A video review of the Gel-Bot water bottle by Hydrapak. Fuel & Hydration together in one easy to use bottle. It holds 20 fl. oz. of hydration & 2.3 fl. oz of gel (about 2 gels packets).

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Former US Navy SEAL, Stew Smith talks about the PT-1000 – UK Gear’s ONE THOUSAND MILE, ultra-durable road & trail running shoe.

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Based in UK and with international offices in the USA and Australia, UK Gear is a business founded in 1993 with a close (and unique) relationship with the British Army Physical Training Corps. This means that the 450 instructors are not only wearing them, but they also work very closely with the company by testing them in some of the toughest places in the planet. So much so, that only after the army approval the development of their products is considered ready to become commercialized. And they are not only providers of the UK Arny, but also the US army (recruits), US Coast Guards and other emergency organizations. In UK Gear’s CEO words ‘trainers with military DNA’.

There are two different PT-1000 available: the Neutral Cushioning (NC) model, grey and red colored, and the Structured Cushioning (SC) a.k.a. with pronation control, black and red. The model that I’ve tested is the neutral one so my conclusions would apply to this model. Even so, most of the features are exactly the same on both models, so the results can be extrapolated to those with pronation control.

Given that you can read everywhere (could it be said, written by experts?) that running shoes should not be used beyond the 500 miles mark, I really appreciate the fact a manufacturer guaranties that their product will last double mileage of that of their competitors without loosing its quality or affecting your stride. This durability is obtained through Dureva, a proprietary material which, added to the midsole, will provide lasting cushioning and support (thanks to its molecular structure).

The PT-1000 wouldn’t win a beauty contest, I have to say that. At first glance, without knowing what’s underneath, one wouldn’t spend too much on them given the discreet design (though not completely bad looking either) and some apparently not high tech materials. Nothing further from the truth. Although they look like your regular running shoes, there are many years of research and a lot of innovation in them. I won’t list all the tech details, just take a look at the pic below.

When put on for the first time, the word which immediately pops up in your mind is sturdy. Those are quite stiff shoes which might give you a false feeling of ‘won’t be able to run in these for too long’. But this feeling goes away after a few miles in them at an easy pace. The stiffness disappears when logging more and more miles (up to a certain point) and they do not become uncomfortable trainers. Keep in mind though that the PT-1000 have not that finesse in the fit which other brands manage to give to their product.

One problem that I did have with them is that I got a nice blister on each feet after the first runs. One of the fabric (or plastic, or rubber, not sure what it is) strips on the upper front part of the shoe is pointed and, given it’s right on the point where the shoe bends when the foot pushes off, it puts pressure on the mesh and rubs against my toes (see photo). The result is a nuisance starting around mile 8-10 and a blister when going longer than 18-20 miles. But this is something which can get easily fixed just putting a bit of tape around the toes.

Even if you’d bet on the contrary, they are not very heavy. 12.3 oz is not bad given that its strength is durability and that is a feature which usually comes with heavier materials. But these are not racing shoes. It’s not that you can’t put them on in a fast mountain half marathon, but when you squeeze the most out of them is logging miles and miles throughout the season.

Truth is that I have not gone the whole 1000 miles magic number (Paul Bateson has done it) but the 150 miles I run in them indicate it’s more than likely that you can go that far with the PT-1000. Wear, both on the outsole and the upper mesh, is practically non existent, even under the heel where I use to quickly wear the shoes off.

The PT-1000 are sold as hybrid running shoes, wearable both on and off-road. That’s totally true. As any product placed in between categories I don’t see myself running in them in extreme terrains. At least not technical or rough single track trails as they do not have the grip needed, specially on slippery, muddy surfaces. But you sure can run many miles on tarmac, then get on forest roads or trails and these shoes will be up to standard. For many many miles.

On paved roads, service roads or trails. To build up miles of training for your next ultramarathon. To put them on day in day out. To avoid having to buy a pair of road shoes and a pair of trainers, on top of the racing shoes you already have. To run in them knowing they are not the prettiest in the neighborhood but your strongest purchase. To feel your running shoes under your feet without caring for minimalist trends. If you are a runner in need of any (or all) of the above, the PT-1000 are made for you.

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Rodopi Ultra Trail (ROUT), 100 miler is a tough adventure race strictly for experienced runners who compete in autonomy conditions a distance of 163 kilometers running or walking along abandoned paths and trails through the tremendous scenery of the Rodopi Mountains in Northern Greece, renowned for its unique wilderness. Experience the toughest race ever organised in Greece through 160 km of unique forest wilderness over the course of 44 non stop long hours!

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The award-winning and critically acclaimed documentary MY RUN is coming to more than 500 movie theaters nationwide for an exclusive one night premiere event on Thursday, March 31st at 7:00pm (Local Time).

Narrated by Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton, MY RUN is the inspirational story of real life superhero Terry Hitchcock, the 57 year old man who ran 75 consecutive marathons in 75 consecutive days.

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Montrail’s new Rogue Racer running shoe is an ultra-lightweight racing flat for those who crave minimalism and low-profile performance. The Rogue Racer was designed with the help of Montrail athlete Max King and a full review can be read here.

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The Rogue Racer is the new trail racing flat by the designing team at Montrail released a few weeks ago. With feedback from Montrail’s athlete Max King, this shoe kicks off a new lineup completely different that what Montrail had us used to. Don’t expect anything closer to their awarded Masochists, but instead the Rogue Racer is their answer to the minimalist running shoes trend.

Weighting in at 8.8oz for men and 7.4oz for women (in size 9 and 7) they are built to combine speed and lightweight into a low profile shoe positioned as a medium in between a more heavy regular trail shoe and the minimalist one.

Lightweight and flexibility are really its strong points. At 8.8oz (240gr) the feeling of lightness is absolutely amazing. Used to regular trail shoes, on average around 3.5oz heavier and bulkier, they feel as part of the feet, more like tight socks with outsole than shoes. Also, the fit is really excellent, specially in the heel and midfoot and the feet feel really wrapped in them. I guess for cross country or track and field runners this is no news, but for many trail runners these shoes feel like a new experience. And then there’s the second great feature which you can feel the minute you take them out of the box: flexibility. Its outsole is very very flexible, with a point of flexion (where the sole bends when you bend the shoe as if you were to break them in two) just above the ball of the feet, which helps to the low-to-the-ground feel, but still keeping enough structural integrity to make them stable.

The Rogue Racer have a really low profile. I wouldn’t place them in a minimalist category (let’s say, next to the Vibram Fivefingers or the new Inov-8 Evoskin), but they are far away from the usual of regular trail shoes. From toes – 9mm – to heel – 18mm – there’s only a 9mm drop which makes the feet to be very close to the ground increasing the fast responsive feel on the trail.

As per the cushioning, the EVA of its midsole gives you the right shock absorption for this type of shoes. The area from the heel to the flexion point mentioned before has just the extra cushioning to make them very comfortable to run in but not to make them heavy of clunky. Although my runs with the Rogue Racer have been relatively short – 2 hours max- and I’m not very heavy – 150lb – I haven’t had any issues with its cushioning and always felt comfy in them (except when used in rugged terrain). Even so, I wouldn’t recommend them for runs longer than 3 hours, specially for the heel strikers. The cushioning is also complemented (the new shoes featuring Fluidpost are the Fairhaven and the Badrock) with Montrail’s proprietary technology Fluidpost, which also manages the pronation control thanks to a midsole special material which adapts to each runner’s pronation (more details about FluidPost).

The natural habitat of the RR is on grass, service forest roads or single track trails not excessively technical. Most of my runs have been on forest roads and that’s where I’ve really got the most out of them. If you plan to run many miles on rugged terrain though, you should look for new shoes somewhere else. Also, I would not recommend them for muddy or sloppy surfaces. Though the test I did was on really muddy roads (where most trail shoes would not keep you stable no matter their technology), the Rogue Racer became very unstable as soon as it hit sloppy spots. The mud also stick in between the square slugs and there was no way I could get it out of there, which added a few ounces to its weight for nearly the rest of the run. Maybe longer and/or more spaced slugs would have fixed this stability problem in muddy conditions.

And, I’ve got to say it, these are durable trail shoes. After around 150 miles in them (mostly on forest service roads) the outsole barely shows any sign of wear. Even the small squared slugs – which I would’ve bet they would go away pretty fast – still preserve their shape. They cost $110, but in Montrail’s favor, these shoes are built to last.

Overall, the Montrail Rogue Racer are excellent shoes for those trail runners willing to get a taste of what’s that minimal shoes trend without suddenly going all the way to the extreme with some other options available in the market. They give you a great the low-to-the-ground feel, as well as lightweight, flexibility and a speedy touch which is perfect for many of the trail runners out there. If that’s the kind of feel you’re looking in a trail shoe, look for the Rogue Racer. You’ll love them!

Manufacturer’s Tech details

• Light and airy nylon mesh uppers with synthetic leather overlays offer excellent flexibility and ventilation while keeping weight low
• Nylon linings wick moisture off your feet and dry quickly to keep feet comfortable
• Compression-molded EVA midsoles are lightweight and offer great response
• External thermoplastic urethane shank/hard EVA plates protect against stone bruising by dispersing point pressure; external thermoplastic urethane shanks provide torsional stability
• Montrail Rogue Racer shoes feature perforated Gryptonite rubber outsoles with small multidirectional lugs to supply traction with minimal weight penalty

Bonus video: Montrail’s athlete Gary Robbins, testing the Rogue Racer outside of Vancouver

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Someone recently asked about my most memorable trail run. Gosh, it’s hard to pick the most memorable. But I might describe a marathon through mountains not far from Florence on my 41st birthday, where I was the only American and surrounded by Italians while running through a mossy forest. Ridge-top views revealed cloud-filled canyons, and verdant peaks of nearby hills poked through the mist like islands. A stone cottage housing an alpine club came into view midway on the course, and several white-haired volunteers dressed in aprons stepped forward. They began pouring glasses of red wine—yes, wine at around Mile 14!—and dishing up bowls of steaming penne.

At this Tuscan version of an aid station, I pulled an energy gel from my hydration pack, held the foil packet for all to see, and said to one who spoke English, “In California, this is what we consume on long runs.” I was laughing, as though presenting something as ridiculous and alien as space food, and when the man translated my sentence for the others, they all pointed and laughed, too. “Mangia, mangia!” they told me. “Penne pomodoro o pesto?” Only in Italy!

Our family traveled through Northern Italy for more than a month in 2010, and running—or hiking, with the kids in tow—enhanced our appreciation for the country and its people immeasurably. What follows are suggestions on where to run, including links to several trail running events.

I’m extremely grateful to our friends Luciano Zanardo and Serena Richardson, who provided these tips. They’re a trail-running couple who divide their time between Berkeley and Treviso (near Venice), and they helped me tour the region and register for races. If you don’t have local contacts, consider a tour with an outfit such as Dolomite Sport.
“Trail running is flourishing in Italy, with a calendar that’s getting pretty busy,” says Luciano. “The north and center tend to be more active, and the whole region around Florence and Siena has great hills and events. Spirito Trail is the biggest online community and resource for trail running.”

Near Florence:

Luciano and Serena’s favorite event takes place near Siena on October 16: Ecomaratona del Chianti 42K (26 miles and 3000 feet elevation gain), with 18K and 10K options. “The course is rolling, mainly through dirt roads and not super technical,” says Luciano. “The atmosphere is great, food is delicious, and views are varied and sometimes surprising, between nature and ancient little villages.” Adds Serena: “The marathon leaves from and finishes in the center square of Castelnuovo Berardenga, a small town near Siena. The organizers provide dinner before and lunch after the race, abundant aid stations, and thorough orientation and instructions throughout. We stayed at a beautiful agritourismo a short drive away, Agriturismo Montaperti, but there are also hotels right in Castelnuovo Berardenga so one could roll out of bed to the starting line. This could be a good destination race for the whole family.”

On the first weekend in May, my favorite run described in the opening paragraph takes place in Prato, “Da Piazza a Piazza.” It’s actually a two-day event totaling 75K (47 miles and 12,000 feet elevation gain), but you can do what I did: just the first day’s 40K (slightly shorter than a real marathon). The event is noncompetitive—there was no official start time; people just embarked on the course whenever they showed up—and it’s designed more for hikers, with a minority running the course. The event gets is name because it starts in the town “piazza” (public square) in Prato, runs through mountains to the first day’s finish in the piazza of Montepiano, and returns a different route to Prato.
For hard-core trail ultrarunners, Luciano recommends the June 5 Trail Del Malandrino 70K (47 miles, 15,000 feet elev.).

The Dolomites

Summer is the best time for running and hiking this mountain range in northeastern Italy. The weather is more mild, the “rifugi” (mountain huts or lodges) are open, and races are organized, says Luciano. “Between the end of July and the third week of August, they’re pretty crowded and it might be difficult to enjoy solitary single tracks in the most famous venues.” He suggests going toward the end of June or early July, or late August to early September.

The Lavaredo Ultra Trail 90K (56 miles, 17,000 feet) on July 2 is “tough, tough, tough, but the organizers are really passionate about the Dolomites and trail running,” says Luciano. Register early, as it fills quickly.

For an easier course—relatively speaking—consider the Transcivetta 23.5 K (15 miles, 6400 feet elev.) in mid-July (date TBD). “It’s teams of two people, great views, pretty rocky and technical, but it’s relatively short and one can take it slow.”

On September 18, 40 miles north of Venice, the Troi de Cimbri 55K (34 miles, 10,000 feet elev.) takes place. “The middle part runs through a wonderful forest located in a plateau 3000 feet above sea level,” says Luciano. “It’s a top-grade yet friendly and family-style organization. I can’t recommend this one enough.”

Cinque Terre

We found paradise while renting an apartment for a week in Vernazza, near the middle of the Cinque Terre’s stretch of coastal villages. The popular trail connecting all the towns gets quite crowded midday, so head out early. Trail maps and permits (there’s a toll system to use the trails) are easily available in each little town. Look on the map for Trail #8, my favorite, less-crowded alternative.

Want more ideas? Search “Italy” on mapmyrun.com, and check out one more site Luciano recommends: Il Paletto.  Buon viaggio!

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The North Face Get Ready For online video series supports ultra runners world-over as everyone gets ready for the challenging ultra season ahead. Sebastien Chaigneau has worked with The North Face Performance Team on a special Get Ready For series to give insight on athletes’ training programme all year long. During the season, Sebastien will visit training camps of well-known ultra races such as The North Face Trans Gran Canaria; The North Face Lavaredo Ultra Trail; and the infamous The North Face Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc. He will give information on the race profile, key difficulties and necessary/mandatory equipment for each race. Get Ready For the ultra season and start training with The North Face Team!

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I saw Dutch trail ‘aficionados’ using a similar strategy. Apparently, you don’t need a Swiss passport to be able to prepare well for running mountain trails.

This brings me to another typical quality of most Dutch. They like travelling. Besides some real fine ‘off road’ running opportunity’s in certain areas througout the small country, some more serious uphill trails and trail competitions can be found in nearby Belgium and Germany. A three hours drive will bring most of Dutch trail runners to some nice trail areas abroad. An additional advantage of travelling to Belgium for a trail run, is the wide offer of good monastery beers that can be found in this country. Furthermore typical Belgian food and a nice atmosphere make it worth the journey.

Last decades in Dutch mountain climbing, another laughable subject of course, a similar development has been seen. As in the seventies mountain climbing was a quite exotic thing in the Netherlands, nowadays climbers from below sealevel accomplish some great mountain performances all over the world. Maybe the Dutch go abroad because of the small size of their country, and the desire of better beer then Heineken. Maybe they never feel restricted by their limits to find new opportunity’s. In history, the Dutch earned gold by selling slaves and drugs centuries ago. I’m still convinced that selling humans and ‘spices’ in the 17th century are the foundation of our 21st century whealth, so beware of the Dutch! :)

I would like to mention in this place an initiative of a modest Dutch trail runner group called MudSweatTrails. They tried to combine best of both cultures of Belgium and The Netherlands in a 30 km trail competition near the border of the two countries, close to the cities of Aachen (D), Liège (B) and Maastricht (NL). A very nice initiative, worth a visit if you’re in the area around the 15 th of may. See: www.mudsweattrails.nl/koningvanspanjeenglish

This rather odd story about trailrunners from a nation with no mountains reminds me of a World Championship speed ice skating the Netherlands, years ago. At that time, this sport was only practised in countries like the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Germany, the United States, Canada or Russia. One of the participating competitors was a guy with a Spanish name, something like Gomez or Gonzales. As a matter of fact, he was from Spain. He had a childish technique and he ended minutes after the elite skaters, but all the spectators gave him a real warm applause. The public simply loved this Spanish anti-hero.

In the same kind of atmosphere, a Dutch runner took part in the TDG in 2010. Swiss people I met during the course were amazed that this guy was able to run around in between all these giant mountains. “Where..? How..? But..?” They ended up joking about such a funny idea… Until they saw him passing by, hours ahead of their Swiss favourite runner. The Dutch runner finished in 22th position.

So we’re in, I guess. And we hope you accept us running your mountains and tasting your beers, wines, steaks, jamon serrano, french fries or Emmental!

Guest post by 100% MIG, from MudSweatTrails, NL

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