Topo Athletic MT Hybrid Shoe Review!

This week I stepped out of my comfort zone. I am typically a girl that likes to cushion her feet. I switched things up and tried a pair of Topo Athletics MT hybrid shoes. I primarily run country roads , which means I am on the road, or on the side of the road. I like having a hybrid shoe that easily transitions from the road to the grass for this reason.

Topo Athletic (Named after founder and CEO,  Tony Post) is "a brand created for and by athletes with a mission to develop gear that amplifies your body's amazing natural abilities."
You will find that their brand has a neutral platform with light cushioning. They are designed to have little to no heel to toe drop.

• When I put these shoes on, the first thing I noticed was the wider toe box. I like the room my toes had, to spread out, and rest in their natural position. Topo Athletic designs their shoes to allow "plenty of room for the toes to spread for healthy walking and running." But, they are also snug in the mid foot and heel. Bottom line, this shoes promotes stability. If you have a specific need, they also have alternate lacing options which you can find here. 
• On my first run, I noticed I had a greater awareness of how my foot was landing. This, in turn, helped me to work on my form. Topo Athletic says that it is "designed to work with your body to enhance natural movement." Based on my observation, that could not be more true!
• I did several shorter runs and one long run in these shoes. Making the transition to the road, and then side of the road when cars came by, was smooth and stable. These shoes are also great for walking trails!
• These shoes fit true to size, as compared to my size in other brands. 
• Competitively priced at $100, it's an excellent shoe for the money!

 If you are looking for a great looking, neutral shoe that you can take to the road, and the trail, all on the same run, then this is definitely the shoe for you! They can be found on Topo Athletics website or on Amazon.

Note: I was given this product in exchange for a review. This review is my own personal opinion of the product. I was not required to give a particular opinion on it. Please use any product I review at your own risk, and consult a medical professional if you have any health concerns. 

Hoka One One Clifton 2 Running Shoe review!

You've seen Hoka One One in the stores. They always catch your eye. If it's not the bright colors that you see first, then it is definitely the high volume midsole that make you think of moon shoes from back in the day. I've always been curious about these shoes. How would they feel? Would I feel like I'm going to rock over, face first? Will it feel unstable, like platform shoes?  I'm here to tell you that it's time to quit thinking about them and try them.
"Since 2010, Hoka One One has engineered unique performance midsole geometries, that feature higher volume, softer density, and greater rebounding foam than standard running shoes."
What does this mean in layman terms? It means that you are going to have a lot of cushion, excellent shock absorption, and a shoe that promotes good running form.
I started wearing the Clifton 2's a little over a week ago, and have put about 30 miles or so on them so far.

Here are my observations:

• These are very light weight shoes. You would not think so, with the amount of cushion, but they are probably the lightest shoe I own, and I own several!
• The Clifton 2 has a pretty decent height stack and a ton of cushion. I never felt unstable or wobbly in these shoes. My running form was perfect, and I never felt like I was going to rock over head first.
• My normal running route is on a country road, so these got tested on the road, and then along the side of the road when cars were going by. Making the transition from the road to the grass or gravel was smooth, and stable. 
• I did notice that when I was tired, my foot did drag a little a couple times. This happened when I ran later in the day, and again when it was extremely humid outside. But, the last few times I ran in them, I had no issues with it. I don't know if it was because I was not tired and hot, or if I became adjusted to the height of them and got better with my form. 
• I really like the flat shoe laces. I feel like the tie is more secure, and will not come loose, like I've experienced with other laces. 
• The size seems to run just a little bigger than all the other brands I have tried. I had to go down 1/2 size to get a good fit on these. 
• Over the last few months, I have noticed that the bottoms of my feet are sore after an especially long run, or in a race where I am putting more effort into the run. That is not the case at all with these shoes. I did a 6 mile run in them, and had zero issues. These are likely going to be my go to shoe for distance runs and races, especially with my ultra-marathon training starting soon. 

The brand name, "Hoka One One" is derived from a Maori expression meaning, "It's time to fly over the earth." When I run in these, I felt like I was running on clouds, so this expression is oh so true! If you are looking for a shoe with some extra cushion, these are the shoe for you. Stop glancing at them from afar at the running store. Pick one up, try one on, and "fly over the earth" on your next run!

Want more information on the Clifton 2? Check them out here. Or, check out the entire Hoka One One brand at http://www.hokaoneone.com/.


Note: This review is my own personal opinion of the product. I was not required to give a particular opinion on it. Please use any product I review at your own risk, and consult a medical professional if you have any health concerns. 

The Green Sole Project!

I am finally ready to share a project I've been working on and hope you will be as excited about it as I am! What do you do with your running shoes when you can no longer wear them for running? Throw them away, take them to Goodwill or another retail donation site? What if they could go directly into the hands of someone that needs them in your own community? There are some organizations out there that will collect them and send them overseas. It is great that they are doing this, but there is people in our own backyards that could use them. The women's shelter, homeless shelter, Boys and Girls clubs, and even within your local school system. That is what the Green Sole Project is all about. If you are interested in donating shoes or helping with this project, please head over to our blog or Facebook page for more information!