The Right Equipment

One of the best things about running is that it doesn't take much equipment to get started. All you need are some comfortable clothes and a good pair of shoes and off you go! But not just any shoes will do.

When I first started running, I went to a specialty running shoe store and had them watch me run. They showed me two pairs of shoes that worked best for my feet. One was a Mizuno brand shoe and the other was an Asics brand. The shoes were pretty expensive, so when I went to get my second pair, I just went to a regular shoe store and picked up a pair of Mizunos that looked the same. Little did I know that the model of shoe made a difference also. When I started running, I got an aching pain in the top of my foot near where the laces are after about two miles. I come to find out that I should have been using a cushioning shoe, but instead I had bought a stability shoe.


This week's TIP OF THE WEEK is that the right shoes can make or break your running experience. If you just throw on your old lawn-cutting sneakers and go for a run, you can end up with unwanted injuries. So how do you pick the right shoe?

To a beginning runner, going to purchase a pair of running shoes can be an overwhelming experience. There are all kinds of shoes out there for working out: running, walking, cross-training, tennis, yoga, etc. Shoes range from $40 to $150 in price and have various different "bells and whistles."

There are three major types of running shoes: cushioning, motion control/stability, and neutral. Your arch and the way you run will determine which type of shoe is best for you. If you have a high arch, you will generally need a cushioning shoe because your foot is more rigid. If you have a low arch, you will likely need a motion control shoe because your foot is more flexible. Those that don't fall into either of the above categories will be in a neutral shoe.

My favorite shoe is the Asics Gel Cumulus, which runs about $90. It is a neutral shoe, which works for my foot. I have a moderate to high arch.

There are other types of running shoes, such as racing shoes, performance shoes, and trail shoes. But for a beginner, you can probably find your best fit in one of the major three categories.

The best thing to do is go to a specialty running store where they can fit you with the right shoe. The good stores will watch you run (some will even video the run) to see how your foot hits the ground and pushes off. They will look at your foot, measure the size (sometimes both sitting and standing), and determine what kind of arch you have.

Recently, there have been some debates on the amount of support and cushioning that goes into the traditional running shoes. There are some people, called "minimalists," who prefer running barefoot or using the new five-finger running shoes (which are basically a glove for your foot with minimal support). I haven't bought into this concept yet. I think all the research that has gone into making quality running shoes points more toward the traditional, more cushioned shoes. It's up to you to decide for yourself.