Let me state openly at the outset of this review that my first experience with a pair of Newton running shoes was not a good one. In winter 2009 I received a pair of Newton Sir Isaac’s – I think this was the first pair of review shoes that I’d ever received – and I […]
Muscle Tuning and Leg Stiffness: Why Shoes and Running Surfaces Do Matter?
June 15, 2011 By 36 Comments
Over the past few months I’ve come to a few conclusions about my preferences in running footwear. In general, I prefer shoes to have either a fairly soft midsole (e.g., Saucony Kinvara, Mirage, and Peregrine; Nike Free), or virtually no midsole at all (Vibram Fivefingers, Merrell Barefoot, Vivobarefoot, etc.). Shoes that have a substantial but […]
Saucony Peregrine Review: A Rugged, Low-Drop Trail Running Shoe
June 15, 2011 By 21 Comments
Given the fact that the Saucony Kinvara is one of my favorite road shoes (mostly for marathon racing and long runs these days), I was excited last winter when I found out that Saucony would be releasing a trail running sibling to the Kinvara: the Saucony Peregrine. You can tell from the photos included in […]
Merrell Barefoot Sonic Glove: First Impression Review
June 13, 2011 By 24 Comments
Last last week I received a pair of Merrell’s newest offering in it’s Barefoot line of running footwear – the Merrell Barefoot Sonic Glove (disclosure: these were media samples and were provided free of charge by the manufacturer). The Sonic Glove is very similar to it’s sibling the Merrell Barefoot Trail Glove, and thus I […]
Thoughts on Paying for Services in the Online Running World: dailymile goes PRO
June 12, 2011 By 40 Comments
One of the things that has happened as this blog has grown is that I get email requests from all kinds of people about all kinds of things. Some people write to ask me to spread the word about their blog. PR companies email to ask me to promote their products (many of which I […]
Two Great Articles on Barefoot Running
June 10, 2011 By 7 Comments
Image via Wikipedia Very quick post here – just wanted to direct you to two excellent articles on the topic of barefoot running. First, from Gretchen Reynolds on the New York Times Well Blog an article titled: Are we built to run barefoot? Second, from the Science of Sport blog, a post titled: The barefoot […]
Going Minimalist and Changing Form Help Ultrarunner Nathan Sanel Fix his Shins: Another Anecdote
June 9, 2011 By 30 Comments
I met Nate Sanel on a cold night in October, 2009. Nate had joined his friend Sherpa John Lacroix in his second attempt to run 125 miles across the state of New Hampshire for charity, and I and another local running friend had decided to join them for about 10 miles at about the halfway […]
The Bad Run as an Early Warning Sign for Illness
June 8, 2011 By 11 Comments
Image via Wikipedia It’s been a busy few days here on the blog. My post from last Friday – ASICS versus Zero Drop, Maximalist versus Minimalist – sparked quite a bit of fruitful discussion, and I highly recommend you take a look at the post and the ensuing discussion in the comments (if you have […]
ASICS versus Zero Drop, Maximalist versus Minimalist
June 4, 2011 By 114 Comments
I’ve been following with interest a spirited debate that is taking place over on my friend Bill Katovsky’s Zero Drop blog. Like me, Bill is an advocate for greater variety in shoe choice, and his approach on his blog is to poke fun at the status quo in addition to providing the occasional shoe review. […]
Unbreakable: The Western States 100
June 3, 2011 By 8 Comments
This trailer for Unbreakable, a movie about the 2010 Western States 100 ultramarathon, has been making the rounds recently. Figured I’d share it here as well as it’s one of those clips that really makes you want to head out for a long trail run. The movie is due to be released this Fall.
Vibram Fivefingers KomodoSport Review and 5K Race Report
June 1, 2011 By 5 Comments
For the first few years after I started running, the 5k was my preferred race distance – in fact, my 5k PR (18:51) was set back in 2008. Like many runners, I was quickly bitten by the marathon bug and focused most of 2009-2010 on long distance races. I’ve run only a handful of 5k’s […]
Mizuno Wave Prophecy – The Anti-Minimalist Shoe?
May 25, 2011 By 39 Comments
I want to begin this post by openly stating my personal bias (which is not going to come as a surprise to regular readers). I am a minimalist advocate, and believe that benefits can be accrued by avoiding overbuilt running shoes and modifying form to reduce things like dramatic heel striking and overstriding. That being […]
Saucony Kinvara 2: Comparative Photos and Update Summary
May 23, 2011 By 60 Comments
Well, I broke down and purchased a pair of Saucony Kinvara 2’s. My original pair are still in pretty decent shape, despite having run two marathons and ~200 miles on them (I don’t tend to accumulate a lot of miles on individual shoes given all of the reviews I do – these have the most […]
Terra Plana VIVOBAREFOOT Ultra Review: Initial Thoughts
May 20, 2011 By 26 Comments
I have a confession to make – I like my Crocs. Mine aren’t the real thing – they’re cheap knockoffs bought for $10 at Target – but for kicking around the yard or walking the dog at night, they really are quite comfortable, and few shoes have as wide a toebox. What’s more, they seem […]
Can running in minimalist shoes strengthen your feet and legs?
May 18, 2011 By 46 Comments
Image via Wikipedia One of the most common claims made by minimalist and barefoot runners (myself included) is that running in minimalist shoes (or barefoot) can be an effective tool for strengthening the muscles of the feet and legs. The idea is that constrictive, stiff, and overly cushioned modern footwear brace the foot, alter our […]
