One of the most important things you need to have for marathon walking are several pairs of good, comfortable shoes. I attended a shoe fitting clinic last weekend in Tempe. Erin, the speaker, gave some really good tips. Here are a few:
- Get at least two pairs and wear them every other day. This gives the cushions a chance to bounce back and your shoes will last longer.
- Replace your shoes every 300-500 miles. With my training plan I figure I will go through 3 to 5 pairs of shoes in the next 8 months.
- Try on shoes in the evening because your feet will swell after you've been on them all day. Try them on with the socks or insoles you plan to wear because if you want to wear thicker socks you might need a bigger shoe.
- Get a shoe that has mesh around the top. This will help your feet "breathe".
- Go with a light weight shoe. It doesn't matter if they are specifically walking shoes or running shoes as long as they support your feet.
- If your feet roll inward when you walk you want to look for a shoe with a sturdy inside sole (look for the gray rubber).
Some specialty shoe stores like Performance Footwear, the place sponsoring the clinic, have equipment to help fit you in the right shoes. Basically you put on some shoes they provide, you walk on the treadmill, and a machine video tapes your stride. The salesperson analyzes the video and tells you what kind of shoe you should be wearing based on if your feet roll in, roll out, or don't roll when you walk.
Unfortunately I couldn't stay to have my shoes analyzed and get fitted but I might go back later. In the meantime I found some awesome sales this week at Kohls and Ross and I picked up some new shoes and workout pants. Now I am ready to take on the world of marathon walking.
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