The Shoe Conundrum Continues

Well, I went to the running store!  And it was… kind of frustrating.  I asked for a neutral shoe with a wide toe box, and they showed me a bunch of shoes I’ve tried before.  Brooks Ghost, New Balance 1080 and New balance 880.  None of those shoes has a truly wide toe box- they might be a little widER than other models though. I did have an illuminating conversation with the person who worked there.  She confirmed that yes, these companies are making their shoes more and more narrow.  She said the Hoka Clifton 9s are more narrow than the 8s (so that settles that- I definitely won’t be wearing Cliftons anymore!). I was glad she said that, and it’s not that I’m losing my mind or that my foot is getting fatter.  The shoes are getting narrower! WHY???  Why are these major shoe companies making shoes that AREN”T GOOD FOR YOUR FEET? Kyria sent me this article about the Altra Lone Peak shoes.  Altras have a nice wide toe box, but they’re a zero-drop shoe (that means the forefoot and heel are on the same level, whereas in most traditional running shoes the heel is higher than the forefoot- Hokas have a 5mm drop and the New Balance have a 10mm.) Now, I had specified that I didn’t want a zero-drop shoe, but the review made a very convincing case for it, and was even written by someone who had suffered from plantar fasciitis in the past.  In the future, I think this is the direction I’m going to go.  But for right now, with only about month before my race, I don’t want to make such a big change. I got the New Balance 880s, and I went one half size up and ordered a wide width.  They’re okay. I’m not convinced they’re any wider than my Hokas, but I’m hoping they won’t irritate the top of my foot.  I’ll find out on my next long run! One of the things I love doing at a running store is browsing through their gels.  I got these two: I’m hoping these New Balance shoes will at least get me through my race.  And who knows, maybe I’ll end up loving them!  I hope that’s the case- it’s very stressful not having a go-to shoe. I’m joining My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida for Fit Five Friday. Thanks, ladies! Does anyone run in New Balance shoes?  I used to, but stopped when I started running in Hokas.