Avoid New Shoe Blues, Break Them In Early

Don’t wear new shoes to run a marathon. To give your feet the best advantage, put at least 100 miles on your running shoes prior to the marathon. Even if your shoes feel great the first day you put them on (which they should) and even if you’re putting on a pair of shoes that’s identical to your previous pair, a break-in period lets you be sure that you have the right size, and you can get used to the feel of the new shoes and reduce your risk of blisters. And, if for some reason you realize that the current pair rubs in a strange way, and just isn’t going to work, you have time to buy and break in another pair before marathon day.

The Care And Feeding Of Running Shoes

You ask a lot of your running shoes when you are training for a marathon, so get the most out of them by treating them right. When you finish a run, remove your orthotics (if you have them) and keep them somewhere other than inside the shoes. This allows both orthotics and shoes to dry out, which will help them last longer than if they are perpetually damp.

When your shoes are wet, either from excessive sweat or a rainy run, stuff a page or two of newspaper in each shoe and leave it there. When you go to put your shoes on the next day, pull out the paper and you’ll find that the paper is damp but your shoes will be dry. Don’t put running shoes in the washer and dryer. If your shoes are dirty and muddy enough to bother you, use an old toothbrush or rag and scrub them off in a sink, and allow them to air dry (or use the newspaper technique). The hot air dryer will speed up the breakdown of the shoes’ material, and you’ll be wearing them out soon enough.

Mars And Venus In The Shoe Store

Running shoes, like any other shoes, are available in men’s and women’s styles and sizes. The men’s and women’s styles of the same model usually have the same attributes, such as extra cushioning or stability. Some models of women’s shoes are be cut slightly narrower, and women with wide or large feet may want to try on a men’s model of a shoe they like; they may find a better fit.

Orthotics: They May Be The Support You Need

A pair of orthotics can alleviate many of the foot and leg problems marathoners experience. If you have chronic pain in your foot, ankle, knee, hip, or back, it’s worth a visit to the podiatrist. You may pronate (your ankle tips to the inside) or supinate (your ankle tips to the outside). Check the injuries chapter for more details on these conditions, but simply put, if your foot rolls around when it strikes the ground, especially over the long miles of marathon training, you are at increased risk for injuries, and orthotics may help.

Check the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine website at aapsm.org for ideas if you don’t have a regular podiatrist, or ask fellow runners in your area for a recommendation. If you don’t like what you hear from a podiatrist, such as “just don’t run,” then run, don’t walk, to another podiatrist. The right doctor wants to help keep you healthy and happily running and there are ways to correct almost all foot problems.

Most custom made orthotics (ordered through a podiatrist) cost several hundred dollars, but some insurance companies will cover one pair per calendar year, and once you have them they will last for several years. That said, some runners do just fine with simple over-the-counter arch supports or shoe insoles from a drug store, and a podiatrist can customize these devices with extra padding in a way that gives your feet the support they need.

Your Arch Type Points You To The Right Style Of Shoe

Most manufacturers base their running shoe designs on three categories based on the arch of the foot: low arch, average arch, and high arch.

• Low arch: If you have fleet feet and low arches, you need a more stable shoe to guide your foot’s motion, so look for “stability shoes.”
  
• High arch: If you have a high arch, you want a neutral shoe to keep your feet aligned and plenty of cushioning to absorb the shock of your footfalls. Look for “cushioned” shoes.
  
• Average arch: If you have an average arch, you need a shoe with some stability, but not too much, you can wear almost any shoe, and your best bet will depend on whether your average arch falls on the high or low side of average. If you’re on the high side of average, try cushioned shoes first. A stability shoe might not flex enough, and it could cause you to develop plantar fasciitis (more about that in the injury section).
  

If you’re not sure what type of arch you have, put a piece of paper on the bathroom floor and check out the shape of your wet foot when you get out of the shower. If you see a very narrow mark between your toes and heels, you have a high arch. If you see a large, flat patch, you have low arches.

Recycling Running Shoes: When The Bag In The Closet Overflows

Let’s face it, how many old running shoes do you need to keep around to mow the lawn? Probably just one. Maybe two. So, what to do with all those running shoes that you have dutifully “retired” from running after 350-500 miles of running? If all else fails, you can probably donate them to your local United Way or Salvation Army. Or, ask at the specialty running store in your area. Some stores, and some running clubs, collect used shoes periodically and send them to charities overseas. The bottom line is: Don’t run in old shoes because you think they will be wasted. You can find a way to give them new life without risking injury.

Rotate Your Shoes

It may seem excessive, but once you find a shoe you like, buy a second pair right away. Rotating between two pairs of shoes not only ensures that you have backup of a shoe you like, but it’s better for your feet and legs not to wear the same shoes for running day in and day out for several months.

When you first put on a new pair of shoes, write the date on the bottom, so you know when you started wearing them. After about a month or so of regular wear, start breaking in a second pair (“pair B”) on shorter weekday runs (and write the date on that pair, too) and wear the older pair for long runs. Once “pair A” has close to 200 miles on it, or if you feel that the cushioning or stability is deteriorating, switch and use pair A for weekday short runs again, and move pair B to the long weekend training runs. Retire your shoes when they have 350-500 miles on them.

Once you have retired pair A, it’s time to purchase another pair, and repeat the rotation pattern. Even if they don’t look worn out, the midsole support and cushioning will have broken down by then, and the shoes won’t be protecting your feet.

Think Big, Size Up When Buying Running Shoes

In general, the right size running shoe is a half to a full size larger than your everyday shoes, depending on the style of the shoe and whether you have any insoles or orthotics to insert. For example, my everyday shoe size varies from 8.5 to 9, but my current running shoe is a 10, in part because I have to accommodate my orthotics. If you’re torn between two sizes, choose the larger. Your feet will expand when running long distances (and even short distances). You can always add an insole or wear thicker socks to fine-tune the fit, but you want to be sure to have about a thumb width of space between the end of your big toe and the end of the shoe.

Use A Lace-Locking Technique For A Better Shoe Fit

If you have narrow heels that tend to slip in your running shoes, a simple shoe-lacing strategy will help keep your feet snugly in place and prevent blisters.

• Lace your shoes normally until you get to the hole one down from the top.
  
• Bring the lace through this hole so it is on the outside of the shoe.
  
• Then, instead of crossing the lace over, put it through the topmost hole, going from the outside of the shoe to the inside. This creates a small loop.
  
• Don’t pull it tight, leave a small loop.
  
• epeat on the opposite side of the shoe.
  
• When you have two loops, take the end of the lace on the left side of the shoe (which should be pointing towards the inside of the shoe) and thread it through the loop on the right; then take the end of the lace on the right side of the shoe (which also should be pointing towards the inside of the shoe) and thread it through the loop on the left side.
  
• Put the shoe on, and pull on the ends of the laces, which will pull the loops flat against the shoe.
  
• Tie your usual bow and you’re ready to go.

Don’t Buy Into Brand Hype

Resist the temptation to buy a certain brand or style just because you like the color, or because your favorite sports star is wearing it. Wearing the wrong shoe style or size for your foot is one of the top causes of running injuries.

If you’re new to running, new to marathoning, or experiencing foot pain, seek out a local specialty running store, rather than a chain store, and try some different shoes, and promise yourself to buy what fits your feet. no matter what color it is. The staff members at specialty running stores usually know their stuff and can help you choose a shoe.

Road Runner Sports (and some specialty running stores) will take shoes back and let you exchange them if you aren’t happy with them once you have worn them for a few days, or a few weeks. Remember, you won’t be looking at your feet while you are running, anyway, so if the right shoe for you is a color that clashes with your shorts, you won’t see it most of the time. And the best news is, most shoe companies change the colors several times a year, so you’ll only have those blaze orange Nikes for a few months.