Shoe Review: Topo Hydroventure waterproof trail shoe

I had never heard of Topo Athletic until coming across their posts on Instagram recently. They are a newer company based out of Massachusetts, "with a mission to develop footwear that honors the shape and biomechanics of the human foot". 

Always on the look out for the best trail running gear, I was intrigued by their design, as well as their claim to being waterproof.  Here, in the Pacific Northwest, that last part could be useful!

Having a shoe sent that you have only seen on the Internet can be like rolling the dice. I requested a ladies 10, though I normally wear a 10.5. I didn't see an option for my usual size. Surprisingly, they fit very well right out of the box! 

Tuvizo Reflective Vest Review

Safety is something all runners should think about. There are perils that come with running, whether you frequent the trails or stick to the pavement. 

I like excitement, but I also like to think that my last run isn't going to end because someone just didn't see me!

For years now, I have been running with the aim to be visible. My first running vest

Life Outside The Oval Office ~ Book Review

I read a book!

Don't get all excited, but I don't do that nearly as much as I would like to.
(Unless you count children's fiction. If you put those into the equation, I've read many, many, many books in the last 7 years. Out loud, and usually with someone on each side of me, and on my lap.)

This book was a little different from my usual read.

I was pretty anxious to get a copy of Life Outside The Oval Office, because I had a feeling that it would be juicy. 

Orange Mud Hydraquiver Vest Pack 2 Review -> WIN ONE! :)

Trail photo at BigK Guest Ranch by running friend, Laning Leo Davis.

I have been excited about the Orange Mud company since I first learned of them. They make the first bottle style of running pack I came across (the Hydraquiver ~ REVIEW HERE). I had a waist belt before that, but it was prone to leaks and I grew tired of it dripping

MUD ENERGY Fuel review ~ Long Run Envy

Eighteen weeks is a long time to be training for anything.

At least it is for me.

Looking at the workout schedule for the 50k ultramarathon I plan to do in September, it was obvious something was missing for the next 4 weeks: 

the long runs. 

So, without over-thinking anything, when friends invited me to run about 18 miles with them on a new section of trail (the day before my schedule started) I said yes! 

This gave me a reason to test out a new brand of running fuel I came across via Twitter

Review: Orange Mud HydraQuiver hydration pack + GIVEAWAY

After several years of running, I have just about every piece of gear I need to get down the trail (or road) happily.
However, after a few issues with my

Brooks PureGrit2 trail shoe review

I got my first pair of trail shoes via Brooksrunning.com and have managed to put about 100 miles on them so far.

The PureGrit2 ($110) weighs 8.2 oz for ladies', and 10 oz for the men's shoes. This is considerably lighter than many trail shoes on the market, but slightly heavier than the original PureGrit.

And they feel light...weighing less than my usual road trainers by an ounce. (Weight makes a big difference, especially in racing if you encounter water, as anyone who has ever ran in very wet shoes knows!).

These are part of Brooks Pure line and are designed with a 4mm heel-toe drop. There is good arch support within them, but they still maintain a "natural" feel. The asymmetrical lacing feels comfortable, and once laced, I don't notice them again.

Compared with Brooks Cascadia8, these are a sleeker, nimbler model. The Cascadias feel more like a rugged hiking/running shoe with a wider toe box (too wide for my foot), but the PureGrits fit more closely with less sole and bulk to the upper.

How they performed
I was able to test the PureGrit2 shoes on a variety of trail surfaces: gravel, bark, grass, packed dirt and slick mud. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I was unable to test them in loose sand, snow or icy surfaces.

 The hardest test for the shoes was certainly mud, but in my 7 mile run with mud I lost traction only twice- both times going downhill on a very slick slope, and only momentarily. Overall, they handled very well on each trail  they were worn.

The flexibility rivals my other speed shoes, but they are still sturdy and protective.  And as far as protection goes, there were no issues with rocks poking through to my feet. I suspect there is something (thin plastic maybe?) within the bottom of  the shoe to prevent this.

The PureGrit2s seem to almost repel mud.

Water penetrated my PureGrit2s when going through puddles, but the mesh upper fabric design allowed for it to drain quickly. My friend, who wore regular trainers on the same muddy run, had mud caked on her shoes when we finished.

A couple of cautions
The heel tab/achilles notch hits my foot a little higher than in some other shoes. Wearing longer socks will  keep them from rubbing sand or dirt into your foot. Gaiters are also recommended for especially gnarly trails.
If you are new to the 4mm platform, take your time adjusting to them.

Evaluation
The PureGrit2 are an excellent lightweight trail training and racing shoe. I would strongly recommend them to anyone, especially those interested in a trail shoe with lots of flexibility and a lower heel drop.

Highgear Alti-XT7 GPS + HRM watch review

Highgear offered me a chance to test their Alti-XT7 watch. I have been training with a GPS/heart rate monitor (HRM) for almost 2 years, but thought it would be interesting to explore another brand and see what it had to offer.

What caught my interest most about the Highgear XT7 is that it not only provides GPS and HRM data, but also offers an altimeter and barometer (something my other watch does not).  I would not have expected to find those features on a GPS running watch that retails for 200$.

Product details
The Highgear Alti-XT7 package comes with the watch, the charger (USB - also used for uploading data), and a heart rate monitor with chest strap.

The watch face is smaller than many GPS watches out there, but the numbers display large enough to read easily. The backlight is bright and makes the watch easy to read while running at night.

Some of the features

• Navigation: Stores 100 waypoints, 25,000 track points
• Speed/pace: monitors speed, distance, pace
• Altimeter: Displays in feet or meters, must be set for each use -2,306 to 30,038 ft
• Barometer: Uses readings to forecast 6 hours ahead, must be set each use 8.85 -32.45 inHg
• Thermometer: Displays in Fahrenheit or Celsius +14f / -10C  to 122F / 50C
• Heart Rate Monitor: Chest strap and monitor with user-replaceable battery, water resistant
• Chronograph/Run Data
• Time/Alarms: 12 or 24 hr, time/day/date' 5 daily alarms, dual time zone, 
• Other: displays in metric or imperial units

Cost 
Listed as 200$ on the www.highgear.com website.

Software

Highgear provides software (available as free download) to put on your computer.

It is not complicated to use, and it provides good details for each run's speed, heart rate, and distance with graphs.

(Click to enlarge photos of software)

For navigation
Waypoints can be stored on the watch and reviewed later in the software.

Units and laps

You can either pre-set the watch to autolap in miles or kilometers, or lap it yourself for shorter or irregular distances.

If you lap your watch at 1/2 mile, or use irregular intervals, the data will be shown as a time (i.e. 3:10) and not a pace (6:20/mile). It will display your speed in miles/hour for you (great for cyclists!)

Mapping

Map also will show mile/KM markers and street names

The software also connects with Google maps and will display your run on an interactive map that can be seen in street view or as a satellite view.

Pro 

• Easy to read display, even in the dark
• Adjustable autolap 
• Battery lasts up to 8 hours in GPS mode, and can be charged with portable USB charger or solar charger (bought separately) for longer events. 
• GPS can be turned to "indoor" to extend battery life (Maybe my favorite feature, this makes it good for regular watch wearing. Battery lasts weeks this way) 
• Water resistant, 30ft
• Does not come off easily (secure)
• Heart rate monitor is very comfortable and compact
• Heart rate, weight, height can be set to personal numbers for zone training and caloric burn
• Route will show you your route as you go, so you can follow it back home! 
• Waypoints can be saved for future navigation
• Displays multiple combinations while running: actual pace, calories, max HR, time running, altitude, barometer, and more
• Charger/data uploader easy to use and fast

Con

•  If you change modes while running, it takes some time to scroll through battery life and other indicators (15 seconds +/-) before pace is displayed.
• Watch appeared to show actual pace while running, not average pace per lap. You can look at each run's average pace at the end of a run on the software. 
• Software could be improved.  It would be nice to be able to upload directly to online training logs.

Final review thoughts
Features I like best about the watch are it's readability, comfort, and the accuracy of the heart rate monitor. It would be good for heart rate training, if using laps longer than 90 seconds. As a GPS watch it is very accurate, measuring within .1-.2 miles of another GPS watch during 10 mile runs. I really enjoyed using this watch for my long runs where I wanted reliable heart rate readings and good tracking.

It has a few bells and whistles I am not used to. I am not a techno-pro, but it wasn't hard to figure out how to set the altimeter or barometer, (see below), Finding the right settings/displays while out on a run is a matter of practice.

The altimeter and barometer could be lifesaving features in certain situations. (Imagine being out on a high mountain trek and reading the forecast: temp should drop 20 degrees in 6 hours and snow coming.).

Also, I love that I can wear this watch as a watch, not just for running. All I have to do it turn off the GPS mode and it lasts for days!

I would recommend this watch to those who are serious about trail running, (and not-so-serious about the track). It would be a great watch for ultra runners, endurance cyclists, hikers, snowboarders and skiers.

***

Instructional videos that Highgear users might find helpful

Setting the altimeter

Setting the barometer

Connect with Highgear on Facebook HERE, or Twitter @HighgearUSA

Feel free to post comments. If you ask questions here,  I will either answer, or try to help you get an answer.
   Thank you!
      -Raina

Brooks GHOST 5 Shoe Review, A few things Running + Non running

Brooks Ghost 5 review
I first fell in love with the Brooks Ghost about a year ago, when I had my gait re-analyzed at my local running store, only to discover I was a neutral.

Since then, I have always had a pair of Ghosts in rotation- first the Ghost 3, then the 4. Now Brooks has raised the bar again, with an even better Ghost 5.

 

To find out what the difference between the Ghost 4 and Ghost 5 is, I called Brooks and spoke with a customer service pro. Here's what I learned:

The Ghost 5 retained the same 12MM heel-toe offset, caterpillar crash pad, and bio-mogo (biodegradable mid-sole), Brooks DNA (special cushioning) of the Ghost 4.

To upgrade the shoe, Brooks removed a plastic piece from the outer arch area. This will make the shoe a bit less stable, but more flexible, (Imagine twisting it side to side from the heel and toe- the Ghost 5 will will twist more). Yay for runners like me, who don't need any extra stability! (Too much actually causes me problems).

Improvements to the Brooks Ghost also includes making it a lighter trainer, 8.8 ounces- down from 9.3.

Test runs:
I find these perfect for easy runs and are supportive enough for long runs. The toe box is nice and roomy, (though it does come in widths for those looking for narrow or wide). On recent tests, it felt firm, but very flexible, (much like its predecessor). Cushioning is there, but they're certainly not squishy...

The Ghost 5 is a thumbs up for me, and I didn't think it was possible to improve on the last model!

***

Running related

• After Eugene I had this crazy idea that I might try to race another marathon in early June. Where do these ideas come from? Reading other people's blogs? Nonsense. I know myself better than that. Someone will win a nice pair of shoes this weekend, but most certainly not me! :)

Sidenote: (Just to prove to myself that it was not a good idea, though, I decided to follow Pfitz's back-to-back marathon training plan- sort of- for a couple of weeks. That ended after a few days of easy runs with strides, and a long run with MP (MP was not in the schedule--duh), and an attempt at pushing a jogging stroller with 70 pounds of kids in it for an "easy run". "Easy run" does not = double stroller. Even slowing down by 2 minutes a mile, my heart rate was in the tempo zone. Little muscles that I usually don't notice were tweaked still from the marathon, and from keeping the stroller from launching off the hills and into the creek. Can't let the kiddos drown I guess...)

•  I have some goals- but they are reserved for late summer/fall. Most of what I am doing is just base / easy aerobic running. Recently I tested myself at my high end aerobic zone and ran for 5 miles to see just how slow I could go maintaining that heart rate. Fascinating test. Took me a mile to get to 139 BPM, and then: 8:54, 9:18, 9:33, 9:36. I was turtle-riffic (for me)  and hope to be about 30 secs/mile faster in a month at the same heart rate. (I was training at essentially the same easy pace after Boston last year.) Will be fun to see...

• One new adventure I am enjoying is coaching a friend with her running. She has already improved so much on her own, but I am honored that she asked me to advise her in training. Each day, I check her progress, it is clear that she is committed to her goals and eager to follow directions. I can't wait to see how she does this summer!

•  I found a new blog! Sole Sisters is a combined project with a heart for the Lord. Check them out! I promise these ladies will be worth your time.

***
Snippets that prove my life is extraordinary ...

• I am learning the joy of interior painting. My helpers are very eager, but also very messy. I TRIED to mask things well, and laid down cardboard. However, seeing a 3 year old with a paintbrush DRIPPING paint onto the floor, while staring in awe...I realized that no amount of prep would protect the floor from this. Paint in hair, on shoes...shoes came off. In socks...socks came off, all over feet and between toes. Just glad he had fun and the floor was vinyl.  One room, one coat, four painters backing into eachother's brushes, and it took half a day. ha.

• My 7 year old is finishing up his first year of home school. We started in October and he has made SO much progress, even though I have not invested the time I had hoped into it.  He has gone from only knowing basic alphabet sounds and adding single digits, to fully reading by himself, including compound words and special sounds. Nathan can now write short stories (but hates to). He can add and subtract triple digit numbers, carrying numbers, recognize and use basic fractions, read a thermometer,  and loves geography, music and dance (much to his dad's dismay and everyone's entertainment), and science. 
• Yes. I have pulled most of my hair out doing this. Yes. I am a proud mom!