After getting rid of my white Meraki v1’s because I wore through to the midsole in the front of the shoe, it is time to get the blue ones out of storage. Now I want to see if I wear through the toe-off area of the outsole on this pair of v1’s the same way as I did with the white ones.

Also I do like this color way 100% better than the white, which turned gray on me so quickly.

This first run in my second pair of Meraki v1’s was better than I expected. It reminded me why I loved my first pair so much they have some pop and the midsole isn’t as affected by the cold as others I have in my rotation. They also have that firm but cushioned Goldilocks feel that I look for in a pair of daily trainers.

It was an excellent re-introduction to the Meraki line, and I didn’t have any issues with hot spots or blisters. However, the right foot felt a little snugger than the white Meraki. This might be a small manufacturing thing, or I need to let the upper form around my foot some more. It is not a big deal, but something that I want to note in my first impressions.

I did take yesterday off due to the bad wind storm with 30-40 mph winds with 50+ mph gusts and -20*F wind chills. Sometimes you have to adjust your schedule to account for Mother Nature’s whims. So my legs were a little fresher than I expected for this morning’s run.

The plan called for 5.0 miles, at a little faster pacing than easy, which meant going to the Fire Station and down to Pepin. Yes, there was still a breeze, and the temps were in the mid-’20s. Nonetheless, that is still below freezing, the roads were mostly clear, and the road shoulders were better than they have been for a while.

The first half-mile, I spent getting used to the feel of the new shoes. Even though I have run a lot in the Meraki line, new shoes all have their little quirks and feel. Once I got going down the hill, I did open up the stride a little.

I wanted my first 3.0 miles to be in the 8:30 to 8:40 pace range, and even with the breeze in my face, I picked up my cadence and knees a bit, for a nice consistent first 3.0 miles: 8:34, 8:34, 8:37. Not fast, but consistent and not having to dig too hard to keep that pace was excellent.

Coming back up Philbrick Hill, I will be honest – I lost focus and didn’t attempt to dig a little deeper to finish getting up the hill. I walked a couple of times. However, I have no one to blame for the wimping out but me. I had told myself that I just wanted to work a little harder for 3.0 miles and then do the last 2.0 at a comfortable pace. I can’t do that and then try to run back up the hill without stopping to walk.

The last mile, while I picked the pace back up, I didn’t push or focus on increasing my cadence all that much and concentrated on finishing.

One of these days I will show some brand loyalty today I wore 361 Degree shoes, Puma running pants, Brooks running jacket, Saucony hat, Danish brand socks, and Nike t-shirts. Yeah, quite the mishmash of brands.

It was a good run and a good test of the new Meraki, which did the things that I wanted from them. Now I get to see if it was a flaw in the previous ones or if the excessive wear in the outsole’s toe-off area was a defect.