Road Runner Sports Gait Analysis

Has anyone ever had a running store do a gait analysis for them before?

I went to Road Runner Sports before I went on vacation to get a new pair of running shoes.  I decided to go because my old pair was approaching 300 miles, and based on my training plan I'd be putting on another ~85 by the time I got to the Half Marathon which at that time was (gasp) only one month away!!  I didn't want to run the half in really worn out shoes.

I started to notice they were not as cushioned as they used to be, and my outside of my big toe has been getting rubbed a little bit, mostly on longer runs (Not really an issue before, but is now).  It's not rubbing to the point of a blister, and not even a callus, it's just a little tender after my long runs.  I don't think it's a sock issue because my Smart Wool running socks are seamless.  I think it's a sign I should be switching shoes soon.

So I went to Road Runner Sports for the first time, on a friend's recommendation, to do their gait analysis so they could recommend a good shoe for me (and hopefully not a super expensive one!).

[Before going, I joined their VIP program online for $1.99.  VIP gets you 10% off  everything in store and online, and free shipping for online orders.  Allegedly you get some extra member-only promotions, and you are allowed to try out any pair of shoes for 60 days and exchange for a new pair if you aren't happy.  The VIP membership is good for one year, after this point it becomes $24.99/year... At this point, I don't intend to continue my membership after the first year, and will set up a reminder to myself to cancel as I approach my one year mark.  Additionally for online orders, if you launch the order through Ebates,* which is free to join, you'll get an additional 5% cash back.]

*Full disclosure, I get a $5 Ebates credit for any new member who signs up through the above link.

I called ahead and was told I did not need to make an appointment for a gait analysis.  I showed up and there were about 3 other people/groups there. Boo.  I signed up on the clipboard and then wandered around the store for a while.  I only have a couple pairs of Smart Wool running socks, and then some shorter socks that are ok for spinning, but not so much running.  So I picked up some socks:

These Road Runner Dryroad Elite socks were on sale and short, and came small enough for my size 6 feet so I picked them up.

I picked up this 3 pack of Feetures light, not on sale, at the recommendation of an employee, who said this is their favorite brand of running sock.

When it was my turn for the gait analysis, the employee asked me some questions such as: what surfaces do I run on, how many miles a week, do I use orthotics, have I had any injuries, etc.  He measured my feet for size. Then he had me stand on a pad to look at my arches and balance.  It turns out I have "normal" arches; I'm somewhat left foot dominant meaning I put a little more weight on that foot than my right; and I distribute the weight pretty evenly throughout my feet (front to back).  Next he had me run on the treadmill, barefoot.  There's a camera at your foot-level that records this.

Then they play back the video and you get to see how your feet roll as you run.  It turns out that as my foot rolls forward and my weight shifts, my arches collapse somewhat.  I asked if that meant I was an over-pronater, he said they call it "semi-flex."  (Not sure what that means, never heard of the term).  The employee was surprised that I had not experienced any running injuries and showed how this foot rolling throws off the alignment of your legs and how that can cause extra stress on your joints.

The employee felt that I could benefit from a little more arch support than shoes typically provide.  I was hesitant, as I have never worn inserts before, and didn't know how this would change my running.  I was asked if I wanted to have custom orthotics/insoles made from a mold of my foot.  I asked what it would cost, he said around $72, I said I'd rather not.  I did opt to try out a cheaper non-custom insole however:

These Superfeet insoles cost around $30.

(Note: the jury is still out on these.  I'm not sure if these are required or not.  They are not uncomfortable, and I can feel the added support in my arches, especially compared with my worn out older shoes.  But would I have been fine in the long run without them?  Who knows.)  I was told that these should last for 3-4 pairs of shoes, so I feel a little better about the price.

The employee confirmed that I had been wearing the correct type of running shoe (Stability) and went in the back to find me some stability shoe styles in my size.  I told him that I've typically worn New Balance and Asics, but was open to other brands.  He brought out shoes by Brooks, Asics, Saucony, and Nike.  After he stuck the insole in each pair of shoes for me, I hopped on the treadmill for a quick run to see how the support was helping my over-pronating, then he played back the footage for me (ha- footage).  Most of the shoes helped, I think the Asics and the Saucony helped the best according to the video - and I found the Saucony to be more comfortable I think, so I went with it.  The employee jotted down the other styles I tried, should this pair not work out for me.

Anyway, here's my new running shoe: the Saucony Pro Grid Omni 9

 

New running shoes (and my new Lululemon Run Fast Shorts - I love them!)

I Just Wanna Run tank + Run Fast Shorts...

and my new Sauconys.

While there, I also picked up some new flavors of Shot Bloks.  Lemon lime was recommended by a previous commenter, and Mountain Berry was recommended by one of the employees. I have yet to try them, but will in the next week or so:

This is my first pair of Sauconys.  Since I bought the shoes, I've run 3 times in them and so far, so good.  I have a 10 mile run to do tomorrow, which will be my longest run in them yet.  Hope I still like them for longer runs! 

Lululemon Run Fast Short

Today I got the new Lululemon Run Fast shorts in the mail.  Woo hoo!  I ordered them last Thursday, they shipped the same day, and here they are 6 days later (I guess 5 Fed Ex days).  That's about how long it usually takes me to get my Lululemon orders.  Anyway...

Lululemon Fast Shorts, Black, Style # LW7600S

Back View

Here is the description from the Lululemon website:

• Meet your new runnng partner…the ultimate weightless run short!
• Swift is wicking, quick drying, light weight & breathable with 2-way stretch
• Soft wicking coolmax® liner
• Buttery soft luxtreme™ wicks away your sweat!
• Anti-stink mesh for ventilation in high sweat areas
• Secret key pocket on inner waistband
• Extra leg room! built for maximum mobility & all body shapes
• Flat seamed for chafe resistance & comfort

My first impressions: I'm happy that the text on the waist band is continuous!  There's a seam at the left side, but that's not going to be too visible while wearing.  

The "lu" kinda blends in with "lululemon"

 These shorts are very lightweight.  I love circle mesh because it is so lightweight.  Circle mesh is at the sides and on the back right underneath the waist band. The item description mentions luxtreme, but I'm not really sure that I notice any luxtreme on these.  The parts that are not circle mesh are the lightweight soft swift material very much like my old black Speed Shorts from last summer (not the current Speed Shorts like my white/wish blue ones, which seem to be a stiffer material).  

I immediately looked for the "secret key pocket" on the inside of the waist band and found it at the left side seam.

Secret Key Pocket to the right of the hang tag plastic

The pocket is much smaller than I expected, but I usually only stick a single key in my shorts pocket anyway.

Here are a couple pictures of the shorts being worn. I ordered them in my usual Lululemon size, and found them to fit true to size.  The waist band does not dig in to your waist. They are low to mid rise. My shorts have about a 8.5" rise, they come up to a couple inches below my belly button.

If you do not like how Lululemon's Speed Shorts or Ultra Shorts are cut a little high on the outside of the thigh, then you might like these as they are cut straight around the leg opening.

These are only for those that like short shorts- the inseam is pretty short. 

I measured my size 6 shorts and found them to have a 2.5" inseam. 

 The rip out tag.  The only downside to these shorts is that they were made in China. Wah wah...

Can't wait to use these shorts; I will have to report back after I run in them!

Budget running shorts

Unfortunately, these running shorts are no longer available, but as they make up a good portion of my running shorts, I'm going to mention them anyway.  A couple years ago, Old Navy offered fabulously cheap running shorts complete with a liner and a little key pocket inside the front waist band.

Back view of Old Navy womens running shorts, circa 2008-2009

I have a pair in Carbon and Cabot cove that I picked up for $7.50 each in January 2009 (I know the exact names for colors and the date because I ordered them online and it was still in my email).  That's the upper left pair and the lower left pair, respectively.

Prior to that (probably the previous fall or summer?) I got a pair of the same shorts in solid black, and green with white edging (right side).  I think the original retail price for these shorts was $15.  Not bad at full price either.

These were my first "real" running shorts... meaning they were short shorts and had that built in liner.  When I first started running I wore mesh shorts with a nice wide waist band (that I still have) probably from Target?

Here's the front view, complete with my notes on the blue pair.  I accidentally threw a little tub of Blistex DCT lip balm in with the laundry and it left fantastic spots on some pieces of clothing in that load, including these shorts.  I tried treating the stains multiple times and they never came out. I still wear the blue shorts anyway.

Old Navy stopped making running shorts for a while, which was disappointing, (and also probably around the time that I transitioned to the much more expensive Lululemon running shorts), though I see they currently have a different version available online:

Old Navy Women's Running Shorts (3") in Carbon

You can find them online here for a very reasonable $15.  Use your Old Navy/Gap/BR card on a Tuesday and get them for 10% off, or keep your eye out for the bazillion other promotional codes Old Navy sends out.  Get an extra 2% cash back off your Old Navy purchase when you launch the site through Ebates (I like finding ways not to pay full price online).

These shorts are definitely worth a shot if you are looking for some budget running clothing.  I have never experienced any 'chafing' with these shorts and they do wick sweat effectively.  They have never looked wet from sweat after a long run.  They are really lightweight and comfortable to wear, though they do have an elastic waistband  with drawstring (no wide waist band like lulu shorts).   Even so, I don't find that the waist band is unflattering on me.

I'm not a huge fan of Old Navy's sports bras (not supportive enough) or tanks (mostly cotton), but I do recommend their running shorts!

What I'm wearing to the Treadmill

My in-laws were here this weekend through this morning, so I wasn't able to get outside early enough for a run today. Now that they have left, I will head to the gym and run 4 miles on the treadmill. It's 84 and 55% humidity and I haven't even left yet, (and I am stalling by writing this post) so I'm sure it will be more like mid to upper 80s by the time I get out the door.

Here's what I'm wearing:
The black tank is from Target's C9 active wear line. I bought it last summer or maybe even the summer before that. It's 92% Polyester, 8% Spandex. Made in Jordan. I think it was called the Long & Lean Tank, though the current version of this tank online has different percentages for the fabric. I have it in black, a dark purple, and a light pink. It's a lightweight, moisture-wicking racer back tank. I believe the price is $14.99 though I know I bought 2 of my 3 on sale for $9.99. I'm wearing an XS.

My shorts are Lululemon's Speed Short in sidewalk/white foxy plaid, style # LW7558S. The shorts are 100% Polyester, the Liner is a blend of Polyester, Coolmax Polyester, and Lycra Spandex. The plaid is a little crazy for me, but not too wild in gray. I got them while marked down to $39 at my local Lululemon. As you can see, this style of short flares out a bit around the leg opening, which is different from the original version of the short (I talked about that a little bit here). They are still a good moisture-wicking lightweight run short with the zip pocket in back that I really appreciate and the nice wide waist band that doesn't cut in. I'm wearing my usual lululemon size 6 in these. I tried on the 4 as I read online reviews stating these run bit, but the 4 was too snug in the waist. For me, these are true to size, but with a looser fit through the leg.

3:30pm - Edited to Add:
The Sports Bra I'm wearing is a newer style by Moving Comfort, called Juno. See it [here].

This color is Guava. I actually ordered this exact style but in Black a little over a month ago and loved it so much I ordered one in a second color. So far I've worn this puppy on runs of up to 8.5 miles and feel that it is very supportive, without smooshing me flat like a pancake. It's rated for high impact activities and uses both encapsulation (cups) and compression (some smoosh).

It's a pullover racerback style with a row of hook and eye closures at the bottom for a better fit. So you leave the hooks open, pull it over your head and then hook it closed. I love this!! (I have Moving Comfort's Fiona bra which offers great support, but it is not racerback. So I cannot wear it (attractively) with any of my racerback tanks. It has been a good fall and winter running bra anyway).

Also, the straps are adjustable from the front. You can see where the straps disappear into the body of the bra. The straps double back, coming up on the inside where you can adjust the length. It comes in actual bra sizes, not S/M/L and I find it fits true to size. For this style I wear the same size as my normal bra size. I can even fit my heart rate monitor strap under the band of this bra.

Moving Comfort's special fabrics are: S.Cafe Polyester - made with coffee grounds! Its properties include: fast-drying, odor control, UV-protection, and it's environmentally friendly. And aerosilver: anti-microbial, odor-preventing, quick dry, UV protection.

Most importantly, it's supportive for bigger cup sizes and can be worn under racer back tanks. $52 sounds like a lot for a sports bra, but it is worth the money. You can check places like roadrunnersports.com or onlineshoes.com and usually find a promotional code to knock that price down even more.

What I Wore Running

I got up this morning around 6:45ish so I could get an earlier start on a long run today. An 8.4 mile run, to be exact! The high for today was 93... and it's staying in the 90s for the foreseeable future, so I guess I need to get better about waking up early if I want to run outside. I didn't get to check the temperature when I left because my husband was still sleeping, so I just got ready and slipped out the door. But when I got back, sometime before 9am, it was 84 with 59% humidity.

I made sure to drink lots of water last night so I would be hydrated when I woke up. After I got ready, I ate a banana and drank some water, grabbed my Garmin Forerunner, then I headed out the door.

This is what I wore:

Front - New Balance Cocona Tank

Back - Check out the Reflectivity

I wore my New Balance Cocona tank. It is antimicrobial and moisture-wicking. It's semi-fitted, but a little looser below the bust. It's made of 35% COCONA Polyester/65% Polyester. Cocona is a fabric embedded with activated carbon from coconut shells, a renewable material that wicks, fights odor, and offers UV protection. You can read more about cocona [here]. This is a nice lightweight tank. It's fitted, but not tight, and I like the slightly longer length so I don't need to worry about it riding up. While it wicks, it doesn't show sweat easily.

Lululemon Speed Shorts, black (Summer 2009)

Back - Note the venting, reflective logo, and zip pocket

I love my Lululemon Speed shorts from last summer. They seem to be a different material than the two pairs of Speed Shorts I bought this year (white/wish blue and sidewalk/white foxy plaid). My black pair seems lighter and softer. The ones from this year seem to have a stiffer fabric. I also prefer the fit of these guys; they are shaped a little more to my butt and upper leg. The new ones are a bit looser and flare out at the leg opening more. I still like the new ones I bought, but this black pair is really my go-to running short. I find I choose to wear them for running more than any of my other shorts.

O.N.E. Coconut Water

When I got back from my run, I was thirsty! I was hoping being hydrated was enough to get me through my run, and it was, but on my next long run I'll definitely be bringing water along. It's hard to compare these long runs with my earlier training - since the long runs for my spring half marathon training were in 50-70 degree weather. Anyway, I filled up a big glass with ice and coconut water and downed it pretty quickly.

I just picked up this Liter sized container of coconut water at Whole Foods for 2/$8 the other day. Considering O.N.E.'s little 8.5 ounce (250mL) bottles are ~$1.19, this was a good deal.  The 11 ounce containers are usually $1.69.

After breakfast, we went to the local farmer's market where we picked up some more fantastic honey from a nearby farm. I had always just bought the bear shaped clover honey from Wegmans, but THIS stuff is really good.