Review: Altra Running

At the end of a recent RunChat, my phone started blowing up with notifications!

I WON A PAIR OF ALTRA RUNNING SHOES!!

I was blown away. And super excited! I'd heard lots of good things about Atra Running Shoes, and I'd been wanting to try them for awhile.

By Thursday, my new shoes had arrived. That was FAST! Whoo hoo!!!

I chose the One² - their lightest weight and lightest cushioning women's shoe.



These babies are super light! When the box arrived, it felt EMPTY! After shaking it, I could hear a slight rustling, so I knew there was, in fact, a pair of shoes inside. :-)

I took them out for a 4-mile run the very next morning.
It was like running on AIR! So light, so comfy!

These are zero drop shoes, which I've been attempting to convert to for the past few months. These have a little more cushion than my other zero drop shoes, which I liked. I still need to work on improving my running form, though.

Since Altra shoes have significant differences from traditional running shoes, there was a pamphlet inside to help with the transition. There is also a page on Common Injuries & Self Care. So helpful!

You can also visit the Run Better section of their website for helpful info on running form, transitioning to Altra shoes, and details about the design of their shoes and how they should fit.

My 2nd run in my new shoes was during the Big Game 5k. When I announced to Jeff that I'd gotten a pretty significant PR, his first question was....

Was it the new shoes?! :-D

Not sure I can entirely give full credit to the new shoes, but, yeah, I'm pretty sure they played a part.

I think I might be an Altra convert.

Have you tried Altra Running shoes?
Have you ever won anything on Twitter?
Tweet

The Light. The Bright. The Fabulous. #WaveSayonara

The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Mizuno.

I was beyond thrilled to be selected to review a pair of the brand new Wave Sayonaras. My current running shoes are on their last legs. First of all, they are trail shoes. Not exactly the best for this urban runner. Second, I got a small hole in the right shoe during RagnarZion back in April and it keeps growing. :(

Needless to say, I was practically jumping up and down when I got the text saying they were delivered. Of course, I was at work, so I had to keep it together.

When I finally picked up my package, it felt empty. Yeah, that's how light these babies are.

And bright pink.

Definitely my lightest and brightest shoes EVER!

Mizuno boasts them as their lightest everyday training shoe.

Seriously, at only 7.1oz (8.1 for mens) these shoes felt like I was running in nothing.

Whenever I go running shoe shopping, I like to have the experts recommend options for me to try. I'm not usually brand specific, so I tend to try a large variety. Without fail, they usually recommend a motion control shoe, but I tend to gravitate more to the stability/support section of shoes. I always feel like the motion control shoes are too clunky for me. And uncomfortable.

Since the heavier motion control shoes were often what was recommended to me, though I don't think I've ever actually purchased a pair, I was a bit nervous about how the Wave Sayonara would feel on a run. Would they be comfortable? Supportive enough?

I was pleasantly surprised at how fabulous they felt! In fact, my first mile in them scored me a FIFTEEN SECOND PR!

7:44. Woot woot!!

And that was in 80+ degree weather with crampy ickiness. I can only imagine how fast I'll be when the temps cool down again. In a few months.

The euphoric foam midsole ensures the proper cushioning without added weight and bulk so runners experience a light, smooth, comfortable, and responsive 'ride.'

Mizuno definitely hit the jackpot with these shoes!

Jeff commented last night that they feel so light, like they're made of paper. Hard to believe they don't just fall apart with every step, he said.

Well, I can assure you after several runs in these, they are sturdy - despite their lightness.


Here's a quick video from before my run this morning with a couple more thoughts on these fabulous shoes!



THANK YOU, #WaveSayonara, for helping me squeak in with a sub-10:00 pace for my 4-miler this morning - despite the 92° heat!!

If you're looking for a light, bright, fabulous shoe for your next mezamashii run, look no further! These go on sale on 7/5/2013 and retail at $119.99. Find them at mizunorunning.com or your favorite retailer.

What do you think of the Wave Sayonaras?
Tell me about your last brillant run.
Tweet

Other ways to follow Enjoying the Course:
Twitter → @EnjoytheCourse
Facebook → EnjoyingtheCourse
Instagram → enjoyingthecourse
Pinterest → clarindad

3TT #2

I really had high hopes for being a great blogger during January when I didn't have any homework, and I was just biding my time until student teaching started. Unfortunately, work has been keeping me busy and I've just been too tired lazy to blog in the evenings.

So, here are at least 3 things that are going on with me this week.

Thing 1 - Less than two weeks until I am in a classroom for student teaching. I am both excited and pretty nervous. I met with my mentor teacher last night. I think we'll get along great and work well together (based on that initial meeting). He teaches 3 sections of 10th grade World History, a section of AP Government, and a section of AP European History. I'll be most active in the World History classes. I get to plan a unit on Latin American history. This is intimidating, yet I am looking forward to the challenge!

Thing 2 - I ran for the first time this morning since Jan 2nd! I tried out my new shoes. They were a little awkward for the first 1/4 mile or so but felt great after that. No knee pain at all during the run; there is a little discomfort right now, though. :-(

Nike Zoom Structure Triax 15

Thing 3 - An Arctic cold front blew in last night. When I left for work this morning it was -11°F. Straight temp. Today's high is forecasted to be TWO whole degrees.  It was so cold when walking the 3 blocks to the bus that the collar of my coat frosted a bit from my breath.

If you were taking a class on Latin American history, what would you like to focus on or hope to learn in the class? How's the weather where you are today?

Doctor's Orders

Ok, so she's actually a physician's assistant. Good enough.

I went to the doctor this morning because I've developed some annoying rash. Well, it's moved beyond annoying. It's itchy.

And so I've scratched until it's spread over much of my arms and legs.

She actually gave me some Zyrtec, which is helping a LOT.

She thinks it might be a non-textbook case of  Pityriasis Rosea. Don't quote me on this. It's hard to remember big, fancy medical jargon.She's wasn't exactly sure, so she had them swab my throat (to rule out strep) and draw blood (to check white blood cells).

In the meantime, it's Zyrtec and Benadryl.
Hydrocortizone, if needed.

While I was there, I decided I should talk to her about the pain I've been experiencing in my right knee.

Her first question? How are your running shoes?
My answer? Pretty bad.

I know all you runners out there are going to cringe when I say I've been running in the same shoes since July 2010. That's a long time for running shoes!!

She couldn't stress enough the importance of getting a good pair of running shoes.

So, I guess I *need* to go shopping. Ugh. I don't mind shopping - except when I don't have any money.

This also likely means no haircut for me. Running shoes (especially with my upcoming marathon training) are WAY more important, right?

She also suggested really focusing on strengthening my core.

So, I'll be taking a week or so off from running to focus on my core, do some cross training, and BUY NEW SHOES!

After how many miles do you generally replace your shoes? What have you had to sacrifice to be able to afford new shoes? How bad does something usually have to get before you go visit a doctor (or physician's assistant)?

My new toy...

It's raining today. I know, I know...I live in Oregon!

Anyway...instead of taking a walk in the rain, I thought I'd blog a bit about my new toy.

To assist me in my running goals, I found a great deal on a Garmin Forerunner 101 on www.ebay.com. These normally run at least $100, and I got mine for $67 (including shipping). I was so excited. It was the first time I'd ever bid for something on eBay, so I was nervous, but I really LOVE my new toy.

The Forerunner 101 is a bit outdated as there are at least 4 newer versions, but it is more than sufficient for my needs.

Basically, what it does is link up with 3 (of the 24) satellites, and tells you how far you've run/walked and how fast you did it! You can set up training intervals. It even comes with a Virtual training partner. I haven't explored this option yet, but I'm pretty excited about it.

There are a lot more functions that I haven't explored yet, but all in due time...