Toronto Women's Run Series

09/29/2026

Tigst Assefa fought hard to beat her course record (and the former marathon world record) at Sunday’s Berlin Marathon. Tigst was running at world record pace, but slowed down around the 2 km and was limping towards the finish line. Despite the setback, she set a new course record and the third-fastest marathon time!

The Ethiopian runner won her third Berlin title in a personal-best time of 2:11:04, after spending most of Sunday morning on pace to break the world record

09/28/2026

Attention PUMA Toronto Women’s 8K/5K runners: check your inbox!

All participants will receive an email with everything you need to know about Race Day. This email includes your bib number, kit pick-up information, directions to the race site, and more!

If you can't find the email, fret not: all race day information and a handy set of FAQs are available on our website. Click here to visit our race info page and learn more: https://www.towomensruns.com/events/puma-toronto-womens-8k-5k-fall/information/

09/26/2026

“Running helps with your focus and drive… If you’ve ever been a distance runner, you have that ability to focus and ignore the pain, ignore the hunger. I think that translates into other areas of your life.”

After observing runners on campus, one professor began exploring what science says about the connection between running and intelligence.

09/26/2026

Would you try this hack?

Research found that sniffing dark chocolate before and during a workout helped athletes complete significantly more reps. The study authors say the scent may trick the body into feeling full, keeping focus on performance rather than hunger.

09/25/2026

Routinely checking your running form can help you keep bad habits at bay.
https://irun.ca/demos/a-brief-reminder-of-good-running-form/

09/24/2026

Leave the heart rate monitor at home and try to run based on effort.

The 1-10 RPE scale, how session-RPE training load (Foster 2001) actually works, why heat, caffeine, and sleep debt decouple RPE from physiological load, and when the simple chart is still the right tool.

09/24/2026

We're just over a week away from the PUMA Toronto Women's 8K/5K! What goals will you be chasing?

09/23/2026

Side stitches can derail a good run or race. Here are tips on how to avoid them and how to make them go away.

Why a side stitch (ETAP) refuses to clear — the parietal-peritoneum mechanism, the food and posture triggers, the four real-time fixes, and when persistent pain isn’t a stitch at all.

09/23/2026

What’s a moment that helped you realize that you were getting better at running? Was it when you were able to complete a run without stopping? Was it when you realized you could breathe a little easier?

Focusing only on the numbers on your watch can hold you back from seeing real progress

09/23/2026

Easy runs should feel easy. What helps you rein that feeling back in when your easy run feels harder than usual?

Here’s exactly how to get past the tough miles and settle into a smooth stride.