Shoes > Beer

After making the decision to run the half instead of the full this year, I ran my first half-marathon training long run in my new shoes! I've been in need of new shoes since the beginning of the training season, but ~~due to~~ ~~accidentally spending all of my money on tequila~~ due to small town living, it's taken me this long to actually get to the city and buy a new pair.

I tried on several different brands and styles and ended up going with my old faithful brand, Saucony. This time I bought 2 different pairs to try . One pair is their Virratas and the others are their new Kinvara 3s. I ran last year in Saucony Kinvara 2s and loved them.

Saucony Virrata

I ran the first 4 of 7 miles in the Virratas. What an incredibly light and simple shoe! Although the sole is a bit thicker than the Kinvaras, they didn't feel too bulky at all. This shoe allowed me to run the way that I wanted to. I didn't feel that I was fighting against a ridge or "added support" that was trying to correct my stride. Very light, very airy! My feet stayed nice and cool throughout the entire 4 miles.

Saucony Kinvara 3

The last 3 miles of my run was ran in the Kinvara 3s. These feel very different than the Kinvara 2s did to me even though the website claims that they are basically the same shoe. The sole feels the same though the back of the shoe felt much higher. The ventilation is definitely better in the 3s than the 2s. I'm not sure if I like how high the back is. I kept stopping to check if they were rubbing. I can't decide if they are actually higher, or if my old Kinvara 2s were just very well worn. I'll give them a a few more treadmill runs before I decided if they are staying or not. I do like how light this shoe is and, as I mentioned previously, they are very well ventilated. Ventilation is the biggest factor for me when it comes to shoes. My feet get very hot, very fast. These shoes kept them nice and cool, just like the Virratas.

So far, both shoes are great choices for me. I'm excited to get the Virratas out on the trail! I'll post an update of how these shoes do outside .... if I ever make it out there!