Montrail Rogue Racer and Super Cool New Website!

My weekend running "wheels": Montrail Rogue Racer

This weekend I did 2 training runs wearing the new 2011 Rogue Racer by Montrail. This is Montrail’s lightest shoe to date and I’ve worn them on and off since receiving them in December, adapting slowly to the more minimal shoe, as I am accustomed to stability shoes like the Sabino Trail and Mountain Masochist, or for road a variety of Saucony models.

I wear a men’s size 9 in the Rogue Racer (and most other Montrails except Sabino Trail (W10) and Rockridge (M8.5). The Rouge Racer weighs in at 8.8 oz each. I use blue Superfeet instead of the original insole which increase the weight of each shoe by about an ounce. The shoes are streamlined and fit just a tiny bit more snugly than Mountain Masochist in size 9, yet this could be perception too, due to really being able to feel the running surface underneath. I certainly would not go up in size.

Though it has taken me a little while to get used to, and trust my body in a light shoe (especially when so recently returning from injury) I am very excited to have Rogue Racer as part of my collection of trail runners and expect to wear them in my next race, Bel Monte 25k on 3/26 (Part of the La Sportiva Cup).

Yesterday I met Dennis Norris, his partner Lou and Martha Cutler in Damascus, VA for some trail bonding. Dennis and I ran together while Lou and Martha did runs of their own. Den and I put down some good, steady miles, 15.25 in a little under 2 hours. Both of us raced last Saturday (Den-Mt Mitchell Challenge, me Mt Cheaha 50k) and though spirits were enthused, our legs weren’t quite rested enough to really turn it on. The Rogue Racers did great and helped me run with more of a midfoot strike, than heel strike-a running style I am working towards.

Martha, Lou, Dennis and myself on Saturday, post run in the soon-to-be rainy parking lot.

 Today, my run was solo in 35 degree driving wind and moderate rain turning to snow by the end of the 97 minute run. These shoes are not designed for road running, yet I wanted to see how they’d do when going from paved to dirt roads and back. Rogue Racers did fine on the roads-and I was especially happy for the traction as snow started to accumulate on the pavement shoulders.

I also have just opened a box on the 2011, Montrail Fairhaven’s which are designed as a road/dirt crossover shoe and will look forward to wearing them on multi surfaces. I have them on now-just to wear around for several hours before running in them. The color I have is black and it has a minimal grey scaly pattern which makes me think Darth Vader. I can’t wait to run in them!

I have learned from some question/answer sessions with the fine folks at Montrail a few things about pronation control in the new line:

I quote an email from Montrail’s Jesse Malman:

Our new FluidPost technology is designed for neutral to mild pronators and provides customized pronation control and a more fluid motion control from lateral to medial side.  For severe pronators we have the Sabino Trail. We don’t have any supination shoes in the line, but the Badrock would be best for those runners because it has an overall stiffer midsole.

 Montrail’s new website is super cool because it has an interactive shoe finder that lets you type in your body type, foot strike and other information and suggests an a “good fit” model shoe. Runners can also purchase directly from the website or locate other vendors.

I spoke to the “next up” race for me being at the end of the month…next weekend will be filled with 18 hours of re-certifying my Wilderness First Responder at the Nantahala Outdoor Center, southwest of Bryson City, NC. Though there won’t be much training time, the Appalachian Trail goes right through the property and there is a dirt road across the street to get in some good running (likely by headlamp!)