Marathon Training with Octane Fitness' Zero Gravity Runner #FueledbyZero

Last week I had the honor of attending Octane Fitness' Zero Runner demonstration in NYC as a FitFluential Ambassador. I arrived at Gym Source with just enough time to change into some running clothes and get my name tag. I filled out my drawing entry to win the Zero Runner, crossed my fingers, and took my seat.
As we waited for the presentation to begin, Larry kept us laughing and talking until the introductory video was ready to begin. This is where the love story begins. Not with the Zero Runner, although I do have a crush on it for sure, but with Larry. What an amazing man, which I will talk about soon!
The Zero Runner is an amazing piece of equipment, designed with the runner in mind. It mimics your every move, and provides you with safe and effective workout every time. As someone who will be training for a marathon starting this Spring, I was definitely intrigued!
We learned about the awards they have received, we learned that Oprah just loves it, and we learned that not only does the UFC use it, but Team USA's runners will be adding it to their training in the future. It allows you to run faster and longer without injury, it has knee and hip joints so that it moves with you, you can adjust your body's position to get in uphill and downhill runs, and it has no motor. The silence was insane!
You can hook your iPad to it via Smart Link, and it has a free app that utilizes Bluetooth. There is also a heart rate monitor for all you tech savvy runners out there!
Time to get down to the serious business. Using a zero impact machine will make you a better runner. A treadmill, when used exclusively, can actually weaken you. You are not using the same gait, and the surface can be brutal on your joints. I personally cannot use one because it kills my shins every time! The Zero Runner replicates your running motion without impact to your joints, allowing you to run longer with no pain. You will use the same muscles, with full range of motion, and the same pace you would use outdoors, and you greatly reduce the risk of an overuse injury. Zero Runner has an app that traces the health of your stride throughout your run so you can concentrate on your form so you are as strong at mile five as you are at mile one.
At the front and back of the Zero Runner there are exercise bands so that you can mix your cross training in with your running. I know that I don't so enough alternate exercises, I tend to just want to run!
Next we got to hear from Carrie Tollefson, an Olympic runner and Mom, who was just perfection. Sorry, it has to be said! She is a drug and alcohol free runner, a Runner's World Cover Model, and an all around super mom. She ran during all of her pregnancies, and got back to it a month after each pregnancy! I was not into running while pregnant, I started much later, but this seems amazing to me! Carrie was sidelined by several injuries, and would have been much better off had she been able to train with the Zero Runner!

Ahhhhhh Larry. He was adorable. Larry is an addicted runner. He started running again at about 38 (same as me!!) and quickly became addicted. He has completed 83 marathons, 17 ultras, and 6 Iron Man Tris, one in Kona! For real, this guy is perfect. During Kona, however, he started noticing some pain. Osteoarthritis in his hips. He quickly went from a front of the pack runner to a back of the pack runner. And this is okay with him because he shares my philosophy. Eventually, he will be in his 70s and then his 80s, and he will start accumulating those age group prizes.
I told you. True love.
Larry discovered the Zero Runner at the Boston Marathon expo and basically harassed the company into hiring him. No lie. He did a demonstration for them at an expo and ran 23 miles a day for six days with no pain. He cannot do this on the road. He and his wife each have a Zero Runner, and because there is no motor, they can run together and talk without shouting. How cute is that? He suggested using the Zero Runner for all of your short runs and then running the road for your longer runs.
After Larry was finished (sigh. so sad.) we learned about size (as wide as a treadmill but shorter), weight (about 200 pounds) and ease of assembly (about 30 minutes your first time, although I am sure it would take me an hour!).
There was a drawing for the free Zero Runner, and Carrie chose the winner. Hint: It wasn't me.

And then we got to test it.

There were two lines, and one was Carrie and one was Larry. I of course chose Larry because of my little crush. Don't judge me. Once I stopped thinking about it, and just moved, it was amazingly easy to use. It really does move any way you want it to, and I mastered it in about 15 seconds, which impressed Larry. Swoon.
Alas, it was time to go. They generously hooked us up with some serious swag, before sending us back out into the city. I am still hoarding a lot of it, although my family tried to snag some of it for themselves!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Want to learn more? You can stalk Octane on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Just don't stalk Larry, he's mine!

 



 

Have you ever tried a Zero Gravity Runner?

This post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Octane Fitness.