On a perfect fall morning in Berlin, Ethiopia’s former women’s marathon world record holder Tigst Assefa made a bold attempt at the controversial 2:09:56 marathon mark set… Read more “BERLIN 2026: THE MARATHON FIGHTS BACK”
Category: Commentary
DUMBING DOWN, SLOWING DOWN: The Sequel
Thirteen years ago, September 16, 2013, I wrote a blogpost, DUMBING DOWN, SLOWING DOWN, prompted by two stories that seemed unrelated: former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day… Read more “DUMBING DOWN, SLOWING DOWN: The Sequel”
MYERS WINS BY .04, INGEBRIGTSEN CALLS OUT THE FIELD
A loaded 1500m final exposes a system built for time trials, not racing Before the race began, my wife and I looked at the field and said,… Read more “MYERS WINS BY .04, INGEBRIGTSEN CALLS OUT THE FIELD”
ZURICH MOVES THE BAR HIGHER
With its emphasis on time and distance, athletics, perhaps more than any other sport, is tied to its record book. Sadly, it hasn’t always been to its… Read more “ZURICH MOVES THE BAR HIGHER”
THE END OF ENDURANCE: UNTIL THE MONEY SHOWS UP
Just over a week ago, I was standing in the Saint Barnabas Church yard in Falmouth, Massachusetts, after completing the 35th Falmouth Walk. Old home week. New… Read more “THE END OF ENDURANCE: UNTIL THE MONEY SHOWS UP”
HOW FOOT RACING IS LIKE POKER
In my last post — I TEACH COMPETITION — I described how a teacher’s mindset — the one I brought into the broadcast booth nearly fifty years… Read more “HOW FOOT RACING IS LIKE POKER”
Choosing Our Boulder: Running and the Absurd
Cape Elizabeth, ME—It is a rainy morning in Maine. The TD Beach to Beacon 10K is over and the Asics Falmouth Road Race on Cape Cod awaits… Read more “Choosing Our Boulder: Running and the Absurd”
WILL JOSH KERR’S MILE WORLD RECORD REIGNITE INTEREST IN THE EVENT?
For nearly three decades, the mile world record has been more museum artifact than athletic target, as Hicham El Guerrouj’s 3:43.13 has stood since 1999. Yesterday in… Read more “WILL JOSH KERR’S MILE WORLD RECORD REIGNITE INTEREST IN THE EVENT?”
The Double-Weekend Shift: Why London’s 2027 Gamble Will Rewrite Running History
In The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith argued that when “effectual demand” overwhelms available supply, the market must adjust. That’s what we have here, “effectual demand.” The… Read more “The Double-Weekend Shift: Why London’s 2027 Gamble Will Rewrite Running History”
The Shift from Racing to Timing
I have always drawn a distinction between runners and racers. Runners produce fast times in controlled environments—behind pacemakers, within a defined rhythm, insulated from disruption. They are… Read more “The Shift from Racing to Timing”
