Friday, July 5, 2013

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!


22 comments:

  1. Oooh new shoes. I tired the Mizuno's they weren't for me, enjoy them, love the colour.

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  2. So curious about these!! Thinking I need to try them!

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  3. I've been loving them too. And I also have the same Riders! I think between the two, I'm all set for fall marathon training!

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  4. I've heard nothing but great things about these shoes! Love mizuno! :0)

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  5. I'm going to have to maybe stray from my brooks and give these a try! Thanks for the review!

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  6. Interesting! Mizunos are one of the few brands I haven't tried. I'd love to check these out.

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  7. I'm loving my Wave Sayonara's! Love the comparison shot - they definitely are more of a minimalist shoe but still have a little cushion. Great review!

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  8. Great review and Mizuno always has fun colors!

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  9. Looks awesome. The Creation is probably my fave running shoe currently in my closet. Eager to try Sayanora!

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  10. Sometimes it's hard to choose which shoe to wear ;)

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  11. Oh yea, I love my Creations too!

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