10 Gifs That Perfectly Sum Up This Year’s Biggest Moments in Running – Runner’s World

As the year winds down, we thought it was worth taking time to look back on some major highlights the running community experienced in 2019. As usual, there was a mix of some pretty high highs (Eliud Kipchoge breaking the two-hour marathon barrier, anyone?) but also some low lows (like the passing away of middle distance star Gabe Grunewald).

But through it all, we’re reminded of this: Runners are a tough bunch, and we are stronger and more capable than we realize—especially when we unite together. And let’s be honest—is there a better way to relive all of these emotions than through gifs? Here are 10 that sum up the (very eventful) year in running.

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When we watched Lawrence Cherono and Lelisa Desisa sprint it out in the final moments of the 2019 Boston Marathon. (Cherono won, by the way.)

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When Jim Walmsley set a 50-mile world record in the Hoka One One 100K Challenge.

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When Craig Engels clenched the crown in the 1500 meters at the 2019 USATF Outdoor Championships while, of course, rocking his signature mullet.

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When we watched Olympic medalist Dalilah Muhammad crush the 16-year old world record in the 400-meter hurdles at the USATF Outdoor Championships. (Then she followed that up with another world record at the world championships.)

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When the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced that famed coach Alberto Salazar (head of the Nike Oregon Project) received a four-year ban doping code violations.

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And when Nike subsequently shut down the Oregon Project.

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When Shalane Flanagan announced her retirement from running, and we realized we’d never get to see her yell “F*ck yeah!” while crossing the finish line again.

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When Brigid Kosgei smashed Paula Radcliffe’s 16-year world record in the marathon, winning the Chicago Marathon in 2:14:04.

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When the new 2020 Boston Marathon qualifying times still had a cutoff, even if you ran a faster BQ.

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When we watched Eliud Kipchoge break the two-hour marathon barrier during the INEOS 1:59 Challenge at 2 a.m.

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Contributing Writer McGee’s work for both Runner’s World and Bicycling consists mostly of news and human interest pieces.