Sprenzy Shopping Blog

The Nike Air Pegasus 2006 running shoe was awarded 2006 Shoe of the Year by Runner’s World.

“The Nike Air Pegasus 2006 had previously been selected as an Editors Choice winner in five of Runner’s World’s nine international editions over the past 12 months, earning the honor in Germany, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States (Runner’s World publishes its Shoe Guides for buyers four times a year in the U.S. and several times a year in each of its worldwide editions).

Editors in each of those countries cited the neutral-cushioned shoe for its smooth ride, improved fit (from the previous Air Pegasus 2005) and “plush” cushioning, with several editors calling it the “benchmark” model in the neutral cushioning category.

Additionally, wear-testers in both Spain and the U.S. called it “the most comfortable shoe’ they had tested to date.”

Even though the Nike Air Pegasus was dubbed the shoe of the year, it may not be the right shoe for everyone. The shoe falls into the neutral cushioning category and is “recommended for runners who need maximum midsole cushioning and minimum medial support. These shoes are best for biomechanically efficient runners (minimum pronation) and midfoot or forefoot strikers with high or normal arches.” Additionally, the shoe is built for small to medium framed runners (Women - less than 150 lbs, Men - less than 180 lbs).

If the terms neutral cushioning, pronation, high or normal arches are foreign concepts, then I highly recommend reading the Runner’s World foot diagnostic articles. Finding the right running shoe for your running style, biomechanics and frame size is extremely important and it’s critical to determine which shoe type (motion control, stability, cushioned, etc.) is best for you.

Switching gears slightly, the Nike Air Pegasus 2006 Clima is an all-weather upgrade to the Air Pegasus. The Clima has the same performance as the Air Pegasus but includes a Clima-FIT upper, which repels water.

I really like the Air Pegasus 2006 Clima because of the dark colors. It reminds me of my New Balance trail running shoes, which I run in occasionally and use as my every day shoe. More importantly, I like to pack very lightly when I travel, which means a pair running shoes and a pair of casual dress shoes.

I prefer the dark colors of my trail running shoes but don’t like running on pavement with them. So the white road running shoes are worn on my trips, which means I become the typical tourist tooling around in white sneakers. Why are the majority of road running shoes white?!?

Anyway, I’m excited about trying out the Nike Air Pegasus 2006 Clima. It’s a highly rated cushioned running shoe, water-resistant and the dark colors make it a little more fashion friendly during my travels.

It’s December 22nd and next day shipping isn’t an option anymore. If you still have holiday shopping to finish, you have two choices: 1) brave the real world, hit the streets/traffic and actually go to a crazy brick and mortar store or 2) procrastinate a little longer, relax with your favorite beverage and buy an online gift certificate.

If you chose option 2, here are a few suggested stores where you can send a gift certificate via email.

• Amazon.com - get anything from books, electronics, household items and groceries. No matter who the recipient is, he or she will find something on Amazon.com.

• REI - for the outdoor enthusiast: cycling, camping, hiking, climbing, skiing, boarding, if it ends with an “ing” and you can do it outside, you’ll find the right gear here. REI has great customer service and return policy if you aren’t satisfied with a product.

• iTunes - for the music aficionado. I love my iPods and iTunes software but I’m not a fan of DRM music and the low bit-rate you get when purchasing music from iTunes. Nevertheless, you procrastinated and this is an easy way to give music to iPod owners.

• Netflix - introduce movie buffs to renting DVDs through the mail and the movie queue concept.

• Zappos - perfect for the shoe fanatic. Zappos offers free shipping/returns and 365 days to return an item. Order 10 shoes of different styles or sizes, try them on at home and return the ones you don’t want with no hassle. This site is dangerous for the shoe obsessed.

• Charitable Donation - if you can’t decide on a gift or know someone who has everything, then make a charitable donation in their name. Check out Charity Navigator to help you decide on an appropriate charity organization.

Let me know if you have any other good last minute gift ideas. And Happy shopping to all of you still looking for gifts!

In the October 2006 edition of Runner’s World (RW) magazine, the RW editors tested 27 trail shoes at their shoe lab. I have always like Runner’s World’s testing process because it’s a combination of mechanical testing in a lab and feedback by actual wear-testers.

In this case, 300 wear-testers reviewed this year’s best trail running shoes. The following 10 trail shoes were the highest rated by Runner’s World.

• New Balance 872 - RW Editor’s Choice - “Recommended for average-weight runners with normal to high arches who run on both the road and a variety of trail surfaces.” As with all New Balance shoes, the 872s are available in different widths, which make it the only shoe in the RW guide with various widths.

• Adidas Response Trail XII - RW Best Buy - ”Recommended for runners with normal arches looking for a neutral-cushioned shoe with decent stability that will do well on both road and tamer groomed trails.”

• Asics Gel-Trabuco IX - RW Best Update - ”Recommended for runners with normal to low arches looking for a hybrid trail shoe that does just as well on roads as on less-rugged trail surfaces.”

• Brooks Adrenaline ASR - ”Recommended for bigger runners with normal to low arches who run on a mix of hard-packed trails and pavement.”

• Montrail Continental Divide - RW Best Debut - ”Recommended for bigger runners with low to flat arches who frequently run on more technical, rocky surfaces.”

• Nike Shox Junga - RW Best Debut - ”Recommended for runners with normal to high arches who frequently run on rocky, uneven trails.”

• Reebok Premier Switchback TR - ”Recommended for runners with lower arches who are looking for a shoe that works well on roads or tamer city-park trails.” We currently don’t have any merchants offering this trail shoe.

• Saucony Grid Labyrinth - ”Recommended for medium-size runners with normal to low arches who run on a variety of trail surfaces.”

• Teva X-1C - ”Recommended for runners with normal to low arches who run on a variety of trail surfaces or for those looking for a supportive off-road racing shoe.”

• The North Face Radial - ”Recommended for runners with low to normal arches looking for a hybrid trail shoe for road and trail.”

I’ve given you the highlights from Runner’s World guide but I highly recommend you pick-up a copy of the magazine to fully understand how these shoes were evaluated. Correct fitting shoes can make a world of difference between enjoying your run and being miserable. Over the years, I have realized how important proper fitting shoes will improve your running biomechanics and prevent injuries. Speaking of injuries, here’s a good article from RW about injury prevention.

Fall is upon us, so get a new pair of trail shoes and enjoy the beautiful fall weather and scenery!