Running On the Cheap

Running on the Cheap –
Save your money for shoes or running shorts and let’s talk about tricks for getting more miles out of your recreation budget.

Some of the best tips from our friends at Runners World include:
Local races are cheaper, sometimes offer food and are a great way to meet new running partners. The side benefits – you may be the fastest one there or for your division and this can be a prize category along with bragging rights. Always plan ahead for your race and pre-register. For big races this can save you $25 on the entry fee. If you travel to run then plan to carpool and room share with running buddies to trim costs. Pack a lunch to share and carbo load together.
Always support your local running store when you can. No shipping and the immediate gratification of having what you need and keeping a shop open near you. Ask if they’ll meet whatever catalog price you saw too – it never hurts to ask and a good business person can always find a polite way to state what they cannot do.

Volunteer at a race – often you can still run it and maybe at a reduced fee in exchange for your time. It is a fun and different way to be involved and it is what keeps area races going.
Fall is a key time for shoe models to change and whenever you see the new shoe guides hit the newsstand that means it is time to pick up whatever model you were running in for a better price as it goes off of the shelf. If you are a very common size you may need to jump on this a bit sooner to get your shoes but the pay off is worth it. They do not go bad in the box and most folks do not see a shoe size change annually. Roadrunner, REI, and zappos are all good sites for shoe sales when the style season ends.

Buying multiple pairs of shoes that work well for you does a few things. You are not pressured by style change when they phase out something that is working well for you. Secondly when you rotate shoes they last longer on account of the fact that the supportive foam (the only thing that really wears out sometimes on a shoe) has 48 hours to rebound every time you run your shoes. Getting them an air-out time and allowing foam to recover allows me to run two pair at a time, possibly 50-100 miles further than I could otherwise. Many runners benefit from this practice and it adds up over the cost of several pairs.

There is an increase in folks who run to work or run home after work and anyone who has an HR department at their workplace they should ask about any incentive that is offered for employee wellness or carbon savings. You are saving on gas or parking fees, gym membership and keeping your workplace insurance bills low so anything you can gain in reimbursement would be gravy.
Several folks have gotten a spouse, relative or buddy to run and this replaces their time at the bar or coffee stop with a cheap and healthy habit they do together.

Switch to real food. Better for you and less money too. Often times an easy grocery store substitute can replace expensive energy gels and Gatorade. Diluted fruit juice works for some folks and others just use less powder than the mix calls for (and Gatorade powder is far better and cheaper than paying for water and high fructose corn syrup) fruit leather, pretzels, honey, or any road tested thing you like is less money than a Powerbar. I am a big fan of PB&J on wheat.
Our area running clubs; Elkins Roadrunners and WV Mountain Trail Runners are very affordable ways to meet folks and their events are low budget and very fun affairs. Sometimes there will be apparel available that is great for running in and some clubs do get discounts from retailers – it pays to ask.

Your loved ones now know you are a runner so be specific when your birthday or Christmas comes and give them your shoe size and model; for what is the most costly and most often purchased item on your list.

Remember that big races are now often giving out technical fabric race shirts and these are your "two for one" deals on running apparel. When it comes to outerwear, shorts and shoes: this often remains an expensive spot in the starting runner’s budget. Remember that in days of old, wool was the original technical fiber and it still works great for everything but summer running. It is also already in the closet or at the secondhand store. I have always been a deal hound at the army/navy store for this kind of technical clothing for being outside. A funny and informative recent column sent Runners World staffers to the big box stores to shop out any clothing that looked like it would get them through weekly mileage and they only had $100 to spend for a complete outfit. Sports Authority and Amazon came up as the best bets for this shopping challenge. Two stores had brand name shoes and the shoes were similar to the manufacturer’s regular shoes with technology that was just several year older than new – yet good. Clothing from Starter, Champion, and Nike all turned out have some items that were acceptable to the testers, just simply did not last as long as what they were accustomed to. (Understand that the RW magazine editors all run in the newest free stuff to product test every month so they set the bar unfairly high.)

Runners World polled folks on their spending habits and found that 3% folks spent less than $100/year on running. The largest group 28% spent $250-499/year on running and an almost equally large number spent more than $1000/year ( I would guess that this accounts for travel to destination events) Recent polling shows that runners spending has held pretty constant in the current climate as well. Folks have a good habit that they cannot give up and they will continue to run even if they downsize a bit.
I hope some of these ideas and tips will help get you further this year. If you have others please post them to the facebook site.

Shoes, first thoughts

Running Shoes YMCA, LTR class

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 and replaced 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.

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 shoes 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.

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”