New running shoes before my 1/2 Marathon ?

hazymary
hazymary Posts: 190 Member
edited January 19 in Fitness and Exercise
I have about 200 miles on my running shoes, I'll have about 300 by my 1/2 marathon, should I get new shoes now or wait til after?

Replies

  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    I have a couple of friends who have purchased shoes very shortly before a half or full marathon. Both of them regretted it because the shoes either didn't wear in as expected or got a little weird after extended use.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    I have about 200 miles on my running shoes, I'll have about 300 by my 1/2 marathon, should I get new shoes now or wait til after?

    how many miles do you usually get out of your shoes?

    you might consider getting a new pair (same exact shoes) and rotate them each time you run - that way you'll have plenty of miles on your new shoes (for the race) and can keep using the old shoes as well
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
    you might consider getting a new pair (same exact shoes) and rotate them each time you run - that way you'll have plenty of miles on your new shoes (for the race) and can keep using the old shoes as well

    This is what I need to do. I was just thinking about this today. I'm going to have 600 - 700 miles on my current shoes by the time I hit this half in June. I need to start working on some new shoes before then. Would you just start wearing the new shoes once a week or so to get them broken in before the race? I'm sure it would be good to do a full half practice in these first. How many miles is "broken in"?
  • hazymary
    hazymary Posts: 190 Member
    It's my first pair of "real" running shoes
  • ctpeace
    ctpeace Posts: 327 Member
    I recommend you buy now. But hold off on deciding which pair you'll use for the race. If you've still got 100mi til the race, start switching off on which shoes you wear for shorter runs and build up to using the new ones on a longer run (never do a long run you're first time out on new shoes, it hurts!). You'll know about a week before the race which shoes will serve you best.
    My next half is in July, and I'll probably get new shoes mid-May and do the same. Have a great race!
  • ami5000psu
    ami5000psu Posts: 391 Member
    I've heard many recommendations against trying out anything new on race day. Buy new shoes now and rotate them in that way you can decide which shoes you would prefer to wear.
  • ctpeace
    ctpeace Posts: 327 Member
    Oh wow, then you're hard core running on "non-real" shoes for 200mi! Get thee to a running store! A proper fitting is so worth the extra 15-30 bucks you'll pay at a specialty place (Different names depending on where you live: Running Fit, Road Runners are a couple). Your Dunham's etc. sports stores don't give you the attention you should get on your first pair. Even bigger congrats!
  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
    I've heard many recommendations against trying out anything new on race day. Buy new shoes now and rotate them in that way you can decide which shoes you would prefer to wear.

    This. You need to break them in or you will be hurting after 30 minutes into the race.
  • zmoreno10
    zmoreno10 Posts: 69 Member
    I'm a heavier runner (+200 lbs), but ran my first two half marathons (within a month of eachother) on shoes that had over 500 miles on them without issue. [2:09 and 1:55 were my respective times... in case you were wondering ;-)] As soon as the second half marathon was over, I retired those shoes and switched full-time to my alternating pair.

    Granted, not everybody wears out shoes the same way, but I typically don't retire my shoes until I hit about 500 miles; so my vote would be don't buy new running shoes for your half-marathon specifically, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to start alternating pairs between training runs.
  • RunWinterGarden
    RunWinterGarden Posts: 428 Member
    In 2011 I used brand new shoes for the Disney full marathon, never had worn them before and had no issues with them after. I then proceed to rotate them with my other new pair of identical shoes.
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    Mary, I log the miles for my shoes. I use 2 pairs of the same shoes for the bulk of my runs and a pair of minimalistic ones for short/recovery runs.

    One of my bread and butter pairs has hit over 380 miles and Nike+ suggest that I retire them. Whilst they look fine cosmetically, there's no way of knowing if the integrity of the cushioning etc has been worn out. Also, the tread is worn out. If I had wore them off road or on grass rather than pavement, then i would have perhaps got more mileage from them.

    For my marathon, I have a pair of new shoes exactly the same model as the ones I train in which i will break in with about 50-60 miles to wear in before race day.
  • zmoreno10
    zmoreno10 Posts: 69 Member
    you might consider getting a new pair (same exact shoes) and rotate them each time you run - that way you'll have plenty of miles on your new shoes (for the race) and can keep using the old shoes as well

    This is what I need to do. I was just thinking about this today. I'm going to have 600 - 700 miles on my current shoes by the time I hit this half in June. I need to start working on some new shoes before then. Would you just start wearing the new shoes once a week or so to get them broken in before the race? I'm sure it would be good to do a full half practice in these first. How many miles is "broken in"?

    If you are buying the same model of shoe, you should be fine with just rotating them in to your training runs immediately. I always have two pairs of running shoes whenever I am training 4 - 5x per week, that way the shoe has time to kinda reset itself in between.

    As for how many miles is "broken in", well, that depends on the shoe, honestly. I've been buying the Asics GT-2000 line for the past 2 years and have never actually had to break them in[Which is why I keep buying them, I love not having to break them in]. There have been times where I bought a new pair of shoes and was in the gym within 15 minutes for a long training run.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    I'd rotate in a pair of the same shoes then (assuming you like them).

    Come race day you can choose whichever pair is making you happier.

    My physical therapist told me to rotate my shoes years ago, I've been doing it ever since. I always run out of two pairs at once.
  • ctpeace
    ctpeace Posts: 327 Member
    It's my first pair of "real" running shoes

    Please define "real". I assume you're not doing the barefoot runner thing, but if your current shoes are not cutting it for you, you should really lean towards breaking in new shoes for the race, 100mi is enough time for that usually.
  • Cheval13
    Cheval13 Posts: 350 Member
    First of all, three hundred miles is fine to keep running in. Most running shoes should last at least 400 miles if they were kept out of extreme heat or cold.
    However, different brands tend to wear (and tear) differently.
    I began rotating my shoes after noticing that they run better when I don't wear them back-to-back. In Florida during the rainy season, rotating also ensured that I always had a dry pair. OP, I think you're fine if you decide to run in the same shoes during your marathon, but definitely don't try to wear a new pair (especially if it's a different shoe style/brand) than the one you have currently been wearing.
    Good luck!
  • hazymary
    hazymary Posts: 190 Member
    My shoes are Brooks GTS 13, they've been in snow, single digits, rain, beach runs with temps in the 80's ...the tread looks fine, but I did just notice a hole starting where my right big toe is. Before this pair I never spent $ $$ on shoes of any kind, so I'm not sure if these are the best shoes for me. I did go to Fleet feet (running store) to be fitted. Geesh who knew running would get so expensive!
  • ctpeace
    ctpeace Posts: 327 Member
    The test is how you feel. If you're feet/ knees (back and hips even) are feeling good, then the shoes are fine, if you get wierd pains other than muscle pain, maybe not. Holes aren't a big deal on the top of the shoe, unless they are an indication of shoes being too small. If you are getting blisters, the shoes might be to blame, but it could just be the socks. If you're worried about expense of a new pair and the ones you have aren't causing you problems (you'd know if they were!), you can definitely race in the ones you've got. If you're interested in a new pair, now would be a good time to rotate shoes. Fleet Feet should do you right, so well done on that. You're probably fine unless you're having a specific problem. Best of luck on your race!
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