Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18: A Review

A number of runners will tell you that one of the saddest days is the day they have to retire their favorite shoe. I would know, it just happened to me. I’ve managed to only go through four pairs of shoes, two that compensated for my overpronating gate. And every time the shoe has met it’s fate, a little part of me mourns the loss. That was the shoe I ran my first half marathon in or that was the shoe I bought before we moved away from our family. Shoes can mark big moments in our life and bring back all the memories, both the good and the bad. My go to brand for the last three pairs has been Brooks. I’ve always liked the feel of them on my feet and the extreme support they provide. The most important thing for runners is to try on a variety of shoes from a variety of brands. Feet are unique and they will let you know what’s comfortable. A simple trick is to head to your favorite running store (like the Running Room or Fleet Feet) and have an assessment. Some places will watch you walk or run, listen to what your needs are, and then find several shoes that they think will suit you best. These types of stores are the reason I found out I overpronate (my arches roll inward). Putting your old loves into shoe retirement can be sad, but it’s also a time of rejoicing: It’s time for a new shoe. For me, it was the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 18. If you’ve never owned a pair of Brooks, here’s an honest review of the shoe.

What I Loved

YIKES. I mean... why?

• Comfy. I don’t know if my other Brooks were less comfortable, or they had been worn so long that the cushion decreased in size, but putting on these shoes felt like I was stepping into foam. The entire bottom of my foot was being hugged by the Adrenaline.
• Stylish. There’s a fine line in running shoes of beautiful and uncomfortably hideous. Why must all running shoes be made of neon color vomit? I’m all about having fun and unique shoes, but it feels like runners are tricked into believe that this style is… well, stylish. A huge draw to these shoes for me are the color. The other difficulty is finding a color you like in shoes that you need. There aren’t that many options for overpronators. But what I loved about the Adrenalines was the variety of styles. I ended up with what I call “sprinkles”. A beautiful black canvas, sprinkled with dots of pinks, blues, yellows, and purples. The color is noticeable, but not in your face, and truly goes with everything.
• Supportive. This quality is especially for my overpronators out there. The amount of support needed will depend on your gate and your foot needs. But for me, a shoe that can hold my foot and ankle in place is a shoe I want to be in. Brooks achieved this by using their Progressive Diagonal Rollbar (PDRB), which is how they keep your body in alignment. Now when I say “supportive” I am not referring to “heavy”. These shoes feel extremely light!
• Open toe box. Maybe this is a personal issue. My last pair, the GTS 17, had a hard plastic piece up in the toe box. When I’d run, this would rub up against my toes and end up causing some sensitivity. I must note, I do not go a size up in my running shoe. I’ve read plenty of articles preaching on going up a size, but my shoe needs to fit my foot like a glove. So take this as you see fit.

Quirks:

• Seam in toe box. There is a tiny seem, almost invisible when I put my hand on it, that runs across the toe box. My toes sometimes graze it if I’m walking in my shoes, but this could be due to my shoes not being tight enough, or the fact that I don’t go up a size. It doesn’t affect me when I run, so it’s a minimal negative in my book.

First Runs

First Run: 3 Miles When bringing a new shoe to the lineup, it’s important to work them up to longer distances. Treat your shoes like you would a brand new car from the show room. You can’t go 100 mph right out of the parking lot. You have to warm up the car for the first thousand or so miles, slowly working it a little more each trip. My first trip with Sprinkles was an easy three-miler. I ended up tying them a little too tight (worried the seam would bother my toes or toe nails), but soon after the run began, my feet felt like they were not getting blood flow. Loosening them was the right call. I ran everywhere between a 10-minute pace and down to a 9-minute pace, testing different speeds to feel the shoe work in different ways. What shocked me the most was the level of comfort and how the show seemed to help propel me forward. Stopping at three miles was actually painful for me to do. Second Run: 4 Miles For my second run, I chose to run only a mile more than the first. Again, I had the same feeling of being propelled forward by the shoe. Running fast felt easy and encouraged me to run even faster. After both runs, I had zero issues with soreness in my shins, ankles, or arches (places where I’ve had difficulties in the past). My feet felt like they molded right into the shoe like I’ve been running in them for months.

Final Thoughts

Not every shoe is perfect, and certainly not perfect for every runner. Make sure to do your research, get your feet checked out, and get a sense for what your feet need. But for me and my running style, the Adrenaline GTS 18 is meeting all my dreams. I highly recommend checking them out the next time you bop into your running store.
What’s your go-to shoe and why? Are you more of a Nike fan, loving that barefoot feel? Or do you tend to be drawn towards Saucony?

Always,
A