All posts tagged: Runner

The best running shoes in the UK for every runner – tested on trails, marathons and roads | Running

The best running shoes in the UK for every runner – tested on trails, marathons and roads | Running

Published by Sam Flores

Whether you’re just starting Couch to 5k or well on the way to the 100 Marathon Club, finding running shoes that suit your pace, physique and running style is mission-critical. The right shoes can help you run better, ward off injury and, most importantly, help you to build the consistency that unlocks the biggest fitness and mental health gains. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. The first step out of the door is the hardest, and uncomfortable shoes are just another barrier between you and that sweet endorphin release. Yet with dozens of brands – from Hoka, Adidas and Nike to New Balance, Saucony and On – hundreds of styles, and enough tech jargon to make Susie Dent’s head spin, finding your solemate can be a challenge in itself. That’s why I’m here to help. I test running shoes professionally, and I’ve laced up hundreds of pairs in the past 18 months, running thousands of miles in pretty much everything from the …

The ‘Lonely Runner’ Problem Only Appears Simple

The ‘Lonely Runner’ Problem Only Appears Simple

Published by skeptic

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. Picture a bizarre training exercise: A group of runners starts jogging around a circular track, with each runner maintaining a unique, constant pace. Will every runner end up “lonely,” or relatively far from everyone else, at least once, no matter their speeds? Mathematicians conjecture that the answer is yes. The “lonely runner” problem might seem simple and inconsequential, but it crops up in many guises throughout math. It’s equivalent to questions in number theory, geometry, graph theory, and more—about when it’s possible to get a clear line of sight in a field of obstacles, or where billiard balls might move on a table, or how to organize a network. “It has so many facets. It touches so many different mathematical fields,” said Matthias Beck of San Francisco State University. For just two or three runners, the conjecture’s proof is elementary. Mathematicians proved it for four runners in the 1970s, and by 2007, they’d gotten as far as seven. But for the past two decades, no …

I never thought warming up was necessary, but adding this eight-minute routine to the start of every run has made me a more consistent runner

I never thought warming up was necessary, but adding this eight-minute routine to the start of every run has made me a more consistent runner

Published by Jenni Sidey

For a long time, I didn’t think that warming up before a run was really necessary. I would just lace up my shoes and head out the door, starting with a slow jog, then eventually speeding up. Sometimes, skipping a warm-up didn’t really seem to matter, but other times, I would feel stiff and heavy anytime I tried to pick up the pace. It made runs less enjoyable, which could put me off my next run. This affected the consistency of my running. Fortunately, I wised up and started treating my warm-up as a non-negotiable before every run. Article continues below You may like I still don’t like spending a long time on my warm-up because I’m almost always in a time crunch, so I have created a routine that takes less than eight minutes. Even though it’s short, it warms up everything I need to get going and always makes me feel ready to quicken the pace when the time comes. Unlike a static stretching routine, which is better done as a post-run routine, …

China bans runner after mid-marathon splits goes viral

China bans runner after mid-marathon splits goes viral

Published by Sam Flores

BEIJING: A runner who stopped during a marathon in China to pose doing the splits and another who hoarded energy gels have been banned for two years, the local athletic association said on Thursday (Mar 26). The incidents happened during Sunday’s marathon in the southwestern city of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, and were widely shared online. Videos showed a woman runner stopping suddenly and dropping to the ground with her legs in a perfect split position, holding up her arms in a heart shape as she apparently posed for a photograph. “(She) committed obstructive fouls during the race, affecting the safe participation of other runners,” the Sichuan Athletics Association said in a statement, which identified the runner by her surname Wang. A viral photo also showed a man in a neon yellow top carrying a transparent drawstring backpack packed to the brim with packets of energy gels and other food supplies, all apparently taken from supply stations during the race.   The male runner, surnamed Zhang, had “illegally taken a large quantity of race …

Opioid addiction almost destroyed me – then I became a top marathon runner | Opioids

Opioid addiction almost destroyed me – then I became a top marathon runner | Opioids

Published by Sam Flores

It started in 1998, with a pain in Ken Rideout’s ankle. A podiatrist gave him a prescription for seven Percocet, a drug containing the opioid oxycodone. Rideout was a high-flying commodity trader in New York, outwardly successful but racked with impostor syndrome. The Percocet dulled his foot pain – and also his anxiety. Rideout was used to alcohol and cocaine, but this was different. He felt happy, confident and optimistic. He returned to the podiatrist for more pills. Then more. Soon he was altering the prescriptions manually, changing a seven into a two and adding a zero, before targeting smaller pharmacies that wouldn’t run verification checks. A year after starting the pills, Rideout moved to London for work. This was an opportunity, he thought, for a clean break. But within a week he was suffering extreme withdrawal: depression, delirium from days of lost sleep, overwhelming flu-like symptoms. He called his younger brother and asked him to FedEx a batch of a new drug he had read about called OxyContin, which, depending on the dose, can …

The 10 Hip Flexor Exercises Every Runner Should Be Doing

The 10 Hip Flexor Exercises Every Runner Should Be Doing

Published by Jenni Sidey

If you’re a runner, you may warm up with some dynamic hamstring stretches and reward your glutes and quads with a little foam rolling action when you’re done. But how often are you stretching your hip flexors? Probably not very often, right? Despite being a core group of muscles used when running, the hip flexors—a cluster of muscles in the front part of the hip—are a part of the body many people neglect to stretch. When they get tight, the stiffness can prevent you from running your best and can contribute to lower back pain. How can you prevent it? The hip flexor exercises rounded up here are the ones physical therapists recommend most to runners as well as people who cycle and row. How to know if you have tight hip flexors—and what happens if you ignore them “Hip flexors refer to a group of muscles around the hip joint that are responsible for lifting the leg or ‘flexing’ the hip,” says Duke Hasson, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at DISC Sports & Spine Center …

The 11 best women’s running shoes for all budgets, tested by a runner

The 11 best women’s running shoes for all budgets, tested by a runner

Published by Sam Flores

A pair of the best women’s running trainers can make all the difference to protect your joints, hit personal bests and feel comfortable on every run. As a personal trainer, runner and fitness journalist, I’ve tested countless pairs and I can confidently say that the right shoes can transform your performance, helping you to reach your fitness goals. Whether you’re after responsive cushioning for long-distance comfort, lightweight speed for sprints, or even extra stability that will support feet and joints, there’s something in this list for every runner, with brands including Hoka, Brooks and New Balance. With running shoes now costing more than ever, I’ve been sure to include some more affordable options that offer good value for money too. This guide is regularly checked and updated so you know you’re being recommended the best. The best running shoes for women: At a glance JUMP TO REVIEWS How to choose the best running shoes for women The right pair of running shoes can enhance performance and reduce the risk of injury. When selecting shoes, comfort …

9 Best Running Shoes of 2026 for Every Kind of Runner

9 Best Running Shoes of 2026 for Every Kind of Runner

Published by Jenni Sidey

One of the great things about running is that it doesn’t take much gear besides the footwear. And if you’re scoping out the best running shoes for you, we’ve got plenty of suggestions culled from the GQ Fitness Awards of the past, coupled with some additional first-hand testing from editors. While the rest of your fitness apparel can be basically anything you find comfortable (unless you’re trying to get a big fit off, which we wholeheartedly support), the kicks you lace onto your feet can actually help spur you toward new PRs and avoid serious injuries. Almost every athletic brand carries a full range of running shoes, which makes it even harder to whittle down which pair deserves to grace your sensitive arches and awkwardly sized toes. Running shoe technology is ever-changing and innovations in the sneaker game mean this list will constantly be growing and evolving—sort of like your relationship with the sport itself. So, whether you’re training to run a marathon in 2025 or just want to hop on the treadmill every now …

When Are You Too Old To Be A Runner? This Is The Science

When Are You Too Old To Be A Runner? This Is The Science

Published by Sam Flores

Every New Year, many of us make the resolution to take up exercising more often and what could be more accessible to us than running. Simply throw on some trainers and go, right? Then the year goes by, the resolution slowly goes down the drain and uh, maybe next year will be the time that we’re running 10k’s and eyeing up the London Marathon ballot. However, is there an age when we’re simply too old to be trying to take up this sport? Isn’t it going to be rougher on our knees as we age? Isn’t running bad for the knees? Writing for The Conversation, Hunter Bennett, a Lecturer in Exercise Science, University of South Australia argues that actually, running could help our knees as we age. One way to think of this is to not think of our body as something that decays over time. Bennett explains: “Your body isn’t simply a pile of bones and cartilage that gets worn down with every step. It is a living dynamic system that grows and adapts …