Coffee with Larry, Less than 48 hours until the RAK Half Marathon! Madrid Indoor and ISTAF Berlin Indoor tomorrow!

This is my daily chat with #RunBlogRun viewers and track fans on all things track & field!

Coffee with Larry , Feb. 22. 2024, I made it to Ras Al Kaimah #VisitRasAlKhaimah

This is your almost daily podcast, #coffeewithLarry, for Wednesday!

This Month’s sponsor is #RAKHalfMarathon, held in Ras Al Khaimah, pronounced “Rass Al Kay Mah”. The race entries are open until Feb.23, 2024, at www.rakhalfmarathon.com

#coffeewithLarry is sponsored by www.Jambar.com ! Use code LARRY15, to purchase JAMBAR, the original organic artisan sports energy bar. Jenny Maxwell founded JAMBAR in 2021. 34 grams of carbs, 10 grams of protein, JAMBAR is sweetened with maple syrup. Support the brands that support our sport! www.jambar.com

Our Topics:

1. The RAK half marathon is almost here, on Feb 24, 2024. Less than 48 hours!

2. The presser happened Thursday, February 22, 2024, and we will be showing it LIVE, or 1 AM Chicago, 2 AM NYC, and 11 PM Feb 21 in SFO. Here’s the link: https://fb.watch/qnjOgB9ElY/

3. I think one of the biggest battles could be with Benard Kibet, last year’s winner, and Tamirat Tola. We spoke to Tamirat Tola, the NYC Marathon champ (also WC gold in #Eugene2022 and silver in #London2017)

Benard Kibet wins 2023 RAK Half Marathon, photo by Giancarlo Colombo/RAK Organizers

4. Peres Jepchirchir, Olympic champion, World Half Champion, is fit and preparing for a spring Marathon to make sure her selection is secure. She is part of the Kenyan marathon team’s ten-person team selection. Exceptional performances must be done to make this selection.

Highlighting the RAK Half Marathon are 40 elite athletes, among them, pictured here, are Peres Jepchirchir and Tamirat Tola, photo by RunBlogRun

5. Konstanze Klosterholfen is a big thrill. I think that she will surprised by the level of competition here. Coach Gary Lough told #RunBlogRun that Koko “is here to race.”

Koko Klosterholfen, Peres Jepchrichir, Tamirat Tola, 2024 RAK Half Marathon, photo by Giancarlo COLUMBO

6. Tamirat Tola, victor of Dubai, World Champion, also won the NYC marathon; besides Olympic bronze at 10,000m, in Rio 2016, Tamirat had gold and silver in 2022 and 2017, respectively, in the WC Marathon. In 2023, after a DNF in Budapest 2024, Tamirat won the NYC Marathon and set a new course record. Remember, Tamirat ran NYC four times before he won!

Tamirat Tola, TCS New York Marathon
New York, New York, USA
November 5, 2023, photo by Kevin Morris

7. European star and German record holder Koko Klosterhalfen will be looking to run a 65:41 or better! I think that she will might dip under 65 minutes!

8. The RAK course is fast and furious, giving athletes fast and not-so-fast a great opportunity to race a PB! The new course on the island and race starts 100 meters from the entrance of #RixosHotel at Bab Al Bahr! l

Race News Services founder Joerg Wenig with Konstanze Klosterholfen, photo by RunBlogRun

9. Stream live video of the race for free for global viewing! The link is pic.twitter.com/f7K69GjMgU. The Race goes LIVE at 7 am on Feb. 24 in RAK; it’s Feb. 23 in North America, 10 PM in NYC, 9 PM in Chicago, and 7 PM in SFO. Do not miss a minute! FREE, LIVE and streaming!

Running legend and TV presenter Paula Radcliffe, Race Director Peter Connerton, Alka Winter VP Destination Marketing & Communications, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, with elite runners Koko Klosterhalfen, Peres Jepchirchir, and Tamirat Tola at the pre-event press briefing at RIXOS Bab Al Bahr.
February 22, 2024.

10. USATF indoor was fantastic last weekend. Best races?

Wow, 1,500ms, 3,000ms, and the men’s 60 meters, with Noah Lyles, Christian Coleman and Ronnie Baker! NBC-TV continues to think out of its backside, with absolutely no coverage on terrestrial TV or Peacock on Friday during an Olympic year. Programming does not know that track & field is the most POPULAR sport during the Summer Olympics.

Here’s our story: https://www.runblogrun.com/…/supposed-world-records-are…

Grant Holloway celebrates his WR of 7.27 in the 60m hurdles, photo by Kevin Morris.

11. Microplus UK Athletics indoor champs were a lot of fun as well, with Molly Caudery going WL of 4.85m in the pole vault, Laviai and Lina Nielsen, twin sisters, going 1-2 in the 400 meters, great 1,500m, and Jemma Reekie back in the saddle with Laura Muir taking 3000m in fast last 400m. Oh, plus the crowd, 7,440 to watch 7 hours of track and field! Here’s our story: https://www.runblogrun.com/…/the-microplus-uk-athletics…

Molly Caudery cleared 4.85m, another PB, photo by Getty Images for British Athletics

12. 40 elite athletes here, so there will be some surprises at #RAKhalfmarathon: https://www.runblogrun.com/…/ras-al-khaimah-half…

12. The ISTAF Berlin Indoor is coming Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, with 12,000 fans! Check out our story: http://atfathlete.com/istaf-indoor-2024-heading-into-the…/

Clutch jumper Malaika Mihambo just missed a medal in Istanbul, photo by Chiara Monteeano for European Athletics

13. Madrid Indoor Meeting is also on February 23, 2024; here’s more info: https://worldathletics.org/…/world-athletics-indoor-tour

14. We thank the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority for supporting this event and our coverage!

See you tomorrow on #coffeewithLarry, #VisitRasAlKhaimah, #Jambar, #brooksrunning, #BrooksHyperionMax,

Author

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys.

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