Buying my first pair of running trainers.

I have been running for about 3 months now but haven’t managed to progress very far. The reason for that is because every time I run I get a pain in my ankle which takes a week to fully heal, and running once a week won’t get you anywhere fast!

After a bit of internet reasearch I had pretty much come to the conclusion that it was my achilles tendon that was hurting, and after running on a few different terrains decided it was most likely because my running shoes didn't fit me correctly, so this week I decided to visit Asics and treat myself to one of their 3D foot scans and gait analysis in the hope of finally finding a pair of trainers that don’t hurt my ankle.

I visited the flagship Asics store on Argyll Street (by Oxford Circus station) on my lunch break and started with the 3D foot scan. The 3D foot scan is exactly what it sounds like, a full scan of your foot.

I found this very interesting, it shows you the the exact size of your feet, heel arch and the direction your ankles lean. As you can see my ankles lean inwards meaning I overpronate, this is most likely the cause of the ankle pain I was experiancing.

This was all explained to me by a sales assistant in about 5 minutes. She was the only one working upstairs in the shop where the scans take place, so I felt a bit rushed as she was having to deal with someone who was working at the computer and any other customers who entered the store. It would’ve been nicer if I felt like I had her full attention or if she seemed to care a bit more as she never asked if I had any questions and skipped over a lot of the measurements so I don’t know what they are for, sure they may not be important or relevant to me, but it would be interesting to know.

After the foot scan I went downstairs to where the actual trainers, clothes and accessories are sold. I was greeted by a lovely sales assistant called Jade, who looked at the scan and asked what size shoe I normally wear (a six) and explained that I would probably be a 6.5 in Asics as they run a bit small and you want a tiny bit of extra space for allowing the swelling your feet do when you run.

She also asked what sort of distances I run and where do I run as well as looking at my current running shoes (Nike Flex) and explaining that the reason I was having trouble with them is because they are very flexible and I need something with more structure to help with the over pronation. Jenny bought over a pair of trainers and showed how the different coloured parts of the soul are made with different materials and some parts are stronger than others.
After putting them on I could definitely feel the difference, they felt a lot more structured then my current trainers, it actually made them feel more like slippers. After checking the fit it was off to the running machine to check my gait.
The treadmill was set to my average jogging pace and after about 30 seconds of jogging we stopped and had a look at the video. 
It was very interesting seeing myself running from behind. Apparently I run on the balls of my feet, which is a good thing and reassured me as running technique is another thing that could’ve been the cause of the pain.

We then went and looked at the trainers that are suitable for me. The pair I tried where the most basic version, there was versions with more cushioning for a comfortable run, but the sales assistant assured me the basic ones are good for up to marathon level, plus there was a pair that where in the sale so that decided it for me. 
The trainers cost £71 in the sale, and I’m not going to lie, they are pretty fugly, but when my face is bright red and dripping with sweat, who’s really going to be looking at my feet?

I was recommended to wear them around the house to help break them in, and to start off with slow runs for a couple of weeks until I am fully used to them and they are broken in.

I really enjoyed my time in Asics, it was definitely very informative and I think that if you are going to get serious about running it really helps to get your feet/running style checked out and get a proper fitted pair of trainers, it’s just such a shame that I felt so brushed off by the first sales assistant.

Fingers crossed these trainers stop the ankle pain because I’m after a 10k next!

Yurbuds Review

Yurbuds are ear buds designed specifically for the athletic market and with their unique twist lock method, they claim to ‘never fall out’ which is a pretty bold statement to make.
I have quite large ears (thanks dad) so find that most headphones fall out on me even if I am just sitting, so trying to find a pair of headphones for running was a nightmare, I used to have to use overhead ones for working out which are horrible and make you sweat, until I got myself a pair of Yurbuds!

I went for the pink (obviously) Inspire for Women model. They also do the inspire range for men, as well as some behind the ear models, but I find them quite uncomfortable.

I have been using my pair for about a month now and thought I should share with you what I think because I have been so impressed.
So do they never fall out? Well yes and no. On my right ear it works amazingly well, but I will admit on my left ear it does fall out. This is down to the fact that I have a rook piercing which when I run moves around and knocks out the ear bud, very annoying. If I take my piercing out though it works fine, I just thought it would be worthwhile to share that with you in case you have any piercings too. On my right ear I have a tragus piercing and it isn’t irritated at all by the ear bud.

The sound, to my unprofessional ears, is of great quality, and yurbuds have been designed so that you can still hear environmental noises around you. This is great for me and any other runner who runs outside to still be able to hear any traffic, or as I run in the forest, if my dog is trying to call for me.

The headphones are also sweat and water resistant, another huge plus for anyone who is using them to work out. They are definitely a lot more comfortable then any other ear buds I have tried and I really like my yurbuds. If you are a very active person you should definitely check these out, best of all, they come in a great variety of colours too.

Apps I like - RunKeeper

I have started running once a week and after trying and not enjoying couch to 5k I decided to give myself a bit more freedom with my runs, but I still wanted to track them. This is where RunKeeper

app has come in, and I absolutely love it.

RunKeeper is an app that you use to track and record your runs.
It tracks your runs by using GPS to see how far you have run and it even includes the elevations that you have run, which I think is fantastic!

On the main display when you are running you can see how far you have run, the total time you have run, and your current speed. I really enjoy seeing these stats as it encourages me to go a bit further/faster each time, and the on screen time counter is very useful for when I do interval training.

As well as being able to track your run, RunKeeper allows you to play your music through it, which if you are running, is most likely something you will want!

There is a number of set programmes for if you do like structure. These programmes range from beginners level, running your first 5k, to advanced levels like running a full marathon or getting a better time on your 5k.

As well as having RunKeeper on your phone, you can also access your RunKeeper account from your computer, meaning you can access your running information anywhere.

There is also a social aspect as you can add friends to see how they are doing and comment on their activity to keep everyone motivated.

RunKeeper also emails you if you get a personal best, something that I always feel quite proud of when I receive them!

The best thing about RunKeeper though, is that it is free! Honestly I have been so impressed with this app and have found it really useful for seeing my progress and helping me to learn to run (sounds stupid I know but we don’t all start off running for 30 minutes straight!). 
If you are a runner, or are considering taking it up then this is most definitely an app you should have on your phone.