A short video of a female runner pausing mid-race to take a hit from a cannabis device has spread widely online since November 3, 2026.
In the clip, the woman wears a pink tank top printed with the name “ANDREA” and bib number 49706. She stops beside a spectator dressed in camouflage, accepts what appears to be a vape or joint, inhales, exhales a visible cloud of smoke, smiles, and then continues running while gesturing to those nearby.
Accounts including @DailyLoud and @Raindropsmedia1 amplified the footage. The urban street setting, barriers, and dense crowd of spectators align with the course of the TCS New York City Marathon, which drew roughly 60,000 starters on November 1, 2026.
Replies to the posts mixed humor and approval. Some users called the runner “an absolute legend” and praised the “pit stop,” while others expressed mild skepticism about combining cannabis with a 26.2-mile race.
New York Road Runners rules for the marathon and other events prohibit cigarettes, tobacco products, cannabis and cannabis products, vaping devices, and electronic smoking devices on the course, in the start corrals, at the finish, and within 1,000 feet of those areas. The organization’s code of conduct also bars smoking or vaping of marijuana products in the same zones. Violations can result in removal from the event or bans from future races, though enforcement among the large recreational field is not always uniform.
World Anti-Doping Agency rules separately prohibit cannabinoids other than pure CBD during competition. Delta-9-THC carries a urinary threshold of 150 ng/mL; other natural and synthetic cannabinoids have none. Recreational marathoners are rarely tested under these rules, but the restrictions apply to elite and nationally ranked athletes.
Cannabis use among endurance athletes has a longer history outside elite road racing. Ultramarathoner Avery Collins, one of the first professionals to sign a cannabis-brand sponsorship, has spoken publicly about using edibles and vaporizers for recovery and mood during training. In 2023, recreational runner Kate Glavan described taking low-dose edibles at intervals throughout the New York City Marathon and finishing in 4 hours and 7 minutes, later saying the race “felt like a party.” Cannabis-focused run clubs have also formed in New York and other cities, presenting the plant as a tool for community and wellness rather than pure performance.
Athletes who discuss the practice most often cite reduced pain perception, lower anxiety, and greater enjoyment rather than faster times. Laboratory and field studies on performance effects remain limited and mixed, with some showing improved perceived effort and others noting potential drawbacks in coordination or cardiovascular response.
A 2026 field study from the University of Duisburg-Essen offers additional physiological context that has received less public attention. Researchers tracked endogenous endocannabinoids—the body’s own cannabis-like signaling molecules—in marathon and ultramarathon runners covering distances up to 230 kilometers. Levels of anandamide rose steadily over the course of a full marathon and remained elevated 45 minutes after the finish. The compound 2-AG also increased. Participants reported lower anxiety afterward. These molecules activate the same receptors targeted by THC and are believed to contribute to the runner’s high, pain modulation, and mood changes long associated mainly with endorphins.
The findings indicate that prolonged running already elevates the body’s internal endocannabinoid system. External cannabis may interact with that response, particularly in the later stages of a race when discomfort is highest. The endogenous mechanism remains less widely discussed than the traditional endorphin explanation.
Public records and race results have not identified the runner beyond the name on her shirt and the bib number 49706. The spectator who provided the device has not been named. New York State law restricts smoking and vaping of cannabis in many outdoor public spaces, adding another layer to the scene captured on video.
