If the Shoe Fits....

Given much thought to your running shoes lately?  Ready to break in a new pair?  I was, too.  And did. And did again. Yep.  In the past two months, I've purchased  not one, not two, but THREE pairs of running shoes.  Okay, one pair was for Hubby, so we won't count them (though my bank account sure reflects the purchase...lol!). 

And no, I wasn't being indecisive or wanting another pretty pair... it goes a little deeper than that. In fact, all the way to my toes......

Here's the scoop:  Have you ever thought about your running shoes being curvy or straight? 

Okay, maybe you have if you've been runnning a while and/or have gone through lots of trying-on-running-shoes-to-find-the-just-right-ones (like our friend, Busy Running Mama did a while back).  Think: Cinderella!  If the shoes fits....

Well, I hadn't given much thought to a shoe's shape, really.  Until recently, when I had a common running experience (that was new to me): 

blisters and oh-so-tender-don't-even-think-about-putting-shoes-on-us toes. 

OUCH! 

 
This started about six weeks ago, after I purchased pair #1 for myself - the Saucony Echelons that I loved so much and shared with you guys. Ironically, one of the things I liked best about them was the difference in the shape of the shoe: a boxier, more square toe area. This would, I thought, give me more room for my little toes to be happy while I was running.  Looking back, I do remember the guys at Track Shack commenting on the shoe being "straighter" in design as they ran their hand along the inside edge of the shoe (arch area), but at the time, that was just an observation of the style of the shoe.  Ha! 

As we all know, the construction and design of a running shoe is the foundation for the way it will function. 

(Or, if we didn't already know that, I'm sharing it now!)

I suppose this principle isn't unlike any other shoe really, but when you're pounding the pavement, hills, bleachers, etc..., putting all of your weight into your feet, and asking the shoes to absorb the shock placed on your joints, muscles, and bones, this basic reality seems sooooo much more important, don't you think??? (My old cranky knees sure think so!) 

It's not unusual for me to choose my favorite flip-flops for the rest of the day after a long run because my toes are a little tender, but this was an entirely different sort of "ouch" and the whole blister thing, well, that just can't happen in a diabetic's world.  Vigilant foot care is tantamount to keeping one's feet, so imagine my "Oh crap" state of concern when those nastly little guys showed up on my toes... not so good.

Ah, but like our injuries, aches, and pains that we choose to overlook and just 'deal with,' I chose to roll with the blisters and tender toes, and kept saying, "Oh, my feet will get used to them. This is part of being a runner" (I've read about black toes and lost toenails) as I continued to wear those great new Saucony Echelons.  Weeks went by, miles added up, a 10K was completed, and my toes continued to beg for my attention.

And then it happended:  it was time to take my own advice and follow in your footsteps, my bloggy running friends.  It was time to listen to my body and do something about this god-awful, I-can't-stand-it-anymore pain. Back to Track Shack I went - two pairs of running shoes in hand, flip-flops on feet, and a plea to help me figure out what the heck was going on(!). 

Enter Andres and Donnie. Let the questions begin:
Them:  What seems to be going on? 
Me: (see answer above)
Hmmm... Want to try a different brand? 
Me: Not really. Love Saucony, have worn them for years, really want to stay in them.
Hmmm...
Them:  Okay, put them on.
Oops. I realize I've forgotten to bring socks.  They grab a pair of thin ones... nice! Wish I could wear them!
I put the shoes on.  They push on the toes, feel the arch, run hand along shoe to feel fit around my foot.
Them: Do you wear thick socks or thin?
This leads to a 5-minute discussion about socks (thick or thin) in which I describe my recent experimentation with Thorlos (see previous post).  We determine that socks are not the issue.

Andres, my really wonderful Track Shack friend (he touches my feet as much as my hubby lately..ha ha!), goes to the back to get a pair of Saucony Progrids, like my previous pair (one of the two pairs I've come in with)... but alas, they are out of stock. Darn!  So he grabs the newest Saucony Progrid Triumph 7 (hmmm... newer model, more $$??).  At this point though, I don't care.  I'll brown-bag it for a month if it means my toes will be happy again! 

Andres asks me to put one Echelon on one foot and the new Progrid on the other.  He feels my toes (plenty of room) and slides his hand along the arch again (fits snugly, like those awesome Experia socks I can't wear!).  TOTALLY different fit!  OMG! Like night and day!  Turns out the Progrid is a curvy shoe, while the Echelon is a much straighter shoe, which you wouldn't notice because the Echelon looks boxier. 

Diagnosis:  The guys talk with me about how the straighter shoe may be forcing my foot to roll out when I run which pushes my three little toes (pinky toe and two more toward center) up into the edge of the shoe, resulting in the new blisters.  Sounds reasonable.  I'm game for any improvements at this point.

So now I ask the big question: How much?  Okay, so since they're the newest  model, they're about $50.00 more than the pair I bought six weeks ago (grrr....), but hey, to protect my feet, I'm brown-bagging... no problem! Andres inspects my new/old pair (the six week pair), and says, "I wish you would have brought these back sooner."  Yep, me too!  He does give me a little discount, though, which helps with sticker shock, which I really appreciated, and gives me a stern reminder as I head out the door:  "Come back right away if you have any problems with these shoes. Don't wait."  Will do! 

I'm happy to report, I've been breaking in the new(est) pair of running shoes for two weeks now, and they are awesome.  No blisters, very little tenderness (only after the long runs and minimal, at best - normal wear and tear on those little piggies, right?), and oh, I forgot to mention:  the cushioning is EXCEPTONAL.  Since I'm not a tiny runner and have the over-40 aches and pains, cushioned running shoes are a must, and the new Saucony Progrid Triumph 7s fit the bill.  They are even more cushioned than the recent pair (which were terrific in that department), and again, worth every penney.   

Given much thought to your running shoes lately?  Curvy or straight? 

My Thankful Three

Today, I am thankful for:

- Track Shack and their awesome customer service

- The beautiful weather in store for tomorrow's 10K (mid to high 50s at race time...Yay! Sooo happy!)

- (Saved best for last today) My Mom, for taking time to read my blog (Hi, Mom!) 

Happy running, friends....

Robin

P.S.  And for an extra touch of irony today, did you happen to notice Saucony's current slogan, if you clicked on their link: 

We know the right fit is everything because we run.

Yep, I'd have to agree.....