Runner's Journal: Footwear
February 22, 2015 by Ryan Willms 
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–01. Photograph by Fahim Kassam.
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With a solid month of training down, and a little over two to go, I'm feeling faster. I can feel the benefits of the group runs and hill repeats already – something that I'd never done before, and probably wouldn't have on my own. I've implemented more omega-3 fatty acids, have been drinking a lot of tart cherry juice, and have been more conscious about eating carbohydrates before runs, but especially after, in the recommended 4/1 ratio to protein, something I was surprised to learn. In terms of achieving this easily, Vega has been a great option so far.
The last two clinics in the training course have focused heavily on injury prevention. Besides actually running a lot, this is probably the most vital aspect of preparing for the marathon, and certainly my biggest concern. One of the doctor's who presented, ended up going off on a tangent about footwear and although the talk was given in a store that sells running shoes, he claims that it was an accident that the conversation took that turn. I believed him, because I've had some experience with one of the facts he brought up. He noted that recent studies have proven that running in two to three different pairs of shoes can help prevent injury up to 39%. He explained how different shoes, chosen properly, can act like cross training for your feet. Some will rest muscles, some will work others, some shoes can be more lightweight for faster runs and some for added support. Personally I've been running in Nike's Flyknit Racer for the past year and half and I really like them. Being able to visit Nike and speak with one of the directors at Nike Running was fortunate, he shed certain light on why it was the best marathon shoe available. To counterbalance the aggressive lightweight nature of the Flyknit Racer, I've also been using the Pegasus 31. It's a shoe I'd never been interested in before but through the winter I was really impressed with the feel of the shoe and it offered just the right amount of added protection I was looking for.
What it really comes down to, as we were told last week, is that it really has to feel good. More and more research has been surfacing that shows that podiatrists are a bit lost when it comes to recommending footwear, or even how useful orthopaedics are – they will happily do it, but the benefits of listening to them are debatable. If the shoes feel right to you and you feel good running in them, you're much less likely to get injured. It seems simple, but it's contrary to what a lot of running stores, brands and podiatrists have been saying in the past ten years.
Today I'll go on my longest run yet, 26km (in the Flyknit Racers). Last weekend's 23km Sunday run went well and I managed to come away unscathed. I am hoping that I'll be able to withstand the extra kilometers as we continue to increase the distance by 10-15% each week. Fortunately we've been having some beautiful spring weather so it should be nice out at least.
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