It’s been a few weeks since the Chicago Marathon ran its course and still that world-record time — 2:09:56 — is etched into my running mind, and it’s blinking.
The way Kenya’s Ruth Chepng’etich stormed to her third win in four years at Chicago, becoming the first female to break the 2:11 and 2:10 barriers, is the stuff that legends — and skeptics — are made of.
Chepng’etich’s effort shattered the record of Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, who ran a 2:11:53 at the 2023 Berlin Marathon. Sifan Hassan’s third-best time of 2:13:44 almost seems pedestrian at this point.
It’s natural to wonder what is and what isn’t real in the ever-changing world of women’s sports, an arena where records seem to fall by the day. But instead of expending my energy on pondering about doping, I’m going to instead ask a two-part question: Is it possible she did this the clean way? And if she did, how awesome is that?
Chepng’etich won Chicago for the first time in 2021 in 2:22:31. That time dropped to 2:14:18 when she repeated as winner in 2022. Which brings us to this year, when she shaved well over four minutes off her previous best time.
Could it be the shoes? Chepng’etich was wearing Nike’s Alphafly 3 shoes, which feature a full-length carbon plate and foam insole, among other features, designed to return energy back to the runner. The recent advances in shoe technology also seem to coincide, if not correlate with, a 10-year assault on the marathon record books over the last 10 years.
Could it be the pacers? In the last Foot Notes, we talked about Tara Dower being a “race car” on her quest to securing the fastest known time (FKT) record on the Appalachian Trail. Much like Dower, Chepng’etich leaned heavily on her pacers, both males, to help guide the day. Instead of focusing on strategy, she was able devote her energy solely to the act of running fast. The inclusion of pacers in races has long been a heated topic of discussion, but is currently legal in all World Major Marathons.
The last question to ponder: Could it be possible that the self-coached, 30-year-old single mother is simply a hard-working product of her Kenyan environment?
Keep in mind that as much our parents and grandparents like to claim they “walked 10 miles” to school everyday, this is literally the case for children today in Kenya. These runners spend their lives living and training at high altitude, while also competing against some of the best the world has to offer — each other — in their own backyard.
With all of these things in mind, you won’t find me diving into a rabbit hole of doping conspiracy.
Instead I’ll be celebrating. What else can we do?
1 STEP BACK, 3 STEPS FORWARD
Headlamps were a must-have item for runners at last weekend’s End of the Road Half Marathon in Waterfall, a dual-race event which sent competitors through the dark and rugged tunnels of the abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike.
In Saturday’s race, a quartet of Chambersburg runners all nailed down AG award performances: James Kinton (1:34:56), Ron Taylor (1:42:02), Richard Myers (1:54:19), and Kim Taylor (2:01:15).
Area runners were even more locked in for Sunday’s race, as Greencastle’s Matthew Smith (3rd in 1:31:54) and Joe Trace (5th in 1:36:09), and Chambersburg’s Ian Reid (4th in 1:33:55) and Zachary Hunsberger (8th in 1:38:49) all secured Top finishes in the field of 178 runners.
Lucas Young blasted off for the area’s fastest 5K time in recent weeks at the Hawktoberfest 5K in Hagerstown. Young, from Hagerstown, surged to victory over the 130-runner field in 16:42. Hagerstown’s Cheryl Scholl topped the women’s filed in 20:44, while other top finishes were recorded by Hagerstown’s Yoan Compere (3rd in 19:16), Mike Martin (4th in 20:38), Timeo Compere (6th in 21:08), and Skylar Detrick (8th in 21:38), as well as Chambersburg’s Ryan Applegarth (7th in 21:20).
Staying in Hagerstown, the Tie Dye Run for Freedom 5K/10K drew a combined 81 runners, with locals footprints stamped all over the results sheet. The 5K race was won by Drew Merrill in 19:11 and he was chased by fellow Hagerstown runners Travis Burdette (5th in 27:52), Aaron Palmer (6th in 28:40), and Parker Coyne (9th in 29:46), and Chambersburg’s Nathan Black (10th in 30:21). The Tie Dye 10K featured Top 10 finishes from Smithsburg’s Sam Pietrzak (2nd in 46:48), Hagerstown’s Josh Snyder (3rd in 48:14), Kyle Ritchey (4th in 49:20), and Katlin Bowers (5th in 51:35), and Chambersburg’s Cliff Ocker (7th in 52:31).
Danielle Portier, of Fayetteville, finished as the top female in 21:39 at the SU Military Science 5K in Shippensburg. Portier led a group that includes Fayetteville’s Brian Portier (25:03) and Kyle Koons (26:27), and Waynesboro’s Tracy Bonebrake Miller (27:35). The SU Military Science 10K featured Top 10 finishes from Chambersburg’s Cliff Ocker (2nd in 53:57), Donald Grier (5th in 1:09:26), and Lori Helman (7th in 1:18:07).
From Baltimore to Chicago to Detroit, marathoners from the Local.News area have been all over the country in recent weeks. We’ll start in Baltimore, where Hagerstown’s Zane Schreiber completed the marathon in 3:57:38. The Baltimore Half Marathon saw Smithsburg’s Jonah Smith (1:16:09) and Hagerstown’s John Brown (1:21:42) throw down incendiary times.
The Chicago Marathon saw solid finishes from Hagerstown’s Isaac Montgomery (3:29:43) and David Ulrich (4:05:07), Fairfield’s Rio Strosnider (3:45:50), and Chambersburg’s Cherianne Martin (4:14:02). Jake Gates, of Hagerstown, ran a 4:17:10 at the Detroit International Marathon, while Waynesboro’s James Clapsaddle posted a 6:02:24 at the Mount Desert Island Marathon in Bar Harbor, Maine. Closer to home, in Scranton, the Steamtown Marathon included finishes from Chambersburg’s Sherah Blankenship (5:06:12), Joshua Blankenship (5:06:15), and Jacinta Swope (5:10:05).
Off-road runners also got their fix with a handful of rugged races. In Williamsport, Md., the Boulder Dash 5 Miler/5K drew the attention of several locals, including Waynesboro’s Carrie Hott, who finished as top female in the five-mile race in 43:27. DJ Smallwood claimed third place in 40:38, while fellow Hagerstown runner Matthew Chaney competed in the 5K and finished 10th in 29:54.
The Local.News area was also represented at two other trail events: The Oil Creek 25K/50K in Titusville and the Rocky Gap 25K/50K in Flintstone, Md. Fayetteville’s Sydney Curfman (4:11:37) and Stephen Xereas (4:11:37) completed the Oil Creek 25K, while Greencastle’s Rick Burkett finished the 50K in 8:20:11. Tim Skoczen, of Fairfield, finished seventh overall in 5:48:20 at the Rocky Gap 50K, while Hagerstown’s Ellen Bentz zipped through the 25K in 3:08:35 to take second in the 50-59 AG.
A number of others were active in races across the region and beyond, including Greencastle’s Christopher Durica (2:35:25 at Buffalo Creek Half Marathon), Fayetteville’s Amanda Kaiser-Jones (2:27:33 at Iron Horse Half Marathon), Chambersburg’s Zach Johle (36:13 at Pittsburgh Penguins 6.6K) and Tesa Stinson (2:12:59 at Detroit Half Marathon), Fairfield’s Ronald Black (1:03:24 at Black Hills XC 10K) and Abigail LeGare (15 miles in 3:01:10 at Rick O’Donnell 4 Hour), Smithsburg’s Sean Allen (29:25 at Spook Hill Cider & Wine 4 Mile Run), and Hagerstown’s Gary Rupert (27:36 at Freedom’s Run 5K), Christopher Hohl (52:29 at Rick O’Donnell 5 Miler; 25 miles in 5:58:52 at Rick O’Donnell 8 Hour), Andy Martin (46:13 at Freedom’s Run 10K), Elizabeth Fisher (57:50 at Baltimore 10K), Zach Tussing (1:48:53 at Freedom’s Run Half Marathon), Juliana Brechbill (2:06:31 at Myrtle Beach Half Marathon), and Dave Grimm (4:40:24 at Freedom’s Run Marathon).
And now, a look ahead:
Crusaders Cross Country Challenge: Saturday, 9:30 a.m., in Hagerstown, Md. Hit the racepaths at Washington County Regional Park for this race, which benefits the St. Mary Catholic School’s tuition assistance fund. Find more info on runsignup.com.
Adams County Haunted Wine Run 5K: Sunday, 11 a.m., in Orrtanna. Whether you enjoy running, walking, or wine, this event has a little bit of something for everyone. Find the race on runsignup.com.
Go Girls Go 5K: Saturday, Nov. 2, 9 a.m., in Chambersburg. Celebrate the Go Girls Go running program with this semi-annual race. All ages, genders, and running levels are welcome. Check out the race on timberhilltiming.com.
Also: Apoca-Lititz 5K (Saturday, in Lititz); Gritty 5K (Saturday, in Philadelphia); Harrisburg Halloween Run 5K (Saturday, in Harrisburg); Haunted 1M/5K/10K (Saturday, in Manheim); Luau 5K/10K/15K/Half Marathon (Saturday, in Hughesville); Shades of Death 10 Miler (Saturday, in Avella); Jonny Tomasello Memorial 5K (Sunday, in Biglerville); Kegs and Eggs Halloween 5K (Sunday, in Manheim); Run for the Rescues 5K (Sunday, in Landisville); Trick or Trot 5K (Sunday, in Elizabethville); Tussey Mountainback 50 Mile (Sunday, in Boalsburg); EAATS Flight Line 5K (Saturday, Nov. 2, in Annville); Lions’ Chase 5K (Saturday, Nov. 2, in Millersburg); Mushroom Cap Half Marathon (Saturday, Nov. 2, in Kennett Square); Pain in Green Lane Trail 25K/50K (Saturday, Nov. 2, in Green Lane); Pirate 1M/5K/10K (Saturday, Nov. 2, in New Cumberland); Pirate 1M/5K/10K/15K/Half Marathon (Saturday, Nov. 2, in Biglerville); Trick or Trot 5K (Saturday, Nov. 2, in Camp Hill); Pittsburgh 10 Miler (Sunday, Nov. 3, in Pittsburgh); Gulliver’s Run 5K (Sunday, Nov. 3, in Lewisberry); The View 25K (Sunday, Nov. 3, in Hyner); Veterans Marathon (Sunday, Nov. 3, in Blairsville).
