This isn't about shoes, but I've been meaning to write a comment for a couple of weeks now.
I don't even remember how I discovered your writing a few months ago, but reading your missives has become a really important part of my life.
I only just got into running properly about 2 years ago and finding something like this then would have been invaluable. I never could work out the right shoes to buy, how to run in Canadian snow when I'm used to Australian heat, how to prevent shin splints or slowly gear up my distance and speed.
But running, which became probably the most important part of my life during the pandemic, suddenly stopped being part of it at all in September, when I got bumped at sports training and hit my head on the turf. It was only a mild blow but I've been plagued by concussion symptoms ever since. I can't deal with motion or lights very well, so walking and running take it out of me. And I have very finite amounts of energy, so I wanted to use it on trying to re-learn how to watch television and use computers again in order to get back to work.
Part of that re-learning process was reading your writing. It helped me understand more about the craft I'm still trying to learn, but it also gave me perspective about my own battle with post concussion symptoms. I shouldn't be caught up on linear progress. I'm someone who tries to outwork whatever issues are in front of me (hence the constant shin splints) but you simply can't do that with PCS, and lots of the strategies you stress have really assisted me with coming to terms with that. They helped me to not fall into a depressive funk when using my phone for 10 minutes triggered headaches and nausea so bad that I couldn't go outside for a week. I know Running Probably is a running blog, but for me it's been so much more than that. It's given me the patience and strength to persist with something I never expected would happen to me.
So, thanks. And I hope I can put some of your running tips into practice in coming months.
Adam, thank you. Here's to your good health and continued recovery. Shin splints are no joke and there's not a whole lot you can do about them except rest and maybe find some stretches that could work for you. Think about it this way: you're being proactive! Hit me up any time with any questions you might have.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm a runner who has an interest in shoes, or a shoe guy who has an interest in running. I tend to stick with Hokas and Nikes, and was gifted a pair of Hoka Speedgoats by a fellow bigfoot in a Facebook running group. I mostly run on roads, but they've been great when I need some extra grip on rain, snow, and ice.
i know these articles aren't about me, but every article you write startles me because i think it is about me.
as an NBA-loving teenager who spent all his lunch money to un-ironically collect air jordans before there was such an industry (as most of things go, all my *vintage* jordans were put up during my "going-away-to-college" garage sale), i have a complicated relationship w/ gear for my outdoor pursuits, especially my footwear. the number of pairs of purpose-built shoes i come to collect directly corresponds to how seriously i am taking that activity (before covid, climbing was my jam, and i have 7-8 pairs of climbing shoes collecting dust in my storage, some of which will likely never see direct sunlight again. anyway...).
i now have 5 pairs of Altras, all different models, piled neatly in my garage, each from a different experiment to replicate the experience i had with that perfect pair that i used to have - the first Altra Escalantes. this was the time when Nike started making its shoes out of their "flyknit" material, and everyone was starting to follow suit. i purchased my Escalantes, purely out of curiosity -- i had my doubts whether the knit material will hold up to rigorous training schedule. i ended up doing all the training for, as well as actually running, a 50k trail race in them, made for road work.
because i am an optimist (i.e. sucker for marketing), i always end up getting the variants & most up-to-date models, rather than just going back to what works, not to mention the original model was discontinued several years back. there is a small part of me that says i would've be better off if i had the 5 of the same pair. maybe i will do some eBay dumpster-diving later today...
People really love the Altras. I tried them on once and they were so comfortable, but I couldn't get with the zero-drop thing. I'm old enough to have played middle school basketball in the original Jordans and I'm sure i threw them away.
i hear ya; especially as a climber, i really wanted to love the la sportivas, but they simply just didn't work w/ my feet. i wonder whether the running community will grow big enough for some crazy visionary to come up w/ a bespoke running shoes company!
I love this post. I used to love my merrell trail gloves, the original, and bought up a bunch as they were making newer models. Eventually I tried the "road glove" and I think my form changed and I couldnt go back to the trail glove which was a shame. I'm on my fifth pair of the ON cloudflow now and its comfortable enough and I know I dont get hurt in them so I stick with it, but I dont share the same love you do.
I've heard good things about the ON shoes. Might give them a try. I'm really at a loss about what to do, honestly. Such a first world problem, I know. Thanks for the kind words.
As what I would consider to be a still-novice road runner, I have tried to remain agnostic about my shoes. Recent reading (recommended by you, Paul) has opened my eyes to the snow job that is being perpetrated against runners by the drinks, protein bar, and shoe manufacturers of this fine capitalist utopia of ours. I have abandoned electrolyte supplements, avoided heavily processed "food replacement solutions" and am currently stretching out the lifespan of the ugly ass New Balance road shoes I bought at least 800 miles ago. I am not running trails and I am not logging 50-80 miles per week, so I know my choices carry less in the way of potential consequences. I nevertheless found myself moved by the argument that the greatest human runners on earth grow up with little more than a (oftentimes improvised) foot covering and their lower bodies are stronger for it. I know the barefoot thing has been largely disproved and/or deemed offensive, but I feel strongly that our feet are actively inhibited by the overly luxurious road shoes on offer.
So, while I don't have a strong attachment to my shoes, I do LOVE spending less than $50 on them! Watch this space for future complaints about my Kevin McHale-level foot trauma now that I've opened my big mouth.
I appreciate your spirit on this Joe, but I would be very cautious about staying in a pair of shoes too long. That's a potential recipe for injury. I usually swap out my trails runners every 500 miles or so, more like 300 for the road joints.
In 2014 mizuno discontinued the Wave Elixr after version 8. Supportive, but lightweight, fast but sturdy, it suited me perfectly. Train or race, it did it all - the greatest running shoe I ever wore.
Number 7 was my absolute favourite, I had a few pairs of them, but never before had I been so in love with a running shoe.
So when they discontinued the wave elixr and replaced it with the sayonara, which was absolute garbage, my quest to find the perfect shoe started - again.
6 years since my last pair wore out I haven’t found anything I’ve loved. Been through so many, currently in Hoka ATR 6 and Adizeo Boston 8s. Nothing compares.
I found some Akashas in Australia, might give them a try on your recommendation.
Oh man, used to rock the Wave Riders for a stretch. Love those shoes. Moved over to the Adizero's and they were fine, even good. But they weren't those. Hope the Akashas work out for you. Should have mentioned Sportiva runs a bit tight and narrow so I size up
I was just in the shop getting new shoes the other day and bemoaning the loss of my best shoe friends: the Perl Izumi EM Road N1.
That's the first pair of running shoes I broke the 10k barrier in, and also the first pair of shoes where the shop owner looked me in the eye and said "These are going to feel a lot better for you than what you have right now. Do not go out and overdo it tomorrow."
As a follow up I spent most of last year running in Brooks Ghosts, which are cozy and comfy but honestly my biggest complaint is that there's too much cushion. I just opted for a pair of Karhu Ikoni Otrix and they're a delight--8mm drop instead of the 12mm in the Brooks, plus firmer and a lot more control.
WHY DO THEY DO THIS TO US!?!??! WHY!!??! Keep in mind, I'm almost exclusively on roads, paths that are conditioned in some way, etc. It took me years to find shoes that I didn't end up injured from and I finally landed on the perfect shoe (for me), the Saucony Ride series. I have high arches, wear orthotics and a have litany of hip and back issues that I so lovingly inherited from my parents. My shoes are everything to me.
I wore the Rides for at least 12 years and every version seemed to get better and better, until they changed so much they were like wearing a different, and very uncomfortable, terribly minimal shoe. Not to sound dramatic, but I felt betrayed. I then went through the whole shoe process. Try on, check gait, check fit, run up and down the block, jump up an down... you know the drill. And I landed on the Brooks Ghost..they were life changing. Like running on clouds. I didn't know where I had been before. I hoarded them knowing full well that the shoe companies don't want us to stay happy! Eventually, they came out with new models and they, like the Sauconys, became a different, uncomfortable shoe. I'm currently in the Brooks Adrenaline because they're closest to the Ghost as I could get. I ask for everyone who buys me Christmas, birthday, anniversary gifts to please all buy me THESE shoes! I hate that feeling of "I only have one pair which means I could stretch them out to about 500-maybe 600 miles before I need to start that search again." "Maybe I'll find them in a warehouse somewhere?" "Maybe there will be a stockpile of them hidden somewhere that I'll be able to tap into! TELL ME BROOKS, WHERE IS THIS PLACE?!"
Anyway, I'm currently doing that exact thing. Holding onto the two pair that I have left since the version I'm wearing are two versions ago and trying to find more.
Good to hear that the Cascadias are good, as they are likely the right fit for the volume of trail running I do (I am in another pair of Brooks now that are more geared toward roads). I had also been agnostic about running shoes until my doctor told me to get a pair with good cushioning for my knees.
As for other shoes, I am a book guy and will swear by two brands. For heavier duty, go with Red Wings. They are pricey but they last (with some maintenance). I have a pair that I, admittedly, inherited from my brother and they are super comfortable, keep my feet warm, and look good so I don't feel like I am wearing something only for winter. The second type of book I would swear by are Blundstones. A little trendy, but there is a reason - they are very comfortable, though make sure you get the right size.
Hi Paul,
This isn't about shoes, but I've been meaning to write a comment for a couple of weeks now.
I don't even remember how I discovered your writing a few months ago, but reading your missives has become a really important part of my life.
I only just got into running properly about 2 years ago and finding something like this then would have been invaluable. I never could work out the right shoes to buy, how to run in Canadian snow when I'm used to Australian heat, how to prevent shin splints or slowly gear up my distance and speed.
But running, which became probably the most important part of my life during the pandemic, suddenly stopped being part of it at all in September, when I got bumped at sports training and hit my head on the turf. It was only a mild blow but I've been plagued by concussion symptoms ever since. I can't deal with motion or lights very well, so walking and running take it out of me. And I have very finite amounts of energy, so I wanted to use it on trying to re-learn how to watch television and use computers again in order to get back to work.
Part of that re-learning process was reading your writing. It helped me understand more about the craft I'm still trying to learn, but it also gave me perspective about my own battle with post concussion symptoms. I shouldn't be caught up on linear progress. I'm someone who tries to outwork whatever issues are in front of me (hence the constant shin splints) but you simply can't do that with PCS, and lots of the strategies you stress have really assisted me with coming to terms with that. They helped me to not fall into a depressive funk when using my phone for 10 minutes triggered headaches and nausea so bad that I couldn't go outside for a week. I know Running Probably is a running blog, but for me it's been so much more than that. It's given me the patience and strength to persist with something I never expected would happen to me.
So, thanks. And I hope I can put some of your running tips into practice in coming months.
Adam
Adam, thank you. Here's to your good health and continued recovery. Shin splints are no joke and there's not a whole lot you can do about them except rest and maybe find some stretches that could work for you. Think about it this way: you're being proactive! Hit me up any time with any questions you might have.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm a runner who has an interest in shoes, or a shoe guy who has an interest in running. I tend to stick with Hokas and Nikes, and was gifted a pair of Hoka Speedgoats by a fellow bigfoot in a Facebook running group. I mostly run on roads, but they've been great when I need some extra grip on rain, snow, and ice.
haha, that's pretty good. I really, really like the gear. I've got it under control but it could have been an issue at one point.
i know these articles aren't about me, but every article you write startles me because i think it is about me.
as an NBA-loving teenager who spent all his lunch money to un-ironically collect air jordans before there was such an industry (as most of things go, all my *vintage* jordans were put up during my "going-away-to-college" garage sale), i have a complicated relationship w/ gear for my outdoor pursuits, especially my footwear. the number of pairs of purpose-built shoes i come to collect directly corresponds to how seriously i am taking that activity (before covid, climbing was my jam, and i have 7-8 pairs of climbing shoes collecting dust in my storage, some of which will likely never see direct sunlight again. anyway...).
i now have 5 pairs of Altras, all different models, piled neatly in my garage, each from a different experiment to replicate the experience i had with that perfect pair that i used to have - the first Altra Escalantes. this was the time when Nike started making its shoes out of their "flyknit" material, and everyone was starting to follow suit. i purchased my Escalantes, purely out of curiosity -- i had my doubts whether the knit material will hold up to rigorous training schedule. i ended up doing all the training for, as well as actually running, a 50k trail race in them, made for road work.
because i am an optimist (i.e. sucker for marketing), i always end up getting the variants & most up-to-date models, rather than just going back to what works, not to mention the original model was discontinued several years back. there is a small part of me that says i would've be better off if i had the 5 of the same pair. maybe i will do some eBay dumpster-diving later today...
People really love the Altras. I tried them on once and they were so comfortable, but I couldn't get with the zero-drop thing. I'm old enough to have played middle school basketball in the original Jordans and I'm sure i threw them away.
i hear ya; especially as a climber, i really wanted to love the la sportivas, but they simply just didn't work w/ my feet. i wonder whether the running community will grow big enough for some crazy visionary to come up w/ a bespoke running shoes company!
I love this post. I used to love my merrell trail gloves, the original, and bought up a bunch as they were making newer models. Eventually I tried the "road glove" and I think my form changed and I couldnt go back to the trail glove which was a shame. I'm on my fifth pair of the ON cloudflow now and its comfortable enough and I know I dont get hurt in them so I stick with it, but I dont share the same love you do.
I've heard good things about the ON shoes. Might give them a try. I'm really at a loss about what to do, honestly. Such a first world problem, I know. Thanks for the kind words.
As what I would consider to be a still-novice road runner, I have tried to remain agnostic about my shoes. Recent reading (recommended by you, Paul) has opened my eyes to the snow job that is being perpetrated against runners by the drinks, protein bar, and shoe manufacturers of this fine capitalist utopia of ours. I have abandoned electrolyte supplements, avoided heavily processed "food replacement solutions" and am currently stretching out the lifespan of the ugly ass New Balance road shoes I bought at least 800 miles ago. I am not running trails and I am not logging 50-80 miles per week, so I know my choices carry less in the way of potential consequences. I nevertheless found myself moved by the argument that the greatest human runners on earth grow up with little more than a (oftentimes improvised) foot covering and their lower bodies are stronger for it. I know the barefoot thing has been largely disproved and/or deemed offensive, but I feel strongly that our feet are actively inhibited by the overly luxurious road shoes on offer.
So, while I don't have a strong attachment to my shoes, I do LOVE spending less than $50 on them! Watch this space for future complaints about my Kevin McHale-level foot trauma now that I've opened my big mouth.
i wish there were an "air force 1" equivalent of running shoes... New Balance, i think, comes pretty close.
I appreciate your spirit on this Joe, but I would be very cautious about staying in a pair of shoes too long. That's a potential recipe for injury. I usually swap out my trails runners every 500 miles or so, more like 300 for the road joints.
I feel this.
In 2014 mizuno discontinued the Wave Elixr after version 8. Supportive, but lightweight, fast but sturdy, it suited me perfectly. Train or race, it did it all - the greatest running shoe I ever wore.
Number 7 was my absolute favourite, I had a few pairs of them, but never before had I been so in love with a running shoe.
So when they discontinued the wave elixr and replaced it with the sayonara, which was absolute garbage, my quest to find the perfect shoe started - again.
6 years since my last pair wore out I haven’t found anything I’ve loved. Been through so many, currently in Hoka ATR 6 and Adizeo Boston 8s. Nothing compares.
I found some Akashas in Australia, might give them a try on your recommendation.
Oh man, used to rock the Wave Riders for a stretch. Love those shoes. Moved over to the Adizero's and they were fine, even good. But they weren't those. Hope the Akashas work out for you. Should have mentioned Sportiva runs a bit tight and narrow so I size up
I was just in the shop getting new shoes the other day and bemoaning the loss of my best shoe friends: the Perl Izumi EM Road N1.
That's the first pair of running shoes I broke the 10k barrier in, and also the first pair of shoes where the shop owner looked me in the eye and said "These are going to feel a lot better for you than what you have right now. Do not go out and overdo it tomorrow."
And then of course I did.
As a follow up I spent most of last year running in Brooks Ghosts, which are cozy and comfy but honestly my biggest complaint is that there's too much cushion. I just opted for a pair of Karhu Ikoni Otrix and they're a delight--8mm drop instead of the 12mm in the Brooks, plus firmer and a lot more control.
OH boy do I ever feel this. HEAVILY.
WHY DO THEY DO THIS TO US!?!??! WHY!!??! Keep in mind, I'm almost exclusively on roads, paths that are conditioned in some way, etc. It took me years to find shoes that I didn't end up injured from and I finally landed on the perfect shoe (for me), the Saucony Ride series. I have high arches, wear orthotics and a have litany of hip and back issues that I so lovingly inherited from my parents. My shoes are everything to me.
I wore the Rides for at least 12 years and every version seemed to get better and better, until they changed so much they were like wearing a different, and very uncomfortable, terribly minimal shoe. Not to sound dramatic, but I felt betrayed. I then went through the whole shoe process. Try on, check gait, check fit, run up and down the block, jump up an down... you know the drill. And I landed on the Brooks Ghost..they were life changing. Like running on clouds. I didn't know where I had been before. I hoarded them knowing full well that the shoe companies don't want us to stay happy! Eventually, they came out with new models and they, like the Sauconys, became a different, uncomfortable shoe. I'm currently in the Brooks Adrenaline because they're closest to the Ghost as I could get. I ask for everyone who buys me Christmas, birthday, anniversary gifts to please all buy me THESE shoes! I hate that feeling of "I only have one pair which means I could stretch them out to about 500-maybe 600 miles before I need to start that search again." "Maybe I'll find them in a warehouse somewhere?" "Maybe there will be a stockpile of them hidden somewhere that I'll be able to tap into! TELL ME BROOKS, WHERE IS THIS PLACE?!"
Anyway, I'm currently doing that exact thing. Holding onto the two pair that I have left since the version I'm wearing are two versions ago and trying to find more.
Good to hear that the Cascadias are good, as they are likely the right fit for the volume of trail running I do (I am in another pair of Brooks now that are more geared toward roads). I had also been agnostic about running shoes until my doctor told me to get a pair with good cushioning for my knees.
As for other shoes, I am a book guy and will swear by two brands. For heavier duty, go with Red Wings. They are pricey but they last (with some maintenance). I have a pair that I, admittedly, inherited from my brother and they are super comfortable, keep my feet warm, and look good so I don't feel like I am wearing something only for winter. The second type of book I would swear by are Blundstones. A little trendy, but there is a reason - they are very comfortable, though make sure you get the right size.