Five Things Running: Issue #62
Running is the thing right now, really. Read all about it. But first: coffee.
Heya, welcome back to Five Things Running!
My name is Nico, I’m a runner who likes to read about running - and I also like to share the five most interesting articles each week with you. So if you haven’t already, please subscribe to Five Things Running and also go paid, please. I put in lots of hours each week so that you can read the best articles.
This week I managed to get in three runs in the morning around the Alster in Hamburg. I love this route and I think by now I could do it blindfolded. It’s also the place where people meet for runs and were you can randomly see people you know who are running in the other direction. On Friday I ran past my lawyer, who I did a run with on Wednesday, and I was in a hurry to be back home in time for a shower before our videocall, but he still had to cover more distance than I did. He was a bit late and still in his running gear, while I managed to squeeze in a shower already…
On Friday some new gear from New Balance arrived. New Balance will be sponsoring this newsletter, which is so awesome! I ran in the New Balance Fresh Foam X Hierro v8, which are absolutely fantastic, with a nice Vibram sole, good toe protection and a great overall fit. Only a gusseted tongue is missing, which is a minor drawback. I also got the New Balance RC Short, which is probably ideal for a hot summer - so light weight and minimalist, with a pocket for my phone on the back and some smaller pockets for gel or keys.
I did an out and back run along the Alster on Saturday to test out the new gear. The Alster is actually a river that looks like a lake near the city center of Hamburg, so about one 1km south of where I live. If I run north, the Alster actually looks and feels like a river and it is actually quite beautiful to run into the Alster valley, which still is very flat as we are in the middle of Hamburg. I acutally don’t like afternoon runs that much, but I had to test the new gear. Turns out there was no chafing in the new shorts, which is a delight. I usually just run in 2-in-1 shorts to avoid chafing as my thighs a bit bigger.
Anyhow, thanks to New Balance for becoming a sponsor!
Here are the five articles I picked for you this week!
Everything I Needed to Know About Running (I Learned from my Cross Country Coach)
“If there’s a magic workout, it’s that damn morning run.” - indeed. I always regret when I don’t go running in the morning. Everything I needed to know about running I learned from my biology teacher, who was a triathlete. I talked about shoe rotation in the early 90s and that stuck with me. It doesn’t help much when I have an argument with my wife about too many pairs of running shoes, though.
Talking shop with Tracksmith’s Creative Director, Rafa Oliveira
“I love creating a consistent universe around a brand and its story, how it speaks, and how it presents itself. But at the end of the day, the product will always be the ultimate cornerstone.” -
is talking about the fashion side of running. I’m a big fan of Tracksmith and their New England aesthetics. While I think their products are a bit too pricey, I have to admit that the quality is top notch and that the merino downeaster midlayer I bought almost six years ago is still looking great. I also have a Van Cortland Singlet in navy with a white diagonal stripe and that just looks so fast, even on a slow runner like myself.A moment that changed me: I thought fitness was my superpower. Then I realised it was a ball and chain
“Eventually, I could no longer ignore the questions my body and mind were raising. My search for answers led me to reconsider not just my attitude to my body and to running, but to life itself. To finding meaning and purpose, to achievement and ageing and to that ultimate finish line, mortality.”
Trail runners: you don’t need to do an ultra
“If you’re a serious trail runner, chances are you’ve tried an ultra, thought about doing an ultra, or been asked if you’ve completed one. Just as road runners often feel they need to try a marathon once they’ve surpassed shorter distances, there’s a certain allure to the ultramarathon that makes trail runners believe they need to do one, too.” - also, I don’t think you have to run up and down the mountains to be a trail runner. We need to be more inclusive.
'I completed my first trail ultramarathon - here are 16 things I learned'
Maybe I should do an ultra, but I’m too unstructured to do the required structured training (#2) and I assume that #6 will happen for a long time, but #12 will be amazing. Haha, sorry about the clickbait here, but the list is actually quite good.
If you missed last week’s edition, you can read it here:
Now, go running!
— Nico
🏃🏻♂️