Tag: Running Shoes

Shoe Review: The North Face M Arnuva 50 BOA

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Runners' Training, Running, Running Shoes1 Comment

I bought this versatile running shoes one week after I arrived in the United States last 12 July 2008 from The North Face Store in Beverly Hills, California. I was attracted to this running shoes because it offers a dual purpose of being a running shoes for paved roads and at the same time for the trail roads. It could not be denied that I was exposed to the products of The North Face because of Dean Karnazes, my idol in ultramarathon running and # 1 “athlete-endorser” for The North Face.

The momemt I used this shoes during my first practice run at Malibu Creek State Park’s Bulldog Trail, I felt this is the most appropriate trail shoes which is very easy to wear and use. Aside from being lighter than the other The North Face Trail Shoes, this shoes has the BOA Lacing System. All you need to do is to pull or push the BOA tightening system or screw at the back of the heel support of the shoes. Push the Screw and turn it clockwise to tighten the shoes and there is no problem of dangling shoe laces on the shoes. Just Pull the Screw in order to loosen the shoestring. Continue reading “Shoe Review: The North Face M Arnuva 50 BOA” →

Running Shoes Mileage

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Running, Running Shoes9 Comments

According to a former elite runner and now a coach of famous US elite runners, a runner should change his/her shoes every 500 miles or 800 kilometers of distance covered. If a runner exceeds this distance, he/she is inviting injury that could stop or completely destroy one’s training schedule to a particular running event.

Sometimes, it is very hard for us to decide to buy a new running shoes even if the physical appearance of the “old” shoe is still almost new. But one should think that it is better to prevent oneself from being injured instead of paying more in order to cure one’s injury. “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure”. Spending 4-8 Thousand Pesos of a brand-new running shoes is better and cheaper than being cured by medicines, physical therapists, or surgery.

I am sure your old shoes will still be useful if you give them to your household helpers and their families or better yet donate them to my project—Donate-A-Shoe. Those runners who can not afford to buy a brand new running shoes will be happy to receive them.

My ASICS Gel-Cumulus 8 is about to be separated from me soon which I bought last December 2006 at Phidippides Running Store in Encino, California. I used this shoes for 4 months in preparation for the 2008 Pasig River Marathon last February 2008 and was able to finish the said marathon with this shoes to include half-marathon, 15K and 10K races. This shoes had done a splendid job and still looks very new. Whoever will get this shoes (with my signature on the insoles) will be happy to own one of the “Bald Runner’s Running Shoes”.

My (New) Newton Shoes

On By kingofpotsIn Pictures, Running, Running Shoes7 Comments

For finishing my first ultramarathon race (50K), I ordered my new Newton Running Shoes as my reward and it arrived after 6 days.

Instead of buying the new NIKE Lunar Trainer Shoes, I chose this!

We’ll see what this “Lamborghini” would do to my running…

Shoe Review: ASICS Gel-1120

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Pictures, Running, Running Shoes4 Comments

Buying this pair of running shoes is a result of “impulsive shopping” on my part. After donating all my old running shoes which are not ASICS, only one remained which is the ASICS Gel-Cumulus 8. I needed another alternate running shoes which I can bring with me to Jamindan and my other shoes to stay in my quarters in Fort Bonifacio.

While browsing some of the running shoes at the Royal Sports Store, I found this particular shoes as the lightest and better cushioned among the other ASICS model available in the store. It was marked down to 20% less its original price and I was enticed to buy the said item.

 

After using it in the mountains of Jamindan, I found it to be light, very stable, and very comfortable to my heels. My heels are well-snugged with the heel counter area and I don’t feel any instability with my heels while running uphill and downhill. I tend to strike the ground with my forefoot but I had observed that the shoes has the tendency to roll more towards the outside motion, instead of being flat or neutral. I could feel that the thickness of the heel and sole is thicker on the inner side of the shoes by a few millimeters.

After 3 months of using it, I could feel that my footstrike is becoming more towards the outside/farther or outward portion of the shoes. The shoes have semi-curved last, the only shoes that I have with such construction. I thought of making a research about the shoes with ASICS website and I found out that shoes is made for pronators, runners who have the tendency to roll their feet towards the inner part of the shoes resulting to the inner portions of the heel to be consumed first due to wear and tear. Since I am not a pronator but a supinator, I could feel that my footstrike towards the outside portion of my shoes is more exaggerated making my run uneven with the ground. Although, I feel that my supination is more exaggerated, I did not feel any pain or uneasiness with my leg muscles with this running shoes.

The shoes is light and comfortable but the cushioning is very basic as you could “feel the ground” with your feet. The shoes is not noisy when it hits the ground and it has nice traction and you could feel immediate response from the shoes when you try to increase your pace. This is a responsive shoes, whether you are forefoot or heel striker.  

This shoes is well-recommended to pronators. This is one of the mid-priced running shoes of ASICS between P 4,500 to P 5, 500.00. This shoes could be used for longer distances like half-marathon and marathon races.

This is my ASICS Gel-1120 which appeared in the RW Magazine’s Shoe Review on the later part of 2006. I suggest you don’t buy your ASICS shoes at the Royal Sports Store or at Toby’s because they are selling the older models. Try getting/buying later models of ASICS at The Athlete’s Foot Store at Glorietta.

We Have To Do Something About This

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, RunningLeave a comment

Lemuel, my nephew, who intends to be a medical doctor and a professional photographer with his Nikon Digital Camera, is a regular participant in weekly road races in Metro Manila, not as a runner, but a photographer. Knowing that I am actively involved in the Project Donate A Shoe to help other runners, he took some pictures of kids/children who participated in the 3K Fun Run during the 4th Bonifacio Global City/ANTA Run last 20 April 2008 at the Bonifacio High Street, The Fort.

I am posting some of the pictures taken by Lemuel as a reminder that something has to be done to help and develop these kids to their fullest potentials as runners and athletes in the future. I think our government’s sports program should start with these kids and through running. From these kids who are exposed to physical activity like running/jogging, we can develop our future boxers, basketball players, soccer players, cyclists, volleyball players, tennins players, and other sports you can think of. Let us help these kids!

You are looking at kids joining a 3K Fun Run during the 4th Bonifacio Global City Run last 20 April 2008 at The Fort. They were not wearing any running shoes.

Despite having a handicap of not having a running shoes, you can still see on the faces of these kids their desire to compete and finish the race.

Another group of “barefoot kid runners” about to reach the finish line of the 3K Fun Run. These kids have the “running form” and determination to finish the race but they lack the very basic necessity for a runner, a running shoes, that would protect their feet from the ground.

Look at the contrasting sight of runners, “old” runners with comfortable running shoes and very young runners without any running shoes!

Our country is not a part of Africa or considered as a poor country where most of the people are not wearing any shoes. These pictures showing kids running without any shoes shows the ignorance, lack of guidance and support from the parents. However, we can not blame much on the parents if they could not afford to buy their kids the necessary equipment for running even if their kids are gifted with the natural-born talent to run and excel in it. Who is to be blamed on this? The parents? the government and its sports program? the schools? the private corporate world? the politicians? the local government officials administering them in their places of residence? the non-government organizations? or us who just pretend that we did not see such reality in our midst and ignore the problem and do nothing about it.

I have started the Project Donate A Shoe where runners could donate their old shoes to the less-privileged runners who run with “old, tattered, and worn-out” running shoes and it is becoming a very successful “advocacy”. However, Project Shoes For Kids is entirely different as the only way to help these kids is to buy a new pair of running shoes fitted for them. However, if there are old shoes in the lockers and storage rooms of families with kids who have grown up, such shoes will be a good option for these “barefoot kids”.

Let us help these “barefoot running kids” and inspire them to love sports and running.

13K For ASICS Gel-Kayano 13

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Running8 Comments

7:05 AM 22 April 2008 @ Jamindan

After donating my Nikes and New Balance Running Shoes, my ASICS Gel-Cumulus 8 which I bought in the USA was the only shoes left behind for my running workouts and road competitions. I used this shoes in my weekend races since November/December 2007 and lately in the Pasig River International Marathon. This running shoes had earned at least 500 miles or 800 kilometers since I bought it.

I bought an ASICS Gel-1120 last February 2008 as my running workout shoes here in Jamindan. But a recurring pain at the rear part of my right foot forced me to look for a more stable ASICS running shoes. I got the most expensive running shoes of ASICS, the Gel-Kinsei 2, at Athlete’s Foot Glorietta which slowly eased the pain on my foot. For sometime, I use this shoes during my running workouts in Metro Manila. And later used it during the “On Your Mark” Run last 13 April 2008. Anyway, my Gel-Kinsei 2 is always left in my quarters in Fort Bonifacio together with my ASICS Gel-Cumulus 8.

I needed another running shoes for Jamindan as my Gel-1120 becomes wet from my perspiration every time I have a running workout along the roads of the camp. This is the reason why I looked for another ASICS shoes as a “reserve” when my other shoe is not available for a second run during the day or early the folowing day when my other shoe is still wet.

I bought an ASICS Gel-Kayano 13 at Athlete’s Foot Glorietta last Monday and brought it here in Jamindan. This morning I used it in my running workout to “break-in” and feel its ride with my running feet. Actually, I ordered an ASICS Gel-Kayano 14 from my niece who is expected to arrive from the USA in the middle of May but I could not wait for her arrival, thus, I got the latest ASICS Gel-Kayano available in our running stores. I got the model in RED-colored ASICS logo stripes.

I was surprised that the Kayano 13 was very light and comfortable to my feet and I did not notice that I was already running for almost one hour along the 4-km loop inside the camp! For my first run with my Kayano 13, I ran 13 kilometers to make its first use as a memorable one. Although my pace was a very slow one, my new ASICS Gel-Kayano 13 will go a long way in my running workouts and road races. What is good about this shoes is that it is also considered or used as a trail running shoes. This running shoes is really good to the roads and trails along the mountains of Jamindan.

I will post my review on this running shoes soon.

Running Shoes Review: ASICS Gel-Kinsei 2

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Running10 Comments

I bought an ASICS Gel-Kinsei 2 running shoes on the first week of March (last month) after looking for some cure to the pain on the rear end of my right foot. I bought it at Athlete’s Foot Store Glorietta. This is the “top of the line” among the ASICS Running Shoes and it is supposed to be the best among the best.

After using it for my running workouts while in Metro Manila, the pain on the rear end of my right foot slowly disappeared and it became adapted to me feet. I used it in my first competition during the 6th Philippine Army Physical Fitness Test Challenge where I was awarded as Champion in the Executive Category (50 years old +). Although I did not feel any pains on my right foot, I started to notice some “differences” with my ASICS Gel-Cumulus 8 and had a better evaluation on this shoes after the “On Your Mark” 10K Run.

Let me mention the “bad news” first with this shoes. First, this is the “heaviest” running shoes of ASICS and it advisable to use this only on your running workouts and not for road races. Second, this is the most expensive running shoes of ASICS and with its price, you can buy two (2) pairs of an average-priced ASICS shoes or NIKEs. Third, when I used it during the “On Your Mark” 10K Run, the sound that the shoes create when I step on the ground was very noisy and it was competing with the music I was hearing while my MP3 was playing! Even if I was exaggerately making my feet touch the ground lightly, it was really creating a lot of sound with the ground. Fourth, the individual gels on the heel portion of the shoes are exposed and I suspect that the glue that attaches the gels to the hard rubber sole are not sturdy. Fifth, there are four small loops where the shoe lace passes through instead of the usual shoe lace “holes”. These loops are located at the 3rd & 4th holes (from the front edge of the shoes) and they have the tendency to “snap” after a period of time. I had experienced this in one of my ASICS shoes which I donated to one of the “Boni Aides” in the camp. Sixth and last, there is some kind of “chemical” smell or odor from the blue stripes of the shoe ASICS logo which can fill up the smell inside my bedroom.

The “good news” about this shoes is that my heels are properly snugged with the heel counter resulting to a more stable running and it cured the pain on the rear end of my right foot. When using a thicker running socks, my long runs are very easy with the comfort given by this shoes. Lastly, wearing this kind of running shoes sends a “fashion statement” and  creates “a piece of conversation” to other runners. Wearing this ASICS Gel-Kinsei 2 will make you look like you are from another more advanced planet in the universe! 

Bottomline? I don’t recommend this running shoes to the runners, moreso, to those who want to use this in their gym workouts. The one beside you on the treadmill or elliptical machine might complain or leave you because of the odor/smell of your shoes. I guess, this kind of running shoes was made for the “old, retiring, passionate, sophisticated and loner-type” runner like the Bald Runner!..Ha! Ha! Ha!

 

“Mysterious Smiling Mr Romy”

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Running2 Comments

After finishing the Global City/ANTA 10 K Run this morning, I spent more time at the Project Donate A Shoe Booth to meet runners who posted their comments in my blog, most especially to Annalene who made a comment about the “barefoot” runner. I was able to meet Annalene, her husband, and her daughter and we had some picture taking and brief conversation about running.

From having a “barefoot” runner on the eyes of Annalene, I was able to have a glance from a distance the smile of “Mr Romy” who donated three bagful of running shoes which contained seven (7) pairs of still reliable running/workout shoes. I was trying to call his attention and make him sign some papers or give him the white “ONE” wristband or have a pose with him and my staff for documentation needed in the project but he just smiled, waved his hands and turned his back away from the booth without any word.

Whoever you are, Mr Romy, you are also a mysterious guy who has a “big heart” to those who are in need. I respect you for being “mysterious” and for being the most benevolent runner and donor to this project. I will never forget your smile even if you were wearing a sunglass this morning. Thank you very much and rest assured that your donation will benefit to our less-privileged runners. More blessings to you!

Project Donate A Shoe @ 4th Global City Run

On By kingofpotsIn Jogging, Running2 Comments

6:00 AM 20 April 2008

Last week, few days before the 4th Bonifacio Global City Run, Captain Ferdie Espejo met with KC Joaquin of Mizuno Sports Stores regarding our Project Donate A Shoe. The Bull Runner sent me an e-mail informing me that Mizuno is supporting our project through KC Joaquin and I immediately directed Captain Espejo to coordinate and meet KC. As a result, KC Joaquin donated four (4) pairs of Mizuno running shoes to include a track shoes.

Last Sunday morning after the 4th Global City Run, an additional twelve (12) pairs of running/workout shoes were received by my staff. The following were the donors:

The “Mysterious Smiling Mr Romy”—7 assorted running/workout shoes

Don Fernando Zobel de Ayala—1 Nike Running shoes

Lester & Margarette Choayap—1 Running Shoes

Mariano “Jun” Cruz—1 Running Shoes

Victor E Lim—2 Running Shoes

The following seven (7) runners with “old, tattered and worn-out” running shoes received the donated running shoes:

Henry Labis                        Ranulfo Aya

Felecio Sabas                     Elmer Morales

John Tino                           Andy Cabrera

Jayson Romel Luib

Mr John Tino, a runner from Pasay City, got the NIKE running shoes donated by Don Fernando Zobel.

At present, we have in our possession nine (9) donated running shoes which we hope to be given in the next road race in Metro Manila.

Once again, to those donors who gave their running shoes to this worthy project to help other runners, thank you very much for your support and concern to our less-fortunate runners. You inspire us to help others and encourage others to love the sports of running and be physically fit. May God bless you always.

Mens Sana In Corpore Sano.

Four (4) shoes at the front row were some of the seven (7) shoes that “Mr Romy” gave to support the Project Donate A Shoe.

Mizuno Running Shoes donated by KC Joaquin of Mizuno and other shoes from the other donors during the 4th Bonifacio Global City Run.

“Runners For Others” (R4O)

On By kingofpotsIn Insights, Jogging, Running1 Comment

While browsing on the Internet last night, I came across an article written by Mr Butch Jimenez with Inquirer.net regarding well-known personalities in the corporate world who are “passionate” runners and triathletes. Most notable about this group of corporate executives who call themselves as “Run For Others” (R4O) running group is their goal to raise money to provide 10,000 kids with 10,000 running/rubber shoes for the year 2008.

Please read this article.

The Bald Runner supports this goal of the R4O. I hope more runners will contribute to this effort.