CAPITAL RECORDS?
Can Assefa rewrite history again in Berlin?
As we look ahead to the second half of the Majors racing calendar in 2026, we do so now as a family of eight races!
Since the last edition of MAJORS magazine was released, we have had the pleasure of making it official: Africa’s first Major has arrived!
Following a spectacular job by the entire Sanlam Cape Town Marathon team at their race in May, we were able to confirm that Cape Town passed its final evaluation with flying colors and is now part of the series.
It was a fantastic race day in the Mother City and the feedback we received – not only from our own assessment team but from runners all over the world who came to help the race make history – underlined that Cape Town truly deserves its place among the best marathons in the world.
And so we head to Sydney in high spirits. Having made such a wonderful debut as a Major in 2025, we know each and every runner will be in for a fantastic experience as they traverse the beautiful Harbour City.
In Berlin, all eyes will return their focus to the great Sabastian Sawe, wondering if he can improve on that historic moment in London when he broke the two-hour barrier.
We will then be returning to Chicago where Jacob Kiplmo, who ran 2:00:28 in London for third place, will attempt to improve upon that time on the famously-fast roads of the Windy City. History seems to beckon at every turn in this coming season of racing.
Our series will conclude in New York where the continuous 26.2-mile street party will give me the chance to sample another of our races from the runners’ point of view. After enjoying such a memorable day on the streets of London, I can’t wait to be back out there with you all!
Wherever you’re running in the coming months, I hope your training goes well and your race day is a moment to cherish for a lifetime.
Dawna Stone, CEO, Abbott World Marathon Majors
The Image
George Pius falls to his knees after finishing
the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in May.
Pius, who clocked a personal best of 2:33:38 to
finish in 73rd place, was one of 18,526 runners who
crossed the blue finish line underneath the shadow
of Table Mountain.
On a stunning day, three course records were smashed
and Eliud Kipchoge sprinkled some stardust on the event
by celebrating with fans after crossing the line. But the day
meant more than finish times and selfies.
There were tears seven months earlier when Cape Town
had to cancel their marathon on the morning of the race
following freak weather. The marathon was due to be the final
assessment in their bid to become an Abbott World Marathon Major.
Undeterred, Cape Town delivered a day that will live long in the
memory and Pius' celebration matched the mood in the Mother City.
Two weeks later they were announced as the eighth Major and the first in Africa.
Image: Edwaldt Verster
THE WARM UP
TOKYO
Green Mileage Program announced
Tokyo Marathon is inviting runners who have a place in next year’s marathon to make a donation through their Green Mileage Program.
The program is a carbon offset initiative which supports reforestation and environmental conservation efforts in an attempt to make the event net zero.
Runners are invited to donate 100 yen for each mile they will run during the marathon. The total of 2,600 yen is roughly $16.
Donations can be made at the time of payment for participation fees.
BOSTON
New route into Boston
The Boston Athletic Association has announced that 1,000 runners who achieved the Boston Qualifier but were not faster than the cut-off will be randomly selected to take part in the 2027 race.
With the increasingly fast times in the sport, the random Boston Qualifier Selection gives all those who have met the standard for their age group a chance to run the iconic race.
Athletes whose qualifying times were not faster than the cut-off for their age group and gender will automatically be eligible for the Boston Qualifier Selection.
All Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America qualifier applicants will be notified of acceptance or non-acceptance by early October.
LONDON
At the Double
The ballot results for the 2027 TCS London Marathon have been announced but charity places are still available for the 'Double'.
Next year’s London Marathon will be an historic event with races being run on Saturday and Sunday.
Runners who missed out via the ballot can still be part of the epic weekend.
London Marathon’s official charity partners are looking for runners to fill places on both days.
CAPE TOWN
Don’t miss out on Africa’s first Major
The first Abbott World Marathon Major to be held in Africa will be a momentous occasion and you can be there.
The ballot places for the race, which is slated for May 23, have already been allocated but runners can still apply via the marathon’s charity program.
Charity places will be available to both South African and international runners.
SYDNEY
Festival feel in Sydney
Sydney will host a week-long celebration in the lead up to their marathon which takes place on Sunday August 30.
At the heart of the program is Motion Festival, which brings together live music, food, big-screen race coverage and fan experiences, all hosted at Customs House at Circular Quay from Thursday of race week.
The weekend officially opens on Friday, August 28 with Meet the Stars which is free to attend and held on the Sydney Opera House Forecourt. Fans are encouraged to line the blue carpet for the arrivals or take their place on the Sydney Opera House steps to get their first look at, and hear from, the world's top elite athletes, listen to music and watch a stunning fireworks display.
On race day, the course itself becomes a festival, with the debut of two brand new music stages bringing free, all-ages live entertainment to the route.
BERLIN
Berlin wants runners to show bottle
The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is encouraging their runners to adopt a personal hydration strategy rather than rely on the 15 refreshment stations.
Last year’s race took place in unseasonably warm conditions and organizers are encouraging runners to carry their own bottles to help manage their fluid intake in Berlin.
Alongside water, isotonic drinks and nutrition, the refreshment stations will have refill points allowing runners with bottles to keep topped up.
The campaign will also help Berlin’s sustainability efforts throughout the weekend.
CHICAGO
Stacked
field announced
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon will welcome back three defending champions for this year’s race on Sunday October 11.
Jacob Kiplimo, who for periods of last year’s race was threatening Kelvin Kiptum’s 2:00:35, will return to take on two-time Tokyo winner Tadese Takele and former London Marathon winner Amos Kipruto, who finished second in Chicago last year.
The women’s race could be an all-timer with last year’s winner Hawi Feysa taking on former world record holder Brigid Kosgei, who won in Tokyo in March, and Sharon Lokedi, who won the last two Boston Marathons.
Marcel Hug headlines the men’s wheelchair category while Catherine Debrunner and Eden Rainbow-Cooper, who shared victories in Tokyo, Boston and London, will renew their rivalry.
NEW YORK
Final volunteer
spots left
Want to go behind-the-scenes at the TCS New York City Marathon and help deliver an iconic event?
The marathon, which this year celebrates 50 years of going through the five boroughs, still has some volunteer places available meaning you can get a unique view of the race without having to do any running.
Opportunities at the start and finish line have already been taken but important on-course roles with flexible shift times are still available.
Find out more here.
Collecting Moments
Manuela Schär heads to Sydney with the chance to become the first female athlete to win all seven Majors. The Swiss star tells MAJORS about the challenge ahead, the rise of a new generation of wheelchair racers and why now it is moments rather than medals that matter most…
If you win Sydney, you will become the first female athlete to win all seven Abbott World Marathon Majors, tell us how that feels…
To be honest, I only realized that when you asked me this question. I’m simply really looking forward to experiencing a new marathon for me.
Does the prospect of completing seven feel different from the six-race clean sweep you achieved in 2018/19?
Absolutely. Winning all six Majors in a row was something very special for me. Being able to perform on very different courses and under very different conditions within 12 months was challenging. It showed me that all the work I had put into improving my weaknesses had paid off. I was in the best shape of my life
What are you looking forward to most about Sydney?
Unfortunately, I had to withdraw from the 2025 race at short notice due to family reasons. That’s why I’m even more excited to take part in the Sydney Marathon for the first time this year. I’m really looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere, although I also have a lot of respect for the course profile.
Cape Town becoming Africa's first Major was historic in its own right. What was it like winning a race in the middle of that milestone?
My experience at the Cape Town Marathon in May was simply amazing. Rarely have I been so moved by the scenery. On one side, you have the coastline and the smell of the ocean in the air, while on the other, you have the impressive Table Mountain with its cloud cover, almost surrounding the entire city and holding it in its arms. The atmosphere was fantastic. I think it makes perfect sense that this continent, with all its incredible marathon runners, now has a Major.
What does readiness and course strategy look like for you on Sydney's course?
One of the biggest challenges will definitely be the long journey. This will be the longest trip I’ve ever taken to a marathon. So, for me, the three most important things are getting enough sleep, staying well hydrated, and eating well. When it comes to my race strategy, Sydney will be similar to New York: I need to pace the climbs well, even if that means letting competitors who are stronger uphill get away from me.
Athletes like Eden Rainbow-Cooper have been producing some amazing performances recently. How does racing against a younger and increasingly competitive field change the way you approach racing now?
I think it’s wonderful to see how much the women’s field has developed over the past few years. I believe we’ve had more different female Major winners over the last two years than ever before. It makes me very happy to witness this development. For me, it means that others are now in the position of being the ones to beat, and I quite enjoy that role reversal!
How has your training changed as the depth of the women's wheelchair field has grown?
My training hasn’t necessarily changed because of the competition. I’ve simply gotten a little older, and I need to respond to the changing needs of my body.
Take us through a normal training week right now, at this stage of your career, heading into a Major.
Alongside my endurance training, I do strength training twice a week, plan several interval sessions, and, in preparation for Sydney, focus on hill training once a week. Once a week, I do a long training session of two to three hours, not in my racing wheelchair but on my bike. This allows me to get out into nature and the mountains, which is very valuable for variety and for my mental well-being.
You're one of the most decorated athletes in the sport, but you're still racing against athletes who are much earlier in their careers. What keeps you motivated?
It’s much easier to enjoy the sport and do it simply for the joy of it when you’ve already achieved all your goals. Since retiring from track racing in 2024, I can simply plan from one season to the next. I’m also making more room for other things now, like horse riding, wakeboarding, and holidays with my friends. That creates a sense of balance and gives me the energy and motivation to train hard.
Re-live the story of Manuela's clean sweep in 2019
You've said sport was just how you moved through the world growing up. What do you remember about the first time you were introduced to a racing chair?
My first thought was, “Wow, this is much harder than it looks, and the seating position is really uncomfortable.” But I soon started to experience the good feeling of pushing myself, making progress, and also being able to go fast again.
Wheelchair racing started as 'a hobby, just to be included in a team'. When did it stop being a hobby?
It was definitely a gradual process. There were also phases when other things, like my education and my friends, were more important. But I received a lot of support and encouragement, which allowed me to develop as an athlete. I was only able to build my whole life around the sport once I started racing marathons in 2013. The success I achieved in marathon racing allowed me to reduce my working hours and make sport my main focus.
Is there a single win that still means the most to you, and why?
There are several moments I will never forget: my first Boston Marathon victory with a course record, my first New York Marathon victory, and the year when I won all six Majors 2018/19. I even got a tattoo to commemorate that year.
Wheelchair racing has a reputation for being a tight community despite the competition. Is that true from the inside?
Yes, that’s definitely true, especially within the marathon community. Since we race several Majors each year, we spend a lot of time together. Friendships naturally develop from that, and I’m incredibly grateful for this community.
If race day goes the way you want it to, what's the first thing you will do afterwards to celebrate?
I’d go out for a nice meal and have a beer with my marathon friends. We’d share and talk about each other’s individual race experiences.
What's left for you to achieve?
Just a few years ago, I wanted to collect achievements. Today, I collect moments. It’s not just the victories that stay with you as beautiful memories. It can also be the feeling of having had a perfect race, even if it doesn’t get you to the top of the podium. Or the feeling of having made significant progress in your fitness compared to just a few months ago.
THE RECORD-MAKING CITY
13 marathon world records have been set in Berlin – more than anywhere else. But what makes the course so consistently fast? We take a closer look at the route, the conditions and the little details that help runners find their rhythm and keep it…
The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON may not have Boston’s history, London’s depth or New York’s theatre, but it does have a reputation that is hard to ignore: this is a marathon where people run fast. In total, 13 marathon world records have been set in Berlin - more than at any other marathon.
The current men’s record may now belong to London, where Sabastian Sawe ran 1:59:30 in April to become the first man to officially break two hours, but Berlin remains the course that elite athletes look to when they want to run a big time.
For recreational runners, it has a similar appeal but the fast times on offer aren’t simply because the course is flat. Berlin’s success comes from a combination of elements put together that allow runners to settle into a rhythm and keep moving at a consistent pace for the duration of their race.
Flat isn’t everything
A fast marathon course isn’t always pancake flat, what really matters is how easy it is for a runner to maintain rhythm. At Berlin there is around 73m of climbing and 79m of descent across the route, so there are no significant hills that might interrupt pace. There are also long, straight sections and relatively few sharp changes of direction.
These sections allow runners to look ahead and settle into their pace. Every time a runner has to brake slightly, accelerate or weave around a tight turn, they use much-needed energy and the Berlin course largely removes those issues. The course may not make the marathon easy but it does remove some of the factors that can make running at a consistent pace harder.
Rhythm is key
The road surface is another part of the equation. Berlin is predominantly run on smooth roads, and the course generally allows runners plenty of room to find their line. Small details such as road camber, changes in surface and how much a runner has to move around other people can all affect efficiency over 26.2 miles.
The huge field helps too as there is a good chance you will find a group or individual moving at something close to your target pace. This is one of the reasons Berlin can work so well for runners who aren't anywhere near the front of the race - the same basic principle applies whether you're trying to run 2:02 or break four hours: the less often you have to change your pace, the easier it is to maintain it.
Of course at world-record pace, losing a few seconds here and there can make the difference between an extraordinary performance and a world record - but the principle is the same across the field and Berlin gives runners a good chance of finding their pace and staying there.
A helping hand
Berlin has also become very good at creating a race environment in which fast running is possible. Elite races are carefully paced, with pacemakers helping athletes settle into ambitious target times rather than spending unnecessary energy trying to establish the race in the opening kilometers.
Fueling is handled with the same level of attention and the elite athletes prepare their drinks in advance before having bottles delivered at regular points by the team.
For everyone else, the scale and organization of the race create their own advantages. There are thousands of runners around you, large crowds and a course that is designed to keep people moving rather than slowing them down.
The weather helps - sometimes
There is one thing Berlin can't control: the weather. The late-September date can provide excellent marathon conditions, with cool temperatures and relatively settled weather but it isn't guaranteed as Berlin has also experienced warm races over the years. The more important point is that when the weather does cooperate, the course is one that is ready to be taken advantage of.
A fast history
Berlin's reputation wasn't created overnight. The first race, in 1974, had just 276 runners and took place largely in the Grunewald Forest on the western edge of the city. As the marathon grew, it moved into the city and, following German reunification, developed into the route that has become so familiar. And it was at this point that the records started to follow with Ronaldo da Costa running 2:06:05 in 1998. Tegla Loroupe set a women's world record of 2:20:43 the following year and in 2001, Naoko Takahashi became the first woman to break 2:20 when she ran 2:19:46.
Paul Tergat, Haile Gebrselassie, Patrick Makau, Wilson Kipsang and Dennis Kimetto all went on to set men's world records in Berlin, while Eliud Kipchoge broke the record there in 2018 and improved it again in 2022. Then came Tigst Assefa with her 2:11:53 time in 2023 taking more than two minutes off the women's world record - another reminder of what the course can produce when an exceptional athlete has an exceptional day. The names may have changed over the years, but the pattern has been incredibly consistent.
Eliud Kipchoge last broke the record in Berlin in 2022
Eliud Kipchoge last broke the record in Berlin in 2022
Reputation matters
All these records now mean that the race is attractive to athletes looking for a fast course, which of course means the race continues to attract the very best elites at the top of their game.
The same thing happens further back in the field. Most runners arriving in Berlin aren't thinking about world records – it is more likely they are thinking about breaking four hours, qualifying for another race, taking a few minutes off their personal best or simply having the best marathon of their lives.
If you believe the course gives you a chance of running quickly, that can affect the way you approach the race - runners arrive expecting to run well rather than simply hoping to get round. Of course, Berlin can't guarantee anyone a personal best, but the course gives runners a good platform from which to attempt it.
Assefa assembles
Assefa’s 2:11:53 in 2023 remains one of the defining performances in Berlin's history, and she returns to the same roads having already experienced what happens when the athlete, course and conditions all line up. The women's field will also include 2025 winner Rosemary Wanjiru and Germany's Esther Pfeiffer, among others, so there is plenty at stake beyond another record attempt.
With Sawe now out through injury, the men’s race will still feature a strong line-up capable of testing Berlin’s speed. Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay arrives with a 2:03:00 PB, while Guye Adola and Shura Kitata have both run under 2:04. None has yet matched Eliud Kipchoge’s 2:01:09 Berlin course record, but with a fast field there is plenty of potential for a serious challenge to the mark.
Berlin doesn't promise a world record. It doesn't even promise a personal best. But what it does do is give runners a very good chance of finding their rhythm and seeing just how fast they can go. And with all the world records that have gone before, there is plenty of evidence that it works.
Chasing
a New Challenge
After dominating para triathlon and handcycling for more than a decade, Jetze Plat has taken on a completely new challenge: wheelchair marathon racing. The Dutch Paralympic champion reflects on his transition into marathon racing and the motivation behind starting a ‘second sporting career’…
By Louise Sylvester
You achieved third place in Boston, fifth in London, and completed Tokyo to earn your Six Star medal. How would you assess your season so far overall?
Tokyo was unfortunately not the start to the season I hoped for because I got ill when I arrived there. I really had no power in the body at all, so I was honestly just proud and happy to reach the finish and get my Six Star medal. Boston with third place and London with fifth were much more where I feel I belong right now in a very strong field. We’re still working a lot on my sitting position and fine-tuning a new racing chair, so there’s definitely more to come.
What clicked for you in Boston and London after the disappointment in Tokyo?
Tokyo was disappointing because of the illness, but I was really happy with how I bounced back in Boston and London. Those races showed much more of the level I know I can compete at. The starting grid in London was incredibly strong, so it was always going to be tough. But the atmosphere and the crowd really help you keep fighting, especially during a double race weekend when your body is already feeling it.
Do you feel where you expected to be physically at this point in the season?
Of course, as an athlete you always want to be better and faster if you’re not winning. I come from handcycling and triathlon, where I was able to win a lot of big races, but marathon racing is different. There are many real specialists in this discipline, and I’m still learning. So for me it’s about continuing to fight for improvement every day.
Have the margins at the top of wheelchair marathon racing become smaller than ever?
Maybe… apart from Marcel! He’s clearly the big champion right now but behind him I think a lot of us believe we can beat each other on the right day, and that makes the competition really exciting.
You originally started hand-biking just as a way to get to school. Did you ever imagine sport would become your career?
No, definitely not when I was really young but year after year I improved as an athlete and enjoyed the process more and more. I kept trying to set new goals and new standards for myself, and that helped me believe bigger things were possible. I’m incredibly proud and thankful for the career I’ve had so far.
How much did your childhood experiences shape the resilience you need as a marathon racer?
A lot. Life (and especially top-level sport) is not always easy, I learned a huge amount throughout my sporting career, and mentally that experience helps me a lot now in marathon racing. The only thing I sometimes regret is not starting wheelchair racing younger, because it’s such a technical sport.
What drew you toward marathon racing as a new challenge?
After many years in handcycling and triathlon, I was looking for something new. At the Paralympics in Paris I already combined handcycling, triathlon and the marathon, and after achieving everything I wanted in handcycling and triathlon, I decided to fully focus on marathon racing. I’m just curious to see what’s possible for me in this sport, and that gives me a huge amount of motivation in what feels like my second sporting career.
Is there something exciting about entering a sport where you’re still evolving?
Of course it’s great to dominate one sport (or even two sports) but after many years it can sometimes feel like you can only ‘not lose’ instead of really winning. Now I’m no longer the favorite, and I’m curious about what I need to do to get back to winning again. That challenge is exciting too.
Has marathon racing changed the way you think about yourself as an athlete?
The training hours and the lifestyle haven’t really changed. The biggest difference is that now I can focus on just one sport, and that actually feels really good. But I still need to improve day by day, and that process always keeps things interesting.
What is the biggest thing you’ve learned from watching Marcel Hug prepare and compete?
He’s simply an incredible athlete who has done everything possible for so many years to stay the best in the sport. In the past I was in a similar position in my own sports. I think dominance comes from finding the perfect match between athlete and sport, combined with complete commitment every single day both mentally and physically. It is also important to have great people around you who bring the support and knowledge you need.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, what are the biggest areas you still want to improve?
I need a little more top speed and overspeed. It sounds simple on paper, but it’s a big job! It just takes more hours, more speed work and more strength in the arms.
At this stage of your career, what motivates you most?
The nicest thing about starting a new sport is that you can still improve a lot compared to when you’ve already been in a sport for many years. That’s something I really enjoy right now. Of course, sometimes you hope the progress comes even faster, but sport doesn’t work like that. Still, I’m really motivated for this second sporting career.
What would define a successful rest of the season for you?
The big goal is to really establish myself in that second group behind Marcel. For that, I still need a bit more speed and more fine-tuning with the equipment, but hopefully we can make that next step this season.
Running From The Heart
From open-heart surgery as a child to marathon running on the world stage, Louise Sylvester speaks to Alisa Carr about finding confidence in a sport she once dreaded…
For most runners, there comes a point in a race when the body and mind start having an argument and you wonder if you can really finish what you started. For Alisa Carr, there is perhaps a little more to that than for most as at the age of nine, she underwent open-heart surgery to correct a mitral valve defect. You might think that experience would have made her cautious about pushing herself physically but in fact, it seems to have done quite the opposite.
Today, Alisa is also part of Team Abbott, a community of runners who have faced health challenges and use running to show what is possible despite them. For her, that connection feels particularly appropriate given where her own running journey began.
Alisa tells us: “It kind of gave me a little chip on my shoulder. All these adults saying, ‘You can't do this, you need to be careful.’ And I always just felt very normal and athletic, like nothing could hold me back.” Looking back, she laughs at her younger self. “I was probably a little naive back then, obviously not realizing how serious the situation was. But it did motivate me, to be honest. I just remember thinking I can still do anything I want to do.”
That attitude saw her throw herself into sport as a child and while soccer, basketball and softball were all part of a busy, active childhood her parents were understandably cautious. It's only now, as a mother herself, that she fully understands how her parents must have felt. She recalls: “I was just like we fixed it. We're all good now!”
As she got older and became a mum, fitness took a bit of a back seat. It never disappeared completely, but like many parents, finding the time to stick with something was difficult. “It's very hard to stick to a routine when you're looking after other people,” she says. “I'd get on a good roll for a month or two, and then kind of fall off the wagon.”
It took a triathlon in 2021 to change that when a group of friends decided to sign up and persuaded Alisa to join them. It wasn't something she would necessarily have chosen herself, admitting: “I probably never would have picked that on my own. A little bit of FOMO was involved, I guess, as everyone was doing it.”
She was comfortable in the water after being part of a swim club as a child and already enjoyed cycling with her family. Running, however, was another matter, she says: “I always thought, if I could just bike and swim and not do the run, I'd be all right!” And yet after completing a few triathlons after that first one, something started to change you see while running may have been the discipline she had dreaded most, it was also the one where she could see the biggest improvement week on week. For someone who describes herself as ‘pretty numbers-driven’, seeing those improvements was a big motivator. Her running was getting stronger and was also becoming something she enjoyed for entirely different reasons – the meditative effect and feelings of doing something purely for herself in particular.
By 2023, Alisa had set herself a new challenge to run a half-marathon distance every month, most of these weren't races there was no medal at the finish and often no-one else involved at all. She explains: “I think I only did one or two actual organised events. The rest was just the distance.” Over the course of that year, the marathon started to feel like the obvious next step.
Her first marathon was a big test, particularly given her medical history. “Probably the biggest test I had ever put on my body,” she says. Alisa trained carefully and was always conscious of listening to her body, but completing the distance gave her a new level of confidence. “I realized that I can push myself while obviously listening to my body if things do come up. But I feel pretty confident that I can handle whatever comes.”
And she did more than simply finish with her marathon debut (Charleston) producing a Boston qualifying time – something many experienced runners spend years trying to achieve – she has since gone on to run Boston Marathon achieving another impressive time.
“It kind of gave me a little chip on my shoulder. All these adults saying, ‘You can't do this, you need to be careful.’ And I always just felt very normal and athletic, like nothing could hold me back.”
Her training now is a long way from those early days of struggling to stick to a routine - at the peak of a marathon build-up, she runs six days a week and covers between 60 and 70 miles. She also strength trains three or four times a week and includes hill sessions and speed work, with Sunday her one full day off. Much of that training happens before her three daughters are awake. “I do a lot of my miles at home on the treadmill,” she says, partly because of her husband's changing work schedule and partly because, with a young family, it is often the easiest way to fit everything in.
She does run with friends occasionally, particularly on longer weekend runs, but there is something about the solo sessions that she has come to enjoy too. “No one's going to know if you're doing it or not, but I'm showing up for myself. It's really rewarding to do it that way.” That idea of showing up for herself seems to be a big part of what running has given Alisa. “Getting up and doing the hardest part of my day first and committing to myself that I'm going to do it, gives me confidence to tackle anything that comes my way.”
Like many mothers, Alisa admits there can be a bit of guilt around taking time for herself and these pursuing goals. “Running can be kind of selfish, right? It takes a lot of time,” she says. But she also hopes her daughters see something positive in what she is doing. “I hope they can view it as motivation – realising that they can do whatever they put their mind to.”
And while much of Alisa's training is done alone, that is perhaps what she loves most about race day and the marathon in particular. For all that running is an individual sport, there is something special about thousands of people coming together to take on the same challenge. “Everyone around you shows up to do a hard thing,” she says. “It’s an individual sport, but you can feel the energy and community behind you. Every single person has a purpose for showing up for themselves. If you want to feel love or compassion for a stranger, see humanity, go to a marathon.”
This month, Alisa will experience that for herself once again when she travels to the other side of the world for the Sydney Marathon. It will be her first visit to Australia and, with race day getting closer, she is already looking forward to experiencing the city on foot, running past the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and some of the city’s best-known landmarks.
She won't be chasing a particular time in Sydney as that goal is being saved for Chicago in October, where she is hoping the flatter course might help her run somewhere between 3:20 and 3:30. Sydney, she says, will be more about enjoying the experience. After that, there could be more Abbott World Marathon Majors on the horizon, with an application in for Tokyo and another Boston qualifying time already in the bank, depending on where the cut-off falls.
It's a long way from the nine-year-old girl recovering from open-heart surgery. But it also explains why Alisa is such a natural fit for Team Abbott – her running story is not simply about times and marathon finishes, but about refusing to let an early health challenge define what she could do. Now, as she lines up alongside thousands of other runners in Sydney and beyond, she will be doing what she has always done: showing up and seeing just how far she can go.
A new dawn for Cape Town
A five-year journey from candidate to Major status was capped with a memorable day in Cape Town last May. MAJORS relives the day the Mother City realized her dream.
“They were singing for the whole of Africa, and those were the people that really touched my heart.”
Eliud Kipchoge was the undoubted headline act at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in May but even he had to concede he was upstaged on a truly memorable race day.
The 11-time Major winner and double Olympic champion was the feature attraction the moment he wandered through arrivals at Cape Town International Airport, with cameras covering his every move.
Journalists and broadcasters were clamoring for his time at the official press conference and fans were screaming for selfies moments after he crossed the finish line.
Kipchoge left his footprint on Cape Town but what made the day truly unique was the African crowd who cheered him and the other 18,525 runners the moment the starting gun went off in Green Point.
“My highlight today,” recalled Kipchoge, “was all those people on the road who were singing for all of us runners, for the whole day, giving us support and morale. Those are the real heroes of the Cape Town Marathon.
“All the spectators and fans were wonderful, uniting as Africans, and I feel I am leaving a part of myself here in Cape Town.”
It was an emotional day in the South African legislative capital.
Eliud addresses the crowd at the opening concert
Eliud addresses the crowd at the opening concert
Memories of the 2025 race being cancelled as runners headed to the start line due to freak overnight weather still lingered but organizers and spectators did themselves proud seven months later, ensuring each of the runners, which included 1,850 competitors in the AbbottWMM Marathon Tours & Travel Age Group World Championships, were treated like royalty.
At the front of the race, three of the four course records were shattered on a spectacular day of racing, as the fastest field ever assembled for an African marathon brought world-class racing to the Mother City.
Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa won the elite men’s race with a scintillating 2:04:55, shattering the course record of 2:08:16 and officially making Cape Town the fastest marathon on the African continent. The women’s title was also claimed by an Ethiopian as Dera Dida took the win in 2:23:18.
In the wheelchair division, David Weir of Great Britain dominated the men’s race as he powered to a 1:30:20 win, lowering the course record from 1:32:09. While that record was still sinking in, the women’s wheelchair record was absolutely obliterated, with Switzerland’s Manuela Schär taking the record down from 1:52:58 to 1:43:25.
“They were singing for the whole of Africa, and those were the people that really touched my heart.”
Kipchoge would cross the line in 2:13:29 to finish in 13th place but it was a day when times and positions took a back seat.
Two weeks after the race it was confirmed that the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon would become the eighth member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors.
Their inaugural Major, and first for Africa, will take place on May 23, 2027, meaning tens of thousands of runners can experience what Kipchoge did 12 months earlier.
LATE STARTER
TO
WORLD CHAMPION
We find out more about John Fanshawe, the late-start runner who became a world champion in his eighties…
When John Fanshawe crossed the finish line at the AbbottWMM MTT Age Group World Championships in Cape Town earlier this year, he had no idea he had won.
That is one of the odd things about age-group racing within a Major marathon - you can see runners of all ages around you and their race numbers may show their category, but you have no real idea where your own rivals are or how they are getting on. Fanshawe had run the best race he could in difficult conditions and then had to wait to find out if it had been enough.
It was his daughter and son-in-law, following the results from London, who told him several hours later that he had won his age group and that he was now the M80+ marathon world champion. His route to that title has been far from conventional as he was not someone who had been sporty from childhood or spent decades collecting medals.
He says: “At school I was always one of the kids that no one wanted. I was slow. I don’t have very good hand-eye coordination with balls and things.”
Yet he has gone from a tentative walk-run routine to marathons, ultras and even 100-mile races and he views age-group championships as a valuable part of the sport because they give runners another way to compete as they get older.
“Once you get beyond 40-odd, you’re not going to win a marathon. You’re not going to come in the first three, even if you’re really good. So you have to go about setting yourself other goals,” he says.
The five-year age bands offer a new challenge each time a runner moves into one - in the first year, you are relatively young within your category; by the final year, you are at the other end of it. At Cape Town John had wanted to do well in his new age group, but he knew that much of the result was outside his control.
"‘You’re going to kill yourself if you carry on like this, why don’t you take up running?'"
Before that race he had run four marathons in six months, all within two minutes of each other and it was that consistency which gave him a good idea of the time he was likely to run. His 4:07 at the London Marathon was the quickest of those recent races, while his Cape Town and New York times were identical to the second.
But what he could not know, or control, was who else would turn up! “You don’t know who you’re going to be up against. All you can control is what you’re going to do.”
Cape Town was not an easy race. John had hoped to improve on his London time, but the conditions became tough late on, with the sun beating down and the final 10K proving particularly difficult. It was a familiar marathon experience, although not one he tries to pretend was enjoyable! “I don’t enjoy races while I’m racing,” he remarks. “The best thing about a marathon is the finish line. Make no mistake. I’m desperate for the finish line.”
For him, the pleasure comes afterwards: the relief, the satisfaction and knowing that he has seen the race through. That has kept him going since he first began running in his late thirties, when the sport was less about competition and more about changing the direction of his life. At the time, he was smoking, overweight and leading a stressful life so his girlfriend, now his wife, told him that he needed to do something.
“She said, ‘You’re going to kill yourself if you carry on like this, why don’t you take up running?’” he recalls. And so he bought a pair of running shoes and followed a walk-run plan he had found in a leaflet – five minutes walking, a minute jogging, then repeating the process.
The first session surprised him as he found it easier than he had anticipated and he stopped smoking as soon as he started running, having previously tried several times without success and has not smoked since.
John ran a couple of half marathons in his thirties, before family life took over, although he continued to run occasionally when time allowed. It was not until about 20 years ago, when he was around 60, that he began training and racing more seriously, starting with 10Ks and working up to half marathons before running his first marathon at age 63.
The distances then continued to increase with his first ultra at 68, followed by his first 100-miler at 70! He certainly understands why people compare the hunger to progress to a drug – with one distance leading to another, and another, and another.
“You don’t know who you’re going to be up against. All you can control is what you’re going to do.”
John is now moving away from the longer races, finding that the ultras take too much out of him, but marathons remain an important part of his life and a way in which he can still be competitive. He is the first to say that luck plays a major role in being able to run at his age – reminding us that at the London Marathon, where there were more than 59,000 finishers and only 13 were men over 80.
To remain race-fit, John gets up between 5.00am and 5.30am every day, plans races months ahead and writes his own training schedules, which he tries hard to follow with the overall belief that running is a discipline that brings order to the rest of his life. It affects his approach to food and drink too and has no doubt helped his mental wellbeing as well.
The next Major possibility is Tokyo in 2027, where the Abbott World Marathon Majors Age Group World Championships will take place. It is only natural that John would love to be there to defend his title, but he is realistic about what needs to happen first – be invited and fund the trip in a nutshell! There is also the possibility of injury or illness – nothing can be taken for granted when you are in the senior years of life.
For now though, he will continue with the same approach that brought him to Cape Town, and why not? It has taken him from being a late starter to becoming a world champion in his eighties – and it may yet take him to Tokyo.
AGE GROUP RACES IN FOCUS
This month, we spotlight the only race in the rankings list that takes you across two continents.
Türkiye İş Bankası 48th İstanbul Marathon
The Türkiye İş Bankası 48th Istanbul Marathon will be held on 1 November 2026. As the world’s only intercontinental marathon, it starts in Asia and finishes in Europe, bringing together elite and recreational runners on a course that passes many of Istanbul’s best-known landmarks.
Altra Yorkshire Marathon
The Altra Yorkshire Marathon returns to York on 18 October, with thousands of runners expected to take part. The 26.2-mile route takes in York and the surrounding villages, with spectators lining much of the way. The event attracts a mix of first-time marathon runners, experienced competitors and charity fundraisers from across the UK.
St. George Marathon
Experience the exhilaration of the St. George Marathon, where 50 years of history meet, breathtaking scenery, meet a downhill PR course. This iconic race winds through Utah's stunning landscapes, offering runners a challenging yet awe-inspiring journey from Pine Valley Mountains to the heart of St. George. Discover why it's renowned as one of America's premier marathons.
TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon
Discover Toronto's Iconic Marathon Weekend! Last chance to join 30,000 runners at the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 18, 2026. Known for it’s flat, fast and scenic course, don’t miss the vibrant, welcoming atmosphere and the best community support in Canada at this World Athletics Elite Label race.
TCS Amsterdam Marathon
The TCS Amsterdam Marathon, taking place on 18 October 2026, holds the prestigious World Athletics Platinum Label and is renowned for its fast and scenic course. Starting and finishing in the iconic Olympic Stadium, the route takes runners past some of Amsterdam’s most famous landmarks, including the Rijksmuseum, the Amstel River and the green surroundings of Vondelpark.
GLOBAL RUN CLUB
FALL GLOBAL MARATHON
The Fall 2026 Global Marathon opens on August 30, giving runners over 40 the chance to compete for an invitation to the 2028 Abbott World Marathon Majors Marathon Tours & Travel Age Group World Championships.
Run your virtual Global Marathon anytime, anywhere outdoors before November 1, spanning the period from the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS to the TCS New York City Marathon.
You can complete the distance on your own or alongside any in-person marathon during the event window.
Once the event closes, invitations to the World Championships (venue TBC) will be sent to 200 of the top-ranking finishers, ages 40+. Invitations are distributed equally across male and female runners as follows:
|
AGE |
AVAILABLE PLACES MALE |
AVAILABLE PLACES FEMALE |
|---|---|---|
|
40-44 |
20 |
20 |
|
45-49 |
20 |
20 |
|
50-54 |
20 |
20 |
|
55-59 |
15 |
15 |
|
60-64 |
15 |
15 |
|
65-69 |
5 |
5 |
|
70-74 |
2 |
2 |
|
75-79 |
2 |
2 |
|
80+ |
1 |
1 |
Kristyn R. Smith is a New York-based running coach, masters athlete, and proud Six Star Finisher who completed her journey at the 2025 Tokyo Marathon.
Kristyn will tackle a new challenge in each issue of MAJORS magazine and this month looks at how to manage your high mileage at the end of your training plan.
Training is now winding up for marathons in the back half of the year. If you’re following a structured plan – I hope you are – then your training will follow a typical progression no matter the overall load or race goal. That is one of building to a peak phase when intensity and volume are at their highest. The peak phase comes just prior to the taper that leads directly into race day.
Often people think of the peak in terms of the single longest long run on the schedule, but a well-structured and balanced plan will also ramp up speed, in addition to the overall weekly mileage. This is the first step in successfully navigating the peak phase. Acknowledge that it’s more than one run in one week that is impacting your body, your energy and your outlook.
By the time you reach the peak phase, you’ve already put in several tough months of training, and this is precisely when the effects of all that accumulated fatigue can start to overwhelm and expose cracks. We then need a multifaceted approach to tackle this phase, so we arrive to race day strong and prepared.
Prioritize recovery
Recovery includes things such as foam rolling, massage, and mobility exercises, but the two most important things that are often minimized are adequate nutrition and sleep.
When your body is working harder for longer, your fuel intake needs to grow. That means increasing your overall calories and specifically getting in a healthy portion of carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for running for two reasons. First because they can be utilized more efficiently than fat, which requires additional oxygen per calorie released, making it slower to access and therefore inadequate for high intensity efforts. Secondly carbohydrates when broken down are converted to stored glucose, called glycogen, that reside in your muscles and liver.
You can fuel about 90 minutes of moderate intensity exercise solely off your glycogen stores. In the peak phase when training is maximized you will be emptying your stores more regularly.
When people think about carbs they usually default to foods such as pasta and bread. Those are great options if that’s what you like, but it can be tricky to add these consistently.
My secret to quick easy carbs is liquid, specifically orange juice and lemonade, but any sugary drink will work. Liquids require no preparation, don’t sit as heavy in the stomach and won’t force you to worry about digestive timing, all of which give greater flexibility.
Proper fueling is important for minimizing muscular fatigue, repairing damaged muscles, protecting your immune system and maintaining overall health.
Sleep serves the body in many of these same functions. Sleep provides a mental and physical reset. During deep sleep hormones like HGH (human growth hormone) are released that repair muscle fibers and tissues. Sleep regulates your blood sugar, your perception of effort, time to fatigue and your mood. Without adequate sleep everything is harder and you’ll feel worse. Elite runners take daily afternoon naps. For most of us that isn’t an option, but it illustrates how important sleep is for training.
For the vast majority getting more sleep requires going to bed earlier. That can seem impossible at first, but one thing that helps is setting a time to shut down devices. I have my phone and computer set up with a prescheduled sleep time. No doomscrolling, no blue light in bed and I include a wind down period 45 minutes prior. Establishing good sleep hygiene and sticking with a routine make a huge difference.
As your mileage increases in the peak phase your time will be at a premium just as your recovery needs are greatest. It’s important sleep isn’t the aspect you push out.
Triage responsibilities
Life is all about choices. At no time is this more apparent than deep into marathon training. Remember no one can do everything and there will always be tradeoffs. It is common to find yourself at a particular crossroads during the peak phase, pulled in multiple directions. When all you really have time for is work, training, recovery and the most basic of household responsibilities I like to simplify.
One of the ways I do that is in the kitchen. Nutrition is important as I’ve mentioned above, so I try not to cut corners in the quality of the food, but I do cut corners in the preparation and clean up. This is the time when I opt for quick simple recipes, something I can make in one pot for instance, or I’ll choose to make a more complicated meal I can eat over a few days. I will even buy the fruits and vegetables that are pre-cut or jarred rather than spend time chopping and dicing. It may seem insignificant but saving these little bits of time and energy on a daily basis does add up.
This is a time when you might have to say no to extra obligations. Or opt for my preferred way to frame it, not right now. If there are things you can put off till later, without negative repercussions, it’s worth that pause. I’m very type A and overly organized but this is when I decide to let some things slide. For instance, I will only open the mail that is truly important. That goes for physical mail, as well as digital email. If it’s not from someone I know personally or work related, it’s staying in a file until I have the extra time and headspace to go through it leisurely.
Take stock and zoom out
The peak phase is temporary, one chapter in the story of your journey to the finish line. To everything there is a season, as with all seasons it will pass. When your energy is drained and you’re overwhelmed it can be difficult to see the other side but with every training cycle you have the calendar as guide and reassurance. In the trying times I like to look back as much as I look forward. The look back shows me precisely how far I’ve come. You can see the progress stacking week by week. The struggles you overcame in week three or four. The distance you’ve already covered.
The look forward shows how close you are to realizing your goals. The conclusion of the peak phase leads to taper. In taper your volume should decrease while intensity is maintained. The weekend that was once devoted to running for hours on end has a newfound freedom and flexibility. You might even get bored or anxious as a result. Hard to believe you’ll miss the grind when pressure and fatigue are weighing you down, but relief will come. It’s on the calendar right around the corner.
BERLIN, SEPTEMBER 24, 2006
A MAJOR MOMENT
Twenty years ago Haile Gebrselassie began a unprecedented period of domination in the German capital when he won the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
The Ethiopian legend pulverized the field in 2006, crossing the line almost five minutes ahead of countryman Gudisa Shentema, marking the inaugural year of the Abbott World Marathon Majors in some style.
Gebrselassie returned a year later to smash the world record, clocking 2:04:26, which he then lowered to 2:03:59 on the same course 12 months later, making history by being the first runner to go sub-2:04.
He extended his winning sequence the following year, triumphing in Berlin for the fourth time in succession, a feat yet to be matched in Majors history.
MEET THE TEAM
From setting up expos to handing out Six Star medals, Miliana Adams helps bring the Abbott World Marathon Majors experience to life on race weekend. Here, she talks about life behind the scenes and memorable runner moments...
How long have you worked at Abbott World Marathon Majors?
Almost three years! My first day was the morning of the 2023 Chicago Marathon.
What does Event Logistics actually look like on a race weekend?
On race weekends you will always find me at the expo! My role is in charge of setting up our expo booth and all the activations it includes throughout the weekend. On race day, you can find me at the Six Star tent handing out medals.
How do you create a consistent Abbott World Marathon Majors experience while allowing every host city to retain its own character?
From race to race, many of our events, activations, and expo booths follow a similar blueprint but we make it a priority to embrace every city’s unique character each time. Our expo booth is a great example of this. We follow similar structures and color palettes at each race, but make sure to highlight the host race and work with local staff to create the best experience possible.
What is the smallest detail that runners may never notice, but which can make a huge difference to their race-week experience?
People! Whether you’re celebrating with your family, friends or us, it’s always more fun to share your accomplishments and celebrate with those you love.
Is there a particular runner interaction or race-week moment that has stayed with you?
Yes, I will never forget this woman I gave a Six Star medal to in Chicago a couple of years ago. After I put the medal round her neck, she hugged me and told me 10 years ago she was told by her doctor that she would never walk again and against all odds she just completed all of the Majors. I shed a tear alongside her and felt so grateful that I got to play a part in her incredible journey.
What do you hope runners feel when they enter a Majors expo or a post-race celebration?
I hope that the runners feel celebrated and excited! With all of the preparation and anticipation that goes into the months leading to race day it’s important to take time to soak it all in and our goal is to celebrate that!
What’s one small thing that can make a huge difference to a runner’s event experience?
I think again just really leaning into the running community. I’m a big believer that wherever you are, it’s the people you surround yourself with that can make or break any experience.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of Abbott World Marathon Majors?
I’m really excited for our expansion to nine races and the unveiling of the Nine Star medal!
How do you unwind when you’re not working?
When I’m not working I love to unwind by reading, doing pilates, cooking, and exploring new parts of New York City.
Are you a runner yourself, if so - which of the Majors would you love to do?
I’m not a runner but if I had to choose a Major to do it would be London because I had the opportunity to live there for a few months last year and it holds a very special place in my heart.
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