Outdoor Sports

Los Angeles boasts a number of landmarks. And on Sunday, around 13,000 runners will get to take in the sights and sounds of the second-largest city in the United States while participating in this year's Los Angeles Marathon.

If it seems a bit late in the year for the L.A. Marathon, that's because it is. The event is typically held in March, but it was pushed back because of coronavirus pandemic. It was originally moved to May 23, but rising coronavirus cases saw it postponed once more.

"We know we were one of the lucky races able to run in 2020, when so many were postponed," Los Angeles Marathon spokesman Dan Cruz said, per Ryan Carter and Holly Andres of the Los Angeles Daily News. "And now to be the last big city marathon in the U.S. [of the year] is going to be special."

Here's everything you need to know heading into the 36th running of the L.A. Marathon.

2021 Los Angeles Marathon Information

When: Sunday, Nov. 7

Start Time: 6:30 a.m. PT

Starting location: Dodger Stadium

Course map: Available on LAMarathon.com

For runners who have participated in the Los Angeles Marathon in the past, things are going to feel a bit different this year. Not just because it's occurring in the fall, either.

The L.A. Marathon has a new 26.2-mile course this year with the theme of Stadium to the Stars. Runners will begin at Dodger Stadium and then run through the streets of Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Westwood and Brentwood before reaching the finish line at Avenue of the Stars in Century City.

Wheelchair participants will get the event underway Sunday at 6:30 a.m. PT. The elite women's runners will set off at 6:45 a.m. PT, and the elite men take off at 6:55 a.m. PT along with the rest of the field.

The Finish Festival will be taking place at Century Park from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. PT.

Because the race is happening in the streets of L.A., there will be some road closures throughout the city, beginning at 4 a.m. PT, all of which have been listed by Holly Andres of the Los Angeles Daily News.

While the field may not be as big as in past years, there will likely be some strong competitors, as all 50 states and 50 countries will be represented.

The men's record for the race is held by Ethiopia's Markos Geneti, who finished in two hours, six minutes and 35 seconds in 2011. The women's record is 2:25:10, which was set by Russia's Lidiya Grigoryeva in 2006.

Last year's winners were Ethiopia's Bayelign Teshager (2:08:26) in the men's race and Kenya's Margaret Muriuki (2:29:27) in the women's race.

Because the race is taking place amid the pandemic, there are some COVID-19 protocols in place. Runners will have to show either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test, as will staff, volunteers, media and spectators.

There will still be plenty of people attending the event to support the runners and cheer them along.

"Spectators make the experience for the runners," Cruz said, per Carter and Andres. "We're encouraging the community to come out, make a sign and support your friend or neighbor who's pounding the pavement to achieve a bucket list goal."

So while there will be some noticeable differences from past years, the Los Angeles Marathon will still be a fun event for participants and spectators alike, as the city will be on display for this marquee race.

Benson Kipruto secured a first-place finish at the Boston Marathon with a time of two hours, nine minutes and 51 seconds.

Fellow Kenyan runner Diani Chemtai Kipyogei came in first in the women's field on Sunday, finishing the 26.2-mile run in two hours, 24 minutes and 50 seconds.

The annual race had been held every year in April since starting 1897 until the 2020 version was cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This year's race was then postponed to the fall before finally taking place after a 30-month hiatus.

Kipruto outlasted a loaded men's field to win his third career marathon after previously winning gold at the 2021 Prague Marathon and the 2018 Toronto Marathon.  

American CJ Albertson jumped out in front by the halfway point and led for about an hour and 43 minutes, per CBS Boston. Former winner Geoffrey Kirui took over the lead, but it was Kipruto who pulled away for the eventual win.

The 30-year-old finished 46 seconds ahead of 2016 winner Lemi Berhanu as both the men's and women's competitions were decided by less than a minute:

Kipyogei was competing in her first major marathon, having won the 2020 Istanbul Marathon as her biggest achievement to date at this distance. She also had success in half-marathons, but the 27-year-old took a major step up in competition Sunday and came out on top.

Colin Bennie finished in seventh in the men's side as the top American, while Nell Rojas had the best United States finish on the women's side in sixth place.

Nobody was faster in their respective races in the Windy City on Sunday than Seifu Tura and Ruth Chepngetich.

Tura and Chepngetich won the 2021 men's and women's Chicago Marathon, respectively, in impressive fashion.

Here is a look at the top finishers, per the event's official website:

Men's Chicago Marathon Top Finishers

1. Seifu Tura (ETH), 2:06:12

2. Galen Rupp (USA), 2:06:35

3. Eric Kiptanui (KEN), 2:06:51

Women's Chicago Marathon Top Finishers

1. Ruth Chepngetich (KEN), 2:22:31

2. Emma Bates (USA), 2:24:20

3. Sara Hall (USA), 2:27:19

According to John Silver of the Chicago Sun-Times, there were runners from all 50 states and 100 countries in total at the 26.2-mile race that was canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The course started and ended in Grant Park and went through 29 neighborhoods across the city.

Nobody went through those 29 neighborhoods at a better clip than Tura, who is no stranger to the course. NBC Chicago noted he finished in sixth place at the event in 2019 but was able to secure his first major marathon win with Sunday's effort.

American Galen Rupp, who won the Chicago Marathon in 2017, finished in second place.

As for Chepngetich, Sunday was her first race in the United States, per NBC Chicago.

She made quite the impression with a victory of nearly two minutes over Americans Emma Bates and Sara Hall.

It's no surprise Chepngetich won considering she also counts victories in Dubai, Istanbul (twice) and the 2019 IAAF World Championships on her illustrious resume.

A talented field of runners is set to participate in the 2021 Chicago Marathon. And after not having the event last year because of complications involving the coronavirus pandemic, it will be exciting to have the event back in the Windy City on Sunday morning.

That doesn't mean things are completely back to normal, though. The 43rd running of the Chicago Marathon is going to have some COVID-19 protocols in place to keep the runners safe. Everybody taking part in the race has to show proof of vaccination or a negative test result, while face coverings are required at indoor event venues.

Because of the policies, the Chicago Marathon is able to be held for the first time in two years. The 26.2-mile race will start and finish in Grant Park, as more than 35,000 runners will navigate the city's streets in front of spectators and go through numerous neighborhoods in between.

Here's everything else you need to know about this year's marathon.

2021 Chicago Marathon Information

When: Sunday, Oct. 10

Start Time: 7:30 a.m. ET

Course Map: Available on ChicagoMarathon.com

Road Closures: A full list of road closures is available at ChicagoMarathon.com.

The Chicago Marathon has featured top competitors for many years. This iteration of the event will be no different.

Galen Rupp was the last American man to win the Chicago Marathon in 2017. However, he didn't finish the 2019 edition of the event because of injury.

After winning at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and competing at the Tokyo Games earlier this year, Rupp is seeking redemption on Sunday.

"Definitely I want to come in here and win, first and foremost," Rupp said, per Cindy Kuzma of Runner's World. "And I think if we can get a great time in there, that'd be a nice added bonus."

When Rupp won this race in 2017, he finished in two hours, nine minutes and 20 seconds. That wasn't the men's record for the event, though, which was set in 2013 by Kenya's Dennis Kimetto, who had a time of 2:03:45.

On the women's side, the record belongs to Kenya's Brigid Kosgei, who won the race in both 2018 and 2019. She finished in 2:14:04 in 2019. However, she won't be competing this year after she ran the London Marathon last week.

So that means there will be a new women's champion in Chicago this year. And one likely top contender is American Sara Hall, who has a chance to set a record of her own during the marathon.

No American woman has completed a marathon in a time faster than 2:19:36, a mark that was set by Deena Kastor at the 2006 London Marathon. If Hall can beat that time on Sunday in Chicago, perhaps she'll also be victorious at the event for the first time.

"When I thought about where I wanted to chase the American record, I thought it would be more exciting to do it at home, in the U.S., and Chicago is such an epic race," Hall said, per NBC 5 News in Chicago.

There also won't be a repeat champion on the men's side. Kenya's Lawrence Cherono isn't running the race after winning with a time of 2:05:45 in 2019.

Although the most recent champions won't be competing, there are likely to be some impressive times posted by those who are taking part. So this Chicago Marathon should be as exciting and competitive as it has been in previous years.  

Hayden Holman died at the age of 22 shortly after he collapsed near the finish line while running the 26-mile St. George Marathon in Utah on Saturday.

"He called (family members) when he was two minutes from the finish line to make sure someone was there to take a picture," his stepmother, Karin Holman, said, per Nate Sunderland of the EastIdahoNews.com. "But he never showed up."

Though emergency personnel administered CPR and were able to get Holman's heart beating again, he eventually died in the hospital.

Holman was from Idaho and attended Brigham Young University-Idaho.

The official cause of death is unknown, although there are plans to perform an autopsy.

The 44th running of the San Francisco Marathon took place Sunday.

Judith Corachan finished with the fastest women's time at 2:55.20. Greg Billington completed the 26.2-mile race with the fastest men's time at 2:20.47.

Per runraceresults.com, all race results are unofficial until two weeks after race day.

Weston Strum (2:23.39) and Joseph Darda (2:31.24) rounded out the top three on the men's side. Elena Makarevich (3:10.26) and Emily Haggerty (3:13.02) finished second and third behind Corachan.

Corachan, a pro triathlete, won the Spanish Long Distance Championship in June. She also finished fifth at Challenge Anfi Mogan Gran Canaria in April.

Last year, Corachan took third at the Sitges Half Marathon.

Billington, a triathlete, recently won a gold medal as a sighted guide for Brad Snyder at the Tokyo Summer Paralympic Games in the Paratriathlon PTVI category.

He also won two marathons in 2019: the San Francisco Marathon and the Pyramids Marathon in Egypt.

The 32-year-old also finished 37th at the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials.

After the 2020 San Francisco Marathon was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, things are back to normal in 2021. Well, closer to normal.

There will be an organized marathon taking place, although it's a bit later than usual. Normally, the San Francisco Marathon is held in July, but this year's race was pushed back to September. And not everybody will be running the marathon course, as there is a virtual option for participants.

Also, there will be some areas of the course that will require runners to wear masks because of COVID-19 restrictions on property owned by national parks, which will be marked with signs.

Still, the San Francisco Marathon is back, and that's better than not having it at all. And it should be a fun and exciting weekend for those who are running and for the spectators who go to cheer them on.

Here's everything you need to know about this year's marathon weekend.

2021 San Francisco Marathon Information

When: Sunday, Sept. 19

Start Time: 5:40 a.m. PT

Starting location: The waterfront at Mission Street and The Embarcadero

Course maps: Available on TheSFMarathon.com

While not all participating runners will be going through the streets of San Francisco at the same time on Sunday morning, there will be enough for the event to cause some road closures in the city. The marathon has also put together some suggested detours to help those driving around San Francisco that day.

All of that information can be found at the marathon's official website.

While the full marathon is the main attraction and will be taking place early Sunday morning, there are plenty of other races and events taking place this weekend. And the festivities will actually get underway Saturday.

There will be a 5K fun run taking place Saturday morning at 9 a.m. PT. The 3.1-mile race takes place within the Presidio and will feature plenty of great sights, including the bay, Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge. For those looking to do a shorter race, this is always a fun event.

Everything else will be taking place Sunday. After the full marathon gets underway, there will also be two half marathons, a 10K and a 5K. This gives people of various skill levels the opportunity to get involved in the event and take in everything San Francisco has to offer while on a run.

For those signing up for a virtual race, it can be completed any time between Friday at noon PT and Monday at noon PT. Participants will download the Virtual San Francisco Marathon app to participate.

Those who run the virtual race can then use the app to see how they stack up against other participants.

At the conclusion of the races, there will be some more noticeable differences. There won't be a beer garden or sponsor activities, and results will only be available online. According to the event's website, the post-race festival will be "limited to essential elements only: finish chute, medical support, pickup of challenge medals, shirt exchange and race day information."

The San Francisco Marathon has a long history, as the event was first held in 1977. The course has undergone changes over the years, with the most notable coming in 2002, when the full marathon added a run across the Golden Gate Bridge to the course route.

Since then, the men's record belongs to Francois Lhuissier of France (2 hours, 25 minutes and 15 seconds) and the women's mark is owned by Anna Bretan of the United States (2:42:26), both of whom set their records in 2013.

Don't get too used to the San Francisco Marathon taking place in September, though, as next year's race has already been announced for July 24, 2022. 

Professional bull rider Amadeu Campos Silva died at the age of 22 in Fresno, California, after suffering chest injuries when he was stomped on by a bull during an event.

Professional Bull Riders CEO Sean Gleason shared the news in a statement Sunday:

It is with extremely heavy hearts that we report that Amadeu Campos Silva passed away at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, Calif. where he had been transported following a severe accident during his bull ride at today's PBR Velocity Tour event.

The entire PBR and western sports family extend our thoughts, prayers, and heartfelt condolences to Amadeu's family and friends.

Josh Peter of USA Today noted Silva lost his seat on Classic Man during the second round.

The Velocity Tour is the level below the PBR's top tour.

PBR spokesperson Andrew Giangola said, per Peter: "This was not an act of aggression. The bull was bucking in his normal pattern. Amadeu's spur got hung up in the flank rope, and he was pulled under the bull in a freak accident."

Peter reported Silva lived in Texas with his parents, who accompanied him from Brazil when he joined the PBR's United States tour.

A two-year-old filly scheduled to race at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming in Henderson, Kentucky on Saturday escaped from the track and took off for a nearby highway.

Per the Associated Press, Bold and Bossy got loose as she approached the starting gate for her race, throwing jockey Miguel Mena off before heading to US-41 and then Interstate 69 and Veterans Memorial Parkway for a brief moment.

Trainers, police and the sheriff's department tracked down the horse, who was thankfully able to avoid serious injuries. The AP provided more information, with Bold and Bossy owner-trainer Michael Ann Ewing giving details:

Bold and Bossy lost two shoes, and a hind hoof knocked some flesh off the heel of a front foot during her escapade, but she wasn't seriously injured. [Owner-trainer Michael Ann Ewing] said the filly was cramping from dehydration when she was finally corralled by a man and his wife.

Blake Sandlin of Eyewitness News relayed video of the horse galloping down the highway:

Per Byron King of Bloodhorse, Bold and Bossy got loose for roughly 30 minutes around Ellis Park after bucking Mena, who was unharmed and able to ride in other events later in the day.

Video of Bold and Bossy breaking loose can be seen in this linked Ellis Park Racing YouTube clip at the 45:24 mark. The moment occurred prior to the day's opener, a $30,000 maiden claiming race.

Ewing also gave King a further update on the filly's status and what will be done from here to help her recover from the horrifying ordeal.

Ewing noted at 3 p.m. CT Saturday that Bold and Bossy was in an Ellis Park stall, receiving fluids. She said her onsite assistant and Ellis Park veterinarian reported the filly was 'really dehydrated and severely tied up.'

Ewing said Bold and Bossy would return to her stable at The Thoroughbred Center after being given time to recuperate at Ellis Park. She said the filly would continue to undergo veterinary examination and would be given adequate time to mentally and physically recover from Saturday's incident.

The debutant Bold and Bossy, who was the No. 4 horse, ended up being scratched. The race did occur despite the pre-race incident, with Johnnyslittlegirl winning.

Molly Seidel's third-ever marathon ended with her winning bronze at the Tokyo Olympics.

The 27-year-old American long-distance runner finished third in the women's marathon with a time of 2:27:46.

Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir (2:27:20) and Brigid Kosgei (2:27:36) took first and second, respectively.

Seidel is a decorated long-distance runner who dominated during her time at Notre Dame, winning the 2015 NCAA Division I cross-country championship.

She was also the champion in the 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter races at the 2016 NCAA Division I indoor track-and-field championships.

Seidel has since represented Team USA in numerous international competitions. Her first-ever marathon occurred at the U.S. Olympic trials in February 2020, when she took second.

Seidel's second marathon was in London, where she finished sixth in the field in October 2020.