Why You Should Not Be Too Embarrassed To Run





While out for my early morning run today, I happened across a fellow runner.  He was a big guy and I would not be exaggerating to say he was obese.   It looked as if he was doing a run/walk/run method.  He wasn’t going very fast and I saw him take at least one walk break.  By no means, was he “slacking”.  It was very apparent this guy was putting effort into what he was doing.  As I got closer I couldn’t help but be filled with a sense of admiration.  I said good morning as I passed and continued on my run.

It got me thinking about a conversation I had with another fellow runner, not too long ago.  This lady, who was also overweight, was struggling to “keep with it.”  She told me she would only run on a treadmill because she was “too embarrassed” to be seen in public.  When I asked her why she would be embarrassed for trying to better herself she told me she just didn’t feel like a runner and felt she would be ridiculed by other runners.  I’ll share with you what I told her.

If you are a new runner or even a walker (non-zombie type) aspiring to become a runner DO NOT feel embarrassed by making the effort.  As an experienced runner, I’ve learned that you will encounter two types of people (generally speaking); runners and non-runners.

Runners-

Photo from www.facebook.com/slowisthenewfast

Runners will support you.  Runners respect the effort.  Runners, both new and experienced, will admire you.  Most runners had to learn to become runners ourselves.  I promise you that most do not care about your pace nearly as much as you do.  Runners will tell you “good job” not because they are just trying to be nice, but because they truly understand that what you are doing is not an easy thing to do.  Runners truly are the GREATEST and the most supportive group of people you could ever want to be around.  Slow or fast, runners are filled with pride when they see you making the effort.   Now don’t get me wrong, just like with anything there are those small percentages of runners who think they are God’s gift and that their shit doesn’t stink but I can assure you those are not the majority. 

The first time you stand amongst the crowd at the start of a race you will discover how different each of us are but how much we all have in common.  It's an unforgettable experience and the reason why you don't hear of very many people who only do one race. 

Non-Runners-

There are really two groups of non-runners which I affectionately refer to as the lovers and the haters.

• The lovers admire you just like the experienced runners do.  They are soul searching and have that desire but have not been convinced enough to believe that running is a possibility.  When the lovers see you, you are their role model, their inspiration.  And you are a far greater source of inspiration than the experienced runners.  You’re more relatable.  You’re the person they look at and say “Well hell, if they are doing it, maybe I can too!”
• The haters are the true non-runners.  They have no desire, no interest and are perfectly content spending their life being sedentary.   They are not to be confused with people who are active in some other form of physical activity.  I’m talking about the people that see you while you are running on the side of road and as they pass you in their car they flick you off, drive a little closer to you or even swerve in your direction.  Yes, those people do exist.   As an experienced runner I can assure that these people will laugh and taunt me just as much as they will you.   The topic of safety while running is another thing worth looking into.

You’ve probably seen it worded and phrased in a number of different ways but all of the sayings are trying to tell you the same thing.  If you run, you’re a runner.  It doesn’t matter how fast you go, you’re still lapping they guy/girl on the couch, etc., etc.    The best piece of advice I can give you is to always remind yourself of who you’re doing this for.  Why do you run?  Do you run for that person driving past you?  Are you running for the guy running faster than you in a race?  Are you running to impress “experienced runners”  I think once you start to be honest with yourself about why you run, you will have a much easier time dealing with all of the other negative thoughts that my seem to discourage you.  

So the next time you're out their making the effort don't feel embarrassed, feel proud.  I can assure you there are far, far more people who are being inspired by what you're doing than not.

My First 3sum- An Altra Review

As a happily married man I would have never expected to be writing a post titled "My First 3sum". Suffice it to say, I'm appreciate Altra affording me the opportunity to do so, even if it is only in regards to their new tri shoe.

Although, as luck would have it, I did find this to be one sexy looking shoe.  As a shoe that was designed with the triathlete in mind I was not sure if these would be a good fit for me.  But after logging about 50 miles in these shoes I've found that they can work for us running simpletons, as well.   The 3sum is a lightweight shoe built on a semi-firm 18mm zero drop platform and offers a comfortable ride most suitable for short to mid distance runs.  While it's true that some minimalist shoes can have a zero heel to toe difference ratio, not all Altra Zero Drop™ shoes are minimalist.  They actually offer a wide range from minimal to cushioned shoes.  You can learn more about Altra here.  

When I first tried the shoe on, I did so with thin sock.  There was some noticeable slipping in the heel, despite the good forefoot fit.  (as a side note this shoe was not as wide as the Superior, which was a bummer for me but they were still more roomy than most traditional shoes)  I switched to medium thickness sock and this took care of the slipping but made the forefoot area feel tighter.  Finally, I gave in and tried it sock-less.  The seamless upper, built in tongue and padding in the heel area make this a shoe that appears to be built to be worn sock-less.   After doing a couple of test runs both with and without socks, I found the ride more enjoyable and the fit more secure without socks and the problem of the heel slipping was no longer a factor, once I was running.  I was a little leery about blisters from running sock-less but after several runs, with one has far as 10 miles, in the heat, that has not occurred.  Outside of my one, what we will call "dork run" in which I wore a thin sock on one foot and sock-less on the other, all of my runs in these shoes have been sock-less.   In the dork run I didn't notice any significant difference in the overall fit of the shoe, however the shoe did seem more breathable on the sock-less foot. 



built up cushioning in the heel.



 These shoes come with a quick lace system by a company called Yankz which allows for a quick easy on and off when transitioning. The quick lace system can be a bit intimidating if you have not used them before. However, once they are properly adjusted it is a nice added feature. The key to the adjustment is not to make them too tight.  After they are adjusted properly it's recommended that you knot and cut off the excess lace.  Rather than doing that I chose to tuck  the extra lace in the laced area in hopes that I can use them in my next pair of shoes. I replaced a quick lace with a traditional shoe lace just to see if it changed the comfort or fit.  I didn't see any noticable difference in the two.  So +1 for the lazy side of me that doesn't want waste time tying shoes. 

A couple other features of this shoe which were a bit out of my norm were the eyelet holes at the tongue and in the heel, the higher heel counter and the holes in the sole of the shoe.  I learned more about these from my expert triathlete friends, the Midwest Misfits. 

• The eyelet holes at the tongue and heel are designed to assist with getting the shoes on quickly when transitioning during a triathlon.  But it also suited me well, from a laziness stand point (another +1). 

• The higher heel counter is due the eyelet in the heel but if you fold that down, which is called "training" your shoe, it will keep it from rubbing on your skin.   These folded easily and stayed down.  Apparently with some shoes you need to use a rubber band, when not wearing them, to help reshape the heel.   That wasn't the case here. 

• The holes in the bottom of the shoe are intended as drainage holes.  I didn't get an opportunity to run through any water so I can't say how well they do the job.

"Trained" shoe with the insole removed



As with anyone new to the minimalist or zero drop running it's a good idea to make a slow transition into these shoes.  Visit the AtlraZeropDrop.com website to learn more.  At 8.2 oz and a performance like feel, I think Altra nailed it with these!

And, just in case you were wondering what these bad boys look like after the first 50 miles

The Altra 'Superior' Experience- Review

I would put myself in the category of an experienced runner and would maybe go so far as to even say I’m a bit of shoe connoisseur.  In my time running, I've gone through lots and lots of different styles of shoes from just about every major running shoe manufacturer out there.   But, again, I'm far from being an expert on the topic.  So why, do you ask, am I now deciding to make a feeble attempt at doing a shoe review?  Because my experience in these shoes was truly 'Superior' to anything I have experienced in my running tenure.   For me not to share my experience would be a disservice to all the fellow Run JunkEes.

Over the past several months I've been on a mission to find the perfect, minimal, trail shoe.  Rewind, I've actually been on a mission to find the perfect shoe since I became a runner, way back in 2006, but recently I have been searching for a new trail shoe.  I wanted something that could provide a mix of everything that I've been looking for; roomy up front, snug in the heal, light weight, decent protection, minimal heel drop, cushioned but firm, and of course something that screams..."Get me dirty!"  I’ve purchased and returned so many pairs of trail shoes in the past month; I'm practically on a first name basis with the refund/exchange department at Runningwarehouse. It's gotten so comical that some of the shoes would barely make it out of the box and I was already slapping the return label on.  They were sent back because they were too heavy, too narrow, not enough protection, etc. Each time I made my next choice, I'd consider the Superior, but I was really skeptical that my legs could handle a zero drop shoe, especially on the trails.  People kept saying give them a try.  I'd listened to podcast reviews, read reviews on-line, but despite all of the positive responses, I'd still choose a different pair.  Finally, it got to the point that there were no other shoes (on my list) so I gave in and order the Altra Superiors.

I'm not exactly a novice to the minimal experience.  I had just recently made it as far as 26.2 in a 4mm drop shoe, but still experienced hip fatigue after about 15 miles.  I also had what I would consider normal soreness the following day.  As someone who has always been a heavy heel striker, the transition to a more minimal shoe, for me, was a slow one.  (Learn more about heel drops here. ) I'd gotten to the point where I enjoyed the minimal shoes on the road but not so much on the trails.  Since I was focusing on a lighter weight shoe, most of what I was wearing offered very little in the way of protection or cushion.  The Superiors were far from what I had been wearing.

 First Impressions



The Superior is a deceptively light shoe-I think   Running warehouse has it listed around 10 oz, which is still on the lighter side for a trail shoe.  Looking at some of the pictures I envisioned them to be heavier. The design of the shoe was narrow in the heel and wide in the toe box, the sole design was also different than anything that I had seen before.  The tread on the shoe actually goes in both directions. From what I've read, it's designed to help with the uphill and downhill traction.  There's also a lip that protrudes from the heal which resembles a skid plate.  One thing that I was concerned about was the straps that are on either side of the shoe.  I'm not sure of their intended purpose but I worried they could be easily caught on something while running the trails.   They only thing I disliked about the shoe was the length of the laces, but in the grand scheme of things, this wasn't a deal
breaker.  When I slipped my feet into these bad boys I instantly knew I had found the fit I was looking for.  They felt like slippers on steroids!! They were soft and roomy, but did not remind me of the other minimal shoes I’ve worn.  While the heel drop was noticeable, so was the combination of support and cushion.  I don’t like a super cushioned shoe but in those longer runs it is nice to have a little something there.

Another feature of these shoes which I thought was interesting was the removable rock plate.  Without it, the shoe felt a little less firm. For me, keeping it in provided the perfect blend of cushioned but firm.  I will point out here, that the more minimal shoes I had tried in the past were lacking in the rock protection department.  I would venture to guess the rock plate in the Superiors would account for an ounce or two of the overall weight.

The Run

Now, I should mention here that this run was my final long run of my 50k training plan. Having done my share of long runs over the past two months, I had a pretty good idea of how I would feel both during and after the run.   The trails I run consist mostly of grass, dirt (mud), tree roots and small rocks. These trails were certainly more along the lines of a less technical trail, with average hills of 100 to 200 feet.  On this particular run, much of the area had experienced localized flooding.  These shoes got nice and wet and muddy.  At one point I was attempting to traverse a swampy mucky area and my foot ended up in the water.  While these are not waterproof shoes, the shoes drained the water well and with the help of the moisture wicking socks, kept my feet dry.   Personally, I feel most waterproof/weatherproof shoes are too stiff and constricting.



The heel "skid plates"

I had worn the shoes on a quick road run just to make sure I was good with the feel and fit and two days later took them out for the big test, a 20 mile trail run.  To say I was beyond pleased in the performance of these shoes would be an understatement. I was blown away by how great my legs and especially my hips felt throughout this entire run.  I was 15 miles into the run and running up hills like I had just started out.  The tread provided a satisfactory grip on the wet hills.  I was probably 18 miles into the run when I remember saying out loud for the 4th or 5th time. "I can't believe how great my legs feel!"  By mile 19 I was trying to convince my running partner that he needed to buy a pair of these shoes. I even laughed at myself for sounding like a cheap salesmen.  I really had no complaints about this shoe.  Even the little straps on the side were a non-factor.  One thing that intrigued me- I never tripped during this run.  Almost without exception, every trail run I go on there is at least one or two times I will catch the front of my foot on a tree root or rock and stumble.  I'm not sure why this didn't happen on this run or even if the shoe had anything to do with it but it was an unexpected, pleasant surprise.

Almost more impressive than the run experience was how I felt the next morning. I awoke with full anticipation of being sore. As I started to get out of bed I realized I felt pretty damn good. I had virtually no soreness. This was truly a first for me. I know my training leading up to this run was partly responsible for my lack of soreness as was my slow transition to a more minimal shoe. However, there is no doubt the Altra design was also to blame. About two days after this run I did have some slight soreness in my glutes, which was not something I normally experienced after a run.  To me, this indicated these shoes changed my stride enough that it relieved the stress on my hip area and engaged larger muscle groups.



Rock Plate is the grey piece.

Suffice it to say these shoes held true to their namesake, providing me with a truly Superior running experience.  We will be spending many, many more runs together and I can hardly wait to run my upcoming 50k in them. 



Resting peacefully after their first 20 mile test run