New shoes!

16 July

BIG day. On Tom's advice I visited Run to Become (great independent running shop near Victoria) to buy some new shoes. My old Nikes are falling apart, which is understandable given I reckon they've done around 3,500 miles. The sides are beginning to come away and I'm worried that if they totally fall apart just before the run I won't have time to run a new pair in. So - two and half months to go I entered the land of kit...

I'm a bit (ok a lot) of a kit-phobe. I'm a "none of the gear, some idea" kind of a guy. I love the idea of shunning anything technical and just listening to your body and running. Shoes is about the only area where I suppose th might be some merit in paying attention though.

So - here's my effort at understanding what I've just gone and bought:

On the left are a pair of Altra Escalante Racers. They are zero drop, not masses of grip and a really weird wide toe area. Super comfortable, these are more or less a like for like replacement for what I already have. Minimal to zero support, super flexible, thin soles means I can feel the road, run careful etc. like I like to.

On the right are a pair of On Cloudflows. These have a 6mm drop, and to me (based on what I'm used to) feel very cushioned, particularly at the heel. They are also quite flexible but have a much thicker, springier sole. Although, at the toe end they feel less comfy than the Altras.

My thinking is that the Altras are my go to shoe for nearly everything, but i'm really conscious that the long run in October is half on good surfaces and half on rockier, stony ground. The Altras will be better than my ruined Nikes, but this is what the Cloudflows are for. My plan is to wear both pairs in over the summer. On the big day I'll set off in the Altras to get me to around Rochester, then switch to the slightly more forgiving Cloudflows for the tougher stuff that lies beyond. The Cloudflows will also be a lot better for going downhill.

Tried a quick 5k in them both this evening and both were completely fine. It just showed I'm a zero drop runner by preference! But a little bit of sole cushioning isn't terrible when you need a boost!