I'd been waiting for this day to come by -- the first time I would be able to do interval training and break out my new Saucony Type A6 racing flats that I bought online.
After training in last year's Saucony Kinvara 5s and running races in Skechers Go Run 2 and 3s, I knew I wanted to try out a minimalist racing flat. This shoe has the same 4 mm drop as the shoes I previously trained in.
I ordered them online because even the local running store doesn't carry them. Racing flats are a totally different category of running shoe and these specialized shoes aren't really things that are introduced to the average runner (Mizuno even doesn't really recommend them for the average recreational runner).
It was also confusing asking the guy at the store if they had the Saucony A6, which sounds a lot like the brand "Asics." (Get it?)
Yet one thing about this class of shoe was different -- the issue of socks. Many runners in the forums I looked into typically didn't wear socks with their racing flats. And why not? These sleek shoes felt really comfortable without the thin (protective) layer I usually train in.
So this morning I headed out to the park. I didn't know what was in store, but I surprised myself at first. The first of my 3/4-mile intervals (1/4-mile recovery) was at a 6:57 pace! Wow, these shoes are fast! The next interval was even faster -- 6:52/mile pace.
But then the blisters started to form and even without the blisters I knew I would not be able to continue the pace. My third interval was 8:13/mile and the last one I felt refreshed enough to do a 7:46/mile pace but not before completely loosening the laces of my right shoe, which had developed a quarter-sized blood stain right above the knuckle of my big toe.
I developed about four blisters by not wearing socks -- something that I will do in the future. And while I was happy that I had a really fast start to my interval workout I now know I was running too fast -- in the past it would have been crazy for me to think I was just mailing it in with a 7:46/pace but I really wanted the workout to end.
The shoes were amazing. They had the right amount of protection for my feet at exactly the right place and felt like they were crafted for the way that I run. I'm looking forward to doing more running with them -- but next time I'll eat the extra ounces that a nice pair of socks will cost me in a speed workout or race.
Time: 7:07 a.m.
Temp: 64 degrees
Gear: Technical T-shirt, short (Champion, blue), shorts, Saucony Type A6.
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