Defending champions Wilson Kipsang and Mary Keitany will be hoping for a sweet sense of d j vu when they return to the TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday (1), an IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

When Yelena Isinbayeva makes her return to action in February, more than 900 days will have passed since her last competition.

Ethiopia s Belaynesh Oljira will return to the scene of her 2014 Cross de Atapuerca triumph when she returns to the IAAF Cross Country Permit meeting in Burgos on 15 November.

Olympic pole vault champion Renaud Lavillenie will compete at the Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe on 6 February, the first IAAF Indoor Permit meeting of 2016.

Success breeds success and with its IAAF Silver Label status, organisers of the Banque du Liban Beirut Marathon on 8 November are attracting a higher class of athletes every year.

World record-holder Dennis Kimetto and defending champion Patrick Makau are among the top athletes set to compete at the Fukuoka Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, on 6 December.

Of all the athletics events contested at major championships, the marathon is often one of the most unpredictable.

Kenya s Eliud Kipchoge has enjoyed a stellar year, winning both the Berlin and London marathons. Here the 2003 world 5000m champion offers his version on a few of the best aspects of his life.

Edwin Kipyego and Peres Jepchirchir confirmed their status as favourites for the 37th edition of the Marseille-Cassis 20km, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race, with the Kenyan pair winning over the challenging course along France s Mediterranean coastline ...

Kenya s Julius Chepkwony won the 30th edition of the Venice Marathon in 2:11:08, finishing ahead of his compatriots Robert Ndiwa and Emmanuel Sikuku to complete an all-Kenyan podium at the IAAF Silver Label Road Race on Sunday (25).