If These Shoes Could Talk...

If your running shoes could talk, what would they say?

Probably a lot.

Is there anything we love more about running than our shoes?  Well, yes, we love our running friends, we love our bling, we love the rush of adrenaline at the start lines...but oh, how we love our shoes. Seriously, the shoes are the major players that make it all possible.


I have had many shoes come and go in my almost 13 years of running. Some have been bad, many have been good, and a select few have been great. I did a walk down memory lane awhile ago, highlighting some of my shoes a few years ago (in a post Because it's all about the Shoes), but a lot has happened since then.

So, which shoes were my greatest loves? And what would they say about our relationship?

Here's the favorites:

Nike Structure. Nikey was my first shoe love. They introduced me to running and guided me through my first -ever training experience (a local 5K).

Nike Structure 17's...my prettiest pair of Nikeys

We were inseparable for nearly 2-1/2 years, when we decided to do our first long distance endeavor... the Dam to Dam 20K in 2008. Alas, I believe they would speak kindly of my loyalty towards them. I went through several pairs of the Nikeys, and many great runs and races.

On a whim, the Mizuno Wave Inspire 8’s we’re introduced to me. I was in the midst of training for my first marathon, the Quad Cities Marathon (September 2013) and got these for a discounted price because they were from the previous season. Oh my. Can you say, Love At First Run?

These babies were my true sole mate...

I wasn't aware at the time how difficult it would be to replace them when they started to show signs of wear. After all, they got me through not only the Quad Cities Marathon, but also the IMT Des Moines Marathon a year later (as well as numerous other races in between and many training miles as well).

Since these Wave Inspires 8's were "previous season" shoes (and I wore them for so long), the next available model was the Wave Inspire 11's. These were comfy shoes, but they just weren't the same. As we all know, almost every new version of a shoe has a few tweaks to it. You know, the manufacturer's attempt to improve on what's already a perfect shoe.  Well, that works for a lot of runners; the improvements and upgrades are subtle enough, the fit feels the same. I, however, have pretty high-maintenance feet...I over-pronate something terrible, my arches are unusually high, and my feet are slightly asymmetrical in size and shape. UGH. I'm one of the chosen few who can feel almost every new tweak, and not usually in a good way.

My two pairs of Wave Inspire 11's

That said, the Wave Inspire 11's, though a great shoe, just weren't as ideal for my feet as their older siblings (the WI 8's) were. I gave them a go, and they worked alright....but they never felt quite as perfect. About that same time (summer of 2015), I experienced my first-ever episode of Plantar Fasciitis. By then, I had been wearing the WI 11's for several months, so I don't think it was the shoes that were at fault for the PF, but the shoes were not helping my situation either. Eventually, I went back to the running store (where I'd gotten the Mizunos), and the owner herself refitted me. She recommended a different shoe, one that offered even more stability, but a bit more flexibility and cushion....

...and the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 15's went home with me. And, thus began another wonderful running relationship. Oh, these Brooks were SO comfy and did not need any breaking in.

Aren't these pretty? 

A short while later, I ordered another pair (in a different color), and those two pairs of shoes were wonderful. They were every bit as perfect as the Mizuno WI 8's had been. They even got me through my 12-hour ultra the next summer (July 2016), as well as several half marathons and other distance events and runs.

After the ultra, I bought the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 16's. I had been wearing the first pair of 15's for a year, and the second pair for about eight months. And, I had the Route 66 Marathon happening a few months later. Similar to my Wave Inspire 11's experience, the Adrenaline GTS 16's had a similar scenario....they felt good, but not quite as great as their previous model (the 15's). I did buy a second pair of them, though, and alternated between both pairs during my Route 66 training.

The two pairs of Adrenaline GTS 16's

In the spring of last year, I knew it was time for new shoes. Although I have always kept my "older" shoes and rotated them periodically for shorter distance runs, the longer distance runs demand shoes in their prime. Back at the running store, I decided to give the Mizunos another go, and went home with the Wave Inspire 13's. These felt much like the original WI 8's that I had loved and adored so much a few years prior. It definitely felt great to be back in Mizunos.

I wore them for Grandma's Marathon (June 2017), then abruptly put them in hibernation 12 days later following my emergency surgery. They stayed in my closet for those three months while I was sidelined, and they were ready and waiting for my return to running after my recovery was finished. They then saw me through five races, helped me earn an AG award, and carried me along the Las Vegas strip for the R'nR Half Marathon in November. My rally back was pretty epic, and these babies played a big part of it.

These WI 13's were my rally back shoes after my 3-month running sabbatical

On a whim, right before Christmas, I saw a great deal on the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 17's...so guess what showed up in my mail box a few days later? Even though the Mizunos were doing well, I knew it would be time for new shoes in a few months, and I really wanted to give the Brooks another go-round. Well, these Adrenaline GTS 17's have been another perfect fit. It's almost like I have a thing where every other season the models seem to fit well.

My current kicks...Brooks Adrenaline GTS 17's

Those are my favorites. Like every race and every medal, these shoes all have special memories, and all have come with lessons learned and miles well spent.

Do you have a favorite pair of shoes? Have you been brand loyal, or have you had to switch back and forth between various brands as the models have been modified?

**I'm  linking up with Marcia and Patty and Erika for Tuesdays on the Run. We're chatting about shoes. Join the conversation!

**I'm also linking this with Debbie and Rachel and Lora for the Running Coaches' Corner.

**And, I'm also linking up with Nicole and Annmarie for the Wild Wednesday Workout

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