Why Does it Smell Like Maple Syrup?

My first thought was, maybe it was the waffle that morning. Then again, the "Elvis" at Wally Waffle comes with honey, so the distinct smell of maple syrup couldn't have been coming from my pores as the heat sucked all the fluid from my body. Nevertheless, there it was, clear as day, in the middle of the woods.

Now, Ohio does have a strong maple syrup production base, but not in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Maybe the heat was getting to me. The Buckeye Trail from Blue Hen falls was almost deserted, except for the family that was returning from viewing a rather pitiful water fall.

"The water's pretty low, so there's not much to see," said the man of the family. I thanked him and started bounding down the uneven asphalt, perhaps better remembered as "Beast Mode" hill.

I've gone back to wearing my New Balance Minimus Zero trail shoes, which have a ridiculous number of holes in the mesh around the toes and along the sides. They make me feel light and quick.

My legs are starting to come around, as I continue to regain fitness. Still, the first big uphill reduced me to a hike.

One of the big mental hurdles I've had as a road runner switching over to running trails is that mastery comes when you no longer have to walk. How many of us have been proud of ourselves for making it through our first marathon without walking?

That mentality just doesn't fly on trails. You take what the trail gives you, and sometimes that means a walk break. The idea is to just keep moving.

This isn't the first time this idea has been a topic for Team BHI, which was covered in the series of Viper's Trail Tips last year. Considering I only made it up to No. 3 proves I still have a lot to learn and sometimes relearn about trail running. To recap, those Trail Tips were:

• No. 1: Scatter Step
• No. 2: Pick Up Your Feet
• No. 3: Walk the Hills

These may be my core set of trail running skills. I can't think of a single run through the woods that hasn't required all three, usually with a reminder courtesy of tripping on a tree root and nearly flopping face first into the dirt. 

Knock on wood: I've still never fallen on a trail run, even when the smell of maple syrup tickled my olfactory senses and distracted me from the terrain. 

There was a mossy clearing just past the water crossing, near where I smelled that maple syrup, and it looked like someone had planted a stubby tree branch in the ground as a marker. It had the feeling of a gathering place.

Perhaps some maple cult met here on dewy mornings to sup on syrupy confections. Perhaps the ground was consecrated with blessed gooey goodness. Perhaps I'm a bit obsessed. 

Review: New Balance Minimus Zero Trail

Back in March, my running shoe arsenal achieved full minimalism with the addition of the New Balance Minimus Zero trail shoes (model MT00). Hitherto, my trail shoes were the grandfather of the MT00s and predecessor of the Minimus line, the MT101s.

While fairly light compared to more traditional trail shoes, the MT101s are almost twice as heavy as the MT00s, which are the lightest shoe I own, weighing less than 5 ounces. The MT101s also featured a 7-millimeter heel-drop, whereas the MT00s are zeroed out. Finally, the late-model shoes featured a stiff sole with a "protective" rock plate to avoid punctures, but these new shoes are just asking to get punctured with their extra bendable soles.

Here's how the MT00s looked right out of the box ...

Brand new and full of potential.

And here's how they look now ...

Not so shiny.

And here's what the soles look like ...

Traction without substance.

And here's the standard minimalist shoe roll-up test ...

Inception shoe is a shoe within a shoe.

In the last photo, you can see the small hole near the big toe from when I tripped (but did not fall) over a tree stump. The mesh is of the rip-stop variety, so the hole should get no bigger. (We'll see about that.)

These shoes have now traveled more than 60 miles, over Midwestern terrain, mostly single-track trails and including one race. The wet soil this time of year provides perfect testing conditions for judging traction and draining capabilities--both are superb.

In my First Taste impressions, I was concerned about running without socks with the seemingly abrasive interior of the shoe. So far, it hasn't been much of a problem, with the exception of a small blister on my right instep after one of my first warmer weather runs. As summer approaches, this concern will be completely vetted, as I log longer miles in hotter temperatures.

Quite frankly, I love these shoes. The MT00s rank well with my 3F testing points, providing a zero-dropped sole, extreme flexibility and a comfortable amount of ground feel. They go on my feet and then get out of the way.

The toe box is wide enough for my feet, although I've read some complaints that the shoes were too narrow. However, I believe New Balance could have made the toe more rounded, as I find it to be a bit long at times (see the part where I tripped over a tree trunk).

Furthermore, whatever the upper material is, it's perfect for muddy trails. The muck doesn't cake on, so you don't feel like you're running with Mob-style cement shoes, and it rinses off afterward with just warm water. You should have seen how gross they looked after last Tuesday's trail run, but look at them now!

The MT00s retail for $109.99, which yes we can all complain about minimalist shoes with maximal prices, but that's the nature of the shoe business. If you don't like it, go barefoot--it's fun.

[Drunkard's note: Bought these with my own dollars from Second Sole in Akron, but I did get a bit of a discount because they didn't have another pair of shoes I wanted to try in stock.]

First Taste: New Balance Minimus Zero Trail

As I alluded to last post, I have added yet another pair of shoes to my arsenal. The New Balance MT00, the trail version of the company's Minimus Zero lineup, a zero-dropped version of its predecessor. The MT00s replace my MT101s (a predecessor to the predecessor) and makes my entire running shoe collection minimal and flat.

New Balance MT00, MSRP: $109.99

I've been lazy and haven't taken any more photos, so that'll have to wait until the fullblown review, after I log some serious mileage in the shoes.

Thoughts Out of the Box
These are my lightest shoes, weighing 4.4 ounces, and are quite bendy. New Balance got clever with the soles, providing traction without mass. The mesh is so thin you can see through it, and the rest of the upper is an ultra light space age material.

The shoes are comfortable to wear. The mesh is rough, but felt comfortable enough without socks. However, going sockless on the run will wait until after my race this weekend, as I don't want to risk a blister. The tongue of the shoe is almost a joke it's so thin, and it tends to fold over itself. There is no insole, but a comfortable footbed.

I found the toe box to be sufficiently wide for my feet, but I have read others complain about the shoe being too narrow. On the contrary, I found the shoe to be a bit too long. New Balance could round off the toe a bit to make the shoe a little more ergonomic, a la the Altras or Merrells.

First Run
I wore these shoes for my accidentally too long seven eight-miler last Saturday. I had read that the Minimus Zeros might be too minimal for more technical trails, so I tried them on one of the rougher spots in the area: the Ledges Trail. The terrain is full of rocky outcroppings and snaggly roots to step on.

While the MT00s provided plenty of ground feel, there was plenty of protection. The real test will come when I head out to the Pine Lane section of the Buckeye Trail, where there is a long stretch of latticed roots that are notoriously difficult to traverse.

The light mesh proved to be quite breathable, and the shoe drained well, as there were abundant muddy puddles throughout my run.

Testing Points
My preference is to run sockless, and I'm concerned about the mesh. Even though it felt fine walking around, it could be abrasive on the run. There are plenty more technical trails in the area, and I'll be searching for the limits of this shoe's durability. I'm a bit concerned about the long toebox and the possibility of catching it on uneven terrain.

My first impressions were solid, and I'm happy I went with the New Balance, as I've had good luck with the company's shoes in the past. I bought these shoes with my own dollars from my local store, Second Sole.

Accidentally Too Far

The thing about trails is once you commit to running one, you pretty much have to finish it. There's no taking a shortcut, unless you're one hell of a bushwhacker.

Having consulted a map of the trails I planned to run, I thought I had a good seven-miler routed. Turns out I miscalculated the distances of the connector trails, which added almost a mile and a half to my Saturday morning run.

Despite the extra distance, I felt good -- loads better than a week ago when I had skip a trail loop and cut my run short. Maybe it was the shoes?

New Balance Minimus Zero Trail shoes (MT00)

I've been on a bit of a running gear buying binge. I'll give my new New Balances the "First Taste" treatment later this week, and you'll soon be hearing about what I bought to solve the issue of carrying my phone on the run and new visibility apparel.

Last week's running plan vs. reality turned out to be one run short, but only one mile short of goal, with three runs for 15 miles and a long of eight miles (and change).

This week's running plan calls for four runs and a total of 17 miles, with a long run of eight miles and at least one trail run. I also want to get back to my strength exercises, which I ditched when I got sick.

Saturday is the Dirty Dash, a 10-kilometer race in the Dirty Trail Race Series, my first race of the year and first trail event ever (hence why I bought new trail shoes). My goals for the race are 1.) don't fall, and 2.) finish with pace around 11 minutes per mile (an overall time of ~1:08:xx).

I hope everyone made it through St. Patrick's Day alive and free of legal trouble. Cheers!