Mizuno Wave Ekiden Series Review

   I love the Mizuno Wave Universe series.  I have raced in the 3, 4, and 5, but the 4 is my all time favorite.  It was the perfect 5k racing shoe (in my humble opinion) at 3.9 ounces, a nice comfortable fit that could be dialed down and a really responsive feel.  The shoe disappeared off the feet and I used it as my racing shoe for over a year.  Mizuno decided to upgrade it to the Mizuno Wave Universe 5 (REVIEW) which was great, but not as good as the 4.  It didn't feel the same, wore out quickly... and I moved on.  I had always kept an eye on the Ekiden, but had never taken a chance on them.  Finally I made the move and was glad I did.  The Wave Ekiden is the Wave Universe 4 with just a hair more there.  And it a really cool Japanese racing flat.  I am also racing in the Adidas Takumi Sen 2 right now and I have to say, both of these shoes give the feel of high quality the second you put them on your feet.  Asia knows how to make really high quality and cool shoes, especially racing flats.  The Mizuno Wave Ekiden is no exception.

Sole:  I would describe the Wave Ekiden as the Mizuno Wave Universe 4 with just a little bit more underfoot.  I can feel that small increase in material and it definitely keeps your feet comfortable during races.  This is a shoe that easily handle 5k-10k and maybe even the half and full marathon.  It's not a super cushioned shoe, but there is just enough there that combined with the 4.7 ounce weight you will totally forget about your feet.  The grip is also much better on both road and XC/trail.  I have used this shoe on wet roads and an XC course with dirt, grass and trail.  The Wave Ekiden has performed very well on all of them.

Upper/Fit:  The upper is drool worthy.  It is extremely comfortable and high quality.  The upper completely disappears off your feet when running.  There is plenty of room for the toes and it is not a super tight fitting flat.  The shoe does really stay on to your feet, especially if you lace lock them (I do that with all my shoes).  The upper is not super thin, but there is just enough there that I don't think I'll ever worry about durability issues.  There is a small heel cup in the back, but it isn't noticeable and keeps your feet locked in.  The achilles tab is perfect.  It is very comfortable and I love the split for the achilles tendon.  More racing shoes need this!

I don't' know what else to say other than the fact that Mizuno nailed the fit of the shoe.

Responsiveness:  This is a fast racing flat.  It has a nice balance of pop and protection.  The Wave Universe 4 definitely has more pop, but lacks that extra bit of protection that allows this shoe to be used from the 5k to the half marathon and beyond.

Heel-Toe Drop/Ramp:  This is supposed to be a 6mm drop shoe and it feels somewhere in that 4-6mm range.  Just a hair more drop that seems to save your legs for longer races.  I can understand why elite Mizuno athletes can race in this shoe up to the marathon.

Durability:  The durability is decent.  It is a racing flat, but I think I can get over 150 miles in these.  Currently I'm at 82 miles and they look fine.  The upper looks exactly the same when I bought it and there is some, but not too much wear on the sole.  Way better than the Wave Universe 4 and 5.

Weight:  At 4.7 ounces, this shoe will disappear off your feet.  While the Universe 5 is almost 2 ounces lighter, I need to remind you of the amazing range of this shoe.  This is the only shoe I can think of that you could use up to a marathon that is under 5 ounces (again, your leg strength and endurance may vary).

Thoughts as a PT (Student):  I can see nothing wrong with this shoe as a racing flat.  Obviously I would not suggest training in it if you have biomechanical issues, but if I had known about this shoe during my super minimalist phase, this would have been on my feet all the time.  I really like the full ground contact which gives it a more stable ride (not supportive.  There is no medial posting in this shoe).  The upper is fantastic as I mentioned early and does not constrict the toes at all.  The toe spring isn't too bad either.  The heel counter isn't hard or soft, but provides just enough to keep your rearfoot relatively locked in.  I have no problems with this shoe.

Final Thoughts:  I love this shoe.  It is the Wave Universe 4 with just a bit more.  I have enjoyed racing in these and have won 2/3 races I've used them for.  I will continue to use them and hope to get my feet and legs strong enough to use them in my second half marathon (whenever that ends up being).  I have never had a more comfortable short distance racing flat in my life and will continue to use these.  Additionally, although I don't usually comment on this, they look awesome.  Again... the developers in Asia know how to make racing flats.  They just make you feel fast.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to Tack On!

These shoes were a personal purchase and I put at least 100 miles on every pair of trainers and 50 miles on every pair of racing flats before I review them.  Currently I have 82 miles on my pair.

As always, my views are my own.  

-Matt Klein, SPT

*Images obtained from the Mizuno Running USA website.  Head down to your local run specialty store to check them out!

The DairyAire 5k, Triple Crown and Quick Update

Quick update!

   I won the DairyAire 5k in 15:14 (RESULTS).  It was a great race put on by wonderful people.  The course was almost totally flat but had some 2 complete 180 turns and a couple sharps turns.  The race director and the volunteers were cheering me on by my first name, because they knew me from winning the Reindeer Romp 5k and the Run for Russ 5k.  The DairyAire 5k was the final leg of the Chino Triple Crown and I very proud to have taken home victories in all three races.  I didn't really have any competition out there during the DairyAire race (lots of potential and talent out there though!!), but it was awesome to know that I can run a 15:14 completely solo.  Honestly it felt more like a hard tempo effort, which is awesome.  Now I just have to work on my speed to get myself running comfortably around 4:40 to 4:45 per mile pace so I can go sub 15 again.

   My racing shoe of choice was again the Mizuno Wave Universe 4.  Not the 5, the 4.  I love this shoe so much because it's a sub-4 ounce shoe but it still has some protection to it.  There is a 4-5mm heel drop that will save your achilles and calf muscles a bit but still let you run really fast.  Luckily my pair has a ton of life left on it, but I'm eyeing a pair of orange MWU 4s on Amazon that are $45.  I might have to splurge for those before they disappear (the MWU 4s originally retailed for $120).  The MWU 5s are a little intense for me right now.  When I get my feet strong enough I'll probably pull them out for another 5k.  Or when I start getting to some of the bigger races.  But I still may go with the 4s because that little bit of extra protection may just pay off in the last mile when shit starts to hit the fan.

   I also got a nice 22 miler in this morning with my training partner and good friend John Barker.  I've wanted to run from my apartment (next to Western University of Health Sciences) all the way to the Ontario Airport and back for a while.  Today just happened to be that day where we jumped on 1st street and headed east.  9-10 miles later we looked north and realized we were right next to the airport!  Then we kept going to explore the area.  Definitely a Tack On day.  

I won a bottle of milk and a wreath.  Triple Crown!!

    The next few weeks are probably going to be quiet in terms of racing.  I'm going to try to get some good hard workouts in including my hill In/Outs, 6x1000m and 10x400 hard.  I'll through some tempos and fartleks in there somewhere.  My next race is definitely going to be the Spirit Run 5k on March 23rd with Cal Coast and then I'm thinking about doing the Carlsbad 5000.  I've wanted to do that race for the last several years and never thought I'd be living close enough to do it!  Plus it's at the end of my spring break, so I have no excuse not to race it.

   So that's all for now.  I'm going to buckle down for the next couple weeks as Midterms really ramp up and just try to survive.  And run faster.

Thanks for reading!

As always, my opinions are my own!

Tack On!

-Matthew Klein, SPT 

Mizuno Wave Sayonara Review

Once upon a time I was a die-hard minimalist runner and refused to train in anything with a heel-toe drop of more than about 5mm.  The Mizuno Wave Sayonara was the shoe that pushed me to being open to different shoes regardless of heel-toe drop.  I liked it so much I picked up a pair after trying them on and did a very hard Fartlek workout in them on my first run.  So much for breaking the shoes in.

As you can probably tell, we have the Mizuno Wave Sayonara on deck for a review!

    The Mizuno Wave Sayonara is a lightweight trainer that took the place of the Precision and the Elixir.  It is listed at 8.1 ounces and supposedly has a 10mm drop.  It was one of Mizuno's first shoes to debut their new U4ic midsole that is now in all or almost all of their shoes.

   Before I started training in this shoe I was wearing the Mizuno Wave Cursoris.  You know.  One of Mizuno's full on dives into the zero-drop market.  Which is now being taken off the US market.  However the Cursoris 2 and Levitas 2 are available now in Europe and Asia.  So if you're over there, check them out and tell me how they are.  Anyway, I was training in the Cursoris and was getting really tired of how the soles got torn off after about ~120 miles of use (that durability in the forefoot was horrible.  As I've said before, I am hard on shoes).  Right then Mizuno came out with the Sayonara and people were raving about it.  I tried a pair on during a quite moment while working at Foot Traffic and I was very surprised.  Surprised enough that I immediately bought them.  

     First what blew me away was how well they fit.  I'm very picky on the forefoot and toe box fit of shoes.  Having them too narrow is a major turn-off for me.  And that was one of many reasons I had been steering clear of traditional shoes, even with a nagging on and off peroneal injury that I kept running through (pressure was taken off that with higher drop shoes for me).  These had a very good fit in the forefoot.  I know the term "fits like a glove" is overused, but that's how they fit.  The upper is a little stiff, but has the combination of holding your foot down well and having a spacious fit.  The stiffness of the upper does break in a bit and form to your foot as you put more miles on the Sayonaras.  Even after breaking in, the upper remains very durable and I have not seen any tearing or wear in the +200 miles I'm put on them.  The midfoot and heel is on the narrow side in a way that will REALLY grip your foot.  Not uncomfortably so for me, instead in a good kind of "Lockdown" way.  I never had to worry about heel slippage in the Sayonaras, although I still did a lace lock because it's just a habit.  For those of you with narrow feet, you'll like these shoes through the heel and midfoot, then if you like a wide forefoot, you'll like them even more.  For those with wide feet, the midfoot and heel may be a bit snug.  The forefoot will feel fine though.  Again, that forefoot width is awesome.  Speaking of fit, these shoes fit about a half size big, so take that into consideration and go try them on at your local running specialty store.  

     That heel-toe drop obsession that I mentioned early?  The amount in the Wave Sayonara feels like 8mm to me despite the measurements of it being about a 9-10mm drop.  I felt it, but it didn't bother me.  Why?  Because these shoes are VERY responsive.  These are not cushioned trainers at all.  Do they protect your feet from the road?  Yes.  Would they work as a half/marathon racer?  Definitely yes.  I personally would opt for something lighter, but this would make an awesome long distance racing shoe.   This shoe has a ton of pop and I have very much enjoyed using it for tempos and fartlek workouts.  Should I have run my first half marathon in this shoe?  Maybe.  But I was Brooks crazed and only want to train in their gear because I was hoping to be sponsored by them.  Personally I think this shoe is much better than the Brooks Racer ST5.  The drop is lower, the shoe is lighter and there is more pop thanks to that amazing U4ic midsole.  And despite being lighter, the shoe does feel as if it has more protection, which may just be due to the lower heel drop and more material under the forefoot.  Every time I ran in the Mizuno Wave Sayonara I wanted to run really fast.  These shoes don't do recovery runs.  I mean.... they do, but they'll kick and scream a bit before giving in.  Not literally.  That would be freaky.  I don't think I would run in a shoe that actually kicked and screamed at me.  I have run very slow, tired and sore runs in them and they have done fine (I've only done a few of those though).  Really the Sayonaras are meant to go fast.  The sole is fairly firm and remains that way.  Not racing flat bone crushing firm, but responsive/protective firm.  

     I'm pretty happy with what Mizuno has done with the sole of the Wave Sayonara.  It almost has full ground contact, which Mizuno is generally not good about.  Like Asics, they like separating out the forefoot and heel, which I have problems with since I suspect that leads to a bend in the midfoot which could lead to some plantar fascia issues.  I have no study to back that statement up, only personal observations of hundreds of customers and runners working in running retail and biomechanics knowledge as a DPT student.  It's just a hypothesis at this point.  Mizuno has done better with that (that little lateral midfoot section could use some work) in the Sayonara.  The G3 sole pattern on the Sayonara is both very durable and grips the road very well. I have never had any slipping issues in this shoe (like other shoes.. cough pureproject shoes cough) and the sole provides an awesome base from which to push off from when running fast.  The black rubber on the shoe in the heel and the lateral forefoot is super durable.  Over the +200 miles I have on my pair, there is next to zero wear there.  So expect (from an outsole durability standpoint) these shoes to last a long time.   

     As the Sayonara is a replacement for the Precision and Elixir, Mizuno put some mild support elements in the medial heel to provide just a but more of a stable platform.  It is still listed as a neutral shoe, but know that those who need some support will get it from this shoe.  This comes both from the wave plate in the heel  as well as a fairly firm and narrow heel fit.  So again you can see why this would be a great choice for a long distance marathon/half marathon racing shoe for those who need just a bit more shoe.  Although granted the Adidas Adios/Adios Boost only weighs a few tenths of an ounce lighter.  So it's not that much more of a shoe.

    One of my few problems with the Sayonara is how stiff the actual heel is underfoot.  The forefoot is responsive and has some flexibility, but the heel has next to none.  So if you are a heel striker or someone who hammers down on their heel when they are tired (me), this shoe may not be the best option for you.  The lack of flexibility back there gives it a bit of a jarring sensation if you land really hard.  If you are a mild heel striker, midfoot or forefoot striker, these will be fine for training.  Heel strikers may want to save these for workouts or races.  

    Other than the heel inflexibility issue (which prior to Mizuno's current line, ie the Inspire 10, Rider 16, Paradox, etc was pretty common for their trainers.  Things have changed) I really like this shoe.  If you like a lightweight trainer with a wide forefoot, narrow midfoot/heel, that is very responsive, the Mizuno Wave Sayonara is your shoe.  It's great for workouts, uptempo runs and even racing.  That and it's a fairly durable shoe.  If nothing else try them on and tell me what you think!

Thanks for reading and don't forget to Tack On!

These shoes were a personal purchase and as always, my views are my own.  

-Matt Klein, SPT

*Images obtained from the Mizuno Running website.  Again, go down to your local running specialty retailer to check them out!

Mizuno Wave Universe 5 Review

Finally time for a non-Brooks shoe review.  I love the Wave Universe series so much.  I really do.  And I will start it off by saying that the Universe 5 is my favorite racing shoe of all time (thus far).

    On deck we have the Mizuno Wave Universe 5.  This is Mizuno's 5k/10k racing flat that comes in at an amazing 2.8 ounces.  This shoe has a 2mm drop according to Running Warehouse (feels flat to me) and a none-removable insole.

    As of now the Wave Universe series has retaken the "lightest racing flat" award back from the New Balance RC5000.  The series is named as such because they are supposed to be the "Lightest Racing Shoes in the Universe" (obviously ignoring any alien races who also happen to run that have created an even lighter shoe that we are not aware of).

    I have a great deal of history with this series.  I have worn the Wave Universe 3, 4 and 5 and have loved each one.  The Wave Universe 3 and Saucony Type A4 were my introductions to minimalist running as I trained in both of them for some time (and loved both of them).  I have raced in all three Universes extensively and have done many workouts in the 3s and 4s.  The 5s I have saved for racing due to a couple reasons I will get into.

   So yeah.  A 2.8 racing flat.  It feels like there is nothing on your feet.  Almost.  The sole is surprisingly cushioned ("cushioned" being an extremely relative term) for how little there is there.  And they are responsive.  REALLY responsive.  The first time I raced in these I set my 5k road PR in 14:45.  That was of course a week before I my peak race at the BAC 5k last summer, which I kinda bombed because I went out too hard with the Kenyans and Ethiopians.  That and I hadn't fully recovered from my PR race (also I'm an idiot, got excited and did too many hard workouts during my peak week).

See how flat that heel drop is??

    These shoes feel really good.  They disappear off your feet and you totally forget about everything down there except how much pop you're getting flying down the road (or track if that's what you're into).  And they feel at or close to zero drop in terms of the heel-toe drop.  So be prepared that if you are not used to running in very low drop shoes, these will wreck your calves.  The Wave Universe 3 and 4 had some drop (4-6mm) to give you some (not much) achilles protection.  These have next to none.  It's like running in a track spike.  The U4ic midsole is very responsive and this is the closest thing I've felt to a track spike for the road.

   And the upper?  A minimalist's dream.  The toebox is non-constricting, fairly wide for a racing shoe (like all the Wave Universes) and the upper is barely there.  In racing conditions I was very nervous about this, but found that when I tied the laces down tight, I had very little to worry about.  Would I like a little more structured upper?  Yes.  I like the midfoot to have some lock down.  But I cannot complain as there is no heel counter and thus nothing to irritate my calcaneus.  Also it's 2.8 ounces.  I don't think they have much more to take out before the shoe falls apart after one race.  So yeah.  I'll shut up about that.

   On a side note, I have not raced sockless in these yet, but wearing them around the house without socks has caused no ill effects.  I'll go hammer out another race soon in the Universe 5 as my achilles is getting used to being in low drop shoes again.  I'll see where I'm at next Saturday and report back with the sockless details. 

    Mizuno did put some strategically placed material (called G3 Sole) to give some traction and bite the road (see the picture above).  Which it totally does.  I have never had to worry about traction in these as they grip the road very well.  The Wave Universe 3 and 4 had decent traction, but this new sole is awesome for the most part.  I do have one problem.

   And that problem?  Outsole durability.  Yeah..... It's not good.  I have 5 races in them with about 20 miles total and the wear is significant.  Yes I get it.  The shoe weighs 2.8 ounces and there is barely anything there.   But for $125 I would hope for some kind of durability.  Which I guess is in the upper.  I'm surprised that with how little upper there is that it has absolutely no rips, tears or any signs of wear compared to the sole.  They seem to be going strong so far despite the outsole wear.  I guess you're paying for the light weight and super responsiveness.  So that's why I keep them for race day only.  But that's really the only problem I have with them and I'm pretty hard on shoes.

  So that is the Mizuno Wave Universe 5.  This is my all time favorite racing shoe.  Not the best durability, but it is a FAST shoe.  I still cannot believe how much relative protection it has for how little shoe is there.

   If nothing else, go try them on.  This shoe is for anyone who wants to run insanely fast over the 5k (maybe 10k).  I would not try them over 10k unless you are a seasoned minimalist runner.  If you are a minimalist runner, you will especially like this shoe.  I started racing in them when I was training in the 6oz Brooks Puredrift.  At 2.8 ounces, there are only a handful of shoes that you could train in where you wouldn't notice the weight step down on race day.

   Give them a shot and go fly down the road.

Thanks for reading!

As always, my opinions are my own*.

Tack On!!

-Matt Klein, SPT

*Shoes were provided free of charge from the Foot Traffic Mizuno Rep Ben Evans.  Because I was bothering him for a free pair.  Thank you Ben!

*Images obtained from the Mizuno Running website.  Go down to your local retailer to check them out!