Marathon records less likely because of climate change - study

Climate change is set to render marathon record-breaking increasingly difficult, according to a new study by the US-based non-profit Climate Central. The research warns that rising temperatures are making it virtually impossible for runners to break records in many races.

The study's findings indicate that optimal running conditions – defined as 4C for men and 10C for women – will be less likely in 86% of 221 global marathons by 2045. This trend is expected to affect several major marathons, including Tokyo and London, which are already experiencing extreme heat during their events.

In response to the study's predictions, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has called for a shift towards holding marathons at different times of the year to protect athletes from unsafe conditions. He believes that endurance events like the marathon must adapt to a rapidly changing climate in order to thrive.

Many elite runners share Coe's sentiments, with some warning that record-breaking performances are becoming increasingly rare due to the effects of climate change on their bodies and training routines. One female runner noted that even small variations in temperature can significantly impact performance, while another athlete emphasized the need for runners to take care of the planet if they want to enjoy a healthy and successful career.

As temperatures continue to rise, it's likely that marathon records will become even more difficult to break. In fact, some experts believe that conditions are already becoming so extreme that record-breaking performances may soon be out of reach entirely.

I mean, can you imagine having to rebrand the whole concept of record-breaking marathons? Like what's next? Extreme weather events become part of the sport and we just accept it as normal? I'm not saying climate change isn't real or that we should be doing more about it, but come on... shouldn't we be working to mitigate the effects rather than just adapting to them? It's like, what's next for sports? Holding Olympics in a world with sea levels rising? Let's focus on making our communities sustainable and healthy for everyone, not just finding ways to perform under extreme conditions.

I'm really worried about this! Running marathons in extreme heat is not only bad for the athletes' health but also kinda pointless if nobody's gonna break any records anyway. It makes sense that we need to find alternative times for these events or maybe even move them to more temperate climates altogether. The science is clear: climate change is here and it's affecting everything, including our sports! What's next?

I'm not sure how long I can keep running with this heat . This study is really making me think about the impact climate change is having on our bodies and our sports. I mean, it's not just about breaking records anymore, it's about safety too. I love watching marathons, especially in London, but if they have to start moving to other times of the year, that's just gonna change the whole vibe of the event, you know?

And what really gets me is how these athletes are already struggling with extreme heat and still trying to push themselves to new heights. It's like their bodies are literally crying out for a break . I get why Sebastian Coe wants to adapt, but at the same time, it's not just about the runners, it's about our planet too. We need to take care of ourselves and each other if we want to thrive in this crazy world .

[Image of a runner in the desert with a thermometer reading 50C]

[ GIF of a person sweating profusely while running ]

[ Image of a thermometer rising with the caption "Records in danger" ]

[ GIF of a marathon clock hand moving backwards ]

I'm worried about the future of marathons . I mean, can you imagine trying to run a 26.2 miles in 100 degree heat? It's already super tough for us regular runners, but pros are going through so much more stress due to climate change. They need to adapt and find new ways to train and compete. I think Sebastian Coe is right on the money . We should be supporting them, not just competing with each other . And honestly, it's also good for us to learn from their experiences and take care of our planet at the same time . Let's make a change!

The thought of not being able to push ourselves to new limits in a sport we love is heartbreaking . I mean think about it, climate change isn't just a threat to our planet's future, but also our own abilities as athletes. The idea that we need to start holding marathons at different times of the year because of the heat is just crazy . And yeah, elite runners are speaking out about how this affects their training routines and bodies. It's like, can't we just slow down for a sec and figure out ways to mitigate this? I'm not saying it's easy, but come on! We're living in a time where climate change is literally changing the game for athletes around the world

I'm like totally stoked about this news ... no wait, I mean I'm super bummed out . Like, isn't it awesome that we're getting a heads up on climate change and how it's affecting our sports? But at the same time, I'm all like "ugh, records are going to be broken... or not?"

I mean, think about it - if everyone's a runner and they can't even break records because of the heat, that's kinda sad . But on the other hand, isn't it cool that we're gonna see more people taking care of the planet? Like, I guess you could say there's two sides to every coin .

I don't know... maybe I'm just being a hypocrite and I'll change my mind in 5 minutes . But for now, let's just say I'm kinda torn about this whole marathon record-breaking thing .

can you imagine running a marathon in, like, 50 degrees Celsius? no way! just kidding, kind of. seriously though, who needs records when you can just enjoy the view from the podium? but for real, climate change is no joke. maybe world athletics should just start calling it "survival marathons" . on a more serious note, i hope all these elite runners are taking care of themselves and the planet. we need more people who care about their bodies (and the environment) .

I'm feeling really uneasy about this... like, we're talking about these athletes who put their bodies through so much just to push the limits of human endurance, and now it's being taken away from them by something as abstract as climate change . It's not just about the records breaking anymore; it's about the fact that our planet is trying to tell us something. We need to start questioning what we're doing to the Earth, and whether our pursuit of progress is worth the cost.

And I mean, think about it... if even elite runners are struggling with the effects of climate change, what does that say about the rest of us? Are we just bystanders while the planet suffers? It's not just about finding new times for marathons; it's about taking responsibility for our actions and making a conscious effort to reduce our impact on the environment.

I don't know, maybe I'm just reading too much into this... but it feels like we're at a crossroads here. We can keep pushing forward, no matter what the cost, or we can start to make some changes that prioritize the planet's well-being. The choice is ours, I guess

this is crazy ... i mean, running marathons in 86% of global events by 2045 is like, a nightmare ... and it's not just the heat, it's like, small variations in temperature can already mess up your performance... that's wild ... but hey, at least world athletics is on top of it ... maybe we should all start taking care of our planet more soon ... i mean, if we want to be able to run marathons without dying ...

omg can u believe its gonna get that hot rn?! i mean i love running and all but climate change is literally changing the game . like 86% of marathons cant even hold a record breakers anymore thats wild . i feel for the elite runners who wanna push themselves to new limits but they gotta deal with this crazy heat . like what if they train in the summer and then have to run thru all that heat in the marathon? game over lol. coe is on point tho, we need more marathons during different seasons or its gonna get too hard for us runners

omg can u imagine running a marathon in like 45 degrees celcius? i was thinking of signing up for one soon but now im not sure lol. climate change is literally affecting everything, even our favorite sports . i feel bad for the athletes who wanna break records, it's like they're fighting against nature itself. maybe coe has a good point tho, holding marathons in different seasons might be the way to go . and can we talk about how heat affects our bodies? my friend's cousin is an elite runner and she said even small changes in temp can make all the difference . anywayz, i guess thats just the reality we're living in now

ugh, this is gonna be a disaster . like, can't they just do something about it instead of just talking about it? world athletics needs to step up and start finding ways to make marathons more climate-friendly, not just telling runners to adapt to the heat. what's next, are we gonna have to train for our lives in extreme weather conditions? this is just great, record-breaking performances are already super rare due to injuries and stuff, now it's gonna get even harder because of climate change...

I'm not surprised by this study, you know? I mean, we've been hearing about climate change for ages and how it's affecting everything from sea levels to weather patterns... It just makes sense that the physical conditions required for running marathons would be impacted too.

I think it's a great idea for World Athletics to consider holding events at different times of the year, especially if it means athletes can train and perform in more comfortable temps. I've seen some vids of runners getting heatstroke during marathons... that's just not safe

And yeah, elite runners are already feeling the strain from climate change, so this is definitely a wake-up call for them to adapt or risk their careers. It's all about being aware of the bigger picture and making changes before it's too late.

I wonder if we'll see more athletes speaking out on this issue in the future?

I mean what's the point of even trying to set a new marathon record? Like, who needs that much stress and heat exhaustion in their life? ‍ I'm all for adapting to climate change, but do we really need to hold marathons at different times of the year? Can't we just, like, run in air-conditioned tunnels or something? ‍ The thought of elite runners having to adjust their training and bodies to cope with rising temps is, honestly, kinda sad. Like, they're already pushing themselves to the limit, do we really need to throw climate change into the mix? ‍

idk how many times i gotta say this climate change is real and it's affecting everything from sports to our daily lives. i mean think about it, marathons were always cool but now they're becoming more like survival challenges . record-breaking performances are gonna be a thing of the past if we don't do something about it. and let's be real, who wants to run 26 miles in 100+ degree heat? not me i'm all for adapting to climate change but someone needs to take action already! world athletics should be doing more to help out runners and find solutions to this problem. it's not just about the athletes, it's about the planet too .

I'm not surprised by this study at all, but it's still crazy to think about how climate change is affecting our sports. Like, I was watching a London marathon on TV last year and the runners were struggling so much in the heat... it just wasn't the same as previous years.

I feel for the athletes, they're already under so much pressure to perform, and now they have to deal with rising temps? It's not all doom and gloom tho, some of these marathons are already experimenting with new times of year to host their events. And I think that's a great idea .

I do think it's a bit sad that record-breaking performances are becoming harder to achieve, but at the same time, it's like... progress, right? We need to prioritize our health and the planet's too . Maybe instead of focusing on breaking records we can focus on just finishing the race and enjoying the journey .

OMG u gotta know this climate change is literally making marathons super hard to run! like a new study says that temps will make it impossible 2 break records in most races by 2045! the optimal running temp for men is like 4C and women its 10C but soon those temps wont exist in most marathons world athletics president is all like we need 2 shift our marathons 2 different seasons so athletes dont get burned out... makes sense right?

omg this is soooo sad for all the athletes!! i mean what's gonna happen to their careers? they're training and sweating and pushing themselves to be the best and it's just not fair that climate change is ruining everything. like can't we just take care of our planet already?! i feel so bad for all these runners who've spent years working towards a record and now it's just gonna slip away from them.

and what about the athletes who are still young and starting out? they're gonna grow up in a world where record-breaking is basically impossible. it's not fair to them either! i'm seriously considering quitting my job to become a marathon runner, but then again, would climate change even allow me to run at all? ugh this just makes me so mad and sad and... ugh