Just finished reading the running shoe thread, trainers vs. flats. That got me thinking about my own feet and I was wondering if other people’s feet have grown (gotten longer) due to running. I’m now a 14. I was always a 12 until I started running about 15 years ago. I was told that if you run long enough your feet will flatten out, which mine have. Do you think this is true, and if so, does the type of shoe make your foot flatten more?
Shoe sizes are getting smaller.
A size 12 15 years ago is a 14 today.
"Shoe sizes are getting smaller. "
I thought that was just dress sizes. Read an article recently how the clothing industry is changing women’s clothing sizes so that the modern super size American woman won’t feel bad about herself. So what was called a size 9 in mother’s day is now called a size 6.
My feet are the same size after 20+ years of running. 12-13 depending on the shoe company. I’ve heard that women’s feet are bigger after childbirth due to bones softening a bit but I don’t know if that’s myth or not.
Check it: 1995, size 8.5 running shoe, size 40 cycling shoe.
1996, Post Discovery Channel Eco-Challenge size 9.5 running shoe, 40.5 bike shoe.
1999, Post 152 mile Marathon des Sables size 10 running shoe, size 41 cycling shoe.
2001, Post 105 mile Jordanian Desert Cup size 10 running shoe, size 41 cycling shoe.
2002, Post Raid Gauloises Vietnam size 10 running shoe, size 41 cycling shoe.
2004, lost 18 pounds, size 9.5 running shoe, size 40 cycling shoe (new Shimano TR-02).
I’ve been wearing everything from an 8.5 to 9.5 since I was in high school. Bike shoes have allways been a 42.5 or 43. When I go to the runnning store, they allways want to put me in a shoe that feels much too big and I allways argue that my foot would get lost in their shoe.
I wear a 7.5 in a hockey skate and have thought of going down to a 7 sometimes, of course I don’t wear socks with the skates so that may be part of it.
jaretj
Mine got smaller. As my arches strengthened, it drew the length of my foot inward. (They are not as flat as they were).
It doesn’t really depend on how long you’ve been running; it depends on how old you are. Most people, not necessarily runners, find that their feet do at least widen as they age. As far as the pregnent woman thing goes, it’s a ligamentous issue (pregnant woman produce a hormone called relaxin that loosens ligaments to allow their pelvis to accomodate childbirth, but it has generalised effects) plus they get lower extremity edema.
Deke