I have to admit that I am not a runner in the traditional sense. My background is in Track and Field in an event that is not known for running. My event requires anywhere from 8 to 10 strides. In my competitive days, the mere thought of running for longer than 800 meters would send most of my teammates and competitors into hyperventilation and state of shock. Ask me to hop on one leg, sprint a hill or pull a sled and we’re in business. However, those days are gone (for the most part). I still enjoy a good hill sprint and an occasional plyometric workout but the high volume, high-intensity days that were a signature workout prior to an Olympic Trials or National Championship are long gone.
In an effort to stay in shape over the past few years I’ve picked up the semi-regular running habit. The first few weeks are always painful but soon enough I get through it. As I have aged I have put on a few extra pounds and have realized that I much prefer a shoe that is more of a tank than a sports car. What I mean by that is that so many of the ultralight “ultra-thin” shoes that are “ultra-comfy” in the store do a less than stellar job over time of supporting my 225 lb body while running on trails, dirt roads, and the occasional concrete. As a result of that experience, my last few pair of shoes have been the Brooks Beast. Overall I’ve been happy with the prior models. Alas, after putting off buying a new pair for far too long I opted for a new pair at my local REI store here in Denver. There were a lot of other options that looked cool and were lighter however they were missing that “tank” quality that I prefer.
So, the following paragraphs will be my assessment of the new Brooks Beast in their black and silver glory. I’ll try to keep it simple and straightforward.
Size: I’ve worn a size 13 shoe since I was 17 years old in pretty much every athletic shoe on the planet. However, I have noticed that in the past few years that more times that the shoes seem to be getting just a little bit smaller. Now, this could be that the shoes are getting smaller or my arches and feet are collapsing after years of abuse and they have just decided to stretch out. My gut is that this is the case. The interesting thing is that I have only noticed this in my right shoes but never in my left. All this to say that the Brooks Beast seem to as accurate in sizing as any shoe I’ve worn in the last 10 years.
Cushioning: I have to admit that I am not of fan of a shoe that makes my foot feel like I am walking on an ultrasoft pillow of air when the shoes are brand new. My experience has been that those shoes tend to break down quickly because the cushioning is just too weak. A nasty by-product of that ultrasoft cushion is that most shoes have too much instability for my liking. So, one of the things I love about the Brooks Beast line is that the footbed is soft enough that cushions my feet and knees from the impact of my not so light build. The cushion is just enough that I have a cushion and I retain solid stability with each step.
Stability: The first thing I look for in an athletic shoe is how stiff the arch and the middle of the shoe is. After all, I’m looking for a shoe I can put some wear and tear into not a flimsy track spike. I wasn’t a shoe that isn’t prone to twist and turn at the first sight of an uneven surface. The Brooks Beast does this in spades. There is almost not twist in this shoe which for a guy my size is just what I need.
Weight: Ok, to be candid I just don’t care about the weight of my shoes. I hear people talk about way too much for my liking. As a country, we should be far more concerned about the weight we are carrying around our waist than the extra ounce or two that is strapped to your foot. I’m betting that if the shoe is stable and you’re out there putting in the work you won’t even notice the weight of the shoe (especially if you weigh more than 180lbs.
Disclaimer: So, if you’re one of those runners that is a bit lighter and you don’t need all that extra stability and cushion then by all means you should get another shoe. There isn’t one good shoe for everyone. These are just my thoughts on the Brooks beast after one run. I’ll follow up a few months with an update on these bad boys.