Saucony 8mm: They Read My MInd!

For the past year or so, I've been reading so much about the barefoot and minimalist movement. One consistent thing that crops up in both camps as well as even the traditional running shoe camp is that the traditional 12mm to 13mm drop from heel to toe may be contributing to (if not promoting) heel striking which over time can spur on several running related injuries. But, if you're like me and have some foot issues, barefoot is not an option. Even the minimalist shoes (for me) tend to only work for moderate length runs.

Recently I've been dealing with two dropped metatarsals in each foot which has caused the second toe on each foot (the one beside the big toe) to hurt. I feared one may even have a stress fracture. Luckily that wasn't the case. Here comes the quandary. My minimalist shoes helped relieve the pressure on the ball of my foot, but prompted other issues on long runs. My more traditional shoes provides the needed support on the long runs, but put me up on my heels causing more stress on the balls of my feet.

So, what's a biomechanically challenged runner supposed to do? I had been thinking for several months, "Why can't you just lower the heel keeping the integrity and original support provided in a traditional running shoe? Why do only minimalist shoes get the lower heel?" Well, I think Saucony had a spy planted in my head, because I'm happy to announce that they're launching a new line of shoes with my thinking as the basis for the shoe. Okay, well, it was their thinking. :-)

Their new 8mm line is actually taking existing shoes (the Progrid Guide 5, the Powergrid Hurricane 14, the Powergrid Triumph 9) and reducing the height of the heel-to-toe offset from the average 12mm to 8mm. This is awesome news! Now it will be easier for you to land further midfoot, striking with less impact, giving you greater stability and control.

This lower heel will provide for great alignment. At 8mm your ankles, calves, knees, quads, and hamstrings are in better alignment and are better able to absorb the impact of the road. Also, just the fact that you'll be able to  have more of a midfoot landing will allow you to work with the road, not against it, creating less impact.

The lower heel will also provide great suspension. The new alignment puts you in a more spring-like position, and works with you body's natural ability to coil and rebound.

Better control, alignment and suspension spells greater propulsion allowing you to run stronger and longer.

Saucony is sending me a pair of the 8mm Powergrid Triumph 9. My running shoe of choice is the traditional version of the Triumph so, I'm very excited to see how a shoe I already love will work with a lower heel-to-toe offset.

So, stay tuned! As soon as I've received the shoes and put in several good runs of different distances and intensities, I'll be posting my review. I'll also be giving away a pair of shoes from the new Saucony 8mm line.

It's so cool when your wishes come true!

RunningWarehouse $50 E-Gift Certificate Drawing!

Today there are several great online gear and apparel stores for runners to choose from. One that I find myself returning too frequently is RunningWarehouse.com. The selection at this online store is great for both women and men and the customer service is awesome.

There's nothing I dislike more than to find a great online deal only to discover that the added shipping costs make the items even more expensive than before the sale price. Not a problem with RunningWarehouse. They offer free 2-day shipping and free return shipping if you find you need to return something. And....if you need something in a hurry, they offer overnight shipping for only $9.95.

I first encountered RunningWarehouse when looking online for some running shoes several years ago. I was really pleased with the experience I had and I've continued to shop their site. Today not only do they have shoes, but they also have a huge selection of running apparel and accessories (everything from energy bars to watches).

They've also added some other great benefits to runners visiting their website. They're new Learning Center offers a great array of video on everything from  how to select the right shoe to how to train in your 40s, 50s, and beyond. These quick-and-easy to use, get-it-at-a-glance videos are informative and fun to watch. 

And the Winner of the  $50 RunningWarehouse E-Gift Certificate Is...

Congratulations to Shelley Bowman of Texas, the winner of the $50 RunningWarehouse Online Gift Certificate! Her entry was #99 and that was the lucky number chosen by the True Random Number Generator. Some of you may know Shelley from her blog My Journey to Fit. Check it out when you can.

Thanks Joe for providing such a great service to the running community, your support of the blog, and the awesome prize!

Have You Checked Out Sierra Trading Post Lately?

If you're an outdoorsy kind of person, then you've probably heard of the Sierra Trading Post. Owner Keith Richardson founded Sierra Trading Post® in 1986 in Reno, Nev. The company purchases name-brand overstocks and closeouts and passes savings on to its customers—selling dress, casual and outdoor clothing, footwear, home furnishings, accessories, and gear at savings of 35 to 70 percent.

I was recently surprised and delighted to discover that Sierra Trading Post carries a nice selection of running trail shoes as well as some road running shoes. The variety is not as vast as you might find elsewhere, but what they have is offered at 25%, 35%, and even 50% off the regular retail price.

I also discovered that you can't beat their great customer service. Customer service is a huge part of their business model. In fact, if you happen to need a customer service rep, you won’t have to punch in any numbers and you’ll get to talk to a real person! I was amazed!

Sierra Trading Post sent me a pair of Saucony’s Progrid Guide TR2 trail running shoe. I’m a big Saucony running shoe fan, so I was really excited. I'm not a huge trail runner, but I received the shoes really quickly and have been running in them for a couple of weeks now. As a trail shoe, they're really good, especially if you wear a stability shoe. They provide a nice wide base for a secure foot plant, a roomy toe box, and the design of the lugs on the bottom of the shoes prevents sticks and other debris from getting stuck in the tread while on your run. I've even worn the Progrid Guide TR2s on some road runs, and they did great. While there is a newer version of the shoe available (the Progrid Guide TR3), it's hard to beat the $69.95 price for the TR2s that Sierra Trading Post is offering (the shoes originally sold for $100)!

So, if you have some more holiday gift-giving to do, be sure to check out Sierra Trading Post. Also, be sure to enter the next RunnerDude's Blog Contest that's being sponsored by Sierra Trading Post!

Contest!
Sierra Trading Post will give away one free pair of the Saucony ProGrid Guide TR2 trail running shoes to one female and one male in a contest drawing. To enter, simply send an email to runnerdudeblog@yahoo.com with "Sierra Trading Post" in the subject line. Then be sure to include your full name in the body of the email. Just to be on the safe side, also include "male" or "female" beside the name, especially if it's a name that can be used for either sex. The email entries will be accepted through Saturday, December 18th. The emails will be sorted into male and female piles and each email will be assigned a number in the order that it was received. The True Random Number Generator will be used to select the winning male and female entry numbers. The winners will be announced on the blog on Sunday, December 19th.

Note: While Sierra Trading Post, did provide the trail shoes for testing, I received no payment for writing this post nor was I encouraged to write a positive post. This post simply represents my experience with Sierra Trading Post and the trail shoes I tested.