New Shoe Review (Somnio)

Somnio. A shoe concept that was really interesting to me. Okay, so we have seen this before right... Anyone remember the Adidas 1...? In my opinion, the worst, most painful, most over-priced shoes I have ever had! Hands Down! But these Somnios... Hmmm... They seem to be a real running shoe. So that being said..

It took me a few weeks and $130.00 but I got a pair. I am neutral so naturally I got the Runaissance. I wanted to really, really test these shoes out. Now as a preface to this review I will say that I am in marathon training right now, and I was having major pain in my forefoot (right foot only). So at the running store we discovered that I was a supinator (right foot only). Somnio can solve this problem, just put the blue (hard) insert in the back of the shoe and the orange (soft) in the forefoot. Now my right foot has a very, very slight pronation. Perfect!

So to test these out, I put them through a 20 mile training run right off the bat. Amazing! That is the only way I can put it. I have never felt better at mile 17 that I did during that run. What a great shoe. And just to verify my finding, I did my next 20 mile training run in my Nike Vomeros... I felt terrible 15 miles in, my feet and hips were killing me. Somnio Runaissance wins the day! I also ran a half marathon (my debut) in the Somnios, put down a 1:27:51. Felt strong all the way through the finish. I attribute that to hard work and the correct shoes.

My advice, try these shoes out the thinking and research put into these shoes makes them a real winner. Check out the website and the videos. No, I don't work for Somnio (although, I would love to). I just feel like when I find something this good, I need to share it.






Find your Somnio Running Shoes here:

http://www.somniorunning.com/

Great Article About Strength Training for Runners

Strength training is a very important part of my personal running style. I do many different exercises to help my upper body and core be a strong as possible. I usually start on Monday by doing some light work on the bench press. Do your body weight if possible 3 sets of 10-12 is good enough. If you don't go to a gym, you can always do push ups 75-100 daily will yield great results. After the bench press, move right into some core workouts.. Now for abs and obliques there are so many options in my opinion. I have found many "new" and useful exercises on Runnersworld.com

Here is a video that will illustrate some GREAT routines:



Also a great article from active.com that speaks to the idea of working out better than I can alone:

http://www.active.com/running/Articles/How-Strength-Training-Helps-Your-Run.htm?act=EMC-Active&Vehicle=Running&Date=02_16_10&Edition=1&Sections=Articles&Creative=5_Strength_Training_Exercises_You_Should_Do_Today&TextName=5_Strength_Training_Exercises_You_Should_Do_Today&ArtText=Txt&Placement=2&Dy=Tue

Well, I hope that the video, the article, and my ramblings help you to run stronger, faster, and enjoy running more. Good Luck and Happy Running!

What Inspires Me To Run?

As a fairly new runner, I still be nervous before any race. I have found that the success and struggles of others' motivate me to perform at my best. Here are a few of the videos that have played in my mind during race and training runs when I thought I couldn't make it another step: Enjoy!





Both are amazing videos.

I hope that these can motivate you the same way that they motivate me.

Please Visit : www.virtualroadracing.com

Cheers!