Falling apart...

I don't know what the heck I did, but the posterior lateral aspect of my right foot is KILLING me. I can't walk barefoot without significant discomfort.

My new shoes finally arrived at Luke's Locker and once again Luke's took VERY good care of me, always helpful and friendly.

I ordered a pair of Patagonia RELEASE trail running shoes. I've been running more trails and I've been searching for a pair of shoes to use on both the trails and road. These shoes aren't marketed for road use, but they have a lot of similar characteristics to road shoes. For example, the lug pattern is not as aggressive as some trail shoes, yet spaced enough to keep mud from sticking to the bottom of the shoe.

When I tried the shoes on for the first time I quickly realized there wasn't much arch support. It's not an issue of the shoe, I simply have high arches. That's probably why I tend to purchase Mizunos and Asics. The Store manager was helping me and suggested I try a set of SuperFeet 3/4 insoles. I've wanted to try them for a long time, yet never have. With the addition of the insoles the shoe gained a ton of support and fit my foot like a glove.

The new Patagonia shoes seemed more comfortable than the shoes I worn in, so I asked to wear the shoes home. While walking around the store I also noticed the shoes were "stiff", but not in a bad way. After buying more shoes than I can count, I have learned that shoes that feel soft and cushioned only feel good at first and then quickly die. I'm hoping the stiffness is the result of a quality mid shoe that will last a few hundred miles.

The shoes have a generous toe box, breathable throughout, and have a very attractive appearance. I found the shoe laces to be a tad bit short. I have a wider foot and when I made the proper adjustments, I was left with just enough to tie them.

As soon as I got home I took off down the streets of Kingwood in my new shoes. I ran nearly 5 miles and walked another 2.5 miles. I'm not sure if it was the Vibram soles or the SuperFeet insole, but my foot didn't bother me at all... until I finished and took them off. As I said above, the shoes are stiff, which resulted in a responsive feeling on the concrete surface. In fact, they were so stiff I couldn't tell much of a difference when I ran through the grass, even though I only ran on the grass for a short time.

Only time will reveal the true quality of these shoes, although I'll admit, I've been impressed thus far.

Run:
4.89 miles
50:05
10:14 pace

Walk:
2.6 miles
42:40
1624 pace