Not just trails—I wear sandals on the road, too.
Running is an extension of everyday life. Even if people are of different ages or have different jobs, I feel like running together really brings us closer. Mr. Chikara is also thinking about expanding the circle of friends he’s made through running.
"I currently have five friends I run with. I’d like to keep expanding my circle by adding friends of friends. Also, I have a lot of friends from back home who’ve moved to Tokyo, and we’ve actually made plans to go for a run around the Imperial Palace together soon. With friends back home who have different hobbies, our only option for hanging out used to be going out for drinks, but with light exercise like jogging, we can hang out together starting in the afternoon."
And there’s one more thing I want to do. Until now, I’ve only run on roads, but starting this year, I want to try trail running. Since I’ve always enjoyed hiking as a hobby, it’s only natural that I’d want to run in the mountains.
"Now that I've built up some stamina, I'd like to try running up a mountain. Maybe Mount Takao or Mount Tsukuba to start with. It should be fun in a different way than hiking, and I'm sure it will feel good in a way that's different from running through the city, so I'm really looking forward to it."
For Chikara, who runs on roads every day and is looking to take up trail running, the "Aventra R2T" is the perfect choice. Its most distinctive feature is the outsole construction. The Spider Rubber® Endure outsole, featuring 3.5mm lugs, delivers excellent grip on everything from asphalt to gravel paths. This means it’s suitable for everything from daily runs to light trail running.
The nylon shank in the reinforced parts provides solid support for your feet, even on uneven terrain. For cushioning, the shoe features LITE-COMF® midsole technology, which offers excellent lightness and responsiveness. This technology reacts the moment you step down, helping you take your next step smoothly.
"It feels just as comfortable as my usual running shoes. The grip and cushioning were excellent. The straps held my feet securely in place, so they didn't slip at all."
And the feeling of freedom around your feet—something you can only experience in sandals—makes running this time of year even more enjoyable.
"The breathability feels amazing. Running barefoot is so refreshing. I couldn't really picture what it would be like to run barefoot, but once I tried them on, they felt so good that I knew this was the right choice."
Come to think of it, I heard the Japan Meteorological Agency has decided to call days when the temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius “extreme heat days.” While the record-breaking heat of recent years is certainly exhausting, at least let’s keep our feet feeling fresh. Just eliminating the discomfort caused by sweaty feet inside your shoes should make running in the summer much more comfortable.
