Running Shoes-One Pair is Better than Four

Hansons Marathon Method: Choosing Shoes that Match Your Running Style

Just last week Addison (my nine year old daughter) asked me what gullible meant, I told her it “was when you believe something you read or someone tells you without having the research or understanding to back it up”. She got it and a few days later I sadly had the perfect example for her. I was gullible when I read an article or two about wearing multiple pairs of running shoes. I believed it when they said the shoe didn’t have time to recover between runs less than 24 hours apart, I believed it when they said different shoes were good for hitting different pressure points on the foot. Go figure, when I wore multiple shoes, my ankle started bothering me badly which sent me to the podiatrist. Around the same time, Perry’s knee sadly sent him to the sports medicine doctor where he learned that one pair of running shoes is better than four. His doctor sent us to a specialty running store where we had an awesome experience!

Fleet Feet measured our feet, videoed us walking and running and put multiple shoes on us until the shoe complimented our stride and gave us the support we each needed individually. They did not try to change our running styles, but instead made sure we had the right shoe to match our style. We spent at least an hour in the store with our very patient daughters and very knowledgeable staff and left feeling positive about our runs the following day. Unfortunately Perry has not been able to run in 9 days; his knee has only gotten worse, but I’ll say, he is handling it much better than I did in the short 5 days I couldn’t run, he’s my hero.

My first run in my new shoes was 8 miles after date night, a little blister, but nothing to complain about other than a self-inflicted headache. My second run in my new shoes was 15 miles! The longest run in my life! It was awesomely hard! My ankle was not perfect, but it was a mild distraction. The 75 degree day was amazing and while I had anxiety about being so far away from home, I also felt a sense of liberation treading on unfamiliar territory. I did it! Crossing the street and returning to my bubble with 3 miles to go was a relief as well as a “I got this fish!” I soaked my tired legs in Epsom salt, drank my chocolate milk and would call my run a success because I kept everything down! Saaaa-w-eeeet!