Saucony Mirage Update: 1

I have decided that I'm going to write updates every week about how I feel about the Saucony Mirage: how they are holding up, are they too supportive, are they not supportive enough, just my impressions of them as I train. I'm doing this because it's a new shoe and runners out there may want opinions about them before they buy it. I know I did and found little to no personal reviews about them from runners.


I am still recovering from an IT band injury so I have yet to log many miles in these shoes. I have ran maybe 12 miles in them thus far and only on the treadmill.

So, how are they working out?

Surprisingly well. I have only run in minimalist, low heel to toe drop ratio, lightweight trainers and racing flats since I began running. This was a change. I knew it would be. The Saucony Mirages are lightweight for a support shoe but I can still notice the extra weight from the shoes while I'm running. It's very noticeable. I am very happy that I bought these instead of the standard supportive shoe that is much heavier than the Mirage, I really don't think I could have dealt with that. I feel that I am running more evenly in these shoes. I have noticed that I am putting equal weight on each leg while I am running which is what I needed. I also notice the built in arch support, I think I notice it because Ive never ran in shoes with arch support before. I needed that support particularly for my right leg as much as I hate to admit it. Its only a slight support but it's still there. Also, my it band band pain is improving so I have definitely taken a shine to this pair of shoes.

Overall, so far so good!

Saucony Mirages or I spent more money I don't have

Today I went to Up and Running because my chiropractor said I might need shoes with more stability. She also called me flatfooted. HORRIFIED. I went there to have my foot/gait analyzed by someone who was knowledgable with running. To my sheer horror, the store employee suggested that I should probably use a stability shoe and brought out 3 pairs: one by Brooks, one by Mizuno and one by Saucony. I hated all of them. The employee saw the obvious disgust on my face. I asked him what was in the Saucony box, I can't remember the response. However, he asked me why I asked and if I had run in Saucony's before. I told him I had been interested in the Kinvaras. He then went over and grabbed a pair of the Saucony Mirages, which I had heard about recently since they were released this month. Okay, they were CUTE, but still in my eyes they were the devil. I thought it over. As a last ditch effort I grabbed a pair of the Brooks Cascadias off the shelf and asked "Could the Cascadia's be an option for stability, I mean I know they market them as neutral Trail shoes but they seem comparable, right??!"
Employee: "Those shoes are two completely different concepts."
Me: "I know, but I was just hoping."
I love Up and Running, its a great store and everyone who works there is very helpful.
Its just that...I never thought I would wear a stability shoe.
I only plan on using them until I get better. Ill probably use them during the Green Jewel 50k and the ORRRC marathon (since its a road race).

Saucony is marketing the Mirages as a cousin to the Kinvara with a heel/toe drop of 4mm. Honestly, it looks like more of a 6mm drop to me but I'm just eyeballing it in comparison to my New Balance WT 101s, Nike Frees and my Green Silences.

Speaking of my Green Silences, lately I've felt weird about them, mainly because I was wearing them when I initially injured my IT Band. A part of me wants to BURN them.

We'll see how these Mirages work out.