I have been racing for about a year, and am now in the market for a pair of racing shoes. I am 6’5, 220 pounds. I have wider feet than normal and have a high arch. The guy at the local run shop has been pushing me towards the Newton distance. The newtons make me a little nervous because I have heard that they are not that great of shoe to run long distance in. I am running a HIM at the in October and want a comfy shoe that is light but has some cushion. Anybody have any good ideas?
I’m 6’5" and back a few years ago when i was 200 plus i raced in the Kswiss K-Ona’s. I race in their Blade Lights (around 190 pounds) now and they have a similar amount of cushion. Not sure if they have the support you are looking for though.
Title of the post makes me think Brooks BEAST!!! On a serious note you should have plenty more options then the Newton’s. Any aches and pains?
I dont have any aches or pains. I am 23 and have been an athlete my whole life. I am new to endurance sports though and am clueless about stuff like this. I train in Mizuno Wave Ride 14’s and they seem to be a good, sturdy shoe. Just looking for a lighter option.
Have you tried the Saucony Kinvara? They have a pretty wide toebox
6’5" 220 lbs down to 200 lbs.
Started in Asics Gel Kayano’s till they switched to asymmetric lacing.
Have settled on and stayed with Brooks Adrenaline’s. I run in a 12E4 with extra roomy toebox.
I’m pretty close to your size and I found personally that when you’re larger you really run better with a more cushioned shoe … especially as you get to IM/ 1/2 IM distance. Newtons for me were wasted money as they never were comfortable and light weight “racing flats” just made my feet painful and knees sore. Everyone has favorite shoes, but Asics or Nike both have several medium light shoes that work best for me and I’ve found if I can’t train in them without pain, they probably are too light.
My rule #1 … never listen to anything a running shoe sales guy tells you … I’ve always thought they just tried to sell you what they made the most from … I’ve really had some strange stuff suggested to me as "the best ".
Dave
“Neutral” runner, towards “optimal” biomechanics/efficient… I personally like the New Balance Minimus Road shoe for road racing and training. I am 6’2" and 210. Kinvara was ‘ok’ but I personally felt it was a bit narrow to be honest. I have a size 14E/EE swimmer foot. Altra may be another shoe that would suit your needs but not sure about how you move to point you into a minimalist shoe or not.
I’m 5’8" and when I started running I was 265 lbs. My first running shoe was an Asics trail shoe and after awhile, they began to hurt my hips. I was later fitted into a Nike Air Pegasus and have been using a Pegasus ever since. I have a wide foot too and can get away with a regular with, but a wide shoe works much better. They had plenty of cushion for me and now that I’m about 50 pounds lighter, they are lasting me about 550 miles. I race in Zoots, but train in my Pagasus.
Try on a pair of Saucony Rides (if you are neutral) or Saucony Guides (if you prefer a little support). I would recommend these to a bigger guy due incredible softness and shock absorption.
Wave Rider 15 or 13. I thought the 14 was a bit of a miss compared to the others. I am 6’6" size 15 and they have been so so nice.
Have you tried the Saucony Kinvara? They have a pretty wide toebox
Man, I must have some flippers for feet because I couldn’t even squeeze into those.
I am a bigger athlete as well. I have been running for the last five years. I have tried everything from brooks beasts to vibram five fingers. I would say your weight is less of a concern than the way you run. Do you heel strike or mid foot? What is your pace? I have tried the newtons three time and returned them all three times. They just didn’t work for me no matter how bad I wanted them to.
I have found luck with the kivara and the brooks pure project shoes. I like zoom shoes for tris. I would suggest you stay away from anything a typical shoe sales person tells you if they are female or a male lighter than you. Why-because they can’t tell you from experience what will work and what won’t. They can only regurgitate what they are told or have read from the marketing material.
Running and tris are different when ytypical giver than the typical sized athlete. Most casual sales people that have not raced at your weight have no clue what you need as far as equipment, shoes or nutrition. Ask a seasoned coach or other serious competitor at your size or experience coaching different people for the best advise.
I race at your size and can tell you what works for me. Others at our weight can help as well. Good luck in your search and have fun with the process.
Boski51
Tri4Him AGE team
6’4 195ish— Size 15. Had been running in Adidas Adistars for 4+yrs then I tried the K-Swiss K-Ona… Love them and as long as they make size 15 I will continue to buy them. Great support / cushion / stability, very LIGHT… My feet get very hot and these shoes drain water / sweat / piss (don’t judge) like champs. You can get them on zappos / shoe buy for like 80$ and wait for the occasional coupon code, I got my last pair for $65. Well worth a try at that price.
!(chrome-extension://amfclgbdpgndipgoegfpkkgobahigbcl/images/fb.png)
!(chrome-extension://amfclgbdpgndipgoegfpkkgobahigbcl/images/fblike.png)
!(chrome-extension://amfclgbdpgndipgoegfpkkgobahigbcl/images/twitter.png)
!(chrome-extension://amfclgbdpgndipgoegfpkkgobahigbcl/images/gmail.png)
!(chrome-extension://amfclgbdpgndipgoegfpkkgobahigbcl/images/mgsplusvideo.png)
!(chrome-extension://amfclgbdpgndipgoegfpkkgobahigbcl/images/fblike.png)
!(chrome-extension://amfclgbdpgndipgoegfpkkgobahigbcl/images/twitter.png)
!(chrome-extension://amfclgbdpgndipgoegfpkkgobahigbcl/images/gmail.png)
I’m 6’5" 210 muscular build. I run in Newton Distance S and couldn’t be more happy. The S should have all the support you need and they’re currently on-sale at RunningWarehouse. Be sure to go 1/2 size up as Newton’s run small.
I think I drank the cool-aid. All I want is more Newtons …
I also love Newtons! I run in the neutral gravity trainer. No issues at any distance.
I am a bit of a heel striker and try to keep the pace around 7:30 per mile. Looks like I have a lot of options. I guess it’s kind of a trail and error kind of thing
Just a few recommendations. So if you truly are neutral, and the Rider 14s worked well for you, but want to go lighter and potentially a little roomier? And you heel strike?
Here’s what I’d be looking at:
Mizuno Wave Precision: Take a Rider, make it a little lighter, give up a touch on the cushioning end of the spectrum. Tada! You have the Precision! Really solid option, and where a lot of people have gone when that year’s Rider has not been up to snuff. (See, e.g., last year’s Rider. You’re one of a very few people who enjoyed the 14.)
Brooks Ghost: Similar weight to a Rider, with a more cushioned experience underfoot. Definitely a bit roomier up in the toebox particularly. Would probably make an excellent second trainer for you, or a full IM shoe.
New Balance 890: You’d probably desire the width in this, simply due to the materials used in the upper. But I find the fit and feel out of the current New Balance line to be very similar to what you’ve come to expect out of Mizuno. The RevLite cushioning in these should be plenty soft for you, and the published weight of 9.3 ounces would shave a considerable amount off the Rider. (Note: take published weight with the entire container of Morton’s salt in your case.)
Saucony Kinvara: I’d probably avoid the Ride for you, simply because of the current fit and weight on the shoe. The Kinvara would definitely be more of a racer based on the mechanics that you’ve talked about, simply due to the low offset. But it’s pretty roomy up through the toe, has a nice light feel to it, and plenty of cushioning for your frame. Be aware that you’d probably be sizing up in this shoe. (I found myself debating between the 13 and 14 when I normally wear a 12.5.)
Brooks PureFlow: Similar to the Kinvara, except a little softer. The fit can be touch and go up through the forefoot; I’ve had a wide range of foot types give me different responses here. But similar heel-toe offset, close in the weight department.
Overall, you’re correct: it is making sure that the correct category of shoe is underfoot, and then certain objective criteria based on where the foot should be in the shoe, but then it becomes 100% “feel.” What do you like about the shoe? What type of feel makes you feel comfortable on the run? It’s those criteria that dictate what shoes will feel better to you than others. All of these listed should work for you, but your results can and will vary.
Nike air pegs or motos are all I will fit and run in. I love them. Im 6’4 225 with a 13 4E foot.