SportsShoes Blog

Hello everyone. Thanks for coming back.

I’m almost done with week 3 of couch to 5k. The week 3 routine is a 5 minute warm up, then run 90, walk 90, run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes. Times 2. The first run was hard, much harder than previous weeks, but run 2 seemed much better. I’m going tonight for run 3 and then its on to what looks awful, week 4! 5 minute warm up then run 3, walk 1.3, run 5, walk 2.3, run 4, walk 1.3 and finish with a run 5!!! I am not looking forward to that!

As promised last time, I’ve been trying out some more tech. I’ve got an Adidas Run Arm Pocket to hold my iPhone. I was worried it would fall out of my pocket and this is the perfect solution. You can’t see the screen but that doesn’t matter as the instructions are audible.

I’ve also been playing with MiCoach. I really like it! I haven’t even tried any of the tuition yet but just for tracking the runs its fantastic!

MiCoach from Adidas

The graph you can see is just a static version of what you get on their website. You can track all aspects of your run / cycle etc… You can clearly see the run walk components of week 3. I’ve really enjoyed playing with it and I’m sure to real athletes it would be an invaluable tool. I want to try the assessment and coach side of things but that will be in a few weeks time once I’ve completed couch to 5k.

On the injury front, I think I’m suffering from mild shin splints in my left leg. Its not bad but I can feel something. I guess its because my body hasn’t done anything in years so I’ll just keep and eye on it and see how it goes.

So long for now.

Jamie.

During my extended period of ‘rest’ while trying to recover from Plantar Fasciitis, all my dog walking, jogging and occasional running has been done in my Walsh Spirit Peak shoes. I’ve had them now for around 3 months and used them on a wide variety of surfaces from road to moorland to alpine trails, so here’s my review.

Walsh, until the ‘Spirits’ came along, were known purely for their fell running shoes and over the past few decades the PB trainers and racers have been undisputed market leaders. There have been a few other contenders who’ve tried their hand at making fell shoes but none really came close to Walsh until the guys from Inov8 took a look over the fence into Walsh’s garden and decided to mix things up a bit.

A quick check of the feet of competitors at any fell race just five years ago would have left you thinking that there was only one shoe to use – Walsh - but now the scene is very different. The increase in popularity of off road running has understandably not gone unnoticed by shoe manufacturers and there are now quite a number of excellent shoes from different manufacturers aimed squarely at fell runners.

Another recent trend in recent years has been the use of trail shoes rather than pure fell shoes in many UK races – particularly those over extended distances where competitors care more about comfort and cushioning than outright grip. Here the guys at Inov8 were cleaning up as they had some very capable trail shoes to compliment their out and out fell racing shoes.

Had Walsh continued to stick solely with fell shoes, they would have risked becoming extinct, they needed to react to their competitors and the changing needs of their customers – and that’s exactly what they’ve done with the excellent Spirit Peak and Spirit Lite trail shoes.

Mine are the Peaks which are almost identical in design to the Lite albeit a little heavier (no surpise there I guess) due to the addition of a little more cushioning and a heel counter to prevent over-pronation (fairly unusual in an off-road shoe).

The first thing I noticed when I got them out of the box were the words ‘made in China’ on the size label – a shame I thought as Walsh have always marketed themselves as not only a British company but a ‘made in Bolton’ company. However, having thought about it, shoes are no different to any other mass produced product, if you want the best and most efficient manufacturing technologies, I’m afraid you simply won’t find them in England – you must look to the East.

On closer inspection, the quality of manufacture is excellent – there’s not a stitch out of place, no glue where it shouldn’t be and all the pieces are exactly the same size and perfectly aligned – I’m sure Norman Walsh and his needle and thread could not have done better!!

The fit of the shoes is excellent and the closure via some fairly standard looking laces and eyelets is solid and instils confidence. Walsh have added a double last eyelet that gives the option of doing some fancy knot work to prevent laces coming loose but personally I think all this is a bit of marketing hype and have never had a problem with good old conventional lacing and a double tied bow.

The mid-sole, at least visually, appears to feature a fairly significant amount of cushioning but thankfully when in use they do not feel too soft and spongy which can make a shoe and its wearer feel totally disconnected to the ground.

The ‘pyragrip’ outer sole has a very simple looking tread pattern featuring large chopped off pyramid shaped squares across the whole of the underside. These are just deep enough to give good grip off road whilst remaining stable enough to be used on hard surfaces. The rubber compound is soft enough to give reasonable traction on most surfaces including wet rock but would not be what I would class as ‘sticky rubber’ so hopefully premature wear shouldn’t be an issue.

The upper on the Spirits is what I would class as a fairly ‘closed’ design with very few access points for water, mud, grit or small stones. This is great for keeping the feet dry in damp / moderate weather but personally I prefer a more ‘open’ design that allows more circulation of air and moisture.

The mild heel counter, which is there to prevent over pronation, appears to work well as the shoes offer a very smooth and stable ride without feeling like you have two blocks of wood nailed to the insides of your feet. As a neutral shoe wearer I was quite concerned about this feature but now I’ve used them I genuinely think it’s a positive feature not a negative.

Overall I think Walsh have done a great job with their first attempt at a modern day trail shoe. For me the styling could be better (they need to take some inspiration from the guys at Salomon) and I would prefer a lighter more breathable material for the upper. Having said that, they pass the ultimate test as you don’t think about them when you’re wearing them. A good shoe just does its job well without being noticed.

I think they’d be very happy in a race like Ben Nevis, long Lakeland runs such as Borrowdale, Langdale or Wasdale where comfy ‘rock capable’ shoes are needed or pounding out the miles in the Hobble or the Fellsman but for short, fast and steep races I’d leave them at home and dig out some Walsh PBs.

At last I think I can feel some improvement in my foot…..

My plantar fascitis came on in the middle of May and I’ve not been able to run more than about 3 miles since - that’s by far the longest lay off I’ve had for over 10 years.

To be honest after 10 years of ever increasing distances and difficulties, I guess I was due an injury so can’t complain too much, but that doesn’t stop it being mega frustrating.

My MRI scan showed an inflamed fascia and damage to my achilles tendon (which I had no idea about). When I asked my doctor friend about my achilles he just said that’s what I should expect after running so far and being so old! Gee thanks Phil.

Anyway, my months of enforced rest and patience seem to be paying off as I’ve done a few 3 mile runs over the past few weeks with very little pain.

However, I’m going to be sensible about this and not do what a lot of folk do and try and come back too soon. I’ve told the Ben Nevis race committee that I can’t make the race - the first time I’ve missed this classic for quite a few years - and I’m concentrating all my efforts into getting bike fit for the 3 peaks cyclo cross in September. I’ve set myself a challenge of riding at least 100 miles a week over the next 4 weeks then resting down for the week before the race.

Once the cross race has been and gone my plan is to try and ease back into running in the last quarter of the year and hopefully be able to get back to full training in January.

Despite all this, me and my long distance pals have still been throwing around some ideas for projects in 2011. The table is creaking with suggestions at the minute some of which include The Bob Graham Round, climbing Mont Blanc, The West Highland Way, The Cuillin Ridge on Skye and even the GR20 trail in Corsica. Add to that the Fred Whitton and Dales Etap bike sportives and next year could be quite busy!!

I was really pleased to read Jamie’s new blog and sincerely hope he manages to battle through the first few weeks of ‘why the hell am I doing this’ to reach the point where suddenly you realise ‘ahhh it all makes sense’.

Not sure about his technology approach though - to me there’s only one thing you need to be a good athlete - a postive mental attiutde.

Wow it’s late - better go get some sleep I’m cycling to work in the morning.

… to my first post in a new blog aimed at total novices by a total novice. Allow me to introduce myself and explain what this blog will be about.

My name is Jamie Lovelock and I’m a Senior Developer at Sportsshoes.com. I work on the computer systems that power the ins and outs of everything we do here. If you’ve ever ordered anything then that order will have passed though my work, and together with the rest of the tech team, we work tirelessly to ensure you have the best experience possible at sportsshoes.com. I’m a geek, loud and proud. My sporting credentials are meek to say the least. I’ve always felt sport should be watched on tv, not partaken in, but I did use to play rugby for my local team. I’m embarrassed to say that was ten years ago and as I fast approach the big three O, I’ve decided to get myself in shape.

As you’ll soon notice from the coming blogs, I love tech in all its forms and I aim to use it in every way possible to aid me on this new adventure. I won’t be doing product reviews as such, but I will be passing on my experiences with the kit that I come into contact with.

So, where am I right now? Well, I started 5 runs ago. I’m not sure what kick started it all, maybe the sporting atmosphere in the office, maybe the fear of hitting 30 and not being able to run for further than 20 yards, who knows but what ever started me off, I’m hooked now.

I found an app for the iPhone called Couch to 5K. It aims to do just that. Get you from your couch to being able to run 5k in 9 weeks! Daunting to say the least. The way it sets out achieving this impossible feat is simple enough. 3 runs a week, with the difficulty increasing every week as your body gets use to moving again. I’m about the complete week 2 and it really is working.

Week 1

The first run starts off with a 5 minute warm up. It recommends stretching and then walking / jogging. I’ve found just a good brisk walk to be ample. After the 5 minutes are up, the friendly voice instructs you to start running for 60 seconds. There is no pace at which to run so you just choose whatever feels comfortable. For me, its a steady jog. Then, after the 60 seconds have passed you are instructed to walk for 90 seconds. The first time I did it, the 90 seconds couldn’t have come soon enough! You repeat this run, walk, run walk for 20 minutes and then have a 5 minute cool down. Now, it sounds really easy and I’m sure if you’ve ever run for more than 50 yards then it is, but if like me (and if you’re still reading this then I hope you’re like me) you haven’t run before its hard work! Just getting the courage to go outside and pit yourself against dog walks, sinister teens and the elements is a challenge in its own right so completing the first run is a great achievement. Stretching out after the run is a must. I was really sore the first few times as my muscles rebelled, rudely awoken from their 10 year slumber. Stretching will really help ease those aches and allow you to continue a few days later.

My second and third runs were a couple of days apart and were the same as the first one.

Now for more tech.

As I’ve said, I’m using my iPhone with Couch to 5K but one of the great things about the new iPhone 4 is the multitasking. In the background, I use a program called ‘Jogger‘ to record my run via GPS and calculate distance, calories burnt etc. It runs at the same time as Couch to 5K and doesn’t get in the way at all. Its great to see the route I’ve taken and I’m really happy when I see that I’m covering 2 miles per run. To me, that’s a long way! I’ll talk about some of the other items of tech that I have, and some of the other programs available for smartphones and ipods in the coming blogs.

As I start to wrap this up for today, I can’t fail to mention the most important item of tech that I have used so far. Unsurprisingly, they are my running shoes.

I’ve tried running in the past and I’ve gotten nowhere. I finally know why! The last time I tried, I just had on a bog standard pair of trainers. Nothing special. Tennis shoes I think they were. What I do know is that there weren’t made for running. I had to stop after no time at all because my joints were killing. I’m a big man, heavy, so I shouldn’t have been surprised when I heard that running puts 3 times your weight through your joints. Working in sportsshoes HQ, I have advice on tap so I was recommended a pair of Saucony Triumph 6 and they are great! So comfortable, and I can honestly say I’ve had no joint pain what so ever since I started. They make the world of difference and I urge you to try a pair of proper running shoes for yourself. There is every bit as much tech in them as is in the software used on the iPhone.

Right, I think that’ll do for now. I hope you’ve found this interesting. I want to try out some new apps including miCoach from Adidas so check back soon to see how your normal joe bloggs gets on with it all.

Jamie.

Follow my progress on twitter @runwalkrunwalk.

Here’s a link to the sportive ride that I did last weekend : http://www.sportkeighley.com/?p=355

As the article says, it really was a very well put together event and one that I’m sure will attract a much bigger entry next year.

For the 88 miles I managed an average speed of 14.7MPH which put me just outside a silver medal - the story of my life…

The organisers had set the medal bands based on the average speed of the steam train that runs between Keighley and Oxenhope - to get silver you needed to average over 15MPH and to get Gold it was 20MPH!!!! As nobody got close to a Gold and only 6 riders managed a silver on the 88 mile course I think the times / speeds were a little challenging to say the least. Anyway, the organisers have agreed to change them for next year so I’ll be back to see if I can grab myself some silverware next year.

It would have been really interesting to see what  a proper rider could have done on the course - I would surprised and mighty impressed if they could have averaged 20MPH although watching the tour the other day they did over 19 in the Pyranees…

I went for the MRI scan on my foot on Wednesday and I’m now waiting for the results - should have them within 10 days.

Although it’s eased with me biking instead of running, there’s definitely still a problem as I did a bit of running yesterday morning whilst coaching a couple of juniors and I could feel it all afternoon.

 Anyway for now I’m enjoying being back on two wheels and looking forward to the 3 Peaks Cyclo Cross - entry in and accepted - sub 4 the goal!!

Hi folks - not much to report I’m afraid but just thought I’d let you know I’m still here.

The injury I picked up in May that ruled me out of the West Highland Way is still with me. This is the first real show stopper I’ve had in over 10 years of running.

I’ve now been for 3 sessions at the Leeds Carnegie Sports Physio department - which hurt! - and I’m booked in for an MRI scan tomorrow evening to try and get to the bottom of the problem.

The only positive is that I can still ride my bike. Wearing stiff soled cycling shoes means that my foot is not flexed at all when I’m riding so I never feel any pain during or after riding.

As a result I’ve been trying to get out on my bike as often as possible to at least maintain some cardio vascular fitness and leg strength.

The one benefit of all this might be that I turn up at the 3 peaks cyclo cross in September in reasonable shape and eventually manage to crack the 4 hour barrier after 7 years of trying.

I did a sportive ride at the weekend around Keighley which was absolutely fantastic - 88 miles of ups and downs around some superb countryside and despite riding along roads and through villages I’d never seen before I don’t think I was ever more than 10 miles from home - and I thought I knew the area pretty well.

I’ve also now received my Level 2 coaching badge so my efforts during last year have finally been rewarded. Despite my injury I’m still taking the quality sessions at Bingley Harriers on a Tuesday evening to try and improve my friends’ fitness and times even if I’m crocked….

I’ll report back soon with the findings of the scan. Hopefully after tomorrow I’ll have an idea of exactly what I need to do to get better and how long it’ll take.

Andy

Quakers Running Club

Quakers Running Club, which is based in Darlington, Co. Durham, was formed in May 1995 with a membership of just six. Since those early days the club has developed a reputation as being one of the friendliest and most welcoming of clubs in the North-East of England. Over the years the club has increased its membership to around two hundred and is more than happy to welcome all abilities into the sport. Let’s face it, we all had to start somewhere and you don’t need to be an Olympic athlete to get enjoyment out of running and athletics.

Whether you just want to start running for the sake of fitness, or you’re just about to do your first 10k road race or your 25^th London Marathon, we can help you get through it. Our runners participate in a variety of events which include road running, cross-country, fell running and track and field. In addition we are also experienced in orienteering, trail running and ultra distance running. Non members are actively encouraged to come along see what the club has to offer and no charge is made for attending these sessions, our hope is that you will enjoy running and training with us, will keep coming back and will eventually join the club.

Quakers Running Club

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See below for reviews:

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Item Tested and reviewed:

Saucony Lady Hydrator Sports Tops

review of Saucony Lady Hydrator Sports Top

PRICE: £11.99

Reviewed by: Gillian Harris

Star Rating (Out of 5): 5

Best Points: Nice & soft, light weight. Fitted well without being too baggy / tight. Dried quickly after exercise keeping cold sweat away from your back. Washed well.

Worst Points: Didn’t like the idea of a zip, but once worn zip wasn’t uncomfortable. Top clicked first time on.

Other Comments:

Would buy top, reasonably priced at £11.99

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Reviewed by: Carol Penney

Star Rating (Out of 5): 4

Best Points: Good wicking during warm training sessions

Worst Points: Neck too high which was irritating along with the zip

Other Comments:

Good value for an Autumn weather top. Nicely finished cuffs to stop sleeves falling down

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Item Tested and reviewed:

Saucony Long Sleeve Running Top

Review of Saucony Long Sleeve Running Top

PRICE: £11.99

Reviewed by: Charles Bogg

Star Rating (Out of 5): 4

Best Points: Good comfortable fit in chest, shoulders & under arm without being too baggy in waist. More accurate/true sizing than some other brands.

Worst Points: If there has to be one, Brand name blazoned across chest. Doesn’t add to any design features and pointless for a base layer garment.

Other Comments: Good soft feel & flat seams. Remained comfortable when wet.

Did not rub when wet

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Reviewed by: Jeff Marriott

Star Rating (Out of 5): 3

Best Points: Comfortable fit.

Worst Points: Didn’t wick sweat away from the arms.

Other Comments:

Good mid layer item at a reasable price.

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Reviewed by: Anthony Corbett

Star Rating (Out of 5): 4

Best Points: Comfortable, generally a good fit and length and lightweight.

Worst Points: Sleeves a little long, slight concern how long the large logo will last after numerous washes.

Other Comments:

Personally only wear long sleeve tops in the winter and therefore this would be too lightweight for me. However great for those who wear long sleeves all year.

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Yeovil Town Road Running Club

Yeovil Town Road Running Club is a running club for everyone- from those running for the fun of it to those running to lose weight and also those running with another goal in mind, such as the London Marathon or any other event. With 130 members there will always be someone with a similar pace to run with. Yeovil Town Road Running Club is the ideal club in the South Somerset area.

Yeovil Running Club

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See below for reviews:

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Item Tested and reviewed:

Brooks Lady Nightlife Sprinter Short Tight

Brooks Lady Nightlife Sprinter Short Tights

PRICE: £14.99

Reviewed by: Amanda Inch

Star Rating (Out of 5): 3

Best Points: Really comfortable

Worst Points: Baggy in places, elastic on the legs too tight and Day-Glo yellow strip see through!

Other Comments:

Shame about the weird fit because otherwise they were comfortable to run in!

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Reviewed by: Debbie Neal

Star Rating (Out of 5): 4

Best Points: Comfortable fit. The colours - black & fluorescent yellow go with club colours. Long enough to be decent but not too hot

Worst Points: Leg elastic a bit tight - though not noticeable when running. Crotch a bit baggy when standing still - if I’d tried them on in a shop I might not have bought them because of that - ok if you wear a long top to hide it. Brooks label peeling off after 2 wearings and 1 cool wash.

Other Comments:

None.

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Item Tested and reviewed:

Saucony Elite Split Running Shorts

Saucony Elite Split Running Shorts

PRICE: £24.99

Reviewed by: Phil MacQuaid

Star Rating (Out of 5): 5

Best Points: Very comfortable with loose legs

Worst Points: None!

Other Comments:

Did not rub when wet

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Reviewed by: Nick Brooke

Star Rating (Out of 5): 4

Best Points: Very comfortable, supports well. Easy to use pocket at back. Very light feeling and unimpeding to movement.

Worst Points: Slightly sweaty liner

Other Comments:

These might not be my favourite shorts but could quickly become my second favourites!

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Reviewed by: Martin Chaffey

Star Rating (Out of 5): 5

Best Points: Very comfortable straight out the bag

Worst Points: None

Other Comments:

Good wicking – will have to try on a long run

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Pensby Runners

Pensby Runners are based in Wirral, Merseyside UK. They were started in October 1986 and are now are a well established running club with about 85 members.

Pensby Running Club

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See below for reviews:

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Item Tested and reviewed:

Roger Black Running Hydration And Hi-Viz Gift Pack

Review of Roger Black hydration pack

PRICE: £14.99

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Reviewed by: Roy Fisher

Star Rating (Out of 5): 3

Best Points: Comfortable and good value at web prices of £14.95

Worst Points: Mouthpiece technique was difficult to learn and then do whilst running fast. Too little room for other items when full of water.

Other Comments:

I rarely carry water except on long runs on hot days – I usually hydrate before the run. I nearly filled the bladder for my 9 mile trial run which at 2 litres was unnecessarily heavy and was less than half used. I tended to drink

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Reviewed by: Andy Morley

Star Rating (Out of 5): 4

Best Points: Light and Comfortable, no noticeable taste tainting of product, which I thought I would notice, plenty of room in bag for extra product, i.e. gels etc.

Worst Points: It took a little while to get used to the mouthpiece. There was no easy storage on the outside of the pack, to enable you to “reach around’, on the run, for another product.

Other Comments:

I found initially that sucking the product through the mouthpiece, as opposed to squirting the product out of a bottle, a little difficult, especially on multi-terrain. Maybe the pack could come with a couple of different mouthpieces, so that you didn’t have to bite it all of the time. Overall I would use the pack for Marathon training where I would need extra fluids. It would also be very useful for cyclists.

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Reviewed by: John and Lesley Keyworth

Star Rating (Out of 5): 3

Best Points: Good fit for female runner - doesn’t move too much when running. Definitely prefer it to running with a bum bag.

Worst Points: Water container appeared to leak from fastener at first then realised it needed another turn to secure it. Got it all sorted (without any instructions in package which would have been helpful!) but then found the tube difficult to draw water from.

Other Comments:

Was a good fit for a female but not so good for a larger male. Didn’t hold much once water bag was fitted, so not sure when John would use it. More than likely Les will benefit from this bit of kit. Looks good/light weight and we think it would be useful for a female runner who doesn’t need to carry any extra kit e.g. waterproofs, food etc

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Reviewed by: Andy Smith

Star Rating (Out of 5): 4

Best Points:

Pack: Strong fabric, reflective materials, chest harness, simple and effective design – no frills etc. Good internal security pocket.

Reflective light: very effective.

Worst Points: Drinks bladder not very substantial. Small opening  - will be difficult to clean. A separate lining for drinks bladder would be beneficial to minimise it sloshing around. Waste buckle and strap would also help.

Other Comments:

Very good value – when compared to other makes e.g. camel back.

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Reviewed by: Adrian Mercer

Star Rating (Out of 5): 3

Best Points: Comfortable but tendency to leak when laid flat

Worst Points: moves too much when running

Other Comments:

good for long slow running

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As I write this there are just three weeks and 3 hours to go to the start of the 95 mile West Highland Way Race which I’ve been wanting to do for years and been entered for for the past 6 months.

Also as I write this I’m injured ;-( and this weekend will decide if I make the journey north on the 19th June or not.

2 weeks ago last Tuesday I did a steady run of around 8 miles and could hardly walk when I got home due to the pain in my foot / heel. I rested it and then ran again the following Saturday when it came back again. Since then I’ve had to take two weeks off running including cancelling my entry in the Old Counties Tops race which was last weekend and should have been my last long run out. I’ve been using my bike to keep up my CV but it’s not really a good substitute for long runs in the hills.

Although I’m no expert, having done a bit of google research and talked with a few folk I think I have a case of Plantar Faciitis which is damage to the big muscle that runs along the length of your foot.

As with all these injuries, the only remedy appears to be rest but with the big race looming, I just don’t have time for that.

This weekend I plan to run for an hour on Saturday and then 2-3 hours on Sunday to see what happens. If it’s just a case of a bit of discomfort then I’ll pack plenty of Ibuprofen and still give the race a go but if I find I can’t keep going then I’ll have no option but to throw in the towel.

This is really annoying as my training had been going really well all year and my mileage and mental focus has been building steadily. The 50 mile tour of Calderdale in March and the 72 miles round the peaks in April both went well and put me bang on track for a good run at the WHW but this has really set me back.

If I do get to Scotland on the 19th it’s going to be a real mental and physical battle to get from Glasgow to Fort William. Even writing this in a semi negative way goes against all I preach about ultra running - mental strength and confidence is everything. You simply can’t go into an event like this without being 100% confident of finishing.

I’ll see how I get on over the next 2 days and report back….

By the way, as part of my ‘rest’ two pals and myself climbed Helvelyn at midnight last Friday and bivvied on the summit. We went up via Swirral Edge then came down Striding Edge the following morning in the glorious sunshine - Fantastic. We did this partly for fun - you really ought to try sleeping on top of a mountain without a tent, it’s great - but also to offer support to a group of friends from Pudsey & Bramley running club who were doing the Bob Graham Round. They summitted Helvelyn around 1.20am and we were there waiting for them with cake, cheese and water. What a strange life this fell running lark is….