Maybe it’s the shoes

You’re up early and on your way to another a regular work day. The juice and piece of toast you had for breakfast are far from digested, still sloshing around in stomach acids. The result is semi-queasiness, coupled with the feeling of having to shake off last night’s sleep — nothing too major.

So you get on your way, feeling pretty good that the morning rush of traffic hasn’t yet begun. There are other people on the road. You see the newspaper vendors out, some of the earliest to rise among us, waving the day’s headlines. The garbage collectors are making their rounds early in the morning. The pan de sal guys, too. And so are the runners.

It’s a little hard watching these guys sweat and puff and pant while the rest of the world is still barely awake. A part of it is that you know runners are dedicated to being healthy. Their days start earlier, they’re committed to a regimen, and you know that they don’t have issues when it comes to fitting clothes. So that makes you a bit jealous. But the grimacing faces, the flexed calves, jerseys dripping with perspiration; they don’t look like they’re having much fun. For anyone who doesn’t run, the ultimate question is, “Why?”

Maybe they have a good time beating up their bodies like that, a form of masochism that every runner naturally feels after some time doing the sport. Logic isn’t really on the side of running. You put one foot in front of the other and move from point A to point B; it’s more mechanical than anything else. One isn’t chasing a ball and there is no opponent to really score against. And while marathons award the fastest time, everyone feels like a champ just for crossing the finish line.

But a so-called “runner’s high” does exist. Endorphins and other hormones released when doing strenuous activities, like running for miles, are said to produce analgesic effects, mitigating pain sensations. At the threshold of endorphin production it’s possible for a runner, for example, to have euphoric feelings during a workout. So running is really somehow tied-in with feeling good.

“Feeling good,” however, is closely linked to healthiness and doing things right. It’s being mindful of what one eats, having regular sleeping habits, and having a regular exercise routine. It’s commitment with a little bit of obsession. For runners in particular, it’s about consistency, having the right form, and keeping away from injury as much as possible. Reading and educating one’s self about the sport are also necessary.

Over-pronation, supination, running gait, cadence, pace — such terms will be regularly used in a conversation with a runner. Inadvertently, these all coincide with what shoe fits a runner best. And in the world of footwear, Newton is making a name as one of the go-to brands in cutting edge running shoe technology. Their shoes are designed to accommodate all runners and all their concerns.

Take the Motion Stability Trainer, for example. This shoe is made with the person who has flat feet in mind and needs more support in their shoes. The Newton Gravity, on the other hand, is designed for the neutral runner in mind; while the Newton Distance is made for those who want to go fast without having to resort to racing flat.

Characteristic of all Newton shoes is the patented Action/Reaction technology, proprietary forefoot lugs, lightweight materials, and a glove-like fit to promote a natural running gait. Action/Reaction^T technology provides a highly responsive and engaging ride that protects and loses less energy with every stride unlike conventional EVA foam, gel, or air that lose energy as they are engaged. A Biomechanical Metatarsal Sensor plate in each Newton Running shoe, on the other hand, lets the wearer sense the ground better to enable a more stable and efficient stride. This technology promotes forefoot striking which, according to Newton experts, is supposed to lessen the chances of debilitating injury to a runner.

So you continue on with your day. The car or van you’re riding in is naturally faster than all the runners on the road. The runners eventually disappear from vision. But then you think again and reconsider how you felt sorry about them. They’re doing something you ultimately can’t comprehend, but they might actually be having fun. Maybe it’s the shoes.

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Newton Running shoes are exclusively available at all Runnr outlets: Runnr Bonifacio High Street, Runnr Alabang Town Center, Runnr Trinoma, Runnr Cebu, Toby’s Shangri-La Mall, Toby’s Mall of Asia, Toby’s Glorietta, and Toby’s CDO Limketkai Mall.

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E-mail me at enricomiguelsubido@gmail.com