On With the Shoe(s)

If running shoes could talk, and let’s say yes for fun, the new Kraken-themed Brooks Ghost 17 pair on a certain reporter’s feet was plenty conversational Saturday morning before, during and after the second annual Seattle Kraken 5K at Green Lake Park. Here’s a slightly edited transcription of those talking Brooks Ghost 17s, which will be available for purchase at 9 a.m. on October 6 at the Brooks Trailhead flagship store and at www.seattlehockeyteamstore.com.

Saturday Pre-Race: Home

Left shoe: Any reason why you put on and lace my side first before heading out for a run? [Answer: Habit, and, well, hockey superstition way back...I do the same with skates].

Right shoe: Oooh, why extra tight on the laces this morning? [Race day, going for all the aerodynamics and performance possible, plus, well, I do the same with skates].

Left shoe: You want performance? We got ya covered. The reason our human raves about how comfy these shoes feel is because the human is running with our “premium nitrogen-infused DNA LOFT x3” cushioning. It’s lightweight, and the Ghost 17 features extra DNA LOFT in the heel and forefoot to keep your feet feeling supported every mile.

Right shoe: Don’t forget the bottom sole of the shoe, those next-gen flex thingies.

Left foot: Oh, you creative right-brain, right-shoe types. That would be “precise flex grooves to promote added flow toward the toe-off.”

Right shoe: Toe-off?

Left shoe: Righty, we’ve been through this before ... toe-off is the final phase of your foot pushing off the ground, after the heel lifts and before the foot swings forward. Our Ghost 17 model feels so wearable, plus the “added flow toward the toe-off” helps runners naturally improve form and reduces injury risk, too.

Pre-Race: Green Lake Park

Right shoe: Look over there, there’s a whole bunch of us on display at a Brooks station. You gotta love our anchor overlay on the back heel. The white laces are “varsity-esque,” which is cool because everyone who wears them can feel like part of the Kraken varsity.

Left shoe: You know me, I love the colors. The Ice Blue really pops from the Midnight Blue on the uppers ... Oh, wow, there are so many runners and families here! It’s festive, even here at ground level! There’s a goalie in full gear who will be running. Others with full hockey gear too ... OMG, there’s Buoy!

Right shoe: I’ve got my eye on the Brooks stand over there with pastries...the scones and brioche look delicious. Hey, human guy, can we have one? [After the race].

Left shoe: Wait a minute, if our runner eats something, can we taste it too?

Right shoe: Yes! If we are suspending reality, we get to have our cake/pastry and eat it too.

Race Start

Left shoe: Here we go, what a beautiful morning for the 5K. These official Seattle Kraken 5K t-shirts are cool, great, breathable, and quick-dry fabric.

Right shoe: I think our human has one too many layers on. He was cold early morning, but every runner knows to add 20 degrees to the temperature, and that’s how your body will feel once you get going. [Yes, knew that and lost about 20, maybe 30 seconds of time, taking off a long-sleeve under layer about eight-tenths of a mile into the race].

Left shoe: We went out with Wave 1. I think he was thinking Wave 3, but his friend preferred to go out with the first group.

Right shoe: She’s fast. She was way ahead of him in the first 30 seconds.

Left shoe: I see lots of Brooks shoes on these fast runners.

Right shoe: There were so many Brooks shoes milling around at the start and around the booths. The other Brooks versions are giving us lots of looks, same for the humans.

Left shoe: We’re new and flashy. And our runner has worn them for training runs nd a couple of walks in the neighborhood. We’ve heard the compliments, the raves.

Two-Mile Mark

Right shoe: OK, our guy is back on track after taking off the long-sleeve shirt and then having to re-pin his number to the race t-shirt.

Left shoe: Maybe not the brightest dude?

Right shoe: Hey, be nice. He already wrote a first story about our design and color scheme. You know I vibe on the color scheme. And I’m pretty sure he’s a right-brain guy too.

Race Finish

Left shoe: Nice kick by our human. You think he felt the difference in Ghost 17s?

[The answer is definitely yes. So super-soft yet reactive in a good way during the last mile.)

Right shoe: I think we ran a solid race –

Left shoe: Oh, it’s “we” now that our guy passed some people on the final stretch, posted a good time for his age group, finished strong and heard congrats from some work friends?

Right shoe: Yeah, I mean, he’s probably aware he could have kicked up the pace a little sooner, but next time ... I heard him tell a Kraken colleague he’s going to run more races this fall and winter with us on his feet. “We” look forward to that. Now, where are the scones and brioche, again?