4 Running Tips From Eliud Kipchoge

It's Monday again my running friend! 💪🏻

I hope you’re enjoying training. If you’re not getting out there for one reason or another, remember that everything is better than nothing. It’s the habit of getting out the door that will make you a runner.

In today’s email:

1. 4 Running Tips From Eliud Kipchoge

2. How To Treat And Prevent Foot Blisters

3. 96-Year-Old Runner Breaks W95+ 5k World Record!

4. Road to Sub 1h20 Update & 10k Race Recap, New PB?!

Now, let’s get on to business!

4 Tips All Runners Can Learn from Eliud Kipchoge

Today, I've got some incredible lessons to share with you from none other than the fastest marathon runner of all time, Eliud Kipchoge.

Now, let me give you the lowdown on this amazing guy.

Eliud was born in 1984 in Kenya and grew up on a farm. Raised by a single mom, he used to run 3 kilometers to school every morning, which really honed his talent from a young age.

At 16, he met his coach, Patrick Sang, who, by the way, still coaches him to this day.

This partnership propelled Eliud to become the greatest marathon runner ever, winning all 10 marathon races he entered between 2014 and 2019. And he shattered the 2-hour barrier for the marathon, which is absolutely mind-blowing!

So, there's definitely a lot we can learn from him.

Let me share my 4 favorite lessons from Eliud Kipchoge.

1 – It's not all about the money

Eliud leads a simple and humble lifestyle, despite being a multimillionaire thanks to his incredible achievements.

His weekly routine is pretty monk-like. From Monday to Saturday, running is his religion.

He chooses to stay in a basic room in the dorms with other athletes at the camp.

According to Eliud, life is straightforward: wake up, run, clean or relax, lunch, massage, 4 o'clock run, evening tea, sleep, and repeat.

It's as simple as that.

So, according to him, focus on growing and developing your skills, and the money will naturally follow.

2 – Don't be afraid of change

Eliud started his career as a 5000 meter runner and won a few medals.

But instead of sticking to that and limiting himself, he took a leap of faith and ventured into marathon running, which brought him even greater success.

So, in your own career, don't be afraid to take risks that could propel you further, just like Eliud did with the marathon!

3 – Learn the art of saying no

Eliud believes in making decisions like a sharp knife, cutting straight and clean.

Self-discipline is a journey, my friend. Sometimes, you gotta say no to your passions and impulses.

Build a life where you live without complaints or dwelling on the past.

Eliud's lifestyle in Kenya is a testament to that. Even though he has a lovely house with his family nearby, he chooses to spend the entire week in a dormitory with other athletes, solely focused on his running!

4 – Surround yourself with other athletes

Eliud sees running as a team sport, which was evident during his record-breaking marathon.

Here you can find the full video of the INEOS 1:59 Challenge if you haven't seen it yet.

But even in training, he always runs in a group. There's an African proverb that goes:

Well, Eliud takes it to the next level and goes both far and fast.

He believes training in a group nurtures healthy competition, accountability, and most importantly, friendship. Friendship plays a significant role in the Kenyan running culture.

I hope you've learned a thing or two from these lessons. Let me know what is your favorite lesson by replying to this email!

Now let's continue with the next topic…

But before… Trivia question!

Trivia Question: The Boston Marathon was the first Marathon to allow women to enter. What year were women finally allowed to participate?

Find the answer at the end of this email.

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How To Treat And Prevent Foot Blisters

Running Blisters Explained

Run long enough, and blisters are bound to pop up. There’s no way around that.

But… What’s a running blister?

Blisters are the annoying little bumps caused by continuous friction, forcing the outer layers of the skin to rub together, break apart, and fill with gross fluid.

Anything that makes the friction worse exacerbate running blisters, including improper running shoes (too tight or too loose), bad running form, and foot anomalies, like hammertoes, and heel spurs.

For more on blisters and the science behind treatment, check the following scientific articles:

• Etiological Foundation for Practical Strategies to Prevent Exercise

• First-Aid Treatment for Friction Blisters

• Treatment of Friction Blisters An Experimental Study

• Blisters and Calluses from Rowing: Prevalence, Perceptions and Pain Tolerance

• Treatment and Prevention of Foot Friction Blisters

How to Treat Blisters

Most cases of running blisters aren’t medical emergencies, but shouldn’t be ignored — especially when they’re too painful.

In fact, some blisters can get infected if you don’t take care of them early and properly.

To properly and safely drain a running blister do the following:

1. Wash your hands. Don’t withhold on the water and soap.

2. Wipe a needle with alcohol to sterilize it. Option, use 1cc medical syringe to suck the fluid in a sterile way.

3. Cautiously pierce the blister in several spots. Choose spots close to the blister’s edge.

4. Drain the fluid out with a clean piece of gauze or cotton but leave the skin covering the blister behind. This is an important defensive skin layer that helps prevent infection.

5. Apply antiseptic cream on the wound, then cover it with a second skin (a product such as Band-Aid Blister Block) to stave off bacteria.

6. Never peel the excessive skin. Let it peel on its own by the time. The moment you peel it, the more surface prone to infection.

How to Prevent Running Blisters

Want to avoid running blisters in the future? Here’s my tips:

Minimize Friction

Shoes are often the source of the blisters for most runners. Begin by running in proper running shoes.

As a rule, leave enough wiggle room inside of the shoe — but not too much.

Shoot for at least a thumb’s width of space between your longest toes and the end of the shoe.

What’s more? Try out different pairs before you make your mind!

Keep your feet dry

Make sure that your feet, socks, and shoes are properly dry before you gear up for a run. Especially in Ultra distance events, regular sock changes will help to reduce the chances of your skin reaching the kind of moisture levels that lead to blister formation.

Choose Running Socks

Proper running socks offer extra support for your feet, stave off moisture, and can reduce the friction that causes those nasty blisters.

Start by avoiding cotton socks as these soak up sweat and moisture, increasing blister risk.

Instead, go for blister-free socks.

I’d recommend Runderwear’s anti-blister socks (not ad or affiliate link).

Running-specific socks help wick moisture away from your skin faster than cotton material.

Do you have a bad history of blisters? Try doubling up on the socks to be double sure.

When you wear two pairs of socks, the rubbing occurs amid the socks instead of between the sock and your own skin.

Apply Lubricants

Another thing you can do to prevent running blisters is to moisten your feet before a run.

Lubricants help you minimize the friction that can lead to blisters.

These provide a protective, un-intrusive barrier between your skin and your trainers, keeping you blister-free from your first step to the last.

Apply these lubricants regularly, especially on trouble areas.

I’m talking about dry skin or skin with cracks.

I personally prefer to use petroleum jelly because it’s cheap and easy to find.

Popular running friendly brands include, Runners Lube, Body Glide, Chamois, and Sports Shield. You take your pick.

Just slather on too much, or else your feet slide around in your shoes.

I hope after reading this you won't have any more problems with blisters during and after your runs!

96-year-old runner breaks W95+ 5k world record

Rejeanne Fairhead, 96, is getting faster with age. She finished in 51:09, smashing her previous 5K best by 7 minutes!

The women’s 95+ world record Fairhead beat was that of American Betty Lindberg, who ran 55:48 at the 2022 Atlanta Peachtree 5K.

Fairhead ran the 5K to raise money for Perley Health, a community care project that empowers seniors to live life to the fullest, raising over $114,000 toward innovation.

Canada’s Rejeanne Fairhead can now call herself the fastest 95+ woman in the world. On Saturday afternoon in 30°C weather, the 96-year-old unofficially destroyed the women’s 95+ world record, running 51:09 for 5 Kilometres at the Ottawa 5K!

Congratulations Rejeanne! This is totally awesome. Such an inspiration – thank you Rejeanne!

Road to Sub 1h20 update

Last week's training block was ~50km:

1. Monday: 45’ Easy

2. Tuesday: Rest

3. Wednesday: 8 * 400m Z5 + 100m Z1

4. Thursday: 50’ Easy + strides

5. Friday: Rest

6. Saturday: 30’ Easy + strides

7. Sunday: 10km race

As you can see this week has been pretty easy since I decided to participate in the race on Sunday. Mainly easy runs and some strides....

From next week I will try to add more miles to my weekly schedule, so I don't lose sight of my main goal: Half Marathon sub 1h20.

But how was the 10k race I ran yesterday?

10k Race Recap, new PB again!?

Yesterday I ran the 10km race I told you about in the previous email.

The race started at 09:00 am and the temperature was already 30°C (86°F) – Those who know me know that I suffer a lot from the heat during running.

Plus the circuit was a 2-kilometer loop all under the sun 🥵 I think with the right temperature it was a perfect race to make a new PB…

But this time it didn't happen, I ran the 10k in 38:30 and my actually PB is 37:01.

Here you can find my activity on Strava! Leave me a kudos/comment to show me your support on Strava!

I'm still happy with how I handled the race and the heat, it was definitely a good experience and I enjoyed it!

Now, I just signed up for a new race this Wednesday (yes, that's right in 2 days).

It’s a vertical race so… 7km of all uphill! I've never run a vertical race and I'm curious to test myself… I'm trying new things just like Eliud's advice your read in the first part of this email!

REPLY to this mail and wish me good luck if you want! Thanks for your support, i really appreciate that!

It is already time to lace up the shoes and run!

Let's how it goes this new experience. I will update you next Monday as always!

Just for Laughs 😂

Calling all sport fans

If you are into sports but don’t have time to catch up on all the headlines, let the Gist do it for you. The Gist is a newsletter that comes out 4x a week - and it covers all sports! If this sounds like something you’d be into, you should defs sign up here! It’s my favorite newsletter hands down!

Trivia Answer: 1972. (Full story here)

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See you next Monday.

That's all for another week, folks!

I’m incredibly grateful for this little newsletter and community of The Running Week. Thank you.

PS. Let's connect on Strava, here’s my profile

Matteo, your new running friend.