Meeting with the podiatrist last week, Dr. Dan Geller in New York City was a good thing. He said I need to stretch more to avoid the Achilles pain I'm having on my left ankle, and he gave me three new shoe suggestions that have a firm upper foot, which will help me avoid the toe pains I have been experiencing. He also fitted me for new orthotics, saying most orthotics are good for about 5 years before replacement is needed. Mine lasted 15 years!
Thursday I went to the local running shop of choice, Westchester Roadrunners and tried on several pairs, ran a few yards on the local streets, and settled on the Asics Gel Nimbus model.
Running shoes have come a long way in the past 20 years. There are shoes designed for flat feet, high arches, pronators, heavy runners, and all types. These shoes are designed for high arches, with a lot of cushioning. If you want to check for shoe recommendations for your feet, try Roadrunner sports. They have reasonable prices and their site should provide some ideas. Then go to you local store and try them on, and run in them if possible prior to taking them home. I also picked up four packets of Gu, which is a thick liquid energy boosting substance that some runners use during long races. I figured I might as well try it out.
Today we met at 72nd street in New York City and ran north up a path along the Hudson River. Our group began about 9 am under sunny skies and temperature about 65 degrees. A beautiful day to run! We went thru Harlem, thru a park, then over the George Washington Bridge to New Jersey. We then turned around and followed the river back to our starting point and logged 18 miles today. I consumed 3 packets of Gu during the run and I liked the results. They are not earth shattering, but it seemed to bolster my energy level a bit when I was tiring. My persistent toe pain and Achilles pains were reduced to a minimum, which was great. The 18 miles were challenging, especially the hills leading up to the bridge entrance, but the run was completed without feeling completely spent.
My only problem was discovered about 6 miles into the run when a blister formed and by the end of the run I had a bit of blood showing thru my shoe. A "rookie mistake" was made by wearing the new shoes without breaking them in on several shorter runs.
In the end I added something else new today, a new blister. Hey, it beats a sore Achilles and sore toes! It was a successful 2.5 hours of running this morning with several friends. In two weeks we'll go a little farther, 20 miles.
Enjoy your week!
No comments:
Post a Comment