Updated – Current Running Gear (Timothy)
It’s been a LONG time coming, but I finally updated my running gear page with my current shoes and accessories. The biggest change has been the transition from 100% Saucony shoes to incorporating the HOKA ONE ONE Clifton into my training shoe rotation. I am currently without a go to trail shoe, but hope to remedy this in the next month or so as prime trail-running time arrives.
Am I Dreaming?
There are two main features I prefer in running shoes:
1.) That they be Saucony
2.) That they be RED
However, I’ve never been able to get my training shoe, zero-drop shoe, and trail shoe all in RED at the same time. Well, it looks like that might be about to change!
Kinvara 4
I am down to my last 2 pair of Kinvara 3s, so I should be ready for the 4s in about a month or so. Definitely going for these babies in Red and Citron!
Virrata
Since it looks like Saucony is going to do away with the zero-drop Hattori that I’ve been using for the past two years, I may give the Virrata a try. If so, this colorway looks about perfect! They are supposed to be released later this month.
Peregrine 3
I’ve been running in the very first Peregrine trail shoes for the past 2 years, and it is about time for a replacement. Just found out that later this summer they are going to release the Peregrine 3 in Red and Citron! Yeah Baby!!
While I was on the bench from running, recovering from the stress reaction in my left femur, I made the decision to introduce a more cushioned shoe into my rotation to try and reduce the impact on my legs. My normal training and racing shoe for the past 2+ years has been the Saucony Kinvara, which I love, but I was worried that this was not providing enough protection, especially on runs greater than 10 miles. After doing a lot of research, and trying them out at Fleet Feet, I finally settled on the adidas Energy Boost.
Adidas has put a lot of marketing dollars behind this shoe, which has generated a lot of hype regarding their new mid-sole “Boost” material. Instead of using traditional EVA foam, their “Boost” technology utilizes TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) that is comprised of 2,500 little plastic pebbles fused together with steam and pressure. Adidas claims this material provides “industry-leading energy return,” maximum cushioning, and increased durability that will not be compromised in extreme cold or hot conditions like EVA foam.
My first reaction was to think this was little more than a marketing gimmick, but many of the early reviews pushed me toward giving this shoe a shot. Runner’s World named it the “Best Debut” in their 2013 Spring Shoe Guide, and their shoe lab noted that the midsole had the most energy return of any shoe they had ever tested. They also rated the heel cushioning at 99 out of 100, and forefoot cushioning at 82 out of 100, yet the shoe still weighs less than 10 oz. Here is part of the report from their lab:
Adidas made lofty claims about the midsole material in its new Energy Boost shoe, including that it has “industry-leading energy return,” is resistant to temperature changes, and is more durable. But how did it fare when we put it to the test in the RW Shoe Lab? In terms of “energy return,” we can measure how much a shoe springs back–that is, how much of the energy put into the shoe on footstrike is returned on the rebound. Here, the Energy Boost truly is the industry leader: It performed better than any of the almost 800 other shoes we’d tested. Likewise, the claim about temperature resistance checked out. Typical EVA foam gets harder in cold weather and softer in hot conditions, affecting how much cushioning you experience. We tested the Energy Boost’s thermoplastic polyurethane against standard and lightweight EVA foams at 20°F and 120°F, and found it far less affected by the swings in temperature. Lab tests also indicate the foam appears to be more durable. With repetitive footstrikes, midsole material gets compacted as cell walls break down. Much of this happens early in the life of the shoe. Our tests indicated that the Energy Boost experienced half the loss of cushioning performance compared with other shoes with EVA midsoles, when mechanically loaded to simulate the first 10 miles of running.
Ultimately I coughed over the $150 to purchase the Energy Boost during the first week of my return to running program, and have put over 100 miles on this pair in the subsequent weeks. The following are my first impressions:
Fit
The fit of the upper is much more snug, stretchy, and sock-like than a traditional running shoe, and this has been a frequent point of discussion among the early adopters. I would highly recommend going at least 1/2 size up over your normal running shoe if giving the Energy Boost a try. For example, my dress shoe size is 9.5, my normal running shoe size is a 10, and I went with a 10.5 in the Energy Boost. During the first run in the Boost, I felt a little constricted in my right toes, but this subsided quickly. On all subsequent runs I found the snug fit to be extremely comfortable.
Cushioning / Ride
The cushioning of this shoe is absolutely off-the-chart, and this comes from someone who used to run in the Nike Vomero, which is like a marshmallow. What is even more amazing is that the shoe is this cushioned, yet weighs less than 10 oz. I was initially concerned that it would be very awkward/difficult to run fast in a shoe with this much cushioning, but that is not the case at all. I really think there is something to the “energy return,” since it responds like a much less cushioned shoe.
While the ride of the Boost, generally felt good, coming from running in minimal drop shoes like the Saucony Kinvara, Peregrine, and Hattori, the 10mm drop in the Boost felt significant. Running on the midfoot/forefoot was not comfortable, and I naturally dropped back to a heel-strike.
Durability
While I can’t speak about this in great detail, after running over 100 miles in the Boost, the midsole and outsole show absolutely no signs of wear. I actually think that the upper above my big toe would wear out before the midsole on this shoe.
Major Problem
Even with all of the positive items noted above, there is one major problem with the Energy Boost, and I’m hoping that it is not happening to other runners. Once my time running got above 30 minutes in my “return to running” program, I started having significant achilles tendonitis in both ankles. Having completed 13 marathons and 13 half-marathons over the past 4 years, I’ve never once had the slightest twinge in either achilles. This was obviously quite concerning to me. I did some experimenting and found that anytime I went back to the Kinvara, my achilles would settle down. Then when I would go back to the Boost, they would immediately flare back up, even getting to the point where I was having pain in my left calf. After going back and forth for a few weeks, I have now decided to abandon the Energy Boost, at least for the immediate future. I’m not sure why this is happening, but the Kinvara just feels so much better on my ankles. I don’t know if it is related specifically to the construction of the shoe or the move to a shoe with a significantly higher heel-to-toe drop. Whatever the case, the Energy Boost has now become my most expensive casual shoe.
With all of this in mind, I cannot recommend the Energy Boost as a daily training shoe. As for trying to incorporate a more cushioned shoe into my rotation, I may give the Saucony Ride 6 a try since it is a 4mm heel-to-toe drop just like the Kinvara, and I’m very familiar with the fit of Saucony shoes.
As another follow-up to my post where I mentioned incorporating a more cushioned trainer for long runs once I return to running….I just saw a new blog post on RunningWarehouse.com regarding the upcoming Saucony Ride 6…
Anyone who has followed my blog for any length of time knows that I’m a HUGE Saucony fan. Though I’ve never tried the Ride before, most Saucony shoes seem to fit me really well (Kinvara, Hattori, Peregrine).
In addition to looking pretty awesome, and being the perfect color, the Ride 6 is supposed to have even more heel cushioning than the 5, and is quite a bit cheaper than the Adidas Energy Boost that I also mentioned in a previous post.
For someone who desperately wants to run Boston, and is in love with the Saucony Kinvara, these limited edition Kinvara 4s are downright CRUEL! They will only be available at Saucony’s Boston Marathon expo booth or Marathon Sports in Boston.
Running Warehouse just posted a preview video of the upcoming Saucony Kinvara 4, which is supposed to drop in May. Looks pretty sweet. I’ll be interested to see what the new “seamless bootie” feels like.
Good question. I think moving to the Kinvara as your road shoe would make a lot of sense if you love the Peregrine.
I actually started with the Kinvara (fell in love!), and then decided to try the Peregrine after having a conversation with a Saucony rep about the similarities. The Peregrine and Kinvara are made on the same “Last,” so the fit is consistent. Also, the heel-to-toe drop is the same between the two.
I have a friend here in Nashville that got back into running last year after taking some time off. He was running a lot of trails, and hated his shoes, so I suggested he try the Peregrine. He also fell in love with them, and then moved to the Kinvara for his road shoe. He loves both of them.
Also, Nathan (who I mention in a LOT of my posts) and I both use the Kinvara as our road shoe and Peregrine as our trail shoe. I don’t think either of us have any intention of changing in the near future.
Hope this helps!
The Saucony Kinvara has been my training and racing shoe of choice since its introduction in 2010. I’ve loved every version so far, and we got our first look at the upcoming Kinvara 4 (K4) last month on the Saucony blog. Today Running Warehouse posted some new pics along with a rundown of changes and color options for the shoe that will drop in May.
Per Running Warehouse…The K4 retains many of the design elements of its successful predecessor, though a few tweaks (such as an improved upper and the addition of a PowerGrid heel insert) should make for a more enjoyable running experience. Saucony claims weights of 7.7 oz in a Men’s size 9 and 6.7 oz for a Women’s size 8.
Changes from the K3
Men’s Colors
Women’s Colors
What do you think? Personally, I’m excited about the changes, though I do think the new overlay pattern results in a less attractive shoe than the K3.
Today Saucony began dropping a little information about the upcoming Kinvara 4, which is set to lunch on May 1, 2013. It is obvious from the pics that there are going to be some changes to the Flexfilm overlays, which were introduced in the Kinvara 3. Otherwise it appears as though the only other significant change is to the heel insert. Per Saucony:
For the Kinvara 4, we upgraded the heel insert to our PowerGrid material, which helps to improve the cushioning level of this shoe. We’ve also adjusted the FlexFilm overlays from the Kinvara 3 to the 4. By exposing more mesh in the forefoot, we improved breathability while still maintaining great lockdown, and conversely we added more FlexFilm in the midfoot and heel area to really help frame and secure the foot through all phases of your gait.
No word yet on the weight, but the outsole appears largely unchanged from the Kinvara 3. On a purely aesthetic note, the change to the Flexfilm overlays will not allow for the dramatic designs we see today in the Kinvara 3.
What do you think?
Considering how much I LOVED the Saucony Kinvara 2 (K2) and original Kinvara (K1), I was extremely nervous about all of the changes in the Kinvara 3 (K3). However I now think the K3 is even more perfect for me than the K2 (I didn’t think that was possible).
The K3 retains the features that made the K1 and K2 such popular options for runners looking for an all-purpose shoe in a more minimalist design. These include:
The new features I like best in the K3 include:
Another improvement is supposed to be in the durability of the K3’s outsole. At this point I have not put enough miles on the K3 to make a determination, however I never really had a lot of issue with durability in the K1 or K2. I’ll post an update when I have a few more miles in these babies.
My only complaint is that they did away with the loop based speed lacing system of the K2 and replaced it with traditional eyelet lacing. The reason for this change was to spread out the lacing area (and reduce pressure), but it results in a little puckering of the upper when cinching the laces. Not a big deal.
Overall, Saucony has taken what was already an awesome shoe and made it even better. Find Your Strong!
Today’s run was a late-night effort through the streets of Bellevue in my Saucony Hattori shoes. Even though I got a really late start, it turned out to be one of the best runs since I started back, and was also the final run/walk in “Step 3” of the “Return to Running” program:
Looking back on the 10 days I’ve completed since my return, I guess I should be pretty pleased. Sometimes it mentally feels like I’m starting over, but I have to remind myself that so far I’ve been pain free, and I also got in almost 25-miles this week.
Tomorrow will be a running rest day, and then “Step 4” should begin on Tuesday.
Beast Mode…ON!
My “Running Gear” Page has been updated
Biggest change was my switch from the Kinvara 2 to the Kinvara 3 as my primary training shoe.
I generally love the colors of the Saucony Kinvara 3 that came out earlier this year, but was a bit disappointed that the original choices did not include one with a predominately red upper (My favorite color). Well, in November there will be 3 new options each for Men and Women, and one of those for Men will be RED (Picture Above)!
Even more motivation to get my mileage back up, because I NEED these! 🙂
Update:
New Colors Men:
New Colors Women:
I honestly thought the Kinvara 2 was the perfect shoe for me, and was very nervous about trying the new version. Well, this was by far the best a new shoe has ever felt out of the box. I’ll write a full review after a few more runs, but just had to share what an awesome shoe this is.
How did the Kinvara 3 not win “Best Update” from Runner’s World Magazine?
Find Your Strong!
Now that I’ve had a few weeks to tryout the new Saucony Hattori LC I wanted to share some of my initial impressions. The LC is a 4.4 oz, zero-drop shoe, and is the successor to the original Hattori that came out in mid-2011. I was a huge fan of the original, and initially started running in the Hattori as a means to improve my bio-mechanics and strengthen my feet.
It has been said on my blog many times that since adding these Hattori runs to my schedule one or two days a week, I have been able to get rid of all my orthotics and also make the lightweight Saucony Kinvara my full-time training and racing shoe. I really only had two criticisms of the original…
(1) The heaviest wear on the outsole seemed to be just inse the small ovals of rubber under the big-toe. It seems like a slight modification to the positioning of the rubber sections could greatly improve the durability without adding weight to the shoe. However, even with this I was able to get approximately 250-miles out of my initial pair, which is WAY more than I expected.
(2) The material in the upper is so thin that my big toe in each shoe eventually wore a hole through the top. This was partially exacerbated by the fact that the size I selected was very snug on me. I’m actually right in between a 10 and a 10.5, and decided to go with the 10 in the original. This put a little more pressure on the material over the toe than was intended.
The new Hattori LC made two significant changes to the original, though the outsole remains unchanged…
(1) The upper now contains laces to provide a more secure fit, rather than the velcro strap on the original. I know this was a frequent complaint on the original, though the velcro strop seemed sufficient for me.
(2) The material over the toe has been reinforced to provide extra durablity.
I was initially skeptical about the laces, since the fit of the upper worked really well for me in the original. However, I ultimately decided to give them a shot instead of simply re-ordering another pair of the original. For the new LC, I went with the size 10.5 to see if that would also help with the “big toe” problem in the upper.
While this has nothing to do with performance, the LC is a much better looking shoe than the original. I loved the original Hattori, but it does look a bit more like a water shoe than a running shoe. The new LC definitely looks more like a running shoe. With that being said, it is a bit disappointing that Saucony only offers this shoe in one color for men and one color for women. The original Hattori was available in a plethora of color options.
Like the original, the upper is made of a very thin, stretchy material with flexifilm overlays to provide a little more strength and structure. This material hugs the foot like a glove, and is very comfortable while running. This shoe can be worn sockless, though I generally prefer running with socks. The new re-enforced material over the toe is a bit disappointing, because it is really more in front of the toes than over the toes. However, moving up to a size 10.5 has taken a lot of the pressure off the upper material in the toe box, so this may end up being a moot point anyway.
As for the new laces, during my first run in the LC one of the shoes came untied about 2-miles into the run. This was a bit frustrating since I had not dealt with this in the original. However, now that I’ve completed several runs in the LC, I really appreciate the laces. The fit is a lot more customized to my preference, and it is actually a lot more comfortable than the original.
The outsole is made of EVA+ foam with strategically place rubber under the heel and big toe for added durability. As I mentioned early, it is unchanged from the original. This is good and bad. It is good because it retains exactly the same feel. It is bad because it does not attempt to improve the durability of the outsole based on overall wear patterns from the original.
All-in-all, the Hattori LC is a solid update, and a great option for those wanting to slowly introduce more minimalist or barefoot type running into their training. As with the original, this is a shoe that forces a forefoot or mid-foot strike, and should be incorporated gradually to prevent injury. The laces in the LC are a great addition to what was already a well designed, zero-drop shoe.
This morning I finally retired my last pair of the original Kinvara that were in my rotation, and replaced them with a fresh pair of red Kinvara 2s. That means that I now only have a single pair of Kinvara 3s in my unused inventory, and those should enter the rotation within the next two weeks.
Our nice weather from the weekend continued this morning, with temps in the mid 60ºs and relatively low humidity for this time of the year. The schedule deviated a bit from normal in that today was simply a 70 to 75 minute easy run instead of my normal Monday tempo workout.
Nathan and I met at the Bellevue United Methodist Church parking lot, and ran through the surrounding neighborhood for a couple of miles before hitting the Harpeth River Greenway and then Edwin Warner Park. After a couple of very, very easy miles we then settled into a nice rhythm with splits for the final seven miles between 7:59 and 8:18.
Overall this run felt pretty good, though I could tell we had run fairly hard on Saturday. My legs were just a touch fatigued, so it was nice to have an easy run instead of the normal tempo workout. It was also nice to be able to talk with Nathan about the Olympic Track and Field events from over the weekend. I’m really gonna miss the Olympics.
In total we finished right at 9-miles with an average pace of 8:23 per mile.
Beast Mode…ON!
This morning I got in the first run in my new Saucony Hattori LC shoes during a 40-minute easy effort through the streets of Bellevue and on the new section of the Harpeth River Greenway. As we were texting back and forth yesterday to organize the run, Nathan told Josh that he would have to make sure and be there to see my new shoes. Josh responded that he would also have some new running shoes called “Brown 4-Minute Milers.”
When Josh got out of his truck this morning, he was wearing cowboy boots (he did change back into running shoes). This led to Nathan saying that Josh would have to write a book about running in cowboy boots, and that it would be the next running sensation. After talking through all of the possible benefits of running in boots, I suggested that it should be called “Cowboy Running,” so be looking for it soon at a book retailer near you…
In all seriousness we had a very good 4.25-mile run this morning at a chill 9:22 average pace. Overall the new Hattori LC felt similar to the original Hattori, though it was weird to have to stop during mile 2 to retie my shoes. I’ll have a full review of the Hattori LC once I’ve gotten a few more runs under my belt.
Beast Mode….ON! Cowboy!
runslikeapenguin replied to your photo: New running kicks # 2 – The @Saucony Kinvara 3….
Are these your first 3’s? Let me know how they compare!
They are my first, and I will definitely write a review once I’ve logged some miles. I probably won’t add them to my rotation for a couple of weeks.
