One thing that never changes about marathon training is that many pairs of shoes are required!
I have a pair of shoes for just about every occasion, so when I was sent the Mizuno Wave Rider 21 to review I wondered where it would fit into my rotation.
I received the shoes about 4 weeks before my training ended so I wanted to give them a shot. I’ve liked my Wave Riders in the past, and overall I think Mizuno has done a good job not making any drastic changes to the shoe.
The first thing I noticed about version 21 is that it seems to have more room than the others. Once I did a bit of research I found out that they had increased the size of the toe box on the latest version. While sometimes a toe box that is too wide can make the shoe feel too loose – the Wave Rider 21 didn’t seem to have that problem. It felt comfortable with room to spare.
The feel of the latest version when running feels much like the others. If you have never tried the Wave Rider before the best way I can describe the feel is responsive but firm. Most shoes take a run or two to really feel out the shoe, and in some ways I expected the Wave Rider to feel less firm as I continued to wear them but it didn’t seem to changed. As someone who is used to either a racing shoe or a very cushioned shoe this took some getting used to.
One of the biggest complains I’ve had about the Wave Rider in the past was the short laces which have been fixed (a couple models ago) and are still great on version 21 as well.
So, I had to figure out where the Mizuno Wave Rider 21 fit into my shoe rotation. I wouldn’t wear these for a workout or tempo run. While they aren’t too heavy – they are too firm when landing for my preference. They are great for a mid-distance long run or even an easy run and that is where I get the most use out of them. They provide support but also don’t provide much cushion when landing.
Overall, I enjoy the Wave Rider 21’s and will continue to work them into my shoe rotation as I get back into running after my marathon break!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Mizuno. The opinions and text are all mine.