Newton Sir Isaac

The marketing and hype flying around the award-gobbling Newton shoes has so far left me – unlike thousands of others – feeling somewhat lukewarm, but I felt I needed to give this new model the impartial once over to see what the fuss was about.

The Isaacs are aimed at runners who want to move into the mid-forefoot running scene without the full-on move to the current Newton range, which could be a little harsh on the less technical runner. Newton has done this by bevelling the heel and toe, thus helping transition to the forefoot, and smoothing off their forefoot ‘lugs’ for easier transition through the stride.

Initial impressions are good – even though ‘beefed up’ they remain relatively light and agile. The feel on the road is, to put it bluntly, a strange sensation. It’s a light, fast-feeling shoe that almost forces you to get on your toes and put a spring in your step. These shoes really do make you focus on form, with a forefoot strike their main requirement. But, as great as this may be for your efficiency and biomechanics, it can’t be jumped straight into, even with the Sir Isaac.

After 30-40 minutes you feel the burn, and the forefoot lugs that rise you off the ground start to feel a little unstable. As a result, this tended to emphasise some slight overpronation as my foot compressed into the foot-strike. That said, if you slowly progress into this particular style of running, this new shoe will be a massive success when it comes to getting us all up on our toes.

Contact : Triathlon Consultants Ltd 0118 934 6799 www.newtonrunning.co.uk