Some social media users claimed the 31-year-old seemed "uncomfortable," while others argued elements of the outfit closely resembled a woman's swimsuit.
There were even claims that Archer "should have worn clothes" as she competed in the annual event late last month.
Archer caught wind of the chatter. In a separate TikTok post, the British runner responded to critics by asking, "Should I have worn a tracksuit?" Archer also cited the conditions, saying the humidity reached nearly 78 percent as temperatures climbed into the mid-70s.
More than 56,000 participants finished this year's London Marathon.
EXCLUSIVE: More than $514,000 has been donated to the "Help Karmelo Anthony Official Fund" on the crowd-sourcing site GiveSendGo.com.
This half-million-dollar sum is the result of an alleged murder that occurred at a track meet in Frisco, Texas, on April 2.Β
The victim was 17-year-old Austin Metcalf of Memorial High School, who died in a deadly stabbing. The suspect, 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony of Centennial High School, was just released from jail on bond after lawyers reduced his bail from $1 million.Β
Anthony has told police that he "did it" β meaning the murder β but has claimed it was in self-defense. He has been charged with first-degree murder.
Now, GiveSendGo is leading in online fundraising for the Anthony's family legal expenses. Other major crowd-sourcing platforms, including GoFundMe and Kickstarter, have not platformed a campaign for Anthony on their sites.
But GiveSendGo co-founder Jacob Wells and his leadership team are featuring Anthony's campaign.Β
"How proud am I of this campaign? I don't, I wouldn't say I'm proud at all," Wells told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview.Β
"I have no pride in having this being on GiveSendGo. I just have appreciation for what GiveSendGo is doing in the midst of these tragic moments, which is standing on principle, which is loving people even in the midst of very hard and dark places."Β
Wells admitted that there have been other campaigns on his site, like a foster home for boys fundraiser. But Anthony's fundraiser is not one of those.Β
Wells claimed his company has only ever removed campaigns for causes deemed "illegal," or raising money under false pretenses. He says he's taken down a fundraiser for fraudulently raising money for travel expenses while the organizer intended to use the money to buy a gun.Β
Wells declined to directly say whether there were any conversations about removing the campaign, but insists that "pretty much" everyone involved in leadership at the company has been supportive of platforming it.Β
Wells compared the Anthony fund to the one his platform hosted for Kyle Rittenhouse in 2020. That effort raised over $250,000 after Rittenhouse shot three men in Kineshoa, Wisconsin, during the Jacob Blake riots.Β
But now Anthony's campaign has raised more than twice that number, and is looking for more. As Wells and his colleagues have faced backlash and death threats, he said he's had a conversation about donating the profits of the fundraiser to the Metcalf family to try and make a point that they aren't just platforming Anthony's fund for financial gain.Β
Wells has also paid special attention to this campaign in recent weeks, as it's been one of the biggest and most notorious his platform has ever hosted. He's gone out of his way to take note of the types of people who are donating, and why they are donating.Β
And to him, some of these people are donating for the "wrong reasons."Β
"There will always be people who are donating for the wrong reasons, on any campaign. There are people that believe the best way forward is racial division. That's what they believe. So they're going to stoke the flames of racial division however they can," Wells said. "When you live in free societies, which we do, there's a price to pay, and that is it allows for some people to do things that might not be good. And I think people do that all the time."Β
Wells pointed specifically to "championing a racial narrative" as the wrong reason for wanting to donate to the campaign, when asked.Β
"When someone is championing a racial narrative that is divisive and not unifying, then I would claim that that's a wrong reason to be donating. And there are people that have donated that are making claims that are divisive and not unifying. And those are in some of the comments. " Unfortunately, in free societies, people can say stuff that is divisive and not unifying," Wells said.Β
"They go both ways too. We've seen people who have made donations because donating is a way for you to comment on the campaign pageβ¦ you have people that are on the other side of the aisle and they'll donate the minimum $5 donation just so they can post a comment being derogatory to the Anthony family."Β
Still, Wells claims that the "overwhelming majority" of engagement on the fundraiser has not been "derogatory."Β
Wells declined to point to any specific comments that represent the "wrong" reasons. However, some public comments reviewed by Fox News Digital reflect Wells' "racial narrative" reference.Β
"Honestly, even if Karmelo stabbed Austin for no reason at all, I'd still donate and support. Whites have gotten away with killing us for hundreds of years. I could care less about White lives," read a comment with 53 likes.Β
Wells blamed "right-wing outrage" for driving support to the fundraiser.Β
"The outrage of the right has fueled the response of the other side," Wells said, adding that he saw similar patterns occur due to the left-wing response to the Rittenhouse fund and when his site hosted a campaign to support Daniel Penny after killing Jordan Neely in defense of New York City subway riders in 2023.Β
Representatives for the Anthony family have referenced race while comparing Anthony's situation to Rittenhouse's and Penny's.Β
Next Generation Action Network (NGAN) president Dominique Alexander made the comparison at a press conference on April 17.Β
"Because these racist bigots try to prevent us from standing up for our baby, our boy, he should be afforded the same rights that Kyle Rittenhouse had, Daniel Penny and all the people who have claimed whatever their defense was β he should be afforded the same right," Alexander said.Β
Anthony was recently moved from his home to an "undisclosed location to ensure his immediate safety" following an "alarming increase in death threats, continued harassment, and physical intimidation targeted at the family's home," NGAN said in a statement last week.Β
Meanwhile, the Metcalf family has been victims of swatting in recent weeks, the Frisco Police Department (FPD) previously confirmed. Swatting is when a 911 call is made, usually to report a fake violent crime, to get police and sometimes even SWAT teams, to respond to the address given by the caller.Β
Metcalf's father, Jeff Metcalf, previously told Fox News, "I want to clarify something right off to start because I've already heard some rumors and gossip. This was not a race thing. This is not a political thing.
"Do not politicize this. It's not β¦ this is a human being thing. This person made a bad choice and affected both his family and my family forever."
Nike came under fire on Monday for a billboard that was shown at the end of the London Marathon.
The sign read "Never Again. Until Next Year." It featured black lettering on top of a read background. However, the company, who already faced scrutiny during the week over reports of its alleged funding of a child transgender athletes study, received backlash for using a slogan that had ties to the Holocaust.
The slogan has been used to warn the world to learn lessons from the Holocaust, in which Nazi Germany and their allies killed 6 million Jews, according to the Times of Israel.
Pershing Square CEO Bill Ackman led the criticism of Nike.
"The idea that @Nike would make light of the holocaust using Hitler-red imagery in a post-October 7th world is stunning," he wrote on X. "Heads need to roll. WTF Nike?"
Rabbi David Schlusselberg weighed in on X as well.
"This Nike advertisement was displayed at the end of the London Marathon," he wrote on X. To take a slogan about the Holocaust, and use it for entertainment, is simply grotesque. Nike - Just DONβT do it."
Fox News Digital reached out to Nike for comment.
The company issued a statement to The Forward, apologizing for the signage.
"We did not mean any harm and apologize for any we caused," the company said. "The London billboards were part of a broader campaign titled βWinning Isnβt Comfortable,β built on runnersβ insights and designed to motivate runners to push past what they think is possible.
"A series of billboards with taglines such as βRemember why you signed up for this,β βThis is bloody tough,β and βNever again until next year,β were placed along the route to inspire runners and the copy was based on common phrases used by runners."
The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has opened a Title IX investigation into Portland Public Schools for allowing a trans-identifying male athlete to compete in women's sports, OutKick has learned.Β
As OutKick previously reported, "Ada" Gallagher is a biological male who won a high school state championship in track & field last year. Gallagher has continued to compete in the girls' division, despite President Donald Trump signing an executive order to prevent males from competing in girls' and women's sports.
The Department sent a letter to Kimberlee Armstrong, Superintendent of Portland Public Schools (the District), informing her that the investigation is now open.Β
"These allegations include allowing a male track student athlete to compete in a girlsβ interscholastic track and field competition on March 19, 2025, and permitting the male athlete to use the girlsβ locker room while female athletes were changing," the OCR said in a press release.
"OCR also sent a letter notifying the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA), the governing body for the Portland Interscholastic League, that it was opening a directed investigation into its "gender identity participation" policy, which appears to violate Title IX."Β
"Nonbinary, intersex, genderfluid, Two Spirit, and other students who do not consistently identify with the gender binary cannot be prohibited from playing on athletic teams of either gender, in alignment with Oregon nondiscrimination law," the guidelines state.Β
There's also a section relating to required uniforms, where schools are forced to "develop any athletic uniform policies with consideration of the needs of gender expansive students."Β
OutKick recently spoke to an Oregon female high school athlete, who said she wanted to see the federal government get involved to stop trans athletes from stealing wins, awards and spots on girls' teams from females.Β
"It's just frustrating that nothing has changed. But I would very much, and I know other women would [as well], appreciate seeing Oregon being investigated for this, because I feel like it's so obvious that this is happening, and it is so obvious that it is wrong," Lilian Hammond told OutKick.Β
Well, Hammond is getting her wish, as the Department of Education β which has already opened investigations in several other states, including Maine, California, Minnesota and Washington β is now investigating Oregon.Β
"I am very happy that this is getting the attention that it deserves," Hammond said in a text message to OutKick after learning about the investigation.
"We will not allow the Portland Public Schools District or any other educational entity that receives federal funds to trample on the antidiscrimination protections that women and girls are guaranteed under law," said Craig Trainor, Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.Β
"President Trump and Secretary McMahon have been steadfast in their commitment to protect the rights of women and girls. OCR will use every lawful means to ensure that no female athlete is denied equal athletic opportunities or robbed of her rightful accolades."
OutKick reached out to Kimberlee Armstrong and OSAA about the investigation. Neither could be immediately reached for comment.Β
While Oregon, like Maine, has argued that their state law permits athletes to compete with and against athletes who match their gender identity β rather than their biological sex β the OCR has repeatedly made it clear that federal mandates supersede state law.Β
News of the OCR investigation came on the same day that World Athletics, the global governing body for Track & Field, announced it will perform biological sex tests on female athletes to keep males out of the women's category.
World Athletics on Tuesday approved cheek-swab tests to verify if an athlete is female, as Sebastian Coe, the organizationβs president, vowed to protect womenβs sports.
Coe said pre-clearance testing will be for athletes who want to compete in the female category. He called the process "very straightforward" and an issue that was "important" to him. He added that the tests are not invasive and was ready for any criticism that could come his way.
"Neither of these are invasive. They are necessary, and they will be done to absolutely international medical standards," he said during a media availability. "I wouldnβt have set off down this path in 2016, 2017 to protect the female category in sport if Iβd been sort of anything other than prepared to take the challenge head on.
"Weβve been to the Court of Arbitration for Sport on our [difference of sexual development] DSD regulations. Theyβve been upheld, and again theyβve been upheld after appeal. We will doggedly protect the female category and weβll do whatever is necessary to do it. And weβre not just talking about it."
Coe stressed the importance of keeping womenβs sports female.
"Itβs important to do it because it maintains everything that weβve been talking about and, particularly recently, about not just talking about the integrity of female, womenβs sport but actually guaranteeing it and this we feel is a really important way of providing confidence and maintaining absolute focus on the integrity of competition," he said.
Officials said in February that the test is looking for the SRY gene, according to Sky News. The specific gene "provides instructions for making a protein called the sex-determining region Y protein. This protein is involved in male-typical sex development, which usually follows a certain pattern based on an individual's chromosomes," according to Medline Plus.
The test is taken via cheek swab with possibly a dry blood sample if necessary.
Coe, who was in the running to become the International Olympic Committee chief, said in November the Olympics needed a clear policy to protect female sports.
World Athletics, the governing body for track and field sports around the globe, tightened its regulations on trans athletes to exclude transgender women who have gone through male puberty from competing in the female category.
Shelby Houlihan, an American Olympic runner who competed at the 2016 Rio Games and later faced a hotly debated four-year ban, was back on the podium on Saturday.
Houlihan won a silver medal at the World Indoor Championships in the 3,000-meter event in Nanjing, China. She was unable to compete in the Tokyo Olympics and the Paris Olympics because she tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Houlihan claimed at the time the positive test was a result of a tainted pork burrito she bought from a Mexican food truck.
"Itβs been a long journey," she told Letβs Run. "I'm excited for today and now, but also kind of grieving the past a bit. Itβs just been a real tough journey."
Houlihan is the U.S. record holder at 1,500 meters and the former record holder in the 5,000-meter event. Her 2021 appeal of her ban was moved to the Court of Arbitration for Sport but was ultimately rejected.
However, the case kicked off a debate in the sport and anti-doping world as the elements were similar to other "no fault" cases that resulted in little or no penalty.Β
Houlihanβs punishment ultimately cost her a trip to Paris for the Olympics and she now has to work twice as hard to get ready for a potential appearance in Los Angeles in 2028.
"Getting used to completely trying to create a new normal," Houlihan said. "Running had been part of my life since I was 5, so who am I without this? I didn't know. (I felt) totally crumbled and trying to rebuild myself back up."
The 32-year-old Iowa native said she hoped her success could lead to a sponsor. The world outdoor championships are set for September.
"It got to a point where I was just like, βI donβt want to give up because I feel like I'll always wonder what could have been,'" she said. "And then I feel like I still have more to prove. I feel like the best is yet to come for myself and I wanted to see that through and not let someone else decide."
Houlihan was eligible to compete again in January and made her return to the track last month at the Razorback Invitational in Arkansas. She won the indoor 3,000-meter race.
The same Oregon high school that came under fire last year for allowing a transgender athlete to compete against girls continues to blow away the competition one year later.
Ada Gallagher, running as a 10th-grader at McDaniel High School in Portland, finished in first place in 200M and 400M races during the 6A-1 Portland Interscholastic League Championship in 2024.Β
Now an 11th-grader, Gallagher was back on the track for a Portland Interscholastic League meet at her home track, where she was spotted blowing out the competition, especially in the 400M, where she finished more than seven seconds better than the rest of the field.Β
Gallagher finished at 57.62 in the 400M, with Franklin High School's Kinnaly Souphanthong coming in second at 1:05.72. Gallagher's teammate, Quinnan Schaefer, was behind Souphanthong at 1:07.13.
Then, in the 200M race, Gallagher finished in first place at 25.76, followed by teammate Addyson Skyles at 27.31.
Both times for Gallagher were season records.
As the video of the races began to circulate on social media, commenters began to speak their piece.Β
"That experience must be so demoralizing for those girls," one X user said. "β¦You'll look back later and be much more infuriated, especially if you have children of your own." Another added, "The girls should all just start refusing to run and it will soon end."
The Oregon School Activities Association, the governing body for the Portland Interscholastic League, has a gender identity participation policy that "allows students to participate for the athletic or activity program of their consistently asserted gender identity while providing a fair and safe environment for all students."
"As with Rule 8.2 regarding Duration of Eligibility / Graduation, rules such as this one promote harmony and fair competition among member schools by maintaining equality of eligibility and increase the number of students who will have an opportunity to participate in interscholastic activities," the rulebook adds.Β
President Donald Trumpβs Executive Order 14201, better known as "Keeping Men out of Womenβs Sports," was signed to "protect female student athletes, in the womenβs category, from having to βcompete with or against or having to appear unclothed before males.β"Β
When Trump signed the order last month, Oregon Republicans were delighted, with House Minority Leader Christine Drazan saying she would introduce a bill to rewrite policies in high school athletics.Β
"Women have fought for β and earned β respect and support for themselves in sports and have made incredible gains in doing so. We must defend that progress and stand up for fairness." Drazan said in a statement released on National Girls and Womenβs in Sports Day, per Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Matt Richtman, an Illinois native, was the victor in what was the second-largest field in the raceβs history, per ABC7. He ran 2:07:56, and bore an American flag after crossing the finish line.Β
Ethiopiaβs Tejinesh Gebisa Tulu won the womenβs race at 2:30:16.Β
"Itβs definitely a surprise," Richtman admitted after winning the race, per ABC7. "You know, I came in feeling really good; itβs really hard to judge where you stack up against competition, but it was a really good group out there today, and I was really happy to run with those guys and then ultimately win it."
Richtman was in front of Kenyaβs Athanas Kioko, who finished in second with a time of 2:10:55, while fellow Kenyan Mose Kiptoo finished third at 2:13:13.Β
Richtman, who was a Montana State University Bobcat in college, added that he really "didnβt have too much of a strategy" to come away with the win.Β
"The first half I just wanted to stay in that group, didnβt really want to push the pace or lead or anything like that, just kind of stay, feel it out, βcause itβs a challenging course.
"The whole race I was running with a little bit of fear. Itβs tough when you canβt see whatβs going on behind you."
Fear clearly pushed Richtman into whatever gear he needed to keep the pace and cross the finish line first.Β
Richtman sent his appreciation out to those in the city of Los Angeles who were cheering him on throughout the race.
"Itβs such a great day, you know, the 40th anniversary (of the race), thereβs so many legacy runners out here, and the crowd out her was amazing," he said. "There were people throughout the whole course and it really helps. It's amazing how much a crowd can change the course of what youβre doing."
The Virginia teen who was seen bashing an opponent's head with a baton during a high school track meet held a rally of supporters on Thursday to reiterate her innocence.Β
The rally came just one day after she was served with a misdemeanor battery and assault charge.Β
The student, Alaila Everett, held the rally outside of her school, I.C. Norcom High School, in Portsmouth, Virginia. Dozens of individuals were seen attending the rally, as Everette delivered a tearful speech, where she thanked her supporters while sobbing.Β
"Thank y'all for supporting me," Everett said to the supporters, as seen in footage by local Virginia news station WAVY. "There's no one else that wanted to hear my story, except the people that know me and people that know I would never do anything like that, I would never harm anybody. I'm not a fighter, I'm not even confrontational, I wouldn't even do that on purpose, and I thank y'all for believing in me. I love y'all."
Everett's speech was met with loud applause and a chant of "We stand with you."
Portsmouth NAACP President James Boyd also spoke at the rally, alleging threats and slurs that have been directed at Everett's family.
"The Everett family has experienced racial slurs, theyβve experienced death threats, and we think unequivocally that those things are unacceptable," Boyd said.
Local community activist Germain Green called for unity from the community in support of the teenager.Β
"It bothered me to my heart to see how the whole world was dragging this young lady, dragging her character based on what they thought they saw. I just wanted to step up, speak out, and bring unity and let this young lady know that the city of Portsmouth has her back," Green said.Β
Lynchburg Commonwealthβs Attorney Office confirmed to Fox News Digital Wednesday that one misdemeanor charge of assault and battery jad been filed over the incident.Β
The incident occurred last Tuesday during a championship meet, as footage showed Everett smashing her baton onto the head of Brookville High School junior Kaelen Tucker during a relay race. Everett and her whole team were disqualified.
Tucker was later diagnosed with a concussion and possible skull fracture, as footage of the incident went viral.Β
Everett has since said the hits were accidental, in interviews with WAVY and "Good Morning America."Β
The Virginia High School League (VHSL) previously issued a statement to Fox News Digital on the matter.Β
"The VHSL does not comment on individuals or disciplinary actions due to FERPA," the league's statement read. "The actions taken by the meet director to disqualify the runner were appropriate and correct. We thoroughly review every instance like this that involves player safety with the participating schools. The VHSL membership has always made it a priority to provide student-athletes with a safe environment for competition."
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Portsmouth Public School District for comment from the Everett family.
Prior to the misdemeanor charges being announced on Everett, the Portsmouth NAACP released a statement defending the embattled teen on Wednesday.Β
"Alaila is NOT AN ATTACKER and media headlines that allude towards that in any way is shameful. We understand the sensitivity of the circumstances for both athletes and their families involved but this narrative must not go unaddressed," the statement read. Β
"Alaila is an honor student and a star athlete at the historic I.C. Norcom High School. From all accounts, she is an exceptional young leader and scholar whose athletic talent has been well documented and recognized across our state. She has carried herself with integrity both on and off the field and any narrative that adjudicates her guilty of any criminal activity is a violation of her due process rights."
Fox News Digital's Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
Whether youβre a casual jogger or a serious trail runner, having the right GPS watch on your wrist can make all the difference. The best GPS running watches do more than just track your pace β they offer real-time metrics, advanced training features to help you hit your goals and, of course, GPS tracking for precise distance measurements. Some models go even further, with offline maps for navigation, sleep tracking for recovery insights and smart features like notifications and contactless payments.
For those who need extra durability and lasting battery life, higher-end sport watches β like some of the best Garmin watches β are built to handle intense workouts, harsh weather and long runs. If you're training for a marathon, triathlon or just want a multisport option that can keep up with your lifestyle, these watches have the tech to support you.
With so many options available, from entry-level models to the best running watches packed with advanced running metrics, it can be tricky to find the right fit. Thatβs why weβve rounded up our top picks to help you choose the perfect GPS watch for your training needs.
Best GPS running watches for 2025
Other GPS running watches we tested
Polar Pacer Pro
The Polar Pacer Pro looked and felt quite similar to our top pick, and it mapped my outdoor runs accurately. However, Polarβs companion app is leagues behind Garminβs with a confusing interface and a design that feels very much stuck in the past. Itβs also $100 more expensive than our top pick.
Amazfit Cheetah Pro
The Amazfit Cheetah Pro tracked my outdoor runs accurately and Zeppβs companion app has a coaching feature much like Garminβs adaptive training plans that can outline a routine for you to complete in preparation for a race or to achieve a specific goal. My biggest issue with it was that its touchscreen wasnβt very responsive β it took multiple hard taps on the display to wake it, and often the raise-to-wake feature didnβt work, leaving me staring at a dark screen.
What to consider before buying a GPS running watch
GPS speed and accuracy
The most important thing for a GPS running watch to have is fast, accurate GPS tracking. That might seem obvious, but itβs quite easy to get distracted by all of the other smart features most of these devices have. Since most of them can be worn all day long as standard sport watches, thereβs a lot of (possibly unnecessary) fluff that looks good on paper but wonβt mean much if the core purpose if the device is left unfulfilled. To that end, I paid particular attention to how long it took each deviceβs built-in GPS tracking to grab my location before a run, if it ever lost my spot and the accuracy of the generated maps. Also, the device should be smart enough to let you start tracking a run while the GPS looks for your location.
Workout profiles and trackable metrics
You may not be able to suss out GPS accuracy just by looking at a spec sheet (thatβs where this guide can help), but you can check for features like supported workout profiles. Thatβs something youβll want to look into, even if your one and only activity is running. Check to make sure the best running watches youβre considering support all the kinds of running activities you like to do (outdoor runs, treadmill runs, etc) and any other workouts you may want to track with it.
Most fitness wearables today arenβt one-trick ponies; youβll find a healthy number of trackable exercise modes on any sport watch worth its salt. That said, the number of workout profiles can be directly proportional to a deviceβs price: the higher-end the product, chances are the more specific, precise workouts it can monitor.
In a similar vein, youβll want to check the trackable metrics of any watch youβre considering before you buy. Since weβre talking about the best GPS running watches, most will be able to track the basics like distance, heart rate and pace, and those are bare minimums. Some watches can monitor additional stats like speed, cadence, stride length, advanced running dynamics, aerobic and anaerobic training effect, intensity minutes and more. If youβre already a serious runner who trains for multiple races each year, or if you're a trail runner who needs elevation and navigation features, youβll want to dig into the spec sheet of the watch youβre considering to make sure it can track all of your most necessary metrics.
Size and weight
Itβs worth checking out a watchβs case size and weight before going all-in on one. GPS running watches, and standard smartwatches as well, can have a few different sizes to choose from so youβll want to make sure youβre getting the best fit for your wrist. I have a smaller wrist, so I tend to avoid extra-large cases (anything over 42mm or so), especially if I intend on wearing the device all day long as my main timepiece. Weight, on the other hand, is a little less controllable, but typically smaller case sizes will save you a few grams in overall weight.
For those who need durability, particularly trail runners or those tackling extreme conditions, devices like Garmin watches offer rugged builds that can handle rough terrain, impact, and extreme weather.
Battery life
Unlike regular smartwatches, GPS running watches have two types of battery life youβll need to consider: with GPS turned on and in βsmartwatchβ mode. The former is more important than the latter because most GPS running watches have stellar battery life when used just as a smart timepiece. You can expect to get multiple days on a single charge, with some surviving more than two weeks (with all day and night wear) before they need a recharge.
Battery life with GPS turned on will be much shorter by comparison, but any GPS running watch worth its salt should give you at least 10-15 hours of life with the GPS being used continuously. The more youβre willing to spend, the higher that number typically gets, with some GPS running watches lasting for 40 hours while tracking your location.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/best-gps-running-watch-141513957.html?src=rss
The Virginia high school track and field athlete who was seen bashing an opponent's head with a baton during a race has been charged with assault and battery, Lynchburg Commonwealthβs Attorney Office confirmed to Fox News Digital.Β
I.C. Norcom High School student athlete Alaila Everett was seen smashing her baton on the head of Brookville High School junior Kaelen Tucker during a championship meet last week. Footage of the incident went viral in the following days, prompting national controversy and backlash against Everett.Β
Tucker was later diagnosed with a concussion and possible skull fracture.
Tucker and her family members did not definitively say whether they would press charges against Everett after the incident in an interview with WSET ABC 13. However, charges have now officially been pressed, as Everett faces one misdemeanor count assault and battery.
Everett has since said the hits were accidental, in interviews with WAVY and "Good Morning America."Β
Prior to the charges being announced on Everett, the Portsmouth NAACP released a statement defending the embattled teen on Wednesday.Β
"Alaila is NOT AN ATTACKER and media headlines that allude towards that in any way is shameful. We understand the sensitivity of the circumstances for both athletes and their families involved but this narrative must not go unaddressed," the statement read. Β
"Alaila is an honor student and a star athlete at the historic I.C. Norcom High School. From all accounts, she is an exceptional young leader and scholar whose athletic talent has been well documented and recognized across our state. She has carried herself with integrity both on and off the field and any narrative that adjudicates her guilty of any criminal activity is a violation of her due process rights."
Fox News Digital has reached out to Everett's family via the Portsmouth Public School District for comment.Β
Tucker recounted the incident in an interview with WSET ABC 13 last Friday, and said the entire section gasped when they saw the repeated baton bashing.Β
"The whole section just gasped," Tucker told the station about those around her in the bleachers. "We had family come from out of town. Her godparents were here from Myrtle Beach. Everybody just gasped. When I saw her go down, all I could do is run out of the bleachers. I just knew I had to get to her.
"She was kind of hysterical because she just couldnβt believe thatβs what had happened."
Everett claims the hits occurred because she lost her balance and her baton got "stuck" behind her opponent's back.
"After a couple times of hitting her, my baton got stuck behind her back like this, and it rolled up her back. I lost my balance when I pumped my arms again. She got hit," Everett said in an interview with WAVY. "I know my intentions and I would never hit someone on purpose."
Everett also said that while she caused physical pain for Tucker, there is not enough empathy for Everett's own "mental" impact.Β
"Everybody has feelings, so youβre physically hurt, but youβre not thinking of my mental," Everett said. "They are assuming my character, calling me ghetto and racial slurs, death threatsβ¦ all of this off of a nine-second video."
During an interview with Good Morning America on Wednesday, Everett and her family showed a different angle of the footage, and re-enacted the incident to try and prove it was an accident.Β
"Her arm was literally hitting the baton like this until she got a little ahead and my arm got stuck like this," Everett said while using a family member to represent Tucker during the incident in the clip.Β
The Virginia High School League (VHSL) previously issued a statement to Fox News Digital on the matter.Β
"The VHSL does not comment on individuals or disciplinary actions due to FERPA," the league's statement read. "The actions taken by the meet director to disqualify the runner were appropriate and correct. We thoroughly review every instance like this that involves player safety with the participating schools. The VHSL membership has always made it a priority to provide student-athletes with a safe environment for competition."
Fox News Digital's Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
The Virginia high school track and field runner who was seen violently smashing her baton into an opponent's head during a relay race has spoken out about the backlash she's received, while claiming the incident was an accident.
I.C. Norcom High School senior Alaila Everett gave opponent Brookville junior Kaelen Tucker a concussion and possible skull fracture when she beat her head with the baton at an event on Tuesday. Everett claims the attack occurred because she lost her balance and her baton got "stuck" behind her opponent's back.
"After a couple times of hitting her, my baton got stuck behind her back like this, and it rolled up her back. I lost my balance when I pumped my arms again. She got hit," Everett said in an interview with WAVY. "I know my intentions and I would never hit someone on purpose,"
Everett also said that while she caused physical pain for Tucker, there is not enough empathy for Everett's own "mental" impact.Β
"Everybody has feelings, so youβre physically hurt, but youβre not thinking of my mental," Everett said. "They are assuming my character, calling me ghetto and racial slurs, death threatsβ¦ all of this off of a nine-second video."
Β Everett's mother, Zeketa Cost, told WAVY that she also doesn't believe her daughter did it on purpose.Β
"I didnβt have to see a first video, second video or tenth video. I know 100% that she would never do that to nobody," Cost said.Β
The family claimed that they have been served court papers over the incident and that Everett has tried to apologize to Tucker, but the concussed opponent has blocked Everett on social media.Β
Tucker's mother, Tamarrow Tucker, told WSET ABC 13 on Thursday that they hadn't received an apology.
"My whole thing was no apology," Tamarrow said. "No coaches, no athlete, no anything. Even if it was an accident, which I donβt believe itβs an accident, but nothing. Itβs been more than 24 hours now, so I guess that was the major thing. My child was hurt and nobody came to check on her."
Tucker recounted the incident and said the entire section gasped when they saw the repeated baton bashing.Β
"The whole section just gasped," Tucker told WSET ABC 13 about those around her in the bleachers. "We had family come from out of town, her godparents were here from Myrtle Beach. Everybody just gasped. When I saw her go down, all I could do is run out of the bleachers. I just knew I had to get to her.
"She was kind of hysterical because she just couldnβt believe thatβs what had happened."
Tucker said a medic was already with her daughter when she got down on the track,.Β
Everett and her whole team were disqualified for "contact interference."Β
Vincent Pugh, former citywide athletic director at Portsmouth Public Schools, questioned the validity of the disqualification, arguing a play-by-play showed that Tucker was running closely to Everett.
"If a person comes up on the outside, they got to be a full stride ahead of me before they can cut in front of me," Pugh told WAVY.Β
The Virginia High School League (VHSL) issued a statement to Fox News Digital on the matter.Β
"The VHSL does not comment on individuals or disciplinary actions due to FERPA," the league's statement read. "The actions taken by the meet director to disqualify the runner were appropriate and correct. We thoroughly review every instance like this that involves player safety with the participating schools. The VHSL membership has always made it a priority to provide student-athletes with a safe environment for competition."
Fox News Digital's Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
Dutch women's athlete Maureen Koster was knocked unconscious when she fell down during the women's 3000m at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, on Sunday.
The 32-year-old athlete was treated by medical staff and later transported to a local hospital.Β
Koster was in front of Great Britain's Innes FitzGerald and behind Hannah Nuttall when the fall occurred. Nuttall was temporarily pushed off the track and FitzGerald had to run around Koster.Β
"I just saw her on the floor in front of me. I thought I had to get around her and hopefully not be fazed by that," FitzGerald said after the race. "I didnβt want it to affect my race plan. It was gutting to have her fall, especially in front of a home crowd. I hope she is okay. Very sad that she fell over."
The Netherlands team later posted on X that Koster was conscious and responsive.
Koster's friend and fellow competitor, Great British runner Melissa Courtney-Bryant, who finished the event with silver, said the incident was "carnage."Β
"I heard Maureen scream," Courtney-Bryant said. "I know her really well because we used to train together and room on the Diamond League. Then I saw a leg as I was running around, and I knew it was her shoe. It put everyone on edge, and everyone was pushing more. I was just trying to keep up, because you donβt want to end up down as well. It was carnage."
Ireland's Sarah Healy won gold after Koster's fall.Β
A Virginia high school track and field star's attempt to get into first place during a race last Tuesday led an opponent to hit her with a baton, causing head injuries.Β
According to Brookville High School junior Kaelen Tucker, she's still waiting on the opponent from I.C. Norcom High School to apologize.Β
Tucker had just set a new Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 3 State Indoor Championships record in the 55-meter race on Monday, and she was hoping to help her school win the 4x200M relay final on Tuesday as well.Β
However, the heat of competition got carried too far by one opponent, as clear video evidence of the race shows Tucker getting struck in the head by a baton-wielding runner from Norcom, who also threw it in Tucker's direction after being passed.Β
Tucker immediately ran off the track and fell down, holding her head.Β
"So, on the back curve, I kind of got cut off, and I tried to pass her the first time, so I let her go ahead," Tucker said to WSET ABC 13 in an interview posted on Friday. "I knew when I got fully on the curve that I was just going to have to push through past her. So, as we were coming up in the middle of the curve, we were bumping arms a lot. So, I got a little more on the outside of the curve to go around her."
"When I finally pushed through to get in front of her, thatβs when she hit me in the head with the baton."
Bumping during races is very normal on the track, but not how Tucker's opponent reacted at that moment during the second leg of the race.Β
"The whole section just gasped," Tucker's mother, Tamarrow, said about those around her in the bleachers. "We had family come from out of town, her godparents were here from Myrtle Beach. Everybody just gasped. When I saw her go down, all I could do is run out of the bleachers. I just knew I had to get to her."
"She was kind of hysterical because she just couldnβt believe thatβs what had happened."
Race judges immediately disqualified the Norcom team for "contact interference," according to WSET ABC 13.Β
Tamarrow said a medic was already with her daughter when she got down on the track, though what baffled the entire family was the lack of accountability for what occurred.
As of Friday, they still haven't heard from the runner or her coaches, she said.
"My whole thing was no apology," Tamarrow said. "No coaches, no athlete, no anything. Even if it was an accident, which I donβt believe itβs an accident, but nothing. Itβs been more than 24 hours now, so I guess that was the major thing. My child was hurt and nobody came to check on her."
WSET ABC 13 asked the Tuckers if criminal charges would be pressed, and without giving a definitive yes-or-no answer, Tamarrow explained their point of view.
"Of course, everybody gives their opinion on what they think you should do, but thatβs also somebody elseβs child," she said, referencing the assailant. "I want to take that into account as well. Yes, she definitely struck my daughter more than once, but she is somebody elseβs child as well."
The family said a doctor's visit on Friday revealed concussion symptoms as Kaelen continues to deal with headaches. There was also swelling around the area where she was struck and a possible skull fracture.
Kaelen isn't allowed on the track until she recovers from her injuries, her mother said.
The Tucker family reached out to the VHSL and said they received a call-back explaining that an investigation was underway and both high schools were cooperating. No discipline has been announced for the incident, according to the Tuckers.Β
The VHSL issued a statement to Fox News Digital on the matter.Β
"The VHSL does not comment on individuals or disciplinary actions due to FERPA," the league's statement read. "The actions taken by the meet director to disqualify the runner were appropriate and correct. We thoroughly review every instance like this that involves player safety with the participating schools. The VHSL membership has always made it a priority to provide student-athletes with a safe environment for competition."
Kaelen was asked at the end of the interview from their home what she wished to say to the opponent who struck her, if anything.Β
"Why did you do it? And why havenβt you apologized yet?" she said.Β
Transgender track and field athlete Sadie Schreiner took first place at the USA Track and Field (USATF) Open Masters Championships in the women's 400-meter dash in New York Saturday
The other participants in the event, Anna Vidolova and Amaris Hiatt, have no recorded times and are listed as DNS, did not start.Β
Schreiner is 21 years old, while Vidolova is just 17, and Hiatt is 16.Β
After the 400-meter race, Schreiner competed in the women's 200-meter dash and also won first place. Schreiner defeated 14-year-old runner-up Zwange Edwards, 16-year-old third-place finisher Zariah Hargrove, 15-year-old Leah Walker and 18-year-old Ainsley Rausch.Β
That event also had multiple participants listed as DNS, including 18-year-old Jordan Carr, 46-year-old Amanda Taylor, Vidolova again and 16-year-old Paula Damiens.Β
USATF policy allows trans athletes to compete in the women's category in compliance with Internatonal Olympic Committee (IOC) policy. However, USATF "requires that certain medical benchmarks be achieved before an athlete may compete as the opposite gender for medals, prize money and other benefits."
Fox News Digital has reached out to USATF for comment.Β
Schreiner previously competed for Rochester Institute of Technology's (RIT) women's track and field team and gained national notoriety for dominating female opponents and frequent social media videos boasting about it as an openly transgender competitor.Β
However, Schreiner was ruled ineligible to compete for RIT after the NCAA revised its gender eligibility policy Feb. 6, one day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to ban trans athletes from women's and girls sports.Β
"We continue to follow the NCAA participation policy for transgender student-athletes following the Trump administrationβs executive order. Sadie is not participating in the next meet," the statement said.Β
Later in February, Schreiner posted a video claiming the athlete's running speed became slower after taking medication to increase estrogen. Schreiner spoke of wanting to speak to policymakers at the NCAA to discuss the policy before it went into effect.Β
"They could have seen the results of their previous policy and how it made me equitable, but they didn't," Schreiner said. "And I would still love to have that conversation. I would still love to educate more people if I was properly allowed to."Β
Despite no longer competing for RIT, Schreiner still has a profile page on the school's website and holds multiple school records as RITβs womenβs indoor track record holder in the 200-, 300- and 400-meter dashes, and RITβs womenβs outdoor record holder in the 200- and 400-meter dash.
Schreiner has been a controversial figure in women's track and field in the past year, especially after an appearance at the 2024 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships in May.Β
Earlier that month, Schreiner competed at the Liberty League Championship and won both the women's 200- and 400-meter, breaking the 400-meter record in the process. Schreiner would have finished last by more than two seconds in the men's competition.
In late January, Schreiner bragged after winning an event against female opponents.Β
"Not the race I was looking for at all this week, my spikes nearly fell off on the turn and with a poor start my time wasnβt nearly what I wanted," the RIT runner wrote in an Instagram post.
"The good news is that the season just started, and Iβm going to leave everything on the track at nationals," Schreiner added with a transgender pride flag emoji.
On Jan. 17, Schreiner took first place in the 200- and 400-meter dashes at the Brockport Friday Night Rust Buster, taking top spots over two female seniors. In the 200-meter dash, Schreiner beat RIT teammate Caroline Hill by 1.5 seconds and took first-place honors in the 400-meter dash from Brockportβs Marissa Wise by nearly 3.5 seconds. Schreinerβs results achieved automatic qualification for the All-Atlantic Regional Track and Field Championships.
On Jan. 24, Schreiner took first place in the 200-meter dash at the RIT Friday Meet, beating out Liberty League junior Lexi Rodriguez of Brockport with an even faster time. On Jan. 30, Schreiner took first place in the 200- and 400-meter dashes against Liberty League opponents.
Schreiner also spoke out against states and colleges that were not offering the trans athlete a full scholarship when Schreiner wanted to transfer in December. The athlete blamed laws in 25 states that prohibit trans athletes from competing with girls and women.Β
"Among all the hurdles transfers usually have, there is an extra layer because it is trans, 50% of the country banned me from participating and that meant I couldn't attend any of those colleges even if they reached out to me with a full ride," Schreiner said.
"It also became clear that states that did, no matter how adamant the coaches were to have me on their teams, the college administrations would usually stop them from allowing me to participate."Β
Nathanielle Morin, Canadian advisor to the Federal Minister of Women, released a statement this week defending the advisorβs participation in womenβs marathons and other running competitions as a transgender biological male.Β
Morin, who is in their early 30s, referenced President Donald Trumpβs recent executive order that prevents trans athletes from competing in womenβs and girlsβ sports in the statement.Β
"I am aware that my participation in so many competitions will be talked about because of my medical history. The situation in the United States and the comments of certain politicians do not help either," Morin wrote.Β
"With all due respect to the level I compete at (amateur recreational), the state of scientific research in the field (for the amateur recreational level) and the fact that I have undergone a medical transition, I consider that I have the legitimacy to participate in the right category, unless the law prohibits me from doing so. Let us remember that in Canada, no law prohibits it. As for other countries, I will comply with the local laws in force when it applies."Β
Morin added that additional medical research will be considered as the advisor weighs whether to continue competing in womenβs competitions.Β
On Tuesday, Morin made a post on X that further addressed the advisorβs status as a trans runner.Β
"Trans folks only want to fully integrate as their authentic self and be happy, in our society," Morin wrote.Β
Morin most prominently competed in the 5 kilometer BougeBouge run on Feb. 4, 2024. There, Morin came in first place with a time of 25:32, earning the title of "fastest female" across all age categories.Β
The runner-up to Morin was a girl in the 10-12 age category who ran at 26:08, who would have come in first place had Morin had not competed.Β
If Morin competed in the menβs category, the transgender runner would have come in 10th place among all male participants.Β
As of June 2017, all places within Canada must comply with the Canadian Human Rights Act, equal opportunity and/or anti-discrimination legislation prohibiting discrimination against gender identity or gender identity expression. The law protects the inclusion of all trans athletes in women's and girls' sports.
Trump's recent executive order in the U.S. states that any publicly funded institution that allows trans athletes to compete in girls' or women's sports will lose its federal funding.Β
Trump has also repeatedly suggested that Canada join the U.S., potentially as the 51st state.
Nike is trying to reclaim its sports apparel edge by focusing on performance wear.
The company previously overcame challenges by boosting product launches.
Nike will have to "Just Do It Again," analysts said.
Nike should use its own playbook to stage a proper comeback in sports apparel, analysts said.
The company's sales have been slumping, with revenue down 8% in Q2 FY25 from the year prior. It's turned to a new strategy and a new CEO to help recover and drive product innovation. One of its biggest challenges has been competition from brands like Hoka and On.
For help, it should look to its last period of challenges in 2015 to 2018, BMO analyst Simeon Siegel wrote in a February note titled "Just Do It Again." That's when Adidas' Ultra Boost sneakers, which first launched in 2015, threatened Nike's growth in North America.
Spiegel said the company used four strategies to overtake Adidas in incremental revenue dollars: upping product launches, re-elevating the Jordan brand, accelerating demand creation spending, and cleaning up inventory.
Some of those "key shifts" could boost its firepower in reclaiming its position in running now, Spiegel said.
Nike has already said that it will focus on it performance wear for athletes, particularly running. During its Q1FY25 earnings call, CFO Matthew Friend said running has been "one of our toughest fights over the past few years." It trailed behind ASICS, Adidas, Brooks, and Hoka in running-shoe launches in 2024, according to data from BMO.
Back in 2017, Nike responded to the Adidas Ultra Boost with the Epic React, BMO analysts said. But it'll have to be a "fast copier" again to compete with Hoka, Spiegel said in the note.
Hoka is currently driving the trend of ultra-cushioned shoes in the sport, and "although it doesn't sound glamorous, we believe a line-up of Hoka resembling shoes may be exactly what is needed," Spiegel wrote.
"They kind of lost their way in terms of product innovation, and I think Hoka, Brooks, and other players started taking market share," Brian Yarbrough, an analyst at Edward Jones, said.
The Nike Vomero 18 launches February 27 with a cushioned sole.
Courtesy of Nike
It looks like Spiegel's advice to increase product launches is already in Nike's sights, with running-shoe Vomero 18 expected on February 27. The company said the Vomero Plus, the Vomero Premium, and the new Structure model will come "later in 2025."
If it can launch good innovative products, consumers may be "willing to trade away out of Hoka, On," and more that have been gaining market share, Yarbrough said.
As for demand creation, Nike reported $1.1 billion in demand creation expenses to investors for Q2 FY25. It paid for a 60-second spot for Super Bowl LIX β its first ad during the event in nearly 30 years. It starred a number of female athletes, including Caitlin Clark and Sha'Carri Richardson.
The investment paid off as it topped other Super Bowl advertisers in engagement actions, a key metric in the business.
However, Nike is going to need products that are "on point with what the consumer wants" to capitalize, Yarbrough said.
Jason Smith improved his mental and physical heath later in life.
Jason Smith/Ray Ball Photography
Jason Smith didn't exercise for years and got fit when he was 49.
Smith is now a personal trainer who regularly strength trains and runs.
He started by committing to an hour of daily movement and going slow.
A man who got fit at 49 and ran his first marathon at 52 shared the three things that helped him get in shape.
Jason Smith, 55, a personal trainer based in the UK, strength trains five times a week, and goes on four runs. Six years ago, his life looked very different. He worked a corporate job, did little to no exercise, and mainly ate ultra-processed microwave meals β and his health suffered.
In his 40s, Smith started to feel more lethargic and had less energy, he told Business Insider.
"I was overweight to the point of obesity, unwell, and in a pretty bad way physically and mentally," he said.
In January 2019, a friend posted online about "an adventure" he was going on, which included cycling up hills and running through fields.
Smith thought: "That's how I want to feel. That's how I want to live." It "flicked a switch" in his brain and he committed to changing his lifestyle then and there.
"I started to do a lot more research into nutrition. I decided I wasn't going to drink alcohol anymore, and I also decided that I was going to get fit and that I would take that seriously," he said.
After two weeks of moving more and eating a more nutritious diet he noticed a difference in himself, and he kept progressing.
"I felt so liberated, so different. I was enjoying it and I was loving life. It was a massive mental shift in me as well as a physical shift in me," he said.
Two years later, he decided he wanted to help others feel the same way. For his 50th birthday in January 2019, Smith's family bought him a personal training qualification course, and by the end of 2020, he was working with his first clients.
Smith shared how he approached getting fit at 49.
Smith ran his first marathon at 52.
Jason Smith
1) Have a clear goal
In the past, there were several instances where Smith had started working out, stuck to it for a week or so, and stopped when life got in the way. Having a clear goal helped make exercising regularly a sustainable goal.
Before hitting the gym or loading up his plate with veggies, Smith visualized his ideal self and wrote two lists: one detailed the things his future self would do, and the other the things he would stop doing. "The first thing that I did was get my mind in the right place," he said.
This helped him create a plan and motivated him to follow it. "Having that vision in my head and almost this plan of what I would and wouldn't do really, really helped," he said.
Visualization is a technique that successful people including Steve Jobs and Michael Phelps have used, and has been linked to improved decision-making and emotional regulation.
2) Find something you enjoy
Finding a form of exercise you enjoy is key to making being active a habit, Smith said.
"You're not going to do anything that you don't enjoy," he said.
He recommended thinking back to what you loved doing as a child. "I used to enjoy running through the woods, so funnily enough I went running through the woods and that made it a lot easier," he said.
Because Smith enjoyed what he was doing, he looked forward to his runs and in April 2022 he ran his first marathon in three hours and 55 minutes.
3) Start slow and build up
Jason Smith started getting fit at age 49.
Jason Smith
When he first decided to get into fitness, Smith committed to doing an hour of movement everyday, but he started slow.
"Certainly, for the first couple of weeks or more, running was really walking with an occasional running spurt in between," he said.
He joined his local gym and started with simple movements like lunges and squats, adding more as his fitness improved. He also had an introductory session with a personal trainer who showed him the correct form to avoid injury, which he said was helpful.
"It's not how hard you work in the hour or the 45 minutes that you might be doing a workout that really counts. It's how many times you do that," he said.
Since Mike Tyson's Punch-Out was first released on the NES in 1987, millions of players have undertaken millions more digital matches against one of the hardest video game bosses everβTyson himself (or, later, the reskinned "Mr. Dream"). Only a small percentage of those players could survive Tyson's flurry of instant-knockdown uppercuts and emerge victorious with the undisputed World Video Boxing Association championship. Even fewerΒ had fast enough fingers to take out Tyson in the first round.
In all this time, no one has been able to register a TKO on Tyson in less than two minutes on the ever-present in-game clock (which runs roughly three times as quickly as a real-time clock). At least, that was true until this weekend, when popular speedrunner and speedrun historian Summoning Salt pulled off a 1:59.97 knockout after what he says was "75,000 attempts over nearly 5 years."
Summoning Salt's record-setting sub-2:00 run.
Incredibly good and incredibly lucky
Breaking the storied 2:00 barrier on Tyson is a matter of both incredible skill and incredibly unlikely luck. As Summoning Salt himself started documenting in a 2017 video, getting the quickest possible Tyson TKO requires throwing 21 "frame perfect" punches throughout the fight, each within a 1/60th of a second window. Punch too early and those punches do slightly less damage, making the fight take just a bit longer. Too late and Tyson will throw up a block, negating the punch entirely.
Dennis Beggs started running when he was 55. Now 63, he has run marathons all over the world, including in Sydney and Milan.
Dennis Beggs
Dennis Beggs did his first marathon the same year he started running.
Now 63, he is running seven marathons in seven days on seven continents.
He said taking it slow and stretching helped him get into running marathons.
Dennis Beggs hated his first run. He was 55 years old and had been walking a lot to clear his mind while caring for his mom, who had Alzheimer's disease. He wanted to start running instead to "waste less time," he told Business Insider, so ran a quarter of a mile in spring 2017 β and thought he'd never do it again.
But the next week, Beggs, a farm owner from Wisconsin, decided to try again and began running incrementally longer distances each day. He didn't know exactly how far or long he was running because he never took a watch or a phone. So when his neighbor invited him to join a 10k race on Independence Day, he was surprised to come second.
Beggs started running to clear his head while caring for his mother.
Dennis Beggs
At the race, a man encouraged him to run his first marathon. Looking back, his first marathon in October 2017 was a "disaster," but it motivated him to keep dedicating time to running.
Now, at 63, he has completed many running challenges, including 10 marathons in 10 weeks. And on January 31, he started the World Marathon Challenge, which involves running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, to raise money for the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.
Beggs shared how he got so fit at 63 with BI.
Beggs started with short runs
"You start out small, and then you work your way up," Beggs said.
He started out walking, and when he started running, he slowly increased the length of his runs. He was already fit from managing a farm, so he quite quickly was able to run for longer periods of time, while setting achievable milestones.
Sohee Lee, a personal trainer, previously told BI that easing into working out by doing sessions a few times a week and not pushing yourself too hard is the most sustainable approach.
Beggs in Johannesburg, where he completed a marathon.
Dennis Beggs
He appreciated the physical and mental benefits of running
Beggs said his lifestyle changed when he got fitter.
"You're going to see your body transform. You're going to lose weight, you're going to feel fitter, you're going to have much more energy. It'll lead to better nutrition, too, because it's like, 'Wow, I feel good. I don't really need a doughnut every day,'" he said.
Plus, running is a great opportunity to clear his mind and think without distractions. Beggs might consider what he needs to do that day, pray, or mull over tough decisions.
"I always feel cleansed after I run. It relaxes me and gives me stability," he said. The runner's high is a feeling "like no other," he said, and has helped build his confidence.
One 2024 study published in the journal Sports (Basel) found that people who ran regularly saw greater improvements in their mood after a run than those who ran occasionally.
Beggs ran in the 2023 Tokyo Marathon.
Dennis Beggs
He does yoga and has massages
Beggs uses Thai massage to stretch out his muscles. Thai massage doesn't involve the kneading and rubbing associated with other forms of massage, but entails yoga-like poses and stretches with the assistance of a massage therapist, instead.
"It really helps with my stretching, and I feel like it means I have less chance to sustain injury because it's a more intense form of stretching," he said.
A small 2024 study by researchers at Mae Fah Luang University, Thailand, found that participants with muscle fatigue recovered faster after 30 minutes of traditional Thai massage compared to participants who did one minute.
He also does yoga in the winter when he's not doing as much physical farm work.
What is known as active recovery, such as walking or gentle yoga, can improve blood flow, improve fitness performance, and soothe muscles.
