Thursday, April 22, 2010

Newton Running Weeks 3+4

This is the third in a series of posts about my experience with Newton running shoes.  In case you're wondering what they're all about, check out my first post to learn a little bit about the shoes!  

Oops, didn't mean to leave you for so long!   I don't know why I have felt so behind lately, but I think I'm back ;)  A few things have been going on in the running front, so here's the last installment of my trial with Newton running shoes.   I didn't take as detailed notes the past few weeks, but hopefully you'll get the idea!

Week 3:  I went back to running w/o my orthotics as things felt better that way.  I tried out some intervals on the treadmill, as I didn't feel like doing them in the rain.   I could definitely tell I was landing on my mid-foot and tried to focus on form, but I can't wait to get outside as I appreciate their lightness :)  A minor hiccup came when I tried to add in my longest run to date in the shoes...  my 6 miles may have been a little ambitious, as I started to feel my calves get tight after 4.5 miles.  I kept running, as I still had to get back to work, but they have required more stretching and rolling out.

Week 4:  I took it a bit easier this past week but got in a few good runs, including a 5+ mile jaunt through Central Park.

A piece of the puzzle:  At the end of Week 3, I started going to PT for my hips.   Turns out that they're tight (both sides, opposite places) causing my alignment to be off.   I had hip dysplasia when I was still in a crib, so it's not all that surprising.  I've got a lot more stretching on my plate now (both before and after runs), along with a whole new set of exercises to strengthen my hips.  My PT also added in exercises to strengthen the muscles in my feet that support my arches, and recommended that I keep my runs in the Newtons to no more than 4-5miles.  He does support my use of the shoes, and will take a look at my running form in upcoming visits to ensure that things are in the right place ;)

So... where does that leave me?  Optimisitc.  I'm definitely keeping the shoes, and think my body will continue to adapt as I continue with PT and incorporate more speedwork and bricks to gear up for some summer races.   Hopefully they'll help me meet some of my goals this year!

12 comments:

Kelly @ Healthy Living With Kelly said...

Yay...I am glad the shoes are working for you. What other brands have you tried?

Elina said...

You forgot to mention that you are a speed demon when you wear those babies!!
Let's get together again soon :)

Unknown said...

Thanks for the update! I just started running again, but am woefully out of shape right now. Struggled to run 3 miles . . . *SIGH*. As I was running I kept thinking about how heavy the traditional running shoe feels. Am tempted to try lighter shoes, but I have bad ankles. Maybe using the lighter shoes will help strengthen them!

Natalie said...

Thanks for sharing your continued experience...eager to hear more!

Lisa (bakebikeblog) said...

Glad to hear that you may have worked out what the prob is (ie. hips)> Let us know how it all goes :)

Kerstin said...

Oh cool, I'm glad you're still enjoying them! That's great your PT is looking at your form too!

Joanne said...

I'm definitely optimistic about these shoes! When I get back to running I am so going to look into buying a pair...you've convinced me!

Bec said...

Its time for some new shoes, I may just check these out!

Jenni said...

Hi! This is Jenni, your cousin Kirk's wife. I'm so excited to see your posts about the Newtons. I bought them a month ago but haven't had the chance to really try them out yet. I had surgery right after I bought them so my first post-surgery run will be tomorrow. I'm also have been reading the Chi Running book. Good luck and keep the posts coming!

Rosiecat24 said...

Goodness, you have so much homework to do to get yourself into good running form! I admire your dedication. Also, I empathize with your hip problems because I've had hip problems and back pain when I've been running more miles and/or doing more speedwork.

Keep up the good work, Shannon!

sophia said...

I'm glad you're still being optimistic! I hope your visits to the PT pays off!

Emily said...

Ahh, good to know! This is good information for a new runner like myself!

Anyway, glad they're working out for you.

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