⚡ Quick Stats
- 🏃 4+ years of running
- 📏 1,000+ miles logged
- 🏔️ 12+ trail races completed
- 👟 40+ shoes personally tested
- 💻 8 years in software engineering
- 📍 Based in Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
Hey, I’m Ken 👋
I live in Atlantic City — yes, the one with the boardwalk, the salt air, and sunrises that make every early morning run worth it. I came to running the way most engineers do: I over-researched it. A few years ago I laced up my first pair of proper running shoes, opened a spreadsheet to track my paces, and never looked back.
What started as a way to balance a desk job turned into two obsessions that feed each other perfectly: running and technology. I’m the kind of person who goes for a 10-mile run along the Atlantic City boardwalk, comes home, and immediately dives into analyzing the data — splits, cadence, heart-rate drift — with the same curiosity I bring to debugging code. Running keeps me sane; tech keeps me sharp; and this little coastal city gives me the perfect backdrop for both.
“I test gear the way I test code — rigorously, with real data, and zero patience for marketing fluff.”
The Intersection of Tech & Running
As a software engineer, I live in a world of systems, data, and continuous improvement — and running turned out to be the perfect sport for someone wired like me. I track every metric — cadence, heart rate variability, ground contact time, power output — and I genuinely enjoy mining that data to get smarter about how I train. Living beside the ocean means I get to test gear in salt spray, sand, boardwalk pavement, and the Pine Barrens trails all within a short drive.
I’ve used everything from Garmin to Coros to Apple Watch. I’ve tested more running shoes than I care to admit (my mail carrier definitely knows me by name at this point). And I’ve experimented with training methodologies — from 80/20 polarized training to MAF method to old-school Hal Higdon plans — logging miles on the boardwalk in all four seasons.
Why NextGait?
I built NextGait because I was frustrated. Every time I searched for honest gear reviews, I found either:
- 🤖 AI-generated fluff with no real testing behind it
- 💰 Paid promotions disguised as reviews
- 📚 Academic-sounding training guides with zero personal application
I wanted a place where a runner who’s also a tech nerd could write honestly — sharing what the data says and what it feels like at mile 18 on the AC boardwalk when the wind is howling off the ocean and your GPS watch shows 4 more miles to go.
NextGait is that place. Every review is real. Every guide is tested. Every opinion is mine.
What I Run In (Currently)
| Category | Current Go-To |
|---|---|
| 🏔️ Trail (Technical) | Hoka Speedgoat 6 |
| 🛣️ Road (Daily Trainer) | Brooks Ghost 16 |
| ⚡ Speed Work | Nike Vaporfly 3 |
| ♻️ Recovery | Hoka Bondi 8 |
| ⌚ GPS Watch | Garmin Forerunner 265 |
| 💧 Hydration | Salomon ADV Skin 5 |
My Content Promise
🔬 Real Testing
Every piece of gear I review has been used in actual training. Minimum 50 miles for shoes. Minimum 30 days for gadgets.
📊 Data-Driven
I cite research, show Strava data, and explain the science. No handwavy claims without evidence to back them up.
💬 Honest Opinions
I list cons. I call out overpriced gear. I admit when I got something wrong. No sponsor will ever change that.

