Trail Running in Edale and Kinder Scout

CavemanClarke enjoying Kinder Scout

The bank holiday weekend just passed will hold fond memories for me for many years to come. It was pure and simple freedom. As a keen trail runner and reviewer of the latest off-road running gear I was keen to take some of my favourite trusty pieces of kit, along with my newest Suunto toy to the quaint little Derbyshire village of Edale in the Peak District; a trail runners paradise! Living in rural Cambridgeshire leaves me needing hills and mountains, and the Peak District is by far the easiest accessible place for me to get my fix and some decent training in. 

Womens Inov-8 Trailroc 236 review

Inov-8 Trailroc 236

It is with great excitement that I bring you my second guest review! After previously being really impressed with the mens Trailroc 235's, but discovering after only 150km that the uppers split across the metatarsal flex point, I was keen to see any improvements that Inov-8 may have made in the 236's.The Inov-8 Trailroc 236 has proved a very popular trail shoe for women in both training and racing situations, and with the help of my wife Hannah I hope to help you make the choice of whether this may be the trail shoe for you. I have been sending her out on the local trails in all weathers and dragging her to races across the country to enable me to interrogate her on the pro's and con's of the women's specific shoe in the well-known Trailroc series. And so, it's over to Hannah to fill in the blanks.....

Ashmei Ullswater 9 & 20 mile trail runs, 2014

CavemanClarke and new run buddy Paul Yeoman

Not too long ago, I had a fantastic weekend trail running in The Lakes. Pooley Bridge, a small village situated by the quietly lapping waters-edge of Ullswater was to host the 2014 Ashmei 9 and 20 mile trail runs. Thirty and a half miles later (more about that in a minute!), a few new friends and with fun tales to tell, I fondly look back at what turned out to be a really great event.

It all started early Friday morning, packing my new favourite toy. After much consideration and saving, my wife and I decided to invest in a comfortable way to travel and stay all over the UK without having to slum it in a tent or pay through the nose for a B&B. So we bought ourselves a campervan; a Mazda Bongo to be exact. After shuddering at the weather forecast, carefully remembering everything on the race kit list, and not forgetting the espresso maker, (after all, we are glamping now!) we headed off on the 4.5h journey to Ullswater. Upon arriving we pitched up in a lovely spot with all the other campers staying for the weekend and sat back to ponder what the weekend would bring. Ashmei events had set up a huge tent-marquee with race registration, chill-out area, food section and shop selling their merino wool run clothing and merchandise. A fire pit was smouldering away and an inspirational running movie was playing on a big screen. Nice!

Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra Review

Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra

Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra Review: a comparison with the Sense 3 Ultra Soft Ground:

Welcome everyone to what I feel is a very exciting post, in which I will be reviewing one of the newest and latest releases in the top quality Salomon S-Lab, athlete-inspired line-up; the Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra. I will also be comparing it to its wet-weather twin, the Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra SG (soft ground). For a full review of the Sense 3 Ultra SG please click here!  

I have tried a lot of minimalist trail shoes over the past few years (as you can imagine), and occasionally one pops up that feels right, grabs your attention and takes you miles, and miles, and miles.....It is very seldom that two come along at the same time, but this has certainly been the case in relation to the Sense 3 Ultra and Sense 3 Ultra SG. Racing footwear has become far more of an easy choice. Simply look out of the window, and if its dry and hot out there, put on the Sense 3 Ultra. If its wet, slip on the SG version. Sorted!

Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra preview

The new Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra

What better surprise than to arrive home after a hard days work, to be greeted by a parcel delivery sitting on the doorstep containing one of the latest releases by Salomon in their prestigious S-Lab line up for 2014; the Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra! 

After recently testing, reviewing and being very impressed with its wet-weather twin, the Sense 3 Ultra Soft Ground I was more than excited to get these on my feet, out the door and on the trails in dryer weather to see just how they compared. The perfect opportunity was only a week away; a 10km race in which I had entered myself, along with a few of my run coaching and Trinity Fitness Club clients. I knew it would be a tough course, very hot weather and with plenty of rolling countryside (aka hills!) and over a variety of terrains, so it would be ideal to put these shoes through their first paces. 

Trinity Fitness does the Wimpole HooHaah 10k

Trinity Fitness runners Hannah and Anais complete their first 10k race

It gives me great pleasure to help people achieve things that they doubted they could do, or once thought they would never even have imagined trying. Last week, I took some of my Trinity Fitness run coaching and Fitness Club members to run the Wimpole HooHaah 10k race in Cambridgeshire, UK. The group was a mixture of first-time 10k runners, people returning to running their first race in years as well as regular runners. 

After much practice and some last minute run coaching to help people get the best out their race experience, the day was upon us. Nerves collided with excitement, the thrill of the event coupled with anticipation of what the course would throw at us and how our times and goals would pan out. It was a scorching hot day with no sign of even a light breeze to bring some relief from the intense heat. Gladly, some of the run was to take us through tree-lined paths and small woodland, but there was still a fair few kilometers through open grassland and fields in full force of the unrelenting sunshine! Still, we were there, each of us with our own hopes and goals, and ready to face whatever the course could put in front of us.

Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra Soft Ground Review

Ready for the trails: the Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra Soft Ground

Back in December 2013 I was excited to bring you a review of what I thought was one of the best trail shoes for wet and soft ground conditions that I had ever tried; the Salomon S-Lab Fellcross 2. I thought it would be some time and take some beating to better such a great trail and off-trail shoe, but in next to no time at all Salomon have done just that by releasing their latest shoes in the S-Lab Sense range, the Sense 3 Ultra Soft Ground (SG). I managed to get my hands on a pair of the Sense 3 Ultra SG and set out to test them on my local trails. I knew even before I got out the door that I was in for a treat, as I had never put on such a comfortable trail shoe from Salomon; the fit was perfect! Over the next few weeks I took them out on the trails to put them through their paces, alternating with other trail shoes to get an accurate idea of how the Sense 3 Ultra SG perform. Here is what I found.....

The West Highland Way, Scotland!

The West Highland Way

What a fantastic experience. Carrying all I needed to camp and live for the week, I have just walked the West Highland Way long distance footpath in Scotland, UK. 96 miles of incredible trekking, scenery and nature and I certainly feel refreshed and excited. What a well needed break from the usual 'daily grind' (so to speak) that we all accidentally fall into as we go about our usual daily tasks at home and at work.

An update on the Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra SG's

Just before I disappear into the Scottish Highlands in a couple of days to walk the West Highland Way long distance footpath, I thought it was a good opportunity to give you all an update on how I have been getting on with the newly released Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra SG's; the soft ground version of the new Sense 3 Ultra's. 

For the full review please click here

The Salomon Sense 3 Ultra SG's are a very comfortable and grippy trail shoe

Now I will be honest! In true unpredictable English weather fashion, the sea-proportion of rain we had experienced over the last few months that left half the country wading to work suddenly stopped. Since then, I have only experienced a few odd days when the heavens opened enough to soften up the local trails enough to truly test the capabilities of the Sense 3 Ultra SG's! But, in true CavemanClarke dedication, I have put on, run in and scrutinised every detail of the Sense 3 SG's as best as the weather has allowed, and here is what I have found so far.....

Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra SG - First Impressions

The long-awaited release of the latest evolution in Salomons Sense range has arrived, and boy has it made an impression! I have managed to get my feet into a pair of the new Salomon S-Lab Sense 3 Ultra SG; the soft ground specific model in the third generation of the already successful Sense range of S-Lab racing products.

For the full review please click here