Donald Buraglio and Michael Dove's Blog, page 26
June 21, 2011
An Evening at John's Place
I was going to post this as a Random Shot of Beauty a couple of weeks ago, except for the fact that I felt nearly overcome with dread while taking it:
The National Steinbeck Center in downtown Salinas, where my friend Mike and I were scheduled for a "Meet the Authors" presentation for our Running Life book on a recent Friday evening. We were invited to talk a little bit about our book, read a few excerpts, and explain how the natural beauty of Monterey County helps inspire both our running and our writing.
I've mentioned before that I'm much more comfortable as a writer than as a promoter, and this night was no exception. Of course, I might not have felt nearly so self-conscious if we hadn't been speaking just below the brooding visage of Steinbeck himself, looming over us as if waiting to pass judgment. You know … no pressure or anything.
Our warm up act – I swear I'm not making this up - was a class of mariachi guitarists. It was one of those "Only in Salinas" scenes, and helped to lighten the atmosphere a bit before Mike and I took the stage.
It wasn't competely empty ... it just seemed that way sometimes.
Attendance for our presentation was less than what we hoped for; check that – it was WAY less - although I guess if you count the mariachi players you could say we had a decent showing. However, for as anxious as I was beforehand, once we started talking about the book and running, the whole experience was actually more enjoyable than I had anticipated.
I presented a slideshow of images - most of them taken directly from this website – called "Running in Steinbeck Country." As I began to describe the timeless beauty of this area, the stories that took place here long before my arrival, and the appreciation I have both for this land and the people who occupy it, I settled into something approaching comfort. (Although considering the circumstances, that's still a pretty strong word; perhaps "I no longer wanted to crawl under the table" is more accurate.)
Obviously the two of us don't measure up to Steinbeck any more than we do to Olympic-caliber runners – however, in both cases, lack of world-class talent doesn't diminish our enjoyment of either activity. I enjoy writing, I love running, and as long as I can continue to do both of them in some form or another, I'll consider it one of life's greatest blessings.
*The Running Life is now available for $16 from our dedicated book webpage.
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
The National Steinbeck Center in downtown Salinas, where my friend Mike and I were scheduled for a "Meet the Authors" presentation for our Running Life book on a recent Friday evening. We were invited to talk a little bit about our book, read a few excerpts, and explain how the natural beauty of Monterey County helps inspire both our running and our writing.
I've mentioned before that I'm much more comfortable as a writer than as a promoter, and this night was no exception. Of course, I might not have felt nearly so self-conscious if we hadn't been speaking just below the brooding visage of Steinbeck himself, looming over us as if waiting to pass judgment. You know … no pressure or anything.
Our warm up act – I swear I'm not making this up - was a class of mariachi guitarists. It was one of those "Only in Salinas" scenes, and helped to lighten the atmosphere a bit before Mike and I took the stage.
It wasn't competely empty ... it just seemed that way sometimes.
Attendance for our presentation was less than what we hoped for; check that – it was WAY less - although I guess if you count the mariachi players you could say we had a decent showing. However, for as anxious as I was beforehand, once we started talking about the book and running, the whole experience was actually more enjoyable than I had anticipated.
I presented a slideshow of images - most of them taken directly from this website – called "Running in Steinbeck Country." As I began to describe the timeless beauty of this area, the stories that took place here long before my arrival, and the appreciation I have both for this land and the people who occupy it, I settled into something approaching comfort. (Although considering the circumstances, that's still a pretty strong word; perhaps "I no longer wanted to crawl under the table" is more accurate.)
Obviously the two of us don't measure up to Steinbeck any more than we do to Olympic-caliber runners – however, in both cases, lack of world-class talent doesn't diminish our enjoyment of either activity. I enjoy writing, I love running, and as long as I can continue to do both of them in some form or another, I'll consider it one of life's greatest blessings.
*The Running Life is now available for $16 from our dedicated book webpage.
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
June 20, 2011
Vibram FiveFingers Komodo Sport Review
When Vibram FiveFingers first hit the market, and especially after the outstanding KSOs were released, part of their appeal was that they were adaptable to practically any activity you could think of. Early marketing campaigns showed users running, hiking, practicing yoga, doing parkour, leaping from boulders into a lake, and so on. The product mimicked barefoot function almost perfectly, and people came up with countless new applications for use as their popularity increased.
From the beginning, Vibram has embraced customer feedback and suggestions for improvement, and as a result, they've spent the past couple of years expanding and specializing their product line to appeal to the widest range of athletic interests possible. So while the KSO is still a great all-purpose shoe, it's not nearly as good for hiking and trail running as the KSO Trek, or for road running as much as the Bikila (and Bikila LS).
(And to make sure everyone knows what I'm referring to before we progress any further, let's throw in some back links to my original reviews, shall we? I'll have these at the end of the post as well:
Vibram Fivefingers KSO review
Vibram FiveFingers KSO Trek review
Vibram FiveFingers Trek Sport review
Vibram FiveFingers Bikila review
Vibram FiveFingers Bikila LS review
OK - back to our primary programming.)
Vibram FiveFingers Komodo Sport
This spring, Vibram introduced the Fivefingers Komodo Sport, which is targeted at multi-sport athletes and general fitness enthusiasts. It has some very noticeable design changes from previous FiveFingers models, most of which are very effective, although there's one in particular that I wasn't crazy about. It features an entirely new outsole that will appeal to athletes who demand a lot of lateral movement (think tennis, basketball, etc), and is ideal for working out in the gym. However, it's still quite attractive as a running model – in fact, most of my testing has centered around trail running (I know … shocking), and this model has performed nearly as well as the KSO Trek, which is Vibram's gold standard for going off-road.
Closed mesh upper; PU abrasion dots on toes
From the midfoot to the toes, the upper of the Komodo looks very similar to the Bikila, although its closed stretch mesh material is slightly thicker than the mesh used on either the Bikila or Bikila LS. Also present here are the same polyurethane dots above the toes which the Bikila LS uses for increased abrasion resistance.
Very dirty ... but still very yellow
The Komodo is available in black, gray, or yellow; the dark colors are quite sharp-looking, and the yellow is, um … very yellow. Since bright colors aren't really my thing, I was kind of hoping that a lot of trail miles would dull the color of this particular pair a bit, but that hasn't quite happened yet. I've heard that some folks really love the bumble-bee look though, so I won't dwell on this too long.
Separate straps around heel and on top of foot
One of the design changes I wasn't crazy about was the addition of a second strap to the upper. Stylistically, this two-strap design borrows from both the KSO (with its single strap that wraps around the heel) and the original Bikila with a top strap that isn't integrated around the heel. On the Komodo, there is a second, independent Velcro strap to adjust the heel fit – but in practice, I found that cinching this strap tighter than the "factory" positioning resulted not in a more snug ankle fit, but in gapping at the inside of the ankle, as seen here:
Gapping at R inside ankle collar with heel strap tightened (click to enlarge)
Ultimately, rather than mess around in search of the perfect heel fit, I just returned the strap to its starting position, and the ankle collar stayed in place just fine. If you have unusually fat ankles, loosening the strap probably won't help, either, since the primary size-limiting component here is the circumference of the ankle collar. So I'd say the extra ankle strap is a nice idea, but doesn't quite deliver the practical application for which it was intended.
Removable smooth 2mm insole
One noticeable change to the Komodo is a smooth insole that provides a seamless, stitch-free bottom layer for improved comfort against bare feet. The insole is 2mm thick and is removable, although replacing it is somewhat difficult thanks to the individual toe cutouts. Many sockless users will appreciate the fact that for the first time, there's no stitching underneath your foot to cause potential irritation. Although I generally wear socks for my long trail runs, I've spent many sockless miles in the Komodos, and the combination of sockliner and insole is nearly as comfortable as the Bikila and Bikila LS. If you're thinking of removing the sockliner on these, be forewarned that the undersurface is fairly coarse, so you'll probably end up wanting socks – which might defeat the point of removing the insole in the first place.
The insole brings up a point of overall thickness, which gets a little bit confusing with FiveFingers sometimes, because some models use insoles and others use an EVA midsole. On the Komodo, there is no midsole material, so its standing height is the 2mm insole plus the 4mm outsole, or 6mm total thickness. That's actually slightly less than the Bikila models at 7mm (3mm insole plus 4mm outsole), as well as the KSO Trek and Trek Sport (4mm midsole plus 4mm outsole), but slightly more than the KSO with a 2mm insole and 3.5mm outsole. Perhaps it's the power of suggestion, but I found that the Komodo's ground feel generally reflects the specs: it's noticeably better than the Trek and Trek Sport, roughly equal to the Bikila and Bikila LS, and slightly worse than the original KSO.
At 7.1 oz, the Komodo weighs in as the heaviest FiveFingers to date, although to be fair it's only a half-once heavier than the Trek Sport. I suspect that the extra weight is primarily attributable to the additional Velcro strap – which is unfortunate, since I just explained that I didn't find the extra strap very effective – and perhaps the thicker mesh of the upper. If you use these as a dedicated running shoe, you'll probably notice a weight difference compared to the 6.0-oz Bikilas, but if used for their intended multi-sport purpose, the additional weight of the Komodo might not be too troubling to most users.
New multi-sport outsole
Here's where Vibram really changed the game on the Komodo: its brand new aggressive 4mm rubber outsole that is grooved in multiple directions to facilitate rapid stopping and turning, and for additional grip on generally flat or smooth surfaces such as asphalt or hardwood. Just as with the overall thickness, flexibility of the outsole is a middle ground for Vibram as well: the Komodo is more flexible than the KSO Trek and Trek Sport, but slightly less than the podded Bikila and Bikila LS.
Just for kicks, I spent several afternoons shooting baskets on the blacktop with my kids while wearing my Komodos, to get a feel for how they perform in rapid stop-and-go situations. The outsole is really quite strong in this regard, probably the equivalent of many general-purpose sneakers on the market. It's a significant improvement over the original KSO, and I don't have to worry about wearing the knobs down like I do whenever I wear my Treks on pavement. I would imagine that if you're in an aerobics class or using weight machines at the health club, the Komodos would give you all the grip you need.
Lab testing in the Wasatch foothills
I've also been pleasantly surprised as to the general durability of the outsole for running. I've put close to 100 trail miles on mine, and they aren't showing any significant signs of wearing down yet. When I heard that this was a "multi-sport" model, my fear was that it wouldn't be compatible with distance running, but the Komodo has been more than up to the task. In fact, for dedicated trail running, I definitely prefer it over my Trek Sports, although it's not quite strong enough to dethrone the KSO Trek as my first choice. For dedicated road running, I still prefer the lighter weight and overall comfort of the Bikila LS, but if you're going back and forth between road and trail a lot, the Komodo would be an ideal choice.
All things considered, the Komodo just might be the successor to Vibram's original KSO as the premier all-purpose do-anything model. The KSO was the first FiveFingers model I owned, and I used it for everything – trail running, yard work, and general goofing around. Thanks to my product review gigs, I now have the luxury of owning different models for different uses – but if I had to go back to a time when I could only pick one FiveFingers model to do everything with, I'd definitely pick the Komodo over the KSO now. For anyone else in that situation, the Komodo would make a great introduction to the joy of wearing Vibrams.
*Disclosure: this review was sponsored by TravelCountry.com, who provided my pair for testing, and who have the best stock and selection of all Vibram FiveFingers models anywhere on the Internet. The Vibram FiveFingers Komodo Sport retails for $100 in both the men's model and women's version.
**
See related reviews:
Vibram Fivefingers KSO
Vibram FiveFingers KSO Trek
Vibram FiveFingers Trek Sport
Vibram FiveFingers Bikila
Vibram FiveFingers Bikila LS
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
From the beginning, Vibram has embraced customer feedback and suggestions for improvement, and as a result, they've spent the past couple of years expanding and specializing their product line to appeal to the widest range of athletic interests possible. So while the KSO is still a great all-purpose shoe, it's not nearly as good for hiking and trail running as the KSO Trek, or for road running as much as the Bikila (and Bikila LS).
(And to make sure everyone knows what I'm referring to before we progress any further, let's throw in some back links to my original reviews, shall we? I'll have these at the end of the post as well:
Vibram Fivefingers KSO review
Vibram FiveFingers KSO Trek review
Vibram FiveFingers Trek Sport review
Vibram FiveFingers Bikila review
Vibram FiveFingers Bikila LS review
OK - back to our primary programming.)
Vibram FiveFingers Komodo Sport
This spring, Vibram introduced the Fivefingers Komodo Sport, which is targeted at multi-sport athletes and general fitness enthusiasts. It has some very noticeable design changes from previous FiveFingers models, most of which are very effective, although there's one in particular that I wasn't crazy about. It features an entirely new outsole that will appeal to athletes who demand a lot of lateral movement (think tennis, basketball, etc), and is ideal for working out in the gym. However, it's still quite attractive as a running model – in fact, most of my testing has centered around trail running (I know … shocking), and this model has performed nearly as well as the KSO Trek, which is Vibram's gold standard for going off-road.
Closed mesh upper; PU abrasion dots on toes
From the midfoot to the toes, the upper of the Komodo looks very similar to the Bikila, although its closed stretch mesh material is slightly thicker than the mesh used on either the Bikila or Bikila LS. Also present here are the same polyurethane dots above the toes which the Bikila LS uses for increased abrasion resistance.
Very dirty ... but still very yellow
The Komodo is available in black, gray, or yellow; the dark colors are quite sharp-looking, and the yellow is, um … very yellow. Since bright colors aren't really my thing, I was kind of hoping that a lot of trail miles would dull the color of this particular pair a bit, but that hasn't quite happened yet. I've heard that some folks really love the bumble-bee look though, so I won't dwell on this too long.
Separate straps around heel and on top of foot
One of the design changes I wasn't crazy about was the addition of a second strap to the upper. Stylistically, this two-strap design borrows from both the KSO (with its single strap that wraps around the heel) and the original Bikila with a top strap that isn't integrated around the heel. On the Komodo, there is a second, independent Velcro strap to adjust the heel fit – but in practice, I found that cinching this strap tighter than the "factory" positioning resulted not in a more snug ankle fit, but in gapping at the inside of the ankle, as seen here:
Gapping at R inside ankle collar with heel strap tightened (click to enlarge)
Ultimately, rather than mess around in search of the perfect heel fit, I just returned the strap to its starting position, and the ankle collar stayed in place just fine. If you have unusually fat ankles, loosening the strap probably won't help, either, since the primary size-limiting component here is the circumference of the ankle collar. So I'd say the extra ankle strap is a nice idea, but doesn't quite deliver the practical application for which it was intended.
Removable smooth 2mm insole
One noticeable change to the Komodo is a smooth insole that provides a seamless, stitch-free bottom layer for improved comfort against bare feet. The insole is 2mm thick and is removable, although replacing it is somewhat difficult thanks to the individual toe cutouts. Many sockless users will appreciate the fact that for the first time, there's no stitching underneath your foot to cause potential irritation. Although I generally wear socks for my long trail runs, I've spent many sockless miles in the Komodos, and the combination of sockliner and insole is nearly as comfortable as the Bikila and Bikila LS. If you're thinking of removing the sockliner on these, be forewarned that the undersurface is fairly coarse, so you'll probably end up wanting socks – which might defeat the point of removing the insole in the first place.
The insole brings up a point of overall thickness, which gets a little bit confusing with FiveFingers sometimes, because some models use insoles and others use an EVA midsole. On the Komodo, there is no midsole material, so its standing height is the 2mm insole plus the 4mm outsole, or 6mm total thickness. That's actually slightly less than the Bikila models at 7mm (3mm insole plus 4mm outsole), as well as the KSO Trek and Trek Sport (4mm midsole plus 4mm outsole), but slightly more than the KSO with a 2mm insole and 3.5mm outsole. Perhaps it's the power of suggestion, but I found that the Komodo's ground feel generally reflects the specs: it's noticeably better than the Trek and Trek Sport, roughly equal to the Bikila and Bikila LS, and slightly worse than the original KSO.
At 7.1 oz, the Komodo weighs in as the heaviest FiveFingers to date, although to be fair it's only a half-once heavier than the Trek Sport. I suspect that the extra weight is primarily attributable to the additional Velcro strap – which is unfortunate, since I just explained that I didn't find the extra strap very effective – and perhaps the thicker mesh of the upper. If you use these as a dedicated running shoe, you'll probably notice a weight difference compared to the 6.0-oz Bikilas, but if used for their intended multi-sport purpose, the additional weight of the Komodo might not be too troubling to most users.
New multi-sport outsole
Here's where Vibram really changed the game on the Komodo: its brand new aggressive 4mm rubber outsole that is grooved in multiple directions to facilitate rapid stopping and turning, and for additional grip on generally flat or smooth surfaces such as asphalt or hardwood. Just as with the overall thickness, flexibility of the outsole is a middle ground for Vibram as well: the Komodo is more flexible than the KSO Trek and Trek Sport, but slightly less than the podded Bikila and Bikila LS.
Just for kicks, I spent several afternoons shooting baskets on the blacktop with my kids while wearing my Komodos, to get a feel for how they perform in rapid stop-and-go situations. The outsole is really quite strong in this regard, probably the equivalent of many general-purpose sneakers on the market. It's a significant improvement over the original KSO, and I don't have to worry about wearing the knobs down like I do whenever I wear my Treks on pavement. I would imagine that if you're in an aerobics class or using weight machines at the health club, the Komodos would give you all the grip you need.
Lab testing in the Wasatch foothills
I've also been pleasantly surprised as to the general durability of the outsole for running. I've put close to 100 trail miles on mine, and they aren't showing any significant signs of wearing down yet. When I heard that this was a "multi-sport" model, my fear was that it wouldn't be compatible with distance running, but the Komodo has been more than up to the task. In fact, for dedicated trail running, I definitely prefer it over my Trek Sports, although it's not quite strong enough to dethrone the KSO Trek as my first choice. For dedicated road running, I still prefer the lighter weight and overall comfort of the Bikila LS, but if you're going back and forth between road and trail a lot, the Komodo would be an ideal choice.
All things considered, the Komodo just might be the successor to Vibram's original KSO as the premier all-purpose do-anything model. The KSO was the first FiveFingers model I owned, and I used it for everything – trail running, yard work, and general goofing around. Thanks to my product review gigs, I now have the luxury of owning different models for different uses – but if I had to go back to a time when I could only pick one FiveFingers model to do everything with, I'd definitely pick the Komodo over the KSO now. For anyone else in that situation, the Komodo would make a great introduction to the joy of wearing Vibrams.
*Disclosure: this review was sponsored by TravelCountry.com, who provided my pair for testing, and who have the best stock and selection of all Vibram FiveFingers models anywhere on the Internet. The Vibram FiveFingers Komodo Sport retails for $100 in both the men's model and women's version.
**
See related reviews:
Vibram Fivefingers KSO
Vibram FiveFingers KSO Trek
Vibram FiveFingers Trek Sport
Vibram FiveFingers Bikila
Vibram FiveFingers Bikila LS
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
June 18, 2011
Barefoot Kids Animation; Random Shots of Beauty (Father's Day Edition)
A few odds and ends for you this weekend on the subject of children and fathers ...
* First, a quick reminder: you've got until the end of Sunday to purchase VIVOBAREFOOT children's shoes at a 15% discount with coupon code RNR15. Your kids' feet will thank you, because ...
* This should be obvious, but being barefoot is great for your kids. Short of that, having barefoot shoes is the next best thing for healthy foot development. VIVOBAREFOOT recently released a video promoting this theory; the clip combines children's art-class visuals with a description of some recent research into the benefits of natural footwear for kids. It also has precisely the sort of Oliver Twist-y narration that you'd expect from an English company talking about children's shoes.
The information itself probably isn't anything you haven't heard before (especially if you've hung around here for a while), but the animation is kind of clever, so take a few minutes to check it out:
"Barefoot is Best", by VIVOBAREFOOT Kids (click to play):
* Finally, since today is Father's Day, a brief snapshot comes to mind about what it means to be a father. Sometimes fatherhood isn't about the major things like being a role model or teaching right from wrong or providing comfort or counsel during life-altering circumstances; sometimes it's just letting a tired fat kid sleep on your shoulder in the middle of a long day:
By the way - the kid in the backpack? That would be me.
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
* First, a quick reminder: you've got until the end of Sunday to purchase VIVOBAREFOOT children's shoes at a 15% discount with coupon code RNR15. Your kids' feet will thank you, because ...
* This should be obvious, but being barefoot is great for your kids. Short of that, having barefoot shoes is the next best thing for healthy foot development. VIVOBAREFOOT recently released a video promoting this theory; the clip combines children's art-class visuals with a description of some recent research into the benefits of natural footwear for kids. It also has precisely the sort of Oliver Twist-y narration that you'd expect from an English company talking about children's shoes.
The information itself probably isn't anything you haven't heard before (especially if you've hung around here for a while), but the animation is kind of clever, so take a few minutes to check it out:
"Barefoot is Best", by VIVOBAREFOOT Kids (click to play):
* Finally, since today is Father's Day, a brief snapshot comes to mind about what it means to be a father. Sometimes fatherhood isn't about the major things like being a role model or teaching right from wrong or providing comfort or counsel during life-altering circumstances; sometimes it's just letting a tired fat kid sleep on your shoulder in the middle of a long day:
By the way - the kid in the backpack? That would be me.
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
June 16, 2011
Evolution of the Soft Star Moc3; Moc3 Preview Video
In my ZEM Gear review earlier this week, I described how the gap between socks and shoes is narrowing, as socks become increasingly rugged and shoes become less and less substantial. ZEM was an example of a company approaching the ideal middle ground from the sock side, and today I'm excited to offer a photo and video preview of a new minimalist model from a company who originated on the shoe side of the spectrum.
Truthfully, calling Soft Star a shoe company is something of a misnomer, since they primarily specialize in slippers and moccasins, including the well-publicized (around here, anyway) RunAmoc and Dash which I've worn for all of my ultras this year. Their footwear was already almost as simple and natural as possible, but this spring they've managed to create a fairly remarkable product that even makes moccasins seem bulky by comparison. Last week the company released a promotional video of the new moc, which follows at the end of this post.
The new model is called the Moc3, and it's essentially a hybrid of sock and slipper; think of what would happen if your form-fitting socks snuck out of their drawer and mated with your most comfortable indoor/outdoor slippers, and you get a good sense of what the Moc3 is like. It will be available for purchase on June 23, and I'll have an official review posted shortly thereafter. In the meantime, I'm sharing a bit of the product development process that I've been involved with since the first of the year; I always find it fun to go back and see how something evolves from prototype to finished product, and this particular process has been very interesting indeed.
When my first prototypes arrived in the mail, they reminded me of water booties on top, and bear paws on the bottom.
For obvious reasons, the outsole was the most distinctive aspect of these new mocs; unfortunately, it was also the most problematic. I wore these for all of one day before the rubberized Vibram patches started peeling off all over the place – this would be a recurring theme for the first few test pairs. However, they were super-comfortable, and it was clear that this was something that could completely break the mold of other minimalist shoes on the market.
About halfway through the process
Once the prototypes held up long enough to actually take a few runs in them, another recurring concern was the overall fit. The earliest prototypes were too loose, causing my foot to slide around inside them. Sometimes the heel area was snug but the length was too short. When the length was extended, the ankle opening was too wide. Sizing switched back and forth between standard numeric shoe sizes and a "small-medium-large-XL" convention like you use for T-shirts. (I think they settled on traditional shoe sizing, but I'm not positive.) There was a lot of tinkering, and several prototypes were tested and discarded before the proper width and length were dialed in.
Playing around in Jacks Peak, Monterey
However, even with the fit somewhat off-kilter on each pair, I was having a blast in these mocs every time I went for a run. The blue and black pair above are what I was wearing in this photo tour in Monterey, on a day when I was jumping off tree trunks and climbing on fence railings and otherwise acting like a little kid; the feeling of running through the woods in a pair of thin slippers channeled my inner wild child even more quickly than my standard RunAmocs do. In my book, that's a good thing.
You'll notice that the outsole design was still under experimentation on this pair, with some of the previously-separated pods now merged together. This worked a little bit better … but I hadn't logged very many miles before these outsoles started peeling off as well. Back to the drawing board.
Smooth leather outer surface
There was also some discussion of whether to make the outer surface of the uppers out of smooth or perforated leather. My preference is always for perforated leather, and that's the style that's used in the promo video below, but there's a possibility that smooth leather will be an option for customers who prefer it; I'll confirm this prior to the official review.
Finished product: Soft Star Moc3
By the time we were done, there was probably more trial and error involved with the Moc3 than any other prototype testing I've been involved with. The good news is that every problem that was identified was properly solved, and the finished product is truly extraordinary. The outsoles (now a single piece) stay attached even with high mileage, the fit is comfortable and secure through the whole foot, and the ground feel is among the best I've ever felt.
Single-piece outsole
There's one more important point to note abut this whole process: the Moc3 is the brainchild of Mike Friton, one of the most impressive shoe designers you'll ever meet. He's featured in the video that follows, and I'll have more to say about him in my official review next week. In the meantime, Soft Star produced this outstanding video overview of the development process, with some additional shots of the finished product that will be available next week.
*
"Moc3: Running Uninvented" by Soft Star (click to play):
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
Truthfully, calling Soft Star a shoe company is something of a misnomer, since they primarily specialize in slippers and moccasins, including the well-publicized (around here, anyway) RunAmoc and Dash which I've worn for all of my ultras this year. Their footwear was already almost as simple and natural as possible, but this spring they've managed to create a fairly remarkable product that even makes moccasins seem bulky by comparison. Last week the company released a promotional video of the new moc, which follows at the end of this post.
The new model is called the Moc3, and it's essentially a hybrid of sock and slipper; think of what would happen if your form-fitting socks snuck out of their drawer and mated with your most comfortable indoor/outdoor slippers, and you get a good sense of what the Moc3 is like. It will be available for purchase on June 23, and I'll have an official review posted shortly thereafter. In the meantime, I'm sharing a bit of the product development process that I've been involved with since the first of the year; I always find it fun to go back and see how something evolves from prototype to finished product, and this particular process has been very interesting indeed.
When my first prototypes arrived in the mail, they reminded me of water booties on top, and bear paws on the bottom.
For obvious reasons, the outsole was the most distinctive aspect of these new mocs; unfortunately, it was also the most problematic. I wore these for all of one day before the rubberized Vibram patches started peeling off all over the place – this would be a recurring theme for the first few test pairs. However, they were super-comfortable, and it was clear that this was something that could completely break the mold of other minimalist shoes on the market.
About halfway through the process
Once the prototypes held up long enough to actually take a few runs in them, another recurring concern was the overall fit. The earliest prototypes were too loose, causing my foot to slide around inside them. Sometimes the heel area was snug but the length was too short. When the length was extended, the ankle opening was too wide. Sizing switched back and forth between standard numeric shoe sizes and a "small-medium-large-XL" convention like you use for T-shirts. (I think they settled on traditional shoe sizing, but I'm not positive.) There was a lot of tinkering, and several prototypes were tested and discarded before the proper width and length were dialed in.
Playing around in Jacks Peak, Monterey
However, even with the fit somewhat off-kilter on each pair, I was having a blast in these mocs every time I went for a run. The blue and black pair above are what I was wearing in this photo tour in Monterey, on a day when I was jumping off tree trunks and climbing on fence railings and otherwise acting like a little kid; the feeling of running through the woods in a pair of thin slippers channeled my inner wild child even more quickly than my standard RunAmocs do. In my book, that's a good thing.
You'll notice that the outsole design was still under experimentation on this pair, with some of the previously-separated pods now merged together. This worked a little bit better … but I hadn't logged very many miles before these outsoles started peeling off as well. Back to the drawing board.
Smooth leather outer surface
There was also some discussion of whether to make the outer surface of the uppers out of smooth or perforated leather. My preference is always for perforated leather, and that's the style that's used in the promo video below, but there's a possibility that smooth leather will be an option for customers who prefer it; I'll confirm this prior to the official review.
Finished product: Soft Star Moc3
By the time we were done, there was probably more trial and error involved with the Moc3 than any other prototype testing I've been involved with. The good news is that every problem that was identified was properly solved, and the finished product is truly extraordinary. The outsoles (now a single piece) stay attached even with high mileage, the fit is comfortable and secure through the whole foot, and the ground feel is among the best I've ever felt.
Single-piece outsole
There's one more important point to note abut this whole process: the Moc3 is the brainchild of Mike Friton, one of the most impressive shoe designers you'll ever meet. He's featured in the video that follows, and I'll have more to say about him in my official review next week. In the meantime, Soft Star produced this outstanding video overview of the development process, with some additional shots of the finished product that will be available next week.
*
"Moc3: Running Uninvented" by Soft Star (click to play):
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
June 14, 2011
Be Good To Your Daughters: VIVOBAREFOOT Kids' Shoe Sale
"Fathers, be good to your daughters ... "
-John Mayer, "Daughters" (video after post)
*
Since Father's Day weekend is approaching, I thought I'd take a moment and show off my two beautiful little girls:
Well, at least part of them anyway. For today's purposes, what you see above is the most pertinent part of the discussion – because I love my little girls' feet just as much as the rest of them.
I'm a little bit protective of my daughters. My heart breaks when either one of them feels sad or lonely. I want to shelter them from harm and provide all the necessities they need to grow and thrive and chase their dreams. I want to teach them to love and respect themselves so that later on in life, they can teach someone else to love and respect them nearly as much as I do.
It's probably this same protective instinct that has inspired one other admittedly ambitious goal I have for each of them: I want them to go their entire lives without wearing high-heeled shoes.
For the life of me, I can't figure out why women haven't collectively dismissed this societal relic at least a few generations ago. I mean, OK - I get the notion that walking around like circus performers is supposed to make your legs look more attractive … but really? Do you honestly believe that if high heels disappeared tomorrow, men would stop gawking at women's legs?
The whole issue wouldn't be so troubling if there weren't so many physical risks associated with high heels: foot deformities, knee arthritis, and chronic back pain are the primary maladies, not to mention the countless falls and ankle injuries women have suffered in an effort to be fashionable. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that outlawing high heels should have been right up there with suffrage and equal employment in the women's rights movement. If only Susan B. Anthony had dealt with this 150 years ago, maybe I'd be slightly less neurotic today. (On second thought … probably not.)
Perhaps all of this is coming into sharp focus for me lately, mainly because of these:
They're my 7-year-old daughter's church shoes, which she loves to wear. Although both of my daughters love going barefoot and wearing minimalist shoes, they're also drawn to the dress-up aspect of heels – and this particular pair somehow slipped past the goalie (me) and ended up in her wardrobe.
The platforms are only a couple of inches high, but I see them as a gateway drug that will eventually pique her interest in something more enticing and potentially dangerous – and for that reason, I've been trying to stomp out this threat at every opportunity. Unfortunately, for a few months, they were the only black shoes she owned – so whenever she wanted something black to match an outfit, she was stuck with the evil heels.
That's why I was thrilled when VIVOBAREFOOT swooped in to the rescue, providing both of my daughters with these:
Their Pally girl's shoe that I reviewed back in October, which is black enough and satisfactorily sharp-looking to use as formal wear. Both of my daughters love them; for my youngest, they match the pink version that she started wearing in the fall and alternated as an everyday shoe throughout the school year along with her VIVOBAREFOOT Oaky. Best of all is that by wearing them, along with my ongoing encouragement and instruction, my girls are learning to respect their feet – and by extension, the rest of their bodies – in the way that they deserve, and in a way that will literally protect them from physical harm as they grow older.
Since I've already reviewed both shoes, I'll spare you the specs and details and just refer you to my Pally review from September and my Oaky review from December. More importantly, I'm happy to report that this chapter of the battle against high heels is over; once my youngest daughter got her feet in the Pallys, the old church shoes were sent out to pasture. There will undoubtedly be more skirmishes to come in this war, but for the time being at least, I feel like I still have the upper hand.
I've mentioned before what a cool company VIVOBAREFOOT is, and this whole story is a great example: in exchange for the shoes, all they wanted me to do was help promote a Father's Day sale they're having this week on all VIVOBAREFOOT kids models. From now through Sunday, June 19th, you can use coupon code RNR15 for 15% off the Pally, the Oaky, or any other children's model from their collection. (By way of full disclosure, there's also a 15% off sale on all adult models as well, and you don't need a coupon code.)
With the coupon code, you can get the Pally for about 56 bucks; it's not the cheapest children's shoe you'll ever buy, but if you do like we did and order them slightly large, they should last you at least a year like the first pair of Pallys my youngest is still wearing. Considering the task that I'm up against in keeping my girls away from high heels, that's a price I'm willing to pay for a year's worth of peace of mind.
*
As for the music video - it was a pretty easy selection for this one.
John Mayer, "Daughters" (click to play):
*Products provided by VIVOBAREFOOT
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you'd like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
-John Mayer, "Daughters" (video after post)
*
Since Father's Day weekend is approaching, I thought I'd take a moment and show off my two beautiful little girls:
Well, at least part of them anyway. For today's purposes, what you see above is the most pertinent part of the discussion – because I love my little girls' feet just as much as the rest of them.
I'm a little bit protective of my daughters. My heart breaks when either one of them feels sad or lonely. I want to shelter them from harm and provide all the necessities they need to grow and thrive and chase their dreams. I want to teach them to love and respect themselves so that later on in life, they can teach someone else to love and respect them nearly as much as I do.
It's probably this same protective instinct that has inspired one other admittedly ambitious goal I have for each of them: I want them to go their entire lives without wearing high-heeled shoes.
For the life of me, I can't figure out why women haven't collectively dismissed this societal relic at least a few generations ago. I mean, OK - I get the notion that walking around like circus performers is supposed to make your legs look more attractive … but really? Do you honestly believe that if high heels disappeared tomorrow, men would stop gawking at women's legs?
The whole issue wouldn't be so troubling if there weren't so many physical risks associated with high heels: foot deformities, knee arthritis, and chronic back pain are the primary maladies, not to mention the countless falls and ankle injuries women have suffered in an effort to be fashionable. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that outlawing high heels should have been right up there with suffrage and equal employment in the women's rights movement. If only Susan B. Anthony had dealt with this 150 years ago, maybe I'd be slightly less neurotic today. (On second thought … probably not.)
Perhaps all of this is coming into sharp focus for me lately, mainly because of these:
They're my 7-year-old daughter's church shoes, which she loves to wear. Although both of my daughters love going barefoot and wearing minimalist shoes, they're also drawn to the dress-up aspect of heels – and this particular pair somehow slipped past the goalie (me) and ended up in her wardrobe.
The platforms are only a couple of inches high, but I see them as a gateway drug that will eventually pique her interest in something more enticing and potentially dangerous – and for that reason, I've been trying to stomp out this threat at every opportunity. Unfortunately, for a few months, they were the only black shoes she owned – so whenever she wanted something black to match an outfit, she was stuck with the evil heels.
That's why I was thrilled when VIVOBAREFOOT swooped in to the rescue, providing both of my daughters with these:
Their Pally girl's shoe that I reviewed back in October, which is black enough and satisfactorily sharp-looking to use as formal wear. Both of my daughters love them; for my youngest, they match the pink version that she started wearing in the fall and alternated as an everyday shoe throughout the school year along with her VIVOBAREFOOT Oaky. Best of all is that by wearing them, along with my ongoing encouragement and instruction, my girls are learning to respect their feet – and by extension, the rest of their bodies – in the way that they deserve, and in a way that will literally protect them from physical harm as they grow older.
Since I've already reviewed both shoes, I'll spare you the specs and details and just refer you to my Pally review from September and my Oaky review from December. More importantly, I'm happy to report that this chapter of the battle against high heels is over; once my youngest daughter got her feet in the Pallys, the old church shoes were sent out to pasture. There will undoubtedly be more skirmishes to come in this war, but for the time being at least, I feel like I still have the upper hand.
I've mentioned before what a cool company VIVOBAREFOOT is, and this whole story is a great example: in exchange for the shoes, all they wanted me to do was help promote a Father's Day sale they're having this week on all VIVOBAREFOOT kids models. From now through Sunday, June 19th, you can use coupon code RNR15 for 15% off the Pally, the Oaky, or any other children's model from their collection. (By way of full disclosure, there's also a 15% off sale on all adult models as well, and you don't need a coupon code.)
With the coupon code, you can get the Pally for about 56 bucks; it's not the cheapest children's shoe you'll ever buy, but if you do like we did and order them slightly large, they should last you at least a year like the first pair of Pallys my youngest is still wearing. Considering the task that I'm up against in keeping my girls away from high heels, that's a price I'm willing to pay for a year's worth of peace of mind.
*
As for the music video - it was a pretty easy selection for this one.
John Mayer, "Daughters" (click to play):
*Products provided by VIVOBAREFOOT
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you'd like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
June 13, 2011
ZEM Gear Ninja Review
On the continuum from bare feet to minimalist footwear, there's something of a disconnect in the transition from sock to shoe. Shoe companies trend downward by stripping away all but the bare essentials, while sock manufacturers augment their products to tolerate general all-purpose outdoor activity.
The ideal middle ground is to have a product that feels as thin, natural, and comfortable as a pair of socks, with enough durability to run high mileage in various conditions like you could with a shoe. I've recently been testing two products that come closer to hitting that sweet spot than pretty much anything else I've tested; one of them comes from the "sock" side of the spectrum, and the other one (which I'll introduce in the near future) originates from the shoe side.
Today's post features ZEM Gear, which packs a lot of technology into a rather simple design, and has multiple applications for people who want to feel barefoot without actually being barefoot. I tested the Ninja Low Ankle model, which the website describes as the "first choice of barefoot enthusiasts, runners, and athletes." It basically looks like a neoprene sock, and at 2.2 oz, it's about the lightest thing you can put on your feet.
Material construction of ZEM Gear consists of a 4-way stretch lycra upper that is approximately 2mm thick. They provide enough insulation to keep me warm on 40-degree mornings, and breathe fairly well on hot days, although we've yet to see an extreme heat spell so far this year. The Ninja is intended for wet or dry use, so they would be equally suited for a winter run in the rain or a summer day at the lake.
Across the top of the upper are stripes called high frequency tech-bands which help prevent slipping of the foot inside the upper – and while this next point has nothing to do with the their performance, my gold-on-black stripes kind of reminded me of something an ancient Egyptian pharaoh might wear.
Walk like a minimalist Egyptian ...
As the name implies, the collar of this model sits quite low around the ankle – perhaps lower than pretty much any other minimalist footwear I've tested. Although I had a compulsion to reach down and pull the collar up at times, it actually stayed in place quite well. The Ninjas have a secure-top collar which stretches far enough to put them on easily, but stays snug enough around the ankle to keep debris out. There's a high ankle version which appears as if it would sit right above the lateral ankle bone if that's your preference.
Ideal flexibility
The Ninja upper is most noteworthy for its split-toe design which separates the big toe from the rest to help improve barefoot feel and balanced during activity. Yes, it looks weird, but I found this to be a nice compromise between Injinji-style toe pockets and single toe box models. I suspect that with a single toe box, my foot would have a bit more trouble gripping the ground, but having single toe pockets on a neoprene upper might make the Ninjas more difficult to put on or take of.
Narrow outsole shape
While the upper feels very comfortable against bare skin and stays in place quite well, I found the overall shape to be somewhat narrow, especially in the front of the foot. Each time I ran for more than an hour or so, I noted hot spots on the outside of my pinky toes, where the toe box angles inward a bit too sharply. If the toe box was slightly wider, the outer toes could spread and flex completely naturally, but with the current shape they seem slightly restricted.
Outsoles of the Ninja are composed of a soft 3mm-thick rubber with molded traction lugs to improve your grip. Obviously with such minimal thickness, flexibility and ground feel in ZEMs is outstanding; you'll feel every single crack in the road and bump on the trail. One problem I noticed with the outsole is that its softness sometimes causes very small or sharp pebbles to get embedded in the rubber – think of the feeling you get when there's a small rock stuck to the bottom of your foot, and that's what I experienced every now and then with my Ninjas.
Beginning to fray on inside of big toe seam
Another potential drawback of the outsole is the rather large seam that attaches it to the upper. I thought this would be an issue at the heel area where I tend to wear out the insides of my Soft Star Dash moccasins, but the first point of failure was actually in the forefoot and toe area, where the fabric seam started to fray after repeated abrasion on asphalt.
The biggest challenge in sock-like products such as ZEM is making them durable enough on the underside to be worn for running or other high-demand activity without excessively compromising ground feel. This is a drawback for ZEM as well, as mine started to fall apart after about 75 miles or so. However, a few points are worth noting in their defense:
1) ZEMs weren't originally intended as running shoes; they're another of those products that were designed for fairly routine barefoot use only to be seized upon by the minimalist running crowd. There's actually a disclaimer on the website saying that you shouldn't wear them for an extended period of time on concrete or asphalt … but we all know how good runners are at listening to precautions.
2) The company has a new product line coming out very soon which features an outsole with greater abrasion resistance – but then I'm sure some purists will gripe about the decreased barefoot feel. They'll be interesting to test, and I'll pass along more feedback about them as I'm able to.
3) With a low retail price of $35, you can afford to burn through a few pair of these in relatively short order with a return on investment that's close to some other minimalist footwear out there. I'd predict that you could get at least 100 miles or more out of a pair before you need to replace them - and if you just wear ZEMs for walking and general outdoor use, you'll probably stretch your dollars even further.
Ultimately, I think the Ninja is more suitable as a light-use shoe than as a hardy training shoe, but there is a lot of potential for ZEM's products to be an extremely attractive option for minimalist runners looking for bare-bones protection without sacrificing the barefoot feel they love.
ZEM's Ninjas retail for $35 from the company website.
*Product provided by ZEM Gear
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you'd like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
The ideal middle ground is to have a product that feels as thin, natural, and comfortable as a pair of socks, with enough durability to run high mileage in various conditions like you could with a shoe. I've recently been testing two products that come closer to hitting that sweet spot than pretty much anything else I've tested; one of them comes from the "sock" side of the spectrum, and the other one (which I'll introduce in the near future) originates from the shoe side.
Today's post features ZEM Gear, which packs a lot of technology into a rather simple design, and has multiple applications for people who want to feel barefoot without actually being barefoot. I tested the Ninja Low Ankle model, which the website describes as the "first choice of barefoot enthusiasts, runners, and athletes." It basically looks like a neoprene sock, and at 2.2 oz, it's about the lightest thing you can put on your feet.
Material construction of ZEM Gear consists of a 4-way stretch lycra upper that is approximately 2mm thick. They provide enough insulation to keep me warm on 40-degree mornings, and breathe fairly well on hot days, although we've yet to see an extreme heat spell so far this year. The Ninja is intended for wet or dry use, so they would be equally suited for a winter run in the rain or a summer day at the lake.
Across the top of the upper are stripes called high frequency tech-bands which help prevent slipping of the foot inside the upper – and while this next point has nothing to do with the their performance, my gold-on-black stripes kind of reminded me of something an ancient Egyptian pharaoh might wear.
Walk like a minimalist Egyptian ...
As the name implies, the collar of this model sits quite low around the ankle – perhaps lower than pretty much any other minimalist footwear I've tested. Although I had a compulsion to reach down and pull the collar up at times, it actually stayed in place quite well. The Ninjas have a secure-top collar which stretches far enough to put them on easily, but stays snug enough around the ankle to keep debris out. There's a high ankle version which appears as if it would sit right above the lateral ankle bone if that's your preference.
Ideal flexibility
The Ninja upper is most noteworthy for its split-toe design which separates the big toe from the rest to help improve barefoot feel and balanced during activity. Yes, it looks weird, but I found this to be a nice compromise between Injinji-style toe pockets and single toe box models. I suspect that with a single toe box, my foot would have a bit more trouble gripping the ground, but having single toe pockets on a neoprene upper might make the Ninjas more difficult to put on or take of.
Narrow outsole shape
While the upper feels very comfortable against bare skin and stays in place quite well, I found the overall shape to be somewhat narrow, especially in the front of the foot. Each time I ran for more than an hour or so, I noted hot spots on the outside of my pinky toes, where the toe box angles inward a bit too sharply. If the toe box was slightly wider, the outer toes could spread and flex completely naturally, but with the current shape they seem slightly restricted.
Outsoles of the Ninja are composed of a soft 3mm-thick rubber with molded traction lugs to improve your grip. Obviously with such minimal thickness, flexibility and ground feel in ZEMs is outstanding; you'll feel every single crack in the road and bump on the trail. One problem I noticed with the outsole is that its softness sometimes causes very small or sharp pebbles to get embedded in the rubber – think of the feeling you get when there's a small rock stuck to the bottom of your foot, and that's what I experienced every now and then with my Ninjas.
Beginning to fray on inside of big toe seam
Another potential drawback of the outsole is the rather large seam that attaches it to the upper. I thought this would be an issue at the heel area where I tend to wear out the insides of my Soft Star Dash moccasins, but the first point of failure was actually in the forefoot and toe area, where the fabric seam started to fray after repeated abrasion on asphalt.
The biggest challenge in sock-like products such as ZEM is making them durable enough on the underside to be worn for running or other high-demand activity without excessively compromising ground feel. This is a drawback for ZEM as well, as mine started to fall apart after about 75 miles or so. However, a few points are worth noting in their defense:
1) ZEMs weren't originally intended as running shoes; they're another of those products that were designed for fairly routine barefoot use only to be seized upon by the minimalist running crowd. There's actually a disclaimer on the website saying that you shouldn't wear them for an extended period of time on concrete or asphalt … but we all know how good runners are at listening to precautions.
2) The company has a new product line coming out very soon which features an outsole with greater abrasion resistance – but then I'm sure some purists will gripe about the decreased barefoot feel. They'll be interesting to test, and I'll pass along more feedback about them as I'm able to.
3) With a low retail price of $35, you can afford to burn through a few pair of these in relatively short order with a return on investment that's close to some other minimalist footwear out there. I'd predict that you could get at least 100 miles or more out of a pair before you need to replace them - and if you just wear ZEMs for walking and general outdoor use, you'll probably stretch your dollars even further.
Ultimately, I think the Ninja is more suitable as a light-use shoe than as a hardy training shoe, but there is a lot of potential for ZEM's products to be an extremely attractive option for minimalist runners looking for bare-bones protection without sacrificing the barefoot feel they love.
ZEM's Ninjas retail for $35 from the company website.
*Product provided by ZEM Gear
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you'd like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
June 11, 2011
Relentless Forward Progress Winner; Random Shots of Beauty; Dude Looks Like a Minimalist
A few odds and ends for this weekend's post, none of which necessarily relate to each other ... but that shouldn't really surprise anyone, I guess.
First, the main order of business is to announce the winner of Bryon Powell's Relentless Forward Progress book. Running Preacher: e-mail me your address - you've won a signed copy of the book! Thanks to everyone else who entered - and for those who indicated that they'd probably buy it anyway, I'd definitely give it a high recommendation. The book is quite affordably priced on Amazon, at $10.17 for the paperback version, and $9.66 in Kindle format. Thanks again to Bryon for providing a giveaway copy.
*
Our Random Shot of Beauty features a backdrop that's somewhat out of the ordinary for me:
The Wasatch Mountains above Salt Lake City, where I've landed for a bang-bang weekend trip, but still thankfully managed to spend a couple of hours on the trail.
**
Finally, I wasn't quite sure where to put this item or exactly what to say about it, so we'll just call this a Random Shot of Whaaaat? and move on.
On the off chance that you needed any more convincing that the minimalist footwear revolution is creeping its way into the popular conscious, consider the following photo that was snapped by TMZ.com earlier this week:
That would be Steven Tyler, of Aerosmith (a band I adored as a kid, by the way) and American Idol fame, doing ... well, exactly what he's doing is uncertain - as is the question of what might have happened to his pants. What's clear, though, is that he's wearing a pair of VIVOBAREFOOTs on his feet.
That's right ... hard-rocking, cross-dressing, brain-cell-baking, common-decency stretching Steven Tyler is now one of us. I suppose whether that's good news or bad is open to debate.
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
First, the main order of business is to announce the winner of Bryon Powell's Relentless Forward Progress book. Running Preacher: e-mail me your address - you've won a signed copy of the book! Thanks to everyone else who entered - and for those who indicated that they'd probably buy it anyway, I'd definitely give it a high recommendation. The book is quite affordably priced on Amazon, at $10.17 for the paperback version, and $9.66 in Kindle format. Thanks again to Bryon for providing a giveaway copy.
*
Our Random Shot of Beauty features a backdrop that's somewhat out of the ordinary for me:
The Wasatch Mountains above Salt Lake City, where I've landed for a bang-bang weekend trip, but still thankfully managed to spend a couple of hours on the trail.
**
Finally, I wasn't quite sure where to put this item or exactly what to say about it, so we'll just call this a Random Shot of Whaaaat? and move on.
On the off chance that you needed any more convincing that the minimalist footwear revolution is creeping its way into the popular conscious, consider the following photo that was snapped by TMZ.com earlier this week:
That would be Steven Tyler, of Aerosmith (a band I adored as a kid, by the way) and American Idol fame, doing ... well, exactly what he's doing is uncertain - as is the question of what might have happened to his pants. What's clear, though, is that he's wearing a pair of VIVOBAREFOOTs on his feet.
That's right ... hard-rocking, cross-dressing, brain-cell-baking, common-decency stretching Steven Tyler is now one of us. I suppose whether that's good news or bad is open to debate.
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
June 8, 2011
An Extra Dose of Cool: Auburn Trail Run Race Report
"My body tells me no -
But I won't quit, 'cause I want more ... "
- Young the Giant, "My Body" (video after post)
Under normal circumstances, if you're looking for some solid heat training in preparation for a summer 100-miler, finding a race in Auburn, CA at the beginning of June seems like an absolute slam dunk.
And then there's 2011 – where January featured beach weekends strung back to back to back, February saw winter snowstorms return with a vengeance, and March had so much rainfall that the neighborhood animals were lining up in twos. Springtime has been one of those schizophrenic seasons where you have absolutely no idea what to expect – so I guess it shouldn't surprise me that a plan I crafted back in February to get some heat training in June wouldn't exactly turn out the way I wanted.
That doesn't mean the day was disappointing, however; the Auburn Trail Runs feature small crowds, beautiful trails, and great aid station support on a course that includes an 8-mile stretch of the Western States Trail as well as one of that race's most famous landmarks. I came with two goals in mind: 1) stretch the 34-mile race into a 50-mile training day, and 2) get some familiarity with part of the trail that I'd be returning to as a pacer in a few weeks – more on that later.
The only thing that was missing was the heat – and while I was more than a little bummed about the weather, it's not like I haven't had experience with running all day in the rain. You may recall that the last 50K I entered, at Woodside this March, had similarly wet and muddy conditions. You've heard the expression "Bring your own weather with you?" Apparently I'm the guy who brings rain to his 50Ks. There's probably some symbolism in that … but I'm afraid to consider what. So let's just start the report.
(As usual, click to enlarge all photos.)
One thing that continually impresses me about ultrarunners is that there's very little drama; before the race, I didn't hear one complaint about the weather, and nobody made it out to be a bigger deal than it was. The only acknowledgement of the rain came from RD Robert Mathis, who told us "I'll keep my announcements to 30 seconds, so you can start running in the rain rather than standing in it." I thought that was considerate.
The first four miles of the course are mostly downhill on the Western States trail until you reach an aid station at No Hands Bridge. During the WS100, No Hands is at mile 97 - and for most runners, crossing it is the point where they realize that the finish line they've struggled toward all day and night is finally within grasp. During the Auburn Trail Run, I'd end up going back and forth across the bridge 5 times in 10 hours, so the mystique wasn't exactly the same – but it's still a pretty cool landmark.
After crossing the bridge, you leave the Western States trail and start the first of two loops with what's known as the "training hill" – a 1000-foot climb in less than one mile, complete with roots and rocks and, particularly on the second time around, quite a bit of mud. I'd say that makes for some pretty decent training.
The reward for the climb is the open meadows and gently rolling terrain of an area called the Olmstead Loop, where the trails are extremely runnable and your legs can settle into a nice rhythm for several miles.
My other reward near the top of the climb was catching up to my soul sister Gretchen, who obviously wasn't in much of a hurry on what would be her last long training run before Western States in three weeks. She was taking it easy and enjoying the day – several times, she made a point of saying "This is what we do for fun!" – which meant that I had a somewhat reasonable shot at keeping up with her. We ended up running most of the race together, which was perfect practice for both of us, since she also happens to be the runner I'm pacing at States.
It was also nice to have someone else taking pictures every now and then, since there's no way I would have run back and forth across this creek several times in hopes of getting a self-timer photo in the rain.
Approximately 13 miles into the race, we reached an outpost near the small town of Cool, whose name predictably lends itself to some pretty fun wordplay. For example, that's a Cool little aid station pictured above, don't you think? There were some Cool people there with Cool snacks and drinks for us. And since we were doing two loops, Gretchen and I were already looking forward to coming back again later – because you can never really have too much Cool.
After the aid station, we encountered another cool (small c this time) part of the course: we got to take a short cut! There was only one catch …
… as this particular section of the Western States trail is extremely rocky and technical, which combined with slick conditions and a fairly steep downhill grade to make this the most challenging part of the course for me. See that blue dot in the distance? That's Gretchen, who dropped me like I was hot as soon as I lost my Cool.
Fortunately, it didn't take long before I was able to see No Hands Bridge at the bottom of the canyon, where Gretchen was socializing with a friend of hers while waiting for me to catch up. Seriously.
By this time, the constant rainfall of the day had made trail conditions pretty sloppy …
… but no less pretty, of course.
The rough trail conditions posed something of a challenge for my moccasins – which brings me to my minimalist tangent for today. Although the trail outsole on my RunAmocs isn't nearly as aggressive as traditional trail running shoes, there were only a couple of instances where I felt like I was at risk of losing my balance. I think this is largely due to keeping a short stride length and landing fairly flat-footed, which keeps my center of gravity above my base of support (Sorry, I can be a biomechanics geek sometimes) and increases my initial surface contact on the ground. I also noticed that my feet were able to flex and contour very nicely in response to rocks and roots and other trail irregularities. So, yes, wearing moccasins in the mud was a little tricky – but not nearly as tricky as you might think.
Meanwhile, back at the race …
One nice thing about spending four hours in the rain is that you don't worry about getting your feet and ankles wet at river crossings anymore.
On our second trip around the loop, Gretchen began pulling away from me on almost every little incline – but since it was a fun run for her, she never took me up on my suggestion to just leave me in the dust. (Or mud, as the case may be.)
So here's something that isn't so Cool: this photo isn't from the trail – we took it in the parking lot after the race. The reason I'm putting it here is because when we got to the Cool aid station the second time, we asked one of the Cool volunteers to take a Cool picture of us with my cool camera. The volunteer appeared to take two Cool photos of us, but when I got home, somehow they weren't on my camera. She must have pushed the wrong button or something. Very unCool.
Gretchen waited up for me again on the long descent to No Hands Bridge, where we faced a 4-mile uphill return to the finish …
… which was far and away the most difficult part of the whole day for me. It's one thing to plan on tacking miles to the end of an ultra, but it's another thing to keep that same mojo when you're soaked to the bone, dragging yourself along on sore and tired legs, and struggling to keep up with someone who's clearly taking it easy out of sympathy. Each step drew us closer to the parking lot, which normally would be a good feeling … but all I really felt was increasing dread about having to turn around and retrace my steps for another four hours after getting there.
Eventually I made it to the line for my official race finish, where … yeah. She had to wait for me again.
Perhaps if I had time to stand around and think about it, I might not have headed back onto the course. However, since the rain was still falling, I knew that if I wanted to stay warm, I had to keep moving – so I stopped at my car, strapped on a hydration pack, bid farewell to Gretchen until I see her again at Western States … and headed back down that very same trail toward my turnaround destination at Cool, just over 8 miles away.
Once I got over the mental hurdle of heading back onto the course, the remaining miles actually felt surprisingly comfortable. The No Hands volunteer was still there, and let me eat a potato before wishing me a happy run …
… which is exactly what it turned out to be. There was also a far different mental vibe about being on the course by myself; this time around, there wasn't a race going on or anybody else to worry about - it was just me getting to know the trail, soaking (literally) in the experience and enjoying almost every step of it. Gretchen was right: This is what we do for fun.
When I got to the Cool aid station, it had long since closed down … which was actually a pretty Cool feeling for me. And then another Cool thing happened: the rain broke for long enough for me to take a timer photo …
… which would be this one. That's three fingers, as in 3 Times Cool. Boo-ya.
The return descent to No Hands was remarkably mellow, and I was feeling really happy with the decision to add extra miles, and with the way the whole day had turned out. There was only one thing that didn't go the way I hoped: since it rained all day long, I didn't get to display my Soft Star shirt for anybody on the course – which, considering how I recently christened myself Team Soft Star, seemed like kind of bad form …
… so I decided to stop and give the sponsor some love. Admittedly, it's not much, but I felt like I should at least make the effort.
Shortly after this photo, my camera finally succumbed to the moisture and grit from 10 hours on the trail, and the lens began to malfunction so that I couldn't take any pictures. It didn't come back to life until I was about an hour down the road in my car, finally dry and warm after a long day in the rain – and fittingly, this was the first thing I saw out my window:
I guess there's some symbolism in there as well … but this report's already long enough, so I'll think about it another day.
**
As for the musical selection - it's one of those "overnight success" stories that was at least seven years in the making on the Southern California concert scene; not a bad little analogy for the benefits of perseverance.
Young the Giant, "My Body" (click to play):
*See other race reports under tab at top of page.
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But I won't quit, 'cause I want more ... "
- Young the Giant, "My Body" (video after post)
Under normal circumstances, if you're looking for some solid heat training in preparation for a summer 100-miler, finding a race in Auburn, CA at the beginning of June seems like an absolute slam dunk.
And then there's 2011 – where January featured beach weekends strung back to back to back, February saw winter snowstorms return with a vengeance, and March had so much rainfall that the neighborhood animals were lining up in twos. Springtime has been one of those schizophrenic seasons where you have absolutely no idea what to expect – so I guess it shouldn't surprise me that a plan I crafted back in February to get some heat training in June wouldn't exactly turn out the way I wanted.
That doesn't mean the day was disappointing, however; the Auburn Trail Runs feature small crowds, beautiful trails, and great aid station support on a course that includes an 8-mile stretch of the Western States Trail as well as one of that race's most famous landmarks. I came with two goals in mind: 1) stretch the 34-mile race into a 50-mile training day, and 2) get some familiarity with part of the trail that I'd be returning to as a pacer in a few weeks – more on that later.
The only thing that was missing was the heat – and while I was more than a little bummed about the weather, it's not like I haven't had experience with running all day in the rain. You may recall that the last 50K I entered, at Woodside this March, had similarly wet and muddy conditions. You've heard the expression "Bring your own weather with you?" Apparently I'm the guy who brings rain to his 50Ks. There's probably some symbolism in that … but I'm afraid to consider what. So let's just start the report.
(As usual, click to enlarge all photos.)
One thing that continually impresses me about ultrarunners is that there's very little drama; before the race, I didn't hear one complaint about the weather, and nobody made it out to be a bigger deal than it was. The only acknowledgement of the rain came from RD Robert Mathis, who told us "I'll keep my announcements to 30 seconds, so you can start running in the rain rather than standing in it." I thought that was considerate.
The first four miles of the course are mostly downhill on the Western States trail until you reach an aid station at No Hands Bridge. During the WS100, No Hands is at mile 97 - and for most runners, crossing it is the point where they realize that the finish line they've struggled toward all day and night is finally within grasp. During the Auburn Trail Run, I'd end up going back and forth across the bridge 5 times in 10 hours, so the mystique wasn't exactly the same – but it's still a pretty cool landmark.
After crossing the bridge, you leave the Western States trail and start the first of two loops with what's known as the "training hill" – a 1000-foot climb in less than one mile, complete with roots and rocks and, particularly on the second time around, quite a bit of mud. I'd say that makes for some pretty decent training.
The reward for the climb is the open meadows and gently rolling terrain of an area called the Olmstead Loop, where the trails are extremely runnable and your legs can settle into a nice rhythm for several miles.
My other reward near the top of the climb was catching up to my soul sister Gretchen, who obviously wasn't in much of a hurry on what would be her last long training run before Western States in three weeks. She was taking it easy and enjoying the day – several times, she made a point of saying "This is what we do for fun!" – which meant that I had a somewhat reasonable shot at keeping up with her. We ended up running most of the race together, which was perfect practice for both of us, since she also happens to be the runner I'm pacing at States.
It was also nice to have someone else taking pictures every now and then, since there's no way I would have run back and forth across this creek several times in hopes of getting a self-timer photo in the rain.
Approximately 13 miles into the race, we reached an outpost near the small town of Cool, whose name predictably lends itself to some pretty fun wordplay. For example, that's a Cool little aid station pictured above, don't you think? There were some Cool people there with Cool snacks and drinks for us. And since we were doing two loops, Gretchen and I were already looking forward to coming back again later – because you can never really have too much Cool.
After the aid station, we encountered another cool (small c this time) part of the course: we got to take a short cut! There was only one catch …
… as this particular section of the Western States trail is extremely rocky and technical, which combined with slick conditions and a fairly steep downhill grade to make this the most challenging part of the course for me. See that blue dot in the distance? That's Gretchen, who dropped me like I was hot as soon as I lost my Cool.
Fortunately, it didn't take long before I was able to see No Hands Bridge at the bottom of the canyon, where Gretchen was socializing with a friend of hers while waiting for me to catch up. Seriously.
By this time, the constant rainfall of the day had made trail conditions pretty sloppy …
… but no less pretty, of course.
The rough trail conditions posed something of a challenge for my moccasins – which brings me to my minimalist tangent for today. Although the trail outsole on my RunAmocs isn't nearly as aggressive as traditional trail running shoes, there were only a couple of instances where I felt like I was at risk of losing my balance. I think this is largely due to keeping a short stride length and landing fairly flat-footed, which keeps my center of gravity above my base of support (Sorry, I can be a biomechanics geek sometimes) and increases my initial surface contact on the ground. I also noticed that my feet were able to flex and contour very nicely in response to rocks and roots and other trail irregularities. So, yes, wearing moccasins in the mud was a little tricky – but not nearly as tricky as you might think.
Meanwhile, back at the race …
One nice thing about spending four hours in the rain is that you don't worry about getting your feet and ankles wet at river crossings anymore.
On our second trip around the loop, Gretchen began pulling away from me on almost every little incline – but since it was a fun run for her, she never took me up on my suggestion to just leave me in the dust. (Or mud, as the case may be.)
So here's something that isn't so Cool: this photo isn't from the trail – we took it in the parking lot after the race. The reason I'm putting it here is because when we got to the Cool aid station the second time, we asked one of the Cool volunteers to take a Cool picture of us with my cool camera. The volunteer appeared to take two Cool photos of us, but when I got home, somehow they weren't on my camera. She must have pushed the wrong button or something. Very unCool.
Gretchen waited up for me again on the long descent to No Hands Bridge, where we faced a 4-mile uphill return to the finish …
… which was far and away the most difficult part of the whole day for me. It's one thing to plan on tacking miles to the end of an ultra, but it's another thing to keep that same mojo when you're soaked to the bone, dragging yourself along on sore and tired legs, and struggling to keep up with someone who's clearly taking it easy out of sympathy. Each step drew us closer to the parking lot, which normally would be a good feeling … but all I really felt was increasing dread about having to turn around and retrace my steps for another four hours after getting there.
Eventually I made it to the line for my official race finish, where … yeah. She had to wait for me again.
Perhaps if I had time to stand around and think about it, I might not have headed back onto the course. However, since the rain was still falling, I knew that if I wanted to stay warm, I had to keep moving – so I stopped at my car, strapped on a hydration pack, bid farewell to Gretchen until I see her again at Western States … and headed back down that very same trail toward my turnaround destination at Cool, just over 8 miles away.
Once I got over the mental hurdle of heading back onto the course, the remaining miles actually felt surprisingly comfortable. The No Hands volunteer was still there, and let me eat a potato before wishing me a happy run …
… which is exactly what it turned out to be. There was also a far different mental vibe about being on the course by myself; this time around, there wasn't a race going on or anybody else to worry about - it was just me getting to know the trail, soaking (literally) in the experience and enjoying almost every step of it. Gretchen was right: This is what we do for fun.
When I got to the Cool aid station, it had long since closed down … which was actually a pretty Cool feeling for me. And then another Cool thing happened: the rain broke for long enough for me to take a timer photo …
… which would be this one. That's three fingers, as in 3 Times Cool. Boo-ya.
The return descent to No Hands was remarkably mellow, and I was feeling really happy with the decision to add extra miles, and with the way the whole day had turned out. There was only one thing that didn't go the way I hoped: since it rained all day long, I didn't get to display my Soft Star shirt for anybody on the course – which, considering how I recently christened myself Team Soft Star, seemed like kind of bad form …
… so I decided to stop and give the sponsor some love. Admittedly, it's not much, but I felt like I should at least make the effort.
Shortly after this photo, my camera finally succumbed to the moisture and grit from 10 hours on the trail, and the lens began to malfunction so that I couldn't take any pictures. It didn't come back to life until I was about an hour down the road in my car, finally dry and warm after a long day in the rain – and fittingly, this was the first thing I saw out my window:
I guess there's some symbolism in there as well … but this report's already long enough, so I'll think about it another day.
**
As for the musical selection - it's one of those "overnight success" stories that was at least seven years in the making on the Southern California concert scene; not a bad little analogy for the benefits of perseverance.
Young the Giant, "My Body" (click to play):
*See other race reports under tab at top of page.
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
June 6, 2011
Relentless Forward Progress: Book Review and Giveaway
This book review is unlike others I've done recently, mainly because I know the author personally, and I happen to be a big fan.
I've had opportunities to spend time with Bryon Powell both on and off the trail, and can attest that his dedication to the sport of ultrarunning is absolutely remarkable. He's probably the first-ever beat reporter that our sport has ever seen; Bryon's been known to drive back and forth across the country and even travel overseas in order to provide front-line coverage of major events for his iRunFar website. And while he has very impressive talent of his own – sub-20 hours and age group winner at Western States, top 10 at Leadville – he has spent the better part of two years publicizing the exploits of countless other top ultrarunners all over the world.
He also has a mission to expand the ultrarunning community through various avenues. His website is an outstanding interactive resource with contributions from elites and midpack runners alike. He offers coaching services for runners of all abilities, and is a contributor to several major publications such as Outside, Running Times, and Trail Runner magazines.
It's that same spirit of helping others that is the premise of Relentless Forward Progress, an ultrarunning instruction manual that was released this spring. The book contains excerpts from previous articles, extensive original content, and contributions from many elite runners – and it's definitely the most comprehensive overview of trail running and ultrarunning that I've ever seen.
Bryon essentially starts from square one – what is an ultramarathon, basics of trail running, and so on – and touches on pretty much every conceivable angle that ultrarunners consider in training and racing. Although it's generally targeted towards novices, it's a great resource for experienced ultrarunners as well, if for no other reason than to compare notes with people who have achieved a great deal of success in the sport. I've been an ultrarunner for almost 10 years now, and I quickly found a few tips that I started implementing into my own training and racing this spring.
One of the things I really appreciate about the book is that while it's chock full of specific instructions like day to day training schedules, hydration strategies, and trail etiquette, Bryon also recognizes that there's no magic formula that works for everybody. For example, I was especially interested to read Bryon's take on barefoot and minimalist running, because it's a topic he and I have discussed at length in the past. In Relentless Forward Progress he essentially lays out the rationale for minimalism without specifically endorsing or dismissing it; he then includes an appendix by noted barefoot experts Michael Sandler and Jessica Lee from RunBare.com. Similarly, with topics such as speed work, cross training, weekly mileage, and selecting an ideal race, he presents all the pertinent information and lets you decide for yourself.
Considering how much the popularity of ultrarunning has exploded in recent years, a book like this was long overdue, and Bryon was probably the perfect person to write it. And luckily for one of my readers, Bryon thought that I was the perfect person to give one away. I have a signed copy of Relentless Forward Progress that I'll give away to one reader; leave a comment below this post, and I'll announce a winner this weekend. If you'd rather not wait, the book is available for $10.17 from Amazon.com and can also be purchased for $9.66 in Kindle format
.
Very big thanks to my friend Bryon Powell for providing this book for review, and good luck to everyone who enters!
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
I've had opportunities to spend time with Bryon Powell both on and off the trail, and can attest that his dedication to the sport of ultrarunning is absolutely remarkable. He's probably the first-ever beat reporter that our sport has ever seen; Bryon's been known to drive back and forth across the country and even travel overseas in order to provide front-line coverage of major events for his iRunFar website. And while he has very impressive talent of his own – sub-20 hours and age group winner at Western States, top 10 at Leadville – he has spent the better part of two years publicizing the exploits of countless other top ultrarunners all over the world.
He also has a mission to expand the ultrarunning community through various avenues. His website is an outstanding interactive resource with contributions from elites and midpack runners alike. He offers coaching services for runners of all abilities, and is a contributor to several major publications such as Outside, Running Times, and Trail Runner magazines.
It's that same spirit of helping others that is the premise of Relentless Forward Progress, an ultrarunning instruction manual that was released this spring. The book contains excerpts from previous articles, extensive original content, and contributions from many elite runners – and it's definitely the most comprehensive overview of trail running and ultrarunning that I've ever seen.
Bryon essentially starts from square one – what is an ultramarathon, basics of trail running, and so on – and touches on pretty much every conceivable angle that ultrarunners consider in training and racing. Although it's generally targeted towards novices, it's a great resource for experienced ultrarunners as well, if for no other reason than to compare notes with people who have achieved a great deal of success in the sport. I've been an ultrarunner for almost 10 years now, and I quickly found a few tips that I started implementing into my own training and racing this spring.
One of the things I really appreciate about the book is that while it's chock full of specific instructions like day to day training schedules, hydration strategies, and trail etiquette, Bryon also recognizes that there's no magic formula that works for everybody. For example, I was especially interested to read Bryon's take on barefoot and minimalist running, because it's a topic he and I have discussed at length in the past. In Relentless Forward Progress he essentially lays out the rationale for minimalism without specifically endorsing or dismissing it; he then includes an appendix by noted barefoot experts Michael Sandler and Jessica Lee from RunBare.com. Similarly, with topics such as speed work, cross training, weekly mileage, and selecting an ideal race, he presents all the pertinent information and lets you decide for yourself.
Considering how much the popularity of ultrarunning has exploded in recent years, a book like this was long overdue, and Bryon was probably the perfect person to write it. And luckily for one of my readers, Bryon thought that I was the perfect person to give one away. I have a signed copy of Relentless Forward Progress that I'll give away to one reader; leave a comment below this post, and I'll announce a winner this weekend. If you'd rather not wait, the book is available for $10.17 from Amazon.com and can also be purchased for $9.66 in Kindle format
.Very big thanks to my friend Bryon Powell for providing this book for review, and good luck to everyone who enters!
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
June 4, 2011
Random Shots of Beauty
Saturday was a very long day on the trails, so I'm tossing up a quick RSOB and calling it a weekend:
No Hands Bridge in Placer County, as seen after a rainy, muddy Auburn Trail Run 34-miler.
As to what I was doing there after the race ... if you've been following along this spring you can probably guess, otherwise you can wait for a full report later this week.
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
No Hands Bridge in Placer County, as seen after a rainy, muddy Auburn Trail Run 34-miler.
As to what I was doing there after the race ... if you've been following along this spring you can probably guess, otherwise you can wait for a full report later this week.
Get updates as soon as they're posted! Click here to subscribe to Running and Rambling.
Check out the Running Life book for a collection of our most popular columns.
