I bought new running shoes this week. My Brooks Pure Cadence’s had many miles on them and were starting to cause a pain in my heel when I ran, which really means that I wore them much longer than I should have. So, knowing that have put my money in on the Oregon Epic Relay and will be putting a lot of miles on these feet in the next few months, I made my way to my local running store for a brand new pair.
Running shoes are easily the most expensive thing in my wardrobe and it pains me every time I go to spend $100+ on a pair of shoes. But, this is my health. My longevity in life. Running, hiking, and all of the other forms of exercise that I do. My feet pound the pavement and I need to take care of them as much as the rest of my body.
I walked in the store a bit apprehensive. The salesman knew it and thought I should be excited. When my shoes carry me for miles without fear of shin splints and plantar fasciitis I will be grateful. In the moment of trying on shoes to find the perfect pair and forking over the money, not so much.
After about 8 pairs of shoes, I decided on something. The Asics GT-2000 to be exact. This is actually my first pair of Asics. My past shoes include Brooks, Zoot, and Scott.
I’ll note that the store was very slow and the salesman was not bothered by all of the shoes I tried on and time I took. I wouldn’t have tried on so many pairs if it was busy, but the last pair was the pair I bought and finding the right pair is important. Going to the store when it isn’t busy is of great value.
A few thoughts on good running shoes:
All running shoes are not made equal. You get what you pay for. The quality, material, and design of a less expensive shoe will not provide the same protection and performance as the higher end shoe.
A fitting from your local running store is extremely valuable. They know running. They know the shoes. They will help make the decision how much stability you may need, what kind of support you need, what shoes have the right fit for you. Shoes are constantly changing and they are the ones to keep up on the trends to know what fit works.
Breaking in a new, high quality running shoe is uncomfortable. It takes a little bit of time. If your first couple of runs don’t break your PR’s, don’t be scared. My favorite pair of running shoes gave me a blister right out of the gate, but never caused me another problem. I also had a pair that caused shin splints and had to give them the boot. But, give them a few miles and a few runs before deciding they are a problem.
What are your favorite running shoes?