Xero Shoes: Thank you!

Just a very quick post to say thanks to Xero Shoes UK who sent me a pair of their very cool looking 4mm Huarache style sandles today. I opted for the DIY kit as I fancied finalising them myself. I am really excited to get these fitted when I have a spare moment later this week and give them a go.

Sadly the weather is not great here at the moment for huarache style shoes. We currently have about 4-6 inches of snow! Therefore, give me a few weeks to try these properly and time for the weather to improve and I will review them for you all.

New Year ..... get outdoors for real fun and adventure in 2013!

Happy new year everyone!!!

A new year lies ahead and who knows what exciting adventures it will bring

Out with the old and in with the new, so to speak 

Barefoot shoes for Christmas!

As Christmas is coming around fast, some of you may be hoping for a new pair of shoes to go run in?! I thought I would give my recommendations in case you are undecided on which pairs are best for what. Of course, they will all be bareform or minimalist shoes of some variation, as I thoroughly recommend getting your gait and form back to how we are designed and created to run.

Best for muddy, wet and slippy trails goes to:
Inov-8 Trailroc 235
Reasons:
Fantastic grip from the studs. Sheds mud well. Drains well when wet. Light and comfortable. Removable insole allows quick drying and lacing holds foot well in slippy conditions.

Back to Boots for a day or two

In the past week I have visited a friends farm to help with general farming activities. Not being a fan of welly boots at all due to the painful Achilles heel I get when wearing them, the only other 'suitable' farm footwear was my trusty walking boots. They are a good pair of Meindl leather boots. Pretty expensive when I bought them years ago. Now don't get me wrong, the durability of these boots has been great. I have put them through a whole host of harsh environments in the past, but recently in the past 3 years have sidelined them due to my enthusiasm and dedication to barefoot and bareform movement. But needs-must, and so on they went to tackle the ploughed fields and farm machinery.

Update on the New Balance Minimus MT00

A very light trail shoe, but lacking in grip on wet mud

UPDATE ON THE MT00's:

It's good to know how people get on with a pair of bareform shoes after they have had plenty of time to put them through their paces. After owning a pair of NB Minimus MT00 for a fair few months now I feel I am able to comment well on whether this is a good trail shoe or not. So here it goes:

1) Great for dry compact trails such as found in the US or summer months in the UK

2) Very light and fast, and a very flexible shoe; allows natural toe splay and biomechanics

Barefoot Running Cambridge, UK

Barefoot Running Cambridge, UK

*PLEASE NOTE: BAREFOOT AND BAREFORM RUNNING SESSIONS ARE AVAILABLE WITH CAVEMANCLARKE VIA TRINITY FITNESS LTD

Great news! CavemanClarke now offers barefoot and bareform running training sessions in the
Cambridgeshire area of the UK.

CavemanClarke now provides a School of Running for people in the local area to learn correct running form and technique. People think that running just comes naturally, and to be able to do it just requires oneself to walk out the door and put one leg in front of the other slightly quicker than walking pace. Sadly, this helps contribute to the many many injuries runners face every year, leading to mobility difficulties, loss of fitness and training and a lot of unhappy and demoralised people.

But just like any other sport or fitness pursuit, instruction in the correct and safe way to exercise is essential in running, whether on or off road. Strengthening muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones takes time and correct form. Posture, speed, stride length and much more are mastered far quicker when an experienced coach is on hand to put things right for you. You wouldn't get far in tennis or golf without proper instruction, and running is no different. Do it wrong and you risk serious injury and set-back.

Inov-8 Trailroc 150 coming February 2013...

Some of you who have been commenting on the Trailroc 235's have also been asking whether Inov-8 are going to be bringing out an even more minimal version of the 235's? Still with the zero drop and fantastic grip that the current 235's have, the Trailroc 150's are set to arrive around February 2013. Please see the video below from runningshoesvideo to find out more about the 150's.

Inov-8 Trailroc 235 review: an update

Nearly 60 km have elapsed whilst wearing the new Trailroc 235's from Inov-8. Sharing the weekly distances between the Trailroc's, Vibram Fivefingers Spyridon LS and non-LS version I have managed to get a pretty good idea of the pro's and con's of the Trailroc 235's. I have been promising an update along the way, and so far have managed to keep you up to date via the comments section of the Trailroc and Baregrip post I uploaded a few weeks back (http://caveman-clarke.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/inov-8-trailroc-235-and-baregrip-200.html). I thought it is about time I gave a more in-depth follow-up for those of you interested in the new series from Inov-8.

Positives:

Trailroc 235's after another satisfying run

• Zero drop allows natural biomechanics
• Grip on any terrain and in all conditions
• Lacing system holds foot well
• Water drains really quickly
• Foot remains well ventilated
• Comfortable to wear for long distances
• No blisters or hot-spots
• Flexible for a trail shoe
• Correct level of protection for technical trails
• Look sexy!!! Fantastic aesthetics
• Removable insoles for custom fit and preferences 

Dare to think...

I just had to share my thoughts with you. For a while now I have been observing people around me. Yes, we all do this naturally, but I mean really observing people.

I often get told, "You think too much." So ironically, I've been thinking about this and whether people have a point or not, and have come to a conclusion. It's not how much you think but rather what you think about that makes the difference. It all comes back to the simple truth in life; think positive and be happy and successful or think negative and nosedive into sadness and depression. Constant negative thoughts can lead a person to utter despair and unhappiness. But positive thoughts can lead you to be the best that you can be; considerate, interesting and successful in whatever you choose to do.

One of the main factors that differentiates humans over other creatures on this planet is our incredible ability to think, analyse and adapt accordingly. Thinking is clearly not bad. In everyday life it is a real blessing to be able to think hard and fast to be the best that we can be. As unavoidable factors change around us we have to adapt quickly or else be left behind. Have a think about it; what would you do in the following situations?

A member of your family went out for a run ages ago and hasn't returned yet.
You are organising a charity event and on the day all the equipment you needed doesn't turn up.
You are a personal trainer, you plan a workout and upon arrival suddenly discover your client has a really bad injury.
You have friends coming round for dinner, and 30 mins prior to their arrival you find out they are vegetarian.

Inov-8 Trailroc 235 and Baregrip 200: a comparison with other minimalist trail shoes

After a long break away in the Pennines, walking 268 miles from Edale in Derbyshire to Kirk Yetholm inside the Scottish border, I have got hold of two new pairs of trail running shoes from Inov-8.

Long have I been looking for a durable, grippy and protective trail runner for longer and more technical trails, so I ordered the Baregrip 200 and the new Trailroc 235. Both of these shoes sport a 0mm drop from heel-toe and fit into the 'minimalist' category of trail shoes.

See the video link below to find out what I make of these shoes and if they match what I have been looking for...

Happy running everyone, and drop me a comment if you have any questions
CavemanClarke