Another shoe question (and sock) (Read 112 times)

To be an honest a Good Person, if you go to your LRS and they help you decide on shoes, you should buy that pair THERE. If they work out well, you can buy subsequent pairs online.

 

 

I totally agree.   I went to a running shoe store to get their expert opinion, and willingly paid bust out retail for that pair of shoes.  That was 2013.  All pairs since then have been purchased either on-line or at local outlet store.

Here’s what happened.

i ended up going to my local retailer/small business, and purchased from them. I bought another brooks but the adrenaline this time. I tried a Saucony Guide and he said the hurricane was a step up. He said the lower the number for the heel to toe drop measurement should be better for PF...?it was 8 for the saucony.

he seemed pretty knowledgeable and I remember him from 6-7 mos ago. He said ASICS generally run narrow. I attacked him with all sorts of questions to learn more about shoe mechanics and design.

i really wanted to try a saucony but the brooks just felt great. I agree with you guys. And thanks for the support. I need to know what’s out there first.

the biggest thing that throws me off on the internet is when I check the so called reviews of a shoe...they either fell apart after 2 days or they’re the best thing ever.

I definitely do get the care and attention from this store and don’t mind supporting them plus they are  giving me life long lessons in shoe purchase.

I do have a dicks sporting nearby, big5sporting, Nordstrom, Marshall’s etc. i was also thinking to try on shoes at the big stores then looking online for better prices. As my husband says tho regarding the local shoe store “you’re paying for your time and convenience too.” Then I told him how much the adrenaline’s were!!! 😂

I guess I just always have to be on the lookout.

I would think the higher the drop the better it would be for PF, because it puts less strain on that system of tendons.

 

On shoe buying; if you find something that works for you and you come across a great deal, don't be afraid to buy 3-4 pairs and be set for the entire year. Most annual "updates" to a shoe model are just cosmetic anyway. If THIS shoe is one of the best shoes of the year in 2019, how bad can it be in 2020? The worst shoe? lol

 

HAHA! thats another thing i was looking at...the differences between past years and current year's models. like i said, i look too hard online (its a dangerous place) and its the reviews that confuse me. but like you said, i should just find a pair that works and try to stick to it.

i agree with you on a higher drop would be better for PF. maybe he was thinking for walking/treatment purposes verse active running. as some say, barefoot walking helps to strengthen the foot, but it doesn't help alleviate the pain.

you have found some great efficient in mileage shoes. ever think of starting your own business of shopping for others...????? ;-)

 

Absolutely NOT. I have opinions, and they change a lot. No one should ever listen to my advice.

👍I’ll keep that in mind! After all nothing you say doesn’t make sense....😉

New shoes will almost always develop an issue if you don't rotate them in to your mix. You should try to run every third run in the new shoes, and after a few weeks every other run. Even if the shoes are "right" for you, they will have different dynamics that your body will need to adjust to, working or (not working) smaller supportive muscle groups. Many of us mentioned the strategy of having at least three different shoes in rotation to avoid overuse injuries. It's the same with workouts; if you do the same route at the same pace every day you can develop overuse injuries. Quality (speed) days, long runs, recovery runs, easy runs, tempo runs etc all figure into the mix, as does trail running. Running on uneven dirt trails strengthens your smaller muscle groups in ways road running can't.

I still think that for plodding along and putting in the miles, there's not much better than a high stack max cushioned shoe. The cushion will allow for irregularities in the impact and gait. They might not be the fastest shoe, but they allow you to put in the miles with impunity. There are only three shoes I know of in this category; Hoka Bondi and Stinson, and Skechers MaxRoad. Altra Olympus and Duo are also in there, but they're zero drop so might be rough on the PF (however, you can put a different insole in them that adds 4-8mm drop).

At your LRS, try on the Hoka Clifton and see what you think. That's a good entry into the rocker-sole cushioned shoe category. The re-issue of the Clifton-1 is especially nice.

Rule of thumb: there should be about a thumb's width between your toes and the end of the shoe (when pressing down from the top).

Don't forget about Goodwill if you don't want to commit $160 on shoes you might not like. I've found a few of my past pairs of Hokas at Goodwill with almost no wear on them. And my NB Minimus shoes. $5-10 is an easier pill to swallow if you just want to try something out.

Actually, recent studies have shown that the extra cushion results in basically same impact as barefoot because the body adapts and settles at it's own prefered impact. However, the extra cushion modulates certain aspects of the impact to level out the "spike" of maximum impact to a longer time (milliseconds). And there is less effort needed to absorb impact when using cushioned shoes. Some of the propulsion force is lost to the cushion upon toe-off, but that is not an issue for people running at slower paces who are not forcefully propelling themselves off their toes. Many "performance" shoes now feature a midsole with different materials, a softer heel and firmer forefoot. There is an overlap mid-foot. This results in a shock absorbing impact (for heel strikers) and a rigid, firm platform for toe-off to maximize propulsion force.