Your Feet Have a New Best Friend in the Mizuno Wave Rider 17

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

The day before Thanksgiving a special package showed up at my door from Mizuno Running. As a member of the FitFluential community I get the opportunity to try new products from time to time and share my opinion with my readers! On Wednesday morning, as Thanksgiving preparations were in full swing, a shoebox containing the new Mizuno Running Wave Rider 17 arrived. I am always ready to try new shoes and I was ready to run. I wore tested them around the house on Wednesday and Thursday morning took them to the lake for their first run! 

Thursday morning was a gorgeous day. I dressed for a cold morning run but quickly warmed up. The Wave Rider 17's performed really well on their first three miler. According to Mizuno, the shoes are created for a neutral runner with just enough cushioning to perform well at high mileage training. I felt great during this run and barely even noticed the shoes on my feet. If they weren't so fun and bright to look at I might not even notice them on my runs. I would definitely consider using these for my next half marathon training program - I just have to find a race to sign up for!

The shoe weigh's in at 7.4 oz (varies by size) and has a midsole with incredibly lightweight and resilient cushioning. I noticed that it was very responsive both on the cement path and on the packed dirt trail around the lake. The sole has deep flex grooves that offer optimal flexibility and cushioning and seemed to work well on multiple surfaces.

They also seem to have caught the eye of the male population as I was asked on a running date by a complete stranger. So ladies, if you're looking to find a man perhaps these shoes could also play matchmaker? You could turn shoe love into true love. Too much? Honestly, the shoes look great and everyone wants to look good while they run. I know that it makes me faster when I feel like I look the part. These shoes definitely gave me confidence and they can do the same for you, especially in a bright fun color like I received. Don't be afraid to make yourself visible on the road. Bright colors are fashionable and keep you out of harm's way. Mizuno also did great with color combinations on the Wave Rider 17 so you are sure to find one to fit your style and personality. 

 

If you are looking for a shoe that will stand up to the pressure of running hard miles while offering you a smooth ride the Wave Rider 17 may be for you. They release on December 5th, so you can pick up your very own pair in just a few short days. These would also be a great shoe to put on your Christmas list or gift to your favorite runner! You can never have too many running shoes so go ahead and tell Santa you've been a good girl (or boy) this year and add them to your list. 

When you snag a pair be sure to let me know what you think in the comments below or share a picture on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #WaveRider17 and spread the word. Keep the #mezamashii running spirit of Mizuno alive with the Wave Rider 17 this holiday season.

Mizuno Wave Sayonara Review

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

These last few weeks I have been testing out the Mizuno Wave Sayonara running shoe. As an ambassador for FitFluential I occasionally have the opportunity to try out new products and I was recently sent a pair of the entirely new Mizuno Wave Sayonara shoe releasing on July 5th. I have been running in my Nike Lunarglide's and Nike Free Run's so I was interested to see how these compare. They arrived about two weeks ago and I have been testing them out on runs ever since. 

Just out of the box!

The Mizuno Wave Sayonara comes in two colors. The blue color is for the men and the pretty pink color for the women. Yes, you may have noticed that my pair is the men's version. Unfortunately, for a girl I have very large feet and Mizuno did not have these produced in a women's size 11.5, while they do make my size in other shoe styles. They offered to send me the men's version and I have to say the bright blue color has grown on me. It's not as girly as the pink and purple, but I have already received quite a few compliments on them at the gym. Do you see the pretty pink ones below? How cute are they? I'm not normally a pink person, but oh how I want these! Maybe they will make them in my size soon? Pretty please Mizuno!

Fun Pink and Purple Women's Wave Sayonara

I started out my testing by wearing the shoes around the house. The first thing I noticed was how light the shoe is. The men's version is only 8.1oz and the women's version is 7.1oz (though weight may vary based on size). These shoes are Mizuno's lightest everyday training shoe yet. The second thing I noticed was how low to the ground these shoes are. This makes the shoes more responsive and I can see myself using these on shorter, faster runs and track workouts. Say goodbye to slow and hello to a speedy ride! 

The sole was really interesting to me. It's a G3 sole that is lightweight and offers superior traction. I did notice that the shoes seemed to be gripping the ground more than my current runners. The rubber sole also allows the shoe to be very flexible. The design on the bottom of the shoe is super fun too! Almost like a piece of artwork. Wouldn't you agree?

I took the shoes out on about five different runs, with the longest run being three miles. I can see putting these shoes into my rotation and using them for speed sessions and tempo runs. The shoes are firm enough to support my knees and feet, yet flexible enough to not feel heavy during speed work, a problem I have had in the past. 

Headed out on a three mile run through town.

The release of the Wave Sayonara fits in well with a new project Mizuno has started promoting. Their Mezamashii running project is described below:  

"The Mezamashii Run Project is an effort by Mizuno to help create a more euphoric running experience — a more "brilliant" run — for more runners everywhere. The word "mezamashii" means "eye-opening" or "brilliant" in Japanese — it's a word that captures the euphoric feeling of a brilliant run."  

Basically, it means transforming yourself and the world through running. Learning from your runs, growing from your runs and sharing that feeling with the world around you. Make that world a better place. I personally have experienced so many freeing moments on my runs and consider myself a member of Mezamashii. Running gives me an outlet, it gets me out of the house and allows me to have time to either be alone with my thoughts or to relax and hang out with my friends by sharing the same passion. For some inspiration from other Mezamashii runners, check out the video below.

If you're looking for a light shoe with superior cushioning and a fun design, you can find that in the Mizuno Wave Sayonara. These shoes release July 5, 2013 and retail for $119.99. With so many upcoming fall races now is the time to invest in a great training shoe and you can't go wrong with the Wave Sayonara. Will you join me in finding Mezamashii running?

I'm Feeling Lucky and Blessed

I have absolutely nothing to complain about this week. If you read my post yesterday then you know I have had a lot of good things happening in my life lately and especially in my fitness and running journey. Today was the day that Nike announced their lottery winners for the Nike Women's Marathon Random Draw. I was lucky enough to be one of the ladies chosen to run the race. Even more exciting is the fact that all of the ladies who I wanted to reunite with, meet and run with got in as well! There will be a Nike Women's Marathon Ambassador Reunion, even though it is missing a few key members (Nerissa and Renisha), but they will be there in spirit! Training begins next week, so after I settle down and wipe this perma-smile off my face I'll have to nail down my schedule. 

Nike has a very fun app this year so you can access your training plans directly from your phone. I am excited to try that out. Did any of my blog readers register for NWM? If so, did you get into the race? Hope to see you there!

I also found out that I won the giveaway for a Spartan Race entry from Sara at Words To Run By. The race in Sacramento is the week after the Nike Women's Marathon so I will be training hard the next 17 weeks! Add onto that my training for Hood to Coast and this girl has a very busy summer and fall. I wish the weather were cooler outside. One hundred plus degree days are NOT OK!

Luckily for me I will be well outfitted and geared up thanks to Athleta Roseville, the sponsor's of Hood to Coast, Nike and Mizuno. I just recently got a new RoadID bracelet too. If you haven't heard of RoadID they make inexpensive ID bracelets and products to protect you on the road. I hope I never need it, but in case something happens to me out on a run, the bracelet lets medical staff know who I am and who to contact. I think it's a must have for any runner out there. Check out their website and pick out one that's right for you. 

My Road ID Bracelet 

That's all from me right now, I'm ready to take on the weekend! What races do you all have on the agenda? How do you train in the heat and stay focused during long periods of training?