For the last few months, I’ve been avoiding jogging. This is not because I don’t enjoy it—instead, it was because of evil shoes.
Chuck Taylor All Stars: Evil Shoes
These cheap canvas high-tops had bad support for walking and, as far as I could tell, put pressure on the base of my Achilles tendon, causing it to rub. After a 2-3 weeks of regular wear, I realized that my feet hurt. This was bad.
I switched shoes as best I could, but the budget was tight as we were leaving England. So, I made do with whatever crap I could put on my feet—this wasn’t usually ideal. And, I had to stop jogging, because that hurt, too.
Fast forward several months. I got some new daily-wear shoes, and have been trying to monitor my Achilles, occasionally icing it when I thought it was warranted. Most days, I walk in and out of Olin, which is a 2-mile walk each way. So, I’ve been getting around 4 miles of walking per day, and things have been feeling good.
Now, I’ve been meaning to get out and get some new running shoes for a while. And Friday, two students went running by, which kinda reminded me that I needed to get off my duff and get some shoes. So I asked Alison where to go for shoes; she said: Marathon Sports in Wellesley.
Now, why did I ask Alison? Because, like Christina, both are running the Portland (Maine) marathon today. Christina is running the full, and Alison is out to run the half-marathon slowly. (I haven’t figured out the technical reasons for this yet, but I’m sure she’ll explain it to me again.) Back to the point: I went to Marathon Sports, and exactly what I wanted to happen, did.
At Marathon Sports, a very helpful staff member (Jessica) watched my stride and gait, and she recommended shoes based on the way I actually walked. It turns out my feet are slightly crenelated (or something like that), and so I need more instep support than some others. Jessica recommended a number of shoes which I tried on, each time taking them outside to jog around a bit, and found what I felt were the most comfortable of the bunch I was offered.
The Brooks Trance 7
I ended up purchasing the Brooks Trance 7. This is, I will say, the first time I went out to simply buy the right shoe for my feet, and not the cheapest thing I could go jogging in. The shoe just felt right. I described the sensation as “running beach sand that is somewhere between wet and dry, at the edge of the wave-line… it’s soft, and gives just the perfect amount.”
Jessica said that was probably the shoe for me, then.
So, today I took my new shoes out for a run.
Sunday’s Run (1.3 miles; entire loop, 2 miles)
I didn’t run as far today as Alison and Christina are going to run. It scares me to think they are running 13x or 26x times further than I did. However, I took a slow pace, and just wanted to jog until I felt I had jogged far enough. There were some small inclines on the run, which were just enough to remind me how truly out-of-shape I am. BUT! I was out exercising, and it felt good. Maybe, in a few months, I’ll be able to go jogging with Alison or Christina, and keep up for a while. On a short run. Like 5k or something.
I walked home from there, stretched, and will now clean myself up a bit and have some lunch.
It felt good.
Glad you lived to tell about ti!
Woot! Welcome to the world of good shoes. But… “crenelated”? Are you _sure_? I’ve never heard that word in any related context before… but… maybe. Ya learn something new every day.
Try not to break yourself with overenthusiasm (it’s awfully easy to do).
-RBK
Checked that route on google maps – looks nice!
Big greetings from Hamburg,
Carlos
Allow me to defend the Chucks. I have a pair, and they are very comfortable. The secret is that I have a thin cushioning insole inside them (purchased for something like £10) and then my orthotic insoles. They fit really well and are great for lifting weights, as they don’t have any squishy bits that can make your feet unstable when under load. The difference when doing squats in my trainers and my Chucks is really noticeable.
I had an Achilles problem, and it took at lot of time (a year) and work to fix. If you want ideas for treatment let me know.
BTW, I expect the phrase was “pronated”, not “crenelated”.
So, Noel and I had (virtually) the same shoes. I appreciate that the Chucks *could* be non-evil under the right circumstances. However, I\\\’m going to maintain that they fell apart quickly, and put pressure on parts of my Achilles that I didn\\\’t want pressure on. Then again, perhaps it was coupled with other things as well.
As an American, though, I consider it my right to 1. blame someone/something other than me, and 2. declare something \\\”evil\\\” in the process.
And yes, you win! It was \\\”pronated,\\\” and only a mild case, but I couldn\\\’t remember that when I wrote it. No, my feet do not have battlements.
Well, I can’t argue with that logic
In fact I don’t really disagree with any claims you’ve made. When I first got my pair I tied them up too tight and they did impinge on my Achilles, though it was at the top of the shoe not the base. I wear them a bit looser and combined with the slight rise from the insoles this keeps me out of trouble. I can see how if the fit was a bit different I could have problems as they don’t have any cushioning. For the £17 we paid and the punishment I hand out at breakdancing I feel my pair have lasted ok, but are certainly more battered than any other pair of shoes I own, despite being the newest pair I have. I’d certainly get another pair, but only if they were on sale.
Battlements on your feet would be cool, but I think very painful to attain.