oh. my. god. freaking amazing! i have tried so many different running shoes ... different styles, different brands, and really thought that the "minimalist" movement was the way to go. i enjoyed some fast (for me) times, the feeling of light feet and being able to feel the ground under my feet as i ran in my minimal shoes. and then injury happened in the form of plantar fasciitis and i was brought back to mortality. since pretty much in remission of the PF i have still struggled with finding the right "fit" for my feet. the minimalist shoes didn't work for me any more and just the thought of the PF kept me from even considering going back to them. i have seen the Hoka One One sneakers and my initial thought was ... NO FREAKING WAY. aside from the ridiculous appearance, it just didn't seem right to have a sole so thick that i might break my ankle if i should fall off of the shoes! and how could you possibly navigate gnarly trails without "feeling" the ground under your feet? and then it was suggested that i just try on a pair. well, a few steps in those babies and i was hooked. they are like pillows under your feet! i got right on it and got me a pair of the Hoka One One Stinson Bs. day one, right out of the box, 8.5 miles ... ON PAVEMENT! cannot even remember the last time i did this - or wanted to do this. no feeling of clumsiness, no tripping over my own feet, no twisting of the ankles or falling off of the shoes that i feared. and best of all ... NO PAIN. and it was actually fun! i felt like i was floating. no foot pain. no knee pain. no back tightness. these shoes are the clydesdale's dream! finally ... a shoe built for my, ummmm, stature. and despite their bulky appearance, these shoes are feather light ... kind of like me.
a friend of mine wore the Hokas at MMT 100 this year and thought they were amazing. and i know just how horrible the rocks of MMT are, so this says a lot. and now that i am armed with this ammunition i did something that i swore i would never do again ... i registered for The Escarpment Trail Run (30K) in the catskills. i have done this race 7 times and it's gnarly and it's a bitch. but i can't tell you how much i am looking forward to tackling #8 in the Hokas.
AND i can't wait to tear-up the FLAT Erie Canal Towpath in them at the summer Beast of Burden. and the rocks, roots, and hills of Virgil Crest. and i am actually going to tackle a ROAD RACE - something i haven't done in ages - at the CanLake 50K in october. these shoes have brought new life to my running, which has really been struggling for a while. they are the physical and mental answer that i have been looking for. i feel like a kid again!
so, conclusion? who the hell cares what these shoes look like ... especially in the very slight size 10.5 men's that i wear?! these shoes are awesome and i am hooked! the only downside? the price. they are a bit pricey, but can you really put a price on happiness? apparently so. but running is my sanity and it's a small price to pay for staying sane.
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