Running outta 2021⏱

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Goodbye 2021 ✌️

There weren’t many results to report on, but that doesn’t mean this week’s newsletter won’t be full of action! Before diving in, we’d like to reiterate our gratitude for your readership in 2021 and recommit ourselves to be a source of running news and entertainment for 2022. The Lap Count now has over 9,600 subscribers and is regularly read by 25,000 track nerds each week (sign up!).

If you enjoy this content in your inbox, please don’t hoard it all for yourself and share with friends and teammates! And for feedback and sponsorship inquiries please email us at TheLapCount[at]gmail[dot]com. Thanks again!

-Kyle, Mac and Paul

New shoe rules 👟

World Athletics dropped what appeared to be a bomb this week by announcing new guidelines for shoe compliance. Athletes everywhere quickly clutched their pearls and Dragonflies then booked the next flight to Boston. But upon closer inspection, the changes actually are nothing more than smoke and mirrors — which isn’t a bad thing!

The major change is that spikes will now be required to have a stack height of 20mm or less, across all track disciplines. The current rules dictate that races 800m and up are permitted up to 25mm (sprints are already at 20mm), but here’s the catch: 98% of spikes used by distance runners will still be legal. The only major outlier is anyone wearing the New Balance Fuel Cell LD-X. Sorry, Emma Coburn! (Something tells me that she’ll still be okay, though.)

For starters, the new rules don’t go into effect until November 1, 2024 — you know, because of supply chains! And that should hopefully be a long enough runway for all brands to make any necessary adjustments to their spike lineup. Though if history is any indicator, it’ll take some shoe companies more than three years to make a competitive spike. That’s part of why creating more specific parameters surrounding spike technology is a necessary part of our sport in the modern day if we wish to keep a level playing field.

But it’s not just distance runners who are mildly affected by the new regulations. If I have any triple jumpers who read this newsletter, then you already know I am talking about you! Those who make their bones hopping, skipping, then jumping will also lose 5 millimeters and the most popular piece of footwear, the Nike Triple Jump Elite 2, worn by the likes of world record holder Yulimar Rojas, will no longer be allowed.

Before hitting the panic switch, look at a ruler for a refresher on just how minuscule 5 millimeters is and ask yourself, will this really matter over the course of 15.67m with only two points of contact? Maybe if she wasn’t already winning gold by 660 millimeters.

Bye, Alberto 👋

Don’t you love when running gets covered by national media outlets? The SafeSport decision to permanently ban Coach Alberto Salazar for sexual misconduct is no longer under arbitration. And for the sake of his victims, hopefully it’s the last the public will have to hear about it so they can try to heal in private. However, this only applies within the United States and once Salazar’s coaching ban from the CAS ends in 2023, he will be eligible to coach abroad. And unfortunately there may still be athletes who’d welcome it.

The 2022 Wish List 💫

The internet loved speculating with World Athletics over this fantasy 4x800 matchup between the United States and Great Britain. If only there was an international relay meet held every year — that would make for the perfect venue! The first edition of the World Relays hosted three distance events, but the 4x1500 was eliminated after 2014, the DMR was done after 2015 and the nail in the coffin came after 2017 when the 4x800 was put to rest.

In 2014, the United States dominated the 4x800 and won in an American Record time (8:01.58) in a race without GB. The current World Record is 7:50.17, set by the Soviet Union back in 1984. To add more fuel to the “we should really try to make this matchup happen” fire, wouldn’t it be nice to have that wiped clean from the books?

If it’s not going to take place at the World Relays then I’d like to suggest the Penn Relays as an alternative. From the American side it wouldn’t be hard to assemble this team, considering Philadelphia is basically home court for Ajee and Athing, and Raevyn already has multiple wheels to her name. And of course Kate Grace was a regular at Franklin Field during her days at Yale, even running the 4x100 for the Bulldogs in 2010.

With that in mind here is my 2022 wish list:

• US vs. GB women in the 4x800 at Penn

• An assault on the men’s 4xMile WR of 15:49

• Eliud Kipchoge at the New York or Boston Marathon

• Molly Seidel in a “fast” marathon

• Fred Kerley’s return to the 400m

• Selemon Barega vs. Joshua Cheptegei in a 10,000m WR attempt

• Karsten Warholm or Dalilah Muhammad run an 800

• Matt Centrowitz and Jenny Simpson commit to the 5,000

• Rai Benjamin vs. Grant Holloway face-off in the 200m hurdles

• Sha’Carri Richardson takes on all of Jamaica

• Rudy Winkler medals on home soil

• More free track & field streams

Do you have an interest in supporting elite athletes? Subscribe to our Friday morning premium newsletter! This week we speak with the 800m connoisseur who needs no introduction, Erik Sowinski. This initiative has now raised over $15,700 with all proceeds going towards the athletes whose stories we share.

Team Ingebrigtsen 🇳🇴

If you have never watched Team Ingebrigtsen’s reality show then I’d highly recommend it. Cameras have been following the family and offering a behind-the-scenes look at our sport’s most prominent three-brothers-with-dad-as-a-coach training group since 2016. If you’re a fan of Netflix’s Formula One documentary series Drive to Survive, then it’s definitely worth checking out. The dynamic shift from Jakob being the little brother following around Henrik and Filip to being the star is a fascinating evolution to watch.

The new season was recently posted on YouTube (subtitles may be necessary) and the finale features the Olympic 1500m final. It’s pretty emotional to watch it from the family’s perspective and a shame they couldn’t all be there in Japan to witness in person. But seeing how nonchalant and cool Jakob was about winning a gold medal provides some valuable insight into why he’s so good. And then there are badass quotes like this that deserve to be on a poster:

(Best read in the voice of Anakin Skywalker talking to Obi-Wan Kenobi)

Jakob: Training and running are for Henrik, in many ways, his passion.

Filip: It is in every way his passion.

Jakob: It is not mine.

(Filip laughs thinking it is a joke)

Jakob: Running isn’t my passion — it is a coincidence. Winning is mine. That’s what motivates me!

State of the run specialty industry

Having spent five years working the floor at run specialty shops (shout out to Sayville Running Company and The Sneaker Factory!), and given the economic impact of the pandemic on small businesses like running retailers across the country, I thought it’d be interesting to have a quick conversation with a dear friend of mine, Christina Henderson, who is the Executive Director of The Running Event.

For those who maybe aren’t familiar, how would you describe what The Running Event is and its significance within the industry?

The Running Event is the premier conference and trade show for the run specialty industry — Brands in all running categories set up exhibit space where they show current and future product, and running stores from around the world walk the floor to find and source what they will sell in their store for future seasons. There are also education sessions for all positions within run specialty stores — hiring, buying, marketing, you name it. The energy is electric and if you’re part of the running industry, you want to be in Austin the first week of December! 

How is the run specialty industry currently doing given the greater struggles around in-person retail shopping?

People have been saying retail is dying for years, and then the pandemic hit. So again, everyone said well, surely now brick and mortar stores no longer have a purpose. But running stores have risen to every occasion. Across the country, sales are up from previous years! Stores adapted, got creative and continued to serve their communities at any opportunity. When the pandemic hit, running store owners from around the country joined weekly Zooms and supported each other through it — they shared best practices, created virtual fittings, and offered support to one another. It’s an industry but at its heart, really it’s a community. 

What trends are we going to continue to see more of moving into 2022? How are certain stores pivoting to not only survive, but thrive in this competitive climate?

It’s not unique to the run specialty industry, but for too long, stores saw online shopping as the enemy. The pandemic made many stores realize that they, too, could have an online shopping presence in addition to their store. They are putting focus on initiatives to ensure that every person feels welcome walking into their stores. Stores are making conscious decisions and statements around racial justice and sustainability, embracing technology, and finding new ways to connect and cultivate their communities, even when it’s felt impossible.

Are there any small brands that performed well at this year’s event that we could be hearing a lot more from soon?

Here’s what I’ll say — all the categories have become much more competitive, and I believe they’ll continue to be even more so. The top brands in each category cannot be complacent because there are challenger brands who are making innovative, competitive products. It pushes every brand to be better — to perform better, to be more sustainable, to provide quicker recovery, to make us all better runners.

Is there any reason a track and field fan should care about the health of run specialty and do their part to support it?

There’s not much I believe in more than the importance of a running store to a community. If you’re reading this newsletter, you’ve probably felt or witnessed the power running can have on someone’s lives. Running provides community. It gives confidence. It creates joy. Running stores cultivate that in the cities, towns, and neighborhoods they serve. If we want to grow and strengthen the sport of running, we should focus on the community level — and running stores are the hubs. The next time you need a new pair of shoes, close out your Amazon tab and check out your local store. Need a recommendation near you? Send me a message – I’ll point you in the right direction. Support local, always.

My shit Christmas 🎄

It is my hope that the subscribers to this newsletter had a better Christmas than my own. Like many families across the world, we had our plans greatly disrupted by the unwelcome guest that is the Omicron variant. Although the holiday carpet was pulled out beneath our feet, we’ll all walk away healthy thanks to the marvels of modern medicine.

It had been a number of years since we last spent Christmas in New York and it was our first as parents. My wife’s family was coming over from Ireland and they would finally meet little Laoise — then I got a scratchy throat. When the second line popped up on the test, I wished Patricia a Merry Christmas through my mask and solemnly trudged into the guest room.

Because a majority of people in my life are also runners, some of the qualities that make us different often go unappreciated. Things like waking up to run 10 miles before opening gifts are objectively weird, but we lose sight of just how weird because our friends are also doing it — but folks, it’s weird. I’d lump the way that I process emotions, most notably grief, into this category. We are shaped by our disappointments as athletes and that’s a consequence of our vulnerability. For a non-contact sport, running is constantly finding new ways to punch us in the gut.

So upon learning that I’d be spending Christmas on FaceTime, I unknowingly tapped into the coping mechanisms that were developed on cool downs following bad races of year’s past. But being quick to digest defeat is not synonymous with accepting it. That same mindset is why I’d leave the MRI and drive to the pool or still do the workout after finding out the Olympic Trials were seemingly cancelled — it’s about controlling perspective. But in the same way that an injury can reinvigorate your love of running, this time apart will make me impossibly happy to be waking up to change diapers in the middle of the night again soon.

Mileage Totals 🏃‍♂️

This was my full first year as a non-professional and our relationship had its peaks and valleys. While last year I ran over 4,000 miles…this year I *only* managed 2,289, falling a bit short of my goal to do 7 miles/day. Take a look at how far some of your favorite professionals ran:

Jess Hull (3650); Molly Seidel (5080*); Rory Linkletter (4200); Rebecca Mehra (2168); Keira D’Amato (2937*); Jacob Thomson (4141); Ben Flanagan (3111*); Clayton Young (4545); Alex Masai (4134*); Colby Alexander (1550); Graham Crawford (3467); Eleanor Fulton (2803*); Kate Grace (2650); Isaiah Harris (1376*); Henry Wynne (2629*); Joe Klecker (4311*)

*Swiped from their Strava totals and therefore is possibly inaccurate

Rapid Fire Highlights 🔥

• Vermont senator Bernie Sanders gave Elle Purrier a nice shoutout on Twitter.

• In running journalism news, Chris Chavez has announced that he has left his job at Sports Illustrated and Erin Strout has moved on from Women’s Running.

• After 14 years of running competitively, Sara Vaughn teased Instagram followers with the news of her inking a professional contract.

• Stephen Sambu (26:54/2:11:07) has signed a deal with Asics. (Post)

• Ahead of an American Record attempt at the Houston Marathon, Keira D’Amato has thrown down some insane workouts. (Post)

• St. Stephen’s Day (December 26th) in Ireland is similar to Thanksgiving in the United States, at least when it comes to dragging family out to the local road race. The Fields of Athenry 10k was won by Aoife Kilgallon (33:49) and Olympian Mick Clohisey (30:46). In Tipperary, Tulsa’s Shay McEvoy (18:44) and Dymphna Ryan (21:54) won the Clonmel 4 miler.

• Florida State’s Kasey Knevelbaard has signed a deal to join Under Armour Dark Sky Distance. He beat me out for the #UAAllOutMile because I didn’t know a contract was on the line! (Post)

• Jonny Meller (28:59) and Jess Piasecki (31:38) win the Ribble Valley 10k in Lancashire, England.

• Australian Olympian, David McNeil wrote a great profile with first hand perspective on the Melbourne Track Club’s coach, Nic Bideau. (Article)

Thank you again to UCAN for sponsoring this week’s newsletter! They have been a great supporter of The Lap Count from the beginning and I’m excited to continue our partnership together into 2022. Please consider making a purchase using the code LAPCOUNT to say thanks as well!