Shoes

I've learned some things pretty quickly about running.

Bad shoes can kill a run. And good shoes with a design flaw can kill the next run.

This is my current choice of running shoe, the Puma Sierra Trail II. I actually purchased them off of Zappos.com about a year ago, but never really wore them all that much until recently. They are extremely comfortable and light...until you take them off.

You see, Puma has put an elastic band on the inside of the shoe to give you added support and to hold your foot in place. While a good idea in theory...and perhaps my girth is the reason for the issue...the band rubs my foot like crazy and creates hot spots in the same places around the balls of my foot everytime I use them.

I'm left with two choices. Keep using them and stick some moleskin on the hot spots and hope that it eventually goes away...or get new shoes.

I've decided that if I'm going to be doing this, I should probably get new shoes and use these as cross trainers (the rub doesn't seem to occur when I'm on the elliptical). After much research (and admitted curiosity), I've determined that I am going to REI after work to check out the Vibram Five Fingers. Supposedly, these shoes will give the sensation of running barefoot, which in turn will provide me with better balance, posture and running form...which are always good things to have.

Obviously, if a purchase is to be made, there will be more to come on this matter.