Serious Running Blog

I was emailed this picture of what looks to be a Bigfoot sighting.  It contained a link to this new advertisement for New Balance running shoes which I thought it was kind of funny.  The point New Balance is making is that you shouldn’t have to think about your feet while running.  The decision for the type of running shoes you prefer should be easy; however, we all know picking the perfect running shoes can be a daunting task sometimes.  The best way to find the perfect running shoes is to go to a running specialty store and try on as many pairs of shoes you can.  Even if you are loyal to one particular brand of running shoes, go and try out some other pairs.  There could be some better shoes out there that you didn’t even know about.  Most specialty running shoe stores will allow you to test run in the shoes and then give you advice on what type of running shoes seem to fit your running style.  You may know what feels good while running, but you don’t have eyes in the back of your head so having an expert examine you as you run is well worth it.  By utilizing this technique along with their experience, they are able to “hone” in on the perfect running shoe for you.  Kind of like a personal shopper!

If you live in the Atlanta area, a great running shoe store that will help you hone in on the perfect running shoe is Phidippides.  Most of the employees have been working there for over 10 years and it is owned by the World renowned running expert, Jeff Galloway.  Also Big Peach Running Company in Atlanta lets you take your shoes for a test run.

“This is the end.  Beautiful friend.  This is the end.  My only friend, the end.” – The Doors

This is the end for END footwear according to SportsOneSource.com.  END (Enviromentally Nuetral Design) footwear has been discontinued by LaCrosse Footwear who purchased the END footwear brand this past June for 500,000 dollars.  LaCrosse plans to use the technology, resources, and capabilities into the Lacrosse and Danner product lines but discontinue the END brand.

END footwear’s goal was to provide normal athletes with high performance footwear through innovative design.  END footwear received honors for the Best Trail Running Shoe Debut and Best Road Running Shoe debut by Runner’s World in 2009; not that anyone cares what Runner’s World says.  I personally have never worn a pair of END running or trail running shoes but I have heard they are very different from most trail running shoes.  Here is what END footwear says about their trail running shoes:

“There’s a spiritual sense of oneness when you explore the outer mire. From dust to muck, the Stumptown collection comes to life in the land of filth with superior traction, stability, and confidence for extending the wilderness experience, urban wandering, or any other stress release you can invent.”

END footwear was a smaller company that was able to focus on what the customer needed in their revolutionary trail running products.  Apparently END footwear even got spiritual about their trail running shoes.  Even though LaCrosse will use a lot of the technologies and materials from the END brand, they will lose the culture that has been developed by END.  It looks like this is the END for this small, responsive shoe company with a huge passion for running.  The END.

This is a question asked on the running forum that I thought I would share:

“After always buying cheap running shoes (but never having issues), I decided to go to the local running store and actually get fit for shoes. I’ve only ever run in Asics or Sauconys, but I got fitted with Brooks Adrenaline 9s. Every run I blister uncontrollably, but on my left foot only. I went back to the store and it turns out that my left foot is smaller than my right… so I’ve been wearing extra thick socks — nothing… the left foot still blisters really bad. I’ve heard that the Adrenaline 9s are very different from the 8s, but I never owned the 8s to begin with. What’s the best way to deal with this? Thick socks aren’t cutting it… should I buy a second pair in the smaller size and wear two different size running shoes? That sounds expensive… help!”

Wow, sounds like you are in desperate need of “help!”  Well, that’s what I’m here for, to help.  I mean, not using my expertise could create a moral hazard.  First off, I like that you went to your local running shoe store to try out some running shoes.  I recommend this for any runner who is unsure of what type of running shoes their feet need.  However, if you know what kind of shoes you need, I suggest using SeriousRunning.com to get the best prices and the largest selection of running shoes.  Too easy.  As far as the Brooks Adrenalines, I like them, but I’m hearing too many people say that their running shoe store has fitted them for these shoes.  I am beginning to wonder if Brooks is putting any incentives to running shoe stores to sell this brand.  I may need to do some investigative journalism, Wall Street Journal.

Thick socks are a great way to solve this problem but it sounds like you have a much larger difference in foot sizes for this solution.  One foot becomes larger because when we stand for long periods of time we often shift our weight back and forth, usually favoring one foot over the other.  This causes that foot to swell and flatten out more than the other foot.  If you want to stop this problem from occuring I suggest concentrating on where you shift your body weight when you stand and ease off your fat foot for a change.  You don’t have to buy two pairs of running shoes like the running shoe industry would like you to do.  Check out OddShoeFinder.com to get a matching pair of shoes plus great information for people like you.  See, everyone has a place on the Internet!  Isn’t it good to know that you don’t have to fight a fat foot problem alone!

As for the blisters, check out this article.  I actually am very blister prone so I have a lot of experience with them, but then again, I have a lot of experience with everything.  And whatever I lack in experience I compensate with my swagga.

Buying running shoes at your local running shoe store is silly.  Why would you do something like that?  All you have to do is go to a sweet website like SeriousRunning.com, while sitting at home in your underwear, and read the reviews of other runners to help you decide which pair of running shoes you want to buy, at a competitively cheap price nonetheless.  I mean, seriously, each person reacts to a pair of running shoes the same right?  Well, I wish that were true, but guess what, one size does not fit all when it comes to running shoes.  If you don’t know anything about what type of runner you are, what type of running shoes you prefer to wear, or have been injured because of your running shoes, then I suggest you go to your local running shoe store and try out as many pairs of running shoes as you can.  That’s how much SeriousRunning.com is here for you.  We’ll even tell you to go patron somewhere else if we feel like you will get a better value out of it.  For instance, if you are looking for a cool camping website or cool mountain biking website then go to those links.  See, it’s not that hard.  We do it all the time.

I wouldn’t tell you to check out your local running shoe store without checking out mine here in Atlanta, Phidippides.  It’s a really great running shoe store that Jeff Galloway built back in 1975 when running shoe specific stores weren’t cool yet.  What a trend setter.  Actually, Mr. Jeff Galloway will be at the Ansley Mall location tomorrow morning at 7:30 to run part of the Peachtree Road Race route.  A chance to run part of the largest 10K in the World’s route with one of the former winners, that’s enough to get me going early on a Saturday morning!  If that’s not enough for you to wake up for then please go to http://www.notreallythatseriousrunning.com.  Or just show up tomorrow morning anyway for the free giveaways and after the event maybe you’ll be inspired to take running more seriously…dot com.

So what did I learn from going to Phidippides?  A lot.  I know, you thought I knew everything, and quite honestly, I did too, but it turns out I don’t.  I was taught about running shoes from a couple of different employees there, Gregory, Ron, and Kevin, who were all more than helpful in providing me with some excellent knowledge and great customer service.  So what makes a running shoe store like Phidippides so special?  It’s this expert knowledge that each employee has, being deeply involved in their craft.  So how do you get some of their knowledge?  By going through their Evaluation Process.  Don’t worry, everyone passes.

When a customer first comes in the store the employees ask, “What are you looking for?”  This is a great question because even though it is a running shoe store there were many types of runners in their like the High School cross-country runner, the somewhat out of shape couple looking to get back into running together, and the grocery store employee who was having knee problems from standing all day.  So once the staff member determines what type of shoe you are looking for, which also helps them to understand your running knowledge and running shoe experience, they put you in a neutral shoe and watch you run, focusing on your foot strike.  They don’t have any fancy cameras, treadmills, or water.  Well, they do have fancy water, but it’s for sale in a bottle.  They also have calibrated eyes and motion sensors in their brain.  They take the information they learn from watching you run and decide which category fits your running style, Core, Versatility, Core Support, Stability, or Stability II.  They also carry footwear in the Performance, Trail, Performance Support, Racing Flats, and even Orthopedic Sandals categories so they’ve got everything you would need from a running shoe store.  Here’s the thing about their categories though, the staff members don’t feel confined to them.  They are free to pick and choose the right pair specifically for you without being locked in to one specific category.  Finally someone realizes just how dynamic you really are!  The staff members watch you run in every pair of running shoe you try on and modify the type ever so slightly each time in order to find the shoe that fits best to your running style.  I honestly would go in there and try on whatever the staff member told me to, and then buy whichever running shoe he/she said fit me best without even questioning it.  The staff members I talked to had about 20 years experience selling running shoes, one specifically at Phidippides!  That’s over a million people he has watched run.  Trust me, I did the math.  However, you don’t have to go with exactly their expert advice, they do let you decide based on what you feel when running in the shoes, but they probably would make an objection if you decided to buy a pair of running shoes based solely on looks.  Sorry Paris Hilton, but it’s still hot.

Some other services Phidippides provides that your local running shoe store may as well, is the 30 minute indoor service.  After you purchase your shoes you can run in them for 30 minutes indoors on a treadmill or indoor track and still take them back for a full refund if you aren’t satisfied.  That’s like 6 miles!  Ok, maybe like 5.  Another cool thing I saw them do was modify the inserts.  The staff members would cut felt and mold an insert specific to what the customer needed.  Remember what I said about one size doesn’t fit all for running shoes.  I wasn’t lieing.  Also, after asking about a category discrepancy I had, they told me about how the staff members work closely with shoe companies, testing out new products and giving them feedback about whether the running shoes performs the way it was intended to.  If a shoe doesn’t perform the way the running shoe company says it should the Phidippides staff either re-classify it or stop carrying the running shoe entirely.  Going head on with the shoe-scientists at major running shoe manufacturers.  What authority!

I know, not everyone has such an established, successful, helpful running shoe store near them like I do, but if you want to try on your running shoes instead of, or before purchasing them online, then go to a local running shoe store.  To help, check out our listing of running shoe stores and see if there is one near you.  Review it and tell other runners where the best place to buy running shoes is…other than on SeriousRunning.com of course.