AMY RUSIECKI’S TOP 5 REASONS THE OROC DOMINATES THE TRAIL

NO MATTER THE SEASON, IT’S IMPORTANT TO FIND A WAY TO TRAIN THROUGH IT

I live in New England, where we tend to have about 5 trail seasons annually: snow season, patchy ice season, mud season, bone dry awesome trail running season, and leaf season. These mostly come in order, annually, although some years the patchy ice season comes before and after the snow season. Regardless of when these seasons come, it is important to find a way to train through them.

Proper gear selection is critical to maximize your training under varying conditions -and I’ve found my #1 versatile shoe has, surprisingly, been the Oroc 280s. These were originally designed as orienteering (off-trail running) shoes, but I have found them to be a staple in my trail running shoe selections. They are my go-to shoes for three of the five seasons we have! The carbide cleats have proven invaluable for ice running on the trails, snow running on the roads, and (surprisingly) running over leaves on the trails. Luckily, the durable upper is water resistant and sturdy enough to hold up with the wear and tear of the hundreds of miles I’ve run in them!

Last week, I had to do an interval workout, and chose to do it on a local dirt road so I would avoid traffic (plus, I often see a hawk or two fly around back there). I wore the Orocs, and effortlessly ran at 6:30 pace along the snow and ice covered road. The Orocs gave me such comfort and such ease of movement.

After a relatively dry fall, I raced the Mountain Masochist 50 Mile in Virginia last year. I actually found that the OROCS were my secret weapon to run over the leaf covered trails as others around me slid uncontrollably up and down the trails. I was surprised that they were comfy for 49 of the 50 miles in the race -I’ll admit that the last mile of pavement (with my weary feet) weren’t the most comfortable, but I will take that over sliding on leaves and falling instead!

If you live in a similar climate, and regularly deal with icy running, snow-covered trails, and abundant leaves, I would recommend you try a pair of OROCS…you have no idea what you’ve been missing!

Pros:

1.Can negotiate ice, snow, and leaf covered trails with ease

2.Comfortable to run on any other condition, such as pavement or rocks

3.Tungsten metal spikes are embedded well and solid enough to withstand plenty of wear and tear (more than a year of harsh use on mine, and still going strong)

4.New fully welded rand and rubberized toe bumper deliver added protection, so capable of withstanding the elements and changing conditions.

5.Super durable shoe -I’ve got a year of harsh abuse, and they are holding up well

Cons:

1.Upper is a bit thicker than other inov-8s, so they keep the feet warmer -great for the winter, but limiting in the summer

2.If you run for a REALLY long time, these could potentially get a bit uncomfortable -it took me 49 miles to sense that I could feel the spikes and their anchor points underfoot. If you’re going a longer distance, try the x-talon or RaceUltra, depending on the terrain.

I first learned to fly as a light wind alternative to windsurfing; as you get better at windsurfing you just want more wind, so it was something to do when it was light! Once I started, I was hooked. Since then I have acquired experience of Alpine conditions in the French, Austrian and Swiss Alps. Further afield, I’ve been a member of expeditions in Russia, where I climbed Mt Elbrus (5,642m) twice, flying off the summit the second time and in Kyrgyzstan where I have climbed Peak Lenin to 6,200m, again flying off at this height. My 2011 debut at X-Alps remains my proudest moment.

In terms of running, I completed Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc race – CCC (Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix) in 2009 (98km distance, 5,600m of ascent, all off-road), as well as the longer tougher TDS course and the Gore-Tex Trans Alpine, run in 2008 and 2009 (8 days, 3 countries, 300km and 14,300m ascent).

OVER A THIRD OF RED BULL X-ALPS COMPETITORS FAIL TO THE FINISH

So what does it take to train for the Red Bull X-Alps? Well, my typical week looks something like this: I cycle to work most days, covering up to 150km a week. Then I run off-road every other day, covering at least 50km per week. I also hike with a 10kg pack and once a week suffers hill interval training on a 70m hill local to where I live. Finally, if I go flying I will usually hike up to launch, as in the UK there are very few cable cars up to take off!

Armed with the experience gained in the 2011 Red Bull X-Alps race, I’m aiming to push hard on the ground and fly whenever opportunities present themselves. I understand the importance of pacing myself, as endurance events are rarely won in the first few days. Over a third of Red Bull X-Alps participants fail to finish the event, but I know I have the endurance to do so.

I will also have my supporter, Richard Bungay, to help me reach the finish. We first met in 2004, when we had both started our first season of paragliding competitions in the British Paragliding Cup. Since then we have flown together in competitions and become good friends. This friendship was cemented during the intensity of the 2011 Red Bull X-Alps event. He is very well organised, super-motivated by the challenge and his technical skills are second to none.

Follow the progress of Team GBR during the race on this tracking websiteFacebook and Twitter.