KEEN have been making shoes for over 20 years and have found themselves sitting atop the everyday trainer pedestal for fashionable guys and gals alike. The new XT6s, one might argue. When we heard the Oregon based brand was venturing into the ever fanatic sport of trail running, it made sense. But how would their approach to originality and comfort translate to this adjacent world…
I could have tested KEEN’s first trail silhouette, the SEEK, on my usual Macclesfield Forest stomping ground but even I’m bored of those pine trees and reservoirs. Instead, KEEN invited us to the Black Forest, just outside Freiburg, for a race. Choose your distance, they said. After my race in Romania, and with races looming, I opted for the classier 19km route. I thought it would be easier too but I forgot, shortening the distance often just means running faster, which creates its own aerobic challenges…
You might remember my cousin, Max, from the last time I was getting battered by a European mountain range. Well, he drove down from Berlin for this one too, tackling the slightly more rambunctious 52km distance. One week out from the Berlin marathon no less. It’s all relative, the masochism present in the world of endurance sport.
The race itself embarked from a small town called Kirchzarten, a name I know from memory through quick scans of every signpost on course. It sits east of Freiburg afoot the rolling hills of the Black Forest. The organisers run a gravel bike marathon in the region but this was their first trail race, and KEEN’s first time sponsoring a trail race of any kind. You wouldn’t think so, on both fronts, given how well organised this entire event was. From bib pick up, kit checks, route selection and aid stations, it was as smooth as that first beer, post race.
I came into this race feeling pretty fit but not having raced since the free hit of Hackney Half back in May. I set off with one goal of not walking on any of the uphill, something I decided once the race had already kicked off, for some reason. The first 7.5km had 800m+ elevation and I ran 780m of it. You should have seen the last climb. After that, I knew it was predominantly downhill with only 200m elevation more across the whole race. This saw me ticking over for a few under 4 minute ks, much faster than I usually run on the trails. This added a whole new and enjoyable level of rapid decision making. Where to plant my foot, which part of my foot to plant, when to slow down, when to do a little skip, when to surge and when to pull back. You don’t get this on the road, your mind can wander and I often encourage it to in an attempt to make time pass. In the hills, it’s as much fitness as it is decision making that makes or breaks a race, from what I’ve found at least.
I set off with a group of blokes who looked like they knew what they were doing, and kind of just stuck with them the whole way round. There was a few shifts in position where some excelled on the uphill and others threw their limbs downhill. I surprisingly fit in the second camp, tanking it down with little regard for the fragility of my ankles. It’s fun, child like almost, just letting gravity take the reins. I ran straight through the aid stations, learning from my previous race that they are not spots for silver cutlery and napkin deployment, they are F1 pit stops. Now, amongst the esoteric, I stormed through and held my place in the pack.
The shoes performed incredibly well during the whole race, but most notably for me on the downhills. As I’ve recalled, I wasn’t really controlling myself down the hills. The SEEKs enabled that. If I was sliding even an inch I don’t think I’d have been able to hold those speeds and feel safe. Grip and comfort is ultimately what I look for in a trail shoe. Road, I don’t mind if it’s a bit too aggressive as it’s a purely time-focused pursuit. On the trails however, there is a genuine fear of falls, snaps and breaks so having grip is key, but so is being comfortable. You’re often out there for hours. The wide toe box is an incredibly simple yet effective approach to improving comfort, and the SEEK does it well. This is where KEEN brings their expertise in lifestyle comfort and originality to the world of trail running.
After what felt like a never ending barrage to the quads we reached relatively flat ground back down in the valley. Cows with bells around their necks and middle aged hikers alike watched on with whimsical intrigue. The group and I, taking things rather seriously, found ourselves back amongst etchings of civilisation where running up and down a mountain is not a conventional past time. I became aware of this as we passed couples out on wholesome walks while I was squeezing every last ounce out of my last caffeinated gel, my race number hanging on by the last remaining safety pin, and this mornings pretzels being held back only by sheer mental distraction. I enjoy this style of racing, as did everyone else in our little pack. Running is great in that whatever you want to get out of racing, you can achieve that. Whether it’s finishing, finishing within a certain time, placing on the podium to breaking a world record, there is a beautiful range of commitments.
The final mile of the race saw us retrace the beginning mile, meaning I knew exactly how far was to go. This did wonders for the mental side of racing. I was sitting in 11th place, unknowingly, with 500m to go and decided to kick to the finish, picking off the two guys in front of me. Finishing in the top 10 wasn’t something I was searching for but is definitely something I’m proud of.
If you asked me what a perfect Saturday looked like, you’d find me explaining something that resembles this day in the Black Forest. It was crisp in the morning with anticipation of a blue bird day. The event area was incredibly well organised, nothing felt rushed or overcrowded and everyone was a joy to talk to. The course, the SEEK trainers, the aid stations, the finish area, it was all incredibly well done and a real showcase for how these events should be put on. I can say with full honesty that if I am offered to race here again I’ll jump at the chance.
