Running Shoe Makes a Difference

Do you know that the shoe you wear to run does make a difference?  If you are going to use your feet to carry you down the road to fitness, give them the treatment they deserve, suggests Glenn Jones, a jogging enthusiast.

In choosing a running shoe, size - although important – and looks are not the first considerations.  Perhaps the first step in picking a shoe is to evaluate your running style.  Make sure you run relaxed and natural – then check the way you are using your feet.  There are at least three basic ways the runner’s foot strikes the ground.  Decide which one you have been using and inspect the shoe on that basis.

In the heel to toe technique, the jogger lands first on the heel of his feet and then rocks his body forward to take off on the ball of the feet.  This is used by most long-distance runners because it is not very tiring.

Some runners run flat footed.  Here, instead of hitting first with the heel, the entire foot lands on the surface at the same time.  This allows the force to be distributed over the entire foot and often eliminates bruising when running on a hard surface.

In the third type of foot placement, the runner lands on the ball of his foot and then settles to his heel before taking the next step.  This is often used by track sprinters but produces a strain for many runners and you may not find it as comfortable as other techniques. 

Now you are ready to select the shoe that suits you best.  If you are a heel-toe runner, it is possible to buy a shoe which has cushioned pads built in under the ball and heel of the foot.  This provides the protection where you need it most.  If you are a flat foot runner, try one of the canvass type shoes.  These shoes allow a distribution of the weight over the trial foot surface so that one spot does not suffer particular stress.  And if you are the toe-heel runner, it might be wise to go to a track type shoe.

Determining Your Heart Rate.  If an exerciser has a stress test, the speed (in kilometers per hour) that probably will raise his heart rate to target levels when he walks, or jogs or runs, can usually be determined fairly accurately.  However, a healthy person can use his heart rate response to a trial of walking or jogging at various speeds to determine the level for himself.

For instance, try to walk a kilometer continuously at the fastest pace at which you are comfortable.  If it takes half an hour, you are walking at the rate of two kilometers per hour.  As long as there are no warning symptoms, and the heart hasn’t reached target zone, then increase the level of exercise to one kilometer in 20 minutes, which is three kilometers per hour.