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Every edition I strive to deliver free and fantastic value to you, often including: Trail hacks, running and hiking news, nutritious recipes, big hairy audacious race reports, wholesome articles and book, podcast and blog shoutouts about all things trails! All this, just once a month - make sure you're subscribed.

Baked into this issue

• A quote to inspire

• BHAG report: Burn the boats

• Top Tweets: Gross.

• Food to Fuel: Lecker Stroopwafels

• Bucket List Hikes: Softrock, the normal persons Hardrock100

• Trail Strength: Fast and slow Steps ups

• Podcast, Book and Blog Shout outs

• News round up

ps. Make sure to click "Display images" at the top of this email, if they're not showing.

See you out there,

Shaun

#1. Embrace Freedom

#2. Not trail related but heck this is a bloody awesome ad by liquid death. It’d make you laugh, cringe or maybe, just maybe, thirsty…

I’d love to have a big audacious goal to tell you about from myself but alas, it can’t always be big adventures and rainbows. In saying that though, time is now on my side!

Because I’ve burnt the boats.

I’ve just recently closed the door on my Physiotherapy clinic, permanently. That means more time with the kids, more time on the trails and more time to work on my side projects that have been on the back burner for far too long.

Closing our business and stopping full time work isn’t usual for a 32 year old but heck, I love to take risks and I’m excited to see what it will bring. I KNOW it will bring more time on the trails. I’ve got some local FKTs (fastest known times) I want to try and smash as well as a goal to get in some proper training with at least 3 runs per week and 2-3 good strength sessions. In the past with work, young kids and the habit of taking on as much as I can, I’ve raced big trails with minimal training, going in very much undercooked.

I’m also going to be able to put more time into this newsletter and maybe even bump it up to twice a week, as well as going full time on my ecommerce brand, Creepers Socks.

Burn the boats?
This is a line I’ve borrowed that I love. it’s form a quote by Julius Caesar and for me it means fulling committing to something. Not having your foot it two camps. Otherwise, by knowing you always have a parachute or someone there to catch you, how could you full commit and known you’ve given it your all?

Julius Caesar famously said, “If you want to take the island, burn the boats!” 2000 years ago when Caesar set out to conquer England by water, he found himself face to face with his own soldiers preparing to retreat.

Caesar, ordered all the ships to be burned. This was a powerful message to his enemies, but an even more powerful one to his own men. With no ability to retreat, his army was now 100% committed to doing whatever it took to succeed.

*Got a story to tell? The Beating Sole newsletter is about you and getting out and active. it's about growing ourselves through challenges, experiences, and community. We want to hear about an audacious goal that you've taken on. Send me (Shaun) an email HERE

"You can't go wrong with getting strong."

This builds power on the way up and eccentric, shock absorbing strength on the way down.

1. Place one foot (e.g. Right foot) on the top of the step, bench or box (the higher, the harder it is)

2. Step up but instead of putting your other foot onto the box, drive your left knee up until your thigh is horizontal (Should now be standing on legged on top).

3. Now slowly lower your foot (left in this case) back down to the ground, in full control.

4. Repeat, 8-10 times that side and then swap legs and do 2-3 sets of this. Add weights if it’s too easy as we want it tough to do 8 with quality.

It’s a simple high step up, on legged when you drive up, then control down. Example in vid below:

**Have you got a tip that you want to share? Let me know, contribute to our community and get a shoutout. Email me

A huge bonus of regular exercise and sweating it out in the great outdoors? A great appetite and a need for refueling. We’re here to help hit the sweet spot with tasty, nutritious recipes by yours truly, great blogs or, sent in by you.

These things are magical.
Thin, sweet waffle cookies, sandwiched together with caramel or honey filling…

You may have heard of them before and there’s a few popular brands for runners, hikers and generally those with a sweet tooth. Honey Stinger Waffle is the most well known but there’s also GU Stroopwafels or a quick amazon search shows you there’s a heap of brands.

They’re not one of those things you should probably eat all the time as a snack but as a very tasty snack to fuel you and give energy out on the trails - is there anything better?

You can buy them from some stores on online but at almsot $2 per waffle, if you love them, there’s the option of getting a pizzelle maker and whipping them up yourself. Here’s a good recipe, but google is your friend as there is a lot out there.

Enjoy

Softrock. Hike, run or fast-pack the Hardrock100 course

Get the beauty, majesty and adventure of the Hardrock 100 endurance run, without the suffering (not as much anyway).

LOCATION: Colorado
DISTANCE: 100 Miles
TIME: 4-5 days
BEST TIME OF YEAR: July-August to see the epic wildflowers (but maybe not on race week)

Each year the Hardrock100 endurance race gets over 2000 entrants, but not only is it tough to quality to even get your name in the ballet, only 146 people get picked to take on the race.

Enter “softrock”. The informal name for hiking or running the Hardrock 100 mile race, boken up over several days, rather than within 48 hours with no rest, little sleep and through the night….

“The loop is still an enormous challenge, but breaking it up over several days and the chance to stop in the mountain towns of Telluride and Ouray for overnight rest breaks, meals and additional provisions make it a bit more palatable. Some ‘Softrockers’ will camp each night (with or without a sag wagon of supplies), while others stay in hotels.”

You can read more online, but here’s is a couple of write-ups I enjoyed:

Does it make your bucket list? What's on the top of your list? let me know on Twitter and it may just make it into the next edition.

“This tiny 4 bunk alpine hut is the highest in the North island sitting at 2080m., It also sits just meters from a 100m vertical drop into the river valley below. Amazing that this hut has been there since the 1960s enduring eruptions, lahars, snow and crazy wind speeds in this desolate landscape. With some of the best views overlooking the plains of the desert road and Kaimanawa ranges.(New Zealand)” Credit Jonathan Saunders

FYI: In case you missed previous versions, I’ll start compiling a list of the books I mention each month soon.

This month: Born to Run: A hidden tride, superathletes, and the greatest race the world has ever seen.

Short description: Isolated by Mexico's deadly Copper Canyons, the blissful Tarahumara Indians have honed the ability to run hundreds of miles without rest or injury. In a riveting narrative, award-winning journalist and often-injured runner Christopher McDougall sets out to discover their secrets. In the process, he takes his readers from science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America.

This is a great read and a classic, by Christopher McDougall.

If you've got a podcast, book or blog post you loved lately that is inspiring, wholesome, or just bloody good, send me a message on Twitter

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See you out there,

Shaun

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