As a runner, I’ve gone through lots of different shoes (though not as many as a lot of my fellow runners). In my pre-running days, yeah, I owned some “running shoes” and even actually ran in some of them (in the few token 5k’s I did through the years). Since 2004, though, I’ve been buying shoes that are dedicated to running (at least for a time). Most I’ve liked, a few I’ve loved, and one I’ve basically hated. Here are all of those shoes, with approximately how much I paid for them.
Asics Cumulus (around $40)—I bought these when I started training in earnest for my first marathon. I remember buying them at Kohl’s. I had no idea what I was doing: I’d only ever bought shoes based on comfort alone. Terms like “neutral cushioned” and “stability” were a foreign language. I t was between these and a pair of Avia’s, and although I thought those were a little softer, I worried about their durability. As it turned out, the Asics did pretty well for me: they held up through all of my training and my marathon and the scattered runs I did during my marathon hangover. When I finally got around to replacing them, they enjoyed a fruitful retirement as yard shoes and paint shoes.
Asics 2130 (around $80)—My first foray into the “big time” of shoes. When I rededicated myself to running and my Cumulus (Cumuli?) were starting to show their age, I did some research (primarily through Runner’s World, but also online) and settled on this shoe. When I bought them at Runners Plus, I also entered the “big time” of socks when I bought my first pair of Wigwam Ironman no-shows. The shoes and socks were a great match for one another and they remain one of my favorite pair of running shoes (and I still wear the socks around, even though their functionality for “running” is pretty much gone. These shoes, too, enjoyed a wear-around shoe/yard shoe retirement.
Nike Air Zoom Pegasus (around $100)—After I loved my 2130’s so much, why I ever wanted to try something different is a mystery to me now, but back then, it seemed like the thing to do. I went to Runners Plus, again, and explained my thinking and asked for help in picking some new shoes. I remember trying on several pair (including some Mizuno’s) but decided on this pair because they had more cushioning around my ankles. I’ve been paranoid (sometimes rightfully so) about my right ankle, in particular, since I broke it when I was in high school and it’s been susceptible to twists and sprains ever since. I don’t remember a time when I’ve ever been a fan of Nike, but I loved the way these shoes fit in the store and for the first several runs I took in them. After that, I really started to hate them. They started hurting the top of my feet and I had to constantly readjust the laces. Even though these shoes saw me through my best season of racing, these remain my least favorite running shoes. I couldn’t wait to turn these into yard shoes.
Asics 1150 (around $70)—After my failed Nike experiment, I returned to Asics and attempted to do so on a tighter budget. Instead of the contemporary 2150, which were priced around $100, I opted for the lower-tier 1150 which were priced around $30 less. This was also an experiment for me in that I bought them online, without having tried them on before (from Zappo’s). Overall, they were a decent pair of shoes. They seemed to lose their padding sooner than some of my previous pairs, but my biggest mistake in not trying them on ahead of ordering them online was that I bought a pair half a size too small (and, yeah, it’s my fault for not returning them and ordering the right size). A decent pair of yard shoes.
Mizuno Wave Precision 11 (around $100)—To date, my favorite pair of shoes. I first learned about them via a review in Runner’s World and I was intrigued: the weight of a racing shoe with the support of an everyday trainer. Plus, they were white with really cool blue and neon yellow trim. I continued my research and shopping of these for several months before I bit the bullet and dropped down a C-note for them at Runners Plus. They have been worth every penny. Instantly comfortable, ridiculously light, and enough support to ease my ankle paranoia. Great shoes. I wore them for well over two years before I retired them from active duty, but since retirement, they’ve been called into service (and performed admirably) when I’ve forgotten to bring my current shoes to the YMCA. Now my every day wear-arounds.
Mizuno Wave Precision 13 (around $5)—So enamored I was with my Wave Precision 11’s that I knew my next pair of shoes had to be their successor, the Wave Precision 12. Again, I shopped around a lot and did my due diligence in researching them, even trying on a pair at Runners Plus. I loved the fit and the lightness and I loved the color: neon yellow with neon green and black trim. Yowza! Sadly (or maybe fortuitously), Runners Plus only had the white version in my size, so I took a pass on buying them, checking back with the store to see if they got any neon ones in. It was during this waiting and checking period that I discovered I’d won a $100 gift card from Body Glide for a Facebook contest that I didn’t even know I’d entered. When I went to activate the card, I discovered that the balance had been whittled down to around $80 due to non-usage fees or some other bullshit. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, I really didn’t care: eighty bucks is a lot more than zero. I immediately knew what I wanted to do with it, so I went about some online price comparing and found a pair of neon, size 8 Precision 12’s on clearance for, I think, $80. I jumped on the deal and used my gift card, but had to pay the balance of the shipping and tax with my own money. Five dollars for a pair of shoes with an MSRP of $100? Sweet. While they don’t have quite the same magic as my Precision 11’s, I still really like these shoes and they have served me well over most of this past year. Sadly, Mizuno has discontinued the Precision series, so I don’t know where I’ll go next.
Sometimes, I’ve wanted to get muddy, though….
Adidas Trail Shoes (around $40)—I can’t remember exactly what model these were, but they were some non-descript, entry level Adidas. About two years into my running, I started to overcome my ankle paranoia that had kept me from running trails. For my first few trail races, I wore whatever my older pair of road shoes were and, overall, they did okay. I decided though, as I started to like trail running more and more, I should probably get a “real” pair of trail shoes. While not actively “shopping” for a pair, I found these on the clearance rack at DSW. A little heavier than my road shoes (I think I was still wearing my Asics 1150’s at the time), but they offered more grip and support than what I was used to when training and racing off-road. They did start to fall apart relatively quickly (blew a hole in the top near the outside and the soles started to peel away), but I was able to still use them for yard shoes for another year.
New Balance 520 (around $35)—Another pair I found at DSW. Completely disregarding my ankle paranoia, I bought these minimal shoes mostly as an experiment, but also because the price was right. I was really surprised how much I liked these shoes. They performed great on the trail and, due to their minimal nature, gave me a great feel for the off-road. I wore these for several trail races and runs plus they were on my feet when I ran the Tough Mudder in the fall of 2012. My only criticism of them is that they tend to be slick on smooth surfaces (sometimes on the road, a lot more often on linoleum floors). This summer, they’ve been my wear-arounds of choice.
New Balance Minimus (around $55)—One afternoon earlier this year, I was shopping and killing time with my younger son and we stopped by Runners Plus during their annual 50% off sale. We went in and I was looking around for anything that looked interesting and available in size 8. I took the opportunity to try on a few pairs of toe shoes (which, like I was afraid I would, I hated) and some other trail and road shoes when I saw this pair in my size at the bottom of a stack of shoes. I pulled them out and tried them on. Wow. They were even more form fitting and comfortable than my 520’s. Looking down at my feet, they looked kind of weird (made me look like I was pigeon toed), but they fit so well and at half-off their $110 price tag, I couldn’t turn them down. I experimented with them a few times on the treadmill and with socks on and I was a little worried. The initial fit I felt in the store was lacking and my legs seemed to tire quickly. That all changed when I pulled off the socks and hit the trails. From that point on, they performed even better than any of my previous trail shoes and some of my road shoes. Since I’ve had them and learned to love them, I’ve run with them on trails, on the beach, and in last weekend’s Mud Ninja. Each time, they’ve answered the bell (and they’ve cleaned up pretty good afterwards).
Runner812 
