Running News Daily

Experts break down which type of runner is most likely to benefit from tests including a gait analysis, VO2 max, and more.

Running itself is pretty basic—in the best of ways. All you really need is a pair of running shoes to get started. Of course, additional gear can be helpful, not to mention fun to test out and use to boost performance. Investing in certain fitness tests and assessments can also up the fun factor and give you an edge for training and race-day success. 

These days, you can find a ton of options in this realm, which can feel overwhelming, but experts caution against getting too caught up in the hype. 

“Information and knowledge is a good thing, but sometimes there can be a little bit too much,” says James Robinson, M.D., sports medicine physician at Hospital for Special Surgery. He says that if you’re not having problems (like injuries or pain) and you’re hitting reasonable running goals, you probably don’t *need* any type of fitness test. 

One exception: Keep up with your yearly physicals (during which you may have some blood work done) as a baseline. From there, your doctor may also suggest other specific tests (like a DEXA scan, which looks at bone density, for those with osteopenia or a history of broken bones). 

That said, keep reading for what runners should know about some of the most popular fitness lab tests out there right now, how each can support your goals, and which type of runner is more likely to benefit from investing in each one. 

If you’re chronically injured or looking to improve efficiency...

Consider a gait analysis

A gait analysis—which involves being recorded from different angles while running on a treadmill to look at form, including foot strike and body alignment—is especially useful for runners with chronic injuries like shin splints, patellofemoral pain, or IT band issues, says Robinson. 

“The gait analysis can show things in your running mechanics that are making you more prone to injuries and especially certain types of injuries,” says Robinson. This analysis may also ID weaknesses or muscle imbalances and things like overstriding, overpronating, or a low cadence.

Runners looking to improve efficiency may also benefit from this test. “There can be ways to improve your biomechanics to improve your running efficiency,” like working on optimizing hip extension, which is important for minimizing vertical excursion (or too much up and down movement rather than straight ahead).

N’Namdi Nelson, C.S.C.S., an exercise physiologist at NYU’s Sports Performance Center adds that beginners can benefit from a gait analysis: “The activity you’re going to be doing is running, so why not do a running analysis to assess your biomechanics to see exactly what's going on in your gait, and identify things that you may be doing incorrectly and ways that you can improve it?” This will not only set you up for success in the sport of running in terms of performance, but help you avoid injuries before they show up in your stride.

Where to get it: Running labs like at universities and medical centers or at a local physical therapy clinic

Typical cost: Starting at about $150 (or free with your physical therapy appointment, depending on insurance)

If you’re new to running…

Consider a functional movement screening (FMS)

When doing a functional movement screen, a coach or trainer will typically put you through movements (e.g. a single-leg squat, push-up, and step-over) and watch how your body moves. If your hip drops to one side or your knees cave in on that squat, for example, that could indicate weakness in your core stability, Robinson says, which could affect your injury risk in running. The facilitator will then give you specific exercise recommendations to strengthen those weaknesses. 

Nelson recommends the FMS for beginners in particular. “It’s going to give us more information as to what’s going on in the body,” he says. “So for example, if we see weakness in certain muscles or a decrease in flexibility in certain joint ranges, then we can try to get ahead of it and try to correct it, decreasing your chances of sustaining some type of running-related injury.”

Where to get it: Some places, like NYU, HSS, and the Columbia RunLab, offer running analyses which combine a gait analysis on a treadmill with a movement screen like the FMS so it’s one stop shopping. Nelson says that having information from both of these inputs—the gait analysis and FMS—can be helpful when making correlations. 

You can also often get an FMS at a gym as part of an initial training evaluation, and it can be useful on its own. (If you’re choosing between a gait analysis and an FMS, Robinson argues the former is more beneficial as it’s more specific to runners.) 

Typical cost: Included in the above services, with rates changing depending on insurance and/or location

If you’re more experienced and/or get sidelined by cramps…

Consider a metabolic profile test

This type of test typically includes a VO2 max test, lactate threshold evaluation, and metabolic efficiency testing. It involves a finger stick capillary blood test, as well as running on a treadmill at increasing intensity with a mask on to measure how much oxygen you’re consuming, as well as CO2 output and heart rate. 

VO2 max measures your aerobic capacity. It can give you a sense of your cardiovascular fitness, which can be helpful as a benchmark to try to improve (often via short, intense intervals). 

This test can also help you determine your max heart rate, and training zones based on that

“Lactate threshold is basically the point at which your body starts to go from aerobic to anaerobic and starts to really ramp up its levels of lactate,” says Robinson. “The lactate threshold basically tells a runner the pace at which they could run a short distance, like a 5K or 10K, which can be useful when you’re talking about training paces.” 

Importantly, lactate threshold is something you can train and improve, Robinson adds. Knowing your threshold allows you to train in the proper zones to increase it. For example, if your lactate threshold is nine minutes per mile, then training with runs at that pace could help to improve that, Robinson says. (And then if you repeated this test months later, you can see if it improves.)

As for metabolic efficiency, Robinson says this can help you strategize fueling for long races—and it’s also trainable. This test profile measures how many calories you use per hour and the breakdown of fat versus carbohydrate at various exercise intensities. 

“We have a lot of fat stores in our body, but our body has very limited carbohydrate stores,” he says. So, if the test reveals that you’re using mostly carbs for long runs, for example, you’ll run out of fuel quickly and knowing this would help you ID exactly how much nutrition you need to bring along.

Robinson says this test is most useful for runners trying to improve efficiency and pace. For example, if you want to run a sub-four-hour marathon, this test can be useful to one, see if you’re able to achieve that goal at your current fitness level, and if not, figure out which zones to train to get there. 

The test can also be useful for those who deal with cramping when they run. “Usually cramps are a fueling issue more so than a true dehydration issue,” says Robinson. “So the metabolic profile can be useful for fueling to see why someone might be cramping, or for someone that hits a wall at mile 20 or 21 in the marathon, that could be a fueling issue, and the metabolic profile can definitely help clue you into strategies to help.” 

Where to get it: At NYU, this test is called the “Sports Performance” evaluation and includes a gait analysis, stability and mobility screen, and VO2 max, with the option to add lactate threshold testing. At HSS, it’s Metabolic Testing and includes all of the metrics (VO2 max, lactate threshold, metabolic efficiency, and also running economy). You also may be able to find similar tests at other universities, medical centers, and running labs. 

If you want to DIY…

Use your wearable data

Robinson acknowledges that many wearables now provide lots of info that you’d get as part of a formal gait analysis, like cadence, vertical oscillation, and stride length, in addition to metrics like VO2 max. “They’re pretty accurate now,” he says, adding that they can be more accessible and less expensive (assuming you’ve already paid for the wearable) than additional testing. 

Still, sometimes people need help with interpretation of this data and they don’t know what to do with it on their own. “Seeing an exercise physiologist or a running coach could help them interpret some of the data,” he says.

Typical cost: Free (after the cost of a wearable, which typically starts around $200) 

If you’re into lots of data and optimizing health…

Consider a blood panel

As long as you pass your yearly physical, additional blood work probably won’t tell you much more about your running performance, according to Nelson. “You can identify some nutritional deficiencies and things like that that may affect your performance, but those things may also be highlighted in your yearly physical,” he adds. 

However, for those really into data and optimization of health and performance, a full blood panel might be helpful, so long as you know what to do with the information (or have someone to interpret the results). This additional screen may look into nutritional biomarkers beyond your typical blood test at a physical, like omega-3 levels, electrolytes like calcium and magnesium, and many other health-related metrics that are related to heart health, immune regulation, and more.

The one biomarker both experts agree is wise to get tested for all runners is vitamin D. “I do recommend that runners get their vitamin D checked regularly because if you are low in vitamin D, then that can put you at risk for bone injuries such as stress fractures, and vitamin D deficiency is extremely common, especially in places where you don’t get as much sunlight,” says Robinson. 

Other than that, if you’re having specific issues or have concerns about your overall health, consult with your doctor to see what biomarkers, if any, should be tested. 

Where to get it: Your doctor should be able to run additional lab tests if you have a medical need for them, but you can also try a direct-to-consumer service like Function or Inside Tracker.

Typical cost: Free one time a year with most insurance providers (for the basics), but around $500 for the DTC services. 

Jakob Ingebrigtsen brought his remarkable 2026 season to a fitting close on home soil, winning the men’s street 1500m at the inaugural Runfest Norway in Sandnes on Friday.

Competing in front of an enthusiastic hometown crowd, the Olympic and world champion took control of the race from the early stages and maintained his authority through the finish, stopping the clock at 3:40.7.

Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen followed in second in 3:43.3, while Sigurd Tveit completed the podium in 3:47.8.

The unusual street race added another dimension to the occasion, with 273 runners taking part on the same road and sharing the course with one of Norway’s most accomplished distance runners. For the recreational participants, it offered a rare opportunity to compete alongside Ingebrigtsen in an event that brought elite athletics and mass participation together.

The victory also provided a fitting final chapter to a season that began with significant uncertainty for Ingebrigtsen. After undergoing major Achilles surgery in February, the Norwegian was forced to miss a substantial portion of the summer campaign as he worked his way back to full fitness.

His return, however, quickly developed into another championship-winning chapter. In Birmingham, Ingebrigtsen captured European 5,000m gold before adding another major title at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, where he won the 5,000m.

Those performances transformed what could have been a disrupted season into another year defined by championship success and a determined return to the highest level.

Now, with the Sandnes victory added to his 2026 record, Ingebrigtsen closes the year exactly where it began in spirit — overcoming adversity, rebuilding his form and once again competing at the front.

From Achilles surgery in February to major championship victories and finally a 1500m win before his hometown crowd, the Norwegian has given his 2026 season a memorable final scene.

Olympic 100m hurdles champion Masai Russell has announced her engagement to longtime partner Robert “Robbie” Springfield, adding a major personal milestone to the remarkable journey of one of America’s leading track and field stars.

Russell shared the news with her followers, revealing that Springfield had proposed and that she had accepted. Reflecting on their relationship, the Olympic champion described him as her best friend and expressed her excitement about spending the rest of her life with him.

The couple’s relationship dates back to their college years at the University of Kentucky, where both were student-athletes and competed in track and field. Russell established herself as a standout hurdler, while Springfield competed in the long jump, giving them a shared understanding of the demands, sacrifices and pressures that come with pursuing success in athletics.

Springfield has since transitioned from competition into coaching. A former collegiate long jumper, he is now part of the coaching staff at Morehead State University, where he works with the programme’s sprinters and jumpers.

Their relationship has developed alongside Russell’s rise to the top of the sport. The defining moment of her career came at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she captured gold in the women’s 100m hurdles, securing her place among the sport’s Olympic champions.

Away from competition, Springfield has remained a familiar part of Russell’s journey, sharing in the demanding periods of training and competition that accompanied her pursuit of Olympic success. Their connection has consequently grown from a college athletics relationship into a long-term partnership.

The engagement now marks another significant chapter for Russell, this time away from the track. After reaching the pinnacle of her sporting career in Paris, the 100m hurdles champion is beginning a new phase of her personal life alongside a partner who has been part of her journey since their university days.

From competing on the same collegiate stage to building a future together, Russell and Springfield’s story has evolved alongside two careers shaped by track and field. The Olympic champion will now balance this new personal chapter with her continuing ambitions in athletics

The women’s race at the 2026 TCS Amsterdam Marathon is shaping up to be one of the most competitive editions in recent years, with a deep international field set to take on the fast Dutch course on Sunday, October 18.

At the centre of the contest will be four Ethiopian athletes who have already broken the 2:20 barrier, creating the prospect of a fascinating battle for victory and a possible assault on the course record of 2:16:52.

Defending champion Aynalem Desta will return to Amsterdam looking to retain her title after producing the biggest performance of her career at last year’s 50th edition. Desta won in a personal best of 2:17:37, establishing herself among the leading marathoners in the field and setting the benchmark for this year’s contenders.

Standing in her way will be fellow Ethiopian Meseret Belete Tola, a former Amsterdam champion who knows exactly what it takes to succeed on the course. Belete Tola captured the 2023 edition in 2:18:21, and her return adds another layer of experience and proven quality to an already formidable lineup.

The field also includes Mestawut Fikir Truneh, who arrives with an impressive marathon pedigree. Truneh finished runner-up at the 2024 Berlin Marathon in 2:18:48, demonstrating her ability to compete at the highest level on one of the world's major marathon stages.

Completing the quartet of sub-2:20 Ethiopians is Buze Diriba, whose personal best of 2:19:34 places her firmly among the leading contenders. With four athletes possessing credentials below 2:20, the race is likely to develop into a tightly contested battle from the opening kilometres.

The depth extends well beyond the leading quartet. Desi Jisa Mokonin, representing Bahrain, Yeshi Kalayu Chekole of Ethiopia and Nazret Weldu Gebrehiwet of Eritrea have all established themselves as serious marathon competitors with performances approaching the 2:20 mark.

Another major name to watch is Abeba Aregawi, the former 1500m world champion representing Sweden. Aregawi has successfully transferred her talents to the marathon and made headlines earlier this year by setting a Swedish national record of 2:23:12 on her debut. Her presence adds another intriguing dimension to an already high-quality field.

Amsterdam’s marathon course has consistently provided an opportunity for elite athletes to produce fast times, and this year’s women’s lineup has the depth to turn the race into a genuine test of both championship racing and outright speed.

With four athletes already inside 2:20, two former Amsterdam champions returning to the start line and several other accomplished marathoners ready to challenge them, the battle is expected to remain open deep into the race.

The ultimate target will be the Amsterdam women’s course record of 2:16:52. Whether the leading contenders can threaten that mark remains to be seen, but the quality assembled for October 18 ensures that the record will be firmly in the spotlight when the race reaches its spectacular finish inside the Olympic Stadium.

The 2026 Valencia Half Marathon is shaping up to be a thrilling contest of speed, endurance and tactical brilliance, with some of the world’s finest road runners set to converge in Spain on October 25.

Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo and Alex Matata will be among the leading contenders, facing a formidable Ethiopian challenge spearheaded by Jemal Yimer and Tadese Worku. The field also features Rodrigue Kwizera, who boasts the fastest personal best among the leading entrants at 58:16.

Ebenyo arrives with a personal best of 59:04, placing him firmly among the athletes capable of sustaining a demanding pace over the 21.1-kilometre distance. Matata, who owns a 59:11 best, adds further Kenyan strength, while Andrea Kiptoo brings another sub-60-minute credential to the race.

Yimer has already established himself as one of the fastest athletes in the field with a 58:33 personal best, while Worku has clocked 58:35. Kenya’s Owen Korir, with a best of 58:58, further underlines the remarkable depth of the men's lineup.

Valencia Half Marathon 2026 Entries

1. Rodrigue Kwizera (Spain) — 58:16

2. Jemal Yimer (Ethiopia) — 58:33

3. Tadese Worku (Ethiopia) — 58:35

4. Owen Korir (Kenya) — 58:58

5. Daniel Ebenyo (Kenya) — 59:04

6. Alex Matata (Kenya) — 59:11

7. Andrea Kiptoo (Kenya) — 59:11

8. Thierry Ndikumwenayo (Spain) — 59:42

9. Said Mechaal (Spain) — 1:00:24

10. Adel Mechaal (Spain) — 1:02:30

Kwizera, who finished second in Valencia last year, leads the field on paper and will be seeking another standout performance on the famously fast Valencia course. With several athletes carrying sub-60-minute credentials, the race has the ingredients for an aggressive battle from the opening kilometres.

Beyond the headline names, the men’s field is deep and highly competitive, bringing together a strong collection of experienced international athletes with proven ability over the half-marathon distance. With so much quality packed into the lineup, the race promises an intriguing battle in which tactics, endurance, positioning and finishing speed could all play a crucial role in determining the eventual champion.

Yet personal bests will count for little once the gun goes off. The title could ultimately be decided by patience, positioning and the ability to respond when the pace begins to rise in the closing stages. Every surge, every tactical move and every second saved could prove decisive on the road to the finish.

With Kenya, Ethiopia and Spain represented by athletes of exceptional quality, Valencia promises a high-octane men's showdown in which the leaders are likely to be separated by only a handful of seconds. The final kilometres could provide the defining moments of a race packed with speed, ambition and anticipation.

On October 25, the question will be simple: who has the strength to command the streets of Valencia and claim the coveted half-marathon crown?

 

April 19, 1982. The Boston Marathon unfolded under unusually warm, sunny conditions, and by the closing stages, the race had become a private battle between two very different American runners: Alberto Salazar, already one of the biggest names in distance running, and Dick Beardsley, the Minnesota runner who had emerged as a serious marathon contender.

For roughly nine miles, from the Newton Hills toward the finish, Beardsley did much of the leading, with Salazar tucked close behind. Neither man could shake the other. They ran deep into Boston locked together, trading surges and refusing to surrender an inch as the crowds along the course grew louder.

Salazar finally made his decisive move with less than a mile remaining. He opened a small gap, but Beardsley refused to disappear. The Minnesota runner chased him through the final streets, closing again as they approached the finish.

Then came the final sprint.

Salazar held his form and reached the finish first in 2:08:52, with Beardsley only two seconds behind in 2:08:54. It was an extraordinary result: both men broke 2:09 in the same Boston Marathon, and both shattered the previous course record.

The race became known as the “Duel in the Sun,” and it remains one of the most celebrated head-to-head battles in Boston Marathon history. Beardsley had not won, but his performance established him as one of America's elite marathoners.

For Salazar, however, victory came at an enormous physical cost. Immediately after crossing the finish line, he collapsed and required emergency treatment, including several litres of intravenous saline. The combination of heat, dehydration and an all-out effort had pushed his body to the limit.

Salazar's marathon career would never again produce quite the same kind of performance. His celebrated 1981 New York City Marathon victory had produced what was initially considered a world record, although the course was later found to be short. His Boston triumph therefore became one of the defining victories of his career.

Beardsley's story would take an even more difficult turn. Injuries disrupted his career, and after returning to the highest level, he suffered a devastating farm accident in 1989. Further accidents, surgeries and severe physical pain followed, eventually leading to a long battle with painkiller addiction.

He eventually overcame that struggle and transformed the darkest chapters of his life into a story of recovery, resilience and redemption.

That is what makes the 1982 Boston Marathon more than a two-second victory.

For one extraordinary afternoon, Salazar and Beardsley produced a marathon duel in which neither man was willing to give way. One crossed the finish line first. The other finished only two seconds behind him.

Two seconds separated them at Boston. Decades later, their legendary duel remains one of the greatest chapters in marathon history.