Finding the Right Shoe

For years, I was happy running in Brooks PureGrit, a low-profile, minimal-drop shoe. They were light and stayed on my foot well. After a two-year hiatus from trail running and a torn plantar fascia, I can't seem to find the right shoe. I've tried so many!

The best fit I've found so far is Merrell Agility Peak. They have a glove-like fit and they are categorized as a cushioned shoe. They have a minimal drop of 6mm, and they have great traction in mud and snow. I don't get sore toes when pounding downhill for several miles. I have found them to be a little hard, though, so I am still looking. And maybe they're not hard; maybe it's just my feet and aging. All I know is the extensors on the top of both of my feet are sore after 18 miles on Chuckanut Mountain.

I ordered three new pairs of shoes a few weeks ago from Road Runner. As a VIP Family Member, I am able to try the shoes out on the trail and return them up to 90 days. The first pair, Innov8, didn't make it past the try-on stage. They are shaped strangely for my foot. The toes curve inward, and when I put them on, they cause my foot to roll aggressively to the inside, even when just walking around in my living room.

Pair number two I thought I was going to love: Brooks Caldera. They are springy and light, and they feel great on. I ran 20 miles on Chuckanut Mountain in them two weeks ago, and my foot moved all around inside them. My toes slid to the front when running even a slight downhill, and they nearly slipped off my heels when running uphill. I had to tighten them less than a mile into the run. In the end, I had sore toes and decided they are too wide for me. For someone with a wider foot, they would be wonderful!

Pair number three I am keeping; they are Brooks Pureflow, and they will be my indoor-only treadmill shoe. I'd been running in a three-year old model of the same shoe on the treadmill, so it was time for a new pair. They still have a wonderful fit and are super light. I also noticed they kept the same treads, which don't work very well for me running on the dirt road I live on. Little rocks from the gravel get lodged in the treads and then poke my feet. They would be fine for outside if I ran on paved roads.

After my long run this weekend in Bellingham, I visited Fairhaven Runners to try some shoes there. They brought out the newest Saucony Peregrine, which I have run in before, as well as Brooks Cascadia and Salomon Sense Pro Max. I ruled out the Nike pair and HOKAs because Nike never fits me right, and my toes catch on something inside the HOKAs. (I already have a pair that I love the cushioning in.)

The first one I tried was the Salomon. From the moment I put them on, I liked them, and they're what I took home with me. I liked the Saucony Peregrine, but they are a little narrow in the toe box and squish my little toes sideways. The Cascadia had a 10mm drop, which proved too much. I ran in the Salomons Sunday, and will again on trails with some decent climbs and downhill on Wednesday and Saturday.

The awesomeness of the story is that Fairhaven Runners have an excellent return policy. They said if I didn't like the shoe, even after running in them for a month or two, that I could bring them back! Wow!

I have a rule, that with each new shoe that goes into my running shoe bin, one pair must also come out to be taken to Goodwill. I'd better start selecting. Meanwhile, I need to get to Road Runner in Bellevue to return some shoes!