Yesterday I trekked over to Nottingham, to the running shop where I bought my very first pair of proper running shoes nearly 5 years ago, to buy some more. I'd spotted an offer on their website and hoped that I could get two pairs of Brooks for just under £140. I have a difficult time finding shoes, because I have hobbit-type feet. I always need men's shoes because women's are rarely wide enough; I over-pronate, which cuts the available selection down even further, and I take between a size 7 - 8 in my ordinary shoes, let alone running shoes.
I've struggled with my last few pairs of shoes even though I had gait analysis and supposedly had the 'right' shoe fitted by Sweatshop in Meadowhall - they made a dreadful job of it all, at the third attempt gave me a shoe which started to fall to pieces after 100k and then refused to do anything about it. Those were New Balance so I won't have those again.
Back to Up and Running in Nottingham, then. I had gait analysis done again, because I have lost weight and now do a lot more running than I used to, but yes, I still over-pronate, so having tried a few shoes on, the Brooks Adrenaline 16 seem to be the shoe. And the two pairs were in the offer
I didn't run in them in this morning's Parkrun - I thought I would continue in my old shoes for today. I set off, full of trepidation, not sure what to expect. I'd looked at the results so I knew there would be around 200 people and I probably wouldn't be last. I knew the park, sort of, but couldn't visualise the course. When they said, 'Up the hill' what did they mean, exactly...?
I got there very early and hung around getting cold. By the time we set off I was regretting my clothing choice - I'd dithered between long leggings or capris, and gone in long. It was quite warm and sunny, and the park is beautiful: we ran by the lake, through the woods, past the daffodils - oh and up the hill, of course! Twice.
Everyone set off really fast (for me) and I knew I couldn't keep up at that pace. I let them all stream away into the distance and then it was nice and quiet, running along more or less on my own After a while I started to overtake people though, especially at the first encounter of the hill. It wasn't too bad the first time, although I admit that on the second time up it I had to speak quite severely to myself and tell myself it wasn't anything like as evil as last week's hill
At the start my plan was to take it steadily so that the next time I ran it I would be guaranteed to get a PB Unfortunately, by the time I'd laboured up the hill for the second time, I was determined to fly down to the finish so I was pushing on by that point! My official time is 36.07 and my position is 350, so if (when!) I do it again I will have to do a leetle bit better.
Anyway, a good morning out, and the obligatory noo shoos pic
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Anniemurph
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I was a bit doubtful about buying two pairs, but then I remembered how devastated I was when I realised that I couldn't get my beloved Adrenaline 12s any longer I shall carefully preserve one pair of these new shoes so that when I have worn out the other pair - ta daaaa!
Fast Parkrunners - I didn't overtake many of them!
He is good.. But..this was just an ordinary weekly run..my first Park run is next week!!! Eeek ! Plenty of time to recover.... sea air and all that 🙂 xx
Oh they are very nice. Was it Wollaton Park you did. I have a friend lives near there and did think was I ever visiting over a weekend I could go there- but I know it has a steep hill!
No, this is Markeaton Park in Derby. This isn't a steep hill at all, it is just a gentle incline, but I wasn't in the mood for any sort of incline! The rest of it is lovely and flat, and very pretty. I was considering Wollaton Park because I drove past it yesterday on my Shoe Quest but if it has a steep hill then I will take it off my list
Marketon is a lovely route! It's my best local Parkrun. Long Eaton is very very flat , no hills at all (a bit boring really😃) But it's my fastest Parkrun even in pouring rain.........maybe the rain made me run faster teehee.
Rosliston is more challenging, more trail and mud and hills, but probably going the wrong way for you as a tourist?
Definitely the wrong way, totally out of my way if it has trail and mud and hills. Let's conveniently ignore the fact that I have a friend (who runs) who lives fairly near Rosliston
Long Eaton is probably a bit further away, but I like the sound of flat
I went to look at Hanley, years ago. It would take me about an hour to get to, and it all seems to be on the side of a hill. Why would they do that? It's a very nice park, but *all* on a hill? Really?
I'll just have to learn to charge up that incline at Markeaton! It is a nice course, though
The incline is fine after a few runs, you will nail it. I run the course outside of Parkrun sometimes so have conquered it in my head! It's 0.5 k length but if you break it down in your mind as you run, the steep bit is the top 100m only. Then you get a nice downhill through the wood! And by the way Annie, other runners at that course definitely see this as a hill so we are doing just great I reckon, even with our Hobbit feet 😉
Ha! Brilliant! There were quite a few people walking it, and I was pleased that I could keep plodding up it, even though it was s-l-o-w-l-y
I think I will use Markeaton as somewhere to go for a longer run occasionally, because if I just wandered round the various paths I could cover 10k fairly easily, I reckon. It will be nice for a change of scenery.
That's exactly as I do, I treat myself to a lakeside run occasionally, there are loos, coffee shop etc, perfect! Sometimes many many dogs but v good dog owners so I haven't had any problems. I like there to be people about. Ps I run the opposite direction as a change sometimes too, it works for me!
Yes, the parking is cheap, and as you say, coffee shop, loos - what more can you want! Even a little hill I suppose if I was ambitious I could run over the swirly bridge a few times
Thanks, IP I hope that they will put paid to the sore toes I've been getting with my current shoes. They are also Adrenalines but I think they are half a size too big, so when I go downhill my feet are sliding a bit. I think that might be the problem anyway - we'll see!
Thank you! Yes, I did enjoy myself! I am a solitary runner by choice and although I do sign up for events because it motivates me, I normally don't enjoy them very much if there are a lot of people, especially at the start. I liked that there was no pressure at this one. I just let everyone stream away from me and then I was running in my own little bubble And yes, now I know that I need to save a little bit of oomph for the hill the first time round and a heck of a lot the second time around!
Hi Annie. This was a really great post to read! I have issues with overpronation too (do you get blister on balls of your feet at all? I'm trying to find someone else who does...!) and still don't feel I have found my perfect running shoe so I am interested to see how you find those Brooks shoes. My boyfriend wears Brooks and he loves them (he doesn't really run in them though!) And hooray for parkrun! I believe I was 355th at a time of 37:19 today, so not too different to you hope you enjoyed it!
Hi Sarah, glad you enjoyed the post! Brooks Adrenaline are the best shoes I've ever found They are quite stiff in the sole. I could really feel the difference between these and the other three pairs I tried, which felt much more flexible. I don't get blisters, fortunately - have you experimented with different socks? You can get the double-skin ones that are said to be good for preventing blisters. I hope you can find something that works for you.
And wow for our times and places - very similar I did enjoy it and I'll go back again. I hope you had fun too!
Thanks - I've tried many socks but they never seem to help and sometimes seem to make it worse by making my shoes tighter or hotter! I've yet to find a magic solution. However, today's parkrun was fine! I'm working on strengthening my glutes to hopefully improve my running form.
I don't get blisters from my running shoes, but have fairly frequently had them on the ball of my feet when wearing my former work shoes - particularly on days when I forgot I had a meeting or training session a 15-20 min walk away...!
And I too have wide, overpronating large feet (8+) - next time I get new shoes I might have to ask about the Brookes, although at the moment I still love my Saucony Guides
I have Saucony Guide 8s! They were my first proper running shoe and I loved them during C25K. It was only after I started having problems with blisters (ironically, it was when I started parkrun). I guess I was running a bit longer and a bit harder. I then bought some Asics Gel Kayano 22s last year and I'm still unsure which I prefer - sometimes I think I still prefer my Sauconys!
Ooh - there were some Saucony in the ones I tried but they didn't feel wide enough. I'm not sure which model they were though, so I'll have to look out for the Guides. There aren't that many shoes available for wide, over-pronating feet so it's good to know what works for others, thank you!
I have the Guide 9s - bought in the Up & Running sale in early December. At first they felt odd as they were so completely different to my older New Balance shoes, but they're the ones I wear most now. I haven't tried Asics, as I was told they're usually a narrower fit, so there didn't seem any point in bothering. (Both my girls have been out the far side of a Clarke's H fitting - the widest they measure - most of their lives; I can't think where they got that from! 😉😇 )
I didn't even bother tying the laces on the Asics they gave me to try as I put one foot in and realised how narrow they were. I'll have to look out for the Guides though. (That looks all wrong! )
Although I won't ever buy New Balance again, they were at least wide enough in the toe box. Pity they fell to pieces!
As a Brownie Leader I wholeheartedly support looking out for the Guides!
And my local shop apparently isn't stocking NB at the moment due to quality issues - shame, as the Stability ones I got a couple of years ago are still good, despite having done around 350 miles. But good to know that if why're concerned about quality they won't sell something.
I had brooks glycerine and my ancient Cascadia trail shoes are like slippers. I did run Parkrun in them today but they have lost their oomph as they are really old. I am walking the the dog in them now 😀
The adrenaline is bulky as is the Glycerine but marginally less so. I like less of a shoe these days. The New Cascadia Is miles bigger than my old model so I chose a Mizuno.
Hi Annie, I'm new to the forum (and new C25K) but I just read your post and it made me smile so I hope you don't mind me replying. I also went to Up and Running in Nottm after a painful 2 weeks of joghobblin' around the streets and they were very helpful. Did a gait analysis and
I ended up with a pair of Brooks Adrenaline 17s which were NOT in the sale !
No more painful knees - they are amazing shoes and I'm building up for a Parkrun one day (I'm a bit stuck on W5r3)
No way I could ever complete one in 36mins at the moment tho - that's fast (for me) - very impressed !
Hi Joghobblin , great to hear from you Up and Running are great, aren't they? Sorry your shoes weren't in the sale though However, the right shoes make such a difference and they should last you a few hundred miles so you will get your money's worth!
As you will have seen others say on this forum, speed does not matter at all. You are building up to run for 30 minutes at the moment and that is your focus. There were people at the Parkrun who finished in under 18 mins and although I respect them deeply, I'll never even get to 30 mins for 5k but I am happy with what I do. Just keep on and you will be fine.
You say you are a bit stuck on W5r3 - what's the issue? Can you mix it up a bit? Make sure you are running really slowly so that you can keep going. If you are running the same route, your brain may be telling you that you always get stuck at this point - so perhaps try somewhere else. Or if you are doing this on the dreadmill, can you get outside for a change? Can you try a different time of day? Are you eating properly (but not too much!) before you go? Have you had enough to drink? All these are factors. Keep at it, though - you'll get there! It took me a couple of goes to nail it and the satisfaction was immense All the best with it - come back and tell us how it goes.
Nope I am def not on the dreadmill - can't bear it. I'm kind of doing the quiet streets around where I live and I'm very slow. It's always in the morning so I can feel chuffed with myself for the rest of the day !
I think it's the big jump from 8mins to 20mins that's the blocker. I tried it once and failed (had to stop and die) so I've repeated W5r2 a few times and will go for the 20min one again tomorrow. Fingers crossed x
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New shoes ✅
On the subject of buying shoes..............!
Oohing and aahing over running shoes! 😂
New Shoes Alert!!!!
So I braved the scary running shop
