I want to give a little back story on why I love Altra footwear so much. When I first decided that I wanted to be a runner I knew I needed some good shoes. All of this was new to me so I didn’t really know what to look for. I went to the local high end running store and they had me run on a treadmill to look at my gait and measure my feet. They told me that with my flat feet and overpronation I would need a stability shoe. I picked out a pair of pricey shoes and went on my way. The shoes were comfy but I couldn’t quite find a good rhythm and my knees and hips were not at all happy. I proceeded without success to go through a few different pairs of shoes hoping to find one that would make running fun and not hurt my body. I struggled with iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) and runners knee. In 2009 I finally found an answer in Christopher McDougall’s book Born to Run. I read all about barefoot running which I had never even considered. I immediately went out the door and ran 5 miles completely barefoot. Mistake! I came home with holes in the pinky toes on each foot. Despite the eagerness and damage to my feet I learned that I felt REALLY GOOD running barefoot. One of the characters in McDougall’s book is Barefoot Ted and in addition to running barefoot he runs in Vibram Five Fingers. I realized after my attempt to go barefoot that I loved the freedom but needed some protection from the ground. Five Fingers sounded exactly what I needed. I did some research and found that the only place in Northern Utah at that time that sold Five Fingers was The Runner’s Corner in Orem, Utah. This shoe store as I came to find out later was started and operated by the very people that would help make running the joy it is today in my life, Hawk and Golden Harper and family. Golden is one of the geniuses behind Altra. More on them later. I went to the Runner’s Corner and picked out a pair of Vibram KSO’s that fit like a glove. I went home and ran 7 miles and felt great. Two days later I ran 21 miles in them and was so impressed by how enjoyable and pain free it was. The next day was another story, my calves were so sore that I could hardly walk. I may have started out a bit fast but I couldn’t help it. Running was fun for the first time ever and I was willing to endure the pain of sore muscles because the idea of being a real runner seemed feasible now. I ran many training miles and a few marathons in the Vibram’s and had sub 4 hr times. Just one problem, my feet would always get sore on the bottom and feel bruised from the constant pounding around mile 19. I needed more cushioning but still wanted the barefoot experience. I saw an ad in Runner’s World September 2011 issue touting a shoe that had zero drop called Altra Instinct.
I went out and tried some on and immediately fell in love. They felt like cushioned slippers on my feet and were a dream to run in. After years of trial and error I had finally found the magic shoe that would take me places and distances I never imagined. I have gone through 3 pair of the Instinct, 1 pair of the Torin, 1 pair of Lone Peak 1.5, and am currently using a pair of Olympus 1.5, Lone Peak 2.5, and 2 pair of Superior 2.0 which is my all time favorite shoe. I have shared this love with many family members and friends and they have found the love too. I am so grateful to the founders of Altra: Golden Harper, Brian Beckstead, and Jeremy and Leslie Howlett for the vision they have shared with the world and for the incredible footwear that has come about because of their perseverance in bringing to light correct form and a shoe to go along with it and for challenging the big boys of the shoe world. I mentioned that I have flat feet and I also want to mention my wife has a high arch and these are the only running shoes she can wear without injury as well. These shoes will work for any foot and anybody willing to try them out. I have raced distances from half marathon on up to 100 miles in these shoes without injury and have set personal records as well. Give Altra a try and you won’t be dissapointed. They literally will change your running life for the better!
jajadventures 