Friday Fitness: Happy Feet

It’s Fitness Friday and today’s topic is on footwear! Proper fitting shoes are so important for injury prevention. When you think of how much time we spend on our feet, a good pair of shoes is the best investment we can make toward an active lifestyle. Here are some tips for selecting a good pair:

• Go to a running shoe store where they can assess your arch and foot fall by assessment. It maybe a little more expensive, but that knowledge is key! Make sure you are getting the best shoe to support your foot and facilitate good movement of throughout exercise.


• Get measured so you know what your foot size is for workout shoes. Shoe sizes vary on brand and purpose, make sure yours fit properly.


• Shop at the end of the day. After being on your feet all day your feet swell. This happens during exercise as well. You want slightly larger shoes to allow room for your feet to swell during exercise.


• Bring old shoes with you to the store. You can see a pattern of where the shoes are worn out, and get an idea of what your foot fall looks like, and where you need the most support.


• Forget fashion! Bright and colorful shoes are fun but the most important thing is function! If they are not the best fit then forget them. Try adding color through your workout clothes instead.


• Date your shoes. You want to replace your shoes every 6 months or 500 miles. This is very important because the support in the shoes begin to deteriorate. Change out your shoes and remember that they an investment in your health.

Now that you have some new kicks, here is a fun activity to do with them. If you are interested in beginning to run but not ready for anything formal, try adding in some fartleks to your workout. Fartlek is Swedish for “speed play”, and are short bursts of speed that puts you in control. Try going out for a brisk walk, pick a location (such as that tree about 50 yards away) and jog to it. Then resume your brisk walk. Repeat as often as you would like.

More serious runners, this adds variety to your runs and promotes quick leg turnover. While out for a run, throw a few fartleks in.  Pick up the speed to a faster pace and then ease it back down.

Have a great 4^th weekend and have some fun with some speed!!