In this podcast episode, George Hirsch and I look back at the biggest running stories and events of the year. Would you believe that several big men's marathon races were closer than Melissa Jefferson Wooden's typical victory margin in the 100 meters?
Here Benson Kipruto edges out Alexander Mutiso in the NYC Marathon. Kipruto became the first male marathoner to have won Boston, Chicago, and New York in his career. (Ingrid Kristiansen has achieved the Triple for females.)
Other male marathon highlights: Sebastian Sawe won his second and third big marathons (London; Berlin) in three marathon starts, all with times in the low 2:02s. His 2:02:16 in Berlin, after extensive pre-race drug testing, was the fastest time of the year. And American Conner Mantz took a big chunk off the American Record for the marathon when he ran 2:04:43 at Chicago.
On the women's side, Peres Jepchirchir won a thrilling World Championships Marathon in Tokyo, but then couldn't hold off Joyciline Jepkosgei in Valencia in December. Jepkosgei won there in 2:14:00, the fastest time of the year.
The World Championships produced a surprising result in the men's 5000 and 10,000 when seven of the top ten finishers (including both winners) were NOT from East Africa. Cole Hocker picked up his second gold medal in two years, winning the 5000 in Tokyo after taking the 1500 in the Paris Olympics.
Melissa Jefferson Wooden was the standout sprinter of the year, winning almost everything she entered by a wide margin. For some reason we can't fathom, World Athletics didn't name her the top female speedster of the year, giving the nod to Sydney McLaughlin Levrone, who was sensational as always. But ...???
And those high schoolers, OMG! A 16 year old high school sophomore from Texas, Cooper Lutkenhaus, finished second in the USATF National Champs 800 with a time of 1:42.27. That approaches the unimaginable.
Jane Hedengren posted record performance after record performance in 2025, first as a high school runner in Utah, then as a first year student at BYU.
Lutkenhaus and Hedengren are already being termed "generational talents" and they might hit that lofty peak in another year or two.
Possibly the biggest story of the year, and a depressing one, was the implosion of Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track league. It didn't draw big fan crowds, and turned out not to have sufficient funds to pay all creditors. Now in bankruptcy court but claiming it hopes to continue, GST will continue as a big story in 2026.
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