To achieve your racing goals, planning is critical and this includes choosing your racing shoes. Thinner and lighter than train-ing shoes, racers must be chosen with care, since much of the protection in a training shoe has been pared away in aracer. In evaluating these shoes, we’ve looked at many factors and features, including fit, weight, cushioning, price, and range,

or how far you can run in the shoe. Footstrike is the main consideration in range: heel strikers need more cushioning than more efficientmidfoot or forefoot strikers. Some of the shoes here have features geared specifically to the sport of triathlon (quick transition elements,drainage holes, etc.). They’re important to a triathlete, but don’t detract if you’re not, so we’ve included them to broaden the options.Here are 10 new or updated racing shoes for Summer 2008, arranged from lightest to most substantial.

Saucony Type A2 $90The Type A2 is a complete overhaul. The upper

retool begins with an open, airy meshthat’s tailored for a closer fit, and is

a bit better supported with anarrow rand encircling al-most the entire shoe. The mid-

sole has a lower profile, and isa bit more responsive. The outersole

is a tough layer of carbon rubber that’s perforated in lower-wear areasto lighten it up. The medial shank is supported by a newly configuredstructure that unobtrusively keeps the arch from collapsing throughtransition. Overall, the weight has been reduced significantly.

“Very lightweight and fit snug; support my foot well. I’ve done long speed sessions onthe track with them and they don’t tire my foot. Feel great in races. They’re probablymy lightest racing flats and have very good cushion for as lightweight as they are.”

Weight: 7.6 oz. (men’s 11); 5.7 oz. (women’s 8) Fit: snug fit throughout, semi-curved shape For: low- to medium–high arched feet with neutral biomechanics Range: efficient runners–up to amarathon; heavy strikers–up to 10K or beyond

Mizuno Wave Ronin $90 The Wave Ronin features Mizuno’s best technologies,

incorporated with an eye to keeping the shoelightweight. The upper is AIRmesh

with the stretchy Dynamotion fitinserts, which together securethe foot and let it breathe. TheWave plate offers sufficient cush-

ioning without hindering the transitionfrom heelstrike to toe-off. The outersole features G3 in the forefoot fortraction and flexibility, with proven X10 in the heel for durability. Over-all, racers will find a lot to like, especially if Mizuno’s fit has been totheir liking.

“Plenty of room for my toes. Very comfortable! Good, light racing shoe which doesn’tsacrifice anything,” and “Nice cushioning for a racer. Nice support, no overt senseof pounding, and good traction on the roads.”

Weight: 7.8 oz. (men’s 11, unisex) Fit: close-fitting throughout, semi-curved shape For: low- tomedium–high arched feet with neutral biomechanics Range: efficient runners–up to a marathon;heavy strikers–up to 15K or beyond

Zoot Ultra Racer $130The Zoot Ultra Racer is designed to meet the

needs of triathletes: barefoot comfort, easyentry, and water evacuation. The

upper has a plush interior thatwicks moisture and works wellfor barefoot wear. It’s got rub-

bery tabs on the heel and tongueto improve the grip of wet hands, and stretchy laces on pulley-like eye-lets for quick transitions. A perforated insole/midsole providesdrainage. The midsole/outersole features a carbon fiber shank whichworks with the rubbery inserts of Z-bound to effectively cushion a mid-foot strike, or improve transition if you’re a heel striker.

“The fit was extremely good, fit like a glove with good toe room. I was concerned the tall back of the shoe would rub my heel, but it does not,” and “Very bouncy for a lightweight racing shoe. Overall, an excellent shoe for the job they are to do.”

Weight: 8.9 oz. (men’s 11); 6.8 oz. (women’s 8) Fit: snug fit through midfoot, roomier at toe,semi-curved shape For: low- to medium–high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics Range: effi-cient runners–up to a marathon or beyond; heavy strikers–up to 25K or beyond

Avia Avi-Bolt $90The Avi-Bolt is a racer/lightweight trainer—the first

for Avia in at least a decade. It’s a built-from-scratch racer with a very low pro-

file, thinning out the midsolecomponents to make it racing

thin without removing all of theprotection. Efficient midfoot strikers will

find it sufficient for longer races, while heavier strikers will find it ad-equate for short to mid-range distances. The upper is thin but ade-quately supported mesh, and has less curve to its shape than thesnuggest tailored racers, making it a better fit for more foot types.

“Fit well, nice and snug, but not too tight. Not much cushioning at all, probably okayfor a 5K or a little farther,” and “The light weight of the shoe is great for fast runs,even when they are 13 miles or longer,” and “A no-frills shoe that gets the job doneand offers light weight and good flexibility.”

Weight: 9.0 oz. (men’s 11); 7.0 oz. (women’s 8) Fit: snug fit throughout, semi-curved shapeFor: low- to medium–high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics Range: efficient runners–up to25K, or a little farther; heavy strikers–up to 10K or beyond

Racing Flats by Cregg Weinmann

adidas adiZero CS $90 The adiZero CS is a substantial racer designed to provide better protection than its lighter adiZero siblings.The upper is a minimal, gauze-like mesh that is very breathable, with thin synthetic suede overlays at theeyestays and supportive synthetic leather at heel and toe. The tongue is mesh-covered, perforated EVA that’scomfortable on the top of the foot, even if you like your laces on the snug side. The outersole is durable adi-Wear in the heel with grippy blown rubber in the forefoot. The midsole features ClimaCool venting withinthe shank and a Torsion shank for support.

“Snug and narrow fit with good balance and a smooth ride. Tough durability. A keeper worth the asking price.”

Weight: 8.7 oz. (men’s 11); 6.9 oz. (women’s 8) Fit: snug fit throughout, semi-curved shape For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics Range: efficient runners–up to a marathon; heavystrikers–up to 15K or beyond

Racer Reviews Designed 5/2/08 11:49 AM Page 1

Puma Complete Road Racer II $90The Complete Road Racer II has the same fit, same de-

sign, and same materials as the original, it’s justbetter executed. The upper features

asymmetrical lacing and internalsupport which wraps the foot ef-

fectively over the midsole. The flat-soled design encourages stability by

maintaining contact with the ground, and provides the same ride as-sociated with the entire Complete line—stable, well cushioned, andconsistent—only lighter. The outersole is a skeleton of EverTrack rub-ber with full-length polyester backing, allowing great flexibility andgrippiness while saving weight.

“Very comfy, no slippage in racing, no hot spots. Moderate cushion for racer,probably up to a 10K to half-marathon range shoe at most. Good weight for racer without much loss in support and cushioning.”

Weight: 9.0 oz. (men’s size 11, unisex) Fit: snug-fitting through midfoot, roomier at toe, semi-curved shape For: low- to medium–high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics Range: efficient runners–up to a marathon; heavy strikers–up to 20K or beyond

ASICS GEL-Bandito $100 The new GEL-Bandito taps into ASICS’ legacy of proven,

versatile racers. Durable and supportive, it’s alsoquite light. The upper is airy open mesh that

fits a bit closer than the typicalASICS, but is forgiving formedium- to higher-arched feet.The midsole is thin with flexible

Solyte supported by Duomaxthrough the arch. The outersole has min-

imal AHAR in the heel with a DuraSponge forefoot that’s vented forcooling. Roll together the best features of the Magic, the Ohana,and the DS Racer, and you’ll get a pretty good picture of the GEL-Bandito.

“Good fit, though a little snug in the forefoot. Soft and breathable, almost astretchy upper. For as light as the shoe is, it has a nice amount of support.”

Weight: 9.3 oz. (men’s 11, unisex) Fit: snug-fitting throughout, semi-curved shape For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to very mild overpronationRange: efficient runners—up to a marathon; heavy strikers—up to 20K or beyond

Newton Distancia $150 Newton designs shoes that promote and enhance the

efficient gait of midfoot and forefoot strikers. Akey feature is its Active Membrane Tech-

nology, a thin, rubbery layer thatstretches when the EVA actuatorsmove up through the midsole as

the forefoot strikes the ground, tocushion and propel the foot. The heel is a

slab of EVA with a hollowed-out center section to provide cushion-ing when the heel touches down. The upper consists of high-qualityairmeshes that effectively wrap the foot and keep it securely over themidsole. The ride takes a little getting used to, but it’s very respon-sive, making it especially suited to faster running. Visit them on theWeb at www.newtonrunning.com for information about availability.

“They fit very well without crowding my toes. I really want to get up on my toeswhen I wear these. They have plenty of protection without feeling heavy at all.”

Weight: 10.0 oz. (men’s 11); 8.1 oz. (women’s 8) Fit: close fit in heel, roomy forefoot, semi-curved shape For: low- to medium–high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics Range: efficient runners–up to a marathon; heavy strikers–up to 25K or beyond

K-Swiss Ultra Natural Run $80The Ultra Natural Run is the first of a new line aimed

at serious runners and triathletes. It’s a lightweighttrainer/racer with cushioning, flexibility, and

some triathlon touches that make itstand out. The fit is close and sup-portive, and a midfoot saddle

hints at the K-Swiss multi-stripedaesthetic while anchoring the foot

and reinforcing the upper. The midsole isa two-part, sculpted EVA with excellent forefoot flexibility, cushion-ing throughout, and perforations for drainage in the EVA Strobelboard and sole. Heel and tongue tabs make them easy to put on.It’s well suited to efficient, longer racers, and comes with two lacingoptions: elastic with locking closures or traditional laces.

“The bouncy feel is really protective. Snug fit is secure without overly constrictingthe foot. Transitions are pretty quick with the lacing system, though it isn’t very adjustable.”

Weight: 10.9 oz. (men’s 11, unisex) Fit: snug-fitting throughout (w/speed laces), semi-curvedshape For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics Range: efficient runners—up to a marathon; heavy strikers—up to 20K or beyond

Racing Flats (continued)

Reebok Kuai Racer $85 The Kuai Racer—the Chinese word for “swift”—is the first new racing flat design from Reebok in morethan five years. The upper is an open, breathable mesh in a Beijing Olympics–inspired color scheme andthe midsole is a generous slab of EVA. The outersole features durable carbon rubber in the heel with ablown rubber/PU forefoot and well-placed flex grooves that greatly enhance the flexibility and respon-siveness. The combination Stroebel lasting gives a touch more stability than most racers have. The fit issimilar to Reebok’s recent racers: curvy enough for higher-arched feet and roomy enough for medium-arched feet.

“The upper had a secure feel, though roomy enough in the toe. Nice cushioning for racing, equal to everything I raced. Quite durable. I’ll likely race in them all year.”

Weight: 9.7 oz. (men’s 11, unisex) Fit: snug-fitting through midfoot, roomier at toe, semi-curved shape For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to very mildoverpronation Range: efficient runners—up to a marathon; heavy strikers—up to 20K or beyond

CREGG WEINMANN is footwear and running products reviewer for the Running Network LLC. A competitive runner for the past 43 years, he also has coached runners at all levels for almost 30 years. He can be reached via e-mail at shuz2run@lightspeed.net.

Copyright © 2008 by Running Network LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be stored, copied, or reprinted without prior written permission of the Running Network LLC.Reprinted here with permission.

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