Brooks Addiction 10 Review

I purchased some new shoes last week... The Brooks Addiction 10s.  These shoes are part of the Brooks collection for over-pronators.  Another shoe that works well for over-pronators is the Brooks Beast.

I normally wear a size 12, but I believe Brooks running shoes are cut smaller.  So, I purchased a size 13 and these were perfect.

I've been wearing these Brooks Addictions over my last few runs and before providing an official review, I wanted to put at least 25 miles on them.  It also helps that I have a 90 return policy at my running store. :)

As of yesterday, I have logged 27 miles on them and they have officially been broken in.  I believe in giving my gear that I wear a full and fair review.

Test Run #1:
Distance: 9 miles
I could tell that I was running in new shoes as the shoe was somewhat stiff all around.  There wasn't much give initially.  As I ran further, the shoe provided more flexibility.  Another observation is that this is a heavier shoe, so that's something to consider when looking to purchase motion control shoes.  Around mile 8, I felt a little pressure around the top part of my ankle.  I attributed this to the fact that they were new and I had previously been running in shoes that did not provide the type of all around support the Brooks Addiction provides.

Test Run #2:
Distance: 4 miles
No problems at all.  This was a much shorter run, compared to the 9 mile maiden voyage.  I felt no pain, there was no rubbing or friction anywhere.  Great run.

Test Run #3:
Distance: 3 miles
This run went well too.

Final Test Run
Distance: 11 miles
This is an overall good shoe.  The arch support, cushioning, and shock absorption were impressive.  I ran on asphalt and concrete throughout this run and I didn't really feel a thing during my run.  This was the longest distance I'd ever run to date and it seemed like the longer I ran the better the shoes performed.

The Brooks Addiction may not be the coolest looking shoe, but it's functionality is exactly where should be.  Check out a more technical review by Brooks Running, here:

They tell me I'm an over-pronator... I say thank you... Wait, what's an over-pronator?

A few weeks ago, I went to get my gait measured at a running store in Columbia, MD.  This was my first experience doing something like this.  For the past couple of years, I've been going to my local Modells to purchase my running shoes.  I figured that I needed running shoes and well, the local box store sells... running shoes.

But, the more knowledge I seemed to get on a daily basis about running, the more I realized how counterproductive I was being by keeping the right shoes in the running store and not on my feet.  I learned some valuable information on the day I walked into this running store.  I began to understand that many injuries can be caused or prevented by the shoes we wear.  It's even more imperative that heavier runners, like myself, respect and care for our bodies by wearing the proper shoes.

I stepped into the store and surprisingly not many people were in the store at the time.  I must admit that I was initially hesitant and apprehensive to go in, because, I had a particular image in my mind of what a runner looks like, and well, that image was not me... for sure.  But, I went in and caught the eye of one of the associates there. I explained that I had been running for about 2 years, had lost some weight and needed him to measure my gait (the rhyming was not intended here).  He was nice enough to make me feel welcome.  He asked me to step onto this machine that showed a colorful image of the imprint of my feet on a screen in front of me.

There was quite an assortment of colors, mainly red, green and yellow.  He explained that the machine shows the distribution of my weight on my feet.  I remember seeing a lot of red where my arches were supposed to be.  He told me, that I'm an over-pronator, which generally means... I'm flat footed.

He went on to tell me that as an over-pronator, when I run, my arches fall, and illustrated this point by placing both of his hands flatly in the air, palms facing down and began tilting the inner side of his hands downward. He assured me, that I need a shoe that provides the much needed arch support every time my foot lands on the pavement.  He also stated that in some cases of over-pronation, running without proper support of the arches can cause knee pain and pressure in and around the knee joints.

The associate then asked me what size shoe I wore, went into the stock room an brought out three pairs of shoes... All size 13s!  I told him I wore a size 12!! These were a full size bigger!! This may have been a little exaggerated, but my mind immediately went to an image of my 2 y/o daughter, sticking her feet in my shoes and trying to walk in them.  Little did I know, I would learn something else in a few moments.

The associate proceeded to explain that the reason he got me a size 13 is due to the fact that as we run, especially longer distances like 10 miles or more our feet spread.  They spread while we run anyway, but a continuous pounding on pavement for a long period of time can cause our feet to swell.  Thus, the reason for getting a larger size.  He also mentioned that a reason some runners get black toenails, blisters, etc. can be due to not having the proper sized shoe, as well.

This was all news to me and after having him explain a little more about over-pronation and the mechanical process of running, I couldn't have been more grateful.  I had learned so much... I almost felt like I had taken a class on running.  My professor was so knowledgeable, smooth and procedural in his lesson... I couldn't have asked for anything more.

That day, I walked out of the store with a new mindset.  I walked out of the store with a new confidence and a determination, not to cheat on my feet.