Last fall, I was heartbroken to learn that I had a serious injury that would prevent me for running for a while. It would keep me from running the Marine Corp Marathon and the Bourbon Chase; I had planned to run both races for nearly a year. I suffered a stress fracture in my left foot 18 months prior to that which lingered on for months, all because I had failed to heed the advice of my Doctor. I was angry and upset and wanted someone to blame other than myself. In a lot of cases of accidental injury, there is someone at fault and you could contact a personal injury lawyer to see if you have a claim. If you have ever suffered an injury as a result of an accident which wasn’t your fault, you may want to consider contacting someone before it’s too late. To learn more about personal injury lawyers and how they can help you, check out this website. However, in my case, I had nobody to blame but myself. I hadn’t followed my Doctor’s advice, I wasn’t warming up and down properly and I wasn’t wearing the right shoes. I don’t think I even knew that certain apparel could hinder my performance! I was tempted to get more info about apparel styles and what clothes and shoes are best for running but then I totally forgot and continued using the bits I already had, causing more issues. That was a tough pill to swallow, but I got there in the end.

This new injury involved my left hip and I decided that I was going to strictly abide by my doctor’s instructions. This time around I was a little over protective. I didn’t run or exercise all winter, and when I did start back I struggled because I was more than a few pounds heavier. I had two goals: to loose the weight I gained and to get back to my previous exercise endurance levels.

What is the most important piece of gear for a new or experienced runner? The proper shoe can help prevent injury and accidents, and enhance run times. I knew from previous experience that an ill-fitting or wrong running shoe can irritate an injury. I live in a rural part of Kentucky, and the majority of my runs are done on trails ranging from paved, gravel, dirt, and grass. The Mizuno Wave Kazan has been one of the best trail running shoes that I have tried. The soles and treads are suitable for any surface, and they transition seamlessly from trail to trail.

The Kazan is incredibly light; the women’s shoe weighs 8oz and the men’s version 9.5oz. It is incredibly versatile and I am unafraid to #BlazeNewTrails when wearing it. One of my biggest fears while trail running is falling or stumbling due to uneven terrain; the traction on the Kazan helps to ease that worry. The shoes have a 12mm ramp.

The very unique thing I found about the Wave Kazan is that its treads do not make them heavy or cumbersome; the shoe is flexible even with the heavily treaded bottom. Many other trail running shoes feel “clunky” but these are very comfortable. If you examine my photo of the sole of the Wave Kazan you can see that the forefoot and heel can move independently.

Since I had a stress fracture in my foot previously, I value shoes that provide proper support. The Wave Kazan has a nice overall feel. The Wave Technology acts as a stabilizer promoting a smoother foot strike. I haven’t noticed any foot soreness or tenderness since I started wearing the Wave Kazan.

I found that the Kazan runs true to size. The color pattern on my pair is fun, and the yellow stripe helps keep me visible in the woods. The laces have good grip so I am not constantly retying my shoe.

Here is a great video about the making of the Wave Kazan from two time Olympian Michael Aish.