Minimalist - Not Too Minimalist

Great, ask a running-related question and get no response.

Nice site.

Brooks ST

It is sold as a racer, but it is more of a lightweight trainer. It will hold up very well (400-600 miles).

Look for a heavy duty racer -- like a marathon racing flat. Nike has some variation of the Katana (Katana IV, I think) which fits this bill. Some of the heavier versions of the Adizero line might help as well (Adizero LT, perhaps, though that one's heel is a little too built up for my taste).

Sunny81 wrote:

Brooks ST

It is sold as a racer, but it is more of a lightweight trainer. It will hold up very well (400-600 miles).

Excellent answer. Brooks got it right the first time, and they've left it pretty much as-is.

my transition from fall '03 to present:

adidas supernova classic

nike zoom elite

nike zoom ekiden

puma h street and ekiden, basically any racing flat

during this time i transitioned to almost exclusive trail running with a lot of barefoot on the grass/ soccer turf. took about 1.5 years to get into the h-street, but there was a semester where i didn't run (first sem of grad school and took 21 units from january thru june--a very full load and worked 2-3 jobs at the same time). haven't been injured since spring '03.

One man's "doesn't feel like a tank" = another's "gads, you expect me to run in that?!" At what point on the spectrum are you comfy? Some models I've worn in recent years, from more shoe (top) to less:

Brooks ST - really more of a light LWT, not bad but I really grew to prefer true flats. I wasn't crazy about the medial post (still there in current version?) or the relative inflexibility.

Nike Free 5.0 - heel's a bit trainer-like in height, I'd check out the 3.0 instead these days. But it's comfy, light, and it's been durable for me. And flexible enough? Duh!

Fila Corsa Sette/Otto - nearly as flexible as the Free, a tad lighter I think, lower heel, super cushy for a light flat. Lots of arch support for a flat. Some find it too spongy. My favorite shoe, period. For me, it's cushy enough for daily training and road marathons, light and low and flexible enough for trails and tricky footing. Depending on your size you may still find the Sette on closeout; I just picked up another 3 pair.

Nike Streak XC - nobody's calling this a tank or a brick, except maybe someone who only runs barefoot. I might wear it full-time if I ran fewer pavement miles; the cushion is fairly minimal. Similar to the Ekiden but more flexible and a bit skimpier.

Nike Waffle Racer (original 2004 reissue) - less cushioning than the streak XC? Probably, though I haven't worn 'em in quite a while. Obviously great on grass and dirt trails. Seemed durable except I think too many road miles wore down the waffles a bit.

Running InTanks wrote:

Great, ask a running-related question and get no response.

Nice site.

Wow, 43 minutes without an answer and you go to pieces. Sucks to be you. Maybe we weren't all sitting around waiting to answer your question. How about a little courtesy?

Looks like some good replies subsequently. Patience is a virtue.

love this site! pompous old guy with attitude lambastes young and impatient egocentric dude. I ask you, who's more of a tool here; old guy or young guy?

I like the part about "...with attitude lambastes young and impatient egocentric dude," but "pompous"??? I notice I've been departing from my normally civil demeanor (even on Letsrun) to lash out at some youngsters lately. I must be getting cranky in my old age. ;-)

Hey, please don't squeeze the garmin. If I wear 9 in Streak XC, and Nike free 5.0 what would you recommend for size for the Corsa Sette? My feet are a little wide, so are they narrow?

8.5, the Fila flats run quite large. They're not exactly wide, but the upper is pretty damn unstructured - if you can wedge your paws into Streak XC you'll have no problem with the Corsa Sette.

Hey, we old guys have earned the right to some pomposity, dealing with all you egocentric impatient yootz here!

If you can find any older tiger paws, I'd go with them. Awesome shoes.

Does attitude really come out in an email? Or is it whatever the reader interprets? I'm an old guy, too. I love the availability of these modern marvels of communication, but I think young people rely too much on them and less on face to face, non-anonymous means.

Plus, I don't think your original post was all that bad at all.

Awesome, this is the best information ever.

To the OldXCGuy, sometimes you have to get the floodgates to open up... I know what happens when a post hits the 3rd page, it disappears forever.

Look at all of this wonderful information, I feel richer now becasue of it!

Thanks to all that helped out.

Running in Tanks, I wasn't dissing you for bumping your thread. I know what it's like to post a valid question and have it drop down the board like a rock. Yes, page three might as well be Pluto. My concern was what I perceived to be an arrogant tone of entitlement. Glad you got some good info.

Thanks other old guys pdstg and runn for your support. Hey, what fun is Letsrun without a little controversy?

what he said.

st racer--with the midfoot truss cut out, to help increase flexibility--is great, but with a few xtra millimeters in the heel if you need it. you can put many, many miles on these.

corsa otto is a new favorite...really nice feel, roomier in the toe box.

streak xc is close to barefoot, if your foot had a layer of eva under the skin.

all are worth a try.