Run Happy in happy feet (or rather..shoes)

When I first started running, I bought myself a pair of Nike. Nike has always been my favorite brand since my school days more because I can't afford them. Y'know how it is when you crave for stuff that you can't immediately have and the minute you can , that will be the first thing you grab.

So my first shoes I bought was one of the running shoes in the Nike Bowerman series, which turned out to be the wrong fit, perhaps because I was buying in a rush. After that first pair, I had another one, the Nike Pegasus, which served me well , before I moved to Asics.

We made the trip down to Singapore just to get that pair of Asics Gel Cumulus 12. The Asics boutique in Paragon, Orchard Road. Those were the days..now they are up to version 15. These are cushioning shoes which are perfect for my high arched feet and neutral running. Asics is big on their Gel pod technology and this one has plenty. I remember it being nicely soft but at the same time they provided that stability that a new runner like me needed at that time.

Love it and it lasted me for about 350miles, when the sole started running out...and..

...my love affair with Brooks began....

My Brooks Launch

This is the Brooks Launch Woman size 7.5, the first Brooks that I bought. My late friend, TSB was the one who gave me the raving review of Brooks. He switched from Brooks Ghost to his Newton and the Adidas which I gave him, the one that he was wearing on the day he ran and collapsed to his demise.. Alfatihah

I bought this pair at the Brooks store in The Curve, where a friendly chap called Peter gave good running and shoe tips. The Brooks store give 20% discount and an additional 10% if you're an AEON Card member, which made the shoes relatively cheap. In terms of functionality the Launch is light in weight while still giving my feet the support it needed. You see, for someone who weighs more than 60kgs, medium built, big bones, I inherited my father's skinny legs which I feel is part of the reason, I'm awkward and clumsy. So any kind of support and stability a pair of running shoes can give me is welcomed. I bought this based on reviews without even thinking of my running form...which I still don't get till now...lol! Shoot me!

I would have preferred the one in Red but they only had this Baby Blue, and with this baby I ran most of the races in the year  2011.

After the Launch, I read so much about minimalist shoes and thought, hey why not have another pair as an option for race days. By this time my Launch is also showing signs of deterioration though I still use it occasionally now on short runs and for boot camp.

We first saw the Brooks PureProject series when we were in Taiping for the Taiping Heritage Run 2011 which I had to miss because of the fractured toe. Was very impressed with the Biomogo tech , their biodegradable midsole (dunno what will happen to the rest of the shoes though) and they are super light.

The editors at Runners' World said the PureConnect "strikes a balance between barefoot-inspired minimalism and cushioning-required training. It has a lightweight, barely there feel yet is substantive enough to handle long tempo runs."


Which was what I felt as well..it took some getting used to at first, moving from a bulkier, traditional shoe of 7.5oz   to a 7.2 oz one. But it felt snug and comfy to my high arch and I felt that it somehow change my running form to more forefoot running. It's a little narrow which I did not mind as I have narrow, thin feet but I tried running on wet grass and the traction was somewhat poor.

I enjoyed running in this one. I do still switch to the Launch every now and then. Peter from the Brooks at The Curve recommended the Men size 8.5, which fits me well and I love the vibrant blue colour too. It was not until my second injury that I felt the need to have more space for my feet.

And I was quickly running out the Connect. It was made for about 300miles anyway, and I still have at least more than 50km to go on that one, since the injury.


My handsome Brooks Pure Connect - Men size 8.5

After almost 6 months of rest after an injury, I felt ready to run again. And what better way to celebrate than getting new runing shoes. This time, I went to The Running Lab in Tropicana City Mall. I was quite certain that I'm gonna get The Ghost 5 as I have read good reviews on it, what with the extra cushioning that I feel, I need now.

The uncle at the shop asked me to step on the treadmill to see my gait, let me try a few pairs of Ghost, Ravenna and also the GTS. In the end, I chose the Ravenna because of the colour! Purple! It's also a tad cheaper than the Ghost. While the Ghost is a neutral shoe, my gait has somewhat changed with the injury and the Ravenna felt just nice. And believe it or not, I bought the size 9.5. Gave my toes a lot of breathing space as my feet expand during runs.

I ran the Brooks Half Marathon in it and it felt great. I know I shouldn't have ran a race in a new pair of shoes but I was like a small child who just gotten a candy...can't be stopped! Lol!!

And the shoes look real fine with my shocking pink cep compression socks. After the super light PureConnect, this one felt a bit hefty which I welcome in this come-back run. I look forward to more running in these babies.



Latest baby - Brooks Ravena 4

These are my personal views. Don't take my word for it. Running is half the fun, while getting the right gears are the other half. Go try the shoes you're eyeing and give it a good run!