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Running Shoes YMCA, LTR class 2011
Shoes should be kept for running; they are an investment in your joints and a cornerstone of your injury prevention plan.
The average foot strike places more than 2.5 times your weight on the foot. Your feet will each hit the ground over 800 times in a mile. Once you run for awhile your feet may hit the ground 80-90 times each minute which is a lot of bumping along so those dogs need some protection.
Your shoes must fit, be sized for you, and be rotated for best wear and most folks replace them regularly – every 300-500 miles depending upon the shoe. Running shoes typically are sized longer than street shoes. Two pair will last longer if you can rotate them every day.
Not all shoes or even shoes made by running companies are made for running. Most department stores stock shoes from Nike, New Balance, Asics, Saucony, Addidas and others that are designed for appearance rather than running. Buy shoes from a running specialty store or online from a running store and get the help you need for a best fit. A poor fit or bad shoes may mean that you do not continue with the sport due to frustration, injury or both.
Our state does also have a local shop - Morgantown Running and they are experts, have a treadmill and give custom service on site. You can order on the web as well with them if you cannot get to the shop or want to order by phone.
I also recommend www.roadrunnersports.com (800.551.5558) because they offer fitting specialists, a wide selection, and a fit guarantee that allows you to return a shoe that does not fit correctly. If you cannot get to a running shop staffed by runners this may be your next best bet.
Determine your foot shape and arch type – use a wet foot placed on a dry grocery bag to assess your type. Make sure your shoe fitter knows your weight & bring in an old pair of shoes to let wear pattern tell the story of your gait cycle. A great shop like Morgantown Running will watch you run on a treadmill and analyze your gait before recommending shoes. Do not shop by price, but by fit and function – you’ll still be under $100 in nearly every case.
Avoid “performance” shoes or racing flats – do not seek to run in anything super light to get started as most of us have very weak foot muscles and flexibility in our feet from wearing shoes for years. You will need a shoe designed for your weight, stride pattern and the type of running you do (road, trail, or high miles for example). The shoe company policy for years has been to build bigger and more cushioned shoes and I am not suggesting that this is great for your feet either. Many new shoes are out there that offer a slightly lighter & more sensitive build for getting started with good technique. Over time you’ll hear me talk about using less shoe as your feet get stronger and this give you two distinct benefits of stringer feet and often an increase in speed with less fatigue over time. However, I am guessing that most of you are over twenty, and twenty years in shoes requires that you start in supportive shoes and work your way down to less over time to avoid injury. Not only do I strongly recommend that you do eventually run in less shoe, I think that it is yet another form of injury prevention and the literature shows this as well. Your first pair will look like everyday running shoes though and we’ll talk about the transition more as we go.
Strike a balance between support and built for you; while not too big and padded and structural. Know that we will be working on your stride a great deal for efficiency and right now we want your feet to have good support to learn all their new tricks. As you develop good stride mechanics (and you log miles on your shoes) your shoe needs may well change over time and this would be good if done slowly, taking into account that foot strength and economy must be properly developed prior to running in lighter shoes.
Many folks will have questions about mid-foot strike and CHI running shoes and we’ll get into details about this as we progress in our running – we’ll talk barefoot too later in the class – right now you need good shoes and your feet will thank you.
Size shoes in the afternoon when feet are at their largest, wear them awhile and take your time. Ensure that the interior has no seam that rubs, and your arch is in the correct spot. Wear them with your running socks too so you are sure they fit.
Take out the shoe insole and align your foot overtop of the insole as if you were wearing the shoe. You will need an inch, to an inch and a half in front of your longest toe to ensure you do not bump the front and get injured toes. You DO NOT want any part of your foot to hang over the insole (too narrow). You do not want to be further away from the edge of the insole than ¼ inch (too wide). You want the arch to occur about where yours does. If the insole fits then try the shoe with the insole replaced & again - give yourself some time to feel the fit. If you can stand a wider toe box in the shoe, I highly recommend this as well – the insole test will show you the width in the toe area.
You can change the fit of shoes by how you lace them, the socks you wear and the insoles that you place in the shoe. These correct minor issues on a reasonably good fit. If you wear custom orthotics consult your podiatrist about how they will fit your shoes.
When you buy shoes buy several pairs of running specific socks and rotate them carefully. The high tech socks help the shoes fit well and prevent most blisters. Your shoe fitter will help fit your socks also.
Your shoes may be recycled as they will look nearly new at 300-400 miles. It is OK to use old running shoes for “kicks” or in the garden, et al. If these shoes seem too ugly for that then send them to the following folks.
Soles for Souls 315 Airport Road, Roanoke, AL. 36274 USA (this non-profit group will use shoes for the needy domestically and internationally based on current need, USA warehouse)
Shoes for Africa c/o Monicah Kiplat POB 6943 Eldoret, Kenya (shoes will be distributed to youth w/o any footwear to combat the spread of disease and encourage youth in sport)
Nike Recycling Center c/o Reuse A Shoe, 26755 SW 95th Street, Wilsonville, OR. 97070 (athletic shoes of any brand will be accepted and ground into court and playground surface - most of which is donated by Nike to schools and parks)
“When it hurts to run, smile. When it hurts too much to smile, SLOW DOWN”
