The Mizuno Rider 15 provides the cushioning, durability and flexibility for the best ride ever. The Mizuno’s Wave® Rider™ 15 returns to the fit, feel and performance that has made the Wave® Rider™ Series a franchise unto itself.

Mizuno Rider 15 Men’s	Mizuno Rider 15 Women’s

This twelfth iteration of Brooks most popular shoe is all about taking what’s great and making it even better. Adrenaline junkies can expect the same revered fit and feel with added upgrades like more mesh for breathability, a friction-resistance heel, and a crash pad that encompasses more strides.

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12 Men’s	Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12 Women’s

You’re in good company when you choose this popular performance runner. Float through your run, the ASICS® GT-2170™ is even lighter than its predecessor. Feel like you’re landing on a cloud when heel hits the even larger GEL® unit. Stay focused on efficiency with ASICS®’s Guidance Line technology. Give feet a snug hug with improved discreet lacing.

Asics GT 2170 Men’s	Asics GT 2170 Women’s

Asics Kayano 18 Men’s	Asics Kayano 18 Women’s

Hats and Headbands.

We often get the question, “What one is better?”  Well it doesn’t really come down to what one is better; they are both good, but more or less what your needs are.

A hat will keep your head warmer and also trap a lot more heat than a headband, essentially keeping your core warmer when it’s cold out.  So if you are running in the morning hours, this will more than likely be what you need most of the time.

A headband will keep your ears and forehead protected from the cold, but still allows your head to stay cool and let excess heat escape when it’s just a bit warm for a hat.  If you run during daylight hours or run hot, a headband can be more comfortable than a hat.

So how do you decide what one to use?

Follow these two simple guidelines.

1. If it’s above freezing and cooler than 45 degrees use a headband.
2. If it’s below freezing use a running hat.

These temperature guidelines are just that.  It will vary slightly for everyone.  I tend to run a bit hot, so I typically put a hat on when it reaches about 28 degrees or colder.  You will have to experiment on what works for you. Both options are good at varying temperatures.

• GPS: high-sensitivity receiver
• Distance: current & total in Miles or Km
• Pace/Speed: current & average
• Calories Burned: current & total Kcal burned
• Chrono: 1/100 second resolution
• Data Storage: 100-lap memory
• World Time: 106 cities covering all time zones
• Rechargeable Battery: USB rechargeable lithium-ion (8hrs)
• 30 Meters Water-Resistant

As runners prepare for an upcoming marathon, here are three common questions that arise:

1. When is the best time to buy a shoe for a marathon and how do I get my pair ready?
2. How do marathon runners know whether or not their shoes will have enough life to get them through the race free of pain?
3. How close to marathon day should a runner purchase the shoes they are planning on using for the race?

These are probably the most common questions we get asked concerning the topic of marathon shoes. The answers to these questions are fairly simple and logical.

The shoes a marathoner wears during the actual race should be in their prime. The prime of a running shoe is typically between 50 and 150 miles. The first 50 miles is to ensure that the shoe is compatible with the runner’s foot. There is very little actual break-in period with running shoes because the materials used are very supple in comparison to leather boots or shoes that traditionally need to be broken in. It is conceivable that if a runner is familiar with a certain shoe, he/she could pull a brand new pair out of the box and run the race. This is not recommended, but this is better than running on a shoe that has too many miles on it.

After a shoe has reached approximately 150 miles, it starts to lose its capacity to cushion and support the impact that comes from running, especially toward the end of longer runs. The typical life of a shoe is 300-400 miles. A running shoe is obviously still good after the 150-mile mark, but a marathoner runs the risk of having the shoe fail toward the end of the race when the foot and body need the most protection and support.

Aside from being uncomfortable, if the shoe fails at mile 18, 20, or 25, this may cause the runner’s pace to slow significantly, costing the runner valuable time in the race.  More importantly, it can cause the runner to recover more slowly at the end of the race, and can even cause significant injuries such as stress fractures.

So, how does a marathoner keep a shoe in its prime leading into a marathon? Here are some tips:

• A runner should use the shoe he/she is going to run the race in during at least one long run.
• It is not recommended that he/she wait until the last long run because there is not another long run to correct any problems that may arise.
• The shoe that will be used in the marathon should be purchased with enough time before the second to last long run to be able to do a few shorter runs on it before going out for 18 or 20 miles.

If we look at a time frame, here’s how it breaks down:

• The last long run should be no closer than three weeks before the race.
• The second to last long run should be two to three weeks before that.
• The shoe should be purchased a week before the second to last long run.
• That puts the purchase time for the marathon shoe at four to six weeks before race day.

Purchasing a shoe at the recommended time, and testing it out on a few short runs plus a long run, should get the shoe near the 50-mile point. Here are some tips for leading up to the race:

• Box the shoe back up until race day. This will ensure that the shoe used on that day is proven to work for that runner and is still in its prime.
• Continue to use other training shoes for the balance of the training program, until they reach 300 miles, then move into another training shoe, not the race day shoe.
• This will keep the race day shoe at a mileage less than 150 miles, maintaining its prime condition.

With a little planning, this process will help a marathoner complete the race free of injury and as comfortable as possible, plus speed up the recovery process following the race.

Don’t be discouraged if time seems to be running short. It‘s better to run on a shoe that has fewer than 50 miles than a shoe that has more than 150. If time is short, try to get a shoe as close to the one that has been used for the majority of the training program. A specialty shoe sales person should be able to help you find a shoe that closely matches the one you have been training in.

It’s nothing to be ashamed of, we’ve all had them. It is estimated that one third of all runners at any given marathon will walk, or limp, away with blisters. Even veterans of the sport can end up running into this problem, literally. Well let’s take a look into what these little shoe demons are and how we can help prevent them.

It helps to first understand exactly what a blister is and how they are caused. Blisters are the body’s natural defense mechanism against friction and heat. In either case, the body produces a layer of liquid between the top layer of skin and the more sensitive layers below. Heat can cause the plasma fluid between these layers of skin to rapidly expand, thus causing the separation and fluid build-up we call blister. Continuous friction in a given area, even for a short time, can cause enough heat to form a blister. Friction can also help separate the layers of skin with force, allowing fluid to build up and create the little buggers. The idea of the blister is to create a barrier of cushioning to help protect against whichever culprit is responsible. So now that we know about what a blister is and what causes them it will be pretty easy explaining how to prevent and treat them.

There are several steps in preventing blisters, all of which have to do with reducing friction, heat and moisture. First and foremost we need to make sure that we are running in proper fitting technical running shoes. Technical running shoes are made from higher quality materials designed to breathe and help reduce moisture within the shoe. A proper fit involves two qualities, width and length. Shoes should fit snug but not tight (I know, it’s a thin line). Also, there should be enough distance, roughly a half or full shoe size, to accommodate for the swelling that will occur while running and the splaying of the toes during the toe off phase of your gait. An improper fit being too tight would cause friction between and on the tips of the toes and on the sides of the feet along the shoe’s edge. Too loose of a fit can also cause friction along the bottom of the foot as it slides around inside the shoe. Also, make sure that the heel is fitted properly.

Your second step is to make sure you are running in good socks. How do you know what a good sock is? Check out Elizabeth’s take on socks for an in depth look at the different kind of socks there are. Socks work in two ways, they wick away moisture that can soften the skin making it more susceptible to blisters and they also create a barrier to absorb all the friction occurring between your skin and the shoe. The biggest rule to socks (or any other type of running apparel for that matter) is NO COTTON! Quick educational moment; cotton is hydrophilic, meaning that it absorbs moisture and holds onto it, and it also tends to lose its shape and become loose around the foot, causing more of that pesky friction and heat. So cotton not only keeps your feet wet but it also tends to create even more friction if it loses its shape. Double dang!

The last step in defeating blisters is consumer products such as wraps, lubricants and toe caps. If you have the proper fitting shoe and the right socks then supplemental products might end up being an additional solution to the problem. I find that lubricants, such as Body Glide, Blister Shield Powder or Tri Slide, work the best for me. There are also pads such as Mueller Blister Pads and toe caps that could be used to cover the blister for more centralized or problematic areas. Unfortunately there is no single answer as to what works best to prevent blisters so come in and see us and we’ll help get you taken care of and make things as comfortable as possible.

By Elizabeth Jenkins

I just found an amazing bra and I want to tell the women of the world about it! It is called the Rebound Racer from Moving Comfort. It is similar to the Juno from Moving Comfort but not as padded or as difficult to get on but with practically the same support. This bra is great. Read on for a few more reasons.

1. It is fully adjustable in the straps! NO more too tight straps, or straps that fall down…how embarassing, annoying and uncomfortable!

2. There is absolutely no stretch in the straps! This is the number one culprit for bounce. Stretchy straps take a lot of support and throw it right out the window. If you want a bra to keep you from looking like a couple marbles in a pair of pantyhose, then stick with a bra that has stretchy straps.

3. The back has a racer back AND a latch closure for extra bounce control!

4. The straps are thick and padded so they don’t cut into you. The non-stretchiness helps with this too.

5. The bra uses encapsulation to keep the girls where they need to be. This is great because it eliminates the “uniboob’ look and gives great shape. Other bras which use compression to hold everything in give you one giant boob with no shape. While compression bras are great for A and B cups, some of us have grapefruits to smuggle….For B or bigger cups, go with a bra which uses encapsulation and you will thank me.

6. The contoured lines or seams on the front add great shape as well and are very flattering for all those women who are fortunate to be able to run in just a bra and shorts.

7. It is made of breathable, wicking fabric and has mesh paneling in the front to help with the swoob (sweaty boobs) action.

8. It comes in a few different colors. The one we have in stock at our 700 East location is like the one pictured, but in a gray instead of blue. I LOVE IT. It is super cute and the cost on it is $48.00.

If you would like to come try one out, come in to our 700 E store. We can also measure you to make sure we get you into the right size. If you know your size and just want to buy one, come in or you can call us at 801-484-9144 and we can ship it right out to you! We are so thoughtful!