ALTRA Superior 5
Running, for me, is a wonderfully meditative activity, and a way to connect directly with what is. It’s when I’m running that I typically feel most alive and creative. This is certainly true when running the streets of Detroit (or exploring another city, which I love to do when traveling), but is particularly present when within nature on a trail run.
Just this morning I enjoyed a beautiful 11-mile loop through a forest in Western Michigan. There’s something so special and sacred about sharing an early morning with the flora and fauna as the sun rises (less special is the hundreds of spiderwebs that you clear with your face; but it’s all part of it). It’s in the flow of complete engagement with running where the habitual activity of self/ego can be dissolved, revealing a spaciousness and a felt sense of unity (or non-duality) with all that is. This is the true “runner’s high.”
That being said, running is by no means always a pleasant activity; it’s not supposed to be. Running will take you through some extreme highs and lows, physically and psychologically. In fact, a tree root was a great teacher this morning, as it caught my toe and sent me flying and then sliding a couple of feet through the mud. I got up, gave it a bow of respect, and carried on.
The mind loves the captive audience and will do its best to get you to stop, by reminding you of how hard it is and how many other things you could be doing that are much more pleasant. However, just as in life, in general, it’s the letting go of aversion to discomfort that opens a new dimension of opportunity and capability.
For the past few months, I’ve been tackling a variety of runs, from technical trail to flat road, from HIIT to ultra-distances, in Altra’s Superior 5. I picked these up in Boulder, CO, on a bit of a whim while traveling this summer. Altra is well known for its zero-drop profile (i.e., zero height difference between heel and forefoot), and wide, foot-shaped toe box.
The Superior 5’s were immediately comfortable. The best shoe for me—and how I select my footwear—is one that disappears during a run; the shoe becomes an enhancement of my body’s innate ability. I want my unique movement pattern to be supported by the shoes, not controlled by them, as in “motion-control” or “stability” shoes, which are, surprisingly, still sold to runners who don’t need them. Additionally, a more minimal cushioning profile allows for appropriate ground sensation so that your foot’s natural shock absorbing capacity is utilized, and the ground reaction forces are controlled by your muscles, rather than your joints.
If you’ve not yet tried a more minimal running shoe, but are curious about the benefits, be sure to make a slow transition from your current footwear; it takes time to build up the requisite musculature and soft tissue resilience.
These Superior 5’s have roughly 400 miles on them and, despite a tear in the fabric on the side, are still going strong. Given that they’re a more minimal shoe, I wouldn’t expect them to hold up much longer. When the time comes, there'll be another pair of Superior 5’s on order.
Those, too, will be forgotten, along with the illusory self, as the miles tick by.
Enjoy the run!
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