It was 6 AM.
During the middle of peak training for a 100-mile race, it wasn’t uncommon to wake up at 4:30 AM for an early start in the mountains. Training for the San Diego 100 was underway, and a 20-mile training session was on deck. I sat in the driver’s seat of my SUV. The heater was on full blast. Honestly, I didn’t want to take a step outside. Before we get back to that, let’s talk about the shoes I wore on that rainy but extraordinary adventure: the Katabatic LT GTX.
WIth a deep sigh and grin, I tied my forest green Katabatic LTs’. Despite having two pairs of Oboz, I decided to rock with the GTX version. I’d be crossing streams today and dealing with rain on an incredible forest single track. Stepping outside and locking my car, I met my friend Nick, who was also training for the same race. Off we went. Splash Splash Squish. The dirt was wet and slippery, but the shoes gave me traction. My legs were tired and my mileage during the week was already high. Still, this is what it was all about.
Remember, I didn’t want to do this workout. Somehow, that thought made me want to do it even more. The mental side of training for a 100-mile race was just as important as the physical. Like most others, my day job doesn't allow me to go train in the mountains every day, so the weekends were my time to play in the woods. That helped me see the flip side of the coin: the privilege to get to play in the woods for hours like kids.
On this particular journey, Nick and I continued to chat away as the wet single track gave way to some rocks. The air was frigid. Winds climbed over the mountains, whipped through the mist, and stung on our cheeks. We passed through wet patches of tall grass, some of which were icy. As my body warmed up to the challenge, I realized my feet were still dry. Packing my GTX shoes was the right idea.
The green of the shoes blended into the greenery around us, but the Oboz Logo caught Nick’s eye. As the hills rolled up and down, we started climbing up a ridge. In comparison to my original Katabatic Winds, I was stunned by how light the shoes were. Despite the weight difference, the shoe held up strong, not bending to the force of the trail. The toe box kept my toes squarely in place without constricting them tightly.
Confidently, I came up to the first large river crossing and just ran through. Nick laughed at this situation, trying to jump across the stream and doing so successfully using his best skateboard trick. My feet were dry. During a cold and rainy day, I didn’t realize how much this felt like a superpower. The adventure felt like playing again after feeling like an exhausting Saturday outing.
One of my favorite things about ultra running is putting your new gear to the test. This felt even more enjoyable knowing what Oboz stood for as a company. As someone who values sustainability, I resonate with the company’s B-Corp vision. When I opened my box, I knew trees would be planted. Having spoken to the team, there was an incredible passion and love behind that vision.
As I put one foot in front of the other, the climb gave way to a jeep road. As the map indicated, the jeep road went downhill for 2.3 miles and then it was time to climb back up. For now, we would enjoy the rewards of our climbing. As Nick and I flew down the jeep road, my Katabatic LT’s extended with my knees. I swung my arms, focused on breathing and control as we went down a steep slope. The shoes conformed to my movements, alleviating pressure instead of adding to it. Most importantly, I wasn’t kicking my toes on the way down. Then, we climbed back up, huffing and puffing as we were now 11 miles in.
Soon enough, we were heading back the way we came. This time, I joked about the waterproof ability of the shoes and splashed them in the crossing. Still, my feet remained dry. What had started as a reluctant journey in the woods on a Saturday morning where I could have slept in turned into one extraordinary adventure. Along the way, I also discovered that the Katabatic LT GTX would become a big part of my footwear rotation.
Once again, the adventure added a few extra miles. 20 miles had turned into 22. It was now 11 AM and an hour drive stood between me and a hot shower. Food would be the next question. There is truly no better way to start the weekend than with a friend, mountains, and play. With the Katabatic LT shoes on my feet, that adventure turned from ordinary to extraordinary. At the end of the day, I was just an ordinary guy with a big dream to run my first big 100-mile race in Southern California. Eight months had passed since my last big race.
Six weeks remained to find out. The 30 ultramarathon finishes prior to the San Diego 100 meant nothing because the journey was all about learning and discovering new things. That day, I discovered that the Katabatic LT GTX was an incredible shoe, made for incredible feats like a 100-mile race. Most importantly, the shoe displayed durability, flexibility, style, and became a part of my mission. The Katabatic LT GTX will remain a big part of my rotation, and I’m excited to continue to put down big miles in it. With endless adventures on the horizon, I’m stoked to have a shoe that can keep up. So, time to lace up and go on some big adventures right outside your door. Game on!
