1%er Number 3 - Get advice on shoes

Here we are for 1% tip number 3. I wasn't sure how these tips would go, but I haven't run out of ideas yet, so that is a good sign.

Tip number 3 is a bit of an obvious one, but also one that we constantly get wrong. 1%er tip number 3 is, get good advice on your shoes.

What does this mean?

Well, what I mean by this is when you are first buying running shoes, go to a store that is going to give you good, knowledgeable, unbiased advice on what shoes you should be running in. If possible go to a specialist running store. Once you know what sort of shoe works for you, by all means buy them online or from a discount store or from wherever is going to get you the best deal. But before then, when you are still figuring out what shoe is for you, go and get some good advice.

Why?

Simple really, in long course triathlon you do a lot of running. I mean a lot. In Ironman training the amount of running required in the build up is not insignificant, often pushing 100km/week for top athletes. Remaining uninjured while you run those sorts of miles means you need the right shoes, particularly when you start out. As you get stronger and your technique improves, your footwear has less impact on your likelihood of injury. However, at the beginning your shoes need to give you support in the areas where you need it and not in areas you don't. They need to be the right size so they will be comfortable without causing aggravation. They need to have the right level of cushioning to suit you and your running style. The list of attributes that the right shoe needs to have goes on and the best way to make sure your shoes have those attributes is talking to an expert about it.

So that is something that you should do when choosing shoes. How about some things that you definitely shouldn't do when choosing shoes.

• You definitely should not just go and buy the shoes that have the biggest discount;
• You should not buy shoes just because your favourite athlete is wearing them
• You should not buy shoes just because a magazine article/blog/forum/facebook post said they were the best thing ever and will make you run super fast. 
• You should not buy shoes simply because they are part of the latest running fad.

In the end the right shoes can make the difference between running being an enjoyable and injury free experience and it not. For something that important you owe it to yourself to go and get some good advice about them, even if that advice means you are paying a little bit extra.