I know it has been a long time since I posted a blog. But, I feel that it is relevant at this time. I just started wearing a brand new road shoe called the Mizuno Wave Creation 6. I have never worn Mizuno shoes before. I usually wear Brooks and mainly do i ever wear road shoes anymore because I spend so much time on the trail.

However, I do run on the roads in the winter when the trails are icy and I also run on the roads in the summer when it is after 8:00 AM and before 8:00 PM. The reason for this is because we have a lot of Rattlesnakes back wear I live and I would rather avoid them all together then spend the whole run scanning the ground looking for snakes.

Well, my first impression of the Wave Creation is a very good one. It is considered one of Mizuno's cushioned shoes so it should not be worn by someone looking for extra support. This is the description given on the Mizuno website: "Engineered for the runner with medium to high arches that are rigid or slightly flexible who requires maximum cushioning to give protection from the impact forces of running."

"Composite WaveTM in a Skeleton WaveTM configuration (Double Parallel) for the neutral foot-type using pebax (nylon-based thermoplastic that retains its memory for the life of the shoe) for the full-length (bottom) Wave(R) plate and top Wave(R) plate that creates an independent suspension system through the joining polymer structural supports. SensorPointTM creates better support and traction for the optimal ride. Composite WaveTM coupled with SensorPointTM enables Mizuno to enhance both cushioning and support properties of Mizuno Wave Technology (R)." What does all that mean? Well, a very smooth ride is my interpretation.

The Wave Creation is much more cushioned than some of the other cushioned shoes I have run on. It feels like I am running on a pillow. With the cushioning in the forefoot, I can feel this pillow throughout the entire stride.

The toe box seems narrow to me, but since I have narrow feet, it works well. You may have some problems with blisters if you have wider feet. Also, the cushion is not good enough to block out small rocks and stones. I would not recommend this shoe on technical or rocky trails. It works really well on smooth dirt trails like the Highline Canal in Denver as well as good dirt roads.

I also wanted to talk about the Barr Trail Mountain Race last Sunday. This is still one of my favorite trail races, even though I ran terrible. With the heat and sun, i felt like I was going to bake by the time I finished!

Even though I have gotten slower each of the three times I have run this race, I need to look at the big picture and see how my training has been going and what the final goal is. I still think I am recovering from the Leadville Trail Marathon that was two weeks prior to the BTMR.

Even though I was hurting from the gun and felt terrible the entire way, it was still good training for the Pikes Peak Marathon in August. I ran in the LaSportiva Slightshots and they seem to be very good. I will try them at PP and hope they hold out for a marathon.

One thing that was a problem with the BTMR this year was the hiker who passed away at the top of the W's. Even with the Search and Rescue teams out on the mountain, he could not be revived. The reports state it was a heart attack. But, could it have been prevented in the extreme heat of the day? No one will ever know. It was a very sad sight as I ran past the crews working with him. My thoughts are with his family as I cannot image how devastating this experience must be for them.