Open Mouth. Insert Foot...With a BIG Ole Shoe On It!

I'm pretty sure I told quite a few folks The Trak Shak would never carry Hoka One One! Well, I was wrong! I'm a big boy, I can admit when I'm wrong! And you know what? I'm glad I was wrong! Now is the perfect opportunity to give you a little insight as to why we do or do not carry a certain product. Oh, and I can tell you a little about a new and exciting RUNNING brand we hope to have in our shops this week!

Let's be honest here, at first glance Hoka shoes remind people of a certain shoe that promised a nice tooshie and toned calves, i.e. the first reason why we were not going to carry Hoka. NO GIMMICKS! Little did I know, at the time, there is a lot of science, research and, most importantly, running behind the Hoka One One brand. The creators, in fact, dabble in ultra running a bit and wanted improved protection, especially down hill. So, instead of taking the design of a shoe and trying to improve it, they started from scratch and created something totally unique.

Now, when you see someone running down the street in Hoka, you have to take a second glance, which is the second reason we didn't carry the brand for a while. NO FADS! We just got through a trend of people running down the road in sandals, funky looking shoes, and even barefoot, that caused onlookers to rubberneck! We didn't hop onto that train, so we figured we wait a while to make sure this "maximal" movement had a little staying power. When iconic figures like Ken Harkless and Al Dimicco (Leukemia Society and Mercedes Marathon training coaches) put hundreds of miles on a pair of shoes and swear they "saved my running", we have to listen. Besides that, I've heard from many satisfied customers and see more and more of Hoka on the streets. Did we miss some sales? Certainly, but more important, we didn't get anybody hurt or put anybody in "fad" shoes.

OK, done with our No gimmicks, No fads buying philosophy! Here's what you need to know about our exciting new running brand! I'm in my second pair of Hokas right now. I put about 50 miles on a pair of the Stinson Tarmac and currently have about 30 miles on a pair of the Bondi 3, not coincidentally, the two styles we will carry for men and women. The very first question I get about the shoe. Is it heavy? The answer is a surprising NO! The Bondi 3 comes in at 10.3 oz. (8.8 oz. for women) which is highly competitive with other brands and styles. While the differences between the two styles are minimal, I did definitely notice the Stinson is softer, a tad heavier, and has a greater heel to toe drop (6 mm).

Techy stuff! My biggest concern with this type of shoe, is the disconnect a stacked, thick midsole creates between your feet and the surface. The body relies on a certain amount of feedback from sensory nerves endings in your feet to properly support itself while running. I was afraid such sensations would be dulled or numbed. Well, Hoka has two main technologies that address this very issue. First, the Meta-Rocker midsole geometry (pictured above) creates a "guided" gait, which helps your feet take an efficient path from heel to toe. Second, the Active Foot Frame (pictured below) allows the foot to sit down in the midsole, not on top, to create a stable ride.

 

But the main attraction of the Hoka One One brand is the midsole volume, which can be up to two and a half times the normal midsole height. Traditional running shoes are *24mm in the heel and 12mm in the forefoot, which creates a 12mm offset*. The Stinson Tarmac is 32mm heel and 26mm forefoot. By soaking up all the impact forces generated by running on cement and asphalt, athletes can recover quicker and avoid injury easier!

Who should look at Hoka One One in The Trak Shak? Quite frankly, everybody, especially if you have had chronic knee, shin or hip injuries, are an ultra runner, trail or road, have an issue recovering from long runs or heavy mileage weeks, or need an extra couple of inches to FINALLY dunk a basketball! HA! 

As for my experience in this new brand, I'll admit it again, I was wrong! It took me about 3 weeks to finally put them on my feet, but once I did, the shoes felt pretty good! In fact, my first thought after wearing them for the first time was, "Man, I wish I would have had these on during Statue to Statue!". For those of you who don't know, there are a LOT of hills in Birmingham's Statue to Statue 15K and the downhills are as bad, if not worse than the up! You can ROLL downhill in Hoka without having to worry about snapping a foot! I also was concerned I wouldn't be able to run very fast with that thick of a midsole, but my first few five milers in the Stinson were all under 7 minute pace, so there's that too! Fit wise, I did have to put a different insole in the Bondi to take up some volume. It's just a little wide for my feet! 

Finally, I'll say this! For years, we have been telling folks to find grass or softer surfaces to run on! That is no easy task in our fair city! Problem solved! Throw 36mm's of foam between you and the ground, everything becomes a soft surface!! 

*Fun fact for the day! Stack heights for running shoes happened because EVA (the foam used to build a midsole) only came in 12mm thick sheets, highly noticeable in the pic of my sweet, blue suede Pegasus 83's below! 

 

Mercedes Marathon Expo Preview, Installment KARHUUUUUUUU!

KARHUUUUUUUUU!! I like saying it just like the Yahoo commercial! While Karhu has been on our shelves for 6 years now, we still get at least one customer a day who still has not heard of the brand. So, here are a few tidbits for ya. Karhu is a Finnish brand and has been around since 1913. Paavo Nurmi, "The Flying Finn", wore a pair of their spikes during the 1924 Olympics, in which he won 5 gold medals.  Karhu is the Finnish word for bear. That's all I got for now!

 

Karhu's main footwear technology is called Fulcrum, and it helps to move your foot forward more efficiently, decreasing braking forces and lowering vertical oscillation, no matter your footstrike. Add a sweet looking and comfy upper to that, and you've got a great feeling, functional running shoe! 

 

What to expect at the expo?  Well, I'm going to start with the best deal! The Flow3 Fulcrum (pictured above) is being discontinued, so you can expect an extra, special deal on these! It's a perfect, lightweight trainer with a very responsive ride, lower profile and a virtually stitchless, breathable upper. For those of you not ready to make the leap to a full on racing flat, here's your shoe! 

Fluid3 Fulcrum

Now, on to the current product! The Fluid3 Fulcrum is a lightweight, everyday, Neutral trainer. The combination of an injection molded midsole and firmer compression molded fulcrum truly makes for a fluid transition from heel to forefoot. 

Fast4 Fulcrum

OK, my personal favorite, which should have no bearing whatsoever on the shoe you decide to try on or wear! The Fast4 Fulcrum is Karhu's plushest ride, BUT, as the name implies, it has a fast feel! What I mean by that, many higher end, neutral shoes have a clunky feel with all the bells and whistles attached. Karhu simply added a little extra on the heel to soften that initial impact and the firmer Fulcrum definitely smooths the transition through your gait. On the latest version, Karhu also added a few overlays to the upper, improving the fit!

 

On to the Support models! Unlike traditional posting in other support shoes, Karhu uses their proprietary technology, Fulcrum, to firm up the medial aspect of the shoe to help control over pronation. The two models pictured above, Strong4 and Stable3, provide a mild to moderate amount of stability, with the Strong4 offering quite a bit more cushion for those heavy heel strikers. 

What else? Well, I don't mean to brag or anything, but in 2012 Karhu had a national sales contest called Karhu Madness! AND who won? The Trak Shak, of course! Other than telling me that sales associate, Jake Kidd, is an exceptional sales person (this contest earned him the nickname "The Karhu Kidd"), it also tells me, Birmingham loves some Karhu! So, stop by, chat with Stacy and Meagan, and try on a pair of Karhu's Mercedes-Benz Marathon Weekend!

Mercedes Marathon Expo Preview, Installment Numero Dos!

The next brand I want to write about, gracing us with their presence at the Mercedes Marathon Expo is Mizuno USA!! This brand is going through some pretty major and exciting changes for 2014! It all started back in July with the release of the eagerly anticipated, and shoe I ran in this morning, Wave Sayonara! The name is a reference to a discontinued and popular shoe the Wave Good-Bye and it features not only Mizuno's new midsole technology, U4ic, but also a seamless upper design that has created a new look for the entire 2014 line! I currently have 180 miles on a pair. They are lightweight, responsive as hell and surprisingly well cushioned for what seems like a thin midsole.

Mizuno Wave Sayonara

One word to describe Mizuno's 2014 line, FEATHERWEIGHT (see how I did that there with two words making one ;))! They have made it a goal to be the lightest brand across the board, so whatever shoe you see as a particular style's competitor, Mizuno's version will probably be lighter, AND while they're cutting weight on their shoes, they also trimmed some fat in the line, losing four styles (Alchemy, Elixir, Nirvana, Precision) we carried and replacing them with only two new models (Sayonara and Paradox).

 Two shoes drive Mizuno's running footwear line, the Waver Rider and Wave Inspire, both of which are brand new for 2014. By losing some stitching and overlays on the upper, sculpting the lateral side of the forefoot for a smooth touchdown, and upgrading the midsole material to the new U4ic foam, both the Inspire 10 and Rider 17 lost about an ounce, improved on heel to toe transition and became more responsive than previous models. While both styles are considered high mileage, everyday training shoes, they are also a great option for the weekend warrior not quite ready to pull the trigger on a racing flat! 

Women's Wave Inspire 10

Another update not to be ignored came in November with the latest Wave Creation 15! The Trak Shak hasn't necessarily been a fan of this shoe in the past. It's predecessors were a little heavy and kind of stiff. NOT ANYMORE! The Infinity Wave plate is more flexible and the new U4ic midsole material helps the Creation drop some L-B's! Add in a redesigned Dynamotion Fit upper and you got yourself a $160 shoe that might feel just as good at 400 miles as it did at 10! 

Wave Creation 15

OK, flat feet! Listen up! As I mentioned earlier, Mizuno discontinued four models we carried, one of which was the Wave Alchemy, a very popular, lightweight, control shoe. I'm not trying to get anybody's feathers ruffled here, cuz we ALL know how runners are when a brand drops a shoe they loved, but this one, I'm OK with. The Wave Paradox is labeled a support shoe from Mizuno, but with a straighter last and full length Wave plate adding to it's stability, the Paradox will work for many who need a maximum amount of control. Oh, it comes in at under 11 oz. for the fellas and under 9 oz. for the ladies! 

Women's Wave Paradox

So, be sure to stop by and say hey to Meghan and Matt from Mizuno and check out the 2014 line! Who knows, maybe they'll give you one of these frosty pint glasses out of which you can "hydrate"!

Mercedes Marathon Expo a Preview, Installment #1

It's the most wonderful time of the year! LA, LA, LA, LA, LA, LA, LA, LA!! Yes, Mercedes-Benz Marathon Weekend is next week, and we at The Trak Shak are PUMPED! All of you returning customers and/or participants already know what to expect from The Trak Shak booth at the St. Vincent's Health Systems Health and Fitness Expo at Boutwell Auditorium on February 14 and 15, but I've decided to give everyone a few previews. The absolute, very first thing everyone should know is, Mercedes Weekend is The Trak Shak's apparel winter clearance! That means, ALL apparel is HALF PRICE!! It is a perfect time to replace that 10 year old CoolMax shirt!

 The second thing everyone needs to know, our gracious and hard working reps from most of our footwear brands make their way to the 'Ham and man stations within our booth to answer questions you may have about their brand, help you get fitted properly, and basically help us out cuz quite frankly, we need all the help we can get! AND to add to the excitement, the new year usually brings new styles in footwear, so these reps will be showcasing the latest and greatest from their respective brands! Oh, and all footwear will have a special discounted expo price!

 

I'll start the preview with the brand I wore on my run this morning, Brooks Running! Brooks Running catapulted themselves to #1 in running specialty retail a couple of years ago and in 2014, there's no reason to think they'll lose that spot. I'll start with the new. The shoe I ran in this morning is their latest creation, the Transcend. Brooks exhausted all biomechanical research and development to release this maximum "float" shoe. The Transcend has new technologies like Guide Rails for support, Super DNA for maximal, plush cushion, and Ideal Pressure Zones to help disperse pressures from impact more evenly. My take after 6 miles, tons of cushion, but not so soft you sink into the shoe or lose feeling the surface, very smooth heel to toe transition, very comfy upper, the color just feels good on my feet ;)) AND can take the beating of running downhill in Vestavia VERY WELL!

 Now, on to the updates! We will have the latest release of the PureProject Collection, Brooks "minimal" line of footwear, which includes the Pure Connect 3, Pure Flow 3, and Pure Cadence 3. Updates include, across the line, improved fit and comfort, a redesign of the Nav Band to improve functionality and comfort, and repositioned, more lateral, Toe Flex (split toe) for improved feel and alignment at toe off.

 The latest update in their core line is the Ravenna 5! Ravenna 1 thru 4 have been pretty big hits, and I expect the same from 5! Updates include a new full ground contact outsole which improves feel of the running surface, an extended, Segmented Crash Pad and an adjustable saddle wrap that helps to improve fit from heel to midfoot!

I've gone this far and have yet mentioned Brooks' most popular and The Trak Shak staple styles, the Adrenaline GTS 14, Ghost 6, Glycerin 11, BEAST and Ariel. The Adrenaline was updated in November and updates to the others are forthcoming.   

So, there you have it! The first installment of The Trak Shak booth preview! I hope you enjoyed!

Nike Plus Sportwatch vs. TomTom Runner: Here's what I think!

Guess who is putting a dog in the ongoing GPS running watch fight? TomTom! While they have powered the watch I've worn for the past 3 years, Nike Plus Sportwatch, TomTom has decided to put their own product on the market. I've been wearing the Running model for about 6 weeks now, simultaneously with my Sportwatch (YES, I am a nerd), and Jeffy likey! Enough, in fact, we are now stocking the Running model and will add the Multi-Sport and heart rate monitor bundled versions soon! So, here's what I think about a few key selling points in which I will pick my favorite!

 

Looks: I have to go with Nike here! I mean it's Nike! Everything looks cool and sleek! The Nike Sportwatch is now available in color options and all are hot! The TomTom comes in two colors at the moment, BUT, and I'll elaborate on this in the next section, you can order the bands separately in different "widths" (wide or thin basically) and 5 different colors, with more color options in the future. Perfect segue to the next section...

Bands: TomTom takes this category for two reasons. 1. While the two hole band from Nike looks great and fits well, the TomTom band is thinner and lighter. Reason numero 2. TomTom sells bands separately, so if you happen to break a band or just want a different color or look, you can easily buy a new band from us! 

Displays:  There's a couple of things to consider when reviewing displays with GPS watches. First, size of the display and digits. Second, number of "fields" on which to display run and/or activity data. This was a hard decision, but I'm going with Nike on the display. The digits are very visible on the time and "run" screen. The deciding factor for me though was on the run display, there are only two fields which allows for larger digits and greater visibility. The TomTom has a 3 field display, and while one can see more data, the top two fields are a bit small and hard to see while running.  

Functions: One of the top selling points for us with the Nike Sportwatch over the past few years has been it's simplicity and focus on functions pertinent to runners like current pace, average pace, distance, calories burned, laps and intervals and a chronograph. Well, TomTom did the same, but then added some awesome features in a "graphical training mode", the coolest of which is simply called "Race". In "Race" mode, you can choose a past performance in almost any distance to which compare the current race or training run. For example, if I ran my best Mercedes Half Marathon last year, I can choose that performance in the Race mode on the TomTom watch at the start of the 2014 Mercedes-Benz Half Marathon, creating a virtual race partner to judge my current performance.  At anytime, you can touch a button to see where your current performance compares. 

GPS connection speed: This is a tie, as one might imagine since the GPS function is powered by the same provider! Both watches connect within 10 to 45 seconds, and here's why. I connect my watches pretty much everyday to my computer to upload data, charge the watch, and acquire firmware and satellite updates. If you do not connect your watch to a computer with internet access fairly frequently, IT WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY! Along with GPS, both the TomTom Runner and Nike Sportwatch have "backup" or indoor tracking methods. The Sportwatch can work simultaneously with the Nike Plus Sensor (a small, oval chip that fits under the left insole of Nike shoes or on the laces of other brands) to act as a backup, in case GPS signal is lost and/or work alone indoors. The TomTom Runner has a built in treadmill mode (no extra shoe pod required) that calculates number of strides based on arm swings. Both the Sensor from Nike and the treadmill mode from TomTom can be calibrated to improve accuracy.

 

Computer Interactivity: I'm going to have to go with a tie on this category! I've been thinking all along I'd pick Nike's website Nike Plus to win this category against TomTom's MYSPORTS, and between those two sites, I DO like Nike Plus better. However, TomTom allows you to download GPS and workout data to upload or sync to many popular running sites, and I think that is useful to many of our customers. Nike Plus wins on the cool factor though with a visually appealing dashboard that shows the most recent run on a colorful, interactive map. Nike Plus also logs all workouts and allows you to "Tag" your run with fields for how you felt, comments on the run, workout surface (treadmill, road, trail, etc...), workout conditions, AND my most favoritest and certainly most vital of features for a shoe geek, a shoe tracker that allows you to enter the style name of the shoe you wore for each workout and log the mileage for up to 8 pairs of kicks!! HELL YEAH! Other Nike Plus features include a social network like feel allowing you to "friend" fellow runners and see their workouts and set calorie, mileage and pace goals.

Both watches connect to a computer via USB with Nike's connection located at one end of the band and TomTom's using a dock. Other features for each include a back light activated by either tapping the display on the Nike or simply "swiping" the display on the TomTom, manual time setting or sync with your PC's or Mac's time and date, water resistancy up to 5 ATM's, goal settings, run reminders, alarms, and a night mode (exclusive to TomTom). 

These are the 6th and 7th watches I have wear tested and here are some tips I have learned along the way. Try not to wear you GPS as an everyday watch. While they look cool, they will certainly last longer if you put them on and take them off with your running shoes! Charge and/or connect to a computer frequently. Both the connection speed and accuracy of the GPS rely heavily on the battery and firmware. Lastly, if you are in the market for a new running GPS or just watch in general, stop by the shop! I will happily give you a full demo of these two and other products we carry!! 

HAPPY RUNNING!!

Asics GT 2000 Review, OR is it!

FINALLY,  a few weeks ago I hit the 400 mile mark on the chosen shoe for 2013, my Asics GT 2000!! Now, I had all intentions of writing a review of this shoe, but as I was taking some photos of new shoes to compare the used outsole to, it made me change my mind about a review. Why? One of the most common questions we get asked in the shops is, "How do I know when my shoes are worn out?" I'd like to use my GT 2000 with 400 miles to explain how we determine if a shoe is worn out.

The first thing I noticed, while there is some dirt on the midsole and some discoloring of the upper, the shoe doesn't look that bad! This is a common theme to which I will make a few references. What I'm trying to say, even though the shoe doesn't look that bad, it was time to move on. This idea is especially important to note if you are a treadmill runner or if you run on a track.

The pics above compare the forefoot from my GT 2000 with 400 miles on the left and a brand new GT 2000 2 on the right. The most noticeable difference is the wear on the black rubber outsole.This is the first thing I look at when someone asks me about the life of their shoe or if their shoe is done. It's the most obvious sign of wear, particularly in instances where the rubber that was there to protect the shoe is worn through. Similar to a "penny" test on a set of tires, you can see the depth of the flex grooves on the left are more shallow. Now, you may be thinking, "That shoe on the left doesn't look that bad." and it's true! It really looks fine. Thus the reason why simply turning the shoe over and looking at the bottom isn't always the best method for judging the wear on a shoe. The fact that my shoe with 400 miles on it doesn't look bad does lead me to another bit of advice. If you have the means, have an EXCLUSIVE running shoe and wear other shoes around! Wearing your shoes to the gym, grocery store, or bar counts as mileage. So, you may have 400 running miles on the shoes PLUS 200 "trips to Hop City" miles, in which case your shoes will look much worse.

This next bit, I'll wander off course a bit and show you a picture of a different pair of shoes. The green pair on the left is a brand new Nike Flyknit Trainer and the one on the right is my pair with 250 miles on them. I'm using this pic to show how a midsole compresses, one of the other indications of how worn a shoe is. The easiest way to judge compression of the midsole is to compare the worn shoe to a new pair. The trained eye, one which basically looks at shoes all day (Me), can tell without needing the new pair. What I look for are those noticeable creases that indicate the decrease in thickness of the midsole, and thus, the diminishing lack of protection from impact forces and pressures associated with running on man made surfaces like asphalt and cement.

The final way to know if you need to ditch your kicks I often refer to in the store as "running indicators". "Running indicators" are things like unusual soreness, chronic pain in joints, shins, or feet, unusual fatigue and difficulty recovering. The more you run, the easier these are to identify! I have many customers who ignore the looks of the shoe, don't track their mileage at all, simply walk in say "my knees hurt" and buy a new pair! There's one big flaw with this method. If you wait til something hurts, it's often times too late. I DO NOT recommend this as a reliable method in choosing to buy a new pair. 

Just a few more tips to help with this whole process. 1. Rotate shoes. Wearing the same pair of shoes every day for running simply doesn't give them the opportunity to rebound or regain their "memory" (yes similar to a memory foam). AND a recent study has shown rotating shoes does slightly reduce the risk of injury (hey, Runner's World said it, so it must be true. Right?) 2. Track your miles! Lots of ways to do this. I'll mention a few. Use a written log, write the date of purchase with permanent marker on the inside of the shoe under the insole or shoe liner (this method works for those "same ole, same ole" runners. Same course, same miles, EVERYDAY), and/or join one of the many new running sites like my personal favorite, Nike Plus. These sites allow you to use YOUR method of choice (phone, watch, manual entry) to upload all your running info to a site to track your training. I personally like Nike Plus because it allows me to list up to 8 pairs of shoes to track. 3. VISIT YOUR FRIENDLY, NEIGHBORHOOD RUNNING SHOE GURUS AT THE TRAK SHAK!! Yes, we will tell you the truth if you bring in a pair of shoes and ask, "are these shoes worn out?". Yes, we would obviously love to sell you a new pair of shoes, but we do believe honesty is the best policy!

As for the chosen 400 mile shoe for 2013, the Asics GT 2000, I meant to review in this blog. My favorite of the 8 pairs I have had over the years in this ever popular GT series. The new to 2013 midsole design with larger Gel units in the heel and forefoot, a lower heel to toe transition (10 mm's), and Guidance Line made for a very smooth ride in a lighter weight package. Version 2 was released earlier with a few modifications, including a newer, lighter midsole material called Fluid Ride, and just having tried it on, I expect a similar performance from a great line of shoes!

Review # 110...Percent that is!!

Everybody knows I haven't written the first review, much less the 110th! I thought I'd start the gadget and gear talk I promised with the singular item I believe has kept me running consistently over the past couple of years, and that is 110% Compression Gear, and more specifically the Double Life Shin Sleeves. I'll start with a little background.

I have had four "diagnosed" stress fractures in my right tibia. I say "diagnosed" because I'm pretty sure I've had more, but I just ran through the pain "back in the day"! The last stress fracture was at the Talladega Half Marathon a couple of years ago. There was also a period of time my calf would either cramp or strain on the first step of a run! My previous cures were rest, massage, and ice, and I have been telling people for YEARS to ice injuries after runs, but I'll be honest, I didn't really ice either. AND WHY? It's just not that convenient! Oh, and I don't own an ice bath.

So, we get a visit from 110% Compression Gear one day, and it was one of those "Why didn't I think of that?" moments! What is it? 110% is a collection of compression sleeves, socks and tights that combine the benefits of compression and ice. The Double Life Shin/Calf Sleeves, I mentioned earlier, are a double layered, graduated compression sleeve. The internal layer provides the recovery benefits of compression, while the second layer creates a pocket in which to slide an ice inserts to get the recovery and injury prevention benefits of ice. The whole thing is sold as a kit in which you get a pair of sleeves, 5 reusable ice inserts, and the packaging acts as a cooler which can keep the ice inserts frozen for up to 6 hours.

Why 110%? I'll start with the most important point to be made! Compression + Ice allows you to play harder! (That's plagiary at it's finest right there!) I found that the compression socks and sleeves help reduce those harmful vibrations and pressures that effect your lower legs at impact and aid in return blood flow, flushing that dreaded lactic acid out quicker, improving recovery. The ice helps reduce inflammation on a targeted area and is most effective if used directly after activity or when the targeted area is most inflamed. That is about as technical as I can get!

Now for the practical! Lose the ace bandages and Saran Wrap, leave the bag of peas in the freezer, and stop freezing Dixie cups! The convenient: I don't run from the house that often, so I can leave the ice inserts in the truck and use them right after a run. The neat freaks: NO MESS and your couch, floor, pants, or socks don't get soaking wet as the ice melts! I think that's all I have!! Stop by and let us measure you for a pair of shin, knee, or quad sleeves!