Brooks Beast

A Pair of Brooks Beast is Expensive, but Good for My Feet

For me, the best running shoe is the Brooks Beast. I bought a pair at a specialty running store close to where I lived.

I have to admit, I'm not fond of the price. But I have a size 13, and a wide foot also, so not a lot of shoes fit me. Plus I have flat feet, and I liked the feel of it.

Brooks Beast is My Favorite Running Shoe

Plus, I was somewhat paranoid about how tough it was. I'd wasted about $20 buying cheap running shoes at Wal-Mart, and they didn't last two months before they were falling apart.

Six or seven months later, my first pair of the Beast are showing their age, though I hate to admit that. Yesterday when I pulled the strings tight, one of the bottom eyeholes snapped, so I moved the lace to the bottom, farther back hole, which I previously hadn't been using, so the laces are slightly off balance.

Also, my pointed toe nail has worn a hole through the top of the left shoe. I let me toe nails grow more than I should because of ingrown toe nail problems. They've grown back, but are folded upon themselves, instead of flat, so the point is former by the top of the fold, and no doubt that wore against the fabric of the shoe through my socks.

I will say this, though. These running shoes still work. The hole has not expanded much, as I was afraid it would. When the Wal-Mart running shoes started falling apart, they both did some almost completely.

These shoes still seem solid, and I run or walk in them daily.

I also use them for ordinary purposes, and that's probably a mistake. For a retail price of $130, I should probably reserve them for what they're made for -- running.

The Brooks Beast is Tough

However, last year I didn't have a good selection of other comfortable shoes to wear while walking (I run only every other day, and try to walk for an hour every other day) and while going about my daily life. So I preferred to keep my new running shoes on my feet all the time while not inside at home.

Now, I'm thinking that when I am forced to buy a new pair of these Brooks running shoes, I'll reserve them for actual running, and wear these older ones all other times, including walking and my daily life.

They still seem to have a lot of miles on them. I've run other shoes down until I had holes in the bottoms. These still look almost new on the bottom.

My left heel is worn to the side, noticeably more than my right heel, so I suppose I must have some defect in my stride in my left leg.

I'm not a distance runner. I prefer to run four somewhat intense runs. I can't call them "wind" sprints because I'm not in good enough shape for that. But I do enough to tire me out and build up my heart and lungs.

I could try other brands, such as Nike, Saucony and Adidas. I'm sure they're also good running shoes. But once I've found something I like and seems to serve my purpose, I'm not anxious to change. If it's not broke, don't fix it. And I don't believe the Brooks Beast is broken, at least not for me.

Next: Choosing Running Shoes -- select the best kind for you.