I review a lot of running shoes, which means I spend more time than the average person staring at brand lineups...During the past year, the question: have running brands made too many shoes, has come up more often.

The answer keeps getting harder to explain. A brand launches another daily trainer, and it already has several daily trainers, a max-cushion shoe, a premium trainer and a super trainer...

Running shoes are selling, the category is healthy, and brands have every incentive to keep feeding it. At the same time, the number of overlapping models has reached a level where shopping for a basic trainer can require far more research than it should.

Running Shoes Are Selling, Which Is Why There Are More of Them

We know by now, we are in a running boom. I wrote about it. According to Circana’s first-half 2026 footwear report, performance footwear grew 6% in dollars, with running leading the gains at 13% growth in both dollars and units. The total U.S. footwear market grew only 1% in dollars during the same period, while the number of units sold declined.

That is a very good environment for running brands. Runners know more about shoe technology, and performance footwear has crossed into everyday clothing far beyond people training for races. A company watching those numbers has little reason to shrink its lineup while customers are still buying.

Most large brands now offer more than one daily trainer, more than one cushioned trainer, at least one max-cushion shoe, a lighter trainer, a workout shoe, a super trainer and several racing options. Trail and stability lines add even more options, and within each category are models that overlap enough that the explanation becomes a paragraph.

I Keep Asking Where Another Daily Trainer Fits

The New Balance Ellipse v1 was one of the shoes that pushed this topic back into my head. When I reviewed it, New Balance already had the 880, 1080, More, Rebel, Balos and several other road shoes that can handle daily mileage. The Ellipse is comfortable and overall a good shoe, but its arrival still created another choice in an already crowded section of the lineup. It left me asking...why.

Saucony created a similar conversation for me with the Endorphin Azura. Saucony already has the Ride, Triumph, Kinvara and Endorphin Speed covering nearby territory. I like the Azura, and I can explain who should buy it, although getting to that answer requires comparing several shoes from the same company.

A shoe can be good while still leaving you asking...do we need this? Especially when the brand already sells two or three models built for nearly the same runner. That has become normal in 2026. It’s weird because we do all have all of these models...but when it comes to stability shoes...that category is disappearing.

We Have Created a Lot of Running Shoe Categories

Modern shoe technology deserves credit for much of this expansion. It’s a fun time to be a runner. Better foams gave brands more freedom to build lighter shoes with more cushioning, carbon plates changed racing, and high-stack designs created trainers that feel very different from the traditional daily shoes many of us wore a decade ago.

The industry also learned that runners enjoy having a running shoe rotation. Instead of buying one pair and using it for every run, many runners now keep separate shoes for easy mileage, workouts, long runs and races. Brands saw room between those categories and kept filling it.

The super trainer is one example. Depending on the brand, that label can describe a plated shoe with race foam, a high-stack workout shoe, a long-run trainer or a premium trainer borrowing technology from a racing model. Premium daily trainers overlap with max-cushion shoes, max-cushion shoes overlap with recovery shoes, and lightweight trainers can overlap with workout shoes.

In my Best Running Shoes in 2026 guide, I recommend a simple three-shoe rotation for runners who want one (note: not who *need* one): a daily trainer, a workout or long-run shoe, and a race shoe if they race often. Three shoes can cover a huge amount of training, yet current lineups can make it look as though you need an eight...nine...ten shoe rotation.

The Running Shoe Release Cycle Adds Another Layer

Most running shoes move through a fast annual cycle, with a new version arriving while the previous version is still easy to find. Sometimes an update sees changes on the foam, geometry, fit or ride, while other updates are smaller and barely noticeable. One thing is for sure...every model is “the best ever”.

These days, a new trainer can sit at full price beside last year’s version at a substantial discount, while another shoe from the same brand occupies almost the same category. Runners compare several generations, wait for markdowns and wonder whether the newest version is actually the one they should buy.

The sale section can be great, but the rapid product cycle has also taught a lot of runners to check there before paying full price. It also means that time with your favorite shoe is always limited.

More Choice Has Not Filled Every Gap

I touched on this already, but the current market has a huge number of neutral trainers while several smaller categories still have limited choices. That contrast is hard to miss once you begin comparing what brands launch every year.

Fast stability shoes are a good example. The Saucony Tempus was one of my favorite examples of a lighter stability shoe that could handle faster running, and my original review focused heavily on how unusual that category was even in 2022. The Tempus has since disappeared from Saucony’s active U.S. product listings. I think the third version is available in China.

Meanwhile, stable carbon-plated racers remain limited and almost non existent, and wide racing shoes are still far less common. Runners looking for a fast shoe with guidance or a race shoe with an accommodating fit have very few choices.

This is where the overload becomes frustrating for me. More shoes could create broader coverage for more runners, yet much of the expansion keeps happening in categories that already have the most competition.

Great Shoes Do Not Get Much Time to Build a Following

Constant launches also make it easier for a strong shoe to disappear before it becomes a long-term favorite. A model arrives, gets reviewed, builds a group of loyal runners and then gets replaced, renamed or removed a few years later. The runner who finally found a shoe they love ends up shopping again.

Running still has long-running models such as the Pegasus, Ride, Ghost, Wave Rider and 880. Most social media reviewing websites call these shoes “boring” and “who would buy those”, yet they are some of the top selling shoes in the industry...that’s why they are around.

I would rather see brands keep strong models around longer and make bigger updates when there is a reason for them. Do we need annual updates...a newsletter for another time.

Runners Are Part of Why This Keeps Happening

I’ve talked about this too but you have the power to influence what brands are making and selling. Brands are responding to us. We talk about PEBA, rocker geometry, stack height, plate stiffness and shoe rotations in a way that was far less common among everyday runners a decade ago. The audience for specialized footwear is larger, and plenty of runners enjoy owning several pairs for different runs.

I am included in that group. I like running shoes, I like comparing them, and I still get excited when a company makes a shoe that approaches running differently. My Shoe and Gear Reviews directory has become a fairly ridiculous archive because I keep testing them.

Enjoying the variety does not mean every new model fills a genuine gap. There are days when I look at a launch and think the brand already sells this shoe under another name, with a slightly different foam setup and a $20 difference in price.

Fewer Shoes Could Be Better

Different feet, training styles, terrain and support preferences deserve options, and the last decade of footwear development has produced running shoes that are lighter, faster and more comfortable than what many of us had before.

The current sales numbers give brands little reason to change immediately. Running footwear is growing, runners are buying, and another launch creates another chance to capture attention in a busy market. That can continue for a while, although adding another premium daily trainer between two existing premium daily trainers eventually stops giving runners more meaningful choice and gives us another box to research.

What do you think? Have running brands made too many running shoes, or do you like having this many options when you shop?

As always, I love to hear YOUR thoughts.

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Recently there is a type of running post I have been seeing a lot more…

“I don’t have a runner’s body.”

Then I look at the person posting it and they are thin, visibly athletic, runs regularly, and looks remarkably similar to the people we have seen in running advertisements, magazines, race campaigns, and professional distance running for decades.

I keep wondering: If you don’t have a runner’s body, who exactly does?

I understand what these posts are usually trying to accomplish. The creator wants to talk about body insecurity, remind people that runners come in different shapes, or push back against the idea that you need to look a certain way to run. The execution can have the opposite effect.

We all look in the mirror and think: wow I wish I could change X, Y, and Z. Now, if you’re new here, or you’ve come to say if you run, you’re a runner...believe me I think that too. Anyone who wants to be a runner, is a runner. You don’t need to have a specific body type to run and anyone can run.

Period and stop.

The newsletter is focused on the rise of more traditional thin people saying “they don’t have a runners body”.

What Do We Think a Runner Is Supposed to Look Like?

Running has a very established visual stereotype, especially distance running. It’s usually, thin, lean, and a smaller frame. Visible muscle without looking particularly muscular.

Obviously, runners do not all look like that. Go to almost any road race and you will see thousands of examples. Runners are short, tall, thin, fat, muscular, older, younger, and everything between.

Runner’s World published an article last year with a very straightforward headline: If You Have a Body, You Have a Runner’s Body. The article discussed how believing you need a certain weight or shape can keep people from starting to run at all.

I agree...

That history is why I have trouble with a thin runner posting, “I finally accepted that I don’t have a runner’s body.” According to whom?

You Can Struggle With Your Body and Still Fit the Standard

When I’ve posted similar conversations, I always get pushback and it’s usually related to this topic.

Being thin does not protect someone from body-image issues. Getting down to X amount of pounds will not solve your problems. You can have a body other people praise and still struggle tremendously with it. Female runners have an especially complicated history with weight, food, and the belief that being lighter will make them faster. So when a thin runner says she dislikes her body, I have no reason to tell her she is wrong about how she feels. You can’t tell someone how to feel.

I lose the message when that personal insecurity gets turned into a broader statement that they do not look like a runner.

If you are thin, athletic, and running enough that you have built a running platform around it, you may feel insecure about your stomach, legs, hips, arms, or any other body part. At the same time, your body may still closely match what running culture has historically presented as the expected runner physique. I’m not the thinnest, I don’t have a six pack, I have cellulite. I had a coworker say: “I would have never guessed you were that fast because you aren’t a rail”.

Because Someone Else Is Watching That Reel

Imagine being a new runner in a larger body. Maybe you already feel nervous walking into a running store. You joined a run club and wondered whether you belonged there. You scroll through Instagram and rarely see runners built like you getting the shoe contracts, race invitations, or major brand campaigns.

Then a woman who is substantially thinner than you appears on your feed and says:

“I used to think I couldn’t be a runner because I don’t have a runner’s body.”

Where does that leave you?

That is what I think gets lost when these posts are framed as universal inspiration. The creator may be trying to dismantle the runner-body stereotype while accidentally perpetuating it.

We have effectively said, “Look, even this thin athletic woman doesn’t qualify.”

Well, crap. The “traditional runners body” just got narrower.

Running Social Media Changes What We Think Is Normal

I think I’ve posted a dozen reasons why this is true.

A 2026 study published in Body Image looked at social media use among women ages 17 to 30 and found that greater use of image-based platforms was associated with more appearance comparison and greater internalization of thin and fit appearance ideals. Following fit-focused content was also associated with greater fit-ideal internalization and compulsive exercise. You can read the study here.

I don’t think runners need a research paper to know comparison happens online. We see more runners before 8 a.m. on Instagram than most people used to see during an average week. The algorithm is not giving us a random sample of everyone who finished a 5K last weekend.

It gives us polished race photos, abs, matching sets, professional photography, sponsored athletes, fast runners, and people who are good at making running visually appealing.

Maybe We Can Stop Rating Bodies on Their Running Appearance

One reason I love running is that the stopwatch does not care what anyone looks like.

If someone runs 6:00 pace, they run 6:00 pace. The clock does not add an appearance score afterward.

Yet social media gives us endless opportunities to assess whether someone looks like the athlete she already is.

I have done plenty of races where someone who does not fit the stereotypical runner image absolutely flies past me. I have also seen people who look like professional runners be a lot slower than I anticipated. You cannot accurately predict someone’s athletic ability from looking at a race photo.

There Is a Better Way to Talk About Body Insecurity

A runner can talk about struggling with body image without claiming they don’t have a runner’s body.

“I have struggled to accept my body.”

“I compare myself with other runners.”

“I sometimes think I should be leaner because I run.”

“I have spent too much time believing my body needs to change.”

Those are personal experiences. They open a conversation without accidentally establishing another threshold for what a runner is supposed to look like.

There is also value in recognizing privilege within fitness spaces. If your body is routinely represented by running brands, appears in standard apparel sizing, and resembles the athletes historically featured in running media, you can acknowledge that while still discussing your own insecurities.

The Runner’s Body Conversation Needs More Runners

I would love for running media to reach a place where “runner’s body” becomes such a useless description that we stop using it. Until then, representation has to extend beyond thin runners announcing that they belong too.

If you are already close to that stereotype, maybe think twice before announcing that you don’t look like a runner. I get it’s an easy way for more praise, clicks, follows, and views. I’ve had content creators tell me they post those types of content because they do perform well. But maybe think about the overall message there.

As always, I appreciate your thoughts.

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A backstory...

Being in Australia for two weeks was wonderful. Was it because it is actually their winter right now? Maybe. The day we left, my car’s air conditioning went out. Instead of dealing with it, I parked it in the driveway and said, “That’s a two-weeks-from-now problem.”

It turns out I had run the cabin-cooling feature too much, and it had gotten overworked. So anyway, now that it is fixed, I said, “I’m not going to do that again. I’ll just suffer when I get into a hot car.”

When I got into my car the other day, the inside temperature was 156 degrees. Of course, it is not 156 degrees outside, but temperatures in this area of the Mojave Desert can reach around 130 degrees. Knock on wood, I have not seen anything above 120 in a few years though and I do not usually run outdoors in anything above 90 because the sun is what will get you. You can see what inspired this newsletter.

I have written about running in the Mojave Desert before, and several years later, I still believe it is the most challenging weather I have trained through. I’m not here to compare running in the desert vs running in the humidity because I’ve done my fair share of both and they are both unpleasant.

All of this led me to think about what I wanted to write about this week. It is August, so of course, I am sharing a few tips for running in the heat. Many people choose to take down months in early summer due to school schedules, vacations, etc. Many people are ramping up for fall marathons in August.

Back to Summer Running:

I do not plan a summer run around the temperature when I start. I plan around the temperature, sunlight, and wind expected when I finish.

A lot of these tips are not the traditional “run inside,” “run earlier in the day,” or “run with water” because those are obvious.

Think about this: Runners care SO much about the seconds gained from carbon-plated shoes, and that is fine, but many of those same runners do not care about the minutes that can be gained from properly hydrating. Why aren’t you bringing proper hydration? Why are you hoping you’ll find a water stop on the way and giving up those seconds too? Hydration needs vary by runner, environmental conditions, workout intensity, and individual sweat rate.

Reverse the Route Based on the Sun

I have regular routes that I run in the opposite direction during the summer.

When the sun rises in the east, I would rather face it during the opening miles and have it behind me later, when I am warmer and more tired. I know which roads lose their shade first and where pale concrete reflects the sun back toward me. Plus it can keep running more interesting.

Half-Freeze Your Bottle

As mentioned, I think running with hydration or having a hydration plan is an obvious tip. It is wild to me that people still are not running with hydration, but that is not my business.

Anyway, freezing a full bottle sounds like a good idea until you are carrying a solid block of ice that is heavy and actually not melting fast enough for you to consume.

I usually fill a handheld halfway, lay it on its side in the freezer, and then top it off with cold fluid before I leave. That gives me cold liquid immediately and a large piece of ice that continues melting during the run.

For longer runs, I bring one cold bottle and one partially frozen bottle. The cold bottle is for the opening hour. The frozen bottle stays in an insulated cooler in my car and is usually ready when I return.

Research supports cold-water and ice-slurry strategies as practical ways to improve endurance performance in the heat.

Build the Route Around a Cooler

During the hottest months, I may run loops and stay closer to home, assuming I run outside at all. When I was young and dumb (IE 5 years ago when I moved to the desert), I thought I would be fine doing large loops. Well I ended up 5 miles from home in the middle of the desert wondering if I would make it home...so I stopped doing that. I’m more acclimated now, but there are still plenty of days I’m like it’s way too hot to be way out there.

Loops are less exciting than a large route, but they give options. You can refill, change the workout, stop early, or move inside without being six miles from help.

I also prepare my freezer (or cooler) with cold bottles, extra fuel, and a wet towel. Like an aid station that I can return to every few miles.

Use a Halfway Water Rule

Before the run, I decide how much fluid I should consume by halfway and how much should remain.

If I have used more than half before reaching that mark, I change the route or turn back. I do not assume I will suddenly need less hydration during the hotter second half.

The exact amount is personal because sweat rates vary. The Korey Stringer Institute’s hydration guidance recommends building a plan around individual fluid losses rather than treating one drinking rate as correct for everyone.

I’ve written a dozen posts about electrolytes and hydration but most recently this one: Why Do Runners Need Electrolytes?

Break the Workout Before the Heat Breaks It

I do not force every cool-weather workout into its original format. In fact, during the summer if I do care about pace I run indoors. Everything else I do effort level and usually change it.

A 30-minute threshold run may become 3 x 10 minutes with one minute of easy jogging and a drink between repetitions. Five long intervals may become four if the sun arrives earlier than forecast. I also put the most important work earlier because the final interval may happen in conditions that are very different from the opening interval.

Separate Heat Exposure From Hard Training

Heat acclimation requires repeated exposure over roughly one to two weeks, although every difficult session does not need to happen in the hottest conditions available. The CDC recommends gradually increasing heat exposure over a period of seven to 14 days. It’s August, so you’ve probably had your 14 days of heat exposure already.

An easy run can provide exposure without asking your body to handle a hard workout at the same time. Please don’t read this as: go do your longest long run at noon…

Cool Your Neck

This is one I have found especially helpful during the last year.

A cold towel around the neck or water poured over the head and face can make a hot run feel much better. It is another reason I will run loops or plan a route that gives me access to a cold towel. I just put some in my freezer and get them when needed (even doing this for treadmill runs).

Research on neck cooling has found improved running performance and lower perceived heat strain, even when physiological responses changed very little. Feeling cooler does not guarantee that your body has cooled by the same amount. I use cold water, ice, and a wet towel during looped runs, but I do not use the relief as a reason to add miles.

Finish Somewhere You Can Cool Down

Run through sprinklers. Sit in a lake, the ocean, or wherever you live. Unless you live in Florida, do not sit in the ponds there. Dunk your head in water. Find a way to cool down.

I also try to finish near my house or car instead of ending a run several miles from air conditioning. When I run loops from my car, I turn on the air conditioning before beginning the final loop so I do not finish and climb into an oven.

Set the Cutoff Rules at Home

You should have a plan every time you go out in the heat and stick to it. Heat affects judgment, and runners are skilled at renegotiating with themselves once a workout starts. You feel fine...until you don’t.

I decide my cutoff rules before leaving. I stop or shorten the run if an easy effort becomes hard unusually early, I use more than half my fluid before halfway, the route heats faster than forecast, I become dizzy or nauseated, or I cannot bring my effort down after slowing.

Of course, we have to include that confusion, altered behavior, collapse, dizziness, or loss of coordination can indicate heat stroke and require immediate emergency action. The Korey Stringer Institute emphasizes rapid whole-body cooling and emergency medical care when heat stroke is suspected.

No workout on my calendar is important enough to put yourself in danger.

A few weeks ago, I attempted a track workout. I told myself beforehand that if I faded to slower than half-marathon pace during the 12 x 400s, I would cut the workout short. That is exactly what happened. I stopped after eight repetitions and went home. I have no regrets, and I could already tell I was overheated.

What Summer Running Success Looks Like

A successful summer week may include a pre-dawn long run, a treadmill workout, slower easy runs, and a route I shortened because the heat affected me.

Heat will get ya. You cannot outrun the heat, and you cannot expect to run the same workout paces. That is why fall and winter running can feel so good.

Share your tip for healthy summer running!

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What is Keeping Me Entertained?

Topo Ultraventure 5 Shoe Review

OC Fair Run 5k (20:40)

Should You Run While Sick? Running With COVID, Flu, RSV, and a Common Cold

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Is this a fair question? I don’t know.

Is it generalizing hundreds of running influencers? Probably.

Are there exceptions to the rule? Yes.

Will people comment that running influencers are dumb...who cares. Of course.

Will some people read the title, get up and arms, and not read the newsletter? Probably. It might actually be fun to look at comments if you do read past this line LOL. Anyway, let’s get to it.

I have started wondering whether some running influencers actually like running.

The key word here is some.

I think about this after I watch a video that includes another new outfit, another shoe unboxing, and a discount code every other day. Somewhere in there, the person ran, although the running received less attention than everything built around it.

To be clear, I do not think someone has to race fast, train for a marathon, or suffer through every mile to qualify as a runner. In fact, I’ve written how I’m tired of people thinking “runners only train for marathons“.

Running can and is social. It can involve run clubs, cute clothes, expensive shoes, travel, photos, and coffee. Running means different things for different people. I have written a running blog since 2010, reviewed hundreds of shoes, accepted products from brands, and taken plenty of photos before and after races. I am part of the online running world too.

You can be an influencer and like running. You can be an influencer and be in it for the money and free things. Although there are much more lucrative influencing niches outside of running. There are running influencers that charge thousands for a single instagram post and making 100k per year. As I always tell people that say: “influencing isn’t a job” there are instagram cats making over 100k per year...so.

We are in a Running Boom

Running itself is growing. We are in a running boom. RunSignup’s 2025 Race Trends Report analyzed more than 97,000 events and 12.2 million registrations, and found that races appearing on its platform in both 2024 and 2025 grew by an average of 5%. Participation among runners ages 18 to 29 also reached its highest share since 2017.

Strava reported that new clubs on its platform nearly quadrupled during 2025, reaching one million total clubs. Running clubs grew 3.5 times, and club-organized events rose 50% from the previous year.

So yes, people are running. They are signing up for races, joining clubs, buying gear, and creating social lives around the sport. That growth has created more opportunities for runners who can build an audience.

Brands want access to those audiences. Running creators can reach recreational runners in a way a professional athlete sometimes cannot. A 5 hour marathoner with 150,000 followers may sell more shoes than a 2:20 marathoner who posts twice a month. Performance and marketing ability are different skills, and brands are paying for the second one. People also crave seeing people they relate too.

A June 2026 report on running sponsorships described creators as especially useful because their audiences include runners seeking recommendations rather than spectators following a professional sport. This means some are actively signing up for a race because an influencer recommended it or because the influencer will be there...That is textbook influence.

It is also why the running feed has become crowded with products, partnerships, ambassador teams, hosted trips, comped race entries, and content filmed at events that used to be about completing the race.

The Internet Does Not Reward Running

You don’t get sponsorships for simply being a runner...the internet and social media are rewarding content. They reward attention. A runner can love ten unrecorded miles through the desert, but those miles have no commercial value unless they become a story, photo, review, or video.

A normal easy run may take an hour. Turning it into a reel can require planning the idea, choosing clothing, setting up a tripod, repeating a section of the route, editing clips, writing copy, tagging brands, answering comments, and sending performance data to a sponsor.

The creator may enjoy the run but will likely spend more energy producing the content.

The creator economy has also become harder to sustain. In 2025, the average global creator income reported by CreatorIQ was $44,293, while the top 10% received 62% of creator payments. Brands increasingly expect creators to provide strategy, professional production, multiple formats, revisions, event attendance, and audience engagement.

That can turn a hobby into a job with no clear boundary. A survey of 1,000 creators in the US and UK found that half had experienced career-related burnout. Once every run becomes potential content, even a person who loves running will begin treating it like a job.

Do They Like Running, or Do They Like What Running Provides?

Running can provide attention, travel, free products, status, friendships, race entries, and a recognizable identity. Most people have several reasons for staying involved in a sport. It ranges from speed to mental health to social to just plain having fun.

Would someone still run without Strava? Would they choose the same race without a comped entry or hosted hotel? Would they wear the shoe if there were no affiliate commission? Would they attend the run club without a photographer? Would they take an easy week without turning recovery into a motivational speech and lessons learned?

Running content can inspire someone. There have been plenty of days I’ve looked through my feed and thought wow that person is a baddie. But social media can also teach people that a run only counts when it is attractive, fast, sponsored, or shared.

Why Every Product Cannot Be Amazing

One reason people question whether influencers like running is that many feeds offer endless enthusiasm with very little criticism. Every shoe is responsive. Every gel tastes great. Every race is unforgettable. Every outfit is the new favorite. Then the next campaign begins, and a different product receives the same language. This becomes even more clear when half the time, the caption is written with AI.

Research on influencer marketing has found that sponsorship can reduce perceived authenticity because audiences may interpret the endorsement as externally motivated. That does not mean sponsored opinions are automatically false or fake. It means the relationship changes how people evaluate the recommendation.

Disclosure helps, although it does not fix weak content. The Federal Trade Commission says creators should clearly disclose financial relationships, free or discounted products, employment relationships, and other valuable perks connected to an endorsement.

It’s actually illegal to hide an endorsement in the text of a caption and it’s supposed to be above the “read more”...not burying #ad in the hashtags or comments. Anyway, that’s a topic I can and have babbled on about...

A free pair of shoes is a relationship. A free race entry is a relationship. A hosted trip is a relationship. A brand ambassador contract is a relationship. A shoe sent with no posting requirement is still a relationship when the creator decides to feature it.

People are allowed to earn money from content. They should also trust their audience enough to state who paid, what was provided, what was required, and whether the product stayed in the rotation after the campaign ended.

So, Do Running Influencers Even Like Running?

Like anything...many do...and many do not.

The online running economy simply makes it difficult to tell where enjoyment stops and performance begins. A feed can document someone’s relationship with running, but it can also stage that relationship for an audience.

I guess I am more interested in whether running remains something they practice when the camera is off, the race is not comped, the outfit is old, and nobody is waiting for a discount code.

As always, I love hearing YOUR thoughts.

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The Studio Edit 02 collection arrived on July 30 and introduced Satin Shine, a compressive Dri-FIT fabric with a glossy finish. The range includes plunge bras, bandeau bras, open-scoop bras, a $158 cami bodysuit, and $88 suspender shorts that look like cycling bibs cut into a three-inch short. Nike describes the collection as studio clothing designed to sculpt, support, and move with the body.The suspender shorts drew comparisons to a wrestling uniform and the famous “mankini” from Borat.

I laughed when I saw the photos. If you go through all of them then you can tell they are designed for pilates, yoga, and studio workouts. They aren’t designed to go crush a marathon.

Nike might have saved everyone the trouble if they had showed more photos of what the shorts are actually designed for?

How did women’s workout clothing reach a place where a major athletic company released shiny suspenders for the gym?

Why does buying leggings now require research into compression levels, fabric families, contour lines, support categories, and whether a piece is intended for training, Pilates, errands, or standing near a Pilates studio?

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The Latest Criticism Is Mostly About the Design

Now we know by now every sport is specialized. Specific gear may look goofy in the outside world...like say...carbon plates shoes. Non runners may question why it looks like runners need a platform to run on. A strange-looking garment can still perform during a workout, and attractive clothing can fail once someone begins moving.

The newest collection may perform better than the campaign photos suggest. We need actual workouts before making that call. That probably circles back to why didn’t Nike have more photos and even video of the clothing in movement? But then again, they are getting reactions and media.

Workout Clothing Now Has a Résumé

Nike said the partnership and creation of NikeSKIMS would create a new standard for women’s activewear through clothing that is functional, flattering, and designed around women athletes. Its first release included 58 silhouettes and enough pieces to create more than 10,000 outfit combinations. Nike now organizes NikeSKIMS through multiple fabric collections, including Satin Shine, Studio Stretch, Matte, Airy, Weightless, and a ribbed collection.

Ten thousand outfit combinations sounds impressive. It also sounds exhausting. I’m currently in the process of getting rid of more activewear because to be honest...I don’t need or want it. I have enough activewear. i don’y want 10,000 different combinations. I want maybe 5-10 so I’m not doing laundry every other day.

Most women already know what they need from workout clothing. The waistband should stay in place. The fabric should remain opaque. A sports bra should have built in bras. Shorts should allow a full stride. A pocket should hold a current phone whenever the garment has enough space for one.

Those requests are fairly basic and I’ve seen them again and again on social media. But that’s not what we are getting...Every garment sculpts, smooths, compresses, shapes, layers, transitions, and completes a head-to-toe system. They are all buzzwords, sure, but really...we don’t need that. Just give us stuff that works.

Are We Dressing for Exercise or for the Fitness Aesthetic?

I enjoy fun workout clothing. I enjoy watching high level track meets where the pros rock cool kits. I have spent enough years in running gear to appreciate a good color, a flattering cut, or a pair of shorts that does not look identical to everything else in my drawer. Women should have options, and plenty of people enjoy coordinating sets or wearing gym clothes throughout the day.

A tiny plunge bra may be fine for a low-impact workout class. A glossy bodysuit may appeal to someone who likes fashion-led studio clothing. The bathroom logistics alone remove it from my shopping list. Suspender shorts are good for cycling but may keep a waistband from sliding, although they also add straps, buckles, and another layer to an outfit that could have been shorts. Every added feature creates another opportunity for irritation...and I don’t need a single more piece of chafing.

The industry has also blurred workout clothing and everyday clothing. NikeSKIMS was built around that crossover, with early collections promoted for strength training and life beyond the gym. Fashion coverage has described the brand through sculpted shapes, sheer layers, and clothing that can continue into the rest of the day.

That crossover changes which products receive the most attention. A black pair of technical shorts is hard to turn into a viral launch. A shiny suspender outfit gives everyone something to discuss....Here we are discussing it.

Have We Made Activewear Shopping Too Difficult?

NikeSKIMS currently separates its clothing into several named materials, each with a different finish and compression level. The product range includes multiple bra shapes, leggings in several lengths, bodysuits, skorts, wrap tops, cropped jackets, waist packs, cases, pouches, and a $24 keychain. In the newest Satin Shine collection, leggings cost as much as $118 and the cami bodysuit costs $158.

$118 or $158 is a lot to spend before learning if a piece of workout gear is actually functional. Runners already think about shoes, weather, fueling, routes, and pace.

NikeSKIMS is part of a much larger activewear social media marketing strategy where every release needs a new fabric name, a recognizable shape, and a reason for people to buy another outfit. Think about it: brands like Bandit do this every quarter...they make their gear exclusive...you need it...even though you already have plenty of gear.

A black pair of technical shorts is harder to build a campaign around, even though many runners still want clothing that stays in place, handles sweat, carries a phone, and allows them to finish a run without adjusting anything. The best running clothes are often the ones you stop thinking about after the first mile...sound familiar? Like running shoes maybe?

Where Is Women’s Workout Attire Going?

Women’s activewear will continue moving toward hybrid clothing that can travel between workouts and daily life. We will see more fashion-led collections and products tied to specific workout identities. The current NikeSKIMS range already separates studio clothing from other training categories and gives each fabric its own purpose.

I also think shoppers are becoming less patient with clothing that photographs better than it performs. Reviews now discuss opacity, stretch recovery, sweat management, support, pocket placement, and whether a garment stays in position during movement.

There is room for interesting colors and unusual shapes when each detail has a reason to be there. Brands should test clothing through the workouts then are designed for...and with people of all sizes.

Fashion and function can live in the same garment. The wearer should be able to finish a workout without spending half of it pulling, adjusting, or wondering whether the fabric has become transparent.

The new NikeSKIMS suspender shorts may find an audience. I have no idea, but I’m sure there are plenty of people who love it. Fashion often looks strange before it becomes normal, and some women may love the styling. I am still unsure who requested a glossy three-inch gym short attached to suspenders.

As always, I love to hear YOUR thoughts.

What do you think? Has activewear become too complicated, or do you like having more adventurous choices? What are your favorite brands?

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As you may or may not have noticed, there was no newsletter last week. In the seven years I have been writing a newsletter, I had never missed a week...until last week.

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I even thought about sending a quick email saying, “There is no newsletter this week.” HAHA. Because you know what everyone needs in their inbox? Another email that wastes their time. So I didn’t send one.

When it comes to our own projects, it can be easy to think, “This is the end of the world,” or, “This is the most important thing ever.” News flash: it usually isn’t. I am okay, and the newsletter continues.

It’s been a whirlwind since I returned home two weeks ago. On July 12, my 36th birthday, I lost a friend. Catching up with work has been crazy and along with a lingering cold that still has me feeling meh, I did not have the energy to write a newsletter. I also did not have anything I felt strongly about writing, and the draft felt like a filler email. Despite writing most of it, I decided not to send it.

Anyway, this week I am talking about missing a race you already signed up for because that is where I’m at.

If you’ve been running for some time, there is a chance you’ve had to miss a race. For me this year, it’s Wharf to Wharf. Wharf to Wharf is a fun six-mile race from Santa Cruz to Capitola, and the top 100 men and women earn a hoodie. It is competitive, and women usually need to run somewhere around 6:40 to 6:50 pace to get one.

The first year I ran, I finished in 106th place. The second year, I earned a hoodie with a 6:31 pace. This would have been my third year, and I was signed up for the race...but as you can gather from the topic of this newsletter, I did not run. While sure, it’s sad I’m not losing sleep about it.

Santa Cruz is five to six hours from my house. I already mentioned that I am getting over a cold, and while I’m starting to feel better, I don’t feel like I would have the race I want. I’m no stranger to racing when you aren’t fit, and the volume of races I do leads me to do that often.

So I decided not to go, and man, was that hard. Even on Saturday after spending Friday night in an urgent care (everyone is fine)...I was like maybe I should go.

I paid $50 for the race, after all. LOL. I had planned the weekend, pictured myself on the course, and assumed that Sunday morning would include six miles through Santa Cruz with thousands of other runners.

Instead, I stayed home.

I can avoid two hotel nights, food, and everything else that comes with a weekend road trip, so skipping the race saved far more than the original entry fee. Still, it was difficult to let go of something I had been looking forward to for months.

By missing the race, the world did not end.

Paying for a Race Does Not Mean You Have to Run It

Once the race fee is paid, it can feel like you have signed a contract with your past self. You registered when you felt healthy, excited, and ready to plan a weekend around running. Then race week arrives, and the current day version of you may have different priorities.

The $50 was already gone whether I drove to Santa Cruz or stayed home. Going would not have recovered it. I would have spent a heck of a lot more money trying to justify the money I had already spent.

That is the annoying part about prepaid races. We talk ourselves into going because we do not want to waste the entry fee, even when the trip no longer fits our health, schedule, or budget. With many races these days you are signing up months in advance and your life may look very different 10 months ago.

Sometimes you arrive, race, and have a great weekend. I have done that plenty of times. Other times, you arrive exhausted and spend the whole weekend wishing you had stayed home. I have done that too.

On of the hardest parts of running is not choosing to skip a race because you’re injured. It’s choosing to skip a run, race, or workout because it’s physically or mentally not the right option.

Missing a Race Can Feel Bigger Than It Is

A race is rarely “only a race” once it has been on the calendar for a while. It becomes part of your training, travel plans, social schedule, and expectations for the season.

You picture the course, think about what pace you might run, check the weather too many times, and imagine how the day will go before the day is even close. When you decide not to race, it can feel like you lost something bigger than a Sunday morning event.

There is also a weird guilt that comes with dropping out of something voluntarily. No one told me I could not run. I did not have a serious injury. I was not stuck at an airport or dealing with a true emergency. I could have forced the weekend to happen, although that did not mean I should have. I think this is the hardest concept for runners...skipping a race when you really didn’t have too.

You Do Not Need a Medical Emergency to Skip

Runners are very good at creating a minimum requirement for rest.

We convince ourselves we need a fever, a stress fracture, or a doctor telling us to stop before we are allowed to back away from a race. Feeling run down, overwhelmed, or unprepared does not always feel like a valid reason, even though all of those reasons are valid.

You can skip because you are sick, tired, or no longer interested in spending another weekend in the car. You can skip because travel costs have climbed, work has been rough, or your family needs you at home.

You can also skip because you just don’t want to run the race anymore.

That may be the hardest reason to accept because race culture often treats every registration as a commitment that must be completed. Sometimes leaving the bib unused is still the best decision.

One Missed Race Does Not Undo Your Training

Skipping Wharf to Wharf does not erase the running I did before it. It does not change last year’s race or the hoodie I earned, and it does not mean I am losing motivation or giving up on racing.

It means I missed one race. I’ll likely miss at least another one this year.

There will be another start line and another weekend when running feels better, traveling sounds fun, and packing a bag does not feel like another chore on an already long list.

Running can become so structured that every missed workout or race starts to feel like a broken link in the chain. In practice, most of our running lives are much less fragile than that.

The Race Will Be There Again

The race is not disappearing because I stayed home this year. I can register again, train again, and return when the trip fits my life better.

That is the nice thing about running. There are always more races than time, money, energy, and healthy weeks. Missing one can be frustrating but it’s not the end of the world.

So today I am at home. I am still getting over this cold, my house is slightly less of a disaster, and I am not sitting in my car for several hours.

As always, I love to hear YOUR thoughts.

Have you ever skipped a race you already paid for? What finally made you decide not to go?

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I’m finally home after a wonderful two weeks in Australia. If you’ve never been, I highly suggest going. It was one of my all time favorite vacations…A bonus is I’m not entirely on the west coast timezone as I woke up at 2:50 am today…so I get a few bonus hours of my birthday ha ha. I’ll recap the Australia trip eventually…likely on www.fueledbylolz.com Now to the newsletter.

A question that came up lately is how do race organizers decide if they want to certify the course. I don’t know about you, but there is not a lot more frustrating then finishing a race and realizing the course was truly 12.6 miles or 13.4...or 26.9...or 26.00. IDK I think I get more annoyed at accidental short courses!

This isn’t a newsletter about GPS malfunctions and quirks, this is a newsletter about races not being the correct distance. In my own antidotal experience, I’ve had that happen more often on the West Coast. I ran a big half marathon (several thousands of people) where the race was was truly about 13.4...and no one really cared. Later the race said the finish line was put in the wrong spot...oh well. What?

What does certifying a running race course mean?

When a running race course is certified, it means the course has been officially measured through an approved process so the distance is accurate. For runners, this usually applies to road races like the 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, and other standard road distances.

A certified course is not based on a GPS watch, Strava route, car odometer, Google Maps, or what the race director thinks looks close enough. It has been measured using a formal course measurement system, then documented and submitted for approval. USATF says the purpose of its course certification program is to produce road race courses with accurately measured distances. It also says that a road performance must be run on a USATF-certified course to be accepted as a record or nationally ranked performance.

For everyday runners, certification gives the race more credibility. If you run a PR, Boston qualifying time, age group record, or any time you want to compare against another race, the distance needs to be trusted. Without certification, a course can still be a great event, but the distance has not gone through the same formal verification. A race can be well organized, fun, scenic, accurate, and still not certified.

Certification also does not mean the course is perfectly marked on race morning, or guaranteed to match your watch. It only means the route was measured and approved as the stated distance when set up according to the certified map. There have been plenty of documented times that a race has accidentally put a cone in the wrong spot or missed a turn, and negated the certification.

How is a running race course measured for certification?
Certified road courses are measured using the calibrated bicycle method. This is the standard method used for road race measurement because it is more precise than GPS for this job. The measurer attaches a mechanical counter, often called a Jones Counter, to a bicycle wheel. The bike is calibrated on a known-distance calibration course before the race route is measured, then calibrated again afterward to account for tire pressure, temperature, rider weight, and other small changes. World Athletics and AIMS outline this process as: define the race route, measure a calibration course, calibrate the bicycle, measure the race course, re-calibrate the bicycle, calculate the distance, adjust the route, and document the measurement.

The measurer rides the shortest possible route a runner could legally take without being disqualified. That means hugging tangents, measuring corners carefully, defining turnarounds, and knowing which parts of the road runners are allowed to use. World Athletics describes the shortest possible route as the official route because it ensures runners cover at least the advertised distance.

There is also a short course prevention factor. World Athletics applies a factor of 1.001, which is one part in a thousand, to reduce the risk of a course being short due to small measurement errors or small race-day setup changes.

After measurement, the start, finish, turns, cones, restrictions, and route details are documented so the course can be set up the same way on race day.

Course certification is one of those race details runners rarely think about until a watch reads short, a Boston qualifier gets questioned, a course changes at the last minute, or someone learns that “certified,” “sanctioned,” “timed,” and “accurate” do not all mean the same thing.

I have written before about the pull of the Boston Qualifier, and I still think Boston has created a weird amount of pressure around marathon times. If a race advertises itself as a Boston qualifier, runners need to know whether the course meets the standard. That is where road race course certification comes in. A few years ago Mountains 2 Beach, a huge BQ due to being downhill ended up being long. We’ve learned by now, a lot of people are right on the cusp of a BQ. They can’t afford an extra half mile and expect to qualify.

What Road Race Course Certification Means

In the United States, road race course certification usually means the course has been measured and approved through USA Track & Field. USATF says the purpose of course certification is to produce road race courses of accurately measured distances. For marathoners, the basic question is simple: is the course actually 26.2 miles?

For a runner chasing Boston, the distance question gets very specific. The B.A.A. qualifying rules say only a certified full marathon distance will be accepted. The course must be certified by USATF, AIMS, or the national governing body for distance running in the country where the race is held. If a course is changed from its previous certification, the B.A.A. says a new measurement and certification must be completed before the next marathon.

Most marathoners do not run that perfect measured line.

They move around crowds, drift wide at turns, swing out for water, miss tangents, avoid potholes, and run the last few miles with whatever form they have left. That is why a GPS watch may read 26.35 or 26.45 on a certified marathon course without proving the course was long.

Certified courses also include a short course prevention factor. Running USA describes it as one-tenth of one percent, or slightly more than five feet per mile. For a marathon, that comes out to about 42 meters. It helps reduce the chance that small measurement variables create a short course.

Why Race Directors Choose Not to Certify

One reason race directors skip certification is that the event was never built around records, rankings, or qualifying standards. A community fundraiser, holiday run, school event, charity marathon relay, or local participation event may be focused on access, donations, safety, and logistics. For those races, certification may sit below permits, police support, medical coverage, timing, bathrooms, volunteers, shirts, insurance, and traffic control.

Another reason is course instability. Marathon routes can depend on city permits, police approval, construction schedules, bridge access, park access, transit conflicts, venue availability, and road closures. A race director may want certification, although if the route cannot be locked early enough, official measurement becomes harder to justify.

USATF’s policy on adjustments to certified courses shows how precise this gets. If part of a certified course changes, the changed road portions need to be measured and the course distance has to be corrected.

Cost and staffing also play a role. The USATF paperwork review fee is small, although the full process still takes time, coordination, and someone who understands the measurement process. USATF says race organizers can hire a qualified measurer or measure the course themselves if they are willing to devote the time, money, and attention required. Either way, the measurer still needs to submit complete data, forms, and a detailed course map to the state certifier through the USATF course measurer process.

For a race with paid staff, that may be a normal operating cost. For a volunteer-run event trying to raise money for a local cause, it may feel like one more task.

Some races also inherit old course claims. A race may say the course has “always been certified,” although USATF certifications expire after 10 years. The USATF certification procedures explain that expired courses have to be remeasured to be recertified. A race using an old start, an old finish, or an old turnaround may not be using the same course that once had a certificate.

There are also races where certification does not fit the format. Mixed-surface events, trail-heavy courses, races with flexible routes, relay-style events, and charity challenges may use marathon language without being designed around a certified road marathon result.

That can be fine when the race is clear with runners...The problem starts when the marketing sounds like a PR course, a Boston qualifier, or an exact 26.2-mile road race and the course has not been verified that way. Can you notice a theme of newsletters? We just want transparency!

The Runner Side of the Argument

There are some very serious and fast runners that read this newsletter...runners looking to BQ...runners looking to quality for the Olympic Trials...but that is not the majority of the running population. Many runners are now running for social reasons! We are in a running boom! And that’s ok, the beauty of running is we are all on our journey and doing it for different reasons.

Even when someone is not chasing Boston, 26.2 carries months of training, travel, entry fees, hotel costs, long runs, workouts, and race-day nerves. A few tenths of a mile can change the finish time, the pacing story, and how the result gets remembered. I’ll be honest, it’s always disappointing when you run a personal best in a race and Strava doesn’t record it that way because the course was .01 short. Silly? Yes. But it still is.

Still, a GPS watch is not the judge. Watches can cut corners, drift in cities, struggle under trees, and read long when runners weave through crowds. After a marathon, I would look at whether the course was certified, whether race day followed the certified route, and whether many runners saw the same unusual distance pattern.

The public USATF certified course database is helpful here. If a race is advertising a certified marathon course, runners can look for the certification number, distance, course status, year, drop, and separation. If the race says the course is new, updated, rerouted, or changed, it is fair to ask whether the current version has current certification.

Where Does This Leave Race Directors

The neutral answer is that course certification depends on what the race is selling.

A marathon marketed as a Boston qualifier needs certification. A marathon marketed as a fast PR course should have certification. A marathon charging runners to chase an official 26.2-mile road result should be able to tell runners how the course was measured.

A community event, fundraiser, or participation-first race may decide certification is outside the scope of the event and means the marketing needs to be clear. Runners should not have to guess whether “marathon” means certified road marathon, approximate-distance community event, or something in between.

This is also why small marathons and local races deserve a little nuance. I wrote about how the World Marathon Majors are not automatically better than smaller races, and I still believe that. Smaller events can be excellent, personal, and well organized. They can also be more vulnerable to permit changes, volunteer shortages, course adjustments, and limited budgets.

Certification is one way to build trust…although it is not the only sign that a race is taking runners seriously.

What do I think?

Course certification lacks glamour, although it is one of the clearest ways a race can show runners the distance has been handled with care. Race directors may opt out for reasons that are practical rather than careless: unstable routes, volunteer bandwidth, budget, event purpose, mixed-surface formats, expired old courses, or a participant base that is not chasing records or qualifying standards.

The fair expectation is transparency. If a marathon is certified, say so and share the certification number. If it is not certified, say that too. Runners can decide what kind of race they want to pay for, train for, and travel to.

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As always, I love to hear your thoughts! Do you only race certified events? Do you care?

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Run clubs are having a very public moment. Depending on where you live, that can mean 15 people outside a coffee shop, a few hundred runners taking over a city block, a running store demo with a shoe brand, or a group that brings out professional photographers.

I even started a run club at Edwards, and depending on the day, we get anywhere from two to fifteen people. Adults want places to meet people outside of work.

A good run club can make running less intimidating. It can help new runners find routes, learn pacing, meet people, stay consistent, and feel welcome.

The run club boom is not imaginary. Strava reported a 59% increase in running club participation globally in 2024, and its 2025 report said new clubs on Strava nearly quadrupled, reaching 1 million total clubs, with running clubs growing 3.5 times. Running also remained the top sport on the platform. That is great for running, but it also means some run clubs are now media channels, marketing funnels, dating spaces, store activations, and brand assets.

Run Club Safety Has to Be More Than Reflective Gear

Runner safety usually gets framed as reflective gear, hydration, headlamps, and not wearing all black at night. For many runners, especially women, the bigger safety issue is not always traffic or darkness.

Sometimes it is the person who keeps messaging you after a group run. Sometimes it is the guy who keeps “accidentally” ending up next to the same women every week. Sometimes it is a leader flirting with newer runners who do not yet understand the club dynamics. Sometimes it is the person everyone else likes who still makes one runner feel unsafe.

A person can be friendly to 50 people and harmful to one. The fact that someone has never made you feel uncomfortable does not prove they have never made anyone else uncomfortable.

Adidas surveyed 9,000 runners across nine countries and found that 92% of women surveyed had safety concerns while running. More than a third reported physical or verbal harassment. People change routes, avoid certain times, run indoors, share locations, carry protection, wear different clothes, or skip the run.

Run clubs are often marketed as the safer option. Don’t run alone...Come run with us. A group can make a runner feel safer. A group can also give an unsafe person more information: your name, pace, route, schedule, car, and Instagram.

If harassment happens, many run clubs have no process beyond “message us.” That gets complicated when the person involved is popular, fast, useful to the club, or friends with the leader. Many run club leaders are volunteers with no training in harassment, stalking, retaliation, assault disclosures, or conflicts inside a social group. Some leaders are part of the problem.

A Run Club Needs More Than a Route

A run club does not need a 90-page policy manual to meet but once a group has regular members, public routes, sponsors, photographers, volunteers, and hundreds of people in a chat, it needs standards.

The Road Runners Club of America encourages nonprofit running clubs to adopt conflict-of-interest policies and a member code of conduct for organized runs, events, business, and social functions. RRCA also references unwanted sexual or physical contact, hostile environments, documentation, written warnings, removal from club activities, and contacting law enforcement in serious situations.

A code of conduct will not prevent every bad situation. Having nothing means everything gets handled through popularity, friendships, and whoever has the most social power. When a runner says someone made them uncomfortable and the response is, “But he’s always been nice to me,” is not accountability.

The Inclusivity Problem

Run clubs love saying all paces are welcome, but that does not always mean every runner is actually supported. One longtime women’s run club founder told me she built her own club after years in a traditional club where beginner runners were treated as unwanted. The message she received from old-school leadership was blunt: “we don’t want your fat, slow women in our club”. She left and spent eleven years building a women’s run club where beginners could learn to run without being treated like a burden.

Sometimes the problem is less cruel and more practical. A trail group can offer 8 to 9 minute pace, 10 minute pace, and 13 minute pace groups, but if the 10 minute group always goes out at 9 minute pace and the 13 minute group is too slow, runners get stuck in the middle. That really isn’t inclusive. Scroll through Instagram and you’ll immediately think the average pace of runners is 7:30...LOL it most definitely is not.

One thing I pride myself on at Edwards Rub Club is no one runs alone...unless they want too. That means I will hang back with the slowest runner to make sure they have someone to run with and that is ok. If I wanted to run a certain pace, I would run alone. If you are forming a run club and claiming it is inclusive, then yes the run club leader should make sure everyone has someone to run with. Even if that means you are not running the pace “you want”.

Free Shoes Are Also Power

It feels odd placing free stuff after harassment and exclusion, but gear and access are part of the same power conversation. Free shoes are not the same as harassment, but free shoes are not meaningless either. Neither are race bibs, comped entries, singlets, socks, gels, influencer dinners, VIP areas, reposts, brand trips, photo shoots, and early access to events.

Brands have noticed run clubs because run clubs are useful. Some running brands are more interested in run clubs then elite training groups. Modern Retail has reported on brands using running and walking groups for sampling opportunities and sponsorships, and Marketing Brew has covered how run clubs have pulled more brands toward marathon and running community partnerships. A packed group photo can make a brand look connected to running culture without building that culture itself.

Brand involvement is not automatically bad and a free shoe demo can be helpful. It is hard to know whether a shoe works until you actually run in it....Free products can be fun.

So what’s the problem?

The problem starts when nobody is honest about how perks are handed out. If a brand sends six pairs of shoes and they all go to the leader’s closest friends, people notice. If the same runners in a 500-person group get every comped bib while volunteers do the work, people notice.

If you have followed me for a while, you know disclosure is one of my biggest pet peeves online. The FTC says a relationship with a brand should be clear when someone endorses a product, including employment, payment, or free or discounted products or services. In a run club, that should translate pretty easily: say what was gifted, who is being paid, who benefits, how comped entries are chosen, whether posting is expected, and whether the partnership is a sponsorship, demo, store event, or tied to a leader’s personal brand.

When Community Becomes Pay-to-Play

Another version of this is when a run club becomes pay-to-play while still selling itself as community.

One runner shared how a brand-connected run crew where the leader had a formal relationship with a large running brand. The brand had several partner crews in the same city, and those crews received similar access: gear seeding, race bibs, event invites, and brand-related perks. Most crews hosted free group runs, and some offered free training for city races while selling gear separately.

In this case, the coach charged for training while framing the value around product and brand access. The training plans were recycled across races, sometimes so carelessly that outdated references remained in the plan a year later. Over time, race access became tied to paid training. Runners were told, in effect, that a spot for a brand event or race opportunity came through a specific paid training group.

Then the access did not always come.

People paid, trained, and believed they had been selected, only to find out by exclusion: no gear pickup email, no brand message, no invite to the pre-race event, while other runners posted the lead-up on social media. In one marathon case, a runner who had paid for a higher-commitment training cycle and stretched herself financially found out she was not included only after others started posting. When she asked questions, she was reportedly told not to be upset, blamed on the brand, or made to feel like she misunderstood the “opportunity.”.

The same account described a group run leader who tried to raise the communication issue after several runners asked for help. The concern was not free gear. It was that people were paying, training, and then learning through social media that they had been left out. The coach responded by calling the upset runner toxic, saying people were ungrateful, and threatening to quit.

That is exactly why run clubs need basic accountability. If a leader gets the benefits of a crowd, the content, the partner status, and the authority, they also have to handle hard conversations without turning every criticism into personal betrayal.

The Content Machine Comes for the Group Run

Run clubs also have a content problem. Photos and videos are part of modern running. I take photos...Most of us do. But when group members feel like unpaid extras for someone else’s brand relationship, that’s another problem.

In the anonymous account above, some runners stopped wanting to be in photos if the coach was getting content credit. The group run leader stopped tagging the club, then got called out for not creating content. Eventually, she stepped away because the values no longer aligned. She knew it was over once she dreaded putting on the branded apparel.

A good run club should be able to answer basic questions. Who leads this? Who benefits from sponsorships? How are gifted items distributed? What happens if someone reports harassment? What if the complaint involves a leader? Are photos optional? Are new runners being welcomed or used as background for content? Are all paces *really* welcomed?

Those questions should not destroy a run club.

Most Run Clubs Are Good

You might leave this newsletter thinking I hate run clubs or have no idea what I’m talking about. Or even this is has never happened to me. Believe me, I like whatever keeps someone happy and healthy...and for some that is the social aspect of run clubs. I still think run clubs can be one of the best parts of modern running. They can make the sport less lonely, bring new runners in, help people stay consistent, and give adults a place to belong. I also think bigger clubs have bigger responsibilities. A group of friends meeting for miles is different from a sponsored club with hundreds of runners, photographers, merchandise, brand demos, and leaders who gain status from the crowd.

The best run clubs have a plan in place. They still have the group photo, the coffee afterward, the shoe demo, the easy miles, and the fun. They will also have a safety plan, transparent perks, pace groups that mean what they say, and enough backbone to admit when community and business overlap.

As always, I love to hear YOUR thoughts.

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I’m actually catching up on the blog and finishing up some gear reviews.

PYNRS Performance Streetwear Review

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I meant to finish this on the flight over…but then we didn’t have Wifi. So I slept LOL. The strange thing about becoming a running influencer is that almost no one begins by calling it that. In fact, I will see influencers with several thousand followers say “I’m not an influencer”.

You start with a run, a race photo, a shoe you liked, and maybe ten people respond because they have run the same race, bought the same shoe, or feel connected.

At first, it is harmless because it is harmless. You are already running, already taking photos, already thinking about splits, shoes, race calendars, and bad porta potty situations. Posting about it becomes an extension of the hobby. It is another place to keep the story.

Maybe your parents read it, maybe three running friends read it, and maybe someone finds you because they searched for a race recap from 2014 and somehow landed in your corner of the internet. Hi, to that person that found a race recap I wrote in 2014 LOL.

A Hobby Until It Isn’t:

Then something changes. A post does well, you accidentally go viral, a brand comments, a race account shares your photo, or someone asks for your opinion before buying a pair of shoes. You become useful, which is different from chasing attention, and that is the trap. Usefulness can make social media seem more noble than it is.

You begin learning the social media game without admitting you are learning the game, which means you learn that a finish line photo usually beats a random Tuesday easy run. You learn that an injury post will get sympathy, a marathon post will get reach, and a shoe post might get saved by people who have never said a word to you before.

You learn that people will read a race report about a major marathon much faster than they will read anything about a local 5K, even though the 5K might have been the more interesting race...Why? 5Ks give you no room to hide and half the field is either a high schooler in Dragonflys or a dad in basketball shorts who is about to run 18:42 off one weekly run. I digress.

Your Running Changes:

That is when running starts getting edited before it even happens. You are still doing the workout, still racing but there is another layer sitting on top of it.

You are thinking about the caption during the run. You are thinking about whether the race photo will be usable. You’re asking a stranger to take 33 photos of you post race because you need the “best one”.

You are wondering whether anyone cares about another tempo run, another long run, another “here is what I ate before my race” post, while also knowing those posts can perform better than the one you spent two hours writing.

The Internet Loves the Marathon:

And not just any marathon...a MAJOR MARATHON! (As I said a dozen times before LOL)

Especially a big city marathon with a hard-to-get bib, twelve exclusive shakeout run activations, a medal photo, a post-race hobble, and a ten-part breakdown of what went wrong at mile 21.

A 5K can be harder to race well than people give it credit for, and a half marathon can wreck you for plenty of days, but marathon content has a built-in plot: months of training, a wall, decent photos, and a multi day race recap that almost writes itself, which means a person can start choosing races because they fit the algorithm machine better than they fit the runner.

The Problem:

Running influencers are still runners, and many of them work incredibly hard, but the platform rewards certain versions of running more than others.

It rewards the runner with a story arc.

It rewards the comeback, the Boston chase, the six...seven...eight...nine...ten...star journey, the “I said yes to a race I was undertrained for” chaos, and the recap that makes 26.2 miles look both brutal and somehow casual.

The Perks:

Then come the perks, which are never quite as free as they appear. Free shoes still need testing, photos, links, disclosures, opinions, follow-ups, emails, etc.

Free product still requires you to pay taxes. A free race bib is still a weekend, travel, parking, logistics, content expectations, taking off your time at your job, and sometimes the strange pressure to be grateful for something you would not have bought yourself.

Brand work can be great, especially when it fits, pays fairly, and gives you room to write what you mean, although a lot of running influencer work still lives in the gray space between “cool opportunity” and “unpaid marketing department.” Eventually I need to write a post on that too.

The other thing nobody tells you is that a platform does not care that you have a full-time job, a family, a commute, a body that needs sleep, and a brain that cannot be treated like an endless comment-reply machine. You can spend all day working and raising a family, drive home tired, run in the wind, make dinner, answer messages, edit photos, schedule a post, respond to a brand, write a review, and still end the day behind because someone else posted a better reel with a better hook while you were doing laundry.

I posted a few weeks ago about how a brand once emailed, texted, and called me about something “URGENT” that “NEEDS TO BE POSTED IN 24 HOURS.” My friends...it was a sock company. They “needed” me to post about socks. What is this world these days?

The Downfall:

It’s not if...it’s when burnout hits. It does not always look like throwing your phone into the ocean or deleting every account. More often, it looks like getting annoyed before you open the app, delaying a post because the caption reads like work, choosing a run route based on lighting, getting a race photo back and judging your body before you judge the race, or noticing you have described your own running so many times that you are bored by your own sentences.

It’s your mental health tanking because you’re comparing yourself to someone else. Someone is always faster, thinner, prettier, better dressed, more injured in a way that gets sympathy, more recovered in a way that gets applause, more sponsored, more funny, more invited, more relatable, more polished...more raw, more whatever the platform is currently feeding everyone.

Eventually, you start doing the math. You look at the hours, the mental space, the constant half-attention, the way running has become something you do and then immediately package, and you ask what you are getting back. Sometimes the answer is money, community, friendships, race entries, travel, or a creative outlet, and those are valid reasons to keep going. Sometimes the answer is a box of gels you do not like, or a code nobody uses.

Or even the sinking suspicion that your hobby is really just unpaid work and miserable.

Bending the Arc (Or Breaking the Arc??)

It may bend slowly, with fewer posts, fewer explanations of every run, and less interest in treating a low-engagement post like a referendum on your life. You pass on the campaign that pays in exposure. You race the random local 5K because you want to race the random local 5K. You let some runs stay unposted.

The funniest part is that stepping back does not always mean leaving. Some people do leave, and good for them. As I am known to say...I love that for you!

Some people keep the blog because they like writing long race recaps for the three people who care about mile-by-mile splits. (Yes, I still post...not every day...mostly shoe reviews and race recaps).

Some people keep Instagram because they have found friends there. Some people stop caring about growth and find that they enjoy posting again once every run no longer needs to become a tiny ad for the life they are trying to prove they have.

Is that the Healthiest Influencer?

I’ve said before but everyone is an influencer in some way. You may not realize it...you may have 1 follower but chances are you are influencing someone in some form.

Maybe that is the healthiest version of being a running influencer, if such a thing exists. You stop letting the platform choose the sport for you. You stop acting like every race needs a lesson, every shoe needs a code, every injury needs a vulnerable carousel, and every finish line needs to become proof that the last twelve weeks meant something. You keep the parts that still add something and cut the parts that keep taking from the thing you loved before anyone was watching.

Eventually, running has to belong to the runner again. It can be shared, written about, photographed, reviewed, monetized, and joked about.

Is it a Circle?

The arc of being a running influencer is not always a rise and fall. Sometimes it turns into a loop. You start with running, turn it into content, turn content into work, get tired of working around your own hobby, and then try to find your way back to a version of running that does not need to perform for anyone before it counts.

As always, I love to hear YOUR thoughts.

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What is Keeping Me Entertained this Week?

361 Miro Nude 2 Shoe Review

Best Running Shoes in 2026: As requested some of my favorite running shoes of 2026 so far.

Sugar Daddy 5k (19:55)

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As most people know, I live and work at Edwards Air Force Base. At 11:20 am, I happened to be with public affairs for the wing because he was briefing the new Test Pilot School class on the dos and don’t of photography on the flight line (as in you are not allowed to take photos). He got a call that an airplane had gone down...the airplane that my spouse was flying. For about 5 minutes I think I blacked out. There was so much smoke, it was impossible to tell exactly which plane it was. I am forever thankful for my new coworkers as we all processed what was happening.

As I posted earlier in the week, living at Edwards is not easy. It’s in the middle of nowhere. Like one of the most remote military bases in the continental United States. To get off the base, it’s 15 miles. The closest hospital is 30 miles away. If you want to go to Costco, Target, or Walmart, you’re driving 35-40 minutes one way. That’s how I put 40K miles on my car last year. When people ask why, it’s because if a plane crashes, it is not in civilization. It is not over millions of people. It is very remote.

The reason for all of that is the Edwards mission is different. We test airplanes. Things that have “never been done” before. New airplanes, modifications, systems, we test it all. The Space Shuttle first landed here.

Every day, I watch dozens of airplanes fly. I’ve flown in some myself, and not once have I really thought: that pilot, engineer, civilian, or contractor is not coming home today. It is easy to forget the mission is dangerous. Maybe it’s all of the safety procedures we go through but I have never been worried. Pilots have casually told me, “Oh, we had an engine out today,” and I wasn’t worried or nervous for them because I knew they weren’t worried about it.

These are our nation’s best. You have to be great and at the top. We really haven’t had a serious crash in a very long time. The last crash we had was in 2009.

So on June 15, when the B-52 crashed, it was horrific. It was the worst thing I have ever seen in my life.

It was friends, neighbors, and colleagues. While Edwards might be one of the largest bases by land, it is one of the smallest communities because when you are in the middle of nowhere, you get to know people. Each of those family members has so much support but that will never bring their loved one back.

I’ve needed to stay offline because the first time I opened up social media, I saw people claiming it was fake, DEI hires, and people using the crash as clout. I couldn’t take it, so I didn’t.

I don’t know what else to say. It is devastating. Tragic. I’ve cried multiple times…for the families…for them…for those mourning…for those who witnessed something so horrific…to those at other bases in test.

That’s all I have to say this week. Thank you for all of the love. Hug your loved ones. Stay safe.

If you would like to donate to the families:

Robert Dee Family Support Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-robert-dee-family-support-fund?

Honoring Gabe’s Legacy for His Children’s Future: https://www.gofundme.com/f/honoring-gabes-legacy-for-his-childrens-future

Miles Middleton: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-pam-middletons-family

Jeromey Smith: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-for-a-grieving-mother-and-her-boys

Christopher Rischar: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-christopher-hustler-rischars-family

Greg Watson: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-greg-watsons-family-through-this-tragedy

Memorial Patch & Support Foundation

B‑52 Memorial Patch (100% of profits from this patch will be split evenly between the eight families) https://threadandsteel.com/.../b-52-memorial-patch...

Fallen Wings Foundation (split evenly between families) https://www.fallenwingsfoundation.org/support/buff-support

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Before I begin, I am finishing up two newsletters that if you would like to chat about your experience send me an email at fueledbylolz@gmail.com.

• Toxic run clubs: any bad experiences at run clubs

• Race directors: what goes into the decision to certify a course? Why do you choose to get it certified (or not)?

So please, if you have anything you’d like to share on either topic send me an email. :-)

Every so often, I think about how many running influencers seem to fade out after a certain age. In 2010, I started my blog at age 20. I remember thinking: wow I am the youngest “influencer” that I know of. At age 35...how things have changed. Now keep in mind, I’m not calling anyone old. But why are so many influencers under the age of 30? Why aren’t there more influencers 35+?

Maybe fade out is the wrong phrase. Many are still posting...just less. Some are parenting, working, doing other things, rehabbing, or just running without filming every mile.

If you spend enough time on any corner of running social media, you start to notice something. A lot of the biggest running influencer content comes from runners in their 20s and early 30s. Then somewhere around 30 to 35, running influencers get harder to find.

Of course, there are older running influencers, masters runners, longtime marathoners, ultrarunners, and coaches creating great content. But running social media does not always push them the same way. I think that is partly because they simply aren’t posting as much content...I know I’m not.

So where are the older running influencers?

Running Influencer Content Loves a Beginning

A lot of running influencer content is built around the beginning of a journey. The first 5K, half marathon, BQ, or even the first time someone says, “I never thought I would become a runner.”

Those stories are easy to follow because they have a clear start. A new runner needs shoes, shorts, a watch, gels, socks, recovery tools, sunglasses, race entries, etc.

Zero to world marathon major is a huge storyline at the moment. But after the beginning, running gets more complicated. It is a lot harder to run personal bests when you’ve been running 10 years.

The Long Middle of Running Is Less Glamorous

Running after 30, 35, 40, or 50 often looks different. That’s why I have the “running as you age newsletter series”. [Sidebar: Should we bring that back soon?]

Of course as you age, you can still run fast. You can still PR. You can still race hard. You can still train for big goals...there is just more life that goes along with that.

Careers get bigger. Families change. Bodies change. Recovery changes. Free time shrinks. You cannot always train hard, work full-time, make content, answer DMs, travel for races, lift, sleep enough, and do the little things you had free time for when you were younger.

Right now, I’m barely staying afloat between a new job and life that social media is a very clear last. There was a time I posted every day...these days I’m lucky to post outside of the newsletter.

Still running...not filming...

A lot of older runners are still running. They just are not filming every warmup drill and narrating every easy run. At age 35, I have no desire to post every boring easy run I do.

Somewhere along the way, posting every detail of your running life can start to feel less like an opportunity and more like another chore. You’re still running but the performance of being a runner online gets tiring. Is that an age thing? I don’t know.

That is not a running-only issue...this is all over social media.

Some People Get Tired of Being Content

There is also the simple answer: people get tired...Being a running influencer is not just running.

It is filming, editing, captioning, replying, negotiating rates, sending invoices, posting stories, making reels, disclosing partnerships, tracking engagement, and explaining yourself to strangers who think one post gives them full access to your life. You would be shocked at the amount of messages I’ve gotten throughout the years asking very personal questions because I have an online account.

Here’s the other thing:

Free shoes are fun until you have 37 pairs in the garage and still need to pay your bills.

A discount code is fun until you realize you are making a brand money while spending your weekend creating content for them. Plus, you still have to pay taxes on free gear...so it’s not really “free”.

A race invite sounds exciting until the travel, work schedule, family logistics, and recovery make it feel less simple.

At some age, many influencers ask: do I still want running to be a job? Or do I want to dedicate that much time to this?

A lot of the time...that is answer is no.

But make no mistake, that is all first world problems. Getting paid to create content is a privilege and that is a whole topic I could write another newsletter on.

Older Runners Are Still Racing

The funny thing is older runners are everywhere.

They are at local 5Ks, masters track meets, marathons, trail races, turkey trots, run clubs, and weekday group runs. They are on Strava. They are at the track, local road races, and marathobns. They are running before work because that is the only time the day allows and man are they are crushing it.

Older runners are not gone.

They are just not always on social media like “the younger crowd”.

That is a shame because the longer someone has been running, the more useful their perspective usually is. They have seen trends come and go. They have survived bad training choices. They know which advice is recycled. They know the difference between a training breakthrough and a training mistake.

Brands Are Missing a Huge Group

Brands should care about older running influencers.

Older runners often have more experience, more loyalty, and more spending power. They know what shoes they like. They know what gear works. They are less impressed by every new launch, which makes their recommendations more valuable.

But influencer marketing often keeps chasing the same look, same age range, and same transformation story. It also misses a lot of runners who are still here, still training, and still spending money. Plus, most older runners have more money to spend.

I relate a lot more to someone working full time, busy with life, then someone who has minimum responsibilities and can run and train whenever they want. The problem is, those that are busy with life, are too busy to “influence”.

So where are the older running influencers?

A person can stop influencing and still be running. They can stop filming workouts and still be fit. They can stop sharing race recaps and still be proud. Not every running story needs to become content forever.

Some are still posting. Some are racing. Some are burned out. Some are injured. Some are busy. Some are still running without making every mile public.

The fade out after 30 to 35 says less about whether older runners exist and more about what running social media rewards.

It rewards novelty and extremes. Running itself does not end at any age.

For many people, that is when they start figuring out how to make running last...and maybe that is what we need more of?

As always, I love hearing YOUR thoughts.

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What is Keeping Me Entertained?

Happy for Ali

Saucony Endorphin Pro 5 Shoe Review

INTVL Running App Review: This running app has been really fun

Hoka Skyward X 2 Shoe Review

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A month or so ago I wrote about defective running shoes. For a long time, fake shoes felt like something that mostly happened in the sneaker collector world, where someone was trying to buy rare Jordans, limited-edition Dunks, or a resale shoe. I’ve posted about running shoe resale scams before and many people think: “that would never happen to me”.

Why would people make fake running shoes?

Most of us are buying running shoes to actually use them, not display them in a closet or flip them later. That has changed as running shoes have gotten more expensive, more limited, and much more tied to performance. When the original Nike Vaporfly came out, it was really hard to get them. I was working in a running store at the time and we would have people call right at opening hoping we had some left in stock. Now, that isn’t as much of an issue.

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Running shoes are expensive now. That new adidas shoe will set you back $500. Limited releases and fast sellouts make certain models even easier to fake because buyers search outside of buying from a brand or local running store. I saw someone bring in a pair of counterfeit Nike Vaporfly because they didn’t “feel right”.

Counterfeiters also know runners chase discontinued shoes. If someone loved the Nike Vaporfly Next%, ASICS Metaspeed Sky+, Adidas Adios Pro 3, or another older race shoe, they might go looking after the real retail stock is gone. That’s where you see fake carbon plate shoes and counterfeit running shoes the most.

The Abby Steiner Case and Why Runners Are Talking About Shoe Risk

A couple months ago it came out that Abby Steiner is suing Puma and Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix, alleging that Puma shoes using carbon-fiber plate and Nitrofoam technology were defective and contributed to serious foot injuries that ended her professional running career. The lawsuit was filed in Massachusetts Superior Court on April 24, 2026, and it names models including the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 2, Deviate Nitro Elite 3, evoSpeed Tokyo Nitro, and evoSPEED Tokyo Nitro 400M.

Abby Steiner’s lawsuit is about alleged defects in authentic Puma products, not counterfeit shoes. It still makes you think about how much people are trusting what they are putting on their feet right now.

Carbon-plated shoes and modern foams can improve running economy, but they also change loading patterns. A 2023 Sports Medicine article discussed five navicular bone stress injuries in competitive runners using carbon-fiber plate footwear, while noting that evidence is still limited and not enough to say these shoes broadly cause injuries.

If an authentic shoe can raise complicated questions about biomechanics and injury risk, then what about a fake version made without the same standards?

But the case reminds runners that shoe construction is not random. Geometry, foam density, stiffness, plate shape, and transition all affect how the shoe rides.

If a fake pair copies the look but not the function, then you are wearing an unknown product that only looks like a running shoe you researched. You wouldn’t grab a non running shoe and decide to race a marathon in it.

Fake Running Shoes Are Everywhere Now

The OECD reported that counterfeit and pirated goods accounted for up to 2.3% of global trade in 2021, with footwear among the most affected categories. Clothing, footwear, and leather goods together made up 62% of seized counterfeit goods in the 2020–2021 data.

The U.S. International Trade Commission also reported that the value of footwear seizures by U.S. Customs and Border Protection nearly doubled from about $65 million in 2015 to more than $127 million in 2024.

Running shoes do not always arrive as giant warehouse shipments. They move through smaller packages, resale platforms, marketplace listings, social media sales, overseas sites, or random third-party sellers.

While getting scammed out of money with a fake running shoe is annoying, you have to also remember shoes are equipment. You specifically choose shoes you think you’ll run the best in. If the foam, plate, outsole, fit, weight, or stiffness is wrong, you are not getting the shoe you think you bought. It is the same as running in a non running shoe.

By the time you realize the foam feels dead, the plate bends wrong, the upper fits weird, or the outsole looks off, the seller may already be gone and you might be injured. Carbon plated shoes last a couple hundred miles if you are lucky...fake running shoes last zero because they aren’t made for running.

Why Fake Running Shoes Can Be Riskier Than Fake Lifestyle Shoes

A fake lifestyle shoe might fall apart, fit badly, or make you feel like an idiot for buying it.

A counterfeit racing shoe may have foam that is heavier, firmer, softer, unstable, or inconsistent from left to right. The plate may be plastic instead of carbon, shaped incorrectly, or placed in a way that changes the rocker. The upper may not hold the foot well at faster paces. The midsole may compress unevenly. It’s like running in a non running shoe.

How to Spot Fake Running Shoes Before You Buy

The best way to avoid fake running shoes is boring: buy from the brand, a trusted running store, or an authorized retailer.

If you are buying resale or from a marketplace check the style code, colorway, release date, size label, box label, and photos from every angle.

Red Flags When Buying Running Shoes Online and things that could be how to spot fake running shoes

• The price is far below normal, especially on a current race shoe. Brands have rules about how much current shoes can be sold for.

• The seller has every size available in a sold-out model.

• The product photos are stock photos only.

• The seller name changes often or has strange reviews.

• The shoe ships from a location that does not match the retailer story.

• The color never existed, or the release date does not match the model.

• The shoe has a chemical smell

• The foam, plate, or outsole feels nothing like what you are used to.

What to Do If You Already Bought a Pair and You Are Not Sure

Do not test them in a workout or race to see how they feel.

• Compare them against official brand photos and reputable review photos.

• Weigh them.

• Check the size tag and style code.

• Look at the box label.

• Compare the outsole pattern.

• Search the exact colorway and release date.

If you bought them through a marketplace, document everything before wearing them outside. Take photos, save the listing, save messages, and start the return or dispute process. Once you run in them, the seller has more room to claim you damaged them.

Are Amazon, eBay, StockX, GOAT, and Marketplace Shoes Safe?

They can be, but “can be” is doing a lot of work.

Buying running shoes online from a brand is different from buying from a random third-party seller on Amazon. Most running shoe brands have a store set up on Amazon and if you are going to buy there, stick to those. I really suggest you don’t buy your running shoes on Amazon because there are so many counterfeit shoes on there.

StockX said it rejected more than 370,000 counterfeit products worth around $74 million in a recent brand protection report.

For running shoes, I would be more cautious than I would be with casual sneakers because the shoe has a job. If I am buying a carbon-plated marathon shoe or anything I plan to run in, I want it to be safe.

Should You Be Scared of Buying Running Shoes?

Most runners are not buying fakes every time they shop online. The risk rises when the deal is strange, the seller is vague, the shoe is sold out everywhere else, or the platform does not offer meaningful protection.

The best advice is not exciting: buy from places you trust and do not make race day the first real test of a shoe.

Conclusion:

A fake carbon shoe is not a budget version of the real thing. Maybe it feels fine for a few miles, or maybe it changes the way your foot loads without giving you any of the tested benefits of the real model.

I don’t think every runner needs to panic-buy only full-price shoes from brand websites forever, but it’s important to do research and be smart with how you buy running shoes. If you can always buy from an authorized running shoe retailer.

As always I love to hear YOUR thoughts.

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The other day, I saw yet another promotion for “strong not skinny”. For years, smaller bodies were treated like the reward. Smaller meant disciplined and healthy and that someone had control of their life.

But the language “changed”. Women were told they should want to be strong. Strength training became more visible. More women started lifting. More women talked about muscle, power, eating enough, and training for more than changing their bodies.

That shift did some good. Women belong in weight rooms. Women deserve to see themselves as capable, powerful, athletic, and durable. Runners, swimmers, cyclists, parents, older athletes, beginners, and really everyone trying to feel better in daily life all benefit from being stronger.

Before we dive into it, I like and appreciate this message to want to be strong. I don’t think it’s a bad message, but I do think the delivery is not there.

We say “strong not skinny,” yet the people most often used to sell that idea are strong and skinny. They are thin, toned, conventionally attractive, visibly fit, and usually photographed in a way where the body remains the product.

The caption says strength. It’s just that it’s almost exclusively someone strong and skinny selling the message. One year ago, I wrote Body Image, Thinness, and Who Gets the Mic along the same lines.

That is why the phrase doesn’t sit with me well. It sounds like it moved away from the old body ideal, while most of the marketing still rewards a very similar look.

We Keep Promoting Strong and Skinny

The phrase “strong not skinny” sounds like a rejection of the old standard. In practice, fitness culture has promoted “strong and skinny” over and over again. When I posted this on threads earlier in the week I had several women post you can be strong and skinny. Ok, but that really isn’t the point. Most people aren’t and we are supposed to be celebrating every body type...but yet only posting one body type.

That is the body type most often centered in campaigns, Instagram posts, transformation ads, supplement marketing, and fitness apparel. The woman is strong, yes, but she is also lean enough to stay acceptable under the same visual rules women have dealt with for decades.

That is a very narrow version of strength. It gives women a new goal while pretending the old pressure disappeared. Instead of chasing skinny alone, the new ideal becomes small, muscular, fueled, disciplined, relaxed, and photogenic all at once.

The Standard Got Harder

I do think “strong not skinny” started with decent intentions. A lot of women were tired of being told smaller was always better. A lot of athletes were tired of having their bodies judged by size instead of what they could do.

Fitness culture is very good at taking a useful idea and turning it into something that sells leggings, protein powder, supplements, apps, coaching plans, challenges, and progress photos.

“Strong is the new skinny” kept skinny in the conversation. It made the old ideal harder to reach because now women were expected to be thin and visibly athletic. Powerful and still small enough to fit the approved image. The wording changed, yet the promoted body stayed close to the same place.

Strength Has More Than One Body Type

Actual strong people look all kinds of ways. Go to a race, gym, pool, trail, lifting platform, CrossFit class, climbing gym, or local start line and you can see it quickly. Maybe that’s why many of us cling to Ilona Maher.

Strength can look like a larger-bodied runner finishing a marathon after months of consistent training. It can look like a masters athlete lifting more than people half her age. It can look like a swimmer with broad shoulders, a cyclist with big quads, a trail runner hiking uphill for hours, a parent carrying a kid on one hip and groceries in the other, or a beginner learning how to squat without being scared of the weight room. Those bodies exist even when they do not look like a fitness ad.

Yet the same few body types keep getting used for discipline and strength. When larger bodies, older bodies, disabled bodies, postpartum bodies, or bodies without visible muscle get included, they are often framed as exceptions or inspiration stories. The person becomes a lesson before they are allowed to be an athlete.

Thin Athletes Are Not the Problem

This is where I’ve gotten a lot of pushback before. I’m not saying thin bodies aren’t allowed to exist. Thin people can be strong. Thin runners, lifters, swimmers, cyclists, hikers, and fitness creators can be powerful and skilled. Their bodies do not need to be questioned for this conversation to happen. What many people don’t realize is the issue is the default image.

When thinness remains the main visual proof of strength, fitness culture is still tying strength to size. It tells people that strength is aspirational when it also fits the body type people already approve of.

That is why larger-bodied athletes are often treated like surprises. Their workouts become commentary. Their bodies are framed as unexpected. Their participation gets praised in a way that can feel like constant observation. Anyone should be able to train, race, lift, hike, swim, and exist in fitness spaces without their bodies becoming the story every time. But because the industry shares strong and skinny, that isn’t the case.

Strength Should Be Bigger Than Aesthetic Proof

The best version of strength training has very little to do with athestics. It helps people carry things, climb things, run better, age better, recover from setbacks, and feel less fragile. Stronger bodies help people who want daily life to feel less physically draining.

I like strength. I like being fit. I like seeing people lift heavy, run hard, swim, hike, bike, race, and build durable bodies. I like that more women are being told they belong in weight rooms. I like that runners are slowly accepting strength training, even if many of us still pretend doing one plank every few weeks counts.

Some strong people are thin. Some are larger. Some have visible muscle. Some do not. Some are fast. Some lift heavy. Some are rebuilding after years away. Some are brand new. Some are injured. Some are older. Some are training through major life changes. Some are doing what they can with the time, body, and energy they have.

What Can We Do?

Better messaging would stop using one body type. It would show strength as behavior, training, consistency, skill, and function. It would include people lifting, running, hiking, swimming, carrying, climbing, and moving without making every image about visible abs or low body fat.

It would stop treating larger bodies as before photos, warnings, exceptions, or motivational props. It would also stop acting like thin women are the enemy. Thin athletes deserve space in fitness too. The issue is the repeated promotion of thinness as the default proof of success.

As always I love to hear YOUR thoughts.

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Research on recreational triathletes found an estimated 13% 12-month prevalence for doping, and a broader evidence review found competitive-sport doping estimates ranging from 0% to 73%, with many studies under 5%.

Sometimes people forget that someone doping and achieving something like a Boston qualifying time can actually take away from someone else. We are saying we are racing ourselves, but the reality is you are racing others for limited spots into Boston. There are only a finite amount of spots available for that race. For the 2026 Boston Marathon, runners needed to be 4 minutes and 34 seconds faster than their posted standard to be accepted. The B.A.A. accepted 24,362 qualified applicants, while 8,887 qualifier applicants were not accepted.

So when someone uses banned substances or banned methods to get under the line...It can affect someone else’s chance to run the race.

Another ethical question I ask. If you are an influencer taking a banned supplement to achieve a certain aesthetic and selling plans/coaching to also achieve that. Is that ethical? Because unless someone takes the same banned supplement you are...they are never going to achieve what you did without taking the banned substance.

A BQ Is Personal, But It Is Also Competitive

I understand why runners talk about Boston qualifying as personal. You are the one doing the long runs. You are the one trying to fit workouts around work, weather, travel, family, and whatever random ache appears three weeks before race day.

Once a race has more qualified runners than spots, it is competitive before anyone gets to Hopkinton. The B.A.A. says qualified applicants are accepted based on the fastest times within each age and gender group when applications exceed the field size.

That changes how I look at banned peptides, SARMs, hormone clinics, IV drips, fat burners, and all of the internet “wellness” stuff that gets passed around like it is just another part of training.

Probably no one tested you. We are not winning prize money here...not getting caught is not the same as racing clean. If you are a sub elite runner, it is pretty easy to make a good amount of money finding smaller races that offer prize money. You have to dig around, but likely you can make a few thousand a year. There were years in my twenties I did that. No one is testing those runners. Is that fair? Probably not but tests are expensive.

Peptides Are Not Just Fancy Recovery

USADA wrote an article about what Peptides even are. Some peptide hormones, growth factors, and related substances are prohibited in sport. USADA says some peptide hormones with anabolic or strength-enhancing actions are banned, and a substance can still be prohibited even when it is not named directly if it has a similar chemical structure or biological effect.

Which peptide? Who prescribed it? Is it approved for human use? Is it prohibited? Is it being used because of an actual medical condition, or because someone wants to recover faster, train harder, lose weight, repair tissue faster, or get through a marathon block without the same fatigue as everyone else?

You do not have to take something on race morning for it to affect race day. Marathon fitness is built over months. If a banned substance helped build that fitness, the time is connected to it.

SARMs Are Not a “Gray” Area

SARMs [Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators] are synthetic and made in a lab. They are designed to mimic the muscle-building effects of testosterone.

USADA says all SARMs are prohibited at all times, in and out of competition, for athletes from the highest level of sport through the recreational level.

Hobby runners often act like anti-doping rules belong only to people with agents and appearance fees.

Maybe the qualifying race never tests. Maybe no one checks. Maybe the runner stops before Boston and tells themselves the result is now separated from the training block. It’s important to remember if the substance helped create the training, it helped create the time.

Vitamin IVs

Vitamin IVs are one of the best examples of banned methods being repackaged as wellness content. I see often influencers and runners promoting vitamin IVs as if they aren’t technically banned.

Sometimes the person is racing the next day, just raced, won something, took prize money, or is using the whole thing for content.

USADA says IV infusions or injections over 100 mL within a 12-hour period are prohibited in most circumstances, even when the substance itself is permitted, such as saline, vitamins, or rehydration solution. Medical treatment is obviously different.

That is how something prohibited starts looking normal. It gets posted enough times that people stop caring about the rules. Even when going through this newsletter I thought: I’ve seen so many Vitamin IVs posted that maybe the rules have changed...they have not.

Medical Use Is Different

People have autoimmune conditions, hormone issues, injuries, pain, illnesses, and medical histories that do not go away because they sign up for a marathon and I am not advocating to not take your doctor prescribed meds.

There is a difference between working with a doctor because your health needs attention and fishing for a diagnosis so you can get something. Although truthfully, I believe that isn’t happening as much as someone just buying something online.

Influencers Selling Plans While Using Banned Help

As influencer taking banned substances while selling training plans, coaching, supplement codes, recovery tools, or a performance-based lifestyle turns it into something else. You aren’t providing the entire story to followers and making money off of them.

Followers see the marathon time, the comeback, the workout screenshots, the long run pace, the “trust the process” caption, the supplement code, and the plan launch. They may never see the peptide, the SARM, the hormone clinic, the stimulant, the fat burner, the IV drip, or the full supplement stack behind the scenes.

Then the influencer sells a plan built around the idea that the follower can get closer to that result by buying the PDF, joining the coaching group, clicking the code, or copying the routine [they see online...not the true routine happening].

The FTC already expects influencers to disclose material connections when they promote products or brands, including financial relationships, free products, discounts, or other benefits. I could write a post about that because it is not always happening.

The FTC also says disclosures should be clear and hard to miss, not buried where a follower has to hunt for them.

If someone sells a marathon plan after qualifying for Boston while using banned peptides, SARMs, prohibited IV methods, or sketchy recovery compounds, they are selling a version of performance that most clean runners cannot copy.

That is why the “I’m just a hobby runner” defense falls apart faster when money enters the picture. If an influencer is using a race result to sell coaching, plans, brand partnerships, supplements, or a recovery routine, then followers are not only watching someone run fast. They are being sold an explanation for why that person runs fast.

When the visible explanation is mileage, grit, a shoe rotation, a supplement code, and “consistency,” but the hidden part includes banned help, the audience is not getting the full story. The missing context may not be motivation or talent. It may be that the influencer is recovering with tools and substances that are not part of clean sport.

An influencer does not need to be elite to create harm here. If their results bring in coaching clients, affiliate income, sponsor attention, race entries, or credibility, then the choices behind those results affect more than their own training log.

I don’t think every fast running influencer is doping, and I don’t think every coach with a good marathon time deserves suspicion. Plenty of people are clean, talented, consistent, and very good at racing. But if someone is using banned recovery tools or substances while selling access to their process, that is not just a clean sport problem. It is a business problem, a transparency problem, and a trust problem.

What Should We Do?

You do not need to panic over every gel, electrolyte packet, cup of coffee, or protein powder. That would be exhausting, and most of us already have enough running nonsense taking up space in our brains.

If you are trying to qualify for Boston, win prize money, take age-group awards, build coaching credibility, sell plans, work with brands, or use your race results as part of your public image, know what you are taking.

Be skeptical of anything marketed for fat loss, hormone support, muscle growth, extreme energy, peptides, injectable recovery, or rapid repair. If you are in doubt, do some googling. If it sounds too good to be true...it probably is.

If your income is tied to your race results, your social media, training, or ability to sell a running lifestyle, people deserve more honesty than a caption about discipline and consistency.

I don’t believe every person is doping and I don’t even think the majority...Clean sport does not begin when someone is elite enough to have an agent.

As always, I love to hear YOUR thoughts!

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Diadora Mythos Blushield Vigore V Shoe Review

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Last week I talked about Rachel Entrekin’s win at Cocodona. I was (and still am) feeling so inspired about that race in general. This week, I talked to my friend Jason who ran in 2021. I was curious about the experience and how it felt. I’ve known Jason since 2012? Maybe 2013 and our ties to Oswego, NY…Anyway, time flies. This is the first interview style newsletter I’ve done in over a year and dare say I miss them? So if you have any fun ideas/topics you’d like me to interview let me know.

On that topic, I’m in the works of writing a new newsletter about “bad” experiences at run clubs (run club leaders creating run clubs for their own gain, sa, toxic run clubs...etc. So if you have experience with that, please send me an email...names/run club names don’t have to be used).

Anyway, let’s talk to Jason who ran Cocodona in 2021.

What made you want to run Cocodona?

I am not sure I wanted to run Cocodona at first. In 2019, when Aravaipa announced Cocodona, a friend of mine casually suggested that we should register. Then it became a game of chicken between us. For months, we kept asking each other the same question: Did you register? Did you register?

Nobody registered.

Then one day, I received a text message with a screenshot of the event registration. I said to myself, “Well, I guess I’m running 250 miles in the desert.”

I was not ignorant of racing in Arizona. I had raced Ironman Arizona and the Black Canyon 100k, and seeing the desert from two feet was interesting and enticing to me.

How was your Cocodona experience?

Cocodona changed my life. I was going through a tough time, and spending days in the desert gave me the ability to disconnect and explore my life in a way I needed.

Being away from my phone and connections helped me process what I wanted to do with my life.

At the time, I had just published the very first Run Tri Bike magazine. I was there for the printing of the magazine, but I had to turn the company over to friends so they could get the issue out to the public. That was nerve wracking because I had a new company while other parts of my personal life were going through drastic changes. My decision to race was perfectly timed.

What was the first day like?

Day 1 was extremely hard. No one anticipated the difficulty, so we learned on the job.

The course is ever changing in slow motion as you make your way from Black Canyon City to Flagstaff. In Black Canyon City, you can imagine the desert from Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote imagery. Cactus, dirt, rocks, greyish, and very hot. The mountain in the distance never seems to get closer, although you are moving faster than you thought you would be.

When you reach Mile 11 and the first aid station, you need to make sure you are fully hydrated. Eat what you can and get ready to move. Then you start climbing Lane Mountain and the Bradshaws.

The gradient is steep, the rocks feel bigger than they are, and I struggled to move. It felt like every two steps I had to sit down, catch my breath, and rethink my life.

Climbing Lane Mountain was an experience. I contemplated DNF’ing dozens of times while ascending that never ending mountain.

When I reached the aid station at the top and saw Coree Woltering still there, I knew it would be hard. I thought there was no way I was going to finish the race if it felt like that.

After that aid station, you descend into Crown King, and everything changes.

What changed after Crown King?

After finishing the climb, you reach flat single track with spring flowers and land as far as the eye can see. It was an incredible view. Then it is time to head down into Crown King on a jeep road, and many athletes are thrilled to be done climbing.

When I left Crown King, it got dark quickly, and I could not tell what the course looked like outside the four-to-six-foot beam of light in front of me. What I can tell you is that the stars seemed brighter and closer than they ever had before.

Trees, rocks, trail, repeat.

I do not recall much about that area, although I remember sitting at fire pits twice. The first time, around Mile 50, the conversation was about how hard Lane Mountain was. I reminded everybody around the fire that what we had just climbed was very difficult and that we could not pretend otherwise, no matter how badly we wanted to forget what had just happened. We had a great laugh.

The next fire pit was set up in the middle of the night. The heat from the fire and the warmth from the veggie broth were unmistakable. We chatted for a bit and left when we felt warm enough to get through the night.

Looking up, the night sky was like something you would see in a movie about the solar system. Absolutely stunning.

When did the race start to shift for you?

At the campsite, when I could finally grab a pacer and see my crew, the race changed. We made our way through the trails until we exited one area where a makeshift finish line had been set up in a Prescott neighborhood.

It felt really nice to see other humans and not be on the trail. Running through the streets toward Whiskey Row was a shot in the arm.

Then it was back through Prescott and back onto the trail.

Again, more rocks, dirt, trees, repeat.

What do you remember after Prescott?

After Prescott, you make your way to Fain Ranch. It is a huge open landscape where cows roam freely. You can see Mingus and know that you will be climbing up that massive mountain.

I loved climbing Mingus. It got cold on the way up, but it felt great to make my way up, mostly because I knew there would be vegan hot dogs at the top.

After sleeping in the van, I woke up to sunset and felt recharged. I ran so hard down Mingus that the rocks did not bother me at all. It felt great to have slept, and I loved every bit of it.

After that, you make your way into Jerome. It is a haunted city, and the aid station was phenomenal. I ate so much there and then left.

You descend out of Jerome, and there are nothing but rocks on the downhill section. I was more aware of the rocks than I had been descending Mingus.

What do you remember about Cottonwood and Sedona?

The next thing I remember is being in Cottonwood. It is a small town where the locals cheered for us. The coffee shop smelled good, but there was no time to stop. We had to cross water before reaching the next crew stop. That water felt so refreshing because it was so cold, even though the weather outside was also cold.

The next main area is Sedona and the Red Rocks. Seeing them from afar was so welcome. You feel like you are so close to Flagstaff by then.

Running through that area was not easy because the rocks were slick, but I found the best bed anywhere. I lay down on a welcome slab. The hard rock was the perfect place to fall asleep.

What was Fort Tuthill like?

The next memorable area was Fort Tuthill. I slept there and woke up to run into the sunrise.

Huge pine trees, fresh oxygen, and a sunrise could not be beat.

I felt great and ran some of the fastest miles of the race. Running through fields with the sun up and the cooler weather of being in the mountains was glorious.

Running through the night, you do not really see much of anything. You have your pacer with you to chat with, but the focus is to keep moving to the next crew spot so you can rest and prepare to climb Elden.

What do you remember about climbing Mt. Elden?

As we approached Elden, I told my pacer I needed a nap before climbing. I lay down on the floor and used rocks as a backing. Those moments were glorious because the last bit was going to be hard.

Mt. Elden is the final climb. It is brutal.

Climbing up Elden, a couple passed me. They were there for the day, wearing Crocs and moving as if nothing was happening. I, on the other hand, was struggling to keep moving. The rocks seemed so big that lifting a leg high enough to step over one felt impossible.

We got high enough to sit and take in the view. And what a view. The last few days were all right in front of me.

Running along the edge to reach the aid station, which was visible the whole time, felt forever. Look to your left and you see the mountain up close. Look to the right and the land stretches so far you cannot fathom the world’s size.

What happened at the Mt. Elden aid station?

At the top, I ran into PJ Mortimer, who was volunteering after finishing second in 77 hours. He asked me what I wanted, and I told him I wanted to get the hell out of there and finish.

He told me not to be so fast because it was still far away.

He offered me food, and I asked what vegan options they had. They had Beyond Meat kielbasa. The smell from the grill was intoxicating. As he grilled the sausage, I noticed chocolate cake.

I asked if I could have a slice, and another volunteer gave me a quarter of the cake on a plate.

Neither the kielbasa nor the chocolate cake stood a chance.

With a full stomach and a smile on my face, I left the aid station with my pacer.

What was the descent from Elden like?

After my time at the aid station, we descended Elden on a jeep trail. It was wide open and steep. At one stage, a mountain biker was ascending, and I was astonished by his ability to keep pedaling.

That is where I finally felt a blister and saw blood. The steepness caused my foot to hit the front of my shoe. Nearly 250 miles with no foot issues, and then it happened.

At the end of the descent, you go through Buffalo Park. It was a nice reprieve from the massive downhill. By then, I hated my trekking poles because they kept collapsing throughout the race, so I tossed them in the garbage.

I was free of everything except running, or really walking by then.

What was the finish like?

Running through the streets of Flagstaff feels much like running a road race. You keep making turns until you can hear the crowd. When you turn right into the alley and see the finish line and the people, it is breathtaking. Emotions climb.

You realize you did the thing.

When I reached the finish line, I knew I had done something far outside my comfort zone. I also knew that my life had changed forever.

A 200 or 250 mile race is far less about speed. It is about self-discovery.

Over 110 hours, I became a different person, and I welcomed him with open arms.

Thank you Jason for sharing your story!!

You can find Jason on Run Tri Bike Magazine or his Instagram.

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A Thursday newsletter? As you can guess, like many people I am completely hyped up on Rachel Entrekin’s overall win at the Cocodona 250. Lucky for you, the newsletter this week is a shortie.

Most runners are never going to run Cocodona 250. Nobody was watching that race thinking, “yeah maybe I should casually run 250 miles across Arizona next weekend.”

Cocodona has become a trail race many follow outside of the “traditional” trail runner. Road runners follow it...Marathon runners follow it....New runners, those who aren’t into trail running at all...Followers across all types of running and beyond.

What is the Cocodona 250? The race runs more than 250 miles across Arizona with roughly 40,000 feet of climbing, little sleep and huge temperature swings.

Rachel Entrekin did not just win the women’s race...She won the entire race outright in 56 hours, 9 minutes, and 48 seconds while breaking the overall course record. She became the first woman in race history to win overall and the first woman to go under 60 hours at Cocodona.

This Was Years In The Making

The internet and social media loves overnight success stories, but Rachel Entrekin’s progression at Cocodona wasn’t an overnight success.

In 2024 she won Cocodona and finished 11th overall. In 2025 she came back, lowered the women’s course record to 63:50:55, and finished fourth overall. Then this year she took another massive jump and won the entire race outright while taking nearly eight hours off her own course record.

Improvement in sports rarely happens quickly. Most runners spend years chasing goals that sound meaningless to non-runners. Telling a non runner you “just need” to drop 2 minutes from a 26.2 mile race has them saying…oh that is so easy. LOL.

There are no short fixes in running and it forces patience onto people whether they want it or not.

Cocodona Strips Away A Lot Of Running Culture Nonsense

Races this long strip away most of the polished version of running culture people have grown tired of online. Nobody looks aesthetic after two straight days on trail.

There are no clean “race morning routine” videos after 180 miles. There are no perfectly curated workout clips, no pretending things feel smooth. At some stage every runner looks wrecked, sleep deprived, emotionally unstable, and physically destroyed. Cocodona reduces the sport down to getting to the finish line…which…isn’t that what all races are anyway?

So much of modern running content revolves around appearances now. Things like product launches, influencer trips, perfectly edited training montages are common in big road races. Running that looks more cinematic than real. How can brands get more people into running and more people spending money on running?

Women Winning Overall Is Not A Fluke

The headline in the last day has been Rachel Entrekin did not simply beat the women. She beat everybody by over an hour. I’ve seen almost no reporting on who the overall male was. You can see more results here.

Ultrarunning has been moving in this direction for years. The longer races become, the more the sport shifts away from pure speed and toward pacing, fueling, emotional control, sleep management, and decision making. Courtney Dauwalter has already changed how people think about women in ultras, and Rachel Entrekin winning Cocodona overall adds another major moment to that conversation.

Entrekin made running 250 miles look normal while doing something outlandish. (Keep in mind “normal” does not mean easy). She reportedly took only a few short naps during the entire race while continuing to extend her lead.

Why Regular Runners Still Saw Themselves In This Race

Most runners are not signing up for Cocodona after watching Rachel Entrekin win it, but there was still something recognizable and inspiring about the performance. I know for me, I am going to stay hyped about this performance with absolutely zero inclination to do anything remotely similar.

As always, I love to hear YOUR thoughts.

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Before I get into the newsletter, as most people know, I am currently running the Gold Coast Half Marathon for charity with the Domestic Violence Prevention Centre. I try and do at least one charity race a year and I encourage you if you have the means and capacity to consider doing one too. It really makes a difference and reminds us that there are bigger things then just running. I’ve currently raised $1500. My goal is $3000 and I must hit $2000 before 31 May. If you are feeling inclined, please consider donating. Any amount helps!

Fundraising for the DVPC means more calls answered, more locks changed, more kids who get to sleep somewhere safe, and more survivors who hear “we believe you” instead of silence. If you’re able to give, you’re helping real people in real danger get a real chance at a different life.

You can donate here.

Do Defective Running Shoes Exist?

The short answer: Yes, defective running shoes exist.

The Long Answer:

That feels obvious, but runners are often talked out of believing it. We assume we chose the wrong size, tied the shoe wrong, ran on the wrong surface, had bad form, wore the wrong socks, or misunderstood what the shoe was supposed to feel like. Sometimes the shoe is just bad. This newsletter was partially inspired by the Abby Steiner case that just went public. Steiner, a pro runner, is suing Puma saying the shoes given to her was defective and caused multiple career ending injuries.

Running shoes are mass-produced products made from foam, rubber, textile, glue, plates, eyelets, overlays, and stitching. Any one of those can fail and brands know this because most major companies have warranty pages that specifically mention defects in materials or workmanship.

• Nike says shoes with material or workmanship flaws may qualify within two years of the manufacture date.

• Saucony lists a one-year warranty for defects.

• HOKA lists one year from purchase or delivery.

• Brooks says running shoes have an expected life of 300 to 500 miles, but defects during that life can be reviewed.

So yes, defects exist. The harder question is whether your shoe is defective, worn out, or just not compatible with you.

A Defective Shoe vs a Shoe that You Hate vs a Shoe That’s Not Right For You:

A defective running shoe is not the same as a shoe you hate. I have tested plenty of shoes that were not defective, but also not something I wanted to run another mile in. A shoe can feel too firm, too narrow, unstable, awkward, sloppy, hot, or annoying without being faulty but a defect is different because something in the shoe failed or was made incorrectly.

What are common shoe defects?

Common running shoe defects include outsole separation, midsole splitting, upper tearing after very low mileage, uneven foam compression, broken eyelets, detached overlays, misaligned components, glue failure, or one shoe feeling noticeably different from the other. Footwear quality-control companies specifically list problems like sole separation, delamination, misaligned parts, and inaccurate sizing as inspection concerns in shoe production.

A common reason you get a hole in the pinkie toe area of your shoe is because the shoe is too narrow. That’s not a defect in the shoe, that’s you purchasing a shoe too small. If that happened a week after you bought the shoe...well that would be different.

Modern running shoes make this hard:

Modern running shoes have made this harder to judge. We are no longer talking about basic EVA trainers with simple rubber outsoles and stitched uppers. Now we have supercritical foams, carbon plates, blended plates, aggressive rockers, exposed midsoles, paper-thin uppers, high stack heights, cutouts, and less rubber to save weight. Those materials can feel amazing, but they also give runners more ways to notice inconsistencies.

A super shoe that feels slightly different from left to right can be alarming because the shoe already changes how your foot loads. A plated trainer with an uneven rocker can feel like it is pushing one foot differently. A lightweight upper can tear faster than expected, but the brand may argue that it is a durability tradeoff rather than a defect.

When do you take mileage into account?

Brooks says its footwear life expectancy is 300 to 500 miles when used for running or walking. That is a helpful range, but it does not mean every shoe should look new until mile 299. Everyone is different. I usually get about 300 miles on running shoes because I’m hard on them. Some people may get over 500, it just depends on your form, gait, and what kind of surface you run on. Carbon plated shoes rarely last more than 100 miles. (Consider if you are getting thousands of miles on a running shoe you may be able to explore other options because the specific characteristics of your shoe are gone).

How do you know if a running shoe is defective?

A shoe is more likely defective if the outsole starts peeling away after a few runs, the upper rips in a low-stress area, one shoe feels dramatically softer or more tilted than the other, the midsole cracks early, the plate feels uneven, or the shoe creates an abnormal sensation on only one side. A shoe is less likely defective if the outsole is worn after months of use, the upper tore where your toe always pokes through, the midsole feels flat after several hundred miles, or the shoe simply never worked for your foot.

The best documentation is boring: photos of both shoes from the same angle, outsole shots, side profiles, a close-up of the failure, purchase receipt, mileage estimate, and the tag inside the shoe. Some brands ask for photos, product numbers, size, color, and proof of purchase when reviewing a claim.

Where you buy the shoe can matter as much as the brand. I have a newsletter coming out soon about fake running shoes (yes, that’s really a thing). Make sure to purchase from reputable sources like running stores, direct from the brand, or “big box stores”.

So what should we do?

For runners, the takeaway is not to become paranoid about every crease in a midsole. It is a very small percentage and most of us will probably never deal with a defective running shoe. Running shoes are tools, and tools get beat up.

Defective running shoes are real and brands acknowledge them through warranty policies, retailers build return windows around them, and runners have every right to document early failure. The hard part is separating a true product problem from normal breakdown or a shoe that just does not work for your body.

My rule is simple: if something breaks early, looks uneven, feels different from shoe to shoe, or changes the way you load one side of your body, stop running in it and document everything. Even shorter then that, if a running shoe does not feel good to use, don’t use it. Contact the retailer first, then the brand.

As always, I love hearing your thoughts? Have you come across a defective shoe?

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Why are so many running influencers running races injured?

Because their running is no longer just running. It’s content and that content machine needs to keep churning...rain or shine, health or injury. Ironic because often times, the most relatable content is injury and taking time off.

When your content depends on racing, taking time off is not just a training decision. It can be a monetary one because it affects what you post, how often you show up, how people interact with you, and whether brands continue to work with you. You can say you’ll just shift to something else, but races are the easiest thing to build around. They come with a start line, a finish line, a result, and a full story. One race can turn into multiple posts without trying.

So instead of asking “should I race,” the question becomes “how do I make this work so I can still race.”

I’ve been there in different ways. There was a stretch where I posted every day. Some years, I can count on one hand the number of days I didn’t post. In the last year, I barely post outside of races and the newsletter. Once you build that rhythm, stepping away feels big, even if you know it’s the right call.

Now layer in everything around a race. Travel is booked. Training and the buildup is there. You’ve talked about it for weeks. Races aren’t cheap, and Los Angeles 5ks can easily cost $80 or more…but backing out doesn’t feel like skipping one event because you are now losing money and time.

So people adjust just enough to keep going.

You’ll see it in how injuries get described.

Something is off.

Something “just showed up this week.”

It’s being monitored. It didn’t get worse. It’s manageable. Then they line up anyway. Heck sometimes, the narrative is “the injury goes away the longer I run.”

The race happens, and the recap shifts into how they managed it: How they adjusted...How it didn’t go to plan, but they got through it. The actual issue gets mentioned almost in passing. I had a stress fracture. My foot was bothering me. My hamstring tightened up.

A few weeks later, there’s another race. The same issue shows up again, sometimes with slightly different wording, but it’s still there and the next race still happens.

It’s the pattern of not stopping.

Once racing becomes the main thing you share, everything starts to build around it. Workouts, easy runs, and recovery days are part of it, but you aren’t getting the same amount of engagement as a race. Races drive attention in a way nothing else does, so they become the anchor.

When something is off, skipping a race doesn’t just mean missing that one moment. It means there’s nothing that week to post in the same way, and you have to figure out something else.

Followers Expect You There

Once you build an audience around your running, people expect to see you at races. That expectation doesn’t disappear when something is off, even if no one says it directly. Pulling out feels awkward.

I’ve felt that.

When I stepped off four miles into a marathon in December, people were excited for me to run, and I was excited to run. But finishing just to finish wasn’t something I was willing to do. I had no desire to drag through a marathon feeling terrible just to say I finished.

That decision felt heavier than it should have. Not because it was the wrong call, but because there was already a story built around the race. Stepping off meant ending that story early.

It would have been easier, in a lot of ways, to just keep going and explain it later.

That’s what a lot of people do.

Running Is Flexible

One reason I’ve always liked running is how flexible it is. You don’t have to run high mileage to be a runner. You can take time off, shift your focus, rebuild, or step away entirely and come back later.

That flexibility disappears when running turns into content built around racing.

At that point, it stops being about what your body needs in the moment and starts being about keeping things moving. The decision isn’t just about health anymore. It’s tied to consistency, visibility, and everything that comes with it.

You vs. the New Runner

I’ve been running for over 15 years. When I see someone racing through a stress fracture, I think that’s a bad decision and hope they don’t end up with something that keeps them from running long term. Make no mistake, there are non influencers running through injuries too…they just aren’t “inspiring” thousands of people to do the same.

A newer runner might see someone racing on a stress fracture and take away something completely different.

They might think you can run through a stress fracture. That having something hurt all the time is normal. That serious runners just deal with it and keep racing.

That’s where this becomes a problem.

If the most visible version of running is people pushing through injuries and still lining up, it starts to shape what looks normal, even if that’s not how most runners actually approach it.

Would Races Still Exist Without Social Media?

Of course. People were racing long before social media existed.

But races wouldn’t feel the same. They wouldn’t sell out as quickly. There wouldn’t be the same pressure to show up, and fewer people would feel tied to racing as part of something bigger than their own goals.

Right now, for a lot of people, racing isn’t just about the race. It’s tied to content, expectations, and staying relevant in a space that moves fast and that’s why you keep seeing the same pattern.

As always, I love to her YOUR thoughts.

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FP Movement x Merrell Cham Storm GORE-TEX Shoe Review

Mountains 2 Beach Half Marathon (1:31.02)

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Sometimes brands save you the trouble of finding a topic. I had no idea what I wanted to write on Thursday night…by Friday morning I had my answer. This week it was Nike hanging a sign during Boston Marathon weekend that said, “Runners Welcome. Walkers Tolerated.” By the time most people saw it online, the sign was already doing what it was designed to do: get attention, get people talking, get shared far beyond the store window where it started.

Nike later pulled it down. People argued about whether everyone was too sensitive, whether it was funny, whether it was not that serious, whether people should lighten up.

I was not surprised...Nike has been telling people who they are for a long time. Sometimes it comes through ads. Sometimes through athlete treatment. Sometimes through women’s apparel decisions that were approved by people who have never worn any of it. Sometimes through pricing or the general feeling that the company loves runners most when they look fast, thin, elite, and useful in a campaign photo.

The sign did not “come out of nowhere”. This newsletter isn’t really about who is or isn’t a runner, because if you’ve followed me for any amount of time I’ve written that topic to the ground. Everyone is a runner if they want to be...the end.

This newsletter is more about what you can ACTUALLY do that is more productive then complaining on the internet.

We Keep Pretending Brands Deserve Grace

Whenever a company gets caught saying something dumb, it’s always the same…One bad employee...One joke that got misread...One harmless idea people took too seriously.

That removes responsibility from the company and asks regular people to be more understanding than the billion-dollar brand that created the mess.

A sign does not appear by magic. Somebody thought of it. Then it was approved, printed, and installed. There was way more than “one person” that approved the messaging. That being said, not every Nike employee was involved. In fact very few were.

Nike is not your friend who worded a text badly. Nike is a corporation that knows exactly how branding works and has spent decades mastering how to stay in the middle of the conversation.

They Know Many Runners Will Buy Anyway

If customers complain for twenty-four hours and then line up for the next release, the lesson learned is not “we crossed a line.” The lesson learned is we are still selling things.

Runners say they care about inclusion, then reward exclusion if the shoe is marketed as “can’t be missed” or “the best running shoe”.

Runners say they want women respected, then keep buying from companies that keep fumbling women-specific products because the color looked good or because they want to drop seconds off their personal bests.

Your Money Counts More Than Your Take

People put a lot of faith in posting. I’m going to say this to flat out. Social media “outrage” is performative and rarely moves the needle.

Runners write angry comments, quote-post statements, make reels about accountability, then buy the next carbon racer because they wanted to test it for themselves. Suddenly the shoe is separate from the company. Suddenly this one purchase does not count.

Companies count units sold, repeat customers, and market share. They count whether backlash changed buying behavior or just created noise for a weekend.

When you buy from a brand, you help pay for whatever comes next. The next campaign. The next product launch, activation, or room full of executives deciding what runners will tolerate.

That does not mean every purchase is a moral crisis but it does mean you have the power to control what you buy.

If You Mean It, It Might Cost You Something

Boycotts are popular until they become inconvenient.

It is easy to swear off a brand you never used. It is easy to say you are done with a company after they stopped making shoes you liked three years ago.

The work is skipping the product you wanted. Or buying a different racing shoe even if your old favorite was from Nike. The harder version is trying another sports bra, another trainer, another singlet, another company you know less about. That is the only version that means anything.

Running Has Options Now

This is not 2010.

There are so many running shoe choices now. Smaller brands have carved out real followings. 15 years ago we didn’t a lot of choices…now you have hundreds. Local running stores carry more variety than they used to.

You can train well and race well without ever touching Nike if that is what you decide. People say “this is the only shoe that has worked for me”.

You aren’t trapped, you are attached and that is the difference.

No Brand Is Perfect

Most large brands will disappoint you somewhere if you look long enough. Manufacturing, labor, marketing, ego, waste, executive nonsense, take your pick but that does not mean every decision is equal.

There is a difference between buying something after thinking through tradeoffs and buying something by default. There is a difference between compromise and autopilot.

Nobody needs to become a saint over running shoes but you can be honest with yourself.

So What Do You Even Do With This?

Maybe nothing changes for you. That is your call. Maybe you love Nike shoes and decide the sign was dumb but irrelevant. At least that is honest. Maybe you were already drifting away from the brand and this gives you one more reason to look elsewhere. Maybe your next purchase goes through your local running store and you ask what else is out there. Maybe you stop giving automatic loyalty to companies that would never give it back.

Those are small choices, but markets move on small choices repeated enough times.

The easiest outcome here is that everyone gets their jokes off, posts their takes, and then business continues exactly as before. That is how most internet outrage works. Loud for a day, forgotten by marathon monday.

You’ve always had the power to choose who and what you are supporting.

Lastly, good luck to anyone running Boston on Monday.

As always, I love to hear YOUR thoughts.

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Mizuno Neo Accera Review

Carlsbad 5000 (20:12)

Kane Revive Review

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Spend five minutes on running Instagram or Threads, and you start to notice how predictable the algorithm is and what you are shown. It isn’t what people post, but how everyone reacts to it. In fact, I am convinced the algorithm only shows you things it thinks you’ll disagree with so you’ll respond.

For example, someone says something dumb about marathon times or pace groups or what counts as a real runner, and it feels like a normal disagreement where a few people push back and maybe explain why it doesn’t make sense.

It never stays there for long, because the conversation drifts away from the original point and turns into something else entirely. More people comment, not because they have anything new to add, but because they want to be seen responding in the right way, and you can almost watch the shift happen where the post itself stops mattering.

It stops becoming about the original post and becomes more about the reaction to the post. Everyone and anyone wants to comment and share their two cents.

This isn’t even limited to just running, and these things happen in every niche.

Is It Accountability?

Not really.

There’s a tendency to frame that kind of responding as accountability, but a lot of it reads more like people enjoying the presence of a clear target. It gives structure to the running timeline in a way that regular training updates or race photos don’t, and it creates this shared moment where everyone can participate without having to say anything particularly original. It’s easy to pile on and that pile on just keeps happening. The algorithm obviously feeds into that, but it also lines up a little too well with how people already behave when you give them a low-risk way to join a crowd.

The Matt Choi situation is a good example because it stopped being about his content a long time ago and turned into a kind of ongoing reference point for other people’s reactions. Disliking someone’s posts is normal, but building that into your identity to the point where it shows up in your bio as “anti Matt Choi club” is weird. At some point, you are participating just as much as the person you are criticizing, even if it feels “justified.”

It is easy to minimize your own role when you are looking at a single comment or repost.

You can say, I just commented once, and that’s true. Except your one comment and thousands of other one comments are built into something bigger.

Online vs Real Life

In person, it is hard to imagine that kind of behavior sustaining itself in the same way. Most runners are not standing around at a local race investing that much energy into someone they dislike, and even when someone says something annoying, it usually passes without turning into a group activity. The environment limits how far it can go, and people tend to default back to their own race, their own training, or whatever else they actually have going on that day.

Online removes most of those limits, and once someone gets flattened into content, the response to them starts to feel less like an interaction and more like something people are extracting value from. That shift is subtle at first, but it shows up in how long these pile-ons last and how far they drift from the original post, especially when the reaction itself becomes a source of engagement.

What This Changes

It also changes what people are willing to say in the first place, even if no one really admits it. When the pattern is this consistent, it does not take much for people to realize that a single off comment can spiral into something much bigger than they intended, and the easiest way to avoid that is to stay within a narrow range of safe, predictable content. You end up seeing more of the same language, the same types of posts, the same careful tone that avoids giving anyone a reason to latch on.

That is usually followed by complaints that running content feels repetitive or bland, which is not surprising when the environment keeps reinforcing that outcome. People adjust to what gets punished just as much as they adjust to what gets rewarded, and right now both of those pressures point in the same direction.

I don’t think this is unique to running and I don’t think it is going away. It does make it harder to take the idea of a universally welcoming community at face value when so much of the interaction is built around moments like this.

You can still find that version of the sport in smaller, in-person settings where people act like themselves, although it feels further removed from what shows up online than most people want to admit.

As always, I love to hear YOUR thoughts.

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Flight Test - The Aerospace Valley Story: This video about where the aerospace desert and flight test. It was fun to see some of my coworkers in the video too.

Hoka Cielo X1 3.0 Shoe Review

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