A running epiphany

On Tuesday I went to Running Revolution in Campbell to get my running form analyzed. The girl who videotaped me and helped me select my shoes was rather deadpan and matter-of-fact. It was hard to tell if she was just bored or had a bad day or unconsciously projecting an "I'm a runner and you're not" attitude. Her colleagues seemed a lot more outgoing and jovial, so I'm sure it's not a reflection on Running Revolution. If anything it makes me think about my salsa classes, because I do feel sometimes that my own teaching style can be rather terse. But I digress.

It turns out that I was severely overpronating in my running step. This occurs when the foot turns inside on impact with the ground due to a flat or low arch. It was so bad that I grimmaced just watching the video of my feet running on the treadmill. No kidding: it was like seeing a soda can being crushed sideways! The picture shows you what it looks like. (No, those aren't my feet, as anyone who knows my sunbathing habits will tell you!)

So I finally bought a pair of Brooks "Beast" running shoes for severe overpronators ($120). The correction was decent but not quite enough so I also decided to get some Superfeet Performance Green insoles ($34.95). Even with the San José Fit discount (which applied to only the shoes, not the insoles), it came out to $130.95 before tax. Much pricier than my $40 Costco running shoes, but I bought those in a pinch just to get started and didn't expect them to be very good anyway.

Last night I felt the difference on my very first run. These new shoes were so much more comfortable and my knees felt a lot better afterward. Plus I didn't feel any stress on the outside of my ankles like I did in last week's six-mile run. Now I can really move forward!