If I go back to my track days in high school, my first pair of running shoes were Adidas. They were nothing fancy, just white with red and grey stripes, lightweight and perfect for running track. I bought these shoes (or more likely, my mom did) and wore them freshman year up through college. Yes, you read that right. I got these shoes freshman year of high school and they lasted me all the way up until senior year of college. If that doesn't say well made shoe, well then I don't know what does. Eventually though, I had to give up these beloved shoes. They smelled awful if I'm being honest, which is probably the only reason I actually got rid of them. I mean, aside from the smell, the shoe itself was still holding up quite well.
After I made the heart wrenching decision to toss my beloved shoes someone convinced me to buy a pair of Nikes. As it were, I also had a pair of Nike Zoom waffles in high school. I used them for sprinting and nothing more. They may be in the back of my closet at home actually. So when I bought new shoes, I got the Nikes. The fancy ones, with the air bubbles in them. The shoes were nice, as far as shoes go. Unfortunately, after about a year, the air bubbles had popped (something I was quite unaware could happen) and suddenly, my shoe was just a flat mess. Let's stop for a moment and compare now. Adidas lasted me upwards of 8 years, Nike lasted me one. If there was one thing I knew for sure it was that my new shoes were going to be Adidas. So, for the past 4 years I have been buying nothing but Adidas sneakers. I started with the Kanadia trail shoes. Not ideal for running, but at the time I was doing a lot of trail walking. These shoes lasted but through my own fault, the sole started peeling away from the heel. I have a bad habit of pulling off my shoes by pushing my toe down against the back heel instead of just untying the shoe and removing it like a normal person should.
After my Kanadia's bit the dust, I went back to running shoes. I got a lovely bright pink pair of Adizero's. I really enjoyed these shoes and wore them basically everywhere for the better part of 2011 and 2012. However, when my family went camping last summer, we hit up the Adidas outlet and there I found the gem of my collection. Plain black Climacools, with ombre purple stripes. These shoes changed my life. For serious. I was a light runner before, but the moment I put on these shoes, I became a real runner. I wore these shoes to work, I used these shoes to run my first 5K, and I use these shoes to walk the beach. The saddest moment I had with these shoes was when I discovered that both shoes had ripped on the edges, right where my foot bends when running. I still wear them, but I do with they had lasted a bit longer.
My most recent purchase of Adidas shoes came just one month ago when I was preparing for the Jingle Bell Run. I love my climacools, but I really wanted a warmer shoe for the winter months. After two minutes on the Adidas website I found the ClimaWarms. These are a smaller shoe similar to the Climacool. The difference is in the name. One is meant to keep your feet cool, the other warm. I admit, I was skeptical. How warm can my feet be when they're in a shoe if it's snowing out? But, I was sold, because Adidas has yet to fail me, and so I bought them. THEY ARE FANTASTIC. There's not a lot I love about running in the cold; in fact, there is nothing I love about it, except that I get to wear these shoes. The first time I ran in them, my feet started sweating. These shoes are no joke. I broke them in and wore them during the Jingle Bell Run, where I also came in with my best time in a 5K. That has to be a sign right?
In short, though I am not usually a one brand kind of girl, when it comes to workout gear, Adidas is my crutch. I have their running shorts, yoga pants, gym pants (?), climacool shirts, a hat, and a zip-up fleece just for running. If you saw me out, you might think I was being paid to advertise. (On a side note, my Adidas originals also remain one of my favorite shoes to wear to work, they're comfortable and easy to stand in, a must when teaching all day.) So if you're looking for a new pair of running shoes or just a new pair of shoes in general, try the Adidas. They'll last you a life time, as long as you let them.
Here's a picture of my ClimaWarms, just for fun.
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