Mizuno Wave Nexus 6- Gait Analysis

One of the most important things when starting running seriously is to get fitted for proper running shoes. Getting your gait analysed to determine your foot shape and running style can make sure you don't wear inappropriate shoes and develop injuries.

Today I went to Sportlink in Taverham, just outside Norwich for that very reason. They were recommended by a colleague at work who runs triathlons, which made me think they must be pretty good!

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I was there for an hour trying on different pairs of shoes, running on the treadmill and around the car park outside - I must have looked like an idiot, but it was fun and I was glad they were so attentive and thorough. They didn't try to push any particular shoe on me, or try and force me to take the most expensive one.

Video gait analysis was done using the treadmill and Dartfish Digital Video Analysis software which enabled them to video me walking/running and then replay it in slow motion to identify any issues. Initially I walked and ran on the treadmill in socks, and the girl explained that I have an uneven gait, in that one shoulder drops down as I walk so my right foot sticks out at much more of an angle.

Then I ran in a pair of Nike Air Pegasus shoes which are extremely light and a good shoe for gait analysis as they are very uneven and offer no stability. Therefore any issues with your stride are exaggerated by the "roll" of the shoe. When running in these, over-pronation on my left foot was identified, where the foot rolls inwards as you land creating an angle between your ankle and your leg. The effect was not so great on my right foot due to my uneven leg length, so it was suggested I try a neutral shoe as well as ones which offers more cushioning and support.

After trying and testing several pairs I settled on these shoes:

The Mizuno Wave Nexus 6

These are classified as stability shoes with moderate support and cushioning created by the gel "wave" on the heel (see above pic). They are extremely lightweight especially compared to my old New Balance shoes (see more about them below) and feel super comfortable.

The other shoes that I was looking at were these two Brooks ones:

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The Ravenna is a "Guidance" show which also offers moderate support, and the Summon is a neutral shoe. Both were comfortable but the Summon came up too small and just didn't fit as well, and the Ravenna, whilst sooo comfortable didn't come up around my ankle as much as the Mizunos. The Mizunos just felt more supportive. Price-wise the Mizunos were a bit cheaper (RRP £85), and Sportlink offered me a discount as well. Their gait analysis costs £10, which they waive if you buy a pair of shoes from them- at any point, not just during the gait analysis visit. Running shoes are quite expensive, but for me it was worth every penny finding out what I should be wearing! Now I will know what to look for in future purchases, and am aware of issues with my gait so should be able to avoid injury.

These are my old shoes- a New Balance Trail running shoe, I'm not sure of the model, I picked them up cheap in Sports Direct and they've lasted well! But they're quite heavy, very solid and offer no cushioning which is not good when running on roads, as it puts a lot of stress on your knees. I'll keep them for "rainy days" (literally) when I want to run off-road...