Track & Field News

Race, illness, injury, repeat - REDs and why men are suffering in silence

British long-distance runner Jake Smith was enduring a relentless pattern of race, illness, injury, repeat - he had no idea he had REDs and was under-fuelling.

· 2 min read
Originally reported by BBC Sport
Race, illness, injury, repeat - REDs and why men are suffering in silence
Photo: BBC Sport

Jake Smith: What Happened

BBC Sport reported on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 in a story involving REDs, Jake Smith, British. Here is how the report opens:

British long-distance runner Jake Smith was enduring a relentless pattern of race, illness, injury, repeat - he had no idea he had REDs and was under-fuelling.

— BBC Sport
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Photos: BBC Sport

It is one of many Track & Field stories we are following today. Below are the key takeaways, how the story is being reported across the sport, background on Track and field and what to watch next.

Key Takeaways

  • The story: Race, illness, injury, repeat - REDs and why men are suffering in silence
  • Who’s involved: REDs, Jake Smith and British
  • League: Track & Field
  • First reported: Tuesday, October 20, 2026 by BBC Sport

Background: Track and field

Track and field is a sport that includes many different kinds of athletic contests that are based on running, jumping, and throwing. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events. Track and field is categorized under the umbrella sport of athletics, which also includes road running, cross country running and race walking. Though the sense of "athletics" as a broader sport is not used in American English, outside of the United States, the term athletics can either be used to mean just its track and field component or the entirety of the sport (adding road racing and cross country) based on context.

Text from Wikipedia’s Track and field article, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What’s Next for Jake Smith

For fans following Jake Smith, the next things to watch are the results, schedule, rankings and standings. Stories like this one tend to move quickly, so check back for follow-up reports and reaction as more outlets pick it up.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happened with Jake Smith?

British long-distance runner Jake Smith was enduring a relentless pattern of race, illness, injury, repeat - he had no idea he had REDs and was under-fuelling. BBC Sport reported the story on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.

Who reported this TRK story?

BBC Sport first reported it on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. ForTheFans summarizes it here with background and related Track & Field news.

Where can I get the latest Track & Field news today?

The ForTheFans Track & Field page collects every TRK headline as it breaks, including results, schedule and rankings, with live scores on our scores page.

Summarized by ForTheFans from reporting by BBC Sport. Headlines, quoted text and photos belong to their publishers. How we report

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