Running News Daily

I used to think running was a panacea. "If the furnace is hot enough, anything will burn, even Big Macs," as the fictional miler Quenton Cassidy once said. Then, about a decade ago, there was a big surge of doubt about the health effects of running. Most prominent was the suggestion that even modest amounts of running might damage your heart-"One Running Shoe in the Grave," as the Wall Street Journal put it-but running was also accused of broader sins like promoting inflammation, causing muscle loss, and wreaking havoc on blood sugar levels.

As a runner and a journalist, I spent a lot of time trying to understand these claims, and reevaluating my own understanding of running's health effects-a process that continues to this day. Part of that process involved going back to the original research that led us to believe that running is healthy. And to be honest, the evidence wasn't as clear as I'd assumed. Does running (or aerobic exercise more generally) really improve health markers, or is it just that healthy people are more likely to choose to run? Do the benefits max out after a few minutes per day, or do they keep growing? Can you outrun a bad diet?

I have opinions about all these questions, but I no longer assume that the answers are obvious. So I'm always interested in new data, like a recent study in PLoS ONE from the science team at InsideTracker, a company that sells personalized blood testing to track various health biomarkers. The paper offers a peek at the aggregated results of more than 23,000 customers who report various levels of running, divided into three groups: low volume (less than three hours of running per week), medium volume (three to ten hours per week), and high volume (more than ten hours per week). For comparison, they also include results from 4,400 sedentary non-runners, and at the opposite end of the spectrum, 82 professional distance runners.

There are two important caveats to point out before diving into the data. First, this is observational data, not a randomized trial. That makes it hard to determine whether running causes any of the patterns in the data (though, as we'll see below, there are some ways to test our assumptions about causation). Second, this is a self-selected cohort. Even the sedentary group is made up of people who are interested enough in their health that they've decided to spring for a service that starts at $699 for a single battery of blood tests. Since this control group is already fairly healthy, detecting any improvements will be more challenging.

The Raw Data

The journal article (which is free to read online) presents data on 27 different biomarkers that were significantly different between runners and non-runners. I'm just going to pick out a few categories that are particularly interesting.

First, here's HDL (i.e. "good") cholesterol levels, for females (f) and males (m) in each of the five groups: pro runners, high-, medium-, and low-volume amateurs (HVAM, MVAM, and LVAM, respectively), and sedentary people.

The biggest difference is between runners and non-runners: runners have clearly higher levels, which is good. And among the runners, the trend is that more running is associated with higher levels. Similar patterns are seen for LDL ("bad") cholesterol and triglycerides: running is good, and more running is better.

The pattern here is much less pronounced. There's still a significant difference between runners and non-runners, but the dose-response effect of more mileage is smaller in men and non-existent for women. The same is true when looking at HgbA1c levels, which offer an estimate of long-term average blood sugar levels rather than a single snapshot. In that case, there's a more pronounced difference between runners and non-runners, but no dose-response response effect. For blood sugar, then, running is good but more running isn't necessarily better.

One key point: the sedentary control group has remarkably good blood sugar levels, with an average below the prediabetes cutoff. Given that 98 million Americans have prediabetes, this confirms that the control group is already pretty healthy. If you were to compare runners to the average population, you'd probably see a bigger effect.

Another group of biomarkers is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation. The pattern here is a little more complicated, but data on C-reactive protein, white blood cell count, and ferritin collectively suggest that greater volumes of running are associated with lower levels of inflammation. The fact that ferritin is considered a marker of inflammation was a surprise to me, since I think of it as an indicator of iron levels in endurance athletes. But it turns out ferritin levels can mean different things in different contexts.

For most of the biomarkers, there's a fairly smooth trend from sedentary to pro runners. But there are a few examples where the pro runners are noticeably different from everyone else, even the amateurs who claim they're running more than ten hours a week. Most notably, the pro runners tended to have low magnesium levels-an observation that mirrors earlier data from British Olympic track athletes. The British study also found that athletes with a history of tendon problems were most likely to have low magnesium levels, which suggests that it's something to watch for if you're training hard.

Is It All About BMI?

All the results I mentioned above were statistically adjusted for body-mass index, age, and sex. That's important, because there were significant differences in BMI among the groups. Here's that data:

Now, I look at this graph and think, "Yep, all else being equal, the more you run the less you weigh." This used to strike me as a painfully obvious statement. The current scientific consensus, on the other hand, is that exercise is ineffective for weight loss. And it's true that lots of studies have assigned people to exercise, sometimes quite vigorously, and have seen underwhelming results for weight loss. This is a complex topic whose nuances I'll leave for another day, but suffice to say that the new data agrees with my feeling that, if you're running more than an hour a day, you very likely weigh less than you would if you weren't running.

You can get another level of insight by adding in some of the genetic data that InsideTracker also collects from some of its customers. There are a large number of separate gene variants that are associated with higher BMI; by checking which of these variants a given individual has, the researchers calculated a "polygenic risk score" for obesity. In the sedentary group, those with higher risk scores tended to have higher BMI. Among the high-volume and pro runners, in contrast, that trend was flattened: those with higher risk scores had similar BMI to those with lower scores. Though the sample size was too small to draw definitive conclusions (since relatively few customers opted to get genetic testing), the results suggest that running counteracted the gene variants associated with obesity.

The BMI data raises another important question: are all the other apparent health benefits of running just secondary effects of lower BMI? Here they use a cool technique called Mendelian randomization (which I wrote about in another context earlier this year). It's a way of turning a large observational study into a randomized trial. The randomization occurs at birth: as noted above, some people have gene variants that predispose them to have a higher BMI. These variants are randomly distributed, so if people with the low-BMI versions tend to also have better cholesterol scores (for example) regardless of whether or not they run, it suggests that BMI is what's driving the cholesterol scores.

The results of the Mendelian randomization-again limited by low sample numbers-are somewhere in the middle. It does appear that BMI explains much of the group's difference in cholesterol and inflammation levels, for example-but not all of it. For example, gene variants didn't predict LDL levels, suggesting that it's an independent effect of running.

But the closer you look, the blurrier the line between genes and behavior gets. Some of the genes associated with exercise are also associated with motivation and self-control; people who exercise a lot are also more highly motivated to eat healthily; and so on. We're back to the challenge I mentioned at the top: teasing out the independent health effects of going for a run is really hard. The InsideTracker researchers conclude that "a holistic wellness lifestyle approach is in practice the most likely to be most effective toward preventing cardiometabolic disease." That borders on tautological, but their data adds another small brick to the pile of evidence suggesting that endurance exercise, even or perhaps especially in large quantities, is a useful part of that holistic wellness lifestyle.

Ethiopia delivered a remarkable double victory at the 2026 Bank of China Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Half Marathon on Sunday, November 15, with Wede Kefale and Addisu Gobena emerging victorious in the women's and men's races respectively.

Staged along the spectacular Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the event brought together some of the finest distance runners from Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa and other nations for a fiercely contested 21.097-kilometre challenge across one of the world's most recognisable sea-crossing structures.

The competition produced impressive performances, with Ethiopia showcasing its depth in distance running while Kenyan athletes also secured several places among the leading finishers.

In the women's contest, Kefale produced a composed and determined performance to secure the biggest prize of the day. She crossed the finish line in 1:09:01, holding off a strong challenge from South Africa's Glenrose Xaba, who finished second in 1:09:09. Ethiopia's Fantu Worku completed the podium in 1:09:14, making it an exceptionally close battle among the leading three women, who were separated by just 13 seconds.

The Ethiopian victory was particularly impressive given the quality of the field. Xaba, one of South Africa's leading distance runners, pushed hard throughout the contest but ultimately had to settle for second, while Worku demonstrated Ethiopia's remarkable strength by securing another podium position.

Kefale's victory was supported by an impressive Ethiopian presence throughout the top 10. Baraky Redae finished fourth in 1:09:51, followed by compatriot Asmarech Anley in fifth with 1:10:21. Kenya's Miriam Chebet was sixth in 1:11:05, ahead of Morocco's Fatima Ezzahra Birdaha, who clocked 1:11:23. Kazakhstan's Daisy Jepkemei placed eighth in 1:11:42, while Ethiopia's Zewudie Wudu finished ninth in 1:12:08. Kenya's Priscah Jepleting Cherono completed the top 10 in 1:12:29.

The men's race provided another memorable moment for Ethiopia as 22-year-old Addisu Gobena claimed the overall victory, He clocked 1:01:33 to finish ahead of compatriot Aliyi Kasim, who secured second place in 1:02:29.

Kenya's Alex Lenalepisho delivered a strong performance to take third in 1:02:47, preventing a complete Ethiopian sweep of the men's podium. Morocco's Othmane El Goumri finished fourth in 1:03:07, while Kenya's Abel Kiplimo followed in fifth with 1:03:33

Kenyan representation remained particularly strong throughout the men's top 10. Ezra Kipketer Tanui finished sixth in 1:05:32, followed by Ethiopia's Tafere Adisu in seventh with 1:05:35. Kenya's Meshack Kipchirchir placed eighth in 1:06:01, Benard Kipkorir was ninth in 1:06:15, and compatriot Sena Ledama completed the top 10 in 1:06:21.

Gobena's triumph adds another impressive achievement to Ethiopia's growing presence on the international road-running circuit, while the performances of Kasim and Lenalepisho underlined the competitive depth of the men's field.

The 2026 edition was also significant for the event itself, having earned World Athletics Platinum Label status, placing it among the highest-rated road-running competitions internationally. The bridge provided a spectacular setting for the contest, bringing together elite athletes from different countries for a memorable day of long-distance racing. 

Beyond the podium, the results highlighted the international character of the competition, with athletes from Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Morocco and Kazakhstan featuring prominently in the leading positions.

Ethiopia therefore left Hong Kong with both overall titles, while Kenya had plenty of reasons to take encouragement from its strong representation across both races.

For the organisers, the successful staging of this Platinum Label competition represents another important milestone in the development of road running in Hong Kong. For the athletes, it was an opportunity to test themselves against international opposition on a distinctive course that offered a memorable backdrop to the racing.

American sprint sensation Noah Lyles could be preparing to chase one of the most extraordinary achievements in athletics history after dropping a tantalising hint about his ambitions for the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China.

The four-time world 200m champion has sparked excitement among athletics fans after sharing a cryptic message on social media reading “4x ? 2027”, raising speculation that he could be targeting an unprecedented four gold medals when the global championships return to the iconic Bird’s Nest Stadium.

Although Lyles has yet to confirm exactly which events he intends to contest, the possibility of a four-event campaign has become particularly intriguing following World Athletics’ announcement that the mixed 4x100m relay will make its World Championships debut in Beijing.

Such an opportunity could open the door for the American superstar to compete for gold in the men's 100m, 200m, men's 4x100m relay and the newly introduced mixed 4x100m relay.

For Lyles, Beijing could represent much more than another opportunity to add to his impressive collection of championship medals. It could be the stage where he attempts to establish himself as the most successful male athlete in World Athletics Championships history.

The 100m would undoubtedly be one of his biggest attractions. Having claimed the world title in Budapest in 2023 before completing his remarkable rise to Olympic glory at the Paris 2024 Games, Lyles knows exactly what it takes to rule the world's premier sprinting stage. However, he will be eager to reclaim the global crown after settling for bronze behind compatriots in the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.

The 200m, meanwhile, remains his strongest territory. Lyles has established an extraordinary legacy over the half-lap distance, winning four consecutive World Championships titles in 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2025. In Tokyo, he matched Usain Bolt's remarkable achievement of four successive world 200m crowns, further strengthening his reputation as one of the greatest performers the event has ever witnessed.

His ambitions would also extend to the relays, where he has repeatedly demonstrated his value to Team USA. Lyles has already collected four World Championships gold medals in the men's 4x100m relay, including victories in 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2025. Another successful campaign in Beijing would provide an opportunity to add to that impressive record.

The introduction of the mixed 4x100m relay could make the challenge even more fascinating. With the event officially scheduled to make its World Championships debut in Beijing, the competition will offer another opportunity for the world's leading sprinters to showcase their speed on the global stage.

Beyond the possibility of four gold medals, however, there is an even bigger historical prize waiting for Lyles.

The American currently boasts eight World Athletics Championships gold medals. Winning four more in Beijing would take his career tally to 12, moving him beyond Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt, whose 11 world titles remain the benchmark for male athletes in the competition's history.

That would be a remarkable achievement for an athlete who has never hidden his admiration for Bolt and his desire to reach the heights established by the Jamaican legend.

Interestingly, the Bird's Nest Stadium carries its own special place in sprinting history. It was at the same venue during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games that Bolt announced himself to the world with his breathtaking performances in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. Nearly two decades later, the iconic stadium could provide the setting for another extraordinary chapter in sprinting history.

For Lyles, the challenge will be enormous. Successfully navigating four demanding events, managing the competition schedule and delivering at the highest level across individual and relay races would require exceptional preparation, consistency and teamwork.

Nothing has yet been confirmed regarding his participation in all four disciplines, but his intriguing message has certainly given athletics followers something exciting to anticipate.

Could Beijing 2027 become the championship where Noah Lyles transforms an ambitious dream into an unforgettable reality?

Four events, four potential gold medals and the possibility of surpassing one of the greatest sprinting legends of all time. The countdown to Beijing promises to be fascinating.

What began as one of the most entertaining and talked-about stories of the 2026 New York City Marathon has taken an unexpected turn, with Houston-based lawyer Andrea Sager losing her official race result after a viral video showed her smoking marijuana during the event.

The 35-year-old mother of two attracted widespread attention on November 1 when she lined up for the iconic 26.2-mile race wearing a bright pink running vest carrying a humorous personal advertisement: “Andrea, 35, Single. Great Credit. Bad Judgment.” The unusual message quickly made her one of the most recognizable personalities among the thousands of participants, generating plenty of reactions from spectators and social media users.

However, it was another moment captured on camera that eventually landed her in trouble with race organizers. A video circulating online showed Sager accepting a puff of marijuana from a spectator while running along the marathon course, turning what had initially been a lighthearted appearance into a much bigger controversy.

Following the circulation of the footage, New York Road Runners (NYRR), the organization responsible for staging the marathon, removed Sager's finishing time of 5:54 from the official results after determining that she had violated its Code of Conduct. The regulations prohibit smoking, vaping and the use of tobacco or marijuana products in the starting corrals, along the course and within the designated race areas.

Despite the disqualification, Sager was allowed to retain her physical finisher's medal, meaning she still has a memento of completing the demanding journey through New York's five boroughs, even though her official finishing result no longer stands.

Sager has since offered an explanation for her decision, revealing that she was struggling physically as the race progressed. With considerable discomfort in her legs and the marathon becoming increasingly difficult, she said she accepted the offer from a spectator in an attempt to manage the pain and make the remaining miles more bearable.

Interestingly, the controversy has not entirely dampened her enthusiasm for the experience. Rather than retreating from the attention, Sager has embraced the unexpected publicity, revealing that the viral moment has brought considerable interest on social media and dating platforms.

Her distinctive pink running vest has also become a talking point beyond the marathon, with the attention opening up potential opportunities for merchandise and brand partnerships inspired by the memorable message.

Although she initially challenged the decision, Sager has acknowledged that the organizers were enforcing their regulations and appears to be taking the outcome with a sense of humour. She has also indicated that she could return to the marathon distance in the future, suggesting that her New York experience may not be her last.

For Sager, the 2026 New York City Marathon will undoubtedly be remembered for reasons far beyond the challenge of covering 26.2 miles. She arrived at the starting line hoping to enjoy her first marathon and perhaps attract a little attention with her unusual outfit. Instead, she left with a viral story, unexpected publicity and a disqualification that has made her one of the most talked-about recreational runners from this year's event.

Her finishing time may have disappeared from the official results, but her story has certainly found a place in the conversation surrounding this year's marathon.

After all, completing a marathon is an achievement in itself, but Andrea Sager's New York experience came with a twist that few runners could have anticipated!

World mile record holder Josh Kerr has sparked an interesting conversation among runners after questioning the growing popularity of hydration vests, suggesting that many athletes may be carrying more equipment than they actually need for their everyday training sessions.

The British distance-running star shared his thoughts during a Reddit Ask Me Anything session hosted by BBC Sport on Monday, where he responded to questions from fans about training, competition, rivalries and some of the lighter aspects of his life as an elite athlete.

Among the most relatable topics was the increasing use of hydration vests, a piece of equipment that has become increasingly common among recreational runners, particularly those who head out for regular training sessions.

Kerr offered a straightforward perspective, suggesting that runners covering distances of less than 12 miles (approximately 19 kilometres) generally do not need to carry water with them. He believes that some running trends are driven more by marketing than genuine necessity, using hydration vests as an example of equipment that has perhaps become more popular than it needs to be.

He further pointed out that runners training in urban environments can usually find somewhere to purchase a drink if they need one, rather than carrying additional equipment throughout their entire run.

However, his comments were not intended as a universal rule for every athlete. Hydration requirements differ depending on individual needs, weather conditions, training intensity and the distance being covered. Runners tackling longer distances, particularly in hot conditions or on remote trails, may still benefit considerably from carrying their own fluids.

Away from the equipment debate, Kerr also addressed questions about his relationship with Norwegian distance-running superstar Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Keeping his response brief and humorous, the Briton remarked, "I wouldn't say we're buddies!" However, he acknowledged that rivalries are an important part of athletics and can help make the sport more exciting for competitors and spectators alike.

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games also featured prominently in the discussion, particularly the men's 1500m final, where Kerr secured the silver medal in a British record of 3:27.79 behind American Cole Hocker.

Despite narrowly missing out on Olympic gold, Kerr insisted that he had no regrets about how he approached the race, reflecting the confidence and competitive mentality that have helped establish him among the leading middle-distance runners in the world.

The Scottish star also offered fans a glimpse into the demanding training sessions behind his remarkable mile world record, providing insight into the preparation required to compete at the highest level. He additionally touched on the possibility of eventually moving up to the marathon, a prospect that will undoubtedly attract considerable interest given his credentials over shorter distances.

Not every question, however, was about world records, Olympic medals or gruelling workouts. In one particularly amusing moment, Kerr was asked how far he thought he could run on just a single square sausage and a can of Irn-Bru, bringing a distinctly Scottish flavour to the conversation.

The exchange offered a refreshing look at the personality behind one of Britain's biggest athletics stars, showing that even athletes operating at the very highest level have plenty of opinions about everyday running habits.

For recreational runners, Kerr's message about hydration vests is certainly worth considering, although individual circumstances should always determine what equipment is necessary. His broader point was simple: runners should understand their actual training needs rather than automatically following every new trend in the running industry.

Kenyan marathon star John Korir is preparing to chase a remarkable piece of history at the 2026 Valencia Marathon, where victory could make him the first male athlete in more than two decades to successfully defend the prestigious title.

The 30-year-old, who will celebrate his birthday just four days before the December 6 race, returns to Spain with an opportunity to achieve something that has proved exceptionally difficult in the history of the competition. Having conquered the Valencia streets last year in an outstanding 2:02:24, Korir now has his sights firmly set on becoming a two-time consecutive champion.

A successful defence would place Korir in an exclusive group of athletes who have managed to win Valencia's men's marathon twice. The race's historical records identify only three previous multiple winners: Teodoro Pérez, Eduardo Alcaína and Samuel Tangus. Tangus remains the last man to achieve consecutive victories, having triumphed in 2002 and 2003.

Korir's opportunity has become even more promising following the withdrawal of Ethiopian star Yomif Kejelcha, who was ruled out of the December 6 contest because of an injury. Kejelcha had been among the biggest attractions in the anticipated showdown. His absence removes a major challenger and leaves Korir as one of the leading favourites heading into the race.

The Kenyan's recent performances explain why expectations are so high. He has established himself among the world's most formidable marathon runners, collecting major victories in Chicago in 2024, Boston in 2025, Valencia in December 2025 and Boston again in April 2026. His latest Boston triumph was particularly impressive, as he successfully defended his crown in a spectacular course-record time of 2:01:52.

However, Korir is not returning simply to defend his title. He has much bigger ambitions, with reports indicating that he is targeting a historic sub-two-hour performance on Valencia's famously fast course. To prepare for that challenge, the Kenyan has reportedly increased his training volume to between 250 and 270 kilometres per week, demonstrating the scale of preparation behind his ambitions.

Breaking the two-hour barrier would be an extraordinary achievement, particularly on a course where the current men's record stands at 2:01:48, set by Ethiopia's Sisay Lemma in 2023. Korir already knows what it takes to deliver a major performance in Valencia, having produced a commanding victory last year.

Turning 30 just days before the competition, Korir appears to be entering an exciting period of his marathon career. His combination of experience, consistency, confidence and remarkable endurance makes him a serious contender not only for another victory but also for a possible assault on the course record.

For Korir, December 6 represents an opportunity to go beyond another major marathon victory. He could end a 23-year wait for a consecutive men's champion in Valencia, join an exclusive group of multiple winners and potentially deliver one of the fastest marathon performances ever witnessed.

The challenge is now clear: defend his crown, make history and perhaps bring the world closer to another landmark moment in marathon running.