Rampage, 4:57 pace and strength in your PJs

HI all,
Last week I was sucked in to the coverage of the Red Bull Rampage and I have watched the winning run six times today. And when I talk about the winning run, I am talking about the women's winning run, since for the first time ever, after 17 editions, women were included in this invitational event. If you aren't familiar with this event, please never get any more familiar than just watching as this is nutso mountain biking with drops, flips and scary features people shouldn't even be walking on. To make the course, riders are shown the start and finish and with a team of trail builders they sculpt a line to ride for the competition that showcases their abilities. So cool, it takes a village and some serious nerve. 

I know freeriding bikes in the desert has absolutely nothing to do with running, but for people who care about sports, it feels important to remember that women are still earning their place in competitions and just because t-shirts that say, "Everyone Watches Women's Sports" are trending, doesn't always mean there are always women's sports to watch. That said, you should definitely watch the winning men's run too, then pick your chin up off the ground and get back to running (and supporting women's sports).

A NEW MARATHON WORLD RECORD
Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya ran a 2:09:56 marathon in Chicago last weekend smashing the world record by nearly two minutes. If you want me to do the math for you, that is 4:57 pace. In what was truly a breakthrough performance, FloTrack reported, "Chepngetich's first half marathon was a 1:04:16. Her personal best is 1:04:02. 1:04:16 would rank as the fifth-fastest half marathon of all time. The time is also the fastest half marathon ever run on American Soil." My brain just exploded. 

JOIN ME
Wednesday night Strength Training for Runners is on, live and you should join us! You don't need to leave your house, you can do it in your PJs, hope to see you there. Info here. 

2 YEARS GETTING COMFORTABLE ON TRAILS
Here is a great 20 min video (a good amount of time to do mobility or some mini band work) about Heather Jackson's race at CCC this year. Remarkable for me was her ability to turn around negative thoughts about poor performance on descents and how long it took for her to feel like she was hitting her stride in trail races, moving from triathlon. 

GETTNG NERDY ABOUT SOLES
I take it for granted when I run that my shoes are just going to work. I assume the soles will be appropriate and the mid parts will be as cushy as I need and the top parts won't fall apart. I for sure don't look at who makes it, what it is made of and trends in that area. BUT, other people are thinking about this! If you want a deep dive into the soles of your shoes and specifically Vibram soles, look here. "Part of the answer is trust. Vibram isn’t just rubber. It’s a promise. A promise that when you’re barreling down a mountain, the ground beneath you won’t betray your footing. It’s a promise that on rain-slicked rocks or loose scree, your shoes will grip where they need to."

Happy trails,

Dana