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Coaching Fall 09:Coaching Spring 09 10/18/09 9:28 PM Page 1

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PA I D PRST STD U.S. Postage

Blanka Vlasic at the 2009 World Championships. Photo by Yohei Kamiya, PhotoRun.NET.

Volume 4, No. 2

$9.95

Fall 2009

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COACHING AT H L E T I C S Blanka Vlasic at the 2009 World Championships. Photo by Yohei Kamiya, PhotoRun.NET.

5

Carolina Kluft Speaks on the Competition

10

Universal Drills for Throwers

by Byron Collyer

6

Track Maintenence on a Budget

by Mary Helen Sprecher

9

14

The Agony & the Ecstacy: American Track & Field

by Larry Eder

Coaching Athletics Talks Track with Blanka Vlasic

17

2009 Fall Shoe Review

by Cregg Weinmann

by Larry Eder

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COACHING AT H L E T I C S Volume 4, Number 2 Fall 2009 Group Publisher: Larry Eder, larry.eder@gmail.com, 920-563-5551, ext. 112 Group Editor: Christine Johnson, ctrneditorial@aol.com Advertising: Larry Eder, larry.eder@gmail.com, 608-239-3785 Writers/Contributors: Byron Collyer, Mary Helen Sprecher, Cregg Weinmann Photographers: Lisa Coniglio/PhotoRun, Victah Sailer/PhotoRun Layout/Design: Kristen Cerer Editor: Rachel Miller Pre-Press/Printer: W. D. Hoard & Sons Company, Fort Atkinson, WI Publisher’s Reps: Peter Koch Weser, 310-600-9929, pkwadvmags@yahoo.com

Special Projects: Adam Johnson-Eder, 608-957-2159, atflistings@gmail.com Special Thanks To: Kristen Cerer, Sue Hall, Alex Larsen, Penny Mepham, Tim Garant, Tom Mack, Mary Ward and Julie Wells Dedicated to: Fr. Ralph Passerelli, S.J., Jim Marheinecke, Steve Pensinger, Dan Durante and Terry Ward, a.m.d.g. phone 608-239-3785; fax 920-563-7298 Coaching Athletics Quarterly is produced, published and owned by Shooting Star Media, Inc., PO Box 67, Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin 53538-0067, Christine Johnson, President, Larry Eder, Vice President. Copyright 2009

by Shooting Star Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Publisher assumes no liability for matter printed, and assumes no liability or responsibility for content of paid advertising and reserves the right to reject paid advertising. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in any form without written permission of the Publisher.

Coaching Athletics Quarterly is not related to or endorsed by any other entity or corporation with a similar name and is solely owned by Shooting Star Media, Inc. Publisher recommends, as with all fitness and health issues, you consult with your physician before instituting any changes in your fitness program.

Coaching Athletics Quarterly - Fall 2009

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publisher’s note Dear Readers,

T

he World Championships in Berlin were outstanding. I have been fortunate enough to attend eight world championships, and I must say, they are my favorite events on the calendar. Watching track & field for nine to 11 straight days, catching up with friends from around the world and enjoying the wonderfully eclectic food and German beer offered in Berlin was, well, a lot of fun.

The German team surprised me and, I believe, the German fans. Each night, German athletes wowed the crowds! Steffi Nerius had the crowd going crazy in the women’s javelin, as did German shot putter Rolf Bartels when he grabbed the bronze medal. Robert Harting had the German crowd screaming when he took the lead in the fifth round in the discus and held for the gold!

But there was nothing like the response to Usain Bolt, who broke the world record in the 100 meters with his stunning 9.58, and his 19.19 in the 200 meters! Tyson Gay’s 9.71 in the final (Gay got it down to 9.69 in September), showed that Bolt is in a world of his own, as neither Gay nor Asafa Powell gave Bolt any quarter. The young Jamaican is reinventing our sport for the good, I believe. New fans love Bolt, and we are getting back to watching athletes run, jump and throw.

I loved the drama of the women’s high jump, with Croatia’s Blanka Vlasic versus Russia’s Anna Chicherova and Germany’s Ariane Freiderich. All three jumpers are so different, and the 50,000-plus crowd that night was mesmerized. When Vlasic won, it was a hard-fought defense.

I have to admit, though, that the medal that provided the most emotional upheaval was the silver medal in the pole vault of one Chelsea Johnson. I have known Chelsea since she was an intermediate hurdler in high school, trying the vault in her dad’s back yard in Atascadero, California. (Chelsea’s dad is Jan Johnson, the 1972 bronze medalist in the vault). Chelsea jumped early, cleared early and stayed focused, unlike the 26-time world record beater, Olympic and World Champion gold medalist, Yelena Isinbayeva. Chelsea Johnson now has her own medal. I sent her dad a text message in the stands afterward. For the first time in the more than 25 years we have known each other, he was nearly speechless. Nice job, Hoss. Congrats Chelsea!

Regards,

Larry Eder, Publisher

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Photo by: Jiro Mochizuki, PhotoRun.NET

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Carolina Kluft Speaks on the Competition T

he best heptathlete of her generation, Kluft had wins in 2003 Paris, 2005 Helsinki and 2007 Osaka, as well as 2004 Athens—and she made it look easy. The truth was very far from that. For Kluft, the challenges of being the best women’s multi-event athlete in the world were many. And the fun she professed in so many press conferences was waning. She needed a break.

“After Helsinki and my injuries in training there, I lost the fun in training for the heptathlon, and I never gained it back. It just became too hard, too much of a chore. Most of all, the heptathlon was no longer a challenge. I needed a new challenge, so I focused on the long jump,” Kluft said.

Will we see Kluft in the heptathlon again? Never say never, but this writer believes that she is serious about needing a break. As a serious track geek, I hope that she gets the fun back and enthralls her fans with another global championship at the heptathlon. But for the present, Kluft is focused on the long jump for a variety of reasons.

In past interviews, Kluft made it quite clear that she likes challenges. Her positive attitude is one of her greatest strengths, plus her obvious technical knowledge of the events and her ability to focus, train long hours and train well.

“It takes a longer time for a big athlete like me to get into shape. I am focused on the World Championships this year.”

When asked what captured her interest in the long jump, Kluft noted, smiling, “The long jump is fast, it is over quickly. You must take all of your energy and perform quickly, and that interests me! It is not like the heptathlon.”

While she trains twice a day, it’s not the same intensity or duration of the heptathlon training. It’s obvious that Kluft worked hard for those heptathlon medals, and the training, the focus and the obsession needed to make it at the world champion level in a multi-event took a lot out of her.

“In Sweden, athletics is the number one sport. We even beat soccer. Remember, we are a small country! I am asked for autographs so many times. I think that this may be the only time I meet this child, so I take a picture; it is good for her, and good for me,” Kluft said.

“But I am learning. Now, if I am out with friends, I sometimes tell people, please, no pictures, I am just with my friends. For the most part, they understand. But my private time is important to me. That is why I live in the country, with few neighbors. I need my privacy to relax and reboot.”

When asked about her level of fitness, Carolina was clear and precise.

“I am doing well now, but I need to train hard this summer to be ready for the World Championships in August in Berlin.”

Special thanks to Todd Klein and Carolina Kluft for her patience after many interviews during the day. She handles herself like the professional athlete she is. This is my fourth interview with Carolina over the past five years.

Photo by: Jiro Mochizuki, PhotoRun.NET

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Track Maintenence on a Budget

By Mary Helen Sprecher working on your annual budget, and you keep coming back to the line items for You’re the maintenance and repair of your track and field facility.

“Hmmm,” you’re thinking. “Those numbers might be able to come down a bit. I wonder how much of this we can do ourselves …”

Sound familiar? It should. It’s what athletic directors, coaches and facility managers are all thinking right now. Everyone is cognizant of the bottom line and of what they can do to help keep a lid on spiraling costs. So what can you do—and what can’t you do?

Do It Yourself The good news is there are many things managers can do to make tracks last longer and therefore delay the need for professional maintenance. Be proactive about regular maintenance, say track builders. Keeping the “to do” list checked off on a regular basis can really help the track surface last.

Keeping the surface of the track clean, for example, is enormously helpful. Litter and trash should, of course, be taken off the track immediately, but so should naturally occurring dirt and debris.

“Trees are beautiful; however, they should not be located where the leaves and needles and other debris from them can fall on the track,” said Carl Aiken of Aiken Engineering in East Greenbush, New York. “I have seen new facilities wrecked because of decaying leaves on the track. The debris not only stains the surface but it also retains moisture.”

Make sure the entrances of the track are set up in such a way that dirt is not walked onto the surface of the facility, said Sam Fisher of Fisher Tracks in Boone, Iowa.

“Grit is what cuts the binder and rubber in a track just like it cuts the fiber in a carpet.

Not only does it cause excessive wear, but it becomes unsightly at these areas of ingress.”

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In addition, Fisher recommends installing sand pit covers to prevent sand from being thrown onto the track while the track is not in use and then ground into the surface by those who run on it later. The culprits here are generally children whose parents allow them to play in the pit and use it as a sand box while they themselves are going for a morning or afternoon run.

Mowers and other maintenance machinery should be used with care, according to John Wettstein of Athletic Marking Company, Inc. in Palmetto, Georgia— but they’re far from the only things that will drive across the track in the course of a normal school year. Tracks are meant for runners, after all, and not for tires.

“Vehicle traffic should be kept to a minimum,” he notes. “We see schools using their tracks as an organization area for homecoming floats, bus turnarounds and, of course, a speedway for golf carts and Gators during football games and practices. Tracks, especially those with rubberized surfacing, are not designed to withstand vehicle traffic of any kind.”

Mats and boards are used by many track owners to protect the surfaces of tracks at crossing points, and to allow for access to the field when necessary—but should never be considered a substitute for enforcing the rules about proper track use. (“Just this one time” is a phrase that allows a lot of damage to take place.)

Additionally, said Carl Aiken, those mats, boards, etc., should never be allowed to sit in place for more than a short time.

“Many times,” Aiken noted, “the facility will have the mat or carpet or other device laid out on the track to prevent excessive wear at locations where teams access the field inside of the track. The idea is good, except the mats or other device are often left in place for weeks at a time. This will typically cause either moisture or dirt to exist under the mat. When the mat is finally removed, the track surface is, ironically enough, more deteriorated under the mat than to the sides of the mat. I guess one solution is to keep the mats or other protector in place only when needed.”

Make sure there is signage posted regarding proper use of the facility—the fact that spiked shoes aren’t allowed, that recreational wheeled vehicles (including bicycles, scooters and more) are prohibited, and so forth. Remember that formally advising users of the rules beats just hoping they don’t break them.

In addition, say the pros, facility managers should do a regular walk-through of their facilities. Daily is great, and weekly should be the absolute minimum.

While on the walk, managers should keep an eye out for problems on the surface of the track, as well as in the curbing, fencing and field. Keep a log of any problems identified. Some can be fixed by the manager or his/her maintenance team. For example, gates dragging across the surface of the track can be repaired so they swing correctly. Fences with bulges or sags can be repaired.

Don’t Try This at Home Sometimes, though, the problem is more complex. A small area where material is missing from the track surface, or a slight bubble in the rubber may be something simple—or it may be the symptom of a deeper, or even structural, problem. And while there are kits that can be purchased to help make various fixes, many track 8 Coaching Athletics Quarterly - Fall 2009

contractors advise owners to call in a professional to make a definitive diagnosis before taking action.

“On items best left to the professionals, I put track refurbishing on the top of my list,” said Norm Porter of Omnova Solutions, Inc. in Chester, South Carolina. “I have had more than one facility manager contact me asking for sources of rubber granules and latex so that they can do some touch-up on problem areas of the track. I always direct them to contact the builder who installed the track. It looks deceptively easy when a work crew is laying down a track and spraying on binder.

These workers have been doing this job for years and it looks easy because they have learned how to do it correctly. Even a minor mistake by an amateur can result in a costly repair job, one that might have been avoided completely.”

Another thing to cross off the do-it-yourself list, said John Wettstein, is striping. It’s not as easy as it looks, and correcting an improperly done “fix” can more than negate any savings.

“A measurable portion of our income is gained from the repair of poor quality or inaccurate track striping done by inexperienced painters and even track coaches themselves,” he noted. “Even repainting existing lines and markings is a process with no margin for error.”

Remember that the striping around the track indicates not only lane lines, but the distances runners will travel. Without clear and accurate striping, the track will look terrible, and even worse, records set on a track may not hold up.

Saving money is good, said Sam Fisher, but doing it at the expense of the facility isn’t going to help anything.

“We have had five tracks damaged this year due to burrowing underneath for new electrical and/or water inside the field,” he noted.

“In nearly every case, the owner thought he could do it himself rather than hire a professional. He was too close to the underside of the surface and heaved the track. The cost to fix can be nearly tenfold the expense of having a professional direct borer handle such a task. In addition, more tracks have been damaged by inexperienced contractors adjusting lights and/or working on scoreboards. They tend to use the track as a construction platform. They plunge their outriggers for their boom truck, and the result is oftentimes a huge depression. People that specialize in athletic scoreboards, as well as field lighting, know what they can or cannot do on or around track surfaces.”

Being conscientious about a facility’s bottom line is part of being a good manager. So is being proactive about maintenance. And using creativity to solve problems, and to figure out what can be done to lower overall costs is admirable. Just don’t ignore the need for a professional.

It’s a high price to pay for a few dollars in savings.

Note: The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) is a nonprofit association helping designers, builders, owners, operators and users understand quality sports facility construction. The ASBA sponsors informative meetings and publishes newsletters, books and technical construction guidelines for athletic facilities including running tracks and field events. Available at no charge is a listing of all publications offered by the Association, as well as the ASBA’s Membership Directory. Info: 866-501-ASBA (2722) or www.sportsbuilders.org

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Coaching Athletics Talks Track With ...

Blanka Vlasic

lanka Vlasic is a high jump warrior. Blanka Vlasic is also a B rock star. Watch the women clear 2.02, and 2.05, and listen to the crowd roar and enjoy Vlasic’s performance! She may be at her most complete during competition.

In this interview, Vlasic was very introspective. It was during a short break in her training before she started the long drive to Berlin 2009.

Vlasic is a coach’s dream: a natural athlete, a hard worker and a focused athlete. In those attributes, one may also find her Achilles’ heel. She seems to have an absolute need, much like breathing, to compete almost constantly. After her silver at Beijing, the focus now is on Berlin in August.

CA: How did you get started?

Vlasic: It was quite natural: watching my father doing decathlon, I spent a lot of time in the stadium, instead of in kindergarten. I liked the discipline. For me, it needs to be a game. I started to be good in the high jump. I was coordinated. I managed around the age of 15 to commit a little more. I first had competitions with my team, then across the country, then juniors, then the world juniors.

CA: How did you get into the high jump?

Vlasic: It was not an overnight decision. It was not spontaneous. I tried it and gave myself a chance to see how it worked.

CA: How many competitions do you do a year?

Vlasic: Up to 25.

CA: Tell us about your approach to training.

Vlasic: We work very specifically. I do not need too much training. I want to always to be able to jump over two meters, not a problem. I enjoy practice. I do most sessions on my own, I want to break records. I enjoy competing with myself.

CA: How is your training influenced by the needs of a professional athlete?

Vlasic: I spend a lot of time traveling. But I live in Europe, so I train two and a half months in the winter, one and a half months before the summer. Before the indoor season, I trained one week.

CA: Do you take a rest?

CA: Can you be more specific about your training?

Vlasic: One day a week I do snatch, then one-leg exercises, then plyometrics, then jumping exercises, then explosive strength, then regeneration. I never do more than one big stress every day. Every strong training session, I try to go to maximum to meet that peak.

CA: Your father still manages your training?

Vlasic: My father coaches me. He brings the training book. It is easier to not think about that stuff. I focus on the training.

I trust him completely, which is something he earned by proving he could take me from 1.60 meters to 2.05 meters. It is very important to have confidence in your trainer. He has my back in every possible way. Also with me, we are a team, a family, every body knows they’re part of the job. We do meets together, and it keeps it less stressful.

CA: Tell us about Osaka and Beijing. Both tremendous days, but there were differences: one day, you were the gold medalist and one day, you were the silver medalist.

Vlasic: Osaka? It was a good day for me. It was also a good day in Beijing. One fault: 2.05 meters. Two failures (misses). There is always pressure from the local press. They like me winning.

When something happens, it is a disaster—they do not understand. They expect perfection from me.

CA: How do you improve or learn from Beijing?

Vlasic: I am too hard on myself. What I need to accept is that when the competition is over, it is over. I try to do a little better. Then I stop. Why exhaust yourself today? I have trouble accepting it. I will try to work better on that.

I must try to relax a little bit. I want to do something for 10 years. If one year is so intense, and you have lots of years in your career, how can you have a good time in your life?

CA: Any thoughts on your competitive schedule?

Vlasic: I competed quite often in 2008. In 2009, I will do the same, less one or two. It is important to find your rhythm.

Special thanks to Lyn Familgietti of adidas Communications and Spencer Nel of adidas Global Sports Marketing. Special thanks to Blanka, who gave us the interview at the end of a day full of interviews and demonstrations under the hot sun.

Vlasic: Yes, I keep my body refreshed by taking an active vacation.

Photos by: Yohei Kamiya, PhotoRun.NET

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Universal Drills for Throwers

by Byron Collyer

H

ere are three simple, but effective, drills that can be applied to any thrower in track and field. They work for beginners or experienced throwers, and for javelin throwers, as well as for shot putters, discus throwers and hammer throwers.

Drill #1: Easy Distance The easy distance drill helps throwers use the major muscle groups in their body. This is achieved by getting the athlete to focus on throwing a given distance as easily and with as minimal effort as possible. It works by forcing the athlete to recruit bigger muscle groups, since they are more powerful and thus will create less of a sensation of effort to the athlete than smaller groups would if they were recruited. The drill should be performed at distances between 60–80% of maximal effort.

Note that a specific distance must be chosen while the athlete is practicing this drill. For example, if the athlete is practicing this drill at 60% of maximal effort, the goal is to throw exactly that distance with as minimal effort as possible. The athlete is not trying to work up to 65% eventually.

This drill is very effective for improving overall throwing technique and for use of the thrower’s entire body during a given throwing motion. It also breaks the common pattern of always throwing for distance during practice, which is a comparatively ineffective way to improve throwing technique.

The basic skill progression for this drill would be to start at approximately 60% of maximal effort and move the athlete up to 80% of maximal effort over a period of one to two months. In addition, when you’re working with an athlete to introduce new wrinkles in technique and to integrate them into his or her throwing motion, you can get results by returning the athlete to lower percentages of maximal throwing effort.

Easy Distance Drill Summary • This drill should be done at the beginning of the practice.

• The athlete can perform 15–30 throws depending on the skill level (more advanced 10 Coaching Athletics Quarterly - Fall 2009

athletes may perform more throws).

• Use this drill during competition warm-up using, of course, fewer throws than in practice.

Drill #2: Visualize It and Become It Visualization is an effective training tool for all sports, including track and field. But here’s the catch: Many visualization articles leave out one key aspect of this training technique. You’ve got to teach your athletes to visualize through their own eyes.

This means that when Joe Thrower is practicing in his mind—visualizing—he has to be doing so seeing out from inside of his own body, just as he would during a throw in real life.

Tell your athlete, “You have to be in your own head visualizing what would occur in a perfect throw—and feeling it in your body—for visualization to be effective. You are practicing making the throw in your mind. Visualizing watching yourself performing the perfect throw from the sidelines won’t get the job done.”

Teach your throwers to focus on the sensations in their arms, lower body and mind, and get them to focus on feeling various techniques that you and they have discussed during practice.

Visualization is so powerful that an athlete can improve almost as quickly as he or she would if they were physically practicing. This is an incredible tool you can teach your athletes to use when they’re traveling, fatigued or otherwise unable to practice.

Also use visualization to supplement your athletes’ regular training. They will improve more quickly than they would using only real-life practice sessions.

A final benefit of visualization is that it allows your athlete to perform the perfect motion over and over flawlessly. When you visualize, you don’t make mistakes or get distracted by the sun or other factors. Thus, your athlete can repeatedly practice perfection, which, after all, is the ultimate objective of training.

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Visualize It and Become It Drill Summary • Practice visualization for 5–20 minutes.

• Use visualization only once daily.

• Visualization is best practiced in a quiet and controlled atmosphere.

Drill #3: Joint Order Law Training Drill Joint Order Law is defined by physics gods as the appropriate order of joints to produce the most power. Conveniently, joint order law almost always remains the same for all the throwing disciplines in track and field, as follows: hips, torso, shoulder, elbow, wrist, fingers. Now that you’ve got the order, all you have to do is help your athlete refine and speed up their motion and, believe it or not, improving joint order law and achieving that is best done by … not throwing anything at all.

Take your athlete to some green space and have them move through their throwing motion (mainly the delivery phase) with appropriate joint order. Have your athlete begin with a slow motion throwing that they speed up to about 80% of maximal effort toward the end of about 20–30 throws.

By consistently helping them re-affirm the appropriate joint order, you can instill the proper throwing motion foundation in your athlete’s mind and body. This works well even if the athlete you’re working with already has a well-established

throwing motion. This drill should enhance your athlete’s throwing motion and fine tune it. This should also translate into fewer injuries, farther throws and faster improvements for your athlete.

Joint Order Law Training Drill Summary • Have your athlete practice proper joint order law in slow motion in front of you.

• The athlete should complete 20–30 proper joint order law in slow motion to 80% full speed throws (without an implement) minimum.

• The athlete should practice these motions at the beginning of every practice for 5–10 minutes or on non-throwing days.

• The athlete should not practice this drill at the end of practice, during competition or directly after other parts of their training programs, such as weight lifting, sprinting or plyometric sessions.

Teach your athletes to use these three simple-to-do, yet universal, throwing drills, and they’ll reap the benefits—in better technique and longer throws.

Byron Collyer is a throws coach who specializes in javelin throwing. For more information on the javelin or the training log, visit his site: www.throwjavelin.com.

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The agony and the ecstasy

American Track & Field: Where are we going? commentary by Larry Eder Above: Lagat and Solinsky at the 2009 World Championships. Photo by: Victah, Photorun.NET

L

ast night was a watershed event. At the Weltklasse, three American women distance runners were under 4:01.1 in the 1500 meters. Nick Symmonds was duking it out with the best 800 meter runners in the world. And Dathan Ritzenhein held his own in the 5000 meters, finishing third in 12:56:27 and breaking the hallowed American record of Bob Kennedy.

Last month, while I was in the United Kingdom at the Aviva London Grand Prix, some of my British friends noted that their country needs to have a rebirth in distance running, like the United States.

Boy, that one knocked me off my seat! I can remember so many years when our guys were getting their butts kicked.

But in truth, the changes in our middle distance runners started way back in the early 90s, when Bob Kennedy, Todd Williams and Mark Croghan were competing and many of our runners had taken to the roads, not focusing on becoming good at the world stage.

I remember in 1984, on a day break in the Olympic schedule, when a couple of U.S. finalists ran a 10K road race for money during the Olympic schedule. It really upset me, and I couldn’t understand what was going on in their minds.

Today we are becoming more competitive on a 14 Coaching Athletics Quarterly - Fall 2009

global stage, and many people should be recognized for playing a part in that. But we can’t get complacent, and here’s why: There was a time when Americans didn’t believe they could be competitive on the world stage. The comments were “Well, really, our kids don’t want to work that hard, and look at what the rest of the world is doing.”

It wasn’t slow long distance that killed American distance running; it was no distance. It was the belief that only a little bit would do it. An acceptance of mediocrity when the world was looking at us, knowing how much talent we had at a typical high school track meet, and that we in America just did not get it.

In 1995, I was interviewed by a Swiss television crew in Göteborg, Sweden. They asked me if track was dead in the United States. I was astounded. I had just finished reading the results from 39 of 50 state track meets, realizing that we had the best farm program in the world.

We have coaching clinics around the country, where 25,000 coaches a year listen to the likes of Loren Seagrave, Jan Johnson, Peter Tegen, Bob Larsen and Joe Vigil, to point out a few. The Internet has made it amazingly easy to find pieces on altitude training, to find Vigil’s and Larsen’s notes or

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to read all you can on Arthur Lydiard.

In 1999, a group of us helped bring Arthur Lydiard to the United States to speak in 20 cities.

The night Lydiard came to Madison, Jerry Schumacher (then coach at UW–Madison), Joe Hanson (my partner in crime at Edgewood school; he was Phys Ed director, we did a track program for fifth- and sixth-graders), and the team got to ask Lydiard questions on the sport, and Lydiard loved it.

Pascal Dobert, the U.S. steeplechaser, spent time with Lydiard, as did the Downin brothers. To know where to go, one has to learn where we have been.

Joe Vigil and Bob Larsen led the way with Meb Keflizighi and Deena Kastor. I have been fascinated with how Keflizighi and Kastor developed. In Athens, Keflizighi ran a perfect race in horrible conditions to take the silver in the marathon. In Kastor’s race, her last 10k was better than the rest of the field’s, and she won her bronze medal after years of running 5Ks and 10Ks and then moving up to the marathon. Americans were learning how to work hard, and race sparingly, once again. History can be repeated.

At the Cardinal Invitational in 2001, the late Kim McDonald helped put a field together in the 10,000 meters so Meb Keflizighi would have a chance at Mark Nenow’s American record. (Nenow was one of the few guys in the late 80s who remembered how to race and raced against the best all of the time.)

Keflizighi’s 27:13.85, a new American record, followed the fastest 10K ever run in the United States, by one Abrahim Chebii, 27:04.28. The Cardinal Invite in the late 90s and in this decade was like old home week for distance coaches. Put on a great event, and they will come.

Terrance Mahon has had success with athletes from 800 meters (Anna Willard) to the marathon. His system, supported by the city of Mammoth, Running USA, and many others who care about the sport, is focused hard work, complete training from core to massage, and a team approach to bringing out the best.

Zap Fitness, Brad Hudson’s group and Minnesota’s group all have an approach that works for them. So did the guys who ran for the Greater Boston Track Club in the late 70s, early 80s, the Florida Track Club in the late 60s, early 70s, and the LA Track Club in the early 60s (and Santa Clara Youth Village). Working as a group was something the New Zealand milkman named Arthur Lydiard did when he brought a group of local kids, Bill Baillee, Peter Snell and Murray Halberg, together to train in Auckland, New Zealand in the late 50s.

This year, training together and focusing on goals has brought huge dividends. The Oregon project, under the watchful eyes of Alberto Salazar, has paid off. Kara Goucher’s bronze in 2007 at 10K,

Christian Cantwell at the 2009 World Championships. Photo by: Victah, Photorun.NET

her move to the marathons with thirds in both NYC and Boston, Amy Begley’s 10K in Berlin this year, Matt Tegenkamp, Chris Solinsky, Evan Jager at the 5000m, and now Galen Rupp joining the group.

Dathan Ritzenhein spent two months training with the Oregon project, using his base and long training and re-introducing his body to fast speed work, and in two months, Personal Bests at 10K and 5K. Ritzenhein and Rupp working out together for a year should really make for some fast races.

Hats off to Mark Rowland in Eugene, with Nick Symmonds, who is developing into a fine 800 meter runner (and watch out for Andrew Wheating when he gets healthy again). Bernard Lagat showed his stuff in Berlin, winning two medals, silver at 5000 meters and bronze at 1500 meters.

I think that we are making huge progress. But I also see some areas we can address now: Men’s shot put. Christian Cantwell, Dave Taylor, Reese Hoffa, Adam Nelson—these guys will retire some day. We need to focus on bringing through another generation, and not forget it takes a dozen years to develop good throwers.

Men’s and women’s discus. This event is technical and requires a long focus. Stefanie Brown Trafton shows this.

Men’s steeplechase. Anna Willard and Jenny Barringer have showed it on the women’s side.

Some coach has got to take his 1:48.5 800 meter guy and teach him how to steeple (stole that one from John Chaplin). U.S. guys running 8:24 need to Coaching Athletics Quarterly - Fall 2009

15

Coaching Fall 09:Coaching Spring 09 10/18/09 9:29 PM Page 16

USA Women’s Marathon Team at the 2009 World Championships. Photo by: Victah, Photorun.NET

go to Europe for a summer, get in B races and get into the 8:15s. Brian Deimer, Henry Marsh, Dan Lincoln, Horace Ashenfelter. Remember, Ashenfelter did his hurdle practice on park benches and spent his one-hour workouts doing fast repeats. Quality is important.

Short relays. I know, USATF High Performance and Coaching Education will work on it, but we’ve got to do this sooner than later. Just watching Wallace Spearmon and Usain Bolt going at it last night at Weltklasse totally wound me up!

Race walking. We have had competitive walkers. Let’s get our 2:18 marathon guys and convince a few to do the 50K training. Remember Larry Young?

Come on!

Women’s 800 meters. They need to go to Europe, get the heck knocked out of them and race! Same goes for the men in 800 meters, with Nick Symmonds getting honorable mention.

Triple jump. Men and women—we suck. Ask Dick Booth; he is the man. I look at Michael Jordan and see a 57-foot triple guy. In the land of Mike Conley and Willie Banks, this is a sacrilege. I like Phillips Iduwu from the United Kingdom, but we got guys in this country who can make him work for it.

Javelin. Find those third-string quarterbacks and former baseball

16 Coaching Athletics Quarterly - Fall 2009

pitchers on the guys side, and get some women volleyball players.

Sprints. We have some competition!

And it’s really close. Jamaica is to the sprints what Kenya and Ethiopia are in the distances, and we better realize that. If Jamaica can get the baton around, we better figure out a way. Bolt is once in a generation, and while I do believe that over 400 meters, LaShawn Merritt and Jeremy Wariner will be making him work for it, there are more Bolts out there. We have to develop athletes, not hope for them to pop up.

I welcome your comments on this!

Consider this the beginning of a Chautauqua (look it up—people used to put big tents in the Midwest and have long discussions on what mattered). If you believe in the sport, then take the time, give us your thoughts, and let’s put it out on the table.

I am truly pleased with Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, our USATF High Performance Director and Terry Crawford, our new Director of Coaching. They have to ask the hard questions. Let’s give them our two cents and remember that it’s time to work together.

(This is what happens when I get my hour walk in, go to the Farmers’ Market and get my iced Americano!).

Coaching Fall 09:Coaching Spring 09 10/18/09 9:29 PM Page 17

SHOE REVIEWS: Neutral—iii | Motion Stabilizing—iv | Performance—v

2009 FALL

SHOE REVIEW T

his fall, three major trends continue among running shoes: gender specificity, ever-lighter shoes, and incorporation of innovative solutions in shoe development.

Gender-specific design is becoming a best practice with each brand adapting its technologies and design to make its shoes better suited to consumers. The old “Shrink It and Pink It” approach won’t cut it anymore. All consumers, but especially women, expect that shoes will cushion or flex appropriately for their size, weight, and gait.

New materials that provide the same or better quality but weigh less are resulting in shoes lighter than their predecessors. New compounds and components continue to migrate from other industries and shoes will improve as a result. These materials also are more durable; in fact, fully a third of the Performance shoes in this Review can handle the rigors of daily training.

Innovations and approaches to biomechanical challenges are raising the bar for the industry as a whole. Some of these innovations have come from the automotive and aerospace industries, but more of the brands are finding opportunities and adaptations to refine their own technologies. This creative engineering and continual search for chemical solutions for all shoe components has resulted in more effective foot protection and improved shoe performance.

—Cregg Weinmann

Coaching Fall 09:Coaching Spring 09 10/18/09 9:29 PM Page 18

Welcome to the Running Network’s 2009 Fall Shoe Review!

I

t’s the last weekend in July, on a Sunday night at about midnight. I’ve spent the last few days meeting with athletes, coaches, fans, and agents at one of the largest athletic meets in the world, the Aviva London Grand Prix.

On Friday, I witnessed Usain Bolt run a 9.91 for 100 meters into a 1.7 meters-per-second headwind! The crowd of 16,000 went absolutely nuts. On Saturday, Tyson Gay ran 20.0 seconds for 200 meters despite a sore groin and after two weeks of not running. Later that day, Bernard Lagat lead 11 men under 4 minutes in the Emsley Carr Mile, one of the most famous mile races in the world, dating back to 1953. Afterwards, Lagat stood in front of the crowd and said, “I have wanted to win the Emsley Carr race for several years, but most importantly, I wanted to thank the fans. Without you, we, the athletes, could not do what we do.”

Whether at track meets, marathons, or road races, we all celebrate our ability to run, jump, and throw. You may remember an ad from a few years ago that claimed, “It’s all about the shoes.” I’m not certain it’s all about the shoes, but it’s certainly a lot about the shoes. We each need to find a shoe that works for us and our particular event. And now more than ever, your specific biomechanics need to align with the specifics of a particular shoe.

For the past decade, the Running Network LLC has called on its footwear reviewer, Cregg Weinmann, to test, evaluate, and review the latest shoes on the market so that we can provide you with this Shoe Review. We believe it’s an important starting point on your journey to find your best running shoe. And after you’ve had a chance to read Cregg’s reviews, head on over to your favorite local running store to try them out.

As one of the 750,000-plus readers of a Running Network member publication, we thank you for reading this Review and we echo Lagat’s sentiments: We couldn’t do our work without your support.

Neutral

FA L

L 2009

BEST SHOE Performance FA L

L 2009

BEST SHOE Motion Stabilizing FA L

adidas adiZero Aegis Best Shoe—Performance Brooks Trance 9 Best Shoe—Motion Stabilizing

L 2009

BEST VALUE FALL 2009

BEST NEW SHOE FALL 2009

BEST RENOVATION FALL 2009

ASICS Gel-Pulse Nike Air Pegasus+ 26 Best Value (tie) Nike Lunar Glide Best New Shoe Saucony ProGrid Omni 8 Best Renovation

Athletes Only www.atf-athlete.com Athletics (Canada) www.otfa.ca Austin Runner www.austinrunner.com California Track & Running News www.caltrack.com Club Running www.rrca.org/clubrunning Coaching Athletics Quarterly www.coachingathleticsq.com Colorado Runner www.coloradorunnermag.com Get Active! www.getactivemagazine.com Greater Long Island Running Club’s Footnotes www.glirc.org Latinos Corriendo www.latinoscorriendo.com

Missouri Runner & Triathlete www.morunandtri.com

Award Winners Pearl Izumi Cruise Best Shoe—Neutral

American Track & Field www.american-trackandfield.com

Michigan Runner www.michiganrunner.net

Larry Eder President, Running Network LLC

BEST SHOE

Running Network LLC Partners

WELCOME

Reviewer: Cregg Weinmann Project Coordinator/Editor: Christine Johnson Designer: Kristen Cerer Proofreader: Marg Sumner, Red Ink Editorial Services Shoe Photography: Daniel Saldaña, Cregg Weinmann Advertising Sales: Running Network LLC, Larry Eder, President, 920.563.5551, ext. 112, larry.eder@gmail.com Publisher: Larry Eder, 608.239.3785 Website: www.runningnetwork.com For a Media Kit, please visit our website.

New York Runner www.nyrrc.org Running Journal & Racing South www.running.net RunMinnesota www.runmdra.org RunOhio www.runohio.com

This 2009 Fall Shoe Review is produced independently by Running Network LLC for its partner publications. All shoes reviewed were tested by experienced, competitive runners who were matched to the biomechanical purpose of each shoe model.

Track & Field News www.trackandfieldnews.com

Copyright © 2009 by Running Network LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be stored, copied, or reprinted without prior written permission of Running Network LLC.

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Running Network LLC and its partner publications suggest that, as with all fitness activities, you meet with a healthcare professional before beginning or changing your fitness regimen.

USATF’s Fast Forward www.usatf.org

The Winged Foot www.nyac.org The Winged M www.themac.com Youth Runner www.youthrunner.com

18 | Running Network 2009 Fall Shoe Review

Coaching Fall 09:Coaching Spring 09 10/18/09 9:30 PM Page 19

NEUTRAL

ASICS Gel-Nimbus 11

$125

With a well-deserved reputation for consistent performance, protection, and quality, the Nimbus 11 keeps the edgy aspects of the Nimbus 10 while integrating some new strengths. The upper features asymmetrical lacing (though it has been altered from last season’s version), subtly providing the same contoured fit without overlays to irritate the foot. The midsole has a lower profile, the heel cradle and large Gel units provide excellent cushioning, and the transition is smooth thanks to the well-spaced segmentation of the heel. The forefoot flex grooves have slightly wider spacing to improve the toe-off. The similarities are a story here, as well, as the responsive ride and great protection have been preserved and for that, we’re sure the fans of comfort and outstanding cushioning thank ASICS. ”Every time I put them on, I felt the familar feel of a quality running shoe! Comfortable cushion, I like the cushion. Good feel in weight, not really light but very comfortable for training. I have been so impressed with the shoe that I am thinking of using them for Rock ‘n’ Roll this weekend.”

Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to very mild overpronation • Sizes: Men 6–14,15,16 (D); 7–14,15,16 (2E,4E); Women 5–13 (B); 6–13 (AA,D) • Weight: Men 13.5 oz. (size 11); Women 11.2 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, Solyte Strobel board (heel)

ASICS Gel-Pulse

SOFT

$85

BEST VALUE

As the entry-end of a line that culminates in the Nimbus and Cumulus, the new Pulse has a lot to live up to. The SpEVA midsole demonstrates that there’s plenty of life left in this proven elastomer, and in the Pulse it’s ably assisted by a generous Gel pad, a combination that provides effective and responsive cushioning. The upper is wide open, breathable airmesh that has a comfortable, if not plush feel, and it’s roomy and flexible. The outersole is standard carbon rubber in the high-wear areas, blown rubber in the forefoot, with well-placed flex grooves to keep the ride smooth. The performance and very reasonable price of the Gel-Pulse earned it a tie for our Best Value award.

FALL 2009

”A great-fitting trainer. There are so many shoes that I have to be careful how I tie to make sure they feel good for longer runs. These feel comfy every time. The cushioning is good; the midsole compound is responsive. Just a little lighter than the average trainer. Overall, a very good shoe. Holds up well to day-after-day training.”

Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to very mild overpronation • Sizes: Men 7–13,14,15,16; Women 5–13 • Weight: Men 12.5 oz. (size 11); Women 10.1 oz. • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board

New Balance 758

SOFT

$90

The 750 series continues to offer good performance at a reasonable price. The 758 follows the weight-savings trend by switching to the N-ergy elements in the new crashpad and changing from polyurethane to Abzorb innersoles. The midsole now feels more resilient and has a snappier response. The outersole has a sleeker heel, a better supported shank, and additional blown rubber in the forefoot, which add up to a smoother transition. The upper has the supportive feeling of an extended saddle since overlays have been added between the N-lock webbing and the metatarsals—the security is noticeable. Without veering too far from its lineage, the 758 is a significant overall improvement over the 757. ”Actually fit okay, but the arch was not quite in the right spot. Cushioning was quite good, and they were fairly stable for a cushioned shoe.

A good shoe, which surprised me since New Balance has not been quite right for me in the past. I may have to rethink things.”

Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to very mild overpronation • Sizes: Men 6–13,14,15 (B,D,2E); Women 5–12,13 (AA,B,D) • Weight: Men 11.9 oz. (size 11); Women 9.9 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel sliplasted, Abzorb Strobel board

Nike Air Pegasus+ 26

SOFT

$85

BEST VALUE

Updating the silver anniversary edition of the Pegasus was approached with care. The midsole and outersole have been retained intact. The resilient and protective cushioning provided by Cushlon and encapsulated Air has been little heralded, but we think it’s about as good a system as you’ll find. The ride is smooth and the cushioning is very good—fine-tuned between cushy and responsive. The upper sports a few changes, mostly shaving a bit off the overlays here and there, but somehow they found a way to reduce the weight of the shoe by more than 2%. The fit is unaffected; it’s still secure and effective with good toe room.

Maintaining the price, along with its performance and quality, earned the Air Pegasus+ 26 a tie for our Best Value award.

FALL 2009

”I found the fit was secure and comfortable. The cushioning was almost bouncy and seems very durable. With over 100 miles in them, they are still very comfortable. They have a light and bouncy feel to them. I have been very happy with them.”

Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to very mild overpronation • Sizes: Men 7–13,14,15 (D,4E); Women 5–12 • Weight: Men 12.3 oz. (size 11); Women 10.3 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board

Pearl Izumi Cruise

SOFT

$110

BEST SHOE

The Pearl Izumi running line has been missing a high-mileage, neutral trainer. Not anymore. Meet the new Cruise. The upper has a distinctive sublimated graphic and features the seamless construction that contributes to the unique feel of Pearl Izumi’s shoes. The midfoot gets good support from the webbing structure that extends from the eyelets into the midsole and the forefoot leaves room for the toes without feeling too loose. The midsole cushions effectively thanks to the solid Skydex hemispheres in the heel and the Skydex bag in the forefoot. The outersole features carbon rubber in the heel and high-wear areas of the forefoot and surrounds blown rubber inserts in the forefoot to add to the cushioning. The smooth ride, protective cushioning, and accommodating fit earned the Cruise our top honors in the Neutral category.

Neutral

FA L

”They fit well, the lacing is different, but I liked the fit. They have a light sensation, even though they are pretty average weight for a trainer. The cushioning in the heel was really good, and the flexibility in the forefoot makes them roll well. I was surprised by how well they did for me.”

Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to very mild overpronation • Sizes: Men 7–13,14; Women 5–11,12 • Weight: Men 13.3 oz. (size 11); Women 11.1 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board 19 | Running Network 2009 Fall Shoe Review

SOFT

L 2009

Coaching Fall 09:Coaching Spring 09 10/18/09 9:30 PM Page 20

NEUTRAL | MOTION STABILIZING

Puma Complete Velosis

$120

The Velosis is the first of two new models that lead Puma shoes in a new direction. Well, maybe not entirely new. Perhaps it’s more of a return to the original Complete series shoes. Built on a new comfort last, the shoes put a Puma spin on many of the industry’s best practices. The upper is breathable airmesh with a plush, but snug fit that runs about a half-size shorter than most shoes. The ankle and heel fit is enhanced by a memory foam collar and an external TPU heel counter. The midsole is cushy— partly due to the ld Cell Strobel board and Ortholite innersole—but it’s still fairly responsive. The outersole has well-placed flex grooves arranged in a radial pattern making the transition through the gait very smooth. ”Very comfortable to run in. Well padded everywhere; by far one of the more comfortable pairs of shoes I’ve had. Puma did something right when it came to the cushioning. I like the overall look and fit of the shoe.”

Recommended for: medium to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to very mild overpronation • Sizes: Men 6.5–14; Women 3.5–10.5 (sizing runs about a 1/2-size short) • Weight: Men 13.8 oz. (size 11); Women 11.6 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, ld Cell Strobel board (heel), second density (forefoot)

SOFT

Reebok Premier Verona KFS II

$95

The Premier Verona KFS II looks sleeker than round one, but the improvements are more than skin deep. The upper features a stretchy airmesh not unlike the previous version, but the Kinetic Fit panel allows a better fit across the metatarsals, and the midfoot has better support from the Vector stripes. The midsole is responsive and has a lower profile. The crashpad is softer, as well as more effective, thanks to its articulation. The shank has been redesigned—it looks lighter and thinner though we can’t measure it to be certain—and now incorporates a strip of the outersole to lend some of the support. The flex grooves are more pronounced and the toespring makes the transition fairly energetic, which was applauded by some of our weartesters.

Runners looking for responsive cushioning and an accommodating fit should be sure to try on a pair. ”Overall, a good training shoe that feels good on and looks good, as well. Pretty good cushion. Not really squishy, but absorbs shock well.”

Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to very mild overpronation • Sizes: Men 7–13,14,15; Women 6–11 • Weight: Men 13.7 oz. (size 11); Women 11.4 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, DMX Foam Strobel board

FIRM

adidas Supernova Sequence 2

$100

The Supernova Sequence 2 keeps its focus on fit, cushioning, and stability, with minor adjustments to dial-in the performance.

The upper shifts to a breathable, but more closely woven mesh with softer overlays in the toe, a stretchy “bunion window” in the women’s version, and more pliable tongue padding. The chassis is virtually unchanged with only the slightest lengthening of the medial Pro-Moderator support—a change that isn’t enough to alter the ride for most and might be an improvement for a few. With its stable, cushioned ride, the Supernova Sequence 2 is a quality high-mileage trainer. ”Surprisingly fast for such a well-cushioned trainer. Excelled in cushioning especially—on the highest level. Superbly smooth transfer of weight and energy from heel-strike to toe push-off. Good enough for road racing.” and “Great, snug fit, but still room for toes to wiggle.

Good cushion, but not a lot of bounce. Good, but not overwhelming stability; not as stiff as the earlier version.”

Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with mild to moderate overpronation • Sizes: Men 6.5–13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20; Women 5–12 • Weight: Men 12.7 oz. (size 11); Women 11.1 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, adiPrene Strobel board

MODERATE

Brooks Trance 9

BEST SHOE Motion Stabilizing FA L

L 2009

$140

The Trance 9 telegraphs change. Up top, the fit is closer, the prominent saddle has been reduced to improve flexibility, and new overlays provide support without restriction. The midsole and outersole feature more pronounced segmenting of the lateral pods that improve flexibility and contribute to an overall weight reduction of 6%. The durable and responsive BioMoGo foam has proven that sustainability and performance are not incompatible. The well-cushioned ride provides supportive protection with a bit more responsiveness. A completely reworked Progressive Diagonal Rollbar, Brooks’ effective multi-density medial sidewall, improves stability. Enhanced cushioning, stability, and improved performance garnered the Brooks Trance 9 our award as the best shoe in the Motion Stabilizing category. ”The fit is snug. I haven’t developed any blisters or hot spots so far while running. The cushion is great, it’s bouncy and I don’t feel any sinking, squishy feelings. They have good stability and feel as if the shoes are part of your feet. They held up well and felt great.”

MODERATE

Recommended for: low- to medium-arched feet with mild to moderate overpronation • Sizes: Men 8–13,14,15; Women 6–11,12 • Weight: Men 11.9 oz. (size 11); Women 9.9 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, S257 Strobel board

Mizuno Wave Alchemy 9

$110

The Wave Alchemy continues to provide reliable support, cushioning, and stability. The size of the stretchy Dynamic Fit insert has been increased to effectively follow the foot’s movements. Improved stretch in the breathable open forefoot mesh better accommodates the metatarsals and an Ortholite innersole adds an extra layer of cushioning. A synthetic leather strap shores up the rearfoot while allowing an overall reduction in overlays. The midsole has a lower-profile look and feel to it, along with a more pronounced toespring. The reconfigured outersole also amps up the performance, especially in the women’s model, by improving flexibility. The Wave plate is the more stable asymmetrical configuration which does an excellent job of providing a solid rearfoot feel. By deftly straddling stability and cushioning, the Wave Alchemy continues to exemplify versatility. ”Good comfortable fit; better in the heel. Nice amount of cushioning, the spongy insole adds quite a bit to the feel. The stability really keeps the foot lined up well, but it feels a bit hard in the heel. They did well for me overall; a good improvement over last year’s shoe.”

MODERATE

Recommended for: low- to medium-arched feet with moderate overpronation • Sizes: Men 7–13,14,15,16 (D,2E); Women 6–12 (AA,B) • Weight: Men 12.9 oz. (size 11); Women 11.0 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted

20 | Running Network 2009 Fall Shoe Review

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10/23/09

8:47 AM

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*Use promotion code RUNNETA9 at checkout. Promotion/source code box is located above the email address entry on the shipping methods page. Order value must total $75 or more before taxes, shipping and handling. Valid online at eastbay.com, by phone or mail. Offer is limited to standard delivery within the Continental US, excludes APO/FPO addresses, bulk orders and drop ships. Entire order must be shipped to a single address. Does not apply to prior purchases or open orders and cannot be combined with any other offer. Customer is responsible for shipping costs on returned merchandise. May not be used toward purchase of GiftCards or team orders. Promotion may be modiďŹ ed or terminated at any time. Certain restrictions may apply. Offer valid 9/1/2009 (12:01 am CT) to 11/30/2009 (11:59 pm CT).

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MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY A

ASICS Hyper XCS & XC • Trusstic System®.

• SpEVA® midsole.

• XCS: Spikeless outsole.

• XC: Solid rubber outsole with spikes.

XCS $44.99 Sz: 4-13, 14, 15. Wt. 7.9 oz.

A. 8149021 Black/flame/lightning B. 8140190 White/black/yellow C. 8149059 Black/royal/silver XC $49.99 Sz: 4-13, 14, 15. Wt. 7.9 oz.

A. 8139021 Black/flame/lightning B. 38130190 White/black/yellow C. 8139059 Black/royal/silver

B

C

ASICS GEL-Bandito • Open mesh upper.

• Solyte® midsole, DuoMax®.

• GEL® Cushioning System. • Trusstic System® $99.99 Sz: 4-13, 14, 15. Wt. 7.9 oz.

8180194 White/gold/black

ASICS GEL-Piranha SP 2 The lightest racing flat ASICS® has ever presented to the US market.

• Minimal open mesh upper.

• Solyte® midsole, Magic Sole™. $109.99 Sz: 6.5-12. Wt. 4.2 oz.

9069105 Lightning/lime/black

ASICS GEL-Hyper Speed 3 From 5K runs to marathons.

• Wider than usual platform.

• GEL® Cushioning System.

• Open mesh upper.

• AHAR® heel plug. $74.99 Sz: 4-13, 14. Wt. 6.9 oz.

9070147 White/blue/orange

adidas XCS B

ASICS GEL-DIRT DOG 3 • Breathable mesh upper.

• Full-length Solyte® midsole.

• Six-spike configuration.

• Rearfoot GEL® Cushioning System. $74.99 Sz: 4-13, 14, 15. Wt. 6.5 oz.

A. 9089093 Black/silver/yellow B. 9089190 Silver/black/red

A

• Open mesh nylon upper.

• LightStrike® EVA midsole.

• Spike: Forefoot spike plate. • Spikeless: Full rubber outsole.

SPIKE $54.99 Sz: 6.5-13, 14, 15. Wt. 7.9 oz.

A A. 303086 Scarlet/black/silver B. 3300504 Shale/red/yellow SPIKELESS $54.99 Sz: 6.5-13, 14, 15. Wt. 7.9 oz.

B. 300507 Shale/red/yellow

adidas adiZero Mana B

adidas adiZero Belligerence • Open mesh nylon upper.

• LightStrike® EVA midsole.

• TORSION® SYSTEM. • Forefoot spike plate.

A

$89.99 Sz: 6.5-13, 14, 15. Wt. 7.0 oz.

A. 302941 Black/silver/steel B. 303512 Red/silver/white

adidas adiZero Rocket For 5K runs to marathons.

• Asymmetrical air-mesh upper.

• Full forefoot adiPRENE®+.

• TORSION® SYSTEM. • adiWEAR® outsole. $89.99 Sz: 4-12, 13. Wt. 7.2 oz.

303120 White/black/scarlet

adidas adiZero Pro For 5K runs to marathons.

• Air-mesh and microfiber synthetic upper.

• TORSION® SYSTEM, forefoot adiPRENE®+.

• High-rebound midsole compound.

• Flex groove, DSP. $119.99 Sz: 7-12, 13. Wt. 6.2 oz.

301778 White/black/silver

2

Marathon-level performance.

• Air-mesh upper, adiPRENE®+.

• Dual-density midsole.

• TORSION® SYSTEM. • adiWEAR® outsole. $89.99 Sz: 6.5-13, 14, 15. Wt. 7.8 oz.

303711 White/black/silver

Nike Zoom Marathoner For the serious athlete looking for the ultimate balance between light weight and support for racing the marathon.

• Lightweight upper with mesh panels.

• Perforated Phylon™ midsole.

• Heel Zoom Air™ unit.

• Carbon rubber outsole. $84.99 Sz: 4-13, 14, 15. Wt. 8.8 oz.

10407141 White/obsidian/red

Nike Air Zoom Katana Rac3r III For road racing distances.

• Ultra-light performance mesh upper.

• Full-length molded Phylon™ midsole.

• Heel Zoom Air™ unit, molded TPU shank.

• Heel BRS 1000™ carbon rubber heel. $109.99 Sz: 4-12. Wt. 5.6 oz.

16500002 Black/blue

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MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY WE KNOW

Runs end. But being a runner never stops BECAUSE WE RUN B B

A A

SAUCONY SHAY XC SPIKE & SPIKELESS • Air-mesh upper with synthetic suede.

• Bootie construction, SSL EVA midsole.

• Spike: Six-spike configuration. • Spikeless: XT-600® outsole.

• Two-color, black and white shoe as seen in picture.

SPIKE $59.99 Sz: 7-13, 14. Wt. 6.9 oz.

A. 200123 White/red B. 200124 Black/white SPIKELESS $54.99 Sz: 7-13, 14. Wt. 6.3 oz.

A. 200133 White/red B. 200134 Black/white

SAUCONY GRID KILKENNY XC3 SPIKE & SPIKELESS • Air-mesh upper.

• Synthetic overlays.

• Spike: Six-spike plate configuration. • CMEVA midsole.

• Spikeless: XT-600® carbon rubber outsole.

SPIKE $49.99 Sz: 7-13, 14. Wt. 6.6 oz.

A. 200471 White/green/gold B. 200472 Black/silver/red SPIKELESS $44.99 Sz: 7-13, 14. Wt. 6.0 oz.

A. 200481 White/green/gold B. 200482 Black/silver/red B

Nike Zoom Waffle XC VII • Lightweight mesh upper.

• Full-length Phylon™ midsole.

• Carbon rubber Waffle® outsole.

• Four-position spike receptacles. $54.99 Sz: 1-13, 14, 15. Wt. 6.2 oz.

A. 23217181 White/orange/anthracite B. 23217611 Red/white/black

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Nike Zoom Waffle Racer VI • Lightweight, breathable mesh upper.

• Full-length Phylon™ midsole.

• Carbon rubber Waffle® outsole.

• Midfoot TPU support shank. $44.99 Sz: 1-13, 14, 15. Wt. 6.4 oz.

A. 23216011 Black/white/red B. 23216181 White/orange/anthracite

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Nike Zoom Streak XC 2

• Breathable mesh upper.

• Full-length Phylon™ midsole.

• Waffle® outsole, TPU shank.

• Four-position spike receptacles. $89.99 Sz: 4-13, 14, 15. Wt. 7.0 oz.

A. 61632181 White/orange/anthracite B. 61632411 Blue/white/obsidian

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Nike Zoom Rival D IV A

Lightweight design only lasts 100k.

• Ripstop nylon upper, synthetic toe piece.

• Phylite™ midsole/outsole combination. $44.99 Sz: 5.5-12. Wt. 4.0 oz.

08179801 Orange/black/white

NUTRITION

BODYGLIDE

Clif Shot Energy Gel

Specifically formulated to energize your body during exercise.

• Optimal balance of carbohydrates • Contains maltodextrin.

• 1.1 oz/32 gram packets.

• This item is nonreturnable.

Organic energy gel.

• Energizes with carbohydrates and electrolytes.

• Features trash-fighting Litter Leash® packaging.

• Contains 90% organic ingredients.

• 24 single-serving packs.

• This item is nonreturnable.

36111 Vanilla Bean

$29.99 36112 Chocolate Outrage 36113 Just Plain 36114 Orange Burst 36115 Tri Berry 36117 Espresso Love 36118 Lemon Sublime 36119 Strawberry Banana 24-PACK $24.99 324102 Chocolate Outrage 324101 324103 324104 324106 324108 324109 324110

Vanilla Bean Just Plain Orange Burst Tri Berry Espresso Love Lemon Sublime Strawberry Banana

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Nike Mayfly

GU Energy Gel

$6.99

B

Nike Zoom Forever XC 2

• One-piece mesh upper.

• Full-length Cushlon midsole.

• Heel Nike Zoom™ unit.

• BRS 1000™ heel. $69.99 Sz: 4-13, 14, 15. Wt. 7.0 oz.

65749181 White/orange/anthracite

For 800-10,000 meters.

• Inspired by Flywire design.

• Mesh upper with synthetic overlays.

• Thin EVA wedge midsole.

• Seven removable spikes. $54.99 Sz: 4-13, 14, 15. Wt. 6.2 oz.

A. 33661741 Volt/dark obsidian B. 33661012 Black/red/white

A

110324 Strawberry (contains caffeine) 110325 Raspberry MORE NUTRITION PRODUCTS ONLINE

EASTBAY.COM

Clif Shot Bloks The latest nutrition option for endurance athletes.

• Contains 95% organic ingredients.

• Chewable, 33-calorie cubes.

• 18-count single serve packs.

• This item is nonreturnable.

$34.99 118060 Lemon-Lime

BodyGlide Warm FX Muscle Activator Relieve muscle soreness or use it to warm up muscles to prepare them for activity.

• Use before, during or after activity.

• No mess, non-greasy and non-oily.

• Hypoallergenic. No animal testing.

• Water and sweat resistant. • This item is nonreturnable. $8.99 3991

BodyGlide Anti-Chafing Stick A non-petroleum skin lubricant/protectant for athletes in motion.

• Unique, all-natural, non-greasy skin formula.

• Water, sweat and rub resistant, protects all day.

• Endorsed and used by USA Triathlon.

• Hypoallergenic. No animal testing.

• This item is nonreturnable. $7.99 3221

FREE SHIPPING WITH YOUR $75 ORDER* Use promo code R U N N E TA 9 at checkout. Details on page 1.

118062 Strawberry

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WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

FREE SHIPPING WITH YOUR $75 ORDER* Use promo code R U N N E TA 9 at checkout.

Details on page 1.

A

B

ASICS GEL-Dirt Diva 3 • Breathable mesh upper.

• Full-length SpEVA® midsole.

• Six-spike configuration.

• Rearfoot GEL® Cushioning System. $74.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 5.6 oz.

A. 9099121 Lightning/raspberry/pink B. 9090139 White/aqua/blue A

ASICS Hyper-Rocketgirl XC & XCS Indoor/outdoor track and XC. • SpEVA® midsole.

• Trusstic System®.

• XC: Solid rubber outsole.

• XCS: Spikeless outsole.

XC $49.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 6.8 oz.

A. 8637535 Storm/pink/white B. 38630193 White/silver/blue C. 8630134 White/raspberry/lime XCS $44.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 6.8 oz.

A. 8647535 Storm/pink/white B. 38640193 White/silver/blue C. 8640134 White/raspberry/lime

B

Nike Jana Star XC III • Light, breathable mesh upper.

• Full-length Phylon™ midsole.

• Carbon rubber Waffle® outsole.

• Four spike receptacles.

A

$54.99 B

Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 5.0 oz.

A. 23219041 Silver/blue/yellow B. 23219131 White/blue/grey B

Nike Jana Star Waffle III C

• Minimal and breathable mesh upper.

• Thin EVA wedge midsole.

• Waffle® solid rubber outsole. $44.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 4.2 oz.

A. 23218401 Blue/blackpine/blue/white B. 23218171 White/yellow/grey

A

adidas adiZero Mana

adidas XCS

Marathon-level performance.

• Air-mesh upper, adiPRENE®+.

• Dual-density midsole.

• TORSION® SYSTEM. • adiWEAR® outsole. $89.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 6.8 oz.

303713 Turquoise/white/black

• Open mesh nylon upper.

• LightStrike® EVA midsole.

• Spike: Forefoot spike plate. • Spikeless: Full rubber outsole.

SPIKE $54.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 7.0 oz.

300512 Black/scarlet/white SPIKELESS $54.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 7.0 oz.

300513 Black/scarlet/white

SAUCONY GRID KILKENNY XC3 SPIKE & SPIKELESS

B

• Air-mesh upper.

• Synthetic overlays.

• CMEVA midsole.

• Spike: Six-spike plate configuration.

• Spikeless: XT-600® carbon rubber outsole.

SPIKE $49.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 5.0 oz.

A. 100471 White/pink B. 100472 Black/silver/red SPIKELESS $44.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 5.6 oz.

A. 100481 White/pink B. 100482 Black/silver/red

A

SAUCONY SHAY XC SPIKE & SPIKELESS • Air-mesh upper with synthetic suede.

• Bootie construction, SSL EVA midsole.

• Spike: Six-spike configuration.

• Spikeless: XT-600® outsole.

SPIKE $59.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 5.8 oz.

A. 300123 Pink/black B. 100124 Black/white SPIKELESS $54.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 5.3 oz.

A. 100133 Pink/black B. 100134 Black/white

4

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EASTBAY WOMEN'S

MEN'S

PERSONALIZE IT! • SCREENPRINTING •

CALL 1.800.841.5748

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Eastbay Moisture Management Two-Color Running Singlet Perfectly styled for screenprinting.

• 100% polyester mini mesh. Imported.

• Stitched inset side panels.

• Inherent moisture management.

• Self-fabric neck and arm binding. Tagless. $14.99 Sz: S-XXL. L. 8073094 A. 8073133 White/black M. 8073491 B. 8073218 White/gold N. 8073492 C. 8073220 White/orange O. 8073495 D. 8073217 White/navy P. 8073496 E. 8073219 White/purple Q. 8073591 F. 8073221 White/scarlet R. 8073592 G. 8073222 White/maroon S. 8073941 H. 8073223 White/forest T. 8073945 I. 8073224 White/royal U. 8073946 J. 8073391 Scarlet/black V. 8073394 K. 8073808 Gold/black W. 8073396

Orange/black Navy/white Navy/gold Royal/white Royal/gold Purple/white Purple/gold Scarlet/white Maroon/white Maroon/gold Forest/white Forest/gold

A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K.

8078133 8078218 8078220 8078217 8078219 8078221 8078222 8078223 8078224 8078391 8078808

$14.99 Sz: XS-XL. White/black White/gold White/orange White/navy White/purple White/scarlet White/maroon White/forest White/royal Scarlet/black Gold/black

L. 8078094 M. 8078491 N. 8078492 O. 8078495 P. 8078496 Q. 8078591 R. 8078592 S. 8078941 T. 8078945 U. 8078946 V. 8078394 W. 8078396

Orange/black Navy/white Navy/gold Royal/white Royal/gold Purple/white Purple/gold Scarlet/white Maroon/white Maroon/gold Forest/white Forest/gold

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WOMEN'S

MEN'S

Eastbay 2" Half-Split Two-Color Running Short • 100% polyester. Imported.

• 100% polyester moisture-management crepe liner.

• 100% polyester contrasting mini-mesh insets.

• Elastic waist with internal drawcord. 2" inseam.

• Women's shorts are semi-low rise. $14.99 Sz: S-XXL. A. 8074391 Scarlet/black H. 8074591 Purple/white B. 8074093 Gold/black I. 8074592 Purple/gold C. 8074094 Orange/black J. 8074941 Scarlet/white D. 8074491 Navy/white K. 8074945 Maroon/white E. 8074492 Navy/gold L. 8074946 Maroon/gold F. 8074495 Royal/white M. 8074394 Forest/white G. 8074496 Royal/gold N. 8074396 Forest/gold

A. B. C. D. E. F. G.

8079391 8079093 8079094 8079491 8079492 8079495 8079496

$14.99 Sz: XS-XL. Scarlet/black Gold/black Orange/black Navy/white Navy/gold Royal/white Royal/gold

H. 8079591 I. 8079592 J. 8079941 K. 8079945 L. 8079946 M. 8079394 N. 8079396

Purple/white Purple/gold Scarlet/white Maroon/white Maroon/gold Forest/white Forest/gold

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Eastbay Quickness II Jacket • Soft and quiet water- and wind-resistant 100% polyester. Imported.

• Full-zip hooded jacket with YKK zippers.

• Moisture-wicking 100% Polymesh lining.

• Media pocket with media cord portal. Women's is tapered cut. $29.99 Sz: S-4XL. $29.99 Sz: XS-XXL. A. 8062091 Black/white A 8058091 Black/white B. 8062092 Black/scarlet B. 8058092 Black/scarlet C. 8062093 Black/gold C. 8058093 Black/gold D. 8062094 Black/orange D. 8058094 Black/orange E. 8062098 Black/silver E. 8058098 Black/silver F. 8062491 Navy/white F. 8058491 Navy/white G. 8062492 Navy/gold G. 8058492 Navy/gold H. 8062941 Scarlet/white H. 8058941 Scarlet/white I. 8062495 Royal/white I. 8059495 Royal/white J. 8062496 Royal/gold J. 8058496 Royal/gold K. 8062591 Purple/white K. 8058591 Purple/white L. 8062592 Purple/gold L. 8058592 Purple/gold M. 8062945 Maroon/white M. 8058945 Maroon/white N. 8062946 Maroon/gold N. 8058946 Maroon/gold O. 8062394 Forest/white O. 8058394 Forest/white P. 8062396 Forest/gold P. 8058396 Forest/gold

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WOMEN'S

MEN'S

CALL TODAY

1.800.841.5748

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FOR TEAM PRICING! ON ORDERS OF 6 OR MORE

Eastbay Lined Open Cuff Windpant II • Wind- and water-resistant 100% polyester that is quiet and soft. Imported.

• Lower leg YKK zippers, elastic drawcord waist.

• Two open side pockets. Women's has semi-low-rise waist.

• Moisture-wicking 100% Polymesh lining. $19.99 Sz: XS-4XL. $19.99 Sz: XS-XXL. A. 8064102 Black A. 8059102 Black B. 8064302 Navy B. 8059302 Navy C. 8064402 Scarlet C. 8059402 Scarlet D. 8064303 Royal D. 8059303 Royal E. 8064602 Purple E. 8059602 Purple F. 8064403 Maroon F. 8059403 Maroon G. 8064502 Forest G. 8059502 Forest

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CUSHIONED

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Buy CUSHIONED shoes if you're a neutral, efficient runner or have a tendency to supinate (where the foot rolls outward rather than inward). An efficient runner has a medium-to-high arch so their footprint looks like this: B A

ASICS GEL-Nimbus 11 Suitable for underpronators to moderate overpronators.

• Biomorphic Fit™ upper.

• Space Trusstic System™.

• Impact Guidance System (I.G.S.®).

• Solyte® midsole, asymmetrical lacing. $124.99 Sz: 6-14, 15, 16. Wt. 12.4 oz.

A. 9410193 White/lightning/blue D A. 9420193 2E A. 9430193 4E B. 9410190 White/black/red D C. 9419993 Onyx/lightning/zinc D

D C

F E

$124.99

Sz: 5-11, 12, 13. Wt. 10.4 oz.

D. 9910150 White/navy/ice blue B D. 9940150 2A D. 9920150 D E. 9910193 White/lightning/hot pink B F. 9919193 Silver/lightning/grape B

For underpronators to mild overpronators.

• Solyte® midsole, Impact Guidance System (I.G.S.®).

• Space Trusstic System™, Trusstic System® device.

• "Twist" GEL® Cushioning System. $99.99 Sz: 6-13, 14, 15. Wt. 11.6 oz.

A. 9479155 Lightning/denim/gold D A. 9489155 2E A. 9499155 4E B. 9470199 White/onyx/red D C. 9470190 White/black/gold D $99.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 9.7 oz.

D. 9970136 White/paradise pink/black B D. 950136 2A D. 9980136 D E. 9979341 Lightning/pool/storm B F. 9970197 White/titanium/plum B

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B

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Nike Air Zoom Vomero+ 4

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D

ASICS GEL-Cumulus 11

B

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F

Provides cushioning and comfort, perfect fit and smooth transition for the neutral runner.

• Enlarged dynamic midfoot cage.

A • Heel and forefoot Zoom Air™ units.

• Asymmetrical shank, Nike+ ready.

• Innovative Duralon™ placement. $129.99 Sz: 6-13, 14, 15. Wt. 12.2 oz.

A. 34486141 White/blue/obsidian/silver C B. 54487161 White/beet/silver/black $129.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 10.0 oz.

C. 54484161 White/rose/silver/grey D. 54484171 White/yellow/silver/black

B

D

A

adidas Supernova Glide Nike Air Pegasus+ 26

H

A celebration of cushioning, light weight and fit for the neutral runner.

• Upper divided into touch phase, mid-stance and propulsion zones.

• Full-length Air-Sole® unit embedded in a soft PU. • BRS 1000™ in heel, decoupled crash pad. $84.99 Sz: 6-13, 14, 15. Wt. 12.0 oz.

A. 65741101 White/grey/silver/beet D $84.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 9.6 oz.

A. 65742101 NARROW A. 65743101 WIDE E. 65745101 White/grey/silver/magenta B A. 66412101 4E E. 65746101 NARROW E. 65147101 WIDE B. 65741001 Silver/anthracite/grey/orange D F. 65745002 Silver/green/black B C. 65741002 Black/black/anthracite D G. 65745141 White/blue/silver/grey B D. 64741071 Grey/volt yellow/silver/black D H. 65745001 Black/black/anthracite B B

Brooks Glycerin 7 • Moisture-managing Element™ Mesh upper • Rearfoot HydroFlow® ST-XL, forefoot HydroFlow®.

• Full-length BioMoGo, e-1™ rearfoot polymer.

• Dual-density DRB® Accel, S-257™ Cushsole.

• HPR Plus™ outsole, Flexalon rubber forefoot. $124.99 Sz: 8-13, 14, 15. Wt. 12.2 oz.

A. 11005607 White/silver/black/gold B. 11005669 Silver/red/black $124.99 Sz: 6-11, 12. Wt. 10.0 oz.

C. 12005192 White/magnet/sky/brown D. 12005169 White/fog/zinc/fuchsia

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C

A

C

B

D

B

For neutral runners with medium-to-high arches seeking cushioning and impact protection.

• AIR Mesh™ upper, SmoothRide™.

• AP midsole, Infinity Wave™.

• Sensorpoint™, Intercool™.

A • Solid rubber forefoot, X-10™ heel. $134.99 Sz: 7-13, 14, 15. Wt. 13.9 oz.

A. 10335001 White/red/anthracite $134.99 Sz: 6-11. Wt. 11.4 oz.

B. 0336001 White/red/angel falls

B

C

A

adidas Response Cushion 18 Made for efficient runners seeking high-tech cushioning.

• Air-mesh upper, 2D ForMotion® unit • adiPRENE®+, TORSION® SYSTEM. • adiWEAR®, blown rubber outsole. $84.99 Sz: 6.5-13, 14, 15. Wt. 11.7 oz.

A. 301877 Aluminum/phantom/red B. 300344 White/steel/blue $84.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 10.8 oz.

C. 301879 White/purple/red

B

Designed for neutral runners seeking responsive cushioning.

• Lightweight, breathable mesh upper.

• ProGrid™ SSL EVA midsole, SRC Impact Zone.

• HRC™ Strobel board, Arch-Lock, EAS System.

• Blown rubber XT-900™ outsole, Impact Interface. $124.99 Sz: 7-13, 14, 15. Wt. 11.5 oz.

A. 200281 White/blue B. 200282 Silver/black/red $124.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 9.6 oz.

C. 100281 White/blue D. 3100285 Silver/purple Neutral, everyday running shoe with a flexible, cushioned and responsive ride.

• Lightweight, breathable mesh upper.

• Heel ProGrid™, HRC™ Strobel board.

• SRC Impact Zone, SRC™ Xtra forefoot.

• XT-900™ blown rubber outsole. $94.99 Sz: 7-13, 14, 15. Wt. 11.5 oz.

A. 3200401 White/royal/black D A. 3200411 WIDE B. 200403 White/maroon/silver D $94.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 10.0 oz.

C. 3100403 Silver/pink/berry B

C

B A

D C

Saucony ProGrid Ride 2

Mizuno Wave Creation 10

6

$99.99 Sz: 6.5-13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Wt. 11.8 oz.

A. 663525 White/black/pool D A. 304623 4E B. 302178 White/steel/red D $99.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 10.2 oz.

C. 302179 White/tin/red B

Saucony ProGrid Triumph 6

Mizuno Wave Rider 12 For the runner who has a neutral gait cycle.

• AIR Mesh™ upper, AP midsole.

• Intercool™ midsole ventilation system.

• SmoothRide™, Composite Parallel Wave™.

• VS-1™ in heel and forefoot, X-10™ heel. $99.99 Sz: 7-13, 14, 15, 16. Wt. 11.3 oz.

A. 0337732 Silver/orange/bolt D A. 0338732 2E B. 0337005 White/surf/lime D $99.99 Sz: 6-12. Wt. 8.8 oz.

C. 03407399 Silver/gunmetal/red B D. 0340004 White/jade/blue B

D

Combines GeoFit® for custom fit and ForMotion® for adaptable cushioning.

• NoSeam™ support technology. • adiWEAR® 6 outsole.

• adiPRENE®, TORSION® SYSTEM. • Full-forefoot adiPRENE®+.

B A

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Buy STABILITY shoes if you overpronate (your foot rolls inward too far) and need extra support through the medial side of the shoe. Overpronators are defined by a low-to-flat arch so their footprint looks like this: B

adidas Supernova Sequence 2

Designed to provide soft, smooth touchdowns.

• Stitched-on microsuede upper, GeoFit®.

• 3D ForMotion®, TORSION® SYSTEM. • Pro-Moderator™ medial support device.

• adiWEAR®, blown rubber outsole. $99.99 Sz: 6.5-12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Wt. 12.2 oz.

A. 304990 White/silver/red D $99.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 12.3 oz.

B. 300213 White/steel/green B B. 300216 WIDE

B A

ASICS GEL-Kayano 15 A

Provides enhanced stability without sacrificing the ride.

• Asymmetrical Lacing design.

• Impact Guidance System (I.G.S.®).

• PHF® (Personal Heel Fit), Solyte® midsole.

• ComforDry™ sockliner, DuraSponge® outsole. $139.99 Sz: 6-13, 14, 15, 16. Wt. 13.0 oz.

A. 9000195 White/brass/black D B. 9000199 White/onyx/flame D B. 9010199 2E B. 9020199 4E C. 9000191 White/lightning/orange D $139.99 Sz: 5-11, 12, 13. Wt. 10.6 oz.

D. 9500193 White/lightning/flash B E. 9500150 White/navy/blue B E. 9530150 2A E. 9510150 D F. 9500197 White/carbon/orchid B

Mizuno Wave Nirvana 5

Provides support to the medium-arched, flexible foot type.

• AIR Mesh™ upper, AP Midsole, Intercool™.

• SmoothRide™ ,composite fan-shaped Double Wave™.

• Dynamic Fit™ design technology. VS-1™.

• X-10™ carbon rubber outsole. $139.99 Sz: 7-13, 14, 15. Wt. 12.9 oz.

A. 03427334 Silver/cyber yellow/dress blue $139.99 Sz: 6-11. Wt. 10.8 oz.

B. 0343732 Silver/orange/bolt

B A

A

Mizuno Wave Inspire 5

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D

E

F

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B

D

B

For the mild overpronator with medium-arched, flexible feet.

• AIR Mesh™ upper. VS-1™ in heel.

• AP Midsole, Intercool™, Dynamic Fit™.

• SmoothRide™, Composite Double-Fan Wave™.

• Solid and blown rubber outsole, X-10™ heel. $99.99 Sz: 7-13, 14, 15, 16. Wt. 11.3 oz.

A. 0344005 White/blue/blue D A. 30345005 2E B. 0344732 Silver/russet orange/anthracite D $99.99 Sz: 6-12. Wt. 8.9 oz.

C. 0346003 White/bolt/blue B D. 0346731 Silver/wine/sunset B

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ASICS GT-2140

Offers improved stability and a noticeable upgrade to platform comfort.

• Impact Guidance System (I.G.S.®).

• Solyte® midsole, Space Trusstic System™.

• Trusstic System®, DuoMax® support system. $99.99 Sz: 5-11, 12, 13. Wt. 9.8 oz. $99.99 Sz: 6-13, 14, 15, 16. Wt. 12.0 oz.

E. 9549193 Lightning/silver/turquoise B A. 9040190 White/black/flame D F. 9540150 White/navy/blush B B. 9049199 Lightning/onyx/blue D F. 9570150 2A F. 9550150 D B. 9089199 B B. 9059199 2E B. 9069199 4E G. 9549990 Onyx/black/lightning B C. 9049990 Onyx/black/lightning D G. 9579990 2A G. 9559990 D C. 9059990 2E C. 9069990 4E H. 9540136 White/berry/lightning B D. 9049099 Black/onyx/gold D

Nike Air Zoom Structure Triax+ 12

Offers a mix of stability, cushioning and flexibility for mild-to-moderate overpronators.

• Breathable sandwich mesh upper.

A • Zoom Air™ in heel and forefoot.

• Decoupled Crash Pad, footbridge.

• Duralon™ insert, BRS 1000™ heel. $99.99 Sz: 6-13, 14, 15. Wt. 12.6 oz.

A. 43986161 White/red/silver/grey A. 43988161 NARROW A. 43987161 WIDE A. 46058161 4E C B. 43986102 White/anthracite/black/silver D $99.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 10.2 oz.

C. 43983141 White/blue/grey/silver B C. 43985141 NARROW C. 43984141 WIDE D. 43983001 Silver/grey/white B

B

Saucony ProGrid Hurricane 11

D

Brooks Trance 9

Tons of cushioning wrapped in a pristine, green package featuring biodegradable materials.

• Full-length BioMoGo, Progressive Diagonal Rollbar (PDRB®).

• Dual-density DRB® Accel, full-length S-257™ Cushsole.

A • Moisture-managing Element™ Mesh upper.

• Rearfoot HydroFlow® ST-XL, forefoot HydroFlow®. $139.99 Sz: 8-13, 14, 15. Wt. 11.5 oz.

A. 11062606 Silver/white/black/cardinal $139.99 Sz: 6-11, 12. Wt. 9.7 oz.

B. 12005772 White/silver/chocolate/gold A

STABILITY

B

B

Provides the perfect blend of cushioning and stability for runners seeking pronation control.

• ProGrid™ technology.

A • Dual-density SSL EVA midsole.

• SRC Impact Zone, Impact Interface.

• Arch-Lock, HRC™ Strobel Board.

• Blown rubber XT-900™ outsole. $139.99 Sz: 7-13, 14, 15. Wt. 12.9 oz.

A. 200261 White/silver/navy D A. 200271 WIDE C B. 200263 Black/silver D $139.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 11.1 oz.

C. 3100261 White/blue/silver B C. 100271 WIDE D. 100262 Silver/blueberry/pink B

B

D

Saucony ProGrid Omni 8

Delivers moderate stability combined with Saucony's heritage fit.

• Mesh upper, heel ProGrid™.

• Dual-density SSL EVA midsole.

• SRC Impact Zone, HRC™ Strobel board. • XT-900™ blown rubber outsole.

$109.99

C

Sz: 7-13, 14, 15. Wt. 11.8 oz.

A. 3200431 Silver/blue

B

A

$109.99

Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 10.6 oz.

B. 33100431 White/blue A

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 9

Delivers the right amount of cushioning and support for the mild overpronator.

• Moisture-managing Element™ Mesh upper.

• Rearfoot HydroFlow® ST, forefoot HydroFlow®.

• BioMoGo, Progressive Diagonal Rollbar (PDRB®). • Dual-density DRB® Accel, S-257™ Cushsole.

• HPR™ Plus, engineered Stable-Pod construction.

E D $104.99 Sz: 7-13, 14, 15. Wt. 11.3 oz.

A. 11005344 White/blue/silver D A. 11005314 B A. 11005324 2E A. 10053441 4E B. 11005396 White/magnet/black/red D C. 11005309 Black/silver D $104.99 Sz: 5-11, 12, 13. Wt. 9.4 oz.

F G D. 12004814 White/silver/excalibur B D. 20048142 2A D. 12004811 D D. 12004821 2E E. 12004816 Silver/grey/calypso/galaxy B F. 12004809 Black/silver B G. 12004894 Chianti/silver/grey/white B

New Balance 769

B

C

D

E

Pink Ribbon TS2® medial post adds smooth stability.

Special • Synthetic/mesh upper.

• ACTEVA™ Lite midsole Edition • Stability Web®, NLock®.

• NDurance® heel pad.

• D.T.S heel, ABZORB® forefoot. $99.99 Sz: 7-13, 14, 15. Wt. 12.0 oz. $99.99 Sz: 5-11, 12, 13. Wt. 9.4 oz.

A. 7692041 Silver/blue D C. 7696041 Silver/blue B A. 7691041 B A. 7693041 2E A. 7694041 4E C. 7695041 2A C. 7697041 D C. 7698041 2E B. 7691103 White/yellow/silver D D. 7695166 Silver/orange/white D. 7696166 D B. 7692103 2E B. 7693103 4E E. 7695660 Hot Pink/silver (Pink Ribbon) B E. 7696660 D

7

EASTBAY-8pager-ALEX:Layout 1

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PERFORMANCE NEUTRAL

8:47 AM

Page 8

Lightweight trainers or race day shoes for biomechanically efficient runners Nike Air Zoom Elite+ 4

adidas adiZero Ace

Combines an advanced cushioning midsole within a breathable upper to give an extra edge on race day.

• Air-mesh upper.

A • adiWEAR® outsole.

• adiPRENE®, adiPRENE®+.

• TORSION® SYSTEM, Quickstrike. $89.99 Sz: 6.5-13, 14, 15. Wt. 7.5 oz.

A. 303457 Red/gold/black $89.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 6.5 oz.

B. 303459 White/turquoise/yellow

A

adidas adiZero Boston

Made to stay responsive and fast through the hardest training.

• Air-mesh upper, TORSION® SYSTEM. • adiPRENE®, adiPRENE®+.

A • adiWEAR® outsole.

• Ventilation zone in shank area. $99.99 Sz: 6.5-13, 14, 15. Wt. 9.6 oz.

A. 303463 White/red/gold $99.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 8.2 oz.

B. 3303465 White/red/black

B

A lightning-fast running shoe that provides an amazingly smooth ride.

• Breathable upper with supportive welds.

A • Zoom Air™ in heel and forefoot. 3/4 Crash Pad. • BRS 1000™ outsole, Duralon™ and Waffle Fill™. $99.99 Sz: 6-13, 14, 15. Wt. 11.4 oz.

A. 17908103 White/grey/orange $99.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 9.6 oz.

B. 18069151 White/magenta/grey/jetstream

B

B

C

B

Nike Zoom Skylon+ 11

For the serious runner who looks for an advantage in speed.

• 3D sandwich mesh upper, injected overlay "fingers".

• Zoom Air™ units in heel and forefoot.

• Cushlon ST foam and Dura DS midsole.

• Dura DS and BRS 1000™ outsole. $89.99 Sz. 6-13, 14, 15. Wt. 10.8 oz. $89.99 Sz. 5-11, 12. Wt. 9.4 oz.

A. 24501101 White/black/royal/grey C. 24747101 White/platinum/charcoal B. 24501103 White/black/yellow A

B

C

D

E

F

NIKE FREE — RUN SUPERNATURAL THE BAREFOOT RUNNING EXPERIENCE TO TAKE YOUR RUNNING TO A NEW LEVEL Nike Free Everyday+ 2

B

A well-cushioned everyday training shoe for longer runs.

• Mesh upper, synthetic overlays.

A • Sculpted Phylite™ midsole.

• Zoom Air™ heel unit.

• BRS 1000™ outsole. $91.99 Sz: 6-13, 14, 15. Wt. 10.0 oz.

A. 54572011 Anthracite/white/black B. 54572042 Grey/blue/blueprint

Nike Free 5.0 V4

FREE SHIPPING WITH YOUR $75 ORDER* Use promo code

R U N N E TA 9 at checkout. Details on page 1.

PERFORMANCE STABILITY

This trainer emphasizes natural foot movement while delivering an extraordinary feel.

• No-sew upper design with lightweight mesh to mimic barefoot running.

• BRS 1000™ rubber inserts and sole with Waffle® traction pattern.

• Phylite™ midsole provides a resilient ride.

• Deep Nike Free sipes for enhanced flexibility. $84.99 Sz: 6-13, 14, 15. Wt. 8.6 oz. $84.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 7.4 oz.

A. 54746001 Black/anthracite/grey D. 54751001 Black/grey/white B. 54746162 White/beet/grey E. 54751191 White/gold/jetstream C. 54746801 Orange/anthracite/white F. 54751051 Grey/magenta/grey

Lightweight trainers or race day shoes for mild to moderate overpronators who need light stability Mizuno Wave Elixir 4

A blend of support and cushioning for moderate overpronators who need extra stability.

• AIR Mesh™ upper, Dynamotion Fit™ technology.

• SmoothRide™, Composite Double-Fan Wave™.

• X-10™ carbon rubber heel, G3 sole, blown rubber forefoot. $104.99 Sz: 7-13, 14, 15. Wt. 9.4 oz.

A. 0350002 White/orange/anthracite $104.99 Sz: 6-11. Wt. 7.7 oz.

B. 0351004 White/breeze/shadow

A

B

C

D

B

A

B

ASICS z Trainer 14

NIKE LUNARGLIDE

LUNARLITE FOAM + FLYWIRE + DYNAMIC SUPPORT = EXCEPTIONAL LIGHTWEIGHT PERFORMANCE E

F

Nike LunarGlide+

Provides adaptive support appropriate for neutral runners through mild overpronators.

• Flywire upper, Dynamic Support.

• Advanced stitch-free construction.

• Next generation LunarLite platform.

• Gender specific Arch Bridge technology.

F • Nike+ ready. BRS 1000™ at the heel. $99.99 Sz: 6-13, 14, 15. Wt. 10.8 oz.

A. 66644001 Anthracite/chrome/blackpine/orange B. 66644671 Red/volt/anthracite C. 66644471 Blue/volt/blue/grey D. 66644002 Grey/silver/black

8

For the runner that needs a bit more support, but loves the fast feel of a lightweight trainer.

• Impact Guidance System (I.G.S.®).

• Biomorphic Fit™ upper, Space Trusstic System™.

• Solyte® midsole, GEL® Cushioning System. $109.99 Sz: 6-13, 14, 15. Wt. 10.2 oz.

A. 9130147 White/blue/black B. 9130199 White/onyx/yellow $109.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 8.7 oz.

C. 9630134 White/pink/black D. 9630193 White/lightning/apple

A

D C

New Balance 904 G

$99.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 8.8 oz.

E. 66645101 White/chrome/orange/grey F. 66645571 Plum/volt/anthracite/grey G. 66645471 Baltic Blue/white/techno blue

A performance shoe with added medial stability for the mild-to-moderate overpronator.

• Air-mesh upper with NLock®. • Stability Web®, TS2®.

• ACTEVA™ Ultra Lite midsole.

A • ABZORB®, NDurance® outsole. $109.99 Sz: 7-13, 14, 15. Wt. 9.9 oz.

A. 9041001 Black/yellow/silver D A. 9042001 2E $109.99 Sz: 5-11, 12. Wt. 8.1 oz.

B. 904166 White/orange/silver B

B

Coaching Fall 09:Coaching Spring 09 10/18/09 9:33 PM Page 29

MOTION STABILIZING | PERFORMANCE

Saucony ProGrid Omni 8

$110

BEST RENOVATION

This update keeps the classic Saucony fit going for runners who need stability. The upper has the open airmesh of the Omni 7 but fewer obstructions over the toes, better ventilation, and reduced overlays that are strategically positioned for effective support. The innersole is still made of cushy polyurethane, but it’s now perforated to breathe better and molded for improved fit and better cushioning. The midsole is functionally the same, though the medial second-density is topped with a softer layer of ProGrid which feels better against the plantar fascia. The reshaped and lightened shank still provides the necessary structure.

The outersole looks different, but it’s the same effective combination of blown rubber in the forefoot and durable XT-900 carbon rubber in the heel. The overall feel, quality, and performance of the ProGrid Omni 8 earned it our Best Renovation award.

FALL 2009

”Great comfortable fit, no pressure on my bunion. Good support, good stability, but also quite cushy. Got me through training for the San Francisco Marathon very solidly. I was quite satisfied with the upgraded feel, and think it is better than the previous version, which I also liked.”

Recommended for: low- to medium-arched feet with mild to moderate overpronation • Sizes: Men 7–13,14,15; Women 5–12 • Weight: Men 12.9 oz. (size 11); Women 11.0 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, HRC Strobel board

Somnio Exact Change

MODERATE

$120

Somnio is a new brand that customizes the fit and function of its three models (Stability, Neutral, and Motion Control) with 12 interchangeable parts to match your foot shape and biomechanics. The Exact Change is its moderate motion-stabilizing model built on a semi-curved last. The upper is airmesh in the forefoot with tight mesh and overlays in the rearfoot. The dual-density CM-EVA midsole features chambers in the medial forefoot and lateral heel that can be filled with one of three densities of foam.

The FEAT (Functionally Engineered Adaptable Tricomponent) system does its best work inside the shoe with three innersole choices that allow you to select more or less volume and cushion. Overpronation can be offset by choosing from three thicknesses of Varus wedges. Authorized running dealers (www.somniorunning.com/about-the-shoes/dealer-locator/) can measure and set up a runner in 5 to 10 minutes. So, how do the shoes run? Think high-quality training shoes adapted to you. ”Adaptable system made the fitting better than any shoe I’ve used. Was able to adapt the shoe to my foot—just right on the cushioning— instead of my foot to the shoe. Same with stability: a little was built in, the rest was up to me. Performed as well as any of my recent shoes.”

MODERATE

Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with mild to moderate overpronation • Sizes: Men 7–13,14; Women 5–11,12 • Weight: Men 13.6 oz. (size 11); Women 11.5 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted

ASICS Gel-Evolution 5

$120

The best of the ASICS motion-stabilizing shoes, the Gel-Evolution 5 has an unchanged dual-density Solyte midsole that provides good cushioning, heavy-duty stability, and durable, effective traction. The upper has received a bit of refining. The fit is improved by shaving off a few millimeters of PHF ankle foam and slightly extending the BioMorphic Fit panels to enhance the comfortable feel. Performance has been enhanced by a 2% reduction in the overall weight—not big numbers, but definitely a move in the right direction. The shoe feels better balanced thanks to an update in the Gel cushioning elements. Bottom line?

Runners who expect ASICS’ best IGS performance will get comfortable fit, stability, and cushioning from the Evolution 5. ”The shoe fit well. There are no pressure points and no loose or sloppy areas that allow excess movement. These shoes continue to maintain their soft pillowy feel when first putting them on. From heel-strike, to load, and through the push-off, I feel secure in this shoe.”

Recommended for: low- to medium–high-arched feet with moderate to maximum overpronation • Sizes: Men 7–13,14,15,16,17 (D,2E); 8–13,14,15,16,17 (4E); Women 6–13 (B,D) • Weight: Men 14.4 oz. (size 11); Women 11.8 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, Solyte Strobel board (heel)

New Balance 1225

MAXIMUM

$140

The 1225 features small but important fit changes. The medial forefoot has improved metatarsal shaping and the top lace eyelets now cinch down at a more comfortable angle to improve security and work effectively with the N-lock system to provide a better volume fit. The DTS crashpad is upgraded to N-ergy and the TS2 variable-density sidewall has been replaced by Stabilicore, a thermoplastic component that reduces overpronation as well as weight. In fact, this shoe is almost 4% lighter, a big change in a maximum motion-stabilizing shoe. The ride is more dynamic now that the elements interact better with your foot motion. Runners looking for support and stability will be pleased with the responsive ride and quality feel of the 1225. ”I really love the fit; snug around the arch and ankle with plenty of toe space. Great cushioning. They’re bouncy and feel great! I felt plenty of stability, and they had good traction whether running on trails or pavement. Especially comfortable and well-fitting from the first run.”

Recommended for: low- to medium-arched feet with moderate to maximum overpronation • Sizes: Men 7–13,14,15,16 (B,D,2E,4E); Women 6–12,13 (AA,B,D) • Weight: Men 13.7 oz. (size 11); Women 11.6 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, Abzorb Strobel board

adidas adiZero Aegis

MAXIMUM

$110

The Aegis splits the difference between a racer and a trainer. Stability and running efficiency have been improved with a new very low-profile midsole. The upper is a thin airmesh with synthetic overlays providing support. The tongue is open only on the lateral side, with a webbing loop at the top of the medial side and an elastic band inside to secure the foot; the logo stripes provide additional support. The very low-profile midsole has a particularly responsive feel to it, and the ForMotion cassette and flat contour of the sole make for a noticeably smooth transition. Consider easing into the Aegis with shorter, periodic runs. The improved fitness and efficiency that develop as your muscles adapt make this small (and temporary) accommodation worthwhile. Its fit, light weight, and ride earned the adidas adiZero Aegis top honors as our best shoe in the Performance category. ”Great fit, roomy toe box, snug heel. Fairly neutral feeling...no wobble, good stability for something so light. Durable, no observable signs of wear at 75–100 miles. These are fast, light, awesome.”

Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to very mild overpronation, for faster-paced running • Sizes: Men 6.5–13,14,15; Women 5–12 • Weight: Men 10.3 oz. (size 11); Women 9.5 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted 29 | Running Network 2009 Fall Shoe Review

BEST SHOE Performance FA L

L 2009

Coaching Fall 09:Coaching Spring 09 10/18/09 9:33 PM Page 30

PERFORMANCE

Brooks Launch

$90

The Launch is Brooks’ new speed shoe and that’s clear right from the get-go. A thin, light airmesh is particularly well vented in the forefoot. The midsole is BioMoGo with Hydroflow in the heel and offers a nicely cushioned, flexible ride. For the überefficient runner, the low-profile Launch may be used as a cushy daily trainer. Whether you race or train in it, nearly all neutralfooted runners will recognize its fast feeling. The outersole is durable HPR, Brooks’ carbon rubber formulation, with enough blown rubber in the forefoot to offer a bit more cushioning than is typical in a speed shoe. Runners looking for a fast, versatile, neutral shoe should consider the Launch. ”Great shoes! I like them light, and these were light and well cushioned. They are perfect for the track or tempo runs. I wore them for a half marathon and plan on using them for long races.”

Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to very mild overpronation, for faster-paced running • Sizes: Men 8–13,14,15; Women 6–11,12 • Weight: Men 10.2 oz. (size 11); Women 8.3 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, S257 Strobel board

Brooks Ravenna

$100

The Ravenna is a new shoe from Brooks, but many will see a strong resemblance to its grandfather, the Axiom. The upper is airmesh with sparse overlays. A pair of elasticized eyelets across the instep improve the shoe’s ability to move as the foot moves. The interior has a smooth, comfortable feel. The BioMoGo midsole has a low but not a super-low profile, and features a small but effective second-density through the arch to provide support. True to its heritage, the Ravenna is stable, responsive, and light. Though not designed as a racer, we think it can be an excellent choice for longer races and is definitely suited to faster training. Many runners will find that it meets their daily running needs. ”Fit well, close and tightly around the middle of my foot (which I prefer). Well cushioned with decent stability, pretty light for this much shoe. Versatile enough for daily training even speedwork, like it says on the heel: a go-to shoe.”

Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to mild overpronation, for faster-paced running and everyday training • Sizes: Men 8–13,14,15; Women 6–12 • Weight: Men 11.3 oz. (size 11); Women 9.6 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, S257 Strobel board

Mizuno Wave Precision 10

$95

When updating the award-winning Precision 9, the Precision 10 kept what worked in the mid- and outersole, while improving comfort and support up top. Retained are the plush interior of the heel and tongue. The airmesh is functionally the same, but the overlays have been consolidated, the Runbird logo is larger and takes on more supportive duties, and is now repositioned below the Dynamotion insert for a better fit. Down under, the midsole and outersole are indistinguishable from the Precision 9 and that’s a good thing, as it continues to provide a great blend of responsive cushioning and protection. The Precision 10 will satisfy runners looking for a durable, lightweight, neutral shoe, and Precision fans have an even better shoe to look forward to. ”With the roomy toe box, the cushion from heel to toe, and the flexible bee-hive (honeycomb), breathable fabric, these shoes kept my feet secure whether I was scrambling up a dirt hillside or pounding asphalt downhill. These have been my go-to shoes for any type of training.”

Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics, for faster-paced running • Sizes: Men 7–13,14; Women 6–11 • Weight: Men 11.4 oz. (size 11); Women 9.5 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted

Newton Sir/Lady Isaac

$149

With the new Sir and Lady Isaac, Newton Running broadens the scope of its shoes by making the technology originally developed for forefoot strikers now available to heel strikers. This was done by modifying the Action/Reaction membrane so that it’s a little sturdier to accommodate the increased impact of heel strikers, and tapering the shape of the forefoot actuators just a bit. Carbon rubber has solved the durability issues of the forefoot outersole seen in previous models. The upper features the quality, stretchy airmesh used in other Newton shoes, with good support provided via the well-placed overlays. This has added a little weight, though they are still among the lightest training shoes available. The midsole is well cushioned EVA shaped to encourage rolling onto the toes for take-off. Now heel strikers have a tool to improve their gait’s efficiency. (Men’s pictured.) ”Very comfortable fit, good room in the toes. Light shoe, but I wouldn’t say light like a racer. At first, I didn’t particularly enjoy running in this shoe, but the more I ran in it, the more I liked it and got used to the feel/ride of the shoe. Sometimes while running I felt as if the shoe helped with a quick turnover. Made me feel faster and as if I was helped being ‘moved along’ or ‘propelled forward.’ “ Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics, for faster-paced running • Sizes: Men 6–13,14,15; Women 5–11 • Weight: Men 11.3 oz. (size 11); Women 9.3 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board

BEST NEW SHOE FALL 2009

Nike Lunar Glide

$100

This may be Nike’s most versatile shoe yet. The key to the Lunar shoes is the very resilient Lunar Lite foam which requires supportive containment in a firm Phylite shell. The new idea? Reshape the shell and the foam to work with the biomechanics of the foot. Basically, the firmer shell is thicker on the medial side to curb overpronation, while the inlay is thicker on the lateral side to cushion heelstrike and allow for lateral release. The upper is plush, breathable mesh with a saddle of Flywire and a premolded, external heel counter. The two-part midsole works for all runners whether they overpronate or not. Its flexibility and weight make the shoe ideal for faster running, but its stability and cushioning make it great for high mileage. Its resourceful approach, use of materials, adaptability, and reasonable price earned the Lunar Glide our Best New Shoe award. ”Super comfortable; snug fit; very smooth ride. Don’t ‘sink’ into cushion; good balance between feel of road and cushioning. Not crazy about how they pick up gravel: on one run 7 pieces got stuck in the grooves. Couldn’t really feel them through the cushion, though.”

Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to moderate overpronation, for faster-paced running and everyday training • Sizes: Men 6–13,14,15; Women 5–12 • Weight: Men 11.7 oz. (size 11); Women 9.6 oz. (size 8) • Shape: semi-curved • Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board

30 | Running Network 2009 Fall Shoe Review

Coaching Fall 09:Coaching Spring 09 10/18/09 9:33 PM Page 31

KSWISS:Layout 1

10/23/09

9:12 AM

Page 1

Introducing miSOUL Tech interchangeable sole system for customized performance.

TM

Run One - miSOUL Tech

Select the miSOUL Tech Cushion 1.0 insert with superior EVA chassis for arch support and Si-18 gel in the forefoot and heel for cushioning and shock absorption to get you through another long run.

®

Or slip in the miSOUL Tech Light 1.0 insert with Superfoam™ cushioning in the forefoot and heel for innovative high-energy return and a spring propulsion plate for extra push off on race day.

See miSOUL Tech in action at KSWISS.COM

3X Ironman Champion CHRIS LIETO