Running News Daily

On the storied streets of London Marathon, where history is written stride by stride, Richard Whitehead has once again delivered a performance that transcends sport. Just weeks after raising the bar in Milan, the British Paralympian returned to one of the world’s most iconic races and carved his name even deeper into the record books—stopping the clock at a remarkable 2:40:25.

That time is more than a statistic. It is a new world record for bilateral knee amputee marathon runners, an achievement that speaks not only to elite endurance but to an unyielding spirit forged over decades of dedication.

Whitehead’s journey is not defined by a single race, nor even a single season. Since taking his first marathon strides in 2004, he has steadily built a legacy grounded in discipline and purpose. In 2025 alone, he completed an astonishing 20 marathons—an extraordinary testament to both physical resilience and mental strength. Now in 2026, he shows no signs of slowing, instead accelerating into yet another chapter of excellence.

What sets Whitehead apart is not just how fast he runs, but why he runs. For him, the road is more than a competitive arena—it is a platform. A place to challenge perceptions, to represent a global community, and to inspire those who may doubt what is possible. He does not frame disability as limitation; rather, he transforms it into a source of power, a defining element of his identity as an athlete.

Each step he takes on his carbon-fiber blades carries a message far beyond the finish line. It tells a story of persistence over adversity, of belief over doubt, and of redefining the boundaries of human capability.

In a sport often measured by seconds and splits, Richard Whitehead reminds us that the most enduring records are not always found on the clock. Some are written in the minds he changes, the barriers he breaks, and the countless individuals he inspires to see themselves differently.

Because in the end, his greatest achievement may not be the time he ran in London—but the limits he continues to erase for everyone watching.

A 90-year-old British runner celebrated a milestone 11 years in the making when he crossed the finish line of his 500th parkrun last Saturday.

Bob Emmerson of Northampton in central England was cheered on by hundreds of supporters—including his wife of nearly 70 years—in the final stretch of his run at the Northampton Racecourse, where the nonagenerian has notched most of his 500 runs since taking part in his first parkrun in 2012.

Launched in the U.K. in 2004, parkruns are free, weekly community events, now with more than 2,000 hosted in more than 20 countries including Canada. All parkruns are 5K events held Saturday mornings in parks and open spaces.

Emmerson credits the weekly events with helping him stay fit and active as he strides strongly into his 90s. In a congratulatory post on X, formerly known as Twitter, parkrun organizers quoted Emmerson as saying “my enthusiasm for life is down to parkrun and it has kept me mentally and physically stronger than living a life in (my) armchair.”

Although Emmerson first heard of parkrun a little more than a decade ago, he has been running since age 15. He told the BBC News he was a “proper, serious ultra-runner” when he was younger. He has completed ultramarathons and 24-hour races, and boasts a marathon personal best of 2:40:25.

Due to restrictions that forced parkruns to be put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic, Emmerson’s 500-event milestone ended up taking a little longer than he had originally hoped. “I would have liked to have reached 500 by 90 years old,” he told the Northampton Chronicle and Echo. “I said that when I got to 500 I’d stop, but I changed my mind. I’ve made too many friends and couldn’t bear to lie in bed on a Saturday morning and think of everyone running.”

Emmerson, who these days finishes the Northampton parkrun course in around 50 minutes, added any future parkrun milestones are too far down the road to think about. “I’m not going to do 600, but who can tell?” he said. “You never know. Never say never. As long as I live, I shall be doing a bit of exercise.”