The Giveaway is over, but read on to hear about a great product!

I want to start this post with a little background about my feet. Yes, my feet. Years ago, when I was running a lot of marathons and putting in a lot of mileage, I developed quite a serious case of plantar fasciitis. I tried everything to get rid of it. I was the queen of knowledge about treating this inflammation. I iced, I stretched, I wore the boot, I wore the sock. I took anti-inflammatories, I wore supportive shoes, I wore insoles (over the counter), I never went barefoot. And finally, I got a cortisone shot. Three of them (two in one foot, one in the other).

Nothing worked. I dealt with the problem for over a year (of course, I kept running all this time. It just hurt). The final solution for my plantar fasciitis was simple. I injured my knee. Tore my meniscus, actually. Which meant a long time off running (about six weeks). Finally, my feet healed.

That was about 10 years ago. Since then, due to less mileage and more cross training my feet have been healthy. Recently, though, I’ve been increasing my running time and I have started to feel, um, twinges, in my feet. At first I thought it was my imagination. But, before long, I had to face the truth. My plantar was on the verge of making a reappearance.

That brings us up to the date when 3D Soles made an appearance in my life. Having used supportive insoles in the past, I was totally interested in their concept. The folks at 3D Soles actually custom make your insoles based on photo data that you send them using an app on your smart phone. How cool is that?

It is very simple to use. You download the app to your android or iphone. You will also have an option of uploading a picture from your digital camera. By following the directions and using your phone’s camera, you take several pictures of your feet from different angles. You are given a preliminary diagnosis of your foot’s shape and arch (Egyptian shaped (big toe is longest, the rest taper down), arch is slightly flat). That is later confirmed by a doctor.

After that, they make your insoles. You are sent a link to the “Doctor’s Page” where your diagnosis is confirmed and you can ask any questions that you may have. Two days later, my 3DSoles were ready and I received a shipping notice. Five more days, I received my package.

The timing was perfect. Not only was my heel pain bothering me, we are in the middle of pre-season cross country practice, plus I started my week long Stay-cation. I was looking forward to having an opportunity for more runs, but I was concerned about my plantar fasciitis.

I have to say that I knew after my first run in my 3DSoles that they were going to make a huge difference for me. Maybe it was a bit of a placebo effect, but I already felt less pain in my heel. After two more runs, I knew for sure I wasn’t imagining the improvement. My heel stopped hurting completely after five days. And I wasn’t resting it, either. The next week I ran six days, relatively short runs to be sure, between three to six miles, for a total of 25 on the week, but that was more running than I’d done for a while. And. No. Heel. Pain.

I’ve now been using the 3D Soles two months.  And my feet feel good. While my heel pain is not completely gone, I attribute some of that to my penchant for running around barefoot. I truly think 3D Soles are great! Custom orthotics for just about the price you’d pay for an over the counter, generic insole. 3D Soles stands behind their product and are available by phone or email if you have questions or need help. In addition to plantar fasciitis, 3D Soles may also help with other under- and over-pronation problems like knee and hip pain.

Now you have the chance to win a pair of 3D Soles customized just for your feet! Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below. A winner will be selected and notified on Wednesday, November 28.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a pair of 3D Soles at no charge, plus they are providing a pair to giveaway. All opinions are my own.