On returning to running back in 2005, I went into one of the typical high street sports shops that sell more hoodies than it sells proper sports gear, writes Declan Ryan.

Declan Ryan

Anyway, there were walls full of runners and I ask the sales assistant for a pair of runners, he says “Sure no problem, what type would you like”.

I was honestly confused by the question, in my mind runners are for running, I had no idea runners had changed so much since I had been running in my teens (mid 80’s). Such is life and time waits for no man, so I tell the guy I’m looking for a pair for running.

He looks at me with a frown and says “oh, you mean technical running shoes, they’re over here.” He shows me a dark corner of the store where there’s very little footfall and says, “if you want me to get you a pair to try on just let me know”.

I thank him and start to peruse my options, which are limited.

There must have been hundreds of runners in the store, everything from Basketball to God knows what. I should have left the store as soon as the guy frowned but didn’t know where else to go to purchase what I wanted, so I selected a pair I thought would fit the bill and asked for my size.

I really should have scarpered when he brought out the box and blew dust off it, but no, I wanted them there and then and paid the cash and started back running.

I finished my first Half Marathon back in 2005 and kept going with the training sporadically eventually getting an injury and seeing a physio which is a whole other story. The physio said at the end of one of the sessions that I should think about getting fitted for running shoes.

He handed me a leaflet from Amphibian King, Bray, and said these guys test you for the correct running shoes. I was totally confused but anything to stop the pain in my legs.

So I popped out and met Damien McKeever, and it quickly became apparent that the store’s name, while not very sporting, was apt as Damien is a triathlon nut involved with the Wicklow Triathlon club.

He told me that he lived and worked in a sports shop in New Zealand for a few years and while there he got trained up on testing people for correct running shoes. He has a 10Mt track in the store which you run down while he videos your feet landing on each pace thus allowing him to see from this if you are a pronator, supinator or have a neutral foot landing (see imagesbelow).

The confusion is completely dispelled as he shows me a couple of simple video examples of the conditions. He tests me, it turns out I slightly supinate. He then tells me that all of the running shoe manufacturers make shoes to suit each one of these conditions and that in New Zealand all sports shops have this testing service.

On his return to Ireland he decided that we needed it here also. I’m sold; it’s so simple and obvious that this is important. He shows me five shoes types from mainline manufacturers and advises that these are the styles that suit my condition.

He charges me the same price for the shoes as all other stores were charging and throws in the testing for free. Fair deal in my humble opinion, so I buy the shoes and have enjoyed pain-free running ever since. Well that’s a lie, but at least I know it’s not because of the shoes I’m wearing!

So if you’re buying new “Technical Running Shoes”,  bleedin’ runners as far as I concerned, then do your poor ol’ legs a favour and get this testing done. Lots of stores have now followed in Damien’s footsteps (excuse the pun) and are now providing this service to their customers.

• Declan Ryan is not connected with Amphibian King in any way. He just wants this story told for the benefit of other runners. And that’s what this site is about most of all. Declan is a member of DSD Athletics Club.

Foot Inversion diagram

Foot pronation diagram

Images courtesy of: North Coast Foot Care