by Lionel Brahim Brodie III
.....or the Phillies Charities 5K. Or Love Run. Or the Hot Chocolate 15K/10K/5K. We could sit here and name drop Spring races for the rest of the day.....
Back to BSR and stability footwear. I kinda loathe the term 'sneakerhead', but 99.7% of the time I start every outfit with my footwear, then plan around it. So we'll begin with shoes (men's and women's) for our new Are You Running Broad Street series. Then move to apparel, nutrition, accessories, hydration. And by the time we're done covering everything.....Race Day!
There are plethora of great stability options, carried by Philadelphia Runner, for women (Happy International Women's Day!!!!!) and men. Here are just a few of my favorites, along with that brand's comparable options. I prefer more–to–max cushioned shoes so I'll drop some responsive alternatives as well.
I believe in a world where you can buy one (1) shoe for everything. I just personally don't live on that planet. On my realm I'm working with an everyday running shoe, a speed shoe, and a race shoe. Next week we'll get into men's and women's neutral running shoes. Then tempo shoes, then race shoes, then apparel, then.....
Note: the list below is in alphabetical order, not order of preference.
ASICS GEL–Kayano 30
I was trying on a bunch of ASICS last year, and the Kayano was in that mix. I'll only say this about a few shoes.....but it changed the way I thought about stability shoes. And the brand. I've been running for about 13 years, and my first 8 or 9 were in one brand. At some point during ‘that which shall not be named’ (the pandemic) I started mixing it up.....but eventually going back to that same brand. So in July 2023 when I test "jogged" in the Kayano.....GAME CHANGER. I bought a pair immediately and decided that this was my benchmark. The shoe is super bouncy and fully cushioned. The most completely cushioned stability shoe I have ever had on my fat, flat feet. Extremely lightweight, and it seemed as if all of my aches and pains instantly disappeared.
I purchased this beautiful, 30th Anniversary colorway. I was born in 1979, so I just made the cutoff to claim 70s baby (birth), 80s baby (pre-teen), AND 90s baby (teenage). In the spirit of full transparency, the shoe is too beautiful to wear. It just gives mid–90s, Nautica jacket, Ralph Lauren shirt, Tommy Hilfiger Jeans. I love it! I keep saving it for a "special occasion", which means I'll need to buy another color for my everyday training. It's on my to–do–list. I'll circle back.
Responsive Alternative – ASICS GT–2000 12
HOKA Gaviota 5
Heavy rotation. The Gaviota is in heavy rotation with me. The new look of the shoe has been updated into a sleek, streamlined machine. It's the stability Bondi! There are SO many good colors too. HOKA never misses when it comes to the color combinations!
That HOKA cushioning you're accustomed to is still here. In fact, the Gaviota 5 feels as if it was injected with an extra dose of more plush cushioning than its predecessors. For those who don't love a soft, soft shoe, you can still do some damage with the Gaviota. I'd call it 'responsive soft'. The shoe is roomy, makes me feel secure with every step (no exaggeration), and out of all the models listed here, this would be my go–to for long runs. This IS my go–to for long runs.
Responsive Alternative – HOKA Arahi 6
New Balance Fresh Foam Vongo 6
Ok, New Balance is my pleasant surprise brand of the year. Every shoe looks amazing, we know that. Performance–wise: I've raced in the original FuelCell SuperComp Trainer, and version 2 is even lighter with more natural propulsion. The Fresh Foam 1080v13 is like wearing fluffy pillows with shoelaces, and you know how I feel about the new FuelCell Rebel v4. It changed the way I thought about Tempo shoes.
Like the Kayano, I bought the Vongo for a special occasion. I did wear these.....I like to wear a shoe for a day first to break in, then run in it. Sometimes the shoes never make the fashion–to–function transition if I like the color too much. And that was my challenge here. Then I started writing today and remembered how much I loved wearing this shoe, so it's in the rotation next week. You'll appreciate how incredibly lively (bouncy) the cushioning is, and you'll adore (yes, adore) how breathable the mesh upper is. It's a perfect summer running shoe. I can't wait that long, so I'm breaking them out during Fake Spring. I'll circle back.
Responsive Alternative – New Balance Fresh Foam X 860v13
Nike Infinity 4
I raced the Philadelphia Distance Run 5K in the Infinity 4. I would've raced the Rothman 8K in them, but I hit on a pair of the new Vomero 17s that week and wanted to run in a new shoe because my wife was running in new shoes. She ironically raced in the Infinity for the 8K.
Let’s begin with the fact that the shoe is cut small, so you should go up 1/2 size. Other than that, this is my favorite Nike shoe currently on the market. Period. It's so comfortable, amazing cushioning, and once you go up that .5 size the toe and midfoot room is primo with any sock. I was wearing this earlier today with a thicker sock without any discomfort. I usually run with THIN socks, no discomfort. I need 3–5 more colors. Yes, I love running and walking in this shoe so much I'm going to stockpile. It's the closest thing to the Nike LunarGlide I've seen since React technology was invented. If I had to choose one of these listed models for speed work and/or race day, it would be the Infinity.
Responsive Alternative – Nike Structure 25
There are of course several brands not mentioned here with terrific stability options. I could entertain you with more of my writing wizardry, or you can stop in to one of our shops and talk to the real magicians on our staff!
PR Center City: 1711 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
PR University City: 3621 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
PR Manayunk: 4358 Main Street, Philadelphia, PA
PR Glen Mills: 505 Glen Eagle Square, Glen Mills, PA
