Running Shoes?

chunkytfg

A fan of Brookes GTS's here but will be being refitted soon just to check nothings changed.

I size up though to get the right amount of room infant of the toes as my usual UK12's are a little small when running.

As other have said get fitted properly and try everything suitable. Also ignore colour, style and price! How a running shoe looks is irrelevant it is there to perform a job. No point having a good looking shoe that ruins your knees/ankles. As for price I appreciate it is a concern for some but physio appointments are even more expensive

MeanderingMammal

Elise4270 wrote: »

I'd be mindful of the drop in a shoe. I changed mine a few years ago and was left with serious soleus pain.

Always worth a bit of effort to transition. My road shoes and winter trail shoes are 8mm drop, my trail racing shoes are 4mm. It takes a bit of easing into them over a couple of weeks to get used to them again.

bwogilvie

As others have said, brand recommendations aren't that useful in general. Every major brand makes a variety of shoes.

Where it might be useful is if there are significant differences in the shape of the lasts that are used. My feet do well in shoes from a variety of brands; I currently am using the Brooks Ghost 6, Mizuno Wave Rider 17, Salomon Speedcross 3 (for snow), and Altra Olympus. The toebox on the Olympus is significantly wider than the others. So if someone asked about shoes and noted that they find that Brooks and Mizuno shoes pinch their toes, I would recommend taking a look at the Altra shoes (though they're zero drop, which would require some adaptation).

One useful bit of advice that's often ignored: shop for shoes in the afternoon, ideally late afternoon. Your feet swell up as the day goes on, and buying shoes in the morning can lead to tight fits in the afternoon or at the end of a run. And bring a pair of running socks; you don't want to try on shoes with thin everyday socks and find they're too tight.

By the way, some recent research (summarized by Owen Anderson in Running Science) suggests that there's much less benefit to matching a runner's biomechanics to shoe construction than people think. The most intriguing study found that novice runners who chose shoes based on how good they looked were less likely to get injured than novice runners who chose motion control, neutral, or stability shoes based on how much they pronated.

smilingdaisies

DancingMoosie wrote: »

You can do an online fit analysis if you aren't close to a running store. Look at the bottoms of your shoes to see where they wear the most. Also, while setting them on a flat surface and looking straight at the heels, do they lean in or out, is the rubber sole pressed down at all on either side? Some shoes are made to handle heavier runners and more mileage. Some are better for pronators of those who have high arches. These details are why it is important to be fitted properly.
I wear Mizuno, you can try this link: myprecisionfit.com/test/welcome?lang=en_US&noAnswerSelected=&noMobile=http://

Thank you for the link!

sm1zzle

smilingdaisies wrote: »

what shoes work best?

I like Brooks.

I would suggest that you hit a runners shoe store and have them measure your foot and observe your gait.

http://www.asics.co.uk/sports/running/preparation/how-we-run-the-gait-cycle-explained

Flab2fitfi

Again I suggest gait analysis.

La5Vega5Girl

I like brooks and my new mizuno

AlisonH729

Another way to see if you have pronation issues is to check the wear patterns on an existing pair of shoes. In most cases a good neutral shoe with the correct arch support & fit should be just fine.

I've been running in Sauconys exclusively since high school. I'm on probably my 7th or 8th pair. But even shoes from the same brand built for the same gait/arch/etc don't fit the same. I had been running in their Cohesion series so long I probably could have bought them without trying them on. Until one day I DID buy them without trying them on and discovered they had changed the stitching around the toe box and the same size I had worn forever now felt too big. I have a pair of Peregrines now that some people say feel too narrow but are the most comfortable running shoes I have ever owned.

Try them all on. Then try on some more.

jrline

go to a running store they will have a treadmill and can help you get the right shoe for your gait

Roxiegirl2008

I am a Brooks GTS girl myself. I get my a 1/2 size bigger and have never had any issues with them. I have not had the "black toenail" thankfully but my pedi does look like crap.

Like others have said hit the running store for gaint analysis.

I would also suggest getting good socks. I love feetures. I have never gotten a blister when wearing those socks.

Good luck!

runner475

Yes getting fitted is the 1st step to avoid most issues and running related injuries.

However if your toe problem persist even after getting fitted you may want to take a look at the way you tie your laces.

Here is a great article on that and number of ways one can tie shoe lace.
Hope it helps.

http://katierunsthis.com/2011/10/04/running-shoe-lacing-techniques/

djscavone

brooks ghost 6 or 7. 6 are last year models so cheaper. Larger toe box and great support.

LoneWolfRunner

I second that everyone is different. I had very bad experiences with specialty running stores analyzing my gait and recommending shoes. They got it very wrong. I found the shoes that worked for me by reading and ordering online.

smilingdaisies

LoneWolfRunner wrote: »

I second that everyone is different. I had very bad experiences with specialty running stores analyzing my gait and recommending shoes. They got it very wrong. I found the shoes that worked for me by reading and ordering online.

I appreciate your response! Thank you!

ephiemarie

LoneWolfRunner wrote: »

I second that everyone is different. I had very bad experiences with specialty running stores analyzing my gait and recommending shoes. They got it very wrong. I found the shoes that worked for me by reading and ordering online.

Same here. I bought my first pair of running shoes (Asics Gel-Flux) because they felt good when I tried them on at Kohls. Even as I increased my mileage, I never experienced any problems. Then I started reading online about how imperative it is to be professionally analyzed, so I visited two different running shoe stores and was told by both that I was a perfectly neutral runner.

And I am, on my right side. My left side is a little different, so running in neutral shoes causes issues with my left leg. Convinced that the running stores MUST be right, i wasted a couple hundred dollars buying 3 different brands of neutral shoes in my attempt to find the right pair.

I do recommend sizing up though. I didn't know that I was supposed to do so in my first pair of shoes, and now that I'm running much longer distances, that extra toe room is lovely.

For what it's worth, the Asics I wear have a very roomy toe box--roomier than any other Asics, Brooks, or Nikes I've tried.

smilingdaisies

ephiemarie wrote: »

LoneWolfRunner wrote: »

I second that everyone is different. I had very bad experiences with specialty running stores analyzing my gait and recommending shoes. They got it very wrong. I found the shoes that worked for me by reading and ordering online.

Same here. I bought my first pair of running shoes (Asics Gel-Flux) because they felt good when I tried them on at Kohls. Even as I increased my mileage, I never experienced any problems. Then I started reading online about how imperative it is to be professionally analyzed, so I visited two different running shoe stores and was told by both that I was a perfectly neutral runner.

And I am, on my right side. My left side is a little different, so running in neutral shoes causes issues with my left leg. Convinced that the running stores MUST be right, i wasted a couple hundred dollars buying 3 different brands of neutral shoes in my attempt to find the right pair.

I do recommend sizing up though. I didn't know that I was supposed to do so in my first pair of shoes, and now that I'm running much longer distances, that extra toe room is lovely.

For what it's worth, the Asics I wear have a very roomy toe box--roomier than any other Asics, Brooks, or Nikes I've tried.

Thanks!! I did an online profile based on weight, height, etc...it recommended Sauconys Triumph 11. Have you heard anything about those?

DancingMoosie

Once you get some recommendations, either through online or in-person analysis and fitting, go try them on an see how they feel. Don't feel obligated to buy the ones the sales person recommends. After you find some that feel like they are suited to you, you can always check online deals for the best price. Many sites offer free shipping and exchanges. I got mine from 6pm.com--they have free shipping to you, but not on returns--but a good deal if you already know what you want (I got my $120 Mizunos for $50). Shop around.

JohnH71

I cannot recommend having your gait analysed highly enough. I had issues running with pain in the outsides of my lower leg / shin area, and it turned out to be problems with my ITB, that were being aggravated by the wrong running shoes. I over-pronate, so needed stability shoes rather than the neutral ones I had. I switched to a suitable pair of these (Mizumo Wave Inspire 9) and things improved measurably. That, and the correct warm up / down exercises have eliminated the pain completely. I also feel a lot more comfortable running in them.

WhatMeRunning

Here's what I found most beneficial about having my old shoe tread and my gait analyzed along with sizing at a specialty running shoe store. After they determined from my wear pattern and gait what kind of shoes I should be looking at, they had me try on 5 different pairs of shoes and had me run around the store in them to let me decide which ones were the best. There is no way of doing that online, and when simply shopping on your own it may be difficult to get away with popping on a new pair of shoes and running out the door to run around the store.

cheshirecatastrophe

DancingMoosie wrote: »

Once you get some recommendations, either through online or in-person analysis and fitting, go try them on an see how they feel. Don't feel obligated to buy the ones the sales person recommends. After you find some that feel like they are suited to you, you can always check online deals for the best price. Many sites offer free shipping and exchanges. I got mine from 6pm.com--they have free shipping to you, but not on returns--but a good deal if you already know what you want (I got my $120 Mizunos for $50). Shop around.

Support your local running store. At least the first time when they do you a solid of a free shoe fitting.

OP:
Saucony is a solid brand. The Triumph is their high-end neutral shoe ($150). The selling point is "more cushioning" than the next step down, the Saucony Ride . Whether it actually feels more cushiony is debatable. Whether you would even like more cushioning is personal preference. Whether Saucs fit your feet well is something you can only find out by trying them on in person.

jpaulie

Nike Baddeley

angieroo2

Renee0887 wrote: »

chuck636 wrote: »

I like asics, not the most fashionable choice of mine,but good support and cushion

LOVE my Asics! Most really good stores will check your gait and recommend the proper shoe for you. Well worth it!

I recommend this as well. Asics are excellent but didn`t feel comfortable for me, so I wear (and love) Saucony`s.

aSaltandBattery

AHainzl wrote: »

Try them all on. Then try on some more.

This is a great piece of advice. I bought my first pair of running shoes recently (Brooks) and they helped tremendously compared to the random fashion sneakers I had been using. Going to a running store can be beneficial on many levels. My gait was checked and I discussed how I had horrible shin splints so I was shown a stretch with a foam roller. I wasn't able to jog more than a half mile before because of the pain and now I am doing 2+ miles at a time. The specialized running store will offer you a lot of insight and be able to target your specific needs. They also let you try on tons and tons of shoes, which they choose based on your information, and then you can try on even more based on the feedback you give them.

htimpaired

runner475 wrote: »

Yes getting fitted is the 1st step to avoid most issues and running related injuries.

However if your toe problem persist even after getting fitted you may want to take a look at the way you tie your laces.

Here is a great article on that and number of ways one can tie shoe lace.
Hope it helps.

http://katierunsthis.com/2011/10/04/running-shoe-lacing-techniques/

I second this. I started with a pair of Aisics, (am I spelling that wrong?), just got fit for a pair of New Balances, but the toe box was tighter than I was used to and I was experiencing tingling in my toes. I re-laced my shoes according to that link for a wider toe box, and it's amazing the difference one little change can make to improve the comfort of the shoe! Definetely take a look at that link!

smilingdaisies

Btw...would love to build my support circle if any can add another friend.

DancingMoosie

You can add me, if you like.

djscavone

Whatever you decide try and keep track of use. They all wear out and depending on how many miles you run or zumba or what have you the support can give out before you see the shoe fall apart. Its not like the old days with our PF flyers getting a hole through the bottom! If your shoe wears out you can start to get shin splints etc.

brandiuntz

MeanderingMammal wrote: »

smilingdaisies wrote: »

....working vigorously on the treadmill, what shoes work best?

The ones that are appropriate to your style of running, gait and build. Go into a good running shop and get some practical advice.

Random brand suggestions from people here will do you no good at all.

Black toenail is more likely down to fit than anything else, particularly if you're trying running fast without actually building your base running capability.

This. Different brands and models work well for different people. Sounds like fit and possibly toe box space may be your issue. You really need to get fitted at a store and find what works for you.

All the major brands make running shoe models that work well. It's not just the brand, it's the model. For example, I wear Saucony, but not all their models are right for me. Only certain models work well for my gait and needs.

tanowicki

wagn27 wrote: »

I've got Asics as well. Had the gait analysis done and it helped with my shin splints. I was told brands like Nike, Reebok, etc advertise as running shoes, but they aren't really the best.

Reebok specializes more in fitness shoes like Head specializes in racquet sports. The Nikes you find at Kohl's aren't going to be their running shoes and I think that's where they get that rep from. But Nike does make some really good running shoes.