It's All in the Shoe

As a new runner I didn't understand the importance of a good running shoe until yesterday. For the past two weeks I have been running about 15 miles a week starting out on the treadmill and then jumping to the track. Once I hit the ground my shins instantly began to sting and running those laps was a lot harder than I imagined. I chalked it up to being a newbie and pushed through the pain. I was already feeling defeated in my journey to run this 10K until I remembered something:

Here in town we have an amazing running store, Bob Ronker's Running Spot. I decided to head over there and see what they had to say. The verdict: My flat, flexible Nike Free Run's were the complete wrong shoe for my type of foot. Inherited by my mother are my small but cute, very high arched feet. Turns out that wearing flat shoes are not good for me and all the pressure goes onto my heels and arch. Apparently that is the reason my shins were hurting, all the pressure was shooting upward. I was fitted for shoes, took a short jog outside in each one and finally settled on a pair of Saucony's.




Today I was anxious to try them and boy oh boy did I instantly notice a difference. My shins never hurt and my feet felt like I was running on a cloud. I was able to run 4 miles with no problem whereas before I was struggling with 2 miles. So, for all those out there who want to start running I highly recommend finding a local running store and getting fitted for shoes. It truly does make a world of difference. I am no longer feeling defeated and can see my goal in sight.