Run Culture S24 Vol 13

After a week of recharging the batteries in Brunswick Heads and Adelaide with the fam, I’m back and ready to jump back into all things running. Sometimes a little break can do wonders, not just for the legs but for the mind too. While I was off exploring, Marathon Season has been heating up around the world, and with seasons changing, you know what that means—new gear drops! Bandit is already setting the tone with their latest Fall Collection, and there's so much more to dive into.

This week, we're covering Asics' trail version of the Metaspeed Paris—the Metafuji Trail, a review of Shyu socks that perfectly match your race day kicks, a spotlight on Citius Mag, how your running economy can change based on shoe choice, and some clubhouse updates. So let’s get into it!

The Shop Front

Asics Metafuji Trail

I might be the furthest thing from a trail runner, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the crazy feats that trail runners pull off. And let’s be real, trail running videos are just more fun to watch, right? Asics absolutely killed it with the Metaspeed Paris range for road racing, and now they’ve taken that tech to the trails with the Metafuji Trail.

We’re talking a full-length carbon plate and a stack height of 45-50mm—wild stuff, right? While I can’t see myself taking these on super technical trails, that combo of FF Blast Turbo and carbon is something serious. If you’re a road runner thinking about dipping your toes into trail running, this might just be the shoe that bridges that gap.

Shyu Socks

This review is another collaboration with the Straight At It crew, and this time, we’re talking Shyu socks. Let me just say, socks are the unsung heroes of a runner’s wardrobe. Bad socks can ruin your day, while good ones—you hardly even notice them.

I got my hands on a pair of Shyu socks that match my Blueprint Nike Alphafly 3s. Now, I’m usually not one for matching gear, but these socks made me rethink that stance. They’re on the slightly thicker side—not thick like cotton socks, but definitely not as thin as some of the race socks I’m used to. What stood out was the compression; my feet felt locked in with zero movement, even on a 28km Sunday Long Run with 22km at marathon pace. Usually, that’s when I start to feel some shifting and rubbing, but not with these bad boys.

If you’re into matching your race day kit or just want a solid, reliable pair of socks, I 100% recommend these. They’re definitely going on my feet for the Sydney Marathon in three weeks. For those who prefer a thinner sock, check out Tracksmith’s Speed Sock or Oat Running’s offerings. And for daily runs or casual wear, the Tracksmith Merino Tube sock is still my go-to.

The Cafe

Citius Mag

The Olympics might be over, but Track and Field isn’t going into hibernation for the next four years. There’s plenty happening all year round, and to keep up, I rely on two sources: Straight At It for Aussie coverage and Citius Mag for everything else.

Citius Mag is where you go for in-depth athlete interviews, post-race breakdowns, meet coverage, and all the juicy details you might miss otherwise. Remember hearing about Tyreek potentially racing Noah Lyles? Citius was all over it. Whether you’re on YouTube, Instagram, or just browsing their site, they’ve got the content to keep you in the loop and ready to drop some knowledge next time someone brings up track and field.

The Gym

Shoes = Better Running Economy

I should probably rename this section the Dan Nash Recap, because I keep coming back to his findings. One of the big topics around here is how much a good pair of race shoes can actually impact your performance, and Dan’s recent experiment puts numbers to that idea.

He tested running economy across three different race day shoes: the Adidas Adios Pro 3, On Cloudboom Echo 3, and Asics Metaspeed Paris Edge. The results? His marathon times could vary by as much as 1.5 minutes depending on the shoe—huge when you’re talking about elite times around 2:11. If you’re new to the idea, running economy is basically how efficiently your body uses oxygen at a given pace, and it’s a game-changer for anyone serious about their race times.

I’d definitely recommend following Dan on X or checking out his podcast, The Physiology of Endurance Running, for more insights like this. Or, of course, you can just stick around here—I’ll keep picking his brain for the good stuff.

It feels great to be back after the week off, and I’m excited to keep this momentum rolling now that the Olympics are in the rearview mirror. There’s some exciting stuff happening behind the scenes that I can’t wait to share with you all—trust me, it’s going to be something different. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, subscribe to this newsletter, and hop into the Discord to say hello! See you next week!