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​Running News : Training Tips : Training Plans : Shoes+Gear : YouTube : Podcast​

Hi runners, 👋🏼 Katelyn here with newsletter #679!

We’re back from The Running Event, and the sneak peeks into 2026 keep coming.

Today is packed with new shoe previews, performance-boosting training guides, and some truly standout racing moments from the roads this weekend:

• How to run a sub-90-minute half-marathon: A complete roadmap to mastering pacing, workouts, and race strategy to break the 90-minute barrier.
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• 2026 Hoka and Saucony running shoes previews | Your first look at both Hoka and Saucony’s updated models rolling out next year.
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• Courtney Dauwalter shaves eleven minutes off her best at the California International Marathon: The trail legend proves her road speed, coming within two minutes of the OTQ standard.
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• The power of reverse periodization for performance gains: Why flipping the traditional training model can unlock new levels of speed and efficiency.
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• How to increase your HRV: Science-supported ways to boost recovery, resilience, and overall performance.
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• All the records and stats you missed from the 2025 Valencia Marathon: Course records, national records, and marathon depth, unlike anything we’ve seen—Valencia delivered.

Happy running! 🏃🏻‍♀️⭐

Katelyn Tocci
Managing Editor
Head Coach

Take on the Great Ocean Road Running Festival, presented by Melrose, and experience a run like no other. From the 60KM Ultra to the iconic Melrose 44KM Great Ocean Road Marathon, here is your next big challenge.

Join us on 16 - 17 May 2026 and choose from one of eight incredible distances, each with a view worth running for. Your coastal challenge awaits. Register below!

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

​Latest Podcast: Why the Valencia Marathon Is So Fast​

The 2025 Valencia Marathon produced one of the most electric race days in recent memory: John Korir’s bold mid-race tactics paid off, Joyciline Jepkosgei crushed the course record, triathlete-turned-marathoner Alex Yee stunned the distance world, and national records fell left and right.
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Jessy Carveth joins Michael Doyle for a full instant-reaction breakdown — including whether Valencia deserves World Marathon Major status and if anyone alive can actually break two hours.

WATCH NOW Or listen and subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts:

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

​FIRST LOOK: HOKA's 2026 Lineup, Including The Clifton 11, Mach 7, and Zinal 3​

The Marathon Handbook team traveled to The Running Event in San Antonio, Texas, to check out Hoka's new line of running shoes for 2026.
Managing Editor Katelyn Tocci and Senior Editor Alex Cyr present the next three HOKA shoes to launch: the reliable Clifton 11, the speedy Mach 7 (above), and the rugged Zinal 3.

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

​WATCH: 2026 Saucony Shoe Preview l Triumph 24 AND Hurricane 26​

Here, Managing Editor Katelyn Tocci speaks with Luca Ciccone, director of product engineering at Saucony, about two of the running shoe company's new and improved sneakers: the Triumph 24 and Hurricane 26.

Here, they talk about the purpose of each shoe, how they differ from their predecessors, and the secrets behind Saucony's all-new foam.

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

​The Power Of Reverse Periodization For Performance Gains​

Reverse periodization flips the traditional training model on its head, and it can be a game-changer for building speed and race-specific fitness.

As a coach, this is one of the approaches I use when designing my own training cycles and the plans I build for athletes.

Expert coach and UESCA director Rick Prince breaks down how it works and when it can make you stronger.

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

​Courtney Dauwalter Shaves Eleven Minutes Off Her Best At California International Marathon​

Courtney Dauwalter, my absolute idol, returned to the roads this weekend, and what happened at CIM turned her “just-for-fun” marathon experiment into something far more intriguing.

With a massive breakthrough and a near-miss that shocked even longtime fans, her fall detour might be leading somewhere none of us expected.

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

​How To Increase HRV (Heart Rate Variability): 11 Evidence-Backed Strategies​

Runners love metrics, pace, heart rate, and VO₂max because they offer a window into how well the body is adapting to training.

HRV might be one of the most insightful metrics of all, revealing your stress levels, recovery status, and overall readiness to perform.

We break down what HRV really means and how to improve it in healthy, sustainable ways.

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

​All The Records And Stats You Missed From The 2025 Valencia Marathon​

Valencia delivered one of the most statistically wild marathon mornings we’ve seen in years as records fell, national standards tumbled, and the depth was almost hard to believe.

But buried beneath the headlines are the details that tell the real story. Here are the numbers everyone’s still talking about.

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

What’s A Good Marathon Time? Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability

​How To Run A Sub 90 Minute Half Marathon: Guide + Training Plan​

Breaking the 90-minute half-marathon barrier is a massive milestone.

If you're ready to chase that same breakthrough, this guide lays out the exact training structure, workouts, and race-day strategies to get you there.

Let’s make sub-90 your new reality.

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QUICK SPRINTS

• ​Marathon Training Motivation – 15 Ways To Stay On Track​
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• ​Half Marathon Pace Calculator: Plan Your Target Pace​
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• ​Free Half Marathon Training Plans For All Abilities​