We’re very excited, because this weekend Newton Running is launching its Sir and Lady Isaac Guidance Trainer at Ironman Louisville, Ironman Canada, and the Chicago Triathlon! This picture is from the race expo at Ironman Louisville, where our Newton Running team is having fun spreading the word about the new Guidance Trainer. Although it’s humid here, race conditions are looking good.

Many US retailers will start stocking the Sir and Lady Isaac next week. Newton Running will also be at the Virginia Beach Half Marathon next weekend, Ironman Wisconsin over the following weekend, and the ING Philadelphia Distance Run later in September.  If you’re nearby any of these events, stop on by to check out our new Sir and Lady Isaac Guidance Trainer, or just to say “Hi!”

A film crew from Cities x Design stopped by our offices a couple weeks ago to talk with Danny and Ian about Newton’s design philosophy and shoe technology. Check out the results below.

Cities x Design is a 35-city trans-media research trip across the United States recorded online and later to be released in film, exhibition and print. Cities x Design is laying the groundwork for new thinking that promotes local creativity and design practices that add value to cities. The mission is to connect cities, cultures and creative people in order to demonstrate how investing in design can change perceptions, boost economies and create unique places.

Very cool!

In addition to the Leadville 100, there were a couple of other big races for Newton athletes this weekend.

After almost a year off with a hip injury, Newton pro Chris Legh returned to racing yesterday at the Timberman Iromanman 70.3. Chris had a strong all-around performance and finished in 5th place against a super-competitive field. Also in the top 10 was Mike Caiazzo, who followed up his great race at the Ford Ironman lake Placid event with an 8th place finish in the pro men’s field at Timberman. Read a full report here.

Top 10 men
1. Andy Potts (USA) 3:51:19
2. Alberto Casadei (ITA) 3:58:52
3. Massimo Cigana (ITA) 3:59:32
4. Michael Lovato (USA) 4:01:29
5. Christopher Legh (AUS) 4:01:53
6. Bjorn Andersson (SWE) 4:02:32
7. Janda Ricci-Munn (USA) 4:09:30
8. Christopher Thomas (USA) 4:10:54 * AG M35-39
9. Mike Caiazzo (USA) 4:11:49
10. TJ Tollakson (USA) 4:12:20

On the other side of the globe, at the inaugural Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 in the Philippines, Australian Pete Jacobs had a another strong showing in his Newtons, finishing in 4th place against some of the world’s best triathletes. Read the full story here.

Top 10 men
1. Terenzo Bozzone (NZL) 3:51:25
2. Chris McCormack (AUS) 3:52:18
3. Cam Brown (NZL) 3:52:31
4. Pete Jacobs (AUS) 3:56:51
5. Timothy Marr (USA) 4:02:52
6. Frederik Croneborg (SWE) 4:10:18 * AG M25-29
7. Daiki Masuda (JAP) 4:17:06
8. Mao Yung Yang (AUS) 4:20:11 * AG M18-24
9. Allister Knox (AUS) 4:20:40 * AG M35-39
10. Kristian Manietta (AUS) 4:26:34 * AG M30-34

Here’s a great shot of Luis Guerrero from Mexico with his pacer Stephen Gartside from Newton Running. Luis is all smiles running down from 12,600-foot Hope Pass during the Leadville Trail 100 Race Across the Sky this past weekend. Luis is Newton’s retail partner in Mexico with several trailsport retail stores.  Luis wore his new Sir Isaac guidance trainers for the last 39.5 miles of the race and had great things to say about how the new shoes performed. At age 46, Luis was 12th overall at Leadville, finishing early Sunday morning in a time of 20 hours and 48 minutes.

Nice work Luis! We’re proud of ya!

Here we are, one year after beginning to sell through specialty running and multisport stores around the world. To celebrate this special milestone we hosted our top-performing retail accounts for the first ever Newton Retail Summit in Boulder, Colorado. Each morning began with group runs lead by some of our top pro athletes, including Josh Cox, Craig Alexander and Chris Legh, as well as form coaching from our co-founder Danny Abshire. We showed off the Newton Running Lab, presented Newton technology and held retailer feedback forums. During the general sessions a variety of running industry gurus shared their expertise, including injury prevention guru Mark Cucuzzella, M.D., four-time Olympian Lorraine Moller of The Lydiard Foundation and Brian Metzler of Running Times magazine. The highlight of the event was the debut of the Sir & Lady Isaac guidance trainer, with the entire group test driving the shoes in advance of the early September release. We look forward to making this an annual event!

Pictured above is the group just before a scenic run up Flagstaff Mountain.

“The shoes are the root of the problem.”

The Newton Running pro team had a strong showing at the Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens race outside Seattle, Washington this weekend.

Finishing with one of the fastest runs of the day, Michellie Jones rounded out the podium in third place behind Becky Lavelle and Becky Lavelle and Heather Wurtele. Read a short recap here.

Dayton, OH resident Eric Limkemann had a great race finishing fouth place in a very strong men’s field.  This was Eric’s first Ironman 70.3 event – his future looks bright!

Hello Newton-

I wanted to let you know that the Gravity shoes worked out great in a 100 mile trail race that I did this past weekend. There was heavy mud and roots and they held up fine. Please pass on the feedback to other runners that are competing in not brutally technical 100 mile runs that the shoes should work well.

One of the biggest benefits was how quickly the shoes dried out with all the stream crossings I encountered during the run (about 20 stream/river crossings).

Well, still scraping off the mud and will give them a quick clean up and they will be good as new. I rotated 3 pairs during the race.

Happy running,
Wayne K.

Yesterday, Newton’s queen of customer service, Tory Oakland, celebrated her birthday with a little whitewater rafting trip on Colorado’s Clear Creek. Of course, Tory wore her Newton Distance race shoes – I mean, the mesh upper drains water really quickly and the four actuator lugs on the outsole would provide terrific impact reduction from rocks in the river if you and the rest of the crew just happened to get tossed out of boat.

Way to assume the whitewater float position and show off those fancy river shoes Tory (click photo to enlarge). Happy Birthday!

Two weeks ago at Ruby Hill Park in Denver, Ironman World Champion and Boulder resident (for the northern summer at least) Craig Alexander met with the Rocky Mountain Triathlon Club for a meet and greet.  Newton founder, Danny Abshire spoke with the group about the dynamics of midfoot running, and how Newton Running shoes can be an asset.  Also sponsoring the event was Runner’s Roost in Denver, who showed up with a van full of Newton shoes to try on and sell.  The night was capped off with a team run with Craig leading the way as they did hill repeats – a great turnout and a great night for all.

In photo, Craig Alexander, Matt Smith (President RMTC), Ed Runner’s Roost