Mama's Got a New Pair of Trainers!

Fresh off the plane from Portland, OR and just out of the cradle, the pictures below are of my lovely new Nike Structure Triax 11 - trainers, waiting patiently last night (behind the yellow line, of course) for the "F" train back to Brooklyn, their new home.

These shoes are so FIERCE, yet so structurally cautious! :)

I can't wait to take them out for a spin on the West Side Highway after work tonight. I'm happy with my decision not to break 'em out last night since they would have been in the same sorry condition that my ASICS are in today (... still drying out in my apt hallway). I'm out for 5-6 miles tonight. Stay tuned!

They're just do darn beautiful, I could cry. :)

Merrells, Treats for your Feets!

I know everyone is jumping on the "specialty running market" bandwagon, but Merrell is one company I'm happy to hear is now manufacturing running shoes. As you probably know, they've been doing trail shoes for quite sometime, but I'm so excited about this latest development. They seem to be a great company with a philosophy I can buy into.

As you may know from earlier posts, I'm an "ASICS girl" who most recently was persuaded by her EKIN friend to trail a pair of NIKEs. Last update I received was that my new NIKE kicks are in the mail (stay tuned). But considering my recent purchase of a pair of Merrell zodiacs which I love Love LOVE for kickin' around and for the to/from work, I'm interested to see how Merrell does in this first attempt at a training shoe.

Kids!!, just watch the video below, this shoe has memory foam and is partially made of recyclable material. That's pretty flippin' cool!!

Here's a glimpse of the Merrell CT Converge (and the Brooks Defy ance):

The Right Shoe For You

As I've already mentioned on this blog, I'm a bit of an ASICS fan (as far as running shoes go). I've tried Saucony's, Mizuno's, Nike's, Brooks, New Balance in the past, but I always end up coming back to my tried and true, ASICS. I'm currently running in my third pair of ASICS 1120's and I'm more than happy to stick with this model. However, it seems as though ASICS is no longer manufacturing it and has now moved on to the "1130". It okay though, I've had my heart broken before when I lost the ASICS 1090 and the old-old Kayano's... but all good (running shoe) things eventually do come to an end. I fully understand how it's not always easy to stay true to "your shoe" especially since most running shoe manufactures are constantly changing and "improving" (sometimes debatable) their models.

So, (if like me) you find yourself on the hunt for a new solid pair of running shoes, here are a few tips I'd like to share to help you find your next pair.

If you are a more experienced runner and know what your feet crave, check out this helpful Shoe Finder tool from the Runner's World Shoe Lab. I think it's an excellent way to help you find what's new and highly rated out there on the market. But for our lesser experienced runners, before you go guessing that your feet need more "stability" over "cushioning", I recommend visiting your local running specialty store for advice. Side note, this is my all time favorite specialty running store, the Bryn Mawr Running Company.

Running specialty stores allow you the opportunity to speak with actual runners who are better trained on the pros/cons of each brand/model....way more so than your average Footlocker or Modells salesperson. Most running specialty stores talk specifically with you about your running history, training goals and will examine your last pair of running shoes to see where they took the most beating in order to make a sound suggestion. And honestly, I always need to try new shoes on since just because they sound great and have received great reviews does not mean your feet, knees and/or entire body will love them.

Runners World has some great articles and helpful info & suggestions courtesy of their RunnersWorld Shoe Lab. It's an wonderful starting point as you being your search for your new "sole" mate :)!

Here's a video on their best rated shoes for winter 2008. Best of luck searching!