JOURNAL · GEAR · TRAVEL · TRAINING
FIELD
WORK.
Gear reviews, travel and accommodation guides tied to real events, and honest notes on the boring weeks that make race day possible.
THE WORK BEHIND · 6 MIN READ
The Rise of Running Fashion — and the Quiet Death of Athleisure
Athleisure made running clothes acceptable for the couch. Now the opposite is happening — real running gear, styled for the street, is replacing generic loungewear as the aesthetic that actually matters.
THE WORK BEHIND · 6 MIN READ
Last Soul Ultra 2026: Mark Dowdle Sets New German Backyard Ultra Record After 94 Hours
Mark Dowdle nearly missed the start after a flight delay — he chartered a private jet, landed with 15 minutes to spare, and then ran for four days straight to break the German backyard ultra record.
THE WORK BEHIND · 9 MIN READ
The Clock Doesn't Care Who You Are: 12 Celebrities Who Raced Marathons, IRONMAN and HYROX
Fame might get you recognised at the start line. It will not carry you through the final ten kilometres, move a sled, or make the heat in Kona feel any less brutal. The real, recorded finish times behind twelve of the world's most recognisable names.
CULTURE · 6 MIN READ
Is Strava the New Dating App?
No swipe deck, no bio, no lukewarm coffee — just a shared 10K pace. Why an entire generation is treating a fitness-tracking app like a dating app.
THE WORK BEHIND · 6 MIN READ
XENOM Wants to Be Hybrid Fitness's Decathlon — Here's What That Actually Means
A new competition just landed $15 million, an official CrossFit partnership, and a fixed 10-event format built to do something no hybrid fitness competition has managed yet: let you compare your score against anyone, anywhere, any year.
VORBEREITUNG · 7 MIN READ
How to Actually Get Into the Races Everyone Says Are Impossible
The lottery isn't the only door in. Charity bibs, tour operator packages and streak entries get thousands of runners into NYC, Chicago and Boston every year without ever winning a drawing.
THE WORK BEHIND · 6 MIN READ
Why a Two-Time Olympic Champion Is Racing Norseman
A two-time Olympic champion just lined up for the hardest ticket in triathlon — harder to get into than an Ivy League school, and it starts with a 5am leap off a ferry into a Norwegian fjord.
VORBEREITUNG · 6 MIN READ
Why Run Clubs Are the New Bars
Zero cover charge, zero hangover, and — according to the data — a genuinely better shot at meeting people who stick around. Here's why group runs quietly became the social scene.
THE WORK BEHIND · 8 MIN READ
THE WORK BEHIND #001 — How Jutta Leerdam Trains: The Strength, Speed and Fuel Behind an Olympic Champion
Olympic gold in the 1000m, an Olympic record, redemption after Beijing 2022 silver — and one of the biggest platforms in sport. Here's the actual training behind Jutta Leerdam's breakthrough, not just the highlight reel.
THE WORK BEHIND · 8 MIN READ
THE WORK BEHIND #002 — How Aimee Cringle Trains: Inside the 2026 Fittest Woman on Earth's Preparation
From 5,446th in the CrossFit Open to Fittest Woman on Earth in six years — and a former nurse from the Isle of Man who still trains like she has something to prove. Here's the real structure behind Aimee Cringle's 2026 CrossFit Games win.
GADGETS · 7 MIN READ
Garmin vs Apple Watch Ultra 3: The Battery Gap That Decides Everything
Both brands released major updates this year. For hobby athletes training for HYROX, marathons or triathlon, the real question isn't which watch is "better" — it's which philosophy actually fits how you train.
GESUNDHEITS-TRACKING · 6 MIN READ
Your HRV Score Is Lying to You (Kind Of)
Heart rate variability shows up on every wearable now, but does a daily HRV number actually change what a hobby athlete should do that day? Here's what it measures, what it doesn't, and how to use it without obsessing over it.
VORBEREITUNG · 6 MIN READ
The Race-Morning Mistake That Wrecks More Races Than Bad Training
The gap between a personal best and hitting the wall often comes down to what happened at breakfast. Here's the timing and composition that sports science actually agrees on.
VORBEREITUNG · 7 MIN READ
Your Odds of Getting Into London Marathon Are Brutal — Here's the Data
London, NYC, Berlin, Chicago, Tokyo, Boston, Sydney, Cape Town — eight Majors, eight very different ways in. Here's how the ballots actually work and where your odds are genuinely better than you think.
GADGETS · 6 MIN READ
Whoop Just Got Real Competition: Garmin Cirqa and Polar Loop Compared
Whoop had the screenless recovery-band space mostly to itself for years. Garmin just launched a genuine, subscription-free competitor — and Polar's been quietly building one too.
LEISTUNGSDIAGNOSTIK · 6 MIN READ
At-Home Lactate Testing: Is It Worth It for a Hobby Athlete, or Just a Lab Test You Do Yourself
Handheld lactate meters used to live in pro training camps. Now you can buy one for the price of a decent pair of shoes. Here's whether that's actually useful — or a free field-test method gets you 90% of the way there.
VORBEREITUNG · 5 MIN READ
The 3-Week Taper: What Hobby Athletes Get Wrong Right Before Race Day
You did the training. Don't waste it in the last three weeks by panicking, cramming, or resting so hard you go flat. Here's the taper hobby athletes actually need.
GESUNDHEITS-TRACKING · 6 MIN READ
Glucose Monitors for People Who Don't Have Diabetes: Hype or Genuinely Useful for Training
CGMs used to mean a prescription and a diagnosis. Now anyone can stick one on their arm for €50 a month. Here's what it can and can't tell a hobby athlete.
LONGEVITY · 6 MIN READ
Grip Strength: The Weird Longevity Marker Everyone's Suddenly Talking About
No blood draw, no lab, no wearable — just a squeeze. Here's what the research actually says about grip strength and aging, and how to test (and build) your own.
RACES · 5 MIN READ
99 Laps: The Elimination Race Where Nobody Knows When It Ends
One loop. Fifteen minutes. Whoever finishes last gets eliminated. Meet the race format behind 99 Laps — and why it might be the most-watched debut of the year.
VORBEREITUNG · 6 MIN READ
Zone 2 Training Explained for People Who Just Want to Finish, Not Win
Everyone's suddenly talking about Zone 2. Here's what it actually is, why it works, and how to find your own without a lab.
RACES · 7 MIN READ
HYROX vs. DEKA vs. FLATOUT: Which Hybrid Race Should a First-Timer Actually Sign Up For
Three different hybrid fitness races, three different vibes. Here's the honest breakdown for someone picking their first one, not their tenth.
GADGETS · 6 MIN READ
Oura Ring 5 vs. Whoop 5.0: Which One Actually Helps a Hobby Athlete Train Smarter
Oura just shrank the Ring 5 by 40% and Whoop keeps getting more aggressive about coaching. Here's which one is worth it if you're training for a race, not a living.
GEAR · 7 MIN READ
The Only Carbon-Plated Shoe Worth Racing In? The ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo Reviewed
Carbon race shoes now come from nearly every major running brand. Few manage to be extremely light, aggressive and marathon-capable at the same time — the ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo belongs to that small group.
TRAINING · 5 MIN READ
The Case for a Boring Training Week
The most underrated block in your season is the one where nothing interesting happens.
RACE PREVIEW · 8 MIN READ
YOUR FIRST HYROX: WHAT RACE DAY ACTUALLY FEELS LIKE
An honest walkthrough of your first HYROX — from the warm-up area to the wall balls.
GEAR NOTE · 4 MIN READ
RACE MORNING LAYERS: WHAT TO WEAR BEFORE THE START
A simple, repeatable layering system for cold start lines and warm finish chutes.
HYBRID · 6 MIN READ
HYROX RACE DAY CHECKLIST
A calm, practical checklist for the final week and the start line.