I recently learned that there are several different units used worldwide for shoe sizing. Confusingly, American shoe sizes are based upon the measurement of a barleycorn, which is a 10th century pre-Imperial unit of measurement that translates into roughly 1/3 of an inch or 8.5mm.
Shoe sizes have been on my mind because I found myself in the market for both everyday sneakers and running shoes, but unsure of my size in unfamiliar brands. I've found online shopping for shoes to be stressful because I typically wear anything from a US women's 7.5 to 8.5.
I purchased a pair of ASICS Novablast 5 for running (women's 7.5B), and I’m considering other shoes to keep in rotation. Historically, I have encountered setbacks like runner’s knee, shin splints, and plantar fasciitis. Part of the problem is that I've tended to overtrain, which I've tried to mitigate by sticking to plans like Couch25K instead of just assuming that I should be doing more. Until June, I hadn’t actually run since 2015 when I got plantar fasciitis from abruptly switching from running on a treadmill to running on pavement outdoors.
I also needed new everyday shoes as my go-to model for over 15 years (Saucony Jazz/Saucony Triple Jazz, women's 8.5-9B) were quietly discontinued: largely out of stock (in any ideal colors) on Zappos, Amazon, and even their own website. I had loved the shoes for their lightweight feel; they were very comfortable. While I've had difficulty sourcing them since at least 2020, I didn't think much of it at first because of how badly the supply-chain was affected.
After several months of deliberation (and inquiring random strangers in public about how much they liked their Hoka shoes), I determined that the best replacement would be the Hoka Bondi 9 (women's 8B). They fit my requirements: they were lightweight and also had colorful options. They have turned out to be much more comfortable than my Saucony shoes ever were. I've been wearing them for two weeks straight now. I walked all over Luxembourg last week and didn’t have pain in my shins from walking on cobblestones like I did last year.
I worried I was being a little dramatic for my dedication to finding the perfect shoes for me, but really, shoes are important. According to an article in Wired last week, the reason why so many young track athletes are breaking records recently is due to their intensive training in shoes with ultralight foams and carbon plates:
The rise of track clubs was apparent on the second day of the East Coast International Showcase, when I watched wave after wave of kids aged 5 to 9 compete in the 100 meters. The many standouts ran times that would be dazzling for boys or girls several years older, and I took note of their efficient mechanics—evidence, it seemed to me, that they’re already being coached to develop good habits.
When talented elementary-age kids from the club system move into their tweens and early teens, they’re primed to start the grueling training that used to be reserved for high schoolers. “I’m asking middle-school girls to do eight 400s in 75 seconds, so at a 5-minute-mile pace,” says Peterson. “Whereas it used to be the middle-school program was, ‘Hey, let’s jog 20 minutes and let’s go play Capture the Flag,’ right?”
Kids are increasingly doing that training in so-called “super shoes” such as the Nike Vaporfly 4 or New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v5, both of which now often sell for well under $200. These shoes’ carbon plates and ultralight foams help return kinetic energy to the wearer’s body with every step. In races, super shoes have been proven to boost performance by 2 to 3 percent, which translates to roughly a second per 400-meter lap.
Geoff Burns, a sports physiologist with the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee, believes the shoes’ energy-return component decreases the traumatic stress endured by young bones and muscles. “If you’re able to do that same work but not have that mechanical collateral damage or nearly as much of it, then you’re just not building up as much scar tissue that could potentially inhibit performance,” he says. Instead of diverting lots of cellular energy to the healing process after every workout, the body can dedicate more resources to building strength.
