Table of contents for Summer 2025 in Runner's World

SINCE STARTING MY first marathon training last summer, I’ve been making sure I eat enough, especially before runs. There are plenty of fantastic sports nutrition options. Many of these products—I’m sure you’ve gotten Instagram ads—promise sustained energy from natural sources. I love munching on the latest snacks marketed to runners, but they’re not cheap! And since I run about 70 to 80 miles a week, I go through them quickly. It adds up. So I’ve decided to save some cash and stock up on products close enough to the sport-specific options. Think: things you could buy in bulk at Costco or your local grocery chain. To see if my budget-friendly choices were also nutritionally sound, I called up Amy Stephens, RDN, CSSD, sports dietitian for the New York University track…

ALSU KURMASHEVA RIPPED the strings off her face mask and carefully threaded the soft ends through the eyelets of her running shoes. The Puma Velocity Nitro 2s were in good condition—her husband Pavel had given them to her only five months ago—except that her captors at the SIZO-2 detention facility in Kazan, Russia, had confiscated the laces. “How am I supposed to walk with my shoes flopping?” she asked a guard. No answer. There was rarely an answer to any question. She realized the jailers didn’t want prisoners to walk freely, but to shuffle around the exercise courtyard in defeat. Alsu wouldn’t surrender so easily. What if she yanked the strings off her mask and fashioned makeshift laces out of them? The experiment worked. Alsu could walk in an almost…

AT THE END of 2022, I sat down with myself to reflect on the changes I wanted to implement and set the priority to embark on a fitness journey in the new year. After an eye-opening moment a few days prior, I calculated that my BMI put me in the obese category (although I now know the stat alone isn’t an accurate indicator of health). That, combined with seeing a pattern of genetic health disorders throughout my family and fearing this reality could be my very own, I knew it was time to get healthy. I hit the gym three times the week before the holidays, with the intention to get the wheels turning on this new habit right away so that I would be spared the curse of failed…

Anyone can train for and run a half marathon. The distance is substantial enough to require a strategy, but with the right training and support, the goal is absolutely achievable—with plenty of room for smiles at the finish line. ¶ To maximize the fun factor, Runner’s World partnered with the happiest place on earth, Walt Disney World Resort, to offer five RW+ members an opportunity to train alongside RW editors and race the 2025 Disney Princess Half Marathon. For 10 weeks, these members had access to exclusive training content, got personalized answers to all their questions, and finetuned their fitness so they could show up confident on race day. Here are the game-changing lessons they learned on the way to their most fun 13.1. “I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I…

ON CLOUDBOOM STRIKE LS $330 | 6.2 oz (M), 5.2 oz (W) | 4 mm YOU’VE PROBABLY SEEN On’s new shoe on social media. The company set the running world abuzz when it displayed a robot that spun and twirled a shoe around while it sprayed a plastic material that would become the laceless upper. (Think of it as a highly precise hot-glue gun.) The process takes just three minutes, and when it’s over, you’re handed a shoe that’s still warm. It’s a neat concept that makes for an exceptionally lightweight shoe. There’s a bit of a learning curve to getting your foot inside—you have to use your fingers to work the sides up around your foot, much differently than a normal shoe you slide into. Once on, we found…

MASTER THE 5K → You won’t find a better, more comprehensive 5K program anywhere. Hosted by coach and Olympian Roberto Mandje, How to Master the 5K offers goal-specific training plans, fueling and recovery strategies, and gear and pacing advice. You’ll come away with the speed, strength, and endurance to run your fastest, most enjoyable race yet. HOW TO START RUNNING → Know a beginner? Just starting out? We’re glad you found us. The How to Start Running program is your ultimate beginner’s guide to hitting the road with confidence. With step-by-step plans, expert advice, and practical tips, you’ll build stamina, avoid injuries, and create a lifelong habit you’ll love. Whether you’re running for fitness, fun, or a new challenge, this program makes it easy to start strong and keep going. TRAIN…