So glad to have many of you on board for fall half marathon training! If you missed Friday’s post, it’s not too late to join us. The fun kicks off on September 4.
Since I’ve been talking about running a lot the last couple of weeks, I thought it would be a good time to share my review of the updated Newton Fate 3. I started running in Newtons two years ago and I have been hooked ever since. For full transparency, I’m a brand ambassador for them and these shoes were sent to me as a gift but I’m not receiving any compensation for sharing my Newton love.
Newton Fate 3 Review
The Fate is a neutral running shoe. It’s well-suited for a wide variety of runners and offers what I think is a perfect blend of cushioning, support and flexibility.
The biggest distinguishing factor when it comes to Newtons is their P.O.P. technology. Point of Power is the patented lug system that gives Newtons their unique shape, ride and feel. You can see the lugs across the forefoot of the shoe in this picture.
The Newton Fate 3 has P.O.P 2 technology, which is beveled lugs that provide a nice intro to Newton’s proprietary Action/Reaction™ Technology. According to their website, “generated by the active movement of the lugs, Action/Reaction Technology creates a responsive, trampoline-like cushioning system that provides quicker bounce-back and loses less energy than a traditional foam-core running shoe.”
I think the Newton Fate 3 is my favorite model yet. Here are a few notes about Newton shoes and the Fate 3 that you might find helpful.
- I needed to size up on the Fate 3 and all of Newton’s new shoes. I’m a 7.5 in dress and usually an 8 in athletic shoes. I went to an 8.5 for the first time with this update and the extra bit of room was needed!
- This is such a small thing but I love the bright colors that Newton uses in the design of their shoes.
- Newton running shoes feature a level platform. Many running shoes have become more stacked in the heel and thicker/cushier overall. Newton shoes have a lower heel to toe drop so that you are in a position to find your most natural running form.
- The Fate 3s are very breathable and stretchy (in a good way).
- The Fate 3 fits nice and snug in the heel but I find the toe box to be roomy (once again, in a good way!).
I highly recommend this shoe. The lugs take a little getting used to but I think you’ll love them!
Last Week’s Workouts
I haven’t shared workouts lately, here’s a snapshot of what the last few weeks have looked like for the most part.
Monday: 3.6 mile run, teach Y2 Strength
Tuesday: hot yoga, teach Y2 Strength and Pure Resistance (since I taught 2 classes back to back, I gave about 60% effort in both and did a lot of walking around and form correcting and went lighter on some weight selections)
Wednesday: teach Y2 Strength, hot yoga
Thursday: 60 minute walk, teach Y2 Strength
Friday: 5.7 mile run, 20 minutes of yoga
Saturday: REST
Sunday: will be a longer run, shooting for 7-8 miles
An Important Note on Rest!
Last weekend I was busy with our last TT weekend and also feeling a little worn out/beaten down so I took three consecutive days off of exercise (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). I didn’t even go for walks. It was magical. I can’t tell you how refreshed and renewed I felt coming into this week’s workouts. Oh and I also got an amazing massage on Friday night that helped too. 🙂
Just a little reminder that rest is such a key part of training and there is nothing wrong with taking MORE than one rest day!
What’s your current favorite running shoe?
How have you been doing with taking rest days lately?
I loved my old Brooks Ghost 8s (went through 2 pairs of them) but I recently got some Brooks GTS’s and they’re even more supportive and comfortable!
I’m not great about taking full-on rest days. Exercise is just such a regulating thing for me that I need to find a way to be active even on my chill days. I usually do a little yoga, take a walk, or do a core workout on a rest day. If I’m training for a full and running a whole lot of miles, I’ll actually take a day off, though:)
I haven’t deviated from the Asics Kayano in years. I once went to our local running store and tried on models from all brands but kept going back to my usual. I wish something else worked b/c I know some of them are lower in price 🙂
I rarely take full rest days — usually I take Sundays as a day where I just walk the dogs an hour, but I still sometimes do more. Movement is therapeutic for me — and I need to find another outlet for refreshing myself as I know that it’s super important to rest, too!
I’ve been running in adidad Energy Boosts for almost 4 years now. I love them and hope that all future models and changes continue to work for me! I size up too- I wear a 7.5-8 in regular shoes but take a 9 in running shoes!
I actually took 5 consecutive days off this past week! My body and mind were feeling rundown in the midst of workouts, my 9-5 job, and then teaching yoga. I subbed out one of my classes and laid off my workouts for a few days, and it was magical! Giving yourself the permission to rest is one of the most important ways we can take care of ourselves.
On a separate note Jen – what brand/model is your running watch?
New Balance Vazees have been my favourite runner for a couple years! My feet are very narrow through the heel in mid but then quite wide in the toe area and they’re the only shoe I’ve found that doesn’t pinch me (or let my heel flop around).
Do the lugs feel stiff under your forefoot? I haven’t tried a pair of Newtons and I’m intrigued!
AMEN on taking more than one rest day! I started progressing so much more in my fitness once I started truly listening to my body, which sometimes meant 2-3 (maybe more!) consecutive rest days. Thanks for the reminder!
Ive been all over in shoes the last few years. i ran 2 half in sauconys but then was getting some back pain. changed to asics and they were offering a lot of needed cushion but not as much support as i needed. now im in brooks GTS. i have to be really careful what socks i wear or i get blisters on my arch ? super weird ? im not sure if i would get them again. i totally can relate to needing a wide toe box and a more tight heel. i have super heel slippage in a lot of shoes i have tried on in the past. can make it hard to find shoes !
I run in Newtons about 90 percent of the time, and used to run 100% in Newtons until this year. I love both the Motion and Gravity models. I have added a pair of Saucony Kinvara’s into my mix though, and really like them a lot. Never thought I’d like anything other than Newtons!
I’ll have to look into those models of Newton and also the Saucony! Thank you!