Product Review: Giro Mele Triathlon Shoe

From Giro's website: Giro's Website Link.

 
Mele™ Tri Shoes 
FAST AND FIT: THE BEST OF OUR TRI-SPECIFIC DESIGN

The Mele™ Tri offers a snug, supportive fit with breathability, power transfer and fast transition in mind. The upper features a wide throat opening with a stout upper strap for secure fit, as well as an integrated scuff guard at the heel. Our acclaimed SuperNatural Fit footbed with Aegis® anti-microbial treatment provides adjustable arch support to optimize fit and power transfer, creating a perfect complement to the best-in-class Easton® EC70™ composite outsole.
Manufacturer Video: Link here.

From Tri Coach K:
My initial aesthetic impression of these shoes is overall positive.  The shoes have a visually wide mouth to the upper, as stated by the manufacturers description; I can attest that the design of this part of the shoe definitely lends itself well to easy slip-on.  I really like the color options they make available as well.  I chose the Chrome/White style but it was a toss-up between those and the Obsidian/Highlight Yellow-the website pictures doesn't do justice to the Obsidian color...it has a very nice shimmer/gloss finish that looks killer in the sun.  The Obsidian is actually more of a mocha/charcoal color in certain lighting. 

Giro has done us right by utilizing two straps instead of just one; some shoes I have used have had only one strap, to evidently speed up the transition and slip-on, which in most cases actually seems to diminish the quality of the shoe fit to the foot, by leaving the forefoot and toe-box somewhat roomy and not snug enough to reduce blisters.  Not the case with Giro...the two strap design allows for good fit without cutting off circulation in the forefoot.  The larger of the two straps, by the ankle, is reversed to allow for on-the-bike slip-on without the worry of getting the strap tangled in the chain.

The mesh on the front of the shoe could be easily covered by a forefoot style booty, for the cooler spring or autumn rides.  The ventilation is nice for indoor spinning on the trainer, or hot arid summer days. 

In the past I have ridden several brands of shoes including Carnac, Shimano, Bontrager, Sidi, Pearl Izumi, and Giro.  Giro's description is true to my testing.  They felt good, kept my feet well aired, and while either socked or barefoot, my feet were secure so as not to blister.  

One really cool feature in addition to the already mentioned features is the 3 different arch support inserts provided.  The Aegis anti-microbial insole has a small, medium, and large arch insert that is seamlessly integrated into the in-sole so as not to create points of irritation or chafe.  For riders with a very wide and high foot, with little to no arch or flat feet, the in-sole could be taken out, but a thinner in-sole would be recommended in its place.

The shoes retail on the Giro site for $200 which is very competitive to similar shoes of similar quality and intended use.  A comparable model would be Bontrager's Hilo RXL Triathlon shoe which retails for about $180.  I have been riding on Bontrager's RL Road shoe on the trainer for the last few weeks and I like these as well, so I can't say anything bad about Bontrager's Hilo RXL shoes.  Giro and Bontrager are using their composite technology honed from wheel building to make their shoe soles stiff and able to transfer power efficiently.

Giro utilizes top notch innovation from its composite sister company Easton, for the soles on this shoe.  The EC70 Carbon Composite is similar to the caliber and quality used in Easton's engineering of the famous racing wheels like their EC90's, a favorite among triathletes and time-trialists who are looking for something different from the standard issue Zipp wheel.

Maple Grove Cycling is a dealer of Giro, Bontrager and several other great cycling shoe brands.  Tri Coach K was not paid by any of the companies mentioned in this review and the review was done solely and autonomously from any outside input or guidance.  The italicized text at the intro to the review is from Giro's website, and the photo and Youtube.com video are produced by Giro and can be viewed on Giro's website.

I hope this review is helpful.  Please give me feedback and direct comments/questions in the comment box below!

Train Smart, Keep Balanced,
Tri Coach K   

Off-Season Training Essentials

1. Resistance Bands: With the off-season coming into full bloom, one area of training that many triathletes will want to work on is core and articulation strength.  Core strength would be the parts of the body pertaining to the trunk i.e. abdominals hipflexors, pectoralis, latissimus, rhomboids and lumbar groups.  The articulation strength that can be benefited is any muscle group that aids in joint articulation...this would include muscles surrounding the knee, shoulder, hips, and elbows.  As athletes increase volume and intensity through the winter months it is vitally important to have good strength built so that as these variables increase the body is able to withstand these added stresses without injury. 

2. Pool Tools: I would include in this grouping any products that help an athlete perform drills, technique, or general swimming training, in the pool.  Examples of equipment that I regularly use would be fins, paddles, kick-board, pull-buoy, and drag suit.  A pull-buoy goes between the legs and allows one to swim with proper body position by eliminating the need to kick whilst keeping the body in proper horizontal alignment on the top of the water.  A kick-board allows one to utilize just the kick for forward propulsion.  It should be noted that too much kicking specific drills, for a triathlete, can often be problematic due to the added stress it can put on the knees.  Fins can similarly add unnecessary stress if used too much and/or with too high of intensity.  A drag suit is simply a swimsuit that is designed to be slightly less hydrodynamic.  It might have added mesh or not fit quite as tight to the body the way a typical swimsuit would.  Many swimsuit manufacturers have fun with these types of suits and offer unique patterns and styles that can be kind of 'loud.'

  

3. Multi-Vitamin w/ Vitamin D: Although I am not a pharmacologist or dietitian, I have strong feelings and pseudo-evidences that the vitamin D deficiency that many mid-westerners experience in the winter months caused from decreased exposure to the sun, may have negative impact on seasonal mood disorders, and metabolic efficiency.  On numerous occasions family members, my spouse, or friends have shared with me about low vitamin D levels during the winter months as being evidenced from blood test results by a medical practitioner and/or laboratory blood tests.  The vitamin D deficiency paired with seasonal mood issues, and seasonal weight gain, often times associated with no changes in exercise is where my suspicion that the three are interrelated comes from.  There are some studies that suggest that there is likely more than just a positive correlation here. Similar studies reveled curious relations between suppressed immune functioning and vitamin D deficiencies.  http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/80/6/1689S.full

4. Bicycle Trainer: Many athletes will already own one of these, but I mention it because it is important, and also important to have a good quality trainer if a rider is using it more than 3 days per week or is sharing it with a spouse or friend.  Trainers vary in price and are significantly different in feel and quality.  There are several types of trainers based on the type of resistance and the durability of the trainer.  CycleOps for instance, one of the larger brands on the market sells a magnetic resistence trainer for under $200 and has a magnetic/fluid resistance trainer for over $475.  It all depends on what kind of resistance; the style of flywheel (a large disk that allows the bike wheel to keep moving when the rider stops pedaling)-which enhances the ride quality to make it feel more like riding on the road. Features like electronic remotes are optional on some models, but can take the price well over $1500. 

Two trainers I work with on a regular basis and have had great success with are the CycleOps Fluid 2 trainer which uses magnetic and fluid resistance and has a very adequate sized flywheel and costs around $315 and the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine which also uses a very similar fluid and magnetic resistance and costs around $380-(on Sale for $349 for Thanksgiving-New Year).  Both manufacturers provide a lifetime warranty, which I have seen utilized by customers and clients I have worked with; in both cases with each company, Kinetic and CycleOps were very supportive and replaced the defective units.

5. Studded Tyres: Can handle the cold?!? If you can handle cross-country skiing, then riding in the blistery winter cold won't be a too big of a deal.  No two studded tires are created equal.  Tires are designed for 26" wheels or 700c wheels, which can sometimes be interchanged with a 29er mountain bicycle.  There are a few studded tire companies that make a really phenomenal tire, and there are a couple that don't make such great tires.  I won't trash-talk any specific companies, but make sure to talk with your local bicycle dealer to see which ones they recommend and have had good luck with.  I have personally had really good success with Kenda, Suomi/Nokian, and Schwalbe studded tires.  Specific models of each that we have sold and have had great reviews from are the Kenda Klondike, which are made for 26-inch, 29ers, and 700c-cross versions; Suomi, who was formally known by the name Nokian, has a tire called the Hakkapeliita, which comes in several versons, the A10's are the ones I ride on my bicycle through the winter and are a 700x32c tire with 72 carbide tipped studs per tire.

6. Bicycle Fitting: I will only briefly mention this, but don't want to under emphasize the importance of a professional bike fit.  Many riders come to me looking for solutions to problems of various kinds that they're facing on the bike and I am stuck by how simple of fix various adjustments can be and are real world changers for my riders.  A good bicycle fit doesn't have to cost a fortune, and in most cases if adjustments or components are recommended, there will be a discount on those products.

7. Stroke Analysis: This is another area that I can't over emphasize.  Many of the injuries that triathletes and swimmers experience could have been easily avoided by corrections in their stroke.  Most triathlon or swimming coaches can offer a swim analysis that focuses on one stroke with a specific purpose.  For example, if you are a triathlete who primarily open-water swims, there will be slightly different technique focus that will help you swim more efficiently and effectively in open water as opposed to a normal lap-swimming or speed swimming stroke for pool usage.  It is good to do some research on any coach you might work with.  Get to know what their technique philosophy is and make sure that they have a good understanding of the bio-mechanical movement patterns that are necessary for good triathlon-specific swimming.  Also it is helpful to work with a coach that also has strength and condition expertise and can recommend dry-land training exercises to help your technique and swim-strength in the water.

In the off-season it is essential to have a good time so don't get too crazy, just yet.  Ponder your previous season; the successes, and the failure, the challenges and the breakthroughs.

Train Smart, Keep Balanced.
Tri Coach K           

Seasonal and other Transitions

 (photo credit: http://www.snookerbacker.com)

Albeit odd rather odd--or maybe not so much if you know me personally--I was thinking about how it would be to look in on one's life from a distance and what the evidences would be of certain changes...seasonal, life transitions, and so on; as an alien or foreigner looking in on my life and family from afar (not thinking about the creepiness of it all), irrespective of temperature changes and clothing choices, what evidences would be see that the Season had changed? 

I thought about it and was confounded.  I think for many people there are metaphoric transitions from one season to another, from one life circumstance to another.  The seasons are changing and it's time to embrace Autumn.

Most of us enjoy the changing seasons of Minnesota, or we would have selected another place to call home.  As we meet this seasonal transition head-on, we all need to discern what we'll be doing athletically when the snow starts to fly.  Some might be putting bike away on the hook in the garage, some might be pulling out the trainer from the dusty spiderweb laden corner of the basement, and some might be just putting some studs on the wheels and heading out into the cold.

The life of a bicycle shop is not much unlike that of a triathlete.  Some folks are coming in to purchase rollers or trainers.  Some are bickering about how they have to put a jacket on and scarcity of ride-able days left in the season.  Maybe my favorite is the mid-60 year old who walks through the doors, looks left and right at the Fat bikes parked inside the windows and says, "Hey sales guy, can I give one of these bad boys a test-ride!?!"

For me it is really the excitement of change that is the catalyst for growth, optimism and the embracing of something NEW- but not too foreign.  In my first week leading group training classes at our shop, I am already cognizant that not all people are embracing the change of season as I am, which can be told from the size of our classes.  Whether two people or ten, we've been having a blast and finding common-ground in the instituting of discipline in our lives and the regimen thereof.  Weather measured in temperature, or whether measured in frequency of outdoor/indoor exercise sessions, don't be bound by arbitrary metrics of sorts.  Embrace discipline and the pursuit of fitness; while with balance and prudence you may start walking with the knowledge that you don't need to run until later into the spring.

Train Smart, Keep Balanced.

   

Thank You!

Thank you to all the athletes who applied for sponsorship with Maple Grove Cycling.  We had several excellent candidates, and we have selected 10 athletes to represent the organization for the 2013 season.  

MGC will have group rides starting up the week of April 15th.  If you are looking for a group of dedicated, but balanced individuals who love to ride and participate in friendly group rides, it's worth checking out.  MGC Facebook Ride page.  (Click here).  

The group swim seminar was cancelled for now due to pool availability.  Keep an eye on the blog and Tri Coach K at FB for updates.  Right now I have been working primarily with ones and twos for swim lessons.  If you or you and a few others would like to schedule something, feel free to email me at triathloncoachk(at)gmail.com

Train Smart, Keep Balanced, 
Coach K

MGC Triathlon Sponsorship Opportunity

Greetings Athletes,
Its been good keeping in touch with many of you through the off-season (transitional season) and I was so blessed by the many Christmas and New Year's well-wishes!  The winter IS winding down, despite forecasts for snow still in the news, so git yeer rear in geer and start prepping more seriously for an awesome 2013 racing season.

Working with a local bicycle shop, I have been tasked with the role of being the triathlon sponsorship coordinator and am currently seeking candidates for the 2013 season.  If you are interested or know of someone who might be a good candidate for this opportunity, please have them contact me.  By phone you can contact me at Maple Grove Cycling : 763.420.8878, or via email reach me at triathloncoachk(at)gmail.com.

Lastly many of you are starting to get in the pool more ticking of yards towards a better open-water swim.  Remember practice does NOT always make perfect...PERFECT practice makes perfect...make sure your stroke is efficient and your form is dialed in to avoid injury and minimize energy consumption.  I am putting together a group swim workshop scheduled for a few days in March.  Keep watching for updates both on the blog as well as my Facebook page: Tri Coach K on FB.

Train Smart, Keep Balanced, Coach K

Transition Season

In my early years of triathlon training and racing in the late 90's, I would typically race from May to September in a normal year.  My Autumn was usually freckled with a trail race or two and then I would enter what some refer to, and what I used to refer to as my "Off-Season."  Off-Season, or what I now refer to as transition season, is a time of year that ought to be characterized by just as much strategy and intentionality as any other phase of ones training year.

Transition season, as its name indicates, is a phase of the training year when the body is allowed to deconditon at a controlled and intentional rate; an intentional transition from fitness to inactivity.  Typically one's transition season depends on the level of intensity and competition the athlete was competing at during their season as well as the distance of racing, the age of the athlete and the depth of tenure in the sport and mode of training.  Depending on these variables a transition season can be anywhere from 2-8 weeks.  Some athletes will take an intentional two weeks of no exercise followed by 4 weeks of non-sport related general fitness or a non-triathlon sport like cyclocross racing or single track mountain bicycling. This gives the body time to heal itself of any injuries one may have been keeping at bay during the racing season.  If it's your first triathlon racing season maybe you'd benefit from 4 weeks of non-activity, while for a seasoned veteran, two weeks might do the trick.  Whatever the amount of time you take away from the sport, allow it to be a time to recharge mentally, physically as well as relationally.

Training can have positive and negative impact on your family and personal life.  Make sure to keep loved ones a top priority during your off season and transition season. Talk with your coach or trainer about how much time off is right for you.

As always, Train Smart-Keep Balanced!  

Ain't No 'Round of Golf

In addition to being a multisport coach I also work at a bicycle shop in town.  I wear many hats there, but some of the more interesting roles I assume are bike fitter, triathlon specialist, and assistant buyer.  I share these roles with a few other colleagues, but see a wide range of diversity within our client base.  In our preliminary interviewing questions before we fit someone on their new bicycle, we ask questions like: "what will be your primary use for the bike; do you plan to do any racing with the bicycle; will you be participating in any multisport events with the bike-i.e. triathlon" and so on.  Of the clients I work with at the shop I would guess at least 75% of the individuals I fit have some kind of interest in triathlon, most of whom have only participated in a sprint distance race or competed as a leg of a triathlon relay.

Droves of individuals are taking on the challenge of completing a multi-disciplined competition for the accolades of friends and family and/or identity of "triathlete" or "ironman."  Among this immigration there are numbers of peoples who are leaving inactive or sedentary lifestyles for the pursuit of accomplishing something great…something they’ve never done before that stretches them beyond the limits they had previously set for themselves.  Although many of these athletes-in –the-making should get a gold star for tenacity and motivation, many of them have not considered the prior approval and permission of a licensed healthcare professional to participate in such an event.  

All this to serve as a preamble to sharing the experience I had competing in an event, this summer,  in which one participant did not cross the finish line; this individual an active person by all friends' account was an avid cyclist and runner certainly one who had prepared and trained for this event, but for difficult circumstances or freak cause of nature, did not make it to T1 alive.  My heart goes out to this family who lost their husband, father, son, and friend at such a young age.  Looking back on the event it has been sobering to think that while I was out there thrashing in the huge waves of this large body of water, there was also another man out there thrashing in what would ultimately be his last breaths.  I am still uneasy about all of this and have wondered about that day on so many levels, and from so many vantage points.

As a coach, I work with athletes of various ability levels and athletic backgrounds and see firsthand the variety of folks that attempt to compete in a multisport event.  In no way to I want to draw a direct correlation from the tragedy of this young man at the race I competed in, and my own experience with clients training for competition;  there are however some trends that I see which could save a lot of folks some hassle and help to make potential participants cognizant of the precautions one must consider in training and racing for a triathlon.

Triathlon is no round of golf; with necessary training and preparation however, it can be a fun and safe sport in which to participate.  Maybe this summer you participated in your first triathlon.  Possibly you didn’t even participate in an event, but were a spectator for a friend or loved one who competed in a multisport event.  Whatever your  level of participation or interest, this article is about thinking through some of the concepts that will move you in the direction of preparation and training for your future endurance efforts.

Some basic guidelines to consider as you recollect how this season went and how you will plan for future training and racing:

1) Hire a professional to help you assess what is reasonable for you, given your background, current health status, and plans for future competition.  I am bias in this area, because I am a certified coach and personal trainer.  I have worked with a couple clients that I have had to pull the reigns in on.  Last summer I had a client that was preparing for his first international distance competition.  In our interview and introduction consult we looked over his background and discussed any of his apprehensions about his goal of competing in an international tri.  One of his concerns was that this was his first triathlon competition and that by doing some swimming on his own, he wondered if he would be able to complete the 1.5kilometer swim that is required for an Olympic distance event.  Hearing this concern, we worked on not only continuous distance swims in the pool, but also continuous distance swims in a nearby lake.  We discussed the reality of possibly switching his entry registration from the Olympic distance to the sprint if necessary.  As race time approached I felt comfortable with his progression and gave him the green light on participating in the Olympic distance.  We admitted that he would likely have to do some backstroke and possibly some sidestroke, given his discomfort with rhythmic breathing, but that he had come far enough that it would be safe for him to race without anxiety.  Other athletes have not been in the same boat…in some cases we chalk it up for “next year” and advise the athlete just compete in the sprint and save the longer distance for the future.

2) Training intensity and modality should mimic racing conditions.  Two years ago I directed an indoor triathlon at the Downtown YMCA.  It was called the “Dip Ride & Dash.”  The race was a tremendous success and we had an awesome turnout including over a dozen participants that had never completed a multisport event.  One of the interesting conversations I had was with one of the dozen tri-newbie’s, a gal in her mid 40’s who looked like she was as fit as Paula Newby Fraser (multiple Ironman World Champion).  This lady thanked me for putting on the event and explained that the reason she had never competed in a triathlon is that she has an irrational fear of open water swimming.  Thankfully this woman knew her fear before starting an event in a lake.  Others have swam hundreds of laps in a pool only to put their foot to the line on a beach somewhere and discover 50 yards later that swimming in murky water with weeds, fish, and turtles is nothing like swimming in a pristine chlorinated pool.

3) Talk to your doctor before training, but especially before competing in a triathlon.  Most multisport coaches will require their clients to sign a waiver that acknowledges that risks and inherent liabilities associated with training and competing in triathlons .  This waiver will include a line that indicates the participant has received a physicians approval to participate in training and is not currently diagnosed with any condition that would limit their ability to stress the body beyond low level aerobic activity.  The inclusion of this kind of wording is not intended primarily to serve as a limiter in restricting individuals from participating or to limit liability that the coach might incur, but more as an encouragement that anyone who exercises on a regular basis should  be in routine dialogue with their primarily healthcare provider about the modalities they are using for exercise.

Working in the multisport industry, I am so encouraged at the numbers of people who are discovering the way that multisport training and competition can positively impact wellness and quality of living.  Working with athletes of all ability levels and intensities of competition, I am blown away by how inclusive the sport is and how a self-employed IT consultant couch potato can take a physician’s prodding seriously and get some coaching from a dietitian and tri coach and lose 180lbs over one year and discover a new way of life. 

Although results may vary, we all have come to the sport in part due to an ounce of intrigue and a little insanity.  With a little sage advice and some guided training one can lower their handicap and safely enjoy this different kind of stroke.