So happy to be running again in my favorite brand of trail running shoes.  Salomon Speedcross 4s.  Sorry fat ass Hokas, but I’m not a fan of big, bulky running shoes.  I might even blame those Hokas for my lower back pain.  Never had lower back pain before.  Then, after training in those wide-sole shoes for a few months, suddenly my back hurts.

I’m serious about blaming those shoes as a possible cause.  I’m a runner.  If something’s wrong, blame the shoes.  I know it’s counter-intuitive because Hokas are so massively cushioned, but soft shoes aren’t necessarily good.  They forced me to land on my heel more than I normally would.  That jarred and ultimately compressed my spine.

These new Salomons, from the first step, have me running in my old forefoot-landing form.  I don’t hurt nearly as much at the end of my run, even though their sole is much harder.  They promote the correct form, at least for me.

You might think I have no business dispensing such advice on running shoes and their relationship to injury.  I don’t claim to be a certified coach, or qualified sports physician.  If you expect professional opinions from me, then you’re the fool.  As an experienced runner, I live and breathe anecdotal evidence.  That’s what runners do.  We know how a shoe makes us feel.  And man, these Salomons make me feel good.