Ambassador Sander Nederveen trials Brooks shoes at Hatley Castle 8K
With the fourth race just behind us, we’re at the halfway point in the series. This likely is the point in the season where you’ve probably put lots of miles on your trainers, and perhaps also on your race shoes. So you might want to be looking for a fresh pair of shoes for the next phase in your training and for the second half of the race series.
With both Brooks and Frontrunners Footwear, the Island Series has two great sponsors that can help you to the right pair of shoes. Brooks recently launched two updated shoe versions: The first one is the newest version of the Brooks Glycerin, their higher-cushioned daily trainer. The second one is the Hyperion Elite, their carbon-plated race shoe. Island Series Ambassador Sander Nederveen put both shoes on his feet and gave them a spin around town. Read his thoughts below.
Brooks Glycerin 21
The new Glycerin is a super comfortable shoe. I keep reaching for them when I want to go for an easy run, or even just for a walk. The toe box is a bit wider than in other Brooks shoes, which is quite nice for somewhat wider-footed people like me. Aside from a comfortable fit, there’s a lot of cushioning too. It’s the kind of cushion that absorbs a fair bit of the impact when you’re running, but simultaneously gives you a bit of a bounce. On a longer run, the shoe performed well: the shoe didn’t force me to work harder (which heavy cushiony shoes sometimes do), although it also didn’t have the energy return of a tempo/race day shoe.
Essentially, the Brooks Glycerin 21 is a solid and sturdy shoe for your easy recovery run after work or an easier longer run.
Brooks Hyperion Elite V4
It was at Hatley Castle 8K that I christened the Brooks Hyperion Elite v4s. I didn’t know what to expect, because Brooks has been hyping this shoe for some time, but their previous race-day shoe didn’t get very much critical acclaim.
The Elites exceeded my expectations. Even during my warm-up, I had to control of my pace: the shoe wanted me to go faster. During the race, I learned that it’s a solid race-day shoe. The energy return is high, and in some sense, it feels like your shoes are encouraging you to go give ‘er. So I did!
Something I realized after I had worn the shoe for a while, is how normal the shoe felt. Race day shoes can feel very unstable, and sometimes flimsy around your feet. Not the Brooks Hyperion Elite: I felt stable and it’s quite comfortable.
My first impression of this shoe is good. It held up super well on a wet and muddy course. I’m excited to lace it up for the Westcoast Sooke 10K and the Comox Valley RV Half Marathon later this month and try it out on longer courses.
If you’re excited to try out these shoes and/or get yourself a pair, stop by at Frontrunners Victoria. There’s a Brooks shoe for every type of runner and Frontrunners will have them for you. And who knows, maybe I’ll be there to help you out and find the right shoe for you.
