A couple of months ago, I was at church, and the Pastor wanted to illustrate a Bible teaching, so he asked, âBy a show of hands, who here has finished a marathon?â I couldnât believe it (Drop exploding head emoji here). Three of us lifted our hands. Running and finishing marathons has become so ubiquitous that itâs even used for Bible teachings at church.
Interest in running has become so popular within the last few years that we must conclude that we are well into a running boom. The Third Running Boom.
Three very distinctive running booms have seduced different type or runners into our beautiful sport. (Image by ChatGPR)
The first running boom happened after the 1968 publication of the book âAerobicsâ by Dr. Kenneth Cooper and Frank Shorterâs Olympic marathon gold in 1972. The second boom began in the mid-1990s, fueled by the need to achieve something huge in your lifetime and big-city marathons providing that opportunity even to the humblest of weekend warriors.
Then came COVID, when the only chance for solace and sanity was exercising outside. This, plus the combination of oversharing life via social media and the birth of the motto âif it is not on Strava it didnât happen,â led a new generation to discover running as a lifestyle. Many people started trading dating apps, bars, and weekend drinking binges for Saturday-morning long runs with their peers. They embraced lifestyle influencers, vlogging their running journeys and validating their efforts through half-marathon or marathon finishes.
The KPIs that confirm the post-COVID boom start with increased global participation in the sport. Up to 785 million worldwide, based on numbers Iâve read. But there is so much more:
âș We no longer run in our gym shoes or the first shorts and shirt we find in our drawer. Clothing and shoe brands have invested billions in advertising, and fashion has become part of the allure. Styles, color schemes, and the latest fashion are as important as the achievements.
âș Investment in research for nutrition, hydration, books, media exposure, wearable and recovery gadgets has reached levels that the earlier booms couldnât even fathom in their niche world.
âș Awareness of the need for wellness through exercise, nutrition, and a sense of belonging in an increasingly isolating world is bringing the younger generations into a world that was primarily shaped by middle-aged people who got hooked on trying to extend their lifespans by making radical changes to their sedentary lives.
âș The change in demographics is revealing. While in 1967 Kathrine Switzer became world famous for defying the Boston Marathonâs âunofficialâ ban on women, today the male/female split among participants is approaching 50/50. About 60% of half marathon finishers in the US are female.
âș Young adults have embraced the running trend, and now the 18-29 age group is about 21% of race participation. They are no longer a rare breed at the marathon finish lines. They are there either to check off a bucket-list item or to test their limits (while sharing it with the world on Instagram, of course).
The perfect color scheme and the Instagram post have become more important than the achievement (Photo by RUNFFWPU, Pexels)
According to an article by Matteo Sargenti on The Running Week website, this 3rd boom is very healthy because it’s driven by new people coming in, not older people staying put. Yet two trends threaten its continued growth: A â the constant increase in race registration fees, which leaves out the new entry-level runners needed to sustain the boom. And B â While women continue to raise their participation numbers, their share of marathon finishes has been slipping from its 2017 peak.
Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and I was in my late teens and early 20s, I was the only kid running with my dadâs running buddies. I did it because I liked it, not because I was going to meet friends or find the love of my life. 40 years later, clubs packed with 50, 60, or 80 young runners, with millions of social media followers, led by a wannabe influencer, are a dime a dozen. And that is a good thing.
It doesnât matter why someone in their 20s or 50s wants to run. The positive thing is that they both want to adopt a healthy lifestyle, socialize, test their limits, or inspire strangers through social media. Letâs embrace that our sport is healthy and growing, and reap the benefits of having access to choose from 250 models of running shoes, 50 brands of gels, 25 podcasts to listen to, or laugh at pseudo-influencers talking crap they know nothing about on Instagram.
Please share your thoughts in the comment box below. I read and respond to all of them.
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A friend of mine- unfortunately, I canât remember who, forwarded me an Instagram reel recently from the @therunningweek account. A running coach who did not identify himself was delivering advice from the entrance arch in Iten, Kenya’s iconic running town, renowned for producing many Olympic and world champions. This one resonated.
The Kenyan 5-Minute Rule for Runners (Image by ChatGPT)
He said:
âDonât want to run today? Good!
In Kenya, we have a rule for days like this. Put on your shoes. Go outside. Run for five minutes. Only five. Then youâre free to stop, no guilt. But watch what happens after minute three: the legs warm up, the head goes quiet, the excuses get tired, and you keep running. Not because you must, but because now you want to.
I coach runners in Iten. Even champions lose to the bed some mornings. They do not fight for 40 kilometers; they fight for the first five minutes. Because the hardest part of running is not the running; it is the starting. So, forget the 10 kilometers. Win the five minutes.â
There is so much to deconstruct in these 118 powerful words. So much.
Every runner, regardless of their commitment to the craft, has a day when they do not feel like training. Excuses are endless; explanations to justify them are plentiful, and alternative activities to rival todayâs session always seem more appealing. It is human nature.
Like the coach stated in his brief yet powerful declamation: âEven champions lose to the bed some mornings.â If Eliud Kipchoge, Jacob Kiplimo and Sebastian Sawe have days like these, whatâs left for us? We weekend warriors, in addition, must deal with work, deadlines, unpaid bills, cranky bosses, spouses, kids, daily commutes, and whatnot.
This is the coach who recited those 118 powerful words
This is the genius of the Kenyan 5-minute rule. We are thinking about running but looking for a way out. Letâs take advantage of the thinking part and commit just five minutes to it. And if it is not your day, then you stop, go home, and life goes on. No guilt required. We are not machines. We live to run another day.
We must be vigilant, though. This 5-minute rule is not a way out of todayâs run and definitely shouldnât become an excuse for complacency or a mask for laziness. Quite the contrary, we apply it to give today’s run a chance of happening. We give ourselves an honest chance for personal victory.
But we know, because it has happened a million times, that once we start running, we will feel better. We have experienced that post-run euphoria. We know that once we are done, we will be thrilled that we did not skip it. Yet, seldom, when it is time to change into our running clothes, leave the A/C comfort of our car to face the summer heat, or proceed to the starting point, our will to push forward is nowhere to be found.
Donât focus on it as a guilt-free card. If elite Kenyanâs do it?. The spirit of this rule is not permitting yourself to go home guilt-free. It is what happens as you experience those tough first five minutes:
Like the coach said: âWatch what happens after minute three: the legs warm up, the head goes quiet, the excuses get tired, and you keep running. Not because you must, but because now you want to.â
And there it is: You are running because you want to, for the pleasure of it. And it only took the discipline to commit to five minutes to see what happens. And now, if it is not there, then you pack it up and go home, yes, guilt-free. You donât look back, and tomorrow you resume your scheduled program.
Feel free to share your thoughts about this in the comment box below. I want to know what real runners think about the Kenyan 5-minute rule.
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For anyone living in the Northern Hemisphere, the summer has been brutal. It gets sultrier year after year. In some areas, itâs the heat; in others, it is humidity; and in some, it is both. Conditions can get inhospitable and dangerous very quickly.
Always give yourself a way out if it is too hot for a safe run (Image by ChatGPT)
Last week I drove to my Thursday afternoon group run. As soon as I turned off the carâs air conditioning and set foot out in the open, I realized this was not happening. I decided to walk. I did so with one of my athletes and discussed her upcoming racing schedule. We walked for about an hour, got back drenched, and I was at peace with my decision. As I checked the temperature and humidity afterward, I learned the heat index was 98Âș (36.7ÂșC). Inhuman conditions.
Iâve already written about training in the heat this year (click here to read). Still, this experience got me thinking, yet once again, about accepting that I’ll survive the season rather than focusing on the metrics as a measure of success as if the temperature were 30 degrees lower (17ÂșC).
Alex Beach, a 2:24 marathoner based in South Florida, recently posted the following thought on Instagram: âIâm training year-round in a hot environment (Miami). Understanding the aerobic work youâre getting and not putting too much stress on hitting specific paces every workout in the heat allows you to avoid issues with overtraining.â
Running in the summer requires heavy adjustments. The weather is not just the temperature. It includes atmospheric pressure, visibility, pollen count, and more. When it comes to running, we must expand our perspective beyond temperature and, at the bare minimum, include wind and humidity in the equation.
What Happens to Your Body in the Heat?
Your body goes into overdrive to keep you cool during summer running (Image by Grok)
As a runner, you must understand the physiology of training in severe heat. When you run in hot weather, your body works harder to keep itself cool. As your core temperature rises, your muscles become less efficient, you fatigue sooner, and your overall performance inevitably declines. Accept it.
To prevent overheating, your body redirects blood to your skin, blood that would normally supply oxygen to your working muscles. From the skin, the heat is released. In dry conditions, sweat evaporates, and you cool down. In humid weather, that sweat doesn’t evaporate as easily, making it much harder for your body to regulate its temperature. That’s why running in heat and humidity feels significantly tougher than running in dry heat, even at the same pace.
So, account for that reality and focus on effort rather than metrics. The people you’re trying to impress on Instagram don’t know you, won’t visit you in the hospital if you suffer heat stroke. They certainly won’t help pay your medical bills.
What to do when it is too hot to run outside?
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve heard on summer training comes from Steve Magness, a renowned running coach, author, and performance expert who has guided athletes from high school to the Olympic level. His recommendation is simple: always give yourself a way out.
He explains how in extreme heat and humidity, it’s much easier to dig yourself into a hole that can take days, or even weeks, to recover from. Instead of stubbornly forcing yourself to complete every mile exactly as planned, build flexibility into your workouts. Rather than committing to a continuous hard workout, consider breaking it into shorter intervals with brief recovery periods. If your body is sending warning signs, don’t be afraid to stop early. Adjusting a workout isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a smart decision that allows you to recover, stay consistent, and be ready for your next quality session. Summer training rewards athletes who know when to push and, just as importantly, when to back off.
In conclusion: Donât try to be a hero. No PR is worth a heat injury. No social media post is worth a health breakdown. No Strava kudos are worth an ambulance ride. Be smart, play it safe, and always live to run another day.
Please share your thoughts in the comment box below.
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The Surprising Synchrony Between Running and Your Professional Life
By Arijit Gosh*
There is a moment every runner knows. You are three kilometers from home, your legs are heavy, your lungs are burning, and every rational thought is telling you to stop. But you don’t. You recalibrate, find your rhythm, and keep moving.
The discipline you build on the road bleeds into everything else. (Image by ChatGPT)
That moment, quiet, unglamorous, entirely personal, is also one of the finest pieces of professional training you will ever have.
Running and your professional life are, at their core, training the same person.
The Miles You Log in Private Shape Who You Are at Work
It does not matter whether you are a teacher, a nurse, a freelancer, or a small-team manager. The discipline you build on the road bleeds into everything else.
Running teaches you to delay gratification. You do not get fitter in a week. You do not see the results of your consistency until you have quietly stacked dozens of sessions together, and then one day, almost without warning, you run a distance that would have broken you six months ago. Professional growth works exactly the same way. The people who seem to leap forward are almost always the ones who were doing invisible, unglamorous work long before anyone noticed.
Running teaches you to sit with discomfort. Not to enjoy it but to stop fearing it. And when you stop fearing discomfort in your professional life, your relationship with hard conversations, difficult projects, and uncertain outcomes changes completely.
Science Is on Your Side
Here is something worth knowing: exercise reduces cortisol, your primary stress hormone. It also stimulates the production of BDNF, a protein that supports brain function, memory, and focus. Runners who train consistently often find themselves sharper in their thinking, calmer under pressure, and better at bouncing back from setbacks.
This is not a coincidence. You are literally building a more resilient mind every time you lace up and head out the door.
Discipline Is the Common Currency
The most important thing running and professional life share is not motivation. Motivation is unreliable. It shows up when conditions are good and disappears the moment things get hard. What both demand, in the long run, is consistency.
Showing up on the days you do not feel like it. Sticking to a plan even when progress feels invisible. Trusting the process when the results are not yet visible.
Every runner who has trained through a grey November morning or found time for a lunchtime run during a chaotic week, understands this intuitively. You are not only training your cardiovascular system. You are training your relationship with commitment itself.
What Running Teaches Us About Balance
The discipline of long-distance running transforms professional performance, builds resilience, reduces cortisol, and boosts focus (Image by Grok)
One of the most underrated lessons in running is this: Recovery is not weakness. Rest days exist for a reason. Overtraining does not make you faster; it breaks you down. The adaptation happens during rest, not during effort.
The same truth applies to professional life. Burning yourself out is not a badge of honor. The people who sustain long, meaningful careers are rarely those who ran the hardest in their twenties and burned out by forty. They are the ones who learned to manage their energy as carefully as their effort.
Running gives you a built-in framework for this. Easy days. Hard days. Recovery weeks. Long runs that build your base. It is a rhythm, and once you start applying that rhythm to how you manage your professional energy, something shifts.
The Bottom Line
Running is not only for elite athletes or people chasing podiums. It belongs to anyone willing to show up, do the work and trust that consistency compounds over time.
This is not a running philosophy. This is a life philosophy.
So, the next time you are out on a long run and things get tough, notice what you do. Because the way you run is probably a lot like the way you work. And both are worth running well.
*Arijit Ghosh is the founder of Fitness Fortitude, a platform based in India focused on connecting fitness professionals, sports coaches, athletes, and working professionals with science-based training and coaching. His background combines corporate strategy and fitness, which is a recurring theme in his content.
If you have any interest in the sport of running, you already know the mythical 2-hour barrier for the marathon has fallen. As this blog is not for news reporting, and this happened barely 36 hours before this writing, I want to share a reflection and perspective on what these results at the London Marathon mean for our sport.
Sure, super shoes help, but they are not what make Sebastian Sawe an elite runner (From RW Instagram feed)
When I ran my first marathon in 1983, the world record was 2:08:34 (Derek Clayton, 1969). Then, it started falling little by little. First by a few seconds, then surprisingly faster. As it approached the 2-hour mark, Nike put on the Eliud Kipchoge show in 2019, where he ran 1:59:40. Sure, it wasn’t official, and it wasnât supposed to be. But it proved that a sub-2 was physiologically possible. And now it has happened in competition.
Was it the Super shoes?
Some would like to think that with shoes acting like springs, these new records mean nothing. As a purist, I would love to think that too, but we live in a world where progress, innovation, and new technologies are an intrinsic part of our lives, and we must accept it. If we didnât, Formula One races would be on horseback, the Tour de France would be on bikes with no gears and iron frames, and running shoes would still be made of leather. The regulatory entities have taken measures to ensure certain basic conditions are met, so it is not a free-for-all. It is a step in the right direction, so we may avoid grey areas bordering cheating.
We must understand that super shoes will not make you, or me, a world-record contender. These runners are the best the world has ever seen. These shoes only provide the edge they need to get that little extra that puts them within the realm of possibility. They were already great runners before they tied those $500 Adidas at the start of the 2026 London Marathon.
Whatâs next?
Back in May 1954, Roger Bannister ran the first sub-4-minute mile. It was a matter of time before he, Wes Santee, or John Landy got there. Bannister did it first. And once it was proven physiologically possible, the sub-4s started piling up. Landy shaved 1.4 seconds off Bannister’s record just 6 weeks later. And two months later, he lowered it again. 72 years later, over 1700 runners have gone sub-4. Still an elite group, but not that exclusive.
Why am I bringing this up? Because it has now been proven possible, expect the record set by Sebastian Sawe to fall again shortly and often. Just as Bannister, Sawe will always be remembered as the first. He is the Neil Armstrong of the Sub-2. Yomif Kejelcha made his marathon debut going sub-2, but 11 seconds behind, so he will always be the Buzz Aldrin of the sub-2. Impressive achievement, but not the first. This will not be an unbeatable record. Quite the contrary, it just established a new benchmark from where to keep improving.
I venture to predict that by the end of the year, after marathons like Valencia or Chicago, the record will fall again. And by the end of 2027, there will be 5 to 10 runners under 2.
Boston: Nike Sign Controversy
Since I am reflecting on recent events at Marathon Majors, I want to chime in on the Nike fiasco at the recent Boston Marathon. For those who donât know, Nike set up a huge sign stating âRunners Welcome. Walkers Toleratedâ, which sparked severe backlash and was quickly removed.
This is the controversial sign placed by Nike in Boston during Marathon week.
Was it insensitive? Was it stupid? Did Nike assume responsibility? Can you do something about it if you were offended? Yes, yes, yes, and yes.
First: No race states that you canât walk. Until then, walk all you want. Orlando Pizzolato won the NYC Marathon in 1984 and walked. Nobody cried foul. Gelindo Bordin slowed down, walked, and was not stripped of his Olympic marathon gold medal in 1988. Want to walk? Walk! And donât give a s*#% about what Nike has to say about it.
What really bothered me about this fiasco was the âoffended professionalsâ taking it to social media. Those who enjoy feeling upset on your behalf so they can feel morally superior as they fight for âwhatâs rightâ. Most of those calling for the pitchforks had no stake in running, Boston, or Nike.
Just like you and me, Nike is protected by the First Amendment to make as many stupid statements as they please. Offended? Act. Donât purchase a Nike product ever again. Show up at their headquarters in Beaverton and picket. A friend of mine didnât like it and sold her Nike stock. She didnât pout on Instagram; she took a stand.
Conclusion: Feel offended? Act or shut up! Pouting on social media is not taking action.
Please share your thoughts in the comment box below.
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I was recently reading a book by an author Iâve known for years, yet somehow never truly delved beyond his famous running quotes and the occasional column: Dr. George Sheehan.
Personal Best by Dr. George Sheehan
Dr. Sheehan was a physician, but his legacy lives on in running. A passionate marathoner and prolific writer, he captured the soul of the sport through his columns and books. He did not just write about miles, but about purpose, identity, and the human spirit. His words helped generations of runners live training not as exercise, but as a path to self-discovery.
Despite passing away in 1993, his legacy as one of the most influential running writers ever is undeniable. He wrote 12 books, starting in 1972.
A chapter from âPersonal Best,â published in 1989, caught my attention because it proposes segmenting our athletic experience. Even though it is nothing revolutionary, stating the obvious reveals its genius.
The original text reads:
âThe athletic experience can be divided into three parts. One is the preparation, the training of the body. Two is the event, the challenging of the self. And three, is the aftermath. And for the runner, the ultimate athletic experience is the marathon. It takes training and challenging and creating to the absolute limits.â
In 54 powerful words, we are invited to deconstruct our running lives and turn it into a rewarding yet challenging process for exploring our limits.
Letâs break it down so we can squeeze every morsel of our athletic journey.
1 – TRAINING OF THE BODY
While we may certainly enjoy better PRs in our favorite distances, we can choose from two approaches. Running ourselves to the ground and having a short career or taking the time to prepare so our body can be strong, resilient, and injury-resistant.
Living for the challenge of competition and craving the adrenaline rush of finish lines are part of the allure of the journey. Sheehan once said, âRacing is the lovemaking for the runner. It is hard to pass upâ. And I agree. But to keep doing it constantly, year after year, we must teach the body.
It takes time, planning, and execution. It is a long road with no shortcuts. So, we’d better be smart and make the process enjoyable, or we wonât last the distance.
2 – CHALLENGE OF THE SELF
Ok. Here it is: The challenge. For us runners, it is usually racing, but it could be whatever gets your endorphins going. This is your personal journey. It may be breaking 20 or 30 in the 5K; or how far you can go before collapsing. The point is that you are in charge. You canât run to fulfill someone elseâs dream.
For Dr. Sheehan, the epitome of this challenge is the marathon: âThe marathon fills our subconscious with this gospel. Taking a well-trained body through a grueling 26.2-mile race does immeasurably more for the self-concept and self-esteem than years with the best psychiatrist.â
The challenge of the self is an ever-changing target. Every success should create a new goal. Every failure (and they will happen) should trigger a reevaluation of the processes or even the goals. The challenge of the self is the most rewarding part of the journey.
Enjoying the process will be more rewarding than a wall full of medals, but if you play it smart, you can have both (ChatGPT Image)
3 – THE AFTERMATH
Every running cycle, every accomplished goal, every medal displayed on your wall, every PR, every time we fell short, or every time we just had fun with our friends is an opportunity to reap rewards from our efforts. And the more prepared you are for the journey, the longer and more enjoyable it will be.
In the same writing that gave birth to this blog post, Dr. Sheehan states: âThe long-distance race is a struggle that results in self-discovery. It is an adventure into the limits of the self, representing for runners what has been called the moral equivalent of warâa theater for heroism, where the runner can do deeds of daring and greatness.â
My takeaway is that running can be a worthwhile, ever-changing journey if you allow it to be. But you must be purposeful and flexible, especially as you achieve your goals and pursue new ones as you get older. Enjoying the process will be more rewarding than a wall full of medals, but if you play it smart, you can have both.
Please let me know your thoughts in the comment box below.
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