launch pad
Jul 4th 2008adminEugene & Running
ESPN writer Jim Caple is in town to write about the trials, and in a very flattering article published today he writes about Eugene and the town’s dedication to the sport of track and field.
Race organizers reversed the course this year, sending the toughest part of the run to miles 9 and 10. Does this mean the course switches every five years? A little barbaric, given how painful those last two miles were, but this race was built to hurt so nevermind that. The best part of the CMTR is the scenery. 1,500 ft above the Ocean, with views of the Beach North of Florence..running through Coastal Rainforest. Incredible.
Butte to Butte is coming in two weeks. As a road race, the Butte is harder on the knees, but the community involvement, timing (July 4), and buzz of the B2B makes it Eugene’s perfect kick-off to another amazing Northwest summer.
My new 2007 Brooks Beasts are here - ordered through Zappos, received them THE VERY NEXT DAY w/free shipping. Zappos is good stuff.
I’ve put all of 7 miles on them this week. They are lighter, faster, and have a more stable heel than the 2006 model. I’m very impressed. When manufacturers modify a running shoe, especially a classic, one designed around a niche group of people (extreme motion control needs), they risk annoying runners with a new fit. Those runners might then test a competitor’s shoe and like it more. Not so with this shoe. Brooks took the right risks with this shoe. It’s a solid update.
Tomorrow morning I will register to run the Cape Mountain Run just North of Florence, just South of the Sea Lion Caves. I ran this one in 2005…in sweatpants…I was slow. Just under 2 hours for a 10 mile run is slow. My goal this year is to run it in under 100 minutes. In 2005 I weighed at least 198. Now I weigh slightly under 190. Every ounce lost is speed gained - especially on those brutal Cape Mountain Hills!
The best part of the Cape Mountain Run is the food afterwards. Actually, that may be the best part of any organized run. Also, the prizes. Your odds of winning a prize in this race are good. Lots of consolation prizes. Some of them funny.
If you haven’t signed up for the Cape Mountain and want to try something different, here’s the race day form.
I am on a mission to determine which company has the best motion control running shoes. So far I have tried the Saucony Grid Stabil and Brooks Beast.
The Saucony Grid Stabil is a nice shoe, lightweight w/great cushioning but not as stable as some shoes with a more stable instep. I ran the Portland Marathon in this shoe so I know it is functional.
The Brooks Beast is also a very solid shoe. An excellent name for the shoe because that’s exactly what it is - a Beast. The more I run however, and after losing 8-9 pounds of dead weight, the more I find that the beast gives me a “clydesdale” gait when I run. I want something lighter, more nimble, with the best cushioning I can get.
So I’m going to try the Asics Gel Evolution II. Asics are almost too comfortable. Until recently, flat-footed guys like me haven’t been in their business plan. Check back for a review of the Evolution in the weeks to come.