Running News Daily

Gene Dykes is the world's best runner in the world currently seventy plus. "One of my 'secret' training methods for marathons is to run a lot of ultras," Gene told My Best Runs in this exclusive profile.

"I’ll begin training for Boston in January, and to kick it off I’ll run a 50-miler in January and both a 100-miler and a 200-miler in February. During March I’ll convert that training base into marathon speed." 

Sounds wild and unconventional but it has been working for 70-year-old Gene Dykes from Philadelphia..."It was thought by many of us that Canada's Ed Whitlock's records were way beyond reach," says lifelong runner and Runner's World and My Best Runs founder Bob Anderson. 

"At age 73 Ed became the first 70 plus runner in the world to run the marathon under three hours."  In 2004 73-year-old Ed Whitlock clocked an amazing 2:54:48 at the Scotiabank Tornonto Waterfront Marathon. 

No one ever had run a marathon that fast 70 plus. The late Ed Whitlock was in a league of his own until now.  At the same marathon this year on October 21, 70-year-old Gene Dykes clocked 2:55:18. 

My Best Runs wanted to find out more about this new super star, a runner who has set PR's at all distances (other than the 5k) over the last year from 1500m to 200 miles. How did Gene discover running? 

"It’s probably more accurate to say that I discovered running twice," said Gene. "The first time, when I was about fourteen, it just kind of popped into my head to run three miles to the house of a girl I was interested in.  After about a mile and a half, I had to walk for a bit.  I was really disgusted with myself, and I swore I would never again resort to walking on a run. 

"I actually kept this promise, until I started doing trail races, of course, where there are lots of good reasons to walk now and then." 

After this he ran track in high school for a couple of years. "In my senior year I thought I was pretty good when I dominated the 2-mile run in my county.  That notion was quickly dispelled when I ran track in college and I was totally blown away by the competition.  For the next four decades, I would stay in jogging shape much of the time, but it never occurred to me to race because it had been firmly impressed upon me that I wasn’t a very good runner," Gene remembers. 

He rediscovered running in 2004 at the age of 56 after a six year layoff because of a torn hamstring... "A golfing acquaintance told me he had a running group and that I should join him sometime.  A classic case of falling in with a bad crowd.  They encouraged me to run some races with them, and discovering that I wasn’t half bad, my running career was born," Gene told us. 

So how important is running to Gene?  "It started out as an activity I looked forward to on weekends, and it slowly took over as my main hobby.  Probably starting around 2011 when I ran my first adventure race and started training for Comrades (56-mile race in South Africa) it became way more than just a hobby.  While it will never quite reach the point of being 'all-consuming.' I suppose you would be forgiven for thinking that, considering that I’ll have done 38 races in 34 weekends this year." 

The obvious next question was, tell us about your training.  "For about nine years I just stumbled my way through training.  I did lots of long, slow runs with occasional track workouts.  I gradually improved, and I was having a lot of fun, but I was worried that my best days were behind me when I fell miserably short of a new marathon PR at the 2013 Toronto Marathon. 

"Swallowing my pride and opening my wallet, I hired a coach.  What a life changing decision that was!  In just five months I went from a half decent runner with modest goals to a runner capable of competing at the highest levels. Training now consists of fewer miles, but harder workouts and fewer rest days," says Gene. 

He has set PR's in the last 12 months from 200 miles down to the 1500m.  He clocked 98 hours, 10 minutes 22 seconds for 200 miles, 23:41:22 for 100 miles, 1:26:34 for the half marathon and 5:17 for 1500m. 

In 2018 he won ten USATF national championships. His 2:57:43 clocked at this year's Rotterdam Marathon was a world single age record until he bettered it in Toronto.  

Gene says, "I’m particularly fond of having won championships at both track 1500 meters and trail 100 mile this year.”  In part two Gene talks about his diet, going after more records, dealing with injuries and a lot more.  Coming tomorrow October 29 on My Best Runs.          

The men’s 400m hurdles may be experiencing the greatest era in its history, and the numbers now make the argument almost impossible to ignore.

Brazilian superstar Alison dos Santos has taken the event to another level, storming to a sensational 45.80 world record in Zurich and moving to the summit of the all-time performance list.

But perhaps even more remarkable than the world record itself is what it has done to the historical rankings.

Every one of the 10 fastest performances in men’s 400m hurdles history is now owned by just three athletes: Alison dos Santos, Karsten Warholm and Rai Benjamin.

That extraordinary statistic perfectly captures the dominance of the current generation and highlights just how dramatically the event has evolved over the past few years.

Following his stunning performance in Zurich, dos Santos now sits at the top of the all-time list with 45.80, followed by Norway’s Karsten Warholm at 45.94, the time he ran in his historic world-record performance at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

American star Rai Benjamin occupies third with 46.17, also from that unforgettable Tokyo final. Warholm is fourth with 46.28 from 2025, while dos Santos is fifth with his 46.29 from 2022.

Benjamin appears again in sixth and seventh with 46.46 performances from 2024, while dos Santos takes eighth with 46.48 in 2026. Warholm completes the list with 46.51 from 2023 and 46.52 from 2023.

The distribution is extraordinary. Dos Santos owns three of the 10 fastest performances, Warholm owns four, while Benjamin owns the remaining three.

No other athlete has managed to break into the top 10.

That level of concentration at the very top of an event is a remarkable reflection of the era these three athletes have created.

At the centre of it all is dos Santos, whose 45.80 in Zurich has established a completely new benchmark. The Brazilian's performance did more than secure another historic victory; it pushed the boundaries of what is considered possible over one lap and 10 barriers.

Warholm had previously rewritten the history books in Tokyo when he clocked 45.94, becoming the first man to break the 46-second barrier and finally lowering Kevin Young’s legendary 46.78 world record, which had stood since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Benjamin finished behind Warholm in Tokyo in 46.17, producing a performance that would itself have been considered extraordinary in almost any other era. Dos Santos completed the podium in 46.72, but his bronze medal would eventually prove to be just another chapter in his rise towards the summit.

The Tokyo final remains one of the most spectacular races in Olympic athletics history, but it also marked the beginning of an extraordinary period in which Warholm, Benjamin and dos Santos would repeatedly challenge the limits of the event.

Warholm has four performances inside the current top 10, including his 45.94 world record from Tokyo. Dos Santos has three, highlighted by his new global mark, while Benjamin also has three performances among the 10 fastest ever recorded.

Their remarkable consistency has transformed the 400m hurdles from an event once dominated by isolated historic performances into one defined by sustained excellence and intense rivalry.

For nearly three decades, Kevin Young’s 46.78 appeared almost untouchable. Then Warholm broke through. Benjamin immediately showed that the new standard could be challenged, and dos Santos emerged as another athlete capable of running at an astonishing level.

Now, times below 46 seconds are no longer viewed as an unimaginable frontier. They have become the territory occupied by the very best athletes of this generation.

And dos Santos has just moved that frontier even further.

His 45.80 has given the event a new target, but with Warholm and Benjamin still among the world's elite, the story may not be finished.

The question is no longer whether this generation is exceptional.

It is whether we are witnessing the greatest collection of men's 400m hurdlers ever assembled.

Three athletes now own every position in the all-time top 10.

Ten performances have been produced by just dos Santos, Warholm and Benjamin.

And at the very top stands Alison dos Santos, whose breathtaking 45.80 in Zurich has pushed the men’s 400m hurdles into territory that once seemed impossible.

Three superstars. Ten historic performances. One extraordinary era.

Eliud Kipchoge has marked another memorable chapter in his remarkable journey after receiving the 159th and final Isuzu D-Max 1:59 Limited Edition vehicle, completing a unique partnership that celebrates one of the greatest achievements in marathon history.

The legendary Kenyan marathoner expressed his appreciation to his Isuzu East Africa family after taking delivery of the final vehicle in a special series of just 159 units produced to commemorate his historic sub-two-hour marathon achievement.

Each of the limited-edition D-Max vehicles carries Kipchoge’s name and signature, transforming the collection into more than a series of exclusive vehicles. It represents a story built around ambition, discipline, perseverance and the belief that seemingly impossible goals can be achieved through commitment and trust in the process.

The inspiration for the special edition dates back to October 12, 2019, when Kipchoge made history in Vienna, Austria, becoming the first person to run a marathon distance in under two hours in a controlled event. He completed the 42.195-kilometre distance in 1:59:40.2, a landmark moment that redefined the boundaries of human endurance.

What began with that extraordinary morning in Vienna has since evolved into a lasting legacy on Kenyan roads, with 159 limited-edition vehicles now representing a shared connection between Kipchoge and their owners.

For Kipchoge, the final D-Max is therefore not simply the last vehicle to leave the production line. It is a symbolic conclusion to a story that connects his historic achievement with the values that have defined his career.

The number 159 carries particular significance, linking the limited production run to the historic 1:59 achievement while giving each owner a small piece of the story.

As he received the final unit, Kipchoge reflected on the journey from the streets of Vienna to the roads of Kenya, describing the 159 vehicles as a story shared by 159 owners who believe in the possibilities that emerge when people remain committed to their goals and trust the process.

The final D-Max consequently becomes another tangible reminder of a philosophy Kipchoge has carried throughout his career: no human is limited by the boundaries we initially believe exist.

From a historic morning in Vienna to a limited-edition collection spread across Kenya, the 1:59 legacy continues to inspire far beyond the marathon course.

29 August 2011 — Daegu, South Korea 

Some races are remembered for their times. Others are remembered for what they mean. The women’s 400m final at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu belonged firmly to the second category.

On 29 August 2011, Amantle Montsho produced one of the most important performances in Botswana’s athletics history, edging Allyson Felix by just three hundredths of a second to become the country’s first-ever World Championships gold medallist.

Montsho entered the final as one of the leading 400m runners in the world, having dominated much of the 2011 Diamond League season. But standing between her and global glory was a formidable field that included Olympic and world-class stars such as Felix, Sanya Richards-Ross, Shericka Williams and Anastasiya Kapachinskaya.

From the gun, Montsho attacked the race with purpose. Running in lane four, she carried tremendous momentum through the opening half of the lap and entered the home straight with a narrow advantage. Felix, drawn immediately inside her in lane three, responded brilliantly and began closing the gap as the two charged towards the finish.

The final metres became a straight fight between Botswana and the United States.

Felix threw everything at Montsho in the closing stages, but the Botswana star refused to surrender. She crossed the line in 49.56 seconds, with Felix just behind in 49.59. The margin was only 0.03 seconds, but it was enough to make history.

Montsho's winning time was not only a personal breakthrough but also a Botswana national record. It made her the first athlete from Botswana to win a World Championships gold medal and gave the southern African nation its first-ever World Championships medal in the process.

For Felix, the silver medal came with a remarkable performance of her own. Her 49.59 was a personal best and represented one of the finest 400m races of her career at that point. Despite coming agonisingly close to gold, Felix had pushed Montsho all the way to the finish line in one of the closest major championship 400m finals in history.

Behind the leading pair, Francena McCorory delivered another strong performance. Having already run a personal best of 50.24 in the semi-finals to qualify for the final, the American clocked 50.45 in the championship race. At the time, she crossed the line in fourth behind Kapachinskaya, who ran 50.24.

But the medal standings would later change.

Kapachinskaya was subsequently disqualified as part of a doping case involving violations dating back to the 2008 Olympic Games. As a result, her Daegu result was annulled, and McCorory was officially promoted from fourth to bronze medal position. World Athletics later recognised McCorory among the athletes receiving reallocated medals in 2017.

That change gave the race an additional historical dimension. What began as a breathtaking battle between Montsho and Felix ultimately became a championship podium of Montsho, Felix and McCorory.

More than a decade later, the image of Montsho and Felix racing shoulder-to-shoulder down the Daegu straight remains one of the defining moments of the 2011 World Championships. For Botswana, it was a breakthrough moment that announced Montsho on the biggest stage. For Felix, it was another chapter in a career filled with major championship success.

And for fans of the 400m, it was simply a spectacular race — 49.56 versus 49.59, with only three hundredths separating gold from silver.

Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi delivered another statement of intent at the 2026 Weltklasse Zürich – Wanda Diamond League meeting on Thursday, producing a world-leading 1:41.76 to claim a commanding victory in one of the most anticipated 800m showdowns of the season.

Wanyonyi faced a formidable challenge from Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati, but the Kenyan remained composed when it mattered most, holding off his rival in a thrilling battle down the home straight. Sedjati pushed Wanyonyi all the way to the finish, clocking a season’s best 1:41.83, just seven hundredths of a second behind the Olympic champion.

For Wanyonyi, however, the victory was about more than simply adding another Diamond League triumph to his growing résumé. It was a powerful indication that his body is responding positively as he builds towards the biggest challenges of the season.

“The time was amazing. The race was good. The weather conditions were good too. I could go out and compete, and my body was responding well to running fast,” Wanyonyi said after the race.

The Kenyan revealed that his preparations had been far from perfect. Shortly before the start, he experienced stomach problems and briefly feared that he might struggle to complete the race at the level he wanted.

“Before the start of the race, I had a big problem with my stomach. I thought maybe I could not finish the race well. But I just came here to win, to try to run fast and run my own race,” he explained.

Despite the discomfort, Wanyonyi trusted his preparation and racing instincts. Once the gun sounded, the Olympic champion settled into his rhythm and produced the kind of fearless finishing speed that has established him among the world’s leading 800m runners.

The 1:41.76 performance not only secured victory but also underlined his growing form at a crucial stage of the season. With Sedjati breathing down his neck, Wanyonyi maintained his composure and found enough strength to keep the Algerian at bay.

For the Kenyan star, the result was further evidence that his best is still to come.

“This result shows that my body is coming up, and I am so happy to be here with these great crowds. I give the atmosphere 200 per cent,” Wanyonyi said, praising the electric Zürich crowd.

The atmosphere became even more memorable as world records fell elsewhere on the night, providing Wanyonyi with additional motivation and reinforcing his belief that he, too, can produce something extraordinary when the right moment arrives.

“When I see the world records being broken, I know my time will come. There is time for everything,” he added.

That statement could prove to be a warning to the rest of the 800m field. Wanyonyi is already an Olympic champion, but his latest performance suggests that the 22-year-old Kenyan remains hungry for faster times and bigger victories.

In Zürich, he combined resilience, confidence and raw speed to defeat one of his strongest rivals. With his body responding, his confidence rising and his season gathering momentum, Wanyonyi has once again reminded the world that he remains a formidable force over two laps.

And if his words are anything to go by, the Olympic champion believes the biggest chapter of his story is still waiting to be written.

Audrey Werro’s extraordinary 2026 season has entered another fascinating chapter, with the Swiss middle-distance star now within striking distance of one of athletics’ most enduring world records.

Just two days after producing a sensational 1:53.70 Swiss record at the Zürich Diamond League, Werro is set to return to action at the Gala dei Castelli in Bellinzona, where anticipation is building around the possibility of another historic performance.

Her display in Zürich was a statement of intent. Werro delivered one of the fastest 800m races ever recorded, lowering her Swiss record and moving to third on the all-time world list, behind only Jarmila Kratochvílová’s legendary 1:53.28 world record set in 1983 and Nadezhda Olizarenko’s 1:53.43 recorded in 1980.

What makes Werro’s rise even more remarkable is the consistency of her performances at an extraordinary level. Earlier this season, she ran 1:53.98 in Stockholm, becoming only the third woman in history to break the 1:54 barrier. She then improved to 1:53.80 in Paris before producing her latest masterpiece of 1:53.70 in Zürich.

In the space of just a few months, Werro has transformed herself from an emerging European star into one of the fastest 800m runners the world has ever seen.

Her current progression is remarkable: 1:53.98 in Stockholm, 1:53.80 in Paris and 1:53.70 in Zürich. Each performance has brought her closer to a record that has survived for more than four decades.

Werro’s confidence is also being fuelled by her championship success. The Swiss star recently captured the European 800m title in Birmingham in 1:54.81, demonstrating that her spectacular form is not limited to Diamond League competition.

Now, all eyes turn to Bellinzona.

The target is unmistakable — 1:53.28.

Werro needs to improve by just 0.42 seconds on her Zürich performance to erase Kratochvílová’s 43-year-old world record. While 0.42 seconds may appear to be a small margin, breaking a record of such longevity requires an exceptional combination of speed, endurance, tactics and perfect execution.

A pacemaker is expected to help establish a demanding tempo, potentially giving Werro the conditions required to launch another assault on the record.

The 22-year-old has already demonstrated that she can repeatedly run at speeds that have historically been reserved for the very greatest 800m athletes. Her progression from 1:53.98 to 1:53.80 and then 1:53.70 suggests that another breakthrough may not be beyond her reach.

Bellinzona therefore promises to be more than another race on Werro’s schedule. It could become another defining moment in the rapid rise of a young athlete who is now challenging one of the oldest records in the sport.

The world record stands at 1:53.28.

Audrey Werro is 0.42 seconds away.

History is no longer a distant possibility. It is beginning to look increasingly within reach.