Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The Day Mizuno Responded To My Brazen Advances

Has there ever been a time in your life when you've pursued someone shamelessly?  I know I have.  I have...almost no shame.  It never hurts to ask, right?

I remember one time in college when I had a crush on some dude who was studying abroad.  He came back to visit between his two semesters abroad.  The last night he was there, I professed my love, telling him he "Would be hard pressed to find anyone better for him than me."  

My crush stared back at me blankly and said "Uh.  You know I'm going back to Argentina for another semester".

source

Clearly he didn't agree with my statement that I was his soulmate.  I got sad but it ended up ok.
It doesn't always work out, does it?  But sometimes...sometimes...it just does.


The Mizuno Story

I've been a huge fan of Mizuno running shoes for many years.  To say I've spent thousands of dollars on their shoes throughout the years is no exaggeration.  I like the firm ride, the wide toe box, and the fact that I haven't gotten injured wearing them ever.  I own three different models, the Ronin (racer), the Elixir (lightweight trainer), and the Inspire (stability).

I also love the company.  While I have zero insight on how they operate, I know they've got nice people in charge.  On a whim back in 2010, I emailed the President of Mizuno Running, just to tell him that I loved the shoes and wanted to know a little more about the company.  The dude emailed me back a very thoughtful email and answered all of my questions in detail.   He clearly spent time on it.  Not bad for a busy executive interacting with a stranger.  


A few weeks back, I decided I'd brazenly email Mizuno again to tell them I had a blog and wanted to get more involved with their brand.  They flirted with me once, why not again, right?  After I emailed them, I got a note saying that they'd forwarded my note the marketing department.   I figured I'd get lost in the shuffle and never hear from them again.

But imagine my surprise when one fine morning, I got these tweets:


Mizuno wanted to talk with me!  No unrequited love!!   They said they'd love to get me more involved with them, which pretty much made me the happiest person ever.  And now I have some awesome new shoes and clothes to try out!  Here's what they sent me:

The Inspire 8 (review here).

The Wave Musha (stability racers! review here).


And some new clothes:

I haven't tried either of the shoes (I got them tonight), so I can't review them yet, but I am especially excited to try the new model of the Inspire as it is supposed to be a great update.  As for the clothes, I know I'm going to like the shirt and shorts because they have simple styling that aligns with the way I dress normally.  The sizing is also good for me, because their stuff runs small and also appears to work for someone petite with boobs and hips (uh yeah that's me).

Bottom line, I'm really excited to work with Mizuno in whatever capacity I can.  Frankly, I thought I'd have to be an elite to ever have anyone from a running company talk with me.  I guess you just have to love the product and have a blog with a lot of MS Paint and Picnik edits!  What a dream come true.

So I guess...it never hurts to ask.  Even if that dude from college didn't love me back, my favorite shoe company did.  And let's be honest.  I care way more about the shoes.

30 comments:

  1. Ahhhh Rice :). I actually was going to ask you the other day if you knew what happened to him? Can you talk with the marketin ppl ? I don't quite understand Musha? What does that word mean?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. haha. I don't know what happened to him really - haven't spoken in a couple years. I believe he's a lawyer for the military and got married a year or two ago.

      No idea what the Musha is. If I remember I'll ask for you ;-).

      Delete
    2. Christina - Musha in Japanese stands for a battle ready Samurai. One that is decked out in his armor as well as focused on the fight that is about to come!
      ~Lori Ann, Social Media Manager, Mizuno

      Delete
  2. "I like the firm ride" - yeah, baby!

    Ha! Sorry. My husband's brain momentarily took over. If I had said that about shoes he would have some something to that effect. Or "Yeah you do!" Men and their one track minds.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. haha. Not just you. I thought that as I was typing it. But left it in :).

      Delete
    2. On a more serious note, I love Mizuno's styling and it seems like their shoes hold up really well with lots of miles. I just can't seem get over the cushioning that seems too firm to me. But maybe it's just the Precisions that were not the right fit for me. Perhaps other Mizuno trainers are not so hard-feeling.

      Delete
    3. chacha (can't get enough of that name ;) - Thanks for your kinds words! And you are right in saying they have less cushion. We know do, but that is simply how we make our shoes with 'the best for the runner' in mind. Check out this video for our explanation: http://youtu.be/0vb349eC5ek
      ~Lori Ann, Social Media Manager, Mizuno

      Delete
  3. The Mushas are AWESOME. This is the first year they've had a women's-specific model, which is pretty exciting. While I guess technically they're flats, I've been doing a few runs in them each week and wouldn't hesitate to wear them for longer runs. I think Mizuno has finally gotten it right with some of their updates, too, which is great - I was disappointed with the previous updates to the Inspire (why I switched to the Elixir) but they seem to have turned it around pretty nicely now. Always fun to find another Mizuno-wearer!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree that the new updates seem really good. I actually didn't mind the Inspire7, but the inspire 8 feels way better. I can't wait to try the Musha.
      Yes, nice to meet you too!!! - Margot

      Delete
  4. Argh, I've been lusting over the Mushas for weeks. How do you like them so far?

    I currently do track workouts in Kinvaras, but I need more stability. I am thisclose to forking over my debit card.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. (sorry i'm under anon bc I'm at work).
      I haven't tried the Mushas yet so all I can tell you is that they are cute :).

      Honestly I think I will keep them solely as a racer and not a workout shoe. For me, there's something special about racing in a different shoe. Have you considered the Elixir? They have been great for my speedwork.
      - Margot

      Delete
  5. I heart Mizunos! Ever since I switched to running in Wave Riders I haven't (knock on wood) had a single foot, hip, leg issue. YES! Finally!

    Congrats girl- in the end the shoes ALWAYS win.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. glad you love them too! Hope they keep workin' for ya :)

      Delete
  6. That's so cool!!! Way to go! :)
    Enjoy your new free shoes!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love me some mizunos. way better than dudes in argentina.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now if they could make the argentina version of mizunos...;)

      Delete
  8. Congrats on getting to try out some new gear. I've run in Mizuno's then I switched to Brooks. But I've been missing the Mizunos and I just purchased another pair. They are waiting for me at home. I went back to the Wave Rider. It's always been a good all around shoe. Those Mushas look sweet!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! yeah I feel like Mizuno makes a good all-around shoe in general. Never tried brooks actually (except in like 2002)

      Delete
  9. Cool new stuff! Good for you for being persistent…your tenacity pays off both on the road and in your emailing :) of course they'd be interested in working with you…you are awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  10. The black and red tee looks like something the Hunger Games tributes would wear in the arena if the games included a race.

    I wore Mizunos for a year and then the high ankle/heel cut up my ankles during last year's LA Marathon. Like Dolly, I switched to Brooks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha. Haven't seen the movie yet, but even from the trailers / books I can totally see that.

      Glad you found something that works better for you. I've heard other people mention the ankle issue but I've never had it myself. Guess it just depends on where your ankle is actually located :).

      Delete
  11. I love the hard pressed story. Always reminds me that many men are hard pressed to find better ppl than us. Too bad they often dont realize it.

    I love the colors on the shoes! Seriously--awesome reviews for stylin.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The hard pressed story always makes me happy! And yes. WE ARE THE BEST ANYONE WILL EVER DO =). haha.

      Delete
  12. That's awesome! NEVER kills to try. I'll be interested to hear your reviews. I usually prefer more cushion, but I would definitely be open to trying something new.

    ReplyDelete
  13. That is hysterical about the guy who study abroad in Argentina! HA! Congratulations on the new relationship :) I LOVE Mizunos!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love this! What a wonderful company, those shoes are beautiful!
    Nice work, enjoy all your new beautiful running gear.
    -M

    ReplyDelete
  15. That is SO awesome! Congratulations on your budding relationship with Mizuno! AND it goes to show you - that it can never hurt to ask!

    ReplyDelete
  16. That's incredible news! Congrats. Too bad the crush story didn't end the same way!

    ReplyDelete