Product Review: Mizuno Wave Musha 3

My most recent comment about running fashion went something like this...

"Have you noticed how the colors of running shoes have almost purposefully become more gaudy? And more and more people are wearing them?"

True. And guilty.

While there are more obnoxious colored shoes out there, the Mizuno Musha 3 is headed in the right direction with its blood red base and lime green logo. To be honest, it's the one thing that caught my attention while browsing shoes last month.

I was looking for a shoe that was simple and light in construction. I was trying to stay away from the mainstream running shoes with a bunch of padding in the heel and a significant drop from the heel to the toe box. I really wanted a shoe that had the feel of my Newtons, without the lugs on the bottom.

Mizuno's performance chart

Mizuno's chart-o-performance categorizes the Musha as a high-performing shoe with a balanced level of support (hey, someone's got to keep their marketing job secure!). For me, it translates into a shoe that is snug-fitting enough and hugs my foot in all the right places.

A few cautions:

1. If you're a heel-striker, these shoes are not for you. There is zero cushion in the heel and only bad things would result if you ran a marathon while heel-striking in these shoes.
2. If you pronate one way or the other, these shoes are likely not for you. There is little to no support around the ankle and you would eventually do damage to your ankles.

As a performance shoe, they really do give you a good feel of the road. Because there is less padding between you and the road, you're able to feel every step and every wrinkle in the road. They are snug around the heel but give just enough room in the toebox - yet, not so much as to let your foot slip-and-slide around recklessly.

My overall review?

An excellent shoe for mid-strikers who are looking for a light, high-performing and simple shoe. I have run 3 times in these (the 3rd being PF Chang's Marathon last Sunday) and had zero issues.

Be wary of price - I bought these at Dick's for at $75. Other places online are carrying them for about $50 (whereas the Mizuno site retails for $85). I'm glad I found these and will continue to enjoy them for road running...

Thanks for reading.

The perfect storm

I originally did not intend the timing of this post to be the culmination of so many events but here we are at the end of the week and there is a lot going on.

For starters, it's my birthday tomorrow. I feel very thankful to have my health and the support of a loving family. My Ironman journey has not only been a phenomenal physical and mental challenge for me but it has also been the catalyst for an increased level of activity for my wife and 2 kids (7 and 4). I'm proud that I can instill the idea of fitness and well-being into their lives.

Second, it's the eve-of-the-eve of the PF Chang 2011 Marathon. I'm feeling relaxed and as ready as I can be for the effort that has gone into my training. I could have definitely done more but at this stage, I'm not going to dwell on it. I'm going to do my best, follow my race plan and let things happen.

As if this blog wasn't filled to the brim already...guess what? It's my 100th post! Aside from the therapeutic value 100 blogs brings me, I'm not sure there is much else to celebrate here :) I honestly didn't think my writing would last thing long but outside of the psychological release it brings, I'm also managed to create some friendships through my writing and following the writings of other athletes.

One of the things I've been meaning to do for a while is to review the Newton Gravitas shoes. After wearing my previous pair (Performance Racer) into the grave, I stepped out to grab another pair. Fully intending to buy the same shoe, I hit a local shop RunAZ - they have always been outstanding with their service and shoe recommendations.

Compared to the Racers, the Gravitas are slightly heaver (we're talking ounces here...) and have a firmer feel to the arch and heel. By sight, they have the same structure and width, but the Gravitas just feel more stable. Though I could not find anything conclusive on the Newton website, the Gravitas is called a 'trainer' while my previous shoe was a 'racer'. Though there is a difference in weight, I can't be certain that a few ounces would really make that much of a difference for me.

They accommodate orthodics (I use Superfeet) nicely and provide an outstanding run.

A few suggestions to Newton (I know you're reading!).

1. Though I love the airflow that comes with a wider mesh, it also allows more pebbles and gravel into the shoe. I stopped 3 times during the IMAZ to empty my shoes because they were filled with rocks from the dirt path.

2. Make the top eyelets a smidge bigger to accommodate tri-specific shoelaces like XTENEX. Using plyers to thread your shoelaces is not acceptable.

3. Color - while I'm no fashionista, the colors leave something to be desired. Perhaps Newton wants everyone to know, "Look at me, I'm wearing Newtons!"

Newton Gravitas with XTENEX laces

The clock is ticking

As I sat down the other night to look at my training calendar leading up to the PF Chang Marathon, it became clear that the amount of time left to get in some meaningful runs is quickly coming to an end. After bonking yesterday during my long run (planned 16, actual 12) I felt compelled to make sure that every run from here on out was a meaningful and quality one.

Today's run was a first - proud of that - but doing my best to keep it in context and remind myself that this is NOT my race pace (yet!). My previous tempo workouts were slightly aggressive but still within my comfort zone (e.g., between 8 and 8:30 min per mile). Speed workouts have been about alternating a faster pace (7:30/7:45) with a slower (8:15/8:30) pace as part of a mid-distance workout (6-10 miles).

Yesterday's run was about trying to keep a 7:30 pace for 6 miles - something I've never tried before. This idea of me being fast has actually caught on recently...I don't think I'll ever be super-fast (e.g., Ryan-Hall-fast) but having come from a 9:45-9:30 average a year ago, I definitely like the idea of knocking that down to a 8 or 8:15 pace. Being able to claim a 3:30-3:45 marathon time compared to a 4:15 or longer does have a certain appeal to it. After all, the goal for PF Chang's is to be under 4 hours...something I'm very confident I'll be able accomplish.

In the days to come - new product reviews!!

After 500+ miles in my Newton racers, they literally blew out. I'll introduce you to my new pair of shoes, my new CEP compression running socks and the latest flavor of Roctane (Island Nectars).

All tingly inside

Don't think less of me because I get excited by a new pair of running shoes.

On some level, every triathlete is a gear-head and will drool like a Pavlovian dog at the sight of a new Garmin GPS or carbon wheel set. I am no different - and that's...OK.

It so happened last week that this awesome sale at TriSports.com coincided with the realization that my feet were on the mend (BTW, at this very moment they are virtually pain-free). I had already tried them on the week before but had mentally put them on the back burner because (a) I wasn't planning to run for another month and (b) it's tough to justify spending that much on a pair of shoes (at least for me).

Egh, who am I kidding. I bought 'em.

Newton running shoes are supposed to be one of the best shoes around for training you how to run more mid-strike, rather than heel-strike. For you non-runners, mid-strike running is when the ball of your foot strikes the ground first, rather than the heel. Anatomically, it's how we all (supposedly) run bare-footed. It reduces the surface area of your foot that strikes the ground resulting in a faster turn-over, less opportunity to supenate or pronate along with removing the impact to your heel (the leading cause of plantar faciitis).

Like a good consumer, I've read all the reviews. And just like anything else, there are positive reviews and some negative. I'm focused on the positive right now because I'm hopeful that it will prevent my foot pain from coming back. And if it helps me improve some of my times, well, that's great too.

So like the big kid I am, I occasionally catch myself hoping that every UPS truck that drives by is going to stop in front of my house and deliver my new shoes. Soon enough though, I will be mid-striking to my hearts content. I just hope that somewhere between the 112 mile bike ride and 26.3 mile run of my Ironman, I will still have that tingly feeling inside.