Who out there loves roadwork? My guess is I'm not alone in thinking that running approaches maximum suckitude, right up there with water-boarding and watching Bette Middler movies with my girlfriend.
I recently increased my distance running and interval work. It's definitely helped my cardio, but my knees have been paying for it. You know what I mean...if you're feeling that dull, low-grade pain throughout your knee joint, it probably means your body ain't happy about the impact.
Enter Nike Air Vomero +3. Wow. Within the first week of wearing them I experienced a lot less knee pain. This is Nike's highly-cushioned shoe. I'd
definitely recommend these shoes if you're a bigger guy or if you're what the girl at the store called a heavy striker (means something different in road running...heh heh). They have more-than-average cushioning in the forefront and heel. In fact, they feel downright plush when you run in them...moreso than any other shoe I've worn or tested on the treadmill at the local store. I've been really happy with them in the 15-odd miles and 30-odd laps I've put on them. Quite an amazing difference compared to my older asics.
The only dig I have is that if you like shoe that gives firm support, these might not be your thing. They feel a little squishier than the typical shoe. But personally I like them. They fit my needs, which is to wear something to protect me from impact. If you like firmer support but still want a highly cushioned shoe, you might want to look at Asics new Nimbus 10.
Regarding fit: These shoes will be best for someone with normal arches and a neutral gait. The arches part is easy to get. The gait--what does that mean? I didn't know until they explained at the store, but this site can be helpful:
Running Shoe Pronation. As for foot shape, I'm a tad wider than average. For me, they ran pretty much true-to-size (I usually fit either an 11 or an 11.5 and these were perfect in the 11).
I know buying running shoes is about as exciting as buying car insurance. But for me, running pain free is worth the $110 bucks I spent on these things. Bye-bye tax refund.
