Need Help Determining Daniels Running Formula Training Paces?: Try the Free fit2run App

Now that my book writing is done, I’ve gotten back into some serious training again. As part of my renewed interest in my own training, I’ve recently been reading through Jack Daniels’ Running Formula. I’ve used the book as a reference for quite some time, and have used an MS Excel spreadsheet that uses Daniels VDOT formulas for determining training paces for several years. I highly recommend the book.

Anyway, given that technology has advanced a bit since I started using the Daniels spreadsheet, I thought I’d poke around in the Apple App Store and see if anyone had produced an app that would calculate VDOT values and spit out recommend training paces according to the Daniels tables. Turns out there are a few, and one of them is free. fit2run is handy, easy to use little app that allows you to input a recent race time as a basis for determining your VDOT value. I put in my time from my most recent race, a 5K from early spring. It yielded a VDOT score of 51.

Using this value, the app then spits out training paces for easy runs, marathon pace, threshold/tempo runs, intervals, and repetitions. The results match the values from Daniels’ book very closely.

In addition to training paces, the app also provides track workout times for various distances at the various levels of intensity:

Also included are predicted times for various race distances based on the time that you input for your selected recent race. It’s important to keep in mind that extrapolating up from a 5K time assumes you put in the necessary training to achieve the same level of effort in a longer race like a marathon. Despite running my last 5K in 19:20, there is no way I could run a 3:07 marathon right now – but, given a solid training cycle with a string of 50 mile+ weeks I think that time would be within reach.

Finally, if you’re a coach, the app lets you input times for multiple runners and call them up individually as needed.

Hopefully the app will stay free, pretty handy little tool!

You can check out the fit2run app here.

Read More

Need Help Determining Daniels Running Formula Training Paces?: Try the Free fit2run App

Now that my book writing is done, I’ve gotten back into some serious training again. As part of my renewed interest in my own training, I’ve recently been reading through Jack Daniels’ Running Formula. I’ve used the book as a reference for quite some time, and have used an MS Excel spreadsheet that uses Daniels VDOT formulas for determining training paces for several years. I highly recommend the book.

Anyway, given that technology has advanced a bit since I started using the Daniels spreadsheet, I thought I’d poke around in the Apple App Store and see if anyone had produced an app that would calculate VDOT values and spit out recommend training paces according to the Daniels tables. Turns out there are a few, and one of them is free. fit2run is handy, easy to use little app that allows you to input a recent race time as a basis for determining your VDOT value. I put in my time from my most recent race, a 5K from early spring. It yielded a VDOT score of 51.

Using this value, the app then spits out training paces for easy runs, marathon pace, threshold/tempo runs, intervals, and repetitions. The results match the values from Daniels’ book very closely.

In addition to training paces, the app also provides track workout times for various distances at the various levels of intensity:

Also included are predicted times for various race distances based on the time that you input for your selected recent race. It’s important to keep in mind that extrapolating up from a 5K time assumes you put in the necessary training to achieve the same level of effort in a longer race like a marathon. Despite running my last 5K in 19:20, there is no way I could run a 3:07 marathon right now – but, given a solid training cycle with a string of 50 mile+ weeks I think that time would be within reach.

Finally, if you’re a coach, the app lets you input times for multiple runners and call them up individually as needed.

Hopefully the app will stay free, pretty handy little tool!

You can check out the fit2run app here.

Read More

Saucony Hattori LC Lace-Up Review – A Massively Improved Update to Saucony’s First Zero Drop Shoe

Last year Saucony released it’s first zero drop shoe: the Saucony Hattori (soon to be joined in this category by the Saucony Virrata). My review of the original Hattori was favorable, but there were two big issues that I had with the shoe.

1. It was ugly. The first time I put the Hattori on in the presence of my wife, she told me they looked like “prison loafers.” Definitely not an encouraging statement, and truth be told I agreed with her. It was definitely not an attractive shoe, and I suspect this is the reason why they can now be found super cheap at various sites on-line.

2. The velcro closure system did not provide a secure fit. In my original Hattori review from last April I wrote the following on this:

“If I had one modification I could make, I would add a mechanism to better secure the upper to the foot. The velcro straps help a bit, but the shoe needs something a bit further forward as well. Because the forefoot isn’t tightly secured, I think it allows my feet to slide around a bit and I developed hotspots on the balls of my feet behind my big toes. My skin will most likely adapt to this, but I’d suggest a velcro strap across the forefoot or a lacing system like the Vibram Fivefingers Bikila LS might help to better secure the foot in future incarnations.”

I just received a pair of the new Saucony Hattori LC (these were a personal purchase, not media samples), and have now put two runs on them totaling 20 miles. The first run was an easy six, and yesterday I did an intense run that included 11.5 miles easy followed by 8 x 0.2 mile reps at 5K pace (total of 14 miles).

Let me start by saying that the shoes feel fantastic on my feet, one of the most comfortable shoes I have worn. This alone makes them a keeper for me.

The sole remains unchanged from the original Hattori, with specs of 15 mm heel thickness and 15 mm forefoot thickness. As with the original Hattori, there is a bit of give to the sole, but they feel firmer than the Saucony Kinvara, likely due to the reduced stack height. Rubber outsole pods are in the same position as the original (see photo below), which may disappoint those who were hoping for a bit more durability under the lateral forefoot (more on these pods in a minute). Also like the original, the Hattori LC is built with an integrated sockliner that adds a bit of cushion.

The big changes with the Hattori LC are to the upper. The shoe now has a lace-up upper, and I’m happy to say that it has completely resolved the issues I had with locking down my foot in the original Hattori. This change alone makes this a dramatically improved shoe. The other big benefit to the added laces is that they improve the look of the shoe in a big way – whereas the original Hattori might turn heads due to it’s strange closure system that enhanced the paddle-like look of the forefoot, the laces make this look like a fairly typical running shoe. The forefoot is made of the same type of stretch fabric as the original, and this is a good thing – allows for plenty of toe movement and a roomy fit. The interior of the upper is lined by a soft fabric that works very well for sockless running.

I said above that I would return to the topic of the rubber outsole pods, so here goes. In the above excerpt from my original Hattori review I noted that I thought that the lack of a secure fit contributed to some abrasion and hotspots on the ball behind my big toe. Turns out I am having the same issue with the Hattori LC even with the improved closure system, and I now think it’s due to the fact that the rubber pod under this region is harder and thicker than the surrounding midsole foam. I think that when I put pressure on this area during late stance phase through toe-off it doesn’t give as much. I’m pretty convinced now that this pod is the source of my problems. I will note that I am very prone to hotspots in this region of my foot, and it is issue that I have experienced in multiple shoes (though this one seems to be a bit worse directly under the ball). It also doesn’t seem to manifest until 3-4 miles into a run. That being said, it makes running long in these shoes a challenge for me, as evidenced by some pretty intense hotspots after my 14 miler yesterday. But, aside from the hotspots, the shoes handled that distance phenomenally well. Curious if anyone else has had similar hotspot issue in this shoe?

Given the comfort level that these shoes provide, I expect to use them a lot for causal wear, and for running mostly on shorter runs due to my hotspot issue (again, this might be totally a unique issue to me). I’m tempted to try and file down that rubber pod a bit because I otherwise like the shoes so much, but even as a casual shoe they will have earned the price I paid for them. Kudos to Saucony for a major improvement with the Hattori LC!

The Saucony Hattori LC is available at Zappos.

Read More

Saucony Hattori LC Lace-Up Review – A Massively Improved Update to Saucony’s First Zero Drop Shoe

Last year Saucony released it’s first zero drop shoe: the Saucony Hattori (soon to be joined in this category by the Saucony Virrata). My review of the original Hattori was favorable, but there were two big issues that I had with the shoe.

1. It was ugly. The first time I put the Hattori on in the presence of my wife, she told me they looked like “prison loafers.” Definitely not an encouraging statement, and truth be told I agreed with her. It was definitely not an attractive shoe, and I suspect this is the reason why they can now be found super cheap at various sites on-line.

2. The velcro closure system did not provide a secure fit. In my original Hattori review from last April I wrote the following on this:

“If I had one modification I could make, I would add a mechanism to better secure the upper to the foot. The velcro straps help a bit, but the shoe needs something a bit further forward as well. Because the forefoot isn’t tightly secured, I think it allows my feet to slide around a bit and I developed hotspots on the balls of my feet behind my big toes. My skin will most likely adapt to this, but I’d suggest a velcro strap across the forefoot or a lacing system like the Vibram Fivefingers Bikila LS might help to better secure the foot in future incarnations.”

I just received a pair of the new Saucony Hattori LC (these were a personal purchase, not media samples), and have now put two runs on them totaling 20 miles. The first run was an easy six, and yesterday I did an intense run that included 11.5 miles easy followed by 8 x 0.2 mile reps at 5K pace (total of 14 miles).

Let me start by saying that the shoes feel fantastic on my feet, one of the most comfortable shoes I have worn. This alone makes them a keeper for me.

The sole remains unchanged from the original Hattori, with specs of 15 mm heel thickness and 15 mm forefoot thickness. As with the original Hattori, there is a bit of give to the sole, but they feel firmer than the Saucony Kinvara, likely due to the reduced stack height. Rubber outsole pods are in the same position as the original (see photo below), which may disappoint those who were hoping for a bit more durability under the lateral forefoot (more on these pods in a minute). Also like the original, the Hattori LC is built with an integrated sockliner that adds a bit of cushion.

The big changes with the Hattori LC are to the upper. The shoe now has a lace-up upper, and I’m happy to say that it has completely resolved the issues I had with locking down my foot in the original Hattori. This change alone makes this a dramatically improved shoe. The other big benefit to the added laces is that they improve the look of the shoe in a big way – whereas the original Hattori might turn heads due to it’s strange closure system that enhanced the paddle-like look of the forefoot, the laces make this look like a fairly typical running shoe. The forefoot is made of the same type of stretch fabric as the original, and this is a good thing – allows for plenty of toe movement and a roomy fit. The interior of the upper is lined by a soft fabric that works very well for sockless running.

I said above that I would return to the topic of the rubber outsole pods, so here goes. In the above excerpt from my original Hattori review I noted that I thought that the lack of a secure fit contributed to some abrasion and hotspots on the ball behind my big toe. Turns out I am having the same issue with the Hattori LC even with the improved closure system, and I now think it’s due to the fact that the rubber pod under this region is harder and thicker than the surrounding midsole foam. I think that when I put pressure on this area during late stance phase through toe-off it doesn’t give as much. I’m pretty convinced now that this pod is the source of my problems. I will note that I am very prone to hotspots in this region of my foot, and it is issue that I have experienced in multiple shoes (though this one seems to be a bit worse directly under the ball). It also doesn’t seem to manifest until 3-4 miles into a run. That being said, it makes running long in these shoes a challenge for me, as evidenced by some pretty intense hotspots after my 14 miler yesterday. But, aside from the hotspots, the shoes handled that distance phenomenally well. Curious if anyone else has had similar hotspot issue in this shoe?

Given the comfort level that these shoes provide, I expect to use them a lot for causal wear, and for running mostly on shorter runs due to my hotspot issue (again, this might be totally a unique issue to me). I’m tempted to try and file down that rubber pod a bit because I otherwise like the shoes so much, but even as a casual shoe they will have earned the price I paid for them. Kudos to Saucony for a major improvement with the Hattori LC!

The Saucony Hattori LC is available at Zappos.

Read More

"Running For Life" Workshop This Saturday in Concord, NH

This Saturday Dr. Brett Coapland and I will be conducting a half-day workshop on running shoes, running form, and running injuries. We still have a few spots left for those who might be interested in attending - information can be found below, or on the Running For Life workshop registration page.

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Running For Life: Strategies to Help You Stay Healthy, Avoid Injuries, and Run Strong

Workshop by Dr. Peter Larson and Dr. Brett Coapland

August 4th ▪ 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Location:
New Hampshire Technical Institute, Concord, NH
Grappone Hall Room 106

Cost:
$40 per participant (free for current NHTI students)
For workshop registration information, click here.

Topics to be covered include:

By Pete Larson
- Why We Should Run
- Running Injuries: Why They Happen
- Choosing a Running Shoe
- Running Form: Foot Strike and Stride

By Brett Coapland
- Muscle Imbalances: How They Contribute to Injury and Performance
- Strength Training to Improve Running Economy
- Common Running Injuries: What to Do When They Occur
- Recovery Strategies for Optimal Running Performance

Group Activities
- Gait Analysis workshop for 2-3 volunteers via treadmill
- Optional high speed filming of running stride after workshop is over

This event is co-hosted by the NHTI Cross Country Team

Read More

"Running For Life" Workshop This Saturday in Concord, NH

This Saturday Dr. Brett Coapland and I will be conducting a half-day workshop on running shoes, running form, and running injuries. We still have a few spots left for those who might be interested in attending - information can be found below, or on the Running For Life workshop registration page.

---

Running For Life: Strategies to Help You Stay Healthy, Avoid Injuries, and Run Strong

Workshop by Dr. Peter Larson and Dr. Brett Coapland

August 4th ▪ 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM

Location:
New Hampshire Technical Institute, Concord, NH
Grappone Hall Room 106

Cost:
$40 per participant (free for current NHTI students)
For workshop registration information, click here.

Topics to be covered include:

By Pete Larson
- Why We Should Run
- Running Injuries: Why They Happen
- Choosing a Running Shoe
- Running Form: Foot Strike and Stride

By Brett Coapland
- Muscle Imbalances: How They Contribute to Injury and Performance
- Strength Training to Improve Running Economy
- Common Running Injuries: What to Do When They Occur
- Recovery Strategies for Optimal Running Performance

Group Activities
- Gait Analysis workshop for 2-3 volunteers via treadmill
- Optional high speed filming of running stride after workshop is over

This event is co-hosted by the NHTI Cross Country Team

Read More

Crewing the Vermont 100 Ultramarathon

Last weekend I had the amazing experience of crewing for my buddy Nate Sanel at the Vermont 100 Ultramarathon. If you’ve never crewed an Ultra, I highly recommend it – not only did I have a blast, but the experience of watching people attempt to run 100 miles is truly awe inspiring.

Crewing a race like this essentially means riding around in a vehicle to designated handler stations where you wait for your runner to arrive. At each stop, you change out their fluids, have a selection of food available, plus be ready to change shoes, socks, handle blisters, etc. Nate had done an amazing job of giving my other crew members (Joe Hammond and Brett Coapland) and I estimated arrival times at each stop, as well as detailed instructions on what he wanted us to do for him. My job mostly consisted of refilling his handheld water bottles – one with ice water and another with Hammer Sustained Energy. I was also navigator, though Joe knew the area well enough that I had very little to do in that role. Mostly, I was able to take a lot of photos and videos and simply experience the race as a spectator.

Brett, Nate, and Joe at Silver Meadow Camp on pre-race night

Nate went into the race with a nagging case of plantar fasciitis, and he knew that it could turn into a struggle. He’d found that he could manage the pain best in his Hoka One One Stinson Evo shoes (lots of Hokas out there!), so he started the race in those. He looked strong early in the race, and was well on-pace to meet his sub-20 hour time goal. Early aid stations were without incident, and all was going smoothly.

Brett, Nate, and Joe at Stage Road Aid Station (mile 30.5)

Unfortunately, Nate’s quads started giving him trouble as the miles added up, and he attributed this to the Hokas. At mile 57 He opted to switch into Brooks Grits, which seemed to do the trick as he regained his strength and he flew through the 62 mile aid station, still on sub-20 hr pace.

Nate coming into the Tracer Brook Aid Station, quads acting up (mile 57.4)

Nate cruising into Margaritaville Aid Station (mile 62.5)

The ups and downs you witness at a race of this length are pretty impressive. We arrived at the 70 mile aid station and watched as the runners he was with just 8 miles earlier started to come through. No sign of Nate. We wondered if maybe he’d really picked it up and had arrived and gone through before we got there. Nope, no such luck, and as the minutes ticked on we knew something was wrong. Brett decided to run back up the road a bit to see if he could spot him, and after awhile he came walking down the hill with Nate, who was obviously in pain. In the 8 miles since we had previously seen him, Nate’s PF flared up to the point where it was all he could do to hobble along the dirt roads that make up much of the 100 mile course. The stretch heading out of the 70 mile stop was a brutal uphill (I had attempted to run it earlier in the day, and I can’t imagine doing it after 70 miles of running!), but Nate opted to call it a day. It was clear that the decision to drop was the right one, but it was also clear that he was deeply disappointed that he couldn’t go on. The amount of training that goes into prepping for a 100 mile race is immense, and it’s tough to not meet your goals on race day.

We decided to head back to camp and pack up our things and head home. The thought of hanging at the finish line to watch runners come in was tempting, but Nate was leaving for England on Monday and thought it more important that he get home and help his family pack the next morning.

The big question I had going into the weekend was whether watching the race would make me want to run a 100-miler. There is something to be said about the challenge – I found myself wondering frequently if I could do it, and I have incredible respect for those who put in the training necessary to complete a race like this. That training is the main thing preventing me from considering making an attempt at a 100 miler right now - it would simply take too much time away from my family. But, I do have to admit that I find a tremendous appeal in long trail races like this. The 50K I ran last year was one of the most enjoyable races I have run, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to do another next year, maybe the VT 50K in the Fall. After that, who knows???

Here are a few more pictures from the weekend – the horse race was along the same route used by the runners, amazing to watch them all coming through the same aid stations!

 

Read More

Crewing the Vermont 100 Ultramarathon

Last weekend I had the amazing experience of crewing for my buddy Nate Sanel at the Vermont 100 Ultramarathon. If you’ve never crewed an Ultra, I highly recommend it – not only did I have a blast, but the experience of watching people attempt to run 100 miles is truly awe inspiring.

Crewing a race like this essentially means riding around in a vehicle to designated handler stations where you wait for your runner to arrive. At each stop, you change out their fluids, have a selection of food available, plus be ready to change shoes, socks, handle blisters, etc. Nate had done an amazing job of giving my other crew members (Joe Hammond and Brett Coapland) and I estimated arrival times at each stop, as well as detailed instructions on what he wanted us to do for him. My job mostly consisted of refilling his handheld water bottles – one with ice water and another with Hammer Sustained Energy. I was also navigator, though Joe knew the area well enough that I had very little to do in that role. Mostly, I was able to take a lot of photos and videos and simply experience the race as a spectator.

Brett, Nate, and Joe at Silver Meadow Camp on pre-race night

Nate went into the race with a nagging case of plantar fasciitis, and he knew that it could turn into a struggle. He’d found that he could manage the pain best in his Hoka One One Stinson Evo shoes (lots of Hokas out there!), so he started the race in those. He looked strong early in the race, and was well on-pace to meet his sub-20 hour time goal. Early aid stations were without incident, and all was going smoothly.

Brett, Nate, and Joe at Stage Road Aid Station (mile 30.5)

Unfortunately, Nate’s quads started giving him trouble as the miles added up, and he attributed this to the Hokas. At mile 57 He opted to switch into Brooks Grits, which seemed to do the trick as he regained his strength and he flew through the 62 mile aid station, still on sub-20 hr pace.

Nate coming into the Tracer Brook Aid Station, quads acting up (mile 57.4)

Nate cruising into Margaritaville Aid Station (mile 62.5)

The ups and downs you witness at a race of this length are pretty impressive. We arrived at the 70 mile aid station and watched as the runners he was with just 8 miles earlier started to come through. No sign of Nate. We wondered if maybe he’d really picked it up and had arrived and gone through before we got there. Nope, no such luck, and as the minutes ticked on we knew something was wrong. Brett decided to run back up the road a bit to see if he could spot him, and after awhile he came walking down the hill with Nate, who was obviously in pain. In the 8 miles since we had previously seen him, Nate’s PF flared up to the point where it was all he could do to hobble along the dirt roads that make up much of the 100 mile course. The stretch heading out of the 70 mile stop was a brutal uphill (I had attempted to run it earlier in the day, and I can’t imagine doing it after 70 miles of running!), but Nate opted to call it a day. It was clear that the decision to drop was the right one, but it was also clear that he was deeply disappointed that he couldn’t go on. The amount of training that goes into prepping for a 100 mile race is immense, and it’s tough to not meet your goals on race day.

We decided to head back to camp and pack up our things and head home. The thought of hanging at the finish line to watch runners come in was tempting, but Nate was leaving for England on Monday and thought it more important that he get home and help his family pack the next morning.

The big question I had going into the weekend was whether watching the race would make me want to run a 100-miler. There is something to be said about the challenge – I found myself wondering frequently if I could do it, and I have incredible respect for those who put in the training necessary to complete a race like this. That training is the main thing preventing me from considering making an attempt at a 100 miler right now - it would simply take too much time away from my family. But, I do have to admit that I find a tremendous appeal in long trail races like this. The 50K I ran last year was one of the most enjoyable races I have run, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to do another next year, maybe the VT 50K in the Fall. After that, who knows???

Here are a few more pictures from the weekend – the horse race was along the same route used by the runners, amazing to watch them all coming through the same aid stations!

 

Read More

Merrell Bare Access 2, Merrell Road Glove 2, Saucony Virrata, and Saucony Mirage 3: Shoe Preview Videos From Running Warehouse

Running Warehouse recently posted videos of a bunch of Merrell and Saucony shoes that will be released in early 2013. Below I’ve shared videos for the Merrell Road Glove 2, Merrell Bare Access 2, Saucony Virrata, and Saucony Mirage 3. Personally, I’m really excited to try out the new Bare Access an the Virrata, both look like my kind of shoes!

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Merrell Bare Access 2, Merrell Road Glove 2, Saucony Virrata, and Saucony Mirage 3: Shoe Preview Videos From Running Warehouse

Running Warehouse recently posted videos of a bunch of Merrell and Saucony shoes that will be released in early 2013. Below I’ve shared videos for the Merrell Road Glove 2, Merrell Bare Access 2, Saucony Virrata, and Saucony Mirage 3. Personally, I’m really excited to try out the new Bare Access an the Virrata, both look like my kind of shoes!

Read More

Skechers Go Race: Meb’s Olympic Marathon Shoe

A few days ago Brian Metzler of Competitor.com published an article showing off the shoes that will be worn by some of the US Olympic Marathon runners in London. Among them was the shoe to be worn by Meb Keflezghi– the Skechers Go Race. Here’s what Metzler wrote about Meb’s shoe:

“When Skechers signed Keflezighi in the wake of Nike dropping him, the running world freaked out a bit. Skechers? Many people thought Keflezighi, then 36, was just taking a paycheck with a shoe brand desperate to get into the running market. Even if he was (and we’re not saying he did), Keflezighi and Skechers are the ones getting the last laugh, given that he’s lowered his personal best twice in the two marathons he’s run since signing with Skechers and running in the brand’s lightweight GORun model. Keflezighi won the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in January in a PB 2:09:08, which came about 10 weeks after a solid sixth-place showing in the New York City Marathon (where he’d set his previous best of 2:09:13). He’s 37 now, but few are counting him out anymore. Anyway, here’s a look at his custom Olympic model. A men’s size 9.0 weighs in at about 6.9 oz.”

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been in regular contact with the team at Skechers that developed this shoe, and have been wear testing prototypes of various shoes they are working on for quite awhile now. I was lucky enough last week to receive a wear test pair of Meb’s Go Race, and have run a 12 miler and a 7 miler in them. Feels great, kind of like a lower drop, better fitting (at least on my feet) version of the Adidas Adios 2, which will surely be a shoe on the feet of many of Meb’s competitors in London.

Can’t say any more than that right now since I’m on an NDA (I’m not receiving any payment from Skechers, but can’t talk about pre-production models in detail – standard practice for this type of thing), but it’s been a lot of fun to work with a team that has essentially been given free reign to design and experiment with shoes as they see fit.

Read More

Skechers Go Race: Meb’s Olympic Marathon Shoe

A few days ago Brian Metzler of Competitor.com published an article showing off the shoes that will be worn by some of the US Olympic Marathon runners in London. Among them was the shoe to be worn by Meb Keflezghi– the Skechers Go Race. Here’s what Metzler wrote about Meb’s shoe:

“When Skechers signed Keflezighi in the wake of Nike dropping him, the running world freaked out a bit. Skechers? Many people thought Keflezighi, then 36, was just taking a paycheck with a shoe brand desperate to get into the running market. Even if he was (and we’re not saying he did), Keflezighi and Skechers are the ones getting the last laugh, given that he’s lowered his personal best twice in the two marathons he’s run since signing with Skechers and running in the brand’s lightweight GORun model. Keflezighi won the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in January in a PB 2:09:08, which came about 10 weeks after a solid sixth-place showing in the New York City Marathon (where he’d set his previous best of 2:09:13). He’s 37 now, but few are counting him out anymore. Anyway, here’s a look at his custom Olympic model. A men’s size 9.0 weighs in at about 6.9 oz.”

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been in regular contact with the team at Skechers that developed this shoe, and have been wear testing prototypes of various shoes they are working on for quite awhile now. I was lucky enough last week to receive a wear test pair of Meb’s Go Race, and have run a 12 miler and a 7 miler in them. Feels great, kind of like a lower drop, better fitting (at least on my feet) version of the Adidas Adios 2, which will surely be a shoe on the feet of many of Meb’s competitors in London.

Can’t say any more than that right now since I’m on an NDA (I’m not receiving any payment from Skechers, but can’t talk about pre-production models in detail – standard practice for this type of thing), but it’s been a lot of fun to work with a team that has essentially been given free reign to design and experiment with shoes as they see fit.

Read More

Sole Width Comparison Photos: Saucony Kinvara TR vs. Saucony Kinvara 3, Brooks Pure Grit, and Merrell Mix Master 2

Yesterday I posted a first run review of the Saucony Kinvara TR and noted that the fit seemed off – too narrow and tapered in the forefoot to the point where I had to swap out the insole for a very thin one to make it work. This morning I took out a few shoes to compare it too, and shot a few side-by-side photos. The comparisons are between the Kinvara TR, Kinvara 3, Brooks Pure Grit, and Merrell Mix Master 2. You’ll note that the Kinvara TR is considerably narrower up front than all three of the others (all of which fit me very well).

First, Kinvara TR vs. Kinvara 3 road shoe:

Nest, Kinvara TR vs. Brooks Pure Grit:

Finally, Kinvara TR vs. Merrell Mix Master:

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Sole Width Comparison Photos: Saucony Kinvara TR vs. Saucony Kinvara 3, Brooks Pure Grit, and Merrell Mix Master 2

Yesterday I posted a first run review of the Saucony Kinvara TR and noted that the fit seemed off – too narrow and tapered in the forefoot to the point where I had to swap out the insole for a very thin one to make it work. This morning I took out a few shoes to compare it too, and shot a few side-by-side photos. The comparisons are between the Kinvara TR, Kinvara 3, Brooks Pure Grit, and Merrell Mix Master 2. You’ll note that the Kinvara TR is considerably narrower up front than all three of the others (all of which fit me very well).

First, Kinvara TR vs. Kinvara 3 road shoe:

Nest, Kinvara TR vs. Brooks Pure Grit:

Finally, Kinvara TR vs. Merrell Mix Master:

Read More