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- Weekly Running Briefing: Kenya Dinner in Chicago + Race-Week Logistics Masterclass 🏃♂️
Weekly Running Briefing: Kenya Dinner in Chicago + Race-Week Logistics Masterclass 🏃♂️
The Rundown
September 14th, 2026
Welcome to your weekly endurance briefing, courtesy of the Marathon Journal. Each Monday, we deliver essential updates and expert insights to keep you informed on the latest in running and competitive sports.
Heading to Chicago for race weekend? Skip the crowded Italian restaurants and clear your Friday night schedule. The 28th Annual Kenya Marathon Dinner is returning to the Hilton Chicago on Friday, October 9, 2026, for what is easily the most vibrant pre-race celebration in town.
Instead of another bland carb-load, fuel up with real marathon fuel—authentic ugali, fresh chapati, and flavorful stews—while rubbing shoulders with East Africa’s top distance runners before they hit the starting line. Even better? It’s a 501(c)(3) fundraiser supporting local youth track teams and charitable foundations in Kenya.
The Paris Marathon is completely overhauling its entry process and event identity ahead of its landmark 50th edition on April 4, 2027, shifting from its long-standing first-come, first-served registration model to an exclusive random lottery for general bibs.
Expanding on a 17-year partnership, ASICS has stepped in as the official title sponsor under new event management consortium Cadence Running United, officially renaming the race the ASICS Marathon de Paris under the campaign tagline "La Joie court les rues" ("Paris runs on joy").
Applications for the free lottery draw run from September 8 to September 30, 2026, with drawn applicants notified starting October 1 and given 72 hours to secure their spot for a flat fee of €169 (replacing previous tiered early-bird rates). Discounted €50 bibs remain available for students, unemployed, and adaptive athletes, alongside group entries for two to six runners. Organizers are also redrawing the marathon route for early 2027 and reinforcing eco-friendly race policies, including cup-free aid stations every 2.5 km where participants must carry their own hydration flasks or collapsible cups.
When Stephanie Platt was cut from her middle school basketball team at age 11, cross country coaches immediately recruited her to run. That redirection started a lifelong endurance journey leading to 15 completed marathons and counting.
The Dynafit Ultra 100 V3 is a high-cushion trail workhorse engineered to conquer technical terrain and wet conditions without compromise.
Featuring a nitrogen-infused SPEEDFOAM midsole and an aggressive Vibram Megagrip outsole with 4mm Traction Lugs, it delivers exceptional shock absorption alongside self-cleaning traction that sheds sticky mud and clay. With a lightweight mesh upper that prioritizes rapid water drainage over heavy waterproofing, this 9.84 oz trainer offers a stable, propulsive ride ideal for ultra-distance runners navigating unpredictable off-road elements.
5. Masterclass Part 4: Race-Week Logistics, Pacing, and Mental Strategy
Race week isn't the time to cram in last-minute fitness; it's a tactical exercise in logistics, fuel optimization, and energy preservation. In Part 4 of our Marathon 101 Masterclass, we break down the exact protocols needed to translate months of hard training into peak performance on race day:
The 48-Hour Carb Load: How targeting 8–10g of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight with low-fiber foods maximizes muscle glycogen stores without causing mid-race GI distress.
The Reverse-Engineered Race Morning: Step-by-step timeline tactics—from your 4-hour pre-race meal to corral arrival—to eliminate friction and lower pre-race stress.
The Fallacy of "Banking Time": Why running just 10–15 seconds faster than target pace in the first 10K burns through glycogen stores prematurely and guarantees a late-race crash.
Beating Central Fatigue: Cognitive tools like course chunking, mechanical form cues, and reframing physical discomfort to push through when you hit the wall in the final 10K.
"The only bad run is the one that didn't happen."