Inmates Run 26.2 Miles, Finding Purpose in Utah Prison’s First Marathon

At the Utah State Correctional Facility, a group of inmates recently accomplished something only about one percent of people ever will: a full marathon. What began as a small running club inside the facility has grown into a structured program that’s changing lives, improving moods, and even reducing violence. Now, they hope to make the marathon an annual November tradition.

The idea started with inmate Casey Vanderhoef, who was inspired after watching the documentary26.2 to Life, which follows three men serving life sentences as they train for a marathon. He pitched the concept of a run club to prison officials, and with support, the Fit From Within club was born.

Related: 25 Inspiring Quotes About Grit to Keep You Focused on Your Goals

Monthly runs and shorter races, including a half-marathon over the summer, led up to the marathon. For many of the men, running was completely new, but it's proven to be both cathartic and transformative. Vanderhoef says the program helped him through substance use recovery and improved his depression.

"Coming here literally saved my life," Vanderhoef previously told KSL. "I just started feeling better."

Another inmate, Fonua Kimoana, had always stuck to weightlifting since entering the facility in 2008. Running, he said, was something he had "just barely learned." But after helping form Fit From Within, he’s now committed to keeping it part of his life.

"Emotionally, it helps me think clearly, focus on what’s important, and put things in perspective," he told Fox 13 Salt Lake City.

The marathon drew support from therapists and recreation staff alike, who say the consistency of training has brought much-needed structure and stability to participants. Bear 2 unit leader Alfredo Lolani shared that the running club has helped reduce violence in the unit.

Research backs up those improvements, showing that physical activity programs in prisons can ease depression and anxiety while improving overall health.

Related: Running Is Officially the Sport of the Year and Gen Z Is Leading the Charge, Strava Reports

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A Strength Coach Swears by This Training for Building Peak Athleticism

For a long time, training meant picking a lane and sticking to it. You either chased strength or endurance, speed or size, and rarely both at once. Go too heavy in the weight room, and your lungs might hate you on a long run. Push endless miles, and your muscles might feel like wet noodles in the squat rack. Hybrid training is flipping that script. It’s about building muscle, boosting cardio, and sharpening agility simultaneously. You’re no longer forced to choose between power and endurance—you can have a bit of both.

"With this method, you can train individuals to improve their aerobic capacity while simultaneously improving maximum strength, increasing muscle mass, improving balance and agility, and more," says Alex Viada, NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist & author of The Ultimate Hybrid Athlete: A Definitive Guide to Achieving Peak Athleticism Across All Disciplines. "With more conventional training, one or more of these might be compromised, with poorly designed programs focusing on one or two areas at the expense of the others."

Related: Ironman Reveals the Ultimate Hybrid Workout Program That Can Help Any Man Build Strength and Endurance

How to Balance Strength Training and Endurance Work 

Balancing strength and endurance isn’t about going all out every session. It’s about smart recovery and intelligent training. You don’t need to lift heavy every day to build serious strength. Lower-volume routines that focus on key movements, lighter weights moved explosively, plyometrics, and dynamic-effort work can all improve functional power without wearing you down. The same goes for cardio. Dialing back pace, swapping long, grind-it-out sessions for intervals, and knowing when to push versus cruise helps you get fitter while avoiding burnout.

"It’s all about 'minimum effective dose plus one', and taking the time to understand (and work within) your capabilities," says Viada. "The body can recover from a lot, it just needs to be kept well fed, and needs to stay under that 'burnout' line in every respect."

Common Hybrid Training Mistakes

People usually make two mistakes with hybrid training. The first is stacking a standard running plan on top of a lifting program. Most plans assume you’re only doing one thing, so combining them without adjustments is a quick path to burnout. Smart hybrid programs trim the workouts to the essentials—fewer sets, slightly lower intensity, and only the most critical miles.

The second mistake is trying to mash running and lifting into a single “hybrid workout.” That rarely works. The strength of hybrid training comes from giving each discipline the focus it deserves. Keep runs and lifts separate, train each with intent, and you’ll get better at both.

Related: UFC Strength Coach Reveals the Muscle-Building Keys Men Miss in Hybrid Training

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Simon Cowell Has Telling Comments on Ryan Seacrest

Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest spent years working together on American Idol, where Cowell served as a judge from the inaugural season in 2002 until his eventual departure in 2010. However, it does not seem like that relationship has lasted.

During a recent interview, Cowell opened up a bit about his relationship with Seacrest as he made it clear that the two have not kept in touch and offered some telling comments on Seacrest's career and fame.

Cowell and Seacrest on 'American Idol'

Seacrest and Cowell's paths crossed for many years when Cowell served as a judge on American Idol while Seacrest served as the show's host.

Cowell was one of the most iconic figures on the show at the height of its popularity, but he eventually left the show, departing from the judges' panel in 2010. Seacrest, however, has remained.

Seacrest stayed on as the show's host after Cowell's departure and returned when the series was revived in 2018. He will also be back on the show alongside judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Carrie Underwood when the show's 24th season premieres in January.

Cowell and Seacrest 'Rarely Talk'

Though Cowell and Seacrest worked together for nearly a decade, Cowell admitted during a recent interview that they do not really keep in touch, nor does he really follow what Seacrest has been doing in his career.

“I don’t follow his career if I’m being honest with you,” Simon told the New York Times in an interview published Nov. 29. “So, I don’t know what he’s done or doing. We rarely talk now, if I’m being honest with you.”

It's obviously been about 15 years since the two of them have worked closely together.

Cowell Talks Seacrest's Fame

In addition to the admission that he and Seacrest no longer keep in touch, Cowell opened up a little bit about Seacrest's rise to fame, offering some telling comments about just how focused the Idol host was on becoming famous.

“He does work hard,” Simon said. “I don’t know, actually. He was very, very ambitious. I always knew with Ryan. He was very steely about his career, wanting to be famous. I mean this massive, massive desire about being very famous.”

Of course, Seacrest has arrived at that fame, hosting many high-profile shows and events over the years. In addition to American Idol, Seacrest has hosted E! News, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, Live with Kelly and Ryan, and currently serves as the host of Wheel of Fortune.

Based on his work ethic and how he carried himself, it sounds like none of that success is surprising to Cowell.

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Running Is Officially the Sport of the Year and Gen Z Is Leading the Charge, Strava Reports

Let’s be honest, fitness has gone fully mainstream. Everywhere you look, someone’s signing up for their first 5K, trying to beat their time in another half-marathon, or showing up to their first run club in a hydration vest and brand-new HOKAs like it’s some kind of athleisure runway. Honestly, when they’re mid-stride, it kind of is.

Salomon XT-6s are going viral, hydration gels are being tossed around like party favors, and according to Strava’s Year in Sport Trend Report, running has officially claimed the crown as this year’s biggest fitness obsession. Here’s a closer look at the biggest trends, surprising stats, and what they reveal about where fitness is headed this year.

Related: Looking Ahead at the Biggest Fitness Trends of 2025 and the Worst Fads to Leave in the Past

Gen Z Is Crushing the Running Game

If you've ever heard that Gen Z is the “laziest generation,” it’s time to reconsider. Those born between 1997 and 2012, currently 13 to 28 years old, are crushing the running scene. In 2025 alone, Gen Zers made up 38 percent of 5K participants, 39 percent of 10K runners, 31 percent of half-marathoners, and 33 percent of full marathoners. Their biggest motivator? Staying committed to a race they already signed up for (75 percent say it’s what keeps them hitting the pavement).

Gen Z Is Pumping Iron

Gen Z isn’t just leading the pack in running—they’re making serious gains in the weight room too. Members of this generation are twice as likely as older groups to say lifting is their main sport. With regular social media use( Gen Z makes up 27 percent of all users), it’s no surprise that many are training with aesthetics in mind. What is surprising is that while women in this age group are 21 percent more likely to record their lifts on Strava, they’re also 38 percent more likely to fear getting “bulky,” a myth we all wish would finally die.

Strava Is the New Social Flex

While the last decade was all about hearting dog photos, deadlift PRs, and wedding pics, Strava is flipping the script. Instead of endlessly scrolling, people are using the app’s “kudos” feature to celebrate others’ wins and give a virtual high-five that actually sticks. It is working in real life, too. Fifty percent of Gen Z say they plan to use Strava even more in 2026, leaving less time for doomscrolling on TikTok or Instagram. Not to mention, Strava reports that for every two minutes spent on the app, users spend an hour being active. That is a trade-off we can get behind.

Related: Trainer-Approved Running Tips That Prevent Injury and Boost Endurance

Fitness Is the New Social Scene

Running, especially through run clubs, has become one of the best ways to meet people in real life. While gym rats and seasoned runners have always known that workouts are great for making friends or even finding a significant other, this trend has only grown. With more people turning to fitness for social connection, 39 percent of Gen Z and Gen X say it’s one of their top ways to meet like-minded people. Beyond friendship, one in five Gen Z users reported going on a date with someone they met through exercise. If you needed a reason to put down the dating apps and lace up your running shoes, this is it.

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Is 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' Good? Read the First Critic Reactions

It's almost time to return to Pandora. The first press screenings of Avatar: Fire and Ash were held on Monday night, and with them came the first reactions to the highly anticipated third film in director James Cameron's blockbuster sci-fi series. 

Avatar: Fire and Ash opens in theaters on December 19, and although some critics and members of the press have already seen it, it will still be a few days before any proper, in-depth reviews are out. Those who have seen the movie are able to offer brief reactions or thoughts about it on social media, and the early takeaway seems to be that Fire and Ash is a spectacle, albeit one that maybe repeats some of the beats of the last movie, 2022's The Way of Water. 

Initial Reactions Offer Praise, Some Criticism

The movie, which once more stars Sam Worthington as Jake Sully, a human marine who becomes a leader to the native Na'vi people, dealing with the tragic fallout of The Way of Water. Meanwhile, a violent tribe of Na'vi led by a fire-worshipping chieftess (Oona Chaplin), join forces with Stephen Lang's Colonel Miles Quaritch.

#AvatarFireAndAsh is so wildly, unfathomably epic, ambitious, and audacious in every single way, you can't help but forgive that it has some noticeable flaws.

It grabs you and sweeps you up in this snowball of emotion, action, and spectacle as only James Cameron can deliver. pic.twitter.com/iLLDSskFEG

— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) December 2, 2025

Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) - the messiest entry has me tempered, despite a thematic thorniness that’s so intriguing. There’s still plenty to be stunned by, including Cameron tapping back into an amorous energy I haven’t seen from him in ages, all due to an excellent Oona Chaplin pic.twitter.com/IgFh2BUxl4

— Giovanni Lago (@TheGiovanniLago) December 2, 2025

Avatar: Fire and Ash has some fun action set pieces but boy if it isn’t mostly a repetitive bore. Virtually identical to The Way of Water and feels pointless. Liked the legacy Oona Chaplin brought but a pretty generic villain. These movies also never need to be three hours long. pic.twitter.com/DOIh25gIDC

— Erik Anderson (@awards_watch) December 2, 2025

AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH is the first James Cameron sequel that feels kinda like a regular follow-up rather than an innovative re-envisioning of its predecessor's world. It also just casually drops ~3-4 of the best/coolest action sequences of the year and I was rapt the whole time.

— Jesse Hassenger (@rockmarooned) December 2, 2025

#AvatarFireAndAsh — there’s no denying that the spectacle of these films are unmatched. This one is bigger, louder, sharper. The 3D experience was truly something to behold. However, outside of a SPECTACULAR Oona Chaplin & a fascinating new tribe, the story is frustratingly… pic.twitter.com/4gCezW8piD

— Nikko Supreme (@NikkoCaruso) December 2, 2025

Never doubt James Cameron. AVATAR: FIRE & ASH is another sprawling, ambitious, gorgeous adventure. Oona Chaplin is the best new element - she's iconic, she's gaggy, etc, and her ash tribe rocks. Cameron expands the series' visual capacity with some innovative, trippy sequences. pic.twitter.com/fxAa7lkSZT

— Cody (@codymonster91) December 2, 2025

There’s too much “been there done that” in terms of plot beats and set pieces, but AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH is still an awe-inspiring technical and visceral achievement. It doesn’t skimp on the melodrama or intensity, as James Cameron delivers a towering spectacle of such all-in… pic.twitter.com/dTIxhG8hT6

— Scott Mendelson (@ScottMendelson) December 2, 2025

#AvatarFireAndAsh: 3 films in, James Cameron still has the sauce, making the epic spectacular feel emotionally impactful. A glorious saga. Bold, brilliant & awesome in every way, this is what movie theaters were built for. Payakan is still my fave, but Varang is the MVP. pic.twitter.com/zs1BjCTYmZ

— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) December 2, 2025

We all thought James Cameron was making his Star Wars, #AvatarFireAndAsh cements it as his Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy (highly complimentary). This is so At World's End coded & Cameron has fully embraced the anime & video game inspos even more proudly here. A nonstop series… pic.twitter.com/pDOQNgaEKz

— Griffin Schiller (@griffschiller) December 2, 2025

AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH: I truly love that these movies exist, there’s nothing else like it, even though a couple beats were repeated from the previous film. Whatever. For over three hours I was on a different planet. Oona Chaplin is demonic as the evil fire Na’vi #avatarfireandash

— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) December 2, 2025

'First Reactions' to Movies Should Be Taken With a Grain of Salt

The initial response to Avatar: Fire and Ash seems like a pretty fair, albeit early, assessment of the movie. This writer saw Fire and Ash last night and very much enjoyed the film while conceding that some of the critics who found certain set-pieces or story beats to be repetitive had some valid points. 

To go behind the scenes of the entertainment industry, it's generally a good idea to be wary of social media reactions. Typically, when a film studio lets people see a movie ahead of the premiere date, they have to agree to an embargo. Full reviews—in-depth essays where people can make a full critical argument—tend to be held until closer to the movie's actual release date. In Fire and Ash's case, it won't be until December 16, just three days before the premiere, when outlets will be able to publish their full reviews. 

Social media reactions, meanwhile, tend to have a much shorter embargo. For Fire and Ash, people were allowed to post about it pretty much as soon as the movie was over on Monday night. Typically, social media reactions are very positive, and it's a good idea to wait for a critic's full analysis before betting too much on initial reactions.

However, the initial consensus appears to be that Avatar: Fire and Ash is a thrilling time at the movies. That Fire and Ash's early social media takeaways are largely positive, with some quibbles, should give a decent idea of what to expect when the movie comes out. 

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Bowmore Drops Its Decadent Sherry Oak Cask Collection Just in Time for the Holidays

American Scotch drinkers have been waiting nearly 18 months for the Bowmore Sherry Oak Cask Collection to be available in the United States. The wait is now over. 

Just in time for the holidays, Islay’s oldest licensed distillery is now selling the 12-year-old and the 15-year-old single malts in the U.S.

Bowmore's Sherry Oak Cask Collection includes four expressions.

Courtesy Suntory Global Spirits

Details on the Bowmore Sherry Oak Cask Collection 

The Bowmore Sherry Oak Cask Collection consists of four single malt whiskies: 12-, 15-, 18-, and 21-year-old expressions. All of the whiskies were aged in European oak casks seasoned with oloroso sherry and in American oak ex-bourbon barrels. However, what sets each whisky apart, other than age, is the finishing cask. 

The 12-year-old and 15-year-old single malts were both finished in oloroso sherry seasoned casks. The 18-year-old Scotch was finished in pedro ximénez sherry casks. And the 21-year-old bottling was finished in both oloroso and pedro ximénez sherry casks. 

Both sherry cask types impart fruity, nutty flavors to Bowmore’s signature mineral-forward and peaty profile, which has the result of tempering its smokiness. The oloroso influence tends to lean on the drier, woodier side, while the pedro ximénez casks double down on bright, fruity flavors.

Related: How Glendronach’s Master Blender Rachel Barrie Turned the Science of Whisky Into Art

“We’re excited to share this new collection with our fans in the U.S., where appreciation for barrel aging, and the whisky finesse they’ve come to expect, is at an all-time high,” national ambassador of Scotch at Suntory Global Spirits, Simon Brooking, said in a press release. “The expressions' brilliantly showcase the exceptional craft of Bowmore, under the leadership of Master Blender Dr. Calum Fraser, with four age statements that provide a master class in the use of sherry finishing in whisky production.”

Bowmore Sherry Oak Cask Collection Price & Availability

Bowmore 12-Year-Old Sherry Oak Cask is bottled at 40 percent ABV and carries a suggested retail price of $90. The 15- and 18-year-old bottlings both clock in at 43 percent ABV and are priced at $160 and $325, respectively. The Bowmore 21-Year-Old Sherry Oak Cask is bottled at an assertive 47 percent ABV, and is set to retail for $450 per bottle. The 12- and 15-year-old expressions are available now, while the 18- and 21-year-old whiskies are expected to arrive before Valentine’s Day 2026.

The Bowmore 15-Year-Old-Sherry Oak Cask is finished in an oloroso sherry cask.

Courtesy Suntory Global Spirits

Get a Bottle of Bowmore 15-Year-Old Sherry Oak Cask Single Malt Scotch Now!

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