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From Fellrnr.com, Running tips
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The [http://go.fellrnr.com/?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=Hoka&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zappos.com%2Fhoka-one-one Hoka] shoes are unique in their thick, softly cushioned soles. They reduce the pounding on the soles of your feet, but they are not without their downsides. The Hokas are one of my [[Shoes| recommended running shoes]].
=Introduction=
Hoka One One, pronounced "Hoka O-nay O-nay", means "now it is time to fly" in [http://www.maoridictionary.co.nz/index.cfm?dictionaryKeywords=hoka&search.x=0&search.y=0&n=1&idiom=&phrase=&proverb=&loan= Maori]. These shoes have midsoles that are much thicker and softer than traditional shoes. The soles are also wider to prevent the higher soles making the shoes unstable, like stilts.
* The thick sole of the Hokas produces a greater ankle stress on uneven surfaces. The wider sole reduces this problem a little, but when trail running this is still an issue. In the past I have never had trouble with twisting my ankles, but the Hokas did cause some ankle stress and pain.
* The added cushioning protects the soles of the feet, but I've found I've had joint stress with the Hokas that I've never had with my [[Modified Nike Free]]. This is in line with the research that has shown [[Are your running shoes injuring you| greater joint stress with greater cushioning]].
* Even though the cushioning of the Hokas is far softer than other shoes, the thickness makes them quite stiff. This reduces the natural flexing of the foot, but it also puts extra stress on some areas of your foot. The skin on the back of the heel has more friction and the tendons under where the laces are tied have more pressure. I've found that lacing [[Lacing]] the Hokas loosely limits the tendon stress, and my [[Blister Prevention and Socks| favored sock combination]] mitigates the [[Blister Prevention| friction]]. * I've found my running form [[Running Form]] tends to degrade while running in the Hokas rather than my [[Modified Nike Free]]. When I swap back, it takes a few miles for my form to recover. I've also noticed that my [[Cadence]] is lower in the Hokas, but this might be due to the extra weight.
* The toe box of the Hokas is rather tight for many people which causes blisters (see below).
* I didn't like the speed lacing [[Lacing]] system that comes with the Hokas, but it's easy to replace them with traditional laces. Hoka includes alternative laces, but I found they were too slippery to stay knotted.
=Hoka Blisters=
[[File:Hoka Blisters.jpg|right|thumb|300px|An image of a runner with the distinctive Hoka blister pattern I saw at the [[2013 Umstead 100]].]]
