Shoes

Current Shoes

I didn't know anything about shoes when I first started running.  In fact, I ran my first race (a 10k) in a pair of New Balance cross-trainers that I'd been working out in for probably 3 years.  Yikes!  When I finally bought running shoes, I think I only chose them for the color and because they were on sale.  Who knew if this running thing would last?  

Thankfully I'm still running and have learned a thing or two about shoes over the years. Until very recently I always ran in the same shoe every day, for every run.  Even races! I've decided to start building my shoe collection.  This way I can rotate the shoes throughout the week to give them a break.  It will also be good for my muscles if I wear shoes with different drops or have different features (such as the lugs on the Newtons). Or maybe I'm kidding myself because I just want more shoes!  (wink wink)

Brand: New Balance
Style: Fresh Foam 980

Type: Road - Neutral

Weight: 7.4oz

Drop: 6.7mm

Best for:  Short to mid-length runs, cross-training, or walking.  I LOVE these shoes!  They are super comfortable for whatever I need.  Plus they go well with all my outfits and I love the bright laces!  Win win!  

Brand: Newton

Style: Gravity II

Type: Road - Neutral

Weight: 7.6oz

Drop: 3mm

Best for: Anything!  These are my current go-to shoe, especially for a long run (10+ miles). The lugs on the bottom help you land with a mid-foot strike.  They are a little pricier than other shoes but considering runners get 600+ miles out of one pair, I'd say they're well worth the cost.  

Brand: Altra
Style: Intuition 2

Type: Road - Zero-Drop

Weight: 8.2oz

Drop: 0mm

Best for: Short, easy recovery runs (3 miles).  The zero drop definitely takes some getting used to and quite honestly, I haven't taken them out on too many runs yet.  Currently they are my least favorite shoes in the rotation for running but are great for walking.

Brand: Nike
Style: Pegasus+ 30

Type: Road - Neutral

Weight: 8.8oz

Drop: 11.6mm

Best for: Mid-length runs, 6 miles or so.  Comfortable with good cushioning.  I feel like my feet are getting a nice hug from them while I run - not too tight and you could stay in them forever.  

Brand: Saucony
Style: Fastwitch 6

Type: Racing

Weight: 6.2oz

Drop: 4mm

Best for: Race day!  I've worn them for a variety of distances (5k up to marathon) and been very happy with them.  Nice and light.  

Brand: Saucony
Style: Kinvara 4 GTX

Type: Road - Neutral 

Weight: 6.7oz

Drop: 4mm

Best for: Snowy, slushy, or very rainy runs.  The waterproof and breathable Gor-Tex covering helps keep my feet dry nice and dry.  A definitely must for winter runs to help keep frostbite at bay!  (Trust me - I learned the hard way.)  

Retired

I put in a lot of good miles on these babies.  Time to turn them into cleaning shoes or donate them to local track track teams through my favorite running store - RUNdetroit.

Brand: Saucony
Style: Guide 7

Type: Road - Stability

Weight: 8.6oz

Drop: 8mm

Best for: Anything!  These were my tried and true training shoes for Boston.  They'll probably stay in the rotation a bit longer, maybe just one run a week, but have logged a lot of miles and are on their way into retirement.  

What are your favorite running shoes?