Run Culture S24 Vol 16

Marathon Season

Author

Kristopher Humphries
September 17, 2024

Apologies for the late release this week, but after running the Sydney Marathon this weekend, I was genuinely wrecked and needed a few extra days to recover! I'll be sharing a recap on both the race day and the training program I used next week, so keep an eye out for that. This week, we're diving into Satisfy's all-new weather top that looks like it’s straight out of Dune, Soar's collaboration with local specialty store UpThere Athletics, Marathon Colourways, a look at New Road Mile World Record Holder Elliot Giles' YouTube channel, and some thoughts on the Summer Build.

Now, as I write this, I notice a trend in what catches my eye in the apparel and shoe space—many of these brands are on the higher end of the price spectrum. While this might interest some, I understand it could alienate others. So, I'm looking into reviewing some more affordable brands that still create great products. Let me know who I should look into for future reviews!

Lets jump in!

The Shop Front

Now, I get it—another wildly expensive, possibly impractical product from Satisfy. Believe me, I get it, but how do you expect me to put this newsletter together and not throw in this piece that looks like it came straight from the set of Dune? Seriously, who doesn’t want to feel like Stilgar or Paul Atreides, ready to ride a Sand Worm into the sunset while running your parkrun at 6:00 min/km?

All joking aside, this Ghostfleece is made out of Polartec Alpha Direct, which claims to be temperature-regulating and is super popular with thru-hikers. Basically, it's meant to keep you cool on hot days and warm on cold days. Now, I’m always skeptical about claims like this, but it would be very interesting to get my hands on it and try it out. Just probably not the best idea to stop in for a Gatorade at the petrol station mid-run wearing this!

I love when local running shops partner with serious brands. Previously, I reviewed the collab between Pace Athletic and Saucony, and I also loved the look of the new collaboration between On and Distance Running (based in France). This time, UpThere Athletics—probably the largest stockist of independent running brands in Australia, based in Melbourne—collaborated with Soar to create a race singlet.

Anyone that knows me knows that I adore Soar, and UpThere Athletics is where I buy most of my running apparel, so when I saw this collab, I was in love. Due to the price of Soar clothing, I only have one piece—the Marathon shorts—but they are just on another level. If you're looking for a new race kit and want to support an Australian-based running shop, I highly recommend this singlet.

Marathon Colourways

With marathon season well and truly underway, shoe brands are releasing their yearly colorways for all of the majors. I wonder if there will be any Sydney colorways if Sydney gets Major status this year. Here are the current releases:

Which of these colorways is catching your eye? Think we’ll see a Sydney edition soon?

The Cafe

Elliot Giles

There aren’t many genuine professional track and field stars that document their journey on YouTube regularly. Morgan McDonald has some really cool, creative videos, but they're very irregular. Elliot Giles is an exception and has been one of the OG vloggers while literally running at the highest level, competing in the 800m at Paris for his 3rd Olympics.

If you have time, watch back through some of his catalogue this year. He’s gone through a rollercoaster of emotions, and that’s putting it lightly. From initially missing Olympic selection due to a crash with 1500m silver medalist in the trials and Jake Wightman being selected over him while injured, to a last-minute call-up while camping in the mountains, to now being the World Mile Record Holder. Wild 2024!

The Gym

Summer Build

Most training programs online are built around a goal race, but finding information on what to do between races or seasons isn’t as accessible because, to be honest, they aren’t as exciting. While I’m about to jump into another training block to increase my speed now that the marathon is over, it got me thinking about the “Summer Build.”

The “Summer Build” is primarily done over the summer in Northern Hemisphere countries, after the track season and before the Cross Country season. To me, it's a build that can be done anytime, where the goal is to increase mileage with no specific race in mind. I was going to write something up for this, but Harrier Potter from The Coop Discord (Coffee Club) put it into words better than I ever could..

Harrier Potter's Summer Build Musings

Preseason Training (4 - 8+ weeks)
Preseason training takes place immediately following a 2-week break from training and racing. The overall goal is to re-introduce the concept of daily training through easy and relaxed running, building weekly mileage to desired levels, and working on the fundamentals. This phase should be approached with a relaxed and light attitude and without much stress or strain at all. The primary focus should be to get back to daily running, but if the athlete occasionally needs to take a day off for friends and family or leisure, or wants to go and cross-train, then that's what they should do.

Note: Many of the below training components serve as the foundation of distance running training and should be maintained throughout the season.

  1. Daily training runs
    a. Comfortable runs of 20 - 60 minutes over gradual uphills as often as possible and on varying surfaces throughout the week (grass, dirt, pavement, etc.). When running uphill, focus on maintaining good, upright form, popping feet off the ground, and driving the arms back. This helps develop running form and also build leg strength.

  2. Long runs
    a. Weekly long run of 60 - 120 minutes at a comfortable effort over varying terrain and hills if possible. The length of the long run should be appropriate for the athlete. Should be the sole run of the day. The long run does not need to be done every week (particularly when racing or with some athletes that have trouble recovering from long runs) but should be done as often as the athlete can handle.

  3. Recovery days
    a. When necessary, a recovery day of 1 - 2 x 20 - 45 minute easy conversational jogs, cross training sessions, or a day off should be done. The goal for these days is simply to move the legs and get some active recovery in – the effort should be genuinely extremely easy. The athlete should always have at least one recovery day per week.

  4. Optional doubles
    a. If the athlete is doubling, a second run of 20 - 45 minutes at a relaxed, shakeout effort can be done to enhance recovery and loosen the body up. If the athlete is lower volume but still wants to work out twice a day, a lift or easy cross-training session can achieve the same goals.

  5. Strides
    a. Whenever possible, do these barefoot on soft surfaces like grass, turf, or sand, or in the lowest profile shoes you have (like racing flats or lightweight trainers). Generally about 4 - 8 reps of about 100m or roughly 15 seconds in length at anywhere from 3K to 800m race effort with about a minute of recovery in-between.

  6. Optional/unplanned/unstructured workouts
    a. If the mood strikes, the athlete can do a light workout within a run. Something like pushing the hills on a run at a light tempo effort, a negative split run at a light tempo effort, or a short fartlek (tees to greens, mailboxes, other landmarks) can be done. The workout itself should be short and be just enough to satisfy the athlete and not tire them out.
    b. An occasional race can also count as long as it's done at a reasonably light effort without much stock put into performance or placing. This can be a good idea if someone wants to test their fitness before heading into a training block.

This is why I love writing this newsletter and connecting with so many other passionate runners. If I hadn't started this, I would never have been able to connect and compare training methodologies like this without tools like this and Discord. For those just looking to build up their aerobic system and not worry about workouts, this setup is perfect.

That’s another week wrapped up—thanks for your patience with this week's edition! The marathon is done, and man, no matter how much you read about it, there's no way to describe it without experiencing it. It was a combination of one of my favorite and worst days running at the same time, but I'll leave that for next week. Don't forget to subscribe and follow the Instagram for more running culture updates.