Motivational....

Sometimes a few words makes the difference!

" Kurt, i so appreciate the vision and leadership that you bring to this tribe - and Stefan, you've been one of the most prominent voices on social media for Skechers Performance and i've been a fan for a while!"

Thanks Patrick Voo for the kind words!

Boston Tune Up.....

Did the Miles for Music 20K over the weekend. Had some hamstring issues prior to the race, after my mid-week work out, I felt a some pressure point in right hamstring. Nothing big but they were there. I took a couple of easy days and thought I would be able to do Miles for Music 20K. I did warm and felt that I could give it a push, felt some tightness but nothing to worry about. Legs really good, plan was to start at marathon pace and work down to half marathon pace. At start it was very cold and windy. I started up well paces around 6:35 ish. I had no problems controlling the pace, I started to work down toward half marathon pace. Unfortunately at 7.5 mile mark, my hamstring had enough and started to cramp up a bit. I decided to play it safe and called it a day. At this point I started to hunt down runners in front of me and I felt really good. Legs extremely good and no problems with pace.

A couple of x-training days now and I will be all fit to do the last push toward Boston Marathon.

Great to feel good legs, but not really happy about taking a few days off at this point. Hopefully I can keep current form with smart recovery and cross training!

#haveafastday

Skechers GoBionic2 Review

I did never tried the first version of Skechers GoBionic. 0mm drop was never an attraction for me and I was very happy with my shoe rotation last year. I read and heard  really good things about the Bionics and during NYC Marathon expo, I received lot of questions from runners when the new Bionic2 was going to be released. I was asked by Skechers Performance Division to log some miles in the new Bionic2 and I have to say I was excited to finally get to test the Bionics. Over the winter I have been logging about 250 miles in the new Bionic2, as a part of Skechers Performance Division wear tester program.

Skechers GoBionic2 

Whats new
SkechersBionic2 carries over the same mid sole unit as the first Bionic. The big changes comes to the upper. Skechers also  offer a 2:1 insole system. For the Bionic2 that means that you can chose between 0mm/4mm drop.

Upper
The upper on the Bionic2 is like a stripped down version of Skechers GoRun3. You get the same stretchable mesh in the front, which gives your toes lot of room to spread out. The mid foot area has less overlays and a lighter mesh then GoRun3. The lace system is also different from GoRun3. You will find less rows for the rounded laces. At times I have found it hard to get an even pressure from the laces and they can create hot spots on top of your feet if you're not careful with the lacing. The mid foot area offers a really snug fit and you can go sock less in these. Due to the cold NJ weather I have only tried this a few times. Over all the upper is really snug with minimal overlays that interfere, go sockl ess if you want, the upper wont cause any problems for you.

Midsole/Outsole
Bionic2 carries over the same  mid sole  unit as the the first edition. You will find the same deep open flex grooves. The whole unit is build around 18 different Resalyte pods, this makes shoe very flexible in every possible direction. Some blown rubber are placed at strategically places. For some runners including myself, the rubbers might be placed on the wrong pods. I could have used more blown rubber in the mid foot front area.  You can see my wear and tear on the pictures below.

Performance/Conclusion 
I have really enjoyed the close to road feeling of the Bionic2, this and  the really close snug fit has made the Bionic2 one of my favorite shoes in my current rotation. I have used the Bionic2 with the insole for a 4mm drop on most of the runs, this gives you some extra cushion, but still you have that great road feel. Bionic2 can be used  for all different kinds of runs.  Longest run for me has been a 16 miler. In the end I could feel that my feet and legs got a bit fatigue from the flexible mid sole unit. In my experience it takes a bit to get use to the flexibility of the Bionic. When going 0mm drop I could feels some tension in my calves as I'm not use to this drop level.  The Resalyte makes the Bionic2 very responsive and the grip of the road is great.  I have been thinking that this could be a shoe for shorter races as it is very responsive and I get a fast feeling, but the fact that the deep flex grooves pick up every pebble you pass, its a bit of a problem on a race day. Over all I have really liked every run with Bionic2, they kind of makes you happy when you lace them on.

Pros
- Great upper, with a really nice close to the feet snug feeling. Offers plenty of room for your toes
-Very responsive and flexible.
-Outstanding road feel.
-2:1 insole system. 0mm or 4mm drop options

Cons
-Flex grooves, is a pebble magnet. After each run I have too clean the shoes from stones and pebbles.
-Durability of the out sole. Some of the pods goes down really quick.
-Probably not the best pick on a snowy day, due to the deep flex grooves.
-Laces could create hot spots on top of your feet.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I receive Running shoes from Skechers Performance Division as part of their Skecher Performance Division brand ambassador program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

6 weeks to Boston!

Here we are, and its 6 weeks left to Boston. Training goes well and I have now started to do more Boston specific work outs. Trying to focus a bit on the downhills, getting more speed in. Last week I got 85 miles in, which is really good for me. I hope to continue to log miles over 80 per week. Legs has responded well but I feel its hard to tell how my pacing and speed form is. The chilly and windy weather here in NJ makes it so hard. So far we had one really nice day, that's it. Its a real test for the motivation for sure. Hamstring has been working really well, at times it has been firm but using the Rumble Roller has helped to ease it up.

Next weekend its time for the tune up race. Im doing "Miles for Music" 20K in New Brunswick NJ. I hope to get a great result in before I start the taper before Boston. Its not so much about time, I just need the right feeling that I'm on the right way.

Race gear from Skechers Elite Team came in. They look really great, Red, Blue and White!

Gear Im using right now are:
Skechers Ride4 (prototype).... Easy, recovery and longer day
Skecher GoMeb Speed2....For faster day work outs
Skechers GoBionic2.....Easy days and some Speed work outs
Skechers GoRun3....My every day "go to trainer" Can be used for anything!

Socks has been Feetures! Elite wools socks all winter (and it has been quite a brutal winter), they have kept my feet toasty really well.

Nutrion: I tried tailwind for a while, but i did not sit really well in my stomach. Honeystinger as always worked really well for me and it gives me sustained energy and no issues with stomach. And they taste really great!
I have always been a big fan of Beet Juice, it leaves a mess in the kitchen. This year I'm trying a new approach. Beet powder and Beet shots from Beet-It. Beet-It shots works really well and also easy on the stomach

Three new triathletes to Skechers Elite Team

SKECHERS Performance Elite Team announce that they have added three new Triathletes to their Skechers Performance Elite Team: Matty Reed, Sarah Haskins and Christian Kemp.

Matty Reed is one of the most decorated triathletes in competition today. Known for his strength across all three disciplines, Reed is considered one of the best all-around triathletes. Raised as a triathlete, Matty "BOOM BOOM" Reed has been racing professionally for 19 years and has won races in major cities worldwide, including multiple podiums at World Championships. A 2008 Olympian, Matty won the 2008 Olympic Trials, and currently has the highest ever finish of a US athlete at an ITU World Championship finishing 5th at 2008 World Championships.

“I am thrilled to be bringing 19 years of professional racing to the Skechers Performance team,” says Matty Reed. “To be a part of a company that embraces not just my athletic ability but also my insight into multisport. It is an amazing opportunity."

Christian Kemp is an Australian professional triathlete and the 2013 Asia-Pacific Champion at the Ironman 70.3 distance. He divides his time between Sydney and California and is part of the Chris Hanrahan-coached Performance by 3 squad. Now set to line up against the best in the world, Kemp is confident about the season ahead, with his goal to win the biggest Ironman races around the globe, including the ultimate accolade of taking home the Triathlon World Championship title in Kona, Hawaii.

"Signing with Skechers Performance Division for 2014 is an exciting time for me”, says Christian Kemp. “I need to believe in any product I sign with and after trying out both the GOrun Ultra and GOmeb Speed 2 shoes, Skechers Performance got my attention. I am looking forward to having the best year of my career racing in Skechers Performance shoes, starting with Ironman Melbourne next month.“

Sarah Haskins grew up in St. Louis, MO and competed in her first triathlon in June 2003. Since then she has had 29 professional wins including being a 2008 Beijing Olympic Team Member, winning the 2008 Silver Medal at the ITU World Championships and winning the 2011 Pan American Games Gold Medal. Haskins currently resides in Clermont, Florida.

"I could not be more excited to be part of the Skechers Performance Team,” says Sarah Haskins. “The Skechers Performance Division has the best line of shoes focusing on speed and comfort. I am proud to represent Skechers Performance and can't wait to begin my 2014 race season."

SKECHERS Elite Team Update

With over 40 Elite and Master's runners as well 12 Professional and Elite Triathletes competing across the United States, the Skechers Performance Division Elite racing team has started 2014 off with bang! Here is a brief recap of some of the events and results.

 

The Houston Marathon served as the 2014 U.S. Half Marathon Championships, and it was also the first year that the Skechers Performance Division took on the role of official apparel, merchandise and shoe sponsor for the event. The event was a huge success and many Skechers Athletes saw personal bests when they crossed the finish line in downtown Houston. Headlining these great performances was Meb, who proved he still has plenty left in the tank as he added his 22nd National Championship Title to his belt by taking the Half Marathon overall victory. Meb ran his second fastest Half Marathon
time ever just months away from his 39^th birthday. Here is a quick video of Meb and the other Skechers Performance Division athletes as they went like never before in Houston.

 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MPdzkcqo9zo

 

The last month has also seen some great racing from Skechers Performance Division Athletes from all over the country. In Utah, Ben Van Beekum placed 2nd in the St. George Half Marathon. Ben also went on to win the Striders Winter Racing Circuit 5k, and Jason Holt set a road pr in the 5k of 15:10 at the Salt Lake City 5k while David Olson finished 8th. On Super Bowl Sunday Skechers Performance shoes were showcased on the podium of road races of all distances:

 

-Jason Smith 1st Place Santa Barbara Super Bowl 4 miler.

-Jim Lubinski 2nd Place Surf City Marathon.

-Cheyne Inman 1st Place Surf City Half Marathon.

-Okwaro Raura 1st Place Cardiff Kooks 10k.

-Bryan Moresman 1st PlaceTallahassee Marathon with a time of 2:24:28. 

-Steve Tally and his team 1st Place Xterra Mission Gorge 15k.

- Carly Johann wins the Bandit Trail 15k

- Sarah Madebach wins Austin Marathon

In the world of triathlon, SKECHERS Performance has signed two Olympians in Matty Reed and Sarah Haskins as well as Ironman 70.3 Pan Asian Champion, Christian Kemp. Reed will be competing mainly in Ironman 70.3 events while Haskins will be mixing it up with Olympic distances and 70.3 distance triathlons as well. The native Australian, Christian Kemp is looking for a breakout season at the Ironman 70.3 and full Ironman distances in 2014. The attached PDF shows the entire 2014 SKECHERS Performance Triathlon team. The elite runner presentation will come with the next update.

The year is getting off to a great start and there are plenty more podiums to be had. Go Like Never Before!

 

#haveafastday

Boston Training

About 8 weeks to go and finally I feel I'm on the right way. About a month ago, jogging home from a workout, I started to feel tight in my left hamstring. Did not think much about it until the next day when went out for a recovery run. Again it started to cramp up around mile 5, this time more painful. I decided to stop and walk back home....Following day, same tightness and cramp but even more painful. After talking to Caleb I decided to take a few days off, doing some cross training, a few days became two weeks...but I'm back running again. I was afraid that I had hamstring tendinitis and a good bye to Boston Marathon but in the end it was "probably" just a small pull. It really started to ease up once I started to use trigger point massage. So what did I learn from this one? Well during the first winter months I got to lazy and stopped with my core work outs. That could be the most important reason. So now I'm not skipping the core stuff, plus I have added some hamstring work outs, to strengthen up does puppies!

Where is the Sun!

The last month the weather has been brutally cold and it has been snow storm after snow storm. Usually I do all my training out side, but this winter I have been at a gym three times so far. basically because I want to make sure I get the right quality in. Freezing poring rain and -13 is not really great weather for mile repeats!

This weekend I did a charity race at the local gym. 13.1 on treadmill. I knew before hand that the biggest battle would be the mind game being stuck on the treadmill. The goal of the day was to keep marathon pace 6:45 ish. I ended up doing 6:44, with a push last few miles. I have started to break in a pair of Skechers GoMeb Speed2, great fast shoe, that I will use at Boston Marathon. Also I was using brand new Feetures! socks. I have to say, its like the GoMenbs and Feetures! was meant for each other. What a great combo! It was a great effort going in to this work out with rough legs and I got a great week in.

This week will be more Boston Specific work outs!

#bonkproof #golikeneverbefore