Good Shoes

In my career as a massage therapist, I have told more than one client that "you can't go wrong spending money on a good mattress or good shoes"and I really do believe that. I tend to be the type of person who loves a good deal. I love getting clothes for half price or less. I choke a little bit when I have to spend more than $15-20 for a shirt. Or more than $40 for pants. I have learned in the last few years though that it really pays to invest in good shoes. I am not a shoe fanatic. I can't believe that some women own 80 pairs of shoes. I think that I own maybe 10 pairs, which does sound excessive. But a person needs dress shoes, and winter boots, and sandals, and casual shoes, and yard work shoes and athletic shoes. I would say out of my shoes, I wear three or four pairs on a regular basis.

Since I started running I have read a bunch of articles on the importance of having good running shoes. I invested in a nice pair in January of this year when I made my New Year's resolution to exercise more. They are a pair of Adidas Supernova running shoes and have served me well. I wore them for my 10k on Sunday and noticed around the 7 or 8k mark that my one knee started to hurt a little. Nothing major, and it actually felt better when I was running than when I stopped to walk and it seems to be resolved now. However, I went for a run (or tried to...) after work today and by the time I did my 45 minute walk/run my knees were starting to ache. I felt like it was a tough run because it was warm out today and for some reason my body really doesn't seem to handle heat and running well. If it was +12C or a little warmer I think I could run forever. Well until my body gave out on me, but my heart and lungs are happy to run when it's cooler.

I have been thinking of going to a running store to get fitted for shoes. I hear that they are very thorough and will analyze your gait and posture and choose shoes that meet your needs. I think I did pretty well picking out my current running shoes but I did not choose them with the knowledge that I would be running in them. I expected to wear them mainly to do aerobics and other workouts. I have heard that running stores tend to be pricier for most shoes, but I think in this case, for the sake of my knees and hips and the rest of my body I should take my own advice and consider it an investment. If I am going to keep running I need to make sure I don't hurt myself. I have read that running shoes should be replaced every 6-12 months. That sort of goes against my policy for clothing items. I tend to wear my clothes to death. My shoes, when I am done wearing them I will retire them to yard shoes. My runners still look like they are in good shape, but I think the all important cushioning is wearing out. I think I could still wear them for working out at home, just not for running.