RunnerDude's Gear Review: Brooks PureFlow

I'm a big proponent of runners finding what works best for them. Running is not "one-size-fits-all" or in this case "one-shoe-is for-all." Some do great with the purest approach by going completely bare (feet that is)....well there was that Pride in Your Hide 5K I did a few years back...but I digress. Anywho... others need a little more coverage for their feet and wear things that look like water-shoes or better yet take the gloved-feet approach. Some like the support of a laced shoe that has a little more sole. Still others want more support but a lower heel-to-toe ratio to promote a more natural gait. All are good. What works for you is what's best for you.

Brooks has joined the movement of providing runners with a more natural ride. Their new Pure Project contains four models: PureConnect, PureFlow, PureCadence, and Pure Grit. Each shoe is designed to be extremely lightweight and contain flexible materials the provide a natural, ergonomic, responsive ride.

Brooks recently sent me a pair of the PureFlow to test ride. I've tried minimalist shoes by other makers and while they were good shoes, for me, I netted out with them being good for shorter runs but not as good on longer jaunts. Not the case with Brooks' PureFlow.

I put in a lot of miles each week running with all my clients and various running groups. The PureFlow has taking me on short slow miles with my beginning running groups, fast intense speed work with my intermediate running groups, and long endurance runs with my race training groups. In each case, I've been impressed with the support and cushion this lightweight shoe provides.

The PureFlow provides a little more shoe and a lot more cushion but without added weight. The shoes only weight about 8.7 oz. The wide toe box and cool Toe Flex technology allow the big toe to power-off more naturally.

The best thing I like about the PureFlow is the 4mm heel-toe offset. I was delighted when another company recently redesigned some of their shoes with a lower 8mm heel-toe offset. The PureFlow has taken it even lower with a 4mm heel-toe offset. The traditional running shoe has a 12mm heel-toe offset. The higher heel often promotes heel-striking and in my case put a lot of pressure on the balls of my feet. The PureFlow's 4mm heel-toe offset allows for a more natural ride allowing runners to attain a midfoot stride more easily. This has helped my feet tremendously.

Another feature I really like is the durability of the tread. Many of the minimalist shoes I've tried had fairly short life spans showing major wear and tear on the tread/lugs after logging relatively few miles. The PureFlow has a more durable tread. After several runs, I'm seeing very little tread wear.

RunnerDude's not the only one who approves of the PureFlow. Runner's World gave the PureFlow it's coveted 2012 Best Buy award.

So, if you're thinking about a lightweight shoe that's responsive and doesn't lack in fit and cushion, then give Brook's PureFlow a test drive.

Note: While Brooks did provide the PureFlow shoes for testing, I was not compensated in any way for this review. Furthermore, Brooks did not request a positive review. The review simply is a reflection of my experience using the product.

RunnerDude Reviews Newton's Neutral Performance Trainer—the Gravity

Back in July, Newton Running sent me a pair of their Neutral Performance Trainers—the Gravity—to test out and review. I've tried to provide information on a wide variety of running styles (i.e., Chi Running, barefoot running, Vibram Five Fingers) on the blog, so I was eager to get the Newtons and give them a test drive. I've read a lot about Newton, but had not yet had the opportunity to run in them . I was psyched!

The Newton website, promises a lot for what the neutral performance trainer will do for a runner. I'm always a little wary when so much is promised. "Newton Running's top-of-the-line neutral performance trainer is the ultimate shoe for Natural Running. Get a fast, flexible ride with greater energy return and less impact. The 2010 model has enhanced durability in the heel, a new high-rebound midsole material and improved upper fit. This shoe allows you to run naturally — faster with greater efficiency and less overuse injuries (like achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis)." But in this case what was promised was delivered.

The neutral performance trainer is recommended for any distance. I wanted to test something that I could use on a regular basis for training runs, so this shoe seemed to be the best fit for me. The first thing that strikes you when you see a pair of Newtons for the first time are the huge lugs running across the bottom of the midfoot where the ball of the foot would be located. This is a part of the Newton technology or what they call the Action/Reaction Technology™.
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The technology is based on Sir Isaac Newton's Third Law of Motion: "For every Action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." You see the large lugs act as levers and shock absorbers that return energy back to you as you run. The key to the Newton is that you land with a midfoot or forefoot strike instead of landing on the heel first. Newton calls this a Land-Lever-Lift motion. This causes continuous muscle activation instead of a start/stop action that's caused by the breaking effect when you heel strike.
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I've tend to have more of a midfoot strike, so adjusting to the Newton's did not take very long. But Newton does a great job of letting new Newton runners know that they should ease into running in their Newtons, especially if they've been a heel striker. You'll be activating some muscles that you may not have used much when heel striking or you may just be using them in a slightly different way. Anytime you recruit new muscle activation, there's a period of acclimation. Newton recommends not running more than about 1.5 miles in your new shoes the first time. Then you should gradually add a little more mileage with each run. Also, be aware that Newtons tend to run about a 1/2-size smaller than your regular running shoe. So, for example, if you normally wear a 9.5, it's probably a good idea to order a 10 in a Newton.
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My experience running in Newtons has been great. The shoes are amazingly light (only about 9.5oz). The energy return was very noticeable. I felt very refreshed after my runs. I have something called Morton's Neuroma in my right foot, which is basically a problem with a nerve hitting a bone when I'm on the ball of my foot. With a metatarsal pad placed just behind the ball of my foot, I can run with no problem. Because of this issue, however, I've never been able to run barefoot. With the Newtons, I was able to use my metatarsal pad and still reap many of the benefits of barefoot running. For performance and delivering on it's promise, the Newton Gravity gets 5 Dudes out of 5 Dudes on the RunnerDude rating scale.

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At first I was a little put off by the $175 price tag for the Gravity's that I tested, but then I discovered that the average runner can track close to 1000 miles on one pair of Newtons. So, you could buy two pairs of $100 or $125 traditional running shoes or just one pair of Newtons for $150 to $175 during that same time period. -

The video below shows Newton Running founder Danny Abshire as he demonstrates the finer points of forefoot running: proper athletic position; finding your sweet spot; the difference between walking stride, jogging stride, efficiency running and sprinting; and using the Land, Lever, Lift technique to perfect your form.



NEWTON NIGHT!
If you live in the Triad area (Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem, NC) then check out a pair of Newtons at our awesome local running store Off'n Running Sports located at 2201 Joan Ave in Greensboro (just off Lawndale). This Tuesday (October 5th) from 6-8PM will be Newton Night at Off'n Running. A Newton rep will be at the store to teach you about Newton shoes and how to run in them. Participants in Newton Night will receive a 15% discount on Newton shoes!! I told you Off'n Running Sports was great!

Note: Although Newton Running sent me a pair of the Gravity shoes 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.

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!

RunnerDude Reviews the Pearl Izumi SyncroFuel

Last week I reviewed Pearl Izumi's new trail shoe, the SyncroFuel XC. I had such a good experience that wanted to test drive the road version of the shoe, the SyncroFuel.

If you haven’t heard of Pearl Izumi, they're a relatively new running footwear brand. They introduced their first line of running shoes six years ago. Today, Pearl Izumi sports a line of 13 different models for men and women in their running shoe line.

Greensboro, NC, where I live, has a great network of trails and greenways that area runners, cyclists, mountain bikers, walkers, and hikers enjoy. For the trail shoes I hit a popular trail in the area and for the road version I hit one of the greenways, The Lake Brant Greenway.

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Just like the trail shoe, the road version of the SyncroFuel gave me a great run and definitely deserves 5 dudes out of 5 dudes on the RunnerDude Rating Scale.

For more details on my experience with the SyncroFuel road shoe, check out the video clip below.

Note: Pearl Izumi requested the product review and provided the shoes for testing. I received no payment for completing the review; nor was I encouraged to write a positive review. The review results are strictly based on my experience running in the shoes. On a side note, I'd like to state that I don't endorse Pearl Izumi's stance on "Jogging" in their recent ad campaign. My stance is that running is an inclusive sport open to all athletes of all ability levels.

RunnerDude Reviews the New SyncroFuel XC

If you haven’t heard of Pearl Izumi, they're a relatively new running footwear brand. They introduced their first line of running shoes six years ago. Today, Pearl Izumi sports a line of 13 different models for men and women in their running shoe line.

Pearl Izumi began over 50 years ago in Tokyo, when a dad (eager to help his son who was a promising bicycle racer) created Japan's first line of cycling racing apparel. Zoom 50 years to the present and Pearl Izumi, USA, Inc. is one of the leading makers of technical- performing sports apparel. Pearl Izumi became available in the US in 1981 and during the 80s it sponsored the US National Team (that won nine gold medals during the '84 Olympic Games) as well as several major trade teams during that era. Today, Pearl Izumi USA, Inc. is one of the most respected brands in the United States. The company is most known for its cycling apparel and gear, but recently the company has begun to expand into other sport categories—cross-country skiing, triathlon, duathlon, running and other outdoor sport activities.

Pearl Izumi contacted me to see if I'd be interested in testing their newest trail shoe, the SyncroFuel XC. Of course I said, "Yes!" I knew Pearl Izumi for their cycling history and was intrigued to find out more about their running shoes. Plus it gave me a great excuse to go trail running!

Greensboro, NC, where I live is blessed with a wonderful network of greenways and trails. So, once the SyncroFuel XC's arrived, I spent a couple of hours one afternoon giving them a good test drive. Here are the results of my run...

Note: Pearl Izumi requested the product review and provided the shoes for testing. I received no payment for completing the review; nor was I encouraged to write a positive review. The review results are strictly based on my experience running in the shoes. On a side note, I'd like to state that I don't endorse Pearl Izumi's stance on "Jogging" in their recent ad campaign. My stance is that running is an inclusive sport open to all athletes of all ability levels.