Have you wondered how the sport of running will be impacted by the pandemic in the long-term? Will races return by Spring, 2021? Will we continue to push known performance limits or will we experience slower progress?
There is certainly some anxiety about the future of running (and everything else!) as we cope with COVID. As Madeline Strandemo noted, professional athletes are also struggling with the direction of their training. We simply don’t know when things will return to normal and what that “normal” will look like.
It’s ideal for runners to focus on what they can control. Even in a pandemic, consistency really does pay off! If you can continue running and strength training right now, I urge you to do so. For an expanded perspective on this, check out The 3 Most Important Words in Running.
While you’re doing the best you can, you may be wondering… where will the sport land once races resume and what might the future of running look like?
To gain some perspective, I asked David Monti to join me on the podcast. He has been involved in the running industry for more than 25 years and has quite the perspective to share.
Best of the Past and a Glimpse of the Future
David Monti is the founder, editor, and publisher of Race Results Weekly, which is a weekly subscription service for the world’s running results. David also used to recruit elite athletes to race at New York Road Runners events and worked as a sports media consultant.
Through his work, he has a fascinating perspective on the sport. He attended and watched some of the most electrifying races the world has ever seen – and we talk about the races that most stick in his mind after all these years.
David’s consistent exposure to the highest levels of the sport of running also gives him a certain wisdom about where running has been, where it is now, and where it’s going in the future.
We talk about what has changed most in the running industry, what will likely stay the same, and what we might look forward to in the coming decades.
We touch on many different topics, including:
- What drives the costs of road races (and why they are much cheaper in Europe)
- Innovative ways to hold races in COVID times
- Legal considerations of the super shoe
- Challenges of building a larger fanbase for the sport of running
This is a unique episode with a very unique guest. I hope you enjoy my conversation with David!
Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or Google Play.
Listen to the entire episode:
Show Links & Resources:
- Follow David on Twitter
- Race Results Weekly website
- See more of David Monti’s writing on Runner’s World
- Watch David Rudisha break the 800m world record
Thank You Elemental Labs!
A big thanks to our newest sponsor, Elemental Labs, for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors.
Their citrus flavor has quickly become my favorite and I’m drinking one a day now to help me get enough fluids in our dry Colorado air. It’s tasty and delicious and I find that I’m not peeing every 45 minutes throughout the day, which might be an indication I wasn’t eating enough sodium.
There’s now mounting evidence that higher sodium intake levels are not unhealthy – and athletes need substantially more than your typical sedentary person. Of course, ask your doctor if you’re worried. But for those athletes running outside in the heat, an electrolyte replacement makes a lot of sense.
And I’m encouraged by the fact that Navy SEAL teams, Olympic teams, and pro athletes have started using Elemental electrolyte supplements to improve their performance. Learn more about what they do at their website.
