Running News Daily

“We had no idea the gravity of what was coming,” said Olympian Abbey Cooper.

On a typical Tuesday, Abbey Cooper usually tackles a threshold workout before leading practice as the coach of a youth cross-country team in Boone, North Carolina. 

Last week, the 2016 Olympic 5,000-meter runner was working as a volunteer, answering phones at her church, Alliance Bible Fellowship. For hours, the new mom helped survivors of Hurricane Helene obtain generators and other necessities in the wake of a natural disaster. 

When Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm on September 26, it created a 500-mile path of destruction across the southeast. Homes were washed away, roads were destroyed, and electricity was wiped out in communities across six states, where the death toll has risen to 227. Many are still unaccounted for or missing, according to The AP. 

In the rural mountain towns of western North Carolina, the hurricane decimated communities with unrelenting rain and devastating floods. And emergency response was made more difficult due to hundreds of damaged roads and downed bridges. 

Now as people begin to recover and rebuild, several elite runners in Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina, are taking major steps to give back and raise awareness for the organizations working tirelessly to support those in need. From cleaning up trails to delivering meals and disaster kits, professional and collegiate athletes who train in the area are providing critical aid and urging others to help in recovery efforts. 

“We had no idea the gravity of what was coming”

Cooper, her husband, Jacob, and their 20-month-old daughter, Mercy, live in a valley about 15 minutes from downtown Boone. In the days leading up to the storm hitting their town on Friday, September 27, a downpour descended on the area. At the height of the storm, Cooper remembered seeing waterfalls flowing off the hill and rushing toward their house. 

Though they had to dig a trench to reroute water that was flowing into their garage, there was minimal damage done to the Coopers’ home. Cooper said they were lucky. One of their neighbor’s homes located next to a creek was destroyed, but the owner made it out safely. “All of us were really humbled. We had no idea the gravity of what was coming,” she said. 

They lost power and water, relying on a portable camping stove and water filter to sustain them at home for three days. The couple considered driving to their friend’s house in Raleigh but decided to stay after the power was turned back on. 

Tristin Van Ord Colley had a similar terrifying experience at her home in Blowing Rock, located about eight miles from Boone. The professional marathoner, who runs for Zap Endurance, was in her apartment when a tornado hit the street behind her complex on Wednesday, September 25. Without receiving any warning of the tornado, the Appalachian State University alum and her husband, fellow pro runner Andrew Colley, took shelter last minute in a room without windows. The next day, the rain started to pick up. By Friday, it became catastrophic. 

Tristin said Andrew was watching a teammate’s dogs across town when water started flooding into the house. With the water rising rapidly and the electricity still on, Andrew fled with the dogs in his car and drove to their apartment. Tristin said he was forced to avoid road closures and drive through deep water as the storm progressed. “If [Andrew] had waited any longer, I’m not sure he would’ve been able to make it,” she said. 

Though the basement of their apartment building flooded up to four feet, the water didn’t reach their unit on the second floor. After the power went out—and didn’t turn back on for nine days—Tristin and Andrew braved the few roads that were open but riddled with fallen trees, to drive to her mom’s house in Chapel Hill. 

Recovering and rebuilding

Once they stabilized at home, Abbey and Jacob started volunteering with local relief efforts led by the Red Cross and Samaritan’s Purse in partnership with their church. Jacob, who works as the Associate Athletics Director for Sports Psychology and Mental Wellness at Appalachian State, is making deliveries to families in need and serving meals at the university. Abbey is assisting with administrative

“The people of Appalachia I feel are forgotten about a lot…Being someone who was extremely lucky in this situation, it’s hard for me to watch this community that I’ve grown to love so much crumble because of poverty and maybe not being prepared or not warned,” she said, while noting the messaging about the severity of the storm could have been better communicated in advance. 

“It’s important to have eyes on this area and have people recognize that these people here matter too.”

Zap Endurance elite coach Peter Rea and his family are doing their part by volunteering at local churches and public schools, which have become distribution centers for aid since the hurricane hit. Rea, his wife—cofounder of Zap Endurance Zika Rea—and their two children are helping people get necessities, like diapers, toothpaste, bottled water, blankets, and hot meals in the aftermath of their homes getting destroyed. 

The Rea family home saw minimal damage in Blowing Rock compared to other communities sitting at lower elevation, but four Zap runners were flooded from their houses, he said. Several of the athletes stayed with Rea immediately after the hurricane. They had to run on treadmills because the team’s primary training venue, Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, was severely damaged from the storm. 

“There are just hundreds of trees down in the national park on all of the carriage trails that we run on,” Rea said. “A couple of our rolling dirt loops are completely flooded out. There’s lots of housing destruction on the road because it’s right next to the Watauga River, which went 12 feet over its banks.”

Most of the team left Blowing Rock and Boone to continue their respective training blocks in their hometowns. Though the team is displaced right now, Rea has encouraged the athletes to stay connected as they pursue their running goals from afar. “We’re trying to impress upon them to be excited about getting out the door everyday, and go out of your way to create community when you’re back home,” he said. 

Rea is hoping the athletes will be able to

A portion of the trail clean-up effort is being led by the cross-country team at Appalachian State. Seeing the widespread damage prompted the men’s and women’s squad to pick up trash blown onto the paths they utilize every day, said Appalachian State women’s distance coach Annie Richards. 

“As a distance runner, you’re out running the trails or running around town, you really have a unique connection to the place,” Richards said. “In some ways, it’s harder because a lot of the trails that we’ve been running on have been really impacted by the storm, but also I think our team has been able to really understand the scope of the disaster.”

Last week, the team volunteered to sort through donations and build disaster relief kits, which included items to help people kill mold in their home caused by water damage. Richards said they plan to do more volunteer projects while the team is in season for cross-country this fall. 

Though the community has received aid from different organizations in town and around the country—Cooper said she got “chills” when she saw hundreds of camper vans belonging to volunteers who traveled many miles to assist—there’s a long period of recovery ahead. 

“The people of western North Carolina have never seen anything of this magnitude,” Rea said. “Anything people can do to help is greatly appreciated.”

To learn more about Hurricane Helene relief efforts and different ways to give back, visit the following nonprofit organizations recommended

Some victories are measured by finish times. Others are defined by the obstacles overcome simply to reach the starting line.

For American Paralympic swimmer Ali Truwit, completing the New York City Marathon represented far more than covering 26.2 miles. It was the culmination of an extraordinary journey of survival, resilience, and unwavering determination that began with a life-altering shark attack just two years earlier.

On a crisp November morning in 2025, Truwit crossed the iconic finish line wearing a carbon-fibre running blade, fulfilling a promise she had made while recovering in a hospital bed after losing her lower left leg. The emotional milestone marked another remarkable chapter in one of the most inspiring comeback stories in modern sport.

The road to that unforgettable finish began only days after Truwit celebrated a major personal achievement. In May 2023, she completed her first marathon in Copenhagen alongside her mother. Just ten days later, while enjoying a graduation trip to Turks and Caicos with former Yale swimming teammate Sophie Pilkinton, tragedy struck.

While the pair were snorkelling, a shark attacked Truwit, severely injuring her left leg. Displaying remarkable courage, the two swam approximately 55 metres back to their boat, where Pilkinton—then a medical student—quickly applied a tourniquet that stopped the bleeding and ultimately saved Truwit's life.

Doctors were forced to amputate her lower left leg on her 23rd birthday.

Even in the darkest moments of recovery, Truwit's determination never disappeared. Reflecting on having recently completed her first marathon, she joked with one of the first responders that at least she had managed to run a marathon before the attack. The responder's simple but powerful reply would remain with her throughout rehabilitation: "You'll run another one."

Those words became a source of hope during the long and demanding road back.

Only weeks after surgery, Truwit began learning to walk on a prosthetic limb before gradually returning to the swimming pool. The process was anything but straightforward. The water that had once been her sanctuary became a source of painful memories, yet she refused to allow fear to define her future.

Her relentless work ethic soon produced extraordinary results.

Less than 16 months after the attack, Truwit represented the United States at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, producing a sensational performance to claim both silver and bronze medals. Standing on the Paralympic podium was a powerful reminder of how far she had come in such a short period, and she dedicated those achievements to everyone who had helped save her life.

Still, another dream remained unfinished.

The New York City Marathon carried deep personal significance. It was not merely another endurance event but a symbolic return to the city where her life had changed forever. On November 2, 2025, she lined up in Staten Island accompanied by 13 family members and close friends, all proudly representing her nonprofit foundation, Stronger Than You Think. Among them was Pilkinton, the friend whose quick thinking had preserved her life on that unforgettable day in the Caribbean.

Together, they covered every mile of the marathon before celebrating an emotional finish that Truwit later described as being "over the moon."

Completing a marathon on a carbon-fibre running blade presents challenges far beyond those faced by able-bodied runners. The prosthetic demands greater strength from the hips, core, and remaining leg while requiring exceptional balance, coordination, and endurance. Truwit's preparation combined months of disciplined training, patience, and mental resilience as she effectively taught herself how to run again.

Her story extends well beyond medals and marathon finishes.

Inspired by her own recovery, Truwit founded Stronger Than You Think, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to helping individuals overcome physical and financial barriers following limb loss. Recognising that sports prosthetics can cost tens of thousands of dollars and are often not covered by insurance, the foundation provides financial assistance for prosthetic devices, supports water-safety education, and promotes opportunities within Paralympic sport.

The organisation has already helped provide more than 11 prosthetic limbs, delivered nearly $200,000 in direct support, and funded over 4,000 hours of water-safety lessons benefiting more than 700 young people.

Throughout her journey, Truwit has remained refreshingly honest about the emotional challenges that continue to accompany recovery. She has openly acknowledged that healing is an ongoing process and that grief can still come in waves. Rather than portraying an effortless comeback, she has demonstrated that resilience is built through persistence, even on the hardest days.

Her remarkable transformation resonates far beyond elite sport. While few people will ever experience the trauma she endured, countless runners and athletes understand the frustration of injury, disappointment, or rebuilding after adversity. Truwit's journey serves as a powerful reminder that recovery is rarely linear and that courage is often measured by the willingness to keep moving forward despite uncertainty.

Now looking ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games, Truwit continues to redefine what is possible. She is no longer known simply as the swimmer who survived a shark attack. She has become a Paralympic medallist, marathon finisher, advocate, and symbol of resilience whose story continues to inspire athletes around the world.

Her journey proves that while life can change in an instant, so too can the strength of the human spirit. Sometimes the greatest triumph is not returning to the person you once were, but discovering someone even stronger than you ever imagined possible.

Sprint and hurdles superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has entered an exciting new chapter in her remarkable life, welcoming her first child with husband Andre Levrone. The four-time Olympic champion and women's 400m hurdles world record holder announced the birth of their daughter, Savannah Michelle Levrone, who was born on Sunday, July 12, 2026.

The couple shared the joyful news with an emotional message celebrating the arrival of their daughter and expressing gratitude to everyone who supported them throughout the pregnancy. Sydney described Savannah as "our blessing and our joy," while expressing excitement and faith for the future that lies ahead for their growing family.

The announcement marks a deeply personal milestone for one of the most accomplished athletes of her generation. Renowned for redefining the women's 400m hurdles through a succession of record-breaking performances, McLaughlin-Levrone now embraces a new role beyond the track as a mother.

The timing of the announcement adds another layer of significance. Just days earlier, Sydney reflected on the 10th anniversary of qualifying for her first Olympic Games at only 16 years old—a breakthrough that launched one of the most decorated careers in modern athletics. Ten years later, her journey has come full circle with another life-changing milestone, underscoring that her greatest moments continue to extend beyond sporting success.

The arrival of Savannah Michelle Levrone has been met with an outpouring of congratulations from athletes, fans, and the wider sporting community, who have celebrated the couple as they begin this new chapter together. As Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone steps into motherhood, the athletics world will undoubtedly continue to follow her inspiring journey—both on and off the track.

Ethiopia's Tsige Gebreselama produced one of the standout road running performances of the season on Sunday, storming to victory at the prestigious Boilermaker Road Race 15K in Utica, New York, with a sensational course record of 47:29.

From the opening kilometers, Gebreselama controlled the race with remarkable composure and precision, maintaining a relentless pace that ultimately erased the previous course record and secured one of the fastest performances ever recorded on the historic course. Her commanding display further reinforced her reputation as one of the world's leading road and distance runners.

The Ethiopian celebration continued as Melknat Wudu crossed the finish line in second place in 47:44, completing a dominant one-two finish for her country. Kenya's Priscah Cherono claimed third in 48:14 after a determined effort, rounding out a world-class podium in a race featuring some of the finest distance runners on the international circuit.

The battle behind the podium remained fiercely competitive. Kenya's Everlyn Kemboi finished fourth in 48:28, narrowly ahead of compatriot Selah Busienei, who clocked 48:31 for fifth. Ethiopia's Netsanet Desta and Alem Nigus Tsadik followed in sixth and seventh respectively, while Kenya's Mercy Cherono secured eighth place.

American athletes also delivered encouraging performances on home roads. Veteran Stephanie Bruce finished ninth in 50:40, with Jackie Gaughan completing the top ten in 51:02 to cap a strong showing for the host nation.

Boilermaker Road Race 15K – Women's Top 10 Results

1. Tsige Gebreselama (Ethiopia) – 47:29 (Course Record)

2. Melknat Wudu (Ethiopia) – 47:44

3. Priscah Cherono (Kenya) – 48:14

4. Everlyn Kemboi (Kenya) – 48:28

5. Selah Busienei (Kenya) – 48:31

6. Netsanet Desta (Ethiopia) – 48:46

7. Alem Nigus Tsadik (Ethiopia) – 48:48

8. Mercy Cherono (Kenya) – 50:23

9. Stephanie Bruce (United States) – 50:40

10. Jackie Gaughan (United States) – 51:02

The women's race combined exceptional depth with remarkable speed, as several athletes broke the 49-minute barrier in a contest that showcased the global strength of elite road running. Gebreselama's record-breaking run now stands as a new benchmark in the rich history of the Boilermaker 15K, adding another memorable chapter to one of the United States' most celebrated road races.

Kenya's Alex Matata delivered a sensational performance to claim the men's title at the prestigious Boilermaker Road Race 15K in Utica, New York, producing a dominant run that underlined his growing reputation as one of the world's finest road racers.

Matata surged to victory in an outstanding time of 42:24, mastering the demanding course with a display of strength, speed, and tactical brilliance. His commanding performance secured a memorable triumph in one of the United States' most celebrated road races, adding another significant international victory to his career.

Kenya's success was further highlighted by Kiprono Sitonik, who produced an equally impressive run to finish second in 42:53, completing a remarkable one-two finish for the East African nation. South Africa's Adam Lipschitz rounded out the podium after clocking 43:14 to claim third place following a determined effort.

The race featured a highly competitive international field, with American athletes Reid Buchanan and Hillary Bor finishing fourth and fifth respectively, while another Kenyan, Victor Shitsama, added to his country's strong showing by taking sixth place.

Matata's victory once again showcased Kenya's enduring strength in global road racing, as its athletes continued to dominate major international competitions through exceptional endurance, tactical awareness, and relentless finishing speed. His performance in Utica not only thrilled the spectators lining the streets but also reinforced the depth of Kenyan distance running on the world stage.

Men's Top 10 Results – Boilermaker Road Race 15K

1. Alex Matata (Kenya) – 42:24

2. Kiprono Sitonik (Kenya) – 42:53

3. Adam Lipschitz (South Africa) – 43:14

4. Reid Buchanan (United States) – 43:38

5. Hillary Bor (United States) – 43:40

6. Victor Shitsama (Kenya) – 44:02

7. Futsum Zienasellassie (United States) – 44:32

8. Charlie Sweeney (United States) – 44:37

9. Sam Lawler (United States) – 44:54

10. Tyler Berg (United States) – 45:08

With another major road racing title added to his résumé, Alex Matata continued his impressive 2026 campaign while reinforcing his status as one of the leading names on the international road racing circuit. The Boilermaker 15K once again delivered a high-quality contest, with athletes from across the globe producing memorable performances in one of the United States' most prestigious road races.

Eliud Kipchoge's remarkable World Tour continued on Brazilian soil as the Kenyan marathon icon completed the New Balance 42K Porto Alegre Marathon, crossing the finish line in 2:18:39 to place 12th overall during the second stop of his ambitious seven-continent global running tour.

Competing against a strong international field, the two-time Olympic marathon champion displayed the resilience and determination that have defined his legendary career. While the result was not among the victories that have made him one of the greatest marathon runners in history, Kipchoge once again demonstrated the unwavering commitment that continues to inspire athletes and fans across the globe.

Morocco's Zineddine Ouria claimed victory in a superb 2:08:49, with Kipchoge finishing 9 minutes and 50 seconds behind the race winner after navigating the demanding course in Porto Alegre.

Kipchoge began the race with controlled and confident pacing, reaching 5km in 15:34 before passing the halfway mark in 1:05:07. As the race entered its decisive stages, the pace gradually slowed, but the veteran marathoner pressed on with characteristic determination, completing the 42.195-kilometre challenge in 2:18:39.

For many, the story will be told through the finishing position. But for those who truly understand greatness, this journey is about far more than medals, records, or podium finishes. Kipchoge's World Tour is a celebration of the sport itself—an opportunity to connect with runners across every continent, inspire the next generation, and continue living by the philosophy that has become synonymous with his career: "No Human Is Limited."

The Brazilian appearance also carried added significance, coming shortly after Kipchoge was permanently honoured in Porto Alegre with his footprints unveiled at the entrance of Parque Harmonia—a lasting tribute to his extraordinary impact on distance running and his enduring legacy in the sport.

Once a champion. Forever an inspiration. Legends do not stop inspiring when the victories become fewer; they inspire because they never stop showing up. Through every stride, every finish line, and every challenge embraced, Kipchoge continues to prove that true greatness is measured not only by what an athlete wins, but by the lives they touch along the way.

With the second stop of his World Tour now complete, Kipchoge will turn his attention to the next chapter of his global adventure when he lines up at the Melbourne Marathon in Australia this October. Wherever he races, millions will once again follow the journey of a man whose legacy extends far beyond the stopwatch.