Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Running shoe rant


This is an awesome article.  I went up a half size from my “regular” running shoe size after reading this.  I actually went and got fitted for shoes instead of just buying what I normally would.  Since feet swell up a bit when running, the half size up really made a world of difference for me.  I have a lot more room in my toe area and I don’t feel like my feet are in a vice halfway through my runs anymore.

My Gel Blur 33s - Look at my puppy's foot on the left side!
I had been running in Asics and Adidas for so long (since I was about 14) that I never really thought about changing.  My first pair of running shoes were Gel Asics and throughout high school and college I continued running in Asics Gel Blurs, and the Adidas Response.  I’ve been running in Gel Blur 33s primarily for the last two years, and just assumed shin splints were all part of road racing. 

I recently switched to Brooks’ Defyance 6 and discovered what it feels like to run without foot and shin pain.  I love Brooks’ – I will likely never run in anything else.  I’m going to try the Brooks’ Glycerin 11’s and the Brooks’ Pure Cadence next.  I’ve learned that since I started adding more miles, I want to be able to switch in and out of a couple pairs of running shoes so they wear evenly, and I won’t have to wear in a new pair every time the old pair is totally worn out.  It’s way stressful to have to do that.  Last month, I skipped two runs in a row because I didn’t have time to go to the running store and get new ones and my old ones were completely worn out. 


Don’t skip runs because your one pair of running shoes should have been retired a long time ago.  Go to a “running store” near you and get properly fitted.  When I got fitted for my Brooks’, Performance Running had me run on a dreadmill (no, that’s not a typo, I just really dislike treadmills so I refer to them as “dreadmills”).  They took video of my pronation, watched me walk, and properly measured my feet.  They then recommended a few different shoes and let me run in each of them to see which one I liked best.  One pair felt GREAT on my feet and while I was walking around they felt amazing – but the second I started running with them on the dreadmill, I didn’t like them.  Performance Running really helped me out.  Don’t go with a set brand name or shoe style in mind – go with the ones that FIT.  The Defyance 6 weren’t the best looking shoe, but they felt the best on my feet while running.  Happy shoe shopping!

Glycerin 11's - LOVE EM!

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