who runs in hokas?

[The Borg Queen]

I just figured out that these exist, and am kind of blown away. They look crazy! If you run in them, what kind of running shoes have you tried before, and how did you come to run in Hokas? What do you like about them? Obviously, the cushion! And what else?

[slugg77]

I do!  I love them.  If you want the long version, here it goes:

 

I used to weigh 300 plus pounds and started running 2.5 years ago.  I am fortunate enough to have a great running store near me (whats up Second Sole Mentor!) and the manager is a client of the store I work in.  My initial fitting was for Mizuno Wave Inspire 9's.  I have feet that are insanely wide, I wear EEE-EEEE dress shoes, and the Waves were comortable.  I have increased my long runs from 4 miles to 8+ (training for my first half) and noticed extreme foot pain after mile 5.  The Wave is comfortable, but has very little cushion.  After we checked to make sure my foot pain was not from avoiding mid foot strikes (it wasn't), we tried some shoes with more cushion and the Hoka one one was the winner.  

 

It really feels like walking on a cloud!  It was odd at first, and I wore them around as a daily shoe for a while to get used to them.  Since then, about 6 weeks ago, I have had zero foot pain.  So I would say I love the cushion, as well as the help they give me towards my first half marathon.  I work with a lot of runners, including people that have run several full marathons, and the ones that wear the Hokas all agree they are great.  I do not get knee pain either, even though I have increased distance.

 

It may be a combination of Dumbo's magic feather and a great shoe, but I would rank the Hoka one one's as a top 10 thing to ever happen to me, below getting married and both of my kids, but above the first time i heard Tommy Gun by the Clash and the first time I beat Chrono Trigger.  

[The Borg Queen]

Wow, that's an amazing story. Do you have to buy your hokas wide, or are they naturally roomy?

 

I know they are very popular on distance events, specifically ultras, and specifically in arid climates. It doesn't seem like they would be too practical for muddy trail runs, although I've heard certain folks swear they work fine.

[slugg77]

I bought them in my normal size, I am not 100% sure if they are a "wide" designation, I will have to check.  I run on trails sometimes, but they are crushed limestone at the park near my house, I have no idea how they would do on a mud trail.  I have ran through puddles and such, they were fine, but that is a different story.

 

I can not recommend them highly enough, but I am sure it is a YMMV kind of thing, you should go try a pair on.

[slugg77]

Here is an update, I ran 11 miles today with no knee or calf pain.  I wish Hoka would sponsor amateurs like me, because I can not say enough good things about my shoes.  

 

Now that I am done humble-bragging, I understand that shoes are a YMMV thing, but you really (posters and readers) should check them out.  I am going to buy a second pair tomorrow in case next year's version is not to my liking, so I have a spare pair.   

[The Borg Queen]

Cool. The "maximal" cushioning thing is getting big right now, and I've seen a couple of other brands doing it. Have you checked out any other brands?

[slugg77]

I have not checked out anything since I bought my Hoka's, I would when I am ready for new shoes though.  When I bought my Hoka's, I tried on Brooks, Mizuno's, and Saucony's too.  Hoka's were just a perfect fit for me.