900 Reasons to Buy Newton Running Shoes

Jul 31, 2012 by Greg Fowler

The couple of long time followers of my blog know that I am a big fan of Newton running shoes. I really don’t have 900 reasons to buy Newton shoes, but I do have a pair of 2011 Newton Gravity’s with over 900 miles on them.  That’s kind of 900 reasons.  Here’s a picture (right) of the my old pair with 900+ miles compared to a new pair. Notice how the lugs are worn toward the toe.

 

Why Newton?

I’ve used “traditional” running shoes, and I’ve tried “minimalist” running shoes. What I have found with the Newtons is they strike a balance between wanting the lower heel-to-toe drop of minimalist shoes and actually having some shock absorbation that the minimalist shoes don’t offer.

So, with my 2011 Newton Gravity’s over the 900 mile mark, I decided it was time for a new pair.  I was headed to one of my favorite shopping locations, Charlotte, NC,  and planned to stop in at the Charlotte Running Company to buy a new pair.  I still don’t have a local retailer. I could have ordered them online, but I wanted to compare a 10 vs. a 10 1/2.  I also wanted to try on a different model of Newtons called the MV2.

I arrived at the store late one Saturday morning a couple of weeks ago.  The had the 2012 Gravity’s but only in 10 1/2.  Unfortunately, these were too big.  Well, the manager (I think) got on the phone for a minute, then told me he’d be right back if I could wait about 15 minutes.  No problem.  I just drove 2 hours, so I didn’t mind.  I think he grabbed a 9 or 9 1/2 box of Newtons and headed out the door.

While waiting, I tried on the MV2’s.  These are sort of the ‘racing flats’ of the Newton line, geared for shorter distances.  They were way too tight for me in the toe box.  Oh well, I couldn’t afford two pairs of Newtons anyway.  I think they were yellow, too.  Not really my style.

Now I was “forced” to shop in the running store for a few more minutes. Darn.  The manager returned shortly with the 10’s.  These fit well and I took them.  I’m not sure if he met a guy in a back ally to swap shoes or happened to have a agreement with a competitor up the road to swap the 9 for the 10.  Didn’t matter to me.  That was great customer service.

Break In

When I bought my 2011 Gravity’s last year, they cautioned me to build up slowly with these.  The lugs on the sole really work your feet and legs differently.  I heeded their advice and only did short runs in them of two miles or less for a week or two.  I figured this year I was in the clear, having run in the old model for a year.  Nope.  The first thing I noticed was that the new shoes worked my feet and calves differently again, just like in 2011.  By mile 4 of the first run, I knew I better build up slowly again as I had some discomfort in my left foot and calf.  By the third short run, I was OK, though.  I still haven’t gone over a 5 mile run in them, but the discomfort is gone.  I’ll slowly build up to longer runs in the 2012’s while phasing out my 2011’s.

POFIFOTO!

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One Tip to Fight Blisters

Jul 18, 2012 by Greg Fowler

During my first year of running, I battled many opponents – motivation (I’m tired!), chaffing (ouch!), and and an out of shape body that protested on many fronts.  Many of these body battles were blisters and hot spots on my feet.  These became a real problem the last 6 weeks or so before my first marathon as I started running longer distances in training.

Obviously, foot blisters are not what you want as a runner.  I even committed the cardinal sin of race day at my first marathon – trying something new.  In an effort to thwart the hot spots,  I applied mole skin to the bottom of my foot.  If you don’t know, moleskin is a thin, adhesive bandage material used to prevent rubbing.  I bought a pack of it and cut a shape to contour my foot, covering the hot spot area.  I tested the day before the race, only by walking around, not by running.

On race day, I set out with the moleskin in place.  By mile 4, I was in trouble.  I could tell a blister was forming in a different spot.  See, the mole skin was doing its job on the target spot, but it was causing a problem on another spot. Arggh!

I stopped around mile 6,  took off my sock and shoe, and removed the moleskin.  It was too late, though.  The blister was there, on the side of my foot.  I then proceeded to re-tie my shoe too tight to try to prevent slipping.  Then I ran the last 20 miles in pain.  Well, more pain than a marathon should, anyway.  At the end, I had a massive blister that took a long time to heal.

My solution to blisters turned out to be very simple.  I learned to tie my shoes – differently.   Thanks to Mike at The Extra Mile in Charleston, SC for teaching this to me. This works best on a pair of shoes that have that last eyelet that is slightly lower than the next to last one.  I always wondered why that eyelet was there.

Here’s how to do this:

1.  Lace your shoes but skip the next to last hole on each side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Then insert them back into the next to last hole from the outside, creating a loop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Cross the string, taking each end of the string through the opposite side loop.

4. Now you can pull on the string to tight the shoe around the top of the foot, while leaving the strings looser over the toes.  This keeps your shoe from moving around and causing blisters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since I made this change two-plus years ago, I have not had blister problems.  If you struggle with blisters or hot spots, give this a try.  Let me know your results.

POFIFOTO!

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Thanks iFitness Customer Service

Jul 9, 2012 by Greg Fowler

A while back, I wrote a review about a hydration belt by iFitness that I was using.  In that post, I mentioned the bottles leaked.  For whatever reason, it never occurred to me to contact iFitness and talk to them.  Fortunately, they eventually saw my post and contacted me.  Within a couple of days, I had new bottles that were designed to prevent the leaks I had mentioned.  Apparently they had addressed this problem, but some old style bottles still made it out to market.

I’m happy to report the new bottles work much better – no leaks. The new bottles top no longer have a pop-up spout.  You just turn up the bottle and suck in.

So, thanks, iFitness.  I now give the product an A rating.

You can read the old review here: http://palmettostaterunner.com/?p=1181

Here’s a picture of the differences in the bottle tops:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, here’s a reminder:  Still a little bit of time left to enter the drawing for a pair of Injinji socks.  Follow this link to learn more: http://palmettostaterunner.com/?p=1381

POFIFOTO!

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Give Your Toes Independence!

Jul 3, 2012 by Greg Fowler

Two years ago, I bought my first pair of Vibram Five Fingers (VFF’s) and first pair of Injini Socks on the same day.  As you may know, VFF’s are “barefoot” shoes that have pockets for each toe.  So, if you want to wear socks with VFF’s, then you need some toe socks to go with them.

I decided wearing some ’70’s vintage striped knee high toe socks would push the ‘you look ridiculous’ meter over the top with the VFF’s.  I opted for Injinji’s instead.  Plus, they are moisture-wicking, which I don’t think had been invented  when those original toe socks came out.

These days, I rarely wear the VFF’s, but I do wear Injinji socks on almost every run.  They work just fine in regular shoes.  I still like Swiftwick as well, but right now, I favor the Injinji’s.  The moisture-wicking is great and the toe pockets prevent blisters and maybe even give the toes a little bit of independence.

Injini Giveaway

To celebrate the Fourth of July and try to increase readership of this site, I am giving away one pair of Injinji socks to a subscriber.  This is not a media sample (I don’t have any of those yet!) and is coming out of my own pocket.  To enter the drawing, follow these two steps:

1. Leave a comment on this post with your shoe size.  The socks come in sizes, so I’ll need to know what to get you.

2. Sign up for this blog’s mailing list, if you do not already receive the e-mail updates.    The form is at the bottom of this post and also at the top of the right column on this site.  I will not share your address with anyone else.

If you already receive the e-mail updates, and are reading this in email, simply leave a comment with your shoe size at this link: http://palmettostaterunner.com/?p=1381.

At 9pm Eastern time on Wednesday, July 11th 2012, I will randomly select one name from the e-mail list.  I’ll contact the winner via e-mail Wednesday evening or Thursday morning to get shipping address details.  Sorry, Mom, you are not eligible.

Have a fun and safe Independence Day!

POFIFOTO!

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Four Strategies for Vacation Workouts

Jun 27, 2012 by Greg Fowler

Last year our family went on a week long beach vacation.  I wrote about my obsessive run plan for the trip in this old post: Vacation Running. I’m not taking a summer beach trip this year, but I think I’d do some things differently now, no matter where we go.  Here are some ideas for you.

Four Strategies for Taking Your Workout With You on Vacation.

1. Don’t do any workouts at all.  Blasphemy, I know. This would definitely be the hardest for me, but I am improving (I think).  My problem is sitting still.  I don’t mind lounging by the pool for a bit, but after a while, I want to move around.  Just remember – it is a vacation after all.  Missing one week of workouts won’t set you back.  You may be surprised that nagging injuries may heal up.  Plus, if you’re vacationing at Disney World or the Grand Canyon, you’ll more than likely not feel like putting any extra miles on your feet.  Your body needs rest time, too.

2.Cross train.  No place to bike or swim at home? Why not try it on vacation?  If you are at a beach location, then try swimming in the ocean or find a pool with a lap lane.  Also, coastal locations can be perfect to try some cycling with the lack of hills.  Many resorts have bike rentals for riding on the beach.  Some resorts, like Hilton Head, have extensive bike paths inland.  These are often shady – a nice bonus during summer heat.

3. Cut mileage way down for the week.  Why not limit your self to one “Rave Run”?  Take a minimal amount of gear and plan a run around a must see location. This could be a plain beach run at sunrise or a  local State Park trail run (see post: Myrtle Beach State Park).  This way, you see something new and you compromise with the mental hurdle of a complete layoff .  If you are going to a cooler locale, there may be some local 5K or 10K’s going on.  Show up and register on race day. You may even get a shout out from the race awards announcer for coming a long way to the race.

4. Engage family members.  I hope that most people think a family vacation is about connecting with family.  Why not introduce them to your obsession?  They don’t have to do a long run or even run at all.  If you’re on the beach, just take a few long walks and throw in a light jog for 100 yards every now and then.  You could visit a local park and walk around.  How about a hike in the woods?  It is not hard.  Just ask them along.  Who knows where that might lead.

Any other suggestions?  Leave a comment below.

POFIFOTO!

 

 

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