Asics Gel Kayano 16

UPDATE 1/19/11: As of 10/3/2010, I returned these shoes due to a lack of support in the arch area. While I thought these shoes were quite nifty in terms of design, they did not work very well for me.


My previous two running shoes are depleted of their cushioning. I have noticed a general lack of support from my shoes lately.


I just crossed the 4000 mi mark over the span of running career that my blog has covered, so appropriately, I got these new shoes to celebrate and hopefully put a spring back into my currently-uninspired steps.


"The Ukrainian" and I went to Road Runner Sports in Torrance, and I was determined to find a "perfect" shoe or the most perfect one possible. In all the shoes I've run in so far, I have yet to find one that doesn't injure, bruise, or weigh me down. In the past, running stores have typically just told me that I NEED motion control shoes and give me maybe one or two pairs to choose from. This time, I marched in and announced that although I may overpronate, motion control shoes weigh me down big time, and that's when I realized that there are stability-plus shoes that are in between stability and motion control.


So after several light jogs, wearing different shoes on different feet, and even trying on men's shoes, this pair of Asics was the winner. It was a bit more expensive than I'd like my shoes to be (MSRP = $139.99, but we had a coupon and a "VIP discount"), but for the health of my legs, it will hopefully be worth it.


What I like about these shoes so far is that they are light and having lacing that runs along the side of the foot for more true-to-life support, albeit the weird look it may have.


I will update this entry later on once I've had a chance to run in these a bit. Luckily, Road Runner Sports offers a 60-day return period, even if the shoe has been used. This gives me MUCH peace-of-mind.