Hmmm...time to replace my running shoes?
Replies
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On the subject of knee pain, I've suffered from it my whole life. I just recently started running again (couch to 5k), and just threw on an old pair of training shoes which were well used and abused. Three weeks in, and the knee pain was getting so severe that it was holding me back more than my stamina. Got some knee straps, which took the edge off, but still left me in enough pain to know that I shouldn't be running. Talked to the doc, and he suggested a trip to the pedorthist at New Balance or Fleet Feet (local running store).
Well, the wife works in healthcare and is on her feet all day, and swears by New Balance shoes. So I went in and had a consult. He found that I supinate really badly, have really high arches, and put almost no weight on the largest tarsal in the ball of my foot - it's all on the heal and the 4 smallest tarsals. Got a pair of new runners (on sale, which was nice), some wedge inserts and arch supports. I was skeptical, but willing to try anything.
Lo and behold, my next run came and went with no knee pain at all. Subsequent runs came, increasing distance every time, still no pain. I ran 20 minutes straight this morning and, though I thought my heart might explode, no knee pain.
Was it the new shoes alone? The wedge inserts? The arch supports? A combination? I don't know for sure, but I'm not prepared to experiment when it's working!0 -
It really depends on the type of running you are doing. But as a general rule of thumb, anywhere from 250-300 miles. If you are only doing treadmill running, you can usually get 300-350. If you run on the road, and hit the trails occasionally, then you may get less than 200. I have heard people compare running shows to car tires...when the treads wear, replace. This isn't entirely true, but if you are not a barefoot runner, and are noticing minimal to no support in your shoes now, that is usually a good sign to replace. Some people wear their shoes until they fall apart. Some replace as soon as the support seems to be going. Some have multiple pairs at a time. Personally, and I have been running for a very long time, when I start to notice my legs and/or feet feeling too much stress from a normal run, that usually means it's time to replace my shoes. So...sometimes I replace them when they fall apart, sometimes I am replacing them after 350-400 miles....once I get back into my training season I will be doing about 40 miles per week on average...that technically means I should replace my shoes every two months. I can't afford that, so I usually replace every 4-6 months, unless, like I said, I notice something going wrong.0
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Having to replace your running shoes every 500 miles is a big myth that continues to be repeated as fact.
Making generalization about generalization is just as dangerous as making generalizations.
I replace my shoes when I notice that my feet start to hurt during a run. For me, this has consistently been around 500 miles.
I have a running friend who can't go more than 300 miles on a pair of shoes.
It depends on a lot of things. Your foot strike, the shoe, how "heavy" you run. Lot's of factors.0 -
The 2 pairs of shoes I currently run in have approx 450 & 550 miles on them. I dont expect to retire them very soon. Especially the 450 pair, they look in great shape. If my legs hurt from one of the pairs I'll retire them, but until then as long as the bottoms have grip & the tops have no holes, I'll keep on chugging.0
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Write on the bottom with a Sharpee. If you are doing 25 mile a week, you get about 12 weeks. Then use your other ones for the long runs.
That's my main problem - I do between 25 and 60 miles a week, anywhere from 3 miles to 20 miles on a single run - way too varied to estimate mileage (it depends on what I'm training up for). I'm talking myself into getting two of these: http://www.indiegogo.com/milestonepod But I keep thinking "no, just listen to your body, stupid, you should be able to tell if you need new shoes, if not, listen harder, you know how this works"... I hemmed and hawed for two months over a GPS/HRM watch, too, but will never look back. I'm just too cheap to part with the cash easily.
I always have two pair (sometimes 3) that I rotate on a daily basis. I track my runs on RunningAhead.com and it keeps a shoe mileage total for me. If I have two identical shoes, I write a number on the bottom in a spot that doesn't touch the ground so I can keep track of them.0 -
I am a very heavy footed runner, so I probably do need to consider replacing them. I run mostly outside on paved trails, but do hit the treadmill sometimes and the trails once in a blue moon. Thanks for the advice all!
Oh, and I track my mileage with Runkeeper.0 -
About every 300 miles...0
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I'm not recommending anyone do it like me but I have around 2300 miles on my current pair of Brooks Pure Connect. I'm not particularly light either at 173 lbs. If you are wearing neutral shoes there is no support to break down and cushion is over-rated, particularly if you also run in vibrams.
There is evidence to suggest that a whole lot of extra cushion not only doesn't reduce impact forces on the legs but also makes the footstrike unstable. You only really need enough to protect your feet from stones and other objects on the road.
Unless a shoe is giving you particular problems there is no reason to replace it at some arbitrary mileage number.
Seems like you and I are the only two here who have seen the light. I kept 3 pairs of Asic Kayanos in rotation for years until I started considering what those goofy barefoot running nuts kept saying. The shoe companies have addicted us runners to magic shoes and magic shoes have left our feet weak & flaccid.
Arch supports weaken our arches. Weak arches lose their shock absorbing qualities and cause over pronation; (though supination & pronation is necessary). Cushioned shoes neutralizes natural foot dynamics, nurtures heavy foot strike and bad foot plant - dynamics that cause joint pain.
Too many runners now have sissy weakling feet thanks to the shoe manufacturers.
I now have a pair of New Balance/Vibram Minimus that I plan to run until they are rags. Hope I get at least 2300 miles as you did.
Yall be careful & watch out for cars guys.0 -
My Vibram Five Finger Sprints got a hole in them at 229 miles, mostly on tarmac and concrete. My New Balance trail shoes were hurting my feet by 300 miles and I had to get rid of them. They hurt even walking around for a few minutes. I've put just over 100 miles on my VFF Komodosports and I hope they'll last a lot longer than the Sprints. They're looking good so far. I do need to find something to have as a back-up, though.0
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Mine typically last around 300 miles then I notice the aches and replace.0
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My Vibram Five Finger Sprints got a hole in them at 229 miles, mostly on tarmac and concrete. My New Balance trail shoes were hurting my feet by 300 miles and I had to get rid of them. They hurt even walking around for a few minutes. I've put just over 100 miles on my VFF Komodosports and I hope they'll last a lot longer than the Sprints. They're looking good so far. I do need to find something to have as a back-up, though.
The VFF wont fit my toes. I really wanted to try them. So far I really like my new Minimus & they are comfortable.
I have always had an aversion to shoes and as soon as hit the house, off they come. I generally wear either boat shoes or crocks.
Have you read the book "Born to Run"? Fantastic. Read it if you have time. You will look at running in a different light.
The below Youtube link has a few runners and podiatrists exchanging views regarding barefoot running. As you watch the video keep in mind the many shoe related injuries the medical field thrives on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=2JWUhW5yRdI&feature=endscreen0 -
I've read it. I don't know that it caused me to look at running in a different light though. It's an entertaining read.My Vibram Five Finger Sprints got a hole in them at 229 miles, mostly on tarmac and concrete. My New Balance trail shoes were hurting my feet by 300 miles and I had to get rid of them. They hurt even walking around for a few minutes. I've put just over 100 miles on my VFF Komodosports and I hope they'll last a lot longer than the Sprints. They're looking good so far. I do need to find something to have as a back-up, though.
The VFF wont fit my toes. I really wanted to try them. So far I really like my new Minimus & they are comfortable.
I have always had an aversion to shoes and as soon as hit the house, off they come. I generally wear either boat shoes or crocks.
Have you read the book "Born to Run"? Fantastic. Read it if you have time. You will look at running in a different light.
The below Youtube link has a few runners and podiatrists exchanging views regarding barefoot running. As you watch the video keep in mind the many shoe related injuries the medical field thrives on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=2JWUhW5yRdI&feature=endscreen
Barefoot running (or nearly barefoot) isn't right for everyone. I'm not a shoe guy, but not a barefoot guy either. I'm a "right tool for the job" guy. Some people benefit from more shoe, others benefit from less. I believe in the least amount of shoe what will allow you to train like you want to train. There is no way that someone like me, could make the switch to barefoot without a serious reduction in training miles. There are many people that are in the same boat as me. Now, for someone just getting started that maybe has some issues with running form, moving to barefoot or minimalist shoes may be the way to go. What barefoot does is force you to run with good form. When that happens, a lot of those niggling aches and pains go away. Was it because of the shoes (or lack there of)? No. It was because of the form that was forced by the shoes. You can run with good form in shoes too.0 -
Shoe goo will fix your hole in the shoe problems. You can get it at CVS or probably any running shoe store. It works perfectly on vibrams.My Vibram Five Finger Sprints got a hole in them at 229 miles, mostly on tarmac and concrete. My New Balance trail shoes were hurting my feet by 300 miles and I had to get rid of them. They hurt even walking around for a few minutes. I've put just over 100 miles on my VFF Komodosports and I hope they'll last a lot longer than the Sprints. They're looking good so far. I do need to find something to have as a back-up, though.0 -
My foot doctor told me to look at the tread of the shoe, but more importantly, to look to see if it's leaning. He said to set them on a table and and get behind them so that the heels of the shoes are at eye level. Do they tilt left or right by a good bit? Then time to replace!0
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Having to replace your running shoes every 500 miles is a big myth that continues to be repeated as fact.
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Unless you* have two pairs of shoes that you can trade them in and out, shoes do have a maximum of miles. The exact number depends on the shoe, the runner, and the conditions the runner puts the shoes through. Believe it or not, the things that you pound against the pavement, treadmill, whatever do have the bonds of their molecules constantly messed with, which changes the original condition of the shoe. Not that the shoe is perfect to begin with, but it is designed in a certain way which shifts as the miles are run.
A good way to determine that you need new shoes are when your legs start feeling weird independently of any changes in training (i.e. the hips, calves, Achilles feel odd/maybe even slightly painful even after an easy workout). Losing tread on the bottom may not initially affect how you run, but eventually you will find that your body needs to do more work than what was originally done by your shoes.
*even if you have...0 -
I've read it. I don't know that it caused me to look at running in a different light though. It's an entertaining read.My Vibram Five Finger Sprints got a hole in them at 229 miles, mostly on tarmac and concrete. My New Balance trail shoes were hurting my feet by 300 miles and I had to get rid of them. They hurt even walking around for a few minutes. I've put just over 100 miles on my VFF Komodosports and I hope they'll last a lot longer than the Sprints. They're looking good so far. I do need to find something to have as a back-up, though.
The VFF wont fit my toes. I really wanted to try them. So far I really like my new Minimus & they are comfortable.
I have always had an aversion to shoes and as soon as hit the house, off they come. I generally wear either boat shoes or crocks.
Have you read the book "Born to Run"? Fantastic. Read it if you have time. You will look at running in a different light.
The below Youtube link has a few runners and podiatrists exchanging views regarding barefoot running. As you watch the video keep in mind the many shoe related injuries the medical field thrives on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=2JWUhW5yRdI&feature=endscreen
Barefoot running (or nearly barefoot) isn't right for everyone. I'm not a shoe guy, but not a barefoot guy either. I'm a "right tool for the job" guy. Some people benefit from more shoe, others benefit from less. I believe in the least amount of shoe what will allow you to train like you want to train. There is no way that someone like me, could make the switch to barefoot without a serious reduction in training miles. There are many people that are in the same boat as me. Now, for someone just getting started that maybe has some issues with running form, moving to barefoot or minimalist shoes may be the way to go. What barefoot does is force you to run with good form. When that happens, a lot of those niggling aches and pains go away. Was it because of the shoes (or lack there of)? No. It was because of the form that was forced by the shoes. You can run with good form in shoes too.
Youre repeating the same arguments I have heard for years. If youre happy with the status quo then so be it. I plan on improving whenever the opportunity arises.
Be careful and run safe0 -
I bought mine around Labor day last year and I'll probably replace them in March when I start running outside regularly. I'm pretty hard on the cushioning on my shoes so my shins will tell me when it's time.0
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Youre repeating the same arguments I have heard for years. If youre happy with the status quo then so be it. I plan on improving whenever the opportunity arises.
Be careful and run safe
Are you implying that, by following the status quo, that it's not possible to improve?
There is no way I'm taking a step back to running 12 miles per week barefoot, to build back up to possibly gain an iota of improvement when I can run shod and keep knocking out PRs every time I lace them up. You sound like someone who drank the Kool-aid and it blinded by it's sweetness.
Barefoot is NOT the end all, be all. Shoot, the tarahumara indians didn't even run barefoot. They ran in sandals! When I start getting consistently smoked by barefoot runners, then maybe I'l reconsider how I'm doing things.0 -
Youre repeating the same arguments I have heard for years. If youre happy with the status quo then so be it. I plan on improving whenever the opportunity arises.
Be careful and run safe
Are you implying that, by following the status quo, that it's not possible to improve?
There is no way I'm taking a step back to running 12 miles per week barefoot, to build back up to possibly gain an iota of improvement when I can run shod and keep knocking out PRs every time I lace them up. You sound like someone who drank the Kool-aid and it blinded by it's sweetness.
Barefoot is NOT the end all, be all. Shoot, the tarahumara indians didn't even run barefoot. They ran in sandals! When I start getting consistently smoked by barefoot runners, then maybe I'l reconsider how I'm doing things.
"Knocking out PRs every time you lace em up"? LOL....So hotshot, you should be running on water about now eh?? LMAO I dont even know you and Im embarrassed for ya!
JAYZUS DAT BIRD NEEDS A DOSE OF SNAP0 -
It's not the mileage that makes a shoe need to be replaced, it's the breakdown of the shoe. Breakdown is caused by mileage, but is also dependent on the shoe's composition, a person's gait, the surfaces they run on, etc. The 300-500 is a rule of thumb - your thumb may be different, but that's where it comes from.
Cushier shoes will break down faster, firmer soles will break down slower (gotta love fatigue mechanics!). Pronators and people who twist their feet on the grown will break down shoes faster than people with a lighter, more even (less twisting) gait. I suspect roads vs. trails also break down shoes differently, but as I think through the scenarios and variables can't reach a conclusion personally (and haven't read anything convincing one way or the other).
I've had shoes break down at 300 miles and everything starts to hurt, and I've had shoes never cause pain but need to be replaced (upwards of 1200 miles) due to giant holes in the tops. It seriously varies, pay attention to your body (more than the shoe).
I have noticed that when shoes breakdown, it happens over the course of a few weeks - but it's fast, not slow (for me). First time it happened to me, I went to the doctor over weird knee pain, was told I injured it, and advised to wear a brace, nothing got better, had a follow up appointment but coincidentally got new shoes and a few runs later everything was fine. That's when I learned - nebulous pain with no obvious event causing it? Get new shoes. I have a special "new shoes" savings account that I keep topped up just in case, so I'm never stuck.
I really like the way this person explained it!! I am heavy-and tend to wear my shoes out quicker than a lighter person wearing the same shoes. And if you are upping your mileage, it becomes even more important to pay attention----speaking for myself who has , out of the blue, developed a case of shin splints KNOWING that I have needed new shoes for about two months but waiting for the gift cards (for Christmas). Heading to the LRS today! I have NEVER had shin splints and haven't upped my mileage in 3-4 weeks (doing 3's during the week & 8 on weekends).0 -
Youre repeating the same arguments I have heard for years. If youre happy with the status quo then so be it. I plan on improving whenever the opportunity arises.
Be careful and run safe
Are you implying that, by following the status quo, that it's not possible to improve?
There is no way I'm taking a step back to running 12 miles per week barefoot, to build back up to possibly gain an iota of improvement when I can run shod and keep knocking out PRs every time I lace them up. You sound like someone who drank the Kool-aid and it blinded by it's sweetness.
Barefoot is NOT the end all, be all. Shoot, the tarahumara indians didn't even run barefoot. They ran in sandals! When I start getting consistently smoked by barefoot runners, then maybe I'l reconsider how I'm doing things.
"Knocking out PRs every time you lace em up"? LOL....So hotshot, you should be running on water about now eh?? LMAO I dont even know you and Im embarrassed for ya!
JAYZUS DAT BIRD NEEDS A DOSE OF SNAP
Whatever dude. It's obvious that you can't have an intelligent discussion about this, so I'm not going to engage after this post. You do your thing, I'll do mine. I'll keep an open mind about barefoot as I have been. I run some barefoot stride myself when the weather and the conditions permit it. My point is that there is no "one size fits all" solution when it comes to running.0 -
Youre repeating the same arguments I have heard for years. If youre happy with the status quo then so be it. I plan on improving whenever the opportunity arises.
Be careful and run safe
Are you implying that, by following the status quo, that it's not possible to improve?
There is no way I'm taking a step back to running 12 miles per week barefoot, to build back up to possibly gain an iota of improvement when I can run shod and keep knocking out PRs every time I lace them up. You sound like someone who drank the Kool-aid and it blinded by it's sweetness.
Barefoot is NOT the end all, be all. Shoot, the tarahumara indians didn't even run barefoot. They ran in sandals! When I start getting consistently smoked by barefoot runners, then maybe I'l reconsider how I'm doing things.
"Knocking out PRs every time you lace em up"? LOL....So hotshot, you should be running on water about now eh?? LMAO I dont even know you and Im embarrassed for ya!
JAYZUS DAT BIRD NEEDS A DOSE OF SNAP
Whatever dude. It's obvious that you can't have an intelligent discussion about this, so I'm not going to engage after this post. You do your thing, I'll do mine. I'll keep an open mind about barefoot as I have been. I run some barefoot stride myself when the weather and the conditions permit it. My point is that there is no "one size fits all" solution when it comes to running.
Well my friend, even someone at your level knows there is a big difference between intelligent conversation and pretentious & dismissive arrogance. Youre simply bummed cuz I wouldnt take the bait.
Later Slick, gotta go paint my toenails now.0 -
Youre repeating the same arguments I have heard for years. If youre happy with the status quo then so be it. I plan on improving whenever the opportunity arises.
Be careful and run safe
Are you implying that, by following the status quo, that it's not possible to improve?
There is no way I'm taking a step back to running 12 miles per week barefoot, to build back up to possibly gain an iota of improvement when I can run shod and keep knocking out PRs every time I lace them up. You sound like someone who drank the Kool-aid and it blinded by it's sweetness.
Barefoot is NOT the end all, be all. Shoot, the tarahumara indians didn't even run barefoot. They ran in sandals! When I start getting consistently smoked by barefoot runners, then maybe I'l reconsider how I'm doing things.
Last spring I ran a 5k (with appendicitis). Came in 32nd/3rd AG. The guy that came in 9th with a 18:05 did so in "shoes" made up of medical gauze and duct tape lol. At 47, he won his AG by 2:30+ too.
Of course, I still think he's insane lol.0 -
Youre repeating the same arguments I have heard for years. If youre happy with the status quo then so be it. I plan on improving whenever the opportunity arises.
Be careful and run safe
Are you implying that, by following the status quo, that it's not possible to improve?
There is no way I'm taking a step back to running 12 miles per week barefoot, to build back up to possibly gain an iota of improvement when I can run shod and keep knocking out PRs every time I lace them up. You sound like someone who drank the Kool-aid and it blinded by it's sweetness.
Barefoot is NOT the end all, be all. Shoot, the tarahumara indians didn't even run barefoot. They ran in sandals! When I start getting consistently smoked by barefoot runners, then maybe I'l reconsider how I'm doing things.
Last spring I ran a 5k (with appendicitis). Came in 32nd/3rd AG. The guy that came in 9th with a 18:05 did so in "shoes" made up of medical gauze and duct tape lol. At 47, he won his AG by 2:30+ too.
Of course, I still think he's insane lol.
Yeah, probably a little crazy.
Of course there are going to be some fast guys that run barefoot. No doubt about that. As a matter of fact, in my last marathon there was a guy running barefoot just ahead of me as we came to the end. What great motivation he provided. I said to myself, in the last 1/4 mile, there is no way I'm getting beat by some barefoot emmeffer.
I did pass him. Does that validate that running in shoes is superior to running barefoot? No way. We both used what was working for us to get to the same end result.
My feeling is that, if barefoot were superior to running in shoes, then there would be a movement to it at the professional level and there just isn't. If it was that much better, Nike would have bought up Vibram by now and sent over cases of the shoes to the Nike Oregon Project.
I'll reiterate my earlier point in the event that it got lost. Barefoot running has it's place, but it's not the answer to every running question. It forces you to run with proper form. Proper form can also be achieved in shoes with form drills without having to reduce mileage and without the risk of injury that is present when you make the switch to barefoot from shoes. Some people will even excel with barefoot running and I think that's fantastic. I applaud them. Whatever it takes to fall in love with running and to be able to sustain it is perfectly fine by me.0 -
I replace mine when my knees hurt or the outside heel gets too squished. I only run in the summer, so once a year works for me
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Looked more closely at my shoes this morning. There were wrinkles in the treads and even a couple small holes! So u figured they need to be replaced. I was going for a long run though and figured I'd get one last run out of them before getting the new ones out of the closet. Despite perfect weather it was a tough run all around. My knee and hip are achy. I wanted to do a new distance PR - I was shooting for 11 to 12 miles. I did set a new PR - just barely though at 10.67. The shoes definitely need to be retired!0
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The VFF wont fit my toes. I really wanted to try them. So far I really like my new Minimus & they are comfortable.
I have really short, really wide feet. Most of the VFFs are too long (even the smallest size). Most other minimalist shoes are too narrow for me and don't come in wide. The Komodosports are the best I've found so far. After slipping around in the mud yesterday, I want to see if the Spyridons might fit me.Have you read the book "Born to Run"? Fantastic. Read it if you have time. You will look at running in a different light.
I have read it and would like to read it again, but I loaned it to someone that's being really slow. I found it very inspirational. Chi Running actually changed how I looked at running a lot more.0 -
Shoe goo will fix your hole in the shoe problems. You can get it at CVS or probably any running shoe store. It works perfectly on vibrams.My Vibram Five Finger Sprints got a hole in them at 229 miles, mostly on tarmac and concrete. My New Balance trail shoes were hurting my feet by 300 miles and I had to get rid of them. They hurt even walking around for a few minutes. I've put just over 100 miles on my VFF Komodosports and I hope they'll last a lot longer than the Sprints. They're looking good so far. I do need to find something to have as a back-up, though.
Thanks for the tip! I may try that before it gets warm enough to try wearing them again. The last time I wore them it struck me that my Komodosports don't really qualify as minimalist by comparison. There are a couple of thin spots that will be holes in another run or two.0 -
Now, for someone just getting started that maybe has some issues with running form, moving to barefoot or minimalist shoes may be the way to go. What barefoot does is force you to run with good form. When that happens, a lot of those niggling aches and pains go away. Was it because of the shoes (or lack there of)? No. It was because of the form that was forced by the shoes. You can run with good form in shoes too.
I think you're right about this. After reading Chi Running and realizing just how bad my form was, I made a real conscious effort to change. When I started running in the VFFs, I realized that I still had some work to do and they've helped me a lot.0
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