Do you know your heart rate zones?


Newsletter #917: Wednesday, 16th September 2026


Click below to help surface more MH coverage whenever you use Google:

​

Hey runners, in today's newsletter, the World Championships are heading to Africa for the first time.

World Athletics handed the 2029 edition to Nairobi on Tuesday, beating bids from London and Rome, with Munich taking 2031.

Elsewhere, Phil Gore needs surgery two weeks on from Project 168. And Benny Blanco says he ran the Venice Beach Half with zero training after a 2:30 a.m. bet.

And as always, we round things out with the practical stuff: whether you need to fuel during a half marathon, nose vs mouth breathing, and how to use heart rate zones without burning out.

Jessy Carveth

Senior News Editor, Marathon Handbook


​FREE Sample Pack of LMNT - Figure Out Your Hydration Before You Train

Whatever you're training for this fall, your hydration strategy isn't something you figure out at the start line - it's something you bake into your long runs over the next couple of months.

​LMNT is the zero-sugar electrolyte mix that performance-team athletes use through training and race day. Each stick: 1,000mg sodium, 200mg potassium, 60mg magnesium. No sugar, no artificial colors. The same formula dozens of endurance athletes, Olympians, and pro sports teams Stay Salty with.

Our team always stick to the mantra: practice with what you'll race with. Training your body and gut on the same electrolytes you'll use on race day is the difference between skipping past the wall and hitting it hard.

Marathon Handbook readers: free LMNT Sample Pack with any order — eight flavours to dial in what works for you.

Risk-free — LMNT refunds your order, no questions asked.

​

​Should Your Partner Have to Attend Your Races? l For Better or for Worse​

On this episode of For Better or For Worse, Alex and Alexis kick things off with a truly disgusting round of "worst first impressions" (snot rockets, projectile vomit, and a burrata tomato incident) before rehashing the real story of their own disastrous first date. Then it's into the training: Alexis tackles a 5x4-minute threshold workout with Alex coaching from the e-bike, followed by an honest check-in on runner burnout as they close in on the Toronto 5K. The big debate of the week: is it "princess treatment" or just bare-minimum support to expect your partner at every race?


​Applications for the 2027 Chicago Marathon Open Oct. 8​

The application window closes Oct. 29, and runners who finish all three of Chicago's 2027 races are guaranteed a place in the marathon's 50th running the year after.


​Ultra-running legend Phil Gore Requires Surgery on His Leg Two Weeks After Project 168​

The backyard ultra world record holder was told the swelling was a hematoma and sent home from one Perth hospital. A second opinion on Monday found an infection, and he was admitted to a third.


​Nairobi Will Host the First World Athletics Championships in Africa​

World Athletics gave the 2029 edition to the Kenyan capital on Tuesday, ahead of bids from London and Rome, and handed Munich the 2031 championships.


​Do I Need to Fuel During a Half Marathon? Yes — Here’s How​

Fuel smart: How to power through 13.1 miles without hitting the wall.


​Nose vs Mouth Breathing While Running: Which Is Better​

How understanding breathing can improve your runs.


​Heart Rate Training Zones for Runners Explained​

Everything you need to know about using heart rate zones to boost performance and prevent burnout.


​Should Road Races Copy Hyrox’s New Rule on Athletes Who Soil the Course?​

Hyrox can now withdraw an athlete whose bodily fluids contaminate the course, after Joanna Wietrzyk won in Beijing while visibly soiled. Marathon organizers already hold a broader power and have never once used it this way.


​Benny Blanco Says He Ran a Marathon With No Training After a 2:30 a.m. Bet​

It was the Venice Beach Half Marathon, 13.1 miles, run in Los Angeles on May 17. The video went up on Saturday and has more than 61,000 likes.


​Is the Pegasus Plus 2 Nike's Shoe of the Year?​

The Nike Pegasus Plus 2 is the brand's latest workout shoe. It has lots of bells and whistles that make it go fast: Zoom X foam in the midsole, an AirZoom pod, and a noticeable rock-forward profile. But its secret weapon, says senior editor Alex Cyr, is its unexpected comfort and cushioning. Unlike its predecessor, the Pegasus Plus 1, the 2 feels good on the feet, and can easily guide you through long workouts without battering your legs. Watch our full review on Youtube.


Quick Sprints:

Looking for an online running coach? Whatever your goals, train with our head coach, Coach Katelyn. Learn more about her online coaching.


Feedback? Hit reply and start a conversation with our team.

:: Advertise on this newsletter ::

​600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA, 98104-2246​
​
Only send me max 3 emails per week · Unsubscribe totally · Preferences​

Marathon Handbook

Join over 160,000 runners: expert running tips, the latest news, shoe and gear reviews - and the occasional running meme.

Read more from Marathon Handbook

, Running News : Training Tips : Training Plans : Shoes+Gear : YouTube : Podcast 🔴 Follow Our Minute-by-Minute 2026 Berlin Marathon Live Updates News editor Jessy Carveth is on the ground in Berlin, along with Michael Doyle at our race HQ to bring you minute-by-minute action, bold hot takes, and the biggest storylines as they unfold—right in the heart of race day.Our coverage goes live on our site at 8:15 a.m. CEST/2:15 a.m. ET. GET OUR LIVE UPDATES Everything You Need To Know About The 2026...

Run Club Feed : Running News : Training Plans : YouTube : Podcast Newsletter #925: Saturday, 25th September 2026 Click below to help surface more MH coverage whenever you use Google: Hey runners, in today's newsletter, Berlin is set up for a world record attempt, and Tigst Assefa is going it alone. With defending champion Rosemary Wanjiru aiming for 2:15 and Alisa Vainio for 2:20, Assefa will have only her pacemakers for company at record pace on Sunday, with six-figures on the line if she...

Run Club Feed : Running News : Training Plans : YouTube : Podcast Newsletter #923: Wednesday, 23rd September 2026 Click below to help surface more MH coverage whenever you use Google: Hey runners, today's newsletter is all about the fall Majors. With Sabastian Sawe out of Berlin injured, the men's race is wide open and Tigst Assefa headlines on the course where she set the world record in 2023. We've got the full preview, a mile-by-mile guide to the flattest course in the Majors, and...