DW Runners

Last Friday and Saturday I participated in my very first long-distance overnight relay race, Reach the Beach, just over 200 miles across the state of New Hampshire as part of a 12-person team. (I ran three legs totaling 19.8 miles.) This kind of event has become quite popular, with Ragnar Relays putting on a number of them across the US. My race report is here.

I'm looking for advice on getting a good pair of supportive running shoes.

I have a lot of foot problems generally: I tend to have loose ligaments in my feet, caused by lots of sprains over the years (playing soccer and ultimate), and more recently exacerbated by pregnancy. While I was pregnant, I developed what my physio called a neuroma (I hope I'm getting that right). It's a low, dull pain in the ball of my foot, between the second and third metatarsals. Walking and running make it worse. My physiotherapist suggested wearing supportive shoes, and rolling a tennis ball under my foot. Unfortunately, this problem gets worse when I do my other foot-strengthening exercises, especially calf raises. As a result, my foot health has declined. I want to work my way back up to where I was, with a goal of being able to go hiking over rough terrain for a full day and not have to worry that I'm going to be sore from the get-go or even making the underlying problem worse.

I have a good pair of Asics which are my daily footwear and I go walking for at least 30-40 minutes most days of the week. But they're wearing out, and I'm wondering what people think might be a good replacement, considering the new issues. In general I'm looking for a running or walking shoe that would help cushion the ball of my foot while also having excellent support through the arch and around the mid-foot. I don't mind going top-tier for running shoes because I care a lot about taking care of my feet and avoiding more sprains in the future.

Thanks very much for your thoughts!