For a business that started out making ballet shoes, Brooks has a fine range of men's running shoes and one or more of their specialist footwear products has been ever-present in my collection – just not for quite so long as Brooks' own history.

The company began as 'Bruxshu' in Philadelphia, making bathing shoes and ballet slippers for the ladies in 1914. And this focus on providing specialised equipment for individual sports and other activities has remained to the present day. 

The name changed to Brooks and the emphasis on running soon took hold, with Brooks in the vanguard of innovation as the first manufacturer to use the faster rebounding ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) substance, compared with conventional rubber, in its midsoles. US President and jogging enthusiast Jimmy Carter ordered a pair of EVA midsole Brooks Vantage in 1977. 

My own experience of the Brooks range came with the adoption of the HydroFlow technology. I must admit I felt quite superior at my club with this highly visible 'space-age' green fluid in my trainers acting as a shock absorber, just like the oil in my motorbike's suspension!

Since then I've especially enjoyed the fit and feel of the Pure range on the road; the lightness and remarkable durability of the Mach cross-country spikes and the combination of grip and cushioning of Cascadia trail shoes. And not being the shy and retiring type, I've always loved the bright colours and sharp design features of Brooks. After all, the next best thing to being a good athlete is to look like one!

Over the years I've always found Brooks to be true to fit and broad enough to accommodate my misshapen feet. I also appreciate the fact that a favourite model retains its core feel as it goes through the inevitable upgrades that are necessary to keep up with the pack. So it was no surprise that when I was presented with a voucher by my training group for coaching last year I returned from The Running Hub in Tunbridge Wells with a pair of Ghost 14 – Brooks slippers you can train in!

These days Brooks' dedication to running has resulted in a men's range of almost 40 models covering every biomechanical need, running style, surface and speed. Of course, there's the Hyperion Elite 2 with nitrogen-infused DNA Flash midsole and carbon fibre propulsion plate at the top of the pile but there are practical, affordable options throughout the range – and you don't have to be a ballet dancer to own a pair!

View the full range of Brooks men's running shoes here

Photo courtesy Brooks Running