I ran in two-year-old running shoes for the first half of my training, which I later discovered were actually too small for me! After one month of training, I finally accepted that I needed a new pair of running shoes. I went to iRun with my dad one day before a run to get a new pair of shoes. When the iRun employee saw my current shoes, he said, “Yeah, they don’t make those models anymore.” I immediately laughed nervously to hide my embarrassment and asked to see what newer models he had. The iRun employee observed how I walked and ran before bringing out the new shoes.
Outside of my feet, inside my feet, or if I was considered neutral. I discovered that I am a neutral runner. He also measured my arches to see what kind of arch support I required. The employee then handed me three pairs of shoes to try on and inquired about my price range. The best part about getting my running shoes fitted was that he discovered I was wearing a half size too small! After trying on all three pairs, I chose a newer model of the same brand, paid, and went for a run to test them out. Running in the new shoes felt like running on clouds. My knee, which had previously bothered me, felt great, and I was no longer bothered by it.
Running with a partner is obvious for safety reasons, but it also allowed for perseverance during difficult and discouraging runs. I ran by myself about twice a week, but on the other two or three days, I ran with my father or cousin. The small talk passed the time and allowed me to forget how much pain I was in! Running with my father on a regular basis was also a fantastic bonding experience. “What did you do today?” turned into a discussion of my concerns or areas for advice. Running is a conversational, deeply relational activity that can help you grow closer to someone.
