You're paying too much for running shoes!

I haven't done serious running since the Marine Corps but the best shoes I had were canvas top, deck shoes. They were light and worked great in wet weather. Eventually the top canvas developed holes over my big toes and it got too thin under the balls of the feet. I remember running and thinking 'stride':

It was the closest I could come to barefoot running and I once ran 3 miles in less than 18 minutes.

Bob Wilson

 

Could she have mixed or confused this with the recent study on barefoot running?

Sorry, I have no links either.

 

I don't think the running shoe companies have invented a new way to run, but they have enabled people to run with less desirable form. It's fairly natural to lengthen your stride when you try to run faster, but this leads to landing on your heels. Without good shoes you soon learn to not do this, as your heels will pay for it. Newer shoes with better heels let you get away with it, but it doesn't mean it's good for the rest of your body.

Tom

 

Running? <grins>

Bob Wilson

 

Have you seen my new shoes? These are what some runners are changing over to, to prevent injuries:



I have new black ones now, too. I have to take a photo of them..

 

I just ordered a pair from REI, online. They don't have the 10 1/2" ones in stock so I ordered the 10 3/4" ... we'll see. <GRINS>

Business black, you know.

Bob Wilson

 

Avery nostalgic thread.

Back in the early 60s, around Ballamer, the preferred high school
cross country and long distance track shoe was made by Converse.
Canvas top, only in back or red. A rubber(?) sole and heel not even a
1/4 inch thick. The sole/heel was actually not as wide as your foot.
You bought them 1/2 or 1 size too small and squeezed your feet
in. Except for the championship races, most meets were run on mixed
grass and neighborhood streets so spikes were not seen much.

Runners were so fond of them -- or was it egoism? -- that you wore
them 24/7, even in ice and snow! No socks ever. Converse
makes nothing like them anymore. Here's the best near thing on the
'net:


Here's a women's shoe offering from Adidas that "used to be for cross
country." IIRC, the heel is 2X thcker than the Converse "flats" back in the day.


For the longest time, I've preferred shoes with a nice wide foot bed,
rounded-squarish box toe, with plenty of room to wiggle my toes. Hmm...
The new separate-toe "shoes" might be just the ticket.
Thanks RaeVynn!

 

Would those shoes explain the "bigfoot" tracks found in the woods?

 

In my opinion, this has no basis of fact. I have been running for 30+ years and based on my experience, you cannot make this connection anymore than you can say it about your car tires. I buy shoes about every 350+ miles and the fit and type are the determining factors, related to shoes. The rest is related to how far and often I run.

 

My new ones are "business black"... I wear them to work frequently.

 

Now if I can just find some black, hairy socks . . .

Bob Wilson

 

Mine came in today:

• I never realized how much I was 'walking' on my heels. I will have to relearn how to walk.
• They feel a little weird about two toes but this is neither a good or bad thing ... it is different.
• Walking in dirt/gravel, little bits can get in but they come out easy enough.
• I feel a little burn in my calves but it simply means start small and build up.
• One big toe nail needed trimming after two walks, no big deal.

The next big thing is making some black hair, fabric spats to go with them. It will be perfect!

Bob Wilson

 

I couldn't try these if I wanted to. The only size that MIGHT fit is 48, which limits me to the KSO, and no one has 48s in stock.

Too bad, they'd probably work well, as I try to go barefoot around the house as much as possible, and could probably adapt quickly.

But since there are several local dealers, maybe I'll get lucky and find some 48s to try on.

 

There was a study done on this by a UK University and then newspaper follow up articles

Why expensive trainers could be worse than useless - Telegraph

The best pair of runners I had was when I was in the Army and we got issued "daps" or "pavement slappers" to use when we where not running on boots. Plain Canvas plimsole things with a lightly padded rubber sole.

The most comfy pair of daily shoes I have is from Clarks (big UK brand) they are flat with no heel build up and a thin padded rubber sole ...... top banana Mens Casual Shoes - Momo Spirit 2 in Ebony Leather from Clarks Shoes



Cheers
Fluff

 

As I was putting them on tonight and thinking about Daniel's word, I realized these are feet-gloves.

Bob Wilson

 

Fortunately, I'm hairy enough that it usually looks like I have black hairy socks on all the time

 

I have a pair of Adidas that sounds pretty similar. It's a fabric top (some kind of mesh thing, I do not know) with a thin sole. But still maybe 1/2" thick. Can't remember the name right now.. got em about 4 years ago on a clearance rack at DSW, so they probably aren't made anymore. The top part mesh is similar to what's in your first picture, but there's not as much 'structure'. e.g,. it won't hold itself open. And it's certainly more flat. I tried to find another pair recently but didn't find anything similar (but I only go to DSW which is always hit or miss). I ended up with a pair of New Balance(?) that were a similar weight, but had a bit more of a sole and structure to the top.