Assefa's torn Achilles, and the shoe argument it started
Tigst Assefa held world record pace to 40K in Berlin on an Achilles her manager said was completely gone. Brady Holmer says the shoes are part of why that was even possible.
Races and results
Assefa ran 2:11:04 on a torn Achilles, then flew to Munich
The argument has moved from how tough Tigst Assefa is to how a ruptured Achilles let her keep running at all. Steve Magness says she felt pain from 31km, was on 2:09:45 pace through 40K, and her manager said "With a tendon like that, I don't know how she could finish." LetsRun says she skipped post-race press obligations and flew to Munich for surgery.
But this couldn’t happen in the pre-supershoe era.
Vinny Mauri takes his Planet Fitness treadmill block to Chicago
Vinny Mauri, who ran 2:05 in his marathon debut in Toledo, goes to Chicago off one of the strangest blocks an American pro has put together. Jonathan Gault reports he does most of his training on Planet Fitness treadmills, with one day of 36 miles at 4:56 pace.
If this guy breaks the American Record, I'll gladly sponsor him by giving him a treadmill that at least goes his marathon pace
Venters runs the whole USATF 10K alone, wins in 31:09
Emily Venters soloed to the USATF 10K title in the Twin Cities in 31:09, and Aidan Troutner took the men's race in 27:40. David Monti says both set championship records. Stephanie Bruce called it all gas no brakes for the full 10K.
What a run for this tough competitor! 31:09, all women’s record.
How they train
The heart rate pile-on settles on: use it, just much less
A week of arguing about heart rate ended roughly where Ross Tucker put it: proper use means using it less rigidly, less often, and with other metrics given more priority. It started when Brady Holmer answered the question of what runners obsess over with two words, heart rate.
Heart rate as your primary performance guide is like breast feeding. It might be useful very early, but you need to be weaned off it
Worth a glance
Boston 2027 cutoff is 5:17, and 8,019 qualifiers missed out
The B.A.A. accepted runners 5:17 under their standard for the 131st Boston Marathon, 25,630 in all, per FloTrack. Men 18 to 34 needed 2:49:43.
Meg Eckert's 6-day world record gets New York Times coverage
Ian Sharman says the New York Times has picked up coach Meg Eckert's world record 6-day run. Multiday ultras almost never reach a general audience that size.
Frequently asked questions
How did Tigst Assefa finish a marathon with a torn Achilles?
Assefa ran 2:11:04 at Boston despite feeling pain from 31km onward. Expert Brady Holmer says the carbon plate, thick foam and rocker in modern super shoes take over part of the calf and Achilles job, making it possible to finish with an injury that would have stopped runners in older shoe technology.
What makes Vinny Mauri's training block unusual?
Mauri does most of his training on Planet Fitness treadmills instead of outdoor roads, which is an uncommon approach for an American professional marathoner. He completed one session of 36 miles at 4:56 pace during his training block for Chicago.
What did experts agree about heart rate monitors for runners?
After a week of debate, experts like Ross Tucker concluded that runners should use heart rate monitors less rigidly, less often, and alongside other metrics instead of letting the heart rate data alone set your training sessions. Nobody said to stop using monitors entirely.
Who won the 2025 USATF 10K championships?
Emily Venters won the women's race in 31:09 and Aidan Troutner won the men's race in 27:40, both setting championship records at the event in the Twin Cities.
How many people qualified for Boston 2027?
The B.A.A. accepted 25,630 runners who met or beat the qualifying standard, which was 5:17 under their baseline time. This meant 8,019 qualifiers missed out on entry.