Nu shooz: Brooks Ghost 4

After pounding the pavement with the same running shoes for almost six months, it was high time to visit Running Wild. I drove there Tuesday in a somewhat unpleasant mood: I had just discovered the hit-and-run damage to my car. I had the radio off so I could listen intently for any strange sounds, hoping nothing mechanical was wrong. I arrived in one piece and assumed everything was all right, but could not help feeling disheartened by the blemish.

My baby!

Unlike a few years ago, when I was trying new brands, buying running shoes is easy now. I sat and asked for a pair of Ghost 4’s, size 12. I put them on (I had to buy a new pair of Wrightsocks because I forgot to bring my own pair), did a test run in front of the building, and pulled out my wallet. I thought about trying different shoes but did not. I have been very satisfied with my Brooks (except the Defyance 3’s) and do not want to change something that works. As far as I know the series has remained the same — except for the color. My new pair is very Hawkeye inspired. (The owner said many customers have made the comment that Brooks “must really like Iowa,” or knew to send black and yellow Ghost 4’s to Hawkeye country. However, that is not the case. “They are the same color in Ames and the rest of the country,” the owner told me.)