Advice offered - Page 2

Greg · #16 10th Mar 06, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollywood

Actually young man, I have been meaning to talk with you... It's about the BPTT race route.... Have you noticed how everyone else runs around the outside of that tree at the end of the straight ;-) ?

Aaaah... Yes but... I'm sure your bionic eyes will have spotted that last week the cone was well and truly inside the tree, thereby triggering a moral dilemma, the answer to which was that I decided to follow the course as it was marked, rather than as it should have been marked. But I will gladly refund that half-second, and offer to run the next race naked while flagellating myself.

NFRoadRunner · #17 16th Mar 06, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollywood

Hi Nick

I'm a huge fan of Sweatshop.

I moved to Teddington 12 years ago - and how lucky am I with my local running shop :-)

However, I am bit "miffed" that you've stopped providing a treadmill for testing out shoes on. To me it's really important to give new shoes at least a minute's worth of trial - something I really can't do just running around the small shop floor.

Is there any way you can open up the use of the treadmill again within the Teddington store? I think it's still back there in the physio room...

Cheers

Hollywood

If its a dry day, my mates at Teddington should be ok with you taking the shoes for a couple of minutes up and down the pavement outside (Just don't run through any dogcrap!

). When I was working there last February, the treadmill was available when there were no clients in the treatment room.

Hollywood · #18 20th Apr 06, 01:46 PM

Hi Sweatshop types...

A little bit of a cheeky question...

We went to the FLM expo yesterday and they had some excellent offers on the Asics 1100 lady shoes. Shiraz wanted to buy (at least) 2 pairs for 72 pounds.... but they'd sold out :-( - they did say there would be new stock delivered later in the expo but we can't keep going back...

Is there any chance Sweatshop will be offering similar deals online? Or in their shops? Or at any other races?

Not really expecting any luck on this - I understand that you're probably just clearing out the old stock.

Cheers

H

No.8 · #19 21st Apr 06, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick

Hello everyone.

My name is Nick Pearson, and I am the buying director for Sweatshop, the biggest specialist running account in Europe with 25 stores in the UK. I am still directly involved in the selection of our footwear ranges, and generally get to see all the shoes from all of the suppliers 6-12 months before they hit the stores. Should I be able to help any of you with advice on any footwear issues please feel free to post your questions here.

Nick,

I have always run in Asics GT 2100 after getting fitted at my local Milton Keynes Sweatshop, now that these have been superseded by the 2110 is it just a straight forward transition to them (are the differences subtle) or is there a disctinct difference between new and old that may effect my running mechanics? Thanks 8

hammerite · #20 22nd Apr 06, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by No.8

Nick,

I have always run in Asics GT 2100 after getting fitted at my local Milton Keynes Sweatshop, now that these have been superseded by the 2110 is it just a straight forward transition to them (are the differences subtle) or is there a disctinct difference between new and old that may effect my running mechanics? Thanks 8

Good question No.8 as a 2100 wearer (and always trying to find places still selling them off cheap!) I'm interested in knowing the difference too.

Hollywood · #21 22nd Apr 06, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollywood

Hi Sweatshop types...

A little bit of a cheeky question...

We went to the FLM expo yesterday and they had some excellent offers on the Asics 1100 lady shoes. Shiraz wanted to buy (at least) 2 pairs for 72 pounds.... but they'd sold out :-( - they did say there would be new stock delivered later in the expo but we can't keep going back...

Is there any chance Sweatshop will be offering similar deals online? Or in their shops? Or at any other races?

Not really expecting any luck on this - I understand that you're probably just clearing out the old stock.

Cheers

H

You can ignore this one now - I cycled back to the show and bought some of the stock :-)

No.8 · #22 27th Apr 06, 07:09 PM

Was it something I said

Nick · #23 9th May 06, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollywood

Hi Sweatshop types...

A little bit of a cheeky question...

We went to the FLM expo yesterday and they had some excellent offers on the Asics 1100 lady shoes. Shiraz wanted to buy (at least) 2 pairs for 72 pounds.... but they'd sold out :-( - they did say there would be new stock delivered later in the expo but we can't keep going back...

Is there any chance Sweatshop will be offering similar deals online? Or in their shops? Or at any other races?

Not really expecting any luck on this - I understand that you're probably just clearing out the old stock.

Cheers

H

Hi Hollywood

I only had a limited amount of 1100's, hence the reason I was doing them at such a cheap price in just the one place, what size are you, if I have 2 pairs left in the appropriate size you can have the same price.

Best Regards

Nick · #24 9th May 06, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoabyBoy

Hi Nick, thanks for getting back to me.

I currently wear Mizuno Wave Nirvana 2's for training in (motion control), I also wear Saucony Fastwitch Endurance for racing/speed work and I wear Inov8 mudclaws for hill running. I run most days, taking rest the day before a race. I have been runnning competitively for a year now. My weekly mileage is between 50 and 60. The injuries are always around the knee area. My right knee suffers from ITBS, which I am managing with compression bandages and stretching. These methods are proving successful. More recently I have been getting pain in my left knee down the inside and behind. I have to say that I never get pain during or after racing, speed work or hill training (apart from the normal thigh burn!!). only after steady, recovery or long runs. These runs are usually on a variety of surfaces from tarmac to grass. Height: 5' 9", Weight: 10st 4pnds.

The reason I wanted your advice is because I keep getting differing views from different places. I have had video gait analysis in two separate 'specialist' running shops in Edinburgh (none of them sweatshop - although I do shop there for clothes). My first post on this thread was my most recent analysis and to be fair the guy showed me running with 4 different shoes on and synchronised the videos so that each step was in time. He showed me the quick rate of pronation, and that I don't over pronate, and suggested a pair of Nike shoes (i have forgotten the name, sorry), but I wanted to have more choice when i am due to change shoe (in a few weeks). I was also told that the Nirvanas won't cause me any (more) problems but they are not the correct shoe for me, and that the ideal shoe for me was one that was more cusioned on the outside (heel strike) and more rigid on the inside, to help the rate of pronation and to stop the heel snap effect that I currently experience. The first analysis I got (when I bought the Nirvanas) the assistant told me that I was a bad over pronator. He seemed to make the judgment without looking back at the video, as he says he has seen thousands of feet and just knows by looking at them!!! I don't think I will be back there!

Anyway, what confuses me (and maybe you could answer this for me) is that I experience no pain when racing or doing speed sessions. I have never tried a long run in my racing flats, but if using them is going to mean pain free, I might just do that!!!
(my 10k times are around the 34, 35 minutes mark and I race up to half marathon, if this info is useful).

Thanks again in advance.
BoabyBoy

Hi BoabyBoy

I apologise for the delay.

It would be very difficlt for me to give you a conclusive opinion without having a good luck myself.

What I would say that most runners will find that a specialist running shop will them the correct 'type' of shoe, by the questions they ask, a physical examination, and maybe video analysis. However a very small minority of runners will have such intricate issues that it is easy to get conflicting advice. You even find this occurring with physio's and qualified biomechanists.

The current range of Nike shoes incorporates the 'free motion' principle, which relys on a very quick deformation of the outside of the heel on impact, to start to decrease the force of pronation. There is an argument that the rigidity of conventional support shoes actually accelerate the rate and angle of pronation. It certainly sounds that this may be the case for you, namely that video analysis shows that you over pronate, yet you seem to have less trouble with flexible shoes. If I had to guess, the Structure Triax would be a good choice.

If I can be of any further help then please let me know.

Nick · #25 9th May 06, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollywood

To be fair... 2 years ago I know they let me use the treadmill - but last Summer when I was shoe shopping the assistant definitely said that the treadmill was permanently out of bounds.

I like the sound of the refit - and I'll be interested to see what you build. I can imagine that quite a lot of the time you won't need 3 treadmills - but then on Saturday mornings I can definitely see there still being a queue!

Thanks for the reply and good luck!

P.S. Please make sure you thoroughly clean (or maybe burn?) all the shoes that Greg's tried on ;-)

Hi Hollywood/Greg

I have got the guys at Teddinton to move the treadmill out of the treatment rooms and into the shop, it is now free to use any time when trialling the shoes.

Greg · #26 9th May 06, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick

Hi Hollywood/Greg

I have got the guys at Teddinton to move the treadmill out of the treatment rooms and into the shop, it is now free to use any time when trialling the shoes.

Now that is good news. It is such a bonus to be able to try the shoes on properly.

Hollywood · #27 10th May 06, 08:28 AM

Thanks Nick - I will be in "soon" for more shoes

Hollywood · #28 20th Jun 06, 03:04 PM

Nick

I went in last week and bought some new shoes - not any racers yet as they were very low in stock on racing shoes for normal size feet... but I did get to try on some Mizunos, Asics and Nikes and the treadmill was very available and very useful.

So thanks for the good service :-)

H

Nick · #29 20th Jun 06, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollywood

Nick

I went in last week and bought some new shoes - not any racers yet as they were very low in stock on racing shoes for normal size feet... but I did get to try on some Mizunos, Asics and Nikes and the treadmill was very available and very useful.

So thanks for the good service :-)

H

Hi Hollywood

Thanks for the comments, you are correct we are short on racing flats at the moment, is there anything specifically you are looking for that I can help you with ?
Plans for the up grade of Teddington are well advanced, you should see something pretty innovative and spectacular by the end of the year.

Hollywood · #30 20th Jun 06, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick

Hi Hollywood

Thanks for the comments, you are correct we are short on racing flats at the moment, is there anything specifically you are looking for that I can help you with ?
Plans for the up grade of Teddington are well advanced, you should see something pretty innovative and spectacular by the end of the year.

The upgrade sounds interesting - although the cheapskate in me misses the old days when the store was a mess and you had all the sale racks in the middle all the time :-)

I'm looking for something light and racy specifically for 5k and 10k races. I've always bought quite "solid" shoes (even the Reebok Premier Lite's aren't really very light) and I'm now so close to 20 minutes for 5km that I want to have a go at something light (every second counts!) - but I know I've got to be careful that I'm not that light myself and that my feet are fairly wide...

So I'm thinking:

I'd love to try some Nike Mayfly's - but the chances are they're going to be too thin for me (and I'm definitely too late to get those lovely Union Jack ones from your website - you've sold out of most sizes!)
I'd like to take a look at the Asics Gel Racers - but I've never really fitted an Asics shoe so I'm not that hopeful
New Balance might be a good chance for a good fit - at least they do different widths - but I've no idea what light race shoes they have (yet)
There's quite a lot of hope in Saucony Fastwitch and Type A shoes (and my credit card is currently a sucker for anything mentioning triathlon...)
I'm open to ideas

I don't care how bright the shoes look - part of getting them is for positive psychology - I want to think myself quicker :-)

Cheers

H (who's so committed to getting quicker that he's skipping Straggler's speed training in favour of the football tonight)