Anyone watched TV lately? I hope the answer is no, but if it’s yes, then you’ve probably seen the same things I have, endless commercials for sports equipment. Forget all the ads for diets, meal replacements shakes and eating plans, just look at the advertisements for sports equipment! From $1000 bowflexes to $100 ab machines, there is an endless amount of gear for you to buy. All of which will promptly be forgotten and left to collect dust in your garage. So forget those ads and read on for the best exercise gear your money will ever buy.
I Love Running
I never in my life thought I would say that, but I really do enjoy running. There’s a point about 10 to 20 minutes into a good run where I just zone into this great place. My head is clear, my thoughts are flowing and my body feels like it could go on forever. It’s a unique feeling and one which I greatly enjoy. It’s also one of the reasons why I’ve stuck with long distance jogging despite quite a few people trying to convince me that sprints and intervals are better. There may or may not be something to what they say, but I know there’s a difference in my enjoyment level of jogging vs. sprints, which tells me I should stick with what I enjoy.
Here’s The Problem
For the past few months, I’ve been having issues with my running. My legs were hurting, my feet were hurting and I was experiencing odd joint pains for the first time in my life. I tried to figure out a cause. I tried sleeping in a different position, which helped a little bit. I also tried changing the way my desk is set up at work, which also helped a little. Still, my legs were in pain and I wasn’t enjoying running as much as I had before. And then I remembered…
I’m An Idiot!
When I first started running, a trainer friend of mine gave me a bit of very important advice. She said, “your shoes are the most important things about running. Replace them every 6 months and don’t use them for anything other than running”. Well, I took that advice and used it for a few years but I forgot all about it last year. That means I’ve been using the same pair of running shoes for a year now and not just for running. I go hiking in them, walking, work in the yard and so on. I didn’t think this would be an issue, after all, they’re just shoes, right? Oh, how wrong I was.
New Shoes
As part of my efforts to fix my leg pains I resolved to buy a new pair of shoes. So I marched on over to Sports Basement and spent an hour talking to one of their very knowledgeable sales people. She went over my stride, examined how I run and made several recommendations on shoes I should pick out. I tried on quite a few until I finally settled on a new pair of New Balance running shoes. Yesterday was my first run with these new shoes and WOW, what a difference! I felt like I was gliding on air. My legs felt great and I didn’t even notice the passage of time. Within 10 minutes I was back in that runner’s high and having a great time. I ran for 40 minutes but I could have easily run for an hour.
So here it is, my advice to you on the best investment you can make when it comes to sports gear, shoes. Buy a new pair every 6 months and don’t use them for anything other than your workout. Stay away from ab machines and home gyms, they’re a waste of time, space and money. Just get a good pair of solid foot gear. If you can, go to a store with qualified sales people who can help analyze your stride and make good recommendations.
By the way, the shoes ended up costing me around $60. Not too bad for something so valuable. So thank you Sports Basement for your help and great prices. Thank you New Balance for such a great product and thank you Chris for your invaluable advice. I won’t forget it again 
NOTE – I have no affiliation with either Sports Basement or New Balance. I don’t get paid for endorsing them or mentioning them on this website. I just happen to like their products and so I don’t mind giving them free publicity.
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Thank you also to the Rich Life Blog for including a 60 in 3 post in their latest blog carnival.
