Marmot Approach Soft Shell – Gear review

Posted in Gear Reviews on November 9th, 2008

The Marmot Approach Soft Shell is the perfect winter running coat, just warm enough to wear in the cold and really cold, all you need is a good layer underneath and it will work in any temperature range. The Marmot Approach has a longer cut  in the back to keep the wind and snow out along with a elastic waist tightener to snug up the fit. What’s nice the coat has enough room underneath and won’t restrict your movement when running. The raised collar keeps the neck warm from the really cold and windy days along with a sleeve pocket for the stash needs. The Marmot approach will keep the wind, snow and rain out along with a extremely breathable fabric. What’ nice this coat won’t break the bank,,,,,,,,,,

Marmot soft shell

 

 

On Sale: $95.96

20% Off, Regularly: $119.95

New York Marathon

Posted in Trail Run News on November 2nd, 2008

It’s time for the roadies to run through New York City in one of the most prestige marathons of all.

http://www.nycmarathon.org/images/home/paula08_hp.jpg

 

In a day of repeating champions, Paula Radcliffe of England has once again won the ING New York City Marathon, dominating in a wire-to-wire victory. Ludmila Petrova and Kara Goucher were second and third,

How to pace your 100 mile runner

Posted in Trail Run News on September 5th, 2008

Notes from the goat

There is no exact science to pacing but here are some the tips we have learned. It all started a long time ago when old friend Dan O’Connor paced to my first 100 mile finish, the Wasatch 100. He was motivating, pushed the pace and keep me moving, as I’ve had other pacers who were just happy to walk and talk with me. Here are some keys points to think about:

  • Know your runners abilities
  • Motivate your runner at all times
  • Be aware of your runners goals, keep track of his splits and remind him frequently what pace they are on.
  • Monitor their water and food intake, be sure they are ahead of their needs.
  • Pay attention to their pit stop plan before you enter each aid station.
  • Most important the aid station is a pit stop, not a rest stop along the highway. Your runner must race down time as well, this will translate to a faster finish.
  • Run in front of your runner, stay ahead and keep them running if they can.
  • Evaluate their strengths such as can they run better downhill, uphill or the flats, once you determine this push your runner through those sections.
  • Most of all, as long as your runner is not injured, get them to the finish!

If you fellow goats have any good info, leave a comment, Bahaha two scrapes!

Hardrock 100 – Finish – The hardest foot race on earth

Posted in Trail Run News on August 27th, 2008

My Hardrock 100 splits were fast enough the last 35 miles  my wife and kids missed the finish, thanks for the photo !!!

Scott Mason of Heber City, Utah., runs the final stretch of the race toward the rock. The 101 mile course served up 66,000 combined vertical. Feeling tough?

Hats off to long time training partner and friend Karl Meltzer , Karl had to call it quits for the AT record due to injuries, 20 scrapes for the man…….

Montrail Vitesse

Posted in Gear Reviews on June 10th, 2008

The mighty Vitesse has been around for ever, if you like a shoe with a lot of cushion and protection you must give these a try! We run in the rugged Wasatch Range where you need a big toe box for the long technical downhills. The Vitesse has a anti roll lug that will keep you from rolling your ankles in the rockiest of terrain. This extra bit of confidence can go a long way when running a 100 miler! If you want to bomb the scree fields with happy feet, strap on the Vitesse for a ride!

Our Price: $89.95
Buy from Backcountry

Massanutten 100 closet finish ever.

Posted in Trail Run News on May 26th, 2008

Yes the closet  finish ever took place last weekend in Virginia at the Massanutten 100, Todd Walker held off Keith Knipiling to finish just ahead of him buy  a couple minutes. This was a true test of will for both runners as they were almost together at the last aid station heading towards the finish. On the other hand the women’s race was won by Amy Sproston runner for the Wasatch Speed Goat Mountain Racing Team. She won by almost three hours and had one of the fastest women finishes ever at the rockiest course around.

Nice run Amy!!

Wasatch Speed Goat

Posted in Trail Run News on May 5th, 2008

fruit-boots

It turns out that the Thetan aliens who created and put us on earth might have been onto something when they designed our feet. An article in New York Magazine makes some interesting points regarding the relationship between shoes and physiological problems. The basic argument is that you walk and run in a way that puts less stress on your heels and joints when you aren’t using heavily padded shoes, so a better alternative to triple-fat Nike Shox might be a pair of these Vibram FiveFingers. The FiveFingers provide protection from hypodermic needles on the sidewalk and offer a little protection if you have to kick in a basement window, but they don’t provide any of the support of normal shoes.

Imagine running a 100 miler in these things? Your toes would swell and the shoe would not come off!

Nalgene and Faux-Nalgene Bottles Will Likely Be Added to List of Toxic Substances in America Lite

Posted in Trail Run News on April 22nd, 2008

CamelBak will end up looking like the smartest guys in the room with their non-BPA bottles if the Canadian government tags the Nalgenes as a toxic chemical. Some undercover scientist leaked to the press that the Canadian government is prepared to let the world know that camping and baby bottles are slowly poisoning them. How many years of poisoning have you expreienced?

 

The public and industry will have 60 days to comment on the designation once it is released, setting into motion a two-year process that could lead to a partial or complete ban on food-related uses of plastics made using B.P.A.

When they say “public” they mean Canada, but I stopped using my Nalgene years ago—to dangerous. Now I just use it as an ashtray.

Choose your hydration products with caution!

via NY Times

Wasatch Speed Goat Mountain Racing Team

Posted in Trail Run News on April 15th, 2008

Thr first ever blog sponorered trail running team is up and running. Scott from Wasatchspeedgoat.com put together 17 runners from all over the country! This gang is a group of seasoned trail runners who dedicate their whole life to the sport, running anywhere from 6 – 100 ultramarathons a year! The team is supported by several sponsors:

Natahn Packs, First endurance, Nuun, Petzl, Nordic Track, Backcountry.com and Wasatchspeedgoat.com.

We are not a shoe company or a retailer, we are the runners who drive the sport!

Wasatch Speed Goats

Stay tuned for updates on the team and their race reports!

The North Face Rucky Chucky Trail Shoe review

Posted in Gear Reviews on April 6th, 2008
  • Fit: Excellent. The shoe fit me very well (slightly bigger than “normal”) and feels very smooth. It has good breathability. The shoe features an ergonomically-designed footbed that looks a bit weird at first but really does not bother your feet.
  • Toughness: Very Good. The bottom of the shoe is very well protected with new “snake-plate” technology.
  • Flexibility: Excellent. The Rucky Chuckies are very flexible, unlike some of the other TNF running shoes.
  • Side-to-side Stability: Very Good. The shoes felt extremely comfortable and allowed me to move over tough terrain effortlessly.
  • Grip: Very good. Not super aggressive, but plenty to get the job done, especially on rocky terrain.
  • Switchback Handling: Very Good. I had to stop and tighten the shoes very tight to handle some of the extreme downhills (so my toes would not hit the front of the shoes) and without an integrated lacing system this restricted my feet a little bit.
  • Weight: Excellent. This is the shoes’ best feature! They are really very light for a trail running shoe. I almost did not feel any difference with my road shoes. I found some of the othe on the heavy side.
  • Price: OK. At $109.95!
  • Overall: This is a great and surprisingly light shoe for almost all trail conditions and can even be used on the road if needed.

The North Face Rucky Chucky Trail Running Shoe - Men's

You can purchase the Rucky Chuckies Trail Shoe right now for (MSRP109.95) !