tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82854878293967615292024-03-12T16:42:31.863-07:00Midpack GearPerambulating mid-packer opining about running products and practices.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-48371842232685372962019-06-03T14:26:00.000-07:002019-06-03T14:26:19.155-07:00Torin 4.0 Review<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Torin is one of those models that seem to change substantially with each iteration yet managing to remain true to the concept of the shoe. The Torin is about plush and cushion for training and even possibly longer races (perhaps the marathon/ultra distance at less speedy paces).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've run in a bunch - <a href="https://www.midpackgear.com/2017/03/altra-torin-25-review.html">2.5</a>, <a href="https://www.midpackgear.com/2017/07/altra-torin-30-review.html">3.0</a>, 3.5 Mesh and <a href="https://www.midpackgear.com/2019/04/torin-35-mesh-review.html">Knit</a>. My favorite of them was the 3.5 Knit, so it seemed like Altra was making good progress in their iteration of the line over the last few years. I've been running in the 4.0 (regular?) version for the last 60 miles and really like the shoe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">New and improved features of note:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- A well fitting upper that is an improvement over the 3.5 Knit, which was a little baggy around the tongue and laces. This shoe fits a lot more like the Kayenta - more form fitting without being too tight or creating hotspots.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- A better midsole material made of Quantic - closer to the feel of the Ego midsole of the Escalante line than the A-Bound of previous Torins. It has a bit of a bounce to it and doesn't feel like it has flattened out at all in the first 50 miles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Support straps at the midfoot. They aren't that noticeable like the ill-fated version Saucony implemented on the previous Kinvara models. They may incrementally help with lock-down. But they aren't anything to be that concerned with, one way or the other.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- A decoupled heel on the outer side of the shoe. This presumably creates a little more flex on heel landing on the outside of the shoe. Not sure I notice it at all, but the general feel on landing is comfortable cush but not squish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Nice laces - thin and stay tied. The 3.5 laces were not long enough, the laces of the Paradigm 4.5s are ridiculously long and still untie with a double-knot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Seemingly more durable rubber pods on the outsole. On previous versions, the pods seemed like they were made of midsole material or really soft rubber. The pods on the 4.0s seem like they are made of honest-to-goodness rubber that might hold up for a couple of hundred miles before they scrape right off. I am getting some wear on them at the heel (none elsewhere) but it seems more normal than premature.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Light on my feet. While they are listed at 9.1 ounces vs. the 8.4 of the 3.5 Knit, the latest version feels like it weighs less. I would not hesitate to wear the 4.0s from a 5K up to a marathon - they are a joy to run in and never feel plodding like the 3.5 Knit/Mesh could at times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Look. Altra has kicked up the styling a bit to the point where the first thing that comes to mind isn't "clown shoes". These don't scream Altra - they look more normal which is a good thing in my book. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm looking forward to trying the 4.0 Plush version -- a 28 mm height vs the 26 mm of the regular version reviewed here. The regular retails for $120 while the Plush requires a plusher wallet at $140.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But all things considered, this is an excellent upgrade that address some of my main complaints around past Torins outlined above.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0T31IOES5hWol8aJsCIh6DLqnwOD9-QWfLeWAR-zXFLp7H1BQIU0RctMrGhciDeh892RCFrgc4jR17uiw07S0nzXHw2XLW9xW_2wOhQDiVemKAFX8pRvGISjoMQnQej8i9vRhgmZQBe1j/s1600/IMG_20190523_103517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0T31IOES5hWol8aJsCIh6DLqnwOD9-QWfLeWAR-zXFLp7H1BQIU0RctMrGhciDeh892RCFrgc4jR17uiw07S0nzXHw2XLW9xW_2wOhQDiVemKAFX8pRvGISjoMQnQej8i9vRhgmZQBe1j/s640/IMG_20190523_103517.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A good looking Torin from above and below</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TYkmzbTMo3e_SJJ49AVpbblj1DnKoO-v3HnM0087k30i2W3AjPgz6WBDEjLgjFG-rNfS59bmBLr19Ny0NNFIw6u6LS-5kRE6pmVgVjQA_KaM8tVX5kc31Er21sGNWTjsd4CpvNX5CSHZ/s1600/MVIMG_20190523_103449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TYkmzbTMo3e_SJJ49AVpbblj1DnKoO-v3HnM0087k30i2W3AjPgz6WBDEjLgjFG-rNfS59bmBLr19Ny0NNFIw6u6LS-5kRE6pmVgVjQA_KaM8tVX5kc31Er21sGNWTjsd4CpvNX5CSHZ/s640/MVIMG_20190523_103449.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the midfoot straps and the highly functional laces. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqIKdl0ok6-xuCFiBOdP4q2wGSEeBRA0-zs_119I2P47_NtVMiqs9uLeW0lo0GEGLCb-gI6ZVh1ZTJo-eyCFcUaFXX74rkpSkDRwenWY9qrMHNXBvYSX2ISDs25XeZV7BeQ7cbU6DYlZQ/s1600/IMG_20190523_103442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqIKdl0ok6-xuCFiBOdP4q2wGSEeBRA0-zs_119I2P47_NtVMiqs9uLeW0lo0GEGLCb-gI6ZVh1ZTJo-eyCFcUaFXX74rkpSkDRwenWY9qrMHNXBvYSX2ISDs25XeZV7BeQ7cbU6DYlZQ/s640/IMG_20190523_103442.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice mesh upper that fits snugly yet provides plenty of toe splay and aeration</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HRTMenDeWhpXhhBC-TPGEeqZJYPqRm2O0XB0nFlbaDqBZfcp9O31jbddKxM5nlTu4TiD2iFm_GaczUYt6vZuBEeUKY53RzywU3SWodwUPprr9-bGrCzX9yKh_y_y7vD4IL-89OHvDPVc/s1600/IMG_20190523_103531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HRTMenDeWhpXhhBC-TPGEeqZJYPqRm2O0XB0nFlbaDqBZfcp9O31jbddKxM5nlTu4TiD2iFm_GaczUYt6vZuBEeUKY53RzywU3SWodwUPprr9-bGrCzX9yKh_y_y7vD4IL-89OHvDPVc/s640/IMG_20190523_103531.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The heel is segmented on the outer side of each foot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iyBQJfry_DAgoRujRJwxP-hUdXcyp72e2he_daz-Bggq3MKI3CaT58-yl5YyG1v6qpe8136ljk37WY4Zo1dZ6vZYN_y2pDkxDRjAKxjsxmQfuS9BXK9kUbm9eMD7YTlN8NbmkIzV983T/s1600/IMG_20190523_103458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iyBQJfry_DAgoRujRJwxP-hUdXcyp72e2he_daz-Bggq3MKI3CaT58-yl5YyG1v6qpe8136ljk37WY4Zo1dZ6vZYN_y2pDkxDRjAKxjsxmQfuS9BXK9kUbm9eMD7YTlN8NbmkIzV983T/s640/IMG_20190523_103458.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A good shot of the rubber on the heel before I start to wear it away!<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQk_Hiq4ZrvnFGRxfqvCuTos3Pe7Eb3Pvf4TrukMtH6yYBf6rGkzrlfvlrXdYj6MGk2q5w6Ja6kMBaIGilER_OG924wPnHexq_2l0UlqnPmgqjjtwQ4QccwTev6NyU1P84TdrxP-3feMqp/s1600/IMG_20190603_170234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQk_Hiq4ZrvnFGRxfqvCuTos3Pe7Eb3Pvf4TrukMtH6yYBf6rGkzrlfvlrXdYj6MGk2q5w6Ja6kMBaIGilER_OG924wPnHexq_2l0UlqnPmgqjjtwQ4QccwTev6NyU1P84TdrxP-3feMqp/s640/IMG_20190603_170234.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rubber is wearing a bit but not too badly</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHAOy2IOnRm1dZSG5VvCCkCoAQE5V6fTcgJ4XNohN8GeV2IIU7ZI3RMhqG4l0L93Z2LRtVyQGj05oWv1QMM365YM2J9v3Z7li63P9q-F9fbIGmuewiHTjOV5l0qtDNWL4ugvkpuN09vys/s1600/IMG_20190603_170208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHAOy2IOnRm1dZSG5VvCCkCoAQE5V6fTcgJ4XNohN8GeV2IIU7ZI3RMhqG4l0L93Z2LRtVyQGj05oWv1QMM365YM2J9v3Z7li63P9q-F9fbIGmuewiHTjOV5l0qtDNWL4ugvkpuN09vys/s640/IMG_20190603_170208.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the wear and tear around the outer heel.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-56184551689435317792019-04-04T13:00:00.003-07:002019-04-05T09:10:23.742-07:00Torin 3.5 Mesh review<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I was so wrapped up in <a href="https://www.midpackgear.com/2019/01/altra-escalante-15-and-escalante-racer.html">loving the Escalante</a> that I missed out on the Torin 3.5 Mesh. I've been a fan of the mainstay of Altra's line, and they seem to be making continued progress on making small improvements without trashing the basics - a supportive zero drop shoe that is a great everyday trainer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 3.0s were a major improvement over the 2.5s; this upgrade is a minor improvement but has significant changes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 3.5 Mesh differs from the 3.0 in the following ways (<a href="https://www.midpackgear.com/2017/07/altra-torin-30-review.html">see my 3.0 review here</a>):</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- There is an improved mesh upper in this version. It is more comfortable to me, especially over the big toe, than the 3.0. This version is soft and has the kind of give in the material that I like in an upper - no hot spots after 90 miles. When I first tried on the shoe it fit a little tight, but loosened up very quickly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- There is a lot more support around the heel collar. Some dislike it and the fact it goes "up" the back of the Achilles heel; I find it super comfy and have no issues here.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-O6ga97uHQOvlY-7KmsEMLSuWOpAMsTyoeF6UYlZ6arCDkJjroCxxL8fe49ZmiW2w3y6EtZWM4XbfQOYAQPJeX7cgwA2fQttvfrnAslyYAUIF7rBQuhnt_3H5ljDpXucz3Pd5x3mH9nh/s1600/IMG_20190404_141555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-O6ga97uHQOvlY-7KmsEMLSuWOpAMsTyoeF6UYlZ6arCDkJjroCxxL8fe49ZmiW2w3y6EtZWM4XbfQOYAQPJeX7cgwA2fQttvfrnAslyYAUIF7rBQuhnt_3H5ljDpXucz3Pd5x3mH9nh/s640/IMG_20190404_141555.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- They have a bit of an inner stretch booty going on (you can see it under/left of tongue) which works well to improve hold.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymrGprpeRAOxRz45agOBMJYGncAne8Ro6zHPoJJxP1dC-xr1iBXoUHybbF-A_3XhwbhzS2uEfYJGVzKI_taluGv-DfCXaL5RRUB35qBLUvph_0Nf6asXoK7XHinL_9hZ-L3Dc2eEht-fn/s1600/IMG_20190404_141607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymrGprpeRAOxRz45agOBMJYGncAne8Ro6zHPoJJxP1dC-xr1iBXoUHybbF-A_3XhwbhzS2uEfYJGVzKI_taluGv-DfCXaL5RRUB35qBLUvph_0Nf6asXoK7XHinL_9hZ-L3Dc2eEht-fn/s640/IMG_20190404_141607.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- The midsole feels a bit more firm to me - not as firm as the 2.5, but a bit firmer than the 3.0. I love the feel of this shoe - and it doesn't feel like it is getting "flat" yet unlike past Torins which start to lose resiliency around the 100 mile mark. It is a bit softer than the 3.5 Knit, a point made by <a href="https://www.roadtrailrun.com/2018/05/altra-running-torin-35-review-2-one.html">Road Trail Run's review.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've had some foot pain from running in the very flexible Escalantes so have been wearing the Torins for all my runs over the past couple of weeks. Out of necessity I'm running a couple of races (10M and 10K) in them, and find them totally acceptable to wear - not too heavy nor too warm. <a href="https://www.midpackgear.com/2018/07/altra-torin-35-knit-review-best-torin.html">The Torin 3.5 Knit</a>, in comparison, feel way too bulky and hot to race in in warmer weather. The Knit has a better feeling upper in terms of grip and fit, but the tightness of the weave broils my feet in anything other than sub freezing temps.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm looking forward to the soon to arrive <a href="https://www.roadtrailrun.com/2018/12/altra-running-2019-previewsvanish-xc.html">Torin 4.0s</a>. From <a href="http://roadtrailrun.com/">Road Trail Run's </a>photos they look similar to the 3.5s re the upper and have improved outsoles with more rubber coverage (hopefully they exhibit better road wear for me then past Torins -- they scuff/wear quite a bit especially when I run downhills!).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7ERcBo32qlQBCIfqfXiPh83BG_UPCt7XsFWYV1Ry2D1Z7UjvYoSPev6_RB9Yuovm4IJXXsT5-zB2wjm5ebl7fHHbKP-mzULRayECh973LwjstxnYPampHzMms46eViak-Jc6G2us79pa/s1600/IMG_20190404_141615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7ERcBo32qlQBCIfqfXiPh83BG_UPCt7XsFWYV1Ry2D1Z7UjvYoSPev6_RB9Yuovm4IJXXsT5-zB2wjm5ebl7fHHbKP-mzULRayECh973LwjstxnYPampHzMms46eViak-Jc6G2us79pa/s640/IMG_20190404_141615.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-30424698572499578322019-01-02T15:42:00.000-08:002019-01-02T15:42:20.558-08:00Altra Escalante 1.5 and Escalante Racer review<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was almost a believer in the first edition of the Escalante. Altra's EGO midsole foam blew me away - it was light and bouncy and had terrific durability - what you hoped their A-Bound compound (Torin and Lone Peak) should be. A-Bound loses bounce very quickly and becomes dead foam in 100 miles or so in my experience over several generations of Torins and LPs.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, the Escalante 1.0 had an upper that didn't provide any support on any kind of corner. I have a memory of running in them on a wet track where my foot was sliding off the footbed a half an inch on turns - it just didn't have any kind of lockdown. And they stretched out as well - so they became a little baggy after purchase.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Escalante 1.5 remedied the weaknesses of the first version. The shoe has improved the mesh by creating more reinforcement on the inside and outside of the shoe with a thicker weave - it didn't resort to uncomfortable straps or wires for a better lock down. Now, it provides enough support to me so that I didn't experience the sliding from 1.0.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlx7PtGPooipv1rfmXZnJfTM5gaazhf6Srpx06ieML5ptQu-VXEGpXDyGmMzc-SUdV1uNofGpWILh04AL8_lWhBQzEeGWuoO2JbdQU8rkt8ha-uRRMu9loyaJoBXbgA-4SvZ8-_d85jRY/s1600/IMG_20190102_182214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlx7PtGPooipv1rfmXZnJfTM5gaazhf6Srpx06ieML5ptQu-VXEGpXDyGmMzc-SUdV1uNofGpWILh04AL8_lWhBQzEeGWuoO2JbdQU8rkt8ha-uRRMu9loyaJoBXbgA-4SvZ8-_d85jRY/s640/IMG_20190102_182214.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The weave under the logo is thicker and has less "give"</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Altra firmed up the midsole material just a tiny bit - its not quite as marshmallow-y as the first version, but keeps it pretty close to what made the ride for the Escalante 1.0 so special. It prevents the foam between the bottom of the rubber outsole from bottoming out (the spot between the rubber pods with "Innerflex" bulged out and wore on the ground in 1.0 - now it doesn't).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The rubber outsole is super durable - unlike the pods on every model of Torin it doesn't wear down to the foam. I've had three pairs - the lifespan of the 1.5s is well north of 300 miles - I do feel the EGO foam losing some resiliency around that point but they continue to be wearable and show no loss of integrity in the upper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The <a href="https://www.altrarunning.com/shop/road/escalante-racer-alm1833b?variationId=994#hero=0">Racer series</a> has a completely different upper than the 1.5. It isn't a stretchy mesh - it is a harder less flexible weave that provides even more support on a track. It is more aerated with bigger holes to aid in ventilation. And the midsole compound is even firmer than the 1.5. I'd rate the three shoes like this, with a 10 being the bounciest:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Escalante 1.0: 9</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Escalante 1.5: 8.25</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Despite the changes in the upper and midsole, I have found the Racer to be very comfortable on both the road and track, and wouldn't hesitate to wear it in distances including a half-marathon. For a full 26.2, I like the extra cushion of the 1.5 version.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I haven't put many miles on the Racer, as I generally prefer the 1.5 for training and save the Racer for, well, racing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.roadtrailrun.com/2018/12/altra-running-2019-previewsvanish-xc.html">The Escalante 2 will provide more support in the upper and slightly more rubber on the outsole</a> , according to roadtrailrun.com - but in my view, this isn't necessary. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Altra has a super good thing going with this model, and here's to hoping they don't destroy what is my favorite shoe of theirs to this point. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-59885368211156836142018-08-13T11:55:00.001-07:002018-08-20T12:56:00.718-07:00Hoka Mach review - initial and replacement shoes (blue and grey)<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I purchased the Hoka Mach back in February 2018 but never got around to doing a review of the shoe. I recently purchased a second pair, so it seemed like a good time to do so. Here's a good review of the Mach by <a href="https://ultrarunnerpodcast.com/hoka-one-one-mach-review/">Ben Zuehlsdorf at URP.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The first pair were ordered right around the time they were released. A lot of things about the shoe were perfect: a very light weight, 7.9 oz in Mens size 9 vs 9.6 in the <a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2017/11/hoka-oneone-clifton-4-review-4th-time_17.html">Clifton 4</a>. Successors to the Clayton line - a very similar shoe that I enjoyed a lot but which caused blistering on the ball of my foot, a problem experienced by many others. I did not get any blistering from the Machs, which unfortunately still seems to be an issue for some people (see some of the <a href="https://www.runningwarehouse.com/HOKA_ONE_ONE_Mach/descpage-HOMA1M4.html">reviews here on Running Warehouse</a>). I also thought the Mach had a very nice upper that was flexible and breathable. Finally, the shoes were ample for me in the toe box - they allowed some splay (much more than the Clifton 4 or 5) and didn't feel cramped or cause blistering on the ends of my toes like I experienced in the Clifton 4.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pair with 230 miles. A little baggy in the upper but not totally stretched out.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A new pair of the Mach - tighter in the uppers.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I put around 230 miles on the Mach and found the durability to be pretty good. The upper has stretched out a bit, but I still can get a decent lock down when I run. The RMAT outsole held up very well - some wear pattern on the outside of the heel but that's where I usually abrade the outsole. But: still plenty of the material left and the shoe feels like it has life in it yet. And, despite a good amount of sweating, they aren't repulsive - they don't hold odor like the new <a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2018/07/altra-torin-35-knit-review-best-torin.html">Altra Knit Torin 3.5</a> does.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I bought a new pair of Machs and found them to be a bit of a revelation. The upper is a bit more locked down than the first pair. I'm not sure if that's because the first pair is stretched or Hoka has tweaked the design in response to early feedback about the shoes being too wide. It seems to be identical upper material, just slightly less of it. But I find the slightly tighter upper to give a better feel on the road - I have a more even footfall with the upper of the second pair being a little more snug. I'll see if they loosen up with more use, or this is a persistent difference. But I definitely like the feel of the new shoes better. <span style="color: red;">(Edit: after 15 miles, the uppers have loosened up)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />Here, you can see a couple of shots where there's been a few millimeters of RMAT wear on the outside heel of the shoe (blue = used, grey = new).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoQgChplPBy6tZm8QedBIk3spgHkASbyyB7vvGgy6aFmW0KsNkr7QpSw4iBdKv8uZriGdArMQzG4s9Ws9_Fw3z2G5UXgx9UH8ifdJdeA92NbCXyRD9Mr6Wk1qLgdYAfd_hTOYm0n-Fbs8/s1600/IMG_20180813_102555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoQgChplPBy6tZm8QedBIk3spgHkASbyyB7vvGgy6aFmW0KsNkr7QpSw4iBdKv8uZriGdArMQzG4s9Ws9_Fw3z2G5UXgx9UH8ifdJdeA92NbCXyRD9Mr6Wk1qLgdYAfd_hTOYm0n-Fbs8/s640/IMG_20180813_102555.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "after" view - worn down so there's no more pattern on the outside rear heel. But still enough material left for another hundred miles (or more)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2to8ev-ZADGUavWLBALyOHpmHitAB_uAW4DsYqSKt4dHvF8Ouj5s-yPYhvCnzVrL58Exwyo09-KewvTeVlncj1zLArsYCGriNZ3b38RiEoqojkX3n6RgdM21-q9TfhRr0WocrP5tqZMPw/s1600/IMG_20180813_102748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2to8ev-ZADGUavWLBALyOHpmHitAB_uAW4DsYqSKt4dHvF8Ouj5s-yPYhvCnzVrL58Exwyo09-KewvTeVlncj1zLArsYCGriNZ3b38RiEoqojkX3n6RgdM21-q9TfhRr0WocrP5tqZMPw/s640/IMG_20180813_102748.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This shoe only has one run - there is some wear visible immediately, but you can see the "before" depth of RMAT</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-7455414755987791122018-08-07T09:56:00.000-07:002018-08-20T13:00:24.948-07:00Altra Paradigm 4.0 review - good first try but not there yet<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is a highly awaited and positively touted update of the <a href="https://www.altrarunning.com/men/paradigm-40">Paradigm</a> series. I did not run previously in the Paradigm, but the <a href="https://www.roadtrailrun.com/2018/04/altra-running-paradigm-40-first-look.html">early praise</a> of the 4.0 by Sam Winebaum on <a href="ttps://www.roadtrailrun.com">Road Trail Run</a> got me interested.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqRCIfDWYGNd6RT2sBgjJrt7nudFS6UaFGhTnixWgZiQDTcbva8k3QXqS0_9G-MRb4IJc0cfZWnNDyDEOE8BTNyV-qVnXFbj3FvVCObM6TyU7w8j3JVahBD-eBS2Uvgq6RlcSBX9DLTS6/s1600/IMG_20180807_103749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqRCIfDWYGNd6RT2sBgjJrt7nudFS6UaFGhTnixWgZiQDTcbva8k3QXqS0_9G-MRb4IJc0cfZWnNDyDEOE8BTNyV-qVnXFbj3FvVCObM6TyU7w8j3JVahBD-eBS2Uvgq6RlcSBX9DLTS6/s640/IMG_20180807_103749.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great looking pair of Altras - maybe the nicest yet.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlIgFyZsHIGCgbkTC3byH48IEsloHaZ29prmKCbaVcen2osJjHJFonVamD6Y_3c-TQBULDnea5q8OgE-9bEi5gtz6tYA6ywg_E94CqyFxkYPDMiTy48nXfRLbTTPcB_cxU_VG449wAwY2/s1600/IMG_20180807_103803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlIgFyZsHIGCgbkTC3byH48IEsloHaZ29prmKCbaVcen2osJjHJFonVamD6Y_3c-TQBULDnea5q8OgE-9bEi5gtz6tYA6ywg_E94CqyFxkYPDMiTy48nXfRLbTTPcB_cxU_VG449wAwY2/s640/IMG_20180807_103803.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See the StabiliPod at the outside of the shoe near the pinky toe and the heel.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsoPthgXMqL99CUadCwwzQHsmMpGJhQ6LM3y0pIsw3K2x0yP1HtnrrdLjuPjcFA0a2gGDIf30sm0r0K2J7T4KSpUk0ZZXFSfKVxZVGIYT8COAHPQUOQmWPO0rNtNshNFWSrneAVQJbc7qy/s1600/IMG_20180807_103812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsoPthgXMqL99CUadCwwzQHsmMpGJhQ6LM3y0pIsw3K2x0yP1HtnrrdLjuPjcFA0a2gGDIf30sm0r0K2J7T4KSpUk0ZZXFSfKVxZVGIYT8COAHPQUOQmWPO0rNtNshNFWSrneAVQJbc7qy/s640/IMG_20180807_103812.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the inside, just a StabiliPod near the ball of the foot.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEtELyJqPTNFcbw1p1m44xgUHVlvk2iKDnLc1Mt3p8UwMZQhXp1WYWmPK-nI2Y7exC7oPlZmNrm-jnV-NLqi4iwLqBc3mIyiS5M-5bG3ny6M5jVN6P7-r7JRBeEqnJQPC3FPF6DJJkfzP/s1600/IMG_20180807_104237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEtELyJqPTNFcbw1p1m44xgUHVlvk2iKDnLc1Mt3p8UwMZQhXp1WYWmPK-nI2Y7exC7oPlZmNrm-jnV-NLqi4iwLqBc3mIyiS5M-5bG3ny6M5jVN6P7-r7JRBeEqnJQPC3FPF6DJJkfzP/s640/IMG_20180807_104237.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excellent looking outsoles that should hold up for hundreds of miles. I wish the Torin looked like this.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Recommended by Altra for road, trail and cross training, the shoe is super comfortable - its one of those models where they feel absolutely perfect in the store and you know you must have them. The EGO material in the mid sole is luxurious, the toe box is ample but not too roomy, and the quality of the shoe is spectacular. The out sole has enough rubber on it to hold up to wear, but not too much. I couldn't resist.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Unfortunately for me, the shoe has two drawbacks that led me to return after two runs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />First, and most important, the shoes clip the inside of my ankle when running. When the right foot swings back the front left side of the right shoe can nick my left ankle. I've had this experience in Topo's Ultrafly (original - the second version shaved enough material that this doesn't happen). It is one of the drawbacks of natural style shoes that are big in the forefoot. It only happened a couple of times when running, but it was enough to scratch up my leg. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIiaABpVVL7WyXLQfCmqljJ2j9HQVRLSgZv7xP6qKoWFRf5tbIdnEBrYuwYnYoHyFG0JQEG6XeWOgpGO3fxNbjIYCfWoC2w-szEr_Fd7pBIqdC5YhuZuHRm30yIIdJlm9wcv_pYHn3Cnh/s1600/IMG_20180807_102135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIiaABpVVL7WyXLQfCmqljJ2j9HQVRLSgZv7xP6qKoWFRf5tbIdnEBrYuwYnYoHyFG0JQEG6XeWOgpGO3fxNbjIYCfWoC2w-szEr_Fd7pBIqdC5YhuZuHRm30yIIdJlm9wcv_pYHn3Cnh/s320/IMG_20180807_102135.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Second, the shoe is just too bulky. I've been running in the <a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2018/07/altra-torin-35-knit-review-best-torin.html">Torin 3.5 knit</a> which are really delightful in the cushion/ground feel tradeoff. Unfortunately, the Paradigm 4.0 is over the top in this department. That might not be a problem for people looking for a real cush shoe for either recovery or ultra road distances (I couldn't see wearing these on trails - I'd be tripping over rocks and roots with this stack height). But for me - my average daily run is in the 5 mile range, long around 10, and weekly miles sub 40 most of the time -- this is just too much shoe. If they took off a bit of the stack height and got the weight down by an ounce or two, this would be a super trainer for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I encourage Hoka enthusiasts - particularly people who love the Bondi or Clifton and think it could use more room in the toebox - to check out the Paradigm 4.0. But for me, I'll wait and see what they can do in the Paradigm 4.5 to address some of these issues.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1Washington, DC, USA38.9071923 -77.03687070000000938.7094553 -77.3595942 39.104929299999995 -76.714147200000014tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-50554836767151230052018-07-25T12:08:00.000-07:002018-08-20T12:59:56.691-07:00Altra Torin 3.5 Knit review - best Torin yet<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is the third generation of Torins I've worn, and the first where <a href="http://altrarunning.com/">Altra </a>knocked it out of the park by creating an extremely comfortable daily trainer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2017/03/altra-torin-25-review.html">2.5 version</a> was my first pair. Their main deficiency was in the upper material - which was thick and lacked ventilation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2017/07/altra-torin-30-review.html">3.0 version</a> addressed the upper material issue, creating a more breathable upper. Unfortunately, over time, I found the thick plastic material over the big toe became increasingly uncomfortable to me. I eventually found it so bothersome I abandoned the model. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On the <a href="https://www.altrarunning.com/men/torin-knit-35">3.5</a>, Altra created a truly magnificent upper. In fact, this could be my favorite upper of all time for any Altra shoe. It grips your foot, but is not constricting. It provides stability but not too much. And it is breathable and soft - my feet aren't feeling too hot on DC summer days and not hot spots where pressure causes discomfort.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The upper feels like a super-improved version of the first generation Altra Escalante. It is fabric-like, stretchable, but unlike the Escalante, doesn't allow your foot to move around excessively within the shoe while running.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One factor in the improvement seems to be a bit tighter weave in the material. The other is the "A-Strap" midfoot support technology which appears to be attached on one end by 3 loops that laces go through and attached on the other end where the upper meets the midsole. This technology is also implemented on the Vanish-R racer and the Lone Peak 4 (which hopefully can address the poor midfoot fit of the latter).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYWEJsQWrH0t49ZtJ8Zh9tzzPZSeOZ3-F9kU27J4v_XGFkKGBH7-OicvpDaIGihIqoqRuZp0Vr6bH3DmXpGygWeb7KorX9AdgDLLWGxECSduacoKi9i3WzavhCgMVK5R15ZBRCW4qajSh/s1600/torin+closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1409" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYWEJsQWrH0t49ZtJ8Zh9tzzPZSeOZ3-F9kU27J4v_XGFkKGBH7-OicvpDaIGihIqoqRuZp0Vr6bH3DmXpGygWeb7KorX9AdgDLLWGxECSduacoKi9i3WzavhCgMVK5R15ZBRCW4qajSh/s640/torin+closeup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The tongue is thin and unobtrusive, helping create a better lacing experience than the earlier versions. It reminds me of a slightly rubberized version of the tongue on the Clifton 1, one of the best features of that shoe. The laces are a little flimsy and require double lacing, but that's a minor quibble and does improve the comfort of the fit by eliminating possible ressure spots on top of the foot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The A-Bound midsole material feels very similar to the 3.0, a little more springy than 2.5. The Torins can feel a little mushy, especially after 50-100 miles when the A-Bound loses its spring. An </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">EGO midsole version of the shoe - found in the Paradigm 4.0 and Escalante 1.5 - would hold up better and provide even more energy return.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The outsole seems unchanged from the earlier versions, which is a little disappointing. The Torin line could benefit from more durable rubber pods with longer lifespan since it is pretty common to read complaints about premature wear on these elements of what is a very durable shoe otherwise. I have put on 40+ miles on the 3.5s and can see early wear on the heel pods, as usual.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Altra has taken a great daily trainer, suitable for longer road races (I've even used the 3.0 on a smooth 30K trail race) and improved on its major weaknesses. I've been running with the 3.5s for a week, and really enjoy the comfort and performance of this Altra mainstay. I'm looking forward to many more miles in this excellent version.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The price has crept up $10 to $135, comparable to the Hoka Clifton 5 at $130. But still, totally reasonable given the general pricing of the industry for cushioned daily trainer shoes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-90070948778202740932018-03-06T09:27:00.002-08:002018-08-20T13:00:49.908-07:00Saucony Ride 10 review<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Saucony is a brand I keep coming back to but don't stay with for that long. Occasionally they have a winning shoe like the <a href="https://www.runnersworld.com/shoe/saucony-mirage-3-mens">Mirage 3</a> and then end up modifying it or discontinuing it or both. Generally they get it just right, but not for consecutive models.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I loved the Mirage 3 - it was lightweight, a little stable, and firm - a great shoe to race in. The original <a href="https://www.runningshoesguru.com/2015/01/saucony-zealot-review/">Zealot </a>was a great cushioned low drop shoe. And I liked the <a href="https://www.runnersworld.com/shoe/saucony-triumph-iso-2-mens">Triumph 3</a> - a real tank of a cushioned trainer. But I moved on, mostly in search of shoes that had more splay in the forefoot and less tightness in the midfoot area.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have had excellent experiences with the Peregrine 8 - it seems to have gotten the right balance between forefoot room and midfoot lock with a nice heel, not too much weight, and great grip on the trail. That shoe gave me some desire to try out the Saucony <a href="https://www.saucony.com/en/ride-10/29177M.html">Ride 10</a>, a shoe that is about to get upgraded to an <a href="http://www.roadtrailrun.com/2017/12/saucony-fall-2018-run-shoe-previews.html">ISO</a> bootie in the next version. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 10 is a fine shoe. It checks a lot of boxes for me:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 8 mm drop. I prefer somewhere in the 4-6 range, but honestly I think my heel and achilles tendon prefer a little more here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 9.5 oz weight. They feel pretty light to me - it would be great to get down to the 8.9 oz of the Mirage 3s - but really that's a quibble.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- The nice roomy forefoot. My toes have space, nary a blister or black toenail, and no foot discomfort that comes with tight shoes for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- A great upper with a secure lockdown. No hotspots or rubbing for me over the metatarsals like <a href="http://www.roadtrailrun.com/2017/03/saucony-ride-10-review-what-daily.html">Sam from Road Trail Run experienced</a>. A little tight right out of the box, but they loosened up nicely after a few runs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- A cushioned yet not too much midsole. Goldilocks for me - not too firm, just soft enough. Some disagree and find it harsh, but I don't.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- And a durable and grippy Tri-Flex outsole. No slipping on wet roads, and excellent wear (really, no wear that's visible) through 75 miles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These seem to be a winning shoe for me for both training and racing in the 10M-13.1 distance. I'd wear them for a marathon as well, I think.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hope they don't fuck up the updated Ride ISO - due to drop in June. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This post would suck even more without photos!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2nU0Gzc7o7BjRAou6b2pbBZ_tE8g6fEfGJcvNUQv98T0J5ctfxyFGofHKq6_E5RlGdBisVTT8d7TVbqksOZlW0scTktwdFSzuTewgZKHFMNofuNsxaKdWVk9KbHMygCbZ09A-JDabYp9/s1600/IMG_20180306_100706910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2nU0Gzc7o7BjRAou6b2pbBZ_tE8g6fEfGJcvNUQv98T0J5ctfxyFGofHKq6_E5RlGdBisVTT8d7TVbqksOZlW0scTktwdFSzuTewgZKHFMNofuNsxaKdWVk9KbHMygCbZ09A-JDabYp9/s640/IMG_20180306_100706910.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice forefoot, grippy laces that stay tied, and breathable and quick to dry upper.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhmfVpZEHIYTlxewnkNNaGiYJja1DPNKs4C5KMQr3zZbnUcb7w2kT-k5TSjpMG-cWHK0E2PCol9K6jVZmUUZmxnDMCqpr2Rn7IVYS6yDm-ErRN2m3hwfk2eyVkswkPm4i6xytuqsnpZt-a/s1600/IMG_20180306_100733926_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhmfVpZEHIYTlxewnkNNaGiYJja1DPNKs4C5KMQr3zZbnUcb7w2kT-k5TSjpMG-cWHK0E2PCol9K6jVZmUUZmxnDMCqpr2Rn7IVYS6yDm-ErRN2m3hwfk2eyVkswkPm4i6xytuqsnpZt-a/s640/IMG_20180306_100733926_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I dig the hologram film overlays! Nice and reflective.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbWzH-lidsl_pNWdDlVlFGDZnuI4Q9YgsOos4fqTtt1lr08vy_VSX6Ng80NS_5XkJFnPFX5o0GARIMPRUDUP4xpnibJHcXYJH4R8flmuk1JDdMtMrrc-KEiA1bTOdK031hAhbdBCAT27-/s1600/IMG_20180306_100742929_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbWzH-lidsl_pNWdDlVlFGDZnuI4Q9YgsOos4fqTtt1lr08vy_VSX6Ng80NS_5XkJFnPFX5o0GARIMPRUDUP4xpnibJHcXYJH4R8flmuk1JDdMtMrrc-KEiA1bTOdK031hAhbdBCAT27-/s640/IMG_20180306_100742929_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A better shot of the nice reflective hologram-esque overlays above the Ride 10 logo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UyFYVLvI455VqXCJxbBkI7znghIPTL5jp19QaE4vvweUXNlBrzIlsRFu9LpvGtlaDKU9t-LufR57WEvyW3jnFZdzKj9A5znRG0JHx6VD2-SsMKopPTRcdbGSyTycFUSYuRPqAlXYdfGO/s1600/IMG_20180306_100809510_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UyFYVLvI455VqXCJxbBkI7znghIPTL5jp19QaE4vvweUXNlBrzIlsRFu9LpvGtlaDKU9t-LufR57WEvyW3jnFZdzKj9A5znRG0JHx6VD2-SsMKopPTRcdbGSyTycFUSYuRPqAlXYdfGO/s640/IMG_20180306_100809510_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking good... a little dirty but no rubber wearing at 75 miles. These guys should make it to 250 with plenty left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-55622125702157546102018-01-30T12:33:00.002-08:002018-01-30T12:33:57.683-08:00Hoka Napali and Napali ATR<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't have much to say about these shoes, other than they were way too tight in the midfoot and the toebox compared to the Clifton 4 and even the Clifton 3. They were not a wearable alternative for me, although I did find the Napali (non-ATR) version to be pleasantly light and have a less restricting upper material than the Clifton 4. The Napali could be a good alternative for those with a narrower foot in D width.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-8132256500979470452017-12-31T11:35:00.000-08:002017-12-31T11:35:04.146-08:002017 top ten list<div dir="ltr">
1) Was able to run six weeks after abdominal surgery when at initial diagnosis wondered if/when I'd ever run again. </div>
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2) Got times down to 1:44 in the half and 47 min in 10K, pre-surgery times. </div>
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3) About to hit 300 miles on a single pair of shoes (@HOKAONEONE Clifton 4). </div>
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4) Whipped heel and calf pain through PT and millions of lunges and heel <span style="background-color: white;">lifts. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">5) Ran new races incl Gunpowder Falls and Rodeo Valley. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">6) Made more new friends at Fletchers Cove and College Park @parkrun. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">7) Learned to love cross training on the bike.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">8) Understand core strengthening is not an option. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">9) Got smarter about shutting it down early when an injury or cold is coming on. Saves much more time in long run than it costs in the short term. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">10) Most of all, enjoying being healthy and just being out there. Longevity in running is still my top goal, more important than any race or time or annual goal. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-54465910390464844622017-11-17T07:42:00.001-08:002018-08-20T13:02:26.703-07:00Hoka OneOne Clifton 4 Review: 4th time a charm?<h4>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Clifton line from Hoka has always been one step away from a great shoe for me. </span></h4>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The first iteration was a revolutionary shoe, combining heavy cushion with lightness. Unfortunately, the thin tongue killed it as a wearable shoe although most other reviewers loved that feature and the model overall.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The second version mucked up nearly everything good in an attempt to remedy the tongue issue. Unfortunately, the changes to the rest of the upper and the midsole were counterproductive in my experience; I found it to be a hot and overly firm ride. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />The third version got the closest in my book to a big winner, but the upper really couldn't stand up to the beating I delivered during DC summers. http://www.midpackgear.com/2016/08/170-mile-revisit-of-clifton-3-not-so_18.html</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So is the <a href="https://www.hokaoneone.com/mens-road/clifton-4/1016723.html">fourth time</a> a charm? Through the first 40+ miles, I'd say yes.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Things I like about this version:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- The upper is a sturdy yet breathable nylon mesh that does a good job of holding down the foot without having to tighten the laces too much. It seems like its going to be a lot better in keeping its shape and tension over the course of hundreds of miles than the Clifton 3. For me, this is a major improvement.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- The midsole seems significantly firmer yet still cushioned as compared to the 3s. I found the 3s to verge on marshmallow-ish, especially as the miles layered on. The midsole changes has led to some weight gain in this iteration (In mens size 9, it weighs in at 9.3 ounces vs 8.6 in the Clifton 3). This is ok by me - the shoe doesn't feel like a heavy clunker compared to the 3, though compared to the 7.6 ounces of the original Clifton it is a tank.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- The toebox may be a little <a href="http://blog.runningwarehouse.com/gear/rs/hoka-one-one-clifton-4-shoe-review-vs-clifton-3/">more relaxed t</a><a href="http://blog.runningwarehouse.com/gear/rs/hoka-one-one-clifton-4-shoe-review-vs-clifton-3/">han the 3s</a>, but its not very noticeable. My toes are able to splay decently in the shoe, and feel comfortable to an Altra-lover.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- The lacing is most comfortable slightly loose, which is the way I like to wear shoes. I tightened it too much in the first couple of runs which led to toe bruising on my middle toe (no photos, you can thank me for that) from not giving my foot enough room to expand under the laces. Loosening it up on subsequent runs has taken care of the problem, and don't feel any hotspots and haven't experienced any blistering.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As always, I'll update at 100 miles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Looking good in the Griffin/Micro Chip colorway:</span><br />
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<div aria-labelledby="color-header" class="swatches swatches--color" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #494845; float: left; font-family: proxima-nova-alt, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.1px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; overflow: auto; padding: 10px 0px;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUH5fkxjlcyZlTxMWvydKI8KakfpXH3Te8uVky_aLE3273lHGOnOjjaN7JMxlm9u45XcDxwRZQkIFJHpQ61bROaHgdsSi7gKxO-oFeqrWGS63eqUrbQZp4PJr0fqB3o1qPsl3_q1mHVpX/s1600/IMG_20171116_100956832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A pair of Hoka OneOne Clifton 4 Griffin/Micro Chip colorways" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUH5fkxjlcyZlTxMWvydKI8KakfpXH3Te8uVky_aLE3273lHGOnOjjaN7JMxlm9u45XcDxwRZQkIFJHpQ61bROaHgdsSi7gKxO-oFeqrWGS63eqUrbQZp4PJr0fqB3o1qPsl3_q1mHVpX/s640/IMG_20171116_100956832.jpg" title="New Hoka Clifton 4" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Sjbpluddu1eBb8yxi-GOO2UpCXwZWz-C3nDzxFydAHqQWBld35FP68feURSvqJMIHj53HY6WjWDH6_GPNqtPeAf9NtyiHHUu9rFsLtbuf8mJcUDd5EiEIT64yZdMjGdGdjGgdFfB4yg4/s1600/IMG_20171116_101002536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Sjbpluddu1eBb8yxi-GOO2UpCXwZWz-C3nDzxFydAHqQWBld35FP68feURSvqJMIHj53HY6WjWDH6_GPNqtPeAf9NtyiHHUu9rFsLtbuf8mJcUDd5EiEIT64yZdMjGdGdjGgdFfB4yg4/s640/IMG_20171116_101002536.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They look more tapered in the toebox than they feel. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCdRIrwu6G_HiPcRFtCLuzBN7jhor8l3HV8nCJTlnSYUlpvdiEGIm5OvDyc0sDP0fajX7m7gAfxXRUhZmxSeevPQaUlvzjMqjHpeY3mI62gM7yh3oc4mL4KnLLAX10WawSXyuKO5asbbJ/s1600/IMG_20171116_101909587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCdRIrwu6G_HiPcRFtCLuzBN7jhor8l3HV8nCJTlnSYUlpvdiEGIm5OvDyc0sDP0fajX7m7gAfxXRUhZmxSeevPQaUlvzjMqjHpeY3mI62gM7yh3oc4mL4KnLLAX10WawSXyuKO5asbbJ/s640/IMG_20171116_101909587.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice padded tongue that stays in place and doesn't get in the way</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuvodWL1bWVnQ-zWgYqg0EabQHRhmOpYalEmOEHgm203p27mHfOrm7q41pLp_hm1dD8fG9TuxCizGhhjvnv0o3CTTjiEzC1nFYq-hOWTYwsL_rAHvxu6q-dvM66Hy7oeRROCvXPf6y9yf/s1600/IMG_20171116_102047735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuvodWL1bWVnQ-zWgYqg0EabQHRhmOpYalEmOEHgm203p27mHfOrm7q41pLp_hm1dD8fG9TuxCizGhhjvnv0o3CTTjiEzC1nFYq-hOWTYwsL_rAHvxu6q-dvM66Hy7oeRROCvXPf6y9yf/s640/IMG_20171116_102047735.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The same outsole which we know and love in the last iterations of the Clifton</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9JF8AK2GOTlETmBPiWIvrPKqLT-JWMkXZU_kng6uUgKzThBh7Xn62aqw-j8JEsAt6sE0y7tRw-xLfOq6Y3q_T7Y33cHixjw0THtv7mO9QTfrLU5Wwx6mt11ta9Nks8wQdeb7xY-eUhrH/s1600/IMG_20171116_102054580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9JF8AK2GOTlETmBPiWIvrPKqLT-JWMkXZU_kng6uUgKzThBh7Xn62aqw-j8JEsAt6sE0y7tRw-xLfOq6Y3q_T7Y33cHixjw0THtv7mO9QTfrLU5Wwx6mt11ta9Nks8wQdeb7xY-eUhrH/s640/IMG_20171116_102054580.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting a little wear on the left outer shoe rubber pad, but the foam is holding up ok</td></tr>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Edit: 100 mile update</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The shoe is wearing beautifully at 117 miles compared to any other Hoka I've ever owned. The upper is holding up perfectly, and I don't see much additional wear on the outer rubber pad that was visible when I first started running in these. The midsole doesn't feel compressed and I haven't detected a loss in energy return, either. Hopeful these will hit 250 miles in good shape with more miles left in them!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUDSTJUknnJi4hQHFf7Qec3mvZu6b_usruKV6rqpUs6KnFsPGtEgTLOJa0HRcQLZDUHMQ0_fKaouy6Lhjb7dkPKXwO8A5caMc8hTGN8HY26Vpmk7pyODPPnsC1ma74l1DHaamNsj6dEyv/s1600/IMG_20171201_105800199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUDSTJUknnJi4hQHFf7Qec3mvZu6b_usruKV6rqpUs6KnFsPGtEgTLOJa0HRcQLZDUHMQ0_fKaouy6Lhjb7dkPKXwO8A5caMc8hTGN8HY26Vpmk7pyODPPnsC1ma74l1DHaamNsj6dEyv/s640/IMG_20171201_105800199.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No change </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgYqmIovmV3ks9QbQaOVz278sJgW_Ovd4yPN9z6PaxLzYfZOwezTNiFqjvm3xslutdsfvGq9WOI12ORfAlvH7ikrIZ8eqfk7IwK6xhiC94F_rqKEUbD8M5L8HctCuvqanPeRqggJgQwvI/s1600/IMG_20171201_105817975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /> </a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRi35cwPgIuzhX0PJVcNJOT85yahwvkTm9ifgkVfoHoqkXB8aswn5rpsa55b97A1_ez8LYxA6n13ScoBbcGFX9NZNtasLStK45Wgx4e8VlYVzaA8QdKiLM3z0Gs4QKT4oiI8xMjwkSFyMv/s1600/IMG_20171201_105717901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRi35cwPgIuzhX0PJVcNJOT85yahwvkTm9ifgkVfoHoqkXB8aswn5rpsa55b97A1_ez8LYxA6n13ScoBbcGFX9NZNtasLStK45Wgx4e8VlYVzaA8QdKiLM3z0Gs4QKT4oiI8xMjwkSFyMv/s640/IMG_20171201_105717901.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haven't worn much more through the outer foam, and most of the rubber shows minimal wear pattern.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0GJzzRfdFSz3VU7kTolAJJKQfxg3xSalEoEPyrAgcbCgE3EdvHWmvFOIVC6efie2RmlH4ISCsx_qsU0FG07k_9_Xp1gU1TGZYEtCykAJx34ZCL6maTG5rq2rSC2mCB9iLdTSFll-s5t9/s1600/IMG_20171201_105723294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0GJzzRfdFSz3VU7kTolAJJKQfxg3xSalEoEPyrAgcbCgE3EdvHWmvFOIVC6efie2RmlH4ISCsx_qsU0FG07k_9_Xp1gU1TGZYEtCykAJx34ZCL6maTG5rq2rSC2mCB9iLdTSFll-s5t9/s640/IMG_20171201_105723294.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The edge of foam around the rubber is holding up nicely. No shredding or ripping!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Edit: 300 mile update</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The shoe didn't wear much more through the outer foam and the upper remained totally pristine through 300 miles. Even though those outer rubber pods get shot, the shoe can go on productively for quite some time.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-61845870751116751072017-11-02T13:08:00.000-07:002018-08-20T13:01:34.606-07:00Best of 2017 Running Podcasts<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Podcasts: a running conversation inside your earbuds</span><br />
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<h4>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There's still nothing like getting lost in your own thoughts while out for a run. But I do also like good conversation as well to make the miles roll by. I think of a podcast as a conversation between the earbuds - and find they are a great way to take your mind off of some of the discomfort of running while not being too distracting. Another side benefit of listening to running podcasts while running is allowing you to geek out in running talk and even pick up a few useful pointers or two.</span></h4>
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<a name='more'></a><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here’s a list of some of my favorite running podcasts in regular production in fall 2017. These people spend a lot of time and effort producing these free shows, often on a weekly basis. I urge you to support the ones you listen to by becoming a <a href="https://www.patreon.com/home">Patreon </a>supporter at the link following the mini-reviews.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.scienceofultra.com/podcasts/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Science of Ultra</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Shawn Bearden. The gold standard of ultra endurance health podcasts. Shawn calls the bullshit out and elevates the science which is always interesting and often actionable. <a href="http://www.scienceofultra.com/support/">http://www.scienceofultra.com/support/</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.houseofrun.com/category/episodes/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">House of Run </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Jason Halpin and Kevin Sully. A very entertaining podcast covering news in track and road racing. The click and clack of running. </span><a href="https://www.patreon.com/houseofrun" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.patreon.com/houseofrun</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://marathontalk.com/shows/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marathon Talk</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Martin Yelling and Tom Williams. A lot of marathoning, but a lot of conversation about other aspects of running, from 5K parkruns to ultra endurance feats. They have a great rapport together and are always entertaining. </span><a href="https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4923212" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4923212</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.runpacers.com/podcast/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pace the Nation</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Chris Farley, Joanna E. Russo, William E. Docs. A running related podcast sponsored by </span><a href="https://www.runpacers.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pacers Running</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, from the center of the universe in Clarendon, Virginia. Also a lot about problems, preoccupations, and pets. If you like to laugh, this one can’t be beat. Veers from discussions of the ridiculous (emojis) to the sublime (Gabe Grunewald). Led by three guests who play each other expertly mostly for our amusement but often for theirs as well.</span></div>
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<a href="https://runningmagazine.ca/category/shakeout-podcast/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Shakeout Podcast</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Canadian Running, Michael Doyle, Sinead Mulhern, Tim Huebsch. Our friends to the North put on a heck of a podcast about everything from heptathletes to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>joggling</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Highly recommended.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://ultrarunnerpodcast.com/category/podcasts/" style="text-decoration: none;">Ultra Runner Podcast</a> (URP) </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Eric Schranz. A great way to keep up on the latest news from the pro ultra scene as well as pick up some real wisdom and knowledge about going long from Eric, his sometimes co-host Sarah Lavender Smith, and a lot of average Janes and Joes who do some incredible things. </span><a href="https://www.patreon.com/ultrarunnerpodcast" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.patreon.com/ultrarunnerpodcast</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://strengthrunning.com/podcast/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Strength Running Podcast</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Jason Fitzgerald. A good one for geeking out on the training side of things from a coach, particularly strength training. He also pulls a great variety of running luminaries (from Shalane Flanagan to Dathan Ritzenheim) as guests, Very sensible and science based.</span></div>
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<a href="https://iancorless.org/podcast/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talk Ultra</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Ian Corless. The European mountain/ultra/trail scene plus a lot of global coverage that URP doesn’t have the bandwidth for. Ian is extremely knowledgable and very opinionated, but I admire him for putting it out there, even when you’d like to slap him. </span><a href="https://www.patreon.com/talkultra" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://www.patreon.com/talkultra</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://coachjayjohnson.com/run-faster-podcast/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Run Faster Podcast</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Jay Johnson. Another great podcast where great coaching advice gets dispensed. Jay is a student of coaching and tells it like it is. Make sure to listen to him about your <a href="http://coachjayjohnson.com/building-a-better-myrtl/">strength and mobility (SAM) training</a>!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://marathontrainingacademy.com/category/podcasts" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marathon Training Academy</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Angie and Trevor Spencer. More aimed at the marathoners, and often at people just getting started in terms of their coaching advice. But interviews with folks like Bart Yasso and travelogues from races like Berlin, Munich, etc., are very listenable and amusing. Good husband and wife chemistry on the air as well.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://tinamuir.com/rfr-podcast/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Running for Real</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Tina Muir. Tina’s new podcast after leaving Run to the Top with the goal of making running real. Tina scores great guests and asks a lot of questions you wouldn’t expect.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://www.runnersworld.com/audio" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Personal Best</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Brian Dalek. Runner’s World’s new podcast which seems to be a rebranding of their old one from what I can tell. I liked the previous Runner’s World Podcast and Brian Dalek is a good interviewer, so I expect this one will stick on the playlist.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://runnersconnect.net/running-podcast/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Run to the Top</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Sinead Haughey. Sinead took over from Tina Muir, and has done a fine job filling her running shoes. Churns out a ton of shows like clockwork - seems like there’s always another one to listen to. I find the cheesy show sponsors to be off-putting but someone’s gotta pay the bills for the content.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://trailrunnernation.com/category/podcasts/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trail Runner Nation</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Don Freeman and Scott Warr. A good listen with a lot of great guests, like Andy Jones-Wilkins, Candice Burt, and others. A lot of holistic health and nutritions solutions which I find of questionable science get peddled, but still overall a quality podcast and love the roundtables.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.dcrainmaker.com/podcast" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">DC Rainmaker Podcast</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Ray Maker and Ben Hobbs. Hilarious repartee and quality DCR insights into running/tri technologies in response to audience questions. Great when it exists, but in the middle of a regular multi-month hiatus. Come on, guys.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-35231613853323582282017-10-14T08:10:00.000-07:002017-11-16T15:55:55.211-08:00Topo Fli-Lyte 2 review and 100 mile update <h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Topo Athletic's Fli-Lyte 2: an alternate to Altra</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I already shared some thoughts a while back about the Fli-Lyte 2 <a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2017/06/unboxing-topo-athletic-fli-lyte-2-first.html">here</a>. I haven't changed my mind that much. The shoe has held up very well, and is one of my favorites for everything from training to racing half marathons on down. I'm not positive it would be enough shoe for me for a marathon, but it isn't totally out of the question.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The shoe is light and doesn't have a ton of energy return - but is nicely cushioned, not overdone. And it is very roomy, breathable - all around comfy. The mesh doesn't get your feet overheated, yet it seems to be a tougher, more durable mesh than what Topo uses on the Ultraflys which doesn't hold up very well (I have gotten holes in the Ultrafly upper fairly quickly in the shoe's life cycle).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The only complaint is a little premature wear in the rubber near the outside of my left heel. There's a small area where there is a break in the rubber and I see wear around that spot. The rest of the rubber pods seem very durable. I'd expect to see these shoes wear well for the remaining 200 miles or so I usually put on shoes for a total of around 300+.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You can see the durability of the upper and outsole in these photos:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjxkcmPsnKb5QCljzGZrw1Bw2QppsneAENcRbx1bsxZLY-0kJdv6H-4WVjetpJZZDxICw-ayGGoR-gkM9RfsEy3wKqJqzVh8VVA8ShTQXd5D1hFwumReqVDjr9iK4ayz-HnfSFco-ceAn/s1600/IMG_20171014_101013830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjxkcmPsnKb5QCljzGZrw1Bw2QppsneAENcRbx1bsxZLY-0kJdv6H-4WVjetpJZZDxICw-ayGGoR-gkM9RfsEy3wKqJqzVh8VVA8ShTQXd5D1hFwumReqVDjr9iK4ayz-HnfSFco-ceAn/s640/IMG_20171014_101013830.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1fUDjVxb-l6J4vXGDgtX9dHkGjUm2vw3QIQxLuqgvWSOdNN0wPMgUPf-ba3I2IbppaPaAdDnanIzOtXyAfpsJdJONBBKn3ocsqtTEPYoMOG2wSAyNgLCPkcqIFIKBFyQeFt9hTiLLUGu/s1600/IMG_20171014_101052824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1fUDjVxb-l6J4vXGDgtX9dHkGjUm2vw3QIQxLuqgvWSOdNN0wPMgUPf-ba3I2IbppaPaAdDnanIzOtXyAfpsJdJONBBKn3ocsqtTEPYoMOG2wSAyNgLCPkcqIFIKBFyQeFt9hTiLLUGu/s640/IMG_20171014_101052824.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">you can see the extra <br />
wear spot on the top left of the photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-85896170664147267912017-08-12T14:28:00.000-07:002017-08-16T09:28:50.716-07:00New Balance 1080 v7 review<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I feel like I'm having a hard time finding a shoe that has a few essentials:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- big forefoot with plenty of room for my toes to spread out</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- durable upper and outsole that can last 250 miles without any wearing through in either place</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 4 to 8 mm heel to toe drop</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- a decent amount of structure in the heel, a minimal amount of stability through the running gait</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Topo Ultrafly came pretty close. It showed wear in the upper - burning holes through on both sides just past 100 miles was the only demerit. Not sure why, but I'm liking the shoes enough to continue using them as walk-arounds and ordered another pair to see how they wear.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Hoka Clayton 2 checked all the boxes. However, they gave me a nasty blister along my arch below my big toe joint which is a common issue in the originals and happens to some in the 2s as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So my search continued. Joanna at <a href="https://www.runpacers.com/location/14th-street/">Pacers Running on 14th Street</a> suggested trying out the <a href="http://www.newbalance.com/pd/fresh-foam-1080v7/M1080-V7.html#color=White_with_Energy Lime">New Balance 1080 v7</a> because of the heel drop and big forefoot specs. I was open to trying a shoe that I hadn't used since the original Fresh Foam 980 (<a href="http://www.roadtrailrun.com/2014/02/review-new-balance-980-fresh-foam.html">review by Road Trail Run</a>) from several years ago. It was a pretty light and spacious shoe, but I found the foam a little dead on the energy return. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Normally, I avoid shoes over 10 ounces - and the 1080v7s weigh in at 10.8. But I was getting pretty desperate to find a shoe that gave me some relief from nagging heel pain and felt like trying an 8mm drop shoe made sense.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I like this shoes a lot. I wish they were lighter by an ounce or two, but I can deal with it - it is a smooth shoe to run in, so whatever impact the weight has it's offset by the nice gait I have while running in them. I have run 110+ miles in them to date, and they are holding up nicely on the outside heel spot where I have extra wear. Cross fingers, but I hope I can get 250 miles+ on these before retiring them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The upper: nice mesh that's pretty breathable. I've run in 95 degree temps with 100% humidity and I haven't found them to be as uncomfortable as a lot of shoes in those conditions. The laces are a good length, but I found the best locked down fit with using the last lace hole on the shoe with <a href="http://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/sports/how-to/a15492/how-to-tie-running-shoes/">a looped tie.</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There is an internal bootie in these. They are fairly tight feeling when you first put them on, but they stretch to fit very nicely. I usually like a loose fit but these are comfortable for me. Some have complained about a rubbing seam inside the bootie, but I don't feel it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The insole is pretty standard - nothing to report here which is what I like. Medium high arch, not super soft. The midsole is a little firmer than even the Fresh Foam 980 which is ok but could go for a touch softer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The outsole is the kind of durable rubber I like on shoes, with a couple of breaks in the forefoot and the midfoot to increase flexibility. The wear is visible but not excessive on the heel area, so I hope it can handle another 150 miles or so without wearing through straight to the midsole foam. We'll see... The outsole is grippy enough for pavement, but seems to retain mud and dirt until the shoes get a good knock together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-6336432134623389982017-07-16T09:58:00.000-07:002017-07-24T09:46:35.036-07:00Topo Ultrafly 100 mile review<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.topoathletic.com/mens-ultrafly">Topo Ultrafly</a> is holding up well as the odometer hit 105 miles, and has earned a central place in my running stable of shoes which include the Topo Fli-Lyte 2 and the <a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2017/06/altra-lone-peak-30-review.html">Altra Torin 3.0</a>. The Ultrafly is an extraordinarily well made shoe and wears as well as any shoe I've had since the Adidas Supernova Glide Boost 8. <a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2017/06/unboxing-topo-athletic-fli-lyte-2-first.html">Here are some earlier thoughts on both Topo shoes.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I am enjoying the heavier build of the Ultrafly with a touch of stability. I've had some hip/psoas tightness which seems to benefit from a more built up shoe, and the Ultrafly is doing the trick. And my sore right heel (not sure if its from excess heel striking or tight calves and achilles) responds well to the more rubberized, cushioned feel of the Ultrafly and possibly the 5mm heel to toe drop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The only real drawback of the shoe is its weight - it is 10oz in the men's size 9. I would like an ounce or ounce and a half lighter normally, but the weight is not a detriment to my middle of the pack pacing most of the time. For faster races I can go to the Fli-Lyte 2. But I think I'd wear these in a half or full marathon distance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The upper is holding up nicely. There's a little puckering but no holes in the material. They do seem to be a little more stanky than the usual shoe. It could be the fact the upper isn't as breathable as it could/should be (hope to see some minor improvements on that count in the next version of the Ultrafly in 2018), but it might be nothing more than the humid DC weather.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Edit: Holy crap. Not even 20 miles after writing this, two holes have opened up on the upper, right on the spot where I mentioned the puckering, above. This is for normal road and some dirt trail running - I haven't taken this on trails where they could get scraped up. Sort of sad to see this happen on a shoe so young in its lifespan. You can see my finger on the other side of the holes. So much for what looked like extraordinary durability.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The outsole wear patterns are usual for me - some wear on the outsole near the ball of the foot and the outside of the heel. The heavier rubber is holding up super well - I don't think all the rubber is going to get worn away before the midsoles lose their effectiveness after 300+ miles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-48671785086699132902017-07-01T10:35:00.000-07:002018-08-07T10:07:47.306-07:00Altra Torin 3.0 review<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Upgrades to good shoes get me nervous. The <a href="https://www.altrarunning.com/men/torin-25">Torin 2.5</a> is a great all-around trainer. However, nothing's perfect - it has a few drawbacks spelled out in my <a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2017/03/altra-torin-25-review.html">earlier review</a>. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Torin 2.5</td></tr>
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The midsole is very "foamy" - meaning it is soft and cushioned but doesn't have much responsiveness. It feels pretty dead when I am out on a run - like there is a lot of energy lost on impact with no bounce.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The wear pattern on the rubber pods on the outsole is uneven and early. I was seeing too much wear even with +/- 50 miles on the shoe for a $120+ purchase.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Others have complained about the plastic-y upper material that isn't very breathable. I didn't think it was that bad - it has mesh areas on right/left of your big toe that allowed breatheability - but it was certainly not the most airy upper I've worn.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Altra's <a href="https://www.altrarunning.com/men/torin-30">Torin 3.0</a> seems to have successfully addressed each of these issues. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The midsole has a little bit of bounceback sorely missing from the last version. According to the Altra website, they haven't made a change in the midsole material - still "Midsole Eva With A-Bound Top Layer & InnerFlexâ„¢</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">." I don't believe it. While it's nowhere as bouncy as <a href="https://www.altrarunning.com/ego">Ego</a>, it has something else in there that is an improvement. A Torin with Ego is something to dream about...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The wear is improved for me. I'm around 46 miles and the rear outer pod on the heel is not worn down to the foam. Hopefully it can hold out for a good while longer.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Torin 3.0</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_M78K-t1XgsfLyTEImiHqdaTqmgWrkk1LAnsX5jsWeGh7f7cLHFnUnDuhFXmbevmipSx_q1rx764dmGv1RzZkn62JsMte1sdXS0shNXlN6Miy2cToo64TvTEjb6-IEidXB4Wk4eixRfb3/s1600/IMG_20170325_183818511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_M78K-t1XgsfLyTEImiHqdaTqmgWrkk1LAnsX5jsWeGh7f7cLHFnUnDuhFXmbevmipSx_q1rx764dmGv1RzZkn62JsMte1sdXS0shNXlN6Miy2cToo64TvTEjb6-IEidXB4Wk4eixRfb3/s1600/IMG_20170325_183818511.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not so good on the Torin 2.5</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Altra has also shaved off .7 oz - always good to see when a manufacturer can go lighter in an upgrade without destroying the shoe's good qualities. They possibly shaved some weight off the upper or even out of the midsole.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The shoe's upper is definitely much more breatheable compared to its predecessor. I have run under blazing hot summer conditions in DC and on a 4 hour trail race and my shoe hasn't turned into a sweatlodge. It's obvious how much breatheability is built into the upper - just hold it up to a light to see how much light gets through.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUyndbQFLb9Wqg55YzdlPLl-L_p1kyLQhUmC78eZOaZ0JNAFqiRVILLyWVZS2ElEVcrnQTr5cTBLinKcbqScRPwc1J9JwH8b-Ra6609BzJSBW48vW886l3_aHQJ7ll9SXN4zrRxT3-oNl/s1600/IMG_20170701_124738924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUyndbQFLb9Wqg55YzdlPLl-L_p1kyLQhUmC78eZOaZ0JNAFqiRVILLyWVZS2ElEVcrnQTr5cTBLinKcbqScRPwc1J9JwH8b-Ra6609BzJSBW48vW886l3_aHQJ7ll9SXN4zrRxT3-oNl/s640/IMG_20170701_124738924.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I referred to this shoe earlier as a Clifton that fit me right. I think that anyone looking for a cushioned zero drop shoe who has liked the Clifton but found one aspect or another of that shoe lacking (the Clifton 3.0 upper wore badly and stretched out, the 2.0 midsole was too hard, the 1.0 tongue didn't work for me) should check out the Torin 3.0.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Edit 10/10/17:</span> The upper and the midsole of the shoe is holding up nicely through 150 miles. No wear or tear is visible on the mesh; the midsole has a lot of cushioning remaining by feel. The rubber pads on the outer heel are starting to wear away as with the 2.5. I'm still very positive on this update despite this issue which needs to get addressed by Altra on the next version of this shoe.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Edit 7/25/18: Altra Torin 3.5 knit <a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2018/07/altra-torin-35-knit-review-best-torin.html">review here</a>.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-36844840174029570052017-06-20T09:15:00.000-07:002017-06-20T09:15:22.139-07:00Altra Lone Peak 3.0 review<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I could've sworn I wrote a review of the Altra Lone Peak before, but a review of my posts showed none and confirmed my fading power of memory.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I owned the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Altra-Mens-Lone-Trail-Running/dp/B00TXEFA8G">Lone Peak 2.5</a>s. I enjoyed the cushioning and roominess of Altra's moderately cushioned trail shoe (falling between the less cushioned <a href="https://www.altrarunning.com/men/superior-30">Superior</a> and the maximally cushioned <a href="https://www.altrarunning.com/men/altra-olympus-25">Olympus</a>). But there was too much of a good thing in the Lone Peak 2.5 version -- the upper was a little too loose and roomy, causing a lot of foot sliding on rocks and downhills resulting in black nails and blisters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.altrarunning.com/men/lone-peak-30">The Lone Peak 3.0</a> is a massive improvement in my view. It is a much more form fitting upper, providing plenty of foot splay and comfort at the same time. I found that my foot didn't move around much and the tension of the laces were just about perfect. The laces are a bit too short, but they stay tied.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The one drawback to the shoes is the insole definitely slid around when I ran through water on a hot and sweaty day. The water drained super well, but once there is a layer of moisture, the insole doesn't want to stay in place. <a href="http://www.roadtrailrun.com/2017/06/altra-lone-peak-35-review-modest-update.html">Dominick Layfield on Road Trail Run</a> had the same issue with his 3.0s, but addressed it by crazy gluing the insole down. I haven't tried it yet, but intend to do so the next time I expect to be running in wet shoes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Otherwise, I find them a great all around trail shoe in the 3.0 version. Great rubber grip, cushioned enough while still preserving enough ground feel, not too heavy (but certainly not light), pretty good at draining out after a dunk, mildly breathable so my feet don't get super hot. The durability seems pretty good for me on the trails in the DC area -- no abnormal wear is visible at 60 miles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.roadtrailrun.com/2017/06/altra-lone-peak-35-review-modest-update.html">As Dominick writes, the newest 3.5 version</a> is about to get released with what sounds like minor changes. Given that my first pair of 3.0s has another 250+ miles left on them hopefully and I have a back up pair that I currently use in the gym, I'm not even sure I'll have a need for another pair before they release the 4.0 version! But the 3.5 release will certainly mean a lot of good discounts on the 3.0 -- I just snagged a pair of T<a href="http://www.6pm.com/p/altra-footwear-torin-2-5/product/8977551">orin 2.5s for $68</a> for a model which doesn't seem to have changed much in the 3.0 version. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-11968543228450822722017-06-01T06:57:00.001-07:002017-10-14T08:11:43.094-07:00Unboxing - Topo Athletic Fli-Lyte 2 first thoughts, some comparison to the Ultrafly<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I liked the <a href="http://shop.topoathletic.com/mens/run.html?colorid=2626&model=Ultrafly">Topo Ultrafly</a>'s so much over the first 30 miles or so, I decided to try the newest model from Topo: the <a href="http://shop.topoathletic.com/mens/run.html?colorid=4237&model=Fli-Lyte-2">Fli-Lyte 2</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1l_iGeoPleKpmP9mUQs6Mg7aJHMHK_EWyVvTEAJY0z7iBLRRZvakHMxO_545SCBtvFBQdcQi6kxJzzJ4JPHIpKrLEL0wtTIsKSMJxuwlJYJnNK76EEm_IEDL5BOGfytyfYtzXlOq9gfSL/s1600/IMG_20170601_093124558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1l_iGeoPleKpmP9mUQs6Mg7aJHMHK_EWyVvTEAJY0z7iBLRRZvakHMxO_545SCBtvFBQdcQi6kxJzzJ4JPHIpKrLEL0wtTIsKSMJxuwlJYJnNK76EEm_IEDL5BOGfytyfYtzXlOq9gfSL/s640/IMG_20170601_093124558.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I didn't own the first version of the Fli-Lyte, so I can't compare them in terms of an upgrade. But a few thoughts compared to some other shoes I've worn recently.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They are 3mm drop and fairly light at 8.2 oz in Mens 9s. They seem light as feather's compared to the Ultrafly's 9.2 and 5mm drop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They have a nice breathable upper, especially compared to the Ultrafly which has a pretty tight knit upper.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And they are a looser fit - bigger in the toe box, looser in the midfoot, about the same in the heel compared to the Ultrafly. Part of the toe box improvement is shape, as you can see. But they also benefit from a much thinner toe bumper.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAs58Ws8viUEvOk__mYpC7wpoeB4vJCkeUJYnZ6fdpw_4U0BFfQ6XEWlbYmvtmn3tAAWCZ2JYIsRLC38nHRl8wr41L664YV8F-z5Syk4iDBWLlbR1v2EEgMwUdrSpibr2PUQJJF1atlWQs/s1600/IMG_20170601_093228267.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAs58Ws8viUEvOk__mYpC7wpoeB4vJCkeUJYnZ6fdpw_4U0BFfQ6XEWlbYmvtmn3tAAWCZ2JYIsRLC38nHRl8wr41L664YV8F-z5Syk4iDBWLlbR1v2EEgMwUdrSpibr2PUQJJF1atlWQs/s640/IMG_20170601_093228267.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On the road, the Fli-Lyte 2s have a nice feel - a little soft and mushy but still a bit responsive, definitely not a rubbery/bouncy feel like the Ultraflys. On the first run I had them laced pretty loose but didn't feel sloppy even at that low tension. I'll definitely give them a pull tighter on my next run.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On my first run in the Fli-Lytes, I immediately was reminded the Ultrafly has some slight motion control while the Fli-Lyte 2s are purely a neutral shoe. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With both shoes, I feel pretty comfortable midfoot landing. There's no rocker effect on either shoe that I can tell.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The rubber areas gave me plenty of traction on slick pavement, and those areas look pretty reinforced so I'm hopeful they will hold up to striking and scuffing for longer than 100 miles, which seems to be the limit for Altras.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Fly-Lyte 2 on top, Ultrafly on the bottom: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3Iz3RdRTw52SX9ezlBUgq6Majs4xvGBsmTZP5pLnrCeNdCFhInAxdELb4wPAfSJcyD2xmrqE9Y_rl21o2FaBZ4GXfmBCBYJF8FCOPvDfEt6cyXe0wxIXlR7FcheG_UXoJqPviM7us5GA/s1600/IMG_20170601_093257670.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3Iz3RdRTw52SX9ezlBUgq6Majs4xvGBsmTZP5pLnrCeNdCFhInAxdELb4wPAfSJcyD2xmrqE9Y_rl21o2FaBZ4GXfmBCBYJF8FCOPvDfEt6cyXe0wxIXlR7FcheG_UXoJqPviM7us5GA/s640/IMG_20170601_093257670.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Fly-Lyte 2 corner heel rubber overlay:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVm5lFNqg6HxKg1Wz6GMq6RolAz4ez1wc3k_ZLk8gHGlugOH8F-NM56LGKnsiI5kEHpzUWAcw6o4_MOpgxRnJjhIL5nxUOrPjPTZApHPXF3wbFYHheTzUp-o9HNd5_8UMK-za9XDFBzkPu/s1600/IMG_20170601_093313377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVm5lFNqg6HxKg1Wz6GMq6RolAz4ez1wc3k_ZLk8gHGlugOH8F-NM56LGKnsiI5kEHpzUWAcw6o4_MOpgxRnJjhIL5nxUOrPjPTZApHPXF3wbFYHheTzUp-o9HNd5_8UMK-za9XDFBzkPu/s640/IMG_20170601_093313377.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ultrafly corner heel after 40 miles showing very little wear:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1acKwRUNzQdPq1N_L9thKesuS5IQrDFiM0Q9Bg5kjQuGvOq7Em0Lh9BhvKwhxgeGWSfJBzV_NX7wkZDvwMurBLryt1_8IWa9edC_cV9yE5w1DYr7bv4LxWQdgtlwHmwgHL6NBs1rz0U9/s1600/IMG_20170601_093322323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1acKwRUNzQdPq1N_L9thKesuS5IQrDFiM0Q9Bg5kjQuGvOq7Em0Lh9BhvKwhxgeGWSfJBzV_NX7wkZDvwMurBLryt1_8IWa9edC_cV9yE5w1DYr7bv4LxWQdgtlwHmwgHL6NBs1rz0U9/s640/IMG_20170601_093322323.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I can see using the Fli-Lyte 2s as a racing and tempo shoe and for shorter daily running, and the Ultrafly for longer runs and easy trail running.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'll come back with more thoughts on both shoes once I hit 100 miles on each.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Edit</span>: <a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2017/07/topo-ultrafly-100-mile-review.html">see 100 mile review of the Ultrafly here.</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Edit</span>: <a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2017/10/topo-fli-lyte-2-review-and-100-mile.html">see 100 mile review of the Fli-Lyte 2 here</a>.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-57475537968934773002017-05-22T11:13:00.003-07:002017-05-22T11:17:29.580-07:00Hoka One One Clayton 2 review<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last you may have heard, I was in love with my <a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2017/04/altra-instinct-40-review.html">Altra Instinct 4.0</a>s. Unfortunately, I developed some heel pain, symptomatic of <a href="http://www.aofas.org/footcaremd/conditions/ailments-of-the-ankle/Pages/Insertional-Achilles-Tendinitis.aspx">insertional achilles tendonitis</a>, self-diagnosed with my degree in Internet medicine. I decided to experiment with non-zero drop shoes to see if there was any improvement in the pain I felt, mostly in the am and at night (not while running).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I decided to try the new <a href="http://www.hokaoneone.com/mens-road/clayton-2/1014774.html">Hoka One One Clayton 2</a>s. I have tried on the original Claytons and didn't love the feel in the store. But the reviews of the update have been largely positive - an improved upper as well as a fix for a blistering problem many folks had with the original made it seem like an appealing choice.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpppnOV1JINTGJCXw6RbuvasoO3Eu7ZS_B4xuX__uJpH-EwXY1lG-J7HFk5xPY23kiVDveX654aAFNPP4YJgKeNH-12de37G3jJ5AubpI7MtXZiRlMWfJUPZ_Bmf9RmtlYbSE5SbBBcPi/s1600/IMG_20170522_112139733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpppnOV1JINTGJCXw6RbuvasoO3Eu7ZS_B4xuX__uJpH-EwXY1lG-J7HFk5xPY23kiVDveX654aAFNPP4YJgKeNH-12de37G3jJ5AubpI7MtXZiRlMWfJUPZ_Bmf9RmtlYbSE5SbBBcPi/s640/IMG_20170522_112139733.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have joked it would be great if Hokas and Altras had a baby - meaning, a shoe with a comfortable (wide) toebox and the cushioning and drop of the Hoka. Cliftons have been almost great, but not wide enough. Challengers more so. And the lack of any heel to to drop was irritating my heel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Clayton 2 is very much in this vein. A super roomy toebox and comfortable upper, Altra style. And a 4 mm drop. Plus, a lot of Hoka style foam and cushion. They definitely did the trick for my heel - I experienced almost immediate relief and the pain completely went away in a week of running in the slight drop shoes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These shoes were super comfy and light -- only 7.2 oz in a men's 9. I ran several races - including a 15 mi trail race through roots, water and mud, a 5K XC type race, and a fairly hilly half marathon without race-specific training with good results. The laces are rubberized and gave a really nice tie - cinching down the upper and preventing foot sliding. A super good fit. Except... a blister did develop on the inside of the ball of my right foot from the edge of the insole where the arch meets the upper material.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnA3qPJF14N9Tdk6AO9Usdg4WlFyzjqPvGUkzL_GRUXt7KRGHFCGZJhmOYsJI6xzRyAhN-U4COuFaPbxv3kCo-24b4IsZiJVQmJyhDW-7LPOH6t24skAiWk5SVb1iv4pThi07Rd5L1QbZ/s1600/IMG_20170522_112152100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnA3qPJF14N9Tdk6AO9Usdg4WlFyzjqPvGUkzL_GRUXt7KRGHFCGZJhmOYsJI6xzRyAhN-U4COuFaPbxv3kCo-24b4IsZiJVQmJyhDW-7LPOH6t24skAiWk5SVb1iv4pThi07Rd5L1QbZ/s640/IMG_20170522_112152100.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I thought it might have been a fluke - got my feet wet on the half marathon and thought that could have caused an unusual blister (I had already run 35 miles with no problems before it sprung up). But unfortunately, it happened again a few days later in the same spot on a 6 mile run.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I think the problem is with the insole - it should not have a rough ridge where it meets the upper material - it should be tapered and maybe even glued in place to avoid this irritating rough spot. I don't like cutting things up, but that might be my next step (or find a pair of replacement insoles).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Also, I experienced some pretty aggressive wear on the outside heel of my left foot - not completely surprising since its all RMAT foam and no rubber on the outsole (keeping the shoe so light), but its still not a good sign since it is almost all worn down in one spot after only 100 miles in. Another 50-75 miles and I'd be wearing into the white foam at this rate.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CKK_59eaClEBGcj3c4YSDxuvckepUYD_31lR0lGpFvtCAqlOiPNF55qZRMDzPbjeweMkAzvSSkDnik4OvJbCVqKMOX2PECMDxfdYANne6VBKbIIBEcZv6Za6pqxJd7KnDKDB2k1hdaL_/s1600/IMG_20170522_112211953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CKK_59eaClEBGcj3c4YSDxuvckepUYD_31lR0lGpFvtCAqlOiPNF55qZRMDzPbjeweMkAzvSSkDnik4OvJbCVqKMOX2PECMDxfdYANne6VBKbIIBEcZv6Za6pqxJd7KnDKDB2k1hdaL_/s640/IMG_20170522_112211953.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hoka is so close with this shoe to something great for a light trainer/racer. But my experience through 100 miles is that they haven't solved the blister problem that has plagued this model. And Hoka still is not a long lasting workhorse for such an premium priced shoe - I had early breakdown with the Clifton 3s midsole material last summer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm going in another direction - that combines the bigger toebox of the Altra and has some cushioning and a bit of heel/toe drop a la Hoka -- but that is pretty durable (some rubber on the heel) and better fitting: the <a href="http://shop.topoathletic.com/mens/run.html?colorid=2626&model=Ultrafly">Topo Ultrafly</a>. I'll do a review on them once I hit 100 miles for a better idea of how they perform in the medium-term. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-28040622292349552152017-05-04T13:50:00.000-07:002017-05-04T13:50:10.498-07:0010,000 miles of run tracking (thank you, Nike)<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have been obsessively tracking my miles run since July of 2009. I had just hit 45, and was unhappy that all my resolutions for my 40s had gone down the toilet.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Healthy lifestyle could never quite take hold. And unhealthy habits were hard to break. As a technophile early adopter, I was super excited and hopeful that Nike's then revolutionary <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2351558,00.asp">+ SportBand</a> would help me do what I had failed to consistently do for my entire adult life.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioovdYovQL3DXHzQHqG1SkAlk6E0h1IdTnGME4cFy4ERWIxX6C2N-479mWlypc__46fIB26NbuKLIIjbSkzfr8v2CNYCmxP5tvsNh_TmyCKT_eKriDf8GHopnGBhwon7x5QJafCimYSrs0/s1600/245090-nike-sportband.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioovdYovQL3DXHzQHqG1SkAlk6E0h1IdTnGME4cFy4ERWIxX6C2N-479mWlypc__46fIB26NbuKLIIjbSkzfr8v2CNYCmxP5tvsNh_TmyCKT_eKriDf8GHopnGBhwon7x5QJafCimYSrs0/s1600/245090-nike-sportband.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With a janky little accelerometer in your Nike shoe, the wristband tracked your mileage and speed. It was the first taste of running tech crack that got me going on the road of a long run of purchases in the Garmin family, from the Forerunner <a href="https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/27335">310</a> to the <a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2017/05/garmin-forerunner-935-quick-hits.html">935</a>, and tracking and analysis from Nikerunning.com to Garmin Connect to Strava.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, I quickly went overboard, running from 0 to nearly 100 miles (and back down to 10) in the first few months I started running.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88W-DeAoQ_b6neOIYslpYvlickgTwXrpdBBeuNH3ABr6OOqGJVcSrEMVne1PZ-7KxaWJuzcC1Si7kRdwrY64pbGt8EcxPeOGYJWYDLzb_MFjeCUoFkzqFYthY5xokGD7UdxzQ_ztrSCmJ/s1600/2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88W-DeAoQ_b6neOIYslpYvlickgTwXrpdBBeuNH3ABr6OOqGJVcSrEMVne1PZ-7KxaWJuzcC1Si7kRdwrY64pbGt8EcxPeOGYJWYDLzb_MFjeCUoFkzqFYthY5xokGD7UdxzQ_ztrSCmJ/s640/2009.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But at least I was able to track it and work to correct the errors of my ways. I discovered consistency through data feedback. Yes, many people have done it for decades with running logs (always too much work for me, including driving around trying to measure running paths in my car), but the new running tech enabled measuring and tracking easily at the press of a button. And here we are eight years later, and the odometer on my tracked miles run is about to roll over from 9999 to 10,000 on Saturday.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVKaT4jqeImCosxD_DITdxlxEIp_ZQI8io4VXuNLzTZ-4gJCS16vVbFLh4kvyyBaqq_Bs2RY5zb_ylZiyzJXQlDJSpRVvjxh2RVb9UFS2YmFjVwvpZKcOaabro3aDNEWmcOTb8bsdOeYF/s1600/all+time.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVKaT4jqeImCosxD_DITdxlxEIp_ZQI8io4VXuNLzTZ-4gJCS16vVbFLh4kvyyBaqq_Bs2RY5zb_ylZiyzJXQlDJSpRVvjxh2RVb9UFS2YmFjVwvpZKcOaabro3aDNEWmcOTb8bsdOeYF/s640/all+time.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A lot of naysayers don't like the concept of trackers and GPS watches for various reasons. But for me, it gave me the ability to hold myself accountable and keep my running going over the long haul. It's not something I think I've ever said, but thank you, Nike, for getting me off my ass on a regular basis and helping transform my physical and mental state for the better through running.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-3585899918410464342017-05-01T07:49:00.002-07:002017-05-01T07:51:46.985-07:00Garmin Forerunner 935 quick hits mini review<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As always, if you want a real review, read <a href="https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2017/03/garmin-forerunner-935-depth-review.html">DC Rainmaker's review</a>. This is a quick wrapup of my general impressions of the device and whether its worth the upgrade for the average runner from my last watch, the Forerunner 235.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My view is that if you have a lot of Garmin love - you are the kind of person who doesn't run without it, wears it when not running for things like step counting and 24/hr heart monitoring, the answer is a yes. I'll run through the biggest pluses:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1) Improved battery life over the Forerunner 235. I have had it set to GPS and Glonass, Bluetooth and 24 hour hr on, alerts for calls and calendars on. I have run 6.5 hours over the last four days. And the battery is at 57%. I'd estimate 10% drawdown is for the background functions, 47% for running, which means about 5% per hour for running. Garmin says 24 hours on GPS - that may be right if Bluetooth and HR is off. For the full kahuna of settings, I'd feel comfortable that it would have plenty of juice left after a 50 miler or a 12 hour run. And going away for a week of travel no longer means stressing out about whether I pack the cable - it should be good for an hour of running a day for seven days plus background draw and still have 50% left.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2) Better display. I find it to have improved contrast and outdoors readability in bright sunlight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3) More accurate Elevate wrist HR measurement. This is completely subjective, but I see less unexpected spikes or cadence lock where the module gets stuck measuring your footfall cadence instead of your heart rate. It also seems to be giving more accurate readings when I do things like get up from my desk and run up the stairs - getting to the peak and returning to rest faster than the 235. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4) A more comfortable strap. I don't have to tighten and loosen it depending before and after each run. It measures HR well with a more lax tension; I think it is a little more rubberized and grips to your wrist better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5) Barometer. I always felt like I was getting ripped off from the estimated elevation gains on Garmin and Strava. Hopefully this is more accurate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">6) Better looking. Small changes include the metal buttons and the improved case and bezel. It just looks more quality than the 235.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">7) Additional running metrics, including readings on aerobic and anaerobic training effect. I find it helpful to see these post run. I'm looking forward to getting training status reads after I've been using it for a month as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">8) Ability to set alarms using Garmin Connect mobile rather than only on the watch. I often realize after turning off the lights that I haven't set my watch alarm for an early race wake-up. It's nice to set it on the phone - a lot easier than fumbling through several layers of menus on the watch to do so.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">9) A nice solid feel on the wrist. The weight is heavier than the 235, but not that noticeable. It is a lot lighter than the Fenix line which just was too uncomfortable for me. Given that it has the most desirable of the Fenix 5/5S functions, the size and weight is a real plus here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">10) Improved activity move bar response. Again, a subjective take, but it seems like the move bar is more consistently cleared with exercise. Sometimes the 235 would take forever to do so.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There you have it. Sorry to push you over the edge if you were wobbling, but I don't think if you are reading this you'll end up regretting it.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-84582803912659665832017-04-16T16:54:00.000-07:002017-04-16T16:54:21.362-07:00Altra Instinct 4.0 review<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I still love my <a href="https://www.altrarunning.com/men/torin-25">Torin 2.5s</a>, but my Torins don't love me back as much. At least the heel doesn't.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As you can see, the rubber outsole on the heel smears off like cream cheese on a bagel after about 100 miles. The top photo is after 108 miles, the bottom photo is a previous pair after 158 miles. Clearly I scuff a little on the outside of the heel, but this never has ripped off a rubberized area like this.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFzYHgheqKHA_lHQuqovbN03W_KmkgGBF6Xz9PQxjdLuVgqa41hBgZp8eNueqzdzqS9zpmQ4pJDNozQpCsnbDy_r65ZJnAJT0TSnoTdvZB8J0Kuv-HnArrKBvxmQp81AZkhz6Uo5G-n2X/s1600/IMG_20170416_190127827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheFzYHgheqKHA_lHQuqovbN03W_KmkgGBF6Xz9PQxjdLuVgqa41hBgZp8eNueqzdzqS9zpmQ4pJDNozQpCsnbDy_r65ZJnAJT0TSnoTdvZB8J0Kuv-HnArrKBvxmQp81AZkhz6Uo5G-n2X/s640/IMG_20170416_190127827.jpg" width="396" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5cVrOX_EabL3pc6IqhlkM3HxMfFAqG8b0GzmsPVGDk1a-92WnxrEkYm4z-lg6EM9f-YnUrub5nPujpTmGzceOxszdhT1n9yWcxX488ddMbVI0lD-qtokz0gPdoOmN8d8ti2v8RHWXCG1/s1600/IMG_20170325_183818511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5cVrOX_EabL3pc6IqhlkM3HxMfFAqG8b0GzmsPVGDk1a-92WnxrEkYm4z-lg6EM9f-YnUrub5nPujpTmGzceOxszdhT1n9yWcxX488ddMbVI0lD-qtokz0gPdoOmN8d8ti2v8RHWXCG1/s640/IMG_20170325_183818511.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Altras didn't have a terrific reputation for build quality - I read a lot of complaints out there about wearing through uppers, especially on trail shoes. Personally, I haven't had that issue on my Lone Peak 2.5s or 3.0s, and I didn't have wear issues on my Instinct 3.0s.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, given that I want a little extra heel protection beyond what the Torin 2.5s provide, and I don't want to give up the Altra Foot Shape toebox, I tried the <a href="https://www.altrarunning.com/men/instinct-40">Instinct 4.0</a>s (for men; for women, it's the <a href="https://www.altrarunning.com/women/intuition-40">Intuition 4.0</a>) out once again. I had already bought and returned a pair of this latest model; the right shoe didn't feel the same as the left shoe (I notice the first run of shoes when they are first released, no matter who the manufacturer is, often have minor defects like this. I've had issues like this with Hoka when I get them right off the bat; I assume it takes a couple of manufacturing runs to hammer out the problems.) But given that I loved the 3.0s so much (<a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2015/10/altra-instinct-30-review-sparing-me.html">see my review of the Instinct 3.0 here...</a> The <a href="http://www.midpackgear.com/2016/01/altra-instinct-35-review-cover-your-eyes.html">3.5s left a lot to be desired</a>, so I moved on), I decided to give them another chance given the <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/shoe/altra-instinct-40-mens">great reviews</a> they've been getting, and the fact I loved their grandfather the 3.0s.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlaNQhkCA-TIHc_2I60Mr7LkZRY2i3KVwFx5fZ48WmMSC7a1cFPHTJf38vDnJWWJQ36lPMVJ6ylI45THCF1nJIQzSQPoljLYWceJOhhrP54jj_JFDYM8Yo9TAYdlzWy6W9hhlVaDlztNf/s1600/IMG_20170416_190302339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlaNQhkCA-TIHc_2I60Mr7LkZRY2i3KVwFx5fZ48WmMSC7a1cFPHTJf38vDnJWWJQ36lPMVJ6ylI45THCF1nJIQzSQPoljLYWceJOhhrP54jj_JFDYM8Yo9TAYdlzWy6W9hhlVaDlztNf/s640/IMG_20170416_190302339.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I went for the grey/yellow pair after striking out with the black ones. I think I got a winning pair.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First of all, the Instincts have a lot more rubber on the bottom. There's a yellow layer - and a graphite layer of rubber around/underneath that in spots. Then there's the grey foam.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7L0wS5RaLVHFZwc57_gr8Hd3eIz8JopidQU8GTSaFtZGkXHWiKwW-eVoOhGk3uWN3Oxent35fknJhyphenhyphenlY2Zt1AcZTxMcWRPDhL2XoYK1PUKUIKcvskw5rWWpzcFoz_908CDhB76Ec5plS0/s1600/IMG_20170416_190317298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7L0wS5RaLVHFZwc57_gr8Hd3eIz8JopidQU8GTSaFtZGkXHWiKwW-eVoOhGk3uWN3Oxent35fknJhyphenhyphenlY2Zt1AcZTxMcWRPDhL2XoYK1PUKUIKcvskw5rWWpzcFoz_908CDhB76Ec5plS0/s640/IMG_20170416_190317298.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's a closer look:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnxduid44WE1InhdayS3k1mXIquscMwvdoBRVmdRE7rnzgypmfAf3o7LbgV_kn5xV0cKU_9-stNdO3-0pH5X5fO1bMfbp2aQWnaV86og6Z7EKb5Lc6OK0EfQgyCGfi37Bd3ja9EuLUy4j/s1600/IMG_20170416_190323789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnxduid44WE1InhdayS3k1mXIquscMwvdoBRVmdRE7rnzgypmfAf3o7LbgV_kn5xV0cKU_9-stNdO3-0pH5X5fO1bMfbp2aQWnaV86og6Z7EKb5Lc6OK0EfQgyCGfi37Bd3ja9EuLUy4j/s640/IMG_20170416_190323789.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And again with more of a side view:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQOBSilhCYhTbTTi46KVfMjF5IqhS9zTnVH3uKNmDvvoQaRaGpnKjYQ_jmASqnAKUqt3J9FRVvCEX0kxjtkDTXF_VR-akntN-sULsyday-5ncBgw-bH49AI4XX_fkgFjl8BOoER8xGZgl/s1600/IMG_20170416_190338285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQOBSilhCYhTbTTi46KVfMjF5IqhS9zTnVH3uKNmDvvoQaRaGpnKjYQ_jmASqnAKUqt3J9FRVvCEX0kxjtkDTXF_VR-akntN-sULsyday-5ncBgw-bH49AI4XX_fkgFjl8BOoER8xGZgl/s1600/IMG_20170416_190338285.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It looks like its going to take a lot of scuffing to go through the yellow and graphite layers of rubber. And even if I do, the light grey foam underneath seems firmer and more durable than the light foam on the Torin. It costs an ounce or so in weight, but given that the Torins aren't exactly racing flats at 9.1 ounces, an extra .9 ounces is not really noticeable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Instinct 4.0s are 3mm lower than the Torin 2.5s, which I prefer - it gives you a better ground feel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A couple of noticeable differences...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The upper: The Instinct 4.0 is a little less form fitting than the Torin 2.5, yet, I'd say it is a tighter lacing grip. Sounds contradictory, but the Torin holds by being more molded to the foot while the Instinct relies more on the lacing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'd also say the Instinct 4.0 upper will be more comfy on hotter days with a more breathable mesh. But the Torin 2.5 upper didn't bother me on warmer spring days, and I have hot feet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The midsole: The Instinct 4.0 is a firmer shoe with better road feel. The Torin 2.5 is more cushiony and pillowy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The outsole: The Instinct 4.0 looks to be a lot more durable. It definitely has a better grip given the additional rubber making contact with the ground. The Torin 2.5 relied on foam in a few spots which really has little gripping power. I ran a fairly tame trail 50K in the Instinct 3.0 and I see no reason why I couldn't do the same with these. Same goes for road marathons - I did with the Instinct 3.0 and these should be similar. Not sure they'd be great for faster stuff like a 5K where I found the Torin 2.5 to be pretty competent if not ultra speedy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Looks: Altra continues to improve in the design department. See the improvement from the Instinct 3.5 to the Instinct 4.0 -- looking more presentable in public, the little kids don't point at your feet and yell "freak".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Retail: $110. Hopefully I can get a full 250+ miles out of these. I'll be back and let you know how it goes.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-47477907274497125442017-03-28T06:23:00.000-07:002017-03-28T06:23:41.025-07:00Altra Torin 2.5 review<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've procrastinated writing a review of one of the most comfortable pair of trainers I've ever owned, and the best pair of Altra's I have run in: the <a href="https://www.altrarunning.com/men/torin-25">Torin 2.5</a>. It's good I'm getting around to writing this review now, since the 3.0 is expected to be released in the next couple of months - long enough to get a lifecycle out of a pair purchased today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Torin 2.5 is a good daily trainer kind of shoe. It's relatively light and relatively cushioned - for my taste, just about right. I would be happy to wear them for a trail ultra if grip wasn't too big an issue, and would definitely wear them for a marathon or half. I have worn them for shorter distances - 10Ks and 5Ks -- but they have drawbacks at those races. The foam is not very springy - it's relatively dead - so you really don't get the kind of energy return bounce you are looking for in those quicker races. The ultimate upgrade for the Torin would be to use the EGO foam in the new <a href="http://www.runningwarehouse.com/Altra_Escalante_Mens_Shoes_Gray/descpage-AESMS2.html">Escalantes </a>- it would allow this shoe to excel at the quicker stufff.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The shoe is pretty ugly looking. Altra is doing better in making the foot shaped shoe look less like a clown shoe and more like a regular running shoe. They've done a great job with their latest versions of shoes like the Instinct, Lone Peak and Escalante on the design front. Hopefully the Torin 3.0 looks a little more socially acceptable! (The black/red version is the better looking colorway, better than the blue/yellow, below)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxtW1wQrxWhqlXT1fRpwNFDOZ9HkWpn04HoaoVM7wFfArziLcQkxh_n9XcbjBLcpACMGiuy8092HbiBRscS6aBurrFEpXRZYqoNzwSu3mylwgXr_hELuqMYVLKhupKyH7pxo-8Lnkj9Kh/s1600/IMG_20170306_091852868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxtW1wQrxWhqlXT1fRpwNFDOZ9HkWpn04HoaoVM7wFfArziLcQkxh_n9XcbjBLcpACMGiuy8092HbiBRscS6aBurrFEpXRZYqoNzwSu3mylwgXr_hELuqMYVLKhupKyH7pxo-8Lnkj9Kh/s640/IMG_20170306_091852868.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, picking it apart in detail...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The upper: I love the construction on this shoe. Most of it is some sort of nylon material with varying degrees over plastic overlays. Some think it is too tight and not breathable enough, but it is great for me. I get enough support that my feet aren't sliding around, but I don't find it overly hot (and I do get pretty warm in the feet during my runs). There's a little bit of mesh on the upper that perhaps provides some ventilation. Maybe I'll be singing a different tune during the summer, but I haven't had a problem. More support than the <a href="http://www.runningwarehouse.com/Altra_Instinct_40_Mens_Shoes_Black/descpage-AI4MS.html">Instinct 4.0 </a>here, which feels too loose to me. The shoe laces up very well - not hot spots or puckering like I saw on the Instincts current and past.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The midsole: Absolute comfort. I don't find it too mushy or too hard - it is just right. My foot, which on the right has suffered from vague and annoying pain due to either too much or too little cush over the last couple of years - is happy and pain free. My feet don't feel "tired" at all - they've nailed it here. For comparison, it is significantly firmer the Escalante, slightly firmer than the <a href="http://www.runningwarehouse.com/Altra_Lone_Peak_30/descpage-ALP3M4.html">Lone Peak</a> 3.0, softer than the Instinct. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The outsole: The weakest part of the shoe. I suffered excessive wear on the outside heels of both shoes. Yes, I tend to do my share of heel striking but land midfoot most of the time. I had to retire my shoes at around 150 miles because the black rubber was totally gone. Hopefully this was unusual wear, based on running on some rougher surface. But still, it doesn't look like this is a shoe that will have much life after 200 miles. Altra has consistently had quality issues like this, but is making progress. Hopefully the Torin 3.0 addresses this problem</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-38322219573482503912017-03-06T11:13:00.000-08:002017-03-09T15:15:50.437-08:00Running after laparoscopic abdominal surgery<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I like posting on the blog to help out someone now or in the future who might have the need for some past experience I've had, if not my wisdom.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The following is a journal of my return to activity from walking to running following my laproscopic right hemicolectomy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I hope this post is of interest/use to someone coming back from similar surgery. Please check with your doctor about these things and remember the internet can't be sued for malpractice. And don't do anything if you feel any pain or discomfort - err on the side of caution. And this is no worse than listening to <a href="http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=5800410&page=1">letsrun.com message boards</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I had surgery on Thursday February 2nd. You can see that day was the last time I cleared 1000 steps in a day for the next four days.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHvsG0aH6F8Zvj2ZOZrGJpjVoJ9n2k0Qu5WgEhasIHuKoeXNHbY7NzvzQzKnBXVPXxzDlLaVGFzKCUrnGB81PBtpgetBJazW-QufG1y2UnfavanX5-m3hE1ETHVSzHv-OegjvyAeKjKjv/s1600/week+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="449" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHvsG0aH6F8Zvj2ZOZrGJpjVoJ9n2k0Qu5WgEhasIHuKoeXNHbY7NzvzQzKnBXVPXxzDlLaVGFzKCUrnGB81PBtpgetBJazW-QufG1y2UnfavanX5-m3hE1ETHVSzHv-OegjvyAeKjKjv/s640/week+1.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My surgeon gave me permission to start walking immediately, with no restrictions on the amount except for the amount of fatigue I felt. He asked I refrain from using aerobic equipment at the gym for two weeks post-surgery, and running for six weeks post surgery</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. Weightlifting is also not recommended. The worry is that excess straining from too much abdominal impact could create post-surgical hernias at the wound sites.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Honestly, not running for an extended period was the least of my worries when I went in for surgery. I was lucky to have an uncomplicated surgery and no need for post-surgical treatment, so after surgery, I did start counting the days till I could return to exercise activities. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After four days of near total rest, I started to move around the house (and take walks outside. On <b>day 5</b> - Tuesday February 7 - I hit <b>1342 steps</b>. By <b>day 9</b> - Saturday February 11th - I passed <b>5000 steps</b> in a day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">By day 14, I was getting eager to do more and more. At <b>day 16</b> after surgery - I felt strong enough to hit <b>10000+</b> steps -- my pre-surgery normal step goal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The following week, on <b>day 21</b> after my surgery and after my 3 week post-op visit, <b>I returned to the gym</b>. I started on the treadmill at a moderate pace (3.5 mph) and a 10% incline to get my HR up to aerobic training levels. I felt a little soreness during one session on day 22, slowed it down, but felt fine the next day (day 23). That day, I did a fast walk with a couple of little light jogs over 1.5 miles on day 24 and felt fine the following morning, returning to the gym for the following six days. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I made it over a month without running! On March 4th, the <b>30th day</b>, I returned to <b>light outdoor running</b> at a pace of around <b>10 min/mi</b>, with no discomfort. I returned to running about 12 days sooner than recommended, but the amount of force I exerted on my abdominal muscles using the elliptical machine felt greater than the impact from gentle running. Perhaps not smart, certainly extremely impatient, but judging from <a href="https://lacolon.com/blog/exercise-after-colon-surgery">this other post</a> which says jogging is generally ok after four weeks, <a href="http://www.swedish.org/blog/2013/02/activity-after-open-or-laparoscopic-abdominal-surgery">another says</a> two to three weeks of no activity that causes straining, pulling, pushing or jumping after laproscopic abdominal surgery, so not completely out of line.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I plan on keeping my effort light through week six just to make sure, but am confident that my insides are holding up fine.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-16647398080802043912017-02-08T12:46:00.000-08:002017-02-08T12:46:56.935-08:00Starting 2017 with a 10 week break; a half-assed running plan if I've ever seen one<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After a nice slow December post-NCR Marathon, I began the new year with a full slate planned. It included: the Mid-MD 50K this weekend, the DC Rock n' Roll Half and the B&A Half in March. Unfortunately, my colon didn't cooperate with my feet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Starting on New Year's Day, post-parkrun, pizza and beer with friends, I started having pretty severe gut pain. It came and went - I'd be doubled over with pain one moment, thinking about running the next. It was an 8 on the pain scale at its worst, and came with other symptoms that landed me in the ER on the 12th with a diagnosis of post-viral irritable blech.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But: it continued. On and on, through a gastro appointment that confirmed the ER diagnosis. Another week of suck. And I hadn't run since January 8, adding to the mental train wreck.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Luck would have it, the symptoms expanded (I will spare the detail here, but if you want gory details leave a comment), and I got back in for a visit on the 27th where the doctor booked a colonoscopy on the 31st. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I certainly wasn't thinking much of it - went into it fairly blase but thinking they'd send me on my way with a prescription of something or other. It was a real shock to wake up and get the news from the gastro that they found an ugly golf ball size thing causing my right colon to telescope inside itself, explaining the pain and the other symptoms. It was just too big and complicated to get out without surgery - which I underwent two days later and which was a complete success. I turned out just to be a giant benign tumor that sprung up fast (within the 10 year window of my first colonoscopy) and made trouble quickly. It, and a foot of neighboring colon, got the bums rush, stat. Six days later, I'm back to walking around the block and returning to normal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What lessons did I learn? The best laid running plans and life plans for that matter are always best to be taken with a grain of salt. In the past, stuff has gotten derailed by other obligations, and it happens. But it never got derailed because I just couldn't. A good and humbling reminder that sometimes you just can't and don't sweat it. And sometimes you dodge a bullet, sometimes you don't, but the world spins anyhow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So where do I go from here? Basically nothing more than getting rested and ready, slowly but surely. Two weeks out of work, then another couple of weeks taking it easy. A lot of walking and then getting back to the running thing again in mid March. Hope to see everyone outside real soon where I'll be more than happy to be out midpacking and even better once again.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8285487829396761529.post-15337736194729910992016-12-31T08:43:00.003-08:002016-12-31T08:46:44.425-08:00Running recap 12/31/16 (blah blah on top, year in review DC running photos at end)<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Not many running regrets for the year past. I managed to avoid running-related injury (though I did get felled by a couple of cold viruses aggravated by lack of rest days in April and again in October). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I kept a marathon-or-longer annual streak going for the fifth consecutive year. It was the first year since 2012 that I didn't run multiple marathon or longer races. My body thanks me for the break.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I ran a copious number of shorter races. No PRs, but came close enough in the half and 5K that I didn't feel I came up to short.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 34K</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 20 miler</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 metric marathon (26.2 K)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">8 half marathons</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2 20Ks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 10 miler</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2 10Ks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2 8Ks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">8 5Ks (raced)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I developed a relationship with parkrunning, running 20 of them at Fletcher's Cove, Roosevelt Island, and College Park. (I narrowly missed making one at Crissy Field - maybe next year). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I beat my mileage totals for 2015 and 2014. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 2016: 1733</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 2015: 1722</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 2014: 1716</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 2013: 2135</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- 2012: 1222</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Goals for 2017:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- Stay healthy. There's a fine line at any age, but definitely once you get into your 50s, between running as much as you want and as much as your body can handle. I think an average of around 150 miles per month is about as much as I can handle month in month out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- Keep my 100 miles per month minimum going. I missed out in April of '16 when I got a bad cold, but have done it in 55 of the last 57 months. It means more rest days when feeling like a bug is coming on to prevent a full blown illness digging in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- More down weeks, and not just after long races. I need to mix in low mileage stretches (20-25 mpw) now and then, especially in the heat of summer, to prevent getting over-fatigued going into fall.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">- More trails. I'm just not willing to put in the intensity to bring down my road racing times, so I have to get my jollies out through longer distance races. I prefer 20-50K distances (my pain and boredom tolerance runs out after about six hours) but maybe this will be the year I go longer just to do it. I always find an excuse not to do a 50 miler, but the time is probably right.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And looking forward to hitting 10,000 all-time miles on Strava! Halfway around the world will have to wait till 2018.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thanks for reading, and for helping keeping me honest and motivated. Peace love and understanding for everyone in 2017.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And: this post would suck without photos.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvFIhi9Lt8Vu-nqJjdK5UE8AnBBVOp6zmwZb6JApk57N4STf89jCcpEO-yjFic618Xin4Ob9KyuZNFQ-FLVXI5E1jjm6X7nBa6VTr32EgKFutsUjjAc3ytjWoXzz_RzSkYmeYmKXar-c4/s1600/IMG_20160101_100000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvFIhi9Lt8Vu-nqJjdK5UE8AnBBVOp6zmwZb6JApk57N4STf89jCcpEO-yjFic618Xin4Ob9KyuZNFQ-FLVXI5E1jjm6X7nBa6VTr32EgKFutsUjjAc3ytjWoXzz_RzSkYmeYmKXar-c4/s640/IMG_20160101_100000.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MCRRC New Years 5K</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtH-SGezRaHgc3ZYTbMJVK2mJyC0_7IDnHnvhom6ZvmNJ9JYUGt_2XZ0wiiJa8qG9393xFVZ_GZbhHGgtDUhABPv35RWM0ml3rjPmoAJbGJVhSpctAv2ueJ872sEXqOn058Wg69TpFby7W/s1600/IMG_20160114_071348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtH-SGezRaHgc3ZYTbMJVK2mJyC0_7IDnHnvhom6ZvmNJ9JYUGt_2XZ0wiiJa8qG9393xFVZ_GZbhHGgtDUhABPv35RWM0ml3rjPmoAJbGJVhSpctAv2ueJ872sEXqOn058Wg69TpFby7W/s640/IMG_20160114_071348.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SF run</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPoh2Hy9Vb4rfH0GWQ9N_8gnpu3NRz0KRGjhASM0GQ3a36gcvCm7z_zggoMVNLU9bl4YRzI0yLsWg5pCvWkG1ZhvzSB7KjO1bedUdBKlNKZGcj8mVMlRPuAu4Q6xKSehUUZ5JN9U1LaqXx/s1600/IMG_20160103_115019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPoh2Hy9Vb4rfH0GWQ9N_8gnpu3NRz0KRGjhASM0GQ3a36gcvCm7z_zggoMVNLU9bl4YRzI0yLsWg5pCvWkG1ZhvzSB7KjO1bedUdBKlNKZGcj8mVMlRPuAu4Q6xKSehUUZ5JN9U1LaqXx/s640/IMG_20160103_115019.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seneca Greenway - January</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkXgQyMGTie13hwVm2gvqYvA0YeimTXJzUZHyCVyzUTiCpbcSKQbiFOVf1Da38ga_-hi33_5egKHpvw6avOFft4tTE1zYG1DihbvtYfjqDcFLdsJt8qWex5PR6HXYoRZbjvOfIxBJjiUy/s1600/IMG_20160116_085946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkXgQyMGTie13hwVm2gvqYvA0YeimTXJzUZHyCVyzUTiCpbcSKQbiFOVf1Da38ga_-hi33_5egKHpvw6avOFft4tTE1zYG1DihbvtYfjqDcFLdsJt8qWex5PR6HXYoRZbjvOfIxBJjiUy/s640/IMG_20160116_085946.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Fletcher's Cove parkrun</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5-w1TsNXIQKBt9HRUFpSK8BuZomHY363fbAcLhhPWscxciEMEZTrikyeuM2LVMFRgLDZp9QJBgZdlWpPBhHPCx5XHOqiSXJEnfxi12y92bLNfcL9BPhq3bcZ3kiXzTyKPP8WVev8_g1X/s1600/IMG_20160117_121241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5-w1TsNXIQKBt9HRUFpSK8BuZomHY363fbAcLhhPWscxciEMEZTrikyeuM2LVMFRgLDZp9QJBgZdlWpPBhHPCx5XHOqiSXJEnfxi12y92bLNfcL9BPhq3bcZ3kiXzTyKPP8WVev8_g1X/s640/IMG_20160117_121241.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carderock post JFK 20 DCRRC</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDP1SGph-IqIQD4Fu-RmtrYRzrcupfX0t7IFw9alwGr9PnxZo8t9fs6DA5CAoI7wKCOClQByxx8CYTcyloYWGYs2WF_7-uiXSXLo-j31uaGFvpJt4L7X65x89oCLOWu48vD64m346zHCaL/s1600/IMG_20160120_084555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDP1SGph-IqIQD4Fu-RmtrYRzrcupfX0t7IFw9alwGr9PnxZo8t9fs6DA5CAoI7wKCOClQByxx8CYTcyloYWGYs2WF_7-uiXSXLo-j31uaGFvpJt4L7X65x89oCLOWu48vD64m346zHCaL/s640/IMG_20160120_084555.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Icy Potomac River trail MD side</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFCGQ7trkX0GXjuIa8BFTqg9UW7VioLSCU4__oUrqs0RvAxMtCm275Lh0e4kZbfT-MpRVR9t9VHgw_lil5jYc2LQ2jnY4oa2NFA0oAwOuw49WsENxWD6i1k6z6vyig5ObVZRvefUlcude/s1600/IMG_20160121_145703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFCGQ7trkX0GXjuIa8BFTqg9UW7VioLSCU4__oUrqs0RvAxMtCm275Lh0e4kZbfT-MpRVR9t9VHgw_lil5jYc2LQ2jnY4oa2NFA0oAwOuw49WsENxWD6i1k6z6vyig5ObVZRvefUlcude/s640/IMG_20160121_145703.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potomac River deep freeze</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeEjpBwvvdws_XTJBIBT5ZWRQEV2MqV_vO2-5ZgxIHA6VWSl_5Ox5Yj9ElyVaQZ0LZVYOiemGeKhhFsy84BufwGsM5LFUX82f8WXlKmYxdrEq37xpQpzpoXOm7WC830HaS0zestLV8US4/s1600/IMG_20160122_133443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeEjpBwvvdws_XTJBIBT5ZWRQEV2MqV_vO2-5ZgxIHA6VWSl_5Ox5Yj9ElyVaQZ0LZVYOiemGeKhhFsy84BufwGsM5LFUX82f8WXlKmYxdrEq37xpQpzpoXOm7WC830HaS0zestLV8US4/s640/IMG_20160122_133443.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C&O Canal - where's the hockey players?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPBZ64LD1XohNCZjkzkeCbK7h91F2DbZkk5blmCa3UKTTyHjPc3fTe6mz0BagfLyxMV7-kMlG4qHEWYGehANKZt1jFVWcwf-l63FGWUFQv7X89QnT0RvfwLDeMiQ9L1F-vndlBtx2iqy2/s1600/IMG_20160123_210251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPBZ64LD1XohNCZjkzkeCbK7h91F2DbZkk5blmCa3UKTTyHjPc3fTe6mz0BagfLyxMV7-kMlG4qHEWYGehANKZt1jFVWcwf-l63FGWUFQv7X89QnT0RvfwLDeMiQ9L1F-vndlBtx2iqy2/s640/IMG_20160123_210251.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crap ton of January snow 10 pm run</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjIkfoVrWEV8WXEqq-zehvCwdH31WQU9nPZ2eRynqzEsuAWY5-LCTWDiTVQRpNzPtBJ_o_E5rJmwCAUUA65-vUE9roTHpnCew4GCSXMz0PUaIEU8bgqxRQTurW11PQBFv7xtWUR890sNL/s1600/IMG_20160126_132841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjIkfoVrWEV8WXEqq-zehvCwdH31WQU9nPZ2eRynqzEsuAWY5-LCTWDiTVQRpNzPtBJ_o_E5rJmwCAUUA65-vUE9roTHpnCew4GCSXMz0PUaIEU8bgqxRQTurW11PQBFv7xtWUR890sNL/s640/IMG_20160126_132841.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good plowing MC Parks Dept!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbg02zGnIk2nqFZACpRqtJJOesC6siTjvUTa7anz0fx85AQfRemH0opjF-LFaRhRTE7m1jP83qlWc9CQ_8F0uoBFbPxKxOeeOp4gNgYeGsYjdhCCqoF4zCU0RZ14VKXS_lrrsyyIT5Zs7S/s1600/IMG_20160127_135223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbg02zGnIk2nqFZACpRqtJJOesC6siTjvUTa7anz0fx85AQfRemH0opjF-LFaRhRTE7m1jP83qlWc9CQ_8F0uoBFbPxKxOeeOp4gNgYeGsYjdhCCqoF4zCU0RZ14VKXS_lrrsyyIT5Zs7S/s640/IMG_20160127_135223.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The snowplow county line on the CCT</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydhB50fNTw_8GkWCk_gBfG3hQMeVYG0JkEl2K5VDihAcj7cZJ_FUiu0Jg1C3lCMlUltAtnuyBWWsB8jb6ctTwdDjfAS01o0pRQjagXDbcR-5cG7Rf9TvtuBQkqC8WQ0TKlQMx-68y3XBz/s1600/IMG_20160131_110036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydhB50fNTw_8GkWCk_gBfG3hQMeVYG0JkEl2K5VDihAcj7cZJ_FUiu0Jg1C3lCMlUltAtnuyBWWsB8jb6ctTwdDjfAS01o0pRQjagXDbcR-5cG7Rf9TvtuBQkqC8WQ0TKlQMx-68y3XBz/s640/IMG_20160131_110036.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Beach Dr</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORqeDSITDb8kFiacdfL6Q9TbRzFu8UbO6j1ROETLYGkvFH-IldbMc52V5vmujDumFLNM57MsygmYKG-wL7igscFjkcUqJl14AuDEfqJ-jJNCe7H9z5rex0ZeeJpJndo_8bh3cdqk-Uk2D/s1600/1455366705906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="532" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORqeDSITDb8kFiacdfL6Q9TbRzFu8UbO6j1ROETLYGkvFH-IldbMc52V5vmujDumFLNM57MsygmYKG-wL7igscFjkcUqJl14AuDEfqJ-jJNCe7H9z5rex0ZeeJpJndo_8bh3cdqk-Uk2D/s640/1455366705906.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On my way to a trail race in February!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmmGSxQ9PSsrhkpPkIvR6CnbtCCFJKAoM-Lc0fg-hntTd10_aH4z6ozLcMtYMbHpTF6q1NHlOaWNVMqvWUZY-kPCitd3HMr9g2qHy37rbFZ3jS0VDWo8WosiJJBAvF8jw3fEw5rXw4V9l/s1600/IMG_20160214_133706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmmGSxQ9PSsrhkpPkIvR6CnbtCCFJKAoM-Lc0fg-hntTd10_aH4z6ozLcMtYMbHpTF6q1NHlOaWNVMqvWUZY-kPCitd3HMr9g2qHy37rbFZ3jS0VDWo8WosiJJBAvF8jw3fEw5rXw4V9l/s640/IMG_20160214_133706.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Civilian Conservation Corps marker on Cabin John Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJlWw2I-VHpoPz9CQA4D8xQT6DovFmiYGU-ndNf_e4FnFEfzF0f4lZd-rMVUislDijmF2OtPoVN7OteFjRKITv2z3rW8icJfXsPi1pQIWNrfLn_vQGRAwfkcK97E6MTPcuPzKF3oWUGHfw/s1600/IMG_20160225_092822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJlWw2I-VHpoPz9CQA4D8xQT6DovFmiYGU-ndNf_e4FnFEfzF0f4lZd-rMVUislDijmF2OtPoVN7OteFjRKITv2z3rW8icJfXsPi1pQIWNrfLn_vQGRAwfkcK97E6MTPcuPzKF3oWUGHfw/s640/IMG_20160225_092822.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some East Coast winter relief in Palo Alto </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWEOFAldOiKyyLd-6gfyuViMTGiWwPqVukk7XVy75vIG8vXBttmRBOMunnb40o9TuzS_UtjDnA6NF3YXLW7AUzPkNQLvf3e_81hyphenhyphenzJ65L-Nf4O_chQJiyBNp1HvVqjOptAl3jA2q3cL2M/s1600/IMG_20160320_100511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWEOFAldOiKyyLd-6gfyuViMTGiWwPqVukk7XVy75vIG8vXBttmRBOMunnb40o9TuzS_UtjDnA6NF3YXLW7AUzPkNQLvf3e_81hyphenhyphenzJ65L-Nf4O_chQJiyBNp1HvVqjOptAl3jA2q3cL2M/s640/IMG_20160320_100511.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc28t7-YoAceHazr-hJDid_rkOxuPLGIbvjsjrz9RjYNRSKew-hFq5itH2X5b33gOzTgX7RsmxMQm5aM9jNrEQo5Y-42OLKAe69KeFI4gsLl89r2eMB1EJf94GfKdKa1B8E1tuJZCBk5D5/s1600/IMG_20160322_092414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc28t7-YoAceHazr-hJDid_rkOxuPLGIbvjsjrz9RjYNRSKew-hFq5itH2X5b33gOzTgX7RsmxMQm5aM9jNrEQo5Y-42OLKAe69KeFI4gsLl89r2eMB1EJf94GfKdKa1B8E1tuJZCBk5D5/s640/IMG_20160322_092414.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like we are melted out for the year - Potomac River trail MD side</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj93yW-F-xN9Uxf6USKbbcqhzOpborUdrPIFhXCUb6s69EW-JD0EWCXakWghk51MefLfus6XLA5nJmt7_sHEVUa7RfpR0UWwStTxBT2fJ_Kndp0TIuEsG1TuGZ7_MwZ6wmuuS-IXp-8LYHA/s640/IMG_20160417_130238.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chain Bridge spring sprung</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj93yW-F-xN9Uxf6USKbbcqhzOpborUdrPIFhXCUb6s69EW-JD0EWCXakWghk51MefLfus6XLA5nJmt7_sHEVUa7RfpR0UWwStTxBT2fJ_Kndp0TIuEsG1TuGZ7_MwZ6wmuuS-IXp-8LYHA/s1600/IMG_20160417_130238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgby0SmwDfS_oI4bJ-TKwypVpkikvyU4xd5rd9sYRUejJTgFYDGU_GMQTfPCdJo-pm5CQnxqpWKQ-WNQN49i1EyWV8arOGrhh7b_gTOrJaDOGtIq7lzBDA0IMjhA0ktmhtxMNKlcKDDXxRK/s1600/IMG_20160417_112306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgby0SmwDfS_oI4bJ-TKwypVpkikvyU4xd5rd9sYRUejJTgFYDGU_GMQTfPCdJo-pm5CQnxqpWKQ-WNQN49i1EyWV8arOGrhh7b_gTOrJaDOGtIq7lzBDA0IMjhA0ktmhtxMNKlcKDDXxRK/s640/IMG_20160417_112306.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock Creek Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzR7pZDkFqOwzZta8SishexX3cVyNj3X1jQfQuOGpQL9q9zYtSIW4DM0UfzSkyTUPjATqJlCr9ANdUgNjIwKo6AnC-CV3OJpvBFL_VYmCBi7WDunWjHG5avbn4Wuwm6enWjmZvQJW_9n2h/s1600/IMG_20160508_092845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzR7pZDkFqOwzZta8SishexX3cVyNj3X1jQfQuOGpQL9q9zYtSIW4DM0UfzSkyTUPjATqJlCr9ANdUgNjIwKo6AnC-CV3OJpvBFL_VYmCBi7WDunWjHG5avbn4Wuwm6enWjmZvQJW_9n2h/s640/IMG_20160508_092845.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frederick Half Marathon parking lot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJmR4RQEK9-6kzJhtlMFsc1J0aOWnVBKaLZhpcnvcq0Si_3pemh2ZCG0s0Y0rqr8LpRRq5BSAZW9MHxEo4Kff1eDIKaSX7SF1SGsrE6HQ3vvjG_sImV9Q6g8Dp6KO9nv2-9SittqSwSeP/s1600/IMG_20160511_092415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJmR4RQEK9-6kzJhtlMFsc1J0aOWnVBKaLZhpcnvcq0Si_3pemh2ZCG0s0Y0rqr8LpRRq5BSAZW9MHxEo4Kff1eDIKaSX7SF1SGsrE6HQ3vvjG_sImV9Q6g8Dp6KO9nv2-9SittqSwSeP/s640/IMG_20160511_092415.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High water, everywhere. C&O towpath</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyQ3ceqUnCFfytQgqldOWW3ztWZyx_Xu3iNg0N349JKDfRY9KhMfJbEfhLOcvIUzZUlwqFQeOrVUcxzADzgs1et2QOOcRLacf537hjYDKAwTHe3E2a-F5ngOnufegb9TbNsO7FIZO-d_N/s1600/IMG_20160514_071726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyQ3ceqUnCFfytQgqldOWW3ztWZyx_Xu3iNg0N349JKDfRY9KhMfJbEfhLOcvIUzZUlwqFQeOrVUcxzADzgs1et2QOOcRLacf537hjYDKAwTHe3E2a-F5ngOnufegb9TbNsO7FIZO-d_N/s640/IMG_20160514_071726.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-race at Maryland Half, Fulton</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXRJmvz1Xt_8wrlB5okHHy6f4KWNoGArVN5ecem03jE6IBLEpjmS-C9lFGombCrI-9mwae0UwgDuZiIdVhH5lKQX5WbjqqCChYK33faCJsrH8hm7oF05veu6_DDkTtb149Aj2MOffkOA7/s1600/IMG_20160516_171701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXRJmvz1Xt_8wrlB5okHHy6f4KWNoGArVN5ecem03jE6IBLEpjmS-C9lFGombCrI-9mwae0UwgDuZiIdVhH5lKQX5WbjqqCChYK33faCJsrH8hm7oF05veu6_DDkTtb149Aj2MOffkOA7/s640/IMG_20160516_171701.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the Conn Ave Bridge- Rock Creek Park in full bloom</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyH34jz_EC-DBTxT2QDuMElJX_w9cYDcO-ytpLJdtxD9RI29ZWVy5MY2UtNK_1YFtC-gsUxC_r05WKW0DIS4d4OmJ7JRAhBFVRu32Gk1fOEMNXmA_WbCIjtgUia0nfMlVDxmGlFXxar3cK/s1600/IMG_20160527_092816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyH34jz_EC-DBTxT2QDuMElJX_w9cYDcO-ytpLJdtxD9RI29ZWVy5MY2UtNK_1YFtC-gsUxC_r05WKW0DIS4d4OmJ7JRAhBFVRu32Gk1fOEMNXmA_WbCIjtgUia0nfMlVDxmGlFXxar3cK/s640/IMG_20160527_092816.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C&O towpath east of Glen Echo Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DW4PK9c-XmON9kzb2zKDPsPmnyQLBIc3C-h0tYVatqCA5znwtAR5EsH1aILPbNafHL2ayTFsx7d5EYTnH3WJ-Zn-rkUvIONVeQlt9jK1kxM3aqx9GlYbM48enLVPSA44aMpfPkm9dJN9/s1600/IMG_20160529_070330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DW4PK9c-XmON9kzb2zKDPsPmnyQLBIc3C-h0tYVatqCA5znwtAR5EsH1aILPbNafHL2ayTFsx7d5EYTnH3WJ-Zn-rkUvIONVeQlt9jK1kxM3aqx9GlYbM48enLVPSA44aMpfPkm9dJN9/s640/IMG_20160529_070330.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-race at Alexandria Running Festival</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiqyOvPICT84ASRlkLxbDZTylbxA-f8eXY3O9gAjWLSG2tSxpAYDGyZJlp9IEAdXQlM631Rs63KYxfArk5k1VPyu1gqk48phWJ3tnifBH8ujQoZZmStOuGA7EaJsXz6DktS8IzOT_INTCy/s1600/FB_IMG_1465053487144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiqyOvPICT84ASRlkLxbDZTylbxA-f8eXY3O9gAjWLSG2tSxpAYDGyZJlp9IEAdXQlM631Rs63KYxfArk5k1VPyu1gqk48phWJ3tnifBH8ujQoZZmStOuGA7EaJsXz6DktS8IzOT_INTCy/s640/FB_IMG_1465053487144.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roosevelt Island parkrunners</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1xvLHNBMQmRLClP1GvVoHWwbO1ZzuzOpdTu7PdGz4XeLh-mikuprQ2AlYmIQgU-XHqXHTLe1bSoOBXrYJfCRaR6a2QZj6IvftJjRXCSythgtVtgG9U0fpf-mYnqwfeYt16FWHVI59iJ7n/s1600/IMG_20160621_091435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1xvLHNBMQmRLClP1GvVoHWwbO1ZzuzOpdTu7PdGz4XeLh-mikuprQ2AlYmIQgU-XHqXHTLe1bSoOBXrYJfCRaR6a2QZj6IvftJjRXCSythgtVtgG9U0fpf-mYnqwfeYt16FWHVI59iJ7n/s640/IMG_20160621_091435.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C&O towpath looking east towards the Beltway</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZurhKtFis_sjee7JE3yo-Cpt1JInEi89LrouzGHyO5Cu7r4Ad-xCIxT6WJdCgWgW_VOXEY7VDrXjKDPuK0S8_Ft3mUePdYc0jWxMtb8K1On41M_rzVMLnPnPiZkj5t-lCg4FqyX3RdBcw/s1600/IMG_20160626_073003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZurhKtFis_sjee7JE3yo-Cpt1JInEi89LrouzGHyO5Cu7r4Ad-xCIxT6WJdCgWgW_VOXEY7VDrXjKDPuK0S8_Ft3mUePdYc0jWxMtb8K1On41M_rzVMLnPnPiZkj5t-lCg4FqyX3RdBcw/s640/IMG_20160626_073003.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crissy Field SF</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00SMroz-fmPlIwwOI1Oxbfmj2KEb2U0mfer_uypZXQpZqgFMVfLa-cfmBpFpNTj5DV4fYhE3NxptPk7J21-eQ2JwwVLY6655Fv_GDWg4RnEDJc9qHe7r150TGOd_vwWWOGQNOvzy7-hIq/s1600/IMG_20160628_083147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00SMroz-fmPlIwwOI1Oxbfmj2KEb2U0mfer_uypZXQpZqgFMVfLa-cfmBpFpNTj5DV4fYhE3NxptPk7J21-eQ2JwwVLY6655Fv_GDWg4RnEDJc9qHe7r150TGOd_vwWWOGQNOvzy7-hIq/s640/IMG_20160628_083147.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monterey Beach CA</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CCT underpass, Massachusetts Ave</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3473oet0uyD47VW4cM7TMnB2ikcYygJfZBd85SngS8RNnhyphenhyphenR5MgzQOcN65hnJylhVSQYd8IumZgXzNmMukgoucs0bGgLhoL-mozzdTIe99wqYd9dezWbnbVKtKe_ibz7-utMj1DktMX1r/s1600/IMG_20160725_082149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3473oet0uyD47VW4cM7TMnB2ikcYygJfZBd85SngS8RNnhyphenhyphenR5MgzQOcN65hnJylhVSQYd8IumZgXzNmMukgoucs0bGgLhoL-mozzdTIe99wqYd9dezWbnbVKtKe_ibz7-utMj1DktMX1r/s640/IMG_20160725_082149.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prospect Park, Waltham Mass looking at Boston</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-QP_CI2Vumcf855bivcvfrMmaRDZSI40ln-5j2Rg7-hQzrG4DLuoeFIKgYUqKjZgMhRGsxEG_pBTREtXZv2stFe4lPSaLVya3fDxJmOVAJMKeok-O_FKNqtDCoh-vQHZKOg6IRhKWGJ8/s1600/IMG_20160813_193705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis-QP_CI2Vumcf855bivcvfrMmaRDZSI40ln-5j2Rg7-hQzrG4DLuoeFIKgYUqKjZgMhRGsxEG_pBTREtXZv2stFe4lPSaLVya3fDxJmOVAJMKeok-O_FKNqtDCoh-vQHZKOg6IRhKWGJ8/s640/IMG_20160813_193705.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Sugarloaf sky post MCRRC Comus Run</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zPcOYtzKyCbISMGB8pRzqxQRC8Jp8qaof1NX7q9CgyM8VRUpNWlTOlX4ZSqMOxmBAEh461eR-6ifl-8tHKPAxNXig0iNwEmiBv0eT4MRm3xn2vfHA4nyab7ZEuBy-LXCuV9mgvd3EMoj/s1600/FB_IMG_1472923885686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zPcOYtzKyCbISMGB8pRzqxQRC8Jp8qaof1NX7q9CgyM8VRUpNWlTOlX4ZSqMOxmBAEh461eR-6ifl-8tHKPAxNXig0iNwEmiBv0eT4MRm3xn2vfHA4nyab7ZEuBy-LXCuV9mgvd3EMoj/s640/FB_IMG_1472923885686.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fletcher's Parkrun crowd gathers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGo6sKtOP13rBXu95UdPsy9bFOgSvwCnk6ib3HQG0RibIjLw_2YyobKBvaf0uRxxXjkJ73Dy3BEJtWD_Y_TBrt9IGLTK5ewCNUrq8wcOkFZ15w8MbmAGrSwxlDL5g52RQ6ekLfqkaJQI2b/s1600/IMG_20160906_083840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGo6sKtOP13rBXu95UdPsy9bFOgSvwCnk6ib3HQG0RibIjLw_2YyobKBvaf0uRxxXjkJ73Dy3BEJtWD_Y_TBrt9IGLTK5ewCNUrq8wcOkFZ15w8MbmAGrSwxlDL5g52RQ6ekLfqkaJQI2b/s640/IMG_20160906_083840.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite Potomac view from the C&O towpath, near the dam</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzLyg-P6etUkvQSpfCyKXL6zSNd6iVxw9LQYx_5DJijjZidkKG8ag2IK3odiINumOYzpq51kAOsphDMYGjf2kdUZsaaTHmKiwQDGhG35x7d5D4-dCgb2mz-qn6bHlZBLnnYi2bj_kYjwj5/s1600/IMG_20160907_090941097_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzLyg-P6etUkvQSpfCyKXL6zSNd6iVxw9LQYx_5DJijjZidkKG8ag2IK3odiINumOYzpq51kAOsphDMYGjf2kdUZsaaTHmKiwQDGhG35x7d5D4-dCgb2mz-qn6bHlZBLnnYi2bj_kYjwj5/s640/IMG_20160907_090941097_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Low water on the Potomac, summer on the Potomac River trail, MD</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwIwDMpjz6miVYu7m3vwKy5CieaV4Tgc5iDLAd57M8q_hpudGyC7lStKnhgoEBlxIf-7uCDA4v5hSTU-3-1HQmuAjg3JpoGc5mMFMMmMUwYv8JUj-sun5fDUmpqqdh9fD9QhEn5dEOmNS/s1600/IMG_20161016_163640234_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwIwDMpjz6miVYu7m3vwKy5CieaV4Tgc5iDLAd57M8q_hpudGyC7lStKnhgoEBlxIf-7uCDA4v5hSTU-3-1HQmuAjg3JpoGc5mMFMMmMUwYv8JUj-sun5fDUmpqqdh9fD9QhEn5dEOmNS/s640/IMG_20161016_163640234_HDR.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fall on the C&O towpath</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYmZ1kGpsxrb668wil3EPRRThyz8KB9LEHuiQrIei3rsBu-J2aiV3mYL0STvm_i9nDGE2Sus58HXRs4utjkx0O4PmPoBb-whCtzKZAbUstayfA1bwoy6Ql3SzxosY3bXx7WeR4r7FKN2s/s1600/IMG_20161023_115505653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYmZ1kGpsxrb668wil3EPRRThyz8KB9LEHuiQrIei3rsBu-J2aiV3mYL0STvm_i9nDGE2Sus58HXRs4utjkx0O4PmPoBb-whCtzKZAbUstayfA1bwoy6Ql3SzxosY3bXx7WeR4r7FKN2s/s640/IMG_20161023_115505653.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fall view of the Potomac from the C&O towpath near the dam</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9YLs4jEHx-54izTZzNhnoxL3raiteQLgnUdVHExWWUTocPx3I162llVV7OaEbpCsRrL67IcCxbhb0_XysDOTwVlj7wL3tw67ALfNjpDSgJIOYgqzIn6LiiguyyXGdSWOUR14liT6hc5K/s1600/IMG_20161108_142929975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9YLs4jEHx-54izTZzNhnoxL3raiteQLgnUdVHExWWUTocPx3I162llVV7OaEbpCsRrL67IcCxbhb0_XysDOTwVlj7wL3tw67ALfNjpDSgJIOYgqzIn6LiiguyyXGdSWOUR14liT6hc5K/s640/IMG_20161108_142929975.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Election Day run </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9dwdQZWafzwvLxcvxLU5Pn1OjpUfUVUidyClO_95oysHZnizjwxm6_WIEIzlWksrkRJrgcY0ZYo2vZjiOBmqOOwgMP-1N7CwDlqv8QFkI2exmGgI3hkVWTG4Qzl4b2CEaSVbZDwZ0B4j/s1600/IMG_20161108_161143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9dwdQZWafzwvLxcvxLU5Pn1OjpUfUVUidyClO_95oysHZnizjwxm6_WIEIzlWksrkRJrgcY0ZYo2vZjiOBmqOOwgMP-1N7CwDlqv8QFkI2exmGgI3hkVWTG4Qzl4b2CEaSVbZDwZ0B4j/s640/IMG_20161108_161143.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Election Day Run: Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyoWKvlRZuFDNIQS0FxiKGDHbpnDbaVLasjBtsDTYBjiorttQsRaVmOIWe6FIK4BXkenL-G3xgtjEUkHtpjc8nZCJH1mPbB6g_rO8At43B2JCWpAQBcFi3kTKMr1E7tGSXAJmqIWlTHUpH/s1600/IMG_20161111_092744131_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyoWKvlRZuFDNIQS0FxiKGDHbpnDbaVLasjBtsDTYBjiorttQsRaVmOIWe6FIK4BXkenL-G3xgtjEUkHtpjc8nZCJH1mPbB6g_rO8At43B2JCWpAQBcFi3kTKMr1E7tGSXAJmqIWlTHUpH/s640/IMG_20161111_092744131_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the Jackie O Reservoir, NYC, Central Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WNf0lRifqHCqV7bYWnuNUuPsDJkJgRKh_E2ZZ2AP4q169sogwiBq36eYLWpoERUp3Xg03iWzReaWipgyPJJyOodCxKSEVl9hyphenhyphenw2k2UhDAp8P-fnAdob2YyUbOsOCsh8bENdcIN1PTsWM/s1600/IMG_20161112_090258770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WNf0lRifqHCqV7bYWnuNUuPsDJkJgRKh_E2ZZ2AP4q169sogwiBq36eYLWpoERUp3Xg03iWzReaWipgyPJJyOodCxKSEVl9hyphenhyphenw2k2UhDAp8P-fnAdob2YyUbOsOCsh8bENdcIN1PTsWM/s640/IMG_20161112_090258770.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On your mark... Fletcher's parkrun</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QKHL37MfnDTyieciQBUKv95bc0RMSNvVeiZfzx-SvkVWmIjeqFh-f3EtBfieC2jG5N7IW6JsxJWgSAva5LyywUdSeU0HiWDbiLUuu-ecdPAtxGwFIHQznZaXywDQwtraUExNQfMU-jTl/s1600/IMG_20161117_101518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QKHL37MfnDTyieciQBUKv95bc0RMSNvVeiZfzx-SvkVWmIjeqFh-f3EtBfieC2jG5N7IW6JsxJWgSAva5LyywUdSeU0HiWDbiLUuu-ecdPAtxGwFIHQznZaXywDQwtraUExNQfMU-jTl/s640/IMG_20161117_101518.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glorious fall on the C&O towpath, east of Glen Echo </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3cdihwgYVwoHPQiYsLMwTA-4iHm07XbbZ7UtkEz6-n003alDOnbfIpqUMyseUsg9b6690WVZJTwWHo_ChGgnW4K7Vd-gjGq8Ft_mwKlr7-4l1TMgHAJ5NzoEC1NN12aIiVFh7ZpQr-e4/s1600/IMG_20161118_093307687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3cdihwgYVwoHPQiYsLMwTA-4iHm07XbbZ7UtkEz6-n003alDOnbfIpqUMyseUsg9b6690WVZJTwWHo_ChGgnW4K7Vd-gjGq8Ft_mwKlr7-4l1TMgHAJ5NzoEC1NN12aIiVFh7ZpQr-e4/s640/IMG_20161118_093307687.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fall day on the Potomac from the C&O towpath near the dam.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VaYLRseOo0U0lpEvJ4CacwFPY0559-p8KeuG_cefQC1kGLVInU2icjLEdR9BjjEMnMPBahIuO37tpYx-CWTVBIja9io8HCEGSDq62dfvDoWwtDwVCaxzRXAoYuAs7xGiCfCoTkfRPB86/s1600/IMG_20161119_090135375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VaYLRseOo0U0lpEvJ4CacwFPY0559-p8KeuG_cefQC1kGLVInU2icjLEdR9BjjEMnMPBahIuO37tpYx-CWTVBIja9io8HCEGSDq62dfvDoWwtDwVCaxzRXAoYuAs7xGiCfCoTkfRPB86/s640/IMG_20161119_090135375.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is that Councilwoman Mary Cheh (b left)? Pre parkrun at Fletchers.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLGQvHJXAkF2at_r8iNNTYyo6-LNfIcFA1EnB_aHgi4KH1ocgWaKIz7l79SjGTKf8BVEpkasqHwYJYW67c7W1LG3rTTNXZv_vHqflbkjgd1VIaxo32YuY2OxygF_z1PF1PglsChU7jQ40E/s1600/IMG_20161119_095026570_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLGQvHJXAkF2at_r8iNNTYyo6-LNfIcFA1EnB_aHgi4KH1ocgWaKIz7l79SjGTKf8BVEpkasqHwYJYW67c7W1LG3rTTNXZv_vHqflbkjgd1VIaxo32YuY2OxygF_z1PF1PglsChU7jQ40E/s640/IMG_20161119_095026570_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potomac River trail</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXEvXvfgQynI0BiBQKCDp87VblJn7Os4Iynov4iibpanmC2B9WS70QW86PkdCRBRoUwcUgc9f1_nqseV06L6vw7m70QRN3a7X-iCuynBJc0_QJ9iXccCL1QPVhu1-0r338XUIcttU9a__/s1600/IMG_20161126_132331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXEvXvfgQynI0BiBQKCDp87VblJn7Os4Iynov4iibpanmC2B9WS70QW86PkdCRBRoUwcUgc9f1_nqseV06L6vw7m70QRN3a7X-iCuynBJc0_QJ9iXccCL1QPVhu1-0r338XUIcttU9a__/s400/IMG_20161126_132331.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1pxI2-1OkXv3gX3qOrS2tGwpJTcmKFf4JKYSUu836KjPGQNdcIcJDTp6fGFPw5U5iFjsODZUjPrDWGavUA0-9KIC3mWGYyW5G_SQpEh4EA0gVIrrFUHykoPs7ZHUb57sVx2czolz9HKI/s1600/IMG_20161203_110301988_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="601" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1pxI2-1OkXv3gX3qOrS2tGwpJTcmKFf4JKYSUu836KjPGQNdcIcJDTp6fGFPw5U5iFjsODZUjPrDWGavUA0-9KIC3mWGYyW5G_SQpEh4EA0gVIrrFUHykoPs7ZHUb57sVx2czolz9HKI/s640/IMG_20161203_110301988_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous fall morning on the Berma Road, Great Falls MD</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2N7mE2A2fO1M0daIbRafBqrlFhyGo9QxaugjGle4GqGef8fEES60wTRwBN-d4yRLa79HWn_AKRP7caosdNq3N6FDVEg6fIdtHXaOm2rESiwxPu7lf1Vlbg6b7XUnAkOn6H-IyTATVdjQ/s1600/IMG_20161228_115821292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2N7mE2A2fO1M0daIbRafBqrlFhyGo9QxaugjGle4GqGef8fEES60wTRwBN-d4yRLa79HWn_AKRP7caosdNq3N6FDVEg6fIdtHXaOm2rESiwxPu7lf1Vlbg6b7XUnAkOn6H-IyTATVdjQ/s640/IMG_20161228_115821292.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DC Waterfront from Hains Point</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKdtm5Q2HSIpCddiiJ3MzFQZvTMrmM8Gp1cIkWf8r7akuOXEXTa_PkDPTfAjbY6iyoe0XhWRIiykqMdJiqcxaPmD9n86EV_8hFR6WEia0KLlG3bm4S5TlzZUtw2NvjzbK932FBBulmyPg/s1600/IMG_20161230_105915688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKdtm5Q2HSIpCddiiJ3MzFQZvTMrmM8Gp1cIkWf8r7akuOXEXTa_PkDPTfAjbY6iyoe0XhWRIiykqMdJiqcxaPmD9n86EV_8hFR6WEia0KLlG3bm4S5TlzZUtw2NvjzbK932FBBulmyPg/s640/IMG_20161230_105915688.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Muddy Branch Trail after snow squall, 12/30</td></tr>
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