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Hi runners, Jessy here with newsletter #664! 🎉

Happy Saturday! ​
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Here's what I have for you today:

• Running more won’t automatically make you quicker, but adding the right jumps just might. This piece walks through seven plyo exercises that build real speed and power.
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• Choosing Runners of the Year shouldn’t be this hard… and yet 2025 gave us enough chaos, brilliance, and record-breaking drama to make it a full-on mental workout.
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• Instead of sending teens deeper into the system, Philadelphia is sending them on long runs. MileUp asks participants to train for months, finish a half marathon, and stay arrest-free, and in return, their records disappear.​
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• Some marathon ideas have purpose. This one… absolutely does not. Two friends decided to cover 26.2 miles entirely inside a Lidl grocery store.​
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• Most runners think getting faster means hammering every workout, but what if the real secret is slowing down? ​
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• Not all Black Friday deals are created equal. If you run, someone you love runs, or you're thinking about running… this list is dangerous.
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• WATCH: ASICS has three excellent super shoes. But which one is the best? Our reviewer Alex ran a sub-5 mile in each shoe to find out.

Get ready to get faster!

Jessy Carveth
Senior News Editor

​The 7 Best Plyometric Exercises For Speed​

Think plyometrics are only for sprinters? Not so.

These seven moves are simple, fast, and surprisingly useful for runners who want a little extra snap in their stride.

​The Marathon Handbook Team Picks Their 2025 Runners Of The Year​

Every November, we try to make sense of the season, and somehow, 2025 made that both impossible and incredibly fun.

From epic championship showdowns to jaw-dropping road performances, this was the year that kept surprising us, and our final Runner of the Year picks certainly reflect that.

​Teens Are Clearing Their Criminal Records By Running A Half Marathon​

In Philadelphia, a group of teenagers is spending the fall training for the half marathon.

It’s not a school team or a club; it’s a diversion program that lets them clear their records by finishing the race.

The work is hard, the stakes are real, and the stories inside the program say more than any courtroom transcript could.

​Two Guys Complete A Marathon Inside A Grocery Store​

Two friends walked into a Lidl and didn’t leave until they’d completed a marathon.

That's 26.2 miles up and down the aisles under fluorescent lights while regular shoppers pretended nothing was happening.

It’s bizarre, strangely watchable, and exactly the kind of running story we didn’t know we needed.

​Run Slow To Run Fast: Use The 80/20 Method To Run Faster​

​The 12 Best Black Friday Deals For Runners, Chosen By Our Editors​

Black Friday is basically a runner’s unofficial holiday, and this year’s deals are genuinely good.

Our editors pulled together the best discounts on watches, recovery tools, shoes, safety gear, and even fuel, the stuff runners actually use.

Whether you're shopping for a friend or “accidentally” shopping for yourself, these are the deals worth grabbing.

​We Ran ALL-OUT In All Three of ASICS' Super Shoes. Which One Is The Best?​

ASICS released three world-beating, carbon-plated racing shoes in 2025 -- and we've set out to learn which one is the best of all. In this video, senior editor Alex Cyr tests out the three super shoes that make up ASICS' Metaspeed Tokyo series: the Sky, the Edge, and the Ray.

After running a hard mile in every pair, Alex explains how each shoe is different, what makes each type unique, and for whom these supershoes are made. Watch along to find out which kind is best for you.

QUICK SPRINTS

• ​The 7 Best Plyometric Exercises For Speed
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• ​How To Start Trail Running: 6 Tips For Beginners To Get Going
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• ​Everything You Need To Know About Running With Gels​