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Resolution to run? Make sure you have the right running shoes

Posted at 7:02 AM, Jan 02, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-02 09:11:52-05

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A new year and a new decade can mean a new start.

For a lot of people the resolution is to get into shape and if you want to avoid a crowded gym, why not try running?

“Weight loss, stress reduction, there’s a lot it will help people with. You’re outside with nature," said Robin Snaden, Owner of Fleet Feet, a running store in Virginia Beach. “Start walking, start adding little bursts of 30 second easy runs and then start increasing, either in speed or intensity until you get to that first goal."

Snaden started running 35 years ago. She says it's never too late to start, but finding the right running shoes can go a long way in keeping your resolution...and it goes much further than foot size and color preference.

That's where a store specifically for running comes in.

“Once we get a sense of what you need, then we scan your feet. The scanning that we use is a 3D scan of your foot," said Snaden.

The scan captures every dimension of someone's foot, including heel width and arch height.

"We want to see how their feet move when they’re walking. Then we typically put them in a shoe that’s neutral, meaning their body is in charge of the shoe. If their body wants to go in, it’ll go in, if it wants to go out, it’ll go out. We’ll video you running on the sidewalk," said Snaden.

From there, Snaden tells News 3 her staff will select a shoe based on foot dimensions and the person's running and walking style. It's key in avoiding injury and pain.

"It may help you alleviate knee pain, it may help with hip pain, it may help with back pain. Sometimes we add insoles and other things. There’s a lot that goes into it because when you hurt, you quit and when you quit, you stop being active," she said.

Running shoes aren't cheap. Snaden says they typically cost at least $120, but they will save in pain and if someone invests in their resolution, they might be more likely to keep it.