But are some records unbeatable? The Olympic Games in Paris this summer are likely to bring extraordinary performances, some of which may never be surpassed.
This could be the year… of a two-hour marathon
Draining training: Kelvin Kiptum runs between 150 and 175 miles every week. Glossary
Chicago - One of the biggest cities in the USA.
Marathon - A very long running race, lasting for 26.2 miles.
Roger Bannister - An English neurologist and athlete. He died in 2018.
Data scientist - A new type of data expert. Data scientists work with businesses to understand data and help to convert it into action that will improve a business or organisation's performance.