‘ello runner and happy Friday! Today is a special one. Yesterday RunLetters reached 5,000 subscribers. A huge milestone and one I’m super proud of. Thank you for being here!

To celebrate, I will host a giveaway on Instagram next week. Follow me to make sure you don’t miss out.

Alright, let’s get started ⤵️

And not just any, but the “Conquer the Wall Marathon”, which takes place on the “hardest part” of the wall.

In the video below, we get to follow along on Liam’s journey. From picking a race that truly challenges him to his training, trouble obtaining a visa, and eventually running the race.

The race itself is, indeed, nothing easy. The course has multiple repeatable sections for the marathon, which is gruelling both mentally and physically thanks to all the stairs.

I won’t spoil more. You’ll have to give it a watch.

Liam’s YouTube account is still relatively small. I think it’s time to blow it up. The amount of time, effort, and even money that must’ve gone into making this video is impressive. I can’t imagine how much time went into editing and shooting this.

Storytelling? Great. Production quality? Great. Ads? None.

Now hit that video, let him know you discovered him via RunLetters, and share it with some friends.

Enjoy!

Esmee Gummer is running more than 5,000km to host a run club in every city in the UK. Yes, you read that right.

This girl is on a mission. A mission to help people mooooveeeee! Sharing the love and passion for movement through running.

To do so, she’s set off to run to pretty much every city in the UK. Every time she gets to a new city, she hosts a run club (free to attend), before she runs on to the next. And through this, she has already covered 1000 miles.

What I love about this is that, while Esmee is doing all the running and leading it, it does not feel like it is about her. She isn’t making it some glorified “look at me” project, which I’m afraid some people would.

I think her mission is bold, her attitude is great, and her execution is solid.

If you do decide to give her a follow, feel free to let her know you found her through RunLetters 💙

Have you ever heard of a completely free (half) marathon? I don’t mean one that you just run on your own. I mean one with aid stations and entertainment and the whole shabang.

Probably not.

BUT! There is one! In a small mill town in northern Maine. Every December.

It started in 2015 as a self-timed run, barely organised, put together to support Millinocket after its paper mill closed, taking the local economy down with it. Runner's World picked up the story not long after. From there it grew fast. Every year it now attracts thousands of runners, from all 50 states and beyond.

There's still no entry fee. However, you are encouraged to donate what you can and spend money around town while you're there: hotels, diners and local shops (the Maine Sports Commission puts the race's contribution to the local economy at $2.5 to $3 million a year, and none of it runs through a bib fee).

Then there are the aid stations. These are not sponsored, but run by the locals, who set up tables along the course with whatever they've got: cookies, hot soup, pickle juice, jello shots. Some runners get handed oysters. Others get a shot of Fireball (a tradition that apparently started the year the water at the aid stations froze solid, and someone grabbed the only warm thing they had in the car).

The course runs along the Golden Road, an old logging route, with close to 2,400 feet (730m) of climbing. Marathoners run two loops for the full 26.2 miles (42km), half marathoners one loop of 13.1 (21km).

The next edition is Saturday, December 5, 2026. Registration is open now, closing November 1 (or sooner if the race fills). If a free race with an oyster aid station and small-town Maine hospitality sounds like your kind of weekend, sign up here.

(See more about the race’s story here)

This one’s for the ladies, sorry guys!

Back in one of the very first editions of RunLetters, I talked about Mileoff and its founder Alice Rose, who I adore.

Today, I’m keen to share with you the collab they’ve got going live with SAP this Saturday. It’ll be a limited edition tank in SAP’s main colour: coral red/orange. A good one for the summer and all your upcoming races.

I am not affiliated with either of these brands, but I love their energy! And I think for any lady that wants this top, it’s good to put the launch on your calendar. Mileoff’s drops usually sell out in no time.

The beer marathon is not for the faint-hearted. I’ve got one friend who has done it. His verdict? NOT EASY.

I’ve featured Average Rob before (with his Marathon des Sables video). This time, he’s taking on a very different challenge, exchanging the hot desert for the cobblestoned streets and stairs of Liège, Belgium.

And this one’s “just a marathon, not an ultra”. So… must be easier, right? I mean, you can even dress up as a king!

Turns out a drunk marathon can be quite the challenge 😉

5000 runners reading RunLetters. It still blows my mind. As I’m about to hit send on this email, the ticker shows 5,087. Absolute madness.

So, time to enjoy. I’m heading off this weekend with my husband to celebrate his birthday. But you bet I’ll also celebrate this milestone.

I’m currently locking in a giveaway (to celebrate 5k!) with one of my favourite brands. They need a little extra time to arrange things, hence the delay. Next Friday, we should be live. So stay tuned!

Here’s to a great weekend ahead ☀️

Caroline

P.S. Do me a favour and hit reply to this email, sharing with me what you enjoyed most in today’s newsletter!