Newton Running Women's MV²

I have been working my way toward minimal shoes over the last year or so. I started running (3 years ago) with relatively light, low shoes within the spectrum of most running shoes, Mizuno Wave Riders. More recently my shoe of choice has been the Saucony Kinvaras. They steered me in the direction of minimal, being extremely light with a mere 4 mm heel drop. While I plan to continue doing a lot more happy running in them, I have a new love to rotate with them, the Newton MV2's. I couldn't resist the opportunity to take advantage of Newton's current 60 day trial promotion. I tried and bought them at our favorite local running store, where I was encouraged to take them outside for a spin on the sidewalk. These are strictly running shoes; unlike the gamut of most running shoes from minimal to technical, you won't want to use them as walking or casual shoes. I'd never tried on Newtons so the forefoot lugs were a new experience. I find they give a little pop of energy in the very place of my natural foot strike and I took to them immediately. They conceit of the Newton design is to either do that, or correct a misplaced foot strike. In doing so, they also give a little cushion only to the part of the foot that takes the impact. Yet, they are otherwise entirely minimalist; feather light and flat. After some running I put in the 3 mm heel insert to give my calves a chance to adjust, even though I'd been running in fairly flat shoes already. After having only run in them once -- some intervals on our street -- I did a 5k race last weekend. At the start I felt like a jackrabbit, not expecting how fast they encouraged me to run. I got less tired than I usually do toward the end, and had no pain afterward or the following day. I also ran a faster race than my last few. I believe if a shoe makes you feel fast, you either will be, or at the very least will feel you are having to make less effort. I wear thin socks with them so can't attest to how they feel sockless. I always wear a size 9 in running shoes and I do in these as well (my regular shoe size is 8.5). Some reviewers complain about the tapered toe box. I do not find then cramped at all, and I like the way the shoe cradles my foot. I am not a true barefoot runner and these aren't orthodox barefoot shoes. I guess there is a distinction between seriously barefoot-oriented and minimal. I also like the extreme breathability of the mesh, the way the laces stay tied securely, and the way they seem to repel dirt. It's a good thing since they are mostly white! I just attended a track workout where we ran part of the time on the grass, which was wet and somewhat muddy. The shoes still look new, and the dirt dried right off of them. If you've ever been curious about Newtons, now is the time to try them, and particularly this shoe if you're drawn to lightweight racing flats. I've heard, on the other handy that Newton customer service is so outstanding, they would give money back on a used shoe anyway if, for whatever reason, they didn't work out.

I'd also recommend: Saucony, Mizuno