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Pollution levels change throughout the day depending on traffic, weather, and how air moves through city streets.
Marathon runners breathe 10–20× more air than at rest. Small changes to when and where you run can cut your pollution intake by up to 30% without losing a single kilometre of training.
Even small reductions in pollution exposure can make a meaningful difference to your health, energy, and endurance.
AirTrack gives you the insights to train in cleaner air so you can keep doing what you love, for longer.
Integrate AirTrack for free and join our Strava Club.
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More air inhaled per minute while running than at rest
(IOC Consensus Statement, 2024)
Slower race times linked to elevated PM2.5 exposure during training
(Scientific Reports / Nature, 2023)
Less harmful exposure by changing route or time
(Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 2021)
million deaths from ischaemic heart disease and 900,000 from stroke were caused by ambient air pollution in 2019 alone
(World Heart Federation, 2024)
chronic respiratory disease deaths are attributable to air pollution, a risk that multiplies for runners who inhale far deeper during exercise
(State of Global Air, 2025)
of the global population lives in areas where PM2.5 pollution is high enough to actively cancel out the health benefits of regular exercise
(UCL / National Chung Hsing University, 2025)
Choosing quieter paths over busy roads can significantly cut what you breathe in across a long training run.
Parks and green spaces: Away from traffic, with better air movement. Often the cleanest urban routes.
Quiet residential streets: Significantly cleaner than A-roads, it is worth routing slightly around them.
Avoid arterial roads & busy junctions: High nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, especially during peak hours. Even short stretches add up over a long run.
Parks aren't always clean. Wind can carry road pollution directly into open green spaces. Always check real-time data before heading out — conditions vary day by day.
Traffic is one of the biggest influences on urban air quality during the day. Plan your times and routes when heading out and you can breathe significantly cleaner air across your training week.
Before traffic builds: Often the cleanest window of the day. Early mornings typically have the lowest roadside pollution before vehicles accumulate.
Post-rush hours: As traffic drops and temperatures rise, pollutants begin to disperse and air quality often improves.
Weekends: Generally lower traffic volumes mean fewer vehicle emissions, especially on residential routes and park paths.
After rain: Rain helps wash particulate pollution out of the air, often leaving noticeably cleaner conditions for running.
Air quality changes quickly. Levels can vary significantly day by day. Wind, weather and local traffic patterns can shift conditions throughout the day. Always check real-time data with AirTrack before heading out.
Choosing quieter paths over busy roads can significantly cut what you breathe in across a long training run.
Parks and green spaces: Away from traffic, with better air movement. Often the cleanest urban routes.
Quiet residential streets: Significantly cleaner than A-roads, it is worth routing slightly around them.
Avoid arterial roads & busy junctions: High nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, especially during peak hours. Even short stretches add up over a long run.
Parks aren't always clean. Wind can carry road pollution directly into open green spaces. Always check real-time data before heading out — conditions vary day by day.
Learn how air quality influences athlete health and performance through leading research and data.
Road closures during the London Marathon reduce traffic and often improve air quality along the route, though effects vary by pollutant and location.
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Here's the third in our series with our super user, Malcolm Buckley!
Here's the second in our series with our super user, Malcolm Buckley!
When Malcolm Buckley laces up his running shoes in London, he’s not just thinking about pace or distance—he’s thinking about air quality.
DLake, a running coach based in Australia, created this article and video, all about AirTrack
Runners devote countless hours training and preparing for a marathon. The journey to running 26.2 miles is a long process that takes hard work, dedication, and consistency. Runners focus on various aspects important to marathon training including weekly mileage, gear, and nutrition. However, one factor that most runners are not considering is the air quality. The air you breathe in on a run has a significant impact on a runner’s performance, and it should not be overlooked.
Athletes are deeply invested in their health, performance, and recovery. Yet, air pollution—something that affects all three—has traditionally not been possible to measure for active individuals. AirTrack, Air Aware Labs’ groundbreaking platform, collects air pollution exposure data across thousands of workouts, allowing us to understand and reduce exposure for everyone. Today, we investigate the influence of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on sport.
Today marks the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.
We've been investigating the impact of air pollution on sports, performance and health 🏃♂️🍃
Get in touch with Air Aware Labs to help transform the impact of air quality on human health.
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