Running tip number 4 is for runners who are just getting started. Coach Tadris Parker has personally tested this recommendation and a hundred other health tips commonly shared in the running and fitness world. Listen to the audio clip below to hear his take on this one piece of health advice: “Toes deserve some wiggle room.” Learn all about this at Keep Calm and Run To The Best You!

Apple Podcast

“Buy all shoes, both street and running, slightly longer and wider than your bigger foot. Also, avoid pointed shoes. You’ll save yourself needless foot pain.” —Ted Corbitt, ultrarunner and 1952 Olympic marathoner

Tip 4. Toes Deserve Some Wiggle Room (running)

Health Tip Number 4 is for beginner-level runners and it comes from Ted Corbitt, an Olympic marathon runner. This piece of advice is about proper footwear, focusing on how to protect your feet and enable a lifetime of running without pain. Before we get into Tip Number Four, we need to talk about the man that gave us this advice. Ted Corbitt passed on fifteen years ago but his name deserves to be in the conversation today. He broke barriers for athletes and notably changed the game of competitive long distance running.

Who was Ted Corbitt?

• The grandson of slaves, Corbitt was born in 1919 and grew up running on his family’s farm in South Carolina

• First Black American to represent the US in the Olympic Marathon (1952 in Helsinki, Finland)

• Completed a lifetime total of 223 marathons and ultramarathons

• Founding president of NYRR (New York Road Runners)

• First editor of New York Runner, the country’s oldest continuously published running publication

• Established the practice of course measurement and age-group competitions

• First chairman of the Amateur Athletic Union’s national standards committee

• Physical therapist by profession

• Worked full time for 44 years at the International Center for the Disabled in New York City

• At age 82, he walked 303 miles in six days

What is Ted Corbitt’s advice for footwear?

Buying the right pair of running shoes is harder than it sounds. The shoes we exercise in and shoes that we wear to work are equally important in preventing foot pain and deformities. Parents tend to prioritize buying good shoes for their kids’ growing feet and they neglect their own footwear needs. If you’re concerned about the cost, it’s wiser to skimp on clothing or buy used apparel so you can invest in new, well made shoes that fit you properly. Nobody wants to learn the hard way about the pain and deformities, so take this advice seriously: wearing unsupportive shoes or a narrow/pointed toe box may lead to bunions, hammer toes, and foot fractures.

Here are the key things to guide you when shopping for shoes:

• Your two feet are not exactly the same size or shape

• Shoes should be slightly longer and slightly wider than your bigger foot

• Avoid styles with pointed shoes

• Have your feet measured by an experienced shoe salesman

• Shoes are not all cut the same, so be careful with narrow brands like Adidas and Asics

• Buy shoes that wide width if the brand/style is cut narrow

• See a podiatrist about continued pain from running or pre-existing issues like flat feet or clubfoot

Best Running Sneakers for 2022

Last winter, Coach Tadris Parker shared a list of his top picks for best running sneakers. The list includes styles from Brooks, Nike, Saucony, and Salomon. His personal favorite is the Nike Pegasus - a style that has stood the test of time for almost 40 years.

In this post, Coach Tadris shares that it’s necessary to retire your running shoes one you’ve put some miles on them. Inspect your soles regularly to look for cracks or worn out treads. You can keep running in your sneakers until you hit an average of 250-400 miles. It will be less if you’re running in a cheaper shoe. Your sneakers do not have a pedometer like your car does, but wearing an Apple Watch or FitBit is an easy way to track your miles if you wear the same pair each time you run or walk.

We don’t know whether Ted Corbitt took care of his feet from the start of his running career or if he learned the hard way through having problems from his shoes. What we do know is this: of all the advice Ted Corbitt could have shared, he prioritized the need for runners to invest in high quality, properly fitting footwear. A grownup knows that you have to put good tires on your car if you want to drive safely and get good mileage from them, even though they cost more. Shopping for shoes is just the same. If it costs you $150 for a good pair of running shoes, invest in the shoes and rework your family budget if need be. Your feet are worth it, too!

Hot tip for teachers, students, first responders, military, government, and medical professionals: Enjoy a hefty discount on running shoes when you verify on ID.me. You’ll save 30-40% shopping online at Adidas, Under Armour, Nike, New Balance, Reebok, more!

At Keep Calm and Run To The Best You, we are actively helping people from all walks of life to get healthier and happier in the body they’ve got! We’ve collected advice from professionals, combed through archives, and gathered insights from our group members. Click here to see the rest of our 101 health tips about running, intermittent fasting, and weight loss.

Train for your next running event

Coach Tadris Parker trains athletes at all levels for local or virtual running events.

Email coachtadris@gmail.com with questions about our Run/Walk Club, running events, or health programs.

If you’re serious about running, sign up for our Run a 5K program!

Mothers Run 11 Miles

Mothers of the Keep Calm And Run To The Best You community runs 11 miles in preparation for the Atlantic City Marathon Series half marathon on October 23rd, 2022.

Left to right - Lisa Gallagher, Chris Ballard, Melissa Southrey, & Jessica Young.

Congratulations to those of you that never ran this distance before. You will be awesome on race day. Proud of you all!