New Shoes: Brooks Glycerine 18

With a strong first two months of the year behind me and plans for marathon training about to begin, the time has come for new shoes. I wanted to get another pair of the Brooks Glycerine 17's I've been training in the last year or so. But, as usual, they are being phased out for the next edition of the line.

So, the Brooks Glycerine 18 it is.

As usual, the folks at Fort Worth Running Company gave me a good rundown of the shoe. Basically, this edition isn't a wholesale rebuild so it's very similar to the version prior. They feel basically the same although I need to put a few dozen miles on them to really get a feel for how they run.

I'll probably keep the old pair around for another month or so for long runs but, by the end of training, I should have phased them out completely.

New Shoes: Brooks Glycerine 17

I hit 400 miles last week with my workhorse shoes, Saucony Triumph ISO 4, and decided it was time to hang them up. I still have the Brooks Ghost 11, in the closet but, for some reason, I don't wear them that much. They have become my backup/wear around pair and I guess I'm fine with that.

Since I was in Fort Worth last week, I stopped by at the Fort Worth Running Company and tried on a few pairs. The new version of the Saucony Triumph had a ton of room in the toebox and felt a little weird. I opted for the newest version of the Brooks Glycerin instead. I've had a pair of these before and I know they are a solid shoe.

New Shoes: Brooks Ghost 11

With the prospect of marathon training looming, it is time to consider the the miles I'm about to put on my shoes. The current pair is holding up well but the lack of "rest" days are likely to age them in dog years.

So, being in Fort Worth today, I popped into The Fort Worth Running Company and picked up another pair. This time it's back to Brooks with the Ghost 11. This is another neutral sole shoe but it feels like it offers a bit more support than the Saucony's. There is also a bit more cushion in the heel, something that might matter as I start putting in much longer runs.

I'll try the new pair tomorrow but go back to the old pair for this weekend's long run. After that, the plan will be to alternate them day-by-day to give them time to recover between workouts.

New Shoes: Saucony Triumph ISO 4

I've put about 250 miles on my current pair of running shoes and they have held up pretty well. But I need to see about having a designated pair for when I travel. So I've decided to move the current shoes into quasi-retirement and get a new pair for summer running.

I went over to The Fort Worth Running Company and they were their usual helpful selves. I ended up going with the Saucony Triumph ISO 4. These are a bit more like a running flat than a regular cushioned running shoe. I'm planning on more gravel running and, hopefully, some trails this summer. In those cases, this shoe makes a lot of sense.

I'll try it out this week and, if there's no issue, it will be the new regular pair for my running.

New Shoes: Brooks Glycerin 15

For the last few months (despite the sporadic running routine) I've been using a pair of Asics Gel Flux 4 shoes. I bought these on sale at a sporting goods store. Turns out they were a half size too small and that was growing increasingly problematic as I have been adding on the miles.

So, yesterday, while I was doing errands across North Texas I decided to stop at Fort Worth Running Company. I have never used this store or even heard anything about them. But, in my experience, these local, privately-owned stores provide the best service and feedback I need. And this turned out to be no exception.

New Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 22

So in addition to being rather ugly, the Asics I bought turned out to be maybe a half size too small. So I went to trade them in and encountered probably the worst service in a shoe store I have ever experienced. I finally just handed one of the employees the shoes and said "keep them" and walked out. Lesson learned, I guess.

Anyhow, I still needed a new pair of shoes.

But I knew the brand and style fit and the size I needed. So I looked online and found exactly that in a rather less grody color style (and for a bit cheaper). So they arrived and now I only have to go run in them and see how they work.

New Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 22

It's been seven-plus months and since I picked up my pair of Asics Gel-Kayano 21. They have just gone past 250 miles which isn't in the critical range but definitely getting into the ballpark of the shoe's optimum lifespan.

So I decided to grab a new pair to start switching out as they get less responsive to the mileage. I popped over to RunOn! in Coppell and tried on a half dozen pairs or so. After all the effort I ended up sticking with the Asics Gel-Kayano but in the next generation of the shoe -- the 22.

Ever since Asics has moved the stitching for the side decoration back where it doesn't hit the ball of my big toe, this has been a really reliable shoe. (Before then I would inevitably form a blister right there when my long runs got into the double digits.) This edition is pretty butt ugly but it doesn't have any orange or dayglow colors so I can live with it.

New Shoes: Asics Gel-Kayano 21

I have had a soreness in my hips the last couple of runs and, on one occasion, it persisted for more than a day. I haven't been doing anything extreme in these runs so the most likely culprit are my shoes.

I'm not sure how long I've been using that pair of Brooks Adrenalines but it's more than a year and possibly pushing up on two. Way too long.

So I went to the RunOn over in Flower Mound and got a new pair of wheels. I tried a number of different brands and styles but went with the latest version of the Asics Kayano. I trained in a pair of these for my first marathon and they are a solid shoe. Back then, there was an issue with the stitching that would give me blisters on the base of my big toe when mileage got up there. But they've changed that and I sure ain't looking at 40 mile weeks any time soon.

New Shoes: Asics Gel Kayano XII

After running in the old Asics this week without the nagging calf problems I went back to Performance Footwear to see about getting a new pair of something along those lines.

I did a few laps around the parking lot in different pairs - including my old Saucony's - and, of course, the issue never came back up. But, although frustrating, that's damn good news.

In the end I went with a type of Asics that had a similar build but without the over-the-top motion control. The Asics Gel Kayano XII is one of those goofy looking shoes that you feel was designed as part of someone's Halloween costume. But, it has that same comfortable feel I have come to associate with the brand and that's, by far, the most important thing.

Now one thing I didn't like was how the lace section rubbed against the toes. It wasn't a critical issue but it could easily become annoying with enough miles.

I'll use this pair for my run today and, possibly, tomorrow. If it solves everything and works, awesome. If not, I'll go the conservative route and take them back to exchange for the tried-and-true Foundation VI.

New Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GTS 6

On Saturday, I headed over to Performance Footwear in Tempe and picked up a new pair of shoes. Although I just picked up a new pair two weeks ago but my training miles are really piling up and it ain't a bad idea to alternate pairs under these conditions.

More importantly, I should have a good read on which shoe I like best for my long runs by early December or six weeks out from the race. That's when I'll buy the pair that I'll run the marathon in.

Anyhoo, I ended up buying the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 6. I tried these on two weeks ago and liked them but opted for the Sacony Grid Omni 5 because of the comfort factor. The Brooks have a more firm 'feel' to them but not at all the bulky sensation I associate with the motion control boots I was wearing previously.

I also tried the Mizuno Nirvana 2 (not bad, loose in the heel), the Brooks Trance 6 (goofy looking, weird feel) and the Saucony Hurricane 8 (uneven feel, rubs the ball of the foot). But the Adrenaline GTS 6 was by far the best of the bunch.

I also stocked up on Balega hidden comfort socks. The double layer socks I tried last time just didn't fit my feet (the large was too small and the extra large was too big). The Balegas are thin socks with a moisture-free fabric that seems to work for my feet. I have had none of the blister issues that previously plagued me (of course that might be the shoes, as well).

New Shoes: Saucony Grid Omni 5

Having gotten back to the states relatively unscathed, my first order of business was getting started on the upkeep of my poor suffering bod. I hit the masseuse who gave me a good 90 minute workout.


The situation with my neck has gotten extremely bad and the 20-plus hours of travel did little to help matters. As a result, much of her effort focused on that. While it seemed to help somewhat after, the pain returned again full force today.

So I have an appointment with the chiropractor Monday and we shall see...

Next up, equipment. I headed over to see my friend Erin and the good folks at Performance Footwear in Tempe. I took to the treadmill to get a look to see what we could see and the results were surprising.

It seems the pronation on my left foot is almost completely absent now. It still gives a bit more roll than the right but the exaggerated slant inward is pretty much gone. The recommendation was switch from a motion control shoe to one that simply provides stability.

After trying a number of shoes I settled on the Saucony Grid Omni 5. This was a pretty difficult choice to make because every shoe I tried was so very different from what I had been using before - most noticably the severe reduction in the weight.

Erin also thought the construction of the toe area would reduce the chance of the blisters like I have been getting on the ball of my right foot on longer runs.

To further focus on this I also picked up some WrightSock friction-free socks. The warmer temperatures and relatively high humidity here at the moment will have me sweating more and that's led to blister fun on my pinkie toes. These socks have two very thin layers to help reduce the amount of movment of the material against the skin itself.

Lastly, I picked up a pair of Native Eyewear sunglasses. I picked up a pair of these a few years ago and really was impressed by their comfortable fit. I chose the Tare style because they felt the best on my head - and by that I mean they didn't feel like they were on my head at all.


The incredibly bright sun here in Arizona makes having a quality pair of glasses a necessity for runners and the extremely high altitudes in Peru I have found myself working in make them a necessity for my work as well.

The Ballad of the Missing Running Shoes

After almost six months of regular running it had become apparent in recent weeks that my shoes have gone about as far as they can take me.

I am way past the four months or six hundred miles whichever comes first cutoff and it really has become apparent. As I have started putting in 30-plus mile weeks my feet and lower legs have become the repository of different aches and pains after every run.

So, one weekend last month I went looking for some new shoes here in Lima. I didn't think it would be simple but I figured it would at least be possible. What I didn't contend with is that size 13 shoes do not exist in Peru. None. Nada.

The largest size running shoe I could find was a 10-and-a-half and don't even think about finding one with decent motion control like I require. So after visiting no less than a dozen different shoe stores over a two-day span it became clear. I was SOL.

Then I remembered that the awesome folks at Performance Footwear in Tempe, Arizona had a record of my last shoe purchase. Not just a record, the brand, the size and even the other shoes I tried out and liked as well.

So I got the phone number and rang them up to see if they thought buying a pair blind using my info was advisable. After a nice chat on the pluses and minuses, we agreed it was about the only option I had. So they put a pair of the shoes on layaway and my mom went and picked them up a few days later.

Now, instead of everything working fine from this point on as one might expect, this is where everything rolled up into a tight little ball of fubar.

The woman at the store suggested the shoes be mailed separately. Shoes are a common target for mail thieves and the postal service to Peru is not the best. I asked a few of my friends here about it and they agreed it was probably a good idea. So I told mom to use two packages and so she went to the mail store and they took care of it sending the packages a day apart.

Well, the first one showed up pretty quick, less than a week later. But it seems the Peruvian authorities were concerned it might contain all sorts of important and valuable stuff that is subject to taxing so they flagged it. Instead of a cardboard box, I recieved an official piece of paper saying I had to go down to their office.

So I did, expecting the worst and Lordy, I got it. It was a two-and-a-half hour bureaucratic hell. There were six service windows in the little office and I had to visit each of them at least twice not to mention a discussion with the office manager at one point. I signed my name no less than nine times and more than a dozen forms needed to be completed by either me or one of these paper pushers.

All that and, in the end, it was not even taxable.

Quick side note, my cousin mailed off a box of gels, drink powders and energy bars about this time. This package is arguably taxable since they could say I was trying to sell it due to the quantity of items. Anyhow, after one week a nice gentleman rings my doorbell and hands me the package. No problem.

So then I wait.

And I wait.

And I wait.

I passed the 10-12 business day mark last week which was the outer window for it to arrive and I still wait. I finally just assume the shoe did get stolen or the idiots in the post office misfiled it somewhere. I gird myself to get to know my good friend pain even better over the next few months.

But then, today, another guy came to my door. Not the nice delivery guy, no, this was a not-very-nice man with the piece of paper saying this package was also flagged by the customs people. And now I have to go back down to their office and endure another round of the bureaucratic nonsense to pick it up.

So I merrily saunter down there, once again, prepared for the worst. But this time, since it was completely ludicrous to go through this whole farce once again for one shoe, I wasn't going to simply go with the flow. Oh no.

The first time I got any static - it turned out they wanted me to go find a copy shop and make a photocopy of my identification this time - I went ballistic. Complete ugly American. I ranted. I raved. I waved papers. I mixed English curse words with choppy Spanish. The security guard even came over out of concern. I was a complete and total asshole.

Needless to say, after that I had no more problems. I went down the street and got the copy they wanted, came back and gave it to them and they got me out of there damn quick. Twenty minutes, total.

So, anyhow, now I have two new shoes to start running in. I am really hoping that the change, allied with the week off coming up takes care of my recent problems and I can get back to my normal training schedule.

New Shoes: ASICS Gel-Foundation VI

Today my mom was kind enough to buy me a new pair of shoes to begin this endeavor. After speaking with my chiropractor and a running specialist, I was looking for a good shoe to control overpronation. My prior shoe was probably too good in that respect in that it was too heavy and caused other stresses on my knee.

So I headed over to the folks at Performance Footwear in Tempe. These guys know their stuff and my experience with them has always been a pleasure.

They did a footstrike analysis that confirmed the overpronation problems. After trying a few pairs with similar support I went with the ASICS Gel-Foundation VI. It has good overpronation control, not excessively though, and is damned comfortable.

The footstrike analysis showed that the shoe completely corrected the overpronation in my right ankle but there was still a slight excess motion on the left. It is my hope that the shorter strides advised by my previous running analysis will address this.

I also purchased a ProTec Iliotibial Band for... well, my ilitobial band. The idea is that the targeted compression pad will add pressure on the ilitobial band itself to support and stabilize it at the knee. I figure, why not try it and see?