Last August, Peruvian Olympian and 2:07 marathoner Christian Pacheco won the Mexico City Marathon. Yet his victory was somehow overshadowed by traditional and social media because he was wearing a basic Casio watch, which retails for $22. No GPS supercomputer tracking all the latest and trendiest parameters.
Where is the fun in running like this? And this image doesn’t even show taking the mandatory selfie (Image by ChatGPT)
I thought this was remarkable. I donât know what he uses for everyday training, but in images I reviewed, he won the Pan American Games and the South American marathon championship wearing the same basic watch. At least to me, who has been running since the 2nd running boom, it is refreshing to see some elite runners still capable of improving without the latest space-age technology and gadgets.
I am not against the use of technology. Running has advanced as an industry through investment, research, and the development of consumer products, and that is good. Very good. I donât think we should go back to the jealous days of hardcore amateurism and leather running shoes. What I donât like is overcomplicating what should be a very simple sport, especially for those of us who run for fun, to the point where joy and progress are subservient to the broadcast of your VO2Max or strangers pitching in on your latest 400-meter repeats.
Talya Minsberg, a runner and a New York Times fitness and health writer who has extensively reported on distance running, recently wrote: âRunning is a simple sport. You donât need a ton of equipment or expertise to do it, and running is a great way to improve your health, spend time outdoors, and connect with other runners.â
If you are not trying to make it to the Olympics and your living is earned outside the sport, enjoyment should be enough to make running a part of the rest of your life. It is not permission to be lazy or to be OK with being stuck in a rut. If you can run a sub-3 marathon, go for it! If we want to pursue that elusive sub-2 marathon, keep working towards it! If you want to run 1000 miles this year, focus on it. Goals are good.
Check the wrist. This is the Casio watch that suddenly became famous again.
Steve Magness, a running coach I look up to, recently wrote an article titled âAn Exercise Program for Life, Not Instagramâ. More than a clichĂŠ, it is a guideline many runners should start adopting. âNail the basics for a very long time, and you’ll get 99% of the way there,â said the coach.
In his book The Kenyan Method, Joseph Kiprono explains that the edge of Kenyan runners from the Great Rift Valley isn’t based on genetics, running to school as children, altitude training, or super shoes. It is based on accepting that running should be very simple.
âThe Kenyan method is not complicated,â states Kiprono. âThat is precisely what makes it hard for the modern runner to accept. It is built on things your grandmother would approve of: run mostly slow. Run sometimes very hard, and mean it. Rest like it is your job. Eat simple food. Run with other people. Be patient for years, not weeks. Respect the hill. Keep your life quiet enough that your running can speak.â
To me, the key to the entire paragraph is the part about âwhat makes it hard for the modern runner to accept.â We canât run if the watch runs out of battery. We use our $300 Nike Alphaflys even though we heel strike. We become running philosophers, posting runs with motivational quotes on how tough we are. We pause our watch when we stop for water so it wonât mess our averages on Strava. We sweat over our VO2Max or our functional threshold power, having no clue what they mean, let alone what they measure.
Look. I am not pontificating on the return of the 1960s-style bare-bones running. I do have a Garmin watch, I use highly engineered fueling gels and running shoes, too. It is not about becoming monastic about our running. It is about understanding that all the gadgets out there just give us an edge. And no edge will set a PR for us if we donât put in the work. Just like that. As simple as The Kenyan Method.
A few Mondays ago, I got an urgent text from one of my trained athletes. His workout for today wasn’t in the app; could I tell him what to run? Sure, sometimes it happens, so I checked the app and called him back.
This is not the time to realize you do not have water. It takes so little to avoid this scenario (Image by ChatGPT)
âYou are off today,” I said. “You put in a very hard weekend of work, so I gave you a rest day. It is in the app.â
âBut I am already at the park,â he said. âThen run 30 minutes super easyâ, I replied.
The mistake was harmless enough, and we laughed about it. But it illustrates something I see surprisingly often: runners prepare all sorts of things without first preparing themselves for the workout they are actually supposed to do today.
This is not about the long-term mistakes that can eventually derail your training or lead to injury. This is about todayâs run and whether you are prepared to execute it properly. Unfortunately, this happens more often than you may think. I have lost count of how many runners have asked, âWhatâs up for today, Coach?â when we are already on the move. Baffling!
Being prepared is more than knowing how far or how fast you are supposed to run. It is also thinking through what you will need along the way. I once had a runner at mile 6 of a marathon who realized he had a hole in his pocket and that his gels had been scattered somewhere along the course. I was running with him as part of the half-marathon, so I gave him my nutrition to at least mitigate the problem.
You have no idea how many runners finish a hot summer afternoon training run exhausted and drenched in sweat, only to discover that they do not have water or electrolytes waiting for them. If they did not think to bring water, chances are they did not bring a dry shirt either. They planned the run but failed to plan for what their bodies would need afterward.
Another one I see a lot is running your buddyâs training run instead of yours. You go too fast, too slow; perform repetitions that were deliberately left out of your schedule, or you end up going too long or too short. You may be running together, but you are not necessarily training for the same thing.
Is this the right time to figure out your plan calls for a day off? (Image by Grok)
Training is a long-term proposition. There are no magic workouts, and a single altered run wonât make or break your training cycle unless it leads to an injury. Occasionally changing a workout to help a friend or simply have some fun is usually not a problem, provided the change is intentional. Accidentally ending up with six one-mile repeats when you were supposed to run a 30-minute recovery session is an entirely different matter. One is flexibility. The other is a failure to prepare.
The gist of todayâs writing, and sorry if it feels like a rant (maybe it is), is simple: Prepare for todayâs run. Know the purpose of todayâs workout, what it requires, and what you will need before, during, and after.
Getting it wrong once will not derail your training. But getting away with it may convince you that preparation does not matter. Repeat that often enough and carelessness becomes a habit, your training loses direction, and your mental toughness begins to erode. Do not wait for the mistake that finally costs you. Prepare for todayâs run, today.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this one. Please share your thoughts in the comment box below.
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I joke (partially) with my running buddies that the day I ran against Eliud Kipchoge in Berlin (2017), he needed a world record to beat me. Sure, I started in wave 4 and was 15 miles behind when he crossed the finish line, and while I certainly had no chance of beating him, the statement is still 100% true.
All you need is the will to go for a run. Everything else is additional (Image by Grok)
Consider this: what are your chances of standing in the huddle in a Super Bowl, strategizing the next play? When will you face Shohei Ohtani on an MLB field? How about your odds of standing with or against Lio Messi during the World Cup? Driving in an F1 Grand Prix? US Open. Golf or tennis?… Anyone?
But running is different. When the marathonâs 2-hour mark was broken, a runner I trained was there. When Kipchoge broke his last world record (Berlin 2022), another runner I trained was there. During the epic battle between Alberto Salazar and Rodolfo Gomez at the 1982 NYC Marathon, my dad was there. A close friend crossed the finish line in Boston, 10 minutes before the bombing. The last time the immortal Bill Rodgers won a marathon (Orange Bowl 1983), he had to beat me, too.
So, you get the point. Running is the most democratic of sports. The one with the most open access, equal opportunity to participate, low barriers of entry, and outcomes driven mostly by effort rather than status.
Remember dreaming of running, or lacing your shoes for the first time? Or how you felt after a long hiatus? Remember the struggle to finish that first long run? Have you checked the back of the packers at a race? Have you taken the time to watch the videos of the last finishers at a big-city marathon? Is there any other sport where regular people, even with a variety of disabilities, can beat the odds by finishing the biggest and most iconic races in the world?
Sure, only a selected few will run in the Olympics or the world championships, but even you, dear reader, can run the mythic Boston Marathon, even if you donât qualify. We know you have a better chance of hitting the Powerball than the London Marathon Lottery, but the chance is there, and you still have charity entries. And if you are not into multitudinous mega races, there are local 5Ks everywhere, every week.
In his book âWhen Running Made Historyâ, literature professor and former elite runner Roger Robinson said: “Being a runner (this sounds naive but isn’t) gives you direct and unfiltered access to all other runners. That’s one thing that makes running so remarkable; it is an intensely competitive sport that is also an egalitarian community. Just put your shorts and shoes on and if you’re fast enough, you can run with, befriend, and, if so inclined, interview the greatest celebrities on earth.”
In running, you will only get out what you put into it (Image by Grok)
Think about it: when it comes to running, you donât need an opposing team or a field. Let alone a golf course. You donât need a court, like tennis, basketball, or pickleball. You donât even need a group of friends or a rival. All you need is the will to run. Everything else, everything, is extra.
You can run in the crappiest of shoes, or even barefoot. You can run in jeans and cotton socks if that is all you have. You donât need a watch, you donât need company, and you donât need a dedicated surface or place. The comfort of a good pair of running shoes, a tech shirt/shorts, moisture-wicking socks, and a running path with good friends will surely make it more enjoyable, but as for requirements, none beyond your willingness to go out for a run.
Biologist and 2:22 marathoner Bernd Heinrich wrote in Why We Run: A Natural History: “Running is perhaps the most fundamental of all sports… it is the most democratic and most competitive of all sports because individual merit can prevail despite economic equality. It is a sport for everyone, the whole world over.”
Meritocracy in action. What a beautiful concept!
The great running author and philosopher George Sheehan said, “Life is a positive-sum game. Everyone from the gold medalist to the last finisher can rejoice in a personal victory.”
Fred Lebow, the father of the NYC Marathon, said, “In running, it doesn’t matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, ‘I have finished.'”
Beyond the health and social benefits, running is a sport where you can only get out as much as you put in. The one sport where we have the chance to participate in the biggest local, national, and international competitions. The one we can practice at a moment’s notice, just when we need it. Yes, need it. The one where the winner and the last one across the finish line get the same medal. The one where we can make friendships to last a lifetime.
Letâs go for a run, then. What are you waiting for?
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If you have any interest in the sport of running, you already know the mythical 2-hour barrier for the marathon has fallen. As this blog is not for news reporting, and this happened barely 36 hours before this writing, I want to share a reflection and perspective on what these results at the London Marathon mean for our sport.
Sure, super shoes help, but they are not what make Sebastian Sawe an elite runner (From RW Instagram feed)
When I ran my first marathon in 1983, the world record was 2:08:34 (Derek Clayton, 1969). Then, it started falling little by little. First by a few seconds, then surprisingly faster. As it approached the 2-hour mark, Nike put on the Eliud Kipchoge show in 2019, where he ran 1:59:40. Sure, it wasn’t official, and it wasnât supposed to be. But it proved that a sub-2 was physiologically possible. And now it has happened in competition.
Was it the Super shoes?
Some would like to think that with shoes acting like springs, these new records mean nothing. As a purist, I would love to think that too, but we live in a world where progress, innovation, and new technologies are an intrinsic part of our lives, and we must accept it. If we didnât, Formula One races would be on horseback, the Tour de France would be on bikes with no gears and iron frames, and running shoes would still be made of leather. The regulatory entities have taken measures to ensure certain basic conditions are met, so it is not a free-for-all. It is a step in the right direction, so we may avoid grey areas bordering cheating.
We must understand that super shoes will not make you, or me, a world-record contender. These runners are the best the world has ever seen. These shoes only provide the edge they need to get that little extra that puts them within the realm of possibility. They were already great runners before they tied those $500 Adidas at the start of the 2026 London Marathon.
Whatâs next?
Back in May 1954, Roger Bannister ran the first sub-4-minute mile. It was a matter of time before he, Wes Santee, or John Landy got there. Bannister did it first. And once it was proven physiologically possible, the sub-4s started piling up. Landy shaved 1.4 seconds off Bannister’s record just 6 weeks later. And two months later, he lowered it again. 72 years later, over 1700 runners have gone sub-4. Still an elite group, but not that exclusive.
Why am I bringing this up? Because it has now been proven possible, expect the record set by Sebastian Sawe to fall again shortly and often. Just as Bannister, Sawe will always be remembered as the first. He is the Neil Armstrong of the Sub-2. Yomif Kejelcha made his marathon debut going sub-2, but 11 seconds behind, so he will always be the Buzz Aldrin of the sub-2. Impressive achievement, but not the first. This will not be an unbeatable record. Quite the contrary, it just established a new benchmark from where to keep improving.
I venture to predict that by the end of the year, after marathons like Valencia or Chicago, the record will fall again. And by the end of 2027, there will be 5 to 10 runners under 2.
Boston: Nike Sign Controversy
Since I am reflecting on recent events at Marathon Majors, I want to chime in on the Nike fiasco at the recent Boston Marathon. For those who donât know, Nike set up a huge sign stating âRunners Welcome. Walkers Toleratedâ, which sparked severe backlash and was quickly removed.
This is the controversial sign placed by Nike in Boston during Marathon week.
Was it insensitive? Was it stupid? Did Nike assume responsibility? Can you do something about it if you were offended? Yes, yes, yes, and yes.
First: No race states that you canât walk. Until then, walk all you want. Orlando Pizzolato won the NYC Marathon in 1984 and walked. Nobody cried foul. Gelindo Bordin slowed down, walked, and was not stripped of his Olympic marathon gold medal in 1988. Want to walk? Walk! And donât give a s*#% about what Nike has to say about it.
What really bothered me about this fiasco was the âoffended professionalsâ taking it to social media. Those who enjoy feeling upset on your behalf so they can feel morally superior as they fight for âwhatâs rightâ. Most of those calling for the pitchforks had no stake in running, Boston, or Nike.
Just like you and me, Nike is protected by the First Amendment to make as many stupid statements as they please. Offended? Act. Donât purchase a Nike product ever again. Show up at their headquarters in Beaverton and picket. A friend of mine didnât like it and sold her Nike stock. She didnât pout on Instagram; she took a stand.
Conclusion: Feel offended? Act or shut up! Pouting on social media is not taking action.
Please share your thoughts in the comment box below.
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I was recently reading a book by an author Iâve known for years, yet somehow never truly delved beyond his famous running quotes and the occasional column: Dr. George Sheehan.
Personal Best by Dr. George Sheehan
Dr. Sheehan was a physician, but his legacy lives on in running. A passionate marathoner and prolific writer, he captured the soul of the sport through his columns and books. He did not just write about miles, but about purpose, identity, and the human spirit. His words helped generations of runners live training not as exercise, but as a path to self-discovery.
Despite passing away in 1993, his legacy as one of the most influential running writers ever is undeniable. He wrote 12 books, starting in 1972.
A chapter from âPersonal Best,â published in 1989, caught my attention because it proposes segmenting our athletic experience. Even though it is nothing revolutionary, stating the obvious reveals its genius.
The original text reads:
âThe athletic experience can be divided into three parts. One is the preparation, the training of the body. Two is the event, the challenging of the self. And three, is the aftermath. And for the runner, the ultimate athletic experience is the marathon. It takes training and challenging and creating to the absolute limits.â
In 54 powerful words, we are invited to deconstruct our running lives and turn it into a rewarding yet challenging process for exploring our limits.
Letâs break it down so we can squeeze every morsel of our athletic journey.
1 – TRAINING OF THE BODY
While we may certainly enjoy better PRs in our favorite distances, we can choose from two approaches. Running ourselves to the ground and having a short career or taking the time to prepare so our body can be strong, resilient, and injury-resistant.
Living for the challenge of competition and craving the adrenaline rush of finish lines are part of the allure of the journey. Sheehan once said, âRacing is the lovemaking for the runner. It is hard to pass upâ. And I agree. But to keep doing it constantly, year after year, we must teach the body.
It takes time, planning, and execution. It is a long road with no shortcuts. So, we’d better be smart and make the process enjoyable, or we wonât last the distance.
2 – CHALLENGE OF THE SELF
Ok. Here it is: The challenge. For us runners, it is usually racing, but it could be whatever gets your endorphins going. This is your personal journey. It may be breaking 20 or 30 in the 5K; or how far you can go before collapsing. The point is that you are in charge. You canât run to fulfill someone elseâs dream.
For Dr. Sheehan, the epitome of this challenge is the marathon: âThe marathon fills our subconscious with this gospel. Taking a well-trained body through a grueling 26.2-mile race does immeasurably more for the self-concept and self-esteem than years with the best psychiatrist.â
The challenge of the self is an ever-changing target. Every success should create a new goal. Every failure (and they will happen) should trigger a reevaluation of the processes or even the goals. The challenge of the self is the most rewarding part of the journey.
Enjoying the process will be more rewarding than a wall full of medals, but if you play it smart, you can have both (ChatGPT Image)
3 – THE AFTERMATH
Every running cycle, every accomplished goal, every medal displayed on your wall, every PR, every time we fell short, or every time we just had fun with our friends is an opportunity to reap rewards from our efforts. And the more prepared you are for the journey, the longer and more enjoyable it will be.
In the same writing that gave birth to this blog post, Dr. Sheehan states: âThe long-distance race is a struggle that results in self-discovery. It is an adventure into the limits of the self, representing for runners what has been called the moral equivalent of warâa theater for heroism, where the runner can do deeds of daring and greatness.â
My takeaway is that running can be a worthwhile, ever-changing journey if you allow it to be. But you must be purposeful and flexible, especially as you achieve your goals and pursue new ones as you get older. Enjoying the process will be more rewarding than a wall full of medals, but if you play it smart, you can have both.
Please let me know your thoughts in the comment box below.
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This past February 2nd, a controversy was sparked by an article that ran on the Runnerâs World website. It was an opinion piece by a writer named Cole Townsend (whom I donât know). The piece was titled: âYes, Itâs OK to Wear a Finisherâs Shirt for a Race You Didnât Finishâ. Hence, the rebuttal in the title of this blog post.
If you did not finish the London Marathon in 2025, you should not be wearing this shirt.
Townsend states things as: âI think we need to have an honest conversation about whoâs âallowedâ to buy finisher tees,â and âYour hard work doesnât disappear because mile 1 or mile 19 didnât happenâ.
These statements, just as the articleâs title, rubbed me the wrong way. Sure, everybody is entitled to their opinion. Sure, wearing a shirt that states you finished the Boston Marathon when you didnât is trivial compared with whatâs happening in Ukraine. Sure, you are not going to ponder what I may think when choosing your wardrobe. Yet, in my book, it is still not right.
Would you wear an Olympic medal you did not win around your neck, just because you own it? You can proudly display it at home, especially if a relative earned it. I display my dadâs marathon medals at home. But they are hung separately from my earned medals. They are my property, but not my achievements.
My beef with the entire affair is two-fold:
1 â How can an entity of Runnerâs World’s reputation think that publishing this was OK? I am all pro-First Amendment, but you are not obligated to provide a tribune to someone for just about anything, especially if it is unsound, which it should be for runners. Would you run a story advocating the superiority or inferiority of a certain race, or defending a flat earth, just because it is someoneâs opinion?
2 â The article, as the headline clearly states, talks about finisher shirts. A finisherâs shirt is earned when you finish a race, hence the name. Not when you register, not when your boyfriend crosses the finish line, not when you purchase it in a fire sale. This is not a participation trophy. This is between you and your conscience, sure, but in my book, it is still a lie.
I can’t believe Runner’s World ran this article.
Is it OK to wear a military uniform and let people assume you served your country? Would you walk through a mall wearing a priestâs cassock, or scrubs with a stethoscope draped over your shoulders? Exactly. And no, Iâm not comparing military service or serving God to finishing a marathon. Iâm pointing out something simpler: what you wear creates assumptions about who you are and what youâve done. Letting those assumptions stand when they arenât true is plain wrong.
There is a difference between a finisherâs shirt and a race or a souvenir shirt. If you ran London and brought me a hat, I would be grateful and wear it, even though I havenât run it. When I returned to road racing after a 26-year hiatus, I gave my race shirt to my dad as a tribute, since he inspired me to start running when I was a kid. He wore it proudly. But it only said â2012 Miami Marathon and Half Marathonâ; it didnât state he finished the race, even though he ran the distance hundreds of times.
The author concludes with this statement: âWe donât need to start a âstolen valorâ debate. What you wear should reflect what matters to youânot what the internet thinks you’re entitled to. If you care, flip the question: why are you wearing it? If the answer is âbecause it means something to me,â thatâs enough.â
This would be a logical conclusion if the article didnât state âFinisherâs Shirtâ. Thatâs where, in my opinion, both the writer and the Runnerâs World editors went terribly wrong.
Any thoughts? I really want to hear from runners who disagree with me. Please share in the comment box below.
