How much do you pay for running shoes?

If you are a very fast runner, you don't have to pay anything :laugh:

I was shocked when I saw how much running shoes cost. How much did your shoes cost was it worth it to buy the more expensive kind?

I pay $25 for Starters at WalMart. They work great.

Study after study has failed to find any injury or performance improvements from expensive runners.

I suggest going to a running store, getting fitted for shoes, then search for last year's "model" on Zappos or 6pm if the price is an issue. I don't necessarily need the latest and greatest, but prefer shoes that are tried/true.

Also, depending on how much you run, expect to replace your shoes every 6 months or so. There are plenty of articles on the internet that tell you how to determine when it's time to replace your shoes. Here's just one:

http://www.mizunousa.com/running/blog/running-shoe-durability-how-many-miles-can-you-expect-and-how-to-extend-the-life-of-your-running-shoes/

$110 & worth every penny. I have used inferior shoes & have paid the price w/continued foot issues. If I had spent the money on proper shoes to begin with I may never have experienced my injury. So were the cheaper improperly fitted shoes worth it, NO! Get fitted & spend the money.

Before you get out and hand over your hard-earned, do get a proper shoe fit. This included length and width. Not all feet are equal. Then, knowing your shoe length and width size, go get a gait analysis to determine if you pronate, supinate or have a natural RUN gait.

Then with this information, go to your shops and ask for your shoes that fit the requirements - attempt to get as many varieties to try as possible.

Now heres the kicker; shoes that you stand in that feel good may not be the best shoe for you to run in. I recommend having a shop with a treadmill, put brand/shoe x on left foot and brand/shoe y on right foot. Now go run. Keep the one which feels best on. Repeat until you're out of shoes. The one you like most is the one you're going to buy.

It sounds laborious to do this, but honestly, its a far easier doing this than suffering with cramp, blisters, toe nails going purple and falling off, fasciitis, tendonitis, cortizone shots etc.

(now for me, I run in New Balance 1080's for training and zoot ultra tt 5.0's for racing)

Once I find a pair I like, I look online for a better deal LOL.

LunarFly 3+ Trail is what I ran my road marathon in, loved them, and they were $30 online from Finish Line. They offered a touch of support, but weren't fully neutral and my feet didn't hurt after the 26.2.

I also found that I liked Nike Pegasus shoes, and even though they were $100 in the stores, you could easily find them for $50 from online retailers. (Reputable online retailers that is...none of this "we ship you free shoes, real deal!" stuff.)

I love Salomon's and just got a pair of XR Mission Trail Runners for under $70 at Sierra Trading Post online. I have pretty good luck finding a good fit without trying them on, so mail order/internet works for me (even tho I do prefer to shop locally for most things ). I'm guessing that how Sierra offers such good deals is because they are last year's models or overstock, etc. Anyway, though I always get a good name-brand shoe, I won't pay more than $70, and usually pay less. Good luck with finding something that works well for you at a reasonable price!

I was shocked when I saw how much running shoes cost. How much did your shoes cost was it worth it to buy the more expensive kind?

If you're really going to be out there running, shoes are extremely important. I would advice you to go to an actual running store where they will watch you run and evaluate your stride and determine your pronation tendencies, etc and having them properly fit you for a good running shoe.

If you're doing a lot of running and don't have proper shoes then you're going to be in a world of hurt. I no longer run often enough to fork out too much for good running shoes so I don't...I just make sure I have a decent shoe that is neutral since I'm a supinator...but when I was running a lot, my Brooks Ghosts were around $130 I think.

YES---they are worth it. I usually pay around $100 but I look for sales everywhere and have found my Asics $20-30 off all kinds of amazing place including Amazon, Zappos, REI and all the sports stores at the end of year [I don't mind if my model is last year's].

Running in poor shoes or shoes not made for running is not worth the pain, injury and aggravation.

Having said that I have run 30 marathons---I've run a LOT of miles. I put 400 plus miles in my shoes and if you look at miles per shoes---running shoes are a much better pay-off than any other shoes I own.

Also, I use my old shoes to run on the treadmill. I find that the treadmill wears them out much faster than the road---but is more forgiving if they are a little shot.

Good luck!

If you are a very fast runner, you don't have to pay anything :laugh:

Can't let this one go by without a quote, made me LOL.

As for the shoe, I go with a minimalist style which are usually inexpensive plus they work great for my cardio workouts too.

In the past I have paid up to $170 for shoes. I have "man feet"...I'm 5"3 and wear a wide size 10. Women's shoes don't fit properly, so I have to pay more to get men's shoes. I managed to get a $60 discount on my last pair because the colour was discontinued.

PLEASE stop getting fitted at specialty stores and then taking that information to buy on amazon....

From someone who works in a specialty store, you're putting us out of business. Just ask if we'll price match! We'll do just about anything to keep your business. Most shop owners will be flattered you want to buy from them rather than online and they'll make exceptions to the price to keep you. You're doing more than just buying shoes. Your money stays local, which helps the community and the local economy.

I just bought a pair of Asics gel-cumulus lite shows. I didn't need the reflective stuff, just the shoes were way cuter than the non-reflective model and only ten bucks more lol They ended up costing 132$ after taxes, I would've only saved like $5 buying them online so just bought them in store so I would have them right away. Next time, now that I know I'm just neutral, I'll look online and shop around a bit first, but I LOVE these shoes!!! Much better than my half size too small old pair LOL They were my treat for sticking to working out for longer than I ever have before, and I'll be focusing a bit more on cardio now so they were necessary.

Mine where almost $44.99. (On sale; original price was $70.)

I got the FILA Memory foam Running shoes. They are pretty awesome (and squishy!).