INITIALLY, I was a little dubious about the accuracy of the Garmin fēnix 6 series watches. While running a track work-out this month, I programmed the watch to time and measure me over 10 efforts of a quarter of a mile with 90sec recovery. Years ago, I would have continually started and paused a stopwatch and even had to try to remember the splits myself. Yet now, I could run on auto-pilot as the watch issued a five-bleep countdown at the start and finish of every effort. The only problem was, the watch frustratingly bleeped to end each effort a few metres after the finish of each 400 metres circuit.
‘Hmm, not 100% accurate, is it?’ I thought to myself. But then I realised that a quarter of a mile is slightly longer than 400 metres!
A mile is 1609m in total, so the watch was in fact spot on and I had effectively been outsmarted by the smart watch.
When the session ended there was further proof that the watch was far cleverer than myself, or indeed any of the watches I have worn in the past, when I synced the device to the Garmin Connect app on my phone and I began to soak up the statistics. In addition to every repetition being measured for time, there were details of my heart rate (the average and maximum), cadence (average and maximum plus average stride length), together with details such as the temperature, elevation and so on.
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Carbon Footprint
You'd have had to have been running on a different planet to miss all the recent debate about carbon-plated shoes. The talk of bans and performance enhancement has been so widespread that even non-runners are asking their running friends about the potentially magical footwear.
Trail time
WHEN looking for a trail or off-road running shoe, it’s often all about the grip. However, given that no two paths are the same, careful consideration is required. What’s the terrain like where you’ll wear the shoes the most? If you’ll be negotiating soft, wet and muddy conditions then look for deeper lugs. For tackling gravel tracks and forest trails then more evenly spaced lugs will work better. When it comes to cushioning, consider how hard the ground will be; if it’s soft then you’ll be fine in low-profile shoes, but on those firmer tracks reasonable cushioning will be called for.
Stay neutral
EVOLVING every year, if not month, neutral cushioned shoes are seeing developments in cushioning materials and dynamics at a pace which is nothing short of astonishing. The latest models feature new polymers in the midsoles to give them a cushioned feel while at the same time keeping their weight to a minimum. Give them a spin and choose the most comfortable for mile after mile of shock absorbing running.
Support network
WHEN it comes to ‘over-pronation’, a common question is ‘how much is over?’. With no hard and fast rules, it’s best to choose a shoe that instinctively feels right. Gait analysis can often assist in helping you make this choice and your specialist running store is always a good place to start if in doubt. To help you make that choice, here’s a selection of some of the best ‘support’ shoes around.
Need for speed
THE racing shoe segment of the market is becoming somewhat split. This is partially due to the rise of carbon-plated footwear but also the fact that many shoes are becoming much lighter. Here we take a look at some of the leading contenders to toe the line in.
Gadget show
WITH technological products to enhance every area of life, running is now no different. From headphones to treadmills, the devices to aid performance and recovery are endless. Here we take a look at some of the latest gadgets and gizmos to enhance your training.
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