For a runner, running footwear is the most important piece of kit you will have in your running career (well – joint-most important next to a good Sports Bra for you ladies!). You will fight together through tarmac and forest paths, from quick mid-week runs to the long, slow Sunday ones. Training and racing side by side – so, with the Hendy Eastleigh 10km around the corner, you need to a pair of shoes you’re going to get on with!
Running Footwear has evolved so much in the last decade, it would be naïve to attempt to choose your perfect shoe alone. There are so many variables such as cushioning, stability, heel offsets and durability across well over 20 brands, who have up 30 shoes each on the market. That’s a lot of shoes!!
So, as your Official Health Partner of the Hendy Eastleigh 10km 2019, we thought to give you 5 points to find your match made in heaven:
- Support your local shop. Don’t buy online – you can’t get fitted properly over a computer – not yet at least! Go in and talk to someone one-to-one and get a gait analysis done. A gait analysis helps identify any potential issues with your running style and whether it can be corrected with a particular set of shoes. The main movement they will look out for is the term ‘pronation’ and other elements such as heel striking and lateral/medial rotation of the hip. From this information, they will be able to suggest the best solution for you.
- Be open minded – don’t judge a shoe by its colour or brand. Always try what the shop recommends and get the shoe which feels most comfortable. Not the one which matches your new sports top! A pretty pair of shoes won’t hide the pain on your face half way round 10km!!
- Be transparent! Talk to them openly about your current aches and pains, and also what you like/don’t like about each of the shoes they suggest. That kind of feedback maybe the different between getting a good shoe and the perfect shoe for you!
- Don’t be too limited on price. For a good pair of running shoes, you’ll be looking at spending around £110 for a decent pair. It’s an investment for sure, but the shoes will last you long time and can offset a lot injuries and pain in the long run – no pun intended! They will last ~450 miles for the higher mileage shoes before you need to consider replacing them. So for someone doing 10 miles a week, that’s about a year!
- Don’t leave it too late! Give it at least three weeks before the race. Trust me from experience – it will make you re-evaluate everything you thought you knew about blisters otherwise! Break the shoe in properly with about 5 x 5km runs. And then, if you have any issues, just talk to them. It does happen and they will usually be keen to rectify the problem. But be wary, most guarantees only last a month!
Good luck to all who are doing the Hendy Eastleigh 10km! Fingers crossed for good weather and we will see you there as your Official Health Partner for the day!