Miles this week: 19
Still
to go: £1,098.00
More
sponsorship came in this week, so a big thank you to my brother Nick,
sister-in-law Mel and the two terrors that are Summer and George for their kind
donation.
This
week my ankle has felt a little sore. I’m not entirely sure which part is
hurting, just that it does! It doesn’t appear to be when I’m out running
though! More physio this week and more of the same laser treatment and it
appears we have come to the point where no one is sure what the issue is and
what to do. The physio had said to not see her for two weeks then if still bad
then I should go back to my GP, not happy with this I said can I not just book
in with you in two weeks as I don’t want to have to wait again to be referred
back to you. A sensible idea I thought, it felt like I had to twist her arm but
she did book me in for an appointment in two weeks. Like last week I decided to
do my long run the day before my appointment doing exercise actually feels
better and doesn’t cause me to much trouble unless I jar it.
This
week the chapter of the book was all about nutrition. It got very technical in
places and I ended up reading it a few times to make sure it sunk in. Most of
it I knew, in terms of what food to eat, etc. However, what I didn’t know was
how the body used it.
The
prescribed schedule was now supposed to have reached twenty four miles in a
week. You can see that both the short runs have been upped by an extra mile and
they have also snuck one mile onto the long run too. However my schedule isn’t
as gruelling as that, as I only had to manage an extra two miles on my long
run.
Week
6’s Schedule
|
My
Schedule (Week 4 of the book)
|
Day
1 = 4 miles
|
Day
1 = 3 miles
|
Day
2 = 5 miles
|
Day
2 = 5 miles
|
Day
3 = 4 miles
|
Day
3 = 3 miles
|
Day
4 = 11 miles
|
Day
4 = 8 miles
|
Total
for the week = 24 miles
|
Total
for the week = 19 miles
|
I thought I would review the shiny new
running shoes I got this week, but before I start, I just wanted to say Mizuno
do not endorse me whatsoever (but I’m happy if they want to after reading
this). There are many reviews out there by professional bloggers who have
received their shoes free of charge, whereas I had to part with a small
fortune. Luckily I was able to find a £15 off voucher, and I do have a ‘30 day
not happy’ return policy with them.
If you are looking at getting your
first pair of running shoes, or looking to upgrade, then there are a few things
to consider before purchasing:
How many miles a week will you run?
How much do you weigh?
What is your arch type (Flat, high or
neutral)?
Type of foot strike (forefront, midsole
and heel strike)?
Do you pronate?
The most effective way to get yourself
into the best fitting shoe is to be fitted by an expert at your local running
store. Generally it’s free, and they have a treadmill in store for you to try
out the shoes first. They will analyse your gait to get you in the best fitting
shoe for your foot type. The key here is ‘best fit’ as opposed to ‘best brand’
- there is no ‘best brand’ out there.
So this is what I did last Saturday, I
went to the professional running shop near me to get a new pair of shoes. I
went in hoping to get a new brand of show to me as I liked what I had read and
the colour they came in, sadly the shoe was too narrow for my type of foot. As
the shop assistant wasn’t that helpful I thought I should stick to what I know
best, which was the Mizuno Wave Riders. The current range goes up to Wave Rider
17, which is two upgrades on from what I have been running in.
My initial feelings’ taking the shoes
out of the box in store was that they are very light and spacious. I did the
very scientific thing and took a couple of steps on the spot to make sure
everything was ok with them. I’m sure everyone does this! Well I hope they do…
This must be the world equivalent to kicking the tyres on a second hand car and
declaring everything appears to be working before buying it.
The shoes themselves look great, though
I would have liked the option for a funky colour, rather than the basic white
that it appears all Wave Riders come in. Aside from the overall aesthetic,
there are a few nice features that are instantly visible compared to the Wave
Rider 15. For instance the lack of overlays is an improvement, great for
comfort, weight and structure. The Smooth Ride tabs underneath have also been
replaced with a different outsole that wraps around the sides of the feet,
supposedly offering a more stable and more flexible shoe - I do have to say
they feel extremely flexible. The wave plate has also been reengineered, by
this I mean made lighter and, if possible at the same time, more stable. Again,
this is something I look forward to seeing how it fairs when I’m out on the
streets.
Here
comes the techy stuff, stay with me now!
The midsole are made of Mizuno's new
compound called U4ic, pronounced ‘Euphoric’. It is supposedly 30% lighter than
AP+ (their previous high end foam) but should still offer the same level of
cushioning. I still can’t get over how light this shoe is, not that my old Wave
Rider 15s were heavy! Holding a Wave Rider 15 (12.8oz) in one hand and this new
Wave Rider 17 (11.1oz) in the other hand, the weight difference is very
noticeable. The wave has been tweaked slightly to offer better stability
and impact absorption. As I haven’t tried the Wave Rider 16 I am unable to say
if there is much difference between them and the 17’s, but from other reports
on the web it appears there is great improvement in every department.
The upper is made up of mesh, with heat
welded overlays (so I’ve been told) for added security with fewer stitches. The
lack of overlays makes them feel very comfortable indeed. They feel slightly
wider then my previous pair around the toes, although this could simply be due
to the new designed overlays.
The outsole is the biggest change I
guess, as the Smooth Ride tabs have disappeared and instead a bevelled outsole
has taken its place. The outsole now curves up the lateral side of the
foot, enhancing stability and allowing for a more flexible shoe. It’s an
interesting idea and certainly feels more solid/structured to that of the Wave
Rider 15s that have been excellent for me these past 400 odd miles.
So after a week of running (15 miles) I
have come to the conclusion the new Wave Rider 17 is a surprising shoe compared
to the older Wave Rider 15, indeed, it is the first Mizuno that I have run with
the U4ic Midsole. Turns out I am a fan of the light weight flexible cushioning
material.
While I’m not a fan of white shoes I
have got used to it, as this appears to be the flagship colour of Wave Riders.
I would like to see a funky colour collection on offer though.
More
so now since they got dirty on the first run
As I suspected, I haven’t had any
difficulties running in them, as the changes were just combinations of upgrades
from the last couple of years. That being said, it barely feels like a Wave
Rider of old. Still unsure if that’s a good or bad thing, the heel to me currently
feels clunky, so I decided to try my old pair out again on a small run and was more happy running in them. I have also notice a hot spot for me under the midsole which resulted in a few small blisters on each foot. If there is any Wave Rider fans out there then don’t be put off
by this, I can’t speak for everyone with the same foot strike as me but I would
feel confident recommending them to heel or midsole strike runners as somewhere
to start.
Whilst reading up on the Wave Rider 17’s,
there is one shoe that keeps being mentioned over and over again as an
alternative, which is the Mizuno Wave Sayonara.
Having just spent a small fortune on
the Wave Rider 17, I don’t think I can justify going out and paying another
hefty amount for more running shoes, but I would be happy for a freebie if
anyone can make that happen!!…Anyone?!... Because who doesn’t love freebies!!
I think for me the jury is still out on
these new Wave Riders, I will persevere with them next week, but I am glad I
have a 30 exchange policy on the shoes as I may have to go back and get a
different pair maybe even starting from the begin and get reassessed to see if
my running style has change. I have also taken time out over the weekend researching and looking at potential replacements shoes.
But for now the shoe that will see me
through my challenging 2014, along with your kind donations of course, is the
Mizuno Wave Rider 17!!
Leigh
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