Wear and Tear.

It's recommended to get new running shoes every 300-400 miles, and if you run on rough roads, which I do, you will have to replace them sooner than if you run primarily on a treadmill. When I started this running venture I went to a specialized store to get fitted for shoes. I had started out running in my Nike cross trainers and it wasn't very long at all before I figured out that they were not going to cut it. My heels felt so bruised after each run in those shoes. My main request at my fitting appointment was the best shoe for my aching heels. I tried on several brands and styles and took trial jogs around the store in them while the fitting expert watched me. The result was the Mizuno Wave Creation 11. I loved how they looked, which was a bonus, but most importantly they felt like they were made for my feet. My heel problems got quite a bit better after putting in miles with my new shoes.

When it was time to replace my Wave Creation 11's, the Wave Creation 12 was out. My heel pain (plantar fasciitis) was increasing again with my increasing mileage so it was suggested by a fitter that I try Super Feet arch supports. Those made a big difference and fit great into my Mizunos. Since I run on the streets and even on some gravel roads around my town my shoes wear out pretty quickly. I ended up going through 2 pairs of these same Wave Creation 12s. It's a little hard to swallow paying around $150 for an identical shoe you already have, but I just couldn't part with this particular shoe style.

I can actually feel when it's time to switch out shoes. I generally only have heel pain on the right now that I'm equipped with the best shoe for me and arch supports, but that increases when my shoes need replaced. I got my last Mizunos about a month before the marathon this past October. I was noticing some more heel pain and when I looked at the bottom of my shoes today I noticed lots of wear and tear.

The heel is worn almost down to the shoe frame on both shoes!

So, definitely time for a new pair! I had seen the new Mizuno Wave Creation 13s in Runner's World magazine and was surprised at the bold coloring. They were very loud and very RED and they just didn't feel like me. Besides clashing with most of my running clothes I just could see myself running in shoes that were that flashy.

Luckily when I went online I found that there were a lot of different color schemes for the 13s. They had other crazy loud color combos like purple with lime accents, black, all over aqua, and an even brighter red with purple accents. I guess I'm just not very trendy because I couldn't see myself running in any of those crazy loud colors. I did find one pair that I love though...the White/Sangria/Bleached Aqua style.

I love the look! And since I already know my size and that they fit me perfectly I was able to order them online this time. Also, Amazon rocks! I was able to use my prime membership to get free 2 day shipping, I didn't have to pay tax, and I got a promotional discount to make these the cheapest Mizunos I've purchased yet. They will arrive on Tuesday. This time I'm going to keep track of the miles I run in them to know just how many it takes to wear and tear them down into retirement. There I go with my infatuation with stats again!