Ladds-Bond loved them so much she bought six pair.
The shoe
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 10
The official description
The Adrenaline is Brooks’ number one selling shoe – and when it comes to talking it up, the shoe company isn’t so shy. “The fit? Never better. The support? Perfection. As the legend hits double digits with its tenth iteration, the shoe is more dialed-in than ever. Now with a plush Profile Sockliner to sweeten the feel.”
We say
Perfection? That’s quite the brag. We’re guessing it’s a good shoe, but not the end-all and be-all of footwear.
Who wears it
Dawn Ladds-Bond, 33, began running the Thanksgiving weekend of 2009. She’d recently moved from Toronto to Calgary and didn’t know anyone in the Western city. Ladds-Bond works in the insurance industry – “one of those jobs that no-one understands.”
But it was the workplace that helped transform Ladds-Bond into a runner. Her office had a running group and Ladds-Bond decided that might be a good way to meet people.
Previously, her athletic background had consisted of horse show jumping. “Not much in the way of a transferable skill set, but I was hooked right away,” Ladds-Bond laughs.
Apparently.
With only two-and-a-half years in running. Ladds-Bond managed to post a marathon personal best of 3:28, qualifying her for Boston this year. She went to Beantown looking for a sub-3:20 run, but the heat quashed that.
Ladds-Bond raced the course and part-way through succumbed to heat stroke. Vomiting, she was hustled off to a medical tent and packed in ice. Stubbornly, she refused to give up. Signing a mountain of paperwork freeing the marathon of any liability, Ladds-Bond re-entered the race and finished.
“I only finished because I was too stubborn to allow the Red Cross to put me in an ambulance and hospitalize me,” she says. And she hopes to rectify things this fall in Toronto when she guns for a sub-3:20 in the Big Smoke’s Waterfront Marathon.
Despite her success to date with the full, Ladds-Bond insists her favorite distance is the half, where her PB currently stands at 1:34.
For her running motivation, she credits her coach, Don Bambury, whom she calls “an amazing runner and equally incredible person.”
Says Ladds-Bond: “I have never met anyone so encouraging. We run together faithfully six mornings a week – come hail, snow, rain and heat. I’m grateful for his advice and friendship.”
Why she likes them
Ladds-Bond says the Adrenalines work for people who pronate, but aren’t as bulky and heavy as some of the other ones she’s worn. “I found Saucony’s over-pronator shoes felt a bit like Forrest Gump’s leg braces, but the Brookers are very comfortable and they work well with my narrow feet”
She also likes the longevity of the shoes. While she purchases a new pair every four months – “because that’s what standard wisdom dictates” – Ladds-Bond finds the shoes still have plenty of give to them, which makes them “good bang for your buck.”
Even though Ladds-Bond prefers the light weight of Saucony Kinvara 2’s for race day, she relies on the Brooks Adrenalin GTS10s as her go-to shoe. To what extent?
“I bought six pairs of the 2010 version and have them stock-piled in my closet.”
Sounds pretty perfect to us.
Sub-three 
I used to wear these almost religiously because they protected my right forefoot the best both before & after having surgery. I had purchased many other brands and models based on Runners World & Running Times shoe guides and these seemed to do the best job but they just kept more & more expensive, so I am now looking for a more inexpensive alternative. I’d appreciate any advice. I am around 5′ 8″ and weigh about 160 so I am not a big guy and I run primarily on the balls of my feet.
I can’t offer you any advice, Ian. But perhaps some other individuals (any shoe store owners out there?) might be able to help.
Ian, I got a bunch of pairs for DIRT cheap at boxing day sales and, as Charles mentioned, have an arsenal going. If you like them, ask around at places like Running Room, SportChek, what-have-you. I was shocked at how many places had one box left in the back room.
As ever, Charles, this article is the bomb. 🙂
Love this woman! She is so passionate about running, I could just lose it, just sayin’.
Going to get me some perfection, Charles.
Thanks, Carol. Yes, Dawn takes her running seriously. Great to see. There are so many people out there truly passionate about this sport.