The long awaited Clayton shoe has finally arrived and I've managed to get in three runs in order to form a somewhat respectable review. I know I should log a few more miles in them, but I can say I've done a 22 miler and two moderate 10k's.

I've been anticipating this shoe for a while after hearing rumors about the slightly larger forefoot area, slimmer profile, yet supreme cushion and lightness. It seemed too good to be true! I bought them at Running Warehouse for $150.

side by side with the Hoka Odyssey 1's

Out of the box, the shoe looks great. It's feather light, probably the lightest running shoe I've ever owned, coming in at 6.3 oz for a women's size 9 shoe, almost a full ounce less than the Odyssey 2. I wouldn't say it's their prettiest design, but it's okay. The way they built up the sole on the sides make them look much taller than they actually are, so you still kind of look like you're wearing moon shoes.

sorry...I got these a little dirty, not like this out of the box! 

The women's came in this bright orange and black color, or a blue/orange color. Neither of them were really screaming to me, so I just went with the bright orange since the blue wouldn't match with my already bright clothes.

The tongue design is great, and way better than their attempt at the Odyssey 2 tongue. It's flexible, not too rigid and not paper thin. The laces also appear to be just the right length, and I don't worry about them coming undone.

One of the features the shoe boasts about is the firmer forefoot and softer heel to enable a better push off with your toe. I personally didn't notice a firm forefoot, or at least the sensation didn't bother me.

my dog is bored with me

When I put them on, they immediately felt comfortable. They were truly more roomy in the forefoot which is something I've been dreaming for since Hoka's even came out. With all of their shoes I've always gotten blisters on either the side of my foot or the side of my big toes. It is a common complaint, and one that a lot of runners just deal with since they love the cushioning so much.

I took them on a 10k run with coworkers. They were great! I could tell that they were lower to the ground at 19mm in the forefoot and 23 in the heel, but they remain super cushy. One of my favorite parts about them were the lack of hard rubber in the bottom so the footfall was nearly silent.

The only thing was that I noticed my left foot was developing a blister under the arch where the insole meets the shoe. My right foot did not have this issue at all, so I'm not sure if this is anything to really worry about unless maybe your feet are wider.

The very next morning I had a 22 mile run scheduled. I tried to peel myself out of bed to catch the sunrise, which left me chaotically grabbing my running gear out of order to get out the door in time.

Since I figured the blister might flare up or get larger, I cut out a piece of moleskin in case I would need to use it.

Sorry for the gross foot photo, but this is where my blister formed

I did. I wasn't even a mile in before I started to feel it again, so I slapped a piece of moleskin on it. By the way, this stuff is AWESOME. I continued to run in them with absolutely zero issues.

The shoes are light and responsive. They are built to have a more firm forefoot and a cushioned heel for runners that start to lose form and heel strike. I know that I have a tendency to heel strike, I think because my gate is so neutral without any pronation.

Running 22 miles is never easy, but I was able to maintain a really good pace without a lot of effort. I'm not sure how much the shoes contributed, but they never got uncomfortable and my feet never hurt which has to be saying something.

Post-run, I did notice that my lower legs did feel a little more battered than normal. My shins were not sore but tight. These issues didn't carry over into the next day though, but I think your lower legs will get more of a workout with these shoes if you're used to one of the more highly cushioned Hoka's.

Finally, tonight I took them for another spin with my coworkers. They were great, and I did put another piece of moleskin on just in case. I'm hoping I can break them in so that part is less bothersome.

All was going well until I tripped over a rock and everything started to move into slow motion. My toe caught onto this medium sized stone embedded into the trail, and I accepted my fate and nearly face planted into the cement.

I was fine. I'm sure I'm going to get some pretty major bruising on my hip, and I have to get my phone fixed since I shattered the screen. I also ripped my jacket but hey, at least I was wearing the jacket or there would have for sure been blood!

That's when I got home and really looked at the size of the Claytons. The toe juts out a little father than I would like. I compared it to my Nike Wildhorses since they fit my feet like a dream and are my all time favorite fitting shoes in the same size 7, and the Claytons look a full size larger!

side by side with the Nike Wildhorse

I have a full thumbs width between my big toe and the top of the shoe, so maybe I should size down but I am not entirely sure since I am already getting some blisters on my arch. Usually size 7 is my go to for Hoka's, especially because of the blistering on the toes. I mayyy try for 6.5.

It's not really fair to compare those two though since they are wildly different shoes, and when compared to the Hoka Challengers (Basically these are the Cliftons with additional tread for trails), they seemed pretty similar in length.

side by side with the Hoka Challenger

The Claytons are a little bit wider though. Since they are so wide and flat in the forefoot, it's hard not to think they feel very paddle-like. It doesn't bother me much but it would be nice to have more forefoot in the upper and less on the sole, they don't feel as nimble as I would like.

this is the overlap of the forefoot, the other side of the foot is flush.

Here's how it looks against my old Altra Olympus shoes. I really love Olympus uppers and the foot shape. They are wide and let my toes splay out but not too long so I don't trip over them. Unfortunately they are pretty friggen ugly, and the soles are super stiff and heavy. You can really see how pointy the Hoka's are in comparison though.

side by side with the Altra Olympus

side by side with the Altra Olympus

So...it's kind of a mixed review. I love them, but I think there is still plenty of room for improvement. I love how lightweight they are, and how they were able to maintain the signature Hoka cushioning with a lower profile and a SUPER light shoe. I wish they contoured my fit more and were a little more refined around the sides. It's certainly a step into a great direction, and I'll keep putting the miles in these to see if I warm up to them more. Probably going to be alternating between these and my Odyssey's from now on; let's just hope I don't take any more falls!

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The Hoka One One Claytons

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Excuse me if this post comes across as haphazard...feeling a bit tired from today's activities!

I just wanted to show you guys my fancy new shoes. Yes, it's another pair of shoes. Yes, I have a lot of shoes. No, I did not neeeeeed them, but I wanted some fresh foam under the ol' feet for the race. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if I'm sold on these.

So what did I get? The Odyssey 2! I actually really wanted the Odyssey 1 again (why mess with a good thing?) but I couldn't find them for sale in my size anywhere. :( Jon is also a huge Odyssey fan and really enjoys the new ones. He thinks they are the best Hoka's to date.

First of all, I grabbed these for $130 at Running Warehouse. I couldn't decide between the ELECTRIC BLINDING PINK or the SHOCKING NEON BLUE, and unfortunately the classy dark gray ones didn't have my size in stock. Since all of my current shoes are blue I reluctantly reached for the pink. No, I don't have anything against pink but these shoes are just soooo pink.

The Odyssey runs true to size. For reference, my street shoe size is 6.5, my flat size is 6 and my running shoe size is 7. For running noobs, you generally want to size up since your feet have a tendency to swell a little during exercise.

They are probably most comparable to the Clifton2 since they have very similar heights. The offset for the Odyssey 2 is 5mm, and is 23mm in the forefoot and 28mm in the back, whereas the Clifton2 is also a 5mm offset with 24mm in the forefoot and 29mm in the back. Both are neutral but the Odyssey2 is supposed to be more responsive and weighs a little more at 7.3oz for a women's size 9, vs the 6.6 oz of the Clifton2. I would have gotten the Clifton2 but I heard a lot of mixed reviews on it, particularly that they narrowed the toe box even more which is one of my biggest issues with Hoka shoes in the first place.

Out of the box they were pretty comfortable. I was disappointed with the tongue. While I like the fact that it's not just the papery flap like the old one, this one is thick and very stiff. The plastic material on the top is difficult to bend.

I also didn't like the laces as much as the first ones. They were pretty short and I don't know how much confidence I have in them to stay tied.

It LOOKED like the forefoot was wider, but when I measured them they ended up being exactly the same as the 1's. The height seems about the same, and the only really noticeable difference in the structure was that the heel tapers in and hugs the foot more. This is one feature that I liked since the Odyssey 1's were a little loose in the heel. I can't say that it ever bothered me but there's no sense in having the extra material.

The bottom of the shoe looks quite different. It seems like they added a little more of the harder rubber.

Side note, did you notice my fancy new socks? They are from Stance. I love the socks that I got from them for free at an event, and I really wanted to try their knee high ones out. They are a little too long for my stubby short-person legs, but they're fun and were my race treat to pump me up for Modesto.

What better way to test a shoe than to run 20 miles in them from the box? I've gotten away with this kind of shenanagins with almost every pair of Hoka's I've owned. I've even been so daring as to wear brand new ones for a race the next day.

Not that I would suggest such an outrageous and impulsive thing.

I am not sure, but I feel like these run a little bit stiffer than the 1's. They didn't feel as plush as the 1's, and I had a hard time getting into a good rhythm. This could be because of the additional firmer rubber at the bottom. I also noticed on the left side of my foot that I could feel the tongue kind of digging into my ankle. Such a weird issue to have! It eventually went away and didn't leave a mark but did annoy me.

Ten miles in and I started to feel a blister brewing in the usual spot for Hoka shoes. For me, this spot is on the inside of the fattest part of my forefoot by my big toe. It was abnormally warm, so I wasn't really surprised, but I almost turned back to the comforting embrace of my old blue ones. I didn't though, because I really didn't want to stop. Another thing that I don't really recommend doing. And yeah, there's a blister there now. :(

In the end, I think I'm going to keep hunting for another pair of the Odyssey 1's and return the 2's. They were okay and did the trick but I did come away with a blister and didn't have the same feel as the first ones that I really liked. The hunt continues!!!

In other news, I have been running a lot lately! I've got a couple of interesting speed runs under my belt that I want to talk about, but I'll save that for another day. :D For the rest of this week and next...it's TAPER TIME!

UPDATE!!! GOOD NEWS! I found the Odyssey 1's (I guess I didn't search very hard at first) for a super low price at sports chalet. With their current coupon code they come to a whopping total of $69.91 (including taxes and free shipping)!

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New Shoes! Comparing my Hoka One One Odyssey 1 to the Odyssey 2's

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Last week was pretty intense for me. A week ago on Saturday I went on a little trail run with Jon and Rini and the San Francisco Running Company group. It was great because they had Nike shoes for everyone to try if they wanted. I was able to snag a pair of the Wildhorse 3's, which I was happy about since I've been wanting to give them a test run!

Unfortunately in my excitement I neglected to take any photos of them.

A quick review. I did like them. I had to size up to a 7.5 which surprised me since I never usually have to go larger than a 7. They were solid on the trails, but they felt a bit stiff. I prefer them over the kiger 3's since they have a bit more cushioning, especially on the heel. The grip was great, never questioned that part, and the upper was very comfortable. I really love how wide the toebox is, yet it isn't floppy or clunky. When I came back from the run, I put my Hoka Challenger's on, and I immediately realized how narrow that toe box is (in the Hoka's) in comparison.

Now back to the run. Rini and I were the caboose to the lightning fast SFRC train. I can never keep up with any of them! A good portion of the people that run on Saturdays there are elites, so there's that. Then the rest of them are just one half step below elites.

Photo Credit: Rini Sugianto

We meandered through the hills, and managed to get our prescribed 16 miles in for the day. We were walk/running for the majority of it, and I was feeling pretty great! My feet were my only complaint, they definitely were aching for the cushioning of the Challenger's. They are complete babies when it comes to anything that aren't Hoka's now.

Photo Credit: Rini Sugianto

The next day Jon and I woke up bright and early again and headed to our favorite Peninsula trail at Huddart Park. Jon was only scheduled to do a light 4 miler, so I ended up going solo for our usual 10 mile route.

You would think I would know the trail by now since we've done it at least five times. But no. As soon as Jon was out of sight I was lost. Johan is probably laughing at me, since we've talked about this. I always say I like to follow runners instead of leading, and he mentioned that I won't take notice to where I'm going.

The VERY FIRST TURN, I was lost. I got turned around three times, adding an additional mile to my run. It didn't help that my legs were unusually sore that day and I was feeling some pain in my right knee on the way up.

I wanted to scream by the third time I got lost, and instead just pulled out my google maps and followed a trail back to the car. In my defense, the trails at Huddart are VERY confusing. I also was instinctively correct on each turn I made but then would second guess and go backwards and then forward again.

I hobbled my way down at an excruciatingly slow pace. My knee was really acting up, and I just wanted to finish the stupid run. The weather was unusually warm, and was not helping my attitude.

I took Monday and Tuesday off, and went to see Dr. Dade (sports chiropractor) about my knee. I wasn't limping when walking and I didn't think it was a big deal. He worked on it some, and thought it was probably tweaked from a tight calf which caused my knee to bend too soon.

Wednesday came, and I headed out for a 10k. It hurt. I was hobbling. The internal battle trying to decide if I should go on or turn back was ongoing. The pain started to subside so I continued on, but I was certainly not going fast. Butttt...my heart rate was great! *smile*

Thursday came and I wanted to test out my knee again. The first half mile was even worse but then the pain started to go away completely. It seems like it's fine but if I step off slightly, it messed up the tracking of my patella and it would leave me hobbling for 10 steps or so.

Friday was a rest day, and Saturday I thought I would stick to the flat trails to get my long runs in. I also taped my knee according to some YouTube instructions that my doc sent me. I think it helped because I felt much better.

Once I warm up, the pain isn't even there at all. I finished my 18 miler feeling great with an average 10:20 pace and a 144 heart rate! It was incredible!

I came home and iced it right away and decided to take some Vitargo since I never gave it an honest shot and had a gigantic tub taking up a square foot of space on our counter.

It is a super starch that is digested insanely quick, and is supposed to aid in recovery. It tastes okay. There's a slight slimy consistency to it, but I like the flavor. I made the mistake once of adding water to it once the powder was on the bottom and it just made a giant sticky ball within the shaker ball. This time I read the instructions, and put in room temperature water first halfway, then a scoop (they say 2 scoops but I don't need 280 calories) and then top it off with cold water, THEN shake.

Sunrise!

Either my body was really happy about not running up a mountain, or the vitargo worked, or maybe both...but I was SUPER hyper and productive yesterday. I managed to finish my 18 miler, then make breakfast, clean the entire house (an actual proper cleaning), bathe our stinky dog, paint a painting with a friend, go grocery shopping, do all the laundry, and squeeze in lots of time to stare at imgur.

First time painting in a while! Water soluble oil paints

I'm home alone too while Jon attempted to climb Whitney with his family, so getting up before 6 is not very easy for me to do solo. But I did it TWICE. TWICE!!! I got up early to beat the heat this weekend, and ran another 10 miles on the bay trail. My knee felt even better, although definitely not 100%. I decided to take it easy and just play photographer for the day. The sunrise was spectacular.

I'm also happy that the birds are coming back for the fall! I love seeing all of them on the trail.

The best part? I ran by the area where I saw the "Goats at Work" sign, and to my utter delight, the entire field was littered with Goats! They were PLOWING through this field like it was nothing. Incredible!

I (clearly) took a lot of photos. And videos. And then I just stared at them and tried to make friends. This run was evidently not a serious one.

Once I peeled myself away from the beautiful distraction, I trotted back home and was reminded of the reason I got up so early in the first place. The sun is really unforgiving on the bay trail, I'm glad I didn't sleep in.

I was pleased to see that my pace was sub 10, and my heart rate still below MAF. I took some more Vitargo, because why not? and I once again had a steady flow of energy to help me get chicken feed, and wander around the mall in a desperate attempt to buy new clothes. I was barely successful.

Anyway, this weekend I might stick with the flat paths again if my knee isn't up to it. Sunday is the San Jose Rock N Roll Half Marathon, so I'm looking forward to that! Unfortunately I think I'll probably have to go MAF style so I don't make my injury any worse. It's a bummer since it's such a flat course, but oh well! At least the ol' legs still work!

OH! And last but not least, I did the JP Morgan Corporate challenge with our Storm8 team! I organize this run every year, and it is always so much fun! I managed to run a 7:49min/mi. I have to admit, I was a bit bummed when my strava said 7:39, but I guess I ran an extra tenth of a mile. Booooo....but it was a lot of fun. Here's some photos!

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An achy knee, lots of MAF, and most importantly... GOATS!

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Two lessons learned today. First, if you make a Twitter account you should probably check it. And second, shoe reviews are best done with angles of the entire shoe. Especially the sole.

This morning I had the spontaneous urge to check my runlittlegoat twitter account. I figured it was probably dormant, despite connecting all of my Instagram photos to it. I was almost right. It was almost lifeless, except a few posts directed at me to give an update on the Hoka One One Valors!

Remember these guys? Valors Vs Bondi3's

I figured that the only people reading my blog were my equally fitness and health crazed friends, and...my Mom. (Thanks Mom!). 

To make up for it, I'm going to give this person AKA Midpackbiped on Twitter, a quick recap on the Valors. 140 characters just did not cut it.

I was surprised to find that I've done over 400 miles in these shoes so far (thanks to Strava tracking them!), even with alternating them between the Hoka One One Clifton's (My previous "review" here)  and Altra Olympus's. By the way, the olympus shoes are a STEAL right now. 

I can't complain. The Valors have held up. Keep in mind though, that I'm somewhere between 105 and 110lbs, so I don't think I'm the best person to talk to about shoe wear and tear. It's clear that they have plenty of miles left in them.

The only thing I don't like about them, is the toe box. I REALLY wish they would take a hint from Altra and really give a toe box that let's your foot splay out. I don't think that I have an unusually wide foot, but I'm a bit sensitive to my toe room. Especially when I wear the Injinji toesocks, I find that my toes are uncomfortably cramped. I just said toe way too many times in this paragraph.

I DO love the upper. It's substantial in quality, but is also light and breathable. The colors are nice, but I've never been a huge fan of the Hoka Logo smeared all over the side. I don't mind it, I've learned to accept the fact that runner's can't choose a shoe primarily for their looks. They're definitely getting more fashionable as the years fly by, but I'd love to get rid of the giant logo.

And does anyone else think the bird flying in the "O" looks like a women's bikini? That's all I see. I bet you can't unsee it now, can you.

The ride is cushy and smooth, and I still reach for those on the days I need an extra soft footfall for my legs. 

Now, I have to say that I am getting confused with all of the different models they are putting out. I know that the Valors are comparable to the Bondi's, but I'm not sure how different it is from the Bondi4. Then there's the Vanquish, and Odyssey, and don't forget the Constant. I used to feel like I knew everything about Hokas, and could probably be a better sales person than most of the running store employees, but now I'm starting to lose that feeling. Too many to keep track of, all with very slight differences! 

Anyway, that's my updated review. These shoes will probably go into retirement if I choose to run with them in the AR50. It's scary that I don't know what shoes I want to run in yet. 

And I'll end with a new pair of shoes I received today! I got the fancy and sleek Skora Core's. Made from...goats. I guess it's fitting. Or is it? I will write a review for them soon, but it won't be running based I don't think since I'm not much of a minimalist. I wanted to get them just for wearing casually, because they are just that good looking. 

Now go follow me on Twitter!

Jack approves!

My Skora Core's. And our dirty old floor.

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Hoka One One Valor Update

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