Cinderella says if the shoe fits… but that can lead to disaster for your feet and you.

A shoe that fits your foot may still be the wrong shoe for your foot, legs and stride. I learned this the hard way. Let me explain, I used to be on a tight budget a very tight budget. Where my dollar was stretched pass the point of Abe looking like he wasn’t over 6’ tall. So going to a running store to buy my shoes was out of the question. As a new runner, I knew that I didn’t need to spend a lot on shoes. I mean this is a cheap sport, no equipment to purchase like a bicycle or wetsuit, so why spend money on expensive shoes, a shoe is a shoe right. Target, Walmart, Kmart & Kohl’s all sell tennis shoes, at very reasonable prices. As long as the shoe fits…I can walk and run, right? Wrong!

My first pair of walking shoes was bought with a gift card from Christmas, New Balance from JC Penny’s. I was using them to walk in. They were comfortable and my feet didn’t hurt. Just my shins, but I soon “Walked” through that pain. Then my shoes started to feel thin, so I need to buy a new pair. Target had a sale, the shoes I bought were nice and pretty, they fit well; but the first morning of my walking routine…WTF?!? They hurt like pins and needles on the bottom of my feet. So I did not finish my route that day, the next day I went back to my worn out New Balance, however, I had to do something because I needed new shoes. I started to save money as much as I could to get me a new pair of running shoes, at least NB from JC Penny’s were not to expensive even though they were more than Target, Walmart, etc. but more reasonable than a running store. Then I went to Rack Room on a whim, they had a pair of NB that were a perfect fit both for my foot and pocketbook and I was back to walking without the pins and needles. But then about a month later I started running full time, I was training for a ½ marathon and I needed to run everyday. This wore out my new shoes faster than walking, I had no idea how fast the wear and tear on shoes happens when pounding them on the pavement.

Then my lovely, wonderful friend (Mother-in-law) gave me a gift certificate to my new favorite place, a running store… wait did I just say that out loud. My Sis-in-law took me to the running store her and her husband go to and I was mesmerized with all the stuff in there for runners. I thought this is a cheap sport, wrong, it can be an inexpensive sport, but it can also be an investment in yourself and body if you buy the right clothing and materials needed to make you comfortable on a run. So with a $100 gift certificate to Off-N-Running I went to get my first pair of running shoes.

I went on a Saturday Morning, I was told to see Emily, I had already met a couple of the guys that work there, but Emily was recommended for a shoe fitting. I got there early, right when they opened, no one was there yet allowing Emily and I to chat and get my feet in the right shoe without being rushed. Emily asked all kinds of questions, measured my feet and had me walk for her, jog a bit too. Then we started to try on shoes… a lot of shoes, pair after pair they didn’t feel right. I think I went through about 100 pairs. Then finally the Cinderella pair, the sky opened as the sun shown down on my feet and Angels sang “Hallelujah”. Mizuno Wave Inspire 7 was the magic shoe, the fit was perfect, the cushion was perfect and the support was perfect. I ran so Emily could make sure my stride and gate looked good in the shoe, I knew these were the right shoes because I could feel the difference. I bought my new running shoes and went home. I wanted to wear them that night but I waited a whole day and a half, because I had decided Sunday would be my rest day.

So Monday morning when I got up, dressed and put on my new shoes I was giddy like a girl going to her first day at school in her new clothes, I couldn’t get out the door fast enough. Then the run, Oh, WOW, Emily is my new best friend and hero. The shoes were phenomenal, my feet were happy, my legs were happy, my shins were happy and I was happy.

I wore those shoes out within 4 months I had to buy another pair for my Disney run, Wave Inspire 8; I got another pair for Christmas. Now with two pairs of good running shoes (the first pair are lawn mowing shoes now) I am set right, wrong. Praise God I got a full time job with a pay increase. I can now spend a bit more money on my running gear without having to worry about over stretching Abe that he now looks like he is taller than 6’. I have since retired my Disney run shoes to just workout gym shoes and have added another pair (which is good since I have lost weight in my feet too, so the last two pairs bought are a size smaller) to my run only shoes.

I now know the most important part of this sport is your feet and you put your feet in shoes that are made to keep you running, not that they just fit. Also that running shoes wear out fast, keeping at least two pair to switch out every other day so two will last longer than one is essential. Also other gear will help you run faster and farther, but that’s another post for later. Get the correct shoes first so you will enjoy your runs; spend a bit more on the right shoe and you will not regret that purchase.

My Running Shoes: Top Left: Disney Run-Now Gym only, Top Middle: NC Half Run, now switch off with the next pair. Top Right: Brand new pair - Broken  in and will switch off with Middle pair. The bottom 2 pair are workout shoes.