Five Things Running: Issue #63
The last week of May just started, how's your running right now?
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.
Last week was a good week for running for me. I did six runs and racked up a bit more than 80km without feeling too exhausted. I usually do a day off on Saturday, which I spend running errands (exhausting!) and then do a long run on Sunday morning. The last week was a week of school vacation for our kids, so I could sleep in a bit, grab a coffee, then walk the dog and then get a run in before appearing in the office nice and clean and in time. Of course it helps that I’m working from home right now.
Also, I absolutely love this time of the year! I know, I say that even after runs in the cold November rain, but I was born in June, so these days, when the sun rises very early and sets very late here in Northern Germany, are just the best. I love wearing shorts and Birkenstocks and hopefully I get to do this until October. Also, home office is ideal for this outfit…
While I think that my week was pretty good, I think my daughters was even better. Saturday a week ago I dropped of my daughter (12) for her running camp week in Denmark. She does track & field at the local track club HSV in the park around where we live. If you don’t know what the word “Jahnkampfbahn” means, it’s the name of the arena that was built in 1919 and is the site of the Hamburg track performance center, but also gets used by running clubs and schools. Also, Friedrich Ludwig Jahn was nicknamed “Turnvater Jahn”, the father of gymnastics, who invented some torture stuff like parallel bars, rings, vault horse and so on. He did this to get the Prussians in shape after losing to Napoleon’s army. He fought against that army somewhere around my hometown and there’s a statue right next to the trail at my favorite lake commemorating this with a plate. Anyhow, I love the design and architecture of the arena and I like the old-fashioned name, because the literal translation would be “Jahn Fighting Track”. Back to my daughter: she did training sessions in Denmark, ran at the beach, through the dunes and had a great time. I’m so happy for her and also I’m happy that she likes running. She came back this weekend and she was so full of stories and new memories and sunsets at the beach that she has seen. She still refuses to come along on my Sunday longrun, though. And yes, I myself would love to have a week of training with a group of runners somewhere in Denmark. Running and hot dogs, what a combination! And Øl!
Here are the five articles I picked for you this week!
The Optimization Craze: When Optimizing Ourselves for Athletics Conflicts With Living a Good Life
I think we’ve all been there. We have our training plans, our run streaks, our weekly mileage and so on, and while it is good to have goals we want to achieve, we also have to realize that we need to let go from time to time. We have so much data, but sometimes we need to ignore it and listen to our heart.
Strava Camp Recap
Kofuzi: King of YouTube running shoe reviews
Run streaks: is it safe to run every day?
I did a run streak this year for a little more than two months. It was good for me to get back into running after an injury and just being in a slump. Although a little rest would have been better for me, my body coped quite well with the daily routine. That’s basically what the medical advise boils down to as well.
‘You Stole!’ Running World Divided Over ‘Bandits’ Who Crash Races
I’m torn on this issue. On the one hand, races can be really expensive and not everybody can afford them, or might be afraid to pay for a race only to be injured right before it (which is the reason I hesitate to sign up for races until the last possible moment and by that time it’s either sold out or even more expensive), on the other hand people do pay and then the so called bandits get the whole experience for free, which is unfair. I do like the fun salmon idea, though.
If you missed last week’s edition, you can read it here:
Now, go running!
— Nico
🏃🏻♂️