What’s in the box will make me 15 seconds faster

On March 12, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Mysteries a-foot

There’s a box waiting for me at home that contains a pair of running shoes. These shoes are different from any others that I own. The manufacturer claims that I’ll see a 15 second per mile improvement over my regular trainers. Unless it’s raining, I will be testing that theory tomorrow morning. I plan to do a full writeup on Runner’s Tech Review once I’ve had a chance to evaluate them fully.

I’m also waiting for a pair of mystery running shoes that have not yet arrived. I don’t know when to expect them. All I know is that one of my favorite shoe companies (Saucony) recently sent me a note saying they had “top secret” news and asked for my size. What could be better than having some brand new performance tech-y shoes waiting at home? How about knowing that a secret pair of running shoes are also coming? Stay tuned, all will be revealed…

One-line running shoe reviews

On March 5, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

It’s been a while since I’ve updated Runner’s Tech Review but I may be testing a new pair of running shoes soon. These shoes are different and the manufacturer promises to deliver measurable gains in performance. That’s always an intriguing notion, but I’ve rarely seen these claims pay off. We’ll see.

In the meantime, I’m more than ready to find a replacement for my Hattori’s that I’ve used both as a trainer and race shoe over the last year. I’m impressed that they’ve held up as well as they have after 300+ miles of pounding, but they are showing signs of wear. I have a second pair of Hattori’s that were sent to me by Saucony but something about the fit is different. I find them unwearable after 60 miles of running.

Yesterday I had a little time in the middle of the day and went over to Dick’s where I tried on a few pairs of running shoes. I didn’t find my next pair but I was glad to reinforce what I expected. Here are my quick impressions:

Adidas adizero® Rush: Light, surprisingly comfortable, smooth roll, stiff fore-foot, high platform (too much heel).
Brooks Pure Cadence: Light, cushioned, tight arch/mid foot, awkward roll, expensive.
Brooks Adrenaline 12: Extremely comfortable, natural roll, moved well with foot, high platform (too much heel).
New Balance MT20: Tight forefoot (even 1/2 size up), light, uneven roll.
Merrell Road Glove: Light, unstructured, wide toe box, lack of fore-foot response.

The New Balance experience concerned me because I’ve been waiting for the similar NB MR00 zero-drop road shoe that should be in stores soon. I’ve been hoping that will be a worthy successor to my Hattori’s. If I don’t like the way that shoe feels when I try it, I might need to wait until Saucony launches the Kinvara 3 in early summer. Even then, there’s no guarantee that I’ll like that new design. All I want is the perfect shoe. Is that too much to ask?

60 minutes going nowhere

On January 16, 2012 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Almost there!

Today’s run (treadmill): 40 minutes@ 2% incline, 10 mins@ 1%, 10 mins level

It was another 18 degree morning and I just didn’t feel like running outside. I normally rest on Mondays, but with the holiday I couldn’t resist a workout with no time constraint. I hopped aboard the treadmill as soon as my wife had finished her daily run. My goal was to run an hour because I’ve been remiss about pushing my base training. I really needed to focus on that.

When I start my runs outside, I usually get to speed within the first ten seconds. No metaphoric dipping my toe in the pool to get used to the water. But the treadmill is different, probably because I find it odd to have so much motion contained within such a small area. A misstep would be bad. I’ll admit that I’m a little afraid of the machine, especially when going full speed.

I started at a moderate pace but set the incline to 2%. I maintained that combination for the first 10 minutes at which point I began my steady increase of speed in .1 MPH increments. By the 20 minute mark I was sweating and at 40 minutes I took the incline down to 1%. It’s amazing what a difference that made, but I traded off by increasing the speed a little more.

At 50 minutes I dropped the incline entirely and blipped up the speed every minute so that I was running about an 8 minute pace by the end. I wore my Thrive running shirt that is made with cotton and bamboo and it was completely soaked by the time I finished. I was glad to get through a longer run today and pleased that I still had plenty left in the tank when I finished.

I’m concerned that my original Hattori’s are beginning to wear out and the left shoe of my replacement pair doesn’t fit very well. After much research, I’m hoping to replace the Hattori’s with either the Kinvara 3 or the New Balance MR00 when they hit the stores in March. Since I haven’t tried either model I’m concerned that I might be disappointed (like when I finally tried the Brooks Pure Project models). If that’s the case, I’ll need to start my search once again.

Looking for my winter running shoe

On December 19, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Perhaps I need some (new) balance in my running

After trying on the Kinvara 2’s only to realize it wasn’t the shoe for me, I’m back to rethinking my winter footwear. I really loved my original Kinvaras. In fact, I’d still be running in them except that I wore out the Kinvara’s mid-sole to the point where I began experiencing knee pain. That breakdown coincided with the timing of my half marathon that I ran while injured.

Green Silence – an opportunity lost

A couple of years ago I anticipated Brook’s launch of the Green Silence, their first “minimal” shoe not made specifically for racing. I couldn’t wait for them to go on sale. I ended up being dissuaded by the salesperson at Jackrabbit who steered me toward the Brooks GTS 10’s, a great shoe but it rides too high. I ended up switching to the Saucony Kinvaras midway through 2010.

The Hattori – great except on really cold days

The Mirage – a really good shoe but the fit is narrow

Earlier this year I tested the Saucony Mirage, a Kinvara-like shoe with some stability features. It’s a great shoe and I’ve put in a few hundred miles in them, but the toe width is a bit narrow. I was hoping that Brook’s new Pure Project line would provide a shoe that met my needs. I tried on the Pure Connect and really disliked the fit that was narrow and very tight in the arch. The other models weren’t much better so I decided to look elsewhere.

After looking at many reviews, I am thinking that the New Balance Minimus MR00 may be a “good fit” for me. My hope was to find a minimal, zero-drop, road shoe that will give me a little more insulation that the Hattori’s for winter running. Given that the MR00’s aren’t due in stores until March, I may need to get through most of winter in the Mirages on cold days and the Hattori’s on more moderate days and races.

A return to the Hattori’s

On November 10, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Today’s run (street): 2.5 miles

Super minimalist ninja

Hattori Hanzō was a famous ninja and samurai who lived in 16th century Japan. I’m guessing that his sword skills were the inspiration behind Saucony’s Hattori super minimalist running shoes. I’ve put about 250 miles on mine since I’ve got them and I’ve come to love their purposeful simplicity.

For the last three weeks I’ve been running in either my Saucony Mirages or Brooks GTS-10’s in an attempt to clear up a minor pain I’ve had near my right Achilles. I figured that the greater cushioning and stability control on these shoes (compared to the Hattori’s) would help my healing. It must not be the shoes because the pain remains, although it always goes away after a few minutes of running.

Since Sunday is race day, I thought I’d end my taper with a run in the Hattori’s. It’s a different experience going back to a shoe 1/3 the weight of the Brooks. I worried that my layoff from these shoes would cause me some calf pain when I returned to them, but I had no problems today. I ran okay but I’m nowhere near my late September peak. I think the Hattori’s provided some benefit over the heavier shoes this morning since I ran 30 seconds per mile faster than yesterday. However, that pace was still far off my target for the 10K. I guess I should reset my expectations for this race and defer my focus on performance until the following weekend when I run the Long Beach Turkey Trot.

Hurtin’ Hattori’s

On October 16, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Along with the damage to my Hattori’s toe box yesterday, that probably came as a result of so much downhill running during the race, I also managed to aggravate my right Achilles to the point of great discomfort. This injury has been a long time coming. I started to notice some pain at the back of that foot (just above the heel) some weeks ago, but it never became worse than an uncomfortable distraction. It wasn’t too bad after the race yesterday, but later in the day I felt some sharp pains as I walked around.

I don’t know why this problem developed. If it is the Hattori’s, I’d think the injury would have happened on both Achilles tendons. But running related injuries never seem to occur symmetrically. It could be a combination of the shoe and the way I run. I’ve been icing the area and taking Aleve since last night, and that combination has helped a lot.

I considered doing an easy run today, just to get outside, but I decided that might do more harm than good. A slow, easy recovery run wouldn’t help my conditioning and it would definitely put more strain on the Achilles. I’m probably going to do most of my running in the Mirages over the next two weeks to see if that helps the problem. I love the Hattori’s but they may be getting to the end of their usefulness. I have another pair of Hattori’s that I can start to use once my Achilles feels better. When I do, I’ll know to replace them soon after I reach 200 miles.

Two projects: Pure and Sole

On October 8, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Mis-Connecting with the PureConnect

Today’s run (street): 4.75 miles

Yesterday I had lunch with a colleague and then headed over to City Sports to look at some new items. I’d received an email this week from City Sports saying they had Brooks’s new line of Pure Project shoes. These shoes, inspired by the minimalist running movement, have been greatly anticipated. If you follow Brooks on Twitter you might think that running in them approaches a religious experience.

My lunch mate is an avid cyclist so, while he went off to look at bike gear, I made my way to the running shoe section. I was helped by a salesperson who actually knew something about running shoes. This was a pleasant surprise because I usually get people who know very little about the differences between brands and models.

My salesman asked if I’d like to try a pair of the PureConnects, Brook’s most minimal model in the Pure Project line. I tried them on and my excitement was immediately deflated when I felt how snugly the shoe wrapped my mid-foot and arch. The back and front of the shoe felt awkwardly separated. The salesperson claimed that this snugness facilitated a mid-foot landing and I told him I didn’t think it was necessary to clamp my arch to do that. I did some strides in the limited space and did not think the shoes felt especially responsive.

Undeterred, the salesperson had me try on the PureFlow model which is a little more cushioned and has a stabilizing component that, interestingly, sits opposite from the medial side of the shoe. The Flow felt better on my foot than the Connect but I still didn’t like it. I tried a quick “run” and felt no chemistry. My primary rule about a running shoe is never believe sales people when they say “They will feel better when you run in them.” Sorry, but no. If it doesn’t feel right in the store, I’m done.

The obelisk in “2001: A Space Odyssey” looked harmless too

Speaking of “projects”, this weekend I will attempt to do a console-ectomy on the Sole to replace the system board that is preventing us from adjusting the speed of the treadmill. Right now, the parts are sitting in a huge box in the living room and I’m scared to look inside. I have a bad track record with “repairs” and I’m a little intimidated by the task.

Finally, I hit the local business park this morning to practice running roads with elevation. I needed to be back early, otherwise I would have headed to Bethpage. I ran to the park and circled the loop three times before heading back home. The route is not especially steep but there is a steady incline over half the distance.

Tomorrow I’m hoping to get in some speed work as I look toward next week’s 5K. I may also try running some inclines on the treadmill. That is, if I don’t permanently destroy the new control board today.

The Hattori’s will show me how much minimalism I can take

On May 19, 2011 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

The Saucony Hattori – a most minimal shoe

Today’s workout (elliptical) 25 minutes

I’ll be posting my review of the Saucony Mirages soon on Runner’s Tech Review and I’m excited that I’ll soon receive a pair of Hattori super-minimal shoes from Saucony. The Hattori are a zero-drop shoe that weigh an unbelievable 4.4 oz and are being marketed as a trainer — not just for intervals and racing. My taste in running shoes has changed for good since I switched to the Kinvaras about a year ago. The lower platform and a flatter drop (the Kinvara’s is ~5.5 mm) feels right to me, more so than the built-up Brooks Adrenalins that had been my gold standard.

The Mirages have proven to be a worthy addition to my collection and I would probably appreciate their minimal features more had I tried them before the Kinvaras. Going from the Kinvaras to the Mirages is a bit like trading up from a fast but simple sports car to high performance luxury GT. It will be interesting to run in the Hattori’s which may be more like riding a trail bike. That actually sounds pretty good.

Champion Activeflex – lightweight, cheap and painful!

Related to minimal shoes, I was at Payless this past weekend because my daughter needed some shoes for an event. I checked out the men’s shoes and saw this Kinvara look-alike on sale for $29.99. I tried it on and was surprised by the way it fit. Not too bad. The shoe was lightweight (it really did seem similar to the Saucony) and the foot bed felt springy. I trotted across the floor and that was when I felt the difference, the upper flexed in a way that dug painfully into the top of my foot. I couldn’t take them off fast enough. Another example of why we pay for quality brands.

Yet another shoe buying experience at Jackrabbit Sports

On August 5, 2010 By Emerging Runner2 Comments

Today’s run (street): 2.5 miles at 9:09

Yesterday afternoon I paid a visit to Union Square with my friend KWL for noodles at Republic and a visit to Jackrabbit Sports. KWL is participating in a two day event later this month, running a 10K on one day and cycling 100 miles the next. His New Balance running shoes needed replacing so he thought it would be good to have his gait analyzed to help him choose the right shoe. Jackrabbit’s staff are knowledgeable but they can be a bit arrogant. The person who rang up our purchases was downright nasty, enough so that I’d reconsider returning there. The person who helped KWL was fine though and after confirming that my friend is a neutral strider, he provided pairs of Brooks Ghosts, Saucony Triumphs, New Balance 759 and the ASICS Nimbus, along with the ASICS Cumulus pair that he used for gait analysis on the treadmill. KWL ended up choosing the Cumulus and he ran with them last night and gave them a good review this morning.

Today’s run was done under extremely humid conditions but without the sun or oppressive heat it wasn’t too bad. I continued my focus on form and cadence but today I was unable to keep to under 9:00 per mile. I did wake up feeling more tired than I normally do and worried that I was fighting off a cold. I thought about staying indoors with an elliptical session but I went with the original plan and ran. I wore my Saucony Grid Tangent 4’s but they didn’t give me much help on performance today. In my conversation with the Jackrabbit salesperson yesterday he mentioned that the Grid Tangents and other light stability shoes don’t sell well and a few models of that type (like the Grid Tangents) are no longer sold in their stores. The only shoe in that category that does sell well is the DS Trainer. I don’t expect my shoes to do the work to make me a better performer, that’s up to me. So far I’m pleased with my progress this week. A little extra effort has gone a long way.

The great minimalist experiment

On July 5, 2010 By Emerging RunnerLeave a comment

Shoe diversity makes for happy running

Today’s run (street): 2.2 miles at 9:38

I’ve never been much of a barefoot guy and I’m still not likely to walk around with nothing on my feet. But barefoot running and its close relation, minimalist running, remains interesting to me. My experience running with the Saucony Kinvaras has restarted my focus on front foot / mid-foot striking. Yesterday, when running for a short distance in pool shoes, I wondered how well I’d do on a real neighborhood run. I had considered going to Stillwell this morning to take advantage of the shade from the woods but ultimately chose to run closer to home. I decided that I’d conduct the great minimalist experiment by taking to the streets with these un-padded and flat water shoes. I didn’t wear socks but I did keep the very thin removable insole which felt good at the beginning but contributed to some uncomfortable friction near the end of my run. I mapped out a 2.2 mile course on Gmaps and went out using my Garmin as a stopwatch. I didn’t use the foot pod because I didn’t want to deal with attaching it to the stretchy laces. Since I already knew the distance I’d planned to run it was easy to calculate my pace when I got back.

I was pleasantly surprised with the feel of the pool shoes on pavement as I made my way around the route. The small rocks and pebbles that I encountered underfoot did not hurt my feet in any way. I liked that my arches were doing their job without anything to support them. I knew I was landing mostly towards the front of my foot but I’m not sure if I avoided my heel for all of my footfalls. My stride felt natural and I moved along well without feeling like I was doing too much work. I wanted to keep the run fairly short in case there was an unintended consequence to running with very little protection and no support. The only complaint I had was the insole stuck to my foot due to sweat and that made me concerned that I could develop blisters if I ran much longer. Next time I’ll consider leaving the insoles home and see how that goes. Although they’re thin they do provide slight protection. Without the insole I’d be running on the same material as the outsole so perhaps I’d be better off with a very thin sock.

So what happens now? I still have well cushioned shoes like my Brooks GTS 10’s and Adidas Response 15’s. I have supportive and lightweight stability shoes (Saucony Grid Tangent 4’s) and minimal but luxurious Kinvaras. Do I stop running with the Brooks and work closer to always running on the Kinvaras (and occasionally my pool shoes)? I’m thinking no. Every shoe I own has its benefit and as long as I feel that’s true I’ll continue to run with them all. I’m certainly going to keep a focus on the minimalist side because I do think there’s something to that. Pool shoes as running shoes? Not as crazy as you’d think.