Five Things Running: Issue #108
Run more. But read this first!
Heya and welcome back to Five Things Running!
If I have to do another week without running, I’ll rename this newsletter Five Things Walking. I think my dog really likes to do long walks with me, but I’d much rather go running. I still have this cold that won’t go away and my Oura ring keeps telling me about an elevated base pulse, so I still try to focus on resting. Which annoys me so much, that I get all agitated, which in turn increase my base pulse.
Anyhow, the big story this week is that running shoes and apparel will get more expensive in the USA and I am curious to see how this story develops. I assume this will be painful not just for the big companies, but for many D2C brands out there.
Here’s this week’s Five Things Running!
Sports shoes’ supply chain is pain point in Trump’s tariff war
“Trump has said he wants to bring manufacturing back to US shores. Analysts say the more likely effect will be higher prices for trainers, as the US lacks factories with the specialised equipment to make running shoes and workers with the knowhow to operate them.
US-based Nike began manufacturing in Vietnam in 1995, through five contract footwear factories, becoming one of the country’s earliest foreign investors and contributing to its exports and economic growth. The company expanded its supplier base rapidly in the following years and created thousands of jobs, attracted by the cheaper labour force.” - honestly, this is all just a huge clusterfuck. It won’t be possible to just quickly bring back manufacturing to the US and to Europe.
How to Get Out of Your Own Way to Perform at Your Best
“Trying to do anything well exposes you. It opens you up to criticism and questioning from the outside, and wondering of whether you are good enough on the inside. Any time we are doing something where there is a concrete result attached to our name, it makes us vulnerable. Are we fast or strong enough? Do we have what it takes to close the deal or make the pitch? We are forced to confront reality, something that, as humans, we hate doing. It is much easier to live in a world where we can tell ourselves that we are “good enough” at just about any activity we desire to do, without ever measuring up in concrete terms.”
Meet the next-gen running shoe: A first look at Avelo’s ‘Supertrainer’
“Metser went down a rabbit hole of biomechanics and physiology research. He connected with leading scientists and coaches, eventually identifying a critical opportunity: to measure data from the feet continuously with every step, and use this information to coach runners to improve speed, strength, and resilience.
“A few years ago this sounded like science fiction,” Metser admits. “Fast forward two years and we’ve built the world’s first smart running shoe. It measures impact and running form, and connects to an app that coaches runners — improving performance, reducing injury risk, and even letting them know when it’s time for a new pair.”” - I’m intrigued and I cannot wait for the campaign to launch on Kickstarter!
OnlyFans Attracts Growing Roster of Outdoor Athletes: ‘Own Our Power’
“To that end, OnlyFans just announced the first-ever trail runner to join its roster: Sabrina Stanley, a two-time Hardrock 100 winner, FKT record holder, and former adidas athlete. A few months earlier, Red Bull-sponsored cliff diver Ellie Smart also joined the OnlyFans team. Other sponsored athletes include champion motorcycle racer Josh Herrin, downhill mountain biker Stefan Garlicki, and motocross racer David Pulley.
And while OnlyFans may be known for its pornography, there are plenty of creators making family-friendly content. Some athletes may offer spicier, adults-only videos. Others just want a way to easily monetize behind-the-scenes content from competitions or training. Regardless of what athletes make and sell, OnlyFans appears to be a smarter way for many of them to manage their personal brands.” - this is certainly an interesting development, bot for professional athletes and for OnlyFans.
She Went Out for a Solo Evening Trail Run. Then She Locked Eyes With a Bear
“There’s one specific spot along the trail that has really good access to this free-flowing creek. I thought, I really want to make it to this one spot because it’s so scenic, and I just need that mental unwind.
And so, I’m walking along this path. I’m about a quarter-mile in, and I’m just gathering my thoughts. Something told me to look up. In the middle of the path up ahead was this huge bear.” - so this is something that won’t happen to me running on trails in Northern Germany. Yikes, I cannot imagine what an encounter with a bear must be like.
I’m grateful for the partners of Five Things Running: Acid Running, New Balance and COROS!
If you missed last week’s edition, you can read it here:
Now, go running!
— Nico
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