Humble Running Newsletter #26
Broken Arrow, TrailCon, Catching up..
Let’s get caught up in reverse order - I spent a week over in Olympic Valley running the Broken Arrow Skyrace Triple Crown as well as partaking in all of the fun TrailCon events and activities. It was my second year at TrailCon, but my first time running the Broken Arrow Races.
The Broken Arrow course was absolutely spectacular - so challenging in different ways.. Huge climbs, runnable parts up high, steep descents, and technical sections that dared you to run fast and stay upright at the same time.
I managed to come away unscathed (sort of - more on that later). Well at least the injury that I’ve been coming back from didn’t flare up at all. My left leg felt totally fine, no issues at all which was a huge relief. Fitness on the other hand, or lack thereof..
Let’s just say I’m itching to get back into actual training where I can build myself up as opposed to just working back towards some semblance of a baseline.
I put together a couple of race recap videos across all three events (Ascent, 46k, 23k) - with clips from out on the course in case you’ve never experienced it.
I didn’t take clips from the final ascent up the Stairway to Heaven. Each time I was totally gassed by that point, and it was definitely the smart (and safe) call to use my hands to keep my balance and grab the railings sometimes.
Shoes of Broken Arrow & TrailCon
Check out this video where I walk through all the shoes I brought along with me for the trip.
..and a couple of new ones that I picked up.
I also got to demo a couple of new releases - you may have heard about the upcoming Mount to Coast M1?
Perhaps you haven’t heard of this one - the new On Cloudultra Peak, which just released today. Not sure what’s going on over at On, but this one just kind of snuck out, with nowhere near the fanfare and build up like last season’s Cloudultra Pro.
On the drive over to California, I stopped for a quick test run in Nevada in the new Adidas Terrex Agravic SL. Something tells me that this shoe may end up on more than a few “best of” lists when all is said and done in 2026.
norda 055 imminent
Mark your calendars, like and subscribe, hit the notification bell, do whatever you gotta do - the norda 055 will be officially released on July 9.
Check out my First Look video for the details to get you primed for the release. I’ll likely do some type of video when the shoe is released, but not a full review yet. I need more miles.
If you’re definitely planning on ordering - they fit similarly (sizing-wise) to the 005. I can say this confidently as I have the 055 in a US 10.0 and the 005 in both US 10 and 10.5. The size 10s definitely match. There are also definite differences between the uppers which I will detail in the next video - stay tuned!
Speedland Reviews & Updates
Check out my Shoes of Broken Arrow & TrailCon video for some details on upcoming Speedland models. My recent reviews of both the RX:FPY (I believe the same as the new RX:PNW) and GS:BLK models have been plagued by some fit issues.
Basically - I can’t get enough lock down with a single BOA, and with two BOAs, the upper BOA tends to dig into the side of my foot when the shoe twists on uneven terrain. Enter the RX:LDVL..
My favorite Speedland upper setup - the ankle STRAP! Loved this in the GL:PDX, and love it here. The TPEE midsole of the LDVL (stands for Leadville) is also a clear win - lots of energy, bounce, and seems to be quite a bit lighter. More to come here!
Fun & Games at TrailCon
Not everything was all fun & games at TrailCon. Well at least it started out that way - with the Precision Fuel & Hydration 100m (meter) dash..
I jumped into this one again since it was super fun last year. It was all smiles and jokes in the corral about not getting injured or pulling a muscle, and guess what happens to me..
Yea I pulled my hamstring! I actually made it to the second round like last year, had a better start this time, was in 3rd or 4th spot, then bang! Hamstring got me! I’ve never had a hamstring pull or strain before so this is totally new. It’s been a full week now, and I’ve gradually progressed into a slow/easy pace after a bunch of very demoralizing walk/jog sessions. I’ve also been on the indoor bike which has gradually improved day by day.
It’s strange because I can so acutely feel the tightness come on as the pace increases that I literally cannot run faster even if I wanted to, which is different than other injuries or niggles (usually you can grit your teeth and run through some irritation).
But I do think I avoided a serious injury as I finally did my first trail run last night. It feels like maybe another full week and it should be back to normal. Good timing anyway as I’ve got a fun family vacation coming up this week. I will see you back out on the trails very soon!
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