GoLite Flash Lite Review: Zero Drop Road to Trail Runner

The fine folks at GoLite Footwear were kind enough to send me a pair of the Flash Lites to try.

The Flash Lite is as far as I know the first "zero drop" trail and road runner on the market, others to follow. It allows a stride closer to the bare foot while offering the protection of a traditional running shoe. Golite calls this technology "GoLite BareTech".

Zero Drop:

Zero drop means that there is no drop between the heel and the forefoot of the shoe. Most traditional running shoes have a drop of 10 mm or more which translates into the heel landing first and as the theory goes more injuries and a less efficient stride. The goal is to land closer to the midfoot thus better absorb shock and allow the foot to cycle faster with each stride. The recent barefoot, minimal, natural running craze has led manufacturers to start to reduce the drop. My current favorite road shoe the Saucony Kinerva has a 4 mm drop. I have noticed that my chronic hamstring and calf tightness has declined since I started running in the Kinevras . I now have the Kinveras and racing flats such as the Adidas Rocket and Ascis Hyper Speed now in my daily quiver. I no longer run in conventional road "training" shoes.

Back to the Flash Lites. They are a solid, if a bit heavy, well supported trail runner that can also be used in moderation for road running to practice mid foot running. They are also the most comfortable every day walking around shoe I have ever worn. If I was embarking on a long trip with road and trail running, hiking, and travel and could only take one pair of shoes I would take the Flash Lites. I might wish for a bit less upper busy ness style wise though. And this brings me to the dilemma presented by the Flash Lites. They are good at all forms of mobility but not outstanding on any particular terrain except smooth horse trails. I guess it is impossible to find the perfect single shoe but I will keep trying!

On the Trail: I have run approximately 30 miles of trails. Half of my running was on rough,rooty and rocky single track and half on grass and dirt horse trails. The Flash Lites were outstanding on the smoother trails. On single track, while never unstable, when stepping on obstacles I felt a bit "high sided" balanced on the obstacle as opposed to running through it. Never at risk of twisting an ankle due to the zero drop but not as smooth as for example my thick Hoka One Ones or as agile as Inov-8's .

The Flash Lites use GoLite's Soft Against the Ground technology which puts stiffer foam closest to the foot and softer foam closer to the ground. For my taste, the softer part of the midsole could be softer and maybe a bit thicker to better contour to the ground and lessen the feeling of balancing over the obstacles. The original GoLites, which also were based on Soft Against the Ground principles, had shock absorption incorporated into the outer sole. The orginial GoLites, see my post here, incorporated very pronounced soft lugs. While quite goofy looking they worked very well to absorb and contour to the terrain and in a very similar fashion to my Hoka One Ones which feature a very thick soft midsole. While I have not been back to Utah since I received the Flash Lites, I suspect they will be a wonderful shoe on the smooth Park City trails. I also think they will be outstanding on snow and ice this winter.

On the Road: I have run approximately 20 road miles in the Flash Lites. There is no question that the zero drop encourages a mid foot strike. They feel great the first 2 or 3 miles of every run. As I am new mid foot running my form disintegrates as the miles go on and I revert to heel striking. They are quite firm on the road. I would not make them an every day trainer, yet. As with my comments on rough single track trails a somewhat softer and thicker Soft Against the Ground midsole or outer sole would really make them outstanding for road work.

Fit and Construction: A finely crafted shoe for sure. Doug Clark, CEO of GoLite Footwear, told me they are manufactured in a factory which also makes fine Italian boots and shoes. They will last many hundreds of tough trail miles. The asymmetrical lacing works very well and the foot is very well supported even with laces comfortably cinched. I often find that to get good support I have to over tighten other trail runners. Plenty of toe room for my narrow foot. GoLite includes 2 additional forefoot footbed adjusters so that different volume feet can be accommodated. They call this system Precise Fit and it really works. I do think that the shoe could be made lighter by reducing the amount of material in the upper. The toe box is very reinforced, never was a problem but adds weight. The many overlays are functional but I wonder if they could be applied over lighter materials. The tight mesh in the Saucony Kinveras with soft lining is very sturdy and comfortable and weighs very little. It looks like the new New Balance Minimus trail runners reviewed by the Run Blogger adopt a similar approach. As Doug explained to me the choice of materials is often related to the willingness and capability of the factories to work with them. So, the designer can't always get the combination of materials and construction they want if their factory is unfamiliar with it. Especially true for a start up like GoLite.

Conclusion: First to market with a zero drop running shoe. A very well built, firm, relatively light yet sturdy shoe which can serve as midfoot training tool for the road and is a very serviceable trail runner, particularly on smoother trails. My most comfortable shoe to wear around. Single shoe to take on a long trip where trail and road running, hiking, and walking are in the mix.

Icebreaker GT Distance Short-Perfect Wool

I am a big fan of wool in performance running wear and as an everyday wear base layer. While the heat of summer, above 80 F, is a bit much for wool and running, I wear wool from SmartWool, Icebreaker and Ibex just about every day. I can attest that the new super fine merino wool from these three companies is never scratchy even as a base layer.

I have been looking for a wool based running short for a while and have finally found one from Icebreaker. The GT Distance short, part of their GT Run line, is almost all wool with a bit of stretch. It is highly breathable, looks good, is moisture wicking, and best of all because it is wool-no stink! A drawback, only one small inside pocket. In my view deep, close able pockets are essential on any running short.

From what I understand the Distance Short will be out in the US this spring but it is now available in men's and women's models from Nature Shop of New Zealand. I got mine in 4 days, free shipping all the way from the Kiwis. Increasingly I am seeing free shipping to the US, even from overseas stores.

Tour du Mont Blanc

Pictures from our Tour du Mont Blanc hike. Approximately 100 miles in 7 days. Wonderful weather, food, new trail friends, and scenery. Key trail gear:

the super cushy, super light Hoka Mafante trail runners.

And for the last 2 days a pair of Camp-USA Xenon Collapsible Trekking Poles. While not suitable for heavy backpacking these poles are ideal for running and fast packing. Feather light and fun

"Granite State of Mind"- New Hampshire-Fantastic "Travelogue" done to J-Z

Where I'm from! Very well done J-Z parody. If you know NH you will want to watch several times to catch everything. For those bored with NH and the primaries not one mention of that but also no mention of Arrowsmith either. They absolutely got the rest. Welcome to our quirky people and a beautiful place. Here it is at You Tube.

Merino Compression Socks-Finding the Perfect Performance Blend

I am a big fan of merino wool socks and base layers. I pretty much am in wool year round except for the very hottest days, even as a base layer under street clothes. Comfortable in all temperatures and stink free for days... Merino wool socks are all I will wear for running, skiing, hiking, and work. I have tried compression socks such as the CEP 02 knee high socks and when I fly and after races the Zanesh Compression Sleeves. The principle behind compression is that it moves blood quicker back to the heart thus improving performance and speeding recovery. In my experience I do find that compression keeps legs fresher and also has the added benefit of keeping the lower leg better aligned and on track at speed.

There is a problem with these synthetic compression products. The socks are almost unbearably tight especially at rest. They are also hot at any temperature above 65 degrees or so. The first thing I want to do after exercise is pull them down. The Zanesh sleeves are more comfortable as they are somewhat looser and thus a good option for air travel and recovery but they do not cover the whole lower leg and thus I find less of an alignment benefit.

I recently found a perfect compromise in Swiftwick merino synthetic blend compression socks. I have been testing their 12 (12" high)- $22.95 and 4 (4 inch)- $16.95 models for about a month now. I have run indoors and out, nordic and alpine skied, done a snowshoe race, and used for everyday wear. While the 4's claim to provide compression to the foot area and are very comfortable socks and are the ones I will use to replace most of my existing collection of socks,the 12's provide compression up to just below the knee and thus are the product I was most interested in.

The compression effect of the 12 is not quite as pronounced as O2's but they are far more comfortable. My legs were fresher during and after all my workouts including interval speed work on an indoor track. These socks can be worn all day, every day unlike the typical compression sock. The temperature regulation when compared to the 02 and even the Zanesh sleeves is far better in my indoor running at about 65 degrees, and there is no stink. I plan on trying them at higher temperatures once the weather warms. Somewhat more cushy and softer than the typical Smartwool PhD running sock I was initially worried about wear but so far they are holding up very well.

Swiftwick also makes warmer weather Olefin based socks which I hope to try in the near future.

NYTimes-The Human Body is built for Distance

Great article from the NYTimes Well Blog found by my friend Eddie Knapp. If you are a runner and have not read "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall you should as this book gets to the essence of why we run and why it is so elemental to humans. These insights into why we were Born to Run are helping me get back to the basics of running: run for fun, simpler shoes, and varied surfaces. The NYTimes article expands on the subject. The two key paragraphs:

"Mr. McDougall makes the case that running isn’t inherently risky. Instead, he argues that the commercialization of urban marathons encourages overzealous training, while the promotion of high-tech shoes has led to poor running form and a rash of injuries."...“It’s only recently that running has become associated with pain and injury.”

"What’s the solution? Slower, easier training over a long period would most likely help; so would brief walk breaks, which mimic the behavior of the persistence hunter. And running on a variety of surfaces and in simpler shoes with less cushioning can restore natural running form."

Mid Mountain Trail: Park City UT

One of my favorite all time trails and Runner's World thinks so too as their October 2009 trail of the month Totally run able or easy walking as it really does stay pretty close to "level" . Start at Deer Valley at about 8000 feet and end at the Canyons at about 6600 feet. The whole trail is actually 30 plus miles if extended to Pinebrook. The Mid Mountain Marathon in September every year is a spectacular event. Many variants to go shorter particularly on the Deer Valley Park City Mountain Resort end. Hats off to Mountain Trails and all the other participating organizations and landowners for building and maintaining this gem!

"Plodders Have a Place but is it in a Marathon?"-NYTimes

A provocative article in the NYTimes about slow marathoners. I believe that with training most people who do not an obvious handicap or are advanced in age, can Run a marathon in under 5 hours. It is great that the participation is 3X since 1980 ... while average times are getting slower, 40 plus minutes slower. While slow is fine, I do question if it is really wise or healthy for some to marathon when they haven't done the preparation. Any pace puts a tremendous stress on the body. Many of the plodders are in this category. I saw crowds of them at St. George recently. As far as running and finishing vs. actually racing hard the barometer remains as always a Boston Marathon qualifying time, graded for age and this is what many shoot for. Yet while even Boston qualifying times have loosened in the last 30 years shooting for this goal creates a natural separation between runners and finishers.

Trail Running Technique

From the June Inov-8 Newsletter. Inov-8's have been my favorite trail shoes for several years due to their nimble trail feel climbing and descending.

"Guide to Trail Running: Technique
Trail running requires a better sense of running technique than running on the roads. Try to stay light on your feet as if you are running over eggshells.

Relaxing your body improves form and technique more than anything. Foot placement starts to come naturally with practice.

Resist the tendency to favor one leg when jumping, landing or pushing off of things, taking sharp turns etc.

On downhills: run more on the balls of your feet, slightly leaning forward. Running on your heels promotes a "braking" action which fatigues your muscles. Secondly, don't overstride. Let your feet touch down under you, not way out in front. Keep your arms slightly outward (like you have wings) and across the body for balance, and use gravity to your advantage.

On uphills: shorten your stride for lower cadence and keep your head up and shoulders back. Put your chest forward and use your arms in a straight forward and back pumping motion. Concentrate on good form and lifting your knees. Be positive and embrace the climb. Running uphill is easier on the body with lower impact. Short uphills are more about power and more arm action while longer uphills are more about being efficient and finding a rhythm."

ClifBar Shot Blocks-It's all in the Packaging

Clif Shot Bloks used to come in a square package. Open and with sweaty hands instant sticky mess. Now they are packaged in cello tube, squeeze one out a time. The Bloks also don't seem to be as greasy on the surface when damp.

3 flavors have caffeine: Cola, Black Cherry, and Orange. 1 flavor has extra sodium: Margerita. I prefer the Black Cherry.

I find Bloks easier to handle than gels for shorter runs. You can dose them as you go with no sticky package left to stuff in a pocket.

Atlas Run Snowshoe

I have been snowshoeing and running for over 30 years and I have never found a snowshoe which I could comfortably run without thinking I had wide obstacles to trip over at every stride. The new running/racing snowshoes such as the Atlas Run solve this problem. Of course they do not have a tremendous amount of float over deep snow but for groomed trails or harder pack with the potential for post holing they are a ton of fun and a great workout

GoLite Hydro Speed 2 Bottle Belt

Until I got the Hydrospeed I struggled with a comfortable way to carry more than one water bottle but less than a 70-100 oz bladder while running 2 hours or more. Belt bladders were uncomfortable and even one bottle in a all the belts I tried tended to bounce. The key to the Hydro is a thin and relatively stiff foam on the back and the angle of the bottles which rest well and steady and also make bottles easy to retrieve. The 2 front pockets are large enough for several energy gels and a camera or cell phone unlike most front pockets. The bungie holds a light shell securely.

Patagonia Wool 1 T-Shirt

One does not often associate T-shirts with incredible technology but the Wool 1 is such a case. Somehow they have blended wool and polyester into a very light T-shirt which wicks like none other I have ever tried. Wool handles the temperature regulation and the poly strength and wicking. Stays mostly dry when exercising, far dryer than any other material I have tried. Light enough for running in the heat, a first in my experience with wool. Anti-stink. I have hand washed and dried overnight several times so this is the only T you will need for everyday and exercise. Ideal for travel

Relieving Plantar Fasciitis or "Runner's Heels"

In 2007, due to bonehead use of old shoes in a race, I developed plantar fasciitis or "Runner's Heels". Plantar's is most often caused by tight calves straining their final muscle tendon connections just ahead of the heel in the instep area.  Running lots of hills can bring plantars on. The fiberous tissue there can get damaged and easily inflamed. They are most painful first thing in the morning.

What can you do?

1. Stretch calves and achilles gently
   
2. I also use "The Stick", a set of plastic roller on a stick to massage the calves
   
3. Get a good pair of insoles for your running shoes, throw out the junk that comes in them especially if you have high arches as I do. Properly supporting the instep is one of the keys to relieving plantars.  I have used the heat moldable Sole Dean Karzanes model, and while a bit heavy in running shoes,  are also great in ski boots and day to day shoes where they also belong. Lately, after finding them in my Atomic nordic boots, no junk there,  I have been using Sidas insoles. They are not heat moldable but lighter and more flexible.  I prefer them to the Soles but apart from Wasatch Running Center in Salt Lake where I found them in the store I have not been able to find them online in the US. An alternative which looks similar is the ShockDoctor Ultra 2 which is available online. I have not tried these.
4. Don't walk barefoot until your plantars is better
5. Use a "splint" on your feet when you sleep and also when you walk around. I have tried the more elaborate and over a period of time painful Strassburg "sock" but found myself waking up in discomfort. You also can really only wear the sock or other splints when you are sitting or sleeping.
6. I found that the much simpler Pro-Tec Athletics Arch Support which I get at REI can be worn all the time. I do not wear them running as they take up a bit to much room in tighter fitting running shoes.
7. While running I also sometimes wear the compression socks mentioned earlier in my blog as they increase blood flow to the lower legs. These socks do reduce calf soreness and help recovery.
8. Finally, on a trail run last year when my heels were at their worst I ran into a fellow runner complete with Tour du Mont Blanc 100 mile race T-shirt. He swore by Capsasin cream on the heel and instep to increase circulation to that fiberous material. It helps but be sure to completely wash your hands after applying as the cayenne pepper  can really sting the eyes.

Pearl Izumi Float 2-Guest review by Fasteddie

My Utah running partner Fasteddie sent me this review of the Pearl Izumi Float 2 running shoe.

Fasteddie is a late bloomer. In his forties a doctor told him to stop basketball and get an operation on his knees and ankles. He ignored the advice and took up running. 49 marathons later, mostly Boston qualifiers, he is the picture of consistency in pace and equipment.

When Nike completely changed the Pegasus and he was no longer able to find the 05 model on line he turned to the Pearls. I also run in the Synchro Seek 2 trail runner from Pearl. A bit heavy but very protective on tough trails.

Fasteddie's Float 2 Review

Took them out for a test run this am, no orthodics after purchase at the SLC half this weekend. Wowie!
They run a bit LARGE to size, I’m a solid 11 ½ and could prolly go an 11 in thin socks. The 11 ½’s easily take my bargain basement $8.00 Dr. Scholl’s heel/arch supports.
What a shoe. Slipper Design is sooo comfy. No seams! And, the heel absorbs shock without mushyness, so there is great heel strike cushion along with stability. They have also wound hard plastic into the heel for stability with cushioning, with two passes on the inside heel. The Holy grail of heel strikers.
The mid section flexes just enough to allow rotation without correction, unlike the way most manufacturers have beefed up support. These therefore allow flexing throughout the range of motion. (Compared to the NEW Pegasus, which is now a motion control shoe with an old moniker of a previous thoroughbred) This allows the foot to strike the pavement and absorb shock with force and control, but not sacrifice road feel. Basically, let ‘er rip.
Forefoot also flexes but again is stable with a closed cell foam pad, and two deep grooves embedded in the forefoot sole, giving the shoe an even flex in front of the midsole, another sorely lacking feature in the ever more supported shoe building culture of late, whereby most shoe builders add a stiff shank and only some flexibility at the toes, necessitating a more pronounced effort to push off. These shoes FLOAT on push off. They remind me of another great shoe of about 12 years ago, the Asics DS trainer with a nippled sole, that eventually suffered the similar fate of Pegasus, in a bid for mediocrity and middle of the pack marketing; over stiffening.


Drawbacks:

Forefoot box seems a bit wide, but slipper design pulls up the slack, and a thicker sock or smaller size may mitigate. Also, they aren’t broken in yet with my foot imprint. They should get more comfortable than their already acceptable out of box feel. They do run big. However, front toe tip gives ample room. Still haven’t tested on steep downhill to check slip and toe bang, if any, but slipper design should mitigate such. Open heel design just may be an issue for small rocks on trail, but these are really a street/light trail cruiser anyways with great road feel, cushioning, and shock dispersion.