Writing this on a tram bound for local running shop, prepared with a couple of questions about niggly knee, armed with sub-standard running shoes, armoured with sports bra on (thanks to this forum - it would not have occurred to me to wear it).
Feel cold and self-conscious though! Should have worn thicker socks. Hungry too, but that's not relevant.
Hope everyone running today is safe from the slippery icy conditions threatened in most of this locale!
Hmmm. Anticlimax - one pair only in my size so I might go elsewhere! Onwards...
Aw, icke! You shouldn't feel self-conscious. You are a runner. One who needs shoes. My first outing for running shoes was an epic fail in that they didn't have any I liked in my size. 2nd time lucky?
No snow in London! But then again, I'm still not running anyway due to ongoing flipping stomach virus thang. Meh! In awe of those venturing out!
Sadie-runs x
Thankyou dear Sadie! And I do need shoes - the one thing the assistant did say was to stay away from the "sports shed" shop, which sadly is where my current shoes are from.
I'm sure there's nothing wrong with the one kids pair they carry but it just seemed a bit silly to have bothered with a running shop if I wasn't going to have any sort of assessment and then a choice of shoes.
I'm in Croydon though so I'll probably venture to one of the many other running shops in central London (I didn't realise this one was so small, but it's local) and see what they can offer! No snow here it's true, but it's cold enough that the streets have been gritted, so I am concerned about ice!
You will find some very good places. I did my gait analysis and shoes at Profeet in Fulham. Not around the corner but worth a trek. Good luck! 
aw thanks for the tip! I'll be checking if they have kids shoes before trekking anywhere else Run and become looks like the best place I've noted so far!
Check out their website then ring them. They know their stuff. They fixed my porcelain body, after all.
Run and Become is a great store. 😀
What size are you? As you're in hunt for kids shoes? I'm normally size 2 and I'm running in Karimoor Run (uk 3). I know those are not the best running shoes, but I couldn't find anything better in my size.
12-13 in normal shoes, maybe 1 if I am wearing thick running socks! I am also running in Karrimor (13, 1 was too big) at the moment and may have to stick with them for a while. One shop has just told me their junior ranges start at 1 and they run a bit small, so I might still give them a go.
If you find any other company that makes good running shoes, I'd appreciate information. As we small feet need to help each other.
Depends on the shoes, some of them I wear size 1. A lot depends on the manufacturer. So basicly I am between 1 and 3 (but 3 is VERY rare)
Ooooh you are not far from me, I'm in Beckenham. 😀 So many running shops in London, so we are spoiled for choice. I ended up getting mine in the ASICS store in Oxford St. (Cos I love ASICS, they suit my skinny flipper feet). Mixed experience...really depends on the assistant you get.
Yup, wise to take care when it's icy, my love, most wise. Hope you get your dream shoes soon. x
Ah! Well, then you'll maybe know where I went! We are actually spoiled for choice and yet, I still chose inappropriately. Should have rung them first!
Mine are Brooks Adrenaline - the make was recommended by a dear friend of mine who is a seasoned runner - and they are fabulous. Pricey but worth every penny. Sadly they’re under enforced rest at the moment whilst my painful hip settles.
Brooks don't do my size but I always hear great things about them. Hope your hip allows you to run soon! x
aargh also really hope you are better soon! Grrr at viruses.
Thanks dear Ickle. Think I am on the mend now...it's been too long feeling cruddy. 🤢
Hope you had a good experience - the only 2 runnng shops I have visited were really enthusiastic about anyone running any distance at all and not at all sniffy.
oh they were nice enough, but I just wanted to feel like I'd made an actual choice, rather than buying the only pair they had! There was no talk about gait analysis or anything (which would have been pointless to be fair). If I end up finding that those shoes are fine though I'll try and get back there, I hate to give the impression I was going off to find them cheaper elsewhere.
I know what you mean about choice - hope you find some soon!
I went for 'cheaper' and lived to regret it. 
exactly, besides I'm in the privileged position of my shoes being cheaper anyway, so I'll be paying whatever a good running shop wants!
I am wearing cheaper currently and already put holes in the toes but they fit which for me is far from easy in itself.
I know your pain. It's a shame that if you don't have common size, you are left with whatever fit, not what you actually need.
I'm not sure I have need for a sports bra. Tell me ladies, is it necessary if you are only a B cup on your best days? Short term I don't feel the need for it (I often go, shock horror, bra-less completely), but is there a long term danger I am putting myself in?
Yes! You need one to support the muscles around your breasticles. Doesn't matter the size of your knockers, you don't want any jiggles. 😮
I’ll second that...!!!! 😱 😂😂
I don't know if it's a big medical issue if you don't get any discomfort, but the movement will eventually stretch out the Cooper's ligaments, which is irreversible. They'll sag, basically.
I have heard people say that even small boobs can move around a ridiculous amount (erm, sometimes in the form of mean comments about women they've seen running). There's an animated thing, I think it's on the Shock Absorber website, that shows the figure-of-8 movement they do.
I don't know if you meant to post this on this post, btw, but come to think of it I absolutely wouldn't have bought a sports bra from the nice young innocent looking men in the shop I went into! EDIT just realised I mentioned wearing my sports bra in the hope of gait analysis! Thought for a minute it was a very random comment
Thanks! I'll invest as soon as I can afford it!
there's a range of prices, so hopefully you'll find something which works!
Try this for some hilarious background reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
Re: second para this is true
Yeap, you need a supporting bra. It's fine for walking, but any running / jumping / bouncing movement need to be prevented. I'm not sure about science behind small muscle damage, but you probably don't want to be an experimental rabbit.
I would go as far as to say low impact sports bra for walking especially if hill walking. The terrain is uneven there may be steep climbs and brisk walking at times. Walking may be low impact but it can still be strenuous exercise as the sessions are often much longer with an average walk being circa 3 hours so during that time you want to be comfortable. You don't want to be climbing Scafell Pike or Snowdon and be uncomfortable.
Yes but you may not need underwire. Without one could be painful due to movement. In another life I worked in a department store before the PC police and did bra training. It wouldn't happen now. Ask about compression. Also ask if they do fittings or pop along to a department store the percentage of women who wear the wrong bra size is extremely high. Good luck.
I felt a bit like that when I went to have my gait analysed. I went to Up and Running and they were brilliant. I felt a bit self conscious to begin with running on the treadmill, but I neednt have worried. They were totally professional and incredibly helpful. Get it done properly, where they video you running. There were people of all shapes and sizes coming into the shop and running on the treadmill, and everyone was treated with respect and consideration.
Dont plump for the first pair of shoes you see. Different shaped feet pronate or land differently, either falling neutrally of leaning over towards rhe inner or outer ankle. The shoe for your running style will be either neutral or else supported to one side ot the other to correct the lean and make sure you run without strain or damage.
I like this and may make them my first port of call. I already know I already know I suffer with excess supination by the ridiculous wear pattern on anything I wear on my feet. I can put my shoes on a table and they rock due to where they have worn so unevenly.
Hope it went well...
The thing with shoes fitting is that with proper professional knowledge and help you get something that you really need and will make the difference. There were crazy expensive shoes in the place that l visited and l curiously tried some but none of that £200 plus business fitted my feet well.
I ended up with a pair that cost under £100 and they cut perfect custom made insoles and fitted them inside. Running after that became sheer joy, and whatever l paid them cost me less than l spent on a physio who was fixing the damage caused by cheap gear from a local 'known brand' store.
Oh I won't be going to SD again ... might check out Decathlon next time I get on a tram that way though. Was thinking I'll take advantage of central London while I still work near there!
I haven't done Lloyd PR - I feel like I might need trail shoes for it?! One day 
(I've seen familiar names on the website ...)
I went to Deathlon - a complete waste of time. All staff were bored and some had little English language. It's just basically another version of a sports shed. On the bra topic, I got my best ever one from Tesco (F&F I think) it basically has no stretch so no joggle factor. Perfect for my 36G, strapped in and ready to run!
Agree on Decathlon - its a great shop if you know what you want and don't require any assistance.
If your looking for help, its not the place to go!!
Aah thanks - I will remain open minded but will prioritise visits to specialist running shops. Our Decathlon is near other big shops so I will go when I have an Ikea trip to make
Yeah - give it a look, but i would recommend going in there with low expectations, and the hope to be surprised.
I have promised myself a similar trip in 2018 but I am a seriously awkward fit. When I last chose walking boots I was so ecstatic to find a good fit I bought 2 prs. Took me a few years to find them so in the meantime I was wearing cheap trainer type boots. Tried on one pair of 12's and could only get half my foot in, Meindl. Buying cheap was a false economy but had these Scarpa a few years now and still feel great. I am sure I will go through the same pain trying to find running shoes. For those that say don't be defeatist I had the same problem with dress shoes for the office and because I needed them quickly bought the most comfortable but each day I wear them I am in pain.
The local staff see me coming now and hide 😲 but I will have to go further afield for running shoes so new staff to frustrate. I once spent from morning until 3pm in one famous outdoor store and after trying on every pair of walking boots in the stop the assistant had to go home as he was feeling unwell. It's my superpower.
solidarity for the odd fits and unusual requirements! Something like a wedding where women are expected to have a heel or something equivalent, urgh.
And I'm still running in my Karrimor running shoes, which I got with no advice or analysis other than the shop staff telling me that he'd buy them if they had them in his size... I've just not got the energy to go to the shops and harangue the assistants in the way that's required! I don't think my superpower is as strong as yours mainly because my own willpower dies first!
Indeed. I first bought these dress shoes for a wedding and my then partner kept saying why are you not getting up. Wearing shoes for 10 mins is one thing but 2 to 3 hours at a wedding is another entirely.
No idea what mine are non branded I think. No I lie as just checked the shoe and Karrimor too. I remember trying on Nike Air and Reebok Classic and my toes were at the end and bursting at the side. I wandered around tried these on and they fit so I bought them but holey already but they have done their job. I do have to be careful though as a few years ago I used to have short bursts of running for the bus and fractured my little toe because of how I land on the side of my foot. I have had no such problems lately but still in the back of my mind but I was sprinting and I think that was the difference. Those sprints where you see your bus getting stuck at traffic lights and think if I take this short cut and jump over a wall I can beat him to his next stop. It was 50/50 but worth the gamble and a lot of times paid off.
Buses move slow so not much of a challenge but on the tube once and a guy missed it, turned and ran and caught us at the next stop whereby he achieved a sound handclap from the carriage.
Nothing is more wretched than the mind of a man conscious of guilt.
Da TRUFFE ABOUT RUNNING Part Two........TO FACE A CHALLENGE.
Something really important to know about running!
OMG - I'm going to be running in the Olympic Stadium!!
Parkrun and a bit more than going through the motions
