'ellooo runner, happy Friday! This week’s edition of Runletters includes a giveaway for Ultra X Scotland, a 20% discount on running shoes, high carb strategies and more.
But before we dive in….
Are you running this weekend?
Voted? You’re a rockstar. Let’s run it ⤵️
Table of Contents
📹 Watchlist: High-Carb Fueling?!
For those curious about high-carb fueling, I think this video from The Running Channel does a great job of explaining what it means and its benefits.
Presenter Mark talks through what high-carb did for them, both in training and racing, during and after. After transitioning to a high-carb approach, he broke both his marathon and 50k PB.
For those who don’t feel like watching the video, let me give you a TL:DR:
High-carb fueling means about 75–100g of carbohydrates per hour (instead of the often recommended 30-60g).
You want to try out high-carb fueling on longer/more intense runs
You can train your gut for this. Give yourself time to adapt. By consistently consuming carbs during training, you "train" your body to absorb glucose more efficiently, reducing the risk of GI issues like nausea
Also, most stomach issues are caused by dehydration rather than the carbs (gels). I don’t want to get too scientific here, but I think it’s good for you to know why. Gels are highly concentrated. When these enter your intestines, your body needs to pull water from other tissues and the bloodstream into the gut to dilute the concentration for absorption. This “drawing away” of water from other parts of the body can cause/worsen dehydration. So… you should drink water alongside gels to aid digestion!
Carbs will make you faster. Who wants some Haribo? 🍬
If I had to give you just one reason to follow Lucy, it’d be to push her to keep at it with this new “series” she just started. The “what can I eat on a long run” series. The star in the first little episode? Creme eggs. Watch to see how her gut handles them, haha.
Lucy is currently training for an ultramarathon, so she must train her gut.
So… I came up with a few ideas for Lucy. Which one do you think she should try? 🔥
What should Lucy eat on her next long run?
🗓 Events & Races: Ultra X Scotland GIVEAWAY! 🎁
Before you scroll on because you think “I don’t want to run an Ultra”, there is also a 12k and 20K option!
Ultra X Scotland takes place on the weekend of May 2-3. It hosts a big range of distances, from 12k all the way up to 110k. Truly an event for the whole family.
It’s Scotland’s biggest ultramarathon, and it takes place in Inverness. As many of you know, Ultra X was my own very first ultra (Madeira 50k back in November) and I absolutely loved it. Mostly because of two reasons: the route and the crew. The Ultra X staff and volunteers are absolutely wonderful and will make you feel so welcome and supported.
🎁 🎁 🎁
Now, the real exciting part... You can win a free entry! All you have to do is:
Join the RunLetters Run Club: join here (you’ll be let in on Monday)
Once let in, comment under the giveaway post with why you’d like to win and which distance you’d want to run
If you join the Run Club today, I will send you a reminder via email on Monday. The giveaway closes March 06!
🎽 Gear & Gadgets: Tarkine AutoPilot
It’s been a while since I’ve been this excited about a specific brand. But in my eyes, this brand does everything right.
I’m talking about Tarkine, and specifically their AutoPilot shoes (pictured below).
Tarkine AutoPilot
Tarkine’s an Australian brand that genuinely cares about the trails we run on and the world we live in. 1% of their sales are donated to help protect the Tarkine wilderness (the largest rainforest in Australia and the second largest in the world), 1 tree is planted for every order, all their orders are carbon neutral (my shoes came in a compostable bag!), and the products are all vegan, ethically made, and not made with cheap materials.
On top of that, they offer a post-use shoe recycling program, and… you can also buy “slightly used” shoes from their website. That's what I personally did, and let me tell you, these shoes look like they’re brand new.
Tarkine has various shoe models. The one I went with and want to feature today is the AutoPilot. This is the model Phil Gore wore to set the world record at the Backyard Ultra World Championships, meaning… you can wear these shoes for a huge number of kilometres/miles in one go, ha!
They've got a wide toebox, high-cushion midsole, and they look pretty darn incredible, too. If you want to snap a pair (or any other of their shoes), you can use this link to get 20% off!
These shoes were not gifted, nor is this an ad. Just really love what they’re doing!
✨ Wild Card: One Finish Line, Many Goals
We all have our own goals when it comes to running. Yet we could be crossing the exact same finish lines as the absolute best runners in the world. It’s one of the many reasons that makes the sport so special.
I came across this image on Instagram the other day and just absolutely loved it. Thought it was worth the Wild Card for this week!
🏁 The Finish Line
Thank you for reading another edition of RunLetters! I know many people may say this, but it truly means a lot. This newsletter started last year out of a pure and intense love for running, and seeing it grow makes me so proud and happy.
Join the RunLetters Run Club!
In case you want “more” RunLetters, I'd love to welcome you to the amazing little community we are building on Skool. You can join here. It’s completely free (and will always be). Also, we are starting a new monthly challenge this Sunday, where you can win a fresh pair of running shoes!
Have a lovely weekend ☀️
Caroline
P.S. I have one running coaching spot left for March. If you have a (half) marathon coming up and want to run your best race (even if there are only a few weeks left to train), hit reply to this email. We start on Monday. It’s only $95 a month.
📲 Social Spotlight: Lucy Fuels Long Runs 🍫