‘ellooo runner! It’s the end of the week again. You know what that means: another edition of RunLetters, another dose of running inspiration.

Before we get started, a little poll! I just finished an uphill treadmill session (yes, I’ve been inspired). It was raining outside and yeah… sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do (we weren’t even “allowed” to exercise outside last Wednesday due to a supposed storm).

Voting is anonymous. Vote to see what others chose.

Okaaaaay, now let’s get started ⤵️

I chose that ↑ subheading for a reason.

As a running coach, I love helping my athletes run new personal bests. But those personal bests aren’t always new time records.

Sometimes, those personal bests are about fueling well, hydrating enough, pacing strategically, or… having fun.

I’ve never had big ambitions to run the NYC Marathon (or any of the World Majors). However, I know a lot of people who have run it, and they say the vibes and atmosphere are hard to beat. After seeing plenty of videos about it, I believe them.

This video from Aubrey shows it, too. The way he approaches and runs the race is probably how I’d want to run NYC myself: truly taking it all in, engaging with the crowd and other runners, and enjoying every mile.

I really enjoyed this video, and I hope it leaves you feeling inspired to go run a race just for the fun of it!

Does that name ring a bell? For long-time RunLetters readers, maybe. I featured Stephanie in the Wild Card section in May 2025 when she won the Ultra-Trail Snowdonia, breastfeeding her then-six-month-old daughter, Pepper, along the way.

Or maybe the name sounds familiar because she’s been all over your timeline this week, and for good reason: she just became the first woman to run 100 miles in Antarctica.

Stephanie, a Canadian human rights lawyer and the founder of Free to Run, wasn’t sporty growing up. She ran her first marathon in law school and hated it. She figured speed didn’t motivate her, so she started looking at distance. In 2008, she ran her first ultra, a 250 km stage race in Vietnam, and finished second. She’s been an ultrarunner ever since.

One message that’s important to Stephanie is that moms shouldn’t have to feel guilty for chasing their own dreams. She champions this because her road to becoming a mom was long. After an unexpected pregnancy at 40, she had two miscarriages and two failed rounds of IVF. People asked whether running had caused the losses, and that doubt changed her relationship with the sport. She stopped running for three years.

The third round of IVF worked, and Pepper was born in November 2024. Six months later, Stephanie won the Ultra-Trail Snowdonia race I mentioned at the start.

Last Sunday, she made history in Antarctica, finishing the Antarctic Ice Ultra in 17:31:39. She came second overall, 29 minutes behind the winner, Yusheng Ni. Both of them finished more than five hours under the previous course record!

All in all, Stephanie is an incredibly inspiring runner and definitely someone worth following.

P.S. Also love this cool behind-the-scenes perspective

If you’ve ever considered running an ultramarathon, the Speyside Way 50K might be a good option for you.

This race takes place in northern Scotland. The course is not only beautiful but also very beginner-friendly. It’s net downhill, and the 50K has a 10-hour cut-off, so you can definitely walk a good chunk of it if you need to.

The race is on August 14, 2027, so you’ve got plenty of time to train and… to plan a holiday! August is one of the best months to visit Scotland: the Edinburgh Festival is on, the days are long (the sun sets around 9 PM), and there’s a better chance of sunshine.

It looks like a very runnable course. It’s also a small event, with a maximum of 250 entries for the 50K. In my experience, smaller events are often really well organized and have great support.

So if an ultra is on your 2027 wishlist… check it out!

Earlier this week, I was writing out “a runner’s wishlist” for a few upcoming videos on Instagram (and maybe YouTube). One of the items? Recovery slides.

Maybe that’s just a fancy name for slides (or slippers, or whatever you want to call them). The idea? Better foam that helps you recover faster after a run.

When it comes to recovery slides, I’ve heard a lot of good things about KANE. Their slides are made from Brazilian sugarcane. “Not only is it regenerative, but it also draws down CO2 and reduces our carbon emissions and reliance on fossil fuels,” their site says. Love that.

Now, the design… This is where KANE really takes the crown.

There are plenty of colors to choose from, plus “Open Back” and “All Conditions” versions (below).

The one unfortunate thing about KANE: their slides are only available in the US and Canada. Maybe we can all shoot them a message asking them to expand to Europe? 😉

If you’re in the US or Canada, you can check out their recovery footwear here:

Isabelle “Sparkle” Boyce is a young, passionate runner from the UK. Her dad, Martin, captures the family’s active life on YouTube and Instagram, mostly sharing their races.

The 10-year-old is not only determined but also fast, with a 5K PB of 19:55.

If you need something to fire you up… this should do it!

That’s it for another edition of RunLetters. I hope it brought you joy, motivation, and/or inspiration!

Here’s to a great weekend ahead ☀️

Caroline

P.S. Next week’s newsletter will bring you a bunch of Black Friday deals to be aware of! If you’re on the fence about buying something, be it for yourself or as a holiday gift, I recommend not buying anything until then.