THE SUB 3 HOUR MARATHON

Asics Shoes

Just a word about shoes. Shoe choice is obviously of vital importance to the success of your running campaign, whether you are going for a sub 3 hour marathon or some other goal. I have used Asics shoes for many years and have found that Asics provide me with the complete shoe solution when running.

For years, starting at school, I had the problem known as "Metatarsalgia", which means simply pain in the balls of the front part of the feet. I was getting it from impact bruising when running and after several failed attempts at getting rid of it, Asics shoes were the only ones that stopped the condition from recurring. At one stage I tried New Balance shoes which were renowned for their front foot padding, but didn't get the same results as with the Asics shoes.

I started with shoes in the 2100s line - currently I own a pair of Asics GT 2000s. They're strong, supportive, lightweight and fantastic to run in. Definitely worth a try.

You should go and get your running gait analyzed by a professional at a sports training store and they will be able to recommend a shoe that suits your running style or addresses problems with your gait. If Asics fall within that range, I thoroughly recommend them!

Of course no shoe can do miracles, so it's still sensible practice to run on grass or dirt paths whenever possible, and if that isn't an option, to run on bitument rather than concrete.