Finding the Right Shoes + Staying Safe
How to successfully plan and train for your first marathon– and enjoy yourself while doing it
By Dan Glover
Dan Glover has been running for over 45 years. In that time, he’s completed three Boston Marathons, fifteen Sprint Triathlons, and two Half Ironman Triathlons. He has been Varsity Coach for Women’s Cross Country, Women’s Track and Field, and Men’s JV Hockey Coach at Nashoba Regional High School for fourteen years, as well as being its Guidance Counselor. Recently, he qualified for the 2023 USA Triathlon Nationals, to be held in Milwaukee, WI in the summer of 2023.
You’ve made the big decision: you’re going to run a marathon in 2023. That’s great news, congratulations! You’ll be happy to hear that the average person can train for and complete a marathon with good planning, hard work and dedication.
From finding the right pair of shoes to getting your upper body in shape; from utilizing the right mileage regimen to recovering from your training runs, the novice marathon runner will have to plan ahead and learn to listen to their body.
There are several components to successfully strategizing your approach and training for the longest run of your life. Based on my years of experience running marathons, triathlons, and coaching, I’ve narrowed down my best advice for the new marathoner. In Part 1 of this series, I cover the first major steps in your marathon journey: your shoes, and your safety.
Find the right shoes
There are numerous important aspects to training for a marathon while staying healthy and injury-free. For my money, the most important one is getting the right running shoes. Without the right pair of shoes, injury can set in and make the training process much harder and not nearly as enjoyable.
In this department, you get what you pay for, so this isn’t where you want to cut corners. If you go to a store in a mall and ask a teenage employee what to buy and you end up getting a pair of shoes for $80, you are more than likely not getting a high quality pair of running shoes.
You want to shop around for a specialty running shoe store that will properly fit you for the right shoe for your feet. At a store like this, they’ll put you on a treadmill and video you running, consult with you about your gait, then help you find the best pair for your needs. This process is free and they will be happy to help you, regardless of whether you buy your shoes there. (Personally, I strongly feel that if you do use their help, why not give them your business?)
Plan on spending anywhere from $120 - $160 for a good pair. Keep in mind that it isn’t a bad idea to buy two pairs as you very well might go through a pair during your training.
How long a pair of shoes lasts for you will depend upon your running style, your body composition (Body Mass Index or BMI), and the quality of the shoes you buy. Many brands advertise that their shoes will last between 300 and 500 miles, which means you can expect to wear out a few pairs of shoes over the course of your marathon training.
Once you have the right pair of shoes, break them in slowly. Don’t put your new shoes on for the first time and head out for a ten mile run. A good practice is to break them in by wearing them every other day, alternating with your current running shoes for the first few weeks. If you do not already own a pair of running shoes, get a new pair before you start training so that your runs can be short as you break them in.
Go it alone, or with a group?
Some people like to train alone, while others prefer to run with at least one other person. I myself prefer running alone. I consider it my downtime, where I decompress from the day and can sort out all the thoughts rumbling around in my brain.
Most “normal” people prefer to run with others because, as they say, misery loves company…. Just kidding! They enjoy the interaction, and often find it makes the time go by more quickly.
Training with others also helps keep people accountable– we’re less inclined to skip a workout if we know someone is expecting us to join them. Training with others also increases the safety factor (more on that below).
Safety overview
Wear reflective clothing if running in the dark, which can often happen during the winter months. Keep the time of day in mind, knowing that it may become dark over the course of your run even if it’s light out when you start.
Years ago one of my runners had a van pull up alongside them while running and tried to pull them into the van. While this seldom happens, it does happen. Always run with a strong awareness of your surroundings.
DON’T crank the music on your earbuds. Make sure you can hear what’s happening around you.
DO pre-plan your route so you’re familiar with the area you’ll be running through.
DO carry a whistle and/or pepper spray if it makes you feel more secure.
DO run with others if that is a viable/desirable option for you. Running in a pair or group definitely increases the safety factor.
Come back next week for Part 2 of this series: Learn how to optimize your form and test your foot turn over rate!
