Shoe Review: Zoot Ultra Race 4.0

When Zoot first announced the new Ultra Race - I was a bit taken aback (and in a bad way).  Don't get me wrong - I absolutely love Zoot's shoe offerings.  They're the perfect shoe for me - mainly due to the "core" of features that they implement in their shoes.  These include the liner on the inside that allows the show to be comfortably worn at all distances without socks, the carbon that runs along the bottom of the sole that allows for a stronger toe-off, and a system (which varies between shoes but is available across their entire line) that allows to a quick on and off of the shoe.  Those are three EXTREMELY important things to me in a show and Zoot consistently has all of them.

So why was I disappointed with the initial announcement of the Ultra Race 4.0?  It was because the new Ultra Race had a unique lacing system that was a bit different than other triathlon/running shoes.  The new shoe model used the BOA system as a method of quick on and off tightening and advertised a "consistent and perfect fit each time the shoe is put on".

Wait a minute, why would someone be disappointed with that?  That doesn't sound bad at all - in fact, it sounds perfect!  Right?  Well yes, it does - but no, it doesn't.  You see, the BOA system and I go way back.    Way, way way back.  And way, way, way up.  As in - on top of a mountain.  The BOA system originated (at least my first exposure to it) in snowboard boots.  I remember when they first came out and were the hot item (and drove the price of some snowboard boots up to $500+!!!!).  I managed to score a pair and thought I was the coolest kid on the mountain.

Burton Snowboard boot with BOA system.  Not the same boots I had, but similar enough .  (Image is not my own and was pulled off a google search)

Well, that all changed one day when I got off the ski lift and hopped down, slipped my foot into my bindings, cranked the BOA laces and - CRACK.  It popped off.  And it's in my hand now.  And my boot is no longer hugging my ankle - in fact, it's incredibly loose and floppy.  The trip down was - to say the least - slow and interesting.  I made it down without much of an incident and took it in for repair.  I got it repaired and the next day - CRACK.  Same thing happened, but to the other boot.  At this point, I gave up and just bought a normal pair of snowboard boots and forgot about the BOA system altogether (I actually avoided it like the plague).

That was the case, until I got these shoes from Zoot (all 10 or so years later).

The Ultra Race 4.0 is a lightweight (8.1 oz in my size 8.5) racing flat with a 10 mm drop (my measurement, could be slightly off).  They are an absolute true triathlon shoe that is designed to go any tri-distance.

So how did I like mine?

I loved them.  I'll get into the hows and why in a bit, but let's take a look at the shoe itself.

The first thing you'll notice is the colorway.  The shoe is not for the timid person who doesn't want to be seen.  These things are BRIGHT.  They look fast, they ARE fast - they make you look fast (whether you are or not).  I've gone on several runs in these and every single time someone compliments me (or at least makes a comment) about the shoes.

The features on the shoe are pretty standard fare for Zoot.  They have the same midsole which provides a firm ride without taking energy away from  your foot.  They have the strip of carbon that they put along the sole of the shoe to create a springy toe-off.  This seems somewhat of a gimmick at first (that's what I thought on my first pair with the carbon strip) - but it absolutely works.  When I run high miles (20+), my form begins to fall apart and I've found that the carbon strip helps keep the spring in my step.

Zoot's Carbon Span strip is in full effect on these shoes.

They also have an incredible upper (similar to the one on the original Ultra Kane) that allows for a compressed fit that still gives your foot room to move (and be free of socks).  

Zoot's Ultra Fit upper that allows for sockless wear and great comfort.

The big question for me wasn't about the shoe itself - but more about the lacing system.  Would the BOA lacing system be "up to snuff" and durable enough to handle racing?  The last thing in the world I would want it to come tumbling into T2 and have a malfunction in the lacing system on the run.  

The BOA system.

I'm happy to report that the system works great with these shoes.  A simple small tug on the BOA knob loosens the shoe (no need to turn to loosen the shoe) and a simply push tightens the shoe and a small twist (usually no more than a turn or two) tightens the shoe to a perfect fit.  If sized properly, the shoe should "fit" relatively well without even touching the BOA system.  The "lacing system" here is (as you can see in the picture above) put together of several strips of material that tighten around the foot as the BOA system is tightened.  This tightening, for me, was more of a "fine tuning" of the fit.  The shoe was pretty well fitted even before I messed with the Boa system and I feel I could run in it without tightening it at all.  However, when tightened, the fit only improved.

One issue that is (somewhat) common in Zoot shoes for some people is the "high, hard back" that is found on several of their shoe models.  Depending on the foot type and gait of some runners - some shoes with harder material that goes up higher along the heel/achilles can cause blisters that just don't go away.  I'm happy to report that this is not the case with the Ultra Race 4.0 - which has a "mid back" (for lack of a better term) similar to the one found on the Ultra TT.

The back doesn't go up too high on these shoes, which prevents blisters for runners with certain foot types/gaits (like myself).

I found that the shoe performed extremely well and held up to all my expectations when put to the test.  I've had it on a variety of runs from "race pace" 5ks all the way to 24 mile "long runs" and it has performed extremely well in all of them.  The water drainage slots (another Zoot feature in their shoes) worked extremely well.  I did a few swim/run brick workouts in the shoes and found that they dried quick enough to not become "sloshy" on the inside or encumber my run in any way.

Open water swim/run brick workout.

These shoes are incredibly fast shoes and, while I have yet to race in them (that happens March 24th at the Fearless Triathlon Double Sprint), I'm confident I'll be posting some very quick run splits in these shoes.

All in all - this is a stellar shoe which absolutely outperforms other triathlon shoes in its class.  It's pricey ($180 MSRP) but is worth it in my opinion.  This is a lightweight, all distance racer that has a very wide range of feet that it would fit.  Not only do I recommend them, but my dog does to.

General Training, Babies, Strollers, and 10k Races.

As of now, I'm still "base building" for my A race in September.  Mostly bike and run oriented, but the swim will start to pick up here shortly.

My wife and I are expecting our first child in about a month (give or two a week or two either way), so I've been dabbling in strollers as a though to how I'm going to be able to continue my run training when the baby gets here.  After a ton of research, I ended up looking at the same strollers I was considering when I first started (B.O.B. strollers) and ended up scoring one of these off of craigslist.org for cheap.

B.O.B. Ironman S.U.S. jogging stroller.

It's not what I intended (I was considering the Revolution and actually leaning that way), but it was dirt cheap and fits my needs.

A couple weeks ago (on Super Bowl Sunday) - I took my niece (who just turned 2) on a ride in the stroller competing in a "Baby Buggy 10k."  I ended up placing a (somewhat) disappointing 7th place overall and saw my 10k drop a full 4-5 minutes from where I'm normally at.  OUCH.  That's a tough pill to swallow.

I chalk it up to it being my first time jogging with a stroller in a loooooooooooooong time and that hill that was 1/4 mile out from the finish line (that I was NOT expecting) probably had a lot to do with it too.  My niece was an angel the entire time though - counting to 12 over and over and over and over again (she's probably counting to at least 20 now) - so that was cute.  Anything more than a 10k and I think she would have gone insane though.

So my next purchase will be an adapter for the stroller for a carseat - and anything that isn't speedwork or a tempo run will end up being laps around the park with our baby when he comes.  I'm also hoping that he really likes the carseat - because he'll be spending a ton of time in there when I'm on the trainer.  At least, hopefully he will.  I've heard that the sound of the trainer puts babies to sleep and is really soothing for them - so hopefully that's the case here.

In terms of training, my power is ever climbing on the bike and I'm actually starting to become less and less afraid of the ~140 mile bike ride at Leadman.  I'm actually becoming more and more confident that I'm going to go home with a belt buckle - but I won't count my chickens before they hatch.  I am doing a 50 mile bike tour in May and I plan to time trial the first half of that - so I think that will be a good indication as to whether I can keep a pace on tired legs.

We'll see.  I'm looking forward to seeing what dividends the hard work brings.

Shoe Review: Mizuno Wave Evo Cursoris

So I've been running in these shoes for about a month now (give or take a week) and have logged a significant number of miles (~180) in them.  I've logged runs from 3 miles to 22 miles in them, so I think I've put plenty of miles on these.  At least enough to do a review and give my opinions on the shoe.

These shoes are the new zero drop offering from Mizuno.  Currently, they have two shoes in the chute coming in Jan/Fed 2013.  The Evo Cursoris (the shoe in this review) and the Evo Levitas (which is basically the same as the Cursoris, but less built up - more of a racer from what I understand).

I have to commend Mizuno for taking a step in this direction.  The vast majority of companies out there simply churn out "barefoot shoes" and do not make a real attempt at putting out a running shoe with a zero heel to toe drop without following the barefoot trend.  Now, that sounds a bit harsh and I want to take a moment to clarify.  There's nothing wrong with barefoot running, and I'm utilized it myself in some of my training.  My comment above was simply meant to point out that "zero drop" and "barefoot" (or minimalist or whatever you want to classify it as) are not necessarily the same thing.  "Barefoot" doesn't necessarily work for everyone, so having a shoe that is built up a bit but still maintains the benefits of having zero heel to toe drop (allowing, in my opinion, for a more natural run) is a good thing.

Apologies in advance for the cell phone pics - the shoes had a few miles on them at the time I took these.

The very first impression I got when I saw this shoe was it's complete lack of a heel.  Now, don't misunderstand what I mean by that.  The shoe has a heel, but it's not in the traditional sense where the same bottom sole goes from toe to heel like in other shoes.

Here's a picture that somewhat illustrates what I mean:

Firm "traction" on the forefoot and just the same EVA with no traction throughout the heel. 

Traction/firm rubber in the forefoot.

                                             

As you can see, the traction that is in the mid/forefoot doesn't extend throughout the arch and into the heel.  Instead, you have the EVA that the sole is built out of that encompasses the heel completely.  This is done, I assume, to encourage more of a forefoot strike and give a firmer toe off during the run.  When running, I didn't really notice it (I'm a forefoot/slightly midfoot striker), but it does make the shoes a hair uncomfortable to just stroll around and walk in.  Keep in mind though, these are designed and marketed as running shoes - so taking them to the market isn't exactly what Mizuno had in mind when they put these out.

The shoes are pretty lightweight (Runningwarehouse.com has them listed at 7.5 oz, which sounds about right).  They aren't a "barefoot" shoe and have a decent amount of cushioning (Runningwarehouse.com says 18mm from toe to heel).

All in all, I feel that it is a pretty good shoe.  Things I liked about the shoe:
- The firm forefoot gave a great, springy toe-off which really benefits the forefoot striker.  In the latter miles of long runs, this is a great benefit as (at least for me) form tends to take a backseat as legs begin to get tired.
- The upper around the forefoot is an "open mesh" - which does wonders for keeping your feet cool (and keeping the shoe light).

Mesh Upper in the forefoot keeps feet cool and happy.

- The ample toe room is something I loved about this shoe.  There's plenty of room for toe splay, which is a good thing for me.  WORD OF CAUTION:  Because of the huge toe box, the shoes are going to initially feel a half size/full size too big.  Do not worry over this too much.  If you wear a size in Mizuno's other shoes, then you'll be the same size in the Wave Evo Cursoris.  I wear a 9 in the Wave Universe and have the Cursoris in a 9 and initially felt I should have gone 8.5 (or even 8).  However, once you start running in them, you'll see that there isn't any of the "slippage" or unnecessary movement that often accompanies shoes that are too big in size.  The toe room is great on longer runs as the foot begins to swell a bit (which mine does all the time).
- The upper does a good job of "wrapping" around the foot without supporting/hindering it.  It creates a feel of not having a shoe on your foot - which is a good thing.
- The tongue is comfortable and low profile, which is a problem a lot of shoes cannot seem to get right.  It's comfortable with you not knowing it's there, which is a good thing.

Tongue has a low profile on your foot.  However, if worn without socks, the tongue also feels uncomfortable.  Sockless wear is not recommended.

There were a couple of things that I disliked about the shoe:
- The seams in the shoe would not allow me to wear it without socks (without risking blisters).  I began developing blisters on my feet the two times I attempted it.  This is somewhat of a bummer, because I wanted to give these a run in a sprint or olympic triathlon.  Now, keep in mind that this is a negative for me - but may not be a negative for some other people.  Everyone's foot is different and it's entirely possible that it can work sockless right out of the box for some people.  In addition, people have had success in the past with "conditioning" their feet to accept a shoe without socks.  This usually involves blisters, and I wasn't able to afford any down time in my training to test that theory out with these shoes.
- The material put across the toe is a bit weird and funky, and was able to be felt (in a bad, somewhat annoying, way) during my long runs. I'm guessing this material is there to add structure to the shoe, but it just seems odd to have an asymmetrical stripe of material across the toe box like that.  On longer runs, it became somewhat of an issue as my big toe would push against it.  No blisters or pain or anything, just an annoyance.  I'm not sure what I would suggest to fix it - as I'm guessing that material has to be there to prolong the longevity of the shoe.

Material on toe box.  

Again, all in all - a great shoe.  They fit extremely well and the run in them is smooth.  They seem pretty durable (mine have next to no wear and I've ran in them for all my road runs since I got them).  The only thing I've had to do was swap out the insert (which I would have never done except Mizuno provided me with three of them).  I could see myself using these as trainers, but probably not much more than that.  If I'm racing, I'll probably still use the Mizuno Wave Universe (at 3.8 oz) mainly due to it's lightness and the fact that I can wear it without socks comfortably.  For triathlons, I would lean to a more triathlon-specific shoe.  However, as a lightweight trainer - Mizuno has really stepped up with this offering.  This shoe shines in that regard.

I'd recommend these shoes for the neutral runner who is looking for a lightweight, zero drop trainer that they could also feasibly race in.  I'm sure they'll be available wherever you can currently get Mizuno's shoes and they come out in January/February of 2013.

If you have any questions, leave me a comment below and I'll be happy to answer it the best I can.

Leadman Epic 250

So after some mulling and some back and forth, I've decided that my "A Race" in triathlon this year will be the Leadman Epic 250 presented by Lifetime Fitness.

It's somewhat of an odd choice for me, mainly because my main strength lies within the run (and the run is the least focused of the three disciplines in this race).  However, I think that's actually what drew me to the race in the first place.  The challenge of having to focus on my "weaker legs" is something I not only accept, but relish in.  So the challenge to myself is the driving force.

Oh...and the fact that I want to get one of these:

I swear, I'll be wearing that belt buckle with sweatpants when I get one.  :)  (I'll be satisfied with the little one, but will aim to earn the bigger buckle).


We'll see how it plays out.  It's over 9 months away on September 21st, 2013 - so I have plenty of time (and then some).

http://www.leadmantri.com/

Here's a preview that professional triathlete Matt Lieto did on the course last year.

Introduction ./ Under Construction

So I've decided to re-enter the blogosphere again and start up a blog that will be more specific and geared towards my training, products I use (with reviews!) and maybe a sprinkle of other fun stuff.

About Me:

I'm a 31 year old soon-to-be father.  Happily married to a beautiful woman who puts up with far more than she needs to sometimes.  I have a dog that controls the rest of my free time (imagine the dog on Family Guy, but smarter).  I'm a runner, triathlete, surfer, paddleboarder, rock climber - and not necessarily in that order (although rock climbing is dead last - as all my gear is basically just taking up space in my garage now).  I compete in as many races as I can reasonably do, but also just enjoy getting out and exercising.

About this Blog:

Ideally, this blog will be mostly about my upcoming races, how I prepare for them and train for them and any other interesting stuff that happens inbetween.  2013 is going to be a busy year for me.  Birth of my first child (my son Brucie), 2 BIG "A" races (travel destinations) and hopefully I can qualify for and squeeze in a paddleboard race as well.  We'll see.
The intent of the blog isn't to "pound my chest" or anything like that.  It's mostly so I can keep my family, friends, and various other members of the online community updated in my endeavors.  In addition, I'll be doing product reviews on items that I might be wear-teasting for companies, or items that I use on a regular basis that I believe in.

Thanks for reading and hopefully you'll stick around.