I've got a dirty little shoe secret: I've been cheating on my flats. And I think I like it.

It's not them. It's me!

No, it is them.

You can ask anyone. I've been a die-hard, committed fan of minimalist shoes for more years than I'd like to admit. I love the lightness. I love the groundfeel. I love the connection to the earth I feel when I'm running in them.

I've done half-marathons, 5 ks, ultra runs, and trail runs in shoes that have barely more than a handful of mm of rubber on their soles.

My coach and my running friends all encouraged me to keep my flat shoes for the track and for racing, and to have at least a second pair to do long runs in. And I never did, because I never believed that I needed to.

But this past year my left Achilles tendon has begun to hurt. A lot.

So much so that I worried that I would end up with an injury before I headed out to Worlds. So I scoured my favorite RunBlogger to see what recommendations they could come up with for me: I needed something still light and with a similar run feel, but more cushion for training runs, and I absolutely refuse to go maximalist... could it be done? I wound up testing both the New Balance 1400v2 and the Adidas adios Boost 1.0. I fell in love with the 1400s, largely I suspect because the feel of them reminded me of my NB Mimimus shoes I use on the trail.

But the tendon pain did not really go away. I managed to end the season injury-free, but I still worried...

Then about a month and a half ago, I was doing some off season running on the local trails, talking to a new friend I'd made here. The sudden cold snap seemed to be particularly bothering my joints and tendon that day, but she seemed light and spry, and something made me glance down at her shoes. I was shocked with what a saw. She was wearing shoes as maximalist as mine were minimalist - a pair of Hoka One One trails shoes! I was agog, and I told her as much. She replied that they were much, much lighter than they looked, and further, she had found that she could now run 13 miles and feel like she only ran 3.

I was more than a bit skeptical - how could you possibly have any groundfeel on the trail with shoes that cushy? - I remembered a bad experience I had had with a thick pair of inov8s - but I kept her words in mind.

Then during the Thanksgiving weekend, when all the good shoe sales were on, my husband decided he needed a replacement for his trusty Saucony Kinvaras. Since they were no longer sold in wide widths, this only meant one thing: time for shoe shopping. We headed out to some local running stores, and while he was digging through their inventories, I spied some Hokas on the rack in the corner of one shop. Curiosity got the best of me, and I gave in, asking the salesman to please bring me a pair to try on.

I was shocked. Not only did they feel more comfortable than I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised that both my stride and footstrike felt natural in them during a quick test run.

I immediately went home and checked RunBlogger one more time, and sure enough, he had some advice on some Hokas and actually seemed to sorta like them. The Huaka line seemed particularly suited for me, so I loaded up Running Warehouse and ordered a pair. Happy Thanksgiving to me.

The rest is, as they say, history. I've been doing all of my long runs and my tempo runs in them. I took them out to a track for a test drive, but I found that I did not like them there. Something about how they felt - just too squishy for track reps - meant that I would still be able to take my flats out for training, which means they won't feel totally abandoned.

Big Purps on campus

But more importantly, I've been running pain free. Completely.

My Achilles tendon hasn't said a peep.

So for all you other minimalist type folk out there who are facing a similar situation as me, I recommend you check out this line of shoes. The heel-toe drop is a minimal 1-2 mm, the shoe has a nice curvature to it which lends to a natural gait, and despite the maximal stack height, the shoe is not designed to induce any unwanted pronation control. And what's nicer, the Huaka is just as light as my inov8 bare-X lite 155s, if not a smidge lighter.

Go on. Try them out. Cheat on your loves.

I won't tell.

Update: No sooner do I find a distance shoe that I love, than they discontinue it. Story of my life. Running Warehouse has some crazy good closeout prices on the Huaka, so I recommend stocking up. In the meantime, I'm trying to figure out what may be a good replacement. Another Hoka? The rest are squishier without the RMAT midsole and feature more heel-toe drop... I may look into some Altra's, instead.

Winter time equals trainer time, right? For many, especially those who live up North, that is indeed the case. The only way to get in good riding time is set up the trainer and load up Zwift (or your favorite Sufferfest). But trainer time is BOOOORING, and down South, our winters tend to be milder, meaning we have greater opportunity to keep riding outside. It can be cold, no doubt, but it is frequently less wet and snowy and icy than up North, and as long as you have daylight (or a good set of bike lights), then layering appropriately will keep you comfortable for the long miles ahead.

Here, I've created a guide showing some of my favorite winter apparel and how I typically layer them for the coming winter months. I've broken the guide down into 10 degree temperature ranges, starting with sub-70 F degrees. (I found that writing it all down helps, since every winter I meticulously experiment to find that perfect mix of winter clothing, only to forget it all in the following summer months.) Feel free to comment with you own mix of winter gear below (and check out my Gear List 2015 for more detailed reviews).

60-70 Degrees F

50-60 Degrees F

40-50 Degrees F

30-40 Degrees F

20-30 Degrees F

Bidons on bidons...

I sometimes get asked what gear I like to use, especially during the winter training season. (I tend to forget year-to-year how to dress for each temperature range, so I have found having a written record can be handy.) I don't have access to extensively test the range of products available for swim-bike-run-winter like Ray over at DC Rainmaker does (for better lists and recommendations, check him out), but due to (mostly) budgetary constraints and availability, this is the gear I've found over time that works best for me. (I'll admit: I shamelessly copied the list styles of Ray's and the Girl's 2015 lists. Forgive me, Ray. Copying is the best a form of flattery?)

Without any further ado...

Actual photo of how I look in the pool

Swim

This section will be short. I took up swimming last year primarily for the unique way I get to spend my recovery days. I know little, and what I do know is self-taught. But I have found it gives me a pretty good upper body workout, gets the blood flowing in my (flailing) lower body, and, with a bit of effort put towards scheduling, I can also enjoy the camaraderie of having my friends swim with me in the pool.

Bike

Run

My package from The Feed

Nutrition

For most roadies, the fall and winter months are a special time to take a break from training and racing. For some, this involves heading out and participating in the much more laid-back atmosphere of cyclocross racing. For others, it involves reconnecting with friends on long, steady road rides and warm cups of coffee. It is the time when many head back into base training mode (and considering the holidays that abound during this period, it is a blessing that also helps us combat the excess intake of food).

Yet I always find the transition into the winter training months to be particularly challenging.

It's always easier to give advice than to take it...

Hi all,

A few weeks ago, I posted an update to this blog about my invitation to participate in the Adelaide 2015 ITU Duathlon World Championships in Adelaide, Australia. As an amateur athlete, I have no sponsors and am entirely responsible for the costs of getting there on my own. That's why I need your help. If you would take a moment, please consider donating to my fundraising campaign to help defray the costs of travel, fees, and logistics. I would greatly appreciate any contribution!

Thanks! Pedal on. More updates to come soon!

http://www.gofundme.com/s5f4mas