Summer Running Survival Guide
Summer running has a way of humbling even the most seasoned runners. Between the heat, humidity, and afternoon thunderstorms, every run feels like its own challenge. Thankfully, a few simple strategies can help you make it to fall with your fitness and sanity intact.
Things Runners Lose
Open my sock drawer and you’ll quickly notice something is off. There are more lonely running socks than I’d like to admit. But, they’re not the only things running takes away.
The Runner That Left
Every run begins by leaving home. After enough miles, you realize the runner who returns is not the same one who left.
Saucony Endorphin Azura Review: Your Latest Shoe Obsession?
Over the past year, brands have shifted their focus toward a different kind of “perfect” shoe. Along with chasing the fastest super shoe on the market, they have been building affordable, race day-inspired trainers that can handle nearly every run on your schedule. Shoes like the Evo SL and Mizuno Neo Zen have shown there is plenty of demand for a versatile workhorse that does not carry a premium price tag. Saucony’s answer is the new Endorphin Azura. But in an increasingly crowded category, is this a shoe worthy of becoming your latest obsession or is it just another trainer destined to be forgotten? Let’s find out.
My Favorite Race
All runners have their favorite race. That one they register for the day registration opens. The one they cannot wait to run again the moment they cross the finish line. For me, that race is the Peachtree Road Race.
Every Run Can’t Be Remembered
Over the past seven years I have gone on nearly 1,800 runs and covered almost 11,000 miles. For someone who remembers almost everything, it is surprising how few of those runs I can actually recall. Some were highlights, some were lowlights, and plenty were completely unremarkable. Every one of them helped get me where I am today, but only a handful still live vividly in my memory. Those are the ones where I can instantly go back to that moment. I remember the smell in the air, how I was feeling, and sometimes almost every step.
From the Pitch to the Pavement
Soccer has officially taken over my summer. For the past week and a half, the World Cup has been a mainstay in my home. My mornings start with match previews, my afternoons are filled by group-stage drama. But as I’ve sat glued to the screen, I’ve realized I’m not just watching a tournament. The deeper I get into this World Cup, the more familiar it all feels. Because, in a lot of ways, the World Cup and all it represents is exactly like running.
Diadora Gara Carbon 3 Review: Built for the Big Stage
While the Azzurri have struggled to recapture past glory on the world stage, Italian brand Diadora has been busy building something of a resurgence of its own in the running world. Enter the Diadora Gara Carbon 3. Diadora’s flagship racing shoe arrives with a hefty $320 price tag and promises Italian craftsmanship, a rigorously tested midsole, a supremely comfortable upper, and, unfortunately, a colorway with all the flair of a nil-nil draw. Has Diadora improved upon the Gara Carbon 2, or has it followed the Italian national team into disappointment? Let’s find out.
The Runner I Keep Chasing
This past week has featured two runners on each run. The one running down the road.
And the version of me from 3 weeks ago. The version that was not recovering from an illness. The version that was not worried about his training leading up to the Peachtree Road Race. The runner who did not think twice about heading out the door to tackle whatever the training plan had set.
Runner, Interrupted
What started as feeling under the weather last Sunday eventually turned into a pneumonia diagnosis by the end of the week. One doctor visit became two, fevers came and went, and instead of tracking miles I found myself tracking temperatures.