Choosing running shoes

How do you identify the right shoe for you?

If you’ve researched running shoes, you may have come across the terms ‘neutral’ and/or stability. Deciding whether you need a neutral or a stability oriented shoe used to come down to ‘over pronation’.

Over pronation occurs when the arch and ankle collapse inward during the running gait, often along with instability in the knee and hip.

Historically, If you over pronated, it was recommended you purchase a stability shoe. If you didn’t, a neutral shoe was often recommended. But, it’s time to leave that paradigm in the past – today’s stability shoes utilizes a completely different approach that is not over-corrective and can be used by everyone.

The best thing you can do to nail down the right shoe for you is to get a gait analysis – one that covers over-pronation, strength, form, and mobility. Sometimes, instability in the running gait can come from your glutes not firing to help stabilize the upper body and a stability shoe may not help with that.

And sometimes, a preference for firmer shoes may lead a runner who doesn’t over-pronate into the stability category and that’s fine, too! A gait analysis that can help identify instability and its causes is a great first step towards understanding which shoes might be right for you.

How are you using your shoes? 

Need a shoe for your longer runs? At more comfortable paces, a firmer shoe can be more supportive, while a softer shoe will require the foot to work harder to stabilize itself.

Picking up the pace? A softer shoe with bouncy, more resilient foam will get you turning over with a little more ease!

These days, there are more running shoe options than ever to sort through, as new shoes specialized for racing, long runs, shorter tempo runs, longer tempo runs, and track workouts are all available from almost every major running shoe brand.

And, to be sure, there are still bread-and-butter, reliable daily trainers that can do a little of everything well to choose from, too.

If you’re just getting started, one of those do-it-all shoes is usually the way to go, but if you’re training for a race, you might want to start digging into some of those specialty categories. But which shoe is in which category?

Head to your local specialty running shop – they can help you sort through the options and find the shoe that makes the most sense for your situation and your goals!

How long does a typical pair of running shoes last? 

It’s often said that running shoes usually last about 400-500 miles. It’s more or less true. But, not all shoes are equal and it usually doesn’t come down to the brand of the shoe.

Softer, more airy shoes tend to break down faster, as the foam loses its structure more readily – a denser, firmer shoe will usually hold up a little longer.

Racing shoes have the lightest foam, and usually only last 150-200 miles, after which you might still be able to use them, but the pop and responsiveness you paid a premium for will be long gone.

For daily trainers, there isn’t enough variation between different options to make durability a more important factor than getting the right pair for your needs – you’ll be happier getting a pair of shoes you can run comfortably in than a pair that maybe lasts 50 more miles.

How do you find the shoe that fits? 

While there’s not much difference from brand to brand in terms of durability, there is in fit. Brands like New Balance, Saucony, and Altra tend to have wider fits, while Nike, Hoka, and Mizuno tend to be a little narrower. But, even this isn’t as true as it used to be – fit has been converging as many of those narrower brands have been making their shoes a little more spacious.

These days, there are bigger differences between the fit of long run shoes or stability shoes and racing shoes or tempo shoes. Faster, lighter shoes tend to be narrower, while those designed for heavy mileage tend to be wider. Your best bet is still to head into your local run specialty shop, get measured, and try a bunch of shoes on – it’s the best way to sort through all the options and get the right size in the right shoe.

After all, a size 8 in one brand or model won’t be the same as a size 8 in another – if you want to eliminate the guesswork and avoid months of returns, a trip to a running specialty store will end up being a lot more efficient!