When I decided to run my first marathon in high school, it was still a fringe sport. Running and marathons hadn’t started on the upward trend, so finding information and gear was a challenge.  Of course, the internet was still in its infancy, so I did the next best thing for any runner - I found the experts.

I trekked to Fleet Feet Sports in Chicago. Their focus is on giving runners the best possible experience to achieve their goals. Their Chicago location was a little slice of heaven for an amateur running.  If you are starting to run or are an experienced running, you should check them out. 

I was shocked when they put me on a treadmill to watch me walk and see how my foot moved.  They recorded me in test pairs of shoes. They took strange measurements. They learned more about my feet than I wanted to know.

The team huddled around and took all that into consideration and looked at the results of many trials and fits. They then put me in what would be the only athletic shoe I would ever wear from that day forward.

Asics Gel Kayanos.

A bit of history - ASICS began as Onitsuka Co in 1949. Onitsuka became particularly renowned for the Mexico 66 design, in which the distinctive crossed stripes, now synonymous with the company brand, were featured. In 1977, Onitsuka Tiger was rebranded as ASICS.

Despite the name change, a vintage range of ASICS shoes are still produced and sold under the Tiger label (which also are incredible shoes).

A bit more of history for you - Nike (yes, the swoosh king) was founded to sell Onitsuka Tiger shoes in the US. When Phil Knight visited Japan in 1963, he was impressed by Onitsuka Tiger shoes with their high quality but reasonable prices. When Knight founded Nike, he headhunted engineers from Onitsuka and made early Nike shoes in Japan. It’s an incredible story - if you are interested, check out Phil Knight’s autobiography, Shoe Dog.

My first pair was a 1997 version unremarkably named the TN700. 

As I trained and ran the marathon, I saw what an incredible pair of shoes can do.  In 2000, when I ran my second marathon, they started numbering them to make it a little easier for us fanatics.  2017 brought the Gel Kayano 24s to market.  I’ve had at least one pair of each shoe, and they have never disappointed.

Historically speaking, most Asics shoes have displayed above-average levels of durability, owing to the built-up design approach. You know, things like lots of outsole rubber, upper layering and all that.

Not only do I swear by the Gel Kayano I’ve ventured out into other Asics models and have continued to be impressed.  From the fashion forward Onitsuka Tiger to their trail shoes, every shoe is like a mini massage parlor for my feet, knees and back.

If you get the thumbs up from Fleet Feet or another shoe store that your feet belong in Asics, go for gold and pick up a pair of Gel Kayanos - they will keep your feet happy