Brooks PureFlow3 Review

Overview

I was attracted to Brooks’s Pure series right away. The emphasis on lower drop, anatomical fit, and more natural gait resonates with me. Ultimately, I’d love to move towards a barefoot minimalism, but jumping back into marathon training and trying to get a lot faster for a big goal do not lend themselves to much experimentation. The PureFlows fit my need well, providing a less built but well-cushioned shoe that will allow me to continue moving in the minimalist direction at a safe pace. Below I’ll discuss my progression in shoes and what I like and dislike about the PureFlows.

Strengths

With a 4mm heal-to-toe differential, anatomical curve, and rounded heal, the shoes feel less clunky than standard running shoes (e.g. Asics 2100s in my experience). Upon initial try-on, those features were discernible. It almost felt like I was leaning slightly backwards without a raised heal to support me. 

The shoes are comfortable all around, hugging the foot nicely with ample toe room. The upper is secure and soft, and I find the burrito wrap tongue stays in place well and provides more of a sock/slip-on type feel. The laces have that sort of hour-glass shape or waviness that makes for more secure tying, as well. Brooks advertises the mid-foot band, but it is not even noticeable to me beyond initial try-on.

I bought these shoes intending to use them as daily trainers and to ultimately use as a marathon shoe. I’ve put over 200 miles on them, including track work, tempo runs, and easy and long runs. They have performed well across the board. Light, cushioned, and secure, I can use them for everything.

Criticisms

I have been very happy with the PF3s, but they are just missing something. It’s like having a crush on someone or dating someone who has so many positive qualities but with whom you just don’t connect. You could be happy with that person, but would you be settling? I love many things about the shoes, but they don’t feel made for me. They are not my soul mate of shoes.

Specifically, I tend to wear on my shoes most in the medial ball of the foot right inside the bony joint where the big toe connects to the foot. Maybe that means I over-pronate. Sometimes in the Pures, my foot seems to slide/fall off the inside of the insole, pinching or irritation the skin there. It’s not a big deal but annoying. Maybe it’s purely my gait, or maybe the shoes don’t have enough inside support, or maybe it’s an anomaly. Regardless, I would not be excited about running 26.2 with that irritation. Probably not a make or break, but enough to make me want to try the Saucony Kinvara 5s.

Take-Away

In the case of the PureFlows, I believe less is more. I initially ran in Asics 2100 series 6 years ago. They are super soft and secure. Then I moved to the Asics DS-Trainer, a faster light cousin for a few years. This past year I’ve run a decent amount in some zero drop Altra Instinct 1.5s. I can no longer run in the 2100s. They feel like bricks, like my feet are being immobilized. It is strange to even walk in them. Why do I say all this? I’ve worn shoes scattered throughout the spectrum of minimal/zero-drop to traditional built up. There are some glaring differences between the Asics 2100s and the other shoes (i.e. overbuilt and bulky). Even the Altras stand out for their unique design (i.e. wide loose forefoot, zero drop, thick cushioning). I found them too sloppy for my liking though - like running with waffles on my feet. Surprising to me, I can’t tell much difference between the DS Trainers and the PureFlows despite large differences on paper. Both are slightly curved to be more anatomical, lightweight, and moderately cushioned. There is a huge difference in drop though - something like 6mm.

In some ways, I think I prefer the DS Trainers, but I may just be partial. After all, I’ve had my pair of DS Trainers since 2011, and have likely put over 1000 miles on them. I still run in them occasionally, and while feeling flat, they still perform well. That has taught me a few things: (1) Shoes last longer than advertised and the condition is not all that important, (2) Differences can be pretty minimal - there is no substitute for how a shoe feels and fits.

Overall, I recommend the Brooks PureFlow 3s. I think they are well-designed, do-it-all shoes, that have performed well in everything I’ve asked of them. If you are looking for a lightweight trainer and/or moving towards a minimalist/zero-drop future, these may be a good shoe for you. Try some on, compare with other shoes, and give them a go. 

The Supple Leopard of Running

"All humans should be able to perform basic maintenance on themselves."

 If you get a flat tire, you can call AAA. When you need your toilet unclogged, you can call a plumber. In fact, with nearly everything in our lives, we can simply buy a new one! That truly is a luxury. Our bodies are not vehicles or toilets, though. We are not disposable.

Of course, today you can buy a new hip, shoulder, ACL, [insert your ailing body part here]. The road of degeneration is long and bumpy, and aftermarket parts just don't do the job the same as the original, do they?

Welcome Dr. Kelly Starrett who is adamantly trying to change that. He's a former high-level athlete, a coach, a physical therapist, a gym owner, and best of all, highly accessible! I first came across "KStar" when a physiologist friend introduced me to his blog, MobilityWOD, where he posted a daily mobility video for over a year! Each video shared a simple, easy to do mobility exercise or topic. That's the beauty of what he does. He takes the very complex world of human movement and provides simple exercises to help us all get most out of our bodies. After all, who knows your body than you?!

KStar's first book, Becoming a Supple Leopard is a textbook of his acquired knowledge presented in fairly dumbed down terms for the layman. It is dense, physically and in content, but worth it. His second book, Ready to Run is a stripped down and focused guide to running well. I own both and appreciate both for different reasons. As I am currently working back into marathon shape, Ready to Run holds a constant place on my bedside table as a regular reference. It provides 12 clear and simple targets for every runner to promote healthy running. Take one at a time, take all 12, whatever. It provides easy and focused ways to get better and take better care of your body!

That's my endorsement. Check them out along with his website, where you can still access hundreds of free video tips. In the meantime, I'll be working on staying hydrated and opening my hips!

Becoming a Supple Leopard on Amazon
Ready to Run on Amazon

Stuck in the Middle

It's the advent season. Christmas celebrates the coming of Christ the Savior. Jews longingly looked forward to the savior who would restore Israel (in a way they did not understand). Today Christians look forward to the second coming where Jesus will fulfill all His promises. In the meantime, we are in this middle phase where the Kingdom of God is now (ongoing) but not yet (fulfilled). The advent season reminds us to prepare our hearts for Christ's coming, and helps us to reframe the Christmas season about Jesus.

But this post is not about advent per se. It's about how we live in the "now but not yet" time period. What is convicting me lately is that God has a great calling and role for each of us in His grand story, and He offers that to us if we will follow Him. He told James and John, "follow me and I will make you fishers of men." He takes Simon (meaning fickle) and renames him Peter (rock), and builds the church on him. He takes the greatest opponent of Christianity of the time, Saul, and converts him to the greatest evangelist! Throughout the story of God, He takes weak, sinful people and calls them to something greater.

What if Peter would have said no? He was a fisherman. He probably enjoyed that lifestyle. He lived in a community, fished with family and friends. Why leave everything to follow looney Jesus at His word? That is the same question for us today. I'm learning that God requires radical obedience and full trust in Him. Right now I'm pretty happy with life. I'm in school learning interesting things. My marriage is strong. I'm feeling good about my running progress as I train for a marathon. Yet I find I'm lacking a deep community and connection with God right now. I don't have an answer for what God is currently doing in my life, and that bothers me. Is it because I'm not listening? Am I letting my happiness get in the way of deeper joy?

Jim Elliot was a missionary, devoted to bringing the Good News to an unreached Ecuadorian tribe. He and his companions were killed by the tribe, tragically, but it later resulted in the preaching of the Gospel to the tribe through his wife. He is famous for paraphrasing a Philip Henry quote as, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." I believe this is the task for all of us, to take up our cross and follow Jesus. Will we lose some of our individuality in that process? I think so. We may even lose our lives, as Elliot did, but we will gain all that is Christ. We'll see the world through His eyes, and contribute to a mission that is greater than any personal objective.

That's where I currently stand. I have believed in and trusted Jesus for salvation and forgiveness for several years, but I'm not fully His yet. I'm stuck in the middle phase again - justified but not sanctified. I'm still a work in progress. Peter, who gave up his life to follow Jesus, denied being associated with Jesus three times the night of His trial. More importantly, though, God transformed His life to work for the Kingdom. My prayer is that soon I can communicate how God has transformed me to live for His mission rather than my own, but that scares me because I'll have to give up what I now love. I'm confident, though, that what He has for me is much greater. I'm like the rich young ruler who asks Jesus how to get eternal life, but leaves disappointed in Jesus's answer to sell all his possessions and to follow Him. What will God ask me to give up to follow Him? I hope He empowers me to say, "Yes, Lord."

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EDIT: After more reflection, I want to elaborate on my current thoughts. You see, I've recently been reflecting on the selfishness of my outdoor pursuits. I love being outside and I love being active. It is important for my personal health and makes me extremely happy. However, it often takes me away from connecting with people, especially in any deep way. Qualifying for Boston - personal ambition. How am I using that for the Kingdom? Projecting a hard rock climb - personal gratification. How am I showing Jesus to others? I wonder if at some point God might require me to give up some of that love of the outdoors, almost as a sort of grace to help me focus on Him more (like cutting off the hand that makes you sin).

Then I think back to how God has used the outdoors in my life, though. Through college, much of my formation came through the outdoors. Climbing and running has taught me so much, and my adventures have connected me with so many wonderful people. I got to know my wife through running. Working with the college outdoor rec program and Outward Bound shaped my future career trajectory. I know God has shaped me through the outdoors, and I have certainly connected to Him through the outdoors. His creation is meant to display and bring Him glory after all. Perhaps I've lost the way some though by making it too much about me and not others. When my outdoor pursuits become more focused on personal performance or landmarks or check boxes rather than on experiencing God and community, then I miss out on what He has for me. Wild at Heart speaks volumes about the call of wild in man, and how passionate people make the most difference. Likewise, John Piper has built a ministry on "Christian hedonism," which he defines as,

My shortest summary of Christian Hedonism is: God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.
By Christian Hedonism, we do not mean that our happiness is the highest good. We mean that pursuing the highest good will always result in our greatest happiness in the end. We should pursue this happiness, and pursue it with all our might. The desire to be happy is a proper motive for every good deed, and if you abandon the pursuit of your own joy you cannot love man or please God.We all make a god out of what we take the most pleasure in. Christian Hedonists want to make God their God by seeking after the greatest pleasure—pleasure in him.

I'm left with the following then: We are most fulfilled in God, and God reveals Himself and speaks to each of us in unique ways (in addition to some general ways, including scripture). If I am finding and glorifying God in my outdoor pursuits, then that is healthy and good, right? I don't have to be a full time minster or missionary, right? The goal must remain for God to be my ultimate source of delight, though, in anything I do. With that, we all have tremendous freedom to seek Him and express my delight in Him in a plethora of healthy ways.