HOKA HUNKS IN CAMP A

83nean runners Ernie and Fards were seen recently sporting some new  footwear at their regular training haunt, the acacia-lined asphalt roads of Camp Aguinaldo.  

Ernie was trying out his Hoka Bondi Speed while Fards got to baptize his new Hoka Stinson Trail. It is now becoming clear that more and more local  runners, particularly of the long distance variety, are embracing the thickly cushioned maximalist phenomenon known as “Hokamania.”

Hoka Bondi Speed

Hoka Stinson Trail

We  definitely appreciate the extra midsole cushion for pushing out those extra miles. The Hoka shoes  combine a ton of soft cushion, a bucket sole where the foot sits down within the midsole, and a rocker bottom that gives the runner a feeling of feathery flight. It makes perfect logic that in those ultra marathon distances, we need all the pillow for our feet.

The smile ...

...tells a story.

The only minus point we see with the Hoka is that there are no authorized shoes here in the Philippines that would make the shoes instantly available. Ernie got his pair thru the kindness of a balikbayan classmate from Florida. Fards got his Hoka via the trip of his son to  Hong Kong  where  the running store Action X is located. For others like me, the viable option for local runners is to order thru ARC-Manila but this usually takes several weeks or even a couple of months.

But such is the appeal of Hokamania that loyal customers will do with whatever options.

And in the case of the Camp A- based 83nean running tribe, the number of Hoka hunks will sure to grow.

Who’s next?