Mizuno Wave Sayonara Shoe Review and Treadmill Workout

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

It’s no secret that when it comes to running road races, I’ve been loyal to Mizuno.  I’ve tried others, but nothing felt quite like home (my moving home?) like my Wave Riders.  As I’ve slowly gotten more confident about my running style and form, I’ve been looking into something lighter, smaller, but not exactly a racing flat.  I love my Mizuno Ronins, but those I save mostly for track and 5K sprints.

Some people collect Christian Louboutins, while I stock up on my Mizunos.  (Although if someone wants to buy me some Christain Louboutins, I probably wouldn’t complain.)

Lately, I’ve been thinking of trying to switch to Mizuno Wave Precisions since they looked smaller and lighter than my Wave Riders; so when I had the opportunity to test out Mizuno’s new shoe Wave Sayanora, “design love-child of the Wave Precision and Wave Elixir” I immediately accepted.  The Wave Precision and Wave Elixir are going to be discontinued with a better and improved model, Sayanoras!

First, they are beautiful! I know that as a serious runner, its awful of me to admit, but I do partially choose my running shoes because of how they look.  I run in the Wave Rider 15s over the 16s purely because I love the colors more, even though the 16s are lighter and better.  Yes guys and gals, I rather match my running skirt than shave a minute of my PR.

The shoes weight in at 7.1 (8.1 if you’re a guy) ounces while still keeping a 10mm drop from heel to toe. To put in perspective, the women’s Wave Rider is 8.1 oz and has a 12mm drop.  The heel/toe height is 19/9mm instead of the more traditional 24/12mm heights of the Wave Rider.  Giving you a more neutral shoe with as needed support elements.  Perfect transition to go lighter but not minimalist.  (Its okay if you are into barefoot running but for marathon distance it just doesn’t work for me).

Now the sole to me looks a little funky, but it’s part of the magic.  The U4ic (I know you all love it when I talk shoe jargon dirty to you) midsole delivers optimal shock attenuation, as well as durability, and provides a superior ride that is 30% lighter than AP+. The G3 sole features lightweight, superior traction that keeps you from slipping and sliding; like when it rains every time I try to run outside (it really is always raining on me).  As for that Mizuno Wave Technology we all have come to love (unless you haven’t experienced it yet, because you will love it), it’s still there to provide the perfect balance of lightweight cushioning and stability.

So how did I test ride these babies?

It was a Saturday, so of course I couldn’t just take them for a short ride, I took them for the full course in 85 degree weather through the humid roads of metro Boston.  The shoes made me feel like I was flying that I ran the first 10 miles at an 8 minute pace before I noticed I should grab some water to hydrate.  I was going too fast to want to stop!  But the blasting through the heat with no water caught up to me a bit as I grabbed a drink and slowed for the rest of my test ride.  My legs felt light but when my toes hit the pavement, they didn’t recoil in shock as they have in minimalist shoes.

On Monday, I decided to try them out on my other best friend, the treadmill, with one of my favorite workouts.

Tempo runs are great, but painful.  Intervals are fun but I get bored on the slow part and cut it too short.  So instead, the progressive half mile has been my favorite speed workout lately.  If you want an exact 10K, you only need to do cool off for .2 miles but I prefer a quick warm-up and longer cool off.  Also, I put the pace or MPH for reference in case you’re running on roads or the treadmill.  You can adjust the speed accordingly.

The Wave Sayonara performed just as great on the treadmill as they did on the road.  I almost felt elite as I bounced through my workout on a higher incline.  I use incline instead of speed training to prevent injury to myself but that’s a story for another post.

They will be available in the Mizuno Running Store and everywhere else July 5th and retails for $119.99.

And if you’re looking for some fun inspiration check out this awesome video!

And in case you’re wondering, I’m already planning the outfit around these shoes for my next marathon.