Ryan Hall's Blog, page 193

Santa Goes for a Fast Trail Run in Phoenix!

It’s Christmas Eve and a few hours before delivering presents, Santa decides to go for a quick run. It’s no ordinary trail run, though. It’s a super steep 1.1-mile trail that climbs 1,194 feet up Camelback Mountain in Phoenix. Check out the latest video from Jamil Coury and the rest of the endorphin-fueled crew at Mountain Outpost and watch Santa try to set at new FKT (fastest known time) on this popular trail. (And then watch this video too!)

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Epic Euro Adventure: Running Around Mont-Blanc

The course of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc race follows most of the route of the Tour du Mont-Blanc Trail around the highest mountain range in Western Europe.

Here are some tips and insights on how to plan a three-country, multi-day trail running trip around Mont-Blanc.

In recent years, the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) trail running race has been considered the epitome of the trail running world. And with good reason—the rugged, 104-mile race features 30,000 feet of elevation change and 10 mountain pass crossings as it takes runners around the Mont-Blanc massif range. It starts in Chamonix, France, and winds through portions of Italy and Switzerland before returning to Chamonix, offering amazing mountain views and cultural interaction along the way.

Running the UTMB trail race (or any of the four other races held in the last week of August) can be a tall order, but you also need qualifying points to gain entry. However, if running 104 miles in one push (with a 38-hour time limit) isn’t within you abilities, you might consider runnning the same route around the biggest mountain range in Western Europe over several days. Running the Tour du Mont-Blanc (TMB) trail while staying in mountain huts (aka a “refugio” or “refuge”), small hotels and hostels has become increasingly popular in recent years. You can run the trail from a minimalist point of view or dabble in a mild amount of luxury, depending on where you stay and what kind of meals you eat.

VIDEO: The North Face Film “Curiosity” Highlights UTMB, Chamonix

American Krissy Moehl is one of two female runners to win the UTMB twice—the other being American Rory Bosio, who won the race in 2013 and 2014—but Moehl says her fondest memory of running in the Mont Blanc region is her solo, four-day tour of the route in 2011. She carried minimal gear, slept in huts and otherwise ran while disconnecting herself from the world.

“It was so cool to interact with all sorts of people out on the trail,” Moehl says. “Most people staying in the refugios were hikers or mountain bikers, but there was a shared sense of adventure and purpose that we were all out there doing these things in such a beautiful, rugged place.”

Running the loop in four days is an ambitious effort to be sure—most runners break it down between five and seven days. No matter how long it takes, you should be prepared to do a lot power hiking on the steep uphills, says Chris Smith, a trail runner from Boulder, Colo., who ran the route in six days with three friends in 2016.

PHOTOS: Scenes from an Amazing Three-Country, Multi-Day Run Around Mt. Blanc

“Most days we were either climbing or descending steep terrain, so we were not always running,” Smith says. “But with our light running packs, we still covered the distances very quickly. The trails were pretty smooth throughout the loop and every intersection was signed, so there was no problem finding our way. Water was available all along the trails from the refugios we passed or from springs that continuously dispensed water into permanent fountains.”

RELATED: The Call of the Wild—Racing Around Mt. Blanc in the UTMB

Here are some basic tips on how to plan a trail running trip around the Mont-Blanc massif.

1. Getting There: The closest international airport to Chamonix is Geneva, Switzerland, about an hour away by car. You can rent a car at the airport or take a shuttle directly to Chamonix. (There is daily train service to Chamonix, but there is no direct line from Geneva.) If you’re running with a group, a rental car can serve as a sag wagon if runners are willing to alternate as the driver during various sections of the course.

2. The Route: The Tour du Mont-Blanc trail is well-marked, although signage and spray-painted red and yellow “TMB” trail markers are more apparent outside of the villages. The route varies in places, but most of it consists of soft dirt trail interspersed with more technical rocky/gravel sections. In a few places, the route overlaps paved roads and dirt roads. Trail segments can be as short as 10 miles or as long as 30, depending how you decide to break up the course. You can run the route clockwise or counter-clockwise, but most runners prefer to follow the counter-clockwise direction of the race. (If you don’t want to run the entire route, you can catch a bus back to Chamonix in Courmayeur, Italy, or a train back to Chamonix in the Swiss towns of Trient or Vallorcine.)

3. Weather: Plan your run to fall between mid-May and late August for the best conditions. Temperatures typically range between the low 50s and upper 70s during the late spring to late summer, but rain can be frequent in the mountains during the summer. Be aware that brief bouts of snow and sub-freezing temperatures can come out of nowhere in the late spring and late summer.

4. Gear: A pair of sturdy trail running shoes, lightweight moisture-wicking clothing and a lightweight, medium-sized trail running pack with a large reservoir are mandatory, while a waterproof shell (and pants), a warm hat, sunblock, a second pair of socks, detailed maps and lightweight trekking poles are highly advised. If you’re going to run as minimally as possible, consider carrying a sleeping bag liner and an inflatable sleeping pad while also carrying a second pair of socks and shorts to change into after your run. A first-aid kit, blister repair patches and a small roll of duct tape should also be in your pack.

The Ultimate Direction PB 3.0 running packs were perfect for running around Mont Blanc, Smith says.

“We brought lightweight rain gear with us, some warm clothes for the cool mornings and nights like packable down jackets and a change of clothes for the end of the day,” he says. “Sleeping bag liners were all we needed for the beds in the refugios. We wore the same clothes each day and washed them out each afternoon and put them out in the sun to dry.”

Smith recommends bringing a lightweight pack towel as all accommodations have hot showers.

RELATED: A Go-To Guide To International Racing

5. Food: Pack plenty of energy food, trail snacks and water for each day’s run. You can replenish your food supply at shops and restaurants in the 13 towns and villages along the trail and there are many places to refill hydration reservoirs and bottles with potable water along the course. Typically the “refugios” don’t have anything to buy, although you will likely encounter generous hikers willing to share their bounty.

6. Money: Make sure you take some cash and/or a credit card on your run for food, lodging and those must-have souvenirs you won’t find anywhere else. (It’s highly advised to make lodging reservations in advance.) Euros are the currency used in France and Italy, but Switzerland still uses Swiss francs. However, many businesses along the trail in Switzerland will accept Euros (usually bills only, no coins) and give equivalent change in francs.

7. Language: While it will be very helpful to speak French and understand some Italian, you can get by if you only speak English. You’re bound to hear several languages as you’re greeted by other runners and hikers along the trail.

8. Resources: There are numerous online planning resources available, including Walking the TMB and Autour du Mont-Blanc. The most comprehensive guide out there is “Tour of Mont Blanc: Complete Two-way Trekking Guide” by Kev Reynolds, published out of England and available on Amazon—and Kindle, which is really handy to bring along on your phone.

“The guide is geared toward hikers, so we essentially ran two segments per day for a six-day tour,” Smith says. “We picked out our accommodations and emailed or called them all to secure reservations. Because we had no tents with us as a backup (as many of the hikers do) having guaranteed reservations each night was essential.”

RELATED: Global Running—More International Running Adventures and Races

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Runner Uses Strava to Create Holiday Scenes on the Run

Here are some of the holiday images British runner Owen Delaney has been creating via Strava data recently near London.

How can you use your wearable tech devices to send holiday greetings? Owen Delaney, a 40-year-old British runner has been getting creative with his daily runs and creating holiday-themed Strava art on his runs near London.

“I was looking at a map of Bushy Park last week and I thought the Diana Fountain would make a great Rudolph’s nose, so I drew him using the Strava route planner and just went out and ran it,” says Delaney, an avid runner and father of two. “People seemed to like it, so I did Santa the next day.

“That was the toughest one, trying to run his eyes and eyebrows through knee deep bracken, in the dark, it was very unforgiving on the legs! Then I thought why not try and come up with something different every day until Christmas.”

Does it take much preparation?

“Santa took a while, about an hour I think, to draw and plan,” he says. “The ones since then were pretty quick to prepare. I’ve probably spent a few hours on it in all, drawing routes for all the runs up until Christmas day, and a few other ideas.”

What’s the trick to successful Strava art?

“Patience. Forget about your pace, and try to find paths and landmarks to use, this makes it much easier to navigate!” Delaney says. “It’s easy to overshoot a planned turning point—you need to keep a half eye on the app when you’re running.

“I read a great quote in a book by Richard Askwith recently: ‘Find the kind of running that gives you the most joy, and just get out and do it,’ or something to that effect. I’m enjoying this kind of running!”

How long have you been running in Bushy Park? What do you like about it?

We moved back to the area in 2006 I think it was, so around 10 years now. To begin with I used to just run laps inside the perimeter of the park, but more recently I realized there’s so much more fun to be had exploring the woodlands and trails within,” he says. “These days I try to vary my runs as much as possible and keep things interesting. Being the birthplace of the parkrun movement is also a great draw for people. There’s nothing quite like the sight and experience of setting off for a weekly 5K with my son and friends, with often close to a thousand other runners. I love Bushy Park, and never want to take for granted how lucky we are to have these open spaces to explore.

What do you like most about Strava?

“I’ve been a Strava member for 4 years now,” Delaney says. “The social aspect is the biggest appeal for me. It’s great for keeping in touch with my friends’ training runs and races, and looking for inspiration from them.”

RELATED: Clever Runners Use Strava to Create Art

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U.S. Olympic Marathoners are Boston Bound in 2017

The 2016 men's U.S. Olympic squad of Jared Ward, Galen Rupp and Meb Keflezighi will all be running in the 2017 Boston Marathon, along with fellow Olympians Shalane Flanagan and Desi Linden. Photo: PhotoRun.net

(c) 2016 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved.

Olympic medalists and Rio 2016 Olympians Shalane Flanagan, Meb Keflezighi and Galen Rupp will lead the home country charge at the 2017 Boston Marathon, organizers reported today, just three of a strong American team which will toe the starting line in Hopkinton, Mass., on Monday, April 17.

Flanagan, 35, of Portland, Ore., who won the bronze medal in the 10,000m in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, is a Boston Marathon veteran. Growing up in nearby Marblehead, Mass., Flanagan has run Boston three times, finishing fourth in 2013 (2:27:08), sixth in 2014 (2:22:02 after a first half of 1:09:27) and ninth in 2015 (2:27:47).  She is the fastest-ever American woman at Boston, and has an undying passion for her hometown marathon.

“It’s kind of a comforting place for me, it’s not scary or daunting,” Flanagan told Competitor.com of Boston’s famously hilly course in 2015.  “I’m really comfortable on the course, and I have great memories along the way,” she added.

Keflezighi, 41, of San Diego, the only man to have won both the Boston (2014) and New York City (2009) marathons while also holding an Olympic medal (silver, marathon, 2004), will be running his final Boston Marathon as an elite athlete.  He won the 2014 race with a bold mid-race breakaway that delivered him to the finish line in Back Bay in 2:08:37, still his personal best. He was the first American man to win the race in 31 years.

“It was my dream to win Boston,” an elated and humbled Keflezighi told reporters after the 2014 race.  He continued: “This is probably the most meaningful win for an American.”

Rupp, 30, of Portland, Ore., will make his Boston debut on the heels of his bronze medal performance at the 2016 Rio Olympic Marathon, a remarkable accomplishment because he won that medal in only his second marathon and after competing in the 10,000m just eight days before, finishing in fifth. A versatile performer from the mile (3:50.92) to the marathon (2:10:05), Rupp is coached by Alberto Salazar who won Boston in 1982.

“It was tough,” Rupp said after the marathon in Rio. “Emotionally, I was pretty drained after that 10,000m. I was very disappointed after that. But I think it’s just a matter of collecting yourself, giving it a few days to grieve and be angry, but then you focus on the next one. I had someone tell me that there’s still another chapter to write so I just had to move on.”

Also competing for the unofficial Team USA in Boston will be 2016 Rio Olympic Marathoners Des Linden (2:22:38 PB) and Jared Ward (2:11:30). Both athletes ran very well in Rio, with Linden finishing seventh and Ward finishing sixth. Linden is the second-fastest American ever at Boston, while Ward will be making his Boston debut.

Other Americans in the race will be four-time Olympian Abdi Abdirahman, recently third at the TCS New York City Marathon; Shadrack Biwott, recently finished fifth in New York; Sean Quigley, who has a 2:13:30 personal best; Clara Santucci, the 2015 Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon champion; Esther Atkins, the 2014 USA Marathon champion; and Jordan Hasay, who will make her marathon debut.

“Our audiences have come to enjoy an American resurgence at the Boston Marathon in recent years, punctuated by Meb Keflezighi’s 2014 victory,” said Boston Athletic Association CEO Tom Grilk in a statement. “We were very impressed with the American team’s performance at the Olympic Games in August. Our long-time partners at John Hancock Financial have done a magnificent job in assembling these top Americans, all of whom we look forward to welcoming in April.”

The Hancock team agreed. “We are thrilled to have such a deep and talented American field this year,” said Rob Friedman, Hancock’s head of sports sponsorships. “In our 32 years of sponsorship of the Boston Marathon, we’ve always invited strong international fields and the elite American team is always ready to challenge for the prestigious Boston title. The American team has found success at the highest levels of the sport and they will certainly add excitement for spectators and fans on the course and around the globe on Patriots’ Day.”

RELATED: A Sneak Peek at the 2017 Boston Marathon Celebration Jacket

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Watch Kilian Jornet Run and Ski the Seven Summits of Romsdalen

Kilian Jornet is considered the greatest mountain runner ever, but he doesn’t consider himself a runner. The 27-year-old from the Catalonia region of Spain explains that he uses trail and mountain running as a way to train for skiing and mountaineering during the dry months of summer. Yet, he’s been winning trail races and setting mountain records around the world since 2009. Now the Salomon-sponsored professional trail runner and mountaineer has settled in Norway, where he continues to live and train, and attempts to run and ski the Seven Summits of Romsdalen, a 48-mile route with 9,000 meters of elevation gain, in a single day.

RELATED: Running and Rafting Through Utah’s Canyons

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Cancer Survivor Carol Dellinger Completes 300th Marathon in Honolulu

Carol Dellinger celebrates the 300th marathon of her running career on Waikiki Beach after finishing the Honolulu Marathon on Dec. 11.

Just as in life, running a marathon is all about the journey not the finish line. Neither one is a sprint to the finish, but instead a lengthy ordeal, filled with highs and lows, many struggles and, hopefully, many moments of excitement and success that make you realize it’s all worthwhile.

So says Carol Dellinger, who on Dec. 11 completed her 300th marathon as she crossed the finish line of the Honolulu Marathon.

Think about that for a moment: 300 marathons! That’s 7,860 miles, a distance equivalent to Dellinger running from her home in Spokane, Wash., to New York City and back … and then back to New York again. And, of course, it doesn’t include the tens of thousands of miles she logged in training for those races.

How long does it take to run 300 marathons? If you ran your first marathon this month, you’d have to run one every month for the next 25 years to reach that number. And that’s just about what Dellinger, who is 54, has done since the early 1990s. She works four 10-hour days as a registered dental assistant, which gives her the ability to make three-day weekends out of her marathon trips.

But it’s not her marathon frequency and her longevity that makes her special. It’s more that she understands what it’s all about and has continued to embrace the challenge and enjoy the journey year after year after year, despite some serious struggles along the way. And despite those struggles—surgery on each knee in the 1990s and then most notably overcoming breast cancer in 2009—she’s learned how to give back, spread a positive message and inspire others to carry on in life and reach their own goals.

Every step she takes serves as a reminder that she’s alive and approaching another finish line achievement.

“Reaching the milestone of running 300 marathons was very special,” says Dellinger, who is a fountain of positive energy and eager to spread that zest to anyone she can. “Having a few bumps in the road made it a little bit more challenging, so it was a pretty amazing thing to accomplish. I’m pretty grateful for everything I have and everything it took to get here. Life gave me lemons and I squeezed it into the best damn lemonade you’ve ever seen.”

She’s lived an active, athletic life since she was a kid. She played volleyball and basketball in high school, played basketball in college and then played on a women’s semi-pro fast-pitch softball team in her early 20s. That’s when a teammate told her she was going to start training for a marathon. It was 1986, back when the running boom was mostly centered around the idea that anyone could run marathon, and it sparked her to start training for one, too.

“I thought, I’m going to run one, too, because she can’t do something that I can’t do also,” she says with a laugh.

And although she struggled a bit in her debut race—the Capital City Marathon in Olympia, Wash.—finishing that first one in just over 5 hours was like nothing she’d ever experienced before.

“It was the most euphoric feeling I have ever had crossing that finish line,” she says. “It was better than any home run I had ever hit.”

She was intrigued by that sensation so much that she started running more miles and more races. Then she put down her softball glove and became a marathoner in earnest, and she’s been on the run ever since.

“I knew I wasn’t fast, but I knew I realized I had great endurance,” she says.

Along the way, Dellinger learned more about how to train, ran faster and recovered better. (She ran her PR of 4:57 at the Pacific Shoreline Marathon in 2008.) More importantly, running became part of the fabric of her life, but it also helped her meet new friends, visit a variety of different places throughout the U.S. and Canada and earn the satisfaction of finishing a growing number of marathons, not to mention always staying fit through the winter months. (She primarily runs marathons, although she has also run many Race for the Cure 5K events, too.)

With her dedication to training and commitment to being healthy, she began running 12 marathons every year in 1992.

After she had run 20 marathons, she set her new sights on running 50. Once she hit 50, then 100 became her goal. Once she had 200 under her belt, continuing on to 500 didn’t seem at all unattainable.

She’s kept that up for more than two decades, but seven years ago, the day after the Portland Marathon in 2009 (her 234th marathon), she went in for a mammogram and soon found out she had ductal carcinoma in situ (or DCIS, a cancer of the milk ducts) in her right breast. It was especially devastating news because she had lost her mother to breast cancer in the mid-1980s.

“I was non-symptomatic,” she told the Inlander in 2011. “When I ran Portland I ran one of my best marathons. That’s what scary [with DCIS], is there’s no lump. The only way it’s picked up is through a mammogram.”

Having a mastectomy was a challenge and a struggle, but her commitment to running is part of what kept her strong. She canceled three marathons and put her training on hold, but she began walking days after her surgery and nine weeks later continued her marathon quest by finishing the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon in Phoenix. (She later framed her finisher’s medal and presented it to her doctor.)

It’s a testament to her strength, passion and perseverance that she’s run 66 marathons since being diagnosed.

Her path to becoming cancer-free gave even more purpose to her running and helped her realize she could make a difference by helping to raise awareness about breast cancer and the importance of early detection. Now she often wears pink while she runs, writes a blog called Warrior Marathon Runner and regularly gives motivational talks to companies, sports teams and other groups.

She’s given talks for the Eastern Washington University football program several times and when she was in Hawaii last week, she spoke to the Hawaii Pacific women’s basketball team.

“I realized it’s not just about 26.2 miles, it’s about the journey and what it takes to get there and how you’re inspired along the way,” Dellinger says. “I’m a living, breathing example that early detection saves lives.

“Certainly there are people that lose the battle, and there are people like me that become cancer-free and persevere and move on,” she continues. “I believe we can give others hope to show that there is life after cancer by doing something like this. It’s all about inspiring others.”

Dellinger ran her 299th marathon—the Cape Cod Marathon on Oct. 30 just south of Boston—as a tribute to her mother, who was born and raised in the area. Her mother’s ashes had been spread along the coast after she died, near Mile 22 of the race.

“That was pretty special for me because I felt like my mom could finally see me run a marathon,” she says.

Because she’s running a marathon almost every month, Dellinger says she doesn’t need to train nearly as much as most runners would leading up to the next race. She runs several days a week, but she rarely runs more than 10 miles. “As long as I’m hydrated and have enough nutrition in me, I can probably run a marathon on any given day,” she says.

However, she supplements her running with long, arduous hikes on weekends, often going out in the mountains around Spokane for 3- to 5-hour treks.

“That’s what I’ve been doing for cross-training and it’s amazing what it has done to my body and my fitness level,” she says. “It’s really strengthened my legs.”

Dellinger also enjoys big city marathons, and especially enjoys the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series. Of the dozen marathons she runs every year, about five or six are Rock ‘n’ Roll races because of its support for everyday runners who are just aiming to finish. Her favorites are Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona in January and Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego in June.

“How could you not like those? They’re so much fun. It’s a party for 26.2 miles,” she says. “That series had brought attention to the fact that you don’t have to be running a marathon in 2 ½ or 3 hours. If you can do it in 5 or 6 hours, you can still enjoy the journey and chase your goal and come away with a huge accomplishment.”

With 2017 right around the corner, Dellinger is already planning to return to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon once again. She admits she’s slowed in recent years from her best times, but that’s just fine.

“In the back of the pack, everybody has a story, and it’s an amazing and inspiring thing to start talking to people when you’re running one of those races,” she says. “We’re the everyday runners who are out there pounding out the miles, and persevering.”

RELATED: Runner with MS Attempting to Run 7 Marathons on 7 Continents in a Year

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Sneak Peek: 25 Running Shoes You’ll Want to Check Out in 2017

We’ve checked out a lot of next year’s running shoes at recent trade shows and are in the process of wear-testing many of them. Here’s a rundown of some of the models we are drooling over in anticipation of 2017. Some of the biggest trends in shoe design include new, more resilient midsole foams, flat-knit and other engineered mesh uppers, subtle ink or TPU film upper reinforcements, new variations of sticky rubber outsoles and more shoes aimed at casual runners in the $100-$110 price range. Some of the models included here will hit stores by early February, while others will drop in July 2017.

RELATED: Cool, New Running Gear, Apparel and Accessories Coming in 2017

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Brooks Revel

This new pricepoint neutral trainer is aimed at a younger, more generalist running population. It has an all flat-knit upper that is stretchy in the midfoot and supportive at the saddle by way of TPU overlays. The midsole is a moderately soft single layer of BioMogo DNA foam designed to dynamically adapt to foot movements. ($100, 12mm heel-toe offset, 10.3 oz.)

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Hoka One One Speedgoat 2

The long-awaited update to the Speedgoat retains the sticky rubber Vibram Megagrip outsole, but it has a wider cut in the forefoot and a new, more breathable engineered mesh upper. The midsole switches to an injected molded foam compound, making it less bouncy than the original version. ($140, 4.5mm heel-toe offset, 9.6 oz.)

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Scott Supertrac RC

Scott has continued to evolve its strong trail running line over the past several years and the lightweight Supertrac RC enters at a new level of sophistication. It's built on a unique aerofoam and rubber outsole/midsole with multi-directional lugs and a pivot point under the ball of the foot for agility and maneuverability. The upper combines flexibility, support and durability. ($150, 5mm heel-toe offset, 8.0 oz.)

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Salomon Sense Ride

The Sense Ride was designed to be a trail shoe for trail runners in the middle of the market who might run a combination of trails and roads, but it has plenty of upgrades (including a full-length rock plate, a sticky rubber outsole and premium cushioning) and offers a lot of bang for the buck. It has enough cushioning to be a long-haul runner and enough traction to conquer more rugged terrain. ($120, 8mm heel-toe offset, 9.7 oz.)

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Altra King MT

Altra's latest trail running shoe is built for running on soft surfaces (think fell running over wet grass, mud and marshy terrain) and features deep, firm lugs, Vibram Megagrip outsole rubber and Velcro reinforcement strap over the saddle to ensure traction and a secure fit and ride. It has 19mm of cushioning and rubber under foot and a full-length rock plate. ($140, 0mm heel-toe offset, 10.0 oz.)

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Under Armour SpeedForm Gemini 3

Under Armour has updated the upper and improved the fit of this shoe with a new Threadborne midfoot panel seamlessly integrated into the engineered upper to provide greater arch/saddle support while also adding distinctive style. The Charged Cushioning midsole uses compressed
foam for optimal responsiveness and durability. The Gemini 3 is about a half ounce lighter than the previous version.
($130, 8mm heel-toe offset, 9.8 oz.)

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Reebok Float Ride Run

Reebok is going after the mainstream running population in a big way with this newfangled training shoe. It features a flat-knit upper, exo-skeleton saddle and heel support system designed to cinch the foot down to a soft foam midsole. ($180, 8mm, 8.2 oz.)

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Mizuno Wave Sonic

This lightweight, low-to-the-ground trainer/racer replaces the Hitogami in Mizuno's line. The midsole is made mostly from U4icX foam and it has a full-length lightweight rubber outsole. ($100, 4mm, 7.8 oz.)

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Skechers Performance GoMeb Razor

The signature training shoe of Meb Keflezighi, the all-new Razor is a lightweight cushioned shoe meant to run fast or long. It's built on a light, soft and very resilient single-density midsole and features a new multi-segment flat-knit upper. It has a molded internal heel counter, an air mesh tongue for extra breathability and comfort, and reflectivity details for safety. ($120, 4mm heel-toe offset, 7.7 oz.)

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Inov-8 Trailroc 285

Inov-8 updated the latest edition of the Trailroc 285, with smaller lugs and slightly denser midsole compound for hard-packed trails. ($150, 8mm heel-toe offset, 10.0 oz.)

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La Sportiva Urgano GTX

This Gore-Tex shoe has a built-in, stretch-woven gaiter to keep your socks and feet protected from mud, snow and muck. It's a highly technical shoe for sloppy, wet, cold and snowy conditions. ($180, 10mm, 12.0 oz.)

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ASICS Road Hawk FF

ASICS continues to build new shoes for a younger demographic with a less technical approach to running. The Road Hawk is lightweight, has a clean look and incorporates the brand's light and energetic Flyte Foam. ($110, 8mm heel-toe offset, 8.6 oz.) Available in February.

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361˚ USA KGM2 2

361˚ USA is coming on strong with new shoe designs and a growing distribution network in the U.S. The KGM2 2 is a super lightweight and energetic trainer with a two-layer midsole that's designed for cushioning and responsiveness. It has a seamless mesh upper with lateral and medial TPU film overlays to secure the foot in the heel and saddle while still allowing wiggle room in the forefoot.
($110, 9.5mm, 8.5 oz.)

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On Running Cloudflash

On Running has made a splash in recent years for its unique "Cloud" cushioning pod system. This new flyweight racer is built on a lean chassis (the Clouds are attached directly to the lever-like Speedboard that runs from heel to toe). ($180, 5mm heel-toe offset, 7.7 oz.)

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Topo FliLyte 2

Topo updated this light cushioned trainer by making it more flexible (with less rubber on the outsole) and added a thin layer of EVA foam under the footbed. It has a stronger mesh than the original edition and now has six lace eyelets instead of just five.
($100, 3mm heel-toe offset, 8.4 oz.)

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New Balance 1080v7

New Balance is tweaking one of the top shoes of 2016 with an updated data-informed Fresh Foam midsole, a new engineered mesh upper and a new outsole. ( $150, 8mm heel-toe offset, 10.4 oz.)

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Brooks PureGrit 6

Although it has kept the same outsole and midsole tooling from previous editions of the Grit, Brooks has updated its lightweight, low-to-the-ground trail running shoe with a new upper made from a circular knit process that allows for flexibility and structure in different parts of the shoe. The upper is reinforced by 3D rubber printing that adds structure and durability against abrasions. ($120, 4mm heel-offset, 9.6 oz.)

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ASICS Noosa FF

ASICS has not only given a new look to the 12th edition of this lightweight trainer/racer—gone are the wild, multi-colored graphics for more of a two-tone motif—it's also upgraded it with lightweight and responsive Flyte Foam. Also new is the engineered mesh upper that plays adds to the support at the saddle. ($140, 10mm heel-toe offset, 8.9 oz.)

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Saucony Freedom ISO

Premium design and high performance merge in this package that has a firm yet responsive midsole and tread that flexes where your foot flexes. The stretch mesh upper and foot cradling lace system also mean this shoe can adapt to a wide spectrum of foot proportions. ($160, 9.0 oz., 4mm heel-toe offset)

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Altra Torin 3.0

Altra has slightly updated the midsole and outsole of its best selling shoe and also added a new, engineered mesh upper that offers a more adaptable fit, more support, better breathability and some vivid new aesthetics. The width of the forefoot was also slightly updated, but otherwise its still the same shoe. ($130, 0mm, 8.4 oz.)

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Hoka One One Clifton 4

Although the Clifton has won numerous awards, but Hoka has made some slight changes to make it better in 2017. The biggest changes are the new engineered mesh upper, a slight adjustment of the durometer of the midsole foam for greater durability and new 3D printed overlays for support on the upper. ($130, 5mm heel-toe offset, 9.3, oz.)

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Salming EN Route

Salming is known for its crisp, firm, fast running light performance trainers and racers. The EN is the brand’s first softer riding, more flexible trainer. Retaining Salming’s mid foot Torsion Efficiency unit for a touch of directed support and the trademark angled “ballet line” flex groove for smooth efficient toe off, the EN has a lively new Recoil midsole and in our first runs was fast, light and easy on the legs. ($160, 6mm heel-toe offset, 9.0 oz.)

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adidas Terrex Agravic Speed

This new style is the lightest trail runner to date in the adidas Outdoor line. With slip-on, sock liner construction and a grippy, Continental rubber outsole, these are made for short, fast runs in a variety of gnarly conditions. ($120, 8.8 oz., 6mm heel-toe offset)

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The North Face Endurus TR

Ultrarunner Dylan Bowman helped design this shoe with a secure fit and generous cushioning for long hauls. Feet nestle into the dual-density midsole foam (that’s softer in the middle and a more firm foam around the perimeter) and gain lateral stability from a TPU-web overlay on the upper. Additional foot-friendly features include a wide forefoot for toe splay, a reinforced toe, rock plate and generously cushioned, gusseted tongue. ($120, 8mm heel-toe-offset, 11.2 oz.)

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Salomon XA Enduro

Salomon created this model for running on dry and dusty trails. The built-in gaiter is made of lightweight mesh, as is the breathable upper, making it ideal for hot conditions. The tread also excels in slick, wet conditions. ($160, 9mm heel-toe offset,10.6 oz.)

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Do You Need a Running Coach?

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As a 22-year old post-collegiate runner in 2004, I thought I had it all figured out, so I decided to start coaching myself in preparation for my first half marathon and marathon that fall. I’ll spare you all the nitty gritty details, but the fast forwarded version of the story is that I quickly ended up injured, frustrated and impatient, injured again, and even more frustrated. It was a vicious cycle, but I learned some valuable lessons and, most importantly, developed an appreciation for what a good coach can do for you.

A major reason for my collegiate success was due to my coach, Karen Boen. Yes, she was technically sound—her background was in exercise physiology and she was a top-level athlete in her own right—but more importantly, she taught me the value of developing a relationship with your athletes, taking the time to understand them as people first and athletes second, and that coaching is more than just plugging X’s and O’s into a spreadsheet. Coach B was always looking out for the long-term, carefully progressing my training from year to year and intentionally holding me back or forcing me to rest when I surely would have ended up running myself into the ground (which, when left to my own devices, I did).

I was someone who benefitted from having a coach. As an athlete, motivation wasn’t my problem, but harnessing that ambition in productive ways was not my strong suit. When in doubt, which was often the case since I no longer had anyone else planning my training for me or keeping me in check, I would do more. But I stopped doing the little things, like strength training and mobility work, and generally developed bad, lazy habits. I learned the hard way that you can only get away with those things for so long before they come back to bite you in the backside. It was learning from my own mistakes, and seeing countless other runners making many of the same ones, that led me into coaching.

Does every runner need a coach? The short answer is no. In fact, there are many runners ranging from newbies to experienced marathoners who do just fine on their own. They don’t need motivation or accountability and have discipline and patience in spades. They know their bodies well and have learned how to listen to it when it starts making noises. They have no problem pushing themselves but they also have the intuition to adapt workouts on the fly or cut a long run short when things aren’t going well. They don’t overthink things and aren’t afraid to reach out to someone when they have questions. They always keep a longterm view in regard to how they want to progress as an athlete and appreciate that improvement comes gradually and consistently. If this sounds like you, keep doing what you’re doin’!

If you’re the opposite of the person I just described, however, keep reading and see if you could benefit from having a coach. If you’re not sure what you should be doing in training, have trouble getting out the door on a consistent basis, are getting stale in your workouts, constantly staving off injuries, plateauing in your performances or just generally not having fun with your training, it might be worth considering handing the reins over to someone you can trust to take you where you want to go. That last bit—trust—is key. At its core, coaching is a trusted relationship, whether it’s a virtual arrangement based on text communication and phone calls or you’re meeting up with a training group for an hour or two a few times a week and getting realtime feedback on your form or someone telling you how you’re looking on the last interval of a workout.

Coaching isn’t just for elite athletes. Regardless of your age, ability level or goals, a good coach will work with you to make training fit into your life, not the other way around, and help make it more enjoyable and productive. Having someone you can learn from, communicate, be inspired by and receive regular feedback from can go a long way toward helping you achieve your goals.

Think back to when you were getting involved in sports or extracurricular activities for the first time. How did you learn to play the game or develop new skills? Who motivated you to stick with it when you got frustrated? Or helped you gain a better appreciation for what you were doing? It’s more than likely that you had a coach, teacher or mentor who met you on a particular path and taught you how to navigate it until you either lost interest, fell out of touch with that person or felt competent enough to follow it on your own.

As adults, we can better appreciate and understand the role that good coaching and mentorship played throughout our lives and how it’s affected our individual trajectories as athletes, students, musicians, or whatever path we chose to follow. But it’s also not too late to experience it as runners, whether we’re just getting into the sport, or trying to get better at it after all these years.

RELATED: Mario Fraioli: Why I Run

 

About the author:

Contributing editor Mario Fraioli is the head coach at Ekiden and writes the morning shakeout email newsletter. Follow him on Twitter @mariofraioli .

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Generation Next: Influential and Inspiring Runners Under 30

The next generation of running influencers is already here. The following trendsetters under 30 are shaping the present and future of running through ingenuity, creativity, bold decisions and beyond-their-years performances.

Also, compare this year’s list with our 2015 roundup of young runners.

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2016 Holiday Gear Guide: Books

$21/$18, velopress.com

The latest books from motivational runner/writers Lauren Fleshman and Ro McGettigan-Dumas.

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