1st Blog

As the gear editor for RW I get to try out some cool stuff, however I was not
convinced that jogging perambulators would fall into the category of cool when I
got working on the March issue. Well as you ease back into your day job, I have
been sheepishly poking my nose into baby shops looking for the latest in outdoor
carriers for kids. At Babies Emporium I found some pretty nifty walkie-talkie
things. Baby blue they were with pictures of ducks on them. I could swear there
was a hint of lavender when I brought the handset close to my face
.....uuuurghum ...my camo pair at home are looking a bit worn so perhaps when
they finally fall apart I will head back to the store with 12 different kinds of
nappies and nab a set ... of walkie-talkies that is not nappies. I have no need for
nappies. No matter what you may have heard about that new years party. This
time I however I walked out with just an off-road pram; complete with shocks and
extra large 20inch wheels for better travel over hard-core terrain.
Earlier pro photographer Nick Muzik and I had recce a top spot on Table Mountain
to put the pram through the test. Before we headed to the mountain though, I
had one more stop to make. You see I have not yet had the pleasure of fathering
any children (that I am aware off, I decided I would just keep practicing a little
longer to get it just right when the time comes) so I had to improvise. The result
was a trip to Fruit & Veg City to pick out the closest watermelon looking baby I
could find. The result was a beauty for R39.99, extremely well behaved and a
clean nose. We were in business.
Nick and I had some good fun up there and not a peep out of the little fella.
When I bumped into a downhill mountain biker punk and challenged him to a
cheeky race, I did lay the watermelon kid aside just to make sure there would be
no tears. It was a good dice and I think I may well have pipped him at the post
had he not jumped over the pram right at the end. The testing went well,
although I don't feel any cooler. Check out the review in the Gear Guide - March
2009 issue of RW

Watch the Sparks

I have never been accused of being lazy when it comes to sports. On the other
hand, a good buddy calls me 'sports watcher' and knows I put in a good session
on the couch with no problem. He knows I can sit and watch hours of sport on TV.
I enjoy tons of it and lap-up the constant supply from SuperSport. Look, I can't
say I will sit and watch the Volvo Horse Jumping Championships, nor too much of
those strange dudes and totally misplaced host presenter chick from the fishing
programme, but there is a plethora of eagerly anticipated events most weeks
that I make a point of 'sports watching'.

I must say, I never thought I would be excited about watching a full marathon,
from the start till the winner crosses the line. This year however, I can't wait to
see the action unfold in about five or six big marathons. You see, the way the top
guys are running them now – there are tactics and drama to enjoy right from the
start. If you do some thinking on the subject, you will notice that there are a
good few really fast and talented marathon runners out there.
Now the way they go about things is to target the big races with huge pay for
winning or breaking records. There are not enough races to go around for all
though, so inevitably you get a guy who trains hard all year and comes head to
head with another guy who has also put everything into winning just that one big
race for the year. The result - FIREWORKS on race day!

Sometimes a runner comes hammering out of the blocks and nobody knows if
they should respond or just sit back. During the race, all runners check each
other out and wait for the moment to make a move. Tactics fly around, water
bottles are missed, tears flow and even the odd sprint to the finish is so close
that the contenders dive for the tape!

Ethiopia and Haile Gebrselassie can still claim glory for now, but the pack is
hungry and there are youngsters nipping brashly at the heels of old dogs.
Selassie is not giving in though; nope he is chasing that World Record as hard as
any other. The $$$ incentives are huge ... so is the competition.

Gear Guy gets Dope Tested

I must have hit the big time. I never knew it would happen with such understated
aplomb. At least some kind words of welcome from the Chairmen of the ‘Top
Dogs’ society would have been appreciated, but there was nothing of the sort.

You see on Saturday I competed in a race near Worcester and was happy to finish
inside the top 20. Now before I was able to even reach for a finisher’s
refreshment beverage and to inform the punk in 13th how fortunate he was that
I did not catch him, I was ushered off by a Drugs Free Council for Free and Fair
Sport Free in South Africa man whose accusing stare would have had OJ Simpson
pleading guilty on the spot. Feeling slightly bewildered, but accepting my dues to
the world of the top 20’s, I went along with the chap who handed Worcester’s
water quota for February, bottled specially for me and ordered by the accuser to
“Drink up, then pee into this cup - no less than 90ml”.

Well 20 min later I was no closer to taking a leak to make sure that justice was
adhered to in my country. This despite the fact that the tap nearby was
ferociously being turned on and off, I can only assume to simulate some kind of
serene waterfall type ambiance to help get the required urges underway. I
noticed the temporary detention barracks I was in was right next door to a
wedding venue – all done up fancy like for the apparent festivities to come. I told
my prison warder that he could just put me in the groom’s seat and I would wet
my pants stukkend! This eased the tension … his not mine. I was still finding it
difficult to part with what little liquid my body had left after a hard race in the
sun. I opted for my sixth bottle of water and envisaged further water restrictions
for the greater Worcester Metropolis as I gulped down litre after litre.

30minutes now, and while I was wondering if all Olympians could pee on cue and
thinking that they all deserved medals for that, my minder was settling in for the
long wait. Not showing any signs of letting me free just because I couldn’t go he
looked to be hauling out a 10 000 piece puzzle of Alan Boesak or fireworks over
the Statue of Liberty. I was not going to be roped into this extra excitement and I
decided to try another technique. I won’t get too graphic, but let’s just say, with
a little help from another toilet bound activity that often goes hand in hand with
a pee, I was able to provide the precious 90ml for my country. I emerged with my
prize possession only to be met by the next victim who was a buddy Martha. Not
having many tips to give the fairer sex in this department I just wished her good
luck and raised my cup to show her the results of my labour. I then went through
the unprecedented methodical and high tech process of bagging my samples
(seriously, they do it the same way the chaps at the Olympics get tested) and
asked whether they could let me know my IQ while they were at it and if I was
still allergic to bees. Not amused, they sent me packing and said I they would be
in touch. “Don’t let me read about it in the newspapers first” I cautioned with a
wagging finger.

An hour later I saw poor Martha walking towards her car … she was being
accompanied by one of the doping officials as she was still to provide what they
required! I hope she has an extra room as home as they are persistent creatures
to be sure.

Richies Run

I went away this weekend … the destination was Plettenberg Bay and the
occasion was my buddy Corley’s wedding. It was just a weekend affair and
although I had arranged a ride to Plett, I was not sure how I was getting home.
That meant a tiny bag and the tiny bag meant room for just one pair of shoes.
For one brief moment while packing, I actually took out the wedding invitation to
check out if the dress code was in any way compatible with my thought process
at the time which was along the lines of wearing my DS Trainers. The dress code
read: ‘Stylish Cocktail Attire’. Not being too clued up with literature in the fashion
world, but having recently only narrowly survived the sharp end of a tongue
lashing from a brides mother with regards to my apparent total lack of respect to
the stipulated dress code (was I really to know that Black Tie meant a tuxedo and
NO converse takkies), I decided I would have to forgo my running shoes for my
suave black leather pair of footwear.

This was not a train smash and in fact worked out for the best in the end for me,
but perhaps to the detriment of the group I was staying with. You see I decided
that as we were going to be celebrating on both the Friday evening as all the
guests arrived from many different parts of the world, and then the big show on
Sat night, I was definitely going to need a run to sort me out between the two
sessions of celebration. I targeted Robberg Beach. A trot from the B.I Hotel to the
wreck and back to bring on a sweat. About a 7k run which, after half a case of
beer and some festive Tequila, equates to about 21km I should think.

Friday night ended at 3am on Sat morning and I had the best man at my door
from 7am hounding me to get up and take his mind of the dreaded speech. He
had been fretting over his wedding task for some time now and now the day had
arrived, he needed a distraction. A superb morning in Plett and perfect time to go
for a run, I ordered him to sod off and I went back to sleep. At about 9am not
able to take the bumbling garble coming from his speech practicing mouth, we
rounded up the group and did that Robberg Beach run. The sand was hard and
the water afterwards was perfect for a dip … the dolphins just metres away
agreed. It was the refresher we needed to start with a clean slate for the
wedding. The rest of the occasion went smoothly. The Best Man delivered a good
one and I managed to look the part of a proper wedding guest from top to toe.

Two days after the event though, the group that joined me for the run are all in
pain. They were not ready for different type of running the beach demands you
see. My only challenge is to get up tomorrow morning after another festive
‘session’. It’s the editors’ birthday which is sure to be a cracker!

Moon Runners

Some people reckon Neil Armstrong and his mate Buzz Aldrin took a stroll on the
moon a few decades ago. Whether that was true or not, I dig those clunky boots
they wore in the pictures. Today’s moonwalkers would probably replace them by
Nike’s funky Lunartrainers. If those alleged spacemen had been in these new
Nike’s back in the day, there would have been no controversy about the
legitimacy of the feat, as you would probably have been clearly able to see that
bright glow from the sole’s from the Earth below.

I have been testing a pair of the Nike Lunartrainers and contrary to my first
impression (based purely upon visually summing the shoe up) of the shoes
attributes as a top road running shoe, I have been utterly flabbergasted to
experience the incredible comfort and smooth ‘ride’ of these unique shoes.

The dude at Nike who developed them was locked away for three years in a cell
at NASA or something. Only allowed to come out when he had used the space
stations technology to develop an extremely light, strong and technologically
unique long distance running shoe to put a swoosh on.

Perhaps we should use the same philosophy with Escom, The Stormers, JZ and
any other products we feel need improvement – the results you see, were top
notch. I am loving the new strange looking, brightly shining, wide based Nike
Lunartrainers designed with NASA technology. The unorthodox look will blow you
away and so will the smooth and lightweight performance. They are designed to
disperse pressure efficiently and the durable new substance is lighter and lasts
longer than most others on the market. A winner fore sure.

Hedgie Dipping

Today I bumped into my buddy Hedgie. He had an Amstel in his hand and was
just relaxing on the Lifesaving deck at Llandudno. He had a 7 hour training run in
the bag from that morning (this past Sat) so was happy to be enjoying a few cold
ones now.

Hedgie – better known as Ryan Sandes - is training for the Namibia stage race in
the desert. I think it’s on the 12th of May or close to that date. He has won the
Gobi March and the North African desert race last year which he has received
decent coverage for – Google his name to see the impressive performances – and
is now eventually getting some good sponsors to back him. Well there was one
thing I had been meaning to ask Hedgie about. You see I had been watching his
day to day progress by tracking him on the races web page when he was running
the Gobi March last year. I noticed that on the third day, with both stages one
and two under his belt, Hedgie also won the third stage … by 3 seconds. I was
confused. Surely he did not push for a sprint finish which would have, in the
context of the kind of racing and the position he was in, been pretty hard core.
But the meagre time gap between him and 2nd place Spanish dude indicated that
perhaps there was some form of sprint finish for the line at the end of stage
three.

Well Ryan replied that indeed he did in fact have a dip for the line and he reckons
the time gap must have been even less. You are frikkin kidding me I said. You
sprinted for and dipped for the line to make sure you beat this oak? “Yip”, he
confirmed “I had been running in front of the guy and saw the flags indicating
the route was heading ever higher into the mountains. I thought that was the
finish and knew this guy was better in the altitude and I was feeling poor so I had
kind of given in to the fact he would pass me. But I was wrong. The flags were
the indicators for the next day’s route. Just then I heard a commotion behind me
and lower down the mountain. I had taken a wrong turn and he in fact the days
racing was almost over. The dude had taken the correct turn and I was now in
second place. I decided to go for it. I caught him on the line with a chest lunge
and took the stage.” Hedgie finishers the account with a big smile and a swig of
his beer. Marvellous stuff eh?

Perspective

I’ve lost all perspective of what it is like to be a non-runner. As with many and
most and probably all things in life, it is always worthwhile taking into account
perspective. I mean building an igloo for a homeless Inuit is going to bring far
more joy than building a house made of ice for a Zulu perched on one of the
valleys 1000 hills.

Perspective is something that we discard way to easily and its needs a concerted
effort to pick it up once more. The most recent occasion I have had to remind me
about this happened on a movie set. I was playing a rugby player and we had to
do a scene where our captain takes us for a training run. Now the actual distance
we had to cover was only about 250m. The guys were all wearing tracksuits and
the make-up babes were there to sprits us up with the sweat effect so it all
looked authentic. Then the cameras were rolling. Off went the captain with his
trusty players close on his heels. Well that is how it started, but the captain you
see is a fit dude and he was going a little faster than would be comfortable for a
non runner. Over just a few metres at least half the team had to suck deeply to
keep up the pace. By the time we were done with the run the guys were spent –
over no more than 300m! I could not believe what I was seeing as we walked
back to our marker to shoot the scene all over again. No more fake perspiration
needed ... the beads were running thick and fast. By the time we had done the
scene a few more times some of the guys were a mess.

As a runner I was not even breathing much heavier than normal. Over the years I
have run with so many people with different aptitudes for the sport, but I had lost
touch of what it was to be like those whose only idea of running was to run a
bath at the end of the day.

Robben Island Running

I was on Robben Island yesterday. Strange stuff to see the insides of that prison.
27 years out there must have been some challenge to complete and still come
out such a fantastic human. Someone mentioned Madiba used to go for a run
regularly and then, when he was confined to that tiny cell, he ran on the spot to
keep fit between the walls. I’m not sure if that has any truth in it. I know the chap
was a boxer and even played some rugby in his youth, but can’t confirm he was
also a runner.

Being out there reminded me of one of the coolest races I have ever heard of. It
used to be run on Robben Island and was restricted to about 150 people. No
watches were allowed and the 14km race around the perimeter of the Island was
won by the person who guessed their time most accurately. That’s right, the
competitors would write down a time and then try to match it with no means to
keep splits or pace, but their experience and feel. An excellent concept I think. I
run at least one out of four of my training runs without a watch. It keeps me free
from being attached all the time to the many details and let s me just appreciate
the run for what it is. I know many watch lovers out there that would not see the
point of a run without recording all the details of distance, time, elevation,
temperature, underwear colour and all the bits and pieces. I am not saying that
it is not fun to do all the tabulations, just that it is not the prerequisite to running.
Nothing is ... except perhaps the underwear – perhaps.

Post script: Is the race still on? I would dig to run this one if it is.

Oakley Jawbone

Did you run the Two Oceans? Good work. I heard it was a perfect day for the
massively popular event. I was up in JHB for work reasons so did not run. UP
being the most relevant word in that last sentence. The altitude difference
between JHB and CT has made a serious difference to my body’s abilities to suck
in that all important Oxygen.

The weather has been brilliant though and the plentiful sunshine gave me a
great opportunity to try out the new Oakley Jawbone eyewear. I received a very
red pair of these new active sports sunglasses to test and as soon as I put them
on they seemed to help me click into action mode – you know, made me feel
ready for my run, which today was going to include some nasty hills that are a lot
easier to find in JHB then I thought they might be.

The Jawbones are the leading pair in the range of Oakley’s active ware and I see
tons of the top runners are giving them some good running time. The main
feature is the impressive hinge on the bottom far corner which is able to be
released along with the nose rubber so a whole section of the frame is let loose
and the lenses are easily popped out for a change quicker than the Ferrari
mechanics on the F1 track. The performance was tops. No fogging, total face
coverage around the eye, extremely comfortable and the lenses clarity was top
notch in midday as well as late afternoon and evening sun. There are some
really cool colour combo’s to choose from as well. The red look good off, but not
as great on for me, my favourite was the black and green combo. Go check them
out on www.oakley .com and note the details about the lens technology which is
right up at the top.

The Oakley Jawbones are the new new thing in running eyewear fore sure.

Sky Running

The new Radisson in JoBurg rocks! It’s a new hotel in that busy Sandton area of
hotel’s near the new CBD. This hotel though is home to the uniquely appointed
indoor running track – 10 floors up! I read about it on the hotels website before I
checked in and was curious as to how they would actually implement such a
phenomenon. When I say curious I mean confused and a not a little sceptical.

So when I check in I am directed to my room on the 22nd floor. The top most floor.
I tell everyone that will listen I am staying in the Penthouse Suite. I plop my bags
on the floor next to the bag holding bankie thing, and before even stashing that
big fluffy white robe in my bag so I don’t forget it when I return back to Cape
Town, I head straight back out the door and down to the 10th floor to check out
this track.

It’s a winner! Three lanes of blue tartan snaking this way and that as if taking
you on a journey through the JHB sky. There are windows all the way around to
let in some energised sunlight and give views of the JSE and the leafy suburbs of
Houghton below. The track seriously winds all over the show and is not just oval.
The three lanes are for walking, running and passing and are labelled as such.
The full length is just less than 250m which is fantastic. It’s a top vibe and full
marks to Radisson for this little luxury I enjoyed for my 10 day stay.

The New Salomon Hawk

There was a quick turnaround recently with the Salomon brand. I’m not sure why
the head office lot from lands afar decided to take away the brand from those
that were representing them in South Africa; I do know the new lot are a sturdy
bunch from KZN and that the brand is in good hands. What a relief, with such a
strong growth in trail running country wide, we certainly are better off with these
top notch trail shoes and running gear readily available.

I am running the Cape Town trails in the new Salomon XT Hawk and loving them.
They seem to be a little different to the traditional wider base trail shoe and have
a slightly more road-shoe-feel to them than most other tail shoes. I think these
will suit many trail runners, newbie’s and experienced alike. My buddy Blue that
was running with me on a 18k session as part of the Africa X training commented
three times about how cool they looked too. If his size eight hooves were a little
closer in size to my size 11 boats, I would have been more wary of the Hawks
going missing when I put them out to ‘air’ after stage 1 of the event that we took
part in as a team.

My feet seem to have taken to them right away with very little adaption needed.
They felt familiar from the start. The arch gave me a little nudge on the bottom
of my foot which suited me just fine and on some gnarly terrain proved no
problem. The transition to 4km of tarred road was also smooth although still a
huge difference to the softness of road shoes – as would be expected. Go nab
yourself a pair and enjoy some trail running this winter.

http://www.stillwatersports.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcateg
ory&id=155&Itemid=169

Newton’s Theory on Running

I have been keen to test these for a while now. My buddy Blue told me about
them last year while we were doing a long summer run along the beach front.
Those days are a season behind us now, and he will be interested to know that
Newton running shoes have sent me a pair of their wonderfully strange shoes to
test. Now when I say strange that is of course relevant to one’s perspective.
These are only strange to me as I had never worn them before. I put them on
and again more strangeness. Most of the fore foot is elevated above the ground
from the front foot lugs that are designed to be a lot more prominent than the
rest of the tread design. Your toes do not even touch the ground when standing
still. Suspended in mid air like flying pigs.

I took them out for a run to see how my feet responded to Newton’s Theory of
running. You see what these guys reckon is that humans are actually designed to
strike with the fore foot rather than the heel when running. Not when walking or
sprinting you understand, those strikes are with the heel and toes respectively. In
running however, it is the fore foot that strikes first and the test is simply to run
barefoot and see it unfold in just that manner.

The Newton theory and technology is therefore structured around this premise
and I was more than willing to give it a go. The shoes were comfortable and the
strangeness was just down to the unfamiliarity. Once I got running I was enjoying
the feel right away. Perhaps I did not have the full Newton vibe of fore foot strike
down right away, but I could definitely feel a change in my stride which felt good
on my knee joint movement. Less confrontation with the hard surface and a
smoother flow of movement fore sure. Newton folk reckon this also helps
prevent injuries which would make sense too and that the energy you put in is
transferred much more efficiently into energy return which is fantastic to
experience – see how here. There are some really cool graphics, videos and tons
of information on the Newton website. Pop in and have a look.
www.newtonrunning.com Oh and one more thing. These takkies look light right?
Well they are. Super light yet the stability and cushioning is gaining in reputation
as one of the ultimate long distance racers. Craig Alexander won Ironman 2008
in these puppies.

13 Years In one Pair of Shoes

My buddy Goddy is a cool cat. In his day he was a top notch runner in anything
up to Half Matathon and no in early 40’s he is still cooking. His goal is to run a
sub 90 min half marathon.

Bag Lady

Our lovely online Ed - Kari has been enjoying the latest Nike bags a little too
much, I am beginning to suspect that she used to go to gym with a Pick n Pay or
Woolies packet holding all her gear. Then I got a closer look at these funky new
carriers and decided I could now understand where all the excitement was
coming from. It’s also not the brightest idea to get between a woman and her
shoes or bags in my experience.

The pink one is pretty retro in design and surprisingly spacious and just check
out the Andy Warhol like design they’ve got going on the other one. On even
closer inspection I see they both have really classy leather finishes too. Quality
stuff really. Nike Retailers 0860 116 364

to it

This weekend I ran an awesome trail race in the vineyards of Constantia. A

tough 6km loop that was to be taken on twice. The challenge in that is that when
running those killer hills for the first time, you know you have to run them again
in a few minutes. Funnily enough by the second lap I was actually a little more
relaxed and probably enjoyed the hills a little more. Perhaps the back markers
giving encouragement at this point helped too though.

Now as awesome as the race was it was tough as nails when racing it hard as I
was doing. I was shedding tears as early as the second km into the race.
Seriously, I had tears distorting my vision while trying to negotiate some thick
muddy sections where a tractor had gone to work on an unsuspecting puddle
during the working week no doubt. I am teasing though, the tears were not from
pain, but from the cold. You see when it’s really cold out and I go running without
eye wear my tear ducks kick in for some reason and start streaming with tears.
Its normally at that stage I curse not having brought my sunnies for the run. This
morning I had actually brought a pair along but they were not for me. I was
bringing a pair of Oakley’s Commit for super versatile athlete Natasha Petersman
to try out in conditions that were certainly suited to this beautiful pair of
women’s running eye wear.

The sun was up already as it was a 9am start and the 9 degrees of cold air
were causing tears to be shed as I explained. Tash reports that she had a
super run and really enjoyed the Oakley’s. Here is how the makers
describe them : “Made exclusively for women, COMMIT reinvents
everything the world knows about comfort, fit and style with the kind of
bold beauty that celebrates the power and grace of the female form. “

They retail from R1700 and you can contact Oakley on 041-5010266 to chat to
them about these beauties. Runner’s World online editor Kari has a pair of the Lipstick Red
Commit to test as well so feel free to email Kari to ask about what she thinks of the Oakley’s.

Now I must just remember to bring my sunnies along for the next trail run in the cold
winter’s morning air.

Digital Running

It’s all about the digits I tell you, the fingers that is. In winter, you see, I find the
best way to not let loose all that precious energy is to cover the feet hands and
head. The feet I would think you have taken care off with some form of socks and
a shoe for each foot right? Good. The head I normally stick a beanie or a Buff on
or perhaps if it’s just while driving to a run or waiting around for a race to start I
wear a hood to keep the warmth in, but my favourite little running item this
winter has been these adidas gloves that I have ....eeeergh ... managed to lay
my hands on, or in as it happens.

Before a race, especially when there is often some waiting around in the cold for
the start. You body starts its engine in the shape of you shivering – this is create
heat in the form of movement, something which requires energy. Your head and
your hands lose much of this heat that is being created though and therefore you
lose a decent amount of energy at the same time. Not with these gloves on
though I tell you. I ran the Africa X trail race with them on and have been using
them in training runs morning or evening when it’s cold out. I normally finish with
them on as they never get uncomfortable and scratchy like the cotton ones when
your body heats up on the run.

My next race is the Knysna half marathon; I’ll be wearing these gloves I can
assure you. And have some extra energy that will carry me not only to the finish
line a little more comfortably, but right into the tent for some post race
celebration. I wonder if these adidas gloves come in white. That could work well
when I bust out some Michael Jackson moves during the after party
commemorative medley that is not difficult to predict will be on the cards.

Adidas gloves retail at around RXXX

My new Stokies

I popped in to see the Runner’s World editor a couple of weeks back and he was
sitting at his desk in what looked to me like slippers. Ed’s got long legs so they
were poking out from under the desk. He noticed me looking and jumped up
from his position to happily educate me as to the subject of my attentions.

“How cool are these eh?” exclaimed Ed

“I’m not sure, what are they?” I replied

“I’m not sure either, but they are tops man. Here I have a pair for you too. I wear
mine all over the place including to work.” The evidence was right there for all to
see on his feet so I was not going to dispute that at all. Ed tossed me a size 11
pair of the Terrasoles.

Now I had a better chance to check them out and I was enjoying the feel while Ed
waxed lyrical with details of his new favourite piece of footwear. At first glance
they looked like the old stokies my Mum used to by her four boys a couple of
times a winter. A wonderfully simple cut that lends itself magically to
uncomplicated comfort. The Terrasoles seem to be an extremely hardy pair of
exaggerated slippers that have been developed to be worn all over the show. A
fact the Ed was testament to. The magical thing is though; these simplistic
beauties are created and are presented to you at no expense to the
environment. The microfiber fleece used in Terrasoles comes from recycled
materials. The cotton used is organic and the canvas cork and rubber are
recycled. Even the packaging and promotional materials are made from recycled
materials. A worthwhile shoe indeed.

Retail from R699 Available from Outdoor Warehouse Branches: CT Willowbridge:

(021) 914 1357, JHB Centurion :(012) 663 1450 Boksburg: (011) 823 3110

Knot a Bad Idea

I read recently in our publication about some Aussie dude I think who was trying
to revolutionise the world by teaching people (especially runners) how to tie the
best and most efficient knots. Well that’s all well and good, but I tell you what,
Cobus from our very own shores has blown me away with the lacing system he
has brought to South Africa.

The Xtenex lacing system is the bomb I tell you. Okay it tested my co-ordination
out a little when getting the ‘pull-this-side-stretch-that-side’ technique just right,
but then that would be me trying to get my shoes laced at 5:55pm when I was
meeting a babe for a run at 6pm ...pressure was on and I was rushing it.

Well once I got the Xtenex lace on my left running boot, I decided in a moment’s
brilliant inspiration to leave the right boots lacing just as is to compare the two.
Genius on a Monday evening I tell you.

By the end of the run I was really surprised at the difference between left and
right. The Xtenex was brilliantly just as taut as when I had started the run, and
now that I had a comparison I could tell the normal lace had definitely adjusted a
little too much to the natural movements of my feet, resulting in the firmness
levels being a little pap. I am definitely going to try these on my trail shoes next.
Here are some more details and pics for you to see what Xtenex have to say
though:

A Revolutionary Fastening System

Xtenex laces have an elastic core and a series of knots along the entire lace. Stretch the
lace and the knots disappear, allowing you to thread the lace through the eyelets.
Release the tension and the knots reappear. This technology has many advantages:
THE LACE EXPANDS during natural foot swelling and as the shoe bends and widens
THE LACE DOES NOT SLIP—the knots hold the original fit in place at each eyelet, thus
increasing comfort and eliminating the tightness at the top of the shoe
ELIMINATES “DUAL-COMPRESSION” IMPACT
A SLIP-ON SHOE is created from a lace shoe

ASYMMETRICAL LACING a true custom fit can be achieved every time by

molding the shoe upper to the natural non-symmetric form of the foot by
independently adjusting the tension between each set of eyelets. This is the
only lace that allows you to have varying levels of tension along the entire
lacing system.

This is how you do it:

STEPS:

1. Insert lace tip through eyelet.

2. Grab lace tip (A) and a section of
lace side (B). Stretch lace to collapse
knots (picture1). While stretched, feed
the lace through the eyelets until the
desired section of lace has been
reached. Gently release the lace and
knots will reappear.
3. Repeat the operation step by step.

Butt Muscle Activation –GO!

I know not all runners’ are in it for the pure joy of running, although no matter
what your inspiration, the fact that you are out there and getting it done is really
good for you on its own. A huge incentive for many runners is losing weight I
think you would agree and there are many others, from psychological reasons to
meeting people. Well Reebok has recognised the fact that many women start
exercising to tone their butt and leg muscles. It’s great to want to look healthy as
this normally means you will be healthy too right? Well in this case it does.

Reeboks engineer gurus have developed a shoe that provides natural

instability. That’s right! A shoe that is designed to throw you off balance would
you believe it. It’s all been thought out and put together over 18 months of
innovation and the result is a women’s shoe called the EasyTone which works the
glutes and upper leg muscles specifically to help tone those parts of the body so
often targeted.

Here are some details from Reebok:

How it works
Reebok EasyTone footwear helps tone key leg & butt muscles by using advanced balance pods built
into the shoe. The balance pods are designed to create natural instability with every step that a woman
takes. This micro-instability forces muscles to adapt and in doing so they work harder.

How EasyTone is tested

McInnis and his team used a technique called Electromyography, which involves sensory electrodes
being attached to key muscles. These sensors measure the levels of muscle activation as a woman
walks. By comparing the changes in muscle activation between different types of shoes, you can
determine which shoes are working the muscles hardest. Over a period of several months, a cross
section of women tested the shoe in this lab environment.

In these tests, EasyTone was compared with an ordinary performance sneaker. Says McInnis, “The
results are better than anything Reebok could have expected. I believe this is a moment we will look
at back on in years to come as the creation of a whole new technical category for toning footwear that
not only looks good on but makes you look good too.”
I particularly enjoyed the fact that Reebok launched the shoe in Los Angeles last month with a famous
family of women that have particularly desirable legs and butts, including a mother and three
daughters.
Check out the video along with this blog and let me know (comments section) if you are keen to try a
pair as I have one coming from Reebok when they hit the stores in September (selected Total Sports
and Reebok Concept stores). Clearly my butt is cute enough … besides I am a bit nervous my balance
is not good enough for this new vibe.

Is it a Running shoe or a Training shoe? Yes.

Guys dig pushing buttons right? I mean in a gadget way not in a “geeez she really knows which
buttons to push to make me take her out for expensive dinner” kind of way.
Well Reebok have shown us their ladies EasyTones and now they have balanced the equation with a
shoe that changes form at the push of a button. Okay, okay it is not a men’s only shoe, but I am
claiming it as men’s, not so much because it requires some extra ‘driving ability’ with button
selection, as because we did the women’s in the last post.
Reebok no doubt pulling their hair out at this stage though so let me clarify this is a shoe for both men
and women. Right, now back to those buttons. The SmoothFit SelectRide incorporates two styles of
shoe at the push of a button. Here is what Reebok have to say:
Reebok’s SmoothFit Select Ride is like no other athletic shoe on the market. With one click of a
button that is positioned on the side of the shoe, SmoothFit Select Ride provides the versatility that
consumers demand in a performance athletic shoe. By pressing the shoe’s “Run” button and taking a
few steps, the wearer will feel the shoe automatically inflate. This causes the cushioning of the shoe to
become thicker, creating a soft, smooth ride for runners. By pressing the shoe’s “Train” button, the
wearer will feel the shoe release air cushioning. This causes the cushioning of the shoe to become
thinner and firmer, providing the ideal stability for training. This unprecedented technology allows
consumers to have the ultimate two-in-one performance shoe.

“SelectRide used our Pump technology as a jumping off point,” said Bill McInnis, Reebok's
Managing Director of Advanced Concepts. “The Pump was designed to use air to adapt the fit of an
athletic shoe. With SelectRide we use air to adjust the cushioning. The result is a shoe that provides
the athlete with a completely versatile shoe in which the cushioning can be quickly adapted to any
activity. It’s a two-in-one shoe in that it can be firm and responsive or soft and cushioned. Plus, it’s
just a cool-looking shoe.”
I got to see this one. But I have to wait for September and so do you, that is when it hits the stores
(Selected Totalsports and Reebok concept stores). I’ll report back then but if you are keen to take
them for a spin let me know as I will have a pair for one reader …guy or girl of course.