Inspired by the Cherry Blossom Season in Japan, the new Sakura collection of ASICS® running shoes is targeted at providing the suitable footwear and apparel for anyone who wants to make a fresh start with their training. 

Marks A Fresh Beginning

This is because in Japan, the Cherry Blossoms, which happen each Spring around end March to April, is synonymous with the brand new year and marks a fresh beginning.

And with three different models of performance running shoes released, the Sakura collection is aimed at offering an excellence in Spring style for runners who wish to look as good as they feel.

Founded in 1949, ASICS® is the leading running shoe brand for both running enthusiasts and professional athletes regardless of whether you are attending a sports event or simply enjoying a leisurely run around your local park.

Three Shoe Models

And the three shoe models available, are the RoadHawk FF SP which is an everyday running shoe for runners with neutral pronation, the Gel-Nimbus 20 SP which is built for comfort to help you go the distance and finally, the Gel-Kenun SP  which is a versatile shoe for runners who do not want to compromise on both style and substance.

Trying Out The Gel-Kenun SP Shoes

ASICS® recently sent me a pair of the Gel-Kenun SP. With excellent cushioning, the Gel-Kenun SP consists of rear-foot GEL and Solyten midsole for comfort in every step and is a well-balanced shoe in terms of both fit and comfort.

When the shoes arrived,  I was immediately in love with the colour. The front of the women’s model is white, but the heel is pink and along the side of the shoe is a beautiful gradual gradient fading from pink to white, which I had thought was really attractive.

According to ASICS®, the shoe’s colour-way mirrors the Sakura flower’s different phases of life, while the hints of print offer various discovery details to the wearer.

Since then, I have tested out the shoes on several types of runs, with the shortest runs being track interval sessions and the longest runs being roughly about 15km.

The shoes weigh 258 grams and have a 10mm drop according to ASICS®. So as such, they are supposed to be a lightweight pair of shoes. However when I put them on my feet to run, I would say that it didn’t really feel that way, at times.

When I tried to do some speed work on the running track using the ASICS® Gel-Kenun SP shoes, I felt as though the shoes did not really seem to be very responsive towards fast striding. In fact, they had appeared to be weighing me down a little in this aspect. So as a result, I was not able to do my intervals as fast as I would have liked to.

However it is a different matter though, altogether when I use the ASICS® Gel-Kenun SP shoes for my constant runs.

I am presently training as a pacer for the Race Against Cancer in July and as part of the pacer requirements, I need to complete 15km in a time of 1 hour 45 minutes. So I have been doing my training runs at this exact pace (7 mins per kilometre). This is a pace that I can complete comfortably in my easy to mid-steady heart rate zone.

For many of these runs, I have used the ASICS® Gel-Kenun SP shoes and I have found they are quite comfortable to wear.

Even when I am running in the heat and humidity of Singapore, my feet were still able to stay dry and comfortable in the ASICS® Gel-Kenun shoes even after 15km of running, thanks to the mesh upper design which encases the feet in breathable comfort together with the perforations in the fabric that increase airflow to the feet.

Sock Liner

To further enhance breathability, there is also an OrthoLite X-40 sock-liner which provides excellent moisture management and a high level of breathability, whilst preventing the distracting clammy feeling that you may get when the feet are soaked in sweat during a run.

The sock-liner is also supposed to feature higher rebound management which are supposed to help to protect the feet from the pounding of the pavement when you are running. I definitely felt this at work, because my feet were not feeling as sore as they sometimes do, when I did back-to-back runs.

Solyte Technology

As well, to further protect the joints from wear and tear, there is also the Solyte technology that is present in the MidSole of the shoes too and this is supposed to spare your joints as you strike down on hard, resilient surfaces such as concrete.

I could definitely feel this, because when I ran in the ASICS® Gel-Kenun shoes, my knee and ankle joints were still feeling rather comfortable even after 15km of running.

And complementing the Solyte MidSole is the RearFoot GEL Cushioning System and this too, absorbs shock, thus promoting a smooth transition from toe-off to mid-stance during a run.

Cushioning System

To increase durability and enhance grip, the shoes are also equipped with a solid rubber outsole and I find that this definitely helps me to feel more stable when I am running downhill.

This is important because sometimes during my running training sessions with my running club Coached, I am required to train on hills. Wearing the ASICS® Gel-Kenun, I feel that I can run down more confidently without losing my balance during the downhill segments thanks to the enhanced grip features.

Guidance Line

Another feature of these shoes is that it also has a Guidance Line which is supposed to be a vertical flex groove to enhance gait efficiency during runs. However I personally felt that this did not really affect my running much.

My Comments

After trying out the shoe, I feel that it is more suited to propel you forward efficiently and effortlessly when it comes to slow, steady running, rather than being a shoe built for speed.

Having said that though, it must be noted that I have not yet had a reason to try out the shoes beyond the 15km distance though, so I am not sure how the ASICS® Gel-Kenun shoes stack up for the half marathon and the full marathon distances.

But since the colour is really amazing, it means that I will definitely want to continue to wear these beautiful looking shoes out on my runs  regularly. White and pink is also easy to match with my other running clothing, since I tend to pick clothes that come in pinky shades – this is my favourite colour, after all.

The ASICS® Sakura Gel-Kenun has a recommended retail price of SGD 199 and it is available at all ASICS outlets across Singapore as well as selected sports retailers.