Nike Run Club and the LunarGlide+ 3s

     Thursday nights, Niketown Chicago hosts its weekly Run Club at 6:30 pm with pace runners going 3, 5, and 7 miles.  Group runs are great for motivation allowing people who may regularly run alone to share the miles with like minded people.  It's also nice to talk about gear, running, and races with other runners.  Niketown is a great host providing water, food, and sometimes sweet giveaways.  Available every week are trial shoes of Nike's latest releases.  Tonight, I tried the LunarGlide+ 3.

     First, I am a big fan of the LunarGlide series and other lunar cushioned shoes.  I own three pairs of the first LunarGlides, and I have used them in both of my half marathons last year.  I knew I wanted to try the 3s, so I ran to Niketown in my old LunarGlides so I could make a better comparison.  Before putting on the 3s, I immediately notice the absence of Flywire technology in the shoes upper which was utilized in the previous editions for lateral foot stability.  Instead, the Flywire is replaced by a midfoot strap that connects to the laces. Beyond that, the rest of the design stays true to the previous character of the shoe.

     "Wow! These are soft," I exclaim to myself as my feet slip into the 3s, like falling under a warm blanket at the end of a long day.  The feel around the ankle is marshmallowy plush, and the Lunarlon cushioning underfoot is soothing.  The midfoot strap supports the foot well allowing more flexibility around the midfoot upper than the more rigid Flywire.

     I decided to run the 3 mile route as I had already ran 1 mile to get to Niketown and would still run another to make it home.  At a 9:10/mi pace, the LunarGlides were comfortable every step of the way.  Support around the midfoot with the strap was good without being restrictive as Flywire can sometimes feel on other shoes.  It's something I have been aware of with the Flywire on the Lunaracer line before they've been broken in (but I still love them).  The Lunarlon cushion on the Glides felt almost too soft to me.  Likely due to the fact that I've been recently running in barefoot type shoes like Vibram Five Fingers and Merrell Trail Gloves.

     Overall, I like this latest incarnation in the LunarGlide+ series.  The Dynamic Support System utilized by Nike would be good for many types of runners as plenty of our footfalls get sloppy as fatigue sets in during runs.  I do feel the Dynamic Support System has helped me in the past with challenging runs by not allowing my feet to over pronate when I would feel too exhausted to pay any mind to form or good biomechanics and could only focused on moving one foot in front of the other.  The mesh upper is supportive, flexible, and offers adequate breathability.  Color options are always great for the Glides as Nike makes so many of them.  The LunarGlide+ 3 is also available for customization at Nike iD, so you can really have fun making your shoe original.  Also, Nike iD allows you to choose between a sockliner that is firmer and more responsive, or one that is softer for a more cushioned feel.

     Friday is a rest day for me. I may do some cross training.  Saturday is my 10 mile run, so I have that to look forward to.  It's been about a year since I've tackled such a distance.  Even though it's only a training run, I still feel nervous.  I know I've done it many times before, but it has been quite a long time.

     Thanks again to the staff at Niketown Chicago for a great run and for letting me try the LunarGlide+ 3.   Lastly, I saw this hoodie at Niketown.  I just think it's awesome :)