Ok. So, I read it, and I heard it from the website. But now I have lived it, and it's true. The RIGHT shoes are important!

I had some decent shoes that I picked up at a big-box store when I started walking/jogging. Things were ok at first, but once I started logging in over 1.5 miles or so, my feet (particularly my left foot) hurt so bad that I would sometimes have to take the next day easy.

I visited the local New Balance store last weekend, and I let them size me for the RIGHT shoes. I found out that I've been buying shoes a size too large just so I could get the right width. I also had bought a shoe designed more for runners than walkers. Furthermore, there pressure sensors showed that I have a relatively high arch.

They fixed me up with new shoes and new insoles with arch support. I have walked each day since getting the shoes, and my workouts have improved dramatically. I'm now walking longer distances with no foot pain (though now my legs burn a little more).

The morale of the story, "it's the shoes."