Dort Munder bought a new pair of shoes this past weekend. He wore them for the first time as we walked together on Monday. I approved of the shoes, because they look very much like mine, same brand, nearly the same size, nearly the same model. I like the shoes because they offer good cushioning, good support, good mobility. Except for the seven years I took off to smoke cigarettes during college, I've been a runner (often using this term loosely) for the past twenty-one years. During which time I have tried just about every brand of running shoe, and I've stuck with my particular brand for the past five years with great results (by which I mean very few injuries).
This was Dort's first experience with this brand, and, after about half a mile on our walk, he hated them. He had a shooting pain on the side of his shin, and a general discomfort about the world. We had a pleasant walk / run, but we did have to slow down from time to time, because the shoes were not working out for him. Slowing down, I think, was the right idea. We made it through the workout, but we both had to acknowledge the fact that, while the shoes work wonders for me, they might not be the best fit -- ha! -- for Dort.
The moral of the story, up to this point, is that certain brands work better for certain athletes. It's expensive, I grant that, but you really do have to find the shoe that's best for you. There are guides that will help you figure whether you over- or under-pronate, how your stride might be improved, and what kind of traction you need given your running environment, but, ultimately, this is a process of trial and error. If you end up with a pair of shoes that cause you pain, if you worry about injury, those shoes might have to become home-improvement shoes, gardening shoes, or Superbowl party shoes, and when you've budgeted a new pair, you might have to try a new brand.
I bumped into Dort the next day, and he had decided to walk to work in his new shoes. He said they feel great. No soreness, other than the general soreness of a long brisk walk, to report, and no damage done by Monday's efforts. Hazah! Which just goes to prove what I've been saying about my expert advice all along: I don't know shit.
Running tip of the day: don't limp. Slow down when necessary, but don't limp, regardless of your pace. Whatever ails you today, a limp is going to hurt you in a dozen other places in probably more permanent fashion.
*Any body who was paying close enough attention to note that my last post had Dort at 14 running days, one day cross-training, all by 11 January . . . my bad.
This was Dort's first experience with this brand, and, after about half a mile on our walk, he hated them. He had a shooting pain on the side of his shin, and a general discomfort about the world. We had a pleasant walk / run, but we did have to slow down from time to time, because the shoes were not working out for him. Slowing down, I think, was the right idea. We made it through the workout, but we both had to acknowledge the fact that, while the shoes work wonders for me, they might not be the best fit -- ha! -- for Dort.
The moral of the story, up to this point, is that certain brands work better for certain athletes. It's expensive, I grant that, but you really do have to find the shoe that's best for you. There are guides that will help you figure whether you over- or under-pronate, how your stride might be improved, and what kind of traction you need given your running environment, but, ultimately, this is a process of trial and error. If you end up with a pair of shoes that cause you pain, if you worry about injury, those shoes might have to become home-improvement shoes, gardening shoes, or Superbowl party shoes, and when you've budgeted a new pair, you might have to try a new brand.
I bumped into Dort the next day, and he had decided to walk to work in his new shoes. He said they feel great. No soreness, other than the general soreness of a long brisk walk, to report, and no damage done by Monday's efforts. Hazah! Which just goes to prove what I've been saying about my expert advice all along: I don't know shit.
Dort's Running Tally:
As of 020 January 2012*
Days Running:18
Minutes Run: 600+
Cross Training: 1 day
Days off: 0
Running tip of the day: don't limp. Slow down when necessary, but don't limp, regardless of your pace. Whatever ails you today, a limp is going to hurt you in a dozen other places in probably more permanent fashion.
*Any body who was paying close enough attention to note that my last post had Dort at 14 running days, one day cross-training, all by 11 January . . . my bad.
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