Without a doubt running shoes are the most important piece of equipment we need. When I started running I had no idea what I was doing. I put on whatever pair of Nike’s I owned and hopped out the door. Granted I was running for 1/2 a mile at the time, but even when I decided to run distance, i had no clue about running specialty stores, shoe fittings, the type of arch I had, if i pronated, or what the heck pronation even was. I couldn’t tell the difference between an everyday sneaker or ones meant for high mileage. Thank God for the resources we have now.

I’ll say this first, go to a running store and have your foot and gait analyzed. They do this at Dick’s Sporting Goods or local running stores near you. If you’re lazy you can do the wet paper bag test to see what kind of arch you have. Then you can have a friend use their phone to film you running on a treadmill to see if you have any type of overpronation or underpronation.

I started running in a pair of Adidas trail shoes, couldn’t tell you the name of them if they walked over my face. And why i thought i needed ‘trail running shoes’ in the Chi-Town suburbs is kinda beyond me right at the moment. Then I graduated to Nike Lunarswift which I thought were nice, but a didn’t like the way it grabbed my ankle like a kid that won’t let go… Again, this is a more supportive shoe that I apparently didn’t need.

Then one day, in a Sports Authority, I tried on Nike Lunarfly 2+. They felt like a second skin, and I ended up running for years in this model. These were a lightweight, neutral, cushioned shoe.

Then the Nike Lunarfly 3+ came out. They were okay, felt heavier than the 2’s and i still use them to hike in because i just have a hard time parting with running shoes… what? we spent soooo much time together, the memories! This past January the Lunarfly 4+ came out, and my opinion of the shoe has gone to hell. They’re awful, the ankle is really high and cuts into the front & backside of the ankle, the cushioning just isn’t there and the fit is completely different than the earlier models. I bought a pair of Mizuno Wave Rider 15’s to see what the fuss on Skinny Runner was about, but they are not for me and I ended up returning them. The felt heavy and restricted my foot’s motion.

Now that I’ve complained about what hasn’t been working, here’s what I’ve been digging lately. Brooks Pureflow. These are the first shoes i’ve loved since my Lunarfly days, however I already tried on the Pureflow 2s and wasn’t excited about them. Bummer, but it did open me up to the idea that Nike isn’t the only brand that creates good running shoes. I picked up a pair of Saucony Shadow Genesis on a clearance whim and so happy I did. The Shadow Genesis are a little firmer than what I’m used to, but they are so comfortable and they feel like they are shaped for my feet,  like they should be called Saucori’s.  I’m already looking at the Kinvara 4s (Saucony’s lightweight cushioned shoe) as my next purchase.

So that’s my shoe collection from start to finish.

What do you run in?

Do you have different types of shoes for different workouts or racing?

Also–HAVE A HAPPY LABOR DAY! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER  ABBIE (pictured in her Nike Free’s)