Well, about 2.5 weeks left to go until Rev3 Quassy. Instead of being out doing some race-specific workouts...I'm booking every chiropractic, ART, and massage I can. We're in impromptu taper mode here.
Little background: I believe there's a distinct difference between soreness, being hurt, and being injured. Soreness is something that is relatively expected with the territory of endurance sports; you're pushing and tearing yourself down, in order to get your body to adapt to the workload and recover. Being hurt is something that you could potentially push through and race on, but training on it significantly will lead to injury. And an injury is, well, you can't do anything. You're on the shelf.
I'm squarely in that hurt category right now. Trying to be a hero and gut through it would probably put me right into the injured camp.
So, what's going on? Looks like the piriformis and gluteus minimus are just freaking out right now. Not really sure what happened. Glancing back at my training log, I would say that it possibly came up from a swim workout that featured a lot of race-pace breaststroke, and the kicking motion might have irritated something. It also only started to really get bothersome following a hill repeat session running.
I've been off running for almost two weeks now. Last hard run was two weeks ago today, and last run of any distance will be two weeks ago Saturday. I've been swimming and biking, because those activities haven't felt any different.
In the interest of just getting healthy, though, we're just going to shut it on down until things calm down. There's really no fitness to be gained at this point; workouts are more maintenance oriented and preparing for race intensity. Luckily, I've done a lot of work in that area in all three disciplines so far this year. The fitness well is deep and filled. I have nothing to gain and everything to lose at this point there. So might as well make sure we can toe the line with 100% certainty.
Have to just keep telling myself: Hay is in the barn. We're fit. It's not going anywhere. Just get healthy.
Speaking of, there's going to be a pretty big Maine contingent down at Quassy. There's going to be the epic battle with old friend Adam, who is finally in my age-group. A fair number of fellow Sustainable Athlete's. Then, of course, all the Rev3 crew.
Will you be there? Let us know in the comments!
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Monday, May 6, 2013
Shoe Review: Pearl Izumi EM Road M3
Disclosure Note: As part of my relationship with Team Rev3 Triathlon, I receive product from Pearl Izumi. Pearl Izumi provided me with this shoe. I was not compensated for this review, nor would I accept any if offered. The opinion within is entirely my own.
Now that we've gotten the legal stuff out of the way (you see, every once in a while that J.D. from the University of Maine pays off)...
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you know that we've ridden a pretty crazy ride in the footwear world. Vibram FiveFingers were initially brought into the U.S. as a hiking and sailing shoe, then Born to Run storms onto the scene and everyone goes full minimal. Saucony brings out the Kinvara, and away we chase on down the rabbit hole. New brands storm onto the scene. Less shoe. Less offset. Less everything!
Good thing, right?
Eh...not so much.
We've entered into what some have clumsily dubbed the "Post-Minimalist Era." The "natural run/minimalist" market makes up a little more than 10% of overall sales volume, and that number has stabilized since the latter half of 2011. The majority of shoes that hit into the top 5 listing there include the aforementioned Kinvara, the Brooks PureFlow and PureCadence, and Newton's Gravity. What's the trend with all of these shoes? Let's look at the PureFlow as an example:
There's still an awful lot of cushioning there. To call that shoe minimal is doing it a disservice. So what's so different about it?
The body positioning is different. Most typical shoes (e.g., those not in this category) will feature a 10-12 millimeter difference between the height of the heel versus the height of the forefoot. This is referred to as either drop or offset.
So, the natural run concept marries the idea of being closer to a barefoot-esque body positioning, but paired with the knowledge that we also don't run on a surface that the human body was really designed for (asphalt and concrete, we're looking at you). The Flow, and most shoes like it, will feature somewhere between a zero drop and 4 millimeter offset.
Well then, you ask, what is right for me? Don't we all want to be more natural with the way we run?
The answer, of course, is it depends. The body is an adaptive machine; it will resort to recruitment in the positions that it is most accustomed to. In other words, your body craves the same kind of body positioning for running that you are always putting it into. So if you're always barefoot around the house and wear nothing but flats all of the time, why would we then raise you 10-12 mm in the heel to try and run? If you wear Dansko clogs all day, why would we then try to let the back of your leg extend an extra 8-12 mm when you aren't likely to have flexibility in the tissues?
But, you ask, aren't our needs throughout the gait cycle a bit more dynamic than that? We need elasticity in the back of our legs for loading, the foot then needs to become a more rigid lever for toe-off...what do we do?
And that's where Pearl Izumi comes in with Project EMotion.
The TechnoBabble
(You're screaming: "WHAT? IT GETS MORE TECHNICAL THAN THAT? Not really...I think.)
As we covered above, our gait cycle is dynamic. Our feet have different needs throughout certain phases of our gait. Not to mention, of course, is that our pronation rate tolerances can be different, too. I have a little extra navicular drop, a sign of some excess motion in the foot, but my body is relatively tolerant of it. A hint of support in the midfoot does me well.
Enter Pearl Izumi.
Pearl Izumi's been making a lot of cycling, triathlon, and running gear for years now. They've done extremely well with their cycling and triathlon gear. Their running shoes? Well, as a retailer, let me say that their previous efforts left a bit to be desired. The seamless upper has been a great innovation, but the performance underfoot did not do the rest of the shoe a service.
PI, to their credit, recognized that their shoes were not where they needed to be. So they set out to revise their entire run line-up. This isn't a cheap endeavor; you have to open new molds for all of the sizes, re-test new EVA strands, then see how they actually wind up working out.
In the process, PI started to come to the same conclusion that we'd talked about above: our needs throughout the gait cycle are different. Also, how can build a shoe that perhaps people who would normally pick between one offset or another not have to make that decision anymore? What about, instead of having to think about how they run, they can just, well, run?
EMotion works like this: the shoe's toe-spring is moved further reward, to better mimic where the metatarsals themselves line up. This allows the shoe to work with the bone structure and give a platform for that nice, rigid lever. In the rear end of the shoe, you have a slightly higher heel-to-toe offset, but based on the construction of the foam, it provides a deeper amount of compression, effectively lowering the offset. The outsole features both the EVA from the midsole (helps increase feel underfoot) along with carbon rubber for durability purposes. There's also a line running through the outsole of the shoe, showing the initial impact, pronation, mid-stance, and propulsive phases of the gait cycle. Also, all EM shoes feature a seamless upper.
Now for the sea of naming: this is easy, but confusing.
There are three main product lines: Road, Tri, and Trail. The name is then comprised of a letter and a number. The letter refers to whether the shoe is Neutral (N), Midfoot Stability (M), or Heel/Rearfoot Stability (H). The number then refers to the cushioning underfoot. 1 is least, 2 is middle ground, and 3 is ultra plush.
Currently, the line-up consists of the following options:
Road: N1, N2, N3, M3, H3
Tri: N1, N2
Trail: N1, N2, M2
Because of midfoot pronation needs, I'm wearing the Road M3. There are plans to extend out the product line with less cushioned options in Road, and also do Tri stability. That said, PI made the decision to go with where they figured sales volume would be at the start. Can't say I blame them.
The published weight of the M3 is 9.7 ounces in a men's size 9. Naturally, I'm taking that with the entire container of salt, as I'm wearing a 14 in the M3. (Please note: the shoes do tend to run on the small side! Expect to go up a half-size versus your normal run shoe size.) For comparison's sake, the published weight on the other two go-tos in my run collection right now: 8.7 ounces for the Saucony Mirage, and 9.3 ounces for the Brooks PureCadence2.
The Run
The short version: wow, Pearl Izumi connected on this one.
The long version:
You step into the shoe, and immediately notice the seamless upper. There's simply no hot spot or irritation to be found. Even though it's not the tri version of the shoe, I could fully expect someone to be able to run in this sockless.
The closest brand, IMO, in terms of the fit of the upper would be Mizuno. It's a pretty narrow overall fit, but there is some more flare to the forefoot than previously found on brands hailing from Japan. Traditionally, Mizuno and Pearl Izumi have both had very slender fits. This shoe still retains a very lean midfoot and heel, but the forefoot allows a little more splay, allowing your foot a touch more natural stability by letting your toes spread out on the interior.
Arch height underfoot is on the average side; inoffensive and unobtrusive to my foot. Those with taller arches will probably desire something a little higher underfoot, but I think for the majority that will wind up in this shoe, it's more than high enough.
Starting the run, the first thing you notice is how springy the shoe feels. Technical term, I know. But by that, I mean there's a lot of bounce coming back from the shoe. It doesn't feel like a marshmellow underfoot, but it's also not harsh. It's similar to the experience of running on a tartan track for the first time; just need a second to adjust to the bounce.
Similar to the Brooks PureCadence, this shoe is extremely versatile at a variety of paces. I took these out for some hill repeats, getting down to about 6:20/mile pace and slowing to as slow as 9:00/mile pace, and the shoe felt great during each tempo range. It firms up a little bit as you quicken the tempo, but not so much that it's punishing you for attacking the ground.
Overall, I think a lot of people are going to be very, very happy with this shoe. It's just a *hint* soft for me for my preferred 13.1 mile race-day options. This is definitely going to be in the rotation training, and will be my weapon of choice come Rev3 Cedar Point in September. Somehow, I think a little extra cushion after 114.2 miles will come in handy. At that point, it's all about accumulated load stress.
Available: Now.
Pricing: $124.99
Now that we've gotten the legal stuff out of the way (you see, every once in a while that J.D. from the University of Maine pays off)...
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you know that we've ridden a pretty crazy ride in the footwear world. Vibram FiveFingers were initially brought into the U.S. as a hiking and sailing shoe, then Born to Run storms onto the scene and everyone goes full minimal. Saucony brings out the Kinvara, and away we chase on down the rabbit hole. New brands storm onto the scene. Less shoe. Less offset. Less everything!
Good thing, right?
Eh...not so much.
We've entered into what some have clumsily dubbed the "Post-Minimalist Era." The "natural run/minimalist" market makes up a little more than 10% of overall sales volume, and that number has stabilized since the latter half of 2011. The majority of shoes that hit into the top 5 listing there include the aforementioned Kinvara, the Brooks PureFlow and PureCadence, and Newton's Gravity. What's the trend with all of these shoes? Let's look at the PureFlow as an example:
 |
| Brooks Men's PureFlow 2. Image courtesy of Running Warehouse. |
The body positioning is different. Most typical shoes (e.g., those not in this category) will feature a 10-12 millimeter difference between the height of the heel versus the height of the forefoot. This is referred to as either drop or offset.
So, the natural run concept marries the idea of being closer to a barefoot-esque body positioning, but paired with the knowledge that we also don't run on a surface that the human body was really designed for (asphalt and concrete, we're looking at you). The Flow, and most shoes like it, will feature somewhere between a zero drop and 4 millimeter offset.
Well then, you ask, what is right for me? Don't we all want to be more natural with the way we run?
The answer, of course, is it depends. The body is an adaptive machine; it will resort to recruitment in the positions that it is most accustomed to. In other words, your body craves the same kind of body positioning for running that you are always putting it into. So if you're always barefoot around the house and wear nothing but flats all of the time, why would we then raise you 10-12 mm in the heel to try and run? If you wear Dansko clogs all day, why would we then try to let the back of your leg extend an extra 8-12 mm when you aren't likely to have flexibility in the tissues?
But, you ask, aren't our needs throughout the gait cycle a bit more dynamic than that? We need elasticity in the back of our legs for loading, the foot then needs to become a more rigid lever for toe-off...what do we do?
And that's where Pearl Izumi comes in with Project EMotion.
 |
| Pearl Izumi EM Road M3 |
The TechnoBabble
(You're screaming: "WHAT? IT GETS MORE TECHNICAL THAN THAT? Not really...I think.)
As we covered above, our gait cycle is dynamic. Our feet have different needs throughout certain phases of our gait. Not to mention, of course, is that our pronation rate tolerances can be different, too. I have a little extra navicular drop, a sign of some excess motion in the foot, but my body is relatively tolerant of it. A hint of support in the midfoot does me well.
Enter Pearl Izumi.
Pearl Izumi's been making a lot of cycling, triathlon, and running gear for years now. They've done extremely well with their cycling and triathlon gear. Their running shoes? Well, as a retailer, let me say that their previous efforts left a bit to be desired. The seamless upper has been a great innovation, but the performance underfoot did not do the rest of the shoe a service.
PI, to their credit, recognized that their shoes were not where they needed to be. So they set out to revise their entire run line-up. This isn't a cheap endeavor; you have to open new molds for all of the sizes, re-test new EVA strands, then see how they actually wind up working out.
In the process, PI started to come to the same conclusion that we'd talked about above: our needs throughout the gait cycle are different. Also, how can build a shoe that perhaps people who would normally pick between one offset or another not have to make that decision anymore? What about, instead of having to think about how they run, they can just, well, run?
EMotion works like this: the shoe's toe-spring is moved further reward, to better mimic where the metatarsals themselves line up. This allows the shoe to work with the bone structure and give a platform for that nice, rigid lever. In the rear end of the shoe, you have a slightly higher heel-to-toe offset, but based on the construction of the foam, it provides a deeper amount of compression, effectively lowering the offset. The outsole features both the EVA from the midsole (helps increase feel underfoot) along with carbon rubber for durability purposes. There's also a line running through the outsole of the shoe, showing the initial impact, pronation, mid-stance, and propulsive phases of the gait cycle. Also, all EM shoes feature a seamless upper.
Now for the sea of naming: this is easy, but confusing.
There are three main product lines: Road, Tri, and Trail. The name is then comprised of a letter and a number. The letter refers to whether the shoe is Neutral (N), Midfoot Stability (M), or Heel/Rearfoot Stability (H). The number then refers to the cushioning underfoot. 1 is least, 2 is middle ground, and 3 is ultra plush.
Currently, the line-up consists of the following options:
Road: N1, N2, N3, M3, H3
Tri: N1, N2
Trail: N1, N2, M2
Because of midfoot pronation needs, I'm wearing the Road M3. There are plans to extend out the product line with less cushioned options in Road, and also do Tri stability. That said, PI made the decision to go with where they figured sales volume would be at the start. Can't say I blame them.
The published weight of the M3 is 9.7 ounces in a men's size 9. Naturally, I'm taking that with the entire container of salt, as I'm wearing a 14 in the M3. (Please note: the shoes do tend to run on the small side! Expect to go up a half-size versus your normal run shoe size.) For comparison's sake, the published weight on the other two go-tos in my run collection right now: 8.7 ounces for the Saucony Mirage, and 9.3 ounces for the Brooks PureCadence2.
The Run
The short version: wow, Pearl Izumi connected on this one.
The long version:
You step into the shoe, and immediately notice the seamless upper. There's simply no hot spot or irritation to be found. Even though it's not the tri version of the shoe, I could fully expect someone to be able to run in this sockless.
The closest brand, IMO, in terms of the fit of the upper would be Mizuno. It's a pretty narrow overall fit, but there is some more flare to the forefoot than previously found on brands hailing from Japan. Traditionally, Mizuno and Pearl Izumi have both had very slender fits. This shoe still retains a very lean midfoot and heel, but the forefoot allows a little more splay, allowing your foot a touch more natural stability by letting your toes spread out on the interior.
Arch height underfoot is on the average side; inoffensive and unobtrusive to my foot. Those with taller arches will probably desire something a little higher underfoot, but I think for the majority that will wind up in this shoe, it's more than high enough.
Starting the run, the first thing you notice is how springy the shoe feels. Technical term, I know. But by that, I mean there's a lot of bounce coming back from the shoe. It doesn't feel like a marshmellow underfoot, but it's also not harsh. It's similar to the experience of running on a tartan track for the first time; just need a second to adjust to the bounce.
Similar to the Brooks PureCadence, this shoe is extremely versatile at a variety of paces. I took these out for some hill repeats, getting down to about 6:20/mile pace and slowing to as slow as 9:00/mile pace, and the shoe felt great during each tempo range. It firms up a little bit as you quicken the tempo, but not so much that it's punishing you for attacking the ground.
Overall, I think a lot of people are going to be very, very happy with this shoe. It's just a *hint* soft for me for my preferred 13.1 mile race-day options. This is definitely going to be in the rotation training, and will be my weapon of choice come Rev3 Cedar Point in September. Somehow, I think a little extra cushion after 114.2 miles will come in handy. At that point, it's all about accumulated load stress.
Available: Now.
Pricing: $124.99
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Spring? What's That?
Mid-April. The mind starts wandering towards the end goals: June racing at Rev3 Quassy. July workouts leading into August's Rev3 Maine, which all builds to September's Cedar Point adventure.
You then flash to Kingfield, home of Sugarloaf Mountain, and discover fully covered trails, high elevation, cool temperatures, and plenty of vibrant sun.
Yep, it's allegedly spring, and yet there's so much snow here that you'd swear it's merely the January warm cycle. For the uninitiated, without fail there is always a January thaw where we have temperatures in the 40s, and then it ducks well back below freezing again. Hence the term "boilerplate" snow. Some will mistakenly call this "ice." It can't be ice, as there are no fish beneath it.
Spring in Maine can be something else. Take, for instance, this past week worth of workouts and the clothing range required:
Monday: 10 mile run; needed hat, gloves, tights, two layers on top. Temperature: 31 degrees.
Tuesday: Run around Back Cove. Base layer and short sleeve on top, shorts. 50 degrees.
Wednesday: Master's swim (aka attempted drowning).
Thursday: Two hours on the bike. Tights and cycling shorts, but just a base layer and jersey on top. Gloves and hat. 45 degrees.
Friday: Day off.
Saturday: Heavy rain for the run. But warm, so base layer + waterproof jacket to go with the tights. 50 degrees.
Sunday: Three hours on the bike. But it's a mind-numbing 31 degrees. So we've got tights, shoe covers, hat, gloves, three layers on top, etc.
And then we're skiing on Monday with a super light jacket, no thermals needed.
Yep, just Maine for you.
It's why I've come to embrace the journey along the way to my goals. One of the things I've learned to appreciate more are the moments in a workout, or the workouts themselves. Yes, keeping the goal in sight is important. All of the work is building to a moment. But also being lost in the fun of skiing moguls, climbing and descending on the bike, running in a great city, swimming with good people...there's a lot of fun to be had along the way.
It's also about discovering more about yourself. Unlocking the doors in your own head to tap into your potential. Discovering what products work for you to help you reach what your mind unlocked. (Note: blog posts forthcoming about some new stuff from Pearl Izumi, PowerBar, and Compex that I'm VERY excited about).
So...is it spring where you are? And what are you finding out about yourself as we swing towards the proving grounds of race season?
You then flash to Kingfield, home of Sugarloaf Mountain, and discover fully covered trails, high elevation, cool temperatures, and plenty of vibrant sun.
Yep, it's allegedly spring, and yet there's so much snow here that you'd swear it's merely the January warm cycle. For the uninitiated, without fail there is always a January thaw where we have temperatures in the 40s, and then it ducks well back below freezing again. Hence the term "boilerplate" snow. Some will mistakenly call this "ice." It can't be ice, as there are no fish beneath it.
Spring in Maine can be something else. Take, for instance, this past week worth of workouts and the clothing range required:
Monday: 10 mile run; needed hat, gloves, tights, two layers on top. Temperature: 31 degrees.
Tuesday: Run around Back Cove. Base layer and short sleeve on top, shorts. 50 degrees.
Wednesday: Master's swim (aka attempted drowning).
Thursday: Two hours on the bike. Tights and cycling shorts, but just a base layer and jersey on top. Gloves and hat. 45 degrees.
Friday: Day off.
Saturday: Heavy rain for the run. But warm, so base layer + waterproof jacket to go with the tights. 50 degrees.
Sunday: Three hours on the bike. But it's a mind-numbing 31 degrees. So we've got tights, shoe covers, hat, gloves, three layers on top, etc.
And then we're skiing on Monday with a super light jacket, no thermals needed.
Yep, just Maine for you.
It's why I've come to embrace the journey along the way to my goals. One of the things I've learned to appreciate more are the moments in a workout, or the workouts themselves. Yes, keeping the goal in sight is important. All of the work is building to a moment. But also being lost in the fun of skiing moguls, climbing and descending on the bike, running in a great city, swimming with good people...there's a lot of fun to be had along the way.
It's also about discovering more about yourself. Unlocking the doors in your own head to tap into your potential. Discovering what products work for you to help you reach what your mind unlocked. (Note: blog posts forthcoming about some new stuff from Pearl Izumi, PowerBar, and Compex that I'm VERY excited about).
So...is it spring where you are? And what are you finding out about yourself as we swing towards the proving grounds of race season?
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Ramblings
There are few things that I can possibly write that will ever be able to provide comfort, or ease the burdens, of those who lost loved ones or those who are still battling for their lives after the events of Monday afternoon in Boston.
I've heard this said before in the coverage a lot, but it rings pretty true to me: this cuts so much closer to home than 9/11 has. I lived in Boston for six years; it is a city that is a part of what defines me as a person. Hell, Portland is often referred to as Boston North. I ran Boston last year, and I was in Boston this weekend for the Marathon. I was in town Thursday night into Friday, walked around that Marathon Sports store on Boylston, and was supposed to be in town on Monday.
Fate kept me away.
I've said this multiple times, but being a runner (or any individual sport, for that matter) brings you into a wonderful community that often gets taken for granted. It's those smiles, waves, "how are you's," nods of appreciation that bring us together. In races, it's the camaraderie of meeting an athlete that's running near your pace, and trying to hold onto each other, pushing each other for your best. You see it all the time; the hugs and handshakes of a personal best reached, thanking one another for the effort.
It's a family. This is why I work in the industry that I do; we get to hear your stories, and help you reach for those dreams, on a daily basis. It's an honor to get to do so.
Which brings me back to Boston: it was an attack on our family. But through running, through being back out on the starting line, we as a community can give ourselves that collective hug of those smiles, waves, "how are you's," and nods of appreciation. And we'll run in honor of those who were lost or hurt on Monday.
It'll never replace or properly honor them. But we'll try to go forward and do the best we can.
I've heard this said before in the coverage a lot, but it rings pretty true to me: this cuts so much closer to home than 9/11 has. I lived in Boston for six years; it is a city that is a part of what defines me as a person. Hell, Portland is often referred to as Boston North. I ran Boston last year, and I was in Boston this weekend for the Marathon. I was in town Thursday night into Friday, walked around that Marathon Sports store on Boylston, and was supposed to be in town on Monday.
Fate kept me away.
I've said this multiple times, but being a runner (or any individual sport, for that matter) brings you into a wonderful community that often gets taken for granted. It's those smiles, waves, "how are you's," nods of appreciation that bring us together. In races, it's the camaraderie of meeting an athlete that's running near your pace, and trying to hold onto each other, pushing each other for your best. You see it all the time; the hugs and handshakes of a personal best reached, thanking one another for the effort.
It's a family. This is why I work in the industry that I do; we get to hear your stories, and help you reach for those dreams, on a daily basis. It's an honor to get to do so.
Which brings me back to Boston: it was an attack on our family. But through running, through being back out on the starting line, we as a community can give ourselves that collective hug of those smiles, waves, "how are you's," and nods of appreciation. And we'll run in honor of those who were lost or hurt on Monday.
It'll never replace or properly honor them. But we'll try to go forward and do the best we can.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Wasting Light: Project All-In Update
As I sit here this morning, we sit but 8.5 weeks out from Rev3 Quassy. (Side note: the half is sold out. But the Olympic still has spots, and it is one hell of a race, too!) It's a balmy 29 degrees outside. This time last year, I'd been riding outside for a month and was getting ready for the Boston Marathon.
This year, I'm still to put the rubber to the road on my bike, and instead have put my focus into CompuTrainer efforts and joining a masters swimming group.
One of the things that I've managed to slowly but surely put together over time is that I'm overly analytical. I get so mindlocked that I wind up not performing to potential. I've been allowing my mind to wander into the work, rather than simply focusing on the task at hand.
This off-season has been a lot of focus on, to use a phrase from my coach, getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. It requires an awful lot of mental focus to want to stay in the hurt locker when your mind is saying, "Nope. I can't do it. Back off."
The best example of what has happened with my mental ability comes from two CompuTrainer efforts in the past month. The first was one of the last Friday Night Fight efforts; the course was a rolling 7 miler. You climbed for the first couple of miles, before having to really lay the power down on the downhill using a pretty high cadence.
It's easy to lay down the power when the course is trending uphill; you simply have to put out more power in order to maintain your speed. But it's when the course flattens out again that you really find out who's got some strength. And then on the downhills, you really need to want it.
On this night, the legs were quite strong out of the gate: pushing about 4 watts/KG the entire way through the flats and uphills. We crested, flattened out, still holding strong. Then the downhills came, and I was still right there.
Until one of my co-workers came in to check on things. I lapsed briefly to look up, see he was there, he tried to issue some words of encouragement, and I said something back.
In that moment, I'd dropped off the pace I was holding on the downhill. It took all I could to get back in the game. I think overall, it might've cost me 5 seconds. Nothing to worry about, right? Well...until the results posted, and I lost out on a position by two seconds.
Mental focus, indeed.
Fast-forward a couple of weeks to the Tri-MANIA expo in Boston. I was down with some friends, family, and got to meet up with Team Rev3. I was entered into the CompuTrainer Time Trial with the Team, so away we go. 6.6 rolling miles of torture.
We warm up, and the gun hits.
I mentally was not letting go of the moment this time. I knew that it'd be about a 17:00 effort, so I focused on the knowledge that I'd hit some pretty big workouts over the past few weeks: 3 x 20:00s in the middle of a three hour brick; 3 x 8:00s at a real high effort, etc. The fitness was there. It was merely a matter of tapping into it.
Head down, do work.
This time, as the downhills came, I made sure the power didn't dip. Stay in the moment. Breathe. Relax.
Finish line sprint.
Boom: 6th Overall. Nipped by a couple of seconds for 5th, and then the remainder of the podium were some pretty beastly cyclists. Can't complain about that.
The difference? Focus. The fitness has been there. It's just letting the mind get out of the way, and instead of thinking about anything but the effort, keeping the mind on the task at hand.
It's this kind of approach that has me excited for Quassy this year. I've been focusing my efforts on where I'm weakest. I finally decided to hop into a master's swimming program. I've gone through two workouts so far and I'm absolutely in love. It's crazy how fast I've been able to make improvements. Whereas before, I'd struggle to hold 3:10-3:20 for a 200, I'm consistently nailing down 2:50. The difference? Head down, do work, and don't lose the feet in front of you. (Or, in the rare case of me leading, OH GOD THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE BEHIND YOU GO GO GO GO GO.)
I'm also piecing together my nutrition strategy, both in-race and just during training. I'm really enjoying the new PowerBar Energy Blends, which are nothing but pureed fruit and a little bit of sugar. Great for the bike segment to supplement with. Then outside of training, really focusing in on not just caloric intake, but also better foods to get those calories from.
On the equipment front, really looking forward to the Pearl Izumi footwear. Everything I've heard thus far from those running in the EM line-up has really, really enjoyed them. Still love my Tri Fly IV Carbon shoes. Incredibly comfortable.
Overall, the pieces are starting to really come together. We've got 6.5 weeks to really get where it is I want to be. Then it's two weeks to settle on in and get ready for Quassy.
Project All-In keeps rolling on.
This year, I'm still to put the rubber to the road on my bike, and instead have put my focus into CompuTrainer efforts and joining a masters swimming group.
One of the things that I've managed to slowly but surely put together over time is that I'm overly analytical. I get so mindlocked that I wind up not performing to potential. I've been allowing my mind to wander into the work, rather than simply focusing on the task at hand.
This off-season has been a lot of focus on, to use a phrase from my coach, getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. It requires an awful lot of mental focus to want to stay in the hurt locker when your mind is saying, "Nope. I can't do it. Back off."
The best example of what has happened with my mental ability comes from two CompuTrainer efforts in the past month. The first was one of the last Friday Night Fight efforts; the course was a rolling 7 miler. You climbed for the first couple of miles, before having to really lay the power down on the downhill using a pretty high cadence.
It's easy to lay down the power when the course is trending uphill; you simply have to put out more power in order to maintain your speed. But it's when the course flattens out again that you really find out who's got some strength. And then on the downhills, you really need to want it.
On this night, the legs were quite strong out of the gate: pushing about 4 watts/KG the entire way through the flats and uphills. We crested, flattened out, still holding strong. Then the downhills came, and I was still right there.
Until one of my co-workers came in to check on things. I lapsed briefly to look up, see he was there, he tried to issue some words of encouragement, and I said something back.
In that moment, I'd dropped off the pace I was holding on the downhill. It took all I could to get back in the game. I think overall, it might've cost me 5 seconds. Nothing to worry about, right? Well...until the results posted, and I lost out on a position by two seconds.
Mental focus, indeed.
Fast-forward a couple of weeks to the Tri-MANIA expo in Boston. I was down with some friends, family, and got to meet up with Team Rev3. I was entered into the CompuTrainer Time Trial with the Team, so away we go. 6.6 rolling miles of torture.
We warm up, and the gun hits.
I mentally was not letting go of the moment this time. I knew that it'd be about a 17:00 effort, so I focused on the knowledge that I'd hit some pretty big workouts over the past few weeks: 3 x 20:00s in the middle of a three hour brick; 3 x 8:00s at a real high effort, etc. The fitness was there. It was merely a matter of tapping into it.
Head down, do work.
This time, as the downhills came, I made sure the power didn't dip. Stay in the moment. Breathe. Relax.
Finish line sprint.
Boom: 6th Overall. Nipped by a couple of seconds for 5th, and then the remainder of the podium were some pretty beastly cyclists. Can't complain about that.
The difference? Focus. The fitness has been there. It's just letting the mind get out of the way, and instead of thinking about anything but the effort, keeping the mind on the task at hand.
It's this kind of approach that has me excited for Quassy this year. I've been focusing my efforts on where I'm weakest. I finally decided to hop into a master's swimming program. I've gone through two workouts so far and I'm absolutely in love. It's crazy how fast I've been able to make improvements. Whereas before, I'd struggle to hold 3:10-3:20 for a 200, I'm consistently nailing down 2:50. The difference? Head down, do work, and don't lose the feet in front of you. (Or, in the rare case of me leading, OH GOD THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE BEHIND YOU GO GO GO GO GO.)
I'm also piecing together my nutrition strategy, both in-race and just during training. I'm really enjoying the new PowerBar Energy Blends, which are nothing but pureed fruit and a little bit of sugar. Great for the bike segment to supplement with. Then outside of training, really focusing in on not just caloric intake, but also better foods to get those calories from.
On the equipment front, really looking forward to the Pearl Izumi footwear. Everything I've heard thus far from those running in the EM line-up has really, really enjoyed them. Still love my Tri Fly IV Carbon shoes. Incredibly comfortable.
Overall, the pieces are starting to really come together. We've got 6.5 weeks to really get where it is I want to be. Then it's two weeks to settle on in and get ready for Quassy.
Project All-In keeps rolling on.
Friday, March 8, 2013
My FIGHT at Rev3 Maine.
I've been holding back on posting for a little while on this, but just wanted to pass it on from the Rev3 Website:
http://rev3tri.com/2013/03/07/why-team-fight-ryan-heisler/
If you can donate to the Ulman Cancer Fund, please do it here: http://www.teamfight.org/donate2013/?kwoAdvocateId=5I7UJ75
Many thanks.
http://rev3tri.com/2013/03/07/why-team-fight-ryan-heisler/
If you can donate to the Ulman Cancer Fund, please do it here: http://www.teamfight.org/donate2013/?kwoAdvocateId=5I7UJ75
Many thanks.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
A Running Shoe Shopping Guide
There's a reason why my co-workers at Maine Running Company refer to me as Bing, Shoe Rain Man, Doc (hey, that one's actually true), and a few other random terms: I have a running encyclopedia stored somewhere in the depths of my poor brain.
That being said, as (allegedly) good I am at my job, I am only one part of the running shoe equation. I joke that my job is one part rocket science and one part kindergarten; I have the hard part in terms of analyzing a customer's biomechanics. But that being said, it is imperative that the person coming through the door come on in armed with a decent amount of knowledge as well. Luckily, though, that knowledge is not technical. It's personal: it is a knowledge of yourself.
So, with that in mind, here come the ultimate "do's" and "don'ts" of your shoe buying experience:
Do: Go to an independent running retail shop to purchase your running shoes.
Why make the hassle to go to an independent running shop, when, as you compare our shops on price and convenience to online stores, we lose every single time? Because you are buying for the support of your local racing community; more of your dollars stay in your local economy; and perhaps more importantly, you are putting a face to the interaction that you are having.
It is infinitely easier, if something is to go wrong with your purchase, to deal with the same person throughout the process rather than going through a buffet of customer service representatives when attempting to process your return or exchange. Instead, talk with the same person; chances are, they will do everything within their power to do something right. (Our return policy: if it doesn't work, bring it back. Doesn't matter where you wore it. We don't put a time limit on it, either. It's not abused, either. Honesty really is the best policy.) And if they don't? Well, then, that just goes to show that there are some independent shops that are simply not worth saving, either.
For a listing of the Top 50 Running Stores in America, head here. And try to shop there. There's a reason why they're listed there: a combination of vendor scores, community involvement, and customer interaction.
Don't: Come into the store talking on your phone.
This is one of my larger pet peeves. If you are coming into an independent running shop, odds are you are coming to us for some type of customer service.
It is difficult, if not impossible, to do that if you are having a conversation with someone else about what your plans are for that evening. In fact, I don't want to approach you while on your phone, in fear of interrupting your conversation. I'd rather be able to talk to you on a one-on-one basis to figure out what you need.
Do: Come in with a rudimentary knowledge of what you're doing, and what your training goals are.
You should expect the following questions to come up during the course of a conversation with a running store guru:
Don't: Think that running shoes alone are going to be the magic cure for all that ails you.
Unfortunately, at the end of the day, shoes are only one part of the equation. Runners will buy 2.2 pairs of shoes before seeing a medical professional about an injury. Most of the time, the problem has less to do with the shoes. It is the first thing we tend to think about, but in fact, most things tend to come from somewhere else in the kinetic chain. This leads me to my next point...
Do: Expect a gait analysis and sizing analysis to be performed.
During a gait analysis, we can spot a difference between a skeletal relationship issue and a muscular relationship issue.
Confused? Well, we're going to butcher some medical terms in the process of this, but here goes nothing:
Everyone, during the course of their gait, is supposed to pronate and supinate. Pronation is the rate of the collapse of the foot as the result of the slide of the heel in the subtalar joint. The rate here is where the terms "overpronation," "neutral," and "supination" or "underpronation" come from in the footwear industry. On the medical side, you'd instead be talking about varus and valgas. Supination, on the other hand, is the foot locking and moving into the propulsive phase of the gait cycle.
Now that we have that all out of the way...
There's a difference between a foot "overpronating" due to a skeletal relationship issue, and a foot "overpronating" due to a muscular recruitment/imbalance issue. During a gait analysis, a well-trained footwear employee will be able to spot these differences, or be able to ask enough questions to assess this.
Also imperative: shoe sizing. Make sure your foot is measured on an athletic Brannock device. You know, one of these:
That being said, as (allegedly) good I am at my job, I am only one part of the running shoe equation. I joke that my job is one part rocket science and one part kindergarten; I have the hard part in terms of analyzing a customer's biomechanics. But that being said, it is imperative that the person coming through the door come on in armed with a decent amount of knowledge as well. Luckily, though, that knowledge is not technical. It's personal: it is a knowledge of yourself.
So, with that in mind, here come the ultimate "do's" and "don'ts" of your shoe buying experience:
Do: Go to an independent running retail shop to purchase your running shoes.
Why make the hassle to go to an independent running shop, when, as you compare our shops on price and convenience to online stores, we lose every single time? Because you are buying for the support of your local racing community; more of your dollars stay in your local economy; and perhaps more importantly, you are putting a face to the interaction that you are having.
It is infinitely easier, if something is to go wrong with your purchase, to deal with the same person throughout the process rather than going through a buffet of customer service representatives when attempting to process your return or exchange. Instead, talk with the same person; chances are, they will do everything within their power to do something right. (Our return policy: if it doesn't work, bring it back. Doesn't matter where you wore it. We don't put a time limit on it, either. It's not abused, either. Honesty really is the best policy.) And if they don't? Well, then, that just goes to show that there are some independent shops that are simply not worth saving, either.
For a listing of the Top 50 Running Stores in America, head here. And try to shop there. There's a reason why they're listed there: a combination of vendor scores, community involvement, and customer interaction.
Don't: Come into the store talking on your phone.
This is one of my larger pet peeves. If you are coming into an independent running shop, odds are you are coming to us for some type of customer service.
It is difficult, if not impossible, to do that if you are having a conversation with someone else about what your plans are for that evening. In fact, I don't want to approach you while on your phone, in fear of interrupting your conversation. I'd rather be able to talk to you on a one-on-one basis to figure out what you need.
Do: Come in with a rudimentary knowledge of what you're doing, and what your training goals are.
You should expect the following questions to come up during the course of a conversation with a running store guru:
- How much running are you doing?
- Have you had any current injuries?
- Any injuries in the past?
- Do you use orthotics?
- What goals do you have with your running?
- Have you had any brands that you have had success with in the past?
- Do you have any preferences on the way a shoe should feel?
Don't: Think that running shoes alone are going to be the magic cure for all that ails you.
Unfortunately, at the end of the day, shoes are only one part of the equation. Runners will buy 2.2 pairs of shoes before seeing a medical professional about an injury. Most of the time, the problem has less to do with the shoes. It is the first thing we tend to think about, but in fact, most things tend to come from somewhere else in the kinetic chain. This leads me to my next point...
Do: Expect a gait analysis and sizing analysis to be performed.
During a gait analysis, we can spot a difference between a skeletal relationship issue and a muscular relationship issue.
Confused? Well, we're going to butcher some medical terms in the process of this, but here goes nothing:
Everyone, during the course of their gait, is supposed to pronate and supinate. Pronation is the rate of the collapse of the foot as the result of the slide of the heel in the subtalar joint. The rate here is where the terms "overpronation," "neutral," and "supination" or "underpronation" come from in the footwear industry. On the medical side, you'd instead be talking about varus and valgas. Supination, on the other hand, is the foot locking and moving into the propulsive phase of the gait cycle.
Now that we have that all out of the way...
There's a difference between a foot "overpronating" due to a skeletal relationship issue, and a foot "overpronating" due to a muscular recruitment/imbalance issue. During a gait analysis, a well-trained footwear employee will be able to spot these differences, or be able to ask enough questions to assess this.
Also imperative: shoe sizing. Make sure your foot is measured on an athletic Brannock device. You know, one of these:
There are three measurements that comprise your running shoe size: physical foot length, arch length, and width. You first determine numerical shoe size by averaging the physical foot length measurement and arch length measurement. You then take width off of that corresponding numerical shoe size.
This will result in a larger shoe size than your street shoe size; in fact, a difference of 1.5 sizes is not all that uncommon. Of all the measurements, the arch length is most important; it will make sure that the support system is in the correct place; the arch is in the correct place; and that the shoe engages your foot properly.
Don't: Be concerned if your heel slips on the initial fit in this new size, or if the shoe feels "roomy" in the forefoot.
For the latter point first: if we have learned one thing from the barefoot running craze, it is that the metatarsals want to spread out. Think of your foot as a tripod: you have wide metatarsals, and a narrow heel. The wide those front legs can spread out (get your mind out of the gutter), the more stable the tripod is.
Now, as for heel slip: ever notice that every pair of running shoes comes laced to a top eyelet, but that there is an extra eyelet even further back that is unlaced?
 |
| Yeah, there's that extra eyelet. The one a little lower and further back. (Image courtesy of Pearl Izumi). |
That eyelet is because most of us have longer arch lengths than physical foot lengths. We might have a size 11 length foot, but are in a size 12 because of arch length. But we're not a size 12 from heel-to-tongue on the shoe, so we use that eyelet to snug the fit up.
Do: Decide on comfort.
Comfort is king. The shoe that feels the best, for one reason or another, is most likely to give you success. This is that kindergarten part of the concept: you just need to tell us what feel you like!
Don't: Overthink it.
Referring back; decide on comfort. This is important. Don't think about which shoe is lighter; often times, the shoe that you think is lighter is actually heavier. But weight doesn't equal efficiency in running shoes, either; weight only matters if your foot is working to maximum efficiency in both shoes.
Don't think about features, or cushioning systems, or hype. Decide on what feels best to you. This is often why I won't answer the question as to what shoe I run in; it's too personal of a question! I can only tell you what I like in a shoe; I can't tell you what you should like in a shoe.
Furthermore, don't worry if you feel like you're being picky about feel. In fact, I encourage it. You are providing us valuable information about fit. Now, sometimes you're not going to get the "perfect" pair of shoes. I went a whole year without a perfect pair; but instead, I found things that I liked about everything I ran in. Instead, look for what you like the best out of the shoes available in your category.
Do: Keep an open mind.
Probably most important on this list; we might experiment with types of shoes. Heck, we might tell you to try a manufacturer that you've never had success with. But there's a reason why: shoe designers trade brands frequently. They take their signature fits and feels with them. As an example, one designer used to work at Brooks and designed one shoe; she now designs the New Balance competitor. I have watched numerous wearers of the Brooks shoe switch to the New Balance. Why? They like her signatures fits and feels.
So it isn't all that uncommon for you to wind up bouncing around manufacturers from year-to-year. This is why you should always try on a couple of things every time you come on for a new pair, unless you are within a month of a priority race and your model has not updated yet; then, go back to the well.
Do: Have a reasonable expectation on shoe lifespan.
Look, shoes don't last forever. In fact, it tends to be a mileage dependent inquiry. As a general rule of thumb:
Running under 20 miles per week: every 6 months.
20-30 miles per week: every 4 months
30-40 miles per week: every 3 months
40-60 miles per week: every 8-10 weeks
60+ MPW: 6-8 weeks
Your results can and will vary. Some people will get no more than 300 miles out of a pair of shoes; others, 1000 miles. When to replace? Your body is an amazing feedback tool, so long as you're willing to pay attention. If you go 4 months without injury, then something starts to ache, look at your mileage per week: somewhere in that range? Oh, I've been going 35 MPW...guess I should replace the shoes.
You can do things to help extend the life of shoes: have multiple pairs going at once to ensure recovery time; don't run on treadmills (shearing force reduces life of the shoe); make sure you are wearing non-cotton socks (cotton is rotten when it comes to athletic materials, and will tear out the interior of your shoe).
Do: Have fun.
Come in with a smile. We want to get to you know you; we want to help you succeed at your goals in sport, whether it's blistering Boston or making it through your first 5K. We're here for you.
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Did I miss anything? Have any suggestions? Let me know!
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