Coffee with Larry, Episode 889, May 18, 2026, Shanghai DL opens Diamond League!

This is Coffee with Larry, our almost daily podcast from RunBlogRun.

The podcast was established in 2022, and the blog in 2006.

Recorded at the Hampton Garden Inn, on Huron Street (Chicago).

Our topics today:

1. The Shanghai Diamond League was spectacular. Results are here: https://www.runblogrun.com/2026/05/wanda-diamond-league-china-textile-city-sports-center-shaoxing-keqiao-chn-16-may-2026.html?swcfpc=1

Mohamed Abdilaahi wins the Menâs 3000m with a Meeting Record and National Record of 7:25.77 at the Shanghai/Keqiao Diamond League meeting in Keqiao on 16 May 2026
Marta Gorczynska for Diamond League AG
Shanghai/Keqiao

2. Jessica Schilder, Faith Kipyegon, Masai Russell, Mondo Duplantis, Jamal Britt, all impressed! Here’s the story: https://www.runblogrun.com/2026/05/jessica-schilder-21-09-dlr-wl-seven-world-leads-in-shanghai-kequiao.html?swcfpc=1

Jessica Schilder 21.09 meter DLR/WL, seven world leads in Shanghai/Kequiao

3. The sad thing is, how few get to watch it globally. The Diamond League has to run itself like a business, so many countries offer DL on paid streaming or cable. Track fans will pay $9 for some damn coffee drink, but can’t watch a track meet for $9.99? Is it that track fans are just too cheap? Not sure.

Mark English wins the Menâs 800m with a Meeting Record of 1:43.85 at the Shanghai/Keqiao Diamond League meeting in Keqiao on 16 May 2026
Marta Gorczynska for Diamond League AG
Shanghai/Keqiao

4. Upcoming meets in 2026: (May-June)

The 2026 Diamond League Schedule (May 16-Sept 5, 2026)

2026 Diamond League Calendar

Date	Meeting	Location
May 16	Shanghai/Keqiao Diamond League	Shaoxing, China
May 23	Xiamen Diamond League	Xiamen, China
May 31	Meeting International Mohammed VI	Rabat, Morocco
June 4	Golden Gala Pietro Mennea	Rome, Italy
June 7	BAUHAUS-Galan	Stockholm, Sweden
June 10	Oslo Bislett Games	Oslo, Norway
June 19	Doha Meeting	Doha, Qatar
June 28	Meeting de Paris	Paris, France
July 4	Prefontaine Classic	Eugene, USA
July 10	Meeting International d’Athlétisme Herculis EBS	Monaco
July 18	London Athletics Meet	London, UK
August 21	Athletissima	Lausanne, Switzerland
August 23	Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial	Chorzów, Poland
August 27	Weltklasse Zürich	Zürich, Switzerland
September 4–5	Allianz Memorial van Damme (Final)	Brussels, Belgium

6. Please remember, DOHA DL, the historic start, for many years of the Diamond League, has moved from May 8 to June 19, due to the Iran War (don’t be an idiot, it is a war).

7. Sound Running’s LA TrackFest, sponsored by Skechers RUN, USATF Foundation, and Web MD, on May 23, 2026. Cooper Lutkenhaus will debut over 1500m distance as a NIKE pro athlete at LA TrackFest!

8. Under Armour is hosting the Under Armour Track & Field Nationals, May 29-31, 2026, https://www.imgacademy.com/events/uatracknationals

9. HOKA Festival of Miles on June 4, 2026, in St. Louis, MO, https://stlfestivalofmiles.com/

10. Brooks PR Invite is on June 7, 2026, https://brooksprinvitational.runnerspace.com/

11. Adrian Martinez Classic is June 7, 2026, https://www.martinezclassic.com/

Adrian Martinez Track Classic
Concord, MA USA
June 14, 2025, photo by Kevin Morris

12. Nike Outdoor Champs, June 18-21, 2026, https://nikeoutdoornationals.runnerspace.com/

13. New Balance Outdoor champs, June 18-20, 2026, https://nbnationalsout.com/

14. Did you check out The Book of EastBay? Learn more at bookofeastbay.com.

See you tomorrow on Coffee with Larry!

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.

Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

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