Motivation logo

The Shoes Make the Runner

Why good footwear can make the difference between months and years

By Ben ShelleyPublished 3 years ago 5 min read
Like
The Shoes Make the Runner
Photo by Bruno Nascimento on Unsplash

The old saying goes that a 'bad worker blames his tools'. The same cannot be said for runners. Getting the right shoes are essential for the long term viability of your running career. This is by non-means an open opportunity for you to say that with the correct feet apparel you will be able to be the next Mo Farah, no, this is solely concerned with your health.

The correct shoes help your body cushion the impact as your feet slam against the ground. This is something that you can get away with not doing when you are younger, like many other things, but when you are older that changes. Everything in life gets harder with age. Age is something to be grateful for but when you need to take a pill in order to stand to attention you know that certain things have a limited timeframe left.

With regards to running, the change you make today will have a lifelong impact. I wish that I had paid more attention to posture growing up. Not just with regards to running but also sitting, as I have an office job.

Maintaining Good Posture

When I first began to run I adopted a head-down stance. I would stare at the ground as though it owed me money and whenever I tried to deviate from this, my body would groan. I was not used to looking ahead and I found it much easier to get over any protests by simply giving in. This was a mistake as it took years and years to get into a good frame of mind to adopt a posture less stressful for my body. I wish I had made the changes back then.

Good posture, when aligned with the right shoes, make the runner. Rather than being able to go like the Duracell Bunny, the absence of good shoes and good posture will grate. It will make your muscles stiffer and take them longer to repair. This will ultimately lead to a running career that last years rather than decades. I noticed at the right time and changed my ways, whereas if I had only just begun to change then it would be very likely that I would have thrown in the towel by now.

The Right Shoes

The best posture needs to be backed up by the best shoes. An easy way to do this outside of a pandemic is to head down to your local running shop and ask for their help. Most likely, they will have a machine and staff on hand to measure your stride length, gait and pace in order to prescribe you the best pair of shoes possible. It is a little humbling but you need to get over that as the long term assistance that a good pair of shoes will provide is worth any short term embarrassment and associated sweat.

The last pair of shoes that I purchased in the store took me an hour to purchase. My entire lunch break was given over to this endeavour. It was a mild inconvenience when I think of the comfort and security it gave my frame. When I was forced to get a new pair, due to wear and tear, I had to go to Amazon because all the shops were closed. This is something which usually wouldn't bother me but my latest pair of shoes, whilst okay, they do not feel the same. They feel comfortable but about as supportive as Donald Trump's words of wisdom over the last few years.

Buy the right shoes and your body will be grateful. If there is one thing that I wish I could have conveyed to the younger me and that would be to buy the correct foot padding, as later on in life, my body would thank me.

Not Being Able to Purchase Shoes

The above sections have been written on an assumption. That assumption being that the reader is able to afford a £100+ pair of shoes. It is something that should have been flagged at the start as not everyone is able to afford such a lofty price tag. It is also written on the assumption that you have always worn shoes as in some countries, shoes are a luxury. With this in mind, the body adapts and that is to say, that maybe if you never wore shoes, then your body would have no need of them. This is something that I state with no evidence to prove or disprove this theory.

Poverty and especially child poverty is running rampant across the world and access to shoes should be provided to all. As much as I believe your body would adapt here, it cannot adapt to starvation in regards to food or water. This is something that we are yet to evolve beyond. We are hardwired to need these things. Running shoes by comparison are a want, a desire to make the impact of exercise less stressful for our bodies, but we do not need them to survive, only to thrive.

A Final Thought

Being able to purchase shoes in order to allow me the opportunity to run, whilst at the same time support my body is something that I am ever so grateful for. I am appreciative of everything that I have in life, and to continue my 'running career' in the best way possible. Running is a breath of fresh air. It provides me with the chance to blow out the cobwebs and push forward with my day. It is something that I have kept up for years and look forward to continuing with for many years to come.

The shoes are a key consideration in regards to longevity. I miss the last pair of shoes that I purchased. They were supportive and helped me feel as though I was ten years old again. It was effortless and whilst I am still able to run, there are more aches and pains when you do not have the right pair of shoes.

advice
Like

About the Creator

Ben Shelley

Someone who has no idea about where their place is in this world, yet for the love of content, must continue writing.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.