All posts tagged: marathon

The seven boring things that actually make you a better runner, according to a serial marathon runner and ASICS coach

The seven boring things that actually make you a better runner, according to a serial marathon runner and ASICS coach

Published by Jenni Sidey

In its purist state, running is a simple sport. Put one foot in front of the other and eventually you’ll reach your finish line. Training to become a better runner, according to ASICS running coach Ania Gabb, should be equally simple: do the boring things well and you’ll improve. Latest Videos FromFit&Well That applies whether you’re working your way up to your first 5K or you’ve been racking up marathons for fun. Recently, the serial marathon runner highlighted seven boring things that will actually make you a better runner. You may like “In my 30s I embraced them; in my 40s they became non-negotiable,” Gabb wrote on Instagram. Here, she’s extrapolated on how to apply each one to your weekly workout routine. Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your inbox. Seven boring things that will actually improve your running 1. Easy runs Easy runs drive recovery and adaptation. These are usually performed at a conversational pace, meaning you should be able to maintain a chat without having to …

Kenya gives hero’s welcome to marathon record-breaker Sabastian Sawe | Athletics News

Kenya gives hero’s welcome to marathon record-breaker Sabastian Sawe | Athletics News

Published by Sam Flores

Marathon record-breaker Sabastian Sawe has received a hero’s welcome home in Kenya, with fans thronging the airport in Nairobi and the country’s president giving him cash and a car. Sawe posted the first-ever sub-two-hour marathon time of 1:59:30 when he won the London Marathon on Sunday, shattering one of athletics’ most elusive barriers and improving on the previous world record by more than one minute. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The 31-year-old was the toast of the nation when he arrived home late on Wednesday and was greeted by jubilant fans and family members. The aircraft carrying Sawe was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute when it landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Kenya’s President William Ruto welcomed Sawe at State House and awarded him eight million Kenyan shillings ($62,064) as well as a car. Chaotic and celebratory scenes awaited Sawe as he gave a short media conference at the airport, according to Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi. “People have come to celebrate him, they say that he’s a hero,” Soi reported …

How the Two-Hour Marathon Was Broken

How the Two-Hour Marathon Was Broken

Published by José Betancourt

To understand the significance of someone running a marathon in less than two hours, you also need to understand that, until recently, the notion of this actually happening was truly, utterly absurd. Sure, a physiologist named Michael Joyner had floated the idea that such a feat might be humanly possible in a journal paper way back in 1991. But his peers laughed off the idea, and not much changed over the succeeding decades. In Runner’s World in 2014, I predicted that it would happen in 2075. Frankly, even that forecast seemed overly optimistic to me, but I figured I’d be dead by then, so no one would be able to call me on it. Well, I was wrong. Yesterday morning, the two-hour marathon barrier finally went down. A relatively unheralded 31-year-old Kenyan named Sabastian Sawe won the London Marathon with a time of 1:59:30. That is, for reference, 26.2 miles run at an average of 4:34 a mile—or, put another way, a pace that most recreational runners would struggle to sustain for more than a …

Commentary: How two men smashed through an ‘unbreakable’ marathon barrier

Commentary: How two men smashed through an ‘unbreakable’ marathon barrier

Published by Sam Flores

WHAT ABOUT THE SHOE? Sawe and Kejelcha wore the lightest “supershoe” in history: Adidas’ Adios Pro Evo 3. Adidas says it is “the fastest and lightest supershoe ever made”. It weighs less than 100g. Supershoes can improve running economy by about 4 per cent compared with conventional racing shoes. The Adios Pro Evo 3 combines several features common in supershoes: very low weight, thick resilient foam and a stiff carbon-based structure in the midsole. The heel thickness is reported to be 39mm, just under the 40mm limit permitted by World Athletics. While most runners benefit from supershoes, the effect is variable and not the same for all runners. Researchers have suggested this is due to two ways in which the footwear interacts with the runner. Firstly, the foam and stiffening element can affect the “spring-like” bounce of the body as the foot hits and leaves the ground. Secondly, they can change how the runner moves, including how the foot and ankle work, how long the foot stays on the ground, and the timing of energy …

London Marathon 2026: How to Watch Live From Anywhere

London Marathon 2026: How to Watch Live From Anywhere

Published by Miika Tikkanen

When to watch the 2026 London Marathon Sunday, April 26, at 3:50 a.m. ET (12:50 a.m. PT) Where to watch The 2026 London Marathon will air in the US on FloTrack. 73% off with 2yr plan (+4 free months). Now only $3.49/month See more details See at BBC Watch the London Marathon in the UK free BBC See at Flotrack Watch the 2026 London Marathon in the US from $30 a month FloTrack An expected 59,000 runners are expected on the starting line on Sunday for the 46th running of the iconic London Marathon. Last year’s men’s and women’s winners of the 26.2-mile road race through the UK’s capital will both be looking to retain their crowns. Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe and Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa are being widely tipped to set new course records, as they both came close to doing so in 2025.  The course includes London landmarks such as Tower Bridge and Cutty Sark, before it heads down the final stretch of the Mall that leads to the finish line right outside of Buckingham …

A lesson in humanity at the Boston Marathon

A lesson in humanity at the Boston Marathon

Published by Sam Flores

Robson De Oliveira, Ajay Haridasse and Aaron Beggs cross the finish line in the Boston Marathon on Monday. Cj Gunther/Reuters hide caption toggle caption Cj Gunther/Reuters John Korir and Sharon Lokedi, both from Kenya, won their second consecutive Boston Marathons this week. Marcel Hug of Switzerland and Eden Rainbow-Cooper of Great Britain won the men’s and women’s wheelchair marathons. But most of the more than 30,000 people who compete each year may be roused to take on the 26.2-mile course not because they believe they can win, but in pursuit of a personal best. They ache, train, and spur themselves to finish faster than they ever have before. Runner Ajay Haridasse, a local college student, was only about a thousand feet from the finish line on Boylston Street when his legs just gave out. He struggled to stand, only to fall again. And then again. “After falling down the fourth time,” he told the Boston Herald, “I was getting ready to crawl.” Dozens of runners passed him on the street, as you can see in …

You Were Inspired by the Boston Marathon. Now What?

You Were Inspired by the Boston Marathon. Now What?

Published by Jenni Sidey

The Boston Marathon is held annually on Patriots’ Day, the third Monday of April, which is a holiday in Massachusetts. The Marathon stretches 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometers) from the town of Hopkinton to downtown Boston. The marathon is as much of a celebration as it is a race, and it brings together some of the best athletes in the world. In 2026, these included previous Boston champions, and eventual winners, Sharon Lokedi and John Korir. In the wheelchair division, previous champions also prevailed: Marcel Hug and Eden Rainbow-Cooper. More than 30,000 people competed on Monday, and thanks to moderate temperatures and a slight tailwind on the course, times were fast. In total, an astounding 5,849 runners, including 609 women, completed the marathon in under 3 hours. It was a great day to be a running fan. The race is over. Now what? Big sporting events like the Boston Marathon are exciting. A lot of attention is drawn to the event. We see excellence on display and admire it. But then the day passes. The enthusiasm …

Am I a deluded attention-seeker? Why I’m running the London Marathon dressed as a badger

Am I a deluded attention-seeker? Why I’m running the London Marathon dressed as a badger

Published by Sam Flores

Delusion. That’s the crucial prerequisite for running a marathon in fancy dress, according to the ultramarathon competitor and cancer survivor Jonathan Acott, who is attempting the fastest marathon dressed in a clanking suit of armour. So that’s what it was when I decided to run this year’s London Marathon dressed as a badger. I’ve run a marathon once before, 19 years ago. I hated the suffering. I injured myself. And now I’m 51. Why was this a good idea? It started last year. Gazing at a piece of barren farmland that Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT) hope to bring back to life, I decided I would help. People taking local action to make the world a tiny bit better is a hopeful antidote to global doom-and-gloom. My nature-loving dad, who used to volunteer for NWT, died last year. With NWT celebrating its 100th birthday this year, it seemed a good moment to raise money for its efforts. The badger is the symbol of the Wildlife Trusts and I have a badger onesie in my wardrobe. And …