Ecco Biom Natural Motion running shoe concept reviews

http://www.thebiomproject.com/

PR's PNQ review

Positive:

• durable materials (injected PU, yak or textile upper)
• A, B and C (next year) models for fast, normal and slow runners
• the new concept is based on real biomechanics research and developed with University of Cologne
• a wide enough toebox to allow natural spreading of toes

Negative:

• one of the most expensive running shoes
• not the most eco-friendly or lightweight materials
• could prove to be a touch too stiff, hard or noisy
• heart issues forced 'Thunderbear' Sindballe to quit before winning Ironman in Bioms

Questions:

• has anyone actually completed a fast marathon successfully with these yet?
• will the prices come down by half so that ordinary runners could afford them?
• do they naturally strengthen your feet and help reduce injuries like running barefoot does?
• will the next Biom generation feature a lighter (Nike Lunar type) design?

More reviews:

http://www.runningandrambling.com/2009/10/ecco-biom-running-shoe-review.html

http://www.id-mag.com/article/LessCushionforthePushin/

Race Across The Sky trailer

Just a Little Run Around The World

After losing her husband to cancer, Rosie Swale Pope set off from Wales in October 2003 and ran solo across Europe, Siberia, Alaska, Canada, USA, Greenland, Iceland, the Faroes, Scotland and England. After five long years, she finally returned back home in Wales in August 2008.

Just a Little Run Around the World tells chronologically what happened during her epic journey. Amazingly she was able to live self-supported in a tiny tent most of the time while on the road. She also managed to run a couple of marathon races (Omsk and Chicago).

It's an interesting adventure/travel/survival book, and possibly inspiring for ultrarunners as well. Having published books before, Rosie knows how to write. There are a few typos but it was still easy and fun to read.

The author was born in Davos, Switzerland. She ran London Marathon in her late forties, and then participated in Swiss Alpine Marathon in Davos. Rosie was able to locate and meet her 98-year-old Swiss foster mother there, who had taken care of her as a baby. Rosie also mentions having completed Marathon des Sables, the famous six day event in Sahara, before her Run Around the World.

Fruit and vegs healthier with dairy fat than without

Food Choices and Coronary Heart Disease: A Population Based Cohort Study of Rural Swedish Men with 12 Years of Follow-up found that daily intake of fruit and vegetables was associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease when combined with a high dairy fat consumption, but not when combined with a low dairy fat consumption.

Choosing wholemeal bread or eating fish at least twice a week showed no association with the outcome.

Europe135 UltraMarathon in September 2010

http://www.europe135.eu/

Trail magazine 9 is now online!

Trail magazine number 9/2009 (Oct/Nov) is now available online. It's free, it's in German, and it's full of great photos!

VO2 Vantaa Marathon

The Sunday weather was perfect for VO2 Vantaa Marathon. It was very chilly and frosty in the morning. Once the sun got up it was wonderful - although still chilly and frosty. We are definitely heading towards winter here.

Vantaa is the northern suburb of Helsinki, which has been an independent town since 1974. Anyway it's easily accessible by train and the race is one of the fastest and best organized in Finland. There are usually less than 500 marathon runners so it's possible to show up 30 minutes before the start, buy a race number, change clothes and go for it.

VO2 is a Finnish sports TV program. They filmed the race for their next show.

Unfortunately I felt less than perfect when the race started at 11 AM. After the first of the four 10.5K loops I gradually gave up. I didn't make any mistakes. However there was nothing I could do about it. Just one of those days when the legs are not there when you need them.

My finish time 3:25:20 is way slower than what I hoped for, but nevertheless my fastest marathon result this year.

My lap times were as follows:

1. 0:44:52 (10.5 km), placing 8. in M45 age group
2. 0:49:45 (21.1 km), total 1:34:37, 12./M45
3. 0:53:41 (31.6 km), total 2:28:18, 16./M45
4. 0:57:02 (42.2 km), 3:25:20, 18./M45.

Special thanks for musician Lenni-Kalle Taipale and his family/neighbours for the loud percussion-based cheer station along the way. That provided a nice contrast to the otherwise quiet and somewhat dull course.

RD Harri Mannermaa is a super-fast marathoner himself, and it shows in every detail of the efficient race organisation. This time the all the work he has put up for the race took up its toll as he DNF'd after 35K and took a taxi to to the finish line - where he continued working of course.

The overall winner was Harri Nissinen with 2:28:26.

Crowie and Chrissie win Ironman Kona again

2009 Ironman Hawaii results are in: no big surprises on Big Island.

Craig Alexander (AUS), second consecutive win in Kona, 8:20:21.



Chrissie Wellington (GB), third consecutive win in Kona, 8:54:02 (new course record).

Kona Underpants Run

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2009/10october/20091009underwear.htm

RED LIGHT biking rules PSA