Running 40km in ASICS Magic Speed 4: Developing a Hypothesis for Mastering Carbon-Plated Running Shoes

ASICS Magic Speed 4, here is my review after running a total of 40km over 3 days since purchasing them. By the way, my impressions from the day I bought them are
here.

As I wrote in the review above, when I ran on the first day, I thought I might have made a mistake. I had absolutely no sensation of gripping or catching the ground. It felt like I was running on a really hard plate, or like running noisily in slippers at a ryokan or hotel. That's why my legs got tired even though I hadn't run very far. Especially my calves and the tops of my feet, which usually never get tired.

Magic Speed 4 is priced at 18,700 yen. Since it was just released, I bought it at the list price. Since the ASICSS4 and Magic Speed 3 are quite cheap on the market, I think there are quite a few people who are hesitant. I also added the Adidas Adizero Boston 12 to the mix, but after much deliberation, I chose the Magic Speed 4.

This time, I was looking for a successor to my Adizero Boston 11 for marathon races.

So, in conclusion, after running 40km, I feel that choosing the Magic Speed 4 was the right decision for me.

This is because even with the Magic Speed 4, I was able to get a feel for the ground, my form improved to a higher hip position, and I became able to increase my speed with less effort.

Gradually building up over 5km for one lap around the Imperial Palace. I focused on a pitch of 180 and kept up the cadence, but even in the heat, increasing the pitch didn't feel difficult, and it felt like my legs were rotating and moving forward more and more. After I finished running, I was panting with a heart rate of about 150, but my heart rate hadn't actually gone up that much, which was a bit surprising.

The reason I was able to run with a high hip position is not just because I switched to the Magic Speed 4, but probably because it became easier to run with a high hip position.

It's likely the result of the abdominal and lunge-focused strength training I've been doing for the past few months, combined with the 'drawing-in' technique I happened to watch in a video recently and understood, thinking, 'I see, let's try that.' I think the effect has become easier to understand now that I'm wearing the Magic Speed 4. It's still too early to say for sure, as I've only run 40km.

⭐️ 'The Correct Way to Do Drawing-In' If you want to run with a high hip position, I recommend this video.

You often hear things like 'your hips are dropping,' 'try to run using your glutes,' or 'run with tension in your core,' but if there are runners who don't quite get it, I think if you understand this drawing-in technique with your head and body, you'll think, 'Oh, that's what it means! Okay, let's try running with that feeling!'

So, returning to the Magic Speed 4 topic, I have come to the hypothesis that to master carbon-plated shoes, it is necessary to master the drawing-in technique and the sensation of creating a cylinder from your center, from your navel to your glutes. It's a hypothesis, so I don't know if it's correct yet.

However, I think the rebound obtained from the hard carbon plate creates a powerful forward propulsion when you consciously and unconsciously create a solid core and cylinder. In terms of leg strength, the ability to lift the legs to create a fine rotation pitch using the iliopsoas muscle and the ability to withstand the impact through the plate upon landing are a must.

For a while, I will continue to run in various places during my regular training with the Magic Speed 4 to sharpen this sensation, and I will report back later.

See you later!

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