Altra Torin 2.5 review

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 Torin 2.5. 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.

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 Escalantes - it would allow this shoe to excel at the quicker stufff.

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)

Now, picking it apart in detail...

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 Instinct 4.0 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.

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 Lone Peak 3.0, softer than the Instinct. 

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

Running after laparoscopic abdominal surgery

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.

The following is a journal of my return to activity from walking to running following my laproscopic right hemicolectomy.

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 letsrun.com message boards.


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.

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. 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.

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. 

After four days of near total rest, I started to move around the house (and take walks outside. On day 5 - Tuesday February 7 - I hit 1342 steps. By day 9 - Saturday February 11th - I passed 5000 steps in a day.

By day 14, I was getting eager to do more and more. At day 16 after surgery - I felt strong enough to hit 10000+ steps -- my pre-surgery normal step goal.

The following week, on day 21 after my surgery and after my 3 week post-op visit, I returned to the gym. 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.  

I made it over a month without running! On March 4th, the 30th day, I returned to light outdoor running at a pace of around 10 min/mi, 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 this other post which says jogging is generally ok after four weeks, another says two to three weeks of no activity that causes straining, pulling, pushing or jumping after laproscopic abdominal surgery, so not completely out of line.

I plan on keeping my effort light through week six just to make sure, but am confident that my insides are holding up fine.

Starting 2017 with a 10 week break; a half-assed running plan if I've ever seen one

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

Running recap 12/31/16 (blah blah on top, year in review DC running photos at end)

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). 

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.

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.

1 34K
1 20 miler
1 metric marathon (26.2 K)
8 half marathons
2 20Ks
1 10 miler
2 10Ks
2 8Ks
8 5Ks (raced)

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). 

I beat my mileage totals for 2015 and 2014.  

- 2016: 1733
- 2015: 1722
- 2014: 1716
- 2013: 2135
- 2012: 1222

Goals for 2017:

- 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.

- 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.

- 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.

- 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.

And looking forward to hitting 10,000 all-time miles on Strava! Halfway around the world will have to wait till 2018.

Thanks for reading, and for helping keeping me honest and motivated. Peace love and understanding for everyone in 2017.

And: this post would suck without photos.

MCRRC New Years 5K

SF run

Seneca Greenway - January

Second Fletcher's Cove parkrun

Carderock post JFK 20 DCRRC

Icy Potomac River trail MD side

Potomac River deep freeze

C&O Canal - where's the hockey players?

Crap ton of  January snow 10 pm run

Good plowing MC Parks Dept!

The snowplow county line on the CCT

From Beach Dr

On my way to a trail race in February!

Civilian Conservation Corps marker on Cabin John Trail

Some East Coast winter relief in Palo Alto 

Looks like we are melted out for the year - Potomac River trail MD side

Chain Bridge spring sprung

Rock Creek Park

Frederick Half Marathon parking lot

High water, everywhere. C&O towpath

Pre-race at Maryland Half, Fulton

From the Conn Ave Bridge- Rock Creek Park in full bloom

C&O towpath east of Glen Echo Park

Pre-race at Alexandria Running Festival

Roosevelt Island parkrunners

C&O towpath looking east towards the Beltway

Crissy Field SF

Monterey Beach CA

CCT underpass, Massachusetts Ave

Prospect Park, Waltham Mass looking at Boston

Beautiful Sugarloaf sky post MCRRC Comus Run

Fletcher's Parkrun crowd gathers

My favorite Potomac view from the C&O towpath, near the dam

Low water on the Potomac, summer on the Potomac River trail, MD

Fall on the C&O towpath

Fall view of the Potomac from the C&O towpath near the dam

Election Day run 

Election Day Run: Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

From the Jackie O Reservoir, NYC, Central Park

On your mark... Fletcher's parkrun

Glorious fall on the C&O towpath, east of Glen Echo 

Fall day on the Potomac from the C&O towpath near the dam.

Is that Councilwoman Mary Cheh (b left)? Pre parkrun at Fletchers.

Potomac River trail

Gorgeous fall morning on the Berma Road, Great Falls MD

DC Waterfront from Hains Point

Muddy Branch Trail after snow squall, 12/30