OUR TEST ZONE LAB RESULTS: BEST ANTI-CHAFING APPAREL P.88 HOW TO BE FAST AT THE FINISH P.

30
BEST NEW SHOES FOR TRAINING, RACING & GETTING STARTED P.59 WORKOUTS DRAGGING? HERE’S THE FIX P.26
Shop online at Tracksmith.com
 VOL . 56 NO.5

FE AT U R E S
HELPFUL TIPS,
E X P E R T A DV I C E ,
S M A R T TA K E S ,
& PROFOUND
( I F S L I G H T LY

36 44 50
OV E R - O B S E S S I V E )
RUNNING WISDOM

P.4 Road-tested advice from THE REINVENTION OF SUPERCHARGE YOUR THE SURVIVOR
RYAN AND SARA HALL SPEED WITH SUPERSETS Karen Sparks lost her children
runners in this issue. // P.10
Amid bodybuilding, record-chasing, You’ll run faster, run longer, to a devastating act of violence.
Colin McSherry’s trail-running and raising four kids, running’s and save hours at the gym Now, they’re the reason she
shake-up. // P.12 Why Cat power couple is as grounded as ever. with these workouts. keeps running.
BY R ACHEL LE VIN B Y A S H L E Y M AT E O BY SAR AH HEPOL A
Bowen splurges on shoes. //
P.14 How Hani Kiwan started
running in his 40s. // P.16

THE
Aimee Ortiz-Tolley might be 64 Mizuno Wave Rebellion: ideal 74 Newton Gravity+: sustainable,
slower these days, but she’s for short races on hilly terrain. but with the brand’s usual
learning curve.
never been happier. // P.18 65 Saucony Endorphin Pro 2: for

20
better and worse, these just 75 Reebok Floatride Energy
Jeff Dengate celebrates the Grow: industry-leading
want to go fast.
return of marathon season. eco-friendliness means a few
66 Under Armour Flow Velociti

BEST
performance compromises.
// P.20 Ashley Mateo asks: SE: a great-fitting long-run shoe
with a racer look. 77 Craft CTM Ultra Carbon:
Can you replace some
save these off-road animals
running with an elliptical? // 67 Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2:
for race day.

NEW
the world’s fastest shoe is more
P.24 Coach Jess on finding comfortable and more durable. 78 Skechers GOrun Razor TRL:
the brand modifies one of our
your marathon mentality. 69 Brooks Aurora-BL: the look road favorites for the trails.
// P.26 One nutrient to help

SHOES
will polarize but, wow, the
cushioning! 79 Inov-8 TrailFly Ultra G 300
you run farther, with Kelly Max: a delicate balance of
70 Puma Magnify Nitro SP: a natural feel and more cushion.
Pritchett. // P.30 How to kick
“soft, supportive ride without
80 VJ Ultra: the Finnish brand’s
strong, by Cindy Kuzma. // the heft.”
venture into mega-distance
P.34 Build self-compassion, 61 Asics Magic Speed: compete
71 Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38: has revelatory grip, but mixed
with Coach PJ. // P.85 What not fit for races, but it supports performance results.
with the elites at a lower cost.
your daily mileage.
to Wear: sports bras. // P.88 81 Hoka One One Zinal: a
62 Hoka One One Rincon 3: 72 Brooks Ghost 14: carbon- lightweight trail shoe that flirts
Tester Notes: low-chafing lighter and more durable than neutral, without any dip in with hybrid status.
fabrics, sweat patches, and its predecessors; New Balance performance or comfort. 82 Salomon Ultra Glide: more
a treadmill challenge. // P.92 FuelCell RC Elite v2: so fast, it’ll 73 Altra Paradigm 6: a stability runners will dig the soft sole and
be hard to run easy. shoe with plenty of bounce. fantastic, accommodating fit.
How an amputation turned
Jo Beckwith into a runner.

ON THE COVER: RUNNER’S WORLD+ COACH JESS MOVOLD PHOTOGRAPHED BY BRYAN BANDUCCI IN NEW YORK CI T Y

RUNNER’S WORLD (ISSN 0897-1706) VOL. 56, NO. 5 IS PUBLISHED BIMONTHLY, 6 TIMES A YEAR, BY HEARST, 300 W. 57 TH ST., NY, NY 10019 USA. STEVEN R. SWARTZ, PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER; WILLIAM R. HEARST III, CHAIRMAN; FRANK A.
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RUNNERSWORLD.COM 3
Inside Knowledge
WE BEGGED SOME OF THIS ISSUE’S COOLEST RUNNERS FOR THEIR BEST ADVICE

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
n ow th a t I didn’ t g o
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.

4 RUNNERSWORLD.COM PHOTOGRAPH BY JESSE RIESER

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ordinary clouds
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Inside Knowledge
WE BEGGED SOME OF THIS ISSUE’S COOLEST RUNNERS FOR THEIR BEST ADVICE

PJ THOMPSON
Your Best Teammate,
p.34

My favorite piece of
running gear is a trucker
hat. My dad is a military
veteran and trucker, so I
wear it for him. That and
Oakley sunglasses to
block those summer rays!
PLUS: One of the most
rewarding things about
running is, whether I’m
traveling abroad, across
the country, or around
my own hometown, I
always feel welcome in
a running group.

6 RUNNERSWORLD.COM PHOTOGRAPH BY PHILIP EDSEL

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Inside Knowledge
WE BEGGED SOME OF THIS ISSUE’S COOLEST RUNNERS FOR THEIR BEST ADVICE

KAREN SPARKS
The Survivor, p.50

In my first 50-mile race,

I learned that I could
actually go that distance
and push myself farther.
That alone was a boost
for me physically, emo -
tionally, mentally, and
spiritually. If I could do
50, I could 62, and if
I could do that, then I
could do 100 miles.
PLUS: After a training
run or a race, I like chips,
a Coke, and pickle juice
to replenish my salt and
sugars. There are health-
ier alternatives, but it’s
my thing!

8 RUNNERSWORLD.COM P H O T O G R A P H BY T R E VO R PAU L H U S
COMMAND SPEED
UA FLOW VELOCITI SE
Make your fastest, faster. Ditch the rubber for a
lighter, grippier, more explosive running shoe.
My Running Life
E X P E R T H A C K S, G E A R R E C S & RUN -T E S T E D W I S D OM F RO M O UR S TA F F Jeff Dengate
RUNNER-IN-CHIEF

Matt Allyn Features Director;

Christine Anderson Executive
Director of Commerce &
Content Strategy; Brian
Dalek Director of Content
Operations; Leah Flickinger
@cmcsherry Director of Content Creation;
Lou Mazzante Test Director;
Suzanne Perreault Director of
Editorial Operations; Jesse
Southerland Creative Director

DESIGN + PHOTO
Amy Wolff Photo Director;
Colin McSherry Senior Art
Director; Alyse Markel
Art Director; Eleni Arpino
Senior Designer; Ash
Bartholomew, Tom Messina
Digital Designers; Kristen
Parker Photo Editor; John
Hamilton Associate Photo Editor

EDITORIAL
Bette Canter Deputy Editor;
Paulina Isaac, Taylor Rojek
Features Editors; Tyler
Daswick Associate Features
Editor; Andrew Daniels How-To
Editor; Courtney Linder Senior
News Editor; Danielle Zickl
Health & Fitness Editor; Rosael
Torres-Davis Special Projects
1 / Skechers GOrun 2 / Ciele Athletics 3 / Apple AirPod Pros Editor; Jennifer Leman News
Editor; Daisy Hernandez
Razor Excess $140 GOCap Standard $249 Associate News Editor; Josiah
Lightweight, wide CMYK Edition $35 I don’t always run to Soto Social Media Editor;
Jessica Coulon Assistant
COLIN McSHERRY toebox, and good I’m a magazine music, but when I do, Editor; Leah Campano Editorial

Tr e v o r R a a b ( p r o f i l e , A i r P o d s , P o w e r D o t ) ; C o u r t e s y S k e c h e r s (G O r u n ) ; C o u r t e s y C i e l e A t h l e t i c s (G o C a p) ; G e t t y I m a g e s (C o k e) ; C o l i n M c S h e r r y (d a d )
heel retention—all designer—was there the transparency mode Planning Associate; Amber
SE NIOR A RT DI RECTOR Joglar Administrative Assistant
the things I look for in really any choice is a must compared to
GO, M AN, GO! ! — PAT McSHERRY, MY DAD TEST TEAM
a shoe. but the CMYK color noise cancellation. Will Egensteiner, Jennifer
edition?! Sherry Associate Test
Directors; Jeff Dengate, Matt
Phillips, Tara Seplavy Senior
Test Editors; Roy Berendsohn,

SUPERIOR
Dan Chabonov, Matt Crisara,

WHO Adrienne Donica, Hunter

Fenollol, Brad Ford, Amanda

INSPIRES ME
Furrer, Morgan Petruny, Paige

UPHILL OR
POSTRUN
Szmodis Test Editors; Joël
Nankman Logistician

My dad, who’s been a DOWNHILL? VIDEO

Josh Wolff Director; Jimmy

SIPS
runner his whole life. I’ve Uphill. I’ve just never
Cavalieri Production Manager;
Pat Heine, Ken Kawada, David
watched him finish 5Ks, figured out the right tech-
Monk Producers

marathons, and triathlons. nique or cadence to make

CONTRIBUTORS
An ice-cold His one remaining run
John Brant, Amby Burfoot,
Sarah Lorge Butler, Scott

can of Coke. my knees not feel like Douglas, Selene Yeager

goal is to get me out in a they’re exploding downhill. EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
marathon with him. Bill Strickland

EDITORIAL OFFICES

My Advice 132 South 3rd Street

Easton, PA 18042

for Newbies
Just start. It’ll feel hard, but the more Not just a single run, but the 2020
HOW TO REACH US
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GO-TO RECOVERY
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WHAT GETS ME OUT THERE Preference Center, PO Box 6000,

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As a cyclist, I run to switch ROUTINE LICENSING AND

REPRINTS
Contact Wyndell Hamilton at
things up. If I’m short on A foam roller is my go-to for Wright’s Media, 281-419-5725 x152,
hearst@wrightsmedia.com
everyday recovery, but for extra-
time, a quick run can feel as hard days, I love the PowerDot ISSUE 5, 2021

hard as a long ride. electric muscle stimulator.

P R I N T E D I N T H E U. S . A .
10 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
My Running Life
E X P E R T H A C K S, G E A R R E C S & RUN -T E S T E D W I S D OM F RO M O UR S TA F F

Paul Collins
VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLISHER
@cattbowen
ADVERTISING
New York: Ian Sinclair New
England Sales Director, ian.
1 / Shefit Ultimate Sports sinclair@hearst.com; Kim
Bra $69 TikTok made me Buonassisi Eastern Sales Direc-
tor, kim.buonassisi@hearst.com;
do it. It’s a complicated bit Kyle Taylor East Coast Auto
of machinery, but if you’re Director, kyle.taylor@hearst.
com; Chicago: Stacey Lakind
bigger-busted, this bra Southern California & Midwest
really holds down the fort. Sales Director, stacey.lakind@
hearst.com; Detroit: Marisa
Stutz Detroit Automotive
2 / Nuun Electrolyte Director, marisa.stutz@hearst.
com; Los Angeles: Anne Reth-
Tablets Fruit Punch $7 for meyer Group Sales Director,
10 servings I get shaky Auto, anne.rethmeyer@hearst.
if I overheat, and electro- com; Marketplace and Events:
Jackie Coker Marketplace +
lytes provide the fastest Events, jcokermedia@gmail.
recovery. com; San Francisco: Andrew
Kramer Northwest Sales Direc-
tor, andrew@kramermedia.biz;
3 / Asics Women’s Gel- Dallas: Patty Rudolph South-
west Sales Director, patty@
Noosa Tri 13 $130 I tend PR40media.com
to heel-strike, and this
CAT B OW E N MARKETING

C a t B o w e n ( p r o f i l e) ; C o u r t e s y S h e f i t ( U l t i m a t e b r a ) ; C o u r t e s y N u u n ( t a b l e t s) ; L a k o t a G a m b i l l (G e l - N o o s e) ; G e t t y I m a g e s ( R a m s e y) ; Tr e v o r R a a b ( p h o n e)
shoe’s 5mm drop between
Sarah Hemstock Director of
E NTHU S I A ST GRO UP A S SOCI ATE ED ITOR the toe and midfoot makes Integrated Marketing; Caroline
for a comfortable, speedy Hall, Emma Sklarin Marketing
I RUN S O FAR B E CAUSE AU D I OBO O KS A RE S O LON G Coordinators
run. Plus, how cute are
they? HEARST MEDIA SOLUTIONS
Tom Kirwan SVP, Chief Reve-
nue Officer; Todd Haskell SVP,

GREATEST RUN
Chief Marketing Officer; Jeff

Currently Training for... Hamill EVP, Chief Media Offi-

cer; Erick Neher VP, Marketing;
Morgan Sheff VP, Marketing;
I want to (eventually) run the Christine Hall VP, Hearst Direct

OF MY LIFE
Media; Chris Tosti Group
Shawangunk Ridge Trail Run/ Finance Director

Almost three years ago, I in-
jured my spine. I couldn’t sit up
or walk without incredible pain.
Hike. It’s a 70-miler through the Gunks, Karen Ferber Business Man-
ager; Paul Baumeister Research
but I’m nowhere near that level of Director; Alison Papalia Exec-
fitness right now. So I’m building my utive Director, Consumer Mar-
keting; Trevor Czak Business
miles, getting my legs back, and hope- Coordinator; Mike Ruemmler
Production Manager, michael.

DREAM RUNNING
After six months of grueling fully by next year, I’ll be ready. ruemmler@pubworx.com
therapy and steroid treatment,
HEARST MAGAZINES

PARTNER
I ran a hot-chocolate 5K. The
MY ADVICE FOR NEWBIES
INTERNATIONAL
dang thing took me nearly an Simon Horne SVP/Managing
Director Asia Pacific & Russia;
hour to complete, when gener- Kim St. Clair Bodden SVP/Edi-
Gordon Ramsay. I saw cover-
ally it would take me under 30 Buy the good shoes. I know, I hate spending age of him running the London
torial & Brand Director; Chloe
O’Brien Deputy Brands Direc-
minutes. It felt like I’d climbed
Everest, given birth, and per-
money more than most, and my everyday shoes Marathon and thought, I bet tor; Shelley Meeks Executive
Director, Content Services
his salty, postmarathon meal
formed at Carnegie Hall all at tend to be in the $40 to $50 range. But running would be killer. I’d absolutely PUBLISHED BY HEARST
once. At the end of the race, I shoes are different. These shoes are truly support- annoy the heck out of him, Steven R. Swartz President
got to share some hot chocolate and Chief Executive Officer;
and he’d probably call me a
with my kids and watch the ing your whole body on a run, and they make all speedy idiot sandwich, but I’d
William R. Hearst III Chairman;
Frank A. Bennack, Jr. Executive
snow fall. It was heaven. the difference. Buy the best shoe you can afford. be delighted. Vice Chairman; Mark E. Aldam
Chief Operating Officer

HEARST MAGAZINES, INC.

NOBODY SAW THAT, RIGHT? HOW RUNNING Debi Chirichella President and
Treasurer; Kate Lewis Chief

CHANGED ME
Content Officer; Kristen M.
About five years ago, I was O’Hara Chief Business Officer;
running in Brooklyn’s Prospect Catherine A. Bostron Secretary

All audiobooks and true crime.
If there’s kissing or murder, I’m
into it. Lately, I’ve been bingeing
the Park Predators podcast and
Park, just your average, every-
day run. I decided to run the
perimeter of the pond, and
like any runner listening to a
spicy novel, I let my attention
It’s given me confidence in
my body I never had growing
up. Being a great runner doesn’t
mean you’re fast, or can run long
Gilbert C. Maurer, Mark F.
Miller Consultants
300 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019

relistening to the Knitting in the
City series by Penny Reid.
slip—and fell butt over tea
kettle right into the pond.
distances—it just means that
you get out there and do it.
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My Running Life
E X P E R T H A C K S, G E A R R E C S & RUN -T E S T E D W I S D OM F RO M R W+

Hardest
Run of
My Life
The virtual Ras Al
Khaimah Half Mara-
thon, which I ran before
the 2020 Istanbul Half.
I started too fast, and
by midrace, I was fully
drained. I PR’d, but it
RUNNER’S WORLD+ MEMBER was painful. I learned a
HANI KIWAN, 52
big lesson and fixed it
in Istanbul, which was
DU BAI , UNITED A R AB E MI R ATE S amazing—another PR.
KE EP GOI NG . PROV E YOU CAN DO I T My advice: Start slow.
And know your limits.
WHAT GOT
ME HERE
I started running about
three years ago. I saw
my two girls—Leyla and
PATIENCE
Dilara—growing up and
wanted to be an example
of determination and
OR PUSH? hard work for them, to
be a dad they’re proud
of. I was also traveling
80 percent patience, a lot for business, so
20 percent push. I’d go on early morning
runs through Barcelo-
Running takes time.
na’s old gothic quarter
Believe in the process when empty, or Venice’s
and you’ll see massive labyrinth of streets and
improvement. bridges while tourists
slept. It’s become medi-
tation, connecting me
with nature and the

MY BIGGEST CHALLENGE
outdoors.

GREATEST I’M TRAINING TO...

RUN OF (AND HOW I OVERCAME IT)
Run a half marathon in 1:45,
a sub-four-hour marathon,
MY LIFE Seemingly everyone told me that running
isn’t good for me, I was too old, or I
and a 40-minute 10K. I’m
getting there with time. My
The Istanbul Half
Marathon last April. I should take it easy. Well, I listened to last half was 1:50; my last
them—not by stopping, but rather by reaching
was in control all the out to professionals. Now I work with a coach
10K was 47 minutes. I have
way and did exactly who structures my workouts in a way that helps a long way to go, but every
what I’d planned to prevent injury and allows for recovery periods. race has been a PR so far!
do. Negative split, PR.

C o u r t e s y H a n i K i w a n ( p r o f i l e) ; G e t t y I m a g e s ( I s t a n b u l , B a r c e l o n a )
I consulted physicians, sought advice, read,
I trained well, started researched. What I do now respects my body’s
My next full is in November,
slow, and picked up abilities. With that done, I just don’t listen to skep- and I’m progressing and
pace in the second half. tics anymore. I’m confident and I enjoy it. getting better each day.

Best Advice I’ve Received CITY SIGHTS

When I first started running, a runner friend advised
I enjoy running in Europe whenever
me to run slow for two months, keeping my heart rate
I have the chance. City runs are
in either zone 1 or zone 2. Run no more than four to five
times a week, minimum 45 to 50 minutes a day. I did that amazing! My favorite is Barcelona.
for four months. I established a very strong base, which All different running experiences are
I then built upon in my training. It helped me fall in love within reach: seaside, city, hills, even
with running because I always ended feeling good. trails. Every day is a new experience.

14 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
My Running Life
E X P E R T H A C K S, G E A R R E C S & RUN -T E S T E D W I S D OM F RO M R W+

Currently
Training to...
Run a half in 1:50 and finish a
marathon in under four hours.
TOUGHEST Morning With the pandemic, I unfortunate-
ly haven’t raced in two years. But

RUN OF Runs > I came close to my half goal in

January 2020 by running a 1:51 in

MY LIFE
I gave blood a few weeks ago
but felt OK enough to do my
long run the next day. Things
were fine until mile four...then
everything quickly went downhill.
RUNNER’S WORLD+ MEMBER
I wouldn’t ever recommend this,
A I M E E O R T I Z - T O L L E Y, 3 7 but I jogged, walked, and was
lightheaded the six miles back to
KA N SAS CIT Y, M I S S O URI
my car since my ego wouldn’t let
RUN NING I S A PRI VILE GE
me get a Lyft. I literally slept for
the next two days to recover.
Houston—it was a 5-minute PR!
I am 100 percent a morning New York City will be my second
runner and nothing else. I marathon (after Philly in 2019),
moved to NYC in 2006 for a but it’s a notoriously tough course
demanding job in advertising, and I’ve mentally struggled the
and a colleague told me that if I last two years. But I’m going to
didn’t work out in the morning, give it a fighting shot.
then it probably wasn’t going
to happen based on the hours
we put in. (She was right!) In
fact, I tried running midafter-
noon a few times during the
pandemic and struggled. Every.
Single. Time.

How I Got Here MY GO-

Although running is instrumental
to my mental health and positive
TO GEAR
outlook, I haven’t always had a Some of my
great relationship with it. I started favorite things in
running in college and quickly lost my repository:

C o u r t e s y A i m e e O r t i z -To l l e y ( p r o f i l e , P h i l l y) ; L a k o t a G a m i b l l (s o c k s , s h i r t ) ; Tr e v o r R a a b (s h o r t s)
weight. As I increased mileage in my 20s, things Lululemon’s Hotty
became tougher at home and work as I battled Hot shorts and Fast
eating disorders, including binge eating and
bulimia, brought on by stress. I ran to temper
and Free tights,
Tracksmith Session GREATEST RUN
OF MY LIFE
the binge episodes when the laxatives weren’t shorts, Brighton
enough and, when I was looking to qualify for
base layers, Outdoor
the 2009 New York City Marathon, I ended up
Voices Move Free Right before my part-
with a stress fracture in my right tibia, putting
crop tops, and Balega
me off running for six months. I entered a deep ner and I moved out of
depression and realized running’s emotional ben- socks. I clearly love
NYC in January 2020, I
efits. Afterward, I slowly built up my fitness, but running gear!
went on a 14-mile solo
it wasn’t until I started racing again in 2018 that I
fell deeply in love with it again. run from Greenpoint,
Brooklyn, to downtown
Manhattan via the West
TRUST THE PROCESS Side Highway and back.
It was a beautiful love
Keep the easy days super-easy and really letter to my home of 14
invest in those workouts. My times are years, and I felt so strong,
Glide. I love running easy with friends— slower than two years ago, but I’m telling capable, and lucky the
it’s such a gift after more than a year of myself to ignore pace, focus on effort, and entire time. To run like
solo running during the pandemic.
things will come together when it matters. that is a privilege.

16 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
 Push yourself further with a Runner’s World+ All Access Membership.
We rounded up all of the tools you need to reach your personal best, including unlimited
access to RunnersWorld.com and all RW training plans, a weekly newsletter, and a
direct line to the experts. Plus, Runner’s World+ members enjoy exclusive deals and
opportunities to test gear and be featured in the magazine!

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digital content including all with the latest training Runner’s World from your favorite brands
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workouts with RW coaches from running experts

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The Inside Lane
IF YOU’RE THE kind of person who likes to race a lot,
2020 was a stinker of a year. And 2021 didn’t start
out much better. But marathon season is back,
baby! That is, assuming the Delta variant doesn’t
throw a wrench in the plans.
The pandemic-fueled postponement of races
has led to the most concentrated fall race sched-
ule ever, especially for the World Marathon
Majors—all six races will be contested in just a
six-week span. Typically, Boston, London, and
Tokyo marathons are held in the spring, with
Berlin, Chicago, and New York City being spread
out over September, October, and November,
respectively. For the jet-set types, that makes it
easy to run a couple (or more) of the Majors in
any given year. But, this year is trickier. If you
later in the day fly back to Boston. F A L L M A R AT H O N
SCHEDULE
Run the Boston Marathon on Monday.
If you’re crazy enough to attempt this, I want
to hear from you.
Personally, I’m only running Boston this year.
9/26
Berlin Marathon
I haven’t raced on the roads since running a PR
at the Chicago Marathon in 2019, and haven’t
really found the motivation to train seriously for 10/3
London Marathon
another race just yet. So I’m taking the advice of
Coach Jess, on page 24, to reframe my mind-set
and make sure I get my training runs done so I 10/10
show up ready to complete the full distance on Chicago Marathon
October 11th. It won’t be my fastest marathon,
for sure, but it’ll be a load of fun. This year’s field
(20,000) will be only about two-thirds its usual
10/11
Boston Marathon
size—it hasn’t been this small since 2003—so

10/17
want to run Chicago (October 10) and Boston there will be plenty of space on the roads in those
(October 11), it would take some careful planning. early miles. And who knows the next time we’ll
RW writer Andrew Dawson did the calcula- get the opportunity to race Boston on any day Tokyo Marathon

tions on just what it would take to pull off such a other than its typical running on Patriots’ Day.
stunt. First, there’s the cost: $180 entry to Boston Hope to see you in Hopkinton. 11/7
and $205 to Chicago. Then there are hotel fees. NYC Marathon
Have you seen the prices for a room in those cities Jeff Dengate LA Marathon
on a race weekend? Ouch. Runner-in-Chief
And travel is altogether another logistical
hurdle, because these large races typically require GET YOUR Get a jump on 2022 by
ordering your own copy
you to pick up your bib in person and don’t hand RUNNER’S of the Runner’s World
out numbers on race morning. So if you were to WORLD calendar. In addition to
attempt the Chicago-Boston double, here’s what CALENDAR listing the dates of races
you’d have to do: we hope will actually
happen again next year,
Fly to Boston on Friday to get that bib.
each month is packed with
Fly to Chicago on Saturday to pick up that bib. helpful running advice
Run the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, then straight from the experts
at RW. You’ll get training
tips, fueling strategies,
and gorgeous photos from
scenic destinations. Get
yours at runnersworld.
com/2022calendar.

W H AT I ’ M T E S T I N G

Adidas 4DFWD
Wild footwear innovation can
often be gimmicky, but the
midsole of this new shoe is a big
step forward in 3D printing. It’s
still heavier and firmer than what
can be accomplished with foam,
but it’s comfortable on the single-
digit runs I’ve worn it for so far.
Tr e v o r R a a b

18 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
 Translation: To be a better runner, you have to
run more. Each specific running workout has a
purpose—from developing fast-twitch muscle
fibers for speed to building your endurance to
helping your tendons, ligaments, joints, and
bones adapt to the stress of running—which is
why it’s important to include all of them in a
training plan.
That said, there’s a little flexibility when it
comes to the recovery run. The low-intensity
recovery run, which is generally done at less
than 70 percent of your maximum heart rate, is
crucial for maintaining the base of your aerobic
fitness and developing oxygen efficiency in the
muscles, says Klein. But if you’re injury-prone,
dealing with small niggles or joint pain, or even
just approaching burnout, it’s one workout
that you can take off the road or treadmill and
complete on another piece of equipment: the
elliptical.


How is using the elliptical different from
running?
The elliptical was literally invented to mimic
the motions of running without nearly the
same kind of impact forces that are caused by
running—so you’re going to get a more running-
specific cross-training workout than you would
by training on a bike or swimming in a pool.
But “ ‘running’ on the elliptical decreases the
weight-bearing and muscle-pounding that run-
ning produces because it is a much lower-impact
exercise,” says Todd Buckingham, Ph.D., an
B Y A S H L E Y M AT E O
exercise physiologist at Mary Free Bed Sports
Rehabilitation Performance Lab in Grand Rapids,
Michigan.
What the elliptical does is “take out the eccen-
tric contraction, that moment when you land and
prevent your body from collapsing,” says Klein.
That is an integral part of running, so you do need
that training; but if you get too much of it, he adds,
your muscles can fatigue and break down under
all that stress, which can lead to injury.
The elliptical also cuts out the push-off phase
IF YOU’VE EVER followed a race training plan, you know it’s not just about running; of the gait cycle because your feet never leave the
it’s about running strategically. That’s why nearly every training plan includes easy pedals. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, says
runs, long runs, speedwork on the track, tempo runs on the road, recovery runs— Juan Delgado, B.C.S., director of Sports Science
it’s enough running to fill at least five or six days a week, and it can eventually do at the NY Sports Science Lab on Staten Island,
a number on your body. New York. When running, the tibialis anterior
The reason training plans call for so much running is the rule of specificity: “Whatever you muscles (which are responsible for dorsiflexion
want to get good at, you have to do that type of activity to a high degree,” explains Ian Klein, of the feet) are almost never under maximum
Tr e v o r R a a b

a specialist in exercise physiology, cross-training, and injury prevention at Ohio University. tension—which makes them more susceptible
to overuse and makes you more prone to shin
splints and stress reactions, Delgado says. But

20 RUNNERSWORLD.COM

DRINK UP,
LEAN UP
Being a health and nutrition correspondent means
that companies frequently send me their products,
and ask for my stamp of approval. Most of the time
I dive into research, give the product a try, and send
the company honest feedback about what they’ll
need to change before I’ll recommend it. Plus my
hectic job and my determination to stay fit means
I’m always hunting for a quick and nutritious way
to fill up on nutrients my body needs. So I can con-
fidently say, “I’ve tried it all”.
Last Tuesday work was especially hectic,
but I’d booked with my $200 an hour personal
trainer, Tony, a triathlon winning, organic-to-
the-bone fitness guy with a ten mile long track
record of whipping the “who’s who” into shape
in record time, so I had to go. He noticed that my
set count was down and playfully asked, “Feel-
ing a little tired today?”, as he handed me a bot-
tle from his gym bag. After one sip I figured that
there was no way this could be healthy because
the creamy chocolate flavor was just too deli-
cious. Still, he’d never risk his reputation.
With more than a healthy dose of scepticism
I decided to investigate this shake he’d called
INVIGOR8.
Turns out, it’s a full meal replacement shake,
which stunned me because virtually every other
ADVERTISEMENT
shake I’d researched had tasted chalky, clumpy
and packed with hidden “no-no’s” like cheap pro-
tein, tons of artificial ingredients, not to mention
harmful synthetic dyes, additives, sugars, preser-
vatives, and hormones. And even though INVIG-
OR8’s full meal replacement shake cost more than
many of the shakes I’ve tried, it was about half the
price of my favorite salad, and the nutrition profile
looked second to none.
Wanting to know more, I reached out to a few
of the people who were talking about it on trust-
worthy fitness forums. By the next morning three
people got back to me saying,
“As a trainer I love Invigor8. It’s definitely helped
me to have more all-day energy, plus build the kind
of lean sculpted muscle that burns more fat.”
“Yes, I’ll recommend it, it tastes great, and I really
like how it keeps me feeling full for hours.”
“I’m a marathon runner and a friend recom-
mended it to me. Drinking it has become a part of
my regular training routine, because my time has
improved, my energy is up, and I’m thinking more
clearly than ever before.”
I decided to take my investigation one step fur-
ther by researching the development of INVIG-
OR8. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the
company went to great lengths to keep INVIGOR8
free of harmful ingredients.
The makers of INVIGOR8 were determined
to make the first natural, non-GMO nutrition-
al shake & green superfood. The result is a meal
replacement shake that contains 100% grass-fed
whey that has a superior nutrient profile to the
grain-fed whey found in most shakes, metabolism
boosting raw coconut oil, hormone free colos-
trum to promote a healthy immune system, Ome-
ga 3, 6, 9-rich chia and flaxseeds, superfood greens
like kale, spinach, broccoli, alfalfa, and chlorella,
and clinically tested cognitive enhancers for im-
proved mood and brain function. The company
even went a step further by including a balance
of pre and probiotics for optimal digestive health,
uptake, and regularity and digestive enzymes so
your body absorbs the high-caliber nutrition you
get from INVIGOR8.
As a whole-foods nutritionist with a thriving
practice I understand the importance of filling
my body with the best Mother Nature has to offer.
I have always been reluctant to try new products
because I was never sure of the impact they would
have on my energy, and weight. INVIGOR8 is dif-
ferent, not only because it’s delicious, but because
it helps me to maintain the energy I need to run
my busy practice, while helping me to stay fit and
toned. Considering all of the shakes I’ve tried, I can
honestly say that the results I’ve experienced from
INVIGOR8 are nothing short of amazing.
A company spokesperson confirmed an exclu-
sive offer for Runner’s World’s readers: if you order
this month, you’ll receive $10 off your first order by
using promo code “RUN10” at checkout. You can
order INVIGOR8 today at Invigor8.com or by call-
ing 1-800-958-3392.
when you’re maintaining constant contact with BUILD OUT Like most home fitness equipment, ellipticals range from basic
models to gym-quality machines. As with treadmills, to some extent
the elliptical pedal, “these muscles will have YOUR HOME you get what you pay for. Although you can get a good workout
better isokinetic and isometric contractions, and
can reach maximum tension while becoming
GYM WITH from lower-priced models with fewer settings, having more options
stronger without the impact of the lift-off/heel AN ELLIPTICAL will keep your workout interesting and challenging.
strike motion,” he says. The top machines offer a broad range of adjustable resistance—
often with 20+ levels. They also include more adjustability, includ-
Plus, the elliptical is more of a complete work-
ing auto-controlled incline height and stride length.
out, equally recruiting the upper and lower body
Although some models cost as little as $200, they tend to break down more quickly. A
with its pendulum motion. “By using your body
higher-quality elliptical will provide a quieter, smoother ride. Just be sure to consider your
weight as resistance, it becomes an excellent way
space and budget when shopping. Also make sure to check out the warranty before buying—
to prepare your body for the rigors of regular
mechanical issues can strike even the higher-end models.—Caitlin Giddings
running, since the muscles engaged in running
can become stronger and more accustomed to
carrying your body weight without the impact 1 / Bowflex M9 2 / Schwinn 470 3 / NordicTrack 4 / ProForm Carbon
of hitting the floor constantly, reducing your Max Trainer / Elliptical Machine SE7i / $1,299 The HIIT H7 / $1,403
injury risk,” says Delgado. $1,999 A hybrid / $999 A smooth console of this Get a hardcore HIIT
stair climber and solid machine machine folds up workout on this
 and an elliptical that syncs with for easier storage. surprisingly compact
How can you use the elliptical to benefit machine in one. popular apps. machine.
your training?
Because the elliptical is a low-impact activity,
it will feel easier than a run of similar intensity.
“To combat this, use the elliptical for one and
a half to two times the duration of your run,”
says Buckingham. For example, a 30-minute run
would be equivalent to a 45-minute to one-hour
elliptical session. 2
Subbing in elliptical sessions on recovery days
can be especially helpful for runners who have a
tough time actually sticking to a recovery pace
1
(or less than 70 percent of your maximum heart
rate). It’s actually pretty hard to get your heart
rate up on the elliptical (without maxing out
resistance), which means you’ll actually stay in

C o u r t e s y N a u t i l u s ( M 9 a n d 4 7 0) ; C o u r t e s y N o r d i cTr a c k (S E 7 i ) ; C o u r t e s y P r o F o r m ( H 7 )
the easy, low-intensity zone you need to be in to
get the benefits of that workout.
Because using the elliptical can improve
bloodflow to the muscles without causing the
muscle fiber damage that running does, it could
actually help speed the recovery time between
hard running sessions and allow you to complete
your hard running days at a higher intensity, says
Buckingham. “And if hard days are performed
at a higher intensity, performance gains will be
4
greater.”
That’s why you should always do your key
3
workouts—speed runs, tempo runs, and race-
pace runs—as running efforts, says Klein. No
matter how closely the elliptical was designed to
mimic running, anybody who has ever stepped
on a machine knows it’s not a perfect substitute.
Consider it a valuable tool in your arsenal, espe-
cially on days you need to slow it down or get a
little extra recovery, but not as a replacement
for running.

22 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
BY R U N N E R ’ S WO R LD+ COACH J E S S M OVO LD
IT WAS HOUR 36 of our 37-hour-and-25-
minute run from Santa Monica, Cal-
ifornia, to the Welcome to Las Vegas
sign. I was participating in The Speed
Project’s relay event, and my team had 309 gru-
eling 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 man-
aged 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 disci-
pline, mental strength, and physical readiness are
the same. Here are three tactics I learned from my
experience that I’ll use for upcoming marathons.
Give them a try for your next 26.2.
 
Reframe your thinking
Committing to a marathon is not something to
take lightly—it’s a major milestone in running and
should be respected as such. In terms of honoring
that commitment, your training carries even
more weight than showing up for race day does.
It’s important to reframe your thinking when it
comes to getting your training runs in, so that the
real question you have each day is not if you’ll get
the training done, but rather when you’ll get the
training done.
When things get difficult in a workout or you hit
a rough mile on race day, quiet the mental chatter
and stay calm. Swirling thoughts and fast-paced
thinking takes more energy than you might real-
ize, especially when track repeats feel impossible,
a hill workout seems too daunting, an aggressive
tempo sounds unfathomable, or you’re in the home
stretch of a race. This is why relaxing your mind is
something you should practice daily. You can do
this by focusing on your breathing or repeating a
mantra (my personal favorite is “the only way out
24 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
is through”). Ultimately, this will lead to a more
positive and confident mind-set when approaching
areas of challenge in your training and on race day.
Don’t allow yourself to give up during
workouts
Like all humans, I have countless moments
when I crave comfort. This can translate into
cutting reps short during speedwork, stopping
mid-tempo, or shaving off mileage during a long
run. But as soon as I eliminated the option to stop
during an effort, my training and performance
greatly improved.
How do you do this? The key to overcoming
challenging moments, whether you’re doing a
training run or you’re in the middle of a race,
is developing the mental strength and fortitude
to be able to adjust, adapt, and continue. This
requires learning about yourself and putting
your ego to the side. If you’re in the middle of
your speedwork and the pace feels unsustainable,
adjust it and keep going. Use this as an oppor-
tunity to grow and improve. Like anything, this
takes practice. As you learn to adapt and adjust
during your training, you will continue to build
discipline and consistency.

Lean into the crowd and fellow runners
With no designated course during the 300 miles
of The Speed Project, I was shocked to see any
competitors or spectators at all. When the only
footsteps you hear for miles are your own, and
then you faintly start to hear the sound of some-
one else’s, an electric feeling of excitement mixed
with fear jolts down your spine. These are the
moments you can’t train for but are opportunities
to push yourself beyond your limits and redefine
your capabilities. Lean into the competition on
race day. Think of your fellow racers as a reason
to push forward during moments you feel like
stopping, tap into them for teamwork and encour-
agement. And soak up the excitement, energy, and
support pouring out to you from the spectators.
Every race you tackle is another step toward
becoming the runner and the person you ulti-
mately want to be. It’s in our hardest training
and darkest moments that we inch closer to
achieving our greatest goals and wildest dreams.
Let’s keep going, team! We got this! See you at
the start line.
FOR ACCESS TO STRENGTH WORKOUTS FROM COACH JESS, JOIN
RUNNER ’ S WOR L D + AT RUNNERSWORLD.C OM /JOINPLUS.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JONAH ROSENBERG
 GET YOURS BEFORE
WE RUN OUT!

Own Your
Morning

2022 Wall Calendar

Easy Meal Prep

Hemp Extract
Roll-On Relief

Fuel Your Race Bluetooth

Compatible Bike
FUEL UP
TO RACE
STRONG
ESSENTIAL NUTRITION
AND RECIPES FOR
5KS TO MARATHONS

7 Runs
 Beef is a great
source of heme
iron. One cut of
strip steak contains
4 mg of iron.


How do we become iron-deficient?
The reason many of us worry about our iron
levels is that this mineral is lost in many ways:
in the urine, through the menstrual cycle, blood
loss in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, sweat
B Y K E L LY P R I T C H E T T W I T H A D D I T I O N A L R E P O R T I N G B Y S E L E N E Y E A G E R loss, and the breakdown of red blood cells via
the impact of our foot strikes. Plus, chronic use
of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g.,
If you’re a runner, especially if you’re a woman, there’s a good chance you’ve run ibuprofen and naproxen)—ones often used by
low on iron, if not become outright anemic. Having an iron deficiency is common athletes—and antacids can also lead to iron
among endurance athletes like runners, impacting up to 17 percent of male and 50 deficiency.
percent of female endurance athletes across various cohort studies.
That’s a problem for many reasons: Not only does iron make it possible for red blood cells to 
carry oxygen to your muscles to power them, but also the vital mineral is important for energy What about anemia?
generation during high-intensity activity and keeping your immune system humming along. Anemia is a condition in which the blood doesn’t
When your iron levels are deficient, your performance—and general health—is compro- have enough healthy red blood cells. Although
mised. You may notice feeling more burnt out during your training, not being able to finish iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type, it
your workouts the way you want to (and are used to), and not being able to bounce back after is one of many different types. It is possible to have
tough sessions. So let’s break down everything you need to know about the relationship iron deficiency prior to developing a diagnosis of
between iron levels and your miles. iron-deficiency anemia. Over time, iron deficiency
will lead to anemia if no action is taken because the
body will exhaust its iron stores, known as ferritin.

26 RUNNERSWORLD.COM PHOTOGRAPH BY TREVOR RAAB

CBD FOR
RUNNING PAINS
Life really does fly by. Before I knew it, my 40s 30ish
had arrived, and with them came some new gifts
from dear ol’ Mother Nature— frequent knee pain,
stress, low energy and sleeplessness. Now, I’m a
realist about these things, I knew I wasn’t going to
be young and springy forever. But still, with “mid-
dle-age” nearly on my doorstep, I couldn’t help but
feel a little cheated. That is until I found my own
secret weapon. Another gift from Mother Nature.
It began a few months back when I was com-
plaining about my joints to my marathon-running
niece, Jen. She casually mentioned how she uses
CBD oil to help with her discomfort. She said that
CBD gave her more focus and clarity throughout
the day and that her lingering muscle and joint dis-
comfort no longer bothered her. She even felt com-
fortable signing up for back-to-back marathons
two weekends in a row this year.
That made even this self-proclaimed skeptic
take notice. But I still had some concerns. Accord-
ing to one study in the Journal of the American
Medical Association, 70% of CBD products didn’t
contain the amount of CBD stated on their labels.
And, as a consumer, that’s terrifying!
If I was going to do this, I needed to trust the
source through and through. My two-fold research
process naturally led me to Zebra CBD.
First, I did a quick online poll—and by that, I
mean I posed the CBD question on my Facebook
page. Call me old fashioned but I wanted to know
if there were people whom I trusted (more than
anonymous testimonials) who’ve had success
using CBD besides my niece. That is how I found
out that Zebra CBD has a label accuracy guarantee
which assures customers like me what is stated on
the label is in the product.
Secondly, I wanted cold hard facts. Diving deep
into the world of CBD research and clinical studies,
I came across Emily Gray M.D., a physician at the
University of California at San Diego (UCSD) Med-
ical School and medical advisor for Zebra CBD
who is researching the effects of CBD. Dr. Gray
wrote “early results with CBD have been promising
and we have a lot of research underway now. I’ve
had several patients using CBD with good success.
It’s important that you know your source of CBD
and how to use it properly.”
After hearing it from the doctor’s mouth, I re-
turned to my online poll and was amazed by the
number of close friends and family who were al-
ready on the CBD train. Apparently, I was the only
one without a clue! And funny enough, a couple
of friends who commented were using the same
brand as my niece—Zebra CBD. There was no con-
sensus as to why they were using CBD, but the top
reasons given were for tension & stress, muscle &
joint discomfort, mood support, sleep support, as
well as supporting overall health & wellness.
Eventually, even the most skeptical of the bunch
can be won over. With a trusted CBD source in
mind, I decided to give it a go.
When I viewed Zebra CBD’s selection online, I
was impressed by its array of products, including
CBD oils called tinctures, topicals, chewable tab-
lets, mints and gummies. After reading on their
website that all their products are made with or-
ganically-grown hemp, I ordered... and it arrived
within 2 days!
The first product I tried was the rub. Now this
stuff was strong. Immediately after rubbing it on
my knee, the soothing effects kicked in. It had that
familiar menthol cooling effect, which I personally
find very relieving. And the best part is, after two
weeks of using it, my knee pain no longer affected
my daily mobility.
The Zebra CBD Mint Oil, on the other hand, had
a different but equally positive effect on my body.
To take it, the instructions suggest holding the oil in
your mouth for about 30 seconds. This was simple
enough, and the mint taste was, well, minty. After
about 15 minutes, a sense of calm came over my
body. It's hard to describe exactly; it's definitely
not a "high" feeling. It's more like an overall sense
of relaxation—as if I just walked out of a spa, and
now I’m ready to seize the day. Needless to say, I’ve
really enjoyed the oil.
While it hasn’t been a catch-all fix to every one
of my health issues, it has eased the level and fre-
quency of my aches. And it sure doesn’t seem like a
coincidence how much better I feel.
All-in-all, CBD is one of those things that you
have to try for yourself. Although I was skeptical at
first, I can safely say that I’m now a Zebra CBD fan
and that I highly recommend their products.
Also, I managed to speak to a Zebra CBD rep-
resentative and negotiate an exclusive offer. If you
order this month, you’ll receive $10 off your first
order by using promo code “Run10” at checkout.
You can try it yourself and order Zebra CBD at
ZebraCBD.com/Run or by calling 888-762-2699.

WHEN YOUR IRON LEVELS ARE
DEFICIENT, YOUR PERFORMANCE—AND
GENERAL HEALTH—IS COMPROMISED.
 Ferritin, an acute phase reactant protein,
So what’s the deal with ferritin levels?
Ferritin, as mentioned above, is an important
blood marker that indicates iron storage. There
is a wide range for what is considered to be a
“normal” ferritin level, ranging from 12 to 300
nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml).
“However, linking ferritin levels (e.g., levels
greater than 35ng/ml) directly to performance
is very challenging, as there are so many things
that impact performance,” says Trent Stelling-
werff, Ph.D., senior advisor for the Canadian
Sport Institute Pacific.
In fact, high iron levels can be toxic for the
liver and heart. “We aim for ferritin greater than
35ng/ml and clinically normal hemoglobin, but
appreciate individual athlete norms as well,” says
Stellingwerff. If you have symptoms of anemia or
iron deficiency, an assessment should include the
following blood markers: ferritin, hemoglobin,
and transferrin saturation.
 • Cook with a cast-iron skillet.
How often should I have my iron levels
checked?
As suggested in a review published in 2019 in the
European Journal of Applied Physiology (coau-
thored by Stellingwerff), high-risk runners (those
who menstruate, are pregnant, breastfeeding,
or just gave birth, or have certain GI diseases,
for instance) should be screened regularly, and
considerations for the frequency of iron blood
screening are based on the athlete’s history.
Runners with no history of iron deficiency and
no fatigue after an extended rest period should
be tested annually. Runners with a history of
low ferritin, or who intend to increase training
volume or to train at altitude within the next 12
months (not everyone responds to higher training
loads the same way), or runners who are female
should be tested twice yearly. And runners with
any recent history of iron depletion/deficiency,
who are vegetarian/vegan, have evidence of
low energy, high training volume, and fatigue/
lethargy, or plans to train at altitude within the
next six months should be tested quarterly.
28 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
4
SIGNS OF
LOW IRON
can be falsely elevated with inflammation after 1
intense exercise. Thus, it’s important to avoid YOU’RE ALWAYS TIRED
any muscle-damaging or intense exercise about There isn’t enough iron
two to three days prior to your routine blood for your red blood cells to
test. Other suggestions for standardization transport oxygen or carry
include testing first thing in the morning and away carbon dioxide, so
in a well-hydrated state. fresh oxygen is delivered
Work with your doctor to determine the best and waste is removed more
course of action and figure out if supplementation slowly, resulting in a feeling of
is right for you. fatigue, according to Nathan
Myers, M.S., R.D.

How can I optimize my iron absorption? 2
You can have a solid iron-rich fueling plan, but is YOUR SKIN IS PALER
your nutrient-timing and combination of foods THAN NORMAL
on point? You can optimize iron absorption by Iron gives hemoglobin its red
using the following strategies: color, which in turn gives color
to the skin. As the red color
• Avoid dairy, coffee, and tea (which decrease decreases due to lack of iron,
absorption of iron) for an hour before or after the skin appears more pale.
a meal.
3
• Consume foods rich in heme iron (from ani-
YOUR EXTREMITIES
mal-protein sources), such as beef, eggs, and tuna.
ARE COLD
• Improve absorption of “non-heme iron” sources If you don’t get enough
(almonds, figs, apricots, kidney beans, green leafy iron, your body experiences
vegetables, tofu, dark chocolate) by pairing with reduced oxygenation of
heme-rich sources and/or 50 milligrams (mg) of your blood. As a result, it
vitamin C (about 1/2 cup of strawberries, cooked pulls blood away from your
broccoli, or green bell peppers). extremities and instead sends
• If taking an iron supplement (prescribed by it to more essential organs.
a physician), take it with vitamin C–rich food. Less bloodflow to your
Emerging evidence suggests that alternate-day fingers and toes means
dosing is just as effective as daily dosing for they’ll feel colder.
raising ferritin levels and is better tolerated by
runners with a sensitive gut. 4
YOUR HEART RATE IS
Finally, not every bad race indicates your iron UNUSUALLY HIGH
is low, but it is a good idea to get checked prior Because your body senses
to taking any iron supplements. There is no that less oxygenated blood
evidence that higher ferritin levels are better is available, your heart rate
(e.g., aiming for 300), and supplementation is speeds up to pump the
not likely to consistently improve performance available oxygenated blood
in non-depleted runners. Iron supplementation faster to meet your body’s
should only occur under physician supervision. needs.—Danielle Zickl
 YOU.

RUNALLOUT
RunnersWorld.com/CoachJess

BY CI N DY KUZ MA
Marathon Elites Prove
Every Runner Needs a
Strong Finishing Kick
NEED SOME MARATHON
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
30 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
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 pacing wisely over the first
26 miles and dialing in elements like nutrition
and hydration. But in elite races, the finishing
kick often determines who moves on to finals,
ascends podiums, or claims victory, says Juli
Benson, who’s coached collegiate and pro run-
ners for two decades (including another athlete
known for her kick, Jenny Simpson).
For the rest of us, the ability to change gears
at the end can make the difference in reaching
a specific time goal, like setting a PR in the 5K
or qualifying for the Boston Marathon. What’s
more, powering across a finish line stands as a
sign you’ve raced to your potential, rather than
starting too fast and fading.
“Scientifically, the evidence shows that the most
efficient way to run a race is evenly paced, and a
very close second is a negative split,” says Benson,
who is also a 1996 Olympian in the 1500 meters.
“Across the board, having a good finish—no matter
what you’re training for—can really make a dif-
ference in how you feel about your performance.”
Some of that kick comes naturally. Hall says
genetic tests show she has the makeup of a power/
speed athlete, with fast-twitch muscle fibers to
Sara Hall closed
a 40-second gap
turn to even when her legs are fatigued. She won
over the final two her first race ever—a seventh-grade cross-country
kilometers at the competition—and the 2000 Foot Locker Cross
2020 London
Marathon. Country Championships in sprint finishes. “I
think I just got hooked on the competitive side of
that part of it, the thrill of that,” she says.
But she’s also worked hard to hone that skill
through the years, and you can, too. Here’s how.

Finish every run strong
Even if you run completely even splits, your last
lap or mile will feel far harder than your first.
“It’s really important to teach your body how
to put more mental and physical intensity in
as you go, as that fatigue sets in,” Benson says.
Fortunately, you can train this skill nearly every
motivation? Look no further than the 2020 London Marathon’s day. Even on an easy run, take your last mile
about 20 seconds or so faster than the first one,
she suggests.
You can do it during long runs, too, spending
the last few minutes of a 90-minute to two-hour
run picking it up while focusing on your form and
technique. “This reinforces the idea that even
Get t y Images
though you might be fatigued, you can still be
strong,” says James McKirdy, a coach at McKirdy
Trained in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Add on to your tempos
Ratcheting up the pace at the end of a more
intense effort offers the best approximation of
how the end of the marathon feels, Hall says.
In her buildup to London, she ran 15- to 16-mile
tempo runs, closing the last mile near half mar-
athon pace (at altitude, around 5:15 per mile).
You can scale this concept to your own level in
several ways. Like Hall, you can make your tempo
run progressive. Do a 20-minute or three-mile
tempo and begin accelerating over the last mile.
Then, kick the final 200 meters at a pace you
could sustain for only a mile, says Tim Bradley,
director of training programs and head coach at
the Chicago Area Runners Association.
Or, you can add strides at the end of a tempo
run, an approach both Bradley and Benson
endorse. After a two- to three-mile tempo, take
two minutes of rest. Then run 4 x 200 meters at
your mile pace (or 30 seconds at 85 percent effort,
if you’re not near a track) with an equal amount
of jogging in between each.
Just make sure you’re staying focused on
form and mechanics, Bradley says, lifting your
knees high, keeping your shoulders back, and
IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO TEACH
YOUR BODY HOW TO PUT MORE MENTAL
AND PHYSICAL INTENSITY IN AS YOU
GO, AS THAT FATIGUE SETS IN.
driving your elbows straight behind you. That
helps to protect you from injury and also boosts
your power: A 2018 research review suggests
your arms contribute about 10 percent of the
propulsive force with which you can push into
the ground while sprinting.
 5K pace, followed by 75 seconds standing rest; 75
Find your fast-twitch fibers
Even with a focus on form, excessive sprinting on
fatigued legs can still increase your injury risk.
However, dedicating an entire day to short, fast
efforts on fresh legs also contributes to your kick
by training your brain to better connect to your
fast-twitch fibers, Bradley says. After a five- to
10-minute easy jog and a dynamic warmup, try
running 2 x 30 meters, 2 x 50 meters, then 2 x 70
meters with all repetitions at mile pace or slightly
faster and walking or slowly jogging back to the
start. Finish with a five- to 10-minute easy jog.
Or, to get in a little more mileage, try this work-
out from McKirdy. After one to two miles of easy
jogging and a dynamic warmup, do: 2 minutes at
seconds a little faster, with 60 seconds rest; 45
seconds at mile pace, with 30 seconds rest; and 30
seconds faster yet, but not quite an all-out sprint.
Cool down by jogging easy for 15 to 25 minutes.
Even racers targeting longer distances can benefit
from such short intervals: “It reinforces that, yes,
I might be marathon training, but I have power,”
McKirdy says.

Fine-tune your why
Research also suggests psychology plays a role—
even if you have gas in the tank, your brain prevents
you from tapping into it. Understanding why your
goals matter can help you break through those
mental barriers, says Michele Kerulis, Ed.D., a
professor of counseling and sport psychology at
Northwestern University’s Family Institute. IF YO U BE LIE V E I T, YO U CA N AC HIE V E I T
Hall headed into London eager to redeem her-
self from the Olympic Marathon Trials, where
she dropped out at mile 22. Getting to the podium While figuring out exactly how to develop speed, but the final kick doesn’t always
was a stretch goal that motivated her when things a strong finishing kick is complex, one come from speed training. It comes from
felt difficult, she says. important step is to understand—and inside of you based on who you are and
believe—that you do have reserves that how aggressive you are as an athlete.”
To practice the mental skills required to kick,
will be accessible only at the end of Runners can apply themselves to the
spend some time before your race reflecting on
the race, no matter how the rest of the task in speed sessions and tuneup races,
your own motivation—whether it’s to move past a
race has gone. Research out of Sogn og and can work with a coach and/or sport
disappointing performance like Hall, get the most
Fjordane University College in Norway psychologist to develop the aggression
out of yourself, or honor the memory or spirit of suggests it’s both mental and physical, needed to win. ¶ “My advice to other
someone else. Distill this down into a word or and even pros like Lelisa Desisa, a two- runners is to always be confident in your
two and repeat it to yourself at the end of hard time Boston Marathon winner, agree. ¶ ability,” says Desisa. “The bottom line is
workouts. That way, you’ll know it works when “It is not easy to develop a strong kick,” that confidence is the key to success.”
you get to the final stretch, toward the finish line. he says. “You can train to improve your —Alex Hutchinson, Gordon Bakoulis
“Finding something personal about the situation
helps people find that last bit of physical ability
to really, really push themselves,” Kerulis says.
 was consistent, and I’m stronger and faster than
I was four months ago.” On race day, we tend to
lose sight of the hours spent in training. While
you’re getting dressed or warming up, visualize
your larger body of work and the progress you’ve
made—the actual event is just a small part of that.
You can also utilize technolog y, like your
morning alarm, to engage in positive self-talk.
I label my phone alarm for a morning long run
with a motivational mini message that helps me
start my day. The more you do this, the more
natural it will become to believe these positive
affirmations.


Reframe your thoughts
Let’s say you ran a “bad” race, but friends and
family were cheering you on from the sidelines.
Instead of dwelling on your results, try shifting
your thinking to: “These people saw me push
myself, and they couldn’t care less about my time.”
I have a 1-year-old and a wife, and anytime I don’t
reach the time I wanted, I think about how I have
their support and that they’re cheering for me no
matter what.


IT’S ENTIRELY TOO easy for people to See a sports psychologist

How to criticize their own performance, and

harder to be kind to themselves when
they don’t have the race or run they’d
If you find you can’t stop the cycle of self-criticism,
you risk falling out of love with running—and
yourself. Learning to grow a sense of joy not only
Be Your hoped for. As the saying goes, we’re our own worst
critics. Even when we do well, we sometimes
will help you show up to your training runs, it
can strip away the negative competitiveness and

Own Best 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
restore the fun that initially drew you to running.
Additionally, being overly self-critical can hurt
your relationship with your running community.

Teammate believe we’re deserving of success. And when we

have that “off” run, we often default, unfortu-
nately, to beating ourselves up over the fact that
we could have worked harder.
Over time, being too harsh on yourself can lead
BY RUNNER’S WORLD+ COACH
to lack of motivation, burnout, and even feeling
PJ THOMPSON, AS TOLD TO
resentful toward other runners. Here are three
DANIELLE ZICKL
tips to help you become more compassionate with
yourself, stay motivated, and ultimately be your
own best teammate.
 someone who is close to you and your training
Use positive self-talk
Credit yourself with the work you put into your
training and your successes along the way!
Remind yourself whenever you’re feeling down:
“I trained for weeks. I put in all this work and
If you’re injured, you may look in a negative light
at people who are running healthy. Or you might
begin to resent those who reached a race goal
when you didn’t. You can burn yourself out when
you direct your energy toward running against
people as opposed to with them.
When your running partners or coach aren’t
enough to help you break these patterns and pick
yourself back up, a sports psychologist can pro-
vide impartial feedback, with specific attention
to your emotional and mental well-being, in ways
might not be able to.
Practicing positive self-talk will help you
become your own best teammate and put you on
the path to being kind to yourself—and becoming
a better runner along the way.

F O R M O R E M O T I VAT I O N A L T I P S F R O M C O A C H PJ, J O I N R U N N E R ’ S W O R L D + AT R U N N E R S W O R L D.C O M /J O I N P L U S.

34 RUNNERSWORLD.COM PHOTOGRAPH BY PHILIP EDSEL

 STRONGER,
FASTER,
AND MORE
GROUNDED
THAN EVER,
RUNNING’S
POWER
COUPLE IS
LOOKING
TOWARD THE

The
FUTURE

Reinvention
of Ryan
and by
Rachel
Levin
photog raphy
by Jesse
Rieser

Sara Hall
36 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
 Ryan and Sara
take a break
from training
at Buffalo Park
near their home
in Flagstaff, AZ.

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 37
 Sara and Ryan Hall are in the back seat of an Uber, sitting in traf-
fic—and silence—in downtown Atlanta. Shivering a little in her race
kit, Sara accepts Ryan’s offer of his sweatshirt. The driver mutters
something about road closures. It would’ve been faster to get out
and hobble back to the hotel, but they just sit there. Staring out the
window, in disbelief. “We were in total shock,” recalls Sara. “We
just didn’t see this coming.”
Sara arrived at last year’s Olympic Marathon Trials as the second-
fastest woman at the starting line, favored to make the U.S. team for
Tokyo. Confidence was high. The night before the race, Sara and
Ryan told their four daughters, biological sisters adopted at ages
5 to 15 from an orphanage in Ethiopia in 2015: All of mom’s hard
work will be worth it for this moment. Ryan, Sara’s husband of 15
years and coach for the last five, even teared up. “I remember…,”
Sara says. “He’d said, ‘Tomorrow is going to be your day.’ ”
Except, it turned out, it wasn’t. Atlanta’s tough course “oblit-
erated” her legs, as Sara posted on Instagram. She dropped out at
mile 22. DNF. Her dream—their dream—dashed.
Sara had made it to the Olympic Trials five times before. But this
time was different: “I’d never felt this prepared,” she says from her
home in the hills of Flagstaff, Arizona. “It was the biggest heart-
break of my career.”
And then, ironically, she went to Disney World. Well, technically,
Wizarding World, at Universal Studios. With Jasmine and Lily, her
two youngest daughters, licking her wounds in the line for Hagrid’s
Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure while Ryan went home to
Flagstaff with Hana and Mia. A week later, the world shut down.
With the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus and all the unknowns
that came with it, there would be no more races. No redemption.
“It was definitely an emotionally hard time,” says Sara. “It’s tough
to motivate without a race in sight.”
It was just as tough, if not tougher, for Ryan. A retired two-time
Olympic runner, he knows disappointment intimately himself.
Now that he’s a coach, he says the hardest thing he’s had to learn,
especially as Sara’s coach, is to “be invested in the athlete, but not
go on the same roller-coaster ride as the athlete.” And for Sara, for
Ryan, for all of us, life has been a roller coaster. An emotional and
physical roller coaster. It’s been a year of change for the Halls. One
long-haul marathon of a year.
“MY BUTTON-DOWN NO longer fits!” says Ryan, over the phone last
fall, from a hotel room in Tucson, where he and Sara are getting
38 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
ready for a dinner function during the pandemic. It’s a fundraiser
for Lifesong for Orphans. “It’s like Tommy Boy!” he laughs. “I’ll be
twirling around singing ‘fat guy in a little coat’ all night.”
On the menu is steak, mashed potatoes, and asparagus, which
Ryan will eat even though he isn’t hungry. He hasn’t been since
summer, when he started taking in upwards of 5,000 calories a day.
That’s a couple of thousand more than back when he was running
100 miles a week and eight races a year, including the Houston Half
Marathon in 2007. He crushed it in 59:43, making him the first
American to break the half’s one-hour barrier. In 2011, in Boston,
he rocketed 26.2 miles in 2:04:58, becoming, to date, the fastest
marathoner in America.
The fastest marathoner in America who, at 38 years old, doesn’t
run anymore. Not competitively. Not weekly. Though on a whim,
occasionally: as in, maybe 25 miles in all of 2020. Well, not counting
the 43 he ran in September, from Crested Butte to Aspen, in 12:47
with a 6,000-foot elevation gain. “I just hopped in,” he says, about
the Grand Traverse Mountain Run. His first ultra. For fun.
And his body has changed substantially since his marathon days.
He’s gained a ton of muscle. Since retiring from professional running
in 2016, the 5'10" Ryan has gone from 127-pound waif to 200-pound
weightlifter. “After depleting my body of so much strength for years
and years with intense training and dieting, my body was craving
an activity that was anabolic,” Ryan explains. He also just fell in
love with “the sensation,” he says, of pulling something so freaking
heavy off the floor that he previously couldn’t budge.
He noticed it in his face first. “A marathoner’s face is gaunt,” he
says. “Right away, I lost that. I was retaining a ton of water. My
face got so bloated. My arms just kept getting bigger and bigger,”
he says, not boasting but as a matter of fact. “I barely recognized
myself!” Sara and others barely recognized him either.
“It was a big transition,” says Sara. “I like his physique now, but it
took getting used to.” Ryan had looked “emaciated” since they first
met after the Foot Locker West Regionals outside L.A., senior year
of high school, at 17. But now his body was completely different.
“We were in an elevator and this guy walks in who’d known Ryan
for years. He was like, ‘Hey, Sara. How’s Ryan doing?’ And I was
like, ‘He’s standing right here!’ ”
In his old life, Ryan was long and leggy, with the kind of natty,
sun-bleached blond mop you’d expect on a kid who grew up in
Southern California. Clean-shaven with concave cheeks, he had a
boyish, Oliver Twist look about him. He used to gallop the streets
with the speed and light and grace of a gazelle. Now, bearded and
buff, he spends one to two hours a day working out in his garage.
He hoists and huffs, presses and puffs. Veins pop from his neck.
Pecs bulge beneath his T-shirt. “Happy Birthday Hulk!” one of
his 90,000 Instagram followers commented, with a biceps emoji,
beneath a chronological series Ryan posted of bare-chested, six-
packed, painstakingly sculpted selfies. A virtual flipbook of his
physical transformation over the past five years.
Unlike most of social media, though, it doesn’t come off as a gross
display of vanity. Ryan isn’t saying, “Hey, look at my body!” He’s
saying: Hey, look at the body. Look at what the human body can do.
As a runner, Ryan used to hate lifting weights. And as a typical
baseball- and basketball-obsessed kid, he hated running. Until, at
13, gazing out the car window at Big Bear Lake, God urged him to
run around it. And so, a boy of faith, who’d never run more than
one dreaded mile in PE class, he begged his dad—and ran 15 miles.
From then on he never stopped running, racking up four state
championships, a track scholarship to Stanford, and two Olympic
teams. Until, at 33, tired of injuries and low testosterone, and just
plain tired, he rather abruptly did.
not sitting around overthinking running.” It doesn’t mean she’s
leading a balanced life. She wishes she had extra energy to go on a
hike with the girls. Or kick around the soccer ball without worrying
about getting injured, she says. “When you’re trying to be the best
in the world at something, your life is never going to be balanced.”
Being a mom motivates her as a runner, she explains. It has
made her value, even approach races, differently. “I think: I really
fought to create the time and space in my life for this opportunity.
I’m going to take advantage of it.”
Ryan, too, has turned his laser self-focus from himself to his
daughters, of course. Driving them to the dentist, helping with
homeschooling, coaching Hana and Mia, the two eldest, during
the pandemic, before team practices resumed. He also personally
coaches a dozen or so amateur athletes through Run Free, the online
holistic coaching company he cofounded in 2018 with his friend Jay
Stephenson. Ryan and Sara have worked on behalf of millions of
women and children living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia through
the Hall STEPS Foundation, the development organization they

before kids, Sara and

I N TH E I R O LD LI F E , Mia and Ryan
practice
Ryan traveled the globe to training camps
sparring.
and races with nothing but each other and
their Asics. (The company has sponsored
the couple since they both graduated from
Stanford and turned pro.) In their old life,
they concentrated day-in, day-out—like
all elite athletes have to—on themselves.
In their old life, whenever they were not
running, they were in “energy conserva-
tion mode,” says Sara. Expending as little
energy as possible: literally lying on their
couch, watching movies, reading books.
The antithesis of parenting, essentially.
“With kids, you can’t live that way,” says
Sara. “You’re constantly doing things and
sensing things and listening to them talk
for hours about Harry Potter.”
And talking to them for hours, too—
about Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd
and Breonna Taylor. In May 2020, when
Floyd was murdered by a white cop in
Minneapolis, the world erupted, and the
Halls awoke. “Coming from Ethiopia, the
girls had never seen themselves as Black
before,” says Sara. They didn’t know about
racism, let alone systemic racism. Arbery’s
murder was especially disturbing, and
confounding, for the girls. Why was a
man shot and killed while he was just out
running? “Suddenly, they were learning
what it means to be Black in America. It
was new to them. It was new to us,” says
Sara. The family spent the summer having
hard, deep discussions. “I had to tell the
girls, ‘This country I brought you to, that
you’d idolized in your minds as this idyllic
place…is not.’ ”
Motherhood takes up mental space for-
merly fully reserved for running. That is
not necessarily a bad thing, says Sara. “I’m

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 39
 established in 2009, most recently raising $50,000 to fund a home
for homeless girls in Addis Ababa.
But Ryan’s attention these days is, most acutely, on Sara. Riding a
bike beside her as she runs, he watches her every move: How is her
breathing? How is her form? Her pace? Her knee drive?
When he was a pro athlete, Ryan never wanted to be a coach. “It
always just seemed like what all pro athletes do after they stop com-
peting.” He aspired to no part of that cliché. But soon after retiring
in 2016, he received a cold email from a runner in New York City
looking for a coach. David Roeske, a fellow Stanford grad, had always
admired, from afar, Ryan’s “gutsy” approach to racing. Recently back
from climbing Everest without supplemental oxygen, Roeske’s body
was wrecked. He hoped to PR in the upcoming NYC marathon that
November. He also wanted to PR in the Fifth Avenue Mile, and win
or PR the Empire State Building Run-Up, where he’d placed eighth
in the past. “I thought Ryan might understand my weird set of goals.”
He did. Ryan took him on. For no other reason, really, than, what
else was he doing? Plus, Ryan says, “he sounded like a cool guy.”
Within a few months, Roeske accomplished several goals, if not those,
including cutting his marathon PR from 2:37 to 2:34. Ryan told him,
Run the first 20 miles with your head, and the last six with your
heart, Roeske recalls. “As I ran those last six miles, I kept repeating,
With your heart! as a mantra, and it fueled me through the finish.”
Ryan and Sara realized he should coach her, too. “It just made
THIS PAGE: This
year, Sara is training
to win the Chicago
Marathon in October.
OPPOSITE: “It just
made sense” for Ryan
to coach Sara, the
couple agrees.
40 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
sense,” they both say, in separate conversations, like melded cou-
ples do. “You want your coach to know everything about you. How
you sleep, how you eat, what makes you tick,” explains Sara. Ryan,
obviously, knew it all. “He’s always been that person for me, even
when he wasn’t my coach.”
Ryan and Sara, both devout Christians, bond over the Bible and
statistics. Their lives are steeped in both scripture and the stop-
watch. Luke 1:37. Sara 2:20.
Sara says she’s often felt misunderstood by her past coaches. She
likes to experiment with her workouts and training. Ryan gets that.
“We have a mutual trust. He trusts that I’m in tune with my body,”
she says. “That’s allowed me to be more aggressive in my training than
a coach would normally be.” Which means: Ryan lets her do crazy,
unconventional things professional runners don’t typically do. Like,
say, take relatively few rest days and run back-to-back marathons.
“Ryan’s goals are Sara’s goals, and Sara’s goals are Ryan’s goals,” as
elite runner Rachel Johnson, 27, puts it. The fellow Christian athlete
moved to Flagstaff in 2018 for its “skinny air” and the opportunity
to train with Ryan. His was a name she’d first heard from reading
magazines like Runner’s World, when she was a high school track
star in Plano, Texas.
After just two phone calls with Ryan, she was sold. “I was like,
I’m going to Flagstaff!” She could just tell: “He’d put everything into
running himself. It was clear he was going to put everything into
coaching, too.” He did. Johnson set several PRs and represented
Team USA at the Great Stirling XCountry International Challenge
2019 in Scotland. “He’s made me a better runner,” she says—as well
as a dedicated coach herself. In 2019, she moved to Virginia to coach
cross country at Liberty University; she also works for Run Free as
a virtual trainer. She often hears herself sharing what she’s learned
from Ryan with her own athletes. “He talks a lot about heart goals,”
she says, “about how everyone has time goals, but you also need
a heart goal.” To run a race with joy, perhaps; or to run without
comparing yourself to others. “You may not achieve your time goal,
but you can still feel good about achieving your heart goal,” says
Johnson. “And you usually end up running way better than if you
didn’t have a heart goal in the first place.”

GOALS—TIME GOALS, HEART GOALS— are what drive all the Halls. You
can’t be a Hall (or for that matter, human, really) without them.
Back in 2019, plagued by injuries, Sara started writing her goals
on the bathroom mirror, in erasable marker. 2020 Olympics… 68
half ... 2:22... It helps focus her attention, she says. She likes how it
shows her girls how you go after goals, how to tangibly put them
front and center. After failing to make the Olympic team in Feb-
ruary 2020, she came home and immediately wiped off “Olympic
marathon trial champion” and replaced it with “American record
holder.” It was her way of moving on, of looking forward.
There was very little room left. “Can I have some space to look
at my face?” Ryan joked not long ago, then squeezed one in: 200
pounds, he scrawled. “That one was clearly his,” Sara laughs.
Achieved. Ryan has indeed tipped the scale at over two hundred.
It was a “soft 200, though,” he says. He wants “a lean and cut” 200—
muscle, not fat. Bulking up is not as fun as it sounds, he says. But
bench-pressing 330, deadlifting 520, and squatting 475 and counting
is. The other day he came across some dude on Instagram, from San
Diego, who deadlifted 500 pounds, then dropped it and immediately
ran a 4:49 mile, a world record. It’s a rather niche record compared
to the kind Ryan used to shatter, but still: He plans to beat it. at a time, spending most of the first half somewhere in the middle
Maybe it’s Ryan’s easygoing yet self-assured tone, or his seemingly of the pack. Because of the loop route, she passed Ryan every six
innate sincerity, or his guiding belief in God—or just the credibility minutes or so. He was going crazy. “I was like a caged animal!”
that comes with super-heroic athleticism. But what in another mes- he says. “I had all this energy and nowhere to go. I’d see her come
senger might be construed as self-help BS comes off as inspirational. around and start screaming super loud.” Soon, Sara started to catch
“Anyone can be good at something,” he says, invoking wisdom from people, including Ethiopia’s Ashete Bekere, winner of the 2019 Berlin
his father, who coached him as a kid. “But if you want to be great at Marathon. As she moved from ninth place into fifth, then fourth…
something, it’s about finding what you’re made to do, and doing that.” the switch was flipped. “I wanted the podium,” she says. Heading
And Sara, it seems, is made to run. After taking some time off after into the final lap, she found herself in third.
her Olympic Trials heartbreak in Atlanta, she got back in her Asics. Watching her pain and effort and superhuman humanity, it
And Ryan got back on his bike, pedaling alongside her, shouting, was as if she had channeled not just all her training but all she’d
“Put yourself there!” and “There is more there!” and “Make it feel been through, all we’ve all been through, all year. “I wanted to do
easy!”—and, as her tempos and times continued to improve: “New something inspirational in London,” she says. She did.
normal!” (As in: This—this!—is your new normal.) In June, she ran Sara killed it, coming in second and completing the 26.2 miles in
a half marathon on the treadmill at her chiropractor’s office, setting 2:22:01, the fastest of her career by 15 seconds, at age 37. She blazed
a treadmill world record at 1:09:03. In August 2020, in a solo time past Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich, 2019 marathon world champion. Her
trial, she ran 13.1 miles along a bike path in Eugene, Oregon, in kick-finish—a surge of the very best kind—brought her, Ryan, their
1:08:18, a personal record—and beating her mirror goal. daughters watching on TV, and people everywhere, runners and not,
It was just the boost Sara needed going into October 2020’s who happened to see the clip on Twitter, to tears.
London Marathon, a windy, rainy, pandemic-style bubble pro- She came home to Flagstaff to flowers and chocolates that the
duction. It was to be run by some 40 COVID-tested elite men and girls had gone out and bought with their own money.
women, on a 1.3-mile loop, without spectators. Unless you count In late December, a mere 11 weeks after London, Sara wowed the
the cardboard cutouts of Queen Elizabeth and Prince William, world again at the Marathon Project: running circles around the
complete with thumbs-ups, lining the course. three dozen competitors and mostly spectatorless 4.263-mile loop,
The first 13.1 was tough. “I was running alone in the silence,” finishing first with yet another personal 26.2-mile best: 2:20:32—on
says Sara. Which is not how Sara likes to run. She took it one lap the heels of Deena Kastor’s 14-year-strong 2:19:36 national record.

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 41
From left: Mia,
Lily, Jasmine,
Ryan, and Sarah
walk their dogs
outside their
home in Flagstaff.

42 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
 And yet, Sara’s mirror doesn’t lie: “American record holder”—
and breaking 2:20—had been her goal. Crossing the finish line,
“the prevailing emotion I had was just disappointment,” she says.
Though for the rest of us mortals watching, it was anything but.
Instead, we saw a woman rise up, from the biggest blow of her career,
during a goddamn pandemic to once again kick butt, and become
the second-fastest female marathoner in America.
PEOPLE AGE. PEOPLE CHANGE. Most do it at a slow, steady clip. Not
the Halls. Over the past five years, all six have undergone trans-
formations of epic proportions. Not to mention the fact that under
Ryan’s tutelage, Sara just keeps getting faster, it seems.
In 2015, back in Ethiopia, the girls were prohibited from leav-
ing the orphanage. But the eldest, Hana, had always wanted to
be a runner, like the elite women runners of her birth country,
and then, of course, like her adopted mom. Three years later, as a
junior at Flagstaff High, she became the third Hall to win a state
cross-country championship. (And win again.) In November, Mia,
still a sophomore, became the fourth state champ in the family.
“She took it from a minute in and never looked back,” Sara posted
on Instagram, to her 148,000 followers.
Watching their daughters quite literally follow in their footsteps
fills Sara and Ryan with immense joy. But so does watching the girls
work hard in school. And master the English language after knowing
not a lick of it. And rap every single word of Hamilton while playing
on the banks of Colorado’s Slate River during a family vacation.
Hana attends Grand Canyon University on a track scholarship.
Her first season was cut back significantly due to Covid—she was
able to compete in two races—but pandemic permitting, she’ll run
on the Division 1 squad this season. Mia is chasing PRs in the mile
and 2-mile. When Jasmine grows up, she wants to be a Hollywood
actress, but in the meantime she has joined the soccer team. Lily,
age 10, wants to be a scientist.
“I just hope to show our girls what it looks like to come alive,”
says Sara. “The world needs more people doing things they love.”
Or as Ryan put it: people doing what they’re made to do.
Was he made to be a runner or a coach? “I was made to do both,”
he says. “I think this is a common life experience, where one’s first
life purpose is primarily ego-driven. It’s about an individual trying to
maximize their own potential, which gives way to a second purpose
that is ‘other-driven,’ where the goal is to help others maximize their
own potential.” There is nothing wrong or better about one stage
compared to the other, he adds. “They are both necessary and good.”
Helping others, as it happens, requires Ryan to do something he’d
never done much of before: sitting. At his computer: at 5 a.m., writing
his first book, Run the Mile You’re In: Finding God in Every Step, a
religious-running memoir published in 2019. Typing up personalized
workout programs for the dozen or so runners he trains virtually
through Run Free. Sequestering himself in his garage, recording the
weekly companion podcast, on which he chats effortlessly and hon-
estly with guests like his younger brother Chad about booze and body
image; with fellow runners Dathan Ritzenhein and Alan Webb, about
their high-school heyday when they were dubbed “the big three”;
and occasionally with his wife, about training and breakthroughs
and his famous high-protein pancakes. He has also sat on his couch
watching The 41st Day, the new documentary about his career, from
first-time filmmaker Tim Jeffreys. Three times.
“It was hard to watch,” he admits. “I felt like I was just watching
a lot of failures, my failures, being played out on the big screen.”
The pulled hamstrings and plantar fasciitis, the low testosterone
levels, the fatigue that plagued his final years—years he practiced
“faith-based coaching.” God was his coach. But even God couldn’t
save him from the biggest failure of his career: his 11th mile walk-
off and DNF at the 2012 London Olympics.
“I’d so clearly missed what God was telling me,” he recalls. In
the months leading up to the games, he’d had a vision. God had told
him about a golden puzzle, which, of course, Ryan interpreted to
mean a gold medal. Who wouldn’t?
It wasn’t until his third time watching the documentary—the
final scene with Sara and their newly adopted girls—that it all came
together. “I had this aha moment,” he says. A healing moment. “Wait
a second…God never said it was a gold medal, he just showed me a
golden puzzle, put together.” The golden puzzle, he realized, was
his family, two families brought together into one.
RYAN MAY HAVE SYMBOLICALLY— and literally—left his sneakers at
the finish line in Sydney, after completing the World Marathon
Challenge in 2017, a mind- (and body)-boggling seven marathons on
seven continents in seven days, but as a husband and a coach and a
father, he runs on. Through Sara, who’s not slowing down; through
Hana and Mia, who are just getting started; through David Roeske
and Rachel Johnson and all the athletes who Run Free.
“Running isn’t meant to last forever,” he says, almost shrugging
through the phone. “That’s what makes running special. That’s
what makes life special.”
Still, don’t most runners want to run until we can’t? Doesn’t every
runner but Ryan dread the day our bodies tell us to hang it up? I ask
Ryan: Does watching Sara run—watching her arms pump and her
chin lift and her legs churn in long, strong strides, in the prime of
her career—ever make you jealous?
He pauses for less than the three seconds that gave way to his
famous sub-2:05. Maybe it’s their faith in God, or their faith in each
other, or their faith in training—but envy is wholly absent from
their relationship. He cites a Biblical verse (Mark 10:9) as a way
to describe their marriage: “And the two will become one flesh.”
Sara is hoping to get a chance to run a sub-68 minute half marathon
and “get in sub-2:19:30 shape” by fall. Her hopes are concrete, spelled
out, in front of her face as she stares into the mirror every morning.
After competing in the Olympic Trials for the 10K in June, and
falling short again, she watched the Tokyo Games like the rest of
us—at home. Still, today, at 38, her aspirations remain scrawled, and
simple (so to speak): “Olympian” and “American record holder.” What
she wants even more than the record, though, is to finish first at the
Chicago Marathon on October 10th.
What about Ryan? I ask him what everyone, athlete or
not, asks themselves—whether in the final days of December
or in summer’s waning sunlight. “What are your goals for
the year ahead?”
At first, it seems as if he misinterpreted the word “your”—
until I realized: no, I did. “Aw, man, there’s so much more
there,” he says. “We still don’t know how fast Sara can go. I
want her to finish her career knowing.”
RUNNERSWORLD.COM 43
 SUPERCHARGE
YOUR
SPEED WITH
SUPERSETS
P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y R O B E R T B R E D VA D

44 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
 Runner’s World+
Coach Jess Movold
performs a jump lunge
to finish out a three-
move superset.

Amplify your
strength work
to run faster and
longer without
spending hours
in the gym.

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 45

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 through-
out 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 seconds per mile. “The
only thing I had been consistent with through-
out my training—more so than running—was
strength-training,” she says.
Smith, who lives in Nashville, had started
working virtually with Runner’s World+ Coach
Jess Movold in July 2020. The first change
Movold made to Smith’s routine was adding
strength work two or three times a week, includ-
ing a session with supersets—exercises performed
back-to-back.
Her progression was gradual: She began
with bodyweight exercises, then graduated to
dumbbells under 25 pounds. “As the weights got
heavier, I started noticing this ability to tolerate
more running volume and intensity,” she says.
Before strength-training, Smith had a hard
time running more than 20 miles a week without
getting injured. But this past spring she was able
to log 35 to 40 miles per week. “I had fewer aches
and pains as I increased my mileage and added in
speedwork,” she says. “With strength-training, I
was still feeling healthy and didn’t worry I was
on the cusp of injury.”
That’s because Smith was building up her
supporting muscles, which helped her run more
efficiently and stay healthy while putting in those
faster miles and longer efforts, says Movold, who
46 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
“These moves also strengthen your
supporting muscles, which boosts your
efficiency and allows you to increase
your miles and intensity.”
used strength work to break through her own
marathon performance plateau in 2016.
Movold understands that strength-training
can be a struggle for many runners. Approaching
weights can be intimidating, or worse, feel like a
chore when you’d rather be running. So Movold
designed a superset program she calls Strength
for Speed that’s efficient yet engaging, and can
produce results with just one session per week.
The workouts follow superset blocks of three
exercises, performed back-to-back-to-back, that
complement each other. “The first one creates
fatigue, the second builds strength, and the third
generates power and explosiveness,” she says.
After the three moves, there’s a short rest, and
then two more rounds of the superset.
Stacking exercises like this also helps you get
more out of explosive movements like a jump
lunge or kettlebell swing, says Mike Young, Ph.D.,
a biomechanist and founder of the Athletic Lab
sports research center in Cary, North Carolina.
“Strength movements allow for greater recruit-
ment of the muscle fibers and motor neurons,
and if you follow them with an explosive exer-
cise, you’ll actually have greater output on that
explosive exercise.”
Movold’s supersets (see page 48) focus on
developing the legs and glutes. And beyond
supporting longer miles and preventing injury,
the increased leg power and explosiveness
directly translates to faster times. “Your lower
body is where you put force into the ground,”
says Young. “If you can put more force into the
ground with every step, you can increase your
stride length, decrease your ground contact time,
and improve running economy—all of which
improve performance.”
You can also develop those attributes by log-
ging more volume or upping your speedwork,
but getting those extra miles in might require a
time commitment on the order of an additional
hour or two per week, says Young.
Movold’s longest superset workout is 35 min-
utes and she says it can fit anywhere into your
weekly workouts, except the day before a hard
workout, like speed intervals.
The superset workouts are also completely
adaptable, so you can modify them to meet your
strength level. For example, start with just your
body weight for the squats and lunges if you’re
a beginner.
When you get comfortable with your initial
weights, bump up the difficulty by increasing
the reps one week, then dialing the reps back to
the prescribed number and increasing the weight
the next week, says Movold. Continue alternating
increased reps and weight—without sacrificing
your form—as you get stronger.
 Adding strength
work helped
Movold set
a 35-minute PR
at the 2016
NYC Marathon.
G e t t y I m a g e s ( b a c k g r o u n d t e x t u r e)

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 47
 SUPERSET 1

BUILD KETTLEBELL
DEADLIFT
SERIOUS Stand with your feet about
shoulder-width apart and a
kettlebell between your feet.

STRENGTH Bend at the hips and knees and

grab the kettlebell with both
hands. With your spine neutral

FOR and your arms extended,

forcefully exhale and use
your glutes to thrust your hips
forward and straighten your

SERIOUS knees as you lift the kettlebell

off the floor. Slowly reverse
the motion, keeping your back
straight and core engaged, to

SPEED return to start. Do 12 reps.

Try two of the superset

blocks that Runner’s ROMANIAN
DEADLIFT WITH
World+ Coach Jess
DUMBBELLS
Movold uses to build
With a dumbbell in each hand,
running strength and stand tall with your feet hip-
width apart, shoulders back,
power. After a 5-minute and a microbend in your
warmup, perform knees. Slowly bend at the hips,
sending your butt back while
the exercises in each keeping your torso straight, abs
tight, and chest lifted. Engage
superset back-to-back your hamstrings and glutes and
lower the weights as far as you
with no rest. After each can until you feel a pull along
the backs of your legs. Push
superset, rest for 30 to 60 your hips forward to return to
seconds before starting standing. Do 12 reps.

the next round. Complete

3 rounds before moving
on to the next block. You
KETTLEBELL
will need one kettlebell, SWING
a set of dumbbells, and Place the kettlebell on the floor
one heavy dumbbell. and step back so you’re about
an arm’s length away, with your
They should be heavy feet a bit wider than hip-width
and knees slightly bent. Bend
enough that the last at the hips and grab the handle
with a two-handed, overhand
2 to 3 reps of each set grip, then tip it toward your
feels challenging. body as you engage your lats.
Draw the weight back between
your legs (like hiking a football).
Then squeeze your glutes to
Wa r d r o b e b y L u l u l e m o n

thrust your hips forward and

swing the bell out and up to
chest level. Allow gravity
to draw the bell down, then
repeat. Do 24 reps.

48 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
SUPERSET 2

HOW TO
SCHEDULE
YO U R S U P E R -
SET STRENGTH
WO R KO UT S

GOBLET SQUAT SUNDAY

Hold a single heavy dumbbell

Long Run
vertically in front of your
chest with your hands around MONDAY
the top portion. Stand with
your feet shoulder-width
Easy Run
apart, toes pointed slightly
out. Send your hips back and TUESDAY
bend your knees to squat
Intervals + Core
down until your thighs are
parallel to the floor while
keeping your chest lifted. WEDNESDAY
Return to start and repeat. Rest or Recovery
Do 12 reps.

THURSDAY
Tempo
FRIDAY
Superset Strength

SATURDAY
SPLIT SQUAT Rest Day
Stand with your feet shoulder-
width apart and hold a
dumbbell in each hand. Step
back with your right foot, and
bend your knees to lower as far
as possible—with control—into
a lunge. Without moving either
TRY MORE
foot, push back up to straight SUPERSETS
legs. Do 12 reps, then switch WITH COACH
legs and repeat.
JESS!
Movold’s Strength
for Speed program
is designed specif-
ically for runners.
It includes five key
workouts that fea-
ture strength super-
sets and stability
exercises with an
JUMP LUNGE emphasis on the
Drop into a lunge position lower-body, core
by stepping your left foot
forward and bending both
engagement, and
legs to 90-degree angles, so explosiveness.
the right knee hovers above Runner’s World
the floor. Keep your chest
lifted and left knee centered
readers get the first
over your ankle. From here, month free with
explosively jump straight code SPEED30,
up and switch legs in the
air, landing softly in a lunge
redeemable at
with your right foot in front. watch.alloutstudio.
That’s 1 rep. Do 24. com.

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 49
When Karen
Sparks found
running, she
found catharsis.

50 RUNNERSWORLD.COM P H O T O G R A P H Y BY T R E VO R PAU L H U S
 SHE LOST
HER
CHILDREN
TO A
DEVASTATING
ACT OF
VIOLENCE.
TODAY
THEY’RE
THE REASON
SHE KEEPS
RUNNING
B Y S A R A H H E P O L A

THE

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 51
 Cour tesy Karen Sparks

Grant, 7, and
Reagan, 8, in a
family photo.

52 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
THERE IS
NO WORD IN
THE ENGLISH
LANGUAGE FOR
A MOTHER
WHO LOSES
HER CHILDREN.

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 53
 Karen says she no
longer recognizes
the 27-year-old in
her bridal photo.

Cour tesy Karen Sparks

54 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
 SHE’D SPENT
PREVIOUS
ANNIVERSARIES
HIDING FROM
THE WORLD.
THIS YEAR SHE
WAS FLIPPING
THE SCRIPT ON
THE TRAGEDY
THAT DEFINED
HER LIFE.
Left: Her
bracelets
say ALWAYS
RUNNING
WITH R&G
and LOVE
NEVER ENDS.
She recreated
them for a
fundraiser for a
scholarship in
her children’s
names. Right:
Karen dyes
her hair bright
magenta. She
believes her
kids are proud
of her spirit.

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 55
 Karen runs in
Erwin Park, April
2021. Below: With
her pacers and
crew after her 100-
mile solo ultra in
November 2020.

C o u r t e s y K a r e n S p a r k s ( g r o u p)

56 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
KAREN DIDN’T
LIKE RUNNING
SO MUCH AS
SHE NEEDED
RUNNING.
SHE WANTED
TO SUFFER.

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 57
 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

NEW
fitness. But whether you’re
racing or just enjoying your
daily mileage, there are fan-
tastic new models that lever-
age the latest bouncy foams
and irritation-free uppers to
ensure you get the most from

SHOES
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 log-
ging 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 FAST SOFT TRAIL
Cour tesy of Name

ride. After all that, these 20

P.60 P.68 P.76
pairs came out on top.

P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y L A KO TA G A M B I L L RUNNERSWORLD.COM 59
FAST
60 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
 The mono-
filament mesh is
comfortable and
breathable.

Asics Magic → A misconception about running is that it’s a cheap sport. After all, you only need a
Speed pair of shoes, right? But those shoes are getting increasingly expensive, thanks to the
PRICE : $150 latest tech. There’s no reason to celebrate the normalization of a $200+ price tag. But
WEIGHT : 8.1 oz that very same pricey tech is making more-affordable models like the Magic Speed
(M), 6.5 oz (w) even better. I’ll concede, $150 is still too expensive for a large percentage of our com-
DROP : 5 mm munity, but this $150 shoe delivers a heck of a lot of performance. The Magic Speed
was designed with some trickle-down knowledge from shoes like the MetaRacer and
has more budget-friendly components from shoes like the NovaBlast, making it a good race-day option
for those of us running marathons competitively in the three-to-four-hour range. We also love this
shoe because it holds up to a heavy amount of speed training. To help you sustain those long efforts, it
uses a lively FlyteFoam Blast midsole that’s bouncy and springy underfoot. You won’t mistake it for the
Pebax found on a Vaporfly Next% or Asics’ own nylon-based foam from its top-of-the-line MetaSpeed
Sky, but it offers an excellent combination of cushioning, energy return, and durability. This shoe, like
second-tier performance shoes—Saucony Endorphin Speed or the now-defunct Nike Zoom Fly—gets
slightly cheaper components. Instead of a full-length carbon-fiber plate, the Magic Speed has one
made from carbon and TPU (a plastic polymer) that spans only the front half of the shoe. The result
is that the shoe isn’t nearly as stiff from heel to toe, so you lose a little of that snappy turnover you’d
get from a fully plated shoe. But it’s softer on heel strike and still manages to feel peppy.—Jeff Dengate

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 61
 Hoka
replaced the
oversized
pull-tab
with a thin
New Balance FuelCell RC Elite v2
cable. PRICE :$225
WEIGHT : 7.8 OZ ( M ), 6.3 OZ (W)
DROP : 8 MM

→ Typically, running shoes only see major

updates every other year. But, for v2 of this
plated racer, New Balance rebuilt it from the
ground up—all for the better. The v1 was an
admirable first attempt at getting something
in NB’s lineup that could compete with Nike’s
Vaporfly. It fell short, mostly because the sole
was thinner and just didn’t deliver a similar
bouncy, propulsive ride. But v2 is way softer
and springier than before, thanks to a much
thicker midsole. The heel stack—a measure
of everything between your foot and the
road—is up to 39mm, 7mm taller than before.
And the forefoot got an even bigger boost,
reducing the drop from 10mm to 8mm. That
extra thickness not only improves cushion-
ing, it also gives New Balance more space
under the hood to beef up the engine: The
carbon-fiber plate has been reshaped with
more curve, delivering better responsiveness
and propulsion. It had our wear-test team
running faster than they’d planned, even
on easy days. “On a 10-miler, it felt so fast
underfoot I threw caution to the wind and
decided to do a progression run,” reported
one wear-tester who is training for ultramar-
athons. “After two miles at 6:30 pace, I was
like, ‘Screw it, let’s really try to hammer’ and
ran a 5:58 mile. For some, this is nothing, but
for me, at the end of a Sunday run, on a big
week, and with tired legs, hot damn!”
Counterintuitively, New Balance ditched
the sporty outsole of v1, which featured a
sea of little triangles bonded to the foam,
for a more traditional blown-rubber outsole.
It also gave the shoe one of the most com-
fortable and conventional uppers that we’ve
worn on such a super shoe. But that extra
comfort didn’t hinder performance, and it
makes the shoe even more versatile for both
training and racing.
Hoka One → When the Rincon made its debut, runners raved about its low weight and Our lone gripe: The cutout on the bottom
One Rincon 3 versatility. “Literally can’t say a bad thing about this shoe,” gushed a tester. On its of the sole shows the carbon-fiber plate,
PRICE : $115 third iteration, the Rincon continues to impress. The 3 is even lighter while still but it also traps big rocks. If you venture
WEIGHT : 7.4 oz maintaining that thick midsole Hoka is known for. Its cushioning strikes a balance off clean blacktop, be prepared to stop and
(M), 6.2 oz (W) between comfortably soft and supportively firm. It’s the speed-training counterpart pry stones loose.—J.D.
DROP : 5 mm 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 faster than I started them, thanks to the shoe’s light weight.” Testers appreciated
the redesigned mesh upper, which is more breathable—we tested them during a string of 90-degree
days in the Northeast—and appreciated that the shoes don’t cause blisters or pinch your feet. Hoka also
revamped the outsole, repositioning rubber in the heel and adding even more to the lateral edge of the
forefoot to reduce premature wear. “The exposed foam on the outsole of the original Rincons wore out
very early,” said one tester. The additional rubber outsole aids with traction as well as prolonging the
Rincon’s life span, ensuring you’ll buy pairs less frequently.—Amanda Furrer

62 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
 FAST

We
appreciate
the extra
padding around
the collar.

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 63
 The outsole
uses a PU resin
(instead of rubber)
to save weight and
improve grip.

Mizuno Wave → Plates are nothing new for Mizuno, which has been using Wave technology The Rebellion’s ideal race: a wet and
Rebellion for years. But the brand made a big shift in the material it chose to use in its hilly half marathon. The plate shines
PRICE : $180 newest uptempo trainer—fiberglass. This light and firm introduction has a when charging up steep climbs. The shoe
WEIGHT : 8.7 oz bio-based wave plate made from castor beans and nylon, reinforced with glass has just enough cushioning for 13 miles.
(M), 7.3 oz (W) fibers. That makes it stronger and snappier than the Pebax plates used in other And the traction is superb on rain-slicked
DROP : 8 mm Wave models, and more than 10 times more responsive according to Mizuno. roads. We found the Rebellion has some
The increased responsiveness comes from both the new materials and the shape fit issues at top speed. The bulky heel and
of the plate itself. The plate runs nearly the full length of the shoe, extending all the way to the loose-fitting upper left us sliding around
forefoot, where it splits into two pieces, like a lobster claw. This gives the shoe a peppy feeling at quite a bit, despite lacing up tightly. “This
toe-off, especially for those who land closer to their midfoot. When running up- and downhill, we shoe’s only negative for me is the over-
noticed a pronounced quick-rolling flick accompanying each footstrike. The plate is nestled inside sized tongue,” one tester said. “It’s easy
a new foam called Enerzy Lite. Compared to Mizuno’s original EVA-based U4ic material, it’s light- to grab, but it waves around and curls up
er and softer. But, overall, we found the Rebellion’s feeling on foot is pretty hard. (It’s definitely the front of your ankle like a big potato
not the plush sensation you’ll get from the Wave Rider 25, which uses marshmallowy layers of chip.”—Morgan Petruny
standard Enerzy.) For runners who like a firm ride, there’s ample protection underfoot for racing
the marathon distance, but most of us will want a touch more softness when piling on the miles.

64 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
FAST Saucony Endorphin Pro 2
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 2 provides more support around
the heel with an even more secure fit, though
runners with weak ankles may still feel
wobbly cutting corners. The new closure
system has elastic bands strategically placed
to prevent the tongue going askew. One over-
pronating tester felt timid rounding turns
when she dipped under 6:30 pace. That could
be trouble for some because the Pro 2, like
the Pro 1, just wants to go at full tilt. Lacing
it up, you become that antsy racehorse in its
corral, ready to bolt out of the gate.—A.F.

Don’t dig
the check-
ered flag? The
shoe also comes
in blue, black,
or red.

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 65
 The collar’s
internal
padding boosts
comfort and
stability.

WE AR-TE ST REPORT
TR EVOR CONDE , 32, tester since 2017
A RCH:Medium
GAIT: Neutral
FOOT STR IK E: Midfoot
TYPICA L W EEK LY MILEAGE: 80
OTHER SHOES TR EVOR LIK ES:
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 work-
outs 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
Under Armour → The sleek Flow Velociti SE (sports edition) is a long-run shoe disguised as a shoes I’ve ever worn. I have always
Flow Velociti SE racing flat. It offers a minimal underfoot experience for runners who prefer a struggled to find comfort on race
PRICE : $130 firm ride, even when they venture into double-digit territory. While some runners day because spikes and racing
WEIGHT : 8.5 oz may want more cushioning, our most efficient testers found it adequate to take flats have come with a significant
(M), 8.0 oz (W) the harshness from the pavement. “The foam and rubber combination held up on sacrifice—I always knew I’d be in
this shoe, even though it has a lightweight construction,” said one tester. “I tend to a world of pain the next day. The
DROP : 8 mm
Next%, and now the Next% 2, have
heel strike, and this shoe gave me confidence on my longer training runs.” Other
been absolute game-changers for
heel-strikers found the shoe surprisingly forgiving on hard efforts, though midfoot-striking testers
me in the recovery process. I love
wished the forefoot was more supportive. Because of the midsole’s durability and abrasion resistance, being able to lace up the best race
Under Armour could save some weight by eliminating outsole rubber. Instead, thin grooves in the foam shoes, on par with peers in spikes,
provide grip, though testers weren’t as keen on its performance over wet surfaces. They did enjoy the knowing that I’m in the fastest
flat-knit upper. Unlike some fabrics that tend to overheat and cause hot spots for some foot shapes, the footwear possible—and knowing
Flow’s knit upper mechanically stretches to adapt to a runner’s foot as it swells on long runs. “The shoe that I’ll come out of the race
feels like you’re putting on supportive slippers,” said a tester. “The elastic-weave construction along feeling healthy and able to recover
with the tongueless design lets the shoe conform to your foot better than most shoes I’ve tested.”—A.F. quickly.”

66 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
 FAST
Nike ZoomX → When you make the world’s fastest shoe, you don’t mess it up. And, good news: Nike didn’t.
Vaporfly Next% 2 In fact, the changes to version 2 were limited just to the upper, focused on improving comfort
PRICE: $250 and durability. The sole of the shoe is still where the magic happens, thanks to the excep-
WEIGHT: 6.9 oz tionally lightweight, soft, and springy ZoomX foam and rigid carbon-fiber plate that help you
(M), 5.8 oz (W) bound down the road with less effort. It’s the kind of package that allows elite marathoners
DROP: 8 mm to race well under five-minute pace, but we love that it delivers a screaming ride whenever
we push it hard, even at shorter distances. If you’re going long, you’ll appreciate the small
yet important updates this version received. The previous Vaporweave upper, a ripstop nylon–like material that
didn’t absorb water, has been replaced with an engineered mesh. We found that the Vaporweave just didn’t stretch
at all—particularly a problem for those of us with high insteps—and created a lot of pressure late in a race. The
new mesh resolves that problem. The fit remains snug but not constrictive. Nike also added a tiny bit of padding
at the top of the tongue to help relieve irritation from the laces when you have the shoes cinched tight and flex
forward. Those laces have been considerably upgraded, too. The Next% 2 gets shoelaces much like we saw on the
Alphafly Next%, with serrated edges along the entire length. When you yank tight on your bunny ears, that knot’s
staying put until you cross the finish line.—J.D.

Overlays
around the
forefoot improve
durability.

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 67
 The light-
weight rubber
outsole is just
3mm thick.

Brooks → Go ahead—rub your eyes: the Aurora-BL is intended to disrupt everything you uploaded my workouts on Strava. “This
Aurora-BL associate with cushioned running shoes. The Aurora-BL (BL is a nod to Brooks’s Blue shoe definitely has the most cushioning
PRICE : $200 Line design team, which works on futuristic footwear) was inspired by the Apollo of any shoe I’ve ever run in,” said another
WEIGHT : 8.5 oz moon landing—its aesthetic is based on space shuttles and astronaut suits. A soft tester. “It was certainly adequate for long
(M), 7.6 oz (w) midfoot sleeve is layered under the mono-mesh upper, and the 3D-molded swooping runs, but still had enough spring that it felt
DROP : 6 mm collar shines when caught in a headlight’s glare. The stack height is a whopping quite quick on shorter, faster runs.”
37mm in the heel and 31mm in the forefoot. The price ($200) is elevated, too. There’s Blue Line senior manager Nikhil Jain
no carbon-fiber plate, and these shoes aren’t meant for racing. Polarizing? Yes. Gimmicky? Nope. is aware of how crazy a $200 moon shoe
Race shoes that match the Aurora’s price are usually set aside for competition and typically last 250 sounds. “We know there are going to be
miles. For all those other days when you’re training and recovering, that’s where the Aurora comes a lot of people who roll their eyes and
in. What separates it from your average max-cushioned shoe is that it mimics the same turnover as a criticize us,” Jain said. “But I think there
speedster. The midsole is sculpted to promote a gliding transition, while a decoupled heel and forefoot are going to be a lot of people who are
encourage flexibility and, according to Brooks, your foot’s natural movement. The nitrogen-injected very excited about the newness and fresh-
DNA Loft v3 midsole is lighter, softer, more responsive, and more durable than traditional EVA foam ness.” Jain told us the Aurora is merely a
or the brand’s original DNA Loft. “Initially, I was afraid it was going to be too soft, like I was running preview of what is yet to come. Will there
on quicksand, but it was not like that at all,” said a tester. “The cushioning allows for higher mileage be a future Glycerin with DNA Loft v3
and harder efforts without beating up your feet.” foam? Only time will tell.—A.F.
Even though the shoe isn’t meant for speedwork, that didn’t stop our testers—and me—from pushing
the pace, whether intentional or not. I didn’t realize how fast I was going on several easy runs until I

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 69
 SOFT

Thick looped
eyelets and a fully
gusseted tongue
hold your foot secure
without creating
hot spots.

The women’s
version has a
narrower heel,
lower instep, and
sculpted arch.

Puma Magnify → In an attempt to sink its claws back into running, Puma has been reworking its
Nitro SP image, launching more streamlined, race-ready trainers, like the Deviate Nitro.
PRICE : $140 But not everybody wants a carbon-fiber plate in their shoe. Enter the Magnify,
WEIGHT : 10.5 oz which proves the brand is making solid performance shoes for all runners—not just
(M), 8.6 oz (W) the PR-minded ones. Pegged as an everyday trainer, the Magnify has a two-layer
DROP : 9 mm 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. A self-described “cushioned
running shoe junkie” said the shoe is “plushy” in the best way possible. “They provide soft cushioning
in all the right places, especially in the heel and tongue, and the insole feels like it molds to the shape of
your foot.” As for the SP: It stands for Spectra, the graphic covering the slightly stiff engineered-mesh
upper. The graphic is inspired by the spectrum of colors seen in refracted light. It’s also flashy when
worn at night; the overlays along the eye rows are reflective.—A.F.

70 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
 WE AR-TE ST REPORT
Nike Air Zoom → Before Phil Knight claimed it for his shoe brand, the name Nike belonged exclusively to
Pegasus 38 the Greek goddess of victory. She accompanied Zeus for luck in battle as he hurled thunder-
PRICE: $120 bolts from a blazing chariot pulled by Pegasus. And, like Zeus’s reliable stallion, the 38th Peg
V ER NON LOEB, 65, tester since 2021
WEIGHT: 10.0 oz upholds its legendary descriptor as a capable “workhorse with wings.” Last year, the shoe’s
A RCH:Medium
(M), 8.2 oz (W) midsole switched from older Cushlon foam to more-responsive React, and Nike added two GAIT: Neutral
DROP: 10 mm more millimeters of it underfoot. Still not as light and bouncy as ZoomX, React feels medium FOOT STR IK E: Forefoot
soft, and moderately flexible. Nike also lowered the pressure in the air unit in the women’s TYPICA L W EEK LY MILEAGE: 30
model (15 PSI, compared to 20 PSI for men) to make it a touch softer, doubled the size of the forefoot unit for extra ANOTHER SHOE V ER NON LIK ES:

pop on toe off, and scrapped the air unit from the midfoot and heel. The outsole got a facelift, too, with more flex Saucony Triumph 19

grooves and a rectangular tread pattern that slightly improves grip for short stints off-road. Those tweaks remain
“The Pegasus 38 has a solid,
on the 38, but the upper sees a bunch of problem-solving fixes. The previously cramped toebox is roomier, and a
fast ride that doesn’t hold you
deeper heel cup helps eliminate the slippage we felt in the 37. Additional tongue padding and a new plush sandwich back and can take a pounding,
mesh feel much softer, too, though they trap more heat and sweat. And, while the Peg has not really gained weight which made it a good choice
since the 35, it’s starting to feel heavy because of all the light and nimble shoes that have crashed onto the scene. for my 10-mile hilly long runs.
It now complements daily mileage better as a comfy weekend long-run trainer than as a speed-day weapon.—M.P. I’d say the shoe feels softer and
springier than the equivalent New
Balance [Fresh Foam 880], Asics
[Gel-Cumulus], or Brooks [Ghost].
The Pegasus actually performed
least well right out of the box. Its
tall heel felt a little spongy while it
was still breaking in and felt a tad
wobbly when going fast around a
tight turn. But after I put 20 miles
on it, the midsole had formed to
my foot and felt firmer, more sta-
ble, and comfortably cushioned.”

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 71
 SOFT

Brooks Ghost 14
PRICE :$130
WEIGHT : 9.9 OZ (M), 9.0 OZ (W)
DROP : 12 MM

→ This summer, Brooks announced its goal

to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040.
Appropriately, this declaration was commem-
orated with its first carbon-neutral shoe: the
Ghost 14. “We want to make a difference Vamp Mesh:
today because we understand the urgency to 45% recycled
polyester
address climate change,” said David Kemp,
–
Brooks’s senior manager of corporate respon- Tongue Mesh:
Textile
sibility. “We chose the Ghost because it’s our 33% recycled
Reinforcement/
polyester
highest-volume shoe.” From the dyeing pro- Construction:
–
cess to the tongue’s recycled-mesh material, Tongue Logo:
100% recycled
the Ghost has undergone a climate-conscious polyester
100% recycled
makeover. The company is also transitioning polyester
to sustainable manufacturing and shipping, –
and recycling used shoes instead of dumping Tongue Lining:
100% recycled
them in landfills. But when tinkering with
polyester
your best-selling model, you don’t want to
mess it up. Rest easy, Ghost fans: Neither
quality nor performance was compromised
in this update. Brooks removed the BioMoGo
DNA portion of the midsole, so the Ghost 14
has only DNA Loft foam, just like its plusher
counterpart, the Glycerin. Our testers found
this adjustment doesn’t change the Ghost’s
ride noticeably. “It had a nice balance of Laces:
100%
cushioning and firmness during turnover,”
recycled
said a tester, adding that the Ghost felt more polyester
responsive than the Glycerin and Adrenaline
GTS. “I personally won’t use these for speed-
work or short-distance races, but it was faster
than I expected.” Heel and midfoot strikers
described the cushioning as not too soft, yet
appreciated how fresh their legs felt as they
ran high mileage on hard surfaces. Brooks
also improved the fit of the Ghost, a welcome
update, since the 13 ran a little short. “The
upper mesh material is really awesome,” said
a tester. “It stretches but doesn’t feel sloppy
inside.” The Ghost is a promising first step
toward another of Brooks’s goals: to produce
zero footwear manufacturing waste, which it
aims to reach by 2025. It’s an ambitious eco Blueprint According to Brooks, 150 million people run worldwide. That means a
lot of shoes contributing to climate change through the manufacturing
initiative, but as with any race, you reach the of a Lighter process, shipping, and waste.
finish line step by step.—A.F.
Carbon Brooks has laid out a plan for net zero carbon emissions by 2040,

Footprint
using recycled materials and carbon offsets. Its first carbon-neutral
shoe is the best-selling Ghost, which was reconstructed with recycled,
bio-based materials. Here’s how it breaks down.

72 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
 On the lacing
system, a band
wraps around the
midfoot for a
no-slip hold.

Heel Mesh:
86% recycled
nylon
–
Sockliner Top
Cloth: 100%
recycled
polyester
–
Collar Lining:
100% recycled
polyester

Altra Paradigm 6 → You could reserve Altra’s cushiest trainer for easy runs and recovery days. Or use
PRICE : $160 the Paradigm 6 as an everyday shoe like Altra-sponsored athlete Kara Goucher, who
WEIGHT : 10.8 oz says she wears it for 70 percent of her workouts. The 6 features Altra’s Ego Max
(M), 9.3 oz (W) midsole, which provides more energy return from the thick slab of firm cushioning.
DROP : 0 mm 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 Paradigm was going to be too bulky, I even used it for speedwork,” said one of our wear-testers. The
Paradigm’s high stack (33mm) and guide-rail system lend support, making it an ideal choice for runners
who want to try a zero-drop shoe but want some extra comfort as they ease into Altra’s flat-soled shoes.
The guide rail (dense foam located on the medial side of the shoe) was embraced by both overpronators
and neutral wear-testers. “This shoe is the complete package for total comfort,” said a neutral tester. “It
didn’t alter my gait and pronation. It’s literally love at first slip-on.”—A.F.

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 73
 Newton Gravity+ → Newton’s forefoot lugs, designed to give you trampoline-like
PRICE : $190 responsiveness, are a contentious shoe feature. Some runners love
WEIGHT : 8.5 oz them, others take time to warm up to the way they feel. And some
(M), 7.0 oz (W) runners want nothing to do with them. If you haven’t run in Newton
DROP : 3 mm shoes before, it usually takes an adjustment period to reap the benefits.
There’s nothing wrong with that, but some of us would rather get
to it right out of the box. The testers who gradually incorporated the Gravity+ into their
shoe rotation, however, were glad they did. As Newton’s flagship model, its cushioning has
remained consistent. Testers have long noted the punchy combo of the five forefoot lugs
(one under each metatarsal) and a layer of lightweight EVA foam. The “plus” model gets
a tweaked midsole formula that has even more rebound, and Newton added something
called EcoPure to the foam. When you’ve retired your pair to the big oval in the sky, this
organic compound attracts naturally occurring microbes to help the shoes decompose
more quickly. The new eco-friendly foam houses a sustainable midsole plate sculpted from
castor bean–based polymers that adds structure to the forefoot lugs. We found it lends a
pinch more spring than the plateless version of the shoe, but overall the ride isn’t wildly
different from previous iterations of the Gravity. The major boost here is in sustainability,
rather than energy return.—M.P.

The
breathable,
seamless mesh
(also used in the lac-
es) is 100 percent
recycled.

74 RUNNERSWORLD.COM

made from algae,
which provides
WE AR-TE ST REPORT
K AYTE FLYNT, 40, tester since 2021
A RCH: Medium
GAIT: Neutral
FOOT STR IK E: Midfoot
TYPICA L W EEK LY MILEAGE: 20
ANOTHER SHOE K AYTE LIK ES:
Topo Athletic Phantom 2
“It took me some time to adjust
to these shoes. I ran shorter dis-
tances (two to four miles at a time)
and began to focus on my form.
Initially, I ran much slower in the
Newtons because hitting my usual
9:30 pace was challenging; the
shoe’s lower heel drop made my
calves and ankles do more work.
My pace improved the more I ran
in the Gravity+ and I liked that the
shoe encouraged me to maintain
a midfoot strike and fine-tune my
form. I won’t wear the Gravity+ for
a long-distance race yet, but I’ll
keep them in my toolbox for three-
mile runs three times per week to
practice proper form.”
SOFT
The
sockliner is
natural odor-
resistance.
Reebok Floatride → Sustainability is a key story for most brands in 2021, but Reebok was leading the
Energy Grow charge back in 2019. It’s also working to make sure you don’t miss its eco-friendly
PRICE : $120 efforts by naming shoes like the Grow, whereas some brands are simply switching
WEIGHT : 9.6 oz to more sustainable materials without touting their efforts. Whatever way it’s mar-
(M), 7.7 oz (W) keted, the important thing is that these brands are making good on their promises.
DROP : 9 mm 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 mid-
sole during spring training and check back during peak fall marathon season for a bountiful Floatride
harvest. Back to reality, however, Reebok has launched a handful of earth-friendly initiatives. The brand
now focuses on two planet-friendly initiatives: ReeCycled (at least 30 percent of the upper materials
are recycled) and ReeGrow (at least half the shoe is made from USDA Certified bio-based content).
The Floatride Grow falls into this second category. Its upper uses a knit material made from Eucalyp-
tus bark, and the outsole’s natural rubber has no petroleum-based additives. Oil extracted from castor
beans forms the Floatride Grow foam’s beads. Compared to the standard materials used on the regular
Floatride Energy, the Grow’s updated materials perform generally well. The outsole doesn’t skimp on
grip, but the eucalyptus tree upper doesn’t maintain its shape quite as well as the traditional synthetic
material. Still, testers said it felt just as breathable and comfortable after a few runs. The shoe has also
proved comparably durable overall. The midsole is a touch firmer and less bouncy, plus the shoe costs
$20 more than the original Energy, one of our favorite affordable trainers, at just $100. The lack of re-
sponsiveness isn’t a deal breaker for daily runs, and it certainly doesn’t feel dead underfoot, but it does
spark noticeably less enthusiasm for longer runs.—M.P.
RUNNERSWORLD.COM 75
 The fit
around
the heel and
ankle is
narrow.
Craft CTM Ultra Carbon
PRICE :$250
WEIGHT : 10.3 OZ ( M ), 7.2 OZ (W)
DROP : 10 MM

→ The Craft CTM Ultra Carbon looks like

one of the new marathon supershoes and
shares many of the same features—thick sole,
carbon plate, and even that winged heel ev-
erybody’s slapping on shoes since the Vaporfly
was released. But this shoe isn’t necessarily
meant to compete with those on marathon
racecourses. While still best reserved for
race day, the CTM is genuinely designed as an
“any surface, any distance” shoe. Craft claims
the shoe is aimed at ultra-distance running,
so right out of the box I took the shoes on a
34-mile run with more than 12,500 feet of
elevation gain on a mix of gravel roads and
leafy, rocky singletrack trails. The narrow sole
and tall stack height is unstable on technical
singletrack, but that’s to be expected since
it’s not a pure trail shoe. However, on gravel
and pavement, the Ultra Carbon is sturdy,
responsive, and snappy. The aggressive 10mm
drop pushes you onto your toes immediately,
and the extreme rocker under the forefoot
helps each step roll effortlessly. Unlike some
other shoes that pair supersoft foam with a
carbon-fiber plate for stability, the CTM Ultra
Carbon’s plate stiffens the shoe to enhance
the dramatic forefoot rocker. As soon as your
foot starts to roll forward onto your toes, you
can feel the rigid plate lifting the rear end of
the shoe to encourage forward propulsion. I
found that running uphill feels easier, as the
shoe reduces the muscular stress on my legs
on steep inclines.—Pat Heine

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 77
 Skechers GOrun Razor TRL
PRICE :$135
WEIGHT : 8.0 OZ ( M ), 6.3 OZ (W)
DROP : 4 MM

→ Longtime readers of RW shoe reviews

know that we love the Skechers GOrun Ra-
zor 3. That road shoe is light, fast, and fun.
And it’s remained completely unchanged for
almost three years now because it’s just that
darn good. But, Skechers has expanded upon
the model, releasing a carbon-plated version
for road races as well as this off-road model,
with a grippy, go-fast sole. The midsole is
exactly the same as the road shoe, built using
the brand’s Hyper Burst foam. It starts out as
a solid block of EVA plastic that is exposed
to a supercritical fluid—basically, CO2 gas is
heated under pressure until it returns to a
liquid state. There’s a lot of science behind
how it happens, but it creates a cell compo-
sition which makes the shoe lighter, yet still
responsive and well-cushioned. It also makes
the foam surprisingly protective when you’re
dancing over rocks and roots. Because this
is a lightweight trail shoe, it doesn’t have a
rock plate, so you’re likely to want a beefier
model if you bash over gnarly ground. But for
anything except thick muck, we found that
the Goodyear sole—with nearly 100 triangle
nubs—kept us firmly planted. The upper
has been bolstered, too, to better handle the
conditions you find on trails. The monomesh
won’t rip when you snag it on a branch, nor
will it get soggy when you cross a stream.
That’s been combined with polyester yarns
strategically placed to make it feel softer
against your foot in high-pressure zones.—J.D.

The sole
has a slight
rocker (curve) to
roll smoothly to
toe-off.

78 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
 TRAIL
WE AR-TE ST REPORT
ANNA PISKORSK A , 36,
tester since 2012
A RCH: Medium
GAIT: Neutral
FOOT STR IK E: Forefoot
TYPICA L W EEK LY MILEAGE: 50
OTHER SHOES ANNA LIK ES: Salomon
Sense R ide, Altra King MT,
La Sportiva Bushido 2

“This shoe reminded me of the

Salomon Sense Ride 2 and 3. I
love the weight and flexibility, and
feeling in control when running
downhills. They are extremely
lightweight, which I appreciate,
but that explains why the toebox
rubber piece is so soft and thin
as well—it doesn’t offer much
protection when hitting rocks. For
my first run, I took them around
Blue Marsh Lake, a 22-mile loop.
My feet felt warm but not tired. I
noticed these shoes almost force The tread
uses 4mm
me to run more on my toes, espe- graphene lugs
cially up hills and on flats.” for exceptional
grip.

Inov-8 TrailFly → OG Taylor Swift fans will recall the early 2000s when her sound was exclusively
Ultra G 300 Max country. Her more recent poppy tracks like “Look What You Made Me Do” share
PRICE : $190 few similarities with her debut album’s folksy “Teardrops on My Guitar.” What’s
WEIGHT : 10.6 oz this got to do with shoes? Inov-8, a brand known for its more minimalist shoes,
(M), 9.6 oz (W) dropped a cushier option called Max, making us wonder if it was pulling a Swift.
DROP : 6 mm 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 protection underfoot. This better serves long-distance runners without alienating the
core fan base that prizes natural foot movement.
Compared to max cushioned shoes with 40mm heel stacks, the TrailFly is technically not in the same
class. Still, at 30mm, it’s definitely a chunky shoe for Inov-8. But to maintain flexibility and ground feel,
Inov-8 turned to graphene. When isolated from graphite, graphene’s chemical structure looks like a
honeycomb of pure carbon atoms. It’s one of the thinnest materials on Earth, yet is 200 times stronger
than steel. Since 2018, Inov-8 has been infusing graphene into liquid rubber to make outsoles that are
sticky but also durable. With the material incorporated into its cushioning, called G-Fly, the TrailFly’s
midsole better resists compression and wear over big mileage.
Inov-8 added a deep flex groove in the middle of the sole, which helps the shoe bend easily, while
a rockered shape preserves the quick, nimble ride you’d expect from the brand. Your foot sits a little
deeper inside the midsole as well—almost like a sports car’s bucket seat—so you don’t feel unsteady on
technical trails and twisty singletrack.—M.P.

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 79
 TRAIL
A midfoot
strap con-
nects the lacing
to the medial side
of the midsole
for supreme
lockdown.

VJ Ultra → VJ has been around since the 1980s, but just arrived in the States in 2019. Before quick enough for technical singletrack.
PRICE : $170 then, it mainly served the demand of Finnish trail runners and orienteers. With The firm cushioning also lends a bit of
WEIGHT : 9.3 oz ample forests, marshland, and technical trails, Finland offers plenty of opportunities stability (you don’t sink into the foam),
(M), 7.5 oz (W) for VJ to build some of the grippiest shoes. While VJ models like the Maxx and the which helps counter the smidge of tip-
DROP : 6 mm XTRM are specifically built for obstacle course racing and trail running, the Ultra is piness that testers noticed from the tall
the first shoe from the brand that is specifically designed for mega-distance. It adds heel. The upper uses a mesh made from
considerably more cushioning underfoot for spending hours to days on the trail. a blend of Kevlar and nylon. Designed
The best part of VJ shoes is still the outsole, and the Ultra lives up to the brand’s hashtag #Best- to resist snags from barbed wire during
GripOnThePlanet. The butyl-rubber outsole is studded with 4mm, chevron-shaped lugs, which give an OCR race, the rugged material shines
the Ultra a really tacky hold on wet, jagged surfaces. “The traction this shoe had in all conditions was just as well for protection from brambles
insane,” said one tester. “I ran these shoes through everything from bone-dry trails to monsoon summer and debris on the trail. The drawback is
rainstorms and was blown away—definitely the most grip I’ve had on a trail shoe, hands down. On short that the upper feels stiff right out of the
road stretches, the feeling is like walking across a dirty dive bar floor on a hot summer day—sticky.” box. Testers found that this improved
Moving out of the mud and up to the midsole, the Ultra still keeps things pretty simple and over the 100-mile test period, but the
straightforward. A single slab of EVA feels consistent throughout and well cushioned from its tall Ultra’s cramped toebox never opened up
33mm stack height in the heel. Testers said the material has some bounce to it, but the energy return any more for wide-footed runners.—M.P.
felt a bit lackluster in comparison to newer, bouncier foams. Nevertheless, there’s more than enough
cushioning underfoot for protection sans rock plate, and the ride feels nimble, flexible, agile and

80 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
Hoka One One Zinal
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 my stopping ability, considering the
tread pattern is not overly aggressive,” said
one tester. The shoe isn’t totally free of trail-
specific features. The upper has a toe bumper
as well as a gusseted tongue, which is de-
signed to block out debris on loose ground. It’s
not as secure as a full gaiter—I had to tolerate
a few stowaway pebbles and empty them out
postrun. One other small peeve was how
difficult it is to put on the Zinal. “I’ve never
considered myself as having a wide foot,” said
a tester, “but I felt like I was stuffing a turkey
when lacing them up.”—A.F.

WE AR-TE ST REPORT
BEN H ATT, 36, tester since 2012
A RCH:High
GAIT: Neutral
FOOT STR IK E: Midfoot
A Vibram TYPICA L W EEK LY MILEAGE: 50
Megagrip OTHER SHOES BEN LIK ES: Salomon
with Litebase
Sense R ide 2, Salomon S/Lab Ultra
outsole makes
the shoe grippy
without added “Though this is one of the sleekest
weight.
Hokas, it’s still much higher and
bigger than any other shoes I typi-
cally run in. Despite the larger size
and foam, it still runs pretty fast,
feels pretty light, and is extremely
comfortable. I’d recommend the
shoe for anything from road to
moderately rocky or technical
trails. The extra foam in the sole
smooths over some of the smaller
rocks and roots and makes me
more comfortable and faster.”

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 81
 TRAIL
Salomon → Traditionally, Salomon’s speedy kicks earn their reputation for being fast, for sure, but also are
Ultra Glide quite firm, aggressive, and narrow—better suited for elites than midpack runners. The Ultra Glide
PRICE : $140 is Salomon’s most cushioned and most accessible trail shoe. The first time I wore the shoe was
WEIGHT : 10.1 OZ on day 5 of a 327-mile FKT run in April. After over 250 miles, the hills, rocks, and hours piled up,
(M), 7.8 OZ (W) and I was craving more protection for the final stretch. The upper provided enough protection for
DROP : 6 MM 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 for 75 miles. In our testing, though, we found that it stumbles a bit on big mountains. Runner-in-Chief Jeff
Dengate put it to the test in the Adirondack High Peaks, climbing 5,000 feet over seven miles, then descending a
vertical kilometer in less than three miles. The shoe held firm on runnable ground and while climbing over boulders,
but the traction didn’t inspire confidence on flat, wet slabs of rock near the summits. In those conditions, it’s better
to reach for a shoe with sticky rubber designed for wet terrain. We all loved the shoe’s accommodating fit. The upper
mesh is breathable but noticeably more padded than the Sense Ride, and it retains the Sensifit wing system from the
S/Lab Ultra 2 to help lock down the midfoot.—P.H.

Profeel Film
in the forefoot
protects against
rocks but doesn’t
weigh down
the shoe.

Scan to Shop the

Salomon Ultra Glide
and Get Exclusive
Test Content from
Our Editors.

82 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
Run Strong Programs

Run Faster DVD

Runner’s High T-Shirt

 FOR ADVERTISING RATES contact Jackie Coker
event spotlight I ADVERTISING SECTION jcokermedia@gmail.com 801.668.6038
 T E S T Z O N E

OISELLE
POCKITO
BRA

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 movement that any
bra should be trying to achieve.” Essentially, you
want a bra to control breast movement from all
angles to prevent neck, shoulder, back, and chest
pain, as well as underarm chafing.
Bra shopping is like running-shoe shopping:
You need to test a couple of models to find the
one that’s best for you. To help you narrow your
search, we’ve provided a guide on fitting and
sizing, included a quiz to direct you down the
right path, and added some tips to help you on
your quest for the best and most comfortable
sports bra for you.

P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y L A KO TA G A M B I L L RUNNERSWORLD.COM 85
 T E S T Z O N E

A B

FOR THE BEST personalized service, head to your

local running store or a lingerie shop to have
an expert fitter take your measurements. But if
you have a tape measure handy, or a long piece
of string and a ruler, here’s how to measure
yourself at home.

→ BAND SIZE / Wearing an everyday bra (or one

that feels most comfortable), measure around your
chest, as tightly as you can, under your breasts
(A). Add four inches if it’s an even number, or five
if it’s an odd number. If your measurement is 26,
for example, your band size is 30. If it’s 27, your
band size is 32.

→ CUP SIZE / Loosely measure around your chest

at the fullest part of your breast, over your nipple
(B). “You want the tape to be loose because you
want to make sure that what you put over your C D
breast is encapsulating your tissue and that you’re
not compressing it down already,” says Ruckman.
Subtract the measurement from the previous
step—not your band size—from this number. If your
over-the-breast measurement is 33, for instance,
and the tight, rib-cage measurement is 27, then 33
minus 27 gives you 6. Refer to the chart below to
determine your cup size.

→ FINDING YOUR BRA SIZE IS ONLY THE FIRST

STEP. / We recommend trying a few different sizes
of the same bra to check for the best fit. You may
think you want to size down for more compression,
but that puts you at risk for chafing.
You should be able to put two fingers under the
strap and band (C). “If it’s too tight, you’re going to FIND YOUR
feel tension and it’s going to be uncomfortable,” says CUP SIZE
Ruckman. “You want the bra to be snug to the point
BUST MINUS
that it’s offering the right support where it needs to, RIB CAGE | CUP SIZE
but not so tight that it starts to become a distraction.”
3" | AA
If it’s a hook-and-eye band, you will want the bra
4" | A
to fit comfortably enough on the last setting at the
end of the band (D). This ensures that when the band 5" | B
stretches after several wears, you have the other 6" | C
hook-and-eye settings to tighten it. 7" | D
8" | DD
B R AS CLO CK WIS E FROM TOP LE F T: Rabbit Strappy 9" | E
Pocket Bra, Outdoor Voices Move Free Crop Top, Betts Fit
High-Impact Sports Bra, Brooks Dare Underwire Run Bra.
10" | F

86 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

BRAS WITH
UNIQUE
FEATURES
HOW TO CHOOSE THE
BEST SPORTS BRA
This quiz will help you find the right sports bra based on your preferences.
We’ve included top-rated bras vetted by our staff and local testers.

FIRST, LET’S GET YOUR CUP SIZE.

LULULEMON AIRSUPPORT BRA / $98 The
ARE YOU...
AirSupport’s cups are injected with
foam and have an internal honeycomb
pattern to enhance shape, control
movement, and allow flexibility.

AA to C? D & UP?
INTERESTED IN A ARE NON-ADJUSTABLE X-BACK /
CRO PPED BR A? H-BACK STR A PS A DE A LBRE A KER?

MAAREE SOLIDARITY HIGH-IMPACT SPORTS

I wear Just here for the support. BRA / $91 The Solidarity has an over-

YES! NO. racerback

tank-tops,
band panel to stop upward bouncing
and straps on the side of the boobs—
so yes. KNIX CATALYST SPORTS BRA / $89 not just on the shoulders—to tighten
The Catalyst supports up the bodice’s fit to your liking.
to a G cup, has perforated
OUTDOOR VOICES MOVE holes between the breasts for
FREE CROP TOP / $48
LOOKING FOR ventilation, and uses wireless,
This bra is ideal for AA to
ADJUSTABLE encapsulation support.
C. One 32D tester raved
STRAPS?
about its compression,
but because a 38D
reported no support, we
UNDERWIRE
recommend it for C
THOUGHTS?
and below.

All for
adjustability! NO,
THANKS.
CADENSHAE BREASTFEEDING FREEDOM BRA /
$55 Runners will reap support working
SHEFIT ULTIMATE SPORTS BRA / $69 out in this bra and appreciate how it
Literally a cinch to adjust, the allows room for growing boobs during
NO. KALENJI COMFORT RUNNING BRA / $25
Ultimate has 8 inches of Velcro
on both the band and straps for
pregnancy as well as pop-clip drop-
down cups for breastfeeding.
This bra comes at a bargain price easy adjustability. This zip-front
and has molded, reinforced cups bra ranges from cups A to I.
to reduce bounce. Testers praised
WHAT ARE YOU how the adjustable straps didn’t
CARRYING ON dig into their shoulders. Team
YOUR RUN? Underwire!

Gels, keys, small stuff.

A smartphone.
OISELLE POCKITO BRA / $58
The Pockito is your go-to utility
RABBIT STRAPPY POCKET BRA / $55 bra. Small side mesh pockets fit
Finally, a back bra pocket that’s not too difficult keys and cards, and the middle
to slide your phone into. The Strappy’s sizable compartment is perfect for gels
compartment fits all smartphone sizes. or gummies while racing.
BROOKS DARE UNDERWIRE
RUN BRA / $70
Testers with fuller,
dense breasts BETTS FIT BOUNCE FREE SPORTS BRA / $99
appreciated how the This bra features corset-like construc-
Dare functions like tion, butterfly snaps, and front-adjust-
an underwire without able straps. First wear takes some
poking or feeling rigid. troubleshooting and video instruction,
but the support is worth the watch.

RUNNERSWORLD.COM 87
TESTER NOTES
I N S I G H T, E VA L U AT I O N S , A N D H E L P F U L T I P S S T R A I G H T F R O M T H E N O T E B O O K S O F O U R S TA F F, M E M B E R S , A N D 2 5 0 - R U N N E R -S T R O N G W E A R -T E S T I N G T E A M

Dial In Your Hydration Strategy

With a Sweat Patch
SAM PLE TE S T CO N D ITI O N S RESULTS // A forearm patch can’t
TE R R AI N : Road and sidewalk estimate whole-body sweat rate
R U N D U R ATI O N : 4 miles accurately enough to inform fluid
intake. But it can reliably tell you how
TI M E O F DAY: Noon
salty your sweat is. Use a patch to set
TE M PE R ATU R E: 81°F, sunny
a ballpark range for your needs while
listening to your body’s signals.
OBSERVATIONS // Tester and running
coach Ashley Mateo slapped Gato-
rade’s adhesive Gx patch on her inner SWEAT R ATE
forearm—one of the spots most rep- Avg. milliliters per hour ~1,058
resentative of your whole body when
it comes to the sodium concentration 965–1,150 ml/hr
of your sweat—and headed out for
a run. As she perspired, sweat sat- 0 ml/hr 6000 ml/hr
urated the orange squiggly line and
Scan to shop
NO HILLS? NO PROBLEM. GET the Horizon
right-side purple bar on the patch.
SODIUM LEVEL
ENDLESS VERT ON THIS ’MILL Fitness 7.0
Postrun, Ashley scanned the patch Milligrams per liter Low
into the Gx smartphone app and
Pre-pandemic, our staff hit the roads for daily lunch AT and get input the metrics of her workout (like
runs. Most of those days were easy jogs; some turned exclusive test intensity and duration) to generate 398–858 mg/L

into goofy races. As we slowly return to the office, our content from her personalized sweat profile and a Low High
Runner-in-Chief has issued a challenge on a Horizon our editors. custom hydration plan.
Fitness 7.0 AT treadmill set up in our Test Zone.

J E FF ’ S “ 1 5 FO R 1 5” TR E AD M I LL the speed to catch my breath—the

C HALLE N G E dials mounted on the handles make
D U R ATI O N : 15 minutes it easy to take big jumps in speed
I N C LI N E: 15 percent (or incline) quickly. I noticed that,
YO U R SW E AT R ATE
S PE E D : Any speed you can maintain
with the treadmill all the way raised,
it would bounce if I was too far
H OW TO W I N : Run the farthest
forward on the belt. But the belt is

JEFF’S NOTES // “I kicked things off
on a July day in our office, when the
air conditioning broke down. The 7.0
Tr e v o r R a a b (t r e a d m i l l ) ; C o u r t e s y G a t o r a d e (S w e a t p a t c h ); E l e n i D i m o u (c h a r t s)
plenty long (60 inches), so I shuffled
back about a half-stride, and the ride
firmed up underfoot wonderfully. No
matter where I was, however, the YO U R S O D I U M C O N C E NTR ATI O N

tops out at 15 percent, so I dialed it

all the way up. I hadn’t been running
hills much lately, so I got in a little
over my head early and had to roll off
console didn’t bounce and the frame
was steady.”
JEFF’S DISTANCE: 1.1 7 MILES

WHICH FABRICS CAN REDUCE MIDRUN CHAFING? 40 THE RESULTS // Compared to

the top-performing material,
30
To replicate fabric-on-skin friction, we covered an eight-pound weight with a cotton required us to exert
variety of shorts materials and pulled the weight across fake skin. (Tattoo artists 20 11N more of force. That
use the fake-skin material for practice.) We dampened both the fabric and skin 10
might not seem like much,
with warm saltwater to simulate sweat and heat. Using a handheld force gauge, but it adds up to a lot of ex-
0
we measured the peak force required to move the weight. The more Newtons Under Armor District Nike 100% tra heat and rubbing over the
required, the more friction was present. High friction can lead to chafing. Iso-Chill Vision Spino Dri-Fit cotton 40,000 steps in a marathon.
Cotton Elastane Nylon Polyester

88 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
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Human Race
JO BECK W ITH, 3 0, MOTIVATIONAL SPE AKER AND YOUT UBER, COLOR ADO SPRING S, COLOR ADO

Watch the complete HUMAN RACE

series on YouTube HUMAN RACE

When I was 13, a horseback riding

accident shattered my ankle. My
injury progressively grew worse,
and 14 years of surgeries followed.
Running was off-limits; the impact
between my foot and the ground was too
painful. There was no hope of fully heal-
ing, and I didn’t like the life I was living;
I could barely walk. So at 27, I considered
amputating my leg below the knee.
Faced with this life-altering decision, I
started documenting my thought process
on camera—why I was thinking about
amputation, how I was dealing with peo-
ple’s opinions. I published the videos on
YouTube, and they eventually garnered
tens of thousands of views. I’ve posted
consistent updates since, including one
about a second amputation which cut off
more of my leg. My bones hadn’t healed
properly from the first.
Running has been my dream, and
amputation has made it possible again.
A friend gifted me a running blade, and
I’m training for my first 5K. Learning how
to run safely with my prosthesis, without
injuring other parts of my body, is a deli-
cate process. But every time I go out, I run
a bit longer. I imagine a lot of runners face
what I’m feeling—I just happen to be on a
foot and a blade! There’s a lot to work on,
but it’s so exciting.

WHY We forget that a lot of what we go through is shared in the human

experience. What I’ve faced—wanting to run again, running
I RUN later in life as an amputee—is not unique to me; it’s similar to
the emotional journeys and struggles of others. I now have the incredible
Ryan DeCesari/ RW Video

opportunity to feel my body move—and move fast. I run now to experience

the power and resilience of my body, because I finally can!

92 RUNNERSWORLD.COM
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