Happy eclipse day to those who are viewing. If you can’t look at it because you didn’t get your eclipse glasses, then perhaps this newsletter is hitting your inbox at the perfect time. You now have much cooler, more interesting things to look at than a rare solar phenomenon. Don’t believe us? Here’s today’s lineup:

The Training Secrets of the New 50-Mile King

Charlie Lawrence is a professional marathon and ultramarathon runner. The son of two cross-country coaches, he won state championships in high school before moving to Boulder, Colorado to train his endurance at altitude and pursue his Olympic dream. (He competed in his first Olympic Trials in 2020.) At the same time, like many athletes in the ultrarunning era, Lawrence has looked for offbeat ways to make his mark on the world of running.

On November 11, Lawrence set a new 50-mile world record, running the distance in a time of 4:48:21 and besting the previous record by nearly two minutes. This was just a month after qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Trials at Bakline’s McKirdy Micro Marathon, with a time of 2:16:10. Lawrence spoke to us about the world-record effort, strategies for pushing past his body’s limits and what’s next on his running horizon.

NEWS FROM THE WEEKEND

Pro tip: AI might not be great at diagnosing STIs.

A group of scientists are using an unorthodox approach to better understand dementia.

The fate of the bridge in Nirvana’s “Something In the Way” is uncertain.

This week’s “SNL” traveled to 1970s France.

Here's what a new biography of Ian Fleming tells us about James Bond’s creator.

What Is Hop Water, and Why Is Everyone Talking About It?

If you build it, they will come. The famous line from 1989’s Field of Dreams makes a great marketing mantra, too — one that has proven true for the craft beer industry time and time again, be it the industry as a whole or trending products, such as the double IPA. However, with growth in the craft beer market remaining relatively stagnant in the past several years after decades of explosive growth, brewers are doubling down on the exceptions to the current rule.

Hop water now ranks among the top of these, having experienced massive proliferation over the past few years and posted some of the largest growth numbers in the industry. As a result, brewers everywhere are continuing to hop — pun intended — on the bandwagon.

Meet the Inmates Who Run Marathons Inside San Quentin State Prison

Time, it’s been said, is a flat circle. That’s truer for the inmates who are members of San Quentin State Prison’s 1000 Mile Club than it is for most, as they spend a good chunk of their time running tedious circles around a makeshift track in the institution’s crowded exercise yard in order to prepare for the 105-lap marathon that’s run within the well-guarded walls of the California maximum facility each November.

Founded in 2005 and coached and sponsored by Marin County’s Tamalpa Running Club, the 1000 Mile Club and its approximately 50 members, many of whom are facing life sentences with little chance of parole, are the subject of a new documentary 26.2 to Life that is set to premiere on ESPN tonight.

Confessions of a Four-Time Ford Mustang Owner

BY JOHN SCOTT LEWINSKI

When you ask some presumably clever folks how they’re doing, they’ll say, “Better than most, not as good as some.” If I can borrow that for automotive purposes, I’ve owned more Ford Mustangs than most, not as many as some.

There are always the Jay Leno types out there with extensive car collections that might include a mini-fleet of the world’s first pony car. In my case, I took them into my humble stable one at a time. The more modest approach gave me time to get to know each of my steeds personally — for better or worse.

Where to Eat and Drink in Cleveland Right Now

Cleveland has always been a good place to eat. Growing up, we’d make the hour drive from Canton to see a Guardians game or go to the theater, and there would always be a stop for something delicious. Like many cities, Cleveland has changed a lot in the last three decades, I think for the better. The lake is cleaner, the Browns had a winning season last year and the culinary scene is thriving, both with old favorites and new spots that are making the city a very exciting place to eat and drink right now. While there are so amazing places to try, these are the best Cleveland restaurants and bars to check out right now.