Our monthly recap is here

In case you missed them, we’re bringing you the most-loved stories from the last month. Friends don’t let friends skip important running advice. Cheers!

Minute 1: Getting to the bottom of knee pain

If one of the tires on your car looks underinflated, you don’t check your oil dipstick for a solution, you check your tire pressure. But if you’re experiencing knee, hip, or leg pain, you might skip past those pain points and examine your back instead. Physiotherapist Joe Uhan explains why in: “Hip, Knee, or L3: Leg Pain from the Upper Lumbar Spine in Runners.” Irritation of nerves near the upper lumbar spine (L1–L3) can be the root cause of leg pain. Sudden symptoms without an obvious injury, pain that changes with spinal position, or little relief from treating the leg are reasons to have a clinician look further upstream. For knee pain caused by osteoarthritis, movement may be part of the solution, according to a new story in the Washington Post: “4 knee pain treatments to reconsider — and one that really works.” They report that among 1,212 people with knee arthritis, those who walked for exercise were less likely to develop new pain or worsening joint degeneration over the following two years than non-walkers. The article also questions long-term reliance on ibuprofen, repeated cortisone injections, and certain meniscus surgeries, noting that gentle exercise could be the simplest and most reliable fix to try first. Another study drew a similar conclusion, which you can learn about in “Exercise May Match Common Pain Medications, Major Review Finds.” The analysis spanning more than 221,000 participants found exercise reduced pain by roughly 1.1 points on a 10-point scale. Gentler workouts like yoga and tai chi performed especially well, though the medication comparison came from separate studies rather than direct testing. For the last tool in your pain-management kit, revisit our recent article “Your favorite music could help you push through pain.” Patients listening to their own favorite songs felt less pain during a needle procedure. Maybe a good playlist can help you through your next tough run, too – provided you’re not ignoring signs of injury.

#PainAndSimple

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4. Saucony Paramount Max – Best for runners who are drawn to softness with a less defined feeling underfoot.

Minute 2: Build resilience to handle stress and go the distance

Some days, your brain gets an ultramarathon it never signed up for. Between money worries, work stress, bad news, and everyday problems we can’t always control, building mental resilience could make the load easier to carry. “How to Build Mental Resilience When the World Feels Like It’s Falling Apart” defines resilience as your ability to adapt to stress, recover from setbacks, and keep functioning when life gets difficult. Developing resilience may even support your longevity – a 2024 study of more than 10,000 U.S. adults found that those with the highest psychological resilience were more than 50% less likely to die over 10 years than those with the lowest, after researchers adjusted for several health and lifestyle factors. The experts interviewed recommend challenging absolutist self-talk like “I can’t” or “I always,” stepping outside your comfort zone in small ways, protecting basics like sleep and movement, asking others for support, and remembering past challenges you’ve already handled. Those experiences can become evidence that you’re capable of getting through the next one too. Runners get plenty of chances to practice that skill. In our story “Finding the upside to running through pain,” Sabrina Little argues that manageable discomfort can help develop patience, perseverance, and resilience. Of course, pain has limits. “Normal Running Pain vs. Injury Pain” says dull soreness that fades after a few easier days is generally less concerning, whereas sharp, one-sided, localized, or persistent pain could warrant more caution.

#StressTested

Minute 3: Could blueberries help you pick up the pace?

Trail runners looking to shave minutes off their times might want to take a detour through the produce aisle, according to: “UFV researchers find blueberries may help trail runners pick up the pace.” Researchers recently recruited nine recreational trail runners to test freeze-dried blueberry powder against a placebo. After taking one of the treatments three times daily for seven days, each runner tackled a challenging 22.2-kilometer simulated race. They later switched treatments and repeated the course. With the blueberry supplement, runners finished about seven and a half minutes faster, without reporting greater effort or showing additional physiological strain. Their post-race jump heights also held up better, suggesting a possible recovery benefit. It’s intriguing, although the small study was funded by the US Highbush Blueberry Council, and the researchers’ earlier lab studies found no benefit – so consider this one perspective, not rigorous proof. If you’re adding blueberries to your grocery list, frozen ones deserve a look. “New Research Reveals Frozen Blueberries Contain More Antioxidants Than Fresh, Doctor Breaks It Down” reports that freezing can preserve anthocyanins, and ice crystals may make those antioxidants easier to extract by breaking down cell walls. That doesn’t necessarily mean every frozen berry beats a fresh one, particularly after prolonged storage. And as we pointed out in “Blueberries have company in the antioxidant aisle,” blackberries, black currants, cherries, elderberries, and black rice offer anthocyanins too. We wouldn’t count on any single fruit to take seven minutes off your next trail race, but a varied cart seems like a sensible place to start.

#BerryFast

Minute 4: Strength training may help runners avoid injury, but consistency is key

Forget your squat PR for a moment. The most valuable skill you can develop in the gym might be consistency. We recently covered how to organize your running and lifting sessions in “How to balance running and lifting without burning out,” and now there’s another reason to keep strength work on your schedule. “Why do runners get so many injuries? And does strength training really make a difference?” explains that aerobic fitness can improve within two weeks, but tendons often need at least 12 weeks of consistent loading to grow stronger, and bones may take months or years to adapt. The gap can lead to runners increasing their mileage faster than their tissues can handle. So can lifting help close it? Evidence is mixed. A recent meta-analysis found no overall reduction in running injuries from strength programs, but many participants had poor adherence. Supervised programs, which likely encouraged better consistency, did show positive results. Regardless of injury prevention, strength training has also been shown to improve running economy. The article recommends calf raises, split squats, and deadlifts with relatively heavy weights for sets of five or six reps, along with some plyometrics. That advice lines up with “10 Common Running Injuries: Prevention and Treatment,” which recommends strengthening exercises for problems such as shin splints, Achilles tendinopathy, and plantar fasciitis. If running is your main priority, start with a manageable lifting routine you can repeat each week, and build up gradually. Consistent, sustainable sessions may serve you better than an ambitious workout you only do when the stars align.

#WeightForIt

Minute 5: Is changing your running form worth the effort?

Runners have something in common with snowflakes: no two strides are exactly alike. But is that variance something we should embrace, or something we should try to drill out? According to “Two Hard Ways and One Easy Way to Run More Efficiently,” researchers tested three approaches over a year: retraining running form, switching to minimalist footwear, or simply continuing to run normally. The retraining group improved running economy by 10%, followed by 9% for the minimalist group and 5% for the control group. However, differences weren’t big enough to be statistically significant, meaning that just sticking to a consistent running schedule for a year could be all it takes to boost efficiency. That raises questions about some long-standing running advice. “Heel Striking and the 180 Rule: How Running Form Dogma Took Hold” examines how two popular recommendations – avoiding heel strikes and maintaining a cadence of 180 steps per minute – became widely accepted despite limited supporting evidence. Researchers point out that optimal cadence varies with speed, body size, and individual biomechanics, so not everybody should force the same rate. Similarly, changing your foot strike may simply redistribute stress to different tissues rather than reduce it overall. Our partners at CURREX offer a practical alternative in “Should You Change Your Running Foot Strike?” Instead of forcing an unfamiliar stride, they recommend finding footwear that supports your natural movement. Their RUNPRO insoles are designed with targeted heel and forefoot cushioning, plus adaptive arch support, to improve comfort and stability. If your current stride feels good and isn’t causing problems, you may be better off sticking with what comes naturally.

#HeelThyself

Minute 6: Daily Inspiration

If you’ve ever looked at athletes performing a plyometrics session and thought “I’m about a decade too old for that,” we found a video from @aspirefitnessnj that might change your mind. One inspiring athlete named David, who’s 64 years young, worked with a trainer to tackle the goal of a 3’6” box jump. After 6 weeks of missed attempts (and plenty of training sessions in between), David finally stuck the landing. His coach credits consistent practice and determination, and judging by the video, David had both in spades.