I think I bought magic sneakers! Today’s training called for five miles, which I’ve done a hundred times, or so it seems.  But unlike all of those other times when I started at a 10 minute pace and gradually worked my way towards a slower pace, plateauing around an 11:30 pace, I was flying (for me) tonight.  In my new sneakers I was able to consistently run a 9:30 pace for the whole five miles.  I love love love it and give my Mizuno full credit!  It also may have helped that five miles is shorter than twenty, but that’s irrelevant right now.

Before I ran tonight I was thinking about running sneakers and the mottos behind a few brands.  I’m a big fan of mottos/mantras/catch phrases that I can repeat over in my head to motivate myself to either get out there for a run or to continue running once I’ve already committed to it for the day.  So when a sneaker company has a good motto it definitely makes me take a second look.  I may be a sucker for marketing/advertising, but these things just really stick with me.

What got me thinking about sneaker company mottos initially was the fact that I most likely will not buy Nike sneakers for running.  I love the way Nike sneakers look but the last time I wore them for anything longer than a mile run I got shin splints and don’t have time to go down that avenue again.  What disappoints me most though is their motto, “Just Do It,” seems so fitting for the type of runner that I am.  Until I started this blog I would sign up for a marathon, not train and wake up the morning of the race and “just do it.”  Something tells me that wasn’t what Nike had in mind, but regardless, it has a motivating sentiment that really sticks with me.  Nike also added a new slogan, “Run Stronger,” when they came out with their Nike Free Run + Sneakers.  I like it- it’s simple- and this commercial is adorable– but no Nikes for me.

As I have been a dedicated Asics customer, I know they have come up with a few great mantras.  For a long time it was “A sound mind in a sound body,” and most recently they have adopted the mantra “Stop at Never.”  Love both of these- completely agree with the concepts- but I’m taking a break from Asics.

Finally, I had to find out what Mizuno’s motto was since I found my new (and apparently magic) shoe.  So out of curiosity, I pulled up their website to find that their motto is “Never Settle.”  UNBELIEVABLE!!! This has been a motto that I have loved since high school and it reminds me of a lot of my friends.  I can’t think of anything more motivating than this motto, so finding out that Mizuno agreed made this sneaker selection seem like fate.  When I first started running I made a shirt with writing ironed on in reverse so that when you wear it and look in the mirror it reflects back at you and reads “Never Settle, Never Settle, Never Settle…”  Needless to say, I’m quickly falling in love with this company and my new sneakers. 

I missed out on the Myspace pic tutorial back in the day- but I needed to provide evidence