The search for the perfect running shoe is over.  I decided to go with the same brand of running shoe I had before.  I tried many different types of shoes, ran in them, did my research and eventually could not find a running shoe that I liked better than my Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8s. I guess if the shoe fits, run in it.  There’s no need to reinvent your “wheels.”

Although I found my perfect pair of running shoes, I still have a problem with the shoe laces being too long.  It seems to be the norm in running shoes these days.  I don’t know why.  So now I have to find the right laces for my perfect running shoes.  Why is it so difficult to make me happy?  Because I demand perfection.  Well, at the very least, I demand being close to spectacular.

I didn’t realize how diverse shoe laces had become until I started doing my research.  You’ve got the flat, the fat, the round, the colored, the infants, the big foot, the waxed, the elastic, even the butterfly and the daisy styles.  These are just some examples, there is a plethora of other shoe laces out there.  It became too much information for me to properly delineate.  Apparently there are 2 Trillion ways to lace up a standard 12-eyelet pair of shoes.  Click here if you want to learn more about general shoe lacing and tying techniques from Ian, a shoelace expert and connoisseur. It’s actually pretty interesting.  Then, go to your parents house and yell at them for not teaching you how to properly tie your shoes when you were 5 years old.  I personally wore Velcro shoes until I was about 10 years old.  Why learn to tie your shoes when you can wear Velcro?  I was so much smarter back then.

So, although I bought the exact same pair of running shoes that I had previously owned, I’m always looking to try new things, but I just don’t understand why running shoe laces have been getting longer and longer as time passes.  Are people’s feet evolving to be wider?  I didn’t realize homosapiens had balance issues.  Maybe my feet are just that skinny and when I tighten my shoes I get all a lot of that extra lace.  And no, it’s not true what they say about the width of one’s feet being directly proportional to other body parts.  Shattering stereotypes is my middle name baby.  Chris Shattering Stereotypes Barber, B.A.  Don’t act like your not impressed.

I don’t think I’m smarter than the shoeientists and shoeginneers at Nike, Brooks, or New Balance; so with my last pair of Brooks Adrenaline 8s I tried using the standard model laces that came with the shoes for the first couple of months.  Upgrades are a rip off anyways.  As my shoes tightened to my feet, the longer my laces  hung out.  I’m all for “hanging out” but it started to become a hazard for me.  I started to trip over the excess string, falling to the ground on multiple occasions.  Even though my falls were typically when I was running with someone of a slower running pace, I needed laces that would be safe for any pace I chose to run.  I finally broke down and bought some standard shorter, thinner shoe laces at the dollar store and put them in my running shoes.  I’m going to do it again for my new running shoes.  I’ll probably get some other things at the dollar store too.  Steak sauce, “orange” cleaning solution, maybe a spatula or an extension cord.  I don’t know.  I don’t know if I’ll have enough time.

I honestly can’t understand why the thicker, round, and longer laces that come on most running shoes today are better.  The thickness and roundness of the laces helps the knot hold better but the length is just plain ridiculous.  Even when you double or triple knot the laces they end up being way too long.  Even Shaq would have excess lace on his running shoes.  Not that Shaq runs.  That’s for Stevey Nash to worry about.

Our American way of thinking that bigger is better doesn’t always ring true.  “Super-sized” food just makes us fatter, SUVs use way too much expensive gas, and big houses come with high mortgages that Americans are struggling to afford right now.  Let’s stop this Manifest Destiny of running shoe laces before it’s too late.  Next thing you know we’ll be buying Alaska or Louisiana!  The horror.

I ran 15 miles this past weekend and my knees and shins told me it’s time to get some new running shoes…stat.  I’ve done a lot of research on the Internet and talked to fellow runners but I’m still not “sold” on any particular running shoe.  I figured it was finally time to go to the running shoe and apparel store to decide once and for all.

I went to Big Peach Running Company in Atlanta.  I actually bought my last pair of running shoes here and was really impressed with the experience.  In order to help customers find the perfect running shoe, Big Peach Running Company (BPRC) takes you through a 4 step fit process. First, they ask about you.  Finally…someone wants to hear you talk about you.  The BPRC associate asks you what your intended purposes are for the running shoes.  Do you need them for trail running, 10Ks, triathlons, speed-walking, jazzercise, or just being awesome?  Whatever it is they’ve got you covered; however, they can’t guaranteed the awesomeness of a pair of shoes, that has to come from within the shoe wearer.

They then put some white suction cups on your chest and nipples and make you run on a treadmill for the Video Gait Analysis.  There’s really no suction cups involved but I felt like I needed some since someone was analyzing me run on a treadmill.  Kind of like the Russian guy in Rocky.  While on the treadmill they videotape you running to determine what level of stability you need.  You don’t have to take their word for it though, they play the video back to you, frame-by-frame, in slow motion.  You may be surprised by what you see, but don’t be too concerned; you don’t chose to pronate, God just made you that way and that’s perfectly fine.  Click here to learn more about your pronation problems.  Just know that there are other people out there just like you.  You don’t have to deal with this alone.  Seek help from professionals; like the ones at BPRC.

The technology doesn’t stop there, you then have your foot digitalized.  They analyze this data looking at the width and arch of your feet.  They also ask about any injuries, bunions, or if you wear foot inserts; which I equate to stuffing your bra.  Not that I’ve ever worn a bra…or stuffed one for that matter.

After collecting and analyzing all of this information, the associate determines about four different pairs of running shoes that fit your needs.  Then its time to go old school and simply run in the shoes.  Like a car, they let you take the running shoes out for a test drive.  The shoes you run in aren’t “test pairs” either.  They’re brand new and are the exact pair you will be purchasing.  By running (they let you run up to 2 miles in them!) you will be able to tell the differences between the shoes.  You need to find the perfect running shoe for you.  We all have different running styles and/or shoe colors but one thing is for certain; we’re still the same…just runners.  Let’s hold hands in a circle.

When I went to the Decatur BPRC store I was helped by an associate named Luis.  This guy blew me away with his running shoe knowledge.  I’ve never been a “gear head” but I am very knowledgeable about running equipment; however, Luis told me about things I had never even thought about.  We’ve got to always keep learning.  Even the associates keep learning by testing out new products and shoes themselves.  With all the technology in the foot process analysis I think you have to have an engineering or science degree to sell running shoes there.  The associates at BPRC are experts.  No doubt about it.  Honestly, I haven’t seen service like this since “full service” gas stations went away.  With competitive prices and uber customer service I don’t know how BPRC makes a profit, but that’s for them to worry about and me to take full advantage of.

I ended up trying on about 10 to 12 pairs of running shoes.  I started out with the same version of the Brooks Adrenaline 8 that I currently wear and found no other shoe that compared…expect maybe the Brooks Infiniti 2s. I really want to try a different pair of running shoes than what I have right now but I haven’t found any that I like better.  I’m still holding out for something better to come along but maybe I should just love the one I’m with.  Who knows?

The point is, whether you live in the Atlanta area or not, you need to do your research to find the shoe that fits best.  Make sure you try out different running shoes to compare before making your purchase.  If you are going to a shoe store, then visit a running specific shoe store that offers some of the same features BPRC does.  The expert advice is a service worth paying for…even in this economy.

So I think it is time to get new running shoes.  I have put about 400 miles on my current shoes.  I tend to hold on to my shoes longer than I should firstly because I am cheap; but secondly because I hate trying to pick out the perfect pair to replace my broken in shoes.  Face it, no two running shoes feel the same and it takes some time to feel completely comfortable in new running shoes.  I’ve only had three types of running shoes in my last 6 pairs.  My current pair is a brand that I had never tried before.  They are the Brooks Trance 8s and I love them.  They had the perfect blend of stability and cushion that my body and running style needs.  However, we must try new things to grow.  I am now out on a mission…to find the best shoe I can find.  Maybe it will be a cushioned running shoe, maybe it will be a stable one, maybe support; I don’t know, maybe it will something cool I’ve never even heard about.

So the reason I know my shoes are worn out is that I started feeling the first signs of shin splints on a track workout today.  Just over a week ago I started a 9-week training plan to race a half-marathon.  I’ve never raced this distance before and am excited to see how fast I can do it.  I haven’t raced this short of a distance in about 6 months and have not been to the track much during that period.  I think the track had something to do with me feeling the splint in my right shin.  For now, I’m going to run the track backwards before I find the perfect shoe…unless my body tells me otherwise.

Please comment and make any suggestions.  I’ll keep you posted on how my search goes and what I learn.

After many different versions of Nike’s Air Pegasus running shoes I decided to see if there was another running shoe out there for me.  I had recently moved which changed the surfaces that I regularly ran on.  I needed to find a new shoe with the same comfort but with a little more stability to prevent injury.  I went to a running shoe store that allowed me to try multiple pairs of shoes, all at the same price, by running about a mile in each pair.  I ended up finding that the Brooks Adrenaline GTS was the best fit for me by far.  I honestly had never tried on a pair of Brooks running shoes before, sticking to my trusty New Balance and Nike brands, but I have to admit, my Brooks shoes have lasted the longest and have given me the least amount of aches and pains from running.  I love them.  Plus, I can tell I’m SO much faster in them.

Brooks Sports, Inc., based in Bothell, Washington and was founded in 1914.  Now it is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.  Berkshire Hathaway is run by Warren Buffet who’s business strategy throughout the years has been to invest in undervalued, quality companies for the long-term.  Based on his investing record, if Warren likes it, the company must be good.  Brooks’ footwear is designed to produce a running shoe that is both comfortable and helps to prevent running-related injuries. From the Brooks website, Brooks Sports mission is to “inspire everyone to run and be active by creating innovative gear that keeps them running longer, farther, and faster.”  I guess this is where Kayne West got the idea for his song, “Stronger.”  I thought Puff Daddy was the one that ran a marathon?  Who knows.

At any rate, Brook’s newest innovative gear is the Brooks Trance 8.  Brooks Trance 8 is the first shoe made with a biodegradable midsole which breaks down in landfills 50 times faster than normal running shoes.  Normal running shoes take an average of 1000 years to biodegrade in a landfill in comparison to the Brooks Trance 8 which takes approximately 20 years to biodegrade.  Brooks estimates that by manufacturing this biodegradable shoe alone will account for a decrease our landfills by 30 million pounds in the next 20 years.  If just one type of shoe can account for that much waste, wouldn’t it be great if more products to be made with this innovative material and biodegrade quicker?  Of course, and Brooks Sports, Inc. agrees.  Brooks has made this new product an “open source” innovation, vowing that they will share this new product to any company, including competing shoe manufactures.  Now that’s a commitment to the environment.

After you buy your new pair of running shoes think twice about throwing away your old pair.  Please consider to continue to use them for other purposes or better yet, give them away to someone that needs them more.  Remember, those shoes have a life expentancy of 1000 years!