Running Mania

I've been working to move to a more midfoot strike, which has been going well, but part of the problem is that with landing further forward, my toes need more space. I'm having issues with blistering on my outside toes. I'm also looking for something with a lower drop profile.

I went to my beloved Sports4 and tried on - no exaggeration - 10 pairs of shoes, and none really worked for my narrow heel and wide forefoot.

Any suggestions? Is anyone wearing the Altras? They say they have an "anatomical" foot shape.

Thanks!

The Mizuno shoes have a spacious toebox. Did you try any of those?

Sent from my GT-S7560M using Tapatalk 2

I've got the same forefoot problems- I have a hard time finding shoes that don't pinch my toes.

From my past couple of years, here's what I've worn:

Altra Instinct- currently using them as my workhouse mileage shoes- absolutley massive toebox, very comfy. If you're okay with zero drop these are great. Don't feel very fast for some reason though. My wife says they look like toddler shoes.

Newton Gravity & Distance- I love Newtons- enough room in the toe box, but not super wide at the heel- they fit me really well, and I feel like I can run fast in them.

Inov-8 F Lite 230- I use these for trails and some road- they fit really well. A touch narrower than the Altras, but no problems. Very little padding under foot. I'll buy Inov-8 shoes again.

Brooks Pure Connect- not too bad, but right on the edge of the toebox being too narrow for me. A bit narrower across the ball of the foot than I like. Don't think I'd buy another pr.

Saucony Kinvara & Kinvara 2- I can only wear these without socks- even ultra thin socks make them too tight across the toes.

I LOVE my Ronin's -- did you try those on?

I have a similar proportioned foot, have a neutral alignment and try to run mid-foot. I use the Saucony Kinvaras for most of my runs and they are amazing. I broke them in right away although I eased into the lower heel-toe drop (they're 4 mm's) as was suggested to me by Solefit. I use the Saucony Peregrines for trails. Moving from the Nimbuses (which worked just fine for me for years), I've tried the Brooks Glycerins and Saucony Rides. Both suck for me, kill toenails and give me blisters. I'm not planning on changing shoes again and will just use these three models for all of my runs. I'm sick of foot ailments. Good luck!

The mizunos have a wide toe box and a narrow heel, which I suspect is probably also a factor for you. That's all I wear, but these Atlas ones sound interesting!

Thought of another one- I tried the Skechers GoRun and GoBionic at a race expo- they were great. Went for a rip on the treadmill and they were very comfy and fast feeling, with lots of toe room. I would consider either of those if I found them for a good price.

You guys are great - thanks!

Mizuno...those are the ones that have been destroying my feet! I have blisters on top of blood blisters! They seemed fine for short runs, but once I got longer, didn't work at all.

Erin - your list looks a lot like what I tried on. I liked the inov-8, but they didn't have them small enough for me. I think they might be a gender neutral shoe, and didn't come any smaller, at least not the model I was looking at. I really liked the feel of the Brooks Connect, but they were too narrow in the toe.

He didn't try me in any Saucony's, though I know some people like them.

Will compile a list and go back to the drawing board.

You can also try Superfeet inserts. They have one type (the green ones I think) that are designed to cup the heel a bit more. Then you can use them with a wider shoe.

scrumhalfgirl wrote:Mizuno...those are the ones that have been destroying my feet! I have blisters on top of blood blisters! They seemed fine for short runs, but once I got longer, didn't work at all.

I didn't mention that I still go up half a size. Something to consider with whichever one you pick.

Sent from my GT-S7560M using Tapatalk 2

ultraslacker wrote:

scrumhalfgirl wrote:Mizuno...those are the ones that have been destroying my feet! I have blisters on top of blood blisters! They seemed fine for short runs, but once I got longer, didn't work at all.

I didn't mention that I still go up half a size. Something to consider with whichever one you pick.

Sent from my GT-S7560M using Tapatalk 2

Tru dat.

Part of the reason I wear men's 11 is to get more toe box room after I put my insoles in.

Hmmm - interesting option! I think that this has shown I have funny shaped feet - my big toe is very long, and my little toe is very little. My toes go on a steep angle down.

Update! I have now tried on just about every shoe at the store - a bit ridiculous. I tried on the mizunos and sauconys suggested in this thread, and they were too narrow.

I've got two shoes I'm going to take home and try on the treadmill again - the New Balance 1400 and the Asics Gel Hyper Speed. Both feel a bit snugger on my pinky toe than I would like, but we'll see how they do. I ran in the Asics this morning, and wasn't sold, but I'm going to give them another go in comparison to the NB. The NB are narrower, but seem to give my toe some room.

I tried the Altras on, but they had just gotten them in today and didn't have the women's sizes yet, so it was a bit long. But the width felt comfy! I'm not ready to go to a fully zero drop (the shoes above are 8 and 6 mm respectively), but my "shoe guy" suggested I think about getting a pair to try getting used to very very gradually, so we'll see.

Can I just add how much I love Sports4? Anyone in Ottawa should go there for shoes!

Good luck scrummy! Yeah, don't go to 0 drop yet. My shoe list had shoes in the range that you specified as a first step toward minimalist footwear. It was recommended that I do *really* short runs to begin with (even around the block, then swap shoes). I ran in my Kinvaras for months of 4-6ks before building them up to 12-15k's.

Narrow heel and wide toebox is available in some Brooks shoes but if you're looking for flats or minimalist nothing out there. I run in Brooks Adrenaline 4E width and have found nothing else that fits. But that's probably way more shoe than you are wanting.

Thought you have been a high stability kinda person in the Brooks Adrenaline, Scrummy? Would be quite a switch going down to a minimalist-type neutral shoe, though at less than 1/3 the weight of the Adrenalines, which ever shoe you decide upon ...

My shop at Euro-sports just received a shipment of Zoot Kiawe and I received a pair for my b-day from the Boss this week ... Had to go a half size up, and it seem to fit well during my little run this morning ... I did put a D-Sole in the shoe, however, to provide me with some stability/support ...

Another option would also be to consider wearing the Injiji 5 finger/toed socks ... as I have found that they have reduced blistering in my toes, as well ... Also, have had an issue with my little right pinky toe on the ride edge with blistering in the past ...

Have you tried any wide sizes? I pretty much need to go that route in order to find something that fits. I also have a narrower heel and a really wide forefoot and finding shoes is a pain. I recently picked up some Mizuno's and LOVE them and they are also a half size larger than other shoes I run in.

The only other shoe I have that fits me as well as the Mizuno's are my Ecco Biom trail shoes. They just hug my foot like they were sculpted around them and they have lots of room even though they are not a wide size. I haven't looked at what the have in their non-trail offerings lately, but they may at least be worth a fitting if you can find them in Ottawa. I found my trail shoes at Sail but I haven't seen street shoes around otherwise I would have tried them on for sure they feel so good on my feet.

Be careful of "wide." Sometimes that means the heel got wider but not the toe.

Joe Dwarf wrote:Narrow heel and wide toebox is available in some Brooks shoes but if you're looking for flats or minimalist nothing out there. I run in Brooks Adrenaline 4E width and have found nothing else that fits. But that's probably way more shoe than you are wanting.

Yep - the Brooks Adrenaline is the shoe I used to wear!

Andy - I did use to wear the adrenaline, but I knew they were more "control" than I need at this point in my running. I transitioned from them into a neutral shoe (the wave rider) with a traditional drop over a period of months, in conjunction with changing my stride. I'm now working to move to a lower drop.

I just did a short TM run with both pairs of shoes - they're actually both decent. I think I'm going to keep the Asics, work them into the rotation for a few months, and then re-evaluate. I'm not sure they'll be my "forever" shoes, but we'll see.

Things were so much simpler when I just wore adrenalines, whatever number, right out of the box!

scrumhalfgirl wrote:

Joe Dwarf wrote:Narrow heel and wide toebox is available in some Brooks shoes but if you're looking for flats or minimalist nothing out there. I run in Brooks Adrenaline 4E width and have found nothing else that fits. But that's probably way more shoe than you are wanting.

Yep - the Brooks Adrenaline is the shoe I used to wear!

Andy - I did use to wear the adrenaline, but I knew they were more "control" than I need at this point in my running. I transitioned from them into a neutral shoe (the wave rider) with a traditional drop over a period of months, in conjunction with changing my stride. I'm now working to move to a lower drop.

I just did a short TM run with both pairs of shoes - they're actually both decent. I think I'm going to keep the Asics, work them into the rotation for a few months, and then re-evaluate. I'm not sure they'll be my "forever" shoes, but we'll see.

Things were so much simpler when I just wore adrenalines, whatever number, right out of the box!

Which Asics Model again? Did you checkout the RR Clearance section ? http://ca.shop.runningroom.com/sale-1/shoes.html?app_webattribute_3=8

I got the Altra Instinct when they first came out on runningwarehouse. I have very narrow heels/wider toebox, and these were very comfortable. It's not much shoe... I don't think I could wear them for more than 10km.

Unfortunately I do all my running on the treadmill at the gym, and I was quite adamantly banned from wearing them in public. They are the dorkiest looking shoes that ever existed.

dgrant wrote:Unfortunately I do all my running on the treadmill at the gym, and I was quite adamantly banned from wearing them in public. They are the dorkiest looking shoes that ever existed.

worse than the Hoka Ones?!

ultraslacker wrote:

dgrant wrote:Unfortunately I do all my running on the treadmill at the gym, and I was quite adamantly banned from wearing them in public. They are the dorkiest looking shoes that ever existed.

worse than the Hoka Ones?!

I think the Hokas are worse! The Altras may look a bit like clown shoes, but the Hokas are like Spice Girl shoes!

I have a very wide foot, and I have been running in Newtons. I adore them. I only ever have problems when I forget and my pinky toenail gets too long, then I get a blister on the next toe in.