A Runner’s Love Affair
People often ask our staff which shoe they run in most. Here is our Training Group Coordinator, Maggie Baackes’ response.
A Runner’s Love Affair: I heart Kinvara
I currently have 9 pairs of Saucony Kinvara in my house:
- One is race day only as I want to keep them clean and pretty (Kinvara 10 Tie Dye)
- Two pairs of the Kinvara 11 are in my current running rotation.
- Two are studded for icy winter road miles.
- One is my strength training workout shoe. (Kinvara 9 RTK Limited Edition, these are a keepsake I will never get rid of them!)
- Three pairs have been retired from running, cleaned up and are just wearing around shoes (they are super fun colors so they make me happy).
My first pair were the Kinvara 8, as I was looking for something similar to complement the Brooks Pure Flow I had been running in. Four – fiveish years later, they are my favorite shoes. I still run in a few other shoes that complement the Kinvara, but if I had to pick only one – gimme the brightest Kinvara they make!
Why?
- Lightweight. Absolutely no need to lug around heavy weights on my feet!
- 4 mm drop. My body is happiest in anything in the 0-6 mm range. I’ve been in low-drop so long that I definitely feel knee pain and very ‘slappy-footed’ in higher drop shoes.
- They traditionally offer bright fun colors to choose from.
The latest version, Kinvara 11 is a dream.
- While it still has the backbones of the shoe I know, this version offers my foot a moldable-feeling footbed (but not squishy soft) and more pronounced midfoot support that older versions, perhaps a result of the switch from EVERRUN to PWRRUN midsole cushioning.
- Saucony added a lot of design detail to this shoe, like reinforced top eyelets, cushioned tongue and heel stitching that I find appealing.
Complimentary Shoes
As I mentioned, I have a few other shoes in my rotation:
- Hoka Elevon 2 – I’ve never been a fan of the ultra-cushiony squish and high stack of mainstream Hoka models such as Bondi and Clifton. However, the Elevon is firm and responsive, super impressive. 5mm drop.
- New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v5 – A trail shoe at heart, I found myself wearing these on the roads quite a bit this winter! The Vibram sole has just enough grip for the snow and slush. On the trails, it’s generally the first shoe I pick. The standout feature for me is the wide toe box. 8mm drop.
- Saucony Peregrine – A crowd pleaser on any trail, it is my choice for muddy conditions. 4mm drop
- Altra Timp – All around, two thumbs up trail shoe. Since they feel the least cushioned of my trail options, I do not do my longer runs in these. 0mm drop.
Need help finding a new running shoe? Check out our new Virtual Fitting Process!
Until life returns to its regularly scheduled programming, Medved is still the go-to place for all your running needs.
Like us, you have probably been doing A LOT of social distance running and the tread on your sneakers is starting to wear thin. To keep you going, we’ve developed a touch-free virtual fitting process for your next shoe purchase.
Schedule your next fit, virtually. Let’s stay connected and let’s keep running!
#KeepRunning
We will be offering Virtual Show Fits Monday through Saturday, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
The process will take about a half-hour.
Web conferencing details will be provided upon confirmation.
Here is how it works:
- Select a date & time that is convenient for you!
- Grab your current shoes and join for one-on-one shopping experience via Zoom.
- Chat with a fitting expert and answer some questions to determine the best types of shoes for you.
- Gait matters. To best assess, we may ask you to lace up and do some movement activities.
- Using your current shoe, we’ll determine proper sizing.
- We’ll discuss shoes that will be the best fit for you and your needs. Pick what you like!
- We’ll guide you to complete your shopping experience. Shoes will be shipped, free of charge!
- Yay, your perfect shoe arrived!
Already know what you want? Shop with us online at shop.medvedrunwalk.com.
Looking for something on our website that you can’t find? We are adding more of our inventory daily. Give us a call at 585-248-3420 or email danmedved@yahoo.com and we’ll see if we can help.
As always, thank you for your support, and keep moving!
