First Things....SHOES, SHOES, SHOES!

If I can share one thing with you about running that will change your life, it is this: SHOES.  You cannot scrimp on a good pair of running shoes.  Think about it.  Running is a non-contact sport (or activity, if the word "sport" scares you away).  The only piece of gear you carry or wear that should touch the ground are your shoes.  If other things are touching the ground, send me an email...you may be doing it wrong.  When I first began my running lifestyle, I did not know this.  As a seasoned couch potato, however, I did see a lot of commercials.  So I KNEW that Nike was the best shoe you could get.  I didn't know anything about running shoes.  At first, I was running in run of the mill, everyday all-purpose sneakers.  As it became apparent that I was going to be "doing this for a while," I realized I needed to invest in a pair of "good" running shoes.  So I drove my happy (and rotund) rear to the department store and picked up a $60 sale pair of Nike Reax running shoes.  Hey, they said "run" right on the shoe, so I'm good, right?  As it turns out, not so much.  Don't

Nike Reax

get me wrong, Nike makes a fine product.  This is not in any way meant to knock Nike.  However, I very quickly learned that, when it comes to running, you CANNOT just grab a pair of shoes that look like they're running shoes and go.  As a matter of fact, I have since learned not to place any value  whatsoever in what the shoe looks like, as long as it works.  I'll get to that in a bit.  But before I do, let me tell you how I came to these conclusions.  Back to the Nikes.  Remember, I had no clue about running shoes, but of course I had heard of Nike and Reebok an Asics and New Balance, blah, blah, blah.  So I knew they had to be great shoes, right?  So I bought my pair and ran with them.  Literally.  Now, no speed, no distance, no problem.  So they were great starter shoes, because I was not straining myself in any way (or rather, looking back I'll say I shouldn't have been straining myself in any way...I was SLLLOOOWWW).  But once I picked up my speed, the aches and pains started setting in.  During this time, my wife was running with me, as well, and she started experiencing sever foot pain.  After some research in the internet, she started to believe it might be time for new shoes.  I knew of a specialty sport shoe store in town (Shaw's) from when my little brother played soccer (I was never an athelete of any kind), and suggested she try it.  Long story short, they provided her with a pair of shoes that fixed her problem, and she was on her way.  I continued to struggle with dull aches and pains, but I attributed most of it to my attempts to increase my speed and my distance, and the normal soreness associated with exercising (I hate that word - exercise - I'll post on that later).  I was not yet in tune with my body, and not yet accustomed to the normal aches to realize something was wrong.  One September Saturday morning, after I had been running regularly for about 6 weeks (and my body had begun to crave it), I ran the furthest I had ever run: 6 miles.  I was so proud and felt so great.  I was on a huge high all day because of my great accomplishment, and knew I would only go farther and faster from there.  Until the next morning, when I stepped out of bed.  My right foot felt like I was literally stepping on knives.  Thinking I must have slept on it funny, I decided to go for my run anyway.  I couldn't even make it a mile, the pain was so great.  I couldnt put any weight on it.  I took a week off, resting my foot, alternating heat and ice, and sucking down iboprofren.  Nothing worked.  I began to panic.  I was watching all of my hard work and progress drain away, all due to a stupid injury.  Finally, my wife convinced me to go get new shoes.  I was still being stubborn, and had my heart set on a pair of Nike + sneakers so I could sync them with my iPod, but she insisted I wear whatever the people at Shaw's gave me.  At the store, I told the salesman my problem.  He asked me to take off my shoes and walk so he could watch me.  I did.  He said "I'll be right back."  He walked into the back room, handed me a box of Saucony ProGrid Guide 4's and said "try these on."  I did.  I have never looked back.  My new shoes saved my running life.  As soon as I tried on the shoes, the pain went away.  Not being familiar with running, I had never even heard of the brand, but I didnt care.  All I knew was that my foot did not hurt anymore and I could run again.  I am not telling you that you should run out and buy yourself a pair of Sauconys (although they work FANTASTIC for me!).  I'm just trying to share with you what I've learned, and what I learned was that you need to select your shows based on your foot; all shoes are NOT for all people.  Pronation, Overpronation and Underpronation are terms that you will hear alot when looking for shoes.  I am telling you this: don't worry about it.  Don't try to figure out what's wrong with your feet.  There are professionals who will do that for you, better than you can.  Don't try to pick shoes on your own.  If you are going to run, you need the right equipment to do it in, and more important than anything else, you need the right shoes FOR YOU.  So if you have not already done so, you need to go to a speciality running store and allow the sales associate to help you.  LISTEN TO THEM.  They know what they are talking about.  Save yourself the pain and the hassle I went through, not to mention the $60 I was out for a pair of shoes that ended up hurting my feet.  I cannot reiterate enough: DO NOT SCRIMP ON SHOES!  Wearing the right show will make all the difference in the world in your running.  And once you've found the right pair of shoes, keep a log and track your miles.  There are planty of web sites that allow you to do this, such as active.com, but an excel spreadsheet or simple pen and paper will do the trick.  Your running shoes will have about 300-400 good miles in them.  After that, you'll need a new pair or you'll risk injury.  Your body will tell you when it's time for a new pair, too.  Listen to it.  I'm not telling you anything I haven't found out the hard way.  I just bought my second pair last week.  Trust me, it is not a gimmick to get you to buy shoes more often.  They break down, and when they break down, you will, too, if you don't replace them. I'd like to say a special thank you to Shaw's Athletics in Tallahassee for saving my feet and allowing me to keep on running.  You guys are great!