CHASERS DREAM

Form, fit, function and fashion come together in these killer kicks

BY KAREN KWAN

01 – ON CLOUDSURFER

With a trademarked CloudTec Phase midsole structure, expect a ride as smooth as butter. On Running Cloudsurfer in Heather White, $200. on-running.com

02 – ARC’TERYX VERTEX

Meant for alpine running and scrambling, but these call for a fit check. Arc’teryx Vertex in Bright Phenom/Black, $200. arcteryx.com

03 – SAUCONY RIDE 16

That cushioned life you’ve always aspired to thanks to its PWRRUN foam midsole. Saucony Ride 16 in Agave/Basalt or Marigold/Lava, $180. saucony.com

04 – NIKE REACT PEGASUS TRAIL 4 GORE-TEX

Now that it’s raining more than ever, know that you and these kicks will still have each other. Nike React Pegasus Trail 4 Gore-Tex Waterproof Running Shoe in Barely Grape/Orange/Green, $210. nike.com

05 – NEW BALANCE FUELCELL SUPERCOMP ELITE V3

Meant for marathoners, this runner’s high-tech midsole delivers top-shelf energy return. New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite V3, $300. newbalance.ca

06 – UNDER ARMOUR UA SLIPSPEED TRAINING SHOE

Slip into something more comfortable from training to recovery with a convertible heel. Under Armour UA SlipSpeed Training Shoe in Black/White, $190. underarmour.ca

07 – GEOX SPHERICA™ VSERIES MAN

Crisp and retro–perfect prepdom kicks. Geox SPHERICA™ Vseries Man in Navy, $220. geox.com

08 – BROOKS REVEL 5 HYBRID

Light and springy perfect for pounding the pavement. Brooks Revel 5 Hybrid Running Shoe in White/Oyster/India I, $130. brooksrunning.com

09 – SOREL

Rise and grind and make waves. Sorel Women’s Kinetic Impact II Strap Sneaker in Sea Salt, Koi, $155. sorelfootwear.ca

10 – REEBOK FLOATRIDE ENERGY CENTURY GROW RUNNING SHOES

Castor bean, tree fibres and natural rubber come together in this eco-friendly, plant-based shoe. Reebok Floatride Energy Century Grow Running Shoes in Chalk/True Beige/Core Black, $130. reebok.ca

BK: Like opening a store or starting a business.

CD: Training for a marathon is the perfect metaphor. Training might take sixteen weeks, that’s a lot to get your head around. OK. But a little each day. You’re building something. And the more you do, the better you get, the further you go—it breeds confidence. I also found out something else about myself through my running.

BK: What?

CD: I like rules. I like structure. I’m a DJ, you know? We’re taught we don’t like structure, and I would’ve told you that I don’t need help and I don’t need guidance. But through training for a marathon, I was humbled. And being humbled is good. Through running, I learned things that I started to apply to the rest of my life, and once I connected what I was learning on the run to what was happening in my life, I started to thrive.

BK: At which point you decided you had to share your message.

CD: It’s not enough to do things for yourself. I’m part of the sharing culture, it’s about community. And if running was motivating me to see positive changes in my own life, I knew it could also work for my neighbourhood.

BK: I love that you say, “Leave your ego at home.” Why is that so important to you?

CD: Ego is one of the biggest blocks to creativity and self-expression. It’s like a drug planted inside your body in order to make you fail.

BK: What does that have to do with running?

CD: People approach running with ego—how fast can I go? How far? But you can’t build communities with everyone thinking about themselves. From the beginning, I knew the feeling was special. It was the feeling—not the competition—I wanted to share. I don’t care how far or how fast you can run. Run Dem was based on crew culture. You help one another, not beat one another down.

BK: Run Dem has changed one of the oldest sports in the world. You made it cool.

CD: From the beginning we wanted to capture the fun and vibrancy of crew culture. Why do something if it isn’t brilliant?

BK: It’s such a different way of framing the sport—having it not be about $300 sneakers and a medal and instead about feeling free.

CD: Run Dem isn’t about running, it’s about inspiration. Running is just a tool we use. And the people I want to reach aren’t inspired by speed or distance, they’re inspired by emotion.

BK: How so?

CD: We live our lives with emotion—from when we wake up to when it’s all over, there’s a fight or flight instinct ingrained in our bodies, and there’s a large amount of PTSD and trauma in our communities. We’re taught the world is a threat and you can’t ask for help, but Run Dem is trying to reframe that—when you empower a young person who feels threatened, they become less confrontational, less afraid and more true to themselves.

BK: I love this so much.

CD: The thing about running is, at some point, you’ll be exposed; no one will help you. What do you do? We learn about ourselves when we’re tested.

BK: Tell our readers about Bridge the Gap.

CD: It’s a community I built fifteen years ago that brings people together to explore cities under the cover of darkness through the art of running and helps one another be the best they can be. is open to all ages, colours, creeds, religious beliefs. It’s not about talent. It’s about coming together. And it’s always, always a good time to begin.

BK: It’s a running club?

BK: What’s next for you and the crew?

CD: We’re trying to give people the tools they need to survive the city. Give people resilience, confidence and hope. It’s hard living in a city like London, or Toronto, Vancouver, wherever, and two years of a global pandemic? Everyone is isolated, feeling the pinch. That connection, through running, is important to me.

BK: And that’s why you run?

CD: I’ve spent most of my life bringing people together and if I can connect the dots between music, fashion, running and culture, I’m happy. Running is a beautiful art. It’s a superpower that lives inside of your body and we want to empower the future. Running will help you become the CEO of your life.

CD: Remixed to our current times.

BK: What would you tell KIND readers about running?

CD: Join me. It’s family. It’s intergenerational. Running