Salomon Fellraisers

In an arse about backwards sort of way I thought I'd review my Salomon Fellraisers as I hang them up for now and switch to another make and model.  I've really enjoyed running in these shoes, they have served me well on so many levels and I will be continuing to run in them often I'm sure.

Ever since I started running off road and looked at getting a pair of trail shoes the Salomon range appealed. On several occasions I had slipped my feet enthuastically into the brightly coloured saw toothed monsters that are the Salomon speedcross, hoping each time that last time I was wrong and that they really did fit, but alas, it wasn't to be. Too narrow at the front and with far too much heel at the back I just couldn't get on with them.

Then along came the Fellraiser, not the best looking shoe if I'm honest about it, something about their shape initally made me think "Clarks" but put them on and oh wow what a difference. Much more room up front but snug fitting everywhere else - glove like in fact - and with a significantly lower profile (the Fellraisers heel-toe drop is 6mm), these immediately felt like a shoe I could get on with.

That sensible exterior is made up of a sort of plasticy faux leather which looked pretty hard wearing with mesh in between for good drainage.  Underneath the sole is almost identical to the Speedcross; that aggressive chevron pattern covering the whole shoe.

The speed laces work well - although I know not everyone is a fan - holding my foot securely and with no slipage around the heel. Despite being pretty low profile they actually feel pretty well cushioned, helped to this in part by the Orthofit insole.

Out on the trail the Fellraiser performs well in almost all coditions, wet grass, mud and loose ground are no match for the Salomon sole...the only weak point being in crossing wet rocks where the grip is not that reassuring. This in part can be put down to the agressively lugged sole but I think the rubber compound also contributes, being quite hard and so not too grippy. On the coast path though for the most part I feel confident in the placements I am making. The close fit also makes a meal of even the most technical ground.

What has really impressed me is their durability. That hard rubber compound has lasted well, the lugs still effective after a year of solid use and the upper looks good as new. So new in fact that, having bought a second pair I was having difficulty telling the old and the new ones apart! I retired my first pair after over 600 miles and really they were still going strong, but feeling a little like the cushioning was starting to go under my forefoot.  I've run on all surfaces and completed various ditances up to 100k with rarely even a blister to show for it. I'm a fan, you might have noticed.

Ultimately for summer use I have decided to use a slightly less agressively lugged, more cushioned shoe (more on this soon), but the Fellraisers will still be my go to shoe for winter and wet weather trail running. Salomon have not done anything noticable to "improve" them this year - although the new colours are, in my opinion, pretty dire - so hopefully they still size up pretty much the same and will continue to do so in future.

The Trail Running Team Weekend

Well what a weekend I have had. This weekend was, of course the Lake district selection weekend for The Trail Running Team. I'm still digesting everything that I experienced and will no doubt have more to say on quite a few subjects over the coming weeks. Right now I'm buzzing with excitement; I don't think I've ever felt quite so motivated before!

I'd travelled up from Cornwall with Wanda Summers and her friend Steve and we had a mammoth ten hour journey. We arrived to find our hosts Simon and Julie had saved us some food though which was kind of them and soon we were fed and watered, had introduced ourselves to a few of the others and made and arrangement to be up at 7 for a pre-breakfast run.

Now its not often I find myself crawling into bed with a Welshman but confusion over the allocation of beds and my arrival in the room after lights out brought this event close to a reality! Some hasty negotiations with the Youth Hostel staff soon led to me being found a bed of my own though and all was well with the world!

In the morning we were surprised to find the rain had stopped and a few of us headed out the door for a quick run. This was limited by the need to return for breakfast but got us out in the open and enjoying the scenic hills. The rain returned on the way back but did nothing to quell the thrill of a fast couple of miles down to the hostel.

After breakfast - full English of course - the rest of the group started to arrive and before long we were getting to know each other before heading upstairs for a quick photo and the start of the day proper.

Following a welcome from Simon we were introduced to the Berghaus trail running product line. 

To support the needs of their sponsored athletes Philippe & Anna Gatta in their attempt to run the Great Himalaya Trail Berghaus created a range of super light high performance clothing.  The highlight was the Hyper Smock, the worlds lightest fully water proof jacket, weighing in at only 84 grams. Also on show was the Vapour claw shoe; a fairly lightweight model with an aggressive sole clearly designed with UK trails in mind, plus a very nice looking mid layer - the Hypertherm Jacket, which, through clever use of different materials, could be reversed to give more or less insulation as required.

Hyper smock

Hyper Therm Jacket

Vapour Claw

mmmmm...Apple Crumble!

Next up we were treated to a very informative talk from Torq fitness regarding nutrition and the Torq fueling system. Torq are making use of the latest research and have created a range of products - gels, drinks and bars - that each make use of a 2:1 mix of Maltodextrin and Fructose to aid in uptake.

We got to taste the product range while at lunch. The fact they have managed to pull off palatable flavours such as Rhubarb & Custard, Apple Crumble and Blackcurrant Yoghurt is nothing short of miraculous.

After lunch came the guest speakers:

Steve Birkinshaw was first up. With a list of achievements as long as his arm, not least the 2012 victory at the Dragon's back were were treated to a mixture of advice on training, dealing with negative thoughts and an overview of his preparations for his next challenge - an attempt on the record for the fastest navigation of every one of 214 Wainwrights. 

Next Came Helene Whitaker. Helene won the Dragon's back outright in 1992 and came 4th twenty years later in 2012. Her honest appraisal of her own strengths and weaknesses and determination to do what was necessary to overcome them left an impression; not a strong navigator (hilarious to hear her tell of once taking a bearing on a sheep!) she made sure she had run the entire Dragon's back course beforehand to ensure she knew where she was going.

In both talks what struck me was, as with many other people here this weekend, that these two ordinary people were achieving extraordinary feats through hard work and determination. Occasionally though the competitive killer instinct could be seen shining through as they spoke of the races they had been involved in.

Later on we were privileged to watch the film of the Dragon's back race with Steve in attendance. Its a brilliant film, made more so by the company in the room at the time and I'd advise anyone with an interest in trail running to seek it out.

Before that though we headed out for the second run of the day. Essentially following the same path as before but with a little more time on our hands we climbed up to Red Tarn below the final slopes of Helvellyn and I arrived just in time to see Steve and a number of others strip off and dive into the freezing waters! No thanks!

 

The next morning we had another chance to go running. There were three groups - Steve leading the way with a fast group, Helene's husband and another guide whose name, to my shame, I have forgotten (Joanne?) took a middle pace group while Helene herself led a fast hike.

We were together up to the Tarn and then split into our respective groups.  To my surprise, rather than following the obvious path up to Swirral edge we were directed up a ridiculously steep grassy hill to reach the summit of Catsye Cam. This is probably bread and butter for the fell runners among our group but it was hard going for me. Worth it though as the views were incredible at the top and we had a great downhill onto Swirral edge, before a scramble up the edge itself. Every now and then I remember how much I miss climbing and how I must make the effort to get out more and this was one of those times. Topping out onto the summit of Helvellyn we proceeded then onto a series of rounded tops - some of the "Dodds", a group of grassy rolling fells - before finally dropping down via a stream crossing to return to the Hostel.

 

Having run almost exclusively on the coast paths this day was a massive eye opener for me; I could have just carried on all day exploring this runner's paradise!

So that was it, I'd done some cool runs, met some amazing people and learnt an awful lot. I still have a lot to learn but my confidence is up and I'm motivated as hell to get out and run long. Thank you everyone, its been an awesome weekend and one I won't ever forget!

Red Venom Calf Compression

The first time I saw calf guards being worn I laughed and pointed. But, following a series of calf strains and in desperation I bought a pair for myself and never looked back. In my own experiment of one I have concluded that they work. I have never had a calf strain while wearing calf guards and wear them pretty much all the time now. Its up to others to scientifically measure and verify the various claims about their benefits; there is already some evidence that suggests their effects may be somewhat less significant than some have claimed. For me though I feel better when I run and recover better afterwards.

Of course there is a drawback - there always is - and in this case its the price. Frankly, £30 to £45 for a pair of elasticated tubes feels like a liberty.

So imagine my excitement when I found a company offering compression gear, including calf guards, at a significantly reduced price. In fact the company - Red Venom - have a tag line of "Same quality, 1/3 price". Too good to be true? Well this is what I wanted to find out and at this price I was prepared to take the risk.

Red Venom produce all sorts of compression wear - which I have yet to try out - including more than one type of calf compression. The ones I bought are the graduated compression calf guards. These sell for £12.50. Yes, that's £12.50! They are similar in appearance to Compressport's offering with a grey cuff at top and bottom; since I have a pair of Compressport calf guards already its only natural that I compare the two products when measuring Red Venom's claims of quality.

My ultra running persona

I should take time to compliment Red Venom on a really great name; if I'm going to be a walking advertising hoarding for a clothing company then one that shares a name with a Marvel comic character is always going to get my vote. Unfortunately, the large red decal used on most of their gear is replaced by some rather indistinct embroidery for the calf guards which is a shame; with a name like Red Venom there can be no font too small in my opinion.

So un-wrapping the calf guards my first thoughts were that they looked small. for anyone that hasn't met me I should point out I am 6 foot 2. Compressport calf guards are just barely long enough - the Red Venom ones are definitely shorter. Its an unusual thing, sizing. for some reason none of the major manufacturers, with the exception of Salomon, offer multiple lengths for the various girths (sizing is based on a measurement around the fattest part of the calf muscle). Compressport, bizarrely, provide slightly longer length for the widest fittings. My experience is that the people with the biggest calfs are often short and stocky whilst many taller people have skinny legs so why this decision was taken I don't know. What this means is that, for a lanky bugger like me, the Red Venom calf guards only cover the larger upper calf and don't reach down over the lower leg to the ankle. Most of the calf strains I've had have been low down on the Soleus, so this does cause me a bit of a problem. However, if you are not super tall, or primarily want to protect the upper calf - the Gastrocnemius - then these concerns will be largely irrelevant.

Showing the relative sizes - and a lovely pair of legs!!

Its also clear when handling them that they are made from a thinner material than Compressport. This requires a little more care putting them on but there seems no difference in the feeling once on. As far as I can tell the compression is very similar and perfectly adequate.

So, in conclusion, if you are of average height or less, or only concerned with protecting the upper calf, then the Red Venom graduated compression calf guards are well worth a try. At less than half the price of the Compressport product you can't go wrong. I wear mine for shorter runs mid week but, because of the shorter length will tend to wear a longer model on long runs and races (to be perfectly honest I've just bought a long pair of Salomon Exo Calf as even the Compressport ones aren't really long enough). However, If Red Venom ever start offering a long version of each size as Salomon do there really would be no contest.

Make do and mend

At the bottom of a hill on a narrow trail during the initial miles of the South Devon Ultra, I stumbled, literally, on an inescapable truth: lightweight fabrics come at a cost. Be it financial (it be!) or through sacrificing other properties, you pay a price for the lightest garments.

And so, in crashing wildly across the path in the face of a howling gale I, or rather my newly purchased Montane Minimus Smock, came into sharp contact with a still sharper bush; the bush won and I ran from the scene with a T-shaped gash in the arm of my latest purchase.

Needless to say at the time I was pretty annoyed; especially as this was four miles into a thirty two mile race in hideous condition but also because I knew I couldn't afford to run out (sorry!) and spend another hundred plus pounds on a replacement.

In the hours following the race I thought of Duct taping the hole closed, but reckoning this was likely to be temporary at best and unlikely to pass muster at certain upcoming events I aspire to running, I decided to see what Google had to offer.

A quick search suggested LSR (Lancashire Sports Repairs) would be my best option and so I completed the form and sent off my top to be worked on.

Now admittedly it took two weeks, though they did warn me of this up front, but I have to say I'm pretty bloody pleased with the result. Stitched and taped, the repair is as good as any seam on the jacket and cost me twenty eight quid. I think that's worth it.

Just hope I don't rip the other arm next week!

Brooks Pureflow 3

I've recently handed back a pair of Brooks Pureflow 3 trainers after running around in them for a week as part of the Brooks Try It On promotion.  Basically, Brooks let you have a pair to try, you pick them up from participating stores and get a 25% of voucher at the end of the week to use against the cost of a new pair should you like them.

This is a bloody brilliant idea.  More companies should do this. Take note, shoe companies, this is the way forward! Breweries too maybe? Ok, so maybe that wouldn't work.

This particular offer was limited to the Brooks Pure Project range comprising of the Cadence, Flow, Connect and Drift. These shoes are designed to promote "an efficient and natural foot strike", with the Cadence offering most stability and cushioning and the Drift the least.

I got a pair of the first version of the Pureflow a little over a year ago. I love 'em. I've run over 600 miles in the first pair I bought and have a second lined up and ready to go. Not bad for a shoe which Brooks say, due to its light weight construction, is only good for 200-300 miles.

With this offer coming along, I was keen to find out whether Brooks had screwed up what has been, for me at least, one of the best road shoes out there.  Because let's face it, "new and improved" isn't always what it says it is now, is it? New, yeah no problems there, but improved, well that remains to be seen.

Well the good news is that Brooks have stayed close to the original design. Although there are some differences to the shape and some tweaks to the features that make the pure range unique, I couldn't really tell the difference between version 1 and version 3. Which is a good thing.

So, to summarise why I think these are an awesome shoe here are a few of the things that make them stand out:

Lightweight
Roomy toebox (though you will need to go up to one size up from normal to really see this)
Low drop (4mm)
Snug, comfy heel
"Nav Band" grips the mid foot keeping everything secure
Well cushioned - sufficient to run as far as necessary, certainly marathon distance.

Go try a pair, you might be surprised.

Send in the clowns - Hoka reviewed.

The first time I saw a pair of Hokas I laughed. LOL, ROFL, LFMAO.  All that. Mirth, followed by snorts of derision. I mean who the hell would wear those? Clown shoes; a fad, nothing more.

Hoka Mafate straight out the box

Over time though the smile was gradually wiped from my face as more and more people got Hoka'd up and reports from the shining stars of the running world repeatedly gave the thumbs up.

As with all things, what seems ridiculous quickly becomes the norm.

Couple these glowing reports with an increasing awareness that my feet were bloody sore at the end of twenty plus miles and I started thinking maybe, just maybe, I should stick my feet in a pair and see what came of it. So I tried, but I did not buy. The problem is, Hoka's weren't designed for the Brits. Everyone in the UK that owns a pair seems to be pretty clear on one thing. Hoka's don't do mud. Sure they felt comfy, sure they are lighter than you think they'll be (though they aren't in any real sense of the word "light" - just so we have that straight), but take them on a jaunt through the brown stuff and see how long before you end up on your arse. I mean, you only have to turn them over and look to see there's going to be a problem here.

Not Mud claws are they?

Back to the drawing board then. Or not. As luck would have it I got an email from Keith Godden at the Ultra Marathon Running Store to say I had won a pair of Hoka's! I'd entered a competition in their newsletter "Ultra Tales" a while back, as you do, never thinking I'd actually win. Shocking stuff, but it seemed that it was my destiny to try the Hoka's for real. So not long after, I received a pair of Hoka Mafate and have joined, for now at least, the legion of clowns heading out on the trail.

I must admit that, after getting used to the idea, I have decided I quite like the look of the Hoka's. I mean they are bonkers, but in a kind of mid-seventies glam-rock kind of way. Putting them on, especially paired with gaiters and calf guards I felt like I could be running's answer to Ziggy Stardust.

Kiss trying out some early prototype Hoka's

Feeling like a rock god, looking like a pillock. Suki's expression says it all

When you get your hands on a pair of Hoka's there is no doubt that what you have here is a well made product. They feel sturdy, a Bentley to the racing flat's Lotus Seven. The quick lace system is neat and effective and the sole looks bomb-proof.

 

So on to the running. Well they certainly are quite bouncy, but not as much as you'd think, especially if you don't heel strike. Oh and they don't make you heel strike either. I found they suited my mid foot shuffle quite nicely thanks. The time you will really notice the extra cushioning is ploughing downhill where you really can let rip and let the shoes soak up the impact.

Stones and roots digging into your feet will be a thing of the past and, despite their extra footprint they - to me at least - feel quite nimble on more technical terrain. In fact I found that most surfaces were handled well by the Hoka's, although I did struggle a little on some very narrow, high sided sections of the coast path. And at the end of a long run (the furthest I've taken them so far is twenty two miles) my feet do feel less achy.

Hokas enter at your peril!

So all's good then. Great. Except, of course, mud. Oh dear. On gritty, rocky paths I fly along all carefree and bouncy, but hit a stretch of mud and I look like a duck trying to ice skate.  Its a shame, it really is. I do honestly feel that if Hoka stuck some great big lugs on the bottom of their shoes they'd sell like hot cakes. That said, when things dry out I'd wear them. On a flat, grassy course or on well made paths, I'd wear them. I'd almost go as far as to say the trade off between traction and comfort in any circumstance is enough to keep them on. Almost.

So if you like having specialist shoes for certain conditions or can handle a few slips in favour of fresh feet at the end of the day then these may be for you. But as an all round go anywhere UK trail shoe these aren't going to be my first choice I don't think. Shame. If you're listening Hoka reps, BIG, BIG LUGS.  Nuff said.

Clif shots and other stuff

I've been using High-5 energy gels for the last few months.  They are palatable - far better than some other brands - but a little sickly.  At the last Endurance Life event I took part in though I was handed a complimentary Razz-flavour (that would be Raspberry then?) Clif gel and blimey it tasted good.  Remember Hubba Bubba?  Its a bit like that.  I could actually eat this stuff out of choice, like without actually going running (but I don't, honest).

I've eaten Clif bars when climbing for a while now.  Having previously been a disciple of Ma Baker and her un-feasibly large flapjacks I made the jump after finding out just how hard these are to eat in hot weather.  Clif bars go down a treat when I'm climbing, whatever the weather.  Clif as a company seem to be right up there on a Patagonia-style tip as far as ethical business practices go and a lot of what they put into their food is natural and organic which is a plus.

So I bought a box of gels from Amazon and this week took a few on a long run to make sure they sit OK after a few hours. They do a variety of flavours and differing levels of Caffeine.  I don't like to have any Caffeine before or during any run over about 6 miles as I found out, eventually, that it was a contributing factor in my developing heart burn while running.  With that in mind I went with the Caffeine free ones.

I also bought a tub of the Clif Shot Electrolyte powder. I normally run with just water but for an Ultra I'm thinking this might not cut it.  Again, I've had digestive issues with energy drinks so this weekend was a test run for this as well.  Another advantage is that Endurance Life tend to have this stuff on hand at the aid stations so if I could stomach it then I get to use the freebie drinks instead of my own during the Classic Quarter!

I followed the instructions for the drinks mix (I went with Lemonade flavour) and was a bit worried after a few sips it was too strong.  Over the course of the run though I found it was fine, quite tangy really and it settled well on my stomach so that was good.

The gels were as tasty as I remember so pleased with these.  I ate three over the course of the day and, again, felt no ill effects.  The consistency is a little thicker than I am used to and I found I was dragging the goo out of the packet with my teeth rather than squirting it into my mouth but this was not a problem, in fact it might be an advantage since I could take little bits at a time without worrying about the rest squirting everywhere as I ran. Also worth mentioning is the clever little handle which stops you inadvertently dropping the top once you rip it off. Clever stuff.

For the rest of my food intake I went with Hummus wraps again which I am very pleased with. I was intending to try making Onigiri again this weekend but to be honest its a bit of a fiddle and since I was trialling two other products I didn't want to vary too much.

So I reckon I'm ready in terms of food.  I'll be making some homemade flapjacks as per the recipe in my previous post (here), taking a couple of hummus wraps, half a dozen Clif gels and Clif Electrolyte drink.  And of course, there will always be ice cream!

Alpkit Gamma headtorch review

Long runs take up a lot of time.  With a young family it can be difficult to fit them in without some early starts.  During the winter that means getting out before the sun comes up.  This makes a headtorch essential.  I use the Alpkit Gamma.  At £15 it is one of the cheapest offerings available and, for a number of reasons, I think it makes a very good choice for a runner.

I’ve known about Alpkit for a while, I have one of their bouldering mats and a few other bits of kit.  I suspect for many though that Alpkit may well have slipped under the radar.  Their product range consists of camping, climbing and biking kit and is designed and produced by people with a love of the mountains and a desire to produce no nonsense gear that will stand up to the rigours of anything from an extreme expedition to a summer camping trip with the kids.  What really stands out though is that, for all its great quality, the cost is usually well below what you would expect elsewhere.  This appears to be achieved by a largely internet based sales and distribution model and short production runs which can sometimes mean a wait for some products to come into stock. Those in the know get on the mailing list and order early to avoid disappointment!

So on to the torch.  The Gamma has a single large LED and three smaller ones at the front, plus a red LED strip mounted to the rear on the battery pack.  The main LED is 1W and its output is stated as 88 Lumens.  This is more than adequate for lighting up the road or trail ahead.   In addition the front light can be angled which is useful for a variety of terrain.  I tend to point the light well ahead on the road and just in front of my feet when running off road.

The three small LEDs are white, red and green, respectively.  The white one is perfect for reading your book outside the tent.  The red is intended to allow night vision to be retained while giving some illumination and the green apparently aids map reading (green shows up the red contours whereas red makes them disappear).

A single button on the front controls all the functions for these lights; pressing and holding the button switches between the large and small LEDs, pressing repeatedly switches function.  For the large LED you get a choice of full power, low power and flashing; with the small LEDs you can select each colour in turn, plus there is a red flashing option.  The same button switches the torch off. 

At the back of the torch is the battery compartment, which takes two AAA batteries.  This leads me to my only real gripe with the Gamma.  Alpkit do not advise using anything other than Alkaline batteries.  This is apparently due to lithium batteries operating at a higher temperature which can damage the circuitry.


The torch is rated as water resistant and I’ve been out in some pretty awful weather and never had a problem with it on that count.
Finally, on the battery compartment is a red LED, which is operated by a button in the same way as the front unit; one click for a steady light, another for a flashing one. I tend to set this to flashing if I’m on the road just to let people know I’m there.  

That's it really.  A good bit of kit at an excellent price and equally at home camping, walking the dog or running trails in the early hours.

Socks make you run funny

In attempting to run more like a barefoot runner (currently up to 1.5 miles by the way - its going well) I have stopped wearing socks when I run in trainers.

Socks change the shape of your foot.  specifically they make your toes bunch up when ideally they should splay out as you touch down.  

I noticed this particularly when I bought a pack of very cheap socks from JJB sports a few weeks back - they say 9 -11 but, as a size 11, I found them very tight.  This made that feeling of not having enough room at the front of my shoe very pronounced.  So I took em off.  

Apart from a small blister the first time out I've had no problems. My shoes feel roomier and I feel like I am striking the ground (and springing off) more naturally.

I don't suppose this will do much for the wonderful bouquet my trainers give off but you can't have everything.