And the Winner Is...

CONGRATULATIONS to Felipe Benavides the winner of the Hudson Sport Deluxe Heart Rate Monitor!
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Thanks to all the participated in the contest. If you haven't already, check out the other two contests currently running on the blog:

RunnerDude's All-Call for Training Recipes
RunnerDude and New Balance 759 Prize Drawing

New Balance Sponsors Reach the Beach Relay Series!

Global athletic leader New Balance is proud to announce an official multi-year partnership with the Reach the Beach Relay organization. As part of the partnership New Balance will serve as the title sponsor of the new "Reach the Beach Relay Series," which includes the 12 year-old 200-mile New Hampshire-based fall relay (taking place this weekend) as well as the new, 191-mile Massachusetts-based spring relay event that will kick-off this May 2011, traversing from Mount Wachusett to Horseneck Beach State Reservation. 2010 represents New Balance's fourth year sponsoring the Reach the Beach Relay event and the tenth time New Balance has sent associates to compete in the race."

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The Reach the Beach Relay draws people from all over the country to come together for two days, focused on having a great time running," said Daniel Green, integrated marketing associate for New Balance. "It is a unique event in that it engages both novice and veteran runners alike in an experience that is physically challenging and socially rewarding. As a brand founded on running we are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring such a positive experience to even more runners two times a year with the new Reach the Beach Relay Series."

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In addition to adding another Reach The Beach event to its sponsorship calendar, New Balance has enhanced its presence at the upcoming fall 2010 Reach the Beach Relay event to include more corporate participants and additional activation efforts. The company will send a total of 7 teams to participate in the race, including 3 teams of New Balance corporate associates, 1 team of New Balance Boston track club members, and 1 International team from Germany, composed of NB Germany associates, retailers, and media. The final two teams are composed of key New Balance running specialty retail partners including Fleet Feet, Naperville Running Company, Start Line, The Running Place, Running Zone, and Performance Running Outfitters. Each New Balance van will be adorned with corporate branding and offer race participants a unique way to engage with the brand.

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For the 2010 fall race New Balance will host an expanded "New Balance Tent Village" at Bear Brook State Park, offer a robust assortment of official RTB race merchandise, and have a booth at the race start and finish showcasing their Fall 2010 gear."

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The relationship between the Reach the Beach Relay organization and New Balance has been a strong collaboration born of mutual passion for the running community and a shared desire to create an exceptional race experience for participants," said Rich Mazzola, Reach the Beach co-race director and founder. "We are thrilled to partner with them for the new Reach the Beach Relay Series and be able to reach even more runners with their innovative products."

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RUNNERDUDE/NEW BALANCE CONTEST

Win a Free Pair of the New Balance 759!

In honor of the new Reach the Beach Relay Series and New Balance's sponsorship of the series, RunnerDude and New Balance are giving you, the readers, a chance to win a free pair of New Balance 759s, the top shoe New Balance is recommending for the race! To check out a RunnerDude review of the New Balance 759, [click here].

To enter, simply email RunnerDude at runnerdudeblog@yahoo.com. Be sure to put NB759 in the subject line and put your full name in the body copy of the email. The deadline to enter is September 30th. The winner will be posted on the blog on October 1st.

Each email entry will be assigned a number in the order that it's received. The True Random Number Generator will be used to determine the winner.

If you've run the New Hampshire Reach the Beach Rely before, I'd love to hear from you!

Enter for a Chance to Win a Free Pair of New Balance 759s!

Yesterday I shared my review of New Balance's new neutral trainer—the 759. If you haven't had a chance to read the review, be sure to do so and then check out my video review below. If you're a neutral runner who needs a little cushion, then this shoe may be just what you're looking for. This post isn't to talk about the shoe's great performance though. Instead, it's to announce a new RunnerDude Contest in which New Balance will provide the winner with a free pair of New Balance 759s!!

All you have to do is email me at runnerdudeblog@yahoo.com by midnight on 7/3/2010. Put "NB759 Contest" in the Subject line of the email and then be sure to put your full name in the body of the email. Each entry will be assigned a number in the order that the emails are received. The True Random Number Generator at Random.org will be used to select the winning number and the winner will be announced on the blog on July 4th! So don't delay, email RunnerDude your entry and tell your running buddies!

New Balance Adds New Neutral Trainer to Their Line!

Back in April, New Balance announced that it would be adding a new neutral trainer to it's NBx line—the 759. They described the shoe as a neutral trainer built to provide runners with a lightweight, cushioned ride. I'm a neutral runner who needs a little cushion, so I was all ears. It's hard to find a good lightweight shoe that's also cushioned. The announcement said the shoes would be available in stores in July 2010. I figured I'd just wait and check them out in July.

So, when New Balance asked me if I wanted to review a pair, I was quite beside myself, and of course said, "Yes! Send em on!"

The New Balance press release for the 759 says that they're designed for the dedicated and fitness runner and features N-ergy technology to provide impact absorption and maximum cushioning for a responsive ride, ensuring runner’s feet feel as fresh at the end of the run as they did at the beginning. It goes on to say that the minimalist upper design offers a breathable mesh for optimal airflow and flexibility while a Stability Web ensures lightweight midfoot support. The 759’s modern construction and design make it the go-to trainer for new and experienced runners alike seeking cushioning and durability for the ultimate running experience.

Sounds all really good, but what I really want to know with a shoe, is how does it feel to me, how does it hold up, is the shoe worth the expense, and would I opt to buy a second pair. I think that's what most runners what to know. Many non-runners will tell me, "well at least you picked a cheap sport." I guess compared to $100+ greens fees and $3000 bikes, running is relatively cheap, but when you buy a pair of shoes about every 6 months or less, and they each cost around $100 bucks, it can start to make a dent in the ole wallet. So, as a dedicated runner, I want quality, comfort, and durability—QCD.

The 759s have passed the QCD test. I've been running in the 759s for about 3 weeks now and I've put in at least 12 runs in them varying in distance from 3 to 9 miles. Let me break down my QDC experience.

Quality: The upper is very breathable and durable. I took a tumble on one of my runs when my toe snagged an uneven portion of the road where some resurfacing was being done. My knee, palm, and pinkie finger looked like I'd been attacked by a mad bull, but my shoes looked great. Not even a scratch on them!

Comfort: The shoes really deliver in this department. I usually need a little extra cushioning in the fore foot, but shoes that usually provide this tend to be heavy. Not the 759s. They're not the lightest shoes I've run in, but they did provide that needed cushion and still were on the lighter side (11 oz.). Actually I was surprised they were 11oz. They felt lighter. I also had plenty of room in the toebox and I love the longer shoe laces. I hate it when there's not enough string to tie a lock lace and double knot.

Durability: Lightweight shoes tend to use a lighter less durable tread for the sole that doesn't last very long. The tread on the 759s, however seems to be very durable. After 12 runs (mainly on blacktop and cement), mine show hardly any wear at all. But, this durable sole doesn't seem to be adding much extra weight to the shoe. A definite plus in my book.

Style: I know, I know, "style" isn't a part of the QCD, but it's often a consideration for many runners. Personally, no matter what the color, once I find a shoe that works for me, I'll buy it in neon pink if that's the only color it comes in, but I do like it when there are some options to choose from. The 759 comes in three color choices for men and two color choices for women. Also, in October 2010, there will be an additional color option—gray/bronze. This darker version is actually the shoe that I tested. At first, I thought maybe the shoes I received were a trail version of the 759. I contacted New Balance and was told that in fact what I received is definitely the road shoe, but just a new color option that will be available in October. I really like road shoes in darker colors, but usually the darker colors are only available in trail versions. The darker version of the 759 road shoe is a pretty cool idea.

My experience with New Balance's new 759 has been awesome. If you're a neutral runner and you like a lightweight shoe with some cushion, I'd definitely recommend giving the NB 759s a try. I had such a good experience with this shoe that it definitely deserves 5 dudes out of 5 dudes on the RunnerDude Rating Scale.

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It's almost July, so you may already be able to find the 759 in your local running store, but if not, you can order them on the New Balance Website. I just received news that if you live in Greensboro, NC, you can get the men's 759 at Off'n Running Sports and the women's should be there soon!

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Note: Although New Balance sent me a pair of the 759s and asked me to test and review the shoes, I was in no way urged to write a positive reveiw, nor was I paid or compensated in any other way for writing the reveiw. My review is purely based on my own personal experience using the product.