Running News Daily

As any runner can tell you, pounding the pavement is not all runner’s high—there are aches and pains that come along with it. Running injuries can run the gamut from annoying to sidelining, which is why it’s important to accurately identify what’s going on.

Running is a high-impact exercise, meaning your entire body takes a bit of a beating when you run for a prolonged period of time.

Runner’s knee

What it is: "Patellofemoral pain syndrome, more commonly referred to as runner’s knee, is a dull, achy pain that originates underneath your kneecap and is typically felt during running, especially uphill, walking down stairs, or when moving from a sitting position to a standing position," John Gallucci, Jr., M.S., D.P.T., president and CEO of JAG Physical Therapy, tells SELF.

This is the most common running injury, especially for new runners, Ferber says. He notes that for some people, the pain may start at the beginning of the run, subside throughout, and then pick up again as soon as you stop running.

What causes it: "It's a grinding injury," Ferber says. There's cartilage under your kneecap and also along your thigh bone, and a layer of fluid in between the two works as cushioning, Ferber explains. He says to think of the kneecap as a train, and the thigh bone (femur) as the train track. When the hips are weak, the thigh bone loses its stability and moves underneath the kneecap. "The railroad track starts moving. Those pieces of cartilage start to rub together, and that’s what causes the pain," Ferber explains.

How to treat it: This is something most runners can deal with and will attempt to run through, Dr. Gallucci says. But (surprise!) that's not a good idea. "If not properly managed, patellofemoral syndrome can progress into a more severe injury that could require surgical intervention, such as a fissuring or fracturing of the patella," he says.

Initially, you should stop running and try to limit inflammation—taking anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen can help.

How to prevent it: After you’re pain-free, work on strengthening your hips, says Ferber, who coauthored a study on the benefits of treating runner's knee with hip and core exercises. In the study, people with knee pain who completed six weeks of core and hip strength training reported an earlier resolution of pain and gained more strength than those who performed knee-focused rehab.

Plantar fasciitis

What it is: Plantar fasciitis causes a stabbing pain on the bottom of the foot near the heel. "It's usually a little bit stiff at the beginning of a run, and then the pain goes away. Then it's a little stiff when you finish," says Ferber. "But it hurts first thing in the morning. That first step out of bed is excruciating at the heel. It can take 15 to 30 steps to get it warmed up and to go away, and then you kind of forget about it."

What causes it: The plantar fascia is a thick band of connective tissue that runs along the sole of the foot from the toes to the heel. Its job is to support your arch, Ferber says. "It gets stretched every time the foot comes down, and runs back out as the foot pronates," he explains. It's designed to be thick enough to withstand these forces, but too much repeated tension on the fascia can cause irritation and inflammation.

Since the fascia is connected to so many parts of your foot and leg, there are many things that can contribute to plantar fasciitis. Poor running mechanics, flat feet, weakness of the hips, weakness of the core, poor control of pelvic positioning, and nerve irritation in the lower back can all contribute to this inflammation and pain, Dr. Licameli says. Tight calf muscles or even inflexible toes can strain this connective tissue, too, adds Ferber.

How to treat it: "We say to stretch and do heel raises to make sure the muscles crossing underneath the foot are good and strong. That takes the load off the plantar fascia," Ferber says. "Plus, a good arch support (just an over-the-counter orthotic) will take some stress off." Dr. Licameli also suggests strengthening your hips and core.

How to prevent it: Strengthening exercises are helpful for prevention, too. "And always warm up properly," Dr. Licameli says.

Achilles tendinitis

What it is: This type of tendon injury causes inflammation and pain in your Achilles tendon (along the back of your heel), especially when walking, running, raising up on your toes, and stretching your calf muscles, Dr. Licameli says. It's an aching, dull pain, usually right where the muscle transitions to tendon, Ferber says.

The pain can also be deeper in the thickest part of your tendon, which is more common as you age. “You lose blood supply in the mid part of the Achilles tendon and it becomes brittle. It starts happening in about your 40s," Ferber explains.

What causes it: Any weakness or tightness in the calves, glutes, or hamstrings can affect the Achilles tendon. We use our calf muscles and glutes to propel us forward, and if they're not their jobs, smaller things like tendons have to take over, which can end up causing a lot of strain. Dr. Licameli adds that having weak hips or core or flat feet can all impact how much strain is on the Achilles tendon.

It also tends to be more common when people increase their activity suddenly, whether it’s running more miles or increasing speed.

How to treat it: You may need to rest from high-impact activity until the pain resolves. Icing the affected area can also help you feel better. But again, strengthening and stretching the muscles at play is key here. Often it's the hips or calves that need to be strengthened, but issues with the feet are core are common too.

How to prevent it: Continue stretching and strengthening those muscles. Since there can be so many different causes, you need to figure out the main one in order to properly treat it—that's why it's so important to see a professional to help you get to the bottom of it, Ferber says.

While many people new to running might think the dreaded stress fracture is an injury reserved for more experienced—and higher mileage—runners, it can actually hit beginners too, says Dr. Vasudevan. Stress fractures are more likely to occur when there is a change to a running routine, such as more miles, a different terrain, or a higher intensity, he says. That means a beginner who is just getting started, and ramps up too soon, can be at risk.

Strengthening can help improve your biomechanics when running, says Dr. Vasudevan. You’ll also want to make sure you’re not increasing mileage too rapidly or suddenly changing your running terrain. Fueling your activity properly is important too.

With just three days remaining until the BMW Berlin Marathon, anticipation is building for another spectacular edition of one of the world’s fastest marathon races.

The 52nd edition of the race will take place on Sunday, September 27, with a deep international field set to take on the famously fast streets of the German capital.

Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay is among the leading names in the men’s race, bringing a personal best of 2:03:00 to Berlin. His mark, set in Valencia in 2022, places him among the fastest marathoners in the elite field. However, Ethiopia’s legendary Kenenisa Bekele has since been added to the field with a 2:01:41 personal best, meaning Geay is not the fastest entrant on paper.

The men’s field also features Getaneh Molla (2:03:34), Guye Adola (2:03:46), Shura Kitata (2:03:59), Kenya’s Erick Sang (2:04:30) and Olympic 10,000m champion Selemon Barega (2:05:00), setting the stage for an exceptionally deep contest.

For Bekele, however, this return to Berlin carries a significance that goes far beyond the start list. The last time the Ethiopian legend stood on the Berlin start line was in 2019, when he ran 2:01:41—just two seconds outside the then-world record of 2:01:39. Had he gone two seconds faster, Bekele would have become the only athlete in history to simultaneously hold the world records for the 5,000 metres, 10,000 metres and marathon.

Bekele returns to Berlin on Sunday at the age of 44. His most recent race was the New York City Marathon in November, where he did not finish. Berlin, however, holds a special place in his marathon career. He claimed his first Berlin Marathon victory in 2016 and has won the race twice. He also owns the masters world record of 2:04:15, set in London last year.

He will not be the favourite in this year’s race, particularly after Sabastian Sawe was ruled out with a stress fracture. Adola, Molla, Kitata and Geay lead the field on paper, but Bekele’s presence adds another layer of intrigue to a race already packed with established marathon talent.

For Bekele, Berlin is more than another marathon. It is the course where he came closer than anyone to achieving a piece of distance-running history that remains untouched. Some athletes retire from the sport. Some retire toward one course. Bekele is running the second kind of retirement.

In the women’s race, all eyes will be on Tigst Assefa as the Ethiopian superstar returns to the course where she produced one of the most remarkable marathon performances in history. Assefa clocked 2:11:53 in Berlin in 2023, setting a world record at the time and establishing a course record that still stands.

Assefa, a two-time Berlin Marathon champion, will face defending champion Rosemary Wanjiru, who returns to the German capital looking to retain her title. Wanjiru won the 2025 edition in 2:21:05 after previously finishing second in Berlin in 2022 in 2:18:00. Her personal best of 2:16:14 came at the 2023 Tokyo Marathon.

Wanjiru’s challenge will be particularly intriguing given the depth of the Ethiopian contingent. Bedatu Hirpa enters with a 2:18:27 personal best, followed by Dera Dida at 2:18:32, Zeineba Yimer at 2:18:47, Bosena Mulatie at 2:19:00, Misgane Alemayehu at 2:19:08 and Bekelech Gudeta at 2:19:39.

Kenya will also have another strong presence through Evaline Chirchir, whose 2:20:33 personal best places her among the leading women on the start list.

The Berlin Marathon’s reputation for producing fast times adds another layer of intrigue to an already stacked field. With a flat course, long stretches of uninterrupted running and a history of world records, the German capital has consistently provided elite athletes with the ideal conditions to test the limits of marathon performance.

Beyond the headline names, the race will also offer an opportunity for several contenders to make their mark on one of the biggest stages in road running. With experienced marathoners and ambitious challengers sharing the start line, the battle for the podium is expected to unfold at a demanding pace from the opening kilometres through the final stages of the race.

With Assefa returning to the scene of her historic 2023 run, Wanjiru arriving as the defending champion and a deep international cast lining up across both races, Berlin is once again set for a weekend of world-class marathon racing.

Three days out, the stage is set. The fast Berlin streets are waiting.

Kenyan distance runner Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi is set to make his long-awaited marathon debut at the 2026 TCS Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday, October 18, stepping up to the 42.195-kilometre distance for the first time in what promises to be a high-quality international field.

Lasoi arrives in Amsterdam with an impressive credential over the half marathon, having clocked a personal best of 58:10. His transition to the marathon will therefore be one of the major storylines to follow as he takes on a distance more than twice as demanding as the half marathon.

The 26-year-old Kenyan will face a formidable lineup that includes several athletes with marathon personal bests below 2:05. Leading the field is compatriot Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba, the defending champion and current Amsterdam course-record holder after his 2:03:30 victory last year. Kipchumba will return to the Dutch capital looking to defend his title and challenge his own record.

Ethiopia's Haymanot Alew is another major name on the start list, boasting a 2:03:31 personal best from Berlin in 2024, just one second outside Kipchumba's Amsterdam course record.

His compatriot Tsegaye Getachew will also return to a race where he has enjoyed considerable success. Getachew won the Amsterdam Marathon in 2022 and 2024 before finishing second last year in a personal-best 2:04:18.

The field also features Ethiopian marathoner Lemi Berhanu, who owns a personal best of 2:04:33, while Israel's Maru Teferi brings a 2:04:44 personal best set in Valencia in 2024.

With the Amsterdam course known for its fast profile and the race carrying a World Athletics Platinum Label, the stage is set for another potentially fast edition. The marathon starts at the Olympic Stadium, with the course taking runners past landmarks including the Rijksmuseum, along the Amstel River and through Vondelpark before returning to the Olympic Stadium for the finish.

For Lasoi, however, the focus will be on answering one intriguing question: how will his exceptional half-marathon speed translate over the full marathon distance?

His debut will provide the first major indication of his potential at 42.195 kilometres, while placing him alongside an experienced group of elite marathoners capable of producing world-class performances.

The confirmed names currently include Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi, Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba, Haymanot Alew, Tsegaye Getachew, Lemi Berhanu and Maru Teferi, setting up a fascinating international contest in Amsterdam on October 18.

At 103 years old, Germaine Smith has delivered an extraordinary reminder that age does not have to stand in the way of pursuing remarkable goals after completing the Fox Cities Half Marathon in Wisconsin in an impressive time of 2:04:40.

Smith captured attention with her inspiring performance, beginning the race in a wheelchair before getting out and completing part of the 13.1-mile course on foot. Her determination to keep moving forward made her achievement particularly memorable, turning an ordinary race day into a powerful story of perseverance and resilience.

The centenarian's finish was about far more than the time displayed on the clock. At an age when many people have long since stepped away from physically demanding activities, Smith demonstrated a remarkable willingness to remain active and embrace the challenge of completing a half marathon.

Her participation in the Fox Cities Half Marathon offered a powerful reminder that running and movement can remain meaningful at every stage of life. While the race brought together athletes pursuing personal records and competitive goals, Smith's journey stood out for the determination and courage behind her finish.

Completing 13.1 miles at 103 is an extraordinary accomplishment, and her decision to cover part of the course on foot made the moment even more special.

Smith's remarkable achievement is a celebration of the human spirit, showing that the finish line is not always about speed, but also about determination, courage, and the willingness to keep moving forward.

Her story also highlights the inclusive spirit of distance running, where participants of different ages and abilities can share the same course while pursuing their own personal goals. For Smith, the experience was a reminder that taking part in a race can be just as meaningful as competing for a podium position.

At an age when every milestone carries a special significance, Smith's accomplishment offers an uplifting message to people of all generations. Her journey demonstrates that determination and a love for physical activity can continue to inspire others, regardless of age or athletic background.

Beyond the finish line, her achievement serves as a source of encouragement for anyone who has ever questioned whether they are too old to take on a new challenge. Smith's remarkable effort shows that personal victories come in many forms and that the courage to participate can be just as powerful as the achievement itself.

At 103, Germaine Smith has shown that the joy of taking on a challenge has no age limit.

The TCS New York City Marathon is set for a small but significant change to its iconic 26.2-mile course, with runners facing a revised section in the Bronx between Miles 20 and 21.

For 15 years, every New York City Marathon runner passed through the exact same stretch of the Bronx around Mile 20, navigating a short loop that surrounded a neighborhood supermarket and a 24-hour laundromat for much of race day. This November, that familiar loop will disappear.

New York Road Runners (NYRR) is making its first course change to the marathon in 15 years. Instead of looping near East 140th Street, runners will head north on Alexander Avenue, turn onto Third Avenue and then cut south on 138th Street toward the Madison Avenue Bridge.

The adjustment removes two turns from the Bronx section, reducing the number from seven to five. While that may sound insignificant for a race covering 26.2 miles, the change comes at a point when runners are already deep into the marathon and every turn, road surface and change in rhythm can become more noticeable.

However, the primary reason for the change is not to make the course faster or help runners shave seconds from their finishing times.

Bronx resident Jennifer Alicea told The New York Times that the previous route made it extremely difficult to reach her only nearby grocery store on marathon day. NYRR's Metellus, who grew up in the Bronx, described the affected blocks as food deserts and saw the course's required recertification as an opportunity to address the problem.

The timing also carries added significance. This year marks 50 years since the New York City Marathon expanded beyond Central Park in 1976, becoming the five-borough race that has since grown into one of the world's most famous marathons.

The route will still cover the same 26.2 miles through New York's five boroughs, but the Bronx experience will be slightly different. For elite athletes, two fewer turns could mean a smoother rhythm during the crucial closing stages. For thousands of recreational runners, the bigger difference may be felt by the communities living along the course rather than on the race clock.

The New York City Marathon has long been celebrated not only for its elite competition but also for the connection between the race and the communities it passes through. The latest adjustment reflects that relationship, showing how even an established course can evolve while preserving the character of the event.

So, two fewer turns, the same five boroughs and the same 26.2 miles — but potentially one less headache for residents of the Bronx.

For runners taking on New York this November, the question remains: will you even notice those two fewer turns when you reach Mile 20? 

Alison dos Santos carries visible scars on his forehead and parts of his body, but behind them lies a remarkable story of survival that has become an important part of his journey in athletics.

When he was just 10 months old, the Brazilian suffered severe third-degree burns after boiling oil spilled onto him. The accident left permanent scars and could easily have changed the course of his life before it had even begun.

He survived the ordeal, and as he grew older, the scars became a visible reminder of an accident he had endured as a baby. For much of his childhood, they also brought unwanted attention and insecurity. But eventually, athletics gave him something far more powerful: confidence, purpose and an opportunity to define himself through his talent rather than his scars.

That transformation took him all the way to the world's biggest sporting stages.

Dos Santos announced himself among the world's elite 400m hurdlers with an Olympic bronze medal at Tokyo 2020, clocking 46.72 seconds. In 2022, he reached another milestone by becoming world champion, confirming himself as one of the leading figures in an event that had entered an extraordinary era.

Two years later, he added another Olympic bronze medal in Paris, continuing to establish himself among the very best 400m hurdlers on the planet.

Then came Zürich.

On August 27, 2026, dos Santos delivered the race that changed his place in history. He stormed to 45.80 seconds, breaking Karsten Warholm's five-year-old world record of 45.94 and becoming the first man in history to run under 46 seconds twice.

The moment carried another layer of significance because Warholm was in the race. The Norwegian had established the previous world record in the unforgettable Tokyo Olympic final in 2021, a race in which dos Santos himself had won bronze. Five years later, the Brazilian returned to the same record-breaking narrative — this time as the man rewriting history.

But dos Santos was not finished.

Just over two weeks after his historic run in Zürich, he travelled to Budapest for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, where the world's leading 400m hurdlers assembled for another highly anticipated showdown.

On September 13, dos Santos once again stood at the centre of the action. He produced another extraordinary performance, winning the men's 400m hurdles in 45.98 seconds and successfully defending his position at the top of an event filled with heavyweight names.

Rai Benjamin finished second in 46.40, while Warholm took third in 46.78. Dos Santos had once again beaten two of the athletes most closely associated with the modern history of the 400m hurdles.

The 45.98 also made him the first athlete to break 46 seconds twice, while ranking as the third-fastest performance ever recorded in the event at the time. His world record of 45.80 remained firmly at the top.

His latest victory therefore added another remarkable chapter to a season that had already produced a world record and a string of elite performances. Dos Santos has combined speed, consistency and resilience to turn 2026 into one of the defining seasons of his career.

And perhaps that is what makes his story so compelling. The hurdles he clears today are visible to the world, but some of the hardest obstacles he has overcome were faced long before he ever entered a stadium. His scars tell the story of what happened to him as a child; his achievements tell the story of what he chose to become.

The scars never disappeared. Neither did the determination of the boy who survived them.

Today, Alison dos Santos is not defined by the accident that marked his childhood. He is defined by the athlete he became — an Olympic medallist, a world champion, a world-record holder and now the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate champion in the 400m hurdles.

From surviving a devastating accident as an infant to standing on the highest level of his event, Piu has spent his life clearing hurdles — long before he ever started racing over them.