Author Archive | Phil Kochik

Top7Road March 2020

We don’t normally do road shoe lists–but as the trails are closed down and lots of our regulars are putting more miles in on the road, here goes! Special note: I use my Hoka Speedgoat 4 everywhere, road and trail. I ran around Lake Washington (50ish miles) in the Speedgoats last year (mostly pavement) and […]

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Western Dreams

I’ve mentioned having dreams about Western States in some other posts. A lot of my night dreams feature me getting into the race at the very last minute. I’m in Squaw, the race is starting in minutes; I go to a registration table and shyly ask, “Does there happen to be an open spot?” Answer: […]

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Top7Trail March 2020

In a surprise twist, a new shoe surged to the top of the charts! Men’s Top7Trail March 2020 Covid 19 – The surprise of the month to say the least. Hoka Speed Goat 4 – More medium width than Wide width sold this month. Altra Timp 2.0 Altra Lone Peak 4.5 – Sales picked up […]

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Covid 20 WS100

No this isn’t a new strain…just my Covid-19 post regarding the 2020 running of The Western States 100 Endurance Run. I heard this week that the Journey Films movie Unbreakable, telling the tale of the 2010 Western States run from the front of the men’s pack, was recently released to YouTube. Go watch the movie […]

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As time goes by

It’s already March; I haven’t been good at 7atStates updates! Training is going good so far as now I begin to prepare for The Canyons 100k. This Corona thing has got me worried about flying out of SeaTac so I guess there’s the possiblity I don’t go. Scary stuff. Regardless, I know I’ll be ready […]

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Top7Trail February

February was unusually busy for us–probably because of all the New Trail Shoes that have been released lately. As we head into March and the Corona Virus scare is kicking into high gear, it feels like we are in for a tough month. A few more New Trail Shoes will be added to the already […]

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Top7Trail January

We let our Top7Trail lists go a bit in 2019, but we’ll try to post them each month in 2020! So many cool new trail shoes coming out this year!! Every month could see a different mix of shoes. Men’s Top 7 Trail Jan ’20 Altra Timp 2.0 – coming out mid month, this shoe […]

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Tiger Fat Ass 2005

The Tiger Fat Ass was today at Tiger Mountain in Issaquah. I didn’t do it this year–but fifteen years ago I did. I ran the first 25k loop with Scott McCoubrey and his dog Jack. I was working at Sound Sports at the time, another shoe shop in downtown Seattle, and wouldn’t start working for […]

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Top 7 New Trail Shoes for 2020

Edited 3/10/20 The twenties start tomorrow!!! Here are the 7 New Trail Shoes we’re roaring the most about for next year!! Hoka SpeedGoat 4 Wide Width option – They came in a few days early, so come on in and try them out soon! Altra Timp 2.0 – These will be in early January. A […]

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The Hills of Western States

I saw a prototype Brooks Trail shoe the other day that used the Western States’s elevation profile line in the design. The line will be a scribble to most folks…but if you’ve ran from Squaw Valley to Auburn before, every slope, apex and low point has meaning. Climbs that signify progress towards the finish. Hills […]

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Photos by Glenn Tachiyama