Newton's Gravity Neutral Performance Training Review

Excitedly, I opened the box from Newton Running containing the latest Neutral Performance Trainers, and gave a good gander to my new green Gravities.  Great!

Having enjoyed the vast majority of my P.R.'s wearing Newtons I am very confident in them, so did something I never advise a running friend to do.  I broke them in on an inaugural fourteen mile run.

As expected, they felt comfortable and natural, and I ran strong and fast.  Newton's design includes an effective cushioning system, unique mid-sole energy efficient Action/Reaction technology, light weight and low heel-to-toe drop.  These encourage the runner to adopt a more rapid stride, to land with their mid-foot with their slightly bent leg underneath them, and to utilize the bodies' natural shock absorbing and elastic recoil returning triumvirate of the plantar fascia, calf, and Achilles tendon.

I admit this sounds a bit too tech.  Evaluating a pair of running shoes, particularly of a new design, is inherently a very personal experience requiring a far lengthier evaluation time than is allowed by most specialty shoe retailers, who typically restrict the runner to test their shoes on an excessively cushioned indoor running surface.  So, I encourage runners to try on a pair of Newtons via their 60 Days of Better promotion, where between September 1 and October 31 North American customers are able to return the shoes with no questions asked up to a full sixty days after purchase.  This lengthy trial period allows the runner more than sufficient time to fully evaluate their new Newtons, and to ideally adopt the form techniques referenced below:

Newton Motion Stability Trainer Review

Having run in Newton Motion Stability Trainers for three years, I love them.  Prior to these becoming my marathon training and race "go to" shoe, I had run in Brooks Adrenalines, widely described "traditional stability shoes."  Upon switching to the Newton Motions I immediately found their far lighter weight, significantly lower heel-to-toe drop (4 mm vs. 12 mm), and their proprietary Action/Reaction mid-sole technology all contributed to dramatically improve both my race performances and my natural running form.

So, having had success in this shoe (and even having my form professionally analyzed while wearing them) it was with trepidation when I saw that for the spring of 2012 Newton had updated their Motion Performance Trainers.  My first impression upon opening the box and looking at the shoes was... Wow!  Not one to normally post photos on DailyMile, I decided to in this case, and was blown away by the favorable comments.  As with the Newton MV2's, these are not for the timid!

I next tried them on for fit and comfort.  I had always been delighted with the prior Motions' ample toe box, which provided a roomy feel that I found critical when I increased my distance beyond ~18 miles.  Fortunately, the 2012 Motion retains this feature, and are even more comfortable owing to their new contoured sock liner.  Also, new in this release are wide-mesh uppers to facilitate more rapid sweat evaporation and cooling.  Training with a prodigious sweat rate from hot and humid Houston, this ranks in my opinion as the new Motion's greatest enhancement.

I then gave them a good ten mile distance run.  Long enough to provide a bit of the challenge that the Motions are designed for, yet short enough to allow me to concentrate fully on them.  Via running a deliberately mixed surface route, I was able to easily contrast the feel and performance of the shoe on both Memorial Park's soft dirt and gravel trails and on Houston's typical ultra-hard concrete roads.  In both cases the shoe handled and felt great, even more-so once I crossed into double digit mileage territory.

Since I had run in the ultra-lightweight MV2's just the prior day, I was sensitive to differences between these two great Newton shoes.  To be fair I shouldn't even allude to such a comparison, since they are two shoes of completely different intended purposes and race distances.  The 2012 Motions, while 5% lighter than their predecessor, retain the substance and long-lasting performance needed especially when crossing over 20 miles.  This, from my long experience is the distance beyond which most marathon runners begin to see their form deteriorate, and where the mild mid-foot mild stability elements of the Motions are the most beneficial.

As the bottom line of this review, the new 2012 Newton Motions will remain my "go-to" marathon training and racing shoe!

Newton MV2 Shoe Review

Two and a half months ago I received my Newton MV2 running shoes.  These screamers are engineered to be the lightest and most efficient Natural Running shoe using Newton's second-generation Action/Reaction Technology.  This technology has numerous patents to prevent other manufacturers from simply copying their designs, and having run in Newton shoes for three years I encourage you go to a good specialty running store to learn about them, then to give them a good run.

These MV2's have a truly flat profile, which encourages a quick high cadence gait. Recognizing that many runners, like myself, are transitioning to the MV2's from running shoes with a slightly higher heel-to-toe drop, Newton supplies these shoes with optional three millimeter heel inserts.  Initially feeling my calves to be a bit too tight, I applied the inserts, which relieved the tightness without adding anything to their light weight.  Combined with Newton's action-reaction technology found on the soles of the shoe near where the metatarsals strike, from my experience this results in a performance boost of 15 to 30 seconds per mile.

These MV2's are truly neutral, and, as they are extremely light weight do not provide excess cushioning that inhibits the runner's grounded feel to the running surface - that is essential at higher speeds.  As a pleasant surprise, the MV2's five versus Newton's normal four Action-Reaction lugs provides hugely enhanced responsiveness and cornering abilities, which I found to be especially helpful on a weaving Memorial Park trail.

Curious at what distance the MV2's light weight and minimal cushioning would drive me to a more substantial shoe, I wore them over varying distances while training for the Houston Marathon - up to one 20-miler.  While I've since heard that several area runners have successfully run, and P.R.'d marathons in the MV2's, I found 16 miles to be their maximum comfortable distance.  I believe this distance to solely be a personal one, as with my current level of fitness it corresponds roughly to the point beyond which my running form tends to deteriorate on Houston's hard concrete road surfaces.  So, for the remainder of my Houston Marathon training runs of 16 miles or beyond and for the race itself, I ran in the Newton Gravity Performance Trainer (an easy decision, as in prior years recent I'd successfully run numerous P.R.s and B.Q.'s in the Stability Motions.)

Now that the Houston Marathon is complete, I am training for the Rodeo Run 10K and the Texas Independence Relay.  So, after two weeks of self-enforced rest I just laced-up my MV2's, and took them for what turned out to be a great run.  By concentrating on the pivotal elements of good running form, and cranking up the speed well beyond my normal pre-marathon training pace, these shoes demonstrated again that they rock!

As the MV2's run a bit small I recommend that you get them a half to full size larger than your normal running shoe length.  Also, as I found the MV2's to be a bit snug on the width, by lacing them a bit loosely I found this relieved the tightness without affecting my grip of the road.  Since the best specialty running stores have knowledgeable sales people with a generous return policy, choose the shoe that fits best while you are running, and not simply on the cushioned surface found in many stores. Don't gauge comfort simply by walking around the store in running shoes, as a surprising number of runners do, since the Newton's Action-Reaction technology feels a bit unnatural until you run!

Regardless of the shoe you buy, it's important to transition gradually to a shoe with a smaller heel-to-toe drop.  This provides your body time to both adjust and strengthen, and to minimize the likelihood of inadvertently returning when fatigued to an inefficient and potentially injurious heel-strike.  I have consistently found that by concentrating on gradually increasing my cadence, and concentrating on a slight forward lean from my ankles, that my good running form - and boost in speed with no incremental effort - quickly follows.

Embedded below are four YouTube videos in which Newton's CTO Danny Abshire discusses the MV2's: technology, initial fit (buy a half-size larger), adaptation from other running shoes, and some helpful form drills:

Newton Running Shoes Rock!

Having used Brooks Adrenaline stability shoes for many years I suddenly developed a minor left-tibial stress-fracture in late July. In the subsequent month-long injury-induced recovery period I had ample free-time opportunities to contemplate the causes of my first-time serious running injury and to read the excellent Born To Run book, which highlights the Tarahumara Indians and their startling ability to run for hundreds of miles on a thin sole sandal without injury.

Contemplating these incredible athletes' avoidance of stress-fractures it occurred that my own behavior was largely to blame by significantly exceeding the generally recommended 10% increase in weekly cumulative mileage and running sprints downhill on hard surfaces. Additionally, avoiding injurious heel-landings can be easily accomplished by adopting the type of mid-foot landing utilized by the Tarahumara on a minimal sole shoe.

During a marathon expo I'd met with a representative of Newton Running Shoes, and after trying-on their shoes and familiarizing myself with their technology, I purchased a pair of Newton's Stability Trainers. A good video explaining the Newton shoes technology and design is found below:

Subsequent to switching to the Newton Stability Trainer for all my subsequent races, I P.R.'d every one of them (with the sole exception of a half-marathon run two weeks after another)!  While I have no doubt that my increased fitness level resulting from my switch to KenyanWay is primarily to credit, I'm also convinced that the Newton shoes have been significant contributors to my improved performance owing to my more more rapid leg turnover due to their lighter weight, energy-recovery provided efficiency advantages through the springy forefoot lugs, and landing more healthfully at the midsole of the shoe due to the lower heel.
As initial proof of the Newton shoes' advantage I was happy to set a massive ~5-minute P.R. improvement at the Chicago Half-Marathon - with absolutely no discomfort or pain.

Follow-up Notes:

Coincidence?  I don't think so! I partially credit my Newton shoes in additionally providing me subsequent P.R.s at nearly every race in which I've worn them - without any hint of a return to my former stress fracture, i.e.:

• The October '09 Chicago Marathon (7-minute P.R.);
• The October '09 Lakefront 50K (78-minute P.R.);
• The December '09 Dallas White Rock Marathon (3-minute P.R.);
• The January '10 Houston Marathon (3-minute P.R.)
• The February '10 Austin Marathon (1-second P.R.)
• The February '10 Rodeo Run 10K (1-minute 10K P.R.)
• The April '10 Boston Marathon  (tied the Auston P.R.!)