The Nite Owl vs Ammah Hill

After our recent review of the Skechers Nite Owl , I have using them for my longer runs. As they were my racing shoes for the Newton 25km Challenge, here is my experience on how I did my longest distance hilly race with the Nite Owl.

Initially I wanted to do the 15km race. But due to my procrastination on the registration, the 15km category was unavailable when I tried to register. Finally, Uncle Chan and Samantha was nice enough to let me sign up at last minute for the 25km distance, reluctantly I accepted the challenge.

Photo credit: snailpace-ziff71

According to my research this is what Ammah Hill looks like in the day!! But since my buddies are doing it, I will just join in for fun, because the longest I have ever ran is 15km and that was a long time ago.

Photo credit: John Yew

On race day, I have decided to use my the Skechers Nite Owl. I am used to race with the Skechers GORun Speed but the Skechers Nite Owl seems to be a suitable shoe for this event because of the plush cushioning and besides...the race starts at 5:30 am so it will be really dark. I can now run around like a Christmas tree.

So I ran up and down Ammah Hill surprisingly I enjoyed myself at a pace that I am comfortable with, and I am so glad that I had my MP3 player with me.  Despite the hills and the distance, I did not scream ''Ammah!".

By the time I reach 20km I realized there was a blister developing between the toes. Bummer. I forgot to apply Vaseline and since this is my first long distance race, I forgive myself.

After I crossed the finish line, I found my dad and chit chat with his buddies. I later reunite with my buddies, and we wasted no time monkeying around with our medals while waiting for the results.

Me with my Dad and my running seniors, posing with our prizes!

Photo credits to Leon You

The Ammah Hills was fun to run in, and 25km is not that bad after all, but I have learned a few things that we must prepare when we are running the longer distance.  And  I find the Skechers Nite Owl which is really the GORun2 are really great shoes suitable for longer runs. Ample cushioning and very light. And they work really well double up as a visibility tool when running in darker environment.

Skechers GoRun2

If you want to invest in a pair of comfortable and flexible trainers that can also deliver you performance, then The Skechers GOrun2 is a good choice.  I personally find these shoes to be great trainers for faster pace training; as it has all the comfort you can find in any typical light weight trainer, yet they feel like a pair of racing flats due to the firmness and close to the ground feel.

The visual design can be as simple as the black version above, or as sophisticated and rugged as the colorful version below. It has all the features of a racing flat to support fast pace running without compromising comfort.  For those who are used to running in trainers and would like move into racing shoes, the GOrun2 will make good transitional shoes.

One of the most significant comfort feature found on the GOrun2 is found on the uppers. From the picture above that the the GOrun2 offers breathable and stretchable mesh on the uppers; and this allow the toes to move naturally on every landing and take off. (it is easier to notice this on the bright colored version of these shoes). Very comfortable if you like stretchable uppers.

And, in the center of the design is the M-Strike Technology, which is incorporated to promote mid-foot strike hence help in cultivating a good running form and habit. But I think so far, most of the Skechers shoes I  have ever tried on are consistent in the concept of promoting mid foot strike.

In the version 1 of the GOrun, there is no insole. For the GOrun2, there is a removable firm insole, which gives you the options of the extra comfort or minimal feel.

And the 'rocking' feel found in the original GOrun is gone. I find a much more stabilized feeling in the GOrun2 in this aspect, without any compromise to the support.

The placement of GOimpulse sensors are still there and they are suppose to offer flexibility and feedback for a responsive feel, although I must say that technically I do not feel their presence at all.  All I can say in layman terms is that in most cases I really enjoy the good cushioning that these shoes are offering, at the same time they provide me the necessary 'firmness' that I prefer when I run my tempos.  

One thing though, just like those expensive racing tyres you might have in your cars ..those Michelin or Conti ...and the likes, these shoes can wears out pretty fast depending on your landing style. So if you are new to racing shoes, be ready for the fact that this is pretty common for most racing shoes. I guess that is a trade off for better performance.

Final verdict: I find that the Skechers GOrun2 strongest feature is that it is almost like is a hybrid: ie. a minimally cushioned light trainer that can double up as a racing flat. Team Skechers Malaysia now race in the Skechers GOrun2.