I’m No Expert (at least not yet)
I’m not much of a runner. But I’m passionate about physical activity and personal health. Lately, I’ve been working on my least favorite part of fitness: cardio.
Running is a super-efficient way to get it done — no expensive equipment, classes or a gym pass required. It’s the perfect cardio exercise.
But there is still that one piece of equipment you need: the shoes.
Analysis Paralysis
I’ve never run more than a 5k in my life, so when I picked up running recently, I just wore my cross-training shoes. I knew that if I wanted to take running to the next level, I would need the right shoes.
But every time I walked into a sporting-goods store or browsed the web, I felt completely overwhelmed by the choices. As I read about running shoes, I thought, “Oh that one sounds great!” And then repeat that thought 50 more times (once for each shoe I came across). Every shoe had a lot of positive reviews, but how could I know which shoe would be best for me? So, for months, I just didn’t buy anything.
Lucky for me, I work at ExpertVoice — I know a trusted expert can help you make the right purchase decision. Also, lucky for me, the running store in my neighborhood is Salt Lake Running Company, which is rated one of the top 10 running stores in America. So that is where I finally went and met my knight in shining armor, Cody. He helped me find the perfect shoe. Here’s how he did it.
The Expert Recommendation
Step 1: Bio mechanical analysis. Cody put me on the treadmill and recorded how I run. (If you’re like me and think, “I don’t really want to see what I look like when I run,” don’t worry. He just took video of my feet and ankles.)
Then we reviewed the video together and surprise! I pronate my feet! I had no idea!
Step 2: Try-On Party. Cody started pulling shoes for me that would offer extra support. I’ve always bought more minimal shoes because, well, I liked the way they looked. But it turns out running shoes are supposed to actually have a function beyond looking nice. What I needed was extra stability. I tried on each pair and ran around the store.
Step 3: Confidently purchase. I liked the springy-ness of the Nike Air Zoom Structure 22, and that’s what I bought. I went from months of not knowing what to buy to making a buying choice in 20 minutes. Online reviews are great, but they all spoke to only their own, personal experience. And online, it’s never clear if reviewers are receiving an incentive to write positive reviews. At Salt Lake Running company, I was given four shoes to choose from and a bio mechanical analysis of my stride, making it easy to finally pick a shoe.
The Power of Expert Recommendations
In order for me to become a runner, I needed an expert who could cut through all the noise and help me navigate the very dense world of running shoes. I was ready to buy months ago, but I just didn’t feel confident making a choice. There were so many options it seemed I was doomed to make the wrong choice. It was clear that Cody knew what he was talking about, and he gave me the confidence to finally choose the shoe that seemed nearly tailor-made for me. I’ve already taken my shoes on a few runs and running has never felt better.
