Tag: running

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My new Sweat Science columns are being published at www.outsideonline.com/sweatscience. Also check out my new book, THE EXPLORER'S GENE: Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the Map, published in March 2025.

- Alex Hutchinson (@sweatscience)

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Some pretty remarkable data was recently presented at the Radiological Society of North America conference in Chicago. German researchers followed a group of 44 runners during the 4,488-kilometre TransEurope Footrace from southern Italy to northern Norway in 2009, carting along a 45-ton mobile MRI unit and a host of other diagnostic equipment:

Urine and blood samples as well as biometric data were collected daily. The runners were also randomly assigned to other exams, including electrocardiograms, during the course of the study. Twenty-two of the runners in the study underwent a whole-body MRI exam approximately every three or four days during the race, totaling 15 to 17 exams over a period of 64 days. At the close of the race, researchers began to evaluate the data to determine, among other things, stress-induced changes in the legs and feet from running. Whole-body volume, body fat, visceral fat, abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT), and fat and skeletal muscle of the lower extremities were measured. Advanced MRI techniques allowed the researchers to quantify muscle tissue, fat and cartilage changes.

So what did they learn from all this (other than, presumably, that anyone who enters a 4,488-kilometre is pretty fit and pretty crazy)? They highlight a few key points:

• The runners lost a lot of fat — half of their starting amount. And most of that was lost during the first 2,000 km. (Oh, it only takes 2,000 km? How easy!) Even better, the first fat to start disappearing was the visceral fat, which surrounds the internal organs and is the really bad stuff that’s linked to heart disease. The runners lost 70 percent of their visceral fat.
• It’s possible to run through some soft-tissue injuries without doing long-term damage. Other problems, like joint issues and stress-fractures, require rest. The press release includes this quote: “The rule that ‘if there is pain, you should stop running’ is not always correct,” Dr. Schütz said. However, they don’t give much guidance on which injuries you can run through. Presumably you need a mobile MRI unit to tell you for sure.
• The runners also lost 7 percent of the muscle in their legs, which they call “one of the most surprising things,” but doesn’t really seem that shocking. Running that much in two months is well outside the bounds of even extreme marathon training. If I’m understanding correctly, they did about eight weeks of 550 km a week!

Anyway, this was just a conference presentation at this point. It’ll be interesting to see the full data when it’s eventually published… but it’s probably not something you should emulate.

THANK YOU FOR VISITING SWEATSCIENCE.COM!

My new Sweat Science columns are being published at www.outsideonline.com/sweatscience. Also check out my new book, THE EXPLORER'S GENE: Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the Map, published in March 2025.

- Alex Hutchinson (@sweatscience)

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Here’s my summary of today’s track action in Delhi, from the Canadian Running site:

The pole vaulters saved the day for Canada in an otherwise bittersweet final session of track and field at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi on Tuesday. (The marathons are still to come on Thursday, but no Canadians will be competing.) Carly Dockendorf and Kelsie Hendry each vaulted 4.25 metres to finish in a three-way tie with England’s Kate Dennison for the bronze medal. Earlier in the evening, the Canadian men’s 4×100-metre relay squad had been disqualified for a botched exchange after posting the fastest time in the semi-finals — a time that would have comfortably won gold had they repeated it in the final.

A stirring final leg by Edmonton’s Carline Muir almost brought the women’s 4×400-metre relay team onto the podium, coming up just a fraction short to finish fourth in a time of 3:30.20. The home team from India held off Nigeria to win the gold medal, stirring the packed stadium to a frenzy. Here’s what Muir had to say after the race:

For distance running fans, the highlights were the women’s 5,000 metres and the men’s 1,500 metres. In the 5,000, Kenyans Vivian Cheruiyot, Sylvia Kibet and Ines Chenonge sat at the back of the nine-person field for the first two kilometres, covered in a modest 6:53, then gradually pulled away to sweep the medals. The winning time was 15:55.12. Scotland’s Stephanie Twell, a sub-15-minute runner and medalist in the 1,500 metres earlier this week, took fourth, while Canada’s Megan Wright finished eighth.

The Kenyans were also seeking to sweep the 1,500, led by sub-3:30 man Silas Kiplagat. Leading the challenge was New Zealand’s defending Commonwealth champ and Olympic silver medalist Nick Willis. Through the first three laps, it was the three Kenyans leading at a pedestrian pace (59.9, 2:02.2, 3:03.3), followed by Willis, with the entire field in close contact. It wasn’t until 180 metres to go that the final finishing sprint was launched, with Willis managing to overtake Gathimba in the final straight to earn a bronze behind Kiplagat and Magut. Here are Willis’s post-race comments:

THANK YOU FOR VISITING SWEATSCIENCE.COM!

My new Sweat Science columns are being published at www.outsideonline.com/sweatscience. Also check out my new book, THE EXPLORER'S GENE: Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the Map, published in March 2025.

- Alex Hutchinson (@sweatscience)

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Here’s the recap of today’s Canadian Commonwealth track medals that I wrote for Canadian Running‘s website. There would have been video interviews too, but I forgot to put the SD card back in the camera before heading down to the track. I’m still learning this “new media” stuff!

A thrilling stretch run by veteran 800-metre runner Diane Cummins capped another medal-filled day for Canadian athletes at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi on Monday, following up the previous day’s golds from high jumper Nicole Forrester and long jumper Alice Falaiye.

Leading off was veteran 100-metre hurdler Angela Whyte, an Olympic finalist in 2004 who has struggled since having knee surgery in 2008. The Edmontonian’s silver medal in a “comeback best” of 12.98 seconds puts her back on track to rejoin teammates Priscilla Lopes-Schliep and Perdita Felicien among the best in the world. Next up was a surprise bronze medal in the 200 metres from Canadian champion Adrienne Power, who earlier this year moved from Nova Scotia to Texas to train with renowned coach Monte Stratton.

Cummins entered the race ranked near the bottom of the field, but with more championship experience than anyone else in the final. Co-favourite Tintu Luka of India took the field through in a brisk 57.5, to the rapturous approval of the crowd. With 250 metres to go, Olympic champion Nancy Langat of Kenya moved to the front, while Cummins languished back in sixth place. Around the final bend, Cummins began moving through the field, setting up a rousing finish as first Luka and then Langat began to fade. With 10 metres left, all three medal spots were still in question.

At the line, it was Langat in 2:00.02, followed by Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand in 2:00.05, with Cummins picking up the bronze in 2:00.13. “If I’d had two more metres…” she said after the race, smiling. “But they don’t race 802 metres, they race 800 metres.” At 36 years of age, Cummins, who like Whyte had surgery in 2008, isn’t yet ready to retire – London in 2012 is a possibility, she said. She’ll likely run more 1,500-metre races next year, where her tactical skills will once again come into play. “For me, racing is really what it’s all about,” she said. “That’s why middle-distance races are so exciting – it’s not just about who’s fastest.”

THANK YOU FOR VISITING SWEATSCIENCE.COM!

My new Sweat Science columns are being published at www.outsideonline.com/sweatscience. Also check out my new book, THE EXPLORER'S GENE: Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the Map, published in March 2025.

- Alex Hutchinson (@sweatscience)

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I’ve posted a round-up of Canada’s day three track and field action at the Commonwealth Games at the Canadian Running site, including a video interview with Nicole Edwards after her fifth-place 1,500-metre run.