Insoles are sooo IN right now.

As a shoe salesman on commission in 2000 I loved selling some one an expensive pair of shoes.  But the best was when they bought insoles and socks too!  Cha-ching$

But whats the deal with insoles?
I can't say I know a ton but I have a little insight.

We sold several different kinds.  Many brands were cheap and basically worthless.  They were just really soft foam that feel good in the store but probably made your feet/ankles/knees/back feel worse in the long run because they didn't actually provide support where you needed it.

Spenco seemed to be the real deal.  They seem well made and each variety addressed a specific purpose.

I was running a lot back then and tried a pair of Spenco insoles.  They didn't help.  They can't solve over training ;)

But they do seem to be very helpful for people with poorly formed feet.  Low or flat arches, severe over-pronation, etc.  For people with normal feet I'd generally say that a good shoe is all you need.  A real running shoe store sales person should be able to look at your feet and your gate and let you know where you fall on the spectrum of feet.

Also, doctors can make custom insoles but I have no experience with that.  I would certainly try the cheaper route of buying some $30 Spenco insoles first.

Warning: Insoles tend to take up more room in your shoes than a normal insole.  So be careful that you don't cause harm by wearing shoes that are too tight.  Adding insoles may mean that you need to adjust your shoe 1/2 size.
  

Joe Friel's blog post on max heart rate

Checkout Joe Friel's latest blog post on max heart rate.
http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2011/06/max-heart-rate-and-fitness.html

His book "The Cyclist's Training Bible" is excellent and he has several other books:
http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Friel/e/B001JP0ANM/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

My max heart rate as a runner in college was measured at 186.  Since taking up cycling I have seen some higher heart rates (most likely because I measure my HR on almost every ride).  186 was confirmed many times when I peaked for races.

It is interesting (and possibly related to his post) that my last 2 increases in max HR (188 and 189) came at WestsideWorlds (a really hard training ride) when I was tired and not exactly "on".  I was NOT broken so I could still get the HR up.  I was tired, could work hard, and was able to go all out, to a mediocre result :)

I had hoped the small increases were signaling superior fitness.  But my results during those weeks/months would confirm what Joe is saying.  I was less fit from being tired during a long training block.  It will be interesting to see if my max heart rate will come down a little as I freshen up for cyclocross in the fall.

My feet aren't that big!

If the shoe fits...

I used to be a running shoe salesman... ok walking shoes too.  I was good.  On several occasions people came back to the store (Hess Shoes died in 2000) to thank me for helping them select the right shoe.  Their back didn't hurt anymore, their ankles didn't hurt anymore, their bunions didn't hurt anymore...  I felt like a doctor.  Actually I was better than a doctor in some ways.  A guy walks in with a note from his doctor.  "Excuse me young man I need some special shoes".  I'll try to help u sir, let me see that note.  In doctor chicken scratch reads "New Balance".  Oh yeah, u need special shoes alright!  I'm going to give you a boot, write NB in black sharpie marker and you can kick ur doctor in the... I admit that I chuckled aloud.
To be fair the doctor wasn't completely wrong.  This guy needed a shoe that was wider and had a lot of arch support.  He had flattish feet and his gate severely overpronated.  New Balance shoes have a reputation for providing quality shoes, in multiple widths, and with varying degrees of support.  But they also make water shoes.  Lol, Actually it looks like NB water shoes are pretty amazing.  But they wouldn't have helped this guy.
The happy ending?  The guy trusted me, I got him into a well fitting pair of New Balance shoes, and many of the pains he was feeling vanished rapidly.
A lady comes in, she has been running but her feet hurt.  Any good running shoe salesman knows how to look at your feet and diagnose pressure points.  Before she takes the shoes off its obvious that her feet are trying to rip free of these tight shoes.  Out comes the foot, and the bunions become painfully obvious, even through her socks.  I measure her feet and say she's a 10.  "A TEN!  I've NEVER been a TEN!"  I try to explain that running can cause your feet to flatten and so you may move up a half size.  She refuses to be a ten even though her bunions beg for a long/wider toe box.

Shoes matter.  The right type of shoe, the right brand of shoe and the right size of shoe.  If your running shoe store can't tell you how you pronate or the types of shoes that match well with your arches, then you need to find a running shoe store that can.

Years later when I got into marathoning I should have followed my own advice/wisdom.  I wore shoes that were too small.  They felt better/faster.  They were the right type of shoe, and the right brand.  But snug in the toe box.  Thousands of miles later a nerve in my foot became permanently inflammed.  Morton's Neuroma.  Once I relaized the problem, proper shoes couldn't undue it.  It took surgery to beat it.  But it did beat it.  When good shoes fail, find a good foot doctor.  Mine had done several Ironman's.  He was good.

Get the right shoe.  Pay $100 every 3 months if you have to.  Save yourself some pain and save yourself some money in the long-run (pun).

THE END

Eating like a pro

I might be wrong, but I think our culture imagines professional cyclists eating anything they want.  The grand tour guys (Tour de France folk) like Lance Armstrong have some interesting things to say.
"Some times you have to skip meals..." Oh my, that makes mothers cringe ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sStK1KG8lnA

And here is a funny post by another grand tour rider Taylor Phinney.  He used to be a track rider where weight isn't as important.  But now he's riding with the big boys in the Giro d'talia.
http://taylorphinney.com/2012/02/21/belgium-causing-tension-between-fat-taylor-and-skinny-professional-taylor/

Which running shoe stores do you recommend?

I said in a previous post that runners need to get fitted for running shoes at a "real" running shoe store.  Not a store like Footlocker (which tends to focus on fashion running shoes like Nike, Reebok, and Adidas) and not a store like DSW which is just a big store full of shoes that probably doesn't employ anyone who knows how to fit you for a good shoe.

The proper running shoe is sooooo important.  Its totally worth paying a little extra for the right shoe!  Trust me!!!!!  Your feet, ankles, shins, knees, hips, and lower back with thank you tomorrow and years from now.

I live in Maryland, just outside of Baltimore.  I recommend Charm City running shoe stores.  They tend to be a little pricier, but they have several locations, knowledgeable staff, and they are well connected in the running community, putting on many of the big races in the area.  Then there is Falls Road Running shoes which is owned by a guy I've raced many times.  They are super knowledgeable as well.  Finally, I also highly recommend Holabird Sports.  They have very good prices and knowledgeable staff.  They tend to be focused on internet and mail order sales so their store hours aren't the best.  But I find it worth a little inconvenience to be able to try their massive selection of current year and last years' (discounted) models.

What about running socks, do they matter?

Ya you can get away with classic cotton "running" socks.  But if you are going to do any amount of regular running then I recommend a running sock like these:
http://www.defeet.com/60304/Running-Socks.html

The biggest advantage for running socks is that they tend to fit better, designed to help prevent blisters.  Feet can be sensitive little buggers.  Also, running socks are breathable which is a huge plus in the summer months.  They tend to last a long time.  And, well, they have cool designs.

Your local running store will have many different types.  Check them out.

When should you replace your running shoes?

replace shoes rules:
rule #1 = any shoe that has gotten wet and been used, and will now be
used again for running should not be older than 6 months.
rule #2 = any shoe with over 300 miles... walking/running/standing(1 hour of standing = 1 mile i guess).
rule #3 = any shoe that has obvious wear patterns on the tread.


u can't wait to buy a different looking shoe?  far-get-about-it.  if it aint broke don't fix it. order the same exact shoe if possible.  unless u are in the wrong shoe... then get the right shoe.


which shoe is the right shoe?  there is a ton of articles written about this but if u don't already have the right shoe (you've never been shown the right shoe by a professional or your current shoe is hurting your feet/ankles/knees or lower back) then get to a good running shoe store (not Footlocker or DSW) and get fitted by a professional who knows what they are talking about.

First timer tips for endurance athletes

I recently wrote an email to an athlete preparing for his first triathlon.  The idea is to give some tips to a first timer without overwhelming him with the finer nuances of training.  Those details can be conveyed as the training progresses.  It has a lot of words so I've decided I need to share it ;)

Initial training tips (I would be happy to coach u some each week as you go):

1.  Enjoy it!  Cardio/Endurance training generally doesn't hurt or burn.  That is a super counter-cultural thing for Americans (especially lifters, footballers, soccer players, baseballers, basketballers, etc).  American sports tend towards pinpoint intense efforts (anaerobic).  Cardio/Endurance is generally about putting in the time to train at a non-painful (aerobic) effort.  Only once or twice a week should you do a workout that makes you feel the burn in your lungs/body (anaerobic).  Otherwise your physiology will literally begin to rebel and even though you could mentally force yourself through it, your body will eventually prevail by either getting injured or sick thus forcing you to back off.  I could go on about this for a long time but this is a good paragraph to start with for this subject :)

2.  More (time) is better.  More time on the bike, more time running, more time swimming.  This is why #1 is so important.  If your doing this stuff intensely then you won't be trying to do more time, you will be trying to do the same amount of time at faster paces.  And usually people begin to press into the anaerobic when doing this.  The funny (weird) thing is that as you do more and more time you will also start to get faster and faster without even trying.  It is one of the miracles of the body.  There are many factors of why this is true; you will lose more weight (making you more efficient), your body chemistry will hone into this endurance machine (making you more efficient), your muscular fitness will improve (making you more efficient).  In the end we excel in endurance races because humans are fantastically efficient at aerobic exercises.  In fact, besides our superior brain power, our abilities over long distances (aerobic fitness) exceeds that of most other animals.  I'm such a geek.

3.  WARNING!!! this is big so I save it for last.  INJURY!!!  Soooo many people start out following the above 2 points, they improve!  They get excited because they discover how amazing our aerobic abilities are!   They begin to train more, push the boundaries.  Life is good!  Then they get injured.  Frustrated.  Grrrrrrrr.  You are at an even higher risk right now because you are so heavy. Granted for most Americans the weight is from fat and your weight is muscle.  But both forms of weight put load on the joints, bones, tendons, etc.  So what do you do!?  Its a damn catch 22!  The more you train the more weight you lose but until the weight is off, the more you train the higher risk you have of hurting a precious piece of cartilage.  Train moderately and eat less is the answer.  This is actually what all the skinny pros do as well.  Its a crazy little secret that no one (in America) likes to talk about because our culture wants to believe that we just train hard and the food will burn away.  But the truth is that we tend to eat significantly more than we should.  And our bodies have another incredible ability other than aerobic fitness.  We can out-eat almost any amount of calorie-burning activity to maintain body mass.  This is useful if there is an upcoming famine but in the US we don't tend to ever have a famine and so we just stay big.  Anyway, losing body weight is a top priority for you, not just to go fast, but to be healthier on your joints and avoid injury.  if you do start to feel pain that is beyond some muscle soreness, you gotta stop right away.  don't struggle through it!  contact me and lets discuss.  most injuries can be knocked out with 1 day of rest and a little ice if you get off of it right away.  but if you train through it you run the risk of developing all kinds of ITIS (tendonitis, arthritis, etc.) or muscle pulls or stress fractures etc.

WOOWEE!

That is probably too much but I love people and this sport.