I’m fairly new to the non-heel strike and am 200 miles into Nike Zoom Swift. I think they are breaking down plus I had some toe box issues during the Chicago marathon. I’m looking for some alternative shoes. What do you like?
that shoe is not a durable trainer. are you a big person? light?
nike air max ( NOT shox) are the most cushioned in the mid/forefoot. this would be a good trainer for you if you still want to use the nike vapor/swift/miler for faster running. I have suffered from stress fractures in my forefeet in the past- the air max is the only shoe I can wear.
if you are striking on your mid/forefoot, look for an eva cushioned shoe ( in the mid/front of the shoe), like the adidas response, asics ds trainer, nike air max/skylon, etc…
better yet, go to your local running shop and tell them what you need- where do you live? I’m sure someone in your area is here that can suggest a good place to go…
go to a running shoe shop (the most reputable one you can find) and let them hook you up. they can do a gait analysis and really identify what type of shoe you need. it’s worth the time to do this and no more foot problems. (if you can swing it in the day during the week, they might have extra time to spend on you, versus a jam packed weekend crowd)
good luck,
kitty
thanks for the replies. For the record, I’m 6’ and 160 lbs. Unfortunately I live in SWMichigan/NWIndiana running store wasteland. So I have to research on my own. I’m looking for something with a smaller heel that won’t get in the way of a true midfoot landing. That’s the only reason I went with the Swifts…but they aren’t durable at all.
the Air Max 2004 on Easybay. I assume that’s the shoe you were talking about (as opposed to the Airmax Tailwind). 14+ oz seems heavy. OK for everyday training but what would you suggest for marathons?
I’m fairly new to the non-heel strike and am 200 miles into Nike Zoom Swift. I think they are breaking down plus I had some toe box issues during the Chicago marathon. I’m looking for some alternative shoes. What do you like?
I’m your size, and I wear the Brooks T3. Nice flat sole. They hold up surprisingly well, having some tough carbon rubber across most of the sole.
I’ve run up to 15 miles on pavement in them. I raced a hard, hilly half IM yesterday and they felt great.
Just got my Vitruvians. I can only speak from limited experience, since I am still rehabbing my achilles, but they feel great. When I tried to describe how they felt to Dre’, he said ‘they feel like racing flats.’ I said, “exactly.” They are training shoes, but the forefoot is flexible, but has good shock absorption. You just roll off the front. They almost force me into a better posture.
I’m using Nike Spiridons and they’ve been quite comfortable with my midfoot strike. Hardly any wear on the heal. But now I’m trying to adjust to even more of a Pose style run. I’m finding my toes are going numb after an hour or so. It could be the speedlaces need to loosen a bit.
I also bought the Nike Mayflys. Tried them once for a three miler and LOVE them (but they’re already worn out! not really) I’m not sure of a marathon in them, but a halfer seems reasonable. I think they’ll be good Tri shoes, too.
I like the Asics Tiger Paw. Its a good racing-flat sort of shoe that also has relatively good durability and is not super expensive. Depending on your gait the DS trainer may be one to look at, as it also has great durability, although it has a big supportive wedge on the inside of the arch/heel that made me supinate. I also had toe box issues with Nike - I liked the aesthetics of the new miler shoe but found the toe box too roomy and unsupportive.
My experience with the Nike Zoom series is that they are not built to be durable trainers – people tend to burn through them like racing flats.
At 160 lbs you’re not particularly heavy for 6’. However, I would avoid the suggestion of running in a racing flat like the Brooks T3 while you’re still fairly new to mid-foot striking. Give yourself a little more support while your muscles are developing, then as you get more comfortable you can go as light as you like.
Look to the “lightweight performance” category from most manufacturers. The premium-priced “neutral” or “cushioned” shoes are going to have thicker, and hence less flexible midsoles and won’t be as comfortable. Here’s a quick list of suggestions:
Asics DS-Trainer
Mizuno Precision
New Balance 900
Saucony Swerve or maybe the Fastwitch Endurance
Brooks Burn
Keep in mind that Nike shoes are cut relatively narrow. Some people like that “tight” feel, others have gotten used to it but don’t know what it really feels like to have enough room in the toebox. Many are running in Nikes that are too long for them in order to get the shoe to be wide enough. When landing mid-foot it’s important to have more room around your toes to accomodate your foot spreading out and/or sliding a little under impact. Unless you have the correct foot shape for Nike, you’re likely to find them uncomfortable.
The Brooks Storefinder page lists 14 stores in Indiana; stores that carry Brooks tend to be serious running stores. Here’s the link: http://www.brooksrunning.com/cgi-bin/dealers.cgi?x=402&y=149
Lee Silverman
JackRabbit Sports
Park Slope, Brooklyn
the Air Max 2004 on Easybay. I assume that’s the shoe you were talking about (as opposed to the Airmax Tailwind). 14+ oz seems heavy. OK for everyday training but what would you suggest for marathons?
well, it may be a nit heavy, which is why it would be a great idea to use these as a trainer, then use a nice lightweight version of the same shoe- i.e., the nike zoom miler ( by the way, the miler has a much more cushioned forefoot than the swift or spiridon) in your marathons or fast workouts.
true, nike may fit narrow if you have a wide forefoot. but the forefoot the cushioning is hard to beat.
the ds trainer is still a good bet, but maybe not quite as durable. try the 2080/2090 series, this may be a good pick for you as well.
also, adidas response would be a good bet, and it is much less expensive than the air max.
if you do have a wider forefoot, then go ahead and look at the saucony and brooks series as well.
Shoes I’ve liked recently: NB 833 (did spring marathon in them), Asics DS Racer IV (don’t like the more recent ones as well, but that’s just my foot), Mizuno Wave Aero, NB 920. My forefoot runs widish and I like the toebox in all of these. I’m in between and D and EE in NB and depending on the model will bounce back and forth between the two.
Dan
I run in Mizuno Wave Revolver flats for both training and racing. I’ve used them for an IM marathon and my feet held up better than they ever before.
justin d
If you’re a neutral runner, I’d recommend the Mizuno Wave Rider. I’m 6’3, 155#, they seem to work for me. I’m not looking for super light racing shoes for anything over 10k, so these seem to offer pretty good protection without being overbuilt. I’m not hard on my shoes, and they last me about 400 miles. The new Asics Nimbus feelss really nice too, much more flexible in the forefoot than that shoe has been in the past, although still a little more ‘clunky’ than the Mizuno. Just my .02c, YMMV etc etc.
Cheers
Barry
I have been a mid foot striker before it was cool ;-).
My first choice is the Nike Pegasus, and they do come in widths to address the toe bax issues others have raised.
Second Choice Mizuno Wave Rider.
Both have held up well for mid foot cushsoining, I am 165#, avg build. I like the nikes better for their softer feel and I blister less when going sockless.
Good Luck,
RF
I’m not sure why anyone with a mid-to-forefoot strike would recommend the Asics DS trainer or racer, as they have dual-density midsole meant for pronators (they prevent your foot from rolling inward on the heel strike.) Typically a forefoot striker is neutral-to-supinating (rolling outward), and won’t need the dual-density midsole because their heel won’t touch the ground. If anything it’s just extra weight in the shoe, and may even accentuate a supination. One week of running in a dual density midsole made my feet ache horribly, like I had been wearing hockey skates all day.
I strike mid-to-forefoot and use the Asics Gel Nimbus for longer training runs. It is highly cushioned in the forefoot and has a perfect fit in the toebox for my foot. I have raced with the Saucony Azura the past two seasons and like them, but have picked up a pair of Asics Gel Flash for next season as Asics just fit me better.
As a veteran of the running shop customer service world, I echo Lee’s sage advice. Since you are in the shoe store wilderness, I’ll second the 2080/2090 suggestion and add the Gel Kayano suggestion in case you are not a completely neutral runner. The toe box is very wide and the mid-foot cushioning the best I’ve found. Alternatively, the Mizuno Alchemy has the wide toebox/cushy midfoot along with some stability function.
Good luck!
survivor
Brooks Racer ST.
I use Nike Air Pegasus for my everyday training runs because they are very durable. I’ll typically get between 400-500 miles on them before replacement. I do my shorter races (5 & 10K) in Brooks T3 Racers and longer races in Saucony Fastwitch Speed.
I tried other Nike models for everyday training but none were as durable as the Pegasus.
Don
Hello,
There is a new shop called Human Race sports in Valparaiso IN, as well as Gazelle’s of Grand Rapids has locations in both Holland and Kalamazoo MI. Both are very good shops.
Corbinb