🏃 A trail record, running festival & more

Hey runner! Hope you’ve had a good week so far. Last week, I asked you all on what day of the week you’d prefer to receive RunLetters, and Friday won. So… back to Friday we go!

In this week’s edition, we go to Colorado to visit David Roche, we meet some crazy fun runners that will make you laugh and smile, get to know a festival for your bucket list and plan some routes.

Ready? Let’s go ⤵️

📹 Watchlist: Smashing a 50 miler trail record with a crazy low HR —that’s David Roche for you

One of the most optimistic, happy, and lighthearted runners out there has to be David Roche. I’ve never heard someone say “you’re awesome” so often to people cheering along a race.

David Roche? Yes, David Roche! If you haven’t heard his name before, you’ll definitely be intrigued now. This absolutely mad runner won the Leadville 100 (a pretty famous 100-mile race in Colorado) last year—with a 30-minute gap! In the video below, he absolutely crushes the Quad Rock 50 Mile course record. He does it all with a huge smile on his face and a heart rate so low that it makes my easy runs (and I mean easy runs, conversational pace) seem laughable. And all that while running up mountains and throwing in a crazy end sprint!

I don’t think I need to say anything else. Please, give this a watch. And then hit subscribe and follow his road to the Western States 100 (on the last weekend of June).

📲 Social Spotlight: Chelsea Z

A few months back, Chelsea popped up in my Instagram feed—and I’m so glad the algorithm introduced me to her. She’s the kind of “running influencer” who isn’t afraid to tackle stigmas head-on. She’s herself through and through, and that’s something I really admire.

She doesn’t seem to care too much about what people on social media might think, and will happily film herself from awkward angles or touch on sensitive topics. A woman after my own heart.

Add on top of that a great sense of humor, and you’ve got an Instagram feed you need to follow. I’m trying to get her to commit to YouTube because I think long-form Chelsea would absolutely crush it. Will you all help me on this mission? Whaaa, before even sending this, my prayers have been answered. You can subscribe to Chelsea here.

🗓 Events & Races: The Runningman Festival

What do you get when you blend a retreat, a festival, and a race? Turns out: The Runningman Festival (Sept 12–14, 2025).

Everything about this festival makes it sound like an outgoing runner’s dream. For those of us who like to party sometimes and really vibe with connecting to other runners, this might be one to grab a ticket for. You can go for a one-day or three-day pass. There’s even a glamping option if you want to up the luxury level (count me in).

Sadly, I can’t make it to this year’s edition—but this one’s going straight on my bucket list. It sounds like a wild amount of fun. The kind of thing where, even if you go solo, you’ll probably leave with a whole bunch of new friends.

I was planning on sharing their own “after movie”, but this one from Shervin Shares is an even better watch.

🎽 Gear & Gadgets: Komoot

This may seem like a silly feature, but I can’t count the number of times I’ve recommended Komoot to new runners. So I figured it deserved a proper mention.

Komoot is a free app (with a premium version available) that lets you easily plan running routes. If you tend to take your phone along, you can follow the routes directly on your phone—or even on your running watch using their app. With the premium version, you can also download .gpx files and save routes offline.

The great thing about Komoot? It knows way more trails than Google Maps ever will, and the community contributes too—flagging steep inclines or declines, river crossings, or incredible viewpoints. I know many people use Strava to create routes, but since I’m not on Strava myself, this has become my go-to.

You can also use Komoot to track your runs, though that might interfere with other apps—so just keep that in mind.

✨ Wild Card: Sam Cornforth

The chances you’ve seen @samcforth before on your social media feed(s) are high. His funny sketches keep going viral. But this one from the London Marathon? I mean… It’s just pure gold. Watch it. Laugh (a lot). Then forward it to a friend.

And then sign up for your next race, of course. Hehe.

🏁 The Finish Line

You. Did. It. Again. You made it to the RunLetters finish line. Here’s your reward 🍌

And after you’ve done the above… lace up those shoes. Or lay out your outfit for your (long) run this weekend. Personally, I’m enjoying a deload week—less running, less strength, less everything. Next week, my new training plan starts. Whoohooo!

See you on the next starting line! 👋

Caroline