The beauty of running is how liberating and refreshing it is!
That and the fact that you don't have to have a huge bank account to fund your gear supply. That being said, if there is one area you really don't want to compromise in, it's in the shoes. Get the right match the first time and your feet, knees, hips, back and pretty much every other part of your body will reward you with pain-free running. Get it wrong and you could find yourself cheering for your fellow marathon runners from the sidelines.
So where do you begin?
There are several well-known manufacturers of great running shoes today. I'm not going to mention them specifically here, because brand is less important to me in this selection than the right match. I do have a couple of personal preferences which I will be happy to share with you if you ask, but each of us is a little different and so what I wear may not be the right thing for you.
Before you go running off to the shoe store to buy the first pair of really good looking shoes you can find, there are some things to consider. Let's start with your bio mechanics. Don't worry, I'm not going to get all technical here, in fact, I really couldn't if I wanted to. I'll explain it as simply as I understand it.
Bio mechanics when it comes to running is basically, how your foot strikes the ground initially and then how it rolls as you move forward in your stride.
There are three basic categories that most runners fit into. They are:
- Supinators
- Neutral
- Pronators
What exactly does that mean? Let's look at a diagram to see how this works out.
You need to have a friend or family member watch you walk or run from behind to really tell what's going on here. If you are a Supinator, that means that as your foot strikes the ground your ankles tend to roll to the outside. You will probably depending on the degree of supination, tend to be a little pigeon-toed (walking with your toes point inward) when you walk. Neutral is pretty much exactly as described and your ankles tend to remain fairly upright when striking the ground. Pronators will then tend to have an ankle that rolls inward when they strike the ground. This can often be recognized by when you're walking as a duck walk (toes point outwards).
As I said have someone watch you walk barefoot from behind. Make sure they also see you run because sometimes a tendency doesn't show up until more force, like that involved in running is added.
The reason this is important is that shoes today are designed with all different kinds of support in the soles, mid soles and uppers to help runners be most efficient depending on their individual bio mechanics. Get this little bit of knowledge right and it will be one big thing that won't be distracting you during your training.
Another factor to consider is your weight. If you are quite a bit over-weight as you begin running (and you need to be honest), you may tend to pound the pavement a little more. Shoe manufacturers also offer different levels of cushioning in their shoes to help accommodate for this heavy pounding.
And then there is your running technique or form. Watch a hundred people run and you'll see a hundred variations in the way we run. The three most common are;
- Heel-strikers
- Forefoot runners
- Mid foot runners
A heel striker does just exactly that. They strike the ground with their heel and then roll the foot forward. Look at a picture of a heel striker in stride and you'll see their front leg extended almost straight, heel towards the ground and toes pointed to the sky. I ran this way for years and paid the price for it. It drives the full force of gravity and inertia into your leg, knee and ankle every time you take a stride.
Forefoot runners tend to look more bouncy. This technique can almost look like the runner is tiptoeing along as their heels rarely hit the ground.
Mid foot runners seem to glide along. If you were to follow a mid foot runner along a dirt path you would see a very full footprint as opposed to a forefoot runner who would have a pronounced ball area in the footprint or the opposite with a heel striker.
Which is the best technique is the subject of many long discussions and arguments. If you want to change your technique you can which is the good news, it just takes a lot of effort and practice. As I mentioned, I used to be a heel striker. With a lot of effort and practice I am now a mid foot runner. I discuss that in a different section on form.
The main thing here is to get you out running and to do it in a pair of quality running shoes that match your current style of movement.
Once you know the basics of how you hit the ground and what your form is, you should have enough information to head out and get some new "kicks" for your feet.
Where to buy is the next question. Assuming that you know you are a "Pronating, heel striker", you have to have someone who can help you decide which shoes are best for you based on that knowledge. Some of the major sporting goods store actually training their staff in the knowledge necessary to really advise you on shoes. If you go to one and the rep doesn't seem to know what you're talking about, move on. These can be a great place to buy because they offer a larger selection of brands and usually reduced pricing.
I like specialty running stores, because they really do know shoes, plain and simple! "Brand" stores, again usually have someone on staff with knowledge to help match you to the right shoe for you. The drawback here is you are limited to one brand and I will tell you, not everyone can run comfortably in every brand of shoe on the market.
Finally, there are online retailers. This is a free plug because I'm not affiliated with them in any way, but my favorite all-time is RoadRunnerSports. They have a feature called ShoeDog, which will help you to make a match based on the information you provide it. Great prices, good return policy and very good service. I try to stay away from pushing one company over another but I also believe in recommending good service and this is a good organization. They also do have a few "bricks and mortar" locations depending on where you live, if you prefer the in person contact and can't wait a couple of days for your shoes.
Finally, most running shoe manufacturers and I as well, will recommend that you buy your running shoes one-half size larger than you would normally wear. It's not so you can fit more socks in, it's because that's the way they make their shoes!
Get this one right, you'll be happy you did!
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