I like running shoes and I like hunting down a great pair of running shoes at a terrific price. Buying running shoes takes research and sometimes patience to find what you are looking for. But this is one piece of equipment that has to be right for you. I remember the first time I bought the wrong shoes. It almost cost me being able to run in the New York City Marathon after training for six months. I had no idea a pair of running shoes that were not correct for my feet could cause so many problems including sore hips, knees and plantar fasciitis.
I am a neutral running at 6’ and 170 lbs. I feel fortunate that I can usually run without many mechanical problems. The one issue that will always plague me is wearing the wrong shoes. I need a cushion shoe with little or no stability support or motion control. I prefer a sneaker that is light weight as well. Almost every runner has a different take on what shoes to wear but I think we all agree that the wrong shoe will hurt us.
I can’t say I stick to one model of shoe because manufacturers believe that unless they change the shoe design every year no one will buy their shoes. What a bunch of hog wash. If a shoe sells well and is built the way a lot of runners like, why change it? We all have favorite shoes from the past and some are manufactured as classics but most are just renovated to the point of being completely different or are scrapped altogether. One thing I try to do is read about new shoes and what wear testers are saying. I also like to keep back issues of shoe reviews to look for bargains from previous model years. I get great deals on older model shoes and I challenge anyone to show me why I should pay $90 to $100 per pair of running shoes.
First of all, I can’t afford to pay top dollar for a pair of running shoes. Like many of you, I burn through three to four pairs a year. I rotate three pairs at all times to keep them fresh and dry for each run. It’s not just the money but the idea that I have to spend hundreds of dollars on running shoes when I could enter more races, spend the money on my family or donate it to charity. I also don’t see the gigantic technological breakthroughs in the design of running shoes to warrant shelling out the extra bucks. I will say for the record that running shoes have evolved and are far superior to the shoes of the not so distant past (10 to 20 years ago).
Stayed tuned for Part II
Filed under: Equipment, Training | Tagged: Equipment, marathon, running shoes, Training
