Two days before my most recent half-marathon, I received a pair of Brooks Ghost 17s. It was the beginning of my week wearing the shoes for everything—exercise, mom duties, running, and work. But I asked myself: Should I really wear them for the 13.1 miles ahead of me? During my pre-race shake-out run, they were bouncy, but I could still feel the road. They were responsive, but not too much. They felt good.
Day 1.5
The morning of my race, I slipped into my old shoes—the ones I’d trained in. I was scared to run that distance in new shoes. But at mile seven, I wished I had taken the chance. My feet started to hurt, and as a result, pain came into my hips. The easy run of the day before filled my head, but visions of could-have-would-have-should-have weren’t going to help me finish the race. So I became that annoying runner who hoots and hollers when everyone around her is just trying to make it to the finish. I cheered every volunteer I saw—clapping, cheering, and thanking them for being out on the route, each time distracting my head from the discomfort I was feeling. I finished before my goal time (yay, me!), but my feet hurt. That’s what I got for wearing shoes that probably had too many miles on them.
Day 2
When I woke up the next morning, my feet ached as I slipped them into the Ghosts for my post-race recovery run. Nestled in the shoes, my feet felt supported. And even though my legs were tired from the day before, they had enough energy to go the planned 2.5 miles. This wasn’t anything I had ever experienced after the dozens of half-marathons I had done in my life–even when using new shoes the day after. And I liked it.
I proceeded to wear the shoes for the rest of the day. I had errands to run around the city, and walking is my primary transportation. And with these shoes on, my legs didn’t feel tired and my feet didn’t ache. You could almost say that my lower extremities were energized.
My first stop was to the running store to drop off my old shoes for recycling. While I was there, one of the salespeople stopped me and asked, “Are those the Ghost 17s? How do you like them?” I told her about my race and my remorse about not wearing them, as well as that ultimately, I found the shoe to be stable yet with the cushion my body had been craving and I was still able to feel the road under me. We talked for an hour about the different Brooks Ghost shoes, and how she had been looking forward to the 17s but wasn’t sure yet. (She already had them on hold in the back—but after our talk, she was definitely going to get them.)
Afterward, I walked across town to meet my son at the museum where he volunteers. He wanted me to see a new exhibit. We spent the afternoon going up and down flights of stairs, slow-walking, some sudden stops, and standing—so much standing. The shoes handle the varied nature of the afternoon’s movement.
Day 3
Still sore from the weekend, I decided to walk the three-plus miles each way it takes me to get to and from work. When I slipped the shoes on and started to move, my stride felt effortless, and my gait seemed to increase without my even thinking about it. They were so lightweight that my legs didn’t have to exert much energy at all to move one foot in front of the other.
Day 4
After a long day at the office, I decided to walk home. I had been wearing the shoes all day, so my legs and feet felt fresh. But when I was halfway home, my son texted a request: Could I pick up a sketchbook he needed for the next morning’s cartooning class? Tired legs and sore feet were still no concern as I set off in the opposite direction, trying to get to the art-supply store before it closed. But I missed the cutoff—so then I headed back toward home, making stops along the way anywhere and everywhere I thought might conceivably carry his preferred pad. I added an extra three miles to my commute and found a suitable replacement sketchbook near my apartment.
Day 5
I took a lunchtime run. Since I was still recovering from the race, it was an easy one. The shoes’ energy transfer made the couple of miles I did feel supported, bouncy, and effortless. Again, I found myself wishing I’d worn them during my race four days earlier.
Day 6
My shoes supported all the things on this day—work, exercise, and parenthood. I walked with my son to the bus and reminded him about his orthodontist appointment that afternoon, and then headed to the gym for a conditioning session. They brought more bounce to my box and long jumps (as well as the landings), and at the end of the hour, my legs weren’t as tired as they normally are after this workout.
Later in the afternoon, my son called to ask if I could bring his retainers to the orthodontist, because they weren’t in his backpack…and by the way, he just got there 30 minutes late. I threw on the running shoes, ran around the house to find his retainers, then out the door, down four flights of stairs, and through the three long city blocks to the doctor’s office.
Day 7
After my morning workout, I went grocery-shopping for the week. The result was four canvas bags full of beverages and food, strategically loaded so I could carry them home, which is about five blocks. When I do this, my gait is usually shortened and balance is always an issue, especially when I am stepping off tall curbs. This time was no different—except that I was more steady-footed as I hauled everything home over the uneven sidewalks and streets.
That was three weeks ago.
Ever since then, I have been running solely in the Ghost 17s—for sprints, for endurance, for light jogs. They have become my go-to for all workouts. No matter the run, this shoe performs well. In general, I gravitate toward stability shoes, but as I age I am realizing I want some cushion, and yet I don’t like the super-highs. The shoe is a wonderful blend of both for me—plus, it satisfies my preference not to have a lot of tech in my shoes, since I run more for fitness and enjoyment than for PRs (personal records).
The energy exchanged between the shoes and my legs make me want to wear them everywhere. That running-store errand day hasn’t been by any means the only time I’ve worn them around the city. And the Ghost makes the more-than-12,000-step days that are my norm (thanks to walking and running) easier, both while I’m taking them and after the day is done.
In fact, I actually like putting these running shoes on…something I have never said about a pair before. Usually my running shoes are only for running. The Ghost 17s are a great everyday shoe that moves me during workouts and beyond.
Carey Rossi is the Senior News Editor for Prevention and Prevention.com. You can follow her @CareyRossi.
