The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Mizuno for the Wave Ride 18. All opinions expressed here are my own!

With the amount of running I do, I go through a lot of shoes, but I’ve never tried Mizuno’s before.  When it comes to trying new shoes, it’s kind of hard for me to take the plunge.  This time I am glad that I did.  The Mizuno Wave Rider 18 is a neutral shoe but it packs some good mid-foot support, which is very important to me.

The shoes I received were Black/Silver/Florida Keys!  That’s always a plus to have a good looking running shoe, right? I also liked how the toe box was wide enough for my wide feet.  When I get new shoes, this is always the first thing I worry about. The shoe hit the shelves on October 2, 2014 and retails for $119 which isn’t a bad price for a good quality running shoe.

I never run in my running shoes first off, I usually take them for a stroll! My running group was doing some different stuff this past week so I decided to take them on a three mile walk! The shoes were good. I do this to make sure they don’t rub my feet the wrong way and these didn’t. What can I say? I’m overly cautious!

When I run really long, my gait gets lazy so I usually run in a more supported shoe which tends to be heavier.  What I loved about the Mizuno Wave Rider 18 is it’s light weight (weighing in at 7.8 oz) and I felt comfortable ticking off the miles in these shoes with no problems.  Maybe that had something to do with the patented Wave Technology that Mizuno is known for in their shoes. The toe-off was smooth and kept me pushing forward.  It was definitely a nice ride.

Mizuno adopted the inspirational influence of the Japanese concept of “Hado,” the intrinsic vibrational life force energy that promotes powerful transformations. Hado is executed in the Wave Rider’s sleek, dynamic design relaying the power and kinetic energy of running, harnessing the transformative possibilities of every run.

If you’re a neutral runner, this shoe is for you!

I have to be honest there wasn’t much I didn’t like about the shoe. I loved it for running on the treadmill because it was lighter, less clunky shoe. I loved it on the road because there was just enough support to keep me going longer and/or finishing up a great tempo run. This is just a great shoe for the neutral runner that needs some cushioning but doesn’t need the bulk.