Runnign Shoes - Advice Sought

sabrads
sabrads Posts: 152
edited September 23 in Fitness and Exercise
I am starting to get more active doing the C25K plan and I need to get some comfortable running shoes - as a big guy I have not been in to a sports store for a while and I wondered if any one can give me some advice as to what I should buy ? Not looking to spend too mush but dont want to injure myself with the wrong shoes.

Replies

  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
    I would highly recommend going to a running store- they usually have sneakers of all price ranges and will give you a professional opinion on which is the best sneaker for you. They will either watch you walk/run, or video tape you on a treadmill and after assessing your stride they'll be able to determine which shoe is best.

    Good luck in your search... the right shoes make all the difference in the world! :flowerforyou:
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    I would highly recommend going to a running store- they usually have sneakers of all price ranges and will give you a professional opinion on which is the best sneaker for you. They will either watch you walk/run, or video tape you on a treadmill and after assessing your stride they'll be able to determine which shoe is best.

    Good luck in your search... the right shoes make all the difference in the world! :flowerforyou:

    +1 Spend money on good shoes!
  • BrownEyedG1rl
    BrownEyedG1rl Posts: 625 Member
    I am also doing the c25k program and am also in need of some new running shoes. People keep telling me to go to a running store and let them analyze your step and they will recommend the right shoe for you. Like you , I don't want to spend a ton of money as well. I haven't gone yet and I might just go buy a pair on my own to start out. I will be curious to see what others say. Sorry I''m not much help, I just wanted to suggest the running store option to you. Good luck!
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    HIGHLY suggest going to a running shoe store! They will guide you to the correct support for your feet and how you walk/run. Everyone has opinions on what feels good to them, but everyone is different! I just got a gift certificate to get fitted for running shoes for Christmas and I have to say, it makes a HUGE difference! I don't think about my feet at all anymore! My feet or shins don't bother me at all! I got a pair of Saucony for about $96. The guy mentioned that Nike is more popular for men than women. But, you should really go and get fitted! :flowerforyou:
  • craigdean
    craigdean Posts: 30
    I agree with Kelynn. Go to a running store. It is the best thing you can do. If you get the wrong sneakers and your start having pains/injuries then your running will come to a quick end.
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
    Get fitted at a running store (NOT a sporting goods store). You'll invest around $100 (give or take) but try and look at it as money you won't be spending on chiropractors and physical therapists to fix the damage caused by running improper shoes.
  • jenmcgraw
    jenmcgraw Posts: 40 Member
    Go to a running store. Have them watch your gait and such. Spend some $ on these shoes its so worth it to avoid injuries. Good luck with the 5K and the shoe search.
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    It's hard to swallow spending a lot of money on a running shoe. However, what good are $40 shoes if they break down in a month or two? And if you are doing THAT much running, you really need to look at like it's your only tool for that sport. You wouldn't play baseball with a plastic bat, would you? Protect your feet and joints NOW and save yourself aches, pains and damage in the long run! DO IT! :tongue:
  • maxolivia
    maxolivia Posts: 28
    I finally broke down and went to a running store. They watched me walk and picked out a couple different shoes for me. They are like BUTTER. They fit so well, its comfortable to run and no shin splints. It was worth the 130.00.
  • MsRaeJ
    MsRaeJ Posts: 16
    Go to the running store, get fitted for the right pair of shoes and then go to www.holabirdsports.com and buy them for cheaper.
  • beqy12
    beqy12 Posts: 569
    WITHOUT A DOUBT.... do the above.

    I have always been active and a runner without any problems, but never replaced my running shoes... oops! I went into a Nike store and asked for help... a sales kid had me try on the shoe he wanted to sell me and had me jog around. He was right - it felt super light and cushion-y.... IN THE STORE.

    Two weeks later my knees hurt so bad because my body wasn't meant to run on such a soft shoe. I went into a running store and they did the stride analysis and got me into the right shoe... now I run without pain.

    GO TO A REAL RUNNING STORE.... they know what they're doing. Everyone's body is different so one person could recommend a great shoe, but it might not be a great shoe for you.
  • Stridersol
    Stridersol Posts: 1
    Hi
    Best advice would be to go to a specialist running shop and have your gait analysed before shelling out money on shoes that will damage your knees and ankles. Once you've done this most of the major brands are ok and it becomes a question of personal choice and how much you want to pay for the type of shoes best for you - you may be neutral, an over or under-pronator, this is why you should check first. It depends on where you are in the country but somewhere like 'Sweatshop' or 'Up and Running' seem to be pretty widspread and staffed by runners who know what they're talking about. Avoid the major chains until you know the type of shoe best for you.
    I hope this helps. Good luck and keep on running.
  • Ladyloraella
    Ladyloraella Posts: 46 Member
    Any of these stores in the uk?
  • TrainerRobin
    TrainerRobin Posts: 509 Member
    Ditto. Go to a running store. A quality fitting will net you the best shoes, not necessarily the most expensive.
    I'm a little partial to buying shoes from the people who spend the money to provide this service in a brick and mortar store. That said, I do buy second and third pairs online if it's a super deal and I've at least bought one pair from the "matchmakers."

    Most importantly, be sure that you get the below things from a running store fitting. If they don't, politely leave and go to another running shoe store.

    They should:
    -- ask you to roll/cuff your jeans if you're not wearing shorts to see the angles of your calves, ankles and feet.
    -- They may have you do a wet footprint (step into water and then onto paper) to determine your arch. Some experienced fitters seem to be able to skip this step.
    -- They MUST ask you to walk away from them and toward them, and then should crouch down to see your ankle, foot, and leg action from knee level or so.
    -- they should have a policy that if the shoes don't work for you when you have tried them out a bit, you can bring them back and credit the purchase toward a different shoe.
    -- They MUST watch you jog in the shoe they fit you in to see how you do IN THAT SHOE.
    -- They should have you try on and run in at least three pairs of shoes to get a good level of confidence they have you in the right shoe.
    -- They should explain what they are observing and what kind of a runner you are (ask them about the different types of shoes and they should be happy to explain the basic three types of shoes and tell you which you are).

    They should not:
    -- try one shoe and if you say it feels good, say that's your shoe!
    -- make a judgment on the right RUNNING shoe unless they watch you RUN/JOG. Things work mechanically different at the run than they do at the walk.
    -- they should NOT suggest a shoe based primarily on what you say is comfortable. It should be comfortable (absolutely!) but I have seen salespersons say "that's it" as soon as someone inexperienced says a given shoe is comfortable. Quick sale. No work. Bad fitting.

    Other folks may think of more tenets to add, but that's my basic. List. Once you start running, try to replace your shoes every 500 miles or so.

    The right shoe for YOU is critical, because just a little torque in the wrong spot on your foot, shifts and magnifies in your ankle, knee and hip .... possibly creating problems that are more detrimental to your health and your pocketbook than a good shoe and fitting at a professional running shoe store.

    Don't hesitate to tell them budget is a concern but your priority is a good fit. If more than one shoe fits the bill, they'll steer you toward the more affordable one.

    Good luck and happy shoe shopping!!
    Go treat yourself!!!!
  • bubblybabeuk
    bubblybabeuk Posts: 216 Member
    Any of these stores in the uk?



    Whereabouts are you I went to a running store this week, pain free after 12 years because they gave me the right trainers!

    Mandy xx
  • DS13
    DS13 Posts: 136
    I have a pair of underarmour prophrt II's that I really like. They're light as heck and really comfortable, and were 60 bucks.
  • pwegman
    pwegman Posts: 6
    I agree go to a running store and spend the money. Then replace them every 350 - 500 miles. My first pair was $95. It was worth every penny. If you go with a cheaper pair you are setting yourself up for an injury. Also you may need different shoes for inside and outside running. I bought cushy shoes special for winter treadmill running. I have Nikes now but am an ASICS fan. Good luck!
  • bluiz13
    bluiz13 Posts: 3,550 Member
    I would highly recommend going to a running store- they usually have sneakers of all price ranges and will give you a professional opinion on which is the best sneaker for you. They will either watch you walk/run, or video tape you on a treadmill and after assessing your stride they'll be able to determine which shoe is best.

    Good luck in your search... the right shoes make all the difference in the world!

    +1 Spend money on good shoes!


    DITTO ALL THIS.....it is imperative that you get the right shoe from the start to avoid injuries....just cause you go to the running store to be "fitted" and try shoes, does not mean you have to buy there....they can "tell" you what you need and then you can "choose" to think about it and then check ****'s sporting goods or sports authority or any other chain for a better price....but i highly recommend you go to the running store to get fitted.....the stride test on the treadmill with the video camera gives them the best idea of the shoes that are right for you...
  • JeepOnRock
    JeepOnRock Posts: 28
    You really need to know if you are an over or under pronator... You need a shoe that fits with the mechanics of your movement. Expect to spend between $100 and $150... Sometimes you can find the shoes you are looking for on sale... (I know that I wear Brook's Beasts) I paid $150 for the first pair, and now I keep an eye out and I've gotten them as low as $80.

    Soon I'll need to stop back in for a full retail experience to make sure my stride and pronation haven't changed.
  • sabrads
    sabrads Posts: 152
    Thanks for the advice.

    There is a sports shop in the town I live in that has a running department that has been recommended on a running website - I will go seek advice from them on Saturday !
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
    Forgot to mention, most running stores not only allow you to try the shoes on and even run in them a little bit outside the store, but allow you to exchange them for a different pair if you get them home, hit the pavement, and decide you don't like them. A few weeks before my half marathon in the fall I got new sneakers, did a 12 mile run and decided I hated them so I went back to the running store and switched them for a different pair- no questions asked! :happy:
  • mam734
    mam734 Posts: 21
    I went to a running store and they fitted me for a 'big guy' shoe, the saucony echelon 2 and I love them. I would never have graduated C25K without them. i was ~250 at the time I got them.
  • Coyla
    Coyla Posts: 444 Member
    For anyone, like me, who doesn't have a running store close by, there are other options. But it takes a lot of work.

    First, check your arches.

    Here are two great websites with information on what kind of arch you have.

    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-240-319-326-7152-0,00.html

    http://www.feetrelief.com/feetrelief/arch_height.htm

    Second, determine how you pronate:

    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-240-319-327-7727-0,00.html

    (People with low arches tend to overpronate - people with high arches tend to underpronate.)

    Third, check the wear on your old shoes:

    Are they worn on the outside or inside of the shoe? For example, my feet underpronate severely, so the outside of my shoes are worn down, plus my old shoes lean out. Shoes with inside wear would indicate one who overpronates. Shoes which are worn equally indicate a neutral runner.

    Fourth, are you a heavy runner or a light runner? This depends on your weight. Most heavy runners will want a lot of cushioning and support, but not all.

    Fifth, on what kind of surfaces will you be running? Cement? Pavement? Dirt roads and paths? Gravel?

    And, finally, what kind of running will you be doing? Long, slow runs? Short bursts of speed?

    There are two basic types of shoes:

    Support shoes: these restrict movement and are for people who overpronate and have low arches. They are also good for heavy runners, but may NOT be right for you, heavy or not. Unless you overpronate, you should avoid stabilization shoes.

    Cushioned, neutral shoes: these have a lot of flexibility and cushioning for people who underpronate and have high arches. An arch support is helpful, too. They are also good for neutral runners.

    There are different variations of these shoes. Some are for trail-runners, others for cross-country, and yet others are designed for speed. Once you get the basics on pronation, you can go from there to choose a shoe for what you intend.

    Finding the right shoe is important to avoid injury. Many of the online shoe stores have reviews and info on each of their shoes. User reviews are important, too! They can tell you whether the shoe runs big, small, or true to size. Never buy a shoe that's too small. Any shoe that needs to be "broken in" is the wrong shoe. The right shoe should feel good out of the box.
  • gdunn55
    gdunn55 Posts: 363
    I've bought a pair of Vibram Five Fingers a few months back. I prefer to run in them over any shoe I've ever owned. Very comfortble and light.
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