Five Things Running: Issue #81
You know what? Monday is a good day to read about running.
Heya and welcome back to Five Things Running!
So this is probably the only newsletter you’ll read today that won’t have anything about Camille Herron or the Berlin Marathon.
Instead, let’s focus on some other topics that I think merit your attention. For instance let’s have a look at Tara Dower, who is one badass runner and I’m in awe of her achievement. I enjoyed watching the documentary about Karl Meltzer’s FKT attempt Made to be broken and I devoured Scott Jurek’s phantastic book North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail. And now Tara Dower ran so much faster than any man before. So cool.
My own running went smoothly last week, ran five times and managed to get in 54 kilometers, which makes me happy.
Now enjoy Five Things Running! And remember: if you switch to a paid subscription, I can afford more running gear and more races!
How Tara Dower Smashed the Appalachian Trail Speed Record
This is such an amazing achievement. She was 13 hours faster than the previous fastest time, running the Apalachian Trail in just under 41 days. Just think about that. 41 days of running, averaging around 90km a day. That is one huge accomplishment!
How to Train for Long Runs Like David Roche
I’m always impressed when athletes win big races and are not sponsored professionals, but manage to do get in their training despite having a full time job as well. While this is not exactly a step-by-step guide to winning a huge ultra trail race, it is fun to learn how he does it.
Is it overtraining, or just fatigue?
This is a question we all face during our training blocks. And it is hard to figure out if you’re just a bit tired or if you have been doing too much. If you’re overtraining or at the brink of it,
has some ideas for practical interventions.R̶o̶c̶k̶ m̶u̶s̶i̶c̶ Run clubs are dead
The Paradox of the Distance Runner
“Distance runners are particularly tantalizing cultural figures because they do something utterly natural—bipedal motion is a crucial component of human evolution—but they do it in a way that strikes us as superhuman. The successful distance runner is thus a paradox: a person blessed with godlike endurance and a baffling insensitivity to pain, who nonetheless, in a fundamental way, is just like us.”
If you missed last week’s edition, you can read it here:
Now, go running!
— Nico
🏃🏻♂️