As a kid, I remember how important it was to pick out just the right pair of shoes. It would be the pair you would wear for the entire school year, and you wanted them to be “Cool” and “Fast”. Wearing those shoes the first day of a new school year came with a rite of passage: to see who had become the fastest over summer break. We would dart around the playground, jet-powered shoes fully engaged, to prove we had gained some sort of superpowers over the past three months, that we were the fastest, the best.
Funny how after forty-plus years, that desire to wear “Cool” shoes that make me run “Faster” is still alive and well. Entering my fourth season of running, I’ve purchased and worn quite a few pairs of shoes, and recently decided it was time to try a new brand and style. These shoes were lighter, cooler, and felt great while running up and down the little rubber street in the running shoe store. As I left with my new shoes in hand, I was excited, I mean, really excited to try them out and discover just what Superpowers my new shoes would give me.
Shortly, I was suited up, and it was time to give my “magic shoes” their inaugural run. I could tell right away that things felt different. Different from the running store and different from the shoes I had been wearing for the past few seasons. Right around the one-mile mark, it happened, what seemed to be the feeling of twisting an ankle. I must have run over an acorn or something because my new shoes couldn’t be at fault, I was sure of that. I walked it off for about a half mile and finished the run at a slower-than-normal pace.
A few days later, I was out for another short run, this time around the neighborhood, and just a quarter mile down the road, that same shooting pain around my ankle. Something was up. Had I really sprained my ankle, or was this new pain being caused by my new running shoes? I decided to switch to my old shoes for the next few weeks and then decide what to do. After speaking with a few running friends, I discovered that the new brand of shoes I had recently purchased was known for being lighter but also providing less support, and that the twisting of the ankle feeling was likely the result of that lack of support. Granted, there were runners seeking such a shoe, but I was still learning the art of this sport, and a more stable shoe was probably a smarter choice at this stage of my running adventure.
I wound up returning the shoes and going with the latest version of the shoe model I had been running in for a while. I chalked this up as a lesson learned when it comes to purchasing running shoes. My feet are one of my most valuable assets as a runner, taking the best care of them I can is a smart thing to do. Getting advice on selecting the right shoe for me, as I started running, got me into the right one to begin with. Continuing to ask seasoned runners for advice on finding the right shoe had kept me running. When I ventured into the world of Superheroes and “Cooler”, “Faster” shoes on my own, it led me away from smart running toward experimental running, and almost led to an injury.
My advice to fellow runners is to get sound guidance from experienced runners who can help you choose the right shoe for your feet and running style. Let go of the need to wear the coolest-looking, newest shoe unless you can afford the potential injury.
Run well, take care of those feet, and listen to your body.
Greg Paskal
Lead Adventurer