A lot is happening on the shoe front these days. Today I had the chance to perceive some of the forthcoming material. Can’t wait for all of these sweet jogging delights – 2016 looks very exciting!

Altra’s upcoming Tuscarora XC looks pretty remarkable. (Edit: This shoe will sell under the name “Golden Spike”)

This flat can be used with or without spikes. A very interesting concept.  (Edit: This shoe will sell under the name “Golden Spike”)

One of Altra’s topseller got a fine update – The Lone Peak

Zero Drop. Widespread toebox. Prepared for rough trails. The updated Altra – Lone Peak.

Altra’s Provison got a facelift and will be offered in the 2.5 version.

Skechers GoMeb Speed 3

Mizuno’s trail sector gets an update with the all-new Wave Daichi

Michelin delivers the foam for the gripy outsole.

More Mizuno off-road equipment.

Some fast and agile Mizuno roadie.

A well-known character in the Mizuno assortment. A Roadflat par excellence now in the 10th version – the Wave Ekiden.

Saucony’s approaching Endorphin is airy, simple and extremely light. Impressive.

A unique eye catcher. Brooks changes the T7 for the Hyperion. The utterly woven seamless upper feels great.

Light and fast – Brooks Hyperion

A new lightweight trainer – Brooks Asteria

Version number five of Brooks Trail shoe PureGrit

Brooks PureGrit 5

Apparel giant The North Face provides some remarkable new entries.

North Face’s latest trail running shoe is lighter then ever.

A new addition to the New Balance Vazee line.

A Sebastian Kienle inspired New Balance 1500 V2

Slick design and less weight

The Scott RC’s are an exciting concept…

delivering the Palani sole for road running,

or the Kinabalu sole for off-road control.

Who does not recognize the Boston? Here is an updated version for the 2016 season.

Another exiting light and fast road running shoe from Herzogenaurach – the AdiZero Tempo

Trail running is also on the schedule for adidas. Here with the modernized version of the Terrex

Adding to the maximum sole style with the elegant Adidas Ultra Boost

Version number 33 of the world’s most legendary running shoe – Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 33

Hovercraft-like sole – The Lunarglide 8

The new version of the popular Lunartempo

Yes. A running shoe created for tarmac by Salomon!

Salomon S-Lab Sonic

Additional equipment for the road from the Alpine experts.

A slick and stylish Salomon Sonic Pro

Version number four of this Salomon classic.

Salomon Speedcross 4

A new member to the Speedcross family

Light, fast and grip – Salomon Speedcross Pro

New Balance adds more of its Fresh Foam material to the Bonacay modell in the second Version.

I liked the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante (Check this). The V2 is even lighter and got a face lift.

All pictures (c) runssel

Here we go with yet another round of tacky Hoka One One’s. Latest appraisals of the Huaka and the Clifton 2 models saw remarkable performances of these bulky runners. With their latest Karl Melzter (US Ultra Running icon) inspired off-road model Speedgoat, the busy brand provides a shoe devoted to rough and non-paved settings. Precisely this piece of footwear is the third style of the earlier Rapa Nui model.

Whereas Hoka One One is already extremely popular with the trail racing community they want to even extend this segment of the market. So here we go with “a tough shoe to get you through tough trail conditions”, as the official Hoka One One description publically states.

Again, similar to the models I experienced before, this shoe is miraculously light for its proportions and the general, bulky and hefty impression. The colossal foam midsole provides generous cushioning and makes clear what this shoe is made for. You can feel straight away that the Speedgoat is made for high volume. This shoe will carry you along a lot of miles with its massive chunk of cushion. 

Like experienced before, the cushioning of the sole is pretty soft. But compared to the other models I ran before it feels particularly sloppy and doesn’t transport a direct and active feeling while striding. This created a jerky touch while running quicker or along technical and uneven terrain. Particularly in the forefoot area this shoe doesn’t transport the vibrant feeling I exceedingly enjoyed with the Clifton 2. Having this shaky touch, it generated a nervous mood. Especially in the surroundings this shoe was principally made for.

On flat, non-technical terrain I had no problem but along technical paths I had some tricky encounters due to a flabby performance of the sole construction. However I felt a pretty decent spring around the midsole part. Still not as good as the other comparable models I ran before. Also the slack, slow feeling stayed while running on tarmac. For me it was hard to get “speed” out of this shoe, as there is quite some responsiveness in the sole. It just does not feel agile as its Hoka comrades.

A particularly cushioned shoe at very low weight. This time with a completely lugged, sizable outsole. The off-road style in the newest Hoka One One range.

Raw Data – Offset: 5 mm, Forefoot: 33 mm, Heel: 28 mm

The Speedgoat is constructed to be softer, more comfy while running on trails and across rugged terrain. It does miss the special style I value with other Hoka models I ran so far.

With 275 grams this shoe is amazingly light.

Pleasant details on the thin insole.

Runners love or hate the unusual stylishness Hoka offers. After loads of upbeat encounters with the style this is the first model that I do not completely dig. I’m looking forward to what the Speedgoat 2 has to offer!

It takes some miles before the flashy upper feels undemanding and pleasant.

A rigid rubber tooth-like outsole is not made for road runs. The grip during dry conditions along the trail is great though!

Each image: © RUNssel

Having a benchmark is damn good. Last year I hit a solid early season 36:51 along the alleyways of Dielheim. With a decent volume of running miles I was happy with the outcome past year. Yesterday’s bank holiday 10 kilometre contest should have been a fine little fitness investigation. After soaking in solid weeks of running ‘round the splendid La Palma landmass the form felt pretty decent. Despite piling up two 120 kilometres weeks which included a solid amount of uphill meters, I also got in enough open-water swimming and some moderate cycling miles (Nope. There is no triathlon on the schedule!) I was looking forward to exam my sunburned pins in a race.

With its 44th edition the “Dreikönigslauf“ (“Epiphany” is a bank holiday on the 6th of January in my part of Germany) could be called a classic. I like the course and the modest and welcoming organisation. What I did not like was my skill to stand up straight and simply run.

Put your left leg down your right leg up 
Tilt your head back let’s finish the cup
Beastie Boys – Brass Monkey

Extended story short – I fell. A tight right-hand bend became too close-fitting for me. I fell at 4 kilometres in the competition. Greasy underground and individual absurdity produced some unbalance. Instantaneously I got up and ran on. Still my 5k split was delightful. 17:55 displayed my watch. After the latest 5k race I was pretty cheerful with that. Just when I forgot the dump the path took another sharp right bend after the 6 kilometre sign. I slipped another time. Dense rain and some muck on the street combined with my imprudence were a lethal arrangement.

This time it was more severe. Some light scratches on the legs and hands didn’t hurt too much. It was more the frustration of two silly mistakes in one race. When I got up my motivation was down to zero. Nevertheless I jogged to the finish in just under 39 Minutes. Possibly my slowest ever 10k race. It looks like the form needs to be properly verified another time.

Running high. Flying low – a sneak peak of the Dielheim incident!

It was in Ottawa in 2009. Succeeding imposing times from the Mile to the 10,000 Meters (PB’s) Reid heroically robbed the Canadian Marathon Championship – in his first ever race over the traditional 42,195 Meter distance. He went on to present his nation on Worldchampionchip level as well as the London Olympics over the same distance.

With the Rio games upcoming, Reid is now pumped to experience his second Olympic games this year. To set the foundation for another successful stint, the Hamilton native heads down to Kenya to get educated in the “University of Champions” yet another time. The infamous township of Iten, Kenya will be home for the Canadian once more. He luckily found the time to answer some questions before he jumps on the plane to East Africa!

RUNssel: A lot has happened since you competitively skated the Mile in 3:49 back in 2004 (Reid wanted to prove that he could skate a mile faster than he runs it). This years 2:10:28 ride around the streets of Berlin caused mixed feelings. Since the Berlin contest you had had some time to reflect on your performance and the result. Simply .5 seconds/km short of the 40 year old Canadian marathon best (Jerome Drayton ran a 2:10:09 in the 1975 Fukuoka Marathon) caused mixed emotions. Are you at terms with the race? Looking back, what have you learned?

Reid: As frustrating as it was to be so close to a goal I’ve been after for 6 years I was really pleased with the race. It had been four years since I ran a PB in the marathon so it was good to see progression. I also felt stronger than ever in the final 12.2 km of the race.

I’ve learned to enjoy the process and focus on the positives. That way I’m not too distraught if things don’t go perfect on race day.

Q – Your second Olympic Marathon is coming up in a few months. Is there a huge difference in the preparation for a championship race or a contest where you aim for a certain time goal?

A – Most of the training is the same for a championship race except I’ll intentionally run in hot conditions to prep for Rio. It won’t be killer hot in Rio but it will still be much warmer than spring/fall marathons. We will calculate equivalent paces for hot conditions. I will also train for hills and turns if the Olympic course will feature either.

Q – I recall a brief chat we had before you went to Iten, Kenya for the first time in 2011. Now it seems to be your second home, at least for the first 3 months of the year. In a few days you are going back to the Rift Valley for the 6th year. What makes this place so exceptional for you? Why Iten? I heard there are some steadfast dudes in Ethiopia too.

A – I really like the trails, climate, altitude and all the runners in Iten. I’ve been tempted many times to try Ethiopia but I have training partners in Iten and there is less of a language barrier in Kenya. Staying at HATC in Iten is very easy and I’m able to focus 100% on training and not worry about anything else.

Q – The Iten/ Eldoret region has altered quite a bit since the first time you went there for training. The townships still breed and there are more and more native and global runners training. Does this affect you in any way? How do you see the latest progress?

A – I personally enjoy the increase in number of runners in Iten. It’s cool to have more foreigners there and have many different training options. I don’t care for the increase in car and truck traffic which seems to increase every year. It’s great for the local economy to have an influx of runners and so far Iten seems to be keeping the same vibe and feel of a small town.

Q – I guess your preparation is already planned out for your imminent Kenya voyage. Do you have a particular focus? How does it change to the other camps you had down there? What does Dave Scott-Thomas have on tap for you? 

A – I’ve overtrained a couple of times in Kenya by trying to run as much at 2400m as I do at 300m. Last year I ran less volume and came back feeling fit and fresh. This time around my focus will be on the World Half Marathon Championships (…in Cardiff on the 26th March) so I will be on the track more than usual for me.

Q – Will you be training with a group while you are over? Which of the standard sessions do you join?

A – I train with a couple of different groups in Iten so I can cater their sessions to my training schedule. I either run a tempo on Monday morning or track session Tuesday and then a fartlek on Thursday morning. There are two large groups who do fartleks on Thursday morning, I try and figure out Wednesday afternoon which session is closer to what I need and join that group.

Q – As a New Balance backed athlete, which and how many shoes would you use for your coming camp? What SPF are you using? Any other essential gear kit?

A – I’ll bring the Vazee Pace for most of my runs. 1500‘s for fartlek workouts, 1400‘s for marathon pace on the tarmac road and the 1600‘s for the track. I’ll use a SPF 30 or 50 and do most of my runs with a Ciele hat.

Q – Do you like Ugali?

A – Yes, I eat it almost every night for dinner, with sakuma wiki.

Q – Lets guise into the future. Do you have any plans or targets once you won the Olympic Marathon in Rio? Is that Canadian marathon record ultimately going to fall or will you aim for a professional skateboard career next?

A – Rio is the next marathon on my plan and if I finished in the top 10 I’d be very happy. After that I’ll look to take another shot at sub 2:10:00. After the roads I would love to get into trail races and ultra marathons.

Q – Speaking of skating. Are you still at it or is the risk simply to high? Any other sports you are involved besides running?

A – I was skating a bit after Rotterdam this past year and got carried away trying some tricks. I didn’t injure myself but had a couple of close calls. I still ride around but I keep it under control.

Q – I guess you are taking several books and a decent portion of music with you to Kenya. What will it be? What is your favourite record at the moment?
A – I just bought Two Hours by Ed Caesar and will start with that in Kenya. Right now I’m enjoying All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. I’ve been listening to Dear Rouge lately and looking forward to the new Junior Boys album coming out in February when I’ll be in Kenya.

Q – Any fundamental instructions for Iten newbies?

A – Iten is hilly, its good to run hills before you go there, the elevation will be hard enough to get used to. Plus, if your legs have already got used to running hills there will be less soreness. Bring a lot of shoes as many local runners are in need of running shoes.

Check Reid’s Blog and give him a follow on Instagram & Twitter. 

Reid is suppourted by New Balance, Ciele, CEP, Endurance Tap, CanFund, Speed River TC & 7 Systems

The so-called “Puff Jacket” emerges to be an, more less, indispensable portion of cutting-edge outdoor haute couture. It is challenging to oversee the market stake of these luxuries whenever you are around the (ultra) running society or any other outdoorsy society. A fashionable down guard appears to be a fundamental and trustworthy uniform enigma – for certain fastidious reasons.

A hands-on and stress-free wearable protection that captures the owner versus unfriendly conditions like icy winds and rain plus being light and packable is a huge bonus while being outside and active. Practically every company bids the well-lit and resilient padding coats within their latest collections.
Haglöfs latest Essens III Hooded Down Jacket correspondingly adds to this movement.

Wearing comparable jackets for a couple of years, the initial thing that amazed me was the utter weightiness of this jacket. Even with a wholehearted 800-fill down stuffing the Essens III appears to be illusory light (…size L comes in with a weight of 335 gram). The permanently pioneering Swedes seemingly preserved the down with DWR (…durable water repellent) to retain its lofty warmth in moisture. To shelter the jacket against the unkind condition Mother Nature may throws at it, the water-resistant Pertex Quantum material capes over the solid lining. Only the Polartec Power Stretch fleece shoulder inserts allow for well-needed flexibility while being active and in need for mobility. Well-sized chest and handwarmer pouches offer enough space for all needs while also being a useful store-place for the jacket itself. One of the major characters I appreciated is the opportunity to box the Essens III within itself. Despite being warm and light it still is pretty compressible. In several seconds the jackets is folded away within its own pouches, a honourable feature while travelling or backpacking.

Attention to detail – The chest pocket stores away instant and effortlessly. Pertex Quantum nylon keeps the outside safe.

A mere of 103 grams of quality downs attractively packed into a smart, well lit and protectable down skin.

Additional details alongside certain lightweight tear and wind resistant shell fabrics.

Light yet durable ripstop fabrics.

Wind baffle with integrated chin guard behind the front zipper.

Elasticated sleeves.

In case you forget – a pictorial fold guide inside the Essens III.

Proficient and stress-free to use – the 3-way modifiable hood with a fine reinforced peak

I tend to have worries with the dimension of comparable coverings. Haglöfs did appealing work with the dimensions of the Essens III.

Who is bootlegging whom? Firmament sapphire!

The freshest Haglöfs – Essens III Hooded Down Insulation definitely sticks out, a lot of fun to use it and so feasible.

Each image: © RUNssel

Great little GSP feature in easyJet’s November Onboard Magazine. Check the article directly on their website. Page 64-65.

Such a tedious 706 km2 islet in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. Besides swimming, eating, running, tanning and biking there is not much to do.

A couple of months ago I stumbled past Mark Eite’s Instagram account. Since then I’m amazed by his images and the little stories he is telling. I contacted the Chesterfield F.C. and Nottingham Forest supporter and he was kind enough to reply to some questions. Doumo arigatou Mark!

RUNssel: How did you end up living in Japan? Which job pays for new running shoes and gear?

Mark: I came to Japan to explore a new culture knowing very little about the country. I started out teaching English in a high school which was great fun and began my current job when the World Cup soccer was here back in 2002! I work with a photo/news agency called AFLO and manage our nipponnews.net business. It’s a good challenge and we shoot pictures and video for news and commercial clients and also rep some great photographers and agencies in the Japanese market. We had a trail running photo shoot recently in the mountains shooting with a drone, which was great.

q: Your local running scene is quite vibrant. How would you describe the local trail and road scene to foreigners? What do you treasure the most?

a: It definitely is. There are so many races and events and most people here are pretty fast. There are good website with race info and specialist shops to help out too.

I love the local races where the whole town comes out to support them and there’s a festival atmosphere often with free udon for runners at the end.

Trail running is really popular too and you have to be quick to enter the more popular races.

q: Most of your Instagram snaps are taken during training sessions. Do you follow a strict routine or plan? What are your running goals?

a: I wouldn’t describe too many runs as training sessions at the moment. I used to stick to a training plan and was trying to get under 3:20 for a full marathon and 1:30 for a half but I ended up hurting my Achilles. I took the recovery slowly building up to 200km per month and then figured that I’d try to stay healthy and injury free and keep up the monthly miles. I’ve managed 15 months of 200km per month since then and am now starting to look for new goals for 2016.

Most of my runs are tailored around family activities and the places these take me. My son plays football all over the place and running is a great way to explore new places and keep up with his progress too.

Living in a different country, even though I’ve been here so long, I still find new things on most runs and I try to capture them in pictures when I can. For some reason I have a much better memory of places that I’ve run around than places I’ve visited normally.

q: Most of the time you are posting pictures of yourself. What techniques or apps do you use to take the shot and what apps are you using?

a: I’m sorry about that! At work I see so many great pictures and I love the ones where people are active in wide-open natural expanses or as part of bigger scenes. I try to capture the location and atmosphere as well as the joy of running. I also like to show something new if I can so I’ll sometimes plan a run to visit a new temple or site.

Mostly I just use the iPhone camera with its self-timer a mini stand for it. I have a few apps for processing the results but use the Instagram filters (if needed) more than anything else. I sometimes use VSCO, Instaflash Pro and Mextures.

I also have a Sony a6000, which I’ll take on longer adventures. Recently I like messing around with the flash and a slow shutter in low light.
q: What are your favorite Instagram accounts and why?

a: My favorite accounts are usually those by likeminded people getting up early or going out and sealing beautiful places to run. They provide encouragement, motivation and inspiration.

@halunski – Japanese outdoor enthusiast
@territoryrunco – Portland runner’s collective with great pictures and stories
@kim0lsen – Norwegian runner with amazing run photos
@kellerche – German runner who runs and runs
@halfpint22 – American runner and traveller with great photo sense and philosophy on life
@toobs555 – California based runner who set up #furtherfasterforever which was one of the first running groups I followed

It’s hard to name just a few as everyone has something different. I also like a lot of accounts running in UK’s national parks because they remind me of home, and I follow lots of supporters of our local J.League soccer team Ōmiya Ardija!

q: What records are you listening to lately?

a: When I started running I did wear headphones and listen to music but I prefer not to at the moment. People are pretty friendly here and I’ll usually speak to a couple of people on a run anyway so it’s better without the headphones. I like the freedom of the run and having a clear head helps that too!

As for recommending music I had a chance to see Japanese band Sekai No Owari through work and they’re trying to get followers outside of Japan and have English versions of many of there songs. Sakanaction is another Japanese band I like.

Go and follow Mark on Instagram & Twitter!