Running shoes

So my asinine New Year's resolution this year is to start running. I hated it back when I was 15, ran track and timed in at a 5:30 mile. (Not great, not bad, but a lifetime ago). I'm sure I'm gonna hate it again .. about 100 pounds heavier, three years removed from a broken ankle and a cigarette addiction. But ... need to make some changes. So for you healthy folk out there who are everyday joggers/runners - can you recommend a decent shoe? For a fat guy with a bad ankle who smokes?

 

I always had great luck with Saucony and New Balance, in that order, NB has special wide sizes which might be good for you in your current state.

 

I wear Asics and love them. I would recommend going to a running store and asking them what you asked us. They can take a quick look at your running stride and get shoes that are perfect for you.

Congrats on a great resolution.

 

If you insist on running, the three brands mentioned above would be great. Pick the one that feels most stable and comfortable for you, but don't pay a fortune. A decent pair of Asics should run you $60-70, tops. Any more than that is wasting dough.

Better if you bike, swim or elliptical first, until you get in some kind of shape. Running is not a great thing for large people to jump in to.

 

Speed, agree. Thinking of hitting the bike first, getting disciplined with the pushups, etc. Man, this is gonna suck, but it's time. Not getting any younger. Thanks for the help, y'all.

 

1. Asics
2. Saucony

Stick to those brands when buying running shoes. If you want racing flats or something along that order, pick up Nikes. Otherwise, Asics are your best bet. That's all I wear when I run now and I started when I ran cross country in college as a freshman.

 

I second going to a running store to have them size you. And I don't mean Sports Authority or Dicks Sporting Goods. We have Pacers down in the DC area and they're great (though expensive). My wife bought shoes from Dicks and they were causing her some pain in her shins and ankles. So she went to Pacers, sat down with a sales guy there for 20 minutes and they found a pair of Nikes that have some give in them, alleviating the pain. For someone who's a serious runner, it was worth the $130.

 

You need to get some shoes that come with a portable defibrillator.

Seriously be careful - 100 lbs heavier and smoker.

Start slow. You'll get there but be patient. Good luck.

 

Nike's 2010 Air Max is expensive at around $150, but I think it's the best running shoe Nike has produced in years.

 

I second the folks who recommend starting with something low or non impact. I was more than 100 lbs overweight when I started my weight loss and began with walking and running on a treadmill which led to all kinds of problems, most notably plantar fasciatis. I switched to cycling and haven't looked back. Down 90 lbs so far and I credit my time on my bike with a lot of that. I also began using my bike as a means of transportation so that the exercise became part of my everyday life, not something I had to make extra time for.

Good on ya, whatever you decide. And I second the New Balance recommendation. Great shoes with a great fit.

 

Count me as another advocate of going to an independent running store (I used Big Peach Running Co. in Atlanta). I'm 38 and was starting to feel the old-age aches in my feet, legs and knees every time I ran. Big Peach did a few tests to determine my arch type and pronation type. Based on those results, I was shown five different shoes and allowed to try them all out. I ended up in a pair of Brooks Adrenalines which retail for $100. Needless to say, the pain is gone. Well worth the money.

 

I'm going to have to give NB another try. I had a pair of adidas I really liked, but I've worn them out. Bought some cheap Nikes, but I can't imagine running in them.

What's a good mile time for someone in his mid to late 30s? I got really serious a couple of years ago and got down to a 6:24 mile, with the goal being to get under 6 minutes. Then I let up. I'm not sure I can do anything better than an 8-minute mile now.