More Shoe Talk Leads to Curiosity...

What brand and type of shoes do YOU wear? Do you have just one pair, two pairs of the same that you alternate, one road pair and one trail pair...?? Also, who uses custom orthotics or after market insoles? What kind? I need some good ones for my hiking boots because I don't want to overuse my custom ones or get them torn up from rocks and dirt while hiking. ;) Just curious...

Me:
One pair for the road - Brooks Aeriel (Motion Control)
One pair for the trail - Brooks Cascadia (Trail - these aren't profiled as "stability" shoes, but they are comfy, protective, and they have a good grip so I like them quite a bit for trails...can't wait to use them more when it gets cooler!)
And yes - I have custom orthotics from eSoles that have helped my knee pain tremendously! :)

Kind of Funny

I went to a new running store to try on some shoes a few weeks ago. When I told him what I was training for and about my injury, the running store guy told me, "Train on pavement as little as possible." I simply said, "Uh, ok," but inwardly I wondered, "Where in the world do you find somewhere not pavement to train for a marathon???" I guess Marcie's 18-mile treadmill run would be the obvious answer. I didn't buy shoes from him. I went back to the store in Bountiful owned and run by a former University of Utah cross-country coach who assured me that I'd do fine running the marathon. "Just run slow if you need to and you'll make it," was his advice to me. And you know, I believe him.

PS I am excited about my new Amphipod RunLite TrailRunner. I've never run far enough to need to carry water with me before.

Learning All Over Again

I've been so frustrated about my injuries that I've been open to all kinds of opinions about running. My neighbors recently finished reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. Have any of you heard of this and what do you think about it if you have? I have only read one chapter about running shoes that was recommended by my friends. He basically suggests that we, humans, were born to run and wearing shoes that prohibit our feet from acting as they naturally would is creating more injuries. I'm tempted to try these shoes ... the Vibram Five Fingers. What do you think??

New Shoes!!!

We few weeks ago my neighbor took me on a pilgrimage to "the running store" in a neighboring city. She is very into buying local and supporting the local economy, which I admire about her. I have just bought shoes anywhere I could find the cheapest pair, but I have never trained for a marathon and have never spent more time with my shoes in a day on some days than I spend with my husband. I knew I'd need advice.

I've always been a Nike snob, for some reason. I have just liked the way they fit my feet and worn well for me. The shoe man, whose name I do not remember, had me take my shoes off to look at my feet. He brought out a few pairs of different brands to try on. It was kind of like getting my eyes tested. "Which is better, A or B? B or C? C or A?" After narrowing it down to one, he had me put them on and run on the treadmill to watch how my feet run in them. It all checked out. It was also nice that he offers a cash discount. The shoes were cheaper there than I could find elsewhere, even online.

Well, on Saturday, I finally made the purchase. I now have a new pair of K-Swiss Keahou running shoes! I was actually kind of nervous to try them out. My 5 mile run on Monday was great. Today's 7 miler was good on my feet, too. (The hips took a beating, though.) I guess my feet aren't as narrow as I had thought and the Nikes were too tight on the toes. There is so much room for my toes! I also love the cupping on my heels. I am a Nike snob no more. Although my shoes do not make me faster, I still love them. Now I just have to keep them on my feet so that they do not get swiped.

Speedy Shoes

I'm sure you are all glad to know that my new shoes came yesterday. I've been complaining about my old ones for a few weeks now, and blaming all my running problems on them. So this morning I was like a little kid with my new "fast shoes."

I always put off getting new shoes until too late, so I'm hoping that by writing this I'll remember next time what an incredible difference it made. I noticed a significant improvement with each step. Maybe it's only such an improvement for a "heavy runner" with high arches like me - but the gear really makes a difference. My knees are still a little sore today, but I figure they'll need a few weeks to recover from running with no support. But I really did feel faster, and by the end of the run I didn't feel like I was running in moccasins like I've felt the last few weeks (how do those barefoot runners do it?) If you're wondering, they're Saucony Progrid Triumphs (my second pair of this same shoe) and I LOVE them.