Shoe Review: Brooks Glycerin 8

I’ve run in a lot of different brands of shoes, but I’ve never run in Brooks before.

I have to admit, I was a little worried I wouldn’t like them, but they are definitely one of the best pair of shoes I’ve run in.

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I bought the Brooks Glycerin 8 because they fit really well and they were slightly discounted since the 9s were out.

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My feet are odd in that I have wide feet plus a narrow heel, which makes finding running shoes a bit of a challenge.

With my wide forefoot, it is critical I find a pair of shoes has a mesh toe box area along the sides.

The narrow heel means I have a hard time finding a shoe that will not slip off my heel, but these fit like a glove.

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I have really enjoyed running in these and they have held up very well. I have about 400 miles on them so far and they still feel cushiony and well supported. (I usually wear my shoes until 500+ miles because I am a cheapskate.)

I honestly don’t have any legitimate complaints about them. The only thing would be the cosmetic design: they aren’t the cutest pair of shoes I’ve ever owned, but I’ll get over it.

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This was my 5th winter in Alaska and up until this winter, I have never put studs in my shoes to provide more traction when running on snow and ice.

I have used my YakTraxs previous winters, but I wore them on a 11-miler this winter and got two black toe nails from them. Since them, I’ve been giving them the silent treatment and ignoring them. Plus, all the hard-core runners up here give you the “stink eye” for wearing the YakTraxs, so I became a “real” runner and got some studs in my shoes.

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These studs are simply screws from the hardware store inserted in the bottom of my shoes.

I really wanted to install the screws myself, but I didn’t really know what I was doing, so I let the experts at Skinny Raven do it for me.

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Love the Brooks slogan on the bottom of the shoes.

Yes, I do believe running is in my DNA.

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Right now I am switching between these Brooks and a pair of Saucony Hurricane 14s, and I’m really loving the Saucony Hurricans as well. I think they may be my favorite pair of shoes I’ve ever run in!

Hi, I'm Michelle

I love running around the lakes of Minnesota, running after my two boys, and racing anything from the 5K to the marathon. I have been blogging here since 2010 when I ran my first marathon. I finally secured my sub-3 hour marathon after trying for 8 years.

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4 Comments

  1. 4.17.12
    Lauren said:

    Whoa! Studs in your shoes! I definitely have never used those! You are hardcore. I’m a big lover of Brooks Adreneline. I have a wide foot and super high arch (and bunions!)- it is impossible to find well-fitting shoes, but my Brooks do the trick. I love them.
    When I started running, I wore Mizuno Wave Riders, and they were great for short distances. But when I did longer runs, I would have a lot of pain in my feet and shins- which was gone after I switched to Brooks.
    I bought a pair of Asics or Saucony’s (I can’t remember which) a year ago and ran in them once, and returned them. Glad that running stores let you do that!

  2. 4.21.12
    K said:

    My feet are shaped like yours too and I think that Brooks fits great because of that. I’m in the Ghost, Launch and Cascadia (don’t really like the Glycerin, it feels too heavy and hurts one of my legs).

    • 4.21.12
      Michelle said:

      I’ll have to try some of those other models out! I do agree the Glycerin feels kind of heavy.

  3. 4.22.12

    I have the same kind of feet – wide in the toes but narrow in the heel. I’ll have to try these out!