After a variety of runs and workouts, it’s time for a review of the adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 10 running shoes. Overall, I’m finding them exceptional for fast workouts and Tempos / Fartleks, but not appropriate for easy runs due to the sole cutaway.
What sort of running is the adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 10 reviewed here for?
After my success in the Boston 10, I decided to try out a shoe with full Lightstrike Pro. I was a massive fan of the older Sen 3, but haven’t tried any of the others in interim, so it was high time I got back into a Takumi!
adidas say that the Takumi Sen 10 is for 10K races, but let’s be clear – that’s for runners who are doing a sub 45 minute 10K. If that’s you, then add to basket, because you will love these, for 5K / 10K races and fast workouts.
However, for runners that aren’t quite that fast, I’d say these are also ideal for anyone wanting a shoe for fast paced workouts with short reps in the 200-800m range, both on road and track.
If you overstride and land heavily on an outstretched heel with poor running form, these probably are not the shoe for you, even at speed, and you should look at the Bostons instead, which working on your form.
adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 10 construction
The adidas Takumi Sen 10 uses Lightstrike Pro foam, with glass fibre Energyrods (instead of a carbon plate) to keep weight low and give a snappy feel.
The upper is a strong engineered mesh and is incredibly thin. There’s very little in terms of reinforcement apart from in the lace area. Take a look at the image below to see how easy it is to see through the sturdy mesh.
The toe area has the normal thin overlay for longevity. The tongue is padded right on the top to make sure the thin laces are comfortable.
The foam is Lightstrike Pro throughout. This gives the Takumi Sen a snappy feel that’s super responsive at speed. At slow speeds it feels firm, but once you go for it, suddenly it makes total sense.
Embedded in the midsole are glass fibre “Energyrods” that mimic the foot’s own plantar tendons. And the outsole uses Continental rubber for decent grip in the rain.
You’ll note that there’s a cutaway in the midsole under the arch area that was introduced a couple of versions back – this saves weight but does limit the Takumi Sen 10 to faster sessions only due to the way it feels like the foot is sinking into that cutaway when running slowly. However, the “Melt The Asphalt” moniker around the heel area should give a good indication as to what the shoe is designed for!
There is no heel counter to speak of, but it’s not needed anyway due to the way the upper hugs the foot. There’s a folding tab to help you pull the shoe on.
How does it look?
With the cutaway and the Energyrods, plus the thin upper that you can see a runner’s socks through, the Takumi Sen 10 looks like a proper racing flat. It doesn’t have much of a toe spring at the front, with the toe area remaining almost flat in line with the rest of the foot.
adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 10 Weight and Size
My Takumi Sen 10 are size 12UK. Typically I wear 11.5UK, for example in adidas Boston 10 and Saucony Peregrine 15, so the Takumi Sen 10 do come out half a size small, so size up a bit. This gave me a perfect size with a locked down feel and plenty of room to wiggle the toes. I have narrow to medium feet.
This size brings the weight in at 240g each which is race light.
adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 10 Heel Drop
The heel drop on the Adizero Takumi Sen 10 is stated by adidas 7mm (33mm stack at the heel and 26mm at the front). It feels a little flatter than this to me.
What’s the Takumi Sen 10 like on the run?
What adidas have achieved with this upper is sensational. Once laced up, that thin upper grabs the foot in all the right places. Even though it’s thin, the upper is still very strong and sturdy. In corners or turn-arounds during speed sessions, the shoe feels stable and secure.
The first thing you’ll notice when setting off during your slow warm up pace is that there’s a tendency to sink inwards towards the cutway. I know this pace is not what the Takumi Sen is designed for, but on versions 7 back, you could use the Takumi Sen for long runs and easy runs if you really wanted to. Which I did. However, you aren’t going to be picking the Takumi Sen 10 for an easy run.
They are now super focused to speed sessions or 5K and 10k races.
I had been using Bostons and other shoes for speed sessions for a while, including 200m reps and mile repeats, which I was really enjoying due to the bouncy feel. In comparison the Takumi Sen 10 feel like I’m flying! The low weight and Lightstrike Pro are a joy to total run fast in.
On landing the foot at speed, the 10 gives a light, soft touch, with a slight forwards tip which encourages you to go faster. In fact my mile repeats were a few seconds quicker with a feeling of less effort. Regardless of how much this is in the mind, that’s a powerful thing.
So if you are looking for a responsive shoe for speed work, or a race day shoe for 5K and 10K at club to elite paces, I can highly recommend the adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 10.
Pros:
Light, responsive and fast
Cons:
Only good for speedwork and short races.