Garmin 210 - trouble keeping track on the track

A shot of the track from this morning

Today's workout (track): 8 x 400's plus 3 mile run

Since I'm racing again next Sunday, I wanted to get in a little speed work before I taper my training next week. This morning I headed over to the local high school track to run some intervals. There were a handful of runners and walkers already on the track when I arrived but the lanes were fairly clear. I brought a stopwatch as well as my Garmin and I ended up using the FR 210 to record my runs and used the stopwatch to time my rest periods between intervals.

I didn't run the intervals hard. My goal was to do mile-equivalents a little faster than my 5K race PR and I managed to average 8:06 across eight quarter miles. I hoped that would recruit enough fast twitch fibers to give me some speed when I ran the following three miles (5K actually) and it did. I averaged 8:45 for that run.

A clear margin of error

The Garmin did not do a good job capturing my route. The picture above is a grab from Google Earth using the imported KMZ file. I stayed primarily in a middle lane but the GPS interpreted that much differently. Even though the 210 is always a little off I still like it a lot. It's great to be able to run without swapping the foot pod every time I change shoes. Especially in the case of the Hattori's that don't even have a place to attach a foot pod.

I'm really happy with today's workout. While I'm still not speedy, I've proven to myself that I can run sub-9:00 paces when I need to. The Hattori's were interesting to use on the track and they responded well when I took off in a sprint to begin each interval. I haven't decided what I'll do for tomorrow's Memorial Day workout but I am hoping to fold in a bike ride or two before I return to the office.

First run in the Saucony Hattori's

The Hattori's are a simple solution

Yesterday's run (Central Park): 3 miles
Today's run (street): 5.15 miles

Occam's Razor promotes the principle that we should tend towards simpler theories. William of Okham probably wasn't thinking about running shoes back in the 14th century but the idea still holds. This morning I went for my first run wearing the new Saucony Hattori's and the experience made me really question why running shoes (even some "minimalist shoes) need so much material, cushioning and height. The Hattori is so simple but it lacks nothing.

I put the Hattori's on over my thinnest pair of running socks and wished I had socks that were even thinner. If I were more comfortable running without socks I would have done that. With socks, the fit was tight, even though the shoes were my size - 10.5. But tight in this case means snug. The flexible upper stretches like a SPIbelt so there was no consequence to my toes even though I ran in them for five miles.

Another thought that kept recurring as I ran was the idea of proprioception, an awareness and connection to the ground. Although the Kinvaras are a minimal style shoe, they stand more than 20 mm off the ground and have a difference of about 6 mm between heel and front. The Hattori sits your foot just 4 mm from the ground with zero drop and you notice that right away as you take your first strides. You can really feel the ground so you better be striking forward, lest you land on a piece of gravel on your heel. That will teach you. It's not hard to land forward though, this shoe does that work for you.

I was somewhat concerned that a shoe that offered no real protection and little cushioning would take a toll on me after even five miles but I had no troubles during or afterward. I have been running in the Kinvaras for over a year so perhaps I was already conditioned to a more minimal experience. I loved the feel of these shoes from the first steps off my driveway. I felt like my running was easier than normal throughout my workout.

Yesterday I ran in Central Park with my friend Steve and I wore my Kinvaras. It was sunny, hot and humid and we only covered three miles but it felt far harder than the five miles today. I cannot wait for my next run in the Hattori's but I'll need to get some new socks. Did someone say REI?

It's not summer, but it's Summer Friday

Today is the first of my company’s “Summer Fridays” and it’s appropriate that it falls on the day before Memorial Day weekend. I’m not saying NYC is a ghost town this morning but my office floor is virtually empty. Perfect conditions for a productive morning. Some of my best running adventures have happened on Summer Fridays, including runs across the GW Bridge, the West Side Bike Trails, the Brooklyn Bridge and along the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail. Today I’m running in Central Park around lunchtime with my friend Steve. After that I’ll head home to start my long weekend.

When I got home last night my Hattori’s were waiting for me and I wasted no time trying them on. My daughter pronounced them “even cooler than the Kinvaras.” High praise indeed. The Hattori does not look like a running shoe and, if not for its sturdy mid-sole/out-sole, I would take it for a slipper with a very over-the-top design. The shoe fit me snugly and was extremely comfortable on my foot. I then tried it without a sock and it felt great. But I won’t run that way. Not my style. I think I’ll need to find thinner running socks though.

I resisted temptation to run in the Hattori’s last night and I’m not wearing them on today’s run because the zero drop and flat platform may take a little adjustment. You can bet I’ll be running in them tomorrow, or maybe I'll take them for a spin this afternoon when I get home. After all it is a Summer Friday.

Even Saucony's website is minimal

Click on picture for larger view

I noticed that Saucony has changed the look of their website to super minimal this week to celebrate the launch of the Hattori. I just looked at a pair at the Super Runner's Shop in NYC. Can't wait to try them on.

Going more minimal

Today's workout (elliptical): 25 minutes

The waiting is the hardest part

I've been waiting excitedly for my Hattori's to arrive from Saucony. I was told to expect them early this week but, so far, nothing. I'm curious to see how I'll run in a shoe that provides little in the way of cushioning and with zero drop-off between heel and toe. I've been running in "minimalist" shoes (Saucony Kinvara and now Mirage) for over a year without a problem. The Hattori represents a whole new level of minimal.

Last summer I experimented with pool shoes, running a couple of miles around my neighborhood to see how it felt. Unlike the shoes I was wearing, my pool shoes gave me no option but to land forward in my stride. The downside was that my feet quickly developed blisters. I suppose socks would have helped that but the pool shoes were far too floppy to seriously consider for distance running. I'm hoping the Hattori's provide the same connection to the road that I got from the pool shoes but will also provide the protection and comfort of a trainer.