Under Armour and Nike Pro -- I was wrong

I had posted earlier that I wasn't sure if the quality of the big brand base layer running apparel would justify the price compared to something like the Target brand gear. I would like to recant that statement.

I received both Under Armour and Nike Pro gear for Christmas, and after several cold weather runs, I must say, I'm very impressed!

Both brands of gear blew me away with how comfortable, durable, and well designed they are. The multi-material construction allows the gear the have some insulation, as well as the wicking dryness.

In comparison, my cheaper stuff seems to be less durable (have had seams rip), less thermal (need more layers to stay warm), and more stinky. Oh, that's something I've come to notice. The technical material in the Target (Champion) base layer stuff tends to give off a strong, weird, synthetic smell -- especially when sweated in. My Nike Pro and Under Armour gear doesn't have the problem.

So, I guess I'm a convert -- and have taken the cool aid. That said, the big brands are still very expensive. $30 for a pair of Under Armour underwear? Ouch!

Worst running conditions possible

I think I have discovered the weather scenario for the worst running conditions possible. Last night, the temperature got up to 40 degrees, and the snow was quickly melting all over the place. However, today it quickly dropped bellow freezing again...so all of that wonderfully melted water turned into ice.

All over the roads.

The streets throughout my neighborhood were covered in ice, with small patches of open tar here and there. I felt trapped as I skittered around trying to find somewhere I could let loose and run fast. It was very frustrating -- seeing as I haven't been able to really tear up the pavement for quite a while.

Finally, I went out onto the shoulder of the main highway. It was less icy, at least. I broke lose and started going at 5:45 pace for a quarter of a mile -- but I got nervous. Most cars do not move over to give me space. So when cars are zipping by about 5 feet away from me at 60 mph and I'm not sure how slippery the surface is, I have a hard time trusting that thin white line to keep them away from me. Needless to say, I decided to get back on the residential streets right away.

Hopefully, tomorrow will be better. No more highway running for me either.

Garmin Forerunner 405 Review

I must say, I'm pretty excited about my new Forerunner 405. It took a lot of deliberation to decide which model would be best for me, while considering the price. I'm definitely happy that I asked Mrs. Clause for the 405.

First I'll start off with the most notable positives:

Looks like a watch: This was not a deal maker for me when deciding, but now that I've worn it around a bit, I think it's definitely a selling point. This is the first GPS Forerunner that looks like a (slightly big) plausible watch. The others look like you've strapped a PDA to your wrist; which is fine for running, but not for everyday life. Garmin did have to sacrifice a few little things to accommodate this, which I'll get to later.

Satellite Antenna: Amazing!! Keep in mind, my frame of reference with this is an old Forerunner 201. However, with the Forerunner 405, I have yet to wait more than a few seconds for a signal outside. Not to mention, 7 seconds to get a signal inside my house!

Wireless: Yes, it is cool that the watch will sync to my PC wirelessly when I get near it. But the really great thing for me is that I can create workouts (such as certain pace goals for each mile) and beam them to another friend's 405.

Heart rate monitor option: I did not get a heart rate monitor with my 405; mainly because I haven't been using HR for a quiet a while, and I have a Polar watch that I can use if I really need to. However, the nice thing with the 405 model is that you can buy the monitor later and pair it to your watch. In previous models, you either had to buy the model that supported heart rate, or the one that did not.

Granted, there are some negatives:

Screen size: I personally think the lower profile watch is worth the smaller screen size, but others may not agree. The numbers are a little smaller, so you may have to bring your wrist a little closer to read it.


GPS waypoints: You can still mark waypoints and navigate to them. The watch will point you where to go and tell you how far away you are. However, it does not have a little mapping screen of the nearby waypoints, nor the breadcrumb trail of where you have been. I'm thinking this feature was taken out due to the smaller screen size. Since the navigation feature will still work for the once or twice a year I use it, I'm still happy.

Then, there is the bezel (touch sensitive silver ring around the watch face).
Most people are put off by the bezel at first. Scrolling through options by circling your finger can be touchy and make you wish you could just push a button to toggle through them. Yet as you get better at it, you start to appreciate the bezel. When running, you can switch views by touching anywhere on the bezel instead of finding a button. You can also lock the bezel if you have problems bumping it unintentionally. You can turn on the backlight by touching the bezel in two places, which is handy. I still don't know for sure if the bezel is better than having a couple extra buttons on the watch; but I've gotten used to it enough that it's not a hinderence to me.

Overall, I'm very happy with the Forerunner 405 and think it is definitely worth the money if you are really serious about running and training. I may post additional thoughts on it as time goes on.

More snow. More Running.

I'm trying to be an optimist when it comes to training opportunities during the winter. I've been doing a lot of running lately on snow and rather slippery surfaces. I think this actually helps strengthen the foot, calf and other stabilizing muscles -- which will then grow less tired during serious runs in better conditions.

It's hard to get a lot of speed when there isn't much traction out there, but it seems like a good chance to work on strength and running technique. I think a lot of runners put all of their eggs in the VO2 (lung capacity) basket, and don't take into account the fact that the body is constantly learning to move more efficiently. I think cognitively working on how efficiently your body runs can really boost this process.

Winter is also a great time to work on core strength and balance, which also helps your body move efficiently over a long period of time.

So I say, bring on winter! It's a good time to train.

Blizzard Training

We had a really tough Minnesota blizzard today with horrible freezing wind and snow. So, I thought, what better way to try out my new running jacket than run in this storm? With looks of disbelief from my wife, I got suited up and darted out the door -- jaw firmly set, running headlong into the snowy abyss.

As I trudged down the road, in what was already 6 inches of snow, I had to keep my eyes squinted because the flakes hitting my face really hurt. I decided this workout was more crazy than wearing shorts with bare legs in the 12 ° F for my Christmas run with the co-workers yesterday.

However, I resolved that this adventure would make me tougher and stronger -- a better runner. Not to mention the excitement of being the only living person daring to be outside; other than the snowplow driver I met up with toward the end -- who stopped to see if I was either stranded, or heavily intoxicated.

Yet, I must admit, this run would have been a complete disaster if it had not been for the wind proof C9 running jacket I picked up at Target for $30 yesterday. The jacket was just freaking awesome! That freezing wind would have cut right through any clothing I usually wear and chilled me to the bone. But, with this jacket on, the wind couldn't touch me. I felt completely protected. While my face was frozen into a mask of immobility -- complete with frozen eyelashes and ice caked stubble beard; my body never felt cold. Even more impressive, the only thing I had on underneath was a base layer shirt.

Even better yet, the jacket is very lightweight and allows for complete mobility. I didn't get overheated, and the full zipper provides many options for ventilation. It is exactly what I had been looking for!

Nike Zoom Forever

Beware: I run in minimalist shoes, so if you really love cushion, motion control, stability control, remote control, moon boots, steel toe shoes, etc. -- you might not enjoy this post. Though I hope you still do.

For a few months now, I've been running in a pair of Nike Zoom Forever Cross Country shoes (not the XC model, which has spikes). As far as lightweight racing shoes go, these have been my favorite so far.

First of all, they do feel a little different on pavement, due to the aggressive cleated soles; but it's not really an issue at all. They still have good traction on the street. It's just that they have a different feel on the bottom of your foot than a normal street racing shoe.

Off road or on snow, these shoes really rock! They have a lot of traction and feel very light, so you don't get bogged down in the snow.

However, on glare ice and very hard packed snow, the Zoom Forever's still slip a bit. I think in these situations, the best option may be the old Sheet Metal Screw Modification. Those metal screw heads should grip into ice a lot better than rubber cleats. Plus, the surface area of the shoe stays low to the ground, whereas I don't think metal spikes would be nearly as stable.


For the spring and summer racing season, I would probably be fine with Zoom Forevers, but I also have my eye on the Adidas RLH Spikeless shoe. I've heard a lot of great things about the RLH and it may be a little better suited for street racing than the Zoom Forever.

Whoooohooo!

We had a slightly warmer day today, -6°F, so I went on a 4.5 mile run with two of my running buddies. There is something wildly exhilarating about doing an activity that most people think is absolutely bonkers. As we ran past the windows of our huge office building, I found myself cheering, shouting, and pumping my fist at the people staring from inside. Running buddy Paul pointed out that I would probably be less rambunctious if I didn't have a ski mask on, covering my face -- and my identity. Nevertheless, it was fun.

I managed to hold a 7:15/mile pace most of the time. Usually, it bothers me to do anything slower than 7:00 -- but given the hard to breathe air and the treacherous ice on the path, I was content. I'm planning to make a post very soon regarding my thoughts on winter running gear, as I am really starting to appreciate it's value.

High tech running gear

Being a runner in the winter has given me a huge appreciation for technical running gear. You know what I'm talking about -- those sweat wicking materials that keep you dry and warm. Of course, most people immediately think of Under Armour's tighter fitting base layer stuff. In fact, a lot of people think that is the only high tech running apparel you need.

However, I've found that a technical long sleeve mid-layer is just as important in the cold. A thin, more loose fitting wicking material over my base layer seems to be the key to staying comfortable without feeling bulky and immobile.

In the past, I usually overlooked this, and just pulled a cotton long sleeve shirt over my "Under Armour". The problem is, I immediately start to feel like Ralphie getting bundled up in A Christmas Story. Not to mention, when I start to sweat, the cotton shirt soaks it up, getting heavier and colder. So one day I used a wicking long sleeve shirt instead. Because it felt so light and comfortable, I thought I was way underdressed; yet when I got outside I actually felt warmer than usual. Dryness in the mid layer goes a long way, even when you haven't really started sweating yet.

I don't really have a good outer layer jacket for running yet, so I can't comment on that. I'm looking for something that remains light weight, but offers some wind protection and warmth.

I also wanted to point out that I tend to buy somewhat off-brand stuff, like Target running apparel. It's just way cheaper than Under Armour or Nike. Yeah, it's cool to have a few big brand things, like a pullover hood or tights. But I'd really rather have two or three Target/Champion running shirts for the price of 1 Nike shirt. I just don't believe the quality is that different.

Let me know about your experiences with upper body running gear. Is the high cost of the Under Armour brand worth it? Are there other methods to feel warm, yet light and mobile? Do you prefer the Rocky Balboa gray sweats look?

Baby it's cold outside

Okay, I like to think of myself as a rather hardcore runner when it comes to weather, but it is -10 degrees F outside. If I had a run planned with my running buddies, I'd go -- but by myself, it might be more counter productive than anything.



I'll probably just stay inside and do some core and hamstring exercises, as well as some technique drills. I should mention that I do follow the Pose method of running technique. I personally wouldn't have any knees left if I hadn't studied Pose style of running, but I'm not really going to talk about it much in my blog because it would just annoy/bore those who aren't interested in or don't believe in heavily altering your running style.

Of Dogs and Runners

I don't know why, but when I run in my neighborhood, I frequently have a dog chase me down the road. Barking itself can be annoying, but being chased is sometimes scary. The positive side is that I usually record a pretty fast split time when that happens. Well, yesterday, I had a dog incident that took the cake.



I was running down the road, minding my own business when suddenly I heard a women yelling, "Oh **expletive** **beep** my **honk**. No! No!". I looked over, and these two big dogs on leashes were charging at me and growling. The owner, a woman, was holding onto the leashes -- but had been pulled off her feet and was being dragged across the snow on her stomach.

Those dogs really wanted to get me, as their legs where churning and driving with a frenzy, but they were moving very slowly, as the owner was gliding across her glistening snowy back yard on her belly.

I heard her say, "ouch!". For a moment, the thought entered my mind to stop and help -- as I consider myself a kind hearted guy. Then I looked at those dogs, growling and hell bent on getting a piece of me and thought, "they're your dogs lady, deal with it". So I picked up the pace and sped away until the ruckus in the distance faded to nothing.

Intro. Who is this guy?

Hi. I'm Jeremy from Minnesota, but you can call me Footracer J. I am a runner in his early 30s with aspirations to become a competitive racer and not just a guy that enters races. I intend for this blog to be entertaining and funny, but also informative and motivating.



Here I am being a stupid racer in a recent 5K run. I'm waving, yes, but the foolish thing is that I am dead tired in that photo; running completely outside of myself and I'm not even finished with mile 1 yet. You can tell by the way my head is tilted to the side and tucked down -- I'm hurtin' bad. I finished that first mile in 5:47...and the next 2 were closer to 7:00. You'd think I'd have learned by now, how to pace.

Anyhow, some running buddies of mine encouraged me that I can get to the point where 5:47 is my "easy" sustainable pace -- so thus begins my journey. I will try to document it with flare, wit and consistency.