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By Toni Carey (@toni_carey/@blackgirlsrun)

One of the first things I tell new runners to do, is to have a gait analysis done. I’ve had several done before, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to have a specialized gait analysis done by Brooks at REI‘s SoHo store. (p.s. As your body and feet change, it’s not a bad idea to have a gait analysis done every time you’re ready to purchase a new pair of wheels. That way you know you’re ALWAYS getting the best shoe for you).

What is a gait analysis? This is the first step in getting properly fitted. A gait analysis determines how you run – whether you overpronate, underpronate, or are neutral. To see exactly how my feet land, the Brooks shoe expert had me remove my shoes and run barefoot. This allowed him to get the perfect view of my foot striking the treadmill. For an even better view, he video taped me running.

My stats?

Arch Height: Flat
Foot Width: Mid
Foot Type: Mid
Use: Run
Surface: Road/Track

The verdict?

I’m neutral, but could use a tiny bit of support. As you’ll see in the video, my follow through is at 175.6 degrees (180 is considered neutral). However, after my feet lift off to land again, my feet tend to “splay out”. Obviously, I was a bit concerned, but new Brooks friend assured me that I was fine. After all, the analysis doesn’t necessarily choose “a” shoe, however it helps determine what category of shoes are right for me. Turns out my sole mates are from the Guidance and PureProject collection.

Are you ready to meet my sole mates?

The Brooks Raveena 3

When I took a test run in these puppies, I fell in love. You can learn more about the Raveena 3 here. I can’t wait to purchase these new kicks. Plus the color is DOPE!

The Brooks Pure Cadence

The Pure Cadence is part of Brook’s “minimalist” collection. Having thought I could never run in a minimalist shoe, these are proof that I can. As the Brooks expert put it, consider these  the shoes I can run with if I want to truly “connect” on my runs, whereas the Raveenas are for cruising along. They shouldn’t be my ONLY running shoe, rather one I use for shorter distances. You can learn more about them here.

And a little side note about the Brooks staff. They are absolutely amazing and I’ve never met people more knowledgeable about every brand of running shoe, not just Brooks. I was able to ask questions galore and they put me up on some things I’d never known! If you ever have a chance to meet these folks, you won’t regret it!