Running News Daily

It probably won't surprise you, a runner, a definite wearer of shoes, to learn that the shoe industry is massive (producing 24.2 billion pairs a year, massive). Also unsurprising is that with its size comes a monster amount of waste as consumers continue to buy and ditch pair after pair.

The life cycle (from material processing, manufacturing, logistics, and eventual waste) is estimated to create 30 pounds of carbon emissions for each pair of running shoes.

Running brands aren't oblivious to the problem and seem to grasp that runners are caring more and more about the environment, but aren't willing to compromise on the quality of their footwear. In fact, that's where a lot of the dissonance comes into play. To truly reduce the carbon footprint of the sneaker industry, runners need to one day rely on fewer, yet more durable shoes.

But no shoe brand wants us to buy fewer shoes. Which means, it's up to them to find another way. And this April, just in time for Earth Day, many brands are launching new (or beefing up old) footwear recycling.

Currently, 85 percent of textiles are not recycled, with the average person throwing away 70 pounds of clothing and other textiles annually.

In general, recycling shoes is a complex process and depending on the materials in the shoe it might not be possible. "Footwear is difficult to recycle because most shoes are made using multiple, mixed materials which are often stitched or glued together," says Shaye DiPasquale a publicist for the recycler TerraCycle.

"There is not a lot of physical recycling of footwear that goes on," says Eric Stubin, president of Trans-Americas Textile Recycling. The majority of 'recycled' shoes and clothes are shipped places to be reused. Stubin's company processes about 10 million pounds of post-consumer textile waste from clothing, shoes, and accessories every year.

Take polyurethane foam, a material researchers from Northwestern University only recently figured out how to upcycle. "Polyurethane foam waste has historically been landfilled and burned or down-cycled for use in carpeting," said William Dichtel, who co-led the research. "Our latest work effectively removes air from polyurethane foams and remolds them into any shape. This could pave the way for industry to begin recycling polyurethane foam waste for many relevant applications." Polyurethane, which is sometimes used in the midsole of shoes does not melt even in extreme heat. Previously, it could only be shredded or compressed in ways that make the material not durable enough for other uses.

In general, when clothing is recycled it tends to go to one of these four different end destinations:

Reused and repurposed as secondhand clothing (45%)

Recycled and converted into items like reclaimed wiping rags for industrial and residential use (30%)

Recycled into post-consumer fiber for home insulation, carpet padding, and raw material for the automotive industry (20%)

Landfills (5%)

Perhaps the most notable and lauded shoe recycling program is Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe, which is available at select Nike stores. Through the program any brand of athletic shoe is collected to be turned into a Nike Grind product-tracks, courts, walkways, and playground floors made from ground sneakers. Stubin considers the Nike Grind program to be the most "robust and viable program for footwear."

Earlier this month, the sandal company Teva announced its partnership with TerraCycle through a program it's calling TevaForever. For no additional cost, customers who sign up receive a pre-paid shipping label to send their worn sandals to TerraCycle. Their goal is to also turn the used sandals into running tracks, playgrounds, and more.

TerraCycle's footwear Zero Waste Box is an option that anyone can order and fill with shoes to be recycled. According to DiPasquale the shoes will either be manually or mechanically separated into fabrics, metals, fibers, organics, and plastics. The fabrics are reused, upcycled, or recycled. The metals are smelted for reuse elsewhere. Wood or paper fibers are recycled or composted. And the plastics are melted down and turned into pellets, flakes, or other usable formats to be molded into new products or packaging.

But what if you could buy a shoe with a promise that it will be recycled, rather than looking for a solution on the back end? On, the Swiss shoe company has recently launched its Cyclon shoe subscription which promises to be a closed-loop system. For a fee of $29.99 per month you are delivered the shoes, made of castor beans. When the shoes reach the end of their life, you let On know and they will send you a new pair along with everything you need to ship the old pair back to be recycled into new products.

Because of the concept, On was awarded the 2021 ISPO Product of the Year as well as a Sustainability Achievement award.

And on Earth Day, Salomon will begin selling its Index.01 shoe in the U.S., which is already available in Europe. Like On's concept, it promises to be a circular life-cycle shoe. As long as consumers send it back, partners of Salomon will recycle the TPU and polyester into raw materials for use in other products. In Europe specifically, the TPU will be recycled into Salomon ski boots.

What about socks? An oft-forgotten item that is more than likely to end up in the landfill. Smartwool has just announced its new partnership with Material Return starting April 21. Like Nike Grind, this program involves collecting old socks (can be any brand or material, but must be clean) to be ground up and used in other products. This is your chance to get rid of those lonely single socks that, let's be honest, won't ever find their match. Find a donation center here.

4 Other Ways to Donate or Recycle Your Shoes

Donating your shoes so someone else can get use out of them is probably the best thing you can do with that old pair.

Stubin's biggest piece of advice when donating your shoes: Don't judge your shoes too harshly. "A good pair of shoes, even if a runner deems them no longer useful, can likely find a second life," he says.

Even if the charity you donate to can't re-sell the shoes to a consumer, they can still sell it to a recycler. "So if a Goodwill sells clothing to Trans-Americas, we pay them for that material. There's a market price for that material," says Stubin.

Programs like One World Running and Soles4Souls (a popular choice among running stores) collect and distribute shoes and other clothing to people who need them. To date the Soles4Souls program has found second use for over 56 million pairs of shoes. Find a donation center near you here.

Soles4Souls partners with a lot of other high profile donation programs. The North Face's Clothes the Loop program, for example, will send your shoes to that recycling leader.

[Editor's Note: You can also join our Soles4Souls shoe drive! Get all the details here and help us put your old sneakers to good use.]

Also announced this month, Nike will soon start accepting lightly worn, good condition shoes into its refurbished program for resale in 15 authorized stores. You can also check with your local running store to see if they offer any sort of similar takeback program.

Extending the life of a garment by one year can reduce its carbon footprint by 25 percent, according to the Thredup fashion footprint calculator. "So footwear that lives on and finds a second life for two to three years, conceivably reduces the carbon," says Stubin.

Recycling vs. trashing shoes is only a small fraction of the problem. Most of the carbon emissions related to running shoes happens in the manufacturing process. At the end of the day, the best thing that can be done is to buy less and make the products we do own last longer. But, as with every environmentally charged movement, we have to start somewhere and demand forward progress and innovation, while doing our part as individuals.

Ethiopian middle-distance star Gudaf Tsegay has been handed a four-month suspension after testing positive for a metabolite of Letrozole, a substance prohibited under anti-doping regulations.

The positive result stemmed from an out-of-competition test conducted on 5 December 2025, casting an unexpected shadow over one of the most accomplished athletes in global athletics. Tsegay, a two-time world champion and one of Ethiopia’s most decorated distance runners, was formally notified of the adverse analytical finding in January 2026.

Following the notification, Tsegay maintained that the medication had been prescribed by medical professionals to treat a diagnosed health condition. She subsequently provided supporting medical documentation to anti-doping authorities and later submitted a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) application.

The World Athletics Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee reviewed the evidence and concluded that her treatment satisfied the criteria required for a TUE. However, because the exemption had not been obtained before the use of the medication, an application for a retroactive TUE was submitted. That request was ultimately rejected by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

As a result, Tsegay entered into a Case Resolution Agreement with the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and WADA, acknowledging anti-doping rule violations related to both the presence and use of a prohibited substance.

Despite the violation, authorities determined that a reduced sanction was appropriate. The decision took into account Tsegay’s prompt admission of the violation, the absence of significant fault or negligence, and the finding that she likely would have received a valid TUE had the application been made before treatment began.

Under the terms of the agreement, Tsegay will serve a four-month period of ineligibility from 1 June 2026 through 30 September 2026.

The suspension temporarily sidelines one of the sport’s most recognizable talents, whose achievements include world titles and standout performances on the global stage. While the ruling represents a setback in her career, the case has also highlighted the importance of athletes securing the necessary exemptions before using medications that contain prohibited substances, even when prescribed for legitimate medical reasons.

Tsegay is expected to return to competition once her suspension concludes at the end of September, aiming to resume a career that has already established her among Ethiopia’s most successful athletes of her generation.

Adaejah Hodge has announced herself as one of the fastest women the sport has ever seen, producing a breathtaking performance at the NCAA Track and Field Championships to clock an astonishing 10.63 seconds in the women's 100 metres.

The 20-year-old sprinter's remarkable run elevated her into rare company, making her the fifth-fastest woman in history and placing her performance among the greatest ever recorded over the distance. Her 10.63 stands as the ninth-fastest time of all time and rewrites the NCAA record books, eclipsing the collegiate mark of 10.75 set by Sha'Carri Richardson in 2019.

Hodge's performance was more than just a record-breaking run—it was a statement. Displaying exceptional acceleration and composure under pressure, she delivered a race that will be remembered as one of the defining moments of the collegiate athletics season. The time instantly established her as a major force on the global sprinting stage and highlighted her immense potential heading into the next phase of her career.

What makes the achievement even more remarkable is the journey that preceded it.

In 2024, Hodge was handed a 17-month ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after testing positive for the prohibited substances GW501516 sulfone and GW501516 sulfoxide. By the time the AIU publicly announced the sanction, however, she had already completed the suspension period.

Importantly, the AIU stated that its investigation found no evidence that Hodge had knowingly ingested the banned substances. The case was therefore viewed differently from instances involving intentional doping, with the governing body acknowledging the circumstances surrounding the violation.

Since returning to competition, Hodge has focused on rebuilding her career and allowing her performances on the track to tell the story. Her record-breaking run at the NCAA Championships now represents a dramatic chapter in that comeback.

Few athletes have faced such scrutiny at such a young age, and even fewer have responded with a performance of this magnitude. Yet Hodge did exactly that, producing a time that not only shattered a long-standing collegiate record but also placed her among the fastest women ever to sprint 100 metres.

With history already made and her best years potentially still ahead, Adaejah Hodge has transformed herself from a promising talent into one of the most compelling figures in world athletics. Her stunning 10.63 was not merely a victory—it was a performance that reverberated across the sport and ensured her name will be etched into the record books for years to come.

Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson is preparing to step outside her comfort zone as she lines up in the women's 400m at the UK Athletics Championships in Birmingham on June 20–21, adding an intriguing new dimension to her 2026 campaign.

Widely regarded as one of the world's premier middle-distance athletes, Hodgkinson has built her reputation on tactical brilliance and devastating finishing speed over two laps. However, her decision to contest the one-lap event signals a deliberate move to sharpen the raw speed that has become a crucial ingredient in modern championship 800m racing.

The British star heads into the championships carrying fresh momentum after producing a personal best of 51.14 seconds in the 400m at the Rome Diamond League. The performance not only demonstrated her growing strength over the shorter distance but also highlighted the progress she has made in developing the speed reserve needed to remain at the summit of global middle-distance running.

For Hodgkinson, the Birmingham appearance is about more than chasing another fast time. Competing in the 400m offers a valuable opportunity to test her speed, race execution and competitive sharpness against specialist quarter-milers while continuing to build towards the major international targets later in the season.

The Olympic champion has consistently shown a willingness to explore different approaches in pursuit of improvement, and her latest challenge reflects the evolving demands of elite 800m racing. With the margins between victory and defeat often measured in fractions of a second, every gain in speed can prove decisive when championships are on the line.

The UK Athletics Championships will therefore provide fans with a rare opportunity to see Hodgkinson in a different setting. While her long-term focus remains firmly on the 800m, her venture into the 400m promises to be one of the most compelling storylines of the Birmingham meeting.

After a breakthrough run in Rome, all eyes will be on Hodgkinson to see whether she can translate that newfound speed into another standout performance. Whatever the outcome, her decision to embrace a fresh challenge underlines the mindset that has helped establish her as one of Britain's brightest athletics stars and one of the leading figures in world track and field.

When Faith Kipyegon steps onto the track at Hayward Field on July 4, she will not simply be racing another mile. She will be chasing history once again.

For the first time since 1993, the women's mile returns to the Prefontaine Classic, and there could hardly be a more fitting headliner than the greatest female miler the sport has ever seen. The Kenyan superstar arrives in Eugene as the undisputed queen of middle-distance running, carrying both the world record and the expectation that another landmark performance could be just around the corner.

One record in particular appears vulnerable.

The Hayward Field stadium record of 4:21.25, set by American legend Mary Decker in 1988, has stood untouched for nearly four decades. Generations of world-class athletes have come and gone without threatening it. Yet with Kipyegon now operating on a different level from any woman before her, few expect that mark to survive much longer.

The intrigue surrounding the race is not whether the record will fall, but by how much.

Kipyegon's official world record of 4:07.64 transformed the event and redefined what was thought possible in women's middle-distance running. Last summer, she pushed the boundaries even further when she clocked 4:06.42 during Nike's highly publicized Breaking4 project. Although the performance was not eligible for record recognition because of its controlled conditions, it provided compelling evidence that the four-minute barrier is no longer a fantasy.

It is a target.

The 32-year-old has spent the past several seasons systematically dismantling some of the sport's most prestigious records. Her combination of tactical brilliance, finishing speed, and remarkable consistency has made her virtually unbeatable over the distances she dominates.

Eugene has also become one of her favorite stages.

It was at Hayward Field where Kipyegon delivered another masterpiece by breaking the world record in the 1500 meters, further cementing her legacy as one of the greatest runners in history. The venue seems to bring out her best, and with the energy of a packed Prefontaine Classic crowd behind her, another unforgettable performance could be on the horizon.

Adding to the anticipation is a remarkable streak that continues to grow. Kipyegon has not lost a 1500-meter race in more than a decade, a level of dominance rarely seen in any discipline. Every appearance now carries the feeling that spectators are witnessing a living legend at the peak of her powers.

The women's mile may be returning to the Prefontaine Classic after a long absence, but it is arriving at exactly the right moment. The event has never featured an athlete better equipped to redefine its limits.

The stadium record appears destined to fall. The world record could come under pressure. And somewhere beyond those milestones lies the sport's most tantalizing possibility—the first sub-four-minute mile by a woman under record-legal conditions.

Whether that breakthrough arrives this summer or further down the road remains uncertain.

What is certain is that when Faith Kipyegon returns to Hayward Field, the athletics world will be watching. Eugene has already witnessed some of her greatest achievements. On July 4, it may witness the next chapter in one of the most extraordinary careers the sport has ever known.

Some Olympic records are broken. Others are challenged. A few endure for generations. And then there are achievements so extraordinary that they seem to belong to another realm entirely.

In the summer of 1952, at the Helsinki Olympic Games, Emil Zátopek accomplished what remains one of the greatest feats in the history of athletics. The legendary Czech distance runner captured gold in the 5,000 metres, the 10,000 metres, and the marathon—three vastly different events requiring unique combinations of speed, endurance, and tactical brilliance.

More than seven decades later, no athlete has ever repeated the triple.

What makes the achievement even more astonishing is that the marathon was the first marathon Zátopek had ever raced.

Known worldwide as the “Czech Locomotive,” Zátopek was unlike any runner of his era. His training methods were considered unconventional, even reckless, by many of his competitors. While others followed established routines, he pushed his body through relentless interval sessions, often running repeated fast efforts until exhaustion. His philosophy was simple: if the body could survive discomfort in training, it could withstand anything in competition.

His running style was equally unforgettable. With a face contorted in apparent agony and a stride that looked anything but effortless, he appeared to be battling the limits of human endurance with every step. Yet beneath the grimace was an athlete whose determination and resilience were unmatched.

By the time Helsinki arrived, Zátopek was already the dominant force in long-distance running. He first secured gold in the 10,000 metres before producing another masterclass to win the 5,000 metres. Most champions would have celebrated their achievements and ended their Games there.

Zátopek had other ideas.

Curious about the marathon and eager for a new challenge, he entered the event despite never having competed over the distance. During the race, he famously approached the early leader and asked whether the pace was too fast. When told it was not, he accelerated. The move shattered the field. Zátopek surged clear and crossed the finish line as Olympic champion, completing a feat that instantly became sporting folklore.

His three gold medals were not merely victories; they redefined what athletes believed was possible. The combination of track speed required for the 5,000 metres, the relentless stamina demanded by the 10,000 metres, and the physical and mental endurance of the marathon makes the achievement almost unimaginable in the modern era.

Yet perhaps Zátopek’s greatest legacy extends beyond medals and records.

He understood that distance running is about far more than times on a stopwatch. It is a test of character, patience, sacrifice, and self-discovery. That understanding is captured perfectly in one of his most enduring reflections:

“If you want to run, run a mile; if you want to experience a different life, run a marathon.”

Those words continue to resonate because they speak to a truth every marathoner eventually learns. The marathon is not simply a race. It is a journey that strips away comfort, exposes weakness, and reveals strengths many never knew they possessed.

For runners around the world, Emil Zátopek legacy remains more than an Olympic champion. It is a symbol of courage, perseverance, and the belief that human limits are often far beyond where we imagine them to be.

His records may one day be surpassed. His Olympic masterpiece, however, remains one of sport’s most untouchable achievements—a reminder that greatness is sometimes measured not by what has been done, but by what no one else has ever managed to do again.