My Hoka One One- Bondi B Shoe Review

As an Ultra Runner you put in lots and lots of miles on the road and trail. Now that I'm 40 years old and still logging sometimes over 100 miles a week, things really started to hurt and ache. My left achilles was really bothering me, I.T. band was starting to give me issues and after long runs my feet were hurting so bad that while towards the end of those long runs all I could think of was, "ADVIL" "Where is a tennis ball for my feet" and "I can't wait to soak my legs in a big tub of ice!"
  So after one of those achy long runs I thought to myself all right I'm tired of this achey feeling and did some research and stumbled across this shoe called "HOKA". Hmmmm I thought to myself, let me do some research and see what this shoe is all about. Well, after about 2 months of doing some extensive research and reading reviews, articles, watching video's and testimonials I thought to myself I really need to check out this shoe. Also at 6'2" and almost 200 lbs, putting in over 100 miles a week of road and trail with about an 8-12 pound back pack strapped to my back, I was looking for something to help with these aches and pains. Cause the Brooks Glyserine 9's I was wearing were just not cutting it.
  So I made a phone call to Hoka's corporate office and got a pair of Bondi B's sent to my house. The anticipation for this shoe to arrive was driving me crazy. Well the much anticipated Hoka Bondi B showed up on my doorstep on a Wednesday night, I couldn't open the box fast enough, but in the back of my mind I couldn't stop thinking, "I hope this shoe isn't a flop and please don't let me down".

 
   First Impression~ (It's a neutral shoe with a 4mm drop, run a half size small. I wear  13 and got a 13.5 and fit perfect) First of all when the box arrived I thought there was nothing in there, I had to shake the box, honestly. I was like a kid on Christmas opening that box and I grabbed one of the shoe's and WOW, is it lite, super lite, thats why I thought nothing was in there. I heard a lot of people saying in other reviews and comments that the Hoka is not the best looking shoe, but my honest opinion is...I think the Hoka is SOOOO cool looking, even though some people do think it's a strange looking shoe, I really don't care about looks. When I'm out running and my feet don't hurt, I don't ache and yours do because you went out and bought that "stylish, colorful shoe" thats what matters to me...comfort over the long hall! I was also pleasantly surprised on how well made the shoe is. Which is also a plus, especially when they are known to last up to 700 miles.

  Morning after the Hoka's arrived~ I couldn't get out of bed fast enough to put these Hoka's on my feet and like most new shoe's you think well I'm going to go out for a few miles and see how they feel and get used to them. Well that's what my thought was with the Hoka Bondi B, a few miles just to get a feel for this strange but cool looking shoe. So I strapped my backpack on like I always do before a run, yes even short runs. And out the door I go......
  2 1/2 hours and 21 miles later I returned home, so much for a 3 mile short run to get a feel for them. Yes thats right, I could not only stop running, I couldn't get the smile off my face. And mind you all 21 miles were road miles and I usually try to avoid that many miles on the road cause of the pounding your body takes from the pavement and concrete. So after returning home, I felt like I didn't run. I did't ache, nothing hurt, didn't need ice, totally forgot about my achilles issue cause it didn't hurt.
   Can a shoe be fun~ So the next morning I get out of bed and when my feet hit the floor, not an ounce of soreness. Again that big smile came back, I could not wait to go back out for my second run in my new Hoka's. So then again I thought I'll put in about 10 miles or so, well out the door I go for my second run in the Bondi's....
   28 miles later I returned home~ Again all road miles. I thought to myself these are FUN shoe's, Can a shoe be fun to run in? Well, I know one thing these Hoka's are a blast to run in.
   The true test for me~ The Bondi being a road shoe...Can these Bondi's handle some tough, technical trails, can it be an all around shoe. I know Hoka has a "Hybrid" road/trail shoe called the Stinson, but can this shoe be that "Hybrid?" So I drove to one of my favorite places to run miles and miles of technical trails, Lake Norman State Park. So like my first thought when I left my house for that first run, I'm going to go out slow to see how the Bondi responds to some good technical trail. Well that thought and game plan changed real quick, like in the first few minutes. Not only did my speed pick up but my confidence in the Bondi grew so much so that I couldn't stop running. These Hoka's are known for there downhill ability's and boy can you fly down some hill's in these shoes and these were rocky, technical down hills. The trail conditions were a tacky, rooty, rocky with some pretty smooth sections included. In my honest opinion this Bondi is an awesome all around road to trail shoe. I wouldn't mind trying the Stinson on the trail, if I like the Bondi on trail I couldn't imagine how the Stinson or even there true rail shoe the Mafate would be.
   One LONG run a week after I received my Hoka's~ A good 40 mile run is what I thought would be a good distance test. So Out the door I went, off to Lake Norman State Park. 17 mile to the park, 6 miles of trail running then 17 miles home. Total milage for that Saturday...40 miles! I left my house at around 7am and was back home by 1pm. I ran that 40 miler on my 5th straight day of running, no days off and when I got home from that run I busted out with my lawn mower and mowed my lawns, did yard work and some house chores. Usually after a long run like that I want to do absolutely nothing. I contribute that to the Hoka's. Cause the next day, out the door I went again for a 13 miler and felt great, not an ounce of soreness.

   Pro's and Con's~
   Pro's~ Cool looking shoe.
              4mm heel drop
              Extremely stable on the road and trail.
              Not overly cushiony.
              Fun shoe to run in.
              Extremely lite.
              The shoes seem to keep you running in the sweet spot, mid to for foot.
              Great recovery shoe (so after a long run keep the Hoka's on your feet)
              Fit my feet like a glove, no slippage.
              Found my forever shoe.
              Don't ever want to take them off.

   Con's~ Shoe laces are a little short
               Tread wore a little quicker that anticipated, not in a bad way. It did not change the feel of the       shoe one bit.
                Not all running stores carry Hoka's, so to try on a pair can be tough.
                Hoka's run a half size small

 
My final thought's~ All the hype behind this small shoe company (Hoka) is to me 100% spot on. I've been running for over 18 yrs and have logged in thousands of miles, tried every shoe on the market and as I get older I seem to be putting in more and more miles, not less, but the aches and pains seem to have keep appearing more and more. Not with the Hoka's. Its been 3 weeks since I've received my Bondi B's and I have not iced one time and after a couple 100 mile weeks and an 80 mile week I feel as good as I did at the beginning of those weeks. I attribute that to of coarse me being in tip top shape but there's no way I would be able to put in long run after long run especially on the road, so I attribute that to the Hoka Bondi B. I was not able to do miles like that with my other shoes (Brooks, Asics and Nike) without lots of ice, advil and spending lots of time in my jacuzzi tub. Is it a shoe for everyone? Probably not. Cause those minimalist wearers will knock it and thats ok. Like I always say don't knock it till you try it. I plan on having a long running future and with Hoka's on my feet that will allow me to do just that...Run and Run and Run!  I would like to thank Hoka for sending me there Bondi B and turning me into a true believer of this shoe. Not bad for a 4 year old shoe company. Like it says on the shoe box...Time to Fly!
             
             
             
           

Enhancing Your Running Through Massage Therapy

Enhancing Your Running Program through Massage Therapy

Did you know that massage therapy could benefit every part of an athlete’s training program from warm up to cool down? When properly administered, massage therapy can improve your overall athletic readiness and treat specific problems that might be holding you back in your training.  Massage has become very popular in recent years among athletes, in particular runners. Running requires sustained, repetitive muscle contraction. The greater the muscle contraction, the more shortening occurs within the muscle tissue and the more force generated. In running, these sustained, repetitive contractions translate into speed, power, and distance. The muscles, fascia (connective tissue surrounding the muscles), tendons, and ligaments all work to absorb a portion of the physical stress from impact involved with running.

Massage therapy can help reduce the pain from recovering injuries or tight areas of muscle and promote the proper healing of scar tissue. The strokes of massage mimic the normal flow of the lymphatic and circulatory system, which drain wastes from the muscle tissues. Massage can help dissolve waste fluids such as lactic acid and lead to a shorter recovery time. Massage is reported to relieve muscle soreness, shorten recovery time, restore range of motion, remove adhesions and even improve performance. Massage also improves flexibility, which reduces the risk of injury and improves running efficiency and performance. Massage reduces cortisol levels, and triggers the release of endorphins and other pain reducing neurochemicals in the body.

Amy Thomas, LMBT,CNMT
912.617.0065

Massage therapy works best as a preventative program. Runners can benefit from deep tissue massage, sports massage and myofascial release techniques.  Unfortunately, most of the effects from massage are relatively short-lived.  Because running is a repetitive action, weekly mileage eventually causes muscles to shorten, fascia to bind, and restrictions to set in again creating the need for another massage. One exception to this rule is the long-term effect massage therapy has on specific injury sites and the reduction of scar tissue formation. Runners can extend the life of their massage with proper hydration, good nutrition, adequate sleep, and stretching, stretching, and more stretching. Massage treatment plans are very individual. Assess your running goals and budget when determining your treatment plan. Ask yourself the following questions: Do you have recurring injuries? Are you pushing your physical limits? Are you tackling a new distance? Are you time goal oriented? Are you competitive? Do you want to qualify for Boston? How much can you afford to spend per week or per month on massage? Then, after assessing your goals, your budget and your available time during the week, plan accordingly. The most important goal is to set a regular schedule for your massage treatments whether it’s once a week or once a month. Overall, you’ll feel better and your running performance will definitely improve!