First Impressions: New Balance 940

Well, I've now added a new pair of shoes to my shoe rotation (I now have 3 pairs to choose from) and I thought I'd give you my first impressions after having them around for a few weeks.

I currently own last year's model, the 850s, and I must say that although I thoroughly loved last year's version, and they have provided me with 600km of pain free running, this year's iteration is heads above.

I started running in this shoe because my forefoot is wider than normal, but not wide enough to warrant a wide shoe. This shoe has a slightly wider toe box than most other shoes, so it was just the fit for me.  However, I felt that the shoe, wasn't very snug or form fitting....and they've fixed that in this year's version, the 940.

The tops of the shoes are very lightweight and provide just enough stability without being too constricting. I'm looking forward to using these in late May, I wonder how the heat will affect my feet and if these shoes will respond appropriately.

I have noticed one thing that is less than desirable. On the upper, directly above the big toe is a piece of stiff material that is causing my toes some pain. After long runs and heavy weeks of running the top of my nail feels slightly bruised.  This is pronounced on my left foot, the very foot that is wider and longer than my right foot. My shoes are still fitted properly, but a word of caution as you break these in.

Overall, I'm quite satisfied with the shoe. It fits much better than the 850 from last year and the upper is breathable yet still supportive.  I would definitely recommend this shoe.

If you'd like to support this site, consider buying buy the shoes....

Version 3 of My Early Morning Core Circuit

Never one to leave good enough alone (version 1, version 2), I've re-vamped my early morning core workout to include more lateral stabilizing exercises as I felt I was neglecting those areas. Everything else has stayed the same, I've simply added some more exercises, making this truly into a 30-40 minute core workout that I perform three times a week at the crack of dawn.

• 3 x (15 squats, targeting vastis medialis. Stand feet apart about 8-10", clench pillow or ball between knees. Squeeze while squatting.) vastis medialis activated
• 2 x (40 single leg hikes. Laying on stomach, prop hips up with foam roller, bring foot close to butt, raise foot to the sky while concentrating on activating the gluteus maximus) gluteus maximus activated
• 2 x (40 single leg lifts. Place back against wall, bend lower leg at 90 degrees and place foot firmly against wall. Point toes of top leg towards ceiling and raise leg along the wall.) gluteus medius activated
• 2 x (15 static lunges, alternate forward leg) nearly all leg muscles, emphasis on adductors, quads, hamstrings 
• 2 x (45 second planks for: chest up, chest down, left arm down, right arm down) abs, obliques, adductors, hamstrings
•  3 x (15 bridges with exercise ball. Place ball at shoulder blades/neck, feet close together, with butt hanging down tighten abs and glutes to propel your torso upwards so that you are forming a flat bridge) abs, glutes
• 3 x (15 declined situps, with 4lb medicine ball on chest) upper/mid abs activated
• 3 x (15 inclined leg raises) lower abs activated
• 3 x (15 straight leg deadlifts, 40lb barbell) lower back activated
• 3 x (20 pushups, push up bars) chest/biceps/triceps activated

My Reflections on Winter Running...

Did you hibernate this season?

Well, today marks the end of the winter season and the start of a wonderfully fresh spring season.  I can't recall the last time I was this excited to see spring come around (last year we loved winter as we went x-c skiing every weekend for 9 weeks straight!), but gosh darn am I ever happy to see it finally here. It felt like it would never come.

Or so I thought....we received about 4 inches of snow overnight and are slated to receive another 4 to 6 inches by midnight tonight.

Winter kicked off 3 weeks early with the biggest storm I have ever lived through (I've died in a few bigger storms though...) and it's been snowing ever since.  I despise London winters, the constant fluctuations in temperature and precipitation is enough to turn even the most chipper person into a zombie for weeks on end.

So, what did I love/learn/hate/discover in my first ever winter base training season? Tons, and tons, and tons more.  The past 3 months have been a wonderful learning experience for me, but it wasn't without it's ups and downs.

Running comfortably in the winter IS EXPENSIVE!!!

I have never done an actual base season of running through the winter months, so I had to stock up on clothing that would at least wrap me up warmly so that the thought of a run in -20C would not instantly transform me into an emotional wreck.

So I spent hundreds of dollars purchasing tights, base layers (Merino wool FTW!), mitts, socks, shoes, etc.  I bought all my items at Runner's Choice in London, a store I would love to see my readers support as well. Their commitment to the running scene in London is second to none!

Snow & Ice can wreak havoc on your body

If this is your first winter of running, be aware that you're likely to feel discomfort/pain in parts of your legs you never knew existed.  For me it was mostly contained to my hip flexors/adductors and my toes. You'll find that your biomechanics are forced to shift slightly as you tread ice, soft snow and uneven surfaces.

As you ease into winter running, ease into your harder workouts.  Don't be afraid to scale back slightly to give your body time to adjust before you do damage.

Running in a fresh snowfall is almost zen-like

I've always loved running through trails in the fall, and although it still ranks #1 for me, I've discovered a new appreciation for running in freshly fallen snow.  Cars are silenced, and in many cases, nearly non-existent. Your foot steps are muted, instantly making you think you're running so smoothly that you barely touch the ground.

Try it out if you wake up one morning and there's a few fresh inches of snow on the ground. The state of mind you reach will amaze you.

Motivation is Key

Finding and keeping your motivation high in the winter months is literally the hardest part of running in the winter. There are a few things you can do to make sure you aren't just relying on your 'get-up and go' attitude:

• Run with others
• Keep a training log
• Tell others of your accomplishments (and maybe, your goals, more on this topic later...)
• Treat yourself to something fun after your hard weeks of training
• Keep it fun and interesting (new workouts, new scenery, etc...)

Focus on staying injury free

The only thing worse than not running in the winter months is not being able to run in the Spring/Summer because you worked too hard, were a little too careless/ambitious and injured yourself.  So be wise, be cool...stay injury free. If you'd like to know how I stay injury free while increasing my mileage, read all about it here.

Pop Culture Meets Running: Hey There Delilah!

My Monday morning ritual consists of many things, one of which is scouring the LetsRun.com forums for new and interesting forum topics. I stumbled upon a thread titled 'who are some of the hottest professional american distance runners? male/female' and I just had to click and see what people were saying. Call me shallow if you'd like. :P


Within the topic I found a new name I had never heard of, Delilah DiCrescenzo, a professional distance runner (Puma) that competes in the 3000m steeplechase.  She's definitely fit and good looking, so I won't disagree with the person who suggested her, but what I found on her Wikipedia.org page was something too interesting to pass up.


Many summers ago I discovered, as did the rest of the population, a lovely song by the Plain White T's titled Hey There Delilah aired on the radio and I fell in love. I immediately bought downloaded their album and was glad I didn't spend a dime on it. What drivel it was, rather surprising since Hey There Delilah was so much fun to listen to.


Well, it turns out Delilah DiCrescenzo is THE Delilah they sing about.  From Wikipedia:

She is the subject of the Plain White T's song "Hey There Delilah".^[6] She had met Plain White T's singer Tom Higgenson through a mutual friend, but the two had never been romantically involved. She eventually agreed to go on a date with Higgenson to the Grammy Awards, where the song was up for an award.^[7] An interview on the Today Show clarifies that she has a boyfriend and, with his blessing, went to the Grammys as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

So there you have it...once again, pop culture meets running culture. This time, in the strangest of ways.

Running Log 2011: Week #11

Week in, week out...just the ebb and flow of a runner's life. This week saw me maintain nearly the same volume as last week (shy by 8km) but my intensity went through the roof! On Tuesday I did an epic 40min Lactate Threshold run which I ran at 3:56/km pace (just shy of the same pace I ran at my last 10km road race) and it was the first time I'd ever taken on the high end, senior level load at one of our practices.  That workout left me so stiff the following 3 days that I wasn't able to run any faster than 5:20/km pace on my recovery runs and I was forced to stretch, heat, roll my hamstrings and calves for hours.

I can now say I've recovered and am ready for another fun week of running, capped off with a time trial this weekend.  Hopefully I can get my stomach to cooperate this time and I can get a proper gauge on my fitness.

Tight Calves While Running: What Can I Do?

Jay Cutler Calves

Gah! Figures, as soon as I up my mileage and sort out my adductor issue I'm stuck now with a super tight right calf. This isn't an entirely new pain, and frankly, it just feels like things are really tight, I wouldn't say it's compartment syndrome or 'calf heart attack', but then again, I just don't know much about my calves. Everyday I run I learn something new, and this week it's all about my calves.

So the question remains, what can I do about my tight calves? In short, I don't really know.  I've been stretching lots, massaging with The Stick and a Foam Roller, getting massages and just trying to get it to calm down. I think I need to look further up my leg and assess how tight my hamstrings and gluteus muscles are, I think they are causing the pain in my gastrocnemius, so hopefully I can stretch things out after work and I can get some easy killage in tonight. Especially since its currently mostly sunny and +11C!