title to his trophies with the second fastest time in the race’s history of 59:32, smashing his best time for the half marathon distance by 22sec, the ideal warm up for the New York marathon which he’ll contest this autumn. 

There was a surprise win for Portugal’s Jessica Augusto in the women’s race as she ran away from more illustrious rivals to secure an easy win in a personal best 69:08. For your information Lel's time works out at 4mins 32secs and Augusto's mile pace was 5mins 16secs!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8265392.stm

 real Berlin Marathon

Haile Gebrselassie won the real,-Berlin Marathon for the fourth year in succession this morning. But having reached for the stars with a ferocious attempt to break his world record of 2.03.59, set in the German capital last year, the Ethiopian ended up with a handful of moondust, finishing in a jog of fatigue in 2.06.08 (4 mins 48 secs pace per mile) “I was very tired, I pushed too much,” he said immediately afterwards.

"People say the marathon begins after 30, 35k, and the weather is important. Perhaps I should have calculated that from the beginning. I've learned a lot today. If I become a coach for marathon runners, I'll be a good coach."

http://www.globerunner.org/blog/?p=263

 And you thought the Track season was over….. Jeter fastest (non drug assisted) 100m of all time?  Gay – second fastest run of all time.

USA’s Tyson Gay produced a blistering display to lower his American 100 metres record to run 9.69 and is the second-fastest of all-time equalling the World record clocking that Usain Bolt achieved when winning the Olympic gold in Beijing. His previous US record of 9.71 was achieved when winning the World Championships silver medal behind Bolt last month, the Jamaican improving the World record to 9.58 on that occasion to win the World title.

USA’s World bronze medallist Carmelita Jeter, who ran 10.67sec last weekend in Thessaloniki to become the third fastest female sprinter of all-time, lowered her 100m PB again to 10.64 and is now the second faster sprinter in history. Her time is the fourth fastest on the all-time list headed by three runs in 1988 by USA’s World record holder Florence Griffith- Joyner.

http://www.iaaf.org/news/kind=100/newsid=54451.html

South African Athetic's Boss is a liar who was willing to sacrifice a young woman's future for a gold medal - Reads South African Newspaper as Caster Semenya  gender Saga continues.

The Athletics South Africa (ASA) boss Leonard Chuene, admitted this yesterday at a heated press conference in Pretoria, conceding that he was fully aware there were questions about 800m world champion Caster Semenya's gender.

He also admitted that he knew gender tests were performed on her on August 7 in Pretoria - a week before Semenya ran at the Berlin championships - and that he was advised by team doctor Harold Adams to withdraw her from competing.

He claimed he was presented with two options:

• Let Semenya fake an injury and withdraw from the race; or
• Let Semenya run and "discuss" the matter after the race.

But until yesterday Chuene had deceived the nation by denying any knowledge of the tests or concerns over Semenya's gender.