Issue 36

Where to Find the Best Deals on Hoka Shoes

Are you a runner? More specifically, a road runner? Hoka was built for that. Meaning “to fly” in Maori, Hoka was founded in 2009 so that runners could get the ultimate experience with optimum cushioning and stability. Less than 15 years after its founding, Hoka is bringing in revenues topping a billion dollars a year, so it’s clear that people are loving this brand. But with quality comes high prices, and Hoka is no doubt in the high end price-wise. So we’ve rounded up the best stores to find the best deals for Hoka.

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The Build—that infamous period of steady mileage, long runs, tempos, and threshold workouts, all designed to strengthen you for the racing season ahead. Love it or hate it, it’s an essential part of the process. Journalist and fellow runner Oliver Hinson captures this phase perfectly in his piece, An Ode to The Build. Give it a read below, and if you're currently in your build phase, keep crushing those miles!

An Ode to The Build

December 15, 2024       6:30 a.m.

I wish the sun would stay down forever. I wish I could race it until the end of time.

If that sounds overly romantic, great. That’s exactly what I was going for. Running before the sunrise is one of those things that makes you unashamed to be weirdly zealous, like a teenager who just discovered Fight Club.

On this brisk December morning, my friend and I have half an hour left in this suspension of reality. After about four of our 11 miles, the world will become too visible to ignore, and monotony will set in again.

We don’t have time to waste, so we set off at a careless pace. Under an uncomfortable number of layers, my watch probably reads in the low 7s. Trust me, I’m not that fast.

I’m not telling you this story for no reason. This run is a microcosm of “the build,” as I like to call it. Maybe it's stage one to you, or phase one, something like that. The build is simply the first part of a training block, characterized by base mileage and dishearteningly low fitness. It’s necessary but unappreciated.

A lot of runners, especially young ones, have contempt for the build, and said contempt isn’t baseless. Let’s run through a few reasons why the build can absolutely, positively suck:

• You’re just not as good at running. After coming off a postseason break, you’re going to be rusty, and that rustiness is going to last for a while. Runners are arguably the most tuned in to their bodies of all athletes, and even a small dip in ability is noticeable. It doesn’t help that we have every fitness measurable known to man at our disposable. You remember that run from last Wednesday? The one that was 7 miles at 8:14 pace with a heart rate of 154? Well, buddy, I hate to break it to you, but on October 29th, you ran 7 miles at 7:51 pace with a heart rate of 139. In a world where tying your identity to your performance is easier than ever, the build can feel like a personal crisis.

• It’s not very flashy. One of the mantras my high school coach had for us was, “you’ve gotta get fit to get fit.” In other words, you have to build a substantial level of base fitness before you can hop on the track and do the fun stuff. Continuous tempo runs and post-run strides are a rite of passage for those who want to see a Michigan or an 8x1k session in their future. You need to eat your broccoli before you can have dessert, and no one likes broccoli.

• It’s really cold. Or really hot. This doesn’t apply to everyone, but most young runners’ training blocks are based on cross country and track, so they likely end their seasons in May and November. That means starting up again in June and December, neither of which are ideal running months.

In essence, the build is a dark, wintry long run that you have to convince yourself to get out from under your warm covers to even start. There are no pleasant spring evenings where you get to fly around the track and do a double-take when you see your last split. There are no taper weeks that fill you with so much energy that you feel like you’re 7 years old again. No pre-race butterflies, no post-race euphoria.

It makes complete sense that you and I would look for these things, and that you are disappointed at the fact that you are unable to find them during the build. I’m not here to tell you they aren’t real or worth striving for. They’re as real as the rubber on your shoes, and you will enjoy finding them during racing season, but there’s something crucial you have to realize about them: they don’t come on your terms. 

Consider the “spring evening” scenario I hinted at earlier. When a workout is successful, it is magical, but that magic has to be meticulously planned. It has to come on a certain day, or else you’ll risk not being fully recovered from your last session or infringing upon your recovery for the next. Likewise, it comes with a specific effort; daring to push too hard can throw a wrench in your training plan, especially if a race is on the horizon.

With these constraints in place, we pledge allegiance to splits, lactate readings, heart rates, and so on. We pride ourselves on being perfect pacers, as if every day is a chance to work on our impressions of a metronome. This process is eerily reminiscent of a 9-5 cubicle job. Without the context of what we’re working towards, every split seems like a row in an Excel sheet. 

The build, meanwhile, provides refreshing contrast, and the fact that it often closely follows a taper – the most cautious, intentional part of a training cycle – makes it somewhat of an antidote. After weeks of diligent rule-following, you are rewarded with a chance to defy those rules and follow your humanity. Obviously, I can’t talk in absolutes; there is freedom in the spring, and there are limits in the winter. But, on the whole, the build is much less constraining. Without the spectre of a race demanding your attention and rationing your effort, many more things are possible.

This brisk December morning is one of those things. In March, an early-morning fast long run is an unwieldy puzzle piece that, if unable to fit in the overall scheme, has to be scrapped. That isn’t the case now. The only thing on my calendar limiting what I do today is the church service that I have to be home in time for. In the time I’m allotted, I can do what I please.

And I will. With every passing mile, my friend and I pick up the pace until, with two to go, we are decidedly cruising. My heart rate has to be skyrocketing, and I don’t care. I have spent the last four months facing the indignities of life with next to no outlet, and I’m ready to throw it all back. 

In the next several weeks, I will embrace the machine-like grind of racing season because, like any runner, I enjoy the magic at the end. For now, I am content to be here. As we round the final bend, the early-morning fog creates a void at the end of the trail. I will run boundlessly into it.

You can too.

About the Author

Oliver Hinson is a second-year student at American University studying journalism and graphic design. He has been writing about track and field for a little over two years, and he enjoys telling stories that emphasize humanity. You can find his work in publications like DyeStat, Runner's World, Milesplit, CITIUS Mag and others. When he's not typing away, he is usually clicking off miles of his own, sinking his teeth into a sandwich, or trying to figure out where the N6 bus is.

📝 Training Tip: Foam Rolling As The Ultimate Pre- and Post-Run Tool

As a runner, a foam roller can be your best friend. Use it before your runs for activation by rolling gently for 5–10 minutes to increase blood flow and loosen up your muscles. After your runs, turn it into a recovery tool, taking extra time to target and release tight spots in your muscles.

Wondering about lifting for running? 🏋🏃

Mark your calendar for our next newsletter on January 31! Performance coach Jonah Rosner will be joining The Hammer to discuss leg spring stiffness—what it is and how you can improve this transformative running metric through strength training. You won’t want to miss it!

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