The 121st running of the Boston Marathon on Monday (17) will start in the outer-suburban town of Hopkinton and stream downhill through six other towns before arriving at the finish line for the IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

Ethiopia’s Atsede Baysa and Lemi Berhanu Hayle will each face a pair of former champions when they defend their titles at the Boston Marathon on 17 April.

Defending champions Daniel Salel and Mary Wacera, both of Kenya, will be looking to retain their BAA 10k titles at the IAAF Bronze Label Road Race in Boston on Sunday (26).

Ethiopia's Lemi Bernanu Hayle and Atsede Baysa won at the 2016 edition of the Boston Marathon, the 120th running of the IAAF Gold Label Road Race, crossing the line in 2:12:45 and 2:29:19 respectively on Monday (18).

Like the song goes, it felt like the first time; that's how Ethiopia's Atsede Baysa described ending a three-year title drought by winning the inaugural Saitama International Marathon, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race, on Sunday (15).

Sylvia Kibet may not yet consider herself a full-fledged marathoner but the Kenyan looks likely to be in the running for a first title in just her second career race at the inaugural Saitama International Marathon, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race, on Sunday (15).

Kenya’s Lucy Kabuu is the leading name in the women-only elite field for the first Saitama International Marathon, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race, on Sunday 15 November.

Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Kebede and Kenya’s Martin Mathathi are the favourites for the fifth annual Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon on Sunday (17), with the IAAF Silver Label Road Race also known as the Naoko Takahashi Cup.

Kenya’s Bedan Karoki will defend his title at the Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon on 17 May, the IAAF Silver Label Road Race organisers announced on Tuesday (28).

With nine sub-2:07 runners on the start line for the Schneider Electric Paris Marathon on Sunday (12), the IAAF Gold Label Road Race promises to be a quality competition.

Atsedu Tsegay and Netsanet Gudeta became the new champions at the Great Ethiopian Run 10km in Addis Ababa on Sunday.

Officially, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is USA’s fastest legal Marathon course, home of the US all-comers’ records for both men (Tsegaye Kebede’s 2:04:38) and women (Paula Radcliffe’s 2:17:18).