So you want to be a runner, eh? Advice for the elderly (and not-so-elderly) beginner...
Jan 23 '01
The Bottom Line See the professionals and do your homework before you buy a pair of running shoes. Neither fashion nor advertising should influence your choice.
Ahhh, for those glorious days of youth -- back when you laced up your Jumpin' Joe Lapchick black hightops or your Red Ball Jets and took off through the backyards of your neighborhood! Things were a darnsight less complicated then, many years before your first arthroscopic surgery...
These days there are about six million different shoes to put on your feet as you plod the same sidewalks that you used to fly over as a kid. But there's still really only one way to choose the right shoes for you -- comfortable, shock-absorbing, durable, properly fit and mechanically correct:
Choose a pair that's color-matched to your favorite sweats! NOT!
Things have changed a lot since I started my own program of running, buying my first pair of real running shoes more than two decades ago. And it's not just the shoes themselves. Back then I went to an Athlete's Corner store in the mall, where I was waited on by a skinny kid who spoke to me of training for a marathon; how he'd run 100-plus miles last week; how he'd run more than 100 miles in each of the four different pairs I was trying on.
I bought the Adidas, for what it's worth -- the last pair of Adidas I've ever owned. I have, however, since run in Asics, Turntec, Nike, Brooks, New Balance, Mizuno, Saucony... But the salespeople at my local Athlete's Corner (and the Athletic Attic that replaced it and the Footlocker that replaced that) have changed. Nowadays, they're a lot more concerned with fashion statements than with fit. The last one I talked to couldn't discourse intelligently on the merits of the blown-rubber outsole and had no idea why there are extra holes for laces on the shoe.
In short, if you want to get good advice on buying your first (and, for that matter, subsequent) pair of running shoes, you have to go to the professionals. Most big cities have a store that's still dedicated to sport shoes instead of fashion shoes. Here in Austin, it's Run-Tex; there used to be Phidippides in Denver and Runner's Roost in Dallas. I know there are other candidates out there, too. These are the people who actually use those shoes, not just wear them because of the color or what superstar basketball player endorses the line (you know what brand I mean, don't you?)
Do some homework before you ever get to the running store to buy that first pair. You should always bring a pair of worn shoes with you when you buy new running shoes, so the salesperson can tell something about your gait. Are you a toe striker? a heel striker? do you supinate or pronate? All these questions, plus the size and shape of your foot should be factored into choosing your shoes; not just the quality of the company's advertising. The shoe that's right for me (190+ pound, normal-striking, high instep) will not work for you (135 pounds, flat-footed pronator) and a good salesperson will save you a lot of pain!
Buy (or scope out at the library) the annual running shoe edition of "Runner's World" magazine for some instructions on describing the general type of foot: high instep vs. flat-footed; general foot shape; weight and gait requirements. They'll provide a chart listing a group of shoes that are designed for your needs. Likewise, the website of Roadrunner Sports ( http://www.roadrunnersports.com/ ) or other online companies can give you some simple tests for describing your foot.
Here are my final words of advice: I've bought more than fifty pair of running shoes over the last 20-plus years. Some of 'em fit so well that I bought five more pairs over the next couple of years; one or two were so uncomfortable in the long run that I dumped them early and moved on. Do not ever buy that first pair of a new style sight unseen! You'll regret it for sure! A reputable store will provide you a place to jog a bit so that you can feel the shoes; and moving with them on your feet is the only way you'll ever know whether they're going to fit.
When all is said and done and you're down to two pair that are equally good choices, maybe then you can pay attention to what color the shoes are, but not 'til then!
A final word of advice: Running, walking, or jogging are all great cardiovascular exercise and among the least expensive ways to get exercise and fresh air (compare it to golf, for instance). But before you start a program of strenuous exercise, you must be checked out by a doctor!
Whatever shoes you buy, have fun -- maybe I'll see you out on the streets and trails some day soon!
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