Salomon Suunto X Trail 17k – Taiwan Race Review

So did I. So glad I did not slide off the mountain.

BTW - results are out. Think you are about 25th.

Thanks for sharing. In the photo, covered with mud, your trail running shoes look like Columbia brand, or were you using Salomon shoes? Can you provide any comment about your shoes in the conditions you faced in Taiwan? Was it the shoes, or do you think something about the running technique that cost you 10x falls?

Glad you are Ok and good going.

Harbour,

Good point. Well... I just suck at mud racing. I'm not sure if you could call it "running" technique. More like "mudding" technique. A lot of racers fell that day.

The shoes are Columbia. I believe the shoes held up fine. I think that it takes quite a lot of practice to not fall in muddy conditions. I fell a few times when it rained while running MacLehose 4/5 trail as well with regular running shoes.. So, it's definitely the driver.

Is 25 good?

25th out of 221 sounds good to me.

The muddy downhill section feels like a mudslide. It takes a very surefooted person to run that without falling. For this particular race, don't think it's the running technique as almost everyone running around me fell. I found it easier to sit and slide down. =)

Laky: What is your race #?

bib#76 - I was placed 56th. Just happy to survive.

jlabelle

Thanks so much for your review... from the info given by laky and your goodself, it seems that no "technique" or shoes could have solved the problem in those conditions. You did very well, did much better than survive and, I'm sure, will go on to race another.

Was interested in the mud situation as I'm expecting some mud in a race coming up and had considered the Columbia shoes. I may now look at Inov-8 Mudrocks or the Salomons instead.

more aggressive lugs might have been useful for the mud. I wore New Balance MT100 and its less aggressive outsole might not have been good for dealing with mud.

Check the condition of your shoes too. A few guys' soles came off their shoes in the mud. I was counting the number of soles stuck in the mud as I ran along (3).

Personally (and i'm sure a lot of people will disagree) but I don't think the shoes make a lick of difference. When the conditions are that wet, slippery and mucky ... it really doesn't matter what sort of sole you have on your shoes. I think it all comes down to balance and planting each step in the 'right' spot.

I ran the race in a pair of ASICS road flats; fell once; placed 6th.

For me, the additional weight of a trail shoe doesn't justify the advertised 'benefits' of better traction.

But that's just me.

laky... was almost ROTFLOL (rolling on the floor laughing out loud) when I heard your story of "lut dai" (loss of the sole of shoes) and finding 3 soles in the mud. Sorry to find amusement in the misfortune of others... but it is really funny now. Hope those who lost their "soles" in the race will be Ok!