Last night I was almost in tears from the pain of my poor feet. I'd put blister plasters on to help protect them from my trainers but alas the blister plasters on this occasion made it all worse. By the evening my feet hurt and the foot that's had the blister plasters on the most was starting to itch. So the blister plaster had to come off as I was either about to erupt with contact dermatitis or my foot was possibly getting infected.
Have you ever tried taking off blister plasters before you are meant to, especially when they have actually caused a blister? No! Well it's blooming painful. I had to cut it off and then use an alcolohol wipe to try and break down the glue. Suffice to say last night my feet hurt and were dutifully dressed to keep them clean and then an additional cushioning dressing was added to help reduce the pain so I could get to sleep.
This morning pain was much less yay, so I was able to reduce dressings down to just minimal keeping it clean (allowing for air flow though) as I had decided enough was enough and I would just have to get new trainers despite not actually being able to afford any.
Although anatomically the trainers I had were fine, it was just a fit issue and I was pretty sure neutral was what I needed as I have been running in trial shoes I decided to be brave and go to a sports shop and get gait analysis.
I've seen sweatshop recommended a few times on here and my friend also recommended them and said they were incredible friendly.
So this morning off I went travelling from the wilds of Nottinghamshire into the city centre.
Now I find sports shops intimating places. All clothes that are too small and bored teenage sales assistants that look down at you because omg warning warning a fat person has walked in.
The sweatshop was nothing like that. It looked welcoming and well laid out and the sales assistant was lovely (I even think there might have been some clothes that might have actually been my size).
So 'hello I'd like some help to buy some trainers please' in my head I am thinking that's the dumbest thing ever, you walk in pick the pretty ones and pay for them. Er no head we are doing this right.
Immediatly I was put at ease and asked if I'd had gait analysis before and next thing I knew I was standing on a glass plate and wiggling my toes, ok so not quite toe wiggling but she had me stand in a couple of different ways so they could capture how my feet sit and how they react to a couple of key movements. I was shown my images and had them explained to me. My left foot/leg is all very straight and neutral my right foot/leg there was a slight devaition but again everything indicated neutral and the deviation of my right side fits with my right ankle being the weakest one in terms of joint hyper mobility.
She also talked me though the custom insoles they do and moulded some to my feet. Now I do have proper orthics (good old NHS surgical supports) and the process is different. The custom insoles are not a true orthic but I found them very comfortable, and I got to try some trainers with and without the custom insoles. Oh the custom ones are lovely.
I also took along my current trainers so she had a look and was immediately able to identify that they are trail shoes, again it's reassuring to know that they really do know their shoes. And again looking down at how they are wearing this further supported nuetral. Hurrah.
She then asked what sort of shoe I wanted trail or road and went through the benefits and I decided on road, and off she went to get a test pair. Next step was the treadmill. I explained that I'd not been on one in about 15 years, she set it off running slow and my god it felt weird, all that moving to stay in one spot. Anyway she said if it felt too weird it wasn't a problem I could run up and down the shop, very geared to me as the customer and making sure everything was right for me. I was ok on the machine though despite feeling weird I was still running in my natural style. Again this all supported that neutral cushioning trainers are for me.
Next up she brought out some options, we'd already discussed my fit problem was width so I knew my choices were limited. She was happy with my questions, really interested in listening to how I'd only recently finished c25k and just generally lovely, nothing was too much effort.
And she confirmed that left to my own devises in the future what brands were wide fit (nike, new balance do wide fit and depending on the style brooks can also be generous) so again very good to ensure I have the right information going forwards.
There was no pressure to buy. I would have loved the insoles but I left those for another day.
She also let me know about the sweatshop running community and located the run local to me and made it sound really friendly and definitely suitable for a baby runner.
She checked that I was ok for running socks, again no hard sell and also she wanted to make sure I was using a sports bra. Again no hard sell it really did feel like she wanted to make sure I had all the basics covered.
It really was a very pleasant experience. So if you have been wondering about gait analysis but a little too worried, don't be go for it.
Oh happy feet with their little clouds. Can't wait to try them out and who needs to eat anyway (my poor credit card is having to recover from the shock, what with me having to buy a new car battery, the next week a new phone and then the following week a pair of trainers. I hope the final medical I have to do for my job offer goes well and I get my start date sooner than later).
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spoonierunning
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What a reassurring post for those of us ( me ) scared to go for gait analysis, I almost want me ok trainers to wear out now ! Like you the credit card would complain right now
Well done you for biting the bullet. If you're inevitably going to have to buy some eventually why suffer on. I'd love to go and get this done when I'm in need of a new pair, which will be sooner rather than later the way I'm going and it's great to know how the process works.
Can I be really cheeky and ask for a ball park figure on the cost of this? I know it's bad manners to ask a lady how much her gait analysis costs but I literally have no idea and might well be blowing things out of all proportion.
Gait analysis was free as was trying the custom insoles. Trainers well they were eye wateringly expensive (but I didn't have to buy but the sweatshop offers a 30 day guarantee, try them if they are not right pop back and you can get a different pair) a garmin forerunner 10 would have been cheaper but alas wouldn't have done anything to help my feet.
Oh I see. So I should be thinking full price trainer sort of price, not bargain bucket Sports Direct kind of price like last time! Nice to get that extra service for what others would pay anyway though
Yep, until we all learn to run on air I think a good pair of trainers will be an essential running cost!
I know people that have popped in been fitted and then brought their trainers online for cheaper - I checked mine would have only been £10 cheaper and I wouldn't have got the option to take them back, yes even after running in them if I decided I needed different ones
I hope that many people read this and are reassured that 'specialist' running shops do not mean "stuck-up, who-the-hell-do-you-think-you-are" shops! My gait analysis was performed in a pair of jeans and, like you, I hadn't been on a treadmill in ages. Initially, I felt like an absolute dork but there was obviously no judgement, just an interest in helping me to choose the right shoe. I was shown a selection of shoes and allowed to choose based on my own parameters, not on a sales push.
And what dainty feet you have! Much more attractive than my long, thin size 7s (resulting in size 8 trainers ... glamorous with a capital G!!). I'm not even tall but at least I'll never fall over in a strong wind
Have you been for a jog around the house in them yet?!
Like you I had a similar positive experience in Sweatshop, and like you I don't 'do' treadmills so ran up and down the shop. I can vouch for the guarantee as I went back today having had some problems (have posted about it), so IMO worth the extra money (they aren't the cheapest).
Yes the guarantee was why I was happy to pay their prices. Well not happy, happy, I mean who would want to pay a small fortune for shoes - except for me when I was younger and had money to burn - as I was still inwardly squeaking in shock and hoping my credit card wasn't about to burst into flames.
Yes future buys will be online now I am confident what I am looking for (unless of course I get my 50 stamps for the sweatshop running community cause then that means free trainers trying to work out if I can fit the run into my current plan)
We don't have a sweatshop locally. I just took advice and got the Nike Zoom Fly Ladies running shoes in bright orange! They are fab! Had them about 3 weeks now got them on line and saved some money!
We do have some local independent running shops that also offer free gait analysis, maybe you have an independent shop near you doing it? Maybe worth checking out when you need new trainers.
Yay for Sweatshop, They were lovely to you and they were lovely to me too. My beautiful ugly shoes came from them and I'm thankful for them every time I go out to run. You don't have to be 23 and a dress size 8 to go in there, you just have to want to run. Hope you do many many happy miles in them
I also had my gait analysis done at Sweatshop and they were lovely. I bought the recommended running shoes which were a little more expensive than in other stores but since have been able to invest in more of the same from online shops at a vastly reduced price. It was definitely worth buying the right shoes from a great store.
I went to an Up and Running shop in our town which is manned by runners from one of the local amateur atheltic clubs. Extremely nice young (at my age they are always young) who was extremely helpful and very, very knowledgeable. Have to be honest and say I nearly passed out when told how much they were but, I much prefer to buy my electrical goods from a local shop rather than a "shed" (Currys or whatever they are called now) because they come and install (for free) give advice and also show you how everything works (and more than once because I am a little thick) so paying that fraction more for expert help and advice was well worth it.
I honestly don't feel like I have anything on my feet when I go out running - it actually feels like I am hovering above and gliding along - which is, I think how it should feel?
I had a similar experience at sweatshop a few weeks ago. I ended up buying the insoles, too. I hadn't intended doing so but they were so comfy I just had to
Glad to hear you had such a good experience at Sweatshop, Spoonie. And that you have some lovely new foot-clouds; the gait analysis is fun, isn't it? I was all excited when I went for mine!
Your new shoes look great and will now hopefully help make your feet very happy indeed. Enjoy your first run with your new shoes!
I liked the insoles but they do feel wierd, and are too dear, so i had to pass. You can always get some from footlogic etc for about half the price if you find you need them
Thanks for sharing that, it was really informative. My Dr told me to get this done weeks ago but lack of cash and recovered knee has made me ignore it, but I've been wondering because it does all seem a bit intimidating.
Please let us know how the trainers feel for a run and how you get on with them. Enjoy them!
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) scared to go for gait analysis, I almost want me ok trainers to wear out now ! Like you the credit card would complain right now
1st Parkrun of the year today - New sport. 
Lightened wallet should improve pace.
How brave am I?
Different result from gait analysis
