Saturday, March 5, 2011

My new dirt-kickers

The new Cascadia 6's are (apparently) a popular trail shoe, particularly in size 11.5/12. I say this because I can't find any! No worries. As the SweetH20 50k is now six weeks out, I have been in need of getting the new kicks in-house, broken in and ready to do some trail runnin' on April 16. Since I haven't been able to find any of the Cascadia's in my size, I had to go to the bullpen for the ole' reliable...
Mizuno Wave Ascend 5:

As you might remember me mentioning in previous posts, I have been running trails in MIzuno Wave Ascends for the past couple of years. I love this shoe. It's a solid, sure-footed climber that has proven to be very reliable for me. The only thing that may be lacking is the cushioning. It's there, but it's just not in abundance. The reviews I have read for the new Ascend 5 model seems to support the notion that the cushioning has been enhanced, so I'm hopeful. According the online retailer I purchased them from, I should be receiving them by midweek, and that will work great for my planned 12-14 miler next Saturday on the Pine Mountain Trail, which is the site for the North Face Endurance 50 miler in October. Nothing like putting some new kicks to an immediate and grueling test on those very, very technical trails. If it can hold up along PMT, I have absolutely NO worries that it will coast through the SweetH20 course in six weeks.

Along with a new supply of S-Caps, a couple of new pairs of SmartWool socks, and the handhelds I have from last season, I think I'm nearly ready for the race. I'm sure I'll end up tinkering with gear, nutrition and clothing as the date gets closer, and we'll have to wait and see how the weather is shaping up. 

From the SweetH20 race reports I've been reading, the big race-killer for many runners is the heat. Many of the more grueling climbs (Top of the World x2) are in tremendously exposed areas of the trail, and even 75 degree temps are simply merciless. Trying to post up a 35 degree incline over 1/2 mile will tax the cardiovascular system in 40 degrees. In 70+, it's a show-stopper. I need to plan ahead for this as a likely scenario that I'll have to deal with. I've been gifted with the ability to cope with the heat pretty well, I think. I love summer time runs during lunch here in Georgia, and that's typically in 95 degree range, so I've got a pretty rapid sweat rate (what a lovely thought, I know) I'm counting on this to help me pass some fallen runners on the climbs that define SweetH20 Park in April.


3 comments:

  1. You're lucky to be able to run in the heat - that can certainly be a challenge for a lot of people.

    Glad you have some new shoes to break in and get ready for the race - 6 weeks is perfect timing in my opinion :)!

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  2. I've worn Mizuno Wave Creation for years. They are one of my top favorite shoes! Mizuno is great for cushion & I like their neutral control shoes (Wave Rider too). I'm a new follower!

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  3. I've been wanting to try Mizuno shoes for a while now. I think I may just take the plunge.

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