Sports
More Races, More Money: The New Calculus for Pro Marathoners
Front Office Sports
Several runners in New York City’s elite field are on their third or fourth marathon of the year. The two most famous contenders raced 26.2 miles just eight weeks ago. More races mean more money—but the math isn’t simple.
Rice Krispies Treats Are Upending the Billion-Dollar Athlete-Fuel Wars
Front Office Sports
The world’s best cyclists and runners have found that the optimal solution to a serious problem is a 30-cent children’s treat.
Jess McClain Missed the National Team Again and Again. Now, She’ll Finally Wear the Team USA Kit
Runner’s World
McClain replaces Betsy Saina, who’s pregnant, on the U.S. marathon team for the World Championships in Tokyo.
A Miler and a Marathoner Are Getting Married. Here’s How They Meet in the Middle
Runner’s World
Brian Shrader, one of the top Americans running this year’s Chicago Marathon, has a built-in training partner: his fiancée, Olympic Trials finalist Helen Schlachtenhaufen.
They Shared a Bedroom Growing Up. Now, the Whittaker Sisters Are Olympic Village Roommates
Runner’s World
Isabella and Juliette, who started as swimmers, made Team USA on the track.
Top College Running Programs Move Away From Body Composition Testing
Runner’s World
The practice doesn’t help young athletes improve their performance—and it can be harmful. (Winner of a 2024 writing award from the American Society of Journalists and Authors in the Fitness & Sports category)
The Path Out of Sport Isn’t Always Clear for Retiring Paralympians
SELF
Athletes have to navigate financial concerns, loss of identity, and a world that isn’t always welcoming to disabled workers.
SELF
She shares with SELF how she got started running at 23, her training modifications while pregnant, and why retirement is looking less likely.
Fitness
8 Exercises to Improve Your Grip Strength
The New York Times
This simple routine can help make everyday tasks easier — and you can do it while sitting at your desk.
The 5 Best Full-Body Exercises, According to Trainers
The New York Times
We asked experts to recommend the moves that offer the very most bang for your buck.
Your Workout Routine Isn’t Complete Without Strength Training
The New York Times
Aerobic exercise is hugely beneficial for health. But research increasingly shows you also need some resistance training. Here’s how to work it in.
Running vs. Walking: Which Is Better for Lasting Health?
The New York Times
They’re both beneficial physically and mentally, but there’s a clear winner.
Your Run/Life Stress Load Can Only Take So Much. Here’s How to Cope
Runner’s World
Expert tips for getting out of your head and back on the move.
Here Is Exactly How to Reschedule (and Sometimes Skip) Your Long Runs
Runner’s World
Run coaches offer smart strategies on how to move, modify, or skip your longest training run of the week.
SELF’s Learn to Love Running Program
SELF
You’re just 12 weeks away from becoming a regular on the paths, trails, or tread.
How to Exercise Outside With Raynaud’s Syndrome Without Freezing Your Fingers Off
SELF
From gear to nutrition, there are ways to ease the icy grip on your hands and feet.
Sorry, but Running Without Energy Gels Isn’t the Flex You Think
SELF
Shaming runners for fueling isn’t just rude—it’s contradicted by science and can be flat-out harmful.
How to Turn a Boring Long Run Into an Invigorating Celebration of the Great Outdoors
SELF
Try these tips whether you’re on a gorgeous trail or jogging through city streets.
How to Safely Exercise With POTS, According to Experts
SELF
These tips from doctors, strength coaches, and physical therapists can help you create a routine.
Health/Medicine
Why Are So Many Women Athletes Tearing Their ACLs Now?
SELF
No, it’s not about being “fragile”—here’s what really drives these injuries and how to prevent them.
What It’s Like to Get a Breast Cancer Diagnosis While Training for the Olympics
SELF
Here’s how track prepared Marta Pen Freitas to face this new challenge.
Everything Katie Ledecky Has Shared About Living With the Health Condition POTS
SELF
Here’s how the Olympian keeps symptoms like fatigue and dizziness in check.
What Is Creatine, and What Can This Supplement Do (and Not Do) for My Health?
SELF
This popular workout add-on may have legit benefits, but it’s not the miracle powder some influencers claim.
This Peloton Instructor Woke Up With a ‘Huge, Painful Lump’ on His Rib—and Began a New Medical Drama
SELF
As thousands of fans cycled with him on the leaderboard, Bradley Rose was secretly grappling with a serious health threat.
Are Breastfeeding Runners at Greater Risk of Bone Injuries?
Runner’s World
Here’s what experts know about stress fractures—and how to prevent them—during the postpartum period.
Chicago Magazine
As these testimonies reveal, those who have had the most severe cases face profound and often lasting effects that experts are still struggling to understand.
Chicago Magazine
The firsthand stories of these front-line professionals starkly reveal the human toll of the pandemic, and the everyday heroism required to conquer it.
Chicago
Runner’s World
“This is a lot—everyone’s carrying all of this throughout our runs.”
Peace Runners 773 Brings a Movement of Movement to Chicago’s West Side
Runner’s World
The up-and-coming group is part of a groundswell of new running crews across the city—and has 11 members running Sunday’s Chicago Marathon.
Higher Education Writing
Illinois Alumni
Illinois Alumni asked six prominent faculty members in fields from agriculture to medicine to robotics what they see coming by 2067—the year the University of Illinois will celebrate its bicentennial—and how it will change life for the rest of us.
UIC Magazine
Climate change threatens urban areas—but UIC researchers are working to mitigate its harms and adapt to its consequences.
Illinois Alumni
Could waterfowl hold clues to preventing future pandemics? U of I scientists receive a hefty new grant to delve beneath the surface.
UIS Today
Since 2006, Dolan Dalpoas has led the hospital where he was born—and knows that meeting rural health needs is key to building community.
Illinois Alumni
After a frightening accident, Susannah Scaroni continues to break boundaries in wheelchair track
Alumni Interview: Reshma M. Saujani
Illinois Alumni
The founder of Girls Who Code on the power of the pen, lessons from campus activism and why moms should get monthly paychecks.