Minimal or Maximal

  Minimalist running shoes, there are several definitions for a minimal running shoe, (minimal drop, minimal features, minimal cushion). Recently I've been running in a couple of different minimal shoes, New Balance MT 110's, and Brooks Pure Grit. Both minimal drop, features, and what I consider minimal   cushion.

 The bare foot crowd says the Brooks shoe is a high cushion shoe...Aaaa whatever! The  cushion is soft but not "high". When I run in them, I can feel my feet hit the ground, and I feel every rock on the trail. After just a short run my feet feel beat up. Maybe if I could run fast, they would not hurt my feet. But as it is, I am slow and plod around the trail. Not the shoe for me. I now really like these shoes for after run (or ride) shoes. Light and soft cushion I would say.

 Then there is the New Balance MT110. I have a lot of miles on these, but all runs are one hour or less. I  made one attempt to have a long run (20 mi.) in them at Dauset trails, took two and a half hours, 14 miles. I was so ready to get back to the truck. My feet were killing me. My calves hurt, my knees, my back...Let me back up, I had just started picking up my mileage when I made this run, so these are probably normal aches and pains. But I have since had other trail runs in them and I ended up swapping them out for my old trusty 450 mile worn out Columbia Ravenous, and my feet felt O.K. I now will save these shoes for runs of one hour or less, or for a race (short race).
 The MT110 has minimal cushion, 4mm drop, minimal features. I like this shoe for short runs. The Pure Grit has minimal cushion, 6mm drop, minimal features. I do not like running in this shoe. So where am I, maximal shoe for me. Maximal cushion that is. I can give or take on the features of a shoe. But I think a lot of cushion is what I need. 8mm to 10mm drop I think. I would like to try another 6mm shoe, but one with firmer cushion.

 Now for my new shoe, Asics Gel Scout. High cushion (firm), 8mm drop, more of a traditional shoe. I have 70 miles on these shoes and so far they are great. At first I was not sure because they felt stiff and too firm.  Maybe because they are so different from the other two shoes. After my Pine Mt. run of 24 miles (Tower to Molly Hugger & back) they started to feel much better. So after 5:22:00 in these shoes on a demanding trail like Pine Mt. and no issues...I'm "digging" these new Asics. Great traction, great rock protection, and still soft enough to run on pavement.
 Maybe not the "trail feel" that the minimalist crowd always talks about, but I like the fact that I can plow through the trail in these shoes with good feeling feet at the end of my run. Much like the way my 29er does. A maximal shoe perhaps. The endless search for the perfect shoe goes on...Later

REI survival tools

 For those of you who like to shop at REI. Here is some good Christmas ideas: