For my fellow Runners: how often do your shoes typically last you

JaysFan82
JaysFan82 Posts: 853 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've gotten back into running this past September after dropping 139 pounds and was curious

Replies

  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,943 Member
    With my first pair of running shoes I ran about 1600km. :# Strictly speaking they weren't actual running shoes but sporty everyday-shoes which probably doesn't make this any better :D I have odd feet and find it nearly impossible to find suitable shoes. But yeah, they really lasted this long.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,743 Member
    I track the mileage on my shoes when I log my runs and walks. I use Runningahead, but you can also include equipment used on the Garmin site. I alternate between 3 pairs of running shoes, so they have time to dry out between runs and decompress. Usually the shoes last about 500 miles. Sometimes I start getting random knee or foot pain before that, and I take that as a sign that it is time to replace the shoes. Sometimes I will use retired running shoes for walking around or yardwork shoes, but if they have lost support internally, that can cause problems.
  • dsg2000
    dsg2000 Posts: 38 Member
    I track mine and they usually last somewhere between 400-500 miles. I run consistently and that comes out to about 4-5 months (I also use 3 pairs at the same time and cycle through them so I’m never using the same pair twice in a row, which I’ve heard helps shoes last longer). Like spiriteagle, I’ve also noticed that my knees will start to ache when it’s time to switch shoes, so I use that as my cue!
  • DoubleG2
    DoubleG2 Posts: 123 Member
    300 - 400 miles - but I'm a bigger dude for a runner (6'4" 185lbs). My knees will tell me when it's time. YMMV.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Typically I'll get 4-500 miles out of a pair before they're relegated to being dog walking shoes.

    One of my running heroes, Ed Whitlock (who ran a sub 4 hr marathon at 85), ran in the same shoes for about 25 years (not that I'm recommending copying that).
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 920 Member
    edited January 2023
    I use my running app to keep track of the mileage on my shoes (RunKeeper). I currently use Brooks Ghosts and I typically get ~300 before I start feeling them breaking down. Might get to ~350 and then they are done-ish. I will usually purchase a new pair when they are at ~250 and wear the newer pair on long-runs and do the last hundred or so miles on the older pair on my shorter runs until they're spent. So I am not running in the same shoes each run.

    I definitely will notice my knees/hips complaining when they start going by the wayside. Then they become hiking shoes when I"m doing a hike that doesn't require actual hiking boots.
  • JaysFan82
    JaysFan82 Posts: 853 Member
    Thanks everyone!
  • siberiantarragon
    siberiantarragon Posts: 265 Member
    My track coach in high school said we should replace our running shoes every 2 to 3 months to avoid shin splints.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Most running shoes will give you 300-500 miles, but there are a lot of factors involved in that too...a heavier person is going to wear through running shoes faster...the surface you're running on makes a difference...your biomechanical patterns, etc.

    Mostly you will be able to tell when you start having new aches...usually in the knees due to IT band syndrome.

    From the jump, make sure you go to a running store and have your gait analyzed. Nothing worse than just grabbing a pair of running shoes and they're never truly comfortable because they don't match your natural biomechanics. For the longest time I was trying to run in runners that were designed to correct pronation (I had no idea, I just liked the way they looked) and it was always extremely uncomfortable. When I finally had my gait analyzed I found out that I supinate so the shoe designed to correct pronation was making my supination worse and I needed a neutral shoe...much better.
  • tonybrown1930
    tonybrown1930 Posts: 4 Member
    I expect to get 5-600 miles as a minimum out of mine,basically a good 1000 miles+. I have 5 or 6 pairs on rotation. I have known once that I had a ITB twinge when ever I wore one pair. They were at around 1000 miles, so dropped them out the rotation. I don't think there is a need to retire running shoes at a fixed time. Just replace when they are falling apart or start to cause issues. As I've seen one on-line running coach say, when asked when to replace running shoes, his reply "when they are f**ked".
  • cyndit1
    cyndit1 Posts: 170 Member
    I have RA so my joints tell me to change usually between 250/300 miles. I also alternate 2 pair but I also listen to my body. Hips and knees keep my honest.
  • tkillion810
    tkillion810 Posts: 591 Member
    I believe the general rule of thumb is around 500 miles, or 6 months. If you’re running longer distances or most days, that will shorten the time frame. I personally get little ‘niggles’, as I call them. My body starts to tell me with random aches that don’t last. These are indicators that it’s time for a new pair for me.

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