Half marathon report

I had an enjoyable half marathon yesterday. The weather was perfect. I was a little worried about wearing my Brooks Green Silence shoes, since I hadn't run all that much in them, but they were fine. By the end, a toe or two felt a little hot, but I didn't get any blisters. My left knee feels just a little tender today, but I don't attribute that to the shoes. At my low level of training, I don't think any shoes would have prevented that.

Those shoes are definitely attention-getters. A number of people remarked on them.

I saw two marathoners wearing Vibram FiveFingers; one wore Classics and the other wore Sprints. I didn't get a chance to talk to them, but judging by their tattoos, they were both triathletes.

Many thanks to Russell, who ran with me. His wife, Mary, alas, was unable to run because of a foot injury. Also thanks to the staff and volunteers for the race -- everything was just right.

Half marathon tomorrow, ready or not

I don't feel prepared for tomorrow's half marathon, but it's a little too late to do anything about it but get up early and put on my shoes. The good news is that the weather will probably be good. It's been cold, windy, and rainy for days and days. Today it's beautiful, and the forecast for tomorrow is for more of the same. It should be around 45F at the start, and no warmer than about 55F by the time I finish. I couldn't ask for much better than that. I happened to see the race director an hour or two ago, and when I mentioned the weather, he smiled from ear to ear. This race has a history of bad luck with weather.

One of the two friends I'm hoping to run with injured her foot, and as of yesterday wasn't sure she would run. Since I'm in no kind of shape to try for a PR, or even aim for any particular time, I was looking forward to just spending the time out on the roads with the the two of them. I'm sure I'll see her at the packet pickup later today, and see how she's feeling.

Cashing in on the Bikila

Out of curiosity, I did a search on eBay for Vibram's newest Fivefingers model, the Bikila, which just now rolling out to a few retail outlets. Sure enough, people are cashing in on the scarcity. I found asking prices as high as $250! Yikes!

I think I'll wait.

Vibram FiveFingers Bikila preview

Justin over at Birthday Shoes managed to get an early peek at the Vibram FiveFingers Bikila, and shares his first impressions.

New shoes: Brooks Green Silence

Brooks Green Silence

I have a half marathon coming up shortly, and I don't think I'm ready to go that distance in a truly minimal shoe like the Vibram FiveFingers. I've been looking for something towards the minimal end of the traditional running shoe spectrum.

I've worn mostly Brooks shoes for the past several years, and have been pretty pleased. I'd read a little about the Green Silence racing flat, and thought I'd give them a try.

I just got them yesterday, and have only run about 5K on a treadmill in them, but my initial reaction is very positive. They're really light and comfortable.

I haven't decided if they're the ugliest shoe I've ever owned, or the coolest. It's one or the other; there's no in-between with these things. One might say they look like Ronald McDonald's bowling shoes -- bright yellow and red, and asymmetrical. One has a red sole and a mostly yellow upper, and the other is the opposite.

The heel-to-toe offset is just 8 mm, which is flatter than most running shoes. Brooks is getting on the minimalist bandwagon a bit, touting a number of models on their web site. They don't have anything close to the FiveFingers, but I wonder how long that will last. Surely the traditional shoe companies notice the attention Vibram is getting.

I'll have an update once I get some more miles on these shoes.