A Beginner's Guide to Buying Running Shoes

Exercise for me is very much a January affair and it's usually time to start buying running shoes. The excesses of Christmas creep up on me through December and by the new year I am racked with guilt and carrying several superfluous pounds. It's an annual ritual for me now to leap into action on January the 2nd and squeeze into my very underused running shorts. These are the same running shorts that were too tight in November so I have to endure a twenty minute fight to get them on and risk circulatory failure.

This year was no different as the gloves came off and the shorts went on. I heard one of my colleagues talking about a device that fits into your shoe and tells you what a fat pig you are as you run! This was exactly what I needed to hear after a particularly lively festive season so I did some research and discovered the equipment I required was Nike+. As luck would have it, I already own and iPhone so I set about looking for a sensor to fit into my running shoe.

Of course, nothing is simple for me as when I got home and prepared to hit the street running, I discovered that a particular type of shoe was required in order to confortably place the sensor in the shoe! I'm now worried that the investment required for this fitness regime might not be worth the results. However, I learnt a few things along the way about feet and running shoes and I though I would share them with y'all!

Now I always thought that a foot was a foot was a foot. Apparently I was wrong as there are three basic types of foot.

1. Flat Feet. This is where the whole foot is on the ground. The arch of the foot is low and when the foot strikes the ground, the heel rolls inwards too far. Now this sounds very painful! Motion control shoes are the best option for this foot type as they modify the way a person walks.

2. Normal Feet. I thought all feet were normal and thankfully mine are. The arch is of an aver average size and the foot rolls inwards by a small amount to absorb shock.

3. High Arched Feet. Self explanatory. The foot stays rigid as it hits the ground with little shock absorption. Cushioned shoes are advisable for this foot type. They sound comfy!

So after checking chart, reading various websites and a personal shoe fitting, I discovered my feet were classed as........normal. 

Now I mentioned earlier the fact that I had heard of a device that fits into a shoe that whispers in your ear that you're a fat waster. Well, armed with my new Nike+ trainers, and my new Nike+ sensor I set out on my inaugural run of 2011. I feel energy, I feel power, I feel like I can run forever - I hope I feel the same when I actually start running.

200m into my run and my little sensor thingy in my shoe is telling me how slowly I'm running and making me feel bad. After a few minutes it starts to play my 'power' songs to raise my game. My calves ache, my lungs sting and my belly is wobbling like Santa's bowl full of jelly so I seriously doubt whether Eye of the Tiger is going to get me through the next 3 miles. I collapse in a heap and several passers by ask if I'd like an ambulance - the indignity!

My fat arse aside, the Nike+ sensor has actually taken a little of the sting out of exercising. I can look back over previous runs and track my progress. Unfortunately I didn't realise my running distances, times and speeds were automatically being posted onto Facebook!