Asics Gel-Super J33 | Running Shoe Review

Today I'm going to be writing about the Asics Gel-Super J33- a shoe I purchased in February 2015. These shoes were released way back in Autumn 2013 as part of the Natural 33 collection. (If you were wondering..The '33' represents the 33 joints in the foot, with the collection designed to work with all 33 to encourage a more natural movement.)

The J33 is marketed as a lightweight, natural running shoe for overpronators. Although Asics themselves say it is a shoe more suited to shorter distances, there is nothing to indicate in the design that it would not withstand half marathon/marathon distances (and it does!).

Stats

Weight:                6.2oz/176grams (7.3oz/207grams for the men's)
Heel/Toe drop:     6mm
Available widths: Standard only
RRP:                     £100

Are they any good?!

I'm going to start by saying I LOVE Asics. As a brand I have always found their shoes to be great quality as well as having some pretty cool colour combinations and reasonable prices. In my opinion this shoe is no different.

These shoes are super lightweight and comfortable. The moment I put them on all other shoes were forgotten. The majority of my Paris Marathon training and the race itself were done in the Asics J33s and I had no trouble with them at all. Unfortunately the original pair had done their mileage a few months ago, so I replaced them with a new brand of shoes. That kind of backfired and within two weeks I was back online and reordering a new pair of J33s. The proof is in the repurchasing ladies and gents ;)

Will they suit my feet?

I'm going to admit, it's really difficult to know whether a pair of trainers are going to be right for your feet without going for a run in them. If you want to compare your running style with mine- I slightly overpronate (run more on the inside of my foot) but ultimately would probably be classed as a neutral runner. The one thing to note is that because they are lightweight there is a little less structure to them than other Asics shoes (for example the Kayano), so if you need that little bit more support these might not be for you. I would recommend locating them in a store if you can and trying them on. 

Although they have an RRP of £100, because of the age of the design you can find the Asics J33s online for as little as £50 (have a Google!). At that price, these are an absolute bargain. 

They are blimming awesome!

FLEXISEQ Sport Review | Pain Relief

I'm only 22, but having been a gymnast and now running regularly, my body has taken some serious pounding and there are days when I feel like an 80 year old. I have had all kinds of twinges popping up on a regular basis.

If anything is causing me pain I will generally use the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), or reach for the Deep Heat. I was given the opportunity to try FLEXISEQ Sport* Gel recently however and got a little bit excited about what it promises to do. I'll admit, I was a little skeptical, but after seeing the product pop up as a sponsor at various races, I was intrigued.

FLEXISEQ Sport claims to lubricate the cartilage in joints to relieve pain and stiffness- a pretty magical feat in my opinion! It is a water-based gel and some have even said it's better than prescription pain relief.

It is recommended that you apply the gel to the affected area twice a day by spreading it on the skin (no rubbing in!) and leaving it to dry. The gel has a slightly aniseed-y smell and feels cooling on the skin. The texture is nice in my opinion- not sticky and easily washed off your hands after applying.

So.. Does it work?! 

I've been using FLEXISEQ Sport on a regular basis over the past few months. My knee (or 'The Knee' as I like to refer to it) has caused me problems for years and tends to stiffen up after a long run, so this is the main area I've been treating.

I'll admit I was surprised, but from Day 1 I felt a difference. The movement in my knee post-run was a lot more comfortable and the regular struggle up and down stairs was no more. This product does exactly what it says and I am pretty excited about it!

As a second opinion I got my Dad onboard. He has been having real trouble moving his neck recently and so I applied it for a few days to see if there was any improvement. I'm now getting regular requests of 'can you put that gel on me again' because he found it made a difference to his mobility. I think that speaks for itself!


FLEXISEQ is a little on the pricey side with an RRP of £34.99 for 100ml, but can be found for £20-£25 if you do some googling. If the description of this product sounds like what you need though, I would say make the investment because you won't regret it!

If you've tried it out let me know what you think!

*FLEXISEQ did very kindly send me this product, but all views posted here are 100% my own. I would never recommend a product I don't like! :)