OnePhatMan
They say that shoes make the man, and right now I have to say I agree.
Yesterday, I had to stop using the elliptical seven minutes into my workout because of the pain in my left knee from the chondromalacia I wrote about. I ended up walking around the neighborhorhood, somewhere between 2 and 3 miles, wearing the workout shoes I’ve had for over a year. Normally I don’t wear shoes that long, but I’ve been working out indoors on them so it’s not like they’re getting torn up.
All day long my knee hurt, despite the ibuprofen and acetominnafin acedaminiphine Tylenol I took. I was never in agony, or anything like that, it was just bad enough to keep it in the forefront of my mind. A little Googling told me that some people get relief from keeping their leg straight, because sitting at a desk with your legs bent keeps pressure on your knee. They were right; straightening my leg alleviated a lot of the pain. Another site suggested that good shoes could help.
So I went on a quest after work. First I tried Dick’s Sporting Goods, where the Asics shoes that caught my eye only came in sizes 10 and 14. I’m right in the middle of that. The next best shoe they had—I was looking specifically for high-end shoes, not $40 Reeboks like I was wearing—was the New Balance 991. It was comfy, and I liked it, but I wanted to check out another store before I committed the $115 for them. I spent an hour in Shoe Carnival, trying shoes on and not finding any. They had the 991, and it was on sale for half-off, but they only (seriously) size they didn’t have was 12.
I went home in a huff, and spent the night wearing a neoprene knee brace and complaining.
This morning I walked outside again, somewhere around four miles, and again spent several hours hurting. Finally I bucked up and went to the local shoe shore that’s owned and operated by runners, a place where they have knowledgeable people who are able to study your stride and see what your feet are doing. People who know what chondromyalcia is. I walked up and down the store in my ratty socks, feeling like a big dork, while a crowd of guys squatted and watched me. I explained the problem with the cartilage in my knee, and how it was hurting now even when I walk. They muttered to one another for a bit and one went into the back of the store.
He came back with a pair of New Balance 1122MC shoes and had me try them on.
I walked through the store as if I were on a cloud, with no pain at all in my left knee. None. Nada. Zip.
It was like a little piece of heaven.
Deciding to press my luck, I asked about trail shoes because I hike so much. After more discussions, the same guy went into the back a second time. He returned with five boxes. The very first pair he pulled out, Cascadias (made by Brooks), felt so good I didn’t even try any others on.
I realize it’s a little soon to be so happy, since I haven’t actually done any real footwork in either pair of shoes, but it’s so nice to walk around without my knee hurting on each step that I can’t help but talk about it. The Cascadia shoes have an added benefit—if I ever get lost while hiking, they should have no trouble spotting me from the air.
Should.
It’s an ugly word, really, because it’s so weak.
You get the idea. Have you ever noticed that thoughts or sentences that begin with “I should” never seem to happen? It’s because you’re not making a commitment to doing something. You’re passing a thinly veiled judgement on yourself, acknowledging that maybe there’s a problem but that you don’t really feel like fixing it. Expand the thoughts above a little:
Sound familiar? I can’t tell you how many nights Robyn and I would be laying in bed talking, and I’d get all maudlin thinking about how fat I was, and say, “We really should do something…” Without fail, it would ruin a perfectly good conversation, not only because of my mood change but because I was dragging someone else (someone innocent) into it.
Until you scrap the “should”, you’re not going to change. You either do something, or you don’t, to paraphrase Yoda. As long as you tell yourself you “should” change, you’ll keep feeling bad because talk is cheap. It’s easy to tell yourself you should, especially when you’re talking about doing it tomorrow, but unless you make the “should” a “must”, you’ll continue to stay the way you are.
Most likely, you’ll still complain about it, too.
You have a choice. You can talk, or you can do. Remember, for most people it isn’t a matter of ability, but a matter of action. What’s your choice?
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I’ve been suffering from foot and knee pain ever since joining the gym 2 months ago. I just soldiered on blaming the equipment or thinking I was overdoing it etc.
My shoes were 2 yr old Reeboks (I’d only ever worn them indoors) I finally went out and bought some Nike crosstrainers and Wow what a difference! No pain whatsoever and I feel like I could run forever in them. Wish I’d done it sooner. Hopefully yours do the same for your knee!
And then you title the entry “I Should get some shoes”. Ahahaha you’re too clever! “Should” is evil. I’ve been shoulding all over myself for as long as I can remember, it was my dad’s favourite word to use on me and it basically stuck. I now do my best not to use it and when I catch myself, I throw in “could” instead, because at least that gives a choice (particularly when talking to other people when they ask me for advice… most people know my “should” stories and they catch me too! Sometimes it takes a village).
My Mom turned us on to New Balance shoes. They are wonderful. A little pricey but worth it.
I always remember this quote from Yoda - “Try not. Do… or do not. There is no try.”
Ha! I was reading the beginning of your post and said to myself, “He should try some NB 1122’s.” I’ve been wearing the 1122’s for over a year, you couldn’t catch me wearing another tennis shoe anymore. They really are a slice of heaven.
Also, try http://www.shoefits.com They always seem to have the 1122’s available in all sizes and they’re only $92. They don’t always have the other models available in all sizes, but it’s often worth a check. The other model of New Balances I like for the cushioning are the 881’s. They don’t have quite the same stability as the 1122’s, but you can’t beat them for the cushioning.
You know… stumbling across your site happened at the right time. My shoes aren’t the best for working out in and I’ve been trying to find a new brand, but nobody I know ever has a good suggestion. I know, how mean of me to say their suggestions aren’t good. But, telling me to buy Tony Little’s workout sandals is a little “not good” for a new jogger. I’m going to have to research this brand and see what they’re all about. Thanks for the tip!
And, yes - should is one of those words that needs to be outlawed. It’s a dismissal word. When I look at my husband and tell him “I really should go start supper”, we both know we’re ordering out that night. And, when I inform my toddler that he “should go to bed now”, we both know it’s going to be another hour of running around and screeching before he sleeps. But, “should” makes it so much easier to sound like a responsible person without actually having to be responsible.
Okay, done talking. Again, thanks for the shoe tip!
Yes, you pay a premium when you walk into a specialty store that’s run by runners but in my experience it’s worth every penny. After two years of not quite right shoes I bit the bullet and went into Montreal to be fitted at a running store. Walked out over a year ago with Mizuno Wave Rider VIII and despite running a minimum of 20 miles a week, I no longer have any discomfort.
That’s a big deal because prior to that I had aches in my hips and knees almost constantly. I put that down to being some sort of arthritis because I’m a woman in her 50’s. I didn’t consider the fact that improperly fitted shoes might keep me from running properly and cause the pain.
Plus, at the store they showed me the secret of bunny lacing which makes a huge difference in how shoes fit.
The advice they gave me was to retire shoes after 500 miles, which for me means two pairs a year. I was told the heel cushioning breaks down at that point. I’m not sure if the same thing applies to walking or hiking shoes.
Another ditto on the New Balance. I remember the first time I put on a pair…it was amazing. I felt like they were walking for me. I get mine here: http://www.nbwebexpress.com/
And a question, Fred…can you explain your preperation of the oat bran and maybe supply some pics? I was talking to my mom about it and she said she sometimes sprinkles a tablespoon or two on her cereal but she swore I was crazy/wrong that anyone would eat one cup at a sitting because of the…aftermath.
Bonnie,
I add water and nuke it. Perhaps your mom has confused oat bran with wheat bran? I wouldn’t want to eat a cup of wheat bran at once, either, but a cup of oat bran (uncooked) only has 12 grams of fiber. I get that much when I eat 2 sandwiches.