The Shoes make the Runner? Well, kinda...

One of the things I mentioned in my previous post is that I took a plunge and invested in Brooks' Ariel 18's. At Over $150, I was skeptical. See, I have finicky feet. I was blessed with an amazing Women's Size 10 (said no one ever), and have always struggled some due to my health history. Diagnosed with Lupus at 14, I've definitely struggled with arthritis and my feet and hands were two of the major culprits. Hence, I was always sure I could never run. Add on fibromyalgia and continued swelling and pain, there was no way. However, as I said before, I decided it give it a shot.
Anyway, since Jon loved his Brooks I started there. I have some Adidas I've worn but I also have a skinny heel AND I overpronate. My ankles can get sore easily. My arches have fallen some over three pregnancies and my knees can be a pain. I started research looking into high support and for overpronation, which is how I settled on the Ariels. I knew, as much as I loved the looks of those with lesser support better, it would not be wise. I had to be BODY and FEET smart instead. That's kind of painful an over-extra fashion diva like myself :D

Ariel 18's- My Jam!

This post isn't intended to tell you WHAT to buy but instead to give you some info to the questions you might want to ask yourself as your start your journey. First, you can always find a good running store. Here in Lynchburg, we have Riverside Runners and they cater especially to runners (duh) and would be a great place to start if you're not stubborn and like to online shop like myself :P
If you want to be investigative like me, look up best running shoes for 2019. Then, evaluate your feet. Do you have pronation issues? Over or under? Most running shoes will label if they're better for either or. Do you need maximum cushion or minimal support? Where are you running- roads, trails? Are you mostly hiking? Do you need a wide or more narrow toe bed? Do you prefer certain materials? All of these questions are great to ask to get you started and the internet, fellow runners, and again, a reliable running store are great places to start your journey!

I was lucky to hit the nail on the head pretty quickly. I've tried some others since and I've FELT the difference in my body. As much as I want about every seasonal or flashy pair of Brooks shoes, they don't come in Ariel and I know that's my jam. So, I'll have to be wise for once and worry more about my body and what these shoes are designed like than how they look. Did I mention adulting can suck? :D