Brooks Trance 8

I took the new shoes out for two runs. After the first run, I was disheartened and wanted to relegate them as treadmill shoes. They seemed flimsy on the first run, and I desperately wished that I had purchased a pair of Kayanos instead.

I took them out one more time yesterday, thinking that I would stop by Jack Rabbit after work during the week if my first assessment held true.

The second run was a bit surprising. I didn't notice the road as much as my first run, and my arches weren't as fatigued. I did wear a different pair of socks (a pair made by Under Armour), which probably changed the feel entirely.

So, I am happy to report that these shoes, with the right pair of socks, do pass go. I just hope they last.

In any event, I think I'll have to pick up a pair of Kayanos anyway. I'll use them as an alternate since I've been wearing my Asics Gel GT-2120 Trail as my default walking shoes around NYC.

Now ... I just need to commit to my next race.

With New Shoes, It Feels Like 2005

I have no idea what my body fat percentage is, but I have a hunch that is something scary. Medically, I think I'm at the obese end of the spectrum. At my physical, my new doctor was incredibly kind and gentle. She simply won't confirm or deny the bad stuff. Instead, she only gives encouragement. She simply said that I know what I need to do, and I just have to go and do it, when I'm ready.

Mentally, I know I can get back to my size 4 /6 self, and I know what it takes to get there. So I don't feel overwhelmed, but I don't think I'm entirely ready to go at Project Weight Loss full force.

I am going to reintroduce physical activity back into daily life. Even if it means waking up before the sun does. I already started to take my vitamins again, and I went shoe shopping today at my new local running store.

This place actually has a camera set up at the back end of the treadmill, allowing you to view a digital video of your stride as you run. Since your gait can change with time, I showed up completely open minded to what they would say. Unsurprisingly, after video analysis, I am ... an overpronator.

I was given a choice of three running shoes. A trusty pair of Asics Kayano, another pair by Saucony, and a pair of Brooks Trance 8. I was tempted to go with the tried and true Kayano. I was in love with them since 2005, and Runner's World gave them Editors Choice in 2008 and 2009.

There was something about the Brooks that I couldn't shake off (pictured above with a Nathan Shoe Pocket attached on the left shoe). It felt so light, and my heals stayed firmly in place. It truly felt like a glove for my feet. They were so comfortable that it made me nervous; I thought that perhaps it was more of a treadmill shoe than a road shoe.

The sale woman assured me that wasn't the case, so I had to go against my inclination. They did not win Editor's Choice from RW, but this is what they have to say ...

Runner's World Shoe Lab Test Results
The new Trance 8 is the first Brooks shoe built using biodegradable midsole foam, which means that it lasts only about 20 years in a landfill--versus the 1,000 years it takes most running-shoe soles to break down. In our tests, this new foam performed as well as the previous versions. Some testers commented on how well the Trance held their feet, while others found that the laces were difficult to adjust. Recommended for runners with normal to low arches looking for a shoe that's more environmentally friendly than most.

Who would have known that I opted for the green choice out of the mix of stability shoes? The thing is, as with most green choices, they tend to fall apart under heavy intense usage. For example, biodegradable road signage. It doesn't even sound like it would be a good idea. Buying green isn't always the greener option if you consume twice or three times as much product to handle the duration of your needs. I am now a "heavy" runner, so I am skeptical about a biodegradable midsole carrying this obese person for 500 miles. Well, we'll just have to see. Hopefully, I'll be taking off tomorrow morning. If not, I will be antsy through out the entire work day before I get to go for a ride in my new orange shoes.

The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship

Fall Distance Running Gear:
Under Armour Cold Gear mock turtle neck and running tights
Columbia Breast Cancer Awareness fleece vest
CamelBak with 50 ounces of Gaspari's SizeOn sports drink
Asics Gel GT-2120 Trail

The Delaware and Raritan Canal stretches along Central Jersey all the way down to the New Hope area of Pennsylvania. Along side the canal is a tow path, and that is usually where I find my distance runs.

I have a love-hate relationship with this tow path. The gravel and rock hurts the feet, and I have suffered from numerous ankle twists and sprains due to the highly irregular surface. When I see a big pile of leaves, I will come to a complete stop and walk because underneath the colorful and seemingly even surface can be a jutting tree root, a large rock, or a big hole looking to shell out some unmerciful pain after an inevitable fall. Oh, and did I mention the mud puddles? Those puddles can cover such a wide expanse of the path that there is no possible way to continue forward without stomping into that thick organic brown liquid, soaking your socks through, and being rewarded with some lovely blisters for your pursuit of more miles.

And then you have to endure every last one of those obstacles again on the return trip.

The tow path itself is beautiful, especially this time of year. Right before the red and yellow leaves started to fall, there was an amazing spread of wild purple flowers all over the landscape. The view is calming, but the run can be maddening especially if it had rained. If the path was dry, then the problems are not quite so numerous.

On Sunday, I decided to buy a new pair of running shoes. I think my form suffers as I fatigue, so I have been eyeing the Asics Kinsei’s (to the left) for its motion control feature. In all honesty, I’ve been coveting them because it’s just a hot looking shoe, but my rationalization is that the motion control will prove beneficial for this weekend’s marathon in Philly.

Am I ready? No, I probably won’t finish with a Boston qualifying time as I had originally hoped in the beginning of this year. Will I finish? Hell yes, and I’ll be happy with anything near 5 hours.

So while I was at my favorite running store, I asked the cute sales boy who is about all of 15 years of age regarding their selection of trail shoes. I ended up sticking with a stability shoe from Asics that is made for trail running, the Asics Gel GT-2120 Trail (below and to the left), and took them out that afternoon for a ride. What an amazing difference.

The first couple of miles were on the road en route to the path, and my toes fell asleep. I had a moment’s hesitation and thought that maybe these girls were going to be returned. When I hit the path, everything changed. I felt completely in control, and I can tell that my ankles were secured in place. Midway through my run, I realized that trail running is an entirely different sort of running. I felt the smaller muscle groups (ankles, calves, hip flexors, even a bit in the adductors) working harder than they ever had before. By the time I was finished with the 15 mile run (I know … not a good idea for a taper week, but I couldn’t resist), I felt sore in places that I didn’t think could be touched by running. I welcomed the discomfort, and found the soreness refreshing.

I do believe that this marks the beginning of a whole new running experience, and I do look forward to chronicling every single one of them.

Jefferson Hospital Distance Run

This is me nearing the finish line at the Philadelphia half marathon on Sunday September 17, 2006.

The race itself was pretty good. The Allentown was better in that there was less herding (I totally felt like cattle during the start, and sweating cattle at the end of this one), and Allentown had pace setters, and the water stations was a bit more logical and evenly distributed. Philly also didn't offer gel-packs at the midpoint station, but the food was located right at the finish line, which is a better arrangement than Allentown where the food was located about a quarter of a mile UPHILL on an insane grade from the finish line.

The start time for the Elite Runners (a whole bunch was from Kenya) was at 7:45 AM. The Elites had their own isolated area to warm up, which was blocked off from the rest of the record breaking crowd of 13,045 runners. When you saw them warm up, they actually looked like an elite breed of runners. They had virtually no body fat on them, their form looked tight, effortless, and a little weird - somewhat antelope-like. I wish I could have taken some pictures of them, but I only had a little bit of time to be herded into my corral, and I got lost on the way - the line into the corrals was somewhat merged with the lines for the Johnny-on-the-Spot-s.

I was pretty pleased with my performance, even though I was nowhere close to my target range (8:30 – 9:00 minutes per mile) or my goal time (anything sub 2:00:00). I finished in 2:06:03 and my overall average pace was 9:34 minutes per mile. My pace for the first 5 k (3.1 miles) was exactly 10 minutes per mile, and decreased to 9:49 by the 10 K mark, and 9:42 by the 10 mile mark. I felt great after the run, I didn’t even notice any inclines (although I had been warned about them and I overheard a few runners complain about it later), and I was able to do the mile walk back to the hotel for a shower. This is probably because I kept my heart rate in check - I stayed in the higher end of the aerobic zone (between 75% and 85% of my maximum) for the entire race, until the last 2 minutes when I decided to sprint for the finish.



The gear that carried me across the finish includes the following:

Garmin Forerunner 305 .. aka Patrick
It was a present ... Cost Unknown

Best running buddy EVER. He tells your heart rate, average speed and distance covered. Patrick kept me on track by helping me budget my exertion level. After the race, I downloaded all the data collected from him, and I was able to produce the chart from above. The GPS feature also provides a map information of the course.

Ironman Triathlon Sunglasses
Target $19.99

The shatter-proof, polarized, anti-fog, anti-slip, UVA/UVB protected $20 sunglasses from Target were a GREAT idea for city running. Not only does it reduce facial tension (every little bit of relaxation helps when you're putting yourself under physical stress), but it also minimizes the impact of city blindness. Coming out from the shadows of a tall building into direct sunlight makes you lose of few seconds of clear vision, which can be really bad when there's concrete sidewalks and landscaped medians on the road. One guy COMPLETELY wiped out because of it ... and took a few purple pansies with him.

Under Armour Shirt
Dick's Sporting Goods $38

There was a little chafing around the neck, but it performed well in wicking the sweat away.

Nike Tempo Track Shorts
Dick's Sporting Goods $28

I have 5 pairs of these things. Built in briefs are wedgy proof, and they do they're best in staying dry, or in my case, they disperse the sweat evenly through out.

Asics Gel Kayano VII
Princeton Running Company $135

Love them. Great for those of us who overpronate mildly and looking for a well cushioned ride.

Toshikazu Kayano and Asics Project Team - Cheers to you! What you created is simply brilliant.

Wigwam Socks
Forgot to pay for them at the Expo

Best socks ever. No blisters, no toe wedgies, and offered additional cushioning. I'm totally stocking up the next time I see these suckers around ... and I fully intend on paying for them.