Hey 👋
Let me start by apologising for that pun in the title here. It’s just what I do. Next, don’t be alarmed that the newsletter looks a little bit different this week. As the number of subscribers continues to grow, I’m taking steps to ensure that as many of you as possible actually receive my weekly emails.
In this case, that means a new email service provider. And slightly different templates to work with. But rest assured, the content and the overall format will remain the same.
Last week, like the one before, I mentioned that I hoped to be racing this past weekend. I didn’t get out there this weekend either. A few hours later I came down with a cold. Nothing serious, but it was enough that I had no chance of performing in a race setting. So no race last weekend either!
The lesson here is to shoot your shot. Don’t wait for the stars to align before lining up for a race. It doesn’t matter if you believe you can set a new PB, compete in your age group, or that with just a few more weeks of training you’ll run that much faster.
If you’re feeling OK, and there’s an opportunity to race, get out there and test yourself! Every race is an opportunity to learn something new. Don’t waste those opportunities. As soon as I’m healthy again, I’ll do my best to do some learning myself.
Enough jibber jabber, it’s time to move on to the juicy stuff.
⛽️ There’s Lots Of Fueling Options Out There. Here’s What You Should Know
“Before diving into the different food options it’s important to have a basic understanding of the components that should be included in any fueling plan. Think of it as a delicate dance between three important pillars: fluid balance, electrolyte balance (particularly sodium), and calorie/carbohydrate intake.”
If you’re doing marathons or even longer races, fueling is essential. Before, during, and after. But it’s a jungle out there. What do you need, and when? This guide from Trailrunner tells you what you need to know to make smart fueling decisions.
>> Learn about how to fuel your runs
🚀 Roberta Groner Sets New 45-49 Age Group American Record in the Half Marathon
“The 45-year-old mother of three is a full-time nurse, and a coach for the competitive Tracksmith-sponsored Central Park Track Club in New York City, making her 95-110-mile weeks and record-breaking running successes all the more impressive.”
Whenever someone asks me who my heroes in running are, I answer Eliud Kipchoge and regular people that manage to do awesome things. Okay, nobody ever asks me that. But if someone did, that would totally be my answer.
And by regular people I mean people who work a 9 to 5, perhaps raise a couple of hoodlums and/or run a side hustle or whatever as well. As for awesome things, that would be still getting out the door for a couple of runs every week, despite doing these things. And working full time while raising kids, Roberto Groner definitely qualifies.
But she’s not just getting out the door a few times per week like the rest of us. She’s running 100 mile weeks and running half marathons in 71 minutes. It’s truly inspiring to see what some people can achieve through grit, determination, and a healthy dose of talent to boot!
PS: Check out what she had to say about the race herself on her Instagram profile.
>> Details about Groner’s record
🌲 Lynn Bjorklund’s Legend Forged By Thousands of Miles of Running and Countless Hours of Escape
“After school, the young girl of 12 would throw down her books, put on a pair of sneakers, and jog over to the nearby trailhead of the Jemez Mountains — the breathtaking wilderness backdrop above and to the west of her community of Los Alamos, New Mexico — and start running.”
If you’re in the mood for something a bit deeper today–or later–I’ve got a treat for you. This piece by Marc Bloom tells the story of a girl who used running as a way to escape a troubled youth filled with bullying and discomfort. A girl that struggled to reconcile immense talent with all that brought with her simple reason for doing it: She just liked to run.
>> Read about the girl who ran for hours every day
😂 Just for Laughs
Spring marathon season is underway. Remember that the marathon is a race of two halves, and the second half doesn’t start until you’ve got 10 kilometres to go. Be sensible, lest you find yourself on a bench long before reaching the finish line!
I’m going to call it a day here. Hopefully you found something you enjoyed there. Remember that I’m always interested in hearing what you think. So don’t hesitate to reply to this email and share your thoughts.
Until next week,
Lars-Christian
Did you enjoy this edition of the newsletter?
Let me know by sending me an email at lc@run161.com.