You know that saying “the grass is always greener”? Turns out it applies to running shoes too.
Back in November, I noticed my knees ached after running even shorter distances. The two pairs of trusty Brooks Transcends I rotated (1’s and 2’s) were both getting up there in mileage, after getting one pair in June and the other in July. So I went back to Road Runner and had my gait analyzed, where I discovered that while my Transcends would still be just fine for my over-pronation, their most popular shoe, the Adrenaline, would also work.
I’d been running in my Transcends for years. They were like a piece of well-loved furniture. Comforting, molded to me, you know how it goes. But I was intrigued by a different style. I had the seven-year itch, but for another pair of sneakers. So I caved and bought the Adrenalines.
The first run was great – this shoe is much lighter than the Transcend, and as a result I felt quicker. But there wasn’t as much cushioning. It felt almost like a pair of well-loved Transcends when all the oomph was gone; not like a hug for my foot, but still comfy. I ran shorter distances for two weeks in them, when suddenly I noticed a new kind of ache after a longer run of 6 miles: my arches were killing me and my calves were tight. With super high arches I’d experienced this before, but never like this. Could it be the shoes?
To test it out, I switched back to my old Transcends for my next run and it was like heaven. The aches and pains disappeared, I ran long and steady, and while my knees were kind of ouchy at the end because they were older shoes, my arches and calves felt like new. That’s what I get for cheating on my old lovers!
After a few more experimental runs in the Adrenalines vs. the Transcends, I deduced that it was in fact the shoes that were causing me those pains. This is by NO MEANS a knock against Brooks – I’m one of the brand’s biggest fans and would never think of jumping ship because of this. It just proved to me once again that there is most definitely such a thing as “the right shoe for you”. I’ve heard horror stories from other folks about switching shoes for a cute style or new color only to get sidelined by injury because of the wrong shoe.
So I returned my slightly used Adrenalines (thanks for the full refund, Road Runner Sports!) and went back for good. Because the Transcend 3 is now out and the 2’s gave me a tiny top-of-the-arch issue, the 1’s will forever have my heart. And without knowing what the new style has in store for me, I got 2 pairs of 1’s for the same price as ONE pair of the new 3’s. Bargain shopping for the win!
Have you ever cheated on your perfect shoe before? How did it go?
Jess Runs Happy 
I cheat on my perfect shoe all the time. I love Brooks Ravena but the cost and miles outweigh my need for them so I end up with way cheaper ones. I typically switch my running shoes every 3 to 4 months and my budget is not conducive to paying that much that often lol.
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heheh I know what you mean – the only reason I stocked up so much on my babies is because they were nearly 70% off! Otherwise I’m out of luck 😉
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I was loyal to only Asics for a couple years until I had knee problems. I now run in Brooks Glycerins and thinking about trying the Ghost as my back up. I love to keep a rotation to match gear and not to beat the crap out of the tread on one pair. I wear neutral style shoes so every now and then I will have an affair with some Asics if they are neutral style.
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Nice! Yeah I’ve got the knees to deal with so I tend to need extra cushion, which is hard to come by in some styles. But even though I like to test them out I always come back to the Transcends 🙂
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I go to roadrunner too!! I normally wear asics, but got fitted for adidas and Nike. I’ve been wearing the new adidas shoes, but have been getting that arch ache issue as well! Do you wear the inserts?
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Ah, the arches are a killer! No, I tried them a year or so ago and got ridiiiiiculous blisters, so I’m not a fan. I’m sure it was just that one pair and the perfect storm (hot weather, thin socks, etc), but I’m afraid to chance it again! 😛
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Had a model of addidas that I loved. Kept with them for years. But then they stopped along them. For a while I could get them on the internet for cheap, and bought multiple pairs several times. But…now no more. Still searching for a new sole mate
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Ahh the struggle of finding the perfect fit! I hope you find your perfect pair soon 🙂
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I ran in Saucony Kinvaras for about 5 years. They were my go-to shoe I knew I could take a brand new pair off the shelf and run any distance comfortably in. But my body must have changed and I noticed the wrong aches and pains after shorter and shorter runs on newer shoes. I had 2 different running stores analyze my gait, arches, strides, etc and found I needed more. Switched to Brooks Glycerin and LOVE them! I have a clearance pair of Saucony Hurricanes for cross training, too.
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