Run-of-mine adj : 1: UNGRADED, UNSORTED, CRUDE, UNREFINED: not ground or treated 2: ORDINARY, MEDIOCRE, RUN-OF-THE-MILL <run-of-mine college graduate> 3. Ore or coal as it comes from the mine without grading or sorting for size or quality

4. That last run, the one that keeps you going back for more – it’s yours and yours alone.

Monday, January 27, 2014

Durability Update on Skechers Go Run2

There has been a bit of discussion on the Interwebs about Skechers as a brand.  As I have said in previous posts here and here, I love my Skechers.  Once I get myself past the fact that Skechers were the shoes that my sainted Grandmother wore to go "Mall Walking" with her cadre of octogenarian walking buddies, I'm good to go in them.  Makes me feel a bit nostalgic even, wearing the same shoes that... wait a minute.  No it doesn't.  Let's just change the subject, shall we?

The other hang-up that I have with buying Skechers is the nagging feeing that I am cheating on my really, really wonderful locally owned running store by buying my running shoes at the mall (sorry Gear Running...).

Apart from those things, I'll just say that I love me some Skechers shoes.  I've put 400+ miles on one pair of the Go Run2s, and loved them.  Like loved, loved them.  I did four half marathons in them last year, including one trail half.  Now that the Go Run3s are out, and a pair has made its way to my house, I thought I post about the durability of the 2s - with Skechers being a pretty new entry into the performance shoe market, I can vouch for not only the general awesomeness and comfortability (yeah, I said it) of the shoes, but their durability as well.

Although I've been doing nearly all of my running lately in the GR3s, I have done two runs this week in these GR2s, and they are still awesome.  (My new puppy, cute as he is, chewed the laces on the new kicks, and I haven't replaced them yet.)  I'd probably still be happily running in these 2s if I hadn't gotten the 3s.  The cushioning still felt fine, even compared to a new pair of the 3s.


The physical part of the shoe is really, really great.  I'm a pretty solid midfoot striker, and I'm on the bigger side of running folk (about 190 pounds, and 6'1" [6'4" with the afro]*).  The tread on the bottom, which Skechers has made out of what they call Resalyte**, has held up very well.  Even 400+ miles in, they are still very grippy, and surprisingly good looking, with only a few spots that are beginning to be worn down:

New Go Run2s (left), older ones at 125 miles (right)
425 miles in (these are the same ones as
the left above).  Not too shabby, eh?

The uppers have also been very sturdy.  I have had no rips, tears, or other malfunctions, I'm happy to report.  Structurally, they have been fantastic.  The only knock on the uppers, durability-wise, is that the colors have massively faded.  One of the things that I initially got me interested in the GR2s was the color schemes - several of them were loud and obnoxious, which I liked.  The pair that I have put the most miles on is the yellow/green color way, and really not that bright anymore, and not just from the dirt and crud that accumulates on my runs.  The color didn't come off on my socks or anything, like some other shoes are wont to do, but they are faded:



compared to:



All told, though, the Go Run2 is solid, solid shoe that I have really enjoyed.  I just got the Go Run 3 (initial thoughts here), and I'm anxious to give them a try, and see if I like them as much as I have liked the 2s.

* If you get that movie reference, please leave a comment.
** Skechers says that Resalyte is a "proprietary, lightweight injection-molded compound with memory retention."  So yeah, there's that.

Skechers Go Run3 Initial Review


I’ve had my eye on the new update of my beloved Go Run2s from Skechers.  It was a serendipitous combination of gift money from Christmas, a nice coupon code for Skechers.com, and 400+ miles on the ol’ GR2s that gave me the go-ahead to get a new pair of shoes.  Okay, I’ll be honest.  I didn’t really need a go-ahead.  I’d get a new pair of running shoes if the sun comes up.  Or it sets.  Or if the water goes down the drain clockwise (counter-clockwise if I’m traveling south of the Equator).  You get the picture.  At any rate, it seems like the universe aligned for me to get myself a new pair of kicks.

But I digress… I ordered myself a pair of the new Go Run3s (GR3s).  Here are some initial thoughts, before I put some miles on these bad boys.

To be honest, I wasn’t crazy about the colorways for the new models.  There are five, and they are pretty dark.  I’m not really one for black shoes – the only black things in my wardrobe are my wedding/funeral suit, my running pants (from Sporthill – review coming soon) and my old lacrosse uniform from college (still fits – AWWW YEAH!).   Long story longer, the colors really didn’t do it for me.  I liked the colors of the GR2s – bright and obnoxious.  These are not them. 













I initially ordered the black and reds, thinking that they were the most badass of the bunch.  I ordered up a size 13, thinking that the 12.5s that work so well in the GR2s could use a bit of an upsize.  When I got them, they were definitely too big.  I returned them to the Skechers store near my house (I’m lucky to have one about 10 minutes from chez moi).  I traded them for a size 12 in the blue/green style, which I still wasn’t thrilled with, but was an upgrade from the red/black.  I think that they are growing on me – the neon laces help.


One thing that I really like in a running shoe is a lack of a stiff heel counter.  The GR2 has basically no heel counter – it more of a integrated ‘strap’ that functions like a sandal strap on the back, if that makes any sense.  



The GR3 has a bit more structure to it, but not so much that it’s by any means rigid.  The Skechers logo gives it more form, but it’s still pretty flexible and giving.  Jury is still out whether this is an upgrade.  Stay tuned.

Another interesting addition is the pleather that is all around the toe box.  Not sure how I feel about it – the stiff, ribbon-y kind of edging in the GR2 was good, I thought.  Maybe the pleather is supposed to dress the GR3 up a bit, but for me it seems a bit unnecessary.  I wonder if it will be to stiff in the cold, cold temps here in Minnesota.  I guess I’ll have about 4 months to find out…



The toe box has been changed as well – the GR2 has a simple stretchy mesh that I really liked – it gave my toes plenty of rom to play out and move around, without feeling sloppy.  The new toe box is a mesh with an overlay, that kind of makes me think of the Altra Instinct.  Again, not sure what purpose it serves, other than to spiff up the aesthetics of the shoe.




A couple of other thoughts – there are an additional pair of liners in the box, but it’s not super clear why there are two sets.  After poking around on the Internets, I discovered that the insole makes the shoe an 8mm drop.  Not sure why Skechers would want to make their shoes into an 8mm drop – maybe they are courting the non-minimalish crowd, or maybe trying to make th3 GR3 more attractive to higher distance runners, who might like a little higher drop for a marathon maybe?

The tongue is also a change from the GR2s - the tongue in the 2s was a more padded, traditional looking and feeling tongue.  The tongue in the 3 is more of an thin ultra-suede fabric tongue, without much padding.  It, like the tongue on the 2s, is attached on both sides, under the eyelets, which I really like.  No tongue slippage. (Ooh - that sounded a bit dirty somehow.  Who knew that a review of the Go Run3 would get a bit racy?)



Finally, I really like the fact that Skechers kept this iteration of the Go Run shoe vegetarian (not that any shoes eat meat – although some do shred feet, which is kinda the same thing…).  I try, as much as possible, to use as few animal-based products as I can, and I appreciate that Skechers has continued this in their Performance line.

Now I’ve got to go out and get some miles on these babies.  I’ll post a more in-depth review after I’ve had a chance to put some miles on them.

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

New Year? Get some goals!



Well, yeah.  I guess it’s that time of the (New) year again.  Normally I'm not big on making New Year’s resolutions.  And it’s not because I think I’m perfect just the way I am.  I’m not THAT guy.  Sometimes I wish I were, but that’s a whole other story.  Since I’ve been running (somewhat) seriously for better than a year now, I think that it would be good for me to set some running goals for the coming year.  I got 4 half marathons in last year, which I feel good about.  One of them was even a trail half, which was cool. 

Soooooooo, in no particular order (because that’s how I roll), here are my goals for the this running year:
  1.  Run two full marathons: I’m planning on one in the spring, and one in the fall.  I’ve actually already signed up for the first one – the Med City Marathon in Rochester, MN on Memorial Day weekend.  It’s a small-ish race, and form all of the reviews that I’ve read, it seems like a fun, easy-going weekend.  Plus, they have a kids’ marathon, in which the kids run 25 miles in the months leading up to the weekend, and then run the final 1.2 miles on the Saturday.  Both of my kids are up for it, so it’ll be a fun weekend all around.  Plus, we found a little waterpark hotel in Rochester for us to stay in.  The second full marathon that I’m aiming for the venerable Twin Cities Marathon, which runs literally 2 blocks from my house. (Well, not for the whole 26.2 miles.  That would mean something like 645 laps of my block, which would be sort of boring.  Although it makes me think of this story that I read once…)
  2. Run 1200 miles:  I’m also setting out a mileage goal for the year, which I haven’t done before.  I’m gong to shoot for 1200 miles this year, which, if the calculator ion my hope is working (and I have every reason to believe that it is), means I’ll need to average 23 miles a week.  Seems doable, especially if I’m going to train for two marathons.  Plus, the upside is that I will handily beat The Proclaimers.  The best they could do is to walk 1,000 miles.
  3. Run a 5K with each/both of my kids: Boy is 12 and Girl is 8.  Each of them, with a bit of training, could easily run/walk and very likely run 5K.   We’ll pick races based on the swag, of course.
  4. No injuries: Well, this kind of goes without saying.  I’ll take a bit of luck to go along with a sensible running plan, added to a day a week of cross/strength training (WHAT?!?!?!?!?) to get this one.  I hope.


That’s it, kids.  What do you have cooking for goals, running or otherwise?

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Back in the Saddle


After what I see to be a sizeable hiatus, I’m getting back to the blog.  It was a heck of a summer, in many ways.  As a teacher, I obviously have my summers off, and free to spend with my family.  My wife works in the schools as well, so all four of us (the two of us and the kidlings) were home all together.  We got in a nice trip to Colorado, and some other fun family time. 

The downer of the summer, and mainly the reason why the blog went silent is that my dad got sick and passed away at the end of the summer and early fall.  That event, obviously, took a toll on me, and occupied much of my time and energy – physically, emotionally, spiritually, and otherwise.

That said, I’m getting back in the game.  Since my last post, I have run four half marathons!  Not too shabby for a runner who, a year and a half ago, ran his first 5K and had to take a walk break.  (And look at me, referring to myself in the third person.  Who am I – Bo JacksonJimmy from SeinfeldElmo?) 

In the past months, I have done the Minneapolis HalfMarathon, the Urban Wildland Half Marathon in Richfield, MN, the Surly TrailLoppet Half, and the Monster Dash Half.  I also did a funky little race in Minneapolis called the Tri-Loppet (it’s a triathlon, but with paddling, running, and biking – perfect for those of us who HATE swimming).

I’ve written race reports for some of those races – I’ve tried to write over the past several months, but they pretty much came off half-assed and, to be honest, not very well written.  I’m going to try to pencil-whip them back into some semblance of shape/coherence and get them on the blog.  

I also am working on some shoe reviews, gear reviews, and book reviews.  I just ordered a pair of the new Skechers Go Run3s, which I’m super excited about, and I just picked up a pair of Merrell Bare Access 2s from 6pm.com for $40.  Not sure if I’ll write up a review on those – pretty late to the party, since the BA3s are already out. 

Finally, immediate goal for the blog will be to chronicle my road to my first marathon.  I’m on the verge of signing up for the Med City Marathon in Rochester, MN.  It’s on May 25th (Memorial Day Weekend) and from all the reviews I’ve read, it sounds like a really nice race.  I’m hoping to use this space to keep myself honest and accountable as I train, fret, get excited, get tired, get sore, and get excited again about the training process (at least as accountable as a blog with zero current readership is – at the bare minimum I feel like I’m putting it out there in front of God and everybody, for some sort of scrutiny).

I’ll be posting on a hopefully regular basis from here on out, and especially starting on Monday, as I officially start the marathon training.  

Friday, July 5, 2013

The Power of a High Five

Here is one of the reasons that I often like running without headphones on.  (I sometimes do bring the trusty ol' iPod, but that's a topic for another post).

So I was out for a short run this afternoon - just an easy four miles around the lake.  I was about 2/3 of the way done, and up ahead of me, just past the beach, I saw a young family walking on the path - Mom, Dad, and a little blond, curly haired, sundressed daughter who must have been about 2 and a half years old.  Super cute family, all walking, holding hands, chatting amiably.  Norman Rockwell at Lake Nokomis, if you see what I'm sayin'.

Anyhow, as I ran by them, the little girl started to get upset, kind of crying/whining (if you have ever had a 2 year old girl live at your house, you know exactly the sound I'm describing).  I was about 10 steps past them when I heard the Mom say, "Sweetie, it's okay.  Not every stranger has to give you a high five.  I'll give you one."  Dad chimes in, "Oh yeah - here's one from me too."

Of course, what am I going to do?  I turn around and trot (oh yeah, I can trot - don't snicker) back to the little girl, crouch down, and give her a high five that provoked a smile that I thought was going to crack her cheeks.  She smiled, I smiled, and the parents both said, "Oh my gosh, thank you.  That just made the rest of our walk back home so much easier, you have no idea."

To which I had to reply, "Oh, I do.  My daughter was just like that when she was small."

One little girl happy, and, let's be honest, is there a runner out there who doesn't appreciate a high five from a spectator as they are running?

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Skechers GoRun 2 Shoe Review


I. Love. This. Shoe.  

There, I said it.  Right in front of God and everybody.  The Skechers Go Run2 is a great shoe – let me tell you all about it.
First, let me say that I’m basing my opinion on how my feet feel as I run, more so than on comparisons to other shoes.  I’m not that guy who has like a hundred pairs of shoes in his closet.  At least not yet – are you listening, shoe companies?  I’d really like to be that guy. Email address right over there ---------->

I’ve got two pairs of Go Run2s (GR2s from here on out, just to save me from wearing out the keys on my laptop and the tips of my fingers).  How I got two pairs is a story that I think says a lot about Skechers as a company, so allow me a short digression.  In a review that I posted at Running Shoes Guru’s place (read it here, if you like), I said that I had a pair of size 12s, and they were a shade too short, but otherwise awesome, and that the store did not carry (and the salespeople said that Skechers did not make) a size 12.5.  I also said, jokingly
C’mon, Skechers, I know you’re reading this and really super 
care about what a 30 mile a week no name runner from 
Minnesota cares. Get with the program!

Well, Skechers does care, apparently, because a member of their product development and testing team (thanks, Kathie!) tracked me down to not only be a part of their wear-testing program, but also to send me a pair of GR2s in a size 12.5!  Wow.  Not bad for a no-name runner from Minnesota.  And thanks, Skechers! (The pair that the nice, nice people at Skechers sent did not influence this review.)

Here’s what Skechers has to say about the shoes, direct from their website:

Skechers GOrun 2 is the next generation of a serious minimal running shoe. Designed for speed with innovative performance technologies to promote a midfoot strike, it works as a great transitional shoe to foster a barefoot running experience.

Details:
Independent circular GOimpulse sensors offer flexibility and feedback for a more responsive running experience
M-Strike Technology™ promotes a midfoot strike
Radically lightweight - No extra material, no extra weight, nothing to slow you down
Breathable 4-way stretch mesh toe panels engineered to allow toe splay
Custom Fit insole is removable for an even more minimal feel
Roomier Forefoot - Extra space to reduce friction and allow your toes to spread, grip and push off
4mm Heel Drop - substantially less heel drop than traditional running or training shoes to bring you closer to a natural barefoot experience
Resalyte™ Midsole - Proprietary lightweight injection-molded compound with memory retention helps absorb impact
Progressive Flex midsole transitions from stable platform to forefoot flexibility

Construction:
Nearly weightless synthetic and mesh fabric upper
Nearly seamless flexible upper with lace up front
Flatlock stitching detail for seamless feel and lighter weight
Soft smooth fabric shoe lining for easy barefoot wear
Weight: Radically lightweight 6.6 oz per shoe based on a men's size 9

The Go Run2s are really my first foray into the world of minimal-ish shoes.  They are, in essence, my transitional shoe.  I went from a pretty significant motion-control-type shoe (the Saucony Guide 3) to flatter shoes and shoes that are just, well, less shoe.  The transition was pretty easy for me – very little on the sore calves and other various leg parts than others have reported, but this is very likely not due to the shoes as much as to the fact that I generally wear flat shoes (Converse All-Stars and Adidas Sambas, plus Born casual shoes to work) and sandals casually and I go exclusively barefoot inside the house and in the yard as much as I can.  It’s always a good idea, though, to transition slowly and gradually to a shoe with less heel-toe drop.  

As an aside, if you'd like a bit of insight into how shoes get developed, and how this shoe in particular came to be the way that it is, head on over to Runblogger.com here for a small history lesson and to read Pete's take on the shoes.

Initially thought I had gotten myself into too little shoe, but I realized that I had been running during the peak (or valley, depending on how one perceives such things) of a Minnesota winter, and was doing a fair amount of running on ice bumps and random fragments of ice and snow on the paths and sidewalks.  The sore ankles and feet came from the flexibility of the shoe, I think.  The GR2 is a lot of things, but it is not a technical trail shoe, which is essentially what I was using it for.  Now that the snow and ice is gone, they are pretty much the perfect shoe.

Here’s what I liked about the shoes:
There’s a lot to like about these kicks, in my humble opinion. Buckle up, kids.  Here we go:

Soft Heel Counter: To me, it feels something like a sandal strap. I’m not a great one for a rigid heel counter – I’m happiest in sandals (can’t run in them, though – them huarache-wearing ultrarunners are crazycakes, although I will fess up to lusting after a pair of rubber tire sandals after reading Born to Run, and my next footwear purchase is going to be a pair of Luna Sandals, so maybe they are not so crazy after all).  My feet like the feel of just support and being wrapped more than strangled, I guess.  That said, I very much feel like my heel is locked down and not moving.
 
Squishy yet supportive heel.

The aforementioned stitching scheme.

Stretchy Mesh Toe Box: Even in the size 12 which is technically a half size too small, my toes were confortable, since the mesh on the toe box was so stretchy.  I like the fact that there is not a stiff toe piece on the shoes as well.  Not as good for off-roading, but these are not trail shoes, by any means.  (Skechers does make a nice trail shoe, from what I’ve read. They'll be my pair for next winter…)

Plenty Wide Toe Box, especially with Injinji socks:  The wide toe box is possibly my favorite part of the shoe – I’m pretty sure that my feet haven never been so comfortable, toeroom-wise, in any shoe.  In fact, I wore my old Saucony Guide 3s (great shoes as well, and a very good first serious running shoe for me, but way too much shoe now) in the snow and ice right after snowfalls, and they felt really, really, narrow and pinchy, especially on my pinkie toe.  Here is the obligatory and ubiquitous photo from Altra Running about toe splay:  
 
Filched from Runblogger.com, via Google Images. Thanks, Pete.

I do actually think that my feet have spread out in the 350+ miles that I have worn these shoes.

Colorways:  There are 10 colorways altogether for the GR2s.  They range from pretty subdued to pretty bold (garish and obnoxious are other ways in which my shoes have been described to me).  I have the Red/Lime and the Green/Green colorways.  [Looking on the Skechers website today, though, it looks like my green on green version has been replaced by a green on black style. Boo.]  Each of the pairs came with an alternate lace color as well  - the reds came with a red lace, and the yellows with a blue lace.  Both, you will be happy to know, were snatched up greedily by my kids and promptly installed in their own shoes.
 
View from above - do you feel like you're flying?
Or at least hovering?

Snazzy, no?

As I mentioned in the review on RunningShoesGuru.com, I like my shoes to be bright and obnoxious.  Maybe it’s a Clark Kent/Superman phone booth thing (not that I’m that great of a runner, goodness knows).  I mean more that during the day, I’m a mild-mannered (usually) first grade teacher in sensible brown shoes, and when I’m running, I get a chance to be, well, not that.  I also think that it is because I do nearly all of my running in the very early morning, before the rest of the city (and my family, more importantly) is awake.  When I shuffle down the stairs still half asleep, it's cool when I look over at my obnoxious shoes and they look like they are rip-roarin’ ready to go, even if I don’t necessarily feel like I am either rip or roarin', much less ready to go.  For dogless me, it’s kinda like the dog eagerly waiting by the door, leash in mouth, tail wagging, ready to go for a run.

Soles: Skechers makes the outsole out of a compund that they call Resalyte.  I like it quite well.  It's very flexible, but still feels durable under foot.  It's got good ground feel - not like a super-minimal Merrill or another shoe where it's just a lone strip of bark or something under your foot. More importantly for me, they don't have the "clompy" feeling as I'm running.  More on that in a bit.
 
The yellows (when new) and the reds (125 miles in).



The soles seem to be wearing very well - I have 200+ miles in each shoe, and they look as though they will perhaps 200 more. 


The colored dots on the soles are "Goimpulse sensors" and they are made of a harder rubber material, theoretically strategically placed, although the biomechanics of that discussion are beyond me.  Even the dots that are made of the Resalyte seem to be wearing well.  They are getting a bit worn, but not so much that it impacts the ride.

Foot Feel:  I wore the GR2s for my recent half marathon* and they were, very literally, the least of my concerns that day (another post on that race coming up soon!).  They performed very, very well – no hot spots, plenty of cushioning, and very comfortable.  The fact that they seem to disappear on my feet, and I don’t give them a second thought as I am running is, as many other folks have said, the holy grail of running shoes, and is just about the highest compliment that anyone can give to a shoe.

The "Holy Grail" of Holy Grails.
Quiet: I’m coming to see that for me, the real test of a running shoe is how quietly they ride.  If I can get them to be pretty much silent as I’m running, I know that they have many of the attributes that I’m looking for in a shoe.  I'm talking ninja-quiet (ninja-quiet, of course, excluding the panting sound of my labored breathing).  If it's quiet, I know that the sole is flexible and not ‘clunky.’  I know that the upper fits me well, and that my foot is not sliding around and making slipping noise on the ground.  I know that they feel nice on my feet if I’m not cursing at them, which also plays into the silent factor of a pair of shoes. [Nike Structure15+, I’m looking at you.  Worst shoe advice I ever got from a running specialty store. I’m sorry if these are your shoes – I’m sure that they are ideal for someone, but for me, the upper never fit right, they feel clompy and inflexible, and my left foot felt like it was falling over to the outside all of the time.  Perhaps a topic for another post.  Suffice it to say, if you are a size 12 and would like a pair of Nike Structure+ 15s in great shape, about 90 miles on 'em, I’ll give them to you for the price of postage.  Shoot me an email.]

Simple Upper:  The upper is no frills, with really no big technology touted.  I like the simplicity of it, which to me equates to comfort.  They are nice sockless  - I've only worn them once on a run (about 5K) without socks.  They were fine, but I have pretty sweaty feet (okay, TMI, I know, but it was your choice to read this...) and my feet were a bit soggy.  I do wear them out and about without socks, and they are quite comfy, with an almost completely seamless interior. 
 
This is pretty much the only major seam inside the shoe.
The tongue is attached on either side of the top, which I also like.  It's not a sock-like fit like some iterations of the Nike Free Run+, but it keeps everything in the proper place, which is always a good thing on a run, and in life in general.

As I already mentioned, the stretchy mesh is great, and the soft heel is awesome but still somehow stable, I think due to the strap-like top of the heel and the stitching on the back sides. 


Comfortable Footbed:  There is none of the mid-foot hump that the original GRs had, which to stand in felt like a teeter-totter (see-saw?).  The hump, which Skechers calls the “M-Strike Technology,” is there officially. 


The stack heights confirm this (11mm forefoot, 20mm midfoot, and 15mm heel) but my admittedly philistine feet can’t feel it as I’m running or walking.  In fact, I’m using the smaller of the two sizes as my “walking around shoes.”  They are that comfortable.


The Not-as-Good:

Fading Colors:  Not 100% sure, but it seems like the both of the colorways that I got – the red/lime and the green/green pair, have faded a bit.  They aren’t as bright, I don’t think.  I should take them to the store and compare, but the reds, especially on the toebox, seem a bit more “neon melon” color than “bright red.”  There is similar fading on the green/green pair.  It actually seems like the color is fading, like the sun would fade fabric, as opposed to just overall dinginess (of which there is plenty too).  Not a huge deal, and I still wear them for pretty much all of my runs.


Slipping Insoles:  Another complaint, and it’s one that I’ve read in several other places, is that the insole on the GR2s slips.  On most of my runs, the toe of the right insole ends up about halfway up the sole of my foot, and it creeps up the back of my heel.  It’s not a huge issue, and it’s nothing more than a nuisance, but it is a thing.  I think that it’s somehow a design flaw, because it’s happened in both pairs of my GR2s – and in one pair it’s the left shoe and in the other pair it’s the right shoe.  


Weird.  It’s easily remedied by putting a couple of strips of double-stick tape under the insole.  (Had to change them when they got wet a couple of times  - such is the life of a spring runner in the northern climes.) I've also just popped the insoles out and gone without - the footbed is smooth.  The insoles are about 2mm thick anyhow, and they are flat, so it doesn't change the 4mm drop or the cushioning dramatically, at least from my unschooled feet.


In my final estimation, for what it’s worth (must be worth something if you've read this far, or maybe you’re just some sort of masochist – in either case, you’re welcome…)  these are great shoes.  Now if Skechers could just put out a brown casual shoe like this one for me to wear to work, something like the New Balance Minimus MT10 Leather, except without the leather – I try to use as few animal products as possible, since nearly every other member of the animal kingdom seems to try to use as few human products as possible. Only seems fair.  At any rate, I’ve been wearing Skechers casual shoes for some time now, but would LOVE to be walking around all day in shoes that feel like the GR2s on my feet.  Not to mention the fact that I could go all ninja every day at work…


*Oh yeah, I just throw that phrase “my recent half marathon” around like it’s old hat for me.  It was my first run that is longer than 10K, and when I got to the mile 11 marker, it was the longest run I had ever done.