Air Zoom Pegasus 34

Hey everybody, I got into running in the past half a year, and since I have had flat feet from an early age (doctors had me doing all sorts of exercises on my toes and walking on my sides when younger), I decided to look into shoes recommended for flat feet. I tried the GT-2000 14 and Gel Kayano 32, but the Kayanos felt like sinking a bit for every step I took, so I figured I'd give the Asics GT-2000 14 a go. So I got them, and in the first few runs (that were 3-4km), I had quite a problem with cramp-like pain in my foot, sometimes on the inside along the arch, sometimes on the outer side of the foot. I loosened the laces a bit and reinserted the insoles, and that seemed to improve it a bit. Then I went on some 5-7km runs, and noticed that on my left foot, the Achilles heel was quite sore the following day. No sharp pain, just sore. That repeated on the following runs, it gets better when I rest, but it's mostly sore in the morning, as I walk through the day, I barely notice it. During the run, it is also barely noticeable, if at all. I've been doing the eccentric heel raises daily now since this started. For the record, I've been running in Nike Air Pegasus 34 and 36 (I know they are very old and probably extremely stiff after all this time), so I figured any shoe would be an upgrade from that. And sometimes I noticed that the inside of my ankle kind of hurt or was getting really tired when running in them (1 more reason I decided on stability shoes). And I've never had shin splints or Achilles heel problems when using the Pegasuses. I have noticed that in the Pegasus (a neutral shoe?) I was compensating for the flat foot a lot by running more on the forefoot and the outside edge of the foot. I guess that might be causing the pain in the arch and the outside of the foot sole? My questions are: \- Could it be the heel padding on the GT-2000 14 that is bothering me, and I have to get used to it (I noticed it grabs my heel a lot more than previous shoes), or is it more likely my foot is completely incompatible with the shoe? \- I am also curious about the cramp-like pain at the beginning of their use. Is that linked to having a stability shoe for the first time? It is too late to return them, so I am hoping it's just an "adapt" situation. Any shared experience or a tip appreciated.

I usually do a Nike Pegasus in a wide, they do a handful of other models as well

Hi, I have always been a runner, to varying degrees throughout life, but haven't ever run a timed half marathon. I am about to be 40 years old and am signed up to run 5k, 10k and half marathon at Disney in October over the course of 3 days. My most recent timed 5k was around 24 minutes with little prep. I would like to try to get to an 8 minute mile average for the half marathon. I have run wearing Nike Pegasus Zoom for like 2 decades but in the last 3 years started using Nike Free Run. I was in the Nike outlet a few weeks ago and the soles of the Nike Pegasus were so big they looked ridiculous. I bought Nike Free RN 2018. Then i was in a running store with my wife over this weekend and every shoe they carried had these giant cushioned soles. I felt like there was a push in the past for people to start using more minimalist shoes, has research guided the industry in the opposite direction? I read the wiki questions and they didnt really cover minimalist shoes, I think. Should i just go back to training with the Pegasus? Does anyone have other tips or advice? **UPDATE: I went to a running store. Tried on a few shoes. Based on my preference in the past of the Pegasus Zoom we started with the Brooks Ghost 18, then Brooks Glycerin which was a little too cushioned for me, and then a new balance shoe I can't remember the name of which felt really wobbly in the ankles. I settled on the Brooks Ghost 18. He said the Hoca and Asics they had in stock would probably have more cushioning than I want based on the first shoes tried. **

Thanks. Yeah it has probably been about a decade since I tried on shoes at a running store. 2008 to like 2016 I went to stores a few times, tried on tons of shoes, and every time I ended up getting the Pegasus. So I decided to just skip the process and save time and money buying pegasus at the nike outlet. It is probably about time I do the process again. Especially since I have a goal for October.

Pegasus tends to run narrow - lots of Nike shoes do historically. I haven't worn the Pegasus in a number of years and the midsole tech changes so take my feedback with a grain of salt but the midsole took a number of miles before they broke in for me. They were tanks though. The Gore-tex version you have seems to be constructed differently and may be less forgiving in fit. It's tread is a little different but shouldn't really affect the ride much. I've been running on/off for a decade now and I'm embarrassed to admit I have spent thousands on many sneakers. My current favorite pair is the Asics Superblast. Pricey but was a great balance of support, cushion and weight. They're not perfect but my feet and legs never suffer from them. Like others have said, two months is very early into your running. Your feet may still be adjusting or even your mechanics may be causing foot pain no matter what shoes you're in. I've also found that sometimes I have to adjust to the shoes I'm running in - whether that be pace, stride or foot strike. And wearing them in the shop doesn't mean they're going to feel great once you start running in them which is why it's nice to go to a dedicated running shop where they typically let you run up to a mile in them on the treadmill before you buy. I know saving money matters - that's a good practical approach generally but these are your feet! Spend a little more upfront and when you have more experience with the fitting process, then go after the deals and sales.

Inspired... the Pegs were the OG do it all trainer. Still a good option, you'll be a little slower on pure speed workouts, but for tempos and stuff, they're fine unless you're used to the super shoe boost

Been rotating between Salomon Sense Ride for trails and Nike Pegasus for road runs. Nothing super exciting, but both just work. The Sense Ride feels like a nice middle ground - enough grip for most trails without feeling too heavy. Pegasus is just my “don’t think, just run” shoe. Been thinking about trying something with a wider toe box next (maybe Topo or Altra again), but haven’t pulled the trigger yet.

A lot of other good comments in this thread. One thing I want to add is that, all respect to your coach, I'm not sure they're speaking from a place of knowledge here. First of all, calf soreness can mean a lot of different things, and I wouldn't immediately blame that on your brand of shoes. Then, what does "ideal" mean for running, anyway? A lot of really serious runners will use different types of shoes for different types of runs (think daily trainers vs racing shoes), so "ideal" is completely based on the context of the exercise. Not only that, but it's all *complete personal preference*. While a lot of people find heavier and more cushioned shoes more comfortable / better for avoiding injury, that's not universal. It's just the trend cycle we're in currently. That said, tight calves could mean different shoes would be more appropriate for you. I recommend r/RunningShoeGeeks if you want to read up on reviews of different shoes, and [r/AskRunningShoeGeeks/](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskRunningShoeGeeks/) is a good place to ask questions!

¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯ My personal experience (and that of others I know) is the exact opposite, so I don’t know what to tell you. The Pegasus and Vomero are outdated at this point, but outdated doesn’t mean bad especially if you’re just looking for a basic every-day running shoe.