It may be too light for her liking, but Mizuno’s legendary running shoes will make fast runners go even faster, writes Syida Lizta Amirul Ihsan
WHAT LEGENDS ARE MADE OF
On the Mizuno website, there is a section dedicated to the Mizuno Wave Rider 20 that records its evolution from Wave Rider 1 to 20 and you can visually witness how the shoes have changed over two decades.
It started off weighing 365g (it now weighs 272g) and according to the site, it “paved the way for its descendants to adhere to the Wave Rider’s principle development strategy of just what you need, and nothing more.”
With every edition, the shoe is improved. The wave Rider 6, for example, had the plastic Wave design replaced by a softer composite, resulting in a smoother heel strike.
Its latest version offers the perfect amount of cushion and energy dispersion, allowing the foot to move in its natural motion.
NOT FOR AVERAGE RUNNER
Alas, I am not a legendary runner, nor am I suited for light shoes with an even lighter cushioning. Here’s the deal - if your shoes are light, you move faster, and time-sensitive runners like this because you can shave off minutes from your race.
Runners like me, whose aim of entering a race is to finish the course, need more support, cushioning and stability, all of which will add bulk to the weight of the shoe.
The description says that it is “perfect for neutral foot types who don’t need as much support” because the wave plate disperses the impact forces evenly throughout the midsole and keeps the foot centred on the shoe’s platform.
For me, the sole is too thin to run comfortably, especially for distances exceeding 5km. That is not saying that the shoe is not good. I think my legs aren’t strong enough to run in something so free and unsupported.
I also find the heel grip too tight so my feet feel uncomfortable. But maybe, my feet are too fleshy that it doesn’t rightly grip for a good long run.
But if you weigh on the lighter side and are looking for something to make you fly, this may be it.
WHAT A FAST RUNNER SAYS
My assumption is confirmed when I request fast runner Mohamad Ezzfikri Mohamad Ezri, 20, to try the men’s version of the shoes. The law undergraduate hopes to complete his first marathon in May in under four hours.
“When I begin warming up at the pace of 6:30 per km, it feels sluggish and unresponsive. It feels like the shoes have zero cushioning and there’s no shock absorbtion so the experience isn’t that pleasant,” he says.
“But when I run at my marathon pace which is 5:25 per km, the Mizuno Wave Rider 20 delivers an ultimately different sensation. It propels me further and makes me run faster,” he adds.
He agrees that this may be the perfect shoes for fast runners and he hopes to try it for his interval training.
“It’ll work even better at a faster pace,” he says.
He also likes the premium feel of the shoe. “The pair feels good on my feet and I really like the gingko print. Aesthetically, this is a cool pair of shoes to run in,” he adds.
THE SHOE
Mizuno Wave Rider 20 Osaka Edition
TERRAIN
Road
ARCH SUPPORT
Neutral
WEIGHT
272g for Men’s shoes, 235g for Women’s
HEEL DROP
12mm
PRICE
RM499
AVAILABLE AT
World of Sports outlets