Forty-plus
years of running every other day has taught me a thing or two about how to keep
going.
I’ve
written here about how it pays to listen to your body. In my running life, it’s
been a steady stream of nagging concerns: hamstrings, knees, heels, shin
splints, feet, feet, feet, toenails.
So I’m
here to tell you that your shoes are Job One. In my case, Brooks Defyance. And
orthotics, which were prescribed to me once upon a time when my neuroma was
particularly acute.
Job Two
is a running foot doctor of a podiatrist. Somebody who will head out the door
to watch your gait to see just how you are striking the ground, favoring one
side of your foot over the other. Then make adjustments according to that
careful monitoring.
Usually
blog posts like this will advocate a particular shoe. Yeah, I’ve found a friend
in the Brooks Defyance, as have a majority of marathon runners, according to
reports I’ve seen. More important is paying attention to pain – So much so that
in my case, to guard against the nagging concerns listed above I don’t go out
the door for my routine runs until I’m wearing patella bands around my knees,
compression socks up my calves and orthotics in my Brooks.
As to
shoes, take the time to go to a runner’s shoe store and seek out the advice of
the pros there. (In my neighborhood, I trust the folks at JackRabbit.) Then
buy, run and assess the damage later. As in
40-plus years later, if you sweat the
details.
Next:
Running for Your Life: Hills Are Alive
