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!

TrainingTruths: One thing to Love

Last week I talked about how happy I was that my legs were feeling good again and I was ready to start building my weekly mileage back up.

Then I got sick. I had been fighting off a cold that turned worse before it got better. I even took a day off from running! That hardly ever happens unless I'm injured. Needless to say, I didn't like it, not one bit.

But there was one thing to love about last week...seeing my stepdaughter complete her first 10K!

On Tuesday my stepdaughter and I did her 10K training run together after school. At first we thought it might rain, but we got lucky and managed 4 dry miles. It was a regular route for me, but she told me afterwards that she didn't like the out & back. They can be mentally harder than loops.

I took an extra rest day on Thursday after I went home from work early and napped the afternoon away. I thought I might feel well enough to make up the run on Friday, but instead I took a sick day. I was too tired to do much of anything except wonder if I would be well enough to run the BAA 10K on Sunday with my stepdaughter.

In spite of my cold, I did finish the #SeizetheSolstice Instagram challenge that Athleta hosted. It was fun (most of the time) trying the new poses. Here are some of my favorites from the week. I'm still planning to focus on improving my yoga skills, but hopefully I'll find another challenge to help keep me motivated.

Clockwise: eagle pose, locust pose, shoulder stand, and dolphin pose

We drove down to Boston on Saturday and spent the day enjoying some of our favorite places. We made a stop on Boylston to pay our respects. It was our first time back since Marathon Weekend when I ran the BAA 5K. I was touched by the variety of memorial tokens, and this Manchester City Marathon shirt tucked in a corner caught my eye.  

On Sunday my stepdaughter and I laced up our Mizunos for her first 10K race while her dad took the role of escort, photographer, and master spectator. I'll share more in the recap, but running in the heat after my worst NH cold wasn't easy, but she did awesome!

What's one thing you have to love about last week?

Review: Mizuno Wave Creation 14s

For about two months now I have been running in a new pair of Mizunos...the Wave Creation 14s. I picked these up at the Boston Marathon Expo back in April, but the review was put on hold after the horrific events on Marathon Monday.

To be perfectly honest, when I bought these I did not NEED a new pair of running shoes. Not really. I had just bought a new pair of Wave Rider 16s in January. I wear the Wave Riders on my shorter runs and usually wear Wave Inspires on my longer runs. I have a pair of Inspire 8s and at the expo, I was actually hoping to get a pair of the new 9s. Unfortunately, they did not have the color choice I wanted. Enter Mary from Mizuno.

I first met Mary from Mizuno in Manchester at a fun run at Runner's Alley when she brought along a bag full of Wave Rider 16s for everyone to test. This of course let to my purchase. This time Mary showed me the Wave Creation 14s as a optional choice for long runs.

I slipped them on and they felt amazing. Like the WR16s, they are soft and very lightweight. Unlike the Inspires, the Creation is a neutral shoe, but Mary assured me that there was good stability in these shoes and that they would work on my long runs.

I have worn my Wave Creation 14s on a variety of runs: short, long, road, trail. They are my new favorite. Even though I bought them to go into the rotation as a long run shoe, I find myself reaching for them for any type of run.

R- Wave Rider 16
L - Wave Creation 14

What sets this pair of Mizunos apart from the Wave Riders and Wave Inspires that I own is the two-tiered Wave plate that makes up the heal. It makes the bottom of the shoe look bigger and it's divided into two parts. And even though they look bigger and are technically heavier, they feel just as light as the WR16.

Every time I get a new pair of Mizunos, I think they are the best. Mizuno just makes great shoes!

Fitness Friday: #GoalGetter 2013 May Update

Happy Friday! It is hard to believe that it is already June. I wish I could say that it was summer vacation already too (like my Ohio peeps!), but that will not come until the end of the month (thanks to all those hurricane/snow days).

For now I will happily say goodbye to the month of May, although I did have some seriously fun adventures.

Here's a look back at some memorable moments and my running goals:

I started the month with a crazy, unexpected two day trip to Atlanta courtesy of Mizuno to participate in the Mezamashii Run Project. The project launched this month, but my role in it has yet to be revealed. Stay tuned!

Immediately following my trip to Atlanta, I headed to Cincinnati to get a quick family visit and run the Flying Pig Half Marathon with mr C. I wasn't into running when I lived in Ohio the way I am now, so this was my first time running this race. It was one of the best race weekends I've ever experienced. 

I began working on a sponsored campaign with Under Armour and FitFluential. What's Beautiful is a competition that focuses on inspiring women to set goals and conquer them together. My goal is to work on adding up the miles to reach my running goal for the year. May was not my best month with 56.76 miles, but I'm not giving up on hitting 1000 for the year. 

Another one of my goals for the year is to improve my overall core strength, so I jumped at the chance to try SurfSet at TI Fitness Training in Manchester with New Hampshire Bloggers & Tweeters. This all-in-one workout was the hardest thing I've done in a long time, but so fun I went back for more! This is going to be my summer core workout plan. 

Even though May was filled with amazing running adventures, I'm disappointed that I didn't meet my monthly mileage goal to keep me on track to reach 1000 for the year. What's Beautiful is that I will keep pushing through the obstacles. I will not give up.

How was your May? Any achievements or setbacks?

My Mezamashii Run Project

Last week I was whisked away by Mizuno to be a part of a Mezamashii Run Project in Atlanta. 

I arrived in Atlanta on Wednesday evening and met Ashi and Heather. Ashi went straight to his shoot, while Heather and I were dropped at the W Hotel in downtown Atlanta. Since we had the night off we decided to meet for dinner. After checking out the fine dining in the hotel, we opted to go around the block to JR Crickets, a more casual sports bar-like place.

After dinner I had a chance to check out the welcome gift that Mizuno thoughtfully gave us. Inside the Mizuno bag were some snacks, a water bottle, lanyard, and a note thanking me for coming to Atlanta. I was thinking, No, thank YOU, Mizuno, for inviting me on this amazing adventure!

The shoot: After easing into the day because shooting ran late on Wednesday night, Ashi, Heather, and I were picked up by Lisandra and driven to the Mizuno warehouse. Lisandra and a host of other production assistants took care of us (the talent) all day. It was a little bit rock-star-ish.

Shortly after we arrived we were given the scripts for our individual scenes and time to learn them. A little while later, David, one of the producers brought us some wardrobe to go through to find outfits for our scenes.

Things kicked into high gear after I was taken to see the Mizuno representatives to approve my wardrobe. They had built a mini-set right there in the warehouse with the stereotypical lights, camera, microphones, and screens. After meeting the reps, including Lori Ann who has supported my little blog for a while now, I met the director and was mic'ed for my scene.

(Photos shamelessly borrowed from Louise who was part of the project all week)

I was so nervous that I really thought they could hear my heart pounding through the microphone attached to my bra. It was so surreal to have the PA step in with the scene clapper board and another PA yelling Quiet on the set! 

I'm not sure how many takes it took for me to get it right they way the directors wanted, but it was a lot. Even though I was a bundle of nerves, everyone was super nice and made me feel comfortable. I am grateful that no one made me feel inadequate or like the amateur that I am. I didn't know it at the time, but the production crew was a legit Hollywood team. This experience just made me love Mizuno even more.

Although I can't tell you much about the specifics of the filming, I can show the wardrobe I wore and then was allowed to keep. I wore the shorts on my run the other day and they were very comfortable. They have an inside key pocket and outer zip pocket.

I have been a Mezamashii Run Project member for almost two years. As a member I receive early access to new product launches, exclusive events, and the ability to impact future shoe design. Mizuno believes in bringing Mezamashii, or brilliant run, directly to the runners. There are some amazing things happening for the Mezamashii Run Project community. Join in the fun by applying today.

Have you tried Mizunos?