I am SUPER excited to be an Altra Running Ambassador for 2016! After taking a little hiatus from my ambassador role after having my third, I’m back and ready to spread the Altra love again!
For those of us who like to have a little extra room in the toe box, Altra running shoes are a godsend! I have had so many issues (blisters!) with shoes that have a toe box that is just too narrow for my liking.
When I started running in Altra shoes, my feet were a lot happier, and I haven’t looked back.
What Makes Altra Running Shoes Different From Other Brands?
Zero Drop
Altra running shoes are zero drop— meaning there is no difference in the height of the heel and the height of the toe of the shoe (heel to toe drop).
Running in a zero-drop shoe can help improve your running form, thereby reducing initial impact 3-5 times. It also allows your Achilles tendon to work they way it was meant to in your running stride—helping propel you forward.
Footshape™ Toe Box
Another crucial difference is the roomier FootShape™ toe box in all Altra shoe models. When your foot hits the ground during running, your toes naturally splay before pushing off again.
Traditional running shoes have a pointier toe box, squeezing your toes too closely together. Not only does this prevent your toes from naturally splaying, it can also result in more blisters due to the friction between your toes or even worse— bunions, hammertoes, and plantar fasciitis.
The FootShape™ toe box also allows your big toe to remain straight as it should be, providing stability (and more powerful push-off) in your foot during your running stride.
Gender Specific
We all know that men’s and women’s feet are different, it’s no secret. So, why should we wear the exact same shoes?! We shouldn’t, and Altra has a solution for us. There are certain anatomical features of a woman’s foot– longer arch, narrower midfoot (and heel), higher instep and slightly different metatarsal spacing.
Rather than just using a men’s shoe, with feminine colors (the shrink it and pink it mentality), Altra was the first company to create an entire running shoe line specifically for a woman’s foot. Novel idea, huh?! It’s hard to believe that it’s not done that way all the time! The result is a shoe that is truly built for the female foot– try it and you won’t be disappointed. 🙂
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