It has been a year since purchasing my Brooks Adrenaline GTS 9 and my foot was starting to hurt 
while running, so I went to the New Balance store in Alpharetta/Norcross this Saturday and got refitted for shoes (similar to Big Peach Running Co “Fit Process”).
After trying on several shoes and going for quick jogs around the store and along the sidewalk outside, I ended up with the New Balance MR1012 Running Shoe
. It is a model on the higher end of motion control. I am also going to try some Aetrex inserts to better help my lack of arches.
We’ll see how it goes tomorrow when I go for a run for them the first time.
Filed Under (Products) by Matt on 16-03-2010
It appears that RunKeeper Free users no longer get to edit their routes on the RunKeeper website when the app decides to flip out and not realize you’ve turned on an out-and-back section of your run. There used to be (and it is still referenced in the FAQ) a “EDIT ROUTE” button on the map where you could adjust it.
Well, in Firefox I ran Firebug, found the button’s code which was set to “display:hidden”, changed it to “display:block” and clicked it. The feature is still fully there, functional, and allowed me to save my edits. I am wondering if this is just a mixup on their end as they are debugging something, or if they are truly taking this option away from users.
It was present this past Thursday, as I used it then. It did not appear as an option on that run’s map now though, so they either were working on their site, or they have attempted to disable it for their Free users.
Hopefully this is just a glitch and it will return to normal by my next run. Otherwise, I’ll look at other free apps or be forced to consider purchasing the Pro version.
I’ve read a lot of interesting articles on barefoot running over the past six months. Some have been better than others, actually seeking out opinions from both sides of actual doctors and educated researchers. Others have simply been rants and raves.
The gist of it is that we are built to run barefoot, but shoe companies have kept up from doing so for decades as they continue to come up with “better” shoes to “correct” the problems that we have with our strides. Some people will benefit from running barefoot, but there are dangers to doing so. Namely, there are things on the road (sharp rocks, glass, etc) that our shoes can help protect our feet, protection that barefoot running simply cannot provide. The other danger is that we can injure our feet by thinking we can simply take our current shoe-wearing miles and switch right over to going barefoot for the same distances. In reality, we need to adjust, as muscles we do not fully use in shoes are utilized when running barefoot.
It would seem that Vibram Five Fingers (VFFs) are a nice “happy medium.” They provide you with as close to a “barefoot” experience as you can get while still providing you mild protection from road debris and from stubbing your toes. At less than $100 for most pairs, they are also less than many running shoes offered today.
I just ordered a pair of VFFs online. Once they arrive, I am not sure that I will be hitting the pavement in them right away (or possibly ever). Instead, I am going to use them for weight training, as I think they will provide me with an opportunity to strengthen the stabilizing muscles in my feet for any exercise where I am standing, from the obvious squats and deadlifts all the way to bicep curls or tricep rope pulldowns. I may also wear them around the office (if work doesn’t mind).
We’ll see how I like them. Who knows, maybe I’ll end up running in them after all?
I’ve been bad about keeping a blog going in the past, but maybe since this one is about something I enjoy I’ll be able to stick with it. Here goes nothing…
I am really interested in getting into trail running sometime soon. Not knowing where to go or knowing anyone who is experienced in trail running is all that holds me back, besides not having the proper gear. I’ll go to Big Peach Running Co for the proper shoes when the time comes, but I wondered about staying hydrated on the long runs in woods far from your car or other resources.
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