Today was the first day since my summer vacation started nearly 3 weeks ago that I finally felt I had a little more freedom.

Up until today, I’ve had a to-do list a mile long, appointments, workouts to complete, errands to run, etc. Now don’t get me wrong, I have thoroughly enjoyed doing these things, but today really felt like a vacation day (more or less)!

We are having some pretty nice weather to boot, so I can’t complain. Definitely no humidity here!

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I realized today that I have not reviewed my most current pair of running shoes. I have actually been running in them for a while, so now I can give a full, honest assessment of them.

Mizuno Inspire 7

If you remember, I picked out these shoes for my birthday as a gift from Craig.

I had previously run in the Mizuno Inpsire 6 and liked them, so I gave the 7s a try.

Let’s make one thing clear: the 7s do not fit the same as the 6s.

While it may seem like the newer model would fit the same—or at least close—I actually find that most updated models are quite a bit different than their predecessor. This means that just because you loved the older model, the newer model might (probably will) be different!

Shoe companies are always updating their shoes and trying to make them better.

What I do love about the Inspire 7s:

- my heel does not slip out.

I often have a problem with my heel slipping out of the shoe because I wear orthotics, so I always appreciate a shoe that has a deep enough heel cup for my orthotics.

I generally find that Mizunos are lighter-weight and not heavy or bulky compared to other brands/models. (This can be a good or a bad thing.)

I like the fact they are light-weight and feel responsive, but I also find this means I can’t put as many miles on them. I know I will be able to get 500 miles out of them but probably not much more. (Compare that to these Asics Kayano 16s that I pushed to 800 miles without getting injured.)

What I don’t like about them:

- the toe box is too small.

I have found that Mizuno shoes tend to run a half size smaller than other running shoes which leaves my toes cramped in the toe box. I have tried a half size larger but then other areas of the shoe do not fit very well.

If I wear a really thin pair of socks I am okay, but if I wear a thicker pair of socks, my toes touch the front part of the toe box and rub against the shoe.

Overall, I think they are a great pair of shoes; I’ve really grown to like them. However, I would be hesitant to buy them again mainly because of the toe box.

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Question

What is the make and model of your current running shoes?

If you aren’t a runner: what’s the weather like where you live?