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.
Katie Schide and Jim Walmsley did what everybody expected them to do: they won the Western States 100, the world’s oldest 100 mile footrace and the biggest ultra running event in the USA. I watched the livestream for a while and was amazed how many ice cubes the runners stuffed into their sleeves, bandanas, vests, bras and hats. I don’t think running in that kind of heat is such a good idea, but I guess tradition beats reason in this case.
Something else happened last week and this is great news for Germany: Owen Ansah became the first German to run faster than 10 seconds on 100 meters. And even better: Owen is from Hamburg and runs for HSV, which is not just my favorite soccer club, but also the club where my daughter does track and field. I hope he runs even faster at the Paris Olympics!
My own running was okay this week. I did a run in the morning after shuttling the kids to school on Tuesday and then on Wednesday and Thursday I ran at 5:30 in the morning, which was awesome. I chose to run so early not just because I had busy days, but also because I needed to get into the early morning rhythm to get up before 5 on Friday to drive down to Vienna to help my oldest daughter move back to Hamburg for the summer. I did get in a run on Saturday morning and ran along the River Danube and then back through the Prater, which was just wonderful. After four runs in the sun I ran in the rain on Sunday, after watching the Hamburg Half-Marathon for a while, as the route is close to my house. I got 56 km in, which is okay for a busy week.
Now, please read these Five Things Running!
Supershoes are reshaping distance running
“In much of the world, elite running lacks a widespread following. Record-breaking adds a layer of excitement. And as I’d hear repeatedly from top athletes and coaches in Kenya, the shoes have benefits beyond the clock: most important, they help minimize wear on the body and enable faster recovery from hard workouts and races.” - I love how supershoes change running and create new challenges in footwear development, which is great for both competition and innovation.
Should You Keep a Running Shoe Rotation?
Back in 12th grade my biology teacher, who was a runner and a triathlete, would go on at length to explain why we should have a running shoe rotation. We asked him about this every once in a while to kill some time in class… and when I need to get another pair of running shoes, I explain to my wife that this is what our teacher taught us back in 12th grade. If you need better arguments, read this article.
Tracksmith’s strategy for success: Slow and steady wins the race
Sure, you can just run in an old t-shirt and some shorts, but you can also try to look good while running. I love the aesthetics of Tracksmith and also the quality of the products. The brand is clearly on a role and this article provides a closer look at the strategy and the people behind it.
When I was born, the Women's Marathon was not an Olympic sport
“Once women started running, more women realized they could run. Then they got better, ran faster, and went farther.” - Jenna Vandenberg discusses Maggie Mertens’ book Better, Faster, Farther and how female role models aspired more and more women to find their role in running. The book has been added to my summer reading list!
The New Calculus of Summer Workouts
“People hoping to enjoy the outdoors will have to choose between chasing the perks of nature and minimizing exposure to new environmental extremes.” - I guess I will need to get up early in the morning to avoid the heat this summer.
If you missed last week’s edition, you can read it here:
Now, go running!
— Nico
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Thanks for the shout out! Just the inspiration I needed to get off my phone and go running :)
Is it the same with bike-rotation? Sounds quite expensive....