How Wordle could help you snag a new personal best

June 1, 2026

Are you ready to revamp your pre-race warmup routine? You’re probably already doing the usual strides, high knees and dynamic stretches, but a new study suggests that it might also be worth doing a quick brain teaser or puzzle before you toe the line.

Researchers from the University of Birminghamrecently found that recreational runners ran one-mile time trials two to three per cent faster after adding short cognitive tasks (such as a brain teasers or puzzle) to their usual physical warmup. The study, published in the European Journal of Sport Science, studied 25 recreational runners as they completed three track sessions.

The runners were asked to complete four laps of a 400m track at their top speed, without using a watch to judge their pace or effort. Before each lap, they did one of three warmups: a standard physical warmup, a physical warmup with some simple cognitive tasks, or a physical warmup with more challenging cognitive tasks. CANADIAN Running Magazine