Are you ready for Boston and London? Breaking record at Barkley marathon. Power meter, Lonely Goats and more!!

Welcome to April ‘24 version of 'Strides ‘n’ Miles' - a monthly newsletter by Traxamo. Last month has been a record breaking month in Ultramarthons. Jasmin Price became the first ever woman to finish the Barkley Marathon. 128th Boston marathon is 2 weeks away and TCS London Marathon is happening the week after. Have you heard of power meters for runners ? If not, we deep dive into how this new tech which was primarily used by cyclists in the past can be helpful for runners. Plus how Lonely Goats have become the #1 largest running community in UK. Happy Reading!!

In this month’s email:

• Meme Corner 😃 

• Check out the races happening in April 🏃‍♂️ 

• What is a Power Meter for runners ⌚️ 

• Fueling strategy for your best Boston Marathon 🥐 

• Breaking Ultrarunning records in Elite Corner ⏺️ 

• Community Spotlight - Lonely Goat

👇️ Listen: You need some inspiration for upcoming World Majors in April, listen to some of the amazing stories of fellow runners.

MEME CORNER

PLANNING CORNER

Welcome to April 2024. Spring is here. So are the Spring races! See below some of the iconic and exciting upcoming races from around the world.

Find the list of upcoming marathons near you on Abbott World Marathon Majors Race Directory.

Here are some more resources to plan for your next race:

• 2024 Half Marathons Calendar - USA - https://www.halfmarathons.net/race-calendar/

• International Marathons and Distance - https://aims-worldrunning.org/calendar.html

• Upcoming Marathons in USA - https://runningintheusa.com/classic/list/map/marathon/upcoming

TECH + TRAINING CORNER

Run power meters are the newest way for runners and triathletes to measure their workload and analyze their efforts with actionable data.

What is a Power Meter? A power meter will tell you how much power you are using and, thus, how economically you are running. Historically, cyclists and triathletes have used power meters on their bikes, which has revolutionized the way these athletes and coaches train, race, and assess training load. Now power meter technology has made the jump to the sport of running, and it could revolutionize running, much like it has cycling.

Here are top 3 reasons why you can consider adding this tech gear on your list:

• Objective Effort Measurement: Power meters provide an objective measure of your effort, independent of external factors like terrain and weather, which can affect pace and heart rate reading.

• Training Efficiency: By measuring the actual work done (in watts), runners can train more efficiently, ensuring that they’re not over or under-training for their goals^.

• Improved Running Form: Power meters can help runners improve their form by providing immediate feedback on the energy cost of their movements, allowing for adjustments that can lead to better efficiency and performance.

These takeaways highlight how power meters can be a valuable tool for runners looking to enhance their training and performance through precise and actionable data.

You can find detailed explanation on how running power meters work on this article by elite coach Jim Vance on TrainingPeaks:

NUTRITION & DIET CORNER

2024 Boston marathon is 2 weeks away. So in this month’s nutrition and diet corner, we have curated some fueling guides for Boston Marathon and remember the golden rule - “nothing new on race day”. Hope these guides are helpful to devise or improving your own fueling strategy for the Boston Marathon. Let’s go 💪 

ELITE CORNER

Donna Urquhart completed a majestic feat. Running a total of 1,402.21 km (871.29 mi) across 28 running days in the snow, the athlete and pain scientist from Melbourne completed the longest polar ultramarathon on foot EVER achieved by a woman

British Ultrarunner Jasmin Paris became the first woman ever to finish the Barkley Marathons on Friday, completing one of the most challenging ultramarathons in the world with 99 seconds to spare in the 60-hour cut-off.

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has announce members of the Bank of America Professional Athlete Team for the 128th Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America. In women’s field, Tadu Teshome (ETH), Hiwot Gebremaryam (ETH), Judith Korir (KEN) and in Men’s field Sisay Lemma (ETH), Evans Chebet (KEN), Gabriel Geay (TAN) are some of elite athletes to watch out for.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

The Lonely Goat Running Club, founded with the idea of catering to runners who prefer to run alone or those who can’t commit to traditional club schedules, has quickly grown into the UK’s largest affiliated running club. Here’s a brief history:

• Founded: The club was established to provide an alternative to traditional running clubs, focusing on solo runners and those with time constraints.

• Growth: Within 18 months of its inception, the club expanded to over 1,100 affiliated members, becoming the largest affiliated running club in the country.

• Values: The club’s core values are support, inspire, and achieve, which bind the members together.

• Community: Despite being an online community, the club emphasizes a sense of belonging and represents runners of all levels and ages.

• Engagement: The club’s Facebook page and chat group are rapidly growing, fostering engagement and support among members.

You can find more details about the club below":

WHAT’S NEW AT TRAXAMO

We are in the process of bringing you the next podcast in the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned!! ⏱️ 

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