After more than a dozen half marathons, countless 10k races, and three World Major marathons, you could say I know a thing or two about running shoes. Along with testing out way more brands and models than I needed to, I've had my feet professionally measured by experts for optimal sizing and even tried custom sneakers built for my feet. Despite all this, I always end up back in the very first shoe I ever raced in: the ASICS Gel Nimbus.

In fact, I completed my third World Major marathon in Berlin earlier this week wearing these trusty shoes. Between choosing the best foods to eat before a run, battling jet lag, and trying to mitigate the impact of flying on my health, the last thing I wanted to worry about when prepping for my race was whether or not my sneakers would hold up.

Like most sneaker brands, ASICS upgrades and evolves its designs over the years. Despite every modification and change, the Gel Nimbus continues to hold up—and I'm constantly impressed.

First off, the shoes are incredibly versatile. They're designed for long or short runs (or even walking), so they can be worn for sprints, distance runs, and everything in between. That means, if you're training for a race, you won't need to purchase separate sneakers for speed training and heavier mileage.

I'll admit that I did purchase a separate pair for walking (because, hey, hot girl walks), but my primary reasoning was that I didn't want to wear out the sneakers before I took them for a spin in Berlin.

Regardless of the activity I'm tackling, I'm constantly impressed by the design's impact protection. The sole has enough cushioning for a soft landing but not so much that it feels heavy. I mean it when I say I could barely feel these on my feet during the marathon (although by the end, I couldn't feel much of anything). 

While, yes, I've committed to the same sneakers for years on end, I'm far too indecisive to stick with one color. Luckily, these come in a seemingly endless variety of colors, so you can switch it up as you switch them out (I've had *a lot* of colors and designs over the years).