Adidas Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 10 Introduction
I acquired quite a lot of indignant feedback after my overview of the Takumi Sen 8 the place runners disagreed with me on my ranking of the shoe. I simply didn’t get together with it. It gave me blisters on my first 2 runs in it and I felt that it wasn’t as quick as different racers. I didn’t check the ninth model however it was simply an higher change.
Lately, I don’t see many runners standing on the beginning line of 5K and 10K native street races sporting the Takumi Sen or different brief distance racers such because the Streakfly, Cielo or SC Pacer, regardless that they’re much cheaper than long-distance tremendous footwear.
That’s as a result of lengthy distance racers supply extra pace help on account of their thicker midsoles and stiffer plates. Most runners (myself included) would fairly race a 5 or 10K in a marathon tremendous shoe fairly than a contemporary racing flat just like the Takumi.
So then why does the Takumi Sen exist? Adidas says in its product description that it’s a 10K racer constructed for pace. It bears a putting resemblance to the Adios Professional 3 however it has a thinner midsole. It measures 33 mm within the heel, 27 mm within the forefoot.
Some, extra environment friendly runners (who don’t need as a lot pace help) favor a lighter racer with extra floor really feel. That’s who the Takumi Sen is for. Over the previous 2 years, I didn’t use it for racing however I repeatedly used it as a exercise shoe for intervals and hill sprints. I loved the truth that it was extra steady and extra versatile than a marathon tremendous shoe. It made me work tougher in my exercises which made me fitter for my races.
The Sen 10 has acquired some important updates however it nonetheless rides much like the final 2 variations. It’s picked up just a little little bit of weight however it has the identical stack heights and the identical value. It now weighs 200 g (7.1 oz), a rise of 19 g (0.7 oz) for a males’s UK 8.5.
Adidas Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 10 First Impressions
The Takumi Sen 8 was too slim for me so I opted for a half measurement greater within the Sen 10 and it felt way more comfy however nonetheless very slim within the midfoot. I feel I may go up one other half measurement as a result of I’ve a flat arch and I can nonetheless really feel the medial facet press into my arch.
My first run was a gradual paced 20 kilometre run with 4 x 1 km marathon tempo intervals on the finish of it. Through the regular paced part, the shoe felt common however through the sooner intervals on the finish, that was when it got here alive. It was simple to extend my tempo and it felt much more enjoyable.
The primary distinction that I picked up was that the forefoot felt stiffer and extra snappy than the Sen 8. This resulted in a sooner experience on that first run. The higher additionally felt extra comfy and I didn’t get any blisters.
The Takumi Sen 10 felt like a leaner, firmer model of the Boston 12. It didn’t remind me of the Adios Professional 3 as a result of the Adios Professional has a extra aggressive forefoot rocker with extra power return.
I used to be glad with the efficiency of the Sen 10 on that first run and it undoubtedly felt like a race day shoe.
Adidas Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 10 Higher
The Takumi Sen 10’s racing higher is light-weight, skinny and intensely breathable. Foot lockdown is sweet however I expertise a distinguished arch sensation on account of its slim midfoot so I’ve to put on thick socks in it for additional safety in opposition to blisters.
It has a skinny, non gusseted tongue which slides down throughout runs and pokes into the highest of my foot. This is similar challenge I had with the Adidas Boston 12 and each time I cease, I’ve to drag the tongue again up once more to do away with the strain.
The match is true to measurement however you probably have flat toes, you would possibly take into account going up a half measurement for the additional midfoot width. It has a traditional forefoot with a really slim midfoot and heel. This racer is one which’s not appropriate for vast toes or delicate arches.
Adidas Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 10 Sole Unit
The largest and most necessary change is that the Takumi Sen 10 feels sooner than earlier variations. That is all right down to the up to date EnergyRods that are stiffer. Stiffer rods end in a snappier forefoot which returns again to its authentic place faster after it flexes.
I get pleasure from it way more than the Sen 8 for sooner efforts resembling intervals and brief tempo runs as a result of it’s snappier. It performs greatest at uptempo paces beneath 4:40 minutes per kilometre (7:30 per mile) though I nonetheless wouldn’t race in it since you don’t get the identical stage of pace help as a marathon racer and it gained’t show you how to to maintain a quick turnover for lengthy durations.
There isn’t any extra plate within the heel of the midsole like within the final 2 variations which made the heel firmer than the forefoot. Now, the EnergyRods prolong to the again of the shoe in a “pretzel” form which ends up in a extra constant, smoother experience.
There may be nonetheless a midfoot medial cutout within the midsole to save lots of weight and to show the fibreglass rods. This makes it just a little bit unstable for runners who overpronate, though I don’t discover it too unstable after operating in tall footwear just like the Wave Insurrection Professional.
The Takumi Sen 10 will not be a great future shoe on account of how agency its midsole is and its lack of a forefoot rocker. The longest run I did in it was 22 kilometres and it did have sufficient cushioning however it didn’t really feel comfy as a result of narrowness. Environment friendly runners used to a agency experience may simply race a half marathon in it however most runners will discover the agency experience too harsh for distances longer than 15 km.
You also needs to be warned that regardless that it makes use of Lightstrike Professional, Adidas’ premier racing foam, the experience nonetheless feels flat, therefore the title racing flat. There isn’t as a lot bounce or power return as thicker stacked racers just like the Adios Professional and Prime X and it doesn’t have a rocker to hurry up transitions both.
On the outsole, there’s now extra rubber protection on the lateral facet of the heel. On earlier variations, there was a spot between the rubber items on the outer lateral heel and this hole is the place I observed quite a lot of put on. On the Sen 10, there may be 1 lengthy strip of rubber on the lateral facet which provides extra safety for heel strikers.
Thick Continental rubber protects the forefoot space whereas there may be skinny rubber on the midfoot and rearfoot. This tells us that this shoe is designed for forefoot strikers. The rubber on the heel and midfoot is kind of skinny so this shoe doesn’t have probably the most sturdy outsole and needs to be saved for races or key exercises.
Adidas Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 10 Conclusions
The Takumi Sen 10 is a specialist software for superior runners. It’s for these environment friendly runners who need a racer or exercise shoe with a extra pure experience than your common marathon tremendous shoe. It has a excessive stage of floor really feel and it makes you are feeling like you might be accountable for the shoe however I really feel that these runners who put on the Sen 10 for races are at an obstacle in opposition to the runners who select to put on marathon tremendous footwear.
Model 10 is an enchancment over its predecessor as a result of it feels sooner. Despite the fact that it has picked up weight, the stiffer rods present extra pace help and a extra aggressive experience. It additionally has a extra sturdy outsole with additional rubber on the heel. I’ll proceed utilizing the Takumi Sen for exercises, particularly hill sprints as a result of it really works very well for brief, quick bursts.
In comparison with the opposite brief distance racers, the Takumi Sen 10 feels sooner than the Nike Streakfly and New Steadiness SuperComp Pacer however the Pacer has a extra comfy higher and is appropriate for extra foot sorts.
Despite the fact that it prices $70 lower than your common marathon tremendous shoe, I most likely wouldn’t purchase it once more. I might fairly pay extra to get a softer, extra cushioned racer which supplies extra pace help that I can use for brief and lengthy distance races.
The Sen 10 solely works in a 3 shoe (or extra) rotation the place you have already got a day by day coach and a sturdy pace coach, then you should use the Sen 10 for races or key exercises. The very skinny outsole rubber on the heel part implies that it’s not very sturdy so you need to reserve it for particular events.
