Running shoes/trainers.

BenSirAmos

Specialist advice is the way to go - you might need insoles to provide more support to your arch to make sure you are not doing damage to the plantar etc. Most quality trainers will have insoles that you can easily take out to replace with more supportive ones. I always have my running analysed (but I always end up with Asics anyway.

JohnnyPlectrum

Useful site.
https://runrepeat.com/
Handy for finding out what were the best shoes then find them cheap online because they're no longer trendy.
I've got a cupboard full of Adidas Supernovas.

Heartfeltdawn

Get your running style analysed and then try a couple of different pairs of trainers. For me, I have non-matching legs thanks to knee surgery (I pronate on one foot, opposite on another). I've been faithful to Asics for years but can't use the really expensive stuff like the Kayanos. 

Currently I'm on three pairs of Asics Patriot 8. They're under £30 and they're the best for me. There are shoes with more support that are heavier, there are shoes that are bouncier and more comfortable, but these offer me enough cushioning without being so well supported that I can't feel quick in them. 

Insoles: Sorbothane. I put them underneath the stock insoles. 

I have knee supports on both knees and ankle supports on both ankles. 

Yes I'm pretty broken

mattdavis

I’m a pretty heavy (15st) bloke and have found ASICS gel nimbus excellent trainers for a neutral foot (ie without significant pro- or supination). I did a couple of half marathons in them. I often try to buy last years model which is often a relatively good deal. Just bought some Nimbus 19s for £109. Still a lot of money but makes a big difference to knees and lower back. 

hywelg

Thanks for all the advice chaps. JJB sports has been knocked on the head and I will now go to a specialist shop that my son told me about.  Don't care about cost within reason, I just can't afford to fail at this attempt to get fitter.

 Doc wants me on medication which is a downhill slope only finishing at 6 feet under. I'm sure they get points for more interventions.

 I'm giving it a year with the goal of being able to run for an hour without stopping. If that doesnt lose me 10kg in addition next year it will be dieting as well. 

monquixote

CHRISB50 said:

Row instead!

It's far kinder on your joints. Your foot won't hurt. You won't need need new trainers either. 

I'm biased though, as I hate treadmills

You are doing it wrong.

Get out in the fresh air. Treadmills are horrible things.

guitarfishbay

hywelg said:

I'm giving it a year with the goal of being able to run for an hour without stopping. If that doesnt lose me 10kg in addition next year it will be dieting as well. 

Don’t wait until next year to change your diet. You can’t outrun over eating.

hywelg

guitarfishbay said:

hywelg said:

I'm giving it a year with the goal of being able to run for an hour without stopping. If that doesnt lose me 10kg in addition next year it will be dieting as well. 

Don’t wait until next year to change your diet. You can’t outrun over eating.

Hey, don't judge. My diet is fine. Fish 2-3 times a week and I don't mean fried, large quantities of home cooked vegetables, takeaways only once a fortnight on average. I don't overeat,  my weight has been stable for 10 years at 96-97 kilos. It's now at 92-93 kilos. Christmas has stalled the approx 1kg a month loss. My target is 85kg. 

My problem is one of being unfit and getting out of breath too easily when windsurfing or exercising.  My aim is to reduce blood pressure and cut cholesterol by improving my fitness and activity levels. 

guitarfishbay

Not judging at all, I’m heavier than you are and also currently losing weight. But your post didn’t suggest you were taking your diet seriously until next year, or at least that’s how I read it, and it’s generaly regarded to be the primary factor in weight management. 

stickyfiddle

Neill said:

I wouldn't buy a pair of shoes on someone else's recommendation.  The best advice is to go to a proper specialist outdoor/sports shop and ask to try on different types of road running shoes.  If you find a pair that you really like buy another pair straight away - this applies to all outdoor footwear because they change the styles so quickly. 

But I would caution against assuming new footwear is the cause of your problem.  It's more likely you are doing too much too soon, very easy if you are not used to regular exercise. 
  

Muchly this. I'm happy with my Brooks, but you may not be, and won't know until you get your feet in them.

And good luck with all of it. We've just started with a personal trainer this week. I am in fairly severe pain from too many sit-ups and pushups and crunches, but it's worth it in the end.

hywelg

guitarfishbay said:i

Not judging at all, I’m heavier than you are and also currently losing weight. But your post didn’t suggest you were taking your diet seriously until next year, or at least that’s how I read it, and it’s generaly regarded to be the primary factor in weight management. 

You confuse the noun and the verb. I was using the word as a noun. My diet is fine. As in I eat healthily. I am not on a diet. Yet.......

hywelg

stickyfiddle said:

but it's worth it in the end.

Only if the extra time you have to live exceeds the time you spend in the gym. 

monquixote

hywelg said:

stickyfiddle said:

but it's worth it in the end.

Only if the extra time you have to live exceeds the time you spend in the gym. 

That's not the whole story though.

People who exercise are much more likely to be walking about with all their marbles at an advanced age rather than bed bound and senile. That's more important to me than living longer.

Even so the time I spend running is often the best bit of my day. Once you get fast it feels like flying.

ThePrettyDamned

Neill said:

I wouldn't buy a pair of shoes on someone else's recommendation.  The best advice is to go to a proper specialist outdoor/sports shop and ask to try on different types of road running shoes.  If you find a pair that you really like buy another pair straight away - this applies to all outdoor footwear because they change the styles so quickly. 

But I would caution against assuming new footwear is the cause of your problem.  It's more likely you are doing too much too soon, very easy if you are not used to regular exercise. 
  

This. 

Also, my girlfriend went to a specialist company in Cambridge who recorded her running on a treadmill, analysed how she ran and said which trainers would work best (lucky for her, she was recommended perfectly ordinary ones so lots of choice!). 

But ultimately, it'll be personal preference. Get to a good shop and try them all on. 

hywelg

Went in to Up And Running in Nottingham today and got fitted out with a pair of Brooks somethingorothers. £120. Aparently there now wrong with my running so just  soft cushioned heel. Will test them on Monday at  t'gym

Snap

@hywelg

If you're serious about running shoes, the only thing to do is to go to a dedicated shop and get them to analyse your gait when you run. Might also be an idea to take your current runners with you so that they can see how you wear them down.

Expect to pay anything from £70 upwards. Worth every penny. The wrong shoes will make your running a misery. Good ones really do make a difference  - how well and how far you run, and importantly reduce injuries and aches and pains.

Lastly, be prepared to change them every 500 miles or so. Depending on how much you are running, that could be every 6 months. You can see creases start to appear in the sidewalls of the sole, which is a sign they are shot.

Snap

hywelg said:

 Doc wants me on medication which is a downhill slope only finishing at 6 feet under.

tbf, it's not if its what you need and it works. A doc will advise diet and exercise first, but if that doesn't work, you need a bit of help. Doesn't mean you are on your way to the knackers yard, just means you need some help. Mind you, I'd be the same - i'd train myself daft before I gave into medication!

stickyfiddle

monquixote said:

hywelg said:

stickyfiddle said:

but it's worth it in the end.

Only if the extra time you have to live exceeds the time you spend in the gym. 

That's not the whole story though.

People who exercise are much more likely to be walking about with all their marbles at an advanced age rather than bed bound and senile. That's more important to me than living longer.

Even so the time I spend running is often the best bit of my day. Once you get fast it feels like flying.

Exactly. Not to mention that fitness is about quality of life and general health, not just total length of life. 

If I can enjoy my spare time 20% more by spending 5% of my spare time in the gym, then that's a bonus even if I drop dead at the same time. We've been eating really well since Jan (which mostly just means less booze and no carbs in the evening) and after 3 heavy gym sessions I'm already feeling brighter and better and generally less knackered than I was in the run up to Christmas.

fields5069

I use these: