The sneakers you need
Summer is a serious sport. Treat your feet to good shoes.
BEING surrounded by amazing beaches and an active Boardwalk makes Ocean City an incredible outdoor community; There are so many places to walk, run and workout. While we’re enjoying the great outdoors, it’s important to take care of our feet with a good pair of shoes to keep moving comfortably for years to come – whether in sand, on the road, or walking the boards.
Locally-famous The Sneaker Shop on Asbury is celebrating its 20th anniversary this fall. If you’re thinking you don’t need running shoes because you’re not a runner, owner Maureen “Moe” Kelly will tell you this is a misconception.
“Anyone who is active needs a good cushion or supportive shoe. You don’t have to be a runner to wear a running shoe,” said Moe.
The most important thing is to consider your arch – both men and women alike. Pain-free movement is key. What better way to test this, since we’re surrounded by water! With wet feet, walk across concrete or possibly even the sand to see the print left behind.
High Arch
As you step, you leave an imprint showing a narrow band connecting the forefoot to the heel. This means you have a high arch and most likely supinate, or tend to walk with the weight on the outside of your foot. Look for a more neutral shoe – choose cushioned shoes to decrease the shock to your body when you walk or run.
Hoka One One Clifton 8 Made from 100 percent vegan materials featuring symmetrical responsive cushioning without additional prescriptive technologies.
Brooks Ghost 14 Made with a minimum of 30 percent recycled content, with a smooth and soft ride, the Ghost continues to be one of Brooks’ most-loved shoes.
New Balance 880 Featuring top-bed foam and NB’s Fresh Foam underfoot construction, the 880s displaces heel impact and offers a responsive approach to cushioning. Plus, rad color choices like a pink lemonade ombre.
Saucony Triumph 19 Created with recycled materials, the Triumph PWRRUN+ cushioning gives you more with less weight for a plush ride.
Low Arch
As you step, your imprint has a flare, but shows the front of the foot and heel connected by a much wider band. This means as you’re walking, your foot tends to pronate, or roll inward as the foot progresses toward toe-off. Pick a shoe with additional stability.
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 22 Known for over 20 years as one of Brooks’ favorites, these shoes continue to deliver with a stellar balance of support and softness.
Saucony Omni 20 Another one of Saucony’s top sellers created with recycled materials, with more heel and forefoot support combined with a more flexible outsole.
New Balance 860 Made with the cushioning experience of NB’s Fresh Foam with a supportive medial post (device found in the midsole, crucial to helping protonation) to provide essential stability.
Hoka One One Arahi 5 Offering a soft, smooth alternative to traditional support shoes, featuring Hoka’s J-Frame technology specifically designed to prevent excessive inward roll, without over correcting your gait.
You may have noticed another company growing in popularity on the feet of locals – ON Running. As someone who is on their feet all day working on clients and walking around town, I love wearing ON Running sneakers. Andrea Locke, RN, personal trainer, and owner of Driven Studio in OC is also a fan.
“These are hands down the best shoe purchase I’ve ever made. Extremely versatile and supportive, I’ve worn them for 12-hour shifts at the hospital, training clients all day, and running the Boardwalk for my own exercise.”
Andrea wears ON’s CloudFlyers. You can find these and many other ON Running options at Alyse’s Shoes on 951 Asbury Avenue.
Make your feet happy this summer. All shoes listed above are available in various colors and both mens and womens sizing at either The Sneaker Shop or Alyse’s Shoes.
Find this and more in the July magazine