First Run Hoka Infinite – RunLog 6-5-17

Another first run in a pair of running shoes, but this was one that I needed. I decided that while I will keep the Nike Vomero 11’s in my active rotation until they are done, that I wouldn’t re-order that style again, due to the toe box being right on the borderline of being too narrow.

After a bit of thinking and research this is the direction I decided to go.

Back in 2015 I really liked everything about the Hoka Clifton 1’s, except the narrow toe box – I had three pair. Then with all the reports coming in that the Hoka Infinite’s had a great toe box, well they really piqued my interest, but I never got a chance to try a pair on and the price had never been at a point that I felt comfortable experimenting with Hoka’s again.

Running Warehouse had the Infinite’s on sale recently for $49.95 and the 10% off discount code from Road Trail Run worked. Which meant with Father’s Day coming up, well I had to get them a try.

My experiences with Hoka in the past told me that I would need to size up, so I went for a size 9.0. That was a mistake and less than three minutes after opening the box they were on their way back.

I ordered the size 8.0’s and when I tried them on today, nice fit. Not perfect, but the Hoka Infinite size 8 in their D-width, fits my weirdly shaped feet, better than the Nike Vomero 11 or the Saucony Glide 9 in EE-width. I really believe that the straight last makes a big difference, compared to the semi-curved last of those two (or at least what I think when I look at those three shoes).

So how did they do?

I prefer to run in new shoes on the treadmill, that way I can stop if they start to cause a blister, strange aches, pain or whatever. I can just walk to the locker and change to a pair of shoes that I know won’t hurt my feet to finish the workout.

I wasn’t sure how the Infinite’s would be, so planned on doing a progression workout for 30 minutes.

• 5:00 minutes @7.0
• 5:00 minutes @7.1
• 5:00 minutes @7.2
• 5:00 minutes @7.6
• 5:00 minutes @7.7
• 1:00 minute @ 8.1
• 1:00 minute @ 8.2
• 1:00 minute @ 8.3
• 2:00 minutes @ 8.6

It was a good test of how the Infinite’s would handle different paces and how my body would react to them.

The Hoka Infinite’s did what I wanted.

They were:

• comfortable
• quiet
• let me run
• didn’t bother my left PF/Heel/Achilles
• felt light

I was surprised with the good manners the Hoka Infinte’s had during the first run. They didn’t bother my right foot and I didn’t sound like I was pounding the belt. Everything was very smooth feeling and I think they will stretch a little to form fit around my feet pretty quickly.

All I can say is that it was a good first run.

Oh yeah, now I supposed to put them away until Father’s Day, but we will see on that. I also went to TJ Maxx and got a package of running socks to see if they are part of the solution that the ones that I have now are not. A thin cotton/poly blend, that does not have any compression to them and they seem to fit comfortably. We will see in the morning.