The last time I purchased a new pair of running shoes, they were delivered to me in a parking lot by an employee wearing a mask.
It has been a while.
After nearly four years and a few thousand miles, the soles on these “new” shoes are thinner than a sheet of paper and I can see my pinky toes poking through looking for sunlight. I’ve worn these shoes down so bad they’ve been relegated to “lawn mowing” duty and I’ve since gone back to running with the shoes that I had originally replaced.
Now that my “old” shoes are on their last legs, it’s time to at least start thinking of getting a new pair.
My wife will be the first one to say that my shoes need to be replaced, but it’s not so easy to just casually make that purchase when I grew up in a situation where hole-filled shoes were often the best option. I’ve learned how to stretch my possessions beyond their limits and if I can get away with not spending money, I won’t.
However, unlike the shirts that I’ve been wearing since middle school, I have more than aesthetics to think about with these shoes. Every time I step out for a run in these worn-down kicks, I’m rolling the dice against a long list of consequences that could include blisters, back pain, tendonitis, and plantaar fasciitis, among other conditions. Considering my long history of running injuries, replacing my shoes is something that should have been handled sooner rather later.
Before I venture out to the shoe store, it’s important to know a few things. First off, depending on the brand, running shoes are only built to work optimally for about 300-500 miles. So if you’re running 20 miles per week, it’s going to be about four to six months before your shoes reach their breaking point. And if you take your road shoes on the trail, or vice versa, the projected mileage becomes even lower.
The best way to handle this — aside from piling quadruple-digit miles on to one pair of shoes — is by rotating multiple pairs into your running rotation. One of my longest stretches of healthy and effective running came years ago when my friend Tim, a former runner for Penn State, traded me an entire pile of slightly-used shoes for a video game.
If you’re looking to avoid dropping $100-plus on a pair of shoes, check out the clearance section at your local shoe store or search for deals online. Just because a shoe is expensive doesn’t always mean it’s the best one for you.
However you choose to replace your shoes, it’s important to take care of this “want” before it turns into a “need.”
Happy running, and I can’t wait to see you on the roads, perhaps with a shiny new pair of shoes!
1 STEP BACK, 3 STEPS FORWARD
“Girl Power” was the theme in Chambersburg as more than 300 runners gathered for the Go Girls Go 5K, a race celebrating female empowerment.
The race saw Boston Vincenti, of Chambersburg, race to victory in 17:32. He was chased by Chambersburg’s Liam Coy (2nd in 20:37), Sophie Keller (5th in 24:23), Bill Dann (6th in 24:24), Lennon Vincenti (7th in 24:58), Amanda Balzer (8th in 24:58), Mallory Neus (9th in 25:03), and Milliana Menard (10th in 26:16), as well as Fayetteville’s Danielle Portier (26:22), Greencastle’s Nolan Showalter (27:14), and Mont Alto’s Angie Fuss (27:19).
Whether you’re a fan of running, beer, or tacos, there was something for everyone in a trio of races at Antietam Brewery in Hagerstown, Md. The Antietam Brewery 5K saw Smithsburg’s Jonah Smith top a field of 240 runners with his time of 16:13. Smith was followed by Smithsburg’s Rob Hovermale (9th in 19:13), Hagerstown’s Anthony Chaney (19:53) and Mike Martin (20:47), and Waynesboro’s Philip Hough (23:58).
Alexander Bishop, of Hagerstown, was the fastest local runner in the Antietam Brewery Beer Mile, as he crushed a mile (and four beers) with a ninth-place time of 10:30. Fellow Hagerstown runner Ryan Copenhaver was just behind in 10:37 to win the Masters Division. As for the Taco Mile, a trio of Hagerstown runners recorded Top 10 finishes: Donald Stone (6th in 10:06), Lauren Cramer (9th in 10:27), and Graham Otvos (10th in 10:33).
We’ve counted at least four Local.News race winners in recent weeks. Greencastle’s Matthew Smith conquered the field of 94 runners in 1:34:08 at the Mountain Railroad Half Marathon in Everett, while Rachel Scheitrum, also of Greencastle, finished as top female in 11:54:10 at the Highball to Thurmond 50 Miler in Thurmond, W.Va.
Hagerstown’s Gabe Conder won the Nick Adenhart 5K in Williamsport, Md. with a time of 16:24, while the aforementioned Jonah Smith of Smithsburg won the Jeff Scuffins Memorial 5K in Hagerstown in 16:11.
A number of others were active in the region and beyond, including Fayetteville’s Trevor Bopp (23:50 at National Police Week 5K), Chambersburg’s Christopher Diaz (4:48 at Carlisle Downtown Mile), James Kinton (21:03 at Water Wheel 5K), Cher Martin (31:13 at Harpers Ferry 5K), and Jenn Conner (38:42 at Every Hour Every Day 5K), Hagerstown’s Wyatt McKean (28:48 at Keep Punching 5K), Jomar Tussing (34:43 at Thundering Hooves 5K), Michael Stutts (36:28 at Ninja 5K), Jamie Wisz (1:52:02 at Harpers Ferry Half Marathon), Kaylin Kloos (1:54:36 at St. Michaels Half Marathon), and Edward Waltz (5:16:32 at Parker Dam Gravel Grinder).
And finally, a shoutout to a pair of ultra-running aces: Fayetteville’s Stephen Xereas posted a 13:39:02 at the Glacier Ridge 50 Mile in Portersville and Chambersburg’s Laurie Dymond completed 93 miles in 20:03:25 at the Dawn to Dusk to Dawn 24 Hour in Sharon Hill.
And now, a look ahead:
Memorial Day Free 5K: Monday, 8 a.m., in Gettysburg. Registration for this race costs exactly zero dollars. Register for the event on runsignup.com.
Platinum Memorial Day 5K: Monday, 9 a.m., in Harrisburg. Run this race and benefit Fallen Patriots, whose mission is to provide scholarships and educational counseling to children who have lost a parent in the line of duty. Check out the event on runsignup.com.
Hauser Hill Wine Run 5K: Saturday, June 1, 9 a.m., in Biglerville. Run through the center of apple country in this race, part of the Pennsylvania Wine Run Series. Look up the event on runsignup.com.
Also: Armstrong Valley Wine Run 5K (Saturday, in Halifax); Bubbletown What the Duck Ultra 12H (Saturday, in Boiling Springs); Erin Walker Memorial 5K Color Run (Saturday, in York); HVRTC Run to Remember 3 Miler (Saturday, in Enola); Luau 5K/10K (Saturday, in Manheim); Path of the Historic Flood Races (Saturday, in Johnstown); VA Memorial 5K (Saturday, in Lebanon); York YMCA Kids Tri (Saturday, in York); Charlie Horse Half Marathon (Sunday, in Mohnton); Mount Nittany Wine Run 5K (Sunday, in Centre Hall); Linglestown Memorial Day Mile (Monday, in Linglestown); Memorial Day 5K (Monday, in Ephrata); York Gold Star Memorial Day 5K/9M (Monday, in York); Emmaus 5 Miler (Saturday, June 1, in Emmaus); Falcon Triathlon (Saturday, June 1, in Lebanon); God’s Country Marathon (Satuday, June 1, in Coudersport); Jack & Jill’s Downhill Marathon (Saturday, June 1, in White Haven); Pirate 5K/10K (Saturday, June 1, in New Cumberland); Red Rose Run 5 Miler (Saturday, June 1, in Lancaster); Slate Run 25K (Saturday, June 1, in Slate Run); Awesum Possum Lake Trail Adventure (Saturday, June 1, in Carlisle); Worlds End 50K/100K (Saturday, June 1, in Forksville); GiGiFit Acceptance Challenge 5K (Sunday, June 2, in Lancaster); Big Run 5K (Wednesday, June 5, in Mechanicsburg).
