TO RUN 26.2 IS TO FEEL ALIVE

THE SUN IS rising from the east, and the waves of the Pacific crash below to the west.

LEAVE IT UP TO A PIECE OF PAPER TO TEACH YOU TO RUN EASY

BEFORE I FELL for running, I thought the hardest thing about the sport was the fast stuff: the speedwork, the sprints, and the intervals.

WHY-AND HOW-YOU SHOULD RUN DOUBLES

Those are just a few of the titles entered into my training log for the second run of a day.

FIND YOUR RUNNING COMMUNITY, ONLINE OR IN PERSON

I SIGNED UP for my first marathon while sobbing in the back of a rideshare, on my way to the airport to fly to my uncle's funeral.

FUEL WITH WHAT YOU WANT TO EAT

AS AN ULTRARUNNER, I'm all too familiar with the saying that long-distance running is an \"eating contest with a running component.\"

AT THE FERTILITY CLINIC, MY PAST CAUGHT UP WITH ME

I SAT IN the fertility doctor's office white walls, bare wooden desk, opaque window-alone.

THIS IS NOT AN ESCAPE STORY

AT 15, DARLENE STUBBS WALKED AWAY FROM A POLYGAMOUS CULT-THEN DISCOVERED A NEW LIFE AND COMMUNITY THROUGH RUNNING.

RUNNING WITH HANK

How my daughter's rambunctious mutt saved my sanity while she was lost to the darkness.

WHEN I FOUND OUT I HAD MS.I THOUGHT I'D NEVER RUN AGAIN.

I checked the pins on my bib, shimmied my spandex shorts into place, and teed up the stopwatch on my wrist.

A RUNNER'S GUIDE to sleep

Nike rocked the running world in 2018 when it released the Vaporfly 4%, claiming that the shoe could boost a runner's efficiency by that amount.

FROM SIGN-UP TO EXECUTION: TIMELINE OF A RACE

MARCH 14, 2024: After consulting with my coach today, I've decided to give the track 5K another try.

FOR THE LOVE OF KETTLEBELLS

RUNNING WILL ALWAYS count as my first fitness love. It ignited my passion for physical movement in elementary school when I ran circles around my parents' three-acre backyard.

TRAIN WITH RW+! MEMBER EXCLUSIVE ! 16 WEEKS OF TRAINING. 10 RUNNERS. ONE TEAM.

We chose 10 RW+ members for an exclusive opportunity to train with us for the 2023 New York City Marathon. They got one-on-one access to RW editors and experts plus authoritative answers to all their questions—and formed an unbreakable team bond. Here’s how they crushed their goals and had a blast every step of the way.

Twenty-One Years Ago, He Incarcerated Was for Life. Last Year, He Ran the NYC Marathon a Radically Changed Man.

Rahsaan Thomas rounded a corner.

100 WOMEN. 100 MILES. ONE HISTORIC RECORD.

On June 3, 2023, a group of 100 women came together to reclaim the 100x1-mile relay world record. | It reminded her of what she loved about running in the first place: a tight-knit community of women.

CAN YOUR GARMIN WATCH REPLACE A COACH?

Artificial Intelligence continues to rapidly creep into seemingly every facet of our daily lives. While no amount of computer learning will ever be able to do the actual running for you, there are aspects, like coaching, where AI could have a meaningful impact. In every debate about Al, the conversation almost always includes this question: Is it better than what humans can accomplish? In the case of running, would Coach AI be better than, say, Ed Eyestone, a two-time Olympian and coach of Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, the top two men at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February?

A SHORTLIVED AFFAIR WITH A WALKING BOOT

“Usually, engage in all kinds of activities when start a relationship. With you, Fiking, dancing, and running are clearly of the table.”

HOW TO (NOT) COMPETE WITH YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER

Our first race together was a 5K Color Run. I'm not sure why we signed up, because neither of us was a runner, but in May 2016, my boyfriend of three years, Jonathan, and I showed up to run around the parking lot at Citi Field. It was fun, but I didn't think it would amount to anything.

GAMIFY TRAINING TO MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU

Instead of sticking to an iron-clad structure and numbers, I've tailored it to what motivates me, borrowing from the community around me and learning from their training.

THIS KITCHEN GADGET IS AN UNHERALDED TRAINING TOOL

Not only would the rice cooker help me meal-prep and pile on the carbs, but it was a badge of honor, a commitment to serious training.

REASONS TO RACE BEYOND CHASING A TIME GOAL

It's the determination, joy, and pride I see shine on everyone-a unique light that seems to illuminate most when running races-that brings more meaning to the miles.

A LIFETIME JOURNEY OF FUELING MISTAKES

DURING THE 2023 New York City Marathon, Runner's World set up shop in an empty storefront on West 57th Street with Adidas and hosted three days of inspiring talks, shakeout runs, and shoe demos.

THE ACCIDENTAL JOY OF RUNNING WITHOUT HEADPHONES

I'M FUMING. I rummage through my work tote, turn my workout bag inside out, lift every notebook on my desk, go through the pockets of every piece of clothing in my zone of vision, then my tote again... It's 5 p.m. I'm standing in the middle of the office dressed for a run, but my AirPods are nowhere to be found-and I can't possibly leave without them!

PARENTING THROUGH RUNNING

I GRAB MY headlamp and run down the driveway, heading out for the quiet streets an hour before sunrise.

STOP LISTENING TO MUSIC WHILE YOU RUN! (TRY AUDIOBOOKS INSTEAD)

I'VE RUN MORE than 30 marathons over the past 20 years, but I recently found one hack that has made my last two training cycles the most fun I've ever had logging a ton of miles: audiobooks.

RISE OF THE "ILLEGAL" RUNNING SHOES

Banned shoes emerged courtside long before they found their way onto a marathon course.

THE SECRET TO SPEED IS IN YOUR BLOOD

Some of the world's best runners credit this unorthodox Norwegian training method for their success. Is it right for you?

TEAM BONDING AND AMATEUR FILMMAKING

I WENT TO my first high-school cross-country practice freshman year in jean shorts, mostly walking as I heaved and huffed.

I NEED A DRINK RUN

TO KEEP THE cold at bay one December night in 2022, my friend Justine and I got together for some mulled wine, a hot drink as delicious as it is sentimental to me, reminding me of holiday gatherings and Christmas markets back home in the Czech Republic.

HOW TO START A RUN WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE IT

I'VE ALWAYS FELT validation when reading a story about writers and their love of procrastination.