New shoes, again!

I'm back again!

We went to Fleet Feet Sports today because they offer shoe fittings. This is something I've wanted to have done for awhile, just to get someone else's opinion on whether or not I should be in a certain type of shoe. Especially since I've had all kinds of problems since I started wearing my Merrell's. I like the Merrells alot, they are comfortable and are a well made shoe. And they're cool looking

I've been running in these for about a month. Right away I noticed a small hot spot on the inner side of my left foot. I think it's where that white stitching is, it seems to press against my foot in that certain area. This week I've begun to notice a numbness in the top/side of my left big toe. This was freaky. It's continued for a few days. I talked to my husband about it and he figures it's the shoes. He has enough running experience with alot of different types of shoes and also has foot problems, so he has done his share of research and trial/error. And yeah, these shoes are pretty small.

Here's the thing. I first started running in barefoot shoes. I bought them last summer at a New Balance outlet store, not even knowing that 2 months later I would take up running and change my life in those very shoes. I learned how to run in them and got used to running in that type of shoe. Then I got my Merrell's - still minimal shoes, but with more bulk than my previous shoes. They are a road and trail shoe which is what I was looking for. Now, I am a mid/front foot striker due to learning to run in barefoot shoes. And I think the Merrell's I have are designed for heel striking. So I've been jamming my toes into these when they're probably not designed for that stype of running... which is probably the cause of all my issues.

So anyhow, I had the assessment done and she said I had pretty normal feet. I walk normal, don't have weird arches, nothing like that. She did say my left foot is slightly bigger than my right foot - and I guess it really shows in a small pair of shoes like the Merrells. I tried on a bunch of shoes and didn't really get the Cinderella Glass Slipper effect from any of them. Then my husband brought over a pair that he found at the clearance rack. Here they are...

Saucony Hattori LC
50% off = 50 bucks!

Out of all the shoes I tried on these were the most comfortable.

So today I learned for sure - I'm a barefoot girl. I like the freedom and the big toe box of these shoes. And the way I figure, the less padding and crap there is, the less there is to possibly cause me problems. I think it's a good theory. I didn't have problems when I ran with my old barefoot shoes. So hopefully these will serve me well, and worst case scenario, they were only $50. I will still use my Merrell's for walking and maybe the occasional light run.

Zero drop :)

We also got some other stuff !

A massager and a hot/cold shin sleeve. It was actually my husband's idea to get these things, but I tell you now, they will be MY best friends!!!



Finding the right running shoe requires alot of trial and error. And alot of shoes. I have learned alot about different types of running shoes and what type of shoes I prefer. I'm sure I will be buying plenty more shoes in the future, but it's just the nature of the beast when it comes to running shoes. You never know what you're gonna like until you run a few miles in them. Sometimes you don't know what you want or what you should be wearing. It's definitely a learning experience!