let’s talk about running gear! (i know i lost about 90% readership with that sentence.)

i’ve talked about a review on running underwear (runderwear? i should start a company), so let’s talk a little bit about the 2nd-most important piece of gear for lady runners: shoes. (first, of course, being the runderwear.)

when i started running, my first pair of shoes was a pair of brooks. i tried on several different brands, and they felt the most sturdy, which, for a flat-footed, heavy person like myself, made sense. after losing some weight, i veered more toward sturdy AND comfortable. so i went to the running shoe store and tried on different brands again.

the best way to try on running shoes, i’ve found, is by putting two different shoes on your feet and taking a little test drive around the store. just by process of elimination, you come upon the best shoe for you.

i’ve leaned toward asics because DANG are the gel nimbuses a comfy piece of shoe. if i could wear the nimbuses and get away with my feet not rebelling, i totally would. if there are any people out there who have normal pronation in their feet and want a pair of shoes that will make you feel like you’re walking on clouds, get the nimbus.

alas, i do not have a normal pronated foot.

so i get the next best thing: the asics gel kayano, which is also an exceptionally comfy shoe. and for someone who’s not about being first or even in the top half of race results, you go for comfy over speed.

oh yes, there are different shoes for the different outcomes you want. because if i wanted speed over being comfy, i would need to choose a less cushy shoe that gives you more purchase with the ground. this also holds to different types of surface running. for instance, i will never wear my kayanos out on the trail; it feels like my feet are falling into the ground. i would, however, wear an asics gel 2000 out on the trail: it’s a harder, sturdier footbed and lets me feel like i’m getting somewhere. or i could use a trail shoe (i’ve used the asics kahana), but they don’t work well with someone like me who has problems lifting her feet up off the ground (the lugs on the shoe catch on the trail detritus). the trail shoe IS nice because its footbed is snug and keeps your foot from rolling.

so here’s my lineup:

• training/short runs: asics 2000
• race day/long runs: asics kayano
• trail running with little trail debris: asics kahana
• trailing with a lot of debris: asics 2000

of course, you need to find the shoe that works for you. and sometimes, the shoe iterations change, so you may find that next year’s might not be as good, but come back in 3 years and it’ll have changed. for about 2-3 iterations, asics narrowed the toe box of their shoes and got a lot of heat as a result. i had to buy a whole size bigger than i normally would, and there was one year where i just bought the previous year’s version because the current one was awful. (they have since moved back in the right direction with last year’s version, and i’ve purchased 4 pair of the asics 25s so far.)

so, there’s my shoe review. the best advice i can give on running shoes is DON’T SKIMP. your feet are the first point of contact in this sport, and the more you can keep them happy, the better. they are the gateway to bad knees and bad hips, both of which can be prevented with good shoes. if in doubt, go to your running shoe store and have them take a look at your gait to make sure you’re wearing the right pair of shoes. another recommendation is to track the miles on your shoes so you know that the little twinge in your knee is not just a one-off thing; it could mean that it’s time to change shoes (i change mine about every 300 miles – sometimes more, sometimes less).

(2016 asics!)