Nike running shoes (no not the 'next %')

If you had told me 5 years ago that I would one day be running in Nike shoes for not just road but road and trail I would have frankly laughed at you. I had one experience with Nike running shoes some years ago and it was frankly terrible. That was, truthfully probably more than 10 years ago but it has only been the last year that I have tried them again and that they have become my go to shoe.

 

It started with a Black Friday deal in November 2018 where I bought a pair of the Nike Epic React Flyknit road shoes. I bought them as they were advertised as being super-cushioned and I like soft running shoes. I assumed that they were the Nike version of the Adidas Ultraboost which I had been wearing for a couple of years and was not too far wrong. Whilst they are similar in terms of cushioning they are very different shoes. They are my go-to road shoe, I love the styling, the fit and comfort. They are also pretty responsive and feel and perform fast when they need to.

Nike Epic React Flyknit

Things I like;

• Styling; I always associated Nike with street wear rather than technical specification and while these shoes have both they really do have great styling. The first ones I had were the PRS ones designed for the Paris Marathon, then some light coloured ones for summer and now some grey black ones with the weather changing.. the style is a personal thing but you can go as basic or as funky as you like with these off the shelf and that’s without NikeID where you can personalise them. For me the black sole unit looks awesome and I like that the outer sole is in pieces rather than covering the whle underside of the shoe adding weight. There is heavier sole protection around the forefoot and the heel.
• Comfort; I wear a size 9 running shoe and these are no exception. I find the fit really excellent but I do have narrow feet. If you had wide feet you might want to try a pair in a store rather than buying online as not sure how that would work out. The lacing system is perfectly fine and doesn’t add any pressure to the foot at all. The upper is knitted and really sleek with no seams or edges to catch your toes on. It’s the sole, though, which is really the clincher. Its soft enough that I can run in them every day without that residual fatigue that you get and that I have had from other shoes.
• Durability; I am all about shoe-durability! I want value for money so I am looking to get the top end of the recommended 500miles shoe life. In the two pairs I have retired I have got to closer to 550 miles in each of them with at that sort of wear my left knee, it’s always the left, starting to feel it. Of course durability is good but vfm is determined by what you paid for them
• Cost; when these shoes came out they were advertised for £129.99 – pretty steep but commensurate with a lot of running shoes these days. As much as I wanted to try them I wasn’t going to spend that money on a trial when I was a little unsure. Black Friday it was where I paid around £70 for a pair. My thinking being that even if I didn’t like the I hadn’t wasted too much money. Out of the box I knew they were awesome and wasn’t disappointed. I mentioned above that I am now onto my third pair and have not paid more than £70 any of them. They end to have them at Nike Outlet stores and provided you can fnd a colourway you like the shoe is the same. That’s value!
• Downsides? I don’t really think there are any downsides. At full price they are quite expensive and some may be put off by that but then look around and you will pay closer to half the book price.
• Verdict; this is a 9/10 shoe! For me it ticks all the boxes I care about, comfort, style, durability and price.

When I found myself shopping for some new trail shoes I looked at what I had and why I was looking for new. I have some Adidas Terrex that are a couple of years old (low mileage) and whilst a good, sturdy shoe it feels exactly like that. More a shoe than a trainer. I keep them but will use them for dog walks up the hill rather than any actual running. I also have some Salomon maxi-cushion shoes, I forget the model. They were awesome but I find that on long runs they rub my feet a little. Never in training, only in racing. Thinking at how much I liked the Nike road shoes I looked at the trail offerings and saw that the Wild Horses were getting a fair bit of attention and good reviews. Based on that and added that I liked the styling I thought why not?

Nike Wildhorse 5’s

Out of the box there were two things that struck me;

1. The styling and colourway
2. The size of the toe-box

I did think that I may have picked the wrong colour as they are predominantly white and they are a trail shoe. They look good though and rule 1 is that you have to look good isn’t it? I liked the toe box without trying them on because I was a little concerned that maybe they had put some aggressive tread on the road shoe and seen how it goes. That was patently not the case.

I have worn these shoes on a number of trail runs now with a mix of terrain and they are really a great. They shoe comfort is excellent, the farthest I have run is a little over 20 miles in a race and there were zero issues, no rubbing, no hot spots and no blisters. The shoe is probably not as grippy as others out there the tread being reasonable rather than aggressive. I have used them on lots of terrain types from wet leaves and mud through gravel and sandy trail and they can handle all of that without issue.

In terms of my criteria;

Styling; awesome! Bold and brash – better than a lot of their competitors. With so much kit being just black and red why not a pair that are white? Love them and they look even better now they are a bit dirty.

Comfort; excellent, soft foam upper, good solid rubber outsole and knitted shoe. Protection on the, very wide, toe-box for stones and other debris.

Durability; I get good vfm from trail shoes as most of my running is on road. With more events planned for 2020 I think I will probably be giving these a sterner test than I have many of my other trail shoes.

Cost; the retail price for these is around £105 but I have seen them for £88. You could argue this is cheaper than the current market for similar shoes. I bought mine from Sportsshoes.com for £105 a few months ago.

Downside; I guess the colour could be considered a down side but ‘m not sure that’s enough. Much like the Epic React Flyknit I cannot see a negative. I am like this though, if I like something I don’t really see the negatives and these are no different.

Verdict; so far so good. I have run around 70-80 miles in these. They are grippy, tough, I like the toe box and I love the styling. Quality shoe.

I have said it before but when I review products I am generally really happy with them. If I am interested in something new then I will research it and get a physical look at the product before buying. By the time it arrives I am a little bored of it already as I know a lot (everything) about it. This applies for everything and anything whether it be running socks or a race vest. That said my experiences are not false and that I really like these products and have invested more than once in them speaks volumes.

The Epic React Flyknit is my go-to road shoe. I use it as a workhorse for most of my road running. This can be anything from 2.5 miles through to 20 and beyond. The shoe is just comfortable and on the occasion where I demand more performance it can respond and give me what I want. That’s not to say that there may be better shoes that are more specific, a racing flat or a workhorse for commutes, but for a workaday shoe that you can race in or put down some speed this is that shoe.

I set my half marathon PB some 10 years ago, at Tewkesbury, with 1:27:15. Earlier this year I ran the Cheltenham half marathon finishing in 1:27:48 (this was for the course I actually did 1:27:01 for the half marathon distance) the point being that I am 10 years older and whilst I am generally in better shape and better trained I am still 10 years older and still ran a similar time. Oh and I was wearing a pair of Epic React Flyknits.

right here right now

I have talked about how i struggle with the aspect of racing that is the mental side. When things are not going as i want or maybe the miles are not ticking over quickly enough i start to focus too much on that rather then the why i am out there in the first place. I experienced this a little at Roly's Run only last weekend. It's like race-fatigue really but i don't race that often at all... anyway those clever people at 33Fuel have a blog about this very topic and one of the strategies is to focus on what you are doing in that moment. 

This is a central tenet of mindfulness and "right here right now" will be my mantra as i head into the Broadway Marathon this coming Sunday. 

The 33Fuel blog is here by the way; https://www.33fuel.com/news/mental-tricks-to-turn-your-race-around/. 

Roly's Run (9th November 2019)

I was talking to someone who had done the 20mile edition of this new event, it being the farthest he had ever run. It was now Monday morning some 48hrs after this race had started and he was, in his own words, “still buzzing”. That sums it up perfectly.

Roly’s Run, a beautiful race with an even more beautiful sentiment.

I am not going to go into that here but would urge you to read the About from the race website here; https://www.rolys.run/about.html. The race HQ was Swanmore, a place I have never heard of and am thankful to the sat-nav for getting me there. This is one of those places where, for me at least, I actually have no idea where I was with any accuracy, somewhere between Basingstoke and Southampton being the best I can do.

There were three race options; 15, 20 and 40miles. Routes that were expertly devised and were predominantly on trails but with a real mix. There was woodland, exposed ridge-line, steep hills, muddy paths, farm track, an electric fence to climb over(!), stony trail, some compacted gravel path, and a small section of good old fashioned tarmac. 

Everything. 

Add to that fact that there was some +2,700ft of elevation gain in the 20mile race and it made for a really challenging course. That this was RD Carlos’ first race in the role was quite a feat.

The 20mile distance was quite an interesting one for me because, and this is all about context right, it’s not that far. I had the route on my watch and not having used this before saw that there was a number on the display. I wasn’t sure if this was counting up, down or even if it was miles or kilometres. It turns out that it was counting down and was in miles. Over 20miles I really liked this feature and it did give me a psychological boost on more than one occasion, “it’s less than 5 miles to go…”.

At the race briefing before the start there were some words from Carlos then Rich’s dad spoke and read an email that he had received from someone in the aftermath of Rich’s passing. The email he read was one I had written and sent to them. This floored me and I went through a range of feelings but mainly felt like an impostor of sorts. Whilst I knew Rich I didn’t know him well, something I made clear in the email, that said I did see him more or less every day and we did speak every day. There will be people that knew him far better than me which I think is why I feel a bit of an impostor. It was a lovely moment and I will be forever proud, in a small way, that I made a contribution.

The best words though were reserved for Anna, Rich’s sister. With the crowd having moved from the hall to the start line she told a story of how Rich if he heard someone moaning about how they couldn’t do something would always mutter “not with that attitude” – this got a loud cheer. Everyone stood there had the right attitude for sure.

With that we were all off – a mass start with a lap of the field before heading into the woods and off.

As much as I like to take part in events and races I struggle with them a little. I pretty much want them to be over and start counting down immediately. I do not know why I feel this way but it happens every time. I have thought that maybe it’s because I don’t race enough because when I am training I have no issue whatsoever with the running and will run all the time. I am definitely intrinsically motivated and like doing my own thing. If anyone can shed some light for me please do!

Much like the Cheltenham half I found myself running alone, not fast enough for the lead pack but faster than the throng behind me. This suits me though, I train mostly alone and am comfortable with that.

The woodland sections were a highlight for me, running along twisty trails and jumping over roots and puddles is great fun. There were a couple of sections like this and they reminded me of some of the more pleasant aspects of running the Wendover Woods 50 a couple of years ago. Running in the woods always feels fast, maybe it’s the proximity of the trees and bushes or the agility and responsiveness that you need to avoid the obstacles that come at you with no pattern. Stride length and rhythm cannot be consistent as you adapt to the terrain just to keep each step as sure footed as it can be.

The aid stations were amazing and well stocked – as was the race HQ with tea and coffee flowing, cake and enough fruit to keep this vegan happy :) – the Marshall's were all lovely and super-positive on what started as a bitterly cold day for them and ended as a bitterly cold and wet day as the forecast rain moved in. 

The rain started with a bit of drizzle and I had around 3miles to go. I did think about stopping and putting my jacket on but figured that would be hard as my hands were frozen and it would be a lot of faff for what would be, hopefully, 25 minutes. I can cope with being wet for 25minutes. It was the right decision but by the time I reached the race HQ it was coming down pretty heavily. I was so grateful I finished when I did as for the rest of the day it was relentless and would have been miserable for anyone still out there.

That’s why we do this though isn’t it? This is not a unique thought but we spend so much of our time sat in comfy chairs and comfy environments that to truly know what you are about and what you are capable of takes disruption. Moving from a heated car to a heated office or home is nice sure, we all like that, but really what does it tell you? It takes real determination to finish something when it hurts, remind yourself that you paid for the privilege to be there, your suffering is what you paid for. You get it done not because you paid, that’s the last thing on your mind, you get it done because it matters and because giving up is not an option. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 5km or a 50mile it’s your discomfort and what you derive from that which keeps you moving. The joy on finishing makes it all worthwhile and pretty soon you will be looking for the next event.

The people that don’t get it are missing out. 

I often find myself getting lost in races. I stop looking for the signs and switch off a little. I had the route on my watch which vibrated every time I veered slightly off course (these were minor adjustments rather than wrong turns) but there was so much signage and route marking it was pretty impossible. Again, Carlos and his helpers did a fantastic job.

The 20mile included an out and back up Old Winchester Hill. Quite a climb in two parts with an exposed ridge line joining them. The wind on that ridge was howling and cold. Fortunately it wasn’t a particularly long stretch but for those coming along an hour or more later when it was raining that would have been horrible. At the top of the hill there was a stretch over some softer terrain to a checkpoint where it was then a case of turnaround and head back. This meant that you could see other runners coming through on the 20mile course as you passed them over this 5 or so miles out and back. What surprised me most was that there weren’t more runners. I am not sure what the split was of 15/20/40 mile runners but I didn’t see as many as I would have expected. It would be a long day for some.

Back at the final checkpoint and into the last 5 or so miles to the finish there was possibly my favourite section. Having commented on how running in the woods is great fun. There was a section on whati assume was an old railway line or something similar. Flat, straight and tree lined it was a beautiful stretch of trail with just the occasional dog walker. There was time for one final sting in the tail with a short sharp climb on wooden steps up from a field onto the lanes and the way to the finish.

The finish was in the field where we started. The rain was now coming down pretty heavily and yet there were a couple of hardy souls cheering and shouting. Possibly the most enthusiastic man I have ever met shouted my finish time as I crossed the line. I thanked them for cheering as I ran in then made my way to the hall to change and get some food.

In the hall there were a few finishers sat eating and talking about their races. I grabbed a veggie chilli (really tasty!) and some coffee, sat and ate. After a litre of 33Fuel energy drink and a couple of 33Fuel gels something savoury was welcome.

I ran this race at a high limit, based on heart rate, I was certainly working hard all the way around and did the whole thing on a litre of energy drink and 2 chia gels. I keep saying it but the products from 33Fuel are just excellent. No stomach issues and easily palatable. I am running the Broadway Marathon this coming weekend and will adopt a similar nutrition strategy. As for my diabetes, I started with a blood sugar of 12mmol and finished with a sugar of 5.9mmol. Nothing too excitable all the way round and, more importantly,  no issues. I set my Omnipod to a -50% basal rate for 7hours and used my phone to read my Libra patch as  ran. Perfect! In my kit bag I was carrying the libre reader (in case my phone died), my PDM for the Omnipod and also insulin pens (both Levemir and Novorapid). I have been in a situation before where on a really cold day the Omnipod has failed and I didn’t have any pens or anything in my kit bag. I often talk about the do-learn-do mantra and this is something that I definitely learned from. The other tp, and this was from the people at Omnipod, was to actually wear the pump on the abdomen when doing something like this as it is less exposed than it would be on the arm so less likely to succumb to colder temperatures. Needless to say I did this and it worked a treat.

Do-learn-do!

Back in the hall I was handed a goody bag with some chocolate, a cap (Rich always wore a cap when he ran), a discount voucher for a run store and a rock.

The rock is significant as, and this is taken from the race website;

MEDALS ARE OVERRATED......

so everyone that participates will get a rock instead! Some time ago when Rich (Roly) and I were packing for an 86 mile coast-to-coast hike I saw a huge rock next to his backpack with a smiley face on it. I asked Rich what it was and he said "...oh that's 'Boris the Rock' ... we're taking him with us". His pack was so heavy that he sometimes had to be pushed up to his feet to get him going!

No-one knows what happened to Boris, but every runner/walker will get a 'mini-Boris', as a memento of the race. Feel free to carry it around with you on your next big run/hike!

Someone near opened their back and took the rock out. Each piece of rock was personally engraved. A lovely personal touch that frankly capped (see what I did there) a fantastic race and even better event.

I did ask Carlos if this was going to lead him to a new career as an RD to which he answered no but he did say that he would continue to put this race on. I, for one, will be there next year.