Come run with us!
We’re running the Abu Dhabi Striders 10k/half marathon 5th November, and we’d like you to run with us.
Join Team Abu Dhabi Week before 30th September and help us raise money for the Special Care Centre. Just go to abudhabiweek.ae/teamADW and follow the links to register for the race online – AED 15 of your registration fee will go towards the Special Care Centre, and you’ll get our specially designed team race t-shirt.
Registration ends 30th September, so hurry!
How to buy running shoes
One of the secrets to successful running is wearing good shoes. Before you shell out the dirhams for a proper pair, check out these tips.
Understand your gait
Most people have neutral pronation, underpronation or overpronation. What does that mean?
- If you have neutral pronation, your foot has a normal arch. You land on your heel and then distribute your weight evenly across the ball of your foot, so your shoes will show an even amount of wear across the forefront of the sole.
- If you have underpronation, your foot has a high arch. You land on your heel but more of the shock goes to the outside of your foot, so your shoes will show more wear on the outside edge of the sole.
- If you have overpronation, your foot has a low arch. You land on your heel but more of the shock goes to the inside of your foot, so your shoes will show more wear on the inside edge of the sole.
Not sure what sort of gait you have? Wet you feet and then stand on a paper bag. A normal arch – the middle part of your foot between the heel and the ball – is about half the width of the ball of the foot. A high arch is smaller and a low arch is wider.
Shop for your gait
Once you know what sort of gait you have, buy shoes accordingly.
- If you have neutral pronation (a normal arch), look for stability running shoes
- If you have underpronation (a high arch), look for cushioned running shoes
- If you have overpronation (a low arch, or flat feet), look for motion control shoes
Go to the right store
Look for shoes at a store that specialises in sports gear. Though you shouldn’t go straight for the shoe fad of
the moment, you should buy shoes that are meant for running. Fashion footwear will kill your feet and legs, even if they look sporty.
Ask for help
If you’re not sure about your gait, bring your old running shoes. A shoe expert should be able to tell how you run from looking at the wear and tear on your old shoes. Also, make sure the salesperson measures your feet – one is often larger than the other, so shop for the bigger foot.
Shop in the afternoon
Your feet will expand while running, so it’s best to try on shoes in the afternoon when your feet are bigger.
Go big
Your running shoes should be able half a size larger than your regular street shoes – distance running in shoes
that don’t have enough room in the toes will cause your toenails to fall off.
Wear socks
Make sure you try on shoes with the same socks and/or orthotics you’ll wear when you’re running to insure a proper fit.
