Sunday, April 22, 2012

Shoes!


Last Sunday, my husband said something to me that every woman longs to hear, "Yeah, you should buy new shoes this week." I could not have agreed with him more. Of course, we were both thinking running shoes but that in no way lessened my excitement.

I have had my Brooks Glycerine 8 running shoes for a while now. I'm on my second pair of this particular shoe actually. They worked wonders for my shin splints. If I didn't know better I'd swear they were magical. Recently however, I've had some problems on and off with my left foot. With half marathon training going strong my feet are starting to feel the effects. I want to be sure to find the right shoe and have it broke in before the Bayshore Half Marathon in May.

Me and my Brooks Glycerine 8, love at first sight.
(This was taken right after the UPS guys delivered them, yes, he thinks I'm nuts...)

Although my Brooks have been pretty good to me, I thought it may be time to check out some of the other brands. I recently noticed that my tread is wearing on the outside of my shoes more whereas it was right down the middle two pairs of shoes ago. Not sure if it is common to have that happen or not but I planned to hit my local running store to get some answers.

If you are new to running, be sure to check out your local running store and get properly fitted. Having the right shoe can save you a lot of pain or even an injury. Running in old or worn out shoes is a common cause of injuries. You should typically replace them every 300-400 miles.

The staff at my local running store, Running Central, is great about making sure you have the right shoe for you.  Fred and I stopped in there this week to get fitted for shoes and pick up some other gear as well. We both had a foot scan done, walked back and forth while the sales associate watched our stride, then started trying on shoes. We both have a normal stride and fall into the neutral shoe category. Even with the tread wearing more on the outside of my shoes, it's not enough that I need a stability shoe.

I tried on a pair of Asics first and immediately did not like them. They were too narrow of a fit for me. My feet are a little wider and these actually felt like a clamp on the sides of my feet. I tried on a pair of Mizunos and they too were narrow and too snug on my foot. Then I tried on a pair of Brooks Ghost 4, they fit like a freaking dream. Once again, my foot slid right into perfection. The difference of fit in running shoes still amazes me. Last, I tried on a pair of Sauconys. They felt really good too. Uh, oh. After running a little bit in each shoe I decided once again on the Brooks. Apparently, Brooks and I were just meant for each other. Obviously, women often go for cute over comfort when it comes to shoes but that doesn't fly with running shoes. Luckily, the Brooks look great so I don't have to sacrifice cute. 

Fred had been wearing Mizunos. He tried on another pair of Mizunos, a pair of Adidas, a pair of Sauconys, and a pair of Brooks. He narrowed it down to the Brooks and the Adidas. On looks alone, the Adidas are kind of ugly, okay, they're hideous. The Brooks are a really nice looking shoe. However, Fred being a guy and all, he is more for comfort than looks whether it be a running shoe or a dress shoe. After running in both shoes several times, he decided on the Adidas. 

My New Brooks Ghost 4

Fred and I went for a run yesterday. We needed to get 9 miles in for our half marathon training. We ended up running 10 miles. A new PR distance for both of us! 

Peace, love, happiness!
~Bekah

Do you love shopping for running shoes? 
What is your favorite running shoe?

1 comment:

  1. My favorite running shoes are Newtons! I tried on several different brands at Running Central but kept coming back to the Newtons. I bought the MV2s but couldn't stop thinking about the bright pink Distancia U pair I left behind...so the next morning I took my husband with me and not only did I walk out with my second pair of Newtons, he had a new pair, too! We love them! They are very lightweight and the design promotes natural running. All my little aches and pains have disappeared. The MV2s are designed for shorter distances and I use them for 5Ks. I use my Distancias for my long runs and training for the Steamboat 15K and for my first Half-marathon this fall. The right shoe makes all the difference!

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