Apart from wearing mud spikes for the odd cross country race, I've been fiercely loyal to every pair I've purchased, plodding the streets and careering down the local footpaths for miles on end, while, unsurprisingly, flogging each poor unsuspecting pair to their inevitable death. Perhaps I was a tad naive to not realise there were specific types of shoe out there that are more suited to certain terrains, and that it's actually far more cost-effective to own more than one pair and split the training miles between them, therefore increasing the lifespan of each one. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to Derry Journal, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
Now I've gone full circle, as these days I like to embark on a less frequent running shoe shop by buying items in bulk, and at the moment I'm the proud owner of six different types of runner (cushioned, support, race, easy miles, long distance and trail), all of which I've been happily rotating for the past 12 months with plenty of life remaining in each pair. Actually, make that seven, as the latest to join the Bailey trainer party are the brand-new recently-launched Salomon DRX Defy GRVL's. Initially inspired by gravel biking, Salomon say these are the trainer equivalent of our two-wheeled friends, enabling the runner to keep going strong when the path ends and the gravel begins.
A big claim, but an interesting one as I am now more experienced and mindful about the controversies of running off-road in a road shoe, and vice versa, but if there is a trainer out there that is designed to perform both tasks, then I'm in! I didn't have long to wait to try them out either as the final summer league race for my club, Kimberley & District Striders , was looming, which happened to be at Shipley Country Park, a local beauty spot boasting several types of terrains, including stretches switching between grass, tarmac and gravel. Perfect! Advertisement Advertisement Even before I'd set my watch, I was feeling rather bouncy as the sponge-like softly-cushioned Salomons caressed my feet like a five-star duck-feathered pillow would my head at bedtime. And as soon as I eased myself into the race I was aware of the superior grip underfoot, with the specially-designed gravel grip lugs enabling me to take the rough with the smooth in my stride.
Weighing in at just 239g, they are exceptionally light too thanks to the installation of responsive energy foam cushioning, while they also boast an 'active chassis system' to help channel the body's natural movements, offering light guidance at the rear. Completing the race just inside the top 100, I felt completely comfortable throughout, and although my performance and fitness was nowhere near the levels of the faster runners, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. The DRX's have an 8mm (34mm-26mm) 'shoe drop', which is the difference between the height and thickness of the midsole under the heel compared to the same measure under the ball of the foot, useful to know for runners who may have specific requirements.
Advertisement Advertisement Retailing at £125, the cost might be more than what some would prefer to pay for a pair of trainers, but when you compare it to the offerings of Salomon's competitors, it's not that expensive at all. In a calendar year my running mileage often equates to just under 1,000, and they say the average running shoe has a lifespan of between 400 and 500 miles. So with that in mind, alongside my new Salomons' other running shoe pals, I think the multi-talented DRX Defy GRVL's will be hanging around in my kit bag for a long time.
The Salomon DRX Defy GRVL's can be purchased from the Salomon website ..
