What type of shoes should I wear? (Read 126 times)

Experience: I have been running casually for few years now and ran a 10k a couple of year ago. I have been running regularly for over six months now and averaging a little over 30 miles per week. On weekdays I run on TM and on weekends I run on trails. My long runs are between 2 to 4 hours on trails.

Injury history: went through Metatarsalgia in right foot a little over three months. My right foot and leg have been bothering me a bit for last few weeks. I feel a little pain in the inside of the arch of right foot and sometimes my right leg hurts because of it.

3-4 years ago, I went to a running store. They made me run on the TM and suggested that I am neutral runners. I tried few shoes and ended up getting Brooks Defyance. Since then, I have been wearing neutral running shoes – Saucony Conrtana, Saucony Triumph, Saucony Kinvara and Brooks Cascadia. Sometimes my toes get squeezed during 3 hours long runs and it hurts. My outside two toes (pinky toe and the one next to it) are blackened.  So I was looking for shoes with wider toe box.

This weekend I decided to go to the same running store to try trail running shoes with wider toes. That store didn’t have the Altra – the shoes that I wanted to try so I went to another running store in town.  Person who helped me at this store is experienced runner and he asked me to measure my foot. He measured the width of my foot and mentioned that my foot is regular size and I don’t need shoes with wider toe box. He looked at my foot and mentioned that the natural position of my toes is in such a way that my two small toes are naturally trying to go towards underneath of my third toe and that is why they are being squeezed and wearing toe separator might help. Then he asked me to run. So I ran in the store and he mentioned that I should wear shoes with little protection and neutral shoes are not good for me!

All these time I am thinking that I am a neutral runner and I need shoes with wider toe box. But both of these might not be true. I am very confused now and do not know what to do.

I am thinking about going to other running store and ask them to see me running to tell me what kind of runner I am. Meanwhile I would try to use the insert in my existing shoes and see how I fill.

I feel confused and looking forward to hear your comment/suggestions.

I can only recount my own experience with shoes, just some basic stuff which may or may not be of help for you. When I first started running my initial thought was to get those convenient Velcro strap shoes but was told they would not be a good choice for running. My feet will fit into a size 81/2  so I got running shoes that size. I also thought putting talc powder on my feet would help keep them dry. The result was that the nails of my big toes turned black and fell off, also I got blisters between my toes. I found out that I needed a slightly larger size, a 9, with extra width. New Balance makes some shoes that are 4E in width and their SL-2 last (a form on which the shoe is constructed) is designed for extra wide toe room. These are the only running shoes I have found that fit well on my feet. I also now put Vaseline or coconut oil between my toes to prevent rubbing blisters. Note that socks make a difference as well, heavy socks make a tighter fit but add more cushioning where as thinner socks give more room and are cooler in the summer. Also, you can buy better cushioning inserts for your shoes that will absorb more of the running shock and this might help with the arch pain. You may want to consider your running form, perhaps a little modification will improve it and eliminate the pains. I guess the lesson is you have to find what will work for you and solve you problems. Hopefully some of the experts at the running stores will eventually find the right solution for you!