Running News Daily

Priscilla Forgie wants you to be more flexible. She doesn’t mean you should hit a yoga class, either–Forgie says adding versatility to her running routine has allowed her to master the art of listening to her body, elevating her performance.

If you aren’t familiar with Forgie after this year’s ultratrail season, consider this your update: the Edmonton-based athlete has had a record-breaking year, winning almost every race she has entered and demolishing course records at the Near Death Marathon (where she also was the overall winner) and Squamish 50/50. She’s also fairly new to the ultratrail scene and is open about the setbacks and learning curves she’s experienced so far.

“When I discovered I had a stress fracture in January I realized I hadn’t truly been listening to what my body needed,”she says. Forgie says that key to optimizing her running this year was taking preventative action to care for her body in her day-to-day life, becoming more flexible with training and mileage. Here’s what Forgie suggests you try, so that you, too, can break personal barriers and crush your goals, all while staying healthy.

Have flexibility in your training plan

Forgie says that opening ourselves up to the possibility of not sticking to a regimented training schedule is key. “I can appreciate that a training plan can help hold us accountable and keep us motivated, but no plan can take into account the complexities of our everyday lives and what our bodies are asking for each day,” she says. While Forgie doesn’t follow a  strict plan, she acknowledges that it works for some people, and suggests that runners try to remain adaptable.

Forgie suggests making the change from a km/day goal, and instead giving yourself a distance or time range to shoot for each day, adjusting throughout the week as needed. “This allows us the opportunity to rest when needed and free up time if life gets in the way,” she says.

Get comfortable with switching things up

Forgie says this is particularly important for your key workouts. “You want your body to be feeling its best during these sessions, so pushing through speedwork after a lousy sleep will not help you reach your goals,” she explains. If you have a challenging workout planned but are feeling under the weather, far better to head out for an easy run or take a recovery day, and do the speedwork when you’re well-rested.

Another form of switching it up that Forgie loves: hit the trails instead of running hill repeats or road-based speedwork. While trails are where Forgie’s passion lies,  they’re a great addition to any runner’s repertoire. “Who doesn’t need more trail time?” she says.

Tap into your inner couch potato

“A huge part of listening to our bodies is recognizing when we need rest,” says Forgie, adding that it’s likely more often than a lot of us allow. She suggests following the 80/20 rule (keeping 80 per cent of your workouts easy, 20 per cent hard). “Letting our bodies recover with good food, sleep, and slow miles will result in our bodies thanking us later,” she says.

With so many athletes reporting stress fractures or being diagnosed with RED-S syndrome, recovery is something every runner should personally focus on.

Try running doubles (but not Ingebrigtsen-style)

Forgie advocates breaking up a long-run session into a double. “Double run days are my favourite,” she says. “Doing this gives your body a bit of a break, frees up some time in your schedule, and definitely helps when you’re really ramping up those kilometres in peak weeks.” Doubling has made headlines recently due to its popularity among elite athletes like Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who will run two hard training sessions in a single day. Forgie’s format is a gentler version, a way to adapt a long workout, or to increase mileage when training for a big race.

Being open to trying new things in your running schedule is a fantastic idea for all of us, and Forgie’s success on the trails demonstrates how well it has been working for her.

The spotlight will shine brightly on British middle-distance star Keely Hodgkinson when she returns to Diamond League competition at the Stockholm Diamond League on Sunday, June 7.

Fresh from another impressive start to her 2026 campaign, Hodgkinson heads to the Swedish capital as the marquee name in a highly competitive women's 800m field that features a blend of established contenders and rising talents from across the globe. The Olympic champion remains one of the most dominant forces in women's middle-distance running and will be eager to reinforce her status against a quality international lineup.

The race is expected to provide a stern examination of Hodgkinson's form. Among those looking to challenge the British star are fellow Briton Jemma Reekie, American duo Sage Hurta-Klecker and Raevyn Rogers, Switzerland's Audrey Werro, South Africa's Prudence Sekgodiso, and Ethiopia's Nigist Getachew.

With several athletes carrying strong credentials and ambitions of their own, the Stockholm showdown promises to be one of the standout women's races of the meeting. The event could also offer an early indication of how the global 800m hierarchy is shaping up as the season gathers momentum.

For Hodgkinson, the objective will be simple: continue building rhythm, sharpen her race fitness, and send another statement to her rivals. But with a deep field assembled in Stockholm, victory is far from guaranteed, setting the stage for what could be a thrilling two-lap battle in one of track and field's most competitive disciplines.

The inaugural World Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, is shaping up to deliver some of the most compelling clashes in athletics, and few matchups generate more excitement than a potential women's 800m duel between Kenya's Lilian Odira and Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson.

Scheduled for September 11–13, the championship promises a gathering of the sport's biggest stars, with Odira and Hodgkinson emerging as two of the standout names capable of producing a race for the ages. If both line up in peak form, fans could witness a battle between two athletes who have redefined middle-distance running through remarkable consistency, championship pedigree, and world-class speed.

Odira arrives in Budapest carrying the confidence of a world champion and one of the fastest women in history over two laps. The Kenyan star elevated her status on the global stage with a stunning championship-winning performance and further cemented her legacy when she clocked a Kenyan record of 1:54.62 in Tokyo. That performance propelled her to seventh on the all-time world rankings, underlining her place among the sport's elite. She also boasts an African silver medal from the 2024 continental championships, adding further depth to an already impressive résumé.

Standing across from her could be Hodgkinson, the British sensation whose rise has been marked by exceptional consistency at the highest level. The Olympic champion and Olympic silver medallist has collected medals on every major stage, including three world championship podium finishes. Her dominance extends indoors, where she captured the world indoor title and established herself as the event's record-holder. Hodgkinson's personal best of 1:54.61 places her sixth on the all-time list—just one hundredth of a second faster than Odira—highlighting how little separates the two stars.

The statistics alone make for fascinating reading. Both women occupy neighbouring positions on the all-time rankings, both own championship-winning credentials, and both have repeatedly delivered under the intense pressure of global competition. Their contrasting strengths and proven ability to perform when titles are on the line could create one of the defining moments of the championship.

With Budapest preparing to host athletics' newest global spectacle, the prospect of Odira and Hodgkinson going head-to-head over 800 metres adds another layer of anticipation. Should the showdown materialize, it would not simply be a race for victory—it would be a meeting of two of the finest middle-distance athletes of their generation, each determined to reinforce her place at the top of the sport.

For athletics fans, this is one potential showdown that deserves a place firmly on the watchlist.

In 2020, Tommy Rivs stood at the edge of an unimaginable battle. The elite marathon runner, known for his grit, endurance, and passion for the sport, suddenly found himself fighting for something far greater than race results. Diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of lung cancer, Rivs was placed in a medically induced coma as doctors fought to save his life. The prognosis was uncertain, and for many, the thought of him ever running competitively again seemed impossible.

What followed was a journey defined by resilience, determination, and an unwavering refusal to surrender. The athlete who once measured success in miles and finish times now faced the challenge of relearning the simplest aspects of daily life. Recovery was slow, painful, and filled with obstacles, but Rivs approached it with the same relentless spirit that had carried him through countless races.

Nearly six years later, the story has taken a remarkable turn.

Today, Rivs is not only healthy enough to run—he is thriving. He has returned to the marathon scene, producing performances that few believed possible after the devastating toll cancer and prolonged hospitalization took on his body. Every race he completes serves as a powerful reminder that recovery is not always limited by expectations or statistics.

Beyond competition, Rivs has embraced a new role within the running community. He now leads guided runs through California's majestic redwood forests, inspiring runners of all abilities with his presence and perspective. His recent appearance at a Boston running event attracted enormous crowds, a reflection of the admiration and respect he has earned through his extraordinary journey.

What makes Rivs' comeback so compelling is that it transcends athletics. His story is not merely about marathon times, personal bests, or finish lines. It is about perseverance in the face of overwhelming adversity. It is about rebuilding a life when the future appears uncertain and refusing to let circumstances define what is possible.

The remarkable part is that the performances are beginning to match the inspiration. As Rivs continues to race, the impressive times he is producing are catching up to the legend of his recovery, proving that his return is more than symbolic—it is genuinely competitive.

For anyone searching for hope after hardship, Tommy Rivs offers a powerful example. His journey from a hospital bed and medically induced coma back to marathon starting lines stands as one of running's most inspiring modern stories. It is proof that even after life's darkest chapters, new beginnings can emerge—and sometimes they are more extraordinary than anyone could have imagined.

Florence Caron is proving to be the woman to beat in Canadian distance running. Just 12 days after a dominant victory at the Canadian Road 10K Championships, she returned to the winner’s circle once again, claiming the Canadian 10,000m title on the track in another impressive display of strength and consistency.

Fresh from a commanding performance at the Canadian Road 10K Championships just 12 days earlier—where she crossed the finish line an astonishing 44 seconds ahead of her nearest challenger—Caron once again proved untouchable, this time transferring her winning momentum from the roads to the track.

The victory cements an extraordinary stretch for the Canadian distance runner, who has emerged as one of the country's most dominant endurance athletes this season. Winning national titles in two different racing environments within such a short period is a testament to both her versatility and exceptional fitness.

Having already demonstrated her strength and endurance on the roads, Caron showed she possesses the tactical awareness and speed required to excel on the track as well. From the opening laps, she looked composed and in control, steadily asserting herself before sealing another impressive championship triumph.

The back-to-back titles highlight a breakthrough period in Caron’s career and underline her growing status as one of Canada’s premier long-distance talents. Few athletes manage to sustain peak performances across multiple disciplines, yet Caron has done exactly that, delivering championship-winning displays wherever she lines up.

With two national crowns added to her résumé in less than a fortnight, Caron leaves little doubt about who currently sits at the top of Canadian women's distance running. Her latest victory is not just another title—it is a statement of consistency, strength, and championship pedigree.

As the season progresses, all eyes will be on Caron to see how far this impressive winning streak can carry her on both the national and international stage.

Fresh from her World Indoor Championship triumph, Georgia Hunter Bell proved once again why she is one of the most formidable middle-distance runners in the world, producing a commanding performance to win the women's 1500m at the Rome Diamond League.

The British star showcased both patience and power as she expertly navigated a highly competitive field before unleashing a decisive surge over the final 700 metres. With the race hanging in the balance entering the closing stages, Hunter Bell shifted gears and gradually separated herself from her rivals, leaving no doubt about the outcome as she crossed the finish line in an impressive 3:58.63.

Her victory marked a successful return to Diamond League competition following her World Indoor title, underlining her growing reputation as a championship performer capable of delivering on the biggest stages.

Behind her, the battle for the remaining podium places provided plenty of drama. Poland's Klaudia Kazimierska produced a strong finishing kick in the home straight, timing her run to perfection before edging past American Nikki Hiltz in a thrilling lean at the finish line.

Kazimierska secured second place in a personal-best 3:59.24, narrowly defeating Hiltz, who was credited with third in 3:59.26 after one of the closest finishes of the evening.

The race highlighted the exceptional depth currently present in women's middle-distance running, with three athletes breaking the four-minute barrier in a contest that combined tactical awareness with blistering finishing speed.

For Hunter Bell, however, the night belonged entirely to her. The reigning World Indoor champion arrived in Rome carrying the momentum of a breakthrough season and departed with another major victory, sending a clear message to her rivals that she remains a force to be reckoned with as the outdoor campaign gathers momentum.

With confidence soaring and championship pedigree already established, Hunter Bell's dominant display in the Italian capital suggests there may be even bigger performances still to come in 2026.