Ken's Road to Kona

SHOES

I’ve been training and racing in two pairs of shoes. In the winter I wanted a shoe that could get a lot of mileage and with ankle support; as I tend to walk around in the shoe that I run in. After speaking with the good people from Philadelphia Runner, I went with the Asics Kayano. I like this shoe because it has super cushioning, and great ankle support. I could have gone with a cheaper shoe, but I thought with those long winter miles, and the constant pounding, I felt it would be the responsible thing to put down $139 bucks.

However, when it came to race season, the Kayano had a serious con to them: they are extremely heavy. In fact, they are like tug boats; especially after a bike leg in a triathlon. I raced with these shoes in the Jerseyman and at BlackBear. At Jerseyman, I really couldn’t tell right away they were heavy. And since we ran on pavement (and the course wasn’t too hilly) I felt I dealt with it ok. However, at BlackBear, my legs were shredded from the Jerseyman three weeks before AND the course was brutal. Add in the Xterra run course and blowing up was just inevitable.

I’ll continue to use the Kayano as a training shoe in the winter and preseason. It’s a good shoe. I wouldn’t go far and call it a weight-resistant shoe, but you could call it that compared to the triathlon specific Zoot Advantage.

I was hesitant to try these new triathlon specific shoes mostly because I didn’t see the difference between them and any other lighter shoe. Well, after I realized the Kayano was weighing me down, I thought I’d give them a try. Boy, now I see what the rage is all about. They are super light, but it’s more than that. Since triathletes are always trying to improve their T2 transition times, the Zoot Advantage comes with their patented quick- Lace system of entry with a single-handed pull. You just pull this string on the side and the shoe tightens around your foot. Trust me, I wore these shoes for the first time in the Philly Triathlon and I was in and out in a flash. As I’ve been training in these for the last month, I have immediately improved my transition pace out of T2. My turnover is much quicker, and I’ve felt I could go on for much longer time before running fatigue sets in.

The Zoot’s take some getting use to. It was such a shock running in these coming from the Kayano. Most people call them “racing flats”, and I would agree with that term. There isn’t really an arch, but it does contour to your foot. There isn’t much cushioning as well. The lady at Philadelphia Runner told me I could probably get 200 miles out of these compared to the 800 out of my Kayano. Therefore, I only train in the Zoot’s maybe a week or two out from a race simply because I want to extend their lifetime.

I had to sell some old cycling wheels to get a pair of these. But the $110 bucks was highly worth it. They definitely get Ken’s two thumbs up. So pick up a pair of either shoe depending on your needs.

It’s important to note that both of these shoes are motion stabilizers. What this means is because since I pronate, the soles are designed in a way so that my weigh falls towards the center of my body.  Depending on your foot, you may need a neutral or a standard type of shoe.

WETSUIT

The BlueSeventy Reaction.

A fairly common entry level wetsuit I bought while I was in Japan; if you line up or even watch a triathlon, you’ll see many people wearing this suit.

The suit fits its purpose. It keeps me warm, and gives me some buoyancy. However, I do feel I am swimming in a big rubber bag. I bloged about perceived effort while swimming in a post while back. I made the comment that it seems like I swim harder in the pool than in open water. Much of that comes from the fact is that I feel somewhat restricted in the shoulders and legs. Again, the wetsuit serves its function. I don’t expect it make me faster.

Apparently, one of the main characteristics that separate wetsuits from one another is the feeling you are swimming without a wetsuit. I saw one comment from another maker that he felt he was swimming naked. That’s a great compliment. I’d like to get a wetsuit that would make me feel that way. Will I upgrade next year? I doubt it. I’ll work on my mechanics in the pool instead. Besides, I have other things on my bike I’d like to upgrade.

BIKE

When I was looking for a bike, I didn’t want to go “economical.” At the same time, I didn’t want to pay something outrageous that it would take me 2 years to save up for. I knew I wanted a true tri-bike that was completely carbon from a reputable company. I searched for hours online looking for deals, and went into the main bike stores in Philadelphia. I saw all the popular names: Cervelo, Felt, Cannondale, and Trek.  I was feeling pretty jaded as the bikes in my price range all had a aluminum composite.  When I felt I was going to have to go this route, I got a good deal on a Scott Plasma20 frame from the people of BreakAway Bikes. The bike is super with some interesting features. The first thing that stands out is the seat tube: it’s integrated. Meaning that you can’t raise or lower it, it has to be cut specifically for you. Being it was only the frame, I had to add everything on myself. I had some old parts from my Japanese bike, but for the most part, it is all low end Tiagra and Shimano 105 parts. However, I hope to upgrade as the year progesses. My goal for 2009-2010 is to upgrade to better cranks and buy a power tap. All in due time.