To Hoka or not to Hoka, that is the question… Or it seems to becoming a definite topic of intrigue and discussion around the runners’ campfire. I offer my own Hoka story in case it helps anyone with their next footwear purchase.
I myself fell into the Hoka revolution by mistake, and now I live content in a Hoka wonderland. 
It was after my first DNF in The Lakeland 100 in July 2012 that I first considered a new direction in footwear. The miles from around 70 to when I finally pulled out at mile 82 were agony for the soles of my feet, and this ended up being a large part of why I didn’t complete the race. Each step was pure agony, and when landing on rocks and stones the pain was sometimes so unbearable that it felt as if my legs would buckle beneath me. I considered for the first time that I needed more cushioning to protect me from this even happening again.
So I bought a pair of Hoka Mafate 2, and paid twice the amount I’d ever paid for running shoes. I bought them in time for UTMB and actually the race revealed to me exactly what had happened in Lakeland, and instantly what benefit the Hokas could provide.
With soaking feet from the start at UTMB as was the case in Lakeland, my feet fell apart again. This time I googled the situation though and it became obvious that on both occasions I’d been suffering from trench foot. So the footwear were not the problem at all, nothing can combat the impact of cold wet feet for in excess of 20 hours. The extra cushioning however, very much diminished the agony I was feeling towards the end of the race.
But anyway, enough about why I bought them, and more about the impact they’ve had on my running…
In the short time I’ve been a Hoka-ite I’ve won my first multi-day ultra event (The Thames Challenge) and I finished on the podium in Barcelona’s 24 Hour track race, gaining a place on Team GB’s 24 Hour World Championships team in May.
The Hokas have also shown to be no hinderance whatsoever in the shorter distances either. I managed to cruise to a super relaxed 3:09 marathon in Nice – Cannes (Mafate 2), only 6 minutes off my PB, and followed this up with a 3:08 (Stinson B) during Quadzilla Day 2, after running 3:13 the previous day.
It is now my intention of wearing my new Mafate 2s to attack in Atacama, and I’ll have no worries about wearing them or the Stinson B when I go for a new marathon PB (sub 3 hours) in Paris in April. The same will follow in The World Championships in Holland in May, and everything thereafter. Such is the flexibility of the Hoka that I would feel equally as comfortable wearing them in a 24 hour track race, a 100 mile trail race, or a tarmac infested half-marathon.
My one concern had been that I’d considered the Mafate 2 not trail enough for certain conditions, especially after falling on my butt 3 times coming down The Conic Hill in them. Then I bought a new pair and realised the problem:
I hadn’t realised how much I’d put the Hokas through, and how much I’d killed the grip. During the period from UTMB to when I bought the new pair (5 months) I’d commuted a great deal and had worn them to walk around in constantly, rather than carry them. I guess I like the extra height too 😉 When you add that to the fact that in those 5 months I’d knocked out approximately 700 miles in them in events alone, it is understandable that they had a little wear and tear!
When I first started running I googled and researched and tried a few pairs of different shoes and I began with Asics Cumulus. They served me well and I never had a problem. After a while I decided to go lighter and lighter, sticking with Asics but using DS Racer and Tarther to really go fast and not be slowed down by a few extra grams. Then after reading ‘Born to Run’ I felt my decisions to go light were justified, and it was my intention to go even more minimalist. My path has totally changed though and the benefits that the Hokas bring to me are unquestionable.
(Back Row L->R) Hoka Mafate 2, Inov-8 X-Talon 212, Asics Nimbus, Hoka Stinson B
(Front Row L->R) Asics Tarther, Asics DS Trainer, Asics Cumulus, Asics DS Racer, Asics DS Racer
The shoe collection over the next wee while will be dominated by big boy Hokas. Right now I can’t imagine going into an event and wearing anything other than the Mafate 2 or Stinson B. The fact that I can almost always run the next day is invaluable to me and just illustrates the damage limitation you get with extra cushioning.
I guess they’re not for everyone and it’s too easy to generalise and say they’re the perfect solution to everyone’s running needs. All I can say is how much I rate them and how much benefit they seem to give me. I am a neutral runner and they’re perfect for me. If you over or under pronate you may need to look at different models, or building up with orthotics. I’m no specialist in this field so get the relevant advice.
All I’ll say categorically is don’t rule out the Hokas. They may look a little different and I’ve heard ‘clown shoes’ and ‘spice girls shoes’ mentioned, but I’m so pleased I stopped ridiculing, and bought that first pair on a gamble and a case of trench foot!
Happy Hokaing!
confessionsofanobsessiverunner 