Good morning, I’ve been thinking about the “Goldilocks principle” lately. You know, how the correct amount of something is great for you, but too little or too much does nothing, or even ends up hurting you. Like how ten minutes in the sun can be rejuvenating. Ten hours, however, can leave you burned. Everything in life has a correct dosage. But that dosage is not the same for every individual, nor is it constant. The training load that can leave you injured when you’re just starting out, can be a recovery week a bit further down the line. But usefulness is not just about what we can handle. I ..read more

Hey there, I hope your running is going well. This edition of the newsletter features a brand new section. I’m excited to share it with you. Last week, I asked you to share your best tips for when you can’t run. Thanks to everyone who contributed! I will feature a selection of your responses. Next week. This week, I’ve got a very special story to share for the inaugural edition of the section I’ve dubbed “Runners’ Replies”. Oh, and since you all asked nicely: Memes are back. Enjoy! Runners’ Replies In this week’s Runners’ Replies, I’m sharing a deeply personal story. It comes from Debra M, who ..read more

Hello again, Inspired by one of our readers, Sarah, I want to open this edition of the newsletter by trying something new: Asking you a question. What do you do when you can’t run? It’s as simple as that. When you, for one reason or another, can’t run, what do you do? How do you cope? Do you eat chocolate, snacks and wallow in self pity, like someone I’m very, very familiar with? Or do you have a more constructive way of handling it? Let me know by emailing me at lc@run161.com. Your answer may get featured in a future edition of the newsletter. Alright, let’s get to it. How exercise improves ..read more

Hey, How’s it going? I hope your training is going well.This week, I’m going to use the intro to share some stats from the newsletter survey I ran over the last couple of weeks. Before getting to that, however, thanks to all of you who took the time to share your thoughts. From everyone who responded, not a single one rated the newsletter lower than a three out of five. I take that as high praise! 12% rated it a 3 and 48% rated it a 4. Which means that as much as 40% rated the newsletter 5 out of 5. Wow! That’s high praise. When it comes to what you like, you’re all here for the links. 96% of ..read more

Hey! I have two things I want to share with you today. I’ll make it quick. Number 1: Fast marathon shoes There’s been a couple of fast marathons lately. World record fast. In Berlin and in Chicago. Pundits and armchair experts alike are all up and about when it comes to super shoes. Again. I’m sure you’ve heard someone mention running shoes lately. If you want some cold, hard facts about the shoe debate, this one’s for you. I’ve gone through all the recent races – including the World Championships marathon – and examined what the top runners have been wearing. As per my spreadsheet obsession ..read more

Hey ? I’m gearing up to race again. Finally! This is the 84th edition of the newsletter, and it feels like I’ve barely raced since it started. I had high hopes for this spring. But, after coming down with some illness at the worst possible time, as far as racing went, that didn’t happen. But fall road racing season is here, and I’m pumped! My first race is coming up on Sunday. It’s a half marathon. I think I’m in good shape, and I hope to improve on my personal best of 1:17:15. But, the proof is in the pudding, as they say. I’ll certainly have a race report ready for you by the time next ..read more

Good morning, It’s the weekend, and I hope you’re in the mood for some light entertainment. Us runners are a superstitious bunch. We indulge in monotonous routine, and rely on rituals that border the insane. And, yes, sometimes we even have to appeal to a higher power. But prayer is not easy. What do we say when we need a little help from the guy upstairs, a little push from the ultimate endurance monster? Well, worry no longer. I present to you, the Running Lord’s Prayer: Our Pacer who art in rhythm, Hallowed be thy stride. Thy marathon come, Thy will be done, On trails as it is on the track ..read more

While most of us stomp around, doing our best to gain some forward momentum, some runners appear to glide forward. You’d be forgiven for questioning whether their feet actually touch the ground, or provide propulsion by some sort of sorcery. What is it that separates the stompers from the gliders? Is there a magic number that encapsulates the difference? And are there ways we can work on improving this number, and become faster, more efficient runners? Some runners seem to barely touch the ground while running.Defining Ground Contact Time When we’re running, our feet touch the ground. Groundbr ..read more

Hello ? Did you miss me? I know I’m hard to resist. OK, maybe the entire first stanza of Robbie Williams’ Handsome Man doesn’t apply to my post-summer vacation comeback. But that first line sure hits home. (To this day, 21 years after the song came out, my brain cannot hear or read the words “hello did you miss me” without autocompleting with that following sentence. I have to wonder if I banged my head that year or something.) Anyways, how are you doing? I hope you’re well. I took the summer off from sending these newsletters. Because let me tell you something about being a parent to small ch ..read more

It’s time for the big showdown. How does the incumbent stack up against its would-be heir? I’ve taken these two pairs of shoes to the track for an informal head to head comparison. In this article, I pitch my current favourite race day shoe against its successor. It’s Nike Vaporfly Next% 2 vs Nike Vaporfly 3. All gear is reviewed independently. When you purchase something through links in this article, Run161 may earn a commission. Learn more › In my previous shoe test, I pitched the Next% 2 up against the Asics Metaspeed Sky+. The former came away with a clear win. Although, I will say I’ve ..read more