500 Mile March Day 4 Recap (Snow... whay'd it have to be snow)

DAY 4 in the books!

The morning went well. I woke up early and ran with the pooch. Normally she goes out with my dad, but my dad went down to Whiteface to ski with a friend for a few days so I was on dog duty. She isn't exactly the best running buddy. She likes to stop and sniff a lot. Like every three meters. Then she sprints ahead and stops to sniff until I pass her then she sprints ahead again. She would do this for a while but I don't think she liked that fact that I wasn't going as slow as my dad. He tends to do a half-waddle/shuffle when he runs so I think the pooch thought that she could handle the run. But I could tell she was getting tired because she stopped sprinting ahead and just started to trot beside me looking rather dejected.

This is Peaches. She is wondering why I made her run with me. I told her I liked her company. She wasn't buying it.

We ran just over 7 miles together. She wouldn't look at me when I came home last night though. I think she was still miffed that she couldn't stop to smell all the beautiful yellow snow around the street corners.

Yesterday was also a great day because my New Balance shipment of shoes arrived! I had ordered a pair of RC1600s and 2 pairs of their new 980 fresh foam. I just have to tell you, the 980 fresh foam may turn out to be my favourite shoe ever. Sure, it isn't as responsive as say the 890 or the 1400, but they are light, super cushioned, and the upper is one par with the comfort level I get when wearing my Altra Instinct 1.5 around the store. And with a 4mm drop I don't get any of the odd jolts from a high stack height that I now get. I got two pairs because I was thinking I would wear one as a trainer and I would use another pair as a recovery shoe because of how soft and cushioned they are.

I decided to run in them last night but to my astonishment, it was snowing yet again! I thought screw it and let's get it over with. Tuesday nights are usually our clinic nights out of the store but only 3 of our runners showed up! I don't blame them; the snow was the type that just kind of really fine powder that just compresses and doesn't melt when cars go over it. It creates a layer of the slickest running surface you don't ever want to run on. And because it was clinic night, I usually try to run with the attendees but with the snow being so slippery and having to brace with every step to slow myself, I found it extremely hard on my groin and hip flexors. I ended up doing about 5 miles there, then just took off and finished another 4 miles at home.

What I am trying to get at is that I will be taking applications for people who want to massage my butt and quads. (PLEASE??? I'll be your friend!)

Day 5: BACK TO THE TRACK GONNA BE WACK!

MILES today: 16.5
Total Miles: 67/500 

500 Mile March- Day 3 (Trackin' dem miles yo)

Sorry folks, this update's a day late. I was dead last night. Like not even wanting to talk to my girlfriend dead (and I'm not one of those guys who does that to people I love). I had my head on my chest by 9, nodding off in front of my TV (I haven't gone to bed at 9 since I was about 7 years old).

The morning started off like any other this winter- cold and dumb. I have had with this (expletive) this (expletive) winter! (Picture me doing my worst Samuel Jackson impersonation a la Snacks on a Plane). It was -17 degrees out there plus some wind! NO WAY!

So I took my run to the indoor 200m track on the University of Guelph Campus.

Down the home stretch in my NB 1400

86 laps. 86 LAPS ON THAT TINY MONSTROSITY! My poor hips. My poor calves. I can't believe I put myself through that torture. I'm not the most mentally strong runner- I get discouraged easily but that's part of what this challenge is about- getting stronger both body and mind.

The run was made a little easier when some of the Speed River Marathoner's stepped on the track to start their workout. One of the many advantages of running in Guelph is that you can randomly bump into an Olympic Marathoner just going out for his daily workout. Eric Gillis and his Speed River compadres Nick Sunseri and John Mason were doing some 1ks... they were going fast and it made me feel sad that I am so slow.

Canadian Olympic Marathoner Eric Gillis doing work on the track.

 

Nick and John rolling on the track

The afternoon/ evening run: hey, guess what? IT WAS COLD AGAIN AT NIGHT! Whoever pissed off the winter gods or whatever, I hope you stub your toe REALLY hard! But got an additional 6 miles in and that's just more money in the bank.

Booyah

 

(how I feel when I finish another day of the challenge) 

Miles today: 17

Miles in the bank: 50.5/500 

***CameronHelps Needs Your Vote***

 Runner's Mark is very involved with a youth program called CameronHelps, a program designed to teach physical activity and a sense of belonging as part of a way of coping with stress and depression. Having dealt with both of these problems in my life, this is very important to me and something that I hold close to my heart. CameronHelps now has the opportunity to win $50,000 grant from MLSE if selected as one of the top 4 causes by popular vote. It would be great if you can go to the MLSE Team Up Fund page and vote for CameronHelps as your favourite charity; that would be spectacular. It will help to further develop youth programs and will immediately have an impact on the hundred of youths already int he program.

500 Mile March- Day 2 (You Think a Little Snow can keep me down?)

We woke up to snow this morning. Now, I like snow as much as the next person; I think it is pretty when it sits on trees but I am so sick and tired of winter oh my god i just want to get a flamethrower and go on a personal vendetta and melt it all foot by foot... sorry. What makes it worse is when you get up before the plows to get your first run in and you are slipping and sliding all over the place.Anyone else feel their hips just start to fail in the snow or is that just me? Well half way through my run I decide to go back home and switch up my shoes for my New Balance MT110 trail shoes and everything was all better after that.

YAY FOR TRAIL SHOES! Although I wish I had the foresight to get the winter versions of the MT110 for this winter... but they were given to me in the summer so I really can't complain.

(Seriously though, trail shoes are essential for running in this crap.)

Now, time for the amazing farce that is the Oscars.


Two days down, 29 to go. What did I get myself into? Tomorrow is a track day. We will see how I feel after that. I bet it will be a lot of feeling sorry for myself.

Rambles End Here-

MILES IN THE BANK:
Today: 14
Total: 33.5/500

500 Mile March- day 1

Day one in the books. It wasnt too bad out too bad out there today. It felt damp and I was chilled. I'm a wimp. Get at me. The worst is coming home, feeling like pizza and a can of the good stuff (dr. Pepper is the nectar of the gods).

I did two runs today. Two boring runs on this gray day. Living at home is great because mama Stevens is making home made lasagna. I dont like lasagna...

Miles in the bank: 19.5 (31.2km)/500

Easy peasy.

500 Mile March- Prelude

Well, this is my final evening of rest and relaxation; starting tomorrow I start my journey to run 500 miles in the month of March. Through the course of this little endeavor I will attempt to run the equivalent of 26km a day for 31 days while maintaining my current work and school schedule and I am going to try and make some of those miles quality- I won't be skimping out on the harder workouts for the sake of a few more slow miles. 

Part two of my little challenge involves diet. My diet since living at home has become abysmal. I've become addicted to sugary carbonated beverages and have all but given up making my own meals. This needs to change. As such I am making a stand against this lifestyle of excess. Every meal during the week will be made at home by myself or a loved one. I will permit myself one cheat meal a weekend for social events such as going out with my girlfriend or meeting up with friends. 

Part three is why I am doing this. It comes down to the fact that I need goals to work towards otherwise I get stuck in a rut and there's no getting out of it. This gives me a goal and something to strive towards. I've committed to racing a bunch this summer so I may as well get fit while I can.  

The major obstacles that I see:

1) The cold. The first week and a half of March are supposed to remain cold. I hate the cold. Having to log miles by yourself in the cold is the worst. 

2) Injury Risk. This is the longest stretch of time I have been running without getting injured. I've been able to put in decent miles before without getting injured before but never this many. I don't want to break down and get all mopey and sit in a corner thinking about how foolish I was for even attempting  something like this. I just have to stay on top of my recovery and  gear choice and I think I should be able to get 'er done!

Too often we see young people content to sit around on their computers or in front of their TV. Too often I've heard people say that they just don't have the time to run. Here is my challenge to you: Do SOMETHING ACTIVE  every day for the entire month of March. It doesn't matter what it is. Go to the gym and lift weights. Go to the pool and swim. Play a game of indoor soccer. Go for a walk. Something. Just do something active each day for the entire month. Chart your progress. Send me your pictures if you want and I will post them up for all of us to share.

I'll be posting daily updates every day from here on out so be sure to check back for updates. The updates will be short and sweet. Sometime just going over the gear I'm using to get through this, sometimes they are my personal tips for eating healthy, what I am doing for recovery, my musical tastes for different workouts, some of the different workouts that i will be doing, pictures of my adventures, what have you.

My next couples of blogs will surely be filled with random thoughts of a tired runner. They will probably be filled with horrible attempts at jokes and will most certainly be cringe worthy. You've been warned.

Drop me a line if you ever want to go for a run.

See you out there,

Evan

Altra Instinct/Intuition 1.5 Shoe Review (You are now free to move about the cabin)

As I had previously stated in my Altra Samson/Delilah review, I had never experienced an Altra shoe before stepping inside the Runner's Mark store. Boasting a wide toe box and a zero drop platform, Altra was a bit of a strange beast. I was immediately intrigued of course. And after wearing the Samson as my everyday shoe (and running quite a few miles in them as well) until they fell apart I had to have more. Since the Instinct (Intuition for women) was the very first Altra shoe I had ever seen, it was only natural that I gravitate towards it. 

I may never run in another shoe again- these are like a second home for my feet (that of course is a bit of a lie as there are other shoes that I greatly enjoy running in for different reasons but it's more of a testament to how much I like the Altra Instinct). Many people who have tried them on just don't seem to "get" Altra shoes. They are supposed to feel wide in through the toes. It may be an odd initial feeling but after a few minutes it just feels so right. My first run in them I had am certain I had school boy grin maniacally plastered on my face (I get some odd looks on my runs but never that many)- I must have looked like a blithering idiot. It's like doing something you've been trained NOT to do but doing it anyway because it just feels so gosh darn good! (Insert any number of dirty and crude analogies into there that you want; I won't be responsible for alluding to anything your dirty minds might create.)

The shoe fits wide through the toes which allows them to fully splay. This adds to greater balance and body positioning and creates a whole host of benefits, of which injury prevention reigns supreme. Without having your toes jammed altogether you aren't having to adjust your balance with the minute muscle compensations. When your feet are not allowed to fall naturally, there is more pulling and strain on your body, which, even with things being pulled out by small margins, can over time create some serious running problems with knees, hips, ankles, and your back. Little changes can cause big problems and Altra helps to correct that.

 "Hold up you little snot-nosed kid; what about slipping around, especially going down hill. Won't your toes mash into the front the shoe if they are free to move about?"

No. Not at all. The Instinct/Intuition fit snug enough through the heel and midfoot that your foot is secure and there isn't any unwanted movement. Your toes can splay and "move about the cabin" but they are by no means rubbing or causing any irritations. I've worn these shoes everyday for the past two weeks, running anywhere from 12-20km and not once have I come into any sort of rubbing, chaffing, or black-toe issues even over some of the tougher technical terrain around Southern Ontario.

Like all Altra Shoes, the Instinct/Intuition is built on a zero drop platform (the heel sits at the same level as the toes), which I personally feel is the more startling change from the norm than the wider toe box. It is a very different way of running than what most plodders are used to; the zero drop platforms gets you up and forward towards the balls of your feet. It is a much more efficient and faster way of running but more "radical" from the traditional heel-toe that so many runners still have in their heads.

The Altra Instinct/Intuition is the answer to the new-age running question: Is minimalism dead? Altra has answered with: No, it has only changed. With a 22mm stack height throughout and boasting dual layer EVA and A-Bound top layer outsole, the Instinct/Intuition offers plenty of protection from the impact of the road and trails. Yet, having a wide toe box and zero-drop platform it also gives you the barefoot ride and strength development that barefoot/minimal running offers. All the benefits without any of the drawbacks. Coming in at just 8.9oz (men's size 9), the Instinct is a light trainer ready to go for those harder tempo and interval sessions while maintaining  protection from the pounding on longer runs. Its one-piece bottom through the midfoot offers great flexibility although adds a bit of weight when compared to its more beefy brother the Altra Torin (a similar shoe but much more plush and geared towards road-specific runs). 

Seriously. If you are looking for a comfortable ride and aren't afraid to at least TRY something new, get your foot into the Altra Instinct/Intuition. Your feet and body will thank you. I can't explain how much I like this shoe. Thanks Altra.

You want Cushioning? You got it! Review: Nike Zoom Vomero 8+

The Nike Zoom Vomero comes into it's eighth iteration here but not a whole lot has changed between the Vomero 8+ and the  Zoom Vomero 7+. The shoe is virtually unchanged from its predecessor. So take that as you will; fans of the Zoom Vomero 7+ will love the Zoom Vomero 8+, those who felt that the Zoom Vomero 7+ wasn't for them won't find any redemption with this new update.

I have to admit right here that I was never a Nike runner. I had always seen them as shoes that you could get at any old department store or sport-inspired apparel and footwear stores. It would have been a serious runner faux-pas to be seen in Nikes; after all, the Swoosh could be found on almost any jogger out there in long basketball shorts (or sweats in the middle of the summer- yes it's happened). Other than on the track (where Nike offers some of the best spikes ont he market), no serious runner would be caught dead in Nikes... right? Well, maybe not so much. These Vomeros slid across my desk a month ago, and not being one to pass up at the chance for more shoes to run in, said why the heck not and away I went.

The Zoom Vomero 8 +is a big shoe. It's big on comfort, on cushioning, on colour, and on fit. One of the most immediately noticeable things about the Zoom Vomero 8+ is that it is vibrant. Now, mine are a nice royal blue with white (pictured) but they come in neon orange, neon green and neon yellow- screamingly bright, big colours. It seems as though Nike has been going this direction as of late, as many of their new flyknit shoes coming out are in bright neon colours (have you SEEN the new Nike frees?). Yet the Zoom Vomero 8's looks are pretty basic. For a shoe that is $175 CDN I was expecting a shoe that just looked a little more flashy. Maybe I'm basing it off the fact that it's main competition group includes the ever flashy GEL Nimbus and Glycerin, I was expecting something a little more. But as I put the Zoom Vomero 8+ on my foot I can see the advantage of not having all that flashy excess in the stitching. The Zoom Vomero 8+ offers a seamless toe box and minimally seamed midfoot for a very roomy and comfortable shoe. For people who are prone to chafing around their metatarsals or blisters around their toes, the Vomero 8+ offers a welcome roomy, seamless fit. The shoe runs wide through the toe box, so for people who like their toes to splay a bit or for people who need the extra space, the Vomero 8+ works fine. My narrow foot runs nice and comfy in the shoe and Runner's Mark mastermind Carl, whose foot runs wide, says he loves the fit as well.

The Vomero 8 runs on an ultra-plush Nike CUSHLON midsole. Featuring a traditional 12mm drop from a 30 to 18mm stack height and coming in at a portly (by today's standards) 11oz (men's size 9), the Vomero 8 is a beefy shoe. It is out to challenge the other neutral, fully cushioned giants like the GEL Nimbus, the Glycerin, and the NB1080; and in regards to pure comfort and cushion, the Vomero 8+ more than rises to the challenge.

The Vomero 8+ is also fully NikePlus capable- put in your Nike pod and hook it up to you iPod/iPhone/ Nike Sportwatch/ other NikePlus products. It's pretty neat technology.

Not all is well in the world of the Vomero 8+ however. For people looking for a fast shoe to do quicker workouts or track work, you might want to think a little more about your shoe choice. The Vomero 8+ is a heavy shoe geared for heel striking comfort. Forefoot strikers won't like the traditional 12mm drop, the high stack height (which I personally feel like I'm wearing platform shoes), and the heavier weight. I also have a gripe with the bottom lugs.

The bottom lugs are almost like individual "caterpillar" squares. They offer amazing grip, such that these would transition well onto all but the most rugged surfaces (even then they might work out just fine), but for doing speed work in them they fall short of what you would want. Speedier workouts seemed to cause the treads to move and compress individually too much while running- they are just too soft to be doing anything quick. The individual lugs move and slide more than what I would like while doing some up-tempo work, causing more friction on the underfoot than speed work really calls for.

The Vomero 8+ offers a plush, comfortable ride for those looking for an everyday, high mileage trainer. It offers "go anywhere" traction, and a traditional heel drop. This should be a go-to for neutral heel strikers looking for a soft ride. For people looking to be doing some faster training or if you are more of a new-age, fore foot runner, the Vomero offers a comfortable ride to be sure, but won't do you any favours with its weight, high stack height, and traditional heel drop.

~E