new shoes: mizuno wave riders

Four months after I intended, three months after getting injured, two weeks after starting to run again, and hundreds of miles past the point of necessity, I finally went and got professionally fitted for new shoes. I came out with these snazzy things:

I was going to write-up a play-by-play of how the fitting went down, but each time I started it got way too wordy for what really was a relatively short and painless experience. In summary:

I went to Tri Fitness in White Bear Lake on the recommendation of a friend who had a great experience there.

The lady helping me was fantastic: knowledgeable and to the point. She watched my stride, asked me running- related questions, and took a look at my old shoes before grabbing some new shoes for me to try on. The conclusion she drew was that my old shoes were offering me too much support and causing me to pronate. 

I tried on 2 different pairs of shoes. The first weren't quite it, but the second pair, the Wave Riders, felt good. After walking in them she took me to the treadmill to watch me run with the shoes on and make sure they still felt comfortable on my feet. 

They were winners. Light on my feet and comfortable, and apparently (and most importantly), not causing the pronation to the same extent.

Cost for shoes: $115 
Time: 20 Minutes (not including the trek out to White Bear Lake)

I would highly recommend a good shoe fitting to anyone who runs. I learned a little bit about my foot and what I should look for in a shoe. I also received excellent feedback on my natural stride and how I run. Specifically I learned that I turn my right foot out whilst running which can cause extra tightness in my legs and glutes. To fix this I need to be more diligent about stretching and start foam rolling (surprise). 

Now that I have been running with the shoes for almost a week, or for just about 18 miles, I am still pleased with the shoe. They are obviously lighter and less cumbersome than my old pair. They are also roomier in the toes which I think will help prevent the blisters I get under my toes. At first I was concerned they were a half-size too big, but after reading that many women tend to wear too small running shoes and adjusting the laces near the toes, I feel confident I picked the right shoes and the right size.