Thursday: 6ish miles with Ashley; all roads or sidewalks; lots of steep hills.
Friday: 7 miles on roads; some hills. A GLORIOUS RUN IN THE RAIN!
Saturday: 8 miles on roads; some hills.
A Success Story:
It's amazing how much quicker my runs seem to go by when I am wearing good shoes. I don't know if I'm actually running quicker - I haven't been running with a watch - but mentally I can break down the runs but more coolly. Take yesterday's run for example. When I think about starting that seven mile loop, I think that I must be coming close to East Jibip; early this summer, the run seemed intimidatingly long. Now, when I run in the Brooks Adrenaline, I feel so smooth. Every movement is not labored to a ridiculous degree.
(No, Brooks is not paying me to say these cheesy things. This is fo rel.)
The Conclusion of this Shoe Review:
Lightness. Smoothness. That's the two best features that these shoes have to offer. I am confident now that if anytime soon I feel beat during a run, it will be because of a tough week of training, and not because I'm wearing the wrong shoes.
The cusioning isn't so bad either. I won't lie though - There are some strange sensations I've been having in my feet this week. In my left, I still have that odd feeling in my middle metatarsal, and today the ball of my right foot was rather tender.
Then again, my feet are probably just confused. What? We're being nurtured now? We were starting to accept that we'd be living in Nikes forever. It's about time you smartened up, old gal.
My Left Foot give the shoes an A+. He's smart enough to know that this familiar metatarsal pain is nothing serious and was probably not caused by the Brooks because he was only living in them for two days before the strange sensation began. He has high expectations that the Brooks Adrenaline will only help the sensation dissipate.
My Right Foot gives the shoes a B+. Until the sensitivity in her ball-area began today, she would have been ready to give the Adrenalines an A, too, but now she's slightly suspicious. What about this MoGo? And this new and improved forefoot cushioning she's heard so much about? To be honest, she says, she expects today's new achiness to subside soon, and she is most bitter about the blister on her backside (heel) and on her inner arch. The Right Foot usually takes a beating when it's time to break in shoes. (Not that she would admit it, but she is slightly wider and pronates more than The Left Foot.)
Showing posts with label Shoes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shoes. Show all posts
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Brooks Adrenaline GTS8 Review - RUNS #2 AND #3
Runs: This morning, I met Erin for a run that was almost 6 miles of constant rolling hills; all paved or gravel roads. This evening, I ran 3 miles (the JesVic 5K course - http://myweb.bloomu.edu/smhoffma/Index.htm) on paved roads and sidewalks with one major uphill and downhill.
Morning Run Reaction: My legs were beat. I don't think I can blame this on the shoes though; last night was my longest run yet this summer, and the hills on this morning's jaunt were relentless.
Evening Run Reaction: I felt tired as expected, but it was also FUN for no good reason at all. It's a special shoe that can cradle my exhausted feet and legs enough to help make a run when I'm this tired fun.
Other Reactions: What impressed me most today was the way my legs felt after my two runs. For as worn out as I felt during the workouts, my legs felt relatively refreshed when I was finished.
Other Concerns: After my evening run, during my bare-foot form drills, I noticed a funny feeling in my left foot in the area of one of my center metatarsals. I would be surprised if this is from the shoes, though, since I've only been wearing them for two days. Also, the Adrenalines have major forefront cushioning, so I'd imagine my metatarsals should be in safe hands (if shoes had hands).
Morning Run Reaction: My legs were beat. I don't think I can blame this on the shoes though; last night was my longest run yet this summer, and the hills on this morning's jaunt were relentless.
Evening Run Reaction: I felt tired as expected, but it was also FUN for no good reason at all. It's a special shoe that can cradle my exhausted feet and legs enough to help make a run when I'm this tired fun.
Other Reactions: What impressed me most today was the way my legs felt after my two runs. For as worn out as I felt during the workouts, my legs felt relatively refreshed when I was finished.
Other Concerns: After my evening run, during my bare-foot form drills, I noticed a funny feeling in my left foot in the area of one of my center metatarsals. I would be surprised if this is from the shoes, though, since I've only been wearing them for two days. Also, the Adrenalines have major forefront cushioning, so I'd imagine my metatarsals should be in safe hands (if shoes had hands).
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Brooks Adrenaline GTS8 Review - RUN #1
Tonight I went out the door not really knowing how far I'd run.
I just banged out 10.11 miles.
It's these shoes. They're just what the doc ordered.
Run: 10.11 miles; mostly flat with just a few hills; paved roads or sidewalks the whole way.
Initial Reaction: The first few steps felt a bit heavy, but the Adrenalines have more control than I have used this summer. Even the Nike Trail Pegasus hasn't been that great of a stability shoe, considering the quick rate it broke down at.
400 Meters In: It didn't take long to find a rhythm, and to truly appreciate the lightness of this shoe.
Overall Run Experience: This is the best I've felt all summer. Even my "good" runs this summer could not compare to tonight's run. I did start to feel a bit tired at about a mile and a half, but I felt no worse at nine and a half. The shoes created a smooth ride the whole way. I easily convinced myself to add a loop with a nice hill to my typical eight mile run because I felt that darn good. The slight pain I normally start feeling on the inside of my right foot/ankle, especially in the Oberons, did not occur tonight. Well, I did start to feel a bit of a strain on the inside of my right ankle, but that was because my sock fell down in the last two miles and was rubbing the back of my heel and I started running funny. (There was blood...saweet!) I had a fair amount of get-up-and-go, even after sharp turns and hills, and at the end of my run I felt smooth and powerful, not clumsy and desperate like I have been lately.
Post-Run Feelings: My feet feel relatively good, though I do feel a little bit of tightness in my right heel (remnants of a bout with plantar fasciitis (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/plantar-fasciitis/DS00508). The real test will be tomorrow morning when I wake up. It's been typical for me to not be able to walk normally when I first wake up, or after sitting for a long period of time, not just because of heel pain, but due to achiness in my entire feet. My legs feel refreshed and like I could go out for another five.
What May Have Made the Shoes Seem Too Good to Be True:
1. Self-fulfilling prophecy - I expected these shoes to work magic.
2. I always feel my best running at night.
3. I took the past two days off.
What May Have Tainted Tonight's Running Experience:
1. I cross-trained late this afternoon and did some light leg lifting.
2. The venison burger I ate but an hour and a half earler
They already have lost that New Shoe Smell. (I apparently have powerful foot odor.)
I just banged out 10.11 miles.
It's these shoes. They're just what the doc ordered.
Run: 10.11 miles; mostly flat with just a few hills; paved roads or sidewalks the whole way.
Initial Reaction: The first few steps felt a bit heavy, but the Adrenalines have more control than I have used this summer. Even the Nike Trail Pegasus hasn't been that great of a stability shoe, considering the quick rate it broke down at.
400 Meters In: It didn't take long to find a rhythm, and to truly appreciate the lightness of this shoe.
Overall Run Experience: This is the best I've felt all summer. Even my "good" runs this summer could not compare to tonight's run. I did start to feel a bit tired at about a mile and a half, but I felt no worse at nine and a half. The shoes created a smooth ride the whole way. I easily convinced myself to add a loop with a nice hill to my typical eight mile run because I felt that darn good. The slight pain I normally start feeling on the inside of my right foot/ankle, especially in the Oberons, did not occur tonight. Well, I did start to feel a bit of a strain on the inside of my right ankle, but that was because my sock fell down in the last two miles and was rubbing the back of my heel and I started running funny. (There was blood...saweet!) I had a fair amount of get-up-and-go, even after sharp turns and hills, and at the end of my run I felt smooth and powerful, not clumsy and desperate like I have been lately.
Post-Run Feelings: My feet feel relatively good, though I do feel a little bit of tightness in my right heel (remnants of a bout with plantar fasciitis (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/plantar-fasciitis/DS00508). The real test will be tomorrow morning when I wake up. It's been typical for me to not be able to walk normally when I first wake up, or after sitting for a long period of time, not just because of heel pain, but due to achiness in my entire feet. My legs feel refreshed and like I could go out for another five.
What May Have Made the Shoes Seem Too Good to Be True:
1. Self-fulfilling prophecy - I expected these shoes to work magic.
2. I always feel my best running at night.
3. I took the past two days off.
What May Have Tainted Tonight's Running Experience:
1. I cross-trained late this afternoon and did some light leg lifting.
2. The venison burger I ate but an hour and a half earler
They already have lost that New Shoe Smell. (I apparently have powerful foot odor.)
Brooks Adrenaline GTS8
Smell that New Shoe Smell.
Shoes feel good so far (pre-run). The toe-box is a bit too big I think. Do I need a half size smaller?
Venturing out...
Monday, August 4, 2008
Brooks. And Me. Re-united. (And a Running Star and Her High School Sweetie, United)
My shoes are coming tomorrow! MY NEW RUNNING SHOES ARE COMING TOMORROW! Tonight, I dream of MoGo, midsole and forefront cushioning, moderate stability, and a shoe so light that I barely know it's even there.
Here they are...
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8
I wrote a post a while back about the Asics Oberon (http://calluses.blogspot.com/2008/02/self-diagnosis.html). A quick re-cap: I was in love with those shoes when I was training this winter. They felt fantastic and were relieving to my body because for years I had been training with too much stability on my feet. Since part way through my freshman year at Bloom, I had been wearing shoes with a lot of control as well as some rigid orthotics. After deciding that the ZAPPED-DEAD feeling in my legs was not normal, and the strong desire to turn back after a mile not normal for me either, I took a risk. I got rid of the controlled shoes and the orthotics. The Oberon had major cushioning and was relief to my legs and feet. I felt like I hadn't felt since high school.
Asics Oberon
It was a step in the right direction, but eventually I developed hip problems and I wasn't able to compete at PSACs for indoor. Sources told me it was because I was now running with not enough control. I realize that I don't have the greatest bio-mechanics, but I felt too good in Oberons for it to have been a totally bad move.
Since then, I've been trading between those shoes on trails, and the Nike Trail Pegasus on roads. I haven't been absolutely thrilled with the Pegasus, but hey, I can only spend so much money on shoes. Despite the name, they were too clunky for me to wear on trails. When I first got them, I didn't even like wearing them for road runs, but they broke down fairly quickly. That's not necessarily a good thing, but it gave me the movement I desired.
Nike Trail Pegasus
While in Florida, I went to a real nice running store that actually hosted the 5K I ran in - 1st Place Sports (http://www.1stplacesports.com/). They had Brooks Adrenaline - a shoe I used to wear in high school, and I NEVER got injured in them (except for the time I slipped in the mud during a run and broke my ankle). When Adrenaline was the pair I swore by, they were the GTS5 model. Then they upgraded to six, the toe-box was adjusted enough that it tore up my toes and blistered them like woah. I couldn't handle them.
Brooks Adrenaline 6
For one reason or another, I did not inspect GTS7 when they came out. It may be because not enough shoe stores carry Brooks around here.
At 1st Place Sports, I tried on the GTS8 and fell in Love. To have them on again it was just short of Magical. Unfortunately, I did not have the funds at the time to make the purchase, but this last paycheck took care of that.
The GTS8's seem to have the same stability I remember, but reviews that I've read online say the 8's have more forefoot cushioning than previous models. What has me really excited though is the weight. I don't remember the 5's feeling so light!
And I was right. After some investigation, I found that the 8's are 9.5oz., as compared to the 5's 1lb. 4oz. The 8's have also been named Runner's World's Best Buy for stability shoes.
I'll provide my own full review after a few days to a week of wearing them, but my hopes are so high right now that I'm afraid my pre-test expectations may be impossible to reach.
In conclusion, I'd like to announce that this weekend, one of the best runners in my area tied the knot. Amber Hackenberg, high school state PA Medalist (4th place, 2003), and All-American in cross-country this past fall, my roommate, teammate, and a former competitor of mine in high school, married a stellar guy, Heath, Ferocious-Brosius. Here they are entering the reception:
And here's me and Pat. (Sorry - couldn't resist):
Some reviews, descriptions and comments about some the shoes above:
* Brooks Adrenaline GTS8
http://www.brooksrunning.com/prod.php?p=42224
* Asics Oberon
"Stability and cushioning combine nicely in this shoe designed for beginning and intermediate runners."
http://http://www.asicsamerica.com/products/product.aspx?PRODUCT_ID=240010110&TITLE_CATEGORY_ID=250001550
* Nike Trail Pegasus
"The lightweight and very resilient Phylon midsole utilizes the next generation of Natural Motion Technology principles which result in increased stride efficiency, something everyone can benefit from."
http://insidenikerunning.nike.com/2008/07/10/twenty-five-years-of-evolution/
Here they are...
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8
I wrote a post a while back about the Asics Oberon (http://calluses.blogspot.com/2008/02/self-diagnosis.html). A quick re-cap: I was in love with those shoes when I was training this winter. They felt fantastic and were relieving to my body because for years I had been training with too much stability on my feet. Since part way through my freshman year at Bloom, I had been wearing shoes with a lot of control as well as some rigid orthotics. After deciding that the ZAPPED-DEAD feeling in my legs was not normal, and the strong desire to turn back after a mile not normal for me either, I took a risk. I got rid of the controlled shoes and the orthotics. The Oberon had major cushioning and was relief to my legs and feet. I felt like I hadn't felt since high school.
Asics Oberon
It was a step in the right direction, but eventually I developed hip problems and I wasn't able to compete at PSACs for indoor. Sources told me it was because I was now running with not enough control. I realize that I don't have the greatest bio-mechanics, but I felt too good in Oberons for it to have been a totally bad move.
Since then, I've been trading between those shoes on trails, and the Nike Trail Pegasus on roads. I haven't been absolutely thrilled with the Pegasus, but hey, I can only spend so much money on shoes. Despite the name, they were too clunky for me to wear on trails. When I first got them, I didn't even like wearing them for road runs, but they broke down fairly quickly. That's not necessarily a good thing, but it gave me the movement I desired.
Nike Trail Pegasus
While in Florida, I went to a real nice running store that actually hosted the 5K I ran in - 1st Place Sports (http://www.1stplacesports.com/). They had Brooks Adrenaline - a shoe I used to wear in high school, and I NEVER got injured in them (except for the time I slipped in the mud during a run and broke my ankle). When Adrenaline was the pair I swore by, they were the GTS5 model. Then they upgraded to six, the toe-box was adjusted enough that it tore up my toes and blistered them like woah. I couldn't handle them.
Brooks Adrenaline 6
For one reason or another, I did not inspect GTS7 when they came out. It may be because not enough shoe stores carry Brooks around here.
At 1st Place Sports, I tried on the GTS8 and fell in Love. To have them on again it was just short of Magical. Unfortunately, I did not have the funds at the time to make the purchase, but this last paycheck took care of that.
The GTS8's seem to have the same stability I remember, but reviews that I've read online say the 8's have more forefoot cushioning than previous models. What has me really excited though is the weight. I don't remember the 5's feeling so light!
And I was right. After some investigation, I found that the 8's are 9.5oz., as compared to the 5's 1lb. 4oz. The 8's have also been named Runner's World's Best Buy for stability shoes.
I'll provide my own full review after a few days to a week of wearing them, but my hopes are so high right now that I'm afraid my pre-test expectations may be impossible to reach.
In conclusion, I'd like to announce that this weekend, one of the best runners in my area tied the knot. Amber Hackenberg, high school state PA Medalist (4th place, 2003), and All-American in cross-country this past fall, my roommate, teammate, and a former competitor of mine in high school, married a stellar guy, Heath, Ferocious-Brosius. Here they are entering the reception:
And here's me and Pat. (Sorry - couldn't resist):
Some reviews, descriptions and comments about some the shoes above:
* Brooks Adrenaline GTS8
http://www.brooksrunning.com/prod.php?p=42224
"Many a runner relies on this trusted road warrior. The shoe is loved for its tried-and-true fit and feel, sought after for its signature smoothness from heel to toe, and depended upon for the graceful, graduated support of its PDRB®. The Adrenaline™ GTS 8 maintains all of the above while enhancing the ride with the long-lasting cushioning and resiliency of MoGo."
* Asics Oberon
"Stability and cushioning combine nicely in this shoe designed for beginning and intermediate runners."
http://http://www.asicsamerica.com/products/product.aspx?PRODUCT_ID=240010110&TITLE_CATEGORY_ID=250001550
* Nike Trail Pegasus
"The lightweight and very resilient Phylon midsole utilizes the next generation of Natural Motion Technology principles which result in increased stride efficiency, something everyone can benefit from."
http://insidenikerunning.nike.com/2008/07/10/twenty-five-years-of-evolution/
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