Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Can I, @bykylecooke, run 200 yards in 30 seconds? Last week, The Washington Post reported on a new study out of Brazil that found sprinting in 30-second bursts can help people who suffer from panic attacks. The researchers determined that triggering the symptoms of a panic attack — like shortness of breath or sweating — through short sprints is more effective than relaxation therapy.
Interesting stuff! I shared the article in our newsroom’s Slack. None of us doubted the researchers’ conclusions. But one of our main takeaways was that 30 seconds seems like a long time to sprint! Remember when we all washed our hands for 20 seconds during the COVID-19 pandemic? It felt like an eternity.
That was the topic of our lunchtime discussion in the newsroom, and it quickly morphed into another topic: how much ground can I cover in 30 seconds?
Scott Hennelly, our production manager, said I could “probably run the length of a football field.” I should hope so! I was confident I didn’t need that long to sprint 100 yards. In fact, I thought I could sprint two football fields. My coworkers seemed a little skeptical.
We had to put it to the test.
People say that downtown Denver is dead, but on that Thursday afternoon, Arapahoe Street came to life with the percussive slaps of a 31-year-old news editor’s sensible sneakers against the asphalt.
I'm proud to say I covered 200 yards, but I'm not sure it was worth it. You can read more at rmpbs.org/news
Can I, @bykylecooke, run 200 yards in 30 seconds? Last week, The Washington Post reported on a new study out of Brazil that found sprinting in 30-second bursts can help people who suffer from panic attacks. The researchers determined that triggering the symptoms of a panic attack — like shortness of breath or sweating — through short sprints is more effective than relaxation therapy.
Interesting stuff! I shared the article in our newsroom’s Slack. None of us doubted the researchers’ conclusions. But one of our main takeaways was that 30 seconds seems like a long time to sprint! Remember when we all washed our hands for 20 seconds during the COVID-19 pandemic? It felt like an eternity.
That was the topic of our lunchtime discussion in the newsroom, and it quickly morphed into another topic: how much ground can I cover in 30 seconds?
Scott Hennelly, our production manager, said I could “probably run the length of a football field.” I should hope so! I was confident I didn’t need that long to sprint 100 yards. In fact, I thought I could sprint two football fields. My coworkers seemed a little skeptical.
We had to put it to the test.
People say that downtown Denver is dead, but on that Thursday afternoon, Arapahoe Street came to life with the percussive slaps of a 31-year-old news editor’s sensible sneakers against the asphalt.
I'm proud to say I covered 200 yards, but I'm not sure it was worth it. You can read more at rmpbs.org/news
