From mud and guesswork to digital hearts

From yarn to data

When Berndt Ekström crossed the finishing line in the very first Lidingöloppet in 1965, the most technologically advanced gadget he had at his disposal was a crocheted beanie. He defeated 537 competitors on a track covered in mud and tree roots. His time was 1:52:21.

When William Nyarondia Morwabe from Kenya crossed the finishing line in 2025, he did so in 1:37:15. But above all else, he ran together with 15,000 other competitors. Today, TCS Lidingöloppet is a public festival covering the whole weekend - and a small ecosystem for public health. The crocheted hat has been replaced with innovative materials, data and digital technologies that not only improve our ability to run and help us reach our full potential, but also to live a healthier life.

When Berndt Ekström ran, the results were written by hand. If you wanted times for each split, you had to rely on your memory and the strain in your muscles. Today, there are tracking chips in each bib, an app where people can follow you in real-time, see your split times and share photos directly on social media. The mud and Abborrbacken are still there – but now everything else lives together in the cloud, tracks are mapped by GPS, and notifications and live-spoilers are delivered to tens of thousands of runners every year.

Supernatural since 1972

In the early 1970s, marathons were for eccentrics. The shoes were threadbare and training diaries were pieces of paper with sweat stains and guesswork. When Frank Shorter won the Olympic marathon in Munich in 2:12:19, it was considered supernatural.

Shorter’s feat, and the now legendary New Zealand running coach Arthur Lydiard, led a jogging boom that spread across the world. Suddenly, people started running for fun and exercise – and doctors realised that running helps prevent cardiovascular diseases. EVA soles made shoes lighter and shock-absorbant. Then came carbon fiber plates embedded in resilient foam. Shoe technology became accessible to ordinary people and running evolved into a technical sport.

The data-driven era

Running is simple. One foot in front of the other. At the same time, the human body is so advanced - and individually unique – that we are often forced to guess what is going on inside.

When Eliud Kipchoge broke the two-hour mark for a marathon in 2019 with a time of 1:59:40 – he did it in a stage race in collaboration with the Nike Sport Research Lab. An example of what happens when new research and technology meet passion and commitment. Today, Nike runs the Amplify project, a battery-powered robotic shoe that will help you walk or run.

Kipchoge’s record time is an example of the next evolutionary step: data and insights, augmented by AI. In 2003, Garmin launched its Forerunner 201 running watch. A GPS-powered mini revolution on the wrists of ordinary runners. Modern watches go even further: heart rate trackers, pace, training load, even estimated recovery times. When Bill Quinn, Futurist at TCS och running enthusiast, trains for a marathon, he uses everything from running watches and blood sugar monitors to generative AI and 3D scanning. He can measure everything from sleep and diet to training, steps and shoe models.

Ultimately, he can create a digital twin of himself.

Follow your digital twin

Des Linden’s heart’s ventricle has grown. Its walls have become thicker, and her heat pumps blood 40 percent better than you and me. Her life as a runner has strengthened her heart so much that she was able to win the Boston Marathon and twice represented the USA at the Olympics. In 2023, TCS created a digital twin of Linden’s heart – paving the way for the TCS Future Athlete Project.

The project takes digital twin technology to the next level. TCS integrates data with digital 3D models and visualizes the heart in real time. The digital twin replicates the unique physical characteristics of each runner's heart using data from sensors and MRI.

In the near future, digital twins will enable us to analyse – in real time, with help from AI – how the heart reacts to physical activity. This will provide insights that regular training and wearable technology cannot come close to. Your twin will have run up a digital Abborrbacke in TCS Lidingöloppet before you even get there. You will therefore know exactly how your body will react and how to take care of yourself so that you live as healthy and long as possible.

A life-saving hobby

Around 20 million people die from cardiovascular disease every year. It is the world’s most common cause of death. The TCS Future Athlete Project helps athletes train better, maximize their performance and prevent potential risks – but the goal is for all of us to live longer, healthier lives.

The impact of technology and innovation on running is therefore not only visible at the forefront of the field. More and more people are running. Every year, major marathons are breaking participation records. Apps are guiding beginners, while social media platforms and virtual races are turning training schedules into public commitments.

New technology is enabling ordinary people to see themselves as runners. It helps visualise goals and progress, and turns the work you put into your own health into clear data points on a graph. Technology is pushing humanity towards better health, one logged kilometer at a time.

Factbox

Why TCS takes the lead

TCS is a global IT consultancy firm with a passion for technological innovation and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. We see running, sport and good health as positive forces in people’s lives. That's why we are the title sponsor for marathons in New York, Sydney, Amsterdam and London, and have been the title sponsor of TCS Lidingöloppet for ten years.