Running Sports

More than a century ago, a woman ran in the very first modern Olympic marathon. She just did it without permission. Award-winning journalist Maggie Mertens uncovers the story of how women broke into competitive running and how they are getting faster and fiercer every day—and changing our understanding of what is possible as they go.

Hardest Geezer, Russ Cook, is the first person to ever run the entire length of Africa. From his starting point in Cape Agulhas, South Africa, through sandstorms in the Sahara Desert, rainforests, mountain ranges and long empty roads stretched out for miles in front of him, Russ ran the equivalent of 386 marathons before finally crossing the finish line in Tunisia 50 weeks later.

¿Correr tiene riesgos? Sí, toda práctica deportiva tiene riesgos, pero los tiene a cualquier edad. El mero hecho de vivir entraña riesgos. Cuando hablamos de correr a los 50 años debemos poner en el otro plato de la balanza los beneficios que podemos obtener con su práctica. Son tantos, y tan saludables, que nos sentiremos necios al pretender sopesarlos. El objetivo es ayudar a todas aquellas mujeres y hombres, con una edad que pivota alrededor de los 50 años, a convertirse en corredores aficionados y brindarles la oportunidad de disfrutar de esta maravillosa actividad.

Part Bridget Jones, part Forrest Gump, Dana Ayers chronicles her awkward mishaps and adventures in transitioning from childhood bookworm to accidental accomplished athlete. Over the last 10 years, Ayers has completed a vast array of races. She runs them all while admittedly not getting much faster, much thinner, or much more disciplined — though she has managed to be on national television, split open her pants, and get electrocuted.

Triathlon has changed my life and I've been privileged to coach 50+ athletes to a 98% PR rate in races ranging from 5Ks to ultra marathons to Ironmans. I've done it through my own trial and error and experiences in what works...and what doesn't. Rest assured - there are a handful of simple, yet essential, tips in triathlon that will make or break your success in the sport.

Many people will remember Eric Liddell as the Olympic gold medalist from the Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire. Famously, Liddell would not run on Sunday because of his strict observance of the Christian Sabbath, and so he did not compete in his signature event, the 100 meters, at the 1924 Paris Olympics. He was the greatest sprinter in the world at the time, and his choice not to run was ridiculed by the British Olympic committee, his fellow athletes, and most of the world press.

"Chasing New Heights" is the continuation of Holly’s journey as she transitions into high school, where new challenges await her on and off the cross country course. After a triumphant middle school season, Holly faces increased competition, self-doubt, and the pressure of leadership as she mentors younger runners like Mia. With the state championships on the horizon, Holly must balance the weight of expectations, her friendships, and her passion for running. Through perseverance, she discovers that success is not just about winning but about personal growth, teamwork, and embracing the ...

In 2083, Benjamin Brandt is among the millions of “slummers” who are relegated to poverty and struggle on the outskirts of society. As a minority growing up in the gritty underbelly of Cleveland’s Industrial Valley, Ben sees the way genetically designed “elites” live only from a distance: from the shadows of public spaces people like him are forbidden to use, and on TV, where he watches the enhanced athletes compete at an extraordinary level. For years, a national track championship has inspired Ben to ferociously cultivate his own talent as a runner.

In The Examined Run, philosopher and ultramarathon runner Sabrina B. Little asks whether running can be a laboratory for developing our character. She looks at the key ideas in virtue ethics-virtue, vice, exemplarism, moral emotions, and competition-and brings them into conversation with her experience in training and racing.

Over the previous decade, Bella had been so paralysed by her fears that exercise was the very last thing on her mind. So that first run didn’t last very long. But to her surprise, she was back out there the next day. And the day after that. She began to set herself achievable goals - to run 5k in under 30 minutes, to walk to work every day for a week, to attempt 10 push-ups in a row. Before she knew it, her mood was lifting for the first time in years, and she had swapped hiding in her house for fresh air, unknown roads and running tracks.

A little-known fact: the characters in your favorite fairytales were all runners! That being the case, it might cause you to wonder if the stories you were told as a kid are true. Was there really a wolf on the way to Grandma’s house? Or was it waiting somewhere outside of Hopkinton? Was it breadcrumbs that doomed Hansel and Gretel? Or did it have something to do with an expired XXL chili burrito from the corner minimart? And what’s the deal with porridge? Are we sure Goldilocks wasn’t interested in something else entirely? Runners’ Fairytales answers these questions and more! Find ...

Ultra running defies conventional logic. Yet this most brutal and challenging sport is now one of the fastest growing in the world. But is it an antidote to modern life or a symptom of a modern illness? Adharanand Finn travelled to the heart of the sport to find out - and to see if could become an ultra runner himself. His journey took him from the deserts of Oman to the snow-capped peaks of the Rockies, and from a 24-hour track race in Tooting to his ultimate goal, the 105-mile Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc.

Shut Up and Run is Robin’s love letter to the sport; written in her one-of-a-kind voice with big energy and style. It celebrates the excitement of running while offering tips, tricks, and visual motivation to help every runner cultivate miles of sweat, laughter, swagger, and friendship.

Why do we run? To what end, all the effort and pain? Wherefore this love of muscle, speed, and sweat? The Greeks were the first to ask these questions, the first to suspend war, work, politics, to enjoy public celebrations of athletic prowess. They invented sport and they were also the first to understand how physical activity connected to our mental well-being.

Triathlon for Beginners is a complete start-to-finish guide that covers all areas of training and racing, including what you need to know and how to begin; how to understand the jargon of the sport; training rules and techniques; swimming, cycling, and running techniques; race etiquette; and how to get faster and better performances.

Crossing the Grand Canyon rim to rim is considered by many hikers and runners to be one of the greatest “bucket-list” achievements. Thousands make the pilgrimage each year to experience the joy of journeying across the Canyon's great expanse. Anyone who descends into the canyon should take time to learn about the history of the trails they use.

Lisa Jackson is a surprising cheerleader for the joys of running. Formerly a committed fitness-phobe, she became a marathon runner at 31 and ran her first 56-mile ultramarathon at the age of 41. Unlike many runners, Lisa's not afraid to finish last. In fact, she's now done so in 25 of the 100-plus marathons she's completed so far.

Becoming Forrest is the incredible story of Englishman Rob Pope, a veterinarian who left his job in pursuit of a dream—to become the first person ever to complete the epic run undertaken by one of Hollywood’s most beloved characters, Forrest Gump. After his momma urged him “to do one thing in life that made a difference”, he flew to Alabama, put on his running shoes, and sped off into the wilderness.

Travis Macy has summited glacial peaks in the French Alps, rappelled into limestone caves in China, and raced through parched deserts in Utah. In 2013 he famously won the Leadman Series, a combination of nearly 300 miles of high-altitude trail running and mountain biking over the course of five epic endurance races. Macy achieved all of these victories without elite professional training or even exceptional strength, speed, or flexibility.

Today, millions of women and girls around the world enjoy running and entering races. It wasn't always so. First Ladies of Running tells the inspiring stories runners who refused to give up despite the cultural and sports barriers they faced. Legends such as Doris Brown, Francie Larrieu, Mary Decker, Jackie Hansen, Miki Gorman, and Grete Waitz are chronicled by Runner's World editor Amby Burfoot.