Parkrun, Strava, running club nights, r/running and r/AdvancedRunning, race Facebook groups organised by year, charity place cohorts, coached squad chats. Parkrun on Saturday, a club or a coached group, a training block shared in a spreadsheet or an app, a pre-race shakeout run that strangers turn up to, a group chat that runs hot for sixteen weeks and goes silent for four.

The six Majors set the spine. Valencia in December has become the fast-time pilgrimage.

Marathon du Medoc in September is the anti-serious anchor. Big Sur, Two Oceans, and Comrades hold their own regional gravity.

PB and PR, BQ, the Six Star, corral, the wall, negative split, taper madness, easy pace, junk miles, carb load, DNS and DNF, the expo, bib pickup, sub-three. July and August, too hot to race and mid training block.

January and February are quiet for editions but busy for intent, since that is when lottery results and training blocks start.