Featured: Saucony Kinvara 3

What’s the difference between the Saucony Kinvara 2 and the newly released Kinvara 3?

Already well known for its light, flexible, and comfortable midsole, this updated design now offers an even smoother transition through the use of a decoupled and beveled heel as well as additional flex grooves.  The Kinvara is geared toward a midfoot strike, and these updates now make it a little more welcoming for heel strikers.   This super-popular model has been updated to have a more durable sole.  Saucony added XT-900 rubber where it matters most:  on the lateral midfoot and forefoot which means you can expect more mileage out of your Kinvara 3s.

The upper has been redesigned, streamlined, and improved, but the shoe is still very lightweight (coming in at 7.7 oz men’s and 6.7 oz women’s).   In addition, the Kinvara 3 is available in wide for both men’s and women’s sizes.

What didn’t change?  The heel-to-toe drop.  Saucony kept the same 4mm.  “You know it, you love it, and Saucony didn’t mess with it.”

During our celebration you can find special deals on products you love! Make sure to come in while supplies last.

We will also be offering a free 10th Anniversary commemorative t-shirt with the purchase of any regularly priced shoes, so now is a great time to grab a pair!

Door prize schedule is as follows:

Thursday 5-7pm

Friday & Monday 11am-7pm

Saturday 11am-5pm

Katie Barkdoll after running the London Marathon

What is your full name?

Katie Barkdoll

Where is your hometown?

Frederick, MD

What is your occupation?

Budget Director – City of Frederick

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Spend time with my family, read, various sports and of course, long distance running.

When did you begin to run? 2006

When did you complete your first long distance event?

Completed my first 5k in April 2006 and my first marathon in October of 2006.

What other friends or family have you inspired to run?

I have several girlfriends that enjoy running.  Being able to spend time with them is a great motivator and makes long weekend runs enjoyable.

What is your favorite training run route?

In and around downtown Frederick!

How has running enhanced your life?

It has given me an outlet for stress relief and is a positive healthy activity I can do with my friends.   The overwhelming sense of accomplishment I feel when I complete a marathon cannot be matched.  Running has given me the confidence to truly believe there is nothing I can’t achieve.

Always wanted to run a 5K, but never thought you could?

Now you can!

RRCA Running Coach Tina Mullaney will be conducting an 8-week program designed for beginners who want to start running, but need support.  If you are interested in learning more about the program, please click here.

Couch 2 5K Training Registration Form

Smart Flat Seams Increased Comfort & Movement

Mesh Inserts Added Ventilation

Mesh Inner Bra Support & Breathability

2.Nike Zoom Structure +14 Breathe

Fly Wire Construction in Upper / Ultra Light/Ultra Strong Upper

Zoom Air Unit in Heel & Forefoot / Cushioning & Shock Absorption

Open Faced Mesh Upper / Enhances Breathabiliy

3. Nike LunarFly+2 Breathe

Open Faced Mesh / Superior Breathability/Less Weight

Dynamic Support / Adapts to Stride Throughout Run

Lightweight Cushioning & Support / Multipurpose Shoe

4. Noggin Couture

Cute Colors  / Fashionable

Non Slip / Comfort & Function

Lined with Velveteen Fabric /  Non Slip/Wicking

Lori (Right) running the Frederick 1/2 Marathon

What is your full name?

Lori Rypka

Where is your hometown?

Originally Weirton, W.Va., but have called Frederick home for 16 years

What is your occupation?

Freelance writer, editor and blogger, but more importantly a mom to two great kids.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Spare time? I’ve heard of this phenomenon. I keep pretty busy with my kids, work and getting to the gym or outside to work out. I love to write and make people laugh, so when I can combine the two, it’s a great day.

When did you begin to run?

About two years ago, if you want to call it “running.” I was 100 pounds heavier and could barely last a tenth of a mile before hunting down the nearest oxygen tank. I built up gradually with the help and encouragement of friends and trainers. I enjoyed training so much that I became certified as personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise.

When did you complete your first long distance event?

This year I ran the Frederick Half Marathon – my first! – and plan in the fall to tackle the Baltimore Marathon.

What other friends or family have you inspired to run?

I’ve inspired more people to work out in general, and leave it up to them if they choose running as an outlet. I still need all of the inspiration I can get to keep going. My running partners are great. Jen Gerlock and Katie Barkdoll continue to inspire and push me. I’ve also gotten great running advice from folks like Kelly Beins, Eva Rosvold, Martha Herman, Vicki Bate, John Kippen and other running heroes in the area.

What is your favorite training run route?

I run wherever Katie tells me we’re running. She’s the route master of the group. I do, however, enjoy running around Baker Park.

How has running enhanced your life?

It has given me an opportunity to challenge myself in a different way. I didn’t consider myself a “runner” until after I ran the half marathon, despite my friends telling me I was one long ago. I’ve been able to work on endurance, as well. The best part, if I’m being honest, is that I get to spend time with my friends. The bonding while running makes the pounding on the feet not so bad. (Of course I’m always wearing quality shoes from If The Shoe Fits, so my feet are in good, well, hands.) We’re not out to break land speed records, so we’re able to get in some girlfriend time while burning some calories.

1. Saucony Hattori

Mitten-like toe box                                        Toes have room to move

Flex groove in back of toes                          Aids natural toe movement

Sculpted foam sole                                        Cushioning without  hampering movement

2. Nathan Intensity Race Vest

3-way Propulsion Harness                                                Minimizes bouncing

Designed for a woman’s fit                                                Comfort

Lightweight breathable wall mesh                                   Keeps back feeling cool

3. Hammer Nutrition Perpetuem

Complex carbohydrates + protein                        Consistent, stable energy

Gluten, MSG, GMO free, vegan, Kosher             Works for dietary concerns

13% fatty acids from lyso-lecithin                         Cues body to use fatty acid stores

4. Mizuno Wave Prophecy

No EVA midsole                                                       Increased mileage

Full length Infinity Wave                                        Responsive ride & feel

Smooth Ride flex grooves                                      Smooth transition, harmonious ride

What is your full name?

David Jack Kenny

Where is your hometown?

Now it’s Frederick (since 2008).

What is your occupation?

Statistician

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Sleep.  Also fly airplanes (mostly rescuing dogs as a volunteer for Pilots N Paws), garden, read, do mechanical work, and drink dark beer.  Oh, yeah, and run.

When did you begin to run?

I ran for a few weeks in 1975 as conditioning for high-school rugby, but I hated the running and anyway, my rugby career was brief.  On New Year’s Day of 1984, my future sister-in-law, who’d run a lot as conditioning for high-school and college crew, showed me how to run distances comfortably; it turned out to be a good hangover remedy.

I ran on and off for a couple of years after that, then dropped it in favor of Ultimate Frisbee when I returned to finish grad school.  I resumed in the summer of 1988 when I was suffering a bout of insomnia and thought that enough physical exertion could wear me into sleeping.  I was also studying judo and wanted to improve my wind on the mat.  Eventually I dropped the judo (having gotten tired of being kicked in the shins by other beginners trying to learn foot sweeps) and kept the running.

When did you complete your first long distance event?

The Governor’s Bay Bridge Run (10 km), May 5, 1989.

What other friends or family have you inspired to run?

Pretty much none, though I’ve made friends and had the pleasure of running with cousins (and my wife, before her knees began protesting) after I was already a diagnosed addict.

What is your favorite training run route?

Back in our old neighborhood in Falls Church, Virginia, a warm-up of about three and a quarter miles on sidewalks and paved trails would put me on the W & OD trail.  I had an out-and-back twenty-miler that went through the Town of Vienna and into a stretch of trail that was three miles without an intersection.  I think it’s spoiled me forever.

Second best was a ten-mile loop I did with a younger, faster friend for a couple of years.  The first half was on rolling dirt roads in the Nags Head Woods nature preserve in Nags Head, N.C. (where the bugs could be vicious!), while most of the second half was on flat paved roads.

How has running enhanced your life?

First and foremost, it’s made it easier to drink beer without putting on weight.  It’s also gotten me into remarkable events like the Hundredth Boston Marathon, helped provide a way to manage tension and frustration, given me a really good way of keeping vigorous young dogs from going bonkers, and occasionally provided me with a sense of accomplishment.  At the same time, it’s reinforced my belief in the importance of humility and underscored the fact that there are things that are simply beyond your control:  No matter how I tried, I never broke three hours in the marathon or even got close to running ten miles in less than an hour.

I suppose it’s also helped keep my joints moving and my heart and lungs healthy, but the latter is apt to increase my chance of some day getting cancer.  (Something’s presumably going to get you, and the more you reduce the risk of one, the more the others have to pick up the slack.)  However, it may have put off the time until any of those ailments comes up to bite me.

1.  Set three goals–Your “probable” goal, your “reach” goal, and your “I’m satisfied” goal. Your “probable” goal is the main one for which you are training.  It could be a time goal, to finish, or to enjoy the race.  Your “reach” goal is one that you strive for if race day is going superbly well.  Your “I’m satisfied” goal is one that you can be happy with even if things don’t go exactly as planned.

2.  Listen to your body—During training, taper and the race day.  Rest when you need it.  Not every day needs to be a running day.

3.  Have a purpose for each run—Easy recovery day, work out/speed session, long run.

4. Stretch and strengthen—To keep a solid foundation, improve balance, running efficiency, and to keep your form

5.  Stick with the tried and true–This is not a time to change up what you do.  Don’t change to different shoes or purchase a cute last minute race outfit.  Stick with shoes, clothing, and foods that work for you.

6. Eat two hours before your race—This allows your body to fully digest and makes blood available to your muscles

7.  Stick with the plan on race day—Don’t fall into running faster than you planned because of the excitement of the day.  Running faster than you planned often leads to paying for it later in the race.

8. Embrace the taper—This is a time to reduce and relax to let your muscles and systems rebuild so they will perform well on race day. Eat healthy foods, drink plenty, and get a good amount of rest.

9.  Eat within 30 minutes post race—Be sure to include carbohydrates and protein to allow your muscles to begin their recovery.

10.  Celebrate your accomplishment—you’ve earned it.  You might even sign up for your next race!

Good luck out there! Got any additional tips you would like to share?  If The Shoe Fits is the official running store of the Frederick Running Festival.

My favorite run is a Mary Zielinski designed course, kind of like a Jack Nicholas designed golf course, there are many of them and they usually have some tough components. I like this route because it reminds me of the rural Frederick County of my youth.

The start is in front of the Bloom Market on Rt.194 leading into Walkersville from Frederick. Parking in the shade is one of the amenities of this route; convenient “real” bathrooms and water stops are not. The route offers relatively good visibility to traffic and is generally pretty quiet with an early morning start.

There are enough short but aggressive hills over this 14.4 mile run to allow for a nice workout and some good reasons to take a few water/gel breaks. The only opportunity to refill water bottles is from a spring at the intersection of Old Frederick and Dublin Rd. The water hasn’t killed any of us yet so I think that it is safe, although it does seem that many who I have known to drink from it over the years have begun to show signs of eccentric behavior patterns and are prone to excessive spewing of inane drivel.

On any given morning, the following animals may be seen: cows, horses, goats, donkeys, alpacas, a peacock and an occasional North American Trash Hound. The Monacacy River is crossed twice and one of Frederick County’s historical covered bridges can be viewed. The farms are beautiful examples of the great days of a thriving local agricultural community and in fact many, like the Ramsberg farm on Ramsberg Road are still owned by the family for which the road was named.

There is a Sheetz gas station at the end for cold drinks and a real bathroom. For those looking to tack on more, the oppostite side of 194 offers some more farms and a chance to stimulate the olfactory membrane from some barns that are closer to the road.

Just writing about this run makes me excited about touring rural Frederick County on an upcoming spring morning!

The route:

Bloom Market

X-194 to Fountainrock

R-Biggs Ford (1.5)

L-Dublin

L-Devilbiss (3.1)

R-Lenhart (4.3)

R-Old Frederick (6.0)

R-Ramsburg (6.3)

R-Links Bridge (8.3)

R-Dublin (8.9)

X-Devilbiss (11.3)

R-Biggs Ford (12.9)

L-Fountainrock

X-194 to Bloom (14.4)