The benefits of a coach – I’m back on board!

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At the risk of aging myself, I will reveal that I’ve been a competitive runner for 23 years.  Throughout most of those years I’ve had a coach who has guided my training and prescribed workouts which would lead me to my goals.  There are many benefits to having a coach, which I will get to in a minute.  However, I’d moved away from formal coaching over the past few years because it represented a commitment and structure which I did not want to maintain.  When I have a prescribed schedule, I can become compulsive in doing what is written.   I can recall cottage “party” weekends with friends to which I would lug along my bike, go to bed early and wake up early to get my prescribed workouts in on the prescribed days.  I’m sure I was a bundle of fun to party with.

Since having my first child six years ago and my second two years later, I knew my family would be my top priority and I never wanted to feel conflicted.  I couldn’t have TWO priorities at once, right?  So I moved into training whenever my schedule would allow.  I  know how to prescribe and perform my own workouts as well as the formulas for training and getting fit.  The flexibility of working hard in micro-cycles when I had time for it it suited me well for a few years.

HOWEVER… I’ve found recently that there is room to add ME to the top of my priority list without jeopardizing any quality time with my family.  (Another stage in life thing I’m sure – when they’re teenagers and want nothing to do with me I may have to take up Ultrarunning to occupy my time!)  I’ve also found that without a plan to guide me, I tend to overdo it when I shouldn’t.  (I always like to put big efforts in the bank “just in case” I can’t get a run in over the next little while … not a great long-term, thoughtful training philosophy)

SO… I’ve enlisted my good friend and mentor  Nicole Stevenson to coach me and I am super excited.  Here are some of the things I’m looking forward to in having a coach:

  1. A shared commitment to a goal.  There is a feeling of being in it together which takes a bit of the individual pressure off in a very individual sport
  2. A training plan which looks ahead and acts as a map, rather than a log which always looks back.
  3. Confidence in knowing I have planned effort days so I can focus on relaxing and recovering on my non-effort days.
  4. A wise voice to help to guide me over trouble spots rather than always relying on the one in my head (that voice has been relegated to the back seat)
  5. An alibi for the time I’m committing to training.  I’m not running for an hour and a half to escape dishes and laundry — my coach TOLD me to!
  6. Shared joy and credit in the victories – and I’m sure there will be many 😉

I can’t wait to get going, although my first hiccup has already arisen.  Day 1 of the training plan is tomorrow and my husband is away which means I can’t fit in my run before or after work (and likely not at all).  I will try my hardest not to develop a nervous tick all day for not being able to complete what is written down, and will instead roll with it and focus on  the big picture.  Deep breath … here we go!!!!

Le Slump

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I am aware of the fact that I haven’t posted in a while.  The truth is that I have nothing great to write about.  I now realize that I’ve overdone it and am in a bit of an over-training slump.  How did this happen???  I’ve been able to handle this volume and intensity before.  The answer, I now realize reluctantly, is that I am under-recovering.

I need to do a bit less of this:

And a bit more of this:

(yes, he’s mine – and he never feels guilty about sleeping in)

This is a difficult concept to fully embrace when you want results and you’re motivated to work hard.  I realize that I should have planned way more of a recovery block after my marathon in March and my attempted double-peak with the 30K two weeks later.  Instead I just kept pushing and trying to build on my fitness.  What manifested was weeks of so-so training with some days of great runs or workouts which would fool me into believing I was recovered with many days of fatigue and lack-luster workouts in between.  Oh hindsight!

Here is a sample of some of the pages in my training log from the past month:

… you get the idea – there is a definite trend here.

I am obviously not to be trusted to be in charge of my own training schedule.  Oh, I know completely the concept of rest and recovery, and always build it in to training plans I write for others.  I, however, have not been working on a training cycle, rather the concept that I should run as hard and for as long as I can whenever I have the opportunity because my opportunities are so rare.  Clearly this plan is not working.

My planned solution is to hire a coach who can oversee my training cycles and phases.  One thing I do know about myself is that I’m very coach-able.  If it’s written down I tend to do it.    This is what was discouraging me from adhering to a formal plan, as I get very stressed if I can’t fit in something that has been planned.  Running whenever it suits me works for me psychologically, but maybe not as well physically.  So here we go … let’s hope for a more successful fall of racing!

Curse these perfect running days!

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Here is my latest struggle.  The weather is perfect for running, and I mean perfect.  Even my kids have not been complaining that it’s either too hot or too cold which must mean we’re in the perfect temperature sweet spot for human beings.  Here is the weather forecast for the week:

Perfect.

So what’s wrong with this?  Well, there was one thing I could count on when running through this past winter – that was that I’d be toughing it out and could always feel like a bit of a hero regardless of how far or hard I ran.  Running through ice and slush in negative temperatures is not always fun, but just knowing you’re out there is pretty satisfying.  You don’t have to do much to give yourself a check mark.  Now I find myself overly exuberant about the weather and I think, if I ran 60 miles a week in dark, brutal conditions, I can certainly run more than that now that it’s actually thoroughly enjoyable!  There is no way I’m taking a day off if it’s nice out especially when other people (who weren’t out running all winter) are out running in droves.  Nature isn’t conspiring against me or slowing me down – in fact it’s luring me out to do more … and more!

Then comes the inevitable … I overdo it.  And that’s where I am now.  Sick for the second bout in two weeks (this one’s ear/throat as opposed to last week’s stomach bug), my body is exhausted and sore, I tempoed my last race for which I should have been in great shape, and I don’t even feel like running.  Even though it looks like this out:

How could this scene not make you want to just go out and run?  I didn’t.  I spent the day in bed trying to recover.

So lesson learned – I will take more breaks and rest days.  Maybe.  I’m a hard case when it comes to these things.  But I do have my sights set on the Toronto Women’s Half Marathon in two weekends and my plan between now and then is to really do as little as possible when it comes to running so that I have a chance of maximizing my recovery and hopefully showing some of my fitness gains from the winter of training.

I’m preparing myself mentally for a weekend of minimal running and maximal carb loading and recovering.  I’ve already stocked up on some of my carbs:

So obviously some tough times ahead – let’s hope they pay off!

The mind/body connection – and how I have to work on mine!

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On Wednesday I came down with a nasty stomach bug.  Like many things in my life, I realized in hindsight that the signs were there that it was coming – I was just completely inept at interpreting them.  It turns out I’m also very terrible at reading hunger cues.  Here is how my lead-up to sickness transpired:

Saturday and Sunday – I ran fairly hard both days (9 mile fartlek workout on Sat and 13 mile long run on Sun) and felt great.

Monday – I felt very tired and attributed it to recovering from my double-intensity efforts on the weekend.  I didn’t run in the morning and may have been a little more irritable than usual throughout the day (in hindsight).

Tuesday – I ran 7 miles extremely slowly as I still felt inexplicably exhausted.  Throughout the day I continued to feel tired with strange sensations in my tummy.  I naturally interpreted this to mean I had low blood sugar and needed food.  All day.  This is what I ate on Tuesday while desperately trying to self-medicate for my strange feelings (of hunger – I thought):

  • a large bowl of cereal with a banana (my normal breakfast)
  • 6 cups of coffee (really just one mug at home and then a travel mug, but if you’re measuring by the coffee pot it says 6 cups)
  • an orange, carrots, and celery at work as a snack
  • 1/3 of a container of almonds at work because they were in my desk and I thought “how am I still hungry at 10 a.m.? oh well, at least these are here…”
  • chocolate frozen yogourt and a tray of sushi for lunch
  • a (large) handful of chocolate covered blueberries from my work neighbour’s desk in the afternoon (because I still had that weird feeling and needed to fix it)
  • 3 or 4 (I wasn’t paying attention) pieces of pizza for dinner (including my kids’ crusts – I cannot understand why they don’t like pizza crust).  I honestly still believed I was feeling tired and cranky because of lack of food.

That may seem like a lot to eat, especially for non-runners.  For me, I never really track what I eat and just eat according to how I feel.  When I read magazines outlining “diets of the stars” I sometimes wonder if I would survive half a day on their menu plans.  But looking at this, I do recognize that it seems like a lot.

I went to bed at around 9:45 p.m.  that evening to get ready for my last workout before the Sporting Life 10K on Sunday.

Wednesday – I woke up at 4:50 a.m.  Basically you’re numb and zombie-like at that time regardless of how you will eventually end up feeling, so I put on my running clothes and headed out the door to meet my running group.  I met my workout buddies half a mile into my warm-up and immediately told them I’d amended the workout (you can do that when you’re the coach).  The one mile at 10K pace was now at tempo effort, and the 800’s at 5K pace were now at 10K pace.  The 400’s which I had earlier said should be “quick” I changed to “go as you feel”.  Considering how I was feeling, that made perfect sense.  As usual my sister didn’t listen to me and went at the faster, earlier prescribed paces.  Hunh.  How did she feel so good when it seemed so hard to me?

Then I got home and realized all was not right.  I did not feel like my coffee.  In fact I didn’t feel like ingesting anything, including water despite my dry mouth.  My stomach was turning and churning and my workout fatigue became overall intense body fatigue.  I had a presentation that day which I had to get through, but spent the rest of the day curled in my bed.  On that day I ate ZERO.  I tried gum to help my dry mouth but even that made me nauseous.  Definitely not the best recovery recipe for a workout (albeit a soft one).

Thursday (today) – I did not set my alarm to run.  I went through my day normally, but still felt off with my tummy and energy levels.  Taking the stairs left me gasping for air and my legs burning. (nothing like that sensation to play psychological mind tricks on you regarding your state of fitness).  I ate very little but I plan to feel better tomorrow.  I will set my alarm for a short jog.  I’m hoping to feel ok in time for the race on Sunday.

Obviously I was in a good state of denial leading up to my sickness.  Next up … tricking myself into believing it will have no negative effects on my 10K.  The last thing I need is a little niggly excuse working its way into my brain in the last few miles of racing pain.  As I say … Suck It Up, Buttercup!  Hope those are words I will live by on Sunday…

Running and traveling – the perfect combination

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One of the greatest things about running (and to me there are so many great things, so this is big) is how it is the perfect compliment to traveling.  Not only does your running experience benefit by having new routes, sites, smells and temperatures, but your travel experience benefits by seeing places and things you otherwise wouldn’t.  I always feel less like a tourist and a little more a part of a place when I run there.

Last weekend my husband and I went to Miami for the weekend without kids.  We were going for a paddle board race which he had entered, but of course we both expected to do quite a bit of running.

Day 1: We landed on Friday afternoon.  We were coming from Toronto where temperatures had been hovering around zero degrees or just above for way too long.  We landed smack in the middle of thirty degree hot humidity.  It felt sooooo good.  Especially in our air conditioned hotel.

Cool, classy lobby of The Cadet hotel

The first thing we decided to do to get a good feel for the place was to go for a run.  We also wanted to take advantage of the freedom of having all the time in the world without kid duties, so we immediately agreed on an hour and a half run.  And we did an out-and-back.  Probably not the best decision when you’re running in a 30 degree variance from what your body is used to.  By the end we had slowed down quite a bit and were feeling quite limp, hot and dehydrated.  Luckily we had the ocean to jump into at the end, and we did get to see parts of Miami we would definitely not otherwise have seen.

Also this happened to my fingers:

(For some reason they puffed into little sausages.  My hands have about a five degree window in which they are comfortable running – somewhere between 12 and 17 degrees.  If the weather strays too far outside this window they will either go numb or puff up.  I should really look into my circulation issues at some point.)

Of course when you travel it’s good to really get into the local scene.  We tried our best by sampling the local cuisine and drinks.

Post long run beer

Day 2: The main reason for our trip (apart from adult time and free running time) was the Kommona paddle board race.  Luckily I was lent a board by the very kind c4 rep who we’d met the night before so I had a chance to jump in the race as well.  I had a great time, came second in my class (out of two) and second last overall.  What a great sport.

At the finish line of the 5 mile Kommona paddle race

Next up was our second run of the trip, but first we had to recover from our morning paddle and wait out the main heat of the day.  This is how we accomplished that:

Relaxing pre-run #2 in South Beach

Later that afternoon we went out for run #2 of the trip.  This time we went the other direction to explore a different area.  It was still hot but we were a little more cautious with our pace and our ambitions.  We’d decided on one hour for this one.  About 25 minutes in it started to rain.  It was actually quite enjoyable as the rain made us feel a tad cooler.  It still seemed like warm rain though.  It got interesting when the rain got harder and harder and seemed to turn into a flash flood.  Sidewalks completely disappeared and we were up to our knees in water at some points.  This wasn’t at all bad as we now had the entire boardwalk to ourselves where before we had been dodging crowds of people.  We finished run #2 soaking and happy, and the storm passed as quickly as it had come.  What a great way to experience it.

Day 3: This was our final day on vacation.  We didn’t have a lot of time before our mid-morning flight, so I set my alarm to run early.  My husband opted to sleep in and get his run in back home.  I couldn’t forgo the warm running opportunity after having complained about the cold for about six months straight.  I decided to do a fartlek workout in order keep myself occupied since I didn’t have my running buddy.  At 6 a.m. on a Sunday morning the streets were deserted and the look and feel of them gave the sense that we’d missed a wild night of partying.  As I ran, the city started to come to life with the early morning cleaners and by the end, some fellow runners.

On my way home I sat on the plane  satisfied knowing that I’d gotten three enjoyable and memorable days of running because of my vacation, and an amazing travel vacation experience because of my running.

The Phases of Running in My Life

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I’m not generally the type of person who looks back sentimentally at old things, nor am I a pack rat so I tend to purge things from my past which I consider “clutter” fairly regularly.  However, my parents are moving and doing the typical “take your stuff or it’s garbage” routine that goes along with that.  To most things I said “dump it” including a pile of old trophies and medals.  But my son wanted them so my dad dutifully dropped them off in a paper bag.  After looking through a few I was reminded of how long I’ve been running and I started to think about the different phases it’s taken throughout my life.

I didn’t keep the “Participant” ribbons from elementary school, but that’s pretty much where the story began.  Then in high school I became more serious in terms of training and racing, and received a few of these:

Most Valuable Player Girls Track and Field Team, Lawrence Park CI 1990/1991

Burlington Road Race Female Relay 14-17 1st 1990

Back then running was a passion, yes, but also a source of stress.  Every effort was about a result and I worried about how I would be judged or evaluated by others.  It would be fair to say it was a love/hate relationship.

Then came my university running years.  Unlike some of my friends I did not go south on a track scholarship (to be honest I didn’t have many appealing offers) and so the track team became a great social circle and did not carry any high pressure stakes as no one knew me.  I would say that in University I ran for fun and mixed it in with a number of other pastimes (ie. studying, partying and meeting my future husband).  I ran well enough and was captain of the team and MVP in various years, but I’ve often looked back and wondered “what if” I had the drive and focus that I discovered later.  My memories from university comprise about equally of this:

Lead pack of women at Naionals in Etobicoke

and this:

Kingston Classic Beer Mile 1997

Post university my running became a little more structured and serious.  It was at this point that I realized I was doing it only for me and I was the only one who really cared about my results, and ironically this is when I became the most motivated to train hard.  There was a 5-7 year period here where I trained pretty religiously and set all of my current standing PB’s including in the Ironman.  I was working full time, but was married to a runner who understood and encouraged me, and basically running filled all of my spare time (that time which I wonder what people do with now that I am so busy with two kids!)

Finishing a race in Australia where I traveled (and ran) with my future husband for 6 mos

It wasn’t having kids which brought on my next phase in running.  I would say it was the next phase which precipitated my having kids.  I got a little bored and tired of the constant structure and chasing of times.  I didn’t want to give up running, but I wanted to scale it back.  My heart wasn’t into putting in great efforts anymore.  “There must be something else to life” I thought.  And so… we moved on to having kids.  I ran throughout my pregnancies and resumed quickly after both births, but never with any more purpose than staying fit and enjoying my runs.  That lack of focus was so freeing.  I had a built-in excuse for not training seriously or racing fast – the fatigue and time constraints which come with having kids.  The reality is that I’ve seen people get back to training hard and racing fast immediately after having babies, so really I just didn’t want to.  I continued to enjoy running as much as I could whenever I could, sometimes hard, sometimes not, just in order to keep myself happy and healthy.

Here are some examples of activities which have been taking up my time where running (and recovering) used to fit:

Skating                                                                Swimming

Indoor games                                                                   Playing at the park

I would say that this past year I’ve entered yet another phase in my running.  I appreciate and love it more than ever as I no longer take the time I get to devote to it for granted.  I make greater efforts to carve out time for it as I rely on it for so much.  Running is my social time, my alone time, my stress release, my confidence builder, my time to focus on problems, my time to allow my mind to wander and dream, and my physical outlet.  It truly is one of the only things I do only for me.  I’ve stepped it up a notch this past year as the competitive desire to race has returned.  Where it came from, I have no idea, and I’m not sure how long it will last, but I do know that there will be many more phases to come.  More than 23 years of running and counting!

Race review – from a different perspective

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It is not often that I go to races to cheer.  Simply because often it is a bit of an effort and coordination to get to a race, and if I’m going to be at the location for the duration of the race, most of the time I just race it.

This time was different.  I had no need or desire to race due to still recovering from Around The Bay and the Catalina Marathon, and my sister (and loyal 5 a.m. training partner) was racing – along with a number of other friends.  The race was the Harry’s Spring Run Off 8 km.  A great course around High Park, and viewing it as a spectator allowed me to appreciate many different experiences than usual.  Here are a few things I noticed as a spectator which I don’t tend to as a racer:

  • The mellow vibe of those there to complete, not compete.  As I finally found a parking spot a few miles away from the start with under half an hour to go, I was already getting slightly panicky about getting to the start in time to watch it.  And I found myself walking towards the start along with quite a number of other people who were going to run it.  Who are these laid back people who get to the start just in time to go???  I assume they have way less stress and adrenalin coursing through them on race day than I normally do.  Very different and very cool.
  • I would like to say I enjoyed not getting nervous (most spectators probably would), but for some reason the sights and sounds still brought forth my physical gut response of fight-or-flight.  Luckily I was able to channel my adrenalin and had one of my best runs in a while later that afternoon.
  • I got to enjoy the crowds, booths, announcing and ceremonies which are there to make the runners feel welcome.  Normally all of this is just background noise as I find my space to warm-up and get into my “racing zone”.  This was the first time I’ve ever followed the piper to the start.

Piper leading the runners to the start

  • I saw many familiar faces before the race, and was able to wish them a heartfelt “good luck” and cheer them on throughout (instead of being focused on me, me, me).

Friend and running mate Ali Drynan pre-race

  • I was able to watch the actual race play out as the winners flew by (the course was a great spectator’s course as we could watch the races pass by four times)

Lead woman and eventual winner Krista DuChene

Lead man and eventual winner Sami Jibril staying ahead of second place finisher Josephat Ongeri

  • I could pour all of my energy and emotions into cheering as loudly as I could to try to help runners find a little extra strength and speed which might net them a couple of extra seconds in time.  I really do think cheering makes a difference in this.  It better – I sure felt exhausted enough afterwards!!

My hero of the day Tanis Feasby as she crested the brutal hill at the finish for a PB time (I screamed very loudly here)

  • The final thing I was really able to observe differently and more completely was the coordination and efforts of all of the volunteers.  Standing near them at a table for minutes allowed me to appreciate their duties a lot better than when I just run by over the course of a couple of seconds.  They are amazing, spend a lot of time and effort, and probably don’t get nearly enough thanks.  My next resolution is to volunteer at a race sometime in the coming season to get an even better perspective and appreciation for their roles (and to give back of course!)

Congratulations to all runners, racers and volunteers who took part in this event – it was by far my favourite sporting entertainment event of the year so far.

 

Running With Kids

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There are a few different angles the title to this post could take.  The first one (and one which I’ve addressed a few times in my posts) is “how on earth do you get out for your runs and train for races when you have kids??”  A big topic with no one simple solution.

But in this one I’m talking about how to get your kids running too.

I’m a firm believer that (like adults) kids need to run (or do other exercise) regularly in order to be healthy.  In truth, I think kids intuitively know this too.  They are inclined to run.  It’s natural for them and it makes them feel good.  However, it’s not as simple as it may sound to just “let them run”.  What does this mean, really?  If kids are not in a specific time and place where running is encouraged then they are generally being told for most of their days “Don’t Run!” Don’t run in the school, don’t run away from us in the playground, don’t run in the house, don’t run in most public spaces where adults are, etc…

Of course the easiest solution for allowing or getting your kids to run is to sign them up for programs which they enjoy which include running.  For example, soccer, basketball, tennis, sports play, etc… There are a host of these types of programs for pre-school and school aged children and they work wonderfully in incorporating fun into running.

There are also some kids who just love challenges and if you say something like “I bet you can’t run around the playground 3 times” they’ll be off before you’ve finished the sentence.

My son H doesn’t take to either of the above scenarios.  Not a team sports guy and not a “pleaser” by nature. (I swear he does have his redeeming qualities!)

So how does running fit into H’s life?  Basically it has to occur on his terms.  This is tricky for a busy, scheduled, time-conscious, task oriented parent, but I know this is one area where I have to be patient.  So if I pick him up from school in a rush to get us home and get dinner on and H is running in the playground having fun in his own game, I try to let it play out for as long as I can.

Today was another good example.  We were at the park where I had planned to watch my kids in the playground while catching up with my sisters.

Here is where I envisioned spending my morning:

But that was MY idea.  (Silly me – why would I think my plan would be followed?)  Instead, H took off on an “adventure” through the woods.  I followed as well as I could along with his cousin.  This “run” took us through muddy trails, up slippery slopes, down ravines and through brambly trees.  My footwear was not appropriate and I wasn’t really in the mood for a mucky adventure.  But I could see the exhilaration on his face and I recognized that it would be hypocritical of me to tell him not to run on his terms when that’s pretty much all I ask for in life!

In the end, we had a fun adventure, and the kids got a lot more exercise than I had planned.  This was the post-run walk back to the car:

The afternoon consisted of a hot bath and indoor play time.  They are so much calmer once their bodies have had the exercise they crave and everyone ends up happier.

Check out this article on other tips by me on running with kids by The Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Around The Bay 30K Race Report (or The Big Bonk)

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If you’ve been following this blog you’ll know that my goal race for the season was originally Around The Bay 30K. I love this race and have had numerous successes there. I was really hoping to run sub-2hrs as I have three times before in my prime fitness.

Then along came the plan to travel to California over March Break and in the process run the Catalina Island Marathon which happened to be two weeks before Around The Bay. Not a problem I thought: it could work in my favour. Run a long run and recover in time to race a brilliant 30K.

The only problem was the recovery. It’s hard to know mid-recovery if you actually have recovered from an effort without testing yourself (which would then need recovering from itself). So I just had to hedge my bets and go out at my planned goal pace.

Race Day was beautiful, sunny, and one of the warmest days in months.

I started out at my planned goal pace and ran the first 5 km in 19:40. It didn’t feel way too fast, but at the same time, I knew that it should have felt easier if I wanted to repeat another five of those in a row. I wasn’t sure if my legs just needed to wake up a bit and whether I’d get a second wind and start feeling more into it. I slowed down a bit to try to re-charge so I could get back into race mode. It felt like I had fallen way off the pace, but I went through 10 km in just over 40 minutes. Not too bad. But I knew at that point that I didn’t have a race in me. I could not summon any reserves of energy, so I thought I’d turn it into an “enjoyable long run”. Ha!

THE BONK:

By 15 km I was slowing down by the step. My head was fuzzy, I had no energy, and I sort of felt like stopping and crying. A tad dramatic and out of the ordinary for a mid-race experience. Must have been my plummeting glucose levels. I did have gels and had been taking Gatorade but it wasn’t enough. I was in too big of a hole. Now what?? My car was parked at 29 km. I couldn’t think of any way to stop and get home which was all I wanted to do. So I had to run the hardest 14 km of my life in order to stop. That is saying a lot. It was brutal kilometer to brutal kilometer. The pain of running is bearable when it’s leading you to a fast time or moving you towards your goals. When it’s nothing but pain and defeat it is magnified. Thank god for the crowds of other runners and supporters along the way. They really are amazing in this race. There were people with signs all along the course who made me smile numerous times despite my glum state of affairs.

I finally made it to my car at the 29th kilometer, stepped off the course and drove home. I don’t think it’s bad that I didn’t run into the stadium with the cheering crowds – it would have felt insincere.

So what did I learn from this? Not sure. Because it really could have gone either way, and knowing me, I’d try doing something similar again. I just hate missing opportunities and running the Catalina Marathon seemed like such a good one (and one I definitely do not regret). One thing I do know now is that I am currently very tired, very deep down. For the next week, instead of running at 5 a.m. I’ll be doing this.

Good night!

Shoe Review – adidas Boost

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I’ve been trying out adidas’ latest technology in their introduction to the Boost running shoe.

The Technology:

The midsole is comprised of thousands of EVA capsules bonded together.  These capsules store and release the energy of a runner’s impact better than any other traditional midsole on the market.  Translation: they make your run feel “bouncy”.

The upper is made out of seam-free supportive materials which hug your foot like a sock providing optimum support with no irritation.

The Claims:

  • The Boost technology provides the elusive ultimate blend of cushioning and responsiveness.  I’ve always thought these two traits were exclusive.  I have my “soft, squishy” shoes which I use for my recovery runs and my “firmer, flatter” shoes which I use for performance efforts such as intervals or tempos.
  • The shoes will last longer than shoes with traditional EVA as the capsules won’t break down as quickly as uniform foam so the shape of the shoe will maintain its integrity over a longer period of time.
  • Unlike traditional EVA the Boost technology does not change in different temperatures (I’ve definitely experienced harder and squishier rides than expected in the extreme cold and hot with other shoes)

For a complete run-down on the technologies and engineering of the Boost check out this video at the unveiling in New York City:

Introduction to the adidas Boost

My Verdict:

  • I’ve used the Boost on treadmill runs, easy recovery runs and intervals.  I loved it for the latter two – on the treadmill it felt a tad squishy as the ‘mill itself has a lot of give and the added cushioning feel left too little firmness under foot.
  • I’ve LOVED them for recovery runs outside when my legs have literally needed a “boost”.  I’ve felt like they’ve brought me back to a par on days when I was flat.
  • I’ve used them for intervals and was surprised to find them as responsive as they were.  When I’m running faster I’m up on my toes more and I’m looking for a firm platform from which to push off.  I found the Boost responsive enough in my longer intervals to suit my purposes.  I might not use them for shorter or more intense intervals on the track (not that I do those much anymore, but if I did…)
  • I like the sock-like upper.  It’s snug and holds my foot perfectly onto the midsole.
  • I think they look cool.  Especially when I’m wearing all black and training in the dark.  I feel like a ninja.

Bottom line: definitely worth trying out and seeing if they’re a good fit for you.  If they fit well and make you feel fast and sleek, I say you can’t go wrong.