The Midnight run at Foothill College, was part of the RW Midnight run series of races that went on from the early 1970s to 1995. In some years, there was a world class 8 k race with the likes of Rudy Chapa, Alberto Salazar, Craig Virgin, and Brendan Foster, I believe. In the 1980s and 1990s, RW continued to sponsor it until about 1995.

There was an elite race, managed many years by Peanut Harms and then Joe Mangan, and a people’s race. My son Adam, would join me many years, helping us at two miles give out water and shouts of encouragement. It was a fitting way to start the new year.

Imane Merga, shown above, won the 38th Bolzano, Italy Midnight race, this year. Many of the top runners in the world found races to run, all over the world!

Nice to see races all over the world celebrating the New year. From Sao Silvestre to the Midnight Run in Central Park, runners know how to celebrate the new year!

MERGA AND KIBET

BOLZANO (ITA, Dec 31): In the 38th New Year’s Eve run in Bolzano the duel between Kenya and Ethiopia ended in a tie. Cross Country World champion Imane Merga from Ethiopia won the duel against his compatriot Muktar Edris in a long finish in 29:12.3 and 29:12.7. Cross specialist Serhiy Lebid from Ukraine finished surprisingly third in 29:31. Fourth US Scott Bauhs just over Silas Kipruto (29:32.4 and 29:32.5). In the women’s race, World silver medalist at 5000 m Kenyan Sylvia Kibet topped the field at 5 km in 16:21 ahead of two Ethiopians. Second Afera Godfay (16:23) and third Worknesh Degefa (16:25). Italian Silvia Weissteiner was fourth 16:42 over Margherita Magnani 16:50 and Moroccan Btissam Lakhouad 16:54.

TSEGAY AND P. JEPTOO

LUANDA (ANG, Dec 31): Ethiopian Atsedu Tsegay closed his year when winning the 57th Sao Silvestre de Luanda in front of over a million spectators who lined the streets of the Angolan capital. He clocked 28:17 at 10 km. Second Kenyan Alex Korio 28:30 and third another Kenyan Stephen Kibet in 28:32. Some 1000 runners participated in 30 degrees hot weather. Marathon olympic silver medalist Priscah Jeptoo was the top woman in 32:31 ahead of Pasalia Chepkorir 32:44 and Mercy Jerotich 32:59. Here the top Ethiopian was World CC medalist Azemra Gebru as 5th in 33:17.

RECORD FOR KOMON

PEUERBACH (AUT, Dec 31): The 32nd Peuerbach Silvesterlauf registered new course record at men 6.8 km when road world record holder Leonard Komon clocked 18:32. He improved the former top time from 1999 by 14 seconds. Second Geoffrey Kirui 18:32 and third European Champion Polat Arikan from Turkey 19:05. Fourth another Kenyan Amos Mitei 19:10 and fifth top Austrian Andreas Vojta 19:30 just ahead of another Kenyan Cornelius Kangogo 19:31. Seventh Austrian top marathon runner Gunther Weidlinger 19:36 who was running for first time since his injury during the Olympic marathon. Fresh European junior CC Champion Amela Terzic from Serbia ended her junior career with a win in 16:03 at 5.1 km ahead of world class German marathon runner Irina Mikitenko 16:07. Another Serbian Sonja Stolic was distant third 16:33. Top Austrian Andrea Mayr 5th 16:46. Some 10 000 spectators followed the race in nice and sunny weather (4 degrees).

T. BEKELE AND BURKA

MADRID (ESP, Dec 31): Ethiopian wins at the San Silvestre Vallecana at 10 km. Gelete Burka clocked impressive 30:53 and clearly beat former track world champion Linet Masai 32:13. Third best Spanish Diana Martin 32:32. Marta Dominguez was 7th 33:59, European medalist Natalia Rodriguez 9th 34:41 and Jessica Augusto of Portugal 10th 35:00. Olympic 10 000 m medalist Tariku Bekele was the best male in 28:29. Second Ayad Lamdassem 28:45 and third Roberto Alaiz 29:08 ahead of Manuel Penas 29:21.

KENYANS IN SAO PAULO

SAO PAULO (BRA, Dec 31): The classical 88th edition of Sao Silvestre here was dominated by Kenyans. Edwin Kipsang won the men 15 km in 44:05 ahead of Joseph Aperumoi 44:14 and Mark Korir 44:20. Best Brazilian Giovani dos Santos was fourth in 44:51. Maurine Kipchumba as best woman clocked 51:42 with Juma Sakilu of Tanzania third 52:11 and Elizabeth Rumokol third 52:50.

C. HARRER AND KIPSIRO

TRIER (GER, Dec 31): Corrina Harrer won the 5 km at Silvesterlauf here in 16:05 ahead of Sabrina Mockenhaupt (16:13) who could not so register and fourth win here. Third Anna Hahner 16:16 and fourth best Kenyan Cynthia Kosgei 16:19. Ugandan Moses Kipsiro won the men 8 km in 22:41. Kenyans followed with Dickson Kimutai 22:43 and Alex Kibet 22:45. Best European German Arne Gabius as 7th in 23:06.

MEUCCI BEATS LALLI

ROMA (ITA, Dec 31): European medalist Daniele Meucci won the 2nd edition We Run Rome 10 km in 28:45. Second Kenyan Nicholas Togom 28:51 and third European CC Champion Andrea Lalli 28:57. Portugal legend Rui Silva was fifth in 30:11. Ethiopian Embet Bedada was the best woman in 32:37, second Nadia Ejjafini 33:17 and third Ukrainian Tetyana Holovchenko 33:59.

OTHER ROAD RESULTS

NEW YORK (USA, Dec 31): While a 20-minute-long fireworks display boomed overhead, Delilah DiCrescenzo (21:07) and Christian Thompson (18:49) of the NJ-NY Track Club won 34th Emerald Nuts Midnight Run in Central Park in comfortably cold conditions. About 4000 fun-runners, many in festive costumes, finished the hilly four-mile race behind them. From RRW.

SOEST (NED, Dec 31): Ethiopian Sifan Hassan won the women 6 km at Sylvestercross in Netherlands with 22:30. Second Belgian veteran Veerle Dejaeghere 22:32 and third Almensh Belete 22:45. Home Khalid Choukoud won the men 10.4 km in 34:56 ahead of two Belgians Soufiane Bouchikhi 35:41 and Abdelhadi El Hachimi 35:47.

BIETIGHEM (GER, Dec 31): Rico Schwarz clearly won at 11.1 km in 33:47 here, top woman was Jana Soethout 38:14 ahead of Katharina Heinig 38:47.

SOEST (GER, Dec 31): Favorite Torsten Graw won the 31st Silvester Run from Werl to Soest at 15 km with 45:59. Top woman was Nina Stocker in 55:16.

VITORIA (ESP, Dec 31): Ethiopian Waka Chaltu won the women race at 4.8 km at the 30th Vitoria-Gasteiz race in 21:35. Second Marta Tigabea 21:49 and third Jewar Rehida 23:02. Ivan Fernandez topped the men field in 19:06 beating Ethiopian Moleta Baisa 19:18 and Ugandan Moses Kibet 19:23.

BEASAIN (ESP, Dec 31): Hamid El Mouaziz of Morocco won the 39th San Silvestre race in 25:44 at 9 km. Second Mohammed Blal 25:49 and third Hicham El Amrani 25:52. Malika Asahssah was the best woman in 30:28.

CREVILLENTE (ESP, Dec 31): Eritrean Kiflom Slum was the best at 26th San Silvestre Crevillentina with 29:06 at 10 km. Second Abderrahim El Asri 29:45 and third Kidane Tadese 29:57. Moroccan Khadija Sammah topped the women field after 33:59 ahead of Azucena Diaz 34:19 and Fatima Ayachi 34:53.

BERLIN (GER, Dec 31): Johannes Riewe (34:00) and Birte Schulz (40:25) are the senior winners at the 37th Berlin Silvesterlauf.

GERSTHOFEN (GER, Dec 31): German CC Champion Tobias Grobl won the 46th race in Gersthofen with 29:19 at 9.7 km. German marathon champion 2005 Monika Schuri won the women race in 36:21.

NURNBERG (GER, Dec 31): New course record 29:18 at 10 km by Manuel Stockert at 10th Silvesterlauf. Triathlon specialist Kristin Moller was the best woman in 36:58.

HERNE (GER, Dec 31): Steffen Uliczka in 30:10 and Eleni Gebrehiwot in 33:09 won the Silvesterlauf of Herne.

GIPPINGEN (SUI, Dec 31): Eritrean Uqubit Berhane won the Stausee-Lauf at 7.53 km in 22:11 ahead of PortugalÂ´s Bruno Albuquerque 22:44. Swiss Joelle Fluck was the top woman at 7.53 km (26:53) 21 seconds ahead of Ethiopian Bayush Eshtuu.

GOTEBORG (SWE, Dec 31): Musael Temshegen of Eritrea won the Goteborg Sylvesterloppet at 10 km in 31:33. Top woman Charlotta Fougberg 35:26.

MAEBASHI (JPN, Jan 1): Konica Minolta won in 4:51:32 the New YearÂ´s ekiden ahead of Toyota Kushu 4:55:24 and Honda 4:55:25.

CHIA (COL, Dec 31): Colombian Erika Abril who is London Marathon olympian won the 26th San Silvestre de Chia at 12 km with 39:10. In men 15 km Ethiopian Alene Reta won in 49:08 ahead of Kenyan Eric Kimaiyo 50:02 and best home runner Jose Alirio Carrasco 50:32.

AMADORA (POR, Dec 31): Manuel Damiao and Sara Moreira won the 38th edition of Sao Silvestre da Amadora. Damiao clocked 29:29 ahead of MoldovaÂ´s Roman Prodius 29:57 and Eritrean Amanuel Mesel 29:58. Moreira was more clear winner in 32:42 at the 10 km. Second Clarisse Cruz was timed with 34:33 and third Nazareth Weldu of Eritrea 34:45. Latvian marathon runner Jelena Prokopcuka was 8th in 36:31.

GALDAKAO (ESP, Dec 31): Sergio Sanchez won the San Silvestre de Galdakao in 24:40 at 8.4 km. Second Kenyan Emmanuel Kipsang 24:41 and third Hamid El Mouaziz of Morocco 24:44. Ethiopian Trihas Gebre won the women 4.2 km in 13:52. Second Spanish Paula Gonzalez 14:07 and third Malika Asahssah of Morocco 14:12.

SZYDLOW (POL, Dec 31): Radoslaw Kleczek won the oldest Silvester Race in Poland, the 33rd edition here in 24:01 at 8 km. Second Ukrainian Dmytro Lashyn 24:12. Women winner Hanna Hosenko of Ukraine clocked 27:22 ahead of another Ukrainian Olena Burkovska 27:26 and Belarus Svitlana Kudelic 27:27.

OTHER RESULTS

TOKYO (JPN, Jan 1): Winners of traditional New Year Walk were Takumi Saito 1:23:41 in men 20 km and Kumi Otoshi 44:45 in women 10 km.

SALO (FIN, Dec 30): Minna Nikkanen cleared solid 430 in indoor women pole vault.

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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