Run Tampa

The Right Shoe for Both Feet

-by Bill Davison, owner of The Running Center
Dealing with the general public can be quite interesting especially if you are dealing with their feet. I find that there are many things in common that might help the average person find a better shoe for their walking and running needs. Let me give you some “rules to go by” when you are looking for a performance shoe.

First, let me tell you what I mean by a performance shoe. A performance shoe is a shoe that you a buy because you need a shoe to do a specific job albeit running/ walking or just standing on your feet all day. You must find a shoe that does the job and not buy a shoe because you like the color or style

Performance running/walking shoes come in three basic categories, stability, cushioned or neutral and motion control. Now you want to find out what kind of foot you have so you can match your running or walking characteristics to a shoe that best works with your feet.  You need to take off you shoes and have someone watch you walk to see if your feet are rolling in (pronating) or rolling out (supanating). If you are rolling in you generally need a stability shoe if you are rolling out you generally need a neutral or cushion shoe. if you have flat feet generally you should be looking for a motion control shoe. Width is also a consideration, most people can fit into the standard width shoe which is “B” width for women and “D” width for men. Most athletic shoe companies are making performance shoes in width now days so find a shoe that comfortable on you foot for both length and width.
*More info from Bill on finding the right shoe in the next post.

The Right Size Shoe

 -by Bill Davison of The Running Center

As I work with people at my store or at health clinics or fairs, I find many of the same questions being asked. A good example is: "Why do my feet hurt after standing on them all day at work". If you think about it, there are several factors at work here common to many people. The first issue could be you have the wrong size shoe. Our feet get longer and flatter as we age and factors that contribute to this can be added weight, pregnancy and being on your feet for long periods of time. Another element that can be involved in your foot getting bigger is that as you stand on your feet they swell or get larger over the day. Another component of this bigger foot phenomenon is width. Most people, if they think about it, know they need a shoe that fits both length and width. You should not be concerned that you have always fit into a certain size or width. When it comes to running or walking shoes, you need to make sure you buy at least a half or full size larger than your dress shoe size to accommodate the foot getting bigger as you exercise.

* The Running Center is included in the running shoes category of the Business Directory, and Bill has provided a 10% off coupon which can be printed by clicking a button on his directory listing.

Don't Get Married to Your Shoes

    -by Bill Davison of The Running Center; runcenter@aol.com

      One of the biggest issues we have to deal with when an existing customer comes back to the store for a new pair of running shoes, is replacing the shoes he or she has fallen in love with. They have accomplished “great things” with these shoes and they have become their closest friend. What happens many times is the manufacturer has changed the shoes through the so called “update,” and it is not the same shoe. Many people panic and buy every closeout they can find of their old shoe. Although the closeout purchase will solve the problem temporarily, one still must eventually make the adjustment to a new shoe. The good news is there are a lot of great new models now on the market with a style and size to fit anyone.

You Have Got to Get Out the Door Part 2

 - by Bill Davison, The Running Center, runcenter@aol.com

If you are going to engage in aerobic exercise four days a week and do some type of weight resistance training two days a week, you are going to need a good pair of shoes that fit properly and match your foot type. Remember to get stability shoes if you are rolling in (pronating) and neutral shoes if you are rolling out (supinating) or have a high arch. If you have a very flat foot or are a larger person, you might look for motion control shoes that will give you extra support and will not break down.

You will also need some technical apparel that will make you feel comfortable while you are training. Look for moisture management items such as cool max, dry lete or dry release to mention a few. Most people prefer loose fitting apparel so it will allow the body to move about more freely.

One item that can be invaluable as a training tool is a heart rate monitor. You can get one that comes with a GPS system or just purchase the heart rate monitor by itself. Two brands that are very popular are GPS systems by Garmin and heart rate monitors by Polar. Make sure your heart rate monitor gives you a higher and lower zone reading. Both should give you very good info on the beat of your heart and how it is relating to your running. Polar heart rate monitors even give you the distance between each heart beat. Both Garmin and Polar offer nice information packages so you can down load the data to their web site to help you maintain a very sophisticated log.

The “Grateful Dead” in “Fire on the Mountain” tell the distance runner to get out the door; we should all heed their advice.

You Have Got to Get Out the Door

 - by Bill Davison, The Running Center, runcenter@aol.com

A good number of people started this year by running a Gasparilla event or possibly a Disney event. Many people focus the entire year on one of these events and then don’t do any other running events the rest of the year. The human body needs the proper diet and ongoing exercise or it thinks it is going into hibernation and starts gaining weight. So you have to show up either at more of the local races or start getting out the door to do your daily exercising. We advocate attending as many of our local races as you feel you can handle. The local 5k races allow you to set a goal for a completion time and you can compete against yourself.

The general wisdom of exercising on a regular basis recommends four days a week of aerobic exercise. You need to maintain your heart rate in the 60% to 80% zone of your maximum (one standard used is 220 minus your age is your maximum heart rate) for 30 minutes and you need to do some type of weight resistance training two days a week. This schedule should be maintained for the rest of your life. Next time, we’ll talk about running clothes and shoes.