Wellness Wednesday. It’s all about the shoes..

Wellness Wednesday. It’s all about the shoes..

What is the most important facet of a healthy, sound, long-lasting life as a runner/walker? Without a doubt, it’s the shoes. That’s what I love about running. To run for exercise, you don’t need a partner, fancy clothes, any kind of equipment;  just open the door and out go for immediate stress relief and heart-pumping health.

The only thing that can really mess things up is running day after day in the wrong shoes.

Take it from me. I  almost crippled myself running in the wrong shoes and other than goofy missteps that resulted in  twisted ankles, every injury I ever had running wise can be traced back to my shoes. Most often, these injuries were a result of wearing a pair of shoes for too long. Shoes wear out long before you can see the wear in the sole. The cushioning in the midsole breaks down – and that can create lots of problems. Especially the older you get — when cushioning is key.

When I started training for my first marathon, I asked Madison running guru Michael Naples for advice. He asked, “How many of running shoes do you have?”

About a billion.

All stuck in the closet somewhere. But those are old shoes. Even I knew enough at that point that I needed to change my shoes often. But I only had one pair I ran in every day.

BAD.

Michael advised getting at least two pair, better three, that you feel comfortable running. Different brands too. (Don’t just have three pairs of the same Asics). He explained when you run your foot strikes in its own way, over and over in the same position. Your foot will strike differently in different shoes. That’s good. I followed his advice and was able to train without any serious injury and complete my race.

Keep track of your mileage, 300 to 500 miles and they’re toast. Once again, long before they look worn. This means for a 25 mile per week runner three to four months.

And in my stupidity file, it took me 30 years of running before I went to a specialty store to have my running gait evaluated. Overpronate (roll to the inside of the foot), Supinate (roll to outside) or just normal – all makes a HUGE difference as to what shoe you should be wearing to keep injury free. After my visit to Phidippides last  fall (http://www.phidippides.com/blog/), Sam pulled out dozens of shoes and watched me run back and forth. I found three pairs I loved! And rotated them through my successful marathon venture. I was so ecstatic after my shopping experience – I gave Sam a hug saying I feel like I have been healed. (Or heeled.)

Best part was that I told Sam I was on a budget and he got me into three pairs of awesome shoes for less than I had been buying two pairs of the wrong type of shoes online. This was me – the 30 year runner.  Finally getting smart.

Good shoes are the best investment – next to time on the pavement – that you can make in long-lasting, healthy running. And nothing, I mean nothing feels like a run in new shoes. Especially, shoes for your running gait. I just get all warm and fuzzy thinking about it. If you’re a runner, you know exactly what I mean.  I hope.

Have a great Wednesday.