Article by Jonathan Hammond
Fresh back from one of my hardest interval sessions and I have nothing but praise for my new Saucony Grid Fastwitch 3 running trainers. I can now see why they’re so popular and why almost any running shop you walk into will tell you that the Saucony Grid Fastwitch 3’s are one of their top selling shoes.
I’d been looking for a lightweight tempo and interval training shoe and race shoe that would last for more than a handful of runs before falling apart but hadn’t quite found the right shoe. As a forefoot runner, I look for flexibility in the shoe aswell as needing some support. My left foot has a history of over pronation, which is now minimised by my forefoot running style but when I fatigue, over speed and/or distance, it needs a little bit of support. I’ve found it hard to find the right balance where there’s flexibility in the forefoot of a running trainer plus some support, with many shoes providing too much support/motion control, which I find can restrict the natural flexing and push-off motion of the foot. The first thing I noticed when I subjected the Fastwitch to my ‘flex’ test (bending the forefoot of the shoe back) was how incredibly flexible the forefoot area of the shoe is… my coach and I have not seen anything quite like it. The shoe also has some medial support (the grey area in the middle section of the shoe, on the medial side) but has nowhere near as much chunky grey rubber as so many other lightweight supportive shoes I’ve tried. So fingers crossed, I hoped that the Fastwitch was going to be the shoe I was looking for.
It’s always an exciting but slightly apprehensive moment when you first take a new pair of running trainers out of the box and slip them onto your feet… before you’ve even stood up, you can pretty much tell if they’re going to fit and feel right for your foot. The Saucony’s are possibly, no definately, the most comfortable running trainer I’ve tried on to date. They instantly fit your foot like a glove, with a lovely soft ankle grip that adds to the snug sensation and almost makes the shoes feel like a pair of slippers. But, make no mistake, the Fastwitch is a serious performance running shoe.
Marketed as a lightweight racing shoe, I’d read some reviews that said that the Fastwitch’s don’t last very long as the sole of the shoe is made from a soft rubber, which deteriorates quite quickly. I’d experienced this before with other lightweight racing shoes but unless you’re Michael Johnson or have an army of sponsors behind you, shoes that last for a handful of races are not an economical solution.
So it was time to put them to the test…
I did a one mile warm up in the shoes mid week and they instantly felt light, fast, responsive and comfortable. So when it came to my interval session this morning, I couldn’t wait to really give the shoes a chance to perform and boy did they do the job. Running 6 min/mile pace 5 min, 6 min, 7 min, 8 min and 9 min intervals, the Fastwitch’s were a dream… I could feel the ground beneath my feet (which I love) but had enough cushioning under my forefoot for it not to hurt and the flexibility of the shoe for the forefoot push off was fantastic. As I started to fatigue and my left foot began to ‘collapse into mild pronation’, the simple support gave me just the right amount of support without restricting the push-off motion I needed to maintain speed and form. They’re very quick but don’t feel quite as quick as the Brooks T6 racers but I get the sense that I could train and race further in them… I’ve found there’s often a trade off between the speed of a shoe and how far you can run in them before you fatigue.
Getting back from the run and looking at the sole of the shoes, they’re already showing signs of wear in the area where I strike with the forefoot but they look like they’ll last for more than a handful of tempo & interval training sessions and races. I’ve read reviews of people wearing them for 300 miles of running and still good to go… time will tell.
At £59.99 (with many deals on the web to be found for this popular shoe) the Fastwitch is great value for money. Many people use them for 5K, 10K, half marathon and even Marathon/Ironman races. I think I’ll probably end up using them as a quick lightweight supportive trainer for tempo and interval training plus half marathons and hilly 10k’s, where I need a bit more support. But you never know, if I post a PB in them in training, they could certainly end up becoming a 5K & 10K race favourite.
Now a Saucony Fastwitch convert, I can’t wait to check out the Saucony Fastwitch 4 out Spring 2010 – check out this Grid Fastwitch 4 video review from Saucony at Runner’s Warehouse.
… do you love the Saucony Fastwitch 3 as much as we do, or have you had a different experience? We’d love to hear what you think.
Rating: 8/10
Pros: Great value for money, lightweight and extremely comfortable running trainers. We’ve found them ideal for interval training, track, sprint and olympic distance Triathlons, and 5K and 10K races.
Cons: From our experience, the soles can become worn quite quickly.
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