Sneakers

I have found that the NewBalance brand of running shoe has been wonderful for me. Relatively inexpensive and quite comfy!

There was a time when we did not wear special shoes. There is some question about movement to shoes that do not correct or make adjustment for us. What works for each of us is different. Some of us can easily adjust to running in shoes that do not do much of the work, for others this will be difficult. As a kid i did not wear shoes outside of school from the time the weather warmed until it got cold and I ran bare foot no issue nothing remarkable. However, I work shoes that altered how I walked for 50 years, therefore have had to make some adjustments as I moved back to a more natural style of running. There is no single correct answer, there is a process that needs to be explored and a journey that will be a little different for each of use.

Hmm, seems like there is a really interesting debate here about 'specialist' shoes versus barefoot running....... I'm listening in here. I bought a comfortable pair of light-weight cross-training shoes which I'm very happy with, but have been a little 'scared' by what I've read about the importance of 'proper' shoes. There seems to be a lot of hype and I feel like if I don't get 'specialist' shoes I'm asking for trouble. I am going to check out the 'barefoot' info - I've never worn heels of any kind and wonder if that might be the way for me to go ....... or 'less shoe' as mentioned

As I noted my first experience was not good. I always suggest that you ask lots of questions. Ask why the "Expert" is seeing why s/he is selecting the Shoe s/he selected. Why that shoe not something else. This is an attempt to get him/her to explain his/her assessment. I have also had another "Expert" who recommended shoe that in my opinion were to narrow in the toe box. We discussed it a bit and he stuck by his recommendation, he liked tight shoes. I tried one size up, although I though two sizes would actually be better. I ran on a treadmill a few times and decided to go my thought. later I bought the last two pairs of the shoe available one was one size up one was two sizes up. I found the first pair okay at the beginning of a long run but a bit tight by the end of a long run.

The moral is the experts and make suggestions, but the real test is doing some running in the shoe and tracking what works and what does not. some people need a wider toe box, some tie their shoes loose some tight, these too can make a difference.

I went to a store once that did gait analysis, they watch you run outside the store. Unfortunately is was a bad experience as the shoes they suggested resulted in me needing physio for ankle problems right before a race. As much as I'd love to have gait analysis done again by someone different that experience holds me back, and right now I can't afford the price of shoes they tend to offer. It's interesting to know I can get it done online though because there's only one store anywhere near where I am.

anyone else had any experience with gait analysis?

As far as shoe "experts" go, one thing that runningwarehouse.com used to do is analyze your gait from a video you send them. I did this about 2 years ago. You had to video yourself running on a treadmill and tell them the make and model of the shoe you were running in. The camera had to be positioned directly behind the treadmill, not from one side or the other etc.

I already had an idea of what kind of shoe I needed, and tried it out to see what they said. I actually sent the same video from two different email addresses to see how consistent their advice was. The responses were slightly different, as to recommended type of shoe, but close enough to each other that I felt it was accurate.

And the cool part was they gave several shoe recommendations in the shoe category I needed.

I don't know if they still do that, but when I did it, you emailed the video to info@runningwarehouse.com - I'm sure you could email and ask if they still do that if that is of interest to anyone.

Vibram 5 finger were originally deck shoe and much less expensive. I use walmart deck shoes $7.00 per pair. I am doing all my running in them at present. They are just a bit of rubber. No cushion. I wear heavy socks as we have snow and cold here in Canada.

When I moved down to "Less shoe" I wore my new shoes for part of the run and then switched back to my regular shoe. I have a 400 meter short block and 2.5 km long block so I started with 400 meters then switched shoe. After a time I did two loops of the short block 800 meters and switched shoes. slow got to where I was run my regular 10 km in "Less shoes"

For various reasons I have had to cut back on my time so I am taking advantage of the reduced time, and thus reduced mileage to switch to minimal shoes. Really just a covering for the foot to prevent frost bite and cuts. $7.00 deck shoes seem to be working out well. My plan is to have my regular distance in place by end of winter and to be doing it win deck shoes (really equivalent to bare foot.)

I would love to try barefoot running, the Vibram 5 finger intrigues me but they are so expensive I can't afford to buy them just to try. I do martial arts, the warm ups usually involve running a few laps of the hall (bare foot of course) and it amazes me how intuitve it is to run different with no shoes on. I feel lighter and faster but I'm not sure how long my feet could keep it up seeing as I like to run distance.

As for the people in running stores, many are just shop assistants that are waiting to get home from work the same as everyone else with a job. I agree it's what works best for you.

Welcome to the team btw

Edited by: BERBIL at: 1/4/2013 (16:18)

Not all shoe experts are created equal. My first pair of fitted shoes cause me problems. In hind site the "Expert" who I waited 15 min for was not really very knowledgeable.

I moved down to Kinvaro very little support and cushion gradually and am in process of moving to deck shoes. They are really just a covering for the sole. This is a movement towards bare foot running. Not for everyone, and should be approached with care and very gradual progress, same as adding distance to your running.

Each runner must find what works best for him or her. Running stores can help, but new shoes should not be uncomfortable even when new

Running shoes and walking shoes differ because the motion of walking and the motion of running put totally different demands on your feet. That means you have to pick your footwear carefully in each case.

@ HHB4181 they shouldn't hurt or feel uncomfortable at all even if they're new. If you're feeling pain they're not the right shoes for you. You need to take them back and try another pair out.

It matters a lot, running in the wrong shoes can cause you a lot of pain and injuries that take a long time to heal if they heal at all. I learned this the hard way when I first began running, I caused myself a crap load of pain and a bad injury that luckily healed up well due to wearing the wrong running shoes.

Your best bet is to go to a store that specializes in running and have yourself evaluated and they'll guide you as to which shoes are best for you. Makes a world of difference in comfort while running as well...SO worth it.

Most shoes need replaced every 400-500 miles. It just depends on the make. I have noticed that when my shoes need replaced, I feel pain in my left knee or I get shin splints. That's a sign to me that new shoes are needed.

When should I replace my running shoes? Does it go by time or miles?
There's nothing wrong with them, just curious when I need to get new ones? They're fine now.

I don't think you should have a sore back, legs, or feet with new running shoes. I made my share of mistakes in purchasing running shoes online based on how great they looked and I can say one thing: If the shoes are bothering now, return them and get your money back. They don't sound like the right shoes for you...

so now i have a question about these new shoes....
i bought them on friday night and i've run in them twice, once on saturday and once tonight.
how long until they don't hurt me anymore? my shins hurt, mostly the left one, when i run. my legs and back are kind of sore. how long can i expect this to happen?

I am glad to hear. Good luck at your run.

thanks for the advice. I went to a special running store tonight and bought a pair of running sneakers. they fitted me and watched me run, etc. it was great. i can't wait to go for a run tomorrow.
btw, they're brooks

I agree that you should have your foot measured and analyzed by a professional. Our arch types and body types have a great deal of influence on our running/walking strides that you are best to see someone who knows. In my own personal experiences, I spent much time and money trying different shoes to see which best fits my style. I would have saved much grief by simply going to Total Runner and having them do the work for me. Good luck!

If you are running, you really need to go somewhere (like Roadrunner Sports) and have them do an evaluation so you get the right shoes. I had huge trouble with shin splints because I was over pronating and my shoes weren't correcting for it. Once I got stability shoes, the shin splints disappeared. With that being said, the brand is a personal preference based on what is comfortable for your feet.

Many years ago I bought walking shoes to walk in (before I became a runner) and ended up with plantar fasciitis. The podiatrist I saw told me to buy running shoes because they had more cushion for your feet. I don't know if that's true anymore, but it's something to check out.

I use my running shoes for the gym, except recently I started doing Zumba and they don't work well for that because they stick to the floor and make it hard to move my legs around. I had to find a pair of shoes with less traction.

Hi! I am new to the team and I was hoping to get some opinions about sneakers. I really like New Balance, I find them the most comfortable. But I wanted to know if you actually need running shoes to run, and walking shoes to walk? Does it matter. I recently bought a pair of NB Trail - does it matter if I use them to run/walk/go to the gym?? Thanks!