I may have whispered the word, “Wow”, to myself hundreds of times in a 4 hour time-span. It was pretty much the only way to sum up my 2012 Big Sur Marathon experience. I mean, when you have 26.2 miles of rugged cliffsides, breathtaking ocean-views, quad-slamming hills, and brutally canted California coastal highway between the start and finish line, you’re pretty much guaranteed of loving every second of the run. This marathon did not disappoint. [...]

SALOMON XA SMARTSKIN SOFTSHELL JACKET After putting this jacket through the Ginger Runner gauntlet, I’m confident in saying it’s a dynamite piece of gear. I was looking for something to wear on my runs during the rainy months, cold evenings, and early foggy trail mornings. Salomon has a huge variety of choices, all at different pricepoints and features, and this was the perfect choice. Good job, me! It has the right amount of weather resistance, light [...]

Let’s just say that this race taught me a thing or two in humility, perseverance, and outright pain & suffering. This was by far my worst marathon to date; but was easily the most important test of my will to finish and push through what I would only consider the impossible. In fact, it’s only now – weeks later – that I’m able to get over my pride, write about it and share my experience. [...]

I’m pretty stoked that I finally get the chance to review Newton’s brand new 2012 Distance Lightweight Trainer. This is a fantastic shoe from Newton and betters an already dynamite shoe from the 2011 line. I train in this shoe; I race in this shoe; I party in this shoe. There are a handful of changes to the 2012 model – which I cover in the video. While most of the changes may seem minor [...]

Just because this is ‘GingerRUNNER.com’ doesn’t mean I ONLY run! In fact, growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I’m pretty sure my blood is pine tree sap and glacier water. I love the outdoors. From camping, to hiking, to climbing, to backpacking. Thanks to Gregory Backpacks and the Baltoro 65, I was able to take my very first 4+ day backpacking adventure into the Washington State Olympic National Forest this last fall. First of all, [...]

The Montrail Rogue Racer light weight trail runner is a pretty stellar piece of footwear. It’s not only light and fast, but extremely comfortable. This is my go to trail shoe for longer distances on compact trail surfaces. While a little thick in the heel to toe department (9mm), they do provide enough cushioning to help on those steep descents. I highly recommend you check out and try on a pair of Montrail Rogue Racers. [...]

After seeing a pair of the New Balance 1400′s in person, I went online, bought myself a pair, and have fallen in love. Simple as that. I’m a huge fan of these shoes – both as runners and also as casual all-around shoes. They are extremely comfortable, light, and look awesome. While I’m not a fan of the laces of tongue system, the comfort of the upper more than makes up for it. While these [...]

The Hydrapak E-Lite Hydration Vest is an extremely light weight hydration pack that has just enough room for all the essentials for a long trail run or even marathon. Sporting a 1liter bladder, the E-Lite vest gives you some piece of mind, knowing you’ll have enough fluid for those longer run days. It’s easy to refill, utilizing Hydrapak’s notorious bladder system. While not as robust or comfortable as far more expensive hydration packs, this one [...]

I really enjoy running in the Newton MV2 (“MV Squared”). This sucker is light and fast, exactly what it was designed to do. While I love it for anything from 5ks to 10ks (and it’s capable of MUCH more), I haven’t been able to wear it on anything longer than a half marathon without soreness. But that could be due to my weak, weak, ginger legs. One of the major changes from other Newton shoes is [...]

I’ve spent the last few months running trails on and off in this shoe. Salomon does an amazing job with the Speedcross 3. It’s rugged, relatively light, fast, and grippy. Not having run in earlier iterations of the Speedcross, I can’t speak to the changes from the previous versions, but I can stand by the solidity of this model. The lugs allow for constant grip on softer surfaces, even performing beyond expectation on snow and [...]