Mizuno Canada generously provided me with a pair of the new Wave Sky runners to try. Although I scored an awesome new pair of shoes, all opinions below and always are my own. ​

When I started running, I ran with the shoes I had been walking long distances in, Saucony Rides. When they wore out, I'd buy a new pair or Rides or Triumphs, pretty much depending on which was on sale. I did this religiously for a couple years. When choosing the Sauconys, it had taken a lot of trying on shoes to find something was comfortable right out of the box.

​In 2016 I got a new pair of Triumphs. They'd re-engineered the running system in the shoe since my previous pair. It was during a run with friends that one of them pointed out the sound my feet were making. Somewhat of an awkward flop, flop, flop sound. I'd noticed it too, but wondered if these were taking a bit more breaking in than my usual. Unfortunately there was something about that pair that just didn't work for me.  To be fair, looking back, I could have tested out an alternate pair of Triumphs or new pair of Rides. At the time though,  I felt that it must be the new Everun system that was causing my clunky, awkward stride. 

I took the chance to try out Mizuno Wave Riders. I was immediately impressed that they felt good, and quite similar to my Sauconys right off the bat. Since then, I've gone on to retire two pairs of Riders, a pair of 19s and a pair of 20s. They have become my high mileage training shoe.

​When I was offered a pair of the all-new Wave Sky to try out I was obviously appreciative (anyone who tells you running is free hasn't seen my Visa bill) but also a little nervous since I loved my Wave Riders so much. 

Who doesn't like receiving a delivery to their work with a shoe-box shape inside a courier plastic envelope? Of course I had to try them on immediately. Whoa! Cushy. My immediate feeling was how plush the Wave Sky's were right out of the box. The colour was an easy sell for me. I was happy to realize that they felt much like a puffier version of my Riders.

Now to let them have some fun!

A group of us met at the Beaches Running Room one afternoon when summer had finally hit Toronto. We were helping out Mizuno Canada's Brand Building Specialist Michelle with a fun photo shoot that was part of the Wave Sky launch. Any time you get a group of runners together you are guaranteed to laugh and have fun. We enjoyed posing and doing repeats along the boardwalk and near Beach iconic locations like the Leuty Lifeguard Station. 

The Wave Skys also got to check out Casa Loma with some of its' siblings a couple weeks later. Beware that when you are trying to take a shoe family photo near a fountain you may be photo bombed by a fun-loving wet dog! 

The Wave Skys have had a chance to check out several locations throughout the city this summer. I'm pleased to say that they have treated me well. In the first few runs I felt like I was landing slightly differently than in my Wave Riders. Michelle confirmed that they were designed to help tweak your landing. As a heel striker, I felt this would probably help improve my stride and I didn't notice it after a couple runs. As I start to ramp up my mileage for fall races, I plan on including them in my training rotation. Thanks Mizuno! 

Here's more detailed info about the shoes if you are into specs. Honestly, my recommendation is to pop into one of the stores below to try them out.

Specs:

• Parallel cloudwave provides a smoother ride with more bounce.
• Midsole provides a responsive cushion on top and greater shock absorption and more lively feel on the bottom.
• The grooves on the forefront are segmented and flexible  which  enhances a smooth transition.
• The collar construction is soft and plush. 
• Engineered mesh in midfoot wraps the arch for adaptive and supportive fit.

Weight:

• Mens: 11.5oz
• Womens: 9.3oz
• Ramp: 10mm

Where to try or buy:

• Running Room (have them or can order them in)
• Runner's Den in Hamilton 
• Runner's Edge in St. Catharines
• And many more. Of course you can always locate your closest store at www.mizunocda.com  or order online

Heading into week two of this rather impromptu decision to try eliminating animal products from our diet.

Week one went well with successful meals and snacks and even an evening out at the very cool Planta.

I have more tweaking and learning to do and have been reading through two new cookbooks, The No Meat Athlete and Oh How She Glows.

I need to look into ensuring my calories aren't too high (things like salad dressing and nuts put my calories up this week) and keeping our protein levels in mind. There are so many conflicting things written about the amount of protein required, especially given running. Basically in the early stages I am just aiming to eat whole foods (with a few slightly processed things mixed in, e.g. breads) and get more detailed later.

Vegan friends: Do you pay attention to numbers / combinations / levels? Or do you just choose from a selection of yummy fresh and real ingredients?

I was a vegetarian for about five years in my early 20s. I told people my decision was based on my love of animals (I worked in a vet hospital and correlations were disturbing) and health.


While I was very dedicated, I didn't eat particularly well and was lacking in iron and probably many other nutrients.


In my 30s my cooking skills improved as did my nutritional knowledge. When I started running, I paid even closer attention to the nutrient side of things.


Being prone to weight gain, I've always been hyper-aware of every single thing I eat. In general Erick and I eat extremely well. Occasionally my cravings get the best of me and I'll things that aren't ideal. The older I get and the healthier I am eating wise the more obvious the reaction to these items is. When I eat poorly I feel rotten.


This past weekend Erick and I watched a documentary called What the Health recommended by Erick's cousin, Heather van der Geest. It's American and likely sensationalized, but many of the messages are similar to those that inspired me to make changes to my diet years ago. I feel like this was the spark to light the fire we've been building. We've decided to experiment with a more vegan based diet and see how we feel. Mentally and emotionally we know it will make a difference to not be impacting the earth in the same way. Based on years of knowledge and hyper focus, I am beyond excited to see how we feel physically when doing this right. I'm not saying I'm 100% on the wagon, just taking it for a well researched test drive!