Winning

 

Happy Thanksgiving weekend! On Thanksgiving day we got up and headed all of ten minutes to the start of the Encinitas Turkey Trot. It is an annual tradition no matter where we are to find a turkey trot. I did a solid warm up. The start is narrow so it make sure you don’t get trampled it is best to line up early at the front. I was probably too cautious on that front and ended up standing in place for almost 10 minutes. I was in mid conversation with a guy I met at the starting line when the gun went off. I started off right on the heels of the guy. He had run the Berlin Marathon and then done the 70.3 World Championships in St George. The pace was too hot for my fitness and I had to let him go. About a mile in I heard someone on the side of the road scream go Hillary! I kind of knew instantly that I had a multiple Ironman winner and Ultraman World Champion on my heels. In my head I said no chance, she is not passing me. The 5K race is an out and back. At the turn around, she did pass me. That lasted 5 seconds before I put in a surge. For the next 1.5 miles I could hear her behind me. The gap was opening but not enough for my comfort. I chose places along the course to dig deeper. The screams for Hillary were still there (she is kind of popular). As soon as the finish line came in view I pushed. I finished a few seconds in front of Hillary but when I looked at the time I was disappointed. I was racing to finish 1 minute slower than last year. I knew I wasn’t in shape to run fast but I am hoping it is just a fitness issue and not an aging issue. After the race I ran back out on the course to run the last 1/5 mile with my wife. When we got home my ultra competitive wife checked her results then she checked mine. I won my age group. 

Shoe of the Week

Saucony sends me lots of shoes. They sent the Endorphin Pro 3 to me just prior to the launch in the late summer of this year. When I was in Berlin earlier this year I woke up one morning to rain and cool temperatures. It was my last day in the city and I had not seen much of what I love about it. I put on the Endorphin Pro 3 and went running/sight seeing. I did this big loop of 10 miles simply following the key sights. The 10 miles was effortless and beautiful. My hands were frozen but my feet were feeling great. 

Here is my review of the shoe: 

Walk a Mile

 

It has been a busy 4 months. Four marathon majors and two half marathons between September 4 and now. The last event was the NYC Marathon. It was a great weekend full of running energy. I met Ken Rideout. Search his name and you will find a guy who runs really fast for his age of over 50. In fact he is the fastest right now. I ran with the Believe in the Run crew and about 300 others for a shake out run. Finally I did my work for 7 hours in The Bronx. In 1998 the first Rock n Roll Marathon was held in San Diego. The selling point was a rock band ever mile. It was a great idea and great selling point. That said there is nothing like the party atmosphere at the NYC Marathon. The city fully embraces the event and instead of tolerating it, the city joins in the celebration. If you want a different NYC experience be there on the first Sunday in November. 

On Tuesday Mary and I went to watch a ceremony with a former student of hers. Juan was brought to this country by his parents. Four years after arriving he walked into Mary’s classroom. She saw something in this kid. Although the chips were against him she invested her time in him. He blossomed and became a leader in her classroom. Long story shortened for this, Juan is a member of our family. Not officially of course but he refers to Mary as his White Mom. The ceremony was held on the campus of San Diego State University where Juan attended and graduated with honors. The school opened a resource center for kids like Juan who are part of the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program. DACA kids can go to college here in the US but their immigration status is always up to politics. The resources available to them to navigate college life are limited. There were none when Juan went to school so instead of complaining he got to work and organized a support group. That support group turned into this officially recognized resource center. Juan spoke about his dream for the students in attendance. He talked about his success but admitted it was not easy and that he could not have accomplished it without the help of people like Mary. Juan is married, owns a home and became a US citizen earlier this year. Just walk a mile on Juan`s shoes. It is a story of persistence, love and grace. 

Shoe of the Week 

I am behind in my shoe updates. In May of this year Saucony sent me the Ride 15. I had scene a couple pairs in the Boston Marathon and was impressed with the visual update. The shoe feels better than it looks. I put a great deal of running in this shoe in May and June then I set it aside for other shoes. When I nearly broke my ankle in July I knew it would take a special shoe to allow me to run. When the swelling went down and I could run again I reached for this reliable trainer. It did not fail me. My foot and ankle felt great running in this shoe. 

Why? It a dynamically designed one piece midsole. It delivers mild support and a great deal of soft feel under foot. There are shoes you where because they make you feel fast or they over protect you from the road. Then there are shoes that feel like home. The Ride 15 is just one of those shoes that feels like home. I felt so good about the shoe I bought a pair for our son. He half joked that I sent him a Saucony Ride. Then he started running in it and felt what I felt. He is 30lbs of chiseled steel heavier than I am and is hard on his running shoes. The shoe stood up to his sub 6 minute/mile pace mile after mile after mile. 

Are You Running Too Hard?

 

I was listening the the Rich Roll Podcast with Camille Herron one of the greatest ultra runners we have ever seen. During the podcast Rich asks the ball of energy Camille about her training knowing that she was a bit of a stat freak. She said based on Strava, 86% of all of her running is easy. When Rich asked what her easy pace was she said “somewhere between 8 and 9 minutes per mile”. Later in the show they were talking about her coaching service and Rich asked her “What is the #1 problem when you meet a new runner” Her answer is the same answer from virtually any running or triathlon coach out there and it is not new. She said “most run there easy days way to hard”. 

Also this week I read the new book from Steve Magness, Do Hard Things. The one thing I got from the book fits right into what Camille was saying. I will paraphrase: People are constantly looking at the pace or race time they want to run. What they should do instead is bring the floor up to meet them. In other words, you have to understand where you are right now before you can set a time or pace you want to run. 

On the Track

I do my track sessions on Wednesday. I go to the local middle school which has a dirt track. We have access to mondo tracks but for some reason I prefer the solitude of the dirt track. On my plan was 12 x 400 with a 200 float rest. There are two keys to this workout. 12 hard 400s and the float. I know if I run too hard I won`t be floating by the end and will probably stop floating around rep 6. So I set out on the first 400 at a comfortably hard effort. On my third of fourth effort the best runner in the county and maybe in the state in my age group starts a workout. I stuck in my head, do your own workout. We exchanged a few words then continued our workouts. I was doing great. I was running about 6 seconds slower then the last time I ran this workout but I was was also executing the 200 float. On the two times he and I were on the same straight I noticed something. We were running the exact same pace. I was energized by that. Not because I think I am that good but because I was actually executing a workout as planned and still running reasonably well. I had not reached for a time I had brought the floor up to meet my feet. 

Shoe of the Week 

Saucony Endorphin Pro 3 

In my regular work I track all shoes but since last year I have tracking super shoes. Over the last year that has been one dominant shoe, the Nike Vapor Fly Next %. That is no secret. The #2 shoe is always the Alpha Fly Next % also from Nike. Number 3 is the Endorphin Pro from Saucony. With the Endorphin Pro 3 I think Saucony did everything right and it could lead them to jump of the Alpha Fly Next % to the #2 spot in the rankings. What did they do?

1. They increased the amount of foam under your foot. Their Power Run PB foam is a Pebax based foam just like the foam Nike uses in Zoom X. The increased the stack height to the absolute maximum allows by World Track and Field. 
2. They stripped the upper down to the bare minimum. When you put your foot in the shoe you can instantly feel the speed. 
3. They continue with why I think they are so high on the charts. I think with every other super shoe on the market there is an obstacle you mush get over. With the Alpha Fly Next % it is the super high arch support. With the adios Pro from adidas it is the unstable feel a slower speeds. With the New Balance Fuel Cell RC it is the rather strange lacing system. With the Saucony from the start, you put them on and run. There is nothing you need to get used to. 

Morning Routines

 

In general I have the same routine year round. It is possible I have talked about a morning routine here before but as always I try to improve it over time. The two variables that have an effect on my routine are my travel and my wife. During the summer neither has an impact. My work travel starts in February ends in June and then resumes in September to the beginning of December. My wife is on her normal summer trip. This year she is gone for a month in Egypt working on her Arabic while teaching English to Sudanese refugees. During the school year her alarm goes off at 5am. 

The Routine

Wake Up - I don`t use an alarm. I wake up when I wake up. During the summer I am usually up around 5:30am. That is when the first light of the day creeps into the room. 

Measure HRV - I grab my Polar HR Strap (the best in the market) lay down on the floor downstairs and take a measurement. It takes roughly 5 minutes. 

Make Coffee - I get the coffee brewing. 

Cold Shower - I sleep hot. During the summer it is hot. The only cooling we get is the regular cooling outside and a ceiling fan. Even in the winter I still sleep hot. So the Cold shower is what I have found to wake me up. It is a miserable feeling jumping into a cold shower but I always feel revived when I get out. 

Coffee - Once out of the shower and dried off I have my coffee. I mix in one scoop of Bullet Proof Collagen Powder and a half a teaspoon of Lion`s Mane. The Bullet Proof is protein that my body needs and the Lion`s Mane is to get my brain functioning. 

Snack - If I am doing a standard run or a swim I skip the snack. If I am doing a hard/long run or intervals on the bike I have a snack of GF toast with peanut butter and honey. 

Write in my Journal 

Dog - By 6:15 we are out the door on a walk. We have a small canyon in our neighborhood where she can run free. I do some hip mobility and stretching as I walk along. The walk is usually 20 minutes but can stretch to 40 if one her friends is also in the park. 

Usually around 7 I head out the door to work out. Nothing is exact in the process. Today for instance I think I left the house to run my normal 10 on Sunday at 7:40. 

Shoe of the Week - Saucony Endorphin Speed 3

Available in August

$160

The Endorphin Speed is the best shoe to come out of the Super Shoe craze. The Power Run PB foam is just plain fun under your foot. The Speed Roll  in the forefoot just ensures your roll off the toe is smooth and the TPU plate offers some resilience. It is not nearly as stiff as the carbon plates in all the super shoes. Put all of this together and this shoe just feels outstanding. The Endorphin Speed and the Endorphin Speed 2 had the same midsole with some upper modifications. The Endorphin Speed 3 has a new midsole and a new upper. 

Honestly I don`t think anyone will notice the change in midsole. It is visually different but functionally the exact same. That is a good thing. 

The upper is a very good update. If I had any complaints on the first two versions it was that the uppers stretched too much. Both the original and 2nd version got a bit sloppy at the end. The upper on the Speed 3 won`t do that. It will hold up and probably won`t stretch too much. 

Every day I run around the world in places where there are runners I see someone in the Endorphin Speed. On Thursday on a one hour run at mid morning I saw two runners. One was in the Endorphin Speed 2. Today while running down the coast for the start of my 10 miles I saw at least 2 people running in it. There is no doubt in my mind this is the hottest shoe to come out over the last 3 years that is not a super racing shoe. Go to any running store near you and try it on. I bet you go home with it. 

Saucony Tempus

 

A few months ago in one of my reports I told Asics the Kayano needed to be reimagined. I had spent a long while listening to runners as they described their experience in the latest version. At the same time I listened to sales people talking through the latest version. I then asked them if the shoe was easy to sell or hard to sell. To a person they said it was getting harder to sell. The Kayano was butter. For more than 2 decades it was one of the easiest shoes to sell. Find the runner who needs that kind of support, put the shoe on their feet and more than likely they would never take it off. If the shoe was getting hard to sell I thought it needed to be reimagined. 

The Tempus

About 4 weeks ago I received an email from my Saucony contact. She said “I am sending you two shoes to test.” The first was the Saucony Ride which I talked about last week. The second was a totally new shoe called the Tempus. 

I like discovery so I didn`t read the description. I simply pulled it out of the box when it arrived and did my normal 10 miles in it. Instantly I knew it was a supportive trainer. After only a mile the though bubbled to the surface “This is the reimagined Kayano”. 

Foam and Structure

The main midsole you are running on is Power Run PB. Until this shoe this foam has shown up only on the go fast shoes of Endorphin Pro, Endorphin Speed and Freedom. It is ultra light, ultra resilient and just plain bouncy. It just feels fast. 

To support your foot there is a Power Run (EVA) super frame. It is the best way I can describe it. This foam provided the guidance your foot needs. As your weak foot and then ankle come in contact with the running surface the frame guides your foot to that super bouncy foam under the ball of your foot. This fame is not the selling feature. You need this frame. 

What you have always wanted is a lighter shoe that feels bouncy. The Power Run BB Foam gives you both. 

Upper/Fit

The upper is a premium mesh with support built into it. The heel fit is outstanding. The under foot just feels supportive. 

Price: $160

Available at www.Saucony.com or at your local running store. 

If you need a supportive shoe, you owe it to yourself to search this shoe out. You will understand what lightweight and fast feels like. 

My Running Shoe Life

I’ve worked in the running shoe industry most of my adult life. I was once introduced the the entire running team at Reebok (about 25 people) this way “This guy for a number of years did everything you do by himself. He’s the only person in running who has worked every single job there is in running shoes”. I’m going to write often about that on Instagram. You can find me @superdavejewell. 

My current work in running shoes has been placed on hold by COVID-19. So far this year I made it to the London Big Half, a half marathon in London, England and to the LA Marathon. I missed out because of postponement or cancellation on NB National Indoors, Boston Marathon, the upcoming dates for the London Marathon, Brooklyn Half Marathon, Half Marathon of Gothenburg, London 10K, Westminster Mile and a few more events in June. 

I’m sure everyone is in the same boat. Last night we ordered dinner and had a picnic 6 feet away from friends. When I picked up the food I dropped a $10 tip into the jar. The girl behind the counter almost cried. I think in these times even though we are hurting it’s important to remember there are people hurting worse.

Running with a Hernia

Leading up to the last weekend in February the talk in running was all about shoes. Should there be limits placed on what shoe companies make for the elite runners? Rules put in place for all shoe companies to follow. How much did Nike have a say in those rules? Then finally at the US Olympic Marathon trials Nike gave every entrant a pair of their new approved Nike Alpha Fly Next %. 

We are now sitting here on April 21st one day after the scheduled Boston Marathon (since moved to September 14th) and no scheduled running or triathlon races at least until June and probably long after June. The shoe discussion has been replaced by social distancing. 

In the world of social distancing my running is actually increasing. I’ve run 31 miles the last two weeks and will probably hit 35 this week. I’m not necessarily trying to run more miles I’m simply running faster these days. I didn’t say running fast just running faster. My 90 minute 10 mile run is now 11 miles. Well Sunday it was only 9.6 miles at that’s party because I the run at 1200 feet of climbing and a hernia. 

Yes, on Friday I was out walking the puppy. I was standing on a slight slope in the grass the puppy was running around with her best friend. Somehow they got behind me with me paying much attention. They charged into the back of my legs (when they are charging they are usually tangled up together). They hit me and I fell backwards down the hill. For the rest of Friday and Saturday it kind of felt like I got punched in the gut. I couldn’t remember getting hit in the gut so I ignored it. Sunday after struggling up the hills I took my shirt off and looked down. Their protruding out of my belly button was a hernia. Apparently the impact did it. 

I took Monday off, drank a ton of water and pushed the hernia back in. I woke up today with no pain but I called our health provider. They said as long as I wasn’t vomiting or doubling over in pain I could continue my activities. So, I went for a run. 

Running To Make the World Beautiful

This was the the weekend to be a runner.

Eilud Kipchoge just after running an astonishing 1:59:40 he said “We can make this world beautiful by running”

It’s impossible to know what’s going through his mind when he says something like that. There is so much in this world that is ugly right now but let’s just leave it to the running world for a moment. Alberto Salazar stole the headlines last week and like I said it’s not over. More on that in a moment. But maybe Kipchoge is simply saying let’s take over the headlines with beautiful running. Listening to him for years now I’m quite confident he is actually talking about the World and not the running world. I love that about this man.

2:14:04
Brigid Kosgei smashed the World Record for the marathon yesterday in Chicago. She’s was clearly the favorite going into the race and there was lots of talk of her running fast. The story goes that she negotiated with her pacers a 2:17 marathon pace. At the start line she was feeling good and requested 2:16 pace. In the early miles she kept telling the pacers to pick it up and eventually she did what she did, smashed the world record set 16 years ago by Paula Radcliff. 2:14:04. Was she inspired by Kipchoge?

Salazar
Also in Chicago there were three runners with deep ties to Alberto Salazar. Just as an aside I’ve met and talked to all three. Mo Farah the 2 time Olympic Champion, Galen Rupp, the best American Marathoner and Jordan Hasay one of the best women marathoners from the USA. All three were either presently being coached or previously coached by Salazar. All three took a borage of questions from the media about their time with Salazar. All three had terrible races. Jordan dropped out early. Galen dropped out at 23 miles. Mo finished but just under 2:09. The winner of the race went 2:05:xx and he had to sprint to win so Mo wasn’t a factor in the race at all. Mo won Chicago last year.

Ironman World Championships
You ride for show and run for dough. It’s not that easy of course because the ride is in hot and windy conditions and then the run is simply unfathomable. This year however it was the run that made the race. The highlights;

1. Jan Frodeno ran 2:42:02 to set the new best time in Kona of 7:51:19. He had the mojo the entire day. In total control from the swim. 
2. Ben Hoffman my friend from my Zoot days ran 2:43:08. He simply ran out of real estate. He finished 4th. 
3. Annie Haug - She ran 2:51: 07 to win her first Ironman World Championship. 

Running Shoes

The overriding subject about this weekend is running shoes. Are the shoes too much of an advantage? 

Kipchoge had custom Nike Vapor Fly’s. Kosgei wore the Vapor Fly Next%. The top 3 women in Kona wore the Vapor Fly Next %. Jan Frodeno had a yet to be released Meta Ride Racer from Asics. Tim O’Donnell and Sebastian Kienle had carbon plated shoes from their sponsors Hoka One One and New Balance and then Ben Hoffman had the Vapor Fly Next % on his feet. 

There are many calling for the shoes to be banned but there is no chance that will happen. The shoes are too important to the general runner. I see those shoes worn by 5 hour marathoners. As they say, “that cat has left the building”. The Vapor Fly Next % and all the shoes from the other brands that are either in the market or about to be in the market are here to stay. It’s a great day in running shoes!

The 18 Month Test

Over the years I've found that it takes 18 months to build something. You can't change a body in a short time and most coaches will tell you it takes 18 months. Most start ups will tell you the first 18 months are the most critical. 18 months ago I took on two separate tasks. One personal and one professional.

The personal one has been a great success. I feel better today than ever before. I have a great deal many people to thank. My wife for kicking me in the ass to figure it out, my friend Tawnee from Endurance Planet for connecting me to Nourish Balance Thrive and of course the folks at NBT for sorting out my issues. As long as I stay on top of it I should continue to feel great for years to come.

The professional part of my life was not a success but I've learned so much in doing it that I can't feel bad. I started Shoe Ranger with a couple friends. One had helped me build the Shoe Dog at RRS and the other has been a friend and running partner for a long time. We wanted the Shoe Ranger widget to help runners find their next favorite shoe. The widget actually works quite well. But to be honest there was a flaw in the thinking. If you ask a running if they get upset when their favorite shoe is changed by the shoe companies they will tell you yes. But sit back and watch. The majority don't care any more. They move on. They've come to expect change in their shoe and they really understand that every brand is making the same thing. There are some exceptions and it's there where I love to live.

So it's with this news that in the next month or so Shoe Ranger will go off line for good. Simply put it cost to much to maintain.  Sad but true. But as I said I learned a great deal and some of it will be brought to this blog.

1.  I learned that runners really want help with their functional running gait. The service is still available and I highly suggest you contact me before it's too late. The biggest thing I see are lifestyle choices that are affecting your running. Without a video and without all of my questions you'll continue to be frustrated by your lack of improvement or worse yet your constant pain. You can leave a comment here or send me a private message on Facebook to get started. 
2. I learned that Youtube is the better place for shoe reviews. People like to hear what you have to say so those will continue. Not nearly as often but hopefully I can build on the process and the quality of the videos. I will concentrate heavily on the exceptions in the market. The shoes I believe really stand out against the sameness in the market. 
3. I learned HTML but I'm not sure where that will help me in the future. 
4. I learned some Sequal coding and although it was fun to learn maybe it will help me. 
5. I learned it's really hard to maintain a business partnership from 800 miles away. Both of the other partners moved to SFO and it was really hard to get things done once that happened. 

I'm sad because I failed but long ago I wrote about how failure leads to success and I plan to make this true. I'm 12 months into a 2 more professional projects that I'm learning immensely about. They are fun, frustrating and super challenging. 6 more months will tell a great deal. 

If you've been toiling away at a special project for 18 months or more and it's not giving you any satisfaction it may be good time for a change. 

It's a good life....

A Week Worth Repeating..........

Long ago when our son Marco chose running as his sport I was in shock. I said "You know running really hurts." He said he wanted to do it. He was 11. On Friday at the age of 16 and in the middle of his Junior year he received his first letter of request from a University. It said "We've been watching your running and you had a great country season last fall. We would really like you to come run with us.

On Saturday we watched him run his first track race in almost 2 years. He sat out the entire track season last spring because of a broken hand. The day was really hot on Saturday. Coach told him to sit in and don't go out with the early leaders. The early leader was too fast for anyone to hand with. He ended up running 4:43. Marco sat in third place for three laps. He looked relaxed. His face showed no strain. With one lap to go he surged ahead. The guy he passed stayed with him, as the two pulled away from the rest of the field. With 200 to go there was a gap. At 100 to go there was no gap and the guy was pulling along side. Dead sprint. They exchanged places twice in the final 100. Marco go him in a lean. We talked afterword and he said "Man that hurt" I asked "the entire race or the last 200" he thought about it and said "The last 200". I smiled and said "You have no idea how fast you are do you?"

Shoe Ranger got off to a great start. If your favorite shoe has changed, check it out. It works!

There is a guy I've seen at the pool for years. He's one fast 50+ dude who is fit as anything. We always have a good conversation. He's currently training for Boston. For the longest time he wore everything Zoot. Last week when I talked to him I told him I was no longer at Zoot. We talked about Shoe Ranger and my contract gig with New Balance. Today we walks into the pool wearing a New Balance.

It's a good life.....

Is Maximalism Here to Stay?

The New York Times is great and finding the trends. They did a great job of promoting and then bashing barefoot running. Yesterday I think Hoka won the day thanks to their latest article.

My thoughts on the subject.

1. For the General running public Max Cushion shoes are much better than the barefoot trend. 
2. Don't believe the Runner's World Guy in the Article, maximal shoes do not promote a barefoot running stride. 
3. The shoes won't last longer in fact they might last less. I wrote about this subject last week on Shoe Ranger. 
4. Business: I was in the local running store talking to one of the sales guys. I asked him how many Brooks Adrenaline pairs he sells vs Hoka the brand. He said not even close. Easily 5 Brooks to ever Hoka. That's just one Brooks shoe. Then I went on to explain, Hoka,  Newton and Zoot joined the market on the extreme edge of technology or sport. The brand who successfully races to the middle of the shoe wall where the Adrenaline sits will stand a chance to join the exclusive club of top brands. Hoka is headed there. They have a track spike and a middle of the road shoe. Newton is heading there (maybe), Zoot is heading there. There is not room for all three and the general feeling of retailers is "We like you where you are, we have the middle covered". It's going to be fun. 
5. Business #2: Saucony, Brooks, Asics, Nike and adidas are not sitting back watching Hoka with admiration. They don't sell 550,000 pairs of shoes they sell Millions. Nike and adidas make 550,000 pair mistakes all the time. These brands live in the middle and have no problem racing to the edge from time to time. 

It's a good life....

Five for Friday: Building a Running Shoe

My last day at adidas was spent working on a running shoe. The developers I was working with said "It's your last day, why does this matter?" I said "Because it's important to runners". That shoe the Supernova Adapt went on to win Editor's Choice from Runner's World and the boys at adidas bought be a beer in Boston where they got their trophy.

And here we go again. Not the exact same scenario but close. One of the last things I did at Zoot was make sure these shoes got to Runner's World in time.

The Five Key things it took to build this shoe

1. My partner developer and I spent 2 hours at a running store watching people buy and trying on as many shoes as we could. We then wrote the product brief while sitting on the floor of the store. This was February/March of 2013. 
2. We challenged our thinking tremendously. We had a system called BareFit and I said "Let's do BareFit with a tongue". The developer first said "Can't be done". I challenged him to do it. Only because he is so talented I knew he could get it done. 
3. The midsole is a known process in the shoe world but it was a first time for Zoot. I'm known for my penchant to not accept ok. We trashed the first two molds or about $18,0000. 
4. The developers in China made a sample by mistake that opened the fit "Which is what we wanted". Sitting in the factory days before production I asked them to make that mistake a process. They said "That's crazy, we can't do that". Again I knew they were so talented that it could be done. They did it. 
5. We traveled to Asia 6 times for this shoe and probably each spent 2 months of our time in total sitting in a factory. 

It's a good life....

Five for Friday: Where to Find Dave

Happy New Year!

It's 2015. Finally I'm working in real time and not future time. I started working in 2015 in October of 2013. Today though my focus is the next 90 days not the next 18 months and that feels really good. With that bit of information I thought I'd share where you can catch up with me for at least the next 90 days.

1. Right Here - This will become a bit more personal about my life etc.
2. Shoe Ranger - Still in Beta form this will be up and running in the next two weeks. Here you will be able to read shoe reviews, read up on shoe news and learn in the Shoe Clinic. You'll also be able to use a new tool with new secret sauce.
3. Retail Brand Sync - Do you have a store or a brand you need help with? I'm using my expertise to help brands and retailers reach their dreams. I often ask both the same question "What do you want to be" and I either get a brand marketing statement or an "I don't know". Every once in awhile I get a real answer and it's here where I come into play. My expertise is taking that real answer and helping you make it a reality. Most of the information on the website will be free and frequent.
4. Facebook - Dave Jewell
5. Twitter - @superdavejewell

It's a good life......

Finacial Review

I've had some time on my hand and because it's the end of the year I think the best way to spend any extra time is on review. First and foremost in this review is a family financial review. I'm done looking at how much money I think I deserve or want. I'm looking at how much money I truly need to provide for the family and have enough left over to invest. It surprises me that I don't need to make as much money as I did to do this. I'm ambitious to make sure my family is fully provided for. I'm thankful that right now I get to do that on my terms.

The first part of the review is to look at security. Things that make me and my family feel safe.

1. Cash - Did you know the average American family doesn't have $2000 for an emergency. That's crazy to me. We have enough cash to live close to 6 months. That's not living at our current level but in crisis you can't expect that.
2. Home - We are lucky we bought low and in a real pinch we could sell today with large upside.
3. Pension- Mary is a teacher.
4. Life Insurance - I have two. Thanks Mary
5. No Short Term High Interest debt - No Credit Card Debt, No Auto Debt
6. Bonds - I have none and the next security investment I make will be in Bonds.

This is a good start to review what we have and what we want. Next up will be looking at what we are doing to live fulfilling lives beyond our working days. That may be a long time away of if we are really good may be something we can choose. We have the investments and have had them for 20 years. I'll be the first to admit that I never look at them. By next Monday I will have had a full review of how they are doing.

I share this with you not to say look at how good we are doing. I always think there is room to give Mary and I more certainty. The point is to show you how to do it. If you are in the average American household the first thing is get out of any credit card debt and as soon as you pay those off, use that the same money and start putting it into savings or some other investment you can access easily. That's how we did it. We paid off our cars and then took those would be payments and split them in savings and long term investments.

Special Note on Shoe Reviews. If you like the shoe reviews I've done and want to see more go to www.shoeranger.com There you'll get a weekly shoe review from me. Hopefully all the other content we add will be of use as well. The real big content that we've been working on is still 30 days away but I'm happy to report that it's special.

It's a good life...

Running Shoe Review: Saucony Triumph ISO 12

Triumph ISO 12                                                      Triumph 11
Price: $150                                                              $140
Weight: Men's 10.3oz/292g                                       10.8oz/306g
Weight: Women's 9.0oz/255g                                    9.3oz/264g
Midsole Volume: Maximum                                      Maximum
Midsole Offset: 8mm                                               8mm
Category: Neutral                                                    Neutral


What we heard on the way to the review:

Runner: "Have you seen the new Triumph? Saucony is going after Maximalism (Hoka), That shoe is beautiful"

Retailer: "Oh we are selling it really well, that upper fits like a sock"

Competitor Magazine "Iso Fit Technology - A wrap system that creates near-custom fit with a soft inner sleeve and a floating cage that adapts to the precise shape and movement of the foot"

Saucony - The new Pro Grid Plus offers 20% more cushioning


A Comparison between equal level Neutral shoes

Supportive                                                                                                          Soft
Brooks Glycerin - Asics Nimbus - Saucony Triumph ISO 12 - adidas Energy - Hoka Clifton

Let's take a step back and talk a bit about Saucony. For over 2 decades Saucony has been one of the default women's running brands. All the way back to the first Jazz the fit of Saucony running was really good for women. In fact many brands have studied Saucony fit when they made attempts to create unique women's shoes for their own line. The most interesting thing is that Saucony didn't set out to address the woman's foot. In fact for all those years they used one last for men and women. The result of all this is a lagging men's business.
Brands as they start out unless they are women's only brand will skew heavily towards the men's side of running. Once that side of the business is established they turn concentration to women. To be more clear the brand is not going after men. Men are after new technology in their running shoes and are more willing to take a risk on a new brand. To have a brand like Saucony with more than 50% of their business with women is really unique in the running shoe world.

One shoe to break that mold for Saucony with men was the Kinvara. I'll talk later when the Kinvara 6 comes out in Fall 2015 but I believe and have for a few years that the Kinvara is the perfect shoe. So it excited me when I took my first look at the new Triumph and saw in it a great deal that makes the Kinvara so good. In fact it's clear to me that Saucony wasn't looking at Hoka but at their own shoe the Kinvara when they made the change to this Triumph. in doing so I think they give the runner looking at the Hoka Clifton another option to try.  When I finally got the chance to try it on it was instant, Saucony has a men's shoe. That's not to say that they are giving up on women. In fact I believe the Triumph is now positioned so well in fit and feel that it will work equally for both genders.

 Looking at the lateral side profile you can see a couple very big upgrades on the midsole. First is the constant ground contact flat bottom. This ensures that no matter where you strike the ground first (heel, midfoot, forefoot) that you will land on soft foam and be in contact with the ground until you toe off. The second thing to notice is all the articulation in the side wall. This ensures when you do strike that the shoe is smooth through transition.

 On the medial side of the shoe it's all business. Very little articulation. The idea behind this to create some support in the midsole. Virtually all runners have some pronation in their stride. The supportive medial side is just their to keep the foot tracking over the meat of the forefoot.

With this outsole view you see the full constant ground contact surface area. You can also see the lateral side release where the rubber pods from the heel though the forefoot match the articulation we saw in the lateral side view. The only draw back in this design is the center channel under the heel. It's just wide enough to collect rocks or sticks and narrow enough to keep them in your shoe until you stop to remove them.

At closer look you can see the deep flex grooves that get a bit wider to the lateral side. When you put these shoes on and walk in them you can actually feel the outole under your foot. It's similar to the feeling of socks with grippers on the bottom. You feel like you are almost sticking to the surface.

 The insole (sock liner) is molded to the last (same last as Triumph 11) and you can see the shape of the bottom of the last in the contours of this sock liner. There is good arch support medial and lateral and there is good feel in this liner. 200 miles in to the shoe and the sock liner held up well.

 Inside the shoe you can see the Iso Fit upper. It's a one piece construction sleeve. No traditional tongue to deal with. You can see here that the sleeve is there to fit around your instep and then it's sewed into the upper just past your arch. With all of this seaming I wouldn't suggest running without socks.

When you first see the shoe you can't help to notice the thick padded heel. I'm not 100% sure why they went so thick unless it's to make up for the challenges in the cage (see below). I will note that this skinny heel (me) runner appreciated the thick heel. If you have the rare wide heel I think this shoe will be a challenge to fit.

 Any time a brand goes to a cage system for the lacing it produces challenges. Because each eyelet is independent there is a tendency for one or two of the cage fingers to bend or twist out of place and for the footwear developer it takes lots and lots of pattern work to get it right. I think Saucony did a really good job figuring it out although there are a few things I would have changed. The very top (last) eyelet is positioned too far back. I believe runners with a high instep will struggle with this eyelet placing. There will be a strong tendency for the lace to dig into the top of the foot at the ankle joint. Personally I noticed it each time a laced the shoes but will admit to never noticing it while running. But I have virtually no instep which is why I believe there will be some issue. The other minor concern I had with the shoe is that there is one fewer eyelet row. The runner who likes a really tight fit will struggle to get this shoe tight enough. All that said, I'm super impressed with the cage in this shoe. I would not say it fits the precise contours of my foot but I would say it's really, really comfortable. From the first run to the last I never once had to stop and adjust the fit.

 One final note before I really dig into the results. The trend in midsoles at the maximum or over sized level is soft, really soft. I've been running on paths most of my adult life. In Germany or in Cardiff I would rather run on a soft dirt path than on a hard road. Until very recently it's been without incident. The first incident was last spring in a Hoka Rapa Nui. I was not more than 1 minute into my run (through the park across the street from my house) when a stick went completely through the bottom of the shoe and into the soft part of my forefoot. I pulled the stick out and blood started to flow. You can see in the picture above that it happened again. Lucky for me that the stick when out the side wall and not into my foot this time. Just something to be aware of in these new shoes. It's a good thing to check your shoes after each run to pull out potential hazards.

I bought this shoe with some trepidation. For years I worked with Saucony in my retail days. I loved the people there and the business we were building. But I never ran in their shoes. They didn't fit my foot at all and I always thought they were stiff and clunky. When they introduced the Kinvara finally I had a shoe I could run in. But only one. I was very pleasantly surprised by the Triumph ISO. My first run in the shoe straight out of the box, was a 5K time trial test on the roads. I felt the shoe reacted really well to the hard pace and held my foot well. 200 miles later I still have the same feeling. The shoe delivers exceptionally well for a maximum cushion shoe. It's really soft yet supportive. The constant ground contact is smooth and quiet on the road. You should not hear your feet when you run and this shoe will help make sure you don't. The forefoot is like butter the entire run. Long runs, hard runs, road runs, uneven path runs, the forefoot held my foot up and softened the blow. I really hesitate to say I liked the shoe for me. Typically if I like a shoe for myself it's not going to be great for all other runners. I learned early on to put my personal feelings aside. Working for brands I rarely liked anything for myself. The more I didn't like it the better the shoe actually did for everyone else. But I firmly believe Saucony built a really good shoe that I like and that millions will like too. I think the upper has enough room to fit most feet (high instep runners will struggle) and it has enough adjustment available. The midsole is full, soft and smooth. There is very little not to like in this new Triumph.

Triumph 11 vs Triumph ISO 12

 Strong similarities in the heel. The one change that helps in the smooth ride is they moved the Power Grid from between foam pieces (black shinny line in the center of the midsole on the right shoe) to just under your foot (orange piece on top of the yellow midsole). With this you get the full feel of the soft foam and having it closer to your foot makes the platform smoother at impact.

 You can see the difference between constant ground contact at the top and the plastic support bridge in the Triumph 11. I believe everyone will benefit from the full ground contact but I also know some will find this change to be too drastic. For sure there is an adjustment period going to full contact.

 You can see in the Medial side of the Triumph 11 that there is a great deal of supportive business going on. It's supportive in the upper and in the midsole with the plastic bridge wrapping up the side wall. Under the arch and through the upper the support in the 11 and 12 are equal. The 11 does it through the upper and that bridge where the 12 uses the ground (full ground contact) to provide the support. The big difference between the two shoes is in the forefoot past that bubble looking section in the forefoot. In the Triumph 11 pictured just above you see there is very little taper from that bubble to the tip of the shoe. In fact it's quite full and supportive all the way to toe off. (by the way I personally can't run in the Tirumph 11 because of that piece. It doesn't compress or flex enough for my foot and my foot gets really tired fighting it). If you go back up to the medial side of the Triumph ISO 12 you will see a dramatic taper from that bubble to the toe. There is a section on top of that midsole that is painted black which gives the thought that the midole is thinner than it is but with or without the black paint you can see the taper to much less foam.

Looking at the toe of the shoes in this photo you can see the effect of the taper. On the same last (Usually toe spring is built into the last) you can see the dramatic toe spring in the Triumph ISO 12 vs the Triumph 11. Because of this change I believe a good number of Triumph 11 runners will not like the unsupportive feel at this point of the gait. You will feel like you are falling off the shoe.  It's a big enough change to feel.

 Another caution in the new shoe is Fit. Saucony has always been known for a wide fitting toe box. The Triumph 11 actually fits slightly wide even for a Saucony. The Triumph ISO 12 does not. So if you liked the Triumph 11 for it's wide fit you will probably have to go up in size to get the same fit. Not impossible to accomplish but annoying.

Saucony talks about 20% more cushioning and attaches that number to the PowerGrid+. Yes they changed the material make up and the position of the Power Grid but it's not there where you feel the cushion. The 20% (If that's a true measure) is in the much softer midsole and in the constant ground contact.

To wrap it up a bit. If you run in the Kinvara but always wanted more shoe for longer runs or recovery runs you now have one. Looking at the Neutral shoe group above, if you feel the Glycerin or Nimbus are too stiff or that the Clifton and Energy Boost are too wide and unsupportive in the upper the Triumph ISO 12 is a great option in the middle of all of that. Also if you are like me and have struggled to find a Saucony shoe you like I highly suggest you give this shoe a spin.

Run Test #1 2015

Today was run test day. Only two days after a bike test. Max effort again. I'm working hard at starting a business and sleep has been tough. It's not because of stress though it's because of sensory overload from the work. I'll take it because I own it.

I woke up and did what I've done now for two weeks. I jumped into a cold shower. Bam! I was awake and ready to go. I planned to head out at 7:30 after Marco left for school. I got a text from my buddy Andrew. He wanted to join but could not do it until after 8. I did a 15 minute warm up met Andrew and then did another 15 minute warm up.

The test was 5K at red line. It started off smooth, I hit some rough patches and finished sluggish. It was great to have Andrew there. It was a hard effort for him but not red line. He kept pace with me and kept me motivated.

5K
20:17
Avg. HR 158
Shoes: Saucony Triumph ISO

I'll take that in November. 8 weeks from now I'll do it again.

It's a good life....

The Running Shoe Business

There are a few things that cause frustration in running.

1. You develop a nagging injury that just won't go away. 
2. You take a break from running and struggle to get back in shape
3. You find a shoe that you love only to have the brand change it on you

This post is about #3 and feel comfortable knowing that we’ve all been through this. I was a Nike Air Pegasus guy. For a number of years I would just rotate in a new pair and my running would continue on. Then one day Nike stopped making the Air Pegasus. They didn’t change it they simply stopped making it. I didn’t make enough money to test and find a new shoe. I had to buy what I could afford and hope that it worked. That was a dark time in my running because it was really hard to find a perfect match like that Pegasus. That was so long ago that Nike got smart 15 years ago and brought the Pegasus back. 

Fast forward a good number of years and I was in position to do the same thing to a great deal of runners. I was working at Adidas in Germany far away from you the end consumer. The lead Developer had bad news for me, the mold for the SuperNova Classic was finished. The mold could not handle any more production, it was too worn out. We or I had a choice, open new molds on that existing shoe or create a new shoe. Molds are the most expensive part of building a running shoe. The revenue numbers on the SN Classic (All in the USA) had been dwindling by a large amount year over year. Part of it was that the shoe was starting to look old in design but the real truth was that it was one of a kind when it first came out and in 2008 there were plenty of copycat shoes on the market taking market share. The decision from a business sense was easy, let’s make a new shoe. The decision from my heart tore at me for quite some time. I remembered back to that Air Pegasus and knew I was creating some frustration in the running world. The shoe we created SuperNova Adapt (also discontinued after I was gone) was a really good shoe but it was no SuperNova Classic. Every once in a while I run into someone who loved the Classic or is actually still running in a pair after stocking up and I find myself begging for forgiveness with a smile on my face.

There are a number of influences that cause brands to change your shoes.

Revenue 

Altruistically brands are in business to help runners but let’s face it, shoes are money makers and when your favorite shoe isn’t making money or isn’t making as much money as it should be making, it’s going to change. Often times this is also where shoes get dropped out of the line.

Improvements  

The general thought process is shoes are changed to improve a current problem in the shoe. I’ll use an example here. In 2014 Mizuno introduced the Wave Rider 17 to much fan fanfare. This was supposed to be the lighter faster Wave Rider. One high powered retail buyer said to me “The Wave Rider 17 is the best Wave Rider yet”. When it finally came out runners complained. Yes, it was lighter but it was physically harder in the forefoot and at least one runner said “they made a Wave Precision” which was a lightweight performance running shoe built for runners who like to go fast. I’m not 100% sure what they saw in the Wave Rider 16 that needed to be changed but the Wave Rider 17 was too much of a change. Now look at the Wave Rider 18. They stiffened the forefoot and balanced the heel but the end result is still not what the Wave Rider once was. It was the standard by which many neutral shoes were created and today it’s just another shoe on the wall.  On review I read on the new Wave Rider summed it up "Get used to hearing yourself run, the outsole is so hard it makes noise all the time" 

Trends in the Market  

There have been two recent trends in the market that are having a huge impact on the entire market. The first major trend was minimalism. The minimalist trend caused shoe companies to change midsole drop, upper construction, and a great deal more. As an example, Saucony changed the Triumph (I believe it was the Triumph 8) and a number of other shoes from a 12mm heel to toe drop to 8mm heel to toe drop. There were probably a few runners that felt that change was drastic.  At the same time because of minimalism and feedback from one of their athletes Saucony created the Kinvara and that’s been nothing but good for Saucony and runners.

The latest trend affecting the shoe market is Maximalism or more pointed, Hoka. The market is reacting and reacting quickly. Brooks quickly changed the Trance to the Transcend, New Balance introduced Freshfoam and Asics in 2015 is coming out with a Maximalism shoe in the 33 line of shoes.

Competition 

This is probably the leading reason shoe brands change shoes. They are all watching each other and today more than ever, competition is leading the way and causing you the runner the most confusion. The leader in innovation nobody really ever talks about any more is Nike. They lead in midsole creation, upper construction and much more. Generally speaking if you want to know what Asics, Brooks, Saucony and others are going to be doing next year, look at what Nike is doing this year. The Lunar Glide is a perfect example. It’s a stability shoe that looks and feels very much like a neutral shoe. Nobody wanted to change their current shoes to match the Lunar Glide so they created new shoes. Asics Super J 33, Hoka Constant and quite a few other shoes now incorporate a construction much like the Lunar Glide. Expect this trend to continue.

My issue in all of this is that there seems to be a component missing, the runner. I feel like the business of running shoes is more about staying on trend and beating the competition than it is about helping runners find their best running. I’ll probably hear it from someone deep in a shoe company challenge this comment but I’ve been there. I’ve been in meetings where the runner is never mentioned.

I only see this getting worse. With the consolidation of retailers and the abundance of product these things are only go to become more intense. 

The good thing is this keeps me working. 

It's a good life...

Kona 2014 Running Shoe Count

On October 11,2014 there was a race, the Ironman World Championships on the Kona Coast of Hawaii. On this day a few friends from Newton and I counted 95% of the shoes worn by the athletes. Below is my view of running shoes and athletes beyond the count itself.

The Ranking

1. Asics - 17.7%
2. Saucony - 14.5%
3. Newton - 10.7%
4. Brooks - 10.3%
5. adidas - 6.9%
6. Hoka - 6.0%
7. Mizuno - 5.9%
8. Zoot - 5.9%
9. Nike - 5.0%
10. On - 4.6%
11. New Balance - 3.7%
12. Others - 2.4%
13. Kswiss - 2.3%
14. Pearl Izumi - 1.7%
15. Sketchers - 1.7%

Quick View

1. The big global brands pull their weight. Asics, Saucony, Brooks, adidas, Mizuno, Nike and New Balance - Their rank is somewhat attributed to how much they spend on the sport of triathlon as well as how they rank at running stores around the world. They are trusted brands, they have perfect fit for the most part and they have been around the longest. When I say global they are available in virtually every country in every retailer store where runners shop. 
2. Brands who use Triathlon as their entry into running shoes are also well supported, Newton, Hoka (thanks to a partnership with slowtwitch.com) and Zoot specifically. 
3. There is someone at Nike who looks at this count and gets mad that they are not further up the count. But that doesn't last very long after the results of the Lunar Glide or Free sales numbers come in. Nike is the largest running shoe brand in the world and they are billions of dollars larger than the next brand. 
4. The "big" brand missing from this list is Altra. For the amount of money they spend on TV they should show up bigger at this race but they don't. Less than 10 people ran in Altra. 

Individual Shoes that Stood Out

1.  Saucony Kinvara - It's by far the #1 shoe in Kona and that is now two years in a row. It's light, it fits most feet and it is the smoothest ride in running. Saucony does a good job on colors and for this race they release a Kona special edition model which goes over well. 
2. Brooks Racer ST - This is a theory of mine on why. Before the Kinvara the #1 shoe was the Asics DS Trainer followed closely by the Asics Gel Noosa. But neither of the Asics are as good as they once were. I believe the athlete who would have gone with the Asics has found the Brooks Racer ST. 
3. Newton Distance Elite - Newton has got to be happy with the results of the count and this shoe in particular. This shoe combined with a Ironman edition of the shoe are far and away their most popular shoes on course. I believe it was this athlete they were thinking of when they built the shoe. 
4. adidas Energy Boost - In previous years the majority of adidas product was their very popular racing flats. Those are still there but the Energy Boost has become their go to shoe for runners of all kinds including those racing in Kona. It's soft and flat to the ground. 
5. Hoka Clifton and Huaka - Both of these shoes came out in July and have been adopted quickly but runners and Triathletes. They are both much lighter than previous Hoka shoes and they both act closer to a regular running shoe still providing the maximal cushioning that Hoka is known for. 

The Trends in Running that Show up in Kona

1. Constant Ground Contact - The biggest trend in running and you see it in the Saucony Kinvara, adidas Energy Boost and both Hoka shoes is that the shoes are flat to the ground one piece midsoles. If you look at the Asics Gel Nimbus there are 4 distinct layers in the midsole. The top layer close to your foot, The Midfoot shank (Trustic System) that is under the arch of the shoe and is used to support the foot through transition. The bottom layer of foam closest to the ground. Put the top layer, trustic system and bottom layer together and you have the midsole that cushions and supports your foot. The final layer is the thick outersole for durability. This is what running shoes have been for almost 30 years. The new trend is simplification. Using new foam technology, shoes like the Kinvara, Energy Boost and Hoka are using one piece of foam, with very little rubber. You get the midfoot support from the ground and you get an increadibly light and smooth feel. This trend has been building steam and it's about to explode. You'll see more and more shoes built this way. 
2. Maximalizm - Hoka for sure is driving this. Running hurts and taking the shock and pain away is a good thing for a large number of runners. Hoka does that. But they are not alone. Of the 10 pairs of Altra, 8 of them were Maximal. Almost all of the Sketchers were Maximal. In 2015 Asics will introduce the 33 M which will bring Maximal ride with a classic Asics Fit. We should see Maximal as a category grow in Kona next year. Will Hoka be the driver, yes but they will not be the only game in town. 
3. Racing Flats are not dead - Kona is the World Championships and probably has more racing flats as a percentage the any Marathon in the world. Low to the ground go fast racing flats from every brand show up on this race course. My favorite was a guy in close to 1700th place (there were just over 1900 finishers) who had a Nike Mayfly on his foot.  This man was going to run a 5-6 hour marathon and do it in a 5 oz shoe. I love that! 

The Ironman run course Kona is like no other run on the planet. There are hotter marathons and their are hillier marathons. But there is not one hotter or hillier after 112 miles on the bike in the same heat and with bigger hills. Athletes get off the bike trashed at noon or later and then put on their running shoes for the marathon. Shoe choice is about comfort more than anything. The next time you are shoe shopping try one of the shoes highlighted above.  If they are good for Kona they are good for everyone. 

It's a good life....

Off to Kona for the Ironman World Championships

I never thought I'd be going to Kona so often for this race. When I competed in it I was convinced that I never wanted to actually watch it. Now I find myself at the event every year doing something. This year will be unlike the last 5. There will be no sweating setting up or taking down a booth. There will be know standing in the booth for hours each day. There will be no relying on the schedules of others. There will be no holding hands with company executives, or retailers. No this year I'm going just to go. I had the ticket.
Saturday race day will be the only thing I do that is consistent. On Saturday I'll count running shoes with the folks from Newton, On Running and anyone else who wants to join in. To be honest it's not counting. The process is actually calling out the brands as they run by. There are very few on the island as it turns out that can actually do that. I've found most brand people can find their brand but struggle with all others. I guess that's job security for me only that I don't get paid to do this. I actually very much enjoy it. My love of running shoes and runners is what makes this count so good. I'm often amazed at the shoe choices at a World Championship. I believe the running shoe choice is the most important choice of the day. You spend more time on the bike but there is no pounding and there is lot's of coasting rest on the bike. On the run there is no rest and it's all pounding. The surface temperature is 130F and you are in the sun the entire run. Well a little more than 1/2 of the field will run in the dark of the night but you get my point.

I've seen the following:

1. Shoes that don't fit - There is a tendency to bring shoes a bit large to the Kona race. The heat causes your feet to swell. But I've seen shoes that are just way too big which can only lead to blisters.
2. Bad Heel Fit - It amazes me how many runners run with bad heel fit. The heel of your running shoe should not slip. Yet I see that so often in Kona I'm blown away.
3. Over-Pronation - There is a great deal of chatter about over-pronation. Does it exist and do you control it? Come to Kona and do the shoe count with me. I'll tell you that yes it does exist and yes it should be addressed. The people I see over-pronating the most are running in shoes because they are the latest shoes loved by the triathlon world. It was Newton for quite awhile and now it's Hoka. I see people wearing both brands when they absolutely should be finding a better shoe for their gate. It's not the problem of the shoe company it's the problem of the athlete. This is an athlete choice.
4. Worn out shoes - It amazes me that this is the World Championships and you choose to run in shoes that are obviously worn out. When there is no compression happening in the midsole that shock goes one place, through your legs. Buy new shoes for a big race.
5. The funny shoe choices - Crocs, Hurache sandals. Vibram 5 Fingers, and even trail shoes. 2000 athletes, 1800 who qualify to race there, 200 who get in on the Lottery or gifted an entry and every year I see these shoes.

My next post will be a bit more than a week away. I'll share pictures and stories from my 2014 Ironman World Championships.

It's a good life.....

Things in Running Shoes Causing me to Pause and Think

1. Your Perfect Running Shoe
2. They Changed my Favorite Running Shoe
3. Why are there so many running shoes and running shoe companies
4. The Dilution of the Running shoe business
5. Who is driving the running shoe business today, Brand, Retail, or Runner

It's a good life....