# running shoe recommendations??



## keith (Dec 1, 2007)

i'm ~300lbs (down from almost 400) and looking to move from my walking routine to jogging. but even walking tends to crush the heels of most shoes (i actually push thru the insole) so any recommendations for good reliable shoes for a heavy runner would be appreciated. (i tend towards over pronation as well if that helps)

thanks!
~k


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## sunnie1653 (Dec 1, 2007)

I don't go running or nothing, but I have the same problem with running shoes, I usually collapse the heel portion in it after about 6 months.. but I got a pair of Nike shox like, almost 2 years ago and they're still as springy now as they were when I first got them. And I weigh more than you do. The springs are guaranteed for the life of the shoe by Nike, so I'd definitely look into them.


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## SocialbFly (Dec 1, 2007)

a couple of things...good for you on finding your path to health...

second...if you do decide to jog, please make sure and stretch very well before and after...that is how i got a great big fat case of tendonitis in my achilles tendon...it sucked and hurt for years after...

third, i love nike max, but that being said for running, you will need a sturdier shoe. Two that i have researched and find great are the Reebok DMX and then of course, new balance.

i would go to a running store that has a special pad that shows if you roll your foot to the inside or outside, there are shoes specially for that and make jogging much safer for sized people.

Good luck!!


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## TearInYourHand (Dec 2, 2007)

I love to run, and I'd have to recommend Saucony shoes. They're a shoe company that only does running shoes, so I always figure they know what they're doing! And, I've been wearing them for years, and never had a problem, and they last long!


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## keith (Dec 8, 2007)

sunnie1653 said:


> I don't go running or nothing, but I have the same problem with running shoes, I usually collapse the heel portion in it after about 6 months.. but I got a pair of Nike shox like, almost 2 years ago and they're still as springy now as they were when I first got them. And I weigh more than you do. The springs are guaranteed for the life of the shoe by Nike, so I'd definitely look into them.



they sound great, i'll check them out. thanks for the info!
~keith


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## keith (Dec 8, 2007)

SocialbFly said:


> a couple of things...good for you on finding your path to health...
> 
> second...if you do decide to jog, please make sure and stretch very well before and after...that is how i got a great big fat case of tendonitis in my achilles tendon...it sucked and hurt for years after...
> 
> ...




Thanks for the support & advice! Regrettably, i'm already personally familiar with the adverse effects of poor stretching in warm ups & cool downs, but it definitely ensures that i makes sure my athletes stretch properly. 

Did you have a specific new balance model in mind?


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## keith (Dec 8, 2007)

TearInYourHand said:


> I love to run, and I'd have to recommend Saucony shoes. They're a shoe company that only does running shoes, so I always figure they know what they're doing! And, I've been wearing them for years, and never had a problem, and they last long!



it's a little embarassing that i had nearly forgotten them. when i ran before i enjoyed the saucony jazz (second favorite shoe, first was the original nike air pegasus, the new version just wasn't the same). i'll have to see if they have a model for heavy, over-pronators.
thanks!


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## SocialbFly (Dec 9, 2007)

keith said:


> Thanks for the support & advice! Regrettably, i'm already personally familiar with the adverse effects of poor stretching in warm ups & cool downs, but it definitely ensures that i makes sure my athletes stretch properly.
> 
> Did you have a specific new balance model in mind?




i dont have much luck with new balance, so nope, lol...but i know they are at running stores, i would go there and try them on and take a couple of laps around the place...


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## k1009 (Dec 9, 2007)

What about inserts for your shoes? I don't run (dear god no) but I've started strength training and wear gym gear for that, my trainer insists on a 15 minute treadmill warmup before each session and I started enjoying it so now I'm walking an hour each time I go to the gym and lo and behold my feet started hurting. I tried buying new runners but that did jack so on a whim I bought padded insoles and voila, no more pain! 

The beauty of these insoles is that when they start feeling thin and worn I can just toss them and put another pair in.


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## TraciJo67 (Dec 9, 2007)

keith said:


> it's a little embarassing that i had nearly forgotten them. when i ran before i enjoyed the saucony jazz (second favorite shoe, first was the original nike air pegasus, the new version just wasn't the same). i'll have to see if they have a model for heavy, over-pronators.
> thanks!



Keith, when I started jogging, I went to Foot Locker and asked for recommendations. I got Adidas Supernova brand, for a high arch. They fit perfectly. 

The only caveat that I'd add ... I was jogging on concrete footpaths, and ended up with a fairly nasty hairline fracture. It took nearly 2 months to heal properly, and I still feel twinges when I wear certain shoes. The orthopedic specialist that I saw told me that jogging is not a recommended form of exercise for me. I can get most of the same benefits from speed walking. Just something to consider.


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## Jon Blaze (Dec 10, 2007)

I can't recommend shoes exactly, but one rule I learned from periodical running with my mom (She's on a team, and I'm an ally-runner I suppose ) is that you should replace your shoes for every 1000 hours you clock.


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## comperic2003 (Jan 4, 2008)

keith said:


> i'm ~300lbs (down from almost 400) and looking to move from my walking routine to jogging. but even walking tends to crush the heels of most shoes (i actually push thru the insole) so any recommendations for good reliable shoes for a heavy runner would be appreciated. (i tend towards over pronation as well if that helps)
> 
> thanks!
> ~k



I would not recommend you jog. If you have a row machine available to you, I highly suggest that alternative. Here is a quote from renowned physical therapist Diane Lee, "You can't run to get fit. You need to get fit to run." Muscular imbalances, postural flaws, poor soft tissue quality, and that fact that you are a woman and are at a greater risk of knee and ankle injuries, you should try to avoid jogging or running.


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## comperic2003 (Jan 5, 2008)

With a name like Keith, i do not think you are a woman. Scratch that whole at a greater risk of injury because you are a woman thing. But "Muscular imbalances, postural flaws, poor soft tissue quality" still qualify. Oh, and b/c you are a large person, the extra weight would only exacerbate these problems.


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## love dubh (Jan 5, 2008)

comperic2003 said:


> I would not recommend you jog. If you have a row machine available to you, I highly suggest that alternative. Here is a quote from renowned physical therapist Diane Lee, "You can't run to get fit. You need to get fit to run." Muscular imbalances, postural flaws, poor soft tissue quality, and that fact that you are a woman and are at a greater risk of knee and ankle injuries, you should try to avoid jogging or running.



I ran cross country. Four miles, five days a week, on a mountain trail. If I had all these "problems" you delineate, I would not have been able to. Do you have a degree in exercise science? Physical therapy? Anything related to body mechanics? You don't sound knowledgeable on the subject, and as such, should keep quiet. It's enabling attitudes such as yours that discourage women from being active and having agency about their health.

Don't stretch cold. That is a terrible idea. Do a warm-up (a lap or two), and then a good stretching session. Once you do that, you can proceed to your work out. I recommend Avia or New Balance running sneakers. They are quite sturdy and did me well during my XC days.


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## comperic2003 (Jan 5, 2008)

love dubh said:


> I ran cross country. Four miles, five days a week, on a mountain trail. If I had all these "problems" you delineate, I would not have been able to.



And my grandma has been smoking 2 packs a day for 55 years and she is not only still alive, but in good shape. So, what is your point? Your one case does not disprove scientific evidence. We are talking risks and probabilities here, not absolutes. 



love dubh said:


> It's enabling attitudes such as yours that discourage women from being active and having agency about their health.



Did I say all women should not run? No, I simply stated one should not run to get fit, one needs to be fit to run. Running is an extremely complicated task, and people who cannot even squat properly (chest up, natural lumbar arch, heels flat on the ground at all times, and butt to ankles) should not attempt to run considering they are horribly imbalanced. It is a fact, women are 6 times as likely to injure their knee than men. Why? Physiology. Wider hips make for narrower knees. Look at all of the elite female runners, whether it be long or short distance, 99% of them are built like men. They have wide shoulder to hip ratios. 



love dubh said:


> Don't stretch cold. That is a terrible idea. Do a warm-up (a lap or two), and then a good stretching session. Once you do that, you can proceed to your work out. I recommend Avia or New Balance running sneakers. They are quite sturdy and did me well during my XC days.



Let me guess. Squats are bad for your knees too, and pilates helps to tone, lengthen and reshape the muscle. How about this. Do no static stretch. It will increase your risk of injury. Utilize dynamic stretching, otherwise known as mobility training. And finally, screw running shoes. If you must wear some for of running shoe, wear nike frees or vibram fivefingers.


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## TraciJo67 (Jan 5, 2008)

love dubh said:


> I ran cross country. Four miles, five days a week, on a mountain trail. If I had all these "problems" you delineate, I would not have been able to. Do you have a degree in exercise science? Physical therapy? Anything related to body mechanics? You don't sound knowledgeable on the subject, and as such, should keep quiet. It's enabling attitudes such as yours that discourage women from being active and having agency about their health.
> 
> Don't stretch cold. That is a terrible idea. Do a warm-up (a lap or two), and then a good stretching session. Once you do that, you can proceed to your work out. I recommend Avia or New Balance running sneakers. They are quite sturdy and did me well during my XC days.



I can't even PRETEND to know much about health & exercise science, but will say that my orthopedist told me nearly exactly what Comperic said. 

I don't jog anymore. I speed walk, swim, and use a treadmill. All are activities that are beneficial, health-wise, without the risk associated with jogging.


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## hamsterine (Jun 8, 2008)

I find trainers by this company: http://www.asics.co.uk/ supportive and comfortable for the feet, legs, knees and ankles. I must admit, I don't go in for a lot of high-impact excercise, but what little jogging I have done has been relatively comfortable in my gel-soled asics trainers.


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