My first Boston Marathon in 25 years and my 4th was an amazing experience. The crowds, the weather, the field, the support were orders of magnitude more spectacular than my last one back in 1986. I had a great time and enjoyed every minute of it. This said my "performance" was an utter disaster: 4:40, 1:10 slower than my qualifying time! I struggled mightily starting after 15 or so miles. I started in my assigned corral for a 3:29 while I was planning to run a bit sub 3:40 based on my training. Rookie mistakes of to fast an initial pace combined with something else?
What happened?
I did a combination of no long runs (17 miles or more) since mid February and no longer runs in the Hoka One One Bondi B which I bought in mid February and wore at Boston. I did plenty of 10 milers at race pace. Hard to blame the shoes but they were definitely a factor as I am convinced that once my already minimal to begin with knee lift, forward body angle, and mid foot stride left me at about mile 13 I literally gradually slowed to a crawl as I was back on the soft heels of the Hoka. The few times I walked for water in the later stages I literally felt I was going to fall over backwards. This went on even after the race until I got out of the shoes.
The first 13 miles went almost exactly according to my plan for a 3:40. Probably a bit too fast the first 4 downhill miles with 3 of the miles just sub 8:00. Shoes and legs felt just great. Literally floating along. Low heart rate, smooth as can be, no road shock. After 10 miles things started to go south but I came through the half a bit faster than my goal pace for a 3:40. During mile 15 things started to really fall apart. This was the furthest I had run on "average" and certainly further than I had run in the Hoka One One Bondi B. My pace got slower and slower and there was nothing I could do about it. I was well fed, hydrated and with it all the way. No cramps.
Lesson: I started in my assigned corral based on my 3:29 qualifying time yet I was expecting to run 3:40. I should have started in the next slowest corral which is allowed. I started the race at a 3:29 pace which was to fast for my conditioning or goal. I should have moved back a corral as it is very difficult to run slower than the pack at Boston. This said I felt great and heart rate and legs were very much at ease the first miles.
Lesson: Obviously more long runs on hills and pavement. My longest run in February 19 miles was mostly on groomed snow trails in Park City.
Lesson: Should have run the Hoka Bondi B at near race pace on long runs or picked a different shoe. My longest pace run in them was 10 miles. Unlike "normal" shoes their low drop of 4mm heel to toe, and softness requires some real adaptation and strength especially when tired. I am not sure given my shuffling stride that I will ever have the strength to run them over 13 miles at race pace but I will try.
Lesson: More core work!
Lesson: Go with shoes you know. I ran the St. George Marathon this past fall in Saucony Kinvara also 4mm drop with no problems but St. George is is a sharply downhill course in the last half. Kinvara would have been a better choice for Boston given the firmer heel as might have the New Balance 890 with their more pronounced drop to get me forward in the middle miles. Well at least the readers of this blog now know the Hokas are a tricky beast!
Nike+SportsWatch GPS
I ran with the Nike+SportsWatch GPS and it was great. The screen was very easy to see in the bright sunlight even with sunglasses on. When considering that I did not run tangents all the time the 26.45 miles it showed indicated an accuracy of 99.05% which is excellent for GPS. I did not run the foot sensor in parallel.
I watched for auto lap mile splits and kept an eye on elapsed time as I went by course mile markers. Very useful while I was still actually running... It was overstating my distance a bit as when I approached mile markers I saw it mark laps 20-30 yards before the actual mile. After the first few miles it seemed to stay consistent at 20-30 yards. As things went far south I was unable to do much about pace so I really didn't watch splits. Likely as I got into Boston, and the buildings may have interfered with signal, it lost a bit of accuracy. I spoke to some Nike+SportsWatch specialists at the expo and will have more details in a next post.
Showing posts with label Bondi-b. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bondi-b. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Update Review: Got my Hoka One One Bondi-B up to speed today
Wasn't sure I could run the Hoka Hoka Bondi-B at tempo pace. I can and they are still on my list for Boston with the New Balance 890.
2 reasons I haven't been able to tempo the Bondi: the weather has been miserable here in NH the last couple of weeks, and it takes about 40 miles to break the forefoot in and get good flex.
Well, they now flex and they fly. I ran 4 x 6 minute tempo/speed intervals in a total 53 minute workout and they felt great. Mostly sub 7 minute pace which for me is what I expect for such intervals in light performance trainers and racers such as my Kinvaras, New Balance 890 or adidas adizero Rockets. Not the snappy responsive feel of these 3 but the incredible shock absorption of the Hokas is a big plus as I think of the hills at Boston. Next big test a longer run (10-13 miles) at near marathon pace to see if I can hold a 8:15 pace comfortably.
Link here to my other posts about the Bondi-B and Hoka One One
2 reasons I haven't been able to tempo the Bondi: the weather has been miserable here in NH the last couple of weeks, and it takes about 40 miles to break the forefoot in and get good flex.
Well, they now flex and they fly. I ran 4 x 6 minute tempo/speed intervals in a total 53 minute workout and they felt great. Mostly sub 7 minute pace which for me is what I expect for such intervals in light performance trainers and racers such as my Kinvaras, New Balance 890 or adidas adizero Rockets. Not the snappy responsive feel of these 3 but the incredible shock absorption of the Hokas is a big plus as I think of the hills at Boston. Next big test a longer run (10-13 miles) at near marathon pace to see if I can hold a 8:15 pace comfortably.
Link here to my other posts about the Bondi-B and Hoka One One
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Analysis of my Boston Marathon Shoe Options-Review New Balance 890 & Initial Impressions.
As the Boston Marathon approaches I have been mulling my shoe choices. I run in neutral shoes and have a short slide without much knee lift. My half marathon times at age 52-53 have been between 1;35 and 1:39. I qualified for Boston at the St. George Marathon with a 3:29 at the St. George Marathon in 2009.
In 2010 I ran St. George in Saucony Kinvaras and found them to have adequate cushioning for the mostly downhill final 13 miles. Most of my shorter 2010 races were run in Nike Zooms, Kinvaras, adizero Rockets, and Newtons. In recent months I have been running in Hoka One One Bondi B and Mafates, Adidas adizero Rockets, and Saucony Kinvaras,
For the hills of Boston and a planned pace of 8:00-8:10 I need a responsive shoe with adequate heel cushioning. While I have been improving my mid foot stride I will not be able to hold form all the way to the end. I also want a light shoe, less than 10 oz. Below an analysis of my current shoe quiver.
What I am finding is that a low forefoot height is key to a responsive feel but I also need good heel cushion for the later miles when form starts to fall apart. Both the adizero Rockets and my brand new New Balance 890 have about 10 mm of forefoot height. The Kinvaras at 14mm feel high are somewhat unstable, feel high, at speed. They also flex gradually ie not pronounced at the flex point in the forefoot and are somewhat stiff. The Hokas with a low heel to forefoot drop at 4mm with incredible cushion and light weight 8.8 oz are so far ( and they do require break in given the high stiff midsole) are somewhat harder to maintain paces below 8:30 per mile. The Kinvaras while adequately cushioned in forefoot and heel but are narrow in upper toe box and forefoot midsole strike platform.
Yesterday at my local running store Runner's Alley in Portsmouth NH I tried a pair of the brand new New Balance 890.
Very light at 9.5 oz the 890's feature REVlite midsole foam, the white foam in the picture below is 30% lighter than conventional midsole foams according to NB.
The white REVLite extends to the front of the shoe all the way to the toe box with all REVLite on the inner part of the foot and partial REVLite on the outside of the foot. No motion control features on the inner side. The yellow foam is firmer and extends on the outside of the foot up to just before the flex point in the forefoot. The softer REVLite forward across the whole shoe forward allows a good flex. The thin layer of yellow foam is the outer sole material up front.
Likely REVLite is more or less the same material as the Kinvaras and Hokas but to me it felt more responsive on the run: firmer yet also cushioned. Part of the responsiveness is of course the low forefoot height and it seems a wide forefoot strike platform, and a well designed easy flex at the forefoot flex point. The upper is not over reinforced. The toe box is wide without excess material or stiff overlays. I sized up half a size to 9 for a little extra room as feet swell in the marathon.
My first run in the 890's, a 6.39 mile jaunt around New Castle in blustery weather was excellent. 8:00 pace. I liked the 23mm of heel cushion on the rolling downhills. The forefoot is responsive and flexible. They climb well. My only concern so far is the greater than usual, for me, heel toe ramp of 12 mm. Most of my current shoes are 4-6mm and I do feel something today I have not felt in months, some calf tightness something I never feel in the Hokas. I will continue to focus on the 890's and Hoka One One Bondi B as potential Boston shoes in the coming weeks.
In 2010 I ran St. George in Saucony Kinvaras and found them to have adequate cushioning for the mostly downhill final 13 miles. Most of my shorter 2010 races were run in Nike Zooms, Kinvaras, adizero Rockets, and Newtons. In recent months I have been running in Hoka One One Bondi B and Mafates, Adidas adizero Rockets, and Saucony Kinvaras,
For the hills of Boston and a planned pace of 8:00-8:10 I need a responsive shoe with adequate heel cushioning. While I have been improving my mid foot stride I will not be able to hold form all the way to the end. I also want a light shoe, less than 10 oz. Below an analysis of my current shoe quiver.
Yesterday at my local running store Runner's Alley in Portsmouth NH I tried a pair of the brand new New Balance 890.
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| New Balance 890 Source: New Balance |
The white REVLite extends to the front of the shoe all the way to the toe box with all REVLite on the inner part of the foot and partial REVLite on the outside of the foot. No motion control features on the inner side. The yellow foam is firmer and extends on the outside of the foot up to just before the flex point in the forefoot. The softer REVLite forward across the whole shoe forward allows a good flex. The thin layer of yellow foam is the outer sole material up front.
Likely REVLite is more or less the same material as the Kinvaras and Hokas but to me it felt more responsive on the run: firmer yet also cushioned. Part of the responsiveness is of course the low forefoot height and it seems a wide forefoot strike platform, and a well designed easy flex at the forefoot flex point. The upper is not over reinforced. The toe box is wide without excess material or stiff overlays. I sized up half a size to 9 for a little extra room as feet swell in the marathon.
My first run in the 890's, a 6.39 mile jaunt around New Castle in blustery weather was excellent. 8:00 pace. I liked the 23mm of heel cushion on the rolling downhills. The forefoot is responsive and flexible. They climb well. My only concern so far is the greater than usual, for me, heel toe ramp of 12 mm. Most of my current shoes are 4-6mm and I do feel something today I have not felt in months, some calf tightness something I never feel in the Hokas. I will continue to focus on the 890's and Hoka One One Bondi B as potential Boston shoes in the coming weeks.
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| Hoka One One Bondi B |
Monday, February 21, 2011
Update Review Hoka One One Bondi-B
Not sure I would try a 10K in them but a for sure a half marathon and my plan is to run Boston in them in April. I continue to marvel ( I also have several hundred miles including roads in the original Mafate trail shoe) that no matter what the workout the next day legs appear fresher with no soreness, apart occasionally in the feet due to the stiffness, than in any other shoe I have run in. This indicates and Karl Meltzer proved this with his 2064 mile in 40 days Pony Express Trail run that Hokas are a great shoe for both high mileage and recovery runs.
My other posts on Bond-B are here:
First Run Review
Outdoor Retailer Bondi-B article
Monday, February 14, 2011
First Run Review-Hoka One One Bondi-B "Maximalist" Natural Running Shoe
Karl Meltzer of Pony Express Trail run fame and Hoka One One runner announced on his blog that Wastach Running Center in Salt Lake had the new Bondi-B road runner in stock. I went over today and purchased a pair. They told me they are selling fast and they will ship if one doesn't live local to Salt Lake.
I had previously posted about the Bondi-B as part of my Outdoor Retailer coverage and have very much enjoyed almost 500 miles in first generation Hoka One One Mafates. I have run trails and roads and hiked in these super light 10.8 oz "maximalist" shoes and find them particularly well suited to long runs on the road and trail. Legs stay fresh no matter what you throw at them.
My first run in the Bondi-B on the Basin Rec. Fieldhouse track in Park City did not disappoint.
Fit and Construction:
Wider, less constrained toe box than Mafates or for that matter most shoes I have recently run in. Less stitching and more welded overlays. While the Mafates sometimes cramped the front side of the foot the Bondis have a far more open construction. They will breathe well and as feet stretch there will be some give. They do fit 1/2 size small. This was true for me and for the person who fitted me at Wasatch.
The outer sole is comprised of orange more durable wear areas in the heel and forefoot between blown softer EVA of the midsole. Traction should be great on the road. Remains to be seen how they perform on the trails. Karl Meltzer just completed his fastest 100 mile ever in a pair on a relatively (for him) trail course.
Run Feel:
8.8 oz with a near zero forefoot to heel drop of 4mm. As light as many racing flats with amazing cushioning which doesn't feel mushy. They are not only 20% lighter than Mafates but 10% firmer and in my 4 mile run this made a big difference. Much more responsive with a run feel more like a conventional shoe but with no perceptible shock. While the Mafates were great on long slower runs at speed they felt somewhat boaty. I did not run fast tonight after a long run Saturday and an uphill nordic ski Sunday but Bondi-B sure felt snappy.
Hokas are stiff and use the rocker angle of the sole to get one's stride over the mid foot. I found that this approach requires getting used to at longer distances, for me over 13 miles, as while legs felt great to the end pace seems difficult to maintain. I think Bondis will be easier to tame as they are lighter and have a bit less cushioning . My next tempo I will crank up and speed and report. My plan is to run Boston in the Bondi-B if I can get them up to speed.
I had previously posted about the Bondi-B as part of my Outdoor Retailer coverage and have very much enjoyed almost 500 miles in first generation Hoka One One Mafates. I have run trails and roads and hiked in these super light 10.8 oz "maximalist" shoes and find them particularly well suited to long runs on the road and trail. Legs stay fresh no matter what you throw at them.
My first run in the Bondi-B on the Basin Rec. Fieldhouse track in Park City did not disappoint.
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| Hoka One One Bondi-B Road Running Shoe |
Fit and Construction:
Wider, less constrained toe box than Mafates or for that matter most shoes I have recently run in. Less stitching and more welded overlays. While the Mafates sometimes cramped the front side of the foot the Bondis have a far more open construction. They will breathe well and as feet stretch there will be some give. They do fit 1/2 size small. This was true for me and for the person who fitted me at Wasatch.
The outer sole is comprised of orange more durable wear areas in the heel and forefoot between blown softer EVA of the midsole. Traction should be great on the road. Remains to be seen how they perform on the trails. Karl Meltzer just completed his fastest 100 mile ever in a pair on a relatively (for him) trail course.
Run Feel:
8.8 oz with a near zero forefoot to heel drop of 4mm. As light as many racing flats with amazing cushioning which doesn't feel mushy. They are not only 20% lighter than Mafates but 10% firmer and in my 4 mile run this made a big difference. Much more responsive with a run feel more like a conventional shoe but with no perceptible shock. While the Mafates were great on long slower runs at speed they felt somewhat boaty. I did not run fast tonight after a long run Saturday and an uphill nordic ski Sunday but Bondi-B sure felt snappy.
Hokas are stiff and use the rocker angle of the sole to get one's stride over the mid foot. I found that this approach requires getting used to at longer distances, for me over 13 miles, as while legs felt great to the end pace seems difficult to maintain. I think Bondis will be easier to tame as they are lighter and have a bit less cushioning . My next tempo I will crank up and speed and report. My plan is to run Boston in the Bondi-B if I can get them up to speed.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Outdoor Retailer-Hoka One One Bondi-B Road Running Shoe
I have previously posted about the counter intuitive and bold Hoka One One Mafate "natural running" shoe. While a trail shoe they are my current favorite for long road runs and recovery. Feel like running on grass on the road. Legs stay fresher during and after runs than any other shoe I have ever run in.
I visited Hoka's booth and talked to Nicolas Mermoud, co-founder about their new road shoe the Bondi-B.
The Bondi-B is 8.8 oz in size 9 vs 10.8 oz for the Mafate. Bondi-B has 10% less cushioning than the original Mafate which should make them snappier without losing the leg saving properties of all the midsole foam. Update: Running Times Outdoor Retailer article reports a 4mm heel to toe drop. When combined with the soft foam I believe the Bondi is effectively zero drop.
The upper is lighter and the toe box is seamless on top. It does not have the middle seam of the Mafate. The seam was never an issue for me but it seemed unnecessary. Glad it is gone. The rocker sole seems a bit more pronounced. Hoka's are stiff and rely on the rocker sole to keep you in a short, forward leaning, mid foot efficient stride. You can feel this stride and unlike other shoes stride form seems to stay consistent even when tired. Update: I interviewed Karl Meltzer, podcast coming soon, and according to him one of the key strengths of the rocker sole is that it allows a faster cadence than other shoes he has run ultras in such as LaSportiva Fireblades and Montrail Vitesse. The Bondi-B outer sole is designed for road use.
Update: While they have only had them for a few days both Karl and Dave Mackey plan on doing all their trail running in Bondis despite the less pronounced lugs. The trail Mafates outer sole lugs wear quickly on the road. I did a brief run down the aisles in the Bondis and they felt very responsive. The forefoot is noticeably more flexible than the Mafates. They seemed to be half size small on my foot.
I hope to test a pair soon and likely will run Boston in them. I am thinking they will prove themselves after Heartbreak Hill on the downhill and into the homestretch. As far as the wild look and colors, I say go with it!
Karl Meltzer who did an incredible 2064 miles in 50 days along the Pony Express Trail in Hoka One One Mafates was also in the booth and looking none the worse for wear. Told me it would have been impossible to pull off his feat and still have feet in any other shoe! His last day on the Trail was across the flats of Nebraska for 105 miles and he said the next morning he was ready to run again. I believe him.
Available in early to mid February. Wasatch Running Center,Salt Lake Running, Boulder Running Company have them and will ship.. I expect there will also be a limited number of other stores and online retailers. Will update dealer list when I hear.
Other recent articles about Bondi-B and Hoka One One:
Outdoors Magic UK 1/24/2011: Hoka One One founder is quoted as saying that Hokas are intended “to allow people to run longer, to run more often, and to run without injury”. Based on my experience with Mafates, I agree, I believe Bondi-B will be even more versatile.
.
I visited Hoka's booth and talked to Nicolas Mermoud, co-founder about their new road shoe the Bondi-B.
The Bondi-B is 8.8 oz in size 9 vs 10.8 oz for the Mafate. Bondi-B has 10% less cushioning than the original Mafate which should make them snappier without losing the leg saving properties of all the midsole foam. Update: Running Times Outdoor Retailer article reports a 4mm heel to toe drop. When combined with the soft foam I believe the Bondi is effectively zero drop.
The upper is lighter and the toe box is seamless on top. It does not have the middle seam of the Mafate. The seam was never an issue for me but it seemed unnecessary. Glad it is gone. The rocker sole seems a bit more pronounced. Hoka's are stiff and rely on the rocker sole to keep you in a short, forward leaning, mid foot efficient stride. You can feel this stride and unlike other shoes stride form seems to stay consistent even when tired. Update: I interviewed Karl Meltzer, podcast coming soon, and according to him one of the key strengths of the rocker sole is that it allows a faster cadence than other shoes he has run ultras in such as LaSportiva Fireblades and Montrail Vitesse. The Bondi-B outer sole is designed for road use.
Update: While they have only had them for a few days both Karl and Dave Mackey plan on doing all their trail running in Bondis despite the less pronounced lugs. The trail Mafates outer sole lugs wear quickly on the road. I did a brief run down the aisles in the Bondis and they felt very responsive. The forefoot is noticeably more flexible than the Mafates. They seemed to be half size small on my foot.
I hope to test a pair soon and likely will run Boston in them. I am thinking they will prove themselves after Heartbreak Hill on the downhill and into the homestretch. As far as the wild look and colors, I say go with it!
Karl Meltzer who did an incredible 2064 miles in 50 days along the Pony Express Trail in Hoka One One Mafates was also in the booth and looking none the worse for wear. Told me it would have been impossible to pull off his feat and still have feet in any other shoe! His last day on the Trail was across the flats of Nebraska for 105 miles and he said the next morning he was ready to run again. I believe him.
Available in early to mid February. Wasatch Running Center,Salt Lake Running, Boulder Running Company have them and will ship.. I expect there will also be a limited number of other stores and online retailers. Will update dealer list when I hear.
Update 2/15: Took first runs in Bondi B and they are great. See my post here
Update 2/21: More impressions after several runs here
Update 3/12: Post with video from Hoka One One on shoe performance.
Update 3/12: Post with video from Hoka One One on shoe performance.
Other recent articles about Bondi-B and Hoka One One:
Outdoors Magic UK 1/24/2011: Hoka One One founder is quoted as saying that Hokas are intended “to allow people to run longer, to run more often, and to run without injury”. Based on my experience with Mafates, I agree, I believe Bondi-B will be even more versatile.
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