Hoka Mafate & Stinson shoes

I've just dropped a pair of Hoka Mafates back in the post to Castleberg Outdoors, a 2-week loan pair that Castleberg can provide if, like me, you really can't believe the positive coverage these shoes receive.

Long story short, I'd made my mind up within 2 runs, and have bought a pair of Stinsons.

For more details.......
My Lakeland 50 buddy, Michael, had already shown what his Hoka-shod feet could do, by leaving me in a cramped-up state and legging it to set a more-than reasonable time. (It's all right, I told him to leave me!)
After the event I gave in to the urge to try these new super-shoes, only put off by the almost unwavering positive comment about them on the web. They can't be that good can they?

A pair of Mafates duly arrived from Castleberg, who didn't have a loan pair of Stinsons. James from Castleberg selected a size 10 for me; I wear a size 9 Inov-8 Roclite 295s at present, which James test fitted himself, and then checked the Mafates against.
They were a spot-on fit, although the laces came up a little too high to be comfortable and took some adjustment to get just right. This didn't bother me greatly since the Stinsons have a different lacing mechanism anyway.

First run was my local 3 mile loop, on road, with a gentle uphill section, a bit of rolling up/ down, and then a steeper downhill all the way back home.
Running the up section did nothing much for me. I was trying to weigh up the Mafates as worth 30% more than my Roclites, and they weren't cutting it. Onto the up/ downs and flattish section, and I'm beginning to see the point of them.
Then we're going downhill....
Suddenly I'm flying, impact feels very low, I can really push on without discomfort, perhaps they are worth 30% more after all?

A couple of days later came the real epiphany.
I left Liz & the kids walking along the rocky track that runs along the southern side of Ennerdale Water, and ran ahead intending to turn round when I'd done an hour or so.
There's a bit of quite steep up and down, followed by some flattish/ gentle ups & downs, and I was flying along, when it occurred to me that I was really, really enjoying my run. In a way that I haven't for ages - recently running has been a bit of a chore, a bit of paying my dues for the next ultra.
This felt great - good pace, great scenery, and the little gremlin in my head that usually mutters at me to slow down was even enjoying it too.

Hard on the heels of this moment of bliss came the realisation that I was running on hardcore.
Real proper builders rubble, fist-sized and bigger blocks of stone, and I'm running at pace, and enjoying it.

That was decision made. Shoes that let you maintain speed over such terrain are worth the garish graphics, the Tweenie-boots look, and the price.


I'll post an update once the Stinsons are broken-in, and when I've done a decent distance in them. So far so good.....