You probably have experienced it yourself, or you may have read headlines like this one: «Running is enjoying a boom because of the coronavirus pandemic». And yes, it’s true. Gyms were closed. Spin classes and boot camps had been canceled. People were stuck at home for most of the day for a long time. So running has seen a boom during the coronavirus pandemic. But what about the overall statistics? Did people run more during the pandemic?
A lot of sports and outdoor companies have built up teamlike communities—like Asics’ FrontRunners or On’s Running Crew. Most of them support their members with events or gear and excpect them to be brand ambassadors in return. The North Face now has set up such a programm too, which, however, has a slightly different focus.
Eliud Kipchoge recently won the Tokyo Marathon in 2:02:40, not much slower than his current world record for the fastest marathon ever, set during the Berlin Marathon in 2018 with a time of 2:01:39. But what does that time mean? Mark Lewis, who describes himself as an average runner who is «not too bad» at any distance, thought about this question a little longer. «It’s a 2 minute 54 per km pace for 42 km; stupidly quick,» he says. But: «I can’t comprehend what he’s doing, not properly.»
«I think most people aren’t aware of how much cheating goes on in marathons.» Were you aware? I wasn’t. But Derek Murphy, an independent marathon investigator, should know. He recently took particular care to examine the case of Jane Seo, a food and fitness writer in New York City. She finished second among the women in Sunday’s Fort Lauderdale Half Marathon in 1 hour and 21 minutes, a blazing 6:15 mile. But she cheated.
Have you ever had an idea while you were running? If so, you’re not alone. Like taking a shower or going for a walk, running is one of those activities that stimulate creativity. «The hours we spend on our feet have a way of unlocking ideas that would otherwise be out of reach,» so it says in a text about the «Tracksmith Fellowship». The independent running brand from New England has designed this program to support runners with creative ambitions. But why?