Are you running a marathon? Do you know how often you should change your shoes?
Have you thought about the race day and what you will be wearing?
We’ve asked Dominic Stead of Sporting Feet to give us his top tips on footwear and more!
Dominic and co-owner Geoff Ross run Sporting Feet – a sports footwear shop with branches in Putney and Richmond. Here at Physio on the River we have sent several clients for advice and the feedback we have received has been excellent. Friendly, informative staff and great products! Read on to find out Dominic’s best advice for those running a marathon.
How often should I change my running shoes?
- Running shoes typically last for about 500 miles, so make sure your shoes still have plenty of life left in them.
- It’s often a good idea to rotate a couple of pairs of your favourite shoes so that one of your pairs is nice and fresh for the race (but not brand new!).
- Don’t buy a new pair less than 4 weeks out from the race. You need time to run them in – literally!
How do I know I have the right shoes for my feet?
- If you are getting blisters or any other niggles, do go to a running specialist retailer to check that you have the right shoes for your gait.
- It’s also vitally important to make sure you have the right size and width too. It sounds obvious but you’d be surprised how often runners are wearing the wrong size!
- In general, the longer the race (and therefore the amount of training you are doing) the more space you should have in your shoes.
- Running shoes should normally be a half to whole size bigger than your regular shoe size. We usually say you need half to a whole thumbnail of space from the end of your biggest toe to the end of the shoe.
What sort of socks should I wear?
Have you any advice about clothing and the unpredictable great British weather?!
We waste a huge amount of energy trying to regulate our own body’s temperature when running, if we are either too hot or too cold. So it’s essential to get this right.
The trick to clothing is the layering system. Wear several layers of light, breathable fabrics rather than one heavy layer.
- Just as with your socks, your running clothing should be good quality, breathable technical gear too. These sophisticated fabrics wick away sweat and help you regulate your temperature.
- When training, work out how many layers you need to wear to stay at the right temperature for different weather conditions.
- Check out the weather forecast for the day a few days ahead of race day so you can plan ahead.
Special offer!
Dominic and Geoff kindly offer our clients a 10% discount on running shoes. To take advantage of this offer pick up one of their flyers from the clinic and take it with you when you visit their shop.
To find out more about Sporting Feet click here to visit their website. They have an excellent range of both running shoes and shoes for many other different sports. They cater for adults and children alike and have a wealth of experience in this area.
For further advice on your running technique do book an appointment with one of our Physiotherapists who are trained to analyse your running gait and can help you with any issues or injuries you may have.
We also have a Podiatrist, Sas Ahmadi, who is a specialist in the biomechanics of running gait. He can help if you have alignment problems and require custom built insoles to go inside your shoes to support your feet or ankles.
To book an appointment with one of our team just call 020 8876 5690, email us here or pop in for a chat.
If you have enjoyed reading this blog and are interested in our other running blogs then click here.