I run in the 2nd best shoe (umm, make that sneaker)

Best sneaker ever? Highly debatable

Today's run (street): 3.75 miles

Prior to this week, I had never heard of The Sneaker Report. But after a few mentions by people I follow on Twitter, I checked out the site. The reason why people have been tweeting about Sneaker Report is because of a post called The 100 Best Running Sneakers of All Time. Any list that ranks people or things will be debated, and I'm sure that's the case here. Their choice for number one is a Nike model from 1995 (Nike Air Max 95) that looks like a cross between a Skechers Resistance Runner and the shoes the Apollo 11 astronauts wore when they walked on the moon.

The original Kinvara, better than the 3

Redemption came with the choice for number two: the Saucony Kinvara 3, that happens to be my preferred running shoe right now. But as much as I like the Kinvara 3, I like the original Kinvara more, because it was groundbreaking and (in my opinion) a little more responsive. The other choices seemed odd to me and many appeared to be selected for the way they look. I shouldn't be surprised since the site refers to running shoes as "sneakers."

After battling pounding headaches and exhaustion earlier in the week, I'm almost back to my old self. I took it easy on the treadmill yesterday in terms of speed but I set the incline at 2% to get my heart rate up a bit. Today I planned an outside run and though the temperature on the local news station showed 41°, I bundled up with extra layers. That turned out to be a good decision because it felt far colder than low 40's, especially when the wind was blowing. My Kinvara 3's did little to insulate from the cold and I'm wondering if I need a winter shoe.

Since I'm not fully back to strength, I decided to keep my distance in the 3 to 4 mile range. I felt fine as I ran but, after a mile, I noticed that my legs were feeling heavy. I was running a high 9:00 pace and my heart rate was low, so I just kept moving. I can't say I enjoyed the workout, but it wasn't like I was suffering. Once I reached three miles I started to follow roads that headed back toward my house.

This has been a week of moderately easy running and I'm fine with that. I'll probably target 5 or more miles tomorrow. I'm certainly not in speed or performance mode these days. After reading the WSJ.com article last Tuesday, I'm not so concerned about performance. At least I'm not this week.

I've got a secret (running shoe)

Yesterday's run (treadmill): 25 minutes

I'm having another busy week that has caused me to miss two blog posts and today's workout. I'm hoping to get back on track tomorrow. In the meantime, I've been enjoying the experience of testing a new pair of running shoes for a company that I cannot name. In the past, I've been provided a good number of running shoes for review, but these models were already available in stores. I did receive my Kinvara 3's a month before retail launch, but had no influence on their design.

The shoes I'm evaluating are a work in progress and they will surely change before hitting the stores. I've done two runs in them (both indoors) so I'm curious to see how they feel on the road. They happen to be the type of shoes I'd consider as a primary trainer, and that makes the testing especially interesting. I filled out my first feedback report yesterday and liked being able to share my opinions with those who can shape the final product. I'll provide all the details once the testing is done (and I get an okay from the company to do that).



This video ad from Nike has been going around for a while, although I only saw it this week. I'm not a fan of Nike running shoes (my test shoes are not Nikes) but I really liked this commercial. It made me laugh when I watched it.

Polly Pocket, your running shoes are here!

Today's workout (elliptical/high resistance): 25 minutes

This past weekend I stopped into our local bike store, Bicycle Planet, which was displaying big signs in their windows that said "Clearance Sale." But I wasn't looking for bike gear. This store carries performance apparel from makers like Sugoui, Pearl Izumi and Craft along with other quality brands that specialize in cycling. I was hoping to find a bargain on long sleeved tech shirts that I could use on cold morning runs but even with the sale the clothes were pricey. There were some heavier jerseys with zip fronts that were well priced. Since cyclists ride 3-4X faster than I run they clearly need the wind protection. These jerseys were nice but they didn't meet any current needs so I ended up leaving empty handed. I'll be back soon with my Trek bike which needs a serious tuneup.

The next day we paid a visit to the outlet stores and I did my usual rounds at Adidas (poor selection of running clothes, no bargains on running shoes) and Nike. Nike had little running apparel on display and, for what they had, the prices weren't compelling. I don't care for Nike shoes but I was curious to try a pair of Zoom Equalon 3's that were on special for $80.00. I didn't like the fit and I guess I'm a little biased since my last experience running with Nike shoes was fairly negative. I stopped in at Reebok because it was there (did you know Adidas owns Reebok?) and, again out of curiosity, tried on a pair of their top of the line stability shoes.

Every time I try on Reeboks I understand why no one I know runs in them. The shoes I tried on Sunday felt clumsy, with an awkward transition from heel to toe. As I was leaving I noticed a display for the new ZigTech shoes. They only had smaller sizes to try but I looked at the display models and wondered what the fuss was about. The shoe is bizarre to begin with - a weirdly shaped boot with a strange wavey-springy out sole that doesn't seem fully attached to the shoe. In pictures the shoe looks interesting. In real life it looks like something you'd find on a Polly Pocket doll. I left the outlet stores without a single purchase but with a renewed respect for the gear and for shoes from the real players like Brooks, ASICS and Mizuno.

Free to be free of Nike Free

Yesterday I awoke to the sounds of torrential rain and percussive surf and thought I'd miss my opportunity to run in the morning. I considered the idea of running even under those conditions but I knew I wouldn't really like it. About an hour later the skies began to clear and I optimistically changed into running clothes hoping that the rain would pass. My wife and kids had already headed across the boardwalk to the beach and I came by to say hi before heading south. I had my Adidas trail shoes on so I stayed on the sand for about half a mile before deciding that I much preferred the boardwalk as a running surface. I decided to run from end to end a few times since, according to a sign on southern end, the boardwalk measures 1 mile. In the space of that mile the area changes from neighborhood to hotels to tourist traps and then back to hotels. The one thing that's consistent is the beautiful and inspiring water on one side or the other. The rain came back in the middle of my run but it was light and cooling. The only negative was that my glasses fogged and limited my ability to see much beyond the immediate distance. In all I covered 5.2 miles under 9:00 per mile. What pleased me about that was that the beginning part of my run was relatively slow because of the sand yet I still maintained a decent overall pace.

Later that day, after we all showered, we set off into the town for lunch and then hit some stores including Nike and Under Armor outlets. At the Nike store I saw they had the Frees so out of curiosity I tried on a pair. When I put them on I noticed they felt more like a slipper than a running shoe and when I walked on them I was surprised by how unnatural and unbalanced they felt. Maybe that's the point but no thank you. After that we headed to the Under Armor store and I tried a pair of Apparition running shoes, also out of curiosity. At least this shoe felt supportive and balanced. I'm not really interested in UA shoes and I didn't think at $90 that these shoes felt as good as some competing brands. I don't really like the UA brand anyway, I'm sure the clothing is top notch but I don't care for the hyper-competitive edge they convey in their marketing.

On the other hand my daughter happily picked up a running shirt on sale and later got a t-shirt elsewhere that said "I am a girl, I am an athlete, and running is my sport. Well said.

Not exactly heart insole

I was really hoping to publish today's post with the headline "Heart insole, I fell in love with you" after running with a replacement pair of insoles for my Nikes. I've been concerned that my shoes have accumulated too much mileage and that has contributed to the leg pain I've experienced over the last six weeks. The shoes still look pretty good so I don't know how to ascertain their true condition. Since the insoles, which take direct impact with every step, are easily replaced, I did just that.

The insoles I bought are Spenco Poli-Sorbs that retail for about $20. They come in size groupings so you can cut the extra material for a custom fit. I didn't do that and I suspect that's part of the reason I was disappointed.

Though I wear a 10 1/2 shoe and these insoles fit up to size 11's I was able to fit them into the shoes fine. The shape of the replacements are different than the originals but they're close. When I put them on they felt good, the extra padding at the heel was welcomed. There was slightly more material at the top but it didn't seem like it would get in the way when I ran.

I had a hard run covering 2 miles at about 8:52 per mile this morning. It was extremely hot and I suffered a bit until getting an energy boost at around 1.5 miles. The shoes felt okay as I ran but my upper leg pain was noticeable. Unlike when I ran with the other insoles, the pain persisted even after I'd warmed up. After I'd finished I noticed that the extra material had put enough pressure on the top of my foot to cause some slight abrasion and blistering. I can take care of that by trimming the insole but the real problem was that my leg hurt a lot after my run. I ended up wrapping a compression brace around my upper leg and that helped quell the soreness.

Now I'm wondering whether I'm better off cutting the insoles for a perfect fit and trying another run or just reverting back to the old insoles and hoping for the best. The race on Saturday is only 5K so it's not like I need to prepare for an arduous distance. The other choice is to run in my NB trail shoes. That's starting to sound like an interesting idea.

Running shoe anxiety

I have 5 days until my next race and I'm beginning to worry about my shoes. I mentioned yesterday that I've had some issues with my feet that seem to relate to my Nikes. This morning I switched to my New Balance trail shoes for the elliptical and they were much more comfortable. I really don't want to race with trail shoes on pavement but I also don't want to continue pushing my luck with the Turbulence 13's.

I have a busy schedule at work this week so it will not be that easy to get to a store at lunch to look at new running shoes. I want to avoid buying a pair in haste without considering other options just because of Saturday's race deadline. I have been reading reviews and talking to friends and I'm thinking this is the time to invest in a higher end pair. AG told me about a few stores in the city that have treadmills so staff can watch you as you run and help recommend the best shoe choices for your running style. If I'm looking to pay a lot for a pair of running shoes I don't want to buy the wrong thing and be disappointed.

I've looked at the removable soles in my Nikes and, while they look okay, I have no idea how much cushioning and flexibility they've lost in the eight months that I've had them. I'm thinking about trying a pair of cushioned replacement soles to get me through the race on Saturday. If they do the job, great. If not I'll be paying a visit to a running store on Sunday.