The Thrill Is Gone

I am considering giving up my beloved Mizuno running shoes.

Before you think I'm planning to run barefoot or in heels or some other foolishness, it's not that. It's that I tried on a pair of Asics and they were, well, tempting. Soft. Cushiony. Floaty.

It begins as a long story full of details that only dedicated runners might find interesting, so I'll gloss over it: that I'd sprained my ankle very badly on a trail run in 2005; that I'd gone skiing at Vail the very second my ankle was pronounced "healed" but without doing a lick of physical therapy and therefore tore my MCL in my right knee; that when I was finally able to run again, I'd gone to a running specialty story where they took one look at my wobbling ankle and put me in Mizuno stability shoes that seemed tailor-made for my long, skinny feet.

I've had blisters here and there and two or three blackened toenails that fell off, but no sprains. And it's been in Mizuno stability shoes (First the Wave Alchemy, then the lighter Wave Inspire) that I went from a 25 minute 5k runner to a 22 and a half minute 5k runner, and then went on to run 10 mile races and marathons and such.

Well, to be honest, I wore Mizuno Wave Riders for some of it, because they're lighter.

They're also neutral shoes, for people who don't need all that stability. Stability shoes are for people who have stability problems, like people who overpronate, or roll inward on their feet. Or for people who strike the ground with their heels.

I don't do any of that. I actually supinate a bit - that is to say, I run on the outside of my feet. And I strike the ground with my forefoot (yeah, I basically run on my outer three toes of each foot.)

By the way, all this foot-strike, supinate-versus-pronate stuff generates lots of talk among runner geeks and it's big business. Think about all the people who drop $100-$150 on a pair of running shoes to correct this or help that or cushion each footfall. Then multiply that by two or three, because most serious runners I know have at least that many pairs of shoes in rotation at any given time.

So I went to Luke's Locker and they said I didn't need those stability shoes anymore. I guess that ankle is finally healed. I tried on a bunch of different neutral shoes and it came down to the Asics and the Mizunos. The Asics were bouncy. The Mizunos felt... familiar.

So I bought the Mizunos.

Now that I've put maybe 25 miles on them, I don't know. I run on probably the least cushiony part of the feet and well, I'm feeling like my new Mizunos could use a little softness in them. On the other hand, I feel like the Asics are tempting me to stray from the known and true -- and what if I got them and they proved to be nothing more than a twisted-ankle, blistery hoax?

I'm sure Asics fans will be quick to point to the popularity of Asics and Mizuno fans will tell me to just get the new Wave Riders broken in. As far as everyone else - Brooks, Saucony, Nike? Sorry. None of them are right for me.

Comments

[Tara Peplowski]

Adela, I hear you loud and clear....I had the SAME shoes three times in a row (Brooks Adrenaline 8)....then, the company had to come out with a new model! How dare they! So, I tried on a different stability shoe....it sure felt cushy compared to the new Brooks Adrenaline 9 model I tried, and compared to my old tried-n-true Brooks. But, then, I am feeling like something that cushy and comfy will probably not last long as all of the cushy stuff is compacted as I log more miles.....but, I bought them anyway! For me, it is a new pair of SAUCONY Pro-Grid 8. I even went up another half size to try to prevent purple toenails (I had already moved into a 9.5 from my street shoe size 9's). So, did I do the right thing????? Don't know. Only time will tell. I think at least my favorite old Brooks Adrenaline 8's and my new Saucony Pro-Grid 8's both have the number 8 in the style name.....maybe that is a sign from the "Running Gods"?????

[Justin]

Adela, a wise man once told me to go with what feels right. I was an asics freek when i first started running. all my friends said they will give you blisters and your toes will curl up like the wicked witch of the west after long runs... needless to say after my first marathon they were correct. I don't pronate, supernate, etc. I tried on the Brooks Ghost which is probably the closest shoe to a trainer you can buy, but it has the cushion to get you through a marathon. I am about to run my third marathon on the ghost and i don't get blisters, black toes, etc. If they ever get rid of the Ghost i will probably have to retire from running. Good luck on your search for the perfect shoe.

[Lolo Robison]

Hi, Adela!

Viewers here in the Greater Lansing area sure miss seeing you around town and on WILX TV. Hope all is going well for you and your family.

Hopefully, Luke's Locker offers an unconditional money-back guarantee, just like Playmakers in Okemos, Mich. Their satisfaction guarantee allows you to test drive all products, including shoes, under real-life conditions for 30 days and return -- no questions asked -- products that don't satisfy or meet your standards. Such a guarantee would allow you to kick some asphalt in both the Mizuno and Asics. At the distances and frequencies you're running, you'll know within 30 days whether you prefer one over the other, or both.

I'd taken several pairs of shoes on roads and trails, including Nike, Asics, Saucony ... you name it. At the time, I'd tried all the kicks recommended for pronators by Runner's World's annual fall shoe review (http://bit.ly/RWFall09ShoeReview). After testing each pair for distances between 5k and 10k, I finally settled on a pair of Brooks Addiction for my half- and full-marathon training programs.

When it comes to running gear, I trust Playmakers' expertise, product knowledge, and commitment to my satisfaction. If Luke's doesn't offer the same level of service, there's gotta be another merchant in your area that will.

Whatever you do, Adela, road warriors like ourselves shouldn't have to settle. Demand only the best!

All the best,

Lolo

[Henry]

Iwill be running my 15th Houston and my 68th marathon this time,( I started running marathons when I turned 50). I use Brooks Gl. I used to use the high price NI.however found that Brooks are much better, and no black toe:)