Saturday, July 16, 2005

New kicks

I quit work early yesterday - I've been working crazy hours - and headed off to Road Runner Sports in Greenlake for what was an interesting if financially imprudent visit.

It was time to get new shoes. I'd had my gait analyzed at The Seattle Running Company, and I've been fairly happy with the Brooks Adrenaline shoes they recommended. But they didn't feel perfect, so I wanted to try something new.

To analyze your gait, the Seattle Running Company videotapes your feet and ankles as you run on a treadmill. Then the guy looks at the footage to see how you run.


Road Runner Sports, however, uses a different system, called Gait Analysis by Presto Scan. You walk onto a pressure-sensitive pad, and a snapshot of the pressure patterns on your foot is sent to the PC.

It's really interesting to see. Turns out that while my previous analysis said I was slightly pronated, this time the guy told me I had a high arch and a very balanced foot for my height and build etc. "I'd just recommend a cushioning shoe," he said.

After a few runs around the block I ended up with the Asics Gel Nimbus VII. I love them. They feel like I'm walking on air; they have a funky design; and the mesh in front is so light you can feel the breeze on your toes when you run. It's a lovely, lovely feeling.

I'm in love with my new shoes.

2 comments:

Joe said...

I too just bought some Asics Nimbus VII's. I bought them from the Running Room on West Broadway in Vancouver, BC, for CAD$179.99.
They don't really have a sophisticated gait analysis system at the Running Room. What they do is: 1) look at the wear patterns on your old shoes, 2) check out your feet, 3) watch you walk back and forth several times. However, being the obsessive freak that I am that wasn't good enough for me, so I got someone to videotape me running. Then I showed the video to the Running Room staff members. They told me that I have a slightly high arch and a neutral gait. For that, they recommended the Nimbus VII. I also tried out the Mizuno Wave Rider 8 and a couple of neutral Saucony's. The Wave Rider's were VERY light but I wasn't sure if I could get used to the "feel of the road" sensation.

Anyway, I settled on the Nimbus VII's and I'm glad I did. They are super cushiony and cool (in a looks AND temperature sense). I like lots of cushioning because of my size (6'2", 189 lbs).

Cheers,
Joe
My Running Blog: See Joe Run

Unknown said...

hmm...road runner sports just opened a store near here. i should go give that a whirl. although, my current shoes fit so well that i can buy a pair, put them on and run a 20 miler without any problems.