Ran 1st "Event" 5k

Go to one of those specialized shoe stores like Fleet Feet.

They will scan your feet and recommend a specific pair of shoes based on your measurements.

I believe its just the digging in issue not really a calf tightness

I have used ChatGPT to help guide me. I have purchased, put several miles on them on a treadmill, and returned them, noting stability, return energy, heel pain, position, compression, etc. I finally determined that I perform better and far less achiness in my feet with a neutral shoe instead of an over-elevated heel. I kept giving feedback and as my feedback data grew it was able to make specific recommendations. I found and purchased three different shoes, and in order are my most favorite:

Saucony Ride 19 - I don't even realize I'm wearing shoes. They feel amazingly natural. They aren't race shoes, but I have run a 34:09 5k in them and am working hard to get down another few minutes before the summer is over. This shoe is perfect for run training.

New Balance 1080v15 - rock solid stability, nice energy return, but they have a slight correction built it that annoys me. Not uncomfortable at all, though.

Brooks Ghost 16 - I got these over the newer Ghost 17. There was too drastic of a change in the 17 for the way my feet work. I ran a nice, easy 5k training run, today, with these shoes. 40:07 to break them in. Very comfortable. No bottoming out. Lots of return energy, but I felt a slight amount of instability on the outside edge of my left foot. My next run I'll pay better attention to how I lace up and see if the instability is still there. Otherwise, a really nice running shoe.

*I don't need arch support shoes. They are very painful for me

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rub/dig into my Achilles. Have actually bled through a sock recently

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They don't fit if they are doing that. As suggested, go get fitted at a running store.

Congrats on your first 5k. I'd intended to a month ago for my 70th birthday but I had picked up a bug and didn't have it in me. Now, it's hot and muggy. I'll just go early mornings, now, and to the fitness center and use a treadmill until fall. Keep it up!

I used ChatGPT to help me find the perfect shoe, for me. As I would try different shoes (on a treadmill to keep them returnable) I would report what I was feeling in my feet, my ankles, my balance, any tendencies of the shoe to force position of the foot, the way the cushioning felt such as bottoming out or falling off on one side. Using that data it was able to keep making adjustments in its recommendations.

I ended up purchasing and keeping the following shoes and in my personal order of favorites are:

- Saucony Ride 19

- Brooks Ghost 16 (I tried Ghost 17, but it was a vastly different shoe)

- New Balance 1080v15

The Saucony Ride 19 is amazing. Light, strong, the perfect material for compression and rebound. This was my day, yesterday, on these, and my feet never got tired, no sore spots or aches in my arch.

Get Feetures socks, a pair of ASICS NovaBlast, and thank me later.

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Ever since that dude broke the record in those adidas “super shoes” I’ve been wanting to shell out to buy them

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I’m a running shoe geek and love wasting my money on super shoes (despite being nowhere close to elite), but even I have no interest in the Evo

20+ miles on a home treadmill?! Thats hardcore man. Awesome work.

Man that is awesome. I’m envious. I’m training to some day get on your level