Howard: My Shoes Are in Control

Considering self-diagnosis? Stop right now.

At least that's my advice. Based on what I thought I needed, I bought a pair of Nike Air Equalons about a year ago. Which were fine until my distance on longer runs started creeping up into the eight-mile range.

That's when the pain started -- the classic runner's knee just below the patella.

The shoes are on the aggressive end in terms of the amount of control and stability they provide -- something I was convinced I needed because I have barely any arch in my foot and assumed I'd need the support to avoid over-pronating.

Close, but not quite.

When Vicky and I began research on running shoes, the folks at Potomac River Running and Bethesda Racquet and Jog both looked at my gait and said that, yes, I did over-pronate. But not excessively.

To replace my Equalons, they recommended a more-moderate motion control shoe, and if there is a bottom line to the whole pay-attention-to-your-gear concept, it is this: The pain seems to have gone.

Now, maybe I'm just in better shape than I was a few months ago when the pain began; maybe the knees are tuned up and the supporting muscles are stronger. But I think the new shoes helped.

I ended up in Brooks Adrenaline GTS, one of several models I tried at Potomac River Running's Reston location. Not only did the folks there change my type of shoe, they recommended going a half-size larger than I normally wear and choosing a wider size -- steps I would not have considered on my own.

Compare that with the outcome when I dropped by a Champs and a Foot Locker and asked for help with running shoes. Each store seemed to have its preferred model -- a Nike or an Asics presented as the "best" without any inquiry into how long I've been running or how far I run or how aggressively, let alone a look at my mechanics.

Should I be concerned about my knees?

"Not with these," one clerk said. Another suggested I buy insoles "just in case" I needed extra cushioning.

One last note: Personally, I think it's a bit shabby to tap a salesperson's expertise if you have no intention of buying, then using the information to hunt online for a better deal. That said, it's only good business to get different opinions and call around, and in my case I could have saved some money.

Two days after visiting Potomac River Running, I found the same Brooks shoes on sale at Bethesda Racquet and Jog for $35 less.