While I don't have an Imelda Marcos infatuation with running shoes, I have enjoyed keeping up with all of the technological advances in shoes. My first pair of "real" running shoes were New Balance 320's. Back in the day, Runner's World designated them the #1 shoe. I think I got them for $20 or something like that. They were followed by Nike LDV's. I tried to think of all the shoes that I've run in since then; it's a long list.* Now, I'm running in Newton All-Weathers (although they've been discontinued, I bought an extra pair and squirrelled them away) and ASICS Gel-Super J33's. Pretty fancy name for a pretty basic shoe. I think, though, that I finally found a pair of shoes to alternate with Newtons. When I worked at a running shoe store (Frank Shorter Fitness Wear) in college, I started alternating shoes, typically trying to find two different brands, or at least two different styles of shoe, so that I wouldn't get too "locked in" to a particular last. And that's when I learned a lot about shoes. One of the things I remember was running with a New Balance rep one morning and seeing that he had put a NB upper onto a Nike Terra Trainer midsole. When asked about it, his response was that he wanted to see what the new midsole material, Phylon, felt like.
Alternating shoes has mostly worked for quite some time. Why do I say mostly? When I started running in Newtons, I found that they felt better than any shoe that I had run in for a very long time. They had great cushioning, but also had a very fast-feeling ride. Newtons have been in the rotation since then, but trying to find the right alternative to Newtons has been tough. Most recently, I ran in Saucony Mirages and then Kinvaras. While they were light and had a low drop, something didn't feel quite right with them. They were soft, but they always felt dead. When I first started running in the J33's, I finally realized, after 30+ years of running, what my cushioning preference was. While I like a cushioned shoe, I don't like a soft one. What does that mean? Basically, I like shoes that have a firmer, more responsive ride. That's why I liked the Newtons. And that's why I like the J33's. I hope that ASICS doesn't change this shoe, because it works great for me: the shape, the weight, and the feel are all great for me. And while there are different Newton models, the ones that I wear all have the same feel to them. The AW's feel similar, although a bit heavier, to the Motion and the Distance S.
The J33's remind me of the original Gel-Lytes and DS Lytes that were my favorite shoes in the early 90's. I thought those were the best shoes ever, bright colors nothwithstanding. Unfortunately, each iteration of Gel-Lytes got heavier and then morphed into the DS Trainers, which also got heavier and heavier. I'm glad ASICS went back to a simpler, flatter, and lower shoe. While not built for everyone, they work for me and I will alternate them with the Newtons for the foreseeable future.
*as much in order as I can remember: Brooks Vantage, New Balance 420, Saucony Jazz, Nike Internationalist, Epic, Equinox, Odyssey, Terra Trainer, ASICS Striker, X-caliber GT, GT2, Epirus, Nike Sock Trainer, Anodyne, ASICS Gel DS-Lyte, Gel Lyte I, II, and III, DS Trainers (in multiple editions), GT-2010, 2020, 2040, 2060, Brooks Adrenaline GTS (multiple editions), Cascadia, Nike Free 5.0 V1, 2, and 3, Vibram Five Finger Bikilas, K-Swiss Kwicky Blade Lite, Newton Motion, AW, Terra Momentus, Distance S, Saucony Mirage, Kinvara 3, ASICS Gel Super J33, and a bunch more whose names I can't remember. My only regret is not having a pair of Nike Sock Racers! And I'm glad that I didn't get sucked into the Nike V-series; even now I can remember how hideous they were.
No comments:
Post a Comment