‘Running for Their Life’ documentary explores a crisis in women’s sport – News Block

The new documentary “Running for Their Lives” delves into whether female athletes at the peak of their careers are training so hard and eating so little that they might be risking their lives just to compete.

“Extra’s” Melvin Robert met with Olympian and middle distance runner Colleen Quigley, who discussed the injuries and damaging physical repercussions female runners face in the doc.

Quigley holds the world record in the 4×1500 meter relay and in 2016 placed eighth in the 3000 meter steeplechase during the Rio Olympics. These days, however, he said his relationship with racing has changed.

“It has changed a lot over the years. Largely due to my experience with injuries…since I turned pro,” she said.

In the document, the world’s best female runners reveal how grueling training practices and diet have led to missed periods, catastrophic health problems, and more.

Melvin asked, “Why do you think it took so long to get this information out to people?”

Colleen explained: “I think a lot of it has to do with research…our bodies are just different and it’s a lot more difficult to do research on women because of our menstrual cycles…so we just get overlooked.”