Though Bellerophon never finished his journey, Pegasus made it to Olympus. Zeus was so impressed by the horse’s brave effort, he turned him into the constellation that I can see from my bedroom window between the months of September and November when every star in the Pegasus constellation lights up the Singapore sky.

Why do I mention this mythical horse?

Because like Bellerophon, I always wanted to step out of my comfort zone by joining mates who like to run just for fun, but I never had the courage to do it. My older siblings all run. As do my friends. But when a pair of Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35 Shoes came into my life, I saw this as fated and went in search of help.

Timid at first, I reached out to another young woman who is particularly enthusiastic about running. She was only too happy to introduce me to her friends, so I wouldn’t have to learn the ropes on my own. After gaining enough confidence thanks to my new friends, I’m about to undertake a new running journey and I will be wearing my Pegasus 35 “wings” to run my first 5km race.

Why I feel so confident in these shoes

While I wasn’t an athlete, my sister and brothers love the Nike brand for myriad reasons. The company was launched in 1964 by a U.S. track-and-field coach and his student, but what I loved most was learning that a young student, not much older than I am, designed the Nike logo and charged the company only US$35 to produce one of the most iconic logos on the planet.

Fast forwarding to now, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the prospect of wearing the Pegasus 35 with its breathable mesh upper, great, full-length Zoom Air cushioning and soft foam (delivered to female runners for the first time ever) when I undertake my first 5km. And I intend to finish because my shoes are perfectly broken in at this point.

Reasons this shoe will get me to the finish line

First, I’ve discovered that the springy, responsive cushioning absorbs impact and turns it into energy, so even when I feel like I can’t keep going, my feet declare that they will.

Since the cushioning runs the entire length of my foot, transitions are easy. Nike claims that its Cushion foam is optimised for women. I didn't have to be convinced of that from the moment I began to break them in.

Support? The best. The Pegasus 35 stretches to support my feet exactly where I most need it and fly wire cables keep the laces in check, so the locked-down fit isn’t just so much advertising copy. Friction at the site of my Achilles tendon? There is none.

And while I’m not the most fashion-conscious girl on the planet, I do appreciate the fact that my Pegasus 35s have trendy beveled heels and rubber out soles. They’re very pretty too; the mesh fabric keeps my feet ventilated so I know I can count on them to get me through my first race cool as a breeze.

Runner's Boon

• They are lighter than previous versions and super for everyday wear.
• The sole feels bouncier and the beveled heel is so fashion forward.
• This shoe keeps my sweaty feet in check, and that’s a good thing.
• In my opinion, Nike is the brand to beat these days when it comes to innovation.

Runner's Bane

• I’m going to have to upgrade to different Nikes if I decide to run longer events.
• The throat line of the shoes feels a bit too tight for my liking.
• For some reason, the tongue of this shoe is really long and I’ve no clue why.

Wearing my Nike Pegasus 35 kicks, I've come to believe that the sky is the limit for me. Have you had the pleasure of experiencing a similar awakening?

The Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35 is available in Singapore from 1 June 2018 onwards on nike.com and at selected retailers for S$199.