Akron Marathon Relay

This past Saturday I participated in my first big running event, ever.  Even though I have been running for nearly two decades, I never made it 15 minutes down the road in Akron to be apart of the Akron Marathon and one of its running events.  This year, I was finally able to find a relay team to run on.

Approximately 16,000 runners ran in the event in some capacity this year, whether it was the full or half marathon, or the 5 person relay team.  The picture above doesn't do justice to the amount of people gathered on N. Broadway St. just before 7am to get ready to race.

There were so many people, that Eric and I stood at the starting line to watch everyone take off.  We stood there for almost 10 minutes for the last person cross the starting line.

I ran the 5th leg of the relay, a 7.9 mile run from the top of Sand Run Park through neighborhoods, including a quick run through Stan Hewitt Gardens and into downtown.  I felt good most of the way, except the few times that I choked on the water I tried drinking at the water stations. Turns out throwing water at your open mouth isn't the best way to get it down.
I got to try out the Saucony Progrid Kinvara 2 shoes for the first time in a race (next month I try out the Nike Frees in a race).  They just so happen to match my outfit, with the neon green shoes, shirt, and black running shorts with the neon green stripe.  The only thing out of place was the red bandana I had on my head.
I felt my pace was good through the first 5 miles, right around the 8 minute mark, if not a bit faster.  One of the things I wasn't prepared for was that the first 6 miles of my 8 mile run was a constant run uphill. Sure, the last 2 miles was straight down into downtown, but it was a slow climb that eventually took its toll on my legs.
My training for this race wasn't what it should have been.  My longest training run was between 5 1/2 and 6 miles, 2 miles shorter than the race itself.  I also have been battling a knee injury that I am going to get checked out this week. More on that later.

Between miles 6 and 7, I used the downhills to my advantage, or at least, to the best advantage I could get. The last mile was probably the most brutal mile I have ever run.  Once I crossed the finish line, getting my team a sub 4 hour time, my arms, legs, and feet were all numb.  My legs and feet were the worst, with my feet the worst overall. I am sure it was due to me stopping running and my feet swelling a bit in my shoes that were tied on tight.

One of the coolest part of the race was the finish.  We finished the race by running down Main St. and into the back of the Akron Aeros stadium.  They opened up the doors in center field and you ran toward the crowd sitting in the stands.

With all this being said, and the pain I had from running just 8 miles, I caught the bug.  I am already starting to increase my mileage to prep myself for a marathon run next year at Akron.  The sights, sounds, fans, and the other runners make you want to get out there and do it yourself.  I had already planned on running a marathon soon, as I want to qualify for Boston some day, but this just sealed the deal for me even more.

Shoe Review: Saucony Kinvara 2

Saucony Kinvara 2

The Saucony Kinvara 2, one of my two newest minimalist runnng shoes, is a fantastic go between for the runner interested in transitioning to barefoot running.  The first thing you might notice is the flashy color. Yes, I am somewhat of a flashy style runner.  But then again, I don't know many distance runners who aren't flashy.  We are a different breed.  But that is a different topic for a different post.

I first learned of the Saucony Kinvara 2 from Runblogger in May when I was looking for a couple pairs of shoes to help me convert from the modern running shoe to a more minimal style shoe.  As you can see from the picture, there is a layer of mesh beneath a thin layer of what I can only describe as a very thin translucent plastic of some kind.  Both of these features help reduce the overall weight of the shoe, which, for my size 14s, is just under 10oz, much lighter than my old Asics size 14s at 16oz.  The heel drop is at 4mm, allowing the runner to use more of a mid-foot strike rather than a heel-toe strike.  The heel drop is basically the difference in height of the heel and the toe.  The closer to zero, the more the shoe allows the runner to run naturally and take the heel out of the running equation (more on that in a future post).

The sole of the Kinvara is like something I have never seen before.  The midfoot to toe part of the shoe has rubber triangles, which extend slightly past the EVA sole (the white part).  EVA is basically a lightweight polymer.  The toe has a small piece of rubber for less wear on the shoe at toe off.  The heel has these same triangles, but also has a bit more rubber that wraps around the outside of the heel.

These shoes are meant to be worn with no socks.  One of the nicest features about the shoe is the added padding around the back of the ankle in the Achilles tendon area.  It more or less wraps the shoe around the ankle, adding comfort to an area that could get some blisters running with no socks.

The ride of the shoe is very nice.  The shoe has enough padding to protect my feet from the asphalt and rocks.  The toebox provides ample room for your toes to splay, rather than squished together.  The low heel drop has also helped me make changes to my gait, allowing me to land on the outside of my midfoot and roll in from small toe to big toe and push off.  Rarely do I land on the heel in these shoes, which is probably good seeing how there is little padding in the heel.  The only downside to the shoe that I can see in the future is the EVA foam wearing out more quickly around the edges.

Nice shine!

Overall, I would recommend this shoe to anyone looking for a lightweight, everyday trainer.  The shoe can be used for short to long runs.  Whether you are a minimalist fan or not, this shoe will work for anybody.