Five Things Running: Issue #114
Run more. But read this first!
Heya and welcome back to Five Things Running!
I enjoy this season so much. The mornings are still a bit chilly, but when the sun comes out, it gets warmer quickly. All the nature is lush and green and just wonderful. It’s probably because I was born in late June that I particularly like the late spring and early summer time. I did get four runs in last week and slowly I feel that running gets easier again.
Unfortunately, this season won’t stay forever. Meteorologists are predicting an extremely hot and dry summer here in Northern Germany. While I am all for some consistency (in Northern Germany our summers mean that we get multiple seasons in a day and that’s not helping when I’m trying to get a tan…), it’s really getting too warm here in the North and I cannot understand why people are still trying to slow down the fight against climate change. As runners, we need to do our part to preserve our nature as it is!
Here’s this week’s Five Things Running!
The Myth of Pain-Free Running: Embracing the Art of Injury Management
Novice runners operate with a binary mindset: either you're healthy and running, or you're injured and sidelined.
Experienced runners know better. We've evolved beyond the simple "on/off" switch to something more sophisticated – injury management. Why? Because we've learned that the state where absolutely nothing hurts and your body feels flawless simply doesn't exist anymore after a certain point in your running journey.
Contrary to what the term might suggest, injury management does not mean managing an injury. Rather, it means identifying potential injuries early on and taking action to prevent them from becoming full-blown.
A Bubble Bath Won't Fix This
When things go to hell—and also when they go well—I need to peel the layers of the onion, exploring why I feel the way I do, then patiently reconnecting with running in a slightly new place. The process can be usefully guided by those two questions Lisa has asked many times:
How’s your body? How’s your heart?
With these self-checks in mind, and my experiences in twenty-plus years of running and racing, here are a few ideas for navigating the first week after a tough day.
Ultra-trail running: What science reveals about the hidden effects of extreme endurance
What drives people to push so far? It’s not just sport—it’s a personal journey, a deep connection with nature, and a way to fully live in the present.
Ultra-trail is often surrounded by myths. While growing research offers insight, the sport still lacks standard guidelines and training frameworks. Science shows that performance depends on a mix of aerobic capacity, mental stamina, nutrition, sleep management, and biomechanics.
Women, for instance, are closing the gap with men in longer races—distance seems to level the playing field.
Creatine is Overrated
Full disclosure: I take creatine. 5 grams. Every day. And I think you should too.
That said, the health and fitness space is massively overselling its benefits. Creatine isn’t as miraculous as it's purported to be—but that’s ok. Why?
Unlike most supplements, creatine seems to be a “free lunch.” What I mean by that is we get some benefits (which I’ll discuss later) with apparently zero downside—there are no established harmful side effects of creatine supplementation. That’s a good thing, but it also means we shouldn’t be surprised that its benefits aren’t that large. Most performance enhancers come with downsides: Too much caffeine makes you anxious and builds a tolerance, anabolic steroids come with a plethora of hormonal effects, and even overdosing on carbs can give you stomach issues. But when used correctly these ergogenic aids can also massively enhance physical and cognitive performance.
The Run-Club Haters
The complaints from grouchy solo runners tend to center around the same claim: These newer run clubs simply have no sense of urban running etiquette. The runners I spoke to listed these rules as the basics: Stay to the right. Never run more than two abreast, and be ready to morph into single file if it gets crowded or the path narrows. Notify pedestrians or slower solo runners before you pass them by saying “on your left” or “on your right.”
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
🏃🏻♂️
Thanks for the mention! Spoiler: my knee (still) hurts (a bit). 🤷♂️