Switch to Newtons?
I purchased a pair of Newtons while @ IMWI 2.5 weeks ago (using Brooks for the last 2-3 years). I don't think I'm a heel striker so I was a little hesitant ,but couldn't resist with all the flash at the Expo. What's the best way to switch over? Should I follow the Newton advice and just run ~ 1 mile the first few times and increase slowly or is there a better way? It's a bit of a nuisance to come back home, change shoes and run 1-2 more miles! Also, should one expect pain or discomfort after switching (I haven't had any). Lastly, have folks been happy with switcing to Newtons? Thanks 
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Newtons come up a few times in this thread (which is a great thread from an overall "transitioning" perspective as well):
Pros: Feels great and last "forever"
Cons: A pair of Newtons cost $290 in Norway!!!
Now I'm using Fastwitch5's to $85
I'm making that jump this off season as well. The advice I was given was to run a mile in them, probably at the end of a regular run, and then see how you feel the next day. If there is no soreness then add a mile on the next run. If there is soreness then wait until that has subsided before giving them another go for a mile. Start to add miles once you can do so without any soreness. Kind of like the EN way of thinking: Add the miles, or work, when you prove you can handle it.
The good news though, is that you shoukdl get sore long before you get hurt (meaning a real tendon its or something).. So take it easy...do it gradually as they (and other people here) suggest and listen to your legs to see if you are going great or need to slow down the transition. You will, in all likelihood, be very happy once it's finished.
I wasn't really pleased with my Newtons. I have only about 75 miles on mine and the soles look like they've had way more miles than that. I was restricted due to available size to the Sir Isaac Wide. Could it be weight that affected the longevity of the shoe?
I found that the New Balance 890 is lighter and has more cushion for those later miles in the marathon.
Sam
@Geir, you need a shoe mule!
I love my Newtons...I own 3 pairs so I can rotate them, and I have retired another 2 pairs. I do run in other shoes on occasion, such as the K-Swiss K-onas (which I really like), but, my Newtons really are my favorites. Once you adapt to them, they really are great.
Regarding the 'how long do they last?' question...no longer than any other shoes is my experience. That is why I rotate my shoes - nothing makes one pair lasts longer than other pairs to share the work with.
Newtons end to derive a love/hate relationship with people - you are likely to end up in one camp or the other.
The front of the lugs wears down within 30-50 miles, and then the whole front wears slowly down from there. The key thing is that there's not really any significant "foam" to get all compacted. You just have to make sure there's enough sole left. That's the big difference between them and conventionally cushioned shoes. You CAN tell by looking if they are still good. :-)
As a side note, I just got a pair of the MV2 shoes. Three quick items:
- love the full width lugs. This helps a LOT with the well known issues of tight turn instability with the Gravities
- BELIEVE THEM WHEN THEY SAY TO GET ONES HALF A SIZE UP. I wear a 10.5 in most shoes, and an 11.0 in the Gravities. I could wear an 11.0 in MV2, but they would be *pretty tight* in the toe box. I am wearing 11.5 (I ordered an 11.0 and 11.5...had planned to return one, but my son stole the smaller pair....)
- If you've been using Gravities, expect a similar kind of "transition" period from the Gravity to the MV2 because they are ZERO drop. For me, it's mid-calf where the somewhat new strain is. I'm hoping to get to the point where I can use the Gravities for long runs and the MV2s for 10 mi and shorter...then just figure it out for race day.
It looks like everybody has it fairly well covered, so I was going to leave this thread alone, but I can't help myself.
For all of you thinking of switching to Newtons or Vff, don't downplay how much you need to TAKE IT SLOWLY.
I'm not talking about phasing them in over the course of a month...it takes longer.
I've always been a midfoot strike & last offseason I decided I wanted to be a more forefoot strike & Newtons made sense to me.
I started to work them in over the course of a few weeks for transition runs when I started the OS last year. I started by throwing them on for the 2nd half of a short run, then for transition runs, then into mid-mileage runs, all over the course of a month or two. I stretched as much as I possibly could.
I was having a really hard time with both my achilles, they were inflamed & wouldn't stretch, & they hurt. I stretched, iced, etc. Soon enough the pain made it's way up to my medial calf, about half way up = shin splints. Went to PT, was told to ditch Newtons instantly, and spent the next 12 weeks in physical therapy, all while not able to run.
Long story short, you need to be careful, and I think you need to have a pretty good reason why it's a valid shoe choice for you, don't just buy a gallon of KoolAid b/c you like the colors.
The majority of you (us) are used to running in shoes that have a significant heel. But more importantly, we are accustomed to running in shoes that have a 10-15mm heel-toe drop. Your achilles has had no need to ever lengthen any farther, and those are tough, load-bearing fibers just like your IT Band. So when you move into Newtons (4mm drop), your achilles needs to stretch markedly further than it ever has before. Add in the Newton lugs, and you are looking at a 0mm or even negative drop. You do the math...it's alot of strain on your legs.
Some people can get away with it. Some people end up loving them. For the majority of us, we need to be beyond conservative when making the switch.
I learned my lesson & I'll never Newton again.
Proceed with caution...
-Ed
Ed,
I read your post and I just couldn't help myself.
I agree with what you wrote 100%. Ironically, I was one of those people who did take is ever so slowly in adapting to the Newtons. It started with easy, flat track workouts and gradually built over an entire season. I was a heel striker and a bad one at that. It was tough adjusting to the shoes and my ankles ached. However, I stuck with them and ended up running an IM in them with zero pain. All was well and good in Newton world...then....
I did IM Hawaii last year and took quite a bit of time off. I had 3 years of Newton running under my belt (and a lot of Newton $$'s too)!When I was mentally ready to start running again (oh, about February), I flipped on my Newtons for a short 5K jog. I came back with excrutiating pain in the back of my heel. I figured it was from laziness, never once questioned the shoes. The pain got worse, I took time off from running. It would get better after a week or two, then I'd run again and be back to square one. This went on for 3 months.
One day, sadly after a close friends Shiva, I just had to go running to clear my head. I was too lazy to change out of the Saucony's I had on and just went out for an easy run. When I got home, I soon realized that I just ran an easy 5K with no pain. The only thing that had changed....were my shoes. I've been running in Saucony's for about 3 months now with no pain. The Newton's are sitting on the shelf!
I loved them while they worked for me and I must have reverted back to heel striking a bit, but either way I have no pain and that is all tha matters. Not sure if I will take the time to make the transition back to them or not. I'm just happy to be "up and running" again.
Monika
Right now my biggest limiter is probably that I'm not running much. Mostly I've been wearing them around but what little running I've done it's been with the Newtons. So far I'm up to 30min with no soreness so I'm planning on 45min this Friday. We'll see.