asics

Nike Pegasus 38: My New Daily Workhorse

Brian
I’m looking forward to racking up some miles in the Nike Pegasus 38.

This time last year I was trying to decide whether to replace my Brooks Ghost 11 with the Brooks Ghost 12 or the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37. In the end, I didn’t choose either of those, and went with the Asics Novablast instead. I’ve loved running in that shoe, but it’s going to be retired soon and I was back on the hunt for a new daily trainer.

This time around I was considering the Nike Pegasus 38, Saucony Ride 13 and Brooks Glycerin 19. I dropped the Ghost from my choices because I’m trying to keep the drop to 10mm or less. After comparing those three choices I decided to go with the Pegasus 38 for my daily running, and so far I couldn’t be happier. In addition to an upper that feels more plush, here are some of my high points:

  • Bouncy feel that propels up and forward
  • Good lockdown that doesn’t take a lot of fiddling with the laces
  • Average stack height that makes for a stable ride underfoot

And my lone low point so far?

  • It is a bit heavier than other choices

Holding the Pegasus 38 up against my other daily trainers, the Novablast and the Reebok Floatride Forever Energy 2.0, I’m very pleased with how it’s performed so far. Honestly, I had hoped that the Novablast 2 would have a redesigned upper more like the Pegasus 38’s, but it looks like that might not be the case. I am a bit surprised that my Reebok FFE 2 has a higher stack height because it actually feels slightly lower to the ground. I can also push the pace in that shoe a little more than I’ve been able to in the Pegasus thus far.

Yet, if you’re looking for a running shoe that’s a reliable daily trainer to pile up miles in, I don’t think you can go wrong with the Pegasus 38. Its feel underfoot and good lockdown out of the box outweigh any minor concerns I had about its weight versus the other options I was considering. If you’re in the market for a new workhorse, I would certainly take a look at the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 38.

5K Time Trial Rookie Mistake + Running Shoe Update

Brian
Asics Novablast as a daily trainer running shoe
The Asics Novablast has been a welcome surprise. Courtesy Asics

You may remember my post from back in May where I was on the hunt for my next pair of running shoes. At that point, I thought I was going to be choosing between the Nike Pegasus 37 and the Brooks Ghost 12. Then, I started digging deeper into the daily trainer category and came across the Reebok Floatride Forever Energy 2.0 at a nice price. I have to say, I’ve been very surprised by its performance.

The first thing I noticed is its bounciness. It was my first experience with the Floatride Energy Foam, and the “pop” caught me offguard, in a good way. The upper isn’t super plush, but the ride is really good. One thing to consider with this shoe is that it runs a little long for some people. I typically wear a size 9.5, and I ordered both a 9 and a 9.5 to try. The 9 was pretty tight on my left foot, but felt fine on my right. The 9.5 felt good on my left, but just slightly large on my right. Ultimately, I went with the 9.5, and I just have to be sure to tighten the right shoe enough before heading out. A size 9.25 would have been perfect.

Another Option Emerges

Just when I thought I had my daily trainer situation squared away I came across another good deal. This time it was on the Asics Novablast. The tall stack height, 37mm in the heel and 27mm in forefoot, appealed to me for use on longer runs, and so far it’s seemed to keep me from feeling too beat up as I increase my base mileage. I will say, that stack height can feel ever so slightly unstable at first. After I put about 30 miles on the shoes it felt like they compressed just slightly and that my foot was sitting more “in” the insole rather than “on top” of it. If that makes any sense. The Novablast also has a nice “pop” or “push” that makes running in them quite fun. It’s a different shoe, but in a good way.

Rookie Running Mistake

With the running shoe updates out of the way, it’s time to talk about my Trials of Miles 5K time trial mistake. First off, huge thanks to that entire team for putting on such a cool event. I had a blast putting up a time even though I was nowhere near race shape, and it’s motivated me to put together a serious training plan. Now, about that rookie mistake. I went out way too fast. I figured that to advance in the Masters bracket I would have to run sub-20:00, and I was right. My first mile should’ve been around 6:25-6:30 pace. Instead, I was closer to 6:15 and the wheels ended up coming off. What can I say, the adrenaline got the best of me. That combined with no interval or tempo training to get used to “feeling” what that pace felt like doomed me. No worries though, I’m looking forward to building out my base, throwing in some speedwork and seeing how much I improve in the next eight weeks.