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For many runners, taking the stress out of eating means changing the way you think about food and your body.

n a culture that’s obsessed with thinness—and a sport that tends to idealize leanness—it can be hard to know what a healthy relationship with food even looks like. There’s no shortage of self-proclaimed “wellness experts” touting habits like intermittent fasting, clean eating, and macro counting, as the keys to health (read: weight loss). And while these methods may work for certain individuals under specific circumstances, for most of us, especially runners, they’re often unsustainable and unhealthy. 

While these behaviors are generally considered normal and even admirable, it’s a “slippery slope” toward disordered eating at best, and an eating disorder at worst, says Jill Merkel, a registered dietitian specializing in sports nutrition and disordered eating. According to the National Eating Disorder Association, 35 percent of dieters will become pathological dieters, and of those, up to a quarter develop an eating disorder. 

So what’s a runner to do? We talked to experts to find out what it means to have a healthy relationship with food, why it matters, and how to get there. 

What does it mean to have a healthy relationship with food?

A healthy relationship with food is one where you base your food choices not on rules, restrictions, or how you want to look, but instead on how you want to feel. That means eating enough to satisfy your your hunger cues and fuel your training, choosing the types of food that support your overall health and wellness, and feeling free to eat in social situations—even if you’re not necessarily hungry. 

Honoring your hunger cues is key, says Stephanie Roth-Goldberg, a psychotherapist whose specialties include sports psychology and eating disorder recovery. At the same time, there are plenty of times where it makes sense to eat even when you’re not hungry. 

Fueling for performance means eating before, after, and sometimes during long and/or intense workouts, regardless of hunger. And regardless of your training volume or intensity, there are times your schedule should take precedence over your appetite. If, for example, your job requires you to work through a meal, taking care of your health means eating before your shift begins, regardless of whether you’re hungry at that time, says Roth-Goldberg. 

It’s also important to eat in a way that supports your overall health. What that looks like is different for each of us, but Roth-Goldberg suggests focusing not on the scale but on factors like your sleep quality and energy levels, and metrics such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. 

At the same time, one of the keys to mending (or maintaining) your relationship with food is giving yourself permission to fully enjoy it. You don’t have to be hungry to enjoy your aunt’s Christmas cookies, your grandmother’s latkes, or a slice of birthday cake among friends—and you don’t have to work out to “make up for them,” either. 

Meanwhile, “it’s been proven that socializing is really important for mental health,” Roth-Goldberg explains. “So having the freedom and flexibility to say yes to an invite to a dinner party or brunch with your friends supports health in a more global way.”

Why should runners care about developing a healthy relationship with food?

A healthy relationship with food makes life more enjoyable, full stop. “When food isn’t a stressor, we can be present with our friends and family,” says Roth-Goldberg. In addition to creating stress around social activities involving food (as in, practically every gathering), fixating on food often means underfueling—which can seriously interfere with your running and your mental and physical health. 

Underfueling puts you at risk for performance issues, including difficulty completing workouts, going into workouts feeling sluggish, postworkout soreness that lingers longer than usual, and experiencing a plateau or even a backslide in performance, says Merkel.

But it’s not just your running that suffers, says Merkel. Underfueling can mess with your hormones, resulting in issues like sleep disturbances, injuries, and illness. For women, an irregular period or the loss of your period is often a sign that you’re not getting the calories you need to support your training.

Strategies for Making Food Less Stressful

If you love the idea of making peace with food but aren’t sure how to get there, here are som­­e pro tips to get you started. Keep in mind, if you suspect you have a disordered relationship with food or an eating disorder, it’s important to seek treatment. A registered dietitian and/or psychologist can help you address any struggles you experience. 

1. Evaluate Your Current Relationship With Food

Before you start changing things up, take stock of your current situation, suggests Merkel. That means taking an honest look at how often you think about food, how much time you spend thinking about or preparing food, and noticing whether food brings you joy or whether you associate it with stress, anxiety, guilt, or shame. 

If you find your thoughts about food take over a lot of your headspace and interfere with work or your happiness, it may signal that it’s time to reevaluate your relationship with food, and a professional can help. 

It’s also worth looking at how often you weigh yourself and whether that number affects your mood or your eating habits, says Merkel. 

If the time and energy you spend trying to manage your food and weight are interfering with your mental health or your quality of life, it may be time to take a new approach. And if you do decide to change things up, if you’re tempted to return to the status quo, this “status report” will serve as a helpful reminder of why your old habits weren’t working for you.

2. Be Your Own Guinea Pig

If you’ve been focusing on weight loss to optimize your fitness, try taking a scientific approach, suggests Roth-Goldberg. That means paying more attention to how you feel during your workouts and less attention to the number on the scale. 

For example, if you typically run on an empty stomach, try having breakfast or a preworkout snack, and see what it does for your performance. 

Roth suggests looking at energy levels, heart rate, and/or speed, to see how those metrics compare to your fasted workouts. You might be surprised to see how much adding some preworkout nutrition or adding more carbohydrates into your diet throughout the day improves your performance. 

Regardless, it’s a good idea to base your fueling strategy on current data rather than assumptions. 

3. Tune into Your Self- Talk

“A lot of times, we’re not conscious of how we’re talking to ourselves,” says Roth-Goldberg. To get more familiar with your inner dialogue, suggests writing your thoughts down in a journal so you can look at them—and then challenge them if you need to. 

“Ask yourself, ‘would I say that to a friend? Is that, in fact, a helpful, motivating thought?” If the answer is no, find a way to reframe the thought so it’s still true, but also kind (or at the very least, not mean). 

For example, you could substitute “I ate a sleeve of Oreos because I have no self-control” with a non-judgmental thought like “I ate a sleeve of Oreos because I was craving something sweet,” or “I ate a sleeve of Oreos and now I feel bloated and tired.” 

4. Go into Social Situations With Intention

If restaurants, parties, and other situations where you’re not in control of the menu stress you out, try setting an intention before your next social gathering. 

Especially as we enter the holiday season—and all the parties, gatherings, gift baskets, and treats that tend to come with it—try focusing on what you want to experience at your next gathering, rather than the calories you’re going to consume. “Check if any stories you’re telling yourself about food align with that,” Roth-Goldberg says. 

If your intention is to enjoy the holiday, ask yourself what that means to you. “Food is so often a part of that,” says Roth-Goldberg. And often, enjoying the holiday means allowing yourself to enjoy food.

If your goal is to connect with and enjoy time your friends and family, but the noise in your head about calories is interfering with your ability to be fully present, coming back to your intention can help you redirect your attention on the present moment rather than your food anxiety. 

5. Declutter Your Social Media Feed

If you’re following accounts that feature fitness or weight loss tips, take a hard look at how that content makes you feel, suggests Merkel. If it motivates you to get out and move your body in a way that feels good, or to try a new recipe that looks interesting, great. But if it’s not sparking joy—as in you feel anxious, “less than,” frustrated, jealous, or any other un-fun emotion—it’s time to do some tidying. Go ahead and hit the “unfollow” button. 

You can also seek out accounts that inspire you without making you feel icky. Merkel suggests looking for profiles that include words like intuitive eating and health at every size. Other keywords to look for include body neutrality, non-diet, and joyful movement.

6. Ask for Help

If food were just fuel, this whole thing would be easy. But food represents comfort, connection, and so much more. And to make matters even more complicated, we’ve been exposed to conflicting (and often harmful) messages about food our whole lives. Which is all to say, if you’re struggling with your relationship with food, there’s no shame in asking for help. 

Working with a trained therapist, dietitian, or intuitive eating counselor means having someone in your corner who has the knowledge and skills to ask the right questions and offer accurate information and individualized support. If you’ve ever worked with a running coach, you probably already know what a difference professional guidance can make.

When you’re searching for the right professional, be on the lookout for certain credentials, says Merkel. “You want to make sure you’re not going to see somebody who is actually reinforcing diet culture behavior,” she explains. Look for someone whose bio mentions experience with disordered eating, eating disorders, or exercise obsession and who is aligned with intuitive eating, health at every size (or HAES), or body neutrality and takes a weight-neutral approach to health and fitness. And remember that you’re worthy of help—even if you don’t meet the criteria for a clinical eating disorder. “You don’t need a specific diagnosis in order to seek help,” says Merkel. Because at the end of the day, as Roth-Goldberg reminds us, “A healthy relationship with food enables us to have a healthy relationship with our bodies.” 

Ethiopia’s Fotyеn Tesfay Haylu delivered one of the most remarkable women’s half-marathon performances ever seen on American soil on Sunday, powering to a commanding victory at the 2026 Buenos Aires Half Marathon in Argentina in 1:03:57.

Running with exceptional confidence and strength, Tesfay took control of the race and produced a superb solo performance to rewrite the event record. Her breathtaking run also carried historic significance, as she became the first woman to break the 64-minute barrier for the half marathon in the Americas, producing what is being celebrated as the fastest women’s half-marathon performance ever recorded on the continent.

The Ethiopian star was in a class of her own, crossing the finish line more than a minute clear of Turkey’s Nevin Can, who finished second in 1:05:06. Another Turkish athlete, Selin Can, completed the podium in third place with 1:05:11, as the leading trio all produced strong performances on the fast streets of Buenos Aires.

Kenya also featured prominently in the top positions, with Irene Jepchumba Kimais taking fourth in 1:06:04, followed by Sheila Chepkirui in fifth with 1:06:13. Magaret Akidor Ngathike finished sixth in 1:06:46, while fellow Kenyan Deborah Samum claimed seventh place in 1:08:32.

Brazil’s Nubia de Oliveira Silva was eighth in 1:11:13, while Argentina’s Sofia Luna and Dahyana Juarez rounded out the top 10 with times of 1:11:21 and 1:11:28, respectively.

Top 10 Women – 2026 Buenos Aires Half Marathon

1. Fotyеn Tesfay Haylu (Ethiopia) – 1:03:57

2. Nevin Can (Turkey) – 1:05:06

3. Selin Can (Turkey) – 1:05:11

4. Irene Jepchumba Kimais (Kenya) – 1:06:04

5. Sheila Chepkirui (Kenya) – 1:06:13

6. Magaret Akidor Ngathike (Kenya) – 1:06:46

7. Deborah Samum (Kenya) – 1:08:32

8. Nubia de Oliveira Silva (Brazil) – 1:11:13

9. Sofia Luna (Argentina) – 1:11:21

10. Dahyana Juarez (Argentina) – 1:11:28

For Tesfay, it was far more than a race victory. Her 1:03:57 performance was a statement of extraordinary quality, combining speed, endurance and remarkable solo running to produce a landmark result in Buenos Aires. In a race that will be remembered for years to come, the Ethiopian did not simply win—she redefined what was thought possible for women’s half-marathon running in the Americas.

Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha produced one of the most extraordinary performances in road racing history on the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina, reclaiming the half marathon world record with a sensational 56:51 performance at the 2026 Buenos Aires Half Marathon.

The former world record-holder delivered a breathtaking exhibition of speed and endurance to take 29 seconds off the previous pending mark of 57:20, set by Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo and takes a huge chunk from his own former official world record. Kejelcha's new performance is pending the standard ratification procedures, but if officially ratified, it will return the world record to the Ethiopian star and mark another remarkable chapter in the evolution of the event. 

Kejelcha's achievement is particularly significant because the 57-minute barrier had already been broken before. Jacob Kiplimo had previously run under 57 minutes, clocking 56:42 that was not ratified demonstrating that the once-unthinkable barrier was possible. Kejelcha, however, has become the second man to run under 57-minute barrier who now returns to the top of the all-time rankings with another historic performance in Buenos Aires.

The Ethiopian's race was remarkable not only for the final time but also for the way he built his performance. He covered the opening five kilometres in 13:44 before reaching 10km in 27:18. Rather than slowing, Kejelcha accelerated through the middle stages, passing 15km in 40:39 and 20km in 54:02 as he continued to push the limits of elite road racing.

By the time he reached the finish line, Kejelcha had completed the race at an extraordinary average pace of approximately 2:42 per kilometre, producing one of the most astonishing sustained efforts ever witnessed in distance running. His stunning run sent a powerful message to the athletics world and further strengthened his status as one of the most formidable distance runners of his generation.

Behind the record-breaking champion, Ethiopia completed a dominant clean sweep of the men's podium. Tadese Worku Gebresilase claimed second place in 59:18, while Bereket Nega Batebo secured third in 1:00:17, giving Ethiopia a memorable one-two-three finish in the Argentine capital.

Kenya’s Jonathan Kipkoech Kamosong finished fourth in 1:00:20, followed by compatriot Simon Maywa in fifth with 1:00:55. Argentina’s Ignacio Erario gave the home supporters plenty to celebrate with an impressive sixth-place finish in 1:00:57, breaking the one-hour barrier in front of an enthusiastic local crowd.

Dillon Kipyeko of Kenya finished seventh in 1:01:07, with Robert Kiprop Koech eighth in 1:02:01. Mexico’s Julio Ortiz Ponce took ninth place in 1:03:17, while Colombia’s Jimmy Gómez completed the top 10 in 1:03:34.

The Buenos Aires Half Marathon will now take its place in the history books as the scene of a truly extraordinary breakthrough. For Kejelcha, this was more than just another victory. It was a spectacular return to the top, reclaiming a world record he had previously held and once again rewriting the limits of the half marathon.

The 56:51 performance remains pending ratification, but Yomif Kejelcha's run has already delivered one of the defining moments in the history of road racing.

Kenya delivered another commanding display of distance-running excellence at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon, with Isaia Lasoi leading a memorable Kenyan clean sweep of the men's podium in a race packed with world-class performances.

Lasoi emerged victorious after a thrilling battle at the front, crossing the finish line in a superb 58:26 setting a new course record. His winning performance underlined his strength and speed over the half-marathon distance, but he was made to work all the way by fellow Kenyan Daniel Mateiko, who finished just three seconds behind in 58:29 after an electrifying duel for the title.

The contest between the two leaders produced one of the standout moments of the race, with both athletes pushing deep into elite territory as they fought for victory. In the end, Lasoi found just enough to secure the win, while Mateiko's narrow defeat highlighted the remarkable depth and quality of Kenya's leading distance runners.

Vincent Kipkorir completed the Kenyan sweep, taking third place in 1:00:38 to ensure that all three places on the podium belonged to Kenyan athletes. Samwel Chebolei added further Kenyan strength to the results, finishing fourth in 1:01:01, while Amos Langat was also among the leading finishers.

The international field featured several prominent names. Australia's Jimmy Whelan produced a strong run, while Ethiopia's Yismaw Dillu featured among the front group. American marathon star Galen Rupp also delivered a notable performance, clocking 1:01:29 in another competitive outing for the experienced distance runner. Former world-class track and road athlete Edward Cheserek was also among the top finishers.

Lasoi's 58:26 victory, however, was the defining performance of the day. Together with Mateiko and Kipkorir, he gave Kenya a perfect podium and another emphatic reminder of the country's extraordinary strength in elite road running.

The Antrim Coast Half Marathon once again provided a fast, competitive stage for some of the world's finest distance runners, but when the decisive moments arrived, it was Kenya that owned the podium.

One of the most iconic milestones in the history of ultramarathon running is drawing closer, with entries for the historic 100th edition of the Comrades Marathon set to open on Tuesday, 25 August 2026.

The Comrades Marathon Association has officially announced a detailed entry process for the 2027 race, which will unfold in three stages and give runners around the world the opportunity to secure their place in what promises to be one of the most significant editions ever held of The Ultimate Human Race.

The announcement followed the official launch of the 2027 Comrades Marathon on Wednesday, 19 August, when the centenary campaign, “The Greatest Story Ever Run,” was unveiled alongside a special logo created exclusively for the landmark 100th edition.

The launch also revealed several major highlights for the Centenary Race. The historic event will take place on Sunday, 13 June 2027, and will be a Down Run, with 28,000 places available. The entry process will include a ballot, while the race will offer a record R8.919 million in prize money. Organisers have also set an ambitious goal of raising R10 million for the Amabeadibeadi charities, adding an important charitable dimension to the centenary celebrations. One of the defining moments of the launch was the unveiling of the special Centenary mark, created to commemorate this extraordinary milestone in the history of the race.

The entry process begins on 25 August at 10:00 a.m. SAST, when entries open for Green Number runners, Yellow Number runners and Amabeadibeadi charity entrants.

The next phase follows on 2 September at 10:00 a.m. SAST, when entries open for Comrades Marathon Association members. This window will remain open for 72 hours or until the available entry allocation is filled, with places offered on a strictly first-come, first-served basis.

For general entrants, the process will move to a ballot system. General entries open on 9 September at 10:00 a.m. SAST, with runners able to enter the ballot until it closes on 22 September at 4:30 p.m. SAST. The ballot draw is then scheduled to take place on 23 September.

Several other crucial dates will shape the road to the historic race. The substitution period will run from 15 to 31 March 2027, while 3 May 2027 is the final deadline for runners to submit their qualifying performances, seeding information and other required entry details.

To qualify for the 2027 Comrades Marathon, runners must complete a 42.2km marathon in under five hours between 15 June 2026 and 3 May 2027.

The journey will finally culminate on Sunday, 13 June 2027, when thousands of runners are expected to line up for the historic 100th edition of the Comrades Marathon.

The 2027 race will represent a remarkable moment for the legendary South African ultramarathon. For more than a century, the Comrades Marathon has captured the imagination of runners and spectators with its extraordinary test of endurance, determination and human spirit. Its centenary edition will celebrate the generations of athletes who have faced its demanding roads, conquered its challenges and helped build one of the world's most respected endurance events.

For runners dreaming of becoming part of this historic occasion, the road to Comrades 2027 is now clearly marked. From the opening of entries in August 2026 to race day in June 2027, every deadline will matter.

The Greatest Story Ever Run is preparing for its most historic chapter yet.

American sprint standout Sam Blaskowski is taking steps toward an international future with Poland after uncovering a powerful connection to his family's ancestral homeland.

The 23-year-old sprinter, who has established himself as one of the fastest Americans of his generation with a personal best of 9.89 seconds in the 100 metres, has begun the process of obtaining Polish citizenship with the aim of eventually representing Poland in international competition.

Blaskowski's connection to the country traces back through his great-grandparents, Franciszek and Julian Błaszkowski, who emigrated from Poland to the United States in 1905. Their journey more than a century ago has now opened an unexpected new chapter for their descendant, whose athletic ambitions could soon carry the Błaszkowski name back onto the international stage under Polish colours.

The sprinter has already received support from the Polish Athletics Association as he works through the citizenship and eligibility process. Should his transfer of allegiance be completed, Blaskowski could become a significant addition to Poland's sprint programme.

His credentials certainly make the prospect an exciting one. In addition to his sub-10-second speed over 100 metres, Blaskowski owns a personal best of 19.93 seconds in the 200 metres, demonstrating the kind of versatility that could prove valuable both individually and in Poland's 4x100m relay squad.

For Blaskowski, however, the move is about more than simply changing national colours. It represents an opportunity to reconnect with his family's heritage while pursuing his ambitions at the highest level of the sport.

With his sights set on becoming part of Poland's international sprint team and competing for relay medals, Blaskowski's journey from discovering his Polish roots to potentially representing the country of his ancestors could become one of the most fascinating allegiance stories in world athletics.

A century after Franciszek and Julian Błaszkowski left Poland for America, their family's story may now be coming full circle—this time at full sprint.