I’ve been getting the Stridebox for a few months and finally decided to video tape as I open the box… For $15 a month it isn’t too bad of a deal to try out some new products – mostly nutrition related.
Nothing so far has been life changing 🙂
Saucony ViZiPro Utili-Mitt (Photo credit: crossn81)
I’ve been wearing the Saucony Ulti-Mitt for over 3 years now. I initially got a pair to review for Saucony and have been a little late in doing so!! I posted a picture on 11/11/10 3 days before my daughter was born!! I got the orange vizi-pro ulti-mitts to review.
Oddly, for the past three years I’ve been calling them the wrong name! I kept calling them the Utili-Mitt. They have many uses and I thought utility was a good descriptor, but ulti(mate) is also a fitting descriptor. Over the last 3 years I’ve worn them quite a bit in a variety of conditions, including below zero temps and windchill up into the 40’s.
The glove itself doesn’t feel much thicker than a nice liner glove, but the glove has kept me plenty warm. The wind shield/mitten adds to the versatility helping keep the hand/fingers warmer at even lower temperatures. It is hard to believe that such a thin piece of wind resistant fabric can keep you so warm. At the start of the run you can wear the mitten and has you warm up you can pull the mitten part off. I tend to let it flap in the wind because more often than not I’ll put it back on. However, you can easily tuck it into the little pocket and pull it back out later if you want.
In March of 2011 one of the finger seams split which was disappointing but at that point in the season wasn’t a big deal. I had worn them on pretty much every run since I had gotten them, washed them several times, wore them on the bike, and more. I continued to wear them even in the winter of 2011. We had gone home to visit family over the holidays and some how the bright orange glove got lost. I came back to MN with only one glove!!
I really needed gloves and found a pair of Pearl Izumi Shine Wind Mitt that were similar to the ulit-mitt but were on sale. I bought them in January of 2012. That was a big mistake. They were a different fabric and not as comfortable. The New Balance windscreen was much tighter and while they were pitched as an “electronics friendly” glove they didn’t work consistently well. The Ulti-Mitt allows you to easily pull your thumb and index finger out of the glove to quickly manipulate your device keeping the rest of your hand toasty warm! I bought a second pair of the Saucony Ulti-Mitt in April 2012.
The one thing that I never really used was the USB light. I understand their intent with the Vizi-Pro line of making you as visible as possible and adding a small flashlight to one of the gloves was a good idea of adding visibility. Unfortunately, the light wasn’t super bright. It definitely couldn’t be used to illuminate the path ahead of you so I doubt it really added much visibility of you. The gloves have a reflective Saucony logo on the mitten and the bright orange. I didn’t feel like the light held its charge for very long and I never remembered to charge it back up. I think I still have the light but never use it!
They don’t work super well on the bike as there is more wind at the colder temperatures, but in the moderate temps (above 40) when you need a glove they worked great. I did like the high visibility that they provided for signaling turns etc. They don’t provide any padding for the bike either!
One other random note about these is that the shell material for the mitt doesn’t absorb liquid so they make great snot wipers!
I wore these gloves this past week for a run in -11 windchill and my fingers stayed toasty warm. I will say that I can’t remember having taken them on a run longer than 5 or 6 miles in that temperature. I would highly recommend these gloves!
These gloves are between $35-45 and worth every penny.
From Amazon:
I’ve often thought that the shoe reviews in Runners World and other running magazines were fairly useless. I guess if you understand everything about your foot and shoes then it might be helpful. But I would agree with others that it has become more of a marketing scheme than really useful information. But if I were offered a free pair of shoes to review, I’d be happy to test them out.
I came across this recent posting at Running Times: No Need for Shoe Awards that talked about why RT doesn’t give out shoe awards or have a special shoe issue. Below are two great quotes:
The primary reason Running Times doesn’t present quarterly awards is because “editor’s choice” and “best new shoe” awards don’t serve the readers who might be in the process of figuring out which new shoes to buy. It’s based either on one person’s specific viewpoint of a shoe, the general or numerical consensus of a wear-test group or a collection of vague and very general shoe characteristics that the magazine deems “best.” But best for what type of runner or gait or running style is it best? That’s not meant to be overly harsh toward magazines that do give awards; while those awards are probably just meant to be a guidance tool for readers, the problem we have is that they could be giving improper guidance to an eager runner who thinks they really need a shoe that a magazine calls the latest and greatest instead of letting his or her body tell them what works best.
So why do we publish shoe reviews in the first place? Ideally, it’s a way to inform our passionate readers about what’s out there so they can decide for themselves what works best for them. (Similar to how we publish stories about training plans from a variety of athletes and coaches. Take new ideas and apply them to your personal running experience.) Our shoe guides are intended to offer insights as to what will be available at stores, while also touching on industry trends that might (or might not) improve your running.
The bottom line is that the way to find the best shoe for you is to do so by “feel” based on how you run and not how a shoe feels when you’re sitting on a bench in the store or when you’re wearing it for everyday life — school, work, chores, errands, going to the mall, etc. (And by the way, you shouldn’t be wearing your running shoes for anything but running. Walking breaks down shoes differently and more quickly and can ultimately lower the performance value of those shoes or alter your gait ever so slightly. If you like the feel of your running shoes that much, buy a second pair for mowing the lawn or walking the dog.)
What do you think? Do you find the “shoe review” issues helpful?
I usually stick with a shoe that has worked well for me in the past and talk with someone at a running store about the different shoes. I have also used this chart created by Brooks (mentioned previously) that compares different brand’s shoes so that you can transition between them.
[tags] shoe review, shoes [/tags]
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If you’ve been around for awhile you know that I’ve been suffering from Plantar Faciitis for a while now. I’ve tried a lot of different things, but one in particular is The Strassburg Sock aka The Sock.
The website describes how the sock works, when worn properly:
This easy to use, inexpensive device is designed to keep tension on the tissue (plantar fascia) so it heals in a stretched position at night. In this way many users find a reduction of their morning pain, some have noticed a reduced recovery time and yet others have reduced the need for medications.
When worn as prescribed, it does not allow the plantar fascia to contract while in the prone or supine position. The device holds the ankle and forefoot joints in a position of slight dorsiflexion that prevents a position of plantarflexion, that is the plantar fascia is not allowed to contract.
In addition the involuntary stretching of the plantar fascia over a long period of time helps to strengthen the foot’s arch.
Or more simply, the sock pulls the toes upwards during the night which if nothing else reduces the pain of the first step in the morning. It does promote healing, according to my MD, the sock and other night splints reduce the tearing of the fascia that comes from walking and promotes healing.
The sock is basically a tighter fitting knee sock that comes in 2 sizes based on your calf size. There is a strap that goes from your toes to a “D” loop right under your knee that holds your toes in place. It utilizes Velcro for both the toe strap and the strap below the knee. One comment about the Velcro is that it can damage your sheets while sleeping at night.
The sock is intended to be worn overnight for 6-8 hours. I found that it took a little getting used to before I could comfortably sleep the night away while wearing. It is a little odd to have your foot in such a position. The first few nights I would wear it for a few hours. Because the strap makes a hypotenose from your toes to your knee the easiest position to sleep in is on your back. I did find that you can sleep easily on your side and your stomach if you bend your knee. It does seem like it’d be easier to sleep with this sock than a hard foot brace.
Their advertising is very clever, because while they claim to cure heel pain they don’t claim to cure 100% of Plantar Fasciitis. They do claim that most people only wear it for 8 weeks and that within the first few weeks most of the pain should go away. They don’t say whether their research subjects continued working out or what else they were doing. I was wearing the sock back when I took 3 weeks off with 0 running miles and saw no reduction in pain. Now with a prescription of Ibuprofen and physical therapy I am making progress.
I stopped wearing the sock for a few days and saw a significant increase in the pain I felt during the first few steps. So the sock does help reduce the pain felt first thing in the morning. It was amazing how much more pain I was in by not wearing the sock. So if nothing else your $40 will help with that part of the recovery.
Their website provides a fair amount of research and data that shows why their night splint is better than everyone else, but I’ll let you go read it and see for yourself.
[tags] Plantar Fasciitis, The Sock, Strassburg Sock, Heel Pain [/tags]
If you are traveling to the Twin Cities for this fall’s Twin Cities Marathon you must go see Spirit of the Marathon while you are here.
“But I’ve already seen it?” you say. Did you see it at a 1950’s style movie theater?
I didn’t think so. Spirit of the Marathon is being played at the Riverview Theater in South Minneapolis.
Riverview Theater
We saw the movie when it first came out this winter and I enjoyed it. My wife liked it too, but not as much as me!
To refresh your memory a bit, here is an excerpt from the website about the movie
[A] first ever non-fiction feature film to capture the drama and essence of the famed 26.2 mile running event. Filmed on four continents, the production brings together a diverse cast of amateur athletes and marathon luminaries. As six unique stories unfold, each runner prepares for and ultimately faces the challenge of the Chicago Marathon. More than a sports program, Spirit of the Marathon is an inspirational journey of perseverance and personal triumph; a spectacle that will be embraced by runners and non-runners alike.
Along with citizen athletes, the movie features Deanna Kastor and Daniel Njenga.
DVD Release
A DVD with the movie and other goodies will be available after October 7. If you order now you can get an autographed copy of the DVD. Visit the store to find out more information. While there you can also purchase a variety of other paraphenila.
[tags] Spirit of the Marathon, Marathon, Twin Cities Marathon [/tags]