How to Buy Running Shoes
“A pair of shoes can change your life. Just ask Cinderella.” –Anonymous
I certainly felt a little like Cinderella as the sales associate delicately slipped my new running shoes on. It was love at first touch. Not with the sales associate, but my new Asics. A few weeks ago, I ventured into the Charlotte Running Company to find a new pair of running shoes. I had retired my old Nikes and purchased the Nike Air Max 2009. However, I wasn’t happy.
So, I decided it was time to get properly fitted for running shoes. Here’s what I learned during the process:
1. Gait Analysis – This is the first step in getting properly fitted. A gait analysis determines how you run – whether you overpronate, underpronate, or are neutral. The picture is of me having my gait analyzed. There was a camera behind me recording my run, and the sales associate was able to watch how my foot rolls when it hits the ground.
2. Each running shoe has a different type of shock absorption. The Asics Ibought are gel, Nike’s are air and Brooks uses HydroFlow, which is silicone based. I highly recommend that you try on several different shoes to see which one works the best for you.
3. Try the shoes first…You don’t buy a car without test driving it. The same principle applies to running shoes. Most shoe stores have a return policy that allows you to try the shoes out for a set period of time and return them if they are clean. My sales guy advised me to take them home and try them out on a treadmill, then decide if I want to stick with Asics.
4. 400 miles – That’s the lifespan of a pair of running shoes. I thought that you needed new shoes when your old one started to tear up or look bad. Now I realize the life of a shoe is 400 miles.
What other tips do you guys have for buying running shoes?
great stuff, cheers man
Running shoes should be at least a half size larger than your regular shoe size.
I think Im finally going to get this done. I know I walk mostly on the outside of my feet so Im figuring I run this way too.
Great tips. Other tips I’ve heard is to go in the afternoon, as our feet swell throughout the day. You want to go when your feet are at their peak in terms of regular swelling and that happens in the afternoon after you’ve been walking around for a while.
[...] of the most important aspects of running and buying new shoes is getting properly fitted for running shoes. If the boutique is reputable, they will have some type of set up where they will [...]
Asics and Brooks are great choices! I’m a distance runner and I would strongly suggest making sure you only run in your shoes during training and an actual race. Don’t use them for aerobics, cross-training or casual wear or they will run down a lot quicker.
I have actually heard retiring the shoes at 300 miles. If training for marathons and such, I have heard that buying two pair and alternating on days for shorter runs vs. longer ones is best. I did not know that shoes needed 24 hours to breathe, which explains why you have to alternate if you run back to back days.
Great information!
Shoes last AROUND 350-400ish miles. You should inspect the treads and be conscious of any problems/pains, etc. as shoes get older. My Brooks always need replacing before 400 miles. I guess I’m hard on shoes!
Great post
Good info but I want to know about the sizing. I got fitted and have completed a marathon and 2 1/2 in the same brand. However, I did get the runners toe and lost my toenails during the marathon training and after the race. I’m two sizes larger than my norm! The only other thought was the stitching in my toe box…help
Does anyone have any info to add regarding the “five finger” running shoes. I have recently come to LOVE running barefoot but know that running 13.1 miles barefoot be not wise for a newbie.
What say you?
Great advice, I used to work in a shoe store and I didnt realize how many types of sneaker there were.
Great post & I agree. Invest in a good pair of running shoes that fit properly. Your footwear will make a huge difference in achieving & surpassing your fitness goals. I CANNOT live without my ascis sneaks. I too am a distance runner. When time permits, I run anywhere from 16 to 40 miles per week and enjoy every minute of it.
@Nina, I run in vibram five fingers and they are great!!!! When you first start you have to break them in by doing a mile at a time until you are used them. After about 2 weeks you can use them full time. Alot of people ran the Marine Corp Marathon in them.
I went to New Balance and they have a nifty machine that does all those things for you. I was on a budget so he found me a pair that was great for cross training and running.