Ever found yourself lost in the maze of running shoe options, wondering which path leads to the perfect fit for your feet? Let me, Ally Robinson, be your guide. This week, I'm sharing the lessons from my own footwear faux pas and offering a beacon of hope for runners searching for their sole-mate. We'll cut through the clutter of flashy trends and focus on the nitty-gritty of functionality, because when it comes to running shoes, what's beneath the surface really counts. Discover how to navigate your unique stride, sidestep common injuries, and invest in your running future—because a happy runner is as good as their shoes.
So, before you sprint off to your next run, tune in and turn up your shoe IQ—it's a game-changer for your feet and your finish line.
For More Details About the Weightloss Mastermind
--> https://www.somethingrunderful.com/Mastermind
Join my FREE Facebook Group, Weightloss for Runners
Disclaimer: This podcast offers health, fitness, and nutritional information, it is designed for educational purposes only. The information does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any other concerns or questions about your health, you should always contact your physician or healthcare provider. Use any information provided at your own risk. To reduce and avoid injury, you will want to check with your doctor before beginning any fitness program. By performing any fitness exercises, you are performing them at your own risk.
Ever found yourself lost in the maze of running shoe options, wondering which path leads to the perfect fit for your feet? Let me, Ally Robinson, be your guide. This week, I'm sharing the lessons from my own footwear faux pas and offering a beacon of hope for runners searching for their sole-mate. We'll cut through the clutter of flashy trends and focus on the nitty-gritty of functionality, because when it comes to running shoes, what's beneath the surface really counts. Discover how to navigate your unique stride, sidestep common injuries, and invest in your running future—because a happy runner is as good as their shoes.
So, before you sprint off to your next run, tune in and turn up your shoe IQ—it's a game-changer for your feet and your finish line.
For More Details About the Weightloss Mastermind
--> https://www.somethingrunderful.com/Mastermind
Join my FREE Facebook Group, Weightloss for Runners
Disclaimer: This podcast offers health, fitness, and nutritional information, it is designed for educational purposes only. The information does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any other concerns or questions about your health, you should always contact your physician or healthcare provider. Use any information provided at your own risk. To reduce and avoid injury, you will want to check with your doctor before beginning any fitness program. By performing any fitness exercises, you are performing them at your own risk.
Hey there, my name is Allie Robinson. I am a certified personal trainer and running coach, and I am here to love, support and guide you through this amazing journey to crushing your goals. We will talk about all things running, racing, strength training, nutrition and weight loss without forgetting the real talk like mental health and motherhood. It's like a coffee date with your bestie, except I have the credentials, personal experience and client testimonials to back it all up. So grab your favorite water bottle, put on your headphones, start your workout and join me for something wonderful something wonderful.
Speaker 2:
Hey everybody, it's me. I just wanted to come on and let you know that today's episode is all about running shoes, and there was a lot of information to talk about when it came to running shoes, so this episode was way longer than I intended it to be, so I decided to go ahead and split this episode into two parts. So join me today to listen to part one and then come back next Friday to listen to part two. Enjoy, hey everybody. Welcome back to another episode of the Something Runderful podcast.
Speaker 2:
I have a quote of the day for you, and this quote is by the one and only Dean Karnezes. The quote is want a strong, solid relationship that is willing to go the distance. Get to know your running shoes. So, if you haven't guessed it already, today we are talking all about running shoes. Like Dean says, you know your running shoes are such an important aspect of your life. They're going to be with you for miles and miles and miles if you are a runner. So today we are talking all about running shoes because I know that running shoes, when you first think about like all the different brands and makes and models and types of shoes, it can be overwhelming. And so we are going to literally break everything down. I am going to get as specific as possible without being too like scientific, so we're going to keep it very muggled terms, but I want to break it down so you really understand all the aspects of the shoe and so you really understand what type of shoe is going to be best for you. So one of the first things I really really want to emphasize is that when you are picking running shoes, it should be based on function of the shoe and not fashion. Okay, trust me, I get it, and I know that it's really difficult, because when I first got my first pair of running shoes, I went to Dick's Sporting Goods. I knew nothing about running shoes, I knew nothing about what type of shoes that I needed, and I basically went to Dick's Sporting Goods. I looked at all of the shoes that they had available. I picked the ones that were like my favorite color, which was this, like magenta pink color, of course and, um, I also purchased shoes that were my street size, so they were too small. They were my favorite color, they weren't the right fit, make and model for my feet and, uh, it ended up causing a lot of issues, and so I want to hopefully make it so you guys don't have to go through the same struggle that I did when it came to shoes.
Speaker 2:
Now, one thing about shoes is that it can be a little bit of trial and error. It can be something that, like the very first shoes that you purchase as a runner, might not be the same kind of shoe that you wear forever and ever and ever and always. There is a little bit of a trial and error and a little bit of figuring out what you like as a runner, what your preferences are, and as you become a more experienced runner, your needs will change. So there's a lot of things that go into running shoes. Another thing about running shoes is that I wish that I could come on here and just be like hey guys, this brand of shoe is the absolute best and these shoes are going to be the best for you. But unfortunately it's just impossible to make that call and I see so many posts on social media that are like hey, what's the best shoe? And literally you will get hundreds of different answers on the best shoe and make and model and all the things, and it can be super overwhelming when you're looking at what works best for everybody else, and you might just realize that there is no one size fits all shoe and that there's a reason why there are so many different options, because there are so many different people with different needs. So don't just go crowdsourcing whatever shoe you should buy. Really, take a listen to this episode. If you are a little confused or don't know what shoes to get, listen to this episode first so you can make a really good, educated decision.
Speaker 2:
And I want to make sure that you get shoes that work for you, because running shoes are quite the investment. Um, you know, running shoes are not cheap. Um, you know, whoever said running is cheaper than therapy? Obviously, uh, never had to buy running shoes, um, but but they're not. They're not cheap. And you know, this is like one area where I really wouldn't suggest, you know, just buying whatever's on sale, um, or whatever. The cheapest option is, because a good pair of shoes really will carry you the distance. You will put in a lot of hours into those shoes. So I want to make sure that it's something that feels really good and that you need to look at it as an investment, you know, because if you don't get the right shoes, you're wasting even more money.
Speaker 2:
Or if you get shoes that are too small, or if you get shoes that aren't the right make and model for your feet and your anatomy and your stride, then you're going to end up at mile 18 of a marathon suffering because your toenails are falling off and you've got a ton of blisters. And it doesn't matter how pretty the shoes are, you're just going to want to throw them in the trash. So we don't want that to happen. So we're going to break down everything to know about running shoes. So the first thing that we can really do to kind of narrow in on what shoes are best for you is to think about what type of shoe. There's really like three main types of running shoes. That would be like trail shoes, road shoes and track shoes. So typically, because I don't deal with like track and field type runners, you know we're not going to talk about track shoes right now or today, but we are going to talk about the difference between trail shoes and road shoes.
Speaker 2:
So trail shoes are designed for being on trails right, it's in the name but designed for like mud, dirt, gravel, you know steep inclines, rocky terrain, rugged terrain, slippery surfaces. It is going to be able to take you off road and on a little bit more uneven or rugged surfaces. The way that these shoes are able to handle that difference and those you know little bit weirder of surfaces is because they typically have, like I think of them like cleats, right. So like think of cleats, except they're not sharp. So like they have cleats at the bottom right. They're little like rubber cleats or plastic or, yeah, rubber, that kind of grip on and provide a lot more traction. Um, another thing about trail shoes that they is that they are a lot more stiffer. So, instead of being like super flexible, they're a lot stiffer to kind of, um, support the foot a little bit better on uneven terrain, um, as well as protect your foot from, you know, potential injuries or you know things that can pop up on a trail.
Speaker 2:
Trail shoes may also have like additional waterproofing so, like you know, if you end up going through mud and puddles and stuff, you're not going to be completely drenching your shoes and, you know, ruining your shoes that way. So like, trail shoes are really designed for the trails, whereas road shoes are much more designed for kind of like man-made surfaces. So like pavement roads, treadmills, you can wear your road shoes on the track sidewalks. You know, most runners, I would say, are going to need road shoes. Unless you do a lot of trails, you're probably primarily going to need road shoes for a lot of different races and for training runs, things like that. However, I will, you know, keep in mind the fact that road shoes can be worn on trails, but trail shoes cannot be ran on the road. Okay, so you just want to make sure that if you're only buying one pair of shoes and you do mostly road but sometimes trails, it might be better to purchase a pair of road shoes and then maybe later on invest in trail shoes, rather than the other way around. If you do mostly trails but sometimes you do roads, maybe then trail shoes would make sense.
Speaker 2:
But I would say, in general, most people are going to want to start out with a good pair of road shoes, and I will say that you do really specifically want running shoes, as opposed to like any old pair of sneakers or like Converse. Like Converse, as cute as they can be, are not very great running shoes, and the reason for that is that running shoes are created and designed to be shock absorbing, so that way it protects your foot, your ankle, your joints from these hard surfaces, whereas, like Converse or, you know, just another standard pair of sneakers, you know they are not designed for that type of activity. There is no shock absorbing, there is no like stability aspect to it. So you do really want a good, solid pair of running specific shoes. So once you know whether or not you need a trail shoe or a road shoe, the next thing that you want to figure out is the main type of category, based on your gait, your foot type and your anatomical needs. Foot type and your anatomical needs. So these main types can really be broken down into neutral or stability shoes.
Speaker 2:
And you know, I had a client that really just wanted neutral shoes because she said that she had been running for years and years and years. She was an experienced runner and she didn't really understand why she needed stability shoes, except for the fact that she kept getting really bad shin splints and having some IT band issues. And when we really looked at her gait, we realized that, you know, a lot of those other issues might be fixed or, you know, might be somewhat prevented if she was in the right type of shoe for her. So we ended up switching her to stability shoes and she was just like absolutely blown away that the fact that she could then suddenly run her half marathons without you know, really suffering from pain and discomfort because she wasn't in the right pair of shoes. So don't get caught up in your head on whether you need neutral shoes or stability shoes. You really just need what is best for you and your body.
Speaker 2:
So when we are looking at your anatomy and your gait, this is going to help us decide. You know what kind of striding gait that you have. So there's three types of gaits there is a neutral gait, there is a supination and there is a pronation. And so when we are looking at the body, there's several ways that we can kind of do this. I think, as a running coach, I think the easiest thing to do is to record my clients and to see how their foot is landing when they are running. So when we take a look at this recording, so when we take a look at this recording, what we are looking for is how the foot lands when you are running. So a neutral landing, a neutral gait, is going to be when your foot lands on the ground. It's going to land pretty evenly on the foot and it is going to have a slight inward, inward roll, usually about, you know, 10-15 percent, and that is going to allow the body to effectively absorb the shock, take on the impact and allow you to run without causing any extra stress on the body. So that would be, you know.
Speaker 2:
So anybody that has neutral shoes or a neutral gait is going to want neutral shoes. That is going to be the best type of shoe for them. The next type is the supination, and that is or you might this um called like under pronation, and this is when, when you are running, you are landing on more of the outer side of your foot, and so when you're landing at this steeper angle on the outside of your foot, it can put a lot of excess stress on your ankle, even like on your knees. I see a lot of supination in runners with, like, higher arches, and so runners that run with a little bit of an underpronation may need shoes with a little bit more, or not even a little bit more. They definitely want shoes that have a little bit more cushion to help absorb that shock that they might not be getting from the way that their foot is landing.
Speaker 2:
And the last one is pronation and this is when the foot rolls inwards. So you know, naturally for a natural stride the foot does roll in about 15%, but pronation is when the foot rolls in excessively more than 15% and when that happens, when that kind of collapse of the arch happens, it makes it really hard for the body to absorb the impact that you're putting it under when you are running. So that can put a lot more stress on your ankles and your knees and over time, you know kind of that repetitive motion of the feet and the knee is even rolling inwards during your run it can actually lead to a lot of injuries. So issues with like shin splints, it band issues, runner's knee issues with like the Achilles tendon, calf and ankle issues, you know it can really affect your running over time. And so having the right type of shoe for pronated runners is so, so, so important. I do see this a lot more common with people that have lower arches or flat feet, just because when you have low arches or flat feet, just because when you have low arches or flat feet, you know you naturally don't have that arch that might hold your foot up a little bit more. And this again, you know this doesn't mean that you're a bad runner. It just means that you need the right shoe. So, for pronated runners, you really do want a stability shoe that is going to really help support your foot and that is going to help kind of correct your gait and your stride to hopefully avoid and prevent a lot of those injuries that I talked about earlier.
Speaker 2:
You know I'll be very candid that when I first started running, I was a very pronated runner, and what I was talking about in the beginning of the episode is I went to the store and I purchased a pair of neutral shoes. Well, neutral shoes when I'm a pronated runner, runner also, you know, again, it led to issues and injury. However, that doesn't mean that I had to be a pronated runner all the time. Okay, because I thought that that was just the way I ran and there was nothing I could do about it. But when I actually started working with my original running coach, we started actually working on, you know, cross training. We started working on strengthening my hips and my glutes and for the most part, I have a pretty neutral gait. For the most part, I have a pretty neutral gait and so, while having shoes that support your current gait and stride is phenomenal.
Speaker 2:
I want you to also remember that the shoes aren't meant to do all the work and that if you find yourself pronating, there are things that you can do to help strengthen the body. Okay, so, shoes are not a crutch. If you need stability shoes, that's totally fine, but also think that there might be some things that you can do to help strengthen your running and strengthen your stride and gait. So just some things to think about stride and gait. So just some things to think about. So, pronated runners, you want a good, you'll see.
Speaker 2:
The difference between a neutral shoe and a stability shoe is that you'll typically see some sort of added support on the inside of the shoe. So, like on Brooks, I think it's very clear. So on some of the Brooks models, you'll actually see something on the inside of the foot called like the guide rail, actually see something on the inside of the foot called like the guide rail, and so that is just a little extra structure to help support the foot and the ankle and to help correct the stride. Hookah is another brand that I think you can really see like the wider platform to help stabilize the shoe. So you know, it's a great option to really help with your running.
Speaker 2:
The only drawback that I will say is that sometimes stability shoes are a little bit heavier and sometimes stability shoes are sometimes less cushioned because there is much more structure. That cushion can kind of actually lead to instability. So stability shoes just might be a little bit more firm and might be a little bit more structured than, let's say, a neutral shoe. But you want to make sure that you have the shoe that is best for you. Um. So how to know what is best like? So, like I said, like I will typically record my clients and watch them run, but you guys don't all have access to someone that is watching you run or knows how to look at your running. So, if possible, go get your gait analyzed, either by a running coach Some running stores offer gait analysis and then the best option I think is to go get a medical analyst done by a podiatrist or a physical therapist.
Speaker 2:
However, there are things that you can kind of do at home that will give you an idea of maybe what shoes are going to be better for you. One of those options is called the wet foot test or the wet footprint, and that's gonna really more tell you how your arch is because, like I said, the supination is gonna be, you know, a much higher arch typically, whereas pronation or a stability shoe is going to be someone with maybe much more of a low arch or no arch. So the way that you do this test is by getting some sort of paper or cardboard or even like tile or pavement or like concrete, like if you've ever like gone swimming, and then you see like your wet footprints on the concrete afterwards we're doing that, okay. So you want to get your foot nice and wet. You wanna step it onto a surface where you are going to visibly see your footprint, okay. So if you are looking at your footprint and there is like little to no arch, like you're only seeing a tiny little sliver of the side of your foot, like the outer side of your foot, that means you might have a little bit of a higher arch, means you might have a little bit of a higher arch if you, which maybe would lead to you know, maybe would lead to a under pronation foot or a supination running form, and so you're probably gonna want a really good cushioned, neutral shoe. The next one would be like a medium arch. So if you step down and, like you know, the foot, there's definitely still an arch, but it's not just a small little sliver, you see like a really good footprint there. That would be more of a neutral arch. So maybe again a nice neutral shoe for you. And then, of course, flat or low lying arches. If you step down and you see that footprint and there isn't a little space where your arch would typically be, you might have a flat or low profile foot. So maybe stability shoes are going to be best for you. And the thing is is like we can't. We can't change our anatomy right. So I typically have or typically like I do have a low arch. So I have actually had to do a lot of extra strengthening on my ankle and my glutes and my hips to really support my running. And you know, sometimes I still wear stability shoes, but most of the time I wear a more neutral shoe now and that's just because I was aware of what my anatomy was and I took steps towards helping my body.
Speaker 2:
Another way that you can kind of see what your stride is is by actually looking at your running shoes. So take an old pair of running shoes, not like a new pair, but a pair that you've had for quite a while and look at the bottoms of your shoe. If the outside is super worn, then you know you might be an under pronator. If you are looking at your shoe and it's very like the center and the middle is much more worn, or the shoe is worn pretty evenly throughout the entire shoe, then maybe you're a little bit more of a neutral runner. And then, of course, if you're looking at your shoe and the inside of the shoe is much more worn, then you might be an over pronator. Okay, so that's another way that you can kind of see, maybe, what shoes you need that are best for your foot. So now that you know whether or not you need a trail shoe or a running shoe, or if you need a neutral shoe or stability shoe, the next thing that you want to consider is cushion level. Okay, and cushion level for your shoes is really a personal preference. For your shoes is really a personal preference.
Speaker 2:
Again, you know, runners who supinate benefit more from having a cushioned shoe to help with that shock absorbent. See, and you know, I think as runners it kind of comes to mind of like, oh yeah, like I want to run, like on fluffy clouds, like I want the most cushiony, comfortable shoes ever. But too much cushion can actually be a bad thing, and I know that sounds counterintuitive, and this is one of those things that you just kind of have to um play around with as you become a more experienced runner. Um, because, like, I think that there's a time and a place for super cushioned shoes. I think that super cushioned shoes are really awesome for recovery runs and for some long runs. I find that when I wear super cushioned shoes, I find that my running form actually suffers a little bit. I feel like I can't feel the ground as much and I feel like it absorbs so much shock that I get a little bit lazy in the way that I'm carrying my body. And so if I am wearing my super cushioned shoes for long runs or recovery runs, I want to really be aware of my running form and not just the way I'm moving my legs but also carrying the rest of my body, and I've done lots of episodes on running form, but you know so there is some downsides to cushion Plus, even though technology has come a long way. Cushioned shoes can tend to be like bulkier or heavier. So cushioned shoes might and probably are not going to be the best option for, like speed work or short distance races. So you can have you know, there's many different levels of cushion based on what you are doing and what you are training for.
Speaker 2:
The next thing to think about is something called heel to toe drop, and heel to toe drop is really how high is the heel versus the toes. So if you are standing barefoot on the ground, that is a zero heel to toe drop, whereas like if you are wearing high heels, that is a several inch heel to toe drop. So in most running shoes there is going I mean in most running shoes like you're not even going to notice that there is a difference between where your heel is and where your toes are. But I would say in most shoes there's about an eight millimeter toe drop. So I would say most shoes have about eight to 12 millimeter toe drops. The higher the toe drop, the easier it might be on your Achilles or your calf, easier it might be on your Achilles or your calf, but 8mm is probably going to be a pretty good standard for most people. I would say 8mm is probably the most common that I see.
Speaker 2:
However, there are like minimalist shoes and I'm not talking about like barefoot running here. But there are shoes like Ultras that have a zero toe drop. Okay, so that means the heel and the toe are flat with each other. I really like these shoes, but they are definitely not for everyone and if you are actually used to a 8 to 12 millimeter heel to toe drop and then suddenly you switched into like a shoe like ultras, it could actually cause injury. So if you're interested in a minimalist or zero heel to toe drop shoe, you want to make sure that you do that transition slowly.
Speaker 2:
So when I, my coach actually told me that that maybe ultras would be a good option for me, and so when I switched, I did it where I was like wearing ultras like one day a week and then I got started wearing them like one day a week and then I got started wearing them like two days a week and started alternating them with my normal heel to toe drop shoes versus my ultra. So I just alternated them and my body adjusted fairly well and I do a lot of my running in my ultras. They're not my only shoe and we'll talk about rotating shoes later in the episode. But yes, so zero toe drop shoes. You know that's what it is. So if you're getting running shoes, most of the time the heel to toe drop isn't going to be a big deal. I would first look at, you know, if you need a trail shoe versus a running shoe or a road shoe, I would look at. Do you need a neutral shoe or a stability shoe? Then I would look at what kind of cushion do you need as a runner before looking at, like the, the heel to toe drop. But again, I told you I was breaking all of it down and so I want you guys to be aware of what that is in case, like a, you know, a salesperson at a running store talks to you about it. You know what it means. That, my friends, is a wrap to part one of this episode, all about running shoes, and so next week you can join me for part two, where I will be diving even deeper into all things about running shoes and making sure that you are getting the best shoes for you.
Speaker 2:
Before I go, I just have a huge, huge favor for you guys. If you could, please follow the podcast, subscribe, write a review. If you guys are on Apple podcast, if you are on spotify, take a moment to rate the podcast. It really, really helps me out. Um, this podcast is free. I do not make any money from this podcast. I just do it as a way to get you guys some great information and to give back to the running community. So please help me out and support the show by leaving reviews, rating the podcast, sharing it on social media. It really helps me out and so I can continue to make these episodes and get you guys the best information to help you on your Runderful journey.
Speaker 1:
Thank you for listening to another episode of the Something Runderful journey. Thank you for listening to another episode Of the Something Runderful podcast. To show your support for the show, please take a moment to rate and review.
Speaker 2:
Wherever you are listening to your episodes, you can follow me on Instagram At something underscore.
Speaker 1:
Wonderful, and you can even join my free Facebook group. Weight Loss for Runners and remember my friends, until next time.
