I've been wondering about these! Let us know what you think tomorrow.

They had an expo at FL 70.3 as well, and a lot of people picked up a pair. As I would see them on the run (which was muddy and got their nice neon shoes dirty) I wuold ask how they felt, most of which just grunted or said they couldn't notice a difference - probably because they were running on fumes at that point anyways. That being said, I ran around in them for a while and they do feel like they could help especially in the forefoot running comfort. I think its one of those things that makes the really fast a little fast and the rest of us get a boost from confidence and good looks.

INITIAL RUN REVIEW

"Preceptions vs. Realities"

Run Data- 1:00:00, 8.38 miles, 7:08 pace, 148HR
My run this morning in the Newtons was on a rec path along a canal her near my office. It is very flat, with a few short, steep up and downs into pedestrian tunnels to cross under a few roads. My heart rate is at the high end of my aerobic training zone, so from an effort standpoint, this is my normal exertion for a 60min run.

The first 2 miles in the Newtons felt very different, but not as I had expected. They felt much less cushioned than my Nike Haywards and somewhat stiff and flat. I did not feel any sense of forward assist from the lug system in the forefoot, although I'm not sure why I thought I would. I concentrated on maintaining a high 80-90 cadence and ran without my iPod so I could listen to my feet. When I run, I always try and land lightly and immediately scrap my foot back propelling me forward. If I can hear that slight scraping sound, I know I am imparting momentun forward and not wasting it by bouncing up. As I am not a heel striker by nature, so the running on my toe's concept is something I always try and do, so again the shoe's positioning wasn't noticeabley different. My initial perception was that I wasn't running as fast as I thought.

As the run progressed and I warmed up and lossened up, things began to change. First was when I came to the first pedestrian underpass. These shoes feel great running down hill. Suddenly the shoe geometry really kicked in for me and keeping my stride short, your turnover increases and you can really fly down a hill with less pounding caused by making the mistake of overstriding the downhills. Then when it came time to climb back up to the path.....OH MY GOD! These shoe's are a revolution in hill climbing! It has never felt so effortless climbing. Suddenly I was really up on my toes and I absolutley flew up the hill. Now, I run hills all the time and consider myself a strong hill climber but this felt profoundly different in a very good way.

As I came into the last 2 miles, I began to be able to put it all together. What I preceived as flat and less cushioned was actually me completely eliminating any bounce in my stride. Sometimes I think I can fool myself into thinking I'm moving quickly when I start to get a little bouncey when in reality, I'm wasting time and energy moving up and down and not forward. The shoes were forcing me to push myself forward with every step. They felt very efficient in providing me with the correct mechanics to maintain good form and running economy. Whereas my initial perception was that I didn't feel that much different, the reality was that I was running very differently. Whereas before I porbably only held perfect form when I though about it, now it seemed I was doing it without the same mental effort and not slipping into old, bad habits.

Post run, my legs didn't feel as fatigued from the normal pounding of a good hard run. Again, I attribute this to the shoes preventing me from engaging in the poor form of bouncing too much. My quads and calves feel a little more tired as they have been engaged in a different way, but nothing very noticeable. I will be very curious to get out and run a more varied elevation run.

So my first impression is very favorable. $175 worth of favorable? More testing will tell. I will continue to update this thread, so keep an eye on it!

did you notice any difference in pace?

well, definitely keep the updates coming as you keep puting miles on them. I've been interested in these shoes for a while and there really doesn't seem to be a whole lot of unbiased info out there on them. I'll be interested to see what you think after some serious time in them.

I bought the "Distance" model which is sort of funny because they really are a racing flat...I'd be daft to use them on anything over 10K. Have been using them for road races and they seem fine. Very light but that also makes them flimsey. They don't seem anywhere near as durable as my old flats...and I'm suspect of the durability of the cushioning. Time will tell. I do seem to have a quicker turn over. I am stoked on the color, though...reminds me of 70's neon..

SECOND RUN REVIEW

"Does the Honeymoon Continue?"

Run Data- 1:00:00, 8.51 miles, 7:03 pace, 148HR
This run was a repeat of my last run on Tuesday, same route and same HR. My pace was better by :05/mile and I covered an additional .12miles in the same 1 hour. You know what that means? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!!! Way too many variables to draw any conclusions, both internal and external. Although my HR was the exact same, the temps were noticeably cooler and that alone can account for the pick up in pace. As I am a sample of one, it's going to take some time before I feel I can comment on weather or not these shoe's actually make me a faster runner.

Todays run started the same as Tuesday, the shoe's feel flat and my perception was that I was working hard yet my HR told a different tale. I think I can definately attribute this mis-perception on my part to the Newton's themselves. The lug acctuator system built under the forefoot is very different in design form my Nike Haywards. When I land on my forefoot in the Nike's, due to their relatively generour cushioning, there is a natural tendency to have an immediate recoil. That recoil wants to bounce you up but as long as you hold form and push backwrads, you impart momentum in the correct direction: forward. The Newton's, and I felt this in my first review, have no upward recoil. Instead, as per their own description, the lug system loads under pressure and release stored energy forward, which is good, but I don't feel it because I keep expecting my little Nike bounce!

As the run progressed, again I would check my cadence every 5-10min and was very steady at 90. As the miles wound down, again I became very aware that I felt very good technically and pretty fresh. It's been about 2 hours since I finished and I had a chance to stretch. My hamstrings felt a bit tighter than normal, and a bit in my glut's. I need to acclimate myself a bit with the shoe's, but I am also trying to be sensetive to any new ache's or oains which might flare up and to report them. These two runs are on a concrete rec path, and that always causes some soreness for me.

Long run this weekend out on the roads should be very interesting!

For me, they seem to run the same size as my Nike Haywards.

but who needs car keys when you have a bike right?:p

My bike lock key is on the key ring...duh! ;)

What about for a weak runner (7:30 pace on short course)? Would these shoes be a good option? I already have a brand/model of shoe that works well for me (no blisters, comfortable, etc) and would be nervous about changing although if it cut some time off my run I would be willing to take a chance.

MDD- I would keep doing exactly what you are doing. I think it's best to first learn proper form and then mess with the equiptment to fine tune.

sgeddes- Yes, this is the kindler, gentler thread! I have to admit, I do love battling over on ST with those guys. Never have so many who know so little gathered to say so much!

I liked running in the Newtons, but after about a month of running with them the lugs have worn down significantly. Pretty disappointing especially considering the cost. :(

I like that they are lite, but don't seem to have too much endurance. They are pretty comfortable - moreso since some of the lugs wore down, so that is probably counter-productive. I'm racing a HIM with them Sunday. I do not plan on getting a second pair.
I actually tried the Haywards, but they only go up to a size 12, so I am still kinda looking for a new shoe.