The word “mezamashii” means “eye-opening” or “brilliant” in Japanese — it’s a word that captures the euphoric feeling of a brilliant run.
Mizuno wants to bring this experience directly to the customer and will be giving away a free pair of shoes every week.
What’s even better is with your free pair of shoes you will get an invite to give away to a friend or family member so they will get a free pair of shoes!
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So lets talk a bit about the runnings shoes and why they are different from the rest. The first thing you will notice is the weight. The weightlessness has much to do with the wave plate technology specific to the Mizuno brand.
“The genesis for Wave came as our engineers studied the way nature deals with impact forces. From sound waves to tidal waves, waveforms spread and dissipate energy incredibly quickly. Inspired by nature’s simple efficiency, we created the world’s first and most effective mechanical midsole–the Mizuno Wave.
Unlike other shoe technologies, as your foot touches the ground, Wave actually reduces and redirects impact forces away from your foot. Wave acts much like your car’s suspension—offering cushioning and keeping your foot centered in your shoe throughout your stride. Our engineers have developed multiple Wave shapes, so we can gear different shoes to fit the unique strides of different runners. And Wave’s compact form keeps the shoe sleeker and lighter than competitive systems. So whether you’re jogging around the neighbourhood or blasting past the 20-mile marker, Wave always feels amazing underfoot.
- Disperses impact forces away from foot
- Progressive, tunable support
- Lightweight, compact, responsive
- Doesn’t break down over time” 1
The next best thing about the Mizuno shoes is the “smooth ride” engineering. This smooth ride just keeps getting better every season!
SmoothRide is the result of years of development designed to the most fluid, smooth, rocking-chair-like motion in every step.
“Smoothride begins working the moment your foot touches the ground. Flex Grooves in the heel promote natural movement from the back of your foot to the front, initiating that rocking-chair motion. Our AP+ Midsole gives the shoe a bouncier feel. And Flex Grooves and Flex Controllers in the forefoot work together to smoothly continue the roll forward to give your foot a more solid platform at toe-off. It all adds up to a more fluid, enjoyable run, every time you head out.
- Smooth, rocking motion throughout your stride
- Increased flexibility
- More power at toe-off” 2
Lastly the fit of a shoe is so important. A shoe should never have to be “worked in” to feel comfortable. It should feel just right from the minute you put it on. Every foot is different, but I haven’t had a mizuno shoe that felt too stiff or too bulky or too restrictive.
“The best running gear is gear that allows you to get the most out of your natural ability. It simply works with your body. When our engineers studied the way muscles and skin moved on the foot as you run, we realized that we could design a shoe upper that mirrored that motion so that the shoe almost feels like a second skin. That discovery was the beginning of Dynamotion Fit.
From heel strike to mid stride to toe off, Dynamotion Fit is all about creating a shoe that works with your foot through the design and materials we use to create it. As your foot twists, bends, and stretches in each step, the shoe upper moves with you. Flex Eyelets help keep your heel secure throughout your stride by allowing the upper to stretch and contract as needed. And Stretch Mesh eliminates bunching and pulling that can create discomfort and even blisters–especially at toe-off. Together, the features of Dynamotion Fit create a shoe that gets out of your way, so you can become the best runner you can be.
- Emulates the motion of your foot
- Secure fit that still freely moves
- Eliminates bunching, pulling, and sliding” 3
Have I peaked your interest yet? Do you think you could see yourself running your next run or race in a pair of Mizuno shoes? Well you can stop dreaming and actually do it!
This campaign will continue on for the rest of the year by allowing the public to go their site and enter their name into a draw. That will go live on July 11th … BUT until then … I have been given invitations to get you started with the mizuno shoe of your choice now! I will be selecting certain readers of my blog and twitter to invite them to the campaign. There are a few stipulations. Firstly you can’t already be a Mizuno runner…that wouldn’t be fair as you already know how awesome they are. We want the first timers – the ones who have contemplated, looked at them, wondered – but have never took them for a ride because what you have already is familiar and maybe comfortable enough. Send me an email – michelletherunner@gmail.com – take a picture of the shoes you are currently wearing and tell me why you think you should, could or want to make the switch.
(I’m especially looking for anyone who is an avid runner/blogger, personal trainer, fitness instructor, running coach or all of the above. If picked I will send you and invite and with that invite you will get a 2nd invite to give to a friend or anyone in your running network.)
Remember I was a dedicated Asics runner since the age of 10, ten minutes in a pair of Mizuno’s had me hooked. I donated my Asics and never looked back. Mizuno’s offer something for every foot and have opened a up a world of running/racing shoes I was never able to try with other brands. I currently use everything from the Wave inspire, Wave Rider, Wave Elixir and the Musha. They all offer something different for each workout I need to do. Going from one to the other doesn’t cause or create any pain or soreness like I would experience in other brands. The heart of each shoe (the wave plate) is truly what makes these shoes special and will be an “eye opening” experience.
My favourite shoe at the moment is the Wave Elixir – pictured left. Mizuno’s flashy colour palette are just one of the many reasons to choose the Mizuno brand. These days the shoes are stealing the show at my races. The Elixir is the perfect shoe for someone who wants a lightweight, faster – almost racing flat shoe, but still likes the feel of some cushioning
and needs a touch of support. I use my Elixir’s for Mid distance speed work and all racing (from 5km to 42km). However, Elixirs are very versatile in how they can be used depending on whose using them.
Mizuno’s new campaign is basically saying ’try it and you’ll love it’. So get ready to try something extraordinary – Get ready to have a Mezamashii run!
1. http://www.mizunousa.com/corporate/innovation/mizuno-wave-technology
2. http://www.mizunousa.com/corporate/innovation/smoothride-engineering
3.http://www.mizunousa.com/corporate/innovation/dynamotion-fit
