Event Operator 

(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Published with permission. EUGENE (02-Aug) -- On the penultimate day of the 2025 Toyota USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, Nikki Hiltz and Jonah Koech won ultra-competitive 1500m finals with sizzling kicks.  Hiltz, 30, a former Arkansas Razorback, won their third straight title in 4:03.15, winning a two-up sprint against Sinclaire Johnson.  Koech, 28, was an upset winner in a championships record and personal best 3:30.17.  He beat both Olympic medalists in the race, Cole Hocker (who finished third) and Yared Nuguse (who was fifth).  Both Hiltz and Koech locked-in team berths for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo next month. Hiltz Wins Again Hiltz, who finished seventh in the Paris Olympics in 2024, saw the race set up exactly as they like.  Hiltz was happy to have Laurie Barton take the field through the first 400m in a gentle 67.9 seconds, and Hiltz was tucked in third position with key rival Johnson one place ahead.  With Barton still on the front, Hiltz stayed in the front-third of the pack through 800m (2:15.9) and knew that the pace would heat up soon. "I knew it was going to be, like, a really fast last four (hundred meters)," Hiltz told reporters.  "It was going to come down to positioning.  I just got a good position." Johnson came to the front at the bell, and Hiltz, Emily Mackay, Heather MacLean and Dani Jones all reacted.  Johnson led through 1200m with a 63.9-second lap with Mackay and Hiltz close behind.  Johnson knew she needed to keep the pace high to take away some of Hiltz's advantage in closing speed. "I figured it was going to be more (a) sit and kick race," Johnson told reporters.  "Just wanted to stay out of trouble and be ready for any moves." Johnson led Hiltz around the final bend, then the defending champion shifted into high gear. Hiltz passed Johnson to win by 62/100ths of a second, 4:03.15 to 4:03.77.  Mackay was a clear third in 4:04.38 more than a second ahead of her former training partner Heather MacLean (4:05.60).  Jones finished fifth in 4:05.62, her highest placing at a national outdoor championships. "I knew we were going to go hard on the backstretch," said Hiltz.  "Sinclaire definitely pushed it.  I just told myself, be patient, be patient, be patient.  Then with 150 to go that's where my coach was like, with 150 to go you can let it rip.  I was kind of holding back until then." Johnson, who made the World Athletics Championships teams for both 2022 and 2023 but finished fourth at last summer's Olympic Trials, was very pleased to make another national team, her second this year (she finished sixth in the World Athletics Indoor Championships in the 1500m last March). "My main goal was to win today," said Johnson, who is coached by her fiancé fiance Craig Nowak.  "I felt like I did the best that I could to hold Nikki off, especially on that backstretch."  She continued: "I'm really stoked with it.  The goal was always to get to Tokyo." Koech Upsets Olympic Medalists The men's 1500m figured to be a rematch between the Olympic medalists Hocker (gold) and Nuguse (bronze), and the race began with Nuguse controlling the pace from the front.  The American record holder for the mile went to the front early in the first lap and took the field through 400 meters in an honest 56.3 seconds.  Then with laps of 58.4 and 56.0 Nuguse stayed on the front through 1200 meters.  That was his plan, he said. "I ran it how I wanted to," said Nuguse.  "Going out there, grinding it.  I've done it before.  I felt confident doing it again." With 200 meters to go, Nuguse still had the lead.  Lined up behind him were 2024 Olympian Hobbs Kessler, Hocker, and 3:48 miler Ethan Strand, who just finished his NCAA career at the University of North Carolina.  Koech was only in sixth position, but was coming fast. "If it was slow or faster I was ready for that because I trained for that," Koech said.  "I was trying to everything, whatever was needed, to be up with these guys."  He added: "It was my day." Koech, who was only in seventh place with a lap to go, blazed a 52.91-second final lap, and moved from third to first in the final 100m.  Nuguse struggled in the final 50 meters and would finish fifth, but Strand had the race of his life.  He held off the final charge from Hocker to finish second in a personal best 3:30.25.  Hocker got third in 3:30.37, and Kessler was fourth in 3:31.12. "Maybe went a little too early, but I'm strong enough right now to get to the finish line in the top three," said Strand, whose father Scott was a four-minute miler.  "I definitely went for the win." Rooks and Halladay-Lowry Take Steeplechase Titles In the two other distance finals today Kenneth Rooks and Lexy Halladay-Lowry, who are both from Utah and both went to Brigham Young University, won the 3000m steeplechase titles.  Rooks, 25, the 2024 Olympic silver medalist, controlled the race from the halfway point, squeezing down the laps until he ran the final circuit in 59.1 seconds.  He managed to hold of a hard-charging Daniel Michalski --who trains with Rooks under coach Ed Eyestone-- to win in 8:26.58 to Michalski's 8:26.77.  Benard Keter got third in 8:29.00, beating 2024 Olympian Matthew Wilkinson by 32/100ths of a second. "It was slow, so I just stayed relaxed as long as I could," Rooks said.  "I realized that nobody was going to start squeezing it down so I started squeezing it down, spreading it out a little bit towards the end, and I had the finish to get the win." Michalski's second place finish was a surprise. Five men came into the race with the World Championships entry standard of 8:15 under their belts, but Michalski was not one of them.  But Michalski, who is part of the U.S. Air Force World Class Athlete Program, had run 8:18.40 last month and trusted his training. "I'm just kind of flabbergasted," Michalski told reporters, wearing a cowboy hat.  "I'm trying to have fun with this and I'm just so grateful for Air Force WCAP for supporting me and this lifestyle I get to have as a professional athlete with an active service time." Halladay-Lowry, who just finished her NCAA career at BYU, allowed 2024 Olympian Courtney Wayment to lead the first four laps and tried to remain patient.  She had worked out a hand signal system with her coach, Diljeet Taylor, who would hold her hands like two pistols when it was time to go.  Taylor flashed the signs just before the bell, and Halladay-Lowry surged ahead. "When she gave me the guns then I could go," said Halladay-Lowry, holding her hands like pistols.  "When I saw that, I took it and didn't look back." Halladay-Lowry ran a fast 9:09.14 to take the win.  Behind her, North Carolina State's Angelina Napoleon was chasing hard and held second position to the line.  Kaylee Mitchell, who went to Oregon State University and now lives in Eugene, got third in 9:11.36, barely holding off Krissy Gear, who ran a personal best 9:11.64. Napoleon is only 20 and just finished her sophomore year at NC State.  Hailing from the Upstate, N.Y., village of Allegany (population 1773), her best steeplechase time last year was only 9:54.08.  Now she's headed to the World Athletics Championships. "Absolutely insane," said Napoleon when asked how it felt to make a national team.  She added: "Just being here was such an experience.  Like I said on Thursday (after the prelims) I think that it is anybody's game.  I think that the people that made it really showed that.  It's a young field going (to Tokyo)." Indeed, all three Paris 2024 Olympians --Val Constien, Courtney Wayment and Marisa Howard-- will not be on the team.  Constien, the defending champion, finished seventh today; Wayment was sixth; and Howard did not compete.  Gabbi Jennings, who was having an excellent year with a season's best of 9:06.61, only finished ninth. "You can't forget about the women who really paved the way for us in steeple," Napoleon added.  "That was one of the most insane races I've ever been in in my life." PHOTO: Lexy Halladay-Lowry winning the women's 3000m steeplechase at the 2025 Toyota USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon (Photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly) - - - - - - - The 2025 Toyota USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships continue tomorrow at Hayward Field with finals in the men's and women's 800m and 5000m. PHOTO (top): Jonah Koech winning the men's 1500m at the 2025 Toyota USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon (Photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)

(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Published with permission. EUGENE (31-Jul) -- On the opening day of the 2025 Toyota USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, Emily Infeld and Nico Young won the women's and men's 10,000m, respectively, each earning their first national track titles.  Infeld, 35, who nearly ten years ago won the bronze medal in the same discipline at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing, prevailed in a last lap, four-way battle over Elise Cranny, Taylor Roe and Weini Kelati.  Young, 23, beat defending champion Grant Fisher in a two-up sprint in the homestretch, edging the double Olympic bronze medalist by just 25/100ths of a second. Infeld Bides Her Time Infeld came into tonight's race feeling strong and confident.  After spending 12 years as a Nike-sponsored, she picked up an unexpected sponsorship with Brooks in January, and felt a new motivation to train. "I think especially after my last two years, a lot of people are probably like, she's on the downhill," Infeld admitted.  She continued: "They (Brooks) believed in me and didn't want me to move up to the roads." Tonight she patiently followed Cranny, a two-time Olympian and 2023 national 10,000m champion, who set the early pace.  Cranny ran the first half of the race gently, splitting 5000m in 16:21.52.  That left eight women still in contention: Cranny, Infeld, Taylor Roe, Weini Kelati, Jessica McClain, Karissa Schweizer, Keira D'Amato, and Amanda Vestri.  Infeld was ready for whatever might happen. "I knew I was in good shape, and I was just biding my time," Infeld told reporters.  She continued: "I was like, I'm just going to try to be there, I'm going to try to follow any moves." It wasn't until the eighth kilometer that the race broke up.  Cranny dropped a 71.4-second lap, and the race quickly came down to four: Cranny, Infeld, Roe and Kelati.  Roe made the next move, taking the lead through 8 km, but the pace remained stable and the four women remained together.  On the final lap, Cranny surged on the backstretch, dropping Roe and Kelati, but Infeld was able to hang on.  The two women rounded the final bend together and Infeld pulled away down the homestretch on the strength of a 65.6-second final lap.  Cranny came in second and Roe beat Kelati in the final sprint to take third. "I can't believe it!" Infeld said.  "I'm so happy!" Infeld (31:43.56), Cranny (31:44.24) and Roe (31:45.41) earned provisional spots on the United States team for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September. But since none of them have achieved the entry standard of 30:20.00, they have to hope they can gain entry via their world rankings positions (or, less likely, run the entry standard by August 24).  As it stands now they are well outside of the quota in the official World Athletics Road To Tokyo listing, while Kelati and Karissa Schweizer, who finished sixth, are inside the quota. Back in seventh place, the 40 year-old D'Amato set a new national masters record of 32:19.40.  She used tonight's race as part of her build-up for a fall marathon. Young Gets the Best of Fisher In the men's race the early pace was painfully slow.  The athletes ran laps as pokey as 75.4 seconds, and the halfway split was reached in a tepid 14:54.58.  The key contenders --Young, Fisher, Graham Blanks and Woody Kincaid-- were fine with that as all of them have strong kicks and all possessed the World Championships entry standard of 27:00.00.  Kincaid, who would finish eighth, expected the slow pace. "That's how he races," Kincaid said of Fisher, the defending champion.  "That was kind of his rehearsal in Grand Slam this year (where he won in sprint finishes).  So, I thought he might do that." Fisher waited until four laps to go before dropping the hammer.  He ran a 60.2-second lap through 8800m, then 59.4 through 9200m.  That gave Fisher, Young and Blanks a two-second gap over their nearest chaser, Ahmed Muhumed. On the final lap Young went ahead of Fisher on the backstretch.  Blanks tried to pass him too, but Fisher and Young pulled away, leaving Blanks to finish third.  Down the homestretch, Young was able to out-leg Fisher, running 56.6 seconds for the final lap to Fisher's 57.4.  The top three clocked 29:02.12, 29:02.37 and 29:03.66, respectively.  Young's winning time was the slowest at these championships since 1998. "Once the pace started speeding up I knew I had to match the move as long as I could," Young explained.  "That's honestly all I was thinking for those last four laps until I moved." Fisher said that he didn't quite feel the snap he expected in his legs during the final sprint. "I wanted that win pretty bad," Fisher said.  "Didn't quite have the legs in the last 100 meters.  That's the way it goes sometimes.  Bounce back again for the 5K." Plenty of Qualifying Action in the 800m, 1500m and 3000m Steeplechase The first of three rounds of the 800m for both men and women were also held today.  On the men's side, seven-time national champion Bryce Hoppel led all qualifiers with a mark of 1:45.69 achieved in the first of four heats.  Hoppel, 27, said that he was a little surprised that he needed to run that fast. "It was great," Hoppel told a group of reporters.  "It definitely got out a little faster than I prefer but, you know, we're ready for whatever." Also advancing to the semi-finals was reigning world indoor champion Josh Hoey.  The 25 year-old won the third heat unpressed in 1:47.14 (his brother Jonah finished fifth and also advanced). "What a long journey to get here," said Hoey, who has a season's and personal best of 1:42.01.  "It's had some ups and downs, but this season's been good and we're just trying to continue to build up, try to get a PB, try to make the team." Donavan Brazier, the 2019 world 800m champion who spent most of the last three years sidelined with injuries, advanced easily, literally jogging over the finish line in the fourth and final heat in 1:48.23.  He was clearly grateful to be running again at a high level. "I'm just trying to really enjoy it," said the smiling Brazier.  "When you lose something and get it back you really appreciate it." On the women's side, Sage Hurta-Klecker recorded the only sub-2:00 mark, winning the third of four heats in 1:59.28.  Hurta-Klecker, who finished fifth here in the Olympic Trials last year and fell and broke her wrist in the 2021 Trials, was relieved to get through to the next round with no drama. "After what happened last year I feel like nothing can faze me," said Hurta-Klecker, who added that her training was going well.  "I've had three good low-volume weeks and that's what my body responds to." Athing Mu-Nikolayev --the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion who failed to make the 2024 Paris Olympics after falling at the Trials-- won the second heat with relative ease in 2:00.06. "It was a pretty good heat," said Mu-Nikolayev who has slowly been regaining her form.  "I think we got out like I kind of anticipated.  I'm glad it was a little bit faster rather than it being slower.  I think it just felt really good." Hocker, Nuguse and Hiltz Advance in the 1500M In the first of two rounds in the 1500m both 2024 Olympic medalists, Cole Hocker and Yared Nuguse, advanced with fast times.  Hocker won the second of three heats in 3:32.57, while Nuguse ran a similar time of 3:32.66 to win the third heat.  Ethan Strand won the first heat in 3:34.12, easing past 2024 Olympian Hobbs Kessler just before the line. "I have too much experience to let anything come to chance, and I'm the Olympic champion so there's no reason for me to sit around out there," Hocker told reporters.  "Just run my tempo today; that's what I did.  Making this team does not get any easier." The women's heats went more slowly, with Emily Mackay running the fastest time of 4:04.23.  All of the athletes with the World Athletics Championships entry standard of 4:01.50 --Mackay, Nikki Hiltz, Heather MacLean, Sinclaire Johnson, and Helen Schlachtenhaufen-- advanced to the final.  Hiltz, 30, is the event's defending champion. "It's always nice to shake the legs out, get round one over with," Hiltz said.  "Yeah, it was heat one, which is nice.  "You kind of get it done.  All good things; happy with my last 300 and happy to make another U.S. final." Favorites Advance in the Steeplechase In the first rounds of the steeplechase for both men and women all of the favorites advanced.  On the women's side, Lexy Halladay-Lowry won the first heat in 9:37.53, followed by Olympian Val Constien in 9:37.56 and Kaylee Mitchell in 9:37.74.  In the second heat North Carolina State's Angelina Napoleon edged Gabbi Jennings, 9:30.44 to 9:30.48.  Olivia Markezich (9:30.49) and Olympian Courtney Wayment (9:30.70) finished third and fourth, respectively and also advanced to the final. Jennings, who has lowered her personal best to 9:06.61 this season, hopes to improve on her fourth place finish at the Olympic Trials last year.  She is coached by Joe Bosshard and trains with ten-time national champion Emma Coburn, Bosshard's wife.  Coburn, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury, sat in the stands today to support Jennings. "I think just dialing-in on the small things in training," said Jennings when asked about how she had improved so much this year.  "I think that this gives me a lot of confidence and belief in myself.  I do think I surround myself with incredible people who believe in you.  It's important to believe in yourself, but it's certainly helpful when there's a large, very professional group of people who also believe in you." Olympic silver medalist Kenneth Rooks led all qualifiers in the men's steeplechase, winning the second of two heats in 8:21.35.  The other five athletes with the World Championships entry standard of 8:15.00 --Duncan Hamilton, Matthew Wilkinson, Isaac Updike, Nathan Mountain and James Corrigan-- also advanced. "It felt like a solid day; it felt like a good prelim," Rooks told Race Results Weekly.  "I've got some more left in the legs.  It was a steady, constant effort, squeeze, and it ended the way I wanted it to."  He added: "Being silver medalist adds to the pressure a little bit, but that's not an accomplishment I want to avoid. I want to embrace it." ** The Toyota USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships continue here tomorrow.  The only middle or long distance events on tap are the men's and women's 800m semi-finals. PHOTO: Nico Young winning the 10,000m at the 2025 Toyota USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)

(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved. Published with permission. EUGENE (30-Jul) -- While American middle distance running has garnered a lot of attention over the last two seasons punctuated by a gold medal and Olympic record for Cole Hocker at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 1500m, athletes in the 5000m have this season brought the longer event to a new zenith.  So far this year five American men --Grant Fisher, Nico Young, Graham Blanks, Cooper Teare, and Cole Hocker-- have broken 13 minutes.  Five of the six-fastest USA marks in history have been set this year, and Fisher (12:44.09) and Young (12:45.27) have run national records indoors and outdoors, respectively (Fisher has the absolute record). "The sport, especially in the U.S., has grown leaps and bounds in the last decade or so," Fisher told reporters here at a press conference in advance of the four-day Toyota USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon.  "You look at the all-time marks now.  We've had three guys break 12:50 in one year, whereas in the past you might have one guy that would break 13:00 every other year.  The depth is increasing a ton." That depth will be on full display on Sunday afternoon when approximately 25 men will line up for a straight final in which the top three will provisionally qualify for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.  At last year's Olympic Trials, also held here in Eugene, a field of 30 athletes was first narrowed down to 16 through two preliminary heats.  This year's race will more closely resemble a mass-start road race rather than a small, super-elite final. "It gets harder and harder every year," continued Fisher, who won the national 5000m title in both 2024 and 2022 and finished second in 2021.  "There's really stiff competition.  Guys that are younger and younger are training harder and harder, and that is producing way more depth at younger ages.  We have a really competitive 5-K team." Fisher, 28, who won bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics in both the 5000m and 10,000m, is the oldest among the top contenders by at least three years.  Blanks and Young are both 23, Hocker is 24, and Teare is 25.  Fisher is also the only man among the top entrants who will also contest the 10,000m on Thursday (where he is also the defending champion) before running the 5000m on Sunday. "My focus right now is the 10K; that's tomorrow," Fisher told reporters.  "The 10K's first.  Again, very stiff competition.  It doesn't have quite the same depth at the 5-K, but still a very, very competitive field, several sub-27:00 guys.  You look back to ten years ago you've got one guy, maybe, that breaks 27 minutes." While there is no way to predict how Sunday's race will go, it's likely to be tactical.  According to World Athletics, only Fisher, Young, Blanks, Teare and Hocker have achieved the 13:01.00 entry standard for the World Championships.  None of those men will want to push the pace and can focus exclusively on their finish place (the championships record is 13:08.85 by Fisher from 2024).  All of them are strong kickers, especially Hocker, who ran his final 300 meters in the Paris 1500m Olympic final in a sizzling 39.6 seconds.  LetsRun.com's Jonathan Gault described that performance as "one of the greatest closes the sport has ever seen." Fisher also has wheels, and recently ran a lifetime best of 3:48.29 for the mile at the Prefontaine Classic here in Eugene on July 5th.  If anyone beats him on Sunday, that will be an upset, although he acknowledged that both Blanks and Young are formidable competitors at just 23 years-old. "When you look at what Nico and Graham did in college, now that they have made it in the pro ranks you look back like, oh that makes sense," said Fisher, when asked to assess the development of his younger rivals.  "Sometimes there are people who do really well at certain stages, but it doesn't always translate (later).  Those guys are mega-talented, the times and performances they were able to do in college (were amazing).  When I was in college nobody was doing anything remotely close to that." Fisher said that he was in good shape and had tapered for these championships under coach Mike Scannell. "I've been really intentional about when I'm pushing and when I'm not pushing in training," said Fisher, who said that he has to save energy and fitness for the World Championships.  "Little bit of a taper going into this week which feels good because  I've been training hard the past month.  So, the early part of my season was defined by indoors, then after that I was locked-in to Grand Slam.  Took a little bit of downtime.  Now it's been a really, really solid build-up to now." Fisher was also asked whether he had been paid the $200,000 in prize money he is owed by Grand Slam Track for winning the long distance group titles in both the Kingston, Jamaica, and Miami meets.  Meeting organizers said that they planned to pay the Kingston prize money by July 31.  Fisher said he hasn't seen that money yet. "Tomorrow is the last day of July, so they do have a day," Fisher said.  "The last update I heard was that by the end of July they wanted Kingston prize money out.  It has not hit my bank account, or any else's that I know.  So, fingers crossed, but tomorrow would be the last day or, I think, people will be pretty upset." PHOTO: Grant Fisher winning the 5000m at the 2024 USA Olympic Team Trials over Abdihamid Nur (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)

Two-time Olympic medalist and East St. Louis native Dawn Harper-Nelson will serve as the keynote speaker at the 2026 Running USA Industry Conference presented by haku, taking place in St. Louis, Missouri, Feb. 1-3, 2026. Get to know her ahead of the event in this new interview! Harper-Nelson’s inspiring remarks will open the event at the Union Station Hotel on Monday, Feb. 2. Register here. Harper-Nelson’s athletic journey began at East St. Louis High School, where she clinched six state titles in hurdles events. She continued her athletic and academic pursuits at UCLA, earning multiple All-American honors and leading the Bruins to a national championship. In recognition of her achievements, Harper-Nelson was inducted into both the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame and the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame. Beyond the track, Harper-Nelson is a dedicated community ambassador and volunteer in the St. Louis area where she lives with husband and two children. She has served as an ambassador for the United Way of Greater St. Louis and the American Diabetes Association, using her platform to inspire and educate area youth.  

Something that makes running unique from nearly any other sport is that your neighborhood weekend warrior can — and often does — compete in the same races as world-class athletes. Spend a few hours at the finish line of any major marathon, and you’ll likely see Olympians, former college athletes, and beginner runners alike. Having high-performing athletes at your event can help raise its prestige and grow its popularity. Often, catering to elite, sub-elite, and locally competitive runners is mutually beneficial for these athletes and the reputation of your event. Here are some things you should consider when planning to host elite athletes and tips for attracting them to your race. Consider your budget and race size Not every race is equipped to host the reigning Olympic or World champions, and that’s okay. For the best-of-the-best runners, running is typically their full-time career. These professional athletes, in part, rely on prize money earned from racing to pay their bills and support their families. That’s one reason why you most often see pro runners participating in major races like the Chicago, New York City and Boston Marathons, which offer six- and five-digit prize purses along with hefty appearance fees and highly competitive fields. Still, this doesn’t mean you can’t attract plenty of talented runners to your event. Most up-and-coming elites, sub-elites, and competitive amateurs have day jobs and don’t expect to earn a substantial check from racing. Instead, they value other perks like discounted race fees, exclusive and convenient accommodations, travel and lodging allowances, and the proper competition and conditions to run a personal best. Determine your elite time qualification standards Before considering how you’ll attract elite athletes, you need to determine who qualifies as “elite” at your race. There is no universal time standard for an elite race field; instead your event organizers get to determine it. Additionally, some race organizers update their standards annually — or even throughout the year as race day gets closer and the elite field begins filling up. Most often, time standards are based on the size, historical competitiveness, and prestige of your race. For example, a recent performance of 3:00:00 for a woman and 2:40:00 for a man may qualify for an “elite” entry at a relatively small, local or regional marathon. Meanwhile, many of the nation’s largest marathons require a time of at least 2:45:00 for women and 2:25:00 for men. If you’re unsure where to set your time standard, review the websites of a few similarly sized races, or talk with fellow race directors through Running USA. It could be smart to set a similar standard to races comparable to yours. Additionally, keep in mind that a runner’s qualifying time should reflect their current abilities. It is common to require athletes to have run your event’s time standard within two years of your event in order to be considered for the elite field. Some races offer a two- or three-tiered system, with each tier having stricter time standards and more perks as you move up. For example, the 2025 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon offers elite, seeded elite, and sub-seeded elite categories:   Indianapolis Monumental Marathon elite athlete and pace team coordinator Matt Ebersole said having three athlete tiers enhances the race’s depth and energy. Plus, it empowers young and developing athletes. He said he doesn’t want the elite race to be so much faster than the general one that they “essentially become two separate races.” “I love standing at the finish line, and, after the first runner comes by, they just keep coming,” Ebersole said. When it comes to developmental athletes, including those hoping to qualify for the Olympic Trials, he said, “We can give them a taste of that elite treatment. It’s great for up-and-coming runners to come into an elite area and see people they know or maybe follow on social media. After the race, that inspires them to train harder and do what they need to do to get to that level.” As you can see in the Indy example, while the time standard is often based on the same race distance as your event, it doesn’t have to be. If you plan to offer equivalent time standards (such as permitting a half marathon or 10K time to qualify an athlete for an elite marathon field), it could be helpful to use free online tools like the McMillan Running Calculator to determine equivalent performances. Here’s how Indy’s elite “perks” increase with each tier:   Having different levels of perks allows Indy to provide more runners with the elite treatment while being cognizant of physical space and financial resources. “We want to make sure (the elites) are having a great experience while not taking away from the experience of anyone else,” Ebersole said. Should you ever make exceptions to your time standard?  Ebersole shared that while he doesn't make many exceptions to Indy’s posted time standard, he thoroughly looks at every application to see where and when each athlete ran their qualifying time. “If someone’s close and they ran it on a downhill course, then it’s a no,” he said. “If they ran close on a hot day at the Boston Marathon, then yes … or if someone was pregnant last year and doesn't have a recent performance but they have a strong history of racing well over the last several years. So, it depends on the situation.” Encouraging elites to register for your event Word spreads quickly in the running community. Elite participants will likely tell their friends, training partners, and teammates if your race was well organized, competitive, and fun. But, if your race is new or returning after a long hiatus, it’s crucial to promote it and connect with athletes online and in-person if you want competitive runners at your start line. Here are some helpful tips: ● Have a designated elite athlete coordinator on your team who can advise the team on decisions regarding the elite field, answer questions from elite athletes and their coaches, and go through applications for the elite field. ● Connect with high school varsity, collegiate, sub-elite, and elite teams in your city, state, or region. Offer discounted or free entries to anyone on the team interested in signing up for your event. With high school and college teams, be aware that athletes may be unable to participate in your event during their fall and spring competition seasons. ● Contact your local running clubs and running specialty stores. See if they can help connect you with nearby runners who meet your time standards or can suggest athletes for you to contact. ● Don’t be afraid to reach out if you know of an elite athlete of any level who has a personal, geographic, or other connection to your event (perhaps your race benefits a cause they’re passionate about). Some runners, including top performers, may surprise you with their willingness to participate. Even if a runner can’t compete in your event, they may be interested in making an expo or finish-line appearance. ● With the athletes’ permission, feature elite participants on social media ahead of your event. Ask the athletes to share on video or in writing what inspired them to sign up for your event, how they are preparing, and what they hope to achieve. Share these posts on your event’s social media accounts and encourage featured athletes to repost them. If a runner’s training partners, teammates, and competitors see that they’re excited about your event, they’re more likely to check it out themselves and possibly register. As mentioned, high-level runners are attracted to opportunities to push themselves in a competitive field. If an elite runner knows that many athletes of their caliber have enthusiastically signed up for a race, they won’t want to miss out! A note on agents: When working with the highest level of elite runners (think Olympic and/or professional), you’ll likely communicate with the athlete’s agent rather than the runner themselves. Top athletes pay their agents to negotiate entry into races, including appearance fees. Agents also assist with travel and lodging arrangements. What perks are elite runners looking for? Below are some common perks that are attractive to (and sometimes expected by) elite runners. If you plan to offer any of these at your race, be sure to publicize them on your event website and social media so athletes are aware prior to registration.  1. Free or discounted race entries: Many races offer free or discounted registration fees to athletes who meet certain time standards. Sometimes, this is the same standard required for entry into the elite field. Other times, an even faster qualifying time is required for a free entry while “slower” elites receive a discount. Like time standards, you can implement multiple discount tiers. 2. Lodging and travel stipends: Some races, especially larger ones, offer travel stipends and/or lodging for elite athletes. This is less common at smaller races. Again, you should consider the size and budget of your event. See the travel and lodging perks offered at the 2025 Grandma’s Marathon: 3. Elite bottle stations: Any good race will have water, electrolytes, and possibly other aid stations along the route. However, many high-level athletes prefer a special hydration or nutrition blend unique to their needs, especially in longer-distance races like a marathon. If you’re hosting elite marathoners, highly consider providing elite bottle stations — exclusive tables throughout the race where elites can easily grab their special, in-race nutrition. Be sure to arrange a way for athletes to provide your staff/volunteers with their bottles ahead of time. 4. Special pre-race waiting area: Help ease race morning stress by offering an elites-only, pre-race waiting area near the start line of your event. Athletes will probably be most grateful to have elites-only bathrooms and skip the porta-potty line! Also consider providing water and space for runners to stretch and warm-up before the race. 5. Prize money and record bonuses: Even if you can’t offer thousands of dollars to the athletes who make your event’s podium, consider awarding small prizes to the top three or five finishers in the elite field. Many races also offer additional monetary bonuses for breaking the event’s course record. Make sure to publish the current record and bonus prize amount ahead of time to encourage athletes to go for it!