Kings of the Trail #185
Updated: Oct 14
Go Further & Explore More...
"No man can taste the fruits of autumn while he is delighting his scent with the flowers of spring."
Samuel Johnson
You can't enjoy success without putting in the work, there are no shortcuts, as I covered last week. This quote from Samuel Johnson frames that idea in a slightly different and intriguing way. If you think about what spring actually is in an orchard, it's blossom and promise. It may look and smell wonderful, but it isn't yet fruit. In running terms, this is the new shoes, the new training plan and the race you've signed up for. They are all great, but don’t get you that finisher’s medal. The real fruit is borne out of the months in between that nobody sees. Getting up to run in the dark, the Tuesday speed intervals when you are gasping for breath and those hill repeats when your legs would rather be anywhere else. The trap is standing in the blossom and imagining the harvest. So do what you can to truly focus on the work that needs to be done, without skipping ahead to the results. Do today's session properly, then tomorrow's and repeat. Enjoy and embrace the hard discipline of training, because that's where the benefits come from, and the more fully you give yourself to it, the more you get back. Put in the hard work in the spring and you get to enjoy the autumn, harvesting the result you were after…
Until next week, be safe and enjoy the trails...
Americans won both the men’s and women's races at the 2026 edition of the biannual International Association of Ultrarunners 100km World Championships held in Ames, Spain…
For a lot of us, the summer is over...it is starting to get colder and darker, which can mean finding the motivation to get out running is harder. Reclaim the joy with these excellent ideas to help bring back the fun…
The training, build up and the race itself take a lot out of a runner, especially when it’s 108 miles through the Alps. Emily Schmitz guides us through what it takes to recover from such a hard effort…
If you’re looking for a new challenge or place to visit, then this is the list for you. 10 hikes that should be on your bucket list and how to actually complete them…
📸 Gif-sur-Yvette, Paris, France
If you could predict how well a musician’s career will go by who they are asked to open for on tour, then Remi Wolf is on for a stellar career. Having supported Lorde, Paramore, Olivia Rodrigo, and Halsey, she will be a massive star by that metric. The alternative-pop-country-rock-soul singer has called on her new friend, John Mayer, for this lovely slice of pop-soul loveliness. Not my usual jam, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t a wonderful chilled track…
Each week, I update the Kings of the Trail playlist with a new selection of music. Like trail runs or hikes, the playlist will be varied and eclectic, but hopefully, there will be something for everyone to enjoy…
Comments