Five Things Running: Issue #125
Run more. But read this first!
Heya and welcome back to Five Things Running!
Summer running used to be about sun, heat, sunscreen, enough water and electrolytes and what not. For the last few weeks it meant one thing to me: rain. And annoying humidity right after the rain was over, so I was sweating my butt off in my rain jacket. I want some summer heat now. Aside from this, I had a nice running week, but somehow I am still a lot slower than before I got sick and didn’t run for a few weeks as result, which was a few months ago. Yes, I’m really good at being impatient.
Aside from running in the rain, I also got to run in my new Hoka Speedgoat 6 that I bought a few days ago. They were on sale. Why would anyone buy running shoes that are not on sale? After two runs I can say: they are really nice shoes and I need more than just puddles to run through in those shoes.
Here’s this week’s Five Things Running!
No, I Don’t Want to Be Your Running Buddy
Even if you don’t hate running with other people, you may simply enjoy running by yourself more. After all, there’s a lot to love about a solo run.
I love running with other people. But I really do enjoy not having another appointment that I have to stick to. Sorry, not sorry.
There’s an epidemic of women being barged by men while running
The run took me 51 minutes and I found it genuinely astonishing that during that time, I was barged into so much. Not one of the men who did it apologised, nor did they even seem to register that they’d almost knocked me right over. It wasn’t exactly like the roads were mega busy, either; participants’ start times for the race had been staggered according to pace. I never felt like I was too close to anyone, even when I did decide to try to speed up towards the end as my favourite Linkin Park song came on (don’t mock my running playlist). In other words: there really was no need to push past anyone to get ahead.
Seriously, what’s wrong with those people?
What It Takes to Crew the Hardest Race on Earth
Held in the high heat of the summer in the middle of Death Valley, Badwater 135 is billed as the toughest footrace on earth. Despite the focus in our culture on the limitless potential of individual athletes, the truth is that a race like Badwater shows the deep limitations that each human has if they are not supported by other humans.
Honestly, even crewing that race sounds too exhausting. I cannot even begin to fathom what it takes to run this race.
From Moonshot to Mainstreet
While the world focused on Faith Kipyegon’s space-age Fly Suit and custom spikes in Paris, an important cornerstone of Breaking4 was laid in her training shoes. Month after month, as she logged the miles that would prepare her for that historic 4:06.42 in late June, Kipyegon was testing unreleased versions of Nike’s newest innovations – shoes that wouldn’t debut until long after the starting gun had fired.
A month on from Breaking4, we’re now seeing how Nike’s moonshot innovation filters down to everyday runners. The Vomero Plus and Vomero Premium, launching in early August and early October respectively, represent the latest chapter in a story that winds through Kipyegon’s training camps in Kenya. This is the tale of how race-day dreams are built on training-day reality, and how the pursuit of the impossible creates better running for everyone.
I love how innovation works. Also, it’s good to see that Nike is back innovating instead of just improving the AlphaFly a bit more.
All My Running Heroes Are Dead
The idea of the hero is baked deep into culture, though. The hero's journey. The chosen one. The unbeatable champion. But that archetype rarely fits real life. Especially not in running, where success is fleeting, injuries and setbacks are inevitable, and even the best fade with time.
Heroes, as we imagine them, are clean, noble, above the mess. But life — and running — is messy. It’s full of plateaus, regressions, self-doubt. Real inspiration often comes not from someone's peak performance, but from how they handle failure.
Indeed.
Thanks to COROS for supporting this publication!
If you missed last week’s edition, you can read it here:
Now, go running!
— Nico
🏃🏻♂️
You could be my (running) hero for reposting my article! 😙