I think @ARE_you_kidding_me hit the nail on the head. My current shoes are near the end of their life – so I ordered one size smaller for my replacement shoes. I’ll look into the Wright socks, too, – thanks @Judi ! (p.s. my younger sister used to work for the Leukemia and Lymphoma non-profit and was one of the trainers for Team in Training)
@Pachy and @gondwanalon – thank you for the good heads up.
I have no ambitions to run more than a few days a week, though I signed up for an especially scenic half-marathon this coming fall. That’s my max right there. I might walk parts of it – even though it’s chipped timed.
I can already run a 10K and do sometimes “just for fun” at the gym..but I run merely for my mental health and almost always on a treadmill. I’m not inspired to get a PR or run a marathon or (shudder, shudder) an Ultra.
I’m also FREAKY careful about preventing injury by having long warm up walks, even longer cool downs (15 min.) and lots of stretching (5+ minutes). I also have then most cushioned shoes you can buy (Hoka Hoka Ones) and I mix it up with yoga (actually more yoga than running – some weeks I do Yoga 4X and run only once or twice) and swimming.
If I ever feel pain – I’ll definitely back off the running. I also bicycle in the summer…so that’d be a good alternative for me.
My entire goal is to keep moving as long as I can – but to avoid injury at all costs. So far it’s working (I’m in my mid-forties)
My surgeon just retired at age 53 to train full-time with the goal to WIN the Ironman (in Hawaii) in his age bracket.
So, I’ll definitely heed your advice..but my family has runners in their late sixties..so I think I have genetics (and really cushy shoes) in my favor.
Actually, if I get my way and finally convince my hubby to move west maybe I’ll switch to hiking anyways…because that appeals to me even more. :)
Thanks all for the good advice!