Boo! It's a Ghost!

I went for my first serious shoe purchase as a runner. The folks at Complete Runner near my office in Flint helped me tremendously. I seriously considered 6 different neutral cushioned trainers. First, it was nice to confirm that I do in fact have a neutral gait; they looked at my old Saucony Jazz and watched me on the treadmill. So I spent lots of time running on a number of shoes. The winner: Brooks Ghost.

True to form in running shoes, the Ghost has already been replaced by the Ghost 2. I got the first model. I paid $100, but that was well worth it given the help and selection I had at Complete Runner. When I got home, I found a second pair on Overstock.com for $60 and ordered them. Cool!

Here are notes about the other shoes I tried today

• Mizuno Wave Runner: The runner up. These are nice shoes, and I really liked the lower profile heel. But they were so light that they just didn't seem as substantial to me. If I find a cheap pair of these guys online, I might snatch them up. The heel design is really different, too.
  
• New Balance 1063: In the top 3. These were a very nice, tight fit but the heel just seemed gigantic! Had the heel been a lower profile, I think these guys would have won.
• New Balance 1064: Marilyn seemed to think the newer 1064 would be less comfortable for me than the 1063; I'm not sure why she was right. I was trying to narrow down the field, so I went with her recommendation. The 1063 and 1064 were the most expensive of the bunch.
  
• Brooks Defyance 2: For some reason, these guys just felt wrong. They felt like paddles attached to my feet. Instantly not a good fit--not sure why.
  
• Brooks Ghost: Took these guys to the dance. Overall the best. I wish the heel were just a tad shorter like the Mizunos, but this was the best combination of all of them.
  
• Asics Gel-Nimbus 11: I nearly bought a pair of these online based on reviews. Whoa, did I avert a disaster. These shoes were so pillowy that I don't think I could have run on them. They felt cushy and gushy. It's funny, as I was putting them on I thought to myself: "I really want these--good thing I get to compare them to other shoes." I instantly knew they were wrong for me.

I'm feeling good about my Saucony Jazz purchase back in the summer. They got me started and, as it turns out, they were great shoes that match my gait pattern. Now they are my winter "screw shoes." Perfect.

I am sorely tempted to go to the indoor track tomorrow to test these guys out on a fast 5K.

P.S. I just looked back at my July blog entries. Boy, I nearly purchased the exact wrong shoe back then. I was going to buy a Mizuno stability shoe; good thing I held out for the Saucony Jazz. Something tells me I am going to really like these Brooks.

UPDATE: Just did a quick 3-miler in these, and they are great. Obviously they will take some getting used to, but I feel a distinct cushion in the mid-foot where I strike--it feels like kind of a "paw," which is very cool. I needed to concentrate to relax my lower legs, but it seemed to work. I wonder if it's common to run faster than normal in new shoes. These guys get more air circulation, too--luckily it wasn't that cold out (28F). I think these are going to be a great pair of shoes for me.