SBR Utopia ~~~~ Permanently OPEN!! (Page 53)

Anybody doing the majority of their runs no socks?  I was slowly switching over for SOS, using zoot TTs (ebay special, lightly used, $40 ) but hve been running longer and longer in them.  Last weekend ran 15 over 4 runs (3, 4, 7, 1) in one workout, yesterday ran 11.  Both were a mix of trails and pavement and hilly, but have been having no issues (other than the zoots aren't terribly supportive).

I actually find it very comfortable for runs up to 8-9 miles, over that the bottoms of my feet start to get beat up a bit.

It's just weird as I was never a no-sock runner.

Unfortunately, from the looks of Milwaukee didn't seem to help my T times though.....

I do. Or I guess I should say I did. Really it felt no different to me than running with socks. And in non-tri specific shoes. The problem is, it makes my shoes smell really bad. So, for my new shoes I have a "must wear socks" policy. 

I could probably transition to my sauconys much better now sockless.   Before it just felt weird.

But yeah, I am sure the smell takes a toll, and the shoes ain't cheap

A reason I may eventually get around to racing sockless, but not training.

I used to run sockless a lot but haven't at all this year.  I kept having blister issues earlier this summer and didn't dare ditch the socks.  Now that I've switched shoes, the blisters seem to be under control so I could probably try but I don't think I'll be doing any more short course races that would call for it this year.  So I probably won't until next year.

Considering the fact I never race sockless for anything greater than an Olympic I never train sockless - unless I've forgotten them at home. 

Last week when I posted about the athlete check-in issues, I was at an all-time training low -- every thing I did felt like complete and utter garbage....like I was somehow losing fitness when I should be gaining.  And then I found out that I might not even get to race since I wouldn't be there in time to pick up my packet.  A small part of me wanted them to just say, "Nope, sorry, if you can't be here on time, you can't race" -- for which I would have just bailed because it wasn't worth the time or money to change my flights and such...

Anyways, it took them a week to get back to me....and in that time, I continued my training and somehow things started looking up again.  My running and riding started coming back and I no longer felt like all the work I'd put in was for naught. 

Finally got a response this morning and they'll allow me to pick my packet up a little bit late....whew!!  I did get "scolded" about not respecting how huge of an endeavor an Ironman branded race is and how I shouldn't try to rush through the process and cut my acclimating time short....hah, almost like the person responding forgot we all had to race at least one Ironman 70.3 to qualify for this race

But I digress -- I get to race and I'm really excited about it!!  And I'm determined to enjoy the crap out of my taper this time....it's going splendidly so far!

Great news Nicole - as to the feeling crappy piece, the last time I raced HIM I had a terrible ride just 2 weeks out from the race and started to doubt where my fitness was.  Rusty calmed me down and told me that "that feeling" sounded just about right to him this far out from the race.  I followed it up with a really good ride the following weekend, and race day (apart from some key issues) was a good ride.

Of course I just put in a solid ride last weekend, so who knows what that means...

That's great to hear Nicole!  Glad things worked out and you can race, I think you will do great!

The race is actually on the 7th, so I'm about a week and a half out....but appreciate all the well wishes!  Other than a very off week three weeks out, I was happy with my training leading up to the race.  I'm determined to enjoy taper and not stress -- so far, so good.  Can't wait to be up in Mont Tremblant and out of the Houston heat for a bit!

The hay is in the barn, as they say.  No reason to stress - just soak up all the livin' easy that you can!  I hope you tear it up (and enjoy some cooler weather - yow, it can get hot here!).  You're ready.

To the early posts on socklessness, I still ride sockless unless it's freezing out (should be relatively rare now) in TriVents.  Last 2 years I went largely sockless running, as well and only wore them for HM or HIM or longer training runs.

This year has been disappointing in that my shoes have some threads/tags/something that is making my left middle toe bleed after about 2-3 miles (even though one set is the TriNoosa and "made" for sockless running).  Socks have fixed that.  I miss running sockless, but I don't like bleeding through my uppers…  

If they didn't break my feet, I'd just stay with my old Newtons (I miss those shoes!).

Matt

I know that helmets are very individual and test out very differently depending on whose noddle it sits on, btu I recall there being some consensus over on ST about one of the newer helmets that tended to work well for a range of people.  It didn't have a name, rather it was some letters and/or digits but for the life of me I can't remember who the manufacturer - anyone know?  Oh, and the new Catlike Aero helmets posted on ST from Interbike look really nice.

Neil - I think the helmet you are referring to is the LG P-09, maybe? I replace my helmets every 3 seasons or so, and am going to spring for a new one as well for next year (besides Arend said I needed to get one with red in it). I was just looking on ST at all the new helmets that are coming out - looks like that market is about to bust wide open and it will then be IMPOSSIBLE to decide what works best. heh.

Wait, you haven't done that yet?  You're losing your touch.  

We should organize an SBR Utopia winter training camp where Marc helps us all test our cda and various options for improving it.  Aero camp - Utopia style!

I'm in -- can we do it in Hawaii?  Or maybe socal?  Somewhere where the weather won't suck

Non sucky weather is #1 on the requirements list.

I would be there!

But, heck - it would be cool if he took all that spare time he has laying around and did a virtual camp - set us all up with the same/similar protocols and we all did it on our own, testing what we had, etc. Could be a very good, fun and enlightening experience and discussion!

I am only slightly (SLIGHTLY!) embarrassed to say that I almost put some red stickers on my helmet for nationals based on your keen observation, but I just simply ran out of time!