Once upon a time, I ran two marathons, a few half marathons, and a bunch of other races. I ran them at a pace way speedier than I am these days. I ran them without injury. I ran them in Mizuno Wave Riders and Saucony Triumphs.
Then I got this bright idea. No, we’ll call it a brilliant idea. I decided to run in minimalist shoes. “Everyone” told me it would make me faster. Since I didn’t seem to be getting any faster, I thought it was a great idea.
I followed the “rules”. I transitioned slowly. I focused on my form. I got faster. I PR’d at the 5k distance. I ran a few fast 10ks. Then I decided to run half marathons again. And I realized I had a problem.
Running a half in Vibrams hurt. A lot. My feet, my achilles, my calf – everyone was angry. I tried to go back to my beloved Mizuno, but I discovered that “traditional” shoes hurt the ball of my right foot. This is the problem I’ve been fighting for two years now. I’ve tried nearly every 0-4mm drop shoe out there, with no resolution. The shoe that works one day, doesn’t work the next time I try it.
Recently I got approached by PROFOOT to try their products. One of the items they offered to send me was the PROFOOT Custom Insole.
According to their packaging,
Developed by our team of foot experts, PROFOOT Custom Insoles form to your unique feet as you wear them. Nothing feels better or provides longer-lasting relief than a custom fit.
Did you know…
I immediately put them in my Saucony Virratta’s and went for a run. I could immediately tell the difference in support around my heels and my arch from the normal soles in my shoes. I got no complaints from my achilles at all. It was a short run, so I wasn’t sure if the lack of pain in the ball of my foot was the new insert or the lack of distance.
So, I decided to really put them to the test.
I ran both the Richmond Half Marathon and the Rehoboth Beach Half Marathon with the inserts in my shoes. Prior to putting them in, I was about to retire the shoes as I was having issues with my feet feeling fatigued afterwards.
I had zero pain during Richmond and minimal pain during Rehoboth! My achilles didn’t hurt at all and the ball of my foot was only mildly sore for the last miles of Rehoboth. I’m not saying the inserts are magic, but they definitely improved things. I’m planning to order a pair for another pair of shoes.
I also received a pair of Toe Beds. I’ve worn them a few times in regular shoes and find them comfortable, but am waiting until I finish this next half marathon before I try running in them. No need to accidentally mess up something and not be able to finish my last race. I’ll report back if they rock my world or not.
This holiday, PROFOOT, is combating aches and fatigue this season by gifting consumers with happy #HolidayFeet. PROFOOT will help bring relief to aching feet by giving consumers the chance to win free products by simply tweeting their holiday shopping stories in 140 characters or less, using the hashtag #HolidayFeet. From 11/22 – 12/24, winners will be selected at random and gifted with free Custom Insole Self-Molding Orthotics that can alleviate over 25 pounds of impact on every step, to help them survive the physically grueling season. You can visit PROFOOT’s social pages to find out more: Facebook and Twitter.
In the end, I’d have to say that their products are definitely worth a try if you are having any foot pain. They have a money back guarantee and who knows? They just might be the solution to your problem.
Disclaimer: I was given the insoles and other products to try for free. All opinions are my own.
Looks like you’ve found the solution to your problems.