Zero drop shoes for beginner runner?

The drop of the shoes probably aren’t the problem. When people move to a zero drop they tend to feel it more in the calf/achilles because their heel has to stretch further to touch the ground. The pain you are explaining might be caused by tying your laces to tight or inflexibility in your ankles. No surprise that you wouldn’t feel it during hiking/walking since the impact is lower and you’re using a different form then running.

My first guess would be that the laces are too tight. While the shoes probably aren't the problem, everything else you wear--dress shoes, casual sneakers, hiking boots--have a more traditional 10mm heel to toe drop. And you've been wearing these traditional drop shoes all your life.

I don't think it's a good idea for beginners to start out in a zero drop shoe, especially if you have problems that you're not having in your other shoes. I'd suggest a 4-6mm drop shoe or even a traditional 10mm drop until you get a few months of running under your belt.

Try running with your shoes laced very loosely. If you have no pain, then tight lacing is the problem. If you still have pain, try switching to another shoe.

fisky wrote:

My first guess would be that the laces are too tight. While the shoes probably aren't the problem, everything else you wear--dress shoes, casual sneakers, hiking boots--have a more traditional 10mm heel to toe drop. And you've been wearing these traditional drop shoes all your life.

Yeah I agree. Laces too tight, extensor tendinitis.

I don't think it's a good idea for beginners to start out in a zero drop shoe, especially if you have problems that you're not having in your other shoes. I'd suggest a 4-6mm drop shoe or even a traditional 10mm drop until you get a few months of running under your belt.

Try running with your shoes laced very loosely. If you have no pain, then tight lacing is the problem. If you still have pain, try switching to another shoe.

Wouldn't it be better for a beginner to start in less shoe? Why get your mileage accustomed to 10mm drop shoes and make it even harder to adapt??

I would recommend getting a zero drop shoe with minimal cushion to start out. And don't ever wear high-heeled shoes casually/formally. This will help you really work on your form, and use your achilles tendon the way it's supposed to be used.

Washburn wrote:

Now, the shoes: the shoes I was recommended (because I have a wide toe area) are Altra Torin 2.0 with a ZERO DROP. I wear regular shoes (hiking, working, casual etc) otherwise. I am starting to think if the zero drop is the culprit... I have a hard time not landing on heel also because if this.

Ummm, that's the point. You aren't supposed to consciously try to heel strike. Take off your shoes and try running/jogging down the sidewalk in your sock feet. Note the way you are running (not landing on your heels). Put shoes on and repeat.

ummmm....... wrote:

Ummm, that's the point. You aren't supposed to consciously try to heel strike. Take off your shoes and try running/jogging down the sidewalk in your sock feet. Note the way you are running (not landing on your heels). Put shoes on and repeat.

That's false. The overwhelming majority of us heel strike, and shoes (or lack of) have nothing to do with it. Sure, you'll be conscious of it at first because you've been told heel striking is bad, but very soon you'd be hitting heel first even with bare feet. Stop spreading false crap.

fallacy bro wrote:

ummmm....... wrote:

Ummm, that's the point. You aren't supposed to consciously try to heel strike. Take off your shoes and try running/jogging down the sidewalk in your sock feet. Note the way you are running (not landing on your heels). Put shoes on and repeat.

That's false. The overwhelming majority of us heel strike, and shoes (or lack of) have nothing to do with it. Sure, you'll be conscious of it at first because you've been told heel striking is bad, but very soon you'd be hitting heel first even with bare feet. Stop spreading false crap.

Uh, no, you are wrong.

Have you noticed that the majority of runners wear 10mm+ drop cushioned shoes? Yes shoes affect it, because heel striking in bare feet is not comfortable! There have already been numerous studies showing that experienced barefoot runners land on the front of their feet.

You are just assuming that people will become heel strikers eventually because nearly everyone heel strikes already. Sure, there are some newbies who heel strike barefoot because they’ve never learned not to. Once you learn how to properly run, there is no reason to think that you will begin heel striking again unless you go back to traditional shoes.

Your broscience is so off it’s almost back on.

Runsmith wrote:

Wouldn't it be better for a beginner to start in less shoe? Why get your mileage accustomed to 10mm drop shoes and make it even harder to adapt??

I agree, but in the OP's case, he's having problems that *might* be due to zero drop shoes, so he needs to fix that problem first. A higher drop shoe would be a crutch to get him through this. I think a 4-6mm would be my first suggestion.

Keep in mind that he's not starting from scratch. He's been walking in shoes with a heel lift all his life, plus his hiking boots probably have a 12mm drop. Going from that to zero drop--combined with the unaccustomed pounding of running--might be causing his problem. In any event, it's a relatively easy fix. Buy some 6mm drop shoes. Run in them. If they solve the problem, fine. If not, return them and try a 10mm drop shoe.

I think we're in agreement that the most likely problem is laces anyway. As injuries go, this is a relatively easy one to address.

I'll wait for your research

to summarize the idiots above me:

try a shoe with a more standard heel to toe drop, maybe 8-10mm. just go buy some cheapo shoe to see if that fixes the issue.

second, if you're making an effort to land on ANY part of your foot...just stop. do what's natural.

third...continue to do some stretches with your feet and lower legs. plus hips.

1st of all, huge thanks to everyone who replied.

One of the reasons that a lot of you suspected, tight shoe laces: I must say I am almost 100% sure this is not the case; only because I did some reading on that before posting and made sure that my laces are not tight, esp. on the foot I am having the pain on.

I guess the 0 drop shoe thing is still being debated? but it seems not many people start with a 0 drop shoe, esp when they're very new to running.

A running friend told me that also because I AM totally new to all things running, all my ligaments and tendons, muscles, etc etc and bones are in "shock" - they're experiencing they've never experienced before and i will continue to feel pain in various parts of legs for a while, as walking and hiking is low impact, most of the time, and running is totally different, which I guess should be obvious. He thinks that the Left leg is probably my "weak" leg and because of that I feel it only/more on that leg.

I am going to the local running store this Saturday or Sunday, and get my gait analysis done and see what they have to say about my concerns of the 0-drop shoes for training.

I will post here again after the visit, and meanwhile please keep the feedback coming. It felt pretty bad on the 1st day of the C25k app, but I am willing to stay motivated. I really want to do a 5k, and train well for it.

Update: just did Day2 of week 1. Temp was about 34F.

This time the pain went away halfway through the exercise and stayed away almost for good till the end. Felt I did the running segments a bit better. (It is 90 seconds walking and 60 seconds of running alternating for 30 minutes.).