Road Running and Road Shoes - Ponderings of a Trail Runner

This summer (and the spring that preceded it) has been one of the wettest on record. The area trails that I normally run have been impassible or otherwise restricted for running on more days than any year since I started running. And, when not soaked, the combo of seed ticks, oak mites, poison ivy, rattlers and copperheads has left me a little bit trepidatious. I'm a trail guy, but I'm also a bit of a wimp when it comes to too much of the hard stuff that nature can throw at me. So left with no trails except the perennially passible trails behind the Sports Pavilion Lawrence, there has been little choice other than to hit the pavement or treadmill.

Due to my ongoing hamstring injury, I've mainly been running 3-6 ish routes near my home. My preferred route takes me through the southern half of Fred Devictor Linear Park (which sort of has a trail) before depositing me back on asphalt. A second course takes me on 2 mi each way, out and back, from my house to the start of the Pavilion trails. I then run the 2 mile outer circuit of the trails before returning home for a total of 6 miles.

With all of the road miles, my trail shoes have gotten only a few workouts. For trails, I've rotated between 2 pairs of Salomon Speedcross and a pair of Hoka One One Mafates. The Speedcross always feel much lighter and less clunky than the Hokas. But on occasion, I like to change up and run with the extra cushioning that the Hokas provide. When I hit the high mountains in Colorado last month, the Hokas stayed home, and the Salomons rocked the trails with their absolute sure grip and perfect fit.

That being said, other than an ancient pair of Mizuno Wave Inspire 8s and a newish pair of Mizuno Wave Rider 17s, I did not have any shoes to rotate for road runs. As of last week, I had finally worn large holes in the Inspire 8s (which had outlasted a pair of Inspire 10s by 2 years). And due to heavier use, my Wave Riders were also starting to develop holes near the first MP joint (the joint at the base of the big toe). Mizunos, in my experience, are particularly susceptible to tearing at that spot - considering the fact that it has happened in 100% of the 7 pairs I have owned. Still, though, as you will note, even with the tendency to tear, I have never found running shoes that I like more than Mizuno. Most of my trail races have been run in Mizunos. My first ultra was actually run in Inspire 8s (not trail shoes). I have only done one ultra distance in anything other than Mizunos (Salomons were used in that instance). Shoes and fit are very subjective, whatever 'the experts' will tell you. And for me, Mizuno is my go-to shoe.

So, last week, instead of making my semi annual purchase of more trail shoes, I opted for road purchases. First to arrive were Mizuno Wave Sayonaras. The pair I got is a model from either 2013 or 2014. I have already done a couple of runs in them, and they fit like all Mizunos do for me - perfectly.  The feel is much more like the lighter and firmer Wave Inspire 10s than either the Inspires that preceded it or even the Wave Rider. The shoes give great ground feel paired with a comfortable level of shock absorption. Will they last? I'm betting they'll give about 300 miles before ripping out in the normal place. But they will certainly be 300 miles of solid performance.

Mizuno Wave Sayonara

To get a real rotation from the Mizunos, I also ordered a pair of Hoka One One Odysseys.  The maximal shoes came with very mixed reviews on the Running Warehouse site, but I figured I would give them a shot anyway. The Odysseys are supposed to be extremely light weight. I am hoping that they will be less clunky than the Mafates, which are not at all light (but in fairness, trail shoes almost always carry a bit of extra weight for added protection). I will give an update on the Odysseys as soon as I have done a couple of solid runs in them.

Finally, one of the most fun events I have run in the past couple of years (Trail Hawk events excluded), was the Defend Lawrence Run - which takes place at 5:05 AM each August 21st. The little 5K fun run includes a jaunt up the 12th street hill to the KU campus - not the type of hill one encounters every day in Kansas. Last Friday, 189 people (many of them Trail Hawks) showed up and knocked out the course in anywhere from 20-45 minutes. It was great fun to run with friends down the middle of many of Lawrence's major streets (which were deserted at that hour). Mimosas (real mimosas) and other less inebriating refreshments were served at the run's conclusion by owners and staff of Ad Astra Running, Lawrence's soon-to-open locally-owned running store. I plan to do my next shoe purchases there. I hope they plan to carry some great trail shoes...

 Runners starting to show up at 4:30 AM for the annual Defend Lawrence Run outside of the soon to be open Ad Astra Running.