Everyone else left a print that looked very much like A in the above insert. My footprint looked very much like D. My shoes were always uncomfortable. Thank goodness I could get away with wearing sandals almost year round because they were most comfortable.
I love to dress up. In college I majored in clothing design and textiles. I love to design and sew clothes. All us ladies know if your going to wear a beautiful outfit that shoes are an important finishing touch. So, due to my stubborn nature, I buy shoes that EDSers shouldn't necessarily wear. When I was teaching school I had to wear "sensible " shoes because I was on my feet all day. I was very jealous of the other lady teachers who would come in stylish shoes that I could never wear more than five minutes.
Now that I'm not working, I only dress up for church, performances, etc. Now I can wear the shoes I love because I don't walk very much when I go to these places. Here are some of my favorites:
I actually feel I can walk better in heels than I can in flats. I seem to walk every whichway but straight in flats, not sure why. Maybe because I use different muscles walking in heels, I tend to walk a little more normal.
These are my comfy shoes I wear when I shop or when I know I'm going to be on my feet awhile. Again, because I live in a warm climate I can get away with wearing sandals almost year round.
Now when it comes to athletic shoes, I have a very different mindset. I absolutely need something that is not only comfortable, but is extremely supportive. Most athletic shoes are made for "normal" feet and were never meant to hold up to the needs that EDSers have. I have gone to athletic shoe stores and have stood in front of the massive display of shoes and my head would begin to spin due to the overwhelming choices. Where do I even begin? I can't possibly try them all on. They claim to have good support, but how do I know until I have worn them awhile? I have owned Nikes, Brooks and New Balance. Though they are good shoes, I always found them lacking. Keep in mind that I also insert my custom make orthotics and had my podiatrist insert a substance called Sculptra into the heel area of my feet for added cushion. Even with that, these shoes weren't quite what I wanted.
A few months ago I thought I would try a new brand, so I bought these Asics:
They felt wonderful from the minute I put them on. At that time I was walking 3 or 4 times a week and doing some cross training. They worked beautiful for that. However, when I began to train for this half marathon I found they weren't quite holding up when I would run. So, I went back to the store again to stand in front of that overwhelming display. I told the clerk that I needed a shoe that would give me more support than any other shoe. I was willing to pay whatever. He suggested I try these Asics:
These are the Lady's Gel-Kayano 18's. A little pricey ($150). Wow! Do these feel great! After putting my orthotics in them I feel I can run forever with very little pain. I love the way they hold my whole foot together when I take a step instead of allowing my feet to go flat.
It's little things like finding the perfect shoe that will help me accomplish the big things like running a half marathon. So, find a shoe that fits and see how far they'll take you.
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