One year of RunLetters. Damn.

Maybe this is the first edition you’re ever receiving (in that case, welcome!). Maybe you have been here since one of the early editions. Either way, today we are celebrating one year (or well, 52 weeks) of RunLetters.

A year ago, this newsletter had 17 recipients. Today, more than 2.2k runners are receiving this anniversary edition. I am so grateful for each of you!

To celebrate RunLetters’ birthday, I thought I’d share my personal top 3 of each category. Check out the gear section for discounts.

Let’s get started ⤵️

Picking my top 3 for the watchlist was an impossible task. There are plenty more I could feature here, but I wanted to give you a nice mix of terrain and “vibe”. These 3 are all 100% worth a watch.

If you’re feeling fast and furious, watch The Next Chapter about Des Linden. If you’re craving inspiration, watch The Hard Way about Bob. Want a mix of both, with some crazy fun in between? The Belly of the Whale with the absolutely crazy Rene is your pick.

51 social spotlights, 51 different runners, each with their own story. How do you pick 3 out of all those? One option would be to spin a wheel of names. Another was to create a fun mix. A little bit of column A, a little bit of column B.

I realise Phily is quite famous by now, and you may already follow her. In that case: love the grind + fist bump 👊

But if you don’t know Phily yet, then this is your moment to head over to her Instagram (and YouTube!). She remains one of my personal favourite creators in the running space (shout-out to her husband Daniel, too, as he’s behind much of it). Honest, pure, funny, and inspiring. I think those 4 words summarise her well.

This edition of RunLetters wouldn’t do itself justice if it didn’t feature Ria today in the Social Spotlight. Let me explain why.

I met Ria in November 2025 when she was staying in Ericeira (where I live) for a few months. We got to go on a couple of runs together, and I soon learned she was training to run 20.000km, from Asia to Europe. What?!

And today, yes, today, is the first day of that trip. So if you haven’t done so yet, go over to her Instagram and give her a follow to see her journey.

If you asked me who you should follow on Instagram for no-bullsh*t advice and honest, genuine reels, two names would come to mind. One would be Andrew Glaze, and the other one Tommy Lewis. Coach, ultra runner, and content creator.

What I love about Tommy is that he truly puts out there what he wants to put out there. No sugarcoating. He gives good advice, but also shares his opinion when he feels like he should. Something that many running content creators won’t do for the fear of controversy and backlash. But I appreciate that he takes the other stance. Whether you agree with everything he says or not, I think he’s worth following.

There are LOTS of incredible races around the world. From local 5Ks to mad ultra marathons, there is literally something for everyone. I always highly recommend checking out local races, as many of them don’t break the bank and are really, really fun.

But combining travelling with running is something special. If you’ve done it, you know it. So, here are some of my favourite features from the last year of RunLetters!

This trip from Run Weekends takes you to Amsterdam, Prague, Budapest and Munich, with 4 nights on a sleeper train and 1 night in a hotel. You can join in May 2027 or June 2028.

In each city, you'll be taken on guided runs past iconic landmarks, historic architecture and scenic parks. The runs are all optional, so it's entirely up to you how many kilometres you end up doing. All meals are included. And you can get 10% off your trip to Europe or any other trip from Run Weekends, by joining the RunLetters Run Club (which is completely free). Click/tap here to join.

The Epic Trail Run Azores is an amazing trail race for the whole family. It hosts 5 different trail run distances, as well as two walk options and a kids “race”, and takes place on the Azores archipelago’s biggest island: São Miguel. This year’s edition is on December 4-5. You can find out more here and sign up here.

Last but not least: Follow the Coast. This one’s not for the faint-hearted, but damn, what a beautiful challenge and what a concept to be a part of.

Follow the Coast is the longest relay run ever, covering all European shores, with every team covering ~100km. Each 100km chunk is referred to as a “stage” and starts at 07.00 am, with 24 hours to finish it. At the end, the next team continues. The first stage was run on July 1, 2019. They’re almost 18.000km from the start now.

It’s not about performance or setting a fast time, but about doing something remarkable, together. Everyone who runs continues the chain. And that’s so cool.

I speak from experience, because… I ran my stage together with 5 friends last Monday. It was incredible, a memory for a lifetime. The day flew by. We finished in just under 13 hours, with tired legs and full hearts.

And yes, we are already talking about maybe doing another sometime in the future.

If you also want to join, there are still 4 stages left in October 2026. Otherwise, stay tuned for the options for 2027 - the stages sell out FAST. I expect they’ll go live sometime at the end of May. To stay informed, the best thing you can do is join their WhatsApp group. Most stages so far have been covered by Europeans (the majority from Belgium). I think it’s time some RunLetters readers from around the world come to Europe to run some stages!

For the top 3 gear and gadgets (which includes nutrition), I decided to go with the items I have fallen in love with this past year. And… for which I can give you a sweet discount.

My favourite running shoes right now. The Tarkine AutoPilot. I love and trust them so much that I ran 107K in them last Monday without breaking them in (literally just 3.2K before Monday — this is my second pair, and I have a third pair coming).

These road-to-trail shoes have plenty of grip, great cushioning, a wide toebox, amazing colours, and the brand itself is Awesome with a capital A. They’re the most sustainable running shoe brand I’ve come across so far, and they ship worldwide. If you want to learn more about them, check out edition 43 + edition 51 of RunLetters.

You can get 20% off these shoes (or any other item from Tarkine) by using this link or simply applying the code CAROLINE03742.

In edition 46, I shared not only the Outopia Panacea Vest, but also a trail runner’s guide to Outopia’s gear. My two favourite items from Outopia right now are their Soul Run Shorts (which I absolutely SWEAR by, they are incredible: no slip, no chafing, so many pockets, and they look great) and the Panacea Vest.

The Panacea Vest is possibly the prettiest hydration vest I’ve come across. But it also fits really well. Where many runners struggle with their vests (soft flasks pushing into their ribs, annoying bounce, chafing), this vest stayed put as it should. And the two soft flasks from Hydrapak that come with the vest are great too.

You can get 25% off this vest (and all other items from Outopia, including those shorts!) by using this link or simply applying the code runletters.

Last but not least, one of my favourite nutrition brands right now: NeverSecond. Bars, gels, and drink mixes are all easy to consume. If you’re curious, I recommend getting their starter packs to try out different flavours at a good price. Even better, you get 15% off with the code RUNLETTERS15.

The one other item I would’ve added is the Coros Pace 3, but the truth is the battery didn’t last the full 107K I ran last Monday. All my friends’ watches were fine. So I love it a little less now, hahaha (but still, a great watch for almost any runner!)

The Wild Card has been wild this year (living up to its name). Above all, it’s been a place to feature funny things that caught my eye, or things that also deserved a spotlight. Here’s my top 3:

The number one person to follow for some (running) humour on your timeline.

An incredible documentary about Jasmin Paris running the Barkley Marathons.

Mike Egan is an incredible athlete, and his performance at the Go One More was astonishing, too. A lesson in perseverance for all of us.

That’s it for this anniversary edition. Thank you for being a reader of RunLetters. If you want to help me celebrate, then this is the best way ⬇️

And don’t forget, if you have a recommendation for something or someone I should feature, please let me know.

Here’s to a great weekend, and thank you for being part of RunLetters ☀️

Caroline

P.S. One of the best ways to support RunLetters is by joining the free RunLetters Run Club. Fun challenges, many more discounts and an amazing community. You can join via this link.

P.P.S. We are starting a new monthly challenge in the RunLetters Run Club today. Join now to be let in on Monday. It’s completely free.