Brooks Ghost 6 Review

I can't focus right now... so I'm going to write another shoe review!

This time we have the Brooks Ghost 6 on deck!

This is Brook's flagship neutral trainer.  It weighs in at 10.7 ounces and has about an 11-12mm drop.

     The Brooks Ghost series has won numerous awards for the last +4 years.   The Ghost has won the Jogger's World "editors choice" award 4 separate times.  You'll see a ton of people wearing this shoe not just for running, but for walking and casual wear.  Brooks knows their stuff and people really like their shoes, regardless of their activity of choice (or lack thereof).

    So what do I think of the shoe?  I've got a little over 150 miles on them.   They are really soft.  I know Brooks DNA (their cushioning system made of  a non-Newtonian fluid) is supposed to be soft, but this is "my feet are being absorbed by the shoe" soft.  These are cushioned trainers.  To be honest, the Brooks Glycerin 11 is the firm neutral shoe and the ghost is the cushioned one.  Even though they are marketed as the opposite.  I've run into this having tested both shoes and gotten similar customer responses (working at Foot Traffic in Portland, OR).  The Glycerin is more stable and protective, but the Ghost is softer.

   So do I understand why the general public seems to love this shoe?  Yes.  It's soft to the point that you start hallucinating and a ghost whispers in your ear, "Your form doesn't matter.  Ignore it and slam your feet into the ground."  Hence why it's called the Brooks Ghost.....

Not really.

However......

     I do have some major issues with this shoe.  I will start out by saying that I have regulated the Ghost 6 to non-running duties and it is permanently benched.   And I pushed it +50 miles more than I wanted to.

     My first issue is the major toe spring.  I personally feel like it's excessive and annoying.  But that's me.  I like a shoe that is responsive and doesn't have or has little toe spring.  That is not the Brooks Ghost 6.  Running long distances in this shoe made my plantar fascia feel like it was being uncomfortably stretched.   Constantly.  I also experienced a large amount of friction and blisters at the end of my toes, even though the shoe fits a bit long on me.  Or is supposed to.  I have a little over half a thumb width between the end of my foot and the end of the shoe (the optimal amount).  However, that doesn't take into account that toe spring.  I'm sure it feels great if you like that.  The shoe rolls you right along without much effort.  I don't like it.  I like putting my effort in, but instead feel like I'm fighting the Ghost in regards to who gets to do the work.

   Did I mention the Ghost was soft?  Oh wait yes I did.  A million times.  Most of that softness is in the heel. This is a great protective shoe for heel strikers.  That combined with the excessive toe spring gives it a very smooth ride.  However, this shoe is not responsive and your foot will just sink into it.  I have tried to do workouts in this shoe, but for me it just doesn't respond well.  Trying to get up on your forefoot/midfoot is a little awkward, mostly thanks to the toe spring.  The Brooks Ghost 6 is a normal run, recovery run and long run shoe.  Not a fast shoe.  In fact it feels a little slow.  I personally call it the "my feet are messed up and I don't want to feel them" shoe.  Or just the cheaper Hoka shoe made by Brooks.

   It's so soft that I get an odd fatigue that is the fatigue same fatigue you get from running on sand for too long.  I have heard of this fatigue from people who wear mushy shoes or Hokas.  I just get extremely tired in the hips and upper thigh areas.  Not glutes though.  If I come back from a hard run and my glutes are sore, I know I'm using the right muscles.  With these shoes I just get an odd soreness that makes running more than 5-6 miles in this shoe uncomfortable for me.  I also felt this when I was running in the Altra Torins.  Like I mentioned, I like firm shoes.  These are not firm.  I've done +20 miles in the Brooks Racer ST5 and the Brooks Adrenaline and don't feel this at all.  In fact I don't feel anything except that I'm flying over the ground.  Fast.  The Brooks Ghost?  It feels like a Ghost is holding onto my legs and telling me to slow down.  Again with the hallucinations.  On a serious note I think it comes from this extreme cushioning causing all your smaller stabilizing muscles to have to work harder to keep your limbs straight through the gait cycle from footstrike to the propulsion/toe-off phase.  That's fine for short distance, but long distance?  I think that could cause problems.  On the opposite end of the spectrum?  Long term running in too little/barefoot?  Stress fractures/injuries.  Each end of the spectrum, from barefoot to super cushioning has it's own issues.  Find what works for you and don't follow fads until they've been proven to work.  Also remember that every person is different.

Stepping off soap box now....

    The fit of the shoe in the forefoot and toes is not something I am a fan of.   It has a great midfoot, but from there it struggles.  The heel is pretty lose, so make sure you lace lock this shoe.  The forefoot looks like it starts well, but then turns into this bullet shape that squeezes all my toes.  That combined with the toe spring?  Uncomfortable.  If I leave my feet in long enough they get used to it, but I don't have that problem with any of the other shoes I'm using right now.  The Brooks Racer ST5, the T7 Racer and the Brooks Adrenaline 14 don't cause me any issues, especially in the forefoot.  The Brooks Ghost 6?  Uncomfortable and narrow in the toes.  Again, I can handle this for a while, especially as a casual shoe, but long term I am concerned (hence the benching).

And lastly? The durability of the outsole is terrible. The midsole is fine and stays soft for a long time. The outsole after 75 miles had a ton of wear on the rubber nubs. Particularly in the forefoot and heel. 150 miles? The nubs are destroyed. I'm starting to see the midsole. When I run I can't feel it, but again I start thinking about that upper thigh fatigue thing. Friends of mine have worn this shoe down almost past the midsole and they didn't notice any issues due to the shoe being so cushioned. So maybe I just need to suck it up and wear them completely down the midsole.

    So overall a good shoe, but it's just not for me.  It's a good "my body is destroyed" soft shoe or a Brooks Hoka.  I think I would hate Hokas based on my body's response to these, but that's just me.  I really like shoes that are firmer, have little to no toe spring and are responsive.  The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 14 (current trainer), the Saucony Fastwitch 6, the Brooks Racer ST5 (my current tempo/longer race shoe) are are responsive and on the firmer side.  I really like the new Mizuno line for those same reasons.  The Wave Sayonara (which I have worn.  Review on the way), the Rider 17 and Inspire 10 are all awesome.  Plus they have great toebox width and shapes.  So check those out too if you're like me.

   Again though, everyone is different.  If you have a medium width foot, like a really soft ride and are a heavy heel striker, check these out.  I know plenty of people that love this shoe, swear by them and wear them everywhere.  I personally am looking forward to the Brooks Ghost 7.  Why?  Because Brooks is switching it to a DNA-BioMogo midsole mix (instead of the separate DNA) like the Ravenna 5.  From the short time I tried the Ravenna 5, that combination is much more responsive, but still protective.  So stay tuned.  Plus that toebox looks better too.

Thanks for reading!

These were a personal purchase and as always, my thoughts are my own.

Tack On!

-Matt Klein, SPT

*Images obtained directly from the Brooks Running website.  Head over to your local running specialty store to check them out!

Brooks Racer ST5 Review

Shoe Review TIME!!!

Today I am reviewing the Brooks Racer ST5.  This is Brook's supportive racing shoe.  It comes in at 8.6 ounces and has a 12mm drop.  It is a personal favorite of mine.  Read on to find out why.

     Imagine the Brooks Launch, but more responsive, supportive,  and lighter.  And the Launch is an awesome shoe (review on the way).  The ST5 is just more of a racer.  Not to say you couldn't race in the Launch.  It's a similar weight (just a bit lighter), but it is quick.  REALLY quick.  It always throws me off a bit how fast I can run in an almost 9 ounce shoe.  And with that quickness comes a much firmer sole as well.  Whereas the Launch is much softer and not nearly as responsive.  However, the firmness of the Racer ST5 does not deter from the shoe being protective.  It's like a track spike with a 12mm drop and some support via a medial post, called a "Diagonal Roll Bar" or DRB (see the fourth picture).  That coupled with the DRB Accel (see the fifth picture.  It's that black crossing plastic thing in the midfoot) provides a ride that is stable and launches you forward.  Brooks should have called this shoe the "Brooks Launch Racer ST."  Or not because the name is too long.    

     The shoe fits very well.  Think of a the typical racing flat feel where your foot is held down well, but there is good room in the forefoot/toes (no compression).  They are very comfortable (yes I would sleep in them) and the Racer ST5s disappear off your feet.  I might say the heel is a tad wide, so make sure you do the special lace lock/bunny ears lacing technique (whatever you want to call it.  If you don't know what this is, I'll do a post about it.  Or head down to your local run specialty store and ask!).  

     Color wise I chose red... because I saw Ryan Vail wearing that color on a Flotrack video.  That's really why I chose it.  I fully admit that.  If you can wait until February 1st, 2014, Brooks has an awesome new colorway coming out in a crazy blue and nightlife (neon yellow) color.  

Crazy right?

    Unlike almost every racing flat out there, the Brooks Racer ST5 is EXTREMELY durable.  You will get as many miles out of these as typical trainers (if not more because right now I think my Brooks Ghost 6 is going to last 200 miles at max before the sole is totally destroyed).  I have +150 miles on this shoe and there is almost ZERO wear.  The shoe feels like it did when I first got my paws on it (except it's molded to my foot a bit).  I detect almost no midsole breakdown and I check all this every single time I wear them because it blows me away every single time.  You could definitely use these as lightweight trainers.  They have enough protection to do that.  The only reason I don't is that I like being able to step down from a heavier trainer so that my racing shoes feel lighter on race day.  

   The durability is incredible.  I really don't know what to say other than "wow."  That might be the trade off for having a little more weight in the shoe.  I don't know.  I seriously wish more shoes were like this and this is a RACING FLAT.  Flat being a generous term with the 8.6 ounces and +12mm heel drop.  But I have nothing to complain about because this shoe has taken me through my fastest tempo runs and an incredible 71 minute half marathon that I prepared very little for (it was also my first one.  And no I didn't taper.  Why?   I'm an idiot that's why).  

See that red part of the midsole?  That's the DRB.  Never feels intrusive.

    Some people may worry about the shoe's weight being heavy for a flat at 8.6 ounces, but the shoe is VERY fast and feels much lighter.  The weight never gets in the way and as mentioned I can run really fast in this shoe.  I have even run very quick 5ks in them but do prefer the T7s or Mach Spikeless for that distance (if you're into Brooks).  They have quite a bit of pop to them, but not in a jarring way.  I think that helps make them such a responsive and fast shoe.  I use them for all my workouts and longer races (including the 71 minute half marathon I mentioned earlier).    

    And yes, the shoe has a fairly high heel drop for a racing shoe at 12mm (although it actually feels a bit higher).  Once I get going though, it is not noticeable at all.  This shoe is so smooth and fast you will completely forget about what's going on at your feet.  I thought I was going to have a terrible workout the other day being a little sick and not getting enough sleep.  Yet I flew through a 4.2 mile tempo run in about 21:30 on a route that was NOT flat.  Yes.  That's 5:07 pace per mile while sick.  I know it's not just the shoes, but they help.  

Dang, I almost ran my sophomore year college 5k PR in these will doing a tempo run...  

     I think this shoe works best racing longer distances.  This is the shoe I used during my (first) half marathon and I do not regret that decision.  Yes my quads were busted up because I got tired and was heel striking pretty hard.  But my feet were completely fine.  I'm pretty sure I would have destroyed myself if I'd chosen the Brooks T7.  I even ended up running pretty quick, averaging ~5:25 pace for 13.1 miles!  I eventually would like to move to the T7 for half marathons, but right now my body is not ready for them racing that distance.  

   So yeah.  You could say I kinda love these shoes.  They have carried me through some awesome times.  Who knew a year ago that my racing and workout shoe would have support, a 12mm drop and weigh 8.6 ounces?  I was training in shoes that were much lighter and had much lower heel drops than that!

     Do I think they could be improved?  Yes.  I think Brooks could bring the weight down by reducing that heel drop a bit.  I think 8-10mm would be great.  That would probably bring the shoe down to around 8 ounces (I think).  Then it could compete better with the Adidas Adios Boost,  Saucony Fastwitch, Asics DS Racer and the Nike Lunarspeed Lite+.  All of which are lighter.  But lighter does not mean better.  Of those shoes, the Racer ST5 fits the best (with the exception of the Fastwitch 6, which is also very comfortable after a few runs), is the most protective and the most durable based on the wear I've seen from those who race/train in those shoes.

     I think people will shy away from this shoe because of the weight and support.  But please don't let that deter you!  The Racer ST5 may look like it has more "junk in the trunk", but it will not hold you back at all.  Trust me.  The phrase "more cushin' for the pushin'" applies here.  Except it's talking about running speed... not sex.  And the "cushin'" is firmer.  Like it being due to muscle rather than fat..... because strong glutes are important for running fast and injury free..... alright I'll stop now (this is not a good way to end a review but I'm going to anyway).

    I really cannot say enough good things about the Brooks Racer ST5.  As I said they are a personal favorite.  If nothing else take a look and try them on.  They are well worth your time.

Thanks for reading!

These shoes were a personal purchase and as always, my thoughts are my own!

Tack On!!

-Matt Klein, SPT

2/8/14 UPDATE:  I am now using these and the Brooks Purecadence 1s as my training shoes and am doing all workouts in the Brooks T7.  Heading back down the minimal rabbit hole again...

*Pictures obtained from the Brooks Running website.  Go over there and check them out or head over to your local running specialty store!

What Does "Tack On" Mean?

I realize that I say and hashtag the phrase "Tack On" a great deal.

So I thought I'd do a quick blog post on where that phrase came from (for me).

     In college I was known for always adding on extra mileage to our runs.  I'd run an extra lap around the school or on the track just to get a little bit more mileage.  Or I'd take the group I was running with somewhere they didn't know, not tell them how far/long we'd run, or just take random turns that would add distance.  Or run a little bit farther on my morning runs.  Basically so I could add it to my running log and attempt to run as much possible each week.  Before workouts though I would add mileage to help myself warm up, since my body seems to have a hard time with that.  So much so that my coach began having me do 3 mile shake out runs early in the morning before the actual warm-up for the race to help wake my body up.

     My sophomore year of college I began running twice a day to up my mileage.  Those morning runs were incredibly painful and slow since I was always very sore in the morning (another reason for the pre-race early morning shake-out runs).  Those who have lived with me know walking is an extremely challenging feat in the morning.  That bumped my mileage up into the 90s.  Then my junior year I started hitting 100 mile weeks interspersed with 90 mile weeks.  That was perfect.  I had some of my best times and performances toward the end of that track season.  So then I thought, "More must be better right?"  Thus came 110-120 mile weeks during that summer and winter.  I came into both cross country and track overtrained.  In XC i ran faster times but got sick right before going to NCAA DIII Nationals because my body couldn't handle the stress anymore.  During track I had mostly lackluster performances and only small gains in the 1500m and 5k.  My fastest 10k is still the 2012 NWC 10,000m championship during my junior year.  Which I won (can you tell I'm proud?).  So hopefully I'll learn moderation sometime in the future.

     But yes.  I like to run a ton.  If I could, I would run three times a day (which I have done).  I like to run as much as possible and in exact amounts to make ABSOLUTELY sure I hit a certain number of miles per week.  Why?  Because I am a mileage addict.  It's only gotten worse with a Garmin.  I have the 210 and am interested in trying the 220 when I can afford it someday.  By then it'll be the 240.

     Anyone who has been my teammate knows that I like to add mileage to runs.  If you're not careful and paying attention while running with me, you'll end up going more miles than you planned.  Long runs can be particularly bad.  I've done this so often that my University of Puget Sound track and cross country teammates began referring to what I was doing as "Tacking On" more mileage.  Hence the phase, "Tack On."

    Obviously that phrase has been applied to other areas of my life.  Like when I tell jokes that cross the line.  Which I do a great deal.  And I don't just cross that line.  I run 3-4 miles past it.  Thus, I have tacked on.

So know you know how the phrase "Tack On" made it into my life.

    It's a phrase that reminds me to go the extra mile.  Whether in actual mileage, school and life.  I use it to strive to be a better person, runner and human being.

So go out there and "Tack On."

Thanks for reading.

-Matt Klein, SPT

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 14 Review

Time for another shoe review!!  This time the Adrenaline GTS 14!

     Brooks Running lists the shoe as weighing 11.3 ounces and having a 12mm heel-toe drop.  It is considered a support shoe with a thick medial Progressive Diagonal Roll Bar (that grey foam on the medial side.  See the second picture.  Someday I'll label the pictures as figures).

     It's a little strange for me to be wearing this shoe.  It fits so well, but it's a high stability shoe.  Only a 4 months ago I would have laughed at the idea of wearing a shoe with this much stability or that was this traditional.  But here I am.  And I really like this shoe.

    First off, the fit is amazing.  For a shoe like this, I was not initially expecting that until I tried it on.  The toebox fits well and the heel/midfoot holds your foot down nicely.  I feel no pressure on my toes wearing this shoe.  That can make or break a shoe for me.  The length in a 10 is absolutely perfect for me.  This shoe fits REALLY well.  I am very impressed.  That's how it won me over so quick.  I know previous versions were fairly tight in the forefoot as well as very controlling stability wise.  This shoe is different.

     So how did I start wearing this shoe?  My peroneal tendon and/or lateral achilles tendon my left side was borderline injured (I won't admit it was completely injured).  It happened during a fast and hard fartlek in the Brooks Launch and was the culmination of many months of battling pereoneal tightness on my left side and continuing to run in very neutral and minimal shoes.  That and I wasn't doing my eccentric achilles heel drops (very important for me).  I bother everyone else about doing their specific exercises for injury prevention and here I was.... not doing them.....

     Anyway, I wanted to keep wearing Brooks (because that's the apparel I own and I like pretending I'm an elite athlete sponsored by them.  I am extremely self-conscious and weird.  Hence one of my previous posts about wanting to be sponsored.  I really shouldn't care, but I do.  That post was a giant whine fest) and I knew I needed a support shoe to stop my ankle from moving as much as it does.  And it moves A TON!  People have watched me run during various gait analysis for undergrad biomechanics projects or research and everyone wonders how I don't break my ankles while running.  Yet I trained in minimal and mostly neutral shoes for 3-4 years during college and a little after (Altra, Brooks Pure series, one pair of neutral Newtons, racing flats, Saucony Kinvara, Saucony Cortana which was a little better and so on).  Why?  Because I was sooooo obsessed with footstrike and was sure it would keep me healthy.  Little did I know that it's only a part of the whole equation.  Hip kinematics and strength are much more important.

     I had won a free pair of shoes from Fleet Feet Rancho Cucamonga (every time I say or read "Cucamonga" I can't help but think of Looney Tunes and Bugs Bunny) for winning the Megan Savage Memorial 5k and setting a course record there.  So I headed over and tried them on (already having researched them).  I established that I was an experienced shoe salesman already, so they let me go about my business.  Sure enough, despite being a minimal guy, the shoe fit the second I put it on.  Nothing bothered me.  The fit was good, the PDRB was not intruding, the 12mm drop didn't bother me and it was responsive!!  Not super cushy!  I got them and went about my business running and rehabbing myself.  Really I should have taken time off from running and just let my injury heal, but I am a full on running addict.  If running was a tangible substance, I would take it in suppository form without question.

    So yeah.  This shoe is good. I don't feel like my form is affected because it is responsive and I can feel the full ground contact.  I really like that latter aspect because I think it's really important.  Shoes that split in the midfoot I think (this opinion is my own.  I have no research to back it up except testimonial evidence from myself, various physical therapists and biomechanists.  So take it with a grain of salt) can lead to issues.  Why?   Because the foot doesn't really flex there.  It's ok if the full shoe is flexible, but when that is one of the main points of flexibility and the rest of the shoe is stiff, I think that can lead to problems.  Again, just testimonial from working in running retail and observing thousands of people run as I fit them and hear their stories.  Are there exceptions?  Yes.  I love the Brooks ST5 racer and it has a separate heel and forefoot.  So maybe I'm wrong.  Every company either does it or tries to compensate.  Nike and Brooks are generally full contact outsoles, Saucony and New Balance do it in most of their shoes, while Asics and Mizuno are mostly split (but only by a little bit).  Asics and Mizuno compensate with thick plastic shanks in the midfoot that are supposed to stop midfoot outsole/midsole splitting.

See the picture below?  I like that ground contact.

     And for a stability shoe?  It's responsive.  I've done most of my Fartleks in this shoe.  Because it's not squishy.  It's protective but also wants you to run a little fast.  I like that.  I'm not really a fan of marshmallow shoes.  But they have a time and place.  The Brooks Ghost is a shoe I use on runs where my body is really beat up and my form goes to sh*t because it's so soft.  That and it's a little lighter.  But for the most part the Brooks Adrenaline's 11.3 ounce weight doesn't bother me.  In fact I feel fast when I step down to lighter weight shoes for races and workouts.  It's kinda nice.

     And the stability aspect.  It feels like customized support.  The PDRB doesn't get in my way if I don't need support.  I don't feel it when picking up the pace, but when I get tired I feel it supporting me.  It's not the the controlling, grip your ankle and prevent all movement type of support. It's the supportive, good friend type of support.  There when you need it and doesn't bug you when you want to be neutral.   So those of you coming from  previous versions, it's going to feel like there is less support.  I know the previous versions because I've tried them and sold a large number of them.  This shoe is one of the (if not the most) popular shoes in running retail.  I can't tell you how many Adrenalines I've sold over the years.

     And the shoe continues it's legacy of being really good.  Heck, it even won over me, the minimalist runner (or ex minimalist now).  This is one of the shoes that converted me back to traditional shoes.  I haven't had any problems with it.  My achilles and peroneal are fine (could also be the dedicated rehab program.  Confounding variables right there...), I can still run in the 6:30s on easy days in this shoe (although I shouldn't so I can recover), and I've done fast workouts in this shoe.  Hills and quick Fartleks.  Never thought I'd be doing that in a stability shoe.  But I am and I've been converted back to traditional shoes.

     Do I think the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 14 is  the shoe for everyone?  No.  Human variability is very real.  Do I think the minimal movement should die?  No.  It needs to influence how we think about shoes.  IE having them work with your body instead of forcing it to do things as much as shoes have done in the past.  So the PDRB and the customized support is awesome.

     Finally, durability.  It's pretty good.  Coming from minimal shoes that lasted 200-250 miles, this is so much better.  I generally stop at 400-500 miles just in case because my feet are a bit sensitive, but it's easily a shoe you could get more out of.  The outsole gets dirty, but stays fairly intact.  I'm breaking in my third pair of GTS 14s right now and my previous pair have 487 miles on them.  Are they done?  No, but I want to be careful because I started to get that "dead shoe" feeling.  So they'll be regulated to walking and casual duties.  Also the "Random Running" duties that I do.  And by that I mean the half mile runs I do during our 10 minute breaks in school.

     So yeah.  If you have stability needs, check out this shoe.  As always I suggest trying shoes on before you buy them.  Head down to your local running retail store.  Every store is going to be carrying this shoe.  Why?  Like I said, it's one of the most popular shoes in run specialty.  It has been made even better with a wide toebox and awesome fit.  There are widths available, so if you have excessively narrow or wide feet, the Adrenaline 14 also comes in B, 2E and 4E.  I use the lace locking technique on all my shoes and it makes this shoe even better.  The fit is pretty adaptable.

I really can't say enough good things about this shoe.  At least give it a look if it suits your biomechanics.

Thanks for reading!

This shoe was a personal purchase (purchases, plural, since I'm on my third pair) and as always, my thoughts are my own.

Tack On!

-Matt Klein, SPT

*Images were obtained from the Brooks Running website.  Go check out the shoe.  My short review is up there in the review section as "kleinruns"

Upcoming Shoe Reviews

So I'm making a little list for anyone that's actually reading this as to what I plan to review shoe-wise in the immediate future:

This is to hold me responsible.

Brooks Adrenaline 14 (Review)
Brooks ST5 Racer (Review)
Mizuno Wave Universe 5 (Review)
Mizuno Wave Sayonara (Review)
Saucony Kinvara 4

And many more.

Plus I'll be doing a post on the importance of the Transverse Abdominals (the ones people either forget or don't know about), how I define core (hint, it's not just abs) and what I think core exercises should actually entail.

Thanks for sticking with me through this first bit!

Tack On!!

-Matt Klein, SPT

The Shoes I've Worn

I just posted my first shoe review about 2 hours ago and I started thinking about all the different shoes I've worn over the last few years.  I really started thinking about shoes my freshman year of college at University of Puget Sound.  Before that they were pretty much a mystery to me.  I barely remember what I was wearing my senior year of high school when I started competing.  Before that I have no idea.

Spending the last several years working in running retail has made me very aware of footwear design, function, diversity and more.  Saying I'm a shoe geek is an understatement since I spend a great deal of my time thinking about and researching them.  I've worn and seen quite a bit of stuff in only a short time.  I've love experimenting and trying different shoes, but at the same time I'm always looking for "the shoe", or the one that I could get and just keep wearing because it was perfect.  The search is still on, although I've gotten close a couple times.

So here's a list I've compiled in my head.  This includes Track Spikes and Racing Flats.

My Running Shoe History

Saucony Omni 6 (or 5.  Not sure)
Nike Rival D (2009 version.  My first spike.  It was stolen from the UPS track 6 months later)
Saucony Kilkenny XC 3 (First XC spike)
Brooks Adrenaline 9
New Balance 904 (multiple pairs)
Adidas Adizero Cadence 1 (track spike)
Vibram 5-Finger KSO (yes, I trained in it, this was my intro into minimalist running)
Mizuno Wave Universe 3
Asics Pirahna SP 3
Saucony A4 (many pairs)
Brooks Adrenaline 10
Asics DS Trainer 15
Asics DS Racer 8
Asics Hyperspeed
Adidas Adizero Rocket 4
Saucony Kinvara 1 (many pairs)
Saucony A4 (racing shoe)
Vivo Barefoot Evo 1
Vivo Barefoot Evo 2
Saucony Kinvara 1
Merrell Barefoot Trail Glove
Saucony Kinvara 1
Puma SLX Complete (Track Spike)
Altra Instinct
Vibram 5-Fingers KSO Trek (w/ Altra Instinct)
New Balance Minimus Road 10
Li-Ning Fremont (very briefly)
Saucony Mirage 1
Altra Instinct
Altra Adam (XC racing/minimal shoe)
Brooks Pureflow 1
Inov8 Road-X 233
Altra Instinct
Newton Gravity
New Balance 1000 distance spike (only 2 races then sold to someone else)
Altra Instinct
Brooks The Wire (My favorite track spike of all time currently)
Nike Streak XC 3 (XC racing flat)
Altra Instinct 1.5
New Balance XC 900 (ended up selling to someone else)
Brooks Mach 14 (XC spike)
New Balance 730 (150 miles and fell apart)
New Balance 1010
Skechers GoRun Ride
Brooks Purecadence
Altra Provision (many pairs)
Saucony Cortana 2
Nike Pegasus (worn briefly.  Seeded pair from Fit Right NW.  Attempted to "edit")
Mizuno Wave Cursoris
Nike Victory (Track Spike)
Altra Provision
Altra Superior
Brooks Purecadence 2 (returned after 1 week)
Nike Flyknit Trainer (returned after 1 week)
Nike Zoom Mamba (Track Spike)
Adidas Adios 2 (worn only briefly)
Altra Provision
Nike Structure 16 (2 pairs, first one free for biomechanics research project)
Saucony LD3 (another one of my favorite track spikes.  Very comfortable)
Altra The One
Mizuno Wave Universe 4 (so good....)
Saucony Kinvara 4
Altra Torin
Brooks Pureflow 2 (worn briefly, returned after 2 days)
Mizuno Wave Cursoris
Brooks Ravenna 4 (worn twice, returned same day)
Brooks Puredrift (many pairs.  Wore out so fast....)
Mizuno Wave Universe 5 (amazingly light racing flat)
Mizuno Wave Sayanora
Brooks Mach 14 Spikeless (XC racing flat)
Newton Energy NR (worn once then returned)
Brooks Launch (drool..... awesome shoe)
Brooks Purecadence 1
Brooks Pureconnect 1 (put 120 miles on them before ripping a hole in them during a trail run)
Brooks Adrenaline 14 (wider toebox and much less support than previous versions)
Brooks ST5 Racer
Brooks T7 Racer (Racing Flat)
Brooks Ghost 6
Skechers GoRun Ride 3 (30 miles and then a Peroneus Longus issue popped up.  Afraid to wear)
Altra Repetition
Asics Hyperspeed 6
Saucony Fastwitch 6
Brooks Purecadence 3
Brooks Ravenna 5
Brooks Trascend


And that's so far.  Keep in mind a couple of those shoes never saw more than 150 miles.  But other ones saw MANY more.  This is what happens when you run 80-90 miles per week for the first two years of college and 90-115 miles per week for the last two.  Now I'm hitting about 80-90 miles per week.  Which jumps back into the 90/100s when I'm on break at home in Portland, Oregon.

I guess looking back that's quite a long list.  But you can bet with that list and many years in running retail I know my stuff when it comes to shoes.  And that doesn't count the many I tried on while working just to know what I was talking about when speaking with customers.

Thanks for reading!

As always, my thoughts are my own.

Tack On

-Matt Klein, SPT

Brooks T7 Racer Review

Alright!  Time for a shoe review.

This is the Brooks T7 Racer.  It's their premium traditional road racing flat (the mach spikeless can also be used as a road flat).  The T7 racer is a neutral racing shoe that comes in at 6.0 ounces and has a 10mm heel drop.

And the nightlife color is awesome.  Nice and bright.  I wish I'd gotten a pair of the older red ones to match my "Tack On" singlet, but no one has anymore.  Anyway, it's a pretty flashy shoe and gets the job done while being fairly protective.  I'm coming from the more minimal world racing in the Mizuno Wave Universe 4 and 5 before this.  So to me this racer has much more cushioning than I'm used to.  But I'm also running in traditional shoes right now (Brooks Adrenaline), so comparatively it feels very light.

 The 10m drop doesn't bother me.  There is plenty of protection for whatever your footstrike is.  The T7 Racer feels a little flatter than that, but for those of you looking for traditional racing flats with some achilles protection, this is it.  This shoe will carry you through a 5k or a marathon.  Ryan Vail uses this shoe as his marathon racer as do many of the Brooks Hansons group.  The T7 works well as both a workout shoe and a longer racing shoe for me.  I tend to use the Brooks ST5 Racer for fartleks and tempos as it has a little more protection.

If you have an pronation support needs, you may be better off in something like the Brooks ST5 racer, the Saucony Fastwitch , the Asics DS Racer or the Mizuno Wave Musha (which is being discontinued).  I get away with this shoe for 5k and 10ks, but anything longer I use the ST5.  It actually feels fairly stable despite the VERY curved last (see the fourth picture, ie the one of the sole, for an idea on how curved).  It may just be me acclimating back to neutral shoes after training in the Brooks Adrenaline 14s for a few months.

 The fit is glove like.  This shoe is perfect being worn sockless.  Granted I've heard about people complaining about blisters, but I've never worn this shoe with socks and have never had a problem.  A little irritation on the medial side of my midfoot during a 2x30 minute tempo run at 5:24 pace each, but no other problem.  The interior from the heel to midfoot is fairly soft and the mesh from there forward is very comfortable. With socks it might also be a bit narrow.  Without them, I feel no tightness in my forefoot but the shoe locks down my midfoot and heel very well, especially with the lace lock technique.  The T7s are very comfortable.  In fact I would train in them sockless full time if I didn't like stepping down from heavier trainers so my racing shoes feel very light on race day.  If you are a minimalist runner looking for a shoe with a bit more protection and drop, this might be a good choice.  And at $85 it's a pretty good deal.

For sizing, I went with my normal size 10 in Brooks.  Many people complained that the shoe ran short and suggested going up a half size.  That might work if you're wearing socks, but if you like the sockless feel, stick with your normal shoe/racing shoe size.  Trying the shoe with socks does make it very narrow, but again, that upper is pretty good.  So take your socks off.  I HIGHLY suggest trying the T7s and any shoe on before you buy it.  Every shoe fits differently and Shoefitr isn't perfect.

Wear wise I'm not seeing much at ~50 miles and 2 races in the T7.  We'll see once I get more races on them instead of mostly workouts.  So far I've only used them for 5ks, speedwork and two longer tempos.  Based on what I'm seeing, they have pretty decent durability for an $85 shoe.  I'll update this when I get +100 miles on them.

So overall a really good shoe.  I have enjoyed racing in them and not having my calves as beat up as when I was racing in the Mizuno Wave Universe.  I haven't had any problems with the shoe and there's only a few things I'd like to see changed.

I would prefer that they moved the T7 racer to a 7-8mm drop shoe and jump into the mid 5-ounce range.  I think this shoe is pretty protective for the 5k, but it gets the job done.  In fact, I think they should move this shoe down and make the Racer ST5 an 8-10mm drop, mid 7 ounce shoe to compete better with the Adidas Adios Boost, Saucony Fastwitch, etc.  But that's just me.

So again, I highly recommend this shoe for those of you looking for a traditional racing flat with a bit of cushioning and some achilles protection.  It's a great 5k-half marathon racing shoe that can probably handle the marathon if you get used to it.  The T7 is also an awesome workout workhorse.  So at least try them on and see what you think!!

Hope you enjoyed my first shoe review!

These shoes were a personal purchase and as always, my thoughts are my own.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to Tack On.

2/8/14 UPDATE:  I am now using these for all my workouts as I have moved to the Brooks Racer ST5/Purecadence 1 for all training.  I still love these shoes and have suffered no ill effects doing +10 mile runs in them.

-Matt Klein, SPT

*Images are directly from the Brooks Running website .  Please go over there and check them out!!

Why Hips Don't Lie: Thoughts On Knee/IT Band Pain

Being an obsessed runner who loves running as much as possible, you can imagine how many people ask me if I'm worried about my knees.  Knees knees knees.  That's all people think about.

I used to respond with, "Oh, I'm a minimalist runner!  I run on my forefoot and midfoot and will thus never have knee pain!!"  I have moved past that stage, realizing that a little support and cushioning go a long away, especially when I pronate/evert like crazy.  Which led to a nagging peroneal injury.  Not that I think pronation control is the cure all.  That's for another post.

The point is, I'm back in traditional shoes (Brooks Adrenaline/Brooks Ghost) at the moment for my normal training.  It feels easy to maintain my form with a decent midfoot strike, but I know I'm a heelstriker.  So we'll call it a midfoot/heel strike because I switch between the two depending on my fatigue level or how paranoid I'm being about my form.  Another follow up post will be about footstrike and why it's not as big a deal as we think.  So I started to worry about my knees.  Yet they didn't hurt.  My quads got wrecked after my half marathon last week at the Southern California Half Marathon where I took second in 1:11:11.  That's 5:26 pace.  That's the longest I've ever raced and the only training I did for that was a couple 10-11 mile tempos runs pacing a friend of mine the month before.  That and my crazy high mileage from college(+110 miles per week).  So here I am thinking that I'm putting myself at risk.  One of the main reasons I got interested in physical therapy was long term injury prevention so I can run until the end of my days (whenever that happens to be).

But wait.....

Those of you who know me well know I struggled with constant IT band issues during the beginning of my competitive running career.  When I started competing my senior year of high school, I made it only briefly into each season of cross country and track before I succumbed to Iliotibial band syndrome (once on each side).  This continued into my freshman year of college, where again I was injured during cross country and  two weeks before the 10,000m NWC championship in track.  That 10k was a horrible race.

So finally I took things into my own hands and started researching what the hell was going on.

And here's what I found:

The IT Band is a thick band of fascia attached to the Tensor Fascia Latae and the Glute muscles.  You may hear DPTs and others talk about how the population has weak glutes because we spend so much time sitting.  Well, it's kinda true.  So what happens when those glutes aren't firing?  The Tensor Fascia Latae takes over.  And that muscle is tiny.  So eventually it fatigues, then the IT Band gets tight as hell and pulls on its attachment at the knee.  Then BOOM.  IT Band syndrome.

So how do you fix it?  By strengthening your glutes!!  Particularly your glute medius!  Which is responsible for much of the lateral stabilization of the hip and knee.  It's a hip abductor, so it's one of the muscles that prevents the knee from going inwards during standing or running!

I'll refer you to another DPT, Dr. David McHenry from PACE in Portland, Oregon for the best exercises on that.  The clamshells, reverse clamshells and Jane Fondas demonstrated here:

http://www.therapeuticassociates.com/sports-medicine/stability-routine/

are awesome.  Go check those exercises out.

Once I started doing those, I stopped having any IT band problems.  I've even stopped doing my special exercises for a week just to test it and then it comes back.  So obviously I need to keep doing them.

Back to knee pain!

I've never had any.

Being a heelstriker/midfoot striker made me wonder why I hadn't, because it's such a stereotypical thing to have happen.  The only thing I could think of was the fact that my core exercises have so much to do with strengthening my hips (another post coming up on why "core" doesn't just mean abs).  So I began to look into this.

Article after article seems to point to the fact that various types of knee pain may come from weak glutes.  I would guess that it has to do with how the knee is tracking through the gait cycle (ie does it stay in a neutral straight position or is it subject to valgus/varum forces, going inward or outward?) or maybe that the individual is using their quads primarily for propulsion rather than their glutes!  The quadriceps muscle attaches right below the knee on the upper Tibia (tibial tuberosity).

Here's a couple examples:

Robinson and Nee (Robinson & Nee, 2007) examined female subjects with unilateral patellofemoral pain.  ALL of the subjects with patellofemoral pain tested positive for weak hip strength (it's a cross sectional study, so there were only 10 subjects w/ pain compared to 10 without.  So "ALL" is relative).  They looked at hip abduction, extension and external rotation.  All of these motions had strength impairments in those with knee pain.

Cichanowski, Schmitt, Johnson and Niemuth (Cichanowski, Schmitt, Johnson & Niemuth, 2007) analyzed   female collegiate athletes with unilateral knee pain in regards to hip strength.  They compared the subjects to themselves and found that the hip abductors and external rotators were much weaker on the injured side than the non-injured side.

I can keep spouting off more of these because they keep going on and on.  Just look up "Glutes" and "Patellofemoral Pain" and you'll find enough articles to last you until the end of days.

Like I mentioned early, my thoughts (as a student, not a dpt yet.  I have nothing to cite on this so take it with a grain of salt) on this are that patellofemoral pain can be due to instability of the knee and/or overuse of the quads instead of the glutes for propulsion during a running or walking gait.  I think excess lateral/medial movement of the knee puts pressure on all the tendons and ligaments surrounding and excess use of the quads puts pressure on their connection point just inferior to the patella.

Solution?  Strengthen your hip abductors with the stereotypical Physical Therapy exercises (Clamshells and lateral leg raises or Jane Fondas at minimum) and your hip extensors.  Why the hip extensors?  Ask any DPT, PT, strength and conditioning specialist, etc about the glute muscles and sports performance.  THEY'RE REALLY IMPORTANT!!  Why do you think elite sprinters have big butts?   But in most people they end up weak, and the quads take over for propulsion.  Which can (there will always be exceptions thanks to human variability) lead you down the path we've been talking about!

So Shakira had it right.  She just didn't realize that her song was applicable to injury prevention and rehab.

Now if hip strength/kinematics affects the knee joint, what about the other joints in that chain?  The human body is REALLY good at compensating for a weakness, even to the point of another injury.  Trust me.  It's what a majority of my job as a doctor of physical therapy will be involved in correcting.   I'm assuming you can guess that it may involve injuries in the ankle and the hip areas.  It probably involves attempting to get more propulsion from the calves (achilles injuries), foot (Plantar fascities), hamstrings (hamstring injuries) and more to compensate for those weak hip extensors.

So strengthen those hips.  They'll help you run faster and may protect you from various injuries.

If nothing else, the exercises will make your butt look better.  Think of it as a two for one deal.

Hope you enjoyed my first real blog post.

As always, my thoughts are my own unless cited.

Thanks for reading.

-Matt Klein, SPT

Citations:

Cichanowski, H., Schmitt, J., Johnson, R., & Niemuth.  (2007).  Hip Strength in Collegiate Female Athletes With Patellofemoral Pain.  Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise.  39(8): 1227-1232

Robinson, R., Nee, R.  (2007).  Analysis of Hip Strength in Females Seeking Physical Therapy Treatmet for Unilateral Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.  The Journal of Orthopedic Sports Physical Therapy, 37(5): 232-238