Disclaimer: This a sponsored post in conjunction with Fitfluential & Mizuno. I received these shoes to review and was compensated. All blog contents are my honest opinion and genuine experiences.

"Mama always said there's an awful lot you can tell about a person's shoes." --Forrest Gump. 

I'll be honest, Forrest Gump is hands down one of my favorite movies to watch and consistently quote. In all seriousness though, it's so true! 

When I first started running, the number one piece of advice I received was to invest in a GOOD pair of shoes - the second piece of advice was to get a supportive sports bra, in case you were wondering. So I went to a running store and did just that...

Not really...but I digress. By now I've gone through quite a few pairs of shoes. In order to prevent a flare up of my dreaded tendonitis, I have started a mildly strategic shoe rotation. Recently, I added another pair of AWESOME shoes to my rotation - the Mizuno Wave Rider 18. 

These guys are a lot different than my typical running shoe by another brand I won't mention (but if you look at old posts you can figure it out, you smarties!). I was highly skeptical of trying out a new brand. Once I find something I like, I tend to stick with it. Like ice cream flavors or pizza toppings - you just don't wanna mess that stuff up! 

Mizuno really surprised me. I mean, I know they are a well-regarded company in the running world but I'm pretty picky. I've come to really love how lightweight they are - plus they provide just the right amount of support! My other shoes are a lot heavier and cushier - these are definitely more solid with a harder "end feel" (oh boy...that's an osteopathic phrase). My flat feet feel supported but aren't being forced into an uncomfortable arch.  Best of all, no shin splits, tendonitis, or leg/foot pain. Very comfy!

A little about the shoe specs. Mine are the White/ Dress Blue/ Vibrant Orange style. Since this is a men's shoe (I have large, flipper feet...), it's a little heavier than the women's model (9.2 oz versus 7.8 oz, respectively). Ramp is 12 mm for both. I went for a 10.5 in the men's shoe and found that it was a perfect fit! Thankfully my husband wears the same size so I had a pretty good idea what I would need! My feet are pretty long and narrow so I find the width to be just perfect with a good amount of room in the toe. I have lost a couple toenails thanks to slamming my toe into the top of a too big/small shoe for 13.1 miles. These, I believe, may be the best fit so far!

As far as surfaces go, I found these to be VERY comfortable on asphalt and concrete. I didn't get a chance to do any trail running at this point but I'm hoping to test them out this weekend along the canal. They also performed well on the treadmill, although I didn't feel the same "pep" in my step as I did on the road. Then again, I hate the dreadmill so I'm a little biased!

Pros:

• This shoe is lightweight and constructed with high quality materials.
• Great for neutral runners or people who do not need extreme support. They are perfect for a wide variety of runners, even us flat footed folks.
• Lots of cool color options for both women and men.
• May or may not be related but I've been running a little bit faster than usual - especially on the road. But can anyone explain why I run SLOWER on the dreadmill?

Cons:

• Women's sizes only go up to 12's - I wear a 13 in running shoes so I opted for the men's sizes. They were still great, though.

I can't wait to take these babies out for a REAL test on Thanksgiving Day - my next scheduled 10k race! I know I'll definitely be lighter on my feet and ready to set a new PR.

Overall, I would highly recommend these shoes if you're looking for a solid neutral shoe. The Mizuno Wave Rider 18 retails for a very reasonable $119.99 for both men's and women's styles.

To learn more, check out Mizuno's website or follow #WaveRider18 on social media.  While you're at it, you can find me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!

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What do you think? Do you have a special shoe you love to run/workout in?

Hi all! Yes, this makes two posts in two days. It must be a new record :) Today I'm linking up with OliveToRun and completing this fun running survey! I love these so much so if you ever come across any, send them my way!

#1. Would you rather run in a thunderstorm or a snowstorm? 
A snowstorm, although I'm not a big fan of running in the cold yet. I prefer to snuggle up and watch a movie during a thunderstorm.
#2. Would you rather breathe through your nose or breathe through your mouth?
I'm pretty sure I do both but I prefer through my nose because my mouth gets dry. Breathing through my nose also calms me down and keeps me at the correct pace.

#3. Would you rather do 100 squats or 100 crunches? [Now take a break and go do them. ;)] 
I could do squats for daysssss! Crunches don't do anything for me - I already hate working my abs directly so crunches are usually a no-go for me.

#4. Would you rather have a baked good for dessert or an extra serving of your favorite entree?
Probably another serving of the entree. I certainly love sweets but I'd much rather have something savory, salty, crunchy, etc. I love comfort foods like BBQ, meatloaf, pizza, etc. with yummy sides like mashed potatoes. I could probably live without cake and cookies for the rest of my life.

#5. Would you rather run on a treadmill for an hour or run around the same street block for an hour? 
I'd rather run outside, even if the surroundings are less scenic. I HATE the treadmill. I get so bored and I don't think it mimics true running conditions. I've started only using it for incline walking and sprints during my lifting workouts.

#6. Would you rather have a headache during a run or a side stitch?
Headache - I can fix that with a little OMM. (Well, I could probably work on the side stitch too) but side stitches are by far more painful for me.

#7. Would you rather have a rest day on a work day or a day off? I kind of neutral about this but I end up taking a rest day on weekends when I'm busy or go home for the weekend. I like breaking up going to class & studying with a workout just to get out all the pent up energy. (I try to do this but usually I'm pretty hungry by 5pm).

#8. Would you rather be a race director or a race volunteer? I really enjoy volunteering at races! Before I started running, I volunteered at quite a few races including the (half) marathon I'll be running in May. For cheerleading in high school, we would go downtown for the Flying Pig Marathon to cheer on the runners. I really enjoyed it (and every year after I said I would run it one day)! Now hopefully they will be cheering for me :)

#9. Would you rather spend your money on running gadgets [HRM, GPS watch, Headphones] or running shoes? Running shoes! I do want a GPS eventually but I love running shoes. There are so many crazy colors and styles! Thankfully I can usually find size 13s if I order through zappos or amazon. My favorites are the Ascics Gel Blur!

#10. Would you rather run in a relay or do the run portion of a distance triathlon? I want to do both one day! I think both would be fun because I could do it with friends. So far I haven't really had anyone to run with at some of my races so running with friends would be more motivating and enjoyable!