Let the Training Begin!

Tomorrow morning, it begins.  My 26-week marathon training program.  After 3 test runs in my knee brace, I am confident that I will be able to train and complete the Buffalo Marathon on May 26th.  The only real problem I am having is that my knee hurts whenever I am not wearing the brace.  This is fine, since I have no intention of running at work or in high heels, but it hurts nonetheless.

In terms of training and racing, I am a bit concerned about my orthopedic surgeon's opinion about my running shoes.  Right now I'm using the Brooks Launch (actually, they're being discontinued - but I can still buy them on the Brooks website).

For about 14 years I have been running in neutral shoes with custom made orthotics.  I started this after numerous injuries in high school (namely, stress fractures in my left shin).  After beginning this practice, generally speaking, I've remained uninjured until this knee problem started in 2009.  (It's speculated that I may now have arthritis and cartilage damage - we just don't know since I cannot have an MRI).  Running 40+ miles a week used piece of cake in neutral, lightweight training shoes throughout my early to mid 20's.  As long as I had my orthotics in, I was fine.

My new orthopedic surgeon wants me to buy a more "cushiony" shoe with a lot of stability and ditch the orthotics.  I am very reluctant to do this.  I've been down this road before - and I do not want to do it again.  I tried to tell him this but he was kind of in and out of the office.  It's not that he didn't care, I just think he was busy.  I've got an amazing knee brace and some good advice about cross-training and weight-lifting.  Why try to fix the one thing that isn't broken?

I'm not seeing him again until February 1st, and I DO need new shoes.  What should I do in terms of this new running shoe philosophy?  I intend to go on the Brooks website and buy another pair of the Launch before they're all gone, but I will still need a "good, stable shoe" for the mileage I intend to put in by the spring (back to 40+ mile weeks).

I'm trying not to worry about it, but it's a big change!  Oh well, wish me luck!