Here’s an excerpt from Nate’s combo review:

“I don’t know if I’ve ever anticipated getting a shoe longer than the Hoka Rapa Nui. I first saw them on Karl Meltzer’s feet, then saw a post about them on Ian Corless’ blog in August of 2012. I was extremely intrigued. I have had every single model that Hoka makes, eventually deciding that my favorite was the Bondi Speed. I have run thousands of miles in Hokas, even naming the Bondi Speed my top trail shoe of 2012. It was like a late Christmas present when I finally received a pair three weeks ago.”

To see Nate’s verdict on the Rapa Nuis, head on over to bikernate.com!

A little over a year ago I emailed my contact at Skechers about building me the “ultimate ultra-marathon shoe”.  I simply wanted to bounce some ideas off of him, but as it turns out my timing was perfect.  Another wear tester/team member was having a very similar conversation and Skechers had already been warming up to the idea of producing a highly cushioned shoe for (really) long distance running.  I gave them a list of what I would like to build.  Some of the things I asked for included Hoka-type cushioning, but with a more flexible and breathable upper.  I also wanted more traction and a more performance oriented fit.

About 4 weeks later they sent me an email with a C.A.D. image of a new sole.  I was blown away at how aggressive it looked.  We talked a few times more and then I kind of forgot about the entire project.  Then one day, out of the blue, I received a package with an entirely new shoe.  It was a first run GRU (Go Run Ultra).  I really like what I saw, and was excited that the shoe had so many of the elements that I had asked for.  It was light.  It was flexible.  It had incredible traction.  It had a roomy toe box. It felt like running on a cloud.  I was impressed.  For me, the biggest surprise was how well they feel on paved roads.  Although they have one of the most aggressive tread patterns, the softer material feels extremely smooth on hard flat surfaces.  They are an excellent “road to trail” shoe.

And now, after several revisions, the Skechers GoRun Ultra is available to the public.  Here are the specs:

Drop: 4mm (8mm with the included sockliner)
Stack Height: Forefoot 23/Heel 27
Weight: 9.5oz (claimed 9.5 mens.  Actual for 10.5 mens was 9.9)
Resalyte midsole/Resagrip outsole
Synthetic mesh fabric upper
Synthetic overlays for stability

The shoe has 65% more Resalyte cushioning than the GoRun Ride model, and the Ride is a great feeling shoe.  The result is a shoe that feels like a Hoka.  But with more flexibility.  And more traction.  Oh yeah, and here is the kicker, it retails for only $80.

All is not perfect though.  Is it ever?  My biggest concern is with the “Vamp” material.  This is the piece of material that makes up the area over your toes on the top of the shoe.  It extends to become the tongue.  It is made out of a stretchy material that I find holds water longer than most shoes.  It drives me crazy.  And it drove me crazy on the Go Bionic Trail as well.

I have talked with other Skechers users and testers who have zero problem with it.  As a matter of fact, the runner who had the most feedback on the GRU (Robert Youngren – read his post on helping design the GoRun Ultra) used them to run Hardrock this year and feels that it drains well.  I guess I’m a little like the “Princess and the Pea” when it comes to being picky about my shoes.

One other thing that I feel is worth mentioning is the method used to create the tongue.  In order to create a tongue that doesn’t let any dirt in, Skechers simply uses the vamp material and extends it into a tongue.  It is stitched on the sides to the shoe, which creates an alternative way to make it gusseted.  For low volume feet like mine, it causes some bunching at the front of the lace area.  It is not enough to be felt while wearing the shoe, but I would like to see a more traditional way of building the tongue to avoid this issue and allow me to snug the upper even more.  I have this “bunching” problem with many other brands as well, but with the Skechers it is a bit more pronounced.  I am the only person I know of that has had this issue with this particular shoe, so if you don’t have low volume feet I wouldn’t worry about it.  I did find that the bunching was minimized by sizing down one half size (10 from my usual 10.5).  This model runs a tad large, so I suggest you size down the same amount if you can’t try them on to check first.

I think that Skechers has a huge hit on their hands with this shoe.  Many people who are interested in maximally cushioned shoes are hesitant to take the plunge when the cost is so high on many of the alternatives.  At only $80 they are one of the best values on the market.   If you want a shoe that you can run in day after day without getting beat up, you should really give them a try.

The Skechers GoRun Ultra is available for purchase at Shoebuy(get 20% off through 12/20 with code 20DECEMBER – $63.96 for this shoe!) and at Skechers.com.

“The purist’s dream shoe, the Project E:Motion Trail N1 is built to deliver the ultimate smooth flowing responsive ride. The glove-like fit coupled with the E:Motion midsole deliver a light and smooth experience. The Trail N1 offers great trail feel and traction with enough protection and cushioning for bombing descents over technical terrain.”

For once, a company has got the marketing 100% correct. I couldn’t describe the shoe better if I tried. It fits like a glove over the midfoot/forefoot, has a nice ample toe box, comfortable heel and delivers a very smooth ride.

This is the trail shoe that Goldilocks would rock. Everything is “just right.” It runs exactly true to size. The ride is not too firm, and not too soft. The weight is not too light, and not too heavy (my size 10.5 weighs in at 10.6 oz). The grip is not slippy, but not overly aggressive. The heel counter is not too stiff, but not too soft. The drainage is not bad, but not great. The rock protection is not to thick, but still works well to protect your feet.  The sole is not too stiff, and not excessively flexible. You get the point.

But the net result of avoiding any characteristic that is not too radical is a great trail shoe that I seem to pick time and time again when I want a shoe that is just right for about every condition out there.

That’s not to say that it doesn’t have any great features, it does. Take the design of the tongue for example. PI did something incredibly smart. They incorporated a normal lace holder in the middle of it, but also added two other lace holders near the top that secure it in place incredibly well.  Although it’s not gusseted, it doesn’t have to be because it just doesn’t move out of place.  Super smart.

I supposed that a proper review of this shoe should talk about PI’s “E:Motion” design.  For me, it is a great idea that ends up confusing a lot of people as far as the heel/toe drop. They list it as having a 1mm “offset” on the website.  Running Warehouse, who measure the shoes themselves, list it as having a 16mm forefoot and a 23mm heel (7mm). The video below explains what PI is calling “Dynamic Offset” vs. our traditional thought of what offset is.

I would imagine that every shoe could have a “dynamic offset” measurement based on how they explain it in the video.  But the real question is, does it achieve the desired result?  I can tell you that it absolutely does.  The shoe feels comfy and smooth throughout the entire foot stroke.  Looking at a picture of the shoe, it looks like it has a rocker type sole, but it doesn’t feel like that when you run in them.  There is no pronounced bump under the arch and it feels like it sits flat when standing still.  There is also very little arch support, which I like.

There is a common saying in the business world, “don’t try to be all things to all people.”  The “one size fits all” approach rarely works for most products.  But in the case of the N1, it does.  This is a shoe that will fit a broad range of runners.  From occasional trail runners to somebody looking for a 100 mile race shoe.  Timothy Olson has won the Western States 100 twice in this shoe.  Now you have no more excuses….

The Pearl Izumi EM Trail N1 is available for sale at Running Warehouse and in a wider range of colors (some on sale) at Zappos.

John and Nate were planning to run over 100 miles in their quest to run across NH at its widest point from West to East. My friend Jim and I met them for about a ten mile section that ended up in my hometown, at which point Nate had to drop out of the run due to shin pain.

Sherpa John Lacroix and Nate Sanel the Day After the 2013 VT 100

In the years since Nate and I have become good friends, and he’s now a frequent contributor to this blog. Last year I crewed for Nate at the Vermont 100 – it was a phenomenal experience, but sadly he had to drop at mile 70 with severe foot pain (he had been battling plantar fasciitis at the time, and he also had some nasty blisters). Nate was back at the starting line of the VT 100 again this year (I was there to pace another friend – I’ll write that story up soon), and he had put in some of his best months of training leading up to this race. He was ready to crush it, but doubts fueled by another DNF at Massanutten earlier this year lingered (he had pnuemonia and only made it 20 miles).

Here’s how Nate describes his feelings at the starting line of VT100 2013:

“…I find myself full of nervous anticipation.  I want to break 20 hours.  Badly.  But I don’t know if my head is strong enough.  Will I fail once again?  I tell myself to relax and trust my training.  I know that if things go terribly wrong my real goal is to just finish.  If things go right hopefully I can get that sub 20 hour finish that has eluded me at this race.”

So how did it go? Well, I’ll let Nate tell that story, but as you might suspect by the title of this post it went quite well. Head over to his blog to read his full VT100 race report!

Nate examining what will soon be his hardware…

A short time ago I received this comment posted (anonymously) on my blog about which shoe I was going to use for the MMT100:

“Why is the Lone Peak 1.5 your “weapon of choice”?. The company’s customer service told me it’s not functionally different than the original, which you seemed to pretty much trash in your previous review”

I don’t think that I “pretty much trashed” the original Lone Peak, but it certainly was not a positive review.  I don’t think anybody is going to put any value to my reviews if all I ever write is glowing positive things about every shoe I try.  I posted what I liked (great fit, toebox, zero drop), and the things I didn’t (stiff, poor drainage).

So, back to the question.  If the 1.5 is a minor update, why is it now one of my absolute favorite trail shoes?

First, lets talk about what is unchanged.  The sole is basically the same as the original. Which I “trashed” for its incredible stiffness in my review.  But what I didn’t know when I wrote that review was that I had one of the very first pairs of production Lone Peaks.  Months after I wrote the review, Brian Beckstead of Altra confided in me that the very early batches had an overly stiff sole which they later modified for more flexibility.   Don’t get me wrong, this is not a super flexible sole.  But now I find that it moves just fine with my foot and has a much better feel. 

I have used these shoes in many different conditions, including wet slippery rocks, and have found the traction to be very good.  As with the originals, I cut off the “trail rudder” extension on the heel as I have found no benefit from it.  It hits my opposing leg when I run, so I’m not a huge fan of this feature.  It takes two seconds to just cut it off with a sharp pair of scissors and doesn’t affect how the shoe runs or grips at all.

The “minor” update to the upper is not minor in my opinion.  It is a complete transformation.  The shoe now is supple and super comfortable.  As expected, the toe box has a ton of room to splay your toes.  The big change is in the new material.  It is tighter woven, and much softer material than the original.   Everything is just softer and more supple. 

Putting the two side by side shows quite a few little changes in construction.  On the original there are support overlays that are heavily stitched and made of thick material.  The 1.5 shows a much more refined approach.  They also include a Velcro area to attach your gators, which is awesome.  It’s hard to believe that nobody has done this before and it’s a smart addition.

With the originals I had a hot spot that rubbed and blistered on the inside where the forward-most overlay is.  This was due to a seam that could be felt on the inside of the shoe.  There is also a noticeable seam in the toe cap that can be felt and sometimes grabbed by my toenails. The new design uses a completely different type of material (welded overlay) that doesn’t cause me any internal friction.   The new toe cap, which also incorporates 4 drainage holes, does not have any seams that can be felt inside the shoe.

Speaking of drainage…..this is my only complaint about this shoe.  The new drainage holes absolutely work.  If you submerge your feet you can actually watch water shoot out of the 4 holes in the front of the shoe when you are back on dry ground.  Unfortunately it’s not enough to dry the shoe out.  The new softer material seems to hold onto water, producing a wet soggy shoe that doesn’t dry out for quite some time.  Perhaps this is a result of the more tightly woven material that composes the upper.

That being said, it’s not enough of a negative to keep me out of these shoes.  I wore them for MMT, which was extremely rocky.  I only got to wear them for 20 miles, as I had pneumonia and had to drop out.  I recently wore them for a 10 hour, 30 mile Pemi Loop in the white mountains and had the most comfortable feet I’ve ever had for that run.

Weight for my pair of size 10.5 (they fit true to size) is a pretty substantial 11.9oz,  but they don’t feel heavy or clunky so I don’t really care. 

One thing I do need to mention is that around the 50 mile mark I started to see the white toe cap beginning to delaminate.  The above picture is how they look now, after 124 miles (and a very tough, 6.5 hour muddy swampy run in the VT mountains this weekend).  I can fix this easily with some barge cement, but since it is happening on both shoes it needs to be addressed (let us know if you have experienced this).

Even so, these are awesome shoes to use when you want to be protected from the elements.  Calling this version a minor update is a disservice.  These minor changes are a major improvement to this shoe.  Plus, the red color is bitchin’!!

The Altra Lone Peak can be purchased at Running Warehouse and Zappos. For those outside of the US, the Lone Peak is available at Optimal Run, which is based in the US but ships abroad.

Nate Sanel is an ultrarunner and author of the Dirty Runner column on Runblogger. You can find more of Nate’s writing on his personal blog, Biker Nate, or follow him on Twitter.

La Sportiva describes the Helios as: A “MINIMALIST, HIGHLY BREATHABLE, FAST DRAINING NEUTRAL TRAIL SHOE PERFECT FOR ALL LEVELS OF TRAIL RUNNING AND LIGHT ROAD USE”. Well, that sounds pretty good! That’s just the type of trail shoe that I like!

I received the shoes just as I started ramping up my training for the Massanutten Mountain 100 (Disclosure: these shoes were provided free of charge for review puroses by the kind folks at La Sportiva). The first pair they sent was in my usual size, 10.5 and I could hardly even get my feet into them. I checked with my buddy Ryan, who had recently bought a pair as well. He had the same experience and both of us sized up a full size. I like my shoes a bit on the large side, to accommodate swelling from a long day of running, so most people will only need to size up 1/2 a size.

I find the fit to be nice and snug over the forefoot, which is excellent at preventing my foot from sliding forward on long descents. Although the toe box feels snug, it doesn’t feel too narrow and I have never had any blisters running in them.

The mesh material used is light and airy with welded overlays to provide a snug fit.  They drain extremely well.

The sole has a nice level of cushioning.  Not minimal by any means, but not burly.  The level of flexibility is very good for a shoe with this thick of a sole.

The tread consists of sticky rubber around channels of exposed EVA foam.  As you would expect from La Sportiva, the “FriXion” rubber is incredibly grippy. Some of the best I’ve ever experienced over wet New England rocks. La Sportiva is world renowned for their climbing shoes and they know a thing or two about awesome grip.

Orange happens to be my favorite color, so I love how these shoes look, for whatever that’s worth.

The gusseted tongue does an excellent job of keeping dirt and grit out of the shoe and keeping it in place mile after mile.  This is a “set it and forget it” shoe.  No fiddling mid-run with these puppies.

La Sportiva lists the weight as 8.1oz.  Presumably, that would be for a size 9. My size 11.5’s weigh 9.5, which I think is very competitive.  They certainly feel light while running in them.

The heel cup is a bit stiffer than I normally prefer, and at first I didn’t have any problem with it. I did notice that the more I ran in them the more I noticed that it applied a bit too much pressure to my heel spur.  I believe that I just have sensitive heels and don’t really think it will be an issue for most people.

Rock protection in toe bumper area is fine. I have kicked many rocks in them and don’t find them to be lacking in this area.

I had actually planned on wearing these shoes for MMT, which is known for its brutal rocks. But, the week before the race, while running on local quarry trails, I stepped on a sharp rock in the exposed area and got quite a bruise on my forefoot. The thought of trying to complete 103 miles over rocky trail with bruised feet was enough to make me second guess using them for a race. That was a real bummer considering that I liked them enough to purchase a second pair so I could rotate them during the race.

I still wear the Helios quite often and they’re a valuable part of my current arsenal of trail shoes. I currently have about 250 miles on them. I have thrown everything imaginable at them and they’re holding up really well. The sole shows normal wear and there are no tears or rips.

250 miles and still going strong.

The La Sportiva Helios fit nicely in what I call the “Middleamal” category – low drop with solid cushioning (Running Warehouse lists them at 20mm heel, 15mm forefoot stack height). These are also the trail shoes that my wife Amy bought for hiking and she loves them. They have a MSRP of $120.

The La Sportiva Helios can be purchased at Running Warehouse, Amazon, or Zappos. Now through 4/19/2013 you can buy them at Amazon for 20% off if you use the coupon SHOE4DAD at checkout.

Nate Sanel is an ultrarunner and author of the Dirty Runner column on Runblogger. You can find more of Nate’s writing on his personal blog, Biker Nate, or follow him on Twitter.

If you’ve read any of my past reviews you know that I have a certain ideal shoe that I’m searching for.  My perfect trail shoe would be one with a minimal upper that fits like a glove over the forefoot, a wide toe box, excellent drainage, great grip, soft ride, 0-4mm heel/forefoot differential, and enough cushioning to run 100 miles.

One such company is Montrail, and the introduction of the new Fluid Flex seems to meet every single one of my desires (well, in a shoe at least). I’ve been super excited to try it ever since I first caught wind of it.

There are a few things that make me hesitant to wear the Montrail FluidFlex for a 100 mile race, although I haven’t ruled it out yet.  First, the minimal upper doesn’t wrap my foot tight enough. The asymmetrical lacing system is very comfortable, but I just can’t get it tight enough to prevent my toes from hitting against the front of the shoe on long descents. I do have a low volume forefoot and have had this problem in many shoes. I don’t think this will be an issue for most people. 

The other issue, which is very easily fixed, is the laces. They are terrible. They’re way too long and do not stay tied. At all. Especially when wet. I have reverted to tucking them into the front and then tying them again to keep them from coming undone.  No biggie. Just replace them. 

Conclusion

So, did Montrail come up with my dream trail shoe?  Close, damn close!  If I could just get a tad wider toebox (or maybe just a slightly different shape, more like the Altras) and get the upper to fit tighter around my forefoot it would be perfect. They feel like running on a cloud. Those of you looking for a more minimal Hoka with a much better upper will be very excited – they have that same running on a cloud feeling without all the bulk and excess squish.

The Montrail Fluid Flex is available for purchase at Running Warehouse, Zappos, and Amazon.com.

Nate Sanel is an ultrarunner and author of the Dirty Runner column on Runblogger. You can find more of Nate’s writing on his personal blog, Biker Nate, or follow him on Twitter.

I recently received an email from Patagonia asking if I would like to review their new 4mm drop lightweight trail shoe, the Patagonia Evermore.  I was excited at the prospect since I had spotted a glimpse of the shoe a few weeks earlier and it had sparked my interest.  (Disclosure: this pair of shoes was provided by Patagonia as a media sample at no charge)

Trying on the shoe it immediately felt like it shared its DNA with the Merrell Barefoot line. I actually emailed my contact at Patagonia to ask if there was any sharing of shoe design between the companies. She told me that even though both Merrell and Patagonia Footwear are under the umbrella of parent company Wolverine Worldwide, they have entirely separate design teams (though they all work in the same office building in Grand Rapids, Michigan).

The Evermore feels very light, has a nice, snug midfoot, and an excellent, wide toe box. The heel counter is on the minimal side, which I like a lot. The fit feels almost identical to the Merrell Bare Access 2, which has become one of my favorite shoes. On my handy food scale a size 10.5 weighed in at 8.9 oz.  Patagonia claims 7.8 oz, so if they are basing it on a size 9, that sounds about right.

I don’t run sockless, but imagine that this shoe would be very good for those who do.  The footbed is integrated and I can’t see or feel anything that would irritate the bare foot. The tongue is comfortable and not overbuilt. There is a forefoot rockplate for rock protection.

On the go, the Evermore feels firm underfoot. It is very much a barefoot type shoe, but with enough cushioning that you don’t hammer your feet on hard surfaces.  I would say that the level of cushioning and feel is similar to a New Balance MT110.  Because of the time of year I have only been able to try them out on roads and hard packed snowmobile trails. The ventilation seems excellent.  I haven’t had a chance to get them wet yet, but based on how well they breathe I’m sure that they’ll drain very well.

I found the traction of the Evermore to be average. They aren’t super grippy, but also don’t feel inadequate in this area – keep in mind that I haven’t had a chance to test them in a wide variety of conditions beyond road and packed snow on the trails. There is nothing to indicate to me that they won’t work well on varied surfaces though.

The one thing that threw me off about the Evermore is the amount of arch support built into this shoe.  It’s not that it has a ton, but what it does have feels short, firm, and abrupt.  When I first tried it on I was bummed – all I could feel was that pressure under my arch. I decided to take them out for a spin anyways and found that it really didn’t bother me. After 7 miles I had no pain or problems.

The arch support might be a plus for some. I can’t think of another shoe that has that nice, light, minimal feel that has a similar amount of buildup under the arch.  If you actually like some arch support and don’t like the flat insoles of many shoes in the minimal trail niche then you will love this shoe.

This Patagonia Evermore has a lot going for it. If it was not for this arch support I would deem it close to perfect for a mildly cushioned, light weight, low drop trail shoe.

The Patagonia Evermore is available for purchase at Zappos.

Nate Sanel is an ultrarunner and author of the Dirty Runner column on Runblogger. You can find more of Nate’s writing on his personal blog, Biker Nate, or follow him on Twitter.

“I’ve never minded winter before, but I have found myself today fantasizing about running all day in the warm woods. I have a lot of airplane miles, where should I go?”

A lot of great suggestions came in from my friends, and within 3 hours I had come up with a plan. My childhood friend Carl Rice invited me to come to where he lives in Joshua Tree, California to do some running. After a little bit of research I found a trail called the California Riding and Hiking Trail. It’s a 37 mile, point to point trail that travels across the desert. Just what I needed, a long run in the warm sun.

Map of the trails in Joshua Tree

I texted my buddy Jeremy and asked him if he wanted to come with me and go climbing and hang out with our old friend Carl. He jumped at the chance. After a quick confirmation with his work we had our trip planned.  Three weeks later we were getting off the plane in Ontario, California and headed to see Carl.

Sabre and Seth of Cliffhanger Guides

It also turns out that Carl lives with Seth Zaharias and Sabre Purdy, who own and run Cliffhanger Guides. I booked two full days with them and was filled with nervous anticipation about climbing outdoors for the first time. Jer and I got the climbing bug when a new indoor climbing gym recently opened in our home town of Concord, NH. But climbing up 40 foot man-made routes is very different from climbing outdoors.

On the plane I endured much ribbing from Jer about how bad I smell.  Eating a pant based, whole foods diet has an unfortunate bi-product. Gas. I tried my best, even bought some Gas-X. Once, when he detected a foul odor, he looked at me and said, “was that you?” I said yes, and he said, “I knew it. Smells like vegetables and fear…”  Ok, so I was pretty nervous about the climbing part.

After a long day of traveling and settling in at the hotel, I decided to go for a little run to check out the terrain. We drove into Joshua Tree park for the first time and while Carl and Jer checked out the rocks, I ran a 7 mile out and back on the “Boy Scout” Trail.  I know this sounds stupid, but I was surprised at how soft the sand was. The trail was very different from what I’m used to as it was little more that just a path through the brush.  It would be very easy to get off-trail and turned around out there. I got a little bit more nervous about doing 37 miles of it all alone in an area that has no cell phone coverage.

First move to get on the wall Photo – Carl Rice

We arrived on a Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday we spent climbing. It was one of the most incredible things I’ve ever done. Seth was an excellent guide. I felt very safe with him leading us and was surprised at how much I didn’t have a problem with the heights.  He even brought a vegan lunch for me! Our biggest climb was on Thursday. It was a multi-pitch (4 pitches) climb that Seth estimated at 450 feet high.  What a rush!!

Yes, I’m as high up as it looks. Photo – Carl Rice

Thursday was an especially busy day. I got up early and headed out on the California Trail to check out the terrain. I left at 5:30 in the morning and ran into the sunrise with my headlight. I ended up running 12 miles and started to get a pretty good idea of what type of trail I was going to be on. After my run, then climbing all day and bowling at night, I decided to move my run to Saturday instead of Friday as planned.

Big Balls! Photo – Carl Rice

So Friday we hung out at Seth’s house and rode dirt bikes in the morning. Then we drove around the park and got prepped for the next day. We left water at the Ryan campground which is the 20 mile point. It’s the first time there is road access to the trail from its start point. The plan was for Carl and Jer to meet me there just as a precaution in case something went wrong and I needed to bail.

I almost hit Carl right after this – Photo – Carl Rice

As the sun went down we set up camp at the Black Rock Canyon campsite. After Carl took a bunch of pictures we smoked some good cigars and then went to bed. I ended up hardly sleeping at all as it was colder than I anticipated, and our camping neighbors were the loud partying type. The coyotes barking and howling were incredibly loud too. I drifted off to sleep realizing that I had no idea what to do if I encountered a pack of them on my run.

The Campground – Photo – Carl Rice

I gave up at sunrise and headed out into a 42 degree morning.  I put on my new Brooks Pure Grit 2’s and an Ultraspire hydration pack, which I had fully set up the night before, and headed out towards the trail. In my pack I had my camera, a Garmin GPS with the route downloaded, 2 bags of Hammer Sustained Energy, 1 packet of Hammer Perpetuem, 4 Hammer gels, 2 packets of Honey Stinger chews, 1 tube of Perpetuem solids and 70oz of water in the bladder.  I was also carrying a handheld 28oz bottle, which I used to drink the Perpetuem/Sustained Energy.

As I walked down the road to the trail entrance I heard another crazy frenzied coyote howl fest and got a little bit nervous. At 6:17am I started my run. My hands were freezing. 37.3 miles to go!

Sign at the start.  37.3 miles to go.

In the weeks leading up to the trip I had looked briefly at the elevation profile and didn’t see anything worth noting. I didn’t realize that the first 6 miles were uphill…in soft sand…and windy….and cold….but I really didn’t care. I was thinking deeply about how just a few short weeks ago I had a fleeting thought about running in nicer weather and now here I was actually about to do it. It felt liberating. And my hands started to warm up within a few miles which was great for my disposition.

Uphill and Sandy.  The first 6 miles looked like this as I climbed up.

Within 2 miles I was lost already. Luckily the trail I turned on to looped back to the CHRT. I chuckled to myself wondering how long my actual run was going to be and hoping that I was going to be able to stay on trail.  One of the cool things about the trail is that there are mile markers every mile.  If you really get off track it wouldn’t take you to long to realize it. I headed up the mountain, towards the rising sun and tried to keep my heart rate in check.

Exposed and warm.  No way out, no phone coverage, all alone in the desert

Every hour the sun got hotter and hotter. There is something about the exposure in the desert that makes the sun seem hotter than the temperature would indicate.  Throughout the entire run, there is almost no place to hide from it. Running this route in the summer would be flirting with death. As I got deeper and deeper into the desert I start to feel very small, like I was trapped in a Dr. Suess book. Sand and small desert trees.  And a very faint trail through the middle of it all.

Rugged and beautiful!

I had told Carl and Jer that I would be at Ryan Campground, where we dropped water, around 2:45 – 3 hours after I started. I thought that it was 18 miles, but it turned out that it was a little over 20. I rolled into the campground a little bit over 3 hours after I started, around 9:30am, to find that they were not there. I filled up my bladder and headed back out. I found out later that Jer had no idea what time I left and he hadn’t really paid attention to what I told him about when I would be there. Oh well, luckily I was in good shape and ready to tackle the next 17 miles.

Getting warmer…

It was really getting hot and I started to get tired around mile 25. Only a 1/2 marathon to go I thought and I started to play a game of collecting mile marker signs. Every time I got to one I called out “YES!!” and headed off in hot pursuit of another one. I concentrated hard on pretending that I was in the middle of a 100 mile race and was only 1/4 of the way through. “How are you going to handle it when you feel like this and you still have 75 miles to go?  Are you going to wimp out, or just concentrate on being in the moment?” These runs are the cornerstone for getting my head ready to take on such a daunting task as running a 100 mile race.

The saving grace of the trail is that it is mostly downhill for the last 12 or 13 miles.  It was very easy to keep a nice pace as I concentrated on eating, drinking and collecting mile markers. As I got closer I realized that I was making pretty good time. I had planned on really taking it easy and told they guys that I would most likely be out there for 7 to 8 hours. I wanted to take lots of pictures (which I did) and just enjoy a day of running. But as I looked at my watch I realized that I was going to be well under 7 hours.

Done!!

Official Time on my Suunto Ambit.

I stepped into the parking lot at the end of the trail 6 hours and 19 minutes after I started. Certainly not a race worthy time, but very solid for a fun run. Carl and Jer were nowhere in sight so I asked some folks if I could borrow their phone. I left Jer a message and hung out on a rock as my legs started to stiffen up. I was there for about 20 minutes before they showed up. It was only 1 in the afternoon and we went into town to eat at our favorite little vegan restaurant, the Natural Sisters Café.

GPS Track from the run

Last year I DNF’d both of my 100 mile race attempts. I believe that the reason why this happened is because I didn’t have my head ready. Although I put in a lot of miles, I didn’t do enough long runs and I knew it. I found this run to be relatively easy. That gives me confidence that my training is going better this year,  which in turn creates a more positive feeling of confidence going into my race season. And in 100 mile races, that’s as important as being physically ready. In 12 weeks I’ll find out as I toe the line at the Massanutten Mountain 100.

Photo Carl Rice (who takes AMAZING pictures)

Nate Sanel is an ultrarunner and author of the Dirty Runner column on Runblogger. You can find more of Nate’s writing on his personal blog, Biker Nate, or follow him on Twitter.

Yes, the traction is better! End of review. Ok, all kidding aside, I’ve been looking forward to testing the new version of the Brooks Pure Grit since I saw pictures of the new tread pattern.  What was not immediately apparent when I first saw those pictures was that a few other changes were made that are improvements as well. I received a pair PureGrit 2’s from Brooks (disclaimer, these shoes were provided as a media sample free of charge) three weeks ago, and have since run in them 5 times (72 miles) including 2 long trail runs of 20 and 22 miles.

At first glance the shoe looks very similar to the original with a tread pattern change.  Upon closer scrutiny you will notice that the upper construction has changed drastically. The tongue is now a “burrito” style, meaning that the material from one side of the shoe actually wraps around your foot and forms the tongue.

I was not excited about this (before trying it on) because I’ve never liked this design.  I always find that it creates a pressure point on the side where it ends. However, I can say that it works very well on this shoe. The tongue stays in place, does not create any pressure points, and seems to keep the dirt out. My size 10.5 weighs 10.5oz.

The upper now has an asymmetrical lace opening which creates a very comfortable fit.  The laces included with the shoe are light, thin, and perfectly sized. The Nav Band is now only located on one side of the shoe and seems much more integrated than the old design. Frankly, the old design just seemed to get in the way of lacing the shoe and didn’t seem to provide any benefit.  This new version actually seems to increase snugness around the foot.

Even with all of the new changes, previous wearers will feel immediately at home slipping their feet into this version.  The level of cushioning and toe box room feel identical. The useless (in my opinion) toe and heel splits are still there.

Sizing is also unchanged (i.e., if you wear a 10 in the old version, order a 10 in this version). I felt that the level of arch support was less, but then slipped on my old ones and they feel identical – perhaps the fact that my old ones have 600 miles on them might have something to do with it.  Either way, I seem to recall the arch support being more invasive when I first reviewed version 1 of the Grit. If real, this is a welcome change, but it might just be in my head.

The old version was one of the best draining shoes I’ve ever used. It looks like the material is a bit different on the new version. I have only been running on snowy, icy trails so I haven’t had a proper chance to really swamp them. However, from the little bit of water I have run through they’ve drained well. Hopefully they will be as good as the last version.

Now, lets talk about traction. The old design worked fine if you were simply going up or down. The second you had to do any lateral movement they were terrible. Not bad, terrible! If you look at the old tread pattern it’s not hard to see why.  There are no sharp edges in that direction. The new design incorporates many more sharp edges and more points of contact. Like I said, I have only run on snowy, icy snowmobile trails but the traction seems much improved. My biggest concern is that the sole material still appears to be the same type of rubber. I have found this material to be terrible on every shoe that Brooks has used it on, all the way back to the Cascadia 4’s. The lack of traction is most noticeable on hard, slick surfaces like wet rocks, and fallen logs. I have not had a chance to test them in those conditions given that it has been snowy and consistently below freezing up here in NH (anybody who has used the Grit 2’s on wet surfaces, please leave a comment to let us know if wet surface traction has improved).

The Biomogo midsole is an absolute pleasure to run on. With a 4mm heel/forefoot drop you can run with nice mid-foot form without any interference. When you get tired (like after 70 miles or so…) and your form deteriorates, heel striking is no big deal because the level of cushioning is so nice. The Grit is equally at home running longer stretches of pavement as running gnarly trails. There are not many shoes on the market that are good at both.

I ended my original review by saying “If I could only have one pair of shoes (God forbid!) these would probably be the ones.” After several runs in the new version I found myself thinking the same thing. This is a great do-everything shoe!

Nate Sanel is an ultrarunner and author of the Dirty Runner column on Runblogger. You can find more of Nate’s writing on his personal blog, Biker Nate, or follow him on Twitter.

My Hoka/Altra mutant hybrids

What I wanted was an Altra shoe with a Hoka sole. Since that didn’t exist, I built it. It wasn’t easy – I took a pair of Hoka Mafates (I hated the upper of that shoe), separated the upper from the sole with a band saw, and glued the Hoka sole onto a pair of Instincts. I called it the “Altrahoka”.

Getting my hybrid shoe induced blisters lanced at mile 70

Unfortunately, I didn’t get it quite perfect and ended up getting pretty severe blisters during the race (you can read my 2011 VT100 race report here).  After 70 miles I changed back into a pair of standard Altras and finished the race in a little bit over 20 hours.

I know that Brian from Altra saw my post and the pictures of my hybrid creation, and was surprised last November when Altra posted pictures of a new maximum cushioning shoe called the Torin.  Now I’m not going to say that I was the catalyst for that shoe, but it was nice to see that I wasn’t the only person who wanted a shoe that was both flat and highly cushioned.

As soon as the pictures of the Altra Torin started showing up on the internet, it seemed like every question related to how it compared to the Hokas. In my opinion, it doesn’t. And that’s not a bad thing. Hokas are low drop, maximum cushioned (ie: squishy) running shoes (and I have run a lot of miles in various Hokas – I even ranked the Hoka Bondi Speed as my top trail shoe of 2012). The Torin fits into its own category, and it’s a category that I’ve been waiting for somebody to fill for a long time. The Torin is a zero drop, well cushioned running shoe with a 28mm stack height. And for me, it’s a home run!

A shoe that is shaped like your foot?  What a concept!

Altra shoes are known for two specific things. 1. They are zero drop, meaning that the forefoot and the heel are the same height. 2. They have a foot shaped last with tons of room to splay your toes. Although I read that the Torin is built on a new last, those characteristics are still present in the shoe. I actually think that it’s the best fitting shoe that Altra currently makes. The fit is similar to the Instinct, but perhaps a tiny, tiny bit more tapered in the toebox. The sizing fits about 1/2 size smaller than the original Instincts. I wear a 11 in the Instinct, and a 10.5 in the Torins fits me perfectly.

Altra has claimed a weight of 8.6oz (presumably in men’s size 9). My size 10.5s weigh in at exactly 10oz. I find that completely acceptable for a long distance shoe. For you folks still looking for Hoka comparisons, I just took a brand new Hoka Bondi Speed 2 out of the box and it weighed in at 12.5oz.

6 lace eyelets

The Torin isn’t terribly flexible, but it doesn’t run like a stiff shoe. It has a fairly distinct pivot or hinge point when you try to flex the sole. There have been some complaints about heel slippage from early users, possibly relating to a missing eyelet near the ankle, but I haven’t found heel slippage to be severe or even bothersome. It looks like the early models had 7 lace eyelets, but the production ones have 6. I have found that the more I run in them, the more flexible they are getting. I would describe the level of cushioning to be just like a traditional stability shoe with a medium level of firmness. It is smack dab in the middle between something like the instinct and the Hoka Bondi.

The tread pattern on the Torin is very minimal, and I have not yet had a chance to really test the traction. I have been running purely on roads and the treadmill in these shoes. My longest run so far has been a quickly paced 17 miler, and I was extremely pleased with how comfy they were.

Although Altra was going to send me a pair to review at no charge, I was so excited that I decided to purchase this pair as soon as they came out (i.e., this was a personal purchase and not a media sample). The suggested retail price for the Altra Torin is $115, and it is available for sale at Running Warehouse.

I highly recommend this shoe to anybody who is looking for a low/zero drop shoe and wants more cushioning than most other flat shoes on the market currently offer.

Now…if we can just convince them to build a grippy off-road version…

Runblogger Note: This is the second review of the Torin published on Runblogger, for another take read this Torin review by John Shepard.

Nate Sanel is an ultrarunner and author of the Dirty Runner column on Runblogger. You can find more of Nate’s writing on his personal blog, Biker Nate, or follow him on Twitter.

English: A white-tailed deer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Deer – Living in New England I see a lot of deer. Usually when I encounter a deer I hear it before I see it. If you get close to a deer and startle it, it’ll typically let out a surprisingly loud exhale through its nose. Deer are terrified of humans, and will turn and leap away from you. It’s incredibly beautiful to see these large animals do a bunny impersonation and bound gracefully into the thick woods. If you stay still and watch, you will see that they usually go only a little ways before stopping to see if you are still there. I cherish my meetings with them – they always bring a smile to my face.

Moose (1998) Alaska Office of Economic Development (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Moose – If you have never seen a moose up close, you’ll be dumbstruck at how gigantic these creatures are. And stupid. This is not an animal that you can scare easily. I have found their behavior to be very similar to deer, except that they only run about 25 feet before stopping to check and see if you’re still there. Moose are known to charge people if they feel threatened, so it’s best to stop as soon as you see one and give it space. The most frightening encounter I’ve ever had was when I was running along and and I spotted a little moose a short distance away from me. As it ran off to the right of me I realized that it was a baby.  I thought to myself: “Hmm… a baby, I wonder where its mama is?” I turned my head to the left and saw a gigantic moose. I was directly between them and it was a very open, exposed trail. Luckily it just looked at me as I passed between them. I ran fast and hard for quite a while! Adrenaline is a great speed enhancer!

A porcupine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Porcupine – I see these guys all the time. I actually almost kicked one once when I was too focused on my footsteps. I have never seen any aggressive behavior from them, but like any wild animal, it’s best to give it space.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Beaver – There are a ton of swamps and bogs in New Hampshire, and whenever you have those you have beavers. You’ll see evidence of them anytime you run along a river or stream, in the form of trees that have been chewed down. If they have babies they might show protective behavior by slapping their tails on the surface of the water. It’s very loud and almost sounds like a gunshot – this indicates that the beaver feels threatened and wants you out of there. Best to oblige it.

Ruffed Grouse (Photo credit: StoneHorse Studios)

Grouse – These small birds can nest on the side of trails and when encountered will display behavior that will make you think that it’s hurt – it might act like it has a broken wing. It will screak and squawk loudly and run around in circles. You might be tempted to stop and see if you can help this poor creature, but that would be a mistake. After the little dance, they will run strait at you as fast as they can. They don’t have any endurance and the attack won’t last long. Fortunately they are easily outrun, but you will have to run fast. I have never seen any grouse in southern NH, but have encountered them in VT and northern NH.

Earl the Squirrel (Photo credit: Jared Browarnik)

Squirrels and Chipmunks – They are everywhere in the woods. They will sometimes yell at you, but they are not a threat (note from Pete – a squirrel ran smack into my leg at full speed last week in my garage after a run, maybe they’re more dangerous than we think!).

English: Black bear in the Canadian Rockies (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bear – In New England we have Black Bears. Of all the animals that people tell me they are afraid of, bears are at the top of the list. I have encountered a lot of black bears, and almost every single time they have run away like I was their worst nightmare. Black Bears are extremely timid and afraid of humans. They scare easily with a little sound, like clapping your hands. You can also carry a little bell which can be effective at keeping them away. In some cases, bears get used to people due to irresponsible human behavior (like leaving out food for them, not securing garbage pails, etc). These bears are no longer afraid of you and should be avoided at all cost. When I ran Western States in California I saw a huge brown bear at the base of Squaw Valley, and it seemed to not even notice all the people around. It was pretty scary! I have no experience with Grizzly bears, but I understand that they don’t scare easily and are very aggressive. 

Bobcat (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bobcat – I have seen Bobcats on three occasions. Once in Florida when running between villages at Disney, and twice in the woods in my back yard. They look like big housecats and are beautiful creatures. In all cases I have simply stopped running and watched them. They did not seem afraid of me at all, which is kind of scary. Once I saw one with a dead squirrel walk across the trail perpendicular to me about 20 feet away. It didn’t notice me and didn’t seem worried about anything. 

A Red-Tail Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) flying. Half Moon Bay, California, USA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Birds of Prey (owls and hawks) – I see owls all the time. I thought they were nocturnal (no, I didn’t do any research for this post), but I see them in the daytime a lot.  They’re beautiful animals and have a huge wingspan. I’ve never really been afraid of birds, but in June 2011 I was attacked on the trail by a hawk. No joke! Rather than retell the story here, you can read the entire post about the encounter on my blog.

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) in Fort Worth Zoo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Turkeys – There are a ton of turkeys in the woods near me. I usually see anywhere from 3 to over a dozen in a group. They scare easily and are almost comical in their panic to get away from you – they are the least graceful animal you will ever see and will crash through brush and trees scurrying away. I have had friends tell me they can’t fly, but they do, usually for only short distances though. The recent mild winters seem to have led to an increase in turkey numbers over the past few years.

Striped skunk (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Skunks – I usually encounter them at night, and funny enough, usually on the roads.  Once, in the last mile of the Vermont 100, I hallucinated a cartoon skunk and screamed at my pacer, ‘”Joe, LOOK OUT, a skunk!” I don’t think that counts as a real encounter though.

Cougar (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mountain Lions – There are rumors that there are mountain lions in the east, but I have never seen one. When I was preparing for the Western States 100 I was told that the best thing to do when encountering one is to stop immediately and raise your shirt over your head with your arms stretched high to make yourself look bigger. Do not, under any circumstances, run. That signals to the lion that you are prey.

Sasquatch (photo via Cryptomundo)

Sasquatch – Although never confirmed, the East Coast woods is an obvious breeding ground for the fabled Bigfoot. I have seen many a ‘squatch print and careful study of scat proves that what you might think is dog poop, is actually Sasquatch. They are usually pissed off and jealous of your minimal shoes, since nobody is making a size 28 in 4E. When encountering one, do not try to reason with it. If you have Jack Links Beef Jerky give him the package and slowly back away.

Nate Sanel is an ultrarunner and author of the Dirty Runner column on Runblogger. You can find more of Nate’s writing on his personal blog, Biker Nate, or follow him on Twitter.