s2/e11 How to Buy Running Shoes with Hollie Sick (@fueledbylolz)

Fitting Importance

Hollie Sick, a seasoned expert in running shoe fittings, emphasizes the importance of getting fitted at a specialty store. She dispels the myth that these stores are only for elite runners, noting that most customers are everyday individuals seeking comfort and support 1. When visiting a store, it's crucial to bring your old shoes, as they provide valuable insights into your gait and foot movement. Elisabeth Scott highlights that this episode is a comprehensive guide to overcoming fears of visiting a running store 2.

When someone looks at your gait, they're not going to just look at your feet while you're standing up or sitting down, because that doesn't tell the story of your feet in movement.

--- Hollie Sick

Understanding your gait helps in selecting the right shoe, ensuring comfort and reducing injury risk.

   

Size Adjustments

Adjusting shoe sizes is essential, especially after significant life changes like pregnancy, which can alter foot size and shape 3. Hollie Sick advises against the outdated notion of breaking in shoes, stressing that they should feel comfortable from the first wear. She explains that discomfort often arises from choosing the wrong size, not the shoe itself 4.

Your shoes aren't going to materially change in that 1st, 10, 20, 30 miles that you're wearing them.

--- Elisabeth Scott

Many people resist changing sizes due to attachment to their perceived shoe size, but Sick reassures that comfort should always take precedence over size labels.