Coach’s Corner Featuring RUNNER’S WORLD fitness expert and resident coach, Bart Yasso. In his role as Chief Running Officer for Runner’s World and Director of races including the Runner’s World Half-Marathon, 5k, and Kids’ Run, Bart has run races on all seven continents and completed over 150 marathons. In Coach’s Corner, you’ll find Bart’s advice on most things you need to know about running a half or full marathon – from knowing your feet and choosing the right running shoe to training to making your list of the essentials you need to bring to the race. Follow Bart’s tips, and you are sure to keep your training on track and running in stride.
Proper Footwear From Toe to Sole: Everything You Need to Know about Footwear. Supinator – Normal Pronator – Overpronator – How do I know which one I am? A simple test can help you tell what kind of pronator you are. It’s simply called the “Wet Test,” and even though it may sound silly, it’s the most proven and easiest way to analyze your pronation. Here’s what to do: Place a sheet of paper on the floor (make sure the surface is flat, like hardwood), wet your bare foot and place it on the paper. Compare the print to the diagram below. If it looks like figure A, you may be a supinator. If it looks like figure B, you may be a normal pronator. If it looks like figure C, you may be an overpronator. When purchasing your shoes, begin your search by asking for a shoe appropriate to your foot type. There are many degrees of pronation, and many different shoes to match. Picking the right kind of shoe will increase comfort and reduce the possibility of injury, both acute and chronic.
The Right Shoe for You: The First Step in your Marathon Training Before you can make major strides with your training, you must get past the first and most important running hurdle: choosing the proper footwear. Selecting the right shoe for you can make all the difference in both successful training and completion of the marathon. I am sure putting it in this context makes it seem like a daunting task. After all, how do you choose the right footwear? And, how do you make sense of all the new technology and styles out there? Well, no need to worry; I’ll break it down for you. Here are the key things you need to know about choosing the right shoe for you. Pronation Pronation refers to the way your feet rotate downward and inward when they hit the ground. While everyone’s feet pronate, the degree of pronation varies from person-to-person. Most running shoe brands manufacture shoes designed for runners of all pronation degrees: those who pronate normally, ovepronators, and those who tend to underpronate supinators.