Tampa 26.2

New Research in the barefoot running debate

Runner’s World summarizes some new research that seems to equate running barefoot and running in relatively lightweight running shoes.

http://sweatscience.runnersworld.com/2012/02/barefoot-versus-running-shoes-which-is-surprisingly-more-efficient/?cm_mmc=NL-TrainingExtra83330803062012-_-Barefoot%20v.%20Shoes

Forerunner 110

New Garmin Forerunner released – a kinder, gentler GPS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forerunner 110

Running Barefoot or In Minimal Footwear

Harvard University study site for barefoot running.

Running Barefoot: Home

The best running shoe may be nature's own: study | Reuters

Well – it would save me some cash!

The best running shoe may be nature's own: study | Reuters

Using Safety Glasses as Training Glasses – 2 Day Sale

Some of you may remember the post on using Safety Glasses as running glasses – especially if you need a “little magnification” to help read that running watch.

Safety Glasses USA .com has a 25% off sale until 11/29/2009.  It is already a pretty cheap alternative but this may push you over the edge.

http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001750MJEUdJzPoksVtAvIw05t1L_6MZIIjXqIIFu9SRVsu94EnBQJs5O0_COyj5W3sCzjO-TMtVamkDvjF3kORqADcGZUsUCbgpS8AhTp2K6FjfvN7Q-XrW0Mtr8z9rOUqfotb7pSnYv0%3D

Wiggling Their Toes at the Shoe Giants - NYTimes.com

New York Times article about running barefoot:

Wiggling Their Toes at the Shoe Giants - NYTimes.com

And the opposing view from Runner’s World:

http://dailyviews.runnersworld.com/2009/08/running-barefoot-an-opposing-viewpoint.html

While barefoot running is not for me, it isn’t hard to tell which publication gets the bulk of its advertising form the shoe industry!

Pace Tats

An interesting idea on maintaining pace in a marathon – what will I do with my packing tape and stapler?

http://www.pacetat.com/

 

Do We Really Need Running Shoes?

Maybe tech shoes aren’t really needed?  Excepts from the forthcoming Born to Run seems to imply we may not.  And this story shows my shoe as the example!

Full article here.

A Solution for Reading that Tiny Watch

For a lot of us, reading the tiny watch/GPS while running becomes more challenging as we “mature”.  My close-up vision began to weaken over the past few years after a life time of perfect vision at all distances.  Reading, computer work and other close up tasks require reading glasses to get the job done.

On of the most frustrating aspects of this is working with my Garmin GPS while putting in the training miles.  Those numbers start swimming around and become unreadable.

I looked into expensive sports glasses – often in the $200-$500 dollar range – that provide bifocal lenses.  They typically have no correction on the top and magnification on the bottom.  I’m sure these would work for me, but I need that cash to buy the running shoes I go though in the average year!

Searching for an alternative, I had an epiphany a few weeks ago and tried a new strategy.   Looking around the internet, I found EyeSave.com, an site specializing in industrial eyeware.  Specifically, I was looking for safety glasses used in manufacturing and shop settings. 

It turns out some of these glasses have small magnifiers built into the bottom of the lenses for close up work.  Being for the workplace, they have several other attributes that are runner friendly:

• Wrap around lenses for minimal distortion.
• Scratch resistant lenses for industrial situations.
• Anti-fog lens material.

I decided to give the Zorge Magnifier from Edge Eyeware a go and bought two pairs with 2.0 Bifocal magnification: one clear and one “smoke”.  Clear for early morning running in the dark, and smoke for daytime running.  They are only $8.75 a piece and recently I got them on sale for $7.00.

After using both for the past month or so, I am happy to report this solution works very well.  I have found many benefits using them:

• I able am to glance down through the small bifocal section to see my watch clearly.  This was especially challenging for me in the dark.
• While running, the wrap around lens does not distort my field of vision.  The bifocal part of the lens is low enough that I don’t notice it unless I actively use it for close up work.
• Unexpectedly, I really liked having eye protection on all runs – especially those runs in the dark where I would normally not be wearing eyeware.  Tree branches, dust, bugs etc. no longer find their way into my eyeballs.
• For the most part, glasses seem to avoid getting fogged up.  This may change in the most humid parts of our summers, but so far so good.
• The glasses are light and designed for wearing over long periods of time.  I have found them to be reasonably comfortable on long runs.

If you are finding the numbers on that running watch are getting squishy, give these glasses them a try.  I’d be happy to loan you a pair for a trial run. 

While you won’t be making a fashion statement, you will be getting the most from your watch or GPS on your training runs.

Ultimate Ear Bud/MP3 Combination?

No wires!  Almost Invisible!  Sound to good to be true?  Well, you’ll have to be an Ipod Shuffle user, but if you are the Arriva  headphones might be the ideal.  For more info see David Pogue’s review.