I was selling shoes at Dicks sporting goods for a second before I left a couple years ago and it's true that most Nike shoes are actually a step back in technology in comparison to other shoes, except in a sleek design. Really theyre bad for posture and walking habits in general, most namely the Nike Shocks which I believe are considered cross-training shoes anyways.
I have heard nothing but good things about Asics as far as running shoes, however I'm partial to New Balance.