In the June Monthly Round Up, we take a look at a lot of different things from the trail with Silke and Ivan argues for the importance of recovery. Do you agree?
June Monthly Round Up: Brooks Glycerin 21
Andy: In a world of hi-tech foams, air bubbles, carbon plates and crazy geometries, sometimes simplicity is the way forward. When I want to just lace up and go, I have found myself more and more for the Brooks Glycerin 21. When I first got the Glycerin, I thought it was ok. A comfortable daily trainer which is high on cushion but rather light on pop. So why come back to it for the June Monthly Round Up?
Recently, I have had a lingering injury which has been a real frustration and rather changed how I have been running. Instead of the usual unstable, super soft, sponge soled shoes I like to use for my morning jaunts I have found myself reaching more for this. Stable, secure and super comfortable it has really eased the aches and seen me through the less fun miles.
The upper slides on and holds fast with no effort ensuring any soreness is not further irritated. Then the midsole offers a soft, smooth cushion which helps move you forward without having to worry about striking in a certain way. In fact, my initial review runs in the Glycerin 21 were with a very forefoot strike. Whilst I have been rehabbing, my strike has moved more to a midfoot area and this has probably improved my enjoyment of the shoe as I am using more of the DNA Loft v3 foam.
Yes, its a bit heavy and I do miss putting on something lighter, sleeker, more aggressive and out-there. But, for the time being, it is a wonderful companion to getting me back on the road and heading towards bigger, brighter things. Thanks for keeping it simple, Brooks!
Silke’s Trail Talk
Silke: For the June Monthly Round Up, I would like to share with you my thoughts on some of the trail gear and shoes that I have tested recently on a trip to the Austrian alps. When I test trail shoes, I usually run on my home trails with no challenging technical terrain. This time, I had the opportunity to climb and run mountains of about 2400m NN.
My choice for our first trail run was the HOKA Speedgoat 5. This is not only light, it’s also equipped with a Vibram outsole. I have been using it for 2-3 years now and it served me well. This time was no exception in this challenging terrain where the paths were still covered with snow or even taken by avalanches. Furthermore, I was glad that the Speedgoat has got a thick wedge of dampening midsole foam to help me run the final 750m downhill section.
For our second run, I picked the EVADICT MT Cushion. I can highly recommend this shoe to you especially in technical terrain. I had no slipping on the wet, mud or snow covered paths. Moreover, when there were no paths at all it kept me going. When we approached the cloud level it started to rain heavily. Water began to flow down on the steep hill we had just climbed and we still had to descend. The shoe worked perfectly! As the cherry on top, I remained blister free!
Finally my favourite jacket, the Salomon Bonatti jacket. Yes, it does make some rustling noise, which can be annoying. That said, I have used this jacket for nearly all of my training in the rain. A run of more than three hours resisting perpetual rain is a thumbs up for me. I also love the Salomon Bonatti, because it has a small pocket on the front and I can wear it over my trail vest.
Ivan’s June Monthly Round Up: Racers For Recovery
Ivan: We often judge running shoes based on their performance for a specific purpose, forgetting that individual needs and preferences vary greatly. I’ve come to realise that many of the latest max-stacked ‘Supershoes’ don’t align well with my running style. These thick, bouncy shoes often require a lot of force to really benefit from their features. As a fairly lightweight runner with a midfoot strike and high cadence, I find that lighter, more nimble, and agile models work best for me at race-specific paces.
Frustrated with my inability to fully exploit the benefits of the “big boys” like the adidas Prime X2, Li-Ning Shadow, Saucony Kinvara Pro, and Hoka Cielo X1 for my uptempo runs, I have discovered that they work surprisingly well for me as recovery-day shoes. While you might think they’re too expensive for that purpose, I want to emphasise that I actually value recovery days as much as hard workout days, finding both equally crucial for becoming a stronger runner.
Many of these max-cushioned ‘Supershoes’ are now wide enough to provide decent stability, and their use of “superfoams” and rocker geometry offers a super protective ride with smooth transitions – perfect for tired legs. After a few months of using these type of shoes for recovery runs, I can confidently say that my recovery runs are not only more enjoyable and fun but also more effective with the actual recovery process compared to using “standard” daily trainers.
However, I’m not suggesting this will be the case for all runners. Individual biomechanics, need for stability, weight, and of course budget all play a role. Still, it’s worth thinking outside the box and trying shoes that might not work for you in one context but could be perfect for another. I believe that almost any running shoe can add value in some way if you find the right use case for it.
Josh’s Pick: On Cloudspike 10,000
Josh: For the June Monthly Round Up, I find myself mid track season with a few opening races under my belt. Coming from a road background I’m still getting used to the much more aggressive psychology of track races. Along this development of my track-oriented fitness I’ve found myself doing 2 track sessions a week to complement my interval fartlek-like Monday session. I’ve found these to have massive benefits on my overall strength which has helped my running economy and left me feeling already much fitter than I was coming off the cross country season.
I believe that a key factor to this perceived performance boost lies in my use of track spikes in training sessions and my increased focus on shorter, higher intensity repetitions. With their minimal profile, supreme grip on wet and dry tracks, and their geometry I’ve found that they push me to run with a much more explosive and responsive footstrike which has not only improved my track racing but I’ve also seen improvements in my road tempo sessions and racing.
So far I have run in the Nike Dragonfly, Hoka Cielo Fly X, Asics Metaspeed LD, On Cloudspike 10,000m, and the New Balance MD-X. From this selection, the one I have found the best so far is the On Cloudspike 10,000m. I raced with them at the Night of the 10,000m PB’s this year and have been using them as my primary training spike since. Not only is it a competitive weight but I have found it to offer much much more protection underfoot. The added protection and stability of the shoe is one of the reasons as to why I have found myself continuously using them as a spike for my sessions.
While training in spikes is definitely not going to benefit everyone, I have found it plays an extremely important role in improving my running economy and building my fitness in not only track events but also road running where my focus this year lies on the 5K.
Tim’s June Monthly Round Up Pick: HOKA Rocket X2
Tim: After a year of use where I have put over 150km through the midsole, they might have lost energy return and some of their softness. However, despite all my testing over the past year, these still remain among my top tier racing shoes. As far as racing shoes go, the fit is one ofthe best I have ever experienced. The heel holds me well and the laces give good lockdown without undue pressure. Moreover, it is as if the last was shaped on my foot such is the mid and forefoot comfort. The midsole foam is very clever. I find that the more I push, the more energy I feel coming back to me.
Does the Rocket X2 have any drawbacks? Due to the softness of the foam, I find that it works my feet quite a lot. While the plate adds stability, my feet do feel tired after a longer run in them. In fact, I finished the Chicago marathon with a pain underfoot which I have never experienced before or since.
Furthermore, it is a shoe designed for mid to forefoot strikers. As someone who strokes further towards the heel but with a quick transition, it works alright for me. For pure heel strikers, it may be more of an issue. People with higher volume feet may also find that the Rocket X2 may be a little narrow.
Will I use them again? Certainly. They make a good benchmark for new super shoes. I would also race in them again. Not this pair, but definitely a fresh set. Although, I see them as more of a 10km to half marathon shoe than a full marathon racer.
Tim
30 years old
169cm (5’5″) – 57kg (125lbs)
Heel/Midfoot striker – Cadence runner
Moderate pronator
Ivan
48 years old
180cm (5’9″) – 63kg (138lbs)
Midfoot striker – Cadence runner
Mild pronator
