In a weekly round-up, European Athletics looks at a big issue in the sport, sets the scene for the week ahead and reviews the past few days.

It is that time of the year when 99 per cent of athletes who have toiled through a long summer are thinking of a break, a holiday, a chance to slowly recharge the batteries before the cold winter mornings of training begin.

Priscah Jeptoo caused a major surprise at the Bupa Great North Run, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, on Sunday (15) when she beat Ethiopian superstars Meseret Defar and Tirunesh Dibaba and clocked 1:05:45, the third-fastest time ever time at the distance.

Damian Warner and Hanna Melnychecnko emerged as the winners of the 37th Decastar meeting in the French town of Talence, and for the latter there was double joy as she also took first place in the 2013 IAAF Combined Events Challenge on Sunday (15).

Philemon Limo confirmed his status as the favourite for the Mattoni st nad Labem Half Marathon when the Kenyan won in a course record of 1:00:38 at the IAAF Silver Label Road Race on Sunday (15).

Eritrea s Pedro Mamo, the 2012 World champion, was a clear winner at the AsitzBerglauf in the Austrian town of Saalfelden and he was followed across the line by two of his team-mates.