Runnin’ Shoes
Posted by beth on October 6, 2010
Y’all. I’ve never thought this much about shoes. I very rarely do research on products I want to buy, but the running shoes I buy need to keep me and my joints safe and healthy for many, many miles. I’m taking that seriously. I’ve had the same shoes since the Washington, DC Avon Walk in 2008, and although I really haven’t used them very much since then, it’s definitely time for some new ones. First of all, the ones I’ve got have already gone a lot of miles, and second, they don’t really have enough cushion for running.
I tend to under-pronate a bit, which I’ve just learned means that my feet don’t really rotate from outside to in very well. They just stay on the outside edges. There’s not necessarily anything wrong with that. I just need the right kind of shoes for it. The internet tells me that means I should get neutral shoes with lots of cushion. I also have pretty decent arches, so I need really good support there.
I tried on several pairs this evening, and none of them really blew me away, so I’m coming to you for advice. If it sounds like you and I have similar feet in any way, and if you have running shoes you love, please, please, please leave me a comment with some advice as to which ones will get me through training for and running a half-marathon.
Thanks, Internet!!
Laura said,
I don’t think it matters which brand, as long as it’s the right fit for you. Really. Some people swear by a certain shoe, but after just buying a new pair myself, it seems as long as the actual shoe is good, the brand doesn’t matter so much. Most brands makes cheap shoes and really great shoes. You just have to not buy the cheap ones. And make sure to get ones to correct the adjustment issue. Might be helpful to go a running store (we found one nearby on Yelp) and ask them in person.
Also, for running, it should be .5 size larger, unless you already go larger for the walking shoe.
DLF said,
when I was doing the c25k program earlier, I also needed new shoes. I went to a specialty running store and I ran on a treadmill for them while they videotaped my feet. Then we watched it in slow motion and saw exactly how my feet were pronating, and they had me stand on a thing that measured my arch and how I distribute my weight. And then they gave me the right shoes for me. And they radically changed how much better my feet felt and helped me. I mean, I still had to quit running but I know that wasn’t why. I know times are tight but if you’re really going to do this, you need to go into a specialty place and get yourself measured and evaluated. After you have the correct information, you can probably hunt for discounts down the road. Honestly, it wasn’t that much more expensive and it was totally worth it. The best purchase of the day, though, were my running socks, which I don’t know how I lived without. We can skype about it sometime if you want to know more. Good luck!
Emily said,
I’ve been through a LOT of running shoes in my life. I used to have to buy new shoes every 3 months or so when I was in college (500 mile rule), and the brands I’ve had the most luck with are Asics, Mizuno, and Saucony. If you go to a specialty running store they’ll definitely have those brands, and like the other commenter said, they can help you find the right fit. If the prices are high at the store, though, you can always order online later.
Best of luck!!
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