SUUUURPRISE!!!!!!!!

So, ya, I have been a terrible blogger.  I have no excuses, but Ill blame it on my kids, my running, my husband, my kids again and any and all critters with 4 legs. 

However yesterday after coming home from the first home football game of the year (Congrats WOLVES!!!) while I was trying to unload the highly uncooperative almost 2 year old (20 days) Thing 2 from the car Shawn called out "HEY...your new shoes are here!"

"What new shoes?  I didn't order new shoes." Yet.

"What else could be coming from Mizuno USA"

 Mezamashii Run Project

I had applied a few months ago, then a few weeks ago I got an email from them requesting more information.  So like a good little "really wanna be a product tester for the coolest shoes in the world" I filled it out and sent it back and heard nothing.  I read that other people were getting phone calls and correspondence so I figured I missed the pack or didn't fit the qualifications for whatever shoes they were testing. 

Then happiness in a little brown box appeared.

INSIDE the little brown box was not what I expected.  I was thinking hot pink Wave Precision 13'a or Blue and Lime Green Wave Rider 15's but what I got was BE. 

BE is a prototype shoe that Mizuno has created to help strengthen your feet when NOT running.  Its NOT a running shoe.  Which is good because its thin and little and very minimalist looking which I'm fairly certain is a box I did NOT check on the application.  No offense to barefooters all around, its just not for me.

Anyhoo....in the box were a super CUTE pair of deep purple, light weight, little shoes.  The sole is what really caught my attention and made me think minimalist style as its designed to NOT support your toes so much.  There is support going down middle of your foot and to the ball of your foot, but then the toes kinda hang out literally, well not literally out of the shoe but literally extend over the end of the support base for the sole.  Clear as much, ya.....check this out:

BE was inspired from the Waraji Sandal that have been worn for centuries by Japanese Samurai warriors and rice farmers to activate their toes.  The sandals are designed to be shorter then the feet so that the toes hang off the front and can more independently.

How it works:  The toes move naturally up and down, allowing them to curl and grip independently, which helps work the muscles and tendons of the foot.

The Goal:  To strengthen the muscles of the foot, providing wearers with more propulsion (toe off) which can help improve running form. 

Along with the shoe came a journal for me me to fill out and document what I think about the shoe, and in 16 weeks, send back to Mizuno.  ALSO there is a BE testers only forum for me to get on and talk about the shoes with other Be Wear Testers. 

I'm pumped to try them out....tonight at the bar, tomorrow at Cabela's...pretty much just became my "go-to" not running or riding or working at the pool shoe.  Stay tuned and you will learn more about BE then you every thought possible, especially since if your like me, you didn't even know BE existed until just a few minutes ago.