WINNIPEG — Whether it’s because you want to get active after the long winter months or you’re training for the Manitoba Marathon, the right shoes are the most important piece of equipment you’ll need.
Global Winnipeg’s Mike Koncan stopped by the Running Room to find out what type of shoes work best for which activities.
“First of all, the running shoe is the most important piece of equipment – whether you’re training for a 5K, a 10K, or a full marathon,” said Lorraine from the Running Room.
There are many different types of shoes for different types of activities. Two of those types of shoes — a running shoe and a cross trainer — look similar in appearance, but are quite different in function.
“The difference between a running shoe and a cross trainer is quite huge,” said Lorraine.
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“A running shoe is engineered and designed for forward motion only. That’s running, walking or use in the gym be it the elliptical or the treadmill or even weight training. As opposed to the cross trainer, which is meant for side-to-side, lateral training.”
“Running shoes aren’t meant for court sports, but solely forward motion,” said Lorraine.
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If you’re using the wrong type of shoes, you may be doing more harm than good to your feet.
“Your experience might not be as positive as if you had rebound, cushioning and the shoe absorbency that you have from the running shoe,” said Lorraine. “If a person has never trained in a proper shoe — that is a running shoe — their experience may or may not be a positive one. We train people to start running here because we like to see them use the right equipment.”
When looking for a new pair of shoes, the Running Room encourages people to come in-store with their old pair.
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An insert or off-the-shelf orthotic might even be the answer
Though color, style and price are appealing when buying new shoes, they aren’t the foremost things to look for when shopping. The needs of your feet and what type of activity you’ll be doing should come first.
“At the Running Room, we have lots of different kinds of shoes,” said Lorraine. “It’s really not about selecting colors or even the look, but it’s really about finding the correct shoes for your foot, based on our analysis.”
For more information about getting fitted for the proper shoes, visit the Running Room in-store or online.
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