Running on Empty (shoes that is)

A good question was recently answered in a magazine.

The question was... I have always been told to change shoes every 600 miles. Does this general rule apply to shoes used exclusively on a treadmill?

Treadmills can actually be harder on shoes then running outdoors. On a treadmill both the "road" (the belt) and you are moving creating even more shearing force on the outsole. The extra motion of the belt also requires more stability from the shoe stressing the mid-sole. One more point is that shoes companies say that their shoes last about 400 - 600 miles on average. The heavier runners might get a little bit less mileage out of the shoes and the lighter runners might get a bit more out their shoes due to the amount of impact being put on the foam of the shoe. Good news is treadmill shoes look nice and clean! Six months and or 400-600 miles is a good rule of toe...I mean thumb.

Sabotage

Sabotage is what I think I keep doing to myself.

"I'm Fe Man and I sabotage my fitness!"

There I said it, and I feel relieved. Let me recap for you...

What I have been doing for the better part of 4 years is that as my fitness level has been getting to a certain point I would take a few weeks off. The point that I'm refereeing to is when you look at yourself in the mirror or step on a scale and say to yourself... a few more pounds and I'm there. The reasons for not taking it to the next level is more confusing to me then actually taking the time off.

I can understand taking time off after a major event, and even taking time off because of an injury, but the confusing part is that I take time off for no apparent reason. To compound the lack of fitness, is that during these breaks, I would typically not eat well.

So why do I do this every few months? ... I don't know.