So, is it possible to run yourself out of shoes?  And I don’t mean by putting too many miles on them.

When I first started running, I ran in Brooks.  A pair usually lasted me a year.   I was also barely doing 200 miles a year but that’s another story.  The shoes weren’t bad but I didn’t love them either.   I had a bad case of shin splints that would come and go as well.  After a few pairs of Brooks- Ravenna, I think- I switched to Mizuno.   Instant convert.  I loved my first pair of Wave Inspire 9’s.   I put over 500 miles on them.    I replaced them with another pair of Inspire 9’s.  Loved those too, until I didn’t.

I started feeling aches in my feet and achillles.   My 10K PR was set at 55:40 and I still don’t know how.  My left achilles hurt so bad throughout the race I came to a complete stop at one point to stretch it out.  And then there were the walk breaks.   I took a week off after that race and started looking at my shoes.   I had also been running in a pair of Wave Rider 17’s for my shorter runs and I felt better in those.   But they were neutral and I was supposed to be in support shoes, so back to the store I went.    They suggested a high cushion shoe to cure the aches and pains.   So hello, Brooks Adrenaline 14.   Holy crap, those were bricks.    Plus the right one was way too big and even shoe-doo’ing the laces didn’t help.  It was the first time I ever returned a pair of shoes.  I felt really bad about it- I tried to like them, I did- put about 100 miles on them but just couldn’t.   Back to the store again.   Another treadmill test showed I pronate the same in support shoes versus a neutral shoe so what was the point?   The employee helping me suggested I run in what was comfortable to me and not what “anyone” recommended.  Glory days!   I switched to running in the Wave Rider’s full time and it was smooth sailing from there on.  Over the next year I picked up a pair of Wave Hayate’s for trail running and Wave Sayonara 2’s for shorter, faster runs.   Things were awesome…until they weren’t.

Now, I admit I have odd feet.  The left is bigger than the right, one arch is high and one is medium.  Oh, did I mention they change size?    Legitimately change size, I have had them measured more than once each time I felt like they had grown or shrunk.   The shoes in my closet range from 8-10.     Some of them collect dust depending on what shoe cycle I am on.  Those Hayate’s and Sayonara’s that I love?  Too big now.  When I run trails, I wear multiple socks.    And my much loved Rider’s?  They’re not right anymore.  Something’s off.

4 pairs in and they make my legs hurt.  My knee aches, my shins and calves are tight, my ankles hurt.    I tried going back to supportive shoes and tried the Wave Inspire 11.  Yuck.  That was the second time I’ve returned a pair of shoes.  Sorry!  So I bought the updated Wave Rider 18.  What the hell.  They are awkward and make my left foot hurt and ache in odd spots.  I’ve tried reworking the laces but no luck.   If I wasn’t embarrassed I may have returned them too. 😂  So back to the drawing board.

Everything feels like a lot of shoe these days.  I was kind of embarrassed to go back to the Running Warehouse with my current issues.   I wanted to try things on but not have to bother anyone.    So I headed to Dick’s.   I tried on every shoe in my size that I could reach and put away on my own.   I made sure I didn’t leave behind a mess.   The only things I didn’t try on were Hoka and Nike.  I’ve never liked a Nike pair of running shoes and as for Hoka?  I have troubles picking my feet up as it is, let alone with that much shoe.  There were 2 options that felt good to me but I was still undecided.  I felt like I was cheating on my running shoes.   The shoes I liked were entirelydifferent than what I have been running in.  Decisions, decisions.

To help my choice, I ran a few runs in my Sayonara’s.   Too big yes, but overall so much better than my current shoes.   Before last Thursday’s run turned creepy I was experimenting with my shoes.  I ran 2 laps of the lake in the Sayonara’s and 2 in my Wave Rider’s.   I was going to change back to the Sayonara’s for one last lap but then creepy truck happened.   Grrr.

Saturday I headed back to the Running Warehouse to make a decision.  I asked for 3 pairs of shoes.   Mizuno Sayonara 3, Brooks Pure Cadence 4 and Brooks Pure Flow 4.     The Sayanora 2’s have been phased out and while the 3’s were awesome colors, I didn’t like how they felt on my fit.  To me they look and feel like an entirely different shoe.  Closer to the Rider 18’s actually but they felt wrong on my foot.   The Brooks Pure line is entirely different than anything I have run in.    I tried them on years ago and hated them.   This time they made the arch on my left foot happy.   One pair more so than the other.  So I left with a pair of Pure Flows.   What have I done?!  8 pairs of Mizuno and I left with Brooks.I am breaking them in slowly but so far I like them.  I am running differently in them but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.   My shins are achy but that’s happened every time I’ve switched shoes so I am not alarmed at the moment.   And my left leg joined the party!!  I’ve mentioned before that my left leg is lazy and usually the source of my problems.  I went for a short run on Monday and it was like my leg woke up.  Hey, where have you been this whole time?!  So now the problem is long runs.   I don’t feel adjusted to the Pure Flow’s enough to run long in them but my Rider’s make my knee hurt.    I’m trying to figure out how to change my shoes at some point during the run.   Hmmm.   Laps of the lake would work but I don’t want to go back for a few weeks.

So, thoughts?

Have you ever just stopped liking a shoe?

Am I the only one with odd feet?  😃

Thoughts on how I should attempt long runs?