JamieZ

I suppose the question is a bit like, "What's a good, cheap guitar," in that it all depends what you're looking for; but unlike a musical instrument, I'm not sure I've ever had a pair of trainers where my feet could tell the difference between a pair of really expensive ones and a moderately priced pair of last season's style on sale. I am American, so there are all sort of websites or stores where you can get really good trainers for a fraction of the price they cost in Europe, but that notwithstanding, picking a running shoe is all about what you're looking for. Are you a neutral runner, or do you overpronate? What kind of foot strike do you have (heel/midfoot/forefoot)? Do you run long distances or keep it short? Do you push the tempo or pace yourself? Do you weigh 75kg or 120kg? Do you have injury problems? I find for my style of running (neutral, mid/forefoot strike, urban pavement and dirt, distances anywhere from 12km-30km), I can run comfortably in most trainers, but I like a low drop (most trainers have a roughly 10mm difference in height between the heel and toe—I like between 0mm-5mm) and medium/light weight. A lot of the most expensive trainers out there—Asics Kayano, Mizuno Wave Creation, even Nike Zoom Vomero (although I have a pair of those and love them), etc.—are very heavily padded and weigh quite a bit because of it. Either that, or they're a gimmick shoe like those Adidas trainers with the goofy plastic blades for soles or something. But moderate, all-purpose trainers can be quite affordable. I rarely spend more than $50-60 on a pair of running shoes. Bottom line is, if you have special needs, take those into account. If you don't, you can probably get away with a lot of different shoes just fine. Check to make sure the size is right (Asics trainers tend not to fit me particularly well because their sizing runs long and narrow and I never seem to have enough toe room) and they feel good. I've run in Mizuno, Nike, INOV-8, Saucony, Asics, New Balance, and Salomon without any issues or much to choose between them at times. I got a friend a pair of Mizuno Wave Precision as a gift and he loves them. They cost $50 in the States, so they'll probably cost £75 in the UK. Nike Air Pegasus are great and less expensive than a lot of their fancier shoes. People like Brooks. My Asics DS Trainers were a nice middle-of-the-road shoe. Saucony Rides are nice, or the Kinvara if you're looking for less padding. I'm probably not helping you much. I guess my advice is to do some basic research, and then try shoes on until you find something you like. There's definitely some trial and error in the process. If you have specific needs, I can probably make some recommendations with those in mind. Otherwise, good luck.

http://youtu.be/7febSBIFuck How am I just now learning that this exists!?

http://youtu.be/_p1TgCuZZKE I think I may have posted this before, but I could listen to this on repeat for an hour—and probably have done.

Giana Factory's Louise Foo is the sister of Sharin Foo from the Raveonettes, so, you know, genes and stuff. It was also produced by Trentemøller. Scandinavians are so cool.

Cloud Nothings - Here And Nowhere Else

Anybody ever have lower-GI issues with their running, and any useful suggestions for avoiding them (e.g. things to avoid eating beforehand, etc.)? I've cancelled many a run because I've felt an inopportune intestinal blowout looming, but I've still had close calls on runs where I felt pretty good beforehand. 10k into a 20k run is no time to find yourself doubled over with intestinal cramps.

I work as a correspondence editor. It's my first desk job. I wasted my 20s trying to be a rock star, went back to university, and spent three years after that working for touring bands (merchandising, set construction, some backline/drum tech work, driving, general utility work, etc., etc.). I don't know where the editing work will lead me, but it's building a professional skillset, I suppose. I write well, and it will give me some options moving forward. I would drop it all in a minute to play music professionally, but that's not bloody going to happen in Haifa, Israel.

I've been waiting to read about a lawsuit.

Turner and Marshall played out of their minds tonight, but our final touch wasn't exactly clinical.

Missed out on a chance to see Gary Numan tonight in Tel Aviv. I would have liked to have seen him and we don't get so many shows in this neck of the woods, but I decided against paying £50 a ticket plus transport for a club show. No freaking thanks.

Klaxons are back!

Chino Moreno's (other) side project releases its first full-length album. It's got several tracks from the EPs, but several new ones.

That's an amazing and enviable list, but Pyongyang alone is probably a one-in-a-million trip, maybe almost literally. How many people in our world will ever get a glimpse inside that place? Especially as an American, I don't think I'll see a DPRK stamp on my passport anytime soon.

I can't believe the guy with the Doctor Evil icon passed on a chance to post this:

Luke Moore looks set to join MLS club Chivas USA.

What's your foot strike (heel, midfoot, forefoot)? I imagine if you generally land on your heels, you're going to run into problems without proper cushioning, as there needs to be something there to soften the impact. I run mainly in minimal/low-drop trainers, but I spent a season conscientiously adjusting my heel strike forward on roads and running technical trails (in which you effectively have to run on your toes) before I made the switch. I still have a pair of cushy Nike Vomero trainers that I'll rotate in and out if I'm running a heavy week, but I've found that I have fewer impact-type issues now than I ever did before.

Who are you going to root for after the group stage?