How to determine best shoes for running

[Coach Chris]

I question these numbers. Ultra runners typically cover 40-80 miles a week. By those numbers these runners would be buying new shoes every two weeks.

I’m curious how they/you know when the shoes are done? I’d imagine with the light runners and relatively low mileage the shoes look to be in great condition.

They're full time professional athletes. The lighter runner is on Team Vibram and the other is an Arc'Teryx sponsored athlete. They don't buy shoes.
All but one of my athletes are fully sponsored pros.

I don't really have any recreational runners. I have 2 clients that run regularly. They're both former Olympians. I think their shoe turnover is pretty high as well.


It seems that feel is the determining factor for discarding shoes. I don't think it's anything scientific. They have different shoes for different types of workouts, different terrain, weather, racecourses, etc...

Good Journey!

 

[P Carter]

They're full time professional athletes. The lighter runner is on Team Vibram and the other is an Arc'Teryx sponsored athlete. They don't buy shoes.
All but one of my athletes are fully sponsored pros.

I don't really have any recreational runners. I have 2 clients that run regularly. They're both former Olympians. I think their shoe turnover is pretty high as well.


It seems that feel is the determining factor for discarding shoes. I don't think it's anything scientific. They have different shoes for different types of workouts, different terrain, weather, racecourses, etc...

Good Journey!

Got it - that'll make a difference! Thanks for sharing the context.

 

[texasbbq]

Get yourself a bicycle and save your feet and knees for the mountains!

 

[Coach Chris]

Got it - that'll make a difference! Thanks for sharing the context.

You're welcome!

 

[nn76858]

If you are close to a Fleet Feet they do free shoe fittings. They will have you walk as they scan your feet. You'll find the right drop and shoe type for your specific foot/stride. Ditto all the above, a good shoe rotation is ideal if you can afford a few pairs such as a cushy shoe for long runs and an all purpose or "fast shoe" for tempo runs etc. Will let the PB Foam or whatever cushy magic is in the shoe to rebound/recover, or so I was told by people much faster and adept than I am at running. Ran my last half in Asics Novablast 3's and they are heavily discounted, cant recommend them enough if they work with your feet.

2nd this. Had bad planter fas and always ordered shoes off Amazon sight unseen. An hour at a fleet feet had me in much better shoes. I got a pair of sheep feet for my collapsing arches. I change my shoes more often used to try and get 2 years out of a pair now 2 pairs in a year. Not an expert by any means but the right shoes for you is huge.

 

[nn76858]

2nd this. Had bad planter fas and always ordered shoes off Amazon sight unseen. An hour at a fleet feet had me in much better shoes. I got a pair of sheep feet for my collapsing arches. I change my shoes more often used to try and get 2 years out of a pair now 2 pairs in a year. Not an expert by any means but the right shoes for you is huge.

Also not bare footing on the hard wood floors in my house constantly and getting oofos slippers to wear around the house mad a huge difference in my feet.....

 

[Coach Chris]

Got it - that'll make a difference! Thanks for sharing the context.

I asked my former Olympic team athletes how often they discard shoes.
They both rotate between 2 pairs of shoes. If they're running 3 - 5x per week they toss their shoes "at the end of the summer". I gather that's about 4 - 5 months of use.
They only trail run.

 

[BoilerBowHunter]

My only advice is to make sure you get good advice. I went to a running shop and had some 19 year old kid tell me I was overpronating and put me in shoes accordingly. Turns out, I don't overpronate. 9 months later after heavy running training for a half marathon I ended up with severe Achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis that stuck me with 1-2k in doctor and PT bills.

So... Figure out if you need a neutral shoe or whatever, and then make sure the shoes you buy match that!

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Just dunk your foot in a bucket of water, then walk naturally on some cardboard or concrete where you can clearly see the foot prints.

From there you should easily be able to tell if you are flat footed, high arched or neutral. From there you can select a shoe.

Back when I was serious about running and Ironman triathlons I had every running injury out there. When I switched to racing flats and started doing all my miles on trails, the injuries just stopped happening. Probably because every foot fall was different because of the changing surface rather than mile after mile, week after week, year after year on a hard, consistently flat surface.

Also, don’t be afraid to do easy runs or even easy weeks. I used to do easy runs at night so people wouldn’t see how slow I was running even though my “easy/recovery” pace back then was still like 7:45/mile.

 

[mtbraun]

When I switched to racing flats and started doing all my miles on trails, the injuries just stopped happening.

This (and weights) was key for me also. I think it's less about rotating shoes on the same terrain than it is changing the terrain under your feet. There is so much to be gained from running on uneven terrain. All the stabilizer muscles in your feet and hips get worked where that will never happen on roads.