Even though I’m brand new to the NERC club, my own running
blog has enabled me to be a product tester for over 8 years so I thought I
would chime in with a post on your site as a way to introduce myself.
I have tested and reviewed hundreds of running related
products and nothing comes close to revolutionizing or threatening the sport of
running like Optima’s newest high end running shoes the Spirit of Sprint which
will be referred to for the rest of this article by its nickname the
S.O.S. The S.O.S are the first ever running
shoes to have completely free moving parts within the shoe. These shoes are
also in direct defiance of the minimalist movement. They have thick nonflexible
soles with small chambers inside that run the length of the entire shoe. Within
these enclosed chambers are weighted ball bearings that move freely forwards
and backwards depending on the angle of the shoe and the momentum of your
stride. The key concept is Newton’s third law of motion – every action has an
equal and opposite reaction. This concept is demonstrated in the item found on
many office desks where a row of ball bearings swing back and forth.
There is a definite learning curve to these shoes and for
the first few runs it felt like the shoes had a life of their own and were
actively fighting against me. It was when I was putting them in the box to send
back along with a very negative review that I saw the “how to use” instruction
guide. I have never worn any shoes that came with instructions so I never even
thought to look for them. After reading the sheet and carefully studying the
diagrams, I gave the S.O.S. another chance. After about a mile I began to find
my stride getting easier and quicker. The key is having a steady rhythm and
making incremental instead of drastic changes in speed. I found myself coming
back after my 3 mile loop and running right past my house because I was having
too much fun. It felt like the shoes were doing all the work and I was just
along for the ride.
At $483 these shoes are not for everyone but they are for
anyone who wants to PR in speed or distance on roads. There are currently no
plans for a trail version. My advice is to “run” out and buy a pair as soon as
they are available in mid-summer because these shoes are so good they may truly
become illegal…in races. Sorry I don’t
have a photo, Optima asked that I not show any pictures until they complete
their advertising campaign.
Shoe review courtesy of new NERC member - April
B. Luff
For more information check out April’s blog here
