Table of contents for Issue 5 2021 in Runner's World

SARA HALL The Reinvention, p.36 I had some friends and coaches who drove home the importance of healthy eating habits and not depriving yourself for short-term gains that can come from unhealthy weight loss. It was a temptation at a young age, when I saw people beating me by doing that. But I’m thankful now that I didn’t go there, and as a result, I can still be enjoying my career—the most I ever have—at age 38. PLUS: When a run gets tough, I sometimes count down in my head to take my mind off the pain, or I tell myself, “The well is deep. Even if I’m hurting, I can keep going to the well.” And I focus on my form cues to keep my body moving strong. PJ…

IT WAS HOUR 36 of our 37-hour-and-25-minute run from Santa Monica, California, to the Welcome to Las Vegas sign. I was participating in The Speed Project’s relay event, and my team had 309 grueling miles behind us and approximately 11 to go. I felt physically and mentally beat up, and I wasn’t sure what more I had left to give. I managed to sleep a total of 75 minutes, sliced up into a few quick naps, and according to my gadgets, my recovery was deeply in the red at 6 percent. How could I possibly keep charging forward? In moments like this, you have to dig deep. And while The Speed Project and a marathon are very different experiences in theory, the required discipline, mental strength, and physical readiness are…

NEED SOME MARATHON motivation? Look no further than the 2020 London Marathon’s down-to-the-wire finishes: American Sara Hall—who’d moved up from ninth place at the halfway mark to third at the 40K mark—surged past world champion Ruth Chepngetich in the last 150 meters to claim second place and a personal-best 2:22:01. She described her mind-set as “hunt mode,” saying, “I kind of just, in faith, started throwing myself forward and willing everything in my body forward.” (Read more about Hall’s epic kick at London on page 36.) On the men’s side, Shura Kitata of Ethiopia sprinted down the line to finish in 2:05:41, just one second ahead of Vincent Kipchumba (with third-place Sisay Lemma coming in at 2:05:45). Of course, Kitata and Hall first put themselves in a good position by…

PRICE: $115 WEIGHT: 7.4 oz (m), 6.2 oz (w) drop: 5 mm When the Rincon made its debut, runners raved about its low weight and versatility. “Literally can’t say a bad thing about this shoe,” gushed a tester. On its third iteration, the Rincon continues to impress. The 3 is even lighter while still maintaining that thick midsole Hoka is known for. Its cushioning strikes a balance between comfortably soft and supportively firm. It’s the speed-training counterpart to Hoka’s daily workhorse, the Clifton (the Rincon is almost 2 ounces lighter than the Clifton), making it ideal for tempo runs and track sessions. “It has a great ground contact that doesn’t feel too soft or mushy compared to my other highly cushioned shoes,” said a tester. “I ended my long runs…

PRICE: $200 WEIGHT: 7.5 oz (m), 6.3 oz (w) DROP: 8 mm → The Endorphin Pro 2 has undergone subtle changes, so runners smitten with the OG can exhale a sigh of relief. This second iteration of Saucony’s carbon-fiber-plated racer continues to offer what its competitors fall short on. For example: The thin, cloth-like, single-layered engineered-mesh upper envelopes the foot without any unnecessary pressure. It doesn’t overheat like Nike’s Vaporweave when you’re six miles into a marathon. And it has a more secure ankle fit than Brooks’s unisex Hyperion Elite, which women found to have a loose collar and heel—a common problem for women running in unisex shoes. The first Pro lacked stability, especially in the heel; turning sometimes led to an ankle roll and a bunched-up, off-center tongue. The…

PRICE: $160 WEIGHT: 8.5 oz (m), 6.9 oz (w) DROP: 5 mm Trail shoes are usually decked out with all the beefy features needed to take on any scourge that blocks your way: a rock plate to shield your soles from getting jabbed, aggressive lugs to bite into loose ground, and gaiter attachments to keep the elements out where they belong. By eliminating these features that tend to weigh down a shoe, Hoka launched this lightweight, no-fuss trainer meant for speed and agility. Its 4mm lugs are grippy on uneven surfaces but unobtrusive over stretches of pavement you may hit on the way to a trailhead or when linking up sections of trail. Dare we call this shoe a hybrid? “On some of the downhill slopes, I was impressed with…

WITH SO MANY CHOICES, finding the right sports bra can be a stressful experience. Even crazier, there’s no definitive terminology among brands to describe support. “There is no industry standard that exists anywhere in the world for what a low-, medium-, or high-impact bra is,” says Julianne Ruckman, senior project line manager for run bras and women’s apparel at Brooks Running. Our sport is high-intensity, high-impact, so it’s important to find the right support. As you run, your breasts move in a 3D, in-and-out, figure-eight shape. “When we think about how we’re trying to control those motions, we’re trying to control it from the bottom up, the top down the side wing, and then we’re also trying to hold it back,” says Ruckman. “There are three different vortexes of that…

COLIN Mc SHERRY SENIOR ART DIRECTOR GO, MAN, GO!!—PAT McSHERRY, MY DAD PRODUCTS I’M USING RIGHT NOW 1 / Skechers GOrun Razor Excess $140 Lightweight, wide toebox, and good heel retention—all the things I look for in a shoe. 2 / Ciele Athletics GOCap Standard CMYK Edition $35 I’m a magazine designer—was there really any choice but the CMYK color edition?! 3 / Apple AirPod Pros $249 I don’t always run to music, but when I do, the transparency mode is a must compared to noise cancellation. SUPERIOR POSTRUN SIPS An ice-cold can of Coke. My Advice for Newbies Just start. It’ll feel hard, but the more you do it, the better you’ll feel. And if you need to switch your routine up, try trail running. Your pace will slow…

IF YOU’VE EVER followed a race training plan, you know it’s not just about running; it’s about running strategically. That’s why nearly every training plan includes easy runs, long runs, speedwork on the track, tempo runs on the road, recovery runs—it’s enough running to fill at least five or six days a week, and it can eventually do a number on your body. The reason training plans call for so much running is the rule of specificity: “Whatever you want to get good at, you have to do that type of activity to a high degree,” explains Ian Klein, a specialist in exercise physiology, cross-training, and injury prevention at Ohio University. Translation: To be a better runner, you have to run more. Each specific running workout has a purpose—from developing…

While figuring out exactly how to develop a strong finishing kick is complex, one important step is to understand—and believe—that you do have reserves that will be accessible only at the end of the race, no matter how the rest of the race has gone. Research out of Sogn og Fjordane University College in Norway suggests it’s both mental and physical, and even pros like Lelisa Desisa, a two-time Boston Marathon winner, agree. ¶ “It is not easy to develop a strong kick,” he says. “You can train to improve your speed, but the final kick doesn’t always come from speed training. It comes from inside of you based on who you are and how aggressive you are as an athlete.” Runners can apply themselves to the task in speed…

WHEN MEGGIE SMITH, 35, lapped her Garmin watch at mile two of June’s New York Mini 10K in Manhattan, she was shocked: She’d just run faster than she had in a mile time trial the previous winter, and it felt effortless. She hadn’t started too fast (Central Park’s hills make that difficult); by the time she crossed the finish line, she had negative-split the course and taken more than five minutes off her best 10K time from the previous fall. “I was shocked at how good I felt throughout the race, and how hard I was able to push myself,” she says. Usually, a big performance leap like this comes from diligent, strategic speedwork. But intervals aren’t what Smith credits for dropping her 10K race pace by more than 45…

Road racing has returned this fall, after an 18-month hiatus, and that means it’s time to lace up the fastest new shoes to test your fitness. But whether you’re racing or just enjoying your daily mileage, there are fantastic new models that leverage the latest bouncy foams and irritation-free uppers to ensure you get the most from every run. To find this season’s best shoes, our test team and more than 250 wear-testers piled miles on 78 different models, with each tester logging more than 100 miles in their test pair. We examined how each shoe performed on the road or trail and evaluated key qualities like cushioning, flexibility, stability, and overall ride. After all that, these 20 pairs came out on top. FAST P.60 SOFT P.68 TRAIL…

PRICE: $130 WEIGHT: 8.5 oz (m), 8.0 oz (w) DROP: 8 mm → The sleek Flow Velociti SE (sports edition) is a long-run shoe disguised as a racing flat. It offers a minimal underfoot experience for runners who prefer a firm ride, even when they venture into double-digit territory. While some runners may want more cushioning, our most efficient testers found it adequate to take the harshness from the pavement. “The foam and rubber combination held up on this shoe, even though it has a lightweight construction,” said one tester. “I tend to heel strike, and this shoe gave me confidence on my longer training runs.” Other heel-strikers found the shoe surprisingly forgiving on hard efforts, though midfoot-striking testers wished the forefoot was more supportive. Because of the midsole’s durability…

PRICE: $120 WEIGHT: 9.6 oz (m), 7.7 oz (w) DROP: 9 mm Sustainability is a key story for most brands in 2021, but Reebok was leading the charge back in 2019. It’s also working to make sure you don’t miss its eco-friendly efforts by naming shoes like the Grow, whereas some brands are simply switching to more sustainable materials without touting their efforts. Whatever way it’s marketed, the important thing is that these brands are making good on their promises. And Reebok certainly is. It aims to eliminate all virgin polyester by 2024. It has us dreaming of a day when we’ll be able to plant the remains of a retired Reebok midsole during spring training and check back during peak fall marathon season for a bountiful Floatride harvest. Back…

PRICE: $190 WEIGHT: 10.6 oz (m), 9.6 oz (w) DROP: 6 mm OG Taylor Swift fans will recall the early 2000s when her sound was exclusively country. Her more recent poppy tracks like “Look What You Made Me Do” share few similarities with her debut album’s folksy “Teardrops on My Guitar.” What’s this got to do with shoes? Inov-8, a brand known for its more minimalist shoes, dropped a cushier option called Max, making us wonder if it was pulling a Swift. Was the company shifting in a more maximalist direction? The taller stack height, drop, and more cushioned TrailFly might look like it, but not really. With the use of some new tech, Inov-8 has managed to keep its signature flexibility and ground feel while adding more cushioning and…

PRICE: $140 WEIGHT: 10.1 oz (m), 7.8 oz (w) DROP: 6 mm Traditionally, Salomon’s speedy kicks earn their reputation for being fast, for sure, but also are quite firm, aggressive, and narrow—better suited for elites than midpack runners. The Ultra Glide is Salomon’s most cushioned and most accessible trail shoe. The first time I wore the shoe was on day 5 of a 327-mile FKT run in April. After over 250 miles, the hills, rocks, and hours piled up, and I was craving more protection for the final stretch. The upper provided enough protection for my tired feet when I inevitably kicked rocks and roots, while the rocker design and extra cushion underfoot took the sting out of pavement and extra-rocky sections, enough for me to keep the shoe on…

RUNNER’S WORLD+MEMBER HANI KIWAN, 52 DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES KEEP GOING. PROVE YOU CAN DO IT Hardest Run of My Life The virtual Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, which I ran before the 2020 Istanbul Half. I started too fast, and by midrace, I was fully drained. I PR’d, but it was painful. I learned a big lesson and fixed it in Istanbul, which was amazing—another PR. My advice: Start slow. And know your limits. PATIENCE OR PUSH? 80 percent patience, 20 percent push. Running takes time. Believe in the process and you’ll see massive improvement. GREATEST RUN OF MY LIFE The Istanbul Half Marathon last April. I was in control all the way and did exactly what I’d planned to do. Negative split, PR. I trained well, started slow,…

Like most home fitness equipment, ellipticals range from basic models to gym-quality machines. As with treadmills, to some extent you get what you pay for. Although you can get a good workout from lower-priced models with fewer settings, having more options will keep your workout interesting and challenging. The top machines offer a broad range of adjustable resistance—often with 20+ levels. They also include more adjustability, including auto-controlled incline height and stride length. Although some models cost as little as $200, they tend to break down more quickly. A higher-quality elliptical will provide a quieter, smoother ride. Just be sure to consider your space and budget when shopping. Also make sure to check out the warranty before buying—mechanical issues can strike even the higher-end models.—Caitlin Giddings…

1 YOU’RE ALWAYS TIRED There isn’t enough iron for your red blood cells to transport oxygen or carry away carbon dioxide, so fresh oxygen is delivered and waste is removed more slowly, resulting in a feeling of fatigue, according to Nathan Myers, M.S., R.D. 2 YOUR SKIN IS PALER THAN NORMAL Iron gives hemoglobin its red color, which in turn gives color to the skin. As the red color decreases due to lack of iron, the skin appears more pale. 3 YOUR EXTREMITIES ARE COLD If you don’t get enough iron, your body experiences reduced oxygenation of your blood. As a result, it pulls blood away from your extremities and instead sends it to more essential organs. Less bloodflow to your fingers and toes means they’ll feel colder. 4 YOUR…

IT’S ENTIRELY TOO easy for people to criticize their own performance, and harder to be kind to themselves when they don’t have the race or run they’d hoped for. As the saying goes, we’re our own worst critics. Even when we do well, we sometimes tell ourselves it wasn’t the training plan that we dedicated months of our lives to following; it was luck. As runners—and humans—it can be hard to believe we’re deserving of success. And when we have that “off” run, we often default, unfortunately, to beating ourselves up over the fact that we could have worked harder. Over time, being too harsh on yourself can lead to lack of motivation, burnout, and even feeling resentful toward other runners. Here are three tips to help you become more…

PRICE: $180 WEIGHT: 8.7 oz (m), 7.3 oz (w) DROP: 8 mm Plates are nothing new for Mizuno, which has been using Wave technology for years. But the brand made a big shift in the material it chose to use in its newest uptempo trainer—fiberglass. This light and firm introduction has a bio-based wave plate made from castor beans and nylon, reinforced with glass fibers. That makes it stronger and snappier than the Pebax plates used in other Wave models, and more than 10 times more responsive according to Mizuno. The increased responsiveness comes from both the new materials and the shape of the plate itself. The plate runs nearly the full length of the shoe, extending all the way to the forefoot, where it splits into two pieces, like…

TREVOR CONDE, 32, tester since 2017 ARCH: Medium GAIT: Neutral FOOT STRIKE: Midfoot TYPICAL WEEKLY MILEAGE: 80 OTHER SHOES TREVOR LIKES: Saucony Endorphin Pro 2, New Balance FuelCell Rebel Trevor won the 2019 RW Half for a fourth time, clocking 1:08:28, in the first iteration of the Next%. So he was the ideal tester to wring everything out of this update. “I wore the Next% 2 for workouts like tempo runs and 800-meter repeats at VO2 max. I also raced a 5K (15:09 rust-buster after 18 months of not racing). These continue to feel like the best racing shoes I’ve ever worn. I have always struggled to find comfort on race day because spikes and racing flats have come with a significant sacrifice—I always knew I’d be in a world…

PRICE: $140 WEIGHT: 10.5 oz (m), 8.6 oz (w) DROP: 9 mm In an attempt to sink its claws back into running, Puma has been reworking its image, launching more streamlined, race-ready trainers, like the Deviate Nitro. But not everybody wants a carbon-fiber plate in their shoe. Enter the Magnify, which proves the brand is making solid performance shoes for all runners—not just the PR-minded ones. Pegged as an everyday trainer, the Magnify has a two-layer midsole that amps up cushioning and rebound, thanks to a nitrogen-infused foam layer positioned above a slab of EVA-based Profoam Lite. Unlike the Puma’s bulky yet bouncy Hybrid foam, this midsole combo provides a soft, supportive ride without the heft. Testers couldn’t resist adding on a few more miles, favoring the Magnify’s soft feel.…

PRICE: $160 WEIGHT: 10.8 oz (m), 9.3 oz (w) DROP: 0 mm You could reserve Altra’s cushiest trainer for easy runs and recovery days. Or use the Paradigm 6 as an everyday shoe like Altra-sponsored athlete Kara Goucher, who says she wears it for 70 percent of her workouts. The 6 features Altra’s Ego Max midsole, which provides more energy return from the thick slab of firm cushioning. You can partially thank Goucher for the increased rebound. In testing prototypes, Goucher gave insight into stability shoes that typically don’t feel as snappy, asking for a couple of tweaks including “just a little more responsiveness off the bottom of the foot.” With these minor changes and the new Ego Max midsole, this Paradigm isn’t for slogging. “Though I first thought the…

PRICE: $170 WEIGHT: 9.3 oz (m), 7.5 oz (w) DROP: 6 mm VJ has been around since the 1980s, but just arrived in the States in 2019. Before then, it mainly served the demand of Finnish trail runners and orienteers. With ample forests, marshland, and technical trails, Finland offers plenty of opportunities for VJ to build some of the grippiest shoes. While VJ models like the Maxx and the XTRM are specifically built for obstacle course racing and trail running, the Ultra is the first shoe from the brand that is specifically designed for mega-distance. It adds considerably more cushioning underfoot for spending hours to days on the trail. The best part of VJ shoes is still the outsole, and the Ultra lives up to the brand’s hashtag #Best-GripOnThePlanet. The…

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