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Archives for the day Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

I went to the shoe store with a list of running shoes designed for neutral runners.  It is a good thing I have a neutral gait because I have ITB issues that cause me to replace my shoes often.  I typically replace my shoes every 300-500 miles, which equates to  two new pairs of shoes every five or six months.  The internet is nice because you can do a search for the type of shoes you wear and quickly find a list of shoes.

Two of the shoes on my list to try were the Nike Zoom Vomero+ 5 and Asics Gel Cumulus 11.  I tried on the Nike shoes first.  When I put them on, they fit like nice goat skin gloves.  They were comfortable to walk around in before I tied them.  This was the shoe for me.  They were so comfortable, I had to smile.  I then took the left shoe off and put the old left shoe on to see how it felt against the new shoe on the right.  I noticed the outside of the right heel is really soft.  This additional cushioning is probably good for someone who does not have ITB issues.  I have ITB issues and this shoe would not last for more than 100 miles for me and it might cause my ITB pain to flare up.

After I tried the Nike’s out, I did the same thing with the Asics.  The Asics have a much stiffer outer sole.  That is good for me.  I then tried the Asics on one foot and the Nike’s on the other foot.  The Asics were the clear winner.

Overall thoughts for neutral running shoes:

Nike Zoom Vomero+ 5

  • Excellent fit
  • Excellent comfort
  • Good looks
  • Moderate price $100.00
  • Soft heel – not good for me

Asics Gel Cumulus 11

  • Good fit
  • Good comfort
  • Average looks
  • Low price $65.00
  • Firm heel – excellent for me.