There are two rules of thumb that I use to determine if a pair of shoes should be moved out of my three pair rotation. The first rule is that no matter how many running miles I have invested in a shoe, they are gone if my knees begin to get sore. I will test the shoe after my first sore knee run buy waiting two days and running in my other shoes. Usually my sore knee goes away after two days of not running in the “trouble” shoes. I then take the plunge and run in the problem shoes. The result is usually the same – sore knees, so out they go. The second rule is, I never run in a pair of running shoes that exceed 500 miles. This means I need to keep track of the miles I run in my shoes but it is worth it.
Lets face it, what is the most asked question most of us get when people find out we are distance runners – How are your knees? Well, if we take care of them the answer should be – no problem. And that means having shoes that fit right and have mid-soles that are still in good shape to take the pounding we dish out every time we run.
One thing you may also want to consider is buying a light weight pair of running shoes designed for running long distance races. I have found that weight does make a difference and helps by not wearing your legs out as fast. I thought that a couple of ounces per shoe couldn’t make much of a difference but I was wrong. It really did make a difference to me and helped me reduce my last two Marathons by 7 minutes and 11 minutes respectfully in comparable races on the same courses. I don’t think you should use these light weight shoes to train in all the time but would suggest you save them just for racing. I would also suggest that you make sure they are right for you by wearing them for a couple of long runs before racing in them.
Buying new running shoes can be a great experience. I am always looking in sporting good stores for discounts and I use the advertising circulars that I get with my weekend news paper to look for bargains. Then I buy two pairs if I can find them and put them away until they are needed. This is not to discourage you from supporting your local running store. I buy shirts, shorts, gels, energy bars, water bottles and socks from my local running stores. And if I can find a bargain on shoes – then I will buy them as well.
Happy hunting for your next pair of running shoes and enjoy your running.
See you in the pack.
Filed under: Equipment, Training | Tagged: Equipment, marathon, running shoes, Training
