Amby Burfoot and I have started a new online publication called Mathematical Runner.
Running is full of numbers: times, distances, paces, weights, ages, well-measured scientific correlates, and more. It has lots of record performances, from Roger Bannister’s forever-famous 3:59.4 to Paula Radcliffe’s 2:15:25 to Eliud Kipchoge’s 2:00:25 to Libby James’s 1:45:52 half marathon at age 76 (wow!) It makes us wonder about things: Who is the youngest ever to break 4 minutes in the mile, and the oldest? How do race times change with high and low temperatures? Why does doubling the race distance from 1 to 2 miles affect pace relatively more than from 13.1 to 26.2 miles?
We also wonder: How many beers does the typical runner burn in the course of a marathon? How far would all the running shoes worn out in a single year reach, if you lined them up heel-to-toe? What is the optimal portapotty-to-runner ratio, taking into consideration cost, male to female ratio, typical usage (another number), and outdoor temperature?
At Mathematical Runner, we hope to find, explore, and publish articles about those numbers.
We need your help; we want you to contribute. You don’t have to write with the rigor demanded by journals. Just tell us about the numbers that fascinate you, and include a reference or two. Find out more on our Submissions page.
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Visit us at https://mathematicalrunner.com/