Hi Reader,
Happy Friday, Vitalizers β‘
We are back! A few weeks off the grid β the retreat, July 4th, a well-earned breather, and now it's a stacked stretch through the rest of summer.
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We have a ton going on, and tips and news to give you, so..
Let's dive in π
Hereβs what to expect this week:β
π§ Mindset
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Events
π₯ Training
π§ Must-Listen
π° The Industry
π§ Quote of the Week
"We can all train our brains to be as strong as our bodies. It sounds simple, but it's so easy to forget. If we let our head drop, our heart drops with it. Keep your head up, and your body is capable of amazing feats." β Chrissie Wellington, 4x Ironman World Champion
We spend all our energy on the physical side. Miles logged, weight on the bar, splits on the watch. The mental side tends to be an afterthought β something we'll "work on" someday.
Wellington won four Ironman World Championships. She knows the physical work is non-negotiable. But she's pointing at something we constantly skip: the mind gives out before the body does.
Almost every time.
You felt it last week if you ran in the heat. The pace didn't collapse because your legs quit; it collapsed because your head decided it was too much before your body ever got the memo.
The hardest part is silencing the voice telling you that you're behind.
Takeaway: Your body will follow wherever your head leads it. Keep your head up.
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VTLZR Events
π Saturday, July 11 β’ Hoboken Run Club β’ 8 AM β’ Haraz Coffee Shopβ
Back at it after a few weeks off for the retreat and July 4th. See you bright and early!
π Sunday, July 19 β’ Hybrid Hustle Workout β’ Pier 13, Hoboken β’ 9 AMβ
With Adidas, MyProtein, Union City CrossFit, and Optimize Hoboken. Run. Workout. Cold plunge. Recovery. Vibes. Giveaways. Sunday morning doesn't get better than this.
π Saturday, July 25 β’ Carbs for a Cause β’ Pier A Hoboken β Cheech's, Jersey City β’ 8 AMβ
VTLZR x Cheech's. Meeting at 8 am at Pier A, we'll run an easy 3.5 miles to Cheech's for some of the best bagels around. A portion of all purchases goes to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
π₯ Fitness Tip of the Week: Running in the Heat
Summer running isn't about mindlessly pushing through the heat β it's about forcing your body to adapt to it.
The good news? That adaptation happens incredibly fast.
π The Science
Most of your heat adaptation happens in the very first week of exposure. Heart rate reduction occurs within 4β5 days and is essentially complete by day 7. Full acclimatization takes about 10β14 days, and the payoff is massive: heat-acclimated runners see a 5β8% improvement in VO2 max when racing in hot conditions.
But you have to protect your engine. In hot weather, you can lose up to 12 ounces of fluid and essential electrolytes in just 20 minutes of running.
βοΈ The Strategy: Stop Guessing Your Sweat Rate
Don't guess how much water you need β know it.
Before your next hot run, weigh yourself completely dry. Run, come back, towel off, and weigh yourself again. The difference is your sweat rate. Drink enough during and after your run to minimize (not completely eliminate) that weight loss. That number tells you exactly what your body demands β no more, no less.
π‘ Pro Tip: Look at the Heat Index, Not the Temp
The thermometer lies. A 90Β°F day at 70% humidity actually feels like 105Β°F.
When humidity spikes, your sweat stops evaporating into the air. If sweat can't evaporate, your body loses its primary cooling mechanism, and your internal temperature skyrockets. Always check the heat index before you step out the door, and adjust your target paces accordingly.
Coaching Takeaway: Don't fear the summer heat, but respect it. One to two weeks of smart, unglamorous heat exposure right now means faster, safer miles for every race on our fall calendar.
π§ This Week's Must-Listen: The Runna Podcast
Episode: Sophie Grace Holmes β Defying Cystic Fibrosis & 36 Marathons in 36 Days
Diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis as a child, Sophie Grace Holmes was told she wouldn't live past the age of 16. She started running to defy her prognosisβand she just never stopped.
𧬠The Background
Cystic Fibrosis is a life-threatening genetic disease that severely damages the lungs and digestive system. Instead of letting a grim diagnosis dictate her future, Sophie used extreme endurance training to completely rewrite her trajectory.
πββοΈ The Mind-Bending Feats
- 36 Marathons in 36 Days: Peak physical and psychological resilience, repeated day after day.
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- The Lake Como Ultra-Ironman: A brutal feat featuring a 5K open-water swim in pitch-black darkness, a grueling bike leg, and a 50K ultramarathon to close it out.
π― The Big Takeaway
Now thriving in her 30s, Sophie has become living proof for the entire chronic illness community that your starting conditions do not get to write your ending.
The Bottom Line: Whatever inconvenience or hard workout is on your plate this week, it's always helpful to find some perspective. If someone can run ultra-marathons with a degenerative lung disease, you can take on your training block.
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π° In Other News (this week in fitness)
πββοΈ On Just Dropped a Lighter, Cheaper Cloudboom Strike 2β
The shoe that already sent Hellen Obiri and Joe Klecker to huge PBs just got an upgrade β new CloudTec Sphere foam, 15% lighter, and somehow $30 cheaper. Drops July 30.
π Read more about the launchβ
π€ COROS Now Talks Directly to Claude and ChatGPTβ
The new integration lets you plug your training history straight into AI β ask "am I ready for my race in 6 weeks" and it answers from your real data, not generic advice. Read-only for now, but it's a real glimpse of where training tech is headed.
π Read more about the integrationβ
β°οΈ ASICS Wants Its Bouncy Road Shoes on the Trailβ
Asics launched the new BLAZEBLAST family β the same bouncy foam as the Novablast, built for road runners dipping a toe into trail running without switching to something stiff and technical. Drops August 1.
π Read more about BLAZEBLASTβ
ποΈ A Record 1.3 Million People Entered the London Marathon Ballotβ
London's running the race twice next year just to fit 100K runners in β Saturday and Sunday, April 24β25, 2027. Even with double the field, the odds were still 1 in 13.
π Read more about the ballotβ
π What's Happening in VTLZR+
This week's call with Cassie Heller-Sargeant, a PhD researcher on burnout in high-achieving athletes and entrepreneurs, was one of our best.
She broke down what burnout actually is, the three subtypes, the five stages, and how to catch it early, including a preview of her self-check tool, the Burnometer.
Plus, she offered a few perks for VTLZR+ members who joined the call!
Next up: our monthly community check-in β goal check-ins, second half of the year, what's working, what's not β where accountability happens.
Already a member? The call details are in the community. See you there.
VTLZR+ members save $50β75/month on gear, food, and fuel from our brand partners. The call pays for itself.
As always, thanks for being part of this. Keep showing up and conquering hard things.
Speak soon!
βDerek Morgen
βFounder & Coach, VTLZRβ
βLift for your mind. Run for your soul.
π© Forward this to someone who needs a little extra motivation this week.
Questions, ideas, feedback?β
Reply to this email!
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