Another pair of older, but this time new running shoes that I wanted to try out came in yesterday, which meant that today I needed to run in them.

The Altra Duo v1.

It seems now that I can run comfortably in zero drop shoes (I worked hard at strengthening my left Achilles this summer) – I am getting to try some of the shoes that always intrigued me, but that I didn’t feel that I could run in and stay healthy before now.

The Altra Duo v1 is a maximal shoe at 31mm stack height, that weighs in my size 8.0 @ 8.1 ounces and according to the reviews that I read, were not pillows that sucked the energy out of your stride.

Which of course piqued my interest in trying them when they came out last year. When I ordered the Impulse, I almost got these at the same time, but I still wasn’t sure about how the zero drop shoes were going to work for me. So when they worked quite well for me, I found a decent deal on a new pair on eBay and ordered them.

Where do I see them sitting in my rotation? Basically I got them hopefully for longer runs and alternate with my Beacon 2s for other runs.

Planned Workout Description: I planned on a longer run, but decided that 7.0 was going to be long enough today.

• Day: Sunday
• Time of Day: 11:17a
• Course: Goodhue 7.0 Miler
• Distance 7.01
• Time of Run: 1:02:29
• Pace: 8:55
• Rating (1-4): 2
• Running Streak Day #: 2
• Weather: Clear to Overcast, 55*F, Humidity 65%, Wind 7mph SW

• Shoes Worn: Altra Duo v1 (7.01) First run in the Duo’s they need a bit of breaking in I have a feeling, because they felt a bit more comfortable at the end of the run than they did at the start.

Variables that impacted the run: It was the first run in the Duo’s and the have a bit of a different feel than other shoes I have in my rotation.

Comments: I started out slowly, the Duo’s felt very stiff, quite firm and a bit ungainly at first. Not at all what I expected from a 31mm stack height shoe to say the least.

No, I wasn’t expecting marshmallow soft, but initially the Duo felt a lot firmer than my Beacon 2s and just about as firm as the long-distance racer Impulse’s, so that was a big surprise.

However, I went through the first mile split sub 9:00, which is usually a good sign, because there is always some adjustment and figuring out the best stride for a pair of shoes.

They did surprise me at how well they did on the hard packed dirt road and while they did pick up a few pebbles, it wasn’t a crazy amount like I thought it might be.

When I got back on the tar, they had loosened up a little and felt better. I wasn’t hurrying, but I wasn’t wasting a lot of time either. I got to the turn-around under 30:00 which is pretty good for not trying to go fast.

On the way back it was against the wind and while the Klimat app says 7 mph, it felt a bit more than that, but not anything crazy, just enough to make me work a little harder than usual.

I did pick up the pace a little between miles 4 and 5, just to see how it felt. No issue when picking up the speed and I could feel a bit more “give” on landing, so the sole was breaking in a little and the initial stiffness was a lot better.

I never slapped down the forefoot, so I had a smooth gait, but with the high stack height and the way the front is designed, I have to focus a bit more on maintaining the “right” stride for me and the way that I toe-off.

When I came back up through the two bumps and Stevens Hill, it gave me a good indication on how the Duo’s would do on Hills. The Duo’s are nothing special as climbers – at least that is my initial thought. There is no snap, is more of a roll-thru, which is what I kind of expected, so on steeper hills, I will be slower going up them in the Duo.

By the end of the run, some of the firmness had softened up and was feeling more comfortable. Although at around the 6.0 mile mark my right foot under the Tailor’s Bunionette was bothering a little, so I was glad that I only had that last mile to go.

After everything was said and done, my first run in the Altra Duo v1s was a 7.0 miler, which is further than I usually go run in a first run in a new pair of running shoes. So it was a mixed bag.

Overall, it wasn’t a GREAT first run, but I have a feeling that the Duo’s will find a place in my rotation, although I have a feeling they might be a colder shoe, but that is what they make Merino Wool socks for – right.

I still am not crazy about black shoes, but I will deal with the colorway as long as the shoes are working well for me.

How did this run move me towards my goal(s)? 7.0 more miles in the books and the first run in my Altra Duo v1s. It was a good get acquainted run and makes me want to do a few more runs in them to see how they do with a few more miles on them.

Cardio (walking, elliptical, bike, mowing, etc.) Total: 4.32

Weight: 156

Non Running Comments: The garden is basically closed up, apples are picked and a lot of odds/ends were buttoned up for winter. It is coming and it ain’t gonna be all that long either.