Marathon Weekend 2026

[DianaMB333]

SAFD: add me to the minority… I don’t listen to music (or anything when I’m outside,

Also I limit the usage of AirPods or earbuds to when I’m flying, but from time ti time I get tinnitus and have avoid them for a while.. then I’m used to just be silent ..

 

[col1]

A Very Belated SAFD - Medals

I just remembered today my highly anticipated medal for the Race for the Taste in 2005. I had done the full Marathon in 2004 and the Half in 2005 so was excited for another medal , instead we got this….



An apron ….. I was so disappointed

It lived in a drawer for years before getting tossed.

 

[WDW 4 ME]

Does anyone have issues with IT band? Mine flares up off and on. I can run a half with zero issues and then BAM! a four mile run will do me in. I Finally decided to try PT and doing dry needling. We are wondering if my stability shoes aren’t contributing to the problem. Anyone have any insight into this?

 

[PrincessV]

Does anyone have issues with IT band? Mine flares up off and on. I can run a half with zero issues and then BAM! a four mile run will do me in. I Finally decided to try PT and doing dry needling. We are wondering if my stability shoes aren’t contributing to the problem. Anyone have any insight into this?

With the caveat that ITBS can be caused by a gazillion different things… yes, I’m one for whom medial stability in my shoes is the #1 cause of ITBS. A single short run in shoes with too much medial stability and my IT Bands get mad.

 

[WDW 4 ME]

With the caveat that ITBS can be caused by a gazillion different things… yes, I’m one for whom medial stability in my shoes is the #1 cause of ITBS. A single short run in shoes with too much medial stability and my IT Bands get mad.

Interesting! The team at the running store told me I pronate so put me in stability shoes. My PT is saying she doesn’t recommend them for me. Such an expensive thing to play with! What shoes do you normally run in? Do you pronate?

 

[rick1zoo2]

Does anyone have issues with IT band? Mine flares up off and on. I can run a half with zero issues and then BAM! a four mile run will do me in. I Finally decided to try PT and doing dry needling. We are wondering if my stability shoes aren’t contributing to the problem. Anyone have any insight into this?

In January of this year, I started getting a slight pain on the lower outside of my right knee which a PT told me was an ITB issue. What has helped me is doing strengthening exercises, especially for the gluteus medius. Also, mine might have been caused by a slight cross-over of my right foot when running, so I make a point to try to keep my feet little wider. Also, I learned to do most training runs slower, going all out all the time can lead to this type of overuse injury. That pain still shows up occasionally, but not nearly as much anymore. I do not use stability shoes.

 

[jrsharp21]

Does anyone have issues with IT band? Mine flares up off and on. I can run a half with zero issues and then BAM! a four mile run will do me in. I Finally decided to try PT and doing dry needling. We are wondering if my stability shoes aren’t contributing to the problem. Anyone have any insight into this?

I swear by this IT band recovery. My IT band flared up in the middle of the marathon on MW 2022. It was painful. I followed the instructions in the video religiously and I was back running with no pain in a few weeks.

 

[lilmc]

We are wondering if my stability shoes aren’t contributing to the problem. Anyone have any insight into this?

Interesting! The team at the running store told me I pronate so put me in stability shoes. My PT is saying she doesn’t recommend them for me.

I’m not PT and I don’t even pretend to play one on TV, but I have definitely seen them chime in on messages on the internet (not exactly peer reviewed research, I’m aware) saying they hate stability shoes (and hiking boots because unnecessary weight and ankle support) unless specifically recommended for you by a PT. They are seemingly over used and cause problems for those who shouldn’t be using them. So I think it’s reasonable to question if they could be a contributing factor.

 

[Disneyhanna]

I’m not PT and I don’t even pretend to play one on TV, but I have definitely seen them chime in on messages on the internet (not exactly peer reviewed research, I’m aware) saying they hate stability shoes (and hiking boots because unnecessary weight and ankle support) unless specifically recommended for you by a PT. They are seemingly over used and cause problems for those who shouldn’t be using them. So I think it’s reasonable to question if they could be a contributing factor.

Agree...I'm no expert, but I was put in stability shoes my first time at a running store but actually switched to neutral shoes after a couple years because I couldn't find a stability shoe that I liked. I don't have any trouble in neutral shoes. I did deal with some shin splints at one point and saw a PT who pointed out my muscle imbalance as one side is much weaker, but that is generally solved by strengthening exercises and not by shoes. Of course, that's just my experience, but I think the stores are pretty fast to put people in stability shoes when strength training would solve the root of the problem.

I'm terrible at doing strength training though, and just accept my fate of aches and pains sometimes

 

[mmm_texas]

Minimalist running shoes will make a comeback any time now. Just sayin'.

 

[LSUlakes]

Minimalist running shoes will make a comeback any time now. Just sayin'.

It is hard to find a running shoe without what feels like 4" of cushion these days lol. Not that I wore flats for all runs, but it was nice to have them for races up to 13.1 miles. Kinda rough for a full imo, but not undoable. I do hope they come back lol.

 

[Herding_Cats]

Minimalist running shoes will make a comeback any time now. Just sayin'.

I don't think so. I feel like, at this point, the data is too strong in favor of the new foams. I DO think that the pendulum will swing back a little bit...we can only platform ourselves up so high on our shoes, and I can see them figuring out a point of diminishing returns with it.

 

[Goofed98]

It is hard to find a running show without what feels like 4" of cushion these days lol. Not that I wore flats for all runs, but it was nice to have them for races up to 13.1 miles. Kinda rough for a full imo, but not undoable. I do hope they come back lol.

Altra Escalante is the best I've come up with. Zero drop, 24mm stack, wide toe box.

 

[PrincessV]

Interesting! The team at the running store told me I pronate so put me in stability shoes. My PT is saying she doesn’t recommend them for me. Such an expensive thing to play with! What shoes do you normally run in? Do you pronate?

Okay, I’m going to try hard not to turn this into a 10-page thesis, because I could go on and on this topic, lol! The short version is this:

1. Most people pronate: pronation is a normal, natural movement that is important. A “normal” landing typically lands toward the center of the foot, rolls inward, then rolls off the big toe.
2. Some people “over” pronate - meaning they both land on the medial side of the foot and roll inward more than whoever is assessing them thinks they should. Sound subjective? It is. Because amount of pronation on its own does not account for strength, flexibility, mechanics throughout the rest of the runner’s chain, etc. Some people “over” pronate a ton and suffer no ill consequences from running in neutral shoes, including a huge number of elites. Some people feel better in stability shoes, even though they maybe don’t need that much support: that’s fine, too.
3. A much smaller number of people under-pronate, also termed over-supination. This is a bit nuanced, but mostly means they don’t pronate at all, or not enough, and tend to both land on the outside of the foot and roll off outward.

I am, to quote one fitter who actually understood my mechanics, “dead neutral” on one side, and under-pronate on the other - which for ME is normal because it’s compensation for scoliosis and just how my mechanics need to work. I’m also a forefoot striker: I land on the balls of my feet, lever heels downward to almost touch the ground, then roll back off my toes. I’m also a dancer, with highly flexible, but strong, feet and ankles. Most shoe store employees do not have the knowledge to figure me out: they see some lateral movement and are trained to think “stability shoes.” When what actually works best for me is no interference at all with my natural mechanics. Throw any amount of medial stability in there, and it forces tension into my IT Bands to resist being rolled outward. That creates friction on bursas in my knee and hip, which HURTS!

Altra Escalante is the best I've come up with. Zero drop, 24mm stack, wide toe box.

Same. They’re not as great as the Torin 5 was for me, but acceptably okay. I’ve been trying the Flow and Flow Wilds lately, which are 4mm drops, and am pretty happy with those, though: the Wild is a trail-light shoe, which gives it more firmness - the Flow I find a bit squishier than I’d like, but is good for slower efforts.

 

[mmm_texas]

I don't think so. I feel like, at this point, the data is too strong in favor of the new foams. I DO think that the pendulum will swing back a little bit...we can only platform ourselves up so high on our shoes, and I can see them figuring out a point of diminishing returns with it.

TBH, I believe minimalist shoes can't compete when it comes to all of the new advances for maximizing speed or channeling the energy of each step. But I suspect they are good for minimizing injuries or other foot problems. At least they've worked out that way so far for me.

 

[Goofed98]

TBH, I believe minimalist shoes can't compete when it comes to all of the new advances for maximizing speed or channeling the energy of each step. But I suspect they are good for minimizing injuries or other foot problems. At least they've worked out that way so far for me.

Agreed. I'm not setting any land speed records, but I do enjoy running, and I enjoy running pain free. I do run in Kinvaras as well as the Altras, but I miss the NB Minimus. And my five fingers.

 

[WDW 4 ME]

In January of this year, I started getting a slight pain on the lower outside of my right knee which a PT told me was an ITB issue. What has helped me is doing strengthening exercises, especially for the gluteus medius. Also, mine might have been caused by a slight cross-over of my right foot when running, so I make a point to try to keep my feet little wider. Also, I learned to do most training runs slower, going all out all the time can lead to this type of overuse injury. That pain still shows up occasionally, but not nearly as much anymore. I do not use stability shoes.

So what have definitely been doing strength training consistently for over a year, concentrating on glutes. Which is why I’m so frustrated I’m still having this issue! Also, I don’t go hard at my runs but anytime I slow it down for that heart rate training, it hurts worse. Talked to my orthopedic sports medicine physician about it and he said it’s because it locks the knee into a position where it’s not getting the full range of motion, making it flare up. AND…it seems to bother me more when I do intervals. He recommends I don’t do do intervals because the starting and stopping is just too much on my ITB. It goes against what conventional running advice is out there. Makes me think maybe I’m just not meant to be a runner

 

[WDW 4 ME]

I’m not PT and I don’t even pretend to play one on TV, but I have definitely seen them chime in on messages on the internet (not exactly peer reviewed research, I’m aware) saying they hate stability shoes (and hiking boots because unnecessary weight and ankle support) unless specifically recommended for you by a PT. They are seemingly over used and cause problems for those who shouldn’t be using them. So I think it’s reasonable to question if they could be a contributing factor.

Interesting. And frustrating. I’ve spent a lot of $$$ on stability shoes.

 

[WDW 4 ME]

Agree...I'm no expert, but I was put in stability shoes my first time at a running store but actually switched to neutral shoes after a couple years because I couldn't find a stability shoe that I liked. I don't have any trouble in neutral shoes. I did deal with some shin splints at one point and saw a PT who pointed out my muscle imbalance as one side is much weaker, but that is generally solved by strengthening exercises and not by shoes. Of course, that's just my experience, but I think the stores are pretty fast to put people in stability shoes when strength training would solve the root of the problem.

I'm terrible at doing strength training though, and just accept my fate of aches and pains sometimes

That’s funny you say that about shin splints. I went in to the running store because I was having shin splints. At the time I was using gel nimbus 25. They told me I pronate, and here we are. I’m just wondering if it was such an exaggerated pronation though because the gel nimbus 25 have so much cushion, everything just kind of collapses, leading to my shin splints.

 

[WDW 4 ME]

Okay, I’m going to try hard not to turn this into a 10-page thesis, because I could go on and on this topic, lol! The short version is this:

1. Most people pronate: pronation is a normal, natural movement that is important. A “normal” landing typically lands toward the center of the foot, rolls inward, then rolls off the big toe.
2. Some people “over” pronate - meaning they both land on the medial side of the foot and roll inward more than whoever is assessing them thinks they should. Sound subjective? It is. Because amount of pronation on its own does not account for strength, flexibility, mechanics throughout the rest of the runner’s chain, etc. Some people “over” pronate a ton and suffer no ill consequences from running in neutral shoes, including a huge number of elites. Some people feel better in stability shoes, even though they maybe don’t need that much support: that’s fine, too.
3. A much smaller number of people under-pronate, also termed over-supination. This is a bit nuanced, but mostly means they don’t pronate at all, or not enough, and tend to both land on the outside of the foot and roll off outward.

I am, to quote one fitter who actually understood my mechanics, “dead neutral” on one side, and under-pronate on the other - which for ME is normal because it’s compensation for scoliosis and just how my mechanics need to work. I’m also a forefoot striker: I land on the balls of my feet, lever heels downward to almost touch the ground, then roll back off my toes. I’m also a dancer, with highly flexible, but strong, feet and ankles. Most shoe store employees do not have the knowledge to figure me out: they see some lateral movement and are trained to think “stability shoes.” When what actually works best for me is no interference at all with my natural mechanics. Throw any amount of medial stability in there, and it forces tension into my IT Bands to resist being rolled outward. That creates friction on bursas in my knee and hip, which HURTS!


Same. They’re not as great as the Torin 5 was for me, but acceptably okay. I’ve been trying the Flow and Flow Wilds lately, which are 4mm drops, and am pretty happy with those, though: the Wild is a trail-light shoe, which gives it more firmness - the Flow I find a bit squishier than I’d like, but is good for slower efforts.

Thanks so much for this! It makes so much sense to me. Especially about how each foot is different. I feel like the only foot/leg I have issues with is the one that “pronates”. So maybe forcing me to try to stabilize it, is just too much. The other thought…I’m a big walker. At least 4 miles every day. And I wear normal shoes with zero issues. I get that walking and running uses different muscles and biomechanics but at some level, if my need for a stability shoe is so great(according to shoe salesmen) I would think I would need them all the time, not just for running, right? And I clearly don’t.