HOKA ONE ONE® | Running, Nutrition, and Running Fitness Blog

HOKA on the podium at Trail World Championships

Last weekend saw a number of HOKA athletes compete for their countries at the 2019 IAU and ITRA World Trail Running Championships.

There was a feelgood festival vibe as more than 400 athletes from around the world descended on the Portuguese town of Miranda Do Corvo to tackle the 44km race.

Athletes kicked back to conserve as much energy as possible on the eve of the race. The technical terrain would feature more than 2,200m of climbing and certainly put the athletes through their paces.

The atmosphere on race day was electric. Team HOKA were represented in the men’s event by Italy’s Marco de Gasperi and the French quartet of Julien Rancon, Ludovic Pommeret, Nicolas Martin and Emmanuel Meyssat.

Fans flanked the course to help propel the athletes to the finish line. Nicolas certainly channeled the energy from the crowds and made every second count.

It turned out to be an excellent day for Julien and the France national trail running team. Julien, who specialises in shorter-distance trail running, surged into second position with a quarter of the race to run and didn’t look back.

“I was far back on the start line and had to make an effort to get up with the leading group. I didn’t really enjoy the first part as it was very technical, so stayed patient until the first refreshment station. I felt very good going uphill, got into second at the top of the course and managed to keep my second place to the line. Crossing the line was a very emotional moment.” HOKA athlete Julien Rancon.

The athletes, fans and organisers certainly made the 2019 World Trail Running Championships epic. Julien led the French quartet featuring HOKA athletes Nicolas, Emmanuel and Ludovic to team gold. Bravo team France: world trail running champions 2019.

Photo credit: PEIGNÉE VERTICALE

HOKA fan Jared running across Belarus in search of family roots

HOKA fan Jared Goldman will embark on a challenging and personal journey this summer. On 10 August, Jared will start his 230km run across Belarus to learn about himself and the land of his ancestors. Read on to find out more about Jared and how he is is aiming to open doors to his past, present and future.

I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. My dad is from East St. Louis, which is just over the Mississippi River in Illinois. We are not really sure why or how his grandparents ended up there. His grandfather was a shoemaker, and his father was a pharmacist.

They were Jewish immigrants. My great-grandfather arrived in America in 1910, bringing his son (my grandfather – pictured below) and wife three years later. From what I understand, this was very normal at the time, with the Russian pogroms and antisemitism on the rise.

Family history

I remember a few Jewish holidays growing up, going to their house and celebrating with them. I can remember the layout of the house, the bedroom, dining room, office. The memories come back the more that I think about it, even as I write this.

I was once given a big bag of silver dollars from them. This is the only thing, that I can remember them giving me, and that I still have to this day. They are so important to me as a family heirloom that I have them locked up in my mother’s safety deposit box at the bank in the United States.

Rebellious youth

My mother converted to Judaism after she married my father. As you can imagine, for my father to marry a gentile must have a been a major family topic. I would say that my mother took on the religion head on. Growing up, she was very active in the Jewish community in St. Louis and is still to this day.

When I was younger [Jared pictured above with his family], I had to go to Sunday school and Hebrew school and to have a Bar Mitzvah. This is where my rebellion started. I was mean and nasty to my mother, particularly since my parents were divorced, and felt that, even at that age, I wanted to be able to make my own religious choices. I was never sure that this was the one that I identified with.

Going traveling

I left to go traveling in 1999. One year was my mission, while looking for work to extend the party. I ended up in Berlin, far from where I grew up and far from my parents. This is how I wanted it.

But over the years, I started to forget why I had been angry and went back once a year to visit. I developed a deeper bond with my parents, and a genuine interested in my family history. I started asking more and more questions. Every time I visited, I would ask my dad to show me all his pictures and tell me about what he knew about his family.

There was always a bit of an unknown as to where my grandfather’s parents were from. The more I looked into it, I discovered they are originally from Belarus.

Finding running

I found running some years ago. It changed my life, it sobered me up and it has taught me a lot about myself. Now I want to use this project to learn more about myself and my family by running through the birth country of my ancestors.

I want to pay respect to my family by doing something that I feel passionate about and to show them that I am not running away, but that I am running home.

I want to see and get a feel for where they are from. I want to discover Belarus by foot. I hope not to bring closure but to learn more about this land, and to find out more information about my family. I hope it does the opposite to closure. I hope that it opens up new doors to both the past, present and future.

Jared is wearing the Clifton 5. You can follow Jared’s journey this summer on Instagram @jareddanielgoldman and via his website www.jareddanielgoldman.com.

Photo credit: Jared Goldman and Sandra Wickert

HOKA fans Mark and Hayley conquer the world’s toughest ultra

The 6633 Arctic Ultra isn’t a race for the faint-hearted. The 380-mile race crosses the line of the Arctic Circle. It is regarded by many as the toughest, coldest, windiest ultra distance footrace on the planet. Three-quarters of people who start the race don’t finish. Mark Whittle and Hayley White are two people that did. The pair from the UK left their bodies and souls out on the course. But it was worth it. Exhausted, they finished joint-fifth on their first and probably only attempt at the race. Find out how Mark and Hayley prepared for the challenge, what went through their minds during the race and the emotion as they crossed the finish line after nine days of running.

What made you want to take on the 6633 Arctic Ultra?

Mark (M): Honestly, I’m not 100% sure why I chose the 6633 Arctic Ultra, but I do know that after many years in the triathlon world I needed a different challenge. I considered doing a double or triple IRONMAN, but even that wasn’t enough. I needed something that really scares me and takes me out of comfort zone, and the 6633 really scared the crap out of me!

Hayley (H): I heard about the 6633 through Jonny, a medic and race organiser of TrailMed. I had barely finished Deadwater and he turned to me and said, ‘I know of a race you would love.’ Barely three weeks after Deadwater, I Googled the 6633 and registered that day.

What is your background in the sport?

(M): I played football and rugby as a child and on joining the Royal Air Force I played every sport imaginable. In 1999, I did my first triathlon and I was hooked on triathlon and IRONMAN from that point onwards. I’ve completed several IRONMAN triathlons and represented GB at age-group level multiple times.

(H): As a chronic asthmatic from three-years-old, I took part in little to no exercise. I always fancied taking part but it always ended in me keeling over with an attack. It wasn’t until I was 17 yrs old that I joined a gym and took part in my first step class. After six months, I attempted a jog. In 1996, I completed my first marathon in London and I haven’t looked back. I have done multiple marathons, Ultras and an IRONMAN.

What were the most extreme conditions you faced during the race?

(M): The temperatures dropped to a reported temperature of -32’c about halfway through the race. That was pretty chilly! We got blasted one day with very strong winds, I don’t know the speed, but that day was a head down, grinding kind of day.

(H): The temperatures for sure. It was how quickly you became cold and almost unfunctional with your hands. Once you lose the function of your hands, you’re in dangerous territory. You have to respect the environment.

How did you prepare for the race?

(M): Preparing for a race that has such extremes of temperature is quite difficult in the UK. I didn’t have access to an industrial freezer, so the majority of my training time was fitness and mental training, and practising my systems (sleep, clothing and equipment). I spent a lot of time training. With such a high ‘DNF’ (Did Not Finish) rate for this race, I knew I didn’t want to do something silly and put my race in danger in the early stages of the race.

(H): I’m being totally honest; once I knew I was in, I had a new focus on my training and preparation. I love all the preparation of kit, training programme design, etc. I foolishly thought I would just keep upping my game. Looking into the DNF rate and doing some thorough research after the training weekend in November 2018, it was then that I realised I needed to have way more respect for the extreme conditions. I changed my prep and knew that, while I was confident in my physical fitness and mental strength, nothing was guaranteed.

What kit and equipment did you have and how did you choose it?

(M): With such extremes of temperature, your choice of clothing and equipment is vital. We were lucky that the race director owns an excellent local outdoor shop called Likeys, so we received excellent advice and guidance on the choices available and the pros and cons of all the options. I used the HOKA ONE ONE Speedgoat MID, tested it thoroughly in the UK and it worked really, really well in the Yukon.

(H): The training weekend last November at Brecon Beacons was the perfect opportunity to question and research kit. However, certain brands of kit I always have because I trust and love them. I have worn different models and specifications of HOKA. I have worn them throughout training over the last four years and more specifically for the Sahara (Marathon de Sables). I chose HOKA Speedgoat for the Arctic.

How did you stay focused during the race?

(M): The mental game was key during the race. With fatigue and lack of sleep, and knowing you had hundreds of miles left to cover, you had to stay focused and just concentrate on the immediate task at hand. Thinking too far ahead was foolish, so breaking it down into smaller chunks was the key.

(H): The mental strength needed for this race is beyond explanation. I have had to dig deep in many ultras but this was one huge emotional rollercoaster. Preparation is key. Knowing your systems and kit and having good solid physical fitness is a given. You then need to want to cross that finish line come what may.

How did you factor in eating and sleeping?

(M): We decided we would have a break every two hours and stop for 15 minutes to either have some food, a snack or some hot drinks. This worked really well as we could break up the race into smaller chunks and keep focused. For sleep, we just stopped when we needed it, but it was mainly just a quick hour sleep on the ice, then get going again. There were quite tight cut-offs during the race, so we didn’t have the luxury of sleeping lots. In fact, I had 19 hours sleep in 9 days of racing.

(H): During my training I had practised a few different systems of eat and sleep (rest) as I wasn’t confident one system would work. I didn’t want to go with just one either. Mark and I had both done the two hours on, 15 minutes rest approach. It worked a treat. In hindsight, I would tell anyone training for this to do that too.

What was the biggest challenge you overcame to complete the race?

(M): For me, it wasn’t the tiredness, the hallucinations or the aching muscles. I had stomach issues halfway through the race which really drained me. At that point I thought my whole race might be over.

(H): The extreme cold makes everything so much harder and slower. I couldn’t help thinking how much quicker completing say 20 miles would be if we could run. But you can’t. So I found it incredibly frustrating the time it took to complete the distances.

Did you run the race together and intend to finish together?

(M): Yes and no. We did do the whole race together but it wasn’t pre-planned. Maybe after a day together, we agreed it would be more beneficial if we stayed together – and we were proved correct.

(H): It certainly wasn’t planned that way. But in fact, it worked a treat. We both had issues that arose during the race and, being together, it was definitely a case of two heads better thinking it through than one!

How important was it to have somebody close by during the race?

(M): Very important! When one of us was struggling, the other one would pull them through. There were so many times when teamwork was the only way we got past a certain obstacle. I have no doubt it would have been a totally different race if we hadn’t been side by side.

(H): Teamwork definitely made the Whittle and White dream work. I don’t want to think about what might have happened had we not been there for each other.

How did you feel crossing the finish line?

(M): I was very, very pleased, but totally drained. I was expecting it to be quite emotional on crossing the finish line, maybe even a few tears, but it wasn’t like that at all. Perhaps the emotional rollercoaster that we’d been on over the previous nine days had taken all the emotion out of it and we were just getting the job done. Or maybe I was just too damn tired. Don’t get me wrong, it was amazing. There just wasn’t any emotion left to come out.

(H): I had spent so much time mentally visualising crossing that finish line both before the race and during. In fact, doing so during the race pulled me through some very tough times. I had anticipated a huge emotional finish. However, I think the relief and sheer exhaustion meant I had no emotion left. I had crossed that finish line. Job done.

Do you plan to do it again?

(M): In one word…NO!

(H): No.

Would you recommend the race?

(M): I would, but the bottom line with the 6633 Arctic Ultra is that it gobbles you up and spits you out. The commitment required is massive, you have to go deep, deeper than you thought possible, and if you’re prepared to leave part of your soul out on the ice, then you just might succeed.

(H): I would, but boy do you need to do your homework. You need to be fit and exceptionally mentally strong. You have to prepare in every way with your kit. Know everything inside out and more. Things will go wrong and you need to be able to adapt and quickly.

Where do you go from here having completed the world’s toughest race?

(M): A lot of people are asking, ‘what’s next?’ I guess that’s a normal question when you’ve done something big. My usual response to that is: a rest, spend time with the family and pay off my credit card bills. A few people have suggested some races and crazy adventures, but for right now, I’m happy spending a bit more time at home and letting my body and mind recover a bit.

(H): I don’t know to be honest. I am just enjoying being back with my family and back to running again. My body and mind needs a rest.

Photo credit: Weronika Murray

HOKA athletes face test of strength and endurance

“I was worried about whether I would be able to handle the demands of the course,” says Jenny. “But that’s the great thing about cross country, it is unpredictable. I told myself that everyone else would be thinking the same thing, and that it was the World Cross Country Championships, it was supposed to be hard!”

One week on and HOKA ONE ONE athletes, Jenny Nesbitt and Adam Hickey, are still very much feeling the effects of one of the most “brutal” cross country races they have both ever competed in.

Described by some as the “greatest footrace in the world”, the World Cross Country Championship is a biennial event that gathers the best distance runners in the world. It’s an occasion steeped in history and occupies a unique place in the hearts and minds of grassroots fans and distance runners.

And the race in Aarhus, Denmark exactly one week ago certainly lived up to the billing.

Living up to the hype

Much of the talk in the lead up to the race was about the course. The two-kilometre loop, completed five times by both the senior men and women, featured a cheering tent, ‘Viking Zone’, sand pit and rooftop running. It was innovative and different.

It was also “extremely undulating” according to Adam, and started with a 400m hill. Paths covered in sand sapped energy from tired legs. Long climbs and steep descents hammered the legs and exhausted the mind. There was little respite.

“The biggest takeaway from the whole experience is, without a doubt, the pain in my legs,” laughs Adam, who goes on to describe the Clifton 5 as a “godsend” in his recovery runs since.

“I didn’t really appreciate just how steep the hill up to the roof of the museum was or just how relentless the course would be,” says Jenny, who raced in the Evo XC Spike and finished 34^th overall. She was also part of the Great Britain team who finished a creditable fourth.

“I don’t think there will ever be a race like it again. I certainly wanted to get the opportunity to be able to say I had been there and done it!”

True test of strength and endurance

Both Jenny and Adam earned the chance to test themselves against some of the very best distance runners in the world by winning the UK trial event last month.

It was Jenny’s first time at the World Cross Country Championships. For 30-year-old Adam, it was his fourth appearance, having competed as a junior between 2005 and 2007. The road to his first senior outing, though, didn’t run smoothly.

Starting almost from scratch at the beginning of January after an ankle injury last autumn, Adam has gone from local county champion to 51^st in the world in just twelve weeks.

With the race more an ambition than an expectation at the start of the year, the firefighter and father-of-two cut short a family holiday with his wife Katie, two young sons Leo and Beau, and his parents to join up with the Great Britain team in Denmark last Friday.

Rubbing shoulders with the elite

For the first time at the World Cross Country Championships, club runners also had the opportunity to run alongside their heroes and be part of the event. One of those was HOKA ONE ONE field support representative, Joe Wade.

Joe (pictured below with HOKA NAZ Elite athlete Steph Bruce) was gifted a sub-elite place in the main race as a 30th birthday present from his twin brother, Tom.

So, how does Joe’s World Cross Country Championship experience compare to Jenny and Adam?

“Pure fun!” he enthuses. “Running in such a high-profile race without any pressure, rubbing shoulders with that calibre of athlete, was unforgettable.

“The course was something special, and the involvement of Mikkeller brought a real party feel to the whole thing.

“The organisers made everyone really feel part of it all and, for me, just having the opportunity to run was special.”

Photo credit: Emmie Collinge/Phil Gale and Joe Wade

Quickfire questions for a Guinness World Record holder

Bjørn Tore Tavanger set the Guinness World Record last year for the longest distance run on a treadmill in 24 hours by a man. But what made him take on the challenge? What went through his mind during the run? And who was his favourite celebrity guest runner? Read on to discover more about the Norwegian distance-runner.

What inspired you to take on the 24-hour treadmill challenge?

I organised the attempt together with my family at Aktiv365 and my local newspaper, Bergens Avisen (BA). BA streamed the event for the whole 24 hours. We had the best treadmill in the world and I had a new celebrity on the treadmill next to mine every hour. The greatest celebrity was Kygo.

I wanted to give it a shot above all because of two things. Firstly, to break the Guinness World Record, of course. And secondly, I wanted to raise money for all the children at Bergen city’s local hospital, Haukeland Sykehus. We raised $12,350 USD in the end. The organisation, Haukelands Venner, distribute the money to the children who need it most, and, knowing that all the money we raised is helping a lot of people who really need it, really inspired me.

How did you prepare for the record attempt?

I train a lot. I run somewhere between 245 and 260 kilometres every week throughout the year. I’m the strongest person mentally, probably the strongest in the world, even if I say so myself. I always run my second running session on my own treadmill at home, which helped for the record attempt. I used the HOKA Napali for training and the record itself. And, of course, I hung yellow post-it notes for two months all over my house telling me that I was going to break the Guinness World Record!

What went through your mind while you were running?

Everything and nothing. I was focused on not falling off the treadmill. I just tried to keep one foot in front of the other. I set my treadmill to 11.1 km per hour from the start, and kept that speed for the first 23 hours. I managed to increase the speed for the final hour and ran the last 15 minutes at 13.2 km/hour! It was just awesome having all the celebrities on my side cheering for me too. This offered a welcome distraction.

Can you briefly describe the story of the 24 hours?

Just before the race started, we had the Superman theme blasting out on the loud speakers. When I started to run, we played the song Run by the Swedish band Nomy. After 6 hours and 7 minutes, I fell off the treadmill! I was talking too much to my friend and the Norwegian rower, Ulrik Wie, while eating Mr Lee, a hot boiled soup with pasta and chicken. Apart from that, it when really well. That’s rock ‘n’ roll. I didn’t hurt myself at all! I stopped eating the pasta and went over to pizzas!

The most difficult part was between hours 15 and 16 – because I really needed to take a pee! Right after I finished my 16th hour of running, I quickly nipped to the toilet for the first time since I started running. I only had to go to the loo once during the day, and from hours 16 to 18, I knew I was going to crush the Guinness World Record! That was an awesome feeling.

What was the atmosphere like?

The crowd and atmosphere was amazing. It really couldn’t have been any better. People were crazy! I had a blast for 24 hours. There was so much support from all the celebrities, me being a circus by myself, family, and all my musician friends – William Hut, Molly Go Go, Subshine – who played pop and rock on the sidelines. Awesomeness!

What does your family think?

All of them still think that this is by far the most amazing thing they have ever witnessed. The atmosphere during the last hour was totally electric. My family and friends were helping out throughout the event and everybody did an amazing job. To have my wife and little girl on the sideline as I finished the job was amazing. There were a lot of happy tears.

And where do you go from here?

I’m going for the gold medal in the World Championships of 24 hours Running in Albi, France from 26-27 October. It’s going to be like 420 people form 75-80 different nations competing. The gold medal is coming home to Norway!

Photo credit: Rune Johansen, Bergens Avisen