New shoes!

You know it’s time to change your running shoes when the upper mesh is ripping away from the sole. I’ve had my beloved Brooks since 2009, when I ran my first half-marathon. According to multiple sources I’ve read, you should change out your running shoes approximately every 300-500 miles. I know from my MiCoach stats that I’ve logged 115 miles since this past June, so I think it’s safe to assume I passed at least the 300-mile mark somewhere in the past two and a half years. Plus I’d been experiencing a nagging pain in my groin after runs for the past month—an indication my shoes were wearing out!

I got a new pair of Brooks (above) at Super Jock ‘n Jill in Seattle, a running store next to Greenlake. The customer service there was excellent and their sales associates let you jog through the store (awkward) and even around the block to let you test how the shoes feel. I also tried out a pair of Mizunos to see how they fit my feet (not well) and also a pair of Nike Free Run+ shoes. The Nikes were an interesting feel—very lightweight. They are best for shorter runs though, so I went for the Brooks since I was used to the feel of them and knew from experience they’d carry me through multiple races.

Sometimes you have to sacrifice colors you like for a shoe that fits you best—I think I got lucky with these shoes! The colors are sort of Seattle Sounders-esque. I’ve already put three miles on them—I had to take them out for a test spin when I got home—and am tracking the mileage through MiCoach (I love stats) so I can analyze the beating I put them through. Happy running!