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New Balance has shoes in narrow widths. You could also wear a men's shoe. I'm not totally convinced that "woman's" running shoes are all that different than men's vs. the girlier colors. If you go into a good running store, I'm sure they'd have a lot of suggestions for you.
Aren't the men's shoes naturally wider though? I usually wear nike's because those are all I have been able to find that is narrow enough in my heel to keep it from slipping.
I guess I need to try on the mens shoes and see how that goes next time I get a pair.
I prefer to do most of my training in racing flats (actually, all of it in nice weather, but in winter I switch to trail shoes). Shoe companies mostly only produce flats in mens' sizes (sometimes they call them "unisex", but they are built on a mens' last and sized like mens' shoes). I wear a 7.5 street shoe and a size 8 women's running shoe (sometimes 8.5). I'm completely comfortable in size 6.5 -- 7.0 men's flats -- I have narrow heels too but the smaller sizes seem to be scaled down appropriately.
So I would definitely not be afraid to give men's shoes a try.
Good luck!
Donna, if your heels are slipping, try on New Balance, Saucony, Adidas or Mizuno. Men's shoes are actually typically (not always) wider in the heel than women's. Nikes tend to be very narrow in the forefoot as well as in the heel. If they fit you, great, but if they're too narrow in the forefoot, that can cause problems.
Also, if you're not doing it already, try lacing your shoes like the first illustration on this page, or the last video on this one. This can make all the difference in the world!
If there's a good independent running shoe store near you, I'd highly recommend that. You'll pay a little more for the shoes than at a discount store, but having your foot shape, stride and shoe wear pattern analyzed by someone who knows what they're doing is priceless, especially for a beginning runner.
The number one, most important thing about running shoes is fit. Not whether they are motion control etc. Fit. The biomechanical research is definitive on this. So going to a shoe store where they will actually measure your foot in both sitting and weight bearing positions is very important. Some running shoe stores also have people that are good at watching running forms, others say they do and don't really know what the heck they are talking about. So you may or may not get useful feedback from this.
You know actually I just go over having planters fasciitis on my right foot and now the podiatrist says I have something called equineitis (sp?) my tendons in the back of my ankle are way to tight and it causes me to be up on my toes kind of like a horse hoof. Anyway, he doesn't want me on the incling on my treadmill and he wants me to strech strech strech and if that doesn't work they wil have to go in and cut those tendons. NOT!!!!
I will deal with it thanks so much. LOL
I wear orthotics but I'm not sure they have them right yet, but they are better than nothing so I also have to get my shoes sized to fit those too.
I may have to go get someone to fit my foot better cause I just try to go to the outlets and find something myself. I can't remember when I had my foot actually sized.
Thanks for all the help girls. I really appreciate it. The articles have been very infromative and I printed off a copy of the beginers training guide that someone posted. Thanks so much.
With that type of foot the problems are related to rigidity and lack of shock absorption. You should not be in a motion control shoe. You should be in a neutral shoe with LOADS of cushioning. And definitely keep stretching and get your foot sized. I would also consider buying something like this to help relieve trigger points in the calves to use before stretching.