Through some weird confluence of coincidences, I recently found myself needing to get a few new pairs of shoes. I really like them, so I figured I should share what I got, and why.
On occasional weekends, I work for a trail race company called EX2 Adventures. A lot of what I do is mark the course and then take down the markings after the race. Plus, one of the perks of the job is that you can run any races you aren’t working for free. After a not-so-fun experience demarking the extremely muddy and wet Fountainhead course earlier this year, and preparing to race the tough Hemlock course this fall, I headed up to the newest Potomac River Running store in Vienna. Ray, one of the staff members there, is also an EX2 runner and had also run the Fountainhead race, so he knew exactly the conditions that I was trying to tackle. He recommended the New Balance Hierros. (I also picked up another pair of the Hoka One One Cliftons, which I wore for marathon training, since I’m also starting to train for next year’s Boston Marathon.) I had the chance to try out the Hierros last weekend at Pohick Bay. The course wasn’t too bad, but given the amount of rain we’ve had in the DC area this year, there were some extremely muddy and wet spots along the way. The Hierros got through and kept my feet nice and dry, even after an early morning running and verifying the course. Thanks Ray!
My new job with Esri has a pretty loose dress code. Just don’t wear shorts and t-shirts and you’re probably fine. I had been wearing some cheap Old Navy shoes since I started but wanted to get a pair of shoes with a bit more support and comfort. Enter the Adidas Advantage with Cloudfoam. They are super comfortable and feel like I’m walking in pillows but still are solid underfoot. Love them.
That was a lot of words about shoes, but sometimes, it’s the little things that can make you happy.
The D's 