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2 weeks ago | 
marathonhandbook.com | Jessy Carveth
Lazarus Lake is walking across America. Again. That might sound simple, but if you’ve followed his story, you know there’s nothing simple about Laz—or this journey. The 70-year-old race director behind the Barkley Marathons and Big’s Backyard Ultra is back on the road this month, continuing the cross-country walk, dubbed Lazcon, he started last year.
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2 weeks ago | 
marathonhandbook.com | Jessy Carveth
At 101 years old, John Cahill may no longer be lacing up his running shoes for races, but his wisdom about aging, fitness, and life is more enduring than any marathon finish line. A former lawyer-turned-ski-lodge-owner, Cahill didn’t start running until he was 62. Yet within a decade, he was clocking a 3:05 marathon at age 72—a time that many lifelong runners would envy.
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2 weeks ago | 
marathonhandbook.com | Jessy Carveth
The Pyongyang International Marathon returned Saturday for the first time since 2019, bringing foreign runners back into one of the world’s most isolated countries — and possibly signaling subtle shifts in North Korea’s internal messaging. North Korea has been largely sealed off since early 2020, when it shut its borders amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The return of the marathon doesn’t just mark the resumption of the event — it’s one of the few state-sanctioned openings to outsiders in years.
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2 weeks ago | 
marathonhandbook.com | Jessy Carveth
The 52nd Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-Mile became a breakout stage for two rising stars—Taylor Roe and Charles Hicks—signaling a changing of the guard in American road racing. Their record-setting performances reflect both the depth of young talent and a growing trend of athletes using shorter road races as Olympic launching pads.
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2 weeks ago | 
marathonhandbook.com | Jessy Carveth
By now, you’ve probably seen (or experienced) that moment—an earnest runner, mid-race, attempting to plant a kiss on his cheering partner. The result? A full stop, a lost kiss, and an awkward pivot that would make any coach wince. “Guys, if your girl comes to watch you in a race, do not make this mistake,” warns Rob Dalto in his hilarious slow-mo breakdown of his own botched attempt.
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2 weeks ago | 
marathonhandbook.com | Jessy Carveth
Michael Johnson’s long-anticipated Grand Slam Track league launched this past weekend in Kingston, Jamaica, debuting a bold, prize-driven format aimed at revitalizing professional track and field. With over $3 million in prize money at stake, a championship-style format, and an elite roster of “Racers” committed to competing across all four stops, the vision was clear: fewer races, bigger stars, and real stakes.
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2 weeks ago | 
marathonhandbook.com | Jessy Carveth
On a warm Saturday night inside Jamaica’s National Stadium, a 20-year-old Olympic champion stepped into uncharted territory — and came out with a signature win that might just redefine his career.
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2 weeks ago | 
marathonhandbook.com | Jessy Carveth
Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track League made its long-awaited debut on Friday night in Kingston, Jamaica—an ambitious, high-stakes attempt to reimagine professional track and field. But for a sport that’s always chasing its own spotlight, this wasn’t just another meet. It was a gamble. And depending on where you were sitting, the bet either showed real promise—or just how far the sport still has to go. The on-track action delivered drama, surprise victories, and Olympic-caliber performances.
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2 weeks ago | 
marathonhandbook.com | Jessy Carveth
In one of the most chaotic yet awe-inspiring races in recent distance running memory, Ethiopia’s Telahun Bekele turned a pre-race blunder into a breakout performance. Making his 10,000m debut at The TEN on March 30, Bekele missed the start entirely—thanks to a bathroom break gone wrong—but still managed to clock an astonishing 26:52.79, well under the 2025 World Championship qualifying standard of 27:00. The wild chain of events began with another athlete’s oversight.
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2 weeks ago | 
marathonhandbook.com | Jessy Carveth
A new company called Avelo is preparing to release what it’s calling the world’s first “smart running shoe.” The product, set to launch in May 2025, combines a traditional performance trainer with embedded sensors and app-based coaching, aiming to help runners improve performance and reduce injuries through real-time feedback and data analysis. The idea for Avelo began with Royi Metser, who founded the company after a health scare in 2021 prompted him to take up long-distance running.
