I decided that I wanted to get more active this year so when a friend of mine called me and asked me to sign up to walk a 5K with her, my fiance' and I agreed whole heartedly. The sponsor of the 5K was a company called FLEET FEET. My friend INSISTED I go there to get new shoes because she said they are experts and would fit me for my shoes. So that's what I did. They young man who sold me my shoes spent a long time with me and explained that the inserts he put in my shoes (not custom, mind you just out of a plastic wrap!) might feel odd for a while because he fit them to my arch and the supports were going to "keep my arches from collapsing" which is what my foot did naturally *or something to that effect*...
Long story short, I spend almost $300 dollars there and another $200 to sign us up for the 5K. Then, the 1st night of the walk was on a HS track in Brentwood, in the dark in FREEZING weather in February. They were timing us to see which group to put us in. I made it one time around the track and my calf hurt SO BAD I could not continue! I went up to the boy I bought my shoes from and he sent me to Tracy McGraw to let her know I was in pain. Well, I did. This woman looked me up and down and said, "you can't go just one more lap?"
I repeated myself and told her I was in terrible pain and she just turned around and walked away... I went to the 1st official day of the 5K at a park in Brentwood and could not keep up with the other walkers bacause my feet and calf were in such pain b/c of this new arch support. The Fleet Feet people there told me it was just my feet adjusting to the new arch supports. I walked with a girl who was on her 2nd 5K with Fleet Feet who shared with me that she couldn't do the last one because she had to have KNEE SURGERY after her first 5K because she fell walking in the dark on the side of the road at a FLeet Feet walk! I immediately turned around and went home.
Fast forward 6 months and my doctor has diagnosed me with Plantar Fasciitis. He said that he sees people every week with my same story... Fleet feet sales people are not orthopedists. They are not doctors and have no business giving advice like they are... They are unsafe and unqualified to mess with your feet. My doctor referred me to a qualifying ORTHOPEDIST in Nashville. I am now being fit for custom orthodics and should have relief in about a year. If not, I will have to get night splits or have surgery. PLEASE do not go to this place. They do not care bout you... They are SALES PEOPLE MAKING MONEY OFF YOU.
Thought they are VERY good and act like they are doing you a favor. Feel free to contact me. I will share my story. I do NOT want the same thing to happen to you. There are other 5K's out there that aren't trying to sell you shoes and who are QUALIFIED to find a safe place for you to train. Not in the dark on the side of the road with no sidewalks. OH! And my friend who introduced me to this 5K actually FELL off the road one night during one of there walks. They don't provide a safe place to run or walk like a LIGHTED TRACK.instead they take you to random neighborhoods that don't always have sidewalks or lights.
Thank you. I just don't want anyone to have to experience the EXCRUCIATING life changing pain of plantar fasciitis if it can be prevented. These people are basically practicing medicine by trying to change your feet w / non-custom arch supports... If you need that service, go to an orthopedist who will custom MAKE your arch supports from a mold from YOUR foot.
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