Day 2,793: How to derail a loyal running shoe customer

                           A brand-new pair of Saucony Kinvara 5s.

If you looked back at my 10,000-mile running streak, all you would see on my running logs are workouts using Nike's venerable Air Pegasus shoe. In fact, my love affair with this model of shoe dates back all the way to March 5, 2001, when I broke in a new pair on a 3.425-mile run.

Before that I had been wearing Nike's Air International Max trainer, which at the time reminded me much of the shoe that I loved the most, Nike's Air Max Triax. That shoe carried me through top running events including the Hood to Coast relay and the Portland Marathon.

The reason I bring this up today is that today I received a special delivery, something I have not done in 17 years. I purchased a non-Nike trainer with the intent that it could be a replacement.

In June I dutifully purchased Nike's new version of the Air Pegasus shoe -- their 31. I was happy at the time, as I always am happy to buy the next iteration of something that I love. The 31s look and feel fast and do not have the dull monotone colors that I hated in the previous year's 30 version.

But the 31s also did something last year's shoe does not -- added stiffness that roils my feet during runs. I've mentioned in the past how it would take me 70 miles or so to break in a new pair of shoes so my feet would not have such excruciating pain. Even during today's 9-mile run that same stiffness came into play.

My Nike 31s have 242 miles on them, prompting me to look into a new pair to have some choices before the Oct. 26 Marine Corps Marathon.  Between now and race day, I will easily run another 500 miles -- the point when it's recommended that you replace a pair of shoes -- so I want to make sure that I have shoes that agree with me on long runs.

So when I read that the new Saucony Kinvara 5 was an Editor's Choice pick in Runners World magazine, I felt it was worth a try. I haven't worn Sauconys since I was in my 20s living in Japan. (Interestingly I started off in high school wearing Nikes and then went to Saucony and New Balance during my time in Japan and eventually came back to Nikes).

These new Sauconys look aggressive and feel great. If they run great then I will have some decisions to make, probably not something a shoe company that had me locked into their brand for 17 straight years wants to hear.