Let's talk about running shoes...again!

So many shoes to choose from!

I have been in the market for a new running shoe for quite a while now.  I have spent a ridiculous amount of hours online looking at different running shoes, and the reason is that you really cannot figure out what running shoe you need online.  You need to go try shoes on.  That is the only way.  But since I have been unable to put in the actual foot work (pun, unfortunately, intended), rather than spend an hour at the running store I have spent 20 hours online getting no closer to finding my shoe.

What kind of runner am I?  Let's find out!

Finally on Monday I managed to get myself to Road Runner Sports where they not only have every variety of running shoe but a fancy system of figuring out how you run and what kind of shoe you need.  I went in and did the tests, and it turns out I have a fairly wide foot and a medium arch, I am a mid foot striker (landing on the middle of my foot, as opposed to heel or forefoot), and I overpronate (my foot rolls slightly inward after it strikes the ground).  I had suspected all of these things about myself, so it is nice to have some objective confirmation.  So I proceeded to try on just about every shoe they had for a runner like me.  I ran laps around the outside of the store, sometimes with a different shoe on each foot.  And after all that, this is what I found:

The Mizuno Inspire 9.  Size 10 WIDE!

They cost $103!  I have never ever ever spent that much on a running shoe before.  But the way I look at it I was paying for the expertise and the opportunity to really effectively compare various shoes side by side.  So now that I know what I need and like, when the new models come out and the old ones go on sale, I can get the old ones online super cheap.  So clearly it is an investment in my future.  Another way to look at it is this: After driving Karin crazy with inconclusive, ridiculously detailed running shoe talk for the last several months, I finally paid people to talk with me about running shoes!  And now Karin can rest in peace for about 6 months.