Friday Finds – 5th January

Friday Finds is a regular feature in which I collate and share interesting articles and posts on running/health/fitness which I’ve read recently. Some might be inspiring, some might be scientific, some might provoke debate. All are things I’ve found in some way thought-provoking.

It’s the first Friday of 2018. The festivities are drawing to a close and most are getting back into a regular routine. As part of that routine, here’s the first Friday Finds of the year…

One of my favourite stories of the week is about Japanese marathoner Yuki Kawauchi (a name probably familiar to listeners of the Marathon Talk podcast). Kawauchi travelled to the US to run a marathon on New Year’s Day and the race took place in the sort of temperatures that would have had me seriously questioning my decisions! But despite the adverse conditions, Kawauchi went on to win the race, along the way claiming the World Record for the most career sub-2:20 marathons. Amazing!

• No Excuses: 1-Degree Temps (-13C) Don’t Prevent Japan’s Yuki Kawauchi From Breaking World Record For Most Sub-2:20 Marathons

Just in case you were wondering what it would be like to run in super-cold temperatures, Canadian Running Magazine included this piece in which elite runner Matt Setlack shares his experiences of running in -30C. Yes, -30C!!! I would DEFINITLEY be on the treadmill if I had a run scheduled in that sort of weather!

• What it Feels Like to Run in -30C

On a different topic, I really liked this post by Sarah Crouch for Motiv Running. The elite US athlete writes with great honesty about the nature of race photos, and what she says really rings true. If you’ve ever cringed at the photos taken of you during a race (and who hasn’t?) then you should really have a read of this:

• Ugly is the New Pretty

I wouldn’t expect to be including a post form Bloomberg in my Friday Finds, but this one is an interesting read on the development of running brand Brooks. I’m not sure how I feel about some of their definitions of a runner, but charting the history of the company and how things have changed in the market over the years is just the kind of thing I like to find out about. I don’t currently wear Brooks but have done in the past so their shoes are usually on my radar.

• Why Brooks Needs Runners Who Hate To Run

And finally, if you’re getting your 2018 fitness regime underway and considering training with your significant other, perhaps you should heed the cautionary tales in this piece from The Guardian and look elsewhere for a training partner. You have been warned…!

• Why Couples Should Never Go Running Together

Happy reading,
The Running Princess