Running News Daily

Picture this: Your training block is going seemingly well. You're able to handle more miles, and things are feeling more effortless . . . until they aren't. It's as if you hit a wall. Your sleep is hit-or-miss, and you have an insatiable hunger that just won't disappear. Maybe this has happened in the past but you shrugged it off as too much training volume too quickly. The thought of nutrition's role hasn't even crossed your mind. 

Too often we think we're doing all the right things with our nutrition choices, but over and over we keep running into the same health and performance challenges. Why?  

Many runners jump to the conclusion that it must be the training, their age, or even that their body's genetics has something wrong with it. Or maybe they think they need a million supplements and then everything will be in working order. They end up doing what billions of others do in this situation. They restrict more foods, fuel less, and buy hundreds of dollars of supplements, only to be caught in the same exact cycle six months later.  

But here's the thing. Three things, actually:

Your body is not broken.  

You don't need the hottest new supplement. 

You do not need to restrict food.

What you really need to do is evaluate whether your current nutrition plan is actually working, pinpoint the problem areas, and start making real changes that will improve the plan to help you in the long-term.  

So how do you know if your current nutrition plan isn't working for you in the first place? Here are five major signs:

1. You're hungry all the time.

Ghrelin, or the "hunger" hormone, rages when you don't put enough or the right types of fuel in the body. Leptin, the "fullness" hormone, does the opposite, signaling that the body may have had enough. 

Being able to not only recognize but respond appropriately to hunger and fullness is a skill that many runners have not developed. To help, evaluate your frequency of eating, composition of your meals, and portion sizes of meals. If you are skipping meals and doing fasted training all of the time, starting with a solid three meals throughout the day can help.

Every meal should contain a protein, fat, carbohydrate, and fruit and/or vegetable. Without some of these components, you are missing key building blocks for muscles, cells, and hormones. Your blood sugar can become imbalanced, leading to more hunger pangs. And finally, just because you have all the components of a meal doesn't mean  you are eating enough to support your body's needs. This is where responding to hunger cues can be helpful. If your body is hungry, don't intentionally starve it!

2. You're more tired than normal during training.

Let's face it, sometimes being tired is part of training and adapting to it. But if you are abnormally tired all of the time, especially when you are trying to get your training in, it could signify a problem. You see, the body needs specific nutrients to recover, adapt, and perform. Without enough building blocks, a runner can end up with LEA and RED-s (1).

For instance, without carbohydrates, your hormone production, cortisol levels and ability to run at a higher percentage of your VO2max to hit those faster paces can all be impacted. Fats also support healthy hormones, and protein helps with the muscle and cellular repair process. A lack of key vitamins and minerals like iron and B12 can hinder your body's ability to make red blood cells and carry oxygen to your working muscles. If you find that you are more tired than normal, it might be a good idea to get blood levels checked for iron and B12 status, as well as consideration of a hormone panel. From there, you can make a better plan to improve your nutrition and supplementation protocol. 

3. You're scared to eat certain foods. 

Eating should not be anxiety inducing. Food is nourishing. It is also social. Too often, restrictive diets and eating paradigms can elicit fear of certain foods, due to their extreme prescriptions. Low carbohydrate diets, "clean eating," even calorie counting itself can have this effect. By the time someone recognizes they fear food, it is often too late in the game.

The person has already conditioned their mind to continue with fear around foods, even if it seems irrational from the outside. Unfortunately, there are not always easy fixes to this problem. A successful approach may require guided food challenges with a therapist or dietitian to help reduce anxiety and overcome fears. Please don't take this lightly and get help if you feel like this is something you can relate to. 

4. You feel irritable or your mood is erratic. 

Mood swings and irritability, if occasional, might be normal, but if you find yourself constantly snapping or up and down, your diet could be a contributing factor.  Estrogen levels are associated with regulation of mood, and low levels of male and female sex hormones have been shown to be correlated with higher rates of depression (2). To get hormones back in check may require a process of increased intake of nutrition and decreased training volume to allow for the body to reset, heal, and rebuild.

5. You often feel out of control around food. 

How many times have you or someone you know said: "I can't keep that in the house because it makes me feel out of control and I'll eat it all"? If this sounds familiar, it could be a result of putting unnecessary restrictions on yourself. Infrequency of eating and restrictions with food have been shown to increase incidences of binge eating episodes (3). 

When you normalize food as food and remove stigmas and restrictions, it essentially allows the brain to relax and not elicit a stress response to increase the incidences of binges around certain foods.  

The Bottom Line: 

If any of these scenarios sound like you, it may be time to take a little closer look at your nutrition patterns and beliefs around food and fueling, to see if they align with what will support your long term health and performance goals. If they're not, it may be time to find something a little bit more sustainable and less restrictive. In the end, you'll be thankful you did. 

Most Olympic marathoners spend their youth focused on running. They join track clubs, compete in national championships, and pursue the sport from an early age.

Julia Mayer’s journey was very different.

Today, Mayer is Austria’s marathon record holder, a multiple national record holder on the roads, and an Olympian. Yet for much of her athletic life, running was not her primary sport.

For 16 years, she played soccer.

Then she discovered something that would change her life.

“I noticed that I was really fast in the fun runs and that it was really, really fun,” Mayer said when reflecting on her transition from soccer to distance running.

What began as curiosity quickly became a passion. She eventually made the bold decision to leave soccer behind and focus entirely on running. It was a move that surprised many people around her, but Mayer believed she had found her true athletic calling.

The decision proved to be the right one.

Within a few years, Mayer developed into one of Europe’s top marathon runners. Her steady improvement carried her from local races to the international stage, where she began rewriting Austria’s record books.

She now holds Austrian records in the marathon, half marathon, and road 10K. Her marathon best of 2:26:08 established her as the fastest female marathoner in Austrian history. Her performances in the half marathon and 10K have further cemented her place among the country’s all-time great distance runners.

Her rise culminated with qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Competing in the Olympic marathon represented the realization of a dream. On one of the most challenging marathon courses ever used for the Olympics, Mayer ran courageously against the strongest field in the world and finished 55th in her Olympic debut.

Behind the scenes, success has come through extraordinary dedication. During marathon preparation, Mayer trains twice a day and covers approximately 200 kilometers, or 124 miles, each week. The workload demands discipline, patience, and a deep commitment to continuous improvement. 

What makes her story especially inspiring is not simply the records or the Olympic appearance.

It is the fact that she found her greatest talent later than many elite runners.

In a sport where athletes are often identified at a young age, Mayer’s journey serves as a reminder that potential does not always reveal itself early. Sometimes it takes years of experience, a willingness to try something new, and the courage to follow a different path. 

The former soccer player who once chased a ball across a field is now chasing history on the roads of Europe.

And according to those closest to her, her best performances may still be ahead.

For runners of every age and ability, Julia Mayer’s story delivers a powerful lesson: it is never too late to discover what you are capable of.

From soccer player to Olympian, her journey proves that remarkable achievements can begin when least expected.

Megan Keith produced the performance of her career in Oslo on Thursday night, shattering one of Scotland’s longest-standing distance running records and cementing her place among Britain’s greatest female 3000m runners.

The 24-year-old clocked a sensational 8:28.35 over 3000m, breaking the Scottish outdoor record that had stood for nearly four decades. In doing so, Keith eclipsed the previous mark of 8:29.02, set by Scottish legend Yvonne Murray back in 1988, ending a record reign that had lasted 38 years.

Keith’s breakthrough run was more than just a national record. The performance also propelled her to third on the UK outdoor all-time list, placing her behind only two of Britain’s most celebrated distance runners — Paula Radcliffe, who leads the rankings with 8:22.20, and Laura Weightman, whose 8:26.07 remains the second-fastest outdoor mark by a British woman.

The significance of Keith’s achievement is amplified by the calibre of athletes she now joins in the record books. For decades, Murray’s mark stood as one of Scottish athletics’ most untouchable records, surviving generations of elite competitors. Keith has now succeeded where many outstanding runners have fallen short, announcing herself as one of the leading distance talents in British athletics.

Her time also compares favourably with the best performances produced indoors. Olympic medallist Laura Muir ran 8:26.41 indoors in Karlsruhe in 2017, underlining just how exceptional Keith’s outdoor effort in Oslo truly was.

The run continues a remarkable rise for the Scottish star, whose progression over recent seasons has transformed her from a promising prospect into a genuine force on the international stage. Running with confidence and composure against elite competition, Keith demonstrated both the speed and endurance required to challenge the very best in Europe and beyond.

With the World Championship season gathering momentum, Keith’s record-breaking display sends a powerful message. Not only has she etched her name into Scottish athletics history, but she has also established herself as a serious contender in one of the sport’s most competitive events.

In Oslo, Megan Keith did far more than break a record. She ended a 38-year wait, climbed into the upper echelon of British distance running, and delivered a performance that may prove to be a defining moment in her career.

British middle-distance talent Phoebe Gill took another significant step forward in her return to top form, producing a determined victory over 800 metres at the Meeting de Marseille in France on Wednesday.

Competing in challenging, wind-affected conditions, the 19-year-old demonstrated both resilience and composure as she held off a late charge from Switzerland's Veronica Vancardo to secure the win in 2:00.81. Vancardo finished just three hundredths of a second behind in 2:00.84, underlining the fiercely contested nature of the race.

While the margin of victory was narrow, the result represented another encouraging milestone for Gill as she continues to rebuild momentum following her injury setback. The young Briton showed impressive race awareness and strength in the closing stages, maintaining her advantage despite the difficult conditions that made fast running a challenge throughout the evening.

The Marseille triumph adds to a growing body of evidence that Gill is steadily progressing toward her best form. Earlier in her comeback campaign, she clocked 2:01.50 for 800m in Bydgoszcz before demonstrating her versatility with a strong 4:05.53 performance over 1500 metres at the BMC Grand Prix meeting in Trafford.

Those performances have highlighted not only her improving fitness but also her ability to compete across multiple distances as she carefully builds her season. The Marseille victory now provides further confirmation that the European junior star is moving in the right direction.

Gill emerged as one of Britain's most exciting middle-distance prospects through a series of breakthrough performances as a teenager, earning widespread recognition for her fearless racing style and remarkable maturity. Injury temporarily interrupted that upward trajectory, but her recent results suggest she is steadily rediscovering the form that made her one of the sport's brightest young talents.

With each race, the signs of progress become increasingly evident. Winning in difficult conditions and under pressure from a quality field is often a stronger indicator than a fast time alone, and Gill's latest success demonstrated exactly those qualities.

As the summer season gathers pace, the Marseille victory offers another confidence boost for the British teenager, whose return continues to gain momentum. If her recent progression is any indication, Gill could soon find herself back among the leading names on the European middle-distance circuit. 

The NCAA Track and Field Championships delivered a moment few could have predicted as Ja’Kobe Tharp produced one of the most astonishing performances in the history of sprint hurdling, rewriting the record books in spectacular fashion.

Competing in the opening round of the men’s 110-meter hurdles, the Auburn star stunned the athletics world by clocking an incredible 12.75 seconds, becoming the first athlete ever to break the 12.80-second barrier. In doing so, he eclipsed the long-standing world record of 12.80 set by Aries Merritt in 2012, a mark that had stood as one of the sport’s most revered achievements for more than a decade.

What makes Tharp’s breakthrough even more remarkable is the scale of his improvement. Entering the championships, the defending NCAA and U.S. champion had recorded a season-best of 13.05 seconds. Yet under the brightest spotlight, he unleashed a performance that exceeded every expectation, slicing an extraordinary 0.26 seconds from his personal best in a race that instantly became one of the greatest ever run.

The achievement sent shockwaves throughout the track and field community. While Tharp arrived in Eugene as one of the leading contenders for the NCAA title, few envisioned a performance capable of redefining the limits of the event. Instead, the American hurdler delivered a race for the ages, combining flawless technique, explosive speed, and impeccable rhythm from the first hurdle to the finish line.

The historic run not only secured his place in athletics history but also transformed the outlook of the championship. With the world record now in his possession, Tharp advances to the final as the overwhelming favorite, carrying momentum that could make an already unforgettable weekend even more extraordinary.

For years, the 12.80 barrier appeared untouchable. On a stunning day at the NCAA Championships, Ja’Kobe Tharp proved otherwise, producing the kind of performance that reminds fans why sport remains so unpredictable. In a matter of seconds, he turned a routine qualifying round into a landmark moment that will be remembered for generations.

The world record no one saw coming is now a reality—and Ja’Kobe Tharp is the man who changed history.

A new chapter in middle-distance running may have begun in Oslo after American teenager Cooper Lutkenhaus produced one of the most remarkable performances of the season, narrowly defeating reigning Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi in a thrilling men's 800m contest at the Diamond League meeting.

The 17-year-old sensation shocked a world-class field by crossing the finish line first in a race that came down to the smallest of margins. After an intense battle over the final metres, Lutkenhaus held off Wanyonyi by just one hundredth of a second, producing a dramatic finish that left the packed stadium in disbelief.

From the opening lap, the pace was relentless as the leading contenders positioned themselves for a fierce showdown. As the athletes entered the home straight, Wanyonyi appeared poised to unleash his trademark finishing kick. However, Lutkenhaus refused to be intimidated, matching the Olympic champion stride for stride before producing a perfectly timed lean at the line to secure a historic victory.

The result marks a breakthrough moment for the young American, who continues to establish himself as one of the brightest talents in global athletics. Defeating an Olympic champion at a Diamond League event is a feat many athletes spend entire careers pursuing, yet Lutkenhaus achieved it before reaching adulthood.

For Wanyonyi, the narrow defeat does little to diminish his status as one of the world's premier 800m runners. The Kenyan once again demonstrated his exceptional class and competitiveness, pushing the race to a world-class standard and forcing his young rival to deliver the performance of a lifetime.

Beyond the result itself, the race offered a glimpse into what could become one of the sport's most exciting rivalries in the years ahead. With established stars and emerging talents now pushing each other to new heights, the men's 800m continues to evolve into one of athletics' most captivating events.

On a memorable night in Oslo, the spotlight belonged to Cooper Lutkenhaus. At just 17 years old, he stood toe-to-toe with an Olympic champion and emerged victorious, announcing himself to the athletics world in spectacular fashion.