---
date: 2026-09-13
type: note
tags: [note, shoes, running, gear, half-marathon]
---

# Running Shoe Brief

Research brief + verified shortlist for the half-marathon block. See [[Half-marathon-plan]] and [[Health/mobility]].

## The brief (pasted into Perplexity, 2026-09-13)

```
Role: footwear specialist researching one specific athlete's running shoe.
Use current 2026 models only, cite sources with links, prices in HUF.

ATHLETE — 23M, 172 cm, 84 kg, Budapest (HU market).
- Feet: flexible flat feet with overpronation. Limited ankle dorsiflexion
  (knee-to-wall: 4 cm left, 6 cm right; normal 10). Tight gastroc/soleus,
  bilateral calf-achilles tightness in the first 2-3 km of every run.
  Left lateral ankle: peroneal (fibularis) tendon irritation.
- Current shoe: Kiprun Jogflow 190.1 — fine to 4 km, then foot numbness
  (suspected lace/midfoot compression, possibly narrow last).

RUNNING — Novice. 3 runs/week, easy 6'30"-7'00"/km, avg HR 135-155,
cadence 156-168 spm, flat asphalt city routes. Current max 6.5 km,
building +1 km/week to 21.1 km on 29 Nov 2026. No speed work.

MUST-HAVES (justify each against the profile)
1. Max-cushion STABILITY daily trainer. Not motion-control, not neutral,
   not plated racing.
2. Drop 8-12 mm (higher drop lowers dorsiflexion demand; no 0-4 mm).
3. Generous stack for 84 kg over 21 km, wide base.
4. Roomy toe box + midfoot volume; a 2E/wide version must exist.
5. Accepts a removable insole (possible orthotic).
6. Moderate rocker OK or desirable for limited dorsiflexion.
7. Durable for ~150 km in 3 months plus winter.
8. Budget ≤50,000 HUF preferred, ≤65,000 max; sales or prior gen fine.

OUTPUT
1. Ranked top 5, one-line reason each.
2. Table: model | version year | category | drop | stack | weight |
   wide option | price HUF | Hungarian retailer with stock.
3. Best pick + runner-up, with an explicit paragraph on why it solves
   the 4 cm ankle, the flat feet, and the numbness.
4. What NOT to buy for me, 3-5 items, and why.
5. How to measure my foot, EU size per model, whether to size +0.5.
6. Whether stock insoles suffice or custom orthotics are needed.
```

## Verified lab data (RunRepeat, checked 2026-09-13)

| Model | Drop (lab) | Drop (brand) | Stack heel/forefoot | Midsole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25** | **10.2 mm** | 10.0 mm | 36.1 / 25.9 mm | 34.5 (softest) |
| **Hoka Arahi 8** | **11.3 mm** | 8.0 mm | 39.4 / 28.1 mm | 35.8 |
| ASICS Gel-Kayano 32 | 9.3 mm | 8.0 mm | 39.9 / 30.6 mm | 41.3 (firmest) |
| ASICS GT-2000 14 | 8.7 mm | 8.0 mm | 36.9 / 28.2 mm | 36.9 |
| Saucony Guide 19 | 6.0 mm | 6.0 mm | 31.4 mm forefoot | — |

- **No Adrenaline GTS 26 exists yet** (404 on the review database) → GTS 25 is the current generation.
- Perplexity's spec table checked out against these numbers. Its drop labels were accurate, including the Arahi 8's lab-vs-brand 11.3 vs 8.0 discrepancy.
- Note: the Adrenaline is the **softest** foam of the group despite being the cheapest pick; the Arahi's advantage is **stack height**, not foam softness.

## Assessment of the Perplexity output

**Correct:** measured drop figures, the Guide 19 rejection (6 mm is genuinely too low for a 4 cm knee-to-wall), the wide/2E emphasis, the "+0.5 EU for long-run swelling" call, and "stock insole first, orthotics only if pain persists 4–6 weeks".

**Wrong / over-claimed:**
1. Gel-Kayano 32 was ranked #3 despite being listed at 65,000–75,000 HUF — above the stated budget ceiling. Should have been replaced (NB 860v14, Puma ForeverRun Nitro 2).
2. *"Why it solves your 4 cm ankle"* — no shoe creates ankle dorsiflexion. Higher drop + rocker only reduce the **demand** for it. Mobility is the only thing that moves the 4 cm.
3. The numbness fix is **unproven** — the free test (relace to skip the midfoot crossing) had not been run at time of writing.

**Worth keeping:** both top picks use *guidance* stability (Brooks GuideRails, Hoka H-Frame) rather than a hard medial post. Guidance is the right flavour here — hard posting pushes the foot laterally and adds load to the peroneals, which is exactly the irritated tissue.

## Decision

1. **Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 in wide (2E)** — best overall: highest drop of the stability trio (10.2 mm lab), softest foam, GuideRails, orthotic-friendly, wide last.
2. Runner-up **Hoka Arahi 8 wide** — if the Adrenaline feels firm or the fit is wrong; more stack (39/28), most rockered.
3. **Rejected:** Saucony Guide 19 (6 mm drop), ASICS GT-2000 14 standard width (narrow toebox re-creates the numbness), neutral max-cushion, plated racers, low-drop stability.

## Buy list — verified live 2026-09-13

| Shoe | Price | Retailer | Stock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 wide (2E) | 55,490 Ft | futashoz.hu | In stock — sizes 42.5 / 43 / 44 / 44.5, listed "Stabil – pronáló · széles lábfej" |
| Hoka Arahi 8 (gravel) | 54,390 Ft | runnie.hu | Listed |

## Orthotics — decision (2026-09-13)

Gutca has **custom-prescribed orthotic insoles at home, never used for running — walking only.**

**Decision: do not run in them — not now, not in the new shoes on day one.**

- Custom **walking** orthotics and custom **running** orthotics are different devices. A walking device is built for low-load, single-plane use, often with a firmer and more aggressive medial post, and its shell/heel cup is shaped around a walking shoe's last.
- Debuting one during a half-marathon build on an already-irritated peroneal tendon is the wrong experiment.
- **Double support:** the shortlist shoes already provide guidance stability (GuideRails / H-Frame). A posted orthotic on top can over-correct, which pushes the foot laterally and loads the peroneals — the exact tissue that flared on Sep 13.
- A firm medial post also raises the medial side, adding lateral tension at the ankle.
- An orthotic manages where the foot lands; it cannot create dorsiflexion. The 4 cm ankle is unaffected by it.

**If support is still needed after the shoe trial:** the fork is NOT "stability shoe + walking orthotic". It is a **custom sports orthotic made with the new running shoe in hand**, usually paired with a cushioned, more neutral shoe because the orthotic does the controlling. Different device, different shoe — do not pre-buy that path.

**Sequence (one variable at a time):** 2–3 clean runs in the new shoes stock → only then test the orthotic on a short easy run → only if flat-foot symptoms persist after 4–6 weeks does a running-grade orthotic earn a place.

**Bring to the fitting (2026-09-14):** ask two free questions — (a) is this device walking-grade or running-grade, (b) does it fit the Adrenaline GTS 25 / Arahi 8 without lifting the heel out of the counter. Neither answer should drive the shoe choice.

## Open items

- [ ] Measure both feet — evening, standing, heel to longest toe, use the larger, then +0.5 EU.
- [ ] **Relace the Jogflow first** (skip the midfoot crossover) — free test for the numbness cause before spending.
- [ ] Try both wide models on in a shop, ideally after a run (foot already swollen).
- [ ] Stock insole first; no orthotics until 4 weeks in the right shoe doesn't settle it.
- [ ] Needed before the next 8 km long run.

## Connected

- [[Half-marathon-plan]]
- [[Health/mobility]]