Saucony Pro Grid Jazz 13

I got some new running shoes in the post today! These are a pair of Saucony Pro Grid Jazz 13's and will replace my worn out Asics Gel Stratus 2's which may have been the cause of the pain in my left foot heal which is plantar fasciitis.

This is only the second time I have ever bought Saucony running shoes but these shoes suit my running foot gait which is a high arch neutral foot with some underpronation. I once before had a pair of Saucony MC5's but they were worn out after 356 miles which I didn't think was great value.

I tend to buy on line as there are very few decent stores which sell running shoes locally. Buying on line is also a far better deal if you know what you want but a first time runner buying shoes should always go into a store and have their running gait analysed.

I also bought my shoes for the first time from a company called startfitness.co.uk.  They offered the best price and free postage. They also came with some free More Mile London Running Socks. When I opened the box today there was also a free Running Diary which has a year's page to record runs along with training schedules for 10km and pace charts. Very handy and a nice touch by the company.

The marketing scientific blurb on the shoe includes:-

has been named "Best Buy" by Runner's World UK in their Spring 2010 shoe Guide. The reviewers "praised the plush heel cushioning" explaining "they felt properly fitted fresh from the box - there were no uncomfortable seams and they didn't need wearing in".

Great responsive cushioning using heel progrid, an SRC Impact Zone to soften landings and HRC in the forefoot for a smooth toe-off. An air mesh upper provides lightweight breathability. The ProGrid Jazz 13 comes in men's sizes 7 - 12 and 13, and women's sizes 4-9.



What I can tell you is that once they arrived within an hour I was out of the door on an 11 mile run to give them a test drive. What I immeadiately noticed was how light and comfortable they felt. There was no rough seams or edges. Often with new shoes I find them a bit to rigid and springy and I feel the support bounces me off the road until they are worn in.

These shoes immediately felt comfortable which is great. The doubt that passed through my mind was how long will they last. As they feel light perhaps I will wear them out quickly. Time will tell.

The shoe colour blue and yellow may not be everyones cup of tea. They are certainly bright but I like them. I don't tend to buy shoes based on their colour.

For my run today I did an 11 miler and my splits were

8.25,8.13,8.35,9.01,8.34,8.33,8.32,8.27,8.39,8.29 and 8.59 Total 1.34.22 for the 11 miles.

So a good start to these shoes.