RunningAHEAD - Topic: I got a new shoe.

Get Gone

posted: 4/7/2008 at 10:46 AM
modified: 4/7/2008 at 10:59 AM

I went in to get re-fitted after running in a stability shoe for 2+ years. I was never completely happy with my old Mizuno Inpires. I overpronate in my left foot, my right is not so bad. Anyway, I never had an A-Ha moment with the Mizunos knowing that this was the shoe for me. Out of all the choices I tried, they were the ones I had the least amount of disagreement with so I settled on those. So, I had been thinking that when it was time to replace them, I'd go back in to Fleet Feet and try some different ones. Saturday I go in, they look at my walk and run. Look at both feet, measure, etc. And they bring out Mizuno Inspires again, Nike Vomero, some Asics. The Asics were way to wide in the toe box, the Nikes were nice, and the Mizunos fit like my old ones. I was going to settle on the Nikes. Then it was suggested by a sales associate that was not directly helping me for him to bring out some Asics DS Trainers because of my narrow foot. OMG, they felt as comfortable as wearing socks. Obviously I found the shoes I was buying. Sunday morning, I do 8 miles in them. No real problems at all. No shin pain, no knee pain. It was a good run and faster than my usual long run. The shoes are good. Now though I'm having 2nd thoughts because of crap I've read on the internet. They are not true stabilty shoes. In fact Runners World says they are for bio-mechanically efficient runners which I am not. So now I'm wondering, over time are these shoes going to cause me problems. I did notice that on my left, I'm really running on the inside of my foot. It didn't bother me on my 8 miler, but down the road, is this going to cause PF? Will the shin splints come back? As a performance shoe as the DS Trainer is supposedly, will they hold up for 400 to 500 miles? Am I going to be buying shoes again at 200 miles? I'm just wondering do I disregard conventional wisdom that says I should be in a true stability shoe and just keep running in my new Asics? I guess if I could afford buying new shoes every month or so to keep trying different ones out this wouldn't be an issue in my brain. Or if I could exorcise myself of my critical side so that I could throw out the "what if"s and the "is this going to happen"s I'd be a much happier, care free runner.

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rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 4/7/2008 at 10:56 AM

Quote from Get Gone on 4/7/2008 at 10:46 AM:

Now though I'm having 2nd thoughts because of crap I've read on the internet. They are not true stabilty shoes. In fact Runners World says they are for bio-mechanically efficient runners which I am not. So now I'm wondering, over time are these shoes going to cause me problems. I did notice that on my left, I'm really running on the inside of my foot. It didn't bother me on my 8 miler, but down the road, is this going to cause PF? Will the shin splints come back? As a performance shoe as the DS Trainer is supposedly, will they hold up for 400 to 500 miles? Am I going to be buying shoes again at 200 miles? I'm just wondering do I disregard conventional wisdom that says I should be in a true stability shoe and just keep running in my new Asics? I guess if I could afford buying new shoes every month or so to keep trying different ones out this wouldn't be an issue in my brain. Or if could exorcise myself of my critical side so that I could throw out the "what if"s and the "is this going to happen"s I'd be a much happier, care free runner.

You know what...I'm in the NB equivalent (902/903) of that shoe and I had all those same thoughts in the first few months I wore them (during a fitting I was told I was a "moderate" pronator, but have had far more comfort in a mild stability shoe with lot of flexibility). I just retired my first pair after 325 miles...mostly because I've never gone to even 300 miles on any other shoe and I was leery of going much beyond 300...but I think I probably could have gotten 400 without any major issues--I'm not willing to risk injury to find out, though. I also have had issues with shin splints and what I believe was peroneal tendonitis. No shin issues with the lightweight stability trainers and the PT issues are all but gone. I think my feet were fighting too hard against a stiffer shoe. If you have doubts you can always rotate the DS Trainer with a beefier shoe. I'm going back to doing this, just so that I can make sure that I am in the best possible shoe for me come marathon day in Oct. But I have a feeling that I would be OK to run the marathon in my 903s. The worst you can do is find that the shoe's just not for you. But you may have stumbled across the very best shoe for your needs. Trial and error can often lead to happy running (heh, or bloody achilles areas...oops). I bought my 902s on a complete whim, just to have something different to rotate with a clunkier shoe. Eventually I was doing all my runs in the shoes that I had bought strictly for short runs and speed work. Smile

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

Get Gone

posted: 4/7/2008 at 11:02 AM
modified: 4/7/2008 at 11:02 AM

I'm glad to hear someone else has experienced a similar situation. Maybe you are right when you said you thought your feet were fighting too hard against a stiffer shoe. Maybe that's what's been happening with me.

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rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 4/7/2008 at 11:08 AM

Quote from Get Gone on 4/7/2008 at 11:02 AM:

I'm glad to hear someone else has experienced a similar situation. Maybe you are right when you said you thought your feet were fighting too hard against a stiffer shoe. Maybe that's what's been happening with me.

It's kinda funny, really. I had been wearing a relatively stiff, moderate stability shoe for a long time...was on my 4th pair. But it got to the point where EVERY run in my light shoes was awesome (including a HM) and every run in my heavier shoes sucked--shins hurt, knees hurt, yuck. The biggest difference between these shoes was flexibility. I dealt with those PT issues for probably 6 months and even tried a different brand of shoe (Asics Kayano...which gave me knee issues and never fit my foot very well), arch inserts, heel lifts, OTC orthotics...all sorts of things, but the only thing that "cured" the problem was a squishy shoe with a flexible forefoot. Apparently my feet like to flex and stretch and not being able to do so made them really angry and tired. Running with POd feet is not a good thing. Wink

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

dnephin

posted: 4/7/2008 at 1:30 PM

Well, you know what they say: If the shoe fits, wear it. This one seems to, so I'd continue with it. Also: you know for sure you have poor biomechanics? Maybe your efficiency has improved. Shoe durability is so variable, but DS Trainers ought to last longer than 200.

DWARP
Marathon Madness Mob

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rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 4/7/2008 at 1:35 PM

Quote from dnephin on 4/7/2008 at 1:30 PM:

Also: you know for sure you have poor biomechanics? Maybe your efficiency has improved.

That's another good point...the longer I run the closer I seem to get to neutral. When I started I was in moderate to high stability shoes and happy. As my legs have gotten stronger my stability needs have lessened. Working on not overstriding has definitely helped, too. Perhaps someday I will run in neutral shoes. I can do short runs in shoes with no medial post, already, but for the bulk of my mileage I still need some posting. Sounds like this could be true for you, GG, as well.

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

mikeymike