Running marathons in Belgium

For everybody looking for a running experience in Belgium a full list of the marathons in Belgium. I myself ran in Brussels. My positive experience resulted in post on my Dutch blog (read with Google Translate):

Belgische marathons in 2013
3 March	2e Marathon en 29e Bardelaereloop (Lembeke)
7 April	Vlaanderens mooiste marathon (Zwalm)
21 April	DVV Antwerp 10 Miles en Marathon (Antwerpen)
12 May	Maasmarathon de la Basse Meuse(Visé)
9 June	Marathon Nature (La Roche-en-Ardenne)
21 June	Nacht van West-Vlaanderen (Torhout)
29 June	Marathon der Noorderkempen (Rijkevorsel)
11 August	Rhythm and Run Marathon (Antwerpen)
15 September	Instapmarathon (Arendonk)
15 September	In Flanders Fields Marathon (Ieper)
22 September	Alproleiemarathon (Deinze)
22 September	Bosmarathon (Buggenhout)
29 September	Geelse Natuurmarathon (Geel)
29 September	Marathon Oostende (Oostende)
6 October	Brussels Marathon en Half Marathon (Brussel)
27 October	Hageland Marathon (Aarschot)
17 November	Marathon Kasterlee (Kasterlee)

A running shoe is a 'Best Invention of 2012'

The Nike Flyknit, well known among readers of this blog, has been selected as one of the 26 'Best inventions of 2012' by Time Magazine.

You can find the Time article here and my previous post over the FlyKnit Lunar (February 2013) and Racer (February 2012) and the fashion shoe the Flyknit Chukkas.

One of the other 26 inventions has nothing to do with running but just looks great so here it is: Indoor Clouds!

10.000 kilometers with Polar RS200sd

Last week I did a short run. Not too long because of a heavy cold I had (and still have). The kind of run you do not talk about. Nothing like hours in beautiful surroundings, runners high, the pain, the exhaustion, dehydration, the cold.... Well you know; the kind of stories you share when you talk with other runners.
And suddenly this run became one of those stories. As it turned out. When I completed run I completed exactly 10.000 kilometre since I bought the watch, heart rate monitor in November 2007. Not 9998 or 10.001 or 10.002. No, exactly 10.000 kilometre.

That will make this watch a dependable piece of technology. Of course the battery is changed a couple of times and I have had one new wristband.

I see the watch is still available online (Polar RS200sd). Take care that you order the one with footpod to track speed en distance, the sd.

More recent is the RS300X SD Heart Rate Monitor Watch with S1 Foot Pod

Photographic evidence:
Total Distance tracked since 18.11.2007: 10.000KM!

Going underground

People come up with the creasiest places tot run (a marathon). In Germany they ran a marathon last week in a former saltmine. The Kristallmarathon in Merkers:

• 500 meters underground;
• 13 laps;
• 750m climbing;
• 500 participants;
• Helmet and headlight mandatory;

The winner finished in 2:45. The mine is used for other activities such as mountain biking (or should I say underneath mountain biking) and various concerts.

Below some video's to give you an impression of the event.

Eat & Run; book by Scott Jurek

The Dutch Edition of Runner's World features Scott Jurek. Thanks tot the book 'Born to Run', his achievements as ultra runner and the Opel Ampera commercial he needs little introduction.
Reason for his appearance in the magazine: The dutch translation of his book: Eat & Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultra marathon Greatness.

This triggered me to look around a bit and I found on his website a short promotional video (see below first video). A bit less bash full but to me more interesting is a short contribution to TEDMED (see second video).

Scott Jurek is not just a great ultra runner. He is a vegan as well. I think you might say he is a living example that being a vegan is healthy. Otherwise you would not be able to run 266 km in 24 hours or complete 100 miles trails in 15 hours!

In the TEDMED video he tells what inspired him to change his lifestyle.

The book is available from amazon .

Breezing: Track your metabolism

Every runner knows that loosing weight is a matter of creating a unbalance between the calories that enter your body and those that you burn. That is to say less calories entering, more calories burned and not the other way around.

That is why regular running helps you to stay fit and in shape. You increase your metabolism. In general toning your body to a better shape than any given coach potato.

Of course this rough approach can be more refined. Everyone using an heart rate monitor during running, or a GPS watch (see my post on five of them) or an app on the smart phone knows that these devices indicate your calories burned during you exercise.

Apparently this is not accurate enough for some geeks. Thats why they came up with 'Breezing'. A small device analysing your breath, communicating with your (Andriod) smart phone app to display your metabolism. Giving you detailed feedback so you can fine tune your exercise. It analyses your breath on oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production.

Is this more accurate than a heart rate monitor? Can be. Every trained runner knows that with improved fitness you can run a given speed at a lower heart rate because your body becomes more efficient in the transport of oxygen to your muscles and burning the fuel in your body and turning it into speed. I have to say I am a bit sceptical. Just go out, enjoy the run, use your common sense and eat healthy and your scale will tell you the resulting weight loss.

The video below explains a bit more on 'breezing' although I have to say it is more 'features' than 'benefits' or 'practical use';

Adidas Energy BOOST: It looks like Styrofoam but it isn't

Adidas launched a new shoe with the name 'Energy Boost'. New in this shoe is the midsole. Where most midsoles are made of EVA (Ethyl Vinyl Acetate), with this shoe Adidas uses BOOST.


The midsole is made of TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane).

Solid granular material (TPU) is literally blown up and turned into thousands of small energy capsules which make up the footwear’s distinctive midsole.

With the cell structure, these capsules store and unleash energy more efficiently in every stride. Tests conducted by the Adidas Innovation Team show that the highly durable material found only in Energy Boost products provides the highest energy return in the running industry.

Additional benefits of this material is that its performance is more stable both over time and changing temperatures. Delivering a more constant ride to the runner.

Good marketing this about energy capsules but to me it looks like Styrofoam/polystyrene. Look at the picture. It looks like the sole was cut out of the protecting Styrofoam around your newly bought TV.

The video below illustrates the energy return.

More on the site of Adidas.

Flyknit Fashion

After introduction of the Flyknit last year the shoe for the very day runner followed a few week ago with the launch of the Nike Lunar 1+.

Below a few very interesting pics of the Flyknit for Fashion: de Nike’s Flyknit Chukkas.

This shoe is not a sports shoe but a fashion shoe for every day use.

 

The design is a collaboration between designer Mark Parker and Tinker Hatfield and the Japanese designer, producer and musician Hiroshi Fujiwara. The shoe is a nice mixture of sole of the Lunar shoe, the Flyknit technology for the upper but the classical ankle booty.

scource: fastcodesign

The Innovator: Mike Friton from Origami to Running Shoes

On vimeo I found this very nice interview with Mike Friton, 'The Innovator'. Stylist, sculptor, innovator, designer with Nike for 30 years and one time teammate of Prefontaine running the Steeple Chase.

This short but well made video gives a nice insight how he plays around with very different materials and structures to discover new posibilities.
The Innovator on Vimeo.

Blade Runner, Oscar Pistorius shoots girlfriend

Allegedly mistaking her for an intruder, Oscar Pistorius shot his girlfriend last night. Read more on BBC.

Tired of bottle belts or camelbacks?

Sometime ago I saw a runner who had a normal drinking bottle stuck between the waistband of his running short. It looked highly uncomfortable but hey, maybe he thought the same of me carrying a 330ml bottle in my hand.

Someone must have thought the same and came up with a solution. A bottle shaped to be carried along in the waistband of you short, skirt or even sports bra (see video). This guy used kickstarter to crowd source the capital required to produce his invention and here it is. Simple Hydration Water Bottle

the bottle in use

Myself being a skinny runner I fear of loosing my short if I weigh it down with a bottle so I stick to carry my bottle in my hand (it tones my arms as well;-) ). The bottle can carry 384 ml of 13 oz. share your experience, post a comment underneath this posting!

You can order the bottle on . amazon.com: Simple Hydration Water Bottle

Nike Flyknit Lunar 1+; Flyknit upper with Lunar Sole

A year ago Nike introduced the Flyknit. The upper was not made of various materials stitched together to make up a shoe. No, the upper is knitted. So no stitches that might cause discomfort and a lighter upper.

For the more 'average' runner is fancy upper is now combined with the popular Lunar Sole to produce the Nike Flyknit Lunar 1+.

It is widely available in (on line) stores.

Run, or exercise with classical music

Most people, who run with music will argue that it helps them perform better. And according to this Daily Mail article they are right. Best would be if we believe the expert Jack Lewis, to use classical music: "'Energetic but not overly-fast classical music can be ideal in the gym."

For those who spend time in a gym you will agree that the music played can best be described as 'a beat and not much more'. And yes, this upbeat music has a positive effect on the intensity and duration of the exercise but you might consider a classical alternative that offers the same beat. Why? It has added benefits!

It will reduce heart rate, blood pressure and lower perceived exertion, at the same time. In addition, relaxing music has been shown to lower levels of cortisol in the body, the hormone associated with stress.

According to Lewis the classical music that survived time is more sophisticated and has these nice side effects.

OK, but which music to pick? Lewis suggests music with a beat per minute (bpm) in sync with your heart beat. For the 140 bpm he suggests Beethoven's Symphony No. 4, the Fourth movement (Listen and download MP3 on amazon).

Lewis has more tips but to me these are not listed as 'classical':

• Michael Jackson's Rock with You (MP3 download) for warming up with 116 bpm
• Johnny Cash's Heart of Gold (MP3 en preview ) for the Cooling Down

Natural(?) running according to TeVa

Nop, the question mark is not a mistake. Read on and I will explain why I put the '?' in the caption of this blog.

The current development of running shoes is less sole, less drop, less cushioning, less heel landing and more forefoot landing. A more natural approach to running even resulting in, what I call 'gloves' for the foot.

TeVa looks at this development an thinks "Why not change the shoe instead of the running pose of so many runners? Lets take of the heel cushion and make a more round sole which makes it easier to roll from heel to toe.
TeVa want a chip of the growing market of off trail running such as mudruns.

"We took our testing beyond the traditional flat environments of a lab and developed a way to test both uphill and downhill movements, mimicking the various terrains of the outdoors," said Geoffrey Gray , Doctor of Physical Therapy at P3. "Our extensive data showed that the TevaSphere represents the best combination of performance and stability of any hiking, walking or running shoe we tested."

The TevaSphere design stands in stark contrast to bulkier, squared-off heels and over-cushioned insoles of other athletic shoes. It also addresses the poor support found in "minimalist" footwear that encourages consumers to change their stride to adapt.

"The majority of consumers continue to land on their heels whether running or walking," said Chris Hillyer , Innovation Manager at Teva. "We felt compelled to create a technology that allows people to transition through their stride in a natural way without expecting the consumer to change."

(quotes van PRnewswire)

TeVa thinks heel landing is the more natural style of running for most runners and instead of changing your style they adapted the shoe. Of course I am no expert and certainly did not do al the research they say they put into it but looking at all the developments going on I tend to the idea of the barefoot approach of a more fore or mid foot landing. Hence the question mark in the caption.
And yes I agree, I also land on my heels certainly when I am tired at the end of a run. But yes I try to change to a more forefoot landing, smaller and quicker stride.

According to the article the shoe will be available from February 2013. As of now I can only find two women shoes on Amazon.com (see below the video).