Inov-8 Trailroc 235, 245, and 255 Preview

A new range of trail running shoes from Inov-8 will tempt you in the Fall of 2012: The Trailroc™, a shoe boasting Inov-8's anatomic last, three Shoc-Zone™ options, and a uniquely designed outsole.

Trailroc Outsole

Like any good trail shoe, the outsole is the star feature here. And, the three cleat and rubber types comprising the Trailroc's outsole make for an interesting composition.

Larger cleats made up of endurance rubber are placed in the high-wear areas, like under the ball of the foot. A hard, sticky rubber and more large cleats are positioned on the outer sections where grip and stability come into play most often. And, the toe and inner arch are comprised of a softer sticky rubber with smaller lugs.

Design Stuff

A couple of new design elements, changes to Inov-8's usual shoe upper construction and appearance, on the Trailroc caught my eye. And, even though you probably don't care about these minor design changes, I'll mention them. If I don't write about frivolous shoe minutiae, who will? Someone cares, right?

So, for instance, the Shoc-Zone number now appears prominently on the lateral side at the base of the heel. This will undoubtedly help make the Inov-8 cushioning level system seem less enigmatic to new wearers of the brand. Fine.

Also, from a lateral perspective, we see a few more wavy lines between the outsole and the upper. This differs from the rather simplistic, relatively lineless motif of previous Inov-8 shoes. In fact, the numerous lines in the midsole almost make me wonder how much cushion actually exists in their ZERO differential 235 member of the Trailroc range. See what I mean in the photo below from Natural Running Store.

A more subtle display of the Inov-8 logo adds a new dimension to this range of shoes. I've always marveled at the rather conspicuous presentation of the logo on previous models, like the f-lite 230. Does a smaller logo indicate more brand confidence? I dunno. And, I'm sure none of you really care.

Also noteworthy, I think, is the pull loop on the heel cup area. I mean, it's relatively large for an Inov-8 heel-pull-loop thingie. Will we complain about its aesthetic appeal when we look at the Trailroc in photos? Maybe. Will we notice it after putting on our Trailrocs? No. Again, this is a design feature that I'm only mentioning because I notice stuff that most people don't even think about.

Three Variations on Minimal

Since the Trailroc Shoc-Zone variations are being announced at one time I believe that these three shoes will be made available all at one time, too, next year. That's only logical, right? This is good. Having three options from which to choose all at once is better than buying one option before learning about a forthcoming more/less minimal option that you would have preferred in the first place. So, the Trailroc range of options are:

• the 255 with a Shoc-Zone 2 (6mm differential)
• the 245 with Shoc-Zone 1 (3mm differential)
• the 235 with Shoc-Zone ZERO - 0mm differential)

I'm most intrigued by the 235, because, despite my penchant for my f-lite 230s, I've developed an affinity for shoes with a zero differential. But, the 235 is heavier than my other "minimal" trail shoes. Why? According to Inov-8, their ZERO Shoc-Zone shoes have no midsole. So, perhaps the outsole compounds are just that much heavier. I guess I'll just have to find out when I find out.

So...

I'm excited about these shoes.

Apparently less luggy than the Bare-Grip 200 or X-Talon 190, but more grippy than the f-lites, the Trailroc looks as though it will be a great all-around trail shoe for my East-Coast terrain, much like the Roclites.

It's significant that the Trailroc will feature the fantastic anatomic last, something I've been enjoying immensely while wearing the Bare-X Lite 150 on road runs. And my toes are more likely to prefer the anatomic last to the Roclite's performance last on longer runs.

So, the comfy anatomic last, coupled with the fact that the Trailroc is available in the ZERO Shoc-Zone™, makes me wonder if Inov-8 has created the ideal go-to trail shoe for me. I suppose I'll find out next year. Oh, the waiting...

Umstead Trails vs. Mountains to Sea Falls Lake Trails

This is not going to be a very scientific comparison of the single-track trails at Umstead State Park and the Mountains to Sea Trail at Falls Lake. At the time of this post, I have yet to run all 37.5-miles of the Falls Lake Trail.

Plus, I'm writing this post without doing much planning, because I am essentially inspired by a question Diana posed in a comment on another post. And, as I responded to that comment, I realized I could really just make a blog post out of my answer, since I'm so wordy and all.

So, here's my totally subjective, off-the-cuff, trail runner's perspective on experiencing the Umstead trails and the MST at Falls Lake.

Most runners would probably say that the two trail systems are pretty similar. And, most runners would be right. I mean, we're not living in the mountains here. And, Falls Lake is roughly a speedy 15-minute drive from Umstead. So, aside from that lake; the terrain, flora, and fauna are largely the same.

Umstead Trails Have Rocks

But, if you really wanted to be particular about differences, some people would say that the hills at Umstead are a little more severe than the ones at Falls Lake. By "severe" I mean that I'm more aware of a significant hill climb when I'm running Company Mill or Sycamore than I am of the hill climbs at Falls Lake. And, by "aware" I mean that the hills seem more challenging at Umstead.

Falls Lake Mountains to Sea Trail
(not as rocky)

However, I should quickly add that there seem to be more hills at Falls Lake. But, the Falls Lake MST hills feel more like they're helping me roll along the trail, up and down—like floating on a small boat over slightly rough water. But, take out the floating feeling, because you're actually running. And, running is not like floating (Except in those still photos that some race photographers manage to capture. And, even then, running only looks like floating. I mean, you know perfectly well that running is not what you do to feel floaty) Anyway, the frequent hills at Falls Lake are fun!

Moreover, if you are the type to count rocks, I'd bet that you'd find more rocks at Umstead than you would at Falls Lake. There are some rather large rocks at Falls Lake, though, especially along Section 2. So, don't leave your trail shoes and strong ankles at home. I'm just saying that there are most likely a larger collection of rocks along the Umstead trails.

Roots are equally challenging to traverse and see on both trails.

If you like stopping to admire scenic vistas or forest animals, then the Falls Lake MST would offer the best opportunities for those trail running extras. Umstead is pretty much in the middle of Raleigh and right next to the airport. So, animals that have managed to adapt to the bustling human activity surrounding the acres comprising Umstead are most likely not interested in letting you look at them for very long. Although, the deer seem to like looking at people there.

On the other hand, Falls Lake is on a gigantic lake, which pretty much guarantees at least a few scenic vistas. And, the animals at Falls Lake, in spite of the fact that they're allowed to be hunted, show up more often in varied forms. (Once, I almost collided with a deer on the path at Falls Lake)

Similarly, I encounter more people walking their awesome dogs at Falls Lake, while I usually have to run around larger groups of people at Umstead. This discrepancy is probably due to the times of day and days of the week that I choose to run the trails.

Some runners might like to know that running between the various sections of the Falls Lake MST usually requires traveling along the wide shoulders of various roads for a few meters. This isn't a big deal. But, if you prefer to go to a trail so that you can feel secluded from cars until you decide to leave the trail, then Umstead will be a better choice.

Okay, I've covered a few major points that come to mind in this Umstead vs. Falls Lake MST analysis. Let's sum up:

Falls Lake MST has...

• More frequent but (mostly) smaller hills
• Forest animals and scenic vistas you'll remember after the run
• Necessary encounters with roads (oh, and backyards of private residences)
• A lake
• More frequent, friendly encounters with people and awesome dogs
• Awesome trails

Umstead has...

• Fewer but bigger hills to consider
• More rocks over a wider area
• Less wildness and lake scenery (but the creeks are great)
• But, strangely, more of a sense of seclusion from cars and stuff
• Larger groups of people on certain days
• Awesome trails

So, that's me being nitpicky about the differences between Umstead and Falls Lake trails. But, really, I love both of these places! Seriously! My only preference for one over the other on a given day is governed by my geographic proximity (Umstead is closer to work. Falls Lake is closer to home)

Inov-8 f-lite 195 New Color Craziness and CrossFit

If you've considered Inov-8's f-lite, Road-X, or Bare-X series running shoes for any reason over the past few months, you've undoubtedly seen the term CrossFit associated with them. In most cases, they're described as ideal CrossFit shoes, or something like that. This is because the CrossFit philosophy(?) emphasizes efficiency in a rigorous workout. And, low-profile shoes, like the three Inov-8 product lines mentioned already, facilitate this efficient motion.

When I bought my first pair of Inov-8 f-lite 230s over a year ago, they were not synonymous with CrossFit footwear. They were running shoes, trail running shoes to be precise. But, their versatility on a variety of surfaces generated appeal outside the trail running community. And, people with a penchant for trendy exercise programs naturally gravitated toward a fashionable, minimally-styled shoe.

For those who don't know, CrossFit refers to a sort of gym-dependent exercise program. However, practitioners may do it outside of a gym, too. It's a modern program. You can tell because of the capital "F" in the middle of a word that has no business being compounded. And, rather than state a bunch of (probably) incorrect assumptions about the program, I'll just let you form your own notion of CrossFit based on this video:

Needless to say, I do not CrossFit. Wait, I mean I am not a CrossFitter. Or, I don't do CrossFit?

Anyway, I've loathed the gym for as long as I can remember. Weights annoy me. People grunting and sweating profusely on the same bench I'm about to use make me wish I was doing something else. The monotony sucks. The lighting sucks. The music sucks. And, the smell sucks. So, I run—outside.

So, why am I writing about CrossFit?

Well, you know how sometimes you find something that you like a whole lot? Let's say, for instance, you've discovered a band called Pold Clay. You hear one of their songs from their first album, which is only a month old. And, the song is awesome. It's fresh. It's meaningful. It's everything you need a song to be for you at this moment. So, you buy Pold Clay's debut album and listen to it nonstop for weeks in your car, while you're cooking dinner, while you're eating dinner, etc. You learn all the songs by heart and never seem to grow tired of hearing this band's music.

Then, one day, you're at some large retail establishment with a subscription-service radio station playing current hits over the store speaker system. And, you hear your song, the song Pold Clay used to speak directly to you! Then you hear it again while you're having coffee at Starbucks! Then you hear it at the gym! (And, you don't even go to the gym!)

Suddenly, Pold Clay's music is everywhere, and everyone likes to talk about how cool the songs are. Other people are all, "Ooh, have you heard 'Burgundy' by Pold Clay? It's awesome! I just love the singer!" These people don't get Pold Clay like you do; they don't appreciate the nuances that make Pold Clay's music special.

But, these people are cooler and more popular than you, maybe even better looking. So, their "appreciation" of Pold Clay's music garners more attention for the band, which is somewhat bittersweet for you. After all, you like Pold Clay. You want the band to succeed. That's the point of producing something for public consumption, right? But, now, when you listen to Pold Clay's music, you know that people around you assume you're just jumping on the Pold Clay bandwagon. They don't know your history with Pold Clay, that you were a fan from the beginning.

Eventually, Pold Clay releases another album, and it's nowhere near as good (for you) as their first album was. It's lame and overproduced. And, the lead singer doesn't seem capable of the range he had in his earlier songs. Sure, the second album debuts in the top 10 on various best-seller charts. There are at least two well-written, catchy songs that are worthy of being played over and over again in large retail establishments. But, the charm is gone. This album is designed to appeal to a larger audience. And, you are not part of that audience.

Or, maybe you are.

...Sorry. What were we talking about?

Oh, right, Inov-8 and CrossFit: No doubt, the popularity of the f-lite series among the CrossFit community was a major inspiration for the the plethora of colorways for the 230 released back in June. And, now, the 195 is available in several new colors, too!

I like color. I appreciate the emotive quality of certain colors. And, wearing color on running shoes, where emotive statements have been limited to subtle whispers in off-white and gray for so many years, is a major advancement in running shoe design. So, I'm happy that CrossFit has done so much to promote the awesomeness of Inov-8's minimal shoe offerings.

When Inov-8 reps announce new colorways for these f-lite 195s on their Facebook page, the first thing people ask is, "Where do we get the such-and-such colorway?" This is a valid question, because the distribution of the various new color varieties is somewhat mysterious—certain colors seem to be reserved for certain retailers.

Zappos has most of of them. Shoe Mart has a couple of them. A CrossFit gear store apparently has exclusive rights to an all black version. And, as of right now, RunningWarehouse has none of the new colors. (I am confident that they'll have some of them in the near future, though. Zappos seems to get the new stuff first, for some reason.)

Regardless of where you can buy specific colors of f-lites, the more important point is that you can buy f-lites in many more places than you could last year. This is good. This is progress. The f-lites are not overproduced or lame at this point. They're still part of a niche brand that happens to cater to both runners and CrossFitters, or RunnerCrossFitters (for those who lack commitment).

We'll want to worry, though, if we start seeing cheaper versions of our favorite Inov-8s in the big box sporting goods stores. Then, it might be time to find a new band.

How to Train a Running Dog - Step 1: Get a Dog

I've always admired people with cool dogs, especially fellow runners who have dogs that run with them for miles and miles.

As children, my wife and I both grew up with dogs in the house. But, we'd never made the commitment to take care of a dog in our adult lives.

We had cats, three of them. Still do.

We also have children, three of them, under the age of 6.

So, with three cats and three kids in the house, why not get a dog, too? It had to be a puppy, of course, so that it can learn to live with those three cats and three kids.

Thus, with the expression of a proud parent, I introduce Charlie. He's an Aussie/Border Collie mix that my wife managed to find at a sort of local rescue organization. He's awesome. And, in about twelve months, it's my understanding that he'll be old enough to begin training as a running partner. We have to get past house training first, though.