Two years ago, an athlete I had been coaching for many years did something incredible.

Tom won the 2022 Age Group World Championships at the London Marathon with an outstanding 2:25 finish at age 50.

Of course, his time would be amazing at any age, but what was even more special was that he might not have finished at all.

That's because Tom suffered from debilitating leg cramps when racing. And we tried everything to fix it.

• We had his sweat rate and sodium loss rate tested in a lab. (both low)
• He drank pickle juice and tried shots of spicy cramp-busters. (didn't work)
• We worked on his running form. (it was already awesome)

What made the issue so tricky is that we could never reproduce the cramping in training. That's because it typically happened in the last 5k of the marathon and we certainly weren't going to have him run 23 miles at marathon pace in training just to get him to cramp up.

So we started a new approach in training to toughen up his legs, without running more.

Right after every long run, Tom started lifting heavy. Later in the day, he'd lift again.

How did this stop Tom's late-race cramping?

find out (6 minutes)

​

Ready to have your best fall racing season yet? ​ Get a truly custom training solution with coaching, accountability, and a supportive team of runners just like you. No matter what your goal or ability, PR Team training can help you reach goals you never thought possible on your own. learn more →

---

ask me anything

Q:

What's your view on barefoot shoes?

A:

Asking me which is my favorite shoe is kind of like asking my which is my favorite child.

I love them all. But they are very different.

I ran my first marathon in barefoot shoes and I'll tell you the honest truth, I don't recommend that. Yes, I had trained in them, but I'd never do that again.

By the end, every step was a painful reminder of my poor choice.

Barefoot shoes are great for lifting and for building foot strength and I still use them today for that. They allow all the little muscles in the feet work hard and get strong and resilient.

But that's not what I want on a long run or race. I want something that makes me feel better on a run, not worse.

There's a reason that no elite marathoner is running in barefoot shoes. Today's high-tech kicks not only help set your feet up for speed, they've also been shown to lessen the impact forces with every step.

That means you can train harder longer because you can recover faster.

Now, if you are a minimalist and feel your shoes should be as well, go for it. Build up to it gradually (it's intense!) and you'll probably develop super strong feet.

Just know that it will be at the expense of faster, more comfortable running.

---

podcast

In our time-crunched hustle culture, sleep is often the first thing that is sacrificed in our busy lives.

Even though, by far, it’s the absolute most important thing we can do for our health and fitness.

So how do you know if you’re really getting enough?

Let’s find out.

On today’s Planted Runner Podcast, I’ll be talking with triathlon and sleep coach, Simon Ward.

We’ll go over:

• Simple strategies for improving sleep quantity & quality
• How to know if you’re really getting enough, and
• How to set the stage for sleep success, even if you have kids

Simon is a British triathlon coach and has been for nearly 30 years, but he no longer calls himself that. Instead he’s a life coach for people who run, bike, and swim, because it takes a lot more than good training to be your best.

And great sleep is one of those things.

---

inspo

“Every run is a work of art, a drawing on each day’s canvas. Some runs are shouts and some runs are whispers. Some runs are eulogies and others celebrations.”

— Dagny Scott Barrios

Have a great run today, Coach Claire

P.S. Whenever you are ready, here's how I can help your running, nutrition, and mindset with truly custom training plans, PR Team or 1:1 coaching and more. Oh yeah, all my freebies are there too...

​

Thank you for being a part of the Planted Runner community!

​

My mission is to help runners just like you reach goals they never dreamed possible through science-backed training and plant-based nutrition.

​

Since 2016, I've helped thousands of every day runners become fitter, faster, and stronger with truly customized training and coaching.

​

I also love to share what I have learned from my own journey starting as a non-runner to a 2:58 marathoner at age 42, as well what I have learned coaching runners, completely FREE. I do that every week in this newsletter and on the Planted Runner Podcast.

​

Being a part of this email community ensures that you first access to everything we have coming up – from free running and nutrition guides, to events like workshops and retreats, and so much more to help you get results.

​

I'm so glad you're here and my inbox is always open. Feel free to reply with questions or feedback!

​

If that's not for you, ​unsubscribe here​, completely guilt-free!

To change your email or preferences ​manage your profile​.

113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205

​