still not the big vacation post.
Just a question.
In order to answer this question, you must:
1. Be a girl (Well, you can be a guy and recommend shoes, but only if they make a girl version)
2. Over-pronate when you run
3. Own running shoes
I’m looking to buy a good, solid pair of running shoes for my upcoming fitness kick (who knows how long it will last? WHO CAN EVER KNOW?!) and I’m considering Mizuno Alchemy shoes right now (for some reason, I can’t get images to load on that site, but you can read the description. They might load on the American site.)
What do you wear? Do you like them? What shoes HAVEN’T worked for you?
I’ve had bad experiences with New Balance shoes, and Saucony shoes. Nikes have fit well. I LOATHE UGLY SHOES. I know, I know.
Go!
September 26th, 2007 at 9:57 am
I don’t over-pronate when I run, but I do love my Mizunos. Haven’t tried the Alchemy, but I’ve had the same pair of Mizuno Wave Elixir shoes for over a year now and so far, no complaints.
To give you more of an idea: I can’t stand running shoes that pinch my heal or go too high up my ankle, or are too stiff, so Mizuno works really well for me.
I also love’em because they have a pretty wide sole, plenty of lateral support which makes them great for cross-training (I do step aerobics which involves a lot of stepping sideways and don’t have the greatest stability in the world…) as well as running.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Thanks for sharing your voice, I really enjoy your site. I’m ashamed to say this is my first comment, but I totally meet the criteria listed above so why not choose now to delurk. I’ve also had bad luck with Saucony and I’m not a fan of Nike myself although I love the design (vanity speaking). I was once a long distance runner (marathons) but due to knee issues switched to duathlon / triathlon so I’ve put a number of km on my shoes. I’ve had the best luck minimizing the over-pronatation symptoms with Asics Gel DS Trainer. I have used them for the past 5 years and it’s been good. I have never run in Mizuno.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:26 am
I like Asics as well. I don’t have a specific model I like, because I own about 7 pairs of them. But I find they’re pretty solid.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:27 am
I have the Mizuno Inspire. I like the same things about them as Ana, but if you have narrow heels they might have too much room in them. The Asics shoes seem to run narrower.
They are very comfortable shoes. I also bought a pair of New Balance so I could switch off, but I don’t like them nearly as much as the Mizunos.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:30 am
I just checked the website and mine are white with a touch of orange, not the crazy turquoise they show.
September 26th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
Just a thought…I know you don’t like New Balance but have you ever been fitted for orthotics? THey hurt like the dickens for about the first week that you use them but after that? HEAVEN! They are amazing. They put your whole body in line. They are fabulous for overpronating…I am one of those people as well.
September 26th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
find a running store…there has to be one in vancouver. there is no way to tell which shoe brand or style will be right for your foot, but many running stores have experts, yes, experts in fitting you with the right shoe. they will, if they’re worth their salt, put you on a treadmill at varying speeds and watch your gait, the movement of your feet etc. and then suggest a few different types of shoes for you to try. after having my feet and gait evaluated, i’m a devout saucony girl, and (prepregnancy) was running upwards of 50 miles a week in those suckers…but i tried adidas, new balance, nike etc. on my own beforehand and never had runningshoelove like i do with my sauconys.
September 26th, 2007 at 9:03 pm
Meg, I’ve liked Asics for several years, but it’s so idiosyncratic. My running gait has me striking on the outside of my foot, almost ahead of the arch, so heel cushion is completely pointless. As with almost everything else, I think I’m an oddity in this regard as well.
My suggestion is to go to a specialty store where the serious runners go (which will most likely not be in a mall). This kind of store will bring several boxes of shoes out, have you lace them up, and run back & forth while the salesperson observes your gait and strike.
You also need to acknowledge that the shoes will feel completely different 3 weeks after you purchase them. The good stores will tell you not to run in the shoes at first, just wear them around the house so that your legs and feet can acclimate to them.
Another caveat - if you’re just starting a fitness program, your body will be acclimating to the activity as well as the shoe. Don’t be too quick to blame the shoe until your body reaches an equilibrium with the activity.
Good luck! After being a chubby little kid up to my senior year in high school, I made running and regular physical activity part of my life. Not marathons or triathlons, just regular, vigorous, prosaic stuff. It builds a reservoir not only of physical stamina, but personal confidence.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
I love a good pair of Addidas.
September 27th, 2007 at 6:19 am
Good running stores are definitely the place to go to really make up your mind about a pair of shoes. When you go, it’s also a good idea to bring your old running shoes along; it helps if their expert can see the wear patterns etc in them.
September 27th, 2007 at 6:44 am
I over prontate. The shoes didn’t make the difference. The ORTHODICS did. (I got tapped on the shoulder during an aerobics class. The assistant instructor suggested I get fitted. Fixed a lot of ills.)
September 27th, 2007 at 8:19 am
Just to put everyone’s mind at ease, I’ve been fit at least three times in proper, hard-core running stores (The Running Room, Peninsula Runners, Forerunners, etc.), which resulted in one pair of Nikes, one pair of New Balance, and one pair of Asics. My Sauconys I bought myself. The Nikes were the most comfortable by far out of the four brands, which would make most runners gasp in horror, but there you go.
I didn’t find that every running store was equal in terms of “running IQ”, either, so I don’t know if it’s a given that a niche store guarantees a good shoe. I think it depends on the person working that day, and I really don’t have time to go back to several stores obsessively in hopes of getting it right.
I used to be a runner when I was younger — track and field, the whole bit. When I put on weight mysteriously as I got older, running got to be a little more stressful on my joints, but I kept up with it in bursts. I’ve had some doozy injuries to my knees in the process, so good shoes are really important to me.
I don’t have high arches and I have a fallen arch on one side (oh the shame!) so support is always a bit of an interesting situation. I’m not sure about orthotics, but I’ll look into it, for sure.
I pretty much know what I need in a shoe at this point, it’s just FINDING that shoe that’s a challenge.
Thanks everyone for all your ideas! Woo! See how helpful the internets can be?
September 27th, 2007 at 10:13 am
I’m late, but I’m a major over-pronator. Have you seen this list?
http://www.aapsm.org/runshoe.html
Also, I use orthotics, which were hella expensive, but they were the only thing that stopped my plantar fasciitis. Your mileage may vary, and there are plenty of OTC inserts that might work for you. My arches are basically at my hips, so I needed them.
I agree with you, by the way, that niche running stores are all different, and no, it’s not a guarantee, or even the smartest thing in the world. The “expert” status is questionable, IMO.
For what it’s worth, I wear the Asics GT 2110 model and love them. But I can tell right away that we have totally different feet, as Nikes make me want to die, and actually increase pronation for me.
September 27th, 2007 at 11:27 am
Do you have high, low or medium arches. I find that since I have really high arches, the shoes I like don’t always work for others when I suggest my favorites. That said, though, I have found that Brooks makes pretty good shoes, for all types of feet. Adidas make my feet go numb, so stay away from those. I’d say it would be well worth your time to go to a real running store (not Footlocker) and let them watch you run on a treadmill. I did this and I’m still wearing the shoes they recommended. Happy running..
September 27th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Brooks Adrenaline GTS-7! They will change your overpronated life!!!