Let me start off by saying that for most of my running life, I have worn Mizunos. I love their wide toe box, lightweight shoe and like their colours. I realize that colour isn’t exactly the reason to buy a shoe, but in today’s day and age when even your iPod case is accessorized, I like to think my shoes reflect a part of me and are making a statement. That is one of the reasons why the Mizuno Wave Precision 11 stood out for me. I was looking for a lightweight training shoe and the orange screamed “pick me, I will make you go FAST”. The Wave Precision is a lightweight neutral shoe made for runners with normal arches. The shoes are very breathable which I found great in triathlons and running on hot days. This shoe is for the intermediate or advanced runner who wants a medium-cushion, light weight, fast and durable trainer. The wear and tear on the shoes is great. Mizuno claims that their shoe doesn’t break down over time (which I think is an unrealistic statement to make, as ALL shoes will break down over time). That being said, I have found that these shoes have held up very well this summer and fall with no wear and tear seen in the sole (thus far). These shoes do take some time to wear in, which I learned the hard way (I don’t know why I always forget the cardinal rule of ‘never run a race in new shoes’, but I do…). I thought that since my current Wave Riders were comfortable and worn-in, that the transition to the Wave Precision would be fine to do… in a race. Unfortunately I was fore-foot running in the race and these shoes are made for heel strikers. The fore-foot of the shoe was very hard and resulted in an extremely painful 10k.
A fun fact about these shoes is that the sole of the shoe is one plate from heel to toe. Apparently this is the basis for the SmoothRide technology. Mizuno SmoothRide technology gives your foot a smooth ride from heel to toe. This is great for heel strikers, not idea for fore-foot runners. Another technology fun fact: The Wave technology is supposed to direct pressure away from the toe, and keep the foot centered in the shoe during the stride. How cool is that? It’s amazing how much the running shoe has evolved.
The new model; Wave Precision12, is now out. The colours are a little bolder and the shoes look like they are using a breathable outer layer similar to the Salomon trail runner. They look snazzy and fast. The Mizuno website doesn’t go into detail on the differences between the models so anybody’s guess is as good as mine. I would like to check them out to compare, but overall I think I will probably stick to the wave riders for now. The Wave Precision is a good shoe overall, and a great value for your money.
-Cost: on sale now at Runningfree.com for $109.99
The Precision 12 have been out and apparently sold out for a while. If anyone out there is fortunate to have a pair of 12’s please let us know what you think!
I am a mid to forefoot runner and have had no problems training and racing in the Precision 11’s. They are my now my marathon race shoe of choice. Here is a video of me running in the Precision 11’s, just fast forward about 2 minutes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8AOwgkTJe8 I recently adjusted my hip rotation to push my stride further behind me (compared to the video) and the shoes have responded perfectly.
Great shoe. They wear out so evenly I will still be running in them this spring! Hopefully by that time some more Precision 12’s will have hit the store shelves.