These lugs are made of high-density rubber and should hold up well as they are where the brunt of the wear is focused. The Motion has four such lugs that stick out and give rise to the Action/Reaction technology that Newton is known for. When looking at the sole of any Newton shoe, the lugs of the outersole are most striking. As a stability trainer, the Motion has a dual-density medial posting in the midfoot, which gives a very stable feel. When you lift your foot, the membrane releases energy, thereby giving you feeling of forward momentum.Ī section of the midsole, showing the actuator lugs This was definitely noticeable, as my foot falls felt more springy and less energy-absorbing and cushioned. The Action/Reaction technology relies on a very responsive high-rebound membrane, that when your foot lands on the ground, the lugs depress into the membrane. The midsole of the Motion boasts a biomechanical metatarsal sensor plate that allows your feet to “feel” the ground and respond appropriately. Chalk it up to the more natural running motion, but I could easily train in these shoes on a daily basis (if it weren’t for the ankle rubbing). Often running in shoes with such a small drop makes my Nike Pegasus-loving legs scream after workouts, begging for their normal 12mm. The heel-to-toe drop of the Newton Motion is 3mm, but when walking around in these shoes you will swear you are leaning backwards with a negative drop. My previous Newtons never gave me this problem, so I don’t attribute it to any general design flaw, but unfortunately my anatomy won’t allow me to enjoy these performance trainers any longer. Each time I had difficulty, ranging from mild discomfort to more bloody socks. I let the initial injury heal and then tried running in different temperatures, sock thicknesses, and distances. (I had such bad bruising on my ankle after one 50-miler that I was forced to wear only flip flops for a week.)ĭespite my history, I hoped these shoes just needed some breaking in and the ankle collar might soften and mold to my low ankle. Unfortunately this was not my first encounter with this type of injury God has given me ankles that require a shoe with a very low ankle collar, and even then I sometimes have problems on long runs. I guess my excitement over the new shoes(and possibly the numbing cold) had covered over the injury during my run. But when I took them off, I was in for a disappointment: the outside of my ankle was rubbed raw and had soaked my sock with blood. When I arrived home, I was very positive about the shoe and was looking forward to many future runs.
Again I was pleased with its responsiveness and light weight.Īt 9.3 ounces, I envisioned wearing the Motion for tempos, intervals, or even as a race shoe. But future runs in warmer weather proved to have the same feel.ĭespite my cushioning concerns, I decided to tack on a 3 mile tempo to my initial run to get a feel for the shoe at a faster pace. This also meant the shoes soles felt somewhat stiff,which initially made me wonder if the cold morning run had frozen the foam soles. I do love my cushioning in a running shoe, and the responsive action meant some of the dampening that I’m used to was lost. This excitement, however, also came at a cost. It really did seem that some energy from my step was returned in my rebound! (I don’t think I’d go so far as to say “trampoline” like Newton claims, but certainly a noted spring.) On the run, I was pleased to experience the responsive boost with each strike.
Fortunately though, these shoes weren’t meant for walking once you begin to run, the awkward feeling fades away as your foot adjusts to the intended midfoot strike. Walking around, the shoes feel similar to a cycling shoe with a cleat attached to the midfoot.
When they arrived I was already laced up and ready for a run in my usual Nike Pegasus, but immediately donned the Newton Motions and headed out for a cold but easy 5 miles.Īs I remembered from my previous Newtons,the Action/Reaction TM lugs initially take some getting used to. So I was excited to try the Motion, a stability performance trainer. I have owned Newton shoes before and enjoyed their lightweight responsiveness.