Trainers

[Emzy1979]

Just did my first week 1 run 1, phew! not really in suitable trainers (my fave adidas baseball type) What do people recommend for starting out? I have a high arch (not sure if that makes any difference!)

[Yesletsgo Graduate]

You could just go to a sports shop and ask for running shoes/trainers. They are built so that when the foot hits the floor it sort of bounces back so you've got a good start for your next step. Fashion trainers seem to absorb this energy so it's much harder work. You may be lucky and get something cheap that works for you. Of course, you'll have to keep your fingers crossed that the sales assistant knows a bit about the stock and what it's made for, not always a given Better is to go to a specialist running shop, they can give you lots of proper running specific advice and many will provide a free gait analysis to make sure that, in your case, your high arch is accommodated. You'll be able to try on lots of different styles until you find one that suits your feet. We're all different so what works for me may not necessarily work for you.

You may spend a little more on your shoes but you should have the opportunity not just to try them on but also to have a go running on them if the shop has a treadmill.

Also, if you're wearing the right shoes you are far less likely to injure yourself. Committing to buying running shoes is a a leap of faith when you've only done one run but believe me wearing the right footwear makes a huge difference to your comfort, health, wellbeing and enjoyment of running.

Good luck!

[Emzy1979 in reply to Yesletsgo]

Good advice thank you very much!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on getting started.

There is a link in the guide to the plan on buying running shoes.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5....

and includes advice on minimising impact, stretching after every run, hydration and strengthening exercises, all of which will help.

Enjoy your journey.

[Emzy1979 in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you for the link, very useful!

[Brixcos Graduate]

I started C25K in a pair of £17.99 Decathlon trainers as I didn't know if I'd actually keep on with the programme/ enjoy it. They have served me well but now I'm on W6 I thought it's about time I started taking it all seriously, footwear-wise. So yesterday I had my gait analysis done at Runners World in Houndsditch and now have a proper good pair. It's definitely worth going to a specialist shop. The guy who served me knew his stuff and is an avid runner so I felt I was in good hands.

[Liono Graduate in reply to Brixcos]

Mine were £9.99, also from Decathlon! I only started C25K to support my husband, never thought I would get the running bug 😂 They still serve me well for days out when I need something comfy, but like you I now have some 'proper' ones following a gait analysis!

[Brixcos Graduate in reply to Liono]

Oh, maybe mine were cheaper than I thought! Whatever they cost, they aren't bad at all, and mine still have a lot of life in them so I will use them as spares.

Yes, who would have thought that we'd get the bug. Not me!! 🥰

[Yesletsgo Graduate in reply to Brixcos]

My first pair were bought in Sports Direct 10 years before I started C25K (but hardly worn in the intervening time). They gave up the ghost just after I graduated

[Brixcos Graduate in reply to Yesletsgo]

That was handy!!

[GoogleMe Graduate]

I started Couch to 5K in lightweight walking boots. They were not the worse things I've run in (those were the most expensive shoes which were professionally fitted after gait analysis... out in the wild, my knees knocked together!) I think the key bit of information may be what surfaces you plan to run on. I almost never run on roads and pavements and even the hardest surfaces I do run on, trails and gritstone edges I try to avoid doing several times in succession. If you plan to be offroad much and wearing trail shoes, a gait analysis apparently doesn't really inform your choice.

Never had a running injury in 10 years (apart from the sort where a bramble has run after me, grabbed me by the ankle and thrown me to the ground)

If you've never had running shoes, you could consider going straight into minimalist shoes (which is what I did, by accident!) You won't need any adjustment time as regular runners who've been wearing thick soles do.

[nowster Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

I can offer a second vote for minimalist shoes with the usual warning that if you're used to walking everywhere in heels your calf muscles are going to scream blue murder because they're being asked to work differently.

[Emzy1979 in reply to nowster]

Wear heels about once every 2 years so that’s not a problem! 😃

[nowster Graduate]

Did I remember correctly that someone had done C25K in wellies?

[Emzy1979 in reply to nowster]

Hope for me yet!😆