#plus my forefoot is wide and my heel is narrow

[eastberlin]

Just ordered jazz shoes that will hopefully fit and tide me over until I can find character shoes that fit my incredibly fucky feet (medical term) and now I've got Chicago stuck in my head (because jazz).

[gentlycursingintothatgoodnight]

Stretching My Neck At New Shoes

Subunit A wants to run a half marathon, and it didn’t take much arm twisting for me to agree, just some post-race endorphins.  I hadn’t given a lot of thought to running shoes before that other than using ones that don’t hurt me.  However, with the increase in miles, I decided I’d like to add another shoe to the one-horse stable.  I don’t know if it’s necessary, but I’m thinking the chances of injury will be less if I can swap shoes regularly.

The shoes I’ve been running in for a while now are the Topo Magnifly 3.  Either I have a weird foot, or I’m very picky about how shoes fit.  I’m willing to bet it’s the latter, but I rarely find a shoe I like.  When I do, I run in it until the company changes it, like Topo did with the Fli-Lyte that I used to wear.  The Magnifly hits all the basics, though:  narrow heel, wide forefoot, and high instep.  It also has a zero offset, which means there’s as much cushioning in the forefoot as in the heel.  

As someone who grew up walking barefoot much of the time and mostly wearing Birkenstocks for years as an adult, I like the zero offset.  However, most running shoes have more cushioning in the heel than in the forefoot, so I thought I’d look for a pair that has a low but nonzero offset to give myself more options.  To that end, I narrowed it down to three shoes that seemed like they might fit: Topo Cyclone, ASICS EvoRide, and New Balance Beacon. 

The New Balance Beacon was the first to be eliminated.  Despite having what looked to be a deep heel cup, my heel slipped pretty badly.  Plus I couldn’t get over the color available in my size, which I think NB calls white/glow.  I call it Unicorn Dust and not in a good way.  I don’t mind a bit of sparkle or femme touches, but for me it should be just that:  a bit.

It was then a toss-up between the EvoRide and the Cyclone.  They were both more snug in the midfoot and instep than I’m used to but nothing that made me want to rip off the shoe.  They both had enough room in the toebox.  Both shoes slipped in the heel some – not enough to make me not run in them but enough to irritate me.  The cushioning in both felt firmer than that of the Magnifly.  Otherwise, the upper on the Cyclone seemed a bit stiff, and the rocker bottom of the EvoRide seemed a bit weird.

Unable to make a decision, I put the Magnifly back on and suddenly wondered how the hell I’d been running in them.  In fact, I wasn’t even sure how I managed to walk in them without tripping they’re so loose. And it turned out that the heel was just as loose in them as in the two others, but I didn’t really notice because they’re loose everywhere.  Funny how humans can get used to things that perhaps aren’t ideal.

In the end, I decided to keep the ASICS rather than buy another pair from Topo because they’re different, and hopefully that will help keep my feet and legs adaptable and healthy. Here’s the thing, though:  they’re different.  I don’t like change.

I once had an amazing dog, a Brittany I named Titan because he was smaller than the Dobermans I grew up with.  Titan was quirky and suspicious of anything new.  For example, he would eat anything but lettuce, but if I gave him a new treat, he would act like I was trying to poison him.  He’d plant his feet a little ways off and then stretch his neck as far as he could to sniff the goody in my hand.  Once the new thing passed the sniff test, though, he was all over it.

Titan has been gone for nine years, but I still think of him when I encounter something new.  You know what they say about dogs and their owners resembling each other.  So ASICS EvoRide, I’m planting my feet and stretching my neck at you.  I may end up loving you, but you haven’t yet passed the sniff test.

Now that I’ve written that, it occurs to me I’m not sure what passing the sniff test means for a human wearing shoes.  They’re lighter and bouncier than my regular shoes, and the goal is to use them for short fast days and racing.  With that in mind, I suppose the sniff test will be to walk in them for a while to get my feet and legs used to them, probably run in them for a short while over the weekend, and then use them for the 1-mile time trial on Tuesday that’s part of my training plan. 

Okay, I’ve stretched my neck, so let the sniffing commence.

[shoesreviews]

Orthofeet Verve Comfort Athletic Shoes For Women

Orthofeet Verve Comfort Athletic Shoes For Women.   Orthofeet orthotic shoes are built with an innovative Ortho-Cushion system, engineered with unique comfort features:  FEATURES Contoured orthotic insole with anatomical arch support. Gel padding under the heel. Ergonomic sole with air cushioning.  BENEFITS Soften every step you take Reduces pressure under the heel Adds spring to your step Works wonders to alleviate heel pain & plantar fasciitis Orthofeet orthotic shoes have proven to help millions of users improve mobility and enhance comfort from heel to toe.  Finally a Shoe that Aligns my Body for a Long Exercising Pain Free Walk  First walking shoe that's wide enough and doesn't need my specially purchased orthotics. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and two replaced knees with hips that soon need replacement. Lots of lower back pain with compressed discs due to OA, RA and Osteoporosis. I can walk on pavement for 45 minutes pain free with these aligning my feet, legs, hips, and back appropriately. Love love love them! They are everything Vionic promises. My only request to them would be to make their MaryJanes and mules and sandals in wide sizes for those of us with multiple problems like me. We too would enjoy wearing the bright colorful shoes and sneakers.  Finally, a great walking shoe  I've always said in my next life I want new feet. Walking eight hours a day for 40+ years on concrete takes a toll. I can try on 150 pairs of walking shoes and maybe find one that works. Well, miracle of miracles, I found that ONE that works in this shoe. After reading the previous reviews, I ordered a half size larger. The fit is perfect for me. This shoe is so well made and comes with extra inserts to fill in the gaps if needed. I haven't had to use these yet. I thought it would be clunky looking, but it is not.   I've been walking around the neighborhood my knees and hips don't hurt as much. Looking forward to using these in Disneyworld where you walk at least ten miles a day. Wish I had these when I was working. I would recommend like others to order up in size. Delivery was much quicker than promised. They are definitely a thought out, well put together product and I will look into buying other styles they offer. You can tell that the company puts pride into the product and packaging. The price is so worth it for a comfortable fit.  Like walking on air!  I ordered a half size larger because my feet are swollen. Most of the reviews I had read said to order a whole size up and never mentioned swollen feet. I’m happy I didn’t do that! If my feet weren’t swollen, I am sure I could have ordered my exact size and it would have fit perfectly.  These shoes are so comfortable. It is truly fun to wear them. I have high arches and it feels so good to actually feel the support underneath them. I honestly can’t recall ever a time when I’ve said a pair of shoes was fun to wear but these are. They are so comfortable it’s like you really are walking on air! I’ve never said that before either.  I am about order my regular size for when my feet aren’t swollen plus a few more in different colors. They really are that comfortable!!! Helped my Plantar Fasciitis  I was recently diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis. After buying the heel inserts and doing the exercises my doctor recommended my feet were still hurting after a week. When the doctors recommendations did not work I thought I'd try a pair of Orthofeet shoes since they had the best reviews for feet problems. I won't lie to you, they hurt my feet when I first put them on, but after I took them off, I noticed that my feet were starting to feel better. And after a week, I am happy to say, my feet are feeling almost like they did before I was diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis. I highly recommend these shoes to anyone who has feet problems.  Heaven really, my feet thank me every night. Yours will too!  What these have done for my foot pain has me singing! I can't say enough about the support my poor feet get. I am retail and i'm on my feet 8 hrs and hard concrete floors. These have save me! Ok truth they are an expensive cost. But I was buying skechers memory foam shoes every 3 mos at $50 to $55 each time. I got my first pair of these Apr 10th and the most i've done is replace the insoles cause stinky feet, not really the shoes fault there. I just got a second pair because I wanted work and home shoes. Heaven really my feet thank me at the end of the night, yours will too!  What comfort!  When I was looking for new tennis shoes, I really didn't look at these, because of the use of the term 'diabetic' in the description. I don't have diabetes, but I do have terrible feet. But when I took another look and read the reviews, I kept seeing reviews by people who had feet like myself. I ended up not just ordering these but the Orthofeet sandals as well. I never knew shoes could be so comfortable. What a great design - a strap for those of us who have a narrow heel but wide forefoot, lacing that does not bind the mid-foot and has 'stops' so that the shoe doesn't have to be relaced to the proper fit each time, and extra inserts for those of us who have thin feet. Orthofeet is now my go-to shoe. And, no, I have nothing to do with this company, except be a customer!  This shoe is perfect in every way  This shoe is perfect in every way! The padding and arch support has eliminated my foot and knee pain. The Tie Less design has helped give a custom fit and made putting on shoes a breeze since I had surgery just 2 days after receiving the shoe. Read the full article

[2spry]

Lone Peak 3.0 Review!

Ok… So I have been running in Altra shoes for over 5 years now and I love them. I have tried multiple models and most of them work for me. As far as the Lone Peak line, I have worn the original, the 2.0, the 2.5, the neoshell, and now the 3.0. Right off the bat I will tell you the the best fit of all of them for me is the 2.5. I’ll get into why in a little bit. I was given the Lone Peak 3.0 by Road Runner Sports who I have recently become an ambassador for. Thanks guys!!! I had been eyeing these shoes for awhile, but hadn’t pulled the trigger because my 2.5’s are still going strong. I wear a 9.5 in The One 2.5, the Lone Peak 2.5, 3.0 and neoshell, and the Superior 2.0. The two Altra’s that didn’t fit were the original The One (too much volume), and the Intuition 3 (in-between sizes).

FIT:

Upon my initial try on, it was clear to me that these were basically two different shoes. They just didn’t fit the same at all. I have a very low volume foot which does not bode well for the 3.0. It feels huge. How huge? I have to wear two pairs of socks to get them to fit decent and the laces are still almost all the way together. You might say well should you have sized down? I’m not sure. I have just over a thumbs width at the end and they appear to be the exact same length as my 2.5’s. So, if I sized down I’d be afraid my toes would hit the end on any downhills, but I would have to try them on to know for certain. Overall, they just feel sloppy. (This is the same problem I have with the neoshell, but I wear winter socks with those so it isn’t as big of a deal.) I don’t want to have to double up on socks during spring, summer, and fall. I sweat a lot so that is the last thing I want to do. However, that being said, those with a larger volume foot will absolutely love these shoes! The wide toe box is awesome, the heel fits great, and as always, I love the zero drop!

UPPER:

This is an improvement from a durability standpoint. The construction of the upper over the sides of the shoe are no longer mesh and therefore there isn’t much stretch. I can feel the sides of the shoe on the outside of my big toes. Once I started running I didn’t really notice this and didn’t get any hotspots. The gaiter trap is still there, (yay!), and they added a gaiter hook at the front of the laces which I also love. There is an excess amount of material that I get when I tighten the shoe all the way, necessary to get the best lock down I can. I hope this does not cause blisters on long runs. Overall I think they made some great updates.

CUSHION:

Tons of cushion for me. I tend to go towards the most minimal running shoe in the Altra line (my favorite trail shoe being the Superior 2.0). This is the thickest I will ever go. I like to have some ground feel and there really isn’t any in this shoe. This makes it like running on a pillow, so for some this will be a huge plus! It will be great choice for those long runs/ultras!

OUTSOLE:

They have a very different outsole compared to the previous versions. A different and thicker lug pattern and an absence of a trail rudder. It does provide better traction, and really is just a beast of a shoe. I haven't noticed the missing trail rudder yet, but I need to get them out on some gnarlier trails to test it out for sure. I have run on cement, snow, mud and dirt so far and they perform spectacular on all.

ZERO DROP, WIDE TOE BOX:

I only wear very minimal to zero drop shoes. I find that this has helped me immensely in my running life. If you aren’t used to this, I recommend easing slowly into running in Altra’s, which they recommend as well. If you don’t, you could end up with sore feet and achilles. These shoes allow your toes to splay and your muscles to work as they should, thus helping to promote better running form. Not only that, I have not had a black toenail since I have switched to the Altra line.

CONCLUSIONS:

Now, having said all that, it may sound like I’m not fond of this shoe. This is not the case. I still think this is a great shoe, and if you have a high volume wide foot it will fit great. The upper seems to be much more durable, the lugs are larger for improved traction, and there is more cushion (a negative or a positive depending on preference). This version of the lone peak is very comfortable to walk around in, and performed well on cement and trail. I have been able to run 5-7 miles at a time in these, with double socks to take up room (injinji compression with an injinji mid-weight run over them), and have not had any blisters so far. I haven’t taken them on any really long runs yet, so I will update this review as I add more miles.

It most likely will not go into my race line up of shoes because of the fit on my foot. It is just too bulky and sloppy for me to grab it over the 2.5 or the superior 2.0 (my go to race shoe, fits like a glove). I have concerns about blisters on long runs just because of the large volume which allows my foot to move inside the shoe quite a bit. This shoe, for me, will be a training shoe that I will trade off with in order to keep my other Altra trail shoes from wearing out so quickly, or it could be a great shoe at the end of a long race as it would accommodate any foot swelling. If my foot were thicker, I’m sure I would be in love with this shoe. The foot bed is super comfortable, the lugs perform great on multiple terrains, and there is ample cushion for those long training runs/races. If you have a place you can try them on I would recommend trying a couple of sizes to make sure you get the right fit. Road runner sports provides a great service with their 90 day test run. If they don’t work for you, you can exchange within the 90 days for something else! Maybe sometime I will try on a half size down. I will update if I do. I am really excited about the improved durability as I tend to get multiple holes quicker than I’d like. Hopefully they carry this over to all the models! I highly recommend the Altra brand! Please don’t hesitate to ask any questions if I have missed something you were looking for!

Happy Running!