Concerning Saucony running shoes

I have been running with Saucony shoes since two years ago and right at the beginning of this week I'm glad I have known that the Italian Saucony importer is going to support me for the next year too. Saucony is a famous American brand from Boston (Massachusetts) which produces shoes since the beginning of last century. Despite the biggest part of Italian running shoes market is hold by Asics and Mizuno, there are a lot of brands which are rapidly growing their market shares, offering to the runners a huge amount of interesting model. Besides, some of them are more focusing on what an advanced runner actually needs.
Before becoming a Saucony ambassador, I tried so many pair of shoes from any different brand, without having a particular loyalty for one of them. Anyway, I would like to compare the shoes I've been using only during the past two years. The following list takes into account the different models I wore, remarking both their strong points and weak spots. I am basically a heavy runner (my weight fluctuates around 72kg) and my average training speed is quite low if compared to other runners (my slow running session speed is around 4m15s/km). Therefore, I globally prefer a pair of shoes that is more protective with a good cushioning.

Kilkenny

Kilkenny is a spiky shoe, mostly oriented to cross competitions. It is generally more protective than other brand's shoes and it allows the runner to have a very good feeling on his feet. Wearing Kilkenny is like to put your feet on a pillow. However, Kilkenny is heavier than other spiky shoes and rather not very responsive. Therefore, I suggest it can be used for cross competition but not for track competitions.

Grid Fastwitch

Fastwitch is the Saucony model for high speed running. Basically, it aims to permit the runners to run faster than 3m20s/km, having a very good response on their feet. In my opinion, it is a rather good model, but it is maybe too light and can be used only for competing and running intervals on the track. Yet, it is a good compromise for the track beginners which don't want to use spikes. I think that a runner which is not able to run faster than 3m20s/km should not consider to buy it. The same for any heavy runner (more than 80kg).

Progrid Kinvara

The best shoe I've ever had for running half marathon and marathon distances. I guess that Kinvara is one of the most interesting models on the market for advanced runners. It has been classified as an A2 category shoe, but I think it's more an hybrid model between A1 and A2, since you are able to run short distance races (5K-10K) with a very good feeling. Kinvara is very light, but it is at the same time both protective and cushioning. Its weaknesses are that it doesn't usually last for more than 500K-700K and that it is not as reactive as other racing shoes. Still, I think that Kinvara is the best compromise both for running intervals and competitions as half marathon and marathon, with an average speed of 3m20s/km - 4m00s/km.

Progrid Mirage

Mirage was built for covering the A2 category with a good model, mainly oriented to fast training sessions. It is more protective for uncle and heel comparing to Kinvara and a little bit heavier. Besides, it lasts for at least 600K (more than what Kinvara does!). Anyway, I personally prefer Kinvara, since the two products are very close one to another. Mirage is particularly good for long interval trainings, medium speed trainings and for running any competition in a "monitored" speed (i.e. while you are training hardly and you are not able to do your best).

Progrid Ride

Ride is a training shoe that can be worn also by heavy runners. It is very reactive and it can be also adopted for medium speed sessions. The high position on the back side of the shoe guarantees the runner to have a good inclination for increasing the speed. I think that its weaknesses are its rigidity (you haven't a soft feeling on your feet) and its duration. I have never run more than 700K with Ride.

Progrid Jazz

Jazz is one of the oldest Saucony model. It is my favorite training shoe. Jazz is quite soft and not oriented to speed trainings at all, but it has just the right cushioning. Furthermore, it averagely lasts for more than 800K-900K very easily. If a runner likes to run also on a ground different than road, Jazz is the right choice. I ran manny times on the path and I hadn't any problem with the shoe resistance. Apparently, I can not indicate any weak spot of this model.

Progrid Cortana

An incredibly good model to see. And to wear, actually. It can be compared with Kilkenny because it is particularly soft to feel on your feet. Cortana is a training shoe that is oriented to the slow running sessions. Differently than other training models, Cortana is very light and responsive. The only weak spot of Cortana is that it is rather expensive!

Progrid Triumph

Triumph is thought for satisfying the heavy runner. It is a training shoe that is not as reactive as Ride. What I can feel is that Triumph is a good model for any heavy runner who wants to run slowly his daily training session, without having any cushioning problem, preserving his body and legs. The weak spot of this shoe is that it is not built for running outside the road. I personally destroyed a pair of Triumph while I was running in the mountain.

At the end, I decided to write this post because I was looking at one of the Jazz models I used during the last months, which was standing under my home stairs. The time is gone for it, but that pair was just wonderful. I think that, sometimes, when you run you get a sort of relationship with your shoes! I have no idea whether or not that pair of shoes was a fake or an exception, but on my feet it lasted for an incredibly long time. I calculated that it did something like 1,500K! Well, good job, my friend.

Numbers: marathon preparations overview

Venezia, Torino, Reggio Emilia

Looking at my training diary and merging its own data, I got some interesting numbers that I would like to post and share. During my three experiences, my training programs were prepared by my coach Johnny Schievenin, who has been followed by me with (a lot of) flexibility. So, setting the target to the marathon, the numbers emerged from my preparation periods are outlined in the following sessions, considering only kilometers that have been actually run (i.e. sometimes I did additional circuit trainings or exercise bike sessions, but just few times -around 4-5 for each prepared marathon).

Venice Marathon 2010

Date: 24. October 2010
Starting point: 14m46s 5K on the track (May)
Preparation weeks: 13 (89 days, from 26. July to 23. October)
Training sessions: 134
Type of training: road running, mountain running, orienteering
Locations: Primiero (ITA), Padova (ITA)
Jogging/slow running sessions: 67 (46%)
Races: 8
Total kilometers: 1,971km
Max. weekly km: 203km
Total hours: 139h
Km per week: 151.5
Km per training session: 14.7km
Average daily kilometers: 22.1km
Average number of sessions per day: 1.5
Average speed: 4m14s/km
Max. distance (long interval training): 14.000m
Max. distance (short interval training): 7.200m
Max. distance (long running training): 31km
Best test: 1h07m27s (Bologna, 05. August)

Race

Weather: Cloudy (6°C, 70% humidity)
Partials: 00:16:32 (5K), 00:33:09 (10K), 00:50:00 (15K), 01:10:25 (21,097), 01:23:26 (25K), 01:40:08 (30K), 01:56:43 (35K), 02:13:48 (40K), 02:20:55 (42,195)

Turin Marathon 2011

Date: 13. November 2011
Starting point: 8m15s 3K on the track, 1h07m18s half marathon (July)
Preparation weeks: 14 (97 days, from 08. August to 12. November)
Training sessions: 159
Type of training: road running, mountain running, orienteering
Locations: Primiero (ITA), Chambéry (FRA)
Jogging/slow running sessions: 89 (56%)
Races: 12
Total kilometers: 2,010km
Max. weekly km: 205km
Total hours: 149h
Km per week: 143.5
Km per training session: 12.6km
Average daily kilometers: 20.7km
Average number of sessions per day: 1.6
Average speed: 4m26s/km
Max. distance (long interval training): 12,000m
Max. distance (short interval training): 8,000m
Max. distance (long running training): 33km
Best test: 1h06m00s (Cremona half marathon, 16. October)

Race

Weather: Foggy/Sunny (2°C, 80% humidity)
Partials: 00:32:26 (10K), 01:09:18 (21,097), 01:39:23 (30K), 02:19:33 (42,097)

Reggio Emilia Marathon 2012

Date: 09. December 2012
Starting point: 15m05s 5K on the track, 1h11m56s half marathon (September)
Preparation weeks: 11 (76 days, from 24. September to 08. December)
Training sessions: 114
Type of training: road running, mountain running
Locations: Primiero (ITA), Stockholm (SWE)
Jogging/slow running sessions: 70 (61%)
Races: 10
Total kilometers: 1,513
Max. weekly km: 184km
Total hours: 111
Km per week: 137.5km
Km per training session: 13.3km
Average daily kilometers: 19.9km
Average number of sessions per day: 1.5
Average speed: 4m25s/km
Max. distance (long interval training): 9,000m
Max. distance (short interval training): 9,200m
Max. distance (long running training): 42km
Best test: 1h10m21s (Paese half marathon, 11. November)

Race

Weather: Sunny (-3°C, 30% humidity)
Partials: 00:09:31 (2.8K), 00:32:40 (10K), 00:49:21 (15K), 01:09:17 (21,097), 01:21:38 (25K), 01:38:30 (30K), 01:55:02 (35K), 02:19:49 (42,195)

Reggio Emilia Marathon 2012

Me and Dario Rognoni before the start.

Unfortunately, math is a well known science which does not fail in almost any circumstance. Perhaps, more additional long trainings during my preparation time would have allowed me to avoid the crisis I suffered in the last kilometers of yesterday's race.
The hot comments right after the race (or tweets, in the nowadays IT-era) are often focused on regrets, rather than satisfaction. By the way, if I think in general about my current season, I can be glad of the race I ran yesterday. In September, when I could hardly run the Council Half Marathon in 1h12m, I was quite far away from being able -both physically and mentally- to face a marathon, in which I could express my last season shape (Torino, 2h19m33s). However, after my Master graduation, I decided to get ready for a new experience on 42K before Christmas. I think that in the next future it will be hard for me to prepare a marathon for the month December again, for a number of reasons: firstly, the cold temperatures (I've always claimed to be more oriented towards a Caribbean climate rather than an Alpine one). Then, darkness which is not a good training partner.
In general I can say that last November was a sort of solitude month for me. In addition to the cold weather and the coming snow, this year during my November training sessions I have literally taken buckets of water that often made me think "Why am I doing this?". However, after Venice Marathon, where I had good sensations, I should at least try to run fast the Marathon of Reggio Emilia.
In the end, what I can say is that I was ready, but not ready enough.

I can easily split my yesterday's race between three phases, which could also represent a sort of standardized journey of any marathon runner during his performance. In fact, the marathon is almost the only competition where your flow of informations, thoughts and feelings can bring you to live some distinct phases which differ a lot one to another.

Yesterday the temperature was very cold, bringing the thermometer below zero throughout the whole course, but the humidity wasn't fortunately the same indicated by the forecast. So, there were still the conditions for having a good performance.

Maratona di Reggio Emilia.

The careful start of the African runners has allowed me and my friend Buccilli to lead the competition, building a good gap in the first part of the race. My condition was totally good if compared to the last week. The legs were light and I could run easily on my target speed (i.e. 3m15s/K), without any feeling of heaviness. The frozen roads brought some control problems, but nothing that wasn't expected. After a climb of about 7km, me, Buccilli and another Maroccan runner crossed the half marathon in 1h09m16s, approximately one minute before the second group. Our crossing was built up by regular partials and just right with my expectations. The feeling at that moment were great and in the hilly kilometers after the half marathon I could personally verify that I was actually more fresh than my fellows, so I started to increase my speed and lead the competition from the 30th kilometer. I was running alone and waiting for the African runners of the second group to come. I was still relaxed and I believed I could slightly increase my speed during the last 10K. The Moroccan runner Zain, who then won the race, caught me in the 33rd km. His speed was actually too fast for me at that time, so I waited for the followers (the Kenyan Talam Kipkemei and Moroccan El Barhoumi). The followers speed was the right one for me, so that we could run for several kilometers right behind the leader Zain, who drastically decreased his speed after he passed me. Those were definitely the best kilometers I ran yesterday; El Barhoumi seemed to be clearly tired (he was definitely knocked out around the 35th kilometer) and Kipkemei didn't seem to be able to increase his speed. On the other hand, I was just fine. For a long time I hoped to be able to achieve a top three position.
However, when I came to the 36th kilometer something radically changed in my body. Just 6km far from the finish line my legs became incredibly heavy, also starting to give me some muscular troubles. The gas was over, giving me no chance to run fast anymore! From that point my agony began. It was like I was running in slow motion (or even backwards). What the hell! I slowly watched the gaps that I had built with so much effort becoming smaller little by little. One by one, the runners passed me without I couldn't have any reaction. Since I wasn't able to run faster than 3m40s/K), it was my defeat.

I finished resigned at 6th place, with the (still good) time of 1h19m49s, just 21 seconds from third place.
Reggio Emilia's race left me a lot of regrets but, as I said before, today I am satisfied about my third marathon experience, especially for the brave race I did.
At last, I would like to thank my several supporters who were watching online my race and believed, as I did, in a good performance.

And now? Just think about Chrismas time...

1. ZAIN JAOUAD (A.S.D. RUNNING EVOLUTION) 02:18:21
2. DOUIRMI SAID (ATL. COLOSSEO 2000) 02:18:53
3. BUCCILLI CARMINE (ATL. CASONE NOCETO) 02:19:28
4. BATTELLI PAOLO (CALCESTRUZZI CORRADINI EXCELS.) 02:19:37
5. TALAM KIPKEMEI ABRAHAM (ATLETICA FUTURA A.S.D.) 02:19:43
6. SIMION GIANCARLO (SILCA ULTRALITE VITTORIO V.TO) 02:19:49
7. EL BARHOUMI TAOUFIQUE (ATL. CASONE NOCETO) 02:20:37
8. EN GUADY KHALID (ATL. RODENGO SAIANO) 02:21:06
9. BIWOTT NICODEMUS (A.S.D. FARNESE VINI PE) 02:23:16
10. ROGNONI DARIO (ATL. DA PAURA) 02:23:29
11. VENTUROLI NICOLA (C.S. S.ROCCHINO) 02:24:40
12. SCURO VINCENZO (G.P. PARCO ALPI APUANE) 02:29:52
13. MAROGNA ALBERTO (SPARTACUS ASD MARMIROLO) 02:30:39
14. IOMMI GIOVANNI (G. P. LIVENZA SACILE) 02:31:25
15. PALLADINO DANIELE (ASS.POL.ATL.SCANDIANO) 02:31:31 

Full results

Ready for Reggio Emilia: what is done and what is missing

In few days I'm going to run the third marathon of my running career. My first experience was in Venice, two years ago. Last year I focused my energies for preparing the Turin Marathon while this year, since during the Summer I was physically weaker than both of the last two years, I've chosen the last Italian "big" marathon which is in the beginning of December, namely Reggio Emilia.
Every training preparation is by its own. However, I can try to compare my actual preparation with the previous marathons and look at what is done and what is missing.

Done

Venice Marathon 2012

Total kilometers: differently than my last experiences, this year I ran more on the paths and less on the road, which compromised the total amount of kilometers that has been achieved during the preparation time. Anyway, from a runner viewpoint I think that the kilometers which have been run on the paths could be more valuable than the road ones.
Long training sessions: Considering the time period from the second half of September up to now, during the previous preparation times I ran more time long training sessions, without running actually more than 30km. This year I tried for the first time to insert a whole marathon as a medium speed running training. I ran Venice Marathon which actually gave me more confidence.
Maturity: I guess the last two experiences make me mentally stronger and more aware of my weaknesses. I should better understand my body and my limits, reducing the possibility to make some stupid mistakes on the race day. For instance, last year I expected to stay in a warm place before the start, but the organizers took us in a very cold tent (in was -2°C) and I had some problems with breakfast digestion, which made me feel bad in the second half of the race. I'm not going to fall into the same mistake anymore.

Missing

Half marathon: it could be strange to say, but in the second part of this year I didn't run any half marathon faster than my expected speed to cross the 21.097m line next Sunday. Last year I ran three high speed half marathon (Scorzè, Trento and Cremona). I should think about it...
Uphill trainings: the last two years I ran more medium speed trainings. Sometimes, I was used to run 20mins medium speed in the uphill. I didn't have such a training this year.
Long distance intervals: the preparation months didn't let me have a lot of long intervals trainings, comparing to the past years. The weather conditions in October and November weren't good enough for having the right long intervals mood.

Last Sunday I ran the 3rd edition of Prosecco Run, an hilly though competition tracked on the Prosecco grape fields nearby Treviso. I felt completely uncomfortable and I finished my race on 8th place (full results here), more than five minutes slower than the last year. Now it's time for me to rest and recover my legs.

Fortunately, next Sunday's weather conditions are smiling to all the runners, with a sunny forecast. However, the temperature will be quite cold (from -1°C to 2°C). Clearly, I have no clue about how it is going to be for me in Reggio Emilia, but I'll try to do my best.

At last, I'm feeling not afraid anymore about a possibility of failing the race, since I think I had another important sporting experience of my life. Every single little step will be just another brick on my personal pyramid of growing, based on my experiences. It doesn't matter whether you win or you lose, but fighting for what you think is an important challenge for your life at a given time is just the right thing to do.