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Running shoes
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Doc
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MCD EASTERBROOK
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- Posts: 53
- Joined: Mon 15 Nov, 2004 9:01 pm
- Location: London
Trainers are a very personal thing. Every brand of trainers fit differently and suit different types of runner and different activities.
There are several things to think about:
- Type of activity (running, circuits, etc.)
- shape of foot
- how your feet land (inside first, ouside first, flat on the heel)
- how your knees and ankles line up.
If you are young, you will not notice much difference as your feet and legs will shape to the shoes you buy. However, when you stop growing, you will soon discover any damage done!
The only way to know is to go to a good running shop where somebody who is properly trained will tell you the shoes that are best for you. Once you know this you are sorted for life!
Some people may think that this is all a bit fussy but let me give an example. Two people I know took a minute off the 1.5 mile BFT simply by getting the correct training shoes.
There are several things to think about:
- Type of activity (running, circuits, etc.)
- shape of foot
- how your feet land (inside first, ouside first, flat on the heel)
- how your knees and ankles line up.
If you are young, you will not notice much difference as your feet and legs will shape to the shoes you buy. However, when you stop growing, you will soon discover any damage done!
The only way to know is to go to a good running shop where somebody who is properly trained will tell you the shoes that are best for you. Once you know this you are sorted for life!
Some people may think that this is all a bit fussy but let me give an example. Two people I know took a minute off the 1.5 mile BFT simply by getting the correct training shoes.
No such thing as the best runners for running or else everyone would be wearing the same ones.
Buy the shoe that will suit your training style.
If you are training only on the footpath or the roads invest in a good road running shoe. I have been using last years Asics Gel Katano X and they are super shock absorbant, as a trade off you don't have super responsiveness. I used these for the Dublin Marathon. Unfortunately the trade off is a smaller than hoped for toe box so I got some blisters on the outside of my baby toes. These runners will not be much use for stop start or turning running styles as they have limited side supprt, they are made solely for going forward. Runners world have good reviews for road shoes and everyone has favs though. BTW never run on the footpath but on the road instead as the concrete density of footpaths is 10x that of the tarmac. If ramping up serious miles you WILL FEEL THE DIFFERENCE (i.e. f**ked knees).
If you are cross training, gym weights, sprints, some light running etc. find a shoe that has good side support and ankle support and a firmed less flexible sole than the road shoe.
If you are running on grass or trails/ mountains I can recommend either the Salomon XA Pro II or the newer Salomon XA PRO 3d. Both these shoes are great for fell running as they are light, quick drying and reasonably supportive. The soles are quite resistant to rocks and other protuding ground stuff. The trade off is that they do not have the same sole softness as road running shoes and consequently not great for long road distances. Although I found the XA Pro II not too bad for this. That said my favorite shoe in this category is the excelent all rounder Montrail Hardrock. Excellent sole with alot of cushioning (as much as the Asics Katanos!) Got stress fractures in my metatarsal pads in Feb and was out of running for 3 months. These are the ONLY shoes that I can now run in without my foot swelling. Quite good on tarmac too. Downside V expensive.
As you can see buying the BEST runner is an impossibility. Try out as many shoes as you can and buy the one that best suits your need. The best starting place is a dedicated running store who can evaluate your pronation requirements and any other foot geometry. From then on it's a matter of trial and error. If you find a shoe that is perfect and you have been using it for a while. If you can afford it buy as many pairs as you can. The next model that supercedes your fav is often different feeling and not as god feeling.
PS Don't buy The North Face Ultra GTX, they have a shockingly bad sole.
Buy the shoe that will suit your training style.
If you are training only on the footpath or the roads invest in a good road running shoe. I have been using last years Asics Gel Katano X and they are super shock absorbant, as a trade off you don't have super responsiveness. I used these for the Dublin Marathon. Unfortunately the trade off is a smaller than hoped for toe box so I got some blisters on the outside of my baby toes. These runners will not be much use for stop start or turning running styles as they have limited side supprt, they are made solely for going forward. Runners world have good reviews for road shoes and everyone has favs though. BTW never run on the footpath but on the road instead as the concrete density of footpaths is 10x that of the tarmac. If ramping up serious miles you WILL FEEL THE DIFFERENCE (i.e. f**ked knees).
If you are cross training, gym weights, sprints, some light running etc. find a shoe that has good side support and ankle support and a firmed less flexible sole than the road shoe.
If you are running on grass or trails/ mountains I can recommend either the Salomon XA Pro II or the newer Salomon XA PRO 3d. Both these shoes are great for fell running as they are light, quick drying and reasonably supportive. The soles are quite resistant to rocks and other protuding ground stuff. The trade off is that they do not have the same sole softness as road running shoes and consequently not great for long road distances. Although I found the XA Pro II not too bad for this. That said my favorite shoe in this category is the excelent all rounder Montrail Hardrock. Excellent sole with alot of cushioning (as much as the Asics Katanos!) Got stress fractures in my metatarsal pads in Feb and was out of running for 3 months. These are the ONLY shoes that I can now run in without my foot swelling. Quite good on tarmac too. Downside V expensive.
As you can see buying the BEST runner is an impossibility. Try out as many shoes as you can and buy the one that best suits your need. The best starting place is a dedicated running store who can evaluate your pronation requirements and any other foot geometry. From then on it's a matter of trial and error. If you find a shoe that is perfect and you have been using it for a while. If you can afford it buy as many pairs as you can. The next model that supercedes your fav is often different feeling and not as god feeling.
PS Don't buy The North Face Ultra GTX, they have a shockingly bad sole.
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goldie ex rmp
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- Joined: Tue 02 Dec, 2003 7:37 pm
- Location: worcestershire
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[quote="Doc"]I got a pair made by Salomon, been trying them on in my old town in Germany for months on and off (Im sure the staff were going to charge me rent at one point) anyway got a pair from Cotswold Camping online and they're great. Dont smell as much as my old nike's!
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quote]
Used these in several adventure races over the years and for that type of running i.e fell work and all off road they are great however i wouldn't want to run a marathon in them or come to that even a half!!
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Used these in several adventure races over the years and for that type of running i.e fell work and all off road they are great however i wouldn't want to run a marathon in them or come to that even a half!!
Exemplo Ducemus (By Example We Lead)
"Do not confuse your rank with my authority....Sir!"
"Do not confuse your rank with my authority....Sir!"
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Bliartheliar
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I used to wear Brooks GTS - big, heavy but very supportive shoes that I got from a running specalists. Wore them for about 2 years with no trouble but now I just wear a pair of Nike air trainers. Nice and light but I might buy myself some more proper-running shoes for longer distances. I think its propbably better to have a light pair for shorter ditances and a cushioned pair for anything over 4 miles.
