Running Changed. Sneakers Changed It.

You probably know I've got a love-hate relationship with running. But when Raziq Rauf, the guy behind the Running Sucks Substack, sent me his new book This Is Running , I couldn't put it down. So I figured I needed to get him on the show. Raz is a former music journalist, BBC and Guardian contributor, USATF running coach, and now author of what is genuinely a cultural history of running in the 21st century. We talk about the super shoe revolution and what carbon plate technology actually does to your body, why run clubs exploded out of the pandemic, how brands coming into that space changes the community, and what it actually means to find yourself while you're out there grinding through a five mile loop. We also get into the sneaker side of all of this... the Nike Alphafly at fashion week, whether performance running shoes can cross over the same way basketball shoes and tennis shoes did, and the moment it all changed at the 2016 Olympics. If you've ever laced up for a run or thought about it, this one's for you. This Is Running is available to order now: https://amzn.to/4tlGWxq Follow Raz at @runningsucks101 on Instagram and find his newsletter at runningsucks101.com . Timestamps: 0:00 — Intro & how Nick found Raziq on Substack 1:00 — Raz introduces himself: London, LA, running, writing 1:50 — "The radical act of running" — what that opening line means 3:22 — Why this isn't a training book... and why that was the point 6:43 — The photos, the format, and thinking about the book holistically 7:17 — Nick's love-hate relationship with running and the Bay to Breakers 9:39 — Moving to LA, run crews, and using running to find community 12:50 — Stan Smith was a tennis player, and other things sneakerheads understand 13:24 — How the pandemic turned running into a movement 16:03 — Why run clubs went "like wildfire" when lockdowns lifted 21:09 — Brand run clubs: the compromise between community and commerce 24:31 — The super shoe revolution: carbon plate technology explained 27:16 — Nike Pump Fury, the 2016 Olympics, and the moment everything changed 28:28 — Alpha Fly at fashion week: can performance running shoes cross over? 31:23 — GORP core, Salomon, Norda, and the casualization of technical footwear 33:55 — Accessibility: $300 super shoes vs. the reality for most runners 37:00 — A marathoner in Bangladesh wearing his shoes for 1,000 miles 39:27 — The Pegasus Turbo, ZoomX cushioning, and the shoe lifespan no one talks about 41:52 — Is the $300 super shoe worth it? Raz breaks down the 4% advantage 44:42 — Finding yourself in running: silence, boredom, and no headphones 48:27 — Vivid dreams, writing, and the creative byproducts of running regularly 49:50 — Moving your body gives you 60% more ideas (the brick study) 51:05 — From music journalism to running writing: the transferable skills 53:38 — Where to find Raz and how to get This Is Running Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.thesneakernewsletter.com SUPPORT THE SHOW: Donate Through Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/sneakerhistory Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/nickengvall Early Access, Exclusive Videos, and Content On Patreon: https://patreon.com/sneakerhistory If you are interested in advertising to our audience, contact us: podcast@sneakerhistory.com CHECK OUT OUR OTHER SHOWS: <