‘ellooo runner 👋 Another week has flown by. This edition is PACKED with good stuff, so I won’t make this intro too long.

But, before we start, please tell me…

Voted? Amazing. You rock 🤘 Let’s dive into this edition ⤵️

What do you know about cadence? That you “should be hitting 180 steps per minute”? Ahem. Scrap that. It’s simply not true.

The chances are high that you’ve seen some runfluencer claim that 180 SPM is the magic number that will guarantee you a PR. And if you’re not sure whether they’re right, don’t worry.

The truth is that cadence is highly individual. So where does the 180 number come from? It comes from observations of elite runners at the 1984 Olympics. Observational, not prescriptive. And measured during racing, not easy runs. It also does not account for height, leg length, pace, or biomechanics.

As Phily also explains, a higher cadence is usually the result of running faster. Your cadence will naturally vary depending on your pace.

Forcing yourself to run at a higher cadence when it does not come naturally can easily lead to injuries. So please do not try to push it without a good reason.

That said, a very low cadence can be problematic too (150 to 160 SPM). This is often associated with overstriding (meaning your foot lands far in front of your center of mass). This can increase injury risk.

You should only consider adjusting your cadence if you are consistently dealing with injuries, if your cadence is unusually low, or if you clearly overstride. If this is the case and you do want to experiment, you can gradually increase cadence using a metronome or music.

Anyway, for a deeper dive, watch Phily’s video. She shares some useful tips that are worth putting into practice.

Social media, and especially Instagram, can be full of negativity. The best solution? Follow people who bring good energy. People who are honest, yet uplifting. People like… you guessed it: Chloe.

Chloe started running thanks to her mom and aunt. Together, they ran multiple races in memory of her cousin, who they lost to childhood cancer. Chloe would go along to support and watch from the sidelines. When COVID hit, she finally let them convince her to join them on their runs. And now, Chloe does everything she can to support childhood cancer charities herself. Quite a story.

Chloe isn’t new to Instagram. In fact, she has a huge following on her makeup account. HOLD UP, don’t scroll away! Chloe is not some perfectly polished running doll. Quite the opposite. She shows up as herself. Crying, puking, laughing uncontrollably, pouring gels on her pancakes. You get all of it.

And… she’s pretty damn fast too. Anyone else here running a sub-20 5K? 🔥

This one’s for all those who have ever wanted to go on a safari, see Africa’s wildlife, and… who can only dream of doing it while running. Have you got your hand up yet? I certainly do. Count me in 🙋‍♀️ (Or maybe, like me, you never even dreamt this was possible, and now that you know it is, it’s on your bucket list!)

“What? Where? HOW?!”

I hear you, I hear you. I’m talking about Run Weekends’ trips to Uganda and Kenya.

“Wait, two trips?”

Yes. I know. Usually, I feature just one event here, but… both of these combine Africa’s wildlife with beautiful trail runs. However, they’re two distinct trips. One is in August, and the other is in December. I’m eliminating your “I’m already on a trip then” excuse.

Let’s talk a little bit about both and the differences.

Uganda’s trip lasts 9 days and includes two game drives, a boat safari, a chimp trekking session (yes, that is YOU spotting chimpanzees!), an optional but highly recommended local marathon, the Rwenzori Marathon, and of course, multiple trail runs, several of them through the parks.

Then there’s Kenya. Same duration, 9 days, different highlights. You’ll get to run with elite athletes at altitude in Iten and explore multiple iconic national parks. Of course, here too, you’ll go on various game drives. But you’ll also get the unique opportunity to run with rangers, twice, spotting wildlife on foot.

Accommodation on both trips is mostly in safari lodges.

I could keep rattling on about these trips, but I think you’re best off taking a look at them yourself ⤵️

The days are getting longer again, but let’s be honest, we’re nowhere near summer yet. And with daylight saving time kicking in soon, those early-morning runs will still be in the dark.

What I’m trying to say? You need to be visible.

It’s a mistake I’ve made myself far too often. Heading out without a headlight or reflective gear. The truth is, those LED running vests aren’t always the most comfortable to wear. They’re often just a little too loose or bulky. I’d much rather wear running apparel with reflective elements built directly into the fabric. But there simply aren’t many brands that do this well.

That’s exactly what Liv and Cameron realised back in 2024. So they decided to design their own collection. And SOLIS was born.

It’s still a small brand and very early days, but their first pieces look genuinely promising. And just because it’s high-visibility gear doesn’t mean it’s only for dark mornings. You can easily wear it during the daytime too.

So many options for the Wild Card this week. 🥹

First of all, the infamous Barkley Marathons happened again. And for the second year in a row, not a single person finished the brutal course through Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee within the allotted time.

Runners have 60 hours to cover 160 km, split into five loops of 32 km each. The total elevation gain, if you were to complete it, is around 60,000 feet, more than 18,000 meters. That is the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest twice.

In its 40-year history, only 20 people have ever finished the full course. So perhaps we should not be too surprised. “The race that eats its young” did exactly that, once again.

Then secondly, I have to talk about Black Canyon 100. Mainly because both the men’s and women’s races saw course records fall in absolutely jaw-dropping performances. Hans Troyer ran the 100K in 7 hours and 20 minutes. Jennifer Lichter finished just 30 minutes later, in 7 hours and 57 minutes. Insane.

And on top of that, a 12-year-old girl ran the 50K in 5 hours and 39 minutes. While that performance certainly raises questions and is worth discussing more deeply, (should 12-year-olds be running such distances while they are still growing?) it is undeniably impressive. (Marathon Handbook wrote a good article about this here)

Oh, and one more Wild Card. For those living in/near Denver, you can still sign up for the Twin Cities Taco Bell 50k. Inspired by the legendary Taco Bell 50k, this race will have you testing your gut while completing a “self-guided fun run” (depending on how you define fun, hehe).

Thank you so much for reading another edition of RunLetters 🙌

Here’s to a great weekend. I hope you, like me, are getting some sun! ☀️ I’ll be running a 50k tomorrow. Wish me luck, hehe.

What’s on your schedule? Hit reply and let me know! I reply to every email.

Caroline

P.S. Here are some questions from the RunLetters Run Club - join to answer!