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Kategorie: running (Seite 2 von 3)

Oberstdorf Weekender – Part 1

We spent the weekend hiking and skating around the petite bit of snowfall that is left in the Oberstdorf region. Conditions weren’t perfect for blading, but it was great to catch up on some Nordic skiing. I missed it.

More photographs to follow. Stay tuned.

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All pictures (C) Runssel

shoeporn: Mizuno – Wave Rider 19

The Wave Rider already is a Mizuno classic. Now issuing its 19th (!) edition this is the up-to-date version of this well-liked neutral kick. Looking back a couple of years, I jogged one of the elder styles of the Wave Rider. I recall the shoe to be a fabulous light training shoe, which I used for marathon tempo runs and normal training runs. Then I picked up this version. I was keen to sense the transformation throughout the years. 
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It is pretty apparent that this is a quality made shoe.  Specifically the upper sock liner is effectively designed, smooth and decently soft. While the underfoot feel is a bit stiff the overall flexibly is great. I ran the shoe on longer workouts and during track sessions. Although the Wave Rider is direct, snug and smooth it still delivers sufficient cushion to guarantee a sensitivity that generates a lot of enjoyment while working out properly.

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A smooth design is significant. The 19th version of the Wave Rider looks great. Mizuno reorganized the upper style with additional resilience and shock attenuation. This increases foot comfort throughout the run.

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Mizuno’s Parallel Wave technology is a widespread characteristic with the Japanese company. It is designed to integrate more firmness into their models. Unlike the rest of the shoe brands, Mizuno uses a grade of foam thickness to generate stability. Basically there is plastic material that runs along the forefoot and the heel for best foot control. The sprightly U4ic midsole together with the corresponding wave technology comforts a bouncy approachable strike and gusted rubber in the forefoot area offers durability and softness.

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Mizuno’s existing Runbird was revealed for the first time at the 1988 Seoul Olympics when Carl Lewis and Florence Griffith Joyner won gold medals wearing Mizuno shoes.

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Nope. The Wave Rider is undeniably not a stability shoe. Although the Wave Plate in the forefoot portion offers some light assistance for the foot, there is not much stability seen anyplace else. The set-up offers a firm, fast ride and a stiff heel counter.

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With the 19th style the Wave Rider appears to have a bit more midsole material then preceding models. Furthermore the upper got an excellent re-design. Although the toe box seems a bit sloppier, it is very accommodating for wider feet.

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A mere of 229 grams is not that much for such a playful and comfortable shoe. I treasured this shoe throughout faster tempo track tests and speed workouts – a boundless all-rounder.

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The so-called “Blown rubber” in the forefoot area surges cushioning and responsiveness. Flex Controllers placed in high flex areas on the outsole act as miniature wave plates for increased flexibility and reduced weight!

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Mizuno calls its outside rubber “X10”. It is located in the heel and is created of robust carbon rubber for boosted traction

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shoeporn: La Sportiva – Helios

The Helios just appeared right on time. As the season got worse and worse, my daily runs got a bit out of control. Snow and frost on the streets and challenging trail situations made up for some dodgy actions while training.

With a fine heel-toe drop of 4mm the Helios could be perceived as the bigger, bulky brother to La Sportiva’s Vertical K trail running shoe. I jogged the Vertical K and treasured the shoe for it’s minimal style and the forceful sole. With the Helios La Sportiva established an additional lightweight (8.1 oz, 231 g) shoe which can be seen as a day-to-day workhorse and light racing shoe for runners who can handle just about the perfect extent of cushioning and nothing more. We are talking about a light and steadfast trail shoe by any means. I found it hard to slow down while cruising the trails with this reliable partner. On muddy trails I found the grips to be utterly astonishing. The inner of the Helios is made up in a sock-like style. Besides a comfortable feeling it helps to pretend from slipping or sliding.

Being a admirer of an minimal approach to shoe design, I have to say that La Sportiva did a fantastic job with the Helios. I used the shoe in rain, snowfall and on dry days, on the road and on the trails. I never was dissatisfied by any means. The comfortable mood stayed with me all the time without loosing the aggressive style and touch for the soil. For me the Helios is a complete training partner and flawless racing shoe for longer trail competitions. Having a wide foot I found this shoe to be a perfect fit. Well done, La Sportiva!

Prego – 231g of italian trail running funk.

HyDrain Mesh on the outside. Feels good.

This sole goes by the name of FriXion. I dont know what it means but i know that it works. Pretty well.

Grip as you need.

Ciao Bella! Another red italian race car?

Straight outta Ziano di Fiemme.

Slick design.

Trail jogging made easy with the Helios.

Racereport 2014-09: Engadin SwimRun

Perhaps it is not the brightest idea to write down a race story when the actual contest was just two days ago. Maybe there is a good bit of neutrality gone astray. But, who cares! Let the emotional raging commence.

As soon as you tell somebody about this SwimRun thing you’ll get some questions back. Of course, you have to to run in a wetsuit. Of course, you need to go swimming with your shoes. Of course, you are permitted to bathe with paddles and a pullbuoy. No, you do not have a transition area. More less – you can do what on earth you want as long as you carry it along that course. More questions?

At the same time as this innovative team game called SwimRun is kind of a household name in Scandinavia, little is known about it outer the Kingdom of Sweden. The big mama off all SwimRun races is the legendary Ö till Ö. The organizers of this event also organized this wander from corner to corner of the Engadin valley in Switzerland. As Fabian and I are already (…and gratefully) qualified for Ö Till Ö we decided to take part in this first race outside of Sweden to collect some practical information and understanding before we get on the plane to the join the Ö Till Ö festivity.

As an location the organizers couldn’t have chosen a superior arrangement for the maiden SwimRun on the continent. The sheer splendor of the Engadin is unadulterated inspiration plus the plan to voyage all the way through the vale from Maloja to Silvaplana was just prepared for this idea of racing.

Our pre-race homework was acceptable. As total rookies in this game we did not know how to get ready for something like this. With a number of specific sessions and material testing at the local lake as well as the usual swims and runs we got ourselves set. At least that’s what we thought. The team racing characteristic is particular and produces a motivating vibrant. We were energized and also nervous. Even more worried when we got a pre-race glimpse of the Silvalplana waters before the race. Chilly would have been a nice expression to describe the water. A entire new experience. We tested the waters in our long neoprene suits and couldn’t hack the sensation of this bitter cold water. Raceday won’t be any better. We were sure about that.

As the morning sun made its way up to the blue skies we ran on. A assembly of almost 100 teams. All psyched for vertical running as well as cold water bathing. At this part of my report I need to hold it short… The opening run section just took its toll out of the race and straight away the competition was spread out. The technical part lead us over rocks and straight down the mount into the first whirl. We chatted away and joked about the imminent chill shock. When we entered it was like diving into a pool of enthusiasm. As the better swimmer Fabian is The German Sparkle Party pacing dinghy i can happily draft. I ducked in behind him. Focusing on his T7’s and the emotion of the water. At this time the Goosebumps weren’t caused by the water. We straight got in the flow of things. We straight got into the SwimRun vibe. Into the GSP vibe. When we exited on the other side of the lake we both beamed. This was our kick-start to a unique day.

What happened then can be described as fun. Sore fun. Intensive fun. Magnificent fun. Hideous fun. Icy fun. The course was asking for a superior performance. No excuses and candid racing. We had to stick together. We had to look out for each other. When I had a low, Fabian had a high and vice versa. Throughout the whole 7 hours and 49 minutes there wasn’t 10 meter sandwiched between us. To call it just right team racing would hit he note. We surprised ourselves and got encouraged by the course, the crowds and the variety of this team competition.

When we reached the shoreline of Silvaplana there was not much left. We did our best, went through a lot of dreadful patches and enjoyed the splendor of this race. Always got ourselves up and going. When we heard we got in 8th we were stunned. A notable day with a noteworthy outcome.

Thanks a lot Michael Lemmel and Mats Skott for arranging this stunner. Credits for setting up a race that has precisely what it needs. No fancy substances. No earsplitting music. No hotel buffet-like aid stations. No overfull field. No hectic. No finisher medal – just plain straightforward outdoor enjoyment.

Tack för det. Se dig i 48 dagar!

Utensils worn:

Neoprene Suit: Custom cut HUUB Archimedes (Click HERE for Preparation Details)
Pullbuoy: HUUB Big Buoy (Click HERE for Preparation Details)
Goggles: HUUB Acute (Smoke/White)
Paddles: Standard Swedish XL
Compression Socks: CEP Run Socks 2.0
Compression Calf Sleeves: CEP Quad Sleeve
Shoes: Brooks T7

In Pictures: ECCO Indoor Trail, Dortmund, Germany

Tackled the Westfalenhallen in Dortmund for some indoor trail extravaganza that past weekend. Report and extra photographs to follow. Until then people.

Headphones Review: Philips SHQ3200

Philips is a household name. No introduction needed there. With their “ActionFit” Series they provide a nice set of sports earpieces. I gratefully got my hands on the Philips SHQ3200, an earloop piece out of this series.

While jogging, headphones should be there and don’t cause any troubles. Whilst running or cycling I clearly do not want to fix them over and over and the sound need to be on point. Not much to ask for, really.

Straight to the point so – The SHQ3200 is a pretty suitable compatriot when you out there training. The sound is quality and pretty decent. While it lacks a bit of punch in the bass it still delivers a great clean sound atmosphere. Particularly the midrange sound is where I found the SHQ3200 on top of his game. The sound is convincing and brings solo instruments and voices a clear benefit. If you are searching for a really loud, high volume headphone. This is not the one for you!

Maybe more important then the sound is the fit when it comes to an earpiece that should be a handy training partner. The earloop is alterable and after you get used to the shape it fits precise and secure. You can individually alter the loop-piece, so with a tiny bit of patience you will make this one fit for good. The cable has a perfect length and I found the little clip particularly handy to have a secure fit and no troubles with the cable moving around.

Another feature, which adds to the stability and the confidence, is the water resistance. I never had earphones that were sheltered against water. Looking into my box with old gear there are quite some headphones that lost the war against sweet and rain. Big bonus point there!

With the pleasant and individual look as well as the great processing you will find a good day-to-day partner for your runs. And also the price is pretty decent. The interweb tells me that you get this piece for about 28 EUR. That is pretty fair!

Assessment Centre

Shoes
Brooks – Ghost 6
Brooks – PureGrit 2
Brooks – PureDrift
Brooks – Adrenaline ASR 10
Brooks – PureConnect
Brooks – T7 Racer
Ecco – Biom Ultra GTX
Haglöfs – Gram XC
Haglöfs L.I.M Low
Haglöfs – Gram Comp II 
Altra – Adam
Adidas – Adizero Adios Boost
Salomon S-LAB Sense Ultra
Skechers – Go Run 2
Skechers – GoRun 4
Dynafit – MS Feline Superlight


Dynafit – Feline SL
La Sportiva – Anakonda
Nike – Streak XC 3
Scarpa – Minima
Mizuno – Wave Catalyst 
Mizuno – Wave Rider 19
Mizuno – Wave Kazan 2
Hoka One One – Vanquish 2
Hoka One One – Speedgoat
Hoka One One – Clifton 2
Hoka One One – Huaka
Merrell – All Out Crush Light 
Merrell – All Out Charge
Merrell – Bare Access 4
Nike Zoom Terra Kiger 3
2016 Running Shoe Highlights
New Balance – 1600V2 Spikeless

Gear
Anton Krupicka Signature Collection Short and Vest + Headband
Philips SHQ3200 
Jabra Sport Wireless+ Bluetooth Headset
Oakley Frogskins
yurbuds Ironman Inspire Pro
GoPro Hero3
Limar Ultralight+ Road
Ass Savers
SKINS – A200 Compression Long Tights
Haglöfs – Essens III Hooded Down Jacket
My Tour du Mont Blanc gear
Bellroy – Elements Sleeve
Thoni Mara
Norrøna – fjørå flex1 Shorts and aero100 Jacket
Norröna – Bitihorn dri1 jacket
New Balance – Ultra Hooded Jacket

Books
Steve Chilton – It’s a hill, get over it!
Sean Kelly – Hunger
Paul Kimmage – Rough Ride
Charlie Spedding – From last to first
It’s the limit (Fanzine)

SwimRun Wetsuits
Zone3 Evolution SwimRun wetsuit

Jabra Sport Wireless+ Bluetooth Headset Review

Earphones without a cable? Well, that is certainly interesting. Bluetooth apparently is the connector between your device and the pieces in your earhole. Jabra, equal with Bluetooth expertise, designs numerous earpieces for all instances. They came up with this behind-the-ear shape piece for sport a while ago and just released an update, which I was able to exam throughout training.

Several of my runs I do with headphones, as I like to listen to podcasts or radio. On easy runs it is the best entertainment and a good time to listen to noteworthy shows and interviews. Since I run I use headphones. Usually I find it hard to find the real pair. I tried heaps and never was 100% on the fit. Currently the fit is more essential for me then the sound. Nothing is more frustrating then correcting the earphones while jogging.

A massive problem with the earpieces is the cable. Nowadays when you need to wear some layer to cover yourself against rain and the cold the movement of the cords tend to pull out the plugs. When I received the Jabra headset this was my first concern that got off the table. When I saw the pack with seven different pairs of ear gels I was pretty stoked. Fixing these things in the ears should be possible. Yet I wanted to go out without any of those additional plugs. I craved for the run and I just took the pre-installed peace. I took my time to adjust the earpieces around the ear. Stopped after some minutes to slightly rearrange and that was it. Now that I know how to put them on, they never fall out. And after a test phase of a couple of weeks they never did. No matter if I run trails or if use them on the mountain bike – Rock solid without being annoying or unpleasant.

The play button as well as the volume control can be found on the right ear bud. Once used to the buttons and the menu that is very easy to understand you will enjoy the control of your synced device pretty easy. What sounds delicate and complicated (…pressing some buttons behind your ear) is a task that can be done with light gloves and also through light headwear. To control the sync process and to change FM stations is stress-free. The rubbery material provides a good, controlled feeling and makes is an exercise-friendly headset.

Apparently these bits offer “military grade resistance” against dust and rain and whatnot. I ran them heavily throughout rain and took them through pretty soaky mountainbike spins. No problem there. The military seems to be right. The whole piece feels pretty durable and long-lasting. The mini-USB (to charge the battery) entrance is placed nicely and the cover solution is pretty well thought out. The radio antenna sits in the earpiece and provides OK coverage. Do not expect too much. Once I entered the forest it got a bit doggy sometimes.

I synced the headset with an Iphone 5, an iPad, a Samsung Galaxy S4 as well as with my car. I do not need my phone while I run but I wanted to try the microphone that is in the left earpiece. The connection to all mediums was easy and fast. Talking on the phone was good but I never tried it while running. I don’t believe in this anyway.

Lets talk sound now. Not the very best to be exact. I expected a bit more power and better sound characteristic. As everything on those headphones is high quality you also want to have a decent bass and well as a composed sound nature. In my option the excellence of the sound is not really there. It’s a bit muffled and does not have the pressure I would like to get even from such a small headphone. As you probably got from the text so far, I really do like the Jabra Sport Wireless Plus for the extremely good fit and the superb usage. The sound is a minus. Not a major one but definitely something that can be amended for the next update. If that can be sorted out these pieces are hard to beat.

Battery & Power

Talk Time: Up to 4 hours
Talk Time is the maximum time you can talk before a device runs out of power
Standby Time: Up to 120 hour(s)
Standby Time is the maximum time a device can remain powered on

Connectivity

Wireless Technology: Bluetooth
Supports Bluetooth™ for wireless connectivity
Bluetooth version: 3.0
Supports Bluetooth® version 3.0
AVRCP: Yes
You can control your music from this device when it’s streaming from another device, such as your mobile phone
Music Streaming: Yes
Device can stream music from a source, such as a Smartphone, Bluetooth enabled laptop, tablet, or MP3 player

Racereport 2014-02: Dirty Race

To cut it short – I just love this competition. Such a fine format for early season multisport bashing. Run 5k, mountain-bike 17k and close the Reece with a 4k scamper. Quite some suffering integrated.

Like last time the Dirty Race was a sellout. This time it was not as freezing as last year so everyone who signed up also raced. This year it was just muddy. And there was some proper sludge. Definitely the muddiest contest I ever took part in.

Basti and I arrived early enough to cycle one loop of the bike route. We just couldn’t hack it. Deep and damp Natural-Porridge all over the place. When we finished the Reece we already looked soaked and set for a clothes change.

Life is made up of marble and mud.
Nathaniel Hawthorne

The first run was just to warm up for the foremost fun of the day. So I took off in a pleasant pace on the tarmac road. No mud there but some overly motivated participants. Looks like the off season was too long for some. Sooner or later all the sprinters got caught and it was mountain bike time. I tried to move as smoothly as possible. I knew that once the main pack got through the first of two loops it will get even more tricky and additional power is required to surf these waves.

I tried to stay away from groups of riders as triathletes are not know for their bike handling skills. In the middle of the first loop I eventually crashed as a guy in front of me stopped abruptly in front of a pond. Well… After that I found the rhythm and the line. At the end of the loop I paired up with the eventual women’s champ Kathrin Müller. She struggled a bit with the circumstances but we kept on sailing nicely together through the mud ocean.

T2 came a bit later than last year. My bike form was not as good as last time (4 minutes slower…) but the track was hard to compare. I entered the transition area with the keenness to finish up strong and possibly run the last part with Kathrin. A couple of minutes later I met her at the finish. My shoe adjustment took a bit longer and she was flying through the transition zone in best triathlete approach. I’m not used to that anymore. So I ducked in and gave the PureDrift’s a solid spin on the finishing 4k (Strava).

The chase after the race was getting all that lawn and dirt of the racing bike and devices. Great service by the organizers as they set up a area to clean the bike. A fun end to a enjoyable day of racing. Until next year.

Pictures 1 / Pictures 2 / Video

Tune of the day: DJ Zinc – Live at Deviation Carnival Session

Pic: Michael Raubold Photographie

Ethiopia

Seems like this part of the www was on holiday. It unquestionably was.

Shortly after Christmas eve I ventured down south to spend a few weeks around the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia together with two friends. I like to head to the Horn of Africa at that time of the year. Perfect temperatures make this place even more worthwhile and fascinating. Following a number of stints in Kenya and Uganda I headed even further north to travel to one of the oldest locations of human life.

We spend some days in Addis Abeba and then travelled further south. We went to the “Town of Runners” – Bekoji and spend some time in the running capital before we went back up north to the Simien Mountains National Park for some striking hiking.

“I wanted the world to know that my country Ethiopia has always won with determination and heroism.”
Abebe Bikila

I’m heading back home genuinely impressed by a very friendly and calm nation. Ethiopia is the only African country to defeat a European colonial power. The feeling of independence and pride is still evident. The energy and positivity of the people was inspiring and very motivating to get back down to explore even more parts.

Pictures say way more than words. Just head over to my tumblr to observe a number of shots from the trip.

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