Saucony Zealot Review

Shoe review time! I haven't written a running shoe review before, but with the new Zealot release, I definitely wanted to weigh in.

About the Zealot

Saucony released it's new model, the Zealot, on February 1st as the third member of its ISO Series following the neutral daily trainer, Triumph ISO, and the stability trainer, Hurricane ISO. Zealot was also meant as a replacement for the prior Cortana, and as a lightweight but cushioned neutral trainer. It has a 4mm heel-toe drop, same as the Kinvara and Mirage. It retains the characteristically light PWRGRID+ and Ibr+ sole technologies of other Saucony models, but the ISOFIT upper is new to the series. You can read up on the Zealot specs here.

About me

Since the running shoe experience is a very individualized thing, I thought it useful to provide some information on the reviewer.

I am currently marathon training and maxing out at 55 miles / week, averaging about 8:30/mile easy pace and a 7:30/mile marathon race pace. I train in Brooks Glycerin 12's as my daily trainer and Saucony Kinvara 5 as speed trainer & racers. Though I do overpronate slightly, I tend to wear neutral shoes, as I am a mid to forefoot striker and prefer moderate to high cushioning in the midfoot region. I wear an 8 to 8.5 and my feet run a tad wide, but I don't necessarily wear wide sizes - both the Glycerin and Kinvara have inherently wider toe boxes than their predecessor models, as many manufacturers are making more room up front for toe splay.

Why did I buy the Zealots? (And yes, I bought them...alas Saucony did not send me a free pair for review). 

I was looking for a shoe that is ideal for the marathon race distance. While I love the supportive, soft, "hugging" feel of the Glycerin, it is too heavy for racing. While I love the light, nimble feeling of the Kinvara, and have enjoyed PRs in them from the 5K through the half marathon, they aren't quite enough shoe for me on longer distances. I prefer a wide toe box but with a snug, secure fit in the heel and midfoot. I wanted a lightweight shoe, comparable to a racer but with more cushioning underfoot.

Fit and Feel

The Zealot fit this bill perfectly, and continues to impress me with each run. My first impression was the wonderfully secure feeling of the ISOFIT upper. The mesh really does conform to the top of the foot, flexible yet snug, without any of the bunching from overlays (which can sometimes happen when there is that much fabric on the upper). And yet the shoe is fairly breathable in hot weather; remember, I live in Florida. The toebox is perfect for me - though I do prefer wide, and those with narrower feet might find it a little too roomy in the front. But, ISOFIT definitely allows for a custom feel on the midfoot. Best of all, the heel is soft feeling and very secure - I don't have to put runner's loops in my laces to keep my heels from sliding up.

Performance 

The PWRGRID+ midsole and Ibr+ outsole allows for this shoe to be exceptionally light (7.4 oz women's / 8.3 oz men's) yet provide a substantial amount of cushioning. I felt a nice spring in the midfoot at the toe-off - a similar feeling as the Triumph Iso, but less spongy. Initially, it feels similarly cushioned as Kinvara, but the more substantial midsole becomes evident over longer runs. I had also previously tried the Mirage 4 as well, which was too firm for my liking. Zealot is truly more cushioned than either Kinvara or Mirage. It feels like a standard neutral cushioned trainer at easy / conversational pace, but responsiveness really takes off the faster you go. At tempo and interval paces, the shoe performed beautifully, with great pep and snap, yet still cushioned on landing in the midfoot. I can't comment too much on how it would feel for heel-strikers, but the outsole seems to provide a very smooth transition across the entire stride. I recently did a 22 mile run with the last 10 miles done at my marathon race pace (7:30/mile) and the shoes held up flawlessly. They definitely fit the bill for my needs. My marathon is at the end of March, after which time I will update my review if need be.

Summary and Recommendations

The Zealot ISO is a wonderful neutral, daily or uptempo trainer, that could also serve as a long-distance racer. It continues the comfort of the ISO series, but is lighter and more responsive than Triumph or Hurricane. It would be an ideal choice for mid to forefoot strikers looking for a fast but smooth ride on longer runs, without sacrificing cushioning. It is likely to be more comfortable on normal to wide feet that on narrower feet, but that is definitely for each to decide. So far, I am loving these shoes and cannot wait to race in them soon!

Optimum Carbohydrate Fueling for Marathon Training

As I enter the "meat and potatoes" phase of my marathon training - ramping up the weekly mileage to peak (55 miles/week in my case), long runs of 18 + miles, moving from 15k pace runs to VO2 max - it is also time to start fuel training.

Most studies of marathon runners have shown that training the body to utilize fat as the primary fuel source for as long into the race as possible is optimum for avoiding "the wall". The longer your body can burn fat, the longer it can put off burning carbohydrates, and thus the longer you last before glycogen depletion cramps your style (literally). This is accomplished two ways: high volume of training at the edge of your fat-burning zone, and the strategic intake of carbohydrates during training runs. This article gives great perspective and research on this topic.

Many of us are early morning runners, be it by necessity or preference. Unless you are getting up around 4am to eat a meal before your run, you start your run on an empty tank. This isn't too big of a deal for runs less than 45 minutes, or maybe a little longer at low intensity. We certainly have plenty of reserves for such runs, and are staying in the fat-burning zone anyways. But for longer runs or high-intensity training, some pre-run fuel is necessary to attain optimum training performance. Without it, you don't hit your goal paces and won't see the progress in your training that you need for optimum race performance.

The key is to hit the perfect balance of fat utilization training and sustaining goal pace intensities during hard workouts. In Matt Fitzgerald's most recent book on nutrition, he outlines a plan for achieving this balance in what he calls "hi / low" nutrition training, fueling during some runs and fasting during others.

Here is my plan based off of his philosophies, and examples of fuel:

Carbohydrate consumption:

• 45-60 min easy runs - no carbs
• 45-60 min hard workouts - 30 g / hour (one GU + 8-10 oz of sports drink, or 1/2 a bag of GU chomps)
• 1-2 hour easy runs - 30 g / hour on half of all type (same as above)
• Races or hard runs longer than 2 hours - 60 g / hour (two GU + a bag of GU chomps or 10-16 oz sports drink)

I have also been watching this free 4-part video series on Marathon Nutrition from Runners Connect, which is a fantastic resource. They have training and coaching plans, but also a wealth of resources in their blog. You can also purchase their Marathon Nutrition Blueprint, which is an incredible tool for calculating your specific nutrition and hydration needs for the marathon. I may be trying this out, and will post more about it as I use it.

Racing Again!

My first race back from injury was SO much more successful than I had anticipated!

On October 26th - The Florida Halloween Halfathon and 5K...I did the 5K. Had no expectations, though figured I would run at least under 23 minutes. I ran 21:36 and it felt incredible! Definitely not close to my lifetime PR, but considering it had been almost 2 years since my last race, I'll take it!

On November 15th - The Tiburun 5K, a race to raise money for shark conservation. This race combines my two favorite things: running, and marine biology! A great cause, that also supported Canterbury School's Marine Science program. I had been sick with the flu just 3 days before the race, but gave it my best. Went out with the front pack and hit the one mile mark at a crazy 6:03...yikes! Slowed a bit, and was unfortunately alone the rest of the race. It didn't feel good, and my Garmin told me I definitely was losing my goal pace. Finished in 21:06....but Garmin said the distance was actually 3.0, not 3.1. So it would have come out to be pretty close to my last race. Not too shabby for hacking up my lungs as I ran!

Next up: Tampa Times Turkey Trot 10K this Thursday. Hoping to run around 44:30 or so, but we shall see. If I run under 50:00, I qualify for seeded entry in Gasparilla, so that will be nice for sure.

It feels amazing to be racing again and to have my mind back in the race zone. Cannot wait for more!

I'm Glad I Got Injured.

Yes, you read that correctly. I am glad for my injury, the one I had been complaining about incessantly for the past month. Why?

First of all, my sports doctor has been gradually letting me run again. Started with 2.5 miles every other day, then 3 miles every day for a week, now it's 5 miles every other day, just seeing how my body is responding to the treatment. So far, so good! Some minor twinges of pain here and there, and soreness that he assures me is mostly just from working muscles that have rested for three weeks. He is most pleased that my range of motion has greatly improved in my hip, and though he is cautious in letting my normal training resume now, he is confident that my form and function will be stronger than it was pre-injury.

That is where I have adopted a new attitude towards this particular injury.

From: HealthBalanceHappiness.com

In 3 and 5 mile runs this past week, my form feels different. A little strange even, but in the best possible way. My hip extension is light years ahead of where it was, and the funny thing is that I didn't even realize that I wasn't getting the full range of motion prior to this. I have been a mid-foot striker for some time now, not overreaching my stride, keeping decent posture. But now, I feel as if someone is pushing my feet back out in front of my during the extension to takeoff phase of my stride. Dr Maggio has had me do some hamstring strengthening exercises, which undoubtedly have helped as well. My shoulders feel more relaxed and my torso seems to lift up and forward with each push-off, rather than sink into it.

Had I not incurred this pain in my lower back, glutes and hips, I would not have discovered the dysfunction in my running physiology, or found a doc who can fix it. While there is still work to be done on it, and my body has to adapt to a new running form, I am so thankful for this improvement!

So there is often silver lining, in even the most frustrating of circumstances. Often times being injured drove me mad, sad, stir-crazy, jealous, and whiny. But the payoff is coming back so much stronger, and with much greater potential for success, than I had before. Now I am not only running again, but I am very hopeful for my upcoming races. Note to self: don't get overzealous too soon....I think I have learned that lesson before, must remind self frequently. This new lesson, that an injury (at least, a relatively innocuous one) can serve an important greater purpose, is so important for many runners to consider. What may appear to be a setback can sometimes launch you forward!

Thank you so much, Dr Maggio.

Next race - my "comeback" 5K: Florida Halloween Halfathon & 5K at Ft DeSoto on Oct 26th. Check out the lineup of their events!

Team

Runners are funny. We have eccentric habits, follow seemingly absurd schedules, spend an uncanny amount of mental energy on running, even and especially when we aren't running. We have more running clothing than work, dressy, and every-day clothing, combined, and some of us have running clothing that can fit into all of those categories. And let's not even start on the shoe ratios.

What is most interesting to me is that we are also, at some point or another, the most flagrant hypocrites. Look at how I am right now we behave while injured. When discussing injury with a fellow runner or an athlete that we coach, we are Buddhas. Masters of our craft. Knowledgeable, encouraging, laden with sound advice and Yoda-esque perspective.

Listen to your body.
Cross train with something you enjoy, and you'll bounce back refreshed.
Time off now will repay you with strength later.
We've all been there. Don't worry, you'll be running again before you know it.

But when discussing an injury with ourselves, in our own heads, we go from Buddahs to babies: tears, fears, and a complete lack of perspective. Rarely rational, often inconsolable. No matter how much encouragement we hear, or temporary the setback until we return to our racing flats again, we wallow in despair over the loss of our morning meditation and our outlet for badass. We likely annoy the crap out of our family and friends, turning from our normal, running-obsessed selves (see above) to...well...running-obsessed cry babies. We sound something like this:

My season is ruined!

I'll never be as fast as I was.

All of my training is gone.

Everyone else is strong and fast, and I'm getting slower!

This hypocrisy is fairly common in the running community; it likely defines all of us at some point or another, maybe not if you've had the good fortune to avoid injury. But another interesting hypocrisy might apply to fewer of us, myself included. 

I have always been a "lone wolf" in my training. This is mostly because running is a personal, quiet meditation time in which I gather my thoughts and see where they take me. It is also because, like most of us, I am a control freak about my training, and probably subconsciously revel in the knowledge that I am building my athletic successes all on my own. Many of you can likely relate. How is this hypocrisy? I, for one, have been a XC and Track coach for 6 years. Building a team has been at the forefront of my coaching, and the benefits of training with others are so very obvious. I can't count how many times I have explained to my runners that running is NOT an "individual sport", as many tend to think of it. Runners depend on each other, in training and in racing, for their mutual benefit.

My chief teammate, and husband, Stephen

So why do I still train alone?

Good question.

I have joined a fantastic community of runners in my job at Fit-2-Run, and so thoroughly enjoy engaging with them on a daily basis. I have also joined the Oiselle Flock, and have already connected with runners from across the country, many of whom I share so much in common with besides the sport, and feel a strong sense of team bond, having not even met - let alone, run with - any of them. The warmth and strengthening I have found in both of these endeavors is such a powerful support network, it makes me re-define my ideas of "team". 

Your team is not necessarily just the people you run with. You could run with a group that you never feel a close, supportive connection to, and they wouldn't necessarily feel like your "team". 

Team is the celebration of running manifested in others.

Being a part of a team is more important to all of us - even the "lone wolf" types like me - than we often realize. I propose that ALL of us work just as hard to build our "team" in our lives as we do when we train. Whether it is an organized group, or your workplace, or family, or just other runners you connect with in whatever ways you do. Build a team. It empowers us, it empowers others, it "lifts us up where we belong", and it just flat-out makes us faster. While I don't think I can totally relinquish my running independence - my "rundependence" if you will - I am going to commit to running at least twice per week with others, be it Oiselle Flock mates or coworkers at Fit-2-Run or St Pete Road Runners or what have you. But more than that, I will continue to boost the connections of running energy in my life. More communicating with other runners, more cheering them on and swapping war stories, more of all of it. Like Will Ferrell's character in Blades of Glory, "that's me, the lone wolf, and that's you, the lone wolf who's running with the lone wolf."

Who's with me?

Scar Tissue: Pain in the Butt

Why is it that I only really seem to blog when I am injured, or excitedly returning from injury? Maybe this has just been an outlet for frustration. Not acceptable! I need to better document my running journey, for my own reflection primarily, and maybe in hope that it can be of use or inspiration to fellow runners.

So, an update. Since settling back in in St Pete, I got a part-time job at Fit-2-Run (awesome people to work with, great to connect with other local runners) and in my training, have been following the Hanson's Half-Marathon method primarily. The premise of which: fast speed work in early phase, strength workouts in middle phase, with lots of race pace-specific mileage.

I liked it, and it was working fairly well so far. I was beginning to master my tempo pace (7:20/mile) over 3 and 4 consecutive miles, and even ran a 22:50 5K in the middle of my workout. Definitely not a fast 5K race time for me, but pretty damn good for the middle of a workout, 10 months after giving birth. I was struggling a little bit with the faster (5K race pace) intervals, though.

All was going well...so, so well...and in the midst of this, my Brooks Adrenalines were starting to feel a bit different, more lumbering and too roomy. After spending some time on the camera treadmill at my workplace, I discovered two intriguing anomalies of my post-partum body:

1) My running shoe size went from size 9 down to a size 8
2) I no longer overpronate.

What?

Isn't everything supposed to get bigger after having a baby? Not smaller and more efficient? Whatever, I'll take it! So now, am in a soft, comfy neutral trainer - Brooks Glycerin 12 - and am doing speed/tempo runs in Saucony Kinvara 5 (see left). I never could wear Kinvaras before, as they were always too narrow and didn't support my pronating feet, but due to my body changes and the wider toebox in the newest model of the Kinvaras, they are perfect! Fast and light, could even be a racing flat.

I was finally starting to feel like my old running self again! Fast, confident, and had trimmed down to about 6 lbs lighter than I had weighed in years. Couldn't wait for my trip with baby Jack to NY, and the 10 miler race I was planning on running there.

Then it happened. Low back pain on the left side this time, which initially felt like I just didn't sleep well on it (with an 11 month old, it happens. A lot.) But the pain persisted, and started traveling down into my glutes and hip.

Too. Damn. Familiar.

I knew right away why this was happening: with our new family schedules and Jack needing me as soon as I walk in the door from my runs, I was neglecting my strength training, and post-run stretching/rolling. Basically I was doing little to none. And I should know better. Definitely, should know better.

So I engaged in typical foam rolling, denial that I should take it easy, icing, heating, more denial, and then two days before the race in Nyack, my cousin (an amazing massage therapist) worked on me a bit, and she suggested some strengthening exercises. Called Foundation Training, these were lower back, glute, and hamstring exercises, that would also improve my posture and stabilize my core. Great exercises, though too late for my 10 miler. The day before the race, I did a test run, which did not go well. It didn't feel exactly like before - possibly not the piriformis - but definitely hip and lower back pain. Part of me wanted to grit through it and race, but the other part knew better. So I didn't run. I moped, I cried, I watched other runners gleefully run through town on a beautiful, perfect day. And then we went into NYC as a nice consolation prize. A wonderful day! Where else could Jack and I hang out with Teddy but at the Museum of Natural History?

Upon returning to St Pete, I grappled with what to do next: see a chiropractor, see a physical therapist, find another ART practitioner? A coworker gave me a recommendation for a sports doctor who practices Manual Adhesion Release - distinct from ART in that it takes a more targeted approach to soft tissue problems by analyzing motion, rather than a shotgun approach to the symptoms. My coworker said Dr Maggio at Peak Performance Sports Therapy worked wonders on her, so I set up an appointment with him. He was able to diagnose my issue fairly quickly based on my range of motion: scar tissue buildup on my hip, interfering with proper muscle contraction in my "deep 6" muscles.

Now we get to work...his techniques are similar to ART, taking my leg through a range of motion while he works to break up the scar tissue. It hurt like hell, and afterwards I was sore in a part of my body I didn't think I could be. But I trust his assessment, and trust that the process will take time to fix my issue for the long term. He assured me that I would most likely be able to resume training for the Women's Running Half Marathon in November, my near-term goal race.

I am grounded from exercise of any kind for the rest of the week, going on 1.5 weeks of no running now. While I am, of course, going a little bit crazy (especially working at a running store), I am able to keep better perspective than before. Though I am still sore when I rotate my hip at all, my range of motion has been improving.

No less than 2 days after my first appointment with Dr Maggio, the Women's Running Half Marathon was cancelled. Very sad about this for lots of reasons, though maybe its a blessing in disguise for me. I can fully commit to getting my body healthy and stronger, so that I can make a powerful comeback at the Tomoka Marathon in March.

This injury, here is what I have learned thus far:

- Scar tissue can build up over years of muscle stress, not just from acute injuries
- Scar tissue can be cleared fairly quickly
- The "deep 6 muscles" are a real bitch to massage and treat. They are the hip's external rotator muscles and are shown below (piriformis, gemellus superior, obturatur internus, gemellus inferior, obturatur externus, quadratus femoris)
- Back pain can be attributed to hip dysfunction and muscle compensation
- Improvements in my posture and back strength will significantly help my running (once my hip is healthy)

None of these things are surprising, they do make a lot of sense. I am now committed to getting this pain in the butt healed, and committed to better strength training to prevent future injuries. Stephen and I joined LA Fitness just three blocks away from our home, and I have established a stretching routine that works with Jack's schedule. We shall soon see how the recovery goes, and how quickly my fitness returns to normal...

In other news, today I became a member of the Oiselle Flock! Very excited to be connecting with this awesome group of women in their running pursuits. It already is great to see them on Twitter, and they have been so welcoming and warm to the new members. Helps me feel less alone during my runless days. Can't wait to get my singlet, and more than that, I can't wait to be "Fit-2-Race" once again!

New Home, New Running

It has been a while since my last post, namely due to our big move back East. We moved from Monterey CA back to St Petersburg, FL in June, and what a crazy month of preparation, packing, moving, unpacking, and settling in it has been! Not to mention with a pre-crawling 8.5 month old along...

Didn't run during the week-long trip - just couldn't make it happen and manage Jack's adjustment to life on the road. One exception - ran a 5K with an old friend of mine on Father's Day. She is actually responsible for getting me into distance running back when I was in high school and her husband was the school's XC coach. I owe my love of running to Sue and Chris! It was a blast to do a run with her, all these years later. Not anywhere close to a PR for me, but just going through the process of racing was enough to get my mind thinking competitively again...

Now back in Florida, and battling the summer heat and humidity. These last couple of weeks totally kicked me on my butt. I felt heavier and slower than ever before, and I know it is NOT due to one week off from running. The temperatures have been in the mid-80s to 90s with about 70-85% humidity, most mornings. A couple of runs weren't TOO bad, but most have been horrible. A 10:00/mile pace is sometimes all I can manage, but then on occasion I can bust out a solid 7:30 pace for a mile or so. It is just an adjustment period, I know, but it is an especially painful one this time around! Planning on running a beach 5K at the end of the month, not to try to PR (no way in the heat AND in the SAND) but will at least get the feel of racing back into me.

Ran a mile time trial on Friday morning, and plan to do one every two weeks for a while to look for progress. Wasn't pretty - though it was later in the morning than usual and definitely more humid - only 6:45. I want to get it down to about 6:15 next time, and down to 5:45 by the end of the summer.

That's all for now...more when I have adjusted!