Top College Running Programs Move Away From Body Composition Testing
The practice doesn’t help young athletes improve their performance—and it can be harmful.
Health & Medicine
Fitness & Nutrition
Science
Wellness
Cindy Kuzma is a freelance writer, author, and podcaster in Chicago. She first moved there to earn her master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Once she saw the Lakefront Trail, she decided to stay. There, she’s trained for and completed 23 marathons, including seven in Boston.
Her six years working for medical journals taught her the way around a research paper; now, she’s fascinated by exercise science and how findings in the lab can help everyday athletes improve their performance, prevent injury, and live healthier lives. She also writes frequently about elite runners and Paralympic competitors; everyday athletes accomplishing extraordinary things; health and medical news; and the active community in Chicago, where winter forges deep bonds between those brave enough to train through it.
Cindy writes regularly for Runner’s World, SELF, The New York Times, and more. She’s also written for Chicago magazine, Women’s Running magazine, WebMD, Men’s Health, University of Illinois alumni publications, Outside online, Health.com, EatingWell, Women’s Health, Prevention, VICE, USA Today magazines, and many other digital and print outlets. She also has audio experience—she’s contributed to podcasts for Runner’s World and now co-hosts The Injured Athletes Club podcast, as well as helping launch Starting Line 1928, an oral history podcast preserving women’s running history.
Her latest book Breakthrough Women’s Running: Dream Big and Train Smart, with Neely Spence Gracey, was published in 2022 by Human Kinetics. Her previous book, Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries, with mental skills coach Carrie Jackson, came out in 2019, from Bloomsbury Sport. Together, they host The Injured Athletes Club podcast and moderate The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group.
Subjects
General
Specialties
running, endurance sports, sport psychology
Skills
- Blog posts
- Books
- Content marketing
- Feature writing
- Ghostwriting
- News
- Podcasts
- Podcasting
- Profiles
- Q&A
- Web copy
- Podcasts (producing)
- Podcasts (writing)
Writing Credits
Runner’s World, The New York Times, Women’s Running, SELF, WebMD, Chicago Magazine, Health.com
Book Credits
Breakthrough Women’s Running: Dream Big and Train Smart (Human Kinetics, 2022), with pro runner and coach Neely Spence Gracey
Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries (Bloomsbury Sport, 2019), with mental skills coach Carrie Jackson
The Superfood Swap: The 4-Week Plan to Eat What You Crave Without the C.R.A.P., by Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D.N.
Selected Work
As author, unless indicated otherwise.
Running vs. Walking: Which Is Better for Lasting Health?
Stigma and vague symptoms leave many athletes struggling for answers.
ReadRead
Months After a Serious Car Collision, Susannah Scaroni Sets an Emotional World Record
The wheelchair racer pushed her way to a 5,000 meter world at a memorial meet for a Swiss athlete killed by a vehicle.
The Moment I Actually Believed I Was a Runner, According to 14 Runners
Every person has their own milestone.
Tai Chi Is a Workout for the Brain and Body
The mental and physical benefits span cultures and generations. Here’s how to get started.
Alisa Harvey
“I wasn’t known for anything else but my running. That’s what I kind of latched onto. I didn’t have many extras, like summer camps or lots of material goods, but I did have my running and my legs and a TV set and goals.”
Alisa Harvey’s impressive running career spans decades and distances. The first time she qualified for the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials was in 1988, in the 1500 meters, when she was still a student at the University of Tennessee. The last time she did so was in the 800 meters in 2008—at age 42.
In between, she won gold in the 1991 Pan American Games in the 1500 meters. She qualified for the 2000 Olympic Marathon Trials by running 2:49:28 in her debut at the distance. And, she’s notched countless victories in road races, including the Fifth Avenue Mile and the Army Ten-Miler.
At 56, she might no longer be able to match her personal best of 1:59.72 in the 800 meters, but Harvey still competes at a high level, chasing Master’s records on the track and the roads. And, she’s coaching athletes who range from ages 10 to 95, aiming to help them pursue the same long-term success she’s experienced.
What You Do (and Don’t) Need in a Running Shoe
It’s tempting to believe the right sneakers will help you run faster or avoid injury. Here’s what experts know.
Are Breastfeeding Runners at Greater Risk of Bone Injuries?
Here’s what experts know about stress fractures—and how to prevent them—during the postpartum period.
Peace Runners 773 Brings a Movement of Movement to Chicago’s West Side
The up-and-coming group is part of a groundswell of new running crews across the city—and has 11 members running Sunday’s Chicago Marathon.
Runner’s Dystonia: A Mysterious Malady That Causes Mind and Muscle to Lose Touch
The rare condition jams the signals between the brain and the legs, leaving athletes hobbled—and looking for answers.
