Following a fair amount of unhurried jogging for some weeks this was my yearly wake-up request. We had a decent gang out for the local 5 Kilometre contest.

I hurt straight from the start. I never ran that fast in training but now I know I got the motivation back again to get uncomfortable in training. Still early in the season. Still a lot to be raced. Great morning with the dudes.

The folks at Mizuno asked me why i ‘Never Stop Pushing’. I answered HERE.

Here is my latest product review for slowtwitch.

SwimRun saw rapid growth during the 2015 season, and approaching 2016, there are more races on the calendar than ever before. New races are popping up almost every week, not just in the UK but on Scandinavian territory and on the European mainland as well. The additional races are attracting more competitors, and many triathletes are leaving their bikes at home to try this innovative alternative. SwimRun participants need to be at the top of their fitness level in both disciplines, and they need to be proficient in competing as part of a team. The gear industry is paying attention to the rise in numbers, and unique SwimRun products are hitting the market. The center of attention is the wetsuit, which all racers wear while running and swimming. Previously I reviewed the Huub SwimRun wetsuit and the one by Orca. This time we have a closer look at Zone3’s SwimRun wetsuit – the Evolution.

The laboratory of well-known Loughborough University is the birthplace of this UK trademark. Back in 2007, English Elite Triathlete James Lock founded Zone3 to fund his triathlon career. Since then, Zone3 repeatedly raised eyebrows within the triathlon world. Enthusiastic reviews followed the introduction of their Aspire triathlon wetsuit and many of their subsequent suits. Open water swimming and triathlon are the key markets for the brand. It didn’t take the Surrey based company long to understand the rapidly increasing need for SwimRun specific wetsuits. This year’s Xterra SwimRun Norway victors Henrik Wahlberg and Klas Wirehn of Swedish Team SurfSpot were among the competitors that assisted the development of Zone3’s first SwimRun suit.

SwimRun competitors do not have transition zones. The wetsuit stays on for the duration of the competition. The suit needs to be pliable and agile, without losing the characteristic benefits of a wetsuit. The body of the suit needs to allow for a natural running stride. Zone3 incorporated flexible stretch panels in the hips and thighs, and the seams in this part of the suit are glued only (not stitched) to prevent chafing. The suit does not feel constricting or limiting while running. 2mm thick neoprene is used in the front and back of the legs, with high stretch padding, to keep the suit supple and flexible. Although there is less neoprene in the torso, the suit still feels buoyant in the water. Typically racers swim with a transformed pull-buoy as well.

To top it off, this suit comes with two 8mm thick neoprene calf sleeves. As some racers use floating devices around their calves, this is a great bonus feature.
The Evolution has two interior pouches, highlighted by a blue color and visible from the outside. The pouches hold approximately 2-3 gels each and are easy and fast to access while running. The front zipper works well and I could access the pockets without any problem. Personally I do not see the advantage of the small neoprene covering over the top end of the zipper. During racing the opening and closing of this small piece could create extra hassle, and the hook-and-loop fastener might cause chafing. However even without using Vaseline during testing, chafing was not a problem.

The suit uses Yamamoto 1.5mm neoprene throughout the shoulder and arm sections, providing maximum flexibly so that swim technique is not affected. The Evolution comes with long sleeves and must be cut to personal specifications. There is a silicone band on the inside of the suit above the elbow. The wearer can cut the suit in this section if they want a short sleeve option. Using the suit without cutting the sleeves left me with a little too much density around the biceps, which I found annoying during the swims. It might loosen up the longer you use the suit. With 5mm neoprene in the back and side panels, upper body buoyancy is excellent while the feel of the suit while swimming remains natural.

Something that sets the Zone3 suit apart is the lack of a back zipper. Other companies making SwimRun suits have kept the conventional back closure while adding a front closure. Zone3 is the first company to eliminate the back zip in a SwimRun suit. The extra space is used instead for an immense back pocket that creates more storage space than ever before available in a wetsuit. With a zipper on the flank and flexible material, the compartment can be effortlessly accessed.

The suit is a great option for SwimRun competitors in this growing sport. Zone3’s Evolution suit is offered in nine different sizes and retails for 345 £ (520 USD / 490 EUR) via racezone3.com.

Tune of the day: Mefjus – Blitz

On the other hand swimming and biking miles give the impression to bank up reckless and stress-free, the jogging side of training seems to be challenging. I’m back with a bit of organised moving since about two weeks. Seven weeks ago I took a full pause after the last competition of the 2015 season – The Koster SwimRun. Since then exercise started sluggish with a virtuous bit of technical emphasis in swimming and some heroic nightly excursions through the local single trail bushlands with the mountain bike.

As I did not spend too much time running, this weekend was about to alter just that. I spend some days around the black forest region with friends. Saturday and Sunday I banked some pretty impressive back-to-back long jogs. To be exact. Not my present form was remarkable, it was more the extraordinary and unexpected snowstorm that caught me while jogging round the Hornisgrinde (1,164 m – 3,820 ft) top. However the winds brought a lot of snowfall, I grinded the trails and off-trail passageways to the very best. Result of that freezing jog was an imposing time round this stunning part of southern Germany.

The snowstorm sheltered almost everything and Sunday called for an additional long one in deep fresh unscathed powder. Simply wonderful!

57 weeks ago I was in Osaka. If you like running and sports in general it is tough to oversee a pretty evident corporation that was created right here back in 1906. What the Franconia township of Herzogenaurach is for adias or Oregon’s city of Beaverton for Nike, Osaka is for Mizuno. Rihachi Mizuno and his younger brother Rizo originated the trade, that was primarily titled Mizuno Brothers, in the 2,7 Million municipal of Japan’s Kansai district. Still the company has his head office here and sports a bling flagship storehouse that locked me away from further tourist magnetisms around the “nation’s kitchen” for quite some time. Besides running as a key market for the brand round Japan and the rest of the world, Mizuno is going strong in golf, tennis, baseball, volleyball, football, running, rugby, skiing, cycling, judo, table tennis, badminton as well as boxing. For me the brand will be always remembered as a major provider for the always eventful Japanese colleague and elite running scene as they offer a range of reasonable road flats all Japanese elites use while training and racing. Two other sportsmen also come into my mind when I think about Mizuno. Tiger Woods played their clubs and won his first major with them back in 1997. Furthermore Czech tennis genius Ivan Lendl is a face that, for me, will eternally be remember with the picturesque, free-flowing, symbol of Mizuno’s Runbird. But just leave the history portion behind and continue to assess their newest creation – The Wave Kazan 2.

The second edition of the off-road based Kazan line.

The name of this shoe hails from the samurai battle standard meaning “…move as swift as the wind, stay as silent as the forest, attack as fierce as fire, and be as undefeatable as the mountain”. At least that is what the official Mizuno website tells me!

They called this sole „X10“. I liked the sturdy carbon rubber and the smooth and safe ride.

As you can undoubtedly decipher by reading the shoes name, this is the second edition of Mizuno’s Kazan model. Hailing from the road running market also the Japanese big player wants his share of the booming trail running market. With the Ascend Modell they attract the market and then advanced their product line towards the Kazan. Now a couple of months after the release of the initial Kazan they gave this model a nice little tune up. Personally I haven’t run in the Kazan but some of my friends did and they seem to be pleased with what they got. It has been a fair while that I experienced a Mizuno shoe. While I was very glad to race with an Ekiden (A spot-on classic in their road running assortment!) road flat several years ago, I somehow missed out on their latest models.

The world famous Runbird logo!

Looking good. A slick and aggresive look. And a lot of orange.

A pretty comfortable durable trail shoe.

The heart of the sole is the Wave technology that is used in most of Mizuno’s running models. It bids an easy-going, tolerating touch, without loosing a dynamic approach too much. All off that adds to a snug sensation on the street as well as on rocks, roots and a diverse set off typical trail characterises. Occasionally, because of the smoothness, it was less responsive, which makes a bit demanding to run higher speeds for too long. Still the sole is somewhat of a great shield with a vast comfort. As you can observe on the images the sole profile is not as forceful as a characteristic trail running shoe. The chunks of little traction segments still do their job and offer grip that can be trusted on. For myself I would not use this shoe for high mountain excursions or Zegama-like undertakings. Saying that, I guess that is not the envisioned playground for the Wave Kazan 2. Grip with this shoe was great and I never experienced any unkind situation while floating around my local technical trails in wet and dry conditions. It is not a racing shoe therefore it is precisely the right choice whilst jogging on a mixt variety of undergrounds. I found the low forefoot height as one of the key benefits and stamps. With my style of running (mostly forefoot) I had good fun.

Versatile and soft cushioned. A pretty sweet all rounder from Osaka!

Nice breathable upper, comfortable fit.

A good looking hybrid shoe with a Runbird at the front.

XtaRide, Mizuno’s technical trail concept featuring to design a sole that adapts to the various grounds.

Reading through the formal description of the shoe an undeniable outline sticks out for me. Mizuno defines this shoe as a “door to trail shoe“. For most runners this is accurately what they get and need. Not all of us are blessed to live close to a assortment of weathered, technical trails just besides their doorstep. Most runners have a tiny travel ahead of themselves before they are actually hitting a trail – Same for me. My day-to-day exercise excursions take me throughout a large set of undergrounds – from smooth highways to snaking forest boulevards to narrow single tracks. That’s what I face and what I need a shoe for. Whilst I might loose a bit of vitality on the road I want my shoe to be an straightforward and dependable partner during daily training runs, specifically now that the weather turns rainy. You never know what you face and you need some shoe that helps you even when not everything is noticeable during gloomy runs in the forest after work or to work, a true commuter shoe. That’s what the Kazan 2 knows finest. With its cosy but still vibrant approach he is just the right associate when you need to have command and even when you just jog down a concreted alleyway. Hands down to a great all around training associate.

Following my unexpectedly encouraging encounter with the gigantic swifter that goes by the name of Huaka, I was more then stoked when I received the up-to-the-minute model of yet another Hoka OneOne making. Whereas the Huaka stunned me with its bizarre lightness, the latest reconstruction of the Clifton model was another shocker when I unwrapped the parcel and felt the product.

Enjoy the light ride.

A low heel-toe offset paired with some cushion makes up for pretty epic 230 grams.

With its nimble 235 gram, the latest Clifton 2 can certainly be placed in the so-called “lightweight” rank. Characteristically with this evident hulking product the appearance does not emphasize the weightlessness. I went through all the Hoka OneOne beliefs in my analysis of the Huaka so I will safe you another epic rundown on the typical brand look. Certainly it is a smart marketing hoax, as I have never had more debates about a shoe than I had with this one. No other shoe made friends and strangers more questioning. No other time I have seen folks more enthralled when they lift up an enormous chunk of foam in size 13. People think they are going to lift somewhat weighty.

The Clifton 2 carries over the same midsole and outsole from its older brother.

Ultra-Lightweight No-Sew Speed Frame Construction

As the original Clifton received positive feedback along all assays I came across plus Running Warehouse identified it as their top selling shoe in 2014, the update of such a success story shaped high expectations. I never jogged the Clifton so I cannot relate my experiences with this shoe to the former model. Nonetheless I saw the Clifton in the shops and therefore remembered the look. The first big change I noticed was the upper material. With version two the Clifton received a much required renovate. Present the Clifton 2 is looks generally enhanced, durable and firm. While it seems to be a bit stiff and inflexible I never had any issues. Unlike the Huaka the sole is a thicker and does not consist of a squeaky, reedy neoprene tongue. I like the latest tongue more as it adds to the general comfort without being too fluffy. The tongue adds to the general comfy sensation of this shoe.

The base for a smooth and soft ride.

Geometry: Offset: 5 mm – Forefoot: 24 mm – Heel: 29 mm

Exposed CMEVA foam with strategically placed harder rubber zones

 Understandably the sole is the heart of every running shoe. Amid Hoka OneOne goods it is even more identifiable. The distinctive oversize full-length CMEVA foam midsole paired with the meta-rocker geometry is the centre of attention. Until now I ran more then 200 training kilometres in the Clifton 2 and still the shoe surprises me. While the sole offers much cushion it still gives you a great control and feel. No matter if you are a forefoot striker or middle, I found the shoe to be dynamic and direct. Note that this shoe is made for a neutral pronation. Additional midfoot overlays create a stable yet responsive feeling. Its fun to run the shoe and the feeling of running fast in such a cushioned shoe is unmatched in my running career. I have never had such a distinctive and dynamic feel. Finishing a long run with relaxed calves is pretty interesting. While the sole structure I a cleverly made, the outsole seems not to have the best durability. Although the upper is spot on and unimpressed by all the training, the wear of the sole is clearly visible. Though there is no harm or change to the responsiveness of the shoe, it could be an issue for some runners. As I run the shoe mostly during road workouts I have no issues with the loose of sole material.

And yet another time Hoka got me as I fully dig the lightweight, comfort and the high-mileage performance of the Clifton 2.