GEAR CHECK is another semi-regular-when-I'm-feeling-it series like the WORKOUT OF THE WEEK and various race recaps. There's a ton of different products out there marketed towards runners, so I wanted to highlight some of the things that I use and what I think about them. It might also be telling the stuff I don't use, but that's a whole 'nother topic.
The New Balance 1400v3 (in the pictured colorway, too!) is the shoe I'll be racing in during the Olympic Trials Marathon. I've worn this particular shoe in one previous race and a few workouts as well. This is my review of the shoe, but it's going to be a little different that most shoe reviews: I'm not going to talk about manufacturer specs or product details or anything like that; instead, I'm going to talk about how it fits, how it feels, and who it's for. In my opinion, that's the truly important stuff, anyway.
How does it fit?
This shoe fits like a cross between a pure racing flat and a lightweight trainer. Take what I say with a grain of salt: I have pretty narrow feet and high arches, and I like a particular fit in my shoes. This version of the 1400 has a curved fit (as is the case in many racing flats) that leaves it snug through the heel and midfoot yet open and fairly roomy in the forefoot. I like that, when laced snugly, it provides a lock-down fit with just enough room to move in the toes. When I wear shoes that have too much width (especially in the toe box) I tend to get blisters on the inside of my big toes...I haven't had this problem at all with this shoe.
How does it feel (aka, how does it ride)?
For me, this version of the 1400 rides fast and smooth. It seems to have exactly what I'm looking for in a long distance racer -- a soft (but not too soft) heel, a smooth, quiet transition, and a firm, responsive toe-off. There's enough flexibility for long range comfort, yet enough stiffness for pure speed. It has this just-right combination of cushioning for the road marathon distance mixed with lightweight pop for faster performance. Put simply, for me this shoe hits that perfect middle ground between cushion and performance -- for the marathon, that is. I've used this for plenty of workouts, but for races at or below 13.1 miles, it's just a little too much / not quite aggressive enough. But as a marathon racer, it's perfect.
Who is it for?
Again, bear in mind my biases when I'm recounting my thoughts on shoes. I'm racing half marathon and below distances at less than 5:00 pace -- fast, so I'm looking for a speedy shoes. The marathon is slightly dialed back, but the goal is still 5:15-5:20 pace -- still fast, but a little more steady and not as aggressive. While this shoe has just a little too much substance for me for shorter distances, for most people it'd probably be great for any distance from 5k to marathon...plus workouts.
I believe everyone needs a get-down go-fast shoe in their repertoire. A shoes that gets the adrenaline pumping as you lace it up. A shoe for track workouts and races and tempo runs and performance. Think of it like golf: you don't play the whole game with a driver; you have a whole array of clubs each for a specific purpose. Running shoes are the same way. The beauty of the NB 1400 is that it is so versatile. The balance between cushion and performance makes it ideal for races, track workouts, road tempo runs, or even daily mileage if you have a minimal-ish lean towards your shoes. This is a shoe for faster running; and since I believe everyone should be doing some faster running in their training (and racing), then I believe this can be a shoe for everyone. It has a lightweight, simplistic construction that makes it ideal for stripped-down performance, and as a nice bonus it's fairly cheap addition in the pantheon of running shoes. For those runners looking for a racing flat, secondary fast shoe, or even a lightweight daily trainer, give the 1400 a look.
Want to try the shoe on and get a feel for yourself? You can find it here. I mean, well, you can find it lots of other places too, but you should really go there first.
The New Balance 1400v3 (in the pictured colorway, too!) is the shoe I'll be racing in during the Olympic Trials Marathon. I've worn this particular shoe in one previous race and a few workouts as well. This is my review of the shoe, but it's going to be a little different that most shoe reviews: I'm not going to talk about manufacturer specs or product details or anything like that; instead, I'm going to talk about how it fits, how it feels, and who it's for. In my opinion, that's the truly important stuff, anyway.
How does it fit?
This shoe fits like a cross between a pure racing flat and a lightweight trainer. Take what I say with a grain of salt: I have pretty narrow feet and high arches, and I like a particular fit in my shoes. This version of the 1400 has a curved fit (as is the case in many racing flats) that leaves it snug through the heel and midfoot yet open and fairly roomy in the forefoot. I like that, when laced snugly, it provides a lock-down fit with just enough room to move in the toes. When I wear shoes that have too much width (especially in the toe box) I tend to get blisters on the inside of my big toes...I haven't had this problem at all with this shoe.
How does it feel (aka, how does it ride)?
For me, this version of the 1400 rides fast and smooth. It seems to have exactly what I'm looking for in a long distance racer -- a soft (but not too soft) heel, a smooth, quiet transition, and a firm, responsive toe-off. There's enough flexibility for long range comfort, yet enough stiffness for pure speed. It has this just-right combination of cushioning for the road marathon distance mixed with lightweight pop for faster performance. Put simply, for me this shoe hits that perfect middle ground between cushion and performance -- for the marathon, that is. I've used this for plenty of workouts, but for races at or below 13.1 miles, it's just a little too much / not quite aggressive enough. But as a marathon racer, it's perfect.
Who is it for?
Again, bear in mind my biases when I'm recounting my thoughts on shoes. I'm racing half marathon and below distances at less than 5:00 pace -- fast, so I'm looking for a speedy shoes. The marathon is slightly dialed back, but the goal is still 5:15-5:20 pace -- still fast, but a little more steady and not as aggressive. While this shoe has just a little too much substance for me for shorter distances, for most people it'd probably be great for any distance from 5k to marathon...plus workouts.
I believe everyone needs a get-down go-fast shoe in their repertoire. A shoes that gets the adrenaline pumping as you lace it up. A shoe for track workouts and races and tempo runs and performance. Think of it like golf: you don't play the whole game with a driver; you have a whole array of clubs each for a specific purpose. Running shoes are the same way. The beauty of the NB 1400 is that it is so versatile. The balance between cushion and performance makes it ideal for races, track workouts, road tempo runs, or even daily mileage if you have a minimal-ish lean towards your shoes. This is a shoe for faster running; and since I believe everyone should be doing some faster running in their training (and racing), then I believe this can be a shoe for everyone. It has a lightweight, simplistic construction that makes it ideal for stripped-down performance, and as a nice bonus it's fairly cheap addition in the pantheon of running shoes. For those runners looking for a racing flat, secondary fast shoe, or even a lightweight daily trainer, give the 1400 a look.
Want to try the shoe on and get a feel for yourself? You can find it here. I mean, well, you can find it lots of other places too, but you should really go there first.
Great share! Even I have some awesome collection of New Balance Shoes at Majorbrands.
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