Looking For Conversation Starters? 13 Fun Facts About Running

Three friends running together.

The information below may not help you to set a new personal best or do much for your health, but it will make you the life of the party. We have put together 13 of the weirdest and most interesting facts about running. We are sure you are guilty of number 8 🙂

Athletic girl running in town.

Fact 1. Fun Fact: Running makes you hot – in more ways than one 

According to a study by the University of Arkansas with 408 participants, running makes you more desirable. 80% of men and 60% of women actually felt more attractive due to regular running.

Fact 2. #goldenyears: You’re never too old

The oldest marathon finisher is British citizen, Fauja Singh. At the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in Canada, the 100-year-old finished the race in a time of 8 hours, 25 minutes and 16 seconds. How’s that for an amazing fact?

Fact 3. Child’s Play? Who would’ve guessed?

The youngest marathon runner in the world is Budhia Singh. He has already finished 48 marathons before his fifth birthday.

Fact 4. Got milk? Then ease up on your training!  

Breast milk can taste sour after intense running training. The lactic acid produced during strenuous exercise is absorbed into the milk and can change its taste.

Groupf of runners starting at a running competition.

Fact 5. Stick to a healthy range of km 

Runners who average more than 80 km (50 miles) per week are twice as likely to suffer from respiratory illnesses. Those who run 20-30 km (12.4-18.6 miles) a week have a stronger immune system and are less prone to colds.

Fact 6. Running increases bone density, too! 

Regular running training is good for improving the long-term stability of bones. Researchers at the University of Michigan came to the conclusion that 12-20 minutes of running three times a week can increase bone mineral density.

Fact 7. Run, Serge, run! 

The French ultramarathon runner Serge Girard holds the world record for the longest distance run in 365 days. He ran every day for a year, crossed a total of 25 countries and covered a total distance of 27,011 kilometers (16,783 miles).

Fact 8. Straighten up and run right! 

Researchers have found that the majority of runners will straighten up when an attractive runner of the opposite sex is coming towards them.

Posture tip:

Want to look and feel better when you run? Read about improving your running posture. 

Young man running next to a river.

Fact 9. Backward running? Why not? 

German runner, Markus Jürgens, holds the marathon world record in backward running. At the 2017 Hannover Marathon, he crossed the finish line in a time of 3 hours, 38 minutes and 27 seconds.

Fact 10. Gender differences: How we run 

In contrast to men, women usually run the second half of a marathon faster than the first. They tend to hang back more than men at the start, but continue to increase speed and finish strong in the second half of the race. This is what Professor Eric Allen and Patricia Dechow found when they analyzed 300,000 results from the Chicago Marathon.

Fact 11. Improve your endurance – on the streets and between the sheets 

One study looked at the impact of running on sex and orgasms. 78 runners began running four times a week. After nine months, they reported they were having 30% more sex. Plus, the number of orgasms they achieved increased by 26%. 

Fact 12. Who’s the fastest marathoner?

Kenyan runner, Eliud Kipchoge, is the fastest marathon runner in the world. He set the world record of 2 hours, 01 minutes and 39 seconds at the 2018 Berlin Marathon.

Fact 13. Like a Bolt of lightning 

The fastest runner in the world is the Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt. He holds the world record in the 100-meter dash (9.58 seconds) and the 200-meter dash (19.19 seconds). His maximum recorded speed is 44.72 km/h (27.8 mph).

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Herwig Natmessnig As a former professional athlete (whitewater slalom), Herwig lives for fitness. Whether in competition or just for fun, he can never turn down a challenge. View all posts by Herwig Natmessnig