If only the shoe fit

Problems with my feet persist. This time, however, pain is not preventing me from running. Rather, I’m facing the challenge of finding the right shoes.

On a friend’s recommendation, I recently refocused on my attention on my shoes. My new orthotics have also motivated me to look for  roomier shoes. To top it off, I looked up the shoes that I purchased several months ago when I began running: Asics GEL-1140. From the manufacturer’s site and from a conversation with someone at a local running store, I quickly learned that, indeed, these shoes are not designed provide the support that my feet require. Perhaps my old custom orthotics have been all that have stood between me and a more severe injury.

Unfortunately, I’m hampered in my quest by several constraints. First, I’d like to find a brick-and-mortar store where I not only can try on the models in which I’m interested but where I can also compare shoes. Further, I’m in the unenviable position of having feet that are not only very flat but are also small. Try finding a men's size 8 (not to mention a 7-1/2) in a good motion-control shoe at a brick-and-mortar store, and you’ll see what I mean.

I began by searching the internet for running shoes that accommodate custom orthotics. Here my options are limited. The only shoe I’ve found is the Asics GEL-Fortitude 3. Few brick-and-mortars carry this model, although any store can special order the shoe, of course.

A number of the running shoe manufacturers have done a good job of identifying on their web sites the appropriate models given a particular type of foot. For severe overpronators, for example, Asics recommends their GEL-Evolution 5. The highest recommendations I have found, both on the site and outside of it, I have found have been for the Brooks Beast (as well as for its women’s counterpart, the Ariel).

The orthotics in shoes like these are, as far as I can gather, integral to the design. By substituting custom orthotics, then, wearers defeat the design goals of the shoes. In my case, I’m forced to search for shoes a half-size than those with which I wear orthotics: the somewhat rare men’s 7-1/2. Not a problem, if I can find a place that carries the shoes.

You may ask, why run without the custom orthotics? I’ve found that even my new orthotics don’t correct entirely for pronation. As I walk around in a neutral shoe (such as a dress shoe), even with the orthotics, I have no trouble feeling that my feet are pronating. My old orthotics eliminate this feeling, but they are rigid and unforgiving. (My podiatrist was appalled when he saw them.)

I’ve also learned that opinions vary on the relationship between custom orthotics and running shoes. One sales person told me that a custom orthotic can obviate the need for a shoe designed for overpronators, that is, that I could place my orthotic in a neutral shoe and get the results I’m seeking. Yet I also stumbled on a web site that made the opposite claim (and which informed my view that I may be better off dispensing with my custom orthotics when seeking an adequate motion-control shoe).

At this point, I’m leaning towards the Brooks Beast. The overwhelming majority of customer reviews of the shoe at the Brooks site are enthusiastic. Still, I’d like to try on the shoe and compare it with others before I make my move. Now, if I can only find a shoe store that carries my size....

It’s the Humidity, Right?

With highs around 90 and high humidity, I have few choices but to run in the early morning--that is, if I want to run outdoors. Today I was up at 6 a.m., arriving at Forbidden Drive around 6:20. The air temperature seemed to be around 70, but the humidity was noticeable.

I had planned to run five miles, alternating between three-minute runs and one-minute walk breaks. As I approached the two-mile point, though, I revised my plan downward, deciding to settle for a four-mile run. I was disappointed, but setbacks like these force me to analyze what went wrong, a potentially fruitful endeavor, I think.

Was it the humidity? I don't think so. It's more likely that I hadn't had enough sleep last night. (I'm fighting drowsiness as I write this.) I had trouble getting to sleep early enough. My body clock currently seems to be calibrated to get to bed sometime after 11 p.m., so I need to readjust to an earler bed-time. I also ran too fast, a problem that also afflicted me on my previous run.

Back to blogging (and running)

I've not blogged in a while because I haven't run much lately. The pain in my left foot persisting, I decided to take a week off from running, to do more cross training, and to reduce my running schedule to at most every other day (if not three days per week).

Besides reducing my schedule, I've begun to integrate one-minute walk breaks into my runs. This thanks to Jeff Galloway's Book on Running, a wonderful, short, but jam-packed book on the topic. Galloway has achieved some notoriety for his advocacy of walk breaks, but, at least to this layperson, he seems to have the physiology on his side. (In fact, one of the book's many strengths is his accessible, clear, and concise discussions of physiology.) Among his goals is to help runners to run longer, better, and, most importantly (at least from my perspective), injury-free.

This past Wednesday I returned to running for the first time in over a week. I still had a bit of pain in my left arch, but I decided that I'd not take another week break without trying my foot out a few more times. I ran four miles in the evening with one-minute walk breaks every four minutes.

Today, I had intended to undertake what for me would have been a long run: eight miles. Because of the distance and the heat and humidity, I decided to take more frequent walk breaks. I alternated, then, between three minutes of running and one minute of walking. Unfortunately, I was unable to run more than an hour or five miles. This was due either to the heat or to running at too fast a pace (twelve-minute miles instead of thirteen- or fourteen-minute ones).

Live and learn. Next long run I'll try to slow down and to run earlier than 9 A.M. on a hot summer day.

A surprisingly good run

Today, I had my third good run in a row. I was surprised, because I had expected that the heat, humidity, and sleep deprivation would work against me. I did return to my regular route, starting from Valley Green Inn. I tried to start slowly, but I hit the half-mile mark in 6 minutes flat. In fact, so consistent was I that I ran the first mile in 12 minutes, the second in 11, and finished the entire run in 44 flat.

Right now, I’m in a holding pattern. I’m still experiencing some mild pain in my left foot up to about one-third the way up the inside of my left leg. The pain, however, doesn’t afflict me when I run. So I plan to continue running four miles four days per week for a while. I expect to get my new orthotics any day now, and I plan to maintain my current routine while I get accustomed to them. Then, if the pain is gone, I hope to work some five-mile runs in regularly. Stay tuned.

Another near-perfect run

We’ve had terrific, if unseasonably mild, weather for the last few weeks. Today was no exception. In the middle of the day, the temperature was in the mid-70s, and the humidity was low. Although I had slept late, the moderate conditions made it possible to get in a pleasant run.

As before, I ran the first half-mile slowly. Very slowly. 8 minutes. I was pleased with the slow pace. I then felt that I could speed up with no problems, and I did. The remainder of the run I averaged an 11-minute-mile pace, completing the entire run in about 46’30”.

I’m still dealing with some foot pain, but that didn’t afflict me during my run. I’ll continue to pursue a rather conservative course for a few more weeks: running at most four days per week, limiting myself to four miles, and keeping at the 11-minute-mile pace. I’m expecting my new orthotics to be ready in a week or two, and I then intend to maintain my current routine for about three more weeks. Then I hope to begin incorporating a few five-mile runs, some intervals, and the like.

An almost perfect run

Today was sunny with relatively low humidity. I went running a bit after 3:30 p.m. Instead of starting from Valley Green, today I began at Northwestern Avenue, my second stop after running by the Chestnut Hill Library to return some materials.

I was surprised to find that I ran my first half mile in a little more than seven minutes. This was good: I tend to start my runs at a pace that’s too fast. Thereafter I continued my run at about an 11-or 12-minute-mile pace, finishing the entire four-mile run in 47 minutes.

The entire run was pain-free. I’m not sure why any more. I positioned my orthotics comfortably within my shoes and did some foot stretches before running. Anyway, I’m not going to quibble with what works. I’ll try the same things the next time I run.

Derelict blogger

I have been bad. I have not blogged two of my last three runs. I now have a huge backlog of blogs to produce. Here goes:

Saturday morning, I arose early and hit Forbidden Drive for a four-mile run. I had a pleasant run, finishing in about 46 minutes.  Unfortunately, I don’t remember much else about the run.

I spent most of Saturday and half of Sunday trying to finish up  some work for my day job. When I did get out to Forbidden Drive, it was early afternoon. I’d planned to run four miles. Since it was mid-day, I decided to run away from Northwestern Avenue on a part of the route that is a bit shadier. Unfortunately, I ran into “perfect storm conditions:” I’d not slept well the night before, nor had I eaten much Sunday morning; the course has more and longer, steeper hills than going the opposite direction; and the air was humid enough to have a noticeable effect. To make matters worse, I ran the first mile much too fast—in about 9’45”.  (I wasn’t aware that I was running that fast.) While I slowed down to what turned out to be an 11-minute-mile pace (but I should have slowed down more). My body petered out after a little less than 3-1/2 miles. At least I got a decent aerobic workout.

Today’s run was also somewhat unsatisfying. I’m still having foot pain and even some shin pain on my left side. Before I ran, the foot pain had subsided, but shortly after I began running, it came back. My legs also felt like lead for the first mile. For the sake of my foot, I decided to limit my run to three miles today. I’m disappointed, but I’d rather minimize the risk of injury than to push to do four miles.