The Running Thread Vol 2

[TeaNoSugar]

Does anyone do fell and/or trail running? I've just about ruined all my current shoes and first off I'm looking to replace a pair of Salomon Speedcross 4.

The issue is that whilst they're very omfortable and reasonably grippy, I'm not sure i want to spend £100 on trainers I know wont last more than 400 miles.

Does anyone know if the gore-tex, or vario or even the new speedcross 5 versions are more durable (particularly in the upper)?

If not, could anyone recommend an alternative? Ive already got some fellraisers and innov8 x-talon 212s but prefer those for races. I'm after something comfortable for up.to 15-20 miles of trail running.

Thanks

[Smitters]

WestyCarl said:

Smitters said:

I would take the Fenix claims with a pinch of salt. Get some opinions certainly, from owners. I have a Fenix 1 bought on the battery claim and it was never close to delivering.

I have a Fenix 3 and the battery is no problems, even after 3yrs of regular use. It's a great watch.

That's good news. The Fenix was advertised with 50 hour battery life while GPS tracking, but even Garmin couldn't tell me the settings required for that.

Coros are supposed to have good battery, but they do have issues too. As ever, DC Rainmaker is the only resource required for watches!


As for my running, I've pinged my shin again. A quicker run, plus a hefty gym session and it's sore again. I'm beginning to fear a stress fracture.

ETA, I also entered the VLM, obviously. But for added spice, I've entered my Mrs. Without telling her.

[Gargamel]

Smitters said:

That's good news. The Fenix was advertised with 50 hour battery life while GPS tracking, but even Garmin couldn't tell me the settings required for that.

Coros are supposed to have good battery, but they do have issues too. As ever, DC Rainmaker is the only resource required for watches!


As for my running, I've pinged my shin again. A quicker run, plus a hefty gym session and it's sore again. I'm beginning to fear a stress fracture.

ETA, I also entered the VLM, obviously. But for added spice, I've entered my Mrs. Without telling her.

See you in the Divorces threads then.... brave man !

[okgo]

Woody John said:

I suspect Sir Mo will call it a day in the marathon after today's disappointing result.
He really was second tier.

He is still a British hero and has won many fans with his charm and charisma over the years.
Super Saturday will live long is our collective memory.

Lets hope he can find his track legs and give it another bash on shorter distances.

Wait, you lot think Farah is legit? Good lord.

Thank god the press ask him the tough questions, poor little snowflake has had it easy for a long time despite some really quite damning stuff.

[RobM77]

eh?

[andy_s]

TeaNoSugar said:

Does anyone do fell and/or trail running? I've just about ruined all my current shoes and first off I'm looking to replace a pair of Salomon Speedcross 4.

The issue is that whilst they're very omfortable and reasonably grippy, I'm not sure i want to spend £100 on trainers I know wont last more than 400 miles.

Does anyone know if the gore-tex, or vario or even the new speedcross 5 versions are more durable (particularly in the upper)?

If not, could anyone recommend an alternative? Ive already got some fellraisers and innov8 x-talon 212s but prefer those for races. I'm after something comfortable for up.to 15-20 miles of trail running.

Thanks

There're others here better qualified no doubt and I don't have direct experience of Salomon shoes but like yourself I use the 212s as a 'short' race shoe (10-20 miles) - longevity isn't good if you run tarmac of course as the soft rubber wears quickly but if you stick to natural terrain they are outstanding.
I say this as I've recently started using the X-Talon 260 Ultra for 'long' runs (20-40) which have the same drop (I note you go from 10mm comfort to 6mm on race day...), same stud pattern but slightly harder compound and a wider toe-box so you don't get that 'bound feet' feeling after a long day, and a slightly higher stack with slightly more cushioning - you still keep that 'connected' feeling to the terrain essentially, but can go further without being overly conscious of them. They've been as good as the 212s on the hill (at my snail like pace!) in terms of grip/connection/stack height but also quite comfortable on land-rover track/trail. Not the comfiest I would guess but a good compromise for me at least.

My wife just did the Fling last weekend, she's more trail/ultra and uses and swears by Brooks PureGrit which has perfectly adequate grip on trail and seems to last well but is cheaper than the inov8s (or so she tells me ) but I'm sure most 'trail' type shoes are all pretty good and it's just a question of fit, drop and adequate grip. For me though the 260 has proven to be a great compromise for trail/track/hill, even though they are perhaps not the most 'comfortable' if comparing to Hoka or more regular trail-specific footwear.

[princeperch]

C0ffin D0dger said:

Didn't run London (maybe one day) but did tackle my first half on Sunday. Thanks for whoever recommended the Shakespeare / Stratford half in an earlier post, was a great run. Didn't quite manage sub 2 hours but happy with 2 hours 2 minutes as a first attempt. Went surprisingly well, managed to keep the pace I wanted over the first two thirds and still had a bit in the legs to try and pick things up towards the end.

Doing a 10k in two weeks, lets see if all this distance work has improved my pace at all!

I was in Stratford too and did the full distance (my 5th marathon in Stratford upon Avon). There is something very British about the Shakespeare marathon. The houses you run past, the fields, the polite old marshalls and the polite little kids giving out sweets.

[TeaNoSugar]

andy_s said:

TeaNoSugar said:

Does anyone do fell and/or trail running? I've just about ruined all my current shoes and first off I'm looking to replace a pair of Salomon Speedcross 4.

The issue is that whilst they're very omfortable and reasonably grippy, I'm not sure i want to spend £100 on trainers I know wont last more than 400 miles.

Does anyone know if the gore-tex, or vario or even the new speedcross 5 versions are more durable (particularly in the upper)?

If not, could anyone recommend an alternative? Ive already got some fellraisers and innov8 x-talon 212s but prefer those for races. I'm after something comfortable for up.to 15-20 miles of trail running.

Thanks

There're others here better qualified no doubt and I don't have direct experience of Salomon shoes but like yourself I use the 212s as a 'short' race shoe (10-20 miles) - longevity isn't good if you run tarmac of course as the soft rubber wears quickly but if you stick to natural terrain they are outstanding.
I say this as I've recently started using the X-Talon 260 Ultra for 'long' runs (20-40) which have the same drop (I note you go from 10mm comfort to 6mm on race day...), same stud pattern but slightly harder compound and a wider toe-box so you don't get that 'bound feet' feeling after a long day, and a slightly higher stack with slightly more cushioning - you still keep that 'connected' feeling to the terrain essentially, but can go further without being overly conscious of them. They've been as good as the 212s on the hill (at my snail like pace!) in terms of grip/connection/stack height but also quite comfortable on land-rover track/trail. Not the comfiest I would guess but a good compromise for me at least.

My wife just did the Fling last weekend, she's more trail/ultra and uses and swears by Brooks PureGrit which has perfectly adequate grip on trail and seems to last well but is cheaper than the inov8s (or so she tells me ) but I'm sure most 'trail' type shoes are all pretty good and it's just a question of fit, drop and adequate grip. For me though the 260 has proven to be a great compromise for trail/track/hill, even though they are perhaps not the most 'comfortable' if comparing to Hoka or more regular trail-specific footwear.

Interesting - thanks for the reply. I'll have a think about those suggestions.

I've only ever had one pair of Brooks and they were road shoes. I didn't get on with them and now use On Cloudsurfer shoes for road. I like the sound of the x-talon 260 though I'll check those out. Failing that I think I'll seek out the cheapest speedcross 4 I can find. I'm not paying £120 for speedcross 5. They can f off at that price.

[Mothersruin]

Love my La Sportiva Mutants.

Very comfy and will do long runs without issue.

[TeaNoSugar]

I ended up ordering some Salomon speedcross vario 2 gore tex shoes from Sportshoes.com. £88 with free delivery. Not brilliant but not £130 either!

Thanks for the replies though.

On a related subject; since when did fell/trail shoes cost £100+? Maybe I'm wrong but the days of being able to pick up decent off-road running shoes for £45-£50 dont seem that long ago. Maybe 3 years??

[Leicester Loyal]

Started running myself a bit lately, not done so since I was in school, so it's been a good 10 years. Any tips? I'm doing it sorely on a treadmill in a gym at the moment, but may venture outside at some point. The issue I seem to have, is that my ankles absolutely kill me, not that I'm out of breath and that seems to be holding me back. I completed 2.5km this morning, mostly running but slowing it to a fast walk when my ankles were hurting. Is it just going to get better naturally, or is there something I could be doing to help myself?

Any advice is much appreciated.

[andy_s]

TeaNoSugar said:

On a related subject; since when did fell/trail shoes cost £100+? Maybe I'm wrong but the days of being able to pick up decent off-road running shoes for £45-£50 dont seem that long ago. Maybe 3 years??

Don't get me started... I used to think £60 was a lot not so long ago. I've got 5 pairs at various stages for various things on the go at the moment, it's horrendous when you add it up.

[RobM77]

Leicester Loyal said:

Started running myself a bit lately, not done so since I was in school, so it's been a good 10 years. Any tips? I'm doing it sorely on a treadmill in a gym at the moment, but may venture outside at some point. The issue I seem to have, is that my ankles absolutely kill me, not that I'm out of breath and that seems to be holding me back. I completed 2.5km this morning, mostly running but slowing it to a fast walk when my ankles were hurting. Is it just going to get better naturally, or is there something I could be doing to help myself?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Get your gait checked. Options range from a local running coach with a treadmill to a fancy full analysis service. I've had both and highly recommend it. For the full analysis service, then if you're in or near London then I'd recommend https://www.therunninglab.co.uk/; he got me running again after constant knee problems year after year put a halt to my running every time I tried - I'm now two years into regular running, my longest stretch ever without injury.

[C0ffin D0dger]

Leicester Loyal said:

Started running myself a bit lately, not done so since I was in school, so it's been a good 10 years. Any tips? I'm doing it sorely on a treadmill in a gym at the moment, but may venture outside at some point. The issue I seem to have, is that my ankles absolutely kill me, not that I'm out of breath and that seems to be holding me back. I completed 2.5km this morning, mostly running but slowing it to a fast walk when my ankles were hurting. Is it just going to get better naturally, or is there something I could be doing to help myself?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Don't attempt too much too soon. Couch to 5K (C25K) is great in this respect and should have you running for half an hour solid by the end of week 9: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/get-running-...

Decent shoes help to.

[smn159]

Leicester Loyal said:

Started running myself a bit lately, not done so since I was in school, so it's been a good 10 years. Any tips? I'm doing it sorely on a treadmill in a gym at the moment, but may venture outside at some point. The issue I seem to have, is that my ankles absolutely kill me, not that I'm out of breath and that seems to be holding me back. I completed 2.5km this morning, mostly running but slowing it to a fast walk when my ankles were hurting. Is it just going to get better naturally, or is there something I could be doing to help myself?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Get yourself down to a sports physiotherapist. It's likely that you have some soft tissue tightness in your calves, hamstrings, quads and / or hip flexors - particularly if you have been spending a lot of your day sitting. All of this can be alleviated by some targeted stretching, but it's useful to know from a physio exactly what to focus on.

Personally I wouldn't bother with gait analysis or running shops which film you on a treadmill and then tell you that you over pronate or something - certainly not until you've addressed any underlying soft tissue tightness and probably not even then. Do get some proper running shoes though.

[S1KRR]

KTF said:

Is it not more that they are all sponsored by Nike (based on the rest of their kit being Nike branded) so they will have the latest and greatest shoes by their sponsor?

Of course. But presumably someone like Kipchoge has multiple brands offering him lucrative offers. So it presumably comes down to which ever brand he believes is likely to push design and innovate and give him a (legal) advantage over his rivals.

I have to believe that if he was running in a pair of NB's/Adidas/Saucony, he wouldn't have run as well as he has been over the last few years. I just wonder why those other brands seemingly aren't that interested in elite marathon running. Despite selling their products specifically to the wider running community.

[RizzoTheRat]

Gargamel said:

I have a Felix 5x Sapphire which is quite a large item. However does about ten days on one charge. No issues on whether that is actively tracking or just on.

Certainly has all the maps you could wish for. Handy when you lose your car in the hills during a run...

I guess the bigger ones get the bigger batteries, I've got a 5S Plus and I reckon it'll just about do 5 days if I'm not using the GPS or anything. With GPS and music on I reckon it'd struggle to do 5 hours, I keep forgetting to make a note of the charge before and after a run to check.

TeaNoSugar said:

Does anyone do fell and/or trail running? I've just about ruined all my current shoes and first off I'm looking to replace a pair of Salomon Speedcross 4.

The issue is that whilst they're very omfortable and reasonably grippy, I'm not sure i want to spend £100 on trainers I know wont last more than 400 miles.

Does anyone know if the gore-tex, or vario or even the new speedcross 5 versions are more durable (particularly in the upper)?

If not, could anyone recommend an alternative? Ive already got some fellraisers and innov8 x-talon 212s but prefer those for races. I'm after something comfortable for up.to 15-20 miles of trail running.

Thanks

A mate of mine reckons Hoka Speed Goats are good, never tried them myself but tempted to get a pair just for the name

[Scabutz]

ukaskew said:

Scabutz said:

Fenix 5 will do maps and I think it has 25 hr battery even with GPS. Bloody expensive though

Thanks, way waaay too much but it appears that the Fenix 3 does everything I need and can be found pretty reasonably price refurbed.

Where have you seen the refurb 3s? I looked but couldn't see any. Got some 2nd hand ones on Ebay but no refurbs

[andy_s]

ukaskew said:

Does anyone have a watch where you can follow a GPX trace and actually get an ultra distance out of the battery? I did an event yesterday, average finish time is around 8hrs. The course is completely unmarked but the organisers supply a map and a GPX file.

No criticism meant here but just maybe a tip; I’ve found the best way to square this circle is to have a basic knowledge of map and compass (it’s very straight forward). M&C allows a. a broad, long range view b. never runs out of battery and the GPS watch allows a. resectioning your position in v poor weather / positional embarrassment b. You only need to spark up the gps to get your grid ref rather than on all the time. I’ve found M&C faster than GPS in most conditions and ‘breadcrumbing’ fastest in particularly foul or night conditions. For me this is the optimal use of both.

[feef]

andy_s said:

ukaskew said:

Does anyone have a watch where you can follow a GPX trace and actually get an ultra distance out of the battery? I did an event yesterday, average finish time is around 8hrs. The course is completely unmarked but the organisers supply a map and a GPX file.

No criticism meant here but just maybe a tip; I’ve found the best way to square this circle is to have a basic knowledge of map and compass (it’s very straight forward). M&C allows a. a broad, long range view b. never runs out of battery and the GPS watch allows a. resectioning your position in v poor weather / positional embarrassment b. You only need to spark up the gps to get your grid ref rather than on all the time. I’ve found M&C faster than GPS in most conditions and ‘breadcrumbing’ fastest in particularly foul or night conditions. For me this is the optimal use of both.

My Suunto Spartan Sport Baro HR will do maybe 4-6 hrs while tracking exercise. I've not tried it tracking AND navigation.

However, they do offer the Spartan Ultra which has an extended battery life designed for Ultra events
https://www.suunto.com/en-gb/Products/sports-watch...

But it's still good to have rudimentary map-reading skils, as the navigation on these watches is just a breadcrumb to follow and if you were to go significantly off route, it could quite easily become useless.