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 inflammation
“For years, researchers and health practitioners have known that regular, moderate exercise has a positive impact on your body’s response to inflammation, but exactly why it has that effect has remained a mystery. A new study out of York University has helped to shed light on this poorly understood phenomenon”
From the department of scientific studies, here’s an interesting article from Canadian Running looking at a study that investigated the mechanics of how exercise improves inflammation. In truth, it’s worth reading just for a primer on what inflammation actually is and does.
I failed my first ultramarathon, and I have never been so happy
“I start googling, and come across the Nike Run Club 18 week marathon training program. Being in Las Vegas, I search for marathons that are roughly 18 weeks away. Low and behold, Los Angeles Marathon is exactly 18.5 weeks away from that day. Having zero running experience, I sign up, and a few days later do my first run of the 18 week plan.”
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a big fan of race reports. And I knew immediately upon reading this one that I had to share it with you. It’s about seeing the forest for the trees, and not letting failure define you. It feels awfully familiar.
The Science of Trail Running Biomechanics
“The trail is not as predictable as the road, so there are obstacles in efficiency; by creating a more substantial base through running economy and resilience through unbreakable form, an athlete can improve endurance and avoid injuries”
From Trail Running comes this article on… trail running. Talk about staying on brand. Regardless, it’s an interesting read about the characteristics of biomechanics while running on the trail. And, perhaps even more interestingly, how you can use this knowledge to improve your form and become a more robust trail runner.
That’s all for this week’s newsletter. I hope you’ll take a moment and let me know what you thought of it by clicking on the links below.
PS! I got some calls for bringing back the weekly running memes last week. What do you think, should we bring them back? You can share your opinion after clicking one of the links above, or by replying to this email.