Alright, runners, December is officially here, and with it comes the annual tradition of... well, running dressed as Santa Claus! You see them every year at holiday fun runs, a sea of red and white, usually wobbling along, looking festive. But what you might not know is that there's a serious (and seriously hilarious) world record chase happening behind those jolly outfits. There's actually a Guinness World Record for the "Fastest Marathon Dressed as Santa Claus." And folks, the current record is 2 hours, 55 minutes, and 50 seconds! Think about that for a second. That's a sub-3 hour marathon. That's a pace that would leave 99% of regular, spandex-wearing marathoners in the dust. And this guy did it while sweating buckets in a full felt suit, probably a fake beard, and potentially some very un-aerodynamic jingle bells. I ran as Venom once, and that was hot and awkward. I can't even imagine the chafe situation in a full Santa suit for 26.2 miles! It takes a special kind of dedication to both speed and holiday spirit. My Santa Run Will Be... Different Now, I'm not chasing any world records this year. My personal Santa mission is a bit more... adorable. This year, I'll be lacing up for a Santa Family Run with Chiara and my 4-year-old son, Zayne! Yes, Zayne will be decked out in his little Santa suit, and I'll be in mine, My pace will be closer to "easy shuffle" than "sub-3 hour marathon." My goals will be focused less on the race and more on having some family fun for this 1K run. It’s a reminder that running isn’t always about crushing records. Sometimes, it’s about making memories, spreading joy, and sharing the fun of movement with the people you love. Even if it means slowing down to Santa-shuttle speed! Are you doing any holiday-themed runs this year? Let me know your festive running plans! 👇

Check the Injury Proofing 101 course under Bonus material to find the download link.

I mentioned this in yesterday’s live call, but a new 2025 study on well-trained distance runners confirmed what we've been preaching: You need to go fast to race fast. The research showed that just 6 weeks of integrating Sprint Interval Training (SIT) led to superior improvements in endurance (Time to Exhaustion/TTE) and 3000m performance compared to a group doing traditional long-distance training. The Key: Short, maximum-effort sprints (like 30-40 seconds) followed by long rest periods. This is how you reclaim the speed and power that naturally declines after 40! This isn't about ditching your long runs, it’s about leveraging your limited time for maximum impact and getting the neuromuscular punch you need. And I’ll say it again, once you get used to running some sprints, move on to running fartlek runs, I really love those and it’s so easy to see gains fast. The Study (For the Skeptics!) The research cited is: "Effects of 6-week sprint interval training compared to traditional training on the running performance of distance runners: a randomized controlled trail," published in Frontiers in Physiology in February 2025. 🔥 POLL: Do you include speed work in your running plan?