Training Tuesday - Mizuno Wave Rider 17 Review

A weekly recap:

Tuesday, March 11:
Speed work. 1mi warm up; 2mi x 2 with 1/2mi recovery; 1/2mi cool down.
12:49; 21:11; 6:06; 21:05; 12:01.  On pace for about a 4:40 marathon
10 min Barre3 workout - Runner's Workout: Glutes and Core

Wednesday, March 12:
Daylight Saving Time is still wreaking havoc on my mornings, so although I set the alarm to get in a BodyPump class at the gym before work, I couldn't manage to get out of bed.  And after a FULL day of working two jobs, I was just too tired when I got home to do anything.

Thursday, March 13:
Double workout to make up for yesterday's skip.
40min Barre3 workout - Interval Strength
Hill work - not as many miles as I had planned, but I was short on time, so I did three repeats of the same hills as last week, and one final hill sprint, for a total of 4.07miles in 41:39.  Avg pace: 10:14mm.  Splash of intervals 3/:45, but mostly adjusting to kick it up the hills, recover, and sprint back down.

Friday, March 14:
Easy 5 miles.  Intervals: 3:00/0:45
Barre3: Studio Shape. 60min.

Saturday, March 15:
12mile long run in 2:12:21.  Avg pace: 11:01.  Pretty consistent on the intervals and pace.
Intervals: 3:00/0:45 until my watch ran out of intervals (around 1:45min)

Sunday, March 16:
An open house in the middle of the day really AND rain really messed up my plans for the day.  Ended up heading to the gym for 40min on the spin bike.  Forgot my HRM and didn't have a cadence sensor, so I have no idea what sort of workout I got in. I did manage to read 3 chapters of Hunger Games (rereading it after finally seeing Catching Fire on Friday).
Also did Barre3: Studio Balance. 60min.  After work.

Monday, March 17:
long day of work but I still managed a workout once I got home.
Barre3: Studio Slim II. 30min. (had a little trouble with my internet, so cut it short about 10min)

Last week's winner of the Feetures socks: Lauren B.  CONGRATS!

This week I want to talk about my go-to running shoe.  When I first started running, I went to my favorite local running store and had a gait analysis and fit process done to make sure I was in the right shoe.  I highly recommend this for everyone - what works for me may not work for you.  But after going through a few shoes (and thank you SO much to running stores that let us take shoes out in the "real" world and take them for a test-drive and then return them if they aren't fabulous), I found the ones I LOVE!

I'm talking about the Wave Rider from Mizuno.  This amazing shoe has carried me through 2500 miles - well, not just one pair.  I have made my way through the Waver Rider from version 14 to the current version 17.  And of all the shoes that have made it into my closet, these are the hardest to part with after I can no longer run in them.

When I first started running, I went with a gel cushioning shoe but after a few hundred miles in those, I realized I needed something a little more firm.  The Wave Rider, with its wave plate technology is amazing. The is ample cushioning, so I don't ever feel like there's too much pressure, but it doesn't give under my weight the way of my body.

These shoes have evolved over the last four years that I've been wearing them, and I've been one of the lucky ones that has liked each change.  The most recent update came out in December, and I am absolutely in love!  Their midsole is a totally new system called U4ic, which is very responsive, lightweight cushioning.  I've been transitioning to a midfoot/forefoot striker over the last few years, and these shoes give me the right amount of cushioning where I need it, while still allowing me to feel connected to the ground.

I've heard some discussion about sizing differences for the 17s compared to earlier models, but I am still in a size 9.  As a marathon runner, it may be that the 17s do have a little more room in them, but since I'm putting 15-20 miles on them for my long runs, and since December have put about 150 miles on each pair (yes, I already have two pairs of these, I love them THAT much), they are holding up well and I'm not having any issues.

I continue to be in love with these shoes.  Mizuno Wave Rider has always been my go to training shoe, and I'm confident that these amazing shoes will take me to the finish in Boylston, with a proud 26.2 miles of awesome on them!

Keep an eye out on Facebook and Twitter... I may have some sweet Mizuno loving to share with you in the coming days!