Hey hello runner, happy Friday! Here’s another edition of RunLetters to kickstart your weekend. Today, we’ve got a bit of road running, a bit of trail running, and lots of carbs. A gorgeous mix.

Let’s get started ⤵️

Based on the thumbnail, I wouldn’t expect much from this video. Ko (who apparently has quite a massive following on TikTok, which I’m not on, haha) decides to run a half marathon out of spite because his friend Brandon is doing one.

But honestly…

It’s nothing fancy. It’s nothing crazy. It’s two young guys tackling their first half marathon (and maybe, secretly, liking it more than they thought they would).

Cassie initially popped up on my feed with her series of “Stealing Strava Segments from Men”, which, in itself, already made me want to follow her. _{(Guys, don’t hate me; see the fun in this)}

Then I went to check out her profile, and I instantly wanted to be friends with her, which is enough reason to feature her already.

But since this is a newsletter and I’m trying to convince you to follow her (and I’m sure some of you are feeling a little hurt by Cassie stealing male-dominated Strava segments), let me share some more about her.

Yeah. That’s about it. Go give her a follow to see what she’s up to next.

“Ultra? No, thank you. I’d rather stick to shorter distances.”

Hold up, my friend. While the name Ultra X may suggest an ultra, this event is actually much more than that. Ultra X Slovenia boasts a WIDE range of distances from 12k all the way up to 110k.

So if you, like me, haven’t planned your autumn yet and still have some room for travel, then this might be a race you want to check out. It’s a bit late to start an ultra training block, but if you already have the fitness, or if you’d be keen to run a shorter distance (the 12k or 25k), this could be an amazing travel opportunity.

Slovenia is a stunning country. Its landscapes will remind you of Canada. It’s also still relatively undiscovered (compared to many other European countries). And September is an ideal time to travel to it.

The Vipava Valley, where the race takes place, is a utopia for foodies, wine lovers and hikers/trail runners. There’s even a wine train which will take you hopping between little villages and vineyards (I recommend this for after the race, haha). You can read more about the area here. Truly a perfect post-summer getaway.

You can travel via Ljubljana (Slovenia), Trieste, or Venice (Italy). From there, you’d probably want to rent a car. Not just because it’ll be easiest, but also because that way you can explore more before and after the race. There are also buses and trains to the area.

The race(s) are on September 5-6, 2026, and sign-ups are still open.

For a long time, I wore the Puma Deviate Nitro 3 as my tempo shoes. That means: any workout on the track, I’d pull out the Pumas. They were my replacement for the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4, of which I had two pairs (loooooved ‘em).

But as with anything good… the Pumas reached the end of their life 💔 The foam is starting to wear out.

And so the search for a new tempo shoe began. I read countless reviews and watched all of Kofuzi’s videos until a magical email from 361 landed in my inbox. If I wanted to test their new tempo shoe. Uhhh, YES?!

As I wrote a few weeks ago, 361’s “Furious Future 2.0” race shoe wasn’t really my shoe. But this tempo shoe? The Miro Nude ST? I love them.

Bouncy. Light. Super comfortable. Gorgeous design. Everything I was looking for.

The feel is a bit similar to the ASICS MetaSpeed (for those who know that shoe). The ride is not too stiff or rigid. It’s much more springy. It’s so light, has a good lockdown, and basically disappears on your feet. The upper is extremely minimal (you will see your socks through these).

It’s a shoe for faster paces. I’d say good for under a 7-minute mile pace (4:20 min per km).

Over the last few weeks, Lydia (@comerunwith.me) and I have been publishing a YouTube series about trail running.

The series is done in partnership with Outopia, and the topic is simple:

How to start with trail running?

So far, in the published episodes, we’ve talked about what trail running really is, what gear you need, and what terrain to expect. Tomorrow, the fourth episode will go live, all about nutrition. And the week after that, we’ll show you what a trail running race is like!

We truly hope (and think) the series is helpful for anyone who would like to pick up trail running. The final episode next week is going to be a BANGER!

Check it out, and subscribe to Between Miles so you don’t miss out!

All good things come to an end. So does this week’s RunLetters, hehe.

Have a wonderful weekend, wherever you are ☀️

Caroline

P.S. Half marathon on the calendar? Join my half marathon coaching program! 7-day free trial, only €29/$35/£25 a month thereafter, and no lengthy, annoying contracts.