Sweaty Challenge 2013

Back in June, Anne - a member of the Chilly Challenge - asked if anyone wanted to do a Sweaty Challenge. Instead of doing teams, it was to be a fun individual challenge. Twenty-nine participants signed up and for the month of July we have been logging our miles running and walking, outside and on the elliptical or treadmill too.

When everyone signed up it was simply for PRIDE, not PRIZES. People just wanted to be active, stay active, and find encouragement. None of these people knew that they would in fact be rewarded.

As the month started winding down, Anne offered the winner a crocheted beanie to the person with the most miles! On Monday, I was thrilled to let the Sweaty Challenge group know that someone would be winning a pair of Mizuno's brand new running shoe, the Wave Sayonara.

Today I am announcing that winner.

Using the random.org widget to select a Sweaty Challenge winner, congratulations to: #21 Elle!! Please email me your running shoe size and mailing address so that I can get your prize to you asap!

Thank you to Anne for getting this summer challenge started and Mizuno for sponsoring a prize.

Say Hello to Fast! Mizuno Wave Sayonara

This probably won't come as a shock, but I love Mizuno. Ever since I made the wise choice to purchase my first pair of Wave Riders, I have experienced brilliant running. It's no surprise then that I applied to become a Mezamashii Run Project Member. I wanted to be a part of the mezamashii community and the running buzz that Mizuno was creating and spreading.

Being a MRP member has it's perks. You may remember back in September when Mizuno asked me to give away ten MRP invitations and shoes. Then in May I was selected to go to Atlanta for a MRP video shoot. And to top it all off, a couple of weeks ago I received an email letting me know that I had been selected to preview the new Wave Sayonara before they became available in stores today, July 5th!

Wasting no time, the shoes came right out of the box and on to my feet. They are nice and snug in the heel, but very roomy in the toe box. Even though they are low to the ground and only weigh 7.1 ounces, they still utilize Mizuno Wave Technology providing a comfortable balance between cushion and stability.

Being an avid wearer of Riders, Inspires, and Creations, this performance shoe was a huge change for me. The biggest difference I found with the Sayonaras was in the heel to toe ratio. The ramp wasn't that different (10mm versus the traditional 12mm), but the heel height of 19 compared to 24/25 had a significant effect on the way I felt in the shoe.

L: Sayonara R: Rider 16

I kept my first couple of runs in the Sayonara on the short side (under 3 miles) because I was worried about injury. I've read that a lower heel-drop puts more strain on your foot muscles and tendons.  All during my first run I felt like I was leaning back, although mr. C thought my form looked the same. My next run felt better, normal, and a little like the shoe was pushing me to land more midfoot. In a very un-scientific way, I snapped action shots as I ran by the camera to try to see my foot strike.

Now, I like a good PR, but I'm not one to really worry about speed. I don't do speed workouts on the track or think about tempo, fartleks, or hill repeats. But since the Wave Sayonara is Mizuno's lightest, fastest racing shoe yet,  I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I did feel lighter and faster in this shoe. My pace was quicker even though I was trying to keep my heart rate lower while running through the soupy, humid air. The Wave Sayonara definitely has a spot in my running shoe rotation.

L-R: Sayonara, Rider 16, Inspire 8, Creation 14

So that's my running-blogger review. Want all the official tech information from a real professional? I'll let Dave from Mizuno fill you in!

Say goodbye to slow. Say hello to the new Wave Sayonara!