The Luna Adventurer
Did the chicken come before the egg, or was it the egg before the chicken? I had never read or heard of “Born to run”. My journey began after finishing the CCC. After the race, no matter how I tried, I was plagued with injuries, every runner’s demon. During a 100 miler, I felt my pace slowing down, and there it was!! The injury was imminent.
As I entered the checkpoint, unknown to me at the time, the discussion I had with the crew was to change my life, philosophy and footwear forever!
A fellow runner spoke about his experience with Altras, wide toe box, 0 drop, and how his injuries became less frequent. I was like a moth to a flame. This was going to be my next purchase along with Vibram Five Fingers. I purchased the Vibram Five Fingers, but I could not decide which model of Altra to purchase, It was a mind field. I reached out to the running community to seek guidance. As I read the threads, Luna sandal was suggested!!
As I googled Luna sandal, I had to look twice, the price was £120 for a sandal … were they pleated in gold? I purchased a pair of DIY sandals from another company at 1/4 of the price and so it began, I was a seed-eating, sandal-wearing runner. A few months had passed, and I felt I needed an upgrade. Again I reached out to the community, again Luna was suggested and again I thought no chance at that price!
Moving on a few weeks, I had placed them in the basket as one does!! My finger hovered over the checkout, and there it was with some force, I pressed Payment and I was now the owner of the Leadville’s, I still have those to this day, with 5 other pairs. A sandal is just not a sandal. They are made with Vibram soles, each with a different tread, from road, trail and mountains.
I am known for having one pace and that’s my pace. An inside joke between friends when we run, there’s a racing snake and there’s me. My strengths are multi-day run days in the Cairngorms, fastpacking. It was time to put Luna to the test!! With 8KG of kit for a two-day expedition and a pair of Sandals, It was time to believe in me, belief in the philosophy of minimal footwear and put it to the test!
I rolled up to the Lairig Ghru a glen twisting through the Cairngorm mountains, rugged and barren. With a lump in my throat, off I went. Two days later 43 miles 9000 ft of elevation, no blisters, feet were in prime condition, I now knighted myself “ The Luna Adventurer”.
Present-day 2021, what’s next? The adventures still continue as I entered the Yukon 300
in 2002. For the record I will be wearing Altras, as you can imagine at -40, my toes will only be a distant memory. I was able to use them during this winter and I am confident they are a perfect choice.
The training is coming together, the snow is gone and my Luna mid bears are performing as they should. To be more precise tyre dragging, Just recently pulling a tyre 10 miles, 3500 ft of elevation was not an easy task, why would it? To do this in Lunas, I questioned my own sanity, did I make the wrong judgement call? With a sigh of relief no, the perfect sandal for the perfect training Luna adventure!
Luna Adventurer, written by Mark Ellison for Ultrarunner Magazine
Click HERE for more product tests & reviews